“You don’t like it in the dark. Pity.” Emma’s fingers were pressed firmly against Ororo’s temples as she continued her probe. Ororo was stubborn, she mused. She hadn’t gotten a scream out of her yet.
Ororo was in agony. Her shoulders and arms burned and her fingers were freezing. The blood flow was cut off from the tight cuffs restraining her to the wall, mounting her upright. The collar still dampened her powers. She had no control over her own body’s temperature, so she was shivering violently.
Emma tore a swath through her mind, heedless of the pain she inflicted. She rifled through her memories and emotions, measuring her, finding out what made the weather witch tick. Just for fun, she stimulated the pain centers in Ororo’s brain, sending manic signals to the rest of her nervous system. Her legs occasionally jerked like a marionette’s.
“Dance, Ororo. Dance,” Emma crooned. “I never would have guessed how entertaining you are, dear. You’re so buttoned up and uptight. Such lovely powers. So much self-control. You’re limiting yourself.”
“Won’t…break me.”
“Oh, but I will.” Emma’s smile was serpentine. “Being my toy sets you free. You don’t have to think. I’ll do the thinking for you. No powers means you can feel all those emotions fully that you’ve held back your whole life.” She took one of Ororo’s most excruciating memories and sharpened the details, manifesting it as a hologram for all to see. Shaw stood behind her, watching fascinated as the scene unfolded before him.
The sand burned her soles and while the sun beat down on her head. Her skin was parched, stinging and dirty. Hunger clawed at her gut and her throat burned with thirst. She carried no possessions, save for a canteen that was nearly empty, slung from a strap over her shoulder. It banged her hip with each dragging step.
She had no one except herself. Ororo was twelve years old.
She thought she was imagining things when she heard the sound of an engine behind her. The truck brought the odors of diesel and dust with it, offending her nostrils and intriguing her. She turned and shielded her eyes against the glare that glanced off the battered grill.
The man behind the wheel looked as surprised as she did, peering through the cracked windshield. He called out to her.
“What the hell are you doing so far out here, little girl? What’s your name?”
She stood motionless, hesitating.
“What’s your name? Where are you from?” he repeated, smiling winningly. He had a gold tooth, emphasizing how discolored the rest were. His face was young and slightly pocked.
Ororo’s lips were so chapped that her lower one cracked as she tried to smile.
“C’mon. I have a drink here for you. “Get in. It’s cool inside.” She wrapped her thin arms around herself. Her mind raced and the battle played itself out on her face.
She could keep walking, saying nothing. Or she could cool off for blessed moments, soothing her throat with precious liquid.
Her knees ached slightly as she climbed up into the cab and yanked the rickety door shut.
The music blaring from his radio distracted her. He tugged a bottle of lukewarm water from his cup rest and nudged her with it. His eyes ate her up.
“Look at you. Pretty little thing,” he grinned. Her throat worked the liquid down, almost choking her. The water left a muddy smear on the back of her hand as she wiped her mouth.
“You didn’t tell me your name, girl.”
“Roro,” she murmured, gulping down more water.
“Slow down! Don’t be greedy! There’s no more for at least ten miles!”
“M’sorry,” she whispered guiltily.
He eyed her, not watching the road. Ororo felt the unwanted weight of his palm on her knee.
“I gave you something to drink and a ride. What will you give me?” Alarms went off in her head and her heart began to pound, making her dizzy.
The cab jerked as he fought to hold her wrist while his other hand maintained shaky control of the wheel. No one would hear her scream, but useless sounds tore themselves from her lips.
“Goodness,” Emma murmured. Shaw tsked behind her, shaking his head.
His fingers bruised and his hands struck, snatching at her meager clothing. He pawed her chest, groping at the burgeoning lumps once the truck had rolled to a stop. She rolled her body over in an effort to scramble for the door handle, and her chin was abraded by the nubby upholstery as he jerked her back.
Ororo spied something shiny, jutting out from beneath the seat. It pricked her as she reached down and grabbed it. His fingernails scraped her as he jerked her panties beneath her skirt.
She managed to nick his hand as he leaned over her. He roared in pain, shaking his hand in shock before striking her. But he had reared back, giving her leverage. She had one moment. One precious moment to decide.
If she ran, he’d come after her.
She was smaller than him. She clutched the knife in both hands, raising it over her head. It struck home. She felt the sickening pop of the blade puncturing his flesh.
She wanted her mother to hold her and make it all go away.
She wanted to die.
~0~
“Bout time ya quit yer lollygaggin’. I need my smoke.” Mr. Howlett was almost chipper as Matt strolled in to check on him.
“You left me hanging yesterday,” Matt accused.
“Yeah?”
“Oh, yeah! I look up, and you’re out like a light!”
“I was just restin’ my eyes,” he claimed straight-faced, but Matt saw the gleam in his eye. Logan reached up and jabbed Matt in the chest with his unlit cigar. “Outside. Smoke. Now.”
He wheeled him outside. The weather was chillier. This time Logan was wearing a black jacket with a heavy lining that was old and worn, but still in good condition. There was an odd yellow logo embroidered on the chest. It was a yellow medallion with a black “X” etched over it.
“I only knew so much of what ‘Ro went through in there. She didn’t wanna share it with me at first. It was still a long time before she really trusted me as a teammate, and as a man. Those sons of bitches hurt her. If ya wanna see me hot and bothered and tearin’ someone’s ass up, ya hurt anyone that I love. Harm even one hair on their heads.”
“Hey, I’m not arguing with you.”
“Ororo was used ta lookin’ after herself. It was hard fer her ta ask anyone fer help. I wanted ta change that. But it was gonna take time.
I didn’t get ta steal all the thunder savin’ her. She kept a little of it fer herself.”
~0~
A lone tear rolled down Ororo’s face. She shut her eyes to stop any more. Emma flicked it away with her thumb.
“Don’t you feel better with that off of your chest?”
“Stop playing games with her,” Shaw scolded. Emma whipped around to chide him, marring her beauty with her sneer.
“She’s mine. I’m just getting started. Once I peel away everything that she is now, I’ll have a blank slate to work with. We can condition her, Sebastian. All of them. They’ll die for Hellfire when we’re done. I’ll break them. And they will love me for it.”
~0~
“WOLVERINE!” Scott’s shout roused Logan from his dwindling blood rage. Red gore dripped from his claws while Piotr cradled Kitty in his arms protectively. Scott hurried forward and checked the Professor for injuries while Jean unfastened his restraints telekinetically.
“Ach!” Kurt cried. “What happened?”
“Ya don’t wanna know.”
“They’re dead,” John pronounced flatly.
“They hurt the kid.”
“That’s okay, then,” John agreed easily.
“No, it’s not! X-Men don’t kill!”
“Then ya might wanna rethink that offer ta sign me up. Til then, Summers, I’ve got work ta do. We need ta find ‘Ro. Stand here if ya want.”
“Where is she?” Jean asked softly.
“Her scent says she’s that way.” He nodded toward the door. “An’ ta the left.”
“Where are your clothes? You’re hurt,” Jean said.
“Ain’t got time fer that shit, Jeannie. Follow me, or get outta the way.”
“Lead on.” Her eyes glowed again. “I’m getting a visual, too. I’m with her, but it’s hard to make a connection.” A scowl darkened her face, and her voice became hard. “She’s been breached.”
“What?” Scott clenched his fists.
“Her mind. Someone’s attacking her.” She took Scott’s hand and began dragging him after her, nearly tripping him. Logan was already way ahead of her.
“Stay with her, Jean,” Charles called after her. He was still recovering his powers and control of his thoughts. He’d never felt so helpless, not since an accident took the use of his legs. “And bring her back, I beg you!”
“Shorty’s pissed,” John remarked.
“Who’s ‘Ro?” Ali asked.
“Storm,” John corrected her. “We have codenames.” He made a face.
“Hey, whatever works.”
“Don’t be flip, sister. She might be hurt.”
“Sorry.” He noticed the hard set of his jaw. “She mean something to you?”
“Let’s just say that if they hurt her, I hurt them.” He tensed the knuckles in his right hand, cracking them. Ali winced.
“Sounds like my kinda party.”
~0~
“Majesty!”
“What now?”
“We’ve got trouble. A breach. The containment cell alarm’s going off.”
“What’s the status?”
“Let me check the feed from the cams…aw, man.”
“Is something wrong?” Shaw looked impatient but calm.
“The cells are empty. And that bald guy’s gone.”
Emma merely smiled. “I think we’re about to have company.” She turned back to Ororo and patted her cheek fondly. “Sit tight, pet.”
Her skin crawled at Emma’s touch, but a seed of hope bloomed in Ororo’s gut.
She heard Logan before she saw him. His growls preceded him down the main corridor. Her heartbeat quickened.
“Don’t be too happy just yet.” She was surprised when her mental connection with Ororo was suddenly cut off. “AAAAGGH!” She felt amputated; Emma’s head throbbed and she sank to her knees. “What…?”
“First, stay out of my friend’s head. Second, go put some clothes on.” Jean was furious. She sized Emma up carefully.
“Get her, Red,” Logan muttered under his breath. “I wanna have a word with ya about you an yer girlfriend, bub.” Shaw smiled and unbuttoned his frock coat.
“Then talk, little man.” He shed it and laid it over a table. He motioned Logan forward, already enjoying himself. “Come and get me.”
“Logan, no! We don’t know what he can do yet!” Scott took matters into his own hands and blasted Shaw squarely in the chest. Shaw laughed and shook it off, rising to his feet. “Geez…”
“Let me take a crack at him,” John suggested as he barreled forward and slammed into him. Shaw was only slightly shorter than John, but brawny and broad. They grappled while Piotr shielded Kitty, giving her the chance to wake up.
“Whuzzat? What’s goin’ on?” She covered her eyes with the back of her hand. “Ow…”
“You were hurt.”
“Shiny,” she murmured, taking him in. He seemed to be made of flowing, liquid metal.
“You’ll be all right, Katya.”
“Katya?” The name sounded strange, but nice. Before she could ponder it, he was up and moving, swatting away one of Shaw’s pawns like a fly.
“Come along, fraulein,” Kurt said. He grabbed her and teleported them away, cutting off her scream at his appearance.
“So you’re a telepath.”
“So you’re an X-Man.” Neither woman was impressed.
“Leave her alone.”
“Make me.”
“I’m a telekinetic, too,” Jean warned. “Harm her again and kiss your limbs goodbye.” To prove her point, Jean flung Emma back against the wall, inches away from Ororo. Ororo stared at Jean, awestruck at the way her hair seemed to float and ripple around her face. A faint glow wrapped around her, building in intensity as she spoke.
Ororo flailed in pain as Emma hit her again with a mind blast. “ARRRRRGGGHH!” She didn’t try to stop the scream.
Guards threatened to overwhelm Logan, swarming into the chamber once the alarm sounded in the complex. He had to cut Ororo loose.
“I told you!” Jean cried. Emma struggled as Jean lived up to her word. Her arms felt like they were being pulled out of the socket.
“Kill me, and I kill her.”
“Know what happens when you try to rein in a storm?” Jean’s tone was sly. Scott was pressing the advantage John was giving him against Shaw. Alison incapacitated the guards with overwhelming light effects, hypnotizing them right before hitting them with laser bolts. She was a natural.
Emma watched as Logan made his move, slicing off the first restraint. She fell against him and he cursed at how cold and clammy her skin felt.
“What…took you so long?”
“Got tied up, darlin’.” SNIKT! Her other cuff broke apart, and he beckoned to her, “Lean back, lemme get this.” He cut off the collar.
He’d pried the lid off Pandora’s jar.
Ororo was pissed.
Time seemed to freeze in the room as Jean and Ororo both rose up from the floor, eyes glowing and crackling. They exuded power. Logan was reluctant to let go of her, but all he could do was watch her.
“No one controls me. Get out of my mind!” Thunder boomed overhead, shaking the foundations of the building.
“Now ya’ve done it,” John warned Shaw. Sebastian swung out and cuffed him, knocking him out cold.
“Cyclops warned you that you didn’t know what I could do. Each blow you’ve inflicted makes me stronger.”
“But you’re not strong enough against a psychic attack,” Jean pointed out. Her attempt to attack his mind was blunted by Emma’s telepathic shield, blocking her.
“Two can play at that game.”
“Your first mistake is thinking this is a game, Frost.” Some of the guards still stirred, reaching for guns. Ororo raised her arms and wind began to howl around them, buffeting everyone inside. BAMF! Kurt reappeared in a puff of smoke and took Ali out of harm’s way before she could be attacked.
Raindrops pelted Logan’s bare skin, making his wounds sting. Ororo had created a monsoon. It was an awesome spectacle, but one he couldn’t enjoy. Her winds tangled her hair. She was unfeeling and hard. White fire blazed out from her eyes and lightning flew from her fingertips. She was going to drown them all.
BAMF! John was next.
“Don’t forget about me,” Logan told Shaw.
BAMF! “Nein, Wolverine!” BAMF!
They materialized outside alongside the Professor, Kitty and Alison. Piotr soon joined them, and he looked sick from his journey.
“What the hell did ya do that for, Elf!!!”
“I saw the guards. You were about to kill.”
“I’m headin’ back in ta finish the job!”
“Nein. Don’t.” He nodded to Kitty. “She’s too young to witness such things. And think of Storm.”
Storm.
“She may take exception to bloodshed and the losses of lives. Don’t leave her with those lives on her conscience as the price of saving hers. It will break her heart.”
“Nightcrawler is correct,” Charles added gently. “I can feel her from here. She’s…not herself right now.”
Above them, the sky was a swirling stew of black clouds and lightning. Wind whistled through Logan’s ears and threatened to push them all back. They felt the anguish of the woman inside.
Ororo’s rain disoriented Shaw and Emma, battering them and slowing their steps. Emma was chilled to the core; her ruined cape gave her no protection from the maelstrom.
“I know your weaknesses, Storm! Surrender now, and I’ll make it easy on your when I wipe your mind!”
“Surrender now, and I’ll let you walk away,” Jean countered.
“You violated me.” THWAPPP! Ororo harnessed her thunder as solid force and flung it Emma, hitting her with the force of a hard slap.
“OHH!” She fell back with a splash, choking.
“EMMA!” He faced them both. “You dare?”
“Oh, I dare.” Jean reached for him, catching him up in her grip. Ororo actually saw energy seem to expand around her hand, resembling an enormous talon that seemed to dig into Shaw. Jean had never demonstrated such raw power before.
“You’ll only make me stronger,” he reminded her as he continued to struggle.
“Look into my eyes,” Jean boomed. “Does it look like I care?” She nodded to Emma. “You don’t have Emma to protect you now.” Ororo calmed the rain, dispersing it, but the winds still tore at them. The murky water tugged at Emma, now up to her chest. The entire east wing of the complex was flooded, thanks to the automatic shutdown of the security bay doors. They were all about to drown.
“You hurt my friend.”
“Jean…”
“I don’t take that lightly, sweetie,” Jean told Ororo, but she never took her eyes off Shaw. “Enjoy the ride. I will.” With that, she let herself into his mind.
Everything Shaw ever thought he knew about himself was tested and found wanting. Every secret was forfeit, every weakness flung back in his face. Memories poured over him. Every image from the worst moments of his life, every shame from lacks of good judgment, every mistake he ever regretted, every negative emotion he ever felt…
All of it was heaped on his head. Jean turned his soul inside-out.
A thick dribble of saliva escaped the corner of his mouth, and his dark eyes rolled back in his head. Jean’s talon released him, dropping him like a wet rag into the drink.
“SEBASTIAN!” Emma cried, wading to him. “What have you DONE! You BITCH!”
“Worry about yourself.” Jean’s voice was calculating. Thunder continued to boom overhead. Jean felt Ororo’s distress.
Don’t worry, sister.
~0~
“I’m goin’ in,” Logan muttered.
“I don’t think you should,” Charles broke in. “I sense Ororo and Jean. They’re alive, but…”
“I can still feel Jean,” Scott confirmed, but the Professor’s expression gave him pause.
“Oh, no!” He pinned Scott with a look. “The buildings about to come down! Get BACK!”
“Not again!” John was already grabbing Ali and the Professor while Kurt took Kitty and Piotr’s hands and ‘ported them several blocks down the street.
The sound of crumbling concrete and the whine of buckling metal was deafening. Gallons of water exploded from the entrance and windows of the building before it collapsed.
“JEAN!” Scott’s cry pierced his throat.
’Ro! Logan’s blood ran cold. He ignored Charles’ shout to take shelter. He ran headlong into the clouds of dust and slipped in the mud beneath his feet. He caught Scott’s scent, following him with the same goal in mind. Jeannie. No one had to spell it out for him.
He struggled to hear her voice, catch her scent…spy any movement amidst the rubble. He heard hissing water pipes and the sparks emitting from the ruined consoles. Logan tripped over a floating rifle; the water was up to his ankles now.
“I know ya can hear me, ‘Ro!” he called. “I know yer all right! I know ya made it through this, darlin’! ‘RO!”
“JEAN!” Scott shouted. “I can feel you.”
No need to shout, lover. Logan heard her voice, too, so he knew she was projecting, somehow. Go. We’ll meet you outside. There’s a few more unstable beams still shifting, so get out.
“GO!” Logan bellowed. He and Scott doubled back and ran. Jean was as good as her word. The rest of the building came down, making them choke dust.
“Where are they?” Scott demanded.
Here. *BOOOOOOOM!*
The rubble moved, then burst up from the ground, heralding Jean and Ororo’s arrival into fresh air. Both women held hands, huddled close to each other. Slowly they floated to the ground.
“I knew you’d make it,” Scott told her hoarsely. He ran to them and embraced them both, breathing in the fragrance of Jean’s hair. Ororo was soon yanked away from him. He looked startled as Logan held her, clamping her upper arms in his grip.
Her eyes were still haunted but weren’t throwing off electricity anymore. She was battered and limp in his grip, but she acknowledged his concern with a shaky smile. Their breathing seemed to adopt the same panting, ragged rhythm as they stared each other down. His fingers flex around her arms. Hers twitched.
“You…look like hell,” she murmured.
“Shit.” He was about to lose it. “Yer gonna give me a heart attack!”
“You’ll heal.” He shook his head.
“No. I won’t.” He pulled her to him gruffly, nearly crushing her. She assailed his senses. Her pulse and heart beat thundered within him. He smelled the scent of her hair and skin, the tang of her blood and heard her muffled gasp in his ear. His blunt fingernails lightly scraped her scalp as he buried his hand in her tangled hair.
“Damn you, ‘Ro.”
“Logan…”
“I can’t think right now. I just can’t.”
“Please…just let me go.” Her body cried out in protest. His solid bulk felt oh, so warm and strong, supporting her.
“Yer barely standing!”
“I can stand just fine,” she snapped. She pulled away from him roughly. “Let’s go.” Logan looked bereft and taken aback. He followed her but kept a wide gap between them. So be it.
“Wait. What happened to Frost and Shaw?”
“They’re alive.” Jean’s response was sharp and clipped.
“What did you-“
“Scott, they’re alive. Let the paramedics deal with it when they get here. And the authorities. They tried to kidnap a thirteen-year-old girl.” She cupped his cheek lovingly. “They have plenty to worry about as it is.”
You didn’t kill her.
I couldn’t. Kurt was right. I picked up a flash of his thoughts while I was inside. Ororo wouldn’t be able to live with one more death in our efforts to save her. But step lightly with her, Scott. She’s in a bad place right now.
Ororo stalked away from the wreckage, reminded of too much. Without asking further permission, Jean reassembled the molecules of Ororo’s underwear, extending the material around her body until she wore a simple white tee and beige khaki pants.
She stumbled on her way to greet Charles. John instinctively reached for her.
“I’m fine!” she insisted, eyes snapping.
“If you say so.” She opened up her mouth to say more, but the momentum of the past hour caught up with her. She collapsed. “Jesus!’ he swore, catching her this time and scooping her up into his arms.
“Get her to the Blackbird,” Jean ordered. “I can take care of her there.”
“She’ll be fine once we get her back to Moira,” Scott agreed.
“Uh, Professor?”
“Yes, child?”
“When are you gonna at take me home?” Kitty’s question had him at a slight loss.
“Uh, ditto?” Ali prodded, raising her hand. Charles sighed.
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