“I can’t believe he said that,” Kitty whispered to Rogue and Jubilee as they sat idly flicking cards at the small table. “Who gave him the right?”
Glancing at Jubilee Rogue noted the pain, the shock in Kitty’s voice and knew beyond a doubt that if she didn’t find reinforcements from her friends she’d slide back into the pity she so often courted.
“He did it to goad Scott is all,” Rogue declared, “After all he can’t really let him get away can he? Not that he’s particularly worried – he is after all boning Jean.”
“But still, I thought we were friends. I thought…”
Jubilee rested a hand over top of Kitty’s, “He’s an asshole. And next time we see them you have our permission to kick his ass all the over the battlefield. You make him understand that he better not be judging us. We are after all Frankenstein.”
Giggling at the name Kitty nodded as the door opened and the trio of men stepped inside. Catching Scott’s gaze she flushed and looked away, hiding her hands within the folds of her shirt.
“Are we going home now?” Erica asked softly, hesitantly.
“No, not going to let those geeks spoil our relaxation,” Tank declared catching the look the girls exchanged and nodding at Logan.
“Come on, we were going to go fishing, the last one to the lake has to clean the fish,” Logan ordered as the kids scattered. Catching Rogue’s gaze he saw the flash of pain and anger and sighed.
“Scooter you better make this better!” he muttered as he ushered his girl out of the room.
“Why did we build a bunker out here?” Jubilee muttered at Tank as she walked past him. “Been thinking of that and realized you guys are way too organized.”
“Come on darlin’,” Tank wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “scott, you and Kitty coming?”
“Yeah,” Scott smiled at his girl, “Right behind you. So Kitty, you ever been fishing before?”
“No,” Kitty whispered as the others disappeared. “I think I’ll just stay here. I don’t…”
“Want to disappoint the kids,” Scott interrupted. “I’m going to assume you overheard what Iceman said?”
“Yeah, and he had no right to say that. I mean it’s not you guys sit down at night and draw straws about whose bed you’re going to crawl into… do you?”
Shaking his head Scott watched Rogue laughing at Logan who was trying not to get dragged into the water, “No we don’t. We don’t see what they see. I thought we had this worked out..”
“We did,” Kitty shrugged her shoulders, “I just.. I heard what he said it threw me back there. I mean what they did to us, what they made us do. We weren’t even worth the kindness one shows an old stray dog! I don’t know maybe its just cause I want them to see the women we’ve become that I keep looking for something decent..”
“You need to focus on other things,” Scott stated. “Like what we’re going to do with Rogue and Logan. She’s been a bit off lately.”
“Uh yeah,” Kitty glanced at him, “Jubilee and I know why but we’re not telling.”
“Something to do with me?”
“Not in the way you mean,” Kitty replied softly, a far away, haunted look in her eyes. “More about what you stand for. What you do.”
“Huh?” Scott stared at her in confusion.
“Never mind,” Kitty smiled softly, trailing a finger down his jaw, “Like the specs. Make you look distinguished.”
“You think so?”
“Yeah,” Kitty giggled and darted off. If it was a bit strained, a tad forced Scott chose to ignore it, instead he focused on her interaction with the others and the way she kept close to Rogue and Jubilee.
“X-geeks are gonna get their asses kicked,” Logan growled as he sank to the ground next to Scott and offered him a beer. “Kitty’s leading the charge.”
“I know. Don’t know how she heard what he said.”
“Was watching us. Should have known they wouldn’t stay put, we’re more important to them than their own health.”
Scott nodded, “What’s up with Rogue?”
Logan shrugged, “Why? You suddenly…”
“Not interested buddy. No just wanted to know what she’s got going on in that mind of hers. Kitty and Jubilee have been sticking pretty close to her, almost like something’s brought back the memories.”
“Something did,” Logan grunted and shifted. “She’s beautiful isn’t she? Not a scar to mar her features, not a mark on her to reveal what they did to her skeleton. That violation though is nothing compared to the mental hell she endures whenever she has a flash-back. She calls ‘em hauntings and I have to agree with her. They sneak in like a ghost and hold her in their grip until she has the strength to fight free.”
“Why doesn’t she come to you? Why not just drain a little of you and that would help, wouldn’t it?”
“Usually. Can’t hide the mental pain of being raped Scott, it sticks with you.”
“Speaking from experience are we?”
“You should know? Or are you gonna sit there and say you fucked Kitty willingly the first few weeks.”
“Couldn’t have done otherwise,” Scott replied. “I’m not ashamed of what I have with Kitty. I don’t…”
“Not saying you should be. Just saying that sometimes you have to recognize the signs to keep the demons at bay. The girls thought they could trust Iceman, thought him a friend – his little performance today shattered that thought. Nothing’s gonna go easy on ‘em from now on.”
“What do you mean?”
Turning his head Logan stared at Scott, “Frankenstein’s tired of being kicked around Scott. Might be a monster, but she’s got skills and the strength to use ‘em.”
“So we’re intercepting all the pick-ups from the X-men?”
“All the pick-ups, all the intel collections, everything. We made a point; they brushed it aside and turned this into war. Frankenstein’s trained to come out on top every time.”
Scott nodded, “I’m in. I’ve always been in.”
With a brief nod Logan fell silent for a moment, “You’re gonna have to talk to Kitty. We need you to train with her for some of her more academic skills.”
“Like computers?”
Logan nodded, “She can scramble a hard drive faster than Jean can hop beds. She can fix ‘em to.”
Laughing softly Scott nodded, “Okay. Let’s do it, let’s get ‘em where it hurts.”
“That’s what I’m talkin’ about,” Rising Logan moved toward the water. “Enough shop talk, this is our weekend.”
“And on that note we teach these kids how to fish,” Scott laughed at the disgruntled looks being exchanged. “Cause they need help.”
“I’m telling you Professor they’ve got him brainwashed or something,” Storm stated. “I would never believe he’d attack us.”
“Ororo we must face the fact that he’s beginning to respond to them. For whatever reason Scott is dealing with a very powerful group and we have to deal with that risk.”
“They aren’t powerful. If they had to stand on their own the girls would just crumple into a pile on the ground,” Bobby leaned against the table. “After all they left Logan and Scott to defend them. Ran like little kids.”
“Iceman you have no idea what we’re dealing with. For all intents and purposes it was like that walking wall I dealt with was having fun. Like has having a drink with a few good friends and playing touch football,” Hank drawled.
“Logan sure wasn’t too concerned with losing either,” Colossus rubbed his jaw. “Come to think of it, I think they were trying to make a point.”
“But why?” Jean rubbed at her forehead, “It’s not like we’re the enemy.”
“Scott gave me a message that doesn’t make sense,” Bobby shook his head. “I forgot about it for a moment.”
“What was that?” Charles asked.
“He said something about focusing on what Rogue gave you? What did she give you that he would think would be valuable?”
Charles paled slightly and turned from the table. It had taken him hours to block out those memories, those images and he didn’t want to reopen his mind to them. Could the means to end this be in them? Could he use them to exploit a weakness? The potential for a possible victory played before him.
He couldn’t afford to risk his people, couldn’t afford to risk getting anyone killed if he could do it without hurting himself. Glancing at the others as they waited patiently for him to speak he sighed, “She did a mind meld.”
“A what?” Jean gaped at him.
“Forced her memories into my mind. Only they aren’t all hers, she’s got at least four people’s minds in her own including one male guard.”
“So can you exploit those memories? Find a weakness? A loophole?”
“I can try.” Charles declared, “I’ll let you know what happens.”
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