Beautiful Claws by: Tauriel Rogers

38) Kicked Out of the Mission

I followed the tire tracks all the way to the spill way opening and from there, I followed the trail of dead or unconcious bodies. I kept my guard up with ice daggers already in my hand in case I needed to take someone out. I heard voices up ahead, but they started to grow quieter when I got super close. I stopped in my tracks, straining to hear why they suddenly grew so quiet. Without any warning, I felt a wave of air push me back up against the wall roughly. I cried out in pain, my ice daggers lazily flying through the air, but not meeting their target. 

"Oh my gosh," Storm gasped, putting a hand to her heart when she realized it was only me. Jean looked at me in horror when she saw what she had done. 

"Anna!" Logan called out, quickly running to my side. "Are you alright?" he asked with thick concern and worry in his voice. I panted for more air since most of it was knocked out of me. Logan helped me sit up, allowing me to get my breath back faster. I put a hand on my throat and closed my eyes so I could consentrate on exactly where the water needed to go to quench my dry throat. I breathed out slowly, sending a thin mist of ice out of my mouth as I opened my eyes. 

"I'm ok," I reassured Logan, carefully getting back on my feet. He steadied me in case I would fall, but I was fine. 

"Why are you here? I thought I told you to stay on the jet!" Logan exclaimed angrily. 

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't stay behind, I couldn't. I'm sorry," I apologized as I shook my head, tears threatening to come out knowing that I made the wrong choice. Logan cupped my cheek in his gloved hand, forcing me to look at him. 

"You have to stay with one us, do you understand? If we tell you do something, don't question it or you will probably get hurt," he explained authoritatively. I nodded, not knowing what there was to say. I hugged him and whispered, "I'm so sorry, I wasn't thinking straight."

"You're a part of this mission now whether we all like it or not and you'll be expected to pull you're own weight just like everyone else," Logan announced. I pulled away from him and swallowed. 

"So, what can I do?" I asked, eager to take part in the task at hand. Everyone turned their attention to security camera screens. 

"Oh my gosh, the children!" Storm exclaimed. 

"We need to split up the work," Jean pointed out. 

"Ok, Anna and Curt are with me; we're going to get the children out," Storm declared. 

"Then I'll go with Magneto and Mystique to find the Professor," Jean volunteered. I noticed that Logan seemed distracted by the other set or security screens, but didn't think much of it. I assumed he was looking for a way to get to where the Professor was being held captive.

"How are we going to destroy Cerebro?" I asked. Everyone looked around at each other, waiting for someone to throw an idea out. 

"The materials Stryker has used to construct his version is mostly made out of metal. I'm sure if Mystique posed as him she could get the doors open, Miss Grey could contain the one who's keeping Charles captive, and I could destroy his contraption entirely," Magento figured it out. 

"That sounds like a good plan if you ask me," Curt agreed. 

"Are you sure you're going to be ok with them?" Storm asked Jean quietly.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Jean reassured her. 

"Wait, where's Logan?" I asked when I didn't spot him with anyone. 

"Where did he go?" Storm asked the group, checking to see if he had gone down any of the hallways. We looked around until Jean and I spotted his earpiece sitting around. We glanced at each other unsure of what that meant. 

"He's gone," Jean replied softly as I gently scooped it up. 

"What do I do?" I asked worried, turning to Storm for guidance. 

"Since you didn't get an earpiece, why don't you keep it on you? If something happens, you can easily reach out to one of us for help," she suggested. I fastened it in my ear as I followed her and Curt around until we found where the children from the school were being held captive. 

"I can get the one's in this row out," I told them. 

"Ok," Storm nodded, "Everyone, stand back," she ordered. I used my heat powers to melt the bars and shape the top of the cells so that they were on the side. That way, the bars formed a ladder so the kids could climb out. We got everyone out and double checked to make sure that there wasn't any other kids being held captive anyone where else. "Follow me," Storm instructed. I stayed at the back of the group in case anyone tried attacking us from behind. All of a sudden, I felt a weird sensation, kind of like when the wind is blowing when it's hot outside and feels like a giant heat wave washing over you. The others felt it to, only the sensation was all too familiar to me.

"What was that?" Curt asked. 

"Jean," I answered him. Storm looked up startled when the dam shifted. It sounded like part of it cracked above us. "Get the kids out of here, I have to find Logan before this place comes down," I said. 

"Anna! Anna wait!" Curt called out as I headed down the hall. 

"Let her go, she'll be alright," I heard Storm say to him. At least somebody from the group trusts me enough to hold my own! 

"What if she get's lost?" Curt asked. 

"She won't" Storm said, sounding more like she was trying to reassure herself more than anyone else. She thought about it more as she led the group back the way they came. "Go get Anna," Storm suddenly said to Curt. 

"What? I thought you said she'd be ok?" Curt questioned her. 

"I don't think so, especially knowing that it's only a matter of time before this places crumbles. She's barely had a chance to complete her training. Please take her back to the jet when you find her."

"Of course," Curt said. 

I was searching as fast as I could for Logan when Curt appeared out of nowhere and grabs my arm. "Hey! What are you doing?" I protest.

"Sorry, I'm only following orders," Curt apologized as we disappeared. We reappeared on the X-jet making Rogue, Bobby, and Pyro jump at our unexpected entrance. 

"Curt! You better take me back right now!" I shouted. He looked at the ground and disappeared again. I huffed angrily, not happy to be stuck here again.

"What are you doing back?" Pyro asked. 

"Someone must've freaked and thought I wasn't 'prepared' for this kind of mission. The dam cracked by the way," I informed them. 

"Really?" Bobby asked, raising his eyebrows. 

"Yeah, I at least was able to help get all the children out of their cells."

"So what, they just decided that they didn't need your help anymore?" Pyro asked haughtily. 

"I guess so," I shrugged. 

"What have all of you been up to to help pass the time?" I asked. 

"We played I Spy and I found a pack of cards. Wanna play Go Fish of BS or something?" Rogue offered.

"Sure," I smiled. At least we were trying to make the best of the unfair situation.