Chapter 10: Traps

3rd Person P.O.V

The X-Men's plan was, quite simply, spot the creature and herd it into a trap. They had a few camouflaged mesh cages and hidden nets. The only thing they had to do, was find it. And it was beginning to get frustrating – for Wolverine at least. Every member of the team had GPS' and tracking chips so they knew where everyone else was, and Jean maintained contact with everyone using her ability. "Update everyone."

"Ah still don't see or smell a thing, Wolverine out."

"Nothing near the entrance, Storm out."

"Nada up here on the mountain honey, Rogue out."

"No sightings yet, Beast out."

"Nothin' by the sea cliff either, Gambit out."

"It's not appeared at the river, Jubilee out."

"Can't see anything unusual, Cyclopes out."

"Right, I can't see anything either. Remember to contact me if you notice anything."

They went back to searching. After five minutes Gambit contacted the group, "Guys, I think I got somethin'."

"What is it Gambit?" Jean answered.

"You guys gotta see for yourself. There are some marks around here."

"Affirmative, everyone go to Gambit's location."

A short while later, everyone had gathered and Gambit pointed to what he had found. "Looks like it can climb or something after all."

There were gouges on nearby tree trunks, some shallow, some deeper. Beast and Wolverine walked closer to one of the examples, both having had close experiences with nature. "The diameter of these marks could match the general size and proportions we assume this creature has," Beast murmured thoughtfully.

"Not like anything else could a' made 'em anyway," Wolverine grumbled.

Suddenly, a low growl sounded from his left. He jumped back and the X-Men grouped closer together. Two red eyes appeared in the bushes and they moved ever-so-slightly from side to side constantly. All the males saw were two red eyes. But the females saw two glowing, orange-tinted, entrancing, red eyes. They let their postures slacken and took a few small steps forward. Cyclopes noticed Jean doing this, and latched onto her arm. "Jean, what are you doing?"

She didn't answer and he noticed that her gaze was locked on the red eyes in the bushes. "Guys! It's hypnotising them!"

His initial question had attracted the other mens' attention, allowing Storm, Rogue and Jubilee to get further away. Beast quickly got Jubilee, Gambit grabbed Rogue's sleeve and Wolverine tried to get Storm. Key word: tried. She was hovering about four feet above their heads. "Storm! Come down! It's hypnotising yeh!" Wolverine called out.

Instead of acting as requested, she flew forward. The red eyes suddenly disappeared, backing away into the shrubbery. Storm followed. The remaining girls quickly shook themselves out of their trances, and, after a hurried and worried explanation, the X-Men took off running after Storm and the creature.

All of this had somehow managed to take less than five minutes.

Spider-Man's P.O.V

I didn't want to have to do this – the growl or my form of hypnotism. But I had to, because they were getting too close to my cave.

They were searching for me and setting traps, that much was clear. Like I was some dangerous animal. In many concepts, I was, and even worse still…but it's not like I was going to attack randomly or just act like a fool and go along with their obvious plan!

"Come on, faster. I have to take your team mates further away."

She responded to my wishes and flew faster, keeping up with me. I had trouble keeping our gazes locked because of all the tree branches and movement. I also had to avoid all of their utterly ridiculous traps. I believe her name is Storm, and her mutant ability is having power over the weather. Evidently, she uses the wind to fly.

I succeeded in getting her to the cliff by the sea. Once there, I released my hold over her and climbed the nearest tree, watching her land safely and look around. Then her team literally burst out of the tree line. The one in the lead was called 'Logan' or 'Wolverine' from what I could tell. He had claws coming out of his hands. Long, metal claws. My spider-sense went crazy when I saw them, so it was obvious I had to steer well clear. I was curious as to how they were metal though, so I listened closer. Metallic clicking when he moved was my answer.

"Metal joints?"

I never thought that could have happened in a mutation. Whatever had happened to cause bone to turn to metal must have been painful. I winced. In a way, I could relate. Still, he was one person I had to be extra cautious of. That metal was dangerous to me.

They all surrounded the one called Storm and asked her if she was okay, which of course she was – my hypnotism trick doesn't leave any lasting side effects… I think and hope. I could easily hear their chatter from here, in fact, I actually had to manipulate my ear muscles to quieten it down.

"Is…is claw-guy…sniffing? He is…but why? Oh…that's why."

He had turned in my direction. Apparently he could pick up scents very well.

"Accursed bloodhound. Crikey!"

He had asked the one called 'Cyclopes', or 'Scott', to "fire" at the tree I was in and a blazing red beam had shot from his eyes. That explained the codename. I leapt for the next branch up, but his beam streaked up the tree and destroyed all of the branches, including the one I had just landed on. I was lucky that it didn't hit me.

Then I started to fall.

"Argh! All of them are going to see me! … Nothing I can do about that now though."

I still couldn't suppress the apprehension I felt when I realised people had seen, or were going to see, the monstrosity I had become. I doubt I ever would.

Back in the current situation, I turned my body so I was facing the ground and landed on all eights, raising my head and opening all of my eyes this time. They stood as if they were made of stone. I was somewhat hurt by this, but mostly annoyed – they could at least try to have some subtlety regarding their opinions of my appearance! I took a step back.

That was all the one called 'Wolverine' needed to attack. The others followed.

"I can't hurt them! I can't fight them!"

I turned and ran for the trees, but the one called 'Rogue' flew in front of me.

I veered left, but the blue-furred one was there to block me. Again and again I was blocked by members of the team. So I went over their heads, literally, by jumping over the one called 'Gambit' and leaping into a nearby tree. As soon as I landed though, the branch snapped. Cyclopes' beam had hit it at the exact same time I landed for a second time.

"Unbelievable."

A growl gave voice to my surprise and I was unable to turn the fall to my advantage this time. I landed on my stomach, winded. The next thing I know, my spider-sense goes completely haywire and I feel a considerable weight on my back.

Beast's P.O.V

"What is he doing?!"

"Logan, what are you doing?!" Jean voiced my thoughts. I could not believe that Wolverine had jumped onto the back of the creature when it was stunned from the fall. "Hey Wolverine, ya know this ain't no rodeo, don't cha?!" added Rogue.

The creature seemed to freeze for a moment, then it went completely berserk, slamming against the cliff face and against trees. Though it made no sound apart from growls and harsh panting.

"It's probably not used to contact. It's panicking – we need to get Logan off of it, and fast."

The only problems with that was that Logan was now holding on for dear life and it was impossible to catch it. We were in shambles, running (or in Rogue and Storm's cases, flying) after it as best we could. Then it did something completely unexpected.

It stood up. On its hind legs. Like a man.

"How…?"

(Very shortly earlier.)

Spider-Man's P.O.V

"Nothing's working! GAH! Get off of me, you metal maniac!"

There was nothing for it, I was just hurting myself slamming into things when I was on all eights; I would have to stand up.

So I did.

I swayed a little, then started running and slamming my back into various trees and the cliff face, turning at the last second. I heard 'Wolverine' give a few pained grunts and felt bad for hurting him, but he was dangerous to me and he. Was. On. My. Back. Even then it still wasn't working, so I ran up the cliff instead. Though I gave the impression that I was using my claws to climb – I didn't want them knowing too much about me.

Cyclopes' P.O.V

I couldn't believe it. The creature was now climbing up the face of the cliff. Rapidly. "Logan! You have to get off of that thing, NOW!" I yelled. He didn't even answer, instead, I saw him raise his right arm and strike down.

The next thing I registered, was that they were falling.

Storm swooped in and caught Logan, but the creature hit the ground hard. The solid 'thud' resounded.

Then it rolled over, coughed, shook its head and got up.

"It's almost like it didn't just fall from fifteen feet! What is that?!"

Wolverine and Storm had landed and we all regrouped around them. "A'right let me at it!" Wolverine's temper was fired up. He tried to lunge at the creature, but Beast and I held him back. It wasn't exactly wise for him to attack right now. He let out a frustrated growl.

The creature bolted.

"Oh no you don't!" With a surge of adrenalin-fueled strength, he pulled out of our hold and took off after it. I stumbled back, but Jean steadied me before I could fall. I gasped out a thanks, then we all ran after Logan.

Spider-Man's P.O.V

That 'Wolverine' guy was following my scent. I was running towards the sea cliff again. I honestly don't know why – I was just looking to get away. I skidded to a halt at the cliff's edge. The ground here was unstable – there was too much loose soil and rock, I could sense it.

It turned out that the metal in that guy's skeleton drained my energy levels drastically. All he had to do was touch me with it! Speaking of whom…

"Gotcha now," he snarled. He was posed in a fighting stance behind me. I turned to face him and growled back. Then the rest of his team showed up. "Logan, stop! You've cornered it, it feels threatened. It might attack you if you do not leave it alone!" the one named Beast warned.

"Attack? Only if you do first."

I growled and stood up again, taking a few steps forward and narrowing my eyes, trying to make him back off. If anything, this only served to make him madder. He snarled and lunged forward.

That's when a lightning bolt struck the ground between us.

We both jumped back. Then the earth beneath us began to shake and started falling into the sea. Wolverine ran back to his team, but I had nowhere to go. I fell with the earth.

"They did manage to trap me in a way. Dammit! This is not my day! I hate salt water!"

I was lucky I learned how to swim with this body.

But I couldn't avoid the small boulder that hit the crook of my right leg as I plunged underwater. Pain shot up my leg as it dragged me down with it to the watery depths.