X-Men is a trademarked product from Marvel, all the characters are owned by Marvel and not me. This is a work of fiction based off of said comic series. I make no money off this, yadda yadda yah.
"It's My Life" - by Val Shrum (kiyonekatz at yahoo dot com)
Chapter 13
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
They drove in silence. Kitty sighed, looking out at the traffic along Las Vegas Boulevard as they headed back to their hotel room.
"Wot now?" Pete wondered. The silence was grating, and the sigh was audiable enough to pick up.
"Obligation, my ass." Kitty commented.
"You don't feel you've got an obligation, now?" He asked. "Why not?"
"It's not like we have any better clues, or any more or less information than what the authorities have? I don't see why we still have to be involved, Pete. That's all."
"What did I always say?" He questioned.
"In what regard?" She wondered.
"'Bout anything. 'Bout cases. 'Bout any bleedin' circumstance I find myself in?"
"... Because it needs doing, right." Kitty sighed. She knew he had her in a corner on that one.
"Damn right, it does. An' that kid, he came t'you askin' for help."
"You know, that's one of the very first things I ever learned about you. Through your intelligence friends and all, before we got together. I never understood why a sour old git like yourself could possibly be the kind of man that earned the respect and loyalty of those men at all with what you had shown me up until that point." Kitty reminiced.
"Now don't go mincing words, tell me how you really feel." Pete grumbled. "I could tell ya exactly what I thought o'yer little mutant outfit too..."
"I'm NOT finished, Pete." Kitty cut him off. "I didn't understand at all, and it bugged me. It made me think that there was something under it all, something that I just wasn't getting. Maybe it was all those defenses you put up, maybe it was the fact that Excalibur HADN'T demanded any kind of loyalty or even a need to play nice with each other by that point. We were just an easy out for you with Black Air."
"More o'less." Pete agreed with that.
"Then I learned. I saw what you brought, whether it be in battle or as a friend. You never let people down. You'd do everything within your own power to accomplish that task, from start to finish. 'Because it needed doing.'"
"So it wasn't just me charm you fell for."
"More or less." Kitty shrugged. "You follow through, because it's your job. Or you take it into your hands and it becomes your job."
"So that lends us the question... what about you, Pryde?"
"You told me that I have an obligation to it, but dammit, Wisdom. The signs on this case give me the creeps. It reminds me of very unsettling things. I may be able to answer all the questions and follow the trail to the end, but I'm not sure I'll be able to do it with a clear conscious. I'm afraid of not only letting down that kid, but that we may find ourselves in some serious shit we might not be prepared to handle."
Pete laughed, "You're now pulling my leg. We, as in you and me, right? Not being able to handle something? Codswolup." He parked the car, climbing out.
"Laugh it all up, Wisdom. You saw my findings, you know how I felt when we first arrived and started our investigation. The further we dig I get the feeling we'd be better off with a magician instead of us on this mutant hunting goose chase." Kitty clinbed out and started walking toward the hotel room. "Screw intuition though, right? Who's to say that you bringing me out here was exactly what it wanted you to do?"
"Not bloody likely." Pete opened the hotel room door and finished packing away what was left of the equipment.
Kitty stepped over to the bed and laid down on it. "You seem so sure."
"I am sure. This ain't Chicago, luv." Pete set the last of it next to the door, then sat next to Kitty on the bed. "I know you're scared--"
"Whoa, WHOA. Hold on, there." She sat up and almost glared at Pete, "I am not scared. Fear is not what's hanging over my head on this one."
"Sure sounds like it. We're investigators. Got it? We track, then let someone else do the dirty work. I won't let it go further than that."
"Ever play 'Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego'?"
"Wot?"
"Computer game. You travel around the world to try and capture this criminal who steals odd things--" Kitty started.
"Wot does it got to do with this?" Pete interrupted. "I know 'bout it."
"Well, I remember I'd get pretty anxious, jumping from place to place easily with one clue... then suddenly I'd find the perpetrator. Without a warrent. I was so caught up in trying to save time, in trying to do what I did best - I forgot to take that step. What if we stumble upon these kids before we have a chance to call somebody about them? Like we're supposed to."
"You overthink things too much, Pryde."
"You're just figuring this out NOW?"
"It's one of the things I've always liked about you." Pete smirked. "We've handled worse. You trust me?"
"Sure, Pete."
"Then we don't got a problem." Pete stood up and picked up the bag. "Are y'packed?"
Kitty looked over to her dufflebag. "Did this afternoon." She headed over to her bag and shouldered the strap. She followed Pete out and looked over to the Las Vegas Strip, "Goodbye, Vegas. I hardly knew you."
"This city is wasted on someone like you." Pete commented, packing the last bags into the trunk.
"Nuh-uh. For what little I saw of it... seemed fine." Kitty sat back down in the passenger seat.
Pete closed the trunk. "Right. I've got to check us out."
Kitty waved a hand, "Take your time." She watched him walk away and then remembered, 'Oh yeah, I should call Kurt back.' She reached into her jacket and pulled out her phone. Kitty looked down at the display, scrolling through the phone list before pressing a button to call.
"Xavier's School for Higher Learning." said a male voice.
"Yes. Hello. Is Kurt Wagner around?"
"I'm not sure. Who might this be?"
"Tell him it's Kitty."
"I thought I recognized that voice." The tone on the other end softened. "It's Scott. Jean mentioned she saw you recently. How're you doing?"
"Oh Scott, hey..." Kitty readjusted her sitting position as she went through her personal bag, pulling out a few items, "Mainly just school... and a lot of other stuff that may or may not have any relavent meaning to you."
"How's that treating you?"
"I can't complain. Not too loudly, at least. Reality has a funny way of showing it cares, though. My grades aren't ass, if that's what you're asking." She laughed.
"I wouldn't think they could be. I remember your transcripts. What about the people?"
"Depends on who you ask. My classmates? We're great. My job? Wonderful. The narrow minded bigots or the US government? Pretty lousy."
"US Government?" He sounded puzzled. "What does that mean?"
"A story for another time. I've had some issues, as one might say." Kitty sighed, "Y'know, I love you to pieces Scott, but is Kurt anywhere around? I told him I'd call him back. I've something I REALLY need to talk to him about, and it's something only he'll 'get'."
Scott paused, then said, "Oh wait. I remember Alex mentioning something involving Kurt. He's not on my squad, so it's hard to keep track of everyone. I think they're offsite."
"Great. Okay. Perhaps another time, I suppose. It's not important."
"You sure? I could get him up on the communicator.."
"That's sweet of you Scott, but I'm really fine. Gotta run." Kitty reassured. "It was nice talking to you, though. Give Charley my love, or something. And a big hug for Jean."
"No problem. Have a good night." The phone conversation ended.
Kitty put her phone away and started hooking up a small electronic device to the stereo.
"Wot's that?" Pete asked as he returned.
"Our music for the ride." She smiled. "Several hundred hours of music. I love today's technology, with a few tweaks."
"I got the first leg of the drive, then we'll switch off halfway. Try'n rest, okay?"
"Roger." Kitty confirmed as Pete started up the engine and pulled out of the hotel, heading toward the I-15 South entrance and out of the vegas valley.
---
Kitty blinked the exaustion away from her eyes as she straightened her posture. Desert all around still. "....where are we?" she murmured.
"We just passed some place called 'Zzyzx Road'." Pete replied.
"... and where the hell is that?" Kitty yawned, obviously quite tired. The jet lag was still kicking her butt.
Pete reached over with his right hand, touching her shoulder. "We just passed a city. Somethin' with a B. Bun boy - I don't know. Don't worry, lay back n' go to sleep. I'll wake you when I stop to fuel up - we'll switch out then."
She touched his hand and gave it a squeeze, "I guess." She lowered herself back into a more sleep-like position in the small compact sports-seat of the Miata. She closed her eyes and then spoke up again, "Hey Pete."
"Yah, Pryde?"
"Mmn, oh.. nevermind."
"Wot is it?" Pete wondered, "Somethin' wrong?"
Kitty pulled her jacket tighter to herself and said softly, "No, just... this is really nice. I don't know. I don't want to jinx it, but it's... comforting." She yawned again, "I missed doin' this kinda stuff. Responsibility is all different. Not worryin' about--"
Pete interrupted, "I don't get what you're meanin'."
"Of course you do. Y'know, working together as partners again, not thinking about everything back at home too much -- wonder how things are going at home. Shan's pretty worried bout things... well maybe just me--"
"You're ramblin' and your accent's gettin' worse than mine t'understand. Sleep, Pryde."
"I don't have an accent."
"That's a bloody lie and you know it. You yanks get on our case 'bout the cockney and the Liverpoolers and the bleedin' Londoners, but don't take notice t'yer own funny way o'talkin'." Pete commented.
"You are not trying to start an argument about dialects with me, are you?" Kitty sounded almost frustrated. "I did spend a few years in England, I could always try and talk like YOU, you sodding ol' git."
"S'not what I said. Never you mind that. Shut up and get some rest, you're makin' me head hurt." Pete nudged her playfully before placing his hand back on the wheel.
"I'll get you back later. Mark my words." She stuck her tongue out at him before settling back in to sleep.
"Wouldn't have it any other way, luv. Now sleep!"
---
To be continued...
"It's My Life" - by Val Shrum (kiyonekatz at yahoo dot com)
Chapter 13
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
They drove in silence. Kitty sighed, looking out at the traffic along Las Vegas Boulevard as they headed back to their hotel room.
"Wot now?" Pete wondered. The silence was grating, and the sigh was audiable enough to pick up.
"Obligation, my ass." Kitty commented.
"You don't feel you've got an obligation, now?" He asked. "Why not?"
"It's not like we have any better clues, or any more or less information than what the authorities have? I don't see why we still have to be involved, Pete. That's all."
"What did I always say?" He questioned.
"In what regard?" She wondered.
"'Bout anything. 'Bout cases. 'Bout any bleedin' circumstance I find myself in?"
"... Because it needs doing, right." Kitty sighed. She knew he had her in a corner on that one.
"Damn right, it does. An' that kid, he came t'you askin' for help."
"You know, that's one of the very first things I ever learned about you. Through your intelligence friends and all, before we got together. I never understood why a sour old git like yourself could possibly be the kind of man that earned the respect and loyalty of those men at all with what you had shown me up until that point." Kitty reminiced.
"Now don't go mincing words, tell me how you really feel." Pete grumbled. "I could tell ya exactly what I thought o'yer little mutant outfit too..."
"I'm NOT finished, Pete." Kitty cut him off. "I didn't understand at all, and it bugged me. It made me think that there was something under it all, something that I just wasn't getting. Maybe it was all those defenses you put up, maybe it was the fact that Excalibur HADN'T demanded any kind of loyalty or even a need to play nice with each other by that point. We were just an easy out for you with Black Air."
"More o'less." Pete agreed with that.
"Then I learned. I saw what you brought, whether it be in battle or as a friend. You never let people down. You'd do everything within your own power to accomplish that task, from start to finish. 'Because it needed doing.'"
"So it wasn't just me charm you fell for."
"More or less." Kitty shrugged. "You follow through, because it's your job. Or you take it into your hands and it becomes your job."
"So that lends us the question... what about you, Pryde?"
"You told me that I have an obligation to it, but dammit, Wisdom. The signs on this case give me the creeps. It reminds me of very unsettling things. I may be able to answer all the questions and follow the trail to the end, but I'm not sure I'll be able to do it with a clear conscious. I'm afraid of not only letting down that kid, but that we may find ourselves in some serious shit we might not be prepared to handle."
Pete laughed, "You're now pulling my leg. We, as in you and me, right? Not being able to handle something? Codswolup." He parked the car, climbing out.
"Laugh it all up, Wisdom. You saw my findings, you know how I felt when we first arrived and started our investigation. The further we dig I get the feeling we'd be better off with a magician instead of us on this mutant hunting goose chase." Kitty clinbed out and started walking toward the hotel room. "Screw intuition though, right? Who's to say that you bringing me out here was exactly what it wanted you to do?"
"Not bloody likely." Pete opened the hotel room door and finished packing away what was left of the equipment.
Kitty stepped over to the bed and laid down on it. "You seem so sure."
"I am sure. This ain't Chicago, luv." Pete set the last of it next to the door, then sat next to Kitty on the bed. "I know you're scared--"
"Whoa, WHOA. Hold on, there." She sat up and almost glared at Pete, "I am not scared. Fear is not what's hanging over my head on this one."
"Sure sounds like it. We're investigators. Got it? We track, then let someone else do the dirty work. I won't let it go further than that."
"Ever play 'Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego'?"
"Wot?"
"Computer game. You travel around the world to try and capture this criminal who steals odd things--" Kitty started.
"Wot does it got to do with this?" Pete interrupted. "I know 'bout it."
"Well, I remember I'd get pretty anxious, jumping from place to place easily with one clue... then suddenly I'd find the perpetrator. Without a warrent. I was so caught up in trying to save time, in trying to do what I did best - I forgot to take that step. What if we stumble upon these kids before we have a chance to call somebody about them? Like we're supposed to."
"You overthink things too much, Pryde."
"You're just figuring this out NOW?"
"It's one of the things I've always liked about you." Pete smirked. "We've handled worse. You trust me?"
"Sure, Pete."
"Then we don't got a problem." Pete stood up and picked up the bag. "Are y'packed?"
Kitty looked over to her dufflebag. "Did this afternoon." She headed over to her bag and shouldered the strap. She followed Pete out and looked over to the Las Vegas Strip, "Goodbye, Vegas. I hardly knew you."
"This city is wasted on someone like you." Pete commented, packing the last bags into the trunk.
"Nuh-uh. For what little I saw of it... seemed fine." Kitty sat back down in the passenger seat.
Pete closed the trunk. "Right. I've got to check us out."
Kitty waved a hand, "Take your time." She watched him walk away and then remembered, 'Oh yeah, I should call Kurt back.' She reached into her jacket and pulled out her phone. Kitty looked down at the display, scrolling through the phone list before pressing a button to call.
"Xavier's School for Higher Learning." said a male voice.
"Yes. Hello. Is Kurt Wagner around?"
"I'm not sure. Who might this be?"
"Tell him it's Kitty."
"I thought I recognized that voice." The tone on the other end softened. "It's Scott. Jean mentioned she saw you recently. How're you doing?"
"Oh Scott, hey..." Kitty readjusted her sitting position as she went through her personal bag, pulling out a few items, "Mainly just school... and a lot of other stuff that may or may not have any relavent meaning to you."
"How's that treating you?"
"I can't complain. Not too loudly, at least. Reality has a funny way of showing it cares, though. My grades aren't ass, if that's what you're asking." She laughed.
"I wouldn't think they could be. I remember your transcripts. What about the people?"
"Depends on who you ask. My classmates? We're great. My job? Wonderful. The narrow minded bigots or the US government? Pretty lousy."
"US Government?" He sounded puzzled. "What does that mean?"
"A story for another time. I've had some issues, as one might say." Kitty sighed, "Y'know, I love you to pieces Scott, but is Kurt anywhere around? I told him I'd call him back. I've something I REALLY need to talk to him about, and it's something only he'll 'get'."
Scott paused, then said, "Oh wait. I remember Alex mentioning something involving Kurt. He's not on my squad, so it's hard to keep track of everyone. I think they're offsite."
"Great. Okay. Perhaps another time, I suppose. It's not important."
"You sure? I could get him up on the communicator.."
"That's sweet of you Scott, but I'm really fine. Gotta run." Kitty reassured. "It was nice talking to you, though. Give Charley my love, or something. And a big hug for Jean."
"No problem. Have a good night." The phone conversation ended.
Kitty put her phone away and started hooking up a small electronic device to the stereo.
"Wot's that?" Pete asked as he returned.
"Our music for the ride." She smiled. "Several hundred hours of music. I love today's technology, with a few tweaks."
"I got the first leg of the drive, then we'll switch off halfway. Try'n rest, okay?"
"Roger." Kitty confirmed as Pete started up the engine and pulled out of the hotel, heading toward the I-15 South entrance and out of the vegas valley.
---
Kitty blinked the exaustion away from her eyes as she straightened her posture. Desert all around still. "....where are we?" she murmured.
"We just passed some place called 'Zzyzx Road'." Pete replied.
"... and where the hell is that?" Kitty yawned, obviously quite tired. The jet lag was still kicking her butt.
Pete reached over with his right hand, touching her shoulder. "We just passed a city. Somethin' with a B. Bun boy - I don't know. Don't worry, lay back n' go to sleep. I'll wake you when I stop to fuel up - we'll switch out then."
She touched his hand and gave it a squeeze, "I guess." She lowered herself back into a more sleep-like position in the small compact sports-seat of the Miata. She closed her eyes and then spoke up again, "Hey Pete."
"Yah, Pryde?"
"Mmn, oh.. nevermind."
"Wot is it?" Pete wondered, "Somethin' wrong?"
Kitty pulled her jacket tighter to herself and said softly, "No, just... this is really nice. I don't know. I don't want to jinx it, but it's... comforting." She yawned again, "I missed doin' this kinda stuff. Responsibility is all different. Not worryin' about--"
Pete interrupted, "I don't get what you're meanin'."
"Of course you do. Y'know, working together as partners again, not thinking about everything back at home too much -- wonder how things are going at home. Shan's pretty worried bout things... well maybe just me--"
"You're ramblin' and your accent's gettin' worse than mine t'understand. Sleep, Pryde."
"I don't have an accent."
"That's a bloody lie and you know it. You yanks get on our case 'bout the cockney and the Liverpoolers and the bleedin' Londoners, but don't take notice t'yer own funny way o'talkin'." Pete commented.
"You are not trying to start an argument about dialects with me, are you?" Kitty sounded almost frustrated. "I did spend a few years in England, I could always try and talk like YOU, you sodding ol' git."
"S'not what I said. Never you mind that. Shut up and get some rest, you're makin' me head hurt." Pete nudged her playfully before placing his hand back on the wheel.
"I'll get you back later. Mark my words." She stuck her tongue out at him before settling back in to sleep.
"Wouldn't have it any other way, luv. Now sleep!"
---
To be continued...