(Six)

"Get your ass outta there now!" Kyle hollered to the men in the vault. It was time to move.

"Everybody! Get your hands up!" the leader of the SHIELD team shouted. The team that came in was large and well armed. They were heavily armored as well and not here to fool around. They would take out all of Kyle's team if they had to, no matter what kind of deal the X-men had worked out. It didn't seem like the X-men guys were making much progress anyway.

Kyle responded to the man's challenge by raising his hand and shoving them back telekinetically. Jean surged forward, blocking him from injuring them further and the two locked in battle, each trying to negate the power of the other with strong invisible shields. Kyle was stronger. He shoved her back and the windows of the lobby shattered outward with the force of his effort, spraying glass over everyone outside. The soldiers were next tossed outside. It was a testament to Jean's will that she hadn't been launched outside with them as well.

It looked like a violent struggle, but really Kyle just wanted them gone, he didn't want to kill anyone if he didn't have to. That and he couldn't trust 'Shay to keep it together.

The X-men all came forward, Logan popping his claws. Rogue was on the far side and made for Leon, wanting to get this over with. Kyle blocked them as best he could, containing them to the back of the room. Not all of them would have to suffer his confinement. There was a soft bamfing noise and a cloud of smoke as Nightcrawler teleported right behind him. Kurt was small and his presence was quite familiar, these two had known each other well when Kyle had lived at the Mansion and spent many sessions in the Danger Room fooling about. A blue fuzzy hand whisked the gun away from him and the familiar voice trickled into his ear in lightly accented German. "C'mon Kyle. You don't vant to do dis. It's been a long time, mein freund, but ve know each other well enough, ja? Let's calm down and think about dis."

Kyle trembled there, uncertain. He wanted to be done, that was so very true. For a brief moment, he saw himself back at the Mansion, back at Xavier's, happy and free, Kimble flying playfully through the grounds like a carefree child. He opened his mouth to speak, to concede, and then was almost toppled as Kurt went flying.

'Shay had blasted Kurt from behind him with a telekinetic shove, the promise to protect the team an order that had to be followed. She hadn't heard what was said, but didn't like Kyle's gun being taken away. She aided Kurt's flight by increasing his velocity and tacked him to the wall with spikes too swiftly for him to react and teleport away. She didn't run him through to kill him, Zander wouldn't allow it, but small spikes nailed him down through the flesh of his legs and arms in a mockery of a crucifixion. He gave a twisted scream and disappeared in a cloud of smoke, not waiting around for anything more.

When 'Shay's attention was on Kurt, Remy sprang forward to grab Kimble, but she tossed him back without looking at him, giving a display of the full extent of her power. He didn't fall as hard as Kurt nor was spiked, in fact he was steered away from the desk 'Shay had been sitting on, he would have collided with it painfully. Zander was working with 'Shay and it was obvious that Remy would come to no harm. Remy landed neatly on his feet, but his eyes were blazing, furious with frustration. How could he fight someone who could deflect him with invisible hands and shields?

Zander was torn, he wanted to go with the X-men, but had also sworn to protect the team. He wanted to go, but would see Kyle's team was kept safe. He was still Cameron's property, that hadn't changed, and he wouldn't deny 'Shay the ability to act. He re-enforced the barrier Kyle had raised, keeping the X-men and the SHIELD officers at bay. "Y'all jus' back off now!" Zander snarled. "You ain't touchin' Kyle 'r nobody else! I swores ta protects them an' I will! You keeps comin', somebody's gonna it worse than yer blue bamfin' guy, understand!"

Kurt had reappeared on the X-men's side of Zander's barrier. He was bleeding and in pain, but still game to participate. He had managed to take Kyle's gun with him, a small token of his failed effort.

Jean ignored Zander's cry as mere bravado and came at Kyle, seeing he was still dazed, but clashed again with 'Shay's power. The fact was the pilot was powerful, more powerful than Kyle especially when 'Shay was on the job and concentrating. Zander was there to help 'Shay out and Jean felt the power of their combined ability. Jean had other talents at her disposal, but taking this to the next level could be deadly and she didn't want to destroy the bank just to bring Kimble back alive.

"Git yer ass back, bitch! I means it!" Zander snarled and she stayed put.

Logan came forward, all but useless in a telekinetic battle, and was slapped back by an invisible hand. The blow spun him, it was meant to hurt and it did. He cursed loudly as his frustration rose.

"C'mon, Zandy!" Remy shouted. "What good is it to protect a team dat only wanna 'urt people? What kind of Master make you a murderer?"

"We swore. We hafta obey, that's jus' how it is," 'Shay said for him, her eyes cold. "You ain't touchin' these guys, git over it!"

"Done!" Michael shouted from the back. He and Franklin came out with bags of money and stood behind Kyle. They looked in surprise at the mess the battle had made. The room was destroyed from when Kyle blew the windows out and there was a large four point blood stain on one wall where Kurt had been.

"Time ta go, 'Shay!" Leon shouted, pulling back on the pilot's shoulder.

Kyle had regained his composure and he took command, his eyes tired and his face weary. He was just going through the motions. This was it, his last job and he was gone. It was too late to stop himself from going insane, the best he could hope for now was to get out of here alive so he could disappear forever. "It's been real, gents. Now if you'll excuse us..." he said wearily and turned away, signaling to 'Shay to come along.

Franklin reached out with his power to whisk them away, but Zander unexpectedly blocked him out with a shield. The others winked out, leaving the pilot behind. He had unfinished business and wasn't going to leave without seeing it done. He could care less if Franklin never came back for him, not now. He had fulfilled his obligation to the team and was free now to have a little sport of his own.

The pilot let go of all other barriers freeing the X-men but next tossed up a box shield, trapping only himself and Logan inside, blocking them off from all rescue. It was long and large, but he walked over and came closer, shrinking the box behind him until he stood in front of Wolverine, the two of them face to face in an arena of Zander's own devising. Logan snarled at the entrapment, knowing this was going to be bad. He tried to move, but he had been mired in another telekinetic knot and couldn't escape. He had no choice but to give his attention to his captor, Zander had something to say and wasn't going to be interrupted.

"Hope yer happy, Logan," Zander growled, his angry gravelly voice painful in Logan's ears. "Looks like ya done broke Kimble good with yer bullshit back in the warehouse." He brought 'Shay's guns to bear square on Wolverine. "Here's ta alla yer lies and yer damn stupid pride! This is fer Kimble!"

Logan had nowhere to go. He fell under the spray of bullets with a twisted scream of agony. They ripped through his body, splattering blood and chunks of his flesh in all directions. It wasn't even close to a fair fight and his half of the telekinetic box was splashed with red and gore. Zander's guns were of a high caliber and the Punisher had emptied both clips into his prey. There was a millisecond pause as he reloaded telekinetically, a moment of silence before the thunder began again.

The X-men surged forward, but there was nothing they could do. Zander was powerful, more than they could possibly know. He wasn't going to let them interfere, he was here to punish and punish he did without an ounce of mercy.

Gambit shouted and flung himself at the barrier, screaming for Zander to stop, but there was no way he was getting in there. He saw Franklin reappear out of the corner of his eye nearby then wink out, only to pop out inside the bubble Zander had created. It was hard to see through all the gore lining the walls, but he saw Franklin grab Zander. Franklin shouted something at the pilot and they flashed away. The walls evaporated instantly, their creator now gone, sending a small rain of blood and gore down onto the floor.

"Logan!" Jean screamed and ran over. His body was mutilated beyond recognition and it was hard to tell if he was even breathing. Quickly, she used a series of small shields around the larger holes, trying to stop him from bleeding to death. She didn't know if he could die this way and wasn't ready to find out.

Gambit was next to the walls when they vanished. He was spattered in blood and gore from when they winked out and he was down on his knees, clutching at Wolverine. Surprisingly, the man turned towards him. A stream of blood poured from his mouth and he coughed weakly.

Logan grasped at his jacket. "No... Kyle... no... Kimble... understand?"

"Right, boss. We on it," Gambit wheezed, his response automatic and hardly heard by himself. He was stunned that Logan was even still thinking about saving Kimble after what Zander had done.

Wolverine groaned and passed out.

"Ve can't let dem get away!" Kurt was shouting. "They went to ze safehouze."

His earlier jaunt onto Kyle's back had more than one purpose. He had planted a small tracking device. He now held a GPS tracking box and knew where Franklin had taken them.

"I'll stay with Logan, you go get them!" Scott ordered, standing over the body of his fallen teammate.

"I have to stay here," Jean said. "My shields are the only thing holding Logan together. You go."

"Somebody's gotta handle Fury. This is a mess," He looked at Kurt. "Use the radio and get the backup team rolling. If Kyle went to Bishop's I'm sure they're in action already. You're bleeding. Jaunt these guys over, but watch yourself."

Kurt nodded and the rest of the X-men gathered in a circle. Remy was still next to Logan, and Rogue gently pulled him away. "We gotta go, Sugah," she said and they disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Nick Fury, head of SHIELD, came stomping into the building. He was a large man, physically powerful and commanding. He was in his late fifties, but every inch the seasoned warrior. He could probably take down most of his own men in hand to hand combat and could use any weapon given to him. He was dressed in a black SHIELD uniform loaded with sparkling badges and had an eye patch over one eye, a souvenir from one of his many battles.

"What the hell is this shit!" he thundered as he surveyed the damage. He looked down at Logan and scowled. "Well, that's just great. Medic! Get his sorry ass out of here!"

Scott shivered at his words, unused to such callousness in the wake of half of Logan's body being missing. I mean, Jeez. You could see that metal coated skeleton hanging out all over. He tried hard not to puke just thinking about it, he didn't want to look weak in front of the head of SHIELD. They hadn't met before this and he didn't want to get dismissed as a weakling.

Scott had no idea this was far from the first time Fury had seen Logan like this. Nick had seen Logan chopped almost to bits, set on fire, shredded from a land mine. It was all in a day's work to him. He knew Logan would heal up, he always did. What had infuriated him was that his quarry got away. Logan had promised him Kyle and now he was gone. He paced for a few minutes while Wolverine was packed off on a gurney, the medics looking at Fury with doubt. They thought a body bag might be more appropriate.

Rury's radio cackled and he sntached at it impatiently. "What!"

"So sorry, Monsieur Fury, sir," Remy said with a bitter laugh. It was almost lost in the sound of roaring guns and the crash of lightning. "It seem we got quite de situation 'ere at Bishop's place. Mebbe you wan' come down, or jus' play wit yo' dick over dere, n'est ce pas?"

"What about the guys I had there?"

"We got more'n one player in town. Seem like ol' Sabretooth 'ad other plans fo' dem. Dey all over de place in itty bitty bits. 'Ope you got a lotta newbies on back order. Dese 'ere done fo' good. Best be bringin' some body bags, mebbe some bigger guns, non?"

"I hear ya, Louisana! We'll be right there!" Fury growled and clicked off. "Let's move!"