Rebekah
I slip on my boots and wait. The Professor is wrapped up in Cerebro, determined to find Isaac. The rest of us are all sitting out here, looking anything from nervous to angry. Kitty's face is pale and Scott looks livid behind his glasses.
"You alright?"
I look up to see Logan. I shrug. I feel sick in the pit of my stomach, but that seems to just be worry. I mean, it's not like I've eaten anything stupid, poisonous to cats or gone near catnip -something I have been avoiding, despite knowing there's a 50% to 67% chance I'll be affected by it. I'm sorry, even if it has no negative effects -that have been observed so far- I am not prepared to basically drug myself out of my mind. Not a chance. No way on Earth am I going near Nepeta cataria, not if my life depends on it. Or valerian for that matter. Eating it would probably increase aggression and that would not be a good idea. No going near evil catnip!
Kurt wanders over now, sitting between Kitty and me.
"Both of you okay?"
I shrug again. Kitty shakes her head.
"Why did he run off? Why did he do it?"
Kurt shakes his head.
"I don't know."
I tense my fingers and my claws slide out. Release the muscles and they sheathe again. I keep doing this, over and over. Looking closer at my 'nails' makes it quite clear that they're actually the tip of my claw. When I tense the muscles required to protract them, the keratin sheathes slide out of my fingers, creating deadly weapons. The mechanisms of a feline's claws are really rather interesting, especially when you get into the deep and dirty. I've shed the outer sheathes twice since I've been here. That's what cats do when they're 'sharpening' their claws. Actually, they're pulling the blunted, old outer sheathe off to reveal the fresh new one underneath. Claws. I've come to quite like them. I'm never going to accidentally stab myself as I have to specifically tense a muscle or two (or three, etc) to get them to leave my fingers, but hey, its better than twelve-foot long deadly blades. They may not be able to reach a vital organ but I don't really want that. And my teeth and jaw strength more than make up for it. That's where I kind of beat Logan and Sabretooth. My skull is almost completely feline, including the immensely powerful jaw muscles, made for choking prey to death. Also, very sharp teeth. Eating a apple is rather difficult now. My molars are slightly more spiky than is really practical and I've caught my tongue on my incisors more than once. Curse you canines! You got grinding molars!
And you can tell I'm nervous because I'm thinking in terms of science and biology and if I'm not careful I'll start wondering about quantum mechanics or reaction mechanisms and then I'll end up with a horrific headache trying to comprehend how reality can't exist or how two positive hydrogen ions can bond covalently to form a standard hydrogen molecule.
The door opens and the Professor comes out.
"We've found him. Unfortunately, he appears to be in the company of the Punisher."
I glance over at Logan. Best not tell him about the steamroller. Or the humiliating shot to the crotch that Frank Castle will deliver to him just before running him over with aforementioned steamroller in years to come. I don't want to get the Punisher killed.
Although I never did agree with his methods...
Isaac
Frank came strolling back in. "I let your group know you were safe and all that baloney. It that all?"
"Yeah, thanks," I replied. "And thanks for the training and advice. I'm much more confident now."
"Okay then, just don't get yourself caught. That cat friend of yours and Wolvie, they have super senses so get new clothes if you, you know," The Punisher pulled an invisible trigger to mimic blowing someone's head off.
I smiled wryly and patted the spot on my right side where The Punisher had cleverly sewn the holster containing the gun into my leather jacket. There was no visible bulge and unless someone physically studied it, they would never discover it.
"Castle, now what do you want in return? My father always told me you never get something for nothing and I doubt you're different."
"I respect you kid so I won't mess you around. I do need your help for something and your unique abilities could come in handy. But I won't force you to do it. If you away now I won't try to change your mind."
After all Castle had taught me I could hardly abandon him now.
"I have to let you know, I can't explain why, but I'll only be here for another day and a half. Now, what do you have in mind?"
"An assassination."
I expected my heart to skip a beat or my mind to freeze but I was fine. I felt no different than I had ten minutes ago.
"Are you up for it kid?"
"I have one request."
"What is it?" The Punisher asked.
"Don't call me kid." I had grown a lot since I'd first come into this universe. I had killed people, I had found a way to get rid of my hate, I had grown stronger. I wasn't a kid anymore. I was a killer.
Punisher smiled again. "Done."
"Now what do you want me to do?"
I looked across the road. Three armed men. Two carrying M16's and one with a Uzi submachine gun.
Frank's plan was a crazy one. Phillip Dentworth, a corrupt senator from Boston, was visiting New York. He'd done everything. Funded numerous murders, been involved in human trafficking, and he'd been flooding the street with guns and drugs. Frank's sources had led us to him. It was time for him to die. But it would have to be quick. The X-Mansion was less than thirty minutes away and the X-Men would be here almost as soon as the alarm went off.
A man approached the guards in a hooded jacket. From where I was standing I could just see the skull draped across the front. The three men raised their guns to shoulder level as the man walked towards them but they were confident. What sort of nut with take on three heavily armed guards?
There was a slight hiss and a fine spray of blood and it was over. The three men dropped to the floor. It didn't get any smoother than that. Castle wiped his blade clean on one of the dead men's shirt and sheathed it inside his boot. I quickly teleported to where Frank was standings and one by one, teleported the corpses as far as I could without wearing myself out. I was finished within thirty seconds.
"Where'd you put the bodies?" Castle asked.
"In the Hudson River. By the time anyone discovers them it will be too late."
"You know they'll connect you to that other killing in London. You'll be branded a mutant serial killer and they won't rest until you're caught."
"I don't care. I won't be here in a couple of days. Now let's get this done."
Castle grabbed my shoulder and I phased us both through the wall. The Punisher was a big guy and it was harder work than I thought it would be but I managed it. We pressed on. If I knew where the governor was I could just teleport us both there but he was hidden away somewhere and the place was built like a castle.
We came to a large open square. The place was swarming with guards and there was no safe way past them all.
"Jump onto my back," I said to Castle. He gave me the weirdest look but did as I said. I called on Colossus' strength and suddenly Castle was as light as a feather. I also called on Pietro's speed and prepared to run like the wind. I would have to be fast. Finally, I built up the heat in my eyes and shot it at the opposite wall. It exploded amidst the screams of the sentries who'd been caught in the explosion. Everyone instinctively turned to see the source of the commotion and that split second gave me all the time I needed.
Before Castle could draw a breath, I had reached the big doors which I assumed would lead us to the Senator Dentworth. I phased through them. There were two guards standing there. I tried to reach for my gun but I was dreadfully slow. I was weak from using too many powers at once. I still had limits.
Luckily, Frank Castle had no such limits. The two men's heads were punctured by a silenced glock before either one of them could open their mouths to shout.
"You okay?" He whispered.
"Sorry. I just needed a second."
"Don't apologize. That stunt you just pulled was truly amazing. It would have taken me hours to set that up."
"I did the same thing in London pretty much. This was just a bigger diversion."
I drew my gun and loaded a magazine into it. It felt heavy and clumsy in my hands I was sure I'd get used to it. We met little resistance. All the guards were still under the impression that the outside perimeter had been breached and there was no danger from the inside. Boy, were they wrong. I never got a single bullet off. The Punisher was just too quick. It was like he anticipated the men before they appeared. They never knew what hit them. Finally, we reached the centre chambers. Castle dispatched the guards swiftly.
We entered the room and there standing in front of us was the senator. The senator opened his mouth to scream but The Punisher slammed his fist into his jaw, breaking it. The man reeled from the punch and hit the floor. Castles gloves were packed with lead shot. It must have felt like getting hit by a truck. I sure wouldn't like to get hit by him.
"Please," bumbled the senator, crawling slowly onto his knees. Blood gushed out of his mouth like a river and he was having a hard time talking through his broken jaw and busted teeth. "I've got money. Whoever's paying you, I'll double it."
"You misunderstand senator," Frank said holding his gun to the senators head. "This isn't for money. This is...Punishment." And then he pulled the trigger.