What the Future Holds
Part Ten - Second half
By CRIM§ON

Marrow drew a bone dagger from her back and started to pound on the glass, as beside her the boy they had know as Brian, disappeared, only to reappear outside in the corridor.

"I did it!" He said excitedly, looking at Kristine and she smiled back, as she helped Bobby to sit up. He looked to Hope, expecting her to give him her gratitude. Hope, however, was too busy trying to keep the electricity in check.

It was doubling in intensity with each passing second. Frightened, Brian hurried in pulling out Pix and Donald, so that she would be able to stop pulling that current into her body. The rest of the current was still running through her, and he hoped that she would be able to handle it.

Making haste, Brian quickly pulled the others out of their cells and knelt down next to Kristine and they embraced tightly. Pix bent down and picked up Casey, who was quickly descending into shock. Bobby and Angel tried to bring Pyslocke around and Donald moved to the fire, in a desperate attempt to try to open Hope's cell.

Angel saw Donald move to the controls and asked him what he was doing.

Donald replied quickly, without turning his attention from the controls. "Brian can't get her out when she's packing that much energy, and she can't let go of the energy unless she has something to put it into. I have to reverse the controls, and get her out before the energy destroys her and then explodes outward to destroy all of us."

Bobby looked up at Donald then to Hope, "Knew there was a simple explanation."

At that moment Hope opened her eyes and looked at him. "Glass..."

Slowly, she started to shake her head. Looking at her Bobby felt intimidated. This girl was being pumped full of pure electricity and fighting mutant power dampeners and she was still one her feet. He eyes were filled with so much electrical blue light that it was seeping out the edges. She looked like some sort of omnipotent Goddess trying to protect her people. "Cold glass."

"Cold glass." Hope repeated, as she nodded to Donald, in an attempt to thank him for the effort.

"Nooo," she said in despair.

"yess."

Seconds passed, and nothing happened. Seconds turned to minutes, and still nothing happened. Bobby was starting to get worried about the fact that he had frozen over the only vent in the capsule, when he heard something to his right.

"Leave now X-Men, and Sinister will spare your lives."

Bobby turned to see a man with shoulder length black hair staring at him with cold black eyes. At his feet lay Brian, curled up in a tight ball. He still looked conscious, but it was as if he had drawn inside himself, and had stopped responding to the outside world.

Next to him he heard a shrill scream, as Kristine lunged for their attacker's throat. In one fluid movement, he reached out with one hand and caught her around the neck. In the same motion, he smashed her against the wall.

Without breaking his eye contact with Bobby, he spoke to Kristine, although he was addressing them all. "Your lover is still alive child. You shall not be so lucky, unless the X-Men take Mr.Sinister's offer. He has no quarrel with them this day, and their death serves no purpose at this moment. Leave this place, and leave in one piece. Stay, and meet death head on."

Betsy started to stand and argue, but quickly fell back. At that moment the other the X-Men took up their places beside and in front of her. Passing Casey to Elizabeth, Pix steeped forward, coming up between Iceman, who was in the lead, and Angel who was on his left, directly beside his fallen girlfriend.

"Midnight Massacre. Sinister finally let y' off 'is leash?"

Taking her lead, Donald came up on the other side between Bobby and Marrow. "There's only one of you, and five of us. What makes you think you can take us," he taunted with a sly grin.

"Six..." Kristine grunted.

At this point, her assailant finally turned in her direction. "Little woman. Do you really think you can defeat me?" He pulled her up to his dark eyes and in the line of fire between himself and the others. As he did, his jade eyes swirled in anger.

All X-Men looking on figured by their brief knowledge of this woman that she would fight back with whatever powers she possessed. A sudden scream from Pix, however told them otherwise.

Brian stirred from out of his spell just in time to hear Pix scream. "Pixie?" He then saw a black clad man standing over him, holding his beloved by the neck. "KAT!!!"

"Brian...?" she questioned weakly.

"PA-THetic," 'Massacre spat, dropping her to the ground in a limp heap.

Brian rolled as best he could and looked into the eyes of the woman he had come to love. "Katty? Katty can y' hear me?" Tears were already running down his face, but as soon as he saw the empty blackness that had once been such loving eyes, the only thing in his mind was revenge.

With a roar, he lunged at 'Massacre in Kristine's name, much the same way she had done for him. Not wanting to loose any more of her friends, Pix reached out with the mutant power of levitation that she had been gifted with at birth.

Grabbing hold of Brian, she lifted him out of 'Massacre's reach, and tossed him through a door that was on the other end of the room. Choking back a tear at all the murder that had occurred, she looked at Donald and attempted to smile.

"Forget that you had your full powers back girl?"

"How do y' know I didn' mean t' do dat?" She retorted in false bravado. "I know you've felt like throwin him through a wall before."

"Didn't say it was wrong necessarily," he remarked, as they returned their attention to 'Massacre, who was waiting for them to make the next move.

"Hey!" Brian exclaimed reappearing behind them.

"Donald, Brian, take those two an' get outta here," Clearing her throat, and dropping her accent, Pix then addressed the X-Men. "Angel, Marrow, please, go find Remy and the others. Essex'll have 'em in the East wing."

"No way Pix. We're a team, I ain't leavin' you an'..." Donald looked at the ice encasement of their would-be leader. "I ain't leavin' you alone against him."

"She won't be alone," Bobby stated simply.

Donald stared at him then at her.

"You're the only one who knows the way out. Please, Donald, I need you to get them out."

With a sigh he nodded and turned to Brian.

"You're just going to let her take all the glory?"

"Brian, she's right. I'm the only one who knows the way. We gotta go."

"No YOU gotta go. I'm not--"

"Clear thoughts and cool head remember Ghost. You're too emotionally--" Pix started.

"And you AREN'T?"

"Phantom, you get your invisible but out of this complex, our I'll float you through the roof."

"You and what army? I'm not letting you take my revenge away!"

Midnight Massacre smiled satanically at their dispute. "Don't worry child. I shall dispose of these two in a matter of moments and then come for you and the others."

"Brian, come on!" Donald prompted, picking up Psylocke, being careful not to irritate the burns he found on her legs. "Get Casey, and let's go!" he yelled, running out the door.

Picking up Casey, Brian looked at what was left of Blaze's body. The chain of command was supposed to go Blaze, Hope, Kristine, Bull, Miranda, Pix, Donald, him, StarDust and Casey. Pix was 'low man down' but still higher then him. She had been born into a war, where as his fighting only began with Sinister. He knew the woman he had come to call 'Faith' would never let him down. That was when he decided to trust her. "See ya' in the real world, Faith." He looked to 'Massacre and smiled, "Pixie's gonna kick your sorry ass!" With that he took off out the door.

"Bobby?" Angel asked as Sarah started for the door herself.

"We'll be right behind you. Go get Gambit, before it's too late."

"Alright. Be careful. There's been enough death and I don't want to loose anymore friends tonight."

"Just the three of us," Pix said, turning to face Bobby, as Angel ran out the door.

"Four," A female voice replied from behind them. "Or have you forgotten already, that where the Midnight Massacre destroys his enemies, the Syphon stalks her prey?"

Bobby turned in surprise at the voice, but Pix was caught in a stare down with 'Massacre. "I hadn't forgotten. I was just hoping that Creed finally kept his word and ran you through."

"If you think that that little kitty cat could take me, you weren't paying attention that last time we sparred."

"I overestimated you. I thought y' t' be one of us. I thought y' were honourable and dat you were fighting by force only. I was wrong. I's a mistake dat I won't make twice."

"Too bad Velocity couldn't say the same thing."

At this, Pix visibly shuttered, but quickly regained her composure. "You take the big mouthed twit. The mass murderer is mine."

Smart kid. Don't take the one you want revenge on. Revenge makes you sloppy. You start making mistakes. "Alright."

"Watch her hands. She gets dem on ya an' it's lights out. They don' call 'er Syphon f' nothin'."

Bobby smiled as a plan came to mind, "Right."

With his acknowledgement to her warning, both she and Midnight Massacre jumped into motion. The two became a huge blur of moves, offensive and defensive, until you could hardly tell which was attacking the other.

Bobby, taking his cue from Pix, stood in a defensive pose. His powers worked best at a distance, and from what he had learned of Pix, hers worked up close and personal. As long as he could keep her beyond arms' length, he would be able to dominate this fight.

Syphon was slowly circling him, just as a predator stalks it's prey. Then, out of nowhere, she stopped, stood up straight and balled her hands into tight fists. She was between him and the other two now, and Bobby could see them fighting behind her.

Bobby was unsure of what to do now. He figured that she had stopped circling there for a reason, and he didn't want to find out what that reason was. If he fired now, there was a very large chance that he would take out Pix as well, but if he didn't fire, Syphon would be able to get the upper hand, literally.

Just then, Pix landed a hard kick to 'Massacre's stomach and he fell backwards, hitting the back of Syphon's calves.

Pushing a strand of hair out of her eyes, Pix looked down on him. "Y' 'ave no honour. Y' WORSE den a 'ssassin. Y' kill people in numbers, while y' hide in de dark. Y' can' e'en take me in a fair fight. Y' worthless, an' I'm surprised Sinister e'en deals with y'. E'en HE has a little honour."

"So you think that I'm just some trash with no honour, bitch?" With that a black light flashed out of his hands and into her body. She screamed, and fell back onto the ground. "Guess you're right. Tell me, why is it that your accent gets fifty times stronger when you're fighting? Can't concentrate on more then one thing at a time?" He asked as he started walking in her direction to finish the job he had started.

"Leave her alone," Bobby grated.

Syphon smiled, but the rigid tension didn't drain from her form. 'Massacre stopped in his progression, and turned to him. "Ice Man, isn't it?"

Bobby nodded, happy that he was no longer headed to Pix.

"Leave this place. Sinister has no desire to harm any of the X-Men."

"What about Jean and Cyclops?"

"The past. Over and done with. This is the present. This is what will lead to the future."

"What about Gambit?"

"If it weren't for Sinister, Gambit wouldn't even BE an X-Man."

"What do you mean?"

"You wish for an example? Sinister had Juillian attack Gambit the night of his wedding. It didn't suit his purpose that Gambit become 'Tied down'. What good is a Marauder with a family life? HE set Gambit up with Spat, HE set Gambit up with Fury, HE set Gambit up with the Morlocks, and HE set Gambit up with Storm."

'Fury?' As in Nick Fury? "Why? Why make Gambit an X-Man, only to take it away?"

"Experience. The key to battle. Gambit was always Sinister's prodigy. He has been molding him into his perfect soldier ever since he was born. The knowledge gained from his time with the X-Men could be very valuable for when he returned to work for Sinister.

What makes him so sure he'd return? "What makes you so sure he'd return?"

"He always has."

Bobby smiled. Gotcha "The past. Over and done with. This is the present. This is what will lead to the future."

"Touche. But you are ignoring the question at hand."

"Why are two murderers like you so willing to let me go? Why is Sinister so willing to let the X-Men go without a fight."

Syphon was getting irritated. Witty repartee, and interesting conversation had never been her forte, and frankly, she was bored with these two. "Let's just kill them and be done with it!"

Oh no, let's not do that. Bobby thought.

"NO! That wasn't part of the deal." 'Massacre asserted in a forceful tone.

Deal? What deal?

"Who cares? Sinister has what he wants! It doesn't matter now!"

What he wants...? Does she mean Gambit? ...What deal are they talking about?

"You have your orders."

At first she nodded and backed down, but then, as soon as 'Massacre's attention was off her, her eyes flew up at Bobby and she ran at him. "I don't care, I say we kill them now and deal with it later." She opened her fists quickly and allowed her hands to lengthen and sharpen.

She had started her assault with such speed that Bobby didn't have time to react. Before she could reach her prey, however, her progression stopped mid air. "Do I get a vote?" A wavery voice asked.

"I should have know you'd be up by now," Massacre stated without turning.

"Yes. You should have," She concurred.

"Put me DOWN!" Syphon wailed.

Pix just smiled.

"You BITCH!!! Put me down!!!"

"Well I suppose, if you insist." Reversing Syphon's progress, Pix slammed her backwards into Midnight Massacre.

"You okay, sir?"

"It's Bobby, and I should be asking you."

She shrugged off his concern. "We should-- Ack!"

"You'll stay down THIS time!" Massacre grated, pushing Syphon off of him. "It's about time you died little girl. In my opinion, you've lived too long already."

Getting up, he took aim at her. Bobby jumped into action. He lifted his own arms and blew with everything he had at 'Massacre, while at the same time 'Massacre changed the direction of his blow, and fired at Bobby.

It appeared to be a stand off, but then Bobby started to feel very weak. He stopped blasting at the same time as 'Massacre. Looking down, he noticed that Syphon had taken a hold of his leg, and was actually drawing the strength out of him and into herself. Shit... Bobby thought as he fell to his knees.

Looking up, however, he learned that he wasn't the only one falling at the moment. Midnight Massacre was screaming in pain and terror, as Pix used her powers to tear him apart, inside out. She was laying on the ground, looking up at him, not even looking as if she was breathing, and her eyes fixed to one place, but she was still fighting.

Bobby and Massacre hit the ground at the same time. As they did, Pix looked into Bobby's eyes, "I g't m'ne..." she whispered closing her eyes.

"Sorry... guessya picked the wrong partner..." He gasped back.

The word 'Partner' sparked memories in her. Hope...? she squeaked out over her mind link. Hope... rake it in girl... we need y' help...

...Pix? What's going on?

help...

Hope shook her head to clear the cobwebs. Her body was cold, but she could tell that the space around her was hot. For some reason, there was no breathable air around her. She was tired and in pain, and already the current was threatening to over take her, and pull back into the blissful oblivion again. She longed to be a part of that piece again, but Pix needed her. Still holding her broken locket tight to her heart, Hope stood as best she could and pushed on the glass. It wasn't as brittle as it should have been, but then again, Hope had no idea how long she was out. The heat inside might have countered the effects of the ice.

She pulled back against the back of the casement and then slammed the front with all she had. Nothing happened. She did this twice more, and still, nothing happened. On the fourth try, however, she heard a crack.

I'm commin'... I'm commin just hang on.

For the last time, Hope pulled back and flung herself into the glass. This time when she hit, she didn't stop right away. The glass and ice cut into her as she fell, but she ignored it. Climbing quickly to her feet, she surveyed the damage in the room.

She let out a small gasp when she saw Kristine, but continued along. There was a lot of energy coursing through her, and she was looking for action. Action, however, found her.

As her eyes landed on Blaze, she hesitated a moment. Syphon took that opportunity to come up behind her and wrap her arms around her.

Hope decided that this was as good a time as any to get rid of that access energy. "Suck on this!" She yelled, grabbing Syphon's wrists, and releasing everything she didn't want into her. "Hope you're good and hungry Vampire."

"Noooooo..." Syphon screeched, as everything Hope absorbed coursed through her, and into her enemy.

"Yes," Hope retorted, as the two of them fell to the floor.

She waited a few moments after she felt Syphon go limp, then let her drop to the floor. You okay Pix? She asked as she caught her breath. A few more minutes passed, and she didn't hear anything. Pix? She questioned, her head bouncing up to scan the room.

"Hey. Are you alright?" Bobby asked, leaning up against the wall.

"Pix?" Hope squawked out frantically, just finding her voice. Finally her eyes focused and caught sight of her best friend. "No..." She gasped, getting to her feet and stumbling over to her. "...I can't have lost you too..." Tears were falling down her face as she thought of Blaze, and of Kristine, and now...

She reached her and picked her up into her lap, whispering silent prayers for all those lost today. "Pixie? Pix can you hear me?" She begged desperately. "Everything's going to be alright now Pix. We're going to go home now, we're going to be free."

"...Promises... promises..."

"Oh thank God! I thought you were--"

"Well 'm not. I was just winded. Common," She sighed, getting to her feet. "Let's get the Hell outta here."

"Don't gotta tell me twice."

"Lead the way," Bobby declared, gesturing to the door.

Donald ran out the door as fast as he could. The woman he was carrying was drifting in and out of consciousness and the burns on her legs were really bad. Apart from those burns and the fact that every so often she would let out a soft moan or cry though, it didn't appear that she was that wounded. In fact she looked at least twice as goodas he himself did. Pushing his own problems out of his mind, Donald looked at Brian.

Brian was running for all he was worth. Although he didn't like to admit it, Brian was really quite a slow runner, not to mention a poor fighter. He was lucky that Pix had stopped him earlier or he'd be in the same boat as Kristine right now.

Poor Kristine. It's not right that she be killed just yet. Her life was so sad and painful, as was Brian's, until they had found each other. It had been sad and painful afterwards too, but at least they had each other to help them through. Donald sighed at that.

Casey doesn't look too good either. She must have linked with Blaze when his powers went off. I hope she's going to be alright.

'Hope.' Hmp. I wonder what happened with her. And with Pix and That X-Man. Or with Marrow and Angel for that matter. I hope their alright. Donald shook his head. I gotta start worrying about us getting out of here, before one of Sinister's goons catch up to us.

"Stay right where you are, and no one gets hurt," a woman ordered from behind them.

"You won't take us back alive Essex!" Brian yelled grabbing Donald's arm, and turning them all invisible.

"Essex?" Doctor Cecilia Reyes questioned, as she turned to Wolverine.

"Sinister," he responded in a gruff tone, then yelled to the others. "Knock it off, we're not working for Sinister. Come back out."

"How do you know they're still here?"

"If the kid was a transporter, they'd be out already."

One of the boys steeped out of the cloak and addressed them from a distance. "You're Logan aren't you?" Wolverine nodded and Donald nodded back.

"How did you know that?" The woman inquired.

The boy was apparently staring into space, and responded very nonchalantly, with a shrug, "Spent a lot 'a time training with Creed. Logan was the only person who ever really got under his skin. I eventually learned to use it against him." His voice seemed distant, and he had long since seemed to have ceased caring about the two X-Men.

He spoke again as if annoyed, but not to Wolverine or Cecilia. "Of course I'm sure... For Christ's sake Brian, I studied the guy for five months before I took out Creed... 'A little convenient'? They're probably here looking for Remy... Yeah well you don't trust anybody... Oh will you just shut up and put down your damn cloak?"

To Logan and Cecilia, it appeared that Donald was either nuts, or having a conversation with an invisible person.

As ludicrous as it may have sounded to any normal person, the second option was entirely accurate. In a matter of seconds, Brian appeared beside Donald, and Psylocke and Casey appeared behind them.

Brian looked at Donald, then at the two X-Men. "I hope you're right about this."

"You know I'm right," Donald responded as Wolverine and Cecilia ran towards them, or rather to the two females laying on the floor behind them.

"The girl appears to be in shock. Elizabeth has second and third degree burns on her legs, but that doesn't appear to account for why she's unconscious."

Brian stood to the side of the hallway and watched the whole seen as Donald bent down next to Casey. "I- I think I might know why," He stuttered without taking his eyes off Casey.

Logan and Cecilia gave each other a look, and waited for him to go on. Even Brian seemed interested, as had closed the distance between them all.

"Sometimes when Casey's upset, she'll reach out for one of us. Usually Hope or Blaze. But when Blaze... when he... was... he..."

"When he died Casey was terrified. She reached out to Blaze and felt his pain and then reached out to Hope and felt her fear, so she turned in on herself."

"Uh, yeah. She didn't want to go to anyone else for help because she was so hurt and afraid. The woman must have reached out to her... Somehow."

"That makes sense. She appears to be feeling shock, except, unlike most shock victims, she is still thinking logically enough to fight it off."

At that moment Betsy bolted upright in a gasp for air. She looked around at the faces surrounding her, and then reached out for the child, "Casey?" She squeaked, crawling towards her and scooping her up in her arms, "Come on. Snap out of it."

Casey opened her eyes looked around, and then nestled into Betsy's arms. Psylocke let out a huge sigh of relief, and then allowed herself to look at the others, "I just about had her calmed down, then something hit her from outside," She then glanced at Donald, "I think one of your friends may be in trouble."

Donald went wide-eyed, but Brian kept a logical head about him, "Do you know who or where?"

"No I don't. I just know that the link between them was very strong, and that they were in a lot of pain."

Brian nodded, "Hope or Pix."

"Yes?" Came the reply in unison, as the fore mentioned teenagers heard their names.

"What are you still doing inside?" Bobby interrogated.

"We ran into a few of your friends," Brian answered, gesturing to Logan and Cecilia, as Donald bounded up from his coached position on the floor.

"Hoooope!!! You're alright!!!" He screamed, just as a school girl seeing an old friend she hadn't seen in a long time, enclosing her in a hug.

"I'm happy to see you too Don," she whispered sheepishly.

"Ferme La! (Shut up) Y' bein' loud 'nough t' wake the dead," Pix hissed.

"If you guys are here, then who's pain did she feel?"

Casey let out a sob and pulled even closer to Betsy. She too let out a sob and cradled Casey closer.

"What is it Bets'?"

"Remy..." She gasped.

alright, I'm in enough of a rut to stop this for now.
CRIM§ON.