Chapter 6
.
It was only a few hours before the operation. Rogue feared death, but she didn't have much of a life anyway. To most of the world she was a mutant, an inhuman, a freak. To the law she was a murderer, worthy of the death penalty. The last couple of days she had mostly been binge watching her vampire soap operas and playing portable videogames, eating burgers and smoking. This helped take her mind off what was coming, a little. The delegates were already arriving in New York City, tonight they would all be going to this big party, an informal way to get to know each other before a week of debating the "mutant question." Security would be incredibly tight, anyone working here had to go through a pretty extensive background check. But they underestimated the range of Magneto's machine. Rogue knew that if Magneto's plan worked tonight, tomorrow these delegates would all be mutants. And for Rogue, her pain would already be over by then. During the drive into the city Magneto turned on the car radio. Before long he and Rogue were listening to a woman who was running for Congress. She was giving her own particular opinion about the "Mutant question."
.
"Imagine if you discover a nest of insects in your home. One could argue the insects are just trying to survive, that they don't mean you any specific harm. But would you just tolerate them and let them live in peace? No. If they're invading your home you call an exterminator. The bleeding heart liberals say that the mutants just want to live. But if it comes down to them or your family, what would any thinking human choose to do?
.
Rogue listened to as much as she could take before she turned off the radio. Maybe Magneto had known which station to turn on, but she was painfully aware that these fools were real.
.
Rogue: You ever wonder how many of these politicians really believe this garbage, and how many are just seeking votes?
Magneto: I don't really care. Hans Frank, he was the nazi governor of Poland during the war, known as the butcher of Krakow. After the war he was convicted of war crimes, and crimes against humanity, and executed. If one were to read Hans Frank's personal diaries from this time, it might seem like he wasn't personally anti-semetic, that on a personal level he didn't approve of the persecution of the jews. But nevertheless he still did it, he still signed all the orders for the death camps.
Rogue: You think tonight will really change anything?
Magneto: Yes, by putting these politicians in this situation, where their own lives would be in danger, they will have no choice but to pass laws protecting our kind. I hope this thought comforts you in your final hours.
.
Wolverine, Gambit, and Mystique were heading to New York City. This wasn't the first time Wolverine had to work with former enemies, probably wouldn't be the last. Perhaps they should have alerted the police, someone. But they feared that if it were known that mutants tried to commit a terrorist attack on this scale, it would only make things worse for their people. In any rate they knew Rogue might be caught and executed. These three didn't think of themselves as heroes, nor did they have any kind of big plan. They had just come to care about Rogue, they just wanted to save her.
.
Magneto and his team arrived just after sunset. The team consisted if himself, Rogue, Avalanche, Pyro, and Sabertooth. The last three were there for security in case something went wrong. Now was not the time to take foolish chances and leave themselves unprotected. A few miles away the gala was already in full swing. Security was as tight as one coud imagine, but they didn't know about Magneto's machine, or its powerful radius.
.
Wolverine and his new friends arrived at the old abandoned office building. Mystique said this would be where the machine was. By now Magneto likely feared that Mystique and Gambit would come back, but hopefully he wouldn't have had time to move it, no other place nearby where he could control events. They had hoped to sneak up on them, but that failed. Magneto could sense the adamantium in Wolverine's body, and was able to get the drop on them. Magneto held Wolverine at bay, and wrapped metal around Gambit and Mystique to hold them. Magneto then appeared to them, alongside Rogue.
.
Magneto: Once again trying to stop what must be done.
Wolverine: You are so full of it. If you were really so rightous it would be you in that thing, not her.
Rogue: It's my choice actually. I don't have a life worth living, at least this way I get to die saving the mutant race.
Mystique: What about the other casualties?
Rogue: What other casualties?
Mystique: He didn't tell you? The machine doesn't turn all humans into mutants, it kills some. We kidnapped 30 people for the initial tests, all mutant haters. 15 developed abilities and were fine after, the other 15 died, their bodies just turned into water. Maybe 30 people isn't a big enough sample group, but tens of thousands of people, I honestly don't know how many would become mutants and how many would die.
Rogue: Is this true?
Magneto: It's possible some will die, but there are always casualties in war. We should get going, in case any reinforcements arrive.
.
Reluctantly, Rogue went with Magneto. Wolverine used his claws to escape his iron trap. It required putting his claws through his own body, it was painful, but it worked. He then freed his teammates. Sabertooth, and Pyro fought to protect their plan, while Avalanche protected their master Magneto.
.
Rogue got into the machine, but was scared. Even if she had a life that was barely worth living, she still feared death. And the thought that tens of thousands of people might die because of her, that was too much to bear. Finally, she changed her mind.
.
Rogue: Stop!
Magneto: I'm sorry?
Rogue: Let me out! Please, I don't want to die.
Magneto: I'm sorry, I truley did want this to be your choice. But this must be done, and I must be their to lead our people after.
Rogue: There's no other way this can play out?
Magneto: I wish there were, for both our sakes.
.
Magneto touched Rogue, transferred his powers to her. Then he turned on the machine, and it began using Rogue's new magnetic powers.
.
The battle downstairs was fairly quick but brutal. Sabertooth, and Pyro were incapacitated, as were Mystique and Gambit. Avalanche was guarding Magneto, he and Wolverine soon fought. During the battle Wolverine was forced to stick his claws into Avalanche to defeat him.
.
Outside some unhoused people saw the blue light from this old building. The light began getting brighter, more people saw it. Some began to call the police, but the police wouldn't arrive in time to do anything.
.
Wolverine arrived to save Rogue, who was already unconsciouss. But Magneto still had enough of his abilities to hold Wolverine at bay. It was a struggle between these two, who would win?
.
Avalanche regained conscioussness. He was weakened, but alive. He could see Wolverine and Magneto struggling, and he saw Rogue dying. In this moment, he saw his beloved Kitty. So young, so innocent, on the verge of death. In this moment, Avalanche's emotions got the better of him, and he blasted Magneto, knocking him out. Wolverine was then able to destroy the machine. He didn't know he had gotten some unexpected help from Avalanche, just assumed Magneto had no more strength to fight. Wolverine tried to give Rogue his healing ability, to save her life. But it didn't seem to work, perhaps she was too far gone. This hadn't been some noble quest to save the world, for Wolverine it was just about saving his friend, that was all he was capable of, and he failed to save her. He just her lifeless body in his arms. But then he felt pain, and he was bleeding. His healing abilty was failing him, could it be? Yes, Rogue opened her eyes, she was alive. But the pain of so many wounds caused Wolverine to pass out. He didn't know if he would ever wake up. But if he didn't, he had died to save his friend. Seemed like a fair trade to him.