Disclaimer: Marvel Entertainment owns everything, with the exception of Cat who is my own creation. This is a work of fanfic, no copyright infringement intended.

Author's note. This story takes place in the altered reality ruled by Magneto and the HOUSE OF M, created by the reality-warping powers of the Scarlet Witch. As such, the histories and affiliations of some characters may have changed significantly. In this world, Cat is Second in command to Wolverine in the Mutant Controlled SHIELD Red Guard. She is also a Weapon X survivor.

Chapter 3 Cat

5 hours 40 minutes later

"You Cat?"

"Depends whose asking." The locker door closed, revealing a woman who appeared to be in her 30's as a maximum. She was easily identifiable form SHIELD publicity photos as Agent Cat, second in commander of the Red Guard. She was also, however easily recognisable from the photos in the Weapon X file.

"We need to talk about Scot Eaton."

"Can't help you, I'm afraid. I never met the guy."

"Despite his requesting 5 interviews with you?"

Cat shrugged, beginning to remove her black T-shirt. Her back SHIELD jacket with the Red M clearly visible on the Shelves was hung over her locker.

She noticed the uncomfortable look on Bishop's face.

"I'm due at a training session in 10 minutes. I only got permission to change because some newbie threw up on me. If you want to talk you'll have to do it while I change."

"Not overly eager to talk to us?" Bishop asked staring anyway but at the agent. They had spent the last 5 hours talking to project survivors. All had said the same thing.

"Like I said I'm in a hurry." Cat responded. Her ribs showed briefly though her skin, before a grey sleeveless top covered them.

"Bit strange," Lily said, as Cat bent down beginning to unbuckle her hoister on her leg.

"As we heard that you were the leader of the revolt."

Cat paused for a moment, lifting her head.

"By accident" she said.

"Care to tell us how?"

Keeping her head low, Cat continued to fiddle with her buckle.

"I was in a dark place."

The Weapon X project the past

"Fox" Cat whispered, "Fox"

She pushed her skeletal fingers though the bars, and poked at the motionless Native America. The female's head rolled at an impossible angle.

Long term abuse had deadened her senses, but she could still tell a living scent from a dead one. Silver Fox was dead.

Cat crawled back on all fours, back to her corner.

"Just me now." The part of her that was still human thought.

They had taken Wolverine away weeks ago. Mastodon had died 3 days ago. Maverick lay on his pallet in the next cell in the final throws of a fever. Now there was just her.

Footsteps and voices echoed along the dimly lit corridor. Cat retreated further back into her corner. Though her arms she could see the professor and two others. They were both male, and wore a uniform. Black with a double headed eagle, with symbols that she thought she recognised. But she ached too much to remember them.

A clatter of something metallic echoed on the floor as they passed, but none of them stopped. Something caught the light.

Cat crept forward, her human curiosity outweighing her animal terror.

The object lay on the concrete floor. Her arm was now thin enough to fit though the bars, grabbed the object and pull it. There was no mistaking the object. A knife.

She retreated further in her cell, clutching the knife to her chest.

"What did you do with the knife?" Bishop asked, so caught up in her story that he lowered his eyes.

Cat laid the hoister beside her on the bench.

"I lifted the knife and positioned it against the area of my throat." She lifted her head, "I can honestly say, hand on heart that was the only time I wanted to end my life."

"Then what happen?" Lily asked.

Cat began to fiddle with the straps of her leg guards. They resembled an armadillo's shell, with straps at the knee and ankle, and a clip to release the rest of them.

"I drove the knife into my throat. There was a huge wave of pain and blood and then suddenly the world went black." She paused, and removed the guard, laying it beside her hoister.

"Then I woke up," she continued calmly. "And the world was different."
"How?"

"I could see, hear, smell, better than I had in months." Picking up on the confusion on the officers' faces, or more probably in their scents, she explained "we all wore huge collars around our necks, to stop us using our powers. They were heavy, but they had a design flaw. The mechanism responsible for them working was exposed, right in front of the jugular. They didn't see it as a problem, as the collars had these two huge metal plates above and below the collar proper, so we had no chance of reaching the wires, until" she said, laying the other leg guard aside and wrapping the towel she was sitting on around her waist, " I got the knife."

"When was this?"

"About a month, maybe two before all the trouble." She raised haunted eyes to them. "Time had no meaning down there." She said.

"Do you still have the knife?"

"Nope. Passed it on first chance I got."

"Who to?"

"Deadpool. Now" she said, getting to her feet and pulling up the green combat trousers. "If you'll forgive me Wolverine is not a guy who likes waiting."

"One final question" Bishop said as she shoved stuff into her locker. "Why did you refuse to see Scot Eaton?"

Cat turned as she left.

"I already knew what his questions would be," she replied "and I didn't have any answers he'd like."

TBC