Mystique slowly turned back into her real form, frowning.
"I knew it," Psylocke said. "But of all the places I expected to find you, this was not the one."
"And why are you looking for me?" Mystique said, like a caged animal.
"Oh, relax," Psylocke said. "Revenge is not really my prerogative, though if it was, you'd certainly be dead already. I'm just searching for information, and you are the best source. Suppose we have a little chat?"
"I'm busy." Mystique tried to walk away. Psylocke jumped in front of her.
"You don't have any backup this time," Mystique said.
"As far as you know. You're not the telepath," Psylocke said dryly. "And, as I recall, you were the one who needed back up. Unless you think that toy there is going to be enough to stop me."
She meant the gun Mystique was trying to hide.
Mystique frowned. "We'll see."
"Or we could not see, and you could cooperate," Psylocke said. "Bound to cause a stir if you fire that. What if you miss? Who will they think you're shooting at if I disappear? Want to try to explain that?"
Mystique's eyes narrowed. "What do you want?"
"That's better." Psylocke lazily flexed her lash. "I got a little tip off from an old friend about you. After our...last encounter I kind of figured you'd died, but I guess not. And if you're not dead, I just have to wonder if that monster is just as dead as we thought. I think we both know Apocalypse is still alive, even if he's in the astral plane. Assuming he still is. You're his most loyal lapdog, right? So I figure, who do I ask about this? You. I'm not interested in being used as a human-mutant battery again, you understand."
"Is that all?" Mystique said, like this was less bad than she'd thought. "Well, sorry to disappoint you, but your guess is as good as mine. The last I heard of Apocalypse was the last you heard of him. If he's alive, he's not able to contact me."
Psylocke stared hard at her.
"D--- it, I think you're telling me the truth," she said.
"Why would I try to lie to you?" Mystique said.
"You did five minutes ago," Psylocke said scornfully. "You never learn, huh? Well, this entire trip was a waste of time for me, then... Or was it? What's going on here? You can't expect me to believe that you of all mutants need somewhere to hide from humans. You can be anyone. There's some other plot going on here? One like Apocalypse?"
"You'd have to take that up with Magneto. I wouldn't know," Mystique said icily.
"See, that I know you're lying about," Psylocke said. "Someone like you? He'd never not use you. He'd be a fool. And he'd be a fool to trust you too. That's delicate balance. Sounds not quite legal."
"Says the thief."
"At least I steal for a good cause," Psylocke said.
"And it's a bad cause to be promoting mutant power?" Mystique said.
"Oh, no, I wouldn't say so," Psylocke said. "But if promoting that happens to endanger other mutants also, I just wonder where I might fall into that. I know you're quite capable of betraying other mutants. Do I know if this Magneto isn't? Maybe I'd better have a little chat with him also."
"Go right ahead," Mystique said. "But leave me alone. Nothing between us was personal. You follow your brother, I followed Apocalypse."
"Yes...when you put it that way," Psylocke said. "But I know something else about you that makes me wonder."
