Disclaimer: The X-Men and Highlander characters belong to their prospective owners and not me. I only wrote this fanfic for my own entertainment and I'm making no money so don't sue me. It would be a waste of time.
Of Mutants and Immortals
By Animefreek
**denote thoughts
Chapter Thirteen
It was really late and all Catherine wanted to do was sleep and dream about a wonderful day. Instead she got lights and alarms going off in her room and the beginnings of a major headache. She didn't believe Jubilee when she said the alarms could be heard from anywhere on the mansion's grounds, now she was a believer. **This had better be good. A girl needs her beauty rest.** Catherine thought as she raced toward the war room. Cassandra, Duncan, and the Professor where waiting on her and the others.
"This can't be. How did he find us so soon? Does he know Catherine is staying in the Institute?" Duncan said. His composure was gone now and the stress and strain was taking on a life of it's own behind his eyes. Cassandra decided to break the news to Duncan and the X-Men at the same time. "Cassandra where is he now? We have to anticipate his next move.? Duncan asked.
"He's staying in an inn outside of Salem center." Cassandra spoke up first. "Are there any mortals around?" Joe asked. "Yes, and they're dead now. To make matters worse, one of them was a watcher." Cassandra said blankly. "Shit!" Both Joe and Catherine let that one slip. Catherine knew enough about the new breed of watchers from Duncan and Amanda to know that these days they did a lot more than just watch especially when one of them was threatened. "What is that man trying to do start a war?" Joe spat out and put a hand to his forehead.
Catherine sat back in her chair eyeing the location of the inn. Scott was watching her reaction. He was amazed at how cool she seemed, most young people her age would be shaking in thier boots. Catherine kept her exterior cool as she started thinking out her options. It was obviousllly a trap, Methos wouldn't have made such a stupid mistake. He wanted Richie to see him. He had a plan and know it was time for Catherine to plan. Duncan and the others were talking about possible options when Catherine decided to chime in.
"We know where he is now and we know that it's a trap. We have the advantage. Apparently he doesn't know where I am yet, lets see if we can use that." Catherine's criminal mind was taking over and she wasn't sure anymore if that was a good idea or not. Duncan turned and faced his now stone faced daughter. She smiled. Duncan noticed a slight change in her mood and mannerisms as she moved from the mode of daughter to warrior and thief. Scott noticed as well and wondered what surprises were cooking in the young girl's mind.
"We'll handle this Catherine, there's no need for you to go anywhere near Methos." Duncan's voice sounded more like a command than a statement. Catherine began to glare at him. "I'm tired of running and hiding. I'm tired of having everyone else fight my battles for me. If Methos wants me then I'll go." Catherine said coldly. "No. You won't and if you do anyway you'll only get yourself killed." Duncan said, his nerves on edge.
"And you won't! Look at yourself dad. You're tired, stressed, and scared. You can't fight him in the state you're in. The only thing you'll achieve is getting yourself and probably me killed and thats on a good day. What about the X-Men and Joe? They won't kill Methos and that in itself will cause a world of trouble for them." Catherine was already in her immortal mindset as she spoke to her father. Her words hit a cord with Duncan. She was right. He was in no condition to fight Methos. Perhaps it was time to call in another player, one who wasn't so attached to the past especially one with Amanda and Methos.
"My dear Richie do you really expect me to believe that you want to help me? Methos said with a snicker. Duncan is your teacher and so is the little brat. No you're not the kind to switch sides, nope too loyal. But you can do something for me." The smile on Methos' face made Richie's skin crawl.
"Whats that?" Richie asked hesitantly. "You can give Duncan and Catherine a message for me, but first a few friends of mine are going to teach you a lesson about what happens when you lie to your elders." With that said two very obvious mutants began to give Richie the beating of his life. One was tall and blonde, the costume he was wearing resembled that of a cat and his teeth were more like fangs. The other was most definitely a woman, red hair that tapered at the shoulder and her skin was a perculiar shade of blue. After his beating Richie was tossed in his car along with a videotape. He was alive and would heal, but could he survive the shame of failing the others?
The X-Men and Catherine departed the War room while the professor, Cassandra, and Duncan began looking for Conner. Catherine had never met her "cousin" ( note "Cousin" is in quotes because no immortal or pre-immortal befor Catherine ever knew thier true parentage.) , but his reputation preceeded him. He was older than Duncan and from Amanda had told her a much more experienced swordsman. She also knew that he had defeated an immortal in New York city a few years back and gained the power of illusion. That might come in handy fighting Methos. The trick was finding him, no watcher could ever keep up with him long enough to get his routine down on paper or disk. The prof was attempting to use Cerebro and Joe had his lap top hooked up typing through the watcher data base.
Bobby and Catherine were in the rec room watching TV., or at least Bobby was. Catherine's mind was too preoccupied to enjoy a rerun of Sienfeld. The others had opted to get some shut eye before thier training sessions started. Bobby was trying to distract her by putting his head in her lap and giving her one of those patented platinum smiles. She smiled, but her heart wasn't in it. She didn't mean to be cruel to her father, but it was the truth. The killing and betrayal was getting to him. Catherine's musing was interupted by the faraway sound of Bobby's voice.
"If you want to cry I won't tell anyone. If you want to talk I'm sitting right here." Bobby's voice was soft and he managed to turn off the television without Catherine noticing. "What did a crook like me do to deserve you? Everything that I've told you would have scared off anyone else. Why are you staying?" Catherine didn't have a single emotion on her face and this scared Bobby. "I've told you this a hundred times, I love you. No matter how young you look or how old you may become." Bobby said as he lightly grazed her lips with a kiss. Catherine smiled gently.
"Bobby can I sleep in your room tonight? I don't want to be alone." Catherine's voice was pleading. Bobby kissed her again only this time deeper. "You can sleep there for the rest of your life if you want to." Bobby's voice was even softer now and Catherine found herself being lifted off the Couch and carried to his room. They spent the rest of the night trading kisses and plans for the future enfolded in each other's arms. She felt safe until the morning light flooded thru his curtains and she had to leave.
The breakfast table was silent and the tension between Duncan and his daughter was heavy in the air. Both of them were stubborn and refused to back down. Catherine wanted to fight and Duncan wanted anything but. Bobby was about to break the silence at the table when the doorbell rang. Catherine got up from her seat to answer the door and Duncan roughly pushed her back down in her seat. Catherine bit her tongue knowing that anything she said in anger would only fan the flames between them. Rogue moved to answer the wanting very much to leave the father daughter scene. It only reminded her of the night she ran away from home and her own father. What she found at the door wasn't anymore pleasent. It was Richie, bloody, healing slowly, and holding a very stained videotape.
Catherine was getting tired of the War room and asked to view the tape in the rec room. To everyone's surprise Scott agreed and turned on the VCR for her. **Maybe he's starting to accept her.** Jean thought as she watched her husband. Catherine wasn't ready for what she saw on the video tape. The tape began to play.
("Catherine darling, Duncan old friend. You two are probably wondering why I let dear Richie live. Two reasons really, one, he's not a threat to me and two, I needed a messenger. I've decided to bring this cat and mouse game you two have decided to play to a crescendo, so to speak. You have something I want and I have something you want.")
**What could he have that either of us could possibly want?** Catherine and Duncan thought. They got the answer to their question all too soon. The frame changed changed to somewhere dimly lit and no windows. Off camera a light screamed thru the room and settled on a very beaten up Amanda. To both Catherine's and Duncan's horror there was a scar healing across her neck. The scene went back to Methos.
("I'm suggesting a trade. The girl for her mother. A simple trade. I get what I want and she gets what she wants, to see her sweet mother alive and well. I know you know were I am by now, and unfortunately our friend Richie has led me straight to you. What a shame. You really should train your sidekicks better. Two days from now, the back of the inn near the cliff. No tricks and no mutants. I must admit hiding the girl at Xavier's Institute was smart. Who would bother looking for a normal child there.")
Catherine didn't know what made her more sick, the fact that Methos was so sure he was going to win or the fact that you could almost hear the sound of joy in his perverted voice. She hugged Bobby and Duncan close to her for a moment and then escaped their grip for a stronger position by herself. "What do we do now? Wait for Conner?" Catherine asked. "No we fight and we don't fight by the rules anymore." Duncan said staring coldly at the now snowy television screen. Catherine was hoping that he could channel his anger into a plan or better yet a winning fight.
Chapter Fourteen
All of the X-Men and Immortals were gathered in the war room. Plans and strategies were being tossed left and right. There were only a few things that they knew for sure.
1. Amanda was alive
2. Methos didn't really expect them to wait the two days.
3. They weren't about to make any kind of trade. It was all or nothing.
4. From what Richie told them there were only two other mutants with him.
There was no talking Catherine out of going after seeing the video tape, so Duncan didn't try. Joe had found Conner's location and was headed toward a provence in northeast Asia. There was little hope of him returning in time for the fight, but at least if they failed Conner could avenge them. After much deliberation the team was chosen. Scott would lead followed by Ororo, who would cover thier entrance and exit, Logan who would handle any unknown mutants with Scott, and Gambit would enter from an opposite area with Catherine to retrieve Amanda. Duncan had made it an imperitive to all that Catherine was not to come into contact with Methos. She would simply retrieve her mother from what appeared to be the inn's wine cellar and get back to the confines of the mansion. Bobby was more than hurt when he wasn't selected for the away team, but the professor pointed out that he was too emotional to be anything but a hinderance in this point in time. The rest of the X-Men were to stay behind and prepare the medlab for any injuries. As for Cassandra and Richie they had their own plans.
During the trip to Methos' headquarters both father and daughter centered themselves for the upcoming battle. Catherine didn't know what kind of mental state her mother could be in she had to prepare herself for the worst. Duncan had to prepare himself to kill a once friend. Sure it hadn't been the first time and wouldn't be the last, but all the same it hurt like hell to see comrads turn into enemies.
As the blackbird alighted on the grounds of the inn Catherine got an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach, something wasn't right. She kept seeing pictures of Amanda in her head from the video tape, but something was off about her. Something just didn't sound right. She started to say something to Duncan but decided not to. He had enough on his mind. As she stood up and departed the ship Catherine took note of her X-Man uniform and the arsenal she was carrying.
Jean allowed her to pick the look of her official uniform. Since she was a cat burgular by profession of course the color was black. The cut was, to say the least, form fitting. It was a leather stylized cat suit with a small pouch to hold a few smoke bombs and small collection of lock pics. On her shoulder was the usual X-symbal communicator and on her back, much to the distress of Duncan, was the silver colored spinal sheath that was especially designed for her Alamantium sword. With her hair pulled back into a severe braid she looked well beyond her years and dire. Even Scott had to admire her physique and bravado. She was about to walk into the lair of madman who wanted to kill her to save her mother.
Duncan was noticably uneasy despite his meditation on the plane and in no condition to fight. He was thinking like a father and not an immortal. **I have to start thinking like a warrior again. She can take care of herself, Methos will be outside dealing with me.** When everyone was outside the blackbird Scott took on his role as leader and assigned roles once more.
Catherine and Gambit under the haze of fog created by Storm headed toward the inn's back entrance. Scott, Duncan, and Logan decided tho use the direct approach and walked up the driveway. In midstep Logan caught a familiar scent in the and growled out a name. "Sabertooth."
"Hiya runt, come ta visit or just ta die?" Sabertooth said with a fanged smile on his lips. "Neither bub, but if you wanna fine with me." Wolverine said as he lunged a the much larger man. As this was happening Scott and Duncan kept moving toward the inn. "Come out Methos, we have a score to settle." Duncan shouted out as Methos jumped out of the shadows and slashed the back of black trench. Duncan spun around and took on a defensive stance. Scott was about to blast Methos until Duncan raised his hand in protest. "This is my fight Cyclops go inside and find Amanda." Duncan said coldly not taking his eyes off of Methos. Scott kept moving toward the house.
"Duncan you're loosing your edge. I never could have snuck up on you like that before. Is fatherhood making you soft or were you already soft to begin with?" Methos' mocking tone was making Macleod angry, angry enough to make fatal errors. Duncan knew he had to calm himself, at least long enough for Catherine and the others to get Amanda out.
"This way Gambit." Catherine whispered as they made thier way down a long dark hallway. She had taken the precaution earlier of memorizing a blueprint of the inn. Gambit figured it wasn't the first time she'd ever had to memorize a blueprint. Catherine couldn't help but notice the rooms around her. If they were in any other situation this would be the perfect hideaway after a hiest, but for now it was the last place she wanted to be with her mother. Catherine was jolted from her thoughts by the sound of footprints coming up the corridor behind her. "Remy, against the wall and into the shadows." Catherine barked. They both waited nervously as the silohette moved slowly down the hall. Any closer and Catherine would strike with a leathal roundhouse kick to the face. She was about to kick when a hint of Ruby was reflected in the light.
"Scott? Catherine asked. Where's my dad?" "He's outside with Methos. Don't worry he remembers the plan. He's just a distraction as soon we give the signal, we all turn tale." Scott said in his most reassuring voice. "Where is Wolverine?" Catherine asked. "Outside, one of the mutants Methos happened to hire was Sabertooth." Scott answered.
"Great, dat all we need!" Gambit blurted out. Catherine and Scott shot him a shushing glare.
Outside Richie and Cassandra were watching the insuing battles. Mutant against Mutant and Immortal against Immortal. Earlier that day Cassandra had another flash. She was not happy. She'd seen Macleod on his back about to die. Even more disturbing was the preminiton she saw concerning herself, Catherine and Amanda.
Her vision was more flashes than anything else. Like watching a black and white movie in slow motion. She was fighting Methos and lost. The rest of her vision was blury, but she sensed something different about the quickening he was receiving. Like Catherine, Cassandra sensed something off kilter about Amanda, but couldn't put her finger on it.
Duncan was tired of buying time. The clashing of his sword sounded empty and his soul wasn't in the fight. He just wanted to stop. Wolverine and Sabertooth slashed mercilessly at each other landing blows that would have killed normal men. Niether of them would tire of fighting each other, both wanted the death of the other.
Inside the inn Catherine and the others had entered the cellar. They'd met a young mutant guarding a door to a lower level and quickly and bloodlessly disposed of him. Sitting in the corner was Amanda. Catherine's heart jumped. Her mother was alive. Without thinking and without noticing a strange tint of yellow in Amanda's eyes she embraced her mother.
"Mom I missed you so much. Everything is going to be alright now." Catherine said stroking "Amanda's" head. "It will as soon as I kill you." "Amanda" said. Catherine's eyes went wide and she shoved herself away from her "mother" just in time to see "Amanda" pull out a small dagger from her boot. Catherine sat back in shock as her "mother" lunged at her again. Now Catherine knew what was off. The eyes. They may have looked like Amanda's on the outside, but there was nothing of Amanda behind them.
"I don't know who you are lady, but you picked the wrong kid to try and kill." Catherine said as she pulled out as slender dagger of her own. The false Amanda hopped to her feet and slashed at Catherine's chest. "Who are you?" Catherine snapped as she easily side stepped the now enraged woman. The woman's anger peaked as a slight smirk started at the corners of Catherine's mouth.
"You're good kid, but you're going to die tonight." The woman spat. As Catherine and the imposter fought Scott and Gambit also saw something disturbing in the woman's eyes. A change in color. "Mystique!" Gambit called out. "Get away from her Catherine. She not what she seems, she's a shape shifter."
"Good, then maybe she can shape shift a new face after I trash the fake one." Catherine said as her own dagger hit its mark and left a deep gash in Mystique's cheek. The mutant's composure left her and her true visage came.
**Amazing she can literally become anyone she wishes and she chooses to work for mad men.** Catherine thought as the mutant looked down at her bloody palm and felt the sting in her cheek. "Its going to be a pleasure killing you for Methos." Mystique hissed. Catherine was about to go in for the kill when Scott yelled out.
"Catherine leave her. There's no Amanda here. Remember the plan." Scott shouted. Catherine faked a stab with her dagger and caught Mystique off guard with a roundhouse to the face. "Another time Mystique." Catherine said to an unconcious Mystique. The trio started out toward Duncan and the Blackbird.
Meanwhile outside Cassandra and Richie watched as Duncan and Wolverine faught their opponents bravely. Cassandra was starting to feel her age, between keeping Richie out of the fight and worrying about her disturbing vision, she was completely on edge. Macleod was weakening from the furious pace of the fight and Wolverine was becoming more enraged and sloppy by the second. They were both making lethal mistakes.
Cassandra's head began to throb and humm. She was having another vision, it was time for her to die. At that moment Duncan tripped and fell backwards and Cassandra rushed forward just in time to block a lethal blow with her sword.
"Cassandra darling, this isn't your fight!" Methos said with a pant. "Now it is, it always has been." Cassandra said quietly. Thier swords clashed and whistled through the night air as Cassandra aptly moved the fight away from an exhausted Duncan. Cassandra knew she was no match for Methos and couldn't keep us this furious pace for long. Across the yard Wolverine and Sabertooth were still locked in the heat of battle. Each man slowly losing control and becoming the animal underneath.
Richie watched the battle like an obsecessed fan. At times he found himself cheering inside for the small Canadian, but this couldn't go on much longer. The plan was to get Amanda, get out, and regroup back at the mansion. Methos wanted to fight on his own turf and that was fine, but Duncan was in no shape to be his opponent. It was time for the fighting to stop, at least for tonight. Richie carefully aimed his tranquilizer gun and fired at the larger man. The darts that Dr. McCoy formulated worked faster than he'd expected. Now came the hard part, getting Logan back from the brink.
Catherine and the others were on thier way out of the inn when Duncan scream. "Cassandra!"
Cassandra was fighting like a lioness against fate and her growing fatigue. Methos' grin widened as he saw his opening. With the grace of a dancer Methos paried Cassandra's sword out of her hands and delivered a quick blow to released the woman's quickeining. Duncan screamed as his eyes and minded cleared in time to see the death of his friend.
Logan and Richie stared in shock together as the quickening began. A blue haze poured from the now headless form of Cassandra. Clouds gathered in the sky and lighting flashed from the ground up. If not for the death of a friend the quickening would be a beautiful sight.
Catherine ran out of the door of the building and was struck by lightening.
Okay this is kind of long, but I like it. Hey I left you hanging again. Ha Ha. Please Read and Review.
Of Mutants and Immortals
By Animefreek
**denote thoughts
Chapter Thirteen
It was really late and all Catherine wanted to do was sleep and dream about a wonderful day. Instead she got lights and alarms going off in her room and the beginnings of a major headache. She didn't believe Jubilee when she said the alarms could be heard from anywhere on the mansion's grounds, now she was a believer. **This had better be good. A girl needs her beauty rest.** Catherine thought as she raced toward the war room. Cassandra, Duncan, and the Professor where waiting on her and the others.
"This can't be. How did he find us so soon? Does he know Catherine is staying in the Institute?" Duncan said. His composure was gone now and the stress and strain was taking on a life of it's own behind his eyes. Cassandra decided to break the news to Duncan and the X-Men at the same time. "Cassandra where is he now? We have to anticipate his next move.? Duncan asked.
"He's staying in an inn outside of Salem center." Cassandra spoke up first. "Are there any mortals around?" Joe asked. "Yes, and they're dead now. To make matters worse, one of them was a watcher." Cassandra said blankly. "Shit!" Both Joe and Catherine let that one slip. Catherine knew enough about the new breed of watchers from Duncan and Amanda to know that these days they did a lot more than just watch especially when one of them was threatened. "What is that man trying to do start a war?" Joe spat out and put a hand to his forehead.
Catherine sat back in her chair eyeing the location of the inn. Scott was watching her reaction. He was amazed at how cool she seemed, most young people her age would be shaking in thier boots. Catherine kept her exterior cool as she started thinking out her options. It was obviousllly a trap, Methos wouldn't have made such a stupid mistake. He wanted Richie to see him. He had a plan and know it was time for Catherine to plan. Duncan and the others were talking about possible options when Catherine decided to chime in.
"We know where he is now and we know that it's a trap. We have the advantage. Apparently he doesn't know where I am yet, lets see if we can use that." Catherine's criminal mind was taking over and she wasn't sure anymore if that was a good idea or not. Duncan turned and faced his now stone faced daughter. She smiled. Duncan noticed a slight change in her mood and mannerisms as she moved from the mode of daughter to warrior and thief. Scott noticed as well and wondered what surprises were cooking in the young girl's mind.
"We'll handle this Catherine, there's no need for you to go anywhere near Methos." Duncan's voice sounded more like a command than a statement. Catherine began to glare at him. "I'm tired of running and hiding. I'm tired of having everyone else fight my battles for me. If Methos wants me then I'll go." Catherine said coldly. "No. You won't and if you do anyway you'll only get yourself killed." Duncan said, his nerves on edge.
"And you won't! Look at yourself dad. You're tired, stressed, and scared. You can't fight him in the state you're in. The only thing you'll achieve is getting yourself and probably me killed and thats on a good day. What about the X-Men and Joe? They won't kill Methos and that in itself will cause a world of trouble for them." Catherine was already in her immortal mindset as she spoke to her father. Her words hit a cord with Duncan. She was right. He was in no condition to fight Methos. Perhaps it was time to call in another player, one who wasn't so attached to the past especially one with Amanda and Methos.
"My dear Richie do you really expect me to believe that you want to help me? Methos said with a snicker. Duncan is your teacher and so is the little brat. No you're not the kind to switch sides, nope too loyal. But you can do something for me." The smile on Methos' face made Richie's skin crawl.
"Whats that?" Richie asked hesitantly. "You can give Duncan and Catherine a message for me, but first a few friends of mine are going to teach you a lesson about what happens when you lie to your elders." With that said two very obvious mutants began to give Richie the beating of his life. One was tall and blonde, the costume he was wearing resembled that of a cat and his teeth were more like fangs. The other was most definitely a woman, red hair that tapered at the shoulder and her skin was a perculiar shade of blue. After his beating Richie was tossed in his car along with a videotape. He was alive and would heal, but could he survive the shame of failing the others?
The X-Men and Catherine departed the War room while the professor, Cassandra, and Duncan began looking for Conner. Catherine had never met her "cousin" ( note "Cousin" is in quotes because no immortal or pre-immortal befor Catherine ever knew thier true parentage.) , but his reputation preceeded him. He was older than Duncan and from Amanda had told her a much more experienced swordsman. She also knew that he had defeated an immortal in New York city a few years back and gained the power of illusion. That might come in handy fighting Methos. The trick was finding him, no watcher could ever keep up with him long enough to get his routine down on paper or disk. The prof was attempting to use Cerebro and Joe had his lap top hooked up typing through the watcher data base.
Bobby and Catherine were in the rec room watching TV., or at least Bobby was. Catherine's mind was too preoccupied to enjoy a rerun of Sienfeld. The others had opted to get some shut eye before thier training sessions started. Bobby was trying to distract her by putting his head in her lap and giving her one of those patented platinum smiles. She smiled, but her heart wasn't in it. She didn't mean to be cruel to her father, but it was the truth. The killing and betrayal was getting to him. Catherine's musing was interupted by the faraway sound of Bobby's voice.
"If you want to cry I won't tell anyone. If you want to talk I'm sitting right here." Bobby's voice was soft and he managed to turn off the television without Catherine noticing. "What did a crook like me do to deserve you? Everything that I've told you would have scared off anyone else. Why are you staying?" Catherine didn't have a single emotion on her face and this scared Bobby. "I've told you this a hundred times, I love you. No matter how young you look or how old you may become." Bobby said as he lightly grazed her lips with a kiss. Catherine smiled gently.
"Bobby can I sleep in your room tonight? I don't want to be alone." Catherine's voice was pleading. Bobby kissed her again only this time deeper. "You can sleep there for the rest of your life if you want to." Bobby's voice was even softer now and Catherine found herself being lifted off the Couch and carried to his room. They spent the rest of the night trading kisses and plans for the future enfolded in each other's arms. She felt safe until the morning light flooded thru his curtains and she had to leave.
The breakfast table was silent and the tension between Duncan and his daughter was heavy in the air. Both of them were stubborn and refused to back down. Catherine wanted to fight and Duncan wanted anything but. Bobby was about to break the silence at the table when the doorbell rang. Catherine got up from her seat to answer the door and Duncan roughly pushed her back down in her seat. Catherine bit her tongue knowing that anything she said in anger would only fan the flames between them. Rogue moved to answer the wanting very much to leave the father daughter scene. It only reminded her of the night she ran away from home and her own father. What she found at the door wasn't anymore pleasent. It was Richie, bloody, healing slowly, and holding a very stained videotape.
Catherine was getting tired of the War room and asked to view the tape in the rec room. To everyone's surprise Scott agreed and turned on the VCR for her. **Maybe he's starting to accept her.** Jean thought as she watched her husband. Catherine wasn't ready for what she saw on the video tape. The tape began to play.
("Catherine darling, Duncan old friend. You two are probably wondering why I let dear Richie live. Two reasons really, one, he's not a threat to me and two, I needed a messenger. I've decided to bring this cat and mouse game you two have decided to play to a crescendo, so to speak. You have something I want and I have something you want.")
**What could he have that either of us could possibly want?** Catherine and Duncan thought. They got the answer to their question all too soon. The frame changed changed to somewhere dimly lit and no windows. Off camera a light screamed thru the room and settled on a very beaten up Amanda. To both Catherine's and Duncan's horror there was a scar healing across her neck. The scene went back to Methos.
("I'm suggesting a trade. The girl for her mother. A simple trade. I get what I want and she gets what she wants, to see her sweet mother alive and well. I know you know were I am by now, and unfortunately our friend Richie has led me straight to you. What a shame. You really should train your sidekicks better. Two days from now, the back of the inn near the cliff. No tricks and no mutants. I must admit hiding the girl at Xavier's Institute was smart. Who would bother looking for a normal child there.")
Catherine didn't know what made her more sick, the fact that Methos was so sure he was going to win or the fact that you could almost hear the sound of joy in his perverted voice. She hugged Bobby and Duncan close to her for a moment and then escaped their grip for a stronger position by herself. "What do we do now? Wait for Conner?" Catherine asked. "No we fight and we don't fight by the rules anymore." Duncan said staring coldly at the now snowy television screen. Catherine was hoping that he could channel his anger into a plan or better yet a winning fight.
Chapter Fourteen
All of the X-Men and Immortals were gathered in the war room. Plans and strategies were being tossed left and right. There were only a few things that they knew for sure.
1. Amanda was alive
2. Methos didn't really expect them to wait the two days.
3. They weren't about to make any kind of trade. It was all or nothing.
4. From what Richie told them there were only two other mutants with him.
There was no talking Catherine out of going after seeing the video tape, so Duncan didn't try. Joe had found Conner's location and was headed toward a provence in northeast Asia. There was little hope of him returning in time for the fight, but at least if they failed Conner could avenge them. After much deliberation the team was chosen. Scott would lead followed by Ororo, who would cover thier entrance and exit, Logan who would handle any unknown mutants with Scott, and Gambit would enter from an opposite area with Catherine to retrieve Amanda. Duncan had made it an imperitive to all that Catherine was not to come into contact with Methos. She would simply retrieve her mother from what appeared to be the inn's wine cellar and get back to the confines of the mansion. Bobby was more than hurt when he wasn't selected for the away team, but the professor pointed out that he was too emotional to be anything but a hinderance in this point in time. The rest of the X-Men were to stay behind and prepare the medlab for any injuries. As for Cassandra and Richie they had their own plans.
During the trip to Methos' headquarters both father and daughter centered themselves for the upcoming battle. Catherine didn't know what kind of mental state her mother could be in she had to prepare herself for the worst. Duncan had to prepare himself to kill a once friend. Sure it hadn't been the first time and wouldn't be the last, but all the same it hurt like hell to see comrads turn into enemies.
As the blackbird alighted on the grounds of the inn Catherine got an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach, something wasn't right. She kept seeing pictures of Amanda in her head from the video tape, but something was off about her. Something just didn't sound right. She started to say something to Duncan but decided not to. He had enough on his mind. As she stood up and departed the ship Catherine took note of her X-Man uniform and the arsenal she was carrying.
Jean allowed her to pick the look of her official uniform. Since she was a cat burgular by profession of course the color was black. The cut was, to say the least, form fitting. It was a leather stylized cat suit with a small pouch to hold a few smoke bombs and small collection of lock pics. On her shoulder was the usual X-symbal communicator and on her back, much to the distress of Duncan, was the silver colored spinal sheath that was especially designed for her Alamantium sword. With her hair pulled back into a severe braid she looked well beyond her years and dire. Even Scott had to admire her physique and bravado. She was about to walk into the lair of madman who wanted to kill her to save her mother.
Duncan was noticably uneasy despite his meditation on the plane and in no condition to fight. He was thinking like a father and not an immortal. **I have to start thinking like a warrior again. She can take care of herself, Methos will be outside dealing with me.** When everyone was outside the blackbird Scott took on his role as leader and assigned roles once more.
Catherine and Gambit under the haze of fog created by Storm headed toward the inn's back entrance. Scott, Duncan, and Logan decided tho use the direct approach and walked up the driveway. In midstep Logan caught a familiar scent in the and growled out a name. "Sabertooth."
"Hiya runt, come ta visit or just ta die?" Sabertooth said with a fanged smile on his lips. "Neither bub, but if you wanna fine with me." Wolverine said as he lunged a the much larger man. As this was happening Scott and Duncan kept moving toward the inn. "Come out Methos, we have a score to settle." Duncan shouted out as Methos jumped out of the shadows and slashed the back of black trench. Duncan spun around and took on a defensive stance. Scott was about to blast Methos until Duncan raised his hand in protest. "This is my fight Cyclops go inside and find Amanda." Duncan said coldly not taking his eyes off of Methos. Scott kept moving toward the house.
"Duncan you're loosing your edge. I never could have snuck up on you like that before. Is fatherhood making you soft or were you already soft to begin with?" Methos' mocking tone was making Macleod angry, angry enough to make fatal errors. Duncan knew he had to calm himself, at least long enough for Catherine and the others to get Amanda out.
"This way Gambit." Catherine whispered as they made thier way down a long dark hallway. She had taken the precaution earlier of memorizing a blueprint of the inn. Gambit figured it wasn't the first time she'd ever had to memorize a blueprint. Catherine couldn't help but notice the rooms around her. If they were in any other situation this would be the perfect hideaway after a hiest, but for now it was the last place she wanted to be with her mother. Catherine was jolted from her thoughts by the sound of footprints coming up the corridor behind her. "Remy, against the wall and into the shadows." Catherine barked. They both waited nervously as the silohette moved slowly down the hall. Any closer and Catherine would strike with a leathal roundhouse kick to the face. She was about to kick when a hint of Ruby was reflected in the light.
"Scott? Catherine asked. Where's my dad?" "He's outside with Methos. Don't worry he remembers the plan. He's just a distraction as soon we give the signal, we all turn tale." Scott said in his most reassuring voice. "Where is Wolverine?" Catherine asked. "Outside, one of the mutants Methos happened to hire was Sabertooth." Scott answered.
"Great, dat all we need!" Gambit blurted out. Catherine and Scott shot him a shushing glare.
Outside Richie and Cassandra were watching the insuing battles. Mutant against Mutant and Immortal against Immortal. Earlier that day Cassandra had another flash. She was not happy. She'd seen Macleod on his back about to die. Even more disturbing was the preminiton she saw concerning herself, Catherine and Amanda.
Her vision was more flashes than anything else. Like watching a black and white movie in slow motion. She was fighting Methos and lost. The rest of her vision was blury, but she sensed something different about the quickening he was receiving. Like Catherine, Cassandra sensed something off kilter about Amanda, but couldn't put her finger on it.
Duncan was tired of buying time. The clashing of his sword sounded empty and his soul wasn't in the fight. He just wanted to stop. Wolverine and Sabertooth slashed mercilessly at each other landing blows that would have killed normal men. Niether of them would tire of fighting each other, both wanted the death of the other.
Inside the inn Catherine and the others had entered the cellar. They'd met a young mutant guarding a door to a lower level and quickly and bloodlessly disposed of him. Sitting in the corner was Amanda. Catherine's heart jumped. Her mother was alive. Without thinking and without noticing a strange tint of yellow in Amanda's eyes she embraced her mother.
"Mom I missed you so much. Everything is going to be alright now." Catherine said stroking "Amanda's" head. "It will as soon as I kill you." "Amanda" said. Catherine's eyes went wide and she shoved herself away from her "mother" just in time to see "Amanda" pull out a small dagger from her boot. Catherine sat back in shock as her "mother" lunged at her again. Now Catherine knew what was off. The eyes. They may have looked like Amanda's on the outside, but there was nothing of Amanda behind them.
"I don't know who you are lady, but you picked the wrong kid to try and kill." Catherine said as she pulled out as slender dagger of her own. The false Amanda hopped to her feet and slashed at Catherine's chest. "Who are you?" Catherine snapped as she easily side stepped the now enraged woman. The woman's anger peaked as a slight smirk started at the corners of Catherine's mouth.
"You're good kid, but you're going to die tonight." The woman spat. As Catherine and the imposter fought Scott and Gambit also saw something disturbing in the woman's eyes. A change in color. "Mystique!" Gambit called out. "Get away from her Catherine. She not what she seems, she's a shape shifter."
"Good, then maybe she can shape shift a new face after I trash the fake one." Catherine said as her own dagger hit its mark and left a deep gash in Mystique's cheek. The mutant's composure left her and her true visage came.
**Amazing she can literally become anyone she wishes and she chooses to work for mad men.** Catherine thought as the mutant looked down at her bloody palm and felt the sting in her cheek. "Its going to be a pleasure killing you for Methos." Mystique hissed. Catherine was about to go in for the kill when Scott yelled out.
"Catherine leave her. There's no Amanda here. Remember the plan." Scott shouted. Catherine faked a stab with her dagger and caught Mystique off guard with a roundhouse to the face. "Another time Mystique." Catherine said to an unconcious Mystique. The trio started out toward Duncan and the Blackbird.
Meanwhile outside Cassandra and Richie watched as Duncan and Wolverine faught their opponents bravely. Cassandra was starting to feel her age, between keeping Richie out of the fight and worrying about her disturbing vision, she was completely on edge. Macleod was weakening from the furious pace of the fight and Wolverine was becoming more enraged and sloppy by the second. They were both making lethal mistakes.
Cassandra's head began to throb and humm. She was having another vision, it was time for her to die. At that moment Duncan tripped and fell backwards and Cassandra rushed forward just in time to block a lethal blow with her sword.
"Cassandra darling, this isn't your fight!" Methos said with a pant. "Now it is, it always has been." Cassandra said quietly. Thier swords clashed and whistled through the night air as Cassandra aptly moved the fight away from an exhausted Duncan. Cassandra knew she was no match for Methos and couldn't keep us this furious pace for long. Across the yard Wolverine and Sabertooth were still locked in the heat of battle. Each man slowly losing control and becoming the animal underneath.
Richie watched the battle like an obsecessed fan. At times he found himself cheering inside for the small Canadian, but this couldn't go on much longer. The plan was to get Amanda, get out, and regroup back at the mansion. Methos wanted to fight on his own turf and that was fine, but Duncan was in no shape to be his opponent. It was time for the fighting to stop, at least for tonight. Richie carefully aimed his tranquilizer gun and fired at the larger man. The darts that Dr. McCoy formulated worked faster than he'd expected. Now came the hard part, getting Logan back from the brink.
Catherine and the others were on thier way out of the inn when Duncan scream. "Cassandra!"
Cassandra was fighting like a lioness against fate and her growing fatigue. Methos' grin widened as he saw his opening. With the grace of a dancer Methos paried Cassandra's sword out of her hands and delivered a quick blow to released the woman's quickeining. Duncan screamed as his eyes and minded cleared in time to see the death of his friend.
Logan and Richie stared in shock together as the quickening began. A blue haze poured from the now headless form of Cassandra. Clouds gathered in the sky and lighting flashed from the ground up. If not for the death of a friend the quickening would be a beautiful sight.
Catherine ran out of the door of the building and was struck by lightening.
Okay this is kind of long, but I like it. Hey I left you hanging again. Ha Ha. Please Read and Review.