FIGHT FOR LIFE

Part III

By James Targett

Tonight has been a really bad one for our mutant doctor, Cecilia Reyes.

It was a typical night cleaning at her clinic. She was planning to call it a night when Wolverine burst into her clinic claiming Hydra was after him. To make matters worse, they were.

With Wolverine wounded and hiding, Hydra soldiers came and messed up her clinic. Cecilia and Wolverine flee and after another fling with Hydra soldiers they meet Viper, one of the most fear-invoking Hydra agents, ever. Viper also happens to be Wolverine’s wife.

That brings us up to the speed, in the mud, with a scared Cecilia Reyes and an injured Wolverine.

“I have come for you Logan. I have already made my intentions clear and now it is time for you to aid in the execution of my plans!” Viper declares, sneering at Cecilia and Wolverine in the mud.

“I’m not your slave Viper…” Wolverine replies, trying to crawl out of the pool of mud.

“Ha ha ha!” Viper laughs. “Don’t even presume that you have a choice in this matter Logan. You made a vow to me, and now I insist you agree to help capture Madripoor. If you do not comply, that vow is broken!”

“Viper! This is pointless. You know that I ain’t never going to help ya capture Madripoor…” reasons Wolverine.

“You will be forced then.” she replies.

“Darlin’, people have tried…” Wolverine remarks.

“Fine! Since you won’t cooperate, I’ll take you forcefully!”

Irritated, Viper pulls out a gun and aims at Wolverine.

*TWIP*

She fires a sedative dart at him, effectively putting him to sleep. Viper tosses the sedative gun on the ground.

“Infidel…” she exclaims of Wolverine.

Cecilia, almost terrified, watches as Viper walks closer her and Wolverine. Cecilia wonders if she’s invisible until Viper leans down to lift Wolverine, “Go home and forget what has happened here tonight. If you stay out of my business then you won’t get hurt…”

Viper moves closer to whisper in Cecilia’s ear, “Anymore…”

Viper begins her calm, almost sultry walk away, dragging Wolverine with her. Cecilia stands. “Try to sleep well tonight, doctor, I can guarantee your friend Wolverine will not!” Viper says.

Cecilia’s scared and many things are racing through her mind. She thinks about what has happened, her life, Wolverine. She can’t believe this is happening!

Cecilia knows that letting this happen is wrong. Despite being scared, Cecilia decides to take a stand.

“No…” Cecilia says aloud.

Viper turns facing Cecilia’s direction. “What was that?”

“I said ‘no’!” Cecilia replies.

“Oh really? Nobody says ‘no’ to me!” Viper exclaims.

“Well girl, there’s a first time for everything… but just in case you don’t understand, let me spell it out for you…” Cecilia says more confidently.

“I am not going to let you take Wolverine!”

“You can’t do a thing to stop me…” Viper replies.

“Over my dead body, snake-lady!” Cecilia shouts.

Viper drops Wolverine on the ground. “As you wish…”

Cecilia stands in the one spot as Viper charges.

*WHACK*

*VMMMM*

She squiftly kicks Cecilia in the face, exposing her force field and knocking her down. Quickly, Cecilia kneels and jabs Viper in the stomach, her force field adding a little to the blow.

“UGHH!” Viper whimpers.

“Viper, I said I’m not giving up!” Cecilia persists.

“Of course not…” Viper concedes, pulling out another gun. “Bitch! Don’t you know not to oppose Hydra? See you in Hell…”

Cecilia turns and attempts to duck and cover but she’s not quick enough.

*BLAM*

*BLAM*

*BLAM*

*BLAM*

The air is filled bullets and if not for her force field, Cecilia would be too.

“Argh!” Cecilia screams at the pain her force field is causing her, taking the impact of several bullets. Cecilia Reyes falls, the pain causing trauma to her mind and body.

Viper, however, is still relatively unharmed. She silently picks up Wolverine and heads down a trail.

Eight Minutes Later:

Viper emergess into a dark field. She pulls out a communication device.

*BRZZT* “This is Viper. Hydra soldiers are waiting in the nearby forest. Send my personal airlift, and two Hydra jets as an escort. And do it fast, I don’t know how much longer Wolverine will remain sedated.” she orders.

She switches off the communicator. *BRZZT*

“VIPER! I SAID OVER MY DEAD BODY!” Cecilia screams, almost from nowhere rushing straight toward Viper.

“You…” Viper gasps, seeing Cecilia right in front of her, bleeding from the nose and not looking well.

*SLAM*

Cecilia punches Viper in the chest, her force field greatly expanding and now adding to the blow.

“Viper, I’m fed up with you!” Cecilia yells.

Cecilia’s force field expandands larger than her arm width.

*SMACK*

She backhands Viper in the face. “I’ve had it with you!” Cecilia persists.

*WHAM*

Cecilia gives Viper an uppercut, knocking her to the grass. Viper realizes that she’s taking a beating and decides to call for backup.

*BRZZT* “All Hydra units converge on point Alpha Four! Backup needed!” *BRZZT*

Cecilia slows for a minute. “Earlier in the night,” she wondered, if only for a second, “how could Wolverine be taken down and beaten by a few Hydra soldiers?”

She gets her answer, visually. Dozens of Hydra agents begin to pour from all surrounding areas. She sees them emerging from heavy brush, jumping from tall trees, moving in from tall grass. They are all around her.

“Oh great. This is just great.” Cecilia grits her teeth.

Many Hydra soldiers begin attacking her, but Cecilia surprisingly is holding her own, with the aid of her ‘useless force field’. Cecilia doesn’t know how she’s doing it, but her force field is working!

She extends it far out to sweep a dozen Hydra off their feet. She swats another group away from her and pummels another half dozen to the ground with one big blow. The soldiers keep pouring in and Cecilia realizes that her plan isn’t working. She decides to go for the queen and let her force field prevent the soldiers from harming her. Cecilia is focused on Viper and doesn’t even notice the usual pain her force field causes upon impact.

“Viper,” Cecilia picks the Hydra commander up from the ground. “Enough of this!” she orders. “Your men are injured and beaten – you yourself aren’t looking too well. I’ve heard that you are a very intelligent and resourceful person. Prove it! Call off this attack and leave… without Wolverine!”

Viper listens to Cecilia words and surveys her surroundings. ‘The doctor is right,’ Viper thinks. ‘They’ve taken a beating. Maybe I should leave. After all, I can always capture Logan at a later date…’

“Very well,” Viper agrees. “You get your peace. Now let go of me before I change my mind.”

Cecilia releases Viper, and can hear approaching aircraft. “Say, Viper. Any chance you can help me drag Wolverine back to Xavier’s mansion?” Cecilia asks.

She stares at Cecilia. “Ha ha ha ha ha! A lift back? Really?” Viper mocks as a Hydra transport lands a small distance away from her.

Viper turns and walks away from Cecilia, who just can’t understand why Viper is laughing so hard.

“Yeah well… I was just joking anyway!” Cecilia yells out. “It’s not that funny!”

The villainous Hydra commander merely glances slyly at Cecilia before boarding the transport.

Cecilia sighs. “Girl, what are you to do? This really has been a fight for life, hasn’t it?”