TITLE- I Am, Therefore I Kill part 3
AUTHOR- candy aka candylynn
E-MAIL ME- darksydelady@aol.com
TYPE- Sabertooth/love/angst
RATING- R
DISCLAIMER-I don't own anyone in the story.
NOTES- The mystery of Allura Knight and Victor Creed's relationship is revealed; I hope Wolverine survives.
**************************
Along time ago in a dark alley in Madripoor...
"Logan it's over, you might as well come out and surrender." Marcus had counted Logan as a friend. A man to be trusted with life and wallet. But today, Logan was nothing more than another target. A rogue C.I.A. operative that knew too much and needed to be eliminated. Pity...
From the shadows Logan could see his old friend closing in on his position. His silver plated desert eagle ready to fire at the first indication of movement. Logan had hoped to reason with him, maybe even get him to see what he now saw... The CIA was going to kill them all anyway. But Marcus was a dedicated agent, CIA born and bred. He was what the other covert ops boys aimed to be, a lethal, thinking killing machine that could separate his job from his life. He didn't have nightmares about his victims, because as far as he is concerned they deserved the death he dealt them. Every target the Agency gave him was not worthy of breathing. Period.
It was time, Logan knew he couldn't hide forever and pleading with him was not working. Blood was going to be spilled tonight.
Marcus turned on a dime and had Logan dead to rights. If not for the dire straights he was in, Logan would have smiled at how incredibly accurate an urban tracker Marcus was even though he was human. Marcus fired three well targeted shots into the darkness. All three connected with Logan. Everything had happened so fast Logan had no time to even react.
The blood from the seeping bullet wounds was starting to pool at his feet just as the red haze of the feral inferno he called his animal side started to seize control of Logan. Without a thought or worry, Logan seemed to defy gravity as he emerged headlong from the darkness of his shadowy corner in the alley.
Upon grabbing Marcus into a crushing bear hug, he flung himself and his captive hunter to the broken cement ground. They rolled in a tight ball. As their bodies slammed into a brick wall near the entrance of the alley, Logan was the first one to get to his feet.
SNIKNT!!!
Brilliantly shiny adamantium claws sparkled like diamonds in the half light of the alley. Marcus, soon recovered shortly after he registered the danger the claws presented him. Without getting to his feet, he pointed his gun and aimed for the only spot on Logan where a bullet would do damage, his eyes. A shot there would enter his brain and then bounce around that adamantium skull of his.
CAP... CAP... CAP... Two misses...
The three shot sailed true towards it's target, but Logan was just that much faster when feral and swatted the bullet away with a claw. The dull 'ting' of the steel bullet hitting the stronger adamantium let Marcus know, that it was over.
Logan, his hand raised after following through with the swat, lowered his fisted hand down towards Marcus like it was Thor's hammer. All three of Logan's claws entered his rib cage. The sound of his bones cracking as he violated him was drowned out by Marcus' painful death wail. Blood spilled out his mouth like a fountain.
Turning his head he glanced at a clearly enraged Logan. But as Logan registered that Marcus' scream was now a fading echo, his hateful eyes turned remorseful. With his last breath Marcus attempted to whisper the name of the one person in the world he honestly loved... "Lo..uhhh..."
***************
The Present
Logan's room.
"ARGHHHHHHHH!" Logan sprang from his bed with a terrifying yelp. Again the same dream. His heart raced a million miles a second, as he searched the darkness for something that he felt should have been there. But as his eyes quickly focused he realized that the alley was gone, Marcus was long dead and he was home.
Before he could completely gather his wits, his door knob was 'paffed' off and two young woman raced in with another woman in tow.
"Logan are you kay," Jubilee was borderline hysterical. He'd awakened like this every night for the past week now.
"Darlin' I am fine." He accepted her into his arms as she flung herself at him. Kitty stood at the foot of the bed trying to collect herself. She looked back at Lori who was standing at the door looking in with concern. Kitty nodded to her and smiled. Lori turned and went to kitchen; she may have just moved in her but she already knew that Logan would want a beer and sandwich, roast beef, ham and chicken with extra mayo. Kinda like Creed.
When she returned with the small snack, small by Logan's standards, the room was packed with every telepath in the house including the kindly Charles Xavier. "Excusi, excusi, sandwich and beer for the patient," she quipped as she pushed past everyone.
She smiled when she finally reached him. He was still tucked in his bed with Kitty sitting on one side of him and Jubilee holding him tight on the other. With the exception of their attention he seemed angry that the others were there.
"Chuck I said I am fine. Just a dream, I have'em ya know." Lori thrusted the sandwich in his face and smiled again. He was man's man ... all this hen picking by the others was nerve racking to him. The girls and their huggs were welcomed anytime, but the others questioning him about every little thing was an invasion he wouldn't stand for.
He finally noticed the plate and beer in his face and was about to smile, until he looked up at the one giving it to him. Lori made him jumpy. Not that she'd ever done anything to him, heck she was actually a nice girl, but something in her scent was evil. Not her per say, but maybe someone in her past. Then there was her eyes, every time he saw them they drummed up a self loathing in side himself and he didn't know why. In fact the dreams didn't start until she moved in. Well, not really, more like a week or so later.
He had even talked to Charles about it briefly, but he assured him that she had no telepathic abilities and was not the source of his angst. He had killed many a person in his life and killing Marcus had always hurt him deeply. Maybe it was just time he dealt with that demon; her timing had nothing to do with it.
********************************
Lori returned to her room and locked her door. She could hear the others returning to their rooms as well. If she had fiured Jubilee and Kitty right, no easy task, they would sleep in Logan's room. She smiled, the memory of sleeping in Victor's bed warmed her.
On nights when she was scared or hurt, she'd sneak into his room, but was careful to vanish before he woke up. Though she was sure he knew she'd been there with that nose of his. She looked out the window, longing to be with him again... him and Birdy.
God they were good together, better than good, they were excellent. Creed was the assassin, Birdy was his 'assistant' and dog leech, and Lori was their booking agent. She spoke several languages and handled people with great ease. She made the contacts while they did the wetwork. But after Birdy was killed, he vanished.
He had provided for her, she nor her great great great grandchildren would want for anything ... but him. Her flesh tingled with something close to lust and utter love as she remembered all the times he was nice to her for no reason. And all the times he was ready to blow up at her, but for some reason he never did.
"Enough," she whispered to herself. He was gone. And he wasn't coming back. When Victor Creed went underground he went U N D E R G R O U N D.
Realizing that she would not get back to sleep tonight; Lori dressed in a black sweat shirt and jeans. Recovering her headphones, she place her favorite CD in. It was a lovely night, cold but clear. The moon was full and the chairs were still out near the pool. A good night for star gazing.
*******************************
"Listen to me Creed, if you ever want to get that tag off you will recover her 7779311 is very important to us." Gyrich's voice coldly leaked into Creed's ear from his earpiece. The monstrous blonde sneered as Gyrich activated his 'leash'. A small subdermal implant that pulsed an electrical shock. It was activated via remote control, a remote control that Gyrich wielded like a slave whip.
Creed stooped on his tree branch perch about thirty or so feet from a rear end section of Xavier's brick wall gate. Binoculars in hand, he surveyed the property. He knew the lay of the land and remembered that this was the weakest point in their defense grid. Not that it was much of a defense grid to someone as skilled as him.
Exhaling, Victor rethought the wisdom of not telling Gyrich about his 'relationship' with her. He again told himself it was best if Gyrich knew as little about Lori as possible. As for calling her 7779311, it was wearing thin on Creed's nerves. It reminded him too much of the Weapon X project. She was a person, not a number and he be damned if he let Gyrich and his hired lab rats turn her back into one.
He'd go in, she'd go with him, but Gyrich would never see her again. No matter what pain he had to endure, 'sides Lori had a knack for recovering things from inside him. Once she'd passed through him with her powers and got a bullet out of his spine. She was out cold for a week, but it worked. He was sure something right on his skin would be a breeze for her.
He took one last look around the pool area and almost stumbled out of the tree when he saw Lori walk out and flop down on a chair. Smiling, he realized for the first time, how much he truly missed that girl.
*************************
*Know your friends*
*Watch out for your enemy*
*'Cause your enemy kill so you gotta kill your enemy*
*Know your friends*
The rhythmic bounce of the reggae song mixed with a playful violin rift rippled through her ears. Her favorite song and words to live by. Though she was sure her new friends would disagree; killing was a no no around here. She wondered what they would think if they knew about the name she simply referred to as her benefactor and all the hits she'd helped him set up.
No matter ... he was gone and this is where she'd found herself.
*Know your friends*
*Watch out for your enemy*
*Cause your enemy kill so gotta kill your enemy*
*Know your friends*
**************************
Gambit, hated being empathic sometimes. Especially now. With everyone asleep and no one having anymore nightmares, he was easily picking up Lori, the only problem was feeling Lori's moods was like trying to capture light. You see it, but it blinds. You feel it, but it burns you. But tonight she was coming in clearly, she was focused on her music and a painful memory.
He figured the least he could do was go out and attempt to talk to her. She wasn't secretive per sey but she really hadn't said much about her past. And he was judging from the late and sleepless nights she commonly kept that her past was painful.
As he passed the window on his way out, he felt something else. Evil, dark...but concerned and.... Remy had never felt such a mix of pure evil and love in his life. He rushed to the window to check on her and to his horror, running across the lawn was Sabertooth. He was headed right for her. With her headphones on and her eyes closed, she didn't even see him.
"Chere," he yelled!!! There was no way he would make it to her in time by taking the normal ways to the patio, so...FIZZZZZZZZZ. BOOMMMMMM!!!!!! CRASH!!!
He unleashed a flurry of kinetic cards and broke through the window, just as Creed reached Lori. All the commotion got her attention. Her eyes popped open to only be blessed with the sight of Creed. A giant smile light up her already beautiful face making her look angelic. But from over her shoulder she could hear the sound of Gambit charging cards. Before she had time to say or do anything, Creed leaped over and attacked Gambit head on. The blazing purple cards connected with Creed, but he shrugged off the sensation as if he had been shot with water from a water gun.
Creed took the thin agile Cajun down into a dangerous and bloody roll. Upon rebounding to his feet, Creed stood cackling over the bloody and badly hurt Cajun. "No, Creed, NO!!!" Lori approached at break neck speed, but was yanked off her feet by a strong telekinetic hold from Jean.
The others had heard the commotion and came running. Logan had smelled Creed only a few seconds before Gambit exploded the window and was on his way from the other wing of the house then. "NO!!!!" Lori yelled reaching to Creed, who was thrown for a loop when Lori stopped and hovered in midair. Just as Logan approached from the rear, Creed turned to his new attacker, but was too late to stop the onslaught of hacks and slashes Logan inflicted on him.
"NO!!!!!!!!!! LEAVE HIM ALONE...YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND...JEAN LET ME GO!!!!" Lori's pleas fell on deaf ears as Jean refused to release her. It was then that Lori decided enough was enough. She was going to hurt real good for this one, but she 'moved' herself with her light powers out of Jean's firm TK hold and over towards Logan who was doing a number on Creed's chest.
"I SAID NO!!!!" With that angry threat, Lori blasted Logan clear across the drained pool into a patio table. Stunned but not hurt he got to his feet. With great shock the gathering X-Men watched as Lori cradled Creed in her arms as she cried hysterically. Several times her body seemed to desolve into pure light in an attempt to move herself and him, but something was blocking her.
***************
Against their better judgment they got him to MEDLAB, for treatment along with Remy. Logan wouldn't get even a stern warning for this. Creed was one of the most dangerous of all the X-Men's enemies he couldn't be reasoned with or talked to, he liked to kill and was good at. That made him more dangerous than even Magneto.
It took the combined efforts Jean, Scott and Bishop to hold her back and keep her from killing Logan. No one was sure why she was so upset or why Creed was here but the safe money was on them knowing each other. But that didn't make any sense, if she was a mole then why had she tried to stop Creed from harming Remy?
"LET me GO!!!" Lori finally got her wish once Beast announced that Creed was secured to the medlab observation bed. Lori broke past all of them and again flung herself at Victor, who was being held in place by an adamantium bar and various restraints.
Again the X-men watched in shock as she cried softly and whispered 'it'll be okays' and 'I missed yous' to the murderous leech.
*******************
By Morning, they had decided it was time to get some answers out of her and now. Lead by Charles, Jean, Ororo, Logan, Kitty, Jubilee, and Hank approached her as she slept at Creed's bedside.
"Lori, I think we need to talk," Charles' kind voice awake her from a dreamless sleep. She raised her head and quickly glanced at the monitors keeping track of Creed's progress, he was doing better. So was Remy, a relief to her on both fronts.
Turning to Charles she nodded. She had long ago been schooled by Birdy on what to say to people when asked about her benefactor, but in this case lying would only serve to make a bad situation worse. "Creed is my benefactor," she began to explain through sleepy tears, " The CIA was after one night and I helped him. I didn't know why I did it, just ... this man ... small in a loin clothe ... he pointed me in the direction of the alley ... he said 'redemption' and me like an idiot I went."
"A loin clothe... migod GATEWAY," Jubilee slumped down in a chair in the corner of the room stroking her head as if it hurt and it was starting to.
"You were told to help Creed by Gateway?" Charles asked.
"I don't know the little guy, but if you say so. Anyway, after a little convincing by Birdy, Creed took me in. I worked for him, I set up his..uh...*ahem*... his jobs." She could hear the collective I don't believe this sighs coming from them. "When Bridy died, he vanished. He left me a note, said that he was too dangerous for me to work for, told me to do what ever I wanted with my life as long as I got out of the business ... so I did. I mean I had my languages and other talents. I can sing... alittle." She looked down into her hands. She was rambling.
"You sing more than a little..." a weak but amazing cold voice came from the bed. Creed held his eyes closed, unable to look at her. He had failed her again. He came here all those years ago to et help for his rages so that he could be ... and he'd come here tonight to protect her from Gyrich. He failed both times."
"Creedy," She jumped from her seat and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Lori," he grumbled with a weak smile. As he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Logan's scrolling face. SNIKNT!!! Lori heard the sound of his claws unsheathing and slowly rose off Creed with a pensive look of rage growing on her face. "No, Lori, he ain't no one for ya to be rumbling wit." The assembled X-Men were again shocked by the pair. Her defensiveness and his warning.
"Creedy why did you come here, it's obvious that you people don't get along..."
"Gyrich is afta ya again Lori ... this time he means to get ya. "
"Screw him ... why did you come here." He pointed at his neck.
"I got two more hours before I get the shock of my life...literally Kiddo."
With one gentle motion Lori became light and entered him than returned with the small metal button in hand. She raced to the window and tossed it out. It exploded before it hit the ground.
"Nice trick," Logan grunted under his breath.
Lori cut her eyes at him, still angry at him for all the damage he did to Creed. "Now, time to go." Her declaration was meant with immediate action. Jean again grabbed her, raising her into the air a good five feet.
"Sorry Darlin' you ain't taking this bag of..."
"Hey Runt, you know you could be a little nicer to her. I mean you kind of owe her for what you dun and all." Creed cackled from his bed. The reunion was nice, but she was right it was time to leave and now.
Jean lowered Lori to the ground as her struggling was taxing on her, "What in the flamin' hell you talkin' 'bout?" Logan demanded.
Creed looked over at Lori, he had promised himself never to drag her into his world again. She was out and doing well because of it. But he had to get out of here and right now before Gyrich got wise to what was going on. Lori was a powerhouse, especially when she was mad. And for years Creed had sat on information that would make her go thermonuclear.
"Lori, 'member I promised to deliver the asshole who killed you Pa?"
"Yeah, it was supposed to part of my retirement package, and.." she said with her hands on her hips.
"Well, Allura Knight Caldwell, met 'Patch' Logan... Logan met Marcus Caldwell's pride and joy." With that Creed's maniacal laughter could be heard through out the medlab.
Lori raised her head and glared at Logan, who was clearly not too surprised by Creed's proclamation. He looked almost relieved. And to be honest he was. Deep down inside he must have realized that Lori was Marcus's little girl who was only six when he killed her Daddy, that's why he was having the nightmares.
As he noted the glowing anger in her eyes and the developing ball of pure energy in her hand he realized it may be time to pay the piper after all these years.
AUTHOR- candy aka candylynn
E-MAIL ME- darksydelady@aol.com
TYPE- Sabertooth/love/angst
RATING- R
DISCLAIMER-I don't own anyone in the story.
NOTES- The mystery of Allura Knight and Victor Creed's relationship is revealed; I hope Wolverine survives.
**************************
Along time ago in a dark alley in Madripoor...
"Logan it's over, you might as well come out and surrender." Marcus had counted Logan as a friend. A man to be trusted with life and wallet. But today, Logan was nothing more than another target. A rogue C.I.A. operative that knew too much and needed to be eliminated. Pity...
From the shadows Logan could see his old friend closing in on his position. His silver plated desert eagle ready to fire at the first indication of movement. Logan had hoped to reason with him, maybe even get him to see what he now saw... The CIA was going to kill them all anyway. But Marcus was a dedicated agent, CIA born and bred. He was what the other covert ops boys aimed to be, a lethal, thinking killing machine that could separate his job from his life. He didn't have nightmares about his victims, because as far as he is concerned they deserved the death he dealt them. Every target the Agency gave him was not worthy of breathing. Period.
It was time, Logan knew he couldn't hide forever and pleading with him was not working. Blood was going to be spilled tonight.
Marcus turned on a dime and had Logan dead to rights. If not for the dire straights he was in, Logan would have smiled at how incredibly accurate an urban tracker Marcus was even though he was human. Marcus fired three well targeted shots into the darkness. All three connected with Logan. Everything had happened so fast Logan had no time to even react.
The blood from the seeping bullet wounds was starting to pool at his feet just as the red haze of the feral inferno he called his animal side started to seize control of Logan. Without a thought or worry, Logan seemed to defy gravity as he emerged headlong from the darkness of his shadowy corner in the alley.
Upon grabbing Marcus into a crushing bear hug, he flung himself and his captive hunter to the broken cement ground. They rolled in a tight ball. As their bodies slammed into a brick wall near the entrance of the alley, Logan was the first one to get to his feet.
SNIKNT!!!
Brilliantly shiny adamantium claws sparkled like diamonds in the half light of the alley. Marcus, soon recovered shortly after he registered the danger the claws presented him. Without getting to his feet, he pointed his gun and aimed for the only spot on Logan where a bullet would do damage, his eyes. A shot there would enter his brain and then bounce around that adamantium skull of his.
CAP... CAP... CAP... Two misses...
The three shot sailed true towards it's target, but Logan was just that much faster when feral and swatted the bullet away with a claw. The dull 'ting' of the steel bullet hitting the stronger adamantium let Marcus know, that it was over.
Logan, his hand raised after following through with the swat, lowered his fisted hand down towards Marcus like it was Thor's hammer. All three of Logan's claws entered his rib cage. The sound of his bones cracking as he violated him was drowned out by Marcus' painful death wail. Blood spilled out his mouth like a fountain.
Turning his head he glanced at a clearly enraged Logan. But as Logan registered that Marcus' scream was now a fading echo, his hateful eyes turned remorseful. With his last breath Marcus attempted to whisper the name of the one person in the world he honestly loved... "Lo..uhhh..."
***************
The Present
Logan's room.
"ARGHHHHHHHH!" Logan sprang from his bed with a terrifying yelp. Again the same dream. His heart raced a million miles a second, as he searched the darkness for something that he felt should have been there. But as his eyes quickly focused he realized that the alley was gone, Marcus was long dead and he was home.
Before he could completely gather his wits, his door knob was 'paffed' off and two young woman raced in with another woman in tow.
"Logan are you kay," Jubilee was borderline hysterical. He'd awakened like this every night for the past week now.
"Darlin' I am fine." He accepted her into his arms as she flung herself at him. Kitty stood at the foot of the bed trying to collect herself. She looked back at Lori who was standing at the door looking in with concern. Kitty nodded to her and smiled. Lori turned and went to kitchen; she may have just moved in her but she already knew that Logan would want a beer and sandwich, roast beef, ham and chicken with extra mayo. Kinda like Creed.
When she returned with the small snack, small by Logan's standards, the room was packed with every telepath in the house including the kindly Charles Xavier. "Excusi, excusi, sandwich and beer for the patient," she quipped as she pushed past everyone.
She smiled when she finally reached him. He was still tucked in his bed with Kitty sitting on one side of him and Jubilee holding him tight on the other. With the exception of their attention he seemed angry that the others were there.
"Chuck I said I am fine. Just a dream, I have'em ya know." Lori thrusted the sandwich in his face and smiled again. He was man's man ... all this hen picking by the others was nerve racking to him. The girls and their huggs were welcomed anytime, but the others questioning him about every little thing was an invasion he wouldn't stand for.
He finally noticed the plate and beer in his face and was about to smile, until he looked up at the one giving it to him. Lori made him jumpy. Not that she'd ever done anything to him, heck she was actually a nice girl, but something in her scent was evil. Not her per say, but maybe someone in her past. Then there was her eyes, every time he saw them they drummed up a self loathing in side himself and he didn't know why. In fact the dreams didn't start until she moved in. Well, not really, more like a week or so later.
He had even talked to Charles about it briefly, but he assured him that she had no telepathic abilities and was not the source of his angst. He had killed many a person in his life and killing Marcus had always hurt him deeply. Maybe it was just time he dealt with that demon; her timing had nothing to do with it.
********************************
Lori returned to her room and locked her door. She could hear the others returning to their rooms as well. If she had fiured Jubilee and Kitty right, no easy task, they would sleep in Logan's room. She smiled, the memory of sleeping in Victor's bed warmed her.
On nights when she was scared or hurt, she'd sneak into his room, but was careful to vanish before he woke up. Though she was sure he knew she'd been there with that nose of his. She looked out the window, longing to be with him again... him and Birdy.
God they were good together, better than good, they were excellent. Creed was the assassin, Birdy was his 'assistant' and dog leech, and Lori was their booking agent. She spoke several languages and handled people with great ease. She made the contacts while they did the wetwork. But after Birdy was killed, he vanished.
He had provided for her, she nor her great great great grandchildren would want for anything ... but him. Her flesh tingled with something close to lust and utter love as she remembered all the times he was nice to her for no reason. And all the times he was ready to blow up at her, but for some reason he never did.
"Enough," she whispered to herself. He was gone. And he wasn't coming back. When Victor Creed went underground he went U N D E R G R O U N D.
Realizing that she would not get back to sleep tonight; Lori dressed in a black sweat shirt and jeans. Recovering her headphones, she place her favorite CD in. It was a lovely night, cold but clear. The moon was full and the chairs were still out near the pool. A good night for star gazing.
*******************************
"Listen to me Creed, if you ever want to get that tag off you will recover her 7779311 is very important to us." Gyrich's voice coldly leaked into Creed's ear from his earpiece. The monstrous blonde sneered as Gyrich activated his 'leash'. A small subdermal implant that pulsed an electrical shock. It was activated via remote control, a remote control that Gyrich wielded like a slave whip.
Creed stooped on his tree branch perch about thirty or so feet from a rear end section of Xavier's brick wall gate. Binoculars in hand, he surveyed the property. He knew the lay of the land and remembered that this was the weakest point in their defense grid. Not that it was much of a defense grid to someone as skilled as him.
Exhaling, Victor rethought the wisdom of not telling Gyrich about his 'relationship' with her. He again told himself it was best if Gyrich knew as little about Lori as possible. As for calling her 7779311, it was wearing thin on Creed's nerves. It reminded him too much of the Weapon X project. She was a person, not a number and he be damned if he let Gyrich and his hired lab rats turn her back into one.
He'd go in, she'd go with him, but Gyrich would never see her again. No matter what pain he had to endure, 'sides Lori had a knack for recovering things from inside him. Once she'd passed through him with her powers and got a bullet out of his spine. She was out cold for a week, but it worked. He was sure something right on his skin would be a breeze for her.
He took one last look around the pool area and almost stumbled out of the tree when he saw Lori walk out and flop down on a chair. Smiling, he realized for the first time, how much he truly missed that girl.
*************************
*Know your friends*
*Watch out for your enemy*
*'Cause your enemy kill so you gotta kill your enemy*
*Know your friends*
The rhythmic bounce of the reggae song mixed with a playful violin rift rippled through her ears. Her favorite song and words to live by. Though she was sure her new friends would disagree; killing was a no no around here. She wondered what they would think if they knew about the name she simply referred to as her benefactor and all the hits she'd helped him set up.
No matter ... he was gone and this is where she'd found herself.
*Know your friends*
*Watch out for your enemy*
*Cause your enemy kill so gotta kill your enemy*
*Know your friends*
**************************
Gambit, hated being empathic sometimes. Especially now. With everyone asleep and no one having anymore nightmares, he was easily picking up Lori, the only problem was feeling Lori's moods was like trying to capture light. You see it, but it blinds. You feel it, but it burns you. But tonight she was coming in clearly, she was focused on her music and a painful memory.
He figured the least he could do was go out and attempt to talk to her. She wasn't secretive per sey but she really hadn't said much about her past. And he was judging from the late and sleepless nights she commonly kept that her past was painful.
As he passed the window on his way out, he felt something else. Evil, dark...but concerned and.... Remy had never felt such a mix of pure evil and love in his life. He rushed to the window to check on her and to his horror, running across the lawn was Sabertooth. He was headed right for her. With her headphones on and her eyes closed, she didn't even see him.
"Chere," he yelled!!! There was no way he would make it to her in time by taking the normal ways to the patio, so...FIZZZZZZZZZ. BOOMMMMMM!!!!!! CRASH!!!
He unleashed a flurry of kinetic cards and broke through the window, just as Creed reached Lori. All the commotion got her attention. Her eyes popped open to only be blessed with the sight of Creed. A giant smile light up her already beautiful face making her look angelic. But from over her shoulder she could hear the sound of Gambit charging cards. Before she had time to say or do anything, Creed leaped over and attacked Gambit head on. The blazing purple cards connected with Creed, but he shrugged off the sensation as if he had been shot with water from a water gun.
Creed took the thin agile Cajun down into a dangerous and bloody roll. Upon rebounding to his feet, Creed stood cackling over the bloody and badly hurt Cajun. "No, Creed, NO!!!" Lori approached at break neck speed, but was yanked off her feet by a strong telekinetic hold from Jean.
The others had heard the commotion and came running. Logan had smelled Creed only a few seconds before Gambit exploded the window and was on his way from the other wing of the house then. "NO!!!!" Lori yelled reaching to Creed, who was thrown for a loop when Lori stopped and hovered in midair. Just as Logan approached from the rear, Creed turned to his new attacker, but was too late to stop the onslaught of hacks and slashes Logan inflicted on him.
"NO!!!!!!!!!! LEAVE HIM ALONE...YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND...JEAN LET ME GO!!!!" Lori's pleas fell on deaf ears as Jean refused to release her. It was then that Lori decided enough was enough. She was going to hurt real good for this one, but she 'moved' herself with her light powers out of Jean's firm TK hold and over towards Logan who was doing a number on Creed's chest.
"I SAID NO!!!!" With that angry threat, Lori blasted Logan clear across the drained pool into a patio table. Stunned but not hurt he got to his feet. With great shock the gathering X-Men watched as Lori cradled Creed in her arms as she cried hysterically. Several times her body seemed to desolve into pure light in an attempt to move herself and him, but something was blocking her.
***************
Against their better judgment they got him to MEDLAB, for treatment along with Remy. Logan wouldn't get even a stern warning for this. Creed was one of the most dangerous of all the X-Men's enemies he couldn't be reasoned with or talked to, he liked to kill and was good at. That made him more dangerous than even Magneto.
It took the combined efforts Jean, Scott and Bishop to hold her back and keep her from killing Logan. No one was sure why she was so upset or why Creed was here but the safe money was on them knowing each other. But that didn't make any sense, if she was a mole then why had she tried to stop Creed from harming Remy?
"LET me GO!!!" Lori finally got her wish once Beast announced that Creed was secured to the medlab observation bed. Lori broke past all of them and again flung herself at Victor, who was being held in place by an adamantium bar and various restraints.
Again the X-men watched in shock as she cried softly and whispered 'it'll be okays' and 'I missed yous' to the murderous leech.
*******************
By Morning, they had decided it was time to get some answers out of her and now. Lead by Charles, Jean, Ororo, Logan, Kitty, Jubilee, and Hank approached her as she slept at Creed's bedside.
"Lori, I think we need to talk," Charles' kind voice awake her from a dreamless sleep. She raised her head and quickly glanced at the monitors keeping track of Creed's progress, he was doing better. So was Remy, a relief to her on both fronts.
Turning to Charles she nodded. She had long ago been schooled by Birdy on what to say to people when asked about her benefactor, but in this case lying would only serve to make a bad situation worse. "Creed is my benefactor," she began to explain through sleepy tears, " The CIA was after one night and I helped him. I didn't know why I did it, just ... this man ... small in a loin clothe ... he pointed me in the direction of the alley ... he said 'redemption' and me like an idiot I went."
"A loin clothe... migod GATEWAY," Jubilee slumped down in a chair in the corner of the room stroking her head as if it hurt and it was starting to.
"You were told to help Creed by Gateway?" Charles asked.
"I don't know the little guy, but if you say so. Anyway, after a little convincing by Birdy, Creed took me in. I worked for him, I set up his..uh...*ahem*... his jobs." She could hear the collective I don't believe this sighs coming from them. "When Bridy died, he vanished. He left me a note, said that he was too dangerous for me to work for, told me to do what ever I wanted with my life as long as I got out of the business ... so I did. I mean I had my languages and other talents. I can sing... alittle." She looked down into her hands. She was rambling.
"You sing more than a little..." a weak but amazing cold voice came from the bed. Creed held his eyes closed, unable to look at her. He had failed her again. He came here all those years ago to et help for his rages so that he could be ... and he'd come here tonight to protect her from Gyrich. He failed both times."
"Creedy," She jumped from her seat and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Lori," he grumbled with a weak smile. As he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Logan's scrolling face. SNIKNT!!! Lori heard the sound of his claws unsheathing and slowly rose off Creed with a pensive look of rage growing on her face. "No, Lori, he ain't no one for ya to be rumbling wit." The assembled X-Men were again shocked by the pair. Her defensiveness and his warning.
"Creedy why did you come here, it's obvious that you people don't get along..."
"Gyrich is afta ya again Lori ... this time he means to get ya. "
"Screw him ... why did you come here." He pointed at his neck.
"I got two more hours before I get the shock of my life...literally Kiddo."
With one gentle motion Lori became light and entered him than returned with the small metal button in hand. She raced to the window and tossed it out. It exploded before it hit the ground.
"Nice trick," Logan grunted under his breath.
Lori cut her eyes at him, still angry at him for all the damage he did to Creed. "Now, time to go." Her declaration was meant with immediate action. Jean again grabbed her, raising her into the air a good five feet.
"Sorry Darlin' you ain't taking this bag of..."
"Hey Runt, you know you could be a little nicer to her. I mean you kind of owe her for what you dun and all." Creed cackled from his bed. The reunion was nice, but she was right it was time to leave and now.
Jean lowered Lori to the ground as her struggling was taxing on her, "What in the flamin' hell you talkin' 'bout?" Logan demanded.
Creed looked over at Lori, he had promised himself never to drag her into his world again. She was out and doing well because of it. But he had to get out of here and right now before Gyrich got wise to what was going on. Lori was a powerhouse, especially when she was mad. And for years Creed had sat on information that would make her go thermonuclear.
"Lori, 'member I promised to deliver the asshole who killed you Pa?"
"Yeah, it was supposed to part of my retirement package, and.." she said with her hands on her hips.
"Well, Allura Knight Caldwell, met 'Patch' Logan... Logan met Marcus Caldwell's pride and joy." With that Creed's maniacal laughter could be heard through out the medlab.
Lori raised her head and glared at Logan, who was clearly not too surprised by Creed's proclamation. He looked almost relieved. And to be honest he was. Deep down inside he must have realized that Lori was Marcus's little girl who was only six when he killed her Daddy, that's why he was having the nightmares.
As he noted the glowing anger in her eyes and the developing ball of pure energy in her hand he realized it may be time to pay the piper after all these years.