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5

Elixir

"Don't."

It really was cleared perfectly. The critters were long scattered to higher grounds, trees were rooted aside and even the bushes were slid structurally into a border. If I don't get some type of compensation for doing this good a job, someone's clearly not showing appreciation.

"Don't?"

"Say it. You heard everything, I know, so just don't," Stryker hasn't even appraised this yet? Not really. Just a satisfied gander before going off with Fred and Wade to seek out the least troubled path.

"What was I going to say?"

"That you heard, that I should be more careful and the next time it happens, watch myself," not every bush apparently. He caught hold though, faster than I thought he could without retracting. All six daggers were kept safely behind his knuckles. The roots slyly disappeared before I could look more closely. It meant to trip me, on purpose.

"You already knew so why even waste saying any of it," he glanced briefly to where Victor stood before, against the plane but had moved towards the clearing's middle, kneeling over something we couldn't see.

He could hear us, he always can, yet couldn't care less really. Maybe he does on certain conversations but for most, he just doesn't. At least that's what I seem to believe and tell myself, a lot.

Logan flickered back, with a narrowed warning. "Just this. I knew he was going to say something to you in there, nothing serious, but you didn't have to entice him further. You know him well enough not to- Don't Elix, just listen," I didn't say anything. "Something's going to happen here. Something that's been meaning to for awhile now. But when it does, I need to know you're going to be where you're supposed to."

Be where I'm supposed to? No, be with whom I'm supposed to. He intimidated the words as far as he could, knowing I would catch on with his exact meaning. While those listening would have a harder time understanding.

Don't underestimate him.

But he can't be saying this, especially now. It won't happen, Victor won't let it. All this time, these lives, circumstances, bond, now? He could do this easily if he was alone. If I wasn't with him, in the way, it wouldn't be so difficult. But I am. If he's asking what I know he is, why now?

There's his answer, right in those deeply enticed colors which have kept me under-gaze for so long. He wasn't the only one who felt the worn raze but he had the choice to choose, I didn't. There were no choices when your evolutionary mutation is bonded to men who want to change your life with one single decision of their own.

.

It was almost too much.

This third world.

The villagers scurried deep into their cardboard huts as I passed. Even nature seemed to resent any who walked upon its ravished lands. It was quiet, betrayed. The roots of the bush wanted to give such a message, it wasn't as agreeing as the other wildlife had been. It wanted to bring me down to its soil. We were unwelcome. Diamonds grew within the earth, humans hunted the precious gems for years. But we weren't here for diamonds or to better the lives of these inhabitants. We were here for something only Stryker knew of. Whatever lay ahead had his head reeling.

We're further from the plane now so there's a much better chance in forging this environment in case danger rises. In case future mishaps would require fighting.

Just because my focus was preoccupied in the plane doesn't mean I couldn't hear Wade's comment about my non-combative abilities. They exist. Yet their chances of performing are almost always close to never. We kept it that way. These men truly don't know what its full extent is but perhaps it's time to reveal its reality.

There won't be an option not to.

"Oh wow-ouch," I knew he was indestructible but this, my skeleton is sprained. "Man, I didn't- Sorry."

"Don't worry for it little lady," Fred peered over his massive shoulder, trying not to laugh it looked. "You alright?"

A small groan might have sufficed, followed by humorous chuckling but neither was given the chance. Since Logan had recollected me rather hard into him, motioned to where he was looking and slowly tested out his claws to a reasonable length. I had wandered ahead, too far ahead, to think. Got too distracted, too hasty and ended where Fred and Wade were supposedly scoping out the mission's mark. Thus the run-in with Dukes, but this before us, wasn't what I expected to be here for, at all.

Logan, somewhat out of breath, nodded for us to remain quiet yet he was practically heaving. It was obvious. He had been rushing to close in the distance I must have made, though evidently trying to hide the deepness of how fast he moved. I hadn't gone from him that quick had I?

Fred nodded in return and sent another towards Wade who strutted confidently in place between us. His attention fully upon what ours was.

Heavily armed guards lined a very tall, ferocious looking fence, the housing shelters clearly halted a few feet before it began. The dictating palace casting over the impoverished African realm.

The others soon followed in, lining up horizontally to get a better view of our so called target. Stryker stood in front, standing with a more egotistical confidence with his mutant posse backing every and all his commands.

"Zero," he gave a quick motion, stood aside and smiled knowingly for his talented gun-man to carry out the order. He was already stepping into the spotlight where various other weapons locked, daring his first move.

He already made one.

"Easy enough," Victor vaguely shoved Wade aside whilst replacing his own beside mine. Wade sent a brief stare, not in anger, just annoyance, before following the others inside the building. Leaving us three still. He tried to whisper low but knew it would do nothing since Logan would hear anyway. "You want to head start us again, you'll be right back where we left you. Mind and lips Elix, mind and lips."

And that was it.

That did it.

I was his and that's how it'll always be with him. His belonging. The grievance he'd always need to drag behind his life. It's how it's always been. Logan knew, he saw and he's finished.

We both were.

Not only this, the feral had met its high. I could feel it, the way it shivered beneath his abdomen, begging for escape. But once it does, he'll be gone. He was already gone. It's why I've been so distinct in his presence. An apparent distance. For the past thirty or so years, I've felt something breaking. Something tearing from his strength. I could breathe better without him near, the bond was weakening and changing into something else.

Logan's dominance was slowly replacing the need Victor's siding gave for over a century.

"Elix!"

Logan was long past the building's entrance, yet I had stayed behind. It's not like before when the feral had kept me fazed, this was all me. My mistake.

Victor had taken the building's walls rather than the elevator. He was already crouched on the roof, his shadow moving elsewhere but I couldn't see where.

The few newly gathered guards were re-establishing an attack. Again. To me.

But I was more prepared than they knew.

The extended roots of the African bush plunged up through the ground's soil, reached high, entangled around the guard's waist, pulled back and catapulted him across the lands, all in one motion.

Another guard, who must have hid during Zero's attack, fired two shots whilst my sprinting for the building. Still charging, I redirected the tree roots into the gun's range, letting the bullets split its strong branches in two before requesting its intention towards the guard. Smacking his cheek hard into an unconscious effect. The bullets were slowed but still held its targeted purpose.

"Elix, move!"

They were already crammed in the elevator, the doors delayed, but none were coming to my aid, especially Logan. Whatever the reason, I took the chance and used it.

Inside the bullet's structure, there was once a natural resource. One which had the vestigial structure of pre-human manipulation. One which was duplicated ten fold by the guards. More had come from various directions. They blocked the building now, some moving towards the elevators but was stopped by its closing doors. Logan and I met in gaze just before. He knew it was time but was more than willing to reject such a request. He didn't have a choice, the doors closed and Bradley took them up in quick ascent.

Alone and ready.

The men surrounded in an uncoordinated gathering, all weapons upon mine but not yet enforced into action. They were unsure. Of a woman, mutant or soldier, either one had held them in hesitation. This was my time, there was no brother to take it, to protect, it was mine.

And I freed myself.

It was a mere twitch of muscle but it brought their massacre of shots upon the movement. A few guards had fired freely, while others were steady in their control. The bullets didn't just stop mid-flight, they were interrupted by something much more. I went deep into their structure, deep enough to reverse its direction. Instead of mine, I led it to them. But the bullets were no longer structured so. They were manipulated into something much more. They expanded out, long in width, and wrapped around the guards' wrists and ankles. Took them down. All of them, even the ones who didn't fire.

I wasn't going to end their lives. No, such a thing was far from my capabilities and nature. But I did silence their motives. They each lay on the floor, pinned down by their bullets. There could be too many options to besiege theirs. But I choose this. I've already used the African soil more than I should. The clearing was one thing, but then the deep roots, and now this? I was taking it too far and my place, in this certain mission, needed to be finished. For more reasons than shown.

"Why didn't you help?" I glanced slightly over my shoulder, watching him move about the shadows until gracing the fluorescent lights with his hunched stance.

"Would you have wanted me to?" he moved completely in view, letting his claws rest by his hips. They were out in a light length, no less intimidating for those watching though. "I gave you what you wanted."

"You gave me what you wanted," I didn't face him, merely left the scene and decided against pursuing the mission. The mission in terms of leaving for the elevator, ascending up to their floor and witnessing Stryker's true purpose. Instead, I found comfort in just waiting by the plane. "Don't follow me."

He would anyway.

And was.

"You used up your jail free card back there. No more."

I lied. The claws were heavily out, for caution no doubt.

"I didn't know I was allowed such a thing."

Or another reason. For me.

"Well you know, one every ten years will do us good. I didn't want to interrupt anyway. You handled yourself better than I pictured- Beautifully-"

"When they come back out, I need you to help me with something."

He slowed in pace, still edging us closer in the same walk, but lowered the rushing way down. Almost like he wanted to stop but couldn't. "Help you? Since when do you go asking me for help?"

"Since you heard what Logan and I spoke of earlier."

"And what did I hear exactly?"

"You know enough to answer that yourself," he stopped us, more to a halt.

"What if I'd rather you say it, now, out loud?"

They grew along my forearms, lightly scratching against the skin, bending the tiny hairs backwards. His claws may have even been strengthened by the rage I brought on. He held strong.

"It was always going to end like this. You felt it, I knew it-"

"And you think I'll just let you go?"

"I know you won't."

"Then what's your solution?"

"Should I even say it when you've long since known?"

a / n

Man, did I have this tucked under for so long. I just couldn't seem to get it out here, really. It was another urge and a slash of fate for me to write, finish & post. I may have even watched that youtube of them too many times just to get some inspiration. Who knows, it probably worked.

Speaking of which, who went and took a look? Pretty shnazzy eh? But the clips, oh lord, I know, they do things to you. Especially the Logan ones.. And the song! Couldn't resist that song, with those men.. I think you know haha.