A series by November

Chapter 92: Brave Soldiers

Rogue leapt up, staring out the window, eyes unfocused on the new snow. Adrenaline wound its sick course through her body.

All personnel, he had said.

I should have known this is all too good to be true. There is a price we’ll pay for who we are, she thought. And it’s time.

She didn’t like the way her heart felt, tight and fast.

She had just put the babies down for a nap. She walked to the crib where they slept quietly. She gingerly picked Charlotte up, shushing her when she warbled, then Freddy, and made her way toward the door.

Mariah walked in before she got there, her face tight and drawn and showing its age.

"What's going on?" Marie asked.

"I don’t know. It’s urgent, whatever it is. Go, I'll keep them."

Marie relinquished the babies and ran to the stairwell. She opened the door and was nearly broadsided by Hank, who was leaping down the stairs one landing at a time.

“Marie. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay. What’s going on?”

“I don’t know.”

"This must be huge if he's calling everyone. Maybe we're under attack."

"I don't think so. He would have called for evacuation, not a meeting. I think it's something else."

They burst out of the new building and across the quad to the old one, rushing past some children who were walking to the rec room. Snow tickled Rogue’s nose and she felt the cold through her thin sweater.

When they arrived in the map room all the seats were already taken. Logan was there, standing against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, looking tense. Only she could tell that he was frightened.

His eyes met hers and in an instant they communicated their alarm, their comfort, and the fact that neither knew what was happening.

Marie squeezed in between the row of chairs and the people standing against the wall, and stood next to Logan. He put his hand on her waist, pulling her back and close to him.

“What’s up?” she whispered.

“Mission.” He swallowed. She was afraid; he could smell it coming off of her. He tightened his hand on her waist.

Never had so many of them been there at once. There was Scott, Jean, Storm, Pyro, Hank, Kurt, Darla, Logan, Rogue, Matthew, Ray, and Rakim. Even the newest recruits, Claire, Nick, and Astrid, were there, green and nervous, shifting their weight from foot to foot and trying not to look stupid.

Xavier was a solemn presence at the head of the table. “Thank you all for coming,” he said.

“I’ve called everyone because we have a unique mission, one that will require all of our resources. This is the largest research lab we have ever encountered, and what we find there may lead us to as many as ten others.”

“You all know my policies about sending both parents of a child on a mission. I’ve obviously made exceptions here and I’m sure you are wondering about that. Rogue, in your case I’ve called you because we need all the medical support we can get. Logan, we simply need you. One of you is welcome to refuse and I won’t hold it against you." Xavier secretly hoped one would refuse. They were his children and he didn't want to send them into danger.

Rogue turned to meet Logan's eyes and communication passed there. Logan's jaw was tense and his hands were clenched.

"Jean and Scott, this applies to you as well, more so because you don’t have their complimentary mutations. If one of you elects to sit this one out, I request that it be Scott because we need all the telepaths we can get. I see no reason why you can‘t lead this one from here; you‘ve been familiar with this facility all along."

Scott nodded in acquiescence.

"We have developed software that analyzes missing persons reports geographically, in an attempt to pinpoint areas where many mutants have gone missing. We found one such area near Weirton, West Virginia. We found a hundred mile radius from which there were several hundred missing persons, a radius encompassing much of West Virginia, North into Pittsburgh, and even west into Cleveland. According to our data 98 percent of those missing were known mutants or had obvious mutant traits.

“We had already collected this data and were scouting in that region for a lab. Before we could pinpoint the location we received a phone call from a police officer in West Virginia who had information on the lab, who knew its location, and who was working alone to find out more. He had a friend who was murdered after a publicly discussing the lab.

“We were able to verify the report. The lab exists.” On the central table, a 3-D representation of a two floor building materialized. It whirled and grew as the view panned in. “We believe that its capacity is forty prisoners, and that there are around thirty, but this has been hard to confirm.

"What we do know is that the facility is located on the far end of an industrial office complex. There is one above-ground floor, a small structure, and a much larger basement, The ground floor contains offices. There is an armed guard sitting in the lobby.

”The basement is four times larger, and currently houses thirty or forty mutants who are locked in cells, and under some sort of sedation. There are some sort of experiments being done on them."

Rogue did not turn to look at Logan, but she felt his chest rise in a long, shuddering inhalation.

"What kind of experiments?" Hank asked.

"We don't know." Xavier said. "I've attempted to reach them with Cerebro but they're drugged. On occasion one will briefly and partially gain consciousness, and the impressions I get at that time are fleeting."

"Who runs the lab?" Logan said. His mouth was a fixed, tight line.

"We suspect it is a private company. Pyro and Bobby have been working on tracing the paper trails. Unfortunately this takes some time."

The briefing lasted for two hours. In this time Xavier and Scott relayed what they knew. They were to fly to West Virginia in the evening, in time to neutralize the day shift before the night shift arrived.

Marie turned to look at Logan as the rest of the X-Men filed out of the room. He didn’t say a word, only pushed her hair back from her forehead. But his eyes were begging.

“I’m going.”

Logan closed his eyes. She saw a tendon flex under his jaw.

“Do you want to sit this one out?” Rogue asked.

“I’m going. I’m not gonna let another lab stand.”

“Okay. Well, I guess we’re going on a vacation,” she joked dumbly. Logan didn’t laugh. He hugged her close, Inhaling the fresh scent of her hair.

They weren’t leaving for several more hours. Logan reluctantly let her go and she went down to the rec room. The kids were watching a movie with talking farm animals. She saw Maggie sitting between Billy and Kayla. Essie was supervising the kids, sitting at the back of the room.

She met Marie’s eyes and smiled. It was a terse, fearful smile. She got up and tapped on Maggie’s shoulder. Pointed to Marie. Maggie ran out of the room and Marie knelt down to meet her worried eyes.

“What‘s going on?” Maggie‘s arms were tight around her.

“It’s okay, Bluie. We’re going on a mission in a few hours.”

“You’re both going?” Maggie asked. Marie had never seen such fear in Maggie’s eyes. Her face turned white and her eyes flashed with tears.

“Yeah, Boo. Grandma and Grampa will take care of you guys. We’ll be gone two days, tops. I’ll call and keep you posted, I promise.”

Maggie started crying.

“I knew you’d be worried but I know you’d worry more if you didn’t know, so I’m telling you.” Marie held Maggie close and rubbed her back. She lifted her up, though Maggie was getting too big to be lifted, and sat on a bench.

“Hey, hey,” she wrapped her arms around Maggie and held her tight. Maggie was shaking. “It’ll be all right. I’m just going as a medic and if I did get hurt, Daddy can heal me. Worst comes to worse, I touch him, turn on my mutation, he’s in a coma for a few days and we don’t have to go through as many groceries.”

If Maggie was comforted by Rogue’s glib attitude, she didn’t show it. “Don’t leave me, Momma.”

“Oh, honey, I won’t, I promise.”

“You can’t promise. You can’t control what happens to you out there.”

Rogue knew she was right. She was proud of Maggie's wisdom, though her heart was breaking. She pulled back and looked at Maggie. Seeing her face red with tears made tears come to her own eyes.

“That’s partially true. But Maggie, this is something I have to do. They have people out there and they’re hurting them. We have to fight. It’s why so many of us were called out. Think of it this way, there’ll be twenty of us, against maybe ten of them. And we have superpowers. And they don’t know we’re coming. So really it’s them who need to be worried. That’s all I can tell you, Bluebell. Do you understand? In some ways we’re at war. And sometimes some of us choose to be brave soldiers.”

She held Maggie for another minute, just stroking her hair. She wiped her tears away and pushed her hair behind her ears.

“I love you to bits, kid, you know that?”

“Don’t go,” Maggie whispered.

“I have to, Blue. Do you wanna come hang out with grandma or go back to assembly?”

“Assembly.”

“Okay. Give me a kiss.”

Maggie did, and Rogue caressed her hair and shooed her back into the rec room. “Love you,” she whispered, so quietly only Maggie could hear.

Then she rushed back home, packed a small overnight bag, collected as much breast milk as she could, and gave it to Mariah.

“This should last them a day. I’m hoping if you mix it with regular formula they’ll still breast feed when I get back. I’m sorry we don’t have any formula but here are some coupons. I’ll leave my cell on when I can. Try to comfort Maggie, ok, she’s really freaking out-”

“Marie.”

“What?”

“When I met you I thought 'who is this child who’s with my son.' I thought you were just a little girl. But you never cease to amaze me. You go out there and you kick ass.”

Rogue smiled, hugged Mariah, and left.

.

The departure time was delayed once, and yet again, as they were able to gather more intelligence and information. Plans were made and remade. Supplies were checked and rechecked. Warren and Remy were called in to assist. Finally, around three in the morning, Scott called them all to take off.

Rogue went down to the locker room. She found that her uniform jacket no longer fit. It was a long time since she had worn the leather uniform. No matter how hard she tried to yank up the zipper, it wouldn’t go. “Dammnit!”

Jean looked over at her. “Oh, you’re still lactating, aren’t you?”

“Yes. Damn boobs!”

“C’mere. I’ll show you a trick.”

Jean rummaged in her locker and Rogue sat down on the bench next to it. Finally Jean pulled out a bandage. “Stand up, lift your arms up.”

Rogue did. “Okay, hold still.” Jean began winding the bandage around her.

Storm walked into the locker room just then. She saw the two and her eyebrow went up.

“Don’t give me that look.”

“I didn’t say a word,” Storm said.

“I think it’ll take another bandage. Hold tight.” Jean said.

“Don’t think I have a choice.” Rogue smiled just a bit.

“What on earth are you doing?” Storm asked.

“Binding my boobs so I don’t leak all over the X-Jet.”

“Oh.”

Jean had found another bandage and continued wrapping Rogue up like a mummy. She clipped the end under and said “how’s it feel?”

“Oh, my god, it feels great. I’m not bouncing anymore. I just might do this all the time.”

“Now try and fit into your jacket.” She did. It still didn’t fit. Instead they found one of Scott’s old ones. It was baggy, but it fit.

There were problems from the beginning. A storm on the Eastern Seaboard was picking up and Storm had to strain herself quite a bit to turn the winds around.

Still, when they landed both ‘birds in a field just before dawn, snow was falling quickly. They were able to land in a wooded area behind the complex, at the far end of an industrial park.

Jubilee had been in West Virginia for days. Bobby, Carter, and the new recruits had driven a van from Westchester right after the initial debriefing. In Westchester, Scott frowned at the image of Jean wading through the undergrowth, into the far edge of the parking lot. As expected, the red van pulled up, and Jean slipped behind the wheel Nick had vacated.

“Hey,” she said to everyone. “You guys ready to go?”

They nodded. All were quiet, except for Nick, who said “yes.”

She drove to the building where the lab was and she got out, walking carefully, knowing that she was being watched and taped and scrutinized.

Jean went inside, her overcoat open, showing that she wore a red suit with cleavage that was low, but not too low. She wore a tasteful blonde wig. The security guard at the desk must have been three hundred pounds of solid muscle. His eyes went right to Jean’s neckline.

Jean wore a tiny camera and they watched its feed in the Blackbird and in the van. “That’s Jerry Kincaid.” Jubilee said. For several days she had been working with local police and had memorized the faces of everyone working in the lab.

“Hi, good morning.” she smiled. “Could you tell me where Ancora Industries is? This place is a maze.”

“Building four, down the road, to the right.” He smiled. He felt a bit lightheaded but attributed it to the enticing display of her cleavage. She was in and out of his mind quickly and it was easy for her to learn what she needed to.

“Thank you very much. Sorry to bother you.”

“No bother at all, Miss.” She gave him a dumbing, dazzling smile, and walked away. He watched the sway of her ass under her tailored coat.

She got into the van and drove it to a parking lot at the back of the complex, where there were no cameras, while she spoke into the comm system.

“Okay, the main guard is there, and Carter zonk him hard or kill him outright because he’s huge. He’s got full knowledge of what goes on downstairs, but he‘s a little fuzzy on the number of prisoners.”

Scott’s voice filled the plane and van. “Okay, so we‘ll assume it‘s the full forty. We have about an hour and a half until shift change, but one of the doctors, Dr. Michaels, gets in early, so it’s more like an hour. Officer Daniels is standing by, he will go in, with Carter. Sandman, you read?”

“Yeah.”

“Daniels is in place in C lot. Go.”

“Copy.”

Carter got out of the van and slid into the police car. He wore a police uniform with a matching coat. He’d bulked up considerably in his time with the X-Men and he'd shaved his head nearly bare for this mission. He looked the part.

He nodded at Keith Daniels, the local officer who was giving them intelligence and helping them get in.

“You Carter?”

“Yeah. You ready to do this?”

“More than ready.”

“As soon as the guy konks, you get out and we’ll get it from there.”

“Okay.”

They went into the warm lobby. “Jerry!” Daniels shouted.

“Hey man. What’s up?”

“Not much. Killing time between donut runs.” Keith’s grin was as disarming as Jean’s cleavage. They laughed in the Blackbirds, even Logan.

“Who’s the kid?”

“Officer Carter.”

“Howya doin?” Carter said tersely and shook Kincaid’s hand. The physical contact made it even easier for Carter to put him out.

Kincaid slumped to the floor, nearly dead, but not quite. It wouldn't do to have him let his bowels or bladder go just yet.

Carter reached with his mind, down below. There were only three conscious people down there, and he zonked them all. He tapped his comm device. "Everyone's asleep."

“Kurt, Astrid, you're up.” Scott said.

In a wisp of brimstone Kurt and Astrid were there. Astrid blinked and looked around in a circle. She let go of Kurt’s hand and he walked with Carter around the desk where Kincaid lay. Kurt took Carter’s arm and they bamfed directly into the elevator. It was impossible to get in without a security clearance but once in, they had the run of the place. Labs were new but had not yet learned to deal with teleporters.

The elevator sank and slowed, and the doors opened into the mammoth lab.