Disclaimer:
Hi there. Roma, Sabretooth, Logan and Jean Grey are all characters
copyrighted by Marvel.
Mulder & Scully belong to Ten Thirteen Productions, I believe,
or Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. Everything else is
my own creation, except New York. I suspect it was just an
aggressive marketing ploy gone horribly wrong.
Here There Be Tygers, part VIII
Sean Venning, February, 1997
New York
1:35 am, Friday
Scully stood in the clearing with her automatic held before her.
Sweeping her torch about the area, she tried to keep her mind from
wandering back to the bloodied remains of the two men strewn
around her. Doing her best to remain alert for the faintest sound,
she was still taken completely by surprise by the gruff voice.
"Too late, I see."
Scully whirled around, her pistol centring on the figure that
squatted casually in the glare of her torch.
"Freeze!"
Logan pushed the brim of his hat upward with one finger and
regarded her calmly.
"Not hard in this weather. Look, I ain't doin' nothin' Red,"
he said. "How's about you just calm down a moment and point
that thing away from me?"
Scully kept her pistol levelled at his chest.
"I'm calm."
Logan sniffed the night air.
"Yep. I guess you are. But you shouldn't be. Creed's only just
left here. Where's the boy scout?"
"Agent Mulder will be here any moment."
"Uh - huh. Gone off on his own, hasn't he? I'd start lookin' for
a new partner if I was you, Red. This one's about to clock off.
Permanently."
Scully shook her head.
"I don't think so. Where's *your* partner?"
"Safe. Out huntin' for Creed, only we're in touch at all times.
You gotta love a weak empathic link."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Don't worry about it. Now, would you mind shinin' that thing
outta my eyes? Judgin' by the mess, Creed's not far away.
I think...."
He stopped, his head tilted to one side.
"What?"
"Jean's near. I've gotta get.....NO!"
"What is it?"
But Logan didn't answer her. Faster than she could react, he
leapt to his feet and sprinted off through the trees in the same
direction that Mulder had taken several minutes earlier. Scully
turned to track him with her torch.
"Stop, or I'll..." she cursed under her breath.
"Stop or I'll just have to follow you."
With one last backwards glance, Scully plunged into the darkness.
***************************************
Sabretooth flung his head back and screamed his joy. He hadn't
had so much fun since the Morlock slaughter. Still covered in the
blood of the night's earlier victims, Sabretooth now tasted the fresh
blood of Jean Grey.
Turning to look back down at her, he watched as her struggles
weakened. Slashing his right hand viciously down and across her
body, he was too entranced by the sight of her blood to sense the
approaching figure until it was upon him. There was a feral scream
in the darkness, then Sabretooth saw the gleam of metal as Wolverine
slammed into him, throwing him from Jean's still body.
Snarling in rage, Sabretooth whirled away from Wolverine's blades,
bracing himself on his toes and the fingers of one hand. Wolverine
leapt at him, razor sharp claws outstretched. Sabretooth edged inside
his reach and raked his claws down Wolverine's chest, drawing blood.
Wolverine responded by bringing his head violently down onto
Sabretooth's. There was a sharp crack and the larger man jerked
back, blood gushing from his shattered nose.
Halting for a moment, the antagonists crouched silently, waiting for
the other to move.
*****************************************
1:43 am, Friday
Scully stepped carefully through the bushes, sweeping her torch
before her. As she moved around a tight clutch of trees, she spotted
a dark shape on the ground.
"Mulder?"
The figure groaned.
"Mulder!"
She stepped forward and dropped to her knees. Below her Mulder
moaned weakly and tried to rise.
"What the..?"
"Mulder, what happened?"
"Scully! I was just... I... Creed! He was here and attacked me, but
then he just left."
"Without killing you?"
"I think he was in a hurry."
"Can you walk?"
"I think so..." he staggered to his feet with his partner's assistance.
As she let go, he swayed slightly.
"Maybe not..."
"We've got to..."
A bloodcurdling cry split the night. The agents froze, then turned
to look at each other.
"...follow that scream," finished Mulder. With a final shake of his
head, he staggered towards the sound, Scully right beside him.
***************************************
"Gonna' finish ya' this time, Runt," Creed growled, blood coating
the left side of his face.
"That's what ya' said in Berlin," Logan replied, crimson flowing
freely from a series of gashes deep in his back. "An' ya' won't
manage it this time, either."
Sabretooth snarled at him, then leapt forward again. Wolverine
bared his teeth, but stood his ground as the taller man collided
with him. Sabretooth slashed his right hand across Wolverine's
face, trying to reach his throat, but Wolverine jerked back out
of his grasp. As Sabretooth drew his hand back to try
again, Wolverine's left claws lashed out and up. Sabretooth
bellowed as blood sprayed from the ruin of his hand.
"Three down, seven to go," grinned Logan.
Sabretooth screamed again, pulling away as the blood flow slowed.
"YOU'RE DEAD LITTLE MAN"
Logan laughed at the big man's rage.
"Now ya' borin' me."
*****************************************
1:43 am, Friday
The two agents made their way through the darkness, the sounds of
combat getting louder by the moment. Scully reached out to tap her
partner's arm. Mulder stopped.
"What?" he hissed.
"I don't think this is so good an idea," Scully whispered.
"Why not?"
"Listen!"
"We've got to stop them,"
Scully paused, then looked her partner in the eye.
"They sound like a pair of Rottweilers."
"And I forgot my bucket of water. Ok, we'll stay back till it's
over."
Scully nodded, as they moved cautiously towards the cries.
**************************************
Wolverine stood hunched over, his breath misting in the night air.
By his side, hanging uselessly, his left arm was open to the bone
for over half its length, metal glinting through the blood.
Opposite him Sabretooth balanced gingerly on one leg, his other
all but severed, teeth clenched against the pain.
Logan wiped blood from his jaw with the back of his right hand.
"This is it, Creed. Game over."
Sabretooth shook his head wildly, then sprang forward with a
furious bellow one last time. With a cry Wolverine leapt forward
to meet him. Sabretooth thrust his good hand forward to grasp
Wolverine by the neck. Leaning forward, he bared his fangs to open
the shorter man's throat. There was a 'snikt', and Sabretooth's eyes
bulged. Releasing Wolverine's throat, he swayed back, but the
shorter man stayed with him, his right fist pressed against
Sabretooth's chest.
Creed collapsed to his knees, blood spilling past Logan's hand.
Logan stared into his adversary's eyes, watching as the light
faded from them.
"You always were... a fast little bastard...Runt..."
Logan twisted his fist, then slipped it back out, stepping away as
he did. Without anyone to support it, Creed's body tumbled face
down. Logan raised his hand once more, retracting two of the blades.
"And this time, stay dead."
Logan brought the remaining blade arcing down.
*****************************************
1:52 am, Friday
The two agents stood in stunned silence as they watched the fight
come to an end. Mulder took a hesitant step forward, but was
stopped at the sound of a quiet voice from behind them.
"He's going to need a moment alone, Agent Mulder."
Scully and Mulder turned. Behind them stood a slim woman in a
flowing white gown, her dark hair twined ornately with flowers.
"Who are you?" Mulder asked.
"A friend."
"You called about the warehouse, didn't you?"
She smiled.
"Yes."
"What just happened there?"
"The balance has been returned."
"Oh."
"I think the two of you have seen enough now. The killer has been
stopped. You should go and write your reports and file your
conclusions."
"But..."
"Go now. It is over."
The two agents stood still, their faces puzzled. A moment later
their faces cleared and they started to walk away, back towards the
bodies of the two police officers. Roma turned to watch them leave.
****************************************
Logan stepped back, his breath steaming in the chill night air. He
looked down at Creed's broken body, then at his own hands, red with
Creed's blood. His claws, those that were still extended, were dark
crimson, the blood already congealing on them.
"It's done, Jean," he said quietly.
Hearing no response he looked to both sides, then stumbled to the
edge of the trampled clearing, the fear returning.
"Jeannie, darlin'. You with me girl?" he gently clutched her
shoulder. She moaned, then rolled her head to the sound of his voice.
"Logan? I couldn't sense...didn't see..."
"Hush now darlin', it's gonna be ok." Logan cradled her head in his
arm, refusing to acknowledge the bloodied gashes covering her body.
She coughed weakly, fresh blood crusting her lips. Logan gently
wiped it away, ignoring the pain from his already healing left arm.
"Logan...Creed, I couldn't sense him...he wasn't.."
Logan looked down into her vacantly staring eyes.
"Shh. It'll be all right," he turned his head to one side.
"Scully!" he yelled, "We need a doctor, now!"
Jean stirred slightly.
"No Logan, don't. We both know it's too bad."
Logan's eyes misted over.
"Hey Jeannie, you've had worse than this," he tried to smile,
"'Sides, this ol' canuckle head has a reputation to uphold."
Jean smiled back weakly at him, her skin growing paler by the moment.
"He was all instinct, wasn't he? That's why I couldn't sense him...
either of you. No conscious thought, nothing for a telepath. I
thought I'd sense him...could put up a shield in time...but I was
wrong. There was nothing to sense."
Logan closed his eyes and nodded.
"That's all there is, Jean. Me, Creed. We're just animals. At
least he was an honest one, he didn't try to hide it. Me, well..."
Jean raised a trembling hand to Logan's shoulder.
"You are more than that. The animal is within, yes, but," she
coughed again, blood foaming red against her skin, "but it is within
one of the finest men I have ever known." Her hand dropped from his
shoulder again.
"Scully!" he called again, "We need a help here now!"
Jean shook her head, once.
"Its too late Logan...I'm so cold...please hold me."
Logan gently moved her, supporting her easily.
"No Jean, Roma can do some..."
"No, Logan...please don't...I just want you to remember that..." her
head lolled forward, but with a jerk she pulled back and looked into
his eyes one last time.
"Remember...that I always..."
"Jean...No...Jeannie, don't do this..."
"Logan...tell Scott...both of you ...that I...I..."
"Jeannie...No..."
Logan held her now still form close and bent over her, his face
pressed into her lustrous hair. In the air about them, white flakes
started to fall.
Clutching her tightly, Logan threw his head back and screamed at
the sky.
"Noooooooooooo."
(
geocities.com/soho)