"Nice place."
"Sarcastic much?"
Marie turned and watched as Logan came through the door. He was looking at her with that smirk she'd seen earlier in the bar. The one that cracked her resolve and made her wish that James Howlett would not be dead by morning. She had to suck it up and get on with what she was made to do. Smile, dammit.
"No, I'm serious. I love cabins. I mean, I would prefer that they had running water, electricity and some cable tv, but I like being in the woods. It's calming."
Marie meant every word. She grew up in a small town and often found solace in the outdoors. The soothing sounds and smells of nature helped her escape from the chaos of her home. There were times when she would take some food and spend the day by herself, wishing that she could stay there forever.
Logan heard the change in Marie's heartbeat. Despite her anxiousness she was telling the truth. There was something about this small, two room cabin that stirred her.
"Thanks. It ain't much but it's got what I need."
He walked over to the kitchen area and began to pull steaks and a container of vegetables out of the refrigerator.
"You need any help?"
"Nah, I got it." He motioned toward the small refrigerator in the corner of the room. "You can get the beer, though."
Marie laughed and her throaty and rich voice filled the small space. "You live in a two room cabin in the middle of nowhere and you have a beer fridge?"
"A man's gotta make sure he has the necessities. Brew, food and a plasma tv with satellite and I'm set for life."
"I guess guys are just universal."
Logan grunted in agreement and set about arranging the food on the counter. He watched out of the corner of his eye as Marie looked around the room, taking interest in some of the items he had displayed here and there around his place. Typical male that he was, Logan didn't decorate. But he did keep things that were important to him. Some were reminders of good times and others were visible as a warning not to become someone he'd been not so long ago.
Marie surveyed the space, taking into account the size of the room, exits and how best to escape, if need be. Logan was an incredible fighter and she didn't want to take any chances. She only needed one good hold on him for her power to begin and...
"I'm gonna get the grill fired up outside."
His voice almost made her jump. Marie needed to be calm and collected. This was one man that would be able to read her tension and anticipation like it was a neon road sign.
"Sounds good. You need some help?"
"Nope. It doesn't take long." He stepped toward the front door and motioned to the cabinets above the counter. "If you want to get out the plates and silverware that would be great."
Smile. You're okay. You're good.
"You got it."
Logan gave her one last parting smile as he walked outside with the steaks and vegetables. As soon as the door shut, Marie stepped to the kitchen counter and, as she did just a little earlier in The Bar's ladies room, gripped the laminate surface and attempted to calm her breathing. Now she was getting angry. Marie D'Ancanto trained hours every day to be an expert fighter, knew ten different languages and was a master strategist. When she became The Rogue, she was merciless and efficient. While the money she earned made her wealthy beyond her wildest dreams, it was not what drove her. Marie's incentive was the simple knowledge that she was the best at what she did. At fifteen, she was convinced that she was a freak, unable to find her place in a world that was already fearful and distrusting of mutants.
But Erik Lensherr changed all that. He accepted Marie for who she was. Not only took her in but reveled in her ability, giving Marie a special place in The Company. Each job that he sent her on was specifically suited for her and every time she returned victorious, Erik welcomed her with champagne and a smile that was the closest thing to a father's love she'd ever had.
Here she stood in the home of the man she was sent to kill, struggling with who she was and what she'd been sent to do. There should be no question. But while she knew in her head that following through on her assignment was the goal, her heart wanted more. The Marie D'Ancanto that had been formed into the perfect weapon wanted not only to belong, but to be loved. Occasional tension relieving sex with Victor wasn't exactly romance and her profession didn't lend itself to finding Mr. Right. For the first time, she'd met someone who she sensed had the kind of strength that could match her own. It both intrigued and terrified her.
Marie sighed. This wasn't the time for her emotions to turn her into a fifteen year old girl. She was an adult and no longer had time to indulge her teenage fantasies. Her loyalty to Erik was paramount and there was no way she would return to him with anything other than another 'COMPLETED' note on the file.
With one final shake of her head to clear away the doubt, Marie set about putting the dishes and silverware on the table. Just as she set the last fork down, Logan opened the door and stepped back inside.
"Mmmm…that smells fantastic."
"Well, I ain't exactly Julia Child, but between the microwave and the grill, I do pretty good." Logan motioned to the table. "Go ahead, sit. I'll just put everything there and we can help ourselves."
Marie took one of the steaks and some vegetables and started to eat. She barely swallowed before speaking.
"Oh my God. This is the best steak I've ever had. What did you do?"
Logan smiled and shrugged. "I kill my own game up here. Plus, I've been around the block awhile and been taught a few tricks about how to cook a good piece of meat."
"You start serving this in your bar and you'll have people flocking to the place."
"Eh, it's already busy enough. I don't need any foodie snobs ruining my classy atmosphere."
She looked up, met his gaze and burst out laughing. Logan was the master of subtle sarcasm.
"So, this something you've always done? Own a bar, fight, pick up strange women?"
"The second and last one…yeah. The first one is pretty new."
His body language and facial expression told her there was something he didn't want to share. His eyes went back to his plate where he continued eating.
"Well, it looks like you're pretty good at it. The place was packed."
"It's more because of Jack than anything I do. That guy may look like a beat up prizefighter but he's a literal fucking genius."
She nodded her head. "Seems like a really good guy."
"Yeah, he's great."
There was the inevitable pause in the conversation and just as Marie had decided on her next course of conversation, Logan spoke.
"So, Marie, who do you work for?"
"Oh, well, I do survey work for the government. I go around to small towns and…"
Logan interrupted. His face was blank as he asked the question again.
"Marie…who do you work for?"
She stopped and stared into his eyes. They'd changed color from a deep, rich brown to an almost black. It reminded her of the photo in his dossier. She needed to try and get this back on course. And fast.
Marie shook her head and knitted her brown in confusion. "I don't understand. I just told you. It's a little branch of the government and we…"
His voice was calm and low, sending a shiver along her spine with its raw power.
"Don't bullshit me Marie. If that's your name. A woman who looks and fights like you doesn't just walk into the bar of a man with my past and my connections by accident. I can smell the indecision and conflict coming off you as if it were cheap perfume. You were sent by someone. I just don't know by whom and for what."
He put down his silverware and crossed his large arms over his chest.
"Was it to get information? Or are you here to kill me?"
Her jaw tensed and the words were out of her mouth in an instant.
"I'm here to kill you, Howlett."
The side of his mouth rose in that same smirk she'd seen earlier. Only this time, rather than his face shining with flirty amusement, his eyes were predatory and calculating. No wonder Erik said he was one mean son of a bitch, that look alone would make a lesser woman soil her trousers.
"You're here to kill me." He chuckled. "Sweetheart, I could take you apart in less than five minutes. You were obviously paid for this so I assume that your pimp gave you the rundown on me."
She didn't rise to his bait about being a second class hooker and watched as Logan leaned back and silver claws extended from the backs of his hands.
"I've been alive longer than you can imagine and I've survived much worse than you."
"You don't know the first thing about me, Wolverine. Or should I call you Patch. Or maybe Weapon X. You've been quite the busy little bee during your miserable lifetime. That's why my employer has paid to have you eliminated from the face of the Earth."
"Really? I don't suppose you'll enlighten me on just why I deserve to die?"
"I'm not paid to sit in judgment over my assignments, Mr. Howlett. I know you have a less than reputable past and that past has finally caught up with you."
She pushed her chair back from the table and watched Logan carefully, her body tense, anticipating his next move. The blades retracted and, once again, his arms crossed over his chest.
"I want to know the name of the person who wants me dead. I think I deserve that much."
She had never uttered Erik's name to a mark and she wasn't about to give him up now.
"I will not betray my employer."
His eyebrow rose and he smiled a big, broad grin that only served to make her angrier.
"Oh, aren't you the dedicated assassin. Okay, how about we play it this way. I'll run down a list of the people who probably want my head on a platter. Your heartbeat will tell me all I need to know."
Marie stood up, not wanting to be taunted any longer and knowing that the inevitable conclusion to this meeting was fast approaching. Logan still had no idea about her ability and she could use that to her advantage. He mirrored her movement and stood on the other side of the table, still smiling.
"Brent Jackson."
She moved to the left, watching him, waiting.
"Yelena Belova."
No response.
"Sebastian Shaw."
Shift to the other foot.
"Kia."
Watching.
"Erik Lensherr."
Marie's heart raced. Logan's grin spread from ear to ear. Why would he think Erik sent her? She felt herself needing to take a breath to stave off the confusion roiling in her mind.
"So…Erik wants me dead."
She took a step forward and stopped, looking into those deep black eyes again.
"No, he doesn't….."
Shut the fuck up, Marie. Don't fall into his trap. Stay focused on the job. Get him off balance, don't let him do it to you.
"He didn't give you the whole story, did he, Marie? Slapped down a file with my picture and a few choice phrases like 'killer' and 'animal', told you I needed to pay for my past and here you are. Ready to be a good little doggy and do what your master tells you."
"Fuck you, Howlett. Erik isn't my master. He's done more for me than I'm sure you've ever done for anyone in your sorry ass life. He doesn't want you dead, it's just a job for him."
"Oh, you can live in your little world of denial, darlin', but before either you or I bite it, you should know that he sent you here because he wants me dead. It's not some anonymous client."
The scent of her fury and confusion washed through his nostrils. She really had no idea why the fuck she was standing in the ass end of Canada about to try and kill him. Lensherr really did a hell of a job brainwashing this one. He wasn't going to delude himself, she still excited him as much as when she walked through that door, but if he had to kill the woman standing in front of him to send Lensherr a message, he was going to do it.
Marie's voice sounded far less authoritative than she wanted it to be.
"I…I'm here to do a job and it's getting done despite your lame attempts to throw me off guard."
"If I really wanted to throw you off guard, I'd tell you why Lensherr wants me dead. I'd give you all the details about how, almost 20 years ago, he and his little boy toy, Charles Xavier, tried to have me killed because I wouldn't go along with their little mutant supremacy project. If I wanted to screw with you even more, I'd tell you about when they attacked a little village in Asia because they wanted to capture a friend of mine. But in order to do that they slaughtered innocent people…including my pregnant wife. And if I wanted to drive the point home of how much Lensherr hates me, I'd tell you that after I watched Lensherr skewer Mariko with her own sword, I reciprocated by decapitating good ol' Chuck. An eye for a fucking eye."
Her voice was a coarse whisper.
"You're a goddamn liar."
"Am I? You think I'm sitting here cowering in my boots because you're here to off me? Lady, you're not the first and you're sure as hell not going to be the last to try. But I'll be damned if I'm gonna let Erik fucking Lensherr send a girl to do the job he's not man enough to face himself."
She was stunned silent. Men and women had begged for her to spare their lives before. Marie had listened to them spout bribe offers, cry and beg. But never in the last ten years had she had been confronted by the possibility that Erik Lensherr might have been lying to her. Using her.
Logan watched as Marie's hands clenched and unclenched as if she was literally wrestling with herself over what to do next. The aroma of her rage was dissipating and being replaced with worry and anxiousness. Lensherr was the most selfish bastard he'd ever known…and he'd known some fucking selfish bastards in his time. He'd taken this girl, trained her and sent her out as an assassin all the while making her believe she was doing the world a favor by eliminating 'threats'. He knew she was good, she'd proven a capable fighter back in the bar. She may even believe killing people is the only thing she's good at, but the fact that she was even having this conversation with him right now proved that she was as much of a natural murderer as he was a gardener. Being taught to become something was entirely different than being meant to do something. And this woman was not meant to be Erik Lensherr's hired gun.
He watched as she stepped backwards, still alert but avoiding his eyes. Her heartbeat was rapid and the scent of her sweat was overwhelming the room. He could tell that she'd made the decision to retreat but he needed some answers before she left. Logan toned down his voice to be less aggressive. She was acting like a paranoid rabbit about to bolt out the door.
"Look, Marie. I'm sorry if what I told you was a shock, but it's true. You're right, I have a past and I've ton a shitload of crappy and stupid things. But Erik Lensherr is feeding you a line of complete bullshit. He wants me dead. Fine. But he's going to have to do it himself."
Logan took a few slow steps toward Marie and tried again to get her to say something.
"If you don't want to tell me why he sent you here, that's okay. But I need to see Lensherr. I…"
A mask of anger contorted Marie's exquisite features and her voice was the complete opposite of the sultry tone she'd used on him earlier.
"You think I'm that fucking stupid to give up the only man who's ever given a rat's ass about me? Erik Lensherr might not be an angel, but he's proven himself to be more loyal to me than anyone in my goddamn life. If he wants you dead, it's for a good reason. You can spout all the stories you want, but I trust Erik and you are simply the next in a long line of jobs."
Now it was Marie's turn to step forward and Logan didn't flinch. He watched her carefully, waiting for her to pull a weapon because there was no way she was going to overpower him with a punch. Logan called her bluff and closed the distance between them.
"Now what, kid? You try to knock out a guy with a metal skeleton? I'm not going down as easy as the asshole in the bar, you know."
"Trust me, Mr. Howlett, I pack more of a punch than your adamantium."
Logan smiled and watched as she brought her right hand up and reached toward his face. She hadn't shown any signs of being a mutant, but if she worked for Lensherr, it was a good bet there was some kind of power simmering underneath those spectacular curves. He clutched her bare wrist in his large hand. This was not how he'd planned to touch that creamy white skin for the first time. Despite the fact that she planned on killing him, it didn't lessen his desire for her. He'd screwed enemies before, made for pretty awesome sex.
"How about we stick with the original plan and you and I just fuck each other to death."
There was a small but very distinct spike in her pheromones and, for a moment, Logan thought her wry smile held the faintest glimmer of sadness. The sultry voice was back as Marie spoke.
"You'll get fucked, Howlett, but not the way you want."
Logan's smile was wiped from his face as he felt all his strength being pulled from his body. He tried to back away, tried to call out, but it was as if he was frozen in place, watching as the darkness crept from the sides of his vision until there was nothing left but blackness. Her voice echoed in his ears as if she were speaking to him from the bottom of a well.
"Goodbye Wolverine."
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Yeah, I know, I said this story would take awhile. Well, this chapter was sort of like trying to start a car, listening as it sputters and coughs. Then, all of a sudden the engine clicks and it goes from zero to sixty immediately. Once I got the vision of how I wanted this to go, the words just flowed. It was genuinely fun to write - I hope you enjoy it.
Thank you for your reviews and encouragement. Honestly, this is going to be a personal challenge in the way I've normally written so to know there are people enjoying it, is giving me more motivation to really delve into these characters and where the story is going. Thanks. xxoo
Thank you for your reviews and encouragement. Honestly, this is going to be a personal challenge in the way I've normally written so to know there are people enjoying it, is giving me more motivation to really delve into these characters and where the story is going. Thanks. xxoo
Chapter End Notes:
Okay, you know what to do, my dears!