· 。ﾟ☆: *.☽
▎ BEAUTIFUL CRIME ▎
»»-----　act two. another lifetime
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN ━━ left behind

ᵒ .༄ ࿐ ࿔* 🌊♟💦
♯ ❝BUT I CAN! ❞ 
⋆⋅ ━━━━ ‧ ༻✩༺ ‧ ━━━━ ⋅⋆ 

     MAGGIE DID NOT EXPECT TO EVER COME TO PARIS, AND CERTAINLY NOT TO STOP AN ASSASSINATION THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY START ONE HELL OF A FUTURE, BUT SHE HAD TO ADMIT, THE CITY DID LOOK PRETTY, with the sun gleaming down on the pavement as they rode closer to their destination. Both herself and Charles were in the back, with Hank stuffed in the middle while Erik and Logan sat in the front.

     The first clearance point came up as a group of guards approached their car, but with a simple wave of his hand, Erik brought a metal gate towards them to render them unconscious. Maggie winched as the three hit the ground in a heap of limbs before Erik raised the barrier in front of them. As quick as they could, which would always be pretty slow compared to the silver speedster, the group of five disregarded their vehicle with little care before marching inside the building like they owned the place—which was very contradicting to their behaviour at the Pentagon for obvious reasons. But now they were walking with unwavering purpose.

     Maggie already felt her heartrate speed up as they neared another staircase, one that was more grant and decorative then the small little metal spiral staircase the just ascended that was probably only used by the staff of the building.

     She hadn't seen or heard from Raven in ten years—unlike Charles who she at least had a brief conversation with every other months... or well Hank really, as he told her Charles was still breathing—but obviously not quite living.

     She wondered if the blonde, or well, redheaded woman had changed much over the years, if Erik's mutant supremacy preaching had truly influenced the shapeshifter so much she was willing to cross this line.

    But before she could even set foot on the first steps of stairs, loud shouting and numerous people yelling was heard from a room upstairs, before followed by the familiar sound of violence. They all exchanged worried glances, before sprinting up the steps.

     Maggie breathed heavily as they came upon the room, but it seemed the fight had fizzed out like a flame without air.

     "Raven!" Charles called out in disbelief when he spotted the blue shapeshifter kneeled on a table, gun propped up and pointed at Trask with unwavering confidence—but the moment Charles called out her name, that moment when her eyes flickered to their unexpected alliance, was an opportunity one of Traks man's took as he whipped out a taser and electrocuted Raven.

     "Raven!" Maggie called out worriedly, despite not having seen the girl—no, woman now, for so long. She still held this deep caring for the somewhat insecure girl she had met at the CIA facility. With a quick twist of her hand, Maggie gathered whatever water she could find in the vicinity and threw it with full force at the man who fell backwards just as Erik thrusted his hand forward to send the metallic bits at the end of the taser back to the man's neck as he shuddered in pain.

     Charles was quick to fall next to Raven's shaking body as she took in shallow breaths, as she tried to ignore the pain that was surging through her body, everyone completely oblivious to Trask who held a weirdly shaped, and white device out in front of him—the thing beeping and blinking red lights.

    "Charles?" Raven breathed out when she finally opened her eyes again and Maggie let out a breath of relief, crouching down next to Charles. "Maggie?"

     The long haired professor brushed away stray pieces of red hair as he smiled gently at her, "We've come for you, Erik, Maggie and I."

    Raven laughed hoarsely as he lowered his voice like he was telling her a secret, "together."

     "I-I never though I'd see you again," Her gaze was directed at Charles again as Maggie gently rubbed her shoulder hoping to bring her a sense of comfort.

     "I made you a promise a long time ago." Charles comforted her. "That I would protect you."

     "You'll always be one of us." Maggie added, "We were like a little makeshift family back in the day, and you don't abandon family."

    Charles started rambling now about his unkempt promises, and how he was going to make sure he'd keep her safe this time when a thud sounded behind the chestnut haired woman. She watched nervously as Logan slammed himself against the wall, clutching his head, grunts leaving his lips and she quickly stood back up to rush to his aide.

    "Logan?" She called out, "Logan what's happening?"

     The man remained unresponsive, and as if things couldn't get any worse, the all too familiar sound of a gun cocking made her whip her head around to see Erik standing with the gun, as stiff as a statue as he pointed it Raven's direction.

     Her brows knitted together in worry, as she abandoned Logan again, and Hank took her place. "Erik what are you doing?" She called out in shock, eyes wide as she stepped in between the gun, and Charles and Raven.

    She held her hands up, praying with all her might that at least he still would never consider lethally hurting her. "This isn't who we are." She whispered, "we came here, together, to save Raven, not to kill her." Her tone grew in volume as she glowered at the metal bender who's gaze remained fixated on Raven.

     "What are you doing, Erik?" Charles echoed her previous question, holding his own hand up in the air.

    "Securing our future." Erik declared firmly, eyes briefly shifting to Maggie before he directed his attention back to Raven. "I'm sorry Mystique, as long as you are out there, we'll never be safe."

    Raven yellow eyes sparked with fear as she looked at Charles, "Charles, stop him." She pressed urgently as dread settle in Maggie gut.

    "He can't" Erik argued.

     "But I can." Maggie retorted just as complete chaos ensued—the gun was fired, and Hank pushed him, the gun fell but he still made the bullet curve through the air, and without thinking, Maggie had trusted her hands forward with such force she had to brace herself from falling over as water came barrelling towards Erik to try and throw him off.

     Raven had leapt out of one of the windows, roars of shouting people could be heard from outside as the bullet followed her, but luckily only hit the shapeshifter's leg, instead of what Maggie assumed Erik was aiming for—her head.

     With her heart hammering in her chest, Maggie watched as Charles came running towards Erik, fully tackling the man to the ground as they mercilessly pounded on each other.

     A unsettling crack fills her ears and Maggie winches as she notices the slightly bend nose Charles is sporting, blood trailing down his face and she finally decides to get into the action.

    With quick movement, she feels the soft and smooth water trails down her arms like whips and the moment Erik launches Charles back with a swift kick, the chestnut haired woman lashes out. With a disgruntled groan Maggie swiped at Erik with lethal precision, and Erik's head lulls back from the force, a nasty and large looking gash appearing just above his browbone as he settles his fiery gaze on her.

     Maggie yelled out as Erik moved his fist backwards, pulling her forward by the zipper of her jacket and the woman stumbled over her feet, but with a quick twist she turns the momentum in her favour and swiftly round kicks him when she gets closer enough.

     A satisfying thud following as Erik is slammed against the wall, air leaving his lungs as he heaved breathily. Maggie smirks in victory, momentarily distracted by Hank and Logan who are shouting at one another, and the chestnut haired mutant suddenly notices the dazed look in the latter's eyes and a spurt of fear shakes through her.

     In her moment of distraction, Erik had come back to his senses, and with a wave of clear intent he smashes her against the wall across the room.

     She can actually feel the air leaves her lungs as her back makes contact with the wall, pain surging through her body like electricity as her arms tingle. The metallic taste of blood fills her mouth as she groaned gruffly. The red liquid also dripping down her face and coating her face like she came straight out of a horror-flick. "Fucking hell." She breathed out disgruntled as she felt her legs shake and she slowly dropped down to the ground to catch her breath.

     She can only watch helplessly as Erik casually walked passed her heaving figure, only sparing her a brief glance before he disappeared through the same window Raven had jumped out of.

     "Stop Erik." Charles instructed Hank, who had now turned fully blue again, never taking his eyes off of a very confused Logan.

     With the last bit of strength left in her, Maggie managed to push herself up with her left arm propped against the wall for support. "I'll help." She spoke croakily when Hank passed her,

     "Are you sur—"

     "Just get me down Hank." She grunted out and with slight hesitation, Hank picked the chestnut haired woman up before jumping out of the window himself.

    As Hank gently lowers her back to the ground, she leaned slightly against Hank's towering frame to keep herself upright as they both watch the scene unfold in front of them. Raven is laying on the ground, leg bleeding heavily as she pants in pain while Erik hovered a bullet in the air above the palm of his hand.

    She can't see his face, but she is secretly glad she can't see his expression—knowing their would be no remorse displayed on it.

     "I'm sorry." Erik mumbled.

     "Erik please." Raven pleaded fearfully.

     But before Erik can make the final move, Hank is rushing towards them, and just like he did earlier, he smacks right into Erik, sending the man tumbling to the ground, hitting his head harshly against the stone pavement.

     Maggie watched worriedly, noting all the people filming the exchange or shouting out in fear at the sight of mutants. She feels like a little girl again, only for a moment, before she reminds herself of everything she had been through, everything she had overcome to become who she was today.

     Maggie raised her hands just as Hank and Erik fall into the fountain close by, Hank easily gaining the upper hand when he gets on top of the metal bender as he grabs the lapels of Erik's coat, forcefully pulling him under.

     She limps forward, as Erik's head resurfaces again, only for Hank to pull him under again. "Hank?" She called out a flicker of fear in her voice. "Hank, stop it! You're killing him!" She's worried now as the fences and cars started to shake uncontrollably as well as every other metal object in the vicinity. She even felt her own zipper rattle against her shirt.

    Maggie watched as suddenly Erik stopped moving, and Hank seemed to think he had won, only for the intricate metal decoration in the fountain to bend and capture him. Erik easily pulled Hank off of him and rose back up again.

     Breathing heavily, Maggie raised a shaking arm in the air, slowly turning it as water swallowed Erik's body again, the man eyes darted towards her in surprise as she shook from the lack of energy. He started to move towards her, raising his own hand, but she quickly bawled her first, turning the liquid into ice, rendering the man rooted to his spot.

     He scrunched his brows together as he tried to move, eyes narrowing in on her shaking figure as he tried to break her hold. "Erik please." She pleaded, eyes swimming with untold emotions as she looked at him, "Please be better." She almost whispered but her voice carried volumes as Erik almost flinched away from her tone. "It doesn't have to end like this—we can still safe the future, no one else has to die."

     Her bawled fist was shaking violently as she focused all of her energy at the ice holding Erik in place.

     "There is no other way."

     Her breath hitched as a wave of nausea hit her and black spots started to cloud her vision.

    "Please."

     Her hold had become weak and with one strong pull Erik broke free, and all the energy that had been there, suddenly disappeared as her world turned dark, the last thing she saw was Erik walking away from her.

     This time, she was the one left behind.

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