Ghost (X-men fanfic)

Chapter 29

I was in a field. The grass was about as tall as my waist and the sun shone brightly above everything. But this didn't seem like a nice place, not for me at least. That's when I saw it. A figure. A pure black figure made of smoke making its way towards me.

"You've failed me." It hissed.

"Failed you?" I scoffed. "I've only just got here. I don't even know what I'm doing here."

"You had one purpose." It hissed again. "To destroy the one power that tipped the balance of power. Nothing can be more powerful than death."

"The voices..." I whispered. "The ones telling me to kill Jean..."

"You failed."

"How could I have failed when I had no idea what was even happening to me?" I questioned. The figure was silent for a moment. But then he spoke again.

"One more chance," He said quietly. "One more chance to kill. One more chance to prove yourself worthy. One more chance to live. One more chance to kill her. One more chance to truly become Ghost."

I woke up to my head throbbing. Everything around me was vibrating and I could hear multiple footsteps pacing back and forth. I slowly opened my eyes. Everyone was here. Everyone except Jean. And we were on a train, at least as far as I could tell. Everyone sat in their own....well, it was like a small cell with walls on either side, but it had nothing from you escaping. Except the metal monitors around their necks and the chains holding our hands behind our backs. I lifted my head up a bit, and everyone immediately stared at me. My eyes were still red. Still the blood red, which should have been impossible. But it wasn't. There were also guards in the train car with us, pacing back and forth. One stopped to look at me for a second before glaring at me and walking away. Then I noticed Charles. His gaze was turned to me. I could almost feel his sadness and disappointment in me. I had to turn away in order for him to not see the tears that had started to burn the corners of my eyes.

"Raven had the right of it." Charles said. "Jean was never the villain. I was. I should never have lied to her. I was wrong. But this power...inside of her, I never put that there. I would never do anything intentionally to hurt her. That isn't me and this is not Jean. We can still save her. She's still Jean inside."

I looked back down at the floor. I had to kill her. I didn't have a choice. I needed to kill the power. It was the only way.

"What exactly is controlling her?" Eric asked.

"I don't know." Charles said.

"Something that should have never been." I said, a bit louder than I meant.

"But this woman, this..." Charles said. "Thing... has had a taste of that power, and she'll be coming back for more, she'll be coming back for Jean."

"Good. Let her." Eric said.

"She'll kill her to get it." Charles answered. "But I promise you, the killing will not end there."

"That's not what Raven would have wanted." Scott added, and I knew he meant it towards Eric, Hank, and I. "You know that. You three do." That's when we heard it. Something, or multiple somethings, were on the top of the train car, making thumps as they landed.

"Alpha one, you have multiple hostels on board. They're heading towards the back." I heard one of the soldier's coms say as they held up their weapons towards the roof.

"Open four to fire."

"Copy that."

"All right, you two, come with me. The rest of you, stay here, guard the prisoners!"

As the guard barked his orders, I couldn't help but feel a pinch of guilt in my stomach. They'd be fighting like lambs going to the slaughter. They would never survive. On their own.

"Don't be fools!" Eric shouted as some of them opened the hatches to go into a different train car. "You need our help!"

"Lock it down! Now!" The guard barked his orders again. Then the hatch closes.

"Goddamn muties come to spring you." One guard said, stopping in front of me.

"They're not mutants." I said in a cold, loud voice as I glared up at him, my eyes still the same blood red color. "Free us, you're going to need our help."

"We're the only chance you have." Eric added.

"Keep your mouth shut." The guard hissed. I could hear shots exploding in the distance.

"What's the status on those mutants?" The guard said into his com.

"We're falling back now! They're not--" Then it cut off.

"What?" The guard asked. "They're not what?"

"They're not mutants!" Then it cut out again.

"They're here for Jean." Scott said.

"They're here for the power." I corrected him.

"Yeah, the power that just so happens to be in Jean!" Scott shot back.

"Get ready to open fire." The guard told another as they both made their way towards the entrance.

"Your kid was right about us." Kurt suddenly shouted to the guard. "We could help you!" Four guards rushed to the entrance, their guns ready to fire. Then something started banging on the door, making dents.

"Please!" Kurt shouted again. Then the door flew open and one of the hostiles stepped inside.