Epilogue
It seems like years since Ah was last here, thinks Cannonball as he enters the X-Force base at Camp Verde, Arizona.
Soon greeted by his teammates, Cannonball tries to push out of his mind what happened. Not able to forget everything, he quickly slips away to find a quiet corner in the base. Finding himself in the comm room, he quickly realizes that he is not the only one who was seeking solitude.
"Cable, sir?" asks Cannonball. "Ah didn't realize ya were in here."
Turning to leave, Cannonball is almost to the door before Cable speaks.
"Sam?"
Stopping in mid-step, Cannonball turns back to look at the older man.
"Yes, sir?" asks Cannonball.
Opening his mouth once, only to close it again, Cable realizes that he doesn't know why he stopped Cannonball from leaving the room. Looking over his second-in-command, Cable realizes that he doesn't know what he would have done or how he would have handled things if Gideon had succeeded in either act he had planned.
"Cable, did you want something?" asks Cannonball, after a moment of the two men just staring at each other.
"I was thinking," starts Cable, but pausing a moment to draw a breath. "With everything that has happened, did you need…I mean, want to take some time off?"
"Time?" asks Cannonball. Is that what you really wanted to ask, sir?
"Yes, Sam, time. I know you haven't seen your family in a while and I didn't know if you wanted to take some time to go see them," says Cable.
"Ah'll think about it," replies Cannonball.
Nodding his head, Cable says nothing more. Again the room falls silent as the two men only stare at each other. A couple of minutes pass before any noise enters the room.
"Cable?"
Glancing over his shoulder, Cannonball watches as Siryn enters the room. Stopping short when she sees the two men together, she cocks her head.
"Am I interrupting something?" Siryn asks.
"No," says Cannonball, shaking his head. "Ah was just leaving."
Without another word, Cannonball leaves the room with Cable and Siryn watching him go.
"Cable?" asks Siryn, glancing from the doorway to the older man.
"What did you need?" asks Cable, ignoring the silent question the woman was posing to him.
Understanding that he didn't want to talk about what just happened, Siryn moves on to ask him the real reason for hunting him down.
"I was wondering if ye can tell me what happened?" asks Siryn.
"Later," replies Cable. "It's a long story and I don't feel like telling it yet." I also have to decide how much to tell.
Nodding her head, Siryn leaves the comm room and Cable returns to his thoughts.
…………….
A private jet flies over the Pacific Ocean. Inside the lush jet is the entrepreneurial businessman known only as Gideon. Replaying the events that took place between Cannonball, Cable and himself, Gideon shakes his head at himself.
I allowed my lust to rule over my better judgement. Next time, I will be more prepared.
Trying to think of new ways to lure Cannonball into a trap, Gideon quickly realizes that lust was not the only reason why the last meeting failed.
Cable. He cannot know of the next meeting between Samuel and myself. I must time the time man unaware.
Hearing the buzz of the intercom, Gideon presses a button in his chair.
"Yes?" asks Gideon, annoyed at being interrupted.
"We will be landing shortly in Canada, sir," says the pilot.
"Very well," replies Gideon. "Let me know when we land."
"Yes, sir," replies the pilot.
Clicking the intercom, Gideon gives himself a moment more to dwell on affairs of the Externals.
Soon, Samuel. Soon we will have more time to finish the business we have started and at that time, Cable will not be there to save you.
The plane begins its decent as Gideon readies himself for the approaching business meeting.
THE END