The soft sound of a leather sole on the floor drew Charles’ attention a moment before the door opened and Scott and the walking wall stepped inside. Raising an eyebrow he sat silently waiting, wondering what new torment they’d cooked up.
“What’s it worth to you?” Scott demanded standing braced with his arms crossed over his chest.
“What’s what worth?”
“Your freedom. Your team. You dream.”
“More than you know.” Charles replied softly. “Where’s Logan?”
“Busy.” Tank drawled. “Therapy at the moment.”
“A good kind of therapy that nobody would need if it wasn’t for your precious Jean Grey!” Scott snapped angrily. “Now here’s the thing. Rogue gave you the memories the night that Kitty came for me. She said she did.”
“Yes.”
“Good. Then you know what they’re fighting to forget. I’m willing to compromise, I’ll let you and your band of merry geeks go but I’m not about to let Jean leave with her powers. The balance of the debt rests squarely on Jean’s shoulders and its up to you to choose. Them or her.”
Charles watched Scott turn and start for the door. “Did you know?”
“What?”
“When she sent them, when she recommended them for that mission did you know what she was planning?”
“No.” Scott shook his head. “I was still too busy trying to keep her from running off to fuck Logan.”
“Then perhaps it isn’t Jean that’s to blame…”
“If you’re going to blame Logan for what Jean did don’t. He flirted with her yes but deep down he didn’t want her. He didn’t risk life and limb to save her on the statue, or on that train. He did it for one woman, a woman that Jean’s jealous of.”
“And you think taking her mind will help her…”
Scott glanced at Tank who shrugged slightly but held his tongue. “Personally, I think Jean deserves to be hung. I saw first hand what she allowed to happen to those girls. I close my eyes and I still see the scars, the marks that nearly destroyed Kitty. I dream about what it took to actually get her to enjoy herself. I remember every blow, every sob with every touch. If destroying her mind will keep her from doing this to someone else then yes, I think it will be a good thing.”
“You’ve got about an hour to figure it out. It’ll take me that long to get the sedatives ready and have my morning meeting with Jubilee.” Tank drawled. “So if I were you I’d agree because if Rogue has to touch her to force the memories into her head…Logan’ll gut her.”
The slam of the door had everyone jumping slightly.
“So what are you going to do?” Storm asked.
Charles glanced at Storm before his gaze skidded back to the door. “The only thing I can. I’m going to help them.”
“What? Why? You still believe the lies Jean…” Piotr ground out.
“Because if Jean ever gets free she’ll kill everyone and everything that stands in the way of her having control. She wants power and I won’t surrender it to her.”
“And you think you can live with the decision you’ve made?” Hank asked softly.
Chalres glanced at Hank then turned his attention to his lap. “Yes. I didn’t want to believe, I didn’t want to have to give up on her but it’s true. She does deserve to be punished.”
“The memories that Rogue forced into you are they bad?” Storm asked.
Charles paled and swallowed hard. “The kind thing would have been to kill the three of them. The generosity of those who rescued them was a fool’s ideal. What those men did to them wasn’t even animalistic. It was barbaric, cruel, torture. And Jean in her own way knew about it. She knew from the records we’ve gotten from other sources what would happen and she did nothing to help them.”
Sharing a glance the trio sighed. “When it’s done will she still be the Jean we knew?”
Charles shook his head. “Not really. It’ll be like the lights are on but no one and I mean no one is home. I’m afraid that to stop her I’ll have to take her powers away.”
“So they want you to corrupt her mind and gifts?” Hank asked softly.
“No. They want me to allow them to put the memories there. She will not be able to build protective walls while she’s sedated. In effect the memories will destroy her.”
Storm shifted. “Good. Maybe now she’ll know what it feels like to lose hope, to lose your soul in those places.”
“She will. And I will take her gifts from her without a thought. It’s a just sentence.”
Smothering a yawn Logan made his way into the kitchen and reached for the coffee pot. Rogue was currently snuggled into their tangled mess of blankets atop the mattresses sitting on the floor.
The fact that they’d broken another frame made him grin, an expression he hid in his coffee. Still he knew that great sex aside they had to find a way to end this madness. Rogue was so deep in the guilt and self-loathing that he wasn’t entirely sure that he could get her out.
With a curse he grabbed the coffee pot and refilled his mug amazed that he’d drank it so quickly. They needed to get Xavier and his geeks out of the house, out of the province, and out of the country. Frankly if Logan had a choice he’d just hack ‘em into bits and scatter the remains for the carrion eaters, but it wasn’t up to Logan.
“Morning Logan.” Jubilee’s voice drew his attention.
“Hey kid.”
“How’s Rogue?”
“Sleeping for once.”
“So uh you two broke another frame huh?” Jubilee giggled. “You’re gonna have to invest in a sturdy one next time.”
“Jubilee, some reason you’re discussing my sex life?”
“Oh uh hyeah. We’ve got a plan and Xavier’s gonna help us out.”
“How?”
“We’re going to implant all the bad memories into Jean’s head. Or rather I am. I want her to know what its like to be me for a while. I’m going to put every bad thing I’ve ever experienced in there and leave her to rot.”
“Good idea. And Xavier’s gonna help out huh?”
“Yep. Something about he wanted his team alive.”
Logan chuckled a warm, relaxed sound. “Have fun kid. I’m gonna take Rogue something to eat.”
“You don’t want to be there for it?” Jubilee asked softly.
Pausing Logna turned to her and shrugged. “No I don’t. I want this over with. I want to be able to go to bed and curl up with Rogue and not have to worry about waking up in a couple of hours to see her sitting staring out the window. I want to be able to see her come out of the shower clean, not guilty, not scrubbed raw. I want my girl back.”
“You’re not acting like you. The Logan I know would be all hack ‘em to bits and you’re acting pretty calm.”
Logan laughed. “I guess I am. I just had enough Jubilee. Besides Rogue doesn’t want me in the same room as Jean. Says she doesn’t trust the bitch not to try something and I do whatever I can to stop Rogue from getting upset.”
Jubilee nodded. “But you’re not turning all roses and teddy bears are you?”
“No Jubilee. I’ll go kick some butt later, some poor military shmuck or something. It’s just this I can’t be there for. You’ll have to fill me in later okay?”
“Sure.” Jubilee watched Logan head for the doorway.
“Oh by the way Jubilee?”
“Yeah Logan?”
“Congratulations.”
“On what? Winning?”
Logan smirked. “No. Making it three outta three.”
Jubilee flushed and watched him disappear out the door. Glancing down she tossed the crackers onto the table and sighed. This was going to be hard but it was something she had to do. If not for herself then for the others who were still suffering from Jean’s jealous wrath.
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