CHAPTER 42 – Frost Bite
Meanwhile…
Frost sat at her desk, her long legs stretched out in front of her as she leaned back in her leather chair and twirled a pencil between her slender fingers. Her heels were off and laying discarded on the ground along with her black suit jacket and her skirt road up a bit, revealing the creamy white skin of her thighs. The others in the room stole glances at her, thinking she couldn't see, but she did and she loved the attention. She knew she looked like a Greek goddess bathing in luxury, even stole it like one by ridding herself of her sister. She let her eyes close and daydreamed of her soon to be sought victories. The mere thought of getting Tristian back made her feel all giddy inside.
The door to her office opened, pushing all thoughts aside as it was about to come true. She felt her pulse quicken in her throat as she anticipated the wait. She twirled the pencil between her fingers, biting her lower lip. Next to her Calban's black and yellow eyes stayed fixed on the door. He made a smirking noise and turned his head to the floor. Emma spared a glance at him before turning her head right as Gambit and Havoc walked in, shutting the door behind them.
Emma took a deep breath, eyes flickering to the door and then back at them. "Where's the boy?" Emma asked, looking at the door, praying someone would drag him through or give her good news. She didn't want to hear the bad news, it had been a bad enough day, this had to go right or she was back at the bottom.
Gambit glanced around, waiting for someone else to speak. He nudged Alex with his shoulder, flicking his red eyes at Emma then back at him, raising his eyebrows.
Havoc cleared his throat nervously. "We…uh…had a bit of a problem."
Emma sat forward, leaning across her desk, the pencil squeezed tight in her hand to the point her knuckles turned white. "What kind of problem?"
"They got away…all of them," Havoc muttered, looking at the ground.
The pencil in her hand snapped in half and Calban took a step back, sensing her power soar. Emma felt her power rise within her as her anger boiled and let it loose on the two. They flew back, being hit by an invisible force, hitting the floor hard, grunting. "YOU LET THEM WHAT?"
"It's not what you think," Havoc spoke quickly, getting to his feet.
"Where. Is. John?" she asked, speaking each word slowly. She shook her head, her frost eyes shooting daggers through them. "Tell me some good news or I swear on my life I will let Emplate feed off you completely."
"No, no need for that," Havoc put up his hands innocently. She could see the fear on his face as he ran one of his hands nervously through his blonde hair. The thought of Emplate touching him gave him nightmares. Emma liked that.
"'e 'as hurt, chere," Gambit stepped in, rubbing his aching shoulder.
Her frost eyes flickered to him, her gaze piercing his skin through his duster. She smiled with satisfaction as he shivered, rubbing his arms. "How bad?"
"'e 'as shot by the police," he told her.
"They thought he created the fire I threw at them," Havoc butted in. "They shot him. I couldn't see the damage but it had to be bad since they had the jet come in and take them out of there in a hurry."
Everyone in the large room was staring at her, eyes wide waiting for what she would say – or do – next. They were petrified of her, tensed in their chairs or standing braced for another blow.
She sighed, leaning back in her office chair. She could almost feel the tension die in the air as they all relaxed glad to know they wouldn't be eaten. "I guess that'll do for now…but I want him. Do you hear me? I want him here, alive, or my plan will never work."
"We also found something you might like to use," Havoc told her.
"Let me see it," she commanded, hoping for good news. Anything was considered good after this.
Gambit reached into his inner pocket, removing a blue bandana. He set it on her desk. Emma looked at it. By look alone it belonged to a girl. She picked it up, connecting to the being. Her eyes became glazed and she could see the girl. Her dark brown hair fashioning streaks of white at the bangs. A southern girl by the looks of it. She caught sight of a sandy blonde haired boy. His blue eyes looking at her the way only someone in love could. They were the other boy's friends, the one who was shot, but he wasn't dead. He was alive and well.
From this distance she couldn't get into her head. There was something blocking her from doing do, stopping her. She could feel it pushing her away, another telepathic, strong too, shoving her away.
Emma let go, letting out a sigh and rubbing her head from the headache that was forming. Damn him. He was too strong to take on from a far. She couldn't get hold of Tristian either. He was using some kind of mental barricade, something a hell of a lot stronger than she was.
She rubbed at her temples, suddenly weary. "Good work for now, the mutant is still alive. Don't do anything until I give you command. You may go," she waved one hand gesturing to the door that swung up gently.
Havoc and Gambit looked at each other, sharing a questioning glance, not knowing what to think of her reactions.
"Go now or I might reconsider your visit to Emplate," she told them, leaning her head heavily on her hand.
They nodded, leaving the room briskly.
She sighed, hitting the apple P on her computer. The printer behind her clicked and printed out the paper. Caliban grabbed it and handed it to her.
"Thank you dear," she set it on the table, briefly going over it then signing the bottom with her fountain pen. She folded the paper and shoved it into a cream colored envelope, sealing it with a stamp and writing a name on the front.
"Cane, Tabitha, come here," she commanded. The two quickly stood, not wanting to get on her growing bad side. They stood by the front of her desk and she held out the envelope. "Take this invitation to this address." She scribbled the address on a piece of paper and ripped it out of her notebook, handing it to Tabitha as Cane took the letter. "Tell him to call me if he has any questions, but don't harm anyone unless you are attacked without persuasion."
"Yes boss," Juggernaut nodded, reaching for his metal helmet.
"I wouldn't take that if I were you, Cane. As a matter of fact put on some regular clothes instead of your body armor," she told him, biting the end of her pen.
"Why do I" –
She gazed at him with her cold stare. He shut his mouth and nodded. "I'm on it."
"Thank you," she watched the two leave.
"What couldn't I go?" Stryfe asked her, sitting in one of the lounge chairs across the room.
"I didn't think it best for this guest. You would be too much of a temptation, Stryfe. Do me a favor though, go check up on the staff, make sure they're doing their job. They've been slacking off lately especially Ray, he's been giving me a hard time, trying to take my job from the Corporation and all. I own this business not him, make sure he knows that. You can be quite convincing," she grinned at him.
He smiled back, standing to his full height. His robotic being moving with heavy clinks, his shirt bulging, covering his half metal and human chest. His robotic hand squeezed into a fist. "I'll make sure he knows his place."
"Thank you," she smiled, listening to his heavy steps echo down the hall. She closed the door with a sweep of her hand and sighed. The day hadn't been a total disappointment. At least some things turned on right when others went wrong. Where one door closes others opened, that statement was true enough for her.
"Gambit and Havoc…What morons?" Cortez snickered shaking his head.
She looked at him wearily. "And I suppose you could have done better."
"Yes I could have," he leaned across her desk and she frowned at his grummy hands mucking up her fine rose wood tabletop. "You should send in the experienced not the delinquents."
She smiled coldly. "Remy and Alex are two of the best. I only have the best on my team, specially chosen by me."
"I am the best there is. I am the fastest, strongest, and most powerful here," he declared angrily, a vein popping out in his forehead.
"Stronger than me?" she crossed her arms over her chest.
"At times I think I'm of more intellect than you and I can turn your powers against you faster than you can blink," he threatened.
She smiled at him, crossing her legs. "I beg to differ with you Cortez. You are not the fastest, strongest, and most powerful…not here at least. You are starting to annoy me and anger me, you know what happens when I become upset."
He challenged her, "Try it. I'll kill you first. No one can stop me." His power began to rise inside him.
"So you say," her eyes flickered to the side. Cortez frowned turning his head. Caliban hit him, sending him flying across the length of the office, hitting the wall with such force it knocked a painting off the wall.
Cortez stood dazed and Caliban swung his leg, hitting him across the face, nearly breaking his nose off and repositioning it. Blood spurted from his nose in a crimson river.
Emma stood, putting a hand on Caliban's elbow to stop him. He paused looking down on her with his yellow irises then took a step back, seeing he did enough.
She crouched down next to Cortez who was clutching his nose in both hands and swearing more than a sailor. "I told you that you weren't the strongest but you had to go and open your mouth," she patted his shoulder. "Now you're bleeding all over my carpet and I'm getting severely pissed off," she glared at him with her blue eyes. "You know what happens when someone pisses me off a whole fucking lot, right Cortez?"
His eyes widened, "No," his blood choked voice spoke.
She hit his mind with a psychic beam, knocking him unconscious. She smiled standing to her feet looking down on him. Turning her head she peered at Caliban who bent and picked him up effortlessly.
Emma picked up the phone on her desk and hit a button. "Get someone up here to clean up the mess…thank you." She hung up and brushed a strand of blonde hair from her face delicately, smiling a Caliban. "What do you say we go pay dear Emplate a visit," she tapped Cortez's arm. "And bring him some dinner."
Caliban grinned, a rare gesture, flashing his sharp canine like teeth. "Sounds wonderful," he hissed following her out of the office. Emma was going to enjoy hearing him scream for his life as her creature drained his life and manipulated his DNA in a painful procedure. She was going to enjoy it thoroughly
~~~~~~~~~~~~~*******************~~~~~~~~~~
MORE TO COME
Meanwhile…
Frost sat at her desk, her long legs stretched out in front of her as she leaned back in her leather chair and twirled a pencil between her slender fingers. Her heels were off and laying discarded on the ground along with her black suit jacket and her skirt road up a bit, revealing the creamy white skin of her thighs. The others in the room stole glances at her, thinking she couldn't see, but she did and she loved the attention. She knew she looked like a Greek goddess bathing in luxury, even stole it like one by ridding herself of her sister. She let her eyes close and daydreamed of her soon to be sought victories. The mere thought of getting Tristian back made her feel all giddy inside.
The door to her office opened, pushing all thoughts aside as it was about to come true. She felt her pulse quicken in her throat as she anticipated the wait. She twirled the pencil between her fingers, biting her lower lip. Next to her Calban's black and yellow eyes stayed fixed on the door. He made a smirking noise and turned his head to the floor. Emma spared a glance at him before turning her head right as Gambit and Havoc walked in, shutting the door behind them.
Emma took a deep breath, eyes flickering to the door and then back at them. "Where's the boy?" Emma asked, looking at the door, praying someone would drag him through or give her good news. She didn't want to hear the bad news, it had been a bad enough day, this had to go right or she was back at the bottom.
Gambit glanced around, waiting for someone else to speak. He nudged Alex with his shoulder, flicking his red eyes at Emma then back at him, raising his eyebrows.
Havoc cleared his throat nervously. "We…uh…had a bit of a problem."
Emma sat forward, leaning across her desk, the pencil squeezed tight in her hand to the point her knuckles turned white. "What kind of problem?"
"They got away…all of them," Havoc muttered, looking at the ground.
The pencil in her hand snapped in half and Calban took a step back, sensing her power soar. Emma felt her power rise within her as her anger boiled and let it loose on the two. They flew back, being hit by an invisible force, hitting the floor hard, grunting. "YOU LET THEM WHAT?"
"It's not what you think," Havoc spoke quickly, getting to his feet.
"Where. Is. John?" she asked, speaking each word slowly. She shook her head, her frost eyes shooting daggers through them. "Tell me some good news or I swear on my life I will let Emplate feed off you completely."
"No, no need for that," Havoc put up his hands innocently. She could see the fear on his face as he ran one of his hands nervously through his blonde hair. The thought of Emplate touching him gave him nightmares. Emma liked that.
"'e 'as hurt, chere," Gambit stepped in, rubbing his aching shoulder.
Her frost eyes flickered to him, her gaze piercing his skin through his duster. She smiled with satisfaction as he shivered, rubbing his arms. "How bad?"
"'e 'as shot by the police," he told her.
"They thought he created the fire I threw at them," Havoc butted in. "They shot him. I couldn't see the damage but it had to be bad since they had the jet come in and take them out of there in a hurry."
Everyone in the large room was staring at her, eyes wide waiting for what she would say – or do – next. They were petrified of her, tensed in their chairs or standing braced for another blow.
She sighed, leaning back in her office chair. She could almost feel the tension die in the air as they all relaxed glad to know they wouldn't be eaten. "I guess that'll do for now…but I want him. Do you hear me? I want him here, alive, or my plan will never work."
"We also found something you might like to use," Havoc told her.
"Let me see it," she commanded, hoping for good news. Anything was considered good after this.
Gambit reached into his inner pocket, removing a blue bandana. He set it on her desk. Emma looked at it. By look alone it belonged to a girl. She picked it up, connecting to the being. Her eyes became glazed and she could see the girl. Her dark brown hair fashioning streaks of white at the bangs. A southern girl by the looks of it. She caught sight of a sandy blonde haired boy. His blue eyes looking at her the way only someone in love could. They were the other boy's friends, the one who was shot, but he wasn't dead. He was alive and well.
From this distance she couldn't get into her head. There was something blocking her from doing do, stopping her. She could feel it pushing her away, another telepathic, strong too, shoving her away.
Emma let go, letting out a sigh and rubbing her head from the headache that was forming. Damn him. He was too strong to take on from a far. She couldn't get hold of Tristian either. He was using some kind of mental barricade, something a hell of a lot stronger than she was.
She rubbed at her temples, suddenly weary. "Good work for now, the mutant is still alive. Don't do anything until I give you command. You may go," she waved one hand gesturing to the door that swung up gently.
Havoc and Gambit looked at each other, sharing a questioning glance, not knowing what to think of her reactions.
"Go now or I might reconsider your visit to Emplate," she told them, leaning her head heavily on her hand.
They nodded, leaving the room briskly.
She sighed, hitting the apple P on her computer. The printer behind her clicked and printed out the paper. Caliban grabbed it and handed it to her.
"Thank you dear," she set it on the table, briefly going over it then signing the bottom with her fountain pen. She folded the paper and shoved it into a cream colored envelope, sealing it with a stamp and writing a name on the front.
"Cane, Tabitha, come here," she commanded. The two quickly stood, not wanting to get on her growing bad side. They stood by the front of her desk and she held out the envelope. "Take this invitation to this address." She scribbled the address on a piece of paper and ripped it out of her notebook, handing it to Tabitha as Cane took the letter. "Tell him to call me if he has any questions, but don't harm anyone unless you are attacked without persuasion."
"Yes boss," Juggernaut nodded, reaching for his metal helmet.
"I wouldn't take that if I were you, Cane. As a matter of fact put on some regular clothes instead of your body armor," she told him, biting the end of her pen.
"Why do I" –
She gazed at him with her cold stare. He shut his mouth and nodded. "I'm on it."
"Thank you," she watched the two leave.
"What couldn't I go?" Stryfe asked her, sitting in one of the lounge chairs across the room.
"I didn't think it best for this guest. You would be too much of a temptation, Stryfe. Do me a favor though, go check up on the staff, make sure they're doing their job. They've been slacking off lately especially Ray, he's been giving me a hard time, trying to take my job from the Corporation and all. I own this business not him, make sure he knows that. You can be quite convincing," she grinned at him.
He smiled back, standing to his full height. His robotic being moving with heavy clinks, his shirt bulging, covering his half metal and human chest. His robotic hand squeezed into a fist. "I'll make sure he knows his place."
"Thank you," she smiled, listening to his heavy steps echo down the hall. She closed the door with a sweep of her hand and sighed. The day hadn't been a total disappointment. At least some things turned on right when others went wrong. Where one door closes others opened, that statement was true enough for her.
"Gambit and Havoc…What morons?" Cortez snickered shaking his head.
She looked at him wearily. "And I suppose you could have done better."
"Yes I could have," he leaned across her desk and she frowned at his grummy hands mucking up her fine rose wood tabletop. "You should send in the experienced not the delinquents."
She smiled coldly. "Remy and Alex are two of the best. I only have the best on my team, specially chosen by me."
"I am the best there is. I am the fastest, strongest, and most powerful here," he declared angrily, a vein popping out in his forehead.
"Stronger than me?" she crossed her arms over her chest.
"At times I think I'm of more intellect than you and I can turn your powers against you faster than you can blink," he threatened.
She smiled at him, crossing her legs. "I beg to differ with you Cortez. You are not the fastest, strongest, and most powerful…not here at least. You are starting to annoy me and anger me, you know what happens when I become upset."
He challenged her, "Try it. I'll kill you first. No one can stop me." His power began to rise inside him.
"So you say," her eyes flickered to the side. Cortez frowned turning his head. Caliban hit him, sending him flying across the length of the office, hitting the wall with such force it knocked a painting off the wall.
Cortez stood dazed and Caliban swung his leg, hitting him across the face, nearly breaking his nose off and repositioning it. Blood spurted from his nose in a crimson river.
Emma stood, putting a hand on Caliban's elbow to stop him. He paused looking down on her with his yellow irises then took a step back, seeing he did enough.
She crouched down next to Cortez who was clutching his nose in both hands and swearing more than a sailor. "I told you that you weren't the strongest but you had to go and open your mouth," she patted his shoulder. "Now you're bleeding all over my carpet and I'm getting severely pissed off," she glared at him with her blue eyes. "You know what happens when someone pisses me off a whole fucking lot, right Cortez?"
His eyes widened, "No," his blood choked voice spoke.
She hit his mind with a psychic beam, knocking him unconscious. She smiled standing to her feet looking down on him. Turning her head she peered at Caliban who bent and picked him up effortlessly.
Emma picked up the phone on her desk and hit a button. "Get someone up here to clean up the mess…thank you." She hung up and brushed a strand of blonde hair from her face delicately, smiling a Caliban. "What do you say we go pay dear Emplate a visit," she tapped Cortez's arm. "And bring him some dinner."
Caliban grinned, a rare gesture, flashing his sharp canine like teeth. "Sounds wonderful," he hissed following her out of the office. Emma was going to enjoy hearing him scream for his life as her creature drained his life and manipulated his DNA in a painful procedure. She was going to enjoy it thoroughly
~~~~~~~~~~~~~*******************~~~~~~~~~~
MORE TO COME