Ohmygosh!! I've updated!! Amazing, or what? Let's see, what are my
excuses THIS time? Umm... A combination of writer's block, video games,
and naked squirrels. But I DO remember some questions and/or comments
from my wonderful dedicated reviewers.
the proud canadian: I'm glad you like it. And about your hopes of
updation, I have finally fulfilled them.
BobbyD12: It's always your fault because you are a Bobby fan, and he's
boring. HA!
Kernl: You're my hero! You always update frequently!! And your can
write action, and humor, and all that good stuff. Your romance is a
bit rusty, though. BobbyD12's our expert on that.
Dark Lord: Fat free chocolate?? (screams) Nononono... don't make me cry... Glad you like it!!!
Chattypandagurl: Guard is my winter pastime. My guard explanation: You
know the Marching Band? And those people with their flags? The flag
people are the Colorguard. Winterguard (my winter pastime) is the flag
people without the band, inside, and in the winter. Cool, huh?
Everyone else: (gives everyone hugs) I love you guys!! I can't believe
you put up with my erratic updates!! You all get cookies!! (hands
around cookies)
And here's what you guys are REALLY here for:
The three men looked around the room, then at Jess.
"What the heck happened here?" One of them, who was blond, asked, gesturing at Gambit and Warren.
Jess cracked her knuckles and said nothing.
"You planning on attacking us, missy?" Another smirked, a 'red-head' raising his gun.
"Not exactly," Jess held out her hand.
The gun dropped from the man's grip. The other two gave the red-haired man funny looks.
"What're you doing?" the blond one asked.
"You talk too much," Red muttered, and moved as if to pick up his weapon. Instead, he stiffened.
Jess closed her hand, clenching her fist. To her, the men were already monsters. Now, they had only become sources for what she wanted. And when she wanted something, she got it.
Closing her eyes, Jess felt the moisture seep into her body.
The two men were astonished, aghast to see their teammate collapse to the floor and fluid splashing from his body into the girl.
Jess sighed, felt a shiver of delight run through her, and couldn't resist 'drinking' more.
The moment the blond man saw his other colleague fall, he ran, faster than he ever thought he could.
'This has got to be a dream...'
Jamie took a step back. This Deavor man was completely insane. If he didn't get away from here, he was going to be worse off than Scott after Aaron and Shawn found Logan's alcohol stash and moved it under Scott's bed.
Before he had a chance to think of a plan, the door smashed open, crashing into Deavor.
Jamie pouted just a little. He had wanted to do this himself. Then he took a look at his rescuer.
"Louis?" Jamie asked, then frowned, "Would you stop trying to save my life?"
The boy shrugged, "...Sorry?"
"How'd you get in here, anyway?" Jamie questioned.
"That's why it took so long," Louis said, "Follow me," He began to lead Jamie down the hallway, "I had to get past the guards."
"You mean like him?" Jamie pointed to a man lying unconscious on the floor.
Louis stepped on him, "Exactly."
They walked a little longer in silence.
"Where are we going?" Jamie finally asked.
"To find your friends."
"Way to go, you got us lost," Toad complained.
"If you say one more word, Aaron's socks are going down your throat!" Roberto snapped.
Shawn frowned.
Roberto glanced at Shawn, "Sorry."
Shawn looked confused, "For what? Finding the way out?"
"Huh?" Then Roberto grinned, seeing the exit to the maze they had been trapped in for hours, "Looks like you spoke too soon, Frogger."
"It's Toad!"
"Whatever. Let's just get out of here," Roberto took one last look at the room that they had been confined in, and walked through the door.
"So nyah!" Shawn said, and followed him.
The door led outside, onto the beach.
"Man, it's nice to feel the sun again!" Roberto said.
"But it's nighttime..." Shawn muttered. Roberto didn't hear him.
"Ugh... I hate sand!! It gets everywhere, and takes weeks to get rid of it all!" Toad whined.
"Sock sandwich for you!" Shawn yelled, and started chasing Toad around, throwing handfuls of sand in his general direction.
After a few minutes of this, Shawn sat down on the sand next to Roberto.
"Hey, where's Rahne?" Shawn asked.
"I told her to try to find the others."
"Won't she get lost?" Toad asked, brushing sand out of his hair.
"Why don't you get lost?" Shawn questioned.
"Why don't you?" Toad countered lamely.
"Umm..." Shawn looked thoughtful, "I don't know!"
"And you guys say I'm stupid!" Toad said triumphantly.
"Because you are," someone said.
They all turned to see a girl with reddish-brown hair standing behind them.
"Rahne!" Roberto jumped up from the sand to hug the girl.
Rahne grinned, hugging him back.
"Okay, okay, okay," Shawn said, separating them, "That's enough."
Roberto glared at him.
"What?" Shawn was oblivious.
Rahne raised her eyebrows, "I know where the others are."
"Good!" Shawn said, patting her on the back, "Lead on!"
"I's geen.... an' white... an' ground!" Bear said happily, having burrowed himself into the sand, and a pile of seaweed.
"...He's 'ground'?" Pietro asked.
"It's always saying things like that, the stupid fuzzball!" Mr. Kamon shouted.
"Snoogitsmallianviscoman!" said Bear angrily.
"When do we get out of this junk heap?" Mr. Kamon asked.
Scott shrugged.
Bear said, "Noob."
"Noob?" Scoot asked.
"Noob."
Xavier smiled, "Help is on the way."
Logan was deep in thought, pacing back and forth. If he had been alone, he could have and would have continued looking for the others. But he knew he couldn't push the kids too hard. They didn't have built-in healing like him.
He was so deep in thought, he almost collided with Jubilee, who was still hanging from a tree.
"What're you doing?" he asked angrily.
"I'm getting attacked by rampaging Wolverines," Jubilee said dryly, "You?"
"Why aren't you with the other kids?" Logan asked.
"I'm being stubborn, can't you tell? Besides, it's much more fun to be attacked by rampaging Wolverines when they're on the ceiling."
"Right," Logan said, "Get over with everyone else."
Jubilee stuck her tongue out at him, "Fine."
She dropped off of the tree limb, and walked, if a little unsteadily, over to the others.
Logan rolled his eyes, and was about to resume his pacing, when he heard a soft rustling of leaves in the opposite direction of the kids. Suspicious, he silently approached the sounds.
As Logan got closer, he saw a figure through the trees. It looked up at him, and hurriedly began tying something over its eyes.
"Crow," Logan called, "Or is it Kerri?"
Kerri stood up quickly, and shrugged, "Both."
"Why don't you come with us? When we get out of here, you can stay at the mansion."
Kerri shook her head, "No... I can't..."
"Why not?" Logan raised an eyebrow, "Seems like you're hiding a lot of secrets."
"Secrets?"
"Don't tell me you don't know what I'm talking about," Logan scoffed, "Pyro— "
"His name's John."
"Okay, John. John, who hates everyone, suddenly becomes cuddly with you, and saves your life. That's all well and good, but how did he know how to save your life?"
Kerri looked nervous, "We were in a cell together... before I was transported here. I told him my power..."
"Okay, So— " Logan was cut off when Jubilee ran towards them.
"Logan!" Jubilee caught sight of Kerri, "I... Uh... Who are... Ohh... Um, I'll go... Now..." She edged away.
"I get the feeling I'm unwelcome," Kerri commented.
Logan opened him mouth to answer, but was interrupted.
"Logan?" This time it was Rogue, "Are we...?"
She blinked, staring at Kerri.
"Omigosh," Rogue said, "Kerri..."
"Do I know you?" Kerri asked, unsure.
"No..." Rogue shook her head, "But I know you... Sort of."
"Meaning...?" Kerri probed.
"I'm not really sure myself," Rogue confessed, "But, I was right, see, Bobby. I told you she'd be here!"
"He's here, too?" Logan asked, "I don't remember sending invitations."
Bobby emerged from behind Rogue, looking sheepish.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"We're having a party," Logan said.
"I'm being interrogated," Kerri sighed.
"About what?" Rogue asked, knowing the answer.
Kerri sighed again, "What do you want to know?"
"I was going to ask you why John sacrificed himself for someone he barely knows," Logan said bluntly.
"Because he knew me before either of us became mutant lab rats... when we were kids," Kerri put her arms around her body, as if to keep herself warm.
Rogue nodded knowingly and almost sadly.
Bobby looked surprised.
But Logan was skeptical, "John's Australian, right? You sure don't talk like him."
Kerri looked annoyed, "You don't believe me? My dad and I moved there when I was little, for my dad's job. And we went back home when I was about twelve."
"Where's home?"Logan asked.
"Massachusetts," Kerri said, "But about two years after we came back, I... left."
Logan raised his eyebrows, "Why are you being so cooperative?" he asked suspiciously.
"That's kinda harsh, Logan," Bobby said. Logan ignored him.
"Because one of you has the power kill me with a touch, and you've got foot-long knives at your disposal anytime I give a wrong answer," Kerri said, nonchalantly.
Logan snorted, "I still don't get it. John's just not the friendly type."
Kerri shrugged, "Maybe he just remembered me, and didn't want a death on his hands."
"Sure, that makes sense. But why would he say, after he learns you're alright, 'Now we're even'? I assume he's talking about you."
"Even? Why would he say tha— " Kerri began, but Logan interrupted.
"Oh, don't give me that," Logan said sharply, "I'm not oblivious, you know. You obviously know him pretty well. Why wouldn't you know why he said that?"
"When did he say that, Logan?" Rogue asked.
"After you told him she was nearby. But that's not the point. I think that John's little friend is hiding something from us," Logan said.
"And why shouldn't I," Kerri asked, "when it's none of your business? Our pasts shouldn't matter anything to you. Why don't you just leave us alone?" She was angry, but her voice held a tremor of fright.
Logan opened his mouth, but Rogue spoke first.
"Because we're his friends. We're worried about him, and want to help. Is that so wrong?"
"How would that help? Knowing what he never told anyone? It wouldn't. Satisfying your curiosity would only make things worse. Why can't you see this?" Kerri said, shaking her head violently.
"Why won't you tell us?" Rogue asked, "A question deserves an answer."
Kerri covered her face in her hands, not speaking for a few moments, "You're not going to leave until I tell you want you want to know, are you?"
"No," Logan said.
"Then I don't believe I have a choice, do I?" Kerri asked, then instead of waiting for an answer, continued, "John believes that in saving my life, that we're even. But he's wrong. He never owed me anything. I just did what my mother taught me, before she died. The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
Rogue nodded, agreeing.
"As you have most likely realized, most children have not listened to their mothers. They can be more cruel than they probably intend," Kerri took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "They grow up and become racists, mutant- haters, like the Friends of Humanity."
She was silent for a while, as if she was unsure of what to say, "Before we moved, my dad asked me if I wanted to go. He said it was up to me, and there were other jobs. I knew he was excited to go, so I agreed," She paused again, "That move changed my whole life. If I had to make that decision again... I don't know what I'd do," Kerri smiled grimly, "But that's not what you want to know. You want to hear my story."
Then she began to recount to them how she met John Allerdyce, and how their lives collided, changing forever.
Can you feel the suspense?? So, tell me: Have I completely lost my mind? Am I the most brilliant author you've ever heard of? Should I trash my computer, and become a used car salesman? A VCR repairman? Reviews are my food. But if you would like to send me large amounts of cash, that's okay, too.
Go on, press that purple button. Or is it blue? ... Press that button of undetermined hue. Reviewing my story helps cure the Legacy Virus!!