Patroness

Chapter Five: From Russia with Frost

Charles can't help but feel confused as a mixture of irritation and guilt swirls about in his mind while he contemplates what said to Felicia. He feels irritated because both she and Raven let everything get out of hand yet feels guilt from being unnecessarily harsh to Felicia. His entire body begins to fill with regret as now that when he return from Russia I'll never get to make amends for his behavior.

"We got a problem." The truck driver says pulling up to a security checkpoint.

"I'm so sorry, this wasn't on the map," Moria apologizes.

"No matter what happens act normally," Charles assures Moira and the driver. "I'll take care of this, all right?"

As footsteps approach the back of the truck all the soldiers ready their guns.

"Woah, Woah. Easy. Easy. Take it easy chaps, " Charles says getting the soldier to stand down.

Charles places his fingers on his head and as the truck door opens he uses his powers to make the men and the dog outside believe that no one is in the truck. Once the door closes Charles stops using his powers and they continue driving towards a mansion.

Before reaching the mansion Erik, Moira and Charles hop out and hide behind a small hill covered in shrubbery. Moira passes out binoculars and they watch the mansion in the distance as a helicopter lands in the yard and Emma Frost dressed head to toe in white exits the helicopter and walks towards the mansion as the helicopter flies away.

"Where's Shaw?" Erik asks anger present in his tone.

"I don't know? But if she's a telepath and I read her, she'll know we're here." Charles sighs. "Let me try something else."

Charles places his fingers on his head and use his powers to go into the mind of one the soldiers guarding the front door and see from their perspective.

Emma cheek kiss greets the Russian General before telling him that Shaw couldn't make it and has sent her in his place. Emma flirts a little with the general before heading inside.

"He's not coming," Charles says returning to his body. "So what now, boss."

"Now nothing." Moira answers. "We're here for Shaw, mission aborted."

"The hell it is," Erik says as he tries to stand up but is pulled back down by Moira.

"Erik-"

"She's his right-hand woman. That's good enough for me." Erik says interrupting Moira.

"The CIA invading the home of a senior Soviet official. Are you crazy?" Moira replies.

"I'm not CIA," Erik smirks.

"Erik!" Charles say sternly as he gets up and runs off.

Through the binoculars, Charles can see the soldier closed to the forest get wrapped in barbed wire, knowing that Erik can't be far behind.

"He's going to start World War three single-handedly," Levene says.

"We have to do something." Moira whispers.

"Like what?" Levene asks before turning to the CIA operatives behind us. "We're moving out."

"You-You can't." Charles tries to say but Levene and the other operatives leave.

"I'm sorry. Can't leave him." Charlies apologizes to Moira before getting up and running after Erik who's already made it inside.

As Charles runs past the guards tied up by barbed wire, he uses my powers to wipe their memories of ever seeing himself and Erik. Charles quickly manages to catch up to Erik and they both proceed to enter the General's bedroom.

As they burst in the come to find General sitting on his bed acting very strange, he smiles and giggles as he gropes at the air in front of him he can only assume Emma is playing mind tricks on him.

"Nice trick," Charles speaks up breaking Emma's illusion and the General notices the two men.

The General grunts something in Russian before pulling out a gun.

"Go to sleep," Charles quickly says using my powers to knock him out.

Emma stands up and changes from her lingerie to a form made of diamond, just like Charles saw in Moira's memories. Charles places his finger on his head trying to read Emma's mind but unfortunately, he can't seem to get a read on her.

"You can stop trying to read my mind, Sugar," Emma says as she used her powers to make Charles' head hurt for a quick moment. "You're never going to get anything from me while I'm like this."

Emma runs towards Charles and Erik but they quickly grab her and slam her into the bedpost. Erik then uses his ability to tie her to the bed so she can't escape.

"So, then, you can just tell us," Erik says out of breath. "Where's Shaw!?"

Emma doesn't answer and only grunts as she struggles to escape. Erik uses more of the metal bedpost to strangle Emma.

"Erik..." Charles warns as Erik only tightens his grip on her. "Erik that's enough."

Erik still doesn't listen as he tightens the grip, even more, and Emma's neck starts cracking.

"Erick, that's enough!" Charles yells.

This time he does listen and once he lets the metal recoil off her neck she turns back into her normal fleshy form.

"All yours," Erik says before walking to grab a cracker. "She won't be shifting into, diamond form again. And if she does, just give her a gentle tap."

Charles places his fingers on his head once more and begins to read her mind. At first, he sees Shaw's plan's to start World War Three and then hears Shaw call himself and his mutant followers the children of the atom. And finally, Charles sees Shaw's true plans of wanting to wipe out humans completely.

"Beautiful isn't it," Emma says as Charles leaves her mind.

"This is worse than we previously imagined," Charles sayw to Erik. "We're taking you with us," Charles says turning back to Emma. "The CIA will want to question you themselves."

"Oh, I doubt it," Emma smirks. "They have bigger things to worry about right now."

Charles turns to Erik hoping he might understand what she means, but as Charles waits for an answer his face falls in realisation before Erik says the last Charles wanted to hear.

"He's going after Raven and the others."

'Fuck.'