A Case of Mistaken Identity, Chapter 7 

Disclaimer: The X-Men belong to Marvel, the Coda to Wildstorm, and the
story to me.

This dark and threatening night, she was a troubled woman. Baroness Elisabeth 
Braddock, an Otherworlder telepath and telesthetic of note. She considered
the multitude of troubles that demanded her attention: her patients, and the
questionable 'healthcare' that the Xavier Institute was providing not only them
but herself. How much was she willing to trust Henry McCoy, for all his charm
and compassion, he was still under Xavier's thumb. 

He did seem concerned about her "chronic fatigue syndrome", though, and 
had assured her that he took his Hippocratic Oath very seriously, confiding
in her about his research into the Legacy Virus and some of the disturbing 
discoveries he'd recently found. She'd been quite surprised when he'd wanted
to test her for that... Liz wasn't even a mutant, but she'd humoured the
good doctor, because he was as thorough as he was brilliant... But that was
enough dwelling on her escalating psionic powers and what might be causing
the annoying tingly-numbness and chills. She chalked it up to spending so much
time near the equator and then suddenly coming to New York's dour climate.

The wind coursed through her hair, as she considered her next move in 
attempting to reach Lady Jeanne Grey's psyche, which had retreated into the 
deepest parts of her subconscious--a result of her mind-rape at the hands of 
the Oriental imposter who'd spent months infiltrating the X-Forces for the 
shadowy sisterhood of assassins and warriors known only as the Coda.

Liz rubbed her violet eyes and stretched, considering her prospects, and 
what she knew of Charles Xavier. Right now the only people she was trusting 
were herself, Remy LeBeau, the mysterious mercenary known as Cable, and the 
other mind that now shared her body: the White Queen, Baroness Emma Genevieve
Frost. It was Emma who had kept Charles out of Liz head after he initially 
scanned her, and now it was Emma who helped her reach into the mind of the 
autistic telepath who lay on the grass next to Liz on the lake shore under
a sky that threatened to produce a storm that would rival one of Ororo's 
moods...

Charles had made it clear that she was welcome in the mansion, only under 
supervision. And the other two people she shared the boathouse's dubious 
accommodations with, were not exactly trusted or particularly welcome there
either. They were people who had their own view points, and stuck to them.

Thus Cable, Remy, and Liz had found themselves keeping one another company
in the "boat house," where the other upstairs room had been converted for
Jean and Emma's needs, as the trio had taken over caring for them...

Worthington's blatant attempts to flirt with her, she'd discovered weren't 
of his own attraction to her, but someone else's attempts to 'herd' her in a 
direction she didn't want to go... Emma had seen that, whereas Liz had seen
it as another annoyance, something she'd been accustomed to all her life...

But she had priorities....her attention was drawn back to Jeanne, whom she'd
carried outside for some fresh air before the storm fully rolled in.

<There's so much mystery about Jeanne. When she first encountered Kwannon, 
I thought she'd be able to fend off any attack....> Liz thought, <But she 
couldn't. I sensed something wrong....I must find out what that is... A 
direct telepathic link should give me the answers I need... Emma, I'm going 
in. Watch our backs, will you?>

A chill washed over Liz as she felt Emma's defenses activate, <Don't worry
Lady Braddock, I've kept Chuck out of my head for years, I'll keep him out 
of yours. Besides, you should be able to, with your own powers increasing as
they are... I'll teach you the tricks I use if you'll teach me how you do
that psi-blade of yours, eh?>

In the Mindscape, two very different women grinned at each other: one pale, 
remote and almost coldly aloof, the other dark, brooding and tempestuous. 
One of ice, and one of dark fire... An amethyst butterfly 'mask' unfolded 
across the redhead's pale features as Liz plunged into the depths...

She was floating on a sea of clouds and gently breezes, like a gentle spring 
morning in the country outside of London, <Her mindscape --peaceful here at 
the periphery. Serene and calm. But the troubles lie deeper...I must probe 
further if I'm to find what troubles her...>

Liz reached out, to touch the clouds, wondering what lay behind them. 
Carefully, gently she progressed, knowing from experience what it was like 
to have someone poking around in her head when her psi-senses were brutally 
raw... <Those clouds...so white...so pure? Want to reach out--touch the 
essence...Wait--they're forming into....??>

The mindscape began to change suddenly, in reaction to her gentle probe... 
writhing, darkening ominously as they began to spit and take form....

<YOU SHOULD HAVE NOT COME HERE! NEVER COME HERE!!>, a series of familiar 
voices boomed out, like thunder. A darkened, tarnished version of the X-Forces
as they'd been in Australia loomed over her...

They closed for the attack, dark menace in their leering eyes, Liz spun 
her psychic defenses about herself, readying a counter attack; <<Stay back!!
You're *not* real... *I* am!>>

The wraiths of Storm, Havok, Logan and the others swirled around her, 
twisting in fury at their inability to penetrate her powerful mental armour, 
<EVERYTHING HERE IS REAL! YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT ELISABETH!! THAT'S
WHY YOU'VE COME HERE!!>

The mind wraiths mutated, shedding layers of what they were, shifting their
essence into a new form... Though, Liz couldn't understand it's significance, 
she countered with a psychoblast out of instinct, <They're combining into a 
distorted figure, but I can't afford to take a wait and see stance. 
A Coda never waits for her enemy to gain advantage over her!>

Liz covered her Avatar's face, as the explosion rocked the mindscape, 
psychic debris raining down on her as she warded off the aftershocks and 
tremors, <Nooooo! I didn't mean to do _that_....> she whispered to herself. 

As she turned to look at the damage, there was nothing. A mental barrier was
down, and she could continue her quest for enlightenment about Jeanne's 
autistic withdrawal. <Hmmm, that's odd! They're gone... Over there, though, 
something else. I must be reaching a deeper level of her subconscious....>

The mindscape was filled with golden light as Liz 'flew' through the 
layers of the mind, cloaked in a stealth aura. A child floated in blissful 
slumber, completely safe and serene in its location... 

<A newborn--floating?> she wondered to her self, <Such a tender and fragile 
thing.... Where is its mother? Why is it alone? Could this be the state 
Jeanne reverted to, to protect herself?>

A mindvoice startled her out of the subtle empathic rapport she'd established
felt with the child, and soon she saw a face: Jeanne's, she thought; but there
was something different about that face. It was Jeanne's and it wasn't...she 
couldn't place it quite...

<<There you are, my baby....>> she whispered, as she reached out to touch 
the infant. Her hands gentle as she gathered it to her breast, <<Yes...yes. 
Mama's here, now! Don't cry, little one... I'll always be with you. Always!>>

The red-haired telepath sighed happily, her dark green eyes warm as she 
comforted her child. Liz had never seen such peace and contentment, 
<Mother and child--such innocence and bliss. I-it's almost overwhelming...
such love...and contentment. The child's almost cooing!>

Liz almost felt like she were a voyeur, gazing at such an intimate scene, 
but she had purpose here; right now--simply to observe and learn. The golden
light fogged as two very familiar figures coalesced. They drew Madelyne's 
attention, where Liz' presence hadn't so much as caused her to bat an 
eyelash...

Jeanne's features were hard, her face twisted in a cruel mockery of its 
normal sweetness, as was her mindvoice, <<You let my boy go this second, 
Madelyne! That baby is _ours_!! Don't you EVER touch it again!!>>

Jeanne was with Scott Summers, Cyclops; her longtime paramour and hopefully 
her husband.... He appeared as cruel as Jeanne, lustful and possessive, <You
were just a broodmare, Maddie. The only reason I married you was because you
had Jeanne's face, Jeanne's body and you were alive.... We thought Jeanne 
was dead, Maddie...and you were good enough until the real thing came back...>

Jeanne reached out with her kinetic abilities, yanking the baby from Madelyne's 
arms with a brutal wrench, ignoring Maddie's pleas, <<Oh, no!! Don't take him...
he's MINE! That baby, *I* gave birth to him...he's mine, do you hear me?? Mine!!>>

Tears coursed down the young woman's face, as she watched them gloat in 
triumph, taking strange pleasure in her misery. Cyclops chuckled as he 
congratulated Jeanne, <Good going, Jeannie! WE got what is rightfully ours! 
At last, my son....>

Maddie reached for them, her dark green eyes bleak with grief, <<Come back! 
Come back...please?>>

Jeanne and Cyclops winked out of existence, their mocking laughter 
lingering as they left, <<You'll *never* see him again.....>>

Liz reached out to comfort the distraught young woman, <<Don't cry, 
Madelyne... We'll find your child... I promise you....>>

But as she reached out to touch Madelyne, to offer comfort and hope, a
psychic scream, so full of anguish and loss, threw her back... Maddie
cried out like a wounded animal, utterly alone and terrified, <<Nooooo!
Get. Away. From. Me.>>

The shock knocked Liz back into her own body, out of the mindscape, back
to the grassy shore of the lake that Xavier's bordered... Liz was quick 
to her feet, warily watching the semi-aware redhead, <Oh, great... We're back
on the shore...>

She tossed her violet braid over her shoulders, trying to look non threatening, 
which was difficult when one was six feet tall and nearly 200 pounds of
lean, solidly muscled Coda warrior... Liz uttered curses that would have
made all of the men at Xavier's blush--both in their originality and the 
physiological impossibility of attainment!

Jeanne/Maddie was on her feet, raining curses of her own down on Liz' head,
<<You don't touch me--EVER!! How dare you invade my mind? How dare you enter
my thoughts while I slept and try to learn my secrets??! There's a terrible
price for such a transgression... NOW you learn what it is!>>

Rocks, branches and water flew at Liz as she dodged first one thing and
then another. The Coda training took over as she avoided the onslaught of
kinetically animated objects, but being telesthetic meant having psychic senses
beyond telepathy or empathy: precognitive and other extrasensory input served
the Englishwoman well as she moved closer to her patient, <Hmph...Objects 
flying at me! She's a telekinetic...I don't suppose I should have expected
any less! And I'm _not_. My only chance to reach her physically is to join
our minds and take this little tete-a-tete somewhere where the odds are less
in her favour!>

Liz leaped over a sapling that was intended to swat her, and connected with
a parry to Jeanne/Maddie's head, her psychic blade serving as a quick-and-dirty
means to cutting through the psychic barriers of the other woman. She cringed
inwardly as she heard the redhead cry out in utter agony as her psychic 
defenses crumbled <<Emma, watch out, I may need you to pull me out if this
gets too rough.... We'll conclude this struggle not on the lakeshore, but in
the Mindscape, the Psionic Plane!!>>

Bioelectric energies slipped around them as Liz drug the Madelyne persona
out of her body and into the swirling eddies of the Mindscape... Here, she
was attired in the black and red armour of a Coda warrior, her Bloodmarque
glowing with a dull crimson radiance, <<Now, what do you say, Maddie? Think
you can fight me here?>>

The former 'Queen of the Damned' spat at Liz, <<It makes little difference,
*where* I destroy you, warrior... It will happen!>>

Maddie returned the psionic energies that Liz' psi-blade had plunged into
her sensitive mind, but the Englishwoman simply reabsorbed them and used them
to strengthen the link to the traumatized redhead, <<I've been inside your
head, Madelyne. I've seen your turmoil and darkness, before you became the
Queen of the Damned during the Inferno... I know you for what you are!>>

Her mind was on fire as it had never been before, Madelyne Pryor was in
the most exquisite pain she'd ever experienced, and she simultaneously
loathed and savoured it. She remembered this woman who'd taken on a foe
of hers...but whom? Right now, the violet-haired butterfly-woman was her
foe, <<You've seen nothing!!>>

Liz' psi blade still impaled the Avatar of Jeanne/Maddie, serving as
a conduit for her probes into the shattered psyche of her patient, she sensed
an opening, and reacted faster than Maddie could ever have anticipated,
<<Nothing, eh? Then why do you fall back under my probes? Why is *you* that
weakens?>>

Maddie was desperate as she reached inside of her physical body, calling on
what ever reserves she could find, and what she touched was infinite...
<<You have no idea what you're dealing with--the power you've challenged,
Madame Butterfly!!>>

Maddie called on a powerful legacy that she'd been bequeathed when everyone
thought Lady Jeanne Grey had died on Luna, she struggled to tap and mold it
into an attack, she hoped she was doing this right, <<Now, Madame Butterfly,
feel what it's like to have your own mind invaded--your thoughts laid bare--
your brain on fire!! FEEL IT!!>>

She would have succeeded if the ice hadn't quenched her fire, if it hadn't 
become so cold all of a sudden... It was so cold she couldn't concentrate
and maintain the attack... The bird of fire was gone again, and Maddie 
shivered uncontrollably...

Emma reached out to Liz, strengthening her mental armour, wrapping her
burned psyche in a soothing sheathe of ice, <<Careful, little butterfly,
you nearly got your wings singed! It's a good thing I know the Phoenix when
I see it--and believe me, I've felt that before... Good thing I was here to
catch you...>>

Liz let Emma freeze the fires in her Avatar, <<I owe you one, bunkie! 
I may be more powerful, but I'm not used to such a level of power, and 
neither is she, thank Hecate. I'll have to tap into the Matrix to contain
her...oh, shit! She's coming around... Back me, I'm going back into the 
Mindscape...>>

Liz rallied, using Emma's knowledge of Phoenix and her own of Maddie and
the Queen of the Damned to her advantage as the fire started again... Maddie
reached back into that fire and touched the infinite, <<You can't match me,
Madame Butterfly! The source I can draw upon, channel into you...you'll be
helpless against it!!>>

Liz dodged the golden fireburst with inhuman ease, her violet eyes beginning
to glow as she touched the Matrix, drawing it into herself until she felt she
would burst with the arcane energies of Otherworld's power. By using her 
physical training she could evade the crude but powerful forces that the 
untrained Maddie wielded; and though her own extensive training had not
been to handle such power levels as what she was preparing, she was still
the more skilful of the two, <<I don't think so, Madelyne. You may have
the power of the cosmos to back you, but you don't have the skill to handle
it safely. I've been trained by the best, and then retrained to be better 
than the best, you're only human, my dear Madelyne. I am not. I am of
Otherworld...>>

Maddie tried to lock onto Liz, but was unable to hold her quicksilver
mind, for she did not know that with the Coda, thought and action were as
one! The silver energies of the Matrix spun into her foe's Avatar, armouring
her, and turning her psi-blade to an opalescent lavender matrix... In a 
desperate attempt to protect herself, she called the fire, making it burn
hotter, brighter. But it wasn't enough, a knife shaped wedge of psi-blade
pierced through, slamming into her fragile defenses and then the fire 
overwhelmed her...

Madelyne was floating in a sea of fire and agony, another voice rang out,
mocking her, <<A question you may ponder in utter defeat, for the time you
have remaining... Who?? Trying to sneak into my thoughts like that? You feel
violated and exposed? What about Jeanne? You caused a great deal of distress
to someone who never even knew you, Madelyne... Psykeye didn't invade *your*
mind... she was simply seeking to discover what the imposter, Psylocke had
done to Jeanne, to you, to me! YOU were in the wrong, child... And what about
me while we're at it?>>

It was her own voice...Maddie thought, wondering what this entity, who was
both a woman and a flame, wanted with her? <<Maybe I was wrong? I don't know.
That 'invasion' of my thoughts, though, has made me whole again. I remember
*everything* now! Parts of my life--so unbearable--I'd repressed them deep
in my memory. And now they're reawakened... What I was too fearful to dredge
up...Madame Butterfly helped, I suppose...>>

The flame/woman came closer to her, nodding in agreement, <<Yes, and wasn't
Elisabeth, Baroness Braddock once your friend, when you lived with her in
Australia? Didn't she save you life after Scott abandoned you? Psylocke,
also known as Kwannon Yashida seduced Scott, causing Jeanne to suffer what
she made you suffer. All while Elisabeth was a prisoner of the Coda, forced
to learn their ways and rotes in order to survive; to hope that she would be
free... Kwannon mind-raped Elisabeth, robbing her of her identity for so 
long; just as she subliminally seduced Scott, and then mind-raped Jeanne.>>

Maddie lashed out at the flame/woman, <<Why is it always 'poor Jeanne'? She's
had all the breaks, daughter and heir of a duke; the 'real' woman?? Am I not 
'real', too? What about *my* feelings? I bore Summer's son, not her! I may be
a clone of that prissy, spoiled brat, but I deserve to be a person too!!>>

<<I never said anything about 'poor Jeanne', did I?>> it replied, <<I merely
pointed out that Jeanne has suffered what you did. It was only a matter of time
until he left her... Just like he left me, Madelyne. Trust me, Scott Summers
is not going to survive Kwannon Yashida very long... I think you owe Liz
an apology... She will still try to help you, since she feels it's her duty
and as a Coda, she's honour-bound to do so... I'd think a bit before I tried
to attack the person who's been caring for me the last few weeks again...>>

The flame/woman vanished as the fires died, and Madelyne slipped into blissful
oblivion once again. Her dreams were of her life, and all the pain she'd
known... and who was the flame/woman? How had Scott Summers abandoned her?

Liz lay on the shore for some time, recovering from the ordeal she'd just
been through. Her head rang with pain from telepathic channels blasted open
in both directions, her defenses were in tatters; and it was solely due to
the co-habiting psyche of her finishing school chum, Emma, Baroness Frost;
that she was still on one piece. 

She let Emma establish control over her physical body, which wasn't too
much the worse for wear. She just wanted to 'sleep' for a while, in the
nice cozy flat-and-garden they'd constructed in her own Mindscape...

Emma sighed as she shook out Elisabeth's stiff muscles and did a careful
pre-aerobics warmup to get used to a body not her own. Thank God there wasn't
much difference in their height, but being this agile and strong was new to
the CEO of Frost Enterprises. She'd have to be careful that she didn't hurt
Jeanne when she carried her back to the boathouse, where Liz'd been
quartered. 

Xavier didn't trust her in the house, so she'd been exiled down to the 
lakeshore; although she was welcome to tend Jeanne or Emma as long as she
wished. She just wasn't socially welcome...or hadn't welcomed herself, Emma
thought wryly. Liz had never met Sir Charles Frances Xavier before, and
though she'd allowed him to psi-probe her once, she'd gotten a good look
at the inside of his head at the same time; and apparently come to the
decision that she didn't trust him all together--a wise accounting Emma
thought, considering her past encounters with the man who was ostensibly
Terra's most powerful telepath. 

Hell, she'd never trusted Charles, even when he'd offered to train her as
an adolescent debutante. She'd been strong enough to see past his barriers,
and saw him for what he was... And the only one of the X-Forces' that saw
it was Cable, but his own secret made him impossible to fool, she thought
as she lifted Jeanne and walked back to the boathouse.