I would like to take this time to thank all of my readers. I am aware that I have not done that yet and for that I apologize. I have been so caught up in writing that I did not even think about it. Without you I would not be doing this so thank all of you. Please review and let me know what you think I am always interested in your opinions.
Beverly Hills California
I drove toward Hunters house and parked a few streets away. Once again I snuck into the gated community and through backyards and over fences until I reached my destination. He upgraded his security system since the last time but nothing I cant bypass easily. He should really just spend the extra money on something a little more high tech. I didn't bother with the back door this time and instead opened his front door with the bump key I came back and made after my first visit. I walked in and after realizing no one was home I decided to give Hunter a call.
"This better be good." He said angrily from the other end of the line.
"Get home now, I am sitting on our sofa and I do not like to wait." I said and hung up the phone.
Ten minutes later the front door opened. I stood up from the leather sofa and walked out to meet Hunter. Too bad for him I have some bad news.
"Ahh Bullet I assume you have made a decision?" Hunter asked through a toothy grin.
"I have but you will be disappointed. I am refusing your contract and I am here to inform you that Mr. Lee is to remain unharmed. He is a well respected member of his community and a family man and an overall good person. I do not know the full reason for you wanting him dead but I suggest you get over it and move on." I said and his grin turned to a frown.
"I am sorry to hear that Bullet but you are too late. You see much like yourself I am not a patient man. I grew tired of waiting and put another plan into motion. As we speak Cheung Lee is on his way to the hospital in critical condition they are afraid he is not going to make it." Hunter responded with an evil glare.
"I didn't say another word but rushed from the house and immediately pulled my phone from my back pocket. I pulled up the tracker and locked on the signal to the bug I placed in Cheung Lee's car. I ran back to my rental car and jumped in quickly before speeding off in the direction the tracker led me to. I sped through traffic in a hurry to get there, not that there is anything I can do, the wreck already happened. I arrived at the wreck to see the car mangled beyond any hope of it being repaired. The whole front end was smashed in the window was broken out and judging by the pool of blood in the middle of the road that the police were trying to keep onlookers from seeing Cheung Lee was thrown from the car. The SUV that he hit was in bad condition as well but the driver seemed to be fine. I got back into my car and turned around. I turned on the listening device to see if I could gather any more information about the wreck. It was nothing but police telling onlookers to back away from the scene of the accident. I will keep the bug on for now but from what I have seen I believe I already know what caused the Wreck. There were no signs of skid marks or any other attempt to stop from Cheung Lee's car it seems to me his brake lines were cut. I already have a pretty good idea exactly who it was that did it. Reno, and Molokai, fucking amateurs. Unfortunately amateurs or not the may have gotten the job done. Police are not stupid they will realize this was no accident ad they will look into what happened. I am sure some rookies like the two idiots left some evidence behind pointing right to them. Not much I can do right now time to retire to my hotel.
The next day
I woke up the next morning and turned on the television something I rarely did as it always filled my head with information I don't care to know. A few minutes into the Local news and a story caught my attention.
"A local man taken the emergency room yesterday in critical condition due to a traffic collision has been pronounced dead this morning from injuries received. The Woman in the car with the driver was pronounced dead at the scene." A news reporter said and I can only Imagine what Jubilee is going through, it must be extremely rough on her.
I activated the bug that was inside of the car and played back some of what it recorded until a conversation got my attention.
"Have you found anything that may have caused the crash yesterday? We have two dead bodies on our hands and you know as well as I do it was no accident." A man asked someone else in the room.
"Nothing yet, I will let you know the moment I find something." The second voice replied.
"Why didn't you tell him?" A third man then asked the second after the first left.
"Because I am being paid not to. If you know what is good for you, you will keep it a secret too." The second man then said and I threw the phone angrily, Its not often that I get angry but I felt like smashing something. Too bad my phone could get shot and not suffer a scratch.
I turned off the television and the bug I planted in the car and headed out to get some fresh air. I drove to a local park determined to get some peace and quiet. It was early enough in the morning that very few people were out. I pulled up and parked and began to get out of the car when I saw the last people I expected to see. Hunter, Reno and Molokai were sitting on a bench obviously discussing something. I walked to my trunk and grabbed the rifle I sent to myself at the hotel. I walked toward a tree line and entered the wooded area. I made sure I stayed out of sight and climbed into a tree to get a good vantage point. I put the rifle to my shoulder and looked through the sight until I fixed Hunter's forehead into the crosshairs of the optic. I took a deep breath and made a measurement of the distance between each of the three men so I could quickly take out all three of them. My finger began to tense on the trigger when suddenly I heard a voice. Normally I am much more aware I should have known the man was present.
"Forgive me but I do not think that is the way." The man said and I lowered my rifle before looking down at the man in his wheel chair.
"Yea I believe it is. If you are a little squeamish and do not wish to see what is about to happen then I suggest you don't look." I said and he didn't even turn away.
"My name Is Charles Xavier, I think we should talk." He responded calmly.
"So talk Charles, I am not stopping you." I replied lifting the rifle back up and sighting in Hunter again.
"I represent a group of Mutants known as the X-men and I would like to extend to you an offer to join us. We help to defend the Mutant and Human population from threats whether they are Mutant, Human or others." He said and I chuckled.
"Go sell your bullshit to someone else. You are not the first to reach out to me. First Shield, they kidnapped me but I made sure they would not attempt such an act again, and then some Asshole that called himself Magneto, he was not very friendly either but he received punishment for his rudeness. What is your game plan? Do you plan to attack me because I have to tell you Charles that will not end well for you." I said taking a deep breath. "Tell your men to be on high alert because what you say next could be your last words." I then said noticing the way Charles held up his hand to stop an approaching team.
"You are clever but I did not bring them along to attack you. They are merely standing by incase things should turn out for the worst." Charles explained keeping his breathing and voice calm to show me he was no threat. "While I realize there are casualties in every battle I do not believe in killing in cold blood." He then said turning his attention back to the situation at hand.
"Its not cold blood." I explained but lowered the rifle again trying to figure out why this man has not left yet or called in his team.
"Revenge then?" He then asked.
"Try retribution." I answered.
"So you are punishing those men. What did they do to deserve such a fate if you don't mind me asking?" He asked.
"Long story." I responded finding the conversation amusing.
"I can pull the information from your head if that would make it easier for you." He suggested and I smirked.
"You are more than welcome to try." I said and he placed a finger to each of his temples.
"Aghhh!" He screamed in pain. "Scott, Logan stand down." He then said as I turned and trained my rifle on a muscular hairy man that came running through the trees followed by a taller leaner man with red sunglasses.
"My mind operates at too high of a speed for anyone else to comprehend. I shouldn't have done that I knew what would happen, I have had experience with a telepath once before. He wound up in a coma, you must be rather powerful to still be conscious." I said and he turned his head back to look at me.
"No matter the outcome of today I believe you can be a great ally in the fight for mutant rights and my offer will be there if you should change your mind. He said before turning with help from the man in the sunglasses. It was then that I recognized Logan.
"Hey feral, keep your ear to the ground." I then said and he looked up at me and let out a small growl before following the others from the woods. I lifted my rifle back up to end the lives of the three men at the park bench but they were gone.
"Damn it." I said audibly as I climbed down from the tree branch and began to make my way back to the rental car. Oh well they deserve something more up close and personal anyway. I can always track them down another time.
Detroit Michigan 6 months later
I have been doing a lot more jobs lately ridding the world of people that don't deserve to inhabit it. I never took much joy in my work but it pays extremely well and it is all I have known. Lately however I have been doing many more jobs and making myself much more accessible. I keep thinking about Jubilee and how happy she was and carefree while she was performing in her gymnastics competition and knowing the whole time that her parents died while on their way to watch her. That is why I have been taking more jobs, to rid the world of people like Hunter Brawn, maybe I can prevent another family from suffering the same fate. I keep thinking it will make me feel better punishing the evil but I still feel empty inside. I have never felt this way before but it seems like with every person I kill there are two more to take their place and I need to find another way. A full bottle of whiskey down and I feel numb but my mind is at ease. I picked up my phone and dialed a number I found when doing some research.
"Hello." The voice from the other end of the line answered.
"Charles, I do not know if you remember me but we met 6 months ago." I said and I didn't hear anything for a few seconds.
"Bullet, I am sorry but I do not know your real name?" He questioned.
"Neither do I. I forged some documentation and took the name Jason Woodbury but I would prefer it if you call me bullet. I was wondering if that offer is still on the table." I responded and he didn't hesitate in his reply this time.
"In fact it is. Does this mean you are going to take me up on it?" He questioned and I thought for a second.
"Its up in the air, I will come check out your facility and we will talk in person. Have a good night Charles." I responded and prepared to hang up.
"When shall I be expecting you?" He asked and I didn't really put much thought into it but I don't see anything against tomorrow morning.
"Tomorrow." I said and Hung up the phone before he could ask anything else. I packed up a few of my guns and a few other essentials before walking to my car and heading east toward New York City.
West Chester County, New York
1407 Graymalkin Lane, The Xavier Institute for higher learning. The old man forgot to mention that the facility the X-men trains at was a school but I did pick that up from the research I have done. I reached a large gate but saw no Buzzer or way to get in touch with someone inside. I drove through the night and I am getting in. The fence surrounded the whole multi hundred acre property so I decided to climb the fence. As I did a loud alarm began to blare. Automated turrets began to raise from the ground and Suddenly I heard a computerized voice.
"Stop where you are and Identify yourself." The computerized voice demanded.
"Bullet." I answered.
"Codename Bullet not recognized. Voice Identification not recognized." It said and the turrets pointed directly at me. Normally they wouldn't be much of a problem but the alcohol I have been drinking is limiting my brains functioning ability at the moment and I do not know if I will survive an attack right now.
"Jason Woodbury." I tried again.
"Name Not recognized, Voice identification not recognized." The voice said and suddenly the turrets opened fire. I quickly ran to avoid the bullets. Thankfully the turrets did not rotate as quickly as I was able to move but they were right behind me. I made a bee-line for the trees hoping to find some cover when suddenly another turret popped up from the ground directly in front of me. I dove over it and rolled back to my feet. Before it could turn and get a lock on me I was in the trees and the gunfire stopped. I pulled two pistols one from a holster on my hip and the second from a holster on my ankle. I quickly changed the mags in the guns to my explosive rounds. Time to fight fire with fire. I leaned out from behind a tree and focused on the location of the turrets barrel. I fired a round directly down the barrel and destroyed one of the turrets. I leapt out from cover and rand back across the lawn. Another turret popped up and I fired two more rounds one from each gun. One hit the turret itself but without an internal explosion in the barrel they did little damage. Shit I need to focus, my aim is off right now. The gun opened fire and I dove to the side firing another two rounds. One rang true and destroyed another turret. I ran toward the mansion institute itself before a turret mounted above the door on the building focused on me. I took aim and before I could fire a round it shut down. I thought I was in the clear when suddenly a bright flash of red light flew past my head. I turned and took aim directly at the source of the blast. The man with the red sunglasses from 6 months ago.
"That was a warning shot, Lower your guns." He demanded but I don't think I am going to take his advice.
"You wont get a warning shot, Lower your eyes." I countered and he turned a dial on the side of his visor.
"Snikt." I heard coming from the front door of the mansion and the hairy man from 6 months ago stood in a fighting stance brandishing 6 claws made of a metal I am very familiar with. Suddenly lightning streaked across the sky as a dark skinned woman with snow white hair flew down from a balcony on the third floor. I pointed one of guns at her figuring I could take her and the one named Scott out before The one named Logan could advance far enough to do any damage then I could take him hand to hand. Before anyone could react my guns were ripped from my hands by a redhead pressing her fingertips to either side of her head. I reached for the spare I kept tucked in my waistband at my back prepared for action.
"X-men stand down." Charles said as he wheeled out of the front door and past Logan. "Bullet, It has been a while since a single man has raised my security to a Defcon 2 status. I would like to apologize for the extreme measures taken but given what we do here we can never be too careful. Are you alright?" He then asked with a concerned look on his face.
"I am fine, it was actually quite fun. I haven't been tested like that in quite a while." I said as I withdrew my hand from my last remaining pistol.
"Fun huh." Logan grunted amused as he eased slightly and pulled a cigar from his shirt pocket.
"I wasn't planning on coming so early and I stopped at the gate but saw no way of getting in touch with anyone inside so I hopped the fence. I wasn't expecting what awaited me on the other side. Hell of a security setup you have here." I said taking in the people standing around. None of them seemed like much of a threat at a first glance but I knew as a team they could be dangerous, and one I knew to be extremely dangerous by himself.
"Yes it recognizes students and faculty here but seeing as how you are neither and I was not expecting you for at least a few hours I didn't have any visitors logged and it saw you as a threat." He explained and I just shook it off.
"No problem Charles, Now I will take my guns back Red, before this whole thing that started as a misunderstanding gets reignited." I said turning to jean as my guns floated in the air out of my reach. Scott's hand when back to his visor and my hand when back to my remaining pistol. The wind started to blow strongly and Logan along with another Large blue mutant that accompanied Charles took a fighting stance again.
"I don't suppose I could talk you into letting me place them in a safe place while you are touring here?" Charles asked me.
"Sorry Charles but I don't have the abilities that some of your mutants here have and seeing as how we already began on the wrong foot I would feel much better with them." I said ready to pull the gun from behind my back.
"Very well. Jean give the man his weapons." Charles then said to the red head.
"Professor?" Scott asked.
"Its quite alright Scott, Bullet here will not be a threat. And I would prefer him to feel as safe as possible while he is here. Those weapons did in fact save his life." Charles then said and my guns fell from the air. I caught them both and holstered them as a show of good faith. "Bullet I would like for you to meet the X-men. This here is..." He began to say.
"Jean grey, Scott Summers, Ororo Munroe, Henry McCoy and Logan." I answered and Logan growled.
"How the hell do you know our names?" Logan asked as his claws began to emerge again.
"Long story, perhaps another time. Charles you mentioned a tour?" I asked and he smiled before gesturing for me to follow him and he headed inside.
Xavier's Office
"So bullet, you have seen the security, the grounds and most of the facility, I would hope that your decision has been swayed." Charles said sitting at his desk while I walked around his office taking in my surroundings and memorizing every minute detail down to the grain of the wood.
"I must say this is an impressive place. I would like to take you up on your offer however I can not stay here. There are too many students and too much to take in. If I had to deal with all of that nonstop on a daily basis my mutation would overload causing extreme headaches and stress." I explained and he nodded his head.
"I see, What did you have in mind? A house outside of the mansion grounds?" He then asked.
"Not necessarily, You see there are parts of my past that I fear may come back to haunt me and renovations to add the security I would feel safe with would take quite a bit of time and a lot of money to have installed discreetly. I noticed you have a cottage on the grounds but away from the mansion. It does not look as if it has been visited in quite some time and if it would be acceptable to you I would like to purchase it from you." I explained and he appeared deep in thought for a few seconds.
"I don't see why not, I can understand why someone with a mutation such as yours would require privacy. I will not accept your money however. The place has not been lived in, in nearly 50 years and will require some work to be made habitable again. Cover the cost of the renovations and it is yours." Charles stated and I extended my hand to him.
"Is there somewhere quiet I can stay until the renovations are completed?" I then asked after he shook my hand.
"Not an actual bedroom but there is a storage space room on the top floor where I keep spare beds mattresses and other various furniture for when we get new students. You would have to leave the room to shower and use the restroom but it should suffice." He answered.
"I assume students don't spend much time there." I then asked.
"Hardly any, on occasion in a school full of mutants with limited control things tend to get broken and they are sent to get replacements but I will inform them that it is off limits until a time that the cottage is completed. If we should need anything I will inform you before hand so you will not be disturbed." He said and it seemed like a plan to me.
"Thanks Charles. Now I drove trough the night and I am a bit tired I am sure you ae as well after the wake up you received so I would like to retire for the night." I then said and he just nodded.
"Understandable, however there is one more question I must ask." He said and I had a feeling I knew what was coming.
"How did you know all of the X-men's names? Their code names sure, very few outside of these walls know their real identities." He asked and I had to think of a way out of this anyway I explain it would come across the wrong way.
"I did some research after you introduced yourself to me in California. I am very thorough and with my knowledge there is very little I cant find. It all checked out and now I am here amongst you." I said and it wasn't a lie I did do some research but the whole truth is that I knew all of the X-men long before California.
The Next Morning
I awoke feeling refreshed the alcohol had worn off and my brain had some time to relax so the headaches and stress I was carrying are gone. I jumped up out of bed and walked toward the switch to turn the light on. after I got here last night I didn't arrange any of this furniture and it is a complete mess. I will get to that later for now I need a shower. I grabbed some clothes and headed off to the gym on the first floor that Charles showed me last night or this morning technically. I remembered it having a shower so that will be my first stop.
It didn't take me long to find, my brain still registers everything when I am drinking just much slower. I walked through the gym to the shower room when two young girls walked out of the women's locker room.
"Well hello handsome." A pretty girl with a southern accent sang as she saw me.
"Hello." I said trying to avoid any awkward conversations.
"You must be what all of the fuss was about last night." She said eyeing me up and down.
"Yeah didn't mean to wake you." I said trying to avoid looking at her too much my brain was already beginning to register her facial features and minor details about her. I just got my brain to calm down and I would rather take in as little information as possible.
"It's not the first time it wont be the last sugah." She said in her southern drawl. "Mah name is Marie, but everyone round here just calls meh Rogue, this is Kitty." She then added and I took grabbed her hand shaking it softly.
"Mississippi is a beautiful place, I worked there for a while." I then said changing the subject.
"Really, what part of Mississippi?" She asked and I should have known to just end the conversation, I just hope she doesn't start talking too much about herself. The last thing I need is more useless information I will never get rid of.
"Jackson." I answered shortly. "I would love to talk more but I had a long night and I have a lot to do today. I am sure I will meet the two of you again." I then said and walked into the men's locker room where I ran into someone I feel I already know, hell I probably know him better than he does.
"Logan." I greeted as he stood there getting dressed after his own shower.
"Hmph." He grunted as he pulled his shirt over his head and bumped my shoulder when we walked past and made his exit.
"What a nice guy." I said to myself.
I entered the showers and found a stall. I turned the water on as hot as I could get it and stood under the relaxing spray. After my shower was finished I made my way back to my room avoiding the students as I passed. I entered the storage room shut the door and grabbed my phone. I did a quick search and found a few phone numbers. I called the first one and after two rings a voice answered.
"Nick's contracting services." A woman said from her end of the phone.
"Hello, I am looking to have some renovations made to a house of mine." I responded.
"Ok and what would you like done?" She asked.
"I guess it's not so much renovations as a whole home remodel." I answered.
"Ok we can do that. What area of New York is the home Located?" She then asked.
"Salem the address is 1407 graymalkin lane. if that helps." I replied.
"Ok give me just a minute." She said and began typing at her computer. "We don't work for mutants." She then said and hung up abruptly. I paused and looked down at my the screen of my phone unsure if that really just happened. It sure did, on to bachelor number two.
"Hello." A man answered this time.
"Before I get into anything else as I don't like to waste time do you do work for mutants?" I asked still a little shocked at the last conversation.
"As Long as your money is green I don't care if your skin is." He replied and I have a feeling me and this guy will get along great which is good because I have some requests which may seem a little odd.
"Great, I need a whole home remodel. I have a worn down cottage in Salem that desperately needs some work, Money is no problem. There is too much work to discuss on the phone but if you can come by tomorrow I would be happy to work out a deal." I said thankful that he wasn't a racist ass.
"With a line like money is no problem how can I refuse is 8 A.M. too early?" He asked.
"Not at all I would prefer to get started as soon as possible. The address is 1407 Graymalkin Lane. I will see you tomorrow, goodbye." I said and hung up the phone glad that things are being set into motion.