Charles watched Jean carefully, noting the unease, the tension within her body and wondered about it. Keeping his gaze steady, unassuming he waited patiently for her to start speaking.
“They don’t see, don’t understand.” Jean said softly. “We have so much power, so much more than they could ever give us. Without them in the picture we can harness his energy, mold him into a warrior for us. They should have died.”
“Power? What on earth are you talking about Jean?” Charles demanded softly.
“Rogue. It’s her fault. Magneto knew her powers, knew her gifts…knew what a weapon she could be. I saw it within her, saw that she was uncontrollable. Untamed. The only one who could survive her was Wolverine and he could be harnessed, trained, molded into more than just a crude bar fighter.” Jean rose and shuffled across the room and back. Her movements were clumsy, pain filled and uncomfortable to even watch but it was her expression that gave Charles pause.
“What does Logan have to do with anything? We all knew he would return for what he considered his. Granted we didn’t expect it to be so soon but still we knew.”
“But he’s got the ability to be ruthless.” Jean snapped. “Don’t you see. We don’t need their gifts, their energy at all. We could have so much more than just an existence. Why is it that we allow mankind to abuse our kind? Why do we tolerate so much from Magneto? We could destroy them all without a concern and yet we hold back.”
Jean paused, obviously trying to calm her thoughts. “Rogue is like a disease, she always has been. With her gone it would have been so much easier. It would have meant that we could have it all. There would be no more threats, no more concerns around her gifts. They couldn’t see that. They saw this innocent face and their dicks took over.”
“You’re blaming Rogue for what happened to her?” Charles gaped at her.
“What happened to her? Nothing happened to her. She merely got what she deserved the conniving little bitch. She wanted to take him away from me, she wrapped him around her finger with her poor little me attitude and expected everyone to feel sorry for her. No. I won’t. Rogue is responsible for her own demise not me, not us. If she wants to pass the blame around she should have a look a little closer to herself.”
Charles sat in shocked silence. “And the military attack?”
Jean shrugged coldly as she knelt before him. “Don’t you see Charles? We don’t need any of them. You and I could have everything, power, control.”
“And what of Scott? What of Hank, and Logan, and the others?”
“Pfft who needs them? What’s their powers to ours?” Jean shook her head. “Think about it Charles. We’re above them, we have the ability to affect change in ways that they will never be able to.”
“Mind control?” Charles shook his head. “That’s the first thing I taught you Jean. You can’t manipulate a person’s mind no matter how righteous the cause!”
“But it’s not manipulating!” Jean denied.
“She means we should all die off and leave just you and her in power.” Storm pointed out coldly.
“What of ‘Ro’s capture? Did you have a hand in that?”
“No, but it was a rather beneficial plan. I mean who on earth would want her? Not even the army guards…”
Storm gasped and rose to her feet fury in her eyes. “How dare you? How dare you sit there and say that someone isn’t good enough to be raped? If anyone deserves death it’s you. You sold us out, you’re even worse than Magneto!”
“Ororo.” Charles tried to sooth her. “Please.”
“No. I won’t sit here and listen to her go on about how I’m to blame, how Rogue is to blame. Let’s be honest here! Jean sold those girls out. She’s got a lover in the army, one she manipulates to get information and who she can send intel to. How else do you think the army knew to hit us? Logan? Rogue? They have no use for the army. I’ve seen firsthand how they deal with them. I close my eyes and see Rogue shredding some grunt in a military uniform. I remember being carried out of that hellhole, slogging my way through the blood and guts on the floor!”
Storm gasped for breath. “I’ve seen what they looked like. What you let happen to them. What we all let happen to them. We gave up on them so fast and they didn’t deserve that. We betrayed them…they didn’t betray us!”
Charles glanced at Jean to see her reaction to Ororo’s outburst. “Jean?”
“Such bloody melodrama. You really think they’re going to let any of us go? Where do you think Warlok is? Probably in some lab cell waiting for experimentation. We’re the enemy…”
“No. You are.” Storm hissed. “They should have killed you that night. Should have let you drown in your own blood instead of letting you live! Better yet they should turn you over to the army and let them deal with you!”
“Enough!” Charles struggled to maintain his emotions. “Please let us be calm about this.”
“So you’re saying you agree with Jean?” Hank demanded.
“No. That isn’t what I’m saying.” Charles replied stiffly and glanced at Jean who looked triumphantly at Storm. “What Jean did was beyond betrayal. Are you really so hungry for power that you’d risk destroying those that care about you to do it?”
“I care for nothing. What’s a few lives, a little blood between friends? Between family? You’re not seeing the big picture Charles. They’re going to pass that ridiculous Registration Act. They’re going to make us all into the enemy. We can stop it now, before it becomes a situation that we can’t control. Let me have the time, the power to do it!”
“And what?” Charles whispered sadly. “You’re not seriously considering wiping out everyone who doesn’t think like you do! You can’t. Life is precious.”
“Mutant life Charles.” Jean replied coldly. “Mutants are precious, humans are not.”
Charles felt the barb go deeper and nick at the control over his temper. He could easily destroy Jean’s mind with a thought but could he live with himself…His thoughts were interrupted when the door opened and Kitty stepped into the room, followed by Scott.
From the tension within the others he wondered just what was going to happen now. Would they get out alive…or was Frankenstein determined to finish them for once and all?
The Wolverine & Rogue Fanfiction Archive
Barely Legal Since 2000