The Wolverine & The Black Cat

16 // Lost In My Crossfire

C H A P T E R   16 :   L O S T   I N   M Y   C R O S S F I R E

I didn't get to hear Logan's response to my wonderful line because Mystique woke up. Perfect timing. He quickly reacted by trapping her under his armpit and dragging her outside and I followed them.

Somehow instead of being evacuated the students were already there. And when I saw Dyani in front of them I understood why. After our encounter in the corridor she had come back to the basement and incited the students to fight alongside the X-Men. Because of course nobody yet knew she had joined the dark side. Logan looked over at Charles and he nodded, so he let Mystique go and join the Brotherhood. I looked around, spotting my friends. I wanted to warn them but at the same time I didn't want to be the one devastating their worlds.

"Guys, what are you doing here—" Scott was asking to the crowd of students when Magneto interrupted him.

"They came to choose. Seems like they are wiser than the X-Men. They knew that if they ran away we would destroy this place and they'd never be able to come back. That we would retaliate harder. So, whoever wants to join us, feel free to do so."

I closed my eyes, already knowing who would step up initially. I heard Rogue and Bobby gasp first. Then everyone else, including Charles and Jean. For mind readers it should be impossible for them to be surprised.

"Dyani, what are you doing?" Rogue shouted as we all watched her walk towards the other side. Rogue tried to grab her but Bobby stopped her.

"I'm fulfilling my destiny." She replied, a hint of excitement in her tone.

"Welcome, Dyani, our spy right under their noses." Magneto said.

"How is it possible?" Charles asked in misery. Logan glanced at me with a question in his eyes. I nodded and mouthed 'I knew'.

Dyani puller her hair away from her face ro reveal her ears covered in diamonds.

"I can choose what you read in me." She explained. "And from now on I'll make all of my choices."

"Welcome to the club, darling. I'll be your mentor now." Emma Frost winked at her, pulling her into her arms in a protective, maternal way. I noticed Jean and Storm wincing, but Dyani was resplendent. And somehow, seeing her beside Emma, I understood how she was a piece that fit into that puzzle. Good and bad, light and dark, hero and villain, were all words that fell short of human nature. I tried to hold on to that hope, that she would still have her moral compass with her.

Thinking the friend I had no longer existed, or had never existed, hurt too much. It hadn't been all faking, I knew. Part of her had cared for us and it was that part I would remember from now on. I looked over at Rogue, who was sobbing. They had been friends for much longer.

"As for the others, the doors remain open." Magneto announced, hands raised in all his glory.

At first, nobody moved. Then I saw one, two, three kids that did. I didn't know them but still it felt like a total slap on the face while having our eyes closed. Charles was impassive but I could see him crumbling underneath the surface. I counted at least five kids going away, leaving others dumbfounded and crying. The darkness in us was easy to hide from the world but hard to escape from.

Magneto's eyes fell, for some inexplicable reason, on me. Then I heard a voice in my head.

What about you, darling? It was Emma, I could tell. She was recruiting mentally. You're skilled and smart. Your abilities are by themselves impressive, but your power... a rough diamond. Together, we can polish it and refine it.