Mistress of the Elements: Storm/Ororo fanfic

Chapter 10- the channel

Shuri insisted on keeping in close communication with all parties. She prepared each individual a micro contact lens that would allow them to communicate with one another and herself if needed.
Storm did not wish to wear one and blatantly refused despite glaring looks from the girl and the rest of the party. T'Challah shrugged and asked her to take it "just in case" but reminded everyone it was not a requirement to wear... which merely roused in the others enough guilt to put their contacts in.
The Wolverine also refused, however, he did so by skipping the briefing entirely and heading to the blackbird to double check supplies. He knew full well that Jubilee would brief him (nonstop) as they traveled.
In no time the team was in transit to the Mozambique Channel, as it was rumored that the mutant youth were being smuggled out of Kenya and taken to the sea before sailing south for training. Tanzania's president was working closely with the Kenyan prime minister to monitor ships heading for the channel but they had yet to obtain any more information about the traffickers.
It was clear, however, that the rebels had access to advanced technology, which might suggest a financial backer. Whoever it was, however, had not made themselves known in the mutant world, so they had to investigate with caution.
The camouflaged blackbird skimmed the water as it hovered just above the surface. The mutants inside stood in tense silence- poised and ready for action. In contrast, Storm looked bored. She was asked to travel with the group inside of the great metal beast instead of on her own. It was limiting her ability to reach the full extension of her elemental senses and that frustrated her to no end. Only T'Challah knew of the witch's stewing and he placed a gentle hand on hers as he spoke idly with Okoye.
Ororo tried not to stiffen. An intimate gesture from him was unexpected after days of deliberate avoidance. The last time he had touched her was on the plane ride to Wakanda, and she had chided herself after for allowing it. Suddenly finding herself missing his scent and warmth in the night and days that followed, she felt a fool once more. A quiet, low growl from the front of the plane called her out of her thoughts. Ororo was thankful for such a distraction.
The king felt her rigidity as she pulled her hand away. He halted his conversation with Okoye momentarily and looked at Storm questioningly. The goddess smiled politely as she tipped her head and began to stand, freeing herself of the accursed belts and latches that confined her to the infernal metal monster.
Ororo walked cautiously to the front of the plane and looked out as Jubilation continued some sort of one sided conversation from the copilot seat. "It is good to know somethings stay the same." The older woman declared to the younger. Jubilee kept an eye on the water, and, like T'Challah, placed her hand over the one that appeared on her shoulder. This time Ororo welcomed the sense of intimacy from the child she helped to raise.
"Happy to see you too Aunty Ro... although it is a little weird not having you up front- are you sure you don't want to switch seats?"
Ororo saw the muscles in the wolverine's neck tighten and she smiled to herself as she allowed her scent to move through the air. He was clearly thinking about more than the mission.
"In fact, I came to ask you to open the hatch so that I may investigate on my own. There may be many things, Jubilation, that we are missing if we are confined to this equipment." She waved her hand at the scanners and sonar that Jubilee was monitoring as they moved. Ororo had a hunch that the training facility might be under the waters of the channel somehow hidden by mutants or technology that was yet unknown. Waiting until they docked on land meant they may miss the mark altogether. Besides, without full access to the elements, she felt exposed- something she never wished to feel again after leaving the X-men.
Jubilee scrunched up her nose. The younger woman was not used to hearing requests. As far as she knew, Storm was in charge when she was with the X-men and it was strange to hear her ask permission when Jubilee knew the Goddess was much more powerful and experienced than herself.
T'Challah suddenly appeared behind them. "May I ask what we are discussing?"
Ororo watched as Logan's biceps gripped the steering column and he curled his lips into a silent snarl.
"I am going to exit the blackbird." She said simply. Jubilee took that has her cue and pulled the hatch door free.
"Better take a seat, your majesty. You don't want to get sucked out." The younger girl warned joyfully.
The king looked at Ororo uncertainly. She had taken over again. The witch would always want to be in charge, but never bothered to elaborate. It was as if she trusted no one to help her and it drove him mad.
T'Challah resumed his seat with some difficulty, never breaking eye contact with the witch. His displeasure seethed and she smiled back at him momentarily and mockingly bowed.
Within moments, the hatch was opened and Ororo was guided by the winds some distance from the blackbird. The freedom of the skies invigorated her and she felt her powers increase yet again.
As the elements consumed her consciousness she immediately felt a small disturbance under the water. A rogue mutant perhaps? Not unlikely- this was Africa after all- so many mutants were living and thriving in their ancestral homes.
But the winds also seemed to whisper to her below the surface- a very uncommon occurrence indeed. Ororo dove below the water to immerse herself in the strange vibrations and immediately her instincts were confirmed.
Through her enhanced senses, she could feel a a network of tunnels running along the bottom of the channel- leading to some type of structure. There were mutants down there as well. Two along the networks closest to her, both, somehow manipulating the surrounding water to neutralize any disruptions to the flow of the tides in the channel- blocking any sonar detection. The sheer force it would take to control that much water would classify these mutants as level 3 at the very least. Storm would have to find a way to infiltrate the network in order to find out more.
Refusing to wear the communication device, however, meant she would have to inform T'Challah in person. And telling the blackbird to land or stop would mean alerting the water-manipulating mutants to their presence.
In the next moment, Ororo found herself floating down toward the tunnel, unsure of what she would find, but confident her elemental children would protect her.