The faint but distinct sound of a vehicle screeching away woke Angel in the early morning hours. Sitting up she pushed the covers aside and went to the window, her eyes searching the grounds.
Cursing when she didn’t see anything she wondered if her mind was playing tricks on her. Angel turned to go back to bed when she caught the almost silent whisper of metal in the wind.
Focusing on the sound she felt a shudder race through at the feeling of warm fluid oozing over metal, a trembling, shaking form leaning against polished gates. Grabbing the first thing she could find for clothing she donned the fancy jacket that Piotr had worn earlier and slid her feet into his slippers.
Silently, she slid out into the hallway, closing the door quickly before she turned to hurry down the stairs. Something or someone was leaning against the gate outside and she had to check it out. Maybe it was another kid, another fallen angel.
A heavy dew lay on the grass as she hurried over the stones toward the end of the drive. Pausing in the darkness she inhaled, centering herself in case there was danger. The closer to got to the gate the tighter the knot in her stomach became until she was within a few feet of the decorative barrier.
Pale feet lay on the ground, smeared with dark streaks; a shoddy blanket covered the figure that lay trembling, curled within herself. Reaching out with a hand that trembled, Angel touched the gate, searching for its secrets.
Low, pain filled the moan that echoed on the silent air told of mistreatment and agony, Pushing past the gates, Angel knelt next to the figure and reached out a hand, not shocked when the half naked, bloody figure struck out at her.
“My name’s Angel. I’m gonna help you.” Angel whispered hoping to calm and sooth rather than disturb and hurt.
“Help me. Lookin’ for Piotr.” Weak, the whimper broke her heart as she pushed the matted hair away from the girl’s face. Closing her eyes as she realized who the girl was, Angel sank down against the gates and struggled not to cry.
“Cassie, its me. I’m gonna help you inside.” Angel said, suddenly tensing as she became aware of movement behind her. Whirling her hand reached for the gate, already absorbing the energy from the metal, preparing for a fight.
“Everythin’ okay?” Logan grunted, inhaling the strong stench of pain, mixed with blood, latex, and semen.
“No. Go away.” Angel grunted as she tried to lift the taller girl up enough so she could get her inside.
“Let me have her.” Logan pushed Angel out of the way and caught the girl as she collapsed. Lifting her easily, he ignored her weak fight and started for the mansion. “Wake up Jeannie.”
“We have our own doctor.” Angel hurried after him. “Please, don’t tell on us, Logan. It will kill her.” She begged as they stepped into the warm, dark hallway.
Logan paused and looked at Angel who stood fidgeting in little more than a man’s tuxedo jacket. “Where do you want me to take her, if not the med-lab?”
“Piotr’s room. She’s familiar with him, with me. She’s one of ours.”
“She looks like hell.”
Angel hurried along the corridor opening the door and reaching for the light switch. “Piotr, incoming.” She called.
Instantly alert, Piotr sat up in bed and watched Logan bring a battered, bloody figure into his room. Sliding from the bed he grabbed a pair of sweats and pulled them on. “Put her on my bed, Logan.”
Logan lay the girl down and stepped back, aware of the blood that soaked his clothes. “She must have been in an accident.”
Angel and Piotr shared a telling look before Angel began ushering Logan out of the room. “Thank you, but we’ve got it from here.” Closing the door softly she turned back to Piotr. “What are we going to do?”
“Call Doc. Tell him we’ve got a Code Yellow. We’ll get her back to the house and then we’ll find out who did this.”
“I’ll call him.” Angel reached for the phone and punched in the number. Five minutes later she held a glass of water to Cassie’s lips and let her drink her fill. “Rest easy, Doc’s coming to help you.”
“I went for ice cream.” Cassie whimpered, curling into the fetal position. “That’s all I was doing. Just wanted some ice cream for the other girls.”
“Shhh,” Angel soothed looking at Piotr with tears in her eyes. “It’s okay. We’re gonna find out who did this and then we’ll make him pay.”
“He said it was for leavin’ him.” Cassie whispered painfully. “I should never have left him.”
“Just rest for now.”
Piotr stared hard at Angel for a moment before a soft knock drew his attention and he went to open the door a couple of inches. Catching sight of Dorine and the doctor he pulled it open and allowed them in.
“Cassie, Doc’s here. He brought Dorine. Do you want me to stay with you?” Angel asked softly.
Cassie shook her head, unmindful of the tears streaming down her face.
Grabbing a change of clothes, Angel stepped out into the hallway with Piotr. Neither saw the man standing in the shadows, watching them.
“What’s the plan?” Piotr asked as she pulled on the pants she’d grabbed and pulled off his jacket. He took it, watching her pull a simple t-shirt on, every move filled with banked rage, banked hatred.
“Call the Enforcers. If they have a bloody pulse, I want them here. We’re going hunting.” Angel hissed angrily, her hands clenching into fists. “That sick twisted bastard, figures he’s gonna walk back into her life and destroy her he’s got another think coming.”
“I’ll call Betty, she can get the entire team here within a few hours.”
“She’s fifteen Piotr, what does he think he’s gonna accomplish? She’s a kid.”
“He wants the souls he can catch with hers.” Piotr shrugged. “I’ll borrow the van, we can take her home in that. Then I’ll take the boys out and scout around. Maybe we can find a witness or something.”
“I’ll do up the team rosters. I don’t even know how many mutants are on the E-Team but I think one per group would be good.” Angel washed her hands over her face. “I hate him. I hate this situation. I hate having to patch these kids up.”
“Take it easy. We’ll get the sorry excuse for a bastard. Cassie’s stronger than she looks, she’d have to be to get this far. We can figure this out.”
“I’ll have a chat with her necklace after. I may be able to find out how many and where it occurred. For right now though we need to get out of this place without anyone detecting us. I will not expose her to these people’s judgment.” Angel jerked the door open and stepped inside.
Piotr nodded. No, Angel would not allow one of her fallen to be mocked by anyone, not even if it meant sneaking around in the early morning hours. Glancing at his watch he sighed, they had about forty minutes before the mansion began to awaken. His mind whirling he turned and spotted Logan.
“What?” Piotr ground out.
“Why don’t you tell me what’s going on?”
“Because it’s personal.”
“Not when it comes to some scared kid.” Logan drawled. “We both know I’m very good at what I do, I could help.”
Piotr sighed and glanced at the closed door before facing Logan. “Be at the Dock House tonight, five sharp, we’re going to mobilize the entire team.”
“How many are there?”
“Angel usually puts two Enforcers per house, or area depending on the population. Right now there are thirty full-time Enforcers and fifteen in training.”
“What about the X-Men?”
“Cassie isn’t a mutant.” Piotr replied and walked away, leaving Logan standing watching him. What did being a mutant have to do with anything? He wondered.
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