Cheshire, N1Elkyfan, Retro, Canuckle...as always thank you for the reviews. Always keeps me motivated.
Akuma no Kojiro - thanks for the follow
Canuckle - glad I got Coulson right for you. that show's really grown on me and when the opportunity came along...well I just couldn't resist. Not to worry, that 'light trigger' will be explained in due time. And yea...sometimes even lethal ferals just need a hug.
"Logan...Logan I really need your help."
Greer sounded strained on the other end of the line as James held the phone to his ear as he tossed some things into a bag.
"Breathe, Tigger. It's gonna be fine."
"Logan it's Colton...he - it was an accident. It wasn't his fault and -"
"Greer! I want you to focus...right now."
He waited until he heard silence on the other end of the phone as he zipped the bag and slung it over his shoulder already headed towards the hangar.
"Good. Now...I'm already on my way. What I want you to do is -"
"Wait...How can you already be on the way? How do you even -"
"Greer focus. Calm down and just do what I'm telling you. Do not, under any circumstances, let them separate the two of you. Just sit tight and I'll be there soon as I can. Got it?" Logan waited until he heard Greer take her own calming breath.
"Got it."
"Good. Just stay outta trouble." Logan was about to hang up but Greer stopped him.
"Logan...I don't think they're gonna let him go. He - it wasn't his fault." Logan let out a slow breath and punched the button to the lower levels.
"I know, darlin'. Just keep your head and stay close. I'll be there soon."
He clicked the phone shut and reviewed the last few minutes as the elevator headed to the sub-levels. Around six a.m. the phone Tony had given him rang but instead of an Avenger on the other end of the line, it was the only other person with that number.
"Why the hell wasn't I warned about triggers ... how many damn telepaths you got over there and not a damn one of em bothered looking to see if he had a trigger? What the hell are you doing in that place anyhow, cause it sure as shit ain't keeping me informed." Fury wasn't one for yelling so whatever had him riled up couldn't have been good...seeing as how it hadn't been him causing it.
"Mornin' to you too..." Logan grumbled his face still resting on the pillow, seeing that the sun hadn't come up yet...Remy had kept him at that god forsaken strip club till 3am..."And careful now...not sure I remember signin' on just to report to you either. Given, my memory's shit...but it ain't sporting like to take advantage, Nicholas."
"This is serious Logan. I got five dead delta SHIELD agents and I'm bringing it all down on that damn weapon." Now Logan was sitting in bed awake and alert.
"What the hell you talkin' bout Fury?"
"That malfunctioning equipment we talked about? Well it just killed five of my best people and laid up two more at a place that doesn't exist going after a man I won't talk about over an open line."
"Wait...you tellin' me that he just went off and killed five agents in the middle of a SHIELD base?" Logan knew Colton well enough to know that didn't add up. Not so much the killing part as him doing it so blatantly.
"That's exactly what I'm saying."
"Not possible." Logan was up and putting on boots at this point.
"Tell that to the dead." Nick responded dryly.
"Thought you said somethin' bout a trigger?" James grabbed one of his go bags from the closet and tossed it on his dresser.
"Yea...some kind of trigger went off before the whole mess. That tiger chick's been ranting bout 'mind control' but that's not my problem."
"This place that don't exist, it got an address?" Logan knew Nick wouldn't have called him and gone on this long if he didn't want him showing up. Fury wanted answers...and maybe somebody else to blame.
It was only a few seconds after that Logan's usual cell had rung and it had been Greer on the other line. But now that he had her on task, all he had to focus on was getting to the two of them before Fury tossed Colton down a whole so deep he'd never see light again.
It had taken a lot of cold stares followed by a range of growls, showing of fangs, and then outright threats to ensure that Greer wasn't separated from Colton. When an agent had tried to direct Greer towards the medical bay to get checked out she had coldly told him to go away and when he insisted...he had the shock of his life when the tigress just growled a very distinct 'go to hell.' But when it had come to sharing his cell, Coulson had drawn the line.
"Let me in there...now." Greer had only been a few steps behind Colton when the barrier had gone up and almost crushed her face. Colton had turned at the noise of her growl but remained silent. How she could still be standing with him after what he had done...it was beyond him.
"Tigra..."
"Greer." though her tone was calm and controlled, she had her hands balled into fists and hackles raised by Coulson retained tried to retain his calm demeanor.
"Ms. Nelson, there is no way I am letting you into that cell. Be happy I've let you accompany him this far."
"Happy? Are you screwing with me?" Greer wasn't really in the mood to be 'happy' with anything. Once again she was finding Colton in a box and it was taking all her control to not simply grab Coulson and beat him to a bloody pulp until they were both out of this place...the group of guards at the door be damned.
"Le me in there now..."
Coulson gave her a measuring look before taking a step back.
"There's a lot we don't know about mutants...ferals especially. So we've been looking into them...trying to better understand ferals as a group." Greer had her arms crossed clearly not following what Coulson was going on about but that didn't seem to bother him, "To be honest, we haven't found much...but one of the things we've discovered is that while they are typically highly isolated and aggressive, when paired together, the strengths of each can increase. We're not entirely sure if it's biological or...something else."
"And what the hell is all of that supposed to mean? I'm not a mutant so don't give that bull Coulson and just let me in there." Greer protested, her arms akimbo and doing her best to not show that she didn't really understand what Coulson had said ... Coulson however gave her what she read as an almost sad smile.
"But you are a feral Miss Nelson and what it means is that there is no chance you are getting in that cell. Not on my watch." Greer bared her teeth at the seemingly non-threatening man. Hearing the range of weapons being triggered she just tossed her hands up in frustration with a snarl.
"So what am I supposed to do? Just sit here outside the cell? Abandon him and go hang out with Jemma?" she gestured sarcastically before approaching the shrugging Coulson. Locking eyes with him.
"I can't do that and I won't." she hissed softly her eyes never leaving his. Coulson let out a sigh as he took in the seething tigress. He had read her file and standing in front of her it was difficult to believe this was the same twenty year old girl he had read about. His first impression of her was just that she had been some unfortunate victim of science...He was clearly wrong and Coulson didn't like to be wrong.
"I tell you what...I can allow you to stay here. But remember Ms. Nelson," he gestured to the cameras in each corner, "we'll be watching."
Greer only growled softy in return as she turned her back to Coulson as he left the detention area. But once he was gone, her shoulders lost their rigidity as the weight of the situation began to sink in. Colton was cuffed and locked in a cell. SHIELD was probably minutes away from shipping him off to god knows where...not to even mention what they might do with her once he was gone. God … How did everything go south this quickly… One minute they managed to successfully escape a deadly government facility only to be trapped in another … Only this time the government facility was one of the "good guys". Greer couldn't put more quotations around the word "good"… and she couldn't believe that they had Colton captive…
"Colton..."
Greer whispered through the glass. It had small holes at the top so she knew he could hear her.
"Colton...what are we going to do?" she asked softly, her emerald eyes shining with fear.
Logan hadn't even gotten entirely into the command center at the 'non existent' SHIELD base when Fury was on him.
"Triggers … triggers on that giant panther and none of your telepaths did their job. You didn't do your damn job."
"And which job would that be Nick?" Logan glared from under the brim of his hat.
"Don't play games with me Logan. I brought you on to regain some control over the situation and in turn everyone gets to clear a name off their ledger. Instead, you drop the ball and now I got five soldiers laying in a morgue...not to mention that Weapon X research base he probably blew up...I never shoulda listened to that furry bastard...I should have known better than to trust a Weapon X operative." Logan bristled and all but lost his carefully controlled temper.
"You'd have to be naive as hell to believe anyone they've run through the ringer hasn't got some kinda traps an' triggers hidin' in their subconscious. Who knows, maybe I still got a couple that ain't been tripped … you gonna tell me ol' Charlie ain't done a job or two in there? It ain't the telepath's fault if he's got somethin' gummin' up the works. An' far as trustin' a former Weapon," Logan growled out low as he stepped into Fury's space. "No. You shouldn't trust em. Any of em." His threat was clear as he waited for Fury to take a step back. When he did, Logan continued. "Anyone that was there – outside of Greer – get 'em and bring 'em here. I wanna talk to 'em."
"You don't get a run at my people. That's not how this is gonna go, Logan." But he was already back in Fury's face.
"Like hell it ain't. We been doin' this your way the whole time an' all it's done is get a whole lotta people killed. You wanted my help and I came runnin … so give me what I need to fix this or tell me where you want your puncture wounds."
Fury just glared at Logan before reaching for his com.
"Coulson...get your team up here."
"You think you belong in there...don't you?" The two felines had been in the holding area for what seemed like hours to Greer. But without any type of clock and lack of her tracker she really didn't know. Apex had just been standing in his box alternating between looking at the floor and watching Greer pace until she had suddenly stopped to look at him.
"You know that I do." Apex kept his eyes on Greer as she stalked towards the glass, her tail flicking irritably. Nothing short of a pissed off cat.
"No...I don't. Neither of us should be in a cage. Ever." Her growl was integrated into her words and her ear twitched as if she was shooing a fly.
"This is the only way I can keep you safe. Keep the students safe." He looked almost as if he was pleading for her to understand, but she just tightened her mouth as she shook her head at him.
"You're wrong," she threatened as her eyes narrowed to slits, "The only way we can be safe is by going after Stryker. If we kill him...this can all be over." But Apex just sadly shook his head.
"You saw what happened. I killed those men Greer...I would have killed those scientists and I would have killed you." Impatiently she shook her head and stopped her pacing to lock eyes with him.
"That wasn't you. I know that wasn't you." The look on her face was almost as if she was daring him to disagree.
"It was...that is me."
"Colton no -"
"I was wrong Greer." There was a real force to his words. A conviction to them that Greer refused to believe. "I am a weapon...and I need to make sure I don't get used again. I refuse to be used again..." Apex rumbled, his hands straining the heavy cuffs. Greer let out a low growl of frustration before it suddenly cut out and she crossed her arms, her tail resting around her and her shoulders scrunching up toward her ears.
"Colton..." she insisted, her tone pleading, "Colton I know what you're thinking. I do. This was exactly how I felt after Weapon X did their number on me and did that kind of thinking get me anywhere? No. You of all people should know that! Colton please...you have to stop blaming yourself...please." she begged, pressing her hand to the glass but all the panther did was lower his head more.
Silence passed and Apex could practically feel the disappointment radiating off of Greer. He felt as if he should say something more...but what was there left to say?
"I want you to tell me why you did it."
"What?" Apex raised a confused eyebrow. One second he and Greer had been arguing and now she was standing there calmly as if they were back in their room at the Mansion.
"Back on the jet I told you that I'd let you know when I wanted to hear your reasoning about what happened on the mission. Well...I want to hear about it now."
"Now? Greer I don't see how that -"
"I want you to explain to me why you lied to me, slammed me against a wall and let someone electrocute me, cuff me, and say things that made me want to tear his throat out that I still can't even process - because I was so pissed off. And I want you to explain it to me right now." Greer growled, tail flicking behind her in irritation, but otherwise looking the picture of control. Apex saw it and let out a breath of resignation...he couldn't see how this was what Greer wanted to talk about with their limited time but wasn't about to upset her.
"I needed him to believe." he finally said.
"Excuse me?"
"Believe… I needed Stryker to believe what he was seeing. I knew that if it was all a trap the only way we could walk out of there was with him believing he was in control...and I couldn't risk you holding back."
"So you still don't believe in anything I can do." Greer snapped as she recrossed her arms, her tail on dangerously angry cat setting.
Apex growled.
"I do believe in you… But any mistake could have cost us our lives or worse. You heard what the commander said would happen if we were delivered to Stryker. What would happen to you. He said they would have wiped your mind. I heard him say that...I couldn't risk it." Apex looked up and locked eyes with Greer. "I would never let them erase you...let them take you away from me. I refused..."
Greer's eyes widened in realization before she finally settled into a confident half-smile.
"OK...And the helicopter? How did you know about that?" her tone had shifted to more business like, but also a hair more open.
"I didn't. My original plan was for us to jump down into the lake ... It would have hurt, but we would have survived. But then Domino came so I improvised from there." Greer's brow scrunched up.
"How did you know we would have survived?" Greer definitely didn't...not from that height. Apex looked away for a moment before settling back onto her.
"I'd seen it done before. We would have survived."
"And what about everything else Stryker said...about us just 'following our programming'...do you really believe that?"
"I didn't...but now...how can he be wrong? Greer I have no idea what I've done." Greer grimaced. She was losing him again... The tigress took a step closer to the glass. She wasn't going to allow it to happen. Now when they had come so far...
"Do you remember the first night I asked you to stay? After the Christmas party?" Greer tucked an errant piece of hair behind her ear.
"Of course." Apex muttered.
"And do you remember the first time we..." Greer glanced over at one of the cameras, "after our first mission?"
"Of course." This time Apex took a step closer to the glass...that was something he knew he'd never forget.
"And did it hurt?" he tilted his head in confusion until Greer reached for his cheek, stopping at the glass and he realized she was referring to when she had struck him. Back when she thought he had betrayed her.
"It doesn't matter...it healed."
"But did it hurt? Not the strike itself. I mean, did it hurt you." Greer asked again, her hand moving to rest over his heart. Apex lowered his head, his mind wandering back to when Greer had slashed him...and then punched him...the way she had looked at him...
"Yes...it hurt." he admitted truthfully.
"So are you going to tell me that was programming too? That the only reason we did all of that...that you felt that...that everything between us...was just programming? That Stryker wanted that to happen?" She looked on the verge of tears as she took her own step forward so now the only distance separating the two felines was the glass.
"You heard what Stryker said. I can't feel the way you do...the way you want me to. They locked that part of me away."
"I don't care what that bastard said!" She nearly shouted, her hands in fists at her side and her tail still behind her. "I'm asking you again Colton ... Now tell me." Greer didn't mean to but she was holding her breath...deep down she knew she was right, but still...that shred of doubt that everything had just been a lie. A result of careful manipulation...that none of it was -
"It was real. It is real. I don't care what anyone says. I'd never let anyone hurt you Greer...ever." She let out a sigh of relief. That was the look she recognized...the intensity she wanted. The tigress smirked before placing her hand on the glass.
"Good. All we have to do now...is hope Logan can find a way to get you the hell out of here."
One by one the witnesses were brought to Fury's command post and subjected to careful, almost interrogation like questioning from Logan and Fury until it was just the two of them left.
"You heard 'em Fury. Your own team gave testament that it was the damn box. Sounds like some kinda two or three stage trigger and as soon as it was destroyed, he came back to himself."
"That doesn't change the fact that I lost some good men today." Fury had his hands resting across the console from Logan.
"Oh, now you have feelings? Please. Who told 'em to come here? Was that a strategic move on your part or was it just because this was the only facility available that had a cell that you thought could hold him?" Logan countered. "You could have just met him anywhere. YOU brought him here. YOU exposed your crummy little Deltas to him. He wasn't in control of himself … but he will be if you let chase down Stryker."
"That's not gonna happen. There's no telling what he's gonna do...or what Stryker can make him don. He's outta control." Logan fought the urge to pop a claw at Fury's stubbornness.
"You're wrong. Stryker thinks he has full control but he doesn't. That's the proof of it right there." Logan pointed to the screen where Greer and Apex had their heads resting against the glass. Fury just scowled, obviously not impressed.
"He can get control of him again. Just needs that damn light." Fury said grudgingly as Logan let out a growl.
"What did he do when they took him into custody, did he fight?"
"I don't see what difference that makes, Logan - "
"Did he fight your guys?" Logan spread his hands, waiting for an answer as Fury struggled to find a way out.
"No, but -"
"Then let him go. We'll take care of Weapon X."
"No." Fury crossed his arms and looked hard at Logan. He had that beast where he needed him.
"So what is it? You mad that Stryker had some control in your house or you're pissed off that you don't have the button for the light?"
"Careful Logan." Fury was glaring but it was Logan's turn to not be impressed.
"You think I don't know you've been tryin' to work that kid for yourself?" Logan pointed a finger at Fury's chest and stalked towards him, "The real question, Director, is what is it you really want? You want to stop Weapon X from spreading like a cancer? Or has all this just been about you wanting your own obedient attack dog?" There was a beat of silence that spoke volumes and positively pissed off the stocky feral. "Guess I got my answer."
Fury turned away from Logan and looked over the videos again playing on the console, from when they arrived all the way to Apex surrendering before looking back up at Logan.
"I want assurances." Fury leveled with Logan but he just shook his head.
"You can't have any. No one I know needs assurances for every little damn thing but you. You know there is no real security. Not in the world we play in."
The two stared at each other in silence, a glaring contest that would have no winner...until Fitz suddenly burst into the room out of breath and clearly excited.
"Director! I did it...I was able to reverse the hack into our system and figure out where it originated from. I know where Admiral Stryker is!" Fitz looked between the two and the smile slowly faded from his face.
"Oh...Did I -ummm...interrupt something?" Fury just kept glaring as Logan smirked right back.
"If you thought he wanted Stryker dead before...you can bet your ass that's magnified now. Let...Him...Out. Hell, slap a tracker on him if you want, that way even if it all goes to shit, you can follow back to Stryker."
Fitz watched as the two measured each other.
"Well Nick...what's it gonna be?"
...
Greer growled over her shoulder as the heavy doors opened and Fury walked in, Coulson looking nervous to his right. She only quieted down as Logan followed close behind looking grim...but pleased. He stayed slightly behind Fury's left shoulder.
"Well?" Logan growled out. Fury glared straight at Apex as he gave a small nod towards Agent Coulson who opened the cell door. Coulson moved to remove the cuffs but with a low growl Apex just let them fall to the floor. He had broken out of them a few minutes before Fury had showed up.
"Apex...Greer...let's get the hell out of here. We got a read on Stryker." The moment the cuffs had fallen to the floor Apex had moved to stand next to Greer, both looking defiantly at Fury until Logan spoke, both then moving to follow him out.
"This ain't a free pass Apex. You mess this up...you don't finish the job...and I won't just come after you. I'll bring the entire weight of SHIELD down on all three of ya...and that's just a start."
Greer was ready to just turn her back on Fury and follow Logan but Apex stopped cold before stalking straight at Fury. Greer quickly counted the guards she could lay eyes on while Logan plotted the quickest path to the hangar as Apex came to stand right before Fury who didn't back down or bat an eye.
"I'm not finishing with Stryker...I'm going to tear their whole operation down. Starting with every weapon...every asset that's out there. I'm going to make sure no mutant...no weapon is ever used again. And I know where I'm going to start looking Fury. I know..."
Nick narrowed an eye but said nothing as Apex turned on his heel, joining Logan and Greer as they left the Director behind.
After Nick was certain the ferals had entered the elevator did he reach up and press his direct com to Coulson.
"Coulson, I want everything we have on codename...K."