Marvel Story: X-Men First Class

Chapter #14

The White Queen of the Hellfire Club, Emma Frost gathers her minions Mystique, Black Cat, and Polaris. Emma struts back and forth, her white silk cape flowing gracefully behind her. Her platinum blonde hair cascades down her shoulders elegantly as she speaks, her pale glossy lips shimmering from the lights above.

"My Hellions have found the mutants hiding in the woods. I'm linked telepathically with their leader, Tarot. She sees the spy you described Raven... red hair, electric gauntlets, trained fighter." Emma says with her hand on the brim of her brow, keeping the telepathic link open with Tarot to listen in on Black Widow's conversation.

Emma snarls slightly as she telepathically sees Natasha retreat into a cave just outside Tarot's line of sight. Inside the cave Kitty and Lockheed do their best to nurse Sue and Ororo back to health. Storm seeming to perk up and Sue too. Lockheed's flame breath lights the embers of the fire.

Natasha comes up with a plan to infiltrate the Massachusetts Academy again. Saying Emma will surely send someone to find the students, so it'd be best if they moved out now. Storm agrees standing up slowly as Kitty helps her mentor to her feet. Nat grabs Sue and they sneak pass the Hellions leaving them tied to a large oak tree outside the cave.

Black Cat, Mystique, and Polaris find the cave abandoned by our hero's as the fires embers still burn slightly, seeming recently put out. Black Cat can't help but to chuckle at the Hellions as they struggle helplessly against the metallic cables binding them to the large oak tree. Polaris frees the students with her magnetic based mutant abilities. Raven growls before yelling at the students.

"Where are they?" Mystique says firing a bullet up into the air in a fit of rage.

The students cower in fear as Black Cat forcefully lowers Ravens gun. Mystique pulls away from Felicia before pointing the gun at her. Lorna gasps softly using her powers to pull the gun away from Mystique, throwing it off into the woods.

"How dare you?!" Raven hisses at Lorna.

Felicia standing between the two saying to Mystique, "What's wrong with you? They're just kids."

"Kids that have a job, just like we all do. It's us or them... simple." Raven says sternly.

Black Cats emerald eyes grow glossy as tears form on the rim of her eyelid. She thought she'd be making good money, not putting kids in danger. Felicia promised to protect Lorna and all of the other mutant students.

"You're right, I do have a job to do." Black Cat says slashing Mystique across the eyes.

Raven cries out in pain, clutching at her face. Felicia then grabs Lorna and the other students as they run back towards the Massachusetts Academy. Polaris stops giving Black Cat a puzzled look.

"Why'd you do that?" Lorna asks Felicia as she tries to catch her breath.

"She said it, it's either us or them... you gotta make a choice Lorna. Come with me or stay and be a pawn for the White Queen." Felicia says still holding onto Lorna's arm as the Hellions continue running towards the Massachusetts Academy.

"It's not her I'm worried about..." Lorna says, tears swelling in her eyes.

"Then who?" Black Cat asks.

"My father." Polaris answers, sobbing softly.

Felicia embraces Lorna in a warm comforting hug. Their tender moment interrupted by the sound of gun fire. Mystique screams with rage in the distance.

"Come on Lorna, we gotta go." Felicia says pulling Polaris along.

Kitty phases herself, Natasha, Sue, and Ororo through the doors of the Massachusetts Academy. At the top of the staircase they find the White Queen, Emma Frost surrounded by an army of mutants. Kitty looks around, many of the mutants are kids her age.

"Why would you risk your lives for this witch?" Natasha asks the students sincerely holding up Sue across her shoulder.

"Easy... They have no other choice." Emma stats simply, telepathically controlling the minds of her students at the Massachusetts Academy.