Behind the Veil

Lola finally shoved Logan away and rather roughly at that. She was angry at him, angry at herself. Why the hell was he doing this now? They had agreed to remain friends, that there was nothing romantic going on between them yet there he was trying to be with her. No words came from her mouth and she refused to look him in the eyes. Logan reached out and tried to touch her but she smacked his hand away. A feral growl escaped her lips and she turned her furious gaze to him.

“What the fuck Logan?! We agreed it wasn‘t there.”

“Come on we work well together,” Logan argues.

“Yes we work well together on missions not like this, I have Tony.”

“Oh and I guess you love that guy huh?” he retorts in dubious tone.

“That’s exactly it,” she counters throwing him an angry look.

“You love him?”

“Yes, and I don‘t want to fuck things up with him.”

Logan didn’t say anything now he was angry, he stormed off without another word. All the while Lola suddenly felt panicked, she just realized and admitted to something she never really wanted to face. She loved Tony Stark. It was hard to realize something so substantial and not be around the person that it was about. Suddenly it was like she couldn’t keep her heart rate down, it was nerve wrecking to love someone and she didn’t know what to do. Her thoughts raced to how she was supposed to act around him once she realized her deep seeded feelings or rather love for Tony.

The next couple hours she paced the estate and Logan left like he always seemed to do when he didn’t get his way. Funny how her realization didn’t make her feel at ease instead it made her quite the wreck. She felt more comfortable hating Franz than loving Tony, it was horrible in comparison but she didn’t really care if Franz hated her back. Rejection was a big fear, rejection and making a fool out of herself were top things that she despised feeling. In her mind the best defense was avoidance at all costs until she sorted out how the fuck to deal with things.

Tony made plans to see Lola and surprise her with a trip to anywhere she’d like. He figured being that the term was over and she had been doing so well, she would be willing to take a trip even just for a few days. When he arrived at the school tucked away in the New York countryside he had a hard time locating Lola. Tony finally ran into Ororo who looked at him in a sympathetic manner.

“Tony, this probably isn’t the best time to be visiting Lola. She’s not in a good mood and has been in the Danger Room for the past four hours.”

“What put her in one of those moods?”

“We all have our bad days,” Ororo states with a tight lipped feeble attempt at a smile. She had seen part of the fight between Logan and Lola, the part where Logan left and Lola looked beyond distraught. Of course she wouldn’t mention it to Tony, it wasn’t her place to say anything and she figured Lola would discuss it with him eventually.

“Mind showing me where she’s at maybe I can get her to I dunno calm down?” Tony counters with a charming smile.

“You can try. Follow me.”

Ororo lead Tony to the viewing room that was raised above the Danger Room since the equipment had to be stopped from the main control panel in the room. Scott Summers kept an eye on things from the area, fueling the fire so to speak at Lola’s request. He above everyone liked to have another devoted to perfecting combat and strategic skills for battle. Ororo gave Tony access and Scott turned giving them stern looks.

“We’re in the middle of training. This isn‘t visiting hours.”

“All business with this one huh?” Tony replies in a humorous tone.

“You don’t own this school Mr. Stark, therefore we do not have to comply to your unannounced visits,” Scott retorts in an official manner. Tony ignored the haughty man and walked towards the window to observe what Lola was up to. In simpler terms she was fighting and dodging bullets within the arena against mostly machines. He grew transfixed as she moved swiftly around the dangers to destroy what was causing them. His eyes went to the control board and hit what he knew to be the stop button to get her attention. The machinery ceased and Lola stopped to look up at the control room throwing her arms up in frustration. It wasn’t hard to see that she was cursing up at those in the booth.

“You have no right touching this equipment.”

“Scott we both know she’s been in there too long already,” Ororo points out with a serious look on her face.

“She knows how to fight, strategically it‘s smart to observe and find any weakness she may have so that she can correct it,” Scott argues. Again Tony ignored the argument and waved down at Lola before heading back towards the door. As soon as Lola saw Tony she panicked inwardly and hoped he didn’t plan on having a conversation with her. But by the look and wave he gave her she knew otherwise. She opened the door at the right moment to reveal him walking towards the area. Lola was less than pleased Tony could see it by the irritable look she was giving him.

“I was in the middle of training,” Lola states.

“Heard you were in there for a few hours too long. Let’s go out get some air.”

“No, not in the mood for that.”

“Not in the mood for air?”

“You can’t expect me to drop everything to go get some ‘air’ with you,” she responds irritably. Tony leaned against the wall and crossed his arms in front of him, watching her expression however it seemed she wouldn‘t look him in the eye.

“Alright what’s up?” Tony questions looking at her.

“Nothing is up, I’m busy doing things and you show up without warning. It‘s unwanted.”

“I wasn’t aware I was unwanted, if I knew that was the case I wouldn’t have come to see you.”

“Right well you can’t assume anything these days,” Lola says dusting the rubble off her clothing. “I can’t deal with you right now.”

“You sure know how to make a guy feel welcome Novak,” he retorts before moving from the wall to take his leave. She was going to remain silent and just let him leave but for some reason she couldn’t allow it. There were too many emotions boiling within her, some of them were bound to lash out.

“I take issue with spending too much time with you.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“What do you want me to say? I’m having a hard time thinking clearly right now,” she counters throwing her hands up in frustration.

“How about you tell me what your problem is? I’m getting tired of chasing you around,” Tony refutes staring down at her with both hands at his sides.

“Then stop chasing me around. Simple as that.”

“Simple as that? You just want it over, quick and easy? Is that it?” he questions as he stepped towards her, each word mixed with anger and hurt.

“Lola I’m sorry to interrupt but the Professor says you need to go to his office immediately, it’s about Franz,” Ororo interrupts. She paused for a moment and took a deep breath. “His brother is here.”

“What do you mean his brother is here?” Lola counters looking at her in an incredulous manner.

“He is here for our help, we both know the Professor wouldn’t let him in if it was any other case.”

“Lovely.”

Lola walked off not even thinking to say another word because in all honesty she was sick of anything to do with Franz Keller. To find out he had a brother that needed her help only made things even more complicated. She didn’t even know how she was supposed to be able to help the man when she couldn’t help herself. Tony was ready to leave the whole school but Ororo stopped him by the arm pulling him back to speak to him.

“You have to be at her side for this.”

Tony looked at the exotic woman with white hair and saw the look in her eyes that registered with him. It became clear this meeting was not going to go well and regardless of his frustrations he set them aside to be there for Lola. He caught up with her in stride and snuck in right with her into the office of Professor Xavier. There was a man seated in a chair with his back to the door and he stood up turning around to face the new people in the room. Immediately Lola’s body went rigid and she backed away from the man. She couldn’t believe the person standing before her.

“Dolores do not be frightened by my presence. I am here for your help and you are the only one fit to do so.”
“You were the clinic doctor.”

“I understand your tribulations with seeing me here but we must be quick. Franz has taken Jakob,” the man spoke.

“And who might that be?” Lola counters looking at him with a scrutinizing stare.

“My son, he is only a child and you know more than anyone that Franz should not be around anyone long let alone a child with an impressionable mind.”

“Okay but if this is a set up and you end up revealing that well you are no different from Franz I’ll kill both you and Franz.”

“Lola,” Professor Xavier says in a scolding tone.

“Don’t give me that, I’m sick of this and I want it over with.”

“I do not take offense to your stance Dolores, I know you have gone through a great deal on account of my terrible sibling,” he says with an understanding nod.

“Lola I will be tracking Franz through Cerebro and there is only so much time we have to do this, he is a very powerful telepath. Gregor will wait in the plane with myself while you and the others get the child. It is best to do this with the least amount of violence.”

“I get it,” Lola nods even though she didn’t like the idea of being gentle with Franz. He was a son of a bitch who she wanted nothing more than to kill. She left the office without another word and Tony followed behind her. Lola wasn’t prepared to face Franz quite yet and she was still trying to figure who the hell Gregor really was considering last she seen him was years ago. Stopping mid step she buried her face in her hands groaning at the situation. She leaned against the nearby wall and looked up at the ceiling seemingly trying to compose herself. Things were going to get complicated real fast and she didn’t even know the extremity that it would come to.

Let alone she couldn’t even talk to Tony.