Shoutout: Thanks for noticing, itisfinished12062015. A bunch of thought went into this chapter (and throughout the second half of the story due to all of the components).
A/N: It was slightly difficult transitioning from first person POV since I've been concentrating on TCMP. My goal was to finish What The Hell with this chapter but I'd rather publish what I've written than have you wait any longer. Plus, I'm excited for others to read it. I updated the earlier chapters, noticing how much of a novice I was when I first started this story. I'm confident that my writing has improved since then. I'm grateful for all of the positive and helpful feedback over the years. While picking up the slack on this chapter in 2018, I was listening to this piano piece on repeat: Water Ripples by Enno Aare. It can be found on Spotify, Youtube, and other platforms. The first chapter was written at my grandma's house a long, long time ago, so with that said, I dedicate this chapter to my late Grandma Shirley.
I apologize to everyone for the LONG wait. Thanks for sticking around! Get comfortable . . . I wrote a lot. Enjoy!
What the Hell?
Chapter 16
One Way Out
"Yes, I might know something," he answered after sizing her up with his gaze. "Follow me."
Kitty took a quick glance behind her to make sure a third party wasn't trailing them.
He led her into a tunnel that appeared to be unnatural. The surrounding space was tight but her tour guide moved effortlessly for someone with his stature. "My name is Dominikos, but I prefer Dom or Avalanche. What's yours?" he asked, his voice echoing.
"Jane."
"Where are you from, Jane?"
"Florida, originally," she lied again. Anything she was asked would be answered with fabrications except the one thing she might be asked to prove. After that question, the only sound to be heard was the shuffling of their feet.
"We're almost there," Dom announced and Kitty noticed some light up ahead. The tunnel didn't bother her but she was concerned about what she'd come face to face with once she got out. She held her breath as she entered the dimly lit cave. Right away she could tell this location was just used for screenings as the space wasn't big enough for much else. The computer was old—the bulky kind from the '90s. Kitty stood close to the only visible exit. Dom took a seat. He motioned for her to do the same but she declined.
"Fair enough," he said. Dom picked up one long leg, bent it at the knee and rested his ankle on the other leg that remained planted to the floor. Then he laced his fingers behind his head and leaned back in the chair. She matched his casual demeanor by subtly releasing the tension from her shoulders. "So let's get down to business, Jane. What can you do?"
She countered, "Why does that matter?" She noticed he was surprised by the question even though his poker face remained intact. Kitty assumed previous inquirers didn't think much of it and answered without hesitation.
He shrugged. "It's just a standard question that I'm required to ask."
After a few seconds of silence, Kitty answered, "I can disable electronics very easily." He had a hungry look in his eyes that made her uncomfortable. She stood up abruptly. "You know what . . . I've changed my mind," she said, her voice slightly quivering. She began to back away.
Avalanche stood up and held up his hands. There was a slight shake which caused a metal blockade to drop behind her. "I'm afraid I can't allow you to leave," he said evenly.
She noticed a trace of remorse in his voice.
He moved to get closer. Sidestepping away from him, Kitty made Avalanche close the gap between them. 'Just a little bit closer', she thought. 'That's it. X marks the spot.' As he reached for Kitty, her arm extracted with a viper's speed and her fingers wrapped around his forearm. She flashed him a toothy grin. It was time to get down to business. Kitty's facial expression changed to reflect urgency and seriousness without wasting time by using words. He noticed immediately and didn't struggle at the sudden turn of events."Hold your breath!" she told him quickly and clearly, just seconds before disappearing into the earth. With no time to waste, he did as instructed, and was pulled in just seconds after her. Having to hold her own breath, Shadowcat moved fast with Dom on her heels knowing the severity of their situation. She hoped it wasn't too long of a distance to the surface. 'Get ready to hold him, Jean. He goes by the name Avalanche. It's self-explanatory.'
'We're in position. Don't panic. You're almost there.' Jean's reassuring words boosted Shadowcat's confidence. Nothing filled her mind besides the task at hand. Before she knew it, her head emerged from the ground as did her unwilling hitchhiker's just seconds after. Shadowcat released her grip once they were fully on solid ground. Trying to catch their breath, the pair remained seated on the dirt. The X-Man had trained to strengthen her breath-holding skills so she didn't need much time to recover and was able to stand up after a few moments. Avalanche was on his hands and knees coughing and wheezing. He held his stomach. "Holy . . . shit," he managed to get out between panting. When Avalanche raised his head, his jaw marginally opened at what he saw and then he looked behind, concluding he was surrounded. Before he could get his foot planted onto the surface, Jean telekinetically held him in place. He grunted, trying to move. Since that failed, he tried to use his power. He grunted again. Defeated, Avalanche snarled at Jean. She responded by willing him to stand, making it crystal clear who was in control.
His glare lingered on Jean and then he eyed the men next to her. "What do you wa—"
"Don't be dense," Wolverine interjected. "We don't have time for games."
"What's Magneto's plan and where is he?" asked Cyclops.
Avalanche remained silent. John walked up to him. "You don't need to talk for us to get the information we're looking for," he said, turning to glance at Jean and then back to their captive, flashing him a knowing grin.
"Get outta my head, bitch!" spat Avalanche.
She ignored him. "It's unclear why, but certain powers are highlighted. In other words: high-demand. Our friend here was going to alert his contact of Kitty. He doesn't know Magneto's hideout, but there's another mutant hangout nearby that might answer that question for us."
"I have to go back," announced Shadowcat. "I'll check the computer." She phased feet first into the ground like it was quicksand.
x - X - x - X - x
Plopping down into the chair, Kitty booted up the outdated computer. On the screen, a passcode prompt greeted her. She could've asked Jean for help, but it was unnecessary because hacking was one of Shadowcat's specialties. In less than five seconds, Kitty bypassed the lazy security block. Folders scattered the desktop along with a few shortcut icons to games. The first few folders she opened were empty and she promptly dragged them to the trash—back then the folders all looked the same regardless if they were empty or not. The next one she clicked open had two paint files. As soon as she closed out of it she figured it was no harm to actually look at them. The first one was abstract, different colors and textures filled the canvas—the result of boredom. The second proved her instincts were on par. The lists didn't layout the overall plan but any clue would be utilized no matter how big or small.
'They are taking powers but it's as if they are hand-picking them: Portals, Morph, Earth, Fire, Boom.' Shadowcat took out her cell phone and took a picture of the screen. 'I have other folders to view and then I'll check the hard drive. However, there doesn't seem to be much here. Hopefully, we'll have more to work with at the next spot.'
x - X - x - X - x
Upon the X-Jet, Cyclops and Storm were at the controls. The rest of the X-Men were in their seats talking among themselves. Jean's responsibility was keeping Dom from using his power and denying him movement from the lone seat he inhabited in the back.
Every so often John would turn to glance at Magneto's current pawn, itching to get things off his chest. He faced forward again in his aisle seat in the last row. Agitated and anxious, his leg bounced. He stomped his foot and ended the shaking, giving in to scratch the persistent itch. John turned to the side, legs and feet blocked part of the aisle. His left arm dangled over the backrest. "Why are you helping Magneto?" he finally asked, his tone demanding an answer, and the chatter aboard the aircraft ceased.
"When it all goes down, I'll be on the winning side," he replied, fully confident.
John cocked his head to the side. "If he succeeds, what makes you think he won't take yours?"
Demeanor unfazed, Avalanche didn't respond.
"I know him very well," John said. He used to be proud of that fact.
Flashing John a knowing look, he said gleefully, "You're Pyro . . . well . . . were." Avalanche laughed, trying to get under his skin. "You should consider yourself lucky because you're still breathing, traitor."
"You're not too bright, huh?" John stood up and closed the gap between them. "I'd be six feet under if that's what he wanted. Ha! Hell no! Too easy." John was nose to nose with Avalanche, both hands in fists at his side. Through clenched teeth, he continued, "He wants me breathing because he knows me just as well."
Phasing into the Blackbird, Shadowcat took her seat. "Ready when you are, Cyclops."
Before John could fully verbally explode, Kitty's return snuffed the heat. He relaxed his hands and turned his back on Dom. "What'd you find?" he asked her.
"Not a whole lot, but at least we're making progress. I wasn't expecting much—the computer is ancient. No e-mail access, which means it's purely there just for show. I put it out of its misery."
Supporting destruction, John smirked.
It was Kitty's turn to ask questions. "So, Dom, what was next for me? You found my gift intriguing, well, part of it." She paused. "Let me rephrase. Once you trap someone what's the procedure?"
He answered without hesitation. "Rejects either get the 'come back in a few months' spiel or they are told to go to a specific location for evaluation. You, on the other hand, are special. Very, very special. " He shook his head and smiled. "I should've known something was up—you were like the unicorn among donkeys." He sighed. "Anyway, back to your question . . . you would've been sedated and personally delivered to Magneto by one of his trusted associates."
"You've obviously been to the next location we're headed to . . ."
"Yeah, I've been there a few times. Compared to mine, that one is a complete one-eighty."
"He thinks we'll get more answers there," Jean filled in.
Dom clarified, "I've heard things."
Jean arched her brow. "You think we'll find Magneto there."
"Yes," he admitted.
"Step on it, Cyc!" urged John.
In a desolate area, Cyclops landed a mile away from the hideout. He set the jet to remain in stealth mode indefinitely. As a group, they went over the plan when the young trio had finished changing into everyday clothes.
"Iceman, Shadowcat, and Rogue will go in first," Cyclops reiterated. John didn't dispute and held a neutral expression as he listened. "Find out what you can and observe," the X-Men leader told the youthful mutants. "The rest of us will remain here until needed."
Rogue pulled her hair back, wrapped a tie around it and tucked away her identifying trait under a schoolboy style hat. First, she touched Wolverine to absorb a good chunk of his healing ability, giving him plenty of time to recover. Then she went over to Jean and Avalanche. Jean nodded for her to go ahead. Both of Rogue's hands reached for his face. He tried to avoid her touch, but she inevitably made contact with his skin. He bellowed while she continued skin to skin contact. She held on long after he passed out, giving Jean the green light to release him. His body slumped in the chair followed by his head after the Southern belle let go. "He'll be out for a while," insisted Rogue. She gave John a 'see you later' kiss and waited for the ramp to be lowered. "Let's rock and roll," Rogue said, once the ramp touched the ground. She was the first to exit the jet followed by her closest friends.
At a half-mile, that's when Rogue planned to tell her.
"He's got a crush on you."
Kitty shot Rogue a surprised and confused look. "Who?" she asked. The question escaped her lips quickly. "No . . ." Kitty whispered absently in disbelief after thinking about it for a few moments. "He wanted to hand me over to . . . to Magneto!" She tugged at her hoodie, adjusting it.
"That was before he got to know you a little better," teased Rogue.
"That doesn't explain anything. He still barely knows me. He doesn't know me at all."
Rogue wasn't fooled as her friend's words didn't match her expression, but she kept that fact to herself and shrugged instead. "I guess phasing is a turn on. Unless . . . it was the dominant way you handled yourself. We've worked together many times. I know you. That's how you are. No one would ever guess it just by looking at you. And that's an example of why they say not to judge a book by its cover. I bet he's wondering if you're that way behind closed doors." She smirked, elbowed her friend, adding, "We all heard him. He sounded impressed once he was able to breathe after that unique journey you forced upon him. Towards the end, Avalanche was an open book." Rogue shrugged a shoulder. "Maybe something John said made him think twice."
"Or maybe he just has the hots for a short, smart brunette," Bobby offered, simplifying.
"He did eye grope me. I thought he was just—" she stopped, feeling a blush about to form. "Forget it."
x - X - x - X - x
The three young X-Men stood in front of the dilapidated multi-story commercial building. Nothing about the outside of the building was attention-grabbing purposely maintaining a low-profile preference. All of the windows were covered from the inside by cardboard including the double doors in front of the trio. Simultaneously Rogue and Bobby opened either side allowing Kitty to enter first. The lobby was empty. As they walked, they discovered the entire first floor was no different. On the elevator directory in permanent marker, an "M" was scrawled next to floor five. Iceman punched the up button and the doors opened immediately. He walked in first and spun around to say, "Going up?" The girls brushed past, ignoring him. "Going up," he said again before pressing the correct numbered button. No music played as the elevator went into motion. Rogue kept her head down. Shadowcat spotted a camera using her peripheral vision. She also noticed a special compartment that required a key by the electrical panel.
The doors slid open to reveal an environment every white-collar worker wished they had in their office: Coffee tables and beaten sofas replaced cubicles. Small flat-screen TVs covered inspirational cliché posters.
Mutants of all shapes, sizes, and colors were present. The trio split up to observe, listen, and question. The latter wouldn't be rushed. They were too close to get sloppy now.
Iceman didn't go far. He stood in a corner, eavesdropping on the couch conversation between a handful of mutants that were unable to blend in with the rest of society.
Down the hall, lights were off in all of the offices Rogue passed by. Each office inhabited by the homeless or by being forced out of their homes by the people they thought loved them no matter what. Evidently, they were wrong. This is where they would sleep now and call home. Emotions resurfaced that she thought were once long gone. Ostracizing was around way before mutants started popping up on judgmental assholes' radars. With her feelings fueled by what she witnessed and Avalanche's power, adrenaline pumped through her veins at an alarming rate. In order to keep the upper hand on Magneto, she had to keep herself in check. Plus there were too many lives at stake for her to cause the building to collapse with a borrowed ability to use against the enemy and his followers. Feeling apprehensive, Rogue locked herself in a single toilet bathroom, cut the lights, and leaned on the door with her back as she slid down to the tiled floor. Her bare hands shook in eagerness. Focusing on anything else, she thought of her boyfriend. He entered her mind, encouraging her to save the adrenaline for the real battle.
Eyeing a closet, Shadowcat made sure the coast was clear before phasing inside to make her way down. She slowed her pace between each floor checking for potential witnesses before going to the next. Passing the main floor, the next was farther down than the rest. Less than half of Shadowcat's head emerged from the ceiling to look for security cameras. One faced the elevator and another moved from side to side at the far end of the room. Before the camera could capture her presence she disappeared making a beeline for it. She saw the wires that operated the surveillance system and moved around them meticulously to not disrupt the feed. Her head and hands phased out from the wall next to the mechanical target. As soon as it pointed to the elevator Shadowcat wedged a bobby pin (aka kirby grip or hair grip) into it and then fully exited the wall. She landed on the floor in a crouch to save her legs from unnecessary pain. At the other end of the room, a metal door hid what was behind it. With no time to waste, she pushed the chair out of her way. Working fast, this computer had more safety measures in place. Every so often she'd glance at the surveillance to make sure it was still jammed. Shadowcat bypassed everything in less than a minute. Unlike Dom's desktop, this one was blank. The trash bin was empty too, but she right-clicked 'undo' and files populated. She opened the document that wasn't untitled. It contained a list of the deceased. Then she highlighted multiple data files, opening them all at once. Each one contained a different cured hopeful complete with a photo, age, height, weight, eye/hair color, power, etc. As she went through the files she mentally read off the powers to Jean. 'Fire, Earth, Portals, Boom—'
Hearing the elevator come to life, Shadowcat cut the list short, dragged all of the files into the garbage and deleted them again. She put the chair back in place, making the workspace look undisturbed, then disappeared into the same wall she came from to retrieve the bobby pin.
x - X - x - X - x
Absently, Rogue exited the bathroom and ran into a figure. Keeping her eyes on the floor, she said, "I'm sor—" Rogue flinched when the person put his hand on her shoulder. Her gaze met perfect blue orbs.
"Don't worry about it," Bobby assured. "Are you . . . all right?"
"I will be," she answered. Lowering her voice, she asked, "Did you find out anything?"
He nodded. "Missing people."
Rogue frowned.
Kitty appeared behind them and motioned for them to go into the bathroom.
Once they were out of unwanted earshot, she explained, "He's here. I haven't actually seen Magneto but I know this is where he'll be. I don't want to trigger any suspicion. Stay here and wait for me. I'm going back down to find another entrance." Rogue and Bobby nodded in unison and watched her disappear.
x - X - x - X - x
To see what was behind the metal door, Shadowcat took a slightly different path while phasing. She soon discovered this route was more of an obstacle course. The task: avoid touching anything electrical. The extra technology pinged at her. The urgency was high to begin with, but now, even more elevated. Kitty was one hundred percent focused and completed the challenges flawlessly. She stopped near a surveillance camera and took a peek. If she were able, she would've gasped at the ghastly sight. A chill as quick as lightning ran down her spine. A hasty decision would have to be made quickly as she wasn't going to be able to hold her breath much longer. It pained her to leave but the plight in this room would have to wait. Kitty descended. Needing to exhale and inhale—as all humans do regardless of an extra gene that some say determines you're not—she'd have to dismiss the recon training.
Once back on solid ground, she dashed into a nearby closet. In the dark, Kitty felt the wall by the door for a light switch. When that was unsuccessful she turned around and waved her hands in the middle of the room searching for a pully. She grabbed it as soon as it touched her skin and pulled down. Kitty quickly surveyed her surroundings, turned over an empty bucket, shut off the light, and sat. While her body was taking a break, her mind was sharp and working overtime. Shadowcat closed her eyes and breathed in and out slowly before plunging even deeper into the unknown.
Sitting as far from Avalanche as possible, John's body lounged across three seats near the front of the Blackbird. He closed his eyes and listened as Scott did maintenance checks for the jet. John was about to doze off when Scott called his name.
His eyes remained shut. "Hm?"
"What's the most important thing I taught you?" Scott asked.
"You even labeled it that." John smiled at the memory. "You said: 'Listen up. This is the most important thing I'll ever teach you.' I'm sure everyone remembers. Yes, I was paying attention . . . even though it probably didn't seem like it." He opened his eyes and answered keeping a straight face.
Logan scoffed, "Wow. You're wasting space in your memory bank for that?"
John shrugged and then sat up. "Jean, how's Shadowcat doing?"
She held up her hand. Soft grunting could be heard from the back of the jet. After a few moments, she said, "Suit up and get your things. Logan, take care of Mr. Petrakis. We'll be leaving shortly."
John, the last to exit, regarded Avalanche. Taking in Wolverine's handiwork, he laughed and said, "Now . . . that's art." He held his gaze and paused for a moment, adding, "Inside joke. You won't get it." Dom remained quiet as he glared at his taunter. John double-checked the x-gene neutralizing collar and patted a piece of metal that held Avalanche in place. "Sit tight. We'll be back," he informed as he headed toward the ramp.
"So confident . . ." growled Avalanche, "what makes you so sure you'll return?"
John stopped in the middle of the metal ramp; his jaw slightly twitched but offered no reply as he continued descending.
As soon as he stepped off the Blackbird's ramp, it lifted and sealed shut. John inspected the armor covering his body, and announced, "I feel like I'm part of a SWAT team in this garb."
"Your suit is by far superior," Storm told him. "It has no metal, it's fireproof, and it should absorb most—"
"After all you are human," interjected Wolverine.
"Quit stabbing me with your words!" joked John, smirking. "My human heart can't handle it and this suit can't protect me from them."
"Nor my claws."
"All right . . . now you're just showing off and that's my job!" John Allerdyce bypassed everyone and turned around to face them. "Enough talk." His grin shifted into a devilish smirk, and then he said, "Lets put those adamantium claws to work."
John's POV
Storm chose to remain outside of the building to help direct innocents, create cover as needed, and get her power directly from the atmosphere.
Jean and I stayed behind in the main lobby as the others made their way to a specific closet with directions given telepathically to Jean from Shadowcat. Jean then passed the directions onto Cyclops without uttering a word—I could tell from them nodding to each other. I'm sure the couple also said some short non-mission statements like 'I love you' and 'Be careful'. From there, Shadowcat would use her phasing ability to bring the others to meet up with Bobby and Rogue. When she met us using her unique way in the lobby she looked considerably drained, but I kept my observation to myself. Jean pulled the fire alarm and the elevator doors automatically opened. All three of us gathered in the elevator and took Shadowcat's hand on either side. "It's a long way down so stay calm and hold your breath," she told us, yelling over the noise.
It's a strange feeling passing through solid. However, the view wasn't very exciting. Kitty gave a thumbs-up as best she could while holding my hand so I guess that meant I was doing well. Once out, there was a short drop to the cave floor. I would've landed on my ass if Jean hadn't stepped in to assist. Jean used her power to land gracefully like a badass; while Shadowcat didn't need any help. She bent her knees before her feet touched the ground to absorb the shock of the landing to protect her knees from injury.
The cave was spacious. No ducking required. I took my place at the end of the line next to Jean. All of us stood in a single row like soldiers. There was no reason to move. Without a doubt, Magneto was aware of our presence. We waited. I was getting impatient so I spoke up. "Show yourself, coward," I yelled to the empty space in front of us.
After a little more waiting, the master of magnetism came out of hiding and stood as far from us as he possibly could. "Always so rash, Mr. Allerdyce," Magneto ridiculed. "Have I taught you nothing?" I kept my lips sealed so he continued to talk to me as he took a few steps closer to his adversaries, "I admire your bravery, however. Powerless and yet you're here ready to fight." He paused, looked directly at me, and spoke forthright, "You know you're not getting out of here alive . . . right?"
My gaze never wavered and my facial expression remained the same—hard as stone. "Neither are you."
Magneto gave me a tight-lipped smile. "It's time for you to all to meet your maker. I'd like to introduce—" he paused until she appeared before us, "Ultimatum; formerly known as Lifeguard."
She appeared to be in her mid-20s, equivalent to Magneto's height, donned a similar helmet like his, but hers was gold to match her metallic gold skin/armor, and she had shoulder-length golden hair. Ultimatum showed no emotion; eyes bright but lifeless as she stood beside my former mentor.
"She can do what you've always wanted, John," Magneto taunted. "Show him," he ordered.
Fire easily spewed out of Ultimatum's metallic palms. She turned them down to the ground and drew a charred line at their feet.
My heart dropped. Not because she didn't need an external source, but because I missed that special part of me. Seeing it again after all this time reopened the wound tenfold. The tingle I used to feel when a flame was present wasn't there. I made sure not to show Erik how his mental angle was working. I'm already broken; there's nothing left to shatter. And there is no way in Hell I'm going to give him the satisfaction.
I stepped forward.
Magneto smiled. He turned his head to look at her and spoke with pride. "Lifeguard can adapt to any threat." He spread his arms out. "Ultimatum can do so much more." His deep laugh laced with superciliousness echoed.
Kitty gasped and spoke low enough for our entire line to hear, "He gave her extra powers. Not just John's but a handful of others."
Wolverine charged first. Magneto didn't interfere. Claw met golden armor in the middle of the cave. She blocked each attempt and knocked him on his ass with a quick low sweep of her long leg. Her hands glowed green and thick roots wrapped around Wolverine's limbs and torso keeping him down and bound.
Iceman slung ice daggers at Ultimatum as Cyclops freed Wolverine with his optic beam. Ultimatum answered by emitting fire like a flamethrower while simultaneously tossing irritating marble-sized bombs at Bobby. I watched as his skin turned to ice, transforming him literally into his codename. He quickly aborted his position, hopping aboard the beginning of his slide as he blasted the opponent with continuous ice while building his personal monorail.
My jaw dropped. I was so caught up in my own shit that I didn't know Bobby's mutation evolved until just now. No one else seemed to be taken aback which signifies they already knew. Plus, this skill required a great deal of practice and he looked flawless as he gained speed. My smile grew wide to mirror his. I'll admit . . . it looked fun. Alas, the amusement had to be cut short since our lives were on the line. Ultimatum vanished and then reappeared about a foot in front of Iceman. He was unable to react fast enough due to bewilderment and speed. Ultimatum crouched low which made Iceman inevitably tumble over her with a helpful effortless lift. Jean stopped him from slamming to the ground below. During the short lull of combat, our foe took the opportunity to destroy portions of the ice slide.
Jean used her telekinetic power to pummel the enemy with various shapes and sizes of frozen water all at once. The smaller pieces just bounced off of her armor but the bigger ice chunks made her stagger. She looked pissed. Her hands glowed green. The retaliation was aimed at all of us. Thick roots wrapped around my legs and stopped at my torso. A quick shake almost made me lose my balance. Rogue shared my predicament. She apologized for the unintentional movement. The rest of the X-Men managed to keep from being constrained by using their individual gifts. I told Rogue to stop struggling once I figured out the roots were tightening with each attempt to resist. My eyes searched frantically as something important was missing.
"Where is he?" I yelled. Magneto was nowhere to be seen. Absently, I must've been struggling because breathing was becoming difficult. I was on the verge of passing out as black spots formed in my eyes. The next thing I knew, I was falling but free of roots thanks to one of my teammates. I believe I braced myself but it happened so fast that I don't remember. On my knees, I immediately and audibly sucked in air to relieve my deprived lungs. Rogue came up beside me and asked me how I was. "Fine," I mumbled, ticked that Erik disappeared but grateful he couldn't mess with Wolverine. I wanted revenge, however, that was secondary on my list. Rogue helped me to my feet.
I announced, "The suit might protect me from many types of powers, but it acts like a vice. I'm a dead man if she constricts me again."
Cyclops fired his beam above Ultimatum and boulders fell on top of her. With claws extended, Wolverine got closer. Shadowcat trailed behind him. Ultimatum shot out like a rocket with the aid of golden wings. Boulders flung everywhere. Shadowcat made Wolverine intangible and both of them were unscathed. I fished an expandable riot shield out of my pocket and pulled Rogue close to me. Within seconds of pressing the button, the shield opened to full capacity deflecting debris.
We all tilted our heads back.
Looking up, Wolverine grumbled, "Wings too?"
"C'mon, Lifeguard," I pleaded, "let us help you. We don't want to fight."
Her head jerked my way. "Ultimatum," she uttered with an Australian accent, speaking for the first time. Then her face twisted in a way that made me realize I was her next target. Apparently, I'd offended her. I shoved Rogue away as Ultimatum dove straight for me, her armored right arm pulled back. I wondered if I'd feel any pain. Seconds later I decided that it would be quick, so I wouldn't, which comforted me, oddly. I closed the shield and tossed it aside. It wouldn't be useful for this.
"NOOO!" Rogue's scream echoed.
Third Person POV
Motionless, John Allerdyce braced himself. He closed his eyes, accepting his fate. In his mind, he pictured Rogue smiling at something in the distance. The sun highlighting and enhancing her beautiful auburn hair. It was the simple things in life that were most breathtaking. Love isn't simple, but when established, it triumphs over everything else.
The blow never came. Instead, John heard a crash that made his body jerk. His eyes opened to see Ultimatum picking herself up off the ground. She ended up farther than he expected.
"Thank you, Jean. I owe you one." Even though his eyes were closed before he knew she was the teammate to thank. "My priorities have changed," proclaimed John. "Let's end this or take her out." Rogue embraced him. "My life is no longer willingly on the line." John hooked his arm around his girlfriend.
Ultimatum took flight once again.
Cyclops nodded to Shadowcat and Jean. "It's time."
The redhead nodded once in acknowledgment, lifted Kitty by using her mind and launched her right at the opponent. Shadowcat passed through fire and then the source itself. Jean steadied Shadowcat behind Ultimatum as Kitty swiftly reached for the helmet and yanked it off. Jean released her hold on Shadowcat and the young mutant fell with the helmet still in her hands. Both disappeared into the earth below.
Bellowing, Ultimatum clutched her head. Still suspended high above the ground, she writhed in pain.
Unable to help, the group watched. Jean held her, keeping her airborne until her fidgeting ceased. "She's not suffering physical discomfort. Her pain is emotional and mental," Jean clarified. "She's been through a lot," she added, softly.
Kitty returned to the other side of the cave where Magneto had come from earlier. "I found a way out," she paused, amending, "the only way out." Kitty looked up. Her eyes followed Ultimatum's slow and steady descent as her body was placed in front of Kitty's feet.
As if a switch had been turned off, Ultimatum succumbed and all of the stress and tension in her face disappeared. By Jean's influence, she then fell into a peaceful slumber. Her armor dissipated and was replaced by flesh—her natural human form.
Kitty shrugged off her hoodie and quickly covered all of Ultimatum's exposed private parts with it.
The group made their way over to join Shadowcat.
"Now what?" asked John as he took out a plastic water gun with lighter fluid inside.
"First and foremost, we have to get her back to the mansion," replied Jean.
Kitty knocked the plastic gun out of John's grip. Before he could utter a complaint she said, "Not yet. There's a more fitting place to start that and you can have the honor . . . " She took a breath. "At a later time. I have to stay behind as there are other things going on here."
Scott asked, "Shadowcat, are you sure?"
Without hesitation, she nodded.
"We don't know for sure Magneto fled the area," advised Rogue.
Kitty turned to Scott. "I have to stay. It's important. Do you want me to show you?"
He was able to see the seriousness of the issue in her brown eyes. He gave her a soft smile in understanding. "No, that won't be necessary but I don't want you here alone." Scott took a moment to consider the options. "Storm will stay with you. Find her and comb the building for individuals. I want this structure cleared and kept that way so we can deal with it when we get back. Once that's done, secure the entrances and disable the elevator. Keep in touch. We'll do the same."
Kitty nodded and told the group the exit route from the cave before running off to carry out Cyclops' instructions.
Rogue bent down to put the hoodie correctly on Ultimatum. The men turned around out of respect. She situated it properly behind the motionless woman, pulled her arms through, and zipped the front.
Back still turned, John took off his pants and outstretched his arm to his girlfriend. "Thanks," she said, retrieving the article of clothing from him.
"Peace offering," he quipped as he thrust his foot into his footwear. "She tried to take my life, but she can have my pants instead." After the collective amusement ceased, John shrugged, adding, "I think that's fair."
When finished, Rogue straightened. "She's decent, y'all can turn around now."
"I'll carry her," volunteered Iceman, eagerly. He bent using his knees and scooped her up in his arms. Ice sheathed his entire body as he straightened. With an open palm pointed to the ground by his feet, ice discharged. Bobby rose and rose atop a three-foot-tall ice post, deliberately making it low. With an outstretched arm, the beginning of the slide began to form. He hopped aboard from the post, not interfering with the momentum. Jean followed close, floating to keep up with his speed. The rest trailed behind at a jog.
The route was curvy but spacious . . . until now.
Logan stood outside the opening of the tunnel with a five-foot radius and sniffed. "I smell fresh air." Wolverine gestured to take over carrying Ultimatum, but Bobby shook his head, declining the offer.
"I alerted the Blackbird to meet us," Cyclops announced and motioned for Bobby to lead. The rest followed suit, bending at the waist.
Once upon the jet, Cyclops hurried to the controls. Bobby placed Ultimatum in the back row in a seat next to the window. He took the adjacent seat near the window so that Jean could be close and keep a watchful eye on the unconscious blonde.
Fingers interlaced, Rogue and John were last to board. Distracted by Avalanche, John stopped short which made his girlfriend jerk back slightly.
Avalanche's face was blanched with obvious terror in his eyes.
John let go of Rogue and held up his hands. "I know, I know. I'm supposed to be dead." He nudged his head toward the female blonde. "She was close," he admitted.
Dom spoke slowly through gritted teeth, "I almost shit m-my pa-pants."
"Oh, the jet!" John mocked, relishing the opportunity to get in some verbal jabs. He smiled, showing teeth. "That's the reason you look like you've recently seen the Grim Reaper." John looked down at his bare legs. "Speaking of pants, as you can see I'm not wearing any. I didn't soil mine—in case you were concerned—during my moment of questionable fate. They were donated." He interlocked fingers with Rogue again. The jet's engine roared to life and the couple took their seats.
Not one word was spoken since take-off. Jean slept, snoring lightly. Ice armor gone, Bobby mirrored Jean's state minus the snoring. Rogue's body lay across two seats, her head rested on John's stomach, her fingers traced and caressed his. Leaning back in the co-pilot chair, Logan had a bird's-eye view of the sky.
"Where is Jane?" Dom's question broke the silence.
"Wh-" John stopped short. To not disturb Rogue's comfort, he didn't move from his current spot. "Oh, she's staying behind. She didn't provide specifics, but whatever she saw," he paused, choosing words carefully, "didn't sit well." Since Dom couldn't see John's expression, he added, "And I'm putting that lightly."
"Did you find him?"
"Yes," John sighed, "and he fled just like he always does. He's a fucking coward. I wish I had picked up on that trait long ago, but I gladly and willingly absorbed the shit he fed me. So did you and the rest of his followers. Pawns. That's all you are to him. He's a master manipulator and that skill surpasses his x-gene talent. Manipulating people is by far more dangerous—it's something I've mulled over a lot recently and that's my final conclusion. I know I'm only human—because of him—so it might sound to you that I'm shitting on him because of it, but he'd shove you into the line of fire to save himself. He's not worthy of your loyalty. Are you willing to trade your life for a coward's?"
As intended, that uncomplicated question went unanswered ending the conversation between the two. John tilted his head to the left to focus on Ultimatum. She had the one thing he missed most and it was taken without his consent. He didn't blame her. She too was a victim. "All this time and I still can't fathom that he pulled it off," John murmured, shaking his head. He rubbed his temple with his free hand as Rogue continued to hold on to the other. Eyes heavy, they inevitably closed. A moment later, John's head softly made contact with the headrest and centered.
A/N: Again, so sorry for the long wait but wasn't it worth it? Kindly leave a review and I will be forever grateful. I know Rogue didn't get to do much during the battle with Ultimatum but I figured it made sense for her to be wary of using a powerful borrowed unfamiliar ability like Avalanche's underground.