Hi all!! Here's the next part of Dreams of an Angel. Hope you all enjoy it! Any comments or suggestions, well, you know how to contact me. My Yahoo ID is Goldenknightuk if you wish to send me an instant message. Sorry for any bad grammars boys and girl. C'mon! Nobody's perfect!! :)
NOTE TO ALL READERS: In order to balance my study time and writings, I decided to set a specific time for every update. For now on, I'll be updating Dreams of an Angel every Tuesday & Friday evening (Well, Irish time. I dunno about the time differences between my place and yours, guys and gals. You have to figure that out yourself :P Trust me, I sucked in figuring it out :)). But hey, if time permits me, I promise I'll update it at other times :)
Before the show, onwards to the boring part! Legal matters! Hehehe. You can press 'fast-forward' now.
Well, first of all, this story, as you will certainly find out soon, is TOTALLY fictional. So! If any of you truly believe in it... dude, I'm worried about you. Secondly! None of the guys in the Backstreet Boys are gay! (No matter how hard I wished it :P). But nobody say we couldn't dream it, heh heh. Thirdly, Warren Worthington is actually a character from Marvel Comics, X-men known as Angel or recently Archangel. Okay fine, I admit it. I'm bored and I am making a pathetic attempt to make life a lil' bit interesting. Its not like I'm gonna publish it or something. What else to talk about hmm? Oh, there may be some adult gay scenes in this story. Unlike my brother, I don't mind writing naughty stuff ;) so! If you're underage, naughty, naughty! I can only ask you to go away, but I cannot do anything else to stop you from reading on anyway. Hell! I've been sneaking into the internet to watch gay porns since I was 13! So, if your parents or whoever responsible for you catch you, don't say I didn't warned you. However, if you're homophobic... well maybe I can seduce you enough to turn you around heh heh. I do so love a challenge ;)
Anyway, enough talk. Any comments or boos or suggestion or whatever, just sent it to the same address as in NNTs, goldenknightuk@yahoo.co.uk . Yeah, we shared the same address. Don't ask. Long story.
Okay then! On to the show. Now, don't be shy now. If you got any comments or suggestions, just drop me a note. You do the request, and I'll do the show.
Andy
It's a clear night. No rain, no fog, clear sky... not even a wisp of cloud in the sky - a typical warm summer night.
It has been approximately four hours since the Marauders attacked the X-men in the city. After Warren flew off with Nick and that other guy back to the safety of the mansion, Logan truly went into a major berseking fury. Fifteen minutes... that's all it took before the Marauders were sent scattering away like dogs with their tail laid low between their legs. Logan took off after Sabretooth of course. Old scores are truly hard to be put aside, especially when it involves those two. The other X-men... plus the reinforcement team that arrived an hour later, went after the rest.
Well, the Marauders knew how to take care of themselves. At the top of one of the buildings near the club, a lithe figure stood silently, watching the flashing red and blue lights coming from the numerous police cars that arrived immediately after the mutants were gone. Even now, the owner of the club is relating the whole incident to the detectives on duty.
As much as Betsy despises the Marauders, she has to admit... they are good in their job. After all, they wiped out the Morlocks entirely without anyone's help, for God sake. Like it or not, she has to give them some credits for that.
How did they survive? Well, that is as much a mystery to her as it was to the X-men. She herself remember taking out Archlight and Scrambler during their last battle against each other when she was part of the X-men team led by Storm... right before the whole Inferno madness started. So, how did they survive? Her new master has been strangely silent about that. Obviously he prefers not to tell her everything about his work. Fair enough. She would have done the same in his place. She too has had her share of battling foolish villains who fell before her simply because they wasted their time and opportunity babbling obvious nonsense rather than doing what they're suppose to be doing.
Looking at her watch, she notes the time and nodded to herself. It won't be long before her expected visitor arrives. The X-men is predictable in their action if they are nothing else.
She looks up when she became aware of a telepathic scan moving slowly throughout the area. Right on the dot! She smiled as she raised her hands to place a slender-looking metallic circlet around her head, the circlet being connected to a small portable telepathic enhancer attached to it - courtesy of her new master. She adjusted it properly around her head so that the enhancer lay comfortably on her forehead. It may not be Cerebro, and she has no doubt her effort tonight will burn the device's circuitry in the end as well as draining her strength for days, not to mention giving her a killer headache for at least a week. But the device should strengthen her telepathy enough to do what must be done. The battle with the Marauders is only a diversion - a bait to lure her prey. Of course, the fact that Nick was there... well, that was purely coincidental. She was hoping for him to die. It'll make her task for Warren so much easier. But then, they got away and she has her own important task to deal with tonight.
'I'll deal with you later, Nick.' She thought to herself. 'You'll be wishing you'd have let Sabretooth killed you tonight once I'm done with you. And you Warren... don't think you're free from the nightmares just yet. I'll get my Death Angel sooner or later.'
Closing her eyes as she prepared herself mentally, she opens her mind to the surrounding and form the necessary link...
Deep beneath the mansion, Xavier concentrate fully on his telepathy, using Cerebro to expand and stretch his mind further than the range he is normally used to. With the aid of Cerebro, he could hear the thoughts of countless of individuals, rushing as usual with their everyday lives, completely oblivious to his telepathic presence in their surroundings.
Focusing his telepathy further, he ignores the rest of the world, concentrating his mind around the area of uptown Manhattan where the whole attack occurred. Even within this sub-area of the city, hundreds of thoughts swirl throughout the area. And the particular area where he currently focused on, i.e. the area around the club, is busier than others. He could hear the thoughts of various club patrons hanging around the area, complaining about their damaged cars. He could hear the thoughts of the various police officers and detectives on the scene.
But that is not his target right now. Manipulating his telepathy carefully, he began performing a widespread telepathic scan, paying particular attention to the various psychic residues around the area. He is not sure exactly what he is looking for. With luck, he could find some sort of clue as to who sent the Marauders to kill Nick... and why.
He has to admit, the time he spend with Nick to teach his new-found ability has somewhat made him quite fond of the young man, God bless his soul. Maybe it's because of the way Nick quickly absorbed everything that he was taught so easily. It's really rare to find a student that he could teach so easily without any difficulty. Of course, the problem with Nick right now lies not in his capacity of learning, but his over-curiosity about his newfound ability. His attempt to absorb Sam's pain in the medlab last time is a proof of that. But then, Xavier himself was curious as well and more than eager try out his newfound telepathic ability when his mutation first kicked in.
He remembers the phrase he once used while giving a lecture to his students in the university he used to work in: 'It is the over-curious nature of humans that allow humanity to advance forward into a better future of technological miracles, and it is this very same nature that shall carry us even further in the future, perhaps to the very stars itself.'
Putting more effort into his present task, he let his mind travels on. He could sense the psychic residue of both the X-men and the Marauders, the latter filled with malice and hatred against the former. But the Marauders' minds are... closed... as if something is shielding their thoughts. Obviously, whoever command them wishes to remain anonymous... but it is clear to Xavier who commanded them. The big question is... why? Why would Sinister want Nick dead? It doesn't make sense. Nick doesn't even know who Sinister is unless there is more to Nick's past then he let on, which Xavier seriously doubt it to be so.
He scanned on, picking up various other residues and discarding it appropriately. Minutes pass by and he sigh when he finally near the end of his effort. It was a small hope, but obviously there's no clue to be had here. Just as he was about to call the whole thing off, he looks up in surprise when a familiar psychic presence greeted him.
'Greetings, professor.'
An icy chill passes down his spine when he heard that familiar telepathic voice. He has hoped that this is not true. He has feared it... prayed that it is not true, despite the fact that it's the only possible explanation ...
'Elizabeth...' Xavier answered quietly.
'Please professor. I told you to call me Betsy.'
'Are you the person behind all this?' Xavier asked gravely.
'I'm afraid so.'
'But... why?' asked Xavier again. 'You're an X-men!'
'I'm sorry, professor. But a girl got to do what a girl got to do. Especially when her man is involved.'
'Her man? Warren... Betsy, is this about Warren??'
'You'll understand eventually, professor. In the meantime, I have a gift for you. Courtesy of my new master.'
'New master?? Elizabeth... what are you planning to do?' Xavier asked as he scrambles to prepare his mind for any sort of attack.
'I know you too well, Professor. You will try to interfere. I'm afraid I cannot allow you to do that. I'm sorry. I do not want to do this, especially to you, my mentor. But it has to be done. Forgive me.'
'Elizabeth!!!' Xavier shouted mentally, his eyes widening in horror as a he watched a blinding psychic light exploding in the astral distance between his own psyche and that of Betsy. The light expands in all direction, racing outwards and towards him at incredible speed.
Even with Cerebro enhancing his mind, he knew he wouldn't be able to stand against such massive surge of psychic energy. As feeble an effort as it appears to be, he threw several layers of various telepathic shield around him mind as a last desperate attempt to save himself. It may not protect him fully, but hopefully it could act as a makeshift dam to control the surge enough not to burn his mind out into crisp. Closing his eyes tightly, he braces himself for the oncoming onslaught.
The psychic shockwave engulfs him without mercy, tearing all of his hastily made barriers apart as if nothing was there... and Xavier screamed...
In the morning...
"Nick."
Warren's voice echoed throughout the darkness he has been swimming in for what seems like forever.
"Warren?" Nick shouted from within the darkness, flailing around as he tries to find something to hold on to.
"Nick, baby." Warren's voice appeared again. "Wake up."
"What do you mean 'wake up'? I'm already up!" Nick shouted again as he flail about within the darkness. "It's so damn dark in here!!"
"He's twitching, Warren." Lance's voice suddenly echoed throughout the void. "He's waking up. Keep calling him."
Lance? What the hell is he doing here? With Warren?
"Nick. Can you hear me, baby?" Warren's soft pleading voice appeared again. "Wake up. Please? For me?"
Suddenly, a light appeared in the distance. One source of light... followed by another. Then they vanish... before appearing again and then vanishes again. It goes on for several times. The light blinds at first, but dimmed eventually, gradually becoming clearer.
"He's blinking!" Lance's voice appeared again.
"Nick?" Warren's voice appeared, hopeful now. "Baby, can you hear me?"
"War-ren?" Nick could hear his voice emerging from his lips, raspy, obviously due to long periods of unused.
"I'll get Hank." Lance's voice appeared again, followed by a hasty padding of feet against the floor.
"Nick?" Warren's voice appeared immediately. Still struggling within the darkness, but this time, he is well on his way swimming towards the light, he dimly felt someone grasping his hand. "Baby?"
The light grew clearer and images began to appear. Blinking repeatedly, he finally forced his eyes to stop blinking, only to gaze into Warren's relieved face hovering over him.
"War-ren..." Nick rasped out again and Warren smiled as he hovered nearer and kissed his lips gently.
"Shhh..." Warren hushed gently as he pulled away. A single tear of relief slid down his cheek and he quickly wiped it away. "Welcome back."
"W'ere 'm I?" Nick slurred softly as he tried to look around the room. "Wha' happe'?"
But before Warren could answer, the door slid open and Hank bustled in, followed by Lance.
"Warren, Lance told me Nick is... Nick! I'm glad you're awake at last!" Hank greeted cheerfully as he snatches up the chart before moving up to stand beside him, opposite Warren. "How are you feeling?"
"Wat-ter?" Nick rasped out.
"I have it here, baby." said Warren as he grabs a water-filled paper-cup from the nearby table. Nick swallowed the offered water greedily. "Whoa there. Slowly, baby, or you'll choke."
"More..." Nick rasped out again as he leans weakly on bed.
Warren smiled as he leaned over to kiss his forehead.
"I'll be back." He whispered softly before standing up and moves off to the water-cooler.
"How are you feeling, Nick?" Asked Hank again as he completed recording the monitor readings into the chart. "Any pain?"
"Sore." Nick answered simply, not having the strength to speak too much. Still slightly lost in mild delirium, his hand moved around to the side weakly, searching and feeling. "War-ren?"
"He went off to get some more water for you, buddy." Lance smiled reassuringly beside Hank.
"Wat-ter..." Nick nodded in satisfaction as he lean further against the pillow.
Hank pulled up the blanket to check the stitches, nodding in satisfaction.
"There is no sign of infection and you're not running a fever. That's good. Weak as a kitten but that's expected. Your vitals are normal, though you're mildly dehydrated. A couple of drinks should fix that and if that doesn't work, I can always put you back on intravenous fluid, but I doubt it will come to that. You're going to be fine, Nick. Just rest, and let me know if you're running a fever or if you're in pain, okay?" said Hank.
"Wha' happen'?" Nick asked again.
"Can you remember what happened?" asked Hank as Warren returned with a bottle of mineral water.
"A huge beast..." Nick shivered slightly as his memory trickles back into his mind. "Claws... pain... blood... Lance!!"
"Hey, hey, buddy. It's okay. Don't excite yourself." Said Lance. "I'm alright. See? I'm alright."
"Here, baby. Drink this." Said Warren as he feed another cup of water to his lover. Three cups followed after that before Nick turned his face away from the fourth. "Had enough?"
Nick nodded quietly.
"I'll bring some food down from the kitchen." Said Hank. "Make sure he eats it, will you Warren?"
"Will do, Hank. Thanks for your help." Warren replied. "How's the professor?"
The three of them turned to look at another still figure laid out on the nearby bed.
"Still in coma." Hank replied worriedly. "I cannot revive him... and I cannot tell when he will wakes up... that is if he will ever wakes up..."
"What's wrong wit' the Professor...?" Nick murmur dazedly as he tries to sit up.
"No, baby. Keep still or you'll upset the stitches." Warren said reassuringly as he gently but firmly pushes Nick back against the bed. Nick complied quietly, leaning against Warren's hand drowsily as Warren stroke the hair above his ear with the back of his fingers. "Did anyone find out what happened, Hank?"
Hank shook his head in silence.
"Jean and Moira are still studying Cerebro's data log to determine what happened. From what they gathered so far, it's obvious that he was attacked telepathically. But as for the who's or why's... that's still to be determined." Said Hank.
"Do you think there's any connection between Xavier's telepathic attack and Nick?" asked Warren again.
"I don't know, Warren." Said Hank. "I think Xavier suspected something. I heard him muttering about one particular possibility that he can think of which he does not like at all, but that's about all that I know about it."
Warren nodded worriedly.
"Does Scott and the rest know about Xavier's attack?" he asked again.
"Jean has already informed him. He and the others are on their way back right now." Hank replied.
"Good. He'll know what to do." Said Warren grimly.
Hank left soon after that while Warren and Lance sat beside Nick in silence.
"What happened to the professor?" Nick asked weakly.
"He was attacked telepathically. He's unconscious now." Warren replied softly.
Nick sighed and leans his head against the palm of Warren's hand.
"Lance, I'm... sorry." Nick murmured shamefully. "I didn't mean for you to find out about me this way."
"And how do you intent to let me know about it then?" Lance grinned cheerfully. "Standing in front of the whole 'Nsync band and sayin': 'Hey guys. Look at me. I'm a mutant. I can manipulate your emotions. Hah! In your face, Timberlake!'."
Warren chuckled softly at that while Nick smiled before looking at Lance for a moment.
"You're not... freaked out?" Nick asked in a small voice.
"Would I still be here if I am? Of course I'm not, Nicky. It takes more than that to make me freak out on you. Like... you having a sex-change for instant." Lance chuckled softly.
"Buzz off, smart-ass." Nick smiled as he grasped Lance's hand. "Thanks... I appreciate that."
"Yeah? Well don't think we're even. We are still gonna have a long talk about this mutant thingy and oh yeah, you and Wing-boy here still owe me an apology for scaring the hell outta me in that plane last time, and making me look like a total fool in front of the others too." Said Lance.
Warren blushed at that while Nick let out a soft raspy laugh.
"So you noticed, huh?" Warren smiled.
"Hey, it's not everyday I see a blue-skinned, blond-haired and blue-eyed angel flying pass my window okay, especially with him carrying one of my buddies in his arms." Said Lance.
"Sorry we startled you, Lancey." Said Nick.
"Sorry is not enough, Nicky-boy." Lance replied. "You two owe me a nice, expensive dinner."
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"C'mon, D, where the hell are you??" AJ grumbled as he knocks the door for the fifth time and rang the doorbell for the eleventh time that day. "You don't answer my calls, you're not at home all the time. The rally was over three days ago! And I'm in desperate need of my cousin's jacket you borrowed from me last month or he's gonna kills me!"
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinggggg!!!
"D, c'mon!!! Wake up if you're sleepin'!!" AJ shouted.
Silence.
Looks like nobody's home. Where the hell could he be?
"That's it. I'm comin' in." AJ grumbled to himself as he dug his pocket to search for the spare key Howie had given him long ago for emergency use.
"If I find you sleepin' in there, be prepared for an ice-bath!!" He shouted as he unlocks the door and open it. "D? You in there?"
He steps into the house. The guest hall and the rest of the house is surprisingly well-kept... which shouldn't be if he is at home. So he is away after all. Where could he be? He has always answered AJ's calls but for the past few days, he has been absolutely silent.
Shaking his head, he made his way to the bedroom. Let's hope the neighbor didn't see him. The last thing he wanted right now is the cops arresting him for breaking and entering.
Making his way to the wardrobe, he threw it open and began sorting through the various clothes. He notices several clothes missing as well as one of the duffel bag... so he is away after all. Strange Howie didn't mention anything about traveling. He usually did, giving him a chance to tag along if he wanted to.
"Where the hell did he put it??" AJ groaned when he couldn't find his cousin's jacket.
Opening another closet, he rummages through it as well, with no luck. Cursing softly under his breath, he pulls out his mobile phone again and dials Howie's number. He closed it again when an engage tone greeted him instead.
Sighing heavily, he sat on the bed. His cousin is gonna kill him for this. He loved that jacket more than he loved his own mother!! And AJ promised to return it to him by tomorrow. When was the last time he saw Howie took the jacket? Think brain. Think!
Casting his mind back a month ago... he dimly remembered laughing about something downstairs. Howie was begging to let him wear that jacket to a party they were supposed to go to the following weekend... he remembered relenting... he remember handing that jacket to Howie... Howie took it and then they both headed to... oh yeah... to the office where he hangs it on his jacket hooks behind the door...
Bounding from the bed, he rushes out of the bedroom and head to the office. Wrenching open the door, he walk in and peer behind the door... EUREKA!!! Well done, brain!!
Taking the jacket, he folds it neatly... Goddammit! Is that a chocolate stain on the sleeve?? That's it! This is the last time he's gonna lend him any of his stuff!!!
Muttering softly under his breath, he continue folding it and before turning to leave the room... hold it! Howie's gonna notice that li'l mess he caused in his bedroom.
'Better write a note to tell him I was here to get my jacket before he hires a detective or something to hunt down the presumed thief.'
He made his way to the desk and start writing the note... plus some added curses for staining the jacket. He finishes it and placed it beneath a weight on the desk when he noticed a couple of half-opened letters on the side.
"What's this?" He asked himself softly as he picks up the letters and began running through it.
Silence stretches on... five minutes... ten minutes... still he didn't put down the letters. His eyes stare at the letter in disbelief as he read and re-read it again and again... X-Gene Neautralization...? Mutant experimentation...?
"Goddammit, D... what the hell has you got yourself into...?" He whispered softly at last.
Picking up another folder, he opens it and race through the brief outline of the project...
"Of all the stinkin'...!" AJ cursed as he snapped the folder shut angrily after a while. "I knew it! I knew those stupid clowns in 'The Right' are up to no good!! I knew it!!"
Standing up, he began pacing about the room to clear his head. Glancing at the desk again, he noticed another file half hidden under the first one. Inhaling deeply to prepare himself for more bad news, he opens it and ran his eyes through the notes... Warren Kenneth Worthington the Third, sole owner of Worthington Industries...
"Shit!" AJ yelled angrily, snapping the file shut and threw in back on the desk. "Shit! Shit! Shit!"
He's after Warren as well! Pacing about the room again, he frowned thoughtfully. This hate thing Howie keeps on harboring is going to land him in hot water. As much as he doesn't want to get involve in all of this, Howie is his friend. He cannot let the man destroy himself like that. AJ is dead sure all these nonsense is not Howie's fault. The guy was mourning for his dead love. It's 'The Right' that is to blamed. They manipulated him, whispers things to him, using Jess's death as a way to inflame his hatred. But to what end?
He stopped his pacing as a thought struck him.
Money.
They need money to fund this X-Gene Neutralization project. Howie would be a good source of funding, considering his celebrity status and all...
X-Gene Neutralization...
AJ pinched his eyes shut as he thought of that name bitterly. If what he read about the project is true... Sigh!... it'll inflame every single mutant in the world into pure frenzy. My God! What are they trying to do? Declaring an all out war?
"This is bad," He muttered under his breath. "Of all the stupid thing you ever get involved in... Man! This is bad!"
The big question is... what can he do about it?
The answer came up quickly enough. AJ gaze contemplatively at Warren's file on top of the table. Warren supports peace between humans and mutants. Maybe he'll know what to do about this...
Placing back the files and letters where it belongs, he marched out of the house and locked the door. Nick should know how to contact Warren...
This Friday, part 33: 'Confronting the Truth'