Cheshire - the only reason I work with Greer so well is because of all those insights. So take some credit. And yea...I thought it was about time some other people got their time with our ferals. Glad you liked it.

Retro and Canuckle - thanks for the reviews. These next chapters are a bit tricky for me to get right so thanks for the encouragement and your patience.

"They say the only way to improve is to play a superior opponent. Not that I question your lovely opponents skills..."

Apex had heard him coming from down the hall. About once a week Xavier would attempt to speak with him. And about once a week he would ignore him. His current attempt came when Apex was playing a game of chess against Greer. He noticed her smile at the professor's arrival and look expectantly between them.

"Oh please...I am more than glad for you to take over." Greer moved to get up from her chair but the look Apex gave her made it clear that wasn't going to be her escape. "Or not..." she grumbled as Apex made his move on the board.

"Four moves." Greer gave him a quick glare before turning her attention back to the board.

"Come now Colton. I've already apologized to both of you. Is wanting you part of the team really that awful?" Xavier reasoned...but Apex wasn't much for listening. About a week ago Apex had told Greer the truth about the rift between him and Xavier. Aside from understanding his anger over the manipulation, Greer had actually been on the side of Xavier. Not that she had said as much...but her thinking was pretty clear.

"We have nothing to talk about." Apex quickly made his next move after Greer's careful study of the board, "Three moves."

Xavier sighed as he Colton still refused to even look at him. But...after decades of dealing with Logan he knew better than to push too hard when it came to ferals.

"Very well...but if you ever do have something you'd like to talk about, you know my door is always open." Apex just huffed and kept his eyes on the board.

"Oh...and Greer? Knight to G7." Greer quickly saw what Xavier had and made her move with a triumphant smile earning a low growl from Apex.

"Check...mate."

Apex had to admit...Greer's 'kidnapping' as she called had produced some unexpected results.

Aside from teasing him endlessly for spending a night in a local jail (Scott had forbade any of them from simply breaking out and with Logan passed out in the corner, no one had really protested) Greer had obviously benefited from her day with friends. Her training picked up, her demeanor was brighter...it was as if she was recharged. All of that coming from her time with her friends and...well Apex was glad Greer could order new sleepwear online...the two had been ripping through her reserves.

"I really liked that one." Greer grumbled as she snaked an arm to the floor to pick up the remains of what had once been a rather flattering pair of shorts. "Now what am I supposed to wear..." Greer held the shorts at arms length intent on making Colton feel guilty but he only glanced over from where he stood by the window flipping through a message from Domino.

"Nothing?" Apex had meant it as a genuine option seeing as how quickly Greer ended up without clothes anyway but all that got him was the ruined shorts flung at his head which he caught without looking up from the screen. Greer couldn't help but laugh at his confused expression as he glanced between her and the shorts.

"Nice try..." she muttered as she gathered up the blanket for a makeshift robe, grabbing some underwear and a pair of jeans and headed for the bathroom. When she reemerged she grabbed her own computer and hopped back onto the bed. It was time for some quick online shopping. It wasn't like she'd care to explain her current needs to Jean...'She'd probably send me to a missionary or something.'

Greer was just finishing up when she looked over as Apex let out a growl, 'Finally...'

"What is it?" Greer closed her computer and got out of bed to slip under Apex's arm, an arm wrapping around his stomach as her focus went to what her boyfriend had been reading.

"We found Stryker."

...

The rest of the day the two felines spent locked away together until the first moment they could slip off to the 'shack' as Greer called it. When they got there she was again going over the intel as Apex prepped their gear. It was an entire hour before Domino showed up, surprised at the two's early arrival. Greer barely acknowledged her until she held up the box. The tigress was relieved...until she most definitely wasn't.

"What the hell is this?!"

Apex looked away from the wall of photos and intel, Domino focused on the ammunition she was loading, as Greer came stalking out of the changing area obviously not pleased with her updated uniform, tail whipping around behind her.

"What is wrong with you people?" Greer had her hands spread wide as she presented herself with obvious disbelief and disgust. The uniform looked almost completely the same...except that now the majority of the tigress' midriff was showing. It was as if Greer had on some type of long sleeved tactical crop top and she was obviously not happy about it.

Domino looked up from her work with a bored look, "You've been bitching about your uniform for weeks. You said you wanted more movement. You said you needed more spinal flexibility. Well after you tore up your suit on that last mission with the laser grid you finally got your wish...congratulations." The assassin went back to her guns as Greer let out another growl.

"What about her exposure?" Apex had many thoughts on Greer in uniform but at least a few of them were tactical. Domino sighed...she missed Logan. He was so simple...kill, drink or sex...simple.

"C'mon, with a body like that do you really think the enemy's first reaction is gonna be to shoot?" That got a low growl from Greer and a grin from Domino. Messing with this kid was just too easy.

"Besides, the cat girl wanted to move. So we made a few alterations."

"The worst alterations more like it...I was asking for something lighter. You know, so I won't feel like my ribs would collapse into my freakin' spine. But no...you people decided to cut a hole in the damn thing." Domino just shrugged.

"Well guess what, you can't have one and the other. If she doesn't like it she can go naked for all I care."

There was a pause and Apex noticed how Greer had taken a slightly more aggressive stance, her tail flicking dangerously as her eyes narrowed to slits.

"You really weren't kidding about a kink for fur, were you?" Greer hissed out, her voice deadly quite but Domino didn't seem concerned.

"Swap uniforms with Panthro over there and I'll see what I can do." Domino snarked and that's when Apex reached a hand out to pull Greer over to him before things got out of hand. He had never seen Greer so aggressive towards another person before.

"Leave it. You look fine."

"It's not that," Greer spoke low and with venom, "Do you know what that bitch is implying..." Apex could feel the tense muscles beneath Greer's fur as the tigress bared her teeth at the smiling mercenary.

"Leave it. You know I wouldn't allow her to do that to you," Greer didn't stop her growl, "only you matter Greer. Just you." Apex rumbled and Greer slowly got out of her stance but kept her eyes on Domino as his hands to rest on her hips.

"Better?"

"I'd feel better if you just let me scratch that stupid spot off her face." The sound of Dom chambering a round echoed in the room.

"Not now Greer. Not tonight." Greer glanced up at Colton and let out a breath before she gave a small nod of her head.

"Right...time to kill the bad guy."

This wasn't right.

He'd gone over the intel five times and everything fit. Stryker was here...in that building holding an important meeting with numerous heads of the growing Weapon X operation. Three different itineraries and flight plans showed the right people to be here. Money transfers showed funds buying the right privacy. Fury was confident this could be it...a rare chance to cut the head off the snake. Everything he had been working for could be finished if he could eliminate Stryker.

But then why did none of this feel right...

"You ready?" The two were crouched in the woods bordering the parking lot of the building. Greer checked the gear one more time, pausing her preparations when she saw the look Colton was giving the building across the street. They were in a relatively small town's industrial center, a series of nondescript buildings being the unlikely meeting place of one of the few men she wanted to kill without hesitation. Apex glanced down, seeing the calm on Greer's face, before turning his attention back to the target.

He could see it...She was ready for this.

"Lets go."

The two moved across the empty lot without a sound. A number of cars had come and gone and even a helicopter had arrived on the roof a half-hour before. Greer would never admit it to Domino, but moving in the new suit was much easier. It was like finally getting cut out of a corset...all she had to do now was not get shot.

'Great...Easier said then done when there's a gaping hole just waiting to be shot at.' Greer grumbled internally. Now wasn't the time to make complaints.

Speaking of the mission, Greer was relieved that for once Apex decided on avoiding the security instead of unleashing unholy terror on them. Tonight wasn't about anyone else...it was about getting one man. The two ferals shot grapples up the side of the building and quickly ascending the ropes until the exterior air duct. For such a nondescript building, it had certainly had a serious upgrade in security, including pressure sensitive windows...but that didn't include the air ducts. It was a tight fit for Apex so Greer went in equipped to maneuver through the space. She didn't travel far before popping into the adjacent room. Quickly moving to the window, Greer attached the gear to disrupt the security, allowing Colton to cut his way inside the darkened conference room. The two shared a nod as Apex took lead and braced against the door.

He checked the tracker to make sure they were in the right spot. Stryker was supposed to be holding his meeting down the hall...and no one was making it out of that room.

No one

Apex took a deep breath, keeping his eyes closed as he slowly breathed out...fifteen unique scents...fourteen mixed with kevlar and gun oil...but that meant...

He gestured with his hands, 'Fourteen hostile. One target.' Greer was clearly confused and motioned for an explanation but he didn't have one. They had seen at least forty people come into the building.

Greer shook her head in obvious distrust and motioned, 'Trap...evac now.'

Obviously it was a trap...but where was everyone else? Stryker was in that room...he knew it. But why expose himself like this...that had been what had sat so wrong...but Stryker was here...now.

'Get ready.' Apex could almost hear the growl Greer swallowed but taking a breath she tensed herself like a spring, claws at the ready. There were a lot of men in that hallway and a lot of guns...and not a whole lotta space to move. She looked up to meet Apex's gaze.

'Ready.'

...

"Owww..."

Greer let out a little groan as she leaned into Colton, taking deep breaths despite the pain. He had one hand on the wall and another on her side, her head against his shoulder so her face could rest at the crook of his neck. She tried not to notice that when she moved her hand it left red claw marks in his fur. She hadn't really noticed how bad she was until someone wasn't shooting at her.

When the two ferals had crashed through the door, things happened quickly. The first few soldiers they had caught by surprise, Greer using Colton as a springboard and leaping over him as he started working his way towards the door. Each person he laid hands on was either laid into a wall or cut down. Greer attempted to get behind the rear group, force them to divide their attention.

It worked.

So when the first bullet hit her, she didn't resist as the red filled her vision...she convinced herself that she was ready...and if anything went horrifically wrong, Colton would pull her out of it. That was all the reassurance she needed to embrace the sudden rush of adrenaline and aside from adjusting to Colton's yells, all she could remember was slashing through soldiers until there was nothing left to slash. Then it was Colton coming to stand behind her and her leaning against him, wrapping his arm around her... the hand coming to rest over the worst of her wounds until he felt it sew itself closed.

Glancing down at her tracker she saw it had all taken less than 60 seconds...14 soldiers in less than a minute. She allowed herself a relatively proud smirk.

'Eat your heart out Wolverine.'

It took a few deep breaths and calm thoughts for the stinging to fade and Greer looked up.

"I'm OK..." and she peeled Colton's hand back to take a peak at her side, moving slightly to make sure she was far enough long not to rip it back open. The rest of her wounds were superficial...well nothing that needed to grow back at least. Greer squeezed the arm around her and stepped away a little, turning to see Colton had his eyes trained on the door...on Stryker.

"Colton!" The way he had been supporting her and the look on his face was so focused...Greer hadn't even noticed the amount of blood covering the usually dark fur. So when she did, she immediately went to the med-pack but Apex didn't really notice. He was focused on the door.

"I'm fine...most of it's not mine."

"Apex, wrapping up a few wounds doesn't make you weak. Here...just let me stop the pleading."

"Not now." But looking down he saw Greer had ignored the growl and was already at work and by the time he would have stopped her, she was already done. The large slash on his upper arm, wrapped in a dark bandage courtesy of Domino.

"Now, that wasn't so hard was it?" she snapped sarcastically before turning her attention back towards the door. Honestly she had expected more guards to come pouring out of it. Instead...the two of them were standing there.

"Colton we should just head back. It's a trap...it has to be." The sound of frenzied footsteps and the reek of sweat, fear and panic was coming from behind the doors.

"We can't." Apex growled. Greer whipped her head back towards him in confusion.

"What do you mean we can't. Of course we can. All we need to do is go back and -"

"The doors are wired. This is the only one that we can go through." He nodded towards the large wood doors dead in front of them as Greer quickly glanced at the other doors in the hallway...for the first time noting the small black box wedged in the top of each frame...taking a breath she noted the scent of C4.

"Great," Greer let out a resigned breath and turned to face the door, "so...what are we waiting for?"

The two ferals shared a look and nodded. Greer drew her gun as Apex took two strides towards the door and kicked it down, sending the entire thing crashing into the large conference table in the middle of the room causing it to slide across the floor. The only man in the room quickly dived out of the way with a curse.

Both ferals let out a growl at what they saw...the man clearly panicked at the sight before him.

"No...NO! Stryker! Stryker we - we had a deal!" Cassidy struggled back to his feet, obviously a mix of rage and terror at the sight before him. He sucked in a breath but Apex leaped over the table and picked him up by the neck before slamming him into the wall in one fluid, violent motion.

"Cassidy." Apex was ready this time. When Cassidy reached for his jacket Apex separated the shoulder...and the elbow for good measure. Taking a breath he confirmed what he had scented in the hall...Cassidy smelled like Stryker. Obviously Weapon X had been busy.

Greer tried keeping her focus on covering the door but...where was everybody else? What was going on...

"Where is Stryker?"

"Listen...you don't understand..."

"Where!" The roar shook the room and Apex turned, keeping a hand on Cassidy's throat so that he flipped over head and crashed onto the conference table, his head just over the edge.

"I don't know! He was supposed to be here...but - but it was a trap. For - for both of us!"

"What are you talking about?" Apex lowered his face with a growl so it was all the squirming drug dealer could see.

"This was supposed to be a meeting...but...but it was just me. It was all a...a show. Everyone else was here for you..." Apex looked up at Greer...they had killed 14 in the hallway...but from what they had seen that still left at least forty soldiers in the building.

"You - you don't have to kill me. I - I can tell you things. I can help you. Please..." Cassidy was near tears as he begged for his life around the claws at his throat.

"Colton...I think we can use him." Greer spoke low and Apex pulled back for a moment, not removing his hand, clearly weighing something before asking his next question.

"Do you know where Stryker is?" Cassidy wanted to answer...he opened and closed his mouth a few times but he knew...he knew the feral would smell the truth.

"No wait...I can -

"Colton!"

Greer had barely seen the movement...a simple tense of the arm...and Apex snapped his neck over the side of the table. There was silence before Greer cautiously approached the bristling panther.

"Colton..." Greer watched as Apex removed something from Cassidy's jacket and slipped it behind his back. She averted her eyes...it was somehow more disturbing to to look at the dead when there wasn't a visor to hide the face. Colton seemed to sense her discomfort as he calmly explained himself.

"He had nothing to give us. Stryker set him up as bait...anything he might have known would be worthless."

"That would be correct." Greer took a step back and hissed as Apex just tightened his hands into fists as the entire rear wall suddenly came alive...with Stryker's image. He was seated at some console...a few soldiers in the background...and clearly not anyplace close to where they were standing.

"Glad to see your time away hasn't left you any less affective Weapon 22." Stryker sounded relaxed...pleased even.

"Tell us where you are and we'll show you how affective we can be." Greer snarled as she came to stand next to Colton...who still hadn't reacted to seeing Stryker. Not even a growl.

"Ahhh...Weapon 13. I'm pleased to see that you're training is coming along so nicely. We were all very impressed by your display in the hall."

"Go to hell!" But Greer's snarl didn't seem to bother Stryker who just kept talking.

"The savagery of it...the brutality. I can tell you've been working on that feral trigger." Stryker almost sounded...proud. Causing Greer to simmer down, something screaming in her mind to be more cautious than angry.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm just commenting on how well you follow orders Weapon. I don't do it often so take note of it."

"Orders...we haven't been following orders." Greer furrowed her brow but Stryker was still smiling.

"Of course you have. Tell me...Weapon 13, have you had trouble sleeping since you're time with us?" Now Greer's blood went cold.

"What game are you playing here Stryker?" Greer demanded causing the leering man to lean in closer to the camera. Apex placed a hand on Greer's wrist...he'd never told her...

"Don't avoid the question weapon." Now the familiar Stryker was emerging, his tone demanding.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Greer said cooly only causing Stryker to sigh in disappointment.

"You're a terrible liar Weapon 13. Are you really that stupid to not realize what's going on? You may think you've escaped your programming but really… You haven't at all. We like to ensure that our programming can stick. Isn't that right Apex?"

Greer saw a portion of the screen start flipping through images...headlines from an old newspaper...something about an animal attack killing a family outside Colorado...

"Tell me… What are you still doing here with Weapon 22 if you truly aren't like him? You had the perfect chance to walk away and rejoin your friends the X men. But no… You chose this instead. To hunt and track me down, ready to kill on sight... If that isn't a demonstration of perfect programming of a weapon… I don't know what is…"

Greer wanted to smash that smug face but Apex kept his grip on her wrist. Greer had to settle for a growl instead.

"Don't be so bitter. We weren't about to allow two pieces of equipment with so much invested just walk away. I understand he's even begun training another possible acquisition," Stryker glanced down at another screen, "Ms...Pride I believe. Yes her report was most promising."

"You're lying." Apex had been ready to hear what Stryker had planned, allow him to reveal his next move. But this...this just wasn't possible.

"Am I? That's why we had him put the conditioning device in her room. Why he's been sending us reports. Why he ensured you continued your training. Why you've been taking down our competition. Sure they had their uses but...best they were silenced." Stryker sounded so sure...so saw Colton lower his head, his face filled with doubt and she turned to place herself between him and the screen, her hands resting on his chest.

"Colton, don't listen to him. He's lying...we're in control remember? He doesn't control us."

"I am in control!" Greer looked back over her shoulder, Stryker clearly not pleased, "I have always been in control."

A portion of the screen changed...at first neither could recognize it but then they realized it was because neither one could remember it. Stryker held a gun to Greer's head, both of them lying in the broken cage back at Weapon X. Stryker didn't pull the trigger...news that the X-Men were coming...both could clearly hear his words, "There may be a use for you yet."

The screen changed to Apex restrained in the forest, roaring in his attempt to get free. Suddenly there was a flash...Stryker speaking to Apex in a low, calm voice as he just kneeled there dazed. Greer could tell Apex had no memory of that ever happening as his arms went slack. He wasn't lying...

"Neither of you found it odd that you both resisted Xavier's attempts to look into your mind? Of course you didn't...your programming made sure of it." Greer could see all the times she'd fought against Xavier or Jean looking into her mind...or putting the pyschic barriers back in place...the attack she had when Xavier tried in the infirmary...the tigress shook her head in firm denial and turned back to Colton.

"Colton...listen to me. I don't care what he's said. I don't care what he made you do...us do. Everything else is real...we are real. He didn't make you...he didn't make you fall in love with me." Greer whispered it with conviction as Apex met her eyes...his hands moving to her hips as she smiled at him...but Stryker just laughed. It was a horrifying thing to hear as the two ferals looked back at the screen.

"You...you actually think...that thing can - can love?" Stryker worked to regain some control, "You see...the thing that makes Apex so affective at attaining an objective is that we narrowed his mind to only focus on the objective. Put mental blocks up so strong that might as well be the only thing that mind is good for."

Apex bowed his head at Stryker's words.

"So any...feelings you might have seen or anything he might have done was only to make you believe he could. To win your trust. To ensure his objective. And with what we have...we'll be able to take down the X-Men."

The clack on boots was the only warning as the mass of remaining guards piled into the room, guns pointed at the two ferals. Greer looked up at Colton for a plan...but he still had his eyes on the floor. Stryker was smiling.

"You see...I would say welcome back to Weapon X but...you never really left."