“Hush. We’re leaving.” Low whisper. Logan was carrying her. She squinted one eye open. Darkened hallway. He was heading to the elevator. “I’m taking you out of here. Somewhere safe. We have to get past the med lab. Don’t make a peep until I say so.” Don’t make a peep? That suited her just fine. She relaxed again and let sleep take over.
It took all his skill to get to garage unnoticed, carrying unconscious girl and knapsack that was stuffed to the brim, but he made it. Only one question remained. Which one of the vehicles was safe? He knew all Xavier’s cars and bikes were rigged with a locator. That left his own bike. It would be hard to drive while Marie slept, but he didn’t have a choice. It took a little jostling, but finally he managed to arrange her securely enough. Small, fragile body curled close to him, inside of his zipped up jacket. Her head rested too close to the bare skin of his neck, but that couldn’t be helped now.
“Say goodbye, kid. Scott can find himself other pawns to his little game.”
Marie woke up, still bit groggy, but feeling much better already. Sun was rising. She had drifted between sleep and wakefulness during the night. Every time she had opened her eyes Logan had been driving. She had been able to see only the line of his jaw, and hear the wind and sound of the engine. She was resting on Logan’s chest. He had parked the bike to a small clearing in a forest, and he was sleeping on it, leaning his back to a tree. When she moved he woke up.
“Where are we? What is going on?” She had some hazy memories of earlier events, but they really were just incoherent bits and pieces. Nothing in there that made sense.
“Scott was going to put you back on duty. I took off. I know a place where he won’t find you,” Logan said, opening his jacket and letting her slide down from the bike. “I packed you some clothes. Here,” he said, giving her his knapsack. She noticed that she was clad quite lightly. She smoothed the fabric of her nightgown confused. She was quite sure she had taken it off at some point, when it got too hot under all the blankets which she had dragged on to her bed.
“Don’t worry. I didn’t look when I put it on you. But I didn’t have the time to wake you up and explain what was happening,” Logan assured her. She nodded. No need to worry. She knew Logan well enough to know that he was telling the truth.
“I tried to find something comfortable to wear for you. Didn’t have so much time, but we can buy you all the missing stuff…” all her favorite shirts and pants, neatly folded. Some underwear. Toiletries. And she just knew that Bobby or any other boy wouldn’t have touched to a small cardboard package of tampons with a ten feet pole.
“I got everything I need. Thanks. Oh, not everything…” She suddenly noticed, eyeing their surroundings hesitantly. Logan’s head snapped up from the map he had been reading.
“What’s missing?” He asked.
“I’m kind of hungry. I suppose there’s not a place that serves breakfast anywhere near?” She asked, pulling on worn and soft jeans. Logan chuckled.
“Actually there is. Get dressed. Takes about ten minutes to drive there,” he said. “Oh, and before I forget… Here. Keep this with you all the time. Just in case something happens,” Logan added as an afterthought and handed her a very small gadget that reminded distantly a cell phone.
“What is this?” Marie asked.
“A beacon. X-team can’t trace it, but I can. A gift from a friend of mine. Keep it close to your skin. It needs body heat to stay active.”
“Okay.” She slid it in to her bra.
“Are we good to go?” Logan asked. Marie shrugged on her jacket, climbed behind him and slid her hands around his chest.
“Aye, aye, captain!”
“… Fucking Depp. Last time I rent a pirate movie…” Engine roared to life, but she still managed to catch Logan’s quite amused voice muttering.
“Do we have a plan?” Marie asked. They were sitting in a cozy booth, waiting for their breakfast.
“There’s a small town near Mexico border. El Rey. A friend of mine lives there, and I called to him earlier. He’s letting us stay there for a while. We’ll think about what to do after we get there. I don’t think Scott’s going to just forget us.”
“Does this friend of yours have a name?” It was hard for her to imagine Logan describing someone as a friend. He didn’t have friends. Only acquaintances.
“Seth. Met him couple of years ago. He’s an okay guy.” That really piqued Marie’s curiosity. Coming from Logan ‘okay guy’ was quite a compliment.
“What does he do?” She asked.
“Retired. Got in to some nasty shit few years ago. His brother got killed, and he took it kind of hard. I have been visiting him every now and then, just to check up that he’s okay…” Waitress arrived with their plates, and for a moment they were both too occupied to continue their conversation. Eggs, bacon and toast disappeared fast.
“Are you going to eat that?” Marie asked, pointing at the last piece of toast on his plate. Logan shook his head and pushed it to her plate.
“So, about Seth…” She started. Logan’s snort stopped her.
“What’s this? Twenty questions?”
“I’m just curious. Sue me. Up until now I was under the impression you don’t have friends.” Logan smiled and sipped his coffee.
“Don’t have too many, that’s all.”
“And here I thought I had discovered something new about you. Same old Logan…”
“Hey! Old?”
“Maybe I should start calling you Uncle Logan.”
“What ever, kid.”
“Uncle.
“Brat.”
“Grandpa.”
“You’re walking to Mexico if you don’t shut your trap.”
“Fuck…” Logan’s angry bark alerted her just before he stopped the bike abruptly, nearly tripping them over in process. She had to cling tighter on him to avoid falling off.
“What?” Logan didn’t cut the engine. There they sat, in the middle of deserted highway, and she could see surprise and a hint of hesitation creeping over his face when Logan tilted his head.
“Shit. We are going to have company soon.”
“Who?” Images of enraged Scott swooping in with the Blackbird made her shiver.
“Four of them. Full pack. I thought this area would be still clear…” His head was whirling around, eyes searching for something almost frantically. A pack?
“Hunters?” Marie asked. Distant howl answered to her question.
“Yeah. At least three, maybe four.” Logan’s skin prickled. He would get through them. It wouldn’t be easy, but he would get through. Marie was another matter.
“I can’t fight them and keep you safe…”
“Sorry, kid. You’re going to learn to ride a bike, now,” Logan had said. He had grasped her ponytail, one hand wrapping around her waist. His lips had touched her forehead just briefly, but it had been enough. Enough to give her detailed knowledge about how to steer monster purring between her thighs. Enough to transfer a command that now drove her away from him. Away from Hunters. As fast as possible.
She wanted to turn back. To return and help Logan, but it was impossible. Every time she tried to slow down and turn the bike his voice inside of her lashed out, spewing threats and curses. She had left him behind nearly fifteen minutes ago. Surely it would be safe to return already? Again she tried to turn. This time he didn’t resist. He was almost too silent.
“Come on…” They were getting closer. He grimaced and fling off droplets of blood from his claws. There was just enough of his mutation left to keep him from keeling over when he unsheathed his claws. He could only hope it would be enough to keep him up and running longer than Hunters. He wasn’t going to let them past him. And why would they even try? He was a living, breathing mutant. They were trained to attack every person who had active gene X in their cellular structure. Kid had probably gotten far enough to loose them from her tracks.
First dog came in low. He managed to avoid its jaws, and got a good swipe in, tearing open its side. Other three were more careful. They stayed out of his reach, circling him and attacking from behind. Soon his jeans were shredded from below knees, and there were deep, jagged tears on his side. They were slowly healing, but blood loss made him dizzy.
Logan was facing the last of the beasts that had attacked when Marie returned. It didn’t look good. Deep gouges from his claws decorated the Hunter, but Logan was bleeding too. When he had touched her, he had given up considerable amount of his powers. She didn’t have time to think through her decision.
“Logan! Get down!” She didn’t know if he had heard her scream, or did his knees just buckle, but he fell down just in time to avoid the bike she had sent charging towards him. Hunter wasn’t so lucky. It actually tried to attack the bike. Collision sent both spiraling to the side of the road.
“I’m pretty sure I didn’t ask you to come back and wreck my wheels…” Logan said surveying the smoking pile of chrome and rotting flesh.
“Fuck you! Next time I’ll just let them kill you!” She was still trembling, eyes wide and skin pale. He crouched next to her and leaned his head to her side. Bleeding had already stopped, but he still felt little woozy and tired.
“If that means you will be safe, you will do it. I didn’t take you away from the mansion just to get you maimed out here.”
They managed to get a ride from overly friendly, grandfatherly trucker.
“Must have been a big coyote. I don’t think big fellow like you drives a small bike…” Gary said, eyeing Logan little warily, but flashed white-teethed smile to Marie.
“Yeah. It was a big one. Both bike and the coyote. How far are you heading?” Logan asked, trying to change the subject.
“Not much further tonight. There’s a rest stop just an hour drive from here. Friend of mine told me about it. Bar for truckers and bikers. Titty Twister. Was that were you two were heading?” Gary asked, taking another look from Marie.
“No. We were just driving. Decided to get on the road with my favorite uncle before school starts,” Marie said smiling and patted Logan’s thigh. He had to suppress the growl that threatened to escape, but her words relaxed Gary immediately.
“You’re her uncle? It’s very decent of you to show her little world before she goes back to studying. Did it with my nephew few years back. Now there is a good kid, I tell you…” Next half an hour Logan sat clenching his knees with nearly numb fingers, listening silently while Gary droned on about his nephew and other gazillion relatives of his. Marie was in her element, nodding and raining questions.
“And here we are…” Look on Gary’s face went from smile to below zero under a second when his truck rolled to stop in front of the bar. Bar might have been a wrong word to describe Titty Twister. What ever it was, it was huge. Practically a mountain. Large courtyard in front of it was buzzing and streaming bikers and truckers. Place was lit with burning oil barrels. Noise level was unbelievable. Drunkards cajoling, bikes and trucks roaring, loud music blaring from the inside of the bar.
“Maybe we should just keep going. I’m sure there are much nicer places…” Gary started. Logan opened the door, hopped to the ground and helped Marie down.
“We’ll stay here. My friend lives nearby. I’m sure there’s a payphone inside that I can use to call to him.” He wasn’t going to listen Gary’s ramblings any more than it was absolutely necessary. Sure, place looked weird and gave him the chills. Every nerve ending was sending warnings, but… He knew next stop would be hours away, and if he had to spend a minute more with Gary, he would gut the man. Gary looked at them, then the front doors of the Titty Twister.
“Are you sure? That place looks…”
“I’m sure. Don’t worry about us. I have seen much worse places. And within an hour my friend will come and pick us up,” Logan assured, slammed the door and started walking towards the majestic front doors, Marie in tow.
Closer they got, the worse the idea of going in started to feel. There was something seriously wrong behind those huge doors. But they didn’t have much of a choice. Logan had to call to Seth. If he remembered the map correctly, it would take the man few hours to pick them up from here.
“Stay close,” he whispered to Marie. He didn’t have to repeat it. She was already practically glued to his side. It would have taken a crowbar to yank her loose.
”Pussy, pussy, pussy! All pussy must go. At the Titty Twister we're slashing pussy in half! This is a pussy blow out! Make us an offer on our vast selection of pussy! We got white pussy, black pussy, Spanish pussy, yellow pussy, hot pussy, cold pussy, wet pussy, tight pussy, big pussy, bloody pussy, fat pussy, hairy pussy, smelly pussy, velvet pussy, silk pussy, Naugahyde pussy, snappin' pussy, horse pussy, dog pussy, mule pussy, fake pussy! If we don't have it, you don't want it!” Bouncer was spewing continuous litany of obscenities when they approached. “And what do we have here?” Short, stubby man said leering, leaning closer to Marie and inhaling deeply. Logan growled and pushed his fist against the soft underside of his jaw. Man backed off. “Overprotected pussy!” Got added to the MC’s vocabulary when they entered.
Though the noise had been nearly unbearable outside, inside it was tolerable. Marie noticed that she actually liked the music. Interior decoration left room for improvement. Bare stone walls, just small blackened chandeliers added on them. Rows after rows of round tables, and a counter that looked long enough to arrange a horse race on top of it. Tough looking bikers vacated nearly every table. One or two naked woman was dancing on top of each table, skirting past empty and half empty glasses and bottles.
“Come on. There has to be a phone somewhere,” Logan said, nudging Marie gently when she found out that her feet had temporarily stopped working.
“She’s under-aged,” bartender, big and burly looking Mexican said pointing at Marie and looking at Logan when they sat in front of the counter.
“She’s not under-aged. She’s twenty-one. Thank you very much!” Marie snapped. Bartender grunted and turned his gaze to Logan.
“What will it be?” He asked with a raspy voice.
“Working phone. Need to call a friend of mine.”
“We have a payphone, but it’s for customers only.” Logan’s brows knitted together in annoyance, but he dug up his wallet and threw couple of bills to the counter.
“Bottle of tequila.” Might as well take a couple of drinks while waiting for Seth. Bartender brought him a bottle and one glass with a saltshaker.
“Hey!” Now it was Marie’s turn to be annoyed. Bartender raised a questioning brow to Logan. Logan nodded. Another glass appeared next to his.
“And that phone?” Logan asked. Bartender flashed his brightest, polite smile and pointed across the huge hall behind them.
“It’s back there.”
“Bring the bottle and glasses,” Logan said to Marie. She huffed and puffed, but realized pretty soon why he had asked her to carry their purchases. To get to the phone they had to surf through the sea of horny customers. Without Logan and his fast reflexes she wouldn’t have made it past the first table. Hand latched to her arm, and Logan was there, holding the hand’s owner from the throat, face only inches from his.
“Fuck off. This one’s mine…” Marie heard his low growl. When it became apparent that she was not going to get through on her own, Logan scooped her up to his arms and carried her through the bar, plunking her to an empty table next to the phone.
“… Fucking unbelievable… Still a kid…” She heard Logan muttering, in a much different tone than what he had used just a minute earlier while fending off overly eager bikers, while punching in numbers, receiver dangling between his ear and shoulder. His vacant hand got suddenly busy, opening the tequila bottle from which he took a long pull before giving it to her.
“Don’t pass out…” He warned.
“Relax, Uncle Logan. I’ll be a good girl!” Marie smirked, pouring herself a shot. Logan snatched the bottle from her.
“Drop the ‘uncle’ and you might get some more… Hey! Seth!” He turned his back and held the bottle high above his head, easily fending off Marie’s grasping hands. “Yeah. It’s me. Listen, could you come and pick me up? From where? Should be just couple hour’s ride… Yeah, I lost my bike and Christ!… Watch it, kid!” Last words were directed to Marie. She had been bouncing next to him, trying to reach the bottle, and she had accidentally elbowed him. Hit had opened a half healed wound on his side. “Yeah… I’m still here… Consider that a miracle…” She heard him gasp to the receiver. “Wait, you’re breaking up… I can’t hear you! This place? It’s called Titty Twister!… Shit!” Logan collapsed to a chair next to hers.
“Line went dead. But I’m pretty sure he heard the name of this place. If he hasn’t shown up in four hours, we have to find another ride.” He grimaced and rubbed his side. Small red patch colored his jacket now.
An hour and a bottle of tequila later Marie was completely wasted, and Logan started to turn from angry to furious.
“Kid… Stop that.”
“Aww… You’re no fun…” Marie moaned and pouted when Logan peeled her hands from his thigh. It didn’t take long from her to curl those same hands around his neck and to start massaging coiled muscles that she found from there. Instead of loosening Logan seemed to get tenser after every passing minute she spent in that task. She could more feel than hear a low growl, and then she was sitting on a chair, Logan towering over her.
“I said stop it. Which part of ‘stop it’ isn’t in your vocabulary?” He ground out through gritted teeth, hands grasping hand rests of her chair so hard she feared that they would splinter.
“Okay. Okay…” She nodded. Logan let go of the chair and stretched his back.
“I’ll just go and find somebody who actually wants my company…” She said, trying to sneak past him.
“No, you’re not. Sit.” Logan grasped the back of her jacket and lifted her over the table to a chair in the corner.
“Where the fuck was my brain when I let you drink?” Logan huffed, burying his face to his hands when Marie slowly slid to the floor, suggestive smile on her lips. He just knew where she was heading. He could hear her shuffling under the table on her hands and knees. Then those hands appeared to his lap, first rubbing his thighs, then moving little higher and giving his crotch a gentle squeeze. His hips jerked involuntarily from the touch. He grabbed Marie’s hands and pulled her away from her hiding place when fingers started to work on his fly, trying to get the buttons open.
“Stop it or I’ll spank you!” Words left his mouth before he had the time to think them over properly. Grin on Marie’s face spread even wider.
“Is that a promise?” She asked, batting her lashes in a manner that probably was supposed to convey innocence.
“Look. Only couple hours more and Seth will be here. Behave, and I might spank you later.” And he really wasn’t going to think the kid on his lap naked, perky little ass ready for spanking. No. Not even when she started rubbing that ass against his slowly waking erection. He wasn’t going to think her like that, because she was just a kid. A kid who he had promised to take care and protect.
“Logan?”
“What?” If she was going to start the immature seductress –act again, he would play along and see how far she was ready to take it. He was guessing not too far.
“I need to pee. Real bad. You wouldn’t happen to know where the little girl’s room is?” Marie asked, squirming some more on his lap. He hissed and dug his fingers to her hips to keep her still. That squirming and rubbing started to feel little too nice.
“I don’t think they even have a little girl’s room, but men’s room is over there. Come on,” he said, pushing her to the right direction, keeping his palm on her lower back. He narrowly managed to avoid flailing and grasping hands of a naked dancer that was swaying her hips on a table next to theirs.
“Christ! Like one she-devil isn’t enough…” He muttered when dancer leaned to his direction and licked slowly her lips. He turned his gaze back to Marie. His little Marie. So beautiful and fragile. Petite. But a real looker. All the right curves on the right places. Small and firm butt. He just knew it would fit perfectly together with his palms. It would fit perfectly, like every part of her would fit perfectly with any given part of his.
“Fuck…” He groaned and followed her to the men’s room. Not the time or the place to start drooling at her heels. They had to shake off Scott and Hunters from their tail, find a place to live, and she would have to grow up. She would have to grow up a lot. She was a kid after all. What kind of a pervert lusted after kids? And what on earth was taking her so long in there? He knocked to the wall of the stall that she had chosen.
“Kid? Are you alright in there?” He asked.
“Just fine! Give me a sec; I’ll be out soon…” At least she sounded nearly sober. Had to be the long walk from their table to here. Door opened. He nearly choked to his tongue.
“Christ! What’s the matter with you?” Logan huffed. Marie sighed annoyed. She had only tried to dress more appropriately, but judging from Logan’s behavior he wasn’t approving. He had pushed her back to the stall, and was now standing in there with her, trying to get the shirt back on her.
“It’s not like my bra was ugly…”
“For starters you didn’t even have a bra on! Come on! Where did you put it?” He wasn’t going to be able to concentrate if her breasts were jiggling and bouncing every time she moved. She stuck her tongue out.
“Not going to tell you! And let me be! I want to be naked like everybody else!” She whined.
“Fine. We can wait Seth here, and you can be as naked as you like,” Logan said, leaning his back on the door and crossing his arms over his chest. Bad move. Marie started to strip off her jeans, and soon she stood in front of him, clad only to skimpy looking lace panties. All that bare creamy skin, soft curves and slender waist, just begging him to lick and nuzzle every inch. All that lethal skin.
“What are you trying to do? Finish what those mutts started? I might be many things, but I’m not suicidal, Marie…” He whispered with dry lips. “If you want me to touch you, put your clothes on.”
Marie was practically growling. After she had gotten dressed, all ready for a nice groping session, Logan had simply picked her up and carried her back to their table.
“You’re mean!”
“And you’re drunk. No more booze for you tonight.”
“Fuck this. I need more to drink…” Logan groaned. “You don’t,” he added hastily when he noticed how Marie’s face lit up. It was her turn to groan. But he could smell that she didn’t really mean it. She had had enough, and she knew it. Judging from the way she stumbled and clung to his arm when they left the table she was either about to pass out right now, or couple minutes later. He brushed her cheek with his bare finger lightly. Small jolt, like electricity coursed through both of them, and fog cleared from her eyes.
“What did you do that for?” Marie hissed, rubbing her cheek. Sober. Finally.
“I need you to stay awake. You can’t fall asleep on me. There’s something awfully wrong with this place…” He murmured in to her ear.
They made it to the counter, when one of the dancers glued herself to Logan’s side, grinding her body against him suggestively.
“Hey! Hands off! This one’s taken!” Marie shouted, trying to untangle hand that had wrapped around Logan’s waist. Dancer hissed, then suddenly tensed and leaned closer to Logan, inhaling deeply. Logan tried to struggle free from her grip, but the woman was surprisingly strong. She crouched, and for a second it looked like she was planning to give him a blowjob. Instead of that something happened to her face. It looked like it was melting. Huge sharp fangs were pushing their way out from her mouth; blonde hair was pulling in, skin turning leathery and blotched, and nose caving in. Hungry, feral snarl, and she sunk her fangs to his side.
Everywhere around them dancers were turning, morphing to an unspeakable monsters. Logan tried to shake off the one latched to his side. Marie was kicking it. It was drinking his blood. He could feel the pull in his veins. Too fast, even with his mutation. His knees started to give up.
“I fucking told you this one was taken already!” He heard Marie scream, then suddenly dancer sprung away from him. Pool cue was protruding from her chest. Marie had shoved it in through her back. Woman screamed and started to fall apart, quite literally. Skin was peeling off, muscles underneath turned black, powdery substance.
“What the fuck?” He felt dizzy and for a moment he was sure that he would fall down. Then she was there. Marie. Screaming and shouting, hiding behind his back when more of those creatures approached. He crouched a bit to get back his balance and unsheathed his claws. She-Devils let out surprised hisses and growls, but sight of six, razor sharp metal blades didn’t stop them. There were four of them. They weren’t even trying to get to Marie. They didn’t even seem to notice her.
“We have to get out of here!” Logan shouted over the noise. Whole bar had turned to a slaughterhouse.
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion when huge front doors burst in, and mat black lean looking car sped in, crashing against demonic dancers and sweeping them out of their way. Trunk of the car popped open.
“Come on!” Logan grasped Marie’s hand. Quick dash, and they dove in to the trunk. Marie ended to the bottom, Logan on top of her. He closed the hood, and she could feel and hear how car sped up. Short feeling of weightlessness when it nearly flew down the stairs, crunch of gravel and Logan’s heavy body forcing air out of her lungs momentarily, making her pass out.
“…and that is exactly why I told you to get the fuck off from there!” Voice brought Marie up from her stupor. Car wasn’t moving anymore. She was still in the trunk, but somebody had popped it open and she could see the last stars before sunrise twinkling faintly on the sky above. She sat up slowly. Logan was standing at the side of the car, stripped bare from waist up. A man, probably Seth, was standing beside him and wrapping a thick swath of gauze over still bleeding wound on Logan’s side.
“You told me? All I heard was your promise to pick us up ASAP and then the fucking line went dead!” Logan growled, then flinched.
“Stop squirming. This’ll go all crooked and you’ll bleed to death if you don’t stay still.”
“Bleed to death? That’s kind of hard to do when…”
“Shut up, Wolverine. You might be all tough and mighty and hard-ass healer, but those were vampires. That wound won’t heal, not anytime soon. It’ll keep bleeding as long as you’re near those leather-winged fuckers. It’ll start bleeding again if you ever happen to stumble upon vampire. Unless you want to see how long it’ll take before your whole blood volume pours out from that tiny cut you’ll do exactly as I say,” Seth hissed.
“Vampires?” Marie asked and both men turned to look at her.
“Vampires,” Seth confirmed, then turned his attention back to Logan, trying to stem the blood flow from the wound on his side. Marie climbed out from the trunk, feeling pins and needles all over her feet.
Vampires.
“Like… Like Dracula?” She asked. She had seen what the monsters were capable of. She had seen them up close and personal, but it was hard to grasp the idea of their true nature.
“Not like Dracula. If they were imaginary characters like Dracula we wouldn’t have to worry. But they’re not. They’re real. And if we don’t get the fuck out of here your friend Wolverine will cease to exist. This wound will keep bleeding as long as there are vampires nearby,” Seth explained, forcing Logan on to the backseat of the car. “You’re riding the shotgun,” he then added, handing the weapon in question to Marie who could only stare at it.
“We don’t have all night, get in!” Seth shouted, and she sat quickly on to the front seat, placing the shotgun carefully over her trembling knees. Car sped up. She turned to look at Logan.
He lay on the bench. His face was pale and he was shivering. Blood was already seeping through the bandages.
“Are you… Are you going to be alright?” She asked. Logan flashed her wavering smile.
“You know me, kid. I’ll be just fine… Just give me a moment…” He said.
“He’s going to be just peachy once we reach El Rey. I cleaned it up from those blood suckers couple of years ago,” Seth confirmed. “But keep your eyes on the mirrors, kid. If anything moves behind us, shot it.”
“I haven’t used a gun before…”
“Just point, aim and pull the trigger. There’s no safety switch and I think I managed to tamp down the recoil quite a bit,” Seth explained, his eyes darting between mirrors and the road ahead.
Luckily they didn’t have to find out how good of a shot Marie was. Beasts stayed behind, probably licking their wounds and repairing Titty Twister for the next batch of victims. When they reached El Rey Logan felt already better, good enough to sit up and put on his coat. His shirt was as good as ruined; Seth had cut it off from him with a knife.
“You can stay at my place, I have couple of extra rooms at the top of my bar,” Seth promised and parked the car in front of a ramshackle building. Huge sign attached above the front door advertized cheap booze and even cheaper entertainment. Marie turned her questioning gaze to Seth who shrugged his shoulders.
“There’s a jukebox. Won’t get much cheaper from that…”
They rose from the car and walked in. Bar was empty and silent.
“Has been a slow week. When first words about MRA hit the news…” Seth started.
“MRA? Is it official now?” Logan interjected him. Seth shook his head.
“They brought it to senate on Monday. And they’re still discussing it. It’s already decided that it’ll become a law, but now they’re trying to settle over details.”
“MRA?” Marie asked.
“Mutant Registration Act,” Seth explained.
“What does it mean?” Marie asked.
“It means that we’re screwed, kid. U.S. officials are going to shut down the borders and hunt down all the mutants,” Logan said, sitting on to a barstool, combing back strands of hair from his forehead with his fingers.
“But… But we’re in Mexico. Doesn’t… Doesn’t that mean that we’re safe?” Marie asked.
“For now. Won’t take long before MRA becomes the word of the day in here as well. Once it gets through in the U.S. senate, there’s no stopping it. Not with majority of the human population hating you guys,” Seth said with hollow voice. “There’s no place to hide once that filth starts to spread.”
“Like hunters and vampires weren’t enough… We have to warn Xavier. There’s still time, he can get the kids out of country before…” Logan grabbed the phone that rested on the counter beside him and started dialing, then slammed the receiver back in to the cradle. Seth nodded.
“They’re listening the phone lines already. They want to find guys like Xavier as fast as possible as soon as MRA goes through. Chances are that they know about Xavier already, but they don’t know about you,” he said.
“I have to go back there. Somebody has to warn Xavier,” Logan said.