A low purr of a moan carried over Logan's lips when he rolled onto his back thinking about the night and beginnings of morning that he'd already put behind him. With a small sigh he felt the warmth of sunlight filtering upon him serving to remind him of his earlier awakening when he'd opened his eyes to discover Scott between his thighs with lips wrapped around his manhood tantalizing him in ways he'd longed for since that fateful day he'd gone out to Alkali Lake bound and determined to bring Scott back home again. Unfortunately it hadn't panned out the way that he'd hoped for that day, yet today that was about to change. A smile carried over his lips in remembering the talented grip Scott's fingers had upon him, in thinking about those full, pouting, luscious lips that doted on him focusing on Logan's sense of pleasure alone until Logan had found himself unable to lay idle at his lover's attention. He could recall reaching for Scott's shoulders, dragging him roughly up over his abdomen and guiding Scott's hips into place before Scott took the initiative to ready himself for Logan's aroused form. What followed had been divine, far greater than Logan was certain he'd deserved when Scott slid down upon him, enveloping him in temptation and desire until they'd both fallen to exhaustion once again. It hadn't left time for discussion, hadn't given Logan the focus he knew he'd promised Chuck he would have, yet as he lay in his hotel room reaching out to touch the side of the bed where Scott should be, he promised himself that he would set things straight. He'd explain himself…only when his fingers touched the soft, cold pillowcase beside him he knew that wasn't going to be an option.

Opening his eyes Logan turned his head to discover that much to his surprise and dismay Scott was no longer naked beside him buried in the blankets as he had been when they'd surrendered to sleep. Now instead of having the man he loved and lusted after at his side, he was left alone with a reminder of just how angry and upset Chuck was going to be in having allowed Scott to slip away so easily.

"Fuck," Logan cursed to himself when he reached for the lumpy mattress beneath him. He curled his fist into the dull blue colored sheet before propping himself up to look around the room. It was every bit as much of a disaster as it had been the night before once he and Scott had torn at one another as if it had been their last opportunity to do so. Clothing was slashed and scattered around the room leaving little to the imagination about what had taken place in the empty room that surrounded Logan. He could see Scott's tattered jeans still on the floor beside the bed, practically buried underneath the discarded comforter where Logan had tossed them. Only unlike the clothing that surrounded Logan not a trace of Scott remained.

"Where are you?" Logan frowned when his eyes were drawn to his now open tote bag. He'd brought it in with him to tuck beside the dresser on the way out from the cold Canadian weather that had surrounded him upon his arrival. He hadn't really given it much thought aside from knowing of the few things he'd packed in it which had included a couple of shirts and pants that he'd haphazardly tossed inside if he'd needed a change. However, it was now tipped over and spread out across the top of the dresser indicating that someone had gone through it searching for something. More specifically from the scent that surrounded Logan he realized it had been Scott. Given his lack of attire it appeared that Scott had swiped one of Logan's shirts and a pair of pants before skipping out on the potentially awkward morning after with Logan.

"Damn it," Logan cursed curling his thick fingers through his messy, dark hair when he heard the sound of buzzing from the floor beside the bed. With a frown he could already guess it was Chuck wanting a full report on how contact with Scott had been the night before.

"Well Chuck," Logan could almost hear himself explaining to Scott's mentor and father figure, "yeah I found him, but I was too busy fucking his brains out to let him know who he was and where he came from."

The thought in itself caused Logan's chest to tighten when he grudgingly reached down for the phone. He extracted it from the place it had fallen underneath the blankets and raised it to his ear. He hesitated drawing in a breath as he contemplated explaining the weight of his failure to the man who had entrusted him on the mission he'd set out before him.

"Hey," Logan cleared his throat and spoke up half expecting Chuck to already know everything and be livid with Logan for being so damned distracted by the feel of Scott's body warm and inviting riding Logan like none other until they'd both succumbed to exhaustion.

"Logan, how's it going?" Ororo's voice surprised him when his thick fingers eased up on their grip on the phone, "Did you find Scott?"

"I'm working on it," Logan explained behind gritted teeth, "The last lead proved to be better than we'd thought."

"How much better?" she'd questioned wearily.

"Put it this way," Logan took in a breath when he scratched his chin, "we're closer than we were two months ago."

"This still doesn't feel right," she cautioned worriedly, "I don't understand why Charles wouldn't let us assemble a team for this. The fact that he sent you on your own…"

"Chuck knows I can handle it 'Ro," Logan reminded her in a neutral tone, "You're needed there."

"Even so," she paused when there was an apprehension in her voice Logan hadn't picked up on before, "I'm concerned Logan. Something doesn't feel right about any of this."

"Trust me I'll bring him home soon," Logan offered up when he felt a small pinch over his shoulder. Reaching out behind himself he focused on the mirror on the wall that was facing the bed. Earlier in the morning it had served as a secondary method of arousal when he'd been able to watch Scott from behind servicing him in ways he wasn't likely to forget. However, now as he ran his fingers over the annoying pinch in his shoulder, he found himself surprised to discover traces of blood carried over his fingertips. Looking away from the mirror to his hand, he realized that it was fresh indicating that he'd cut himself somehow.

"What the…?" Logan mouthed as he shuffled out of bed and made his way over to the mirror. Without hesitation he spun around only to discover two fresh scratches on his back leading down from his shoulder to the middle of his spine where Scott's fingers had been earlier in the morning. With his heart racing, he stretched his arm out behind him touching the bloodied flesh as Ororo spoke to him.

"Logan, what's happening out there? If there's something that you're not telling me," she pushed him further for information.

"Tell Chuck I've got it under control," Logan managed to spit out before shuffling to hang up the phone. He tossed it onto the bed before refocusing on his still open wounds. The sight in itself puzzled him, caused him to question what was happening when he looked to the bed again. There on the sheet beneath where he'd been laying there was a bloodstain that had matched the scratches on his back indicating he'd been bleeding for a while. Frowning he touched the scratches again seeing that they seemed to be bleeding less than they'd been moments earlier. He waited wondering when his healing factor would kick in as the wounds seemed to be taking their time in returning back to normal.

"What the…?" Logan staggered when he found himself met by a sharpness in his chest. He stumbled forward pressing his hands flat on the top of the dresser when the sting of his back carried over his thoughts. It should've been mildly annoying, should've left little to no impact aside from the moments that were embedded in his mind over the way in which Scott had put them there. However, as Logan raised his chin up watching the painfully slow process of his skin fighting to reform itself hours after he'd made love to Scott on the center of his bed, he realized something had changed. Something was different, "What the hell is happening to me?"

xxxxx

Scott pushed his hands into his pockets as he listened to the sound of the leaves crunching beneath his feet. With each step he took he was aware of the echo that surrounded him indicating that perhaps he wasn't as alone as he'd been hoping for. The truth was he'd suspected that from the moment he'd left Logan's hotel room. It was something he'd been prepared for given the lengths in which he'd gone to prove his loyalty to the group that would lead him to the answers he'd been seeking out. He'd known that they'd be watching him like a hawk, scrutinizing his every move, yet he hadn't been able to find a way to be at ease with it any way he looked at it. Now as he prepared to head back from the bar he'd been singing at earlier in the night, he wasn't quite sure what to expect. His meeting with his contact Ginger had gone well once he'd prepared to go on stage, yet he'd anticipated the group reaching out to him after the show. He'd expected to hear something more after he'd finished his set, but instead all he'd been met by was the bar owner congratulating him on a job well done.

"Thanks," he'd managed to spit out when he'd pushed the money the man offered him into his pocket, "Have you seen Ginger around?"

"She had to split, but she said that she'd talk to you later," the owner had explained with a knowing grin, "I'm sure you can find someone else to keep you entertained instead tonight."

"Right," Scott had replied thinking about the cover he'd worked to make for himself on his mission. Each night it had been the same thing in flirting, putting on a show and being exactly what he wasn't when he knew how much was riding on him following through on his plans. If he could just keep his cover a little bit longer, then he could get it all sorted out. His plan was coming into action, turning out better than he'd anticipated. That was until the previous night with Logan.

Closing his eyes Scott stopped moving and listened to the night that surrounded him. He waited for a sign, for any kind of indication that he wasn't alone, but when he was met by silence he found himself relaxing and letting his guard down when the wind around him howled. Last night had been a fluke, a temporary lapse in judgment when he'd allowed himself to go back to the hotel with Logan. He'd prepared to ignore Logan's presence, but after a while it had become unbearable leading him to proposition the man who so readily had been able to get under his skin in more ways than he'd cared to admit. Their night together had been the first reminder of the man he'd once been before that fateful day with Jean. It had provided him with enough temptation to want to stay in Logan's arms forever, but after they'd given in to desire a second time in the early morning hours Scott knew he wouldn't risk it. He couldn't stay in Logan's arms lost in what might be especially in knowing how close he was to achieving his goal. Instead he'd stolen a few of Logan's things and left hoping that he'd gone undetected by those who had been watching him. If he could just keep it together for a couple weeks longer then he'd be all set. He could just find out what he needed to know and then…

Oh who was he kidding? He knew full well that Logan wasn't going to leave. He half expected to see Logan at the bar sitting there watching and waiting for a moment with Scott after the show, but when it hadn't happened Scott had found a moment of relief. However, Scott had been smart enough to know that it wouldn't last. As much as he'd known Logan he'd been well aware of the fact that Logan wouldn't stop if he'd set out to seek Scott out. He'd do everything in his power to bring Scott home even if it meant putting the mission in jeopardy, which was why Scott had to think fast. Guilt tugged at him in leaving him to face Logan's impending wrath, but he had to keep Logan safe. Even if Logan didn't realize what a danger he was to himself in these new surroundings, Scott was well aware of the consequences that would be carried out if his new 'alliance' were to discover what Logan was. The results would be devastating not only to Scott's plans, but to their future, which was something Scott still hoped they had with one another when the mission was over. He just needed a little bit more time to figure things out. When he did, then he was certain that everything would fall into place. He could finally explain himself and…

"There you are stranger," Ginger's voice caught him off guard when she approached him from the left when he hadn't been paying attention. Her arrival had gone completely undetected when Scott stood up straighter and flashed her a flirty, white grin, "I thought I'd lost you."

"Never," Scott reached out to pull the petite brunette into his arms. Taking in a breath he tried not to notice the way she watched him, the way she outwardly coveted him in ways that he hadn't experienced in his old life. She was wild and brazen, so different from Jean, yet physically there were so many similarities. It almost made it easy to forget about what he'd lost with Ginger smiling at him, but at the same time he'd known long before he'd come to terms with losing Jean that his heart had moved to another place. Even with a woman who was so similar to the one he'd loved standing beside him, he knew that it was a lost cause. There was only one person on his mind and right about now Scott was certain that person was preparing to rip his head off the next time they encountered one another.

"That's what I like to hear," Ginger flirted in tipping her chin up to look at him more completely.

"I aim to please," Scott mouthed with the same sultry tone that he's used in the past to keep her attention. He felt her dark, sultry eyes meet his with a sudden curiosity when Scott found himself surrounded by the warmth of her arms around his torso. Her lips were curved in a full pout with dark eyelashes batting up at him when her grin expanded, "but after I got off stage I figured I'd head out early tonight if you weren't around."

"Really?" her eyes widened with surprise, "That's not like you."

"Why do you say that?" Scott questioned tipping his head to the side and issuing her a flirty smile.

"Because you're far too much of a charmer to give up when you strike out at bat the first time for the night," she reached up to slide her long, slender fingers across his chest. The sensation caused his body to react, his mind to return to the hotel room where he'd left Logan to his dreams in order to play the role set out before him.

"Who said anything about my striking out?" Scott answered shaking the thoughts that consumed him when he pushed his hands down to her pert bottom in pulling her in against his lean, muscular form, "I didn't say I was finished for the night-just finished with the scenery."

"Is that right?" she snorted with amusement when her hand pushed up into his thick, dark hair to guide him in closer to her, "And here I thought you were losing your touch."

"That was your first mistake," Scott mouthed bending down to capture her plump, crimson colored lips in a deep, ravenous display. He felt her knees buckle into him, drawing emphasis to her oversized cleavage pressed in against his chest much as Logan had been the night before. The thought consumed him when he pushed his tongue in past her lips to taste the faint flavor of tobacco and tequila upon her. He fought against the thoughts that the taste carried upon his senses in reminding him of Logan all over again. With fingers spreading out over her bottom, he pulled her up onto the tips of her toes, giving her petite frame a commanding pull as their lips parted, "because I you know as well as I do sugar that I never strike out when I'm at bat. Striking out isn't even an option."

"It may very well be tonight," she sighed when displeasure rolled off of the tip of the tongue he'd been tasting moments earlier, "because we have a meeting set up."

"When?" Scott questioned fighting to suppress his eagerness when her nails scraped lightly over the back of his neck in an effort to tease him once again.

"Soon," she slurred rising up on her toes in an attempt to seek out his mouth once more.

"How soon?" his words were more demanding than they'd been seconds earlier.

"Very soon," she promised snaking her leg around his thigh, "although maybe we should rethink that whole striking out theory we talked about before. I know I said I'd have to go, but I'm not really in the mood to talk about that anymore. I'd rather we go back to my place tonight so that we can…"

"Your roommate is supposed to be home tonight," Scott mouthed when he felt her rub up against him. Suddenly less focused on his mission, he found his thoughts lingering to Logan-to the way that Logan's touch had guided him back to that place he'd fought to keep buried for so very long. Now with Ginger in his arms preparing to pull him back into his cover, he found himself less inclined to play along as he had in the past.

"So?" she questioned without hesitation in reminding him of the wild ways she'd worked her charms over most men around her. She pushed her hand into his leather jacket, sliding her fingers down until she pushed her warm skin in underneath his t-shirt to touch his lean, muscled frame, "That never stopped us before. You know she likes it when you're over. It gives us all something to do with each other that we can all enjoy…"

"Ginger," Scott hissed under his breath when thoughts of his mission carried over him. Guilt tugged at his insides when he recalled the times he'd escorted Ginger home in the hopes of winning her over. He'd taken great liberties to prove his loyalty, to show his interest when he'd agreed to entertain her and her blonde, buxom roommate time and time again. They'd both been attracted to him from the start, both wanting more than Scott had offered in the past to virtual strangers, yet with his plans consuming him he'd stepped outside of himself giving in to temptation in order to get the job done. Now, however, with Logan hot on his tail undoubtedly going to be seeking him out to demand answers, he found himself hesitant to play along with the mission he'd embedded himself in for the last couple of weeks.

"Don't tell me you're going to start playing hard to get now Scott," she teased when she took his words as an unspoken challenge, "because that's not the way I enjoy you being hard."

Her hand dropped down over his inseam, sliding up between his thighs when Scott fought to contain the gulp that carried over him. He had to remain neutral, to keep the same stoic expression on his face that he'd carried with him in battle. If he didn't stay in control he could ruin everything, could spoil what progress he'd made when he started to weigh out his options. Closing his eyes he found himself thinking of Logan, remembering the incredible night they'd put behind them when his past came calling again. It was his Achilles' heel undoubtedly serving to take him under when Ginger attempted to entice him through the leather pants he'd wrapped himself up in for the evening on stage.

"When's the meeting Ginger?" Scott questioned abrasively when he reached down to collect her wrist in his large palm. He allowed her to hold him in the hopes that it would prove his 'interest', but prevented her from massaging him further.

"Tomorrow night," she explained with a small pout, "at the club after your show."

"Then maybe we should put this off until then," Scott suggested drawing her fingers away from his body, "so that I'm fully prepared to meet him."

"You're never not prepared Scott," she licked her lips when desire coiled over her, "You and I both know that…"

"I've been waiting a long time to meet with him Ginger. You know what this means to me. If anything goes wrong…" Scott began with concern in his voice. He took in a breath feeling as if eyes were upon them when he touched the side of Ginger's face, "I can't afford for him not to like me."

"Trust me," she gave him a long, ravenous once over, "there's not a damn thing he won't like Scott. You're beautiful."

"Of course I am," Scott flashed her a confident grin while his chest filled with uneasiness. He wasn't used to those kinds of words, not really certain that he'd believed them himself when he played along, yet in knowing what he needed to do he had to stay in the character he'd surrounded himself with. Tipping his head to the side, he released her long enough to reach into his pocket and pull out the pack of cigarettes he'd picked up earlier in the day. He extracted one from the box and placed it between his lips with a smug expression on his face, "You aren't so bad yourself."

"Hey," she swatted at his chest and laughed lightly when he reached for his lighter, "Please don't tell me that you're going soft on me."

"You know damn well there's nothing soft about me," Scott mouthed in between lighting the tip of his cigarette. He took a long drag of it, thinking about how he would've condemned himself for such a vice not that long ago. Puffing out a small cloud of smoke, he winked at her in a flirty fashion.

"I'm well aware of it, which is why I'm not sure I'm ready to share you with him," she mouthed with a low, disapproving scowl, "He becomes territorial about what he feels is his and…"

"His," Scott repeated thinking about the reputation of the man he'd been trying to get closer to. It spoke for itself as Scott realized that he'd have to do more than pledge his loyalty to the man calling the shots in this 'anti-mutant' group. He'd been big on preaching his ideals and thoughts to a more than willing set of followers, but more so as he'd gained his cult-like leader status he'd earned a reputation of having a taste for extravagance and a ravenous inclination towards beautiful men and women. His bisexuality had served as a door opening to Scott when Ginger had first approached Scott indicating her employer's interest in him on a professional and personal level. At first Scott had been hesitant, uncertain of the route he should take with his plans, but somehow without realizing it he'd found his way in. It was what he'd needed to take his plans to the next level in uncovering the truths he'd needed, but in doing so there would be compromises.

"The ends justify the means," he'd heard a voice inside of his head coaching him on when Scott had readily obliged to meet her employer's request in proving his loyalty. As of that point all that it had involved was performing and being on stage in the club working to entice the audience, but Scott knew it wouldn't stop there. It couldn't if he'd hoped to obtain his answers. However, in going down that road he knew that eventually something more would be asked of him-something he hadn't been willing to give another man before or after Logan. That thought in itself had proved grating as he'd been hesitant to follow through in his task. He'd began to strategize a million and one different outs to the situation, thinking of ways to skirt around the sexual aspect of his undercover assignment, but ultimately he knew there was no denying the power that sexuality held. He'd embraced it and found that he would manipulate the situation in his favor if need be when he was called upon. However, he hadn't anticipated that less than twenty four hours before it happened he'd be reunited with Logan. That in itself put a crimp in the plans he'd been working out over the last couple of weeks.

"When he sees something he wants, he takes it no questions asked," Ginger continued as if she was reading his thoughts, "He's very interested in you Scott so much so that he believes you're the key to helping him go to the next level with his plans for the future."

"Is that right?" Scott raised a curious brow.

She nodded, "We're so close to purification Scott. We will be able to reclaim our world again and take what those muties stole from us. Together we can begin again. We can follow him into the light."

"The light," Scott repeated behind gritted teeth when Ginger leaned forward to place her head on his shoulder.

"We won't have to fear those monsters any longer," she continued with a long, exaggerated breath, "The world can be ours as it was always meant to be."

"It sounds like he's ready to take a more aggressive step," Scott noted thinking about what he'd learned thus far.

"Always look towards the future," she replied bubbling over with enthusiasm when she reached out to touch the side of his face, "Together we can keep those monsters like Magneto and the others who dare to follow in his footsteps from destroying us. We can eradicate them once and for all. With the power of nirvana we can finally show them that there is no place for them in our world."

"Nirvana," Scott repeated knowing full well that was the street name for the drug that was said to be the new mutant 'cure'. He was well of Ginger's employer's ties to it's production and more importantly of his involvement with the antidote that Scott was hoping would lead him back to the man he was before.

"You'll learn more about that tomorrow night," Ginger assured him moving in for another kiss when a buzzing sound carried over the night between them. She frowned reaching into her pocket and pulling out her phone to discover a text message waiting for her. She pushed at the top of her phone, sliding her finger over the screen when her frown intensified, "Damn it."

"Duty calls?" Scott questioned arching a curious brow when Ginger's lips curved into a deep set scowl.

"Something like that," she nodded shoving her phone back into her jacket pocket before meeting his eyes again, "but don't think we're finished Scott. I'm not giving you up after tomorrow. He can't expect me to."

"I don't belong to anyone," Scott winked at her in an attempt to cover his relief in their parting of ways, "you of all people should know that."

"Knowing it and listening to it are two very different things for him," she added rising up on her toes to kiss him eagerly, "Em, will be disappointed that I didn't get to bring you home tonight."

"She'll survive," Scott assured her with a hint of laughter in his voice, "or perhaps she won't. Then again who could blame her really?"

"Right," she wiped at his bottom lip before taking a step back, "See you tomorrow?"

"If you're lucky," Scott answered giving her a dismissive look in knowing how it would leave her craving more when he turned his back to her. He listened to the sound of her hesitation knowing she'd watch him until he made his way to the end of the street out of her line of vision. He was certain she'd want to keep that with her for as long as possible in following the lines of his body with his smooth, solid stride until she was forced to leave to tend to the task at hand.

"And when she does," Scott thought to himself when he saw his place in sight, "I'll get changed and follow her back to the club."

Thinking of his plans Scott vowed to get more research in before the meeting knowing that he'd be able to be at an advantage in doing so when he pushed his key into the lock. He twisted it open thinking about the welcome change of clothing out of his leather pants he had waiting for him in his bedroom when he stepped into the foyer surrounded by darkness. It was then that his instincts told him that he was no longer alone. Before he could question it he heard the sound of the door slamming to a close behind him when an oversized set of thick fingers squeezed around his neck.

Twisting in his captor's arms, Scott brought his elbow back into the thick wall of muscled chest behind him preparing to put up a fight when the grip on his neck intensified. With a gasp and a pinched hiss, he brought his fingers up over the grip on his neck attempting to dislodge it when lightheadedness carried over him catching him completely off guard when the world around him faded to darkness.

Actions