𝖆𝖓𝖎𝖒𝖆 𝖎𝖒𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖆𝖑𝖊 ━ 𝖑𝖔𝖌𝖆𝖓 𝖍𝖔𝖜𝖑𝖊𝖙𝖙

𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 14

When the sun finally hit Verena's eyes, she took her time getting out of bed. She sat up, stretching her arms above her head, a satisfying crack echoing from her back. Sliding out of bed, she felt the cold bite of the hardwood floor against her bare feet. She padded quietly along the hallway, one of her knees popping as she moved.

The mansion was eerily quiet. No kids, no X-Men in sight. The silence made her stomach twist slightly, but she pushed it aside as she headed toward the children's rooms, her thoughts on Rogue after last night's ordeal.

She stopped in front of Rogue's door and slowly opened it, poking her head in. "Rogue, tesoro?"

The room was empty. The bed was made, the closet bare. A rush of panic surged through her. Verena spun on her heel and hurried back toward the staff wing, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Logan!" she called as she reached the top of the stairs, her voice urgent. She raced down the hall. "Logan!"

She burst into his room, the door swinging wide to reveal a shirtless Logan lounging in bed, his expression turning serious the moment he saw her.

"Logan, Rogue's gone!"

He sat up immediately, tension rippling through his muscles. "What?"

"Rogue, she's gone! I don't know when, but I checked her room, and she's not there. She didn't take anything with her."

Logan muttered a curse under his breath, already climbing out of bed. He swapped his sweats for a pair of jeans and pulled on a t-shirt in one swift motion, grabbing his jacket from the chair. He paused only briefly to glance at Verena, the two of them sharing an unspoken understanding.

"Let's go," he grumbled, slipping on his boots as he headed out into the hallway, Verena right behind him.

Verena trailed behind Logan as they made their way down to the basement. His heavy footsteps echoed in the corridor, but she kept her pace light, despite her concern for Rogue gnawing at her insides. She kept glancing at him, trying to gauge his mood—though, as always, Logan was hard to read.

As they neared the meeting room, Storm joined them, her presence adding a calm to the tension. Verena shot her a warm smile, softening her otherwise brisk walk.

"'Morning, Ro," Verena greeted, her voice steady, but her eyes mirrored the urgency of the situation.

Storm returned the smile, though her brow furrowed slightly. "Good morning, Verena." Her usual calmness wavered, noticing the serious look on both Verena and Logan's faces.

Verena kept up with Logan's long strides, her mind racing about Rogue. She hoped it was just nerves, that they'd find her in the mansion, safe and sound, but her gut told her otherwise. Something was off.

When they arrived at the lab, Logan immediately cut through the silence, his voice low and impatient. "Where is she?"

Scott turned, confusion creasing his face. "Who?"

But the professor already knew. He'd sensed it long before Logan had entered the room. "Rogue. She's gone," Charles confirmed, his voice heavy with concern.

Verena's stomach dropped. She clenched her fists, holding back the frustration bubbling up inside her.

The professor, without further explanation, led the group—Logan and Verena included—down the hall. The sterile scent of metal and machinery filled the air as they reached the circular door that loomed before them, locking away the answers they sought.

The door scanned the professor's eye, and an automated voice filled the hallway, "Welcome, Professor."

As the door slid open, Verena followed behind, Logan at her side. The room beyond was massive—round, empty for the most part, with cold metallic walls that curved up to the ceiling. The air seemed charged with something more than just technology. Verena's eyes widened slightly as she took in the sight.