OK ... So this took way longer than it should have. But if it's any consolation I figured out what's been bugging me about this story and where and how I lost my grip on it. Was tempted to go waaaaay back to fix it but that's like 20 chapters ago and I'm the one that wrote this up so ... up to me to get us back on track. Plenty more awesome stuff I wanna get to in this book and beyond so ... stick with me. Do my best to not let you all down.
Thanks to Cheshire (and her greer help per usual), Canuckle (for her feral help per usual), Spanky, Retro and a special shout out to Blackhawk. You couldn't see it but trust me that your posts got me motivated to keep going and get this right. And everything you mentioned ... the loose ends, the Apex slide ... it's all getting sorted out. Thanks for the feedback.
"Hello? HELLLLLO?! LET ME OUT OF HERE!" and the gargoyle gave one final heave before pursing her lips. Nothing… And now her neck hurt. She felt like it had been hours? No maybe even days… Everything was always dark so she had no way of really telling what time it was or how much of it had passed. It never got light in here.
Vanyss had groaned herself awake as she'd tried to get her bearings together. Her head had been spinning, she was thirsty and every part of her felt heavy. Her arms, her legs, her ... the gargoyle blinked ... she couldn't flex her wings.
Panicking, she had opened her eyes and was shocked to find herself hanging upside down like a bat. Straining, she looked up and was shocked to find herself chained upside down to what amounted to a large bird enclosure. With actual birds and bats to boot, the latter staring at her quizzically.
"Sacre Bleu?" and Vanyss pulled against her restraints all the while trying to remember what had happened. She had been practicing some maneuvers that Warren had demonstrated ... and then she had saw something. At first she thought it looked like Greer… prowling through the trees, those feline eyes staring at her through the leaves and against her better judgement, Vanyss had thought it was a game, or training exercise that Greer or Colton had orchestrated, so she followed and - and then ...
Vanyss shook her head, she couldn't actually remember what happened after that. Not exactly. She remembered trying to stalk up behind Greer, moving to some lower branches, but then losing sight of her. She decided to move back to higher ground and then ... the pain of what must have been her crashing onto the ground ... voices ... someone talking ... had reminded her of Professor Romanoff ... Russian! He'd sounded Russian ...
And that had been about it. No one ever came to see her. No one ever came to feed her. Which actually had pissed her off the most at this point.
"HELLO?! HEl-" and Vanyss stopped, her heart rate accelerating while her sensitive eyes had to shut for a moment as light suddenly flooded into her enclosure, and a man appeared. He had a huge knife ... a machete - he was coming closer ... droning on about some evil master plan ... just a little closer ... bit more ...
She was free! Out the door. Just give me a bit of sky and I can fly away. Just a little further and -
"We're getting close."
Greer shook herself out of her daydream - daynightmare? It was hard to tell. Her and Colton had taken his jeep and headed north towards the zoo. For once she didn't have to cross time zones but the fact Vanyss might have been so close and she hadn't found her had been eating at the tigress.
"You up for this?" Greer glanced over to see Colton looking her over and she worked to fix her face from worry.
"Yea was just - thinking about Vanyss."
Greer didn't miss the silence that came after her mentioning the young gargoyles name and internally growled. Vanyss was fine. They were gonna find her and bring her home. That was all there was to it.
As usual, they parked the jeep on a side road a few miles from the zoo and walked the rest of the way. Greer had mentioned that she doubted a zoo would have the highest security but all she got was a rumble for a response. Typical.
As the two felines finally came in sight of the rather huge fence that surrounded the entire zoo, Greer couldn't help but slow down a bit. She hated zoos ... well at least she had ever since her transformation. She'd been forced to take a group of students once with Bobby for a field trip and all she'd gotten out of it was a headache and nightmares for a month.
Apex motioned for Greer to wait and bracing himself into a crouch, launched into the air and cleared the ten foot fence with ease to land with barely a sound. He checked the air and frowned. All the usual scents associated with large congregations of humans was present: sweat, sugar, urine, garbage, gasoline. There was the rather overwhelming scent of the menagerie of animals kept in the park. But there was something else ... something newer that didn't belong.
"Which way's the exhibit?" Greer glanced around as she landed next to him, the area they were in not looking much different from the woods they just jumped from.
Apex looked around one more time and gave Greer the motion to 'stay quiet. danger. unseen.' Greer nodded and flexed out her claws. Sharing a brief look, the two headed towards their objective.
The second they hit the east Asia exhibit it hit them. Kraven's scent. It got both of their hackles up though Greer let loose a low growl as well. She never should have let this scumbag live. Her mistake. She wouldn't make it again. The area was largely self-contained with a series of faux mountains and forests, meant to look somewhat asian, with a series of intersecting paths making up the exhibits.
But the two didn't get very far before things became complicated. There were a lot more scents than just Kraven.
Greer actually let out a sigh and rolled her shoulders before she pulled out her sidearm and fired at the two mercenaries as they rounded the corner before they even got to raise their own guns. And the two were in it.
Guns were quickly tossed aside as the narrow pathways and close quarters made claws, teeth and knives more useful. Maybe it was her time with K, or her training with Colton, or simply pretending each goon was Kraven, but Greer tore through her share of bad guys without batting an eye. Apex for his part was having an easy of enough time to be worrying about something else ... Kraven had done all of this to fight him. Hunt him. There was no way he would allow any of these humans to kill either him or Greer. 'So what are they doing here?' Apex growled to himself as he tore a poor merc shoulder to hip.
"You have a scent on Vanyss?" Greer panted as she caught her breath when there was a second of pause from the fighting. Neither one was that hurt but kicking that much ass still took its toll on her. Apex was about to respond when two distinct voices call out.
"Vanyss!"
"Kraven."
Greer yelled and Apex growled as the two voices called out from two different paths. Greer moved to run towards Vanyss but Apex caught her arm before she could run.
"It's a trap."
"Of course it's a trap. This whole thing was a trap." Greer practically rolled her eyes as she gestured around them, "but I need to get to Vanyss. And you need to finish Kraven." Greer stepped closer to Colton and went onto her toes as she gave him a quick kiss. "For me."
Apex actually was stunned for a second at both what Greer had said and the look she was giving him.
"Stay safe. Grab Vanyss. Meet at the extraction point." Apex rumbled and reluctantly let go of Greer's arm. The tigress gave him a quick nod and rushed down the path where she could still hear Vanyss calling out. Apex watched her go, an unfamiliar feeling of tension gripping him, but then he heard Kraven's voice calling out for him and he was running down his own path.
There were only three mercs that got in Apex's way. He never even slowed down as he cut each one down. He needed to finish this and get to Greer ... and hopefully Vanyss. Was it really possible she was still alive? The image of the smiling gargoyle flashed in the panther's head ... an image he quickly shook away.
"Kraven!" Apex roared as he finally came to a dead end. Kraven's scent was everywhere. But there was no Kraven. Just empty cages. "Kraven!" Apex roared again, his tail lashing behind him as he flexed his claws. 'Stupid ... he's not here.'
Apex was about to leave when the screens spaced between the cages flicked on and the face of Kraven appeared looking rather pleased.
"You disappointed me pantera."
"You should be dead." Apex growled at the screen and Kraven leaned back as he tented his fingers.
"But I was dead. You killed me pantera. Or ... I wish you had killed me. Better that then to be left alive then way that you left me ... broken."
"Let Vanyss go." Apex kept his voice at a rumble as he strained to listen for Greer ... if she was right and Vanyss was alive he only needed to keep Kraven busy. Kraven however seemed to be more focused on his monologue then bartering.
"But while I might have been broken that was nothing to the shame I felt for you pantera. You left me alive ... why? You were supposed to be the ultimate hunt. The ultimate predator. I tried to warn you ... they have weakened you. Lessened what you are meant to be." Kraven sounded honestly upset - mournful even.
"Fight me then. Hunt me." Apex tried again to get Kraven to focus on him but again Kraven seemed committed to ranting.
"So when they finally came and dug me out I knew - I knew! that I would have to hunt you again. They -"
"The Hellfire Club." Apex watched Kraven closely for a reaction but all the hunter gave him was a knowing smile and slight nod.
"They wished to send another. Perhaps even drop a bomb on you. But they allowed me this final hunt. One without interference." Kraven practically purred, that smile once again on his face.
"Then why take the girl? Leave her - all of them out of it." Kraven shook his head clearly disappointed.
"Don't you see? This time I must make sure there are no distractions ... no limitations on what we are. I warned you the first time we met." Apex's hackles slowly started to rise.
"Why did you take Vanyss ..." Apex's rumble was lower, practically to himself as Kraven leaned closer to the camera.
"Because I didn't take the gargoyle for you." Apex continued to glower at Kraven for a moment before his face slackened and Kraven sneered, "where has your tigress gone?"
Kraven didn't even finish his sentence before Apex tore back the way he came and sprinted down the path Greer had taken but when he came to the end ... there was nothing. Kraven's face appeared once again on screens.
"No distractions this time Apex. This time ... no weaknesses."
A feeling crept from Apex's chest ... something he'd never felt before. Greer ... Vanyss ... He lost them ... Kraven's voice barely heard ... Greer ...
" - I'll make use of her pelt for -"
a rushing noise filled his ears as his eyes screwed shut ... Hands balled into fists as the pressure in his chest continued to build ... it hurt ... he had to - focus ...
" - only then can the hunt truly begin. See you soon pantera."
he had to find Greer ... he had to find Vanyss ... pressure was everywhere ... chest ... head ... no time ... Greer ...
"I'll kill her myself." Kraven seemed to whisper.
And then Apex felt nothing.
The mercenaries furthest down the hall finally came to a stop when the screaming hit them. The gunshots came next but that didn't last very long. The calls to fall back barely hit their coms before it was on them.
And then it was too late.
"Hey Logan, do you have someone to cover your classes for tomorrow?" Kitty asked with a bit more weary sounding than was normal for her. But Scott had dumped this job on her to make sure everyone's classes were covered as the shifts went out in search of Vanyss and KravenA. s usual Logan was the last one to get back to her. She'd finally found him in the garage with what looked like solid 24 pack in bottles scattered around him as he leaned back balanced on his mechanic's crawler. She guessed his trip to Canada hadn't gone too well.
"Okay ... then I guess I'm gonna have to guess what you -"
"Shhhh," Logan replied, one hand up and pointing a finger her way. Kitty's gaze shot up as she gave Logan a serious look.
"I'm sorry ... did you just shush me?"
But Logan didn't respond beyond slowly leaning forward, his head slowly cocking to the side as if he was listening for something.
"What is it?" Kitty's tone changed as she watched Logan get out of his seat and look out towards the driveway and the main gate. "Is something wrong? Should I go get Scott or -"
"Hush." Logan muttered as he walked out of the garage, the late fall night wind whipping around him, and stopped on the large circular drive. He just registered K mirroring his walk as the two met a few feet apart in front of the Mansion, both ferals silent as they stood with their eyes fixed west towards the main road. Almost five minutes passed, a growing sense of tension settling on the two, and then the wind shifted.
Neither feral moved as the scent hit them although both proverbial hackles went up.
"That can't be good, right?" K asked though her eyes didn't leave the horizon.
"Nope." Logan growled low.
"Kraven?" K shot a glance back at the school.
"Yup." Logan and K hadn't even had to guess where Apex and Greer had been off to when they'd left the barn earlier. K had mentioned letting Scott know and Logan had agreed to it - especially considering how the panther had been acting as of late.
"What do you think has him so tweaked?," K asked "I thought he'd already hit all of fuzzy's tender spots -" she stopped short as both of them finally met each other's eyes.
"Greer," Logan replied and the two of them seemed to shore each other up. They both looked irritated with the situation, though likely for different reasons entirely as they broke into a run and headed for the Shack. They got there in time to intercept Apex just as he came into the clearing, splattered with blood but clearly not his own, that surrounded the rundown looking hunting post. But he wasn't alone. Being dragged behind the panther by his foot was what looked like somesort of mercenary by his gear, cut deep and m***, but very much alive. But all of that was secondary to the fact that Apex's eyes were white as his adamantium stood out even in the dark.
"Colton!" Logan's tone had a deep timber to it in an attempt to get to Colton but the panther didn't even look there was as he headed for the shack, "What happened, kid?" but still nothing.
Logan took a breath and moved towards Apex.
"Hey. You gotta tell me what the hell is goin' on. Where's Greer?" At this point Logan was walking beside Apex but still the panther didn't acknowledge him, "Damn it kid - what happened to tig - hoof!" The moment Logan had tried stepping in front of Apex, the panther threw back a fist that sent Logan backwards and never broke stride.
K immediately moved to stand over Logan as she popped her claws and let out a growl of warning but Logan put up his hand as he wiped away the blood flowing down his face and the pair watched as Apex disappeared into the building and it's hidden lower level.
K and Logan waited outside for close to an hour as their enhanced hearing picked up the random screams and scent of blood coming from down below. When it became clear the panther wasn't coming out anytime soon, the two ferals headed downstairs. What they found was ... confusing. The mercenary wasn't anywhere to be found outside of the red smears covering the main interrogation room. A few new claw marks covered the walls. But what the two ferals didn't know what to do with was Apex: he was clearly still triggered but seemed focused on working furiously at one of the main computer console, flipping through screens impossibly fast.
Logan and K both called out a couple times with no affect. Eventually Logan pulled out his phone and sent a text and about an hour later, the purple haired Betsy was coming down the stairs but stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of Apex though she balked at seeing K and Logan standing calmly around the center table only a few feet away.
"Logan ... what happened?" Betsy spoke a little over a whisper and kept a careful eye on Apex. K couldn't help but smirk a little ... it was rare to see the ninja so jumpy.
"Best we can tell? Kraven's got Greer. Colton ain't takin' it well." Logan jerked a thumb in the panther's direction who had yet to acknowledge anyone else was in the room.
"Wait - when was she -" Betsy shook her head with a frustrated sigh ... Logan and K had been practically mentally screaming something like this would happen, "is that what happened to you ... Kraven?" Logan and K looked at Betsy like she was nuts before Logan glanced down at the blood on his shirt and figured it out.
"Nah - grabbed her when she and Colton took off." Logan's tone showed he was clearly pissed with the felines' choice. It was rare but sometimes it paid to actually listen to Scott.
"So then who ..." Betsy had joined by now and gestured up and down at Logan.
"Fuzz did it. Mr.-Tactical-Genius came back still triggered and when Logan tried talkin' to him he cheap shot him." K's tone matched Logan's. K had the mindset of forgetting the panther and just grabbing their stuff, jumping in the jeep, and start hunting this asshole. But the concern of what Colton might do next kept the ferals in their seats. He'd never gone to the Mansion like this before ...
"What do you mean 'still?'" Betsy shot another look at Apex, her face more cautious and curious than concerned.
"I mean the kid's still triggered but seems to be doin' just fine to interrogate and whatever else he's doin' now." Logan explained the obvious.
"You mean he was like this when he attacked you?" Betsy sounded shocked.
"Mhmmm." Logan grumbled as he subconsciously rubbed his newly back in place nose.
"That ... that shouldn't be possible. You should be dea - nevermind." Betsy shook her head with a frown.
"And what makes you say that?" K raised an eyebrow. Betsy seemed a bit hesitant to answer but K was kind enough to help her out.
"Listen ninja-girl, you're the one that's been helping Fuzz get a handle on his 'predator state' (or whatever you all call it, K mumbled) so if anybody's got an idea of what's going on it's you. So spill." Betsy looked a bit disgrunteled but it wasn't so much pissed at K for saying it as much as what Colton's reaction might be to discussing what they'd been working on.
"Well ..." Betsy shook her hair a bit, "we've been working on him getting a handle on it. Controlling it so he could tap into it whenever he wanted and coming out of it at will. Normally that's not too difficult to get a handle on when you can get inside a feral's mind but with him -"
"It's like cracking a safe inside a room with no door." Logan muttered as he recalled how Charles had described it once.
"Exactly," Betsy agreed, "so we struggled. Previously he'd only triggered due to pain or stress. I theorized it was really a defense mechanism of some kind ... or at least that's what Weapon X conditioned it into. And where the adamantium came in."
"So it's a way to make the pain stop?" Logan leaned forwards, the mentioning of Weapon X always catching his attention.
"More like a way to escape it? It was hard to pin down," Betsy rolled her neck at the memory of hours with the panther, "but that's where K came in with her 'protection' idea and we made some progress. At least in terms of Apex being able to tap into it at will. I called that his 'offensive reaction' as opposed to the more defensive one Weapon X beat into him." Betsy's face showed the first sign of sympathy as she again looked over at the still silent panther. The things he'd told her ... and she'd thought hanging with Logan she'd heard enough.
"So what's goin' on with him now?" Logan's question regained Betsy's attention.
"Something that shouldn't be possible," Betsy gestured with a shrug, "The fact he's just ... standing there is - well I don't know what it is. And the fact he didn't stop attacking you until one of you was dead? Not to mention the longest I recorded him at was close to an hour. But this ... His mind becomes hyper-focused on whatever's his objective. Usually that's a target or something right in front of him. Something he can kill."
"So what do you suggest?" K asked as she kicked back in her chair.
"If he's like this because Greer was taken it's probably what he's focused on so if it was up to me?" Betsy looked from each feral before settling on Apex, "I'd just stay the hell out of his way.
No… No! NO! NO NO NO." And Greer ran for the bars only to grab her neck in pain as it not only chocked her but sent electricity into her system. She tried again, only to fail. And again, and again before falling to her knees panting. As she readied to try again, the tigress took a moment to collect herself.
She'd been running for Vanyss ... There'd been a couple guys in her way but that hadn't been too much of a problem ... She'd gotten to the end of the path and then ... and then ... falling? Then darkness. Greer remembered her dad taking her to the zoo when she was little and the staff explaining there was an entire maze of paths below the zoo for transporting animals out of sight of guests. Greer guessed that was what she'd fallen into. Probably knocked out by some drug. And now here she was ... caged ... again.
"OK don't panic ... You've been trained for this ... Focus." And as usual whenever she got into situations like this a number of voices popped into her head. Apex telling her to stay calm and asses the situation. Logan growling at her to wait for her moment. K - somehow drinking a beer even in her mind - telling her calmly to give 'em hell every step of the way. Oh and not to be a big baby. Sorry cheerleader ... thought you were a fierce tigress now with 'big plans' and -
"You can all shut up now," Greer grumbled and looked around, "Alright ... Apply Greer ... Apply." And the tigress released a slow breath before experimenting. First there was the collar - 'course there's a collar' she growled - tight around her neck. Some sort of metal with no clasp. Reaching around she found the chain attached to the back and fastened into the wall. The cage itself extended out of the wall and looked about fifteen feet in either direction. She realized she could get about 2 feet away from the bars of the cage before being shocked. Tug too hard, shock. The only place she could get near too was the wall and that was just to lie in the straw under it. Nothing more. The only saving grace was that this time she'd got to keep her uniform.
Greer bit her lip. Caged, trapped and collared. Just like an animal. But why?
"Cause that's what he wants us to be." Greer lowered her head... the memory of realizing that Kraven had been hunting her rushing back. Her claustrophobia almost getting the better of her. She could feel her breathing quickening , her heart rate... Oh god, she couldn't breathe...She couldn't...No stop... Don't think like that! You've been through worse. Stop panicking and take a deep breath. Again. You got this.
What Kraven wanted her to be... and Greer's eyes started to scour the room. One at the top right corner of the cage. Another at the bottom left ... and yup a couple on the wall outside the cage. Kraven was watching her. The tigress growled, before picking up the water bowl and flinging it into one of the cameras… and then falling over as a massive jolt hit her. Her ears flicked. Temperamental much?
Greer stayed still for a moment, clearly thinking about something, before shuffling over to the wall and curling herself into a ball. The tigress growled again and curled herself even tighter … the waiting … the waiting was going to kill her.
And wait she did ... though Greer couldn't really gauge how long. The cage was in a massive room ... a warehouse maybe? That didn't quite fit cause she was pretty sure she was underground. Regardless, it made telling time impossible. But if her stomach was any indication she'd guess almost a day. But then she was rewarded as the sound of locks were disengaged and the harsh scent of vodka, copper, and clove preceded Kraven.
"You are pathetic child, you know that?" Kraven frowned as his target simply curled herself into even smaller ball. She hadn't moved for hours ... just cowered. He would have thought she would have put up more of a fight.
"I don't know what Apex ever saw in something this pathetic. A tigress that does not want to hunt ... to fight ... to kill. Zhalkiy ... pathetic. You were given a gift ... something meant to be a force of nature." And Kraven smacked the side of the bars hard causing Greer to tremble as she tried to curl into herself more. Kraven sighed and shook his head before arrogantly entering her cage, circling around the shaking Greer.
"Do you even know why I'm doing this?" He rumbled his foot traveling dangerously near Greer's exposed tail before laughing and abandoning that notion. "I need to get rid of you tigritsa. You are waste. Thorn at my side. Thorn at Apex's side. You make him human, when he should be beast. Magnificent beast." And Kraven smiled as if remembering something wonderful before confidently striding nearer to Greer.
"He will be my best hunt. My best one. Let me tell you tigra. I've been doing this for twenty years and nothing has proved challenging enough for Kraven the hunter."
"Except Spider-Man…"
"Naglyye trusom" and Kraven raised his foot to stomp the stupid girl's head in only to find himself on his back, his arms raising up just in time to stop the feral snarling tigress on top him from tearing his face in half. Quickly he tried to get his foot under her only to be rewarded with her jaw closing in onto his shoulder. Snarling in pain, he upped the voltage of her collar and despite her roars of pain, Greer only clamped down harder causing Kraven to release his own roar of pain before finally getting enough leverage to kick the tigress off him, including a good part of his shoulder.
"LITTLE SUKA! While Greer just hissed back him before once again trying to lunge for Kraven who had miraculously managed to tumble out of the cage and slam it shut just as Greer crashed into it.
"WHERE IS VANYSS?!" Greer roared.
"THERE! That's what I want!" And the russian gleefully slicked his hair back.
"Maybe you're not lost cause after all," Greer snarled at him this time, pacing as blood dripped from her chin onto the floor, "You'll see your little friend soon enough. But for now, Do svidaniya.." and the tigress could only watch as Kraven dissapeared behind the door.
"Next time, I'll get your Russian ass next time."
