A Rumble of Frost chapter 24

February 16th 2001, British Royal Museum, 3:00 AM EDT

"Shouldn't  we...I don't know. Go help with cleanup?" Said Jean uneasily as we  watched the fire crew dig out the destroyed building. We were far enough  away that the thick fog Ororo had barely been able to reconjure was  covering us completely, up on a nearby hill.

I groaned.  "No. Because A. You'd have to explain why you and Kitty knew about the  incident early enough to evac the guards, and B. Because I don't have  the money to pay for an entire museum building. The Rosetta stone was in  there. That shit is priceless, there's no possible way I have enough  money for it, and all the other shit in that building. We saved the  people, and property damage isn't my problem."

The redhead  didn't look convinced, but Kitty piped up. "Jean, we didn't have masks  on. The chances of any cameras catching us are slim in that mess, but I  don't think we want to stick around where we might get caught and  arrested. We have some leeway because the Professor's friendships, but  this is way beyond that. It would hurt the X-men if we were linked to  this."

Jean glared at me. "This wouldn't have happened if you'd help back a little. You could have killed somebody with that stunt."

I  just shrugged. "I was trying to kill somebody. Sadly it didn't take.  But as for holding back, I have two settings. Controllable close range,  or absolute devastation. Close range wasn't cutting it. I didn't see you  managing to put down the golden oldie. A thank you would be nice, since  I'm pretty sure he was trying to pincushion us."

She  opened her mouth to respond, but Ororo cut her off. "Enough." Said the  older girl. I hadn't really noted it with all the flirting, but she was  probably early twenties, older than anyone except Logan. "Jean, I  understand your agitation. That was...very overwhelming. But Billy isn't  at fault here. He did what he needed to do to protect the team. Try to  aim your anger where it's warranted."

The redhead  deflated. She slumped back onto the grass, hands over her face as she  sighed deeply. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right." She looked at me sheepishly.  "I'm sorry. This isn't on you. I guess not knowing what you're thinking  makes it easy to jump to the worst case scenario." She frowned. "I still  think you were reckless, but this wasn't your fault. Maybe Kitty's  right, maybe we should just go home."

Felicia shook her  head. "No way." We all looked at her. She pointed at the building. "We  managed to beat the twins here, but we left a hell of a calling card. No  chance they don't track us down for the Astrolabe. We each have half of  the puzzle, which means something's gotta give. They have to jump us,  and if we go home, they're going to do it in New York, where they  clearly have resources."

Peter nodded. "That makes sense.  Finding out where Fisk's shipment was going must have taken a huge  network. I mean sure, they're European and probably have resources to  tap here too, but we KNOW they have people in New York. Waiting nearby  to lure them in might be a smart call."

"What?" Snapped  Scott angrily. "We are not going to play bait with you! We agreed to fly  you out here and help you get that thing out of the museum. Knowing  what it does I can concede that was a good call, but I refuse to put my  people in danger by letting them-"

"Whose people?"  Interrupted Jean cooly. Scott stopped talking. "We've had this  discussion before Scott. You aren't in charge. Logan is the senior team  member on this mission. Billy is the mission leader, and I'm the ranking  junior member. You aren't the one who calls the shots here. You don't  decide what we do."

The sunglasses douche, sneered at her.  "Oh, and I'm sure you wanting to help has nothing to do with you  drooling over him when he had his shirt off."

Jean surged  to her feet with a snarl. "Enough! Get back to the plane. You're off  this mission. This is clearly an important situation with serious  repercussions. Having briefly noted that Billy is attractive doesn't  make me compromised. The fact that you can imagine putting everyone on  this team in danger because you want to stick your dick in someone says  more about you than it does about me. And for your information, I'm  already seeing someone, not that it's any of your business. Logan and I  have been having sex for a few months now."

Scott paled,  stumbling back in shock. "What? But...he's a teacher. And like...sixty  years older than you." He glared at Logan. "What the fuck is wrong with  you? She's nineteen!"

No one was impressed by his outrage,  given the whole, seething jealousy thing. Jean didn't let him change  the subject. "Who I have sex with is between me and them. I'm an adult,  which is more than I can say for you, based on your behavior. As I said.  You're off this mission. Return to the Blackbird. Now."

Snarling,  the preppy asshole turned and stalked off into the fog. I didn't bother  hiding my snickers, but Jean was too pissed to glare, she just rolled  her eyes at my childishness. I turned to Logan. "You're a huge dick, but  kudos on tapping that." The redhead narrowed her eyes at me. "What?  Friends are allowed to be happy for friends when they get laid. I can't  exactly congratulate you because Logan looks like a shaved buffalo to  me. One person in this relationship is clearly punching up, and it  definitely isn't you."

That actually got a giggle from  her, and a glower from the older man, but she just walked over and  pecked him on the cheek, whispering in his ear. He looked pretty  mollified by whatever it was, good for him. Felicia seemed unimpressed  with Jean's taste, and more willing to show it now that things were out  in the open. Logan had been leering and she didn't like him much.

Ororo  looked unconcerned, but Kitty's eyes were wide and her jaw was hanging  open. "You and...Mr. Logan?" She looked at the man, blushing a little,  but I didn't think it was attraction so much as the whole teacher  student thing. Peter still looked annoyed at the glance, which made me  smile.

"Well, if today's episode of the Old and the  Restless is over could we get back to the possible end of the world?  Because...I live on the world. Kind of like it how it is. And I don't  know about you but a guy whose name apparently gave us the word for the  end of life as we know it seems like the kind of neighbor I could do  without."

Jean seemed to snap to attention, turning off  her affectionate mode to be pure team leader. I was pretty impressed.  She had a knack for keeping an eye on the prize when it counted.  "Right...bait. I think we should help. But we should also rest. They  might be on your trail, but even once they get here they'll need time to  track us down. If we hole up somewhere nearby I can keep an ear out  with telepathy and let you know when they're coming."

I  nodded gratefully. I was...fucking wrecked. Exhausted and shaky. My head  was pounding and my eyes wanted to close so bad I could taste it. I  wasn't in shape to be fighting anyone. I would if I had to, but I'd  drained a huge chunk of my energy, and I needed rest and probably a  metric fuck ton of food to recover. Speaking of which. "How about we  stop for something to eat first? Because I can't recharge without some  grub."

Ororo nodded, letting out an almost sexual moan.  "Food. Yes. I need that so badly right now. Anyone know of a place  nearby to eat?"

Jean didn't bother to argue, and Logan  surprisingly did know a place open at three in the morning. The Grange  White Hall hotel nearby had a restaurant called the English Garden. We  all wanted some food, so we headed there, and everyone ordered way too  much, on my dime mind you, not that I cared, and we all sat down to eat.  To my lack of surprise, Ororo took a seat next to me.

"So."  She said with a smile. "You're pretty impressive." To my surprise she  didn't vamp on me or purr the compliment, it was sincere and she clearly  felt like she was speaking to an equal. I was kind of touched. I liked  the sex kitten routine, but realistically I had one of those, and pretty  much the sexiest one imaginable. Ororo seemed pretty badass (thick  clappable cheeks not withstanding) and I was interested to learn more.

"Thanks."  I said with a smile. We'd stripped off all masks and uniforms in an  alley with no cameras, so my face was visible. "You kicked ass out there  too. Where'd you learn to handle your powers like that?"

She  gave a wry grin. "I may not have been the most...rule abiding girl in  the past. I've used my abilities for some less than reputable things in  the past. Things that gave me some preparation for robbing a museum."  She gave me a sly look. "Seems like white haired thieves are something  of a type for you."

"Oh really?" I asked smugly. "And what makes you think that you're my type? "

She  leaned in close to whisper. "Because you stare at my ass like you want  to suffocate between my cheeks, and even your pretty kitty can see how  badly you want me." The feeling of her hot breath in my ear had me hard  as a rock. She pulled back, putting on an innocent expression. "So, how  did you like working with the X-men? Thinking about making this team up a  regular thing?"

I snorted at the abrupt tone shift.  "Well, I think I'd need some more time with the team members. Seeing how  I work with them individually. Especially you. I'd have to give you a  thorough inspection." If she could flirt so could I. She bit her lip,  looking me over hungrily, and then I decided to do a subject change of  my own. "So. How did you get into thievery."

Shaking off  her obvious lust, she focused on the question. It seemed thinking of  whatever it was threw cold water on her libido. "I came over from  Morocco as a girl. Things were...not ideal there. I lived in Tangier.  It's a hard place. Hot and dry and brutal at times. I hear it's been  getting better, though not in the parts where I lived. I fled to the  United States because of...interest. Power and beauty is a bad  combination in most places, and Tangier wasn't different. I'd have been  locked up and kept as a pet."

Her voice was clinical as  she talked about being captured and used for sex and power. Like it  didn't even phase her. I imagined people had tried that more than a few  times. It was...horrible to think about. Freedom was all I put a premium  on, and the idea of being taken against your will and forced to be a  tool. It was sickening to me. I reached out and grabbed her hand. I'm  not an empathetic guy, but her life had some disturbing mirror parallels  to mine. She was my worst case scenario.

She squeezed  back with a soft smile. "When I got to the US, I was free. I gloried in  it. Adored it. I used my freedom however I wanted. If I saw a car I  wanted I stole it. If I saw a man I wanted I had him. Kitty tells me  that I was experiencing what the Amish call 'Rumspringa'. That girl  spends far too much time reading. In any case, as you might expect, that  caught up with me. I stole a car and the police caught me. I tried to  use my powers to get away, but...I lost control. There were children  there. So I bottled it up, and I was caught."

I whistled. "Yeah. I could see how that would be rough. You seem to be fine now though. How did you escape?"

"Jean."  She smiled. "She came to the FBI building where I was being held in  Texas and impersonated and agent to spring me." At my surprise, she  grinned. "She can be a wild card when she wants to be." She grimaced.  "Though letting that big hairy oaf plow her like a back field may be the  worst possible expression of that aside from banging the controlling  dick with the sunglasses."

I shrugged. "I've done dumb  shit to bang hot girls before. I assume Logan is her type. If we're her  friends we'll let her get it out of her system." She shot me an  incredulous look. I shrugged. "We agreed to be friends. I'm willing to  try it. Never really been platonic with a girl before. Besides, assuming  you're interested I'm at four women I'm trying to juggle right now.  Just so you know."

She shrugged. "I knew of at least one.  I'm not looking for a wedding ring and a picket fence. You're huge, and  muscly, and sexy, and powerful. I'm sexually interested, though I'm not  going to give it up as easily as that fat breasted slut over there  talking to kitty."

I chuckled. "Awww, does someone have  some titty envy? Trust me, I'm just as enthralled with that wagon you're  draggin'. But yeah, I get it. You want me to work for it. Check. Does  this count as taking you to dinner? Since I'm paying?"

Her  grin turned wicked. "Depends on where you're expecting your goodnight  kiss." I looked at her plump and inviting lips and got even harder at  the implication. At my expression she gave a low, throaty chuckle.  "So...four. Who are the others."

"Well one is my  girlfriend, Gwen. She's a tiny blonde with a punk rock aesthetic, though  admittedly most people are tiny to me. Then there's Betty. She's an  older lady, maybe in her late thirties early forties. Sexy though, and  very interested. And of course Felicia, who is...hard to pin down. She's  using me for revenge on her dad's killer, but I think I'm pretty much  her property now as far as she's concerned."

At her raised  eyebrow I just waved her off. "Hard to explain. She really is a lot  like a cat. I'm her human, and she doesn't care what I do, except when  she does, and she's pretty passive aggressive about showing it. But  she's sexy and fun and smart and damn useful to the team and we have fun  together. I'm glad I met her." Ororo looked thoughtful. I'd expected  her to be jealous or disinterested, but it sounded like she like what  she heard about how I was with Felicia. Not sexually though. I  considered the possibility of recruiting her, she'd be a huge asset to  the team. Filing that away, I turned back to my food. I needed to fuel  up. No use recruiting if we all died in the end of the world.