A/N: for reasons that will soon become obvious, I have switched this from T to M. So if you've been waiting to see this pop-up on the main archive page, be sure to adjust your filter to M.
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Canuckle - Greer's been ready for this for a while...or at least she's needed it. Only trainer she's really missing is someone to show her how to really make use of all things femme feral...
Retro - glad I got you engaged. Been waiting to write this part of the story for a LONG time.
Cheshire - thanks for the insights as always...
The rest of you? Learn from these all-stars.
"Have you seen Greer?"
Logan poked his head up for a second before returning to his pool game. Remny was due in any day and the last time that had happened he'd almost had to part with his bike. Logan loved that bike...
"Logan?" Jean had wandered downstairs to bug Greer about heading out for a movie. She'd spent most of the last couple of days either locked in the Danger Room with Colton or...in their room.
"Think the two headed out little while ago Red. Wouldn't wait up for 'em." Logan knocked his next two shots in.
Remy wasn't gonna take him this time...
Greer could only shake her head as once again she found herself in the frozen tundra that was Canada. They'd only gone a few miles over the border but already she could tell the difference. She might have despised Domino...but there was no denying the woman came in handy when you needed some luck flying in a storm. Not that Greer would ever admit that.
"Drop down, two minutes." Apex finally opened his eyes and Greer followed his lead as he unbuckled from his seat, carefully strapping a pack to his back and taking position near the door.
"You two have fun...and remember Apex, intelligence only...so play nice." Greer had trouble seeing the ground with the blowing snow but trusted Colton . The drop was probably fifty feet, both felines landing in the snow with a muffled thump. The helicopter already lost from sight. Without another word, Greer dropped to all fours and started through the snow in Colton's wake.
"What were you and Domino talking about before?" Greer glanced over, surprised Colton had even spoken, assuming he'd just somehow remain silent this entire time, but not as much as she was by the question itself.
"Nothing...just...really don't like that woman." Greer grumbled, "Why is she here anyway?"
"I was wondering the same thing. Likely Fury farmed this out to her so that in case things go sideways and falls apart...he's removed. Not to mention Domino wouldn't have a problem killing both of us." Greer let that sink in as she glanced over her shoulder for a moment before turning her attention back to following Colton's trail. It didn't make her feel much better that their ride home was just as likely to kill her than save her.
She guessed they traveled about a mile before stopping on the edge of cliff, overlooking a large industrial compound. Greer couldn't help but make the comparison to the previous compound the two of them had been to...
"The site was used for biological weapons research. There was an accident twenty years ago and it shut down."
"Then how did you find it?" Greer saw her breath freeze in the air. Despite somehow her body staying warm inside the suit...damn it was still cold.
"Because it's existence was erased from all records." Greer raised an eyebrow as to how that made things any easier but decided picking up intelligence tricks was best for another time.
"And what are we doing here?" This place was huge...
"Weapon X has...evolved from what it once was. They're involved in every evil known to man. Human trafficking, assassination, mutant experimentation, terrorism and most profitably...drugs. Anything to increase their strength. Weapon X isn't a part of any government anymore...they want to be paid by every government." The more Apex had found out during his missions...the more he wanted to burn everything of theirs to the ground. He hadn't been running missions for Weapon X...he'd been running errands.
"OK...but what are we going to be doing?"
Apex kept his eyes on the massive compound, "We...are going to break in."
"Alright...so how are we getting in?" Instead of answering, Apex just pointed at a caravan of trucks headed towards the compound and started heading down the incline. Coming in from above hadn't been possible, not with the net of sensors they had set up. The gate surrounding the compound itself was more an alarm than a means of protection; a break anywhere in the chains network, and it would be over. So...they came in with the delivery.
The trucks stopped at the main gate before being waved through. Greer counted down from forty and rolled to her left, tucking in her tail to avoid having it flattened by the truck. While she was stuck in a snowdrift shaking snow out of her hair, somehow Colton was already crouched next to her, obviously making sure she she hadn't lost her head yet.
"I'm fine...let's get moving." Apex just nodded his head and started towards the objective as Greer gave her head one last shake and followed.
Apex had studied the images Domino had showed him back at base, memorizing the general layout of the structures. The outer ones were stone cold...but the inner building had shown a high heat signature...and that's where they were going. Banshee required a complicated heating process...this was where they were manufacturing.
Following his hand signals, Greer and Apex maneuvered silently through the compound, taking care to avoid the guards and watchtowers. A touch on her thigh...a tap on his shoulder...they moved in silence.
Greer stopped behind a corner, leaning past Colton to see a lone guard standing in front of a set of stairs that led up towards the main complex. Glancing around, Greer started mapping how they could get in...before looking down to realize Colton was already stalking towards the guard. She took one step after him with her arm raised before she heard the sharp intake of breath followed by a muted snap.
Apex took a short breath...two more on the platform above guarding the door. Crouching low, he jumped straight up, surprising the first guard and flipping over his head while grabbing him around the neck, snapping it over his shoulder. He turned to suppress the remaining guard only to see Greer quietly guiding him to the ground in a sleeper hold.
Apex looked to see Greer's reaction but she was already moving past him towards the door, her face grim...but determined. He'd wanted to see how she would react...this would be their last chance to pull back...and now that he'd seen it, he wasn't certain if her reaction was the one he had wanted. Regardless...there was no going back now as Greer calmly stepped inside.
...
For Greer, stepping into the compound was a relief...at least in here there wasn't any snow. But the place smelled...off. Greer had to fight the urge to cover her nose.
"It's the chemicals." Apex had dumped the bodies into the snowbank below before joining Greer. He recognized that smell...so they were in the right place.
The two moved in tandem just like Apex had trained, sticking to shadows and checking for cameras and guards. Apex could hear Greer whispering the path they were taking to herself...obviously attempting to memorize their way back. He raised a hand, stopping them in a large room filled with metal containers as high as the ceiling.
"Something wrong?" Greer checked the room, concerned Apex had sensed something. Instead, he just reached down and attached something to her forearm...it looked like a curved piece of plastic on a black mesh band. "What is it?"
Apex tapped it twice with a claw and the screen came on. Two dots were blinking on the screen...it didn't take a genius to figure out what that was about...but what was that red line...
"Exit plan." Apex pointed to his own arm and she saw a similar band. Greer fought the urge to complain about not getting one of these things sooner...and instead just nodded her head and breathed a little easier...at least this way she could find him and know what the plan was. Speaking of...
"Next time...I get to sit at the big kids table." Greer muttered loud enough that she knew Colton could hear her. He just absently nodded his head, placing something on different containers, and gestured for them to move on.
Greer was glad she had this device because the deeper into the complex they got...the bigger the place seemed to become. Somehow, Colton knew where they were going. The few patrols they did come across were handled with relative ease. Colton tried telling Greer to hold back but the first one they came upon she just stalked right past them and took care of them herself. She wanted Colton to get her message: she was there to work.
And there was something else...she had thought she'd be nervous...scared even, despite what she had said...but instead...what she felt was a sense of calm...somehow mixed with excitement. She had a smile on her face and she really didn't know why. 'I'll tell you why...because I'm inside Weapon X and we're going to take them down,' the thought almost made her want to purr.
Greer came out of her thoughts as Apex slowed in front of rather nondescript door, glancing down at his tracker as if to make sure.
"Stay here..." Apex pulled out a cord and attached his tracker to the panel near the door, tapping a few times until he heard the click.
"Not happening." Greer's growl resonated down the hallway and while Apex stood up to tower over her, Greer wasn't backing down.
"Greer...you don't need to see this. Stay here." But the tigress just shook her head, tail thumping the floor.
"Together," and before Apex could argue further Greer pushed open the door...and had no idea what she was looking at.
She knew she was standing in some type of control booth, buttons and levers and screens. But beneath her...A number of people in lab coats and technicians scurried around, but her focus was on what they were working around. Rows and rows of bodies...shrink wrapped with tubes coming out of them...they were people...
"What...what is this..."
"Production." Greer turned at Colton's growl, confusion clear on her face, before looking back...what did he mean 'production?'
"Banshee...is comprised of Fentanyl, Testosterone, and Dopamine." Apex came and stood behind Greer, "Sold on the street to give temporary powers to normal people, it can enhance a mutant's powers, bringing about secondary, even tertiary mutations. Weapon X was using it as a street drug... a form of human trial before selling it as the new 'super-soldier' serum. But the main ingredient in Banshee is MGH..."
"Mutant grown hormone..." Greer whispered, realizing that what she was seeing were mutants...harvested.
"Are they..."
"Dead...or at least as close as they can get. No brain function...no feeling." Apex had moved to one of the terminals, downloading what he needed.
"Where...where do they all come from?" Greer tore her gaze away to see Colton finishing up.
"Runaways...the homeless...Weapon X rejects...Wherever they can get them." He had known what Weapon X had been doing but...the scale...
"We - we need to help them...stop this..."
"We are." Apex took out the memory stick, activating a virus that would shutdown their system regulating the vitals of...the supply. Had he had a choice...it'd be what he wanted.
"C'mon...we need to move." Greer gave a look over her shoulder before leaving, Apex closing the door behind them and smashing the keypad, ensuring no one would be able to access the booth. They had less than twenty minutes...and while he had been up there, Apex had seen someone he had been looking for.
Cassidy was here.
"Alright...so we have the information. Let's get out of this hell." Greer checked her tracker, finding she could zoom it in and out and trying to see how they would be getting out of this place.
"Not yet."
"What do you mean not yet? Is that the information we need or not?"
"There's something else I need to do." Greer watched as Apex reached into his pack and strapped on some type of belt...with explosives strapped around it.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Greer tried not to yell.
"This place needs to be destroyed." Apex had already left an explosive in the control booth and by the containers, now he needed to plant the rest.
"No...Domino said to get the intelligence and we have. Now let's go."
"Not me. I want you to follow the exit strategy, meet Domino at the chopper. I'll be right behind you." Apex started down the hallway towards the furnaces. That should be big enough...and he'd create enough of a distraction on his way that Greer would have a clear path...
"Colton!" Greer had a hand on Colton's arm, "This isn't the time to go rogue...we need to stick to whatever plan you and that black-and-white psycho have and that doesn't involve blowing this place up." Apex turned to face Greer.
"I'm not letting them get away with this..." Apex growled, but Greer just shook her head.
"SHIELD will take care of it." Greer was getting anxious...they couldn't just stand in the halls arguing.
"SHIELD? SHIELD knew...They'll let this go on...maybe even use it for themselves. No...this place needs to be rubble." Greer let out a low curse before looking back up at Colton.
"Fine...then I'm coming with you." Greer now put both hands around Apex's arms.
"Greer...I don't want you part of this." Apex knew he was walking a fine line with Fury...soon he'd realize their plans were no longer aligned...and he didn't want Greer caught in the middle.
"Than too bad. Either leave with me or lead the way." The two ferals locked eyes until Apex recognized that she really wasn't leaving without him. He was only mildly surprised...he hadn't really counted on Greer following his order to begin win.
"Fine...but we need to find someone first."
...
Sean Cassidy had seen better days.
Arm in a full cast from a compound fracture. Neck brace for a displaced vertebrata. A boot to protect the torn ligaments in his foot. Oh and breathing hurt...just to make things complete. He had to get around with a cane now...a freaking cane. All because of that reject experiment.
So when he felt the palm on the back of his head and the claws dig into scalp before having his face slammed into a concrete wall...he was almost surprised his life could have gotten any worse.
Greer watched as Apex slammed a scowling Cassidy into the wall another time for emphasis. They had moved to an abandoned research lab. She tried her best to keep her expression as cold as her partner's but she couldn't help but grimace slightly. That slam had been pretty nasty. How Cassidy was still walking around eluded her…
"Last chance Cassidy." she heard Colton whisper, his eyes already threatening to turn a deadly shade of white.
"Or what? You'll kill me?" Cassidy threatened back, an infuriating smirk on his face. "I'd like to see you try..."
Greer heard Colton's snarl and knew he was ready to bash the man's skull in, without thinking, she rushed forward and grabbed his arm. Cassidy, under the impression that this was a chance to escape, tried to crawl away but Greer had quickly wrapped her tail around his neck and to everyone's surprise pressed a gun to his forehead. There was an eerie silence in the room before Greer broke it with her own growl.
"You talk right now or I'll blow your brains out… Trust me, it's a much better offer than what my partner has in store." she threatened, staring unblinkingly into the man.
Cassidy laughed.
"Like I said pussy cat. I'd like to see you try...and besides what have I got to lose? You're saving me from a life time of bed pans and feeding tubes…" he sneered, before pressing his forehead closer to the gun nozzle.
"At least your boyfriend over there knows how to interrogate someone...You? I can see it in your eyes...You're not a killer...You stupid bitc-"
There was a thunderous growl from Apex who rushed forward to break Cassidy's neck but stopped upon hearing Greer laugh and upon seeing her tighten her tail around his neck.
"Ok… You're right, I won't kill you… and I'm not efficient as my boyfriend over there… But here's what I can do…"
Cassidy felt cold sweat travel down his neck when the strange tigress lowered her face closer to his.
"I'm going to make sure I'll keep you alive… Alive long enough for Apex and I to break you down bit by bit… No police, no SHIELD… Just the two of us…" she hissed. Cassidy's jaw went slack.
"You can't..."
"Sure about that?" Greer smirked as she saw the remaining color drain out of Cassidy's face.
"Al - Alright..."
"All yours." Greer said it with a purr as she let Cassidy drop to the floor, "How long is this going to take?" Greer whispered up to Colton.
"Not long...watch the hall." Greer nodded, reaching up to pull Colton closer, gently resting her forehead next to his before heading for the door.
"Now...where were we." Apex came to stand above the groaning Cassidy.
"Apex..." Cassidy sounded furious...but Apex knew he was terrified. His heart rate was erratic, his breathing haggard. Good...that'd make this fast.
"Alright then," Apex crouched down, lifting Cassidy up by the collar so his back was off the floor, "tell me...where is Stryker."
"Why the hell are you here?"
"I'm asking the questions. Now...where...is...Stryker?"
"You'll never leave here alive...you'll both die a horrible death." Cassidy's voice quaked but was filled with spite.
"That's a shame...you won't be around to see it." Apex put a claw right at his eye, sweat now pouring down Cassidy's face.
"OK OK...just put that thing down..." Apex slowly lowered his hand..he saw Cassidy reach for it...his phone that had fallen out of his pocket...He even let him get it...not much caring what...
All Apex saw was a bright light...and he was alone in the room.
"What the hell happened?" Apex shook his head, his arm still raised as he turned to see Greer standing in the doorway, a very confused look on her face.
"I...I don't know..." Apex rubbed his eyes...trying to remember...he knew where he was...he knew what he was doing but...how did he get in this room...
"Are you alright? I heard you talking and then...nothing." Greer was squatted down in front of Apex, checking him over for any sign of injury but he seemed fine. "Did you let that guy go?"
"No - no...I didn't do that."
"So what happened?" Greer was very concerned now. Colton looked...dazed and Cassidy nowhere in sight.
"It doesn't matter. Cassidy will raise the alarm." As if on cue, the lights turned off for a moment, replaced with red security lights and a VERY loud alarm.
"We need to go!" Greer moved to help Colton up but he shrugged her off. Just nodding his head and taking a quick glance at his tracker, headed for the exit.
This hell still needed to be erased.