Summery: Revenge is a dish best served cold. Logan has a recipe for Wraith.
A Cold Dish
John Wraith looked down at the girl in his arms, it seemed like only yesterday she had said her first word and tomorrow she would be eleven. She grew up to fast, both girls did. But that was the problem of every parent, kids just refused to stay three forever.
"Dad, do you really got to go?" she used that whinny voice, the one he hated because she seamed to use it when she really wanted something and she knew it melted his hart. He felt like a complete asshole. What kind of father was he, abandoning his kid on her birthday? Especially since he had promised not to miss another birthday or holiday, but this had come up on the last minuet. Valerie was pissed at him. She wanted him to spend more time with the girls, especially since she started going back to school. Why the hell she needed to go back was beyond him. But he did want to spend more time with them; they were growing up without him. He picked up his other daughter and gave her one last hug and wished again that he could be there tomorrow.
"Now you be a good girl for you mom."
"Of course, I'm always good," rolling her eyes at her father like he had just said the stupidest thing in the world. Putting her down he gave his wife one last hug before he had to board the plane.
"Are you sure you have to go?" John knew she was mad at him, but it was beyond his power. He felt helpless, he wanted to be there for his family, for his daughter, but he had to be there for his country.
"We've been through this. I'll be back in a couple of weeks." Her eyes flashed with anger but there was nothing he could do. He had to go save the world. "When I get back how about a little trip? You and me, no kids. See if we can make a boy?" she smiled. The smile had been forced; they both knew it.
"This is the first boarding call for flight TWA flight 396 for Washington" a monotone voice called out over the PA system.
"That's me" John hesitated before giving his wife a final kiss on the cheek. Wraith picked up his carry-on and walked through the gate, disappearing into a crowd of businessmen.
Valerie was always mad at him these days, he knew they had to work on that. When he got back. Next time. It was all was next time. Chrissy was still to young to be truly upset with his frequent trips. She was still at that age where she associated them with the presents he brought back. Amy was the problem; she hated him and loved him, typical of any kid wanting her father's attention. The bike in the garage would cheer her up tomorrow, he just wish he could see the look on her face when she seen it. She had been begging him for a month for a new one. The adults didn't notice the nice normal looking young man in the business suit who watched the family say good bye to their dad from the magazine rack in the crowded airport. He looked over at the family and smiled at the youngest, she smiled back and waved slyly at him like she was doing something bad. He followed at a short distance as the three made their way to the parking lot.
**** Valerie wove the maroon minivan through the suburban streets, heedless of the small car that had followed her from the airport. She pulled in the driveway of a modest two-story bungalow, a carbon copy of every other house in the neighborhood. They plied out of the van and into the house. The car pulled slowly past the house, mindful of the kids playing in the street.
Valerie wanted hurry the kids off to bed, Keith was coming over and the girls had to be asleep by then.
**** The man slipped behind the houses and into a small park that the back of the house opened onto, with just enough trees in one little knot to provide him with adequate cover. The sun had begun to sink along the western edge of the park. He had to be careful; people in these types of neighborhoods were weary of strange men lurking around. He knew how to not be seen.
He watched the lady through the windows as she put the girls to bed. He watched her change for bed; he switched his binoculars for his camera. She disappeared into the house again. An hour later she returned to the bedroom, this time with a light hared man closer to her age then her husband. This amused the man in the park as he clicked away with his camera. Oh he was going to have fun with this. He wished he could see the look on Wraith's face when he got these.
Amy lay awake listening to her mom and Toby's dad. She had listened to them talk while they were downstairs about how their days were and the problems they had with their kids. It was relaxed, not like it was with Dad. She could feel the tension between her parents when they were together. It was always better when Dad was away. She loved her Dad very much but there was something that scared her about him, she didn't know what, it wasn't something she could explain. She wished Mom and Dad still talked, they barley even see each other anymore. She heard them come upstairs. Soon they would be jumping on the bed, she nearly let out a giggle remembering the time she had to explain to Chrissy when she had asked why Mom and Dad were allowed to jump on their bed and she wasn't.
Part of Amy wanted to tell Dad about what Mom was doing but another part of her wanted to hurt him. How could he leave the day before her birthday? She should have known better then to trust him to keep a promise, he was good at breaking them. She hated the government, the army, the secret missions, her father, everyone who kept taking him away from her. Amy knew about the bike in the garage, she had wanted it more then anything but not now. The stupid bike wouldn't make things better; he was stupid to think that it would. She wished her dad were more like Toby's dad. He was nice. He was there.
**** Long after Amy fell asleep and Keith went home the man in the park slipped away.
Early the next morning the man returned to his hiding place. The pictures from the night before were hanging in a hotel bathroom developing. He had yet to decide their fate. He was thinking about posting them on the net, something to embarrass Wraith. He watched as the lady came out and began to decorate the yard for a party. He focussed on a banner that wished a kid named Amy a happy birthday. The yard began to fill with people. The lady's friend from the night before entered the yard with two young boys and a little girl in tow. He noted how careful they were, never once did they touch to long, stand to close or look to long. He took pictures of both.
The man watched the party unfold through the binoculars. The older of the two girls, Amy, faked surprise at the party. He could read in her face that she was disappointed, probably with her father for leaving. The man saw the anger in her eyes when she was presented with a bike. He focused the binoculars for better clarity of her.
Amy watched the seen around her. All of her friends were there, even Christen whom she did not like any more then a friend. He gave her a pair of earrings, the idiot. She didn't even have her ears priced yet, not until she was sixteen. At last the final gift was presented, the bike. When she had found out about it at first she had been excited, now she hated it. She hated him. This was the worst birthday ever. Amy wanted to scream at her mom, her dad, her friends, Toby's Dad, everyone.
As Amy was half paying attention to the world around her she began to notice a presence in the back of her mind. A tiny little knot of something. Something angry. The presence was filled with hate. She concentrated on it. It wasn't her hate she realized but it belonged to someone else. Someone outside of herself yet she could feel it inside her head. Amy furrowed her brows and concentrated on the presence, she wanted to know the source of the hate. She wanted to know why she could feel it. She turned her head and looked across the park. The girl could feel something; something that didn't belong, something out there was the source of the feeling. The more she concentrated on it the more she became sure that it wasn't directed at anyone she around her. And yet it was. It was confusing. And then it was gone. Amy realized her head was sore and rubbed her forehead.
"Are you all right dear?" her mother leaned forward concerned about the recent headaches that Amy had been getting. School had never been this stressful when she was a kid, besides it was over for the year as of last week.
**** The man watched through his field glasses as the birthday girl turned towards him. She looked right at him. Putting down the glasses he picked up his camera, perhaps a picture for Daddy dearest was in order. Something nice, so that Wraith wouldn't have to miss the party. Besides they would go nicely with last nights. The man grinned at the thought. Cursing that he wouldn't be able to see the look on Wraith's face.
His mental blocks flared up. Someone was trying to get in his head. He didn't want anyone to know he was here. Who was sensing his presents? Using the camera, he scanned the party trying to spot the telepath. Wraith wasn't the type to leave his family anywhere near a mutie. He focused on little Amy; she was staring right at him. She rubbed her head and looked away, her mom was acting concerned. The man smiled as the realization sunk in. So Daddy's little girl was a mutie. All of his plans for revenge changed, he was going to enjoy this. He calmly strolled out of the park enjoying the day around him. Wraith had robbed him of his past, his life, his humanity. He wanted Wraith to suffer. The irony with the kid would be wonderful. He formed new plans that didn't involve blood and death; well they didn't start that way just ended that way. He was going to take that little girl away from Wraith as pay back for all that the soldier had taken from him. Before he killed John Wraith, he would know that who he was fighting for was what he was fighting against, Logan was going to enjoy every minuet of this.
A Cold Dish
John Wraith looked down at the girl in his arms, it seemed like only yesterday she had said her first word and tomorrow she would be eleven. She grew up to fast, both girls did. But that was the problem of every parent, kids just refused to stay three forever.
"Dad, do you really got to go?" she used that whinny voice, the one he hated because she seamed to use it when she really wanted something and she knew it melted his hart. He felt like a complete asshole. What kind of father was he, abandoning his kid on her birthday? Especially since he had promised not to miss another birthday or holiday, but this had come up on the last minuet. Valerie was pissed at him. She wanted him to spend more time with the girls, especially since she started going back to school. Why the hell she needed to go back was beyond him. But he did want to spend more time with them; they were growing up without him. He picked up his other daughter and gave her one last hug and wished again that he could be there tomorrow.
"Now you be a good girl for you mom."
"Of course, I'm always good," rolling her eyes at her father like he had just said the stupidest thing in the world. Putting her down he gave his wife one last hug before he had to board the plane.
"Are you sure you have to go?" John knew she was mad at him, but it was beyond his power. He felt helpless, he wanted to be there for his family, for his daughter, but he had to be there for his country.
"We've been through this. I'll be back in a couple of weeks." Her eyes flashed with anger but there was nothing he could do. He had to go save the world. "When I get back how about a little trip? You and me, no kids. See if we can make a boy?" she smiled. The smile had been forced; they both knew it.
"This is the first boarding call for flight TWA flight 396 for Washington" a monotone voice called out over the PA system.
"That's me" John hesitated before giving his wife a final kiss on the cheek. Wraith picked up his carry-on and walked through the gate, disappearing into a crowd of businessmen.
Valerie was always mad at him these days, he knew they had to work on that. When he got back. Next time. It was all was next time. Chrissy was still to young to be truly upset with his frequent trips. She was still at that age where she associated them with the presents he brought back. Amy was the problem; she hated him and loved him, typical of any kid wanting her father's attention. The bike in the garage would cheer her up tomorrow, he just wish he could see the look on her face when she seen it. She had been begging him for a month for a new one. The adults didn't notice the nice normal looking young man in the business suit who watched the family say good bye to their dad from the magazine rack in the crowded airport. He looked over at the family and smiled at the youngest, she smiled back and waved slyly at him like she was doing something bad. He followed at a short distance as the three made their way to the parking lot.
**** Valerie wove the maroon minivan through the suburban streets, heedless of the small car that had followed her from the airport. She pulled in the driveway of a modest two-story bungalow, a carbon copy of every other house in the neighborhood. They plied out of the van and into the house. The car pulled slowly past the house, mindful of the kids playing in the street.
Valerie wanted hurry the kids off to bed, Keith was coming over and the girls had to be asleep by then.
**** The man slipped behind the houses and into a small park that the back of the house opened onto, with just enough trees in one little knot to provide him with adequate cover. The sun had begun to sink along the western edge of the park. He had to be careful; people in these types of neighborhoods were weary of strange men lurking around. He knew how to not be seen.
He watched the lady through the windows as she put the girls to bed. He watched her change for bed; he switched his binoculars for his camera. She disappeared into the house again. An hour later she returned to the bedroom, this time with a light hared man closer to her age then her husband. This amused the man in the park as he clicked away with his camera. Oh he was going to have fun with this. He wished he could see the look on Wraith's face when he got these.
Amy lay awake listening to her mom and Toby's dad. She had listened to them talk while they were downstairs about how their days were and the problems they had with their kids. It was relaxed, not like it was with Dad. She could feel the tension between her parents when they were together. It was always better when Dad was away. She loved her Dad very much but there was something that scared her about him, she didn't know what, it wasn't something she could explain. She wished Mom and Dad still talked, they barley even see each other anymore. She heard them come upstairs. Soon they would be jumping on the bed, she nearly let out a giggle remembering the time she had to explain to Chrissy when she had asked why Mom and Dad were allowed to jump on their bed and she wasn't.
Part of Amy wanted to tell Dad about what Mom was doing but another part of her wanted to hurt him. How could he leave the day before her birthday? She should have known better then to trust him to keep a promise, he was good at breaking them. She hated the government, the army, the secret missions, her father, everyone who kept taking him away from her. Amy knew about the bike in the garage, she had wanted it more then anything but not now. The stupid bike wouldn't make things better; he was stupid to think that it would. She wished her dad were more like Toby's dad. He was nice. He was there.
**** Long after Amy fell asleep and Keith went home the man in the park slipped away.
Early the next morning the man returned to his hiding place. The pictures from the night before were hanging in a hotel bathroom developing. He had yet to decide their fate. He was thinking about posting them on the net, something to embarrass Wraith. He watched as the lady came out and began to decorate the yard for a party. He focussed on a banner that wished a kid named Amy a happy birthday. The yard began to fill with people. The lady's friend from the night before entered the yard with two young boys and a little girl in tow. He noted how careful they were, never once did they touch to long, stand to close or look to long. He took pictures of both.
The man watched the party unfold through the binoculars. The older of the two girls, Amy, faked surprise at the party. He could read in her face that she was disappointed, probably with her father for leaving. The man saw the anger in her eyes when she was presented with a bike. He focused the binoculars for better clarity of her.
Amy watched the seen around her. All of her friends were there, even Christen whom she did not like any more then a friend. He gave her a pair of earrings, the idiot. She didn't even have her ears priced yet, not until she was sixteen. At last the final gift was presented, the bike. When she had found out about it at first she had been excited, now she hated it. She hated him. This was the worst birthday ever. Amy wanted to scream at her mom, her dad, her friends, Toby's Dad, everyone.
As Amy was half paying attention to the world around her she began to notice a presence in the back of her mind. A tiny little knot of something. Something angry. The presence was filled with hate. She concentrated on it. It wasn't her hate she realized but it belonged to someone else. Someone outside of herself yet she could feel it inside her head. Amy furrowed her brows and concentrated on the presence, she wanted to know the source of the hate. She wanted to know why she could feel it. She turned her head and looked across the park. The girl could feel something; something that didn't belong, something out there was the source of the feeling. The more she concentrated on it the more she became sure that it wasn't directed at anyone she around her. And yet it was. It was confusing. And then it was gone. Amy realized her head was sore and rubbed her forehead.
"Are you all right dear?" her mother leaned forward concerned about the recent headaches that Amy had been getting. School had never been this stressful when she was a kid, besides it was over for the year as of last week.
**** The man watched through his field glasses as the birthday girl turned towards him. She looked right at him. Putting down the glasses he picked up his camera, perhaps a picture for Daddy dearest was in order. Something nice, so that Wraith wouldn't have to miss the party. Besides they would go nicely with last nights. The man grinned at the thought. Cursing that he wouldn't be able to see the look on Wraith's face.
His mental blocks flared up. Someone was trying to get in his head. He didn't want anyone to know he was here. Who was sensing his presents? Using the camera, he scanned the party trying to spot the telepath. Wraith wasn't the type to leave his family anywhere near a mutie. He focused on little Amy; she was staring right at him. She rubbed her head and looked away, her mom was acting concerned. The man smiled as the realization sunk in. So Daddy's little girl was a mutie. All of his plans for revenge changed, he was going to enjoy this. He calmly strolled out of the park enjoying the day around him. Wraith had robbed him of his past, his life, his humanity. He wanted Wraith to suffer. The irony with the kid would be wonderful. He formed new plans that didn't involve blood and death; well they didn't start that way just ended that way. He was going to take that little girl away from Wraith as pay back for all that the soldier had taken from him. Before he killed John Wraith, he would know that who he was fighting for was what he was fighting against, Logan was going to enjoy every minuet of this.