Every night since I have come back, the dream is the same. I see her, as beautiful as ever, standing there. She holds her hands out to me, calling my name. Pleading with me to find her, telling me she's not dead. That it was a trick and that Mephisto had fooled us all.
She tells me that Mephisto's son is going to use her against us. She reaches her hand out one more time. Before I can touch her, she screams my name and is gone. I always wake up crying out for her.
Natasha, Jan and Wanda have tried to help. So have Steve, Dane and Hank. None of what they have said has made a difference. I still miss my wife. And I always will.
Two weeks ago, I went to see Stephen Strange. He took us to where she is buried. He used a spell of some sort to bring her coffin to the surface. When the coffin opened what was inside wasn't my wife. I don't know what it was, but it sure as hell wasn't her.
Strange told me that she must be a prisoner in Hell. He also said that he can't go with me. I know better than to try and force him. He has given me several magical weapons that might be of use if I get there. When I asked what should I do with them when I'm through, he told me to keep them. He then transported me back to the Mansion.
I have done some research. I looked over everything the files have on Mephisto and his son, Blackheart. I found what I was looking for. I don't want to use him. I know his parents and consider them friends. But Franklin Richards is my only hope. May God forgive me what I do.
Jubilee was bummed. Snow Valley was a boring place. At least to an experienced mall-rat like her. Paige Guthrie thought the town was 'nice'. What did she know? The hayseed probably got a thrill about living in a place with an indoor bathroom and hot and cold running water.
Right now she was trying to find the latest CD of her favorite band, Black Lung Disease. And the store didn't have it. How provincial could you get?
Jubilee watched the man walk by her. She saw Paige checking him out. He wasn't that bad if you liked your men in their early thirties. He was tall and built. His blond hair and blue eyes didn't hurt either.
When she told Paige she was going to another store, she was ignored. Jubilee was disgusted with Paige. She had fallen in love. With an old guy.
Snow Valley, Massachusetts is a nice place to live. If Bobbi and I had ever had kids, this would be a place to retire. Rover is watching the school while I'm in town getting supplies. He's really improved his reading and writing since I first met him in Canada. He's one of the few people I can trust in this. His trust in me is almost absolute. I never want to be put in the position to ever have to cause him to doubt me. I'm glad I got him back from Brazil. He was very happy to see me.
The Thanksgiving decorations are going up and it's only the first of November. I've seen some of the kids that are students at the place Franklin is at. The blonde girl, the short motor-mouthed girl and the bald black kid spend most of their time in town.
I noticed the blonde girl checking me out. It was kind of flattering. For a second I saw her as what Bobbi's and my daughter would look like at her age. If we had had kids. If we hadn't allowed a stupid disagreement to separate us for so long. Then when we reconciled, we ran out of time.
I've seen the others. The kid with the grey skin, the arrogant girl and the one who always has a scarf around his face. I really should have gotten more information on the students. Not just what their powers are.
Getting detailed information about the two head honchos was hard enough. Sean Cassidy, known as Banshee. Former cop, Interpol agent and X-Man. A legend in certain fields. Emma Frost, known as the White Queen. Plus several very unflattering comments I've heard the motor-mouthed girl call her. She's a different story than Cassidy. Self-made multi-millionaire, former member of the ruling council of the Hellfire Club, and telepath extraordanaire. She was also, until not to long ago, a very hated enemy of the X-Men. I wonder what changed that?
I'm not a stupid man. As soon as I saw what her power was, I copied some of Stark's blueprints from the armor he was going to use against Onslaught and made two miniature psi-shields with them. I learned a long time ago that I can handle the physical. The mental will get me every time. Moondragon, Headlock and Onslaught taught me that.
After getting the supplies, I went back to the base camp that Rover and I set up. We've been here for about four days. Both of us are used to living in the wild without the so-called creature comforts. He showed me a picture of two of the school's inhabitants I hadn't heard of yet. The picture showed a blond kid with two other kids. One was green, the other pink.
When I asked if that was the color of the two kids, he nodded his head. He then showed two more pictures. One was of a black man with only a loincloth sitting in front of a fire. The other showed a dark-blue and red girl with long fingers. Almost like claws.
I gave him another box of crayons, some markers and another two sketch pads. The kid has talent and it's a shame to waste it. We then spent the next hour working on sign language. Rover's a quick study and it's an interesting skill to know. Besides, without my hearing aids, I'm deaf.
I need to find a time to talk to the kid alone. I don't want to have to deal with the White Queen. I sure as hell don't want to fight the students. I think that tonight, Rover and I will do a reconnaissance of the grounds.
Emma Frost had felt something. For the past day the feeling that she was being watched had been with her. She had scanned the grounds of the school several times but had found nothing.
She could tell Sean about it, but ever since the incident with Penance the two were not talking as often as before. Emma decided to investigate into this herself. She grabbed one of the firearms that she kept around, just in case, and went out the door.
Rover pointed out the woman leaving the main building. She was dressed for the weather and was armed. That, I could deal with. Our camp was situated well enough into the trees that it would be impossible to find it if you didn't know where to go.
I had asked Stark to make me a suit with phototropic capabilities. I love purple, but it is sometimes impractical as camouflage. I had my suit and Rover blends into the trees real well himself.
I signaled to him not to make any noise. I also told him not to attack unless I did it first. Unlike some of the kids I've worked with in the past, he follows orders. So we both took to the trees. Altitude is an advantage. Never let anyone tell you otherwise. People rarely look up.
I watched her come by us. She was beautiful. Bobbi looked like her but wasn't as cold. I saw her stop every few minutes and concentrate. She must have been trying to scan for us. Looks like Stark's device worked. Guess I'll buy him a beer later.
Emma could feel someone was nearby. She knew this. But her telepathy couldn't find anybody. She knew of three people who could hide like that. Logan, Sabertooth and Gambit.
Logan would have been past her and talking with Jubilee. Sabretooth would have already tried to gut her. Gambit would have tried to seduce her. So it wasn't either of them. Which meant that she was imagining things or else she was dealing with pro's of a level she didn't want to face alone.
Either way, she needed to get back to the school. Sean needed to be told as did the students. Perhaps a scan of the surrounding area with the sensors would find something.
I watched her go. Frost hadn't seen anything. I didn't get my name just because I like M*A*S*H*. I'm one hell of a hunter of both animals and men. But mainly men.
I put my bow down. Then waited five more minutes. I then got down and motioned for Rover to do so as well. I told him that the recon was still on for tonight. We'd go in around 2:30 at night. Rover immediately went over to his bedroll and went to sleep.
I checked my gear, my arrows, my bow and the weapons that Strange gave me. I didn't just learn knife throwing from the Swordsman. And when the Black Knight is one of your best friends you learn how to use a blade. Then I set my hearing aids on high and went to sleep.
Sean may have disliked Emma and for a good reason. But her concern for the welfare of her students was one of the few genuine emotions she had. So Sean placed a call to the X-Men.
Scott was the one to answer. "Hello, Sean. What a surprise. I think I can find Terry if you want to speak to her."
"No, Scott. Emma thinks we be havin' some unwanted watcher's aroun' de school. Would ye be wantin' to send down a few of de lads to provide us a wee bit of security?"
"Of course, Sean. I'll send Sam, Logan, Ororo and Bobby. That should be a strong enough force for this while keeping the X-Men at pretty close to full strength. If you want I can send Terry as well?"
"Aye, I'd be likin' that. Can you send them down now? Emma is rarely wrong about these things."
"They'll be there within the hour. Good-bye."
"Good-bye."
Sean looked over to Emma. "Now are ye happy?"
"I'll be happy when I know for sure that they are no longer needed. If you'll excuse me, I have to get ready to greet our guests. Be sure to tell the students we are expecting company. Of both varieties." Emma then left the room.
"You're welcome, lass." Sean muttered.
When the Blackbird landed, Sam was the first one out. He was nearly trampled by Jubilee who was coming up the ramp. After the two managed to get past each other, they both went to the person that they each wanted to see. Sam to his sister, Jubilee to Logan.
Terry came out and went to her father. Ororo and Bobby walked down the ramp and went over to where Emma was. Bobby didn't look Emma in the eye. They kept looking into each other's face then Bobby would look away. Ororo broke the awkward silence between the two of them.
"Have the sensors detected the supposed watcher?"
Emma turned to Storm. "No, they haven't. But technology can be subverted. Perhaps once Logan is through with Jubilee he can start checking the grounds?"
Logan walked over with Jubilee in tow. "You get a feel for how many there might be?"
"No. Just that it is more than one. I know they are in the woods. Aside from that, nothing."
"I'll go now. Sam, you come with me. You've hunted before. Storm, you Iceman and Siryn keep an eye on things here. We'll be back in an hour."
The two X-Men then went out into the grounds of the school.
I heard the plane come in. I watched the people get out. This would complicate things. But it wasn't impossible. The kid, the ice-cube, Banshee's daughter and the weather witch were dangerous but manageable. It was Wolverine that worried me. As soon as I saw him heading towards the woods, I had Rover start breaking camp. We had less than five minutes to move.
Logan and Sam walked into the woods. Sam was keeping an eye behind them, trusting in Logan to notice anything in front of them. Logan could tell that there had been someone here. Unfortunately, the someone or someone's had sprayed the area with pepper spray. Which made it very difficult for Logan to determine who the person might have been.
"Sam, we're dealing with someone smart here. Good, I enjoy a challenge."
"Have you been able to figure out who it is, suh?"
"To much pepper spray. Let's get back to the main part of the Academy."
I watched the kid and Wolverine leave. I had to rethink my plan. Just sneaking in would be impossible. I tried to explain to Rover just how dangerous these people were. He signed to me that he understood. I just hope he really does.
Rover offered to draw them away while I went in to talk to Franklin. Unfortunately, it was to good a plan to discard. So I agreed. I told him to draw them away as long as possible. But if it got bad to give up, that they won't hurt him.
We figured that I'd need around six minutes to get to where the kid is at. Another five to convince him. Once I have convinced him, dealing with everybody else is academic. First though, I have to get to him. And convince him to help me get my wife back.
I still have the ring. I never take it off. And I never will.
We go in at 2:30 AM.
Logan was on watch. He knew that something was going to happen. It was that indefinable feeling that had kept him alive for a long time. He saw the figure move across the grounds. It was fast.
He alerted the others and they came from where they were at. The figure waited half a second then took off for the trees. Logan and the other's followed.
I watched Rover draw them away. The kid is good. I slipped through the sensor net by the dormitories. My information had led me to believe that Franklin was in a treehouse inside something called a Bio-sphere.
So I made my way inside. This reminded me of when I applied for work at Cross Technologies as security chief. That brought up unwanted memories of Bobbi. I needed to concentrate on the job at hand. I know that just because the X-Men are being drawn away that the students and their teachers will not be pushovers. And unlike them, I'm no mutant.
I slipped inside. Nice furnishings. I hadn't seen anything like this since I was at the Avengers West compound. I heard the door to my right open and from the size of the figure, it could only be Cassidy.
Before he could see me, I nailed him with a right cross to the jaw. Pulling a two hundred pound bow works wonders for ones upper-body strength. He dropped with a thud. Looking into the room, I saw that it must be his office. I moved on before someone noticed me.
From the voices, they already knew I was here. To bad for them.
Emma Frost had briefed her students well. "Stay in your teams, stay in contact and slow him down until the X-Men bring back his accomplice. Be careful, we don't know what his power is. M and Jubilee. Angelo and Paige. Jono and Everett. Those are your teams. And no, Jubilee, you may not switch partners. If it all possible try to hit him all at once."
Emma looked at them one last time. "Now go. And try to disable whatever he is using to prevent me from finding him. Move."
Emma walked over to Franklin, Artie and Leech. "Don't worry. You'll be just fine."
Emma just wished she could believe that. *Bobby, let Logan know that one of them is in the Bio-sphere. The kids are going to fight him. I still can't gain access to his mind.*
*Do you want me to get there, Emma?*
*Only if Logan agrees.*
*He told me to take off. I'll be there as soon as I can.*
*Be careful, Bobby. We don't know who this person is.*
*Are you actually worried about me, Emma?*
*Just shut up and get here, Bobby.*
*You are worried. Cool.*
They were trying to bracket me. To get me in a position where their numbers would mean something. I've played this game to long for that to work on me. First one I need to get is the one they call Chamber. Synch and M are dangerous as well, but psionics have always given me the creeps. Considering the time I spent around Moondragon, no wonder I don't like them.
I see them. Cassidy and Frost have trained them well. But I've been on teams with living legends, royalty and gods. And I held my own. Hell, I've led teams like that.
I set up a screamer arrow. It should drop both of them. Before I fire I check my escape routes one last time. I nock the arrow, draw back the string and take aim.
I never miss.
Jubilee and M were actually working well together. The two hadn't fought each other or copped an attitude. They both heard the high-pitched whine coming from their right. M grabbed Jubilee and flew over there.
When they arrived they found Jono and Everett unconscious. There wasn't a mark on either of them. M picked up what looked to Jubilee like a high-tech arrow. M then used her telepathy. *Ms. Frost, Chamber and Synch are down. Which enemies of the X-Men use arrows?*
*Off hand, I don't know. Are they all right?*
*They are unconscious. Aside from that they are in excellent health. Should I bring them to you?*
*No. Whoever's out here might want you to do that to lead you to me and the others. I'll let Husk and Skin know what is happening. Be careful.*
*Very well then, Miss Frost.*
Jubilee was still watching the surrounding forest. "Did you talk to the Snow Princess?"
"She wants us to continue looking. Let us go."
Jubilee saw a flash of movement to her right. Before she could warn M, Monet was hit by an arrow to her solar plexus and then another arrow. The second arrow emitted a gas, which M couldn't prevent herself from inhaling. She dropped to the ground.
Jubilee fired her sparks at where she had seen the movement. Then she turned quickly in a circle using her mutant power to try and hit her opponent. She turned a circle three times firing the entire time, then stopped.
She saw no movement, nor did she hear anything. She spun when she heard a stick snap to her left. Before she fired she saw it was Paige and Angelo. They both dropped when she pointed her hands at them.
Paige was the first to get up. She saw M, Chamber and Synch lying on the ground unconscious. "What got M, Jubilee?"
"An arrow in the gut, followed by another one that shot out a gas that M breathed in."
"Why shoot her in the gut first, then use the gas arrow?" Paige wondered.
"Because, chica, M have to take a breath like everyone else. But only if she want to. You get hit in solar plexus, you have no choice but to breathe in. This pendejo, he do his homework. Wait a minute. I know who could do this. I heard of him when I was in LA. He was an Avenger. Name of Hawkeye. He used arrows."
"An Avenger? We're being stalked by an Avenger?" Paige then activated her comm unit.
"Miss Frost, Angelo thinks the person in here is the Avenger known as Hawkeye. What do we do?"
"You take him out like you would anyone else. Iceman should be with you in a minute."
Paige looked to the others. "Let's do it."
I looked at the comm unit I had taken from the one they called Synch. The other boy didn't have one. So they knew it was me? They would have learned it eventually. Iceman would be here in a minute? Much can happen in a minute. But only if I work fast.
I nocked an arrow especially designed for the blonde. I'd gotten the formula for this from Spider-Man. He told me once that he had designed this in high school. Smart guy. Then I selected arrows for the other two. Considering their powers, electro-stun arrows would work best.
It was an easy shot. Seventy-five yards in a well lit area. Three stationary targets. Did I mention that I never miss?
Iceman came into the Bio-sphere. He found where the kids were at. The only conscious one was Paige. She was covered in something that looked like Spider- Man's webbing. Being careful to freeze only the webbing and not Paige, he freed her.
"Did you see who it was, Paige?"
"No, we got shot and he never checked on us."
They both felt the psionic summons from Emma Frost. *Get to the tree- house now! He's he-*
"Husk into something that can stand the cold."
After Paige had done so, he grabbed her and they started for the tree-house on his ice-slide.
The girl with the claws was annoying. I took her down quick but she cut me. I've had worse. The White Queen was the difficult one. I hate hitting blondes. Ever since Bobbi and I had to fight each other for the amusement of Crossfire and I nearly killed her.
I looked at Franklin and his friends. They looked ready to take me on. I could respect that. I took off my mask and let them look at me.
Franklin was the first to speak. "Mr. Hawkeye?"
"Yes, Franklin. I need your help. Do you remember Mephisto?"
"Yes, I remember the bad man."
"Mephisto's son, Blackheart has my wife captive. I need your help to get her back. Will you help me?"
Before Franklin could answer me, the entire roof of the tree-house was torn off. I then found myself facing Banshee, his daughter, Cannonball, his sister Husk, Wolverine, Iceman, and Storm. I stepped away from Franklin. I didn't want the kid to accidentally get hurt.
They looked at me, daring me to make a move. I dropped my bow. "Where's Rover?"
"The furry guy? He got away. He's pretty fast." Cannonball told me.
"Good. I give up. Franklin, remember what we talked about." I said.
They led me away after stripping me of my weapons. That was just fine with me. I got what I wanted. The rest was up to the kid.
Those X-Men present were listening to Emma Frost debrief her students. She was also critiquing their performance against Hawkeye. "And so students, have you learned what this fight has taught you?"
They all looked at her puzzedly. Logan spoke up from the back. "That youth, mutant powers and a willingness to use them are no match for skill, planning and experience. Remember, he dropped all of you."
"Thank you, Logan. He's right. Hawkeye isn't a mutant. He has no super- power. All he has is skill. Think on this fight. If he wanted to kill you, you would all be dead. Get some sleep."
After the students had left, Emma turned to the gathered X-Men. "Logan has checked with the Black Widow. It seems that Hawkeye's wife, Barbara 'Bobbi' Barton, known as Mockingbird was killed by Mephisto. Ever since his return he has had recurring nightmares about her still being alive and a captive of Blackheart. Logan has informed me, that that is a possibility."
"Then why didn't he just walk to the front door and ask to see Franklin?" Storm asked.
"Because he knew we would have said no. He's desperate. His wife is being held by a demon lord. Or at least he thinks she is. So he did some research and got the name of the one person to defeat Mephisto, that he knew. Franklin Richards." Emma told her.
"I can sympathize with him. I've gone against Blackheart before. It sounds like something he'd do. And I can understand why Hawkeye did what he did. If it was my wife..." Logan said. Beside him, Banshee nodded his head.
"So what do we do with him? He's not just going to let this go. He can't. And what are we going to tell Franklin?" Bobby asked.
"I don't know what we can tell Franklin. As for Hawkeye, we call the Avengers and have them get him." Emma said. She looked at the gathered group.
"I want him off my land by noon. If he isn't I will deal with him. If you will excuse me, I am going to sleep."
The dream is the same. They can feel that. A blonde woman, quite beautiful is standing in front of them. She is pleading with them to believe her. She isn't dead.
Clint needs their help. He can't do this alone. A dark figure appears behind the woman. He's covered in black thorns. Before she can scream he grabs her and disappears with her into the darkness. They hear her screams fade away.
Emma Frost, Franklin Richards and Jonothan Starsmore wake up with a start.
Emma speaks softly to herself. "He was telling the truth..."
To be continued