Redemption

Chapter Twenty-four

"Do you value your life?" Bullseye repeated after the secretary didn't answer.

"Y-yes," the secretary finally said. "Y-yes, I value my life! But what does that have to do with not having an appointment with Mr. Osborn?"

In one swift, discrete movement, Bullseye pulled an arrow out of nowhere and put it up to the woman's heart.

"We have an appointment with Norman Osborn," I said. "We have an appointment with Norman Osborn right now."

"Y-yes," the secretary gasped, terrified eyes fixed on Bullseye's arrow. "You have an appointment with Norman Osborn. You don't want to keep him waiting."

"Thank you, madam secretary," said Bullseye, removing his arrow from sight. "Your work is most appreciated."

He led the way to the elevator.

"Brace yourself," I said as the elevator doors closed. "Osborn will definitely not be happy about this."

Norman Osborn was most definitely not happy about this.

"YOU CAN'T JUST COME IN HERE AFTER ALL THESE YEARS THREATENING MY STAFF!" he bellowed.

"You can't do anything to us," said Daken, who was surprisingly calm. "You aren't our boss anymore. We've come to make a deal."

"What type of deal?" Osborn asked.

"The type where you agree," said Daken, "and then get to kill some mutants. Specifically the X-men.""

"And you got Bullseye to agree to this?" asked Osborn, pointing at me.

"Yes," said Daken. "Yes I did."

Osborn smiled, "This is a good deal, Akihiro. I'll come, as long as I get to kill a specific mutant."

"It can't be Cyclops," I said. "He's mine."

"I wasn't going to say Cyclops," said Osborn. "I will only agree to the deal if you let me murder Charles Xavier."

"It's a deal," said Daken, a smile on his face. "Is it okay if we take one of your vehicles? The car I stole sucks." 

I can sense her, I can sense Rogue. I turn to Gabby.

"Rogue is on the docks," I told her. "She's alone."

"We have to get here!" Gabby said.

"Go," I told her. "Use the Quinjet."

"You're not coming?"

"I have to inform the students of what is going on,"

Gabby nodded, turned, and ran. I watched her go with sadness in my heart. She, like rogue and the other students in my school, are so innocent. I would hate to bring them into this. I would hate for them to see the carnage that the X-men and I see on a regular basis. I do not want their innocence gone in the blink of an eye and a slash of Daken's claws. I know Daken will come for us. I do not know when, but I know he will. We must be prepared for the worst. And with Daken, the worst is not good enough.

I could see a figure on the docks. When I flew closer and the figure looked up, I could see the white stripe in their hair. It was Rogue. She was okay. But something told me she wasn't.

I landed the Quinjet and ran down the ramp to Rogue.

"Are you okay?" I asked when I reached her. I didn't need her to answer my question. My eyes answered them for me. She was covered in cuts and an arrow was sticking out of her arm.

"Please," said Rogue. "Get me out of here,"

I helped her up and into the Quinjet. She collapsed into the co-pilots seat and groaned in pain.

"You're going to be okay," I told her as I closed the Quinjet's hatch. "I promise."

We're still looking for Daken. He's left a pretty hard trail to follow.

"Take to the skies," Logan told Storm and I. "We can't find him just on the ground."

We nodded. The sky instantly darkened as Storm rose into the air. I followed her, red magic swirling around me. I could see Nightcrawler teleporting around miles away from the X-men.

"What are we looking for?" Storm asked.

Shrugging, I said, "Chaos, I guess,"

Logan looked up at Storm and Jean in the air.

"Do you think they'll find them?" he asked.

"Hopefully," said Scott, following his gaze upward.

Suddenly, making them jump, Nightcrawler teleported right next to them.

"Kurt!" Scott yelled. "Don't do that!"

"Sorry," said Kurt. "I couldn't find him anywhere. He's disappeared."

"We have to keep looking," said Wolverine.

"Logan," said Beast. "We've been looking for ages and we're tired. Let's take a break."

"We can't!"

"We have to!" Beast said. "We need to rest, Logan. You know we have to."

Logan growled, "Fine."

"Who else are we going after?" Bullseye asked as I drove one of Osborn's fancy sports cars out of the driveway. "Out of the Dark Avengers, only Sentry died."

"Sentry died," I said. "Venom has is in custody, and Moonstone went all goodie-two-shoes on us."

"We have to find Ares," said Bullseye.

"Do you know how to find Ares?" I asked him.

Bullseye looked at me with a sadistic grin that my face was all too familiar with, "Of course," he said. "I've been keeping tabs on every Dark Avenger for the past few years."