Chapter Eleven: Loopholes ~or~ Why Would You Tell?
The briefing, although a little awkward with all of the people present, was a lot more straightforward than Logan had thought it would be. Stark had gained enough intel thorough some program that he'd launched to shut down the people that were running Weapon X's old department. Their recent kidnapping and torture of K was enough to tip the scales in the favor of the mutant population within the walls of SHIELD. Especially when one of the higher ups under Fury pointed out that if word got out on what they had done to unwilling participants, it would be a political fire storm.
The governing power that overlooked SHIELD was properly swayed, and both governments involved quickly said they wanted it permanently shut down on the before their indiscretions went public … all while distancing themselves from the effort to do so. Both Canada and the States claimed that they had no role in the Department's current status, and the Canadian representative had even gone so far as to say he had no idea that it was even still operational.
But - because it was such a big, black operation, It was a big enough that the X-Men alone wouldn't be enough to deal with what SHIELD had been calling 'a mutant problem'. Magneto's involvement was a personal one, however - and one that SHIELD didn't appreciate, but Charles had of course stood up for his old friend's intentions. Erik's spies had stolen the files that were on SHIELD's mainframe outlining how long SHIELD had been aware of the problem, and Erik was already willing to mount an offensive simply by K's existence – seeing as she was a living testament to everything that the American and Canadian governments had done to fail protecting their mutant citizens - with the vividly fresh memory to prove it was still happening.
And although Charles had insisted that it was up to K, Erik had made it clear that he very much wanted to spend a little time with her to hear her version of events.
Scott took control where Stark left off and clearly outlined the plan of attack. "We'll storm the place with Logan and K running interference, they should have no trouble sniffing out the best way in, then we'll follow with strike teams to assault anyone that needs it on their way in. I'll need a group to immobilize and apprehend the main culprits in the operation as well," Scott said as the pictures appeared on the holographic screen hovering at the long table. "Professor Thornton, Dr. Cornelius, and their wayward assistant and lackey, Dr. Hines." Of course, there were several volunteers for that as he continued to quickly outline the initial strike. And by the time he was done outlining the first part of the plan, Logan's teeth were on edge.
"Before you go on, I need a minute with ya, Slim," Logan said – clearly upset about something that Scott couldn't place.
"After we lay it all out, Logan. I can't leave everyone hanging just because you don't like the initial assignment," Scott replied, surprising K. She'd heard the teasing back and forth, but she'd never thought that Scott would be so openly dismissive.
"Can't wait, Scott," Logan said, his expression all business. Scott stared at him for a moment with the muscles in his jaw clearly working overtime before he sighed and asked Stark to carry on explaining as he and Logan stepped outside the war room. K watched them through the windows as Stark talked … and she didn't like what she saw. Scott was getting animated as Logan was the one to look like the voice of reason for a change. Several exchanges went on when suddenly the door opened and Scott stuck his head in, interrupting Stark's explanation of the technical assault they had planned.
"K, can you come out here? Hank – you too," Scott said, his jaw set in a way that made it clear to her that he'd made up his mind, too. K and Hank locked gazes across the room and stood, though Hank held the door for her as they left. Jean and Betsy watched with interest, eyes wide and their eyebrows high as the conversation bounced between the three men and K. Jean let out a little squeak and covered her mouth when she scanned their thoughts, realizing they weren't arguing over the assignment per se, but K's participation due to her condition.
Betsy smiled to herself and sat back in her seat. Neither psychic told anyone else in the room, instead mentally conversing with each other about the situation. But it was clear that they weren't the only ones to see that something was clearly off. Things in the war room got very quiet as the group as a whole watched the goings on outside, trying to look as if they were hashing over the attack plan. First Scott was angry, and Logan looked serious, and K's back was to the window as she faced the three men with what was unmistakably a clear 'fight me' attitude. After she shrugged and shook her head, Logan joined Scott in a shared anger, but that only got K to cross her arms and make it clear to all that she wasn't going to go along with what they were selling as Hank clarified something to both men that both took the steam out of their sails and had them frustrated.
Things shot back and forth, and after a short moment, K got animated and Scott stood his ground for a moment before taking a step back when she got right up in his face. But Logan looked livid when the couple locked up in a stand off, glaring hard at each other.
Finally, K pushed her way past Logan, checking his shoulder hard as she passed and opened the door, to stalk across the room with her nose in the air before she took her seat, then watched Stark, waiting for him to continue as if nothing had transpired out of the room.
"We OK? Assignments still remain the same?" Stark asked, not yet knowing what the problem was, and not taking his eyes from the feisty little woman. K rolled her eyes as Logan came in a moment later.
Logan stood behind her, his hand on her shoulder and still looking like he was out for blood. She tried to shake his hand off, but he just ended up with both hands on her instead, and refusing to lighten his grip. Neither little feral spoke. Scott and Hank reentered moments later, and Scott was watching K warily while Hank looked defeated and tired.
"Allll right then. So. Is it just me, or does everyone else really want to know what just happened out there?" Stark said, as his gaze shifted between the four of them, and rested on K, which seemed appropriate, as the men involved were all watching her with varying degrees of irritation on their faces, and Logan looked down right pissed off.
"Doesn't matter," K said, resting her hand on Logan's. He gave her a squeeze and his mouth tightened further. K ignored Starks gaze, staring at a spot on the wall until he dropped the subject.
Scott sighed as he took his place next to Stark and Steve. "Change of plan," he said reshuffling through the papers and taking a moment to think things through, with everyone in the room staring at the angry couple and Scott, clearly wondering what the hell just happened.
"Why are we changing the plan? What -" Stark started to ask when Scott put his hand up to silence him as he tried to develop a new plan of action.
He was truly happy to hear the news. He was. But it couldn't have come at a worse time. He knew K was probably right – she could do the mission, and get out safely. If fact, she'd been doing missions over the past month or so with no problem. He just couldn't ignore the fact that they didn't know then. The heavy missions they did - it wasn't an unreasonable concern that one of the ladies could lose a baby from an injury during a mission, and even if she hated it, he wanted to try to protect K from that just as much as he'd want to protect Jean. Or Ororo - or any of the ladies. There was no way he'd let her on a mission anywhere near that heavy right now. Especially with the people that wanted to use her and Logan.
If he was being honest, he wasn't even sure Logan should be on this assignment. But K had brought up a valid point that Scott couldn't ignore. The mansion was likely being watched. It would be possible – likely even that she could be attacked here when the large group left, by several different parties. As much as she would hate it, she would need a bodyguard if she were to go or if she were to stay. He looked at her as that thought came to his head and let out a breath. Oh yeah, that would be a fun conversation.
"Alright," Scott said finally. "Wolverine will be on point, and find all of our entrances before we move into position to storm them all at the same time... unless, Snowbird – do you gain the animal's abilities when you shift?" She nodded in response. "Great, then you can help him out. Once we're inside, the Hudson's will lead the way – they're more familiar with the layouts of the Canadian facilities. Vindicator, you get Stark, Phoenix, Iceman, and Rogue. Guardian – you have Shadowcat, Psylocke, Spider Man, and Colossus. The rest of us will draw them out as you get the chance to get in, take the data and find our targets. They may be together, or they may be spread out. After that, we search and remove all test subjects still on the premises. Once we get it secured from the outside, we will join the infiltrating teams in the search. One more thing. Once we've gotten what we came for, we burn the place to the ground."
He watched all of their reactions, weighing out the teams in his mind, he was sure he'd gotten a good mix of abilities in the infiltration side of things. They all were looking over the Stark's projection screens, getting all the details they could when K spoke up.
"What makes you think you can handle their test subjects?" K said, frowning at him. "What if they have a half dozen clones of Logan or someone … feral, pissed off and ready to kill? Can you handle that?" She met him with a steely glare and again his jaw twitched as they stared each other down.
"Another reason for you not to be there," Scott replied, still holding her glare.
"And why isn't she going to be there?" Snowbird asked. "She has a better nose than I will in any form." K looked at Scott with a definite 'toldja so' expression when Logan answered for him.
"She's pregnant," he said simply, knocking the wind right out of her sails for a second before her temper flared and the room erupted in a mixture of smiles from those close and confusion from the others. She twisted his wrist as she pulled his hands off her shoulder so she could stand to leave, though Kurt appeared inches from her nose and wrapped her up in a tight hug, positively joyful.
"Is this true?" Kurt asked. "Wonderbar!" K sighed and nodded, though she returned his hug since … honestly Kurt was hard to be mad at. Particularly when he was so openly joyful. When he let her go, Mac chimed in behind her.
"You're doing the right thing, staying behind," Mac told her as her brow creased. "Have to think of the little one first."
She stared at him, marking him in her mind as a pain. "I wanted to go," she almost snarled, causing him to take a step back. When Kurt realized what the conflict was, he stepped back - totally unprepared for her angry tone. With that, K pushed her way out of the group and rushed off to get away. This wasn't alright. There was no where near what she wanted to deal with it. This was not the plan. None of it.
She was teetering between a panic attack and a full on red tinged rage - all those damned superhero types surrounding her, and somehow … somehow she's suddenly freakin' married, pregnant and apparently entirely unqualified to do anything but gestate. She was angry with Logan for busting her out and getting her pulled from the mission, and to top it off, she was feeling totally useless.
She stalked her way to the barn, and pulled out the first horse she came across, not bothering to brush him out before she mounted up, and trotted out. She nosed toward the forest, though she stopped a few hundred yards short of it when she spotted Scott walking toward her in her path. She let him get halfway close before she kicked the horse hard and gave him a loose rein, encouraging the horse to run flat out, cutting around Scott wide as she headed for the darkening woods.
Scott sighed when he realized how ticked off she was. It was a lot worse than he'd thought, and he was smart enough to know it was high time to back off.
When she came back out of the woods, she slowed and scanned the lawn– she could smell several people nearby, likely watching out for her. Cautiously she made her way to the barn to find Scott waiting for her when she got there. She did her level best to ignore him, and she simply slipped off as he grabbed the horse's reins.
"K you're not going to be able to avoid me forever," he said gently.
She looked at him when her feet touched the ground, her eyes half closed as she looked down her nose. "Sure I can," she said as she tried to take the reins from him, but he held fast.
"What about Logan? You plan on avoiding him too?" he asked, an eyebrow raised.
"If I'd avoided him in the first place, we wouldn't be having this conversation," she snarled out.
But Scott knew she didn't mean anything by it. Not really. He gave her a look and took the horse to put him away for her, then sat down on a hay bale. "We just want to make sure you and the baby are safe," he said. "Face it, you have a tendency to draw trouble."
"So does he," she countered, and there was no way Scott could deny it. "I won't do this alone, Scott. Something happens to him ..."
"I'll keep a close eye on him," he promised as Logan stepped into the barn, jerking his head at Scott for him to leave. "See you inside." Scott stood up and walked past Logan without really looking his way while Logan made his way to where K was sitting cross legged on a bale of hay across from where Scott had been. He sat next to her and slid his arm around her but she didn't move. Half of her wanted to pull away – still angry, and the other half wanted to wrap herself around him like a love sick teenager.
"How mad are you?" he asked as she pulled apart a piece of hay, refusing to look at him.
"There's nothing wrong with me – I can help," she said sullenly.
Logan sighed heavily then wrapped her up and pulled her on his lap, with K struggling against him a bit until he got his arms around her tightly. "Yeah, and you can get hurt too," he said finally. "Quit fighting me on every damned thing, woman."
"Ya know, if I'd known you were going to treat me like I was a freakin' invalid, I'd never have agreed to this," she told him, earning a smile from him.
"Well, you didn't exactly agree as it is, darlin'," he said before he kissed her. "Not like we planned it."
She watched him a moment, studying his face. "Not like we really avoided it either though," she countered.
He tipped his head in concession. Ever since the getaway at her cottage, they'd become more and more careless, but he was not sorry. For a long moment, he just held her there and leaned into her. Finally, when he was sure she'd calmed down at least a little bit, he finally let her up and they began to head back to their place.
"I don't leave for another couple hours. They're reviewing fresh satellite footage before we go. Until then, let's not fight, eh?" he said, watching her reactions.
She didn't answer, but instead silently followed his lead to find Heather waiting for them at the boathouse. She greeted them warmly, congratulating them, but it wasn't at all what K wanted to hear. The trio went inside, with K hardly making an effort to be friendly before she simply went to bed. But K was surprised that not long after she laid down, she could easily hear Logan arguing with Heather.
"It's settled, Heather. She ain't goin. No damn reason for it," he growled out.
"Hear me out, Logan," she told him, trying to placate him, but not about to back down herself. "She doesn't need to be in the middle of the action, but it wouldn't hurt to let her come for long distance back up."
He glared at her. "What the hell are you talking about?" he asked, his temper rising.
Heather put her hands on her hips and took a step closer, fire in her gaze ready to go toe to toe with him if need be. "The new satellite footage suggests we might need a sniper. And the files we stole from Department K say she was trained for it and it would be fitting that one of their 'weapons' was the one to take them down, don't you think?" Heather said, turning on her heel to face K, who had quietly appeared in the door frame to their bedroom. "Do you feel up to shooting some bad guys?" Heather asked her.
K met her gaze as she considered it while Logan stood there fuming. "Don't you think ya could have talked to me first about it, Heather?" he growled out.
But Heather turned to him and poked him in the chest hard. "With all due respect, she'd be the one watching out for us on the side of the mountain, not you, Mr. Point man." She turned back to K and her whole demeanor changed. "I have an extra suit you can use that generates a force field. It will protect you."
K's gaze slid from Heather to Logan. It was painfully clear that he really didn't want her to do it.
"K," Heather said, stepping away from Logan and toward K. "I've been through this. I know first hand how overprotective these guys can daughter, Claire, is proof that we're not as fragile as they think we are." Heather turned to leave, but paused in the door when K finally spoke up.
"If I don't do this, who does?" K asked quietly.
Heather turned and glanced at Logan before meeting K's stare. "Not sure we'll be able to find someone who's trustworthy. We'd probably have to take a chance with Domino or Deadpool," Heather replied before giving Logan a pointed look and leaving them to think it over.
It was deathly quiet in the boat house for a good long while. Neither moved or spoke - or even really looked at each other.
"How durable are those powered up suits?" K asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
But Logan kept staring at the floor. "I don't want you doin' it."
"That's not what I asked," she said calmly.
"I can cut through it," he said almost sullenly.
She tipped her head to the side as she considered it. "A given. What about other things – bullets, lets say?"
"Bulletproof. Resists puncture from anything but adamantium."
She watched him and frowned. "Then what? You afraid I'll shoot you in the ass?" she teased.
He didn't see the humor in it. "Well now I am," he replied "I just want -"
"To keep me safe. Got it. Guess what, I want the same for you, so I'm going," K informed him before she gave him a long, lingering kiss and headed for the door with Logan reluctantly on her heels. They caught Heather before they hit the mansion. "I you want me, I'll do it." K told her and Heather smiled in return. "I don't have a gun though, so-"
"Easily covered. Just give a list of what you need," Heather replied. "He already said he can have it here within the hour if you're quick."
They entered the mansion together, but Steve pulled Logan aside right away to congratulate him. K winked at her husband and turned tail, sniffing out Stark. She found him in Charles' study, helping himself to a drink.
"Hey there," he said as she entered with her hands clasped behind her back. "So it seems my chances with you really are nonexistent then. A baby? Wow."
She wasn't sure if he was teasing or just being dramatic, so she just shrugged and made her way across the room. She gave him a little smile as she took a pen from Charles' desk and started to write. "Well, I was off the market anyhow, married you know."
He tipped his head to the side and finished his drink, watching her. "So," he started. "What brings you to me tonight? You taking up Heather's offer, because I can't say that I approve."
"Well seeing as I'm a big girl and don't need anyone approval … yeah, I am," she replied. "She told me to bring you my list, so …" She pulled off the sheet of paper from the pad and folded it in half, then put it in his hand gingerly.
He studied her for a moment, then with a deep breath he set down his glass and opened the paper, though his eyes bulged on seeing her list.
"Are you serious? I get the rifle, and most of the gear, but why the side arms and anti-tank rounds?" he asked.
K shrugged. "Better to be prepared, right?" she replied. "Consider it a craving. I know you guys have trouble telling a woman no when she's got a craving."
He stared at her a moment and couldn't help but give her a crooked smile. "Are you sure you're entirely spoken for, because women that come up with a list like this..." his eyes were wide.
"Don't you think married and pregnant is spoken for enough? What else do I have to do to say 'taken'?" she asked as he shook his head.
"Hope springs eternal," he sighed before he started to offer her a drink, then chastised himself and poured himself a double instead. "Yeah, I can have this here in no time."
She smiled at him genuinely. "Thank you, Mr. Stark," K called back, bouncing on her heel as she turned to leave.
Tony unlocked his cell and made a call to get the gear and couldn't help but call out to her. "Pregnant women don't crave big guns! Unless that's some kind of euphemism!" he shouted at her retreating form. "Just sayin'. Not fair. Still. Moreso somehow."
The team was just about to load the jets when Tony's best friends showed up with a crate.
"You see Tony around anywhere? He told me to bring some equipment for a K. Howlett?" he asked, looking around the group of mutants, clad in various uniforms.
Logan nodded and headed his way. "I can take it for you."
"No way. Sorry, Tony said don't give it to anyone but the sniper using it. So where is he?" Rhodes asked.
Logan smirked and shook his head. "Gotta be around here somewhere."
Rhodes let out his breath and then leaned against the crate looking entirely put out."He does this to me all the time, you know that right? I think he's just trying to be a pain." Just then, K walked in wearing Heather's spare Vindicator suit, adjusting part of the shoulder area as she approached Logan.
"You're right, love," K said as Logan slipped his arm around her waist and gave her a quick peck. "I guess I do need to just have my own uniform made. Heather's is too tight around the chest, and a little long in the middle. Ugh. Why do I have to be so short?" she griped, though she stopped short and looked up to see Rhodes. "Oh. Sorry. Hi," she finished shyly as the military man smiled at her.
"Maple leaf looks good on ya," Logan teased, a smirk on his face.
"Oh shut up," K replied as he grinned wider.
It wasn't long at all before Tony came over in his full suit and tapped the box in front of Rhodey. "This it? Great. Here ya go, K. Make sure it's all there before we load it up," Tony said as Rhodey's eyebrows went up. "If he's missing anything I'll have to do something awful to him for Fourth of July or something."
K walked up to the crate, and removed a glove before she popped one claw and cut through the straps and screws holding it shut. She stood on her tiptoes to dig through the crate, pulling things out and handing them to Logan as she did so - all while Rhodes just stared at the little woman digging through the crate - half in, half out of it herself, as Logan put his hand on the back of one of her knees to keep her from tipping into it all the way.
"You found my favorite rifle with… yep, right scope, lets see … side arms and holsters … mat, gillie, spotting equipment… Ah," K said as she pulled out a case of ammunition and cracked it open on the floor, counting her rounds. "Are these mags full?" she asked Rhodes who just nodded. She dug around a little more before she sat back on her heels. "Where are the anti tank rounds?" K asked, as she brushed a loose lock of hair from her face, her brows drawn.
He pulled two magazines out of his jacket, though he wasn't handing them over yet. "Where were you trained again?" he asked, staring at the tiny woman in the skin tight suit.
"Not … really relevant," she said, unbothered by his shocked expression as she slipped the drop leg holster on with Logan assisting her in the buckles and straps, taking maybe a little too much care as he slipped his hands across her hips and down her legs. She loaded up a backpack with the ammunition then stuck her hand out palm up, waiting for the last of the ammo that Rhodey was still holding.
Rhodey turned to look at Stark, who gave him a rushed 'go on' wave, then he looked at Logan for a moment before slowly handing over the last two magazines.
K smiled when he finally did so, and quickly strapped them into a hidden pocket in the holster at her right hip. She had just slung the big sniper rifle over her shoulder as Scott walked up, with a shocked expression on his face.
"That gun is nearly as big as you are – isn't there a smaller one?" he asked, sure that K had picked that one just to give him fits.
"If I thought you were going to have kittens over the .50 cal, I'd have asked for the .950 just to give you something to bitch about," K pointed out, looking bored as she adjusted the carry strap on the big rifle and headed toward the group at large leaving the men behind.
Stark smiled widely as Scott turned to Logan with a perfectly even tone. "Your wife is scary," he said before turning to follow her back to the group.
"Careful, Slim – she's already threatened to shoot me in the ass. You might be next," Logan called out to him, getting a little smirk from him.
"Yeah, but you might deserve it more," Scott replied.
"I'm not sure she'd agree. You ticked her off too," Logan pointed out as the two of them caught up to her before Logan slid his hand across her back and gave her a kiss.
Stark thanked Rhodes, over his growing protests, just as the group finally began to load up the last of the crews.
Before parting, Logan gave K a long kiss, still worried about her safety as she settled in with Natasha, who was going with K in a mini stealth jet to her location nearly a mile away from the complex on a mountain overlooking the area. She would be acting as K's spotter, and unknown to K, her bodyguard as well.
While K was getting settled, Logan and Natasha shared a quick look and she delicately tipped her head to him with a soft smile just before she closed the hatch and the two women headed out.