Layla

Chapter Eleven: Rescue Mission

Stryker 

"What did you find?" Stryker asked striding into the computer room the soldier was in. 

The soldier kept his back to Stryker looking down at the pile of notes he had scribbled down on his desk. One hand rested against his forehead, while the other scribbled away, and his eyes jumped from screen to screen. The soldier tensed when he saw Stryker place his palms firmly against the metal desk. He had been searching nonstop, since he was given orders from Stryker to look for the girl. If he didn't produce anything, Stryker would become upset, and everyone knew what Stryker did when he was upset. He took his frustrations out on the men, sometimes even sending them to the medical wing. When Stryker gave you orders, one better have come back with the results he needed. That's what the soldier was attempting to do, but he found nothing. There was no information about this girl, and he didn't even have a name. Most of the time, he could find someone through security footage, or cameras, but he couldn't even do that. Hell, he didn't even know where to begin. Assuming, that she was at the mutant's home, he started in New York City. He wasn't even halfway through the city when Stryker came storming in. 

"I haven't found anything, sir." The soldier replied trying not to sound nervous, as he kept his eyes on the notes he had written down. 

"Nothing? You're telling me this whole damn time, you've found nothing?" Stryker shouted looking at the soldier with angry eyes. 

The soldier looked up and just nodded too afraid to speak. 

Stryker sneered and stood up looking down at the scattered papers. His nostrils were flared, and his hands were tightly fisted at his sides. 

"Its," The soldier began regretting his decision to speak to an angry Stryker. "Difficult to do this when I have nothing to go off of, expect what she looks like. Sir, I don't even know where to begin searching. I started with the cameras in New York City, and I'm not even done. I need more than what she looks like. Sir." He finished lastly dropping his voice to a low volume. 

The room was silent; the tension thick in the air. Finally, Stryker stormed out heading back to the  room where the mutants were held captive. He was going to get the girl's name then he would see what the soldier could do before he deemed him useless. While Stryker stormed down the hall, his boots beating loudly against the floors, he heard Charles's voice in his head. Apparently, it wasn't just him because he noticed other men in the hall had stopped as well. 

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"Layla, I'm okay. I'm in Cairo. Jean knows already, find me." Charles said sending a private message to Layla, once his voice had stopped transmitting to others. 

"How is Charles doing that without Cerebro?" Hank asked looking at Raven, perplexed. 

"Okay." Layla mumbled nodding her head. 

"Layla?" Hank asked turning his attention to her. 

Layla's eyes opened and closed as she tried to keep herself up. Suddenly, she was feeling tired, and her body was weak. Her eyelids felt like heavy weights, and all she wanted to do was sleep. Her body swayed backwards, ready to make impact with the floor. 

"Layla!" Hank shouted in alarm. 

Before, Layla could hit the floor, Peter caught Layla, scooping her into his arms. Hank rushed over, looking down at the bloody shirt she was wearing. Carefully, he lifted the hem of the shirt up, inspecting the wound. 

"Damn it!" Hank swore under his breath, shaking his head. 

"What? What's wrong?" Peter asked worriedly. He leaned his head over, his eyes frantically examined Layla's wound, but he was unaware that he was pushing in on the wound, until a painful moan escaped Layla's lips. Peter leaned back, easing the pressure off the wound. Blood seeped out, staining Hank's blue fur.