Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men; I do own all OCs especially Samantha and Blaze. Ilehana Xavier belongs exclusively to Corrinth and is used with permission.

A/N: Enjoy.

Scene 04

She only realised her mistake when she pushed the door of the bar open and stepped inside. Briefly the brighter light and smoky atmosphere confused her, blinded her. As her vision cleared and she walked towards the bar, she realised just how sheltered her life had been. She had never been leered at so cruelly, had her worth weighed up so cheaply, been so afraid as she was of the man who pushed past her on his way out. He spun slightly as he knocked into her shoulder, his vocal growl baring sharp and savage teeth, and his scraggy blond hair more like fur than anything as he towered over her. There could be no doubt he was a mutant, but it wasn't the sort of kinship Sam would have liked to claim as she averted her eyes and let Sabretooth leave. Seconds after the door closed behind him, she wished she had stopped him. There were no more mutants in the bar. Only the worse sort of men.

"You gonna let me buy you a drink, pretty?" One old man leered, showing a mouth derived of teeth and winking his one remaining eye. Somehow she stuttered that she was fine, thanks.

"Don't hassle the kid, Mike." Another man, much bigger than the first speaker and toying absently with his shiny black handgun, addressed the entire room. "A pretty thing like that is only gonna wanna talk to Handrick." Around the bar there was general agreement, as to Sam it became clear that the armed man was Handrick himself.

"I'm fine, thank you." Sam answered quickly, hoping her nerves weren't betrayed in her voice. "I just need to use your phone." She addressed the barman, but didn't get a reply.

"I don't think you understand, kid." Handrick spoke again. "You're gonna come have a drink with me, and then we'll decide if we're gonna let you use the phone or not, see?" He reached out towards her with a cold, grasping hand and Sam felt a shudder run through her. He barely touched her wrist before he shrieked. Seizing her moment, Sam grabbed the man's wrist in her hand and held on hard. He shuddered as his eyes budged and a sickening succession of snaps filed the air. No one else in the bar moved for about two seconds, then they were on her, twenty or so fully grown and well- muscled yobs versus one scrawny fifteen year old.

Not one of them could lay a hand on her. If they did, the pain that raced through them made them scream like girls and drop to their knees, holding fractured limbs in shock. She broke for the door, enjoying the slam of it closed behind her as much as the fresh air on her sweaty face. She tried hard to ignore the screams and mutters of revenge from inside the bar, but they still haunted her steps as she turned and ran once more.

She hid all day, cold and hungry but to afraid to make herself known on the rare occasion a human voice sounded near her hiding place. That night she walked again, not quite knowing where she was going, too dazed and afraid to care. Dawn wasn't far away when she heard the car behind her. She was worldly-wise enough to know it was following her, headlights in the gutters as buildings began to close in around her again. The engine was barely turning over, and as she looked back the passenger was talking swiftly into a mobile phone. The driver flashed his lights at her once, and waved his hand at her to get her to stop. The car ground to a halt, and Sam made a break for it. Swearing followed as the men got in each other's way, but they were most definitely pursuing her. Blood pumped too fast through Sam's veins, driving her to sprint faster than she had ever done before. What could she do? Why were men in suits running after her? Were they the police, after her because of the incident at the bar? Or friends of Pyro's, here to kill her because she'd turned on him?

Thundering down a steep course of stairs, leaping the last three steps like a gazelle and turning back on herself down a dark alley, the sounds of her pursuers were all too clear. They were going to catch her! Tiring and desperate, she dropped her carefully preserved backpack, lost her heavy and expensive coat too, anything to lose a little weight. She ran easier after that, but running blind nonetheless. Her breath rasped in her chest, her feet wading through puddles made as much of rubbish as water. Concrete swamped the environment in dull grey as dawn threatened the smog above her, illuminating the sprawled graffiti that was little more than a coloured blur as she ran past.

She knew she was slowing before they did, knew she'd have to try something else and be quick about it. She didn't know that they were slowing too, that a frightened fifteen year old was more than a match for two men more accustomed to sitting in comfortable offices. Reaching a fire escape ladder, Sam jumped to grab it, terror driving her to reach further and jump higher than she would have thought herself able. Her treacherous fingers brushed the metal, made it bend and shiver but she held on anyway. Muscles in her arms burned and bulged as she pulled herself up, away from the road. In the few seconds she had spare before the pursuing men made it around the corner, Sam was on the roof and away.

"Stop, stop..." The man who had been the passenger told his associate with gasping breath. His hands on his knees he gulped air in like other men would gulp beer. Sheesh, and he'd once been on the university track team as well... New resolution, go to the gym a little more often. Standing straight again he loosened the knot of his tie nodded to his friend. "I'm ringing the Senator." The mobile was fortunately enough still in his trouser pocket, the number on fast-dial. Sure enough a familiar voice answered it.

"Senator, we found her. She seems okay, but I think we spooked her and she's run." A pause, the car driver listened but couldn't make out what was being said on the other end of the line. "I know sir, but I've got one more trick up my sleeve."

In an office quite a way away, the Senator in question pushed his chair back from the table resolutely and got to his feet.

"Thank you, Matthew, do whatever you think is best. You're much more qualified for this than I am." Sam's father ran his hand back through his thinning hair and looked out the window desperately. "I can't tell you how much it mean to me that there are men in government who do not judge mutants, and yet do not tow the line with Kelly either..."

"You can't categorise all of us with pro-mutant agendas as being the same, Senator. Its like saying all mutants are the same, or all humans." Matthew Cooper answered with wisdom beyond his years. Wisdom gained from a peculiar set of friends. "I'd love to talk in more depth to you about it, but not until we have your daughter safe again. Now if you don't mind Senator, I have to make another phone call."

That call ended, a second fast-dial button was pressed as Matthew's driver looked on. There was only one man who could find a mutant no matter where they hid.

"Good morning Professor, I'm sorry to have to wake you so early..."