A life Beyond Love
Chapter 4: Silent AttackIt was 7:00 am as I found the morning sun creeping through my living room window. I lightly shifted my weight and grabbed the tv remote and looked for the news. Of course there was as usual the robberies and the killings and all of the other bull shit that happened over the course of an evening but nothing about me and that I was relieved about. Looking down I seen that Patience was still asleep and I figured that it would be best not to disturb her. Lightly shifting out of my rut in the couch I quietly made my way into the kitchen and began on breakfast. I fried up some eggs and made a bit of toast and followed all that up with some tuna salad for the toast. Hearing footsteps I tuned back to see who it was.
"Morning dad," Kate said sitting down at the table.
"Morning kiddo, sleep well?"
"Yeah," she replied.
"That's good."
"Hey dad."
"What?"
"Why is Patience sleeping on the couch?" she asked.
"Her and I went out last night and she just stayed the evening," I told her taking her a plate and a fork.
"Oh, but I heard the bike, you could have just given her a ride home though," she told me taking a fork full of food.
"Just eat your breakfast and don't worry about it," I told her as the lady of the moment walked into the room stretching as she went.
"Don't worry about what?" she inquired as I handed her a plate.
"Last night," I said.
"Oh, yeah he's right, nothing to talk about," she kind of mumbled as she spotted the tuna. "You're evil you know that."
"What makes you say that?" I asked.
"You tempt me with food so I won't leave," she replied taking a hearty serving.
"Well it's actually one of Kate's favorites, you and her seem to have quite similar tastes," I told her grabbing a cup of coffee.
Sitting down I got a few bites through before I noticed Kate's ears perk, smiling I knew exactly what she heard. "Mail is here," she said walking off to retrieve it.
"You knew she was going to do that?" Patience asked me.
"Oh of course, my hearing isn't as sharp as hers is but I notice when she hears stuff like that either her ears will perk or she'll twitch. I just find it really amuzing to watch her do it," I told her as Kate returned with a handful of letters.
I began to sift through them and found one addressed from the institute, opening it up it was from my father. Turns out Xavier and Bruce Wayne were holding a fundraiser for local group homes for the homeless and mutants, he was wondering if I would attend.
"Who's it from dad?"
"It's from Grandpa, there is a fundraiser being held, for mutants and the homeless."
"Oh yeah, when is it?" Patience asked.
Looking over the letter, I found the date. "It's tonight at nine. Always like my father to do things the old way, I have really got to teach him how to use e-mail."
The two of them kind of chuckled. "Am I going dad?"
"Yeah I don't see why not. I know this might seem awkward but...would you mind attending Patience?" I asked her.
"Are you trying to ask me out on a date?" she questioned playfully.
"I'll buy the dress," I told her bluntly.
Fast as lightning she replied, "You're on."
Smiling I finished my breakfast. Afterwards Patience gathered her things and was about to exit the door when I brought something to her attention. "You know your outfit in the day looks kind of suspicious, I would recommend changing into something more casual."
"Well what did you have in mind?" she questioned.
"Well I still have a small amount of Kitty's clothes from before she died, let's have a look."
Moving upstairs I went to the closet within my room and in a small office box marked on the floor lay some of the last physical memories that I had of her. I decided to keep things like a couple of her dresses and her battle uniform from the X-men, I had to admit that I still had mine as well. There was her wedding dress and other things like the dress I proposed to her in. Let's just say that she wore it once and not for very long...it wasn't me it was her alright. She led the way and I was there for the ride... a very long ride. Digging to the bottom of the box I was met with a few common items and drew out a t-shirt and pair of jeans that I figured would fit her.
"Here try these, the shirt should fit but I don't know about the pants, Kitty wasn't exactly the largest person in the world."
"Are you suggesting that I'm fat?" she inquired.
"No, not at all, there is absolutely nothing wrong with your figure," I replied raising my arms in defense.
"Good, now is there a bath room or something that I can change in, or what?"
"How about the change curtain in the corner?" I suggested pointing to the far end of the room.
"That'll do."
Soon enough she was from behind the curtain and ready to go. We proceeded to a cab and found a local tailor that made absolutely everything from scratch. This was the same woman who made all of my suits, more specifically because of my huge frame. I remember when I first met her, I was a little apprehensive, considering that my image was a hologram and that she would be getting awfully close, but I was surprised to learn that she too was also a mutant, a telekinetic. Putting that aside she was eager to greet us.
"Ah Jack how nice to see you again, would you be needing the usual suit today. I hope one of mine hasn't worn out already," the older Asian woman mentioned breaking out her tape.
"No, I assure you Ms. Wong that everything is fine and that I actually need you to make an evening dress for me, well not me but for this young woman here," I told her pointing to Patience of course she looked at me funny mouthing the word young and then I mentioned the word one hundred and she shut up.
Quickly enough she guided Patience over to the mirror and began taking notes. "So what do you need this for anyway? Are you two doing something big?" she asked breaking out a pad and pen.
"No there is that function for mutants and the homeless that is going on tonight, Professor Xavier invited us for the evening," I told her taking a seat in an armchair.
"Oh really, I think that he and his X –men will make a fine addition to the evening," she noted taking the final tab. "Well there you go, any specific preferences?"
"We'll let's keep it about 1/3 the length of the thigh up from the knee and a mid cut chest with say string shoulder bands and a black shall type piece, just to lightly wrap around the shoulders," I told her leaving Patience in awe.
"You know I have to wear it," she told me giving me a stare.
"I know but I'm paying for it, so it has to look good."
"All black?" she asked.
"All black."
"Ooooh, now that will be sexy, she replied purring a bit.
"Easy Kitty were not done yet... Ms. Wong I'll be back later today to pick it up alright?"
"Sure thing, it will be on the counter," she told us walking into the back.
"What else do we need?" she asked me.
"Let's see, I think a diamond bracelet would be in order and a small chain for around your neck. Not to mention that we also have to take car of shoes," I told her guiding her out into the street.
"Man o man you're just going nuts with this one aren't ya."
"Is it wrong that I would like you to look your best?" I questioned.
"No but you still don't have to do this. I have stuff at home I could wear for the evening, not any of your stuff," she told me as we rounded a far street corner only to be confronted by a shoe store.
"Who said it was going to be for me, I don't cross dress, besides I think you will blow the doors off when you enter that room tonight," I told her as I could almost see the scenario being played out in her eyes. "Let's go."
From there the two of us went shopping and we bought stuff not only for this evening but for her home and for mine, I would have to roughly guess that I blew well over 10, 000 that afternoon and that was of course before the final tally on the dress. To tell you the truth I didn't care because she was happy and that was all that mattered. As we approached Ms.Wong's there was a boy of no more than 20 strolling up the walk. His skin was as pale as a ghost and filmy as if he was covered in sunscreen or something. The way he walked he didn't even see me as he ran right into me. Being taken back a bit he seemed to wake up form his daze...
"Oh sorry about that," he told me pulling the headphones from his ears, with that I just had to smile. "You know you hear the right tune and you just seem to leave the real world behind, again so sorry about that have a nice day."
"No problem, just choose you tunes better next time alright," I told him setting my hands on my hips checking for my wallet which remained still.
"Sure thing man, see ya around," he said as he took off down the street and around the far corner.
"That was weird," Patience said looking me over. "You all there, wallet, watch, kidneys."
"He must have been honest, maybe it was his music...ah never mind, no harm done, let's see this dress."
Moving in we were confronted by Ms. Wong and a gorgeous single piece that I thought was perfect. Patience, though before skeptical was relieved and a bit excited to try it on.
Of course Ms. Wong handed me the bill and I was glad to pay it as it came to a comfortable 600 dollars. Dialing up a limo service I arranged for a pickup at her place and at my own for us to arrive at the banquet around 8:45. It was from the tailor that we went our separate ways and we would see each other later that evening.
Soon that time had come and gone and as the limo pulled up I guided Kate inside and found Patience in the far corner sipping a tall glass of champagne. We both smiled as I shut the door and we were off to the party. Give or take about an hour and we had arrived, Just as the driver was about to open the door I and Kate removed out image inducers and I placed them neatly within my coat.
"Are you sure you want to do that?" Patience asked holding my arm before I stepped out.
"This is for mutants, so why not show my true colors, let's go," I told her putting a smile on.
I stepped out of the car then Patience and finally Kate as we were greeted by a flurry of cameras and reporters eager to make the lead page story on the gala event. Letting Kate lead I took Patience's arm in mine as we made our way toward the doors. The doorman was calm and quiet, and simply asked us our name. "Howlett" was heard and we were let in. Inside there was a grand array of tables and platters and at the head of the room there was a stage with a podium and tables adjacent that as well simply filling the room.
"Glad you could make it Jack," said a voice from within my head.
"As am I professor, as am I," I told him turning to find the group of them. There was Hank, my father and Ororo, Scott and Jean and their young son, and Magnus with Wanda and Pietro at his side. As I was about to mention something a familiar sound caught my ear, as a small whoof repeated many times before I grabbed to the right of me blindly holding Kurt by the scruff of his neck. "Kurt please don't do that," I told him holding him there.
"Sure thing Jack," he replied as I set the young teleporter down.
"Oh, while you're all here I 'd like to introduce you to Patience Price, she has been helping me with Kate and has a few abilities of her own," I told them.
"As do we all," noted the professor just between the three of us catching her attention as they left.
"Is he?" she began.
"Yeah he is, he's a telepath, one of the strongest mutants on the planet. If he wanted to he could kill every being on this planet by simply concentrating," I told her moving on toward the tables.
"Has he always been in a chair?" she asked.
"No, during Vietnam he broke his back and severed his spinal chord, but it's not like he needs it though he's perfected astral projection within his guide lines."
"Wow," she noted as we got to our seat.
We sat, we ate, we enjoyed our own company and as the night drug on I began to feel awkward, it was as if I was on a rollercoaster that just wouldn't stop. It's not like my I was going to be sick it was just my gut felt like it wouldn't stop moving. I then took a few glasses of water and it seemed to go away. It was then that my father got up to the podium and began a surprising speech.
"I know tonight that we all have come to fundraise for not only our mutant brothers and sisters but for also those in need of a home, more often than not they are mutants themselves being cast out of their families or simply neglected. That is why I have decided to match Charles Xavier's donation of 10 million dollars from our family trust. I would like my son Jack to come up here and hand the cheque over if he wouldn't mind," he said as the light rolled over our table and I stood up.
I made my way over and met the foundation rep passed him the cheque and shook his hand, of course he had a few words to say. "First of all I would love to thank the Howlett family for their more than generous donation to the foundation."
It was then that the feeling came back and this time my heart started to burn and speed up. I then took a knee gripping my father's shoulder for support. "Whoa! Jack you alright there kiddo?"
"I don't think so dad," I told him gasping for breath. "I need a doctor, if I pass out get Patience to take Kate and come to the mansion with the rest of us."
"Sure thing son," he told me before turning his attention to the podium. "Uh, we need to get my son to a hospital quick."
"It's too far to New York Jack looks like we are going to have to do this here in Gotham." Xavier told me wheeling over from the table as I now lay on my back.
"Get Hank, he knows a lot about what went on before.
It was then that Patience and Kate came up to see me. "Daddy are you going to be alright?" she asked.
"I'm gonna be just fine alright, I want you to be close to Patience alright," I told her reaching into my coat. "Here honey take you inducer back and have it one before we leave alright."
It was then that an ambulance rolled up and the paramedics dashed through the door. They came up on stage and were surprised at what they found, but none the less they did their job picking my heavy ass off the floor and sitting me on a bed. Laying on the bed she gave me and air mask and a tweak of morphine, not enough to really make a difference but enough to take the edge off. My father crawled in with me and sat next to me making sure that I was alright. We wheeled around many corners before arriving at the hospital and I was rushed into the ER. Leaving me on a ventilator they drew blood and tissue samples before letting me rest.
Out of a dream state I awoke to find others in the room with me. To my left there was Kate and off to my right in the corner sat Patience alongside Ororo and my father. Looking back I noticed that Kate had been stirred awake and she was looking right at me.
"Hi there sweetheart," I told her putting my arm around her.
"Are you feeling any better daddy?" she asked crawling on the bed with me.
"A little but I got a ways to go," I replied obviously waking a few others as well. "Hi guys, so what was Hank's deduction?"
"We don't know he hasn't finished yet, but we might know soon enough," Ororo mentioned.
Speak of the devil, Hank strolled through the door in a lab coat with clipboard in hand. "Oh you're awake, guess that means I don't have to wake you. But here's what I know, it is an enzyme or similar to one that is disguising itself as lymphocytes in your blood. It is hiding and attacking your genetic mutations. From what I can tell it looks like it is attacking anything that resembles that of canine origin..."
"That kid..." I began a little short of breath.
"What kid? Hank asked.
"That kid outside the shop who ran into you, he must have been holding a syringe or something," Patience replied.
"He must have been working for the vampires thinking that I was a liken," I told him shaking my head in disbelief.
"What is a liken?" he asked.
"It's a werewolf, I'm not far from it so when I helped that one that was cornered in the alley that night they must have assumed that I was one of them," I explained. "That same evening they attacked the club that Patience and I were at looking to hunt me down."
"So if this is going to attack your wolf genetics it might revert you physical appearance as well," he suggested to me.
"Possibly but it shouldn't change my skeleton back, that is unless my body pulls a magic trick again and twists that adamantium around like it did last time," I replied catching Patience's attention.
"What do you mean adamantium, that is a metal right?"
"Yeah it is a metal. Both my father and myself are living guinea pigs, chosen because of out vast healing abilities. Many years ago our bones were laced with adamantium, when solidified the alloy is almost indestructible. Back just before Kitty and I married I was caught in an accident where my tail had to be removed and my spine needed metal work done. For some reason my genetics had a hiccup and new X-genes were developed from my stem cells. This outcome was changed a year later when a second accident happened with the machine from the rebirth project. It activated the dormant X-genes and I changed to what you see before you. In order for me to change my mutation stretched my skeleton and for some odd reason the metal stretched with it, which isn't right at all."
"Huh, so in other words you bent the rules applying to that metal and didn't know how you did it?" she asked.
"That's right. From what I take it my body can't fight it because it's hiding as lymphocytes right?"
"Yeah, it's as simple as that, your body doesn't recognize the threat and so can't do anything about it. So for you to fight it we need to find a way to tell your body that something is wrong, you need a vaccine," he told me.
"Well then start working on it I don't want to lose too much of myself in the process. "I told him as he promptly left the room. "I thank all of you for being so concerned but this looks like it could be for the long haul and I don't know how long this will take so I guess that, Dad you and Ororo can crash at home and if you don't mind, Patience, would you stay and keep watch over Kate as well?" I asked them.
"Just part time as usual?" she asked.
"No, just stay at my place, I won't be staying in my room so you can have it to yourself for the time being, dad and Ororo can take the guest room across the hall," I told her.
"Alright, you sure there is nothing you need yet?" she asked.
"No I think that I'll be fine for now."
"By daddy," Kate told me giving me a hug.
"See ya sweetheart," I told her giving her a kiss on the forehead.
They left and I relaxed as much as possible, the pain was dull but never ceasing so it was hard for me to remain comfortable. I just hoped the others wouldn't worry to much about me I've proven to be quite resilient.
It has now been a week and my body is degrading. I have lost 90 of the fur on my body and my face is returning to be human in appearance. I still have enlarged canines and my overall size hasn't changed. During a painful Friday evening my knees reverted by twisting and popping back into bending forward again. Aside from the burning feeling from the adamantium stretching around my shaping skull nothing else has really shifted and I hope nothing else will. I went through this once and I don't wan to go through this again. It was then by sheer luck that on Monday afternoon, Hank walked through my door and was holding a syringe.
"Please tell me that is what I think it is," It told him chuckling a little bit.
"Well I can't guarantee anything but it worked in the lab and hopefully on you," he replied inserting it into my I.V. drip.
"Ok, we'll just have to see then," I said watching the fluid flow into my arm.
. . .
It has now been another week and the pain is now gone, which is good. My face is now fully back to human form except oddly enough for my ears, they have decided to remain at the top of my head just as before. I have lost all of my fur now and I have been able to get out for bed for the first time without the aid of a nurse. I was able to keep my tail and it is now starting to regrow its fur from before. Even though it was against Hank's recommendations I went out to the rehab hall in the hospital and decided to use their equipment. I was pleased to find that all of my abilities had remained and I that I was still able to run on all fours. After doing a couple laps at the track I had found that I had developed quite a crowd. Moving to free weights, I loaded up a set of dumb bells and did a few bicep curls at 500lbs apiece. Which was nothing really, I knew that I could squat several tons and my bench press was around 3200lbs. Finishing my curls Hank walked over with his clipboard and another doctor.
"Hey there Jack, so nice of you to listen to me when I said stay in bed but from what I can see you are feeling that much better. I am proud to say we have killed the virus, there is nothing left in your blood that remotely looks like it."
"Good, the changes have stopped as well and now I can finally go home," I told them dropping the dumb bells and cracking the cement.
"I'm surprised that someone who just encountered a thing such as this would be lifting his capacity again in such a short amount of time." The doctor told me looking me over.
"Well that isn't my peak, I can lift far more than that, I was just taking it easy," I told him taking a seat on the concrete at my feet.
"Jack, this is Dr. Joseph Bowen. He is a general practitioner that enjoys helping his mutant patients. He just wants to give you a clean bill of health before we get you out of here."
"Oh, ok, even though there is nothing wrong it wouldn't hurt," I replied following him into his office.
He did the usual, eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. He looked at reflexes and body fat and other stuff like that. In under an hour I was out and ready to leave the hospital. After paying the bill I left a little extra for their treatment and went out front duffle bag in hand. As I figured there was a cab waiting ready to take me home and I was relieved that it was all over.