All's Fair in Love and War

Chapter 14 Cuba

The atmosphere was tense and everyone silent as Hank flew the team toward Cuba. For the most part, the team was nervous about the upcoming confrontation but it was also undeniable that there was something deeper running between a select few of the group.

Erik was watching Evie with a frown as she ignored him and instead examined her hands intently while mentally cursing Charles for seating her beside the magnetism controller. Lisa, her one hand entwined with Alex's, was wearing a confused frown as she looked between her blonde friend and her newly-turned-redhead friend. Raven was glancing guiltily at Evie every so often, the only one who looked as though she knew the reason for Evie's suddenly cold shoulder. Charles looked to be the next enlightened as he watched the three closely, though a slight frown marred his expression as he looked at Erik thoughtfully. Moira, Alex, and Sean looked clueless but they remained wisely silent as Hank flew them steadily closer to what could be the beginning of World War III.

"We're here."

Hank finally broke the silence as his voice sounded in all of their finally looked up, though she looked toward Charles as the group tensed in preparation while Hank flew them above the American and Russian ships that were lined up opposite each other in the middle of the sea, not too far off the coast of a Cuban island.

"It looks pretty messy out there."

Raven inhaled deeply at Hanks words, calming herself, while beside her Charles placed a finger to his temple and his eyes slid shut as his mind opened.

"The crew of the Aral Sea are all dead." Charles spoke after a minute, his eyes opening once more. "Shaw's been there."

"He's still here, somewhere." Erik countered, his jaw tense as he fought the anger Shaw's name always incited and the irritation at Evie's continued cold shoulder.

Charles's eyes narrowed slightly as he picked up on the latter emotion in his friend, but he kept his tone neutral as he explains, "He set the ship on course for the embargo line."

He looked to Moira as he spoke, and the CIA agent replied from where she was seated at the jet's radio, "If that ship crosses the line, our boys are going to blow it up. And the war begins."

"Unless they're not our boys." Charles countered, his eyes moving back to Erik.

The team glanced at their leader in confusion, but Erik's expression cleared as he understood. He gave a curt nod and Charles closed his eyes... entering the mind of one of the Russian soldiers aboard the main vessel on the Russian side. Under Charles's influence, the man stood up and - ignoring his superiors demands for an explanation - he punched the missile button.

Immediately, the Russian ship fired on its own vessel. The only problem was, Hank had taken the jet a little too close and they were now in the line of fire. The jet spun as Hank quickly swerved the jet upside down in an attempt to avoid being blown to pieces and Raven let out a shriek as the team were all pulled to the edges of their seat harnesses.

"Hold on!" Charles yelled as he placed a protective hand over his foster sister, while Lisa screamed, "He can fly this my a-!"

Alex's hand clutched over hers shut Lisa up as she instead hung onto his hand for dear life. Evie meanwhile hung onto the safety handles on her seat tightly, her heart lurching in her chest. It then constricted painfully as suddenly someone clasped their hand on hers, and she turned to meet Erik's piercing blue eyes.

"Hold on!" He yelled as Hank's spinning got worse and they rattled about like beans in a pod.

And despite the fact that she now considered him a royal a-hole that had broken her heart, Eve hung onto his hand as he squeezed it comfortingly while their stomachs threatened to be turned inside out at Hank's crazy flying.