CHAPTER 2:
Twenty minutes south of Bayville, Rogue parked her new candy apple green Ford Mustang in front of a sleazy street. A hidden crevice under the city's train system. Her jaw rattled as the tracks hummed with life. It blows her mind why mutants continue to call this dumpster home. The mayor called it paradise, one you would get like Genosha. A load of bullshit. It's like shit hidden at the bottom of the boot, refusing to leave. Like said mutants.
Climbing from the back seat, Laura Lex's nose scrunched, "It smells like death down here."
Wanda glanced toward a graffiti wall. A kid leaned against a dumpster, limp, with a needle stuck in a vein—bags under his eyelids, pale and clammy.
"I can see why," Laura snorted, "He's dead."
"I ain' dead, you stupid bi—" the kid snapped.
Before he could get any further with the insults, Rogue stepped forward, "Vinny in?"
The kid nodded.
Rounding the corner, Rogue tucked her hands into her leather jacket—a mental note recorded in her head. Throw said jacket in a fire and buy a new one.
Laura, impatient, huffed forward. Her fist made contact, loudly, with the rusted warehouse door, "Anyone home?!"
Metal strained at the task of opening.
A sleazy bald man poked his head through the door. Rogue could see the strings of his beard in the dim lighting. His dark and hazed eyes moved between the three of them and landed on Laura, ogling too long.
"We ain' got what yer lookin' for, Lil lady, so keep it pushin'." He used the back of his hand to rub his nose.
Observant, Laura tilted her head to the side, blinking cutely.
Noticing, Wanda took a step back, shaking her head.
"Oh…" Laura started, pulling her shirt down for him to get a slight glance at her breasts. "You didn' order any girls for Vinny's birthday?"
He looked away from her and then stepped aside for her, "Right this way, sugar."
She threw him a cheeky smile over her shoulder as she sauntered inside. Rogue and Wanda followed behind, smiling wide in thanks.
The harsh screech and slam of the door made her take a deep breath. If it comes down to it, they will have to fight their way out, and she doesn't have any of her weapons on her. They happen to be at the mansion. She forgot to grab them because Lyla had been a distraction.
Drums echoed down the moldy and unstable hall as their guest played tour guide.
"Yah name wouldn't be Vinny, would it?"
"It can be whatever yo' wannit to be sugar." He said from in front of them.
Rogue rolled her eyes, "If yah name ain' Vinny," She mumbled as his hand moved to touch Laura on the ass, "No touchin' the merchandise."
He quickly removed his hand and marched further down the hall. Rogue and the others followed close behind.
A Sleazeball stopped them before a rotting door, melting off its hinges. He knocked. Waited for a few moments. No answer. Again, he moved to knock when the door slipped open.
Her throat fell into her stomach.
Familiar hazel eyes looked her over. Ending on her emerald green eyes, he spoke, "Yah can go now, Jimmy."
Jimmy slipped back into his dark hole. Her past stepped aside for her and her team to enter.
At the glass desk in the middle of the cramped room, the door shut behind them, "Some ladies here for yah Vin."
Rogue expected a guy like Jimmy to be Vinny. A sleazy, round bastard. Gaudy jewelry, sweat on his brow, and slim women on the couch or their knees begging for their freedom. A gross bitch ass man.
Instead, Vinny Lean, wore an all-black suit, avoiding a tie. The top button undone, showing off a hint of a tattoo displayed across his chest.
At least she was one for three as gaudy gold jewelry dripped from his finger, wrist, ears, and neck. Oddly enough, there is a gold hook in his nose. His hair buzzed closer to his head—a perfect fade.
Laura stepped beside Rogue, humming, "Not what I expected."
Wanda, closest to the door, nodded in agreement.
Vinny looked up from his desk, sunglasses hiding away his eyes. She learned from a source he has some manipulation power, again, why she thought Vinny was a heavy-set sleaze bag.
"Is this a birthday present?"
Rogue snorted, "Not quite shuga, we are to find some missin' mutants." She slid a finger along his desk, "Yah control this side of Mutant Towne. Ah believe yah would know."
He glanced between them, following Laura's escapade around the room, "I don't know. My delivery girl didn't show for her routine pick-up last night."
He picked up an unused cigarette from beside his laptop, "I thought one of my competitors killed her."
"Did they?" Wanda asked.
"If they did," The bouncer started from behind them, "her head would be sitting on his desk as a bragging right."
"Then, what are you thinking?"
"Experimentation." He said quickly, "Think about it. Why round up a large population of mutants in a pen, like cattle, unless you want to kill them all, or—"
"Get easy access to do whatever yah want with them. Anyone weird lurkin' 'bout these parts that aren't lookin' for a score?"
Vinny shook his head, "I'll let ya know if we find anyone like that."
When Vinny stopped them, they began to take their leave, "Does this mean I can get a seat with the black King?"
She looked up to her past as he glanced down at her. Rogue didn't bother to look Vinny in the face, "Ah can see what Ah can do."
So, Cody is working for the Circle. She wondered for how long, but did it matter? They are in the past, and she's trying to move forward. He reached out, but she pushed around him, needing to converse with her dearest sister.
After Kitty's shift, Jean Grey, Lyla's warden, paid her no mind. Her telepathic conversation with other people on the line seemed important. More critical than Lyla fixing up the garage. Of course, Lyla didn't mind. She got to play with cars like a kid in a Lego Store. Her excitement was short-lived as foot stomps closed in on her location.
Rogue's jaw was tight as she forced herself to smile. She grabbed Lyla by the arm, told Jean they'd return, and pulled her to the side.
Sighing deeply, Rogue rubbed her temples, "Ah'm only gonna ask yah this one time. Please don't fuck with me."
Lyla raised a brow, studying her. She didn't dare utter a word, afraid she'd get punched in the jaw again.
"Did yah know Cody was in Bayville?"
Lyla's eyes finally met Rogue's.
Damn, she wanted to lie, but that wasn't her way.
Taking a deep breath, Lyla casually said, "Ah thought he was dead," she shrugged.
Rogue swallowed, pale, "Yah thought he died in his coma?"
No one in the family or friends dared to mention Rogue's first boyfriend and kiss. It brought up sour memories. After she nearly killed him by using her powers, she closed herself off from the world. Rogue became the definition of an ice queen. It took about a year for Remy and Wanda to show up.
What about Lyla? What did she do to help her sister through painful times? That's an excellent question, reader. Lyla was up all night, listening to the nightmares. She never got a single wink of sleep; she moved to the garage. It didn't work.
"Wha—no! He's been workin' wit' the Club for years. A pawn or somethin'."
Rogue blinked, unsure of the timeline.
Lyla explained that "Cody joined after yah became the leader of the Brotherhood. Like Ah said, a pawn. But he did somethin' to make Peter angry. Yah know as well as Ah, Peter ain' the one to overlook disrespect."
Deadpan, Lyla waved her fists in the air, "Yay! Cody ain' dead."
Lyla shoved her hands in her pockets while Rogue processed.
Tired of the silence, Lyla sighed, "Look, Cody's probably not workin' wit' the Club. If Ah were yah, Ah's make sure he stays alive. Peter isn't the forgivin' type."
Rogue didn't move.
Mumbling a whatever under her breath, Lyla moved toward the garage, face to face with the Wolverine. His eyes intentionally followed each move she made. Ready to make a move against her if she tried anything.
She won't.
This is her haven; she won't ruin it for now because she's bored.
"Guard change?"
He shook his head, "Yer done for the day. Jean's gonna take ya back up to containment."
Lyla snorted, "Yah mean my lavish cell."
As she walked further from the garage Lyla's ears listened to Rogue's report. A lowly drug dealer doesn't know what happened to the missing mutants. Rogue and the lowly druggy think it's government involvement. Lyla believes something more sinister is at play than the government playing God.
It's not her business.
Out of the shower, Lyla grabbed a washcloth from the sink. Harsh, she tried scrubbing the oil from the cars off her hands. It wasn't working. Her footsteps slowed, hearing a familiar heartbeat and soft breaths.
Keeping her head down, "yah ain' welcome here." Lyla dropped to a knee to grab the only t-shirt in her tattered duffle bag. Her back to the unwanted guest.
"Yer overreacting."
Lyla threw on the T-shirt. Stahr's soft gaze felt less enticing and vulnerable when she put on a barrier.
"Ah didn' call my sister on myself. So, who was the one overreactin'?" Lyla snapped.
Changed, Lyla refused to turn around. Afraid she'd beg for forgiveness, even though none of this was her fault. Or she's fuck-up and fuck Stahr, even though they said they should stay friends.
"Yer not gonna look at me?" Stahr asked, brittle. Pfft, there's no way; one of the strongest women in Lyla's life is holding back tears. The first time she was remotely close to having a crying fit was years ago. Stahr's science partner and the first boyfriend she's ever had took credit for their project. Their heart shattered. She tried holding them together, and she did, but later in the night, she laid her head on Lyla's legs and let out the tears.
Lyla didn't think her not turning around would make Stahr cry.
"What do yah want?" Lyla asked, rolling her taut shoulders.
Stahr sighed, "I came to check on you."
Voice rich with sarcasm, "Let's see, shall we." She breathed, "Ah'm walkin' the same halls as my sister. Who," She put up a finger to drive her point, "doesn't want to see me because she believes Irene's death is my fault."
Silence fell between them.
Both knew why Stahr came to check on her.
It wasn't Rogue.
"You weren't at the funeral," Stahr said, low.
Lyla whirled on her heels.
Stahr's breath caught.
Fear or arousal? Both?
"Get. Out."
Stahr moved off the bed toward Lyla.
Lyla's jaw tightened.
Understanding, Stahr stopped moving, nodded, and said, "Fine. Be an ass."
Lyla watched Stahr climb off the balcony attached to the room. A lurking voice sounded in her head, 'How sad.'
The last time and place she saw Cody was one of the worst days. She watched as he was carted to the hospital in a coma. If she held onto the kiss a little longer, death would've taken him. He's one of the main reasons she fled to Bayville. Afraid to face his family and her friends from high school.
However, she decided to take Lyla's advice. Shocker.
Downtown, Rogue rested herself on one of the buildings. Her legs dangling over the side. The soft winds swayed her hair in her face. Silent moments like tonight gave her solace. Especially with the mansion constantly going, going, and going. Chaos started early and ended late. Now that Lyla is around, hopefully, her presence at the mansion lowers.
"Possum?"
Scrunching at the old nickname, Rogue sat up straight, "Heard yer in a pickle."
Cody plopped down beside her, crossing his legs, "Lyla?" He breathed. Defeated.
"Yah know she was in town?"
Cody rolled his eyes, "Of course Ah knew. She trashed the Queen's place of business."
"Thought yah were out of the game." Hell, she thought he was still lying on his back, in a coma.
Cody chuckled softly, "Let's be real and honest with one another. yah gettin' yah info from Ly.' Cause we both know yah thought Ah was still in a coma."
She wanted to say otherwise. Wanted to say she knew he was walking about. But, as she snuck a quick peek toward him, she realized she was lying to herself. Would the world be better off with him still lying in bed? For her, yes.
"What did yah do to get on Peter's bad side?"
Cody closed his eyes, sighing, "Stole some things from him."
"Like?"
"Yah don't wanna know."
She stood to tower over him, "Who are yah workin' for? Cause Ah know yah ain' got a death wish."
He smirked as he looked up at her, "The Thieves Guild has a particular case goin' on, as does the Assassins Guild. Thought Ah'd help where Ah can."
Fuck.
It.
All.
To.
Hell.
She rubbed her temples, "He's in Bayville."
Cody smirked, "Ah'd presume so. Yes. Haven't seen him in a few months though. He thinks we are back together."
Rogue perked up an eyebrow, "Oh? Does he."
"Oh, that smile means yah have a devious plan."
"Not at all. But how would yah like to join forces to make the Prince of Thieves squirm."
"Ah'm in."