Lyrissa's Sparkles

Inside the mansion Kiera and Box were playing chess, or at least trying to. They had asked Xavier to teach them to play, and he agreed, but Kiera couldn’t remember what the pieces did, and Box was having trouble figuring out anything about the game.
“Perhaps it would be better to try another game for now, chess is a game of patience and strategy. You have to think ahead of the other player, and the both of you are far to hyper to think clearly on anything.” Xavier chuckled, noticing Kiera bouncing in her chair slightly. “Well, tomorrow’s Halloween, which is so, so cool because we have real costumes! Last year, I went as a hobo. Do you know why? Because I looked like a hobo every day, and didn’t have a costume!” Kiera explained. “Yeah, I was a hobo too. I think we were all dressed as hobos ha, ha.” Box agreed.

“LUNCH!” Jubilee shouted down the hall suddenly, making Kiera jump. “Sweet.” Box grinned and stood up. “Maybe you can teach me chess another time Professor Xavier?” Kiera asked as the three of them walked to the kitchen. “Of course Kiera, as long as you aren’t as hyper as you are now.” He smiled. “Cool.” She replied happily.

Lyrissa would’ve given anything to be back in the mansion. Surrounded by all the noise, and commotion, and teasing over her blanket. She’d give anything to have that blanket with her; she wanted it almost as much as she wanted Logan, and her Uncle Charlie. “Hold still!” her abductor growled as she tried again to escape. Her head was throbbing from being bashed against a tree, but she wouldn’t let that keep her from fighting for her life. “I said,” the man stated angrily, and threw her down, “Hold, Still!” he finished, kicking her hard with every word. That was when she recognized the voice.

“Jack, what do you want?” she asked, trying to hide the fear and pain in her voice.

“Not you. Mystique was taken to some lab, we’re making a trade so they’ll let her go.”

“You’re trading me for her?”

“Yeah, so shut up. They want you ‘alive and well’. So don’t make me have to beat you too bad, okay?”

“Jack please, just let me go. What good am I to them anyway?”

“You’re Lyrissa Jennings. That’s all they need. The new boss there wants to know why his ex-partner was so obsessed with genetic studies, since he was against mutant testing. Turns out, his wife and daughter were mutants! So he’s gonna test on you, and see what Jennings’ work can tell him with your DNA. That’s what dad was working on right?”

“What? No! Daddy never tested anything on me!”

“Well, they don’t, and won’t, know that. We need Mystique, so you’re going to help us get her.”

“No, I’m not! You’re not taking me back there! Put me down, now!”

“Knock it off Jen.” He sighed, dropping her carelessly on the ground when she refused. He tore the blankets from around her and pulled out a roll of duct-tape and taped her mouth closed, wrists and arms together so there was no way she’d fight back, and knees, thighs, and feet, so she couldn’t run. Once she was totally helpless, he kissed the tape over her mouth, and kept walking. Leaving the blanket behind, since he didn’t need it anymore.

Back at the mansion, Scott was pounding on Lyrissa’s door, hoping for an answer. “What’s goin’ on Cyke?” Logan asked, walking up behind him. “I can’t find Lyrissa, I was hoping she was in here, but she’s not. Have you seen her?” he answered pleadingly. “No, I haven’t. I was hopin’ to find her up here too. She ain’t in the garage with the new bike either.” Logan sighed.

“Okay, any other ideas on where she could be?”

“Ask the Professor, I’ll check in the woods.” Logan had suddenly remembered her fort, and was more than praying that she was there.

He ran out the door and to the woods, ignoring the kids who were asking where he was going, and went right to the tree she had shown him. Her scent was there, but it was faded, which meant she wasn’t there anymore. There was also another scent, it wasn’t Sabertooth, and that came as a relief, until he realized that it was Jack’s. He growled and slashed one of the trees before heading off after the scent, hoping that she may have gotten away, and was hiding somewhere. He stopped when he found blood on one of the trees where he had slammed her head into it.

“Logan, Lyrissa is nowhere near the mansion.” Xavier telepathically announced.

“I know. Jack got her. There’s blood on one of the trees here too.”

“Come back to the mansion, and meet us in the War Room, we’ll decide our plan of action there. And Logan, don’t worry. We will get her back, she’ll be all right.”

Logan sighed as Xavier severed the communication, and went back to the mansion.
Lyrissa went sick to her stomach when Jack had kissed her like that, even if there was tape keeping his lips from hers, just thinking about him doing anything like that made her want to vomit. Her head had been bleeding after she hit the tree, but she didn’t even notice until she saw the blood on the blanket; to her that meant her injury was nothing to worry about, since there wasn’t even that much blood. The spot was maybe the size of her hand, maybe a little bigger; she didn’t really get a chance to really look at it.

“We’ll sleep here, then meet up with Sabertooth, then he’ll hand you over to the doctors and get Mystique back.” Jack said suddenly, dropping her right on her head and leaving her be. “They’re going to kill you.” She spat, but it just came out a muffled noise due to the tape. “Shut up.” He laughed and pulled out a pillow and sleeping bag from a duffle bag she didn’t even realize he had been carrying, and set up his bed. She had the tape to keep her warm, and it was nearly freezing that night, being almost November.

She was so cold her entire body hurt. She was shivering so much she thought the tape might give out, but she wasn’t so lucky. It was impossible to sleep, because she had too much going around in her mind. She was afraid he would hurt her more, or kill her. She was afraid to go to those labs and be their test subject, and prisoner. She was afraid that if she fell asleep, she would freeze to death and never wake up. She was afraid that she would never see Logan, or Allie, or her Uncle Charlie, or any of her family ever again. She knew better than to cry out in the cold like that, but she couldn’t help it. She ended up sobbing, and just knew that the tears were going to freeze to her face.

Logan had just gotten to the War Room, and couldn’t believe that everyone, including Allie, was there. Box and Andrew were arguing with Cyclops over Lyrissa, and even though he was furious at Jack, and terrified for Lyrissa, he couldn’t help his smirk when he saw them. “No you listen! She is my best friend, and my sister, and I love her! You, Cyclops, aren’t going to keep me from going with you, and helping get her back. I don’t care where they’re taking her. I don’t care if it’s right straight to hell, I’m going!” Box yelled, getting closer, and closer to hitting Scott. “Calm down Box.” Storm pleaded. “Calm down?! They have Sparkles, and you want us to sit here and do nothing! If it was Jubilee out there, would you sit here while we went to get her, if the tables were switched?” Andrew demanded. She was silent, she knew that she would feel the same, but admitting it would only give them more reasons to argue for their right to assist.

“Logan, please take a seat.” Xavier sighed, keeping his eyes on Andrew and Box, who wanted to kill Scott. “Did you find anything? Like, anything?” Jazz asked slowly, waiting for the worst. “Jack took her, that’s all I got.” He answered. “He’s dead. He is so dead, as soon as I see him, I’m ripping his lungs out, and strangling him with them!” Andrew snapped. “If he has no lungs, he can’t breathe, which means it wouldn’t matter Andy.” Max smiled, trying to lighten the mood. “You know what I mean. So why are we just sitting here like idiots? Let’s, Go, Get Her!” he shouted. “Because we have to have a plan!” Cyclops yelled.

“Well your planning sucks because you have to wait until something happens to decide what to do!”

“And what, you know what to do in every situation? So what’s your plan then?”

“Split into teams based on each member’s strengths, so each team is equal, stay together until something comes up where we have to split, and those groups stick together no matter what. Even if it means carrying around a dead body for half the night. Follow their trail, and find her.”

“Well that’s easy isn’t it? And what happens when you run into the Brotherhood?”

“We do the same as you do! Fight them!”

“Look, we don’t have time to argue like this. Just hit him, shut him up, and get on with the meeting!” Kiera spat. “No one, is hitting, anyone.” Xavier announced sternly.

“Jack is taking her to her father’s old labs, to make a trade. Mystique has been captured, and they hope that they will be able to exchange Lyrissa for her.” He explained.

“Wait, isn’t that where we were taken?” Kiera asked nervously. Several X-Men gave sad nods to answer her question. “They’ll kill her! They don’t care, you saw what they do! We went through what they do! If she loses control like she did last time, they’ll just … I mean…” Jazz was lost it for a second before taking a breath and regaining her composure, “We have to get her back, before they get to the labs.” She finished firmly. “We will. Logan, can you track her?” Jean asked. He nodded.

“Okay, then I suggest we take two groups. Logan leading one on the ground, and one flying low in the jet, I’ll try and find her telepathically. Professor, you could also try to find her here.” She announced. “That sounds good.” Jamie agreed. “You aren’t going.” Cyclops stated firmly. “You can’t keep me here Summers, because you can’t catch me to stop me. Can you run over eighty miles an hour?” he smiled triumphantly. Scott said something that ticked Box off, and before anyone knew it, Box had knocked the visor right off his face.

“STOP IT!” Allie shrieked suddenly. “Spawkles is gonna die and you just wanna fight each other! STOP FIGHTING! Uncle Chawie, let us come help. Pwease? I promise to be good, and if the bad men come, or the big furry guy comes, I’ll stay back and be quiet, and not fight.” She pleaded. “I’m sorry. It’s too dangerous to bring you all along.” He frowned; it was hard even for him to tell her no when she used her puppy dog eyes, which were still too big for her face.

“Look, we lived for years without you babysitting us. I know you were looking after us, for Lyrissa’s sake, but Professor, we can do this. We’ve busted each other out of jail, gotten into fights with gangs, and even fought off mutant hunters. We can do this. You know we can.” Andrew pushed. “Professor, Cyclops’ right, dey just kids, it is too dangerous for dem.” Gambit sighed. “They are just kids, but Andrew is right. They are capable of helping on this mission. And that is beside the fact Kiera, Box, Max, and Jazz have all been inside that facility, and know where to go better than we do.” Xavier pointed out. “You sayin’ we’re takin’ ‘em with us?” Rogue asked in surprise. “Yes. You are.” Xavier nodded. “Told you, you weren’t gonna keep us from going with.” Box grinned to Cyclops as they left the room to start the mission, and get Lyrissa back. All of them hoping she would be alive, and in one piece.
It was an hour before sunrise, and Lyrissa still hadn’t gotten any sleep. She had tried to use her powers once, but Jack had woken up just long enough to see her wisps, and kicked her hard in the stomach as a warning. She waited until he fell back asleep, and decided to try one more thing to escape. She closed her eyes tightly, and teleported.

She opened her eyes and found that she was still taped up, and in the woods, but when she looked for Jack, he wasn’t anywhere around. Now all she had to do was focus on getting the tape off, and getting home. She focused on her wisps, and tried to make them get the tape off, but she didn’t know where the edges were so she didn’t know where to start, and her wisps weren’t strong enough to just break through the tape, so she was just as stuck as she was before; only now she was all alone, and felt even more helpless. She screamed into the tape with everything she had, letting out every bit of her pain, anger, frustration, and fear in one, single action. If there was one time she wished she would just lose control, it was then. But she didn’t. She kept screaming until her voice gave out, and forced her to lay there in silence, and the dark.

An hour later, she heard someone coming. She closed her eyes and hoped to the highest beings that it was Scott, or Logan, or Andrew, or anyone but Jack. She knew she couldn’t fight either of him; she was just too cold, and far too exhausted for it. She got her wish, it wasn’t Jack, to her horrified disappointment, it was Sabertooth.

“Just made my job a lot easier.” He smirked, picking her up and roughly throwing her over his shoulder, ignoring her cry of pain, and started making his way to his and Jack’s meeting point.

“Wolverine, is that… blood?” Jazz asked as they found the blanket that Jack had wrapped around Lyrissa. “Yeah.” He answered shortly and quickened his pace. “Do you… do you think she’s okay?” Max whispered to his sister as they followed him, Storm, Beast and Gambit. “I hope so Max.” she whispered back, breaking into a jog when the adults started moving even faster.

In the jet Andrew was fidgeting nervously in his seat while Allie sat on Rogue’s lap and stared blankly ahead of her. Cyclops still didn’t want the kids with them, but he had to admit, they were more serious than he expected them to be. Box wasn’t arguing at all, and was taking orders like a trained soldier, Jamie and Dante were silent, Andrew was losing his mind, but that was only because he hated flying and didn’t let anyone know until they were in the air. “I… I got her!” Jean announced quickly. “Where?” several voices demanded. “Just east of us, I’m sending Wolverine the message, he’s closer than we are and doesn’t have to find a place to land the jet.” She answered.

“Logan, you’re getting close. She’s just a little bit east of you, but still ahead. Keep going that way and keep your eyes open.” She announced. “I know, and Sabertooth’s got her. Thanks for the directions Jeanie.” He replied before passing on the message to his group.
Jack was sitting nervously where he was supposed to meet Sabertooth. Lyrissa had teleported away from him when he was asleep, and he knew that Sabertooth would be furious with him for losing her. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he threw Lyrissa down behind him. “Wanna tell me how she got away, while taped up like that?” he growled. “She, she teleported.” Jack stuttered. Sabertooth just walked a short way away to check on something, and left Jack and Lyrissa alone, knowing that she was about to pay for trying to escape. He smiled to himself as he heard her muffled cries of pain, and Jack’s lecture.

Lyrissa hated herself for not being able to fight back. But she did know that she could teleport, and hopefully get farther away than last time. Just as his foot was about to come in contact with her face, she became a small cloud of wisps, and was gone.
She opened her eyes and found herself still in the woods, but away from Jack and Sabertooth. All she could do was roll, or lay there; she didn’t plan very far ahead, and was mentally kicking herself for it.

“Jean, what’s wrong?” Scott asked as he flew the jet around looking for Lyrissa. “She teleported. I’m trying to find her again.” She answered quickly, focusing everything she had. “What places would she go if she was in trouble?” Box asked. “Home, the sewers… the Professor, or Logan… can you think of any more?” Jubilee asked. “No, that’s pretty much it. Maybe check around those areas?” Andrew suggested.

“Got her. She’s about a mile behind us now.” Jean sighed. Cyclops didn’t say a word as he turned the jet around, and waited for Jean to pass the message on to Wolverine.

“What is it?” Storm asked when Wolverine stopped suddenly and sighed heavily. “She’s the other way.” He muttered, turning around. “If she teleported, that means she’s not with Jack and Sabertooth anymore though, right?” Kiera asked. “It could mean dat, yeah.” Gambit smiled. She gave a small sigh of relief, and followed Wolverine and Storm in the opposite direction.

Jack was getting a serious reaming from Sabertooth for letting Lyrissa escape for a second time. Mostly, it was death threats, and insults, but Jack was getting fed up and stormed off in search of her. His heart set on making her regret that teleport.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t Wolverine’s group, Jack, or Sabertooth that got to Lyrissa first. It was the soldiers from the labs who were sent to get her from Sabertooth. They laughed when they found her in such a pathetic state, and laughed even harder when she cried uncontrollably when they picked her up and threw her into the back of their jeep; the path was just wide enough for it to travel easily.

She recovered from the impact and noticed that Mystique was bound and gagged as well, sitting angrily next to her. She sighed heavily knowing that the day wasn’t going to end well for either of them, and by the looks that Mystique was giving the soldiers, she knew it too.