The Storm Is Rising
The evil that we do lives on after us; the good is oft interred with the bones
Infirmary 00.10 am 2nd November 2003
Logan finally submitted to a medical examination by Hank at the furry doctor's insistence. He had to admit that his healing factor had been taxed to its limits and regenerating his destroyed eye would be a matter of day's even weeks rather than mere hours as with most injuries. Logan decided that perhaps it would be best to follow Hank's advice and lay off the beer and cigarettes at least until he was fully recovered. After all there was little point in taxing his healing factor unnecessarily especially since he could run the risk of burning it out entirely.
"So what would ya say the verdict is Hank?"
"Well you shall make a full recovery Logan but your healing factor may be suppressed for some time to come due to its recent overexertion. As for your eye, it was almost totally destroyed but the optic nerve is already starting to regenerate, the eye should be grown back probably within a couple of days. The return of sight in that eye will take a considerably longer period of time. Also your healing factor should gradually return to full strength. All in all Logan you're going to be fine."
Logan was looking a lot better now that he'd had a shower and a change of clothes but he still looked haggard, usually he only got this beaten up when he had been fighting Sabretooth. He fingered the eye-patch remembering a time long ago when he'd worn one. Madripoor seemed such a long time ago now even though it was only a few years back. Some memories were good Tyger Tiger for one, enemies such as General Coy, Roughhouse, Cyber and Bloodscream would not be missed.
"Ya should know Hank that Dark Beast ain't how he used ta be, faster, stronger and more agile than he ever was. According ta what he told me, it seems he's been enhanced by someone called Maeve."
"Ah yes Maeve, she was the visitor Jubilee and I received tonight. Alluring and beautiful but like the succubus, her attractive appearance belies a deadly nature. Suffice to say she feeds on the life energy of her victims and she had intended the same fate for me,"
Together Hank and Logan watched the security footage of Maeve's arrival, conversation with Hank, fight with Jubilee and subsequent departure. Logan had to admit that she was one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen, almost too ethereal and delicate to be truly dangerous. Hank's deliberate misquote from Macbeth had perhaps best summed her up, "she looks like the innocent flower but she is the serpent under it."
"Ya can come back Apocalypse all is forgiven. Still ya have ta admit that at least she's better looking than Cassandra Nova. Ya know I'm sure I recognize her from somewhere, a long time ago."
Seeing her had stirred up a fragment of memory. He was young, maybe not yet quite a man and he was walking late at night when he saw her, a raven haired woman walking arm in arm with a young man who gazed at his paramour adoringly. She whispers in his ear and they step into an alleyway. A minute or so later she walks out alone, turns and looks at Logan, smiles approvingly and turns and walks off into the night.
"Whoever and whatever she is Logan we have got to stop her. From my estimate of how old she is and how often she feeds she has been responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands and unless we find a way to prevent it many more innocent young men are going to die."
"Oh don't ya worry Hank; I'm not going ta forgive her fer what she tried ta do ta Jubilee. If I see her she's going ta get a claw through her heart."
At that point the door burst open and with a cry Jubilee ran forward and flung her arms around her beloved Wolvie. Then she stopped short with a sudden gasp and from the worried look in her eyes Logan knew she had seen the eye-patch.
"Yeah darlin, I got beat up pretty bad so I'm going ta have ta wear this fer some time until the eye grows back. I hear ya had yer own run in with our new enemy and that ya wiped the floor with her. I'm proud of ya darlin,"
"Actually Wolvie I think I was lucky to survive and she killed Nick and nearly killed Hank. If Beak hadn't ……."
Hank came and put his arms around them both hugging them gently to the warm blue fur.
"It's over for now and we survived. That's all the victory we need for today and if we have to face Maeve again that will be another day. For now let us go and get some sleep," said Hank gently.
McCoy's mansion 01.00 pm 2nd November 2003
Maeve had showered and washed her now shortened hair. She had changed into one of her second best dresses, black satin with delicate embroidery and inlaid pearls and she was wearing her favorite diamond necklace. Still she was feeling troubled and she knew it wasn't just because she'd suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of that young woman or that her beloved had been hurt. No this was a premonition, a warning of danger to come, that they would be discovered too soon before they were ready. Someone had found out about the recent disappearances, young men had been found to be missing. She had not been as discrete as she perhaps should have been, she'd grown complacent and careless and it could cost her dear. Well if she'd made the mistake then it would be up to her to correct it.
A scrape of claws echoed on the tiles behind her and startled she wheeled round causing Mantichora to jump backwards in alarm. He crouched defensively, spines rattling as the fur stood up all over his body. He snarled ferociously showing his fangs before remembering himself and bowing to her in apology.
"I beg your pardon mistress but you startled me."
"Thy stealthy approach causes much alarm especially when mine troubles weigh heavily upon mine heart."
Mantichora managed to look savage even when he was showing concern but he was doing his best to look sympathetic and the yellow eyes understood enough. Cautiously he reached out and very gently placed his clawed hand on her shoulder. Maeve didn't flinch unlike most women and Mantichora relaxed knowing that he wasn't going to be her next meal. Her violet eyes were weighing him up now that he had her attention and he racked his brains before finally settling on his conversation opener.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"Thou art right Mantichora and thou shall hear of mine problem and thy advice would be appreciated. Thou hast mine thanks for thy chivalrous display of concern."
Mantichora nodded once and cocked his head on one side, pointed ear twitching to indicate that he was paying Maeve his full attention. He carefully avoided condemning her when she explained that she had perhaps been careless in her feeding, leaving bodies where they might be found. He sometimes got a bit careless when he fed and he always seemed to get ketchup or mayo on his sideburns. Maeve had told him to be tidier when he ate but he doubted she would appreciate him telling her that.
He frowned when she explained her suspicions knowing that she would be exactly right, her telepathy was beyond anything he'd ever seen. She didn't know who had found out only that someone had but that was enough. He knew the only solution was to find this person and silence them permanently before they told another person.
"Do you think you can find out who it is mistress?"
"Why Mantichora did thou have to ask? Soon I shall know who it is that hast been too curious for their own good. Then we shall hunt them down like the dog they are."
"Yeah I'll look forward to that."
He turned to leave but Maeve called him back beckoning him to her. He was surprised when she leaned forward planting a kiss on his furry cheek.
"Thou art a good man Mantichora and thou hast greatly pleased me."
Jubilee's room 01.30 am 2nd November 2003
Now that she was out of sight of the others she found that she couldn't control the shivering any more. Jubilee dropped the careful façade of bravado that she had been assuming. She couldn't the fact from herself that she had been more terrified them than she perhaps ever had before. Perhaps not even Emplate had been as frightening to face as Maeve. Emplate, Maeve, there was just something about draining the life out of others like a vampire that horrified Jubilee. Still it was something more with Maeve that frightened Jubilee.
Emplate had been hideous, monstrous in appearance as well as nature, that long proboscis and the gnashing mouths in his palms, he was the ghastliest thing she had ever seen. Sabretooth had been terrifying as well, so like and yet so unlike Logan. Sabretooth was a predator, sharp of fang and claw, utterly merciless and savage, more beast than man in appearance and nature.
Maeve somehow was even more frightening than both of them. Maybe it was the fact that she looked so delicate and beautiful, almost too lovely to be evil and yet somehow wholly corrupt in her beauty. Violet almond-shaped eyes, pointed elfin ears, long raven tresses, pale skin made her seem like an elf. She reminded Jubilee of Logan's stories about his enemy Bloodscream, another vampire like Maeve.
That was the thing that frightened Jubilee, the fact that Maeve didn't look like a threat at all. Yet she had killed not hundreds or even thousands but tens of thousands over hundreds of years each and every one slain by her own hand, the life drained out of them. That was the thing that made her shiver and feel so cold inside.
"Well Maeve you're not going to be doing any more hunting if I have anything to do with it," vowed Jubilee with courage she did not feel.
Her dark thoughts were interrupted with a sudden knock at the door.
"May we come in Jubilee?" asked Hank somewhat nervously.
"Of course ya can!" called Jubilee making a determined effort to sound cheerful.
McCoy's mansion 01.35am 2nd November 2003
"Well thank you for bringing this to my attention Mantichora, you are a good boy," purred McCoy.
He stood up slowly grunting slightly with the pain of his wounds. Mantichora stood still as a statue making no moves to betray the nervousness he felt. He wasn't going to let McCoy see he was afraid of him. He kept his gaze fixed on the powerful hand as it came towards him, slowly and deliberately traveling towards his tender throat. For a second he thought he was going to be throttled again and he flinched. The sardonic grin from Dark Beast made him realize that he was being toyed with and his annoyed growl merely made the smile grow wider. Finally he was given a fatherly pat on the head.
"Now why don't you go and find one of your friends, keep yourself amused and out of my fur alright?"
"Of course sir," growled Mantichora.
McCoy half expected a poisoned spine to shoot its way towards him but knew he had the young mutant too cowed for that to happen. He had both the man's fear and respect so all was as it should be. Anyway he had to admit that the boy had pleased him bringing Maeve's worries to his attention. He implicitly trusted her intuition and the most important thing now was to find the source of the problem and deal with it.
"Well I shall have to pay them a visit and deal with it hands on. I expect that shall please my lovely ally since she said she loves a man who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty. Besides it's been a while since I've felt the pleasure of breaking delicate vertebrae in my grip and seeing the head loll backwards on it's shattered neck. Delicious."
Grinning he made his way over to his wine cabinet selecting a bottle of the finest bourbon to share with Maeve. He still felt weak and weary but he was still feeling up for a little pleasure. Limping slightly he made his way stiffly and painfully to Maeve's room. His head was held high though and his eyes burned brightly as he stoically ignored the pain of his wounds.
Jubilee's room 02.00 am 2nd November 2003
"Now look darlin, ya don't have ta pretend yer weren't frightened because I know ya a lot better than that. I ain't going ta be any less proud of ya just because ya got scared, I've been scared myself and terrified of some enemies like Cyber. I just want ya ta know that, that ya don't have ta be brave fer me darlin."
Jubilee nodded, the tears finally beginning to dry. She really was too old for this now, just breaking down and crying as he cradled her in his arms. Besides she should be the one who was comforting him not the other way around. He'd been wounded badly, only barely surviving his injuries and she'd seen the bloody gaping socket that used to be an eye.
"It's not just Maeve but you Wolvie, I'm afraid of losing you now just after we've been reunited so recently. I just keep looking at that patch and wondering what if it had been your heart that was ripped from your chest. I just don't think I could bear it if I lost you."
"I don't think I could bear losing ya either darlin."
They both felt relieved now to have cleared that out of the way. Hank came over and sat on the bed next to them smiling gently and assuring Jubilee once more that Logan's eye would grow back given time and saying how proud he was of Jubilee and that he owed her his life.
"Well you have to admit that I kicked her butt didn't I Wolvie," said Jubilee with a grin.
"Yeah and if we see her again I'm going ta give her a taste of claw city fer what she tried ta do ta ya and Hank."
"Well friends I think it would perhaps be best if we said goodnight and got some sleep. The hour is late and the day has been long and tiring. So farewell Jubilee and Logan for this weary yawning blue Beast needs his beauty sleep," said Hank.
"Neither of you are going anywhere until I've had a goodnight kiss," said Jubilee firmly.
Hank and Logan threw up their arms in mock surrender and complied with her wishes.
McCoy's mansion 02.30 am 2nd November 2003
"Well looks like you win that hand again Richard, you must have enough matchsticks to make up an entire tree now," sighed Salamander setting down his cards.
"Are you ready to admit defeat too chum?" asked Richard.
"I ain't going to surrender to you shaggy," growled Mantichora.
Unfortunately neither of them got the chance to finish the game as Conundrum floated the cards into the air, setting them flying around her head giggling as she did so. Then the cards lined up in the air as one and dive-bombed Salamander. The startled mutant yelped and ignited them with a plasma bolt.
"Pretty flames, bright glowing flowers but the petals wither and they die. Fire is always hungry isn't it but never thirsty because it knows that when it drinks it dies," whispered Conundrum.
The mask nodded gently and she turned seeming to glide as she moved off seeking more amusement elsewhere.
"You know, for once that sister of yours almost made sense," growled Mantichora.
"You seem to be in a good mood for once. How about we settle this with a friendly arm wrestle with the loser doing the other's share of chores tomorrow," laughed Richard.
"Right on," growled Mantichora eagerly.
"I'll leave you two to your macho displays and concentrate on my reading," muttered Salamander.
He retreated to a far corner of the room creating a plasma globe which served as an adequate lamp while he continued his reading. Meanwhile sweat was pouring down the faces of the two feral mutants as they were almost perfectly matched. A stalemate looked likely to ensue and Salamander had no interest in the outcome. His book was far more engrossing.
Maeve's room 03.00 am 2nd November 2003
"So mine hirsute and handsome paramour how may I thank you for the fine wine?"
"A kiss will have to do my dear, since I'm feeling a little too delicate for anything more intense tonight," sighed McCoy regretfully.
Maeve was happier now that she had talked the problem through with McCoy. Soon they would find the person who threatened their plans and pay them a visit. With her problem settled her concern was for McCoy. The pain of his wounds was great but she knew a way to soothe it.
"Let me take away the hurt thy poor brave soldier," she soothed kissing him.
Gently she began stroking the soft gray fur and the yellow eyes slid shut as McCoy began contentedly to purr.
Trish Tilby's apartment 03.30 am
She had lain awake in her bed quite unable to get to sleep. She was feeling far too tense and excited. She almost picked up the phone to ring Hank right that instant. She stopped herself though doubting that he would appreciate being woken up at this ungodly hour. Anyway it could wait until in the morning.
"Yes I will find you and we'll put a stop to you," she murmured before finally rolling over and at last falling asleep.
She would have slept less easily if she knew how close Maeve was to finding her.