CHAPTER 79#
AN: I'm SO SORRY for how long this has taken to update, guys. It's been a really tough month and I just . . . . .I just had to bury my father today. So I'm escaping in writing. Thankfully, some of this chapter was all typed up. But I'll see him again in heaven. So I'm immersing myself in writing.
I'm not looking for super-sympathy, I'm just letting you guys know why I haven't posted for so long.
"Hey, pussy-cat, where are you going!?" Tony called out as he limped his way out of the med bay, lagging a little behind the others.
Victor growled at him. "You wanna get thrown back in the ocean, tin-man?" he turned a corner sharply and slammed his fist on the open button to one of the electronic doors…..only managing to literally crush the metal circle, sending out yellow sparks.
Tony let out a bark of laughter. "Congratulations, twinkle-toes, you broke the door."
"Whoa, easy there, soldier." Steve exclaimed as Victors clawed hand shot out and grabbed Tony Stark by the throat…..again. "What's going on?"
Clint already had another arrow nocked in his bow and Thor (looking ghastly with his cheek sewn up and inflamed) hefted his hammer.
Natasha, however, simply rolled her eyes. "Really, boys, are we going to continue to do this?"
In response, Victor shoved Tony roughly to the side, lengthened his claws and began to go at the door. Victor, though, didn't have his younger brothers adamantium laced bones and had to resort to pounding the metal.
"There IS more than one way out of here, you know." Natasha said calmly, walking away from the group as sedately as if she was on her way to an afternoon tea.
Victor scowled and turned towards the red-headed spy. "Then hurry it up, Red."
"How about you tell us what's going on?" Natasha countered coolly, none-the-less picking up her pace as she led the way.
"It's none of yer business." The feral growled.
"Actually, it is our business if it has anything to do with the infinity serum." The super-spy countered, calmly laying her fingers on a touch pad causing a metal door to slide open revealing an elevator that led to the top of the Infinity Lab; to where the Blackbird jet was waiting.
When they all crowded into the small-ish metal box, Victor felt his already fragile, almost non-existent patience begin to snap. "And what the **** do you all think yer going ta be doing! This isn't some field-trip!"
"Calm down, soldier." Steve Rogers said sternly, pushing the button for the top level. "Now what's all this about? Where are we headed?"
Bruce shifted a little nervously on his feet and leaned forward to whisper in Clints ear. "Am I the only one who thinks it's a bad idea to be in such a small space with this guy?"
"No." Clint answered bluntly, both steely eyes locked onto the feral. "Just make sure you keep a leash on your own big guy."
Bruce gave a soft groan and let his head drop. "We're all gonna die."
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Despite Bruces gloomy predictions, they all managed to make it to the top of the lab without destroying the elevator or killing anyone. This probably had something to do, however, with the hand Bruce had kept clamped firmly over Tonys mouth even though the mechanical genius made many attempts to remove it.
Finally, though, they were moving towards the super-sonic Blackbird.
"Here's how it's gonna go," Victor shouted to the group over the crashing of the waves, his furs whipping around him. "You stay out of my way or I'll throw ya off the jet!"
"You can fly this thing!?" Bruce shouted the question, holding one hand above his glasses, trying in vain to prevent the rain and sea water from hitting them.
"I flew it here, didn't I!?" Victor countered as the ramp began to lower. He stormed up the incline and belted himself into the pilots seat, not waiting to see if the others made it on before shutting the doors and beginning take off.
Clint, Bruce, and Steve Rogers buckled themselves in immediately, though Thor just threw himself down into a chair with gusto, not bothering with restraints.
Natasha neatly slid herself into the co-pilot seat and began flipping the necessary switches as they took off.
The feral eased the huge jet into the air with a competence that left the Russian spy stunned, though she supposed she really shouldn't be surprised at any talents he may show.
"Well then, soldier." Steve Rogers finally ventured. "What's your plan?"
Victor snorted then gave a dangerous, feral grin. "What if I told ya I planned to rip out a few entrails and write a name on the ground for all to see? So everyone knows what happens if you mess with what's mine."
Everyone bristled visibly and Bruce began to look a little green, but this time not in terms of transformation but disgust.
Steve Rogers response was careful. "Then I would say you're up for quite a fight."
Victor actually threw a smirk over his shoulder at the Captain. "Relax, blondie. I don't hurt cubs, no matter how much they deserve it." He turned back to the controls and mumbled a little to himself. "Though I might just throw this one around a little."
Natasha shot a sideways glance at the feral but didn't respond as they sped towards Xaviers Mansion.
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BACK AT XAVIERS SCHOOL FOR GIFTED YOUNGSTERS
BOBBY DRAKE
The ice-controlling mutant had been lying in his bed, ready to drift to sleep, quite pleased with the mischief he had accomplished when he felt him in his head. His tutor, the mutant who remained cloaked in black at all times, who had taught him how to shield his thoughts and plans from even an extremely advanced telepath like Xavier.
It went as it usually did, Bobby Drake became aware of almost a dark thread in his mind, a thread covered in thick, black tar. It was a terrible, invasive feeling, one Bobby still hadn't become used to, one he still loathed despite his need for the mutants teaching.
**Drake…..Drake…..Awaken.**
The young ice-mutant rolled his eyes. His tutor already looked like something out of a gothic horror movie with his dark cloak and threatening presence, did he reallyhave to talk like someone out of an old Dracula movie? As soon as his mind came up with that thought, he quickly screened it. It wouldn't do at all for his tutor to read anything disrespectful or mean about him in Bobbys mind. It would probably also end up with great pain for Bobby.
The blonde-haired, blue-eyed young man sat up carefully in his bunk bed, not wanting to wake his room-mate, Mike, in his bed above him. **What is it?** he asked back, feeling that odd, stretchy feeling telepathy gave him.
Telepathy wasn't a part of Bobbys mutation, if he wanted to use it, the 'mental bridge' (as you could call it) had to be held by someone else, a mutant who DID possess that mutation…..Like the Professor or the late Jean Grey…..or his tutor.
**I believe you should leave the premises.** his tutor continued.
Bobby glanced at the alarm clock on his bed-side table where the red numbers gleamed out that it was five in the morning. **This early? Why?**
His tutor replied; **It seems that the feral has caught your scent. He is heading to the mansion now.**
Bobby could stop the loud curse that came from his lips. "*&^#!"
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VOCABULARY:
INVASIVE: invading, penetrating, taking over
LOATHED: hated