X-Men: Civil War

Chapter 11: Sequal

Maxine Lehnsherr

After running through several cities; I'm glad we're finally stopping in one that's close to home, New York. Although there are many people walking around it's crowded sidewalks, it'll help us blend in when we have to move.

"We'll stay here for tonight." Bobby says and we step inside an alley with scattered trash cans. When we all sit down, a set of shivers run down my back and up my wings. Something feels off.

"I'll take first watch, you two get some rest." Adam says and we nod our heads, but I stay awake while Bobby dives into fits of snores. I get up and sit next to Adam.

"You really need sleep." He says when I lay my head on his shoulder.

"I know, but I feel really odd, like butter scraped over too much bread." He shifts his body weight and looks down at me with kindness and amusement.

"You've seen Lord of the Rings?" He cracks a smile and I return the gesture.

"Well, I've done more than just watch the movies, I've also read the books." His laughter echos around the brick walls, and mine joins it, until a voice sears into my mind.

"Enjoying yourself, are you little bird?"

No. It can't be.

Johnny Dee

"But of course it is, who else could make you do this?" I raise her wings and, through her eyes, see her take off into the night.

Maxine Lehnsherr

I have no control over my actions as I soar into the inky night sky.

"Adam!" I yell while he jumps up in surprise and turns his cracked face up to my figure.

"Maxi, what are you doing!?"

"I can't... Stop!" I can't speak, but I can watch as Bobby jumps up and everything clouds over.

Bobby Drake

"You can't save her anymore than last time, Drake." Not again, what is with this guy?!

"Hey, Adam, I need you to try and keep her here until I'm back with help." His eyes widen.

"Wha- who?"

"The closest backup who'll actually help, the Avengers." I run through the streets of New York, partially using ice and running where I can't until I reach their tower. My eyes find a doorbell of sorts and I feel a buzz when I press it. No one answers.

"Come on Stark." I freeze the gates and the loud shriek of an alarm sounds into the night air, followed by one and then silence.

"Why'd you have to wake me up so... early?" The ,almost automated, voice of Tony Stark sounds from a red and gold piece of metal.

"I need your help, because my friend is in trouble; you know the name Johnny Dee?"

"Yeah, but he's locked up, and he hasn't had access to any DNA samples." He comes down a little from his perch in the sky.

"Obviously that's not the case, or I wouldn't have risked my freedom in getting you." 

"I- don't know..." He's cut off by the sound of a scream in the distance.

"Your friend?"

"Probably."

Adam

"Hold, still." I grunt under my breathe as my friend struggles to get out of my cement grip that holds her in the air. Of course I know it's not really Maxi under there, someone's controlling her and if I don't keep her here they'll make her do some pretty bad things.

I hear the gasp of someone behind me while concentrating on Maxi and turn around to see a late night jogger.

"Good- uh... evening, Ma'am?" Her expression changes to horror and I realize that I've been distracted. The cement that once held her in place crumbles and she stands before me, like a hawk upon it's prey.

"Hello, boy, you're lucky this bird cares for you, or the damage that I would inflict on you would be lethal." Her fist flies at my face and the stars follow in suit as land on my back a few yards away; hitting my head on a brick wall.

Maxine Lehnsherr

A voice, in the darkness, calling, waking me.

"Hello?" It's a man's voice.

"Who's there?" My own replies.

"Freedom, I'm here to assist you." I open my eyes and see the ground below me, Adam unconscious by a pile of bricks, and right beside him, the silhouette of a dog.

Bobby Drake

Stark lifts his arm and his repulser buzzes with energy.

"Wait, don't hurt her, she's not in control of anything she's doing." A shot of energy comes from his suit and Maxi falls from the sky, I turn with anger towards the billionaire playboy.

"Hey, she's fine, I just knocked her out, and she'll hopefully be fine when she wakes up, but she's going to have to stay at the Avengers tower as a precaution." Just great, Emma's gonna kill me for this.

"She doesn't belong with the Avengers, let her come home, we'll make sure she's OK." He shakes his head and we head over to where Maxi and Adam both lay unconscious.

"We'll have to make sure she's in control of her own body before anything is decided upon where she goes." I look down at her, she's not going to like this either.

"Fine, but if I find out that anything has happened to her while she was at the Avengers tower, the X-Men will no longer be a neutral part in this 'war'." he nods his head in agreement.

"Ugh, Bo-bobby?" Adam's awake, he's not going to want to leave her.

"Hey Adam, we have to go." He sits up and uses the wall to stand.

"I'll help with Maxi then." He wobbles forward and I walk over to him to stop him.

"She's not coming with us." He frowns at me.

"Why not, she's hurt, we need to get her back to the institute." I shake my head.

"She's staying with the Avengers."  His eyes widen and he surges forward towards her.

"No, we can't leave her here!" I push back on his shoulders.

"We don't have a say in the matter," he tries to get to her again and I stop him, "You have to trust me." He looks at me and reluctantly nods his head.

I turn to look at Stark who gently picks her up with his red and gold arms.

"Let's go." Adam turns and kicks a piece of brick into the shadowy end of the alley. Movement then follows and I swear I see the shape of some sort of dog.