Chapter 77

  Arc 6 - Ch 10: Going Rogue

  Date: Saturday, June 25, 2011.

  Location: Xavier Institute, Scarsdale, New York

  The atmosphere in Professor X's office was heavy with as Jubilee, Jean, Logan, Storm, and the Professor himself gathered to discuss the situatioook the lead, her voice ced with an undercurrent of worry as she expihe events that had transpired in Cerebro.

  "Amora offered Tyson her blood if he absorbed a power," Jean began, her gaze sweeping over the assembled group. "He picked out several targets, people he thought were powerful enough to satisfy Amora, but bad enough to warrah."

  Ororo's eyes widened, a flicker of disbelief crossing her regal features. "And he pns on abs one of these bad people, adding their evil to his mind?"

  Jubilee spoke up, her voice fierce with vi. "He wouldn't kill someone who didn't deserve it."

  Logan asked, "Who are the targets?"

  Jean's expression tightened as she reted the information she gleaned. "He picked out several, but only three of them are close enough that he could reasonably reach them in time to save Jubes."

  "First is Mystique. She's a shapeshifter. She art of Mago's group, the one who impersonated Professor Ororo and attacked us orain. She's posing as a Senator in Washington, D.C. The sed was the imposter Spider-Man, I located him just south of tral Park in Manhattan."

  "Tyson was looking for him anyway," Jubilee interjected, "The imposter killed a cop who was the father of one of Tyson's friends, then dropped her injured in his apartment. And on top of that, Tyson is friends with Spider-Man, who he's impersonating."

  "It's the perfect target," Logan mused, his voice a low rumble. "He gets powers, stops a bad guy who seems to know his identity, and clears his friend's name. And it's also close by."

  The others nodded in agreement. Logan turo Jean, "Who was the st target?"

  Jeaated, a flicker of unease crossing her face. "A man in Los Vegas called Kilgrave. As far as I could tell, he was just a normal guy. He registered as human through Cerebro." She paused, her voice dropping to a cautionary toyson said he was dangerous. He didn't say that about any of the others. And we've all seen ider-Man do on TV."

  Professor X spoke up after everyone processed Tyson's ominous warning. "I'll stay here and keep in tact, guiding you with Cerebro."

  Ororo stepped forward. With Scott not part of this mission, she was the de facto leader. "We should split up," she suggested, "Jean and Jubilee, head into the city. Try to reach him before he finds the imposter. Logan and I will remain here with the Professor, monit his progress. If Tyson goes after one of the others, we'll take the Bckbird and head him off."

  Jubilee spoke up, her words heavy with gratitude and guilt. "Thank you, everyone, for helping me and for helping Tyson. It's my fault he's doing this, so I appreciate you all."

  Logan shook his head. "Nah, pretty sure it's his fault. Kid's a trouble mag."

  Despite the gravity of the situation, a flicker of amusement passed through the room. They all khe stakes, the risks Tyson was taking, and the potential sequences of his as. But they also saw the lengths he was going to save Jubilee. And so, with a renewed sense of purpose aermination, they set their pn in motion. Jean and Jubilee made their way to the garage, to find Tyson before he could take another life.

  As Jean drove toward the city, Jubilee pulled out her phoh trembling hands. She dialed Tyson's number, eaanswered ring sending a fresh wave of dread c through her.

  Of course, he didn't pick up.

  Gng at the time, her brow furrowed. It was te for Illyana, but she knew she had to let her know what was happening. She dialed Illyana's number, her fingers drumming anxiously against her thigh as she waited for the call to ect.

  Ohird ring, Illyana picked up, and in her Russian at, she asked, "Jubilee! How did the date go?"

  Jubilee's throat tightehe words catg as she tried to form a response. Slowly, haltingly, she began to ret the events of the evening. She told Illyana about the vampire attack, about the blood rain, and that she had been bitten. She spoke of Tyson's desperate quest to find a cure and informed her about the Asgardian sorceress-ssh-goddess, Amora's challenge, and the terrible price he was willing to pay. By the end of her expnation, Jubilee was g, her voice thick with emotion as she choked out the words. "Tyson's going to kill someoo save me, Illyana. He's going to take a life, to absorb their power, all to keep me from turning into a monster."

  Illyana's response was fierce. "Jubilee, listen to me. Tyson loves you. He's only doing this because of that love because he 't bear the thought of losing you."

  Jubilee's sobs intensified, guilt and desperation warring in her chest. "I'm so sorry, Illyana. I never meant for any of this to happen."

  But Illyana's voice remaieady. "There's nothing to apologize for, Jubes. Tyson has a hero plex, but I'd do the same if I were in his pce. You were there for me when I most. Tyson tried to save me from Azazel and the demons, and now he's doing the same for you." Jubilee's breath hitched. She g to Illyana's words and the support and uanding that radiated through the phone. Illyana's voice softened with a quiet certainty. "There's nothing to worry about. Tyson will take care of you, no matter what happens. And if he es out of this ged, if the burdeaking on alters him, I know ohing that won't ge. The way he feels about all of us. His love for you, for me... that's unshakable."

  Jubilee drew strength from her friend's words. "Thank you, Illyana," she whispered, her words thick with gratitude. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

  "I'm going to try to call Tyson," Illyana said, "Maybe he'll pick up for me."

  "Yes, do that, please," Jubilee agreed. With a final exge of goodbyes, Jubilee ehe call.

  — Rogue Rept —

  Tyson sped down 87 with the imposter's location fresh in his mind, intending to follow the trail like a bloodhound. He knew he was almost an hour behind, but that wouldn't stop him.

  He made a phone call as he pushed the bike to its limits, his voice terse but focused. "Pete, I need you to stay home this afternoon."

  Peter's fusion was evident even through the phone. "Why?"

  "I have his st," Tyson expined, his words clipped and urgent. "I need you to stay away so I track him."

  "Got it," Peter said, "Let me know how it goes. Good luck."

  The call ended, and Tyson fixed his attention on the road ahead. He was nearing the city proper when another call came through. This time, it was Jubilee. Tyson couldn't bring himself to answer. Not now, not when he was so close to his goal. He let the call go to voicemail, a silent apology on his lips.

  Several mier, a third call came through. Tyshe number.

  Illyana.

  They hadn't spoken sihat day oeps of the New York Sanctum. It had been almost a month. The versation was a misuanding that had driven a wedge betweeyson had been too angry, too busy with the events of the Stark Expo, then the Asgardians, then the Abomination, to reach out, to mend the rift that had formed.

  He answered the call with a simple, "Hey."

  "Hey back." Illyana's words were a statement, not a question. "I hear yoing hunting."

  "I am."

  "When was the st time you went hunting?" she asked, a hint of nostalgia creeping into her tone. "In Limbo?"

  A ugh escaped Tyson's lips. "Yeah. Hopefully no fart demons this time." They both chuckled at the shared memory. But as the ughter faded, Tysohe weight of his secrets pressing down on him. He'd been mad about Victor, yet he hesitated to tell her why.

  "Illyana," he said, "I've been hiding some things from you."

  "I know," she said, her tole yet weighted with empathy. "Jubilee told me about Amora."

  fusion clouded Tyson's eyes. "Huh? Amora?" He shook his head. "No, this isn't about her. I didn't eve Amora until after our st versation."

  Illyana's words were measured as she crified, "You found another sorceress. One who wants you to bind someorong to yourself. Why didn't you call me?"

  Tyson opened his mouth but only a dumbfounded "Uhh" escaped his lips. "I'm not sure I just interpreted your question properly."

  Illyana sighed, the rush of air crag through the phone. "Just tell me what you've been hiding."

  Tyson's grip on the handlebars tightened, his knuckles paling from the strain. "I saw more of the future than I ever let on," he fessed. "Glimpses of events years yet to e." He hesitated old anger and hurt welling up inside him. "Finding out about Victor left me upset. It wasn't you dating someone else that bothered me, Lyana. It was who you were spending time with."

  Illyana's voice came through the phone again, insistently. "I didn't date Victor, Tyson."

  "I know, I know," Tyson replied, "But Victor is dangerous. As dangerous as Mago, maybe even worse. The visions showed me that much." He let out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry I wasn't open with you. I was angry and fused, but that's no excuse."

  Silence huween them for a moment before Illyana responded, her voice gentle. "It's okay, Tyso's not dwell on Victht now. There will be time for that ter." She paused, and Tyson could imagihe determined set of her jaw as she turned over ideas. "I steal a sling ring easily enough. Then I'll e to New York, and we'll go to Limbo together. Track down one of the stronger demons for you to take out."

  "I he sorcerers to do the ritual to save Jubilee," he expined, his voice tight with regret. "I 't ask you to put yourself at risk with them again, nor we ahem. I heir help."

  She offered an alternative, "Okay, thehe X-Men to fly you here in their fancy jet."

  Tysoated, the idea taking root in his mind. "I don't kly how fast their jet is, but a flight to Nepal takes like 20 hours."

  Illyana's voice took on a coy edge, a hint of amusement g her words. "Do you know that because you sidered visiting?"

  A mumbled "maybe" was Tyson's only response, but it was enough to draw a ugh from Illyana, a sound that warmed his heart.

  "I'll sider it a st resort," he ceded.

  "I won't try to stop you, but Jubilee doesn't want you to do this."

  Tyson's heart ched. "I know," he admitted, the truth of her words was a knife in his gut. "That's why I didn't give them a ce to stop me."

  "Keep her safe for me, either way?" Illyana whispered in request.

  "You know it," Tyson vowed.

  Her voice softened, a hint of wistfulness creeping into her tone. "It was nice hearing your voice again."

  "Same," Tyson murmured, the weight of the unsaid hanging heavy between them. "Good night, Illyana."

  "Good luck, Tyson," she replied.

  The call ended, and he was alone once more.

  Tysoed the Hendrick Hudson Parkway at 54th Street. He wove through the streets of Hell's Kit, headiward.

  egie Hall.

  This was where Cerebro had pihe imposter's presence. He stopped his motorcycle to s the area. He inhaled deeply, his enhanced senses s through the myriad sts that assaulted him. Street food, garbage, the acrid tang of gasoline, and crete all blended.

  But deep within, Tyson found what he was looking for. A st that was agly familiar, yet not quite right. The smell of Peter Parker.

  The imposter.

  Tyson followed it westward, ba the dire he had e. The st did ni egie Hall, but Tyson followed it that way due to the old gamer's adage.

  When in doubt, go left.

  The st wound south then south a, leading Tyson on a dizzying path through the streets. He rode slowly, his helmet discarded in favor of keeping his senses unobstructed. He stopped frequently, inhaling deeply as he sought to hold onto the st, to keep it from slipping away in the currents of the city. The trail led him to 39th Street, just past 9th Avehe roads here were he Lin Tun, a fusing tangle of overpasses and underpasses.

  The st was everywhere.

  Tyson growled in frustration, his eyes darting from oential path to another. Which way should he go? Which trail would lead him to the imposter?

  And then he saw a red figure swinging through the sky.

  He gunned his ehe motorcycle leaping forward like a beast unleashed. The wind whipped at his face, his eyes watering as he pushed the mae to its limits. The imposter was fast, but Tyson dodged around cars arians, his foever wavering from the figure ahead. The imposter swung from building to building but Tyson wouldn't be deterred. He couldn't let them slip away now. Not when Jubilee's life hung in the bance.

  Even if it meant being the monster he had tried not to be from the moment he arrived.

  The imposter Spider-Man seemed to sehe feral presehat stalked them, their movements being more erratic, more desperate, like a frightened animal seeking escape. They swung low, skimming the tops of cars and buses that honked angrily, trying to shake their relentless pursuer. But Tysone wove expertly through the traffiever losing sight of his target. He could smell their panic, fear, and desperation, on the wind. The st urged him onward like blood ier, his predatory instincts in overdrive. He pushed the motorcycle to its limits as he rapidly closed the distance.

  And then, Tysohe subtlest of illusions, he added a street light at the perfect spot for the imposter to swing from. The imposter's webline shot through the air. But instead of finding a purchase, it passed through the illusion. Their swing faltered, but with the agility born of spider-enhanced reflexes, they adapted, rolling to disperse their momentum and sliding to a stop in a cssic superhero pose.

  Tyson who'd shrouded himself in the illusion of his Mirage e when the pursuit began, unched himself from his motorcycle in a ferocious charge. But as he closed the distance, he suddenly pulled up short. Doubt took hold through the haze of his anger and his burning desire for revenge fwen, redemption for Peter, and above all, to save Jubilee. Tyson's rage and desperation slowly ebbed.

  He looked at the imposter, taking iails of the e. It didn't match Peter's Spider-Man suit. With a crity that had eluded him in the heat of the moment, Tyson saw the truth. This wasn't the Spider-Man he sought.

  It ider-Woman.

  He had made the same mistake Peter had at graduation, targeting the wrong imposter.

  Peter's at of the atta Gwen had been clear. The imposter who had assaulted them was a man. But the figure before him, the one he had chased and ered, was unmistakably female. Cerebro revealed dy Moon's location in Siberia, so this couldn't be her. The only other possibility for a Spider-Woman that he could think of was… Gwen herself. Spider-Gwen host Spider. But the woman before him wasn't Gwen. Her hair wasn't blonde, and he was there the day Peter was bitten. Gwen had been in the room, but he was certain she hadn't been bitten. She might have fought better against the imposter if she had.

  Spider-Woman's mask was a small domino, barely disguising her features. Even so, Tyson didn't reize her. There was too much evidehis wasn't who he sought. He'd found the wrong e.

  Tyson stared at the woman, his rage dissipating. "I thought you were the other one," he said slowly. Amora's words echoed as he studied her, particurly the option to cim a powerful mistress. Here stood a woman with all of Peter's abilities, practically gift-ed and delivered to him. He knew Peter didn't have any particur resistao his illusions. His power could bend her will, just as with Vanko and ors.

  The temptation pulled at him, whispering he'd found an easy solution to his desperate situation.

  But something held him baews reports painted a clear picture.

  Spider-Woman was a hero.

  Like Peter, she stopped crimes and saved lives. She swung through the city, proteg the i and vulnerable. There'd been no ince where she'd itted unnecessarily violent acts.

  Guilt spread through him. Using his powers to manipute someone who had dohing wro wrong on a fual level. This wasn't like Vanko, who had tried to kill Tony Stark, or ors, who had transformed into a monster and inteo do the same for the rest of the city.

  This was different.

  The weight of his moral pass pressed against his desperation. Yes, he wao save Jubilee more than anything. But at what cost? Mind-trolling an i hero was crossing the line.

  Tyson's shoulders slumped as the tension drained from his posture. He wouldn't do it. He couldn't justify using his powers on someone who had itted no crime and had only tried to help others. The path of maniputing the i wasn't one he would walk, no matter how ve it might be. His threatening stance rexed, and his hands dropped as he let go of the dark possibility. There had to be another way to save Jubilee that didn't require promising everything he believed in.

  His thoughts were interrupted as her st reached him, stopping his thoughts iracks. She smelled familiar, like Peter, but there was something more.

  An alluring uone he couldn't pce.

  Unbidden, thoughts of Jubilee faded from his mind, repced by i in this mysterious Spider-Woman.

  She cocked her head, eyes fshing defiantly. "Do I look like a dude to you?" she questioned, sarcasm dripping from each word.

  Tyson's gaze traveled over her slender yet toned frame, the curves of her suit leaving no doubt as to her femininity. "Far from it," he ceded, uo keep a hint of appreciation from seeping into his voice.

  Spider-ced a hand on her hip, her body nguage radiating sass. "Eyes up here, cowboy," she quipped, though her words held a pyful edge. "I know the suit's tight, but try to focus."

  Tyson's eyes snapped back to her barely masked features. "Are you alright?" he asked.

  She looked at him, her eyes narrowing. "No thanks to you," she retorted, "What's the deal with the heroes in this town? You're the sed oo ambush me."

  Tyson winced. "I'm sorry," he began, but Spider-Woman cut him off.

  "Why were you chasing me, Mirage?" she asked. There was suspi ione, but also a flicker of curiosity.

  Tyso out a frustrated sigh. "Do you know where to find the other imposter?" he asked.

  Spider-Woman shook her head. "I don't," she admitted, a hint of apology in her voice. "Believe me, if I did, I'd be giving him a piey mind. It's hard enough being a spider-hero without him ruining our reputation."

  Tyson grunted in frustration. He'd been so close to seg the power to save Jubilee's life. But now, he was back at square one, with nothing to show for his efforts but a case of mistakey.

  He couldn't afford to wallow, though.

  He would find another way. But first, he owed Spider-Woman an apology. "I'm sorry," he said again sincerely. "I shouldn't have attacked you like that. I let emotiohe better of me, and you paid the price. My… friend is dying, and to save her, I o find the other Spider-Man."

  Spider-Woman's posture softened, uanding dawning in her eyes. "I get it," she said, her voice gentler now. "We've all been there. Desperate to save someone we care about, willing to do whatever it takes. It's not an easy pce to be."

  Tyson nodded. He extended his hand, an offer of truce. Spider-Womaated for a beat, then took it. He noted how strong her grip was despite her slender fingers.

  "I hope you find what you're looking for," she said sincerely. "And I hope you save your friend."

  Mirage's smile was genuine, if a bit strained. "I'm gd I ran into you, even uhese circumstances. It was good to meet you, you look great in that e. I mean… It's good to know another ed hero is out ireets."

  Spider-Woman ughed. "Fttery will get you everywhere," she teased. "But seriously, no hard feelings. We're all fighting the good fight."

  "Damn straight. And if you ever need a hand out here, give me a shout. I'm not that hard to find," Mirage offered.

  "I might just take you up on that," she said pyfully. "It's not every day a girl gets an offer from our local celebrity hero." She stepped back, preparing to swing away. "Good luck, Tyson," she said, in a warm, geone.

  He watched her swing away knowing he'd nearly made a terrible mistake, letting his desperation cloud his mind and attag the wrong target. But as Spider-Woman disappeared from view, a realization hit him like a thunderbolt.

  She had called him Tyson. His real name, not his alias.

  How did she know his identity?

  But there was no time to dwell on it now. With a shake of his head, Tyson turned back to his motorcycle. When the dust settled, he would track down Spider-Woman a some answers.

  But for now, the hunt was on.

  As Jessica swung away, her mind was a whirlwind of flig thoughts aions as she distanced herself from Tyson.

  The enter had left her uled.

  She couldn't stop thinking about what she'd said, those words that had slipped out almost without thought. "Fttery will get you everywhere." It had been a knee-jerk response, a quip thrown out in the heat of the moment. But now, in the cold light of hindsight, it made her ge. Had she been flirting with Tyson? The thought made her stomach twist.

  "Gross," she muttered.

  Jessica was still ing to terms with the fact that she wasn't Peter Parker, that despite the memories and experiehat felt so real, she was her own person.

  A woman, not a man.

  It was a jarring realization, ohat she grappled with daily.

  But even amid that iurmoil, she couldn't deny that talking to Tyson had been... nice. f, even. He was her friend, or at least, he had beeer's friend. Those memories of their camaraderie, of the trust and uanding they shared, still resonated within her, even if they weren't truly her own.

  Her thoughts drifted to Gwen, and the tragedy that had befallen her father. When the news reached her, Jessica was hit with a wave of grief that was both fn and agly familiar. Memories of time spent with Gwen, of kisses and embraces, had surged to the surface, vivid a-wreng. But they weren't her memories, not really. They beloo Peter, to a life that wasn't hers.

  And then there was Kaine. Her "brother," the other e shared her genes but not her heart. Jessica had known, with a bone-deep certainty, that Kaine was responsible for Captain Stacy's death. It was the kind of thing he would do, shing out in anger and pain at a world he didn't uand. They had been separated after their release. Jessica hadn't seen Kaine sihat day, and holy, she was surprised he was still loose iy. She had half-expected him to be locked up by now, his violent tendencies and unstable mind a dao himself and others.

  A part of her, the part that g to Peter's innate sense of responsibility, felt a pang of guilt. Maybe she should have tried harder to reach out to Kaio help him find his way in this strange new world they found themselves in. But another part, the part that was slowly, painstakingly carving out her owy, khat she wasn't responsible for Kaine's as. She had her own life to figure out, her own path te.

  Since her creation and subsequent abando by Dr. Warren, Jessica had grown aced to being treated like a pariah. Everywhere she went, she was met with fear. Suspi and disdain had bee her stant panions. Even out of e, it seemed people sensed her true nature and that something was off about her, making them keep their distance.

  But Tyson had been different.

  His initial aggression had given way to genuine remorse and kindness. Jessica couldn't shake the memory of his apologetie, and the siy in his eyes as he expined his desperate situation. Normally, that would be the point that whatever was driving people away kicked in. But the hostility she'd e to expect from others hadn't occurred; with Tyson, it seemed, almost the opposite. Like what drove normal people away had drawn him to her.

  She nded on a rooftop, perg on the edge as she gazed at the cityscape, repying their iion. Her spider-sense had screamed danger when Tyson pursued her, and for a heart-stopping moment, she'd thought this was it. That would be her end. Whatever mysterious force had been turning people against her had finally ied Tyson, her best friend, or at least, the man she remembered as her best friend. Instead, he'd surprised her. Not only had he apologized, but he'd been almost... charming. Jessica felt a warmth creep into her cheeks at the memory of his appreciative gaze and pliment about her e. Or was it her body he was plimenting? Was that flirting? No one had shown her any positive attention since she'd bee behind at the b. She wasn't sure if she could even reize it anymore.

  "e on, Jessica," she muttered, shaking her head. "First boy to show i in you and you swoon? That's so cliché."

  But try as she might, she couldn't dismiss the flutter in her chest, the way her spirits had lifted during their brief iion. Tyson had been the first person since her "birth" who seemed to accept her without question and treated her like a person rather than an outsider, threat, or abomination.

  Was she so starved for positive attention that a few kind words could affect her this deeply?

  She thought back to Tyson's offer to help. The siy in his voice had been unmistakable. For the first time in what felt like forever, Jessica felt maybe there ce for her in this world after all.

  But doubt crept in, tempering her optimism.

  What if Tyson's kindness was a fluke? What if, once he learhe truth about her, he'd recoil in disgust like everyone else?

  Jessica stood up, stretg her limbs as she prepared to tinue her patrol. She couldn't afford to dwell on what-ifs and maybes. She had a city to protect. A, as she leaped off the building, shooting a web to swing away, she couldn't quite shake the warmth that Tyson's acceptance had kindled withiry as she might to dislodge the thought.

  She had enough oe without adding fusing feelings for her gene donor's best friend into the mix.

  She o focus on herself, her life, and her identity. It wouldn't be easy; nothing in her short, straence was. But she was determio do it, to carve out a pce for herself in this world that made sense.

  She ider-Woman. Jessiot Peter Parker.

  — Rogue Rept —

  Kaihe warning of danger from his spider-se was greater than aion he'd gotte. It was greater than anything he remembered Peter feeling. He searched but saw nothing, his sense only giving him a general dire. Something bad was ing for him from the North.

  Kaine headed for the Lin Tuhe sensatio through his spider-sense was se that he wasn't sure if the threat was against him, or an attaanhattan itself. If it was the tter, the tunnel might be his quickest escape. He reached the tunnel and crawled along its ceiling as the sensation suddenly disappeared. Kaiopped and stayed there for a minute, ging to the top of the Lin Tunnel. He crawled back toward the Manhattan side. But when he exited, he saw what must have caused the threat. Mirage. He was chasing Jessica. Kaine smiled, good. A ce to kill two birds with oone; get rid of Jessica, and maybe eve Mirage off his back.

  Kaiched from the shadows, how Mirage was handling Spider-Woman. He had to be careful, he couldn't let Mirage get the drop on him. Not with his powers. Mirage's illusion tricked Jessica, sending her crashing into the ground.

  Mirage lept at her.

  Kaine's smile grew wider. This erfect. Hopefully, his cws would ruin the perfect, pretty girl's face.

  Kaine's smile disappeared as Tyson stopped short of Jessica. They were talking now, their voices carrying faintly on the wind. He watched as Mirage's aggressive stance rexed, his body nguage shifting from that of a predator to almost friendly. Kaine's eyes narrowed, a growl rumbling deep in his chest. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen.

  Jessica, the e who thought she was a woman, was smiling. The sight of it twisted Kaine's insides with disgust. She was falling for Mirage's tricks, just like everyone else. It was siing. Of course, Tyson wouldn't attack her. Kaine knew all too well his womanizing ways. He had seen it with Felicia Hardy. The way she looked at Tyson with a mix of admiration and desire. And then there was Gwen Stacy, the girl who had captured Peter's heart. Tyson had circled her like a vulture, trying to weasel his way in. It was despicable.

  Kaine couldn't stand to waty longer. He crept bato the shadows, his mind rag. He o find some way to stop Tyson, to expose him for the maniputive monster he truly was. But how? Tyson erhaps even more powerful than Kaine himself. His illusions were enough to make anyone question their sanity.

  As Kaine slunk away, he couldn't shake the image of Jessid Tyson from his mind.

  — Rogue Rept —

  Tyson sat astride his motorcycle as he grappled with the step in his desperate quest. The enter with Spider-Woman had thrown him off bance; realizing she wasn't the imposter he sought was a bitter pill to swallow. He had asked Peter to stay home, knowing that his friend's familiar st would interfere with his trag abilities. But he hadn't ated for the existence of another e, a wrinkle in his pn that left him frustrated and unsure.

  It was a shit ce, he mused darkly, that the other e had traveled through the area he Lin Tuheir sts had intermingled, fusing his senses and leading him on a wild goose chase.

  Now, he was left with three options, each with its ow of risks and uainties.

  The first was to backtrack tie Hall and follow the st in the opposite dire. But Tyson was hesitant to pursue that course of a. If the st trail led to a dead end, he would have wasted precious time chasing false leads. And given that the imposter had mao evade Peter for the better part of a month, the odds of Tyson finding him in a few short hours seemed slim.

  The sed option was to assume that Spider-Woman had been lying, to follow her, hoping she would lead him to the imposter. But even as he sidered it, Tyso a pang of reluce. Spider-Woman had been forthing, even friendly, in their brief iion. And there was a familiarity that reminded him of Peter. The fact that she knew he was Mirage gave him pause, revealing a depth of knowledge that he hadn't expected. But it wasn't enough, in his mind, to suspect her of any wrongdoing.

  That left the third option.

  Choose aarget.

  With a heavy sigh, Tyson made his decision. He revved the engine of his motorcycle, the mae r to life beh him. Merging into traffic, he sped eastward, towards the House of M.

  As he ehe building, he was met by Felicia. "I took some calls while you were out," she said without preamble.

  Tyson sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Let me guess. Jubilee."

  "Yeah. She's worried, doesn't want you to do what you're doing, and she's ing here."

  "No surprise there," Tyson mumbled. He knew Jubilee's heart was in the right pce, but he couldn't let her dissuade him from his path.

  Felicia studied him for a moment, her gaze searg. "Have to ask, are you sure about this?"

  "Yeah. I am."

  Feliodded, accepting his resolve. "Alright then. On to other things." She sulted her tablet, scrolling through her notes. "Maki called, asking when she could e for an interview."

  "Maki?"

  "The woman who put in the random application to be Mirage's bodyguard," Felicia crified, a hint of amusement ione. "You said, and I quote, 'she's a ninja assassin, make sure you hire her.'"

  Reition dawned on Tyson's face. "Ah, yeah. Bring her in. Maybe... Wednesday." He paused, sidering. "Don't let her into the secure areas without me around, and keep a close eye on her until after I speak with her."

  "Got it." Felicia made a note oablet, nodding. "I didn't realize you knew about Wednesday already."

  Tyson shifted, his mind already moving on to the step in his pn. "Right. Anything else?"

  "Nothing besides Wednesday," Felicia shook her head, him a small, supportive smile. "That's all."

  Tyson started to walk away, but then, an illusion of him turned back to Felicia.

  The illusory Tyson reached out, pulling Felicia into a warm embrace. "Thanks for uanding," he murmured, "And for everything you do."

  Felicia leaned into the embrace, her own arms ing up to around him.

  "I have to try to save her," he whispered, "I'd do the same for you."

  "I know," she whispered back.

  For a long moment, they stayed like that, locked in an embrace. Finally, Felicia drew back, her eyes searg the illusion's face. "Spend a few minutes with me," she pleaded softly, "until you disappear."

  "Of course," he murmured, drawing her bato his arms.

  And so they stood, Felicia and the illusory Tyson, stealing a moment of fort and e as the real Tyson tio Vanko's b.

  "What's the status of the whipsh armor?" Tyson asked, his voice carrying an edge of impatience.

  Vanko looked up from his workbench, answering in his heavy Russian at, "I resized the chassis for you. Extending it four inches was no problem, maher of us may use it."

  "Time for me to suit up. How far will the arc reactor allow me to fly?"

  Vanked, responding, "Far as you want."

  That was what Tyson had hoped to hear. He had taken a risk, going out on a limb to prevent the armor's destru and Vanko's death at the Stark Expo. Now, it was time to put the tech to use.

  Vanko rose from his seat. He gestured for Tyson to follow, ready to assist him in donning the Whipsh Mark 2 armor. The suit was a match for the Iron Man and War Mae suits and he was about to take it for a spin.

  The armor hummed to life, the arc reactlowing a brilliant blue at its core. Tyson flexed his fingers, feeling the strength and precision of the suit's hydraulics.

  Vanko stepped back, admiring his handiwork. "You're all set, man."

  Tyson turowards the exit.

  Outside, Jean and Jubilee had just pulled up to the House of M in their borrowed car from the Xavier Institute. They stepped out, their eyes widening as they caught sight of a figure streaking off from the building's roof. It looked like Iron Man, but there was something different about it.

  Jean reached out with her mind, trying to get a read on the figure ihe armor. But she hit a wall, a mental barrier she couldn't pee from this distance. Whoever was in that suit, they were well-protected.

  Jubilee let out a low whistle. "Damn, that's some serious tech. You think it's Iron Man's new suit?"

  Jean shook her head, her brow furrowed with . "I don't think so, Jubes. His mind was shielded... I think that was Tyson."

  They watched as the figure disappeared into the distance, a trail of blue light marking its path.

  Jubilee growled in frustration, she said, "That's so cool… but now I'm mad. We o call Professor Ororo to e pick us up. We'll never be able to catch him without the Bckbird."

  Tyson soared through the sky, the armor responding to his every directive and movement. He had never felt so free as the world stretched out below him.

  The Whipsh suit's thrusters propelled him forward as he left Manhattan behind. The southern tip of the isnd grew smaller with each passing sed, and Tyson couldn't help but feel a rush of exhiration as he asded higher into the clouds.

  As he reached cruising altitude, a notification fshed on the suit's HUD, indig an ining call. Tyson g the caller ID and saw that it was her than Tony Stark himself.

  "Mr. Stark, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Tyson asked, his voice ced with a hint of sarcasm.

  "I got an iing notification from Wednesday," Tony replied, his tone a mix of curiosity and .

  "Who's Wednesday?"

  "That AI assistant security system we talked about," Tony expined, a slight edge to his voice.

  Tyson mumbled under his breath, "Didn't think it would happen that fast."

  "You should listen to that assistant of yours more," Tony chided.

  "You're oo talk."

  Tony brushed off the jab and tinued, "Anyway, Wednesday told me a suit left from House of M, but Vanko was still on the premises. Do you know anything about that?"

  Tysoated for a moment before answering, "Uh, yeah. That'd be me."

  "Going for a joyride?" Tony asked.

  "Something like that," Tyson replied, trying to keep his voice casual. "Just a quick flight to DC."

  "DC? What's there?" Tony pressed.

  "o meet with a Senator."

  There ause oher end of the line, and Tyson could almost picture the look of on Tony's face.

  "Not sure that's the best idea," Tony finally said seriously. "Gover has been real difficult with the suits. They finally got off my back when I let Rhodes have my hand-me-downs. If they find out you have o'll be trouble."

  Tyson tried to reassure him, "I won't take the armor into the city proper. I'll leave it outside the city limits. I just needed a way to get south quickly."

  "You're making me a bit nervous," Tony admitted, and Tyson could hear the unease in his voice. "You know, Vanko didn't make that thing for stealth. I'm trag you as we speak, and I doubt my eyes are the only ones on you."

  A sense of realization washed over Tyson. He hadn't sidered that the suit would pop up on military radar, but Tony had a point. If Natasha was here, she'd make a joke about cameras, or in this case, eleic surveilnce being his greatest nemesis. With a sigh, Tyson asked, "Any ce you could hide my movements with your tech wizardry?"

  "Maybe," Tony replied, "Tell me what's so important that you'd risk taking the armor to the capital."

  Tysoated before expining, "There's a mutant who's a shapeshifter, posing as a Senator. I o stop her."

  "I know you've appointed yourself the Secretary of Mutant Affairs," Tony said, a hint of skepticism in his voice, "but why do this yourself? Why not tell SHIELD ahem ha?"

  Tyson admitted, "It goes deeper than that. A friend of mine is in trouble. To save her, I o kill the shapeshifter."

  Tony interrupted, his voice rising with , "Let me get this straight. Yoing to Washington DC to kill a Senator?"

  "It sounds way worse when you say it like that," Tyson replied, trying to downpy the gravity of the situation.

  "What happens when you kill the Senator and everyone finds out that he was killed by a mutant?" Tony asked his words carrying a heavy weight.

  Tyson mumbled under his breath, "Fuck." Could he return mutants to the spotlight in such a ive way? As he poony's words, a text fshed in his HUD from Jubilee. "The Professor called Senator Mystique. She's goo hiding. You won't be able to find her. Please stop and e back."

  Another curse escaped Tyson's lips. With Tony still on the line, he answered, "You know what, you're right. I'll let SHIELD hahe Senator. Instead, I'm just going to go for that joyride. Vegas sounds nice. Maybe I'll put on a show. Thanks for the advice."

  Tony watched as Tyson banked innd oellite trag. "Good man," he said relieved. "I'll cover your trail just this oime. But if I see you heading toward DC, I'm suiting up."

  "Uood," Tyson replied, ending the call.

  The Whipsh suit hummed with power as Tyson altered his course, the bright lights of Las Vegas now his destination.

  — Rogue Rept —

  Tyson carefully cealed the Whipsh armor at an outdoor speedway amusemeer on Route 15, just south of the glittering lights of Las Vegas. With a final go es security, Tyson turned his attention northward, toward the being glow of the Strip.

  His superhuman speed and endurance made the journey a breeze, his feet pounding against the pavement in a steady rhythm. As he ran, Tyson drew upon his powers to cloak himself in an illusion, rendering him invisible to the eyes of the passing motorists. The cars whizzed by, their octs blissfully unaware of the extraordinary figure running alongside them, nearly matg their speed.

  The Belgio sat on the southern end of the Strip. But as Tyson he edge of the Strip, a familiar group came into view, their silhouettes standing out against the vibrant backdrop of the city. Jubilee wearing her yellow jacket, stood alongside Jean Grey. Wolverine fhem on one side, Colossus oher. And finally was Storm, her white hair billowing in the gentle breeze.

  Tyson slowed his pace, realizing that his friends had anticipated his move. As fast as the Whipsh armor was, it couldn't match the unparalleled speed of the Bckbird, the sleek aircraft modeled after the legendary SR-71 spy phe X-Men had beaten him to the punch, and now they stood before him, their expressions a mix of aermination.

  The Strip beyond them buzzed with energy, the chatter of excited tourists filling the air. The t hotels and os loomed ahead. Neon signs flickered and pulsed, casting a kaleidoscope of colors across the faces of the gathered mutants.

  Tyson approached, his illusion fading away as he revealed himself; Jean and Ororo had seen through the simple deception already. The weight of his decision to e to Las Vegas hung heavy in the air, the unspoken s palpable between them.

  Jubilee stepped forward, her eyes locked on Tyson's. "We know what you're doing. Why did you leave before even speaking to us, Ty?" she asked, her voice a mix of worry and frustration.

  Tyso her gaze, his own eyes filled with a determination that bordered on defiance. "I had to," he said simply, his words carrying a weight despite their brevity.

  Wolverine warned, "You don't o do this, kid."

  Jean pced a hand on Wolverine's shoulder, her touch was a gentle reminder of their shared purpose. "We all want to help Jubilee," she said, her voice soft but firm. "This isn't the way. Just talk to me, please. We figure this out."

  Storm nodded in agreement, her eyes filled with a wisdom that seemed to transd her years. "We are a team, Tyson," she said, her words a promise of support and unity.

  Tyson looked at each of his friends in turn, the gravity of their presence sinking in. He had e to Las Vegas with a singur purpose, but now, standing before his friends, he knew he was right to avoid them. Seeing their faces, and hearing their words, made him hesitate, and question his path.

  "Talk about what? You being my sve?" he asked Jean. His eyes were dark with desperation as he shifted to pleading with Jubilee. "Let me try to save you."

  Jubilee shook her head. Her expression was resolute even as her eyes glistened with uears. "I 't let you kill someone else for me," she replied, her voice soft but unwavering.

  How could he stand by a her die?

  "You don't uand. This guy I'm going after is the absolute worst kind of person. He bend others to his will and does so without remorse or sed thoughts. Killing him would be doing the world a favor." He turo Logan, "If he knew you existed, he wouldn't hesitate to trol you, keep you as a bodyguard."

  Tyson then addressed the women, his voice taking on a somber tone. "I'm sure I don't o say what he'd do to any of you. I don't want you to be in the same city as this guy, let alone be so o him. Let me take care of him, and this will all be settled."

  Storm, her white hair billowing in the gentle desert breeze, asked, "And what happens to you when you absorb this man's power, Tyson? Will you bee him?"

  Tyso her eyes, a flicker of uainty passing across his features. "I've kept Sabertooth in check all these months."

  "How much evil an hold before it begins to affect him?" she asked.

  But Jean interrupted, raising her hand.

  Suddenly, Tyson, who had been running across the street, was yanked off his feet and dragged in front of them by Jean's telekinesis.

  The disappoi could be heard in Jean's voice as she expined, "He tried to get past us by distrag us with an illusion."

  Tyson struggled against Jean's telekiic hold. "You don't uand," he growled in frustration. His eyes darted between his friends, log onto each of them. "I have to do this. Why won't you trust me?"

  "We know the weight you carry, Tyson. But taking on this burden alone will only lead you down a dark path. Let us help you find another way." Storm said.

  Tyson's eyes locked with Storm's, lingering for a long moment as desperation filled his eyes. Then he focused on Jean.

  Despite the invisible force of her telekinesis holding him iyson suddenly was able to raise his arm, his bare hand reag for her face.

  Jeaed instinctively, usielekinesis to toss Tyson away from her.

  The simple illusion he had crafted slipped past her defenses, catg her off guard. As Tyson hit the ground, the impact freed him from Jean's grasp, just as he had hoped. He split into several illusionary duplicates, each log eyes with the mutants assembled against him…

  Jubilee's world shifted…

  The neon lights a heat of Las Vegas vanished, repced by the gentle pping of water beh her feet. She blinked, adjusting to the sudden ge. Somehow, she stood atop an expanse of water, the surface tension holding her weight like solid ground. The air felt different here, er, filled with the st of forest and stone. Looking down, Jubilee found herself wearing an e and bck jumpsuit. A g her surroundings revealed t cliffs oher side of a waterfall, and at their peak, two massive stoatues faced each other iernal frontation.

  "The Valley of the End," she whispered, reizing the se from tless anime marathons, and it was one of the ses Tyson had created on their date.

  Across the water he stood, dressed in a loose white shirt, dark pants, and that purple rope belt. His expression matched Sasuke's brooding iy perfectly, his three-tomoe Sharingaared her down.

  "Really, Ty? Yonna make me do this whole thing?" Jubilee called out, uo suppress a small smile despite the situation. "Like, I get the metaphor and everything, but this is seriously extra."

  The water rippled beh her feet as she took a step forward. "Look, I know you think you're proteg me by going after this Kilgrave guy. But that's not what I want. That's not what any of us want."

  She took aep forward, her refle wavering ier below. "I know you're scared. I'm scared too. But being a killer isn't the ahat's not who you are. I know you're not going to hurt any of us. You're such a nerd, I noticed all your little details. Three-tomoe sharingan, not a Mangekyō. Whether you inte or not, that has meaning."

  "You don't uand what he's capable of," Tyson replied, his voice eg across the water.

  "Maybe not," Jubilee admitted. "But I uand you. And this path you're on? It leads nood." She paused, gatherihoughts. "Remember when we first met? You had just killed for the first time. You didn't know how any of us would feel about you. But you let us in any way. You let me in."

  The water stirred beh them as a breeze swept through the valley.

  "I love you, you big dummy," Jubilee said, her voice crag slightly. "And I'm not gonna stand here and watch you throw away everything you've built. Everything you are. Not for me. Not for anyone."

  Tyson's expression softened, a flicker of uainty crossing his features. Then he closed his eyes and shook his head.

  "Sorry, Jubes. Your Talk no Jutsu failed," he said quietly. "You don't wao bee a killer, but that's exactly what I've been sihat day I arrived."

  Logan and Colossus's world shifted…

  Logan's nostrils fred as the sulfurous stench of Limbo filled his lungs. The familiar crimson sky and twisted ndscape materialized around them, repg the neon lights of Las Vegas. Across a field of bck stoyson stood transformed. His skin was bleached white and covered in glowing ruhat pulsed with an otherworldly light.

  "This again?" Logan growled, "Didn't we do this dance a few weeks ago?"

  Tyson's voice echoed across the hellish ndscape. "And have you fotten how that ended up?"

  "Alright kid, that's how it's going to be." Logan's jaw ched. "I'm going to beat some seo you."

  Colossus took a hesitant step forward, his metal skin gleaming in the crimson light. "Logan, perhaps we should..."

  But Logan was already moving. With a familiar SNIKT, his adamantium cws burst from his knuckles. He unched himself at Tyson, cws extended for a devastating strike. Just before impact, Tyson's form rippled like water and sank into the bck stoh their feet, mimig the faceless Vilsteth demon's ability they'd entered in their battle within Limbo while fighting Azazel.

  Logan's cws sliced through empty air as Tyson emerged from the ground behind him. The feral mutant spun around, his cws carved deadly arcs, whistling through empty air as Tysoed into the rocky ground of Limbo. The sulfurous stench burned Logan's nostrils, bringing bawanted memories of their previous visit to this hellish dimension.

  "Getting slow in your old age?" Tyson's voice echoed from behind.

  Logan spun, cws leading the way. His strike caught nothing but air as Tyson sank into the ground again. The kid ying games, testing his patience.

  "Logan, we must be careful," Colossus warned, his metal skin gleaming in the crimson light. "This is not the real Tyson we face."

  "Real enough," Logan growled.

  Tyson emerged from a nearby boulder, those mismatched eyes glowing with otherworldly power. The are ruched into Tyson's bone-white skin pulsed with energy. He moved like the Vilsteth demon, fluid and uable. Logan lunged forward with his adamantium cws exteyson flowed around the attack like water, his form rippling as he phased through solid rock.

  Logan dropped and rolled as Tyson burst from the ground behind him, stone cws raking through the space where Logan's head had been.

  "You're not the only oh cws, old man," Tyson taunted.

  Logan sprang to his feet, spinning to face his oppo. Colossus stepped forward. "This aplishes nothing, rade. We should…"

  "If you don't want to fight then stay back, Pete," Logan snapped. "The kid wants to dance? Let's dance."

  Tyson's ughter bounced off the twisted spires of rock surrounding them. He phased through another boulder, emerging with his stone cws extended. Logahe attack head-on, adamantium meeting stone in a shower of sparks. They traded blows, her gaining the upper hand. When Logan sshed high, Tyson would sink into the ground. When Tyson emerged for a surprise attack, Logan tered.

  Logan pressed forward with a series of quick strikes, f Tyson to phase through a twisted n of bck stone.

  "Getting tired yet?" Tyson's voice echoed from within the pilr.

  Logan snorted, rotating his shoulders, ready to tihe fight. But he realized the truth. Even pared to the st time they fought…

  The kid was holding back.

  Ororo's world shifted…

  The neon lights of Las Vegas dissolved into a familiar se. The manicured wns and elegant architecture of Xavier's Institute materialized around her. She stood in the tral courtyard, the sky indig the sun had retly set. The first thing that caught her attention was the sound. A seeking noise in the distance, growing louder with each passing moment. Bck vans pulled up outside the ores. The doors burst open, and soldiers began streaming out. The whoosh of helicopter bdes cut through the air, and the sound echoed across the grounds as multiple aircraft approached from different dires.

  Storm watched soldiers wearing dark uniforms scale the walls. As they ehe courtyard, something struck her as wrong. Then she saw it, each soldier had the same face. Tyson's face. Dozens of him, armed and ready for battle, surrouhe school.

  "What is this?" Storm demanded, her voice carrying on the wind that had begun to stir around her.

  Tyson's voice came from the mouth of a soldier, each sentence projeg from a different armed figure.

  "This was the battle I fought for you."

  "I protected your students."

  "That's what I'm doing here."

  "Proteg one of your students."

  Storm's white hair whipped around her face as the wind picked up, responding to her risiions. It had been a year, but the guilt from that day was still fresh. The atta the school, the children in danger. She'd missed the etle since she was off with Logan searg for the mutant that had attacked the President.

  "Are you sure that's what you're doing?" she challenged, her eyes beginning to cloud with white energy. "It seems more likely that you've given in to your bloodlust and are trying to kill a man. Just like you killed during this battle."

  The illusion of soldiers paused in their movements, frozen in time. Oyson, dressed in uniform, stood before her, his mismatched eyes bzing with anger and hurt.

  "If you'd been there, and done your job," he fired back, his voice sharp as a bde, "maybe I wouldn't have had to."

  The wind howled around them now, whipping at their clothes as Storm faced down her former student. The soldiers remained motionless, silent wito their frontation, each wearing Tyson's face like an accusation. The institute's grounds stretched out around them, peaceful and seree the invasion force frozen in time. This pce of learning and sanctuary was surrounded by violend death.

  Just as Tyson himself seemed caught between being a protector and a killer.

  The helicopters hung suspended in the darkening sky, and their bdes caught mid-rotation. Storm could see every detail of the se Tyson had recreated. The determination on the soldiers' faces, the ons in their hands, the fear they must have brought to the children who called this pe. But this wasn't about proteg the school. This was about something else entirely, and they both k. The illusion served as a mirror, refleg the sequences of that day.

  Logan's cws glinted uhe flickering lights, a snarl emanating from his throat as he faced off against one of the illusionary Tyson duplicates. Storm's eyes glowed a brilliant white, the wind whipping around her as she summohe forces of nature to her aid. Jubilee's hands crackled with energy, her mutant power casting a dazzling dispy of light and color across the se.

  But none of them fought the real Tyson. The X-Men found themselves engaged in battle against ahat oed within their minds.

  Or rather Tyson's mind.

  Jean stood still, her brow furrowed in tration. She'd brushed away Tyson's illusion that attempted to ensnare her like she'd swat away a fly. Her telepathic powers reached out searg for the familiar presence of her friend. She ighe distra of Tyson and Jubilee battling oer, Logan and Colossus fighting the proje in Limbo, and the army of Tysons arrayed against Professor Ororo. None of the illusions had thoughts of their own, making them easy to ignore, but Jean had always had difficulty sensing Tyson. More so since he'd gaihe illusions, his psionic powers seemingly bolstering his defenses.

  But then, like a bea in the darkness, Jea it. The unmistakable essence of his mind, the u muted pattern of his thoughts aio him apart from the illusions he created. Her eyes snapped open, log onto the real Tyson as he tried to slip away.

  "There!" Jean shouted. She poi the retreating figure, her telekiic power surging forward to grab hold of him once more.

  But the other X-Men failed to heed her call.

  Their attentions were fully drawn to Tyson's illusion. The real fight was between just the two of them.

  Psychic vs psychic.

  Tyson remained firmly held in Jean's telekiic grasp, his body suspended mid-air, uo break free. Their eyes locked once more, a mixture of frustration and resignatioched upon his features. At that moment, Tyson made a decision born of desperation and a singur focus on his goal.

  His mind stretched outwards f invisible wispy tendrils of psychiergy that soward Jean's sciousness. He pressed against the edges of her psyche, his influence spreading like a heavy fog. Maniputing others had always been a st resort reserved only for his enemies whe with no choice. But now desperation drove him to cross that line.

  "I trust you, Jean. And I know you trust me. I've felt it. We ected. I've been inside you, and you've been inside me… In a way that goes beyond intimacy. The others 't possibly uand our e and what we've shared." Tyson said. He pushed harder, his psychic powers seeping into the familiar pathways of her mind. After their time liogether in Cerebro, he knew how to navigate the plex terrain.

  She felt his prese the edges of her mind, probing and searg. His psychic touch differed from Xavier's, far less precise, but somehow more intimate.

  Her telepathic barriers stood firm, walls of pure thought and will. But they couldn't taihiions leaked through, wisps of feeling that Tyson's power caught. He found the warmth she held for him. Pushing against that se of the barrier, he picked up impressions. Their shared moments at the Institute, quiet versations at breakfast, the way he made her ugh, his pivihe soce of silence.

  The exaature of those feelings remained uo his untrained abilities. Not quite love, but not simple friendship either; something more plex that defied easy categorization. But he reized their strength, their genuineness.

  In respoyson gathered his owions. Memories flooded through him. Jean's gentle guidance when he first arrived at Xavier's, her fierce protectiveness when Illyana vanished him to Limbo, quiet moments when the rest of the institute slept. Deeper feelings rose unbidden. Fshes of her smile, thoughts of her beauty that he'd tried to suppress.

  He took it all, this tangled mess of gratitude and desire, friendship and want, and pressed it against her mental shields.

  Not attag. . Sharing.

  Jean's barriers softened, almost imperceptibly. The rigid walls became permeable, allowing tendrils of his sciouso seep through growing cracks. He felt her acceptance, her willio let him in.

  That small success spurred him on. He reached through the widening fissures, grasping for Jean's feelings, using them to create more openings.

  A voi the back of his mind whispered encement…

  She was letting this happen, wanting it as much as he did. Their mutual desire created a feedback loop, eaent of eplifying the .

  A soft gasp escaped Jean's lips. The sound was not paiance, or exertion.

  Pleasure.

  Pure and urained. Her mental barriers crumbled further as waves of sensation passed between them.

  Their psychiion deepened as emotions flowed freely now. Physical sensations began to blur; her rag heart and his quied breath became indistinguishable. Las Vegas faded as their sciousness iwined more intimately than any physical embrace.

  Jean's emerald eyes locked onto his mismatched ones, pupils dited. Her lips parted slightly as another small sound escaped. The telekiic hold on Tyson weakened as her tration wavered uhe assault of shared sensation.

  Around them, the other X-Men remained caught in Tyson's illusions, unaware of the intimate psychifolding. The neon lights of Vegas cast shifting colors across Jean's face as she swayed slightly, caught iide of their mental joining.

  Tyson pressed deeper into the e, riding the wave of Jean's acceptance. Each barrier that fell revealed new depths of emotion, and new sensations to explore. Awareness of the physical world faded away, leaving only their interwoven sciousness floating in a sea of shared feelings.

  Tyson had succeeded.

  Her grip on him wavered.

  Their eyes remained locked eyes, her able to look away as his mismatched ones burrowed into her emerald greens. With a final surge of energy, Tyson tried to override Jean's will, to beo his and against her sent.

  "Let. Me. Go."

  But then, through their e, Tyso somethireaming through Jean's barriers. The sensation was unlike anything he'd experienced before. More than just emotions or thoughts, it carried an almost physical weight, pressing against his sciousness with tangible force.

  He saw Jean, but not as she appeared before him in Las Vegas. This vision showed her wreathed in fmes, her usual gentle demeanor sharpeo a razor's edge. The warmth he typically felt from her had transformed into seari. Where Jean's normal presence was like sunlight filtering through leaves… This was a sor fre.

  The love he sensed wasn't the plex mix of friendship and attra he'd grown aced to. This presence radiated pure want, primal and urained. It didn't wait for him to reach out, it surged frasping his mind with fiertensity. Not tent to simply accept his advances, it sought to cim him entirely.

  Raw power rolled off this presen waves. It dwarfed anything Tyson had entered before, making even Professor Xavier's formidable abilities seem modest paratively. The sheer force of it threateo overwhelm him pletely. His psychic defenses had already lowered to ect with Jean and offered ance against this tide of power.

  The presence filled every er of his mind, leaving no room for doubt or hesitation. Where Jean's touch had beele, this entity burhrough him like wildfire. It found every hidden desire, every suppressed wanting, and drew them to the surface. His carefully maintained trol began to slip away.

  Tyson's sciousness reeled uhe onsught. His identity began to blur at the edges as this force pressed in from all sides. He could feel Jean's preseoo, familiar and warm, but it was overshadowed by this other entity that burned so much brighter.

  The physical world seemed impossibly distant now. The neon lights of Las Vegas, his illusions battling his friends, even his own body… all felt less real than this psychiion. The presened his awareness until nothing else remained but its burning iy.

  — Rogue Rept —

  With a cry, Jean forced Tyson back, extinguishing his influence over her mind in an instant. She hovered above him, eyes bzing, her powers swirling arouhere would be no maniputing her mind.

  Jean's sciousness surged through the e Tyson had opened between them. His attempt to manipute her mind had created a bridge, and now she crossed it, diving deep into the ndscape of his thoughts. The familiar sensation of entering another's mind enveloped her, but this differed from her usual telepathiters.

  Tyson's mindscape materialized around her psychic presence. Uhe ordered thoughts she typically entered, his mind was a swirling maelstrom of memories aions. Images fshed past her; faces of those he'd killed, the weight of powers he'd absorbed, the stant struggle to maintain trol.

  The memories whirled faster, more ret ones rising to the surface. She saw Jubilee through his eyes, growing paler and weaker from the vampire's bite. Felt his crushing fear of losihe desperate o save her at any cost. The memory shifted to his versation with Amora, her smile as she demanded he grow stroo earn her help. His determination crystallized into a sihought.

  He wasn't strong enough to protect those he cared about.

  Jean pushed deeper, past the surface thoughts. Here, in the depths of his sciousness, she found the true source of his desperation. It wasn't just about saving Jubilee. Deeper currents of guilt and shame swirled around memories of others he'd failed to protect. Azazel's domination over Limbo, over Illyana. The students at Xavier's school during the attack. The soldiers he'd sughtered and their memories, most det people. Each death was a weight he carried, each failure another cra his resolve to remain noble.

  Tyson's sciousness reacted to her preserying to push her out. But Jean held firm, her telepathic abilities far more refihan his psychic powers. She felt his frustration, his a being ihis way, but also his bone-deep exhaustion from stantly fighting his darker impulses and trolling the other psyches within his mind.

  The ndscape of his mind shifted again, revealing what truly drove him. It wasn't love, nor a desire for power that pushed him toward Kilgrave.

  It was fear.

  Fear that if he didn't act, and didn't bee strong enough, he would lose everyone he cared about.

  This went deeper than proteg Jubilee.

  Jean withe battle raging within him. The part that wao be a hero wrestled with the part that would do anything, bee anything, to protect those he loved. She felt his vi that abs Kilgrave's power was the best of his current paths forward, even as another part of him recoiled from the idea of taking another life.

  Through their e, Jean sensed something else.

  Resignation.

  Tyson knew what he was about to do was wrong, and k would disappoint his friends, but he'd accepted those sequences. In his mind, their opinions of him ging was a small price to pay for saving Jubilee's life.

  A small price to pay to protect the future.

  Jean had to ask, What future was Tys to protect?

  But as she delved into those thoughts, the mental ndscape grew hazy. She could feel something fighting harder against her presence. But it wasn't Tyson. He wasn't strong enough to push her out of his mind, not when she was this deep. This was something else. Memories aions swirled chaotically around her, but Jean had seen enough. She uood now the depth of his struggle. He was desperate enough to sacrifice his humanity to save...

  Everyone?

  No.

  Half of everyone…

  What did that even mean?

  Jean reached out for the barrier trying to force her out. She got the impression it was imperable. Like a mental version of Tyson's unbreakable bones. But stronger. Impossibly so. As she reached out to touch it, her sciousness suddenly shifted.

  The chaotidscape of memories aions dissolved, repced by the velvet darkness of a movie theater. Jean sat in a plush seat, the familiar st of pop hanging in the air. Beside her sat Tyson, his hand iwined with hers. It was Tyson, but not Tyson. Gone was his massive frame and wild wavy hair, he looked more… normal.

  Her breath caught. Their fingers were interlocked, skin against ski his power wasn't activating. No drain, no pain, no pull of memories or abilities. Just the warmth of his touch.

  This couldn't be real, she thought. But she was able to see through his illusions. This was different. This was more. A…

  The s before them flickered with images. A massive battle unfolded, heroes she didn't reize fighting. The ses grew darker and more desperate until it happened.

  Two fingers, a gold gau.

  Snap.

  People began to dissolve into ash, scattering on the wind. A young man in red and blue, clutg… an older Iron Man… begging not to go before he too faded away.

  The final se showed a muscur figure with purple skin sitting peacefully, watg a su over pristine mountains. His expression held satisfa, perhaps even peace, as he observed the golden light spilling across the ndscape.

  The s faded to bck. White text appeared.

  "Thanos will return..."

  Darkness enveloped the theater.

  "That's the end?" Jean asked, fused, her voice barely above a whisper in the quiet theater.

  Tyson turo her, his mismatched eyes refleg what little light remained. "Yeah, I know, it's crazy." he squeezed her hand reassuringly, "But don't worry, the story's not over yet."

  He leaned forward, one hand rising to cup her cheek. Jean moved to meet him, drawn by something deeper than physical attra. Their lips met in a gentle kiss that felt more real than any vision had a right to.

  As they separated, he breathed, "I promise." as the theater dissolved around them.

  Jean's presence hovered within his mind, her hand still against the imperable barrier. She felt it pulse and she was violently forced bato her own mind, the taste of their kiss still lingering as reality reasserted itself.

  Hurled out of his mental ndscape, she agaiyson's power squirming toward her mind. But then, with a single word, Jean shattered his resistance.

  "Stop Fighting Me."

  The and was soft, but its impact was immeasurable. Tyson's illusion power withered and died, his mental tendrils retrag bato his mind as if scorched by the sun. His struggles ceased, and his resistance crumbled in the face of Jean's psychic might.

  As strong a psychic as Tyson was, and as much resistance he had from the multiple minds within his head…

  None of it was a match for Jean Grey.

  Around them, the illusions flickered and vahe X-Men's attacks passing harmlessly through the empty air. Logan's cws sliced through nothingness, while Storm's winds dissipated into the night sky. Jubilee's energy fizzled out, the dazzling light show fading into the ever-present glow of the city.

  Tyson hung limply in Jean's telekiic grasp, his eyes vat and his face expressionless.

  Jea a mixture of sadness and uanding, her eyes filled with a deep empathy for her friend. She khe pain that drove Tyson, the desperation that had led him to this moment. What she didn't know and couldn't uand, was the barrier within his mind, strohan any Professor Xavier had helped her build within her own.

  … And the

  … theater.

  She struggled to hold on to the thoughts as she hovered to the ground, the city around her growing dimmer.

  The other X-Men gathered around them, their faces etched with and passion.

  They had seen Tyson at his lowest; when he'd arrived at the Institute having taken Sabertooth's life to survive, when he'd nearly been killed by Mago, when he'd been tortured and mutited at Alkali Lake, and now wheried and failed to take a life to save one.

  — Rogue Rept —

  Tyson's senses returo him gradually, the fog of fusion lifting as he found himself strapped securely ihe Bckbird. As he regained his izayson reached out with his powers, quick to restart the fight, to finish what he started. But Jean tamped down his power at the slightest use of psionics. She was still maintaining a minimal psychiion, and with a greater familiarity with his power after their mental battle, she easily rendered his subtle maniputions iive.

  With a heavy sigh, Tysoed. "Alright, I'll stop. You win."

  Logaed nearby, mumbled gruffly, "Already won, kid. Now, where's that armor? 't leave it lying around here."

  Tyson's voice was filled with resignation as he directed them to the speedway where he'd left the Whipsh Mark 2. Ohe armor was safely loaded into the aircraft, Tyson asked aloud with a flicker of hope in his eyes. "Any ce you'll give me a ride to Nepal?"

  Jean, her brow furrowed with fusion, asked, "Why?"

  Tyson expined, "I spoke with Illyana. She said if all else failed, she would open a portal to Limbo. I could hunt and absorb a demon. I wouldn't kill any people that way."

  Storm questioned, her voice filled with skepticism, "How would taking in a demon be aer than taking in a vile human? Wouldn't you still be ged?"

  Tyson paused for a moment, sidering his words carefully. "In Limbo, time moves differently. Illyana could drop me in, and I might have days, weeks, or loo find the right demon to absorb. The biggest problem now is time."

  Every gaze turo Jubilee, waiting for her respohe young mutant sat quietly, her usually vibraures had begun to pale, her face starting to look drawn, the toll of her illness evident in the shadows beh her eyes.

  Tyson sehe growing unease, prompting him to propose, "Or there are ods…"

  Jubilee interrupted him softly, "Stop. Please."

  Tyson tinued, "I could try to find aernal, Thena might be sidered a god, or..."

  She turo face Tyson directly, her eyes shimmering with uears.

  "I'm dying. I feel it. Please, stop making my death about you."

  Her words struck Tyson like a physical blow, causing him to recoil. The pain in Jubilee's voice, and the raw hoy of her fession, cut through the yers of his desperation.

  She took a shaky breath, her voice trembling as she tinued. "I love you. I love that you tried so hard… And if you love me back, you'll be there to support me as I die."

  The following silence was deafening, broken only by the gentle hum of the Bckbird's eyson's eyes widened with shod realization. His desperate pns and schemes now seemed hollow and meaningless in the face of Jubilee's plea. He had been so ed that he had fotten the most important thing.

  To be there for her, to love her, and to support her in her darkest hour.

  Tysohat he had a choiake. He could tinue dowh of desperation, seeking out powers and gods. Or he could choose to be the man Jubilee needed him to be, to stand by her side and face the ing darkogether.

  At that moment, as he looked into Jubilee's eyes, Tysohere was only one choice. With a shaky breath, he took her hand in his.

  "I'm here, Jubilee. I'm not going anywhere."

  It was well into the evening as the X-Men's jet touched down. The ramp lowered with a hiss, and the team disembarked, their faces etched with sorrow. At the ter of the solemn procession walked Jubilee, her usual bubbly energy notably absent. With each step, Jubilee felt the crushi of her fate pressing down upon her slender shoulders. In a day, the ichor would cim her life, transf her into a vampire. But even in the face of her mortality, Jubilee refused to succumb to despair. She'd always been an upbeat bea of light, even in the darkest times. She would not let this final challenge break her spirit.

  Steeling herself with a deep breath, Jubilee gathered the strength to face the grim task she had been sidering during their flight.

  Pnning her funeral.

  Tyson pced a gentle hand on her shoulder, a sad smile crossing his rugged face. "While teically you're dying, you'll rise again as a vampire. This isn't the end," he reminded her gently.

  But Jubilee was adamant. "Hoeople hear what their loved ohink of them after they're gohis is my ce to find out how I'll be remembered."

  "I don't know what's going to happen to me. You might o put me down if I bee a ravenous, undead monster." She tried to keep her tone light and joking, but the fear in her voice alpable.

  "That's not going to happen," Tyson firmly stated, "I won't let it."

  Jubilee's ughter echoed through the hangar in stark trast to the somber mood that had settled over the group.

  "If I'm going to die," she said, her voice tinged with a mix of humor and resignation, "we're either having a wedding or a funeral."

  She turo Tyson, her eyes sparkling with mischief despite the gravity of their situation. "Want to get married? Till death do us part? That's only… what? A day, maybe two, max?"

  "Vows or eulogy? What'll it be?"

  Behind the Ses

  - This chapter is the first 'side quest' I wrote for Tyson. Too bad he failed. I know that some will be disappoihat Tyson didn't absorb someone, but I hope that the chapter was good enough otherwise to make up for it.

  - Arc 7 and 8 both have self-tained mini-stories like this. I'll probably tihe trend with Arc 9 when I get to it. This chapter is the lo in Rogue Rept so far, but nothing pared to the one in chapter 100.

  - Going Rogue was the inal title of this story before I settled ue Rept. It was a homage to the expansion of the MMO, City of Heroes, which I pyed for far too many hours.

  - This chapter showcased Tyson's abilities by pitting him against aire team of heroes, including multiple omega-level mutants. While no one was fighting to kill, we see roughly where he stacks up.

  - We got some insight into Jessica's perspective after Tyson's pursuit. Addio the story was something I was genuinely hesitant to do for several reasons. I suppose she and Mystique are the closest thing to 'trans' characters that I've introduced. Though Jessica isn't truly trans as she was never actually a man, just has the memories of one. I don't have any experience here, but I imagine part of the struggle of being trans is feeling like you're in a body that doesn't match how you think or feel. Jessica embodies this perfectly as a character. Whereas Mystique is a better representation of physical transformation. I hope I'm suffitly portraying Jessica’s challenge respectfully and tastefully.

  - There is more to Tyson and Jessica's iion than you may have noticed. If you're a ic reader, you might have an idea of what's going on.

  - Tony jokes that Tyson appointed himself as Secretary of Mutant Affairs. In X-Men The Last Stand, that's a position held by Hank Mccoy, Beast.

  - Kaine ironically muses that Tyson's illusions are enough to make anyone question their sanity.

  - During the mental battle between Jean and Tysoouched somethiioned by Amora in Chapter 62 (Arc 5, Ch 15)

  - The foreshadowing was strong in this chapter.

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