Part III
Part III
Chapter 8
The Sultan's howl of fury rang through the forest as his shimmering pendant smashed into a large outcrop of rock. Sharp metal fragments exploded around him, barely missing his head.
The window was dirty, smeared with soot and grime. Beast's eyes narrowed as he cautiously leaned closer, trying to see down into the large storeroom.
The four captured lumberjacks were tied against a sturdy crate in the far corner. And a shadowy, cloaked figure was restlessly pacing in front of them, hands clasped behind his back.
Jason Wyngarde!
Beast's lips curled with hatred as cold fury flooded his muscular frame. He would never forget the atrocities that the vindictive Inner Circle had committed when they'd attempted to control the alien Phoenix entity! Wyngarde had hypnotized Jean into believing that her teammates were dangerous, and only her deep love for Scott had saved them from certain death.
In the end, despite their efforts, the Phoenix had proved too powerful for the Inner Circle to contain. Its new desire for destructive sensations had broken Jean free of Wyngarde's psychic control, leaving him stripped of his protective illusions.
The Inner Circle had escaped, and little had been heard of them since that time. If Wyngarde was here...had their elite band regrouped, or was he working with someone else?
Beast nimbly swung down off the roof and hurled himself at the window. Glass shattered and sprayed across the floor as he plunged into the large room, striking Wyngarde in the shoulder. The illusionist staggered and went sprawling across the heavy wooden floor.
Beast rolled with the impact and came to his feet near the frightened lumberjacks. Ignoring their stunned, horrified expressions, he whirled back around...
...straight into the muzzle of a large laser pistol!
He'd never seen the tall Indian scout before, but he recognized the steely cold in the man's jet-black eyes. This was a man who would kill him without thinking twice. Beast took great care to leave his hands open and clearly visible as he cautiously straightened.
The woman spun around, and he caught a quick glimpse of her blue eyes and medium-length blonde hair before his attention focused on the huge laser pistol in her hands. Then her kindly, reassuring face seemed to melt in on itself. Beast heard a chorus of horrified gasps from the frightened woodsmen as her fair skin darkened to smoky indigo, and her eyes began to shimmer with yellow fire.
Now there was no mistaking her exotic, unearthly appearance. Blood-red hair, slanting golden eyes, white dress with a linked skull belt...
Beast met her arrogant smirk with a bitter glare. "Mystique! I should have suspected that you were here!" he snarled. "Why are you trying to kill Carly? She is no danger to you!"
Surprisingly, Mystique laughed and carelessly tossed her long hair over one shoulder. "Can you really be that naive, McCoy?" she taunted. "We don't want to kill her--she's much too valuable! We need her!"
The Indian lifted his gun higher and aimed directly at Beast's head. "You, on the other hand, are very expendable," he retorted.
The lumberjacks were behind him...if he jumped aside, the deadly blast would hit one of them. Beast defiantly drew himself up, and held his ground.
Mystique laid a firm hand on her companion's muscular arm. "Don't kill him yet, Vanguard," she instructed. "He'll make a good hostage."
Then she briskly waved Beast toward the door with her own laser. "Move it, McCoy! And don't do anything stupid," she added as he hesitated. "I'd hate to put a big black hole in your pretty blue fur!"
How ironic it would be if they succeeded in trading him for Carly!
Yet what could Mystique possibly want with the young empath? Her own shapeshifting abilities were much more versatile than Carly's new talent for sensing emotions!
Vanguard's eyes narrowed, and his index finger crept closer to the laser pistol's trigger. Sighing, Beast reluctantly moved forward.
Before he could take more than a single step, a violent tremor shook the storehouse. Dust and splinters rained down on them as a large section of the roof vanished. Rogue's bright green uniform was briefly visible before she soared into the sky, dragging the shattered timbers with her.
Beast instantly knocked the weapon out of Vanguard's hand. It skittered across the floor as he swung around, looping one long arm around Mystique's throat. The laser fell from her numb fingers into his outstretched hand as he tightened his grip, his teeth bared.
A moment later, fierce winds whistled around them and lifted them off the ground.
• • • • •
A soft groan escaped Carly as warm sunlight filtered across her face, dispelling the awful darkness.
Cold...she felt so cold!
Wincing at the effort, she clumsily sat up and wrapped her arms around her knees. It hurt to move.
"Welcome back!" Wolverine's raspy voice startled her, and she jumped. Then she gratefully relaxed again as his rugged face swam into view. He was kneeling beside her, his black eyes narrowed with concern. "You feelin' okay, kid?"
A cool breeze fanned her cheeks, easing the throbbing in her head. Carly risked a tentative nod. "I think so," she whispered.
She could still feel the Sultan's wiry fingers tightening around her neck, choking her...
Suddenly she sat up straighter. "Where's Hank?" she demanded.
Wolverine grinned and gestured over his shoulder at the wide clearing. "Over there!" he informed her.
She anxiously spun around, then stared in disbelief.
• • • • •
Somehow, miraculously, the two huge grizzly bears had vanished! And most of the damage from those glowing lasers had disappeared at the same time! Had it all been an illusion?
But no, it couldn't have been, Jubilee reminded herself as she dashed back across the clearing. She'd seen that awful look of terror on the Sultan's face an instant before he'd fainted! His psychic shield had dissolved so quickly that she'd almost hit Wolverine with her last volley of plasma globes!
And she'd heard Jean's agonized scream as she and Cyclops had staggered back and collapsed, clutching at their heads.
Wolverine was already at Carly's side, trying to see if she was okay. He didn't need her help right now...but maybe Jean and Cyclops did.
Gasping for breath, she skidded to a stop beside them and dropped to her knees.
• • • • •
Dust flew as Storm's whirlwind dissipated, dropping Beast and Mystique into the center of the clearing. Vanguard landed a few steps away. A pained scowl twisted his features as he pressed splayed fingers to his tanned forehead. Two of Jake's men promptly grabbed his muscular arms.
Mystique ignored Beast's pistol jabbing into her ribs and disdainfully straightened. "That," she coldly informed Storm, "has never been my favorite method of transportation."
The white-haired Egyptian princess settled to the grass nearby and raised one eyebrow in mocking reproof. "Would you prefer being struck by lightning?" she retorted. "I assure you, it can be arranged!"
Mystique glared at her, but refused to answer. Then her bitter gaze slid toward Rogue's brightly clad form. A trace of wistful sorrow seemed to soften her icy features as she watched the younger woman settle the broken roof back into place, then land in the short grass a few steps away from Gambit.
The moment Rogue caught sight of her distinctive profile, she stiffened and took a threatening step in Mystique's direction. "Momma! What're you doin' here?" she demanded. "Things gettin' borin', now that Apocalypse ain't around to cause trouble?"
Gambit scowled a silent warning at Rogue, and clamped a restraining hand on her shoulder. No one understood her hatred and bitterness toward the blue-skinned polymorph more than he did. But now wasn't the time or place to seek revenge! Jake's other men were hesitantly moving into the clearing, and it wouldn't take much to start 'em firing again.
Another fight in such close quarters was only gonna get people hurt. The best thing they could do was prove to Jake and his people that the X-Men weren't a threat.
He squeezed Rogue's shoulder one last time to reinforce the silent warning, then turned and hurried into the storehouse to untie the captured woodsmen.
A sudden crafty gleam lit Vanguard's black eyes as he straightened, abandoning his pretense of dizziness. Beast warily tightened his grip on Mystique's arm as the Indian scout glanced around, tilting his head to one side as if listening for something that no one else could hear.
• • • • •
"Jean? Cyclops? Are you okay?"
Jubilee's anxious young voice slowly chased away the clinging darkness. Jean rubbed her aching forehead and struggled to sit up. "Scott?" she murmured, instinctively reaching for his hand. "Can you hear me?"
"Jean?" Cyclops groaned and levered himself up on one elbow. "What happened? I've never felt anything like that before!"
Somehow, just knowing that he was conscious again made Jean feel better. "Neither have I, Scott!" she confessed, blinking to clear her vision. "Such an incredible outburst of emotion..."
Jubilee eagerly pointed toward the trees at the clearing's southern edge. "You think you guys got hit hard! You should've seen what it did to him!" she exclaimed.
Jean and Scott staggered to their feet, then obediently turned to look. That big lumberjack was helping Carly stand up, but surely that was no cause for alarm...
Suddenly Jean's eyes widened. Wolverine was straddling the Sultan's unconscious body, one arm raised and ready to strike! His long claws shimmered as they caught the sunlight.
"Wolverine, stop!" she cried, instinctively reinforcing the command with a mental shout. The effort made her head ache.
Wolverine reluctantly hesitated, and his eyes narrowed. Jean could feel his fierce hatred as he glared down at the Sultan's limp body.
You can't kill him, Wolverine! she insisted, closing her eyes as she struggled to break through his pervasive fury. Not like this!
Jean's frantic cry alerted the rest of the team. Rogue promptly soared into the air and hovered nearby, a warning frown on her face.
Wolverine snarled in frustration, then stomped over to the newly-fallen tree and slashed his way toward the thick trunk. Jake stared in open fascination as the wiry mutant quickly reduced two dozen heavy branches to kindling.
Beast's blue eyes widened with relief as Carly rose on shaky legs and caught at Jake's arm for support. "Carly!" he exclaimed, shoving Mystique and the laser gun at Cyclops. "Thank goodness you are all right!"
Carly met him halfway across the clearing, and gratefully threw her arms around his wide neck. "Oh, Hank, I was so scared!" she whispered, blinking back tears as she buried her face against his shoulder. "You could have been killed!"
Beast ignored Jake's shocked expression, and tenderly held her close. "You are safe now, Carly!" he assured her. "I swear it!"
• • • • •
"...g'wan, git movin'." Gambit angrily hauled Jason Wyngarde to his feet and wrenched the illusionist's right arm behind his back. "An' don' try none o' your tricks, 'less you wanta end up dead real quick!" he snarled. "Da cards say dis ain't your lucky day!"
"I shoulda known they were trouble the minute they showed up," one of the lumberjacks muttered to his companions in a low, sullen voice as they warily edged past Gambit and hurried for the door. "Mutants! Jake shoulda chased 'em off with his rifle!"
Gambit's eyes began to glitter with barely-veiled fury. "You jus' tangle wit' da wrong kinda mutants, mes ami's," he retorted. "Dat one, she ain' never been nothin' but trouble!"
The boldest one glared back at him and rubbed at his rope-burned arms. "Yeah? You don't look so lily-white yourself, mutant!" he scowled.
Gambit's grip tightened on Wyngarde's throat as he tilted his head to one side, coolly studying the man. "Da name is Gambit!" he snapped. "An' we jus' save you from dem, nón? Want me t' tie you back up? Gambit be happy t' oblige!"
Such open hostility made the shaken lumberjacks realize their blunder. Eyes wide, they quickly backed up, shaking their heads. "No, I didn't mean that, honest!" their leader insisted. "I just..."
Gambit rolled his eyes in disgust. "I ain't got time for dis. You wanta help, g'wan out dere an' help. Otherwise, git outa Gambit's way!"
• • • • •
"Jason?"
Jean's green eyes widened in shock as Gambit shoved the battered illusionist through the doorway and into the clearing.
Scott instantly whirled around, and a hateful glare darkened his features.
"Wyngarde! I should have known!" he grated.
• • • • •
The sudden surge of raw emotion hit Carly's battered nerves like an electric current. She'd never sensed such intense fear or hatred before, even in that last moment before the Sultan had collapsed!
Flinching, she cautiously peered over Beast's shoulder.
Over there! The red-headed telepath was backing away from that long-haired cloaked man, radiating such bitter hatred that the entire world seemed to darken around her!
But why was he so terrified of her? What could she possibly have done to cause him such blind, unthinking panic?
The lightest mental nudge, and his shuddering mind enfolded her.
There...an incredible, untamable power...
A bird?
No, not just a bird...
Fire and light, and a glowing red crystal in the heart of the sun...
The Phoenix!
A grim smile curved Carly's lips as she closed her eyes and concentrated on Wyngarde's deepest hidden fears.
Chapter 9
"The Phoenix!"
Jason's horrified scream echoed through the clearing as Jean's slender body abruptly seemed to change. Huge, thrashing wings of deadly flame enveloped her. A harsh, haunting primal cry echoed in his ringing ears. And she was reaching for him, claws extended...hungry for new sensations...poised to shred the living flesh from his body...
Howling in terror, he wrenched away from Gambit and dashed headlong into the darkening forest.
"What was that all about?" Rogue muttered in a sour voice as the lanky Cajun staggered back and nearly sent her sprawling.
Gambit quickly found his balance and straightened. "Dunno, chér," he confessed. "Guilty conscience, mebbe." Then he turned toward Scott. "You want Gambit t' follow him?"
Cyclops angrily shook his head. "Let him go. It's Mystique and this other guy that we want."
The crafty smile abruptly returned to Vanguard's bronzed, angular face. An instant later, a series of loud, eerie howls echoed through the trees, and a huge pack of snarling wolves burst into the clearing behind him. From the other direction, a large mountain lion leapt out of the forest. Its long tail whipped back and forth in a slow, hypnotic pattern as it slowly stalked forward.
Jubilee's eyes widened as she instinctively backed up a few paces. "Gambit...?" she quavered, her young voice shaky with fear.
The tall Cajun instinctively reached for a handful of cards inside his long coat. "Relax, petít, dey only more o' Wyngarde's illusions," he assured her.
Suddenly Wolverine spun around and sniffed at the air. "Those ain't no illusions!" he yelled. "An' they look damned hungry! Move it, people!"
An instant later, the wolves surged forward, their long fangs bared. Jubilee screamed as the nearest one charged at her, howling with fury. A dazzling burst of plasmoid energy erupted from her widespread fingers as she ducked, just barely evading the animal's deadly lunge. The wolf soared over her back and tumbled across the ground, half-blinded and yelping in pain.
"You okay, petít?" Gambit anxiously yelled as he backed away from another of the snarling animals. Cyclops was already firing a wide swath of energy at the ground a few paces in front of them. The thin wisps of grass immediately disintegrated into black, smoking dust. Undaunted, the huge wolves kept advancing, their hackles bristling with savage fury.
"I--I think so!" she stammered, brushing dirt off her bare knees as she edged closer to the Blackbird's protective hull. "Gambit, look out!"
Cyclops might prefer trying to scare the big brutes away, instead of incinerating them and being done with it...but Gambit didn't have any such qualms. Not when his friends' lives were at stake! He reached into his long overcoat again, grabbed another large handful of cards, and hurled them straight into the wolves' faces!
The startled animals leapt away from the dazzling explosions, then tenaciously regrouped and started advancing again. Their fierce snarls echoed through the trees as they inched closer, fangs snapping.
• • • • •
Wolves and a mountain lion!
Rogue grinned to herself and nimbly soared up into the air. Let Gambit and Cyclops tackle those overgrown lapdogs! She'd always had a special affinity for cats, even big huge ones with a nasty attitude!
The lion was crouching down, its ears laid back against its skull as it crept toward its unsuspecting prey...Jean's unprotected back!
Well, the beautiful telepath might be their weakest team member, but she certainly wasn't defenseless. And especially not when she had friends to protect her!
Rogue curved around in a tight loop and came down behind the stalking lion, her eyes narrowed with grim satisfaction. An instant later, its outraged howl rang through the air as she grabbed it by the scruff of the neck and hauled it off the ground.
"Come on, big boy, don't gimme any trouble!" she coaxed as it thrashed in her strong grip, trying to sink its claws into her flesh.
Well, it probably couldn't hurt her any...but she didn't really want her new jumpsuit mangled. And she couldn't leave her teammates long enough to take it somewhere really far away from the fight! Grimacing at the necessity, she yanked one yellow glove off, then laid her bare hand on the lion's bristling neck.
"Ya ain't gonna like this," she sighed, "but ya cain't say I didn't warn ya..."
The big cat yowled in terror as Rogue efficiently absorbed its primal energy. Then its golden eyes glazed over, and it sagged in her grip. The spontaneous transfer made Rogue blink a few times as the huge animal's vitality suddenly bolstered her own strength.
She gently laid the lion on the ground beneath a big pine tree, and shook her head in sour disgust. "Men!" she grimaced. "Maybe next time ya'll listen a little better!"
The big cat's thick fur ruffled in the breeze as she launched herself skyward, tugged her glove back on, and impatiently headed back toward the distant clearing.
• • • • •
"Beast, look out!" Without warning, Wolverine hurled himself feet-first through the air. Beast spun around, his arms protectively tight around Carly, just as his wiry teammate crashed into a huge gray wolf and sent it tumbling across the rocky ground.
"Hold on tightly, Carly!" Beast ordered. He gathered her closer, then vaulted up into the nearest tree and swiftly climbed out of range. "You should be safe up here!"
Carly's eyes were huge with fear as she watched the big wolf stagger to its feet and vanish into the forest, yipping in pain. Wolverine spitefully hurled a rock after it, then spun around again, looking for more trouble.
"Hank, look!" From her new vantage, Carly could see the entire length of the clearing. Awed, she eagerly pointed in Storm's direction. Brilliant lightning bolts cascaded through the air as the dark-skinned Egyptian princess swooped down, her hands spread wide. "She's chasing them away!"
Carly was right...the wolf pack had endured quite enough. They were bruised and battered, and their fur was singed from dozens of painful close-range explosions. Not even Vanguard's urgent commands could make them stay any longer!
Yelping, they tucked their tails between their legs and disappeared into the thick underbrush. A moment later, even their frightened howls had faded away.
For several long seconds, no one moved. Then Storm and Rogue settled to the ground, smugly grinning. A grim smile curved Wolverine's lips as he sniffed at the cool air one last time, then brusquely motioned for Beast to come back down.
Suddenly Cyclops glanced around, scowling. "Where's Mystique? Don't tell me you let her get away!"
Rogue jammed her fists against her hips. "We were all a little busy, y'know!" she snapped, exasperated. "Why didn't you keep track of her?"
Cyclops indignantly stiffened. "At least I didn't disappear in the middle of the fight without a word of warning!" he retorted.
Gambit simply rolled his eyes. "It don't matter, chér," he murmured, laying a soothing hand on Rogue's tense shoulder. "We beat dem, an' I reckon dey ain' gonna wanta tangle wit' us again anytime soon." He deliberately caught Cyclops' irritated gaze, and tilted his head toward Jake and his men. "Dat's da important thing, nón?"
Cyclops reluctantly subsided. "I guess so," he conceded. "It just burns me to let them go free, after all the trouble they've caused!"
The lumberjacks were scared of the X-Men...Carly could feel the waves of nervous apprehension radiating from them as they edged closer together, wide-eyed with dread. Did they really think that the mutants might attack them now, in revenge for turning them over to Mystique?
Well, she might not be a mutant, but she could still help break the tension! Tugging free of Beast's comforting embrace, she ran over to Jake and hugged him. "Oh, Jake, thank goodness you're okay!" she exclaimed.
The big man looked a little nervous as he hesitantly returned her fierce embrace. Then uncertainty seemed to melt away from his rugged features as Carly's warm smile reassured him.
A slow smile curved his lips as he turned to Beast and stuck out his large hand. "I reckon we were wrong, tryin' to turn you in just 'cause you're a mutant," he apologized, bravely meeting Beast's deep-set blue eyes. "I'm sorry about that...Dr. Henry McCoy."
Beast accepted his sincere apology with commendable grace. "There are good and evil mutants in this world, my friend, just as there are good and evil humans," he solemnly countered. "The only mistake to be made is in refusing to learn from your mistakes!"
Jubilee impudently grinned up at the scientist, certain that she had finally identified one of his obscure quotes. "William Shakespeare?" she teased.
Beast frowned back at her. "Henry McCoy!" he retorted in his most dignified tone of voice.
"Hey, Beast, take a look at this!" Rogue suddenly called as she floated over to Wolverine's side for a closer look at the unconscious Sultan. His damaged pendant was lying on the ground a few feet away, glistening like one of Wolverine's razor-sharp claws in a stray shaft of sunlight. She scooped it up and hovered nearby as her teammates curiously joined her. "What d'you make of it?"
Beast spared Wolverine a warning glance as the wiry Canadian edged closer to the telepath's limp body, a wicked light in his black eyes. Then he inspected the pendant, and frowned. "This appears to be quite similar to certain other devices I have seen," he finally conceded. "Based on this pendant's design, it would seem that the Sultan has been consorting with our old enemy, Apocalypse!"
Beast's conclusion startled them all. Apocalypse! Hadn't they had enough problems with that overgrown, egotistical monster?
Scott laid a comforting hand on Jean's shoulder as she nervously glanced around, as if afraid that he might suddenly appear and snatch her away again.
Wolverine's eyes narrowed as he glared down at the Sultan. "Don't tell me that lousy maggot's back in town!" he snarled, rasping his long claws together.
Storm calmly raised one hand, stalling their immediate reactions. "It is entirely possible that he acquired it some time ago, before Apocalypse was banished from the time axis," she soberly countered.
The tension slowly left Wolverine's body. "Yeah, you're right, Storm," he nodded. "He's been wearin' it for years. I shoulda figured there was more to that fancy gadget than just his over-inflated vanity!"
Beast studied the pendant for another long moment, then tucked it into his wide yellow belt. "I believe that, with careful study, I may be able to repair this device," he offered. "It could prove most advantageous to my research!"
"But we still don't know why they wanted to kidnap Carly!" Jean protested, bending down beside the Sultan's body. "Maybe I can..."
She absently trailed off, eyes closed in rapt concentration.
A shocked expression suddenly transformed her face. "Scott, something's wrong!" she cried, staring up at him in horror. "I tried to scan the Sultan's mind, to see if I could learn more about Mystique's plans. But there's...nothing there. Nothing at all! It's as if his mind's been completely wiped clean!"
Cyclops dropped to one knee beside her. "But...what could have caused something like that?" he demanded.
Carly flinched.
Her instinctive movement made Jean's eyes widen again. "It was you, wasn't it, Carly? You turned his own fears against him!" she exclaimed, dismayed.
Beast shook his head as he laid a protective arm around Carly's shoulders. "No, Jean, that is not possible," he insisted. "Carly does not possess the psychic strength necessary to cause the damage you are describing!"
Jean swallowed hard. "She could have done it if she tapped into Scott's and my psychic rapport," she argued. "'The whole is greater than the sum of the parts!' Somehow she must have used our combined strength to focus her own attack on him!"
Cyclops glared at the frightened young empath. "Well, at least now I know why I've got such an awful headache!" he muttered under his breath.
Hot tears stung Carly's eyes as she twisted her hands together. "I'm sorry, Jean! I didn't mean to, really!" she anxiously blurted. "I was just doing what you told me, and trying to keep him from killing me!"
Carly's uncontrolled attack amounted to a severe breach of discipline...and a flagrant misuse of her new powers. Still, Jean couldn't help feeling sorry for the girl. "We all know you didn't mean to do any harm, Carly," she ruefully sighed. "You were just trying to protect yourself.
"But you need to learn how to control your growing powers!" she insisted, rising to her feet again. "The sooner that Professor Xavier can start working with you, the better...and safer...we'll all be!"
Chapter 10
The frenzied battle had taken place in mere minutes.
The damage to the lumberjacks' sturdy cabins would have taken several days to repair...if the X-Men hadn't offered their able assistance.
Jake stared around the busy clearing in a bemused daze, not quite sure who to watch next. Over there, the long-clawed Canadian mutant was slicing through a large stand of trees as if they were made of kindling. And the pretty red-headed flier was effortlessly carrying them to the men's worksite over the hill.
He could hear muffled explosions as the tall, foreign-sounding southerner inserted playing cards into niches in the rough bark, and neatly sliced the thick trunks into manageable sections. Playing cards...he wasn't sure he even wanted to know how the lanky Cajun managed that kind of trick!
The other pretty redhead was lowering a newly-made wall into place on the western cabin, replacing the one that had gotten destroyed during the fight. And she wasn't touching it--she was simply pointing at it with one hand while she hovered nearby in mid-air, her eyes closed! Even the spunky little Oriental teenager was helping, pounding the heavy nails into place by exploding some kind of weird, shimmering energy globes at them!
And up over their heads, the dark-skinned weather-witch was floating on the air currents, searching for any signs of danger. Her long, snowy white hair drifted behind her as she gracefully moved with the light breeze.
A thousand questions hammered in Jake's brain as he pensively glanced toward Beast. Dr. Henry McCoy, he quickly corrected himself, before one of the telepaths could overhear his thoughts and take offense. Jeez, but you had to be mighty careful around this bunch!
Still, no one seemed to mind his obvious curiosity. The red-haired flier, the one they called 'Rogue,' had even offered to take him flying--just to show him what it was like. Of course he hadn't accepted...but he couldn't help wondering what it would've been like, anyway.
Maybe mutants weren't so bad to have around after all, he grudgingly conceded as the two young women finished working on the cabin wall and turned their attention to the storehouse's damaged roof. Why, with their help, he could cut down enough trees in one day to feed his entire crew for a month!
And when it came to replanting...why, the Cajun could use his card tricks to blow out the old stumps while the women planted the new seedlings, and...
He was glad to see his men starting to relax and offering encouragement, instead of drawing back in fear every time one of the mutants came near. In fact, he conceded, he felt pretty comfortable around them himself...and that was something he'd never expected.
Except for Carly.
It wasn't just that she could read his emotions so easily--his own wife could do that, and frequently did! And it wasn't even knowing that she could manipulate him into feeling whatever she wanted him to feel. Hadn't his kids done that to him ever since they'd been toddlers?
But melting a man's brain...even a slimebag like the Sultan's! That made him pretty darned nervous! Sure, she was a nice enough kid, and he didn't regret having helped her out...but still...
Before she could sense his uneasy thoughts, he quickly moved closer to Cyclops and Beast. So many questions he wanted to ask...
For instance, his family prided themselves on being able to trap the best animals and harvest the finest trees. His old uncle had often bragged that he could practically think a prime buck into a hunter's trap. Jake himself had a particular knack for knowing where to lay his snares.
It wasn't nearly as impressive as anything he'd seen these people do, but...was he a mutant? What did make a person a mutant, anyway?
That little girl, now...they said that she wasn't a mutant. Something about a genetic code that should have been messed up, but wasn't. He didn't really understand what they were talking about.
But one thing seemed clear, even to him...if she could do things that a mutant could do, maybe he or any of his men could, too!
That was a little scary...but maybe it wasn't a bad thing, either. After all, his uncle had been one of the best mountainmen ever to roam the hills!
Maybe...maybe it all depended how you used your special talent!
Obscurely heartened, he squared his shoulders and risked another quick glance at Carly. She was hovering under the huge plane, guiltily keeping an eye on the unconscious Sultan.
Well, Jake generously conceded, she was young...and she hadn't meant to hurt anyone. In time, she'd learn to keep her talent under control.
And that was all that mattered, right?
• • • • •
"...but we still don't have any idea who fired those missiles at your minijet, do we, Beast?" Cyclops demanded, a worried frown creasing his forehead.
Jake moved closer, intently listening, as Beast shook his head. "I do not believe that Mystique has instant access to such sophisticated armaments," he soberly countered. "Even with the Sultan acting as her liaison at the Parkwood Institute, she would not have had more than an hour or two to prepare such an assault."
His anxious frown mirrored Scott's for a moment. He quickly forced a reassuring smile for Carly's benefit, then lowered his voice. "In addition, Mystique admitted that she had...certain plans for Carly. Whatever those plans were, they did not include making a serious attempt on her life! She would not have been any use to them if she had been killed!"
"Plans?" Cyclops echoed, stunned. "Then we've got three groups of people gunning for her, not just two!"
"I am afraid so, Cyclops," Beast agreed. "I feel that we should return to Professor Xavier's mansion as soon as possible, for her own safety."
Shaken, Cyclops vigorously nodded. "Rogue! Storm! Start rounding everybody up!" he yelled. "We need to get back before sundown!"
Storm's aristocratic voice floated back down to him as she obediently waved her hand. "In that case, we should have left an hour ago!" she chided, spreading her arms wider. "I shall go inform Wolverine and Gambit!"
Across the clearing, Jean telekinetically lowered Jubilee to the ground, then drifted over to Carly's side. The young empath drew back as the Sultan's stretcher rose into the air and angled up the steep ramp into the Blackbird's main cabin. Jubilee encouragingly squeezed her shoulder, then followed her up into the plane.
A few moments later, Storm and Rogue reappeared over the treetops, carrying Wolverine and Gambit. The wiry Canadian had pulled his tunic and mask off, and they were carelessly thrown over his muscular shoulder. He looked curiously content from his afternoon's strenuous efforts.
"You sure we can't talk you into stayin' for dinner with us?" Jake coaxed as the men dropped to the ground and followed their beautiful teammates up into the spacious cabin. "We'd be honored to have you join us!"
Beast...Dr. McCoy...seemed to understand his wistful plea. Could he be partly empathic, too?
Beast regretfully shook his head. "We truly appreciate your offer, my friend," he confessed with a warm smile, "but it is imperative that we return home immediately. The same people who tried to kill Carly this morning may make another attempt on her life at any time. We will be able to better protect her there, should the need arise."
Jake reluctantly nodded. "I reckon you're right," he admitted. "Still, if you ever wind up in our neck o' the woods again..."
Wolverine hesitated long enough to grin and throw the big lumberjack a half-salute. "We'll be back, you can count on it!" he promised. "Me an' Rogue are lookin' forward to comparin' notes with your men, an' maybe havin' a friendly little loggin' contest!"
He sardonically winked down at Beast and Cyclops. "They still don't believe that the two of us can bring in more trees than all o' them combined!" he added, chuckling. "They sure don't know us very well, do they?"
Beside him, Gambit rolled his eyes. "It be da first time we get any honest work outa you in weeks, nón?"
Wolverine glared up at him, then whirled and stalked up into the plane. Cyclops and Beast exchanged knowing grins as they shook hands with Jake and then followed their teammates.
Partway up the long ramp, Beast glanced back one more time and soberly waved at Jake. "Take care, my friend, until we meet again," he called. Then he disappeared inside the plane, and the ramp slid up behind him.
A few minutes later, the powerful retros rumbled to life. The plane shuddered, then majestically rose up above the treetops. As Jake and his men avidly watched, it tilted upward and soared east, across the mountains.
• • • • •
A heavy silence reigned in the main cabin as the Blackbird swiftly gained altitude. Outside, the fierce upper-atmospheric snowstorm had finally stopped. The crystal-blue sky beckoned to them, promising a swift, easy flight.
Carly uncomfortably moved a few paces away from the Sultan's stretcher, and stared out the large window. Dusk's soft pastels were just beginning to spread across the far horizon.
Beast laid a gentle hand on her shoulder as he quietly joined her. "It is beautiful, isn't it?" he murmured in her ear.
Carly somberly shook her head. "Look," she whispered, pointing down at the mountainside.
The huge plane seemed to hesitate as Beast obediently followed her gesture. The minijet's battered wreckage was partially visible amid the heavy, obscuring snow drifts.
Beast slowly met Carly's frightened gaze, sobered by the grisly sight. Then, in unison, they looked beyond the clearing, across the mountainside...as if searching for another glimpse of their unknown attackers...
...as the Blackbird turned toward home, gathered speed, and disappeared into the distance.
The End
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"The Sphinx Saga - Introduction"
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