Memories
Pain of Death
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If you want to use Tora, or any of my other characters, PM me.
Steve looked up as Logan came in.
"I… I'm sorry we have to do this so…soon."
Logan shrugged. His eyes were tired and Steve guessed he hadn't slept for a while.
"This is uncomfortable but we all need to be here."
Logan glanced around. Steve. Alex. Victoria Hand. Maria Hill. All the ones seen as leader. And Kate. Which meant this was a bleeding PR meeting!
Steve gestured to a seat.
"Listen… We've been doing our best but there's…stuff out there. And we can't stop it."
Logan sighed.
"Let me guess. Mutants are evil, kill all mutants?"
"More than that. The Avengers aren't to be trusted, the X-Men want to kill us all, the trial was a fake…"
"It wa-"
"Don't. Look, we're in enough trouble as it is without having to admit to everyone that you…you knew this could happen! For pity's sake, Logan, this happened before! Why didn't you tell us!? Why did you lie and say she died after being kidnapped!?"
Logan closed his eyes.
"It was better that way…"
"No, Logan, it wasn't! For pity's sake, you lied about this! You told us she was stable! You promised she wouldn't –couldn't- turn! And you were wrong! Look me in the eye, Logan, and tell me if I can ever trust you about X-Men affairs again!"
Logan looked almost defeated.
"She didn't hurt anyone…"
"Whereas this time, she killed 352 people! 352, Logan!"
And Logan leapt up angrily.
"And 349 of them were Weapon Plus employees! Steve, they tortured her! They attacked her! They played with her mind! They were worse than animals! And how many people did she save!? Go on! Give me the statistics of terminally-ill people in the area she razed and I bet it's a damn lot more than 352!"
Kate looked up.
"It numbers in the several thousand, actually. We've been putting that spin on it to begin with."
Alex spoke slowly, carefully.
"You want people to trust you? Then tell the truth. Say you kept secrets. Say you didn't trust each other. Say you were prepared to kill her without backing up the story. Say that somewhere along the line, a child died; that a stray bullet hit her. And then say that the reason Tora turned was to protect that child. Say all that. Admit you made mistakes. Admit that you didn't listen. And then watch as they all talk about how honest you were to come forward and admit all that, to claim responsibility."
There was a long period of silence. Then Logan swore.
"Alex, why the hell haven't you been ruling the world?"
Alex shrugged.
"I tended to just leave Scott to do the leading."
Steve was staring at him as well.
"Do you have any idea how much that will pi- annoy the politicians?"
Alex glared at him.
"This isn't about politics. This is about truth. This is about proving that a woman the world is decrying as a monster is actually a true human being, with human fears and flaws. She may have done terrible things but she was driven there by terrible fear –the fear of losing her daughter. Say that. Say that and see how many people will dare disrespect the good things she did."
Kate was scribbling furiously.
"I'm going to schedule a press release. Maybe a conference within the next week. During that time, I want the Avengers and the X-Men to be actively seen of clean-up."
Steve coughed.
"Tony, Reed and the Hanks are collaborating on a rebuild effort that's totally eco-friendly. The environmental damage should be minimal and because the natural resources have been returned, we can-"
"You honestly think it'll stay that way? People are already staking out huge claims. This herd of buffalo is mine, this forest is mine, etc. It's getting out of control."
Maria shook her head.
"It's been claimed by the government. The land is set aside, the go-ahead's been given for the green economy. There are people getting very excited about all this. "A new beginning", that's what they're calling it."
Alex frowned.
"Yet at the same time, they're decrying the one who cleaned up the air and the water and fixed the land?"
Hand shrugged.
"It's called politics."
Logan got up. Steve frowned.
"Where are you…?"
"I didn't want to come here. I've answered my questions. I'm not engaging in PR. Just…tell Alex or Rogue, they'll pass the message onto 'Ro."
"Logan…?"
"Steve… I'm this close to quitting for good right now…"
Phoenix frowned.
"Really?"
The masked woman shrugged.
"Losing people does that to you."
Logan opened his door and almost walked into Zillah, who was standing outside, just about to knock.
"Kid?"
Zillah glanced over her shoulder.
"Can… Can I come in?"
Logan frowned. Something told him that ignoring what Zillah said would be a bad idea.
"Sure."
He stepped back, allowing her to enter. He was going to leave the door open but something in Zillah's eyes warned him to close the door. He did so and then she exploded.
"What is Apocalypse doing here!? You told me I'd be safe and a room with him is not safe at all!"
Logan closed his eyes.
"Are you Etana?"
She shook her head violently.
"No, I-"
"And Evan is not Apocalypse. Evan is Genesis. He was raised on a farm in Kansas. He plays baseball. He can drive –not very well, but he can drive. He's no more Apocalypse than you are Etana."
Zillah's mask cracked and Logan saw the fear under the anger.
"Kid, what's wrong?"
"Ima…Ima always… Always told me… Run from Apocalypse…"
He wanted to swear. Of course Etana would have warned Zillah. And now he hadn't warned her about Evan, so she jumped to the wrong conclusion. Stupid, stupid, stupid!
"Zillah, I should have told you. Sit down. I'm going to tell you something you must promise to keep secret. I set up a team…"
"He told a girl he'd known for all of a week about X-Force?"
"Correction. He told Etana's heir about X-Force."
"Wasn't she on the team later?"
"Death, why ask a stupid question?"
Steve entered the school and glanced round. Logan's office was…two left turns, up the stairs then a right…? Wasn't it? And then, as he glanced around, Steve saw someone turning a corner. Someone with huge black wings, long silver hair…
"TANA!"
She must have been brought back within the last couple of hours. Logan would have told him otherwise!
He skidded around a corner, just in time to see her turn left. He ran, ignoring the odd looks he was getting from the few students he passed. And then he turned into a corridor and she was there, sitting in an alcove, feet tucked up away as she had her head in a big chunky paperback. Steve suddenly felt his heart leap into his mouth.
"Tan…?"
She looked up. Those startling silver eyes met his and the book fell to the floor. But Steve's heart was now somewhere in the vicinity of the Earth's mantle. She was too young. Only looked about sixteen or seventeen. Her mouth was wide open and he faltered over his next words.
"Who… Who are… Who are you?"
She lowered her eyes, and he knew that if she hadn't the same black velvet fur on her face then she would be blushing horrifically.
"I am…Zillah Bat Etana. Etana was my…mother."
Steve felt as if someone had thrown ice down his back. A daughter? So… Who was this girl's father? Had Etana lied to him? Or had this girl been the result of a mission gone wrong and Etana had tried to hide her from him. Then he heard Logan's voice from behind him.
"Zil' you're meant to be in Professor Grey's Psychic Defense Class!"
'Zillah' glanced over Steve's shoulder.
"No I'm not! Apparently I keep throwing the grade curve off! Ima taught me psychic defenses."
"Well, don't hang around the the corridors!"
She sighed, gracefully sliding down from the alcove and picking up her hardback copy of "The Lord of the Rings –with full appendices" and hurried off. Steve rounded on Logan as soon as she was gone.
"Who the hell is she?"
Logan sighed.
"Etana's clone."
"Who cloned her? Weapon Plus? Doom?"
"Etana."
Steve paused, hearing what Logan said but not quite wanting to comprehend it.
"What?"
"Etana cloned herself. Long story. Look, you need a drink. My office. Whiskey."
The Bamfs were suddenly running around him shouting "Whiskey-whiskey-whiskey-whiskey!" Logan swore then began walking off, although not without throwing a kick at the nearest Bamf. It missed.
Phoenix rolled her eyes.
"And no one thought to tell Steve about the clone of his "we would be lovers but destiny hates us"?"
"Nope."
"You're remarkably cheerful about this."
A.N. Next chapter… Origin of Etana! I promised I'd get around to it eventually. And I did… Eventually.