Rita Valentine ~ X-Men

three.

~*~

"We got a problem." I heard Levene say from the drivers seat.

"What?" I asked as I opened the little window separating them from the back.

"I'm so sorry. This wasn't on the map." Moira said.

I sat back stunned; we are not going to come out of this well. "No matter what happens, act normally. I'll take care of this, all right?"

"How will you do that?" I asked.

"You'll see."

"Where are you going?" A voice asked.

"What are they saying?" Charles asked me.

"They're asking where we are going, but they want to see in the back."

"As you wish." Levene said opening the back.

The men in the truck armed themselves. "Easy, easy. Take it easy, chaps."

"Anything back there?"

"Nothing. It's empty."

"How did you do that?" I asked Charles amazed as we continued on our way.

He tapped his head. "I can make people see things, if I want to."

"What kind of things?" I asked.

"I'm not telling you." Charles said with a wink.

We arrived and quickly fanned out; only to find the reason we were here wasn't here. "Where is Shaw?"

"I don't know." Charles said, "but if she's a telepath and I read her, she'll know we're here. Let me try something else." After a few moments, he sighed unhappily. "He's not coming."

"So, what now, boss?" Levene asked looking at Moira.

"Now, nothing. We're here for Shaw." Moira answered.

I sat back on my heels. "Mission aborted."

"The hell it is." Erik said.

"Erik."

"She's his right-hand woman. That's good enough for me."

"The CIA invading the home of a senior Soviet official. Are you crazy?" I asked him.

"I'm not CIA." Erik said, and then he ran away.

"Erik!" Charles said.

"Lovely." I muttered under my breath.

"We have to do something." Charles said.

I gave him a look. "You'll get yourself killed."

"Like what?" Moira asked. "We're moving out."

"We can't!" I said as I grabbed his arm.

"You can't, but I can. I'm sorry Rita, I can't leave him." Charles said, and then he ran off.

Moira and the others went back, but I said I would stay. I told her that only one of us hiding and waiting would be easier than over ten. Moira reluctantly agreed, but I wasn't sure it was the best idea myself.

"Charles, how did it go?" I asked as he and Erik came running back.

"We need to get back as soon as possible." Charles said as we ran back to the truck.

I gave him a concerned look, "what's wrong?"

"I think Shaw has gone after the others." We ran as quickly as we could. The entire plane ride back was in silence. We were all afraid of what could have happened, Moira tried contacting the base, but nobody answered. At least not until we got back on the ground.