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Chapter 11 of
A Simple Favor:
On March 11th, 2002, around 3:30 am EST, Rogue awoke from sleep, her stomach growling.
'Okay, maybe skipping dinner wasn't the best idea,' she thought to herself before she crept out of bed, carefully so as not to wake Kitty, retrieved her clothes, and excused herself from the room.
About fifteen minutes later, after getting dressed in the bathroom, she was down in the kitchen, surveying her options. She knew she didn't want something as simple as cereal or fruit. She wanted a meal, to feel full. After reviewing the ingredients at her disposal, eggs, potatoes, green peppers, onions, butter, and all the spices she could possibly want or need, she decided a breakfast of eggs and home fries sounded too good to pass up. A little work, sure, but it was early enough. She would have the kitchen cleaned, from her breakfast, before anyone else was even awake.
And so she set to work, gathering her supplies, pulling out a cutting board, and grabbing a knife to prep her ingredients. Still having Magneto's powers at her disposal from the night prior, she turned on his senses and- okay the dishwasher was full. Should she? It was her turn to help clean up from dinner last night but she hadn't been there. Yeah, okay- she'd clean out the dishwasher first and then start cooking. With his powers so it would go faster then-
Wait, why was Logan awake and heading to the kitchen? With- with the Professor? Yeah, they were- She felt hoop earrings, bouncing up and down slightly. Ororo, it had to be and- a pen hanging in the air around- oh, in a shirt pocket- Mr. McCoy- she realized. What were all of them doing awake so early and why were they-
"Thank you, Hank," the Professor said as Rogue turned to see her four instructors pile into the room. All of them were ready for the day, in terms of their attire, but Ororo, Mr. McCoy, and the Professor all looked tired. The Professor especially.
"Ah, good morning," Rogue said as she walked over to the dishwasher. She opened the dishwasher and pulled out the top rack.
"Good morning, Rogue," the Professor said pleasantly before yawning. Ororo gave her a half-smile, Logan a nod, and Mr. McCoy parroted the Professor's greeting. The Professor and Mr. McCoy went to sit at the table, Ororo joined her by the dishwasher and Logan walked over to the coffee machine to start brewing a pot. "Ah, yes, thank you, Logan," the Professor said appreciatively. "That's much needed this morning, I'm afraid," he said as Rogue grabbed a few glasses from the top rack.
"You didn't get a lot of sleep?" Rogue asked as she walked over to the cabinet. Ororo followed after her with a few glasses in her hand.
"Unfortunately, no," the Professor sighed as she opened the cabinet and placed the cups where they belonged. "I was occupied with a rather tedious but necessary task," he said as Ororo handed her the glasses she held. She blinked twice in understanding before Ororo returned with a few more glasses. "I see you're awake," he said.
"Yeah, I kinda skipped dinner last night, so I-" she said as she took the next set of glasses from Ororo and turned to put them away.
"He starved you?" the Professor asked with a mix of concern and panic.
"No-" she replied quickly, surprised at his tone. "I- I mean- he asked me if I wanted to eat, but I wasn't hungry then and then I was trying to get back in time for curfew so- I- dinner just didn't happen," she said with a shrug. "But it wasn't intentional or anything," she said as Ororo brought a round of mugs this time.
"Oh, alright," the Professor said, relieved. Rogue turned to Ororo to take mugs but she shook her head.
"Rogue, I'll finish. Go eat," Ororo said kindly.
"Thanks," Rogue said with an uneasy smile.
"And what's on the menu?" Mr. McCoy asked.
"Eggs and home fries," she answered. "Anyone else want some?" she offered tentatively.
"Yes," Mr. McCoy said as he stood and walked towards the cutting board. "How can I assist?" he asked warmly.
"Okay, so, potatoes cubed," she said.
"Onion and green pepper diced, I presume?" he asked.
"Yup," she said with a nod. "And I'm gonna go grab more of everything," she said.
"Please do," Mr. McCoy said with a smile before he picked up the knife and started on the potatoes. She turned toward the refrigerator and saw that Logan already had it open and was gathering what they needed to feed the five of them.
She didn't understand why they were all awake but with all of them working together this wasn't going to take long at all.
On March 11th, 2002, around 03:00 pm KRAT, Magneto, in a quaint cottage in Seibra, stood before a very confused old man he had not laid eyes on in the better part of fifty years. Magneto was rather pleased the master forger was still alive and seemed to have taken an apprentice. A man in his early twenties he had been introduced to as Ivan. The boy, wearing a yellow and green sweater and brown sacks, sat at a desk in front of a desktop computer typing and clicking furiously. Good. Now the only questions were could his request be facilitated and how much was it going to cost him for the rush job.
"You cannot be serious," Georg Odekirk said from his seat in a large cushioned chair in his den. Georg's wife was in the other room, blissfully unaware of her husband's dealings. As per his request, they spoke in English, though all three of them spoke Russian.
"I'm afraid you'll find that I am Odekirk. Can it be done?" he asked.
"You asked me to bury Max Eisenhardt," he said.
"Yes, and now I need you to unearth him. Or rather his grandson," he said.
"Impossible," Georg said.
"Maybe not," Ivan said in a crisp Russian accent. "Do you know an Erik Eisenhardt?" he asked as he spun his chair around to face the other two men.
"My uncle," Magneto answered.
"Then I have plan that has ninety-five percent favorability to succeed," Ivan grinned as he beckoned Magneto forward with a gesture. Magneto walked forward as Georg stood from his seat. "I ask my good friend Jeeves if he knows man by name of Eisenhardt and he finds me photo from Museum of Jewish Heritage- the Living Memorial of the Holocaust."
Magneto glanced down at the computer screen and upon seeing the photo his eyes widened and his blood boiled. He saw a man, severely bruised and bloody. A side hung around his neck which read 'I have shamed a German woman,' though written in German.
He remembered the parade. At the tender age of nine, he had felt pure horror as he watched the Nazis march his uncle down the streets in celebration of the passing of the Nuremberg laws. He remembered his uncle pleading with his father that it was time to leave Germany and his father's, ever the optimist, refusal to do so. His sister might still be alive today had his father made a different choice, perhaps having children of her own.
"That's him," Magneto confirmed grimly as he folded his arms over his chest.
"Such a tragedy caused by the Nazi party. Terrible shame," Ivan said. "But with this photo, what I see is historical record that Erik Eisenhardt may have fathered child," he said. Magneto raised an eyebrow at the prospect as he shared a glance with Georg.
"Could that work?" Magneto asked Georg.
"With enough documentation," Georg answered.
"It's nineteen thirty-nine, nice girl finds out about baby, very Jewish baby, she will have. She is German citizen, no restrictions on her passport and so she flees Germany before anyone finds out about baby. Where does she go?" Ivan asked.
"France," Magneto answered.
"I can make that work," Ivan said. "Nice lady has baby and names him Erik Eisenhardt, hoping if boy meets father they will understand connection," he said.
"Can you name him Jacob? It will have the same effect," he said. One less lie for Rogue to fret over.
"Done. Mother dies. I will work out details later," Ivan said, aside as he waved his hand dismissively. "Baby grows up. Meets nice woman and has baby- Max Eisenhardt. What year must this happen?" Ivan asked.
"Nineteen-eighty-two," he answered.
"Where is Max born?" he asked.
"France but can he be schooled in Germany?" he asked.
"Absolutely," Ivan answered. "I know good school. I have records on file I can use to make forgery."
"I also require him to have attended an American high school for at least one year," Magneto explained.
"Do you have copy of transcript?" he asked. Rogue had transferred from her school in Mississippi and her transcripts were housed in the school's records.
"I can get them. Today," he answered.
"Where should diploma be from?" he asked.
"The American school," he realized.
"I will need diploma as well," Ivan said as Magneto realized he would need to go to Mississippi instead. "And I think we can give discount on fee for your assistance," Ivan offered.
"A fair exchange," Magneto agreed. "Anything else?" he asked.
"Will you go to facility to obtain diploma?" he asked.
"I will," he answered.
"As mutant, is this difficult for you?" he asked.
"Not in the slightest," Magneto answered as he watched a smirk come to Ivan's face.
"Do you want to make Max real boy?" he asked.
"I believe that is the idea," Magneto said with a raised eyebrow.
"Here we go," Georg sighed exasperatingly as he backed up. "His theory," he said as he sat back down.
"It's not theory, old man. It's precise calculation of probable events. The internet is future," he said excitedly. "All of my calculations show me one outcome. In future, all records will be kept in digital space. Paper will be obsolete in the next twenty to thirty years, I guarantee it," he said. "Now, if you want Max to be real boy, you need to deposit forgers into real files at facility. When offices digitize their records, forgery gets digitized as well and becomes completely integrated with real records," he said.
"And should a third party reach out to these facilities to obtain the records?" Magneto asked with a smile coming to his face.
"They receive official record from facility," Ivan smirked as Magneto let out a short laugh. "If you help me proof theory to old man, I make you duplicates at no extra cost," he offered.
"You have yourself a deal, young man," Magneto smiled as he shook his hand.
"Perhaps, I do this for free?" he asked with a smirk. "If you share source of youthful good looks, eh?" he asked. Magneto found himself laughing at the boy's tenacity. "My family has history of balding, right down the middle," he said as he ran his hand down that section of his head. "Not pretty. If I can avoid this, I give you service for free, eh?" he asked.
"I would, if I didn't know, for a fact, that the process would be short-lived and likely kill you," he said.
"Because it only works for mutants?" he asked.
"Indeed," Magneto answered, surprised as the boy's grin only grew.
"So, if I am mutant, we have deal?" he asked.
"We would," he said with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, I am mutant, so we have deal," he grinned.
"And what are your powers?" Magneto asked, unconvinced.
"I make calculations. This computer very fast. My mind faster. Already I develop details to create four lives from nothing. With Georg's skills I make details reality with documentation. And with your skills we make documents official. No one else can achieve fabrication of facts as fast as me," he said, quite pleased with himself. Magneto glanced over at Georg, who shrugged at him while nodding his head, confirming the boy's claim.
"There is only one machine that grants our people long life," Magneto said as he turned back towards Ivan. "I will not share the means to create this technology but I will allow you to use the machine upon request," Magneto offered.
"So, we trust one another?" Ivan asked.
"Or I can pay you. Those are your options," Magneto said.
"We have deal," Ivan said as he offered his hand.
"And what do you call yourself?" Magneto asked as he shook the boy's hand.
"I like The Living Computer," he answered as they pulled back. "Georg said it's too long," Ivan said dismissively, waving his hand.
"It's too long," Georg exclaimed immediately from his seat.
"It doesn't roll off the tongue, does it?" Magneto asked amused.
"I'll come up with something when I need it. For now, I like Ivan," he said. "There are hundreds of Ivan's in Siberia. No one looks twice at one more," he said.
"You do understand I need this completed as soon as possible?" Magneto asked.
"Yes, I will work tirelessly for you," he said.
"Will you help?" Magneto asked, turning towards Georg.
"Not for free," Georg said with a shrug. "I'm too old for charity," he added. Magneto chuckled at that.
"I was prepared to pay a certain amount. Can I offer you that amount in exchange for assisting the boy?" he asked.
"I accept," Georg said as he stood once more.
"Pleasure doing business with you gentlemen," Magneto said as he and Georg shook hands.
On March 11th 2002, around 4:10am EST, Rogue sat down at the kitchen table with her instructors to enjoy the fruits of their labor. The Professor sat at one end of the table, Logan and Ororo on either side of him. She sat next to Logan and Mr. McCoy across from her.
"Thank you Rogue and Hank for making breakfast. This smells incredible," the Professor said.
"The credit belongs to Rogue. I was merely an extra pair of hands," Mr. McCoy said as Rogue smiled.
"Thank you, Rogue," the Professor said. "And thanks to all of you for waking so early so we can continue our meeting from yesterday," the Professor said.
"Hmm, do you need the room?" Rogue asked.
"No, no, not at all. Please stay precisely where you are. And know that I have no expectation of you participating in this discussion in any way," he said.
"Okay," she said uneasily.
"So, to recap our last meeting, upon a more critical analysis of the attempted kidnapping of Warren Worthington the third and the subsequent battle that evening, I now believe that Magneto has made further attempts of press-ganging other young vulnerable mutants into serving him," the Professor said.
'Oh, god,' she thought, distressed.
"The questions that must be addressed are who are these young mutants, what has Magneto threatened to do to them or their loved ones in exchange for their compliance and how can we, as X-Men, protect them," the Professor continued.
She wanted to take a breath, react but- nope, she couldn't do that. She was- yeah, she was going to eat. That was the plan. The home fries were perfectly spiced.
"And how can we hope to discover which mutants Magneto is targeting?" Mr. McCoy asked. And the scrambled eggs were light and fluffy. She did a really good job and she was going to enjoy them.
"I believe I've located one already," the Professor said.
"So, let's go talk to 'em," Logan said bluntly before he glanced over at her out of the corner of his eyes. She shifted her gaze to her plate and tried not to look as though she was intentionally avoiding looking at him.
"I'm sorry, Logan, but I have to disagree strongly. If I'm correct, a direct confrontation would only cause this individual an untold amount of stress, compounding upon what they've already been subjected to," he said.
She blinked a few times as she stared down at her plate. 'Oh,' she thought.
"To gain the most insight, while causing the least amount of damage, I've attempted to use my own abilities to ascertain the threat he poses to this individual," he said.
"And what have you found?" Ororo asked.
"That Magneto is always several steps ahead," the Professor answered grimly.
'Yeah,' she thought as she let out a short sigh.
Though she had conflicting feelings about that. When he was helping her, as he had done several times now, she welcomed his ability to stay ahead of others and keep anyone from being hurt but as an X-Men she recognized that-
Rogue blinked twice, realizing that all speaking had stopped. She looked up to see that all eyes were on her. She glanced around at the concerned faces and- promptly looked back down at her plate.
'Great,' she thought, annoyed. 'Now they're gonna think he's threatening me when he's-' she thought before she felt her eyes widen. 'Wait, he ain't here, right?' she asked herself. That would not be good. Not good at all.
"And how has Magneto prevented you from reading this, ah individual's mind?" Mr. McCoy asked as Rogue glanced up and out the window. She reached out with his senses and no- okay. He wasn't anywhere near the mansion. He should be at his base, right?
"He's built a construct preventing any telepath from reading their thoughts," the Professor answered as she reached out with his powers, several miles towards- okay. She could feel the dome and- but not his helmet. If Magneto was there, then his helmet would be there too, but it wasn't. It was four in the morning, where was he?
"How?" Ororo asked as Rogue reached out further.
The metal in his helmet was undisputedly unique. Magneto had altered every cell on an atomic level to be resistant to telepathic attacks. She could search the entire continent with his abilities, honing in on its peculiar metal signature and only find one like it.
"I'm not certain. What I do know is Magneto's had over a month to gain the advantage and closing that gap will be no easy task," the Professor continued as she searched.
Wait- no- okay, there were two, and the one she could sense in the midwest was being housed in a room with a lot of other weapons. It was far larger than the one Magneto usually used.
'Juggernaut's,' she realized.
"So, what are we doing about it," Logan asked.
So, he wasn't on this continent, then where? She reached out even further, surprising herself with her reach, with his reach and- Northern Asia? Where was-
"That's what I'd like to discuss," the Professor said.
'Siberia? What's in Siberia?' she asked herself. 'Oh,' she thought as she put two and two together. 'So does that mean Magneto doesn't think Prof figured it out? Or is he doubting down on the story we've told?' she asked herself.
"Rogue?" she heard the Professor ask. She blinked, losing her focus as she glanced up at him. "I meant to ask, that friend of yours, do you believe we'll be seeing more of him?" he asked.
"No, not really," she answered. "He was only visiting me for a couple of days."
"I see and do you intend to contact him anytime soon?" he asked.
"Chuck, how's she supposed to answer that?" Logan asked, disgruntled.
Warning bells went off in her head. If Magneto was doubling down, then she would have to as well. But how-
"Hmm, I don't mind talking about Max," Rogue said with a shrug. "But y'all are having a pretty intense conversation. I appreciate that, ya know, you care about my friends outside of the institute. But maybe now ain't the best time?" she asked.
"Excuse me?" the Professor asked confused.
"I mean- okay, yeah, whatever, yesterday Max recommended a book to me. So, I'll probably call him after I finish it. Ya know, tell him what I thought. Maybe get another recommendation," she said as her instructors shared confused glances.
"Which book?" the Professor asked.
"The Count of Monte Cristo," she said.
"We have a copy here in the library," he informed her.
"I think I'm gonna borrow that," she said.
"You're more than welcome to," he smiled.
"Thanks," she said warmly.
"You're quite welcome," he said. A long moment passed as-
"What?" she asked. "Y'all are acting so weird. Anyone wanna tell me why?" she asked.
"Chuck, indirect ain't working. Just ask her," Logan said.
"Indirect?" Rogue asked. "Wait a minute? Y'all think that Magneto is threatening me?" she asked. "He ain't. I'm fine- I-" she said before she cut herself off. "Wait a minute- you said you've been trying to read someone's mind. Is it mine?" she asked.
"Well, yes," the Professor answered.
"Without even talking to me?" she asked angrily.
"I thought," he said.
"You thought what? That Magneto's been threatening me? That's he's- Oh my god, is that why you came on so strong to Max? Why you practically invited him to move in the moment you met him? Cause ya thought- Oh my god," she exclaimed.
"Rogue, you've been very standoffish about Max. Especially with Kitty," the Professor pointed out.
"Yeah, 'cause she kept teasing me about dating him and about how handsome he is. And she's right, I do like him. But he's older and it's inappropriate. I know that. He knows that. But we almost kissed last night and-" she confessed, her face generally turning red at the admission. She glanced away from them all as she took a breath.
"Kid," Logan said sympathetically.
"But we didn't cause it's a bad idea," Rogue continued. "God, I did not wanna talk about any of this but-" she cut herself off as she forced herself to look up at them. "Magneto is not threatening me. Max is not threatening me. No one is threatening me. Okay?" she asked.
She watched the Professor consider her words and-
"That doesn't explain the construct around your mind," the Professor said.
"The mean the one my powers built so no one could use me to collect information about the people I've absorbed?" she asked. "Do you have any idea how many secrets I've got up here?" she asked, tapping the side of her head. "The source of Scott's brain damage and why he'll never be able to control his powers. That coma Jean was in for six months when she was, like, nine and I don't even think she knows about," Rogue said as she watched shock pass across her instructor's faces. "Ya know what? I'm glad the construct is there," she said honestly. "'Cause the last person I ever thought would try to read my mind without my consent was you, Professor," she said before she stood. "I'm going back to bed. Sorry about the mess," she said as she headed towards the exit.
"Rogue," the Professor called after her.
"Chuck, let it go," Logan said.
"But-"
"You can't read her mind, but I can still tell what she's feeling and she ain't afraid. She's pissed," Logan explained.
"Logan," he said.
"If Magneto was threatening her she'd be terrified of what Magneto would do to her if he found out about this little chat. But she ain't scared. Not a bit," he said.
"Cause I'm fine," Rogue said strongly before she exited the room.
She was fine. That wasn't a lie. None of it was a lie- none of it was-
She took a deep breath as she needed to put some distance between her and that conversation- she continued to race down the hallway. She just wanted to crawl into bed again.
She was fine- she-
She was okay. As long as she kept to her end of their agreement she would be okay.