Cassie took another shaky breathe as Hank adjusted the scarf around her neck, and then fumbled with the glasses she wore. After Cassie had finally found her voice and Hank a new cell phone, they had called the Professor and told him of Cassie's willingness to help with this matter. Cassie for the past three days had put on a rather straight and believable front of being calm and at ease about the whole, while her insides were having a meltdown. The Professor had after the call back had so kindly overnight shipped them a package containing things that Cassie may need. A fake ID with false information on it, a pair of phony glasses with a mini camera built into the thick black frame, as well as a pair of eye color changing contacts and washout hair dye. After Hank had helped her Cassie now was a black haired woman with brown eyes, wearing a pair of thick square framed glasses and her hair in a rugged pony tail covered by a floppy green hat. Cassie was also wearing clothes she would normally never wear, like this woven brown poncho that was long enough to thankfully hide the hip hugging waist band to the jeans she wore. Personally Cassie though she looked more like she was going to a 'Save The Environment' gathering, not infiltrate a group of hostile humans set on causing harm to anyone and thing not normal.

For the past three days Hank had been merciless in his attempts to convince her to not do this, he was at his wits end as scenario after scenario played in his head of things that could go wrong. Beast was for the first time in its existence in agreement with him, it was hard to not let Beast take control and throw Cassie over his should and flee with her, Hank personally liked the idea of hiding Cassie away from the world in a cabin in the woods. Hank knew her better than Charles Xavier, he knew that Cassie was terrified, and she was doing this because she felt obligated. Hank had gritted his teeth when Charles had sent them a package filled with cheap ways of protecting Cassie from being discovered. If Charles had given Hank the time he would have built an image inducer for her, not spray her hair black and give Cassie colored contacts. The methods were cheap but did the job they were meant for, unless you knew what to look for you wouldn't know it was Cassie.

"What's your name?" Hank asked the hundredth time.

"Erin Cress." Cassie replied softly.

Hank frowned at how unsteady her voice was, he turned to go thru the dummy bag once more, a wallet with a driver's license, a few receipts and cards for good measure, as well as a sum of cash for cab fair or food.

Hank had been quizzing her relentlessly these past few days, on general information incase she was asked.

"Hank I'll be fine, like I'm just going and coming back right?" Cassie asked trying to stay calm.

Cassie jumped when he spun around his eyes doing that crazy flash again, "You're not just coming back you are coming back!" Hank snarled viciously his canine teeth looked very sharp suddenly.

Hank was barely able to keep Beast in check, he was stressed and didn't like this plan at all, Hank was almost frothing at mouth when Cassie placed a hand on his arm.

"I'll be back Hank, I'll be fine I promise." Cassie said assured him.

.

Cassie had finally been able to peel herself away from Hank; the man had gone from trying to persuade her with words to just kissing her brains out. Which had gotten her to almost change her mind; Cassie bit her lip and flushed she told herself over and over that she wasn't caving but she knew it was a lie.

"We're here lady." The Cab driver rasped back at her, Cassie jumped and quickly paid the man her cab fare. Cassie exited the cab and waited for it to pull off before she crossed the road, Cassie held the pamphlet that Hank had given her.

Tired Of Being Oppressed By Freaks

Want to Meet Others like You

Abused and Used by the Mutants of Society

The paper went on to tell about how the human race was being oppressed and the government allowing it to happen. Cassie bit her lip as she looked up at the warehouse that had been listed on the paper. But it looked abandoned windows were boarded up and it was spray painted. Cautiously Cassie entered the warehouse and continued t be confused, it was completely empty and dark inside. Cassie felt her legs begin to shake, she really was scared she couldn't seem to make herself leave the doorway and walk further into the dark.

Oh my God Charles Xavier seriously thinks that I'M the right person for this job, I'm afraid of being alone in this dark place and he thinks I can do this?!

Something shuffled across the floor to Cassie's left, she felt the moment when she went from nervous fear to the point of almost terror. Cassie starred trying to see something in the pitch black that surrounded her, then screamed when something slammed into her pushing her away from the door and the light it let in. Cassie fell to the cold stone floor something was leaning over her; her glasses had fallen off and slid across the floor. Cassie really was beginning to regret coming here; right now she wanted nothing more than to be back at the school with Dylan. Or in the hotel room still getting kissed like crazy from Hank, Cassie whimpered when her attacker stuck its face close to hers.

Then she heard a groan of pain and she felt her attacker move away from her.

Cassie shut her eyes as the lights suddenly came on blinding her, a couple of male voices shouting.

"Hey, get away from her!"

"Damn, animal you ain't supposed to attack them."

Cassie was suddenly being helped to her feet and dusted off, she was being asked if she was alright by three men.

"Here darling, sorry about that thing it's just supposed to tell us if you a mutant or not, not attack." A man with black hair and mustache told her.

A man younger than the black haired one handed her the glasses and hat she'd been wearing, as well as a little packet of tissues. "Here don't cry I'm sorry it scared you."

Cassie used the tissues she'd been given feeling embarrassed a couple of men she didn't know were fussing over her like mother hens. Cassie jumped when she heard a squeal of pain, her attacker was a man, and Cassie used the word loosely. He wore a pair of ragged jeans; his hands were cuffed behind his back, welts bruises and many other wounds covered his bare chest, his eyes had a trapped quality to them Cassie couldn't even begin to tell what color his hair was for how filthy he was. He writhed around on the floor in pain, and it was then Cassie noticed the collar around his neck, Cassie gasped as she realized it was a shock collar normally worn by dogs.

The men around her took her horror at the collar for fear from the man they had tied and beaten like an animal.

"Don't worry Miss he won't hurt you, we'll make damn sure of that."

"Look at your hands they're all banged up, damn thing really hit ya' didn't he."

"Zack light that bitch up again."

Cassie stood there and watched with horror as the man with the black hair called Zack pulled a remote out of his pocket and pressed a button. The mutant they had acting as guard dog writhed on the floor screaming in pain, and Cassie felt her heart pang when he looked at her with dull green eyes. Eyes that pleaded for her to help him, she wanted to cry all over again as she was lead away from him into a basement of the warehouse.

I'm not sure if I'm cut out for this.

.

Hank paced the room of the hotel room like a caged animal; he had been watching Cassie's progress from his laptop, the camera in her glasses sending images back to his computer. He'd almost torn his door down when she'd been attack upon entering the warehouse, and then he was horrified at everything Cassie had been forced to go through. From seeing the young mutant they had chained to listening to some of the stories these men and women had on mutants and what had been done to them. Many of these people had been harmed in horrifying ways by mutants and had a plausible reason for hating mutants, Hank just wished they could see it was the same thing for many mutants as well. The one they had chained up a shining example of humanity's cruelty against its own race, he could only imagine how Cassie had felt through her experience. Right now she was thankfully on her way back to the hotel, Hank waited impatiently for her to get back. He stilled when he heard someone knock on the door, then yanked the door open to see Cassie there.

Cassie felt Hank grab her shoulders and yank her inside, she found herself pressed back against the door, Hank's face buried against her neck. Cassie wanted nothing more than to get lost in those big arms of his, but first she wanted to wash the lies off her body.

"I need to take a shower Hank, this dye itches horribly." Cassie said quietly.

Hank nodded before he let her slip from his arms reluctantly, then sighed as he went back to his computer and replayed the video footage he had. So far it looked like the group was at least fifty members strong, maybe most likely more. So far this gathering had been about exchanging stories and battles scars, he had a feeling this wasn't the main group. They were all to tame to be the reckless people who had tortured that mutant couple in the video, Hank got the feeling this meeting was just to figure who was serous and who wasn't. Hank would bet that they were attempting to weed out the weak for the true believers; he'd noticed that towards the end of the meeting folded slips of paper had been given out, but only to certain people. Cassie hadn't been given one, most likely due to the fact that she had held back when they had all shared their stories. Hank heard Cassie come out of the bathroom and he quickly opened up a new screen with his email on his laptop. He was stunned when Cassie crawled into the bed he occupied and cuddled against his side, Hank didn't question it he just set his computer aside and wrapped his arms around her. Cassie buried her face in his neck, her hair was still wet and smelled like her favorite shampoo; vanilla. Hank breathed it in eagerly, he'd always loved the way it blended with Cassie's natural scent.

"I'm sorry." Cassie mumbled against Hank's neck.

"For what?" Hank said quietly against her damp hair.

"For not getting invited to the next mutant hating meeting… and because I'm going to cry!" Cassie sobbed.

Hank just held her and waited knowing from experience there was no stopping this, he would have to wait for Cassie to finish crying, no matter how much it made him hurt.

.

Cassie blinked open her eyes, she hadn't realized it but she'd fallen asleep and something had woke her up. The clock on the table by the bed read, 3:00am Cassie blinked when she felt her neck being kissed, Cassie knew it was Hank she felt him nuzzle the spot he'd kissed.

"Hank?" Cassie said quietly.

There was a growl against her skin, which made Cassie's half closed eyes snap wide open, Hank pulled away from her and looked down at her. His eyes were that bright vibrant gold again, and his teeth seemed to be shaper if at all possible. He leaned down again and nuzzled her neck once more, Cassie felt herself turn her head and give him more access. Then he made a rumbling sound of delight and kissed her neck again gently. Cassie felt her eyes closing once more, this may have been Hank's body but she was having a little trouble believing this was Hank. But she didn't feel uncomfortable with whoever this was, she felt as comfortable with this person as she did Hank. Cassie just yawned and went to sleep, clearly she was dreaming Hank was Hank and sometimes his eyes turned a gold color.

I must be losing my mind Cassie thought as she sank into a fitful rest with the feeling of dream Hank kissing her neck again.

.

I'm back! And was it a dream or real? U tell me ur thoughts and Comments I want them. :D