2013.06.30 - Rescue in the Capital of Murder

Fourteen hours ago...

(All language in Spanish)

"What is wrong with you, Roberto?"

"I TOLD YOU!" cried the young man, while rummaging through the house for things essential to a long journey. "We've got to get the hell out of here, NOW!"

"But, where are we going to go? Why? Our truck is still broken, and Rosa's father, he, he won't be home from the factory until morning. How do you expect-"

The mother's words were interrupted when the front door burst open, revealing the grizzled visage of six gang members. They're armed appropriately, some with semi-automatic weapons, others with knives and bludgeoning tools. A pot filled with boiling water crashed to the floor when Rosa's mother backed into the stove, her hand covering the gasp upon her face. The sound is joined by the crying of Rosa, who has hidden herself in the pantry.

"Time's up, you worthless piece of trash." The leading gang member walks in, hefting the semi-automatic weapon from one shoulder to the other. The rest of the gang members burst in behind him, rushing throughout the house while the gang leader strode toward Roberto.

One of the gang members grabbed the mother by her neck, forcing her into a choke hold while cramming his bat into her mouth and holding it there. The others begin throwing over tables and couches, looking for the girl.

Roberto, backed up against the pantry door, glowered fearfully at the gang member. "I told you, she doesn't want you. You can't have her!"

"Once you and the bitch's mother are dead?" The gang member leered. "She won't have a choice."

Out from Roberto's bag came a small handgun. He tried to discharge it, but the gang members were simply too fast. The leader's semi-automatic came down to level upon Roberto, and in the blink of an eye, his body was peppered with bleeding holes. The other member pulled Rosa's mother to the floor and began beating her in the face relentlessly.

Rosa screamed.

Pushing Roberto's dead body out of the way, the gang leader pried open the door and smirked at her. "Like I said, whore. Time's up."

However, the moment the gang leader's hands grabbed her, the seventeen-year old let out such a terrible scream. Her eyes turned red and her skin soon followed. A look of fear came about her when she felt the heat building inside of her, for she knew not of her mutant abilities. They'd yet to manifest.

The fire resembled that of a thermonuclear explosion, starting at the Osequera house and raging destruction in a three-quarter square mile radius.

Now...

The X-Men have been assembled, and the cloaked Blackbird swiftly approaches ground zero. A magnified night-vision view of the area reveals that the blast has literally incinerated the area in a perfect sphere, leaving nothing but desolation. Houses are gone, leaving behind stone foundations half melted like the roads connecting them. Near the edge of the destruction, military helicopters scan the ground with their bright lights, searching for survivors. However, at the center of the area, the ground is still nearly too hot to walk upon, with smoke and steam rising from the cracked, glass-like ground.

"My God," murmurs Shift, who stands behind the pilot with a frown on his face. "It looks like... like an Omega-level." He turns to look at Jean and Kurt specifically, the more experienced mutants. "Could she be dat strong?"

Jean, herself, is an Omega-level mutant. "Yes," she tells Shift grimly. "Yes, she could..." The telepath doesn't need Cerebro to register just how much damage the girl has done, and what it likely means. Her own abilities are quite sufficient on their own, this close to the action, to make that assessment. "And, if we don't get to her first, they'll kill her..."

Not, mind, that she expects that to be easy. Not with a frightened, nuclear powerhouse at the center of everything.

Kurt looks up and backwards from the pilot's chair, those glowing, featureless yellow eyes blinking once as he sets the Blackbird into a hover by feeling alone. "Ja, mein freund.. or, she could not be, und this is all emotional power behind it. It could be a 'once in a life time' push.."

Nodding towards Jean, Kurt looks back at the controls and flicks a couple more switches, and the thrum of the engines changes and shifts. It's ready for disembarking. "We need to find her- to protect everyone."

All it took was being told that there was a mission, and Laura boarded the Blackbird. But as she's been sitting here, listening to what has been said, her normal emotionless expression has cracked slightly. For now, as she hears about the girl who may have caused this...

As she looks out the window...

As she hears about the mysterious 'they'...

The female clone of Wolverine actually scowls. But she doesn't pop her claws. Oh no. But heaven help who, or what ever set the girl off who did cause this. Because if X-23 catches them, and they survived that destruction, and they actually did hurt that girl... Huh? (Type “help” for help.)

Oftentimes, Roy acted on tips from contacts he'd made through the years. This one, however, was -screwed- up. An emergency call from Shift, about a potentially destructive situation in Honduras?

SHIELD would have laughed at him, but given that he was the one who called in the tip, Roy had to haul himself out of his current assignment. Making his excuses, Roy slipped free, hauling one of the precious air cycles from SHIELD to check out the situation. What he found horrifies him.

Surveying the situation, Roy approaches on the aircycle. Doing a quick survey to reassure himself that it wasn't -radioactive-, Roy hovers over the ground, riding the cycle through the village quietly, looking around. Glancing up at the approaching Blackbird, Roy waits for it to land, waiting to see if its occupant (or occupants) was the one who'd tipped him off.

Looking between Jean and Kurt, Kwabena nods his head grimly. "Let's hope so," he answers the latter, before taking a step back and grabbing hold of a nearby handhold.

The destruction is palpable and apocalyptic. Only the framework of cars and buildings remain, and there is no sign of survivors anywhere. No bodies, no skeletons, no clothing. The blast seems to have literally disintegrated those closest to Rosa when she erupted. To Jean, the telepathic field closest to the centre of destruction is eerily empty, which makes it surprisingly easy to locate the girl.

There are no signs of radioactive isotopes, revealing that while it -looks- like the destruction wrought by a nuclear bomb, it was something else altogether.

Somewhere not far from the place where her house once stood, Rosa has found shelter beneath the skeletal remains of a semi truck. Her clothing is torn and charred, and she cowers up against the half-molten remains of a large wheel-whell, crying. She looks outward toward the distant sign of patrolling military helicopters with terror in her eyes.

She isn't more than half a kilometer from where the Blackbird hovers and prepares for its landing.

The advantage Jean has, as a telepath, is that any thoughts she projects will be interpreted as the native language of their receiver. "Let me see if I can calm her enough for an approach," she tells the team around her. Then, she touches her fingertips to her temple -- more an outward sign for the others' benefit than necessary for herself -- and gently, ever-so-gently reaches out to touch Rosa's frightened mind with a sense of calm entreaty.

''~ Rosa? My name is Jean Grey... I know you're frightened, right now, but I can help you, if you give me a chance. ~''

The moment Kurt hits the ground, the blue fuzzy elf is in a crouch, surveying the damage, his tail swaying slowly back and forth. Straightening, it's a nod to the suggestion as its given. "I think she might be afraid of me.." if she sees him, that is. Catholic country, after all. Leaping such that he lands upon a rickety roof, he perches there for a moment, his yellow gaze set to the distance. "Though you may need to hurry."

While the older, and more experienced X-Men decide what to do, Laura slowly unstraps herself, and starts to stand up. There's maybe, at most, a brief, momentary flicker of some reaction as she glances out at the destruction.

That is before female clone tries to rush off of the vehicle, sniffing the air for signs of anything, be it the girl, her attackers, or other potential threats.

Of course as she catches a scent X-23 will head towards it.

Keeping his air cycle low to avoid signs of the patrolling military copters, Roy gives quick updates to the SHIELD contact, requesting intervention from SHIELD. An instant response squad was needed, stat. At least his contact was right.

Glancing up towards the Blackbird, Roy decides that it could wait, as he turns around, driving through the village, looking for survivors.

Rosa immediately curls in on herself when Jean's voice comes into her mind. Her crying grows more desperate, and she looks about frantically. "Who- where are you?" she whispers in Spanish. "Who are you?" she repeats, speaking a bit louder. It crosses her mind that she might be going mad, hearing voices inside of her head, much less speaking out to them.

From Kurt's vantage point, there are lights growing brighter in the distance. They shine through the smokey haze, bouncing about every so often, which is a sure sign that they are vehicles of some sort.

X-23 will pick up the scent coming from both the west and the north. It is not the scent of polished weapons and clean uniforms, but rather, the scent of dirt, unwashed clothing, and a lingering odor of narcotics. The scent also carries upon it the smell of vengeance.

Following Laura out of the Blackbird, Shift presses a hand to his ear. "Harper, you copy? It's Shift. We've landed, ground zero. Will feed you coords for de area's we've covered." He reaches down to a small device on the wrist of his X-Men uniform, and programs it to send his GPS coordinates to Roy.

Meanwhile, Harper's patrol through the surrounding areas will serve to confirm that there are a number of jeeps rolling closer, but they do not carry police officers or military soldiers. Rather, they are loaded down with gang members, for the gangs control this part of Honduras, and they're out to find out what happened to their bretheren's turf.

Shift walks up toward Jean. "I'll go dark." He nods his head to her before disappearing in a cloud of black smoke, blending in with the haze that covers this wasteland.

''~ I'm about half a kilometer away from you. ~'' Jean tells the girl. ''~ And I am a telepath. I can speak to you with my mind. I felt the explosion. I've brought some friends. We've come to help you. To rescue you. If you'll let us. We can keep the military away. And anyone else that might hurt you. ~''

She unbuckles and looks to the others. "She's very frightened," she tells them. "I think our priority needs to be keeping the military and other threats at bay, until I can get her calmed. I can go to her safely enough." Unlike most of the others, she can fly and has innate protection against the girl's pyrokinetic abilities -- partly because she possesses a bit of them herself... as Phoenix. "If worst comes to worst," she continues, "I can put on a light show that will distract the hell out of them, while the rest of you get her to safety. But, I need to get her calm, first, and I think the best way to do that is in person."

She's trying not to impose her will on the girl, but she is monitoring her closely. At the first hint of another nova, Jean will shut her down, if she has to. It's not an ideal solution, however. It's a serious breech of trust. One the telepath really wants to avoid.

There is a blue elf on a tin roof (not hot, but it is summer!), and from the helos, Kurt's attention is pulled towards the oncoming vehicles. "There are cars coming.. und I can go stall them while you get her." Thus keeping them away from her. How could they not want to snipe at him? "Und I do not think it is the Polizei." A smile creeps across his face, and his fangs show in that shadowed face. "I don't think I can do both, however.. Pick one. Do I get the helocopters.." though he's sort of leaning towards that. Bamfing and the like.. "Or the jeeps?"

As he considers, there's a *bamf*, and the fuzzy teleporter is on his way. "Helocopters. I can reach them.." is given as an answer.

The smells... Correction, /THOSE/ smells... Mixed with what Jean says, prompts Laura to start to drift off. To seek out the northern source of those odors.

And yet, as she heads off, the young clone does say something over her X-Com.

"There are others here too. Angry. Armed. With drugs. Checking them out." And at the same time as she hears the helicopters and other noises.

"If attacked, I will defend myself."

"Fine," Roy notes, glancing through his GPS, before zooming off to cover the areas that weren't covered. "By the way, who're you here with, anyway?" he asks, as he looks for further survivors.

The gangbangers, on the other hand, didn't seem to be survivors, from what he could see, and Roy frowns, already pulling out his bow and arrows. "... you know, Shift, pal... whatever favor you owe me, it's going to double..." he comments, as he places them down on his cycle. "Hey fellows," he calls out. "Believe it or not, I'm just here to check things out. SHIELD, you know...? Hablas... anglais?"

Rosa blinks owlishly, but Jean's voice helps to settle her down somewhat. She uncurls a bit, even going so far as to wipe some of the tears on her tattered sleeve and peek out from behind the skeletal remains of the semi. "I think I see your airplane," she whispers in Spanish. "I'm so scared." Her eyes dart about, seeing the incoming lights of the trucks and the continuing patrol of the helicopters. "I'm scared!" she yelps out, then pulls back against the wheel well again, cowering.

Kurt's disappearance leaves little to the imagination. Those who know him well know his talents, and his actions will surely become visible very soon.

From within the Shift-cloud, the squawking of Roy's voice reaches him. The cloud forms a face and an arm, which reaches out to touch the earcomm that hovers within its smokey tendrils. "Don't mind dat," he dismisses Roy's first question. "I'll pay up, don't worry." That arm disappears, and after a nod of agreement to Jean, the face disappears. Noticing that Laura is taking for the north, Shift bundles his gaseous form against the side of the Blackbird, then with a 'kick', the cloud goes zooming off through the air toward the west.

When confronted by Harper, the gang members immediately level their guns on him. However, the tallest one stands up out of the jeep, and holds his hand out to stay his thugtourage. "Yeah, I speak English, muthafucka!" he calls out. "SHIELD, huh?" He opens his arms wide and calls out loud, "WELCOME TO HONDURAS!"

The thugtourage breaks out into laughter.

Hopping down from the jeep, Thug Leader approaches Roy. "You got some identification there, pal? In case you haven't heard, we run this place. Got bitches all over. Police, courts, -everywhere-."

Jean leaves the Blackbird and levitates herself above it, starting into the No Man's Land that is Rosa's blast radius. She uses her considerable telepathic talents to force any witnesses, aside from her own team mates, to ignore the red-haired woman, surrounded in a golden aura that flickers faintly with the tattered remnants of the cosmic flames that once suffused her being, who glides swiftly across the glassy urban crater toward the tiny speck at its center.

~ I know you are, ~ Jean tells her softly. ''~ I would be, too. ~'' She alights gently beside her, her aura still flickering lightly -- protection against the heat. It's a shame she doesn't actually speak Spanish. Only French or Latin, aside from English. But, her telepathy can make the girl understand her spoken words. "I'm Jean," she says to her, giving a gentle smile as she crouches down and reaching out a hand. "You must be Rosa."

Kurt reappears in a sulfurous cloud inside the nearest helicopter, smiling a bright white smile, fangs bared. "Gutten Tag, meine Herren," he says to them. "You do not particularly need this, right now, do you?" And he proceeds to grab the passengers and crew -- two a time -- and bamf them down to the ground... before he bamfs back into the cockpit and pulls the machine out of its threatened spiral. Then, still grinning like a fiend (he loves his flying machines!), he turns the helo toward its nearest neighbor for a little interference run.

And while the 'Thugtorage' laughs they may find themselves facing something unseen. As the person who was tracking their scent moves closer. And closer. Sticking to the shadows when she can. Moving closer as she can.

And yet as she gets close enough to see the S.H.I.E.L.D agent being 'threatened', and well...

There's a *SNIKT!* from the shadows as the claws in Lauras hands extend themselves, before she silently tries move closer and 'silence' one or two of the thugs, hopefully thinning the 'heard' while Roy distracts the rest.

All though if all hell breaks loose, then she won't even have to bother with the shadows anymore, will she?

"Ha ha. I know. SHIELD." Holding up his ID for a moment, Roy tucks it away. "And yeah, I'm familiar with how South America gangs run -everything-." His lips curl in derision. "Though I'm guessing you don't know what happened here, in which case, I suggest just turning around and go home, before, you know...

SNIKT!

"... oh great, it's La Llorna!" Roy shouts. "Run, boys!"

And as if to help them along, in one swift motion, Roy draws his bow and arrow, firing an explosive arrow at the frontmost vehicle.

Jean's arrival only briefly startles the young girl. She backs up against the wheel well for a moment, simply staring awestruck at the woman who seems to glow. After a few hesitant moments, she nods her head three times, then reaches out to take Jean's hand. Before contact can be made, however, she hisses and pulls back, curling her fingers against her chest.

They've started to turn red.

"What's wrong with me?" she begs in Spanish, before turning and looking around at the desolation. Her desolation. She doesn't yet understand that she is a mutant, but she knows that this was her doing. Even if it was an accident.

Inside one of the other helicopters, their pilots grow frantic, calling on the radio for Kurt's chopper to turn the other way. Only at the last moment does the helicopter turn sharply to the side, the pilots struggling with the controls while the instruments scream warnings at them.

Two of the Thugtourage go down, in whatever way Laura saw fit to dispatch them. There is a brief bout of confused shouting, before the frontmost vehicle's engine block is smashed into the ground, sending its rear end careening up into the air. The thugs aboard go flying, and the others whip out their guns and start shooting. Terrible aim, those guys.

Meanwhile, Shift is fast at work clearing out the thugs in the west approach, using his patented 'Shift-Choke' (™). Sections of the cloud that would be arms and legs force themselves into each thug's mouth, down into their lungs until they're passing out, one after the other. Of course, that's only half of them, and with the sudden confusion, the others start shooting their guns too.

Gang members and their guns.

The cracking of firearms carries on the wind, and as soon as Rosa hears it, she begins to scream. Her screams only grow louder when she feels the heat rising in her body, and soon, the whites of her eyes begin to glow red. She looks down at her hands, then back at Jean. "MAKE IT STOP!" she cries out.

Jean's response is as quick as a fleeting thought. She reaches out to take hold of the girl, gathering her in her arms and holding her tightly, as reassuringly as she can. Around them, a golden shield appears -- a telekinetic projection. She reaches into the girl's mind telepathically, finding her trigger center and blocking the girl's rising power.

Wow. Yes. This kid packs a punch.

"Calmly!" Jean says softly to her, both aloud and in her mind. "Calmly! I've got you. They can't hurt you. I promise. See? Do you see the shield? Nothing will get past that."

She strokes her hair, her own cosmic flames resisting the girl's heat. "There's a plane not far from here. I can take you to America on it, if you want. Far away from here. To a place where you'll be safe." And where she can explain all about being a mutant...

So much for vacation.

Now, this is fun.. and Kurt finds the controls to be quite easy to use. After all, he flies the Blackbird! And, well.. he's used to working in more than 2 dimensions. Up and down in space is child's play. It's the diagonals and the like that must needs be mastered- which he has. In spades.

Kurt discovers the guns on the bird, and suddenly, a happy sounding laugh exits the elf's throat. "I see.." before he makes the helo rise, and he goes after the second again, rotors chopping the air, shifting to give him as much thrust both forward and up. He's going to force them to land...

"I want this helo.. it is so very maneuverable.."

How those thugs are dealt with is best left undescribed. All that needs to be said is that it's not fatal. or at least it shouldn't be. If they get medical attention soon. But anyways, as Roy draws his arrow and causes that, and shouts that as well...

The time for Laura to stick in the shadows is over. Thus with an inhuman growl or pure rage, the female clone launches herself out of the shadows, towards the thugs. Her movements are precise. The hurt them. To scare them. To slash up weapons and guns. And to do some physical harm, without killing them.

In other words, to basically be a distraction, and give these guys a /chance/ to run off, while hopefully making it so that they're less able to harm others at the same time.

He had no idea who -that- was, but presumably it was one of Shift's friends. As things start getting chaotic and real, Roy kicks his air cycle into gear, already zooming up to start shooting arrows from a better vantage point. And with a sharpshooter like Roy Harper...

Well, it was starting to rain explosive arrows, freeze arrows... take your pick, fire or ice...?

Rosa drops her head against Jean's chest, sobbing in fear. However, there is a comfort to be found, and though she doesn't answer verbally, she understands. "There's nobody left," she mumbles through her weeping. "Take me away from here, please!"

That's an agreement if there ever was one.

Throughout the maddened shouting inside the other helicopter, one of them manages to get on the horn and sound an alarm across the military band. Slowly, the other helicopters begin to turn about, making their way through the air toward the altercation. It's a healthy distance, and they're forced to circle the edge of the zone, for the gang members aren't permitting the military to go any closer to ground zero.

Between Laura, Roy, and Shift, the gang members are down and injured or thoroughly spooked, their jeeps beating a hasty retreat.

Suddenly and without warning, however, something begins to inhibit the X-Gene mutations in the area. Jean Grey's protective shield drops, and her telepathic abilities are muted. Fortunately, Rosa Osequera's skin cools, and she's no longer going to pose a threat. Shift plops into existence from his gaseous state, falling on the glassy ground in an unprepared heap, and trickles of blood begin to form in the places where Laura's claws have emerged from her skin.

Shift looks around, horrified, before smacking his hand against his ear. "I just lost my abilities," he reports over the comm, his voice rushed and worried. "Anyone else? Is it de inhibitah?"

To say Jean is alarmed when her abilities fail is something of an understatement. But, she's not given to panic by any means. And, as the girl's powers also fade, she begins to understand what's happening. What's more, despite the chaos of the battlefield beyond ground zero, for Jean, there's an eerie silence. She can no longer hear other minds clamoring against her own. There's... actually a certain peacefulness about that happenstance. And, for just a heartbeat, she savours it.

Until, of course, it becomes clear this is a much widerspread problem. And that without her abilities, she's seriously hampered. And she can't communicate nearly as effectively with the girl. She touches her ear mic. "Here, too, Shift," she says over com. "Both Rosa and I have been neutralized. I'm going to try to get us to Blackbird. Any cover anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated."

She gently cups the girl's face with a hand, meeting her frightened eyes. "We," she says, gesturing between them, "have to go." She then points off toward the waiting Blackbird. "Moi. Tu. Avion," she says. Yes, it's French. But, frankly, the Spanish is hardly any different. The kid should get the idea. "Rapidement."

Thank God for overlapping languages.

Kurt is in his helo, and he switches on the radio that is broadcasting and keys the mic a couple of times in an attempt to 'overtalk'. The moment the word comes that Shift's lost his abilities, and Jean seconds it.. he holds off on the attempt to bamf. Nope.. instead, he banks the helo in Jean's direction to give her some cover. At the same time, he catches sight of his hands. And there..

The fur is receding.. slowly but distinctly. And beneath, the blue seems to be turning a pinkish.

"Ach.. mein Gott.. I think I'm turning into a real boy.."

Still, there's nothing about his flying that relies on mutation.

"I will give you cover, Jean.. und then.. sing out where you need me.."

And as those thugs 'head for the hills' so to speak, Laura pauses. And glares at them. It even looks for a little bit like she's about to give chase.

And then, everything changes. Her powers are gone. It's kind of like all in an instant her ability to see and hear has been lessened, and her sense of smell may as well be gone. But she still has her claws. Her admantium covered claws.

"I am... Different. Can't smell things as well as usual. Still have claws. Can attack and buy time if you want..."

Yeap, even with the fact that she may not be able to heal known to her, Laura is still offering to be a distraction, even if it means rushing right at an armed military unit. Then again, considering the problem she faces if she doesn't get her healing factor back, due to the metal that coats her claws...

"Good," Roy comments, satisfied, as he descends the air cycle back on down to 'La Llorona'. "Hey, nice job," Roy greets, before tilting his head, regarding the girl with a frown. "What's the matter with you?" he asks, studying the girl. It's then that he checks the phone, calling. "Hey Shift? What's going on? Your friend here doesn't look so good."

Rosa clearly seems to understand. In the same moment where Jean basks in the peace of silence, Rosa is looking at her hands, her tears suddenly stilled. She nods her head, and says, "Si, si, el avion!" She grabs Jean's hand and willingly follows her with renewed vigor.

"Copy," answers Shift over the earcomm. "Kurt, be careful up dere!" He turns and grabs some of the discarded weapons left behind by the retreating thugs, and silently issues gratitude to all that training given to him by the likes of Domino and Deadpool. After checking each weapon's clip, he goes running as hard and fast as he can back toward the Blackbird, keeping his eyes trained on the sky and the area around. He won't fire those guns unless he absolutely has to.

Other military helicopters are giving chase, but they're too far behind to do anything just yet. However, it's anyone's guess how long Kurt has before one of them locks on and is able to let loose one of their missiles.

The incoming call is routed to Shift's earcomm. "Roy, we've got to evac. Can you offer her some covah? We need to scoot, fast."

Suddenly, from behind Laura, there is a voice. It comes from a man shrouded head to toe in darkness, his face concealed by a deep and drooping hood. "I have a message the girl." The voice is accented, but it is light, and perhaps hard to make out with her restrained abilities. "Tell her... that I say, 'de nada'." The head shifts back and forth between Roy and Laura, before the figure abruptly turns and starts to run away.

With Kurt's helicopter as escort. Jean runs swiftly, pulling the girl along with her. She knows it's only a matter of time before someone starts firing heavy weapons at them. And, while Kurt's good, he's only one against a dozen.

Neither she nor Rosa are going to set a record for the 500m dash, but God knows it's not for lack of trying. As they reach the ramp to the plane, the telepath herds her into it and starts moving for the controls. She points to the passenger seat closest to her, and gives Rosa a tight, but hopefully reassuring smile, hitting the plane's start-up sequence by memory.

Despite the effects of the inhibitor, she instinctively presses against the silence in her mind. If/when her abilities return, she wants to be sure she can link to Rosa quickly enough to avoid further accidental harm.

Kurt is only one elf.. turning.. pink. Human. Non-mutant.. thing. A real boy.. but he's got a job to do!

The helo flies, running escort for Jean as she gets the young girl into the blackbird, and smiles.. a non-fangy smile, though it's short-lived as his tongue feels the lack of points. He likes being blue and furry!

The moment the girls are safe, the helo goes straight up, and swings around to look for his other teammates.. and buzzers on the controls of the helicopter begin to buzz- nothing worse than a red button blinking! Kurt looks at his displays, and flicks a couple of switches as he flies, calling out,

"Everyone, get into the Blackbird. I can't hold them long.. now, go! I'll catch up, but only if you move now! Macht schnell!" Beat. "Bitte."

As that voice is heard by Laura, she tries to spin and slash with her claws. But by that point, it's already too late. Who, or what ever said that is now gone.

On the other hand, as the call to offer Laura cover is caught by the clones com, she scowls, before she starts to run towards, and possibly even jump at The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents hover bike.

Yeah, she doesn't like running, but well....

"Got her!" Roy calls out, sparing no time to think about the strange voice that had come out. First thing first, as he hauls Laura onto the bike. "Oof, you're heavier than you loo... oops, sorry, I forgot. Shouldn't be saying that. Come on, kiddo, let's go!"

The air cycle vrooms, zooming up and away after Shift.

As the Blackbird powers up, two of the military helicopters get into range. Inside of Kurt's chopper, the word 'LOCK' appears on the HUD in bright red letters. Two contrails of smoke let loose as missiles are fired, speeding toward Kurt's helicopter in rapid fury.

And then, the mutants get their powers back.

Jean's telepathic abilities are switched on like a light. Laura will feel her senses coming back, and any trickling of blood immediately stops. Shift's arms suddenly turn to smoke, the guns falling to the ground, and Kurt's fur begins to grow back.

As for Rosa, she turns and looks at Jean, feeling the sudden comfort of safety all around her. She smiles tiredly, but her skin does not grow hot as it did before. It seems that the ticking time bomb is, for the moment, stalled.

Kwabena bursts into smoke and goes zooming through the air toward the Blackbird's ramp. The cloud blows right past Laura and Roy as they draw near, and billows against the opposing wall before reforming into a man. He reaches up to smack his earcomm, and calls out to his partner. "Kurt! Bamf!"

Two more missiles are let loose, both of them zooming toward Kurt's helicopter. The vehicle is suddenly rocked by violent explosions as it goes up in fury.

And as soon as Laura is onboard the Blackbird, Jean hopefully will pick up what Laura is thinking, since the clone girl just keeps thinking about the shadow guy and his message over, and over, and over.

No! Not that! No! Not his--


 * bamf*


 * BOOM!*


 * bamf*

"Guten Abend, meine Herren.." Sound familiar?

The blue-furred demon has returned to his normal state, and as he reaches, there's another two very rapid, combat teleports.. thus depositing the men on the ground. (He could have put them in the now exploded helo, but.. there is that thing about him 'not killing'..)

The moment he's back up, Kurt is at the controls once again, and he's banking the helicopter.. getting his blue, spade-tipped tail out of dodge!

The rush of minds back into Jean's own is at once a comfort and a curse. She slams her telepathic shields into place and starts the lift-off sequence on the plane. The girl's quietude, compared to before, is a godsend, too. But, that doesn't mean Jean doesn't keep a telepathic eye on her. She does turn to give her a smile, right before she takes the plane up to do a pick-up run -- gathering each of the X-ers in turn.

She Laura's message, sees the image of the shadowed figure and hears the words he spoke. ''~ Which 'her'? ~'' is her response to the girl. Because, is it for one of them or for Rosa? Jean has no way to be sure. But, she takes it as given, keeping it to herself, for now. There'll be time enough to pass it on, later.

On X-Men com: "Okay, people. Bus is leaving. Time to get the hell outta Dodge."

With Laura dropped back on the Blackbird, Roy gives a flippant salute, and a line. "Hey Shift... next time, call a little earlier, will you? I've got a -long- report to fill out..." he radios over, before saluting, and heading off to the nearest SHIELD affiliate.