Antoinette went to the Training Room at her usual time. Tracker wasn’t there again and Frank told her he’d rescheduled. She sparred alone with a robot, but her mind was not on the exercise, the tiger constantly becoming distracted and looking off in the distance. Achingly aware that Tracker was not with her, she had less control of Tigresse than usual. At last, she gave up and returned to her room.
She showered and dressed in more casual clothing, then went to the lounge and sat talking with Sasha and watching the news. Animal, in his panther form, found her there and curled up on the floor by her feet.
“In other news,” the TV anchor said, “A mutant with reputed mind-reading abilities was killed in mob violence in Akron, Ohio, today. She was apparently beaten and raped by the mob before being tied to a lamp post and set afire. A FORCE patrol arrived but was unable to reach her in time. Three men and a woman have been arrested by FORCE as instigators of the event. The investigation is continuing.”
“Why?” Antoinette burst out, tears running down her cheeks. “Why do they do that to us? We do not hurt them! They create the very thing they fear.”
”Humansss very strange,” Sasha said. “On my world, to be in mob that killed is death penalty. Police shoot to kill, not let them go so can do it again.”
Animal shapechanged and Walter sat down beside Antoinette, putting his arm around her. Antoinette turned, burying her face in his shoulder. “Why?” she said again.
”People are afraid of us,” he replied.
After a few minutes she stood. “I do not want to watch the news any more. I am going to dinner.”
Tracker found Antoinette eating dinner alone at a corner table. She looked up at him as he came over. His fur was tangled and dirty, as if he hadn’t bathed in days. She smiled, hope in her dark eyes. “‘allo, Tracker.”
”Hi, Antoinette. Can we talk? I want to explain.” She nodded silently. He pulled out a chair and sat down. “It’s like this. When Scott and I found you, you were exhausted. Snake and Cartel had been hunting you. I couldn’t help but react to an animal in need, and later to the person she became. I saw how you reacted when your guitar was broken. When neither Scott nor Red did anything about it, I ordered a new one for you. I had no idea it would lead to what we had.
”Antoinette, I no longer know what to say or do.
”You’re human,” he said. “I’m not. You’ll…”
”Non, Tracker,” Antoinette said, interrupting him. “That is not true. I am a mutant, as well.”
”No,” Tracker replied, “you’re human in my eyes, and to anyone else that has not seen you change to Tigresse. Look at me – I don’t look anything like a human. I’m an animal, Antoinette, and you’re human. That’s how the world will see us, and we can’t change that.
”You have a whole base full of friends who would do almost anything for you. You don’t need me anymore.” As he talked, Tracker tried to look strong … and failed miserably.
”That, also, is not true, Tracker,” she said. “I do need you, very much. ”
”Antoinette, I don’t want to hurt you, but… You have other friends, good friends. I’ll just cause you problems. Problems that could get you hurt… or killed. You’ll do better without me. What we had was nice and you’ve taught me a lot, but … it can’t last. Try to understand, Antoinette.”
“But I do, Tracker,” she replied. “You must decide what is the best for you. Your fears are what’s taking you away. You much choose between your fears and your pleasure and that choice I can not make for you. Whichever choice you make, I will accept, but please,” her voice fell to a whisper, “make it soon.” Tears spilled down her cheeks as she stood and left the table.
He sat and watched her go, overwhelmed with confusion and fear. I can’t let her stay with me. It’s wrong, I’m not good enough for her. People will hurt her because of me. But how can I live without her? Without her impossible caring that feels so good it hurts? Despair flooded over him. What had started out so wonderful had gotten out of control and he couldn’t make her understand and now everything was going horribly wrong and he couldn’t stop it. He dragged himself to his feet. All he wanted to do now was hide.
The next afternoon, Antoinette arrived at the Mentalists as scheduled. Steve glanced up as she entered, handing her a helmet. This session was ostensibly to follow up on an unexpected reading he’d gotten at the end of their morning session as well as to continue helping her to get control of Tigresse. In actual fact, he was growing concerned for her. She’d been distracted and even the tiger was more irritable than usual. Her fine-boned features were drawn with tension and pain, growing more acute every time he saw her. He looked back at the brain-scan monitor and frowned, then adjusted a dial.
”Antoinette, where’s Tracker?” he asked abruptly.
She half-turned and started to point, then stopped with a look of pain. “Steve, why do you ask me that? You know that, until yesterday, I have not seen him for days. Why would I know where he is?”
”But you do know, don’t you? You started to point to him.”
She nodded slowly. “Oui. I do. But how?”
He smiled ruefully. “Looks like the past days of longing for Tracker and being without him have developed a sort of mental location-sense for him.”
She shook her head slowly. “Non. Ah, non. This is too much,” she whispered, and started to cry.
