Post by adrini on Oct 23, 2015 21:00:46 GMT -5
All-Star X-Factor 14
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Bracing Against the Storm
Xavier Institute, Courtyard. 7 am, Thursday Morning.
“Of course I was working with her, what did you think would happen?” Scott laughed, using his controlled beams to blast the ball out of Alex’s control. “Sorry Alex, love you like a brother.”
“I am your brother. But I’m not your wife, I get it.” Alex rocked the ground as the ball fell, sending it back to the couple. “Com’on Rogue, step it up!”
“I’m doin’ my part suga’. I think we have a traitor in our mist.” Rogue was trying to hit the ball in a normal way, but Rachel was aiming and missing the ball. Once they might have believed her telepathy was that weak, but they had learned otherwise after getting here.
“They’re on to us. Jump over!” Jean said with a laugh, and Rachel lifted herself over and stood with the fellow red head. The two high-fived and got back to the game.
“Okay, so Scott has both the ginger telepaths. We can still do this.” Alex said as Rachel smirked and clicked her fingers, sending the ball back over the net. Hearing the remark Scott only smirked, clearly just fine with his current company. Rogue rushed to get to it but didn’t grab it in time when a little blue pop appeared and reappeared at the net, where he then placed the ball firmly over the net again.
“It iz not zo fair to turn on your team, but I vill fix ze balance if you do.” Kurt said as he landed. “I have not zeen you play before, you do know how to have fun.”
“You want powers, we got powers.” Alex said, now grinning at the young man. It was the first time in a while the team had had taken a break. They were enjoying it while they could. “Your serve, turncoat.”
“Now that’s just jealous.” Rachel launched the ball over the net again, this one moving fast. “Serves up!”
“It is going to be harder than that.” Piotr spoke, forming his metal skin and bounding the ball off it, and back over. “We will not be so easy.”
Watching from the sidelines Ororo couldn’t help but laugh at the group. Under the uniforms and dour stories they weren’t that different. It just took time to lower walls; that would happen when you had enough scars. Scars they had. Reality wasn’t shielded for them, they lived on a base, not a getaway.
‘Team Ginger’ continued to score, though not as often with Kurt catching at least some of the hits. Rachel, who visibly relished being near the team, was aiming much better now that she was working on the other side.
“Ororo! Come, ze are killing us!” Kurt called over, a smile wide on his face. “You have to help!”
“I believe I must.” She said, deciding to join the battle, and floated over landing next to Scott. “You have them out numbered. Now, let us play.”
-X-Factor-
Import-Export Center St. Paul Minnesota. 7 am, Friday Morning.
“Your six, Jubs! Your six!” Skye yelled and her teammate barely jumped out of the way of the park bench. Flying inches from her head it landed with a thud into a tree, but the battle was still too intense for anyone to dwell on what if for more than a second.
Pietro was dashing, using his skill to remove the innocent from the scene ahead of the oncoming sentinels. It wasn’t the exciting work he would have preferred but he had been on the receiving end of these things and didn’t complain. Too much.
“Wanda, we need time. Move something, bend something!” Skye was screaming into the ear pieces, trapped at the home-base that was now under attack she was trying to move out the current mutants, work with the twins and not die. Something complicated by the dozen new friends in metal.
“You will leave her alone, she is working. Work on yourself.” Pietro said rudely, annoyed at the pressure put on his sister. “The space is running out of room, I will need to find a place to move people soon.”
“Hey, the south door isn’t reinforced.” Jubs was moving vehicles into place to get Pietro the room he needed. “A good hit should give you more room. I’m moving the next two cars now, you’ll have more space soon.”
Trying to block the calls for reinforcements from the first van Skye was trying feverishly to move everything as needed to get everyone out. The team had been called on in a rush in the past few days and the mutants were piling up. However they had either been spotted or had a mole problem, either way it was time to bug out.
Wanda, dealing with not only the metal monstrosities but an increasingly number of Friends, was quickly becoming overwhelmed. She calmed at a moment though, and her movements became suddenly more practiced. At least they has long distance help. With what had to be a combine effort Wanda/Jean tore open the gate of the factory they had been using as a safe house after the fall of the hotel and flung it at two of the Sentinels. It beheaded both of them as Wanda then put a shield up to block the oncoming bullets. Things were getting worse. If they stayed much longer they were going to lose someone.
“Trucks in place, move!” Jubs said and Pietro got to the last group, quickly moving to finish the group. Friends trucks were visible on the highway and they needed to go, now.
Wanda was deflecting bullets, throwing more projectiles and shielding a nearby mutant when Pietro ran in and grabbed both her and the young teen. Getting to the trucks the team quickly closed the cars and got on the road. Skye driving the main truck, and Jubs and Pietro driving the other two as Wanda got some rest after her efforts.
Friends cars tried to push them off the roads but were oddly deflected. Noticing the pattern Jubs smiled, knowing it was Jean sparing the caravan from the fate she had already lived. They were already well onto the highway, and seemingly in the clear, when Pietro heard the one sound he feared the most. His sister’s cry of pain.
Curled and trying not to loose control Wanda was holding her arm and gasping. Blood was beginning to spurt out of the limb. She had been shot. He was about to turn the truck around and hunt the bastard who did it when Jubs talked on the line.
“They know.” She said, trying to calm him down enough to change his plans. “Jean says a healer is on the way and she’ll be okay. He’ll be waiting at the safe house, he’s with us.”
“He damned well better be.” He said, looking at his sister for a moment. She was still in pain, but Jean was helping to calm her. He had just about had it with this stupid job.
-X-Factor-
West Central SHIELD Logistics Center, West Virginia. Friday afternoon, 1 pm.
“Sir, the mission is failing. Our rate of rescue is down over fifty percent and the kids we are bringing in are not in good shape. There will be no point for this program to exist at this rate within a year at most.” Maria was pleading with her boss to fix relations with the current team. “After the shooting a last month things are getting bad out there, we need them. Nothing they are asking for would be given a second thought in any other team.”
“Granted.” The man on the screen said. “I see the news to, Agent. It’s getting rough out there. But these are not normal people. More than a few of them could take out the country in a week, Jean alone can take out that much with a thought.”
“But she never would. We know that. I understand the theory, sir, but the cost is real.” As correct as she was he was still unconvinced.
“Look, I’ll consider the conditions but they have to understand they are dangerous people. They may need to be watched. I’ll get back to you soon, Fury out.” The screen went out and Maria sighed, caught in the middle. Fury was wrong about this one, but he was still the director.
She left the room and walked into the hallway of the regional SHIELD center. She was getting a cup of the traditional terrible brew when she saw the people of the office gather around the tv for breaking news. CNN was part of the culture here like most officer bases.
“This is Wolf Blitzer with a breaking story for CNN. In the ongoing national discussion on mutant rights had a hard defeat today. Senator Shaw’s office has announced that the ‘mutant regulation and protection bill’ has been ordered by the speaker in the house and recommended to go into effect with the new budget.” The grey haired reporter was saying on the screen, without noticing Maria began to squeeze her cup. Not noticing until the molten hot liquid poured over her hand, and even then she brushed it away. The horror of what she was hearing taking her attention. “Supporters say that the bills allows the public to safely know who lives nearby and what powers they might be affected with. Opponents point out that the registration also allows for local law enforcement to deem persons to be too dangerous to be allowed and be held without charge for undefined periods of time. It is already assumed the case will move to the Supreme Court, but the past rulings there make it questionable that it will be overturned.”
As though in a tunnel she heard a number of responses, the bulk of them positive. She was suddenly resolved and moved through the crowd of officers, currently approving of the measure. Glad the ‘freaks’ would be “under control”. All she could see was the destroyed lives, the many, many destroyed lives.
At the landing pad, where she called for the plane to be brought over she grabbed her bag and got on as soon as the door opened. Once on she rushed to the main panel. Theoretical be dammed. This had to end.
“Clear. Hill, Maria. Commander. Security Code AVVTLUY-56432. Action, accept and adapt file 17-CL-I for immediate practice. Enter process now.”
It took a moment for the order to process but it was accepted. Fury could fire her if he wanted, her duty was to the greater good. These weren’t heroes who volunteered, who got involved if they were wanted or not. The only crime they committed was being born. It was time someone stood up for them. She just had no idea how to let them know.
-X-Factor-
SHIELD Safe-House C-5, Medical Center. Friday late afternoon. 4 pm.
“Get them into the main room, we can start triage in the room to the right.” Jubs was opening the doors and leading the crew of newly rescued mutants into the hall.
“You said there would be help!” Pietro said sharply, his sister on his arm. Wanda was weak, she had lost blood, and leaned on her brother with what strength was left.
“In here, quickly. I can treat her first.” A new man was there, in the shadows Pietro could see the white coat of a physician. As he came out it was the doctor that treated them in the center. “Phoenix contacted me, I set up the office. Hurry.”
At least trusting him Pietro carried his sister into the room. Putting the girl on the table the man moved to cut away the fabric of her jacket and reveal the wound. Looking at it he isolated the area and added medication for the pain.
“I’ve done what I can but this will still hurt, hold her hand.” Elixir said, pulling out a scalpel. “The bullet didn’t come out cleanly, once it’s out she’ll be fine.”
“Don’t drag it out.” He said, and looked at her face. The Doctor nodded in agreement, and began.
There was no avoiding the pain and she screamed shrilly. Face in tears he closed her eyes and willed himself to wait, to get the bullet out. The doctor worked fast and the screams ended. Looking again Wanda was out, and the bullet was being removed and put into a dish. The man was glowing, flowing energy into the arm. Wanda began to breathe easier, and glancing again the wound was gone. Pale pink skin in it’s place.
“I’m sorry, but it had to be removed. Take her, let her rest somewhere. Go.” Jubs and Skye opened the door and he saw there were other mutants in the hall who needed to be seen. “She’ll want you when she wakes.”
“Those Friends of Humanity Bastards-“ He said, gathering her and walking out.
“It’s just begun.” The gold man said sadly, but waved the next patient in.
-X-factor-
Xavier Institute, Main Hall. 5:30 pm.
“Have you seen ze others?” Kurt asked, popping next to Ororo. “Ze went somewhere.”
“No, but I saw Rachel pull them. I have a bad feeling. Come, we will find them.” She walked on. Biting his lip for a moment he saw a chance to talking about something that had been bothering him.
“I feel sorry for zem.” Kurt said, Ororo’s eye revealed that she did as well. “Ze do not trust like we do, ze are always more scared.”
“They have seen things, I worry about them.” The dark skinned woman was looking for something. “They work so hard to survive, they cannot see there is more. This way.”
She walked over to a door, motioning for him to follow and walked into a room before walking over to a side door. Voices were on the other side.
“Some aren’t expected to make it. Gold is doing what he can but at some point even he isn’t fast enough.” Jean was saying to what they assumed to be the others of the group. “They got over thirty out, but there was chaos. Friends got the jump on them. The injuries have been serious.”
“They’ll have arrived by now at the safe house, however many made it.” Scott was there, it was a group meeting. “Wanda was among the wounded, but she will heal fully. They’ve moved to another location for now. But these are missions we would struggle with.”
“And her' we are relaxin’ here while they face the worst.” Rogue said, not chipper for once. “This just ain’t right.”
“We can’t go back! Think of what they’ll do to her!” Rachel was openly upset, and put their circumstances clearly. Kurt wanted to speak, but Ororo motioned for him to be quiet.
“We need to go back, it’s not worth-“ The telepath began to say.
“No, that’s not happening. The bill isn’t set. You are last hope for defeating it, if it comes to that. And I can’t-“ It was odd to hear the leader be so emotional, but he looked at Ororo to see she was lost in her own thoughts. “I will talk to the Professor, see what can be done.”
On the other side of the door Ororo pulled Kurt away and walked to the hall. There she leaned on the door frame. Unsure of what to say, she was still processing. A few seconds later she just shook her head, making it clear she needed a minute before walking away.
-X-Factor-
Secret HQ, Outside the Institute, 6 am Saturday Morning.
Cable was cleaning his gun when he heard the knock. He put the gun away as he stood up and walked over. Bishop, out for the a few hours, didn’t need to know everything he was doing.
“Everyone is okay.” Rachel said as she hurried inside the house. “Things are still holding.”
Visibly driven, Rachel was in street clothing and carrying a folder. Once dejected she was now excitedly pulling out information as she talked.
“Sinister is working with the government, which you said he did last time, but he hasn’t gotten as far. I was able to map the centers from news feeds, so you can at least get people out of there. Oh, and the SHIELD drop houses. You’ll need those. I think this is the part of the plan where we can be seen more, plus we don’t have a choice.” She was almost hyper, manic.
“You deal with the team, I have the kids.” Rachel nodded at her brother’s voice. “I know just the person to go after the rest to. What are you doing?”
“It’s not happening again, it can’t.” Rachel had run to his coat and pulled out the case. Trying to stop her he rushed over but she stayed out of reach. “I have a window, its coming up. I can make it work. Please just trust me on this. I’m a part of the team now, they know me. Dad gives me orders and Uncle Alex chooses me to hang out with. I can do it, I can save her. She won’t go like before.”
“Rachel, you can’t-“He started to say as Bishop came in the back door and she sprinted out, the priceless protection in hand. “Dammit!”
“Having a rough day?” Bishop asked dryly as he walked in and looked at the table. Back early, just what he wanted. “What’s this?”
“Our new jobs.” He explained, pissed as hell at his sister. “How would you like to deck Sinister in the face? Can’t say I never got you anything.”
Bishop actually smiled
-X-Factor-
Noon, Saturday Washington Panhandle.
“How long till they remember?” Shaw asked, leaning in the car. Across from him, sipping a glass of something bubbly. Emma was in a trim white suit, noticeably happier now that she was in charge. Sinister had made it clear she was his right hand. He had been trying to swing the house for years, and Emma had turned the tide overnight.
“Why do you think they will?” She responded lightly. “It is normal for the old guard to protect their own. They’ve always thought this way, of course.”
“Of course. And the kids being round up are for you?” He asked, more of an army.
“No, I have enough of an army now. They’re to distract the saints, give them something to worry over.” She put the glass down. “Sinister has, well, another project for us. The friends can have their fun.”
“So what is our project then?” He was glad to have gotten the bill passed, for his own reasons. But the woman made him nervous.
“To hunt down some people, and find an old friend.” She smiled. “It’ll be good for you, for all of us. We play the long game, and they try to keep up.”
-X-Factor-
Saturday, Early Evening. Xavier Institute.
She had no idea why, it wasn’t anything she had seen used, but there were decks of cards all over the house. She was looking for a distraction as her mind was racing with the news, and she lacked really doing anything about it. Walking to the gardens to take refuge for a time she had seen yet another deck of cards, it had to be the eleventh or twelfth that day, and grabbed it. They would work as well as anything.
Using her focus to move the cards out of the box she fanned them out. It was a common enough deck, they had ones like it at the base. Using her focus she flew the cards into the sky and formed them, putting them into various shapes as she blew steam. The power in her head needed release every so often.
“It would seem that solitaire is not enough for you.” There was a voice behind her, and the cards dropped a little. She thought she was alone. “I did not mean to bother you.”
“It’s fine, just give me a moment.” The pattern moved to something more familiar, a human form offering greeting. “I’m just playing a little. Am I needed inside?”
“Not to my knowledge, no.” Ororo smiled slightly. Jean turned to her and the cards behind her formed a sequence of geometric shapes. A work out. “I was wondering if I might have a brief audience.”
“An audience? Well if you put it that way.” Jean hid a small laugh but smiled. “I’m just a girl from a small town in Connecticut, my parents were professors at a local college. I have a minute if you want it.”
She called the cards down and into the box again, and carried the box to a bench near the wing the team was staying in. She motioned for Ororo to join her.
“I had some questions about your team, a few things were unclear.” Jean listened and nodded as Ororo spoke. “Rachel said you weren’t able to rescue everyone who needed it.”
“More then she knows, there’s a trauma in her mind. I don’t want to feed it so I lighten the numbers.” Jean said, filling her in. “In reality the rate of mutation is getting fast enough that it might be impossible now. We try to pull out those in direct harm, but even at the base and ready to go we don’t have enough people to get to everyone who needs it. With the new bill-“
“What is this bill?” Ororo asked. “I know you are worried.”
“It allows Friends to round up and take out mutants in the name of ‘security’. It also leaves little recourse for mutants or their families. It’s a bloodbath.” She looked defeated for a moment. “But then it always has been.”
Ororo looked at her questioningly, and Jean willed for the door to open and a tablet to arrive. Pushing a button she turned it on and opened a file.
“We keep these mostly as records, personal histories. But they are sadly standard much of the time.” She handed over the item. “I’m in there to, most people can’t spot me though.”
Ororo, looking at the pictures, had to close her eyes for a moment. The pictures were of butchered children, utterly attacked. Brutally beaten. There were a number of files, and more not yet opened. The ones of her companion were labeled, but otherwise another mass of exposed muscle and blood. This was the reality the team lived with, she understood better now.
“Those are the fairly lucky ones, they all made it. Have various positions among the organization now.” Jean could see she had seen enough and took it back. “My parents didn’t survive the attack, but they distracted the Friends long enough that I made did. It was all they could do. I think I came out alright. Better than most. Did you want to know more?”
“Not right now.” Ororo said, already knowing she would see the images in her mind for some time. “How many people would you need, to catch up to the work?”
“That depends I suppose.” She was thinking. “The major issue is training. Most of the people we bring in need to heal physically, then mentally, to even begin to train. Just getting a few to help get a jump on that would be huge.”
“The professor talked to us, he’s worried about you. Kurt and I have talked and we want to help.” Storm said, Jean turned to look at her looking shocked.
“Wait, we need help, but I couldn’t pull you away from this. You have a home here, I can’t ask anyone to give up family unless it was absolutely required.” Jean was flustered. “I mean, we wanted help, but only on occasion. Someone to call when a bigger mission came up.”
“We want to prove that you are not alone in the world. I think you have been in darkness too long.” Ororo watched the shock turn into a smile, and then Jean’s eyes went distant. It occurred to her that she was speaking with her team on the matter.
“You would be welcome, when we go back.” She said after a few moments. “Though you should get to know us better, the others want to fill you in on a few things.”
Getting up Jean looked at the door, where Kurt was trying to be sneaky as he looked at the two talking. Clearly nervous he was looking at Ororo, noticing Jean laughed and nodded.
“We are in, ya!” He said and popped over, excited. “Ze will never regret it! It will be better, zu will see!”
-X-Factor-
3 am Sunday Morning, X-Factor Medical Center
“Gold! We got incoming!” Maria was rushing with a gurny into the medical center. The man, who was already processing patients, gave directions to the assistants and hurried over. “More on the way.”
“I can see they are moved in, but we are running out of sedatives.” Gold turned the cart around a corner, hearing others behind him. “It is too dangerous to work with them without it.”
“Ya, I know. What I wouldn’t give for the team back.” They arrived and the medical personnel quickly did triage to move the injured into order for treatment. “They’ve gone off grid, they have to be hiding somewhere with protection. None of the normal channels are working. What the hell is it going to take for them to come home?”
“Not being killed for it.” Gold ordered the first kids into the operating theaters. “Tends to put people off.”
Maria moved quickly to step in front of him, her arm blocking the door into the prep room. Even among the chaos he was scared by her glower.
“I defied Fury and took the deal.” She hissed furiously. “He can court-martial me if he wants. I never wanted to kill her. I’m putting the mission over the regs on this one and we need them back. This was always about them and they’re old enough now to run the show. We’re losing kids, doctor. That’s not our job. You never take time off and you’ve gone on leave four times in the last three weeks, where are they?”
“In two places.” Gold sighed, relieved. He had hoped that Maria would come around. He kept his voice down. “They split up to make it harder to track them down. The first half are at safe house G-4, they’ve taken injuries but are generally okay. That’s the twins, Jubs, and Skye. You’ve likely guessed they’re the ones running missions. Once Agent Summers verifies the deal has been accepted they’ll come back on their own. They need the support.”
“That’s the new members, but where is my team?” Maria had nearly raised the first members of X-Factor and it occurred to him that she was also hurting from the separation. “Are they safe? Who is protecting them?”
“It was in your files the whole time, Commander. They needed to take Jean somewhere that Fury wouldn’t have clearance to march into, and wouldn’t mind taking a few mutants on board for a time. There was only one place they could go.” He watched her face as she realized just how obvious it had been. She looked relieved.
“Then they’re okay. Thank God.” She was visibly relieved. “I’ll radio ahead and pick them up. And Gold?” She said and he looked up, not sure what she would say next. “Thank you. One question, there’s a third party breaking kids out, the bruiser. He knows our codes, who is he?”
“The kids asked me that to, I have no idea. But he’s bringing people in and saving lives. With Shaw’s bill and the mess we have right now I’m not going to complain, are you?” He was grabbing his surgery gear, he had to get to work.
“No, I’m really not. Good luck.” She nodded, connecting something, as he scrubbed. Then she quickly rushed away to bring the family home.