Chapter 4, "Papercut"
By: MidnyteRogue aka RogueBHS
I shudder as I watch Momma pull the trigger. The guy we did the job for didn't pay up...had never intended to. Well, now he knows that you never cheat Momma out of the pay we earned. She doesn't really like having me do missions, no matter how good I am, so she expects the pay to come so she can reward me for putting up with it. Just being allowed to be with her is enough for me really.
I glance around, and just about come out of my skin when I see the guy I had been watching earlier standing only 20 feet away, still as a statue. He stands there, his dark eyes watching me like a hawk. If I wasn't so scared, I'd probably take time to admire the way he's built. But I am scared. He's just watching, which is freaky. Slowly, he walks forward, and gains Momma's attention too. She frowns.
I stop her when she lifts the gun to shoot him, whispering to let me take care of him. She nods slowly, but keeps the gun handy. That's my Momma for ya. I walk over to him slowly, putting on one of what Momma says is my more "deadly" smiles. So far, he doesn't look phased. Dang it.
"What are you doing around here?" My Russian, like the other languages I speak, is perfect. I might as well be a native.
He frowns at me, then answers in Russian. "You are from Russia as well?" At my nod, his frown deepens. "Then why haven't I seen you around here?"
Thank God for a quick mind. "This is a big country isn't it?" I let my smile waver for a second before I turn it back on full force. "I live up in St. Petersburg." Technically, that's not a lie. Momma, Irene and I have lived in St. Petersburg before. It was colder than here. Ick.
He finally nods, then looks over to Momma, then back to me. "Now that is settled, what was that man's crime? Why did your mother shoot him?"
"He was trying to hurt me. He could have done worse if Momma hadn't reacted." That wasn't a lie either. The man had hurt me. I have the bruises to prove it.
He doesn't seem to believe me, but then he smiles slightly. God, he's gorgeous. "Then I am glad it is settled."
Momma walks forward, leaving Pyro and Blob to clean up the mess behind us. "Will you tell anyone about this? We are going to the police ourselves soon, but I want to let my daughter rest for a while."
He nods in understanding. "I will tell no one. It is not my place. After all, I am nothing but a farm boy." He smiles a little wider, his dark eyes on me. "Who would belive me over you?"
Momma smiles. "Smart young man." Her Russian is as good as mine...after all, who else could have taught me? "Would you mind if I asked your name?"
He shakes his head, then answers. "You can call me Piotr Rasputin."
His name is so neat. I just stand there, watching him from under the cloak I'm wearing over my other clothing. Thank goodness he can't see my hair. If I ever run in to him again, he'd know it was me. After all, how many women have a white stripe in their hair?
Rogue knew Colossus when she fought the X-men? Now that is something I never would have expected. That explains so much of how she acted around him. Even during the brief period in which they dated she acted as if she had some huge secret she wished to tell, but didn't dare.
I simply hope she stops running soon. She means so much to all of us here, and others in this world. If only she would tell us her secrets. She already knows ours.