Disclaimer: A whole host of new characters are mine. Please don't use them. Of course, the X-Men and other such characters involved in the comic, books and the movie belong to Marvel, and new ones are mine. Also the plot is my own.
Throughout story:
" " = Speech
' ' = Thoughts
^ ^ = Telepath
Wolf: Uh.. insightful review? =/
Blix: Lol. Crazy woman! O_o
Jenny: I love cliffhangers XD Hehe, can you tell *giggles* )
Chapter 42Aurora made a sharp gasp, her hands lightly fumbling as Logan pushed her away with a mutter that only she could hear, "It's not you they want." She tried to grab his hands, trying to not separate them. But he was too strong and she stumbled a few steps.
Her head snapped back up as the helicopter lowered over them, gear cladded humans leaning out with guns held provocatively down upon Logan. Aurora tried to step back towards him but his head shook and his hands tried to push her away. She grabbed upon one, "Logan!" She cried, her voice barely making sound above the terrorizing drone of the helicopter. His head snapped her way. She shook her head, still holding onto his hand, "You can't do this!" She shouted frantically, still holding onto his hand with both of her own, "We need to get to London, we need to stop this virus! It's going to end up killing everyone, Logan! You can't give up! This is not you!" She was screaming her words at him, trying to make him see sense, "You can't leave the X-Men, Logan!! You can't leave me!"
Logan just stared at her with tired eyes. He had enough of running from his past and hiding from his memories. Aurora softly continued, her voice quavering, "Please Logan.. They'll kill you.. I'll never see you again.. you can't give up!"
Logan's hand slowly tightened over hers and he pulled her close, his arms flinging protectively around her shoulders. Their hug was brief but tight and full of emotion. As she stepped back he was looking firmly down upon her. The actions around them were almost blocked out. But the whipping winds of the helicopter were battering at their clothes and flesh, sending their hair madly in spirals. The blinding white light was still fixed upon him, now covering the pair.
He lowered his head beside hers and whispered gently in her ear, "Hold tight."
She only managed a puzzled expression before Logan catapulted backwards off the bridge with a fresh roar. Aurora was pulled with him and the pair spiralled off the bridge. Shouts came from the police and the helicopter's light followed them closely. Bullet fire began and Logan cringed his head down above Aurora's as they fell off the bridge wall together. One hand suddenly outstretched and within a split second claws were unleashed. The claws dragged down and through the stone of the bridge and dropped into the hollow of the underside of the bridge, which he stabbed into.
The pair were left dangling in the crevice under the bridge by three claws. Logan held Aurora tightly to him as they dangled above the mad frenzy of running water below. The gun fire had stopped as they disappeared. Faces peered over the wall of the bridge to see nothing but running water. No one knew they had managed to connect themselves to the underside bridge.
"Get down there! Find them!" Shouted a voice anxiously from the bridge that was still awash with the shocking white floodlight.
Logan's heart sank into the pit of his empty stomach when he heard muffled footsteps travel down the muddy bankings of the river to join them under the bridge. He held tightly onto Aurora, trying to keep themselves still, trying to hide them in the shadow of the crevice. It was no use.. a small crowd of uniform cladded humans had gathered either side of the river. Logan thought they might be able to get away with it.. until torches switched on and scanned the area before they flashed upon the pair.
Logan and Aurora stared, horrified as they were discovered. A few seconds after the pointing torchlight's, bullets fired. Logan injected his claws back into his fist and the pair went crashing down into the rushing waves of the river. But as they fell several bullets rocketed through the stone of the bridge.. and some struck them.
Logan twisted in the air to shield Aurora.. but several bullets ripped through his leather jacket and shot through into his back. He cried out as they fell into the thrashing river below. Logan collapsed under the froth with a lack of strength for holding the pair up for so long. As they hit the water, the humans swarmed in to capture the mutants. But as their boots splashed through the river banking cautiously.. Torchlight's hovered on the spot where they had landed. They had gone. The lights shifted to look down with the flow of the river.. And two limp shapes were seen being dragged along by the tormenting current..
The humans however, did not notice the pair swimming towards the banking further down in the mysterious dark of the night.
The mutant's jet was gliding steadily through the dark sky and smoothly passed the twinkling patterns of stars. The noise level on the plane was relatively quiet. But all fell silent when Charles's head snapped up and he suddenly announced, "We need to land."
Kurt turned to Charles in his seat, "Why Professor?" He asked quietly, worry creeping into his expression.
"I've found him." Said Charles softly, looking towards Kurt, "Tell them to land."
Kurt gave a nod and he disappeared with a familiar scent of tainted smoke. Within a few seconds he reappeared beside Charles, "They are bringing the plane down." He said softly before he sat back to fasten his belt. At his words the other mutants did likewise. Soft clicks echoed around the plane as belts were fastened.. and the jet turned and sharply began to descend towards Charles's destination.
The jet rumbled mightily as it contacted with the smooth flooring. It rolled lightly before it came to a pleasing halt on the large tarmac. The surroundings were old buildings that looked like they needed a loving owner to give them a clean and a redecorate. The dark buildings were in murderous looking shadows, grimy walls surrounding the open space. Filled metal bins sat lonely along several alleyways that led off the square tarmac and into the lonely passages between the derelict buildings.
The door of the jet slipped open quietly and the steps automatically lowered. Electro peered his head out with a raised brow, "The human is here?"
Charles rolled up to him, looking around with a weary sigh, "Yes.."
Ever so quietly the group exited the jet. Each had similar facial expressions at their surroundings.
"Someone stay with the jet.." Said Storm as they turned out onto the tarmac.
The group exchanged glances slowly at her words. Charles gave a single nod, "I shall." Sora then glanced around before looking to Storm, "I'll stay too.. my appearance may be a little.. intimidating." She explained quietly as her large wings flexed. She slipped back through the open door.
Charles now nodded, "Very well Sora." He turned his chair and began to wheel towards the door before he paused, "Lenny is in this area. Keep a sharp eye out."
He was met by nods before the remaining mutants sprinted off into the darkness in search for the murderous human. Bandit slipped forward at an incredible speed, ducking in and out of shadows across the square tarmac. He ducked behind bins and reappeared as quickly as he left, snapping this way and that, searching around the current exterior.
He then stopped, finally joining the group after he quick check of the bins, "He's not in this bit.. we need to head down the alleys."
"Shall we go in groups?" Suggested Rian quietly.
Kurt gave a nod as he looked to the others, "It would be best."
"Alright." Said Bandit, regaining his deputy leader status, "Split into two's. Elizabeth and Electro, Rian and Bobby, Kurt and Rogue, and I'll pair with Storm."
Nods where sent his way.
"Alright! Let's go!" He cried. Every pair suddenly separated from the group and each ventured down a different alley. Each alley was a brother. Each one shared the same dank shadows and miserable exterior. Bins littered the narrow walkways, some over turned with foul rubbish spilling over the crevices in the tarmac where pools of dirty gutter water sat, droplets gently splashing from a broken roof line.
Rian and Bobby crept quietly down their alley. A streetlamp from the main road ahead cast an eerie orange glow from one end and silhouetted many objects. A rat slipped out of a gutter and across their path with a volatile screech. Bobby was just about to place down his foot as he walked and he froze when the rat ran past his designated spot for his right foot. He mildly staggered by stepping gingerly over the rat, which chattered nastily at him, giving a nip at his boots before it leapt off behind a fallen bin.
Bobby looked behind him to Rian with a disgusted expression. Rian just cringed a little and looked down at the floor carefully as he walked. The pair travelled slowly, keeping an eye out for more infested pests as well as any signs of Lenny. Suddenly, a quiet clanging echoed from an overhead fire escape. An open window sat on one of the buildings with a tattered curtain blowing out into the night air, "Well.. We've found some life." Said Bobby with a faint smile.
***
Two cliff hangers in one chapter. XD
(www.freewebs.com/thoh)