Chapter08.rtf

Chapter 8

Talon reached his room and quickly un-locked his weapons. He then went to his bed and put a hand on the uniform Xavier had made for him. Remembering Scott and the others, he shook his head. Opening his suit case, Talon pulled out his own uniform, including a helmet which he hung on the bed post. His own uniform was covered entirely with small hexgon scales that allowed Talon's chameleon skin to mimic his surroundings. From a bag he had kept under his bed, he unpacked a heavy vest, and armor plates. From another bag came; his soft armor, a set of gauntlets, a pair of boots with slots for his clawed toes, and a belt that sported an assortment of pouches. Talon pulled on his ballistic armor with praticed ease, then fastened each plate in its proper place. He snapped the sheath for his swords across the back of the vest, shrugged into it and zipped up the front. Grasping his twin short swords, he held them for a brief moment, enjoying the strange comfort they gave him. He then slid them into place upside-down on the back of his vest, where they set, pressed together like a pair of upright wings, their handles extended just above his left hip. He slung the belt around his waist and snapped the ends together. Next, he pulled on his boots along with his gantlets and grabbed up his helmet. Talon caught his reflection in the closet miror. He smiled and pulled his helmet in place, sealing it to the filtration unit built into the back of his armor. He tossed off a salute to the mirror. Everything was ready, he opened his window and crawled into bed to wait.

X X X

Sounds of a distant thunderstorm rumbled. Ominous clouds rolled across the moon drawing the night into a deep darkness. The curtains stirred again as an owl flew through and soundlessly landed at the foot of Talon's bed. The owl re-formed into Mystique, a mischievous smile played on her lips as she gently called his name. When he didn't wake, she grabbed the blankets and threw them back. "Wake up!" she demanded, but was startled-- finding only travel bags on the bed. The window slammed shut and she whirled about. "Who's there?" She searched the dark room for the presence she felt, but could not find. Then, it struck her across the mouth, snapping her head back. She was flipped backward, but managed to land on her feet. She struck out blindly, "Show yourself!" She snarled, tasting blood.

A floorboard protested weight and she turned toward it. Suddenly a hand closed around her throat and slammed her into the wall with such force, that items fell in the adjacent room.

"Where are the kids?" Talon demanded.

Mystique still managed a wicked smile, "You do as I say, and they won't be hurt," she gasped triumphantly, then snapped a kick out to where Talon's midsection should have been. Her foot merely glanced off a hard, solid surface and a fist exploded in her stomach. She felt very sick.

A sharp snap sounded as a sword blade appeared directly before her face then, fell below her vision, the cold point touching her stomach.

Talon spoke again. "I really own you, for what you have done for me here with the X-men."

Mystique put her hands up, as the fingers tighten around her throat with frightening strength. "If you kill me... you will never find them." She spat out between breaths.

"It's a gamble I am willing to take," came the calm reply, as the sharp point pressed slightly more forward, with increasing pain.

"X-men can't do this!" Mystique choked out, her brain becoming desperate for oxygen.

The darkness before her wavered and Talon's form appeared. His green new moons closed in on her eyes, then he whispered, "I'm no X-man!" Talon's grip increased at a lethal rate.

He's going to kill me! The sudden realization sent waves of shock and panic through Mystique's mind. Her vision blurred, "Wait!" she mouthed.

Talon let his grip slacken a fraction.

X X X

Still musing about the X-van, Rogue was meandering back down the hall, when she caught the sound of Mystique's voice. She quickly stepped over to Talon's door and softly flattened against it. As she put her ear to it, Logan filled her vision, rounding the corner at the end of the hall and racing towards her at a dead run. A scuffle sounded from inside the room with breaking glass. Rogue threw herself at the door and burst in. Talon stood near the broken window, sword in hand.

Rogue blocked his attempt to escape through the window, throwing a punch. Talon ducked under her swing and sprinted for the door, slamming head-long into Logan. The two tumbled into the hallway, a tangle of limbs and blades. Despite Wolverine's efforts, Talon hit him with a head-butt, broke free, and dashed down the hall, with Logan still in his wake. Talon's clawed toes dug deep as he struggled to round the corner at the end of the hall. Xavier had just reached the top of the stairs with Scott behind him. Talon realized his list of options were dwindling as he dove over Xavier's wheelchair, and tackled Scott. Wolverine slid around the corner in time to see them both tumbling down the stairs. Logan vaulted the rail and dropped to the floor next to Scott's form.

Scott glanced up at Logan, them looked beyond him and fired his visor, "He's in the kitchen!" he snapped and fired again. The shot blasted a hole near the kitchen doorway.

Again, Wolverine took up pursuit. How had Talon made it into the kitchen so fast?

Rogue skidded to a stop next to Xavier in time to see Logan start for the kitchen. From her vantage point she had a full view of the floor but could not see any of Talon's high-speed claw marks. What she did see, was Scott-- fumbling for his lost visor-- and in the opposite direction, Talon was shredding carpet as he made for the front doors.

Rogue leaped down the stairs, "Logan!" At her call, Logan spun in his own wake.

Evan, startled from his comfortable nap on the couch, quickly took everything in. He fired a random volley of spikes, most of which were glanced off by Talon's armor plates. But two struck the seam between plates, embedding in Talon's shoulder. Evan shook his head to clear the rush but Talon's bare hand was already closing around his wrist.

No fair! Rogue's mind cried as Evan's foot tripped her. Talon had vanished into Evan and now seemed to be controlling his movements. As Rogue hit the floor, two bone spikes struck near her midsection at such an angle, that they crossed behind her back, pinning her to the floor. Talon's ghost stepped out of Evan, solidified and headed for the large bay windows. Evan's form hit the floor next to her and lay very still.

"Hey!" Rogue yelled, trying to crawl forward, but was again stopped short by the spikes at her waistline.

It was Jean now, who spoke. "Not so fast," she said, as she placed a hand on her head. Her powers lifted Talon off the ground. Talon responded with a flick of his wrist. A disk flew from his hand, detonating in a blinding flash.

Rogue blinked at the green blob in her vision and glanced around. Everyone in the room was recovering from the flash...

But Talon was no where in sight.

Kitty and Kurt rushed from the kitchen, "Did we miss something?" then took in the damage all over the lobby.

"It's Talon." Rogue reached back and dislodged the bone spike from the floor. She checked Evan, and found him breathing normally. She then slowly got to her feet. "He could be in anyone of us." A soft breeze touched her sweaty forehead, drawing her attention to the open bay window where the carport was framed. Of course!

Everyone glanced at each other, Xavier closed his eyes in concentration. After a minute, he opened them again. "I don't believe Talon is in this room."

"Are you sure? Can't Talon hide his thoughts?"

"Yes he can Scott, but not his merging powers. That's how we detected him in the first place, and I did not sense a merging after the flash," Xavier replied.

"That makes sense," Logan agreed. "He was in a hurry to go somewhere."

"Now that you mention it, he did seem intent on a destination." Xavier agreed.

Evan moaned and rolled into a sitting position. "I knew I should have stayed in bed... Ah! Brain-freeze!" he said, as he put his hands to his head.

Jean handed Scott his visor, "Thanks Jean... Hey, where's Rogue?"

"That's a very good question," Xavier agreed. "Scott, assemble the team. We'd better go after them." Then to Logan, "I guess we were wrong."

"I don't know Charles," Logan said, his face lost in thought, " but if we catch up to him now, someone is going to get hurt," he finished.

Xavier wheeled next to Logan, "Yes, you're right of course." He turned to the rest of the students and raised his voice. "Talon's belief in absolutes makes him a very dangerous foe, but I don't see any other option open to us now. We must recover the missing students."

Yes, Logan agreed silently, a dangerous foe... or a very good friend.