Adara walked along lost in her tortured thoughts until a familiar and long unheard voice cut into her brain. The voice was soft but sudden, and caught her off guard as it always did. It was Shayda.
"Beautiful women shouldn't walk alone." he teased, the faintest trace of a smile in his voice. Adara wondered where he was. How long had it been since he'd spoken to her? Months? They hadn't been able to converse in the black ops base. She stood still and closed her eyes momentarily, saying his name softly into the wind.
"Shayda..."
"I have missed you."
"Why are you talking to me now?" Adara asked out loud, since her telepathy wasn't as advanced as his. Besides, she was alone so there was no humans around to hear her.
"I would like to compensate you for the past." he said in sincere, measured words. "I'm sorry I haven't been there for you. Our son misses you. I would like for us to be together again, as we once were."
Adara's hopes rose, but so did her red flags. "But why now? Why didn't you make any efforts to help me at that cursed base?"
"I couldn't risk a rescue, you know that. Your people are well aware of our presence. You didn't need me to get free of that place, did you? And now I have found you again. Now we must talk."
"I'm here...shoot."
"No, I mean talk physically, in a place I will meet you."
Adara's blood pressure shot up like a rocket. "Where??? How the hell are you gonna disguise yourself?"
There was a pause before Shayda spoke again. "At the small eating facility in the town you are going to. Sirius Bistros, I believe it's called?"
Adara chuckled. "Yeah. That's it. Perfect pun, isn't it?"
"You humans and your plays on words." Shayda joked back. "I will be following you in the ship. I will teleport to a safe place where I can disguise myself, then meet you at the restaurant. Don't worry, you will recognize me."
"I can hardly wait."
Shayda couldn't tell if Adara was being sarcastic or not. He cut the link, and smiled to himself. Everything was going as planned. She was as easy to manipulate as ever. And yet...part of him felt guilty for doing so. He really DID have affection for her.
The first thing he had to do was lure her in. The second thing he had to do was eliminate the black ops. There was nothing Shayda hated worse than competition.
Adara got to the cafe first. She was glad of the dim lighting and sparse customers who sat in dark corners, unaware of her presence. She found the furthest back table she could and sat nervously, shaking slightly. She ordered a bagel, but it tasted like cardboard. She couldn't believe he said he'd actually be coming in person...physically. This would be a first in a public place. All the other times she'd met him had been in dream states.
If Shayda was anything, he was punctual. He had followed her well apparently. He came walking in smoothly, a smirk on his now human, handsome features, only his eyes slightly betraying the real alien underneath the disguise. He was still bald and dressed in a black pantsuit. Adara didn't know whether to giggle or gape in awe. He was damn good at knowing the men's fashion trends. Black pointed boots topped off the outfit, and he wore a strange purple ring around the third finger of his right hand. Adara just stared. (think a bald David Bowie in the Man Who Fell to Earth, or the villan from Nemisis;)
"Oh my God, it's really you!" she said softly as he sat down. "I can't believe this." She felt she would cry at any moment. So much for her guard. She would still need to be convinced by his words before she trusted him though.
Shayda's glittering eyes never left Adara's as he picked up her quivering hand and kissed it softly, his lips leaving a strange, warm energy upon it that made her tingle all over.
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder, as your people say." he said in a smooth low voice with just the barest trace of an accent. Adara struggled not to be put under his spell, and knew she was failing dismally.
"Uh-huh."
"We have some catching up to do." he continued, smiling and leaning closer as he took both her hands in his. "The conditions have been changed in order for us to be...closer. Your world is changing. OUR world is changing. The veils are being lifted. Soon, it will be possible for you to live with me, if you still want it."
Adara's eyes grew even wider. It was too good to be true! Was it?
"I...I don't know." she stuttered. "You appear out of the blue and just say 'take me, I'm yours.'"
"Would you like to see our son again?" he proffered, tilting his head. "I can take you to meet him tonight. I would now, but he is on another planet doing an errand for me. Just think about it, Adara. That is all I'm asking at present."
Before she could answer, he leaned over and kissed her on the mouth gently, sending a shockwave through her body that made her knees quiver. Then he moved his mouth close to her ear and whispered, "I'll be waiting." As quickly as he had arrived, he stole out of the room. Adara sat watching him leave in total shock. Her mind was too full to think. She could still feel his kiss, hear his voice, see his face. And she didn't have room for anything else.
If she did, she might have noticed she was being watched.
The man was not obvious about it. He was actually quite subtle and casual, drinking tea in the back as he read a hardbound classic. An older, white-haired gentleman, his face partially obscured by his leather driving cap, who would have been thoroughly unremarkable if not for a certain charisma. A certain regal bearing, which he, for once, effectively hid behind his simple disguise.
His cell phone, thoughtfully set to "vibrate", requested attention. He answered it, becoming just one more person in the bistro having a one-sided conversation.
"Hello, my dear," he said, his voice tinged with a British accent. "Have you found anything new?" His face hardened a bit, and he looked at Adara again. "Yes, I know exactly who they're after.... No, let's let them tip their hand. Her 'friend' just left, and he's as interesting as she is."
Adara's senses perked up and drew her attention to the shadowy figure talking on the phone across the room. There was something unusual about him, but she wasn't sure what. He looked pleasant enough; a nice older gentleman sitting serenely in the booth having a cup of tea. But he looked a little too much like he was trying not to show his alertness. A certain stiffness in his sitting position and the cautious glances he threw her way...she hoped he wasn't working for one of her enemies. Worst of all, if he was, he had no doubt just seen the conversation between her and Shayda. He had the most shocking blue eyes, what she could see of them as they flashed in the dark during his discreet glances. Adara wondered if she should leave, but curiosity was getting the best of her. She decided to sit and finish her meal...and see what happened. -------------
He finished his conversation quickly enough, then went back to his book. After a minute or two, the man apparently hit a stopping point or ran out of tea, because he got up to leave. He caught Adara's eyes and smile politely, inclining his head and tapping the brim of his cap as he left. It was just the kind of simple "Good Afternoon" gesture she would expect from a gentlemanly stranger, so why was she still so suspicious?
::Shayda's here,:: a tiny little voice said in the back of her mind. ::Isn't that suspicious enough, you stupid cow?::
The little warning voice was usually right. It had a good track record in the past. But the rest of her was saying "Shayda's here. Everything will be fine, now," and she just couldn't decide on which statement to believe. God, why couldn't she keep her thoughts straight? She plopped a five on the table for a two dollar bagel and moved outside. Keep walking. Maybe it'll help. She walked by a group of older, pudgy housewives, a skateboarding nuisance, a pair of policemen and their mark, who was trying to talk her way out of a parking ticket, a college student lost in his CD player. She didn't really look at any of them, just registered their presence. Keep walking.
She felt a sting in her back. She whirled around, but there was no one that close to her. Then her knees went weak. Oh, God, no: a dart. They found her. She stumbled forward and leaned on a mailbox, fighting the numbness that inched its way up her back. One of the two policemen looked up from his duty, then tapped his partner on the shoulder and pointed Adara's way.
"Ma'am?" the second one asked. "Are you all right?"
She tried to say something, but she couldn't. She couldn't even stand up. She slowly slid down the mailbox. One of the policemen spoke into the radio mike he had clipped to his lapel, something about a seizure. The other one ran to her side. He held her up as best he could, his hands around her back. As she lost more strength, he picked her up in a fireman's carry and started moving. They were trying to help her, Adara thought dimly. They didn't understand. What would the ops do to them? They wouldn't make a scene by attacking the police, would they? It was hard to keep her eyes open, but she did her best.
The policeman gently laid her in the back of the squad car, then he and his partner were off, driving somewhere. Soon Adara couldn't see any buildings in the windows, just the occasional tree. And then they pulled off the main road. Alarms went off in her head, but she couldn't do anything about it. Oh, God, tell me this isn't what it looks like....
Her worst fears were confirmed when the squad car slowed down, then stopped, and she saw Commander Bethel's unsmiling, impatient face looking down at her from outside. The driver stepped out, leaving his door partially ajar, and saluted Commander Bethel. A set-up, and she'd fallen for it. As if she could have avoided it. Her body was completely paralyzed by now. She couldn't blink, she couldn't swallow. She could barely breathe.
Suddenly Shayda was there, and he was not pleased. His appearance shocked not only Adara, but Commander Bethel and the fake policeman as well. Bethel recovered quickly, though. He shifted position, and Adara figured he might be going for his gun.
"So you're this mysterious 'Xadar' David keeps talking about, huh?" Bethel growled.
"Just what do you think you're doing, Commander Bethel?" Shayda asked evenly.
"What the hell does it look like we're doing? What you couldn't."
"I didn't go to all this trouble to fog her just so you could take advantage of it."
Adara's body might not have been functioning, but her mind was screaming...and mostly at Shayda. ::SHAYDA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING??? I TRUSTED YOU!!!::
She glared at all of them, wishing she were in one piece so she could zap the whole group. She just KNEW her old flame's offer was too good to be true! It was obvious now he was in league with the earth ops unit. Had he been using her all this time? ::You suck as both a father AND a husband!:: she added with fervor. ::You'll pay for this!::
She lay back, feeling sick and wishing she were dead. How could any of this get worse?
"Y'know something? I really don't give a flying fuck what you wanted," Bethel retorted, getting much closer to Shayda than was polite. "You knew where she was, didn't you? You just didn't tell us. All this 'atmospheric interference' garbage --"
Shayda gave a sigh that was both weary and incredibly condescending at the same time. "Commander Bethel, I am tired of arguing with you every step of the way. You have disrupted months of planning. You will hand her over, or --"
Bethel suddenly whipped his gun out of its holster and aimed it at Shayda's head. Adara knew Bethel's reflexes, knew he was all too willing to kill. But, for some reason, all he did was aim it. He didn't pull the trigger. And as Shayda again sighed and shook his head, and Bethel's face went blank, she began to understand why. Bethel's subordinate, the fake policeman who stepped out of the car, grabbed for his gun, then also stopped with a similarly confused look on his face.
"Predictable," Shayda mumbled. "So predictable." He looked into the car, but not at Adara. He must have been looking at the other "policeman". "You. Get her out of the car, and be careful about it. I don't want her damaged."
Damaged! Like she was an object! Now that Shayda was concentrating on at least three men, perhaps more, Adara could think clearly for the first time in what seemed like days. God, how long had he been at work on her mind?
The policeman opened the passenger side door and slowly withdrew Adara, bending down low as he gently took her in his arms.
Softly, too softly for Shayda to hear, the policeman whispered, "Hold on. Help is coming."
Adara could just barely move her eyes, shifting her gaze a fraction of an inch to see the policeman's face. He was calm, perhaps a bit cold and professional, but he wasn't robotic. He wasn't under Shayda's control. What was going on here? No sooner than Adara was pulled free of the car, then suddenly the entire vehicle rose up and literally wrapped around Bethel, the soldier, and Shayda. Adara caught Shayda's started look just before he was buried under a mass of metal, twisting and flowing like softened clay under invisible hands. An older gentleman, that same one who tapped his cap to Adara in passing, stood a few feet away, his arm raised.
"Oh, no, I don't think so," he said softly. "She's not going with either of you."
Adara didn't know WHAT to feel at this point. The drug was starting to pull her under, and she could only focus on one thing now...this mysterious stranger who appeared to be saving her life. His manner would certainly indicate so. Who WAS he? At the same time, his show of power was terrifying. How had he slammed the car into the tree like that? And why was he saving her? Right now, all she wanted to do was curl up and die. She'd been through enough. If she didn't recover consciousness, she would be all too grateful.
Everything blended into a disjointed haze after that. She was carried, then dropped. She heard gunshots, she heard angry, shouted words in Shayda's voice. Orange flames soared overhead. At one point she looked into the face of her supposed rescuer, who smiled gently and said something about resting. Then there was blessed silence and darkness, to which she willingly surrendered.
When she awoke, she was in bed in a steel chamber. At first she thought she had been brought back to Xavier's mansion, and that she was in medbay. But, no, it didn't look quite the same. For one thing, hers was the only bed here.
" You're awake," a feminine voice said. "Good."
She snapped her head to the left and saw a woman with yellow eyes, red hair, and cobalt-blue skin. Adara blinked. Was this lady NUDE? It was hard to tell with those scales "tastefully covering" her.
The next thing she noticed was her resemblance to Kurt. They looked like the same race. Could they be related? Adara still felt disoriented. She wondered if this was another alien race and she was on their ship. This alien woman's vibrations were strange and all mixed up. She also exuded power and grace, reminding Adara of a cat.
"Where am I?" she said weakly, not caring how predictable it sounded. The metal was interacting with her magnetic fields and causing her hair to stick to the table and spread out with static. There was too much metal in this room, way too much. She could feel the electricity pinging off her body all over like annoying little needles, and wished she could get up. But she was still too weak. What if she set herself on fire? A fine sheen of sweat brought about by anxiety covered her and softened the electricity somewhat, however. She stared at the strange woman and waited for her to answer.
The blue woman cocked her head, her face strangely emotionless and unreadable. She extended an arm carefully toward Adara's head and received a tiny electric shock for her trouble.
"Interesting," she mused, retracting her hand with languid grace. "We hadn't counted on your body reacting so strongly."
Her voice was strangely amplified and modulated, as if from more than one person. She stood up.
"I can see this is painful for you. Hold on. Eric should be able to take care of this."
She moved to a wall and touched an intercom. Immediately a man's voice answered, the same smooth, cultured voice that belonged to her rescuer.
"Is she awake?" the man asked.
"Yes, but physically she's not reacting well to her surroundings," the woman replied.
"I'll be right there."
The woman turned back to Adara. "As to your question, you're currently hundreds of miles away from your enemies." Her lips lifted in a slight, oddly chilling smile. "Of which you have many, it seems."
Adara winced at the shock she had given the stranger, and rolled her eyes at the reference to enemies...not out of sarcasm but confirmation.
"Rebel's my middle name." she smiled slightly, wondering if the woman's reference was in Adara's favor or not. She sensed there were many layers to the stranger's psyche, and the barest trace of a vulnerability she was not letting on. Nonetheless, her graceful movements had an undercurrent of tension and watchfullness, as though she were constantly poised to spring at any perceived threat. Adara hoped she didn't consider HER one. Although the blue lady's presence was somewhat reassuring, it wasn't exactly comforting. Despite Adara's fascination with her, she actually gave her the creeps. And now she felt new tension as she heard this "Eric's" voice again. Nice and gentlemanly as he sounded, all her senses went on edge. She had had too much adventure for one day. And she'd been rescued twice in a short period of time. Was this guy as trustworthy and good as Xavier, or was he just another potential enemy? For the moment though, Adara just wanted to get rid of the annoying static and get out of this claustrophobia-inducing room.
Her savior walked in bare moments later. He was dressed entirely in black. a tall slender man who must have been in his late 60s. Adara could feel everything somehow bending around him. Every electrical and magnetic field in the room suddenly fell in quiet order, as if standing at attention. The static in her head lessened to a minor hum as he drew near. He reached out his hand, like God reaching out to Adam in the Sistine chapel, and the last remnants of static dissipated. Adara finally felt that she could move without shooting off sparks. She started to sit up, and the man put his hand behind her back to give gentle assistance.
"I had no idea your talent would react with such volatility to your surroundings," he apologized. "Please forgive my short-sightedness. Would you like to move to another room, perhaps? One with a slightly lower iron content?"
"Yes, thank you." Adara said softly, staring up at him. She could tell right away that he didn't need to put on big displays to show his power. It emanated from him in quiet but intense waves. She was both amazed and disturbed by his presence. Physically, he looked strong and handsome for his age, his face noble, and at present, kindly. At least for now Adara knew she could respect him, if not trust him. "I'm afraid I'm a walking magnet." she elaborated with her charchteristic smirky smile, then added, "Thank you for getting me out of that situation back there. I used to beg my alien ex-boyfriend to come here...looks like he's staying awhile." Adara lowered her head, feeling mixed emotions about Shayda's unexpected permanent grounding. She wanted him to answer for his lies and using her, but she didn't want him dead. Commander Bethel's demise, on the other hand, had been a welcome parting of the ways. Her next worry was what her son was going to do and say when he found out his father was dead, killed at the hands of a powerful mutant no less. Yet she couldn't be angry with this Eric...he had saved her life. And he didn't know about the relationship she'd had with Shayda. This guy was obviously a mutant leader...she knew that much for certain. But he didn't run a school like Professor Xavier. This place looked more like a giant lab. Describing it as "minimalist" would be an understatement. If she had to walk around here much longer she was going to need snow goggles. The unbreaking white and silver of the floors, ceiling and walls shot through with bright white light was blinding her. Were there any rooms here that actually looked normal? That had furniture? Where did these guys go to eat? To sleep? She started to feel homesick for the Institute. More than that, she hoped she wasn't being held here against her will.
Eric looked to the blue woman as Adara slowly stood away from the bed. He said nothing, and apparently didn't need to.
"Pyro is currently outside, standing watch," she answered his unasked question. (Was he a telepath, like Xavier, or did these two just know each other that well?) "Did you want me to summon him?"
"Not right now," he replied. He turned back to Adara. "I think some introductions are in order. My name is Eric, and this--" he motioned to the strange woman "--is Mystique."
"Adara," Adara replied in kind, shaking his hand. "And thank you for... whatever you did back there."
"I have precious little patience with bullies, Adara." He smiled, but there was something very cold in his eyes. "Especially when they have government funding."
He was leading her out of the hellishly metallic room, leaving Mystique behind. The door opened and shut behind them without a touch. They were walking down a metal corridor, seamless and smooth.
"I have even less patience with manipulators," Eric continued. "Whoever this 'Xadar' is, some of his talents are rather obvious, and he hasn't been putting them to good use. Apparently, he was using the military to get to you, and I consider that nothing short of treason."
" 'Treason'?" Adara asked back, confused.
He looked directly at her. "For a fellow mutant to ally himself with the blackest of military operations, yes. I consider that racial treason. I have had entirely too much experience with black operations, my dear."
She stopped and faced him, immediately defensive. "I believe an explaination is in order." she said, struggling to keep her voice level. "I was kidnapped and held by them against my will. And I didn't know Shayda was allied with them." She scowled and looked down at the floor. "I just found that out today." There was a pause. "I hate the military and government too. They kicked me out because they found out not only what I am, but my relationship with the aliens. Someone I trusted betrayed me and told them everything. So now they think I'M a traitor to my world. And from what I've seen, I'd rather not be a part of it anyway."
He put a fatherly hand on her shoulder as they walked. "Adara, perhaps I should explain further as well. If I thought for the briefest moment that you were there willingly, I certainly wouldn't have trusted you enough to bring you here. I've seen the manipulations. I've heard the lies they use to get you to trust, the lies they use to keep you, and the lies they tell everyone else so that you can't leave without being shot. Humanity has used them since the beginning of time. I have been, as you say, 'kicked out' for a very long time myself."
They reached a T intersection.
"One way leads to a natural cavern, and the other outside. The cavern has as many comforts of home as I could provide on short notice, including heat. It is a bit cool outside, but it is open and far away from anyone that might bother us. Which would you prefer, my dear?"
Adara's mouth opened slightly as she was taken aback a bit by his last question. She wondered if it was a threat or a joke referring to an inhospital environment outside. Either way she had to play it cool, so she said, "The cavern, I believe." She wondered what else was down there.
He inclined his head. "As you wish." They made a right turn and kept going. "It might interest you to know we had been investigating Commander Bethel's operation for a week before we discovered you. The man had connections to a certain enemy of mine, which could only mean he was up to no good."
Everything Eric said was a droll understatement. The man was like a strange counterpart to Xavier. Charles viewed the world as a kindly father, gentle and willing to take everyone under his wing. By contrast, Erik had an aristocratic, jaded air about him, as if the world had very little to offer than he had not seen before. A father, yes, but not one who exuded universal love; not by a longshot. This was an aging warrior.
"We knew they were gathering to 'retake' someone, but I had no idea who until I saw you and your 'friend' for myself. Even then, I wasn't certain which one of you was the target... and which was the Judas goat."
The temperature was rising as they walked. Adara hadn't noticed that it was a bit chilly until the warmth slowly seeped into her bones. It was a welcome change.
"You mentioned that your 'boyfriend' wasn't human," he mentioned casually, as if this was as normal an occurrence as, say, having a boyfriend from out of state. "That would certainly explain a fair amount. I'm impressed that he could pass as human so well. He certainly has the attitude down...."
Adara swallowed nervously, then gave a short, barklike laugh without humor. "EX boyfriend now." she said. "He led me along all my life before I found out the truth. I can forgive Bethel and the military. I CAN'T forgive him. THAT'S personal. I still love him...but I hate him even more." She kept it at that, wondering how much she should tell him about her past. She still didn't trust Eric, despite his taking her under his wing for the moment. The pieces were falling into place as far as the position he took, which confused her even more. She felt the same way about the evils of the black ops and the way they fooled and used people to get what they wanted. And she wondered if he felt the same way SHE did about stupid, immature humans in general. Still...there was something about him that bothered her, something she couldn't put her finger on just yet.
The metal lining of the hallway abruptly ended, replaced by living rock. They walked down a metal ramp into a large cavern. The source of the heat wasn't immediately obvious; Adara imagined it must have been geothermal. There were chairs and cots, all bright steel, though the cots had sleeping bags on them for padding. There was still a fair amount of metal in here, but it wasn't lined with it. It was withstandable.
Eric nodded absently as he strode down the ramp. "Bad enough to manipulate. Unforgivable to use someone's love. He seemed to have quite a bit of power at his disposal. I don't suppose you'd know anything about the 'men' he had fighting for him? I thought they were some sort of genetic constructs or cloning experiment. And his transport...." He sighed and shook his head. "Though it's a relief that the design wasn't Terran, it's just as disturbing to see in any enemy's hands...."
He gestured and pulled a chair over for Adara.
"Thank you, Sir." Adara smiled and sat down. "Shayda's crewmembers are indeed clones. You may have noticed that they're somewhat like his race, but more like plastic dolls. That's what they're for, puppets on strings that are pulled by the puppet master. They've "escorted" me to the ship more times than you can count. And the ship is run by electromagnetic energy, much of the same stuff that runs through me." She stopped, wondering if she should tell him about her implant or not. If this guy couldn't be trusted, he might use it to control her later.
A metal panel slid open in the wall and a metal teapot silently glided out. It poured its warm, but not quite steaming, contents into two mugs while Eric casually chatted.
"So can I assume that's why he was so interested in you? Similar powers? I have a difficult time believing there was any genuine feeling behind his attentions, all things considered. Do you take sugar or cream?"
Both please." (what a gentleman, she thought)"I only wish his interest in me were that complimentary." Adara sighed. "But I'm afraid I am nothing more than a breeder."
For a moment, the teapot froze in mid-air, the contents long since poured.
Then it slowly drifted back to its place as another panel opened up, this
time on the floor. Adara glanced at the sound of metal against metal,
however soft, and saw a moderately large pit in the metal floor, about the
size of a large cooler, filled with a conglomeration of ice and perishables.
A small steel container glided out, and poured a tablespoon or two of cream
into Adara's cup as silver sugar tongs dropped in a lump of their namesake.
"A breeder." Eric's voice was measured and polite, but the tension was
still there. "Politeness does not allow me to pursue further on this
subject, Adara, but I very much hope that you are well. I had no idea that
the humans were attempting to... breed us like dogs."
Her eyes had gone wide at the automatic tea party contraptions, then widened momentarily even more at Eric's reference. She corrected him. "Not the humans, Sir, the aliens. And apparently that's all I was to them. I am as well as I'm going to be." She sipped her tea carefully to test for temperature, then tipped her cup more generously when she found it was hot, but tolerable. She lowered her cup and added, "Your home is very impressive."
Her eyes had gone wide at the automatic tea party contraptions, then widened
momentarily even more at Eric's reference. She corrected him. "Not the
humans, Sir, the aliens. And apparently that's all I was to them. I am as
well as I'm going to be." She sipped her tea carefully to test for
temperature, then tipped her cup more generously when she found it was hot,
but tolerable. She lowered her cup and added, "Your home is very
impressive."
He smiled and inclined his head to her as he poured his own cup. "Just be
thankful you weren't here last year. You wouldn't have found it anywhere
near so accommodating."
"Is that an understatement?" she teased dryly, a slight twinkle in her eye.
"May I be so bold as to ask for clarification?"
His smile faded. "This is the remnants of an old military base. The man in
charge of it had delusions of genocide. With the funds of the United States
government backing him up, he created a device that would have rid the world
of all mutantkind." There was a momentary upturn at the corner of his
mouth. "We're one of the reasons it backfired. Surely you remember the day
last Autumn when the entire world collapsed in pain?"
For a moment, Adara's breath quickened and her face went white. A military base? That's the LAST place she wanted to be in, regardless if the project had been abandoned or not. Even more so that her own country's government was backing it up. Then her eyes narrowed and she growled slightly, remembering old wounds. "The black ops was behind it, too." she said more to herself than him. "And yes, I felt the attack that day, wondering what the hell it was. It felt like my head was caving in. DAMN them..." she trailed off, shaking her head and setting her teacup down. "It's even worse than I thought. Forget hating them, I'd like to destroy them. It isn't just my life they've ruined."
Eric nodded. "It would appear we are of the same mind." He looked up and around the cavernous room. "Far to many of our kin have found their way into places like Alkali lake, never to return. I've seen it happen too many times. And I've sworn I'll never let it happen again." He took a sip of his tea, his eyes distant. "Never again." The words "never again" were as telling as his 1000 yard stare. He might have been old enough to have survived the "final solution"... but Adara couldn't see either of his forearms under his sleeves, and she sure as hell wasn't going to ask. He looked back at her, and that quasi-fatherly look returned to his face. "I don't know what family or home you may have, Adara, but I daresay they're under surveillance, as I'm certain Commander Bethel wasn't working alone. It wouldn't be safe to return to either right now."
She was about to tell him she was from Xavier's mansion, but some instinct kicked in, a little warning voice, that warned her not to. "I have no home." she said. "Not now, not ever. I'm a lone wolf."
Eric made a casual gesture to the surroundings. "Spartan though they may be, you are welcome to stay. We will be moving on to more comfortable quarters when things calm down a bit. I can guarantee you'll be far safer with us than if you went out on your own again. I've become quite accomplished in the art of avoiding detection, for myself and for my compatriots."
"Beautiful women shouldn't walk alone." he teased, the faintest trace of a smile in his voice. Adara wondered where he was. How long had it been since he'd spoken to her? Months? They hadn't been able to converse in the black ops base. She stood still and closed her eyes momentarily, saying his name softly into the wind.
"Shayda..."
"I have missed you."
"Why are you talking to me now?" Adara asked out loud, since her telepathy wasn't as advanced as his. Besides, she was alone so there was no humans around to hear her.
"I would like to compensate you for the past." he said in sincere, measured words. "I'm sorry I haven't been there for you. Our son misses you. I would like for us to be together again, as we once were."
Adara's hopes rose, but so did her red flags. "But why now? Why didn't you make any efforts to help me at that cursed base?"
"I couldn't risk a rescue, you know that. Your people are well aware of our presence. You didn't need me to get free of that place, did you? And now I have found you again. Now we must talk."
"I'm here...shoot."
"No, I mean talk physically, in a place I will meet you."
Adara's blood pressure shot up like a rocket. "Where??? How the hell are you gonna disguise yourself?"
There was a pause before Shayda spoke again. "At the small eating facility in the town you are going to. Sirius Bistros, I believe it's called?"
Adara chuckled. "Yeah. That's it. Perfect pun, isn't it?"
"You humans and your plays on words." Shayda joked back. "I will be following you in the ship. I will teleport to a safe place where I can disguise myself, then meet you at the restaurant. Don't worry, you will recognize me."
"I can hardly wait."
Shayda couldn't tell if Adara was being sarcastic or not. He cut the link, and smiled to himself. Everything was going as planned. She was as easy to manipulate as ever. And yet...part of him felt guilty for doing so. He really DID have affection for her.
The first thing he had to do was lure her in. The second thing he had to do was eliminate the black ops. There was nothing Shayda hated worse than competition.
Adara got to the cafe first. She was glad of the dim lighting and sparse customers who sat in dark corners, unaware of her presence. She found the furthest back table she could and sat nervously, shaking slightly. She ordered a bagel, but it tasted like cardboard. She couldn't believe he said he'd actually be coming in person...physically. This would be a first in a public place. All the other times she'd met him had been in dream states.
If Shayda was anything, he was punctual. He had followed her well apparently. He came walking in smoothly, a smirk on his now human, handsome features, only his eyes slightly betraying the real alien underneath the disguise. He was still bald and dressed in a black pantsuit. Adara didn't know whether to giggle or gape in awe. He was damn good at knowing the men's fashion trends. Black pointed boots topped off the outfit, and he wore a strange purple ring around the third finger of his right hand. Adara just stared. (think a bald David Bowie in the Man Who Fell to Earth, or the villan from Nemisis;)
"Oh my God, it's really you!" she said softly as he sat down. "I can't believe this." She felt she would cry at any moment. So much for her guard. She would still need to be convinced by his words before she trusted him though.
Shayda's glittering eyes never left Adara's as he picked up her quivering hand and kissed it softly, his lips leaving a strange, warm energy upon it that made her tingle all over.
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder, as your people say." he said in a smooth low voice with just the barest trace of an accent. Adara struggled not to be put under his spell, and knew she was failing dismally.
"Uh-huh."
"We have some catching up to do." he continued, smiling and leaning closer as he took both her hands in his. "The conditions have been changed in order for us to be...closer. Your world is changing. OUR world is changing. The veils are being lifted. Soon, it will be possible for you to live with me, if you still want it."
Adara's eyes grew even wider. It was too good to be true! Was it?
"I...I don't know." she stuttered. "You appear out of the blue and just say 'take me, I'm yours.'"
"Would you like to see our son again?" he proffered, tilting his head. "I can take you to meet him tonight. I would now, but he is on another planet doing an errand for me. Just think about it, Adara. That is all I'm asking at present."
Before she could answer, he leaned over and kissed her on the mouth gently, sending a shockwave through her body that made her knees quiver. Then he moved his mouth close to her ear and whispered, "I'll be waiting." As quickly as he had arrived, he stole out of the room. Adara sat watching him leave in total shock. Her mind was too full to think. She could still feel his kiss, hear his voice, see his face. And she didn't have room for anything else.
If she did, she might have noticed she was being watched.
The man was not obvious about it. He was actually quite subtle and casual, drinking tea in the back as he read a hardbound classic. An older, white-haired gentleman, his face partially obscured by his leather driving cap, who would have been thoroughly unremarkable if not for a certain charisma. A certain regal bearing, which he, for once, effectively hid behind his simple disguise.
His cell phone, thoughtfully set to "vibrate", requested attention. He answered it, becoming just one more person in the bistro having a one-sided conversation.
"Hello, my dear," he said, his voice tinged with a British accent. "Have you found anything new?" His face hardened a bit, and he looked at Adara again. "Yes, I know exactly who they're after.... No, let's let them tip their hand. Her 'friend' just left, and he's as interesting as she is."
Adara's senses perked up and drew her attention to the shadowy figure talking on the phone across the room. There was something unusual about him, but she wasn't sure what. He looked pleasant enough; a nice older gentleman sitting serenely in the booth having a cup of tea. But he looked a little too much like he was trying not to show his alertness. A certain stiffness in his sitting position and the cautious glances he threw her way...she hoped he wasn't working for one of her enemies. Worst of all, if he was, he had no doubt just seen the conversation between her and Shayda. He had the most shocking blue eyes, what she could see of them as they flashed in the dark during his discreet glances. Adara wondered if she should leave, but curiosity was getting the best of her. She decided to sit and finish her meal...and see what happened. -------------
He finished his conversation quickly enough, then went back to his book. After a minute or two, the man apparently hit a stopping point or ran out of tea, because he got up to leave. He caught Adara's eyes and smile politely, inclining his head and tapping the brim of his cap as he left. It was just the kind of simple "Good Afternoon" gesture she would expect from a gentlemanly stranger, so why was she still so suspicious?
::Shayda's here,:: a tiny little voice said in the back of her mind. ::Isn't that suspicious enough, you stupid cow?::
The little warning voice was usually right. It had a good track record in the past. But the rest of her was saying "Shayda's here. Everything will be fine, now," and she just couldn't decide on which statement to believe. God, why couldn't she keep her thoughts straight? She plopped a five on the table for a two dollar bagel and moved outside. Keep walking. Maybe it'll help. She walked by a group of older, pudgy housewives, a skateboarding nuisance, a pair of policemen and their mark, who was trying to talk her way out of a parking ticket, a college student lost in his CD player. She didn't really look at any of them, just registered their presence. Keep walking.
She felt a sting in her back. She whirled around, but there was no one that close to her. Then her knees went weak. Oh, God, no: a dart. They found her. She stumbled forward and leaned on a mailbox, fighting the numbness that inched its way up her back. One of the two policemen looked up from his duty, then tapped his partner on the shoulder and pointed Adara's way.
"Ma'am?" the second one asked. "Are you all right?"
She tried to say something, but she couldn't. She couldn't even stand up. She slowly slid down the mailbox. One of the policemen spoke into the radio mike he had clipped to his lapel, something about a seizure. The other one ran to her side. He held her up as best he could, his hands around her back. As she lost more strength, he picked her up in a fireman's carry and started moving. They were trying to help her, Adara thought dimly. They didn't understand. What would the ops do to them? They wouldn't make a scene by attacking the police, would they? It was hard to keep her eyes open, but she did her best.
The policeman gently laid her in the back of the squad car, then he and his partner were off, driving somewhere. Soon Adara couldn't see any buildings in the windows, just the occasional tree. And then they pulled off the main road. Alarms went off in her head, but she couldn't do anything about it. Oh, God, tell me this isn't what it looks like....
Her worst fears were confirmed when the squad car slowed down, then stopped, and she saw Commander Bethel's unsmiling, impatient face looking down at her from outside. The driver stepped out, leaving his door partially ajar, and saluted Commander Bethel. A set-up, and she'd fallen for it. As if she could have avoided it. Her body was completely paralyzed by now. She couldn't blink, she couldn't swallow. She could barely breathe.
Suddenly Shayda was there, and he was not pleased. His appearance shocked not only Adara, but Commander Bethel and the fake policeman as well. Bethel recovered quickly, though. He shifted position, and Adara figured he might be going for his gun.
"So you're this mysterious 'Xadar' David keeps talking about, huh?" Bethel growled.
"Just what do you think you're doing, Commander Bethel?" Shayda asked evenly.
"What the hell does it look like we're doing? What you couldn't."
"I didn't go to all this trouble to fog her just so you could take advantage of it."
Adara's body might not have been functioning, but her mind was screaming...and mostly at Shayda. ::SHAYDA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING??? I TRUSTED YOU!!!::
She glared at all of them, wishing she were in one piece so she could zap the whole group. She just KNEW her old flame's offer was too good to be true! It was obvious now he was in league with the earth ops unit. Had he been using her all this time? ::You suck as both a father AND a husband!:: she added with fervor. ::You'll pay for this!::
She lay back, feeling sick and wishing she were dead. How could any of this get worse?
"Y'know something? I really don't give a flying fuck what you wanted," Bethel retorted, getting much closer to Shayda than was polite. "You knew where she was, didn't you? You just didn't tell us. All this 'atmospheric interference' garbage --"
Shayda gave a sigh that was both weary and incredibly condescending at the same time. "Commander Bethel, I am tired of arguing with you every step of the way. You have disrupted months of planning. You will hand her over, or --"
Bethel suddenly whipped his gun out of its holster and aimed it at Shayda's head. Adara knew Bethel's reflexes, knew he was all too willing to kill. But, for some reason, all he did was aim it. He didn't pull the trigger. And as Shayda again sighed and shook his head, and Bethel's face went blank, she began to understand why. Bethel's subordinate, the fake policeman who stepped out of the car, grabbed for his gun, then also stopped with a similarly confused look on his face.
"Predictable," Shayda mumbled. "So predictable." He looked into the car, but not at Adara. He must have been looking at the other "policeman". "You. Get her out of the car, and be careful about it. I don't want her damaged."
Damaged! Like she was an object! Now that Shayda was concentrating on at least three men, perhaps more, Adara could think clearly for the first time in what seemed like days. God, how long had he been at work on her mind?
The policeman opened the passenger side door and slowly withdrew Adara, bending down low as he gently took her in his arms.
Softly, too softly for Shayda to hear, the policeman whispered, "Hold on. Help is coming."
Adara could just barely move her eyes, shifting her gaze a fraction of an inch to see the policeman's face. He was calm, perhaps a bit cold and professional, but he wasn't robotic. He wasn't under Shayda's control. What was going on here? No sooner than Adara was pulled free of the car, then suddenly the entire vehicle rose up and literally wrapped around Bethel, the soldier, and Shayda. Adara caught Shayda's started look just before he was buried under a mass of metal, twisting and flowing like softened clay under invisible hands. An older gentleman, that same one who tapped his cap to Adara in passing, stood a few feet away, his arm raised.
"Oh, no, I don't think so," he said softly. "She's not going with either of you."
Adara didn't know WHAT to feel at this point. The drug was starting to pull her under, and she could only focus on one thing now...this mysterious stranger who appeared to be saving her life. His manner would certainly indicate so. Who WAS he? At the same time, his show of power was terrifying. How had he slammed the car into the tree like that? And why was he saving her? Right now, all she wanted to do was curl up and die. She'd been through enough. If she didn't recover consciousness, she would be all too grateful.
Everything blended into a disjointed haze after that. She was carried, then dropped. She heard gunshots, she heard angry, shouted words in Shayda's voice. Orange flames soared overhead. At one point she looked into the face of her supposed rescuer, who smiled gently and said something about resting. Then there was blessed silence and darkness, to which she willingly surrendered.
When she awoke, she was in bed in a steel chamber. At first she thought she had been brought back to Xavier's mansion, and that she was in medbay. But, no, it didn't look quite the same. For one thing, hers was the only bed here.
" You're awake," a feminine voice said. "Good."
She snapped her head to the left and saw a woman with yellow eyes, red hair, and cobalt-blue skin. Adara blinked. Was this lady NUDE? It was hard to tell with those scales "tastefully covering" her.
The next thing she noticed was her resemblance to Kurt. They looked like the same race. Could they be related? Adara still felt disoriented. She wondered if this was another alien race and she was on their ship. This alien woman's vibrations were strange and all mixed up. She also exuded power and grace, reminding Adara of a cat.
"Where am I?" she said weakly, not caring how predictable it sounded. The metal was interacting with her magnetic fields and causing her hair to stick to the table and spread out with static. There was too much metal in this room, way too much. She could feel the electricity pinging off her body all over like annoying little needles, and wished she could get up. But she was still too weak. What if she set herself on fire? A fine sheen of sweat brought about by anxiety covered her and softened the electricity somewhat, however. She stared at the strange woman and waited for her to answer.
The blue woman cocked her head, her face strangely emotionless and unreadable. She extended an arm carefully toward Adara's head and received a tiny electric shock for her trouble.
"Interesting," she mused, retracting her hand with languid grace. "We hadn't counted on your body reacting so strongly."
Her voice was strangely amplified and modulated, as if from more than one person. She stood up.
"I can see this is painful for you. Hold on. Eric should be able to take care of this."
She moved to a wall and touched an intercom. Immediately a man's voice answered, the same smooth, cultured voice that belonged to her rescuer.
"Is she awake?" the man asked.
"Yes, but physically she's not reacting well to her surroundings," the woman replied.
"I'll be right there."
The woman turned back to Adara. "As to your question, you're currently hundreds of miles away from your enemies." Her lips lifted in a slight, oddly chilling smile. "Of which you have many, it seems."
Adara winced at the shock she had given the stranger, and rolled her eyes at the reference to enemies...not out of sarcasm but confirmation.
"Rebel's my middle name." she smiled slightly, wondering if the woman's reference was in Adara's favor or not. She sensed there were many layers to the stranger's psyche, and the barest trace of a vulnerability she was not letting on. Nonetheless, her graceful movements had an undercurrent of tension and watchfullness, as though she were constantly poised to spring at any perceived threat. Adara hoped she didn't consider HER one. Although the blue lady's presence was somewhat reassuring, it wasn't exactly comforting. Despite Adara's fascination with her, she actually gave her the creeps. And now she felt new tension as she heard this "Eric's" voice again. Nice and gentlemanly as he sounded, all her senses went on edge. She had had too much adventure for one day. And she'd been rescued twice in a short period of time. Was this guy as trustworthy and good as Xavier, or was he just another potential enemy? For the moment though, Adara just wanted to get rid of the annoying static and get out of this claustrophobia-inducing room.
Her savior walked in bare moments later. He was dressed entirely in black. a tall slender man who must have been in his late 60s. Adara could feel everything somehow bending around him. Every electrical and magnetic field in the room suddenly fell in quiet order, as if standing at attention. The static in her head lessened to a minor hum as he drew near. He reached out his hand, like God reaching out to Adam in the Sistine chapel, and the last remnants of static dissipated. Adara finally felt that she could move without shooting off sparks. She started to sit up, and the man put his hand behind her back to give gentle assistance.
"I had no idea your talent would react with such volatility to your surroundings," he apologized. "Please forgive my short-sightedness. Would you like to move to another room, perhaps? One with a slightly lower iron content?"
"Yes, thank you." Adara said softly, staring up at him. She could tell right away that he didn't need to put on big displays to show his power. It emanated from him in quiet but intense waves. She was both amazed and disturbed by his presence. Physically, he looked strong and handsome for his age, his face noble, and at present, kindly. At least for now Adara knew she could respect him, if not trust him. "I'm afraid I'm a walking magnet." she elaborated with her charchteristic smirky smile, then added, "Thank you for getting me out of that situation back there. I used to beg my alien ex-boyfriend to come here...looks like he's staying awhile." Adara lowered her head, feeling mixed emotions about Shayda's unexpected permanent grounding. She wanted him to answer for his lies and using her, but she didn't want him dead. Commander Bethel's demise, on the other hand, had been a welcome parting of the ways. Her next worry was what her son was going to do and say when he found out his father was dead, killed at the hands of a powerful mutant no less. Yet she couldn't be angry with this Eric...he had saved her life. And he didn't know about the relationship she'd had with Shayda. This guy was obviously a mutant leader...she knew that much for certain. But he didn't run a school like Professor Xavier. This place looked more like a giant lab. Describing it as "minimalist" would be an understatement. If she had to walk around here much longer she was going to need snow goggles. The unbreaking white and silver of the floors, ceiling and walls shot through with bright white light was blinding her. Were there any rooms here that actually looked normal? That had furniture? Where did these guys go to eat? To sleep? She started to feel homesick for the Institute. More than that, she hoped she wasn't being held here against her will.
Eric looked to the blue woman as Adara slowly stood away from the bed. He said nothing, and apparently didn't need to.
"Pyro is currently outside, standing watch," she answered his unasked question. (Was he a telepath, like Xavier, or did these two just know each other that well?) "Did you want me to summon him?"
"Not right now," he replied. He turned back to Adara. "I think some introductions are in order. My name is Eric, and this--" he motioned to the strange woman "--is Mystique."
"Adara," Adara replied in kind, shaking his hand. "And thank you for... whatever you did back there."
"I have precious little patience with bullies, Adara." He smiled, but there was something very cold in his eyes. "Especially when they have government funding."
He was leading her out of the hellishly metallic room, leaving Mystique behind. The door opened and shut behind them without a touch. They were walking down a metal corridor, seamless and smooth.
"I have even less patience with manipulators," Eric continued. "Whoever this 'Xadar' is, some of his talents are rather obvious, and he hasn't been putting them to good use. Apparently, he was using the military to get to you, and I consider that nothing short of treason."
" 'Treason'?" Adara asked back, confused.
He looked directly at her. "For a fellow mutant to ally himself with the blackest of military operations, yes. I consider that racial treason. I have had entirely too much experience with black operations, my dear."
She stopped and faced him, immediately defensive. "I believe an explaination is in order." she said, struggling to keep her voice level. "I was kidnapped and held by them against my will. And I didn't know Shayda was allied with them." She scowled and looked down at the floor. "I just found that out today." There was a pause. "I hate the military and government too. They kicked me out because they found out not only what I am, but my relationship with the aliens. Someone I trusted betrayed me and told them everything. So now they think I'M a traitor to my world. And from what I've seen, I'd rather not be a part of it anyway."
He put a fatherly hand on her shoulder as they walked. "Adara, perhaps I should explain further as well. If I thought for the briefest moment that you were there willingly, I certainly wouldn't have trusted you enough to bring you here. I've seen the manipulations. I've heard the lies they use to get you to trust, the lies they use to keep you, and the lies they tell everyone else so that you can't leave without being shot. Humanity has used them since the beginning of time. I have been, as you say, 'kicked out' for a very long time myself."
They reached a T intersection.
"One way leads to a natural cavern, and the other outside. The cavern has as many comforts of home as I could provide on short notice, including heat. It is a bit cool outside, but it is open and far away from anyone that might bother us. Which would you prefer, my dear?"
Adara's mouth opened slightly as she was taken aback a bit by his last question. She wondered if it was a threat or a joke referring to an inhospital environment outside. Either way she had to play it cool, so she said, "The cavern, I believe." She wondered what else was down there.
He inclined his head. "As you wish." They made a right turn and kept going. "It might interest you to know we had been investigating Commander Bethel's operation for a week before we discovered you. The man had connections to a certain enemy of mine, which could only mean he was up to no good."
Everything Eric said was a droll understatement. The man was like a strange counterpart to Xavier. Charles viewed the world as a kindly father, gentle and willing to take everyone under his wing. By contrast, Erik had an aristocratic, jaded air about him, as if the world had very little to offer than he had not seen before. A father, yes, but not one who exuded universal love; not by a longshot. This was an aging warrior.
"We knew they were gathering to 'retake' someone, but I had no idea who until I saw you and your 'friend' for myself. Even then, I wasn't certain which one of you was the target... and which was the Judas goat."
The temperature was rising as they walked. Adara hadn't noticed that it was a bit chilly until the warmth slowly seeped into her bones. It was a welcome change.
"You mentioned that your 'boyfriend' wasn't human," he mentioned casually, as if this was as normal an occurrence as, say, having a boyfriend from out of state. "That would certainly explain a fair amount. I'm impressed that he could pass as human so well. He certainly has the attitude down...."
Adara swallowed nervously, then gave a short, barklike laugh without humor. "EX boyfriend now." she said. "He led me along all my life before I found out the truth. I can forgive Bethel and the military. I CAN'T forgive him. THAT'S personal. I still love him...but I hate him even more." She kept it at that, wondering how much she should tell him about her past. She still didn't trust Eric, despite his taking her under his wing for the moment. The pieces were falling into place as far as the position he took, which confused her even more. She felt the same way about the evils of the black ops and the way they fooled and used people to get what they wanted. And she wondered if he felt the same way SHE did about stupid, immature humans in general. Still...there was something about him that bothered her, something she couldn't put her finger on just yet.
The metal lining of the hallway abruptly ended, replaced by living rock. They walked down a metal ramp into a large cavern. The source of the heat wasn't immediately obvious; Adara imagined it must have been geothermal. There were chairs and cots, all bright steel, though the cots had sleeping bags on them for padding. There was still a fair amount of metal in here, but it wasn't lined with it. It was withstandable.
Eric nodded absently as he strode down the ramp. "Bad enough to manipulate. Unforgivable to use someone's love. He seemed to have quite a bit of power at his disposal. I don't suppose you'd know anything about the 'men' he had fighting for him? I thought they were some sort of genetic constructs or cloning experiment. And his transport...." He sighed and shook his head. "Though it's a relief that the design wasn't Terran, it's just as disturbing to see in any enemy's hands...."
He gestured and pulled a chair over for Adara.
"Thank you, Sir." Adara smiled and sat down. "Shayda's crewmembers are indeed clones. You may have noticed that they're somewhat like his race, but more like plastic dolls. That's what they're for, puppets on strings that are pulled by the puppet master. They've "escorted" me to the ship more times than you can count. And the ship is run by electromagnetic energy, much of the same stuff that runs through me." She stopped, wondering if she should tell him about her implant or not. If this guy couldn't be trusted, he might use it to control her later.
A metal panel slid open in the wall and a metal teapot silently glided out. It poured its warm, but not quite steaming, contents into two mugs while Eric casually chatted.
"So can I assume that's why he was so interested in you? Similar powers? I have a difficult time believing there was any genuine feeling behind his attentions, all things considered. Do you take sugar or cream?"
Both please." (what a gentleman, she thought)"I only wish his interest in me were that complimentary." Adara sighed. "But I'm afraid I am nothing more than a breeder."
For a moment, the teapot froze in mid-air, the contents long since poured.
Then it slowly drifted back to its place as another panel opened up, this
time on the floor. Adara glanced at the sound of metal against metal,
however soft, and saw a moderately large pit in the metal floor, about the
size of a large cooler, filled with a conglomeration of ice and perishables.
A small steel container glided out, and poured a tablespoon or two of cream
into Adara's cup as silver sugar tongs dropped in a lump of their namesake.
"A breeder." Eric's voice was measured and polite, but the tension was
still there. "Politeness does not allow me to pursue further on this
subject, Adara, but I very much hope that you are well. I had no idea that
the humans were attempting to... breed us like dogs."
Her eyes had gone wide at the automatic tea party contraptions, then widened momentarily even more at Eric's reference. She corrected him. "Not the humans, Sir, the aliens. And apparently that's all I was to them. I am as well as I'm going to be." She sipped her tea carefully to test for temperature, then tipped her cup more generously when she found it was hot, but tolerable. She lowered her cup and added, "Your home is very impressive."
Her eyes had gone wide at the automatic tea party contraptions, then widened
momentarily even more at Eric's reference. She corrected him. "Not the
humans, Sir, the aliens. And apparently that's all I was to them. I am as
well as I'm going to be." She sipped her tea carefully to test for
temperature, then tipped her cup more generously when she found it was hot,
but tolerable. She lowered her cup and added, "Your home is very
impressive."
He smiled and inclined his head to her as he poured his own cup. "Just be
thankful you weren't here last year. You wouldn't have found it anywhere
near so accommodating."
"Is that an understatement?" she teased dryly, a slight twinkle in her eye.
"May I be so bold as to ask for clarification?"
His smile faded. "This is the remnants of an old military base. The man in
charge of it had delusions of genocide. With the funds of the United States
government backing him up, he created a device that would have rid the world
of all mutantkind." There was a momentary upturn at the corner of his
mouth. "We're one of the reasons it backfired. Surely you remember the day
last Autumn when the entire world collapsed in pain?"
For a moment, Adara's breath quickened and her face went white. A military base? That's the LAST place she wanted to be in, regardless if the project had been abandoned or not. Even more so that her own country's government was backing it up. Then her eyes narrowed and she growled slightly, remembering old wounds. "The black ops was behind it, too." she said more to herself than him. "And yes, I felt the attack that day, wondering what the hell it was. It felt like my head was caving in. DAMN them..." she trailed off, shaking her head and setting her teacup down. "It's even worse than I thought. Forget hating them, I'd like to destroy them. It isn't just my life they've ruined."
Eric nodded. "It would appear we are of the same mind." He looked up and around the cavernous room. "Far to many of our kin have found their way into places like Alkali lake, never to return. I've seen it happen too many times. And I've sworn I'll never let it happen again." He took a sip of his tea, his eyes distant. "Never again." The words "never again" were as telling as his 1000 yard stare. He might have been old enough to have survived the "final solution"... but Adara couldn't see either of his forearms under his sleeves, and she sure as hell wasn't going to ask. He looked back at her, and that quasi-fatherly look returned to his face. "I don't know what family or home you may have, Adara, but I daresay they're under surveillance, as I'm certain Commander Bethel wasn't working alone. It wouldn't be safe to return to either right now."
She was about to tell him she was from Xavier's mansion, but some instinct kicked in, a little warning voice, that warned her not to. "I have no home." she said. "Not now, not ever. I'm a lone wolf."
Eric made a casual gesture to the surroundings. "Spartan though they may be, you are welcome to stay. We will be moving on to more comfortable quarters when things calm down a bit. I can guarantee you'll be far safer with us than if you went out on your own again. I've become quite accomplished in the art of avoiding detection, for myself and for my compatriots."