The Demon's Angel

Chapter 55

Kurt
A rumbling in front of us caused us to look up. Slicing through the trees was the jet, flying haphazardly towards us. The children screamed, and Elizabeth hid her face in my neck. It crashed into the clearing without hitting any of us. I let out a sigh of relief before turning to Storm. "I vill take him," I said gently. Grabbing both Elizabeth and the Professor, I allowing her bare feet to touch the ground for a moment before we appeared in the jet. Bobby whipped around, and seeing my situation, helped me move the Professor into a seat. Rouge stared straight ahead, chest heaving. Then, I carefully put Elizabeth down, too. She sat awkwardly with her wings, but I did my best to make her comfortable.

   The door opened, and everyone else ran in. Storm made her way to Rouge, touching her shoulder gently. "It's ok, Rouge," she murmured. "You can let go, honey." Finally relaxing, the girl relinquished control of the jet.

    Logan was the last to rush onto the jet with the young boy that had fallen. "We've got to get to Washington," said the Professor urgently. "I fear this goes beyond Alkali Lake." I shuddered at the thought of going back to that place, but I said nothing.

    Jean looked at Logan worriedly. "I got him," he said, indicating the child before putting him down gently. "You ok?" asked Jean carefully. Logan smiled, probably for the second time since I'd met him. "I am now," he said.

     Storm fiddled with the control to no avail. "What's wrong?" asked Logan. "Thrusters offline," she answered, panic coloring her voice. "So fix it," he growled. The rumbling was getting louder. We were all sitting ducks waiting to be swallowed up by the lake.

    Storm looked around. "Has anyone seen John?" she cried. Logan looked around, too. "Pyro? Where the hell is he?" Rouge looked up. "He's with Magneto," she stated hollowly. There was a pause as the news sunk in, but then Storm looked down. "Oh no. We've lost power." She continued looking. "There's power in the fuel cells...." The man shook his head. "Storm, we need some external power." Storm looked up, understanding.

   Suddenly, he noticed something. "Jean? Where's Jean?" We looked up from the controls. "She's outside," said the Professor quietly. Everyone looked at each other with growing panic. The man stood up. "We're not leaving. Lower the ramp," he growled. He glared at Storm. "Storm, lower it!" Eyes wide, she tried and failed. She cried, "I can't! She's controlling the jet!" A lever moved as if of its own accord.

    I tried to teleport, only to stay in the jet. Logan grabbed my arm, spinning me around. "You, get her, now!" I shook my head as I tried again. "I can't," I said quietly. "She's not letting me." Logan cursed.

   The Professor spoke up in a strange voice. "I know what I'm doing," he said gently. "This is... the only way." The man ran towards the Professor, his voice spilling fear and sorrow. "Jean," he whispered. "Listen to me. Please. Don't do this!" The Professor smiled lovingly. "Goodbye."

      "No!" shouted Logan. We all stared in horror as the smile faded. Water flowed around the jet violently before it lifted into the air as we stood helplessly by. Water filled in the clearing where the jet, and Jean, had once been. "She's gone," whispered Logan. The man's face twisted. As he ran forward, Logan grabbed him by the shoulders. "Don't you say that!" he shouted angrily. I stared straight ahead, shocked. His voice cracked. "We've got to go back!" He fell against Logan, sobbing.

    The children watched, some confused, others sad. Storm's eyes filled with tears, and strangely, so did Logan's. It was the first and last time I saw him cry. The Professor stared straight ahead. I reached back and clutched Elizabeth's hand. She squeezed back.

    This woman had saved me. Not only from the certain infection that would have set into my bullet wound if Storm and her hadn't found me, but she also brought back my memories. She gave me the knowledge I needed to know that Elizabeth wasn't safe at home. She saved her life, and in turn, saved mine. She had done so much for me in such a short time, and she was gone before I'd truly gotten to know her. I blinked away the forming tears, closing my eyes. I began to whisper, "The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not vant." The man shook with sobs. "He maketh me lie down in green pastures. Yea zough I valk in the Valley of ze shadow of death, I vill fear no evil, for zou art vith me..." Jean Grey was gone, leaving a hole in the hearts of those whose lives she touched.

——
     We stood around, waiting for the Professor's signal. When he nodded, I grinned and teleported, appearing in the Oval Office, my friends surrounding me. The president looked shocked as we appeared among the frozen people. Thunder crashed as Storm grinned, white eyes practically glowing in the sudden darkness. "Good morning, Mr. President," said the Professor pleasantly. He saw me, and his eyes widened. I smiled sheepishly, waving. Elizabeth giggled from beside me. His breathing quickened, and he stood slowly. His whole body tensed, ready for flight. I lowered my hand slowly, looking away. Elizabeth took it, squeezing reassuringly.

    "Please don't be alarmed. We're not going to harm anyone." "Who are you people?" asked the president cautiously. The Professor smiled graciously. "We're mutants. My name is Charles Xavier." He gestured to the chair behind the president. "Please, sit down." The terrified man scowled. "I'd rather stand," he retorted.

   The Professor shrugged. "Rouge." She walked forward, placing a file carefully on the president's desk. "These files were taken from the private offices of William Stryker," he continued. The president's eyes narrowed. "How did you get this?" he asked in disbelief. The Professor grinned. "Let's just say I know a little girl who can walk through walls." The President examined the file. "I've never seen this," he muttered. "I know." The President scowled. "So you also know I don't respond well to threats." The professor smiled graciously. "This is not a threat. It is an opportunity."

    The man opposite of him raised his eyebrows. "There are forces in this world, mutant and human alike, who believe a war is coming. You will see from those files that some have already tried to start one. And there have been casualties, losses on both sides." He paused, allowing sorrow to wash over his face for a mere second before the professional mask returned. Similarly, Scott, the man with glasses, his hard look faltered for a moment.

    The Professor continued. "Mr President. What you are about to tell the world is true. This is a moment. A moment to repeat the mistakes of the past, or to work together for a better future." He smiled. "We're here to stay, Mr President. The next move is yours. We'll be watching." The last thing I saw before we disappeared was a strange look of mixed terror and respect in the president's eyes. Maybe today would be the beginning of a new world.