Layla

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Unfinished Business

"I was wondering when you'd show." He said cooly. 

She quickly followed the sound of his voice until her eyes landed directly on him. His back faced her, never bothering to turn around as he stood ramrod straight with his booted feet parted, arms wrapped tightly across his chest, and shoulders held back. He remained standing in the middle of a forested road, but she paid no attention to the surroundings, only him. She took a small step toward him then stopped. Her hands fisted at her sides and anger flowed through her. It roared wanting to be unleashed, but she held back; waiting.

He chuckled as if he sensed her emotions then casually turned around, putting his hands inside his pant pockets as he lifted his eyes to her. Her eyes flashed violet yet she still did not move nor speak. The action only caused him to chuckle further and he shook his head in a disappointing manner, clicking his tongue. 

"You are so much like your father. It's,"

"What do you want?" She snapped. 

A breeze whipped by sending tendrils of hair across her face and a slight chill to run down her spine. The air that had felt warm seconds ago now felt cool, and from behind she heard a leaf scraping against the rough road as it blew past. A sly grin tilted one side of his lips up, and those eyes gleamed, holding a mischievous gaze. He took two steps towards her, but she kept her stance, watching him carefully. It took every muscle in her body to keep her from fighting him. 

"You know why I'm here." He replied.

She was quiet, choosing her next words carefully. 

"You made it easy on purpose." She answered. 

He threw his hands in the air. "Guilty," He began. "I knew we didn't have much time once your...professor got in my head. I thought we might be able to make it, but as my luck would have it your mutant friends arrived. So, I allowed you to leave, but we weren't finished you and me. Were we?" He asked wickedly, taking another step. 

Anger rose inside of her. It paced back and forth in its cage banging against its bars, wanting to be unleashed. Her body hummed with energy, and the wind around her picked up. 

"You knew I would come back for you." She said through gritted teeth.

"I did. You and I have unfinished business. Matters that need to be tended to. So, what do you say we finish where it all began, Layla?" Stryker smiled as he waved a hand around his surroundings. 

Her eyes left his looking at what surrounded them and her stomach dropped. Unease, guilt, sadness, and anger coursed through her. Her knees buckled, but she didn't allow herself to fall. Not in front of Stryker. She would not show her weakness to him as that would only give him the satisfaction he wanted. Pushing all her emotions down, she swept her gaze back up to him, remaining stoic. 

"I'll be looking forward to it." Layla smirked, tilting her hips to the side with her hand resting on one side.

Stryker cocked his head, eyeing her quizzically as he assumed a different answer from her. 

"Tomorrow then. By the river. You know which one." He grinned cheekily as he winked. 

Before Layla could reply the dream ended, and so did her hopes of getting rest.

_____________________________________

Kill him.

Torture him.

Make him suffer.

Don't kill him.

Don't torture him.