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[kanedax]

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Title: The New Mutants II, Volume XX: Taking Sides
Author: kanedax
Fandom: X-Men Movieverse, plus other Marvel ‘Verses
Rating: PG-13 for language
Spoilers: X3; New Mutants I & II (see above)
Summary: Sides are chosen, decisions are made
Notes: Two in a day. Sick days leave time for the computer to type. I’m seeing three more chapters after this one. As usual, I don’t own the X-Men, 20th Century Fox, or Marvel Comics. Oh, and Stan Lee is a Greyhound-driving god.

Previous Chapter (Reunion) / Next Chapter (The Build-Up)

The X-Men and the remaining members of Project Defender looked on in awed silence as the green energy that had devoured Dr. Bruce Banner slowly floated up into the New York sky. All was silent around them, as the crowd, held back by police barricades, stood stunned.

Ororo Munroe, after spending what felt like the last hour inside a boardroom with the Richards family, was the first to break the silence.

“Jono,” she breathed, running towards the lifeless body of Jono Starsmore. The containment suit that he had worn around his body was smashed into the cavity that had been created after he mutated. The energy that had been living inside the cavity, glowing pink and bright, was now gone.

“Alright, nobody move,” Tony Stark said quietly as the fighters quickly came to their senses.

Logan turned to the remaining X-Men. “Rogue, get Forge into the helicopter. Pete, go find Cassidy.”

Rogue, her face still covered by Peter Parker’s mask, nodded and re-adjusted Forge on her shoulder. Peter Rasputin ran towards St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and Franklin Richards followed close behind.

“What are you doing here?” Peter asked as they ran.

“Long story,” Franklin replied. “I tried to soften the blow when I saw he started flying. I can feel his mind. He’s still alive, but he’s in a hell of a lot of pain.”

“You’re all under arrest,” Tony muttered. Ben Grimm stood next to him, his eyes still echoing the shock that his mind had embraced.

Peter and Franklin pulled away the pile of white marble that had fallen when Sean Cassidy was plowed into the centuries-old church. After a few moments, in which Colossus’ steel body was able to pull much more rock than Franklin’s, they found Banshee, unconscious and bleeding. As Peter reached down to pick him up, Franklin stopped him with a touch on his arm.

“I think he broke a few bones,” said Franklin. “His neck doesn’t look right.”

Peter leaned down for closer inspection, and saw that Franklin was correct. Sean’s head, although still breathing, was tilted at an odd angle.

“We need to get an ambulance down here,” said Peter. “With a stretcher.”

Logan ran to Ororo, who had Jono’s head propped up onto her leg, her finger on her neck. She looked up, her eyes wide with shock.

“He’s dead,” she said quietly.

“I said nobody move!” Tony Stark yelled, his voice projected through the loudspeaker embedded in his helmet. As he yelled, he flung his arm out, and an electric pulse flew through the air. It connected with Logan, who crumpled to the ground. “You’re all under arrest for aiding and abetting in the murder of Doctor Robert Bruce Banner.”

“We don’t have a lot of time,” Franklin whispered to Peter. “You pick him up. I don’t have the power to lift him myself, but I have enough to make sure his head and neck are stable.”

“Are you sure you can?”

“I’m telekinetic, Boris,” Franklin said, a small smile crossing his face. “This is nothing.”

“You have the right to remain silent,” said Tony, removing a neural inhibitor from a compartment on his leg. “Ben, Reed, Susan, help me out here.”

Reed and Susan Richards, their minds both slowly returning from their journey, exchanged a look. A moment passed between them, the type of communication that can only be exchanged by close friends, siblings, or married couples.

Franklin Richards recognized it, and also glanced into their minds long enough to piece together their intent.

Nobody move, he thought, broadcasting his thoughts to each member of the X-Men. Nobody say anything.

“I said collar them, Richards,” yelled Tony.

Reed and Susan exchanged another look. Susan nodded to him. Reed nodded back, then whipped his head toward Tony. As he did, he extended his neck and arms, slamming his head and his fists into Tony Stark’s body with all of his strength. Not prepared for the attack, Tony was thrown backwards, landing twenty feet away on his back.

At that same moment, Susan Richards raised her hand. The X-Men felt a wave of energy pass around them, with Stark and Grimm on the other side.

Franklin, can you hear me? Ororo thought.

I can hear you, Professor, he thought back.

Tell Rogue to teleport everyone into helicopters, quickly.

Is this a force field? Logan thought as Rogue disappeared into a puff of smoke, carrying Forge to the body of the chopper.

It’s an invisibility field, Susan Richards replied. They can’t see us.

Ororo and Jono disappeared from next to him as he continued to lay on his back, motionless.

I didn’t know you could do that, thought Reed as Logan disappeared.

Susan shrugged. Neither did I.

It won’t fool them long, thought Peter as he and Franklin teleported to the helicopter.

Doesn’t have to, thought Ororo. It’s buying us a few seconds, and that’s all we need.

“Where’d they go?” Ben asked ominously. “Where did the helicopters go?”

Tony Stark shook his head. He watched with his helmet’s heat vision scanners as the remaining members of the X-Men teleported into the helicopters. The noses of the vehicles heated to a bright red as the engines roared to life, their noise quickly dampened by the field, as well as by the quickly rising volume of the crowd. He watched Susan and Reed Richards teleport with them, and smiled behind his helmet.

“They must have teleported,” he said aloud. “One of them must have been able to take the helicopters with them.”

“Maybe they left something behind,” Ben said, walking towards the empty space.

“Leave it,” Tony said sharply. “Come on, we have a lot of work to do.”

As Ben Grimm turned back hesitantly toward the area where, seconds before, the X-Men once stood (Did he see a note of hesitation beneath that craggy orange face? Possibly one of regret?), Tony Stark smiled again.

This is working out better than I anticipated.

“Shanyone fallin ush?”

“What?”

Forge tried to enunciate his words, but his cracked jaw screamed in protest.

“Shany one fallin ush?”

“Professor, are you sure you’re okay?” Jones said through the headphones as the two helicopters sped off toward the island “I can take over the controls by remote, if you want.”

“I fine,” Forge replied. “Jush kee uh the radar curran.”

“What?”

“He’s fine,” Ororo repeated from the other chopper. “Just keep up the radar block, make sure they can’t see us.”

“Well, overall,” Logan said from the co-pilots seat, “I’d say that was a successful plan.”

“Define ‘shuckshesh,” Forge groaned. He took a moment to look behind him, where Peter and Rogue were leaned over Sean Cassidy’s body. They had been able to find a spine board hidden underneath one of the floor boards (“Not too surprising, considering who these helicopters are made to protect,” Logan had said), and the three had carefully strapped Sean down, making sure his head and back were stable.

“Emphasis on the ‘suck’,” said Rogue wearily.

“You can take your mask off now,” said Peter. Rogue’s hands flew to her face, and patted around it.

“Oh,” she said, chuckling. “I kinda forgot I was wearing it.” She reached down to her neck and pulled up, squealing slightly as she removed it. “Ouch,” she said, pulling her ponytail free. “Definitely not built for hair.”

Peter smiled at her gently, running his gloved hand briefly across her hair. “Everything still seems to be in place.”

“Yeah,” she said, still panting. “And I’m not a big green giant, so good on me.”

“If you two could avoid the flirting over me, I’d much appreciate it,” Sean groaned from beneath them. The two both jumped back in unison at the voice.

“You’re awake!” Rogue yelled, flying back to him.

“And in a lot of pain,” he said.

“He’s in pain,” Rogue yelped. “Wait, pain is good, right?”

“Depends on your viewpoint,” Sean moaned, wincing as he took too deep of a breath.

“Can you feel your legs?” Peter asked. “Your arms?”

“More than I’d like to.”

“Cassidy’s awake,” Logan said into the headphones.

“Good,” Jones said. “Can he talk? Cajun’s hands are about to fall off from lack of blood, Theresa’s been squeezing them so hard. Dr. MacTaggert’s got the Vulcan Neck Pinch going on me pretty bad, too.”

“Take deesh,” Forge said, motioning his head toward Logan. “You’re da earsh now.”

“Whatever you said,” Logan said, pulling the cordless headphones from Forge’s ears and handing them back. Peter took them, loosened them as well as he could, and placed them carefully over Sean’s head.

“I’m here,” said Sean into the microphone.

“Daddy?” a quiet voice came through into his ears.

“Hi, Tessie,” he said, smiling through the pain.

“Daddy!” Theresa yelled, her voice cracking with relieved tears. “You’re okay!”

“More or less,” he said. “But I’m thinking Daddy’s going to be using handicapped parking for a few months.”

“I don’t care,” she said. “I’m still hugging you when you get back.”

Sean chuckled, flinching. “Despite the cracked ribs, I’m taking you up on that offer. Is Moira there?”

There was the sound of shuffling as Theresa passed the microphone. “I’m here, Sean.”

“Moira, luv,” he said. “I’m officially resigning from the Super Hero business. Effective immediately.”

He heard Moira bust out in relieved laughter. “I think I can handle that, darlin. I’ll make sure you get patched up just as quick as we can. What do you have?”

“Broken leg,” he said, mentally tallying the aches and pains. “Possibly a broken neck, although I’m feeling too much between my head and my toes to think that there’s any permanent damage. A couple broken ribs. Forge sounds like he cracked his jaw. Beyond that, I’ve been out cold, so I don’t know much else.”

“We lost Jono,” Ororo interrupted quietly.

“Lost?” Moira gasped. “Lost as in captured? Lost as in…”

“Lost as in dead,” said Ororo, he throat clenching. Behind her, behind the Richards family, Jono’s body lay on the floor, draped in a white sheet.

“Are you sure?” Moira said.

“I’m sure,” said Ororo. “His energy is gone. There’s no pulse, but there’s no heart to pulse it. He’s just…”

“Wait,” said Franklin, his head raising. He looked around the helicopter, as if hearing something the others weren’t hearing. His head whipped around, and looked at Reed.

“Dad, open the door.”

Reed Richards’ eyes snapped up, being pulled from a fugue state that both he and Susan had been in since they entered the helicopter. “What?”

“Open the door!”

“There’s something coming in on radar,” Jones said to Ororo after pulling the microphone away from Moira. “Get ready to take evasive action.”

“I don’t see anything,” said Logan.

“Franklin, we’re thousands of feet up,” Reed said.

“It’s behind you,” Jones yelled. “It’s coming in faster.”

“It’s Jono,” said Franklin.

“What?” Ororo yelled.

Franklin pushed his father aside and closed his hands around the handle.

“Don’t slow down!” Franklin yelled. “Dad, grab on to me, make sure I don’t fall out, it’s going to swing out!”

Before Reed had time to answer, Franklin pulled the handle. The door of the helicopter whipped open, and flew back on its hinges, pulling Franklin with it. He launched out the door, but Reed’s arms wrapped around him three times and pulled him back inside.

“Stupid kid,” Reed said, a smile crossing his face. Susan ran over to them and wrapped Franklin into a hug.

“I learn from the best,” he said as a bright green pulse flew into the cabin. Ororo pushed the autopilot button, and turned to watch along with the others as it hovered in place for a few moments, then flew toward the back. It floated over Jono’s body for a few seconds, and then plunged into the sheet.

The cabin lit up as Jono’s once lifeless body arched, his muscles tensing. His hands flew up to the sheet and pulled it aside. He sat up like a bolt, and looked around in tense shock as the Reed and Susan both pulled away.

Holy shit, they heard in their heads.

“Jono,” Ororo said. “Is that you?”

Jono reached for his wrist keyboard, then slammed his hand down in frustration.

Bloody hell, they heard. It’s broken. I wonder if there’s a notepad around here somewhere.

“We can hear you, Jono,” said Franklin, smiling.

Of course you can, you wanker, you’re a telepath.

“We…” Ororo breathed. “We can all hear you.”

Jono’s eyes widened. No shit. He looked down at his chest to see the green light pulsing there. The containment unit had fallen away, yet the energy didn’t seem to want to escape outward like it had previously.

“An explanation would come in handy right now,” she continued. “Anybody?”

“What’s going on?” Moira asked anxiously. “What’s happening?”

“You might have to answer that question yourself when we get back,” said Ororo, her eyes never blinking.

“I’m thinking we have a lot to talk about,” said Reed to Ororo. “Now that we’ve committed treason.”

Welcome to the glamorous world of the X-Men, mate, said Jono.

“I forgot you were English,” said Ororo, smiling despite herself.

Come again? he asked.

“You have an accent in my head.”

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