Formed Addiction
Chapter 7 – War Drift
"Hey, how do you feel?" Logan asked, trying to make his naturally harsh voice express concern he was feeling inside.
"Fine, just a little sun heat." Summer smiled. "Thanks."
"No problem." Wolverine positioned himself on the edge of a big comfy couch in the middle of the TV-room.
"No, I mean for everything." She went on. "And I'm sorry. I understand that you're worried about me, that's why you react like that to John being here, but, trust me, he will never hurt me. Or the X-men." Then she added, barely noticeable smirk on her face. "Maybe, except for you."
The man chuckled reluctantly, feeling the tension between them finally melt as she posed her small self near him on the rich brown leather:
"I'm sorry too, kid. Your father always wanted you to be safe, to keep you out of all those mutants vs. humans and mutants vs. mutants wars. And you end up with Magneto's ex-right-hand man. Pretty ironic."
"Yeah…"
"Sum." They both turned their heads slightly to see Hank in the doorway. "A word?"
The feral-man, sensing that he wasn't welcome there anymore, stood up:
"I have to go check on something. See you, kid. Fur-ball."
After a nod to the retreating man, Beast took a place in front of Summer on the table:
"You wanna tell me why I lied in there to a man who, I assume, is a father of your child and to other people here who care for you."
"Because…" The young woman sighed, putting her elbows on each of her knees. "Don't you see what's coming?"
At first the older mutant looked at her with a questioning look, but then understanding and acceptance crossed his eyes.
"It's another war. With another enemy but it's still a war…I don't wish for anyone to find out about it like this. With all this fear just flying in the air…know what I mean?"
Earning a nod from Hank, she went on:
"Can I trust you not to tell anyone?"
"I'm your Godfather, sure you can trust me." He too produced a deep exhausted sigh. "But, maybe, you should at least tell John…"
"Tell me what?" The hallway was empty just a second ago and now the man in question was standing in the middle of it. There was silence. "Tell me what?"
"Nothing important." Summer smiled, rose from her seat and went to stand next to the newly entered man. "So, shell we go?"
"I thought Storm had some kind of a meeting you had to attend…" John took her hand, his eyes still on Beast.
"It is true." He lowered his head 'yes'.
"I want you to be there too." Summer mentioned for the two men to follow her upstairs but she was talking to Pyro.
"I don't think it's such a great idea, Sum." He responded, drawing back a little. "It's clear no one's thrilled to see me."
"I am. That should be enough for you. And I ask you to come with me." She looked him in the eye.
John held her gaze for a second, then made a movement for her to continue their way, which she did.
"It's him or me." That was a statement. No quarrelling, no arguing or questioning.
"Bobby, please…" Ororo looked at him with strict but at the same time pleading eyes.
Iceman was just about to say something but Wolverine stormed into the office with eyes wide open, rage reflecting in them, fogging any other emotion he could've have that moment:
"Five mutants have been in a state of clinical death."
Everyone – Storm behind the table, Anna, Summer and John on the couch, Bobby and Warren near the window – exchanged an apprehensive look. But then Logan verbalized something else:
"Serine on of them."
"No way…" Anna whispered in shock, gripping a couch's arm.
"What do you mean Serin one of them?" Storm jumped from her seat. "She's a student here! How could she possibly get infected with that virus?"
"I saw her leaving in the morning." Warren cut in. "She said she had to buy a present for some girl's birthday."
"You let her go alone?" Ororo asked, frustrated.
"Stop it." Summer locked eyes with her white-haired friend. "It's not his fault."
She sighed nervously:
"You're right." Then added, turning to Angel. "I'm sorry. I just couldn't imagine that this poison the opposition has created…spreads that…fast…"
A stressed silence hang in the air. John quizzed Summer's hand, an act of a comfort suggestion.
"We…"
But Wolverine didn't get to finish whatever it was he started for the door opened once again to reveal Kitty.
"Did I miss something?" She inquired, looking from one member of a team to the other.
"Serin's dead." Bobby explained, wondering why Pyro's presence didn't stun or at least put the young woman off guard. But when there still was no reaction, he went on, putting the thoughts deep in back of his head. "It's the virus the mutant opposition created."
"Oh…" She nodded slightly to let everyone know that she was processing the situation in her head.
"How much time?" A couple heads turned to look at John while others were thinking on the answer to his question.
"She left at around eleven." Warren started.
"So it must be…from one to three hours." Calculating in her head, Ororo concluded.
"What are we gonna do?" Anna asked with her soft voice after another minute of silence, it was like everyone suddenly was unable to speak.
"We have to destroy the virus." This time Logan was the one to answer, his back to the wall for support.
"But how do we know if it's no a gas, for example?" Summer asked from her place near John. "If destroying a place where they hold it we wouldn't set an explosion that will climax in infecting even more mutants?"
"Because it's not a gas." The eight of them turned to see Beast in the doorway. "I've got a call from a fried that works in the General Hospital where the infected mutants were delivered. He says it's liquid substance, even a bit jelly-like."
"Ok, so it's mines one problem." Ororo said, waggling a pen in her hands. "But where do they hide their lab?"
"Well, definitely not in the building I found the papers in." Kitty interjected, positioning herself next to Anna, on the arm of the couch.
"They wouldn't be so stupid." Logan roared.
"I think I know where." John stood up and took out a yellow file from the back pocket of his jeans, then threw it on the table in front of Storm, earning a questioning look from Summer.
Others gazed at the opened envelope with interest while Ororo fished out the papers and ran through them with her eyes.
"Where did you get those?" She asked finally, still not looking up, apparently having found something useful there.
Summer gave her boyfriend another puzzled look before he started explaining himself:
"I picked them up on the reception in our hotel. It appeared that someone sent them to our hotel-room."
Logan knew better then that. John seemed very convincing, his trade-mark smirk on his face, but the feral-man knew better. There was more to the story then Pyro was telling but for the sake of a fragile peace he and Summer made just half an hour before Logan wasn't about to declare anything. At least not yet…
"I think I found it…" Storm finally said, looking up.