Piotr stared out the window of the break room. A multitude of students raced over the back lawn, their laughter filling the air as they played. Despite having to deal with mutations and the prejudice that came with it, none of them really understood misery.
Catching movement he turned his head and watched Bobby Drake walk across the back lawn to the shade of a huge weeping willow. The young man sat down next to Kitty Pryde and began a conversation.
He shook his head, even with having his family turn on him after discovering his dirty little ‘secret’, Bobby still didn’t know what it was like to have nothing but your body to sell.
With a harsh curse he turned from the window and reached for his cup of coffee. He’d never believed that humanity could be so cruel, so twisted but working with Angel had shown him that he was wrong.
She’d suffered more in the short time she’d lived than most of the girls Xavier had pulled off the streets. She’d stolen, starved, struggled to survive until Logan had picked her up. He owed the other man so much, but he couldn’t tell him. He couldn’t, he wouldn’t share the deepest darkest secrets that ate at him.
Looking down at his hands, Piotr clenched his fists, unrolling his fingers again and again. He could still feel the soft give of flesh, the harsh crunch of bones as they shattered, as he hit that man again and again. The cries of pain that were barely muffled by the gag, the agony in his eyes as Angel flexed her powers.
He shuddered as the echo of metal slicking against bone filled his mind, the slow, steady crawl of script filling the man’s face as she carved him a warning. Shaking off his depressing thoughts he headed for his room, he still had one afternoon class to teach.
Sidestepping Jubilee and another young man, Piotr took the stairs two at a time. He was on the top landing when his cell rang.
“Hello.”
“Hey, how’s it going?”
“Hey, didn’t expect to hear from you.” Dodging a rushing student, Piotr smiled.
“You should have got me out of bed.”
“You needed the rest.” Piotr laughed softly, stepping into his room. The door closed with a soft click and he moved to settle on the large chair by the window. “I thought I’d come by a bit earlier tonight if that’s okay with you?”
“Piotr, you’re welcome any time.” Angel laughed softly. “Actually, Dorine said that the girls all attended group this morning.”
“Well that’s a good thing.”
“Yes, it is. Means that we’re gonna be able to do an afternoon transport. Do you think you could be here for a drive to the airport?”
“What time? My last class is finished at two…”
“That’ll work. Bulldog and Deke’re gonna take the suburban.”
“Hon, I know the drill.” Piotr chuckled. “I’ll be there.”
There was a heavy silence on the line for a moment before Angel spoke softly, “I thought about what you said last night, about crumbs. You were right; I did give you bits and pieces. That’s gonna change.”
“I’ll see you this afternoon.” Piotr whispered, a warmth in his chest and a tightness in his voice. "Thank you."
The soft click of a disconnection echoed across the line and Piotr stared at the small silver phone in his hand for a moment. Clicking it shut he tossed it aside and turned back to the sunlight streaming out the window.
They had a transport to do and he would be prepared. He’d have to coordinate all his activities with the other Enforcers. It wouldn’t do to have anyone from the mansion knowing about his activities so he’d have to figure some way of sneaking out without being caught.
He could always make up an excuse about picking up something. Grabbing his cell and the books he would need for his class, his mind whirling with ideas to fulfill his obligations.
Logan wasn’t happy that somehow he’d been unable to pin Piotr down in one spot long enough to ream him out. A glance at the clock revealed it was almost nine, the usual hour that the tall Russian vanished like a ghost. Stalking the hallways he headed for the garage, intent upon the hunt.
Leaning against the front fender of the battered Chevy Piotr often drove on his nightly escapes, Logan waited for his quarry. Sucking in a lungful of smoke he held his breathe a moment before exhaling just as the door opened and the man in question stepped through.
“Goin’ somewhere?” Logan growled softly, feeling a prick of pleasure as Piotr jumped and looked up, shock in his expression.
“Logan, I didn’t…”
“Just how long has this been going on?” Logan ground out moving toward Piotr who stared back at him with unease.
“How long has what…?”
“Don’t play games with me. I wanna know how long you’ve been working with that…that outfit that’s selling…”
“I don’t work with anyone that sells anything.” Piotr snarled angrily. “And that you’re asking now means you followed me. Pretty low, Logan.”
“Answer the fuckin’ questions, you pathetic prick.”
“I work for the LFAA. And no, I’m not gonna explain what that is…”
“I will.”
Both men jerked around to stare at the dark haired woman standing in the doorway. “Rogue…”
“Logan, it’s not what you think. I didn’t think it would go this far. Didn’t think you’d get in with her.” Rogue moved closer to the pair. “That’s where you go every night isn’t it? You vanish like smoke, and then go into town and what?”
“I can’t tell you. And I wouldn’t even if I could. I won’t break my word or her trust.”
“Go on.” Rogue tugged Logan away from the truck and held tightly when Piotr climbed in. She could feel the anger bubbling within Logan as Piotr drove away and sighed. “We need to talk.”
“What the fuck was that? Why would you…?”
“Do you remember back about two years ago when I disappeared without a trace during a mission and came back a day or so later? Do you remember what I said when you asked where I’d been?”
“Yeah you muttered something about Rogue’s Haven.”
Rogue smiled at him and cupped his jaw. “Piotr is working with the woman who started that place. He’s saving kids.”
“I heard what I heard, Rogue. They were talkin’ about selling a baby…”
“I know. I don’t condone what you heard, but you have to think about it. When has Piotr ever done anything to make you doubt him? There has to be a reason that he hasn’t come to us and said what he’s been doing. I’ll talk to him; see if he’ll bring the woman he works for to the fundraiser on Saturday night. Until then, can we keep this quiet? If the others knew it could create….”
Logan growled at the thought of letting anyone hurt a kid but kept his thoughts to himself. Saturday would be just as good to kick some metal ass as tonight would have been.
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