Beautiful Ruins

Chapter 41

I push Clover behind me, and I see Peter standing protectively in front of MJ. I glance around the room, looking to see if there's any metal Magneto can use, not that it matters. There's bound to be metal somewhere in this stupid building.

"What do you want?" Peter asks, fighting the three of them will be easier than fighting Loki, it's still going to be a difficult fight but at least we have an actual chance this time.

I glance at Scarlett; something tells me this is the end for us. She's finally cut the cord connecting me to her, the last shred of me that cared is gone. She hasn't just put my life in danger, she's put my friends in danger and that can't be forgotten or forgiven.

"Just the death of all avengers, the two of you are going to help with that" Magneto says, looking directly at me. "I've already sent the two of you on a mission to kill Tony Stark, now I'm going to send you again. If you fail, Clover and MJ die."

"Look, I will totally murder Steve Rogers for you" Clover says seriously. Despite the situation, I smile at her comment. I see Peter looking slightly amused, but also very stressed. It is comforting and sweet that Clover hates people who don't like me, I just hope this attitude won't get her killed or roped into a mission she can't complete.

"I'm not killing Tony for you; I'm not killing anyone for you ever again" I say stepping forward slightly. Peter grabs my wrist, but I shake it off, I'm not going to engage in a fight just yet, this is a fight I will avoid if possible.

"You were such a promising student before the avengers got their ideas in your head, I expected so much more. You were calculated and ice cold, you never made mistakes, what happened to that girl?" Magneto says, clucking his tongue. My nails dig into my palms, I didn't come here to walk down memory lane and relive the days where I did whatever Mystique said.

"She died the moment she discovered your lies, and you know it" I say, if they were certain I wouldn't have had any issues with them killing innocent people, they would have told me before the mission. Hell, killing Tony would have been the ultimate loyalty test if I knew he was my biological father.

Mystique pulls out a gun and I quickly step in front of Peter, MJ, and Clover. "Go ahead, shoot it" I say, I can stop the bullets from hitting us, Mystique is aware of my powers, she's not planning to actually shoot us.

"Not me" Mystique says quietly, handing the gun to Scarlett. I close my eyes; I had really hoped there wouldn't be a repeat of the train station. "You won't hurt Scarlett, we've ensured that." My eyes flicker from the gun to Mystique for a second, only a second. They've ensured that?

"Yes, your loyalty is just as strong as your powers in some ways" Magneto agrees, he's wrong. I was loyal and bound to Scarlett, but my connection to Peter, Clover, and MJ are so much stronger, they are the people I will protect now.

Clover steps next to me. "Oh, Scarlett, for the life of me I cannot see why Storm befriended you. You can't make your own choices, you have no conscience, and you don't seem like your much fun" she sighs. I don't take my eyes off the gun, or I would have looked at Clover. Why is she riling up Scarlett?

"Get behind me" I say to Clover, still not risking removing my eyes from Scarlett or the gun. A second of looking away could mean somebody's death.

Scarlett glances at Mystique, waiting for the next order. I can't believe they faked Mystique's death in the cave, but it makes sense. We didn't even consider the possibility of someone else posing as Mystique. There are potions that can make you look like someone else; I just didn't even think of that until now.

Our best (and only) option is to fight our way out of here, we can stand here trading insults all day, it won't bring us any closer to Stark towers. Maybe we should befriend someone who can create portals, that could save our lives.