𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐃𝐘━︎━︎ J. Proudstar

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞

     "I'd be concerned if they weren't up to something." Aphrodite said. "You think she'll help track them down? Figure out what's going on?" John nodded. "What aren't you telling me, John?"

     John propped his head up with hand, keeping hold of Aphrodite's hand with his free one. "She and I have a complicated relationship, I guess." Aphrodite furrowed her brows and John immediately shook his head. "No, it's not like that."

     "Then tell me."

     "When I was discharged from the Marines, I was really lost, and I was taking a lot of pills to deal with the pain, so. . ." He laid his head down and Aphrodite could fill in the rest. Evangeline had helped sober him up, and it hadn't been east. "That was the worst time in my life. But she got me through it."

     "Well, if she can get you through it once, she can get you through it again, right?"

     "If she even talks to me after Atlanta."

     Aphrodite looked at him, pushing the hair away that had fallen in his face. "John, that wasn't your fault."

     "She probably won't see it that way." John softly said.

     "Let me go with you."

     "Aph, you don't have to."

     "I know, but I want to. Plus, I know Evangeline. You forget she recruited me too." She sat up, pulling the covers off of her. She got dressed, packed herself a to-go bag, fixed them a quick breakfast before explaining to Cristina where they were going and that she should go stay with Clarice. She made it to the car and saw Marcos and Caitlin waiting. Aphrodite climbed in the back with Caitlin while John got up front in the driver's seat.

     "Dove, you're coming?" Marcos asked, surprised.

     "Don't sound so surprised, sunbeam." She scoffed and she couldn't help the small smile that pulled on her lips when she noticed Marcos trying to hide his amusement at the nickname. If she could keep him distracted from everything, then she would. It wasn't a terribly long drive to Philadelphia, but it did take forever to get to the floor Evangeline resided on in the very large building.

     The group of four walked in and when Evangeline saw them, a sigh fell from her lips. She crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes landing on John. "Did you take too many shots to the head in that bar in Tucson? If Sentinel Services ever made a connection between my form and the Mutant Underground―︎" 

     John cut her off. "Trust me, we wouldn't have come here if it wasn't important."

     "You shouldn't have come at all. I can't have fugitives here. Especially not fugitives who are supposed to be dead."

     Marcos was quick to speak up. "Lady, we are out there fighting every day, losing people while you hide in here like the freakin' Lizard of Oz!"

     "Please, help us." Caitlin begged. "Anything you can do."

     Evangeline held out her hands. "I'm a mutant rights lawyer. Unless you want to file an injunction―︎"

     John cut her off again. "Look, some of your past cases involve tracing bank records, right? We had a bad run-in with a mutant group. It's some offshoot of the Hellfire Club. We were able to get some information on them, but we can't make heads or tails of it." He showed her the flash drive.

     "They're called the inner circle." Caitlin said, stepping forwards. "They took my son." 

     A look of recognition crossed Evangeline's face. "Wait. Did you say the inner circle?" John nodded and Evangeline reached forwards, taking the flash drive. "Where did you get this?"