Saving Peter Maximoff

Chapter Eleven- The Great Escape

"Hyah! Kapow! Yaboom!" Wanda yelled as she hit the soldiers before her. The other three sent her strange looks, and she shrugged. "Do you guys ever watch movies?"

"Well duh! Just not ones where the characters shout comic book noises every time they hit someone!" Peter answered dryly. Wanda rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath. Peter was glad his sister's imprisonment hadn't broken her- she'd always come out of terrifying ordeals stronger and more confident- like the time they'd broken into the nuclear plant (again, a story for another time). She threw her hand forward, a blast of pure red energy incinerating all in its path. Peter zipped round, but frowned when he discovered he couldn't reach his full speed- something was muting his powers. He didn't have long to dwell on that fact, though, as there was a faint popping and Kurt was suddenly beside them.

"Come on! We are nearly there!" he gestured down a corridor, where they could see the same manhole that they'd come through earlier.

Peter sped towards it, slowing down time and pulling off the cover. He threw it at some guards, trusting physics to take care of then as he lead his friends nearer to the hole. He slowed down, and time returned to normal. The manhole cover scattered the guards as Kurt quickly transported them through the tiny opening and into the ice tunnels below. There was a sudden shift and a figure appeared out of the snow.

Ororo had been waiting for them, and she grinned when she saw them. Her eyes turned white, eliciting a gasp from Wanda, and the snow at their feet danced and swirled. They were soon standing in the eye of a snowstorm.

"That is sick!" Wanda yelled over the roaring winds, awe evident in her voice.

"Come on!" Ororo screamed, the wind whipping her white hair into a frenzy. "I can't hold this for long!" They fought their way against the wind and out of the tunnels, towards where the jet was hidden. They were halfway there when they heard gunfire, a blaze of bullets that managed to pierce the storm's strong winds. They sped up, almost there when there was a strange whining noise. Wanda gasped, and Peter could sense her fear.

"The Mutant Gun!" she shrieked above the howling winds.. "Stryker told me about it to tryna and scare me! It always finds its target- mutants! It'll hone in on our signatures!" Peter snorted.

"Mutant Gun? That's the crappest name I've ever heard!" He wiped some snow out of his eyes irritably. "They could at least name it something cool, like X-Finder or X-Terminator or-" he cut off, crumpling onto one knee with a yell.

He clutched one hand to his stomach, blood spilling through his fingers, his face a mask of uncomprehending shock. Wanda screamed, kneeling beside her brother as he started to sway. The Mutant Gun had found its mark. Jean turned white, quickly pressing two fingers to her temple to summon the Professor, to urge him to hurry. Ororo waved her hand and the winds quickened, creating a temporary shield from the bullets. But it couldn't last long.

Peter's eyes rolled back and he slumped forwards. Wanda caught him, pulling him against her. His head fell forwards, his body going limp as tiny pinpricks of light could be seen through the snow. Torches. There was a whirring sound, like an engine, and for a second Jean feared the Mutant Gun was restarting. But Storm cleared an area and the jet landed in the clearing, landing like a barrier between them and Stryker's men. The doors opened and Hank leapt out, followed by Erik. The two men sprinted towards them. Hank was clutching a first aid kit, Erik a metal chain. They skidded to a stop beside them, Erik waving his hands and destroying the torches. He then threw the chain through the winds and out of sight, which was probably the cause of the distant screams they heard a moment later. Hank fell to his knees and gently took Peter from Wanda.

He cut Peter's suit, peeling back the sides to reveal the bullet wound. Blood coated Peter's side, and there was more pumping out the wound. Hank bit his lip, taking a pair of sterilised tweezers out his first aid kit and using them to pull the bullet out. Peter whimpered, shuddering, as Hank cleaned the wound and applied the bandages, not even having the energy to cry out in pain. Peter's eyes closed as he slipped into unconsciousness.

"We have to go! Ororo can't hold the storm for long!" Erik shouted. He crouched down and picked up Peter's unconscious form, carrying him bridal style into the jet. One of Peter's arms hanging limply, his head lolling back. The others followed.

The door closed behind them and they strapped themselves in, Erik gently slipping Peter into his harness. They lifted off, and were soon heading home.

A/N: Hey guys! Only a few chapters left. I've been trying to get some Dadneto moments in, just love the relationship that would form between the two. The banter would be legendary.