Enemies In The Tower(November 2002)

Magneto, as well as many others in the mutant community now knew that the Starks had Natalya Sokolova and James Barnes in the tower. The SSB, Hydra, the FBI, CIA and SHIELD ofcourse. Someone was going to get their hands on her so why not bring her into the fold? Well, for starters they needed to get their hands on her. Getting James as well would just be icing on the cake. Two powerful and well known mutants. The hard part was getting them out of the tower. Getting in though would not be difficult.

‘Kate’ approached the tower. Incognito had to make certain he didn’t bump into anyone. He was invisible and the soft, soled shoes he wore made almost no noise. He also did not carry a scent. Everyone was in the tower today including the kids. Tony and Isabella still were not getting along. Tony did not want Natalya to have a free run of the tower and the children were not allowed to be near her unsupervised. That rule was maintained even when Theo had argued with him about it.

Steve was there near the elevator to greet Kate. He hadn’t seen her for over a week while she was abroad on a mission for SHIELD. He hadn’t expected her back so soon but he was glad to see her anyway. The elevator opened and there she was. She stepped out and Steve greeted her warmly with a hug and a kiss.

“You should have told me you’d be coming, we could have gone out or taken in a movie. Anything you wanted,” he told her. He shifted to look at the elevator as the doors closed but shifted his gaze back to her. “Are you hungry or thirsty? How bout a beer?” he asked.

Natalya was working out in the gym, as usual. And James was swimming in the pool. Serena and Theo were playing the game of Life at the kitchen table and Harry had come to spend some time with them...with her. Tony was in his lab ofcourse and Isabella was in the office.

Things in the Tower were...tense to say the least. Isabella and Tony were still not getting along and argued much more than normal...that is when they were speaking to each other at all. Isabella didn't see where Tony was giving Natalya a chance to prove herself, though he kept using the excuse that he wasn't going to increase the freedom she had until she had. Tony could be as stubborn as a mule sometimes. Isabella made her feelings about what he was doing known...sometimes out loud and sometimes more subtly...like not cooking his favorite dishes. They hadn't had sex in weeks and their bedroom seemed icy cold when they were there together.

Natalya's nightmares had decreased dramatically. She still had some, but since Theo had shared some of his memories with her, her mind had more pleasant things it could turn to. Natalya was keeping James at arm's length. He wanted to be with her, but she wasn't so certain that was the best choice for him right now. They had stopped training together, which was why she was in the gym alone that day.

It was a Saturday, so Serena and Theo were in the Tower. Serena wanted to go out to a movie with Harry, but her parent's attitudes were not great and she wasn't certain asking them if she could do out on a date would be the best idea at the moment. She was holding off and she hoped Harry wouldn't grow tired of waiting for her and move on and start dating Jackie Pruitt.

Harry had been allowed to come over to the Tower and he was hanging out with Theo and herself in the kitchen playing "The Game of Life." They had sodas and some snacks out. Serena smiled and nearly blushed as their hands touched as they both reached for some chips that were in a bowl between them.

Assuming the form of Kate had been easy for Mystique. She had seen Kate before and she knew that she was off on a mission for SHIELD at the moment. She knew that Kate and Steve Rogers were dating so she would have to deal with that. However, she was prepared for anything. She would do what she needed to in order to get Natalya and, if possible, James. She had Drake West, aka Incognitio, with her on this mission. Not only did he have the power of invisibility, but he could also manipulate shadows and darkness. He was there to help teleport Natalya and herself out of the Tower.

"Kate" looked over at Steve as she got off the elevator. She gave him a warm smile and returned his hug and kiss. Mystique found that Steve was actually a very good kisser. "I wanted to surprise you. I unfortunately can't stay very long. I have so much paperwork to do, but I wanted to see you. A beer would be nice though. Is Natalya around? I needed to talk to her for a minute about something."

“Um, yeah, probably in the gym,” he said but it was obvious where Steve was leading her. To his apartment. Incognito was nearby and listened to what was said. He didn’t know the layout of the Tower but he was a former Hydra agent now a part of Magneto’s brotherhood. He moved from room to room stealthily as he searched. He was not in a hurry.

Harry was not really interested in the game but he did talk to Theo. He also was sitting close to Serena. As close as he could get when her parents could be right there at any moment. He really wanted to go to the movies. They could hold hands and she could lean on him. Maybe even kiss. He had kissed a few girls but not Serena. Not yet and he really wanted to. Theo ofcourse knew this and did not say anything. It was none of his business and though he knew, he’d not spoil anything between Harry and his sister.

"Kate" felt Steve starting to lead her to another room. She could only assume it was his apartment since she knew that Kate didn't live here. She knew Incognito would continue on towards the gym, but she needed to go with him in case there was trouble. That meant that she needed to get away from Steve. She needed to do this delicately so as not to raise any suspicion.

"I really need to talk to Natalya," she said with a smile. "But I promise I'll be back."

Steve frowned at Kate. There was something decidedly off about her but he didn’t know what. ‘What does she want with Nataly?’ He wondered. “Alright, well, I will be here,” He said but stole one more kiss before he let her go. Drake found the gym and he also saw Natalya exercising on some kind of odd bench press machine. He began by dragging shadows up to the ceiling. His plan was to kill all the lighting down here and then engulf her in a shadow and teleport her to Magneto’s underground base. Natalya might see odd shifts in the shadows around her. Incognito would pause the movement if she appeared to notice but once she went back to her workout he’d continue. He needed to make it fairly dark in here to safely surround her for the teleport.

As ‘Kate’ Moved out of Steve’s room she stepped past the kitchen area where the kids were playing. Theo looked up at Kate and tilted his head. He didn’t understand the feelings he was getting from ‘Kate’. Serena might notice his odd look.

Natalya was working out on one of the bench press machines. The equipment down here was created specifically for the Avengers and was not mass market produced. Natalya was focused on her workout, but she thought she noticed a slight change in the lighting and odd shifts in the shadows around her. She paused in her workout and glanced around, but everything seemed fine to her. She must just be seeing things. She began to workout again...

As "Kate" stepped out of Steve's room, Serena's attention was pulled away from Harry. She could see Theo's face and he suddenly had an odd look as he looked at Kate. "Theo, what's wrong?" she whispered to him.

Moments after "Kate" stepped out of Steve's room, his cell phone would begin to ring. When he looked at the caller ID he would see it was Kate. Why would she be calling him when she was just there? When he answered he could hear that Kate was on a jet.

"Hey. Just wanted to let you know that we're on our way back to New York," she said before adding with a smile, "and I'm fine." She knew that Steve worried about her.

“I...I don’t know. She...she doesn’t really ‘seem’ like Kate,” Theo said. He didn’t want to say more in front of Harry. Living with these powers was hard enough. Everyone knowing about them would make life so much harder, especially in school. He looked a moment at Harry who was still looking at Serena. And then he looked over at Serena. ‘Something’s wrong,’ Theo said in her mind.

The shadows began to converge around Natalya. Slowly, a snail’s pace but her senses were on high alert. She was trained to notice things. And this, though subtle, was decidedly odd. She bolted up from the bench and rolled away as the shadows struck. They clamped onto the bench. She saw it happen but the shadows were between her and the stairs.

She heard someone coming down the stairs. When she saw that it was Kate a slight feeling of relief came over her.

“You’re on a plane right now?” Steve asked. “Well, I have to say I don’t believe you. You are HERE, with me in the tow…” He began and then that initial feeling of oddness struck him. “Oh no!” He exclaimed and hung up the phone as he left the room.

Serena didn't want to put Harry in the middle of a dangerous situation. Her powers and her brother's powers were not known about in school. They both knew that if word about them got out that they would likely have to go back to being privately tutored. She decided she needed to lie to Harry and get him out.

She stood up and motioned for Harry to follow her over to an area away from the table. "Harry, I'm sorry but Theo isn't feeling very well. Do you mind if Happy takes you home?"

Natalya knew something was wrong. All of her senses were on high alert and she knew that the shadows were doing something very odd and unnatural. She managed to get up from the bench and roll away just as the shadows converged on the bench where she had just been a second ago. She looked towards the stairs, but the shadows were there as well.

She heard someone on the stairs and looked over to see it was Kate. A slight feeling of relief came over her at seeing her.

"Kate, there is a mutant here in the gym..."

“I think you’re right Natalya,” Kate said as she shifted into Mystique. “We’ve come to get you out of here Natalya,” She said calmly and also a bit slyly. “Magneto wants to talk to you, he has an offer for you. Come with me and you will never have to hide who and what you are. Come with me and no one will ever put you in a cage again,” she said. Drake made himself visible and he shifted and moved next to her. Mystique shifted her head as she heard movement upstairs.

“We don’t have much time Natalya,” She said.

Harry looked at Serena and frowned. “Alright Serena, I understand,” he said. He had doubts now that she was really into him. He was still polite though and left with Happy into the elevator. Just as the doors closed...

Steve took hold of his shield and ran out toward the stairs. “We’ve got trouble!” He said loud enough for everyone to hear. Tony took off his goggles and then hurried toward his suit pad.

James came out of his room and dropped the book he was reading. Theo’s eyes grew large and ran toward the stairs himself. “No, not Natalya!” He cried.

Serena sighed as she watched Harry go. She could tell he was upset and didn't believe the lie she had told him. She promised herself that she would talk to him on Monday. She wanted him to know that she wasn't trying to push him away. She did like him.

Natalya blinked as "Kate" suddenly transformed into Mystique. The other mutant made himself visible as well. Her gaze narrowed at the two of them as Mystique told her that Magneto wanted to talk to her. Natalya knew about Magneto and she had no interest in joining the brotherhood.

"He just wants to use me...just like the SSB did. At least here they aren't trying to use me like that."

Serena jumped up and quickly followed after her brother. Isabella had already called her suit and she was ready to fight.

“The Starks will use you in the end. They use everyone. Magneto wants to talk to James as well,” she said as Drake began to weave a wall of shadow on the stairwell up. He began to thicken it and make it opaque. Anyone that moved inside of it would feel as if they had ran into a wall of super thick jello that was extremely difficult to move once connected to it. It resisted most types of damage, but not those of light.

“Magneto would not ask anything of you that he wouldn’t do himself. He has put himself in danger for all of us when he didn’t need to. Your former masters at the SSB would not do that. Just talk to him and if you don’t like what he has to say, you can leave. Drake there took a while to come around but once he saw the truth…” she said with a grin. Her yellow, cat-like eyes regarded her and she shifted around her as if a mountain cat might her prey before she pounced.

“I know whats its like to be an outsider, to be shunned and hated and feared. And that was when I was a child. All I wanted was acceptance and now I have that with the brotherhood. Mutant registration is back on our government’s agenda. How long will it be before they put a collar around your neck, again,” she said. “I would rather die than to let that happen to me,” She said.

Natalya wasn't certain what her future might be if she stayed here at the Tower. Tony refused to give her a chance...or to even speak to her. However, at least she knew that there were two people in the Tower who cared about her, Theo and James. She doubted anyone within the Brotherhood would care about her that much.

"The fact that you are after James as well tells me that you are only after us for our muscle and the special set of skills we possess. Had Magneto's intentions been truly honorable, you would not have felt it necessary to use deception to speak to me. I suggest you both leave...now...before I get upset and make you leave."

Steve made it to the stairs first but before he could stop himself he ran into the blackness. Ran into than was stuck like in some kind of viscous glue made of darkness. It shifted and roiled like some kind of slime in a horror movie. Isabella was next with James and then Tony and the kids. Tony saw the kids and turned to face them.

“What are you two doing here! Go, go!” He commanded and pointed back to their rooms.


“Well, that is disappointing to hear. Well, don’t say I didn’t ask nicely,” Mystique said and then she moved. So quick that Natalya almost didn’t block her forearm strike. But even as she did Mystique contorted her body and kicked her between the legs. Even for a woman that smarted.

It had been a few months since Natalya had fought a real opponent before. She had been used to fighting them everyday so it took a second for her brain to kick in when Mystique attacked her. However, when it did she was able to block her forearm strike. Mystique was a much better fighter than Natalya had anticipated and she wasn't prepared for the kick between her legs. It hurt and she winced a little, but she quickly counter attacked. Natalya moved fast and with deadly accuracy. All of her training kicked into high gear and Mystique was put on the defensive. A hard kick to her chest sent Mystique flying backward. However, it was then that she saw Theo and Serena.

"Well, maybe we'll just take them instead," she said with a grin.

Natalya glanced at the twins and then back at Mystique. Her eyes darkened dangerously. "You TOUCH them and I will make you regret it."

Serena and Theo were down just as the blackness concealed and caught Steve. Tony, James and Isabella wereConfronted with it but despite what Isabella could do the blackness only shifted when she blasted it with her repulsors. Using anything else might kill the twins.

Drake looked over at the kids. And pointed at them. “I’ll take the girl with us.” He said darkly and smiled at her as shadows began to move toward her. Mystique got up slowly but she did get up. “Then I’ll take the boy,” she said then started toward Theo. Drake didn’t move toward Serena he didn’t have to. Ha shadows moved though. Moved toward her.

“Serena!” Tony yelled but the blackness dwarfed all sound. Tony continued to blast at the shadow.

Genuine fear rose up inside Natalya's heart as she watched Mystique and Drake move towards the twins. She knew that Drake was using his powers. She needed to incapacitate him...and quickly. She charged at him, full speed and swung up and got her legs around his neck in a grapple. She then swung her body down and threw him to the ground. His head hit the ground and he was knocked unconscious. The shadows, including the one Steve was stuck in, suddenly stopped and went back to normal.

She then charged at Mystique. Using a couple of moves that she had perfected with James, she quickly had her on the ground on her back. She loomed above her and heard her groan a little in pain. She would live and fully recover, but for a little while there would be pain. "I told you I would make you regret it."

Drake tried to move but one moment the woman was standing several yards away and the next she was on top of him and then darkness took him. Mystique has nearly made it to the boy before she was pulledback and then found herself on her back with Natalya on top of her. She struggled to get free but she had her in a hold and when she struggled the woman tightened her grip. By the time the others had made it down there Natalya had the two assailants down. Serena and Theo stood together and were visibly relieved. They had both heard what the man and woman had said. That they had wanted to take them. Theo actually was able to smile at Natalya.

SHIELD was called to take away Mystique and Drake. During that time Natalya remained in her room to keep out of SHIELD's sight. She was glad that Serena and Theo were alright. Isabella and Tony talked to Nick as Mystique and Drake were taken away. Afterward, Isabella spoke to Tony in their office.

"Natalya just risked her own life to save our children. She's not the monster you think she is Tony. She deserves a chance...a real chance. We should let her train with the team and perhaps let her come on some missions with us. I think she could be a real asset to the team."

Tony didn’t say much but it was clear he was still skeptical. Skeptical about her, about this entire situation. But Theo had put his trust in her and, as a result, Theo appeared to have developed a rapport with her. Both of the kids did. And to a degree, Isabella as well. He still saw her as a killer, an assassin but that was the vocation the SSB had made her to be. Not what she would have chosen for herself.

There was also the coldness Isabella had been showing him lately. No sex and barely a civil word between them. He wondered if things would go back to the way they were if he relented. He had thought it would have taken alt more time for Natalya to feel like she belonged there and to be honest. He wasn’t certain everyone else was reading he right or even asked her what she wanted.

“Alright Isabella. If you want more on your plate, you can have this to. Natalya is your problem. I’ll train with her, eat at table with her and allow her free reign of the tower. But,” he said and leaned in toward her. “If she screws up, all of that could change,” he said then leaned back. It was obvious he was still sore at her for treating him like she had been. That and he had missed her. He relied on her counsel and her friendship. He didn’t understand why she would have taken that away over a stranger newly come into their lives.

Isabella planned on talking to Natalya. She wasn't about to make assumptions about what she wanted, but she had a feeling that being included and feeling apart of a team would help her out tremendously. Natalya needed to be active and she needed direction. Knowing that Tony was finally willing to give Natalya this chance was a great relief to Isabella and as she looked at her husband the weight of these past few weeks finally lifted off of her shoulders. She had missed her husband and that showed in her eyes.

Without a word, she walked over and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him...deeply. She wanted to break the ice that had settled between them. She missed the heat that was usually there instead.