The Uncanny R-Man: I hoped you would have liked that bar scene, and how Betsy handled that class. I never head of that mini-series and to think the only Deadpool comic I have is with no words spoken in it.
Jenskott: Yep Betsy's not the type of teacher to mess with. Yeah Logan at a bar usually means a fight wil break out eventually. Things will get worse for X23 later.
Mark C: Would you expect eh New Mutants to act any differently then normal kids would to a sub? Yep Kurt is slowly getting better and you can bet he and Wanda will get even closer later on. Yeah glad you got why I did the bar thing and as for Sinister you'll see.
coldqueen: Technically Logan didn't do that she ran off to be alone.
Doza: Well you'll see at the end of this if they capture her or not.
Sparky Genocide: Well I haven't seen that movie and I doubt I will, but glad you liked all that.
GothikStrawberry: Yet another satisfied reader. Glad I could make you laugh so much at the end there, I really try when I do humor.
Aaron: Yeah Betsy isn't as nice as Jean is with her powers is she? Well Storm was a wild one in Africa but after her powers kicked in and left she had to gain control of her emotions or cause a freak Storm. Glad you liked the Wanda/Kurt scene and X23 showing up.
Thanks to: X00001, Simba317, Wen1, LadyDeathStrike1, Silver Warrior, KSimonT-X
Hellfire and BrimstoneCHAPTER 34: CAPTURED PREY
-Library-
Jean was in the library again simply relaxing with a good book. It had been five days after Storm's last date with Logan and already people were talking about how much less tense Logan was and everybody was also wondering just how close those two really were. They had been seen leaving together a few nights and it was obvious to anyone that they were an item.
For Jean, she was happy for them. They both had this aura of happiness around them that she hadn't sensed before. She had been in touch with her University and thanks to Xavier, she could make up the last few weeks in the summer by studying at the Institute as long as she handed in any work to their offices later. She was thankful, for she really wasn't ready to go back to classes with so many people. She knew that she was getting better, but she still felt a bit uncomfortable in large crowds afraid that someone was going to leap out of the shadows at her again like last time.
She had gone out through Bayville since she knew this place better, but never alone. She was usually with Scott or the girls. She didn't like feeling like this, but she would have to live with it. Then suddenly, she noticed the door open and Emma walked in. She wore a T-shirt that was white (which by now everyone knew she had an affinity for) but in black on her chest was 'My face is up here' and an arrow pointing up.
Jean shook her head knowing that only Emma would wear something like that and could pull it off. She also wouldn't admit it, but she kind of admired how Emma had been though much worse yet didn't show it and how she barely let anything show like that did somewhat bothered her.
"Oh, hey Jean. You mind if I look up something to read or are you just here for some quiet time?" the blonde asked.
Jean shook her head, "No, please go ahead." Emma nodded and looked at the stack of books for a while and then picked out one and sat down. A moment later Betsy, also walked in. "Looking for a book?"
"No, just a little quiet," the purled haired telepath said sitting on a small couch and stretched out and rubbed her temples a bit.
"I heard that you and Warren have been doing pretty well so far with the younger mutants," Jean said to her with a hint of a smile on her face, "Although…I heard you got a little…Creative, with how to deal with them."
"Oh I've heard about that," Emma said with a huge smile on her face. She had been near the kids as they had left and had picked up a few visuals on what she had done. "I must say I couldn't have done better then that…Except maybe threaten to make sure they had a few interesting dreams or nightmares of them in bed with someone they really wouldn't want to wake up with."
"You wouldn't…" Jean said to her in a little shock, for she had never thought of using her powers like that on someone…Well…Maybe a few times with Duncan.
Betsy saw the look in the blonde's eyes and nodded with a smile, "Oh she would."
After a moment Emma looked around the large and mostly empty room and sighed. "It's nice to have a quiet place like this and I don't mean just the voices of other people."
Jean nodded knowing exactly what she meant, "Yeah all those minds constantly around can be draining."
"I'll say, you'd think being able to get into the minds of others would sound like a cool power. But they never tell you about all the draw backs to it," Betsy said, resting her head behind her hands, "Like with all those thoughts all over the place that you have to push aside."
Emma nodded, "Not to mention all those 'interesting' thoughts you get. I swear…Who knew that teenage boys had such dirty minds? Oh well, blame the Internet for that I guess," she said as she tossed some of her long blonde hair over her shoulder.
Jean smiled and nodded, knowing a handful interesting thoughts that she had glimpsed over the years. She never let on that she knew about it, but a few of them were a bit much for her. "Oh and let's not forget how sometimes we pick up dreams every now and then. That's hard to deal with, not knowing if you dreamt that or picked up on someone else's dream."
"Oh bloody hell, tell me about it!" Betsy said covering her eyes, "I accidentally picked up on a few sex dreams my brother had with a few girls he liked. Now if that doesn't scar you for life, I don't know what will!"
All three women laughed out loud for a few minutes. Jean had to admit, it was nice to have other women around her own age, and especially that they were also telepaths too. There were just some things that she couldn't talk to with Xavier, but having two other women around that knew how it was like was definitely easier overall. "You know, I like having you two here. I mean, being a telepath is hard, but I used to only have Xavier to talk to about the problems and don't get me wrong he's a great listener…"
"But he's not a woman your own age either," the Brit said with a nod, "Yeah, I mean my family and especially my brother tried to help, but they couldn't know what it was like."
Emma crossed her arms and sat back in her chair. Family…That was topic she didn't want to think about mainly because she hated her family. "Well consider you girls lucky," She said coldly, "At least your family cared about you instead of sending you to an insane asylum when you started to hear voices in your head."
Both woman felt sorry for her at that moment. They had both came from good families and they had learned that Emma's home life wasn't something many people would want. Emma felt how they were feeling and didn't like it. She hated pity and wouldn't let anyone pity her. "Can we change the subject then?" she asked the two other women.
"Okay then," Psylocke said with a nod and then she got a grin on her face, "How about the men?" All three of them soon bore equal grins on their faces, "I mean, I know we all got lucky with the men in our lives."
"I'll say," Emma nodded remembering all her times with Vincent both in and out of bed. "You know Jean, I think I've started my own link with Vincent. I can…Feel him now, lingering so deeply in the back of my mind now."
Jean raised an eyebrow with a look of interested, "Really? Well that's good Emma. I mean as far as I knew, only Scott and I had that…But maybe it comes with telepaths. Betsy, what about you?"
The Asian telepath thought about it. She had shared a few dreams with Warren a couple of times and she could always sense his mind more easily then others. But she didn't feel a constant presence…At least…She didn't think so. Sometimes she got these flashes of insight into him lately that started after the Hellfire Club thing. "I…Don't know. I am closer to Warren then anyone and we're definitely closer now after that horrible Hellfire thing and…Well…I do feel him easier, but no constant feeling of him."
She was actually a bit disappointed in that. She had talked to Jean a few days upon hearing about this link she had with Scott from the students and from what Jean had told her, it sounded very intimate.
"I'm sure you'll develop one too," Jean assured her, "I think it will just take time. It took awhile for Scott and me to have it and it really didn't grow until we became more then just friends. The closer we got in our relationship, the more strong the link seemed to become."
"I guess time will tell," Betsy sighed feeling a little left out.
Emma smiled a little, "Trust me, a link isn't the entire relationship. I mean there are all the things they do for us…Like all those little romantic things they do. Opening doors for us, or making us breakfast like my Vincent did yesterday which was so nice."
Jean nodded her head and sighed, "Yeah I know, on our anniversary Scott came to my door with roses and took me out to a romantic dinner…And then, we just went out to this cliff face and looked at the stars in his car."
"Did you also 'see' the back seat?" Emma asked with a certain smile on her face and the red face Jean had only sent the other two women into laughs.
Betsy wiped her eyes from a few tears from laughing so hard, "Oh, but it's nice to be in love with someone great. Especially those times where you just lay on top of them after sex and you can hear their breathing and heart beat. That's very nice."
Jean thought about something with that image, "Can Warren sleep on his back?"
"Yeah, now that you mention it, don't the wings get in the way?" Emma asked next, for she had seen Warren turn a chair around so the back was at his front and she guessed he did it because it was more comfortable.
Betsy just waved a hand like she was brushing those ideas aside, "Oh no he can. And he folds them around us too. It was a bit strange with all those feathers on my back but it's really nice and warm."
"Oh that sounds nice," Jean commented seeing the look on Betsy's face as she was remembering those times, "Yeah I feel so warm and safe next to Scott sometimes…Like I never want to leave."
Emma remembered how Vincent was with her, "Yes, Vincent always caresses my back and my hair. I love it when he does that."
Betsy looked a bit more interested now seeing the smile and the look in the blonde's eyes. She remembered how back at the Hellfire Club she had been looking out for him taking care of all those horrible injuries. "Yes and how is it with you and him? I mean, for the past few days you two have been in high spirits. I take it you both have shared a few nights together…"
Emma just grinned, "A few…Well…Lately we've been sharing the same bed, but we've only been intimate," she said as her grin got bigger, "But oh what times those are. God, I've never had experiences like that before and lately we've been trying to see just what our limits are."
"Okay, that's a bit too much information for me," Jean said laughing she ha gotten worked up the last time Emma had gone into that, although Scott didn't seemed to mind that day in the shower.
Betsy just pouted at Jean, "Spoiled sport."
"Well what if someone comes in then?" The red head told her, for she really didn't want anyone like the younger students or something hearing this.
"Jean," Emma said in a tone of voice that said she overlooked the obvious, "Telepaths remember?" Betsy got a grin on her face and linked with Emma as they talked. Jean blinked a few times and kind of felt a bit left out especially when the two started to giggle about something and then the other two looked at her and sent her an 'invitation' to join in. So after a few seconds of thinking it over, she shrugged and joined linked up with them.
Fifteen minutes later Rahne and Jamie walked into the room. Jamie was glad that she wanted to help him with studying for his final test…Although the truth was he had a crush on the Scottish red head. Even though he knew she saw him as a good friend, lately he wanted more, but was too scared to ask her out. This was still okay, but when they entered the library they saw Betsy, Emma and Jean doing hand gestures and body gestured like they were talking but their mouths weren't moving.
It looked a bit strange and then they all burst out laughing for no reason. "Uh…I think we might want to do this somewhere other then here," Jamie whispered to her.
She nodded her head. "Aye, alone in a room full of telepaths, especially ones talkin' about somethin' with out talkin'…It's kind of creepy." Jamie just nodded and she gently grabbed his arm. "Come on, we can study in my room."
Jamie tried to hide his blush thinking of being in her room alone with her, but he didn't mind. So they just left the telepathic women to whatever they were talking about.
Xavier Institute – Back Yard
Rogue had been flying for nearly an hour as the morning sun shined over the institute. Ever since she had discovered this fantastic new power of hers, she spent quite a bit of time learning to use it. Thankfully, it came very quickly and naturally to her. And with help from experienced flyers like Warren and Vincent, Rogue soon began to feel more comfortable with her skill and quickly found herself relishing in the joy and freedom that flying had to offer.
When she was soaring through the sky with the wind flowing over her body and the cool air brushing her face, it was as if she could leave all her troubles behind her and focus on something so much more joyous for a change. She could touch now…She was stronger…She could fly…It was as if the power that had been such a horrible curse in her mind had suddenly become a true blessing. In the sky, her worries, fears, and nightmares seemed irrelevant and it gave her head a sense of clarity and peace that she had never felt before. It also gave her time to think about certain things that had changed in her life ever since the horrible ordeal that left her scared in so many ways…Things like her place in the X-men, her family, and of course…Remy Lebeau.
Remy had nearly died trying to help her on more than one occasion. It was because of his help and his words that she had been able to break free from the Hellfire Club's control. And since then, she had been growing rather close to him. From the nice meal he made her when she was still in the infirmary to the little 'mini-date' he took her out on where she first discovered her new powers, she found herself feeling increasingly attracted to this man. Kitty knew it…Jean knew it…Hell, a lot of people probably knew it at this point. So why was she still stalling? Was it still too soon for her?
As she descended over the backyard of the institute, she landed upon the large balcony that overlooked the pool area. Feeling more awake thanks to the exhilarating flight, Rogue stretched her limbs and took a moment to soak up the morning sun.
"Enjoyin' those new powers o' yours cherè?" came a voice from behind her.
Feeling only mildly startled, since she had grown accustomed to the feeling after a while now, she turned to see Remy casually leaning up against the wall.
"How long have ya been standin' there?" asked Rogue as she walked over to him as he flashed her the alluring Cajun grin that she once found annoying…Only now to find it very attractive.
"Long enough," answered Gambit simply.
"Well…Why?" she asked.
"Cause Remy's just worried 'bout ya, that's all," he said as he moved in closer to her, the expression on his face growing a bit more serious.
While Rogue still had some issues about being in close proximity to people, she had come to trust Remy like she had with the others and didn't flinch or tense up like she used to. But there was still a hint of nervousness within her, although it didn't necessarily stem from her past experience…Instead, it came from something else that was a bit more complicated.
"Well ya ain't got nothing to worry about with meh," she assured in a confident tone, "Ah can pretty much handle myself now."
"I don't doubt that…Especially after dat show ya put on in de danger room," said Gambit with a slight grin.
"Then why are ya worried about meh?" she asked, sounding a little annoyed.
"Well…" said Gambit, rubbing the back of his neck slightly, "Maybe worried isn't de best word to use…Maybe it would be better to say…Remy's been thinkin' about you a lot lately."
"Oh…" she said, looking away briefly, feeling as though butterflies were doing cartwheels in her stomach at the moment.
He then moved in closer, but was careful not to touch her directly. Such close proximity allowed her to take in a deep whiff of his musky Cajun scent and it made her go weak in the knees. The old demons from the Hellfire Club reminiscent of her rape still hung strong in her mind, but those feelings were overshadowed by other feelings…Ones that had been growing a lot for a while now.
"So are we ever goin' to talk about it?" he said as he saw the look of uncertainty that dominated her beautiful pale face.
"What do ya mean?" she said, although she was pretty certain that he knew what he was referring to.
"You know as well as I do cherè…Are we ever goin' to finish it? Are we ever goin' to finish what we started before all dis shit happened?" he asked, sounding desperate for any kind of answers.
Rogue's gaze stayed fixated on the eerie red on black eyes that had so often left her at a loss for words. So much was happening to her in such a short period that it was almost too fast for her mind to process. But despite this…Part of her was just yearning to complete that one thought…That one action that had been so abruptly halted that fateful moment when she was abducted by Deathstrike. Others had encouraged her and part of her truly wanted to…But there were just so many things standing in the way.
"Ah…Ah'm sorry Remy," said Rogue, finding herself unable to look him in the eye as a slight tear formed in her eye, "Ah just…Everything has been happening so fast. Ah just…Ah don't know if ah can handle it at times but…Ah'm sorry…Ya don't deserve to have to deal with this kind of shit from meh."
"Hey, come on now…Don't say dat Rogue," said Remy as he gently cupped her chin and looked deeply into her beautiful eyes which were now beginning to fill with tears, "Like it or not…Remy cares about ya…He really cares about ya. I know ya've been dealt a bad hand…But ya've shown me and everybody else here time and time again dat you're strong enough to handle anything…Even more so now. And…I guess Remy knows why it's hard…But it's just not somethin' Remy can ever understand."
Remy Lebeau was never really good with words like this. He had never been in a predicament like this…And he had never fallen for a girl like this. But here he was…In the presence of a woman that was so strong in so many ways. And while there were things in his life that he knew he would never understand…He felt assured in one way or another about what he was feeling for this girl.
"Just know dat…Remy can never be in yo' shoes…When it comes to what happened to ya," said Remy in a deep, soft tone, "But he can always be…By yo' side."
Looking back into his dark Cajun eyes, she managed a small smile that helped warm his heart. He simply smiled back in return as Rogue struggled to find the right words to express herself before this man that had been causing her to feel so many powerful emotions from deep within her.
"Remy…Thank you."
She wanted to say more, but she didn't have to in the end. Remy just kept smiling back at her as he then leaned in and gave her a soft, yet deep kiss on her forehead. For Rogue…She didn't flinch, tense, or feel a wave of anxiety because of it. Instead…She felt a deep sense of warmth fill her mind and body. And even as he parted and began to walk back inside…The feeling still lingered as she simply stood under the bright morning sun with a smile still hanging strong upon her face.
Xavier's Office
Later in the evening after dinner, Xavier gathered all of his older staff in his office to discuss the changes that the institute had undergone since the Hellfire incident. Logan, Ororo, Hank, and Sage were all there and unlike previous meetings, everybody seemed to be in a better mood. With Rogue up and about, doing well coping with her new powers and beginning to show signs of improvement overall, Betsy and Warren doing their part to ease the load on teaching the New Mutants, Vincent and Emma adjusting quite well and showing tremendous potential, and an overall easing of anxieties throughout the institute as a whole…Things were definitely taking a positive turn.
While scars from the Hellfire Club were always going to linger, especially for those like Jean, Emma, Rogue, Kurt, and Vincent, everybody was now beginning to move past such horror and learning with each passing day how to cope with such experiences. Xavier could still sense anxieties and even graphic nightmares at times with some of the students, but it was nowhere nearly as bad as it had been. Friends were definitely helping each other and even new romances were forming in wake of all this such as Kurt and Wanda, Kitty and Piotr, Vincent and Emma, and if his telepathy didn't deceive him…Hank and Sage.
However, he chose not to speak up about that, nor about Logan and Ororo's growing relationship that had become a rather popular subject throughout the mansion. Xavier was happy that his staff as well as his students were finding love and developing close relationships with each other because he knew how happy it made them. Some like Scott and Jean or Warren and Betsy were quite serious, but others like Kitty and Piotr or Vincent and Emma were definitely beginning to grow.
While things were definitely settling throughout the institute to some extent, there were still issues that required some discussion, which is why Xavier often held such meetings. After all the work he had been dedicating to reading the mysterious book that Slayer had given him, he wanted to stay informed about everything that was happening in his institute.
"So Rogue's powers now appear to be stable, but what about…You know," said Ororo upon hearing from Sage and Hank about what they discovered about Rogue and her new abilities.
"I'm afraid that I really don't know about that grim issue," said Hank with a sigh, "I can only confirm her physical well being…Her mental state, on the other hand, is one thing I can only guess on."
"But she certainly seems to be doing better now," added Sage, trying to sound more optimistic, "She no longer gets as anxious anymore and she's been a lot more active lately. Not to mention…I believe that Mr. Lebeau has been having a positive effect on her."
Logan grumbled something under his breath that sounded, but nobody could make out what it was. It was clear he still expressed a bit of distaste for the Cajun, but if he was helping Rogue, then there wasn't much he could do to change that. He hadn't caused any real trouble so far…But that didn't stop him from checking the valuables every now and then just to be sure.
"Indeed…" said Xavier, hoping that Remy's continued help would aid Rogue in learning to touch and accept others again, "What about Betsy and Warren? How did their first class go?"
"Well that…Is a bit more of a humorous matter," said Hank, suppressing a laugh, "It appears that both she and Mr. Worthington found out the hard way just how difficult the younger recruits could be."
"But if what I heard from Bobby and Ray earlier…I think they'll do just fine here," said Ororo who couldn't help but chuckle a bit as well.
"Should I…Really ask for the details about this?" asked Xavier looking part humored and part curious.
"Nah, it ain't nothin' to worry about," said Logan, "But let's just say…Some the younger troublemakin' runts found out the hard way that those two aren't pushovers."
"And they aren't afraid to add their own 'unique' forms of discipline to some of the more unruly students who don't want to listen," added Beast.
"Well as long as it's not too extreme, I can see no difficulties with that," said Xavier, thinking that he'd rather not know if it was evoking such a humored response from his staff, "Any other students that you all have concerns about?"
"Well, Emma and Vincent's demeanor has taken quite a turn for the better compared to the last few days," commented Sage.
"Yeah, I noticed that too," said Logan, although if the scents he smelled on them were any indication, he had a pretty good idea why that was, "And as long as they're actin' so damn chipper. I was thinkin' about gettin' them more involved with the team of regulars since they show a lot of field potential."
"I suppose it couldn't hurt, but I'd have to consult them about it beforehand," said Xavier, knowing it was always a good idea to add what strength he could to the main team given the nature of what they had faced in the past, "Are there any other matters that need to be addressed?"
"None at the moment Professor," said Hank, "I don't think you have anything to worry about too much at the moment, but if anything comes up, we'll be sure to notify you."
"Thank you Hank," said Xavier, feeling more at ease after having learned that things around the institute were doing a lot better lately, "Again, I apologize for being so preoccupied lately and leaving many extra tasks to the rest of you…But I'm afraid certain things have caught my attention that has required me to use a rather precarious amount of my free time."
"You mean that book that you won't put down for more than a few hours at a time?" said Sage, knowing all too well the kind of stress Xavier had been putting on himself since he got that book, "Professor…I know it's important to be vigilant about certain things, but I wish you'd get more rest. You've been pouring over that book for days on end now."
"I know Sage…But I'm afraid that the content of this book is rather important and it is vital that I know all the facts," replied the Professor who had been unable to hide his exhaustion as a result of all the work he had been doing on this mysterious text.
"Just what the hell is in that book that's got you so occupied anyways?" asked Logan, feeling just as curious as the rest of them were.
Xavier was silent for a moment as the expression on his face grew more grim and serious. The book that Slayer had given him had been taking up a great deal of his time and the more he read it, the more concerned he became. The content of that book was not very pleasant to say the least and the kinds of things that it foretold were very, very dark. However, he didn't want to bring this up with anybody until he knew all the facts…But he was quickly finding that the more he uncovered, the more disturbing it got.
"I…Can't honestly say at the moment," answered Xavier cryptically, "The content of that book is…Well, not exactly clear, but it speaks of many dark things…The most of which I honestly can't fully comprehend at the moment because honestly…I don't know."
"But…Should this be something we should all worry about?" asked Ororo, feeling a bit unnerved by what Xavier was saying.
"For now…I don't think there's too much cause for concern," assured Xavier, not wanting to evoke any further anxiety among the staff and students, "Things can always change very quickly, but for now, there are no signs of impending trouble."
Suddenly, a strange wind blew through the window and before Xavier go any further…A deep, voice was suddenly heard from within the room.
"If only that were true Professor Xavier…"
"What the!" said Logan as he heard the voice and unsheathed his claws, believing that there was some sort of intruder in the mansion at the moment.
"Relax Logan…I'm not here to fight," said the voice as a figure stepped out of the shadows and came into full view.
"Slayer…" said Xavier as he turned to face the mutant warrior, once again surprised that he had not sensed him and Logan had not smelled him.
"Wait…This is Slayer?" said Logan, his claws still drawn.
"Yes Logan…And it's okay," assured Xavier, "He's not an enemy."
Logan kept his defensive stance until Ororo placed a hand on his shoulder, which finally got him to withdraw his claws despite his lingering suspicions about this mysterious man.
"Thank you Professor Xavier," said Slayer as he took a step closer towards the weary staff of the Xavier Institute, his imposing presence giving off an ominous feel, "I'm glad I caught you and your staff before you all left, for I feel that it might be better if you were all informed on the matter at hand."
"Informed?" questioned the Professor, "What did you find? Does it have to do with the Gates of Hell that I have been reading about in that book you gave me?"
Slayer's expression grew more anxious, as if he was hounded by a mixture of frustration and uneasiness. The rest of the staff didn't know what Xavier was talking about, but it seemed to them that it was a very serious matter.
"I wish I had more answers on that matter…But I'm afraid I'm no closer then you are," said Slayer in an exasperated tone, "I've only been able to watch and observe…Looking for the signs."
"Signs? What signs?" said Sage, not knowing what was going on.
"Yeah, just what the hell is all this about?" demanded Logan, "Just who the hell are you? Are you the guy that the runts have been talkin' about? What do you want with them anyways?"
Slayer had his problems…He had plenty of problems that he couldn't count if he tried. But Logan wasn't helping with his apprehensive stance towards him. There were enough complicated things going on and he didn't need someone who he had to have as an ally adding insult to injury.
"Look…I don't need this," said Slayer in a frustrated tone, "I'm trying to be your ally here and I'm trying to help."
Logan was about to say something in response, but Ororo once again stepped in and kept him from losing his cool.
"But why are you helping us? And what exactly is it that we need help with that has evoked these rather curious visits?" asked Hank as he looked at the mutant warrior's appearance, trying to use his knowledge of history and mythology to decipher his origins.
"It's a complicated matter Mr. McCoy," said Slayer, ignoring the look of surprise on Hank's face when he said his name, "But trust me…I wouldn't show up if it wasn't of great importance. You probably already know from your students about my past visits so you know that this is about a coming darkness…One truly unlike any other that has ever come to pass."
"Darkness? But why involve us?" asked Ororo, not understanding why this man would want to have the X-men help on a matter they had little experience in.
"Does the name Selene ring a bell?"
Suddenly, everybody in the room tensed and Slayer knew he had struck a chord.
"Or what about Sebastian Shaw? Do you not know these names?"
"Shaw…Selene!" said Sage, feeling an immediate twinge of hatred upon hearing those names, "That's impossible! They're dead! They died back at the Hellfire Club!"
"I wish that were the case," said Slayer as he shook his head in a rather solemn manner, "But I'm afraid they're both alive and well…And I don't think I need to tell you that they're up to no good. They've already brought reinforcements in wake of the destruction of their old complex…And they're planning something…Something very sinister."
A heavy silence fell upon Xavier and his associates as they took in this revelation. They, like the students, had all hoped that the Hellfire Club had been completely obliterated after that fateful mission that left so many of them scared in irreparable, indescribable ways. And they didn't want to believe this man when he said that they were still out there…But the look of seriousness on the mutant warrior's face made it clear that he was not joking about this matter.
"But…How?" said Xavier, finding this revelation to be very disturbing.
"It shouldn't be too hard to figure out Professor," said Slayer, who didn't look too phased by their reactions, "They didn't find their bodies in the rubble."
When they thought about it in that manner, it did make more sense. The Hellfire Club, particularly Selene and Shaw, had been very powerful foes that did more damage to their team than pretty much any other enemy they had faced before and the prospect of facing them again was not at all inspiring for them to say the least.
"Then where in the hell did they go?" said Logan, "And how the hell do you know all this!"
"There really isn't much I don't know Logan," said Slayer as the mark over his eye began to glow, "I know because I can see…I know because I can penetrate through the vast deception of lies cover many of the things that go overlooked. I can see both past and present…Beyond the boundaries of distance and time. It's how I know about the coming darkness that lies ahead…And it's how I know so much about you and your team…Because I can see it."
"You know us because you see us?" said Sage, finding it rather difficult to comprehend.
"Oh yes…I can see and know many things about pretty much everybody here in this institute," said Slayer confidently, "I know that Mr. McCoy over here once broke his neighbors window when he was three years old with a football."
"What?" said Hank in a surprised tone, "I never told anybody that!"
"And I know that Sage here once got food poison and threw up all over her bed when she tried to cook her first meal here," continued the mutant warrior as he shifted his gaze toward her.
"What?" exclaimed Sage, "But I never…"
However, Slayer went on as he turned towards Ororo.
"And I know that Ororo here got drunk at her sister's Bachelorette party and woke up on the couch with gum in her hair," said the mutant warrior, which caused Logan to give the former weather goddess a rather strange look that made her blush profusely, "You see…It doesn't matter how mundane it is, it's still possible to see it. But there's only so much I can see with my power…There's only so much my mind can take in before it starts to tear at my psyche. But sometimes…Certain phenomenon come along that force me to see something truly sinister on the horizon…And this time is no exception."
"And you believe that this darkness has something to do with the Hellfire Club?" asked Xavier as he began to piece some of the puzzle together.
"Yes…That's why I've come to you for help," said Slayer, "You and your students fought and overcame the Hellfire Club before…And now, they're back and the stakes are getting higher. Only a group as heinous and sinister as them could possibly evoke such an ominous feelings in the sight of both the physical and metaphysical realms."
"Then why don't we go out there, find them, and stop them before any of this shit happens!" said Logan, feeling just as eager to rid the world of the Hellfire Club once and for all as everybody else in the room.
"Because that would be dangerous and foolhardy," quipped Slayer, "You saw what they were capable of before…And you have no idea how truly far they'll go. I don't know what they're planning or the exact details…But I do know that the Hellfire Club is back in business, so you and your students had best prepare."
There was a very ominous tone in the mutant warrior's voice…One that foretold great challenges and hardships. The Hellfire Club had shown it's true darkness once already…And there was no telling just how they would exact their vengeance upon them for ruining their earlier plans.
"But…What about the darkness itself?" asked Xavier with the text he had uncovered within the dark book still hanging strong in his mind.
"That…I'm not so sure about," said the mutant warrior, "I have my suspicions…But I'll be sure to let you know if something comes up. Until then, stay strong and stay vigilant."
"Wait…" said Logan as he stepped forth to address the mysterious warrior once more, "You say you know us and you say you know the Hellfire Club…But what about you? If you really want us to trust you…I think we all have a right to know just who the hell you are."
Slayer hesitated briefly before answering. He knew there was definitely some truth within the feral mutant's words, but this was a complicated issue and time was always working against him. His life was a very long, drawn out story wrought with many complicated things…Most of which he didn't want to talk about. But for now, there were more pressing issues at hand…However, he knew that if they truly were going to trust him…He would have to reveal his harsh past sooner or later…For now, he just wanted it to be later.
"You'll know me soon enough…You all will," assured Slayer as he prepared to make his leave, conjuring up a shroud of purple mist once again, "But for now…Just know that I'm not an enemy. I know there are many reasons for you not to trust me…But if you don't, there's no telling how much more suffering you, your students, and the world as a whole will endure."
"And you expect us to be prepared for something we don't know nothin' about?" said Logan, feeling all the more frustrated about the ominous things that Slayer was talking about.
"The X-men are a strong team," said Slayer as the mist around him continued to grow, "I've seen that clearly and I know that if anybody has the power to fight this darkness…It's the X-men. And besides…I know there are also personal stakes involved with this with Sage, Jean, Emma, and Shaw…Or with you and Deathstrike."
"What!" said Logan as a look of shock quickly overcame him upon hearing that name, "She's alive!"
"Indeed she is…And so are a few other friends of yours," added Slayer.
"Friends…What are you talking about?" demanded Logan, "Just how much do you know about this!"
"I know plenty…But that's all I can say for now Logan…Or maybe…You would prefer to go by your real name…James Howlett."
A sudden chill consumed Logan as he heard that name and Ororo was quick to see the sudden change in Logan's demeanor along with the others. That name meant something to him…That name struck a chord. Suddenly, Slayer began to turn and walk away into the mysterious mist, but Logan had to know more.
"Wait!" he yelled as he lunged forth to grab the mutant warrior before he could disappear.
However, Logan hit nothing but air as the purple mist disappeared along with Slayer and he fell to his knees as he once again was rocked with confusion over what he had just heard.
"Logan!" said Ororo as she quickly rushed over to his side and helped him up, seeing the look of great distress on his face, "Logan…Are you all right?"
All eyes were now on the feral mutant before them as he looked back at them with a dazed expression and rubbed his now sore head.
"Yeah…I'm okay…I think," he said as he felt Ororo cling to his strong arms, sensing the tension within him now.
"But…What about that name?" asked Xavier, knowing it had to mean something if it triggered such a reaction within the confused former living weapon that had such a huge gap in his memory.
"James Howlett…" said Logan, finding it strange to hear those words come out of his mouth, "I don't know…But for some reason…I know that name."
Rec Room
Vincent Freeman couldn't remember the last time he had enjoyed such an extended period of peaceful, sleep filled nights not rocked by disturbing dreams of his past. Since that first fateful night with Emma when they made love together, he felt as though he was walking on air. He never thought in a million years that he would find somebody who made him feel this way. After being robbed of so many things, he never thought he would ever find true happiness with someone like Emma. He was actually in love with someone who truly loved him back…And the wonderful feeling it gave the young man who had suffered so much could never be fully described with words.
Since that one amazing night, both he and Emma had slept in each other's room pretty much every night. They didn't always have sex, for it was more for the sense of comfort they offered one another…The feeling of peace and love that helped stave off the horrible nightmares that still hung strong in the both of their minds. In fact last night he was awoken by her tossing a bit in his arms he had stroked her hair and whispered soft assurances to her. After a minute she had calmed down then turned around and hugged him. She had still been asleep but she felt him even in that state and he held her back. He stayed away for a few more minutes to make sure she was over it before trying to get some sleep himself.
The closer they became, the more profound he felt his strange psychic connection with her grow also. Emma had told him that they had developed some strange psychic rapport as a result of what they had been through together…But he had no idea it could be this overwhelming to him. Now, no matter where he went…It was as if he always had something within the depths of his mind so that he was never alone. And for someone who had been so isolated and reserved all his life from so much past suffering, there was no price valuable enough to put on such an amazing gift.
As Vincent entered the rec room feeling in a fairly good mood, which he once thought so rare, he saw Roberto, Ray, and Bobby playing a game of pool.
"Hey guys," he said casually, "Mind if I play?"
"Yeah, sure Vince…Right after I beat Bobby with this one final shot," boasted Ray as he lined up the cue with the eight ball tried to sink the winning shot…Only to have it ricochet just a quarter of an inch off of the side pocket.
"Ha! It ain't over yet berserker boy!" exclaimed Bobby as he saw an opportunity for a major upset.
"Shut up man…" said Ray as he rolled his eyes.
"Hey, it's only a game man," said Vincent, unable to suppress a laugh.
While Bobby lined up his shot, he couldn't help but notice that Vincent was in a much better mood than he had been since arriving at the institute. Usually, he had been very reserved and didn't necessarily talk all that much except when he had to. In addition, he was never one to smile this much and he usually had dark circles under his eyes. But now…Those circles were pretty much gone for the most part, he had a subtle smile on his face as he watched them, and his overall demeanor was a great deal lighter than it had been in recent weeks.
As Bobby lined up his shot with a nine ball, Roberto finally decided to comment on Vincent's lighter mood since neither Ray nor Bobby were inclined to do so as they remained caught up in their game.
"Don't you look happy this morning…" said Roberto in his accented voice as he leaned up against the wall near Vincent as they waited for Bobby and Ray to finish their game, "You finally sleep more than four hours or something?"
Vincent, never one to reveal too much about his private life, just smiled and nodded, wondering if he was really being that obvious.
"Yeah…I guess I have been sleeping a lot easier lately," said Vincent, keeping it simple, "It's been such an amazing transition coming here to the institute and everybody has been such a big help."
"And the lack of dark circles under your eyes wouldn't happen to have anything to do with a certain busty blonde telepath now would it?" grinned Bobby as he easily sunk the nine ball in the corner pocket and now prepared himself to go for the win with the eight ball.
Vincent felt himself blush slightly at the mention of Bobby's rather crude description, but he was quick to shake it off and not hint too much to the younger teenage boys.
"Well, she's really been there for me through the whole ordeal," he said as the smile on his face only got wider, "She can help me with certain things that nobody else can…And because of that, I guess we really have grown close."
"Really?" said Ray as all three boys now sounded quite intrigued by Vincent's words, "Exactly…How close?"
"Very close…" answered Vincent, "We have something…That I'm sure of. We really have a connection…One I really don't know how to describe. But she is and amazing…Wonderful woman. And I'm very lucky to have someone like her in my life."
"Who wouldn't!" laughed Bobby as he lined up his shot, "But still…That doesn't explain why you've been in such a good mood these past few days…Or why those dark circles are almost completely gone."
"Well…" said Vincent with a wide grin, "Let's just say…Both Emma and I have plenty of reasons to be in a good mood lately."
Those cryptic words were enough to make Bobby completely botch his shot as he, Ray, and Roberto looked back at Vincent wide eyed at what he had just implied. Vincent may have been careful with the words, but the tone in his voice and the look on his face was a dead giveaway.
"No way!" exclaimed Roberto.
"You didn't…" said Ray with an equally shocked look on his face.
"You did!" exclaimed Bobby, almost having completely forgotten about his missed shot, "You and that beautiful woman!"
"Dude…YOU ARE MY NEW HERO!" said Ray as Vincent continued to feel a bit uncomfortable at the boys' reactions, but kept smiling none the less.
"Yeah man! Do you have any idea how many men would kill to be in your shoes now?" said Roberto as he and the other crowded around Vincent.
"Uh…Thanks," said Vincent, not knowing how else to respond.
"Vince man…Come on…You have to give us details!" urged Bobby eagerly.
"Hey Iceman, don't you have a girlfriend?" reminded Roberto.
"So…That doesn't mean I can't enjoy details!" said Bobby with a wide grin, "Now come on man! Tell us! Are they real?"
Vincent didn't like that question and he lose his smile a bit now as the three younger boys now clamored around him as if he knew the meaning of life. But despite this, it only made him feel happier, knowing just how lucky a man he was after so many years of misfortune.
"I'd…Better not say. Stuff like that is for me and Emma alone," said Vincent seriously, much to Bobby's disappointment, "But I will say this though…It was amazing…Definitely the most amazing thing I've ever felt before. It's just…I've never had a girl in my life that I've felt so strongly about before."
"Damn man…" said Roberto upon seeing the rather dazed look on Vincent's face, "She must be the real deal for you."
"Yeah…I really think she is," said Vincent, "And it's not just because we had sex. That's just one small part of it…There's really so much more to it. It's the way we talk together, the way we communicate, and even little things like how I sleep better when we're in the same bed. And after a lifetime of painful nightmares and sleepless nights…It's just such an amazing feeling."
"Well I for one don't know how anybody in bed with her would get any kind of sleep…" said Bobby with a grin as he lined up his shot with the eight ball.
He sighed a little in frustration at Bobby's comment. "Bobby, just because Emma and I sleep in the same bed doesn't mean we have sex," said Vincent, not wanting other people to think that he was lucky just because he had some beautiful woman to sleep with, "We've both had to contend with being alone our whole lives and dealing with things that leave some rather nasty scars…And I'm not just talking about the physical ones. And the kind of thing that Emma and I share goes beyond the physical in so many ways that it just…It gives us both the comfort we need whenever the going gets tough with the challenge that each day brings. Not to mention, it helps to finally have a peaceful night's rest for a change."
The three boys managed to tone it down somewhat as they heard the more serious side to Vincent's story. It was clear that there was more to his relationship with Emma than the usual superficial aspects. His mood reflected on just how great an impact it had on him and how it was helping him to cope with the pain his life had brought him and the comfort both he and Emma found with one another.
"Hey, we're all happy for you Vince," said Bobby as he prepared his shot on the eight ball towards the corner pocket, "Around here with mutants like us, a place where tempers flare and things change, a good mood and a peaceful sleep is a tough commodity to come by."
"Thanks Bobby," said Vincent with a smile, glad to see that the younger boys could in fact take him seriously when he talked about his relationship with Emma Frost.
"No prob…Oh, and Ray?" said Bobby as he quickly drew the attention of the slightly older boy still leaning against the other side of the pool table.
"Yeah man?"
"I win…" And with that, Bobby sunk the eight ball into the corner pocket, winning the game.
-Forest in the Mid West-
X23 was getting tired of this. For the last five days she had been the hunter and the hunted. They had proven to be touch and well prepared. So far Gauntlet was still tracking her, but Viper was currently stronger and faster then she should have been than the other two. They were the real threat since whenever she attacked, they took all of it and then dealt back at her just as bad. What remained of her clothing was slashed in many places and had to put on a fur top she made in winter from a bear she had killed last year.
They were getting better too, for they were learning her patterns and she had already gotten all the supplies from the cave she had been living at with her in a backpack she had gotten in a city. She had decided to move on, but they were still following her. She had tried to lose them several times, but they always found her again.
She was sitting in a tree getting some rest, feeling frustrated and angry. She just wanted to be left alone…She wanted her own life. Now Viper was back and it seemed she wanted to use her again. X23 let out a small growl, for she would rather die then go back to Hydra.
He was so tired that she had trouble keeping her eyes open and before she knew it, she nodded off. Then…She woke up to the sounds of an explosion…One right next to her and she was flung from the tree and fell through a cluster of branches before hitting the ground hard. She cried out in pain, for unlike Logan she didn't have an adamantium skeleton and felt the bones in one of her arms and ribs break. She coughed up some blood and staggered to her feet trying to clear her head.
She felt hot pain in her sides and if she could see it, she would have seen slitters of the tree in her side. Then, another pain as something sharp hit her shoulder. She couldn't hear because the sound had left her sensitive ears ringing and she reached with her good arm and pulled out a dart.
She turned around and was hit by two more in her chest. She tried to pull them out quickly, but she was starting to feel the effects already. She slumped to her knees and looked up to see them there and Gauntlet with what looked like a grenade launcher, which must have been the weapon that had literally blasted her out of the tree. She felt one more dart in her, but she refused to give up.
She tried to stand and fight. She wouldn't go quietly, but as soon as she got on her feet, her legs trembled and gave out on her and she fell face first into the soil. She felt the cool dirt and smelled the charred bark and leaves and her hearing was starting to return as she heard them walking towards her.
X23 felt herself being lifted up as the drugs starting to kick in faster then her healing powers could neutralize it. "Get her up!" She looked up to see that Viper had said that, looking at her with hatred in her eye and wondering what would happened to her now. She wanted to fight, but her muscles felt too weak to do anything.
Viper started at the little girl that had caused her go much pain and had nearly destroyed Hydra itself. She pulled out her pistol, only this had live ammo it in. "Feeling a little groggy are we? Well then, let's give that healing factor a bit more of a test." Deadpool and Deathstrike looked at each other since they were holding her up and wondered what she had planned.
Suddenly Viper started to fire her gun at X23…Two shots in each shin and one in each knee, then in her shoulders, and a couple more in her center chest. X23 screamed out in agony as she was shot over and over. X23 was in a world of pain, but she knew she would live and heal…It was just so much that she nearly blacked out. Then Viper took hold of her hair in a fist and brutally pulled her head up. She grinned savagely at the defeated young girl. "Good night," Viper simply said and with the butt end of her pistol smashed it against her head knocking the girl out with a sickening sound.
"Jeez…I never though I would say this but…Wasn't that overkill?" Deadpool said a little shocked at the scene that just happened. He may be a mercenary who did a lot of bad things and didn't mind doing them a long as he was paid, but shooting a kid, even a dangerous little one like her, was a bit much for him.
"Just shut up and do the job you're being paid for!" Viper said coldly to her.
"Aye, aye Captain Ahab," he muttered under his breath then looked to Deathstrike as they took the bleeding unconscious girl to a clearing where a helicopter would come and get them, "You know some days these jobs don't pay enough."
She remained silent, for there was no honor in what Viper had just done and she was a woman of honor. But her family's honor came first and if this helped her in getting her revenge against Wolverine, then so be it.
NEXT UP CHAPTER 35: MEDICAL EXAMS