------------------ Chapter 15 ------------------ "This is unnerving..."Ororo said,pacing back and forth of the closed doors of Cerebo.It had been a full day since Raine's abduction.Ororo was attached to the younger girl,for some reason. "Don't be so hard on yourself."Jean said,arms crossed.She,too,was upset,but not so worried.Raine seemed to know how to keep herself out of trouble. "Storm,you need to stay focused,or you can't concentrate on helping get Raine back,alive and safe."Scott said,looking at Ororo,who stopped pacing. "You're right."Ororo said,taking a deep breath. Jean fidgited,trying not to be nervous.Xavier had been in there awhile.The doors to Cerebo slowly opened,and Xavier sat patiently,until he could wheel himself out. "I couldn't locate her exact location,but I know the area she's at."Xavier said,folding his hands across his lap. Rogue and Jubilee listened in around the corner.They planned on going on their own search and rescue mission. "The Loritine Mountain Range.A hundred miles Northwest of New York."Xavier said. "We'll sweep over the moutains in the Blackbird and look for clues.If we don't find anything,we'll sweep through in vehicles."Scott said,already ready to begin looking. "Alright.Be careful not to get Magneto aware of you,until necessary.You may unintentionally put Raine in harm's way."Xavier said. Scott and Ororo nodded. "We'll leave in twenty minutes."Scott said,walking off to get prepared. Jean looked down at Xavier."So,she's alive?" "Yes,or I wouldn't have picked her up on Cerebo."Xavier replied. "That's good to hear."Ororo said,relieved. --------------- Raine sat in a big empty cafeteria,quietly drinking a glass of water.She had already eaten a salad,and some soup,which had been prepared by a woman,Mystique.Raine already felt stronger,but not completely.Her senses were still fuzzy,and her reaction time was slow. "Ah,good.You've eaten." Raine looked up to see that older man,her grandfather.She looked at him blankly.What was she supposed to do?Jump for joy? He smiled,and sat across from her.He folded his arms,smiling at her."You look so much like your grandmother." "Mom use to say that."Raine remarked. "Do you remember your mother much?"Erik asked. "Less than I'd like."Raine replied,looking down at the table. "I miss my daughter...but her ignorance to humanity was her own plight of self destruction."He said. "She's dead?"Raine asked,looking up. "I honestly don't know.I haven't seen your mother since she ran away when she was pregnant with you.Oh,about eighteen years ago,take some months."He replied. Raine looked back down."Why did you come after me like this?" "Your my granddaughter.My daughter's daughter.I've always wanted you in my life."He replied. She scoffed.""Well,this definately is a weird way to come into my life.Kidnapping and all." Erik smiled."You've got your grandmoher's personality." "Please,stop.I didn't know her...I'm not her."Raine said,looking up. "I never said you were her.I had to bring you here.You have a mission to fulfill."Erik said,smiling broadly. Raine frowned,"What?" "You've already begun growing the glands.Your mother wasn't born with them,but your grandmother had them."Erik said,mostly to himself. "What?"Raine asked,frowning. "That's why the U.S. government wanted you.But you didn't develope them when you were little..no,they've just begun their growth."Erik said,smiling.He wasn't even looking at Raine. Raine was dimly scared.What was he talking about? Erik laughed."Humanity shall get the leap they need to unite Mutants and Humans as brothers..." Raine sighed.No wonder her mother didn't want her granfather around.He was a whackjob. -------------------- Raine leaned against the side of a wall,looking out a window.It had metal bar in it,just like a prison.She was back in that same hell hole,the one where she never wanted to return. Light softly filtered through some clouds in the sky,making a golden-orange sheen on her hair,like fire.She could feel the warmness on her face from the sun,but it didn't matter if she was locked up.She wasn't free. She felt like she was being watched.She blinked slowly,the looked over,down the hall. There he was.He was standing,staring at her.He didn't look mad or irritated.He just had that odd,blank expression on his face. Raine shivered.She wondered what was up with him.Why did he stare like that? He shook his head,as if to get a thought out.He turned,and walked down another hall. Raine looked after him,still confused.He was an odd one,for sure. --------------- Chapter 15 -------------- Raine walked along a semi-darkened hallway.The last rays of sunlight shone through the barred windows along the hall. Raine was still wearing the dark grey sweatshirt,and her loose dark blue jeans,and socks.Her socks made no sound as she walked softly across the marble floor.She was pretending to wander,but she was really getting a feel of the place,before her strength regained.Raine's hair was down,and tucked behind her ears. Raine turned a corner,and bumped into someone.Deja vu.She sure had a thing for running into people.Two strong hands steadied her.She looked up,it was him again. "Sorry."He said lightly. Raine nodded."It's okay..."She steadied herself,then frowned."What's your name?" He smiled,somewhat charismatically."Toad.It used to be Mortimer Gage Tonybee." Raine smiled lightly."You know my name already." The smile faded from his face,but the fascination stayed. Raine wondered why he was fascinated with her.She was oppinionated,boring,and sarcastic at most."Why do you do that?"She asked. "What?"He asked. "Look at me like that."She remarked. "I'm not sure."He replied. She smiled."You're odd." He smiled back."I know." Raine looked down,wondering if she was blushing.She stood like for awhile,looking down.She felt his warm fingertips brush her cheeks.She looked up,and shot him a confused look.He instantly retracted his hand,and turned away,frowning at himself. "It-"Raine started,but he interrupted her. "I've got work to do,see you."He said,marching off,down the hall. ----------- Chapter 16 ----------- The Blackbird soared quietly over the Loritine Mountain range.It spreaded from the tip of New York state,into Canada.It was a small,desolate mountain range.There were many lakes and rivers that ran through it,and lots of forests.Most of the mountain was covered in a dense forest. "Anything yet?"Jean asked Scott,whom was carefully scanning the area with a scanning device built in the ship. "Nope....nothing yet."Scott replied. "Were these suits actually necessary?"Logan asked,annoyingly pulling at the collar of his X-man suit. "It's padded to make fighting easier and less painful."Ororo said,looking back at Wolverine,whom was still tugging lightly at his collar. A muffled sound came from the back of the ship,in the second room of the cockpit.Scott turned back and looked back briefly,frowning."What was that?" Logan unbuckled himself and got up to look.Sitting,tucked behind the last seats were Rogue and Jubilee. Rogue gave a weak smile."Are we in trouble?" "Rogue?What are you doing back there?!"Scott called,from the front. "Keep your eye on the sky!"Logan rebuked,before turning back to the girls. Scott looked forward,a bit pissed. "You two want to tell me what's going on here?"Logan asked,annoyed. Rogue and Jubilee stood up."We want to help."Jubilee said. "Yeah."Rogue agreed. "You two could get hurt,you know that."Jean said,looking back. Jubilee looked down,at her feet."We want to help save Raine."She looked back up."We're her friends!" "What good to her if you're dead?"Logan asked. Rogue gulped."Sorry...but,you guys need us." Scott smiled lightly,looking ahead. "Right...we can help."Jubilee added. "Alright...take a seat and buckle up."Scott said,still looking ahead and smiling. Jubilee,Rogue,and Logan took their seats. Scott frowned.He was picking something up on his radar."I've got something." "What is it?"Ororo asked. "An abandoned facility.Raine could be there."Scott replied."We'll be there in seven minutes." ---------- Raine quietly headed down a hallway towards the exit area.She was going to leave.Raine turned the corner,and stopped in her tracks.There stood Sabertooth,blocking her way. "You are supposed to be in the cafeteria."He said,quietly. "I'm not hungry."She remarked. He growled lightly.He knew what she was up to. Raine whirled in a circle and jumped up,and kicked him in the shoulder,knocking him back.He grabbed her ankle and threw her down.Raine kicked her other foot up,and hit him in the lower area of his chest.She rolled and got up. Sabertooth spun around to face her,then growled.He puched her in the shoulder,then brought his forearm up and smacked her down.Raine fell to a sitting position on her knees,and retalliated with a punch in his knee.She got back up,and kicked the back of his knee,knocking him down to a kneeling position. He growled,and swung his claws at her.She dodged them,then she put her fingers on a spot on his neck and added pressure.He tried to fight her off,but failed.She was blocking the bloodflow to his brain,making him weak and disorriented.He feel over a moment later,passed out. Raine stepped over him,and ran down to the end of the hall,and turned the corner.She was almost there,to the elevators.A hand caught her by the wrist as soon as she made it around the corner.Raine nearly fell as she slid to a stop. Toad pulled her up,and glared at her."Where are you going?" She pulled her hand free.She looked past him,then frowned.He was glaring at her,but the elevators,which were previously locked by a card key reader was open and waiting for her.She looked at Toad confused. "Go.Before he wakes up."Toad said,the glare fading. "Thank-"She started,but again she was intterupted by him. "Go."He said,sternly.He seemed unsure of his actions. Raine started for the elevators,but stopped.She turned to Toad.She leaned over,and kissed him softly on his cheek,getting a confused look from him.She then turned and jogged for the elevator.She got in and turned back to him.He was standing there,touching his cheek where she had kissed him,with his hand.The elevators closed infront of her,and she was lifted to the surface. ---------- Chapter 17 ---------- Raine suddenly collapsed to her knees,falling against the side of the elevator.Her back started to burn,making her reel in pain.She leaned her chest against her knees."What's....happening??" A 'ting' sound rang through the small cubicle of the elevator,as it stopped at the first floor.The doors slid open.Raine struggled to her feet,and walked slowly out.Something was wrong with her.She didn't know what it was.She slowly walked through a open roof area,some kind of outside supply area.Raine suddenly felt strangely aware of being watched.She looked farther ahead,and stopped. Mystique stood,quietly,about twenty feet ahead of her.Mystique had a small smile,playing on her face."Why are you leaving?Don't you like it here?" Raine shook her head."Yeah right,there are bars everywhere." "You belong with us,your kind."Mystique said,walking quietly to her.When Mystique reached Raine,she walked around her slowly."Your one of us." "So?"Raine replied. "Don't you see why Erik needs you?He needs you to help humanity evolve.."Mystique trailed,stopping in front of Raine. Raine frowned."What do I have anything to do with making humanity evolve?" Mystique smiled lightly."You will see....haven't you felt the change?" Raine's back grew intensly hot,causing her to drop to her knees and cry out."What's happening to me?" Mystique looked down."Your evolving." Raine wondered if they did this to her."Did you do this to me??" Mystique laughed lightly."We've had nothing to do with this.It's all you." Raine felt a searing pain shoot down her spine,and a ripping feeling out her back.She cried out in pain again,and fell forward,catching herself on her palms.She heard her sweatshirt rip. Mystique smiled lightly,looking over Raine's developement. Two beautiful,pale purple,glowing wings spread out above Raine.They were translucent,and didn't look solid,like they were made from energy one second,somewhat solid the next.A second later,the wings retracted,into Raine's back,melting into her shoulder blades.Raine cleared her senses and stood up. "You've got them now...Erik will be pleased.Now we can start the mission."Mystique said. "What?"Raine snapped,annoyed.She was upset,upset that those things had come out her back,and that Mystique remotely had the idea that Raine would go along with whatever they were gonna do. "You are the link between humans and mutants.Don't you realize that?Humans will accept mutants once you bring them into the light of evolution."Mystique said,smiling. Raine shuddered.This was soooo weird."Okay..I think not.I think I'm just going to leave." Mystiqu grabbed Raine's wrist."You are staying." Raine elbowed Mystique in the side,making her let go of her.Raine pushed Mystique from her,spinning in a half circle and bringing her opposite leg up and bringing it down on Mystique's hip,knocking her to the ground. Mystique kicked upwards,hitting Raine in the side,and causing her to fall to the side.Raine caught herself and swayed.Mystique was up in a flash,and the next move she did was deadly.Mystique brought her leg up,then down on Raine's shoulder.Raine felt the bone shatter. Raine backed up,feeling shaky.She glared angrily at Mystique,clutching her right arm to her chest,keeping it still.She jumped up,kicked Mystique with her left foot,then the right,knocking Mystique back down.Raine didn't hesitate with her next move.Raine kicked Mystique in the side,and then in the lower side of the back of her neck. Raine hopped over Mystique and ran for the entrance area.She ran,half limping because the pain was still on her back.She knew Mystique would soon recover and be after her.She ran past piles and piles of junk. Suddenly,a giant black jet,the Blackbird,appeared in the sky,hovering over the base.Raine recognized it from the tour Xavier had given her.He had shown it to her.She thought it was beautiful.Raine stopped,and waved her hands over her head,hoping they would see her.The craft sowly began to set down. Raine felt the burning again.Her knees buckled,and she landed in a sitting position.Raine felt something grab her collar and lift her high into the air.Raine swung her arms around to no avail. The Blackbird landed,and the side door slide open.Out came Cyclops, Jean,Storm,Wolverine,Rogue,and Jubilee all stepped out. "Raine!"Jubilee shouted. "Look!I can fly!"Raine shouted,sarcastically as she swung her arms and feet,trying to hit her unseen attacker. Cyclops aimed at Sabertooth,who was holding Raine up in the air.Cyclops shot a beam at him,knocking him back,making him drop Raine. Raine ran,half stumbling,towards the group.She was almost there when something caught her ankle and pulled her feet from beneath her,and tossed her high into the air.A second later,Toad jumped into the air,caught her,and landed near Sabertooth and Mystique.Raine was confused,he had just let her go,now he was recapturing her?What was going on? Cyclops attempted to fire at Toad,but Toad was quicker.He shot his tounge out and knocked off Cyclops's visors.Cyclops held his eyes shut and looked away."Dammit!" Wolverine ejected his claws out of his knuckles and prepared for a fight. Storm lowered her face slightly,and her pupils faded to white.Winds began howling,and whirling about,ready for action. "Release Raine."Jean said,calmly. Jubilee's twitched her fingers,like one would do with a trigger finger on a gun.This was her first battle.It was about to errupt into something she wasn't ready for,she could feel it.... -------- Chapter 18 -------- Wolverine made the first move.He began swiping at Sabertooth,who was parrying Wolverine's swipes in return. Mystique stood still,waiting for someone to make a move at her. Raine was still for a moment,unsure of what to do.Then reason returned in her head.She struggled out of Toad's arm's,whom were holding her tight.Raine pushed Toad,trying to 'roll' out his arms.The moment her feet touched the ground,she turned to face him.She didn't want to fight him. Toad stood still,looking at her questioningly.A moment later,he leapt at Ororo and knocked her to the ground harshly. Raine felt Mystique's foot slam behind her knee,which knocked her down,face first. Jubilee ran towards Mystique,feeling her hands tingle.Mystique turned,and faced Jubilee. "What have you got for me?"Mystique asked,mockingly. "This!"Jubilee raised her hands,and blasted with all her might.The sudden small explosion of firework-like explosions,knocked Mystique back.Jubilee blasted again,driving Mystique away from Raine. Rogue ran over to Raine,and helped her up with gloved hands.Rogue pulled Raine off towards the Blackbird.Toad jumped out of nowhere and landed infront of Rogue.He smiled sarcastically,then pushed her back,and over a pile of junk. Toad got blasted to the side by Jubilee,whom smiled proudly to herself.Jubilee pulled Rogue up,and the three headed for the Blackbird. Out of nowhere,a metal wire fishnet net flew up,over,and around Raine.She tripped over the tangle of net,and fell on her stomach.Raine made a "Ooff!" sound when her stomach hit the ground.The net,which encircled Raine,lifted into the air and hovered,out of reach.Raine was upside down,and she felt her stomach lurch.She was at least fifty feet in the air. Wolverine kicked his left leg into Sabertooth's side,knocking him back a little.Sabertooth retaliated,plunging his right claws into Wolverine's side.Wolverine made a half grunt,half roar of pain,and mimicked Sabertooth's attack.He plunged his left claf through Sabertooth's shoulder,then kneed him in the stomach. Mystique recovered and snuck up on Jean,whom was standing,half aloof,half looking at the battle,wondering what she should do.Jean cried out when something rammed into her back,and jammed her up against the Blackbird.Jean swayyed,and whirled around,just to get kicked in the side of her face.Jean scowled angrily,and with all her mental strength,knocked Mystique up into the air and away from her.Mystique landed in a heap of junk. "Somebody help me!"Raine cried out,feeling sickening afraid of falling. "My dear child,why were you running away again?"Magneto asked. Raine moved her head to see Magneto floating next to her,smiling at her. "I don't want to be here!"Raine shouted,angry he couldn't see it."I hate being held captive!!" "Raine!I'll get you down in a second!"Ororo called. Jean spotted Cyclops visors and went after them.She picked them up and headed over to the disorriented Scott."Here."She said softly,putting them on him. Scott stood up straight."That's better." Ororo's eyes went white,as she started a whirlwind beneath Raine.It whirled furiously,and sucked Raine into it. Raine felt emensly sick as the world spun around her in a haze of color.Raine felt like she was on some theme-park ride....she was going to get sick to her stomach if the spinning kept up. Jean used her telekinesis to pull Raine out of the net and out of the whirlwind.Raine's body swirled helplessly in the air,as Jean carefully tried to get her down without dropping her. Raine saw Toad leapt at her,preparing to catch her.Raine moved out his way,causing him to fall short and fall down to a squat,thirty feet below her. Raine felt the hold around her slip,as Jean got knocked to the ground by Mystique.Raine let out a scream as she began plummteting to the ground. Wolverine saw Raine fall,and dodged one of Sabertooth's attacks as he turned and ran beneath Raine.He held out his arms and caught her,which the force of her fall,made him fall to a kneeling position. "Thanks."Raine said,as Wolverine set her down. "No problem!"Wolverine said,as he spun around and caught Sabertooth's right claw before it smashed into his shoulder.Wolverine kicked Sabertooth back.He tripped over a pipe,and fell to the ground in a heap. "Raine!Think about what you're doing!"Magneto shouted from the air. Raine didn't look back as she,Wolverine,Jubilee,and Rogue ran towards the Blackbird.Jean and Ororo had already got in and were waiting for them and Scott. Scott held Toad,Sabertooth,and Mystique at bay by holding his hand to his visor as a warning that he would shoot. Rogue and Jubilee climbed into the cockpit and quickly took their seats.Wolverine hoisted Raine up and into the cockpit,and then himself.He called back to Scott,"C'mon four eyes,let's go!"Wolverine called,making fun of Scott's visors.Wolverine smiled coyly tohimself as he sat down and strapped himself in. Scott smiled,lightly as he jumped into the cockpit and closed the door.He didn't wait to buckle himself in as he raised the Blackbird into the air. The Blackbird raised over the Loritine Military Compund base,turned,and rocketed off past the peaks of the mountains. "All is going according to plan..."Magneto trailed off to himself,with a smile.