4 Making a Deal and Some Arrangements

Dropping behind her, I crouched to make the drop silent and disperse my weight and momentum. Slowly, I crept forward as I stood back up to my full height.

Raven was quite tall for a woman - she was around 5'10" - but I was much bigger than even her at around 6'6" and nearly twice as wide. Not to mention that I had over 100lbs, nearly 200lbs, on her as well.

I practically shadowed over her. But my years in the Civil War, sneaking up behind Confederates to gut 'em paid off big time for my ability to sneak.

She didn't even notice me. Not until I wrapped a clawed hand around her throat, "Oh honey, why'd you have to slit my throat like that~?" I asked with a sickly sweet drawl and she instantly froze up. But only for a second, which I found admirable. What I found even more admirable was how she twisted her body around like some sort of boneless snake, not ripping her own throat out with my claws and landed a kick right to my ribs.

From the force I felt, it would've put any man down on his knees and wheezing for air or screaming for pain.

But I ain't just any man, am I?

Lifting her into the air, I spoke up, "I'm afraid that ain't gonna cut it, sweetcheeks," I chuckled, squeezing threateningly, "Now, can I let go of your neck and have a chat with you? Or do I need to restrain you while I speak? I promise I ain't gonna kill ya," I spoke a white lie.

I'm not gonna kill her if she agrees to what I'm about to ask. If she doesn't, I'm taking her head off.

Raven went still for a few seconds, her pure yellow eyes looking down at my amber ones. Her full lips spread in a sort of snarl and mine into a cat-like smile. She knew I had her in the palm of my hand. So she just nodded, "You can put me down, and I'll listen. I wouldn't mind knowing how you survived having your throat cut open as well."

"Uh-uh-uhhh," I clicked my tongue in mock admonishment as I wagged an index finger at her, "You don't get to know that information. Not until you hear what I'm about to say," I said and she looked at me with a complex gaze before she just sighed and nodded.

I let her down and she just stood there with her arms crossed. I took my time and just leaned against the nearby wall, "I tracked you to that building with those pompous dicks inside, you know?" I informed, and her eyes widened ever so slightly but that minute change made it clear enough to me - she was shocked I could track her. "It wasn't too hard. Your scent doesn't change fully. Speaking of your scent," I said before leaning in her direction and taking a deep whiff.

It was still bugging me how I'd smelt this before. I just couldn't place it.

And then it clicked.

Smiling widely and displaying my sharp fangs, I spoke with a slightly teasing tone, "Jenny, Isabella, Elizabeth...how nice to meet you three again," I said with a laugh and Raven just rolled her eyes with a slightly exasperated expression. Though I don't know how she rolled her eyes - she doesn't have any pupils/irises to roll.

Another mystery up there with women themselves, I guess.

"What? Couldn't get enough of the Creed magic? Had to come a few more times, didn't ya? In both senses of the word," I cackled before scratching my chin, "I must say, I'm flattered," by this point, I could tell I was getting on her nerves.

Slightly narrowed eyes. Flared nostrils. Slightly furrowed eyebrows. A slight increase in heartbeat--Wait a minute. Is...is the all great and illusive Mystique...getting embarrassed?

This thought made me laugh even more and that finally set Raven off.

"Oh get over yourself! That was part of the mission you egotistical ass!" she got out but really, all she did was show how cute she was and how sexy her accent was when she started getting flustered and annoyed. It just made me want to tease her more. But sadly, she beat me to it, "You said you had something to speak about, right? Then speak," she said, her strong will and even stronger personality coming through. The complete opposite to how she was in the room with those men.

...Why was that?

"Yeah, yeah. I was just having a little fun," I said with a smile before carrying on, "Tell me, Raven, do you wanna kill those dickheads? Get free of them?" I asked and she instantly froze up before her face went all awkward and grim.

"...I can't," she basically whispered but the terror in that tone along with the sound of 'I've given up trying to get away' spoke volumes to me.

"What kind of leash have they got you own, Raven? From what I can see, you can change into whoever you want to. That should be enough to escape--" I stopped as it began to make sense to me, "...They've got someone hostage, right?" I asked and she looked up at me with a vulnerable expression before nodding. "Who?" I genuinely asked, an eyebrow raised.

"...My sister," she said with a broken tone.

Sister? Raven had a sister in the comics?...Not really ringing any bells. Changes...I guess that's normal given the circumstances.

"Might seem like a stupid question but do you have any leads on her whereabouts? Know about anyone who might know where she is?" I asked, not out of the good of my heart but because helping her find her sister...well, it could definitely help me get a useful mutant into my fold. Or at least acquainted with.

She looked at me for a few seconds, an appraising light in her eyes, "...I never begged you as the sort of person who cared, Victor," she mused both to herself and me but the suspicious tone to her voice was definitely there.

Shrugging, I replied, "Well, I have plans that could use your help. If I can't get that help because of your sister being held hostage, doesn't it make sense to help free you up a bit and help?" I refuted before getting up off the wall I was leaning on and cracking my neck, "Besides, Victor Creed was killed by a prostitute early today. I'll sort out my funeral and if you have any leads I'll check 'em out. How long do you think you can waste time 'investigating' Jeremiah?"

Despite looking slightly confused at what I said, she answered, "About two weeks before they start asking questions," she said and I nodded.

"Speaking of 'them' - who are they? Some kind of massive organization that can't deal with the fact that Mutants are the next step in evolution?" I asked and she just stopped before slowly nodding, "Thought as much. Well, waste time with 'em. If I find out you killed Jeremiah, I'll track you own and rip out your throat. Now, off we go to your nearest safehouse - we have some planning to do, Raven~" I drawled at her, as if I hadn't just threatened her life, and she just rolled her eyes again before turning around.

I didn't trust her. Not completely. Who would? But I needed her for some of my plans. Plans I needed for the future. As much as it irks me, you can't brute force your way into everything. Espionage and whatnot is needed sometimes.

Following after the blue woman, I felt my eyes trail her ass which swayed from side to side and I thought:

I wonder if she'd be down for some fun before we got to planning.

. . .

"...What?" Jeremiah spoke, his confusion practically palpable, "You're...dead? I'm sorry, boss, but I don't quite understand what your going on about," he said, shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders and arms into the air.

Smiling, I just handed him a list, "Just get this stuff done, yeah? Find a guy whose around my height and decently muscular. Rip out his nails and canines and slit his throat with something. Preferably this," I reached into my pocket and pulled out the garotte wire that had been in my throat a few hours ago, "Got that? Oh, and you better rough up his face so it's unrecognizable."

Jeremiah just looked at me before grabbing the list and the garotte wire and going off but he stopped just before the door, "Stuffs finally kicking into place, huh, boss?"

Hearing what he said, I chuckled before nodding, "Oh you bet they are, Jeremiah...things are starting to really heat up."

And with that, he left.

The list I gave him was a list of things to do while I was away. Both my business and gang had been stabilized to the maximum. Why? Because this was bound to happen someday anyway. I'm immortal. Despite being in my mid-thirties, I barely look a day over 24. In fact, I look bang-on 24. I'll be looking 24 for the rest of my life, actually. So, I knew I'd have to someday fake my death to avoid trouble.

That list showed a few things I needed Jeremiah to take care of while I was gone. The main being paying off the police and making them arrest Jessica for my 'murder'. It was bad. Made me feel like an asshole. But it needed to be done so that group weren't alerted to mine and Raven's plans.

Speaking of that group...Humanity First, is what it was called.

From what Raven told me, they were started in Europe and spread over into America. Turns out there are quite a lot of mutant births nowadays and the tycoons of America and Europe don't like that. They put a sizable amount of their fortune to killing mutants. Waste of money, if you ask me, but then again, as a mutant I'm probably gonna be pretty biased.

Opening up a bag next to me, I grabbed a dress of some kind and brought it to my nose. So many scents mixed into one dress. Soap, bad BO, perfume, even worse BO...but the one I was looking for was a strawberry scent. Nice, mellow, and overally lovely to smell.

It was the only constant throughout all the clothes given to me by Raven.

Raven showed me what he sister should look like as well. Olive brown skin, black hair, light brown eyes, and a stunning face and figure. She was a beauty. Which didn't bode well for her, honestly. Kept captive with multiple men watching over you, while being this beautiful? Poor woman, is all I can say. Let's just hope she's got some mental strength otherwise she'll come out of this experience broken.

Sighing, I put the dress away before picking up the bag and a bottle of my favorite liquor - bourbon - and heading out the door.

I had a list of people of my own, given to me by Raven, and I needed to ask them a few questions.

Smiling widely, and no doubt savagely, I chuckled as one thought went through my head: God, I love hunting people down.

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