Hey gang, sorry this took so long. I always forget that you guys aren't telepaths and can't jump into my head and see what happens next. Sorry. But here we go. Next chapter. Just for you lot.
Ancient Vampire – hey there, glad to have you along for the ride. Glad you like the story. Bobby had to come to rescue, he's the man!
Red Angels – Glad you liked that line. I liked it to. And well done for spotting the 'run' moment. Poor old Davis. But you're right, he really should not try and mess up Bobby and Mattie.
GothickStrawberry – (Grabs GothickStrawberry's hands and jumps up and down in a circle with her. "Bobby found Mattie. Bobby found Mattie") Bobby punching Davis? Davis punching Bobby? We'll see.
Vicious Assassin – Sorry for the cliff-hanger. I just had to end it there. Bobby and Davis really seem to both think that they know what's right for Mattie. But does she have a mind of her own? Of course she does! This is Mattie after all.
Matt – Are you trying to say that Mattie is like French fries? I think she is just a little bit more important to Bobby than that. And if you saw some guy putting the moves on your girl I think you'd be angry too.
Can't wait to read your last chapter. Hurry up and post it.
S Jo – Glad you're happy that Bobby found Mattie. Is he just a knight in shinning armour or what?
Ali – Thanks for the review babes. And look, a mention just for you. I'll work on Mr Drew for you. And yes… The jeans thing. What can I do? I'm obsessed!
Agent G – Mattie's heart loves Bobby. Hell, my heart loves Bobby! Thanks for the pic by the way.
Run Run
Mattie stared out at Ben and his lackeys. She nodded purposely to herself. "Right." She reached for the door handle.
Two hands laid hold of her.
"Oh no you don't." Davis told her.
"Not this time." Bekki added.
"I have to." Mattie told them she turned her passionate gaze on both the twins.
"You are not getting out this car." Davis told her, not releasing his grip on her arm.
"Okay." Bobby sighed and leaned forward, pointedly removing Davis' hand. "Here's how this is going to work. Chase and I are going to go and engage Human Kinds Finest out there."
"Chase?" Bekki asked.
"Code names." Bobby told her, he pointed at Mattie. "Chase." Then to himself. "Iceman."
"Chase?" Mattie turned the name over in her head. It would seem to fit with her power.
"We'll take point." Bobby continued. "I need you guys to stay in the car as back up."
"Why do we have to stay?" Davis asked angrily.
Bobby sighed. "Because Davis. You are the back up." He turned his attention to Bekki, who he clearly considered to be the more intelligent of the twins. "Most likely we're going to need a fast exit. We need someone who knows the area to keep tabs on us and help us out."
Bekki nodded her agreement. Bobby flashed her a grin, then turned back to Davis. "And that won't work if you're not with the car."
Davis slumped back in his seat.
Bekki nodded again. "I've got you covered."
Bobby smiled, and then glanced over to Mattie. "Ready?"
Mattie took a deep breath, she nodded. "Ready."
X
Ben watched as Mattie and the other mutant stepped out the car. This was where it got interesting.
He grinned at the other boys. "Happy hunting lads."
X
Mattie kept an eye on Ben as she and Bobby, or Iceman, walked slowly away from the safety of the car.
"So, you really know your strategy, huh?" She murmured.
Bobby gave her a grin. "Logan's lectures must be paying off."
Something in Mattie's name gave a jump at the name. She knew him, whoever he was. She was so close to figuring it all out.
Her eyes flicked back to Ben again. If she didn't get murdered first. On the other hand, your life was meant to flash before your eyes. That was one way to get her life back. She made a face, not the way she would pick for choice.
"So what's plan?" She asked Bobby.
"Well…" Bobby bit his lip. "I thought we'd kick these guys' butts a bit. But the how and the wherefore. Yeah… I'm a bit lacking on that bit."
"What!" They were less than a car's length from Ben and now he told her he didn't have a plan.
"We'll think of something." Bobby told her, looking slightly worried as they drew closer to the cars
"You're an idiot!"
"Like lambs to the slaughter." Ben jeered at them, snapping Mattie's glare from Bobby to Ben.
"Well you know what they say." Mattie told him, a surge of adrenaline coursing through her. "Free range is best."
Grabbing hold of Bobby's shirt she took off dragging him after her. She heard whoops of excitement and the revving of engines as the boys started to give chase. Bobby was too slow. He couldn't keep up with her.
"Ice. Now." Mattie told him, letting go of his shirt.
Bobby didn't waste any time. In a few seconds there was an ice figure gliding along a slide of ice keeping pace with her.
Mattie nodded, faster, good. She increased her speed, keeping herself at a speed that Iceman could keep up with.
"Run run as fast as you can." She heard Ben's voice taunting her.
What is with this guy and fairytales?
"You have a plan?" Iceman asked her as they raced down the road, the distance between them and the cars holding, for the moment.
Mattie's brain was racing. Think. They were ahead at the moment. But cars didn't get tired. Humans did. Humans did!
"Oh, I know that look." Beside her the ice figure grinned. "What you got."
"Evening the odds." Mattie veered left, leaping the ditch and racing through the undergrowth. Iceman followed her.
Straining her ears for every sound she heard the crunch as one of the cars tried to make the ditch and failed.
Yes! Would they follow?
Pitching her voice to carry she yelled: "Run run as fast as you can. You can't catch me--"
A roar of defiance cut her off. Branches snapped as they came after her. Bait taken.
Time for a little cross country.
Glancing at Iceman she jerked her head at the ice slide. "They can follow that, right?"
Bobby nodded. "To wherever we lead them."
Mattie grinned, wolf-like in the moonlight. "Good."
X
The field was where she thought it was, just past the baseball field. Mattie remembered it from the day she and the twins were playing ball. When this whole mess got started.
The boys were still following; she'd doubled back a few times just to keep them keen.
Iceman looked about him. "Here?"
"Here." Mattie agreed.
Bobby grinned. "Time to send them home with their tails between their legs."
Heavy cursing alerted them to the entrance of Ben and the others.
Mattie froze as they appeared. She grinned wildly. "Hello boys."
Cries of fury sent her leaping into action. One boy clearly marked for his speed lumbered after her as she dashed away. Whirling to face his she blocked his blows and countered with one of her own. The boy staggered back.
Chase whirled to face her next opponent.
"Now, now." Iceman chastised. "Don't let the lady have all the fun."
The boys grinned nastily at him. "You'll get yours mutie. Don't you worry none."
"I'm not worried." Bobby told him. "I believe that's your job." And with that Iceman entered the fray.
Mattie ducked under a swing and rose to land a solid punch on her attacker. Another boy stepped up to take his place. Blocking his blows, Mattie spun for a well placed kick.
"Chase! On your left!"
She'd already clocked them before the warning. Three more, rushing her at once, trying to catch her out.
Punch, kick, duck, dodge, blow, block, spin, leap. It all made sense, it was so clear. She did this. She knew this. Memory's bubbled to the surface. If she turned like this, and let his own momentum carry him like that… She twisted in midair and landed both feet in his chest.
"Now this I remember!"
Logan telling her to she needed to be more than just speed. That she needed to defend herself when she couldn't use her speed. Rouge training her in hand to hand combat. Training her and then pushing her harder. Training sessions in a room that was so appropriately named. What was it? Danger! The Danger room. Where you could face anything from robots to telepaths.
Learning, focusing, honing her body. Early mornings, fighting for the shower. Duelling one on one, team exercises, press-ups, running hundreds of laps. There were others, others on the team. Vague figures, blurry, she could see their outlines but they wouldn't come into focus. Names and code names floated though her mind. Paige, Nightcrawler, Jamie, Boom Boom, Jean, Shadowcat.
The sound of a gun being cocked brought her back to the here and now.
Ben stood two feet away from her, gun raised. Silence reigned
"I know you're fast. But can you dodge bullets?" He asked her.
Mattie froze. Risking a glace left and right she saw that everyone else had too. The boys had taken the opportunity to lay hands on Bobby and were restraining him. Bobby's eyes met hers for a second. He gave his head a tiny shake.
Mattie eyed the gun they raised her eyes to meet Ben's.
"You've got guts." He told her. "I'll give you that much. But it will give me great pleasure to end your sorry existence."
"That's murder!" Bobby shouted, struggling against his captors.
"She's a mutant." Ben shrugged, never taking his eyes off Mattie. "More like exterminating vermin."
Bobby leapt at Ben and was pulled back by the other boys. "Don't worry." Ben told him, keeping a watchful eye on Mattie. "You'll follow her quite soon enough."
"All this because I beat you." Mattie raised an eyebrow at Ben. "You really have got to learn to control you feelings of inadequacy."
Ben took another angry step towards her. "I'm doing my duty." He snarled at her. "Taking out the trash."
"Ben. Suicide is not the answer." Mattie told him, giving him an understanding smile.
Ben bared his teeth, visibly straining to keep a handle on his temper.
Mattie kept her eyes on his.
He smiled evilly at her, squinting slightly as he lined up the barrel. "Run run as fast as you can."
"No!" Bobby threw himself free of the boys hold on him.
Ben's eyes flicked in his direction.
It was all Mattie needed. A kick sent the gun soaring out of his hand. A second made Ben stagger backwards. The third landed him on his back.
"You can't catch me I'm an X-Man." Mattie told him, staring down at him.
Ben whimpered, cradling his hand.
Mattie gave a sigh of contempt and eyed the remaining boys. "Anyone else?"
The boys looked at Ben, still lying flat on his back, then at Mattie, then at Bobby who had claimed the gun and was lazily spinning it on his finger.
As one they headed back the way they had come. Ben got up and chased after them, pausing only to glare at Mattie as he went.
"You're an X-Man now?" Bobby asked. "Do I take it someone has her memory back?"
"Bits of it." Mattie frowned. "That just sounded so right there, what exactly is an X-Man? Am I one?"
Bobby sighed. "That is a much bigger story."