"Hank, have you any idea of where Logan's team's hiding?"
"Not for certain, no. But I think I've figured out the general area by things he and some of his
teammember has said, without realising that they might have given their hideout away. Why?"
"I need to see him! Those robots might destroy everything we've worked to accomplish."
"Without much success."
"True and it will be less still if those robots are on the loose. That's why I
need to go and see him."
"That's..." He stumbled on the words. "That's not wise."
If someone had ever wanted to express himself more verbally or cursing it was Hank McCoy at this
very moment. But for the time being he couldn't find the words.
"You don't have to tell me that Hank. I know it's not. But it's not wise to let them walk into a trap either.
One way or the other we have to warn them and I can't think of another way than finding them."
"Waiting for Emma?"
"Yes, but by then it could be too late. We really could use another telepath but I don't
know if there's anyone more still alive. But even if there were, it doesn't help us now.
Are you gonna tell me where you think Logan may be or not?"
"Fine, I give up. But YOU are not going because you're too valuable to risk."
"Who then?"
"Well, anybody really. Me, Sarah, Nathan or"
"You misunderstood me Hank. Who beside me could go? I'm the only one here that can pass as human."
Hank considered that for a few moments before nodding his head, both in agreement
and in defeat. He knew she was right. She was the only one that could, for the
most part, walk anonymously in the city. Some people would recognize her but the
averegage person on the street wouldn't know she was a mutant. He himself
wouldn't be able to walk more than a few blocks before being lynched.
"Just be careful okay?"
"Alway am."
Hank had to laugh at that. "Since when? But since you're such a stubborn woman
and Logan needs to know this, I have to give up. They're in the sewers, somewhere just outside
Central Park."
"Thanks Hank. And I promise to be careful. More careful than usual anyway."
"Somehow that's not very reassuring."
Marie left their little hideout, heading for Central Park. Despite her brave
words to Hank just a couple of minutes ago, she was almost trembling with fear. She's
normally very brave which had given her a reputation of looking for trouble back when she had
first met Xavier, Hank and the others. A reputation she doesn't live up to
anymore but Hank just can't stop teasing her about it, only halfway in jest. But being
brave is one thing, being stupid something else. She can face danger as well as
anyone, probably even better too, but that doesn't mean she wants to if it in any way
can be avoided. Rasputin's still out there, looking for her. He's probably the biggest danger
to her well-being for the time being but theres always the resident psychos, self-appointed
hunters, robbers, drug-addicts and a thousand other dangers. Still, you can't always avoid the dangers
which she knows all too well after all these years.
Logan's hideout wasn't easy to find, she had to admit even when you knows the approximate location.
No wonder there has been so few retirements of his team. They knew how to hide and hide well. She
hadn't done as good in that regard which still made her feel guilty. She hadn't been as good as Logan to hammer
in just how dangerous the situation and the hunters were to every member which had led to the younger ones being too
damn reckless and got killed because of it. Too many of them. But that's the past. Now is now and now is where she's doing
whatever she can to avoid more of the downtrodden mutants to get murdered. Murdered by the state but still murdered.
As far as Marie was concerned, murder was murder no matter what it was called. Murder, retirement or execution. To call it
retirement or execution under certain circumstances was only to alleviate the consciences of the guilty parties.
"What the hell are you doing here Marie??"
"Coming with a warning."
"Warning against what?"
"I know you're soon about to set some sort of plan into action. I don't know what but you might come across a new type of resistance
from Kelly's goons."
"Will you get to the point already?"
"Robots. Specifically designed to track down and retire mutants. I would assume they'll be much harder to kill than that overgrown cat that's
hunting you,"
"Hunted. He's dead. Robots, eh? How'd you know that?"
"A spy working at the corporation that's gonna sell em' to Kelly."
"Private company? Can only be Trask then."
"You got it."
"Hm, this sure puts a damper on my plans. We were planning to free the prisoners back at Xavier's old place.And now we have to watch or
backs for robots too??"
"Could be a good idea anyway, if you do it fast. According to my spy, humans in one shape or the other is necessary raw material for them."
Logan visibly flinches at that. "People still messing with nature eh? Can't allow that. We'll have to free those poor suckers before that."
"Yeah."
"Do you know how much time we have?"
"No. I would guess a couple of days at least."
"Hm, not much but it will have to do. We have some planning to do then. Since you now know this place, feel free to stay. Well, you would have to anyway.
The streets above will be literlly crawling with hunters in half an hour so you better stay here until tomorrow at least. But how the hell did you find me?"
"Hank knew."
"Hank? How could he know that?"
"He's smart so he heard something someone said that gave it away."
"Figures he would be the one. But come on, let's grab something to eat and plan our strategy."
"Not for certain, no. But I think I've figured out the general area by things he and some of his
teammember has said, without realising that they might have given their hideout away. Why?"
"I need to see him! Those robots might destroy everything we've worked to accomplish."
"Without much success."
"True and it will be less still if those robots are on the loose. That's why I
need to go and see him."
"That's..." He stumbled on the words. "That's not wise."
If someone had ever wanted to express himself more verbally or cursing it was Hank McCoy at this
very moment. But for the time being he couldn't find the words.
"You don't have to tell me that Hank. I know it's not. But it's not wise to let them walk into a trap either.
One way or the other we have to warn them and I can't think of another way than finding them."
"Waiting for Emma?"
"Yes, but by then it could be too late. We really could use another telepath but I don't
know if there's anyone more still alive. But even if there were, it doesn't help us now.
Are you gonna tell me where you think Logan may be or not?"
"Fine, I give up. But YOU are not going because you're too valuable to risk."
"Who then?"
"Well, anybody really. Me, Sarah, Nathan or"
"You misunderstood me Hank. Who beside me could go? I'm the only one here that can pass as human."
Hank considered that for a few moments before nodding his head, both in agreement
and in defeat. He knew she was right. She was the only one that could, for the
most part, walk anonymously in the city. Some people would recognize her but the
averegage person on the street wouldn't know she was a mutant. He himself
wouldn't be able to walk more than a few blocks before being lynched.
"Just be careful okay?"
"Alway am."
Hank had to laugh at that. "Since when? But since you're such a stubborn woman
and Logan needs to know this, I have to give up. They're in the sewers, somewhere just outside
Central Park."
"Thanks Hank. And I promise to be careful. More careful than usual anyway."
"Somehow that's not very reassuring."
Marie left their little hideout, heading for Central Park. Despite her brave
words to Hank just a couple of minutes ago, she was almost trembling with fear. She's
normally very brave which had given her a reputation of looking for trouble back when she had
first met Xavier, Hank and the others. A reputation she doesn't live up to
anymore but Hank just can't stop teasing her about it, only halfway in jest. But being
brave is one thing, being stupid something else. She can face danger as well as
anyone, probably even better too, but that doesn't mean she wants to if it in any way
can be avoided. Rasputin's still out there, looking for her. He's probably the biggest danger
to her well-being for the time being but theres always the resident psychos, self-appointed
hunters, robbers, drug-addicts and a thousand other dangers. Still, you can't always avoid the dangers
which she knows all too well after all these years.
Logan's hideout wasn't easy to find, she had to admit even when you knows the approximate location.
No wonder there has been so few retirements of his team. They knew how to hide and hide well. She
hadn't done as good in that regard which still made her feel guilty. She hadn't been as good as Logan to hammer
in just how dangerous the situation and the hunters were to every member which had led to the younger ones being too
damn reckless and got killed because of it. Too many of them. But that's the past. Now is now and now is where she's doing
whatever she can to avoid more of the downtrodden mutants to get murdered. Murdered by the state but still murdered.
As far as Marie was concerned, murder was murder no matter what it was called. Murder, retirement or execution. To call it
retirement or execution under certain circumstances was only to alleviate the consciences of the guilty parties.
"What the hell are you doing here Marie??"
"Coming with a warning."
"Warning against what?"
"I know you're soon about to set some sort of plan into action. I don't know what but you might come across a new type of resistance
from Kelly's goons."
"Will you get to the point already?"
"Robots. Specifically designed to track down and retire mutants. I would assume they'll be much harder to kill than that overgrown cat that's
hunting you,"
"Hunted. He's dead. Robots, eh? How'd you know that?"
"A spy working at the corporation that's gonna sell em' to Kelly."
"Private company? Can only be Trask then."
"You got it."
"Hm, this sure puts a damper on my plans. We were planning to free the prisoners back at Xavier's old place.And now we have to watch or
backs for robots too??"
"Could be a good idea anyway, if you do it fast. According to my spy, humans in one shape or the other is necessary raw material for them."
Logan visibly flinches at that. "People still messing with nature eh? Can't allow that. We'll have to free those poor suckers before that."
"Yeah."
"Do you know how much time we have?"
"No. I would guess a couple of days at least."
"Hm, not much but it will have to do. We have some planning to do then. Since you now know this place, feel free to stay. Well, you would have to anyway.
The streets above will be literlly crawling with hunters in half an hour so you better stay here until tomorrow at least. But how the hell did you find me?"
"Hank knew."
"Hank? How could he know that?"
"He's smart so he heard something someone said that gave it away."
"Figures he would be the one. But come on, let's grab something to eat and plan our strategy."