The Nine Tailed Foxx
Chapter 14
((A/N: No, I haven't forgotten about my other stories. Just waiting on one muse to step back and let others have some time.
A wonderful thanks to my friend Lady Moonhawke, who is also my co-writer, co-conspirator, Idea tester, plot hole finder, monkey wrench thrower, and ghost editor.))
Ashes Ashes We All Fall Down
Middle of the Second Week of February…..
Consciousness was slow to return to Johnny.
The first time, it was the rawness of his own mind that sent him back to the darkness. It was like he'd been scalded with acid. Memories once old and buried were fresh and vivid. Emotions were closer to the surface, newer and easily triggered. When he woke the second time, it was his body that decided he didn't need to be awake just yet. When he moved, his head throbbed in time to his heartbeat, his neck felt twisted, his muscles stiff, and he didn't even want to think about the amount of bruises he had. Laying still, everything didn't hurt as much. When he finally woke for the last time, yes the pain was still there and yes his mind was still feeling tender but not as bad as it once was.
Slowly cracking an eye open, Johnny was prepared for the typical bright white of a medical area. Instead he found that the lights had been dimmed quite a bit. A soft groan escaped when he shifted, lifting an arm to drape over his eyes. He was debating on whether or not he wanted to even try sitting up, much less escaping to his room. He noticed the subtle movement to one side of the bed after several minutes.
"Good, you're awake."
Johnny just grunted in response, still in debate with himself.
"Do you want to stay here overnight or return to your room?" The sound of a page turning accompanied the low spoken words.
"What's the difference?" Johnny asked as he lifted his arm away from his face. His voice sounding a bit hoarse, but that could have been from just waking up.
"Overnight observation to be sure there are no complications, or the comfort of your own bed since there is very little I can offer you in the way of pain relief due to your secondary mutation." Bruce looked up from his book, over the top of his glasses.
"Primary, but it's considered passive mutation," Johnny commented, eyes closing as he let himself drift. He must have fallen asleep again for the next thing he knew was the soft murmur of a conversation and the scent of herbal tea. Turning his head, he blinked a few times to clear his eyes as he made out the forms of Natasha and Bruce not far away. "... Does Clint have Alexei?... And what time is it?" he asked.
"Early evening and yes," Nat replied, turning to regard the man in the bio-bed. "How are you feeling?" she inquired.
Johnny thought about it for a few moments before answering. "Like a herd of drumm happy, hyperactive kids used me as a birthday pinata." It took him a few tries and more than a few minutes to actually sit up and swing his legs over the side of the bed. Pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes, he let the pain settle before he tried to move again. "Find what you were looking for?" He asked, seriously thinking of throwing in the towel and remaining here in medical.
Nat shrugged eloquently, not answering the question asked as she sipped her tea. "Think you can make it back to your room?"
"Couldn't say, haven't made it to my feet yet….Would he be willing to keep Alexei overnight?"
Nat moved her head back and forth, lips pursed thoughtfully. "I think he might be convinced to take him." She hid her smile behind the mug as she took another sip.
Bracing his hands on the side of the bed, Johnny slid to his feet with a wince. Taking a few cautions steps, he nodded to himself. "Yeah, I can make it to my room," he said and proceeded to do just that.
A hot shower later, Johnny was sitting on his bed, working a long sleeved sleep shirt down over his torso. He was tired but he didn't think he could sleep just yet. Leaning forward, he placed his elbows on his knees and rubbed his face. Looking up through fringe of hair, he watched at Natasha exited the bathroom. "Are you expected to be anywhere any time soon?" he asked.
Leaning against the doorframe, Nat crossed her arms over her chest, head titled to the side. "No," she answered.
"Would you allow me some of your time before you go?" Johnny asked, honestly expecting to be refused.
Nat raised an eyebrow slightly at his request. It could be interpreted in a variety of ways, but she remembered Johnny's comment about being denied simple, intimate touch because of what Doom had done. He was turning out to be an amusing little side project. Malleable with just enough rigidity that breaking and training him wasn't boring. The few morals he had, he upheld with a stubborn refusal to break that could match Steve point for point. And it was a bonus that he was pleasant on the eye in a natural, if a little exotic, sort of way. (Though not like it mattered though with today's advances in plastic surgery.) She pushed off the doorframe, uncrossing her arms as she did and slowly walked closer. Her every move was one of subtle seduction. "And what would you do with that time?" She asked, lowering her voice as she did.
Johnny let out a small laugh. "Live it for all its worth." He glanced away then back. "Without doing something so stupid that it costs me more than I've gained."
"Hmm…" A gleam of amusement lite Nat's eyes as she positioned herself between Johnny's legs. "A little late for that…" she said teasingly as she draped her arms over his shoulders, fingers playing with his hair. "But, I think we can work something out." She had absolutely no guilt or remorse about using him anyway she pleased. Especially when this was all an act to get her what she wanted.
Careful to avoid skin contact, Johnny slid his arms around Nat's waist, turning his head to one side as he rested it against her stomach.
One hand buried itself in Johnny's hair as the other trailed up and down his back and across his shoulders. "You know," Nat began, amusement evident in her voice, "What he did to you has no effect on me."
Johnny hummed lightly. "Not that lucky…" he murmured. "So cold it burns. And feels weird, like pissants crawling across my skin." He shifted one hand so it lay on the material between her shoulder blades.
It was Nat's turn to humm as she filed the information away. When she leaned back, he let her go, though she kept her arms over his shoulders. She nodded to the bed before she stepped away. Once he was stretched out, she joined him there. She positioned herself so that she lay three quarters on top of him. With her chin resting on his chest and her knee in just the right place to tease mercilessly or to cause excruciating pain, she ran a teasing finger across cloth covered skin. "Welcome to my parlor said the spider to the fly."
One arm looped about her waist, Johnny tucked the other under his head. "I am under no illusion that I am anything other than at your mercy," he returned. The physical presence of someone so intimately close, was a soothing balm.
"Tell me," Nat whispered secretively, "How good of a kisser would you say Steve was? Tell me what else you noticed…."
That was an unexpected question. One that had him laughing for several minutes and wiping tears from his eyes. "Oh gods, you had to ask," he replied breathlessly. "Why am I even answering you?"
"Be cause I asked nicely," Nat smirked, bringing her knee up a fraction.
Johnny got the message nice and clear. "Ummhmm… he needs practice….someone's going to need to have patience when teaching him….." He bit his lip to stop from saying the rest of what he wanted to say.
Nat poked him in the side, dead center of a bruise. "Go on."
"He's definitely hetero. Not even interested in experimenting if his reaction was anything to go by…." Johnny wiggled, settling more comfortably, foot flat on the mattress, knee bent. "Nice ass that goes along with an equally nice packa-aah!" He winced, sucking in a hissed breath. "Hey, I did get a handful to go with that kiss, and just because he terrifies me doesn't mean I haven't looked." He reached down to rub the spot Nat poked. "I mean, it's totally unfair. An entire group of gorgeous, drool worthy men and women all located in one place and I can't touch a single one. Completely unfair."
"You… are… incorrigible..." Nat accented each word with a poke. "Even Tony?"
"You did ask….and yes, even him. I bet he's kinky as hell too…."
When Nat finally left almost two hours later, Johnny was sprawled out dead to the world (figuratively, not literally). While he was almost disappointingly easy to interrogate, she did admit to herself, she hadn't been asking for anything she didn't already know. She stopped by her rooms long enough to get a quick shower, then change into something else before grabbing her work laptop before heading up to Clint's rooms. Long time partners or not, she still politely waited for him to open his door. "Hey," she greeted as she slipped in past him. "Thanks for taking Alexei tonight."
"Hey yourself and sure. Any problems?" Clint asked as he closed and secured the door. He made his way over to the coffee pot to refill his cup. As he did, he offered Nat a mug. All the Avengers had their own micro-kitchens as part of their rooms, for the times they didn't want to be sociable with the rest of the team.
"None," Nat said as she sat down at the small table to set up her work laptop. "Yes please." She glanced at the large cork board that hung over the table, noting the US Map and a trail of darts that lead from the western seaboard across to New York. "Hard at work I see," she commented with a grin.
Clint shrugged, "It works."
"Oh," Nat turned to look at Clint, waiting for the perfect moment. "Johnny said that you, and I quote, would make someone a fine sugar daddy, end quote."
Clint had just taken a sip of coffee when Nat said that, causing him to do a spit take. "Shit!" he grabbed a towel off the counter and started to wipe himself down. "What the hell 'Tasha?" he demanded between coughs. "That was uncalled for."
Nat was smirking as she turned back to her laptop. "Ok, to be fair he was more than half asleep and he said you'd make a great father, just from watching you interact with Alexei. And speaking of, did he give you any trouble tonight?"
"A little fussy but he may start teething soon, so par for the course," Clint said as he made Nat's coffee the way she liked. He joined her at the table, looking up at the map. "I'm not sure if I got the starting point right, but it feels…." He waggled his hand.
After accepting the cup, Nat took a sip, enjoying the flavor. She looked up again at the map and stood. "It starts… here," she said pointing to the large cluster that represented New York. "This is where I first met him in Spring of '06 and where he first came to Doom's attention." After sitting back down at the table, she set the cup to the side and brought up the relevant files on her laptop. "Here," she swung it around for Clint to see. "Winter of '05 was rather harsh. He and several others took it upon themselves to deliver food, blankets and other items to the Latverian Embassy. All the individuals were given free access into and out of the place. Apparently with Doom's blessings."
Cling flipped through the pictures attached to the file. His eyes darted from picture to picture until he arranged them side by side across the screen. Johnny was just one of several people shown. "Notice anything?"
"Yeah, they all look similar," Nat replied. "Except for this one," she pointed to the young woman walking side by side with a much younger Johnny. "Dirty blonde hair, obviously caucasian, and shorter stature when compared to the taller, darker complexions and hair of the rest."
"What's Johnny's official ethnicity?"
Nat swung the laptop back around, clicking open another file. "Says here, White, Other - American Romani."
"Do we have anything on Doom?" Clint asked, once more looking at the map.
The sound of keys being tapped filled the silence as Nat searched. "Nothing concrete before his entry into the US under a student Visa. There's some speculation and noted rumors but…." The tip of her tongue poked out ever so slightly as she made her way through the files. She finally located a poor quality image of a young Victor von Doom and an equally young Richard Reed standing together in front of some sort of machine. "Take a look," She said. "How much would you be willing to bet, he's also Romani?"
"Not taking that. But add it to the files anyways under speculation. Give the data pushers something to chase after," Clint said. "Alright, started here in New York City. Where do you feel it goes from there?" he motioned to the map.
"Here," Nat said, standing up and tapping the dart located along the western coast of Canada. "Then down to here," she trailed her finger down to the Seattle Washington area.
It was closing in on midnight when the pair called a halt for the night. Neither one was yet willing or trusting enough to allow Johnny up to their rooms so the decision was made to continue in his. The map was left up but the general route was noted down. Just in case either had any more flashes of insight.
Mid morning the next day, Johnny cracked the door open to stare bleary eyed at the pair plus one. He opened the door fully and waved them in with a hoarse grunt. He held out his arms and was passed a tired, cranky Alexei. He started towards the kitchenette area for a bottle but shifted directions when Clint informed him that the baby had already been fed. Fifteen minutes later, Johnny reemerged from his bedroom, sans baby, to head to table. He nodded his thanks as he was passed a cup of strong coffee. It didn't take long before the caffeine kicked in and he was more aware.
"Why is it, caffeine which is very technically a drug, works on you but everything else doesn't?" Nat asked.
Johnny shrugged, "It's a natural occurring substance. Synthetic drugs don't work on me, natural ones do. There was a lot of trial and error involved in figuring out what does and does not work on me. I'd rather not go through that again."
Like with any useful bit of information, Nat filed it away in her mind. "Wait, what about a topical analgesic? Those work on you."
"Because it's topical.. yeah I know, it doesn't make sense. But anything synthetic that is inhaled, injected or ingested doesn't work, topical…" Johnny reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose. He really hated giving up so much information. "...inhaled substances can be dangerous. Very dangerous. I spent something like two weeks on a breathing machine when they tested some concoction of herb infused saline in an inhaler device. If you can locate those original test results…" He made a motion with his hand as if to say good luck finding them.
"That sounds like a challenge," Nat replied. "I like a good challenge."
Running a hand down his face, Johnny took a deep breath and slowly let it out as he had to remind himself over and over he could trust them. That he had to trust them if he wanted any sort of life outside of a maximum security prison. "Bastion Sinclaire. GDI. An office in New York, but main company was located internationally. Last I heard, he had finally been assassinated three and a half, almost four, years ago. His hobbies included genetic engineering and human trafficking." He very carefully set the partially full mug down on table, got up and stalked into his bedroom, closing the door gently behind him.
"Well, that certainly explains some things," Clint commented before taking a sip of his own coffee that Nat had fixed. "Pull up his file again," he said.
"Already on it," Nat replied with a frown as she scanned the decade old information. "I'd say he's taking the SHIELD recruitment offer as an alternative to The Cube pretty well all things considered," she said as she handed Clint the laptop.
Clint let out a soft whistle as he read the highlighted section. SHIELD was the one that handed Johnny back to the very person he'd been on the run from the beginning. "Where are you going?" he asked, looking up from the screen as Nat stood up.
"To find some answers," Nat said. She crossed to the bedroom door and tested the doorknob. It was unlocked. The bedroom was dark, the windows in blackout mode so the sound of the shower and the light from the partially open bathroom was a good indication of where Johnny was at. She slipped through the door and glanced around before hauling herself up onto the counter to wait.
"What?"
"What happened?"
"At what point do you want me to start?" Johnny replied sarcastically.
Nat wasn't bothered by his current attitude. He was lashing out instead of bottling it up. Neither one was the healthiest of options, but it was easier to deal with. "You do realize you are standing in water, correct?" she asked. "It isn't that hard to make it look like an accident."
"As far as I could ever discover, my father worked for the bastard. Pulling heists or doing guard duty. Whichever was needed. It was the only way I was kept out of the bastard's hands. It didn't work. I had to have been three or four at the time, I don't remember. Got sick, no one could figure out why and nothing worked." Johnny rinsed off one last time then shut the water off. He didn't really give a damn that Natasha was there, it wasn't like she hadn't seen anything he had before anyways. "No one could prove it, but the unspoken thought was that the bastard was the one that caused it. My father had very few options by that time. I was handed over and, oh look, a month later I was cured," he snorted as he slicked the water out of his hair then grabbed a towel to finish drying it. "The records I could find indicated my father died in a heist gone wrong. Shot by the local cops it said."
"He became your guardian." It was a tight lipped smile Nat got in return. "Bruce told me you said your resistance to drugs was your primary mutation."
Tossing the towel over the shower bar, Johnny grabbed a second one, wrapping it around his waist. "Between the time I was 'cured' and the time I hit puberty, the bastard decided I needed 'improving'. I was one of the lucky ones I guess, or maybe one of the unlucky ones. I survived with my sanity intact and got the nifty little ability to sense movement for all the hell I was put through. Not what he wanted when compared to the others."
"What did you do?"
"Made the most of what I had and ran with it. He brought in a few professionals, trained me to take my father's place as his sneak thief. Worked a little too well, I learned how to get away from him. After that, he put me under the care of his pet assassins. Turned out, they weren't too happy with him either. They taught me here and here, went on jobs with em while other kids my age were whining about having to go to school." He walked out of the bathroom, going about the bedroom selecting what he was going to wear.
Nat followed, slipping easily off the counter top and padding silently behind him. "What did you learn?"
"That I was better at infiltration, distractions and stealing then I was with wetwork. Don't get me wrong, I can do it. SHIELD has proof of that, but I can't stomach it. I don't have the mindset or the heart except on rare occasions."
"Like the cheap asshole who sent you on that job in Hell's Kitchen."
Johnny paused in dressing, casting a glance in the direction of Alexei's crib. "Yeah, like him. But even then, I left it up to the fates. He had a chance to survive." He resumed dressing.
"What happened after you were released from SHIELD custody?" Nat asked, watching as Johnny fussed with the cuffs of the poet shirt he'd put on. She walked over to him and slapped his hand out of the way. She kept him focused on what she wanted and not distracted by inconsequential things like cuff ties.
"Got picked up again for another job. Playing server at some business man's party. The guy's wife was pushing him to get in on some organization or something. Kept harping about money and power and how marrying her kid off to some other CEO's kid could get them even more." Johnny sat down on the bed to pull on a pair of thin leather boots. "Needless to say I meet the daughter. Nine months later I had a real reason to stay the hell out of the bastards hands. Lasted two years before he caught up to me and her. I beat the bastard though. Had plans laid and everything. Got her to Japan where I was able to hand her over to her great grandmother. Severed all rights. And what really pissed him off, he couldn't touch her. Not without angering an entire business clan that had enough power to shed light on what he was doing." Standing up, he ran a hand through his still damp hair, searching the room for something. What, he wasn't sure of just yet, but he'd know it when he found it. "I guess I must have really tripped his trigger by doing that." He made a quick gesture to himself. "He tried to push the limit but it just backfired on him. He couldn't make me into what he wanted so he gave me over to his psychotic pet bitch to use as a chew toy. Gave me a real good reason to hate canines of any type, but I don't.. can't…" He was opening drawers, rifling through the content then closing them. "Ahha!" He'd found what he was looking for. Boot laces and glow sticks.
"Since you're here, you must have escaped again." Nat watched as he measured the laces then tied them to the glow sticks. "Where'd you go?"
Johnny looked up at Nat from what he was doing. "Umhm…. Somewhere north of Vancouver… down to Seattle...A few places in.. Nevada.. I think.. don't remember." He made a vaguely north easterly gesture. "Followed the jobs I could take. Then… heh… Got fucked again… No one would hire me because of some previously secret files showed up on the internet. What Jobs I was offered… beggars can't be choosers. That's how I ended up here again in New York… Mirela's father contacted me and… you know the rest at this point…." He scrubbed his face with his hands before snatching up the glow sticks. "Stay or go, your choice. Alexei's good for a couple of hours still…." He was out the bedroom door, across the room and out the front door in seconds.
Down on the seventy ninth floor, Tony Stark leaned back on the stool he was sitting on as he chewed on his thumb nail. "FRIDAY, honey, make sure no one crosses his path as you direct him up to the dance studio in the gym." Jumping up, he started pacing the lab in thought. "Copy everything to my private server as well then clear the data. Don't want Legolas or Itsy Bitsy to suspect anything."
"Yes sir. Anything else?"
"Yeah. Record it and monitor him, make sure he doesn't do anything crazy stupid."
"Like you sir?"
"Ha ha, funny…. start searching for everything you can find on GDI and Bastion Sinclaire as well."
An hour later, Steve entered the gym only to pause. He reached up and stuck a finger in his ear to try and clear it some. No such luck. The music coming from the dance studio was fast paced and loud enough to be heard through closed doors. Different from what Tony liked though. More club, less classic rock. In fact no one on the team listened to anything like it as far as he knew. "Damn it…" he muttered. He approached the doors so he could ask the kid to turn it down. He had to stop short when the doors didn't open. "FRIDAY?"
"Yes Captain Rogers?"
"Could you open the doors please?"
"I apologize Captain Rogers. Access, including visual and/or audio, to anyone other than Agent Romanoff or Agent Barton has been denied upon Sir's orders."
Steve clamped his lips closed as he crossed his arms. Nodding he walked away. "I see…." So far, Doom was doing a damned good job of coming between everyone on the team. And he wasn't even present to watch.
The number of punching bags usually ordered nearly tripled that week.