Chapter Two

Ruby's Bar- The French Quarter, New Orleans

Jazz music filled the small bar as patrons laughed and drank. One particular man wasn't having fun as he sat at the bar and repeatedly looked at his gold watch and then his phone.

"Refill Steele?" the attractive young bartender smiled at him as he was snapped from his thoughts.

"No, thanks" he said with a quick and short smile. On any other day he would of found something more seductive to say but right now he was feeling tension creeping up on his back. It had been almost twenty four hours since he had heard from his right hand man and best friend John. This wasn't like him not to check in and especially under such dangerous conditions.

"Alright honey but if you change your mind" she smiled sweetly at him and then moved across the bar.

Steele picked up his phone and dialed John's number once more, straight to voice mail for the fifth time.. He slammed his phone down onto the counter as he grumbled out loud.

"You know that no woman is worth all of that" a familiar voice said as Steele turned and he stared at one of the most infamous men in the French Quarter, Vincent. He was one of the eldest of their kind though he looked to be no more than thirty five years old. He no longer worked the game but gave orders now from the luxury of his home.."Two Whiskeys on the rocks darling" he smiled as he took a seat next to Steele.."Nice night".

"I guess that depends on who your asking" Steele said seriously as he looked back at his empty glass in front of him.

"Thats a curious answer, where's John?" Vincent asked as he looked around..

"You know John, probably with some woman" Steele shrugged his shoulders as the bartender came over and placed to drinks in front of them. He grabbed his glass and tilted it towards Vincent.

"Well we are in the most beautiful place in the world, surrounded by the most beautiful of women" Vincent grinned as he winked over at the young bartender.."You know I heard the strangest thing today, do you want to hear about it?" Vincent smiled as he sipped his drink..

"I hear strange things every day" Steele said as he sipped his drink..

"Well then maybe you heard this one" Vincent put his drink down and adjusted his shirt some.."Word on the street is that a few people have decided to do a few undercover cases on a certain someone" he raised an eyebrow and then took another sip.."Now last time I checked that would be going against the rules and well against me".

"Well that sucks" Steele said as he sipped his drink.

"It sure does but I'm working on finding out who it is and who is involved" Vincent smiled.

"Well I wish you the best of luck" Steele said as he downed the rest of his drink and then stood.

Vincent grabbed Steele's arm as he stood there and then he leaned into his ear.."I plan on prosecuting to the full extent of the law" he finished as he let go of Steele's arm..

"And like I said, I wish you the best of luck" Steele turned from him and then stopped with his back turned.."Have a good night Sir" and then he walked away as Vincent watched him. Slowly Vincent pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket, he dialed a number and waited. After a few moments a man answered.."I want you to put eyes on Steele twenty four seven" he said as he hung up and then finished off the rest of his drink.

Steele made his way across the street and towards the hotel that was there. He dialed his phone again and then hung it up as it went to voice mail.."Damn it John, where the hell are you!" he said under his breath and then he headed inside.

Back in Lanview, Natalie stood in front of the coffee at the hospital cafeteria. She was just staring at the metal containers, her mind everywhere but right there. She couldn't get the image of that man laying on the ground behind her car. She reached for a cup and with a shaky hand she began to fill her cup. A hand came out and touched hers as she jumped only to see her Uncle Bo standing there. "Here let me get that for you" he said with a soft smile as she let him take the cup.."The stuff here is worse than at the station you know" he glanced over at her.

"Yeah well something is better than nothing" she forced a smile as Bo handed her the cup and she took it. Blowing against it she slowly took a sip..

"You know I cant help but notice that Chris hasn't come by" Bo began as she stared at her cup.."You wanna talk about it?"..Natalie shook her head no as she stood there.."Would he have something to do with the fact that you were racing down the road?"

"I really don't wanna talk about it Uncle Bo" she said honestly as she turned from him.

Bo sighed heavily as he stood behind her.."You know I'm always here for you Nat" he said honestly..

"I know" she said softly.."What if he doesn't make it Uncle Bo, what if I killed him" she finally said as she turned to face him..

"This was an accident Nat, nothing more and were not going to jump to conclusions" Bo said as he put a hand on her shoulder.."Come on lets go see if we can get an update" he smiled towards her as they walked out.

They walked in silence as they headed back down the hall and towards the waiting area in the ER but the sound of an alarm going off and a loud crash made them both jump. Seconds later "Code White, room 15" was heard over the loud speaker as they both looked at each other and then they took off running towards the room.

As they got closer to the room the sounds of crashing got louder and yelling was heard. Bo immediately grabbed his gun as they rounded the corner. The sight of a chair being thrown at high speed against the adjacent wall crashed into pieces as a loud male voice was heard..

"I said don't touch me!" an angry man yelled as Evan came stumbling back into the hallway..

"Out of the way, back up!" Bo yelled as he ran over to the door and leaned against the wall.."Natalie get out of here" he yelled towards her and then he spun into the door way with his gun aimed.."Police,...Put your hands up!" Bo yelled as John looked over at him and breathed heavy.

John had woken up in a cold sweat, disoriented and confused. He felt wires all over him and when he saw the IV in his arm he completely freaked out. He could barely remember what had happened and he still felt drugged and dazed. He had ripped the wires off of himself and blood was now dripping from his arm as he kept his back to the wall.

"I thought his legs were broken" Natalie said quickly towards Evan..

"They were" Evan said with shock..

"Alright listen young man, were not here to hurt you" Bo said as he kept his gun aimed and John looked around for a window or something to jump out of but there was none. Was he in a hospital? Images flashed past his head, images of the place he was being held, then he was on the ground and that damned amped up wolf was on him. Finally he saw bright lights and then red hair. He shook his head as he snapped back into reality, an older man stood before him with a gun aimed. He was half tempted to laugh at the man, as if a gun could stop him!

"I want my clothes" John finally yelled out as he looked down at the hospital gown he had on.

"And I will get those for you but I need you to relax your stance, your scaring people here" Bo said seriously..

John looked around at the room and then at the man standing there.."I don't like needles" he finally said..

"Point taken" Bo said as he lowered his gun some.."You wanna tell me what happened, and maybe start with a name" he moved into the room more..

"What am I, under arrest?" John said as he stood there.

"I don't know, should you be?" Bo raised an eyebrow.."I'm gonna take a seat is that OK?"

"Listen so I trashed the room, Can I get my clothes" John lowered his voice now..

"Why are you in such a hurry, got somewhere to be?" Bo asked as he sat in a chair across from him, the gun in his hand still but now on his lap..

"I just want my god damn clothes!" John yelled now with frustration.

Natalie walked over towards the room slowly as Evan looked at her.."Don't go in there OK, the man is unstable, dangerous" he continued..

"He was just hit by my car" Natalie shook her head as she continued towards the room and Evan walked over to her.

"i don't think you understand" Evan began but she ignored him as she got into the doorway..

"Tell me your name?" Bo asked again and before John said anything he looked in the doorway only to see the red head standing there. His mind flashed back to her leaning over him as he laid on the ground.."Natalie what are you doing, I said for you to go" Bo said with worry as he got up now and John moved some.."Don't move!" Bo yelled at him as he aimed his gun once more.

"Bo!" Natalie yelled out as she looked at him and then at John.

"Natalie that is an order" Bo yelled back at her as he kept his eye on John..

"Listen he is confused, cant you see that, he's disoriented" Natalie began as she looked between the two..

"It was you" John finally spoke as he looked at her..

Natalie swallowed hard.."I...I hit you with my car" her words came out quietly.

"Natalie I mean it, get out" Bo said sternly this time.."This is an official crime scene"

"A what? Because I broke some shitty furniture" John said loudly as he looked at Bo.."I know my rights and I know I haven't done anything wrong" he snapped..

"You assaulted a doctor!" Bo yelled..

"Its fine OK" Evan said as he got in the doorway and they all looked at him.."Natalie is right, he is disoriented, lashing out" he shook his head.."I'm not hurt, I'm not pressing charges".

Bo's eyes got wide as he stood there.."Your what?"

"I said I'm not pressing charges, that is as long as my patient here will let me look over his injuries before he can go" Evan said as he looked at John and then back at Bo..

"See he's not even pressing charges Bo" Natalie said quickly as he looked at her and then lowered his gun..

"You don't have to do this Doctor" Bo began as he walked over to Evan..

"The man was just in an accident, he lost consciousness, I shouldn't of came up on him like I did, I know better" Evan said quickly..

"Can I get my clothes?" John asked as Bo looked at him and then back at Evan..

"Let me just take a look at your injuries first" Evan said with a nod of his head..

"I wanna talk to the girl" John said quickly as everyone looked at her..

"Like hell you are, come on Natalie were leaving" Bo said seriously as Natalie stood there.."I said Now"

"Why don't you let Natalie answer for herself, she is an adult" John said sarcastically.."It wont take long, I promise" John said towards her now as she looked at her Uncle..

"Unbelievable!" Bo snapped.."What is this the damn twilight zone!"

"Bo I really want to stay" Natalie said quietly. She didn't know why she wanted to stay so bad but she couldn't help herself, she was curious. This day was just getting weirder and weirder.

Bo walked up to her and whispered.."I'm gonna wait right outside this door and if he does anything" he began...

"I'll be fine Bo" she said reassuringly and Bo just shook his head as he walked out of the room..

"I need to inspect my patient" Evan said towards her and then he looked at John who sighed heavily..

"Fine just make it quick" he said as he looked Evan and then at Natalie..She turned and headed for the door.."She can stay" John finally said as she stopped..

"Fine" Evan huffed.."Just close the door Natalie and lets get this over with". Once the door closed Evan looked to John.."I'm going to need to do a full body check".

"I feel fine" John shrugged his shoulders..

"Well when you came in her less than four hours ago you were not fine, maybe we can start with your name?" he asked as Natalie watched on. She was getting more and more curious by the second.

"John" he finally said.."Can we get these casts off now" he sighed. He really did hate hospitals.

"Your leg was broken in three places and your arm was broken in two" Evan began with shock in his voice..

"Doesn't feel broken, you probably want to fire your radiologist" John smirked and then looked at Natalie and smiled as she quickly looked away..

"I know what I saw John, I made the diagnosis myself" Evan began with a shake of his head..

"Well then lets just do this Doc, hospitals make me antsy" John took a seat on the bed now.."Plus I'd much rather talk to Natalie" he grinned some as he looked at her and she pretended not to pay attention..

Evan took a deep breath and then looked at Natalie before looking back at John.."You may want to turn around for this" he said as he glanced at Natalie once more..

"You may need to watch in-case I need a witness if the doc here gets frisky" John smirked and Natalie turned red and then quickly turned around. Evan stared blankly at John who sighed.."Fine, fine.. apparently your white coat comes with no humor" John finished as he leaned back on the bed..

Evan began his exam on John as Natalie kept her back turned but she was listening to everything he was saying.."This is unreal, I mean your wounds are healed" Evan said in shock..

"I have a good immune system" John said dryly as Evan continued to exam him..

"None of this hurts?" he said in shock..

"Nope" John faked a yawn..

"And this?" Evan continued..

"Nothing Doc, are we done yet?" John sighed..

"Listen this isn't a joking matter, the wounds you had, the broken bones, they would of taken weeks if not months to heal" Evan shook his head..

"Or maybe you just got ahead of yourself" John shrugged his shoulders as Evan grabbed a scissor and began cutting at the still wet casts..He was moving almost frantically.."I set three bones in this leg myself" Evan continued as he cut at the cast.

"Well than your a miracle worker" John grinned as Evan ignored him and Natalie finally turned around now as she watched Evan.."So did I damage your car?" John finally said to Natalie who swallowed hard..

"It's still drivable" she said quietly.."Your really not hurting? Not at all?" she asked in shock..

"Listen there apparently was a mistake, it happens" John said nonchalantly..

"Not on my watch" Evan said defensively as he opened the cast on Johns leg and he visibly gasped as he stepped back.."There's no way"

Natalie couldn't help herself as she walked over now and she too looked at the leg, it looked perfectly normal. Not a wound in sight, not even a bruise. It made no sense..

"How is that possible" Natalie said more as a statement than anything else..

"It's not" Evan shook his head..

"OK you got me, I'm one of the Xmen" John smirked some as Natalie and Evan just looked at him confused.."OK... joke not well taken but I mean seriously there was obviously a mistake, my leg is fine" he said seriously..

"Not just your leg, everything is" Evan said with a shake of his head..

"I don't know what to tell you Doc but I do know that since I am not injured and I am coherent that I would like to leave, well after you remove this cast on my arm" John smiled some..

"I mean I have heard of rare cases of super immune systems where bodies literally heal themselves" Natalie added quickly, she knew that it would be so incredibly rare and only one case even existed and that was fifty years ago.

"That case couldn't even be fully validated, the technology back then was not like what we have today" Evan said quickly..

John couldn't help but laugh as they looked at him.."This is strange for me OK, it's like everyone would rather I be broken and bandaged and yet I'm not, and that is a problem?" he laughed some more.."This is why those big pharmaceutical companies make out so much, they like to keep people sick and so do you" John said seriously now as he looked at Evan..

"I took an oath to help people, to cure people" Evan said defensively..

"Well then job well done, now about this cast" John looked at his arm and then at Evan..

By the time Evan had the cast off Natalie was officially in shock. All of John's injuries were gone, even the large gashes that she had seen. It wasn't even possible and it didn't make sense.

"So are we done now Doc" John asked as he sat there in the hospital gown.

"I really think we should run more tests" Evan began..

"No way, I've had enough tests" John said as he got up now.."I need my clothes"

"The only thing left of your clothes is scraps, what wasn't torn had to be cut off" Evan said as he ran his hand over his face, apparently he was still in shock..

"Oh great so I'm stuck in this thing?" John laughed a bit sarcastically..

"I have some clothes" Natalie finally blurted out..

"I don't think that we have the same style, I mean its been years since I wore a pair of capris" John smirked.

"I have guys clothes" Natalie said even though she was shocked at how she was offering up clothes to this man she didn't even know but then again didn't she at least owe him that much?

John titled his head to the side.."Let me guess, boyfriend" he smiled some..

"Ex... boyfriend" she added quickly and then flushed some..

"Works for me, so can I go or what Doc" John said quickly..

"I mean I cant force you to stay but" Evan began and then he walked over to Natalie..He leaned over to her and whispered.."Listen I know you feel guilty and I know your trying to help but you don't know this guy from a hole in the wall".

"It would be kind of hard to differentiate between holes in the wall, don't you think?" John laughed as they both looked at him..

"It's fine, really plus I sort of owe him an outfit" Natalie began nervously..

"Alright, you do what you gotta do Nat" Evan shook his head in disbelief..

"Good then its settled, this thing is giving me too much of a breeze" John smirked..

"Let me go get my car and pull it around" Natalie said quickly as she got to the door and then she stopped. She wondered if she was making the right decision. "Meet me in the front" she finally said quickly and then she left..

Bo was waiting out in the hall as soon as she got out of there.."So? What happened?" he asked anxiously..

"Um nothing,..he is being discharged" Natalie said quickly..

"Discharged? How? He just had major surgery!" Bo said in shock..

"Well he um feels better" Natalie shrugged her shoulders as Evan walked out..He stopped in front of them..

"This is a bad idea Nat" he said as he shook his head and then walked away..

"Whats a bad idea, whats going on" Bo began as John stepped out of the room and he looked at him in shock as he stared at him.."How the..." he began and then stopped..

"So are we going?" John asked Natalie as he looked back and forth between her and Bo..

"Wait, your leaving with him?" Bo said loud as he looked at Natalie

She swallowed hard.."He needs some clothes".

"This is an ongoing investigation, I haven't even gotten a statement from the victim" Bo began angrily..

"I'll make it easy on you, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time but its all good as you can see" John said smugly..

Bo looked between the two of them..."Natalie" Bo pulled her aside as John sighed. This was gonna be a long night.."You are not taking this strange man home" he said sternly..

"I'm just giving him some clothes OK, I hit him with my car" she began..

"And suddenly he is miraculously healed, no absolutely not. Something ain't right here" Bo said seriously..

"There is a logical explanation for this" Natalie said quickly..

"There is some stuff going on here I don't even understand and you are absolutely not leaving with him" Bo demanded to her..

"I am, and you know why because last time I checked I was an adult" Natalie said seriously.. Bo looked absolutely stunned by her words.."Do you trust me Bo, do you trust my instincts?" she asked as she stared at him..

"Its not you that I don't trust" Bo said quickly as he shot John a look..

"I'm not stupid Bo, I know this all seems weird but what better way to get to the bottom of it then by sticking by him" she said quickly..

"Thats for the police to do" Bo put his hands on his hips..

"Am I under arrest or something because I'm getting a vibe here" John blurted out as Bo looked at him..

"Why were you on her property, how come you have no ID and further more what is your name" Bo walked up to him..

"I'm athletic, I like to jog" John began as he stared Bo down.."I must of dropped my ID when I flew over the car and my name is John... John McBain" he smiled big now..

"What aren't you telling me" Bo said seriously..

"i think I'm done here and if I am not under arrest which I know I am not then I am going" John said seriously.."i will meet you in the front" he said to Natalie as he walked away from Bo..

"Bo I gotta go" Natalie said quickly.."I will call you" she said as she began walking away.

"I expect you to bring him to the station for a formal statement Natalie" Bo said sternly as she shook her head and kept walking..Bo groaned out loud as he stood there and then he quickly dialed his phone and waited impatiently, finally someone answered.."I want you to find out everything you know on a John Mcbain, ASAP" he said as he hung and ran a hand through his hair..