As The World Turns Cold

Mind Games

The car door slammed shut as the last member of their band of misfits stepped out of the vehicle. After stopping once during the night, they headed straight to the destination. They were all too eager to put an end to all of this.

It felt nice to be out of the cramped space. The close quarters reminded Mercy of her former living arrangements. The memory of that had left her bitter and weary for the remaining hours in the trip.

Now that they had arrived meant it was time to crash a science party and take down the villainous men and women if there were any.

"Everyone ready?" Mercy asked in a whisper.

There was no sense in speaking up when there could be someone watching them from the distance. Always be aware of your surroundings. It isn't wise to leave any room for mistake.

Rogue was the first to reply. "As ready as we can be right?" His gaze traveled over the other members. His hair was disheveled and there was an evident crease in his brow. Somehow, Rogue was the one that looked the most unsure.

The others nodded their consent. Mercy shifted her weight and wrung her knuckles. She was shaking like a leaf. The fear must have been completely evident on her face.

Looking around at her other companions Mercy saw that she wasn't the only one letting the fear get to her. They were equally weary about what they were getting themselves into.

"Let's get this show on the road, then."

Her voice was as shaky as her form. She was angry at the shakiness in her tone. She was always brave. Mercy didn't have room for worry and fear in her mind, but now that they were ready to march in and make their demands she was restless.

It is easy to be a leader and act confident and all powerful when you're not face to face with the situation. She was standing directly in front of the building that housed many individuals all like the man that made her life a living hell. Now that there was nowhere to run to, it was hard to keep her cool.

They would all be as greedy as he was for information once they saw Mercy and her friends. Surely they would all have a few tricks up their sleeves as well. And if Mercy and her mutant squad were to fail, there was no telling what else they would have to endure if they survived.

Rogue stepped up in front of her and took her hands in his. He leaned his forehead against hers before talking, "Breathe, Mercy. It's okay to be afraid. We all are. But we are also a team and I have complete faith in our abilities."

Mercy shied away from his touch. She never had been the best person to give or receive comfort. In light of her attraction to Rogue, she had never wanted affection before but he was still hiding something from her and the thought made her skeptical at best.

"You carry a lot of secrets. Sure you can handle the weight of faith, too?"

Rogue let out an agitated breath and his brows creased. He worked hard to contain his anger as he spoke. "I've done my fair share of proving to you that you can trust me. Faith is nothing compared to the weight of your trust weighing me down considering I don't seem to have any of it. My past is full of mistakes and that is all I am hiding from you, I swear to it."

He paused. Rogue came close and reached out a hand. His fingertips were just about to touch her cheek when he pulled his arm back. He shook with frustration as he fought the urge to reach out to her. It was as much a comfort to him as it was to her.

"To survive this I need you to have a little faith in me. Trust me, Mercy. I'm prepared to lay my life down for you. I would willingly walk into the fiery pits of Hell for you if it meant you would not doubt me."