Part 34:

Ah tried not to focus on the link, but it was mostly a futile effort. The Professor had joined our minds so he could help me focus on Vertigo's shiftin' sand of thought. He'd had to make it tighter than usual to account foah the distance, so it felt sort of like mah brain was wearin' a new pair of shoes. Ah'd taken some over-the-counter pain killers befoah we left – fat lot of good it was doin'.

I was drivin' the snowmobile this time, Scott hangin' on behind me. The Professor had told me to trust whatever instincts happened to arise. As the flags went off inside mah mind, he'd try to weave them together foah me. Ridin' over the tundra, ah felt totally lost, but the hairs standin' up on the back of mah neck let me know ah was right on track.

Scott was checkin' in every fifteen minutes to report our coordinates as a backup to the tracking system. No one knew exactly which way we were headin', not even me, so we were takin' no chances. The entire excursion was based on mah knee jerk reactions. Ah don't really like bein' the center of attention in the best of times, but ah tried not to let it make me nervous. Mah present predicament was the best chance the missin' mutants had: ah'd just have to make the most of it.

The professor had tried to probe remotely, to link the images together and follow Vertigo's memory, but we'd very quickly discovered that it wouldn't be an option. Mah mind is a sort of mine field as it is, and the memory from Vertigo had not been forefront in her thoughts – like an idiot, she'd held on long enough that some of her subconscious had begun to transfer.

Once again, Jubilee had expressed her frustration that ah got to do all the "cool" stuff.

"Just once…just once I want to be the hero." She flopped on the cot sighed wistfully, "I wouldn't be like you, all modest and self-deprecating. I'd rub it in everyone's face. Make sure they all knew I was a wild card – unpredictably awesome!"

"Ah'd make that trade in a heartbeat , sugah."

"Can't you pull some strings or something, since you're the lady of the hour? Me and you should be together for this kinda stuff."

"Sadly, ah don't think ah have much political weight to throw around, even with this new development."

Jubilee grinned, "You could pull a Logan. Just throw me on the back of your snowmobile without asking anybody and cuss a lot if anyone asked questions."

Ah couldn't help but grin back, even though it brought a pang of nostalgia – oh, what ah wouldn't give to have Logan with me! "It is gettin' kinda borin' around here without our gruff ol' troublemaker."

"Can I tell you secret? You have to promise not to tell." Jubilee's face was solemn, and ah made an "x" across mah heart. She continued, "I kinda miss Gambit's stupid 'smooth guy' jokes. He made this stuff feel like a game somehow. It was just easier."

She caught me off guard, and somethin' hitched in the back of mah throat. "Everything was easier. Ah really…ah really miss him." In this cold place so far from home, where we were tryin' so hard to pretend we weren't scared, Remy felt like somethin' ah'd dreamed up.

Jubilee's face twisted in horror, "Oh god, are you gonna cry?! Please don't! I didn't think about it!"

Ah scrubbed the few traitor tears that had escaped from mah cheeks, and forced mahself to swallow. Plastering a shaky smile on mah face, ah mouthed "sorry", unable to apply any sound.

"Don't be sad! He's a total loser but he's crazy about you, I can tell."

Clenching mah fists, ah mouthed "not helping".

Nearly frantic, she finally offered, "Hey, well…you've got all the time in the world to figure things out, right? I mean, now that we know where to go, this will be over soon. We'll go back to New York and you guys can take a vacation. You just gotta relax and take it easy until then, ok?"

That helped a little. It reminded me of different time, long ago, when ah'd nearly fallen apart on a mission. Discoverin' Mystique in the base we were explorin' had set suspicions wild, and it was a different voice that talked me down and kept me focused:

"Come on, petit. Dere will be time fo' dis later. Fo' now, you jus' stay wit' me and we gonna get through dis mission. 'S almos' over. Jus' gotta keep goin'."

Hatin' mahself foah the horrendous display (didn't ah promise to leave all this back at the mansion?), ah took a few deep breaths. Jubilee heaved an enormous sigh of relief to see me dry up, but ah couldn't help what spilled out of mah mouth. "Do you think he'll wait? Until ah can figure all this out?"

"Um…I'm not really an expert on relationships. Me and guys, we're kinda like youtube videos: short, stupid, with a few laughs thrown in." Jubilee fidgeted with her pillow, obviously uncomfortable.

Ah tried not to look too dejected, but her face turned thoughtful. "I think he will. He smiles a lot around you, and not that dumb 'cat-that-ate-the-canary' smile he gives everyone else. It's easy to find people to pay attention to you when you're kinda hot like him, but it's still hard to find someone that actually makes you happy. I don't think he'll pass that up. Plus, he did pretty much start it by not telling the truth and letting you find out with your power instead of like a normal person."

Ah smiled sheepishly. It felt weird to be comforted by a girl so much younger than me, especially one ah was supposed to be takin' care of, but ah did feel better. "Thanks Jubes."

"Sure thing." She stuck her chin in the air, proud of herself. "Maybe you can return the favor someday when you get old and wise like me."

Ah threw mah pillow at her, but she just giggled and rolled over. "Just be careful out there tomorrow. Reconnaissance only, remember?"

The Professor gently nudged Jubilee out of mah thoughts, like turnin' the volume down slowly until you can't hear anymore.

-Sorry.- Ah thought out to him.

-It's all right. Just tell me if I hurt you. I'm trying to tune everything out except Vertigo's strand, it's a bit slippery.-

Scott came over out the comm line, "Any idea of our status, Rogue?"

"The Professor is still pullin' information out. We don't know yet."

We rode a bit further, lettin' mah impulses steer our course. Ah could feel the others starin' at mah back, but tried not to think about it too hard. Scott continued reporting our coordinates at regular intervals.

Suddenly, there was a low rumble in mah head, and ah felt the pressure shift as though someone had picked up a rock on the left side of mah brain and threw it to the other side. Ah winced as the impact connected, as ah did mah hand clenched down on the accelerator.

"STOP!" Scott and the Professor both shouted together.

Startled by the reverberating inside and outside mah skull, ah let go of the accelerator and grabbed the brakes just as fiercely. The overreaction sent us skiddin' and slidin' across the snow, throwin' dust out as we went. The back end swung around, facin' us the wrong way, befoah we finally hit a deep enough drift to bring us back to a stop.

Slowly, Ah straightened mah fingers and let go of the bars.

-My sincere apologies,- the professor began, - are you all right?-

-Ah seem to be one piece. What was that?-

-We're getting close. From the firewall we just hit, I'd wager this is something Vertigo considered secret. She doesn't want to share it.-

-Should Ah expect another episode like that?-

-I honestly can't say.-

"Rogue, what's the deal?" Scott voice scratched out.

"Looks yoah gonna hafta drive from here. Ah suggest we drive a little slower."

"No kidding." Scott stepped off and extended a hand to help me. When Ah stood up, he looked me over carefully. "Sure you're ok? If you are feeling compromised physically or mentally, we can call it and try again. I know the psychic stuff can be a challenge."

Ah smiled at him a little, though ah don't know if he could tell through the helmet. Comin' from Scott, that almost sounded like concern.

"Ah'm ok, we're nearly there. Ah don't really want this to be a repeat performance."

Scott nodded once and got back on the snowmobile. Ah got on behind him, and we set off, cutting our velocity down to 30 miles per hour. "Just tell me which direction to go."

Ah waited tensely while the Professor continued pokin' around. Ah felt a foreign sense of frustration.

-Everything all right?-

-It's right here, I can feel it. But she really didn't want anyone finding out what's here. I'm trying to find a way in that won't be traumatic.-

-Ah'm not drivin' anymoah, do what you need to.-

-I'm not going to hurt you.-

-Ah know you don't want to, but Ah just want this to be over so we can go home. Ah can take it.-

Ah felt somethin' like a sigh from the Professor. –The truth is I'm not sure I can proceed without causing at least some mild discomfort. But you must stop me if you are in pain.-

-If we get to a 7 out of 10, Ah'll stop ya.-

-Fair enough.-

Ah tightened mah arms around Scott's waist and told him "The Professor's gonna try to dig a little deeper. Don't let me fall off, ok?" He nodded and kept drivin'.

The first thing that happened is that mah sight faded to black. Since sight is the most heavily used sense, turnin' it off allowed foah greater focus. Ah didn't much care foah bein' blinded, but at this point anything that worked was welcome.

Next came an odd sensation, though really there's rarely any sense of normalcy with psychics involved. It felt like friction, the way your hands feel when you rub them together to get warm. At first it was almost a comfort out here in the cold, but the feelin' started to grow stronger. Little by little, the vibratin' heat started to spread and intensify. It was discomfort, to say the least. It was like he was tryin' to sand down the defenses Vertigo had put up. The buzzin' scattered any thoughts mah own mind was tryin' to create, blendin' everythin' together into an unrecognizable static.

The snowmobile jolted underneath us, and it distracted the Professor long enough foah me to catch a breath. Mah vision came on, and ah could see the white, open space again.

Hank's voice came over the comm. line "Scott, I think it's possible that we're near either a magnetic or electrical field, I'm getting some strange-"

He was cut off as the scene changed. One moment, we were riding across a snowy desert, the next, we were plowing through dirt, rocks and jungle. The snowmobiles spun out in all directions – Hank hit a large root pushing up out of the forest floor and his vehicle rolled, giving him only a few seconds to launch himself from the seat. Mystique and Pietro crashed through some large plants and vines and were quickly out of sight, though the sound of the engine roared in fury as they careened. Storm and Psylocke jackknifed against a boulder and hit Scott and Ah in the rear side panel, tippin' us over and slidin' us a few yards befoah we finally came to a stop.

No one moved foah a moment. Ah could hear mah heart poundin' in mah ears and the adrenaline had me gaspin' foah air. As we lay there, ah took a quick inventory: mah neck was a little sore, but didn't feel injured. The helmet had done its job of protectin' mah head. One of mah legs was trapped under the snowmobile, and the pressure was cuttin' off circulation. Ah couldn't tell if there was there was any injury, but given mah resistance ah figured it wouldn't be serious. But then mah thoughts went to Scott, who was in the same boat and a little squishier.

Ah tried using the comm line, but just got a dead click. It was perhaps unwise to take off mah helmet since we had no idea where we were or what the environment was, but team safety outweighed any concern about that.

The balmy heat hit mah face as the sun filtered through the trees. Ah tried to swallow down the panic – where were we?

-Professor, ah don't know how to explain what just happened, but you might want to take a look.- Ah thought out. Silence on the other end. No pressure, no static, no response.

Scott pulled his helmet off in front of me, takin' some tentative breaths. Storm and Psylocke followed suit, carefully dismounting their snowmobile.

"Ah've lost the Professor." Ah announced.

"Yeah, I've lost the station," Scott added, "We'll take stock, everyone just stick together. Storm, Psylocke, any injuries?"

Betsy rolled her shoulders, "Nothing to write home about. Are you about ready for us to get that snowmobile off of you?"

"Take it easy. I can't tell what kind of shape my leg is in."

"Perhaps we should find Beast first." Storm offered.

"Rogue, can you push from this side?"

"Shoah. Ah'd prefer to be upright anyway."

Storm and Psylocke got at both ends, and Ah twisted mahself to push up from underneath. As we all heaved, somethin' was odd. It felt…heavy. Instead of liftin' off, it just rolled as ah pushed." Scott grunted.

"Stop! Ah'm sorry…ah guess ah got a bad angle."

A rustlin' in the bushes alerted us that someone was comin'. Conversation stopped immediately. Storm and Psylocke took ready positions in front of us and a figure stumbled out of the brush.

As he caught sight of our crew, he raised both hands in a calming gesture, "Just me."

The voice was familiar, but the man was not. He stood upright, neither short nor tall. Stocky build, with chocolate brown hair and bushy eyebrows. His face wasn't exactly handsome, but appealing in an endearing way – gruff in stature but kind in expression.

Psylocke made a chokin' sound, Storm took a tentative step forward, "Hank, is that...is that you?"

"It is. My apologies for alarming you."

"But…what does-,"

"I have as many questions as you do, but first we need to see to our party. May I lend my assistance?"

Without waiting foah a response, he walked over and reached under the snowmobile. Flabberghasted, Storm and Psylocke joined him. Within a few minutes, they lifted the snowmobile off as Pietro walked into view with Mystique.

Mystique had chosen the form of a middle aged woman, tall and slender, angular features that gave her a harsh look. The first wrinkles had started to show at the corners of her eyes and mouth, but still her face had a regal kind of beauty to it. Ah wondered briefly why she had chosen to change at all since the occasion didn't really call foah it, but there was a wild look in her eyes that told me she didn't feel safe at all.

As we stood up, ah winced. Lookin' down, ah saw that the slidin' had torn through my uniform and given mah leg a case of road rash. Ah tested it by puttin' some weight on, but it didn't feel broken. Still, the stingin' was painful enough to slow me down. Ah couldn't remember the last time ah'd had a wound like…

Mah eyes shot over to Scott, who was testin' his own leg the same way. The severity looked identical. The kinda force it would have taken to give me a scrape should have all but taken his leg off.

Pietro piped up, "I can't run."

Scott looked up in alarm, "Are you hurt?"

"Not that I can tell."

Hank put a hand on Scott's shoulder. "He's not the only one being affected. I have no explanation, but it seems as if our powers are not currently available. We should probably check to see if anyone is immune."

Our eyes went wide as we looked at each other anew. Our powers defined us, were part of us. How could they just be gone?

After a moment to absorb the enormity of what had just been said, Storm steeled her face. "I'll begin." Taking a step backward, she extended her arms to the side, palms open. Casting her gaze up to the sky, we waited to see her eyes go white as her power manifested. And kept waiting.

Furrowing her eyebrows together, she took another deep breath and reached one hand up to the sky. Again, we waited, as small beads of sweat broke out across her forehead. Finally, she looked back at us, bewildered.

Psylocke tapped her temple, "Lights out."

Scott turned away from all of us and took a few steps away, fists clenched. He stood motionless foah moment, and then he reached up and took off his visor. We held our breath, but nothin' happened. All was quiet and still, and then he dropped to his knees.

Storm and Ah ran over, movin' to take each of his arms but he shrugged us off. His voice came out a whisper, "I'm ok." We hesitated.

Ah couldn't stop mahself, ah looked at his eyes. They were blue – a normal, deep blue. And they were dartin' around at everythin', full of sheer awe…and tears.

Never, never had any of us seen Scott undone. Storm backed away, assuming he'd want a minute to collect himself. But Storm was in a different position, she didn't understand. Not only did she have full control of her power, but loved it. The exhilaration of wind, water, and electricity were hers to command or to let be at whim. Storm was at peace with herself, losin' her power was a blow.

But Ah realized immediately that Scott was like me. His power owned him. It was a disability, somethin' that impeded the life he would have had. He hadn't seen the world as it was since he was a child. The use of protective eyewear had left him almost normal. But what use is almost? The whole world in all its breathtaking beauty was reduced to shades of crimson. How had ah never realized it befoah?

Ah hadn't realized it because Scott was our leader: his story was never about him, it was about us. His response now made it obvious.

Kneelin' down beside him, ah put a hand gently on his shoulder. Followin' his gaze up, ah took in the light playing through the canopy of trees high overhead, each variant shade of color. After being launched into the blank white of Antartica for a few weeks, it wasn't that difficult to sympathize. "If it weren't foah the circumstances…it's kinda pretty, huh?"

Scott's jaw quivered lightly, but a corner of his mouth turned up and he nodded. His gaze met mine, and he studied mah face closely, seein' me foah the first time. Ah smiled patiently, tryin' not to feel uncomfortable.

"This isn't fair," he said quietly.

"No it's not," ah agreed.

We sat awkwardly foah a moment. It wasn't like he wanted to talk to me, just that he needed to talk and ah happened to be there. "I still dream in color most of the time. The colors aren't quite right anymore, but at least they're still there."

He was quiet again and ah waited. This was out of character foah Scott, any sudden movement could snap him out of it. Ah wanted him to have his moment. He continued, an edge of frustration in his voice. "I'm grateful for my powers. Every day. I'm able to do things that people can only imagine. And I think of all the good things that would have been undone if I hadn't been born this way."

"You don't have to feel guilty. You don't owe anyone an explanation, least of all me."

Scott studied mah face briefly and sighed. "It's just that I can remember. I don't understand why powers don't start at birth so we wouldn't know any different. But we start human and become mutants. And I can't stop dreaming in color. I can't stop missing it, not totally."

Ah didn't know what to say, so the quiet pressed back in again. If there's a person less equipped than me to talk about "accepting mutations", ah haven't met them.

"There were so many things I wanted to see, if I ever got this back. I even have a top ten list. Not one of those things is here."

Ah fidgeted, not shoah if mah words would come out right. "Ah'm sorry foah that. Ah don't know if it helps, but ah'm thankful to get to see you. Ah'd give Jean mah slot in a hot second, but since ah can't, ah'm just very honored."

He smiled, the expression sad and grateful at the same time. He studied mah face, which must look so different, and ah took note of his peculiar shade of blue. With great effort, he closed his eyes foah a moment. "We're still on a mission. We have to keep going."

"Yoah right." Ah took a breath and pulled mah thoughts back to business, "Looks like all superficial wounds, ah'll go with Beast to get the first aid kit and patch everyone up. You want Psylocke and Quicksilver to set up a perimeter?" Psylocke and Quicksilver's combat rules hadn't shifted just because their power was gone, so they seemed like ideal candidates.

Ah was tryin' to let Scott know he was still the leader, that one moment of weakness didn't change anythin'. Ah didn't expect his response.

Scott nodded and we stood, but as ah turned to go he caught mah wrist. "Thanks." He leaned in a planted a quick kiss on mah cheek. At mah dumbfounded expression, he chuckled. "I hope you don't mind. Imagining the look on their faces when they find out I got the first kiss will go a long way in getting me through this. That and somebody had to do it while the opportunity presented itself."

Ah could guess which "they" he was referring to. Ah had given him a chance to enjoy his sight, he was tryin' to return the favor by touchin' me. Scott would never bring Remy and Logan up at a time like this as a distraction: he was also tryin' to reassure me that we were goin' to get through this, that ah was gonna see them again. At least that was his intention: the feelin' of bein' touched and not havin' mah power stir had left me stunned.

With a sigh, he put his visor back on. "Just in case." Then he turned and walked back over to the team, givin' orders. Ah stood frozen in place, incapable of respondin' until Hank joined me.

"Rogue?"

Shakin' mah head to get the gears movin' again, ah looked over at him. "The snowmobile is not far. We'll get the kit and the rest of my equipment?"

"Right, sorry."

We didn't have to walk very far at all to where Hank's snowmobile was hopeless smashed. Most of his equipment was scattered all around, and mah guess was there wouldn't be too much to salvage. Hank's disappointment was clear in his expression, and ah tried not to stare too much at his unfamiliar face.

Wordlessly, we began collecting the supplies that were worth savin'. Quickly we realized that the suits designed to keep out the most extreme cold were pure misery in the now humid heat. Hank unzipped his to the waist and peeled down. Ah would have envied him the option, but bein' able to take mah gloves off was a rare relief. As the initial shock wore down, mah leg started to smart, and the realization of what we had just discovered started to settle in. The loss of mutation had captivated mah attention away from the ominous change: we had just hit a secret jungle in the middle of Antarctica that was also an electronic dead zone.

"Have you started in on any theories?" Ah asked hopefully.

"A few. None that I particularly like."

He didn't even look up. Hank is always interested in theorizing. Ah had hoped the invitation would get him talkin', help me keep calm. Ah pressed further, "Because you don't think they're right, or you don't want them to be?"

Takin' a seat on the ruined vehicle foah a moment, Hank rubbed the back of his neck. "A little of both. Mostly I'm trying to focus on the positives."

"Which are?"

"Unless we're all hallucinating, we've just found exactly what we need to get the UN to send in forces. Our reconnaissance mission is complete."

Ah hadn't thought of that. "So…we can just go back to the base?"

"That's my current mantra, yes."

Ah considered this as he continued to avoid mah gaze."Yoah not worried are you?"

Holding his hands out in front of him, he answered, "There would have to be some serious cognitive impairment for me not to be. You see, I am never troubled by not having answers – in fact, I usually relish open possibilities."

Finally, he brought his eyes up to mine, unmasking his concern, "But this is the first time I can remember not having questions. I have no idea where to begin. This experience is not based in my understanding of reality."

Shivers ran down mah spine, and ah tried to refocus on the task at hand. We just had to get everyone patched up and we could all go back. This was too big foah us – they'd have to see that now.

Hank put a hand on mah shoulder and ah turned. He held out a bandage. "We should probably tend to you first. Then we can rejoin the others."

Nodding, Ah sat down as he took a look at mah leg. Most of the damage was on the outside of mah thigh. Hank poured a somethin' on a cloth and the smell of alchohol wafted through the air.

"Antiseptic," he explained. "I'm afraid this will sting. You may want to brace yourself."

Ah stiffened up in preparation, and he pressed the cloth firmly in place. Some of the liquid squeezed out and ran down in burnin' trails of fire. Ah blew out some air and waited as it slowly faded, studyin' the canopy of trees above us. Birds and other small animals darted in and out of the branches.

Hank started wrappin' mah leg up. "I'm sorry that my first touch had to be painful. And that I seem to have selected very poor timing to lose my fur."

"Why are you sorry about that?"

He smiled at me, and the smile if nothing else was very like that Hank ah'd always known.

"You did ask once if you could 'pet me' if you ever got your powers under control. I haven't forgotten. Who knows? Perhaps I'll be able to oblige before this affair in concluded."

Ah couldn't help but laugh a little. "Yoah right. Ah had nearly forgotten that. Well, if opportunity comes a-knockin', ah'll hold you to it." Mah smiled faded a bit, "Are you ok? I know losin' our powers in sort of a mixed bag…"

Hank shrugged. "I am no less myself now than I was ten minutes ago. Ultimately, it's just a variable to me – no more or less important than any other part. Certainly the implications are startling, but really this is no more alarming or uncomfortable than waking up to find one's arm asleep. It will wake back up, and until it does, it's still there. The good news is, this calls for a whole new series of danger room trainings. I fear I would fare poorly in combat just at present."

Ah stared at him and shook mah head, "How do you do it?"

"Hmm?" his mind was already miles away, programmin' somewhere.

"Don't you ever just want to be normal?" the frustration crept into mah voice uninvited, and ah clapped a hand over mah mouth in dismay. "Ah'm sorry, ah didn't mean-,"

Hank smiled gently at me. "Rogue, it's all right. You haven't offended me. We have been friends long enough for me to guess at least some of your intentions."

"Ah just don't understand how you can really be fine all the time. You get as much abuse as anyone."

Still smiling, he took one of mah hands between his. "That is a journey you have to take for yourself. Suffice to say…as you are now, I once was. As I am now, you shall someday be."

Sighin', ah accepted his answer, "Ah hope that's true."

He pulled me to mah feet and ah tested the leg. It still hurt, but at least it was covered. "Thanks."

We put on our satchels and headed back to the others. Psylocke and Storm had returned with nothin' to report but jungle and wildlife. Just like Hank, Scott had decided that we should return to base – we had found enough and were in no shape foah any kind of confrontation. Unfortunately only one of the snowmobiles was in working order. We siphoned the remaining fuel from the two nearby and started the conversation about who would go back foah help.

Scott was back in military mode, "Rogue and I stay. Our suits are damaged beyond repair, so we won't be able to take the cold for that long. We need three others to stay behind as well and wait for rescue."

Mystique held her head high, "I think it would be appropriate for one member of the Brotherhood to report to the base."

Psylocke rolled her eyes, "Yes, of course you would."

"Would you rather explain to Magneto why the X-men were given preferential treatment in a situation of compromise?" Mystique tossed back innocently.

Psylocke batted her eyes, "Of course not. It'll be more fun to tell him how his people were the first in line for ship-jumping volunteers. Or maybe it's just too much of a shock for you to see your real –old - face."

Mystique scowled, "This is not my face!"

Scott jumped in, "Back off, Psylocke. We don't need antagonism. And Mystique is right – it's best we have someone from either team."

Psylocke sulked and Mystique glowered. Pietro was quick to renounce any claim to the post of "Brotherhood representative".

Storm stepped up, "Beast should go. He's the best candidate for reporting our situation to the other scientists and military."

"I hate to think of leaving my teammates here without my expertise. I am well versed in climatology and may be able to-"

"It's only what, a day at most? We'll be fine and Storm is right."

He sighed, "As you wish."

Hank and Mystique's suits were slightly damaged, so we took a few moments to repair them as best we could with the sewing kit and duct tape recovered from Hank's vehicle. They loaded up and we all followed them back toward the tree line.

It was awesome and awful, the line stretchin' up toward sky and out to either side foah miles. Here, the enormity of this place was apparent. We could see a clear line between the jungle trees and the cold, white expanse. It went on foah miles. Snow was pulled by the violent wind toward us, but they both crashed against somethin' unseen, snow meltin' instantly into droplets of water. We stood silently, watchin'.

Finally, Hank and Mystique mounted the snowmobile and headed slowly towards the other side. The rest of us stood in formation, soundlessly sharin' the same fear – that they might be the only ones to get out of here. It would take them hours to return, hours more to get back. We would have no way of knowin' what would happen in that amount of time.

Just as the snowmobile was approachin' the snow, it jolted and stopped, engine idling. Mah breath caught as mah mind tried to put it together. We heard the engine rev, once, twice. Then we saw them reverse, change their path a bit, and then advance again. Another jolt.

The cycle repeated itself a few more times, with no better results. Finally, Hank dismounted and walked forward. He came to a dead stop, mid stride, as he approached the snowy plain. There he stood, unmovin', gazin' out at the falling white. Mystique jumped down and charged, but was knocked back flat.

There was no way out. And no way to contact anyone.

We had barely had time to absorb this knowledge when a purple stripe darted out and hauled Mystique out of sight, toward the trees.

"X-men! On point!" Scott hollered, but he was drowned out as a deafenin' yell erupted through the trees, knockin' us off our feet.

Déjà vu.

Ah tried to put mahself back upright, but suddenly ah was incredibly dizzy, legs wobblin' underneath and the world of snow and jungle spun around me.

Someone put a knee between mah shoulder blades, shovin' me into the dirt and yankin' mah arms behind mah back. Ah tried to struggle but mah assailant was easily ten times mah strength, demonstrated by the hard twist ah got foah mah trouble. He grabbed mah other arm and ah felt the rope goin' around mah wrists.

Ah heard chaos all around me, and turned mah head to see what was happenin' to the rest of the team.

Scott was covered in vines, snaking all over and rootin' him to the spot. Psylocke was curled up in front of Vertigo. Another yell let loose and Storm was tossed like a rag doll into mah field of vision, collapsin' in a heap. Ah couldn't see any of the others, but the noise started to die down.

It was the shortest fight we'd ever had.

The Nasty Boys assembled, uglier than Ah remembered. So this was Sinister's doin'. Still didn't understand how. They wore collars around their necks with red blinkin' lights. These too were familiar, and ah wondered if they were explosive like the last ones we'd encountered.

They bound us in a line, two abreast. Storm was beside me, and we stared at each other grimly.

Ruckus bowed with a flourish, "How delightful! If it isn't our good friends the X-men. Welcome!"

"What are you planning to do with us?" Scott demanded.

"Does it matter? Not like you can stop us." Slab punched Scott in the face, and Storm and ah both lunged forward as far as the ropes would allow, along with the rest of the X-men, hissin' a hollow warnin'. We were beat. We couldn't protect ourselves or each other. But we couldn't stand idle either.

"Now now," Ruckus jumped in, his tone placatin', "Slab, that's no way to treat our guests. You've been invited to the Master's estate. All your questions will be answered there."

"Y'all are all still grunts, huh?" Ah tossed out flippantly.

"Big talk for big losers." Gorgeous George slithered over to me. "That's all right, I like 'em feisty."

Ah resisted the urge to shudder at his grin, and instead smiled back. "You do remember what happened last time you got all uppity with me, don't you sugah?"

His smile only widened. "Things are different here. Or hadn't you noticed yet?"

He reached out a hand toward me, but Ruckus cut him off again, "The Master won't like it, George. They belong to him until they make the choice."

"What do you mean by that?" Storm asked suspiciously.

Ruckus laughed, "More questions for the master, I'm afraid. Come along now, the day is wasting."

Ramrod shoved Mystique in the back with his staff to get us movin'. She stared only at the ground in front of her as she started walkin'. Ah had expected more defiance, but had no time to dwell on it.

Storm and Ah walked shoulder to shoulder as they led us into the deep underbrush, Ramrod clearin' the way as we went. The ground was anythin' but flat, risin' steeply and then droppin' off just as suddenly. The Nasty Boys made a game out of kickin' us whenever we fell, revelin' in our defeat even though the odds were helplessly stacked. The rest of us were tied in such a way as to prevent us from interferin'.

The air grew thick as we moved deeper into the trees, and the suits insulated our body heat, trappin' it against our skin. After awhile it felt like swimmin' through soup, and both me and Storm were breathin' heavily. We were headin' over rocky ground and mah right leg was startin'to dodge from the injury and abuse of the day. Ah craned mah neck, tryin' to see how Scott was doin' up ahead. He was showin' just the slightest limp, but as ah watched him ah forgot to watch the ground in front of me. As ah tripped and fell, ah braced mahself foah the next kick. Storm landed on top of me a second later, and Slab's boot connected solidly with her side. He cackled as she winced and we tried to pull ourselves to our feet. Once we were upright, ah kicked a rock at him as hard as ah could. It hit him uselessly in the arm, and he kept laughin'.

Ah turned to Storm and hissed "You didn't have to do that."

"I don't want them to kick your leg. I don't know how far we have to go, and you aren't used to taking this kind of damage."

"Storm, no offense, but who the hell cares about mah leg? Look around, ah'd say we're all on our way to a world of hurt."

"Well until we're dead, I'm going to keep being your friend. If that's all right with you." The tone suggested a double entendre, and ah felt a layer of annoyance rise up with the surprise at her timin'. Was she' tryin' to address our issues here?

Ah wasn't in the mood, and thought maybe a blunt call would shut her up, "Frankly, we haven't been friends foah the past while. This is a hell of a time to get sentimental."

"I'd think it was an even worse time to hold a grudge," she countered acidly.

Ah ground mah teeth together and turned mah eyes back to the front, determined not to take the bait. We kept walkin', me limpin' and her clutchin' her side. As we continued our trek, the first pangs of thirst set in, a headache followin' closely on their heels. Ah wondered if they were gonna give us a break at some point.

After another half hour, Ororo spoke up again. "You never gave me a chance to explain, you know."

"Yes ah'm aware. And at the moment ah couldn't possibly be less interested."

"Just what did you expect me to do? Even you couldn't forgive him right away."

Cuttin' mah eyes at her sharply, ah spat out, "You see, that's when ah would have expected you to be mah friend first. What happened with Gambit was the hardest damn thing ah've ever been through, and ah didn't even get a say in the matter because you were too busy makin' all the decisions foah me – based on what was best foah the Morlocks!"

"It was the Morlocks that he wronged," she started pleadingly.

"It was me too. The secrets, the lies: that hurt. More than ah could ever say. It wasn't just that you considered me last, it was that you didn't consider me at all. You did what you thought was best and left me to deal. So until ah make it onto yoah list of priorities, our relationship is strictly professional."

"Is that what you really think? That I didn't consider you? Do you have any idea what kind of risk I took to bring Marrow to the mansion?"

"Do you have any idea what it did to me to have her there?"

"She's going to be the next leader, my replacement. And she's the best chance we've got of getting them to spare him. If they will do that, then he'll be a free man. Free to return to the X-men, free to stop running, free to stop carrying so much guilt. Don't forget that I have a relationship to Remy as well. Perhaps not so great as yours, but he is dear to me. Just imagine for a moment the kind of situation it created for me, juggling the X-men, the Morlocks, and the two of you. I did my very best."

"The decisions you made were not yoahs to make."

"That may be true, but I had a very disappointing set of choices."

We dropped back into silence foah awhile. The terrain was now downhill, and a warm breeze came through the trees at our backs.

Storm's voice was less firm when she spoke again. "I can't force your friendship, Rogue. But I would like your forgiveness."

Ah wasn't shoah how to answer, but turns out ah didn't have to. Just then we came upon a break in the vegetation. The ground dropped straight down into a sheer cliff wall, and we were starin' into a depression that looked almost like a large crater. In the bottom were a series of structures that might have been buildin's or huge machines, couldn't tell which. In the center rose a large spire, huge, taller than the empire state buildin' and twice as wide. The entire site architecture seemed to radiate out from this tower in symmetrical formation. Ultimately each part was part of one grand design. Throughout ran stripes of blue, like veins, connectin' each part to all the others. Current flashed from the top of the tower, down its impossibly long sides, and out to the surroundin' formations. It looked like somethin' from another planet. It looked like it was alive.

Ah stood dumbfounded. How was it possible foah this to be hidden? Miles of jungle and what amounted to an alien city, and no one knew? Mah heart started sinkin' towards the sickly realization of our predicament.

If it was true that no one knew this was here, we were done foah. The technology, the sheer display of power – we had nothin' to counter with. How many soldiers would it take to invade? We hadn't even seen the security yet, other than the one way tree line.

And if we had been lied to…if the governments knew all along, what with satellites and the expense of constructin' such a place…we were still done foah. The truth was we had been trained to use our powers. With them gone, we weren't even fit to scrap with the Nasty Boys.

Every mission we'd ever been on, there was always a chance of danger. This was different. The mission was over. We were now just people in captivity, and ah was growin' more and more certain that we were gonna die.

Tears came to mah eyes unbidden, but did not fall. Foah the first time, ah saw life like a separate entity, a kind, gentle force that made all things possible, and ah felt how much ah would miss it. Life was yoah invitation to be part of reality, foah just a little while. This form that was mine would be lost: no more sight or sound, no more taste or touch or smell, no more pain, no more comfort. With it would go everythin' else: thoughts, feelin's, memories. Mah heart pounded out its fury "Not ready. Not ready. Not ready," it seemed to say.

Ruckus took a communicator out of his jacket. "Requesting transport, packages are secure." There was no response, but it looked like he hadn't expected one.

Ah saw somethin' rise up off the floor of the crater into the air, headin' our direction. It reflected the light metallically, and as it came closer ah picked out red and purple colors. One by one, we gasped as we recognized what was comin' foah us.

The Sentinel landed, and none of us moved. There was nothin' we could do. The tentacles shot out and grabbed pair by pair, drawin' us into the cavity of its chest. Once we were all inside, it closed, and we felt the rumble of movement. Inside was dark, nothing but faint red light from the operatin' system above.

We didn't speak. We didn't look at each other. We just waited to see where we would be taken. After a moment ah heard a whimper beside me, and ah turned mah head woodenly to identify the sound.

Storm was still beside me, and her face was ashen. She alone struggled with her bonds, pullin' so hard she was cuttin' herself. Her teeth were sunk into her bottom lip. Ah had forgotten that Storm was claustrophobic.

We were goin' to die, and Storm was gonna spend her last moments confined and terrified. Ah realized that her fear would have begun when we were tied up, she'd just been tryin' to ignore it. In all probability, we were goin' from here to some kinda holdin' cell. She looked like she was already at the end of her rope.

Through mah own haze of dread, ah couldn't help but feel sympathy. If we were gonna go, Storm deserved a hero's end – not a scared, broken, cowerin' captive dyin' alone and far away. And ultimately, all the crap back home mattered so much less all the sudden.

Ah stretched mah bonds as far as they would allow, and managed to catch one of her hands. She looked at me, eyes wild with fear.

"We're outside," ah told her firmly, "We're layin' on the ground and lookin' up. The sky is overcast and the clouds are rollin'above us. The wind is pickin' up and it makes waves through the grass. The trees in the distance are bendin' with the force of it. We should probably go inside because it will rain soon, but you and me decide to stay out and watch."

Her eyes focused on me, starin' hard and tryin' to put pictures with mah words. Ah held her gaze steady and continued, "You say you can keep the lightenin' off us, and ah believe you. We rise up into the air; you can feel the electricity all around. Thunder crashes and we jump as the first drops of rain fall. Ah look nervous, there's a lot of space between us and the ground. You realize the storm is more violent than you thought – you'll have to focus if yoah gonna keep us both safe."

Ah squeezed her hand, "Ah need you to close yoah eyes, and focus on the lightenin'. Can you do that?"

She squeezed mah hand back, enough that it hurt. "I might not have another chance. Please Rogue…please forgive me."

"Ah forgive you. Ah was always gonna. Ah'm just stubborn and its easier foah me to deal with things when ah'm mad. But don't think about that now. Think about what ah told you – catch the lightenin'."

Storm nodded gratefully and closed her eyes. She still shook and sweat ran down her face, but she stopped strugglin'. The rest of the ride was short and uneventful.

The Sentinel shuddered to a stop, and when the doors opened we saw a large room with a high glass ceiling. We'd docked with one of the buildin's. The Nasty Boys herded us out into the open space, and it felt strange after the harshness of the ice and jungle.

The floors were black marble, reflectin' dully the sky above. Corridors connected like spokes of a wheel. Blue conduits like the ones ah'd seen earlier webbed the glass ceiling, and ah watched as the same pulse ran through at intervals. The walls were plain white, but hung with expensive lookin' tapestries, scenes of battle but ah couldn't tell which ones. It was temperate here, cool and comfortable, and it was a relief after our excursions in the wilderness. We'd walked out of a Sentinel into a museum, and the feelin' of dread intensified.

"You will kneel." Ramrod said seriously.

Mystique immediately dropped to one knee. Quicksilver followed her lead tentatively, though his brow was furrowed as though confused.

Slab came and stood directly in front of Scott, inches away from his face. "You will kneel."

Scott's voice was flat, "Why?"

"Because you are about to meet the Master, and you will want to make a good impression," Vertigo answered, also serious.

"Ah should say we're pretty well acquainted at this point. Sinister nabs one of us on a semi-annual basis."

George slithered himself in front of me. "You are in for a surprise," he extended one tarry purple limb and swept mah feet from under me. Ah fell forward on hands and knees, draggin' Ororo with me. "Was that so hard?" he teased.

Ah glared at him and went to pick mahself back up, but Scott surprised us all. "Just do it. That's an order."

Ah froze in place as one by one, the team took a knee. This wasn't a surrender, ah told mahself. We're just choosin' our battles here. Ah ignored the voice that told me it didn't matter anyway, cause we were still gonna die. We weren't dead yet.

Once we were all in position, the Nasty Boys lined up behind us. We heard the Sentinel undock and depart. Ruckus brought up his communicator, "We're here." He was all professional now, no flowery patronizing, no quips.

We heard the footsteps befoah we saw anythin'. It sounded like thunder, like a mountain on the march. We watched the corridor the sound came from, waitin'. The shadow arrived befoah it's owner, stretchin' on and on, impossible shapes that made no sense. Mah hands went cold.

When he came into view, ah realized that death was goin' to be painful. He was easily twelve feet tall, built thick enough to make Colossus look slender. Muscles bulged everywhere, coiled in quiet power that made him seem completely relaxed and ready to strike at the same time. His movements were far from bulky, however: graceful and controlled.

It was impossible to separate the line where flesh met machine, as his natural girth was augmented by chips and panels, intricately interwoven to make you wonder if you were really starin' at a man. Blue conduits were embedded in his skin, and ah was amazed to realize that the pulse of energy was in time with the rest of the facility. It cascaded down his limbs, and then a moment later through the conduits in the ceiling: as though they were connected.

His face was set in a scowl from its high perch, regal atop broad shoulders. Intelligence flashed behind grey eyes as his gaze fell heavily on us, each in turn. Ah forced mahself to meet it, and when our eyes connected it felt as if it lasted minutes. Mah mouth was completely dry when he finally moved down the line.

He carried himself like a general, like a king, and came to a stop befoah us, glowerin' down.

When he spoke, his voice boomed so loud ah wanted to cover mah ears, "On your feet."

This time, we didn't wait for Scott's confirmation. Once assembled, he boomed again, "You have questions, I presume?"

Ah don't know what I expected him to say, but that wasn't quite it. Scott took a step forward, and ah admired his courage.

"We came here to find four hundred mutants, missing since an unwarranted attack several months ago."

He watched Scott, expression unchanged. "They are here."

"We have come to rescue them and take them back to their homes."

"That will not happen," his statement was firm, but the tone unconcerned.

Scott took another step forward, "We are affiliated with the international community. Our disappearance will trigger a forces deployment. You can either hand them over peaceably and we will see to your fair treatment, or you can wait for the arrival of the military."

Again, his response was matter-of-fact, "Just so. The outcome is the same."

"Are the mutants still alive?" Scott's voice was demanding now. Ah held mah breath, afraid of the answer, of what this titan was capable.

"We have three-hundred-seventy-six mutants remaining."

"What happened to the others?!"

"They made their choice."

"What choice?!"

"The choice I will extend to you once I have answered your questions."

Hank and ah each grabbed one of Scott's arms as he lunged forward, enraged, "These were innocent people, you had no right to make them choose life or death!"

Ah looked up to see if he would respond this time, and the cold in those grey eyes chilled me to the core. "There are no innocent people. I was merciful. Ninety-one chose death. I only gave it to twenty four."

Hank whispered to Scott, "Try to stay calm, we don't know if he's lying. We don't even know who he is." Apparently he overheard.

"I am En Sabah Nur," he answered, "The creator and master of all you have seen here."

At least he was slow to rile. Ah tested mah luck, "Why have you done this?"

"Because it is what I was created and equipped to do."

Hank straightened himself, "And what is your purpose?"

"To bring peace by correcting the course of human events and fulfilling the original design of this planet."

Scott stilled himself and withdrew slowly from our grasp. We stayed close, just in case. "Why tell us all this?"

"It is important for you to understand the truth. Let it not be said that anyone made their choice blindly. I am not ashamed of my work, and I am not threatened by your presence."

Storm stepped forward then, her Goddess air restored, though her eyes were tight. "Then why deprive us of our power?"

En Sabah Nur took one large stride to stand in front of her, craning his neck down at a sharp angle. She held her ground. "It is for the preservation of my facility and the protection of its inhabitants. Many mutants are more capable of great destruction than great control. The effect was not specifically designed for you; it is universal across the area, counteracted by the collars you may have noticed earlier.

Ah saw an openin', and took it. "That makes sense. We've been tryin' to find a way to do the same thing foah mutants who have difficulty with control, like me."

Turnin' his grey eyes, he took a thunderous step toward me. "Yes. There are many like you. I can give you what you need, once you have made the choice."

Ah crossed mah arms to hide mah shakin' hands. "So you really will answer any question? Truthfully?"

"I have no reason to lie."

There was really only one question ah wanted the answer to, but ah was afraid ah already knew. "What Cyclops said is true, we are have allies on the outside who will come to look foah us. They know our last known whereabouts, not far from yoah border. If we're no threat, and you have nothin' to hide, will you let us leave?"

"No. I will not."

"Not even one?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"If I would not allow those who were brought here by force to leave, why should I allow those who came here of their own free will? It was no small effort for you to find this place. You are here now, you must be willing to face the consequences. You will face the same choice as the others."

Hank looked up searchingly into the titan's face. His expression was one of question, not of intimidation.

"What is the choice?"

En Sabah Nur cocked his head to one side, and his expression was almost amusement, if such a face was possible of such. "Everyone begins by avoiding that question. You came to it quicker than most."

"Will you answer?"

He inclined his head, noddin' once. "Of course." Walking toward one of the corridors, he turned, "Please follow."

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