7 years later...
Pete couldn't look at herself in the mirror anymore. It made her nauseous. She'd told herself the same thing over and over again: they were terrorists, the bad guys. Scum, the lot of them. But that didn't make them any less dead, nor did it make the blood any less on her hands. When she'd started her career with British Intelligence, she'd hoped it would be a fresh start, something to get her away from the all the death that seemed to be plaguing her life. Instead, it had just brought her closer to Hell.
Pete rapped sharply on Michelle Scicluna's door, then walked in without waiting for a response. Scicluna looked up, her expression one of exasperation and annoyance. "What is it now, Wisdom?"
"I want to quit."
Scicluna sighed. She'd seen this coming. Wisdom had been growing soft, and the Ronsaphan incident was just enough to push her over the edge. "Wisdom, you can't just quit. You're an intelligence agent. It's not like you can just clear out your desk and be gone."
"I'm not doin' it anymore. I didn't sign on to be a ruthless killer."
"Ruthless killer? Hardly. I guess you're upset about Ronsaphan. Them were useless, Wisdom. The type who would shoot their own mothers for a pound and a pint. Just think of it as a job you had to do, or whatever it is you say." She waved her hand dismissively.
"That wasn't a job that needed doin', Scicluna. Sure, they may 'ave been a threat, but the way I did it... It wasn't right."
"Right? Morals are not at issue here. This is Black Air, not Clear, Fresh Air. We do what we have to for Crown and Country, and yes, sometimes it might be a little, unsettling, but it's for the betterment of England and the world."
Pete frowned, wondering if Scicluna bought into her own garbage. She doubted it. That woman didn't give a damn about the world, only herself. "I'm not doing it anymore. You want a killer, send Scratch. I'm out."
Scicluna folded her hands in front of her. "Fine. You want out. You can have out. But here's the deal. One more mission. You finish it, and I'll send you on your merry way."
Pete was skeptical. It was definitely an offer that was too good to be true. But what choice did she have? She knew Scicluna. If she tried to leave Black Air without permission, she'd be dead in a gutter somewhere within a month. At least this way she had a chance. "Wot do I have t'do? I'm not killin' anyone else."
"No, no killing," Scicluna said. "It's a simple job, really. You just need to be an observer."
"An observer?"
"Yes. See, there's a bit of a...problem...in Genosha. Black Air has decided that in order to deal with it, we will request the aid of Britain's very own mutant super hero team, Excalibur. However, I do not wish to hand control over to Excalibur completely. Therefore, I would like you to accompany them to Genosha--as a liaison of sorts."
"Why me?"
"Because you are not only an expert on all things Genoshan, but you are also a mutant. It is my belief that this may allow you to be more accepted by Excalibur."
"I'm not the only mutant on the payroll," Pete said.
"Who else should I send? Scratch? As you said earlier, he's a killer. I don't wish for bloodshed on this mission, and since you apparently have developed a weak stomach..."
Pete cut her off. "Fine, I'll do it. But after this, I want out."
Scicluna smiled, and Pete shivered. "Of course, Wisdom." She stuck out her hand. "We have a deal then?"
Pete took the proffered hand reluctantly. "Yeah. We got a deal."
xxx xxx xxx
Shortly after Pete left, a tall, dark-haired man with a stern face entered Scicluna's office. "Wisdom was in here."
"Yes, she was. Do you have anything else you'd like to say, Threadgold, or are you just in a mood to tell me what I already know?"
"What did she want?"
"To quit."
Threadgold sputtered. "Quit? Is she daft?"
"Again, you're telling me what I already know. Yes, she wants to quit. Apparently she has moral issues with killing. Pathetic, really."
"Well, you're not going to let her, are you?"
"Of course not. We can't have agents just running off like that. It's bad for business. No, I'm going to kill her."
"Good. Never liked her. So should I send an assassin..."
"No. I have it all taken care of. For now, she thinks she's getting a walk."
Threadgold frowned. "And why would she be under that impression?"
"Because that's what I told her again. I can't very well tell her I'm going to kill her. Takes away from it. Besides, I needed her on this Genosha thing. So I told her that it could be her last mission. We'll get her guard down and kill her when she comes back."
"I don't like it."
"You never like anything. Now go away. I have work to do."
Threadgold left, keeping his remaining concerns to himself.
xxx xxx xxx
Pete didn't like Excalibur. They were looking at her like she was something strange, an anomaly. Like people who would be pathetic enough to squeeze their arses into bright yellow spandex should judge her. She could hear Scicluna rambling on about something, but she'd long since stopped listening. She took out a cigarette.
"Och, excuse me, ma'am, but this station is no smoking."
Pete glanced up at the woman who'd just spoken to her. She was older than Pete, with a conservative bob and round glasses. Pete scowled. "Sod off."
The woman balked and said something angrily. Pete didn't listen to that or whatever excuse Scicluna made for her behavior. She didn't care about these people. They were just pawns for Black Air, the same as she was. Pete wasn't surprised when Excalibur agreed to help. They seemed like the type. A bit idealistic, as Pete had once been.
"Miss Wisdom?"
Pete looked up at the tall, blond man who had just spoken to her. She didn't like him. He looked like a wanker. Called himself "Captain Britain" or "Britannic" or some sort. "Wot?"
"I asked if you would like to be shown to the room you'll be using while you are a...guest of Excalibur. We won't be leaving until the morning."
Pete shrugged. "Might as well. I'm a bit knackered."
"Kit, would you show Miss Wisdom to one of the guest rooms?"
A man with brown hair stood. Pete looked him over. He was a bit taller than her, with dark eyes. Pete decided he'd be attractive if he wasn't so young. He couldn't be over eighteen. "Come with me, Wisdom."
Pete glanced over at Scicluna, who gave her a nod. Pete sighed, figuring she could put up with these people if it gave her even a slim chance of getting out of Black Air. She followed Kit out.
As soon as they were in the hallway, Kit reached out and grabbed Pete's cigarette from her mouth. "As Moira said earlier, this is a no smoking station. That's a disgusting habit."
"'ey! Pete exclaimed. "Give me back my cigarette, you body fascist, or I'll rip you head off and spit down your neck."
"Well, that's real witty. You think that up all by yourself?"
Pete glared, snatching the cigarette out of Kit's hand. "Look, ya bloody little wanker, I don't want to be 'ere any more than you want me here. But life sucks like that. So you just stay out of my way, I'll stay out of yours, an' we'll all be 'appier."
"Don't disrespect Dr. MacTaggart like that again. She's doesn't deserve it."
"Wot, is she your girlfriend or something? Got a thing for older women—Kit, was it?"
Kit rolled his eyes. "No." He stopped at a door. "This is your room. I'd advise you not to leave it for the rest of the evening. No one here trusts you, and who knows what might happen if someone finds you and thinks you might be snooping around."
"You know, you're bloody awful at making veiled threats."
"I wasn't trying to make it veiled."
Pete waved the wand holding her cigarette, making sure some of the smoke blew into Kit's face. "Whatever. Look, mate, it's been fun, but I'm going to sleep. See you tomorrow when we crash in on the lil' Genoshan party."
"I'll be counting the hours," Kit said through gritted teeth.
Pete winked at him just to rile him a bit more before going into the guest room and shutting the door in his face. "Tosser," she muttered, taking off her jacket and slinging it on the bed. It was a nice room. Not much to it, but definitely nicer than any place she'd ever lived in, and most of the hotels she's stayed in, too. She'd heard that Braddock wanker had money, which probably explained the posh furniture.
She sat down on the edge of the bed, burying her head in her hands. She wanted more than anything in the world for everything to go her way, but she knew it wouldn't. Nothing ever did.
xxx xxx xxx
Kit Pryde sat in Muir Island's computer center, running a routine systems check. It didn't really need to be done, but Kit wanted the comfort that computers could provide him. They were organized, something he understood.
"Having a hard time sleeping, mein Freund?"
Kit jumped. "Kurt! I didn't see you there," he said, turning around to face the blue-furred mutant.
"I've been here for several minutes," Kurt said. "And I did not even teleport."
Kit smiled wryly. "I guess I was distracted."
"vould our new visitor have anything to do with that distraction?"
"That creepy Wisdom woman? No way. Did you hear the way she talked to Moira?"
"Ja. And I also saw how you vere looking at her during the meeting vith Scicluna and Threadgold. She is a pretty voman."
"If she wasn't scowling and didn't smell like an ashtray, maybe. But only maybe," Kit said, trying to conceal his blush.
Kurt knew it probably wasn't the wisest thing in the world to encourage a relationship between Kit and the mysterious Black Air agent, but he also knew that Kit needed to begin pursuing relationships again. Kurt had to admit he had been happy to see his friend checking Wisdom out. Maybe it meant he wasn't as emotionally dead as he'd like everyone to believe. "You don't have to be ashamed of having an attraction to another voman," Kurt said. "Illyana vould understand."
Kit slammed the keyboard in front of him. "I am not going to sully her memory by screwing some woman like that. If I ever do let myself fall in love again, it's going to be someone good—someone Illyana would have approved of."
Kurt frowned, deciding not to bring up the fact that Illyana herself had been the half-demon queen of Limbo. "I only vish you to be happy."
"I know, Kurt, and I am. Really."
Kurt didn't believe him, but decided not to press the issue. "I am going to bed. I suggest you go as vell. Ve have a big day ahead of us."
Kit gave him a smile. "I will. Good night, Kurt."
"Good night." With a puff of red smoke and a BAMF, Kurt was gone.
xxx xxx xxx