Chapter 1
He spent the whole day waiting. He had been traveling for several hours, from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to Westchester, taking more time than what he was expecting. He had stopped several times to change vehicles and avoid arousing suspicion, ending up driving a 2007 Toyota Corolla with to many kilometers on her record.
In other circumstances he would certainly prefer to take a bike, but his regenerating factor was evidently not cooperating after the last experiments that had kindly offered him. Normally he would never have thought to ask for help to those nerds with a heart of gold, but as they say, in desperate times they resort to desperate measures.
He was there, waiting. He had parked the car a couple of miles back and walked slowly along the road leading to what he found out was a real estate in a fucking pompous old english. Once he was there I he remaining outside a highly defended perimeter. Was late at night, it was probably 3:00 in the morning maybe more, the lights were almost all off except for a crack of light on the second floor of the west wing. He knew it would be better to wait until it was completely dark, but after circling the perimeter and getting tired of his condition not improving, he decided he had to try.
He ran through the woods in which he was standing and jumped over the fence, hearing the alarm go off with a thin whistle. Some lights went on and he could imagine the infamous X-Men getting ready in their fancy costumes.
He came like a battering ram to the window that lead in to the kitchen and fell on the floor. Pieces of glass got stuck in his clothes and skin. A gesture that had poured gasoline on the fire of the pain that he was feeling for more days that can remember and became only more intense. He got up as fast as he could and got into an attacking position with his back against the wall.
This time he did not wait long, recognizing the smell of the runt and knowing that it was approaching and that he was ready for a clash, not that it wasn't mutual, most of the times. However, this time he would not attack beforehand, he just had to maintain the position enough time to find a space of time to explain the situation. He sincerely hoped for the arrival of some telepaths.
Before he saw it, he heard the roar of Wolverine, a sound of metal being pulled out, and the door to the kitchen being kicked down from its hinges. Without thinking twice, he rushed, charged head down and shouted "Sabertooth." He stooped as low as possible to execute an attack, his nails were already in the side of the enemy and his claws too close to the face for his taste.
He was pushed back with a kick in the sternum that made him lose his balance and end up against the wall. He saw the claws cleaving in the moonlight that was entering through the broken window a second before he heard them coming in and out of his side.
He collapsed on the floor, back against the wall, heavy breathing.
Wolverine took a step back.
"What is it Bob? Already tired? I don’t know what you’re playing, but I won’t let you go any further."
A hoarse laugh came out of his mouth along with a little blood. He was really sick for fall off after one blow, pathetic.
He tried to speak, but before he could, the light went on and the small group that had arrived was already preparing for the fight around him.
Slowly he tried to raise his hands in surrender, but a strong pain in his side stopped him in the middle.
He put a hand on the wound with blood that continued to flow. He raised it in front of his face to see it better. Between the blood-stained fingers he saw the person he was hoping to find. The red-haired frail. His vision was blurred and everything was mixed in a big spot.
"Help".
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Wolverine knew he didn’t have to panic, but Sabertooth was keeping bleeding. It had never happened before. They had already argued a couple of times since their first meeting in Alberta and never had to hold back, the other’s regenerating factor was rivalled to his and they could fight for hours if necessary.
But he kept bleeding. Jean was the first to move to help him. She was sitting next to him on the floor, trying to stop the flow. He saw her talking to Hank, but he couldn’t hear what they were saying. An annoying constant whistle rang in his ears. It was not normal.
He had already killed. Even in that same kitchen, he had slaughtered Stryker’s soldiers right there! So why did he feel betrayed by his body, betrayed by the man on the floor? It seemed that his whole being knew that there was something inherently wrong with that whole situation. He was dissociating himself from the reality that surrounded him, watching what was happening in front of him like he was in a movie.
Scott was helping Hank move Sabertooth on a stretcher. A stretcher? Who had brought a stretcher? Maybe Kurt. Jean was watching him while she continue to press a rag on the wound. No, she was talking to him. "Logan. Logan, HELP US!"
Wolverine recovered, approaching the unconscious man to help Hank lift him on the stretcher.
They all went to the infirmary, Logan helped Hank to support the weight of the man passed out, Jean with the telekinesis supported the rag on the wound, Scott was on the head to open the various doors and abscesses. Kurt had already gone downstairs to turn on the various nurses' lights and the various machines. Ororo had set herself the task of maintaining order among the kids who had risen from the fright of an another fight.
In the infirmary, Sabertooth was transferred to an infirmary bed. Jean cut off his clothes so he could see the wounds better and heal them, but what he saw left everyone speechless. The body was littered with open wounds, some of which seemed infected. Wolverine felt phantom pain seeing them. They were all so small, many of circular shape, as if someone had mistaken the body lying there for a piece of furniture and tried to drill screws into it. Other cuts were both his and the window glass.
Logan didn’t know how he managed to even stand up in that state.
Jean’s voice picked them up from the shock. "My God, what happened to him?".
"Mutant experiments, I thought things stopped after Alkali Lake." Hank replied blanch in face, will he was returning to connect the machines to man for the monitoring of physical conditions.
"Evidently they must have lost the memo," Cyclops said sarcastically as he approached Jean and put a hand on her shoulder to support her emotionally, while she continued to disinfect the wounds.
"Logan, do you know anything about this?" asked the Professor, who had just entered, adding his characteristic calm aura.
"At Alkali Lake, I had seen X-rays and designs that would look like what they did to him, but I thought they were mine, at most of the woman Stryker carried along."
"But Stryker’s dead, isn’t he? We had that conversation with the president, things like that shouldn’t happen again." Kurt wanted to confirm.
"Yes, Stryker died under the weight of the water at the dam." Logan reassured, at least in part.
"Someone else, however, must have had the means and plans to do so, the government may not necessarily be involved." said Hank while intubating Sabertooth on the ventilator.
"What Hank says is true, when he wake up, we can ask him directly." said the Professor, "For now there is nothing we can do." he continued.
All of the stops aside the bed, in silence, contemplating the situation, until Hank spoke.
"I know it’s not the best situation, but we need to run some tests, and if we can get X-rays and CT scans, I’m gonna ask you to get out."
Scott didn’t seem to entirely agree with the idea of leaving Jean next to that being, and Logan could say it was one of the few times he totaly agreed with him.
"All right, Hank, but we’re gonna be taking shifts out here, just in case, we don’t know how much we can trust him, he’s never been mentally stable. Believe me, I’ve known him a long time now." Scott instructed. "I’ll take the first round."
"All right, Bob. I’ll do the second." Pointed out Wolverine, he had to remove that strange itch in the back of his brain, and if he could keep an eye on both Jean and Sabertooth at the same time he hope that that strange feeling of concern would die before it was born.
"All right, guys, come on, we also need to reschedule tomorrow’s class, before we can sleep at least a couple of hours." ended the discussion Professor X by rolling out the door, followed by the others.
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The last lesson in the morning was about to end and there would be the lunch break soon, but Rogue had a closed stomach.
She was aware that she was about to see his ex with his new girlfriend. She wasn’t mad at either of them, really, or at least she knew she shouldn’t.
As much as she hated seeing him with Kitty, she knew they could never really be together, not in that physical intimacy that couldn't have and made her feel more and more different, even in that school. She was the one that left him, but she knew Bobby had an interest in the other girl for a long time.
Now, she was annoyed that they were always together around school and that they kissed during lunch, she really hated the pda. Maybe instead of going to the lunchroom she would have gone to the bar.
The bell rang and the class dispersed through the corridors. Rogue took his time, today they had not done much. Professor Gray was not there to teach psychology and in her place Professor Munroe had asked her to temporarily substitute for two classes. She was preparing herself to become a teacher in the humanities science, and when there was need to let her experience active teaching. All in all, today’s lesson had been interesting enough and had not fared badly, or at least she hope, while she was putting her backpack on her shoulder and went out she almost crash into Logan.
"Sorry, kid, I didn’t see ya'." said Wolverine.
"Don’t worry, it’s okay, are you fine?" asked as she looked at him better and noticed that he was agitated but immediately realized that it was not for the cup of coffee in his hand.
Maybe he was stressed about Professor Gray’s absence, that wasn't goong to be the frist time.
"Yeah, all right, just a little bit of a hurry, I have to change turn with the little princess from one eye." answered by continuing to walk quickly down the hall.
"Why? He is not doing the geometry lesson?" wanting to know if she could avoid at least to sup in the afternoon lesson, while following him with a quick step.
"No, precisely because he will. I have to go and check on the unexpected guest that came last night, now he is in the nursing." He said by pressing the button to call the elevator. "And you should go eat. See you later, little girl."
The doors opened, Logan walked in without looking back, and she stood there and watched what become her father figure descend to what must have been a big problem. Not that anyone ever informed the younger members of the team, including herself, of what was happening.