The Unusual Morning

[Taffy]

Ricki giggled at Dante, a playful grin shining bright on her face. "Oh it's a bit of both- more the latter really. If I wanted to stay out of trouble, I wouldn't really be forcing my company upon you!" Ricki stuck her tongue out at Dante, giggling at her own words. "N'awww, I'm kidding. But speaking of trouble... and uh... those two-" Ricki bit her lip, her eyes flickering over to the kissing couple, who had her completely and utterly amazed by the amounts they faught but still managed to hold it together at the end of it all. Ivy was right, for that, they really were like Noah and Allie from the Notebook. "What exactly did happen the other day? I can't believe that skipped out of my head- I was wondering about that earlier- but yeah, what did happen?" She raised an eyebrow curiously, her bright smile compressing down to a smaller, more intrigued smile. "I mean, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to - obviously - but, uh, I was just curious, I mean... it looked really sort of intense, considering you two barely knew each other. Not that I'm saying it was either of your fault or anything but I mean you uh .. well.. uh -" Ricki stopped speaking, taking in a deep breath.

This was the problem with her really. She tended to blurt things out in the most inconvenient way possible. She said something awkward, got into a ramble and ended up wanting to slam her forehead into a desk or something. Just then, a distant noise caught her attention, causing her eyes to shoot up to look at Dante's face and a relieved smile crossed her face. "Saved by the bell!" she said in a loud whisper, hopping of the table where she was standing. "I will now run down to answer the door, and think of a more diplomatic reason for why I asked you about you and Jax- that's his name, right? Uh- not that you'd really know- I mean you might... but... uh, you know what? I'm gonna shut up and just answer the door and hope the awkwardness dies out by the time I'm back!" She grinned brightly at Dante, hurriedly walking out the door, quite red in the face.

Honestly, Ricki Day, one of these days, there will be no bell to save you, and you can stand there stuttering like a mad cat until someone whacks you around the head. She shook her head, galloping out to the foyer nearby and walking with a slight bounce in her steps towards the official entrance to the mansion. She opened the door a crack, peering out to see a boy who looked like he was in his teen years- nothing great looking but not exactly the worst either. He was quite average, and Ricki was the opinion that he was kind of cute too- but she couldn't see any bags around him, or a car or taxi driving away. So, he probably wasn't a student- but then... who was he? Ricki scanned him with her soft blue eyes, head to toe, before she noticed what seemed to be a CD case in his hand. Did someone order a DVD? She couldn't possibly imagine who- the school already had such an extensive collection of movies. She opened the door a little more, standing in between the door and it's frame, blocking the view to the insides of the mansion. A warm smile spread across her face, as she looked over at the boy with a soft expression. "Erm, Heeey. How can I help you?"

[~ N.P.C. ~]

The boy who stood at the door was just a local boy from the nearby town. Samuel Miller had lived in a modest two story house over on Maple street his whole life. He rarely left the area and often rode his ATV around town and into the woods. The most exciting thing that he did with his week was hanging out with his friends at the local arcade and trying to beat the high scores on every game or going with his girlfriend to the movie house. Every morning he got up and worked his paper route, saving money so he could hopefully have enough soon to buy himself a car in time for his eighteenth birthday.

That morning though, fate had something new in store for him. With three hundred dollars in his pocket, Samuel had nervously rode his bike and walked up to that 'school', checking his watch obsessively. He was told by that older lady he met in town that they had to watch the tape at exactly 6:45 and he arrived with only a couple of minutes to spare. "Uh hi. Um I'm supposed to have you guys watch this in like... uh three minutes." He looked at the little piece of paper where he wrote all the instructions down and squinted at his messy handwriting. "Um, particularly some man called... Wolf? Wolverine I think? Ah whatever, the message is mainly for him and the rest. And if you guys don't see it soon I'm out of money, so could yea..." Samuel trailed off, anxious because he wanted the rest of the money and more so that he was at the 'School of Freaks' as his town called it.

"Can you just do this so I can leave?"

[Glitch]

"Dolly," Dante said from the doorway of the rec room, eyes on the kid at the doorway in a cool and dangerous stare. Something hadn't felt right in the air since he woke up, and he lived too long in one of the most dangerous areas in the country to not know when something was off. The fact that someone was ringing the bell at this god forsaken time in the morning only confirmed in his mind that something was wrong. "Go find the Old Man, I got this." His gaze didn't waver from the kid's at the door and he waited until Ricki had rushed toward the cafeteria before he went forward and grabbed the kid by the back of the neck.

"This better be all you're doing kid. Something about you don't feel right in my gut, and I sure as hell trust my gut a lot more than I trust you. Now let's go watch this 'video' of yours," Dante said in a malignant tone and led the kid by the neck, pushing him through the doorway of the rec room. "Hey lovebirds, break it up, you're blocking the TV and we need it," he growled at the couple to make the get out of the way. Snatching the disc from the kid, Dante paused for a moment to give him that same dangerous stare. "You found yourself in a place that no amount of money can keep you safe, you even move without a say so, you're gonna regret it. You can test me on that, in fact I welcome it pal." It was his usual bait, but the kid seemed too petrified to move and that was enough for Dante.

He opened up the case and walked over to the DVD player, fiddling with it for a moment as he glanced at the clock as an odd feeling of dread grew in his stomach. Grabbing the remote, he stood to the side and waited for Wolverine and Ricki to get back before he pressed play. Until then, his stare was fixated on the nervous kid that looked like he had some serious regrets as he stood in the middle of the rec room.

[~ N.P.C. ~]

~~The first image that appeared on the screen was a man in a fine cut and expensive looking suit, face obscured by darkness with the use of the right lighting. The man cleared his throat and began to read the note he held in his hand with a noticeable Romanian accent."Ah it's been a long time hasn't it my friend? Who would have thought that after all this time, we meet again, but I think I will enjoy these circumstances much better. It is time that you paid your dues, as the code of Hammurabi declares, an eye for an eye." The man set the paper down, pearly white teeth showing as his obscured mouth drew back into a slight smile. He placed the piece of paper on the desk and folded his hands over it. "I may not know what my partner means by that statement, but I do agree, the circumstances are more favorable. You, Wolverine, cost me millions three years ago when you and Castle decided to destroy my cargo ship. It took me over a year to get a new crew together and get back with my contacts to continue the trade, costing me far more money than I care to think. Oh how I have waited for a chance for revenge, and low and behold, along comes my partner with a plan that can only be described as pure genius." The man stood up, his face still obscured by shadows, his grin visible as the camera followed him while he strolled at a leisurely pace.

"You destroyed something of value on a separate occasion for both my partner and I, and now we destroy something of value to you. Notice something, or rather someone, missing my friend?" A dark laugh escaped him as he stopped in front of a door. "Do not worry, we are taking good care of her." He opened the door and revealed Aideen, sitting with her legs and arms cuffed to a chair and a needle sticking in her hand that connected her to an IV with two bags attached to it. She was completely immobile except for her eyes, which darted with a dangerous glint from the camera to the man by the doorway. Surrounding her were masked men all with large tasing guns pointed right at her. "I have to say, you picked a very dangerous woman for a lover. She woke up from the tranquilizer earlier than we expected. Killed twelve of my men didn't you girl?" The man chuckled darkly as Aideen was seen glaring in his direction on screen. "Funny thing, she would have gotten free if not for the heroic side that I'm sure your little X-Men instilled in her. Tried to play hero and free others you see, and that was enough to hit her with another tranquilizer. Ah but she is deadly, as deadly as the loveliest violet Iris. And she is indeed lovely," the man purred, his hand being shown on screen as it gently caressed Aideen's face, the venom in her eyes only increasing. "Such spirit... very attractive in a woman," he murmured, his fingers tracing over the full perfectly shaped lips of the exotic beauty. "She was quite difficult to handle I have to say. Sedatives and other drugs pass through her system at an alarming rate. We had to resort to hooking her up to an IV to provide a constant flow of power inhibitors and muscle inhibitors to make her manageable. But as you see..." His hand gestured to the masked men around her. "I still am taking precautions."

The camera stayed on Aideen as the man spoke again. "Now what I wanted to do was film her slow, painful, and torturous death and send you the video, but my partner had a more... profitable idea. And looking at her I must agree." His hand reached out and grabbed the girl's chin, his thumb swiping over her pouty soft lips slowly. "Such a lovely face, elegant and exotic. Ah and her eyes, I have yet to see eyes like her in my lifetime," the man said in a low voice as his hand travelled down her elegant neck, moving down slowly as he cupped her full breasts clad in leather. "Beautiful, simply beautiful. There is a high demand for tight bodied young woman on the market. With this body, the sultry face... she could sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars, possibly enough to earn me back the money you cost me." A dark laugh escaped the man as he moved his roaming hand away from her body with obvious reluctance.

"You know I must say, I was surprised by how easy it was to get you to leave her alone. My partner thought it would take at least several murders by his associate's contact before you left your lady love to play hero. I was under the impression that you were fiercely protective of her. Not that I'm complaining, your willingness to leave this lovely creature behind was enough made everything move so smoothly, despite losing twelve of my men. OH! I almost forgot to thank you for the little bonus that came with her!" The man's hand snapped it's fingers and the door behind the masked men opened with shouting filling the room.

"Aideen! Let me go you big dummies! AIDEEN" Chopper's voice echoed through the room as more masked men pushed him in the center of the room, his hands chained together in wrist cuffs behind his back and a large white bandage covering his bare arm. He was dressed in new and pressed jeans and shirt with a fire truck on it, though it could barely be seen as he fought against the chains. Another voice joined Chopper's shouts, but this voice was far from helpless or desperate. "YOU MOTHER%$#@ers! Get me outta these chains! YOU &^%$ING COWARDS! Whose stupid idea was it to put me in this get-up?" One of the men threw a thrashing Liv, who had long metal wrist cuffs encasing her wrists and a white bandage on her arm just like Chopper, but she was dressed in what best could be described as a naughty school girl outfit with a short plaid skirt and a tight button up top. Her curls were done up in two pig tails, and she wore the classic white knee high socks and mary janes to top it off. One of the guards grabbed her pigtails and pulled her face up to give the camera a better view. Liv looked angry, even nervous, but not a trace of fear came on her face.

"Either you shut up, or we'll shut you up," one of the masked men threatened the two captives with the taser gun, moving from Liv's face and then Chopper who was desperately trying to get to Aideen. "NO! LEMME GO YOU MORONS AIDEEN! AIDE-" his yell was cut off when his body began convulsing from the touch of the stun gun to his neck. He fell forward on the ground moaning and twitching. The moans eventually became silent as the focus of the screen moved back so all three of them were visible. “Now that we have some quiet…” The man’s voice said as the camera stayed in place. “It seems that our little mission to get your lady love came with a couple of spoils. The market for little boys is an extremely profitable one, they actually go for half a million now with the big rollers. And as for this little one.” The camera zoomed in on Liv as the man’s hand reached out to grasp her chin firmly, ignoring the snarling and angry glare that came from her. “She may not have the first class body like the exotic peach over there, but the price for young virgins is also very high. She could sell for as much as the boy, maybe higher if an Arabian Harem buys her. They do love the young white virgins.” The look on Liv’s face was like she was holding herself back from cursing up a storm, the only thing holding her back was most likely the tasers surrounding her.

“So you see Wolverine, really you did give us a goldmine here, so I should thank you. We came for the delicious piece over here and got her along with two valuable sides. I say it’s a mission well done and far more successful than I ever imagined, and in the end more profitable. Take a look at these two right here…” The camera focused first on Chopper for a couple of seconds, and then on Liv. “…Because by tonight, in several hours since you'll see this video, they’ll most likely be out of the country. And now take a nice long look at your woman right here.” The camera now moved in on Aideen, glare still set on her face. “Here, I’ll even take her hair down for you, I’m sure it’s a sight you’ll miss.” The man’s hand reached behind her head and took out her tight bun, pulling out the elastic as the hair pins fell on the floor. Her thick dark hair cascaded down over her shoulders and framed her face. “Ah a vision indeed. I always did prefer women with their hair loose. This is my gift to you, old ‘friend’. My partner’s parting words for you are ‘You made a whore out of one of our own; we in turn make one out of yours.’ Take a good long look at her old man, because this is the last time you will ever see her.” The camera stayed on Aideen for a moment longer, dark eyes staring straight into the camera without fear but a message swirling in them that would be hard for many to decipher, before the video went black.~~

[Wolverine]

Red rage flushed all his senses as the man known as Wolverine spun on the townie. Heaving snarls he looked into the child's eyes and with that the boy spun and darted away. Like so many animals who run from predators, this boy was as good as caught before he even moved.. he just didn't know it.

Grabbing him as he took off Logan spun him around by the collar of his shirt right in front of the bay window. A second later and the boy might have made it out through the plate glass. Sliced but not dead... he was not about to get odds as good from Wolverine as spit flew and claws sprang forth with a `SniKT`!!!

[Stoney]

Shock and awe dumbfounded Chester as he sat transfixed a moment longer. The whole time he hadn't been able to catch his breath as his insides twisted up on themselves, and now the Stark Disk which had been programmed to take over and replay on a continuous loop did just that, effectively hijacking their DVD player. He couldn't watch it again and looked away to see Logan pop his claws on a child.

Hardly ever did the boy who had come from the hills, now a man who still held to his shy country ways, ever speak. Never would he utter a thing in mixed company or with new people around him, or for that matter a group so large as the few assembled there before the huge screen as that voice kept on talking at them in it's snide, faceless, way. All of that was no longer an issue as he stood from the couch and leaped over it, transforming mid-leap, to land fully 'rocked up' and grab the X-Man from behind. "NO!!! He's just a boy!" he cried out as he struggled to get a better hold on the teacher, the man he had always respected.

Turning back to the group he said "Make sure no little ones come in here." Then he spoke both aloud and in his mind through the link that was seldom used by him. In truth he had only once or twice before called out to the woman who had raised him since that day she'd come to collect him and save him from his fate. "~EMMA! I need you! Come quickly!~"

[-RAM-]

How quickly Jax's mood changed was pretty damn remarkable. One second, he was feelin' all smug, is ego inflating times a million while Ana made out with him wirhout really having a care for the world, and the next moment, his mind was simply blank.

Everything had happened so freakin' quick. One second it was him and Ana, next the Mohawk guy had kicked the two aside as a manner of speakin' and shoved some tape in... which had Ember, some kid who he'd seen at this mansion with another blond kid and Liv. What the hell was this all about? Jax'd frozen for a moment, unable to actually work out how he was feeling. His arm was snaked around Ana's waist, holding her tighter than something that ought to be called comfortable. They had three of the students... they had an X-Men.... a little kid... and Jax's friend.

A slow growl left his throat, and with one swift movement, Ana was out of his arms and his glaring eyes turned to look over at the little kid who was at Wolverine's mercy. To be fair, Jax right now was pissed enough to have possibly been guilty of watching Wolverin slit this kid in half, had it not been for Chester transforming into... rock, which on any other day Jax would've found pretty damn cool, but right now couldn't really give two cents about - and holding Wolverine back. "Who the F!CK gave you that tape, kid?!?!" he spat, his fists clenching into balls by his side. "Speak! 'Cause we sure as freakin' hell ain't got time to waste!"

[~ N.P.C. ~]

"I don't know, I don't know I SWEAR!" Samuel screamed, back to the window as he looked wildly around the room. He was almost frozen in fear and now he was hating himself for getting into this in the first place. "I didn't know what was on that video, I swear I didn't! Some lady stopped me on my paper route this morning, I've never seen her before! She offered me $500 to deliver this here and make you guys watch it at this time! I had no idea- I never thought that- oh man I swear I had no idea what was on there or what was going on! I thought it was just a movie or something!" He was practically yelling in a panic, clutching the windows edge and looking at them wildly.

"I just needed some money, and-and she gave it to me upfront! She's not from the town, she looked really glamorous and she was with some older man. I swear I didn't know, God please don't kill me!" Samuel yelled in a panicked voice, especially after being grabbed by that older man and before that the gang guy looked like he was going to kill him from the second he came in the house. "Please you can even have my money, just don't hurt me, I swear that's all I know!" He held out the wad of cash in desperation and kept his back to the wall.

[Taffy]

Ricki stood, frozen at the door, with one hand clasping her mouth shut and the other hugging her chest. Ricki'd until today, always somehow thought of Ember as being invincible. The beautiful Corsair, who had now been promoted to the X-Men was always such a strong figure for everyone to look up to. Never had Ricki seen the elder girl shed a single tear or betray any signs of weakness. And yet... there she was... captured. The sighed of Liv dressed fit to be a hooker, had Ricki panicing beyond belief. Granted Ricki had barely known the Paragon, but Liv had been nothing but nice to Ricki... and... there she was. But despite the pain she felt at the sight of the two females, nothing hurt her worse than having to see and hear the third in the company.

The video was on loop, and every time Chopper's pleaful yells tore through the air, Ricki could feel a knife twisting inside her, ripping her to shreads. It broke her to watch a child scream in such agony, and plead with such innocence while he was surrounded by the dangers of the world, while she stood here in the safe haven of this school, unable to do anything. She closed her eyes, holding back tears that were fighting so hard to ripple down her face. She couldn't cry, she wouldn't. If there was one thing Ricki had learnt from being at this school; it was that no matter what happened, you just had to keep your calm in all given situations. This was one of the few things about Ricki: even though she was perhaps one of the most empathic people around, a lot of her behaviour was governed more so by her mind.

Taking in an extremely deep breath, she opened her eyes again, blinking a few times to get her vision straight. She walked into the room, lifting the remote and pausing the tape as she walked over to the messenger of the grave news. She couldn't bring herself to feel hatred for this innocent, clueless boy, who just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Watching him whimper by the window only added to the weight that was crushing in on her. She sighed, taking in a deep breath as she moved slowly, carefully towards him, extending her arm but making sure not to touch him.

"Hey, hey, just breathe, okay? We don't want your money... just put it away for now." she whispered quietly, tilting her head as she waited for the boy to come around. Emma Frost would be here soon: she'd deal with the boy, but until then, Ricki was going to make sure he was okay. "I'm sorry, we know this isn't your fault." Ricki turned her head to give Wolverine a resigned look, sighing as she looked back to the boy. "I promise you, no one here's going to hurt you or kill you." Ricki knew the words probably had lost their meaning after Wolverine had attempted to slaughter this boy, but she had to say it none the less. Something about her tended to calm people down, and she was hoping it would work on this boy. "Our headmistress will be here in a second- she'll ensure you're okay." Ricki attempted a comforting smile at the boy, catching his eye to give him a reassuring look. "I promise, nothing will happen to you."

[Glitch]

For several long moments, Dante didn't move a muscle, his steely turquoise glued to the screen as the video replayed over and over again. His mind was slowly registering everything, but focusing on one thing at a time. A part of him had been initially in disbelief, the man calling that sexy little fire broad Wolverine's 'lover'. Half of him hadn't believed it, but all that controversy went to the side the minute he saw the missing Paragon pushed on screen. His stomach turned, a hard feat and possible a first in a number of years for Chi-Town native. The anger that built inside him started off slow, bubbling to the surface like a boiling water while his eyes stayed glued on to Liv on the screen, dressed like a god damn sex doll and being handled like nothing more than property. A part of him, for just a second, swelled up in pride at the lack of fear in her eyes and demeanor. She was a hellcat and a hell of a fighter, and even in a situation that would break most guys apart, she held herself tough.

That's my girl. Dante was so focused he didn't even bother to correct himself, or if it needed correction. The man in the video had a hard-on for Ember's spirit, but as far as he was concerned, it was his girl right there, dressed like an ad for a sex show and not giving them an inch was the one with the most spirit. His eyes went over every trace of her face, memorizing it in such a way that it was only the fuel to the anger inside of him. He didn't know who these guys were, he didn't know what beef they had with Wolverine, hell Dante didn't know if that fire chick was even with him, from the way the old man reacted he just seemed pissed by the situation rather than about his girl being groped on camera and being sold as a sex slave, but he did know that he was going to get back his annoying pain-in-the-ass hellcat that made herself nice and comfortable in his head, and the kid as well. No kid she be exposed to that, and he wasn't going to let that thought pass.

Still watching the video that played over and over again, Dante did all he could to keep from touching anything or anyone one, not knowing what this level of anger would cause them to do as the the power cackled through his veins. He was determined to keep his head on straight, to ignore the burning on his heart and to do what he could to figure out how to find his hellcat. It took him a minute to hold on to that composure and to try and formulate a plan in his head. Growing up in the gang life gave him a lot of connections all over the states, but he had to be smart about it. He needed to call his boys up, get them to find out if they knew anyone that got the goods on human trafficking on the East Coast. Then he had to find a way to track them down and find them, and though he normally wouldn't ask for help, he knew he couldn't do this alone.

Dante whirled around, a dangerous and determined glint in his eyes as he stared at the punk kid. "I'll take that actually." He grabbed the kid's wrist, his power so strong that it had to have shocked him because he fell limp to the floor as he pocketed the money. He was no damn babysitter or sympathizer like Ricki, and he wasn't going to pretend to be. There was no time for a smirk of satisfaction that he at least got to hurt something, because they had little time as it was to take action.

[Clutch]

From the moment that Ember came on screen, Ana's hand flew to her mouth to hold back a sharp gasp as she stood there, paralyzed for a moment as she stared at the screen in horror. She didn't know what shocked her more first, the fact that Ember was captured or that the man called her Wolverine's lover! The shock quickly grew to an extreme level when she saw Liv and Chopper. <Oh God Chopper!> She felt sick, her stomach turning and the three spoons of yogurt that she ate threatened to rise up from the chilling words of the man.

Despite her short temper and snotty attitude, Ana was actually quite sensitive to people and to her own feelings. The little kids here she adored, and a lot of the time when she was sick and on the brink of dying, they kept her company. To get some of her strength back, she started with small activities with Karma, helping her with them. She adored the girls and even though Chopper and Austin was still at the 'I hate girls' stage, she had a soft spot for him as well. To see him like this was something that she could barely handle.

Her breath came in small and sharp little gasps, not noticing the almost bruising grip Jax had on her until it was gone. All that echoed in her voice for awhile was the sound of Chopper's pleading, desperate to get to Aideen. It took her to blink and her stomach to stop turning just for a moment before she looked behind her to see the commotion. The fact that this was all real made her shake just the tiniest bit. "Jax..." Her voice soft but distant to get his attention, still not registering everything. "I saw him come down last night after I leave laundry room. I... normally I would stop and ask if Karma know where he is... I not do it then... I was too hurt and..." Ana trailed off, her bright baby blue eyes distant as she realized that she could have stopped it, and she would have had she known. "I want to go outside last night for fresh air too. If I go maybe..."

Ana didn't, and couldn't finish that sentence. Right then she felt horrible and terrified. They had to have been taken right under their noses. If she hadn't been such a selfish brat, maybe it would have made a difference. Maybe it wouldn't have, but now she'll never know because she was focusing too much on herself. In the next second she launched herself at Jax, wrapping her arms tight around his waist and burying her face in his collar bone. She wanted it to go away, but the man's chilling voice and the screams from Chopper never stopped.

[Haven]

"Ay Dios Mio-" Niki's heart sank and the lump in her throat threatened to close off her windpipe and choke the life out of her. She would have wanted that to happen and wished to fall down dead as the video ended the first time and started again. It didn't seem real and she didn't want to face it. It all became clear to her right then. I helped them do this.. I told her to go.. to follow Logan and her heart.

Her hands cupped her eyes as she fought back the burn of tears and the voice on the video kept on speaking with the same cadence as it had the first time, through the chaos the room around her had erupted into that voice echoed in her ears. She looked over to see it all as her whole body was still stunned and weak with disbelief. The little boy Chopper who she loved to tease, by tugging on the brim of his hat and blowing kisses at him since he hated girls, whenever he was hanging around her and Aideen, as well as Liv who she was willing to give a chance to now that she had taken the shit Niki had dished her with such grace.. neither one of them deserved what was happening to them. Niki wished she would have followed her own heart and gone with her friend last night instead of letting her be the hero and going bravely off alone.

Lotta good a heart is if you don't listen to it- estupida she thought that should be me there.. they don't deserve that I deserve that.. I'm the disposable one, been there before and I'm already ruined for it.. I don't get this- why GOD?.. why am I here and they're there? Niki would have switched places with them all right then and there, none of them should have to go through anything like that. She had never been sold, at least not into anything she wasn't a willing party to, but she knew how scared they had to be. The looks on their face stabbed memories to life of her first times and popping open the shells she had put around them they flooded her insides with the emotions from those long forgotten and buried days.

As the video ended and began again footsteps closed on her from behind and passed her by. Time seemed to stand still and emotional agony weighed heavy on her limbs and her heaving chest. Gasps of air were all she could manage until, on the third time through Ricki's movement broke the spell. Rushing to the aid of the boy and on the way the 'heart of the Acolytes' paused the video just about in the middle. Niki snapped out of the shock she had been in as the silence of that voice left her ears ringing. Thank GOD! I don't know if I coulda listened to that one more.. hold on.. "Wait a sec., what did he just say?" fighting back her burning tears and swallowing her regrets she found herself on her knees, her legs having buckled beneath her. Crawling forward quickly to grab up the remote she rewound and hit play.

*-thought it would take at least several murders by his associate's contact before you left your-* rewind *-would take at least several murders by his associate's contact before you-* rewind *-murders by his associate's contact before-* rewind *-by his associate's contact-* Turning to see Dante drop the kid as she paused the video there, Niki's teeth clenched and a hissing accusation escaped her lips "Rumble.."

[Stoney]

As the boy hit the floor the other young man, the one with the mohawk who'd done him in, pocketed his cash and it was only then that Chester felt the struggle leave Wolverine's limbs. Turning and giving a shove he tossed the massively muscled metal boned man to the floor in the corner. "How could you?" He asked with a whisper. A solid stone finger pointed at Logan, trembling, as the struggle was nothing to Chester's physical abilities yet his emotions were a crumbling castle keep.

The tape had been spinning back and back and back again and there was a screaming voice that was just starting to be heard in the background. It was a voice he knew all too well and looking down at the limp young man on the floor broke Chester's heart for he knew his best friend had been put down that same way. He had watched it as it had happened. Then again as he had held Logan back, he couldn't help himself, it was like a horrible nightmare that he could not turn away from and he just couldn't bear the thought of what was going to happen to his little man next, nor of what he must have already been through.

Long days fishing as the sun danced of the water and saying 'whose there' to a million knock knock jokes all filled his heart overflowing. The grief he had now was more than he should be able to carry and the only thing that saved him collapsing in tears was that his heart was stone now, but only in form not in function. If he could see it surely it would be splintered into ten thousand jagged shards and that they would never heal and be made whole again was not to be denied. Both hands went to his head and the mountain of rock gently rocked himself there as he cradled his head in his hands. Barely audible, the whimpers that escaped him would sadden even the most stalwart amongst them.

Bending down he scooped the young boy up in his arms and walked him over to place him gently on the sofa. It was no bed, not by any stretch of the imagination, but it was far better than the floor. There was no dignity in being left as his best friend had been, like some puppy dog moaning and twitching after being beaten to within an inch of his life. Standing up again he looked back to Logan, all the respect he'd had for him draining away at the thought of what would have happened to the poor delivery boy if he had done nothing, and what he knew Chopper was going through because of that same bitter old man.

[Wolverine]

Standing indignantly and dusting himself off Logan snapped back at Chester. "I wasn't gonna hurt 'im, just make him shit himself.. I always found people talk easier with a load in their shorts, but maybe Emma can pick his brains some and get an idea who set him on his little errand."

The weight of Stoney's stare lightened only slight it seemed and he knew why the big kid was mad. This whole thing was paybacks for something that he himself had done. Gotta think! Me and Castle huh? His one hand moved to roughly stroke the hairs of his face and wipe away the spit he left on his lips and chin as he'd done his worst to make the kid 'lose his intestinal integrity'. And some other guy, a 'Partner'.. that knows our little blonde Brock.. oh, Angel Eyes.. oh God what did I do, I left ya.. NO! No old man, don't.. don't do that.. don't go there.

He shook his head at the thoughts that were finding their way in. Gotta focus now, I can't help her if I can't figure this out.. a cargo ship.. cargo ship.. His haAANDS.. all OVER her.. her face, her Lips... her BREASTS! A snarl creased his lips as a throaty growl started deep in him then, low and hard to hear. He shook it off. It had been a long time since he'd completely lost it, and he never wanted it to happen at the school, never for real even though that kid gave him an excuse to let some shadow of it out, and a target to vent his rage upon.

This is goin down tonight! Gotta get a clear head but all that was flowing through his mind were thoughts of his girl, his Lady, his Angel Eyed Dove and what THEY had done to her. That disk was their only link and yet he wanted to destroy it and the television too. He wanted to bring this whole building down but that would solve nothing and leave him still without an idea where they were keeping her..keeping them.

It WAS 'them' after all, his love was not alone. Not that he didn't care about the little guy or the girl, who looked like she was new though since he didn't recognize her, he just wasn't able to focus past the sight of HER.. all doped up, stabbed up and cuffed.. and being felt upon. He wanted to gut himself to get right to the pain he felt inside from the images on that screen, but that wouldn't help either. The old ways were no escape for him any more. The 'old ways'... Hammurabi's code, it's gotta be some kinda clue to who this 'Partner' is.. if Rumble knows him that limits things a bit, but that prick could know anybody, that's no help... Rumble.. I shoulda killed him that first night in the kitchen, the boy was there and so was my babygirl.. her eyes.. her soul... my love.. Dammit! I gotta clear my head.

"I need a phone. I know one a you kids got a phone.. I need it.. now!" He looked around at them all, his face something they might never see again. He was worried and unsure and pleading. It was behind the eyes of the mask of a snarl he wore. He had to call Frank, his mind was no good right now, swisscheesed with rage and fear, and fighting with itself to cast aside thoughts of his beloved.. things had changed and he had to get his friend the intel.. had to ask him what he remembered of that ship. Too many missions, they're all blurred together.

[Splice]

"Here," Jocelyn said quietly from the doorway, tears shining in her eyes as she came forward with the Blackberry that Uncle Namor got her when she arrived to the surface. She had come back from the basement just as another taping of the video started. A bubbling of fear and shock erupted from her stomach like a geyser at what she saw on screen. The Half Atlantean was desensitized from this kind of thing, the violence and the horror was not something new to her after all these years. It was like her guard went right up when she saw Liv on screen though. Try as she did, Joce had liked Liv a lot from the time they hung out, and she didn't think she'd have to put up such strong walls with people early on. The video clenched her insides, but it didn't tear her apart the way it did others.

What tore her apart was seeing how Stoney looked as he stared at the video, the look on his hard rock face, was something she'd never seen on him before. This was the same gentle giant of guy that used to make her hot chocolate with whip cream to cheer her up when she was sad and the same guy she used to cook with in the kitchen and make laugh with her 'food faces' was now sitting there looking so lost and in total despair. It broke her heart to watch him looking at the paused screen of Ember with unshed tears forming in his eyes.

It was Logan though that made the shining tears in her eyes fall. Everything made sense to her then, why he looked so happy when she saw him for the first time, and there were few who could tell when the gruff man was happy. She had seen it though, the twinkling in his normally guarded blue eyes, the relaxed lines of his face, the comfortable and content demeanor in which he held himself that day in the garage. Jocelyn had thought that he just got a new box of Cubans or something, but now she couldn't believe how stupid she had been. Aideen had been right there, the two couldn't take their eyes away from each other. The man that she had witnessed first hand piece together a broken heart from his rejected love for Jean and shield that heart with a bitter shield with spikes, poisoned darts and explosive had found another reason to care about his inevitably long and hard life in the stunningly beautiful fire bender. It was why he looked so content when she saw him at breakfast the day before, and for anyone who knew him and loved him as Jocelyn did, it was beautiful for her.

To see him then, looking like he was doing everything he could to keep it together, the desperation and worry in the eyes that used to twinkle just a little when he would see Jocelyn planning a prank or in the middle of causing mischief and he'd go on and pretend that he didn't see it... the tear slipped down her cheek as she stared at Logan with a look of such tenderness, desperate herself to offer him some sort of comfort like he used to make her feel better. She pressed the phone into his hand and bit her lip to hold back a small sob. "This isn't your fault," she whispered, her eyes as sincere as her heart. "We'll get them back. You'll get her back." Swallowing back a sob at the stance of a man she loved her whole life like a second father, she reached a shaky hand to his shoulder and placed it there, if only for some comfort. She needed to get herself together, because she knew that if she went to Stoney she'd lose it, and he didn't need that right now anymore than Logan did, but with him she had a better chance of keeping her composure out of habit.