Prey Drive
By Cadet Deming
I don't own the rights to X-Men or the Wolverine Origins Movie, Marvel and Fox Studios do, so please don't sue. I work in litigation so you wouldn't want to anyhow. Based on movie continuity. Thanks again to the people that are leaving reviews, they're encouraging. (If Chapter 6 was shorter, it's because I'm writing A "T" as opposed to an "M" story) Rated T for adult language, adult situations, and violence. Horror/Comedy. Takes place in the 1970's
A Boatyard, Somewhere in New York State
Victor Creed dragged Tabitha through the parking lot of what looked like a marina. He'd put the Adamantium cuffs back on her, and they felt tighter this time. She didn't know who she hated more: him or herself for being so stupid as to trust him.
"You should have just kept me bound and gagged in the trunk the whole time. You shouldn't have pretended like you…like you actually cared," she said.
"I wouldn't have had as much fun though. And I do care; I just care about myself a hell of a lot more. It's your own fault. You shouldn't have been so damn gullible," he sneered.
"I'm 16 years old. I'm supposed to be naïve. And that makes you, what, a child molester? Do you know what they do in prison to guys like you?"
"Funny, you didn't seem so unwilling last night," he said arrogantly, leading her towards docks of seemingly endless boats.
"You still don't have to do this. There has to be some part of you that doesn't want to do this," she said, not wanting to beg, not wanting to break down and plead.
"Ever hear the story of the frog and the scorpion? A scorpion meets a frog and asks him to swim them across a river. The frog says: 'But, you'll sting me. You're a scorpion.' The scorpion says: 'I promise I won't. If I sting you we'll both drown.' So the frog takes the scorpion on its back and starts to swim across the water. The scorpion stings the frog. The frog says: 'But you promised you wouldn't!' The scorpion says: 'Look bitch, you knew I was a scorpion. It's my nature.' Of course, in the original story the scorpion didn't say 'bitch'. I just had to add something to keep my badass factor up to balance out the fact that I'm telling a kids' story with talking animals," Victor said.
"But if they both drown, what's the point?" she asked.
"If you want Stryker to let you live another week, you're gonna have to learn to keep your mouth shut," he said.
"Well, lookie what we have here. I tawt I saw a puddy-tat," an unfamiliar man's voice rang out.
The man stepped out onto the dock in front of them. He was young, looking to be in his mid-twenties. He had a cleft chin and was surprisingly handsome, except his eyes had the same battle-hardened glare Victor's did.
"Your Sylvester the Cat impression still sucks Wade. Did Stryker send you to annoy me on purpose?" Victor said. She could tell there was no love lost between them.
"You should hear my Barbra Streisand impression. He said he sent me because I'm the best driver in the group. But yeah, sending me to annoy you for taking so long does sound like typical Colonel Stryker passive-aggressive B.S.. Now hurry up. I don't want to miss Charlie's Angels…with the sound off," Wade said.
"Um, before I get in the boat, is Wade a scorpion or a frog?" Tabby asked.
"Actually, I'm a Gemini. Who's the mark? She looks like she's 12. Why do you get sent after teenagers and I get stuck bringing in teleporters. Do you know how fucking hard it is to catch a teleporter?" Wade said.
"She's 16. Her name's Tabitha."
"What's her power?" Wade asked.
"She blows shit up," Victor replied laconically.
"Dude that is like, the coolest power ever! Hey did you ever stop to think about why all these freaky abilities people are starting to develop are so violent and military-industrial-complex-like? You never hear about a mutant with the ability to cause world peace or feed the starving. Oh what am I saying, you never stop to think about anything, do you?" Wade said.
"Just drive us in the goddamn boat," Victor growled.
45 Minutes Later, Stryker's Three Mile Island Facility
Victor took Tabby into Colonel Stryker's office. His boss looked her over from head to toe, his gaze seeming to linger on the stray bruises and bite marks on her body. He gave Victor a conspirational wink.
"Nice work. I was getting concerned over how long things were taking, and the news reports." Stryker said.
"I'll be faster and more…discreet…next time," Victor replied.
"Good boy. I'll up your pay grade, with a bonus for each mark bagged and tagged."
"I'm not a thing. I'm a human being with civil rights. Stop talking about me like I'm not here," Tabitha said.
"Mutants like you aren't human, little girl. The only rights you have are what I choose to give you," Stryker said.
"If you hate mutants so much, why do you surround yourself with us?" she asked.
"I don't hate your species. I just think you're dangerous and need to be controlled."
"Do you think that about your son? Or do you just like to watch?" she challenged.
"I think we've had enough for today," Victor said, grabbing her.
He was trying to warn her to be silent. He knew she was ticking his boss off. She recoiled from his touch.
"Don't touch me Victor. I'm never letting you touch me again," she said.
Stryker raised a suspicious eyebrow at Creed.
"You've got a mouth on you, little girl. I'm going to love ruining that," the Colonel said.
He pressed a button on an intercom and spoke into it: "Doctor, Hostile 17 is here. Take it away for experimentation. Start with the wrists. I have a theory on that. Plus have a few blowtorchs handy. I'd like to test its heat sensitivity."
Stryker wasn't looking at Tabitha when he gave his directives. He was staring directly at Creed. He knew he was being tested, and coldly matched his boss's gaze.
The doors opened and a doctor and some guards came in to take Tabby away.
"No! No! You can't do this! You can't. I'm still a person. Victor I hate you! I hate you! I wish I'd never met you!" she sobbed, screaming as she was led away.
Victor didn't look at her. He couldn't. He kept staring straight ahead at the Colonel.
"Interesting. Is there something you're not telling me? How did she know about my son Jason? Information is a commodity I don't want volunteered to the enemy."
Victor paused, trying to answer evenly, betraying nothing.
"I only told her about Jason to butter her up to come quietly to the Island. She had one of those…what do they call it...Stockholm Syndromes on me that I used. I just didn't want to broadcast it because I didn't want anyone to think I was some kind of a pedophile, you know how it is."
Stryker stared at him appraisingly. Did he buy it? Suddenly he started laughing.
"Is that all? Hey I don't care what my soldiers do, just so long as I don't get caught. Believe me, I completely understand."
"Good," Victor replied.
"Since you like them young, I have the perfect job for you. Another blonde girl. It may be a little harder since she's not white trash like this last one. Her name is Emma. Emma Frost."
To Be Continued