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Ch. 8 – Old Habits Die Hard

Shadowcat awoke the next day. Her head still spun from a combination of the experience of her rescue, and the drugs the FOH had given her. She tried to get up, but Beast quickly stopped her.

"You need your rest Kitty, and you won't get that from trying to get up. You will be fine…in time." AS he left her side, Wolverine entered to check up on Morph. Seeing that Morph was sleeping like a baby, he went over to check on Shadowcat.

"Hey girl, how are ya?"

"Ugh. The room still spins at times. I've been worse."

"I'm glad we got you out of there."

"Yeah, we all appreciate it. Actually, Kurt and I were reminiscing about this place when they FOH got us. They just stunned us, and took us there, wherever there was. I'm glad we're out of there." Wolverine was smiling.

"You still look good. What exactly you been doing since Excalibur broke up?"

"Well, Peter and I broke up. There wasn't any future in that. I was working as a computer analyst out in Tennessee. Kurt was just in from Germany. I don't know how they got us." She sits back and smiles. "Who was that camouflaged mutant that I've never seen or met before?"

"You mean the squid? Yeah, his name's Matt Kerns. We call him Slash. He's an ex-Navy SEAL. Good with guns and covert ops. A man after my own heart." Wolverine knew that smile. "No Kate, don't you even dare go after him right now. He lost his wife to those mutant hatin' treehuggers. He's still trying to recover from that loss." He paused. "He was out on deployment defending the freedom of those FOH bastards, when on the day he came home, his wife was lynched, and his home burned. He kept himself under control and we fetched him. If I were in his place, well, there would have been a massacre." Shadowcat was stunned silent by Wolverine's tale. A tear slowly beaded up on her face.

"How…tragic." Was her only response.

The next day, Slash was walking beside Xavier out in the gardens of the estate.

"Professor, I know how you condone the use of guns, but I have been trained to use them. They are an integral part of my SEAL training, and I heavily depend on them with my vision. May I on the outskirts of the property build a firing range? As you can see on this last mission, my firepower helped us escape without further injury. That MP-5 has become my right hand in close quarters. I've taken it to fight foreign dictators. I need to keep my firing skills up." Xavier put his hand up.

"I have tendered the idea of you requesting this since you first came. I was firmly against the idea. But, since seeing you and your skills in action, I have come to appreciate their usefulness in battle. I approve this idea, on the condition that you are the only one who knows about this, and the only one that uses it."

"You have my word as a SEAL." They shook on it, and they returned to the mansion.

Slash got his MP-5, and went exploring the property for the perfect location for the firing range. He loaded the gun with practice rounds, so he could take the opportunity to keep his tracking skills on the cutting edge. Off towards the outskirts of the property was a natural, enclosed hill that would make a perfect firing range. He quickly marked the spot and went back towards the house. On the way back, he continued exploring, but had the MP-5 to his shoulder to simulate a combat situation.

Meanwhile, Shadowcat had been released from the infirmary by Beast, and was out following Slash. She was impressed with his combat skills. She then decided to surprise him. She actually thought the gun was unable to fire, because Xavier was completely opposed to guns. She ran a little ahead of him. When he came within 50 yards of her, she shook the bush and stood up. Slash's first instinct, as any SEAL, was to shoot. He assumed that she was "hostile." Even though they were practice rounds, they still are deadly and can hurt. Luckily, Shadowcat "phased" the bullets through her body, so no harm was done.

"Jeez. First rule with SEALs is never EVER surprise them like that. I could have killed you!" He stopped and cocked his head for a second. "Wait a minute. You should be dead. I was aiming for your forehead. What did you do?"

"It's my mutant power. I can pass through objects."

"Wow." He looks like he's deep in thought. "Aren't you Kitty Pryde? Yeah, we met in the infirmary."

"Yeah, but you can call me Shadowcat Slash. I'd like to thank you again for rescuing us."

"Well just doing what my job was for over ten years with the Navy. I could tell you stories. Oh wait, then I'd have to kill ya because I can't tell you. Maybe later."

"Well I too have stories. And you've never heard of them, because the X-Men are more secretive than your Navy SEALS. Only difference is that I don't have to kill you." They both laughed. Slash secured his weapon and made it safe.

"Would you like to walk with me? Maybe give me the nickel and dime tour of the grounds?"

"It's been so long. I don't know if I remember."

"That's OK. I just need someone beside me. My wife and I use to take long walks in our local botanical gardens."

"I'm sorry about your wife."

"Why be? It was something I could not control. But the guy who tipped them better be sorry. I know how to kill a man over 200 ways. Even if he or she is a mutant, I will personally administer each way until he or she dies."

"Isn't that a bit harsh?"

"Was that harsh what they did to my wife? She wasn't a mutant. Did she deserve to die that way?" Shadowcat didn't have an answer. They continued down to Breakstone Lake, and walked along the shore. Suddenly, Xavier entered his mind.

'There is an intruder in your area. Localize and find it.' Slash nodded, and readied his weapon; he replaced the practice rounds for a clip of the real deal. Shadowcat began to look around.

"Look!" She spotted him first, flying over the lake. Man, Slash thought, I can't believe I missed that. It was a man, flying over the lake. His long flowing red cape fluttered in the breeze.

"Magneto." Shadowcat said, half in awe, and half in concern.

"Who…you know this guy?"
"Yes, you fool. Every member of the X-Men knows who I am. Apparently, you have not been told about me." Slash shouldered his weapon.

"Stand down or prepared to be shot." Shadowcat grabbed his arm, but he shoved her off.

"Ha. You think mere bullets scare me? Go ahead Slash. Do your best."

Slash popped off a two round burst. The bullets hit Magneto's shield and bounced right back at Slash. Shadowcat attempted to jump into Slash so he could phase with her, but she was to late. The bullets hit Slash square in the chest. He cried out in pain. Shadowcat tried to stop the bleeding.

"Now you have learned fool never to mess with the great Magneto. Now go show your foolishness to your dear professor." He left the way he came, over Breakstone Lake.

"HELP! PROFESSOR! SLASH HAS BEEN HURT!" She cried to try and get attention. Beast arrived with a hover gurney.

"Hey Beast. AAARGH! Learned something today."

"And what might that be?"

"Never mess with mutant till you know their power."

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