Adrian yawned as his alarm went off, it was early in the morning when he rolled out of bed, he was in the same room he'd stayed in last time he was here. The furniture and floors hadn't changed all that much but as Adrian got up wearing only a tight t-shirt and shorts he stretched when he suddenly heard a rip.
"God damn- not again." Adrian yawned as he took off the shirt tossing it into a pile of torn shirts.
That's the third one this week, speaking of weeks it had been about three since the The Day of Bullshit, that's what I'm calling it at l. My shirts and pants keep ripping and I think Chase is tired of loaning me his old stuff.
Adrian walked past a mirror looking at how his shorts road up past his knees he headed into the bathroom to get a cup of water before looked over at a set of notches on the door. He reached into the drawers of the bathroom pulling out a kitchen knife, he stood up against the notches on the doorway and pressed the blade just above is scalp making another notch, the tallest one yet indicating he was growing in more ways than one. Putting the knife down Adrian looked down and pulled his shorts open.
To be fair, losing a few shirts isn't all that bad.
Later, Adrian was in the Runaways training room he was at a punching bag striking and hitting with wrapped up knuckles. He was wearing sweatpants and an gray oversized shirt with socks on. He spent the rest of the morning training his body, in various exercises till Chase suddenly walked in just a pair of shorts and gym shoes holding a water bottle, he almost spat it out when he saw Adrian was on the bar bench with at l six of the heaviest barbell weights on each side as he did a rep.
"Super strength is so unfair." Chase said looking at himself in the mirror, the eighteen year old was already well developed with a six pack toned arms and abs. When Adrian got up he looked at his own skinny but lean scared arms.
"Spider strength actually…. whew." Adrian said heaving, his gray shirt was soaked with sweat before he took it off exposing some of the scars he had.
Chase was in the middle of stretching when he noticed "How'd you get those?" Chase asked him.
Adrian looked down at the scars one by one, he pointed to one on his arm "Got this from a doombot." He pointed to another one on his hip pulling up his shirt "This was pedophile with a knife who I let get to close when I lived on the streets." He said before he pulled up his shirt and through it over his shoulder exposing his back "This was bullet from some gang bangers, well they weren't gangbangers just kids on the run like us."
The blonde didn't say anything but sip a water bottle in his hand "Just make sure to rack the weight okay."
Adrian watched Chase leave the room before he started to put the weights back in their specific spots.
Later, Adrian was standing in the shower looking at the water from the faucet spraying down on his bathing him in warm water. Suddenly his eyes flashed back to the day Carnage came for him, the sirens of the fire alarm the screams of his classmates "KILL YOU!"
Adrian fell back in the shower slipping back hitting his bare ass on the shower floor as he curled up snapping back to the present. In a cradle position holding onto his stomach still remembering the pain
Oh yeah… that's new… I'm trying to get my memories straight, the stuff I remember the feeling. The pain of Carnage's claws in my gut, the spear like claws ripping my insides up the feeling of trying to swing with them wanting to burst out… you don't forget pain like that, ever.
He turned the shower off and crawled out, drying off his hair he tossed his long brown locks into a bun before emerging from his rooms dressed in brown shorts and a tank top. Joining the rest of Runaways in the kitchen for breakfast. Molly and Victor were munching on some unicorn themed serial still in pajamas, Xavin was sipping on coffee with Nico who was wearing a black robe while Karolina was cooking some tofu bacon that made anyone to close gag like Adrian did when he walked in.
Adrian looked at the Runaways when Chase walked in with Old'Lace "Geez Karolina what is that smell."
"Tofu Bacon, not all of us are into animal cruelty." She said as she flipped the bacon "Whatever." Chase hissed as she finished and flipped them onto a plate.
"Can I take that, I'll clean it." Adrian asked pointing to the frying pain the alien had used to make her tofu. Karolina nodded "Sure."
"So Adrian how'd you sleep?" Nico asked him "Fine I guess." Adrian lied opening the fridge taking out some real bacon & eggs.
He dropped the bacon onto the frying pain, cracking three eggs on its already hot to the touch metal. The sizzling of each produce filled is nose with strong tasteful memories "So what do you guys even do then fighting the b-list villain."
"B-list, we took on the Swarm?" Victor asked "And Ultron but that was Victs dad?" Molly said next to him, Adrian shrugged at them "A swarm of bees and a probe droid, compare that Dr. Doom, Mr. Sinister, Dormammu, Taskmaster, the entire Sinister Six and… a couple Avengers too what else you got?" Adrian asked them.
The Runaways glared at him "Just wait, we'll probably run into another giant monster to battle." Xavin pointed out.
"Hmm." Adrian said as he made his breakfast "Well while we wait, do you think you could make us some of those bacon and eggs?" Nico asked Adrian.
"Sure, by the way, do you know the mall I can go to, I need some new clothes." Adrian the goth.
She looked back at him "Again, Chase, Victor don't you have some shirts you could give him?" Nico asked them. Victor almost swallowed is spoon hearing him but Chase rolled his eyes.
"No way, besides I need to restock on my music." Chase protested shaking his head.
"I could go to the mall?" Karolina said casting her vote, Nico gave a smug grin "Then it's settled Chase get the leapfrog ready when you can?" She asked him politely "As long as newboy makes me some eggs." Chase said.
LATER, AT THE MALL
The Runaways including their most recent addition, they were all dressed in casual wear that suited each of their style. Chase wore a letterman's jacket with jeans and a red shirt, Nico had on a black dress with a red leather jacket and combat boots and ripped leggings, beside her stood Karolina wearing her long blonde hair in braids tied together in a tube top with baggy khaki cargo pants next to Xavin who wore her/his classic purple styled shirt and gray pants holding her hand. Victor had on an orange zip up jacket with shorts and his headphones over a sock cap, Molly wore her blue eared cat hat and a pink shirt with blue pants. Adrian had thrown on oversized Lakers hoodie that was way too big for himself as he walked among the teens.
The Mall was massive with over two dozen floors with white balconies and stores for everybody. There was a food court that tickled every nose in the building with pots holding fake plants for a more scenic view, nobody noticed six runaway adolescents a legal adult moving in a crowd of Los Angeles citizens.
"Alright, so I'm going to go checkout the latest music." Chase said abruptly to the others.
Nico nodded at him "Okay, we meet back at the food court in a few hours or until something crazy happens?" The gang started to split up with Xavin and Karolina heading off in one direction leaving Victor and Molly with the other two.
"You know if you just give me some money I can find my own clothes." Adrian asked her.
"Well thankfully our supervillain parents left us quite an inheritance, but come on I'll show you a great place to get some clothes, you too Molly we need to darken up your wardrobe." Nico said down to the girl before she noticed Victor hadn't departed with the others.
"Aren't you going somewhere to shop?" She asked him, Victor shrugged "Nah I don't need anything."
The four of them made their way across the mall passing by stores and up an escalator before they came to a large store that stuck out amongst the white and brightly designed LA stores. Mainly cause everyone who came out of it looked like they were born to a coven of witches, All dressed in dark clothing goths on parade with eyeliner and piercings, Nico blended in well when they entered with the others standing out. The walls were adorned with fashion to match the styles of its patrons, posters of heavy metal and punk bands were on sale, a rack of piercings and witch like trinkets were everywhere as far as the eye could see.
"Well Nico it certainly is… you?" Adrian said looking at a black shirt with a green dragon on it.
"Just start picking what you want then come find us when your ready." Nico said taking Molly by the shoulder "Now let's find you a hat that looks like a demon and not a cat?"
Molly looked at herself in the mirror "Can it be a demon kitty?" She asked "Demon kitty it is." Nico said smiling.
When Victor and Adrian were alone they shared a look "I'm going to go checkout the punk music they have here."
"Okay, see you later." Adrian said walking toward the boys section of the store, he began to browse the goth stores selection of shirts picking out a few he liked, one especially that was a dark black one with a white spider web on the shoulder back and left side of the chest. He looked down at his feet wearing a pair of flip flops he'd left his shoes at the shelter when he ran off after waking up in LA.
Heading over to a stand of different kinds of footwear, all black.
Okay, its obvious these people like black got it.
He reached for a pair of dark black sneakers when his hand collided with someone else's, over the same pair of boots. Adrian's head turned and time seem to freeze when he saw who it was, at first sight she was a girl, she had raven black hair and eyes of green darker than Adrian's green eyes but deep and intensely looking at him. Her attire was more than appropriate for the store's gothic theme, she wore a dark reddish purple corset over her chest that was tied together down the middle open enough for Adrian to see her navel and a black bra underneath, a black checker with a cross was around her neck and another cross necklace around a chain, she wore a studded thick belt around a matching burgundy short skirt with thigh high stockings that had embroidery around her thighs to top it off she had on almost knee high buckled combat boots. She was taller than him too, so the first thing he really looked at wasn't his eyes, he was a teenage boy after all. But when he saw her face, her light flawless skinned face the switch in his head flipped on.
It can't be…
"... X?" He asked.
She suddenly grabbed her I'm and slammed him into the wall pushing her fist up against his jaw where he felt two points poke into his jaw "I wouldn't finish that at all."
"-Wait, wait its me." Adrian whispered hands up, "Adrian, Spider-Boy?"
The girl blinked before her mouth opened, Adrians swore he saw something flutter in her eye, she said 'Adrian' between her lips.
He nodded at her to let her know she was right, the two of them stood there for a few seconds staring at one another before a smile curled up on X-23's lips "It's Laura now." She said.
Adrian smiling huff before he said "Well its great to-whoa." X-23 or Laura suddenly pulled Adrian into a very tight and very warm not to mention very soft hug.
X-23 or Laura I guess, I met her when she was on the run from the so called facility, she was really just a little girl when I saw her and now… um well let's say I don't mind the sudden hug.
"Laura…. what are you doing?" Someone said behind them said, Laura let go of Adrian but kept her hands on his shoulders, Adrian saw a girl who had a similar appearance to Laura but with blonde hair wearing a fur trimmed jacket, a ripped up red shirt and torn jeans with a chain around her waist.
"Megan." Laura said looking back to him then at her "This is…" Laura didn't answer for him at first.
"My names Adrian." He said.
"He's an old friend, he helped me when I… you know." Laura said looking at Adrian again giving him the look that told him she knew about her past "Adrian, this is Megan she's my cousin."
So she made it… thank Thor.
Megan looked down at Adrian, also taller than him she was also like Laura who was more developed then Adrian remembered. She glanced at her cousin "So… is he like you?"
She's asking if I'm a mutant?
"Yes and no." Adrian said shrugging at the answer "Well if your a friend of Lauras I guess you're cool, Laura I'm going to go checkout." Megan said smiling.
"Okay, I'll be right there." Laura said before she turned her attention back to Adrian "Uhm… listen, Megan and I are going to a party later tonight, you should come its in this warehouse on the east side, big skull painted on the side?" Laura said back to him.
Adrian felt both cheeks flush "I-I'll be there."
Laura turned around walking away her hips swaying left and right like Adrians head following them.
Those hips… they sure don't lie and neither does the tent in my pants- okay, okay think of something else to think of something else uh… um- the mole man in lingerie…. hhrrrr yeah that'll do it.
Adrian suddenly had a hand snap two fingers in front of him "Hellooooo earth to Adrian you there?"
He shook himself away from the trance to see Nico, Victor and Molly ready to go "Yeah sorry, daydreaming we ready?" He asked Nico, she had her arms full of clothes for Molly who was now wearing a blood red sock cap with horns instead of cat ears, but it did have a cat face.
"Yeah lets go get a bite to eat." Nico said taking out her wallet.
Later the four of them were in the food court, the Runaways were enjoying some salty American food filled with carbs and fat. Cheeseburgers and frenchfies with plenty of ketchup and soda, however amongst them their newest members proved to have an appetite unlike any of them. Adrian was already on his fourth burger and empties three large fries with an empty large soda cup on its side as he used his second to wash down his food.
"Am I the only one who's disgusted by this?" Karolina asked out loud.
Chase was to busy starring "Disgusted no, fascinated yes?"
"How are you still hungry?" Victor who was sitting next to the glutton asked in shock, Adrian swallowed his food wiping the mustard and ketchup off the sides of his mouth with his thumb to lick it.
"You know the Flash right?" Adrian asked "Who?" Xavin asked next to Karolina "Superhero, not a real one a fictional one in a comic book series he's a speedster." Victor said.
"Exactly, see he burns so many calories he has to constantly eat so he can move me and my dad are like that all the swinging, the webs even when I crawl I"m still hungry." Adrian told them munching on a fry.
Molly who was eating her food in silence spoke up "I get the same way with my head thingy."
"Makes sense, you always pass out when you try to hard." Nico said slurping down a milkshake "Adrian… who was that girl you were talking?"
"Girl?" Chase asked.
Adrian suddenly blushed choking on his burger, he beat his chest to keep himself from choking "Old- cough.. friend, she invited me to a party."
"A party?" Chase said suddenly getting more interested scratching his chin "Yeah some place on the east side with a skull on the side."
Adrian slurped down the rest of his milkshake when the group suddenly heard a loud blow horn in the middle of the food court. Everybody with in range of the horn looked to see a group of people standing holding signs and pamphlets wearing dark black shirt with white crosses on the chest and back "Attention fellow humans, we are the Purifiers of Strykers Crusade to rid our beloved Eden of the Mutant Plague!" There was a man with bleach blonde hair and earrings that had a cross dangling, he was wearing a medium brown coat with jeans holding a megaphone and the air horn.
"The Mutant scourge is infesting our world, even after God Will cured millions of mutants across the globe on M-Day the Mutants are still here, and there are talks of even allowing he dreaded X-Men to come to California your home." The man barked into the megaphone.
"And I thought the charge of Scientology were bad." Nico said as Molly seemed to shrink at their smaller into her seat.
"We should go." Chase said noticing it getting up, the rest of them followed in suit walking out of the food court passing by some of the purifiers.
"Excuse me brother, take this for your soul." One of the Purifiers said handing Adrian one of the pamphlets, Adrian took it before he looked the hateful paraphernalia. Chase suddenly ripped it out of his hands "Get lost asshole!" Chase barked before they walked off and eventually left the mall behind.
Later, Adrian was in the Runaways secret hideouts laboratory, he had a series of jars and tubes around him as he was working on something with two tools in each hand. A pair of goggles were around his face protecting them from the sparks and smoke rising from his work, the laboratory was decorated with two dozen different types of machinery and technology.
Just then Victor walked by the open door and saw him inside "Adrian?"
The boy looked over his shoulder to see Victor had a smoothie in his hand pulling off his headphones "What are you working on?"
Adrian set the tools down and showed him, it looked like a wristwatch of some kind with capsules around it and a button switch pointing out of it "Is that what I think it is?"
"Webshooters, or at least what I hope they are." Adrian said as he fitted one onto his wrist.
"Alright lets try this." Adrian said as he held his arm out and pressed the button but instead of webs shooting out a freeze ray ripped out and froze one of the computers "Not again." Adrian said dropping out out.
"You accidentally made a freeze ray?" Victor asked him.
"Sort of, the webs have to be in liquid form in the capsules so when I release the fluid sometimes it freezes, also catches on fire sometimes." He told him.
"I thought webs were flammable?" Victor asked scratching his chin as Adrian started to work on the web shooters again "There is supposed to be, I think I mixed up some of the chemicals and made some new reverse fire extinguisher."
"Hmmm, I think I know someone who can help." Victor said smiling before he walked over to the door "Hey Chase, I just found an entire room of grass."
Grass?
The sound of thundering footsteps echoed down the hall as Chase burst in the room with a lighter in his hand and a wad of papers "Where is it, where is it, where is it!" He said smiling bug eyed sniffing the air.
"False alarm, think you could help Adrian out with his webshooters." Victor asked.
Chase's smile fell "What?"
"My webs keep catching on fire." Adrian said looking back at him under the goggles.
"I figured since you had the flaming fists you could help him out." Chase's arms dropped to his side as he peaked at the prototype. Chase's eyes seemed to catch a glint in them "There called… they were called fistagons and I didn't make them, I just had them I'm not a nerd like Spider-Brat."
Adrian glared at him under the goggles "Whatever." Adrian said turning around and looking down over the webshooters.
Chase walked out of the room with victor following him "You know you could be a little nicer, seems like he's lacking in positive older people in his life like the rest of us." Victor said when they walked into the hallway and stopped.
"Molly's got Nico, Karolina and Xavin to talk girl stuff, you know he's going to ask us about those bees soon." Victor pointed out finishing off his smoothie.
"So what, I was an only child I turned out… point taken." Chase said arms crossed conceding "And he may let us go with him to that party." Victor added.
"Hmmm?" Chase hummed.
"Hmmm, you aren't the only one tired of being cooped up in here." Victor said slurping out his last bit of information.
After a few moments, Chase suddenly dropped a pile of tools and papers in front of Adrian "Alright, so maybe I have a bit of my mom and dads geek in me, whats the problem with the explosion process?" Chase asked him.
Adrian hesitated to answer for a moment "I tried increasing the output speed but it overheats and then it makes the webs ignite into flames, but when I tried to aid a coolant system that just made them freeze?"
Victor was standing behind Adrian "May I?"
"Go ahead." Victor looked at it and his hands ignited with an electrical surge, "I think your output is a bit over what it should be, I think the release mechanism is messing up the coolant."
He handed it back to Adrian "Really…" Adrian opened p the web shooter and saw what Victor was talking about "Oh lets try it." He said as he put it around his waist, he pressed the switch and the web fluid shooter out to the other side of the room, "Yes!" Adrian said as he shot another web up doing a yo-yo "Oh man this is going to help me out soooooo much." Adrian said as Chase and Victor smiled.
"I might be able to configure the fire and freezing tech into the web shooters too?" Adrian said as he looked over at the clock.
"Oh shit!" Adrian said shooting out of his spot and web zipping tot he door "I'm late for the party."
Chase and Victor exchanged glances and for a brief moment that young men share when they want something 'Should we offer him a ride?' Victor asked mentally 'No shit Sherlock.' Chase replied.
FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER
Nico walked into the lab seeing it was empty, holding a cup of tea when she saw Adrians work had been left undone, she walked down the hall to see all three of the boys rooms were empty. She stuck a hand on her hip and squeezed her cup tight as she downed the tea before she through it on the ground "I am not being left behind while they go to a night rave on the creepy side of town, LADIES WE'RE GOING OUT!"
Meanwhile, a few miles away on the other side of town Chase, Victor and Adrian were walking towards a dark looking warehouse that had bright lights coming out oft he high windows, some where broken and a few were boarded up. Chase had on a leather jacket and gray shirt with jeans, Victor was wearing his headphones and a long t shirt with a sock cap and black cargo pants. Adrain had settled on a set of black pants and the spider web shirt he'd picked out from the ship in the mall. They walked toward the alley between the warehouses where they saw a line of people from Los Angeles most colorful residence.
"How are we going to get in, if you haven't noticed we have a minor." Victor said pointing to Adrain.
"I've gotten into the most highly guarded SHIELD bases I can get into a warehouse rave party without you two." Adrain said holding up his brand new webshooter clasped to his wrist.
"Sooooo?" Victor asked looking at Adrain then at Chase "So I get to wait in line after I drove you both here in the leapfrog?" Chase asked putting two and two together.
Adrain shot a web up to the roof grabbing Victor by the hand "We'll get you beer insideeeeeeeee." Victor said before they were pulled onto the roof by Adrian as Chase sighed.
When the two of them were on top, they had a clear view of the city, the lights of LA and the Valley shining down on them with the stars in the distance reaching over the western parts of America. Victor gasped as he landed ass first onto the roof while Adrian landed on his feet wrapped in the dark black boots. His long brown hair was now blowing in the wind of the night as he gazed at the city, he took a deep breath and exhaled pain sinking out of his eyes.
"Some view." Victor said getting up and dusting his ass off, "Yeah, my brother always said that when we climbed." Adrian mumbled.
"Huh?" Victor asked.
"Nothing, lets go inside." Adrian said walking toward a rooftop door and reaching for the knob when he pulled it didn't bridge "Oh no its locked…" he said his hand still on the knob before he pulled it off "Oh, its a pull not push."
Victor snickered as they were greeted by the sounds of beating and bumping rave music and went inside. The interior of the warehouse didn't match the outside at all, instead of dark and dirty the floors were white with halfway walls around the outer edges of the bar and bathroom, with tables hidden by curtains for VIP. A DJ was at the very back behind a large table with a massive screen showing flashing and changing rainbow of images, flashed from one symbol or pattern to the next in rhythms with music. Adrian and Victor moved into the crowd nobody noticing a thirteen year old boy among the heads of the dancers on the floor.
I'm glad these pants are baggy because I never expected this many people didn't wear this much to raves.
"Victor we should-" Adrian looked around and saw Victor had vanished from the sight of the boy into the crowd.
Adrian started to get pushed into the crowd bumping up into muscular and luscious bodies with the music before he suddenly found someone grab his hand and pull him out, "Whoa." Adrain gasped as he was pulled up into someone just in front of the bar, Adrian looked up to see Laura's green eyes looking down at him with her cousin Megan, they were dressed in similar fashion only more exciting. Megan was wearing her dark crimson red but with tight leather jeans and a corset with a collar and fishnet gloves going up to her biceps. Laura was dressed in nightshade black, ripped leggings with a tight skirt and large belt buckle around her waist, she had on a tube top with a choker and black fingerless gloves with matching thigh high boots "You made it." Laura said with a smile, the
Whoa…
"There he is, what you get lost." Chase said holding a drink and handing one to Victor.
"You got in faster then I expected?" Adrian said as Laura was still holding his hand, "What can I say that's my superpower." Chase said drinking.
Victor sipped his as Megan started to look him up and down admiring his lean figure "Hey headphones, dance with me." She said suddenly grabbing his arm pulling his him to the dance floor suddenly.
"Ugh." Chase mumbled going back to his drink, Adrian looked over at Laura who was unusually quiet "So… dance?" Adrian asked.
"Maybe later, come on." She said pulling him away from Chase, when Adrian looked back at Chase to see if it was okay for him to go. Chase gave a smirk as he took another ship watching them go. When they were gone he downed his drink "One more please." Chase asked the bartender when he felt someone grab his shoulder and forcefully turn him around and Chase received the greatest kick to the balls in the history of the universe by Nico.
"What the-ooooaa…. why." Chase gasped looking up, Nico was wearing a skintight black dress with a red ripped leggings, Karolina had on a bright blue one next to Xavin in a black suit and purple shirt and even Molly was there wearing overalls and a t shirt with black aviators and her demon shaped hat slurping on a soda.
"If you think you guys can run off to a cool rave without us, you deserve more then a kick in the balls Chase." Nico said helping him up "Okay, okay… fair enough but what if I said it was to keep an eye on Victor and Adrian would that make me sound a bit more responsible?" Chase coughed feeling his groin to make sure the pieces were all still there.
The bartender had set down Chase's drink only for Nico to grab it "No, now buy me a drink asshole."
Elsewhere in the club, Laura had pulled Adrian into one of the VIP sections and drew the curtains to give them some privacy. It had a dark red couch surrounding the table made of white with a light coming from it to give it a more ethereal look. "I was so glad to see you Adrian." Laura said as she walked out to the edge "I haven't forgotten what you did for me, in New York when Captain America was after me." Laura said with a smile. Laura sat down on the couch and gestured Adrian to do the same.
"Oh well I mean I wasn't fighting the government then, now it seems like everyday." Adrian said shrugging and finding his way next to her leaning back on the soft cushion.
"Megan and I watched on the news, youngest FBI's most wanted ever pretty cool actually." Laura said stretching back in her chair, her top raised up exposing her navel even more to Adrians eyes, he was a teenager after all.
Adrian sighed "I guess I'm not sure anymore."
"Really?" Laura asked, Adrian nodded "I thought I was doing what was right fighting against Iron Man and Shield even my own country and nothing changed, I joined up with Nick Fury do you know him?"
"Colonel Nick Fury, age unknown, missing one eye, former head of SHIELD, extremely dangerous spymaster and I could go on and on about him from the Facilities dossiers on possible targets, but tell me more?" Laura said leaning her head on her hand as she lounged on the couch in front of him, she scanned the lines on her face inching closer to him suddenly.
Adrian leaned back in his chair "Well that's a long story but here's the abridged story."
You all know the rest of this, but it felt good to finally have someone to talk to about it I mean really good. I told her about my adventures before the Civil War, then about Carnage, about running away, joining Nick Fury, going to Wakanda, fighting the Hulk and his army but also me. How I felt lost, not sure what I was and I think Laura was really the only person who knew what that was like.
The two of them talked for what seemed like hours as the music blasted around them, the Runaways danced with one another to the music while Adrian continued to recount his tale with Laura. "I always thought one day I'd be Spider-Man maybe I will be one day, maybe I won't but everything changed so fast I never expected to you know…"
"Grow up?" Asked him "Is that what they call it?" Adrian asked he as she pulled the curtains closed.
Adrian started to bang his head along with the music "What's this band?" Adrian asked her "Its a DJ, I can't remember his name but the song is called Nightwalker."
Laura walked over to him "I like it, like I like these moments." She said putting her hand on his whispering into his ear "Where we can be free, free from the people who want to control us?" She said suddenly kissed him on the cheek, she kissed his neck making Adrian feel as hot as the human torch.
Laura's hand moved up to his arm before she slowly stood and put herself on top of him sitting on his lap "Laura?" He asked before she answered him with a kiss grabbing his neck forcefully kissing him, he felt her tongue in his mouth as she started to rock the two of them with the music, Adrians heart was beating like Quicksilver when the hands on his arms moved at their own will to her waist and back.
After so long, after being alone with no one who made me feel like…. like this, it felt good.
Adrian kissed her back holding her close by her hips, she leaned in to him grabbing the back of his head running her fingers through his thick hair, the passionate heat between the warm and soft but also furious like their two spirits entangled.
To feel her body on mine, to feel her lips so soft and warm and… alcoholic.
The boy suddenly broke the kiss off looking into her emerald eyes, "Laura, have you been- have you been drinking?" He asked going pale.
"Maybe a bit?" She said coifully winking at him leaning in for another kiss, Adrian held her back still sober.
"Laura…" Adrian stumbled to find the words "No." he just blurted out.
Laura leaned back sitting on his lap slouched, she looked down shifting a bit and looking back at him "... Doesn't feel like a no?" She asked, Adrian suddenly felt what she had noticed growing in his adolescence. His cheeks turned red like Deadpool's mask as he noticed where all his blood had gone.
"L-Laura I- wait have you?" Adrian asked her when he suddenly realized what she was getting at with her 'feeling'. He looked into her eyes, Laura's face was like stone even though she smiled at him. The pain in her eyes was one she he had faced on her own terms, no pain seemed to show in her eyes but Adrians spider sense told him more before slapped his face realizing he was stupid for asking.
I realize that despite my past couple years, as always there's always people who had it worse, they overcome it like Laura showing how strong they are. The people who used her probably made her do worse then just kill stuff that no child should have to do.
"What's wrong?" Laura asked him.
Adrian shook his head "N-nothing I just, I don't want to be like this."
"Like what?" Laura asked him seeing he was uncomfortable, she got off of him and simply sat close to him taking her hand in her own "Look I know Wolverine has a high tolerance with the healing factor and I…" Adrian looked over at Laura who was looking at him, her eyes were filled with content but they weren't dilated "I just want to be here." Adrian said when she leaned him and the two of them kissed at the same time.
"Its okay Adrian, I understand the facility it made have to grow up so fast I forgot we're still just kids." She said leaning on his shoulder holding his hand, "Come on we should find your friends." She said pulling him to his feet toward the curtain.
You know, this night could have ended with the two of us getting caught by a bouncer like normal teenagers, getting thrown out with our friends and then going to some burger shack to get fired food and a milkshake before we all went home with fond memories but we're anything but normal.
BOOM
Adrian and Laura were both flung from their seats onto the floor along with everyone else in the warehouse, ringing ears, Adrian looked up when he saw a massive whole in the wall. Suddenly he saw a dozen figures all of them wearing dark black uniforms with white crosses on their torsos before he blacked out.
…
…
…
…
…
The boy found a slap on his face and suddenly shot up, he jumped up immensity cleaning the sealing of whatever room he was in looking down to see a dozen faces looking up at him, there were Molly and Laura among them. The other faces belonged to either normal looking teenagers or some that looked like they were cosplaying as people out of a Star Trek children. The room was mostly made of concrete with metal beams in the walls two in all four corners, in one of them ther was a metal door with two beams on the top and bottom, locks most likely.
Molly, Laura… mutants?
"Mutants?" Adrian asked looking at the others.
The kids in the crowd nodded at him "There was some flash bang, it disoriented everyone, I can feel mutation dampeners in the wall?" Laura said when Adrian dropped down from the ceiling.
"Molly, you okay?" Adrian asked kneeling down in front of Molly, she nodded weakly holding her ears "I- I think so, my ears hurt…"
Adrian and Laura shared a glance "She's got a concussion?"
"Yes, those attackers did you see them?" Laura asked him walking over to the door, putting a hand on it the other, kids in the room all looked at them bug eyed and confused as the two of them seemed to know what was going on while the rest were still disorientated.
High tech weaponry, dark black uniforms with obvious white crosses on their tunics, just like in the mall, damn Nick Fury has rubbed off on me.
"Purifiers?" Adrian asked when he saw Molly was okay and he walked over to Laura next to the door.
Laura crossed her arms "Probably, I saw them at the mall did you?"
"Yeah, god damn racists?" Adrain said hands on his hips shaking his head.
The two of them stood there for a few moments before Adrian and her realized the awkward silence "So before this what was that?" Adrian asked her.
"It was nice, but we should focus on a way out of here?" Laura said looking at the door she held up her arm and looked at it "... I… I can't make my claws come out?' Laura said aghast looking at her fingers.
"The dampeners? They have to be the cause." Adrian said scratching the back of his head before he looked at his own hand "I'm not a mutant so…?" He thought for a few moments looking to see how many people were with them. A little over a dozen all of them teenagers or younger.
"Hmmm." Adrian looked around at the mutants all staring at him "Alright, who here knows how to fight?" Adrian asked them holding up one hand, only Molly and Laura raised their hands the rest just stared at them.
He sighed shaking his head when one of the mutants cleared their throats "Excuse me, but who the hell are you?"
The one who spoke was a girl in a purple crop shirt with baggy jeans, she had bright fire red hair with bronze colored skin arms crossed, "I'm someone who's been in situations like this a lot so when someone pulls an escape plan it helps the escapes when they know how to fight?" Adrian told her.
"I'm Adrian, and you are?" The girl speaking for the mutants hesitated "Kory but my mutant name is Solara."
Adrian scrunched up his face trying to resist the urge to laugh, when he shook it off "Okay… okay Solara can you fight?"
"I can blast molten beams of energy out of my hands." Kory said "Awesome, but I don't see you doing it now so I'm thinking this base is probably riddled with the mutant dampeners that are messing with your powers?" Adrian said turning around looking at the door "Alright, I think I have a plan." Adrians said before he through his fist at the door, leaving a dent.
He punched it again, and then again "What are you doing?" Molly asked him, "Not a mutant, the dampeners won't affect me." Adrian said punching the wall "Means when they see their dampeners don't do shit…" Adrian smashed his fist into the wall again this time a surge of electricity shot up through his arm and nearly knocked him off his feet.
"They'll get worried…" Adrian gasped as he got up smoking, he looked at the door before it suddenly opened. Three purifiers stood in front of them in their black priest robes with white crosses on their chest. One of them held up a shock stick and stabbed Adrian with it making him fall to both knees, Laura almost jumped at them ready to rip them a part but Adrian grabbed her hand shaking his head.
Just my luck, I get invited to my first party, finally have alcohol which is disgusting by the way but the kiss that was nice and SUPERVILLIANS FUCK IT UP…. Parker Luck you Fuck!
"Get the demon." The one who shocked him said, the other two walked in holding shock sticks and holding them up to the mutants before they dragged Adrian out of the cell.
Nico, I hope you guys are working on a plan
MEANWHILE
The Runaways who weren't mutants or whatever Adrian was, were back on them leapfrog enjoying ice packs and some medicine in water "What the hell hit us?" Chase asked in the pilot's chair, Victor was in one of the seats two with Karolina and Nico. Xavin was in the chair behind Karolina making sure she was okay, reaching down he held her hand closely to make sure his/her fiancé was okay.
"So correct me if I'm wrong, someone blew down the wall those someone were purifiers right?" Chase asked.
"Right, and they took Molly and Adrian." Nico said walking over to the leapfrogs control panel pulling up a news feed.
"Plus the goth chick flirting with Adrian, no offense Nico." Karolina said as Nico looked at the news feed of the breaking story and out the window down at the now flaming remains of the warehouse. Fire trucks were surrounding it along with cops who were trying to control the blaze.
Nico scrunched her nose up taking a breath of air, "Alright so some anti mutant nut jobs took our friends, everyone get your mean faces they just made it personal."
"So what's the plan boss?" Victor asked her.
"The plan is we find there base, kick their asses and get our kids back." Nico said turning around taking out her switchblade and drawing out the staff of one a second later.
"How do we do that, these Purifiers base could be anywhere?" Xavin asked.
Nico thought for a few moments and looked around Leapfrog, "Our parents were the kingpins of LA super villains that means they had to keep tabs on the other players in the city if there were any, chase?"
The young man tossed the ice pack away and went to the controls typing in commands to pull up lists and photos of supervillains and super powered gangs "Way ahead of you Nico and look what we get with Purifiers, old Shield Base that was decommissioned seems to have new residents." Images of the pictures and recordings taken by drones showing Purifiers going in and out of a fake gate, it had chains around it but as soon as their cars got close the gate opened and they entered the base.
Nico scratched her chin for a few moments thinking "So what's the play?" Chase asked.
"These Purifiers fight mutants right, so they probably won't be expecting a witch, an android, two space aliens and a smartass riding a dinosaur?" she said to herself before pacing to the back of the leapfrog "Plans simple, we break that shiny door down and stomp anyone who gets in our way, the Pride may be gone but this is our city and those are our friends."
BACK AT THE PURIFIER BASE
Adrian was strapped down to a metal table by clamps on his head, chest, arms and legs. The room he was in was large and round with lights shining down on him almost blinding him. The Purifiers had dragged and electrocuted him all the way down the hallway making it hard for Adrian to remember the way back but a taser was nothing compared to an electro zap, it had been straight past three other hallways, then a left followed by a right and down a flight of stairs. She
Has to be some sort of operating room, maybe now used for interrogation by these zealots. Okay Adrian, remember your training with Nick Fury and the Avengers.
"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow and doubt, I shall fear no evil for thou art with me." A voice said when Adrian saw the lights start to dim and someone was standing in the room before him, Adrian saw the open speaking was a man with gray hair in a priests cassock wearing a purple angelican around his shoulders hands behind his back.
"Are you really using the Sam L Jackson line from pulp fiction to try and scare me?" Adrian asked the man.
Suddenly his spider sense flared but he couldn't move to doge, another surge of electricity coursed through his body making him writhe in pain for a few moments before it subsided. "Those are the lords words demon, of my god."
Purifers, there an X-Men bad guys- actually there just bad people racist mutaphobes who can't seem to accept evolution. Think creationists to the extreme and you got this, lead by this guy.
"I take it your this Stryker guy I guess?" another surge of shock therapy from the ma but Adrian didn't scream "Thats his holiness Reverend Stryker demon filth."
Adrian was panting now looking up at him ready to tear him to pieces, he pulled at the restraints but they only seemed to tighten on him, Stryker smirked looking up and he followed the man's gaze. Stryker was looking up at some operation room with red tinted glass at a few people "Our mutant dampeners doesn't seem to work on you, interesting it seems the devil sent one of his best?" Stryker said walking around him.
"Oh yeah, totally Devil sent me here to tempt you, do you like apples?" Adrian asked snickering at him.
Stryker's smile hardened "Hmmm more of pare guy, or is it oranges you know what the priest look gave it away, be gentle with me oh and if you have something for me to bite down on.?" Adrian asked making a very inappropriate joke.
"We're analyzing your blood now demon, clearly some sort of mutation is there and once we know what we'll know more about you, and if it turns out your some Omega level mutant then we will send you to the Alpha." Stryker said.
Not good, my blood isn't human or mutant thats for sure, they run it through any databases they could find me. These restraints are tighter then the Hulks pants but one thing I definitely know is Electro hits way harder then this guy.
Adrian looked at the light in the ceiling as he thought for a few moments he started to pull on the metal clamps on his arms and legs and they only squeezed "By all means struggle, these restraints are tested even against the X-Men's most powerful demons."
Damn I can hear my bones starting to pop, they'll be breaking next if I don't get of this quick.
The electrical surge hit again, this time on a higher level "RAAAAAAHHHHH!" Adrian screamed his voice carrying all the way through the vents into the holding cell. Even to the ones that held Laura and Molly.
Great, just what I needed…. gonna pass out… which I had Ruin with me, which I had anything to-
Adrian suddenly dug his fingers onto the clamps around his wrists the surge going into his hands and then out again, the clamps on his arms were licked by fingers of electricity from Adrian hands and popped open with small sparks coming out of them.
"No!" Rev. Stryker yelled as Adrian rolled off the table onto his hands and knees.
Don't know what that was, maybe it short circuited but I'm out and alive.
Stryker reached into his cassock robes and pulled out a gun holstered underneath, it was made of gold with a marble handle and cross carved into it with pearls. "Demon, no matter- back to hell." He pointed the gun at Adrian who smirked when Stryker squeezed the trigger, Adrian dodged it getting to his feet and pounded is fists together.
"You know I really shouldn't, but I'm going to enjoy this." Adrian said cracking his knuckles. Stryker unloaded his clip at Adrian screaming "I strike in the name of the One True God!" He yelled as Adrian dodged each round jumping up to the wall and off it to draw back his fist.
"I strike in the name of my fist!" Adrian yelled clocking Stryker in the jaw and sending him into the wall out cold just as the alarms started to scream throughout the entire base.
Adrian looked up at the observation room that was suddenly clamped down with metal blast shields, "Oh look mine actually exists."
His spider sense burned hind him making him turn around to see the doors had opened, a dozen Purifiers armed with guns and shock sticks were running at him popping his neck Adrian held up his fists, which he noticed were starting to spark a bit, his eyes got wide even as he sensed the guards bout to shoot feeling the surge in his hands.
This is going to be fun.
OUTSIDE THE PURIFIER BASE
Nico, Victor, Xavin, Karolina, Chase and Ol'Lace were hidden in some bushes outside the old Shield Base that had a decommissioned sign on the Shield Logo with signs warning of no trespassing. Nico had on a pair of binoculars looking at the base from afar. She spied a couple of Purifier guards sitting outside sharing a cigarette by a blocked off door.
"Guess these KKK rejects didn't pass first grade English to read the signs?" Nico said pulling her eyes away from her binoculars, she handed them to Victor.
"Xavin, disguise yourself as one of them and do your thing." Nico told him, Xavin gave her a puzzled look "My thing, Nico?"
Chase rolled his eyes "She means do that thing where you turn into a Skrull and scare the shit out of them being a green pointy eared alien."
Xavin gave chase a nasty look then smiled "If you think that offends me you haven't heard an ounce of what other aliens say about Humans." Xavin said suddenly turning into a purifier foot soldier in a black uniform with a white cross. He looked at his hands then at Karolina and Nico.
"If what you say about these zealots are true, I take no joy in wearing their colors." He said walking out out of the brush and towards the base. He approached them from another side of the base before he walked around the corner holding up his hands the Runaways watched them speak to the Purifers before all of a sudden Xavin turned into some sort of alien monster with pink skin and tentacles and smashed both the racists into the ground multiple times before turning back into himself.
"Karolina, your girlfriends awesome." Chase said as they ran out towards him, they gathered around the door, Nico had drawn the Staff of One from her body and held them do the door pressing he top ring against it "Break." She said the staff obeyed here, the door burst open from the inside down a flight of stairs. The second it came off the teenagers heard the alarms blaring and saw the lights were already flashing red.
Chase and Victor gave each other glances "Twenty bucks its Adrian?" Chase asked.
"Probably."
Deeper in the base, Victor would be proved to be right, Adrian was wrestling with almost half of the entire bases garrison, behind him were the first dozen purifers scattered on the floor and wall. Adrians black shirt was wrapped and he had a few cuts, other then that he was unharmed fighting the waves of Purifiers.
"By the will of God help me sla-" "OH SHUT UP ALREADY!" Adrian yelled kicking in the one who had spoken with his bare foot.
Adrian had kicked him onto the pile of already growing knocked out purifiers "I am so sick of this Jesus junk, you guys aren't even real Christians!" Adrian said as a group of them opened fire, he jumped up onto the ceiling and ran around their bullets to tackle into them. Punching and kicking he even yanked one of their guns out of there hands and smashed one of them in the gut with it. He turned it around when he took one of the purifiers in a headlock and fired it wildly at the oncoming guards making them dive for cover.
Got too get to Laura and Molly, need to get them out.
Adrian felt one of the purifiers stab him in the back with their baton, "Aaahh, getting real tired of that." Adrian yelled throwing his hand back and grabbing the baton out the man' hand, he twisted it around and hit his attacker with it shocking him.
Adrian saw another one lying on the floor and kicked it p with is foot, spinning the in his hand batted them against each other "Who's next?"
Just then a small army of Purifiers came running around the corner all wielding guns and batons ready for him. Adrian ran right at them and dodged the first wave of bullets before he jumped into the center of the fray. HIs small size let him run through them smashing the batons into them, using the blunt parts to break a few knees and arms. He caught two of the Purifiers own batons, twisting his around he stumped them back into the others till he had to dodge another set of bullets.
Up on a higher level, the Runaways were already in a fight of their own, Victor was short circuiting the bases system around the Purifiers blocking their path and using his magnetic pull to rip the weapons from their hands. Xavin shot waves of fire as he flew next to Karolina clearing the path for Chase and Nico who were on the back of Old Lace charging into the racists.
"We have got to go out more often as a group, maybe when we go to Disneyland we'll fight the Master of Evil." Chase said laughing as Old Lace swatted a Purifier away with her tail.
Nico smacked me upside the head with her staff "First we need to find the rest of the group."
Down below Adrian was putting the shock sticks to good use, jumping off the backs of the Purifiers and clubbing them over the head or sticking the taser end into them. he finished off the last one by kicking him down and planting both tasers in his back before he stood up sweating and out of breath. He looked around the hallway and back at the carnage he'd left behind, the Purifiers on this level were all out cold strewn across the floor like rag dolls as he caught his breath.
The cells have got to be close, I remember the base Fury and I stayed in this was a lot like it. But obviously these purifiers made some modifications.
He walked down the hallway passing by the doors of different amenities that read as followed, Cafeteria, Barracks, Church, Generator Room, Basketball Court, Adrian stopped and backed up two doors and opened it to see three large generators all hooked up to the walls with lighting bolt symbols on them, holding up his new toys he looked at the tasers then at the generators.
Hmmm, most emergency systems open all doors when a fire or power failure right… I hope so.
BOOM
The entire base shook from top to bottom making the older Runaways wobble "What is that kid trying to do, kill us." Chase said as he was knocked of Old Lace when she fell to the floor form the sheer shock of the explosion. In another part of the base all the prison doors and every door in the base
Despite my best efforts, I am still alive.
Adrian had been blown out of the generator room his face and hair singed from the boat he'd cause, thick black smoke and roaring flames were coming from the interior and were spreading quickly. While he pushed off the floor Adrian saw a new group of Purifiers coming toward he got up and grabbed the two stun batons on the floor when he suddenly realized they weren't running toward him they were running from something else. He also took note of the various double claw marks on their clothes and skin, the shriek of a demon chased after them and Adrian saw Laura coming charging around the corner after them. Adrian met her halfway and took out each of the purifiers with the stun batons making them fall behind him as he landed in front of her "Took you long enough." Laura said before she saw him, Adrian had taken a few more licks from the Purifier and the blast of the generators had done the most damage.
"Do you like pain?" She asked him shaking her head smiling at his stupidity "I tolerate it." He said when he saw Molly and the.
When Molly saw him she looked at X-23 then said "If you two are going to make out can you do it later." The redhead girl named Kory or Solara was standing behind her, both eyes were glowing red like fire and her red hair, it had literally turned to fire.
"How do we get out of here." Solara asked him.
The boy looked back and forth "Stairs would help."
Laura sniffed the air "Someone is coming, that way." Laura said pointing down the other end of the hallway where they saw oncoming shadows, Adrain ran forward with Laura, Molly and Solara were ready for anything when the rest of the Runaways appeared. When everyone saw each other they all lowered there guards except for Solara "What are we waiting for, are these Purifiers?" She asked.
"We're the cavalry, the X-Men were busy." Chase said walking up to them "Chase if your done, and if nobody else wants to stick around here move it." Nico said to the crowd everyone started to run behind them to the exit when Adrian stopped.
X-23 noticed he wasn't moving "Adrian?"
"Stryker, we can't let him get away as long as he's free the mutants here won't be safe." He said looking into her eyes sternly, Laura cocked her head a bit "I can smell fuel burning, helicopter military grade that way." She said pointing back into the base.
"You two coming or not?" Solara snapped at them from down the hall "Get going we'll catch up, and get someone to call the god damn cops to clean this up!" Adrian yelled at her while Laura and he ran back into the base to go after Stryker.
On another side of the base, Reverend Stryker was getting onto a troop carrier helicopter with other purifiers loading crates and items onto it. It was in a hanger that sunk into the base from the outside, opening up above them to reveal the start sky. Stryker was in a neck brace as he leaned on the door, his jaw swollen to disproportionate size from Adrians left hook. Suddenly he heard the sounds of bullets and screaming, he looked up at the entrance to see the door get sliced open by X-23 and kicked down by Adrian. The other Purifiers saw the two of them frozen "Kill them both you will be rewarded in heaven!" Stryker snapped running back into the helicopter and getting in the pilot seat. He turned it on just as Adrian and X-23 sprung into action, the two teens moved between the spraying of Purifier bullets as Stryker pulled the helicopter off the floor. Laura dodged a wave of bullets from one of the purifier gunmen, grabbing the gun she pulled him forward and stabbed her him in the shoulder making him drop the gun before she kicked him in the throat.
"He's getting away." Laura said running over to Adrian who I took out another Purifier with stun batons. He took both in one hand and held up his new web shooter and pulled Laura close around her waist, he shot a web to the edge of the hanger and pulled the two of them out of the underground base onto the pavement above as the helicopter came up across from them.
Adrian looked to the other side of the base and saw the Runaways with the mutants "We need to get to the leapfrog and go after him." Adrian said pulling Laura with him by the hand, but she didn't move.
"Don't worry he won't get far." she said holding up the machine guns she'd stolen from the Purifier, she aimed it at the helicopter and opened fire. Her aim was spot on ripping into the ship rear rotating blade. They watched it explode from the top and start to lose altitude in a flaming smoking fall to the earth.
"Laura what did you do!" he said seeing it go down "You said we couldn't let him get away, now he won't those crates looked weapons grade the explosion will kill him."
Adrian looked at her then the falling helicopter, behind them the Runaways regrouped with them as Adrian tried to figure out what to do.
Have to do something, yes he's a racist piece of human garbage who the world would be better off without. Laura doesn't know killing is wrong, its not her fault she group being trained to be a weapon she never got the chance to be a normal kid and learn that. Stryker doesn't deserve to live, he's a racist hypocritical sociopath but…. but…
"GOD DAMMIT!" he yelled making everyone look at him, he turned to Molly and walked over to her "Throw me."
"What?" Molly asked, he grabbed Molly by her overalls "Use your powers and throw me like a fastball at that helicopter." Molly gave him a weird look but before she could do what he said "Don't." Nico said.
"What, he'll die?" Adrain asked shocked "So, he's a terrible person he doesn't deserve to be saved." Nico said back to him.
Adrian clenched his hands into his feet "You don't get to decide that your not god, and he's not god either, but we do get to be better." Adrian said frantically looking at Karolina "Fly me up?"
Karolina looked over at Nico who shook her head "Yes." Karolina said holding up her hand, Adrain took it and Xavin grabbed her shoulder "My love surely you agree with Nico, let the zealot die?"
"I do agree, he's a terrible person the world would be better off without him but I'm not going to let someone die without trying to save them first." Karolina said her rainbow body glowing brighter as she and Adrian soared off the ground, she flew right up to the falling Helicopter's swung from her arm and she let go letting him stick to the wall of the helicopter as its last engine gave out from too much pressure to stay afloat. The wind shear was picking up forcing Adrian to pull himself towards the cockpit window. Stryker was still trying to keep it in the air when he saw Adrians fist smash the window open, he pulled out his gun "No I will die a martyr for my faith."
Adrian web zipped the gun out of Strykers hand, "To bad your going to live." Adrian said dragging him out of the cockpit. It started to crash back into the base and just before it did the boy jumped from the doomed air ship before its cargo exploded sending them flying across the ground. When they came to a stop, Adrain sat up looking over at hate flaming wreckage then at Stryker who was laying in the dirt next to him face down, but then started to move.
"No… No I won't be indebted to a demon like you." Stryke said on his hands and knees, Adrian was up on his feet "Your the only demon here, whatever you think no version of your God condones killing and neither do I."
Reverend Stryker crawled toward Adrian "Damn you, damn you all to-"
WHACK
"Put a sock in it psycho." Nico had smacked him across the head with her staff knocking him out like Adrian had.
She gave Adrian a disappointed look "Happy, you almost died saving a piece of shit, feel good?"
Adrian ignored her insults he was more busy trying to find Laura in the crowd of mutants, he saw her but she wasn't with the others. Laura was on the edge of her base by the woods looking at him, her eyes weren't one of relief to see he was okay or cold like Nicos, it was disgust and pain combined. He was about to call out to her but she shook her head and took a step back before vanishing into the woods.
"Adrian?" Nico asked him, "Let's just get these kids somewhere safe, I know someone we could call who can take care of them."
LATER, GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY
The leapfrog was parked outside the world famous Griffith Observatory it had flown from the Purifier base, it was early in the morning and nobody was there except for the Runaways and the mutants they'd rescued. Adrian was sitting on the ramp of the Leapfrog in silence looking at the pavement before Chase walked over and next to him.
I can't say I was mad at Laura, she had every right to hate people like Stryker for what they do to her people. It be like Someone telling Anne Franks he couldn't shoot Hitler in the face and I saved him like some self righteous asshole.
"What happened to your Girlfriend, she was hot for you?" he asked.
Adrian raised is head but he didn't meet Chase's eyes "She went home, I think she'll be okay she's stronger than she looks, maybe stronger than any of us."
Chase patted him on the back "Well you did good, I understand why these kids and Nico wouldn't want you to save him but Molly." Chase was looking at her, the Hayes girls as speaking to Kory and the other mutants.
"She needs to know that we can be better, lord knows I've been trying to be." Chase said taking a deep breath before sighing "Before you showed up I got to a dark place, I mean so dark I almost killed myself to bring back my own girlfriend?"
"What?" Adrian asked him looking up at the blonde jock "Exactly, every time I think on it I go like what the fuck were you thinking?" Chase said shrugging and laughing at himself.
I can't tell if he's trying to cheer me up or take my mind of X-23.
He wouldn't get an answer, just then they heard something overhead was starting to land. A sneak dark metal jet started to descend across from them, it had two short wings and two more on top forming an X like wing. Its own ramp lowered and two people walked out one was a girl with dark chestnut hair wearing a yellow and red bodysuit with a red x buckle on it the other was a blue and yellow suit with blue finned mask and gloves "Alright, which one of you called me in the middle of poker night!" Wolverine the deadliest X-Men said loudly to the teens.
"Yeah that be me!" Adrian said holding up his hand, he got up and walked past Kory and gestured for he to follow. She waved back to Molly who smiled waving the other mutants away as they walked toward the X-Men.
Adrian stood hands in his pocket in front of Wolverine "By the way you'll find an old shield base filled with Purifiers oh and we didn't want to risk you losing this." Chase and Victor walked up dragging a tied up Stryker and throwing him in front of Wolverine. The Canadian growled at the sight of him "Your those Runaways, you took this guy down?"
"Not us him." Chase said pointing to Adrian.
Wolverine looked down at Adrian "Kitty you know this kid?" he asked the brown haired woman "No, but he seems familiar?"
Keep forgetting about everyone's memory being wiped, to bad I missed Wolverine a lot.
"Nah I'd remember meeting someone who smells this like much beer." he said up to Wolverine, the man smiled under mask "Alright Kitty get these kids on board, I'll secure Stryker." Wolverine ordered the girl "Got it, alright kids come on your safe now."
The mutants followed Kitty up on the jet before Kory looked back at Adrian and said "thank you."
Wolverine through Stryker over his shoulder and was about to follow before he sniffed the air "You know, you may say we don't know each other but I know I've smelled you before lil'bub?" Wolverine said holding out his hand, Adrian shook it "Maybe I'll remember someday till then be safe." Wolverine finished shaking his hand and went back onto the ship. The X-Jet lifted off from the ground and took off taking the mutants somewhere safe and Stryker to someplace worse than hell.
Wolverine doesn't remember me, its better this way without anyone knowing I'm Spider-Boy, maybe Laura does but I don't think she'll be telling anyone anytime soon. Maybe it's time for something new….
TWO DAYS LATER, RUNAWAYS HIDEOUT
The runaways were gathered in the living room, Chase and Victor were watching TV, Molly was coloring on the floor as Karolina prepared dinner in the kitchen. Nico walked in holding a cup of tea and looked around them "Has anyone seen Adrain?"
"He's in the lab, he's been stuck in there for two days?" Chase said.
"Working on his web shooters, I thought you two helped him fix it?" she asked the two boys, Victor shrugged holding up his hands "He said he was working on something else."
"Well someone go tell him dinner is almost ready." Nico said walking over to the kitchen when Adrain walked in "Don't worry I won't be eating with out this evening." Adrian said in the doorway, everyone looked over to him and were speechless.
Chase and Victor got up with Chase saying "Whoa?"
"I think i know where you got this idea?" Victor said.
"You look funny?" Molly said giggling
"I think you look stupid." Nico sighed sipping her tea.
"He looks great." Karolina said disagreeing.
"More like ready for battle, right Spider-Boy." Xavin pointed out as standing across the Runaways. he was wearing a black hood with a mostly black outfit except for blue stripes running down the arms and under his chest, his pants were also black tucked into back leggings with blue soles and knee guards that matched a set of pads on his elbows, both wrists were wrapped up with web shooters that had additional things attached but mostly kept tight by wrappings with steel knuckle tipped gloves. He wore a harness over his chest with two stun batons sticking out from behind his back and pouches across the harness's front. His face was hidden not only by the hood but a face mask with two blue tinted goggles "Spider-Boy's gone, call me…" Adrian said to them.
"Nightwalker."
A new beginning….