Predator or Prey?
"It will truly be a tragedy that a man with such a brilliant mind and a biochemist of his caliber must die and you cannot guess how much this saddens me. Alas Henry McCoy's curiosity has proved his downfall, by investigating the recent outbreak of secondary mutations and the coming extinction of the human species he's getting too close to the truth Victor Creed. I can't risk the possibility that he will find out the true extent of my plans and regrettably he must be eliminated. So because he knows too much the Beast must die,"
Victor Creed blinked in surprise, there was genuine remorse in Nathaniel Essex's tone and that was something he'd thought Sinister was incapable of. Disappointing really to find that in the end even Sinister was weak. Creed glanced down at the old newspaper before speaking, rereading the article by Trish Tilby about Beast's apparent homosexuality. It wasn't the article itself which held his attention but the photograph of Beast showing his new form one which Victor Creed found truly magnificent.
"Yeah I'll be happy ta do this little job fer ya Essex in fact it'll be a real pleasure. I mean I'm bored of always fighting with the runt, course it's always a great fight ya know but when yer doing the same old thing for the hundredth time it gets old. Now someone new like Hank will be a nice change and ya know the first time I saw what he'd become I knew I had ta fight him."
Sabretooth grinned, fangs glinting in the light as he let his amber eyes flick shut, letting his mind drift and imagining the savage joy of mortal combat with a Beast who'd finally be able to put up a decent fight. Just looking at the picture made Creed long for the fight, the form sleek and powerful full of predatory grace, sharp claws and teeth, powerful muscles tensed ready to spring into action, who could ask for a better opponent. Of course Beast was a coward who'd rather talk than fight but Creed would find a way to make him fight, get him mad by killing a few friends maybe or what about that frail Trish Tilby he'd once been fond of? Yes a battle with the new Hank would confirm he was the deadliest predator of them all. Maybe when he'd brought back Hank's lifeless corpse Sinister could take the DNA and use it to mutate Sabretooth so he could achieve that form. Why did the Beast have to have all the luck?
"Keep in mind Creed that this isn't a game, your task is simply to find McCoy and kill him quickly and cleanly. With most of the X-Men off-planet helping to rebuild the Shiar Empire he's been left in charge of the Institute so aside from the students and potentially two or three other X-Men he's alone and an easy target. It's obvious that you're eager to fight him but don't let yourself get distracted, I made this task simple especially for you. You should also be aware that you're not the only one I've hired for this job. Perhaps the presence of a rival in the form of Puma will dissuade you from treating this as a game," intoned Sinister sternly.
"Ya mean that ya sent that fleabag feline ta do my work, we'll see who gets the job done. He'd best stay out of my way or he's going ta be one dead kitty cat," growled Creed.
"That's more like it, now your mind is on the job and please stop looking at his photograph in quite that way, given the article it puts all sorts of disturbing images in my mind," Sinister didn't quite manage to suppress a shudder.
"Ya know Sinister seems like I was wrong about ya, ya do have a sense of humor after all since yer sending two cats ta kill a cat," chuckled Creed and pleased with his witty remark he took his leave of Sinister.
Xavier Institute for Higher Learning
It was a lot of hard work keeping the students out of trouble while at the same time assigning lessons and seeing to the administrative duty not to mention having to give an interview for a new documentary about current human-mutant relations. Bobby Drake was feeling justly proud of his friend for coping with the task so admirably and for being smart enough to have politely refused Trish Tilby's latest attempt to salvage the relationship. As far as Bobby was concerned Hank was better off without that woman in his life and if he needed someone, well Bobby would be more than happy to help him find someone special. After all what else were friends for apart from helping Hank with his monumental task of running the Institute as well as he can. He just wished Hank would relax a little and allow him, Remy and Jubilee to help out more. It didn't help as well that Hank seemed to have made investigating secondary mutations his new obsession now that the Legacy Virus was finally gone. Hanks just seemed so exhausted recently and maybe he'd listen to his old friend and try to take things easy for a bit.
"Hey Hank old buddy you don't mind if I come in do you? I just need to have a little talk with you," he called as he knocked politely on the door.
Receiving no reply he sighed and opened the door anyway figuring Hank was maybe so engrossed in his work that he just hadn't heard him. Then he found he was mistaken and stood just shaking his head and smiling, Hank was fast asleep and he looked rather cute. His jacket lay discarded on the floor while the reading glasses were set down neatly on the desk. His head resting on his mammoth forepaws Hank was fast asleep and the gentle snores sounded almost like contented purrs. At least Hank was getting some much needed sleep and Bobby almost didn't have the heart to wake him. Still he'd better talk to him or chances were that as soon as he awoke Hank would dive straight back into driving himself to exhaustion.
Steeling his nerves Bobby tiptoed over to Hank seeing the pointed ears twitched a couple of times but there was no other reaction. Reaching out he was going to just gently shake Hank's shoulder to see if that would wake him but these thoughts went straight from his mind as he felt his fingers sinking into the soft blue fur. It was surprising how silky it felt to the touch and how thick it actually was, his fingers had sunk past the second knuckle and he still hadn't reached the skin. Before he realized it Bobby found himself ruffling the fur enjoying the soft warmth beneath his fingers and thus distracted was rather startled when a yellow eye blinked and Hank abruptly awoke.
"Now I'm not complaining Bobby and actually this does feel rather pleasant but would you mind explaining what the stars and garters you think you're doing?" asked Hank mildly enough.
Bobby blushed crimson and hastily withdrew his hand from Hank's shoulder, he might look a little like a cat now but it was still rather embarrassing.
"You were fast asleep Hank and I was just going to shake your shoulder and well I'll come clean. I've still not really used to the new you and I guess I just got a little curious and wondered what your fur felt like. Sorry if I went a little too far."
"Oh it's alright Bobby you're certainly not the first curious person who wanted to see what the fur felt like, mainly students and well I wouldn't mind just so long as they asked permission first. It can be rather annoying like someone ruffling your hair without permission," Hank massive paw hand reached out and Bobby managed not to flinch as the claws raked through his hair leaving it even messier than usual.
"Yeah sorry about that, I'll remember to ask before I stroke the kitty cat next time. Seriously though Hank I'd come to say you need some rest and if you're falling asleep at your desk then you obviously need to hit the sack. Now I know your research is important but so is looking after yourself. I mean if you run yourself down too much then I might have to take over running the Institute and we don't want that do we?"
Hank's yellow eyes blinked mildly and the shaggy head nodded once. He gave Bobby a broad grin, revealing perhaps too much canine in the process and thrust some sheets of writing paper towards him covered with a large uneven scrawl.
"You see that Bobby, admittedly not particularly neat handwriting but it's improving. It took me months to relearn how to hold a pen and with these clumsy paws and well my manual dexterity not being what it was I must have broken a hundred pencils before I got the right grip. It's a rather delicate procedure writing with these paws, like surgery but they say practice makes perfect. I'm really getting quite good at it now aren't I," said Hank brightly.
Bobby sighed at Beast's rather obvious attempt at changing the subject; Hank must really be exhausted as he could be a lot more subtle than this. Still he was rather impressed with Hank's process and well give credit where it's due, at least he'd finally gotten over his despair at the latest change.
"Yes you're doing good Hank but why not practice some more writing later, we don't want you getting cramp in your paws do we. Please Hank just for me, after all I'm supposed to be your best friend and I'm concerned for you," cajoled Bobby resorting to the ultimate persuasion, scratching the fur behind Hank's ears and provoking a deep rumbling purr.
"Very well Bobby I yield, capitulate, submit, throw in the towel, offer my throat and in short I surrender. I'll go and have say four hours asleep in my bed if that will make you happy. You can stand guard outside the door if you like to make sure I don't sneak out. You can even threaten to dispose of all my Twinkies if you catch me back in here before I've got enough sleep," said Hank almost pleadingly.
"Steady on Hank old buddy, I don't think there's any need to go that far just yet. Anyway I ought to be able to trust you after all the years we've been friends. You can go back to your studying afterwards just so long as you get some sleep."
Even so Bobby made sure he accompanied Hank to his room and waited outside the door before he heard the first rumbling snores. Nodding to him in satisfaction he knew that Hank was finally doing the sensible thing and getting the sleep he needed.
Nine hours later
"Stars and garters, I thought Bobby had promised to wake me. Still he probably guessed I needed more sleep than I suggested."
Hank yawned and stretched easing the tension out of sore muscles and shaking himself sent ripples through his fur. He certainly felt a lot better for that long sleep and he'd have to thank Bobby for it later. He just hoped that while he'd been sleeping the Institute hadn't degenerated completely into anarchy and chaos. Shoving on jacket and boots Hank decided his first priority would be to grab a quick snack before getting down to some more study. Surely Bobby wouldn't begrudge him just a few hours, not after he'd been good and gotten plenty of sleep like he promised.
"Stars and freaking garters!" roared Hank as his eyes widened in shock.
He was at Bobby's side in an instant and was relieved to find a strong steady pulse and that Bobby was still breathing. He was deeply unconscious though and that gash on his temple looked nasty. Scooping Bobby up in his arms Hank hurried him to the infirmary cursing as he read the memo from Remy and Jubilee saying they'd taken a trip into New York. It looked as though aside from students he was alone in the mansion with whoever had attacked Bobby. From a lingering scent on Bobby's clothes he had an awful suspicion of just who it might be.
A few minutes later
"I'm glad that ya decided ta show up Beast. Yer little pal Barnell's been telling me all about ya ain't that right bird boy, yer fond of him ain't ya bub? Shame ta have ta kill the freak wouldn't it?"
Hank snarled in rage, fangs and claws extended and looking extremely feral. This was in strong contrast to the beaming Victor Creed relaxed on Hank's favorite chair with Beak seated on his knee like a favorite nephew. Only the claws at Beak's throat and the bright pinpricks of blood spoiled the tranquil scene. Poor Beak looked as though he was about to faint and Hank's heart was pounding with a mixture of emotions, fear for Beak and rage at Creed for harming two of his friends.
"P-please H-Hank, d-d-don't let him k-k-kill m-m-me, I-I d-don't w-w-want t-t-to d-d-d-die," stuttered Beak.
"Pathetic ain't he bub," chuckled Creed ruffling Beak's feather with the claws of his free hand and sending the unfortunate mutant into further paroxysms of terror.
"Let him go now Creed or I swear that for each drop of his blood you spill you will bleed a hundredfold. You break in here and hurt my friends and that's one of the few things that can make me angry Creed and you don't want to see me angry. Let Beak go now and leave or I swear anything that Logan could do to you would be merciful compared to what I will do to you," snarled Hank.
Creed grinned; this was excellent even better than he could have hoped for. Obviously Hank had found the note telling him exactly what Creed would do to each and every person he'd ever cared for. He'd succeeded beyond his wildest expectations and managed to do the seeming impossible, get the Beast angry. He knew he could do it, let Hank feel the rage and realize that he couldn't reason with him that he'd have no choice but to fight.
"I take it ya found the kitten," asked Creed innocently.
"Yes just one more example of what a nasty little sociopath you really are Creed. You really are nothing but a rabid animal and if this is some sort of twisted and sick little game then I'm not in the mood. I've suffered enough mind games from the likes of Cassandra Nova and Dark Beast, enough friends dying at the hands of their kind and no more. Are you seeing me as some substitute Wolverine or has your curiosity been sparked by my latest mutation?"
"Stars and garters, he's got it hasn't he Beak," chuckled Creed.
Hank leaned in close yellow eyes burning with anger inches away from Creed face, snarling and showing all his fangs.
"Don't mock me Creed," growled Hank.
"Far from my intentions bub, I've got nothing but the utmost respect fer ya; otherwise I'd just gut ya here and now. Instead I'm giving ya a challenge ta see just which of us is predator and which is prey. Believe me it'll be fun,"
Creed's snarling laugh chilled Hank to his marrow.