Sitting in the car to the Pentagon, everyone was surprisingly quiet. Logan sat in the front with Charles while Iris was squashed between the door and Hank, with Peter on the other side of him.

She was tired, and barely knew why Logan had invited her to come with them on an illegal mission. How was she going to help in any way? They were all mutants while she was a boring human with nothing to contribute.

"Are you sure you really need me?" Iris asked Hank quietly. He nodded quickly, although he didn't quite look like he could think of a reason straight away.

"We need a... woman," He eventually managed, "Plus maybe you need the experience. This mission could teach you a few things about mutants and maybe you could contribute it to your research."

"A woman, huh?" Iris raised an eyebrow, "We're not weapons for your use. But it's fine. I'm intrigued to see where this is going."

"What got you into research, anyway?" Hank asked, and Iris sighed.

"I don't really know, to be honest. I was involved in an accident about ten years ago just after I lost a job at a newspaper. For some reason, following the accident I felt really drawn to mutations- I was so interested in them. It just led on from there, but I haven't managed to get any proper leads until now."

Hank's expression seemed to soften, "I'm sorry about the accident."

Iris shrugged, "Oh, it's okay. I lost a few memories but my research into mutations has helped me to get through that."

Charles swerved the car rather suddenly, and Iris fell against the side of the door.

"Jesus," Logan muttered and Charles apologised quickly as he straightened the car up and turned into the parking lot. Hank looked at Charles pointedly in the rear view mirror, and Iris spotted it. She frowned in confusion, but decided not to question it.

When they finally got a parking space, everyone tumbled out of the car.

"Okay," Logan spoke, "We all know the plan, right?"

Iris nodded, "I'm with you and Charles?"

Charles glanced down at the floor and didn't say anything, while Logan nodded, "I'm sure you can offer a helping hand."

"I'll try my best," Iris laughed, but when she glanced at Charles' expression her face seemed to darken. He looked... worried for her. Why was he worried?

"Let's go," Hank muttered, beckoning them all towards the main entrance of the Pentagon building.

*

Iris was standing in between Logan and Hank, trying to look like she blended into the crowd of tourists around her. She was attempting to focus on the tour guide's description of the Pentagon, but it was difficult when she knew that she would soon be darting off into a private area of the building. Were they going to get arrested?

She suddenly felt Logan grab onto her arm and pull her sideways out of the crowd and through a door with the word 'PRIVATE' written across the front. She cast a final worried look at Hank before the door closed behind them and the buzz of the public was gone.

"Just look confident," Logan muttered as they walked down the white corridor and towards the door of the kitchen, "Pretend that you're important and supposed to be here."

Iris grinned, "I'm a reporter- I've got this, Logan. Trust me."

The fire alarm sounded, and Iris prepared for the sprinkler system to turn on as Hank had directed it to do with his radio.

Logan threw the door to the kitchen open and Charles stepped in, holding his hands up.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Boys and girls! This is a code red situation! We are evacuating the floor so that we, my, uh... associates and I... can secure the prisoner."

Everyone began to leave, but two security guards appeared in front of them with their arms crossed, "Who are you?"

Charles glanced at Iris and Logan, "We are special operation CBF... CI...C."

Iris snorted as the guards reached towards their guns.

"Look," Charles tried again, "Perhaps you didn't hear me when I first spoke, but it is imperative that you understand that we are in a complete lockdown situation..."

The two guards took another step closer, and before Iris could even think about what she was doing, she lunged forwards, punching one of the guards in the jaw and kneeing him in the chest at the same time. He fell to the floor with a quiet wheeze and Iris spun around as the other guard tried to attack her. She pinned his arms behind his back with one hand, punching him in the face with another. He fell against the wall, his eyes falling shut.

Logan swore behind her, and Iris' eyes suddenly widened as she realised what she'd done. She gasped, her hand flying up to her mouth.

"How did I do that?"

"Very well," Logan remarked. Charles stayed silent, his eyes sad as Iris turned around and looked at them both in shock.

"Sorry," Iris started to say, glancing at the unconscious guards again, "I've never beaten up a single person in my life..."

Logan began to laugh.

"Hey, you did a better job in five seconds than the manager of the CBFCIC managed in three minutes." He gestured at Charles, who shook his head.

"Sorry, I'm not very good with violence."

The lift door in front of the three of them suddenly pinged before sliding open, revealing Peter and a man around Iris' age wearing what looked like prison clothes.

It was Erik.

"Charles," Erik seemed surprised, and his tone seemed light. Charles' face was rather the opposite.

He lunged forwards clumsily as his fist collided with Erik's jaw, knocking him to the floor. Iris' eyes widened in surprise.

Erik clutched his jaw, "Good to see you too old friend, and walking!"

Charles' face seemed to twist, "No thanks to you."

"You're the last person in the world I expected to see today," Erik raised his eyebrows.

Charles shook his head, "I've had all sorts of surprises today. Believe me, I wouldn't be here if I didn't have to. If we get you out of here, we do it my way- no killing."

Erik shrugged his shoulders with a smile, "No helmet. I couldn't disobey you if I wanted."

"I am never getting inside that head again. I need your word, Erik." Charles hissed.

Erik nodded, his expression seemed to be fixed until he turned and caught sight of Iris.

"Iris!"

Iris' eyebrows knitted together in confusion, and she glanced at Charles as he shook his head quickly at Erik, who seemed to look rather puzzled himself.

Iris had no time to consider the action, as suddenly six security guards came slamming into the kitchen, all holding guns.

"Hold it right there!" One of them shouted, "Nobody move!"

Erik glanced at his old friend out of the corner of his eye, "Charles."

"Don't move! Hands up or we'll shoot!" The guard repeated.

"Freeze them, Charles!" Erik shouted, but Charles shook his head silently.

"I can't," He managed to whisper, to the confusion of Erik.

One of the guards stepped forwards, "Hands up!"

Suddenly everything began to vibrate as pots and pans lifted in the air. Several knives started to make their way towards the hearts of the guards, and Iris felt herself begin to move forwards to help them.

A hand wrapped itself around hers, and she glanced back at Charles as he whispered, "Don't."

Iris stared down at their linked hands in surprise. Something felt oddly familiar about the gesture, and Iris glanced back up at Charles, opening her mouth to speak.

She was cut off as suddenly the six guards held up their guns and pulled the triggers. Charles leapt in front of her, and she screamed his name in surprise.

She blinked, and a moment later the guards were laying across the wet floor, groaning into the silent kitchen. All of the bullets had missed everyone, and Peter was standing before them all with a smile on his face.

He'd managed to save them all.

Charles turned around, his eyes catching Iris' as he struggled to find something to say.

"Thank you," Iris whispered, and to her surprise, she watched as Charles' lips twitched into a smile.