Canuckle, Cheshire ... I post these chapters with and for you. So as always, thanks for the help and the feedback : )
Rest of you? Take note. Not to mention reviews make the fingers type faster.
Decided that I got a bit lost in the day to day and it's definitely time that things start moving forwards. Some of this might still seem a tad repetitive but trust me ... all part of the plan. And I know ... LONG time coming but 7000 words has to mean something right?
"I'm afraid I cannot leave here Mr. Kravinoff without something to report. My superiors have been more than patient in light of your ... requests. But that patience is wearing thin. They demand results." She could not believe she was back in this neandrathalian mansion in the middle of nowhere.
Kraven had his back to the tall blond woman. Four months had passed since she had first come to him and brought with her his greatest ambition. Kraven's eyes turned upwards at the numerous screens playing different footage, but with one consistent focus. Pictures, most of them out of focus, showed a large, dark, figure engaged in different kinds of combat with an assortment of enemies and in varied locales. This predator ... Such a hunter ... A true adversary ... If he could simply -
"Mr. Kravinoff." An impatient tone earned a sigh from the broad Russian as his shoulders gave a slight heave.
"I told your intriga that I would hunt their beast. And I have never failed a hunt." Kraven's voice was low and had a slight confident, growl to it. The blond maintained her removed demeanor as she narrowed her eyes at the back of his head. Kraven's arrogance was well known.
"My employers did not come to you for a hunt. They chose you because they believed you best qualified to solve a rather straightforward problem. They leaked the information you requested, sacrificed valuable intelligence and assets, under the belief that you needed time to asses your target. But I am here to refocus you Mr. Kravinoff. This is not a hunt. This is not a game. And you are expected to produce results."
"But it is," Kraven finally turned to face this drone, "it is the greatest hunt. But before a hunt can begin, a true hunter must understand his prey. Its strengths. Weaknesses. Tendencies. Only then can one be prepared for the hunt." Kraven's tone grew more excited with each word. Though it had the opposite affect on his audience. Next time, maybe they'd listen to her. She was certain Ms. Belova would have already taken care of this. She really hated dealing with maniacs.
"I do not expect your employers to understand. Or you ... Ms. Emory." Kraven had a predatory smile as he caught the slight widening of the pupils. The tightening of the mouth. Sharp intake of breath. Surprise ... Fear.
"Or to be more specific, Ms. Elizabeth Emory. Brown graduate. Two years, Oxford and Cambridge. Major in Business and Psychology. MBA from Harvard. Recruited by every top firm in three separate fields including SHIELD, CIA, AIM ... only to disappear four years ago." As Kraven had spoken, he had slowly walked his way around the massive oak desk that had separated himself and Ms. Emory until now he stood right in front of her, that smile still on his face.
"You see Ms. Emory, one must know everything before a hunt." Kraven whispered and for the first time Elizabeth felt a shiver run down her spine. Her security detail had been left by the car. Kraven's psych evaluation had suggested her engaging him alone ... that other men present could be seen as a challenge or trigger for unnecessary aggression. But as the broad Russian slowly prowled around her, Elizabeth didn't really give a damn about evaluations. Especially when said Russian reached out to take the tip of her hair and breath in her scent.
Elizabeth fought the urge to slap away his hand. She was determined to regain control over this situation. Kravinoff wasn't the most dangerous or the deranged person she'd been sent to deal with on her employers behalf. Steeling herself, Elizabeth pivoted to face the smiling hunter.
"Mr. Kravioff -"
"Kraven." Elizabeth paused for only a moment at his growl.
"Kraven ... I assure you, you are not the first maniac to threaten me. And let me be quite clear," Elizabeth took a step closer, with her heels bringing the two almost eye to eye, "You do not scare me. None of your kind do. Now are you going to do the job assigned to you or am I speaking to the wrong man?"
Kraven's eyes seemed to harden for a moment, his smile almost faltering, but only for a moment.
"You're lying."
"I am -"
"You are afraid Ms. Emory. Because the sheep is always afraid of what it cannot control." Kraven almost sounded like ... like he was purring.
"I am not afraid." Elizabeth hissed.
"Then tell me ... why do you sleep with the lights on?"
...
The steady click of Elizabeth's heels seemed to follow her as she made her way through the stone halls of the Balkan castle. As much as she wished to sprint out of this place, Elizabeth knew the importance of appearances. Even - no ... especially when put on the defensive.
He knew where she lived ... He knew everything about her ... That was supposed to be impossible ... He knew where she lived ... She wasn't safe ... Get a hold of yourself! Elizabeth narrowed her eyes in self-anger. She knew what she had to do ... the only question was how she was going to come out of it in the end.
Hector, her guard, didn't say anything as he opened the door to the Range Rover and she climbed into the backseat. Finally alone, Elizabeth placed her head in her hands, granting herself just a few seconds to recover. But then it was a brief shake of the head, a check of her makeup and hair, a steadying breath ... and she was back.
Pulling out the phone she always carried on her, the one with only a single number, Elizabeth pressed the button and took a steadying breath.
"It's Ms. Emory. Kraven the Hunter is on task and on schedule. He has made another request ..."
"We'll meet on Tuesday. After dinner at 20 hundred hours. Same place. Make sure you bring what you need." Apex rumbled as he got up from the table and gathered his supplies. It had been a productive hour. Just a few more and the team would be prepared.
"Any questions?" The panther glanced around the table and slowly one member raised his hand.
"Umm ... what time is 20 hundred?"
"He mean's 8 pm. You're such an idiot Sam." Kitty rolled her eyes as the blond teen quickly looked to see Amara give an amused shake of her head and he gave Kitty an irritated look. He'd only joined this study group cause he knew Amara was in it. Had he knows that the giant-panther-...thing was part of it he'd have thought of another way to get close to her.
"Well he could have just said that!" Sam yelled before cringing at the amount of hushes tossed his direction by the other students in the crowded library. Finals were only a month away and the smarter students were getting ready for the most dreaded two weeks of the year.
Apex meanwhile rolled his shoulders and let out a sigh. Greer had forbade him from doing anything 'unseemly' towards Sam. It wasn't like he intended to kill him or anything. Just scare him out of the school. He brought nothing to the group and worse distracted Amara.
"Tuesday. At 8." Apex got tired nods from Katherine and Amara and met Sam's glower with one of his own until the teen decided to look elsewhere.
Apex headed straight upstairs, Greer picking her head up from her computer as he walked into their room. She'd been busy flipping between video from her class and a sale at Bloomingdales. After their last mission together, Greer had felt the need for retail therapy.
"Hey, how was your study group?" Greer asked brightly. She still couldn't believe Ororo had actually held Colton to this. The smile she got from being on the jet and X-Force thinking he was reviewing intel while she knew he was reading an assignment from Jean ... it seriously tested her self-control.
"Fine." Greer watched as Colton dropped his bag and went straight for his dresser. His ears were flat and muzzle pointed down ... tail a slight twitch at the end.
'Uh oh.' Greer slowly closed at her computer and took one look at what the panther was grabbing and she was off the bed and headed for her own dresser as Apex was just finishing up and grabbing a bag.
"What're you doing?" Apex raised an eyebrow as he saw Greer's pants on the ground next to the t-shirt she'd just been wearing.
"Same thing you are. Gym time." Greer said distractedly as she threaded her tail through the hole in her yoga pants and quickly slipped on her Nikes. Apex had been ready to head right back downstairs but as Greer was finishing up putting her mane of hair into a ponytail ... he suddenly had another idea.
"Or we could stay here." Greer looked up slowly at the growl ... she knew that growl.
"Tempting ..." Greer's tail swayed a little behind her as she took on a thoughtful look, but with a quick move she was under and around Colton and heading towards the door, "but you need to destress and I actually have some more things to do tonight." She called over her shoulder. She heard the muffled thump of Apex's tail on the carpeted floor as he let out a bit of a growl.
"Oh come on fuzzface. Maybe if we get in a good workout ... I'll need a shower." Apex's ears turned up and he looked to see a smile on Greer's face. With a smirk, he followed the tigress downstairs.
Greer had two kinds of nightmares. The bad ones she could cope with, they had to end eventually. And then there were the good ones. The terrible ones were always the good ones. In her terrible dreams, everything was fine. Greer still looks like Greer. She was still in high school. Or she was in college just sitting with her roommate. She was moving into her first apartment. None of the last five years ever happened. Everything was normal, typical and fine.
This time she was walking to class with some friends. They had a big test coming up. One of them was complaining about their parents.
She was human. She was happy. Everything was alright.
CLICK
Now she was running ... She was running as fast as her two legs could carry her ...
She had to get away ... Someone ... He was getting closer ... Whispers in an accent ...
Greer tried to pick up her speed ... Her She wasn't safe ... Hunted ... She was being hunted!
CLICK
Greer froze. That noise ... Someone was getting ready to fire ... at her!
She somehow could feel the scope finding her ... No! She they were wrong! She had to tell them!
Greer tried turning but suddenly she was on all fours. Greer turned her head to see what - she was a tiger ... paws ... muzzle ... she - she couldn't get up!
She somehow could feel the scope finding her ... No! They were making a mistake! She had to tell them!
Greer tried turning but let out a gasp as she found herself naked ... where were her clothes? She groaned as her body hurt and she suddenly she was flung down on all fours and no matter what she did, she couldn't get back up. Greer turned her head to look for anything that could help her – But what she saw earned a mournful roar from her … she was a tiger ... paws ... muzzle ... and she - she couldn't get up!
She felt the scope come to rest on her.
She couldn't move!
They were going to fi -
"NO!" Greer almost sprung straight out of the bed had it not been for the strong arm that caught her around the chest, her hair whiplashing along with the rest of her as she sat gasping.
"I - I'm not ... there was ..." Greer felt like her chest was burning ... her eyes darting everywhere as the strongest urge to just run coursed through her body. She wasn't safe ... there was a hunter he - she had to run ... she had to-
"I'm here. You're safe." Greer turned at the rumble that came from next to her and Apex could tell Greer wasn't really seeing him. She was still back in her dream. Her thrashing had just woken him up moments before her attempted leap from bed. She was shaking.
"You're safe Greer. It was a dream." Apex brought a hand to bring Greer closer to him and slowly ... she let him bring her to his chest.
"A - a dream?" Greer said slowly, "A dream ..." suddenly sounding exhausted. Apex simply rumbled low and slowly lowered himself back onto the mattress, bring the tigress with him as he wrapped his arms around her.
"Safe ..." Greer mumbled sleeply, closing her eyes as she wrapped her arms around herself and nuzzled into the cocoon Apex had made for her in his arms.
"Safe." Apex repeated, bringing his muzzle to rest on Greer's head. He felt her body finally relax and after a few more minutes ... drift back to sleep.
"You're safe."
Greer hugged her knees a little tighter to herself as she just enjoyed the view that the roof could provide. It was crazy how quickly time could pass. Between some successful X-Force missions, workouts and Colton ... well it wasn't until she had checked a calendar that day that she realized an entire four weeks had passed her by.
Though some of those missions ... that time Jimmy had almost bled out on the jet ... Greer gave her head a sharp shake. She wasn't dwelling on things like that. Everyone was fine. They were doing important work. She was helping.
The tigress purred as she closed her eyes, sinking her claws a bit into the tiles, stretching her arms and back, as she basked in the late Spring, setting sun and the way it seemed to soak into her fur. Winter a distant memory. A year ago she would have never admited it but it was a pretty damn good sensation. Greer continued to purr as she felt the last rays of sunlight enter her system. Not stopping until her ears twisted around to the sound of someone call her.
"Hello stranger…" Greer paused before grinning at the familiar crooked eyebrow and that trail of red hair.
"Hey…" and the tigress gestured for her best friend to join her and Jean took a few wobbly steps out of the window before grimacing and deciding to levitate the rest of the way.
"How did you find me?" Greer grinned as Jean took a seat next to her and hooked their arms together. The psychic giving her friend a funny look at the question.
"Really? You were purring! Which I gotta say is still pretty hard to get used to considering how you were -" Jean paused at the look Greer was giving her.
"How I was ..."
"Well not like a recluse or anything. But kind of, you know ... quiet. I mean do you remember that gray sweatshirt? You wouldn't go anyplace without it for weeks. Oh and don't get me started about the time I mentioned that you mewled in your sleep. You didn't talk to me for days." Jean teased.
"Oh God don't remind me." Greer groaned as she leaned into Jean's shoulder, to which the red head leaned back and nuzzled in. Greer was easily the best snuggler in the house. The two stayed like that for a while before Jean broke the silence
"See that's the Greer I miss…"
"You know it's getting a bit old with you saying that." Greer rolled her eyes with a grumble. I mean hell ... she'd just gone out with the girls for a movie night just two days ago.
"C'mon you know what I'm talking about. Between your really popular classes, the insane workout sessions and your outrageous bedtimes I - I miss the days where you opted to just stay in our room and we could just ... hang." Jean tossed her arm out before letting it fall.
"Yeah ... I remember those days. The early ones especially when all I wanted to do was hide from everyone..." Greer rubbed a claw over her jeans as her tail curled behind her.
"You mean that wasn't just because you enjoyed the company?' Jean asked in mock offense, causing Greer to grin up at her friend.
"No because you're the only one I didn't feel like a total freak around." Greer muttered. She remembered those days … those first months when her sixteen year old self would just stare at the mirror for hours. Just trying to find a semblance of her old self in that horrible reflection. Behind those fangs and fur and stripes. Never worked of course. It just never registered as her reflection. Jean however recoiled at her friend's statement.
"Hey! You're no freak Greer. Never say that. You're no different than the rest of us just ... fuzzier. Over protective boyfriend and all." Jean nudged the suddenly sullen tigress, earning a grudging smile. Greer still liked hearing someone say that even when she didn't quite believe it herself.
But then Greer took a bit of a shuddering breath and Jean seemed lost for words as her best friend was suddenly on the brink of tears.
"Greer ... Greer what is it?"
"I - I don't know" Jean noticed how her best friend's tail went limp, "Every time I woke up and looked into the mirror it - it was like waking up every morning in hell. Just seeing myself made me feel so ... trapped. And I thought it'd never get better. Like I had no purpose."
"That's awful." Jean wrapped her arm a little tighter around Greer. Her friend rarely opened up about things like this and while she had no clue where it was all coming from she wasn't about to question it. She had spent enough time around Colton to know that he wasn't exactly ... emotional. The fact she couldn't read anything off of him only convincing her of the fact.
"I was so scared that no one would ever want me. I mean my own mum abandoned me. How pathetic was that? And there was this guy Damien," Greer felt her bare her teeth, "He actually convinced me that it wasn't possible for me to ... well you know." Greer muttered suddenly embarrassed. Jean however picked up where her friend's mind was and blushed hard herself.
"Damien, as in that guy from the cruise?" Greer gave a bitter chuckle.
"Yeah. He made me realize that for me to be with anyone they had to actually be OK with someone that's part animal. Not to mention they'd probably have to sacrifice to a life without sex, and well ... kids."
"What? Why?!" Jean sounded distraught. But Greer just shook her head. She'd given this a lot of thought over the years.
"In case you know ... the kid came out like me."
"Headstrong, stubborn and heroic to a fault?" Greer rolled her eyes.
"Half animal."
"But you're not really - "
"So I came to a conclusion that no one would want me and that I just wouldn't try." Greer said matter of factly as Jean paused for a moment and let that sink in.
"Wait ... are you telling me it was -" Jean was clearly counting in her head, "Five, six years? There had to have been someone special that turned your head in all that time?" Greer let out a long sigh as an answer.
"No kisses? Hand holding? What about Kurt - he was always sweet on you." Greer raised an eyebrow. Jean had always been a bit well ... prude when it came to stuff like this. Though her sudden concern for Greer's love life was entertaining.
"It just wasn't where my head was. And contrary to popular belief, these days, sex isn't the only thing on my mind." She knew what some of the girls said when they thought she couldn't hear them whenever Colton managed to carry her away. And just to prove her point ...
"Hard to believe that when you and Colton spend so much time in that room together ..." The tigress punched Jean lightly on the shoulder.
"We don't spend that much time ... we don't even have that much time to ourselves ... jeez. Not like I'm the one levitating everything that's not nailed down in an entire wing." Greer grumbled, causing Jean to blush to match her hair and suddenly try to shift the focus of the conversation, Greer letting her distract them with Mansion gossip and what they might be doing that summer. Pretty soon the two were laughing again.
"We need more days like this." Jean watched as the sun finally set.
"I agree." Greer had her head in Jean's lap, "Could use some retail therapy the next time around though." and Jean nodded in agreement.
"How about this? Come to my room and I'll do your nails? Like old times?" Greer pushed herself back into a sitting position at Jean's suggestion.
"Don't you mean our room?" Greer asked with a raised eyebrow. Jean just smirked back.
"I'm surprised you even remember living there. Fine then ... our room." and Greer grinned before wrapping her friend in a hug.
"Hold on ..." Greer checked the chamber and slipped her firearm into the thigh holder. She was grudgingly back in the full piece X-Force armor, having struck a compromise to keep the full body suit for 'active' missions while her preferred two piece suit sat in the Shed. And this ... this was an active mission. Even with being out of the loop for months, Greer knew that the stakes were high. Logan had barely spoken for a week leading up to it. Seemed he had some history with who they were going after.
"Alright, good to go." Greer checked herself over one more time as she knew Colton was doing. Stepping out of the jet, the two felines joined the rest of the group and headed for the abandoned military complex. Jimmy and Fantomex were on point while Domino continued to piss off Logan. Wade was ... well wherever the hell he'd gone off to. Greer tried keeping her distance from the funny smelling mercenary.
"Do you think you could help out on my gymnastics final? I had some ideas ..."
"Focus." Greer looked up at the growl to see the grim panther and made a face.
"Hey," Apex stopped at the hand wrapped around his wrist to look at the tigress, "it's fine." She whispered reassuringly. Apex noted that once again Greer seemed relaxed heading into a mission. Something that he'd picked up on the last time. It was certainly an improvement from the nerves she'd suffer through leading up to missions but ... he wasn't certain this was a good development.
Greer frowned at the rumble she got for a response. She didn't appreciate how Colton could get on missions.
"Don't give me that," Greer went on her toes and bumped foreheads but still no response. Finally she let out a sigh of resignation. "Stay safe. Got it."
"You two having a moment or what?" Greer lowered her head and fought the urge to growl at Domino's taunt.
"Why, you jealous?" Greer snarked back, earning a laugh from the monochrome assassin. The tigress bared her teeth for a moment at her infuriating teammate and with another assuring look at Colton, she jogged after the group. Apex took a moment for himself and was soon to follow.
...
"Cover!" Proudstar yelled from behind the downed pillar as he and Domino braced themselves as the odd assortment of men and women, some clearly from wealth while others looked fresh off the street, fired on X-Force. Fantomex was firing shots from cover ten yards away as Deadpool's banter and Logan's snarls could somehow still be heard over the gunfire as the two fought someplace in the warehouse with Mastodon and Reaper.
"Where the hell is Huntsman!?" Domino yelled out as she fired some shots that of course were lucky enough to find their marks before being forced back into cover.
Apex growled in frustration as bullets ricocheted off the corner he and Greer were still stuck behind. It seemed word had spread that someone was coming after Weapon X assets and a few of them had decided to team up. Huntsman had taken on the role of the leader for this particular group and was the one behind the small army trying to kill them. Or at least that had been what Sauron had said when Apex had torn his wings off. It was just about after that when things had started blowing up.
"Apex ... we need to do something." Greer hissed at the end as a few bullets blasted into the opposite wall. She was close to her haunches and tensed like a spring ... but trapped. They'd barricaded the door they'd come through and the main section of the warehouse was a crossfire of bullets.
Apex just growled in response and checked around the corner. He counted twenty - make that nineteen - targets as Domino managed to get a good shot off. He ducked back behind the corner as more bullets made holes where his head had been.
"Apex we need to help them ... Colton -" Apex held up his hand and cut her off, checking his tracker. There was Deadpool and ... yes there was Logan. Both still alive. The panther took a breath ... closing his eyes as he mapped the room ... Warpath and Domino's location ... Fantomex ... the targets ... and slowly let out the breath. Greer just watched. She knew what Colton looked like when he was coming up with a plan. And sure enough, when those amber eyes flashed open, Greer knew she was right.
"Are you ready?" The tigress nodded at the rumble, holstering her gun as flexed her claws. Those people were being mind-controlled. There was no way she was going to kill them ... hurt them maybe. But not kill. Though her argument for rubber bullets had gotten a laugh. Jerks.
"On three. Stay on my flank." Apex braced himself against the wall and held his hand behind him, Greer just waiting for the signal.
Three ... He was going to shoot the three targets on the northwest catwalk
Two ... Use the container along the east wall to get to the two targets above.
One ... And then use a grenade to -
Greer had been tensed, ready to attack when she almost stumbled catching herself when Colton had frozen ... just as he was about to signal her.
"Apex?" Greer tilted her head away from the wall to try and look at him. His body had relaxed and his head was straight up and looking ahead towards what she thought was the opposite hallway directly across the large space from where they were standing.
"Apex what is it?" Greer was practically yelling as she saw the panther's ears turn to face straight ahead ... and slick straight back.
"Finally."
"Colton!" But he was already gone. Greer watched as Apex ran across the open space, shrugging off the bullets that managed to hit him, and just like that he was crashing through the far door and gone.
"Where the hell is he going?!" Warpath screamed at the confused tigress. Greer could only stare back at him for a moment before giving her head a shake with a growl.
She couldn't leave the team ... but Colton ...
"Shit," Greer took a deep breath and bouncing on the balls of her a few times and next thing she knew, she was running on all fours and tumbling her way across the space, "shit ... shit ... shit ... shit!" Greer launched herself the last distance and came out of her roll into the hallway. She could almost swear that there was a ringing in her ears but ... not from the battle. Giving herself a quick once over and amazingly lacking any holes, Greer flicked her tail out and ignoring the call from X-Force behind her, ran towards the sound after her panther.
...
Apex hadn't been certain what it was he was hearing ... but it had only taken him a moment to be certain who was responsible for it. And as he came around the last corner with his assault rifle drawn he was proven right.
"Apex ... finally ... we meet." Kraven held his arms wide, an odd whistle in his right hand, but otherwise appearing unarmed. Apex didn't lower his weapon and taking care to keep track of Kraven, eyed the long hallway carefully as he slowly approached. What he saw was mostly what he already knew: roughly six feet tall, 230 pounds. His body was laced with ... some sort of compound. Which likely explained the increased strength, speed, agility and reflexes. His dark hair was slicked back and his clothes ... well Apex wasn't certain what the hell was up with his clothes. What mattered was that Apex was not impressed. He should just shoot him but -
"We are not ones to use guns, okhotnik. Do not insult me." Kraven sounded offended as he addressed Apex, who merely growled in response. He was going to shoot the medulla at the base of the brain. His brain would be dead before his body even knew it.
"Before you shoot me there is something I think you want," Kraven side kicked a closet door to his right and out tumbled the bloodied form of Huntsman. Apex simply stopped walking and looked from the moaning mind controller to his smiling target. This he had not seen coming. Kraven took advantage of the panther's hesitation.
"You see? We may speak freely ... yes?" Apex narrowed his eyes and slipped the rifle to his back. He'd prefer to slash Kraven to death anyway.
"Why did they hire you to kill me?" Apex's face didn't change as Kraven burst into a loud bark of laughter, having to wipe his eyes from laughing so hard.
"Oh ... oh you are everything I had hoped you would be. Far more than what they believe you are." Apex flexed his hands ... as much as he wanted to simply kill this man, he wanted to keep him talking. He wasn't important. But if Apex was right and that whomever had hired Kraven to kill him was the same group now behind Weapon X ... he could wait a little longer.
"They?" Kraven waved a hand at Apex's question.
"Not important. They believe that I am working for them but their only use was bringing you and I together. They are just like everybody else. Like this pathetic mutant. The 'team' that you brought here. Sheep. Beneath us."
"Then why did you agree to kill me?" Apex rumbled but Kraven simply scoffed.
"Kill you? If I wished you would be yet another head on my wall."
"I doubt that." Apex's ears pinned back as he tensed but Kraven raised his hand and gestured towards a bracelet on his wrist.
"Patience okhotnik." Apex narrowed his eyes and quickly took a closer look around them and noticed a number of green lights across the ceiling. Some type of firing mechanisms ... He took a sniff ... it was the same poison from Greer ... and C4. Apex's growl echoed through the hall but Kraven merely kept talking.
"Those fools wish for me to kill you. No ... No you ... you are not prey. You are like me. A hunter." Apex scoffed and Kraven's smile returned as he took a step closer to the towering panther.
"But we are alike okhotnik. And as in the wilds ... two predators cannot survive together."
"There's only one predator here. And one prey." Apex growled but Kraven merely clapped his hands, his eyes wild.
"Yes! Yes my friend. Exactly. There only be one predator. One prey. Come with me ... let us settle who is who. Which of us is predator and prey." Apex actually dropped his hands at Kravens' ... invitation?
"Just leave?" Apex turned his head, clearly not trusting what he was hearing.
"Right now. I am certain you will find the conditions I have in mind ideal. I know the hunt is calling you ... the challenge. The test to see who is the true apex hunter." Kraven closed his fist with a growl, now only a few feet away from Apex, the two not looking away from the other.
Kraven smiled as Apex took a step towards him only to scowl, suddenly furious.
"Colton!" Greer had her sidearm raised, only hesitating out of fear of hitting Colton. Kraven ... he was right there. Why wasn't Colton fighting? Was he hurt?
"Ignore her! She is a pretender ... a fraud! Unworthy of the gift - of the honor given to her!" Kraven seethed as he looked past Apex at the tigress down the hall. "Come with me ... now." Greer froze at the sound of the little boxes arming, their muzzles pointed directly at her.
Apex roared, Kraven and the panther exchanging blows briefly until Apex had one hand around his throat, the other with his claws embedded into the arm with the bracelet so he could see it.
"Colton ..." Greer eyed everything that was going on but still hadn't moved. Colton had made that gesture just before he'd hit Kraven. She was just waiting for the second one.
"I had thought to use the poison as a means to ensure you're cooperation. The explosives ... a means to ensure our conversation. But I assure you that many hits and the tigress dies. Kill me ... and we all die." Apex took a closer look at the bracelet on Kraven's wrist ... somehow tied to his pulse. Shit.
Apex looked over his shoulder to look at Greer who simply nodded once. Good.
"Well what is it - Ublyudok!"
A lot of things happened very fast. At the moment Apex used his head to break Kraven's nose, the russian pulled out his machete which the panther easily neutralized by snapping his wrist, Greer meanwhile put her applied gymnastics to use. She was a whirl of black and orange as the multiple devices fired their poisoned filled darts as she moved down the hallway. Kraven moved for his knives but Apex front kicked further down the hall where he landed with a curse.
Apex took a moment to see Greer was alright before turning back to the downed Russian with a growl.
"Who sent you?"
"You - you cannot kill me okhotnik. Or we all die." Kraven spat out some blood as he got back to a knee. Apex let out a derisive snort.
"I'm going to break your legs and bleed you out." Kraven seemed to pale at Apex's rumble and with a roar made to lunge at the approaching panther with his good hand. Apex let him get close only to block the attack and changing levels slamming his forearm to the side of Kraven's leg with a satisfying snap ... followed by a more satisfying yell. Apex stood over the downed hunter who merely smiled through his grimace.
"At ... at least I die at your hands. Come, claim your prey." Apex merely stared and raised his claws to end him when he felt a hand clasped around his wrist and he turned with a growl. Greer simply stared right back, only looking away to look down at the russian with clear disgust her face grim as she slowly shook her head.
"He's not worth it." Apex looked back at Kraven who began to slowly shake his head as the two felines turned to walk away, Apex not breaking stride to put a bullet in Huntsman.
"No ... NO! Finish it ... kill me!" Kraven leaned heavily against the wall as he struggled back to his feet as he screamed at the retreating backs of the tigress and panther. "Can't you see ... she's ruining you! You cannot be tamed! Fight me!"
But the two simply kept walking.
"Fight me!"
Logan had just set in their final coordinates and passed control over to Domino, ignoring her random quips about the state of his uniform, when what sounded like yelling came from the body of the jet. The Wolverine gave his head a little shake and leaned back to try and get some rest. Mastodon had gotten in some lucky shots and now that the itching had gone down, Logan just wanted to sleep the ache off.
But one of the drawbacks of enhanced senses was he just couldn't block out the raised voices coming from behind him.
"I want to know what the hell was so important that he just left us." Jimmy's deep baritone seemed barely controlled as what sounded like Fantomex was the one trying to calm the Apache.
"Let it go ami."Fantomex had himself as close to Jimmy as possible without actually holding him back. The Frenchman had to be between the seething Proudstar and what thus far sounded like a silent Colton. He couldn't hear anything coming from that end.
"No - No I won't just let it go! I want to know where the hell he went. Hey, I'm talking to you Apex!"
"C'mon James. Logan does that all the time. He's never done it before. I'm sure there was a good reason."
"Is there a good reason that you damn kids are keepin' me awake?" James and Fantomex both turned and seemed to freeze at Logan's sudden appearance. James had moved past the frenchman to tower over the seated and still silent Apex, Greer equally quiet by his side, but took a step back now. Wade of course just bounced happily in his seat at adding a cranky Wolverine to the mix.
"Its waaay too late for beauty sleep, Logan." Wolverine shot Wilson a growl as he tried to ignore the insufferable assassin and keep things from escalating.
"He left us." James pointed an accusing finger at the panther.
"The hell're you talkin' about?"
"Middle of the mission, we were taking heavy fire and he just f'n left us! It's bad enough you pull that crap - now we gotta take up the slack for him too?"
Logan looked to Fantomex who hesitated for a moment before nodding his head to confirm what James had said. The older feral let out a frustrated sigh and turned to take in the brooding panther. Never blinking, not moving ... just watching with half narrowed eyes. Proudstar was still ranting in the background until Logan held a hand up to shut him up.
He'd heard it all. Except the explanation.
"Colton." Logan tried getting the kid's attention but got nothing. He was a bit too tired for this shit.
"Apex." Logan's growl got the panther to rumble and slide his eyes toward him. As far as Apex was aware, Logan was the first person to say anything.
"What the hell happened to you back there?" There was no accusation in Logan's tone, but it was impossible to miss the edge.
"I completed the mission. Huntsman is dead." That was true and after being shot the people still alive had simply dropped. By the time they regained consciousness SHIELD had already arrived. But Logan wasn't satisfied.
"That ain't like you," Apex looked away from Logan, his anger now rising at the show of disrespect, "what he flamin' hell was so damn important that you abandoned the mission in the middle of the damn thing? You're supposed to be a damn professional!" The panther's claws sank into the armrest as memories of another feral flashed as Logan vented. "Forget it. I'll debrief you're ass later."
Apex's eyes went wide and he shot up with a roar, towering over the shorter feral. Neither one noticed that every other passenger had gripped a weapon as the two squared off.
"Izzat supposed to scare me, kid? Cause from where I'm standin - you still ain't said jack about what the hell was goin' on. But if you wanna act like a punk ... I'll treat ya like one." Logan had a different growl and smile on his face.
"It was Kraven." Apex remained tense but looked away as Logan looked past him towards Greer who had finally gotten out of her seat.
"You know what ... I'm Kraven something too ... fried jalapeeeeenos. Yeah." Logan closes his eyes and resisted the urge to send his claws through Wade's face. Luckily Proudstar smacked him across back of the head to shut him up. Logan ran a hand over his face, his exhaustion really hitting him.
"Who's Kraven?" Fantomex hadn't heard that name before but Logan just shook his head.
"Nothin' right now," he and Apex shared a brief look, "we'll deal with it. Let's just get home."
Logan looked around the cabin before heading back to his seat as Apex and James shared a brief look before the panther settled back next to Greer. The tigress slipping under his arm for the ride.
