iii.
They finally got the jet back in the air, and as it cruised through the sky, Rogue and Bobby were examining one of the uniforms.
"Why don’t we get uniforms?" Rogue asked. "Yeah, where’s ours?" Bobby chimed in.
Cecily tried to come up with a quick answer. "Well, um..." she began, but then she laughed, giving up on trying to fabricate an excuse. "I don’t know why I was about to lie—I’m actually in charge of that, and I just didn’t care enough to get you any." She giggled as she walked away.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
"All right, this is a topographic map of the dam,” Storm began, pointing to the display. “This is the spillway. See these density changes in the terrain? Those are tire tracks.”
“That’s the entrance,” Logan noted.
“Exactly. And here’s the depth of ice covering the ground. This indicates recent water activity,” Storm added, highlighting the details.
“If we go in there, Stryker could flood the spillway,” Jean warned, her concern evident. “Can you teleport us in?” Storm asked Kurt.
“No. I need to see where I’m going, or I could end up inside a wall,” Kurt explained.
“I’ll go,” Logan volunteered. “I have a feeling he’ll want me alive.”
“Let me come with you,” Cecily offered. “Having a telepath by your side might be helpful.”
“Maybe a good one,” Magneto muttered under his breath.
Cecily’s eyes narrowed as she started toward him, but Logan quickly grabbed her shoulders, pulling her back before things escalated.
"I'm going to kill him," Cecily whispered to Logan. He gave a slight nod, as if to say, "Maybe later."
Magneto smirked, his tone dripping with mockery as he spoke. "Wolverine, whoever enters the dam must be capable of operating the spillway mechanism," he began, casually walking through the hologram. "What do you intend to do? Scratch it with your claws?" His voice was thick with derision.
Logan stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. "I'll take my chances," he growled.
Magneto chuckled, stepping aside with a dismissive wave. "But I won't," he said, glancing over his shoulder at Mystique.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Cecily watched as Magneto effortlessly used his powers to open the sealed door. Her gaze shifted to Jean, who was using her telekinetic abilities to suspend two soldiers by their legs. The eerie silence of the place sent a shiver down her spine.
"God, this place is creepy," she muttered to herself.
As the group entered the chamber, Cecily instinctively stayed close behind Logan, not wanting to be left alone in this unsettling place.
“Have you found it?” Magneto asked Mystique, his voice tinged with urgency.
“A large portion of energy from the dam has been diverted to this chamber,” Mystique replied, pointing to the screen.
“Cerebro,” Magneto muttered, eyes narrowing as he spotted it. “There it is.”
“Can you shut it down from here?” Storm asked, her tone hopeful.
“No,” Mystique replied bluntly.
“We must move quickly. There’s little time,” Magneto urged, turning to lead the way.
“Not without us,” Jean interjected, her voice. Cecily hesitated, not eager to be left behind.
“Oh my god, the children,” Storm gasped, noticing something on the screen. She turned to Kurt, her expression pleading. “Kurt, will you come with me?”
“Yes,” he answered without hesitation.
Cecily silently wished she could be anywhere else.
Cecily stayed close behind Logan as he approached one of the screens. His voice was tense as he whispered, “Stryker.”
Cecily’s eyes fluttered shut, and she shook her head, trying to drown out the cacophony of voices that suddenly distorted and overlapped in her mind. She began to mutter something, her words slipping into incoherence. When she finally opened her eyes, they locked onto the group ahead, focusing intently on Jean.
“It’s too late,” Cecily whispered, her voice trembling. Her words, almost a breath, carried an ominous weight that hung in the air, as if they were a prophecy unfolding right before them.
Logan turned around, noticing Cecily’s distant expression. He placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice gentle but firm. “Hey.”
“It’s too late,” she repeated, her voice eerily calm.
“Cecily,” Logan said, trying to ground her. She shook her head slightly as if shaking off a heavy fog, her eyes finally focusing on him.
“You okay?” he asked, concern lacing his tone.
Cecily hesitated, then nodded, but the uncertainty in her eyes betrayed her.
Cecily watched as Logan removed his comm device. “What are you—” she began, but before she could finish, Logan grabbed her arm, pulling her along with him without a word.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
"Did you really have to drag me along?" Cecily complained, glancing around nervously. "This place gives me the creeps."
Logan, barely acknowledging her, walked toward a doorway behind her. Cecily threw her hands up in exasperation. "You're not even listening," she muttered.
Cecily followed Logan through the doorway and down the stairs into what appeared to be a lab. As she looked around, a chill ran through her—she recognized this place. She’d seen it before, in Logan’s memories.
Standing near the stairs, Cecily watched as Logan surveyed the room, his gaze lingering on a tank filled with liquid adamantium and the claw marks gouged into the walls.
"The tricky thing about adamantium," a male voice echoed through the lab, "is that if you ever manage to process its raw, liquid form, you gotta keep it that way." Logan spun around to see Stryker descending the steps, a woman at his side, holding a knife to Cecily’s throat.
"Keep it hot," Stryker continued, his voice calm and menacing. "Because once the metal cools, it’s indestructible. But you already know that." He circled the tank, the knife pressing closer to Cecily's neck.
"Let her go," Logan growled, his eyes locked on Stryker.
Stryker paused, considering Logan’s demand before smirking. "Well, since you asked so nicely," he said, lowering the knife and shoving Cecily toward Logan.
Cecily quickly ran to Logan's side, clutching his arm as she stood behind him.
Stryker's cold gaze remained on Logan as he ascended a couple of steps. "I used to think you were one of a kind, Wolverine," he said, his voice laced with contempt. "But I was wrong." With that, he turned and left the room, leaving an eerie silence in his wake.
Cecily watched as Logan lunged to chase after Stryker, only to be brutally backhanded by the woman at Stryker’s side, sending him crashing across the room. The woman then turned her attention to Cecily, her gaze cold and menacing.
Before she could get too close, Cecily focused her telekinesis, forcefully slamming the woman against the wall. Without hesitation, Cecily pulled two knives from her suit and swiftly drove them into the center of the woman’s hands, pinning her to the wall.
As the woman struggled, Cecily bolted out of the room, determined to catch up to Stryker.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Cecily waited for Logan to catch up, but when he didn’t appear after a few moments, she decided to head back to the room. “What’s taking so long?” she asked as she entered.
Before Logan could respond, Cecily’s expression shifted, her eyes widening in alarm. She felt something shift, something wrong, but before either of them could react, a sharp, agonizing ringing filled their heads, driving them both to their knees as they writhed in pain.
After what felt like an eternity, the piercing ringing finally subsided. Cecily slowly got to her feet and made her way over to Logan, who was already rising, his hand reaching out to steady her as he grasped her arms.
“You okay?” he asked, his voice laced with concern.
She nodded, still a bit shaken. “Yeah… I’m fine.”
Logan's gaze hardened. “What happened with Stryker?”
Cecily shook her head, frustration evident in her eyes. “I tried, but I couldn’t open the door. He got away.”
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
As the pair stepped outside, Cecily watched as Logan wasted no time, landing a solid punch right across Stryker’s face. She had to stifle a laugh, even in the intensity of the moment, as the sound echoed in the air.
She observed, her eyes narrowing with a mix of fascination and something darker, as Logan shoved Stryker against the side of the plane, his claws digging menacingly into Stryker’s sides. The dangerous glint in Logan’s eyes was undeniable.
“How does it feel, bub?” Logan growled, his voice low and deadly. Cecily couldn’t tear her gaze away, finding the raw, animalistic edge to him enticing.
Stryker, despite the pain, managed a bitter smile. “Why did you come back?”
“You cut me open. You took my life!” Logan’s voice was thick with fury.
Stryker's expression remained cold. “You make it sound as if I stole something from you. As I recall, you volunteered for the procedure.”
Logan's eyes blazed with intensity. “Who am I?”
“You… are just a failed experiment.” Stryker gasped as Logan’s claws dug deeper, causing him to scream in pain. “If you really knew about your past… the kind of person you were… the work we did together—people don’t change, Wolverine. You were an animal then. You’re an animal now. I just gave you claws.”
An alarm blared in the bunker, sharp and jarring. Logan tensed, turning to Cecily. “What the hell is that? What's going on?”
“The dam’s ruptured,” Stryker said, his voice cold. “It’s going to flood the spillway. It’s trying to relieve the pressure, but it’s too late. In a few minutes, we’ll all be underwater.” He looked at Logan, his eyes narrowing with a sinister glint. “Come with me, and I’ll tell you everything you want to know. You can’t save your friends. They’re as good as dead, Wolverine. You’ve always been a survivor.”
Logan stared him down, his expression hardening. “I thought I was just an animal… with claws.” With a swift motion, Logan tied Stryker to the wheel of the plane, his movements precise and unyielding.
Cecily jumped slightly at the intensity, but quickly grabbed Logan's arm, falling into step beside him.
“There are no exits that way, Wolverine!” Stryker shouted after them, his voice laced with desperation as they moved swiftly away.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Cecily and Logan raced through the labyrinthine tunnels, their footsteps echoing off the cold, metallic walls. Their eyes darted around, searching desperately for any sign of an escape. They burst through one of the openings, skidding to a halt when they saw the others up ahead. Without hesitation, Logan slashed the control panel with his claws, causing the heavy door to slam shut just as the group was about to enter.
“You don’t want to go that way,” Logan said, his voice firm and breathless. “Trust me.”
Cecily’s heart skipped a beat, a small wave of relief washing over her as she caught sight of the Professor and Scott among the group. “Come on,” she urged, her voice laced with urgency. “There’s another way out of here.”
The group finally made it outside, but the helicopter they had counted on was nowhere in sight. Logan's frustration boiled over as he scanned the empty spot. "The helicopter was right here!" he growled.
The wind began to pick up, snow swirling more fiercely around them. Then, through the flurry, they spotted the X-Jet descending from the sky. Cecily’s heart leaped, though she couldn't help but notice the rough, unsteady landing—it had to be one of the kids piloting it.
As the group hurried toward the jet, Logan handed the child he’d been carrying over to Cecily. “Take him,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Cecily blinked, taken aback. “Where are you going?” she asked, concern creeping into her voice.
“Just take him,” Logan repeated, more firmly this time. She nodded, accepting the boy into her arms and quickly making her way onto the jet. As she looked back, she saw Logan walking with purpose toward someone in the distance.
Cecily felt a wave of relief wash over her as she watched Logan climb up the stairs and into the jet. Without thinking, she reached out, her hands hovering uncertainly between his neck and shoulders, finally settling there. "Are you okay?" she asked softly, her voice tinged with concern.
Logan met her eyes, the tension in his features easing slightly. "I am now," he replied, his voice steady, the weight of the moment settling between them.
The jet sputtered as it failed to start. "What's wrong?" Logan asked, his voice tense.
"Vertical thrusters are offline," Scott replied, his frustration evident. "I'm trying."
"Has anyone seen John?" Rogue asked, her voice tinged with worry. "Pyro?"
The overlapping voices grew too much for Cecily. She clamped her hands over her ears, trying desperately to block out the noise. For a brief moment, it worked—until she felt it, the dam breaking in her mind. Shaking her head, she whispered, "It's too late," lost in the chaos inside her own head.
"Jean?" she barely heard the Professor's voice, snapping her back to reality. Cecily turned, searching, only to realize Jean was missing. "Wait. Where's Jean?" Logan demanded, his eyes scanning the cabin.
"She's outside," the Professor said, his voice heavy with resignation.
Scott shot up, panic driving him as he pushed through the others, desperate to reach Jean. But the ramp had already closed.
The jet roared to life. "No, we’re not leaving!" Scott shouted, his voice frantic. "Lower the ramp!"
"Storm, lower it!" he demanded again, but Storm shook her head, her face pale. "I can't."
Cecily’s panic spiked, and she clung to Logan, her voice trembling. "I thought it was the dam," she repeated, more to herself than anyone else. "It's too late."
Outside, Jean stood alone, her powers straining as she held back the torrent of water threatening to engulf them. She used every ounce of her strength to lift the jet into the air.
"She's controlling the jet," Storm said, her voice a mix of awe and dread. They all turned to the window, watching in horror as Jean stood her ground.
"Get her now!" Logan ordered Kurt, desperation seeping into his tone.
"She’s not letting me," Kurt said, his voice cracking with helplessness.
"Damn it!" Scott cursed.
Cecily stepped back, her breathing erratic. "It's too late," she whispered again, the weight of her vision crushing her.
"I know what I’m doing," the Professor said, his voice eerily calm as he spoke Jean’s words through his mind. "This is the only way."
"Jean, listen to me," Scott pleaded, his voice breaking. "Don’t do this."
"Goodbye."
Scott’s anguished cry filled the cabin. "Oh, no! No! No!"
"She's gone," Logan said, his voice hollow. "She’s gone," he repeated as if trying to convince himself.
"Don’t you say that!" Scott shouted, shoving Logan in anger and grief.
"Scott," Cecily said softly, walking toward him. "We have to go back," Scott insisted, his voice trembling with desperation.
"We can't," Cecily said, her voice barely above a whisper as she grabbed his arms. "No! No," Scott protested, trying to shake her off. But Cecily held on, pulling him into an embrace as tears streamed down her face. "She’s gone, Scott," she said, her own voice breaking as she held him close, both of them crying together.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Cecily stood quietly beside Logan, her head resting gently on his shoulder, seeking comfort in his presence.
The Professor's voice broke the silence. "You know, even when Jean was a student, she was always hesitant about her powers," he said, his tone reflective. "Always looking to others, feeling that in some way she was left behind."
Cecily understood what he meant all too well. She had felt the same way, always in Jean’s shadow, feeling as though she was the one left behind.
Scott's voice wavered as he spoke up, "Do you think… could we have done more to save her?"
"In the past, she might have let us," the Professor replied. "But this time…"
"There had to be another way," Logan said, his voice filled with frustration. Cecily didn’t have the heart to tell them that this was always how it was meant to be.
"Why did she leave the plane?" Logan asked, the question heavy with sorrow.
"Because she made a choice," the Professor said softly.
A knock at the door interrupted them. "Yes, come in," the Professor called out.
As they began to leave the room, Logan tried to stop Scott. "Hey, hey," he called after him. Scott paused, looking back. "Listen, she did make a choice. It was you."
Scott said nothing, his expression unreadable, and continued walking away. Cecily, unable to let him go like that, quickly made up her mind to follow. "Scott, wait," she called out, her voice tinged with urgency.
He turned to look at her, but his eyes were distant. A pang of sadness gripped Cecily as she looked at him. Without another word, she ran up to him and wrapped him in a tight embrace, holding him close. "I love you, Scott," she whispered, her voice full of emotion. "Don't forget I'm always on your side."
She held him for a moment longer, then slowly let go, her eyes lingering on his for a brief second before she turned and walked back toward Logan, leaving Scott with her words and the warmth of her embrace.