Chasing Wisdom

XXX

She wasn't scared—not very, anyhow. The slim British spy across from her smiled thinly, but she'd be damned if all the training she'd had was going to go to waste in a few moments.

"So, sweet'art, make yeh move," Pete Wisdom muttered.

Chase lifted her hand, ever so slowly, lifted her Rook, and put Wisdom in Checkmate. She didn't have to call it, the surprise in his ever-so-slightly widened eyes showed his consternation.

"Well, I'll be damned if yer 'aven't won th' game, luv."

She nodded solemnly. "I suppose I have. You don't have anywhere to go where I couldn't kill you."

"Yeh." He exhaled, grabbed a cigarette, and lit it with a discreet hot-knife from his fingertip. "So, yer gonna tell me wot exactly went on between yer an' Wolverine?"

"No."

"Why not? Don't yer trust me?"

"No."

"Well, I guess them two months was wasted then. I might as well start drinkin' again."

"No."

"Wot th' 'ell……yeh know, if yer never talk, people ain't gonna like yer much, Chase."

"Yeah."

"So, wot's got Archangel's panties in a twist?"

"I have no idea. But I don't have any time to find out. He's gone, and my priority at this moment is Nathan."

Wisdom snorted. "Yeh really do love the big lug, don't yer?"

"Yes."

"I 'ear yeh thinkin' o' takin' a vacation?"

"Maybe. I don't think it's really feasible. I mean, Nathan's in the hospital, Warren's in conflict with himself AND me, and Jean's going insane. What am I going to do? I have a responsibility as the host of the Phoenix Force to do SOMETHING, I just don't……damn. If only life were as simple as a game of chess," she picked up one of her knights and sighed at it. "Life sucks."

"Now yer just soundin' like a petulant kid."

"I don't want to go through university. Damn degree. It's all formality, really. The Phoenix knows all and is all."

"Fire'n Life incarnate'n all 'at rot."

"Exactly."

"Looks like even th' most powerful cosmic force in th' known universe needs a refresher course every now an' then, huh?"

"I guess. But you see, I'm only eighteen, whereas she is ageless. She's one of the major events in my life, and I'm only a passing host."

"Ain't wot th' Prof seems ter think."

"Look, I KNOW the Phoenix has never actually possessed a human before, she's only taken their places, yada, yada, yada. It could be different, who knows? She could keep me young for however the hell long she wants, but the point is, even SHE doesn't know what to do."

"Sucks."

"It does,"

They lapsed into silence for another few moments. "Yer know, I actually 'ave ter go down ter Boston fer a lil' check, wot about yer come with?"

"I've tagged along so many times in my life, are you asking me to do it again?"

"Yeh. On'y, yer won't be taggin' along so much as doin' patient follow-up, makin' sure I ain't givin' in ter temptation an' all 'at."

"Oh. Now that you've phrased it so ably, I suppose I'll have to accompany you. What precisely does the trip entail?"

"Sod off, Phoenix, I'm talkin' with Chase, 'ere!"

"My apologies," Chase blinked, "Hey, I LET her take over."

"I don't like talkin' with 'er as much as with yer. No offense an' I don't mean ter put yer in conflict with yerself. I like yer both good an' well, she jus' makes me antsy's all."

"Perfectly understandable, Wisdom. So, let's do this, huh? Maybe I'll find some nice, harmless boy to go out with in Boston, what do you think?"

"I doubt it. There ain't nothin' close ter nice an' safe down there." Wisdom grinned. "Yer want th' Mid-west, yer do."

"Oh. That's right." She shrugged. "Of course, there was that sweet farm-boy back in Montana……"

"Don't even THINK about it. Yer know Worthington's gorrit in for yer."

"And what if I don't have it in for HIM?"

"Well, yer gonna haveter lettim down easy, I guess."

"How do you let a man down easily when the only thing you can give him is yourself? Nothing more? And he already HAS me, but he doesn't. I guess…I just need to…sacrifice myself and…be there for him. In the way he wants me to."

"Now THAT'S just sick, it is. Luv, when're yer gonna quit sacrificin' yerself on th' altar o' hostdom an' live a lil' fer yerself?"

"There's no one I want, so I might as well make someone who wants ME happy."

"'Ow do yer figure 'at?"

"Not sure." She sighed. "If you'd have made a move on me while I was treating you, I'm pretty sure I would've gone for it."

"You were jailbait."

"That's right,"

"An' even now, yer too young fer me."

"You're even younger than Warren, you know?"

"Yeh. I know." He sighed. "If on'y Kit'd quit yammerin' about 'er marriage ter that sod Madrox, I'd be less easy right now. But as is, I'm ready ter jump even Jubilee's bones."

"Do that and you'd be dead before dessert."

"Ferget dessert, I'd BE the main course!" Wisdom joked darkly. "Oh, 'ell, now there's a form o' suicide I 'AVEN'T contemplated yet."

"Simple and best," Chase laughed quietly. "Wolverine's been avoiding me," she added, almost as an afterthought.

"'E didn't want ter 'urt Worthington."

"They were both close with Betsy."

"Wot th' 'ell, so was yer."

"Yes, but……"

"No fuckin' buts, luv. She believed in yer, with Nate, when yeh was tryin' ter pitch yerself out o' th' rot window."

It was Chase's turn to smile. "Yeah. That was silly, wasn't it?"

"Scared th' livin' fuck outta me."

"Sorry about that. But hey! I didn't even know you at the time!"

"Yeh, I guess we wasn't acquainted, but I was around."

"I know THAT."

"Yeh, an' jest seein' a kid like yer about ter kill 'erself, an' 'avin' more reason than most ter go through……THAT'S wot scared me."

"It's good that you're sharing your feelings, even if it IS about three years too late."

"Oh, bugger off, Chase. Get off yer 'igh 'orse an' live a lil'." Wisdom suddenly leapt to his feet, stabbing a finger into the air. "Yer too fuckin' scared ter even consider anythin' but a safe, sacrificial relationship with Worthington, which ye'll hate, I know yer well enough ter know, an' which'll make the poor sod as guilty as 'ell! Wot're yeh makin' o' yer life, gel?" he finished quietly, sinking back into his seat powerlessly.

"Oh, as if you cared as much!"

"Damn straight I care. Why th' 'ell wouldn't I? Yer the only woman left in my life now 'at Romany's gone homicidal bitch an' Pryde's dizzy about 'er upcomin' nuptials. Yer……yeh know wot yer are ter me."

"Say it, Wisdom," a smile curved her lips.

"Yer me……yer me best mate."

"Yeah, I am!" she laughed. "And as I am your best mate, you wanna sneak me a beer or two?"

"Bloody 'ell. In a 'ouse fulla 'paths? Norra chance!"

"I'll shield you."

"Yeh won't drink a whole bottle any'ow, an' this American stuff's just pure piss, it is."

"You're right." She sighed. "So, about Boston. How soon are you leaving?"

"Yer comin' with?"

"No, I don't think so. It'd be misconstrued as running away from something, and be it Warren or Nate's psionic complications, I don't want anyone to think I'm gonna bolt at the least possible strain, as much as I want to. I'm gonna stick it out."

"Fine, BE a masochist, luv. But I can say I kidnapped yer."

"And THEN where would that land you in the X-Circle?"

"Yer right. I guess I'll see yer in a few days, coz me flight leaves at two this mornin'."

"Oh, fuck. I was hoping to have another night with you."

"Want ter jump me senseless, do yer?" he waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Yeah, that's what I want." Her tone dripped sarcasm. "No, it's just that I wanted you to post something for me……from an out-of-state location."

"Ter where?"

"My parents. In Montana."

"Why from out-of-state? Don't they……oh, fuckin' hell, Chase, don't tell me……"

"Quit whining, Pete. No, they don't know I'm still at Xavier's. I told them that that mission down in Florida was a three-month vacation, and they still think I'm down there. So if you posted it from Boston, it would look like I was just dragging my heels out of Florida, that maybe I had a job and an apartment."

"Why d'yer 'ave ter dance 'round yer parents like this? Why can't yer just tellem the truth?"

"Because, they've been good enough about never seeing me and my being inhabited by an extremely powerful, mildly psychopathic cosmic force. They should think I've left the 'nest' and that I'm living a nominally ordinary life, you know?"

"Yeh. I guess. Sure as 'ell wouldn't want me old man ter know wot me an' Romany're up to these days."

"Doesn't he know you're Intel?"

"'E thinks I quit in every way, shape, an' form. Much as th' ol' wanker 'ates me guts, he can still see me mum in me, how I don't know. Mus' be th' goatee." Chase rolled her eyes and punched him in the shoulder. "But yeh, if 'e knew I was still fucking about with giant metallic guns an' bad dudes with names like Pucker-lips, it'd go right to 'is poor daft 'ead, it would."

Chase but her lower lip. "Lying sucks, though. I'd like nothing more at this point than to be some farm-wife with an abusive, alcoholic husband and four kids at this point. The stress is easier to deal with than this."

"I s'pose. Though I've never really thought o' 'avin' a man beat me arse, yer know?"

"You sicko." She rolled her eyes.

"An' yer love me for it."

"Yeah, I do. But listen, will you post the letter for me?"

"O' course. Jus' give it ter me, luv."

"You're leaving for the airport at midnight?"

"Stroke o' twelve, luv."

"All right. I'll get it to you before then."

"Cheers."

XXX