Ending Aston

Chapter 1

"Dr. Aston, where is he?" I demand the woman. I've pinned her to the cement wall, Erik stands behind me. I hold a knife to her throat.

"I haven't seen him since two months after you escaped!" She answers back.

I immediately recognized her two hours ago walking the streets of New York. She was the woman with the tight black bun who was almost constantly with Aston.

"Where did he go?"

"I don't know!" She cries out. "Please, let me go! I know nothing about him!"

Frustrated with her non-cooperation, I turn away towards Erik.

"Try which bank he goes to. That's how I started to find Shaw." He whispers to me.

I turn back to the woman.

"Let's try this again." I say. "Which bank did he go to the most?"

"What?" She asks, startled by this question which seems random to her.

"You speak english, you heard me, you must know!"

"The...the..." She trails off.

"The what?" I press her, pressing the knife against her throat now.

"The same bank Shaw went to."

I stand back next to Erik. This was definitely not the answer we were expecting.

"How do you know that?"

"Shaw knew him." The woman answers quickly. "They...they were childhood friends. Went to high school together. Shaw's the reason Aston knows about mutants because-"

"Shaw is a mutant." I look at Erik. "That's why Aston's so fascinated with them."

"Yes, and..." She says quietly.

"And what?" I look back at her.

"He took your blood because he wanted to be one. He wanted to become a mutant. He believed Shaw and himself could take over the world or some crazy idea like that. Aston was insane to believe-"

"Shaw's dead." I interrupt.

"He still thinks he can rule the world."

"Using my blood to try and become a mutant...did it work?"

"I don't know. I don't think he had enough."

"Enough blood? He stabbed me in the side with a huge knife!"

"And he thought that was enough. He miscalculated the amount of blood he needed." She pauses. "Going on this little journey to find him...it's what he wants. Then he can get you and kill you and use your blood."

"It won't work." I say. "But thanks for the heads-up." I start to walk away, then remember something and turn to her. "Tell anyone of this and I will know, and I will find you. And the next time we meet...there won't be a conversation." Then I turn around and walk away. Erik catches up with me.

"So we have to go to France...speak French?" Erik says. "I can translate a little, but I'm afraid I'm a bit rusty on that language."

"I can speak it." I answer. "So, where in France is this bank?"

"I'll tell you on the plane."