Authors Note: If you're reading this then you're either hooked on my stories or you're really really bored and it's like 12 AM. Thanks for sticking with me either way, I appreciate it. I really need to stop writing these and let you read the actual story. That'll happen someday, perhaps when I run out of things to say. Well, anyway, I wanted to say thanks for taking time out of you precious life to read my stories. I take great pride in writing and I enjoy it very much. If you have any suggestions as means for improvement or comments, whatever! Drop me a line at okay? I thank you so much! Now onto the story, enjoy!
Mechanical whirring caused Cassidy to panic. She was younger again, in the laboratory, trying to get away from their machines.
"STOP! Stop please!" she shrieked, smoke trickling from her mouth.
"Cassidy?" Kara yelled, panicked.
"Do I smell smoke?" Elliea asked.
Cassidy fell to her knees, her head in her hands, "STOP NOW!" she cried, sparks jumping from her mouth.
"CASSIDY!" Elliea screamed, after seeing the sparks glowing dimly in the pitch black room.
"Is she okay!" Kara asked, scared.
"I don't know," Elliea admitted, clumsily making her way over to where she could see the embers.
Cassidy screamed loudly and flames shot from her mouth, lighting the entire room. At least they could see now enough to know they were in the Danger room. Cassidy had horns sprouting from her head and she rammed against the door, dropping like a rock to the floor. She moaned and clawed at her stomach. She ripped at her belly, tearing her skin to ribbons
"Get them off! Make it stop!" She shrieked at the top of her lungs.
"Ca-Cassidy?" Kara mumbled, worried.
Cassidy curled up and started crying, her shirt in tatters and blood spilled all over the floor.
Elliea banged on the door and cried, "Someone help!"
A huge laser came up and aimed at Kara. She stood perfectly still and the gun suddenly mangled. Kara reached her hand out to the metal door. It strained and moaned, but finally opened.
"GO!" Elliea yelled at Kara, "Find someone, anyone! Cassidy needs help! I'll stay and watch her!"
Kara bolted through the doors and Elliea knelt down next to Cassidy.
"Are you okay Cassidy?"
"It hurts...make it stop...no more shocking please."
"It's okay Cassidy. C'mon it's me, Elliea!" she put a hand on Cassidy's arm.
Cassidy growled and lashed out. She dragged her claws down Elliea's arm, ripping it open. Elliea cried out in pain, but didn't leave Cassidy. She stayed with her, comforting her and doing her best to stop her own blood flow. While she sat, she noticed tiny wires protruding from Cassidy's open belly.
"Cassidy!" Logan cried, running into the room. He scooped her up in his arms and Cassidy lashed out at him, scratching his face. He refused to let her go, not even noticing the gash on his forehead.
Gambit came into the room and hugged Elliea close, asking repeatedly if she was alright.
Logan held Cassidy tightly and said, "Cassidy! STOP! It's me, Logan. Please Cassidy, stop. It's alright."
Cassidy opened her eyes and growled. She stared at him, her eyes like ice. He bored into her eyes and finally, her gaze softened.
"I'm sorry," she whimpered.
"It's alright," he said softly, "You're gonna be okay. I've got you."
It was something about the "I've got you," that made Cassidy burst into tears. He held her gently and carried her down the subbasement hallway to the medical room. He stopped when he got in there, thought for a minute, then carried her out and onto the elevator. After the episode in the Danger Room, who knew what would happen to her in the medical room. He took her to his room and laid her gently on the bed.
"Logan?" Dr. McCoy asked from the doorway, "Ah there you are! Kara said you brought Cassidy up here. Let me have a look at her."
He opened a First-Aid box and pulled out laytex gloves. He put them on and examined Cassidy's stomach.
"Is she gonna be alright?" Logan asked.
"Of course! I just want to get these wires out," Beast said, pointing a furry blue finger at the small wires.
"Wires? Are you serious? What did they use them for?" Logan asked.
"From the look of the tissues around them, I'd said electrical charges to test her pain tolerance or psychological state of mind."
Logan gave him a confused look.
"How long she would keep taking the pain before she just simply gave up fighting it," he explained, "They do it in colleges all the time, but to dogs or horses usually. It's sick that they use anything to test it."
Logan agreed with him and watched Beast work to remove the objects of torture from Cassidy's body. She whimpered, but was too tired to do anything except squirm.
"Would you comfort her please?" Dr.McCoy asked.
Logan grabbed Cassidy's hand and she stopped moving. Beast continued to work. About an hour later, he tied off the last stitch.
"She should be alright now. Let her sleep and when she wakes up let her drink something. She's lucky the wires didn't go into her actual stomach or else she might not have recovered." he eyed Logan's bed, "I do believe I did a fine job. No blood stains." he laughed and left.
Logan sighed and pulled the blankets over Cassidy. He hesitated, but then kissed her softly on the forehead saying, "Thank God you're alright. I just wish you weren't so afraid to tell us what happened."
Aedus yipped from the doorway. He had seen the kiss. Should he tell Cassidy? Or should he just let it be and let her tell Logan how she felt on her own? Perhaps the kiss was just a friendly one. He wasn't going to tell her, not if there was a chance for Cassidy to make a complete fool out of herself.
Logan pet the fox on his way out, "You don't know who locked them in there do you?"
Aedus grinned and Maj bounded around the corner, her puppy paws too big and clumsy for her yet. She whined at Logan, grabbed his right pant leg, and pulled. Aedus yipped and trotted off ahead. Maj continued to pull and Logan finally followed the two.
Cassidy woke up and jumped out of the bed. She opened the window, gasping for air. Beds were too soft and suffocating. She climbed out the window and slipped. She landed on the soft grass below. The was sun setting, giving the sky a firey look. Cassidy stood up and walked away from the mansion. She found a patch of moss and laid down in it. A snake slithered over to her.
Hello.
Hi.
Who are you?
I'm Cassidy. Who are you?
I am Flarn.
Well, good evening to you Flarn, but I must get some rest.
And I must hunt. Good eve to you too, Cassidy.
The snake slithered away and Cassidy yawned. She closed her eyes, not noticing the dark figures in the forest.
"Get her!" Mange growled at Sabretooth.
Sabretooth grabbed Cassidy and put a hand over her mouth. She thrashed around, but after her problem in the Danger room and Beast removing the wires, Cassidy's energy was gone. She kicked Sabretooth once, a well aimed kick to the crotch that took all of her remaining energy. He dropped her, falling to his knees, and Mange sighed.
"Must I do ev'rything m'self?" he hissed, scooping Cassidy up in his arms.
Cassidy growled loudly and Mange hit her on the head with a stick. She passed out and Mange walked away from the mansion. Sabretooth groaned and limped after Mange, rage burning within him. He would get that boy one day.
