Author's note: This chapter contains spoiler to the comic book Wolverine: The End!!!
And Jean stealing Logan's power is described in the movie book to X2 on page 340!
June 10: Logan's grandfather's name corrected to John Howlett I.
Changes Sequel – II. Covenant Part 14
"John who?!" Logan growled.
The stranger shook his head, but still smiled, obviously more than happy about something. "Your brother… John Howlett junior."
While the others stared at him, Logan kept his eyes on the man next to Charles Xavier and scanned him from head to toe. He didn't know what kind of joke this was, but it was one for him. He still didn't remember everything of his life. Some things were still blurry and hidden somewhere in his head, but if he knew something, then that his brother had died the year he was born. He remembered being told so when he was around six years or something… So, whoever this man there was, was definitely not his brother. "Ya ain't my brother," he replied after a while with narrowed eyes. "My brother's dead…"
Hearing this, the stranger gave a short laugh. "Is that what they've told you?! That I'm dead?" the man, who called himself John asked incredulously and shook his head. "Let me guess! Grandfather did it, am I right? It would suit John…," he spat and noticed the still skeptical look. "And what did I die from then?"
Sighing, Logan rolled his eyes. "Ya ain't my brother," he said again.
"What makes you think I'm not?!"
"Well, then prove it!" he shrugged and got up to lead Jean over to the counter, so that she could sit down on a stool. He noticed that she still held her wrist in a firm grip and gave Hank a sign to look at it. The mutant obeyed and came over, as John searched for his wallet in his pocket and took out an old picture, which he threw over the counter next. He ignored that everyone else took a look at it, too. He only waited for Logan to take it. This one gave it a skeptical look first, but finally grabbed it.
"This picture was taken by our father a few months after mother had come back home with you. I think it's been late February or early March…," John explained and met his brother's gaze briefly. "If I'm not your brother, how come I have this picture? Only two of them exist…"
While the others kept on looking at them, Logan still had his eyes fixed on the picture. Even if it was old, he could still see his parents' faces clearly. His mother had her long, dark hair pinned up, while she had cut it short when he was around 10 years old. She wore one of those beautiful dresses his father had liked a lot, probably the dark blue one, he thought. His father stood next to her with a proud smile on his lips. Both looked happy and healthy. In the middle of them stood a boy, he'd only known from pictures or paintings, while his mother held a small bundle on her arms with a baby in it. He knew it was him, even if the boy looked far different from his own sons. No unruly hair, not the piercing gaze he had now…just an innocent baby. He hated to be reminded of that time so he threw the picture back at him, before he leant back against the counter and glared at him. "What happened to ya then?" Logan asked and the others could tell that he wasn't interested at all.
"Sit down," Ororo offered the stranger and got off her stool.
"Thank you…" John smiled at her and did as he was told. He sighed and looked at the man opposite of him again. "You look exactly like him… Amazing," he said and earned a confused look from the weather goddess next to him.
"Like whom?"
"Thomas Logan. The gardener who worked for us," he explained.
"I'm still waitin' for my answer," Logan growled and received a shrug.
"Well, where do you want me to start…?" John asked and lowered his head, obviously drifting off to another time within his mind. "Mother changed a lot after you were born. She suffered from melancholy and didn't allow me or anyone else to even look at you. One day, I think it was in May '88, she took a walk with you in the garden and left you next to a tree. I took my chance and knew by picking up on your scent that you were like me. You smelled like my…kind… Suddenly, I heard voices nearby and followed the noises," he told him and his eyes darkened all of a sudden. "I saw our mother with him…"
"Whom?" Logan grunted.
"The gardener. They kissed," John replied with a brief glare at him. "I suddenly became angry like never before and went over to her after he was gone. I demanded to know what she was thinking and got even angrier." He shook his head. "She suddenly let out a terrible scream and…there was blood…"
"What has happened?" Ororo asked, even if Logan already knew.
"She had three long and deep gashes on her left side. It took me a moment to realize that I did it," he went on bitterly. "The others must have heard her, since all of a sudden the servants, father and the Old Man were there. The Old Man told father that if he wanted to continue in the circles our family was accustomed to, then others could never know about this incident. He said he'd take care of me… So he locked me up in the next psychiatry without explaining to me why."
"But…why a psychiatry?" Kitty asked confused. "I mean…you're not crazy."
Smiling sadly John held her gaze. "Back then, lunatic asylums were places to store the social embarrassments and the dead-before-their-times. One you were in, you hardly ever stood a chance to get out again," he said and the girl nodded. He then looked back at Logan, who'd never taken his eyes off him, but did and turned away to look out of the window, when their eyes met.
"And how did you get out?" Ororo asked him after a moment.
"People took me with them and did experiments on me. From their technology it must have been…the 40s or something when I finally left the asylum," John said. "They told me that I'd been betrayed and that I could only trust them. I didn't understand, due to my mental state what they were doing, but I remember that they referred to me simply as X." Hearing it, Logan turned his head to give him a look. "When I was well enough they began their tests and asked questions over questions. I accepted it first, but one day I was just sick of it and broke out," he continued. "I returned to our estate, but what I found were more or less ruins. Since the gravestone didn't have your name on it, I assumed you were still alive. So I went looking for you. I found the Old Man's diary, which said that you were probably in British Columbia, so I went there first. But there was no chance finding you or even get to know where you're now." He stopped to give the man at the windows, who looked out of them again, a questioning look. "Where have you been in the 50s?"
"Germany and Asia…," Logan grunted and didn't bother to turn around. He was dealing with his own thoughts and senses in the meanwhile.
"I see…," John nodded. "Well in the 90s finally I ran into someone in Canada who knew you. He told me the last time he saw you, you were on your way to Alberta again. So I went back home, but again I didn't achieve anything. While I traveled through Canada, I finally ended up in a bar in Alberta. I heard someone talking about an unbeatable cage fighter, who was called the Wolverine. I didn't know it was you. But when I saw you fighting in that cage, I just knew. I recognized your scent and the way you looked told me that I'd finally found you. When I tried to talk to you, you were gone again. People told me which road you'd taken, so I tried to follow you, but everything I found were the remains of a camper and a jet heading off."
"Then you've seen us. We rescued him back then," Scott said and ignored the snort Logan gave him after he'd said rescued on purpose. "But how come you're here now?"
"The jet was in the news one day. So I went to NYC and continued my search."
"Well, then you've been successful in the end."
"Yeah…," John smiled.
"How old are you?" Ororo asked him.
"130," he replied and since no one stared at him oddly, he figured that they probably knew about the secret. "You must be…118 now, am I right?" he asked Logan, who only gave a silent nod. "Do you know what happened to our parents? I couldn't find any information on it…"
"They died," Logan grunted and crossed his arms.
"I know," John said. "But how?"
Frustrated, Logan gave sighed loudly. "Why do ya wanna know?" he asked and gave him a short glare. Wasn't it enough that he said they died? Why did he have to dig deeper?
"Well, because they're my parents, too?! The stone said that both died in October 1911," John said. "Did they have an accident or something?"
Waiting for a reply, the others looked at Logan, too, but this one just refused to answer first and especially not to turn around. He only did it briefly, when Jean gave a short gasp in pain as Hank tried to figure out if the wrist was broken or sprained. Obviously it was the first, as he thought. "They were shot…"
"Shot?!" John asked shocked. "By whom? As far as I know they had no enemies…"
"The gardener," Logan grunted.
"He shot them?! But why?" the other man asked. "Or how?" He desperately waited for a reply, but there was none. "James, I've a right to know! How did they die?"
He actually thought his mood couldn't become worse, but being forced to remember what had happened over 100 year ago, really pissed Logan off. Nevertheless, he replied. "Father banned him from the estate and he swore revenge. So he came back with his son at night…," he said in a low growl."
"And then?" John furrowed his brows since his brother remained silent for a while. Obviously it was bad what would follow next, he guessed.
"I awoke due to people yellin' at each other. And when I opened the door I heard a shot…"
"And?"
Logan clenched his fists hard and closed his eyes. To him it appeared as if he heard the shot again, saw the blood being splattered against the wall and ground… "Well, he blew father's head off…," he finally said and heard some, mostly the women gasping in shock.
"You've seen this?" Ororo asked him in complete shock. "You've witnessed how your father died?!"
"God…," John said and shook his head, just to ran a hand though his short, dark hair. "Did he shot her, too?"
"No…," Logan growled and put as much hate in this small word as possible. From all people he definitely didn't want to remember her.
"What did he do then?" John asked and noticed the cold, murderous look in his opposite's eyes that was suddenly there.
"I killed him," was the reply he got and nodded when it hit him.
"Of course… Your powers must have shown due to the shock. Am I right?" he asked and Logan nodded. "What happened to mother then?"
"This so called mother threw me out," Logan grunted. "As far as I've been told she shot herself afterwards."
"And the Old Man?"
"Gave me a bit of money and told me to piss off and never come back. I don't give a shit on what has happened to him. He can rod in hell…," he spat in hate.
Giving Logan time to calm down again, Ororo turned to the man next to her again. "Do you have family?"
"No…," John shook his head with a weak smile. "It's not so easy for our kind to fins an equal partner, you know? The whole aging thing is kinda…difficult."
While she nodded in understanding, Moira straightened her position a bit and watched how Hank led Jean out of the room to fix her wounds downstairs. "It must be horrible for you. I mean he led a great life until the incident, while you…"
"Great Life?!" Logan snapped and gave her a glare. "You dare to call that what I had a great life?!" he asked outraged.
"Well, yes…," she shrugged and didn't know what she'd done wrong. "Hank said your house was three times bigger than the mansion, you had servants, were rich…"
"…was told what I'd to do, where I'd to go, what I'd to become later in my life… Yeah, great life, really!" he spat. "The only thing I'd waited for was to be told who I'd to marry…," he added with a low growl. "You so called great life sucked big time! Especially with a grandfather arguing non stop with your father, tellin' him what a sissy and loser he is and that his son was the same and a mother who has never been there for me. Your great life was a big golden cage with a padlock as big as the Great Wall of China is long…"
"I…I didn't know…," Moira stuttered ashamed and looked down. "I'm sorry…"
"The Old Man was a crazy fool… He and his old values," John added in a Wolverine like growl. "People were only as good as the class they were born into to him. Just because he'd made money he thought he was better than us…"
No one said anything at all for a while. Some tried to find similarities between the two men, while most were still shocked about what had been revealed about Logan's past. This one suddenly turned around with his arms crossed and an more than odd smile on his lips. "What a coincidence, huh?" he asked and John frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"118 years…and all of a sudden, after you spent years lookin' for me, you're here… Strange, ain't it?"
"I'm still not following you, James," his brother said and frowned.
"Stop callin' me that!" Logan snapped.
"Logan, why don't you…," Ororo began as John cut her off.
"Logan?!" he asked shocked. "From all names you picked the one of this idiot gardener?"
"I didn't pick it, I was given it," Logan grunted. "If you've got a problem with it, I don't care!"
John sighed and ran a hand through his face to calm down. "James, this is…"
"I ain't James!" Logan instantly said a bit louder. "I've nothin' to do with that sissy anymore."
"Of course you have! It's who you are!" his opposite gave back but saw the he shook his head.
"Nope! It ain't and it hasn't been since 1911," he growled. "And still it's strange that from all people in NYC it was you who helped Jean."
"Why is it strange, Logan?" Ororo asked him and hoped to soothe him again. "It's a lucky coincidence."
"Don't believe in coincidences," he snapped and crossed his arms stubbornly.
"What that's supposed to mean?" John asked since he'd noticed the suspicious undertone in his voice.
"That somethin's wrong with ya," Logan said and his brother couldn't help but laugh.
"Wrong with me?!" he asked amused.
"Yeah…," Logan nodded and eyed him with an odd look again. "I know your scent and that means we've met before."
"We're brothers!" John said. "Of course you know my scent. I knew yours before I even met you for the first time."
"Yeah?!" his opposite smirked skeptically. "Strange that I'm damn sure that we've met before…"
John crossed his arms and returned the glare he was given. "And where?"
"Logan… Why are you so hostile?" Ororo asked him in disbelief. "You should be happy to have your brother back!"
"I'd be if I wasn't sure that there's somethin' wrong here," he snapped.
"And what?" Scott asked him. "He helped Jean and probably saved her life!"
Chuckling, Logan nodded. "Yeah, and Sabretooth and Daken would be so scared of a single man that they run away," he said cynically. "It's what they always do, ain't it? I memorize every scent, Cyke and since I've never met him before, I shouldn't know his, but I do!" he explained and eyed his brother again. "And c'mon! Don't tell me it's not strange that from all people it was him who was there at the right time. How ridiculous is that?!"
In the basement Hank was occupied with checking on the x-rays he'd made of Jean's wrist, head and ribs. "You might have a concussion but the bone is intact. You ribs seem to be fine to. Since it hurts, I guess you have a contusion. But your wrist is definitely broken," he told her and turned around. "I still don't understand how you could put yourself in such a danger, Jean! You should have thought about them."
"I know," she sighed tiredly and bent forward a bit, just to hiss when her ribs shot a lightning like pain through her whole body. "But I never reckoned with them attacking me when I get new food for my baby…"
"Well, Logan was more than pissed off," he told her and examined her wrist again. "He even threatened Ororo to hurt her if you only have one scratch…"
"Why her?" she asked in confusion.
"Because she let you go alone," he said and checked her eyes next. "Did only Sabretooth and Logan's son attack you?" She nodded. "Well, the good news is that Forge and I finally found out why the new uniform isn't working with Logan. His healing factor blocks the powers. The suit works with everyone else but him. Forge has begun to produce the new uniforms, while I work on a solution for Logan."
"But how can it be that his healing factor blocks the uniform's power?!" she asked with a frown. "I mean…it's not attacking his body. It's a fabric or not?"
"Actually it's organic. Forge has implanted the same functions into the new uniforms as in the old one," he said and leant against the opposite bed. "The new uniform updates the computer here about our conditions, heart beats, if we eat, when we do so, when we rest…everything. To make that possible, the uniform has to be organic in order to combine itself with our bodily functions."
"But the old one worked for Logan. Why not the new one?" Jean mumbled more to herself.
"That's the question," Hank said. "What happened to you, Jean? I mean how come that one single man managed to fight Sabretooth and Logan's son?"
"Don't ask me," she sighed and carefully touched her bruised face. "The caught up with me and suddenly they were gone. John asked me if I was okay and if he could help me, he drove our car back to the mansion and here we are."
"What do you think about him?" Hank asked and gave her a stern look. "I mean it's strange that Logan reacts this way, don't you think?"
"If he was an enemy, Hank, he had the perfect chance to kill me," Jean replied and looked up. "Why should he bother to bring me back to the mansion? If he was one of Sinister's men, he could have knocked me out and take me to him directly. Or he could have joined Sabretooth and Daken. But he didn't. And he really seemed to be happy to see Logan again."
"But Logan obviously not to see him," he mumbled.
"You know that he doesn't trust strangers."
"Yes, but it is his brother in the end…" He heaved a deep breath and rubbed the back of his nose. "Anyway, today is New Year's Eve and we should start fixing you for it, don't you think?"
"I want to try something first," Jean said and received a questioning look. "Back then, when I broke my leg at Alkali Lake and we had to flee, I borrowed the knowledge of how to knit bones together from Logan. It was enough for me to walk at least a bit with Scott's help. With my powers being stronger now, I want to try if I can heal completely."
"By stealing Logan's powers?"
"Not stealing them, Hank," she said. "I only take the knowledge of it. I don't absorb his powers. I can't do that."
"Did you try something similar before?" he asked worriedly. "I mean…I don't want to treat him next, you know…"
"Yes, actually I did." She nodded. "I wanted to know what hearing and seeing for him is like."
"That worked?" he asked surprised and straightened his position when she nodded again. She could tell that his curiousness had just awoken. "And? What is it like for him? How good can he see? What's his hearing like? Does he…"
"Hank," Jean pleaded and raised a hand to stop him. "Later, okay? Maybe it works and I can connect you to him, too. But later…"
"Of course," he nodded and took her fine arm. "Then let's go back upstairs and see what the two brothers are doing."
"He really is hostile towards him," Kitty remarked after Logan and his brother had left the kitchen to go on with their conversation, or better from Logan's perspective, fight. It was obvious that he didn't like the man, while everyone else did and no one understood why. The man, his brother or not, seemed to be nice and they were more than glad that he'd been there to help Jean.
"I wonder why…," Ororo sighed and looked up when Hank and Jean returned. "Hey, how are you?" she asked her best friend concerned and got off her stool.
"I'm okay," Jean said and looked around. "Where's Logan?"
"Snapping at his brother in another room I suppose," Scott said.
"Why snapping?"
"We don't know, but Wolvie obviously doesn't like him," Jubilee shrugged, as the man came back. "Now he's eaten him…"
"Where is John?" Ororo asked and watched how Logan went over to his wife to check on her.
"On his way home," he grunted.
"Why didn't you invite him to celebrate New Year's Eve with us?" she asked incredulously. "What's your problem with him, Logan? You should be happy that one of your family members is still alive, but all you do is being hostile."
"My family's here, Storm," he snapped. "I've nothin' to do with that family anymore."
"Still, he's your brother and he was happy to see you again," Scott said and received a snort.
"How are ya?" Logan asked Jean instead. "And I'm not sayin' now what a stupid cow you are… How often did I tell ya what he did to my previous partners, eh? How often?!"
"I know, Logan," Jean said while holding her throbbing head. "I'm sorry…"
"Do you want to try it now?" Hank asked her and made Logan cock an eyebrow.
"Try what?"
"Back then when Stryker kidnapped Scott and the Professor, I broke my leg and burrowed your knowledge of how to heal it," she explained but her husband got even more confused.
"How?"
"By getting that knowledge from your mind," she replied and looked up. "I wasn't strong enough back then to knit my bone completely together, but it was enough to stabilize it."
"And what do ya have on mind now?" Logan asked with furrowed brows.
"I want to try if I can heal myself," Jean said. "I can't absorb your powers like Rogue, but I can at least connect and read how you always do it…"
"Jean," the Professor, who'd remained at the door the whole time through, said and wheeled into the room. "Did you try that before? I mean connecting to Logan and borrowing his powers?"
"Yes I did," she nodded and he leant back in his wheelchair a bit surprised. "I wanted to know what seeing and hearing is like for him. So I connected to him."
"Do you know how dangerous that is?" he asked her. "You can damage Logan mind with it."
"How, she didn't do anything else than see things through my eyes," Logan asked gruffly.
"That's the point, Logan," Charles replied. "She took over your mind, something a telepath should never do! And Jean knows that!" He gave Jean a stern look, but the woman didn't look back at him.
"She didn't force me to anything, Chuck, now stop it!" Logan snapped and took Jean's fine hand. "Try it," he told her and held onto her injured hand carefully. "And ignore him," he added with a glare at the Professor who was about to say something.
"Relax," she said and fixed her gaze on his eyes.
"Does she have a head injury?" Charles asked Hank quickly, who nodded.
"A concussion probably. Why?"
"Jean, stop this!" the man said, but saw that it was already to late. Leaning back with a sigh and worried look on his face, he watched hoe the redhead's eyes began to glow while Logan's turned glassy. He knew he should intervene, but he didn't know how. Jean was more powerful than him, her dark side still hated him and if she attacked him while she was connected to Logan, it would damage the mutant, too.
Everyone remained silent and watched how Jean's face became tensed while she read the information in Logan's mind. This one stared at her like a frozen statue and didn't blink once. She felt how her wrist began to tickle first, but soon turned into a burning fire before she had to grit her teeth as the pain overwhelmed her. After she could tell that her bones had knit back together she instantly withdraw, not caring about the other wounds. Shakily, she held her wrist in a firm grip and shut her eyes tightly, while Logan shook his head and blinked several times to get rid of the drunk feeling he suddenly had. Seeing that she was shaking and whimpering while she grabbed her wrist hard, he frowned. "What's wrong?" he asked and made her look at him, seeing the tears in her eyes.
"Is that always hurting so much?" she asked through clenched teeth and he quickly helped her over to a stool.
"Yeah," Logan nodded. "What do ya think? It's bones that knit back together. 'f course that hurts like hell… Why else do ya think I sometimes sleep for days while healin'?" He looked at her for a moment. "What about the rest?"
"No, thanks," Jean waved off, still trying to control the immense pain that rushed through her bones.
"Then let me do that," he grunted and cupped her face carefully before he began to lick on the cuts.
"What is he doing now?" Scott asked and bent forward a bit just to give Hank a questioning look next.
"Healing her wounds, I suppose," the mutant replied. "I ran a test on him that proved that his healing capability lies also in his salvia. He's capable of healing small wounds with it." Thinking about Canada, Hank added, "…and larger wounds with his blood…" He watched how Logan let go of Jean and walked over to the fridge to pull out a bottle with water.
"Here," he said and handed it to her. "You've about 15 seconds to drink something and if I were you I'd try to drink as much as possible."
"Why?" Jean asked him drowsily.
"Just do it," Logan said and helped her with it, before he put the bottle aside.
"Why did you say that?" she asked, realizing that she suddenly had trouble speaking. He quickly leapt forward when she suddenly dropped forward.
"What's wrong with her?" Ororo shrieked and Hank was about to check on her pulse, when Logan waved off.
"The site effect of knittin' bones back together," he simply said and pulled his unconscious wife up. "We're off then."
"But it's New Year's Eve today, Logan!" Moira said. "You can't just go to bed…"
"Well, if she wakes up before midnight, we come down again, so what?" he shrugged and left to make his way to their room. Reaching them, he laid her gently down and began to undress her. The scents still lingered on her skin and it disgusted him to smell his arch nemesis and son on her. He was still angry with her being so thoughtless. They could have killed her or even taken her with them to turn her into one of Apocalypse servants. Logan walked over to the bath room to cool a cloth and take a dry towel with him, before he went back to clean her skin. He glanced at the watch that showed 8:15 p.m. and knew that she would sleep through till the early morning if not even longer. Having experienced his healing factor for the first time and with her body not being used to it, he remembered what it had probably done to her. Back then, after his father had been shot and his mutation had kicked in, he'd felt like drugged for days and only wanted to sleep. After he'd dressed her in one of his shirts and tucked her in, Logan gave her a soft kiss onto the forehead and left the room to check on his children. All of them were deeply asleep and even Miloh didn't notice that he walked past him. As he entered Jamie's room, he noticed that the boy was awake. "Not sleepin' again, hm?" Logan asked and shook his head.
Later, a few minutes before midnight, he stood on the balcony with his hands buried in his pockets and listened to the others talking in the garden. While he stared up into the sky, he wondered what the next year would bring and hoped that they wouldn't face a war soon. He heard how his friends began to count from 10 backwards and soon they cheered. The fireworks lit the dark sky and Logan turned around to check if he'd really closed the door behind him, just to give a surprised look. "I thought you're sleepin'," he said when Jean came closer on shaky feet.
"I just woke up," she said drowsily and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I feel like having one big hangover."
Chuckling he pulled her closer with his arms. "Happy New Year, darlin'," Logan whispered and kissed her.
"Mhm," Jean made and rested her head against his chest, just to closer her eyes next.
"And no stupid solo efforts next year, got that?" he warned and she barely managed to nod.
"Do you mind if we do the tradition tomorrow?" she mumbled into his chest and Logan chuckled again.
"No…," he said and pulled her up again to carry her back inside. "I can assure ya, darlin', ya won't be able to do it tomorrow, too."
"Hm…," Jean made and he could tell that she was already fast asleep again. Logan closed the door with one arm and went back to the bedroom, where he laid her down first before he got ready for bed. After slipping under the covers next to her, he placed a gentle kiss onto her neck and cuddled up to her from behind.
"Hey, where is Logan?" Bobby asked two days later and held the receiver close while he looked into the round in Charles office. The others had gathered there to talk about the next term and to say goodbye to the Alpha Flight team that wanted to fly back to Canada later that day.
"He's in the gym with our children and teaches them how to use their powers," Jean replied and looked up from the schedule for the next term. "Why? Is something wrong?"
"There is a guy on the phone," the younger man explained with – as everyone else noticed – a helpless look on his face. "I don't understand him, but I understood that he wants to speak to Logan…"
"What do you mean you don't understand him?" Scott asked.
"Well I think he speaks Chinese or something…"
"But how can you be sure then that he wants to talk to Logan?!"
"Because that was the only word I got," Bobby said. "Except of course his name means something else in Asia that is…"
"He's on his way," Jean said and it didn't take long for her husband to appear in the door, fully dressed in his casual work-out clothing.
"What?" Logan said rather gruffly and wiped the sweat off his face with the white towel around his neck.
"Here," Bobby said. "Either this one wants to order Chinese food that has your name, or he wants to talk to you." He handed him the receiver and leant back against the wall. After being the bearer he also wanted to know if there really was Chinese food that was called Logan.
"Yeah?" this one said and closed the door behind him. Being watched by the others, they saw how he began to furrow his brows first before he switched to a language they didn't understand. Jean met his gaze briefly and nodded after he told her who it was and what was wrong mentally. It didn't take long and he let the receiver sink.
"So?" Bobby asked and looked at the man from aside. "A food order or not?"
"Logan what's wrong?" the redhead asked since she noticed the odd look on his face. "What did Ken want?"
"Ken?!" Ororo asked.
"Sinister's in Japan," Logan grunted and finally looked up. "He was spotted there close to Jasmine Falls. Sabretooth, Daken and a third man are with him."
"So what are we waiting for?" Scott asked. "Let's get dressed."
"No…"
"No? Why not? It's our chance to start a surprise attack from afar," he suggested. "If we attack them from air, they can't block our powers and we have a real chance."
"Yeah?" Logan asked ironically with a cocked eyebrow. "Remember when we flew to Canada? The result was that he had my son and that the junior team was killed. Maybe he wants to lure us away and start another attack. We don't know if he has another team waitin' here for us to leave."
Hank nodded. "True."
"Nevertheless, we could really start an air raid," Ororo disagreed. "I could attack them with my powers…" Still, Logan shook his head. "It's our chance to get our hands on Sinister, Logan."
"You don't really think it'll be that easy, do ya?"
"No, but I agree with Scott that we have a chance here and we should make use of this opportunity. We're in the air, they can't attack us there and if needed, we can be back at the mansion within a few hours."
"And these few hours can be t'late, Storm," Logan gave back and crossed his arms.
"Then let's split the team," Scott said. "A few of us go, the others watch over the mansion in the meanwhile."
"I could also call the Alpha Flight Team," James offered. "Puck and the others can be here in about an hour. We come with you and our second team guards the school with the rest of your team in the meanwhile."
"Good point," Scott nodded.
"You should also check on your old home again, Logan," the Professor said and received a confused look from the mutant. "Sinister or one of Apocalypse's men had been there. So maybe they left something else besides the laptop."
"I ain't gonna go back there, Chuck," Logan shook his head. "Forget about that!"
"I know you don't feel comfortable with it," Charles tried to soothe him. "But I am sure that they may have used the estate before you were lured there. You know the place, so you can tell if there's something odd or unusual."
"I don't want to go there," the other man said again, but this time in a low growl.
"It was you who told us that sometimes we have to do things we don't like to do," Scott lectured him. "If it helps us, Logan, then we go there and try to find out more."
"Do ya sit on your ears or what?!" his opposite snapped. "I said I ain't goin' there so I ain't goin' there!"
"But…"
"Scott, you don't know what the place does to him," Jean intervened.
"Still we need to find out more about Sinister," Scott disagreed. "And if it helps us, then we should go there…"
"Scott is right," Ororo nodded. "If they really hide something then why not in a place we wouldn't go looking. Sabretooth must know that you don't want to go back there, so why shouldn't they use this?" She held Logan's gaze for a moment. "I, and I think we all, can understand that you don't want to go back… But maybe it helps us, Logan…"
Not saying anything at all for a while he kept his eyes on the ground while the others waited for a reaction. "The kids are stayin' here and I call Peter, Matt and Elektra for help, too. We won't leave until the mansion is really safe, got that?" he grunted and turned around to leave.
"Have you ever considered calling old students?" Hank asked the Professor. "I'm sure they'll help, too."
"I already did, Hank," Charles replied. "Banshee and his daughter Siryn have agreed on helping us. Angel wants to come as soon as he can, too." He turned to James. "How many members does your team have?"
"The A-Team has six, including the three of us, the second team has nine so far," the man replied and received a nod.
"How well are they trained?" Logan demanded to know.
"Good enough to protect the school," Heather said. "If you want I go and call them. In that way they can be here in about an hour and we'd have a second jet."
"Good," he nodded and turned around to leave. "I want my team ready within 60 minutes. And I call someone else…"
"Does this count Remy in, too?" the Cajun asked but Scott shook his head. "Why not? Remy can help."
"I think he wants you here," Ororo replied and got up. "Same goes for Kurt and Mystique, I think."
"But wouldn't it be wiser to take them with us, too?" Scott asked and nodded at Bobby and Jubilee. "They can attack from afar…"
"Yes, but we need people here that can attack from afar, too," Jean said and got up. "I think it'll be the best if the others are brought to the basement and the school is shut down."
"I think you're right," the Professor nodded. "I will tell all students to head for the basement. The school will be locked down as soon as the jet took off."
The X-Men waited in the garden and watched how Logan gave Spiderman, Daredevil and Elektra instructions on what to do in case of an emergency. "Didn't you say you wanted to call someone else?" Scott asked when his teammate joined them again. "I only see three of them…" As an answer Logan pointed to the wood behind him. "Oh, you called trees… Nice!"
"Funny," Logan growled and shot a glare at him. "Cap and his Avengers are patrollin' the wood, Pete…," he explained as he suddenly smirked. "I already wondered where ya are, girl."
"Sorry," a dark haired woman smiled and hugged him. "It took me a while. So, where're Steve and the others?"
"In the wood," he replied and she nodded. "But can ya patrol the roof with Pete and Matt together?"
"Sure. Where are they?" she asked as Scott suddenly waved.
"It's great to see that they help us, but…," the man said and pointed at her. "Who's she now?!"
"Jessica Drew," she said and shook his hand. "And you are?"
"Scott Summers," he replied and she nodded.
"Logan," Jean called and he turned and saw that she was pointing to some lights in the air.
"Puck asks where he can land the jet," James said and held a phone in his hand.
"He flies that thing?!" Logan asked and cocked an eyebrow. "Does he even reach the…"
"Logan!" Heather warned and he quickly raised both hands.
"Tell him to just land the thing. The garden is big enough," he grunted and James gave his a brief nod. "Oh and Jean…"
"No way, Logan!" she instantly said and crossed her arms.
"But…"
"I said no!" she repeated and turned around.
Having watched the scene Jessica giggled. "Let me guess… She's your girl?"
"How can ya tell?" Logan asked jokingly and cocked an eyebrow.
"Oh…," she shrugged. "Because I know that only your girl can butter you down without risking to me eaten alive perhaps," she joked and received a growl. "Never mind. I join Pete and Matt then. Good luck!"
Scott watched how she easily ascended the roof. "I'm not mistaken that she was your girl once, too?" he asked and received a smirk.
"Wrong!"
"She wasn't?" he teased him. "How come? Doesn't she like men, is she too small, too thin, the hair too dark?"
"Shut up, Cyke!" Logan growled and turned his head when the jet's engines were shut down. It didn't take long for the hatch to open and soon some people exited it. He only saw a very small, round shadow coming closer at full speed, before someone bumped into him and clung to him. "Damn, Puck… Stop squeezin' me t'death! Logan chuckled and hugged the man back. "It's good to see ya, too and now let go of me…"
"I thought you were dead or something," the small man complained and gave him a good kick against the shin. "Damn you!"
"And who are they?" Scott asked and had watched the scene with arms crossed.
Sighing, Logan gave him a look and turned back to the three Alpha Flight members. "May I introduce Mr. Curiosity himself, Scott Summers. The man who keeps a diary on me."
"Must be thick by now…," a man of average height and with long black hair said.
"Thanks Michael," Logan grunted and turned back to Scott. "That are Michael Twoyoungmen aka Shaman, Walter Langkowski aka Sasquatch and Eugene Milton Judd aka Puck. And the guys over there are the rest of the team." Scott nodded and greeted them briefly.
"So, how do we do it?" James asked and gave Logan a questioning look. "Team A takes the second jet and comes with you. Where do you want Team B to get into position?"
"Throughout the mansion so that the block the way to the basement," Logan replied and the man nodded, just to turn around and head for the waiting mutants. He then turned and looked at his team. The decision of who would stay and who would come with them was a hard one. In both places, mutants with powers that could reach an enemy from afar were needed. He knew that. He also knew that both teams had to be equally strong. Looking at his team members who waited for him to say something, he crossed his arms. "Bobby, Kitty, Jubilee, Peter to the basement," he said.
"Why can't we come with you?" Jubilee complained.
"Because I say so!" he grunted and gave them a sign to leave. "Cyke, Hank, 'Ro come with me. Remy and Kurt stay here." The two men nodded and headed back inside. "And Jean…"
"I come with you, Logan," the woman said again.
"I want ya to stay here."
"But I don't!"
"I don't care," he gave back. "I know you're the strongest one, but first you were injured only two days ago, second we agreed that one of us stays with the kids."
She heaved a deep breath. "Logan, we have a whole army here right now. The school will be locked down as soon as we take off and as far as I know it's four horsemen and obviously three of them are in Japan."
"Still leaves one here and we don't know if the third one is really a horseman," Logan shot back.
"The two of you are arguing again?" Heather asked and joined them. "Why now?"
"Logan wants her to stay here and she doesn't," Ororo shrugged. "Usual discussion!"
Walking over to her, Logan pulled Jean aside. "I don't have a good feelin' if you come with us…," he said worriedly. "Please stay here…"
She looked briefly down to think about it and shook her head. "My feelings tell me that I have to be there… And I go crazy here if I don't know what happens in Japan." She briefly stroked over his chest that was covered in his old leather uniform. "I'm coming with you. Everything will be fine, trust me!"
"I don't think so," he replied and looked at her hands that still rested on his chest.
"He has a girl?" Puck asked in disbelief and nudged James' right leg.
"Not only that," Heather smiled mysteriously and the man frowned.
"What else?!" he asked and looked up at her. "Come on, tell me!" He groaned since she didn't answer and looked at Logan, who came closer again with Jean behind him.
"Is everyone ready?" he asked and received nods. "Good. Board your jet, we get ours." With that he turned around and put his gloves on. It was then than Puck became pale and his chin dropped.
"I see you figured it out," Narya smiled and pushed him over to their jet, where James gave the second team more instructions. A few minutes later, the basketball field moved aside and the X-Wing rose into the air. From the front, Logan watched the school was locked down and also saw Spiderman and Spider-woman waving at them. A look to the right told him that Shaman and Puck had moved their jet right next to them and he gave them their old sign to follow them. A nod told him that they had understood and he watched Avalanche 1 fell behind.
"Is their jet as fast as ours?" Storm asked and received a brief nod. "Okay, then let's go." She typed in the coordinates, gave James a short notice and made use of a button that pushed the jet to its limits. She gave Logan a brief look from aside afterwards. "Is something wrong?" she asked, but he shook his head. "It's not because of your fear of flying, is it?" she asked concerned.
"No," Logan grunted and turned to give Jean, who looked out of the window, a look. He couldn't help it, but he felt scared. His senses kept on telling him that something was wrong, that something would happen to her. When she felt that he was staring holes into her, Jean switched her eyes to him and he looked away. She'd told him that everything would be fine, but he doubted it. Finally turning around again, Logan fixed his eyes on his left hand and turned unconsciously the rings on his finger through the gloves…
I end that chapter here, so you will get the mean cliffie with the next chapter. ; ) Thanks to all reviewers. I'm glad you liked the last one. I will try to finish the next chapter soon. Hope it works. : ) See ya and please review!!!