Exhaling slowly Scott glanced at the others on the team and wondered yet again why the Professor had decided to send him. In the last few weeks since his blow up at Jean they’d grown even further apart, and in fact he’d taken to sleeping in Logan’s old room. A more comfortable endeavor he had to admit.
Thoughts of discussing his problem with Hank had resurfaced time and again and yet a fear that his secret, his blemish on perfection would be revealed kept his mouth shut. Now, after some mental tinkering, he’d once again found himself with the partial use of his eyes.
“Okay, you all know your assignment,” Jean stated glancing at Scott who merely glared back at her coldly. “Since this isn’t a rescue mission and there aren’t any mutants here in danger I don’t anticipate having to deal with Logan. If he shows up however, don’t take him on one on one, you can’t beat him.”
“Yeah, we remember,” Iceman snorted remembering Logan’s ability for destruction from years before. Of course they couldn’t take him; he doubted very strongly that the entire team could take him.
Moving through the shadows Scott hurried down the steps toward the lower levels, the team had assembled to gather some important data on a new drug that a lab had cooked up. One that Jean was certain was dangerous to mutants.
Catching sight of a figure moving through the darkness, through things Scott froze before hurrying down the stairs unmindful of the potential dangers. Racing through the hall he burst into the room he’d seen the figure disappear into.
“Kitty, Kitty are you here?” he whispered just loud enough for her to hear even as he jerked off his communicator. “Please, I’m not gonna hurt you Kitty! I just want to talk is all.”
“Sure you do,” Kitty’s low voice echoed in the room. “Didn’t think we knew about this thing did you?”
“Kitty please, I’m not the enemy.”
“No? Seems to me if you wear the mark of the enemy then you must be the enemy.”
“Kitty please where’s Logan and Rogue? Where’s the rest of the team?”
“What’s the matter scared Frankenstein’s getting too good on her feet?” Kitty purred moving through the shadows. “You eyes must be working again.”
“Lets just say I can see things in the dark, doesn’t mean I can shoot optic blasts now.”
“You’re weak. Did you tell her what I did to you? Did you tell her how much you did with me? Hmm? Does she know that you cheated on her with the leftovers of the lab? Think she’ll enjoy you fucking her knowing that?”
Scott blinked even as he moved around, “Jean doesn’t enter into this.”
“Yes she does,” Kitty’s voice was closer and he froze, “You see I got something she’ll never have! I got a chance to have everything, and I’m not so weak as to refuse to take it.”
“Does it make you strong to hurt people? To take those kids and turn them over to whomever you’re working for?”
“I work for myself, for my team,” Kitty stepped in front of him, “Those kids we found, we took ‘em in, gave ‘em shelter, food, a purpose in life. Granted it ain’t grand like Xavier’s but you know they at least know what’s coming their way.”
“Look, the team doesn’t know about you, you can get out of here..”
“No.” Kitty shook her head and stared at him, hoping he didn’t notice the tremble in her hands, or the want in her eyes. “I’m not running anymore. I’m stronger now.”
“You were strong then. You’ve always been stronger than us,” Scott tensed at the clatter of booted heels on the floor, “Go. If they find you here there’ll be hell to pay.”
“And there won’t be for you?”
“No. You see I agree with you, they owe you something for the hell you endured. I paid my debt in blood.”
Staring at him for a moment Kitty shook her head and struggled not to believe him even as she turned, grabbed a canister and darted through the wall just as the door swung open to reveal Jean in all her battle glory.
“Scott? You okay?”
“Yeah,” Scott sighed and stared at the wall where Kitty had disappeared. “I’m fine.”
Four hours later sitting at the table with his fellow team members Scott didn’t feel much like contributing to the conversation. He’d heard all about how Iceman had bumped into Logan, how badly the younger man had been hurt, how terrible Logan was and it was sickening.
“I just don’t get it. This isn’t like the Brotherhood,” Jean sighed leaning on the table a dark look on her face.
“You’re right. This has no earmarks of Magneto,” Storm sighed, “So that means we’re dealing with a new faction. A new terrorist group.”
Staring at Storm at the easy way she wrote everyone off Scott rose and paced to a drawer at the back of the room, one that he’d tucked familiar pictures into. Pulling the out with sharp, angry movements he stalked back to the desk and tossed them on it, watching the glossy pages slide across the smooth marble top.
“You wanna know what you’re dealin’ with?” Scott snarled, “Take a good look! We made them, now we get to deal with them.”
“Scott they’re dead,” Jean sighed softly, “They probably died within days of being captured. I don’t mean to be cruel but you need to face that.”
Scott shook his head and stared at his wife, “You have no idea do you? You sit there and say oh they’re dead like you’re discussing the fuckin’ weather!”
“Scott please,” Storm started only to fall silent at his dark look.
“Are you saying that they’re alive? That the army still has them?” Jean asked slowly, an assessing look in her gaze.
“No, I’m saying you’re right. Those three girls did die, within days of arriving at the lab. Only to be pieced back together, molded into something entirely unknown and with a bit of a jolt were reborn. You wanna know who’s always one step ahead of us? You wanna know what the big secret is? Ladies and gentlemen meet Frankenstein in her full glory. Trained, deadly, merciless, and completely out of anyone of our league.”
“The army made them…” Jean started only to stop when Scott moved getting into her face.
“No Jean, you did. You made them, you twisted their lives around, you awoke Wolverine’s instincts, and you did this. I’m no longer part of this; I’ve already paid for my sins…in blood, sweat, and broken bones. You haven’t got a chance against them and this mission should have shown you that.”
“Scott where are they?” Storm asked seriously, her gaze hard. “They nearly killed Bobby…”
Scott shrugged and looked at them, “So? You expect me to feel pity for him? He’s lucky, Logan was feelin’ generous.”
“This is what you’ve been hiding isn’t it? You’ve been feeding them information!” Jean gaped at him.
“I don’t need to Jean, think about it. All four of them have been here, all of them have trained with us, known us, they don’t need someone to feed them intel.”
“You son of a bitch,” Jean stormed only to find her hand blocked in mid strike.
“Takes one to know one,” Scott smirked. “Hate me all you want, but as far as I’m concerned whatever happens I don’t have a problem with it. If Logan wants to kick your ass from here to the Arctic Circle I’m not gonna stand in the way.”
“You’d leave us to their mercies?” Piotr gaped at him.
“Why not? You left them to the army’s. And they weren’t as nice as Frankenstein will be,” shoving away from Jean he stalked toward the door, “Oh and by the way Jean you’re a lousy liar.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Jean huffed.
Scott glanced at her and smirked, “Just that I’m aware of you warming Iceman’s bed, and I haven’t a problem with it. I find myself wanting a real woman, not an imitation.”
Staring at him in shock the team barely moved as the doors swished shut, instead they turned to each other as a shiver raced over them. Just what sort of monster had been unleashed?
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