Well. . . Hello there. Wait! Yes, i know i said i'd have this chapter up sooner. . . But unfortunately life got me real busy this week and i was unable to complete it before now. So don't scream! Also, a word of warning before you begin! This chapter is looooong. . . Longer than any other chappy thus far. So get comfy. ;P
As a minor note, there was some wonky formatting in the beginning of the last chapter for some reason, unfortunately i didn't notice this soon enough. It has now been fixed. Sorry.
Now, a super big thank you to all you who are reading! And thank's for being patient. :D
Also a gigantic thank you to the reviewers! Your comments and reviews give me hope and inspiration to continue this story, even when my own enthusiasm fails me, so tank you, tank you, tank you!
Anyway, seeing as how you a long process in front of you. . . I'd better shut up. Here's chapter 9. :)
Chapter Nine
Rain fell in sheets, a bare amount of sleet mixed within it's downpour and the frigid wind directing it's fall. The combination was freezing; a deathly cold that was merciless in it's choosing and chilled to the bone. The night sky was dark, with the moon being obscured by ominous clouds that emptied their contents upon the earth and not even a flash of lightening served to illuminate the heavens. Thunder rumbled low overhead, silencing the sounds of the city, as though it were cowered down at the ferocity of the storm.
The effect of the weather was morbid and depressing, though it only served to match the emotions that assailed a figure who was huddled upon a rooftop, with his back against the wall, barely perceptible in the darkness of the night, the weather only furthering his obscurity. His body was shaking violently, the fur which covered it soaked and freezing. Not that he even noticed.
Kurt Wagner was to far gone to care.
Huddled there upon the roof, he was simply existing. The rain didn't matter, the sleet didn't sting, the cold just a numb sensation at the fringe of his sanity. His mind was barely conscious, only enough to allow his suffering to continue. That was something he intended to rectify soon. . . For now he just was. A being. An existence. Waiting to be blinked out.
Kurt's head hung and his eyes fell upon the busted image-inducer that adorned his wrist. It was all that remained to remind him of the life he had tried to salvage. What use had it been? In the end he'd lost it all. His life was empty, his heart hollow, his world destroyed, the people he cared for gone, in one way or another. There seemed no reason now to continue, just moments ago he'd come to this conclusion.
Now he knew it was only a matter of means.
24 hours ago
"Amanda?"
*. . . *
"Amanda, wake up, come on. . . "
Kurt knelt before the unconscious girl and gently tried to rouse her. A few tears stained the fur around his eyes and more pin-pricked behind his eyelids, causing him to blink them away. He was a fool, an absolute fool. Not only had he made the mistake of revealing himself to Amanda, but now here he was trying to wake her up when he should be fleeing. Sparing a glance at the knapsack he had prepared, he knew he could just run now, use what time it would take before Amanda came back around to get as far away as he could, before she alerted anyone. He might be able to make it out of the city before then, it'd be safer in the countryside; the observance was less, he could even risk teleporting if necessary.
But looking back at Amanda's face, he felt a stab of resolve strike him. He had come so far now, had risked it all in only a few minutes. . . He had to at least try.
*groan*
Kurt's ears perked up out the slight moan that passed Amanda's lips. He quickly leaped up and took a few steps back into the shadow's, eying Amanda cautiously as she began to rouse. She opened her eyes slowly and seemed awake, but lay still on her back, her only movement being her breathing. Kurt stood stock-still as well. In the shadow of the corner he would be hard to spot in the dim light, offering him some comfort in knowing he could simply turn his holo back on, which might give him some chance at keeping Amanda calm. She had not moved yet, although it was apparent she was now fully awake and aware. Kurt could imagine the sort of thoughts running through her head, wagering none of them would be pleasant. After a few silent, tense minutes passed, Kurt knew he had to do something. Amanda wasn't moving and he was beginning to fear she might be in shock.
He had to summon up all the courage he could muster to will himself to speak, feeling more comfort in the silent aftermath, than in the thought of invoking further anxiety. Keeping his voice low and soft, he called out.
"Amanda?"
A change suddenly came over the unmoving girl, her body went rigid and her head snapped to the side, her eyes wide and fearful, fixated on the corner where Kurt stood. Kurt too tensed up at her sudden gaze, feeling her eyes probing the darkness that surrounded him, trying to discern his presence.
"A- are you alright?" He asked, unable to keep his voice from quavering at the frightened look on Amanda's face.
Amanda didn't reply, her eyes still fixated on the obscured form in the corner. Finally she spoke, her voice full of uncertainty and barely suppressed fear.
"I c- can't see you."
Kurt sighed, not noticing Amanda flinch when he did so.
"You've never seen me Amanda. . . Not who I really am. . . But. I told you I would show you. . . "
Kurt took a small step forward, the light revealing his outline, but the remaining shadows still obscuring the details. Amanda's breathing quickened as Kurt moved from the darkness, tears beginning to slip down the sides of her face as a panic grew in her chest. Kurt felt his own tears return as he watched her reaction, but he pressed onward, taking another step forward out from the shadows, fully revealing himself into the light. Amanda's eyes widened more, if it were even possible, and a strangled cry arose in her throat, only to die down as she opened her mouth, trying to say something but failing.
"Kurt?" She managed to force out at last, her voice still laden with disbelief.
Kurt nodded his head slowly and tried to give a reassuring smile, but it seemed this affirmation only worsened Amanda's state. A heavy sob escaped her lips and she clamped her eyes shut, shaking her head in disbelief.
"No, no, no, no, no. . . " She muttered in a panicked voice. She turned to her side and pulled herself onto her knee's, keeping her eyes shut tight and mumbling incoherent statements of incredulity.
"Amanda, please. . . " Kurt started, taking a step forward.
Amanda sensed his motion and sprang back, falling onto her bottom for the second time that night.
"No! Stay back!" She yelled, her face full of fright.
Kurt felt his heart break at the action, but complied, although he only stopped where he was instead of retreating back.
"You just. . . You stay back. . . " Amanda said, her voice only barely above a whisper, spoken more to herself than to Kurt.
Kurt was at a loss for what to say. He knew the outcome of things would most likely be undesirable, but he had not planned on Amanda being in a state of shock, as it seemed. She was backed against the sofa, her eyes riveted on him, silently crying, although her sobs had ceased once she had sprang backwards.
She shook her head again, as if she could still not believe what she was seeing. "What the hell are you?"
Kurt took this as a sign that she wasn't going to run screaming, but was hurt nonetheless by her tone and her words.
"I- I'm a mutant." He explained.
Amanda nodded her head, the first indication of any sort of acceptance that she had given and scoffed lightly.
"Of course. A mutant. . . Not a. . . " She paused and eyed him warily, before continuing. "Not a demon?"
Kurt winced, but shook his head. "No, I'm not a. . . A demon. I'm a person Amanda, a human. . . " He said, tentatively taking a step forward.
Amanda leaped to her feet and pressed back against the wall next to the couch.
"I told you to stay back!" She exclaimed.
"Amanda, please, I'm not going to hurt you. . . It's still me, Kurt. I promise, I'm not going to do anything. . . Please try not to be scared." He pleaded.
Amanda scoffed again, but warily removed herself from the wall and sat down on the sofa.
"You should have told me that before I even came here." She said.
Kurt swallowed hard and slowly stepped over to the chair he had vacated. He sat down and tried to appear as normal as he could be, but knew it was a futile thing to do.
Amanda just stared at him, her face not showing any emotion other than an extreme wariness towards Kurt. He tried to smile again, but the action did little to change her attitude and he was suddenly self-conscious of his fangs, so he dropped the smile and settled into an uneasy position. Amanda's brow contorted into a look of conflict, but her features eventually softened.
"Jesus, Kurt. . . I was not expecting this." She said, with a slight shake of her head.
Kurt let out a breath of relief, or at least a breath of respite. She didn't seem to be panicky any longer, so that was good. And she was still here, so that was also a good sign. . . Right?
"I'm sorry Amanda. . . I'm sorry for scaring you. I should have warned you somehow. . ." Kurt said, remaining surprisingly calm despite his intense trepidation of earlier.
Amanda let out a mirthless laugh. "Yeah. That would've been nice."
Kurt managed to give Amanda a more genuine smile now, but her expression remained neutral. Somehow that seemed worse to him than the fright she had shown. They lapsed into another moment of tense silence, Amanda still never taking her eyes off of Kurt and Kurt doing his best to remain calm.
"So. You're a mutant." Amanda stated, breaking the silence.
"Yes."
"And you look. . . Like that. . . How?"
"I was, um. . . Born like this?"
Amanda nodded slowly. "And how do you make yourself look. . . Normal?"
"With this. . ." Kurt raised his wrist and showed her the image-inducer, pressing the button to activate it at the same time, the hologram washing over his appearance, causing him to appear as normal as is ever was going to look.
Amanda just nodded again. "Good, stay like that."
Kurt felt like his heart was being stabbed by the sharp bite of her tone, but he nodded to assure her he wouldn't turn it back off. Amanda visibly relaxed some, now that Kurt was back to being recognizable and she dropped her head into her hands.
"Damn it, I was not expecting this." She repeated, before looking back up at Kurt, as if to reassure he hadn't switch his inducer off again. "I guess this explains a lot though."
"Amanda. . . I don't want you to be afraid of me. . ." Kurt said. "I- I'm still me, I promise. . ."
Amanda looked up with a haggard expression, but shook her head. "I'm not scared Kurt. . . Not now, anyway. . . Just. I'm overwhelmed, this. . . This is just a lot. I mean. . . You have a fucking tail." She said with an exasperated groan.
Kurt cringed, but understood what she meant. He knew it wasn't exactly an easy thing to accept, how he looked. After all, he hadn't accepted it yet and he had lived like this all his life. Suddenly a thought popped into his head and he felt a few worries return. . .
"You. . . You're not going to turn me in. . . Are you?" He asked, bringing his eyes to meet Amanda's. She averted her gaze slightly, but then returned it, giving him a contemplative look.
"No." She replied, shifting her eyes from Kurt's and dropping her head.
Kurt felt a bitter smile cross his face as he gauged her reaction.
"You're lying." He stated.
Amanda jerked her head up and an angry look crossed her face.
"I don't think you should accuse me of lies. Seeing as how you seem to be pretty good a deception." She spat.
Kurt gave her a hurt look, but nodded his agreement.
"I know." He said.
Amanda sighed and the anger left her face. "I'm sorry Kurt. . . Look. I just. . . I need some time to process this. . ." Glancing around the room for a clock, she continued. "It's late now. Just give me tonight. . . And I'll decide tomorrow."
"Decide what?" Kurt asked.
"To decide if I can handle this. I mean. . . Kurt you're my friend, but. . . I don't know if I can get used to this." She said. "I'm- I'm sorry. I thought. . . I thought I could help you. But. . . I don't know."
Kurt swallowed the lump in his throat. "It's ok. . . I understand." He said in a shaky voice. "I. . . I guess you need time."
Amanda rose to her feet and gathered her purse from the arm of the sofa.
"I think I should go." She said, before stepping towards the entrance to the apartment, keeping her distance from Kurt. She turned back as she reached the door. "I'll. . . I'll call you."
Kurt just nodded, knowing it was useless to try and keep her here now; It was clear she was no longer comfortable in his presence. To his credit he managed to hold onto his emotions for a few moments more, until he heard the door close, collapsing back into the chair and weeping heavily. This day had gradually gotten worse and worse and now he allowed his body to pour out the influx of emotions the best it could. Dimly in the back of his mind he realized he should be on guard, or better yet, he should run. But everything had become altogether to much for him to handle any more and he fell into a fitful sleep, plagued by nightmares and uneasiness.
Kurt awoke the next morning and for a few moments he was blissfully unable to recount the events of the previous night and day. Unfortunately this blissful ignorance didn't last long and the recollection of the past twenty-four hours hit him like a brick. For a wistful moment he imagined it all was a dream, but the horrible dread in his guts couldn't be ignored, forcing him to admit the reality of his fears.
He sat up in the chair he had occupied all night and placed his head in his hands, trying to come to grips with how he was going to get through this. A glance at the clock confirmed he had overslept, but that didn't matter, he was definitely not going to classes today anyhow. If anything he supposed he ought to be thankful that he was waking up on his own and not arising to the sounds of an attack on his place of dwelling. In fact, he was very grateful that hadn't happened, mentally cursing himself for not fleeing last night, despite Amanda's assurance she would not turn him in.
All in all, Kurt was feeling more at a loss than ever. He had never thought about what to do in the event of his reveal to Amanda going well. Not that last night went well, but considering the alternative outcomes. . . He supposed it went as well as it could.
*ring. . . ring. . . *
Kurt shot up suddenly, the noise of his phone ringing startling him out of his thoughts. Willing his heart to slow it's sudden pace, he took a deep breath and reached for the phone.
'Probably Adam. . .' He thought, feeling a bit of relief in knowing he had someone to turn to for help this morning.
"Hello?"
There was silence on the other end, the faint sound of breathing being the only indication that anyone was even there.
"Kurt?" A tired voice finally broke through.
Kurt tensed at the recognition of the speaker, his grip on the phone tightening.
"Amanda. . . " He whispered into the receiver.
"Hey. . . How are you?"
Kurt felt uneasy suddenly, this wasn't exactly the way he imagined his next conversation with Amanda going. Despite the noticeable fatigue in Amanda's voice, she was acting almost casual. . . A sense of self-preservation that he had been ignoring in recent times began to sound alarms in Kurt's head, causing him to put up his guard.
"I'm alright." He replied, though it was hardly the truth. "You sound tired."
There was a slight laugh on Amanda's end, sending Kurt's alarms into a tizzy.
"I was up all night." She said, before pausing. "Kurt. . . We need to talk."
"Yeah?" Kurt said, nervously walking to window and peering out. He didn't see anything out of the norm, but he kept an eye peeled anyway, wondering if perhaps Amanda's call wasn't just a ploy to keep him in the apartment. He felt a twinge of guilt at his sudden mistrust of Amanda, but he knew it was the smart thing to do.
"Yeah. . ." Amanda replied. "I, uh. . . I did a lot of thinking last night. About what you showed me. . ."
"And?"
"And. . . I can't say over the phone. . . There's just too much. . . Look, can we meet?"
Kurt's alarm bells were clamoring now, but he tried not to let his wariness show.
"Where?" He asked.
"There's, um, a diner, close to the apartment building. It's just a few blocks down. . . It's called-"
"I know the one." Kurt interrupted.
"Ok. . . Well, meet me here?"
"You're already there?"
"Well, yeah." Amanda replied and Kurt could feel her nodding her head over the phone.
"Why didn't you just come over this morning?" He asked, proceeding cautiously. "I'm just a floor down."
"Because. . . I just wanted to be somewhere. . . You know, public."
"You don't trust me? You're afraid."
"No. . . Kurt, that's not it." Amanda sighed. "I just. . . I'll explain when you get here, ok?"
"Fine. I'll be there in a little while." Kurt said, ignoring his brains pleas to decline. "But, Amanda?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm trusting you."
*pause*
"I know."
There was a soft *click* as she placed the phone back in its cradle, signaling to Kurt that their conversation was over. He let the phone fall to the floor, not bothering to put it back where it belonged.
Kurt let out a breath, trying to suppress the rising sadness in his chest. He wanted to believe Amanda wasn't going to hurt him. . . But he couldn't ignore the uneasiness he had felt during their conversation, no matter how paranoid he could be. His life had taught him to act cautiously, something he had failed to do in his friendship with Amanda. Now he feared he was going to pay the price.
He felt his heart sink low as he went to the door, looking around his apartment for what felt like the last time. Once again his eyes landed on the provision's he had set aside yesterday and once again he ignored the impulse to run. He'd had enough running and enough hiding in his life. He was determined now to see his decision through to the bitter end, for no other outcome seemed likely. He left his apartment and set off to the diner, arriving a little while later.
The diner was, as usual, quite busy and the smells that greeted him reminded him of all the mornings he had passed here, often enjoying the presence of Sophia. . . Someone who had been progressively seeing less of the more he had threw himself into his friendship with Amanda. It had made him feel more than a little pathetic and desperate. . . But then again, of the latter anyway, it was true.
Kurt pushed those thoughts aside as he saw Amanda seated near the back of the diner, facing the front. As he came closer to her, he noticed her red eyes and the apparent lack of sleep she exhibited, confirming her remark about staying awake all night. He sat across from his friend. . . Or at least she was his friend yesterday. He was suddenly aware he had no idea where their relationship stood at this point.
Amanda sat up stiffly, still regarding Kurt with wariness and was pressed as far back against the booth as she could get, as though she were trying to keep the distance between them to a maximum. Kurt could busy himself all day observing the changes in her attitude towards him, but he resigned to focus instead on keeping his guard up. Amanda hadn't said a word to him yet, but he could feel her eyes boring into him, aware of what was hidden beneath his hologram.
"I'm here." Kurt said at last, inviting Amanda to speak her mind.
"Yeah." Amanda said, with a nervous smile.
"Your turn to talk to me."
Amanda was silent for a moment. . .
"Kurt. . . I don't know what to say. . . I spent all night thinking. . ."
"And?"
"And. . . You scared me Kurt. . . Knowing what you are. It's. . . I just don't know if I can handle it." Amanda said, her voice becoming more emotional as she progresses. "I wanted to help you. . . I wanted to care for you. But. . . I think I made a mistake."
"But it doesn't have to be a mistake!" Kurt exclaimed. "I thought I was the one making a mistake. . . But Amanda, I wanted to trust you and I want you to trust me. . . I know it isn't easy, but I need help, ok? I'm. . . I'm sick of being alone and I'm tired of hiding. . . All my life i've been scorned and hated because of how I look. But I can do nothing about it! This is how I was born, I didn't choose to look like a freak, I didn't choose to live in fear. . . But I chose to trust in you, because I thought you could understand."
"Can't you understand? Please?" Kurt pleaded, reaching out to try and grasp Amanda's hand. She flinched away and pulled her hand back suddenly. Kurt felt hurt at the reversal of roles, having been the one to avoid contact for so long, it was painful to be denied his attempt at connection. He lowered his head and tried to fight back the tears that welled behind his eyes.
"I'm sorry. . . " Amanda said, her voice broken and brimming with emotion.
Kurt raised his head and looked at her; Tears streaked her face and she was mumbling apologies. He felt his uneasiness return and a panic begin to rise in his chest.
"Amanda. . . What did you do?" He asked, but she only gave him a hurt look, her eyes treacherous. Kurt looked around the diner and found the busy atmosphere of earlier to be gone, only a few patrons remaining and their presence struck him as suspicious. A heavy silence filled the air and an electricity was present, as though a storm was brewing.
Kurt looked back to Amanda and found the girl had vacated her seat and was slowly backing down the aisle, her eyes darting fearfully from Kurt to an area beyond his left shoulder. He closed his own eyes and tried to comprehend the feeling of betrayal that came upon him. Standing slowly, he turned around and opened his eyes. He found himself staring into face of a man dressed in military-esque garb. The man's eyes were emotionless, unblinking, steadily trained upon Kurt's.
Kurt felt his knee's weaken, the full brunt of Amanda's betrayal hitting him, along with the knowledge that his life may very well be over. He stared fearfully back into the man's eyes. It seemed as though time had dropped to a standstill as he stood there locked into a tense stare-off. Finally the man broke the heavy silence, his voice low and cold.
"Ms. Schwarz, I believe you should leave now."
"What are you going to do?" Amanda's voice carried over Kurt's shoulder.
"Leave. Ms. Schwarz." The man repeated, making it clear there was no room for negotiation.
Kurt heard Amanda's footsteps, slow and tentative, approaching him from behind. As she made to step by him, he was overcome by the betrayal he felt and grabbed her wrist to stop her from advancing.
"Why?" He asked. A look of regret seemed to form in Amanda's eyes and she seemed as though she was about to say something. But her words were cut off, as the military-man suddenly lashed out, attacking Kurt and causing him to relinquish his hold on Amanda's wrist. He fell to the ground and yelped in pain, his vision clouding with stars, as Amanda also yelped in surprise.
"They said you wouldn't hurt anyone!" Amanda cried out, taking a step back towards Kurt.
"And I said for you to leave!" The brutish man said. "You two, get her out of here!" He barked and two of the patrons who stayed behind sprang to action, grabbing Amanda and pulling her towards the door. She struggled and protested, but stood no match against the two men.
"Kurt!" She called out one last time, before the men dragged her out the entrance.
Kurt was still dazed from the blow he had taken, but tried to pull himself from the floor. The soldier was quicker though and pinned Kurt back to the ground with one heavy boot.
"Tsk. Tsk. You stay where I put you." He smirked, before looking down at Kurt's wrist. "So boy, lets see if you really are what she says you are."
He brought his boot down on Kurt's wrist, shattering the holo-watch and bruising Kurt's wrist in the process. The man didn't flinch at Kurt's sudden appearance change, but he grimaced in disgust. Another man, evidently part of the same group as the one pinning Kurt to the ground, came up behind.
"Jesus Gil, what is that thing?" He asked, a look of revulsion also apparent on his face.
"Doesn't matter what it is." The man, Gil grunted in reply. "Restrain him. . . It." He corrected.
The second man nodded and bent down to try and restrain Kurt. Kurt felt a growl arise and erupt from his chest, earning him a kick from the boot that had pinned him.
"You shut up, dog." Gil, evidently the leader, said. His face was full of hatred towards the mutant under his heel. Raising his voice as another soldier approached to assist in restraining Kurt, he spoke. "I'm thinking this. . . Thing. Won't make it back base. What do you boy's think?"
Kurt felt anger well up inside him as he said this and he felt his feral side begin to emerge, recognizing the imminent need to fight for survival. He lashed out suddenly, taking the men by surprise and wrenching himself from under the boot of the leader. He leaped atop a table and kicked one of the men in the face, sending him backwards into the opposing booth, then jumped over two of the other assailant's heads as they tried to reach for him. Unfortunately Kurt was a bit out of gym practice and landed in a sprawl, barely recovering in time to avoid being stomped on by a heavy combat boot.
He pivoted around and bared his fangs at the assembled team, a low growl rumbling in his chest, his tail thrashing wildly in anger.
"Oh now, you don't wanna make this hard on yourself mutie." Gil said, stepping in front of his reassembled team and raising an automatic weapon.
Kurt felt fear spike beneath the adrenaline and anger, but he remained level-headed, glaring at his opponents. He backed up slowly, his body already half-way through the doorway to the kitchen, the fur on his neck bristling.
"Uh-uh, you don't take another step. Surrender now and just maybe we'll kill you before our little group of mad scientists go to experimenting on you." The leader said.
"And if I don't stop? You kill me anyway." Kurt said.
"Yeah. . . But I'll guarantee you a bullet to the brain will hurt a lot less than a few dozen to your torso. So there's your choice, quick and easy or long and painful."
A shriek to Kurt's left attracted his attention and glancing quickly he saw Sophia and a staff-member (Most likely a chef.), standing near the entryway to the kitchen, both frozen in fear, their eyes wide at the sight of a strike-team facing off with what looked to them like a blue, angry demon. Kurt felt a new panic arise at the threat that was posed to his friend and the chef, both just innocent bystanders. He unconsciously took another step back, but it was enough to incite the soldiers. Kurt turned back just as the men leveled their weapons; If they were aware of the civilians nearby, they didn't seem to care.
Kurt let out a panicked yelp and dove quickly into the kitchen, taking cover behind a counter. He wasn't a split-second too soon, as the soldiers opened fire, shooting through the low wall that separated the kitchen from the register area. Kurt heard Sophia and the cook scream in terror as the rounds penetrated the wall, the noise of the automatic weapons being unloosed deafening. Suddenly Sophia screamed out in pain and Kurt twisted around to see her fall to the ground, he rushed to her side, the hail of bullets now ceasing. What he saw as he slid beside Sophia sickened him. Her neck had been punctured by a round, severing the artery which ran there, sending a spray of red mist onto Kurt. He cried in panic and clamped his three-fingered hand around the gaping hole, trying to staunch the spray, but it was to no avail. Sophia glared fearfully at him, her eyes wide in shock and her breathe rasping. Her body twitched spasmodically, but the strength began to leave her and Kurt watched as the life slipped out of her eyes.
He had no time for grief, as the strike-squad burst into the kitchen, finding Kurt kneeling next to the lifeless body of Sophia. Blood covered his torso and his hands dripped warm red, but he bared his fangs on instinct and growled at the men, appearing devilishly frightening. The chef who had been in the kitchen with Sophia let out a shriek of his own and disappeared out the back door, leaving Kurt alone with the murderous men.
The leader once again took his place in front of his men, eying Kurt and the body of Sophia. He raised his firearm and trained it on Kurt.
"Lets send this demon back to Hell." He said.
Kurt glared into the mans eyes and the leader noticed something within them: A feral cunning and will to fight. But there was something else. . . A hint of a plan, of knowing something that nobody else knew.
"Wait!" He yelled, but his words were drowned out as his men once again opened fire, filling the small kitchen with smoke and the thunderous noise of the weaponry being fired. Within a matter of seconds their rounds were expended and everyone stood still and silent as they waited for the smoke to clear. Once it did, they did not like what they found.
Despite Sophia's body still remaining where it was, the space occupied by the mutant they had been sent to capture was entirely empty, now devoid of the fearsome appearance of the demon creature. The leader growled in frustration.
"Where did he go?" He barked out, his voice almost as thunderous as the deafening pitch of the weapons being fired.
"Look, here." One of his men said, procuring up a small device and punching a few buttons. "Look's like a mutant signature, indicative of a teleportation ability."
"Shit!" The leader exclaimed. "That girl never told us anything about that sort of thing."
He sighed and his gaze fell upon the lifeless body of Sophia. . .
'Hmm. . . Maybe this can work to our advantage.' He thought, an malicious grin spreading across his face.
Kurt reappeared outside of the University, his ear's still ringing from the din he left behind. He felt intense grief as he looked down at his blood-stained body, remembering the horrible moment as Sophia's life left her body. Still riding high on the adrenaline and shock, he was able to keep his emotions from spilling out and process his next move, he had no time for weeping now, he had to get to Adam and warn him.
Looking at the busy Uni, he knew only one way inside that wouldn't risk him being spotted. He disappeared in a *BAMF* and reappeared inside the maintenance office. A startled gasp greeted his appearance, Adam being frightened at both the unexpectedness of Kurt's arrival and the visage which Kurt presented. What he saw was Kurt, drenched in blood, image-inducer broken and visibly livid with anger.
"Kurt! What's going on? Are you ok?" He asked, quickly rushing over to aid the boy. "Where are you hurt?"
Kurt took a second to register Adam's touch, as shock was beginning to set in on him.
"Not hurt." He stated, turning to Adam, his eye's wide. "Sophia. . ."
Suddenly the shock of what happened overpowered Kurt and he let out an anguished cry, latching onto Adam tightly.
"Sophia? The girl from the diner?" Adam asked. "What happened Kurt, tell me!"
"She's dead, attacked me, they killed her! Amanda betrayed me. . . " Kurt babbled, panic building.
"Slow down, slow down." Adam said, guiding Kurt to a metal folding chair. "Now, what happened, tell me slowly."
Kurt took a deep breath and managed to relate to Adam his previous night with Amanda, the conversation at the diner leading up to her betrayal and his short-lived fight with the soldiers who tried to capture him, ending with Sophia getting caught in the crossfire.
"And she's dead, because of me!" Kurt sobbed.
Adam took the revelations in stride, keeping his emotions collected as he processed the information. He grabbed a roll of industrial paper-towels and began wiping Sophia's blood out of Kurt's fur, all the while the wheels in his mind turning furiously as he planned on what to do next.
"Alright Kurt, now, listen too me." He said, catching Kurt's attention. "I know this is a lot that's happened to you and I know you're in shock right now, but you have to keep it together. We don't have much time before they'll be after you again and we have to take advantage of it."
Kurt nodded slowly, trying to suppress the tumultuous emotions that assailed him.
"Now, we have to get out of the city, first thing." Adam continued. "And. . . And we'll need some help."
Bending down to examine Kurt's wrist, he had a grim look on his face, the danger that they would now be facing not lost on him. It seemed it was time to get someone else on their side, if Kurt was to survive this. He felt worried that all this would become to much for the boy and he would shut down.
"Kurt. . . Do you remember when I gave you the holo-watch?" He asked, trying to distract Kurt's attention. "I never told you how I got it, but remember how I said you could 'thank old favors?'"
Kurt nodded and Adam continued.
"Well. . . I got this watch from a man, named Charles Xavier. He and I were once colleagues, friends. . . Well, long story short, we had a rather harsh falling out. . . When I found you, there were still some unresolved feelings between myself and Charles. . . There was still bitterness, mainly on my part. It was all I could do to swallow my pride and contact him. . . Had he not owed me one, well. I'm not sure if I would've got the holo-watch."
Kurt looked confused. "What does this have to do with right now?" He asked.
Adam sighed. "I think Xavier may now be the only one we can turn too. Although. . . I haven't spoken to him since I found you, he did promise me that if I ever had trouble concerning you, that I could contact him. . . It pains me to do so, but my pride is far less important than you, Kurt."
Suddenly a thought wormed its way into Adam's consciousness.
"Kurt. . . You teleported in here." He said. "That means there's no doubt they know where you are, the sensor's on the campus. . . Dammit, we have to move!"
Kurt shook himself from his daze and stood quickly, trailing behind Adam as the man went towards the stairs leading to the main building of the Uni. They quickly went upstairs and found the building above deserted, and eerie silence permeating the empty halls.
"Damn, that was fast." Adam said, turning a concerned face towards Kurt. "They're here, no doubt."
"What do we do?" Kurt asked.
Adam took out a cell-phone and began punching numbers, he looked back to Kurt and frowned.
"Kurt, you need to go." He said.
"What? And leave you where? Here? No!" Kurt protested, but Adam just shook his head.
"They don't know I'm in here yet, I can distract them, keep them off your trail for a few minutes. Then you run and get out of the city. . . I just sent a distress call to my old friend, he will find you. Don't worry about him, he won't hurt you or fear you. . . It's something I should have done years ago, but I just. . . Didn't want you to be a part of what Xavier does. Now we have no choice, you have to go."
Kurt was about to protest again, but Adam just held up a hand, giving Kurt a fatherly look.
"Kurt. . . I still believe you can have a life, one where you can live safely. There's still a chance, but there's no hope if you're captured. . . Look, I'm not sure if there will ever be a place for you Kurt. . . I know those aren't pleasant words. But I fear it may be the truth. Just know, that it doesn't matter where you are, it's the people you're with that count. And those people will be the one's worth living for"
"You're all I have now Adam, I won't go." Kurt said, a deep sadness resonating within him.
"You will go Kurt, I'm not leaving room for discussion on the matter. We're losing time as it is." Even as Adam said this, a noise was heard from down the hallways, heralding the beginning of the strike on the building. "Now you go! Get out of the city, find Xavier and Kurt. . . Do not give up hope. Ever."
Kurt looked as if her were going to protest again, but he knew from the look on Adams face it would be futile. He gave one last hurt look at Adam, before vanishing in a puff of brimstone.
Adam heaved a deep sigh and rushed back down to the maintenance room, grabbing a fire-ax. Brandishing it resolutely, he steeled his heart.
'Damn, it's times like this when I would rather have a more bombastic ability than minor-telepathy.' He thought, referring to his own mutant-abilities. These people were going to be trained soldiers and he had no combat experience to speak of. . .With grim determination he tightened his grip on the ax. . . Nonetheless, he'd be ready.
Kurt perched on a vantage point near the University's quad, he saw a few military vehicles and a squad of men, all dressed for the occasion, brandishing weapons and donned in light-armor. Apparently they took Kurt pretty seriously, unless they pulled all the stops for every resistant mutant. Kurt surveyed the scene, trying to find a weak point or some way he could help drive them off and save Adam and himself. There was no way in hell he was going to leave Adam on his own. He had already lost two friends this morning. . . He didn't feel like losing a father.
Unfortunately his plans were interrupted by a sudden burst of gunfire from inside the building. He ground down his teeth in sudden anxiety as the gunfire ceased. . . He hadn't seen anyone go inside the building, there was no way they had gotten in without him noticing. Just then he noticed a soldier come out of the side-entrance to the Uni.
"Threat neutralized!" He yelled at the assembled squad.
Kurt felt as though he had been sucker punched. . . He had been too late. He felt his insides slacken and his heart grow hollow. He just stood there, the repeated shocks to his system that had occurred within the past twenty-four hours shutting down his thought process. He ears picked up a few shouts in his direction and turning his focus towards the ground, he saw a few of the soldiers had spotted him, yelling out at him.
Kurt suddenly felt anger towards those men, towards the world he lived in and towards himself. Everything he had experienced built into an anguished howl, that burst forth from his chest as he stood tall. A few shots whizzed by his head and letting out a smaller cry he disappeared again, leaving behind the scene below him.
This was it.
Kurt had enough. . . His frayed mind and heart driving him near madness. Now there was only one way out. He stood in the freezing rain, staring across the street, although his vision obscured by the weather, he was able to see the building that resided there. A church. Tall and imposing, but inviting to those who dared set foot inside. Perhaps it wasn't very inviting to a demon, however, but Kurt didn't care. He had been in many churches, sought faith and comfort in their walls. He had strove to find confirmation for his existence, after all, surely He would know.
But now Kurt no longer cared for faith or comforts. No, instead he had his eyes fixed on the bell-tower of the church. It grew high above the street below and it seemed it would make a fitting end for a demon.
But still, Kurt looked from the bell-tower to the heavy, wooden front-doors. . .
'One more time.' He vowed.
For the very last.
And there it is, the much too long and much belated chapter nine. Love it? Hate it? Yikes. . .
This chapter was hellacious to write, even compared to the last one. For one i was so super busy all week, i was too tired to write most of the time, so i just had to go bit by bit. Then i stayed up all night last night (Saturday) to finish it. . . I'm not proud of it, i have to say. For one it's like, waaaay to long. But given how long its been since my last update, i didn't want to have to put all this into more multiple chapters, because i'm ready to move into Phase Two of the story. So i ended up trimming down the bulk of the action and scenarios and cramming it all into one chapter. Yet it still came out at nearly eight thousand words. . . I just hope it didn't throw off the pacing too much and it is digestible, after all a lot of events transpire.
Of those events, pretty much all that transpires in this chapter i have had in mind since i started this fic'. Yes, i'm not entirely clueless as too where i want to go! :P
Amanda's betrayal, Sophia's death, Adam's ties to Xavier. I actually had those ideas in place way back when i first started this thing. . . But a lot had changed since then as well. Speaking of Sophia, i feel really bad for butchering her character. I mean she pretty much disappeared until this chapter and then she dies. I know it sucks, but she became a victim of poor planning, i'm afraid. Luckily, i'm not going to make that mistake going forward.
You see, i originally envisioned this fic' as having Kurt being a much older teacher, Amanda and Sophia were his students. Kurt has an affair with Amanda and is discovered, Sophia helps him out, blah-blah. . . Anyway, Amanda was supposed to be a bit character, but in the course of the major changes i made to this fic', she became a much more pivotal player. Which unfortunately threw off Sophia's character. . . I know. I'm sorry, i really messed that one up.
Anyway, as a whole, i'm sorry if this chapter doesn't live up to expectation's. Sadly, i think i made a few mistakes early on that really came back to bite me this far in. Thankfully i feel much more able as a writer now and i won't press forward being so blind as i was in the early chapters. So we'll be back to betterness soon, i promise.
The next chapter is Kitty's and it'll be much better. The story has now moved on into a new stage and yes, Kurt and Kitty's fateful meeting will occur soon. And i do believe it's about damn time, eh? :P
Till then, thank you for reading! And being patient. :)
