An Unwanted Surprise

[Count/Winterfire]

(The three reappeared miles away from the mansion. Count rolled on his back and began to breath heavily. The fight with Liz took more out of him then he realized. He needed to relaxed for a minute before healing completely and gaining his strength. As the hours passed, the darkness of the night began to help him heal. If this was the day time, he surely would have been dead. He looked and noticed Christina. Sara got away from Christina, her hands already glowing with blue fire.)

Winterfire: You insolent girl! Why would you dare follow us?

(She didn't attack Christina, wanting to hear a response from the girl.)

[Oracle]

Christina gasped for breath as they all landed and she continued to breath heavily. She still shivered from the cold. She flipped onto her back painful as it was though and faced Sara. She noticed the blue fire in her hands and knew she had to answer her or else she would be burned. But as much as she tried to think of an answer, she couldn't. Christina continued to gasp for air as she answered Sara as honestly as she could.

Christina: I.... I don't know...

[Count/Winterfire]

(Sara raised one of her eyebrows at Christina's response. Usually, she had a smart comeback or an insult or some clever response whenever Sara addressed her. She was dumbfounded at the moment.)

Winterfire: You don't know? That's not good enough!

(She was about to attack Christina when all of a sudden...)

Count: Sara stop!

(At that moment, Sara stopped in her tracks. She turned to her father, her fists still filled with her blue fire. Count was slowly picking himself up. His bones were now completely bounded together. His healing factor was helping him reach homeostasis. His cold eyes starring down at Sara.)

Winterfire: What do you mean stop!? She's the enemy!

Count: There's a time and place for everything and right now is not the time to fight.

(His eyes moved from Sara's face to her flaming blue hands and then back to her eyes.)

Count: Disengage your powers now. That's an order.

(The two starred intensely into each other. There was nothing but the sound of crickets chirping, the waters of the lake moving, and the crackling noise of Sara's fire. After a few moment, Sara looked down in defeat and her flames diminished into nothing. Count then looked at Christina, waiting for a reaction.)

[Oracle]

Christina looked from Sara to Count and back as the two exchanged words. She breathed heavily in nervously as Sara still held her blue flames until they finally diminished. Christina let out a small sigh of relief but she was still so confused. Why would Count order Sara not to attack her? She looked back at Count, confusion still lingering on her face as she asked.

Christina: I should thank you, but I'm not going to... at least not yet, until you answer why. Why did you stop her?

[Count/Winterfire]

(Count starred at Christina with an emotionless face. He remained silent and blinked twice before explaining himself.)

Count: First off, there's two of us and only one of you. While I won't underestimate your ability, it is clear that such a fight between us two would not end well on your part. When I fight I for one believe that my opponent should have some chance.

(Count momentarily stopped, allowing everything he had said to sink in. Once he was sure that she understood he continued.)

Count: Second, my objective was to rescue Winterfire from her captivity. I have achieved this, but seeing you is an unwanted surprise. I wasn't expecting this. While you are here, it seems you can be more useful to me alive. It seems you are my prisoner now.

[Oracle]

Christina looked up at the two as they stood over her. She really needed to start thinking things through before she acted. She took offensive to Count basically implying that she didn't have a chance between the two of them. Chances are Count was definitely right, but Christina wasn't thinking again when she instinctively reacted to Count's statement of her being a prisoner.

Christina: Like hell I am!

Christina let out a telekinetic pulse to distract the two above her. She struggled to get to her feet which was proving to be challenging with her many injuries. But she somehow managed to get to her feet, albeit painfully, before sending off another pulse and running.

[Count/Winterfire]

(Count reacted by blocking the first telekinetic pulse with a shield made of shadow energy. Somehow Count was not surprised by her actions. Before Christina fired her second telekinetic pulse, he teleported and disappeared. the second pulse struck Sara and she fell backwards. She quickly got up and started chasing Christina. She began firing balls balls at her.)

[Oracle]

Christina tried avoiding the fire balls Sara was throwing at her. She had to at least make it to the woods surrounding the lake. She knew how to get back to mansion through the woods, but she had to get there first. She dodged the next fireball and sent back a telekinetic push. Almost there to the woods, Christina made the mistake of looking behind her to check to see if she had the distance to lose them in the woods. She looked to see Sara still trailing behind her, but Count was no where to be seen.

Oh shit.

[Count/Winterfire]

(Count reappeared midair in front of Christina. While in the air, he spun around kicking Christina in the face. She fell down to the ground. Count looked down at her. At his height and in this position, Count was a towering monolith compared to the woman. Sara caught up to Christina. Standing next to her father, she bent forward with a sly smile across her face. Count placed a hand on Christina's shoulder. Sara then proceeded to place her hand on Count's. The three were instantly transported away from their spot. This time they reappeared about ten miles away from their original location. Looking around, they found that they were now in front of Count's private jet. Count looked at the Christina.)

Count: I commemorate your valor Madame but surely you've realized that your attempts of escaping are futile.

[Oracle]

Christina once again was shivering from the coldness of Count's teleportation. She looked around her and didn't recognize her surroundings. Now she didn't know which way was back to the mansion or how far she was from it. Yep, she was screwed. But she didn't respond to Count or Sara. Instead, Christina just stared back at Count with defiant eyes before turning her head to spit the blood out that had accumulated in her mouth from Count's kick.

[Count/Winterfire]

(Count starred back at Christina. There was a few moments of silence, nothing but the sound of the wind brushing against the trees around them. After a few moments Sara decided to break the awkward silence.)

Winterfire: So where are we going?

(Count turned to Sara to address her question.)

Count: As a result of the X-men attack on our headquarters in LA, Veronica and her police force now have information on all of our bases of operation. For this reason we can't return to any base we held before the LA attack. This means that our other bases, such as New York and Paris are compromised.

(Count shot a dark look at Christina. He knew she wasn't responsible for the specific attack in LA that Jack led, but she was still an X-man. He then turned to Sara.)

Count: However, Marcus and the triplets are in a safe location in California. Also, Your brother Max and Talia are in the recently acquired castle base in Germany with Map. Any idea where you would like to go?

(Sara paused, placing her right hand on her chin in a thinking gesture. As she was thinking, a smile cracked on the corner of her mouth. She shot a look at Christina and then back at Count.)

Winterfire: Count, why don't we ask Christina where she wants to go?

[Oracle]

Christina stared blankly at Count and Sara until they had mentioned Max in Germany. She recalled the conversation she had with Sara in the holding cells before Count's attack and the medallion Sara had given her that still hung around her neck underneath her uniform. Christina eyed Sara in particular. Why would she ask where she wanted to go? Did she also recall their conversation where she stated she needed her brother's help with something? Christina decided to play it off for now until Sara decided to bring it up again.

Christina: Well, I have never been to Germany before. Just keep away from me during the flight and no I won't be hungry so keep the peanuts to yourself as well.

Great, Christina was about to get on another flight with the pyromaniac. Maybe with her father on board she would be somewhat more sane and not nearly choke her with force feeding peanuts again.

[Count/Winterfire]

(Sara smiled to herself at the mention of peanuts. Count noticed the smile on Sara's face at the mention of peanuts. A confused expression crossed his face. Sara just shook her head and quietly said.)

Winterfire: Inside joke.

(Count titled his head in even more confusion. He shook his head before turning to Christina.)

Count: As you wish. And as a side note we don't have any peanuts if that makes you feel better. However, we do have those airline cookies. You may get some whenever you would like. Either way, it is now time to board.

(Count then lead Sara and Christina toward the jet. He placed his hands on the shoulders of the two. They instantly sank into the darkness before teleporting inside. Once inside he let go of the two.)

Count: I'm going to talk to the pilots and tell them our destination. Christina, you may wish to sit where you feel most comfortable. Sara keep an eye on her.

(With that, Count disappeared to the cockpit of the plane. Sara turned to Christina not saying anything before taking her own seat.)

[Oracle]

Christina was left shivering once again as she slowly tried to pick herself off from the floor of the jet.

Does he need to keep doing that? How about walking? Walking is just fine. It's like being dunked in an ice bath every time.

Christina passed by Sara in her chair and kept walking towards the back. She wanted to be as far away from the two as she could while still keeping them in her sight. She didn't want to have her back to them. As she sat down in the chair, her back and sides ached and burned as she leaned against the back of the chair. She groaned and quickly leaned forward to avoid her back touching the chair. She rested her elbows on her knees and sat in a slouched position to ease the pain, and instantly she was hit with exhaustion. Christina could easily fall asleep if she wanted to, but she denied herself that pleasure. No way was she going to take her eyes off of Sara or Count. But she did allow her head to rest against the seat in front of her, while still keeping Sara in her peripheral vision.