Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me, they're Marvels. Don't sue(trust me it's point less).

For some reason that was unknow to Cassandra Reed her friend loved the mall. Cassie found that it was probably the most annoying place she had ever been to. The stores were too close together, the hallways were brightly lit, and bad music was piped throughout the whole store. Worst of all it was too crowded.

Someone else bumped into her and Cassie stopped in her tracks. She swallowed hard and felt her breathing speed up. Her friends were ahead of her and she wondered how she had gotten so far behind. Cassie shook her head and decided she'd meet up with them later. She looked around desperately and knew she had to get out, she felt as if she were drowning. Down a few shops she saw the opening to an empty hallway, where all the lockers and bathrooms were. She weaved through the horde of people not caring if she bumped into anyone or not.

Cassie made her way to the hallway and she was overjoyed that there wasn't anyone else there. Lockers lined the wall and Cassie lent against them staring at the floor. Some of the florescent lights were out and those that still worked flickered on and off. The music failed to reach that part of the mall. The constant sounds of conversation fell short giving way to the hum of the lights. Her breathing slowly fell back to normal and her heart stopped pounding so hard. Cassie looked up again calm to find the other side of the wall was lined with mirror.

The large mirror loomed in front of her and she felt the familiar uneasiness there. It was always like looking at a stranger. Beside herself she stepped up to the mirror and looked at the person there. She was short for her age and far too thin. She was about fourteen and still had a ways to grow. The small frame just made her look more like a child. Her black hair was half way down her back. Her asian skin looked a bit pale and there were shallows under her eyes. Cassandra stood face to face with the person as she gazed into her eyes. She stared deep into the rings of perfect blue. They watered slightly and she drew away wiping her eyes.

She was dressed in faded blue jeans and boots. She had on a simple white t shirt that was hid by her oversized white leather jacket. It was a bit much for the hot L.A. night and far too big on her as it practically reached her knees. Cassie liked it though, it almost felt like a security blanket. She wrapped her arms around her and looked away from the mirror. Cassie turned slowly to go back the way she had came when she heard something. She paused and listened for it again. The same sound didn't follow but another sound did. Cassie turned around and stared down the hallway. The hallway stopped at a dead end and turned right leading towards the bathrooms. The lights at the other end worked even less than they did where she was at. The corner loomed in darkness and she was reluctant to go further on in.

Another sound followed, like a small groan. Cassie bit her lip then walked slowly down the hallway. She turned the corner and didn't see anything. Cassie unwrapped her arms and peered into the darkness. The lights flickered slightly and the hum filled the hallway. "Hello? Is anyone here?" Cassie asked. She waited for a long moment then decided she was just hearing things. She turned and started to walk away.

"I thought that was you." Came a man's voice from behind her. Cassie started and spun around. She looked into the darkness for the voice.

"Who said that?" She asked her voice rising in fear. The lights flickered and Cassie saw something indistinct move. Frightened she took a step back.

"There's no need to be scared Jubilee." The voice told her.

Cassie blinked. "I'm not the one hiding in the dark making weird noises." Cassie told him defensively. "And don't call me Jubilee." She told him taking another step back. She heard him sigh.

"I heard you were dead, sad really. Then I heard that you were alive and now here you are. I am shocked that I would run into you." He told her stepping out of the dark but still staying in the shadows.

Cassie looked at the man dressed in a trenchcoat of all things. He had on a rimed hat that hid his face. She took another step back wondering if she could make a run for it. "Look I don't know what your talking about. I'm not dead, I was never dead. I don't know you." She told him and turned abruptly quickly making her way to the saftey of the other people. He grabbed her jacket and pulled her back into the hallway. Cassie opened her mouth to scream but he put his hand over her mouth. Cassie struggled as he drew her back into the dark but he kept her back firmly pressed against him.

He turned her around and pressed her against the wall. He still had his hand over her mouth and Cassie shrugged against it. It was cold and it felt odd like metal. The only thing that kept her from being able to move was that he was standing in front of her. Cassie clenched her eyes shut and froze terrified she was about to be raped. Her breathing once again sped up and the man felt her heart thunder against him.

"Jubilee calm down. If you keep it up your going to pass out. Calm down, I'm not going to hurt you. Your fine, I just want to talk to you. Look I'm going to take my hand off of you and you are not going to scream. All right?" The man soothed. Cassie nodded slowly and the man took his cold hand away.

Cassie opened her eyes slowly and she found she was staring at his jacket. He was dressed in a crisp dress shirt and tie. Cassie found herself focusing on the details as her mind tried to process what was happening to her. She tried very hard to slow her breathing but she was still terrified. Cassie couldn't lift her eyes to his face so she just stared at his coat. Her eyes drifted to the floor and she paused again. Cassie saw his hands lying by his side. One of them was made of metal and the other was green. Cassie eased herslef further into the wall.

She waited for a moment for him to say something or to move. The only thing that she heard was her breathing and the hum of the lights. Slowly Cassie raised her eyes to see who was in front of her. Cassie opened her mouth to again to scream and the man once again put his hand over her mouth to muffle it. Cassie could only stare at the man in front of her. He was green all over except for his felt hand. His eyes were pools of yellow with his fixed pupils. The left eye was normal but the right one was twice the size and completely circular. His lips wer drawn back into a sneer showing his teeth. His demeanor was nonthreatening though and Cassie guessed that it was permanent. On each side of his face were three long...whiskers. They reminded Cassie of a cat fish. Cassie's stomach heaved at the sight and she pushed herself into the wall trying to get away from him.

The man looked at her obviously confused that she would react this way. He started making shushing sounds and told her she was all right. "I'm a mutant, I look like this. Don't worry I'm not going to hurt you." He told her. "I'm not hurting you am I?" He asked. He waited for her to answer. After a moment Cassie shook her head. "Good, now why don't you calm down and we'll have a little talk. Shall we?" He told her formally. He removed his hand from her mouth and took a step back. "If your not Jubilee child, then who are you?" He asked.

She skipped a beat before answering. "Cassandra." She said in a barely audible voice. The man nodded.

"You don't remember me?" He asked. Cassie didn't answer for a while.

"Should I?" She asked and even he didn't miss the hope in her voice.

"Yes. Where have you been? I have it on good authority that quite a few people are looking for you." He told her. Cassie wrapped her arms around her.

"You know me?" She asked not really caring what he looked like now.

The lights flickered again and stayed on for a moment. A small protaion of the hallway was lit and Cassie's eyes fell on it. By the wall a pool of red lie on the tiled floor. She followed the trail and saw a man in a business suit lying there. Cassie swallowed hard and paled. The man turned around to see his handy work. He turned back to Cassie and offered her a slight smile.

"Really its not that bad. I was here to do a job." He waved a hand dismissing it. "It's over now. Why don't we talk?" He asked her. Cassie's eyes shifted over to the dead body and back to the man. In one swift movement she dogged sideways. She skid around the corner and once again felt him grab her. He held onto her jacket and Cassie let out a strangled scream. Fumbling with the zipper she struggled to keep moving. The zipper gave way and Cassie jerked it down. Shrugging out of her jacket she bolted down the hallway keeping her eyes on the crowded hallway ahead of her. "Jubilee don't!" She head him yell behind her. She didn't look back, didn't stop, she just kept running.

Cassie left the empty hall and escaped into the saftey of the crowds. She bumped into a couple and she backed awy from them as she looked fearful into the hallway. The couple didn't give her a second look as they went on their merry way. Cassie stared down the dark hallway and saw no sign of the strange man. Deciding not to tempt fate a second time that night she ran down the hallway bumping into people as she went. She didn't care she just had to get out of there as quickly as possible.

Terror watched the small girl flee the hallway as if the hounds of hell were at her heals. Knowing very well he couldn't chase her he melted back into the shadows. Holding her jacket he went back to the body and hefted the man up. He dumped him into the laundery basket that he had hidden there. He covered the body up with the dirty towels and grabbed a few. He quickly mopped up the blood and returned the bloody towels. Cursing he rolled the laundry cart to the exit. He opened the door and walked into the warm night. First he had to take care of the body then he had to figure out what was going on with Wolverine's girl.

The Tumble Weed Motel was a small rundown motel in the middle of now where. The highway rolled through the Texas bad lands and the nearest sign of civilization was a small town an hour away. The motel was a one story motel with about a dozen rooms to its name, about half of them were filled. The pain was peeling and the rooms were worn. Along with the air conditioner that only worked about half the time.

Logan didn't care about the shabby place anyway, all he cared was that it had a bed. He had on faded jeans and a worn shirt. His face was tired and he had gone a few days without shaving, it gave his face a worn look. He took his hat off and threw it angrily on the bed. He shook his head and laid back on bed. Logan hadn't slept in days and it was beginning to get to him. He closed his eyes and felt the pressure of the past four months fall on him again. As tired as he was his mind wouldn't shut off. He breathed deeply and ran a hand over his face. He sat back up and turned on the radio. Anything for a distraction. He paused by the phone for a moment wondering if he should call Jean. He dicided against it and sat back down again. His mind wandered and he drew himself back.

His eyes wandered around the room and he almost laughed. How had he gotten here? He thought suddenly. Was it only five months ago that he was back with the X-MEN and Jubilee was off at school? Was it only that long ago. It seemed like a life time ago. No, five months ago Jubilee was still in her own hell while you *thought* she was at school. She was somewhere else, somewhere hurting. He thought and he punched the chair.

She had been going through hell for a lot longer than he had. The past four months were his to bare. Finding out he hadn't saved Jubilee was devastating. The only thing that had brought him through it was the knowledge that she still needed him. He couldn't fall apart with her still out there hoping that he'd show up and rescue her. He knew she was alive, all he had to do was find her. That was what he had been trying to do for the past four months.

He had stayed for a few days after the night he had found out the truth. The night the clone had thrown herself into his claws. Logan knew he'd never be able to rid the image of Jubilee dying at his own hand, perhaps that had been the whole point. Jean and Bishop were well on their way to getting well. The rest of the X-MEN thank God were fine. The mansion returned to normal other than the fact that their youngest memeber was missing.

Hank took a blood sample from her and had found the marker hidden in her DNA. Shortly after they had buried her in the small cemetery on the estate. Logan had not gone to the funeral but many of the others had. They were at a loss what to put on the tombstone so they had simply put the lone name Lilith. A strange air of sadness and grief hund in the air. Jean along with Logan were steadfast in thier belief that she was still alive. Logan had told her that he wouldn't return until he had found her. She had been the only one supportive in his effort, the rest had felt it was hopeless. Logan had promised he would write and tell her how things were going. The letters were coming less and less now. When Logan had left Jean had sent Scot over to get the rest of Jubilee's things. They would go back in her room at home until her return. No one had aruged with her.

Since then he had gone back to the hulkbuster base several time. Each time he hoped to find something there he had over looked. He had cashed in on every favor owed to him and followed every rumor. Each time he had come up with nothing. He had been all over the US and even out of the contry on several occasions. It was as if she had simply disappeared and he knew that was impossible. People didn't just disappear, something happened to them.

The phone rang startling him out of his thoughs. Logan stared at it for a moment then answered it. "Hello?" He said gruffly staring out the dusty window.

"You are a difficult man to track down Logan." Said Terror.

Logan scoffed. "Why would you want to track me down? I'm busy." He told him but didn't hang up.

"Ah yes. I had heard of your unfortunate situation with your charge. Pity really, I had rather liked the girl. She is acting a bit odd lately though." Terror paused.

Logan gripped the phone tighter. "What do you mean lately?" He growled. "Don't mess with me. I can promise that you won't like it."

"I'm not messing with you. I simply wanted to let you know that I found your young friend. She's in L.A. I ran into her the other day at the mall of all places. She didn't seem to remember me. I was quite hurt at first but then I realized that she didn't remember much of anything. She didn't even know her own name, called herself Cassandra. Odd really. I was in the middle of a job when I ran into her. Scared her off you see so I didn't get a chance to talk to her that much. She ran out so fast that she left her jacket behind. She seemed confused." Terror was muttering to himself now.

"How do you know its her?" Logan asked his voice not betraying anything.

"Its' her all right. My memories isn't that bad Logan. She looks a bit older but other than that...yet its her. I'd stake my life on it." Terror told him.

"You are." Logan told him.

Terror skipped a beat. "Yes, well. I'm glad your happy. I can hear it in your voice. No need to thank me or anything. Really, I'm sure its all implied." Terror told him with a hint of glee.

"I'll thank you when I know this is real. I've been through this too many times to get my hopes up." Logan told him letting some of the weariness he felt show.

"It's real this time. It's her, I know it." Terror told him quietly. "I'm going to be here for a day or two. Come to L.A. and meet me at my hotel. I'll tell you everything that I know. Don't worry she's fine and she's not going anywhere. I checked everything out and she's been her for a while now. She's living in a house with some thieves. Seems she's taken up the trade."

"I'll catch the next flight up. I'll see yu then." He told him. Terror told him the name of his hotel and his room number. Logan hung up the phone and picked up his duffel bag. "Good thing I don't bother to unpack. Looks like I'm sleeping on the plane, maybe." He said as he slung it over his shoulder. He placed his hat on his head and walked from the room. He got on his bike and tore away from the motel. He roared down the empty highway to the nearest airport. He had a plane to catch.