Rising up in the air towards the roof, Rogue tried to ignore the tight feeling that was building in her chest after Logan had told her to be careful. The words had been simple, but the message far greater and it was becoming harder and harder for her to try and define Logan as the man she wanted him to be in her present mind. He wasn’t supposed to care about her anymore. If he didn’t care, then she didn’t care.
She’d spent almost two years re-educating herself into a woman who was unaffected by the untamed wiles of men. But Logan was more than just charm; there appeared to be no tricks up his sleeves, he’d grown into an honest man who felt he didn’t have to hide who he was, even to her. He wasn’t afraid to show her how he felt but the problem was getting herself to learn how to believe in such promise again.
With an extra push of her power she rose above the roof and dropped lightly onto the edge. Glancing over her shoulder, she watched the street below and she felt the ground rise up at her abruptly. Closing her eyes she breathed deeply, knowing it was not the height that frightened her but the teetering edge she felt inside of her in knowing what she was about to do.
Dropping onto the roof she walked briskly towards Jubilee.
“You gunna take me for a ride sometime on Air Rogue?”
“Maybe,” she sassed back as an easy smile drifted onto her face as Jubilee’s openness helped calm her nerves for a moment. “But I don’t know if you can afford first class.”
Jubilee smirked and cracked her knuckles. “Let’s take down some mutant hating scum. You ready?”
Cocking her hip she raised one perfectly arched eyebrow.
“Isn’t it our duty to always be ready to take down mutant hating scum?”
“Just making sure you’re not rusty.”
Rolling her eyes she walked over towards the roof entrance. “Come on you, before you waste all your witty comebacks on me and not on the bad guys, that just be bad superhero etiquette.”
“What am I, an amateur?” Jubilee remarked as she stood across from her, waiting for the door to open, her palms open as tiny colourful bursts of energy hovered above her hands.
Grabbing the handle, she slowly opened the door and stepped forward before Jubilee in case of any on coming attack but the small staircase leading down to another door was empty. Tilting her head over her shoulder she smirked wide at her fellow comrade. It almost felt familiar. She focused on that comfortable aura of experience as she tried to forget the rising trepidation in her as she walked through the door, knowing she was crossing more than one threshold with her actions.
Mystique’s voice ringing in her ears as a constant reminder. You know what you are here to do, Rogue.
This was her badge to carry, her cross to bear. There was no turning back.
Descending the stairs quietly, she felt Jubilee’s constant presence behind her and she felt caught between two worlds. Her heart beat rose suddenly as she felt a moment of panic but as she caught sight of a shadow moving behind the frosted window of the oncoming door, she clamped the feeling down tightly and felt the building suspense of a mission and quickly remembered how to revel in the anticipation of a fight and her heart skipped forward in a rush of adrenaline and it was something she knew how to use to her advantage. The Rogue was ready.
She glanced back at Jubilee once more who nodded silently in communication that she was ready and Rogue smiled as she turned back and kicked the door wide open, as the hinges flew off from her strength.
“I think this is the part where we kick ass and take names, wouldn’t you say?”
“You’re absolutely right, chica,” Jubilee replied behind her as they heard approaching footsteps.
Clenching her fists with a feral smirk she leaned against the wall as she waited for the expected confrontation.
“What the hell was that?” a rough male voice yelled.
“I don’t know,” a female voice responded.
“Jesus!” the male exclaimed as Rogue heard them round the corner.
“What could have done that?”
“I don’t know Saunders,” the male replied and Rogue listened carefully as the rough sliding of fabric was heard as he unhitched his gun. “If anyone is there come out with your hands up!”
Stepping out from the small corridor, Rogue held her hands up above her head and smiled charmingly. “Is there a problem?”
Both guards’ eyes went wide at her presence but the fleeting look of surprise was quickly covered with matching glares. The female guard’s face was covered by a black cap but she’d slowly leveled her gun on Rogue as well.
“This is private property,” Saunders yelled across the hall.
“I’m aware of that,” Rogue replied as she took two more steps closer towards them.
“Halt,” the male commanded as he pulled the safety back on his gun. “I will shoot.”
His jaw was set and his eyes were focused on his target, but his fingers twitched along the gun and she knew he was nervous about the damage to the door, wondering what he was dealing with. Using their nervousness to her advantage she took one more step closer.
“We will shoot,” Saunders added again, her fingers were steadier on the gun.
“Don’t you think it be bad press to have a dead mutant in the proposed Senator’s building?”
Both of them blinked twice at her admission and the man’s jaw became clenched as hatred seeped into his gray eyes.
“Filthy mutant,” he spat.
Smiling, sympathetically she glanced down at the ground and lulled her head to the side to call over her shoulder, with one eye on the guards.
“Seems we’ve crashed the wrong party,” she called behind her.
“We?” the man hissed and the sound of a gun going off echoed off the walls but Rogue dodged the woman’s shot effectively and kicked out with a high kick and dislodged the man’s grip on his gun as it went sailing away.
Spinning around she caught the female’s arm and hit it as
she cried out and she was forced to drop her weapon. The man yelled behind her and she tossed the woman towards Jubilee who’d descended the stairs with a smirk.
Rogue briefly caught the image of Jubilee knocking the woman out quickly as she spun around and caught the man’s charge. Kicking him in the left knee he crumbled to the ground with a strangled grunt and she hit him square on the chin with a right hook that was effective in knocking him out.
Stepping back she smiled at Jubilee who approached her.
“I think these two should look into getting a better night job.”
“Jubes,” she sighed dramatically. “You’re supposed to say the quips when they’re conscious.”
Jubilee scrunched her nose up playfully. “I knew I forgot
something.”
Rogue laughed lightly and shook her head. A small buzzing sound interrupted their conversation as Kitty’s voice ringed through their com links, “Camera’s are now frozen.”
“Time to get a move on then,” Jubilee replied behind her.
Nodding silently, she glanced around the corner and noticed it was empty. Slowly, they walked on and Rogue kept one hand behind her as she indicated for Jubilee to stay covered. The shuffling of feet around the next corner tipped them off quickly and they crouched down.
“Sounds like two men,” Jubilee whispered.
Rogue peeked around the corner and spotted two male guards pacing in a small circle.
Leaning back against the wall she whispered, “Think you can handle it.”
“Sure thing, babe,” Jubilee whispered back with a smile and sent two burst of sparks up into the ceiling by the sprinkler system, of pink and yellow. The sprinkler’s hissed to life and water sprayed down immediately.
Two sets of feet rushed forward immediately and Rogue kicked out as she toppled the first man and Jubilee finished him off as she quickly knocked out the second one. Reaching up, unmindful of the small rain fall she yanked the sprinkler system out of the ceiling and it stopped working.
Quickly, moving along the next corridor they paused at the oncoming corner again.
“Another one,” Jubilee whispered beside her as they heard another guard pacing. “Why is there so much security on this level?”
Keeping quiet Rogue glanced around the corner and noticed the male guard walking absently in front of the elevator. His sturdy feet echoing off the expensive tiles as he dragged his boots back and forth. Glancing across from the elevator as the guard had his back to her; she noticed a particular door that answered both Jubilee’s question and her own forbidding challenge. In shiny gold letters Graydon Creed’s name was spelled out on a large oak door.
Leaning back against the wall she took a deep breath.
“You alright?” Jubilee whispered suddenly beside her.
“Yeah,” she replied back carefully and smirked at her. “Mind if I take this one.”
“All yours.”
Floating above the ground an inch or so, she glided around the corner and approached the bored guard silently. He’d just begun to whistle as he’d turned around but only the first note escaped his lips as Rogue knocked him out point blank.
“Nice,” Jubilee complimented her from behind.
Dropping back to the floor, Rogue was unable to hide the building frown on her face. Keeping her face forward she mumbled back, “Thanks.”
Jubilee stepped forward and around her without concern but Rogue’s eyes kept drifting towards Graydon’s office. She could feel beads of sweat pooling in the palm of her hands under her gloves and she closed her eyes as she clenched her fists and took another calming breath.
Stepping around her, Jubilee pressed the elevator button and it was hardly a minute before the doors dinged open. The young woman in front of her bounced into the elevator and leaned back against the inside of the box to smile at her. Stepping forward slowly, almost dragging her feet she entered and waited as the doors slowly started to slide closed.
“You’ll be fine if you head straight down to the others. The security will be making the rounds on each floor not paying attention to the elevators,” she spoke roughly.
“What?” Jubilee replied behind her in confusion.
Jumping out at the last second Rogue glanced back at her with regret. “I’m sorry,” she whispered as the doors closed and she didn’t turn away as Jubilee looked at her in frazzled shock.
“Rogue!”
The doors shut and immediately Rogue punched the metal and twisted the doors together so they would be unable to open.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered again, even as she heard Jubilee’s struggle on the other side to get the doors open.
Eventually, her shouts quietened and the hum of the elevator drew her attention as it descended. Releasing a deep breath, she sighed and rested her forehead against the cool steel. And it suddenly felt that she was burning from the inside out, the acid taste of betrayal forming in the pit of her stomach and lingering at the back of her throat. Opening her eyes she glared at her murky reflection in the doors and with resolve punched them once more as she spun on her heel and entered Graydon’s office without another glance back.
It was back to simplifying things. One problem at a time and she was here to resolve an important matter and trivial things such as the feeling of betrayal to a group of people she told herself she’d never associate herself with again was a mindless drivel in the back of her crowded mind.
They’d get over it.
She’d get over it. She always did. That’s what she told herself. Being resilient was one of the little r’s in being the capital Rogue.
Sudden rage ripped through her veins like a burning fire in a pursuit of never ending hunger. Rage at the situation she was in.
Slamming the door behind her, she ignored the main light switch on the wall and sauntered forward as she turned two small lamps on, as dim light scattered around the large room. Graydon’s office was substantial, but not surprising given his arrogance and position. Prestigious artworks graced his tall walls and were accompanied by antique furniture. A long brown couch lined the far wall where a small bar was set up. Ignoring it she focused on the large oak desk.
Skimming her gloved hand along his perfectly set and clean desk she felt it was such a farce to know what evil came to the man’s mind who sat upon this magnificent piece of furniture, like a king seated on his throne.
Knowing it was pointless to check his desk draws, she quickly moved along the walls looking for any indication of a safe behind one of the paintings, but no marks were clear. Frowning she glanced around the room, knowing the safe was somewhere.
She focused on the book case, with its large oak shelves, filled with books of law and science that looked like they’d hardly been touched. Dust settled in a fine layer above their thick covers but she was sure Graydon just figured it added to the authenticity of his kingdom. One particular row however, she noticed had no layer of dust on it, the books appeared untouched though. Dragging her gloved hand across the row she smiled finding his ruse. Pulling the whole fake row of books back, they folded comfortably onto their spines and behind them in the wall was a shiny wall safe.
Reaching forward, she pulled on the handle once and the whole door came off. Throwing the door behind her it crashed into Graydon’s elegantly designed glass bar.
“Oops,” she drawled and focused back on the safe.
Piles and piles of money were stacked in her way, but she paid them no attention as she searched through that which Graydon prized most. Near the back of the safe she spotted what she was looking for. The small diary in far better condition than any she’d seen, with a fine leather hardcover. Dragging it out she began to wonder how it was Graydon had ever been able to sneak a copy out from under Mystique’s nose.
Like mother like son she mused, and now like daughter.
Pocketing the diary in her jacket she turned around and surveyed the damage to Graydon’s bar with a smug smirk.
The com link in her ear crackled to life and she heard Bobby’s voice fleetingly as she took it out of her ear and crumbled it in her hand.
Moving towards the door her steps faltered immediately as the door handle started to twist. A smirking Graydon entered the office in a dark suit, his ginger hair standing out but his sharp eyes glistened white in the varying light.
“I guess I’m going to have to re-evaluate who I hire for security,” his deep smooth voice rumbled through the room as he quietly shut the door behind him.
“That’s what happens when your only requirement is mutant hatred,” she shot back and took one step back as she glared at him.
He chuckled lightly but the noise was only full of a hollow darkness.
“I’ve been waiting to meet you again, Rogue,” he replied and tilted his head as he observed her. “My how you’ve grown.”
“You’ll forgive me if my memories are vague of knowing you.”
The corner of his lips twitched and he raised his chin.
“Yes, well mother dear always did wish to keep us separate,” he spoke bitterly.
She remained silent as he walked around the room. “But now I’ve finally got my chance to speak to you.”
“I hardly think we have much to say to each other,” she bit out tightly, her eyes forever watching him.
He chuckled again and it grated on her nerves. “I think you and I have a lot to discuss Rogue. To begin with, why not start with the most obvious, you breaking into my office to steal something of mine.”
She glared at him. She hated how smug and calm he was, how smoothly he walked around the room, as though his footsteps were as light as air, as though nothing weighed on his conscience.
“You know next time you take on a few of my FOH members you shouldn’t do it so close to home.”
“Where are your henchmen to hide behind right now?”
Graydon shrugged and his eyes focused on his destroyed bar and his thin lips frowned but when he faced her, his eerie smirk was back in place.
“No one else is required when I only want to talk civilly,” he began. “As a mutant you do possess that capability, do you not? Or have I over estimated you?”
He sat down on his expensive couch as though they were in a board meeting and her building anger sparked at his audacity.
“Quiet, I see,” he smiled. “I was becoming a bit worried though when Gambit had gone off my radar, I’d wondered what you’d done to him.”
She tried to hide her surprise, knowing it was an advantage on her part for Graydon to think she’d dealt with Gambit herself, but she wondered what had happened to the thief.
“He did drop by once before his disappearance though, to say you’d been spotted with the X-Men and then I assumed all I would have to do was to wait for something to happen. A chance to negotiate with you.”
“There’s nothing you can say, Creed that will make me think any better of you.”
He laughed again and stood up as he tapped his chin. “I think you’re mistaken Rogue to believe I think anything of you at all.”
“How kind of you,” she shot back.
He cradled his chin and pointed his finger at her. “I am interested in you though. I can’t deny that. Isn’t that how it’s always been though, you always were the one with all the attention.”
A bark of laughter escaped her. “Oh Graydon, you sound like some young petulant child.”
He finally scowled at her, the smirk on his face faltering.
She waited for his retort but he clenched his jaw and his eyes focused on the book case and the broken safe.
“I see you have the diary,” he whispered.
“It doesn’t belong to you.”
His clear eyes flashed to her abruptly. “Who is it who gets to decide that right?”
“I’m assuming you think you’re the one to do so,” she spoke up. “I mean you assume already you’re the man to decide the fate of mutant kind.”
“Which makes me wonder,” she continued. “Why would you hold such faith in the workings that came from a mutant? You failed to inherent the X-gene, Graydon and ever since you were born you’ve been trying to over compensate for that little fact.” His eyes narrowed at her dangerously but she continued. “The book to you is nothing more than false bravado on your part. Believing maybe there’s something in here that will make you stand out, even if it is as a tyrant against mutant kind and then there’s just the fact that you’re a petty and selfish man, who takes his enjoyment out of withholding something valuable to those he feels are below him.”
“Shut up!” he snapped finally and she knew she’d found his button. He stalked around the small coffee table and even though his body was tense with abrupt anger he paused and wearily watched her.
“You aren`t even her blood!`` he snapped and spit flew out of his mouth in rage. ``I wanted to give you a chance Rogue, I could have given you the diary all along if only you`d help me link together the prophecies and now you`ve gone and ruined that chance.”
“You looked haunted Rogue,” he continued. “The circles under your eyes, the confliction beneath your gaze, don’t you want to find out the truth. Don’t you want to know!” he seethed.
“You’re a monster,” she hissed with disdain. “A pathetic monster.”
He yelled at her and open hate spilled out of his eyes as his once handsome face twisted in rage. “You’re all the same,” he muttered. Quickly, he pulled out a hand gun and before she even had a chance to smile at him, he shot the weapon twice. The bullets hit her in the shoulder and although they didn’t pierce her skin, the weight of them had been powerful enough she grunted and cradled her shoulder.
“Hurts doesn’t it,” he remarked. “I had them made especially for you. Asked the bullets to have a bit more oomph if you know what I mean.”
Snarling, she couldn’t believe how callously he’d shot her or the joy he took from her pain.
“Give me the book back since you’re not willing to see reason,” he demanded and shot the gun off once more. The bullet hit her in the left knee and bounced off but the pain was immediate as she dipped to the ground slightly.
“Now.”
“You bastard!” she seethed and charged forward as she caught him in the middle and they crashed back through the coffee table and she wrapped her hands around his throat as she pinned him to the couch.
A sudden roar caught both of their attention as three metal claws ripped through the office door followed by another set and it was thrown off its hinges.
A seething and very pissed off Wolverine stood growling in the doorway, as his shoulders hunched forward and his hands clenched and unclenched. Before she could fully comprehend his arrival Graydon got another shot off and the bullet hit her right in the stomach and she slumped forward on top of him as tears welled in her eyes at the pain, especially at such a close range. He smirked up at her and she reached down and threw the gun away, her hands tightening around his throat again as he weakly struggled.
Wolverine growled behind her, but she noticed out of the corner of her eye his movements were less hostile when the gun had gone off again. His stance became taller as he stepped closer and she knew the Wolverine in him was retreating but she wasn’t sure what had set him off entirely in the first place.
“I should end this now,” she whispered in Graydon’s ear.
Graydon coughed and continued to struggle.
“Rogue,” Logan’s deep voice filtered between the two of them.
She glanced at him wearily as he stepped closer, his claws still out but his eyes had softened.
“What do you want, Logan?” she grated as she felt the mixture of anger and pain spin inside of her, all directed at the man in her grip.
“Rogue,” Logan spoke again with more force. “Let him go.”
She finally focused on him, her eyes wide in shock. “He’s a horrible man, Logan.”
“I’m not denying that,” he replied. “But this isn’t like you.”
Graydon chuckled in her grip and it came out like a loud cough.
“This isn’t who you are,” Logan implored her and she felt his approaching warmth but she could feel Graydon’s constant mocking presence and it played on her senses.
She shook her head and glared down at the hateful man struggling who was smiling up at her oddly.
“Tell him how you got your powers, Rogue,” Graydon laughed with a wheeze, as his eyes darted towards Logan.
Logan snarled at him.
“Shut up,” Logan snapped back.
“I’ve kept my eye on you,” Gradyon continued. “You were always mother’s favourite,” he continued bitterly as his eyes turned dark. “And you turned out just like her, didn’t you,” he coughed again. “A killer.”
“Be quiet,” she hissed in his face as she leaned in and her grip tightened.
“Mystique abandoned me, just like she abandoned you Rogue, I thought better of you even if you were a filthy mutant.”
She could feel the conflicting emotions rise in her, become even more complicated by Logan’s presence and she wasn’t so sure that the tears in her eyes were from physical pain alone anymore.
Graydon focused on Logan. “Did you know,” he wheezed with effort. “She’s apparently the chosen one!” he finished by gazing up at her as his eyes danced with madness and she pulled back slightly, disturbed.
“Rogue,” Logan whispered again.
Her head snapped up at him. “You wanna know how I have these powers Logan, how do u think that came to be!”
Logan was watching her carefully. “I don’t care, Marie,” he whispered. “Let’s go.”
“You should care Logan,” she cried back. “I absorbed another mutant woman permanently and you know where she is now - SIX FEET UNDER!”
Graydon wheezed with laughter again.
She looked away from Logan not willing to see his face.
His warm hand suddenly touched her shoulder and she jumped and tried to pull back but his grip became tighter.
“How did it happen, Marie,” he whispered in her ear, his voice calm as though they were somewhere else, somewhere safe and alone.
She refused to budge and she felt a tear slide down her face. His gloved hand reached up and tilted her chin towards him. She looked down and gasped, “It was an accident.”
He nodded.
She glanced down, her focus dazed. “She’d attacked me and she wouldn’t let go, I couldn’t – I couldn’t get her to let go...” she whispered and her eyes focused on Graydon, her grip around his throat and she pulled back as though she was suddenly on fire.
Logan caught her and pulled her up right as Graydon stumbled to the ground, coughing as he rubbed his throat.
“Let’s go,” he whispered in her ear and she nodded slowly, feeling his solid body pressed against her back.
Turning her, they made their way towards the door when Graydon yelled behind them.
“You stupid bitch!”
Shock ran through her body as he held the powerful gun in his hand again, he shot twice and she pushed away from Logan. Running forward she felt a surge of useful strength as she caught Graydon in a fierce grip and they tumbled back through the glass.
“Rogue!” Logan yelled behind them, as the glass shattered and the night air rushed around them.
Holding onto Graydon as they fell through the sky she focused on the pockets of air that swarmed around them as she changed direction at the last moment before they plummeted to the ground, she felt a small bit of clarity seep in as she flew through the air.
The rush of air burned against her cheeks and her eyes blurred briefly before all evidence of her tears dried against her cheeks but the howling of the wind followed her as an eerie reminder of the unfinished business behind her.
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