WAIL OF THE BANSHEE
Cry Of The Banshee II: The Dogs Of War
By Patrick J. Kane
This Story is dedicated To Casey Parker
Prelude
Banshee's former partner and best friend Michael Dreven was assigned to a case that took him to Muir Island. When he arrived all hell broke loose, genetically enhanced vampires created by Mr. Sinister attacked Michael fought along side Excalibre. However in order to achieve victory Michael had to sacrifice himself so that Excalibre could survive this war against hell....(see MUF's Halloween Excalibre sim for the full story)
Chapter One
Funeral March
The Place, a cemetery in England, the time 9:34am. Me name be Sean Cassidy and teday I mourn the loss of me best friend, Michael Dreven. The Turnout was much larger than I expected.. Though knowing Interpol they probably forced half the people here te come.... They be sending Mike out with a bang, the whole 9 yards . The 16 gun salute... The bag pipes... The grieving widow... Well ex-widow... I'm still ninna sure what happened on Muir.... I mean what REALLY happened on Muir..... But ye can bet sure as hell I'm going te find out... Thats for later though...... Now I pay me respects.. Say me good-byes... and wonder why death always comes to those who deserve it least...
"excuse me... Sean?" asked a woman on black, the widow.. of sorts
"been awhile Kathy" was me reply
"that it has Sean, glad you could make it all the way from the states"
"least I could do for the man who saved me life countless times"
"from what I've been told you saved his on many occasions"
"aye well just returning the favor be all"
"I'm sure it would have meant alot to him"
"I'm ninna sure I follow"
"you being here is all.. I'm sorry I'm just not thinkin strait to day"
"understandable"
Something be wrong here I can tell ye that. Kathy be acting like a grieving widow and all heart broken and such when not only is she Michael's EX-wife, she left him for another man. I suppose in Mike's last few days they could have made up... but something just ninna right with this....
Chapter Two
Danny Boy
I waited until everyone had cleared out te say me final good-byes. "Well Michael it be hard te get used te the thought of ye no longer being with us.. After all the things we had faced.. I remember one time when I was wounded and ye said something like Don't die on me Sean, or I'll be stuck singing Danny Boy are your funeral. We both got a laugh outta that... But in light of the good times we had, and the back that nobody else sung it.. I'm goin te sing it... ~oh Danny Boy, the pipes the pipes are calling, from glen te glen and down the mountain side... The Summer is gone, and all the roses are falling, it's you it's you and if ye must go, then I must die~.. I know I know ye'd be rolling over if ye could"
Chapter Three
Resolving Issues
I feel guilty bout being here... I dinna want anything... I'm just here in a room with a TV, Kathy, Michael's latest girl friend and a lawyer....
"welcome to the reading of Michael Dreven's final will and testament, he made this video tape which says it all.." said the lawyer as he hit play
Michael's face appeared on the screen and started te speak "Well most likely if your seeing this, I'm as dead as Elvis... Sorry to brake it to you Kathy but the man is dead accept it, As for the will lets get down to it. To Theresa Cassidy my god-child(once I found out I had a daughter I made sure she got a god-parent.. I blame tradition) I leave my cars.. The Trans-am I have in the states where I grew up and the cadaliac I have here in UK where I live.... To my ex-wife I leave a year's worth of alimony.. How did I get stuck with that anyways? You Leave me and I have to pay you.. I must have the worst lawyer.. No offense Dave, To the love of my life Megan I leave 90% the money I have after the alimony and my lawyer is paid. To my partner and best friend Sean Cassidy I leave the 10% of cash and my apartment and all the sentimental crap in it... Excluding of course Megan's belongings and such... Now if you'll excuse me it's time for the annual Heaven vs Hell baseball game, I'll let you decide which team I'm on" the tape then turned to fuzz.
"I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!! ALL I GET IS THE MONEY DUE TO ME??? WHAT A RIP THAT CHEAP $%@#@$#!"
Kathy was then slapped across the face by Megan "Listen to me you little ^$#@ you don't even deserve that money and you want more?" said Mike's last girlfriend
I decided that was my cue to leave, I got up and headed for the door when the lawyer stopped me and said "he wanted me to give this to you, but didn't want it on the tape.. He said you'd know what it was." the attorney then pulled out a ring case.
I opened the thing and got an instant smile on me face, I may deny it later but perhaps there twas a tear in me eye. In side the case where two rings, The original wedding rings for me and Maeve's wedding. Michael twas supposed te be me best man but on the way te the chapel there was a robbery or something and so Mike stopped and went in pursuit of the man.. What can I say.. we were young duty to a group that dinna give a crap about us was important te us then. He got in a Physical fight with the man and by the time the fight was over he lost the rings.. Tom(aye Black Tom) filled in at the ceremony, minus a ring.. Michael got there right at the end of the ceremony with two replacement rings very similar but they dinna have the inscription the original ones did. There was a note with the rings "guess who was released from prison a week ago(before his death) and had these among his personal stuff" How did he know te write a note? I got that answer when I went to his apartment.
Chapter Four
Remembering the way things used to be
I thought I'd check out Mikes apartment but I could tell something was up when I saw the door, the frame was cracked. Some one tried te brake in, the ninna succeeded though because the dead bolt was still in place, and the door still on the hinges but they sure did try. I opened the door and thought maybe they had succeeded because the place was a mess. It was an organized mess, which was Mike's style.. I took a look around. I walked over to the TV and in the VCR was the tape Star Trek II: The Wraith of Khan, I grinned a little and continued to look around, I saw a bunch of scattered CD's one of which was Bob Segar's greatest hits, and another Queen's greatest hits.. Next to the tapes was a folder titled "Ares" It was the file that contained the detail of me and Mike's first case and our 21st case... the first and second time we encountered the egotistical mutant claiming to be the god of war. I looked over and saw the computer which had a James Bond Screen Saver on it.. I walked over and hit the space bar, a file came up in a writing program, well a partial file(which was named Goldfngr after Michael's favorite James Bond flick), chunks were missing, I printed a copy and closed the file and opened it again to see if the copy with the missing chunks were saved and they unfortunately were... I then went te the bed room where I found a picture on the night stand.. God it brought back memories.. It was at me wedding reception, In the picture was myself, Mike, Maeve and Tom... I remember when it was taken too.. Right after the best man toast. Michael had this whole long toast ready but Tom refused to let Mike give it since he was late for the ceremony, of course Tom thought he should be the one to give it Ye could tell there was goin te be a fight but Maeve stepped in and quickly put an end to the argument saying they both can give one, Ye could tell Tom wasn't happy but... None of the three of us could say no te the woman... She was so beautiful and charming and smart.. The good old days.... Michael twas alive, Maeve twas alive and he dinna want me dead....
Chapter Five
Return to Muir
Moira had told me what happened on the vid-phone but I still felt the need te come there te see for meself. On the boat ride out there I looked at the sheet I printed out the parts that were there meant nothing, they were gibberish with out the missing chunks. When I arrived I was instantly greeted by Kurt, always the efficient leader he be... Wasn't always that way.. Back when him and me first joined the X-Men, he was more of a follower... He has changed a wee bit, but I still consider him a great friend. Kurt told me something Moira didn't... Michael's last words which were "tell Sean he was right this job would kill me" I couldn't help but smile, on death's door the man makes a joke. I went in te see Moira and as always she be busy, too busy te talk, too busy te talk to me... She twas examining some tissue sample of those vampires. I walked outside in time te see another boat coming a boat with a familiar face on it.
"hello Carter" I said with a little frustration in me voice
"Dammit Sean I thought I told you to stay away from this case, and here you are the scene of the death."
"I have a right te be where me friends are, this is where them and Moira live"
"well I need to talk to her"
"I'm afraid she is too busy" entered Kurt, but then he stepped aside and let him pass
"Where do you think your going" continued Kurt
"ye let the boyo pass Kurt"
"...........he made me.... He reached into my mind" Kurt said shockingly
"are ye sure"
"ja"
"but he's just a man as far as I know"
We started to walk toward the lab when we saw Carter leave the lab, Moira then came bursting out "fire the sample... bursts inte flames...." Moira confusingly said
"what sample?" asked Kurt
"the vampire tissue sample.. me only one.. Dougie be attendin te the flames but the sample is wrecked" Moira answered
Douglock then came out of the lab saying "fire under control, personal query why did tissue burst into flames when the man entered?"
I then ran after Carter grabbed his arm pulled him to face me when he said "Sean me dear boy did you get an education when you were with Interpol? Ever read Shakespeare? My personal favorite is Julius Caesar, a great mixture of human emotions, war, and political conspiracies, my favorite scene would have to be where Mark Anthony is talk to Caesar's dead body... making his cliqued... what did he scream in rage? "CRY HAVOC AND LET SLIP THE DOGS OF WAR" Carter's eyes grew green and he started to laugh
"A-A-Ares?"
The man then faded away like a ship cloaking on Star Trek.
"saints preserve us he be back" I then jumped into my boat.
"Sean where are you going?" asked Kurt
"strait te hell"
"can I come?"
"nae me friend this one be personal"
Chapter Six
Hell-Bound
"MIKE!!!!"
"I got the man Sean"
"wrong Dreven" Ares then placed his hand on Mike's chest and Michael double back over clutching his chest, he went into cardiac arrest his heart stopped. I managed to get over there and try CPR to no avail, I started pounding on his chest to get the heart going... didn't work didn't work.. He then coughed up some blood and said "what are ya trying to do break a rib?"
That was a good 13 years ago.. Our second encounter with Ares.. Now Mike is dead and I'm getting ready to go a third round with the god of war... I forgot te mention I'm atop London Bridge this is where the second encounter started.. it also be the place Ares lost an eye from a stab wound Michael gave him. That be a long story and I ninna be having the time te get into it now.. I came here hoping to find him he wasn't at the sights of our first encounters either. I knew it wouldn't be that easy but I had hoped it would be... but I knew better and that was the last of me leads... I be loosin me touch.. "what touch" Michael would say.... I canna believe he be gone... Time te try an old remedy me and Mike would do, something we'd like te call "drinkin it off" no matter what ye trouble was "drink it off" was I ever that young? Te think that all I had te do was te open a bottle and let ye troubles wash away with the scotch or beer?
Chapter Seven
~ I had a little drink about an hour ago and it's gone right to my head~
I know I know I said I couldn't drink my problems away but that doesn't mean I can't have a few rounds in Mike's memory. The 'tender even remembers us, when I told him Mike was in the great beyond he started te give me a few free rounds, who be I te say no? Here I be sitting at a bar getting wasted, when Ares could change his form and be right next to me waiting te strike.... Kinda reminds me of the one scene in that movie Jaws, where there stuck at sea wit that monster around, but they find enough time te get plastered, and then they start te sing.. How did that go? "~oh I had a little drink about an hour ago and it's gone right to my head, I had a wee drink bout an hour ago and I'm tired and wanna go te bed~" My head bobbed down and then I heard a crashing sound, I looked up and saw the bartender had crashed into the glasses hanging on the wall... I then looked closer and saw a bullet hole in his chest.
"WHAT THE?" I then turned behind me and saw a man with a hole in his newspaper the hole was filled with the nose of a gun. "OH SH--!!!" I then leaped behind the bar me curse was muffled by some gun shots.... People were screaming and I realized I didn't have a gun.. It was a weird feeling.. I dinna know why I mean it had te been a decade since I used one... I then popped me head over the bartop and saw the gunman was head for the door. I hoped back over the bartop and went in pursuit of the running gunman. He was fast, but he obviously didn't know I could fly. I took off made up for his lead, I even passed him. I landed in front of him. I put up a sonic field from me body te 6 feet out. The man fired and the bullet went off 6 feet in front of me.... maybe I ain't loosing me touch. I grabbed the gun and twisted it out of hi hand. I then threw him against a parked car. "Who hired ye te kill me??!"
"go $@#% yourself"
"I see we slipped over the pleasantries" I then pulled his wallet from his pocket. "nae it canna be.. ye with Interpol?"
"you can read"
"WHAT'S GOING ON? WHY ARE YOU TRYING TE KILL ME?"
"I'm not saying anything, so you can bite me"
"tempting but I don't know where you've BEEN" I slammed his head into the car "TALK WHY DID YE TRY AND KILL ME? WHERE YE BEHIND MIKES DEATH?!?!? TALK!!!!"
"I was ordered, and no not myself"
"ye were ordered te kill me? who gave the order?"
"Michael Dreven"
"WHAT?????"
"you heard he said if you came snoopin around to kill you... last order he gave"
"YE LIEING #%@!$%^" I don't know what came over me but I slammed his head into the car as hard as I could and his nose shattered.. Once I realized what I had done I took a step back.. I then heard a cocking sound...
"put your hands above your head"
I turned and saw a cop, I looked back to the would be killer only te find he was gone... So I let the cop cuff me.
Chapter Eight
With each answer... a new question
I was in booking givin me statement... They dinna arrest me on the count of the fact everyone in the bar saw him take a shot at me...
"your saying the gunman was agent Tacker? and you broke his nose?" asked some cop
"aye"
"and how did you get his name?"
"I took his ID in his wallet"
"do you still have it"
"aye" I pulled the wallet out and showed it to them
"haha, can't you read Irish this says Carl Spector, the man ain't a cop"
"what?" I looked at the wallet and he was right... but that is not what it said in the parking lot...
"there is an agent Tacker at Interpol"
"can I see him?"
"yeah he is right outside BRING HIM IN"
A man stepped in and he looked exactly like the shooter except he didn't have a broken nose... "no thats not him"
After a half an hour more I was free to go.
Chapter Nine
More than it seems
I traveled back to Mike's apartment, there was someone waiting for me, Ares... He was sitting in a chair.
"hello Sean" Ares said as if we were old friends
"how did you get in here"
"I'm a god I can do anything"
"I see you fixed the broken nose"
"you figured out it was me eh? Perhaps you do have a half a brain. Shall we further prove this? How do I not have a broken nose?"
"ye went inte me head and made me think I did, just like with the wallet"
"ohh I'm impressed"
"what do ye want, or should I kill ye now?"
"I bring you a warning, stop digging and I'll let you live"
"how nice of you"
"stop digging"
"why"
"you won't like what you will find"
"what will I find?"
"your worst fear"
"whats that?"
"that your world is against you"
"my world?"
"this world, the one you left, the one your in now"
"how are you involved?"
"even the people in the highest places need people to do their dirty work"
"so all you are is a hired assassin?"
"no but by killing Dreven"
"wait you killed Dreven? I thought that was Sinister"
"that putz? I made myself appear like him... Because I didn't want it to be know I was still around at the time, now I'm fully taking credit for my work"
I dove at him smacking into a TK force field
"so anyways by killing Dreven a Mutie Lover as a mutant, I fuel the hate setting the world up for a big fall, a fall so big the hate for mutants will be bigger than in the states."
"you've resorted to bigotry"
"I only follow the steps the world is taking, but then again aren't all wars started by something as petty as prejudice?"
"this still seems petty for you"
"you don't see beyond the basics do you?"
"what basic are you referring to?"
"take into consideration that there is something beyond you, something beyond what your investigating. Something so secret, so desperately hidden, so much a secret that if it were brought into the light... It would be my greatest triumph and the worlds greatest war"
"What are ye talking about?"
"what if the person ruling one of Europe's most powerful countries was a mutant"
"WHAT?!?!"
"you heard"
"who?"
"that would be telling"
"how does this tie in with Michael?"
"Mister Cassidy it has everything to do with Michael"
"HOW?!?"
"he discovered this little bit of information"
"then ye killed him for it?.. Why? He could have brought it out"
"your being naive again Cassidy, HE like YOU have the worlds best interest at heart, he'd bury it again, but I, I am bringing it into the light"
"who else is in this"
"who isn't"
"why are you telling me this?"
"revenge"
"against?"
"you, you fool, I want you to feel helpless, know the world is leading to a war and there is not a god damn thing you can do to stop it"
"I can try"
"and fail"
"I won't fail"
"how are you so sure?"
"it's ninna an option"
"its your only option"
"if there is nothing I can do, then tell me who it is."
"THAT, my dear Sean would be telling"
"are ye afraid of me? Is that it?"
"no, I'm not, what fun would this be if you didn't have to use your detective skills once? Oh yes I seem compiled to tell you that next time we meet Sean, I will not let you survive like I did our last encounters"
"let me?"
"the god of war may take a causality with a thought"
"ye must be fun at parties"
"oh I did some checking up on you.. To see what you have been doing since our last encounter... Nice school you have there Sean... Be a shame if your students became casualties.. OH and that daughter of yours... quite the liability..."
Me eyes then lit like fire and before Ares could blink I had used me scream te blow him out the window "YE TOUCH THEM AND I WILL NAIL YE @$$ TE THE WALL" I screamed as Ares laughed and flew off...
Chapter Ten
Piece By Piece
Now I have te play detective... The only place I can think to start is Michael's old office at Interpol, maybe he has a file that will tell me or something. I take a cab down to H.Q and enter the building. I then walked up te the security desk and asked "Excuse me, I'm Sean Cassidy, I'm here te pick up Michael Dreven's personal belongings. I was wondering if you could tell me where his office is?"
"yeah, but hold on, I need to check it with the people up stairs" The security officer said as he picked up the phone and dialed #1. Some one answered because that guard started talking "hello I have a Cassidy here who wants to pick up Dreven's stuff.. should I let him pass? uh-huh mm-huh alright got you thanks" He hung up the receiver.
"is it ok?"
"yeah just go up the elevator 4 floors, turn left keep going until you come to the Division head's office."
"alright thank ye"
I walked to the elevator door, the guard pushed a button and the doors opened. I walked in, took it to the 4th floor and got out. Right outside the door was a metal detector, fortunately I dinna carry a gun anymore.. I walked through, and nae alarms twere set off so I proceed to the left until I came to the division head's office. They had already scraped Michael's name off the door. I pulled out Michael's set o' keys which was in his apartment and tried every key in the loop all 12 of them. Wouldn't ye know the very last one was the one that unlocked the door. I walked in and flipped on the light switch. The room lit up and I was able te see the 3 filing cabinets, a computer a mess of a desk, some pictures awards and diplomas on the wall. I popped me head out the office door and next to the door were a few unfolded box. I folded them and took them back in the office. I started taking Michael's pictures and diplomas off the wall and into the box. In the middle I turned on his computer and then continued. After a minute the computer had booted up and was asking for a password. I typed in 3/12/92, the happiest day of Michael's life he told me. The day his divorce was final. The man had a sense of humor I'll give him that. The password worked and it took me to the main menu. I then opened his desk drawers and dumped anything that look like his into the box, then went back to the computer. I opened the write program then opened the file entitled "goldfngr". Up came the same file that was in Michael's apartment. Only it had the missing parts, but was missing other parts.. I printed out a copy. When I put the two together I had about 90% of the file, I walked up to the filing cabinet and pulled out a file titled Goldfinger(Michael tends te name important files after his favorite movies so only he'd know the right file name). I looked at it and saw that there were parts where text was crossed out with a thick black marker making it impossible to read. I took the file over to the copy machine Michael had next te the computer and made meself a copy of the file. I put back the original copy and looked a the copy the machine had made. I now had 3 copies of the same file, each copy having different parts missing, but when I matched all three up I had the answer te me question. "good lord... Saints preserve us Ares was talkin about the Prime Minister...". Three Interpol officers bursted into the room I turned off the computer rather quickly.
"FREEZE, you shouldn't have used the computer, an alarm goes off in the boss's office if you do" One of the officers shouted. I figured I got everything I need and looked up to the ceiling, then grabbed the box.
"As interesting as this conversation be I place to go things te do." I looked up at the ceiling again and this time blew a hole in the ceiling with me scream and flew up it. I then decided te take advantage of a feature ninna many had, I continued up te the roof. Once I reached the roof I looked down off the edge. I folded the flaps on the box shut and then took a swan dive off the roof. I speeded down and was only 7 feet from the grounds when I let me sonic scream loose and swooped back up inte the sky and then flew te safety.
Chapter Eleven
Old Enemies Make New Friends
The newspapers said the prime minister twill be the guest of honor at a banquet... Security will be on him.. heavy... I be needing some ID, an invite, clearance... thats why I went te the best "the Forger" he twas released from jail about a year ago... Michael and I put him away about 13 years ago....
"Forger" I called
"Cassidy...." he dreadfully said
"I need ye help"
"thats a first"
"I need papers that say I'm still with Interpol... Fake name though.. an invitation to the Prime Ministers banquet tonight and a security clearance pass"
"you need that for tonight?"
"aye"
"then go else where"
"ye know the X-Men?"
"yeah they killed the heroes"
"aye well, I'm one of them and if ye don't do this your atop their hit-list"
"gulp"
I hated te do that lord knows it be the next te last thing we need... The first is the Prime minister being exposed..
"I'll need a copy of the invite, security pass, and an Interpol ID"
"I have Michael's ID here" I said as I handed it to him.. It was in Michael's apartment
"good the other two?"
"I can get them"
"I'll need a minimum of 3 hours if you want these perfect by show time"
"I got the man for the job.."
And I did... but he will be tough te convince.. He be on parole any violation will get him another ten years.. He be Carl "snake" Canning...
"Canning" I called
"you" he growled
"I need ye help"
"I'd sooner screw a squirrel"
"there be a nice picture"
"SHUT UP"
"ah nae... I need ye te brake inte a place.."
"no way, I'm on parole"
"what if I get ye passage te the states.. complete with fake ID and all?"
".....the states? complete with papers?"
"aye"
"deal"
Hated te do that too but I be taking a risk breakin in meself showing me face there twice within a few hours be pushing it.. Also if I were caught.. The prime Minister would be exposed... In two hours Snake was back With in that time I went to the Forger and made him make Snake's IDs.
"here do what ya gotta do so I can get them back, if they realizes there gone they change them all" Snake Warned
"alright thanks..." I made it back te the Forger
"you have them?" he asked
"aye right here I tossed them so they landed right in front of his face
"excellent"
"do you have the other IDs I need?"
"yes, on the countertop"
I walked over looked at them and said "great, thank ye" Now I have Snakes IDs..
"no problem....................... Alright I be done with the pictures and scans of the stolen object you can take them back"
I took the passes back to Snake, he quickly returned them. An hour later and he was back.
"alright there back... I don't think anyone noticed they were gone.. Where is the stuff you promised?"
"aye, here" I handed him the ID and a plane ticket which will land on island and then he takes boat... I gave him those tickets too.. I turned around and went back to the Forger..
"Forger I need those now" I demanded
"give me five more minutes.. unless ye want to be caught at the front gate" Forger rebutted
"which are ye working on?"
"the security pass the invite was easy, your fake ID is done too..."
"where are they?"
"the counter"
"I picked them up and then said "gonna pick something up in me car, be back in a min" I went te the car and got out me suit fresh from the cleaners.. They needed it I mean I was keeping them at Michael's place.. I walked back in "status?" I asked
"five more minutes"
I walked to the bathroom and came out a wee bit later in me suit
"and I'm finished Cassidy"
"great"
"if your going to pass for security you'll need a gun, there is one on the table ye can use... It's your lucky day cause it is a legal one"
"great..." I dinna like usin guns anymore.. but he be right if I'm goin te pass meself as security I'll need one.. I just won't use it... I walked over and took the gun complete with holster and hooked it under me shoulder collected me invite, security pass, and fake ID and I was ready te go..
"ye may ninna believe this, or care but ye just saved the world as we know it."
"get out"
Chapter Twelve
Judgment Night
Here I be the moment of truth.. I be next in line te check in..
"Hello Mister... Mister...oh Mister Crane, John Crane.." stated the security guard as I handed him me credentials. He looked over them with a weird expression on his face... "may I see your gun sir?" he asked.. I hesitantly handed him the gun needless to say I was worried. He handed it back shortly after I gave it to him.
"alright your credentials check out.. But your not on my list of security personal."
"if ye look at the pass it says "acting" I.E. I'm here te fill in if I'm needed."
"oh I see, back up, alright good we could use you. Go here" the matridee type guy said as he pointed te the rooms behind the banquet hall "we're stretched pretty thin back there...
"aye, alright, will do"
I enter the banquet hall scanned around and I dinna see anything and proceed te where I was assigned to keep up looks... On the way I saw a man with a eye patch.. Crowlie.. I turned te the right and went te the kitchen, I then found a waiter.
"hello, security, what is the man at..." I looked at the seating chart.. "..table 12 drinking?" I asked
"a wine... the lady and the elderly man also a wine.." answered the waiter
"mind if I take there drinks te them?"
"ah...sure"
I picked up a tray and some glasses and a bottle of red wine poured some the wine into the glasses and exited the kitchen for table 12
"alright a wine for the lady, the older gentleman also a wine and one wine for the god of war" I said as I set the drinks on the table reveling my face.
"WHAT?" The one eyed man turned and looked at me, then said "Cassidy.. reduced to serving drinks"
"Aye and Crowlie being reduced te being an @$$hole"
"well I never" said the lady
"don't get out much? Now come on Mr. Crowlie ye prepared for a wee meeting?"
Crowlie raised and said "lead the way" I did just that, I took him to the empty men's room and locked the door.
"you are more resourceful than I had thought Sean, it is a shame I have to kill you now"
All of a sudden the gun in me holster was in his hand
"shi-"
"blam, blam blam"
I fell to the ground, Ares dropped the gun and kicked it into a stall. He then went to the door, unlocked it... Then I tapped him him on the shoulder
"What?" Ares said as he turn te face me
"I surrounded meself in a small sonic field which I had on a high pitch so it canna be heard by the human ear, the field caused the te stop a foot in front of me and disappear inte nothin because it kept hittin a wave... Kinda of the way I fly I suppose" I then pulled back me left arm the decked the S.O.B with me right. Ares fell back against the door which pushed open when he hit it sending Crowlie into the hall wall full of people. Someone looked inte the bathroom and saw nobody. The man then pulled Ares from the door way allowing the door te close. I then exited the stall with the gun Ares kicked under there. The gun had three rounds left, not that it mattered I wouldn't use the gun, just for show.. How didn't the people hear the shots? Ares must have PSI blocked them out. I waited a few minutes and then left the restroom. I entered the banquet hall... It had started... When will Ares do it? Or will he have someone else...? I went te where I was assigned te and took guard. When a man passed me. I then asked "Excuse me, your headed te the stage/behind stage area may I see ye clearance?"
"Very Well" He rifled through his pockets and pulled out his ID and handed it te me.
"Alright it checks out.. Allow me te escort ye te the stage" I offered
He sighed and said "very well"
I reached the stage when the 2nd in command of Interpol was at the podium saying this " I am here ye honor this man, and there is nothing I'd rather do... Until I learned he was mutant... TO PROVE IT I have a device here that can pick up mutant bio signatures, telling us if one is here. And the device says there is a mutant right here!" The crowd all had a shocked look on their faces as he pointed te where the Prime Minister WAS seated. Where I now stood. "WHAT? NO! Where is the Prime Minister???"
"he's not a mutant ye know, the signature ye were picking up twas mine" I snatched the device from his hand took a quick look at it, and sure enough it was picking up three signatures.. Had te be me, Ares, and the Prime Minister,, I then smashed the device on the ground. The Prime Minister stood up and walked out at that moment some one stood up in the crowd with a gun in hand and fired.. I dinna think I just screamed "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" The second the bullet hit the fist sonic wave it exploded... 2 feet in front of the Prime Minister... The shrapnel hit another wave and another and another until in twas reduced te nothingness..
Chapter Thirteen
Immortality
"Well Michael after that the shooter was caught and Ares was long gone.. I was given this medal.. I hate te say it but the gunman be the only one goin te take the fall.. The rest will get off scott free.. It's how the world works, corrupted till the end... I wonder though how Ares was able te get the 2nd in command of Interpol on his side.. Man must of hated mutants.. The gun man, thats easy just some cash.. Well, I'll keep this medal of thanks with ye.. I made sure ye got the credit ye deserved and a wee bit more.. Now ye shall live forever in the history books... I know this medal is more likely for keepin the Prime Minister's secret.. I told him that he dinna have te be ashamed of being a mutant... Ye and Maeve taught me that.. I dinna know what I'm goin te do now I know Ares was behind ye death... He will pay for that I assure ye... I have another appointment te keep Michael, but the world could certainly use ye right about now... A good cop in a world of chaos and corruption.." I then dug a small hole atop the grave and put the medal in the hole, then covered it up.. Then Walked off..
Chapter Fourteen
Eternal Love
There I stood.. In a place... In a place I ninna been for while.. Standing there close te dusk with a bouquet of roses in me hand.. I set the roses on the grave of me late wife Maeve Rourke... I probably should have changed first.. But all I wanted te do was get back home.. and I meant Ireland.. I still have this damn gun on too.. Swore I'd never use one again.. and I didn't but I thought about it.. "Lord I miss ye.. Life seemed te fall apart right after ye death... I broke Tom's leg.. He kidnapped and never told me of Theresa.. He raised her.. He dinna do too good of a job always sendin her off te boarder schools, but she still turned out beautiful love, she looks alot like ye.. and me... Tom be always tryin te kill me and me friends.. I was forced inte crime by Factor Three.. Lost me powers for years.. And more recently Michael twas killed....... I miss ye.. I still love ye and wish ye were still here with us, twould make things easier... Lord knows I could use the help.. Also make holidays ninna so lonely... Which is strange because they are, despite that I may have me friends there and even Theresa.. Though we do have trouble communicating.. I mean ye miss he entire childhood... How can ye make that up?... God I miss ye and I know Terry does too I be trying to make things up with her but it's ninna easy, like I said how do ye make up for missin her growing up.. I also have reason te believe she be tryin te give me a heart attack.. She follows in me footsteps and Joins X-Force... She looks like ye so she has all the guys hangin all over her including this mercenary Wade Wilson.. I dinna know whats going on there, not sure I want te.. I miss ye, things haven't been the same since ye died... I love ye always have always will..." I turned and was goin te walk away when I saw Ares standing there...
Chapter Fifthteen
Eternal Evil
"Touching Sean, do ye want te join her?" he asked as his hand started te glow.. Then Maeve's tombstone exploded.. I turned and looked at the remaining pieces of the tombstone te me late wife. I turned back te Ares furious and me eyes full of rage... Perhaps more than I have ever been... Then I received a HARD punch across me jaw felt like he broke it but I could still talk.. For the most part anyways... He must have followed his punch up with some TK or something.. I was still furious and turned back to him and leap onte him... Probably the last thing he expected. I knocked him note the ground. I punched him repeatedly, one right after another as fast as I could.. After I broke his nose, and then he managed to get me off of him by usin telekinesis. I got to me feet as did he and we then stood opposite each other. I then felt him use his PSI to reach in te me head. A few seconds later he turned and fell to his knees throwing up. I then ran up and kicked him in the gut sending him onto his back. "Ye like those images I stuffed me mind full of so they were the first thing ye saw?"
Ares coughed up some blood and said "What.... were those.."
"it was what a serial killer named Arkady(he would later become Omega Red..) did te some wee little girls.." I then kicked him across the face. I pulled out my gun and sat meself on his chest and put the point of the gun te his forehead. "Give me ONE reason why I shouldn't squeeze this trigger..." I dinna know what came over me but at the time I very well might have pulled that trigger...
With his last amount of strength Ares threw me off of him with some TK again... While I was in the air... I squeezed the trigger, the bullet ricocheted off another tombstone and then entered Ares's chest....
Chapter Sixteen
To All Things An Ending
When Crowlie awoke hew was in a hospital not far from the cemetery near Cassidy Keep.
"...What...happened..?" He groggily asked.
"A gun shot wound to your chest area... You were very lucky Mr. Crowlie, You would have died if not for Mr. Cassidy here hadn't brought ye right in, and from there we managed te save ye life.. How ever.. I must warn you, the bullet damaged your heart.. You should be able to live your life quite easily but... Any strain will most likely kill you.. Mr. Cassidy had informed us that.. You are a mutant.. Is that correct? Well.. I hate to say this, but the use of your mutant power will most assuredly cause that strain... You can't consciously use your mutant powers again.. Unless of course you wish to die.. I'm sorry.. We can put you and list for a new heart... But there is a good possibility that you will never receive the new heart... I'm sorry." The doctor said that, then walked off.
I was standing in the corner of the room, I then walked to Crowlie and warned "just so ye know mutant powers or not, ye step foot near me daughter, me students, Cassidy Keep, Maeve or Michael's grave, Moira or any other of my friends I will kill ye. Swear te god I will kill ye.." I then walked out of his room.
Chapter Seventeen
After The Storm
Ares te me knowledge is still alive, but he never used his powers again.. I did get those answers... When he reached into mind I could partially read his after he fell over throwing up, I dinna think he broke the link right after.. A bit too busy tossin them cookies.. He gave out the bull about Michael gave the order te kill me JUST te get me riled in front of that rookie cop... I also got a list of damn near everyone involved, I wrote down who I could remember and sent the list te the Prime Minister.. It dinna matter though, like I said only the shooter and a few underlings will take the fall for the plot.. I don't know what made me pull the trigger on him.. I actually wonder if I did.. I thought I felt something else push my finger down, maybe some TK? Or the rage? I swear I could have killed after he shattered the tombstone.. Either way... It wasn't me, it was either him, or something dark within me... Something I don't want to see the light of day again... I had Maeve's headstone rebuilt so it looked just like the original, except I had I had one of the two original wedding rings from our wedding that Michael lost and found embedded into the stone cross.... As for Theresa... I try te talk te her as often I can, that and keeping the mass amounts of men away.. Each day I try te make up for missing her grow up. However, Her eyes light up the most when I tell her about her mother.
THE
END
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