Subject: [OTL]: (alt. Havok/Madelyne/etc.) Echoes in the Canyon Chapter 2/? (PG-15) Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2004 15:19:22 -0800 (PST) From: Phil Hartman will1@earthling.net Echoes in the Canyon Chapter 2 by Phil Hartman DISCLAIMER: They're all Marvel's. No money is being made off of this. It's all fiction. Etc. NOTE: AU. Also, language, mature themes, etc. ------------------------------------------------------- 7/23/1994: San Francisco, CA.: 18:00 hrs PDT: ------------------------------------------------------- He really just wanted to take the bottle back to the hotel. The Scotch was swirling around in Alex Summers' gut, giving him something of a warm feeling. Unfortunately, that was all it was giving him. #No buzz. No ... feeling. Not inside. Not where ...# the young man also known as Havok thought, staring out the window across the early-evening-lit waterfront. #Not where she was.# Lorna Dane had been possessed by the Marauder named Malice. It was as simple as that. And during the height of the X-Men's battle with the Marauders to save their friend, the pilot named Madelyne Pryor, Lorna had tried to kill Alex. #Seven-year itch gone bad?# Alex pondered, laughing dully as he took another long swig. He poured himself another shot, then began to toss it back. A finely-manicured hand gently, yet firmly, grasped his wrist and pushed the shot glass back to the tabletop. "Doesn't work. I've tried, when the nightmares got too bad," a familiar voice said. Its owner sat across the booth from Alex, green eyes twinkling with mischief and sympathy as red hair billowed behind her. "Madelyne. It's been four years. You'll forgive me if I don't fall into your bed this time," Alex said in a deadpan tone. "Hey, no harm, no foul. You need a friend, Alex. And food. Nobody should consume that much alcohol, of that grade, without something in between doses," Madelyne said confidently as she waved down a waitress. Alex shrugged and set aside the shot glass, wincing sympathetically as Madelyne cringed and rubbed her shoulder. "Still sore?" he asked. "Getting shot is no fun. I hope you've never had to deal with it," Madelyne sighed. "Not me specifically. But I suppose there's at least a handful of X-Men who have," Alex said, lowering his voice. The waitress arrived and handed out menus, but Alex blanched when he checked his pockets. "It's on me. I might be a 'non-person,' but I'll be damned if I'll go broke. What I'm wondering about is why I've become number one on these Marauders' hit parade. I thought they only targeted mutants," Madelyne huffed. "Wish I knew. According to Psylocke, they work for some new superfreak named 'Mister Sinister,' if you can believe that," Alex said with a smirk. "Where do supervillains get their names, anyhow? It sounds like he went rooting around in a box of Evil Cracker Jacks," Madelyne tried to laugh. "Malice ... kind of gets to the point. Not too pretentious," Alex sighed. Madelyne reached across the table and squeezed his hand as they examined the menus. "I do hope you're not going to get just salad. The last thing you need right now is too much green," she said gently. "You can never get enough green. It's just when it comes with a magnakinetic ex-girlfriend who's trying to kill you that it's dangerous," Alex mumbled. "Hey. C'mon, now. Wolverine told me that Psylocke detected that Malice bitch controlling Lorna. It's not like she's a willing member of those bastards. They'll find a way to free her, Alex. You have to have faith," Madelyne insisted. "Faith? In Xavier's dream? In the X-Men's abilities? I've been out of the game too long, Maddy! Half of these X-Men don't trust me, the other half are even greener than I am, and Storm's off God knows where while Sinister and these Marauders are running around attacking people I care about! I don't even like spandex, for God's sake!" Alex snapped in a loud whisper. He blushed when several patrons turned to look at the booth, and added, "I really shouldn't be drawing attention." "It happens. Listen, I'm even less qualified to be around here than you are, but I'm sticking it out. You guys saved my life, and the more allies you have, the better. Besides, without documentation, I can't fly. If I can't fly, or prove my identity, then I have no job. No job means no food. No food means no Maddy. And since Xavier's School is footing the bill for your little jaunt out to save my pert little behind, I need to contribute to earn cash for chow," Madelyne pointed out. Alex half-smiled and said, "Then welcome to the X-Men. Hope you survive the experience." ------------------------------------------------------- 10/31/1994: ------------------------------------------------------- They hadn't survived the experience. And for the life of him, Alex wasn't sure why they had been allowed to come back. #Dark, grungy, hot ... OK, Roma, prove to me that this isn't hell,# Alex thought as he - dressed in running shorts and tennis shoes against the heat of the Australian Outback - helped lug more electronics equipment into the underground complex beneath the former base of the Reavers. ~Have faith, Alex. We might not be 'alive,' but our 'deaths' may well tip the scales against the Marauders,~ Psylocke sent from her vantage point on a butte above the town. ~Just as long as I get Lorna back and we can all go home. Soon, Betsy,~ Alex pointed out. He was glad when Psylocke's "butterfly" self faded, leaving him alone with his thoughts. Which weren't really of Lorna, to be honest. #I feel like a total pig. She's probably suffering in Sinister's clutches - or at least trapped in her own mind - while I die, get 'reborn,' and ogle a woman who's most likely the reincarnation of my sister-in-law's cosmic avatar. And how many people can claim THOSE for relationship issues?# Alex thought, bemused and a little ill, as he watched Madelyne work. "Tell me again how you know to do this?" he asked while he unloaded the CPUs Madelyne had asked for. "You spend enough times running your own flight, you either learn basic avionics or you pay through the nose. The systems are really pretty similar, surprisingly - guess one computer system really isn't that different from another," Madelyne said in a far-too-cheerful voice. She stood, her t-shirt and shorts stained with grease, and motioned for Alex to plug a conspicuously-large extension cord into the far wall. He did so, his eyes widening as the main viewscreen and its accompanying attendants lit up. "YES! We now have the Southern Hemisphere's superhero equivalent of a home entertainment system on steroids!" Madelyne cheered. Her smile made Alex smile a little as well, but he fought back an urge to hug her. He was afraid he'd get too close and she'd notice that his outline was ... changing. #ThinkofJeanThinkofJeanThinkofJean...# Alex managed to shudder, and fled for a cold shower. ------------------------------------------------------- Madelyne sighed, watching him go, and leaned against the main console. Of all of the X-Men, Alex Summers was arguably the closest to her (although Ororo and Mariko were both kind and friendly, and Alison was good for a few style tips). #But he wants it to stay friendship. I know he loves Lorna Dane, but everyone thinks it's unlikely that she can be freed from Malice's control ... and why would it be so wrong for him and I to ...?# Madelyne reflected. From what she could remember of her life - and the loss of memories from before the 747 crash in 1990 was troublesome, to be sure - she'd had little luck with men. Oh, there had been a few flings at far-flung airports, but the code of the road applied to the air as well. #But what's wrong in finding a little common ground? Some mutual support? Even if it never becomes more than friendship - OK, really close friendship - REALLY close - how wrong would it be for us just to find a little happiness?# Madelyne thought. She shook her head and scowled, then moved to tune in a clear television channel. #C'mon, Pryor. You sound like either a wanton woman or the salesman's wife waiting for the milkman. Alex might be cute, and funny, but if he's not ready, jumping his bones won't -# "Won't satisfy you, M'Lady?" To her credit, Madelyne tried not to scream when the visage - it couldn't be called a "face," not by any human standard - appeared on all of the screens. "I hear your call, M'Lady. All you need to is call upon me, and I will aid you in your quest. I am N'astirh ... and I await your request," the - horse-faced? - creature in the viewscreems whispered, before vanishing. "OK. Time to get call block on the phones," Madelyne gulped. ------------------------------------------------------- tbc ... -------------------------------------------------------