A/N: The long-awaited Chapter Eight.

I don't know how much longer Carly's going to let these guys push her around...even if they are the X-Men...an Agent of Hydra should be a little tougher...

Chapter Eight

Carly shuddered and shivered as Raven led her through the sprawling mansion, reliving the experience. She should run from these weirdos, but they could have answers. She wasn't sure she'd be willing to be stabbed again. She might have to do something seriously dangerous before these people would respect her. She didn't want to be one of those crazy 'everyone bow to me' villains, but she didn't want them to think she was some kind of pushover. They need to take Hydra seriously.

Raven went through a procedure to unlock one of the doors, throwing bolts open. Doors were lockable from the outside? That wasn't ominous. Carly backed away. "So am I like a prisoner now?"

"Not exactly. Best you stay the night, though. Don't worry, all the dorm rooms are like this, sealable from both sides. Some of our students have…boundary issues."

"I'll say. Some of your staff as well."

Raven eyed her without responding. "If you need assistance, please use the intercom. We've put some clothes on the bed for you. Please don't disturb Kitty, but feel free to use the bathing facilities. Put your stained clothes in this bag for disposal."

Raven handed Carly a bag for her bloody clothes.

"Tomorrow, should you choose to stay and investigate our facility, we will arrange some appropriate meetings. Good evening, Miss Richards."

Raven left and locked the door. Carly looked around what seemed like an ordinary dorm room: two beds, two desks, a couple closets, and a door to a private bathroom. Sigh. A figure lay in one of the beds, sort of half-under the covers. No—the covers kind of went through her, as if the girl was made of air. Carly kept an eye on the girl who floated up and down, almost sinking through her mattress, and then hovering above her bed. Whoa.

Carly hit the shower, turning it on to extreme heat, rubbing off every inch of grime. She still had three pink marks on her belly where the talons had carved her. When she touched them, a rage sprang up, a desire to seek out Wolverine and strangle him in his sleep, but she tossed her head. Overt action right now would ruin things for Lance, but if there was any way for some payback, her urges might not be deniable. Then again, with their intrusive methods, she wondered how much they could really help Lance without enraging him to the point where he tore up the place.

After her shower, before hitting bed, she sent some encrypted texts to certain drop boxes. All she needed to post was that she wasn't in immediate danger, but she was in hostile territory in an overt capacity, as a known agent. No exfiltration needed at the moment, situation holding. She waited a few minutes for a response, and received the standard "carry on" message. Which meant she was on her own for now.

Carly examined the stout doors and barred windows, no obvious egress. She had a bag in the car with explosive tape and putty, but that did her little good now. So with nothing left to do, she lay down in the bed, and in moments was fast asleep.

#

Carly rubbed her eyes and pulled her covers up against the harsh daylight.

"So, you're actually alive," came a voice.

Carly peeked out at Kitty, glared her best evil glare, and tucked the covers back over.

"Aww. It's okay. I never even heard you come in."

Carly looked out again. Kitty pulled on some socks. She seemed about Carly's age, and sat on a chair.

Kitty must have sensed Carly's question. "It's a lot easier when I'm awake. Clothes, makeup, it all kind of falls off when I don't focus."

Carly smelled a whiff of something nice and looked up. On a table next to her desk stood a vase of fresh flowers. She sat up and looked at the note, wondering how Lance pulled this off. What a sweetie!

"I am humbly sorry for my actions. I know this in no small way makes up for it, but please enjoy. Logan." Logan?

"For what it's worth, he did seem sorry," said Kitty.

Carly frowned. Cheap flowers for a murder attempt? But no—these weren't cheap. Carly worked for a florist. Judging from the rare, out-of-season blooms, this must have cost hundreds—and it had only been hours. She inhaled their perfume.

Carly reached out to the bouquet. "Do you want to see something? What do you do when someone you don't like gives you flowers?"

"Um…toss them?"

Power flowed from Carly's fingertips. The blooms redoubled in size, pouring out of the vase, over the table, and onto the floor.

"Ooh," said Kitty. "Nice."

"I said from someone you don't like."

The power kept flowing, the blooms twisted and fought, strangling over each other, turned black, rotted, and liquefied into sticky, stinky goo."

Kitty looked at Carly with wide eyes. "You definitely have a dark side."

Carly nodded, and extended her hand. "Name's Wild Flower."

Kitty looked at it, looked at the dead flowers, and hesitated.

"What's the matter?"

"Why are you here? I thought you were a prospective student."

Carly shook her head. "Right. No, I've already had my training. This isn't the only facility that caters to youths with…abilities. The one I went to was pretty cutthroat though. I just go to regular high school now. I'm actually here for my friend."

Kitty eyed the wreckage of the plant. "And what can your friend do?"

Carly smiled. "He's a really great kisser."

Kitty blinked, and then grinned. "Wait. A boyfriend?"

Carly shrugged. "I mean, it's not official. We haven't even had a real date. It's really hard. I mean, I want him to be, but it's not really possible."

"Okay…" Kitty extended her hand, and they shook. "Kitty Pryde. Also known as Shadowcat."

"And I go by Carly Richards. Wild Flower. So, you like it here, locked in your room?"

"Oh, I'm not locked in. Not really possible for me. But yeah, here, I get to be me. I don't get treated like a freak. I get to explore my abilities in a safe environment."

"Without being skewered by Wolverine?" Carly touched her belly.

Kitty looked away for a second. "I heard. Everyone has a run-in with Logan sooner or later. It's why's he's here, to learn to control those impulses. He's been through more than most of us. I owe my life to him, so I can't really say much more than that except I think those flowers were genuine."

Carly glanced at the ruin of the bouquet. "He's lucky that it was just a stab wound."

"Listen, they left an itinerary for you. You're free to attend an orientation or not." Kitty handed Carly a sheet of paper. It listed times, rooms, and various people.

"Ooh, breakfast at 9. What time is it now?" Her stomach rumbled.

"10:30."

Carly crumbled the piece of paper and tossed it on the floor. Who was she kidding? This was not her place, would never be. She'd never be some kind of valiant defender. She would never go out and save the world. Her destiny was to conquer the world and destroy it in the process if she had to. She wasn't even a true mutant like these folks; she was concocted in a lab or imbued by some magical/scientific process.

"Sorry, I should just take off. It's been fun and everything. I'll pick up Lance when he's ready." Carly rose.

Kitty rose as well and held out a hand. "Just hold on a sec. The people on that sheet mean well, and there's no harm in just looking around, is there? Just a couple hours?"

"And risk getting skewered or brain-probed again?" Then again, she might gather some important intelligence about the operation here. A little spying, learn their weaknesses. "Fine. But breakfast first."

"I'll go check. Just hang out for a little bit."

Kitty got up and walked through the door, clothes and all.

What Hydra wouldn't do for someone with those abilities…but Carly wasn't here for Hydra. Still, wouldn't hurt to be on friendly terms with this Shadowcat person.