#Shades of Heroes Series Part 2: Scattered in every direction, the X-Men have to fend for themselves. Needless to say, some of them are better at survival than others. #
Disclaimer: Not making any money from this
Knife in the Dark: Scene 01"This furball even worse that you Wolverine! How come he jus' keeps comin?"
"I think you annoyed him Gumbo. Funny how you manage to piss people off within seconds of meetin' 'em."
"You hilarious mon Ami." Gambit shook his head and jumped back quickly. Just in time, as at that instant Sabretooth pounced to land just where the Cajun had been. Gambit kicked the cat-like monstrosity in the jaw, then again about the head, before jumping out of the way so that Logan could pelt his foe across the spine with what looked like a rather large boulder. Sabretooth howled.
They were in New Mexico, squabbling with a rogue Sabretooth just because they could. Well, that and to hopefully draw the anti-mutant military contingent away from Westchester. Hopefully then Professor Xavier could arrange the disappearance of the mansion's pupils and the rest of the X-Men. Right now, Wolverine's super-hearing was already picking up the sound of the rotors of seven or eight military choppers. It was about time. Briefly Logan glanced about. Even for the middle of nowhere, there were bombsites less destroyed than this.
"Take cover!" Gambit yelled, pulling his hands back from a fat cactus and diving away. Logan exchanged a glance with Sabretooth, who didn't seem to understand, and then dove behind another boulder. The cactus suddenly bloomed orangey-pink, then exploded in a rain of plant parts and spines. Sabretooth yelped again, but Logan was distracted by a change in direction and speed of the helicopters.
"We're gonna have company!" He called out, letting his claws slide through his knuckles and jumping Sabretooth from behind. "Why…won't…you…just…stay…down?" he asked the Brotherhood of Mutants crony, with each word jamming his claws into the other man's flesh. Sabretooth roared and shook himself and tried to grab Logan off his back. He failed, and when Gambit launched a charged playing card at Sabretooth's soft belly, it was one hit too much for the cat-like mutant. He dropped to the floor and was still.
"Hey, watch what you're doin' with those cards Gumbo!" Logan protested. "I had him under control." Wolverine spoke too soon, as he felt his feet torn out from under him by Sabretooth. He slipped and hit the dirt, bouncing his head on a rock. The clash of an adimantium skull on brittle stone clanged through the air.
"Logan!" Remy yelped, but the feral man was still and didn't reply. "Oh now you gone an' done it Sabretooth. The deuces are really wild now…" The Cajun ran forwards in a wide sweep, as Sabretooth drew himself up to his impressive full height again. Quickly Gambit reached in his trench coat for more ammo. The cards charged; he launched them in rapid succession, every one hitting home. They blasted holes in Sabretooth's chest even as the stab wounds in his back were starting to heal. Still if Sabretooth's healing factor was kicking in, that meant Logan's couldn't be far behind.
"Gwrft!" Sabretooth gargled as Logan jumped him as soon as his back was to the feral X-Man. Quicker than lightning Wolverine drew his claws across Sabretooth's throat, letting blood gush over his furry body. Twirling his staff in one hand Gambit smacked the weapon out and across Sabretooth's jaw. Sabretooth hit the dirt, twitched once, and was still. Wolverine and Gambit looked at each other and grinned.
"Well that was refreshin'." Gambit drawled. "How long we got?"
"'Bout five minutes." Wolverine replied, looking to the skies.
"Plenty o' time, mon Ami. How 'bout a game of cards while we wait?"
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"Oh Scott!"
The fearless leader of the X-Men found himself swamped by a little round woman in a floral frock and pinafore. Her hair was grey and tied in a knot at the back of her neck. She wore expensive pearls around her neck that had been a present from her only daughter many years before.
"Hi Mrs Grey…" Scott greeted Jean's Mom gently, patting her chubby shoulder. "Dr Grey, how are you both." A tearful man in a smart tweed jacket joined the embrace then, and Scott found himself almost smothered. Behind him, someone snickered into a friend's ear.
"Have you ever seen Cyclops look this terrified?"
"No way Dice, not even when he found out he had to take you into hiding with the rest of us…"
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"Run children!" Storm called out over the blizzard she had created about her. "Run!"
"You can't hold them off on your own!" Tabitha objected, Iceman's college friend taking her stand by Ororo's side. The small town streets were being filled rapidly with men in uniforms taking their orders from the mutant hating General Kincaid.
"I'll be fine Boom Boom, please just get them to your safe house!"
Tabitha didn't believe the X-Man for a second, but she had little choice. The bunker and underground passage was still half a mile away and Boom Boom was the only one who knew where they were or where they went. Squeezing Ororo's shoulder in a gesture of support, Tabitha scooped up the group's smallest child and shoed them off the streets down the relative safety of an alleyway. She didn't see Storm knock down eight men with a lightning bolt, only to be captured when a gas grenade went off at her feet, sending her into unconsciousness…