Arc Seven. Chapter Two Hundred Three. Rogue Element

The three groups had picked up Peters transmitter and headed into the Canadian Rockies. It was a simple flight to the hidden base, built in a dam deep within the mountains. As Scott found a suitable landing spot, a convenient helicopter pad, they spotted Emma, who was busy climbing out of the large reservoir that fed the dam. She shivered as the cold mountain air and damp snow added to the already icy waters and as she shook her powers flared and the water evaporated. Looking down at her clothing though, covered in mud and wrinkled from the water she tutted.

The X-Men had sent Logan to lead Cyclops, Iceman and Shadowcat, each wanting to prove to the professor they were ready for real-world missions. Jean had come but refused to join the team, much to Scott's annoyance and the pair had sat apart, sullenly refusing to even make eye contact.

The Brotherhood had sent Pietro, Cain, and as Wanda had been unable to come, Erik. While they hadn't told Erik why Wanda wasn't going to be there, he was still grateful Peter had persuaded her and had gone in her place.

Finally, Carol had tagged along. She had healed enough she wanted to stretch and test that her powers were still fully functional, and even without Ravage was still one of the most powerful people Peter knew. She had even managed to convince Laura to keep the warehouse safe. While Ororo had wished to make amends, they still wanted someone trustworthy with fighting experience there as well. She also had a problem, while she wasn't a fugitive on Earth, the Asgardians might not be too happy to see her, and so was keeping a low profile. Surprised they had still managed to make it to Earth, even contacting the new Sword was off the books in case they used her to cement a favour from their new allies.

As they landed outside the dam, the water sparkled but the idyllic scenery was ruined as machine gun turrets slid open on the outside wall of the dam's large steel doors.

"Guess they know we're here," Cyclops stated and motioned to his team. He touched his visor and a beam of red energy streaked towards the first group. "X-Men, on me," and Kitty Pryde and Bobby Drake move so they all stood together, in their dark grey and yellow uniforms. Logan nodded and followed,

"You three, take out any guards. Carol, get rid of those guns, an' then we can head inside."

While Carol was healed, Ravage had still to regenerate fully and was still bonded to Liv. Leaving her behind was painful, but for this mission it was necessary. Beams of light shot out and the turrets exploded, leaving smoking craters in their place,

"Coulda done that," Cyclops muttered to himself but if Logan heard him, he ignored it.

"Right, You three, behind me. Carol take your team and assault that door, and uh, big guy, you stay close too, we don't want anything poppin' out that lake an' surprising us,"

"Hehe, meat shield," as all Cain said, now wrapped in thick metal plates, and a domed helmet. He banged thick gauntletted hands together, "Knock or just pry it open?" as he pointed to that massive thick plated door. Even at this distance, they could see it was reinforced and massive, designed for allowing the huge turbines to be replaced.

"Heh, up to you big guy, think you can?" Carol asked him and Cain laughed,

"Oh, I can," and the group, while on guard for surprise attacks, moved towards the door.

As the steel creaked and complained Cain, with aid from Carol, ripped and tore away the small double doors, and inside three black-clad soldiers were waiting for them,

"Took you long enough, and," Rogue counted. "Well, I guess eight is enough, how we doin this? I mean, girls vs boy seems mighty unfair,"

Colossus stepped forwards, "I want the big guy, You are all so small, I do not want to waste my time."

"Small huh?" and Pietro sped forwards, laying punch after punch on the large man who stood waiting.

"You are fast, but hit like child. Speed without strength is useless. Go and make sure the others are taken care of, we will not stop you." and Pietro, panting and shaking his hands nodded,

"You are defending Shaw but will allow us to complete our mission?" Erik asked and Rogue nodded,

"Oh see, this wasn't voluntary and Shaw, oh he deserves to die, but you know, we can't just ignore orders. We'll try not to kill most of you, just the weak ones." and she cracked her knuckles, "You," pointing to Carol, "I can feel your power from here, why don't you and I dance? Gambit, take the kids, they seem weak enough you should manage." and Cyclops scoffed,

"Lady, I don't know who you are, but we're the X-Men, and one skinny guy isn't going to stop us from kicking your asses." and Logan shook his head,

"No talking during a fight," and he let his blades slide free he scowled, "and no underestimatin' an opponent, What's your name?"

"It's Gambit, mon frere," and he twirled the bo staff around himself, "and you are beaucoup correct. Your young friends are no match for me."

Logan nodded, "which is why you'll face me. You three, inside, take Jeannie with you and take out the small fries."

Cyclops clenched his fist. "Logan, we can take him." Logan frowned, and as he sniffed the air, he stepped back.

"You, kill them and I gut you, but go ahead." and as he leaned over to Scott, "That attitude'll get you killed, so don't come cryin to me later. Jean, commin'?" and she nodded and followed Logan as he walked past the trio.

Pietro and Erik followed, "I hope you know what you are doing Logan," he said as the group entered the huge facility, "You may have just gotten them killed." but Logan made an unseen motion and Erik nodded and pulled the door closed behind them.

Colossus laughed, "Finally a good fight. We are the same, yes? No killing, only till submission?" and Cain nodded, and cracked his knuckles,

"Never thought you guys would be so considerate." and Colossus laughed,

"Shaw is, how you say, asshole. He must die today but is first time having fun, so, make it fun, yes?"

As Cain and Colossus moved away from the two groups, Gambit twirled his staff, "you know, I ain't playin'. Your friend, he's right, you gonna die someday tryin' to be a big hero." and Cyclops responded by touching the side of his visor.

As the beam whummed Gambit laughed and batted it away with his staff, its length covered in a purple glow, "So no talkin' huh?" and he laughed as he rolled and threw cards at the trio.

Cyclops blasted the three cards out of the air, while Ice-Man summoned an ice wall and sprayed a mist into the air. As he hid her, Shadowcat phased and sunk into the ground. It was the team's standard opening tactic. Contain, confuse, and control.

Gambit laughed as his bo staff twirled, and he threw out two more cards from behind it. Cyclops braced and fired but this time the blast was directed back at him as the cards exploded towards him rather than outwards, he released his visor hand and covered his eyes, bracing himself to avoid falling over, while Ice-Man crafted another ice wall in front of them.

"He can shape those charges, whatever they are," and Cyclops nodded, hoping Shadowcat would be more successful.

As she snuck up behind him, she wrapped her arms around him, phased and sunk back into the earth, taking him down with her. She made sure his arms were buried up to the elbow, and without someone to dig him out, he was now stuck.

As he struggled she smugly shouted, "got him," and Cyclops and Iceman came out from being the barrier,

Gambit laughed, "yeah, better ditch those clothes mon cher," and Shadowcat noticed her gloves, boots and anywhere she had touched him was glowing. The energy they were giving off interfered with her powers, and she panicked as she failed to phase through them. She quickly grabbed anything covered in the purple glow and as she was undoing a boot they all exploded, throwing her into the air.

"Kitty" Cyclops shouted as he rushed towards her, she fell and rolled, unconscious from the blast and her body armour was a ruined mess of melted and smoking fabric, barely covering her.

He had kept his word, Scott could see that she was still breathing but her uniform was covered in blackened holes, and bloody and bruised skin was showing through in some places. Her hands had taken most of the blast, and flesh hung from it in charred strips.

Cyclops lifted his hand to his visor and was ready to hit this monster with a full blast when Iceman grabbed his arm and shook his head, "No, we save Kitty," and clenching his fist he and Iceman ran over.

As Iceman sprayed a cooling liquid over the burnt flesh, Kitty stirred and moaned as the pain hit her back to consciousness. Her hands were ruined and she was unable to fight and could only cry out in pain. Cyclops unzipped his jacket and lifting her they saw the full extent of her injuries. "Get her back the jet. I'll deal with him," and Iceman helped her, picking her up and walking slowly as even her feet hadn't been spared.

"Sick freak," Cyclops knelt and hammered a blow into Gambits face, as the smaller man laughed,

"Hehe, you know, this ain't a game. You play rough, get hurt, maybe it you next time huh? You the leader, maybe it is your fault she got hurt." and as Cyclops landed another punch Gambit laughed, "Mind your hands, mon frere" and Cyclops looked down to see, not just his gloves glowing but the ground around Gambit as well.

"One little injury and you fall apart. You friend, he right you know, gonna get killed being such a pussy." and as Cyclops scrambled back the ground exploded outwards, showering them both in dirt. "Me, I keep my word, I don' kill her but you, takin cheap shots while a man down, you deserve this."

As Cyclops scrambled back, grabbing and ripping off his gloves Gambit lifted his staff and as it twirled it struck out and Cyclops's chest exploded in pain as he caught him right in the sternum. "You think this a game huh?" and as the staff clipped his shoulder his arm went dead and, "You think we fuckin playin wit you?" and as he smacked it on his thigh, Cyclops cried out in pain and went down on one knee. "This is real life, an there ain't no second chance." Gambit struck out again with his staff and caught Scott across the deadened arm. It exploded in pain and Cyclops heard the bone crack.

As Cyclops held onto his broken arm Gambit reached forwards and touched the side of his visor, "You see what a real mutant can do eh." and Cyclops could see the glow enveloping it. With no choice, he unclipped it from his face and threw it away, and as it exploded the fireball lit up the sky, shaking the snow from the trees.

"Next time, that be your head." and Gambit struck him on the back of the neck with his bo staff, taking his consciousness from him.

As he stood over the unconscious body he looked over at Rogue and Colossus, who had both moved away from the groups for their own fight. Gambit stuck two fingers in his mouth and whistled, "That one for us eh," and Colossus raised a fist but it seemed that Rogue ignored him, stuck up bitch, just cause she fuckin the boss.

It didn't matter to him though, once they had won or lost, he was leaving. Shaw's little game held no interest for him, and he had no desire to be a lackey to anyone. Memories of the South, and of card games and drinking, and lots of women all floated in his mind, like small pieces of a larger puzzle. He didn't care, but the drinking and the women did seem like a good idea.

Finding a nice patch of ground to lie on, Gambit stretched out and rested his hands under his head. Maybe if he wasn't such an ass he could even hitch a ride with the kids, and as he looked over the jet, just sitting there, maybe just take it eh? And he laughed to himself, maybe, that redhead be mighty cute though, maybe take more than just the jet.