The interior of the bunker was illuminated by a single low watt bulb that swung carelessly above the floor. The smell of blood and fear was stronger in the confines of the room and Beast moved through the shadows.
Hearing a whimper he searched the area and froze. Lying in a tangled, bloody heap was a woman he’d once know. “Jean.” He heard the others behind him but didn’t stop moving toward the figure on the ground.
“Oh my god!” Colossus stared down at Jean’s mangled body. “What happened?”
Shivering with a mixture of shock and rage Jean shook her head. As usual the X-Men were late when it came to that bunch of little whores. Flinching when Beast touched her she clutched her hand to her chest. “The collar.” She gasped painfully. “It suppresses my ‘gifts’.”
Beast nodded and searched for the opening. Seeing the key jammed into the lock he sighed. Obviously they’d left her to be found… or they’d merely stepped out of the room for a moment. Feeling a shaft of fear he glanced up searching for any indication that they were nearby.
“What?”
“They may be nearby, don’t let your guard down.”
“Thought you said they weren’t the enemy.” Warlok snorted.
Beast glanced at him coldly. “I’m not willing to die because of your actions.”
“Whatever.” Warlok glanced around him. He could beat them all and he knew it.
“Well, well, well.” The slow, sultry tone had everyone whirling to face the figure in the doorway.
“Rogue…” Beast rose to his feet. “We don’t want trouble.”
Sauntering across the floor she smiled sweetly, looking for a moment like the young woman they’d all known before. “Trouble? Who said anything about trouble?”
“We’ve come for Jean that’s all.” Storm said uneasily.
“Take her. When she sells you out again don’t expect us to help you out.”
“You’re insane. You think for five minutes that you could swallow you pride?” Colossus ground out.
Rogue chuckled and trailed a hand across the backs of the chairs still lined up. “Insanity has its perks.”
“Rogue please, all we want is to get Jean home. She needs medical help.”
“I told you. Take her. Treat her wounds, but you can’t treat her soul.”
“Jean wouldn’t betray us Rogue; you’re so twisted within your need for violence….”
“My need for violence.” Rogue hissed all charm vanishing like a puff of smoke as she grabbed a hold of Warlok’s throat and lifted him off his feet. “Let’s talk about violence Warlok. Let’s talk about you tying someone up and raping them? Did you tell ‘em about that? Did you tell your friends what you did? How you and Iceman used Fury’s need to protect those kids against her and set her up? How you tied her to a bed and raped her?”
“Fuck off!”
“Rogue please. Whatever his crimes he deserves to face a jury of his peers.” Colossus said inching toward her.
“Whatever.” Rogue snarled throwing him across the room to lie in a tangled heap on the floor. “You really want to challenge me Colossus?” Rogue asked. “I make Logan look like a choirboy.”
“That has nothing to do with this.”
Kicking a chair back Rogue watched it sail across the floor, a broken, jagged leg laying on her foot. With a careful kick it was in her hand and she stood weighing it, assessing it’s potential.
“Where’s the others Rogue? You don’t travel alone.” Beast asked as Storm inched toward him.
“Around.” Rogue giggled sickeningly. “Hey Jean you still alive?”
A low pained moan was the only response.
“Guess that means yes. The key that’s in that lock will open the collar but she won’t be getting her powers back just yet. See I have plans of my own and they don’t include allowing a telepath like her to manipulate and kill without a conscience. You wanted a war, you got one.”
“We aren’t at war with you.” Storm pleaded. “All we want…”
“Is to save Jean from a fate worse than death! Yes I know. You told me. See that’s just it. I don’t think she deserves to be free of her crimes.”
“What do youmean?” Colossus said shifting so Rogue’s attention was on him as Warlok climbed painfully to his feet.
“It’s rather simple…” Rogue paused at a pained groan from behind her. Turning slightly she smirked as Warlok dangled a few inches off the ground, a massive hand around his neck. “I’m not prepared to declare her sentence served. You may forgive, but I don’t. I live with the memories and I don’t want to let her forget that. So you go home and you tell Charles Xavier that if he wants to keep his little organization intact he’d better not step on our toes.”
“And if he does?” Colossus asked glancing at Warlok and the stranger.
“Tank?” Rogue called. “Where’s Fury?”
“Looking over you.” Tank replied glancing upwards. Rogue glanced up at Jubilee who seemed to lounge in the rafters of the bunker. A moment later she was climbing down a familiar look of rage in her gaze.
“Take Jean and go. Stay and you’re gonna have to fight.”
Beast collected Jean as carefully as he could and eyed Rogue. “Do you think that this will help things?”
“That stays.” Rogue nodded at Warlok who was turning a rather interesting shade of purple. “We’re not about play with you anymore. You hurt us…we hurt back.”
Pushing against Colossus shoulder Storm kept one eye on Rogue. It didn’t take a genius to see the rage that bubbled just beneath the surface. “Move it.” She hissed at Colossus.
Taking three steps toward the door they froze at the sudden appearance of Scott. Swallowing uneasily Colossus froze, ignoring the pressure of Storm as she bumped into him.
“We’ve got company.” Scott said glancing at Rogue. “Creed Inc. said they’d hold ‘em off as much as possible but…”
“Who?”
“Military. Logan thinks they’re here for us.”
Rogue nodded slowly and glanced at the X-Men. “That leaves me begging the question of who betrayed us.”
“Could be that Jean was due to meet with them.” Scott suggested. “Either way we have to make a choice. Stand and fight or…”
Rogue glanced at Jubilee who smirked. “Bring the X-Men.”
“What about this piece of garbage?” Tank ground out shaking Warlok none too gently.
“We’ll dispose of him later.” Rogue declared easily. “Right now we have to get Kitty to safety.”
With a quick nod the others grabbed the nearest X-Man and hurried them out the door.
“Don’t make me regret helping you out, or I’ll take a great deal of pleasure in killing you.” Rogue ground out as she glared at the assembled team. Rushing them toward through the dark she stopped next to the Blackbird.
“You still remember how to fly this sucker?” Rogue asked.
“Yes.”
“Well then get on board.” Logan snarled just as a loud, fiece explosion ripped the night apart. “We haven’t a lot of time.”
“What about Creed Inc.?”
“Who do you think set the charges? Said they’d be okay and to get the hell out of here.”
With a nod Rogue hustled their prisoners into the commandeered jet. Grinning as she saw Kitty sitting in the co-pilot seat she moved into position and buckled her seat belt. “You uh liking that position?”
“Always wanted to join the mile high club.” Kitty giggled. “Now I get to.”
Shaking their heads the rest of the team fell silent as Scott fired the engines and took off. A glance out the window revealed flames reaching across the ground, devouring everything in their path.
Exchnaging a glance Storm sighed. What would they do with them now? She didn’t think they’d let them go…Frankenstein and the X-Men were at war…weren’t they?
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