Chapter 88: Plans to Fight the Devil

1st September 2005, Bayville

(Jean Grey POV)

Suddenly, Jean’s mind was assaulted by a powerful presence. It was some sort of psychic attack and it went through Jean’s meager shields. It was the Professor. {Jean, I don’t have much time. You need to stop him! Stop Apocalypse! I don’t know how long I could keep fighting him. He already has Eric. He’s so strong! So powerful! You’re our only hope, Jean. I’m sorry!}

After the message was over, some coordinates appeared in her mind, probably from the Professor. She knew where he was.

When the message had ended, Jean found everyone at each other’s throats. “EVERYONE STOP!” she bellowed. They all quieted down, looking at her in surprise.

“Just stop,” she continued, “The Professor just contacted me. We’re in trouble. He said something about him having Eric,” Jean noticed that Mystique paled when she said this, “he said he was fighting him somehow and that he was losing. Doctor McCoy is right, it’s Apocalypse and I know where the Professor is.”

“Where is he exactly?” asked Mystique in a hurried tone. She was obviously worried about that Eric guy. From a quick mind scan, she figured out that the Professor was talking about Magneto. Jean snorted, what a ridiculous name; he must have been a kid when he chose it for himself. Jean still had almost no control over directing her telepathy; she just turned the volume up a notch and started to make out the thoughts that were being projected.

It was better when there weren’t too many people around. As composed as she looks now, Mystique was very anxious inside and was pretty worried about Magneto. They must be close or something.

“Some place called the valley of kings, in Egypt. I have the exact coordinates if you need them,” Jean answered them. She sensed the fear in Mystique spike; she was thinking about her impending fight with her now former boss.

She was right to be scared, of course. From Logan’s description of the guy, it would be a hassle to fight just him, let alone with an unknown number of mutants, one of which is probably the most powerful mutant who ever lived. Jean missed the days where her biggest problem was fighting Toad or Blob. She so isn’t ready for something like this.

To be honest, Jean doesn’t want to involve herself in this fight. She knows that this is far above her level, and so beyond her that it’s crazy. It would be like going from her high school soccer team and start playing with professionals. The only reason she wasn’t protesting about this mission is the fact that the Professor was at stake and with him, the knowledge of what he did to her. He was her chance at lifting the fake life she’s been living and becoming herself. She would no longer be a puppet but her own person and that is enough for her to risk her life in a dangerous mission.

To be honest, with the recent revelation, Jean doesn’t think she wants to remain in the X-men. Her priorities have shifted somewhat and her desire to join the Professor’s cause could be similar at her desire to be a cheerleader; she could have instinctively picked it up from her teammates telepathically, or maybe even from Logan or Ms. Monroe. She needs to figure out what she wants in her life before committing to anything.

“We need to assemble a team and head there now,” stated Logan in a tone that would say that anyone disagreeing with him would end up being stabbed by his claws.

Mystique though, had no reservations to voice her opinion, “What do you mean head there now? Are you mad? We need a plan, and a good one at that before rushing in and getting killed pointlessly.”

Logan growled at her, “From the sound of it, Chuck’s being tortured right now, we don’t have time for fancy ideas.”

“Listen to me you uneducated savage, if we go right now, we will die. Will that help Charles in any way, Logan? Listen to yourself, you’re not being rational, and you never were whenever your precious Professor is in danger. Take a breather and think clearly, for once.”

If Jean was honest with herself, she agrees with Mystique with that one. She might be their enemy but that doesn’t mean that she wasn’t right. Although she seems too familiar to Logan. Mystique had to have known him well for her to calm Logan down like that. The man sometimes acted like a savage in threatening situations. It must he his mutant instincts somehow. And Logan must trust her in some degree to listen to her when they’re this mad. Her words seemed to calm Logan down. He stopped breathing heavily and composed himself.

“Alright, what plan are you suggesting?” He asked Mystique.

“First, we need to figure out who to bring. There’s no need to endanger kids who won’t contribute anything in the fight.”

Logan hummed in agreement, “So myself, Storm, Beast and Mystique are a given. Who else do we bring?”

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

As soon as he asked that, Scott got up and puffed up his chest, “I’m going. I will not abandon the Professor.”

Jean sighed internally. Was Scott that attached to the Professor. She understands that he feels indebted to the man; he had helped him in understanding his powers and given him his glasses to stop him from destroying everything at sight. But come on, he still has no control over his beams, not that he even tries to practice, relying completely on the Professor’s equipment to live a normal life while wallowing in pity at his ability to see only one color.

All the Professor had done was make him some glasses. It’s not enough to get himself killed over the man. Especially how easy it would be considering all it would take to defeat him is to just remove his glasses. After that, he would have to close his eyes in fear of hitting an ally and he would be out of the fight. Jean doesn’t think that he understands that he could get seriously hurt in this mission and that it wasn’t some Danger Room simulation. They were often beaten in the simulations, by a machine no less, this will most likely kill them.

The though of her death didn’t scare her. What was wrong with her? Was she always so broken thing? Was this something that the Professor’s bindings took away, or did her subconscious know that she was living a lie and hence wanted to escape it somehow, but dyeing seems an excessive measure to escape a false life. When did things get so complicated? She needs answers. She sighed to calm herself down, she would get her answers from the Professor.

“I wouldn’t normally agree with this,” Logan replied to the ‘leader’ of the X-men, “but we’re out of options. We’ll take you on this mission but you’ll only be responsible for long range attacks, nothing more. And listen to us when we give you orders, this isn’t some stupid simulation where you can try again. This is real life and you could get killed. There are no do over here, Bub.”

Scott nodded, happy with his mission. Jean opened up her telepathy and was disgusted by her teammate. He didn’t head Logan’s warnings and was hoping that this mission would get the Professor to ‘promote’ him to the same rank as Ororo and Logan. Huh, he could such an idiot sometimes.

Logan seemed to know the teen’s thoughts as he audibly sighed in exasperation, “Red,” Logan turned to look at Jean, “You’re also coming. I’m sorry, I wouldn’t ask you for this somehow but you’re too powerful to be left on the sidelines and we could need a telepath to help Chuck fight off Apocalypse’s mental attack.”

Jean nodded, understanding the logic but still finding flaws in it. She didn’t have a good control over her powers and Logan knew it. But still, the Professor was her only chance at getting her answers. She would still go.

Scott, as usual, decided to act all protective of her, “What? No. It’s too dangerous for her to come.”

Logan just gave him a deadpan stare, “Kid, the girl can kick your ass in a fight without even getting a scratch. You’re saying that you’re strong enough to come and she isn’t?”

That shut him up. After this mess is over with, she’ll have a long conversation with Scott about boundaries because recently, he’s been acting like a mix of a jealous boyfriend and an overprotective father, and it was driving her insane.

Mystique spoke up, trying to defuse whatever teen drama was going on, “on my side, Pietro, Avalanche and Blob are coming. Toad will only be a liability in a fight in this scale. Pietro will act as damage control and try to save us if one of us is in mortal danger or is injured. Avalanche’s powers could be useful if used from a long range. He’ll join Summers. Blob is strong enough to take care of himself. He could protect the other kids if they’re attacked.”

Storm nodded, “Agreed. But what about the other kids in the Institute? I for one refuse to let Evan join this mission. He’s too inexperienced, all of the rest are.”

Logan replied to her, “Kitty also isn’t ready. The only one I’m thinking of bringing are Nightcrawler and Rogue.”

“No,” Mystique exclaimed with a panicked look on her face. She composed herself quickly; in mere seconds her face showed her usual aloof expression, “I refuse. This isn’t a good idea. They would all be a liability. Rogue needs contact for her powers to work and I don’t think she’s experienced enough in close combat to actually be able to touch him. Nightcrawler is barely sixteen years old, he can’t make a decision like this. Someone this age shouldn’t be part of a fight like this.”

Jean narrowed her eyes at Mystique’s reaction to Logan’s words. This was out of the norm. Not trusting the shapeshifter’s motives, she turned on her telepathy once again and what she discovered stunned her. The woman wasn’t trying to deceive them but she was worried about her children. Yes, children. Rogue and Nightcrawler are unknowingly Mystique’s children. Although, Rogue was adopted. This was unbelievable and something that will probably end up a problem down the line, but is irrelevant now. She’ll deal with it later. For now, she will not argue Mystique’s decisions; she was their mother and they were still minors.

Logan ignored her protests, “I agree with you about Rogue but not about Nightcrawler. He could help Pietro with the damage control. We might need his help.”

Mystique looked like she wanted to protest further but just nodded her head.

Logan frowned at the shapeshifter’s reaction but ended up ignoring them, “Alright, we have our lineup. Scott and Avalanche are on long distance with Blob protecting them. Quicksilver and Nightcrawler are on damage control and will act as backup to anyone who needs to be rescued. Red, your mission is to get to the Professor and try to break Apocalypse’s control over him and Magneto. Chuck is strong enough to resist him and I have faith in him. We need them to join us to beat this guy. Until you get to him, Mystique, Beast and I will have to hold off Apocalypse. Storm, you’ll take Magneto. Your lightning can somewhat interfere with his abilities. I know this isn’t much but it’s the only plan we got. Does anyone have any other suggestions?”

Silence followed his question. Jean couldn’t come up with a better plan but she was still nervous; this plan banked on her fighting off Apocalypse’s control over Magneto and the Professor. She still had almost no control over her powers and she had no faith in her abilities to do it. Nonetheless, this was the best they will come up with considering the lack of intel.

Seeing no objection Logan continued, “Alright. Storm, get Nightcrawler here and everyone suit up. We meet at the Blackbird in ten minutes. Get ready.”

Jean sighed inwardly; this was going to be a troublesome mission, that’s for sure. It seems they were going to Egypt.