Most of 'em are Marvel's.  We make no $$$.  Don't sue.

The Trio (Trinity, Siren, and Fuse) belongs to Shera.  Kai and
Tom belong to Kaylee.  Don't use any of these characters
without permission.  We haven't had our shots lately. ;-)

AoA: Lost Souls continues!  The ride's just getting bumpier.
And darker.  And more gruesome.  This'd probably rate a
strong PG-13 rating, but I'll stay safe and say 'R' just to make
sure we cover everything.

A note on eye color...for our own reasons (don't ask), our
AoA Vic has blue eyes, and our AoA Logan has brown.
Why?  I said don't ask.  On another vein, this all takes place
before Logan and Jean left the Xers and before Logan's hand
was blasted away by Scott.

Previous parts of this story are archived at Tag Team on Fonts
of Wisdom -
http://home.att.net/~lubakmetyk/kailogan.htm

Comments to Kaylee1109@aol.com AND
2Susie@email.msn.com

"AoA: Lost Souls 4/?"
By Shera Crawler 007 and Kaylee

Kwannon pulled her cloak tighter around her, stalking through
the wasted land around her with only one thought ringing
through her mind.  Revenge.  Revenge on the oh-so-good X-
Men that had killed her lover Ogun.

Revenge on the rag-tag mercs he'd formed that pretended to be
loyal and yet refused to honorably avenge his death.  Refused
to show _her_ the proper respect she deserved.

Gaijin dogs, every last one.

Well she'd see them pay triple for every last drop of blood her
beloved had painted the floor crimson with.  And she would
see the realization of what they'd brought down on their heads
shine in their eyes before death took them straight to hell.
And Ogun could finish their souls there.

But that wasn't all, she didn't just wish their deaths.  Oh
no...she wanted them to see everything they held dear shatter
just when their greedy hands gripped it.  Just when they
thought they had reached their high goals, she wanted to rip
them out from under their eager feet.  Watch them fall with the
bitter tang of betrayal in their eyes, the helpless anger.
Everything she had felt when Ogun had died.

And then..._then_ with the shards of their dreams, their trust,
their world even, scattered around them...only _then_ did she
want to see them die.  And die they would.  One by one.

And after they died...then Magneto would meet his fate.

Her elegant face radiated with anticipation, lips curling up into
a smile that a stranger would call stunning.  Someone who
knew her would just call it bloodthirsty.

***

Free of the others, Kai and Tom moved quickly through the
growing night.  She set herself into a ground-eating jog that
maximized endurance and covered distance quickly.  Tom
kept pace easily with his quick, agile new form.  He wove in
and out through debris, his gray form easily shading into
shadows.

They backtracked a few miles to pick up Trinity's trail,
moving through steady silence that would have been
comfortable if not for her obvious distraction.  Tom wasn't
sure what to make of the strange looks she'd frequently cast at
things that seemed of little or no importance to him.  There
was more wariness than usual in her actions, as well as
something...nervous.

But she seemed in no hurry to talk about it, and of course he
couldn't ask, so they just pressed on.

Kai was seeing things.  Things that weren't _there._  She
_knew_ they weren't there because they simply _couldn't_ be
or else Tom would notice.  Shadows moved with them,
occasionally detaching from whatever hulking form was
supposed to be their source as they flitted across the ground,
sliding like so-slick oil over rolling water.  None drew too
close, which was the only reason she could keep enough focus
on where they traveled to keep from doing anything _too_
obviously out of character for Tom to see.  She was pretty sure
that if one of those things came near her, she'd see far more in
the shape than vague nothingness...and she didn't _want_ to
see what those things might be.

So she said nothing and traveled on, trying to ignore the living
shadows while still watching them cautiously from the corners
of her eyes.  They picked up Trin's trail and continued on,
following it and finding where she'd met up with others...X-
Men.  Some of the scents Kai recognized, some were
unfamiliar.  Infinite bodies littered the ground, not quite old
enough to start stinking yet.  She did a cursory exam of them
to gather any useful information.  Many had been killed by
Trinity, she could tell.  So the woman had decided to work her
way in with the team, then, winning their trust - as much as
they were willing to give it - by aiding them in a spot of
trouble.  ~Clever enough, Trin.  But dangerous.~  If Tom had
similar thoughts, she couldn't tell.  The fox was nervous,
though, and kept darting repeated glances to her.  Kai noticed
them distantly, more of her attention focused on what was
going on with the bodies scattered around them.

The _shadows_ were moving in.

It took intense effort to keep from showing her growing
apprehension as she watched the formless shapes slither over
the dead men and women.  A vague buzz in the back of her
mind started; a hissing that sounded almost gleeful.  One of
the dark things lifted a part of itself from the Infinite it was
spreading over, and for a shocking, terrifying moment she
thought she saw pus-yellow _eyes_ blinking at her...

Tom nudged her leg.  She looked sharply down at him,
meeting the worried eyes, then glanced back towards the
bodies...nothing.  Whatever those things were, they were gone.
Or at least...she didn't see them anymore.

"C'mon," she said roughly.  Somehow she _needed_ to hear
the sound of her own voice, _any_ voice just then.  "I'm sure
we've got a long ways to go."

He trailed behind, concern in every vulpine feature.

***

She knew she was sleeping.  Knew it because the hands
touching her were intimate, and she hadn't known intimacy in
a long, long time.  Knew it because the hint of scent in her
mind belonged to one she'd never touched in this way, never
been touched by.  A sliding caress up her ribcage...an almost
teasing stroke across her breasts.  She shivered as the hands
roamed freely, making no effort to stop them, not sure enough
to make her own moves to participate.  Her breath caught on a
faint shudder and sound almost formed a name.
Unconsciously, a hand rose to reach for the one above her, to
slide into rich hair...

She froze, heart pounding and eyes still closed.  Her fingers
cupped around a skull, but it wasn't the soft texture of hair that
greeted her.  Something...cold.  And...wet.  And
somehow...slimy.  Very, very carefully she opened her eyes.

The stench washed over her as her eyes met...whatever it was.
Worse than the stink of a rotting corpse.  Worse than the sight
of maggots writhing in the body cavities of the numerous dead
they passed.  The pus-yellow eyes gleamed with thick
weightiness above the grinning, fang-baring mouth in the
slime-slicked, bumpy face.  The thing straddled her with
phantom weight that she felt and didn't feel at once.  One of its
clawed hands squeezed her breast, the other was slowly,
slowly sliding along the side of her face.  She held its eyes,
unable to move, unable to think, hardly able to draw breath
heavy with the odor of the thing.

Its grin broadened.  The sharper-than-sharp teeth glistened
with thick saliva.  She could see its tongue, long and thin,
snaking around inside that mouth like a worm curling in a pit
of grease.  The slick bald head lowered towards hers, the
mucus-like eyes trapping her own.

For the first time in a very, very long time, Kai screamed.

And woke up.  She'd lurched somehow to her knees without
realizing it.  There was nothing around her.  No shadows that
moved when they shouldn't.  No drowned corpse with eyes of
sick fluid and skin that rotted as it breathed.  She didn't even
see Tom, who was doubtless nearby keeping watch.
Trembling, she raised a hand to the side of her face...

It came away with the faintest coat of slime.  She stared at the
glistening, cloudy liquid for a moment.  The she hunched over
and heaved up everything in her stomach.

A whisper sounded at the back of her mind...no words.  None
that she could hear, anyway.  A whisper, and then that quiet
giggle of gleeful amusement.  ~Sensei...?~  Nothing.
~What's...happening to me?~

A sound.  Quiet.  Soft.  She whirled, feeling another scream
trying to start in her throat, but suppressed it with savage will.
Tom, a soft keening noise coming from his chest as he looked
at her, hesitant steps bringing him closer.

And then another sound nearly as quiet...but far more
threatening.  She lurched to her feet with wild eyes to face the
man that crouched atop the boulder looking down at her.
Night tried to hide his features, but her eyes were keen.  She
saw the thick mane of black hair, the dark eyes, the sharp
intensity in the gaze.  Her heart thundered as his scent reached
her and confirmed what sight murmured.

~Logan.~

Her sensei's old student.  The man who'd had a hand in his
death.  The one who'd refused what Ogun had to teach him,
choosing instead to turn on the man and fight him along with
the rest of their team in a battle where Ogun had showed them
just _how_ capable he was...before Magneto showed.  One of
three people she'd sworn vengeance against.

And all she could do was stare.

He didn't say anything right away; only watched her
assessingly, eyes flicking along her still-shivering form as if
weighing her condition with any potential threat.  He looked at
ease, calm, but she could see the ready tension in his frame.
Wary and cautious, as this world taught every survivor to be.

Louder sound as a woman raised through the air to hover next
to him and look down at Kai.  The new arrival had a shock of
short red hair and green eyes too sensitive for this place.  She
didn't say a word to him, not aloud, but he gave a little nod as
if answering an unspoken question.

"Are you all right?" the woman asked quietly, not drawing any
closer.

Kai tore her eyes from Logan, forcing herself to meet the
other's gaze.  She straightened just a little, disguising a tiny
motion of her hand with the movement.  Tom saw it, just as
she'd hoped.  Without hesitation, he sprinted off into the
surrounding destruction.  Logan tensed as if he would follow.
The red-haired woman put a calming hand on his shoulder.
"It's all right," she said, still in that carefully unthreatening
tone.  "We won't hurt you."

Kai tried to bring herself around to sense enough to say
something...to lie, to tell them she was a human on the run
from Apocalypse, to say she was a mutant and explain away
the fact that a fox had been within touching distance, to say
she was in need of help or sanctuary or anything that might
endear her to them...but she couldn't.  The man who'd
contributed to Ogun's death.  ~Sensei.~  The student she'd
replaced.  ~Sensei, what do I...what do I do?~  But that voice,
that presence at the back of her mind, was curiously silent.

"Not much of a talker, are ya?" he said after she said nothing.
To the red-head - "We oughtta bring her with us, Jeannie.
Figure her out on the way."

The woman gave a slight nod, lowering down to touch earth a
few paces from Kai.  "Will you come with us?  Peacefully?"

~I don't do anything peacefully.~  But she kept the thought
close in her mind, giving no expression, no nod or frown.

"Come on," said the one he'd called Jeannie.  "You look like
you could use some food."

~Oh?  I just puked up everything, and now you're gonna shove
more down my throat?~  She said nothing, but felt the
beginnings of something closing over, closing _around_ her.
Something that _confined_ her.  Everything inside screamed
for her to rebel against it.  She gritted her teeth and ignored it
all.  ~Find Trin.  Find my team.  Handle the rest later.~  So she


didn't struggle when the telekinetic bubble lifted her, though
she sorely wanted to.  Instead she dropped her eyes to the
ground below and tried to memorize their passage.

And watched as more of the inky-dark things formed up
beneath them and followed along like scavengers just waiting
for their next meal to die.

***

Something was wrong.  The Xers were leaving in large
number, even Creed relinquishing his self-imposed guard duty
on Trin to handle whatever the hell it was they were going to
handle.  She tried to ask Banshee as he strode past tugging his
uniform into order, but he only shook his head with a worried
expression and told her, "Aye, lass, 'tis something wrong.
What, though, I cannae be tellin' ye."  She didn't know if that
was because he didn't _know_ or secrecy...but it didn't matter
either way.  There was always telepathy...

*Shield this...they've got a TP.*

What...?  *Kai?*  Trin obeyed the order as the thought focused
at her, extending her own natural resistance to psi-scans to
cover the link they spoke through.

Not a word to confirm, not a moment wasted.  *Plans?*

In a hurried, complicated burst, Trin told her.  She would stay.
Learn what she could.  Spy, for as long as it took.

*Pete's worried.*

Now _that_ was a strange thing for Kai to even mention.
*He is?*

*And Kwannon's been booted.*

*She _has?_*

*We're on the move.  Infinite wave coming this way.  I'll be in
touch.*  With that, she broke of communication.  Trin mused
wryly that Kai always _did_ hate mental speech.

And suddenly it occurred to her to wonder if Kai had
something to do with whatever had the Xers so up in arms.

~Nah...~

***

When they reached what looked like a hastily thrown together
encampment the redhead released her telekinetic hold and
Logan firmly took Kai's arm in a grip that brooked no
argument.  Edgy nerves were combining with confused rage,
bringing forth a side of her that didn't see light often;
belligerence.  All subdued, all silent, but there.

~No argument, huh?  We'll just see about that, you spineless
murdering bastard.~  She let herself be hauled along, noting
the distressed faces all around them.  Something was bugging
these people.  Something big.  ~If I'm lucky Magneto got
squished on a mission.~  Yeah...but when was she ever lucky?

The answer came quickly in the form of a long-haired blonde
woman with near-panic written all over her more-than-pretty
face.  "Logan, Jean...where have you guys been?  He's hurt!"

No one asked which "he" she referred to.  ~There can only be
one person they'd all take for granted she's talking about.~
Logan half-dragged her forward, fingers digging painfully into
the nerve on her arm.  Jeannie slipped through the crowd
~goddamnit, there sure are a lot of 'em~ as he cursed and
pulled Kai after.

Kai took the moment that they were all obviously distracted
and sent a thought focused towards Trin, hoping that she was
within range.  ~Yes!~  It was settled quickly.  Trinity would
stay and see what she could get on the inside.

Which just left the little matter of Kai's escape.  She stayed
passive enough as Logan hauled her forward.  He stopped her
with an ungentle jerk in front of what looked like a hastily
erected lean-to.  Jeannie vanished inside while he waited,
barely giving another glance to the woman he gripped tightly.

Kai looked up as a shadow loomed over her.  ~Oh, shit...him
_too?_~  Creed looked down at her with distracted eyes,
noting her and dismissing her in the same glance.  His gaze
shifted to Logan.  "What's it look like?"

"Jeannie's sayin' it's not so bad," he answered, eyes distant in
the manner of a person speaking telepathically with another.
"Took some shrapnel.  He'll be down for a bit."

Creed grunted acknowledgment, then looked to Kai again.
"What've ya got here?"

Logan shook his head sharply as if to clear it, then pulled Kai
none-too-gently in front of him, fingers digging deeper against
that nerve.  "Not sure.  Found her 'bout a mile south-east o'

here."

Face-to-face with the man, it was all she could do to keep
from lunging for his throat.  Out of her peripheral vision she
saw some of the dozen or so people moving off.  A clear path
into the sparse yet vast forest only a quarter mile away.
~Risky.~  Yes.  But what wasn't?

"You're hurting me," she told him levelly.

One dark brow quirked upwards.  An amused leer started
across his lips.  "So?"

"So stop it or I'll break your fucking arm."

A loud guffaw from Creed, who slapped the smaller man hard
across the back as if sharing a joke.  "Hah!  She's a spunky
one...  You gonna take that, runt?"

Logan gave a snort and held up his other hand.  A slight
muscle flex sent three shining blades snapping into the air.
"Can't break adamantium, frail.  Strongest metal there is."

Her head tilted slightly in consideration.  "Then I'll have to do
something else instead."  And before the words had fully left
her mouth, she slammed her free hand, palm-first, directly at
the joining of upper arm and shoulder, neatly dislocating the
arm.

"Fuckin'-"  He started to lurch backwards, releasing his hold
on her to clutch at the arm.  She ducked an abrupt sweep from
Creed's ham-sized hand, grabbing the injured arm with its
still-extended claws and wrenching it around to impale Creed
on the weapons.  Logan howled.  Creed snarled.

Kai ducked and ran.  *Trin!* she shouted mentally.  *Shield
me from the psis!*

*Done.*

*Do what you can to confuse any of the more-susceptible
people.*

*Gotcha.*

*And find Tom!*

*Coming up on your left as we speak.*

And he was.  The gray shape ghosted over the ground,
catching up and running beside her.  She risked a glance over
her shoulder...and almost wished she hadn't.  Logan and Creed
in tandem were after her, the others at the camp just starting to
figure out that something was going on.  From the looks of it
Logan had even managed to slam his arm hard enough to pop
the shoulder back into place.  ~That hadda hurt.~

The trees.  The trees.  They suddenly seemed very far away.
She pushed legs into an extra burst of speed, but Creed was
drawing near with his longer strides, and Logan somehow
nearly kept pace with him.  ~There's no time...no fucking
time...~  She shouted, "Tom!"  He sent a look over his furred
shoulder, then bobbed his head once at her.  Ten yards short of
the trees she'd never reach in time she held open arms to catch
him as he leapt.  The foxy eyes closed.  She didn't even stop
running as she snapped his neck.

And then a grunt from behind as someone leapt...she ducked
and then dove to the ground, Creed's huge form sailing over
her and claws missing her by a hairsbreadth.  He rolled when
he hit and gained his feet in a liquid smooth motion, but Logan
was already on her by then.  She managed to roll to her back
and get her hands between them, but the fist he'd raised high
wasn't about to be stopped.  It slammed downwards.  She
jerked her head to the side enough that it only glanced off her
cheekbone...which in itself was enough to bring a strained cry
of pain as the bone broke.

Creed started in to help, though he was pretty sure help
wouldn't be needed.  The runt had the girl down.  Not a lot she
could do with that solid weight pinning her.  Even so, he
moved forward...you could never tell what arsenal a person
had in these parts, and if this little bitch was one of
Apocalypse's people...

A low, throaty growl cut across his mind.  There was hardly
any wind, but the scent reached him - new, as if it hadn't been
there a moment before at all; thick and wild and somehow
more savage than anything that came readily to mind.  He
whirled, falling back a step to face whatever new threat there
was...

"Fuckin' A," he breathed, just before the sabretooth tiger
sprang for him.

Kai was being hit by urgency from all sides.  More X-Men
were starting to realize what was going on with every
heartbeat.  She could only hope the speedster - Quicksilver? -
wasn't there to lend a hand, and that whatever Trin was doing
to confuse them was working.  The claws snapped out again
with a metallic "snikt" that rang too-loudly in her sensitive
ears.  She bucked up hard against his bulk, not quite managing
to dislodge him, but at least holding off the strike a moment
longer.  ~No time for this...no time!~  Her stomach roiled as
she let herself take the too-easy path once more; reaching,
reaching, calling to _It_ inside of her.  ~Sensei...I don't know
what you gave me, but I _need_ it right now!~

Like a river from a broken dam...like a stampede driven by
madness...the thing rushed up to take her, to fill her.  Sudden
strength seized her muscles, taking control of her very nerves
and making them into another's.  A hand snapped upwards as
his strike came down...met the keener-than-razor blades...took
them through the palm and shoved along their length back to
his knuckles to stop the blow, leaving a bloody sheen to the
silvery shine.  She didn't even feel the pain...grinned wolfishly
up into his wide, startled eyes.  That alien power surged
through her muscles and shot her other hand for his neck,
catching it and twisting, tearing, flinging him off of her while
he gasped through a mangled throat.  She rolled.  Gained feet.
Threw herself at him without a sound, though in her head that
foreign crooning had started again.  *Kill!* demanded a voice
- Sensei or Other, it didn't matter now.  "Yes!" she hissed.
Not ten feet away, Tom and Creed were desperately trying to
tear each other apart.  That didn't matter, either.  Nothing
mattered but the man who fought to turn to face her, choking
and snarling at once.  She saw the shadows moving in again,
hovering just beyond the battle and hissing in a silent chorus
to the labored breaths of those who fought.  Claws popped
again.  He started to feint with the left, and she knew, _knew_
that he would follow through with a right uppercut, _knew_
that he'd leave his upper body vulnerable during the strike,
_knew_ that he'd lead with his head and overbalance just the
faintest bit if she moved right...

And she moved right.  He lunged.  She spun out.  The left
hand made an aborted sweep.  Her hands caught it, gripped it.
That savage, alien, dangerously impossible strength all seemed
to surge into her arms...

And his forearm snapped.

He howled.  She shoved forward, driving the broken thing
towards him to make the pain as excruciating as she could.
The grin hadn't left her face.  Her eyes burned.  He was down
on his knees, struggling to lunge upwards and bring his other
hand to bear.

His eyes widened.  She felt it suddenly _there,_ there as if it
had _always_ been there.  ~Not a mask,~ she realized
suddenly, looking out at him from behind the leering demon
eyes.  ~A _face._~  Mobile.  Breathing.  Laughing.  Part of
her.  And he saw it, saw the face that had once belonged to his
teacher, and he froze stiff and still as he faced what couldn't
be.  "_Ogun?!_"

The X-Men were almost there.  She leaned in close and
whispered, "Later for you, gaijin."  A hard shove sent him
sprawling.  She turned and leapt for Creed, who had clawed
hands locked on Tom's throat, ready to tear.  In a seamless
motion some part of her _knew_ wasn't hers, she caught his
chin in one hand, his hair in the other, and twisted so hard she
nearly tore his head off.  He went down without even a cry.
Tom was injured badly - he'd slow her down.  And he knew it,
so instead of turning to run for the woods he turned to run for
the approaching mutants.  Kai didn't give him another glance,
but sprinted for cover.

*Trin, cover me!*

*... Kai?  You sound...*

*Cover me, damn you!*

*I've...been doing it.  I've been confusing what they saw and
heard...*

*Good.*  And that was the last she spoke to Trinity as she
raced swiftly through the trees, carrying herself out of range of
the telepath...and out of easy discovery from the X-Men.  The
shadows moved with her.  She didn't give them a second look.

Minutes later, a gazelle appeared from nowhere and matched
pace with her.  She watched the way the shadows skirted away
from Tom, filing it somewhere in her mind for later; filing
_much_ in her mind for later.

The mask faded away, and then it was only Kai and Tom.

And the thing inside of her.  Which had just gotten stronger.

***

Trinity leaned against wall waiting for _something_ to happen.
Quite well aware of red beady eyes staring a hole through her
back.  It was almost as freaky as Creed's stare..._almost._  The
urge to stare back was strong, but she fought it, remembering
when she had given into the temptation with a shudder.

The first time she'd turned and that ruby gaze had locked onto
hers, her mind couldn't work.  She couldn't move.  She
couldn't break eye contact.  And the scary part was she didn't
_want_ to break it, she could have stared into his eyes all night
and not minded.  Dimly she was aware of his lip lifting to
reveal a line of pearly white razor sharp teeth, and then he
whirled stalking off just out of sight leaving her to shake and
try to compose herself.

She didn't try again.

Her attention was drawn from the eyes at her back as X-men
started filing in, a pensive look on all their faces.  Most
ignored her, very few even glancing her way.  Then a big
group approached dragging something between them.  Their
bodies blocked her view, and her self-appointed shadow
placed his considerable bulk right in front of her.  She gazed
up past the broad chest, past the strong chin into the cold blue
eyes mulling over the purple cape she'd glimpsed, and the
intense hatred it caused her.  Of course none of it showed on
her features, quite the opposite.  He didn't respond to her
friendly smile, but then she hadn't expected him to.

They passed, and Creed leaned against the wall opposite her,
watching with that damn stare again.  It was
_really_ beginning to get under her skin, but then that was
what he intended.  Her face stayed serene the exact opposite of
her thoughts.

Logan came in; she didn't let the quiver she felt show either as
she fought not to attack him.  He was holding his arm
strangely, staring at it with something akin to disbelief. She
nearly lost her carefully maintained lack of expression when
she realized why.  It was broken.

It was _broken._

After having to listen to all his macho, "My bones are laced
with adamantium, the strongest metal on Earth" speeches.
_It._   _Was._  _Broken._  "'Amazing healing factor,' he
says...well what the hell happened to it and those unbreakable
bones?" she couldn't help but mumble under her breath.  Too
late she realized just _how_ touchy that subject was and how
good he could hear as his head whipped around with a growl.

He stalked towards her slowly, and as she stood her ground
she couldn't help but wonder at just how far he'd go.  Well, if
she was fated to die today she sure wasn't going to show him
how scared she really was.  Her face remained impassive as
his good hand closed over her throat, just enough to make
breathing difficult.

A low rumbling laugh rose from across the room, causing
Logan to bristle even more.  "Better watch her runt...wouldn't
want another little thing like the last one to break your other
unbreakable wrist."

The grip on her throat tightened almost imperceptibly.  His
voice was a low growl.  "Stay outta this Creed."

A low snicker.  "Why?  You needed help last time."

His glare pinned her down, eyes slightly narrowed; then they
glazed over a moment in inner conversation.  With one last
glare at both of them promising to continue this later he
released her and strode down the hall.  She sank to her knees,
off balance momentarily, then rose unsteadily glancing at
Creed.  To her surprise found him shaking almost
imperceptibly with laughter.  The ice in his gaze had softened
only an instant before their eyes met, and his guard came
slamming back down.  The glare returned, but she had to
wonder if she was imagining that it was just a bit less
scorching than it had been.

When it was apparent that he wasn't going to quit glaring for a
long time, her thoughts trailed back to Kai and that startling
mindvoice.  The first time she'd ever heard Kai's mindvoice
she'd been struck by how light it was.  Not the gruff
commanding kind she'd expected; what it was didn't give itself
over to description, but it _was_ colored with strict order,
confusion, loyalty, occasionally cruelty.  But never what she'd
heard that last time.  Her voice had initially been the same, but
every word seemed to be echoed by something guttural; cold
even.  Something that sounded remarkably like Ogun but
yet...not.  Something definitely chilling; another presence,
almost.

How did Ogun get in Kai's mind, and if it _was_ Ogun, what
was he doing to her?

And then those two vague comments...  Kwannon _booted?_
Pete _worried?_  Of course the first had been long in coming.
She couldn't help feeling a bit annoyed that it had to happen
when she wasn't there.  What wasn't Kai telling her about...and
why would she even mention Pete?

What was Pete worried about?  Kai?  Something she didn't
know about?  Or was it Kwannon?  That had to be it.  And
beyond that she wasn't going to think about it.

***

"Sit down will you, goddamnit!  You're getting on my
nerves!"  Fred was glaring at him, but Pete ignored it.  Just
continued his nervous pacing, steadfastly ignoring the painful
twinge from his bandaged rib.  It was the end of the second
day; she was supposed to be back.  Damnit, he should have
gone...at least he'd have known if they got caught, or killed,
or...something!  Worrying was bad for his reputation.  He
snorted at that thought.

A low moan broke his jittery concentration.  Siren was
shivering.  With a sigh he pulled off his cloak and draped it
over her.  Freddie followed suit after a moment.  He looked
her over a minute; lying on the ground, cloaks gripped tightly
in white knuckled hands.  Her body nearly vibrating with
shakes and her face was flushed scarlet.

Fuse wouldn't quit trying to force water down her, but every
try was met by violent retaliation.  The claw slashes across her
cheek still bled sluggishly.  None of the rest of them were
particularly fond of getting slashed up.  She didn't seem to be
getting any worse, so he figured Fuse must be getting
something down her.  Hell, they were all going to die
anyway...might as well be out of the pens.

He went back to pacing, glancing off into the distance every
once in awhile.  Yukio had taken a solo watch for a little while
until Freddie got enough rest to join her.  Fuse refused to leave
Siren for long, and...well both Dukes _and_ Yukio had told
him to stay at the camp.  He knew they were right; he was too
distracted tonight to concentrate on what was happening
around him.  With his luck some goddamn monster of an
Infinite would crack the rest of his ribs for him.

Absently he noted the way Fuse's eyes followed him back and
forth, the loose dirt kicked over his shoes...  The only thing he
really noticed was the deepening shadows, the absense of the
rest of their team.  ~Where _is_ she?~  She had to have Selina,
she had to be bringing her back; because if she wasn't then
what the hell was he going to do?

A flurry of movement.  He whirled, hands up ready for
anything...particularly the gazelle that stood staring at him at
the edge of camp.  "Tom?"  A soft snort in answer.  "Well you
friggin' horrible bloody beast...where's Kai?"

"Right behind you."  His head jerked to the side, blue meeting
auburn.

"Where is she?"  His voice was husky with strain, praying she
wasn't about to say what he feared.  And yet a part of his mind
knew she would.

Instead of answering she walked in farther, dropping to her
knees where Siren had started tossing and turning, wrapped
tightly in the cloaks, sweat dripping down her face.  Her hand
slipped in to touch the girl's forehead.  A blur of motion
marked the retaliating clawed hand lashing out, but Kai was
fast enough to catch and hold it.

Fred shifted uncomfortably, then rose mumbling something
about his shift.  Fuse took one lingering glance at Siren and
Kai, then followed.

Pete couldn't take it any longer.  "Kai, wot th' bloody hell
happened t' Trin?"  He winced at how loud his voice came out,
but not a glance was thrown his way...her attention remained
solely on Siren.  He lowered his voice.  "Kai."  They both
knew he was pleading with her, and he just didn't care.

She half-turned to him.  "She decided to stay.  How long has
she been this way?"

He shook himself out of shock to answer her.  "I just soddin'
hate it when I'm right.  Since the bloody first friggen' mornin'
after you fuckin' left.  Fuse's been tryin' t' get her t' eat, but
she's bloody well stubborn as a shittin' mule."  An absent nod
was the only reply.  "If you don't bloody want anythin' else
from me, I'll just take my arse off t' think."  Another nod.  He
turned and slipped into the darkness, the only thing repeating
in his head...  ~She _decided_ to stay.~  Nothing less and
nothing more.

***

Sensations bled through the numbness.  Faintly she could
remember the last time that had happened, but that was about
all she could remember.  It was so hot, so hot she couldn't
think.  Couldn't remember her name, or where she was, or why
she was even feeling like this.

Pain rose from every angle, bleeding into one steady throbbing
tide of white that engulfed all of her senses.  The numb
nothingness was almost preferred, but that meant that she was
giving up on life, and survival was too much a part of her to
throw it all away now.  Her eyes felt too heavy to open...so she
didn't try, instead just feeling what she could.

Someone gripped her hand, someone was brushing hair from
her forehead.  Nostrils flared, trying in vain to pick out a scent,
but instead of air she only sniffled.  Couldn't scent, her hearing
felt oddly blocked, mouth dry and fuzzy, head aching, lungs
full of fluid, anything but short pants brought stabbing pain...
Long-term pain that she wasn't used to, but could remember
dimly from memories not her own.

She wanted water, but couldn't voice it even mentally.  She
needed food, but to ask for such a thing seemed a sign of
weakness.  Something inside her spoke of the lack of food;
dimly she could remember someone important needing food
more than her.  Food was something to be refused, fought
against.  She would get better on her own, just as she had her
whole life.  She didn't need someone to care for her, to feed
her.

But then maybe this was another dream, or nightmare as the
case may be.  The chills grew stronger.  Shivers wracked her
body, turning her mind from its off-balance silent rant to the
pain every movement caused.  She felt like she was lying on
ice.  The thin material covering her wasn't doing a thing, didn't
even cover her feet.

She tried to reach down and arrange it, but instead of the
smooth movement she was used to the hand flopped uselessly
to the ground.  A low moan escaped her, and the world felt
like it was swinging.  Dry heaves shook her, and weakly she
attempted to roll over.

The someone had to help her, and when she had made it to her
knees the coughs started.  None of the sensations seemed to be
hers, really; the _real_ her felt no pain.  The _real_ her sat
back from above and just watched the body shaking with
violent coughs, blood dripping from silently snarling lips to
the ground, weak struggles to draw breath.  Just waiting with
idle amusement to see when the fight with death would prove
too much.

Vague shadows seemed to creep from thin air, moving closer
with practiced care.  Blank faces turned to the body still
coughing on the ground with something akin to hunger.  And
then the faces turned directly to where the _real_ her was.

A short bark of laughter hit her at the frightening lack of
visage, the body below struggled with the added strain, more
blood dripping from weakly turned-up lips.  Then the sight
faded and the black nothingness surrounded her again.

***

Freddie walked keeping one eye on the surrounding area, and 
the other on Fuse where she skipped in front of him.  He 
couldn't help but revel at finally being able to admire her while 
in her presence.  ~Damn Siren and her stupid empathy.~  But 
he immediately regretted that thought.  Maybe he'd curse the 
bitch when she wasn't so sick.

Fuse stopped suddenly and flopped on the ground bonelessly, 
staring in intense fascination at a piece of broken glass.  He 
shook his head, deciding that they'd sentried long enough for a 
break.  He sat next to her, looking over her shoulder at the 
same glass.  "What'cha looking at?"

She looked at him a moment before squirming into his lap.  
"Can't you see it?"  At the moment, seeing whatever it was 
wasn't something he was too worried about.  She kept 
squirming, quite unaware of his reaction.  

"Look, it's right there."  

He glanced at her hand pointing down at the ground.  "Yeah I 
see it."  That satisfied her, and she shrugged out of her cloak, 
toying with the hem of her sleeve, trying to pick the nearly 
non-existent stitching out.  
 
Chin-length honey-blond hair fell into her face, luminescent 
blue eyes avidly studying the thread.  Slender, elegant hands 
made quick tugging motions.  His eyes roamed back to her 
face, taking in the high cheek bones, the pug nose with its 
scattering of freckles.  

One hand slowly rose, resting lightly on her shoulder, waiting 
to see if she'd shrug it off.  He kissed the back of her neck, 
hands sliding down the sides of her body to the end of her 
shirt.  Skin rasped on skin, the kisses trailing down farther, 
becoming less hesitant as they went.  Fuse continued 
humming off key and picking at her cloak the whole time, 
making no move to stop him.  He grinned against her back, 
then continued, becoming lost in the sensations.

***


Yukio had drifted by the camp three times.  This third pass 
showed that during her absence, Kai had returned.  Dukes and 
Fuse were nowhere to be seen, and it looked as if Pete had 
wandered off somewhere as well.  ~No surprise there,~ she 
mused.  ~Kai's here...and Trinity's not.~

Kai didn't glance at her when she slipped into the campsite.  
The woman was sitting against a half-torn oil drum, one knee 
up and the other leg sprawled loosely over the ground.  Her 
eyes were fixed only on Siren.

~And here _is_ a little surprise...strange to see her so 
concerned.~  If concern was even the right word.  

"Sector seems clear," Yukio said, quietly so as not to disturb 
the still air or resting Siren.  "If the Infinites are still coming, 
they're still a ways away."

"Or good at hiding," Kai answered in a distracted monotone.

"When have they _ever_ been good at hiding?"

"First time for everything, Yukio."  She finally looked at her.  
"Have you seen any signs of human activity?"

A wry twist to the ronin's smile.  "None living."  But the smile 
vanished when she saw the frown on the other's face.  "What 
is it?"

An arched brow.  "What is it?  We're not even a day's travel 
from the X-Men's hideout.  They supposedly patrol areas like 
this with at least some regularity.  So where the hell were they 
when these people were being wiped out?"

"Busy," Yukio answered tightly.  ~Busy...just like the whole 
world was when Nippon was being destroyed.~  "You sound 
as though you would expect otherwise."

But Kai had looked away from her as if losing interest.  "Find 
Tom and see that he's got something to eat.  If you can't find 
something for him to browse or graze on, kill him.  We can't 
afford another weak player."

Yukio stared for a long, silent moment.  That had been...cold.  
Even for Kai.  And her expression as she said it...flat.  
Disinterested.  Almost bored.

Quietly, she turned and left the campsite, willing herself to 
_not_ think about the man she'd just been reminded of.  Of 
course there would be similarities: Ogun _had_ been Kai's 
teacher, after all.  Yukio had followed him willingly enough.  
~Survival comes first.  No matter his flaws...Ogun did keep us 
alive.  And now Kai's doing the same.~  

Her eyes surveyed her surrounding ceaselessly, warily.  ~But 
if a time comes when she won't...~  That familiar cold smile 
stretched her lips.  ~'Merely human' I may be...but I'm 
perfectly capable of surviving on my own.~

***

~"We can't afford another weak player."~

Siren heard the words in some distant corner of her mind, and 
she flinched internally.  She knew that voice.  She knew what 
the words referred to.  And she raged against the weakness 
helplessly in response.  ~Not...not weak...~  But sick.  And 
very, very tired.

"Easy, Si," came the voice again.  A hand on her forehead, 
fingers feeling cool against her overheated skin.  "Water.  
Drink."

She struggled to make her voice obey.  Only a ragged whisper 
escaped.  "... not...weak..."

Silence for a moment, then the cool fingers were lightly 
brushing her hair back from her face with an unfamiliar 
hesitance.  "No.  You're not."

"You...you said..."

"You're sick, Si.  Very sick.  I didn't mean...didn't mean that 
you were a weak person."

But she did.  Siren knew she did.  And it tore at her innards 
that she would think that of her.  "Can't be...sick..."

"Later.  Drink."

It brought an abrupt surge of anger.  "Don't...tell me what to 
do..."  With a massive drawing on will, she forced her eyes to 
open, blinking dazedly at the auburn ones that met her.  "Not 
thirsty."

That was a lie, and she knew the other didn't believe it for 
even a moment.  She waited for the coldness of the gaze that 
she expected...for the hard tone reminding her that she was 
_weak,_ she was a _hindrance._

But Kai only ran her fingers gently over her forehead again, 
seeming somehow fascinated by the motion.  "I need you to 
get well, Si."

"Why?" she spat.  Something tried to catch in her chest; 
another cough.  She fought it down desperately.  ~Not 
weak...~  "What do you...care?"

Something like...confusion?...in the other's face.  "You're...part 
of the team."

~Part of the team.~  Nothing but.  "Where's..."  She tried to 
finish, to ask where Trin was.  The suppressed cough escaped 
her, wracking her body and tearing at her lungs.  The world 
was reeling uncomfortably around her, spinning and spinning 
until her stomach was doing flip-flops in her gut.

Strong hands lifted her torso...supported her as her body shook 
uncontrollably.  She battled with her stomach, determined to 
_not_ heave up whatever little else might be left in it.  The 
iron-tang of blood filled her mouth as her lungs spasmed.  

"Easy," Kai murmured.  "Shallow breaths..."

Siren wanted to shout at her.  To claw at her.  She wanted that 
almost as much as she wanted to gain unsteady feet and run as 
fast and as far as she could.

But words couldn't get past the coughs...limbs felt too weak 
and shaky to strike...and feet wouldn't obey her any more than 
the rest of her body.  For what seemed a long time she fought 
to control the hitching in her chest.  She couldn't tell how long 
it _really_ was, but Kai didn't budge the whole time.

Finally it eased.  She sagged limply back, barely aware 
enough to realize that Kai had pulled her against her, 
supporting her body with her own.  Darkness was nipping at 
her world, but she struggled to find voice past it.  "... Trin..."

"She's all right."

"Not..._good enough_=85  Where _is_ she?"

"Drink, and I'll tell you."

Siren cracked eyes again, trying to glare.  The world spun, and 
she rapidly closed them.  Words didn't want to come again.  
She nodded her head faintly instead, then felt the hard lip of a 
canteen pressed to her lips.  Stale-tasting water slid down her 
throat; little sips, the canteen pulled away frequently to keep 
her from rushing too much.  Exhausted, worn, she started to 
sink back towards welcome unconsciousness.  When she stood 
on that brink, gone too far to head back to awareness, she 
realized that she hadn't heard the answer to her question.

But then it was too late, and her mind sank gratefully into the 
dark.

***

Siren's breathing steadied as she slipped out of consciousness, 
though the faint liquid rattle remained.  Kai slid out from 
behind her and gently eased her to the ground, listening for a 
minute to make sure her lungs weren't so fluid-filled that she'd 
drown from it.  No...it didn't get any worse.

For now.  ~What could be causing this?  She has a fucking 
_healing factor._~

But healing factors weren't all that tough, were they?  ~Or 
adamantium skeletons=85~  

How had she done it?  She could remember every moment of 
the fight very, very clearly, and yet...nothing she knew could 
explain where that strength had come from.  Sure, she was 
strong.  Stronger than just about any flatscan alive.  ~Heh.  
Considering the cullings, maybe I _am_ the strongest flatscan 
alive.~  But she'd never shown any sign of _that_ much power 
before.  ~This...thing...has its uses.~

But what did it ask in return?

Shadows flitted at the corners of her vision.  She tried to 
ignore them=85to pretend they weren't there.  They _couldn't_ 
be there, after all.  No one else _saw_ them.  No one else 
commented on the way they seemed to slither from puddled 
darkness to puddled darkness...

One of them crept close to Si.  Kai whirled, eyes wide and 
watching.  The thing didn't seem to have form as it slid over 
the ground.  ~No...don't...don't touch her...~  

A glint of that sickly yellow as eyes blinked at her...the 
faintest impression of teeth spread in a grin...

"Get _away_ from her!" she shouted, starting forward to 
do...something.  Something to get rid of the thing...though she 
had no idea _what._

But it was gone.

A brush of sound and scent.  She spun again, hand darting 
towards the hidden knife beneath her cloak.  Tom stared at 
her, something sad in his deep, soft eyes.  ~Did he hear...?~  
Of course he heard.  Gazelles had keen hearing...and he was 
standing very close.

So she snapped, "Have you found food yet?"

A silent head shake.

"Then come here."  She freed the knife with a practiced 
motion.  "Let's get it done."  He stayed where he was, 
watching.  Her eyes narrowed.  "I _said_ come here."  No 
motion.

She cursed low in her throat, starting forward towards him.  
Tom waited two steps, then started backing warily away.  She 
stopped, staring in confusion and growing anger.  "What the 
fuck is wrong with you?  You won't _stay_ dead."

He froze, muscles quivering like any wild thing balanced 
precariously between fight or flight.  One slim foreleg raised, 
stamped down, puffing dust into the night air.  He snorted, the 
sound a cross between warning and...fear?

*He thinks he doesn't have to obey...?*

~He'll obey.~

*Make him.*

~He'll _do_ it.~  Her voice lowered.  "Tom," she said quietly.  
"Si needs food that'll be gentle on her stomach.  You won't be 
able to find food for that form around here.  I'll make it quick."

Darkness danced at the corner of her eyes.  Shadow forms 
were lining beside her, sick eyes fixed with predatory intent on 
Tom.  She still fought to ignore them=85and then she saw the 
way the gazelle's eyes flicked to either side of her, the way his 
nostrils flared in alarm.

_He saw them._

Before another word could form in her head, Tom turned and 
ran; full out, the strength and speed of his form carrying him 
swiftly away into the night.

The shadows faded back with a low, internally-heard hiss of 
protest.  She could only stare in shock after the vanishing 
gazelle.

~He...left.  Tom left.~  This wasn't possible.  Tom didn't 
_leave._  Tom was the only one whose loyalty was beyond 
question.  ~He _left._~

*He won't be gone long.  He needs us.*

~Does he?~

*They all need us.*

~Who is 'us'?~

*They can't escape us.*

~_Who?_~

A pause.  Then that sick, twisted little giggle again.  
*Why..._you_ are us!*

The words didn't scare her.  What _did_ was the fact that they 
might just be true.

***


He ran, the fear of the shadows wiping away his usual zest at 
the test of yet another new form.  Fear dominated his thinking, 
fear erased the aching hunger that burned in his gut.  Shapes 
whipped by in the dark, hulking forms of gutted buildings and 
mangled cars.  He deftly swerved; pranced around obstacles, 
keeping up his breakneck speed with such ease he surprised 
himself.  But he didn't see what he avoided, he didn't see 
anything; his mind ran with a blind eye to everything but the 
fear.

Frantically he skidded to a halt, the fear bowing down to one 
thought... ~he ran with the blind fear of an animal. ~

An _animal._

He felt it again, felt his mind slip farther from the human 
patterns that had once been his in body and soul.  Now...now it 
was a mix, a piece of who _he_ was disappearing forever with 
each new form.  The gap between himself and his humanity 
lengthening with each death, each mastering.  Until one day 
even the thoughts of _her_ would be no more. 

Even the guilt of his failure to save _her_ would fade, the 
memory of his love and devotion.  And he would cease to be 
Tom.  He would become an unthinking savage animal, truly 
the food his "friends" used him for.

Fear gripped him again, stronger now with this thought 
feeding it.  Large eyes rolled, until they caught on an escape.  
An escape from the unmindful thoughts of a lower lifeform.  
A lifeform unworthy of life, if only he could find some way to 
end it once and for all.  A rusty bar buried in the crumbling 
granite of a falling wall was the only option.

He impaled himself upon it, felt his heart jump as it sunk in.  
Red colored his vision then it vanished.  Time stretched on, he 
prayed to a God that listened no more, for the _ form._  _His_ 
form.

A blinding rush, he lay on the ground.  Eyes opened, eyes that 
pierced the night easily, a tail unrolled itself, prehensile.  A 
screech burst from him, eyes once again caught on another 
jagged scrap; he threw himself at it, eyes shutting reflexively 
before the pain. 

Death.  Life. ~No.~  A wolf. 
Death.  Life. ~No.~  An aardvark.
Death.  Life.  ~SPLAT!!~
Death.  Life.  ~NO!!!~  The cycle blurred, each turn bleeding 
into the next failure.  ~Failure.~  The one word that described 
him and his life best.

Death...Life...Exhaustion crashed down ending his frantic 
attempts; tears pooled in black glittering eyes.  A pointed nose 
twitched sensitive whiskers.  Silky thick, tan fur met his gaze, 
sensitive nose picking out mouth-watering scents of rats and 
other vermin.  He ignored it all.   

He couldn't change back.  He couldn't become _Tom_ again.  
He would never be human again.  Never be able to feel his 
hands grasp something, the wind on a hairless face, the feel of 
cloth sliding over smooth skin. 

Tears ran faster.  

The feel of someone in his arms, someone's lips pressed 
against his own, bare skin against skin, moans dull to ears 
used to more sensitive hearing.  And even if he could choose 
to feel this again, feel - no, _be_ with someone again...it 
would be _her_ and _she_ was dead.  And it was his fault.  
And there would never be another...

The eyes closed a moment to gather strength, then opened 
again, locking on yet another sharp rod.  Little legs gathered 
themselves, the long sinuous furred body raising off the 
ground ever so slightly, ready to burst forward.  

"Don't."  His eyes slid to her; Yukio.  She leaned against the 
wall near the gazelle body.  His tears soaked into thick fur; he 
wouldn't have said anything if he could.  "I don't know what 
you're upset over, but don't."  He sighed; muscles relaxed and 
he sagged the short distance to the ground.  But that desperate 
tension remained, just waiting for her to leave before he 
continued his frenzy.

Her gaze drifted over the bodies lying broken and impaled 
around him, settling once more on the heartbroken weasel in 
the center of the clearing.  She couldn't listen to him, and he 
desperately needed someone that could, it was written in the 
yearning gleam in his eyes.  He needed something she couldn't 
give him.  Trinity was the only one that could, and she 
wouldn't be back for awhile it seemed.  

She tried again.  "I don't understand, but...whatever it is, this-" 
her hand encompassed the broken bird body lying beside a 
half dozen other bodies- "isn't going to help."  He didn't 
move, even the rising ribcage stilling to nearly nothing.  

With a mental sigh she pushed herself away from the wall and 
approached him slowly.  Kneeling, her hand paused a moment 
uncertainly before lightly stroking the tiny body, offering the 
only comfort he could accept.  He shuddered, leaning into her 
hand with a heartfelt sigh, and she couldn't resist lifting his 
limp body into her lap, taking possibly as much comfort in his 
soft fur as he did from her.

The sudden peace that temporarily settled over her, set her 
mind on the trail through memories long submersed in her 
subconscious.  She could remember once long before Nippon 
fell, as a child petting a kitten.  That was all, but she could 
remember the peaceful delight she'd felt then, and was grateful 
for the memory.  

---end part 4--