Betrayal?
"Did you find her Samara?"
"I found her, but she isn't blind as you said she was."
"Of course she is blind you fool! No one could repair her eyes from the damage of those chemicals!"
"She fought me as if she could see again."
"Perhaps someone has discovered a way pass the telepathic block." the dark voice trailed.
"What will be our next move master?"
"You'll go after her again, and again and again until you get her and don't come back until you have got her!" a dagger shot out of the darkness into a pool of light were the cloaked mystery stood.
It dodged the dagger and ran from the cave.
Koda thrashed about in her sleep. Her dreams were menacing, more cloaked figures chased her, but Jak wasn't there to help her fight. Professor Xavier was there he was calling to her. He said that he needed to tell her something; something important, something that couldn't wait and she had to talk to him. The Odd-Quad was there, no, they were dead, they were buried underneath her, and she had to escape from the demon. demon?
The shadows broke apart into a pair of malicious red eyes with black slit pupils, an evil laughter rumbled the hallow of her mind, they were right on top of her, a few more feet and they'll have her!
Koda shot up in bed covered in a sheen of cold sweat. The stitches in her side exploded in pain making themselves known to her. She fell back onto her pillows and clutched her side. She looked around the room, sunlight was pouring in from the open curtains, no one was in the room, but her recorder was lying next to her head on the pillow. She picked it up and pressed play.
"Went to the zoo with the biology class. Satine and Jackson have gone with me. We would have asked you but you were asleep when we left, I wanted to wake you, but Jackson insisted that I let you sleep. I'll bring you back dinner; we should be back at the mansion around six tonight. Study hard for your history exam; I'll help you study when I get back. All our love, Jak, Jackson and Satine."
"Great," Koda sighed. "Let me sleep right into my nightmare, thanks a lot Jackson." She shook her head and got up. Satine has set her clothes out on a chair right next to the bed. Koda picked it up and went to the bathroom. She showered, dressed and felt her way into the living room.
"Ah, Koda,"
"Professor Xavier," Koda nodded. "Good morning."
"Good morning, how are you?"
"I'm fine." She sat on the couch.
"Did you just wake up?"
"Yeah,"
"It's almost two."
"I sleep in on weekends, besides, Jackson didn't wake me up this morning."
"Oh yes, I see." He nodded. "Most everyone is on field trips today."
"I know." She nodded.
"Did you have anything planned for today?"
"No."
"Why don't you work on heightening your senses?"
"How?"
"Come with me, we can go back to that room we were in yesterday and set it up so you can listen to things and identify them." He explained as she held onto the back of his wheelchair. "They will be very low toned sounds, you'll have to strain, then it should become easier and easier."
"All right, let's have a go."
Professor smiled and led her away.
She sat in the middle of a large park. People laughed and children played. Professor sat twenty feet away with volunteer Scott Summers. They talked about their opinions about politics and about Mutant Registration.
It was Koda's job to listen and single out their conservation, and so far so good.
"Yes, but if they do bounce back with the mutant registration then mutants all over America will have to reveal themselves and they will- no question- be met with fear and hostility just as Jean said before the Senate." Scott said. They've had this conservation before, but just for Koda's sake, they talked about it again, using the exact words. "People fear what they don't understand, if you take away their freedom some will hide, and in hiding they will fight to survive."
"But it doesn't have to be that way."
"It doesn't have to, but if they are forced to register then they will- it is human nature- it is mutant nature to want to be as free as everyone else-"
"It reminds me of when the white people took over America," Koda said loud enough for them to hear. "It was a wonder they didn't try to make all Native American Indians register." She looked over at them.
"Okay, lets try twenty-five feet."
"No Professor, try thirty-five." She insisted.
"That's an extra fifteen Koda," he protested. "Are you sure you want to try that?"
She nodded. "Why not?"
He looked up at Scott who nodded.
"Alright then, this time, try to listen to us and to two people who are fighting." Professor Xavier said typing something into what looked like a palm pilot.
Koda heard the control room computer beep as information was received. Then more beeping and two people appeared another thirty feet to her left. They began to fight as she fought with Satine the previous night.
"Identify their moves and our conservation all at once." Professor Xavier said as Scott wheel him away fifteen feet and they resumed conservation. This time it was about improvements they could use at the school.
Koda strained. She could hear the people fighting, shuffling, grunting, and cursing. People around them gasped and shouted, and out of it all, she could barely hear Scott complaining about how Logan kept taking off into town with his motorcycle. She honed in on them, Scott very much- disliked Logan and apparently thought him as a problem the school could use an improvement on.
"He has no respect and he is always leaving the school ground with no warning and with my bike!" Scott said. "He is still hitting on Jean and her and I are married!"
"Logan is lonely."
"Then have him date Rogue-"
"Their age is very much different, Scott, I thought I said you two had to settle this before Liberty Island."
"Well, we settled it for that day," Scott folded his arms over his chest. "But now he is still at it."
"Okay," Koda mumbled to herself. "Focus on the fighters." she titled her head, her mind raced, sorting the sounds. "There, I got it." she listened to them, trying to picture them in her mind she listening and tried to picture the sound to movements she had used on Satine.
"Spin kick. sweep kick. body against body? No, punch." she growled and honed in the Scott again, but he was quiet and she had to strain to hone in on the Professor. He was a whisper, talking about when they first upgraded Cerebro. She returned her attention back to the fighters. They were closer, why wasn't it all connecting?
"Dodged kick, falling due to a drop kick. from the ground a high kick- no!" she shook her head furiously and balled her hands into fists.
Professor Xavier looked over at her. "Should we quit?"
Scott looked over at her, he had nearly forgotten about her. "No, she's just frustrated."
"We've been in here for," he looked down at his watch. "For four hours!"
Koda listened, there was a new sound, beeping. She jumped up. "No Professor! Just a little longer! Please!"
"I'm sorry Koda, it's already past seven." He said. "We have to get back to the main level and greet the class."
Koda pouted and crossed her arms over her chest. "I was just getting it too. Scott was complaining about Logan and you were talking about when you first upgraded your Cerebro and those men, I heard a combination of high kicks and sweep kicks and punches."
Scott nodded. "That's pretty good, you're getting better."
Professor Xavier smiled. "It was you and Satine fighting behind you that you were listening to. Everything you thought, it was true."
Koda shook her head. "Go figure." She took the back of the Professor's wheel chair and had him lead her out of the room, into the elevator and into the main foyer.
She felt her way to the stairs and headed upstairs.
"Don't you want any dinner Koda?" Scott asked.
"No, Jak was suppose to bring me back something." She smiled weakly and walked upstairs. She reached the top and heard someone just standing there as if to talk to her, but they said nothing.
"I want a rematch." The deep voice said.
"You'd fight the blind just to expand your ego Logan?" she sneered. "Then you're more messed up then I thought. The only reason I fought you in Lofland was because I knew what you were, a mutant with adamantium in his body with claws. So I turned my bones into adamantium and I fought you. That's the only reason I won, because you weren't expecting it, because the element of surprise was on my side. We fought and I came out on top and you couldn't handle it. Have you thought of nothing these past years? Have you learned nothing in these past years?"
"What do you mean?"
"In order to lead you must first follow," she smirked. "Or has your ego grown too much to see that?"
He lashed out; she ducked and felt his hand swipe overhead. She swept her foot out, knocking him off his feet and down the stairs. She stood up and turned to him, clutching her side in pain.
"Don't underestimate me Logan, I am learning to fight once more." She turned and walked to her room.
"Where were you?" Satine shrieked. "Logan was in here asking for you. I was afraid he might want to settle something."
"Don't worry, I was with Professor Xavier in the lower levels working on heightening my senses."
"Good." She nodded. "Now study for your final exam!"
"Hold on, I have to use the bathroom first." She smiled and walked away into the bathroom. She lifted her shirt and felt the bandage. It was wet, she touched it with the tips of her fingers and lifted them to her nose.
"Damn," she muttered. "Stop bleeding." She said to it as if it would listen.
"What did you do?" Jackson asked.
Koda whipped around and stumbled into the sink counter. "Jackson!"
"Hey, I was in here first, when you came in I just stood still."
"What are you doing?"
Jackson put away a little hand computer. "I was floss, I ate corn and was getting the skins out from between my teeth."
"Oh," she nodded. "I see." She lifted her shirt again. "I fell, can you re-bandage it Jackson?"
"Sure." He said and peeled off the old bandage. He dampened a cloth and softly cleaned it, wiping the blood away, and then he applied a new bandage and taped it firmly into place.
"Where's Jak?"
"He's looking for you Koda, he brought you some dinner."
Koda lowered her shirt and smiled. "Thanks, I'll see you around." She walked out of the bathroom and over to her bed. "Thanks for telling me Jackson was in there Satine."
"He was?" she asked.
"As if you didn't know."
"I didn't," she answered. "He wasn't in there when I went in there three minutes ago."
Koda arched an eyebrow. "Whatever, so how was everything?"
"It was awesome! All those animals, I went to the Rio Grande Zoo in Albuquerque with Jak a few times, but this one was just killer awesome!"
"Where's Jak?"
"Probably downstairs looking for you."
Koda smiled and walked out of the room.
"Hey Koda!"
"Rogue." Koda nodded. "Have you seen Jak around?"
"Tall, dark and handsome?"
"That's him."
"He was downstairs a minute ago." She said.
"Where specifically?"
"Last I saw he was heading into the kitchen."
Koda nodded. "Thanks." She headed down the stairs and into the hall. She wasn't expecting Logan to be very happy with his second defeat.
"Hey kid."
"Logan." Koda nearly jumped.
"Too bad you missed the trip, it was fun."
Koda inclined her head.
"Anyway, I just got back, has the Professor asked anything about me?"
"Wait, you just got back?"
"Yeah, I took Scott's motorcycle and followed the bus, then when they stopped to eat at McDonalds, I left and ate at Red Lobster."
Koda took a step forward. "Did Jackson go with you?"
Logan grunted. "No, why?"
"He said he ate corn."
"No, he was in the bus with everyone else."
"And just a few minutes ago I fought you at the top of the stairs."
"No, I just got back. Besides, why would I fight you? I am not that egotistic."
Koda turned her head listening for anything. "I am sure I fought you, yeah, it was your voice, you said you wanted a rematch."
"Shh," he said, he inclined his own head and listened intently.
Everything was silent; there was an absence of noise.
"Koda," Logan said. "Get out of here."
Koda began to walk back, but someone grabbed her and threw her across the hall. She slammed into the wall and crumbled to the ground.
She heard Logan's claws extend as he rushed the person and began to slash furiously.
Someone slid into a crouching position beside her and forced something onto her wrists. It was her claw braces.
"Get up."
"Jak?"
"Get up!" he pulled her to her feet and pushed her toward Logan.
An image was thrown into her mind; she saw Logan and the cloaked thing. She reached out and slashed the cloaked person on the arm.
"Ow!" Logan shouted. "Koda! That was me!"
"What?"
The image faded, and she heard someone running down the hall.
"What the hell happened?" Koda demanded. "Who put the braces on me?"
Logan grabbed her arm. "Jackson did."
"I thought I heard Jak."
"No, it was Jackson, why did you attack me?"
"Attack you?" she froze. "Oh no."
"What?"
Her dreams came back in full force; she saw the demon with red eyes, the shadow in a thick black cloak. "Something isn't right Logan. Get the Professor!"
He grabbed her arm. "If you said you fought me earlier and you didn't, then you are not leaving my side if there is a metamorph loose on the school grounds."
She nodded and they ran down the hall at full sprint. She recalled the things Jackson and Satine and Logan had said. Jackson had not been in the bathroom when Satine was in there a few minutes prior, Jackson said he was flossing corn skin out of his teeth yet Logan said that they ate at a McDonalds where they don't serve corn. What was he really doing in there and whom had she fought at the top of the stairs and where the bloody hell was Jak?
"It's not making sense." She said. "What is going on here?"
"Did you find her Samara?"
"I found her, but she isn't blind as you said she was."
"Of course she is blind you fool! No one could repair her eyes from the damage of those chemicals!"
"She fought me as if she could see again."
"Perhaps someone has discovered a way pass the telepathic block." the dark voice trailed.
"What will be our next move master?"
"You'll go after her again, and again and again until you get her and don't come back until you have got her!" a dagger shot out of the darkness into a pool of light were the cloaked mystery stood.
It dodged the dagger and ran from the cave.
Koda thrashed about in her sleep. Her dreams were menacing, more cloaked figures chased her, but Jak wasn't there to help her fight. Professor Xavier was there he was calling to her. He said that he needed to tell her something; something important, something that couldn't wait and she had to talk to him. The Odd-Quad was there, no, they were dead, they were buried underneath her, and she had to escape from the demon. demon?
The shadows broke apart into a pair of malicious red eyes with black slit pupils, an evil laughter rumbled the hallow of her mind, they were right on top of her, a few more feet and they'll have her!
Koda shot up in bed covered in a sheen of cold sweat. The stitches in her side exploded in pain making themselves known to her. She fell back onto her pillows and clutched her side. She looked around the room, sunlight was pouring in from the open curtains, no one was in the room, but her recorder was lying next to her head on the pillow. She picked it up and pressed play.
"Went to the zoo with the biology class. Satine and Jackson have gone with me. We would have asked you but you were asleep when we left, I wanted to wake you, but Jackson insisted that I let you sleep. I'll bring you back dinner; we should be back at the mansion around six tonight. Study hard for your history exam; I'll help you study when I get back. All our love, Jak, Jackson and Satine."
"Great," Koda sighed. "Let me sleep right into my nightmare, thanks a lot Jackson." She shook her head and got up. Satine has set her clothes out on a chair right next to the bed. Koda picked it up and went to the bathroom. She showered, dressed and felt her way into the living room.
"Ah, Koda,"
"Professor Xavier," Koda nodded. "Good morning."
"Good morning, how are you?"
"I'm fine." She sat on the couch.
"Did you just wake up?"
"Yeah,"
"It's almost two."
"I sleep in on weekends, besides, Jackson didn't wake me up this morning."
"Oh yes, I see." He nodded. "Most everyone is on field trips today."
"I know." She nodded.
"Did you have anything planned for today?"
"No."
"Why don't you work on heightening your senses?"
"How?"
"Come with me, we can go back to that room we were in yesterday and set it up so you can listen to things and identify them." He explained as she held onto the back of his wheelchair. "They will be very low toned sounds, you'll have to strain, then it should become easier and easier."
"All right, let's have a go."
Professor smiled and led her away.
She sat in the middle of a large park. People laughed and children played. Professor sat twenty feet away with volunteer Scott Summers. They talked about their opinions about politics and about Mutant Registration.
It was Koda's job to listen and single out their conservation, and so far so good.
"Yes, but if they do bounce back with the mutant registration then mutants all over America will have to reveal themselves and they will- no question- be met with fear and hostility just as Jean said before the Senate." Scott said. They've had this conservation before, but just for Koda's sake, they talked about it again, using the exact words. "People fear what they don't understand, if you take away their freedom some will hide, and in hiding they will fight to survive."
"But it doesn't have to be that way."
"It doesn't have to, but if they are forced to register then they will- it is human nature- it is mutant nature to want to be as free as everyone else-"
"It reminds me of when the white people took over America," Koda said loud enough for them to hear. "It was a wonder they didn't try to make all Native American Indians register." She looked over at them.
"Okay, lets try twenty-five feet."
"No Professor, try thirty-five." She insisted.
"That's an extra fifteen Koda," he protested. "Are you sure you want to try that?"
She nodded. "Why not?"
He looked up at Scott who nodded.
"Alright then, this time, try to listen to us and to two people who are fighting." Professor Xavier said typing something into what looked like a palm pilot.
Koda heard the control room computer beep as information was received. Then more beeping and two people appeared another thirty feet to her left. They began to fight as she fought with Satine the previous night.
"Identify their moves and our conservation all at once." Professor Xavier said as Scott wheel him away fifteen feet and they resumed conservation. This time it was about improvements they could use at the school.
Koda strained. She could hear the people fighting, shuffling, grunting, and cursing. People around them gasped and shouted, and out of it all, she could barely hear Scott complaining about how Logan kept taking off into town with his motorcycle. She honed in on them, Scott very much- disliked Logan and apparently thought him as a problem the school could use an improvement on.
"He has no respect and he is always leaving the school ground with no warning and with my bike!" Scott said. "He is still hitting on Jean and her and I are married!"
"Logan is lonely."
"Then have him date Rogue-"
"Their age is very much different, Scott, I thought I said you two had to settle this before Liberty Island."
"Well, we settled it for that day," Scott folded his arms over his chest. "But now he is still at it."
"Okay," Koda mumbled to herself. "Focus on the fighters." she titled her head, her mind raced, sorting the sounds. "There, I got it." she listened to them, trying to picture them in her mind she listening and tried to picture the sound to movements she had used on Satine.
"Spin kick. sweep kick. body against body? No, punch." she growled and honed in the Scott again, but he was quiet and she had to strain to hone in on the Professor. He was a whisper, talking about when they first upgraded Cerebro. She returned her attention back to the fighters. They were closer, why wasn't it all connecting?
"Dodged kick, falling due to a drop kick. from the ground a high kick- no!" she shook her head furiously and balled her hands into fists.
Professor Xavier looked over at her. "Should we quit?"
Scott looked over at her, he had nearly forgotten about her. "No, she's just frustrated."
"We've been in here for," he looked down at his watch. "For four hours!"
Koda listened, there was a new sound, beeping. She jumped up. "No Professor! Just a little longer! Please!"
"I'm sorry Koda, it's already past seven." He said. "We have to get back to the main level and greet the class."
Koda pouted and crossed her arms over her chest. "I was just getting it too. Scott was complaining about Logan and you were talking about when you first upgraded your Cerebro and those men, I heard a combination of high kicks and sweep kicks and punches."
Scott nodded. "That's pretty good, you're getting better."
Professor Xavier smiled. "It was you and Satine fighting behind you that you were listening to. Everything you thought, it was true."
Koda shook her head. "Go figure." She took the back of the Professor's wheel chair and had him lead her out of the room, into the elevator and into the main foyer.
She felt her way to the stairs and headed upstairs.
"Don't you want any dinner Koda?" Scott asked.
"No, Jak was suppose to bring me back something." She smiled weakly and walked upstairs. She reached the top and heard someone just standing there as if to talk to her, but they said nothing.
"I want a rematch." The deep voice said.
"You'd fight the blind just to expand your ego Logan?" she sneered. "Then you're more messed up then I thought. The only reason I fought you in Lofland was because I knew what you were, a mutant with adamantium in his body with claws. So I turned my bones into adamantium and I fought you. That's the only reason I won, because you weren't expecting it, because the element of surprise was on my side. We fought and I came out on top and you couldn't handle it. Have you thought of nothing these past years? Have you learned nothing in these past years?"
"What do you mean?"
"In order to lead you must first follow," she smirked. "Or has your ego grown too much to see that?"
He lashed out; she ducked and felt his hand swipe overhead. She swept her foot out, knocking him off his feet and down the stairs. She stood up and turned to him, clutching her side in pain.
"Don't underestimate me Logan, I am learning to fight once more." She turned and walked to her room.
"Where were you?" Satine shrieked. "Logan was in here asking for you. I was afraid he might want to settle something."
"Don't worry, I was with Professor Xavier in the lower levels working on heightening my senses."
"Good." She nodded. "Now study for your final exam!"
"Hold on, I have to use the bathroom first." She smiled and walked away into the bathroom. She lifted her shirt and felt the bandage. It was wet, she touched it with the tips of her fingers and lifted them to her nose.
"Damn," she muttered. "Stop bleeding." She said to it as if it would listen.
"What did you do?" Jackson asked.
Koda whipped around and stumbled into the sink counter. "Jackson!"
"Hey, I was in here first, when you came in I just stood still."
"What are you doing?"
Jackson put away a little hand computer. "I was floss, I ate corn and was getting the skins out from between my teeth."
"Oh," she nodded. "I see." She lifted her shirt again. "I fell, can you re-bandage it Jackson?"
"Sure." He said and peeled off the old bandage. He dampened a cloth and softly cleaned it, wiping the blood away, and then he applied a new bandage and taped it firmly into place.
"Where's Jak?"
"He's looking for you Koda, he brought you some dinner."
Koda lowered her shirt and smiled. "Thanks, I'll see you around." She walked out of the bathroom and over to her bed. "Thanks for telling me Jackson was in there Satine."
"He was?" she asked.
"As if you didn't know."
"I didn't," she answered. "He wasn't in there when I went in there three minutes ago."
Koda arched an eyebrow. "Whatever, so how was everything?"
"It was awesome! All those animals, I went to the Rio Grande Zoo in Albuquerque with Jak a few times, but this one was just killer awesome!"
"Where's Jak?"
"Probably downstairs looking for you."
Koda smiled and walked out of the room.
"Hey Koda!"
"Rogue." Koda nodded. "Have you seen Jak around?"
"Tall, dark and handsome?"
"That's him."
"He was downstairs a minute ago." She said.
"Where specifically?"
"Last I saw he was heading into the kitchen."
Koda nodded. "Thanks." She headed down the stairs and into the hall. She wasn't expecting Logan to be very happy with his second defeat.
"Hey kid."
"Logan." Koda nearly jumped.
"Too bad you missed the trip, it was fun."
Koda inclined her head.
"Anyway, I just got back, has the Professor asked anything about me?"
"Wait, you just got back?"
"Yeah, I took Scott's motorcycle and followed the bus, then when they stopped to eat at McDonalds, I left and ate at Red Lobster."
Koda took a step forward. "Did Jackson go with you?"
Logan grunted. "No, why?"
"He said he ate corn."
"No, he was in the bus with everyone else."
"And just a few minutes ago I fought you at the top of the stairs."
"No, I just got back. Besides, why would I fight you? I am not that egotistic."
Koda turned her head listening for anything. "I am sure I fought you, yeah, it was your voice, you said you wanted a rematch."
"Shh," he said, he inclined his own head and listened intently.
Everything was silent; there was an absence of noise.
"Koda," Logan said. "Get out of here."
Koda began to walk back, but someone grabbed her and threw her across the hall. She slammed into the wall and crumbled to the ground.
She heard Logan's claws extend as he rushed the person and began to slash furiously.
Someone slid into a crouching position beside her and forced something onto her wrists. It was her claw braces.
"Get up."
"Jak?"
"Get up!" he pulled her to her feet and pushed her toward Logan.
An image was thrown into her mind; she saw Logan and the cloaked thing. She reached out and slashed the cloaked person on the arm.
"Ow!" Logan shouted. "Koda! That was me!"
"What?"
The image faded, and she heard someone running down the hall.
"What the hell happened?" Koda demanded. "Who put the braces on me?"
Logan grabbed her arm. "Jackson did."
"I thought I heard Jak."
"No, it was Jackson, why did you attack me?"
"Attack you?" she froze. "Oh no."
"What?"
Her dreams came back in full force; she saw the demon with red eyes, the shadow in a thick black cloak. "Something isn't right Logan. Get the Professor!"
He grabbed her arm. "If you said you fought me earlier and you didn't, then you are not leaving my side if there is a metamorph loose on the school grounds."
She nodded and they ran down the hall at full sprint. She recalled the things Jackson and Satine and Logan had said. Jackson had not been in the bathroom when Satine was in there a few minutes prior, Jackson said he was flossing corn skin out of his teeth yet Logan said that they ate at a McDonalds where they don't serve corn. What was he really doing in there and whom had she fought at the top of the stairs and where the bloody hell was Jak?
"It's not making sense." She said. "What is going on here?"
