CHAPTER FORTY-THREE:
AN: (hands out sakura flowers to Plot Bunny 'Guest', 'Fleeing Dawn' 'glove99' 'Risika Kiisu Seto' for their constant reviews and encouragement.) And let's not forget the new-comers, some who have also given me good ideas and wonderful reviews; 'Autobot-Fangirl0203' 'Pric3y'
AN: Another short chapter, I know. But I'll try to make the next one longer. Promise.
STORY-CUBES:
o A Mad face
o Someone hitting a ball
o Someone in a parachute
The Professor Charles Xavier was NOT having a good day. Amend that, he was not having a good WEEK!
First there had been the fact of Sabretooth kidnapping a hiker, then that hiker turning out to be Sabretooth's mate (at least Sabretooth certainly believed so) then there was the added stress of getting both Sabretooth, Wolverine, AND Miss. Andrews into the school without Sabretooth and Wolverine ripping each others throats out. He had lost track of how many times he had had to seize control of their Cerebrum and Basal Ganglia (parts of the brain that initiated and controlled movement) to keep them from doing something drastic, like stabbing each other to death or destroying one of his cars.
Now, Sabretooth had hijacked his super-jet, the "Wolverine" Logan had refused to help reclaim it, Sabretooth had gotten away, and he had the sense, a general niggling feeling, that both Storm and Beast hadn't done their utmost to get back the Blackbird, which he had planned on investigating shortly when he had received a phone call.
Rubbing his left temple with one hand, he answered his cell phone. "Hello?"
"Good evening, Professor Xavier."
Xavier closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Would there be no end to this day? "Ah, Captain Fury, how may I help you?"
"Did you know that Sabretooth has threatened me?"
The Professors eyes widened. "No." answered honestly, then furrowed his brow. "What did you do?"
"I'm going to pretend like you didn't just say that." Came the wry voice over the phone. Xavier could practically hear him pacing across a metallic floor. "Your feral flea-bag threatened to exterminate all my holdings, all my assets, unless I meet with him."
"Good heavens, and how did he manage that?" Charles Xavier asked, genuinely curious.
Now there was the sound of gritting teeth. "*&^% if I know. But recent data shows that the 'Der Schlater' has currently been residing in your school. Care to tell me why you're harboring a criminal, Professor?"
Xaviers face hardened a little, his voice became stern. "You know he was pardoned, Fury. And I offered him an ultimatum; to live in the woods and harm none, except in self-defense. Living in a cage would have broken him."
"You say that as if it's a bad thing." Nick Fury responded.
"You know my desire is for mutant peace among man-kind. Sabretooth's imprisonment would not have fit in with that."
"No, it's so much safer to let a murderer run free." Nick said sarcastically.
"But that's not why I'm calling. If my information is correct, Sabretooth is immortal…..or as close to immortal as a guy can get. It's part of his healing, right?"
Charles wheeled himself over to the window that overlooked the greens, wincing when a game of baseball (plus mutant speed) resulted in the ball breaking through a green-house window. Storm would NOT be pleased.
He refocused on the phone call while mentally informing Hank of the break. Maybe he could get it fixed before Storm noticed. "Yes. Increased longevity is part of Sabretooths mutation."
"So there's no need for him to go looking for the proverbial fountain of youth unless it's for someone else, right?"
Charles Xavier wheeled back a little, his brilliant brain clicking pieces together. "You think Victor is after the Infinity Serum."
"That's exactly what I think." Came Nick Fury's deadly voice. "Who does he want it for, do you suppose? The newest evil-villain? Maybe Magneto?"
The Professor resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "You know very well that Magneto has taken the cure and is no longer a threat."
"The mans mind is still intact, isn't it?" Nick countered. "Who does Sabretooth want the serum for?"
"Why, I believe he wants it for his mate."
There was a stunned silence, then; "HIS WHAT!?"
Another pause, then; "Tell me you didn't just say what I think you said." Nick Fury ordered. "Are you telling me that that furball has a WIFE!?"
Xavier nodded his head. "Yes, one who is thoroughly non-mutant, from what we've seen, and ages normally. Well, no nuptials have been said but, given Victors mutation, this is pretty much binding."
"So he wants the serum for her." Nick mused, this time almost completely to himself. "How interesting."
"Whatever you're thinking, Fury" Xavier said, his voice firm and no-nonsense. "I wouldn't try anything against Sabretooth's wife. You know of ferals and how they are of those they consider their pack, especially their mates. You would die first."
"Yes, yes, Xavier, don't worry."
Getting the feeling that the Captain was about to hang up, Charles quickly put in; "By the way, Sabretooth has hijacked my jet The Blackbird. I believe he is on his way to meet you."
There was an extremely vile curse word shouted into the phone then Nick Fury hung up.
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VOCABULARY:
UTMOST: their best. "…..hadn't done their best to get back the Blackbird"
NIGGLING: an annoying little thought or feeling that won't stop.
INITIATED: (in this case) Started.
ul·ti·ma·tum/ˌʌltəˈmeɪtəm, -ˈmɑ-/ Show Spelled [uhl-tuh-mey-tuhm, -mah-] Show IPA
noun, plural ul·ti·ma·tums, ul·ti·ma·ta /-tə/ Show Spelled [-tuh] Show IPA .
1.
a final, uncompromising demand or set of terms issued by a party to a dispute, the rejection of which may lead to a severance of relations or to the use of force.
2.
a final proposal or statement of conditions.
CITATIONS:
Kuntzman, Andrew J., and Gerard J. Tortora. Anatomy and Physiology for the Manual Therapies. 1. Wiley Plus, 2010. 468-477. Print.
"ultimatum." Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 02 Jul. 2013. browse/ultimatum.