Chapter 14
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rogue hurried through the hallways to the Blackbird's hanger.
"Where ya been, kid?" Logan asked, standing with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Sorry, Ah had to get mah things," she replied, hurrying up the ramp. Bobby was already strapped in, the Professor sitting up in the front. Logan took his place at the helm and the jet rose up out of the basketball court and rocketed off into the air.
Scott watched from the office window as the Blackbird disappeared into the night.
"Are you angry zat you are not going wiz zem?" Kurt suddenly appeared. His head was still bandaged but he was feeling much better.
Scott shook his head. "No, not angry, Kurt. Just...worried. I have a bad feeling."
....................................................................................................................................................................................
Methos had revived in the car, gasping and coughing. Nadya had untied him, hugging him and crying. He'd said nothing, really. Her fright was enough to silence him for right now. When they pulled into the driveway of the villa, Methos hurried into the house. "Talia?! Talia!"
No answer.
Piotr kept his arm around Nadya, supporting her, as she was still a little woozy from the tranquilizer. "Are you all right, Nadya?"
Holding on to him, she nodded a little. "I'll be fine, Piotr. I just..."
"Nadya! Piotr!" Methos' voice bellowed through the house.
Hurrying to the front foyer, they saw him hurrying towards the bedrooms with Ororo in his arms, red staining her shirt! She was out cold, blood dripping down her left arm.
"Nadya, hurry!" Methos called for her as he set Ororo down on the bed, looking for the wound.
She knew what to do. "Piotr, help him, please!" With that, she hurried as fast as she could to the kitchen for water, rags, and disinfectant.
Ripping Ororo's shirt, Methos found the source of the bleeding. A bullet had gone straight through her shoulder. She had been losing blood for hours and was unconscious, but it had begun to clot so that not so much blood was escaping now. Her pulse was faint, though. Very faint.
Piotr's voice shook with fear. "Methos, is she going to die?"
Methos' brow was furrowed; he couldn't let her die. In fact, he was surprised that she not already bled out. "No, she's not going to die, Piotr," he said shortly, pressing on the wound.
Just then, Nadya returned. Having Piotr move, she and Methos tended to Ororo, cleaning and bandaging her wound. For now, they did not worry about Talia.
She could take care of herself, couldn't she?
They worked on Ororo for over an hour. Methos did most of the work, of course, having the most experience. Sunrise saw the wound cleaned, disinfected as best as they could, and bandaged sufficiently. Methos then allowed himself to sink into a nearby chair the last bits of his energy leaving him. Piotr placed Ororo carefully onto the leather couch, covering her with a blanket. Nadya started to clean up, but Methos summarily ordered her to sit herself down and not to do a blessed thing.
Suddenly, they heard the droning of an engine, Methos yelling at them to get down as he grabbed one of the arms from the wall display! Piotr threw up his armor again and pulled Nadya over by the limp form on the couch for safety. Then they saw the Blackbird shoot by the window to circle for a landing spot.
Methos laughed out loud, only to trail off in some indecipherable mutterings as he slowly dragged himself out to meet them. Piotr let out a loud sigh. Nadya curled into a ball in the chair, presumably to sleep.
Duncan's first glance caught the lanky form of his friend makings its way across the lawn. He saw the sword. Then he saw the blood. Unfortunately, the others saw the blood as well.
"You missed the fun, MacLeod." Methos yelled almost jovially across the lawn.
"Methos, what happened?!!" Duncan bellowed. Methos was almost there when Logan saw the blood covering him, and the weapon in his hand. And of course the mutant thought the worst. He could smell Ororo's blood!
Snickt!
"What did you do to them?!" he yelled and started to rush the bedraggled form.
Methos' face took on a look of utter shock and alarm before his features tightened. Logan was coming at him and he had had a really bad night.
Logan's claw cut down at him but the ancient side-stepped and slashed out with his own weapon, nicking the other's side.
"I didn't do a blessed thing! Now put your exaggerated can openers up!"
Whether or not his words would have worked or not would not be known. Rogue had taken that moment to scream.
Logan's attention then focused on her, thinking she had seen him get cut, but she wasn't looking at him. Bobby was also looking off in the distance with her, his face a mask of horror and disgust.
"Ah think Ah'm gonna be sick." Rogue rushed off down the ramp to the side of the Blackbird to do just that.
Logan, followed by Methos, rushed over to see what was the matter. Joe and the Professor got there just at they did.
"I wondered where she went." Methos said in extreme distaste.
Logan felt a flash of fear, forgetting for a moment what Talia was.
Down where the stately gardens began, Talia's form lay suspended on one of the metal fence spires, the tip of which protruded out through the front on her chest a good foot! The designs further down on the pike had stopped the body from sliding all the way to the ground but the result was the same nonetheless. She was dead.
Logan felt like he did on the top of the Statue of Liberty three years ago. He did not like that feeling.
"Not one of the more pleasant ways to die....but there are worse." Methos rubbed his throat with his empty hand.
"What happened?!" Joe asked this time.
"We were attacked...Immortal," Methos replied, looking to MacLeod. "With lots of lovely mortal minions and a chopper, which…" he gestured to their hostess, "I guess explains that. We should get her down."
"What about...?" Duncan began frantically.
"They're alive, MacLeod...at the moment. Ororo needs some blood, but later..." He started down to the garden, but then turned back to Logan. "You, come on! Those will cut through the iron faster than this will."
Logan followed. Quietly for once.
"Why? Why would..." Rogue stuttered, Bobby standing near her to supply comfort. The Professor silenced her, though.
"Bobby, grab the first aid supplies and let's see what we can do to help. Rogue, it will be alright."
"But...she..."
"It's not permanent." Duncan said, to concerned about checking up on Nadya to bother with an explanation at the movement. As such, the group headed off to the house.
...............................................................................................................................................................................................................
"Cut here." Methos indicated, "Going down so she falls this way."
Logan complied, and Talia was down in one cut. Methos turned her on her side.
"You want to hold or pull?"
"What?"
"You hold." Methos didn't want to bother with it.
Logan knelt down and held the body to keep it from moving. Her face was still. Dead. Her head hung limply to her side. Traces of dried blood on her forehead. The ground around the fence pole was stained red from it, as was the fence. He swallowed back down his dinner.
"...two...one." Methos pulled.
There was a sucking sound, then a gaping hole. Logan could see ribs, lung. He rolled her over and thankfully the shirt covered it, but the bloody rent in the shirt kept it in mind. He heard Methos counting.
"..four...five....six.."
"What are you doing?"
A hand for silence was his only answer.
"..eight ...nine...ten....eleven...twelve.....thirteen....fourteen."
Talia then gave a violent gasp and shudder! She coughed a few times, breath inflating her newly healed lungs. Logan immediately put his hand under her head, waiting for it to pass.
Methos caught the look of concern in the other man's eyes. This time he didn't feel like being annoying about it. Talia's eyes finally focused on Logan. Then she looked over to Methos.
"Nadya..."
"Is fine."
Talia let out a breath of air. "How long was I out?"
"It's been a day. I wondered where you had gotten to."
Talia grimaced. "I revived....two hours ago....it was dark, but dawn was approaching...Immortal."
"That was us getting back. I'm sorry; I would have looked for you, but Ororo was shot...."
Talia shook her head. "I've been through worse. Glad you are safe." She looked back over to Logan. "Everyone is back?"
He nodded.
"I'm alright, Logan."
He nodded again.
She found and squeezed his hand.
Methos smirked this time. "We should get back with the others," he said, standing.
Logan helped Talia up. When she swayed a little, he scooped her up easily. Methos rolled his eyes and started for the villa.
"Peter!!" Rogue exclaimed as she rushed into the room.
They had passed the pool of blood just at the entranceway, and halfway into the room she saw Ororo as well.
"Storm!" Bobby followed behind her, carrying the medical supplies. Duncan and the others entered the room just after them.
"He patched her up." Piotr said from where he sat next to an overstuffed leather chair holding the small form of Nadya.
Duncan looked at her, felt for a pulse. She was asleep. He let out a sigh of relief. Joe also visibly relaxed.
The Professor was looking at Ororo, unconscious on the couch, white bandage covering her shoulder. He looked to Piotr.
"She had us split up...and..."
"It's alright, Piotr. Rest. We will sort this all out when the others get back with Talia."
"Talia! Where is she?!! The last I saw her, she was hanging onto the landing gear of the helicopter. Is she ok?"
Rogue blanched. Duncan answered.
"She will be."
The Russian rubbed his eyes.
"But she was dead." Rogue began.
"Explanations will be forthcoming, Rogue." Xavier stated, looking over Ororo again.
"He fixed her." Piotr said and Charles looked at him in question.
"Methos...he said he had been a doctor; he cleaned the wound out and he fixed Storm."
"Yeah, he's done that for me before." Joe chuckled.
Duncan's head suddenly shot up and he looked about the room. Then Methos entered, followed by Logan carrying Talia, whose focus immediately went to the chair.
"She's ok?" she asked again and Duncan nodded.
Rogue was obviously not handling this all very well. "You were....you were…"
"A shish-kabob. Yes, we know...it's not permanent." Methos said dryly.
Duncan looked to Xavier, wanting him to explain the situation to them. The professor nodded and soon complied.
Needless to say, the two young mutants were useless for the next half an hour. So Joe took them to the kitchen for coffee, during which Duncan took Nadya to her room and Logan took Talia to hers, though she protested the entire way. Fortunately, she was just wobbly enough that protesting was all she could do.
"Lie down." Logan said, terse as always.
"I've been 'lying down' for the past 24 hours, thanks," she replied, sitting up on the bed again.
Logan actually winced. "That's not what I meant."
"I know."
......................................................................................................................................................................................................
Methos had fallen into the same chair that Nadya had previously occupied, after checking up on Ororo. She'd be fine...he thought. She needed rest, her body time to reset and recoup itself.
Charles sat near Ororo, watching over her. So Methos tried to sleep. But, every time he closed his eyes, he saw Nadya's face, horrified. Felt the rope around his neck, air seeping away. Death had never frightened him before, at least not like this. Perhaps it was the thought of dying in front of someone he cared about; dying and not being able to save her from dying, too, and becoming a prisoner for the rest of her life.
She was asleep, good. Duncan stood over Nadya's bed for a while; he had to talk to Methos, find out what happened. He'd noticed a small bruise on Nadya's cheekbone. Barely there but enough for his experienced eyes to catch. The Highlander felt anger well up and pinched the bridge of his nose; Murphy's Law was a pain. He should have killed the man before he'd had time to come up with it.
He took the chair near to her bed; perhaps he'd just sit here for a while and then go talk to Methos.
The ancient rose from his seat and walked out to the terrace. The cool air felt good on his skin, but he noticed he wasn't alone. Piotr stood at the far end of the terrace. Methos knew he owed the young man something.
"Sbaseeba bolshoi, Piotr, (Thank you very much)" he said, moving over towards the mutant. "We might both be dead if it wasn't for you."
Piotr gave a weak smile and lowered his head again. "When he hit Nadya, I...I just snapped," he whispered.
Methos felt something twist inside of him; he hadn't seen that, he'd already blacked out. That Boy was almost as cruel as Kronos; he'd been taught well. He bloody even spoke like the man!
"How is Nadya?" Piotr asked quietly.
Methos shrugged. "MacLeod took her to her room; she's still sleeping, I assume. It's been a long night for her, for you, too. Why don't you get some rest?" His voice was a bit--just a bit--friendly. Nodding, the Russian shuffled off to his bed and Methos took up residence on the terrace rail. He would not hazard sleep right now; like Odysseus, bad things seemed to happen when he slept. And he really didn't want to remember Odysseus' journey; it hadn't been a pleasant one.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rogue hurried through the hallways to the Blackbird's hanger.
"Where ya been, kid?" Logan asked, standing with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Sorry, Ah had to get mah things," she replied, hurrying up the ramp. Bobby was already strapped in, the Professor sitting up in the front. Logan took his place at the helm and the jet rose up out of the basketball court and rocketed off into the air.
Scott watched from the office window as the Blackbird disappeared into the night.
"Are you angry zat you are not going wiz zem?" Kurt suddenly appeared. His head was still bandaged but he was feeling much better.
Scott shook his head. "No, not angry, Kurt. Just...worried. I have a bad feeling."
....................................................................................................................................................................................
Methos had revived in the car, gasping and coughing. Nadya had untied him, hugging him and crying. He'd said nothing, really. Her fright was enough to silence him for right now. When they pulled into the driveway of the villa, Methos hurried into the house. "Talia?! Talia!"
No answer.
Piotr kept his arm around Nadya, supporting her, as she was still a little woozy from the tranquilizer. "Are you all right, Nadya?"
Holding on to him, she nodded a little. "I'll be fine, Piotr. I just..."
"Nadya! Piotr!" Methos' voice bellowed through the house.
Hurrying to the front foyer, they saw him hurrying towards the bedrooms with Ororo in his arms, red staining her shirt! She was out cold, blood dripping down her left arm.
"Nadya, hurry!" Methos called for her as he set Ororo down on the bed, looking for the wound.
She knew what to do. "Piotr, help him, please!" With that, she hurried as fast as she could to the kitchen for water, rags, and disinfectant.
Ripping Ororo's shirt, Methos found the source of the bleeding. A bullet had gone straight through her shoulder. She had been losing blood for hours and was unconscious, but it had begun to clot so that not so much blood was escaping now. Her pulse was faint, though. Very faint.
Piotr's voice shook with fear. "Methos, is she going to die?"
Methos' brow was furrowed; he couldn't let her die. In fact, he was surprised that she not already bled out. "No, she's not going to die, Piotr," he said shortly, pressing on the wound.
Just then, Nadya returned. Having Piotr move, she and Methos tended to Ororo, cleaning and bandaging her wound. For now, they did not worry about Talia.
She could take care of herself, couldn't she?
They worked on Ororo for over an hour. Methos did most of the work, of course, having the most experience. Sunrise saw the wound cleaned, disinfected as best as they could, and bandaged sufficiently. Methos then allowed himself to sink into a nearby chair the last bits of his energy leaving him. Piotr placed Ororo carefully onto the leather couch, covering her with a blanket. Nadya started to clean up, but Methos summarily ordered her to sit herself down and not to do a blessed thing.
Suddenly, they heard the droning of an engine, Methos yelling at them to get down as he grabbed one of the arms from the wall display! Piotr threw up his armor again and pulled Nadya over by the limp form on the couch for safety. Then they saw the Blackbird shoot by the window to circle for a landing spot.
Methos laughed out loud, only to trail off in some indecipherable mutterings as he slowly dragged himself out to meet them. Piotr let out a loud sigh. Nadya curled into a ball in the chair, presumably to sleep.
Duncan's first glance caught the lanky form of his friend makings its way across the lawn. He saw the sword. Then he saw the blood. Unfortunately, the others saw the blood as well.
"You missed the fun, MacLeod." Methos yelled almost jovially across the lawn.
"Methos, what happened?!!" Duncan bellowed. Methos was almost there when Logan saw the blood covering him, and the weapon in his hand. And of course the mutant thought the worst. He could smell Ororo's blood!
Snickt!
"What did you do to them?!" he yelled and started to rush the bedraggled form.
Methos' face took on a look of utter shock and alarm before his features tightened. Logan was coming at him and he had had a really bad night.
Logan's claw cut down at him but the ancient side-stepped and slashed out with his own weapon, nicking the other's side.
"I didn't do a blessed thing! Now put your exaggerated can openers up!"
Whether or not his words would have worked or not would not be known. Rogue had taken that moment to scream.
Logan's attention then focused on her, thinking she had seen him get cut, but she wasn't looking at him. Bobby was also looking off in the distance with her, his face a mask of horror and disgust.
"Ah think Ah'm gonna be sick." Rogue rushed off down the ramp to the side of the Blackbird to do just that.
Logan, followed by Methos, rushed over to see what was the matter. Joe and the Professor got there just at they did.
"I wondered where she went." Methos said in extreme distaste.
Logan felt a flash of fear, forgetting for a moment what Talia was.
Down where the stately gardens began, Talia's form lay suspended on one of the metal fence spires, the tip of which protruded out through the front on her chest a good foot! The designs further down on the pike had stopped the body from sliding all the way to the ground but the result was the same nonetheless. She was dead.
Logan felt like he did on the top of the Statue of Liberty three years ago. He did not like that feeling.
"Not one of the more pleasant ways to die....but there are worse." Methos rubbed his throat with his empty hand.
"What happened?!" Joe asked this time.
"We were attacked...Immortal," Methos replied, looking to MacLeod. "With lots of lovely mortal minions and a chopper, which…" he gestured to their hostess, "I guess explains that. We should get her down."
"What about...?" Duncan began frantically.
"They're alive, MacLeod...at the moment. Ororo needs some blood, but later..." He started down to the garden, but then turned back to Logan. "You, come on! Those will cut through the iron faster than this will."
Logan followed. Quietly for once.
"Why? Why would..." Rogue stuttered, Bobby standing near her to supply comfort. The Professor silenced her, though.
"Bobby, grab the first aid supplies and let's see what we can do to help. Rogue, it will be alright."
"But...she..."
"It's not permanent." Duncan said, to concerned about checking up on Nadya to bother with an explanation at the movement. As such, the group headed off to the house.
...............................................................................................................................................................................................................
"Cut here." Methos indicated, "Going down so she falls this way."
Logan complied, and Talia was down in one cut. Methos turned her on her side.
"You want to hold or pull?"
"What?"
"You hold." Methos didn't want to bother with it.
Logan knelt down and held the body to keep it from moving. Her face was still. Dead. Her head hung limply to her side. Traces of dried blood on her forehead. The ground around the fence pole was stained red from it, as was the fence. He swallowed back down his dinner.
"...two...one." Methos pulled.
There was a sucking sound, then a gaping hole. Logan could see ribs, lung. He rolled her over and thankfully the shirt covered it, but the bloody rent in the shirt kept it in mind. He heard Methos counting.
"..four...five....six.."
"What are you doing?"
A hand for silence was his only answer.
"..eight ...nine...ten....eleven...twelve.....thirteen....fourteen."
Talia then gave a violent gasp and shudder! She coughed a few times, breath inflating her newly healed lungs. Logan immediately put his hand under her head, waiting for it to pass.
Methos caught the look of concern in the other man's eyes. This time he didn't feel like being annoying about it. Talia's eyes finally focused on Logan. Then she looked over to Methos.
"Nadya..."
"Is fine."
Talia let out a breath of air. "How long was I out?"
"It's been a day. I wondered where you had gotten to."
Talia grimaced. "I revived....two hours ago....it was dark, but dawn was approaching...Immortal."
"That was us getting back. I'm sorry; I would have looked for you, but Ororo was shot...."
Talia shook her head. "I've been through worse. Glad you are safe." She looked back over to Logan. "Everyone is back?"
He nodded.
"I'm alright, Logan."
He nodded again.
She found and squeezed his hand.
Methos smirked this time. "We should get back with the others," he said, standing.
Logan helped Talia up. When she swayed a little, he scooped her up easily. Methos rolled his eyes and started for the villa.
"Peter!!" Rogue exclaimed as she rushed into the room.
They had passed the pool of blood just at the entranceway, and halfway into the room she saw Ororo as well.
"Storm!" Bobby followed behind her, carrying the medical supplies. Duncan and the others entered the room just after them.
"He patched her up." Piotr said from where he sat next to an overstuffed leather chair holding the small form of Nadya.
Duncan looked at her, felt for a pulse. She was asleep. He let out a sigh of relief. Joe also visibly relaxed.
The Professor was looking at Ororo, unconscious on the couch, white bandage covering her shoulder. He looked to Piotr.
"She had us split up...and..."
"It's alright, Piotr. Rest. We will sort this all out when the others get back with Talia."
"Talia! Where is she?!! The last I saw her, she was hanging onto the landing gear of the helicopter. Is she ok?"
Rogue blanched. Duncan answered.
"She will be."
The Russian rubbed his eyes.
"But she was dead." Rogue began.
"Explanations will be forthcoming, Rogue." Xavier stated, looking over Ororo again.
"He fixed her." Piotr said and Charles looked at him in question.
"Methos...he said he had been a doctor; he cleaned the wound out and he fixed Storm."
"Yeah, he's done that for me before." Joe chuckled.
Duncan's head suddenly shot up and he looked about the room. Then Methos entered, followed by Logan carrying Talia, whose focus immediately went to the chair.
"She's ok?" she asked again and Duncan nodded.
Rogue was obviously not handling this all very well. "You were....you were…"
"A shish-kabob. Yes, we know...it's not permanent." Methos said dryly.
Duncan looked to Xavier, wanting him to explain the situation to them. The professor nodded and soon complied.
Needless to say, the two young mutants were useless for the next half an hour. So Joe took them to the kitchen for coffee, during which Duncan took Nadya to her room and Logan took Talia to hers, though she protested the entire way. Fortunately, she was just wobbly enough that protesting was all she could do.
"Lie down." Logan said, terse as always.
"I've been 'lying down' for the past 24 hours, thanks," she replied, sitting up on the bed again.
Logan actually winced. "That's not what I meant."
"I know."
......................................................................................................................................................................................................
Methos had fallen into the same chair that Nadya had previously occupied, after checking up on Ororo. She'd be fine...he thought. She needed rest, her body time to reset and recoup itself.
Charles sat near Ororo, watching over her. So Methos tried to sleep. But, every time he closed his eyes, he saw Nadya's face, horrified. Felt the rope around his neck, air seeping away. Death had never frightened him before, at least not like this. Perhaps it was the thought of dying in front of someone he cared about; dying and not being able to save her from dying, too, and becoming a prisoner for the rest of her life.
She was asleep, good. Duncan stood over Nadya's bed for a while; he had to talk to Methos, find out what happened. He'd noticed a small bruise on Nadya's cheekbone. Barely there but enough for his experienced eyes to catch. The Highlander felt anger well up and pinched the bridge of his nose; Murphy's Law was a pain. He should have killed the man before he'd had time to come up with it.
He took the chair near to her bed; perhaps he'd just sit here for a while and then go talk to Methos.
The ancient rose from his seat and walked out to the terrace. The cool air felt good on his skin, but he noticed he wasn't alone. Piotr stood at the far end of the terrace. Methos knew he owed the young man something.
"Sbaseeba bolshoi, Piotr, (Thank you very much)" he said, moving over towards the mutant. "We might both be dead if it wasn't for you."
Piotr gave a weak smile and lowered his head again. "When he hit Nadya, I...I just snapped," he whispered.
Methos felt something twist inside of him; he hadn't seen that, he'd already blacked out. That Boy was almost as cruel as Kronos; he'd been taught well. He bloody even spoke like the man!
"How is Nadya?" Piotr asked quietly.
Methos shrugged. "MacLeod took her to her room; she's still sleeping, I assume. It's been a long night for her, for you, too. Why don't you get some rest?" His voice was a bit--just a bit--friendly. Nodding, the Russian shuffled off to his bed and Methos took up residence on the terrace rail. He would not hazard sleep right now; like Odysseus, bad things seemed to happen when he slept. And he really didn't want to remember Odysseus' journey; it hadn't been a pleasant one.