Broken Promises [Book Two | REMASTERED]

Chapter 13: This is War

        The television stand stood small in the corner of the hospital room, the television barely displaying any color. It was the same height of the hospital beds, each one of them small in their own right. Sunlight filtered through the small window in the makeshift room, dust swirling in the beams. They came across the room in golden streams, barely touching the toes of a young woman who was propped up in one of the beds.

        "Terrible thing," the nurse tending to her spoke in French, handling a bandage around the woman's right calf.

        "What is?" The mysterious woman answered in perfect French, eyes never leaving the screen as it showed film of a blue mutant with red hair running away from a man that one could evidently see held control over the elements of metal.

        "Being born like that." Round and round the bandages went, covering the cleaned bullet wound. But the nurse's head was turned, watching the television set, pity in her eyes. 

        "Is it?"

        "Can you imagine?" The nurse turned back to looking at her bandaging. "Looking in the mirror and seeing that staring back at you?"

        "Yes," she blonde woman said, her expression emotionless; numb. She watched the blue woman with red hair on the newscast struggle to find her way. And softly, she added, "I can."

        "Where do you think she comes from? You think she has a family?"

        For a moment, the she was silent. Then, in English, Raven replied, "Yes. She does."

        The very same newscast played on a television screen behind Erik Lehnsherr, his eyes trained on the images projected against the wall of his hotel room.

        The light of a lamp was trained on the roll of film, suspended in the air by nothing but Erik's power over its metal spool. In front of that was a clear glass with a metal rim, acting as a magnifying glass. 

        Behind Erik, a needle worked itself through his hair, stitching a gash on the back of his head. Kudos to Hank, or Beast, for that one.

        Trask's plans were a sharp blue in contrast to the faded yellow walls. Erik studied the plans.

        Only Erik's attention suddenly caught on the voices from the television. Turning, he saw the still image of Mystique, then saw a film clip of someone swabbing at a red smear on the pavement. The swab was then placed in a glass test tube. Raven's blood.

        Erik knew then what he had to do. 

        The subway train station was filled with people coming and going, the crowd a constant flow of people. Erik kept his eyes straight, avoiding any eye contact in fear that someone may recognize him.

        Suddenly, a beggar next to the phone booth grabbed Erik, pulling him inside the phone booth. In an instant, the appearance was gone, and Raven stood with her blonde hair and pale skin. There was a point of pressure against Erik's neck, where she held a sharp stick of plastic like that of the end of a comb, the press of it sharp against Erik's pulse point. "If I see so much as a screw move," she warned him, "I will jam this into your throat."

        "How did you find me?" Erik asked, the light flicking on inside as the door closed completely. 

       "You taught me well." Raven stood nearly chest to chest with him, their shared space meant for only one person. 

        "It's been a long time since we were this close," Erik said, his voice heavy, their faces mere inches apart. "I missed you."

        "You tried to kill me."

        "So the rest of us could live."

        Raven searched his eyes, confused. "What do you mean?"

        "We received a message from the future."

        Raven pressed the plastic harder against Erik's throat, her eyes hard. "Don't lie to me," she spat.

         Despite the sharp pressure against his jugular, Erik pressed forward. "I never have, and I never will." He met her eyes as he explained, "Humans were going to use yours and Kat's blood too access the genes they needed to create a weapon that wipes us all out. Kat's crisis was avoided. As for you, I was only doing what I thought necessary to completely secure our future."

        "So what's to stop me from killing you right now and securing my future?"

        "Nothing," Erik admitted, shaking his head. "It doesn't matter anymore. They already have your DNA. Your blood was on the street."

        "Whose fault was that?" Raven accused, pushing away from him and lowering her weapon. 

        Erik swallowed, guilt written in his features. "Mine."

        Raven stared incredulously at Erik, as if pained.

        "I've seen their plans," Erik continued. "They're creating a weapon. And now they have what they need to take it further."

        "What about Kat? If they don't have her DNA, how could they—"

        "It doesn't matter. We have to strike now, while we still hold the upper hand."

        Raven's lips parted, and she struggled for words. Then, "I've seen too many friends die, Erik. I don't want a war. I only want the man who murdered them."

        "This is war," Erik hissed through clenched teeth. "What happened to you?" He looked down at her, as though she were a child. "Did you lose your way while I was gone? Are you still Charles's Raven?"

        Raven didn't answer, eyes cast downward.

        "Or are you Mystique?"

        She did not answer his questions. Instead, she looked up through her eyelashes, her expression hardened. Determined. "Trask is the enemy."

        "Killing one man isn't enough."

        Raven shook her head. "It never was for you." When Erik said nothing, she grabbed the door. "Goodbye, Erik."

        With that, she tugged the door open, stepping out and leaving Erik in the dark of the phone booth. When he stepped out, he could not find her blonde hair, nor any glimpse of her clothes. He stood still in a crowd of moving people. Alone once again.