Author's note: Yep. Fights scenes are the most difficult to write. Hope you all enjoy.

Quick note on present characters: This story is set appox. 25 years before the first X-men movie/Buffy-verse/Daredevil movie. Prequel to the rest of my fics.

Logan, Creed and Marko – all characters from the X-Men movies/comic

Fisk – Daredevil villain 'Kingpin'

Dolarhyde – From Thomas Harris's book Red Dragon. Also a pretty good movie.

Charlie and Jay – If you don't know who they are, read the rest of this story again :)

Hope there's no confusion. On with the show...


Chapter Twenty-One:

Jay's head was throbbing as he made a sharp turn onto an open lane. The sun was glaring down on his windshield, forcing him to squint and blink away the daylight's after images. Every now and then, he would pass a burning sign or mailbox, which confirmed he was heading the right way.His stomach knotted with anxiety as the fires became more frequent. Why the hell was she doing this? Even if she had no idea anyone was following her, why would she risk using her gift so blatantly?

It was like putting down a trail of breadcrumbs for anyone who wanted to find her. Why would she leave anyone hints as to her direction... which had lead off the main road... away from residential areas... almost daring her enemies to confront her...

"Shit," Jay said simply, pressing down on the accelerator.

Charlie was calling the big men out. Her guns were drawn, and she had taken her warning shots. Jay just hoped he could get to her before any real conflict started.


When Logan leapt toward her, Charlie took a step back in surprise. She had expected them to have guns or tasers or anesthetizing darts. No one had ever dared to challenge her directly before.

She held up her arms defensively as Logan's heavy hands clamped onto her shoulders. He gave her one hard shake. Charlie's head snapped back painfully and she cried out with alarm. Her power stormed feverishly from in her mind. Years of practice and control had given her a mental leash that kept the fire under control. She knew it was time to let the animal out.

Charlie jerked her body forward. Her eyes were wide with fury and the air around her seemed to glow. Logan immediately registered the change in temperature but did not have time to move before a burst of fire shoved him off his feet. His body flew about a dozen yards before skidding across the grass.

His teammates watched the exchange without a hint of distress. Logan had obviously suffered several major burns. His clothes were smoldering and the sideburn on the left side of his face was partially missing.

Charlie was breathing quickly, forcing the fire to obey her commands. She held a hand out in front of her again threateningly, and called out to her attackers.

"See?" she said, a touch of panic evident in her voice, "I warned you! Now, leave me alone! Just take him and go! Just leave me alone and I won't..."

Charlie felt her words catch in her throat as the lead assassin began to stand up.

Creed could not help but grin as the scent of the girl's fear filled the air. There were very few people who had ever witnessed Logan's secret gift. Most of them were now dead. However, it certainly served well when they needed to shut up cocky little bitches like this Firestarter.

Once Logan was on his feet, he locked his dark eyes on Charlie and a rumbling growl bubbled from his throat. The burns running down his body were blistered and red. Logan wiped a trickled of blood from his face, ignoring the pain as a familiar tingle began to pass over his skin.

Charlie gaped as his injured flesh began to mend. The bristling hair on his face was regrowing. The burned skin now exposed on his side and abdomen was becoming paler until all signs of her attack had faded.

Logan turned his head and spat once, clearing his mouth of lingering fluids, and then gave his men one simply order.

"Get her."


...BLUE...

Jay cried out and covered his eyes as the bright ethereal light flashed from a line of trees nearby. His head rocked back in pain as his supernatural senses were overwhelmed. His car careened off the road and Jay hit the brakes blindly....BLUE...

...BLUE...

He really, really hated that color.

Jay pressed his hands against his head and ground his teeth together. Hundreds of voices echoed mournfully from everywhere, from nowhere. He heard, but he did not hear. He saw, and he did not see. Invisible forces battered his psyche with cold hands as Jay struggled to get his powers under control.

It was like nothing he had ever felt before. Human beings were not built, physically or mentally, to deal with the sensations that were stirring around him. He needed to close his mind... he needed to shut it off...

...help her jay... help her... take her with you... take her home... bring her to us...


Creed did not need to be asked twice.

Upon Logan's direction, he circled quickly around the girl and directed the others to do the same. Marko and Dolarhyde stared at her with cold, empty eyes. Fisk moved cautiously. This was his first mission dealing with the sort whom Stryker had started to distastefully call 'mutants'. Still, his expression was one of anticipation, not fear.

Charlie's heart was racing and she took one long breath to calm herself. These were not the glorified security guards at Systems Operations. They were not even reaching for their guns. They were here to take her down, beat her into submission and bring her in. If that did not work, she had no doubt they would kill her.

Creed attacked first. He swung at the Firestarter with one heavy fist. Charlie ducked, slipping on the damp grass and falling onto her back. Creed moved quickly, reaching for her with his other hand. He was not able to get his fingers close before they erupted into flames. He roared and backed off.

Marko and Fisk moved next, charging at the same time in order to grab her before she was able to get to her feet. Charlie did not even turn her head as she unleashed a wave of fire toward them. Both men were forced to veer away from their target.

Charlie closed her eyes for a moment and concentrated. A ring of fire lit a circumference of grass around her protectively. The barrier offered Charlie the chance to get to her feet, but it did not deter her attackers for long.

"What glory in the flame..." Dolarhyde muttered strangely to himself. Logan threw him a vicious glance. There was something in the taller man's voice akin to awe... or madness.

Logan growled at Dolarhyde and then pointed to the fire, "Get a hold of her. I'll get the tranq ready... we don't want to let her think she has any chance at escaping..."

"She burned you..." Dolarhyde reminded Logan. His inflection was odd, his words always awkward, but Logan did not miss his meaning.

The taller man walked toward the circle of fire. Charlie did not notice him immediately. Dolarhyde began to step through the flames. His clothing began to burn, but he did not seem to feel anything, even though he was not gifted with the same healing power as his commander.

Charlie gasped in surprise as Dolarhyde's arms wrapped around her shoulders. She struggled to break away, the air around her skin growing warmer each time she thrashed. Incredibly, the tall man still managed to drag her out of her protective shell. Charlie could smell the man's hair as it began to singe yet he continued on, oblivious to the pain.

With one mental shove, Charlie sent another blast of fire from her body. Dolarhyde flew backward, loosing his hold on her. Charlie hit the ground hard. Her right elbow jerked painfully as she tried to cushion her descent.

The grass around her hands instantly began to blaze. Creed was upon her before she could recoup. The large blonde man wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her farther away from the fiery circle. Charlie felt the wind leave her lungs as Creed squeezed her abdomen in a rude bear hug.

...fire... fire... fire...

Wave after wave of power radiated from her small form. Creed was forced to drop her again upon the burning grass, and Charlie gasped for air. Heavy smoke covered the immediate area, stirring in gray clouds toward the sky. Charlie gagged when she inhaled, her chest tightening painfully from the ash.

She managed to stand again and looked around for the next attack. Her eyes were watering, an unnatural gloss impairing her vision. When Fisk swung his arm toward her, Charlie never saw it coming.

Fisk's knuckles cracked audibly against her head. Charlie did not make a noise as she fell to the ground again. Her ears rang from the blow and a trickle of blood burned as it ran into her eyes.

"G'night, bitch," Fisk announced gleefully, "Shame I had to mess up your pretty fac..."

His words were cut short as Fisk began to roar. His leather boots began to melt as they burst into flame. Charlie was doubled over on the ground, now half-blind and struggling to breathe. The fire continued to grow.

Another rolling wave knocked her attackers from their feet. She was letting go of her control, allowing power to escape freely. The electrical wires hanging overhead began to sway as the air pressure changed.

Logan shielded his face from the high temperatures as he crawled through the charred grass. The smoke canopied the girl protectively and made it impossible to follow her scent. Logan reached out sightlessly with searching hands to find her. He could hear Creed and Marko exchanging words in an attempt to regroup. Dolarhyde was down, and Fisk would probably think again before trying to physically assault the Firestarter.

The girl was going to burn herself out before she surrendered. Stryker wanted her alive and in one piece. Logan just needed to get close enough to sedate her. It was the same formula Rainbird had used on her as a child. Her power dissipated when she was unconscious.

Charlie felt her left eye beginning to swell as she fought to stay awake. Memories of her father flashed through her mind.

The Manders farm... she had only been eight years old... they had been running... the SHOP agents found them... one shot at her daddy... the fire came... the fire consumed... her daddy told her to stop... she said no... the fire burned... her daddy smacked her once across the face, trying to wake her up...

... wake up, Charlie... get up, Charlie... stand...

...stand, Charlie... it's a war, Charlie... don't let them win...

"Charlie..." she heard a voice say from nearby.

"Daddy?" she replied, her voice soft and high, like a child, "Daddy..."

Someone repeated her name. Charlie rolled over onto her stomach. The lead assassin's face appeared in the smoke, so much like the wolf in her dreams. She felt nauseous as she looked at him.

"This is the end," Logan growled, "There's no where to go..."

Charlie held out one hand and a controlled ball of fire burst toward him. The flames passed inches from Logan head but did not deter his progress. Charlie pushed herself backward, her injured elbow protesting the motion.

After a short distance, her feet hit something solid on the ground. There was a grunt of pain and then Dolarhyde began speaking to no one.

"I've seen the power," he muttered deliriously, "The power of the flame is second only to the dragon. If the dragon can master the flame, he will be indestructible..."

Charlie felt other hands grabbing her from the left, and Creed's voice rumbled with amusement.

"No daddy here, little girl," he said with a sneer. His keen ears had not missed her quiet mistaken replies to Logan's calls. Creed delighted in her terror cry of terror.

New panic rose in Charlie's chest as the assassins closed in. Her head was pounding from Fisk's punch, making it difficult to focus the fire onto the approaching enemies. Creed's large fingers closed around the back of her neck and held her in place.

Charlie thrashed back and forth under his grip. She noticed for the first time that the lead attacker had a syringe in his hand.

"Let me go..." she managed, "I won't... you'll never take me... I'm not going back..."

Logan did not speak as he jammed the needle into her arm. Charlie felt the world begin to swim. One of the attackers flipped her onto her back and she stared upward. The electrical lines swayed dreamily in the smoky air.

Charlie shifted her eyes across the field toward one of the metal towers. She would not be taken. Somewhere in her mind, she let go of the leash.

Logan and Creed were on their feet, staring down at the girl with satisfaction.

"Pick her up," Logan ordered quickly, "Get her to the cars. Once she's secure, we'll radio ahead for the clean up team. Marko, you and Fisk get Dolarhyde out of sight and then..."

The sound of screeching metal filled the air as the closest metal tower began to crumble.