Appearing out of no where Ororo and Logan found themselves in a dark alley
strewn with garbage.
"What is that unearthly smell, Logan?"
"It's Madripoor."
"Madripoor?"
"Yup."
"Where are we?"
"Madripoor."
Ororo sighed. The city smelled worse than a hot night in the slums of Cairo where she'd grown up as a street urchin.
"Ok, darlin', I need you ta go into the Princess Bar just outta the alley to the right. Then mosey up to the bar, order a drink-not a Shirley Temple but a whiskey-ya gotta appear tough, understand?"
Ororo nodded, trying to suppress a smile.
"Keep yer eyes open an' follow my lead. I'm gonna come in after a bit cause we look too much like twins."
Ororo laughed quietly. It was ture. Logan was in a tight black t-shirt that showed off his massive chest and muscular arms. He had on a pair of snug fitting jeans that showed off his "assets". She had chosen to wear a black danskin leotard with three quarter length sleeves and black leather pants clinched with a black belt. They both wore black boots although Logan's were steel-toed military boots and hers were low heeled riding boots.
"Do you want to tell me anything else? What should I be looking for?" she asked him.
"I'm the boss here, just do as I said," Logan snapped.
Ororo looked at him for a moment then gave him a tight smile, nodded & started down the alley. Donned in her black wig and sunglasses Ororo felt confident that she was truly incognito and would blend in with the crowd with nary a soul noticing her. She strode into the smoky bar and instantly wished she'd been anywhere else. Every eye in the bar seemed to be on her and the sudden silence was almost numbing. Rolling her eyes behind the dark shades she made her way to the bar.
A very short woman was standing on the bar her arms akimbo. She couldn't have been more than three feet tall. Her white-blonde hair was piled on top of her small head and her blue eyes didn't miss a thing as she watched Ororo approach.
"What can I do for you, hmm?" she asked.
"Whiskey."
The little lady nodded at the bartender and he poured out a glass and slid it down. A tiny foot reached out and stopped the glass neatly and Ororo noticed the noise in the bar was gradually returning to normal. She took the glass and looked for an empty bar stool.
"Abraham, give the lady your seat," the little lady demanded.
A very large, well tanned man who looked more like a wild bear mumbled something then got up.
"Hmm, were you talking to me, Abraham? Ollie, did you hear anything?" she asked the bartender.
Ollie just shook his head and turned to get a glass. Everyone else was now watching the tiny woman and no one in the bar said a word. Abraham groaned as if he knew he'd made a mistake. He started to turn away but the little woman grabbed him by his hair and pulled him to her so forcefully his feet dangled an inch off the floor.
"Ah, I'm sorry, Sera!" the burly man cried.
With a look of disgust she let him go. "Sit," she nodded at Ororo and once again the barroom noise resumed.
Ororo pushed the stool closer to the bar and sat. She took a sip of her whiskey and looked around for a moment. Her face never changed but she fought hard not to spit the hard liquor out. She pulled her shades down just a bit and looked at the lady called Sera.
"Seven-up and ice."
Sera nodded and the bartender turned obediently to do as he was bided.
"You're new to Madripoor, hmm?"
Ororo looked at Sera for a moment then pushed the shades back with a slender finger. "You're observant."
Sera sat down on the edge of the bar, her feet swinging slightly. "Looking for something?"
"A drink nothing more."
Just then there was a commotion behind the women and they both turned around. Logan had just entered the bar and Abraham was laughing and swearing while slapping Logan on his back and punching him in the arm. Logan chuckled as Abraham cursed and held his hand in pain. He headed towards the bar where Sera & Ororo were and Abraham followed.
"Sera, yer lookin' good."
"Patch, you better be good!"
The two shared a laugh then Logan looked at Ororo, his eyes moving over her body slowly. His brows arched appreciatively.
"Who's yer friend, Sera?"
"I am not her friend," Ororo said. She turned back to the bar and poured her whiskey into the glass of seven-up and ice.
"Uppity thing ain't she?" Logan laughed.
"Hmm, watch your manners!" Sera warned.
"Aw, just funnin'. So, Sera, Abe said ya haven't seen the goons who tried ta rob ya the other night."
"Not since you scared them off."
"Well, Abe's gonna play guard t'night. I got business ta take care of but first I'm gonna have a good stiff drink."
"A whiskey for shorty, Ollie," Sera called out to the bartender.
"Another whiskey for me." Ororo said.
"Another whiskey for the lady," Sera instructed.
"Give me a beer, Sera?" Abe asked meekly.
"Beer for Abraham, Ollie."
Abraham beamed like a little boy. Ororo poured her second whiskey into the seven and seven she'd made then took a sip and smiled. "Much better," she thought with satisfaction. Seven and seven was as tough as she could get.
"Hello, Miss! What's a pretty girl like you here in this bar for?"
Ororo almost dropped her glass when she saw who was talking and realized he was talking to her.
"My Name is Foo but everyone calls me John," a short elegantly dressed Asian man with no teeth bowed politely before Ororo.
She bowed her head then turned back to the bar.
"What is your name?"
Ororo sipped her drink then looked at Foo. "I am not interested."
The elegant man bowed. When he saw Logan looking at him with decided displeasure he bowed again. "Oyasumi Nasai, Patch San."
Logan didn't acknowledge the man but merely continued to frown and Foo turned and walked away.
"What's he doin' here, Sera?"
"It's a free country, Patch san, hmm?" she laughed. "And he's been a perfect gentleman."
"How long's Foo been in Madripoor?"
"He got in three days ago but my people have been keeping tabs on him since he arrived," Sera said this as she looked at Ororo who was almost finished with her drink and who didn't seem to be paying attention to their conversation. "And as you know my people are very good at what they do."
Ororo could see Sera looking at her in the mirrored glass rack behind the bar. She turned to the lady and asked, "Are you hiring?"
Sera tilted her head and looked long and hard at Ororo.
"Hmm," she murmured thoughtfully. "Not tonight."
"Another day perhaps." Ororo turned back to her drink.
"So, sweets, what's a beautiful dame like you doing in a joint like this?" Logan asked Ororo.
"I am not interested." Ororo said as she tried hard not to laugh.
Logan did laugh. "Your loss," he said.
"Loon," Ororo muttered under her breath but Logan had no time to respond.
A small voluptuous redhead had come into the bar and upon seeing Logan she ran up to him and threw her plump arms around him and kissed him passionately.
"Ooo, Patch, yer back. I oughta kill ya after last night!"
Logan removed her arms from around his neck. "Can it." Was all he said.
"Patch!"
"I said can it."
"Then buy me a drink, Patch, honey!"
Logan frowned. "Find a table."
The redhead flung her arms around Logan once more and showered him with kisses, giggled then hurried off.
Logan turned his attention back to Ororo. "So, 'Miss I'm not interested', you got a name?"
Ororo turned and looked at Logan. She tried not to laugh at his audacity and the red lip stick all over his face and lips.
"I believe your friend is waiting for you and I am ready to leave."
"Yer leavin', eh?" Logan winked, smiled and then winked again 5 times very quickly hoping Sera wasn't paying attention.
O lifted her head slightly as she caught his meaning. She turned back to the bar as Logan went off to find the redhead.
"He has a way with women, hmm?" Sera said.
"A way with you?"
Sera laughed and then howled till she had tears in her eyes. Everyone stopped what they were doing to see what was going on but Sera waved her hand dismissively several times and they turned away from the two women.
"Patch is not my type," Sera laughed again.
"Who is he?" Ororo asked.
"Hmm, his moniker's Patch."
"Just Patch?" Ororo tried not to laugh at the absurdity of the name. "How did he lose his eye?" she asked.
"I wouldn't know. Here in Madripoor we all mind our own business."
"Then you'll not mention my passing through."
Sera said nothing. Ororo finished her drink and when she saw that five minutes had passed she placed money on the counter and stood up.
"Tell him . . . my name is N'Dare."
Sera watched warily as the tall woman made her way through the crowded bar.
"Give me a beer, Ollie," Logan had come up beside Sera.
"She's a mysterious one," Sera said.
"No more th'n the rest of this bunch."
"She told me to tell you her name is N'Dare."
"N'Dare," he said softly and smiled. "That's one classy lady."
"What do you think she was doing here?"
"Lookin' for someone maybe?"
"Or for something, hmm?"
"Like what?"
"Maybe Foo."
"Why Foo?"
"He deals in flesh---women of all nationalities."
"No lady in her right mind would be tryin' ta get involved in that!"
"Who said she was in her right mind?"
Logan said nothing.
"She has blue eyes-bright vivid blue eyes, Patch."
"Blue eyes ya say?"
"And she's wearing a wig."
"Ya mean all that gorgeous hair wasn't her's?"
"Hmm, it's her's alright but she paid for it," Sera chuckled.
Logan was silent as if in deep thought.
"Hmm, Patch, our blue eyed mystery lady is back." Sera nodded towards the door.
Ororo stood in the doorway. She pulled her shades down a bit and smiled at him and Logan caught his breath. He'd never seen her look so inviting and more beautiful. She had done all he'd asked without protest or questions and now there she stood in the doorway as if inviting him to . . .
"Whoa! See ya," Logan nodded to Sera and headed over to "N'Dare".
Sera watched the two leave together with a frown but after a minute she laughed out loud. The mystery lady was hard to peg but if she was leaving with Patch she was alright with her.
Outside Logan pushed Ororo up against the wall in the alley. His hands pinned her shoulders to the wall.
"Why'd you come back in, 'Ro?"
"How were you to escape from your-ah, friend?"
"That flamin' broad? I'm always ditchin' her. She's Abe's girl or used ta be. Now she keeps throwin' herself at me."
"Logan, here," she took out a handkerchief and started to wipe the lipstick off his face.
"That's better," she said after a bit. "Now I believe I found what you needed."
"I'm listenin', darlin'."
"There is a safe behind the bar. It is behind the glass shelves within the mirror itself. It is an unusual safe but easy to break into given enough time."
He nodded with satisfaction. "Good work, 'Ro but how much time will ya need?"
"That is a little hard to say. There is also a door within the mirror and I am sure it is a two way mirror. There is no telling who could be behind it."
"Sera went through a lot of trouble to hide whatever's in that safe an' someone's goin' to a lot of trouble ta get it out."
"What do you think it could be?"
"With Sera ya can't be too sure. Her mother an' I went back a long ways. Her name was Seraph, just as little as Sera and just as strong. . ."
"She is a mutant?"
He nodded. "Seraph started this bar a long time ago. She ran the place with an iron hand, same as her daughter but I never knew much about her an' the same goes for Sera," he shrugged. "Guess they don't know that much about me either."
"She will not tell you what it is the thieves are looking for?"
He shook his head. "Whatever it is we gotta get it t'night. I gave my word to Seraph that I wouldn't let anything happen to Sera."
"I believe I have a plan, if you are willing to listen . . . boss."
"What is that unearthly smell, Logan?"
"It's Madripoor."
"Madripoor?"
"Yup."
"Where are we?"
"Madripoor."
Ororo sighed. The city smelled worse than a hot night in the slums of Cairo where she'd grown up as a street urchin.
"Ok, darlin', I need you ta go into the Princess Bar just outta the alley to the right. Then mosey up to the bar, order a drink-not a Shirley Temple but a whiskey-ya gotta appear tough, understand?"
Ororo nodded, trying to suppress a smile.
"Keep yer eyes open an' follow my lead. I'm gonna come in after a bit cause we look too much like twins."
Ororo laughed quietly. It was ture. Logan was in a tight black t-shirt that showed off his massive chest and muscular arms. He had on a pair of snug fitting jeans that showed off his "assets". She had chosen to wear a black danskin leotard with three quarter length sleeves and black leather pants clinched with a black belt. They both wore black boots although Logan's were steel-toed military boots and hers were low heeled riding boots.
"Do you want to tell me anything else? What should I be looking for?" she asked him.
"I'm the boss here, just do as I said," Logan snapped.
Ororo looked at him for a moment then gave him a tight smile, nodded & started down the alley. Donned in her black wig and sunglasses Ororo felt confident that she was truly incognito and would blend in with the crowd with nary a soul noticing her. She strode into the smoky bar and instantly wished she'd been anywhere else. Every eye in the bar seemed to be on her and the sudden silence was almost numbing. Rolling her eyes behind the dark shades she made her way to the bar.
A very short woman was standing on the bar her arms akimbo. She couldn't have been more than three feet tall. Her white-blonde hair was piled on top of her small head and her blue eyes didn't miss a thing as she watched Ororo approach.
"What can I do for you, hmm?" she asked.
"Whiskey."
The little lady nodded at the bartender and he poured out a glass and slid it down. A tiny foot reached out and stopped the glass neatly and Ororo noticed the noise in the bar was gradually returning to normal. She took the glass and looked for an empty bar stool.
"Abraham, give the lady your seat," the little lady demanded.
A very large, well tanned man who looked more like a wild bear mumbled something then got up.
"Hmm, were you talking to me, Abraham? Ollie, did you hear anything?" she asked the bartender.
Ollie just shook his head and turned to get a glass. Everyone else was now watching the tiny woman and no one in the bar said a word. Abraham groaned as if he knew he'd made a mistake. He started to turn away but the little woman grabbed him by his hair and pulled him to her so forcefully his feet dangled an inch off the floor.
"Ah, I'm sorry, Sera!" the burly man cried.
With a look of disgust she let him go. "Sit," she nodded at Ororo and once again the barroom noise resumed.
Ororo pushed the stool closer to the bar and sat. She took a sip of her whiskey and looked around for a moment. Her face never changed but she fought hard not to spit the hard liquor out. She pulled her shades down just a bit and looked at the lady called Sera.
"Seven-up and ice."
Sera nodded and the bartender turned obediently to do as he was bided.
"You're new to Madripoor, hmm?"
Ororo looked at Sera for a moment then pushed the shades back with a slender finger. "You're observant."
Sera sat down on the edge of the bar, her feet swinging slightly. "Looking for something?"
"A drink nothing more."
Just then there was a commotion behind the women and they both turned around. Logan had just entered the bar and Abraham was laughing and swearing while slapping Logan on his back and punching him in the arm. Logan chuckled as Abraham cursed and held his hand in pain. He headed towards the bar where Sera & Ororo were and Abraham followed.
"Sera, yer lookin' good."
"Patch, you better be good!"
The two shared a laugh then Logan looked at Ororo, his eyes moving over her body slowly. His brows arched appreciatively.
"Who's yer friend, Sera?"
"I am not her friend," Ororo said. She turned back to the bar and poured her whiskey into the glass of seven-up and ice.
"Uppity thing ain't she?" Logan laughed.
"Hmm, watch your manners!" Sera warned.
"Aw, just funnin'. So, Sera, Abe said ya haven't seen the goons who tried ta rob ya the other night."
"Not since you scared them off."
"Well, Abe's gonna play guard t'night. I got business ta take care of but first I'm gonna have a good stiff drink."
"A whiskey for shorty, Ollie," Sera called out to the bartender.
"Another whiskey for me." Ororo said.
"Another whiskey for the lady," Sera instructed.
"Give me a beer, Sera?" Abe asked meekly.
"Beer for Abraham, Ollie."
Abraham beamed like a little boy. Ororo poured her second whiskey into the seven and seven she'd made then took a sip and smiled. "Much better," she thought with satisfaction. Seven and seven was as tough as she could get.
"Hello, Miss! What's a pretty girl like you here in this bar for?"
Ororo almost dropped her glass when she saw who was talking and realized he was talking to her.
"My Name is Foo but everyone calls me John," a short elegantly dressed Asian man with no teeth bowed politely before Ororo.
She bowed her head then turned back to the bar.
"What is your name?"
Ororo sipped her drink then looked at Foo. "I am not interested."
The elegant man bowed. When he saw Logan looking at him with decided displeasure he bowed again. "Oyasumi Nasai, Patch San."
Logan didn't acknowledge the man but merely continued to frown and Foo turned and walked away.
"What's he doin' here, Sera?"
"It's a free country, Patch san, hmm?" she laughed. "And he's been a perfect gentleman."
"How long's Foo been in Madripoor?"
"He got in three days ago but my people have been keeping tabs on him since he arrived," Sera said this as she looked at Ororo who was almost finished with her drink and who didn't seem to be paying attention to their conversation. "And as you know my people are very good at what they do."
Ororo could see Sera looking at her in the mirrored glass rack behind the bar. She turned to the lady and asked, "Are you hiring?"
Sera tilted her head and looked long and hard at Ororo.
"Hmm," she murmured thoughtfully. "Not tonight."
"Another day perhaps." Ororo turned back to her drink.
"So, sweets, what's a beautiful dame like you doing in a joint like this?" Logan asked Ororo.
"I am not interested." Ororo said as she tried hard not to laugh.
Logan did laugh. "Your loss," he said.
"Loon," Ororo muttered under her breath but Logan had no time to respond.
A small voluptuous redhead had come into the bar and upon seeing Logan she ran up to him and threw her plump arms around him and kissed him passionately.
"Ooo, Patch, yer back. I oughta kill ya after last night!"
Logan removed her arms from around his neck. "Can it." Was all he said.
"Patch!"
"I said can it."
"Then buy me a drink, Patch, honey!"
Logan frowned. "Find a table."
The redhead flung her arms around Logan once more and showered him with kisses, giggled then hurried off.
Logan turned his attention back to Ororo. "So, 'Miss I'm not interested', you got a name?"
Ororo turned and looked at Logan. She tried not to laugh at his audacity and the red lip stick all over his face and lips.
"I believe your friend is waiting for you and I am ready to leave."
"Yer leavin', eh?" Logan winked, smiled and then winked again 5 times very quickly hoping Sera wasn't paying attention.
O lifted her head slightly as she caught his meaning. She turned back to the bar as Logan went off to find the redhead.
"He has a way with women, hmm?" Sera said.
"A way with you?"
Sera laughed and then howled till she had tears in her eyes. Everyone stopped what they were doing to see what was going on but Sera waved her hand dismissively several times and they turned away from the two women.
"Patch is not my type," Sera laughed again.
"Who is he?" Ororo asked.
"Hmm, his moniker's Patch."
"Just Patch?" Ororo tried not to laugh at the absurdity of the name. "How did he lose his eye?" she asked.
"I wouldn't know. Here in Madripoor we all mind our own business."
"Then you'll not mention my passing through."
Sera said nothing. Ororo finished her drink and when she saw that five minutes had passed she placed money on the counter and stood up.
"Tell him . . . my name is N'Dare."
Sera watched warily as the tall woman made her way through the crowded bar.
"Give me a beer, Ollie," Logan had come up beside Sera.
"She's a mysterious one," Sera said.
"No more th'n the rest of this bunch."
"She told me to tell you her name is N'Dare."
"N'Dare," he said softly and smiled. "That's one classy lady."
"What do you think she was doing here?"
"Lookin' for someone maybe?"
"Or for something, hmm?"
"Like what?"
"Maybe Foo."
"Why Foo?"
"He deals in flesh---women of all nationalities."
"No lady in her right mind would be tryin' ta get involved in that!"
"Who said she was in her right mind?"
Logan said nothing.
"She has blue eyes-bright vivid blue eyes, Patch."
"Blue eyes ya say?"
"And she's wearing a wig."
"Ya mean all that gorgeous hair wasn't her's?"
"Hmm, it's her's alright but she paid for it," Sera chuckled.
Logan was silent as if in deep thought.
"Hmm, Patch, our blue eyed mystery lady is back." Sera nodded towards the door.
Ororo stood in the doorway. She pulled her shades down a bit and smiled at him and Logan caught his breath. He'd never seen her look so inviting and more beautiful. She had done all he'd asked without protest or questions and now there she stood in the doorway as if inviting him to . . .
"Whoa! See ya," Logan nodded to Sera and headed over to "N'Dare".
Sera watched the two leave together with a frown but after a minute she laughed out loud. The mystery lady was hard to peg but if she was leaving with Patch she was alright with her.
Outside Logan pushed Ororo up against the wall in the alley. His hands pinned her shoulders to the wall.
"Why'd you come back in, 'Ro?"
"How were you to escape from your-ah, friend?"
"That flamin' broad? I'm always ditchin' her. She's Abe's girl or used ta be. Now she keeps throwin' herself at me."
"Logan, here," she took out a handkerchief and started to wipe the lipstick off his face.
"That's better," she said after a bit. "Now I believe I found what you needed."
"I'm listenin', darlin'."
"There is a safe behind the bar. It is behind the glass shelves within the mirror itself. It is an unusual safe but easy to break into given enough time."
He nodded with satisfaction. "Good work, 'Ro but how much time will ya need?"
"That is a little hard to say. There is also a door within the mirror and I am sure it is a two way mirror. There is no telling who could be behind it."
"Sera went through a lot of trouble to hide whatever's in that safe an' someone's goin' to a lot of trouble ta get it out."
"What do you think it could be?"
"With Sera ya can't be too sure. Her mother an' I went back a long ways. Her name was Seraph, just as little as Sera and just as strong. . ."
"She is a mutant?"
He nodded. "Seraph started this bar a long time ago. She ran the place with an iron hand, same as her daughter but I never knew much about her an' the same goes for Sera," he shrugged. "Guess they don't know that much about me either."
"She will not tell you what it is the thieves are looking for?"
He shook his head. "Whatever it is we gotta get it t'night. I gave my word to Seraph that I wouldn't let anything happen to Sera."
"I believe I have a plan, if you are willing to listen . . . boss."