The Power of Hope
Chapter Six
By: Lily Handle
Author's Note: Well, it's been awhile since I've posted a chapter to this story. School work is slowly but surely trying to suffocate me. If anyone knows a cure for homework, please share. This is a long chapter folks, just warning you! Please read and review.
"Okay, Mr. Murdock, what are we here for?" Judge Hawthorne asked, sitting behind his desk.
"I'd like the charges against my client to be dropped, your honor," Murdock said, sliding the correct paper work over to the judge. "The prosecution has not made its case for intent."
"Your honor, the defendant's motive was clear, so was her intent. The law is clear on this as well. The Mutant Powers Restriction act states: Any mutant whose abilities are directly responsible for the death of a human can be charged with first degree murder. Out evidence clearly shows that defendant's abilities are directly responsible."
"The evidence Mr. McKenna is talking about is prejudicial against my client, not the mention the Restriction Act is a clear violation of her human rights."
"Save it for the legislators, Mr. Murdock. What's this evidence you have, Mr. McKenna?"
"A video of the attack, your honor."
"You're looking to suppress the tape, I take it Mr. Murdock?"
"Right you are, your honor," Murdock reached into his briefcase and pulled out another set of motion papers, "Because of the tape's graphic nature it would cause the jury to convict on emotion and not the evidence."
"Video evidence of a crime being committed may be entered into evidence and used in a trial, People vs. Roderick. Not to mention New York vs. Melitzi, and Arizona vs. Sagreta," McKenna rattled off.
"I get the point Mr. McKenna. Have the tape delivered to my clerk, I'll look it over before making my ruling."
"Dr. Chandler, pacing isn't going to make the judge rule any faster," Murdock commented from the bench where he sat. Hope paced in front of him, trying to find an outlet for her nerves. It had been a toss up between pacing and clawing the judge's door down. Pacing seemed more reasonable.
"I know that," She snapped at him, thought she was still glaring at the judge's closed door.
"Mr. McKenna is watching you," Maverick pointed out, "He knows you're nervous and that gives him the upper hand."
Hope turned her glare on him, "This is a court case,"
"Motion hearing," Murdock corrected her, so she glared at him too.
"This is a motion hearing, not a battle situation. It doesn't matter if he knows I'm nervous." She kept pacing and after a few minutes of silence Maverick turned to Murdock.
"How long do you think it'll be until she snaps?" He asked Murdock.
"By the sound of her steps, only a few minutes longer."
"Hmm, want to bet on that?" Maverick contemplated her and if Hope though her small hands would have been able to wrap around his throat, she would have choked him.
"You two are so funny," She growled, "Picking on me while I'm trying no to have a full blow panic attack."
"We're trying to distract you, Doktor," Instantly Maverick's tone soften, "You need to relax."
"I don't handle stress well," Hope muttered, but she stopped pacing and sat down next to Murdock.
"You were an emergency surgeon, I find it hard to believe you don't handle stress well," Murdock put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"I knew what I was doing then, I was in charge."
"Ah, you have control issues," Maverick winked at her and Hope rolled her eyes. The man was, as her father would put it, a hound dog.
"I need a drink, or a sedative, or both. That would solve a lot of problems," She sighed.
Both men raised an eyebrow at her, "Oh, so I'm having a pity party. I was up all night doing research, as you suggested. I had two luke warm cups of coffee and half a stale bagel, and now I'm in court, with a herd of reporters waiting outside to attack me. I'm entitled to a little pity party."
"Feel better now?" Maverick asked after the few minutes of silence that greeted Hope's tirade.
"Yes I…that's the judge's clerk," She said watching the petite blonde she had seen McKenna hand the tape to walk out of the judge's office and motion towards McKenna and then Murdock.
"It would seem the judge has made his ruling. Be back shortly Dr. Chandler."
Hope was sure she had never gotten to her feet faster and she was sure she would have run Murdock down if Maverick hadn't put a restraining hand on her shoulder.
"Patience Doctor."
"You can take you patience and show it up your, how'd it go?" She pounced on Murdock, trying to read his eyes through the dark sunglasses he always wore.
"The tape is out, suppressed."
"So the charges are out too?"
"No, Judge Hawthorne thinks Mr. McKenna can still make his case." Hope stiffed as she spotted McKenna heading towards them. He wore an oily, lawyer's smile, his eyes were cold as ice and locked onto her.
"Well, Mr. Murdock, quite the ruling, don't you think?" McKenna said when he reached them.
"Gives me good grounds for appeal. Here to offer a deal, Mr. McKenna? The tape was your best evidence against my client, without it you're missing a big part of your case," Murdock replied, cool as ice.
"Why don't we head to my office and you'll see just what I have to offer."
"Sorry, but my client isn't interested in any sort of deal. Of course feel free to drop the charges at anytime." Murdock sounded bored and Hope caught the quick flash of irritation in McKenna's eyes.
"Doctor, are you sure? The deal is rather reasonable, I think." McKenna took a step towards her and Maverick quickly stepped in.
"Can you step back, sir." Maverick's tone left no room for argument and McKenna reluctantly took a step back. Ha, Hope thought, try getting close now, you Yankee.
"You're not even the least be curious Doctor? Your lawyer could be looking to make a name for himself and not your best interested," McKenna goaded, causing Hope to bristle.
"Sorry, Mr. McKenna, but unless you're dropping the charges the only words I want to hear from you are in court." She used her best aristocratic tone, making sure McKenna knew that she was looking down at him, no matter how much taller he was.
"Well, the offer stands, contact me if you want to set up a meeting." McKenna nodded to her once, eyed Maverick with contempt and then walked off.
"I hate lawyers," Hope said, glaring at McKenna's back.
"Me too," Murdock said, "Well, shall we get back to the office and get some more work done?"
After the meeting with Murdock, Hope was looking forward to returning to the Institute. She would rather listen to one of Scott's corny inspirational speeches than any more lawyer-ese. She sat in the passenger seat of Maverick's car, a non-descript Ford that had an engine that growled louder than her father's old Dodge Charger V-10. When she had asked Maverick about the car he'd said it was a S.H.I.E.L.D. car. Hope thought that implied it could be set on fire, blown up, crushed and it would still run. Hope felt safe riding in the car. As they pulled up to the front gates of the Institute there was a loud crack and a white streak came sailing through the gap in the gates.
"Was zum teufel?" Maverick slammed on the breaks as the steak halted right before hitting the windshield.
"It's a baseball," Hope pointed out, "Looks like Hank is having the students warm up with a game."
"Warm up for what?" When the ball went shooting back in the direction it had come from, Maverick eased the car through the gates, watching for anymore rogue baseballs.
"One of Logan's sessions I'd suspect. I'd have to double check the training schedule for today, but I think it's one of his team work sessions."
"Shorty's sessions can be murder," Maverick nodded sagely, "I can see the benefits of a good warm up."
"Wait, did you just call Logan shorty? And how do you know about his sessions?" Hope looked away from the window to stare at Maverick, who was grinning.
"Guess he didn't tell you about us." Maverick stopped the car at the front door, "Let's see if he's by the field, shall we?"
"Wait, hold on," Hope scrambled to get her seat belt undone and follow Maverick as he got out of the car. She had to jog a bit to keep up with his long legs, but she managed to snag a hold of his arm and step in front of him.
"You know Logan? Because it sounds like you do."
Maverick raised an eyebrow at her, then he shook his head, "Ah, yes, you missed dinner last night. Well, you're in for a surprise Doktor." With that Maverick stepped around her and headed towards where Evan was arguing with Hank and Logan over the ball that had almost smashed into the S.H.I.E.L.D. car.
"That was fair!" Evan yelled, pointing towards the gate. "It was right on the line."
"Which makes it foul, Porcupine, new recruits are up," Logan gestured to the crowd of students who were waiting to see what the call would be.
"You know, Shrimp, I think the boy's right. Looks fair to me," Maverick said, walking up as casually as you please, and leaned on Logan's shoulder. While Hope stared, the students grinned. Apparently they knew something she didn't because to Hope it looked like Maverick had a death wish.
"What do you know about American baseball anyway, Ricko? Anyone with half a brain could tell that was a foul ball," Logan's attention instantly shifted from Evan to Maverick and Hope started to chew on her bottom lip. She didn't like the look of this situation.
"Well, I've been watching it long enough to know that you are wrong," Maverick elbowed Logan in the ribs, "Just like that dart game in Zurich."
"I was right about that, and you do that again and you're asking for trouble, bub."
Maverick gave a dismissing snort, "Uh huh." Faster than Hope could blink Logan had Maverick in a headlock. She took a step to intervene, but Maverick swept a leg out and hooked Logan's ankle. They both went down and while the students laughed and cheered an impromptu wrestling match broke out. Hope just stared. Her feet felt rooted to the spot.
"It is rather an odd sight, isn't it?" Hank asked and Hope jumped. She didn't even notice that he had moved to stand beside her.
"Well, uh, yes, it is. Do you know what's going on?" She asked, still watching the two men wrestle. They were acting like children and while Hope knew Maverick had a rather playful side, watching Logan roll around in the grass like that was almost disturbing.
"Apparently they're old friends," Hank explained, "Know each other from somewhere before Logan came to the Institute. You missed them arm wrestling last night over dinner."
"Oh. How long will they keep at that?"
"Until one of them wins, and after that there may be a rematch. They nearly made a dent in the table last night."
Hope started giggling, "I still can't wrap my mind around this. When they're done, tell Maverick I'm in the Infirmary would you? And if he needs it, have someone show him the way. I'm going to change out of this suit."
"How did the hearing go anyway?"
"The tape is suppressed, luckily, but I still have to face a trial."
Hank placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "We're here for you Hope, you know that, right?"
"Of course Hank," She smiled at him, "You're always there for me." She gave his hand a squeeze, and started for the door, her thoughts not on court, but Logan and Maverick. Her bodyguard was hand picked by Fury, probably because of his past with Logan. That made Hope suspicious. She could understand the need for a bodyguard, the pack of reporters outside the court house would have been enough for her to want one. The pack of anti-mutant militants that were just behind the reporters made her grateful that Fury had assigned someone to watch over her, having that someone turn out to be an old friend of Logan's seemed like too much of a coincidence.
"I'd bet my medical license something's going on here," Hope muttered as she stepped inside the Institute. "Question is what?" She couldn't ask Logan, or Maverick, they'd both probably give her the same answer. It was Fury's choice, had nothing to do with their past. What? Did they think she was that dense? She shook her head as she pushed open the door to her room. Of course it had something to do with their past. Or maybe she was just being paranoid. She did sound a bit like Logan with all this conspiracy talk. Yikes. Lord preserve her if she ever became as paranoid as Logan. Moving her thoughts away from that train of thought, she shook her hair out and tossed off her high-heeled shoes so she could change into casual clothes. Murdock had said the case was looking good. The tape was out, taking a big chunk of the prosecutions case against her, still the jury was smart enough to draw the conclusion she had killed Trask. Until Stryker had shown up she'd been alone with Trask as far as she knew, and he was found dead inches from where she'd been kept. Anyone with half a grain of common sense could put those two things together. So, since McKenna was going to put her power on trial, Murdock had asked her to start researching into her abilities. She spent most of her night staying up and looking into her own abilities. It gave her something to think about besides the idea that one more day had slipped through her fingers and she was one more day closer to trial. It also helped keep the nightmares at bay. They had started becoming more frequent shortly after she had started talking with Murdock about the case. Probably caused by all the bad memories those talks stirred up. Except on nights when she worked late. By the time she dropped into bed after researching she was so tired she didn't have enough energy to work up a good nightmare.
"One second," Hope called when a tap came at her door. She twisted her hair back into a loose bun, slid her feet into a pair of clogs, and went to open the door. "Oh, hello Logan." He was covered in grass stains and dirt, Hope noted and he looked like he enjoyed every minute of it.
"Hey Doc, came to return this," Logan said, pushing an equally dirty and grass stained Maverick into her room.
"Well, thank you. Did you two enjoy yourselves?" She asked, watching Maverick drop into one of her nice, clean armchairs while Logan leaned against the doorframe.
"One of these days, I'll beat him," Maverick commented, waving a finger at her, "Just you wait, Doktor."
"Yeah right, Ricko, you keep tellin' yourself that." Logan turned and grinned at her, "He thinks just because he's taller he's better than me."
"Oh, I see," Hope said and Maverick snorted.
"You keep winning because you're over compensating for your height, Shorty."
"Don't you two dare start wrestling in here," Hope said quickly, stepping in front of Logan before he could charge Maverick, "I've only got a few breakables left and I'd like to keep them."
Logan's relaxed look fell away and he studied her, "How'd court go?"
"They were motion hearings," Hope mumbled, looking down so a few stands of hair hid her eyes from him, "Fine. Tape's out, charges still in."
Logan pushed her hair out of the way, his hand lingering against her cheek, "You sleepin' okay?"
"Fine."
"You eatin' enough?" He titled her chin up so she was forced to look him in the eye.
"Yes."
"You gonna keep givin' me one word answers, darlin'?"
"Yes." One corner of Logan's mouth tipped up in a smile, and he started to lean down to kiss her when Maverick cleared his throat behind them. Hope blushed and stepped away form Logan. She'd forgotten about Maverick. "I should get down to the Infirmary," She said quickly, not meeting Maverick's eyes. "I'll show you the way."
"Lead on McDuff," Maverick said, getting up from the chair. Hope started for the door, but she caught Maverick's departing words to Logan, "Very smooth, mein blutsbruder, very smooth."
"Kurt, I don't know how you do these things, but honestly, this has to stop," Hope said, hands on hips as she looked at the knot Kurt had managed to tie his tail into. She was all too happy to jump into the Infirmary and the fray of taking care of the students. The work relaxed her, especially after the stress of the court and news reporters. She was grateful for Kurt and his knot.
"It was an accident, Dr. Chandler, honestly," Kurt said, looking over his shoulder at his tail.
"That's what you said the seven other times," She smiled, "Let me get some gloves on."
"Honestly, it's Wolverine's fault," Kurt pouted, but Hope knew he was just embarrassed, "He's got us doing this yoga stuff, a, a crouching salmon or something like that. I got a little tangled up."
"No kidding," Hope said dryly, taking the knot in her hands. From the back corner of the Infirmary, Hope heard Maverick chuckle, and she smiled at him before returning her attention to Kurt, "Why don't you have Scott or Evan help you with this?"
"They just pull," Kurt grumbled, but he was watching Maverick.
"Ah, well, you'll be back to being a poached salmon in no time." Maverick chuckled again and Hope winked at him. She was almost getting used to have the hulking, blue-eyed blonde following her around for most of the day and she enjoyed his company during the slow parts. He was mostly silent, watching everything with an unreadable expression, but after Hope had gotten him to open up she found she liked the man.
"You're Wolverine's friend, right?" Kurt asked Maverick.
"You could say that," Maverick smiled slowly and Hope's ears instantly perked up. After hearing from Hank about the dinner arm wrestling match and watching part of the wrestling match she wanted more information about Maverick and Logan's past. It was the first time she'd seen Logan goof around and the image was forever burned into her brain. Kurt was the first student, as far as she knew, to ask about the friendship Of course she wasn't going to come right out and ask Maverick herself. That would be a little too obvious and slightly embarrassing, especially after the whole almost kiss he'd witnessed.
"So, how long have you known him?"
"Long enough."
"How'd you meet him?"
"Worked together." Hope almost chuckled at the annoyed look on Kurt's face, but she kept her professional detachment and kept working at the knot.
"Bockbeinig, beharrlich," Kurt muttered.
"Was das betrifft, ja ich bin." Maverick replied and Kurt goggled at him.
"Sprechen sie Deutsch?" And thus began a very long and very confusing conversation. While Hope worked carefully on Kurt's tail, they rattled on in German. While Chandler Shipping did deliver to Germany and Hope's father spoke the language, Hope herself had never bothered to learn any of it. She had focused on the "pretty languages". She sort of regretted not knowing now. Both the boy and the man sounded so wistful and obviously enjoyed having a chance to converse in their native tongue, she would have liked to join in.
"Ta-da!" Hope said when Kurt's tail finally came undone, "There you go, back to normal."
"Danke Doktor!" Kurt jumped down from the table, "Können wir wieder später sprechen?" He asked, looking at Maverick sheepishly.
"Of course," Maverick said with a smile and with another excited danke Kurt vanished in a cloud of smoke. "Nice kid, we both came from about the same area."
"I thought you two might have something to talk about," Hope said, pulling of the gloves she had put on, "I've sometimes heard him speak German before, but I don't know what he's saying."
"Well, I think that's the point," Maverick laughed.
"If you don't mind me asking, what did you two talk about?"
"Home mostly, but he did sneak in a few questions about Logan," He shrugged, "Kid wouldn't let go."
"He's just curious," Hope explained, starting the paperwork that followed her "treatment", "Actually they're all curious. Usually Logan's very serious, it's odd seeing him act, well, like a kid."
Maverick raised an eyebrow at her, "I guess I assumed wrong when I thought he'd open up to you, what with you sle…"
"We're not!" Hope jumped in, trying not to blush, "We're just…well, it's complicated right now."
Maverick grinned at her, and she glared, "Aw, want to talk about it?"
"What's to tell?" Hope muttered. There wasn't anything to tell, since the last kiss she'd gotten from Logan wasn't even a real kiss, it was on the forehead for god's sake. Maverick had interrupted the one she almost got, the jerk. Now she was so consumed by the case and Logan seemed to vanish every night, the romance was, well MIA.
"Give him some time, Logan's got one hell of a past to overcome."
"Oh thanks, that clears everything up," Hope sighed, "Sorry, I shouldn't take my frustrations out on you."
"Frustrated? Guess I'll have to have a talk with old Canucklehead."
Hope burst out laughing, "What did you just call him?"
"Canucklehead," Maverick grinned, "He calls me Ricko, and I call him Canucklehead."
"Canucklehead," Hope giggled, "Where did he get that?"
"He's Canadian, it's a play on knuckle head."
Hope rolled her eyes at him, "It was a rhetorical question."
"So, what do you want to know about old Canucklehead?"
"Honestly?"
"Doktor, it is my sworn duty as his blutsbruder to bust his balls every chance I get. I can't tell you much, but I can tell you what I know." Hope tried not to appear eager as she grabbed a chair and plopped down in front of him. Of course Maverick figured it out and grinned at her.
She tried to control the blush, "How'd you meet him?"
"Like I told the kid, we worked together in the military. It's been about thirty, forty years since then."
Hope blinked, "Forty years?"
"Yeah, just around there."
"Unless you're older than you look, you couldn't have worked together that long ago. You'd both be too young to join the military."
Maverick raised his eyebrows at her, "Scheiße, he really hasn't told you anything about his past. Logan and I are both a lot older than we look."
"How much older?"
"I'm nearly eighty." Hope stared at him, trying to see any signs of age around his eyes or any white hairs. Nothing. He either aged really well, or he was pulling her leg. Since Hope was more inclined to believe he was joking with her, she laughed.
"I get it, you're joking with me."
"Nein, I'm not kidding." And he looked serious, very serious.
"But, but, how can you be that old? Both of you don't look a day over forty."
"Logan's a walking fountain of youth, Doktor, something in his DNA makes him age slower, how much slower I'm not sure. I'm the product of genetic engineering, used a bit of his DNA to slow my aging down." If she hadn't been already sitting, Hope was sure she'd need a seat now. What a day for revelations. Her bodyguard was nearly eighty and Logan was probably the same age.
"Wow, uh, how old is Logan? Do you know?"
"Canucklehead? No, that's one you'd have to ask him."
"Oh, I will, trust me." Hope chewed on her lower lip for a minute, "Huh. Well, go back to your story, I didn't mean to side track you."
"Uh huh."
"So, forty years ago you two met in the military?"
"Ja, part of a C.I.A. international blackest of black ops team. A lot of our missions I can't tell you about. As cliché as it sounds, I'd honestly have to kill you."
"Wow, so it was type of thing where if you got caught the government said you never existed in the first place? How Bond."
Maverick chuckled, "We were the kind of group that didn't get caught."
"So, you worked with other people, besides Logan?"
"Five others, including Logan. Let me tell you Doktor, we were damn good."
"The best." Hope jumped to her feet and whirled to face the door. Logan stood in the doorway, watching Maverick over her head. "Reliving the good old days, Viking?"
"Let's just say reliving the old days. Care to join us?" Maverick asked with a shrug.
"Gotta train the squirts, came to warn the Doc, it's new recruits versus old."
"Uh," Hope couldn't think of what to say, she was still trying to get over the surprise of seeing him standing there. Obviously he'd been listening in on her conversation with Maverick about him, the question was how long had he been standing there? Logan raised an eyebrow at her when she kept staring. What had he just said to her? Training, right. "Sure, thank you. I'll…well, I'll be prepared," She said when she found her voice.
"You usually are, and close your mouth, Doc, it's not polite to leave it hanging open like that."
Hope's jaw snapped shut with a click and opened almost immediately again, "How old are you?" She blurted. Logan stiffened his eyes looking away from her and going back to Maverick's.
"What exactly did you tell her?"
"Just that we worked together."
"Nearly forty years ago, and if he's eighty," Hope took a step forward, refocusing Logan's attention on her. "How old are you?"
"Not sure, a hundred plus years as far as I can tell. Be ready, Doc." With that he turned and walked out. Hope reached behind her, feeling for her chair and when she found it, she dropped heavily into the seat. A hundred years. One hundred years.
Stunned, she turned to Maverick and said the first thing that came to her mind, "He kisses really well for someone who's a hundred years old." Even with Maverick laughing loudly, Hope caught Logan's own surprised bark of laughter and she put her face in her hands, trying to hold back her own laughter.
"I didn't just say that," She said, when Maverick had gotten himself under control, "Honestly, I didn't."
"Of course not," Maverick patted her on the shoulder, "I must have made it up myself or been hallucinating."
"Shut up."
"Here's somethin' you don't usually see, a parent getting' caught by their kid sneakin' outta the house," Michael Chandler stepped out of the shadows of driveway startling Marcus Chandler.
"Jesus, boy, you tryin' to give your old man a heart attack?" Marcus ran a hand through his hair, "And what are ya doin' out here anyway?"
"Walking in the woods," Michael raised an eyebrow at him, "What are you doin'?"
"None of your business, boy, now get back inside the house 'fore you wake up your mother."
"I'm thirty-six years old, Papa, you can't order me around anymore. Where you going?"
"You may be thirty-six, but I can still order ya around," Marcus snapped, "Ya get your butt inside the house and keep your mouth shut about this."
"And if I don't?" Michael crossed his arms over his chest, staring his father down. Both men were stubborn as mules, especially when they faced each other. Neither would give an inch, and both men knew it. We'll be at this all night, Marcus thought, and I'll miss the damn meeting because of this boy. Damn shame he turned out just like his Papa.
"Just an emergency down at the Italian office," Marcus lied smoothly, though he ran his hand through his hair to give the right effect. "I gotta fly out there and fix it. Don't want your mother to know, she's stressed enough over what's happenin' to Hope and all. Don't need to worry her with the business."
"Papa, you would never fly to Italy with what's happenin', so you're sneakin' out to some sort of secret meetin' I'd bet."
"Damn boy, you're too smart for your own good sometimes," Marcus muttered, "You gonna tell your Mama?"
"Hell no," Michael shook his head, "But you're gonna take me with you."
"Excuse me?" Marcus glared at his son, who just lifted his chin higher and stared him down.
"If you don't, I'll tell Mama." Michael smiled at his father's string of curses. "I may have arrived late, but I'm not gonna leave myself in the dark. And I'm serious about tellin' Mama and she'll have your hide for keepin' this from her."
"Mr. Xavier wanted this kept quiet, I don't think he'll much appreciate me bringin' ya along."
"Well, Mr. Xavier can deal with it. I let Hope down once, I ain't gonna do it again."
Marcus reached out a hand and gave Michael's shoulder a comforting squeeze, "Son, ya couldn't have done anything to stop this, and ya couldn't have done anythin' about the Capitol either."
"I could have, I know I could have," Michael said with such conviction, Marcus instantly gave.
"All right, ya can come, but you keep this quiet, Hope ain't suppose to know about this and neither is your Mama and Thea."
"A regular boys club, eh?" Michael shook his head and chuckled, "When she finds out, Hope's gonna kill us both."
"We didn't expect you to bring a guest, Mr. Chandler," Charles said when Hank lead Marcus and Michael inside his office. Logan looked away from the window, studying both Chandlers. Father looked harassed, son looked nervous. He watched Michael's eyes dart to Charles, then away and Logan raised an eyebrow. Charles gave him a look that said he would explain later. Logan nodded slightly and returned his attention to Marcus.
"Mikey here caught me sneakin' out. I had no choice," Marcus explained, "Boy wants to keep abreast of what's goin' on anyway."
"It's nice to meet you all," Michael said, nodding to everyone. Fury returned the nod from where he stood near Charles, and Maverick. Murdock sat in one of the arm chairs, Ororo in the other, both patiently waiting for the meeting to start. Now that the last guest had arrived everything could get moving. Not soon enough for Logan. He'd been waiting for news from Fury, he wanted to hear what the old man had dug up. So far, he and Kitty had turned up nothing in the MPD files to suggest any one was getting paid off or something fishy was going on. A blazing clue to Logan that something was going on, they just had to dig deeper.
"Why don't you take a seat, Mr. Chandler, then we can get started," Charles said, gesturing to the couch.
"Thank you, Mr. Xavier."
"I think Colonel Fury has the most important news," Charles continued when Marcus was seated. Logan didn't miss the fact that Michael chose to stay standing.
"My man inside the MPD says Holtzhour and McKenna are meeting with an as yet unknown third party. They always go to the same warehouse in Manhattan, meet for any where between two hours and fifteen minutes. My man is working on getting in the warehouse, but the third party brings a lot of guards and I've ordered him to pull back for now. Lieutenant North and Logan, I want you to try to get in first."
"When?" Logan asked, instantly perking up.
"Don't know, my man will contact me the next time they have a meeting. I want you two to be ready at anytime. When I call you, you'll have two hours to set up outside the warehouse before McKenna and Holtzhour arrive by helicopter. Get what information you can, and get the hell out. They can't know you're there."
"And they won't, right blutsburder? We'll be like the shadows themselves," Maverick said solemnly.
"We'll be ready," Logan agreed with a nod.
"Anything from the computer search?" Murdock asked, looking unerringly towards him.
"Nothin', which means somethin'," Logan said simply with a shrug. "I'm gonna have Kitty look for anything about this third party."
"You don't know where to look," Michael said, "How can you find information when you don't know what you're lookin' for?"
"Kitty'll know."
"Legally," Murdock broke in, stopping Michael from making another comment, "Things are looking up. Some of you may know already the tape has been suppressed, that means we've taken out a big chunk of McKenna's case, but I just got his witness list today. He's calling Stryker."
"Stryker? What would he want with him?" Hank asked.
"Logan, you went to see Stryker, he say anything to you?" Fury asked, raising an eyebrow towards him.
"Stryker refused to see me," Logan growled, remembering how the guard to the jail had explained calmly that the prisoners could refuse to see anyone they wanted to. "Twerp's locked up and treated like a king."
"I'll go speak to him then," Murdock said, "I don't think he'll refuse me."
"What if McKenna told him who you are and to expect you?" Marcus said, "He'll refuse ya in a heart beat if he knows you're comin'."
"Well, that's always a possibility but I have a sneaking suspicion he won't."
"How's Hope holdin' up?" Michael asked, and there was an awkward moment of silence.
"She's dealing," Maverick said.
"Holding up rather well," Hank added.
"Very helpful with the case," Murdock interjected.
"Not good," Logan said, silencing them all. "She's not sleepin' enough, not eatin' enough either. Workin' herself to the bone and she still has nightmares."
"Damn," Michael started to pace, "She needs to be with family. She needs to be with us, in South Carolina."
"If she travels out of state the local authorities have to be informed, as well as the MPD," Murdock shook his head, "Moving her would make it difficult for me to work on my defense for her."
"Phones are wonderful inventions, sir," Michael snapped, "As is email. Heard of them?"
"Mr. Chandler," Charles calmly said, causing Michael to stiffen up, "I know you're afraid for your sister, but if she wants to return home, it should be her choice. You're welcome to ask her, but I'm afraid she's taking a much needed rest."
"Michael, leave it be for now," Marcus rose from his seat, "If there's nothin' else, Mr. Xavier, I'll be takin' my boy home now. I've got a lot to teach him about manners, and how to treat people who are just bein' helpful."
"Father," Michael looked stunned, but Marcus shot him a look and he went quiet.
"I must be off as well," Murdock got up, "Thank you, Colonel for keeping us informed, when you have evidence that I can take to a judge, please contact me right away."
"Of course Mr. Murdock."
"Mr. Chandler, if you don't mind, I would like an escort to the door, and it would give you an opportunity to learn more about your daughter's case, it may even satisfy your son's curiosity and anxiety."
"I want to thank you again, Colonel," Charles said once the door had closed behind Murdock, Michael and Marcus, "I know risking on of your men for Dr. Chandler is outside S.H.I.E.L.D.'s normal operating procedures."
"He'll want something in return," Logan growled, "Always does."
"Who says I'll want something from you?"
Author's Note: I'm pretty sure Kurt can't tie his tail in a knot, but heck, it was a funny discussion with a few friends. I had to do it. So, you Kurt fans, forgive me! And those of you more astute readers may notice some little foibles in the conversation between Hope/Maverick/Logan about ages and time line stuff. Well, I tweaked the time line and such to fit this story. So, please, no hurt Lily. And just what the heck is going on between McKenna, Holtzhour and this mysterious third party? Only Lily knows! So, please read and review!