Special Note: Everyone, say hello to Morgomir, who has been on a marathon read of all my stories...:) This chapter's dedicated to you...:)
Interlude: Cyclops
Mack was the only casualty of our first frontal assault on Colcord's army, but it was one too many. I don't care what she said, there had to have been some way to save her. What's the point of seeing the future if we can't change it? Sarah tried to understand why I took it so hard, but as much as I love her and she loves me, she really didn't understand this one. No, I didn't really like Mack very much. She struck me as stubborn, impulsive and a bit reckless. In fact, she reminded me of Logan and, to some extent, Angela. But Mack didn't have a healing factor to save her, yet she threw herself in front of that guy and let him kill her to save me. She said she knew it was going to happen and that it had to happen that way, that I had to be saved. I didn't understand that, don't understand that, but she's not here for me to ask.
The other teams fared better, in that no one died. Polaris came back with a nasty bump on her head, Kurt sprained his wrist and his tail got broken, and Mystique and Gambit both came back with ugly stab wounds that required us to call Dr. Endicott to assist with sewing them back up. The rest of the Omega squads had various minor bumps and bruises, but we'd accomplished our goal and stopped the army. This time.
Evie continues to feed us information, though I still don't like the idea of her being as involved in this whole thing. She's so young and the things she must be seeing...I can't imagine how she deals with it. But Charles has put the word out to find us another adult precog to come and help her with her powers, though no one's answered the call as yet. Maybe they've all seen something and don't want to be here when it happens. Or maybe they don't want to put themselves in the same position that Mack found herself in, I don't know. Either way, we're on our own here, for the most part. It takes a certain kind of person to be a hero, something that goes even deeper than having special powers. Compassion is part of it, bravery another part, but most of all it takes a willingness to sacrifice oneself for something greater. Mack taught me that more than anything the Professor ever said. A woman who obviously didn't like me, that I wasn't fond of myself, gave her life for mine because she said she had to. I don't know what that means. I may never know what that means. But from now on, every battle I fight, every enemy I take down, I'm doing it for her.
I never thought I would understand why Logan and Angela feel such a need for vengeance. Now I do.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Chapter 21
(Logan)
Baltimore:
The X-Men defeated two dozen Sentinels and a hundred and ten Weapon X soldiers. Atlas, Wolfsbane, Siryn and Sunfire wounded, none severely.
Seattle:
X-Men took out ten Sentinels and ninety-three Weapon X soldiers. Jubilee and Beast wounded. Jubilee taken off active duty to recover, but she'll be fine in a couple weeks.
Houston:
Faced off against fourteen Sentinels and eighty-six Weapon X soldiers. Angel, Iceman, Seth and Magneto wounded. Learned the hard way that Elixir can reattach limbs. Good thing there won't be a scar, Angela would kill me.
Detroit:
Fought eight Sentinels and found location of Master Mold. Took out sixty-one Weapon X soldiers. Can't figure out how they're keeping them under control in the face of these odds. No injuries this time.
Miami:
Still way too fucking hot down here. X-Men defeated nine Sentinels, seventy-five Weapon X soldiers and destroyed Master Mold. It was hidden underwater eighty miles offshore. Had to have Storm come on that one, but since Angela's officially too pregnant for the field, she had a good babysitter. Echo, Time Bomb, Wild Child and Simon wounded. But since Elixir's back, it doesn't matter. Minor injuries still going to Hank, with Josh handling the most severe cases only.
Washington DC:
Multiple Man filled the White House with enough copies to fool the infrared scanners the army brought with them, but the President and all the real people that are supposed to be there were long gone by the time the Weapon X assholes showed up. Destroyed what we believe to be the last of the giant Sentinels, all four of them, and about six of the smaller ones. Not sure how many of those are left. Killed fifty-nine Weapon X soldiers. No injuries, technically, though we did learn that if one of Jamie's copies dies, it doesn't seem to affect him. Hank's fascinated, though admits he doesn't want to go out of his way to explore the development. By my count, Colcord's only got about half the soldiers he started with, counting the damage we did with our first strike. Didn't realize that many had retreated, or else he's rolling more out that haven't been completely augmented. Either way, I think we might just pull this off.
San Diego:
X-Men: Many, Weapon X: None. Took out fourteen Sentinels and eighty-four soldiers. Storm took a minor gunshot to her upper right arm and Atlas nearly had a coronary. I'm pretty sure he survived the fight that followed after he told her she "wasn't allowed" to go out anymore, but I haven't actually seen him since either. Might have to go check on him to be sure. Shadowcat, Hellion and Cyclops also injured. One-Eye will have to stay out of the next one. He's pissed.
Toronto:
Now I'm beyond pissed. It was bad enough hitting the states, but now he's after my stomping ground and that's a can of worms he should have never fucking opened. Destroyed a dozen Sentinels and seventy-seven soldiers, most of them all by myself. Rogue complained that I wasn't leaving her anything to do, but that's just the me in her head talking. I'm actually sorry that so many of the X-Men have had to learn how to kill, but I think they finally understand that some people can't be helped, others just don't want to be. And as fucking psycho as most of these soldiers have been, it's made me wonder how Colcord picks them. It can't be random, because he'd have grabbed a lot more than he's got. Did he always pick people that had no problem killing? If that's true, what's it say about me?
Montreal:
I'll kick them all out of Canada if it's the last thing I do. Took out eleven Sentinels and eighty soldiers. Mystique, Polaris, Simon, Nightcrawler and Jubilee were all injured, Mystique and Simon will have to sit the next one out. I guess I technically got hurt too - getting flash-fried by some dickhead that breathes fire will do that - but all the skin had grown back by the time we got home. Simon ratted me out anyway.
Los Angeles:
Bastard decided to try pulling out all the stops this time. We rose to the occasion, even without Metal Boy and the blue bitch. Fifty-five Sentinels, reduced to scrap between Magneto, Polaris and me. Three hundred fifty-two soldiers in much the same shape thanks to Atlas, Colossus, Magneto, Polaris, Totem and me. Still no sign of Colcord. Not like I've been hiding. No one can figure out what the hell he's waiting for, not even Evie. And that worries me most of all.
New York City:
Forty-one Sentinels, an even hundred soldiers. Don't like him this close to home. Have to ask Evie to try to see what he's up to again. Maybe that's the point - maybe he's not actively planning something and this was all on paper so long ago that we're being dumb looking forward. Maybe we should see if she can look back and see what's going to happen next.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Logan, come to bed," Angela said sleepily. "You can write it all down in the morning."
"There's somethin' we've been missin'," I replied, not looking up from the laptop, "an' I can't help but think I can figure it out if I look it all over at once."
"It'll still be there tomorrow. Come on, I'm cold."
I smirked and turned to her. "Darlin', it's July."
"And the air conditioning is a little too enthusiastic. I'm freezing my nipples off here."
"Well, we can't have that." I closed the laptop and crossed over to the bed, shedding clothes along the way. I climbed in beside her and she snuggled up to me, her growing belly pressed up against me. I put my hand over it, just barely able to feel the movements in there and smiled. "He's busy tonight."
"He's pissing me off," she grumbled. "Evie was on a much better schedule, sleeping when I wanted to sleep, eating when I was hungry. This little guy's definitely a lot more like you."
"God, I hope not. Poor thing won't have a chance with an ugly mug like this." She slapped me on the shoulder and I chuckled. "Still don't know what ya see in me."
"Just be glad I see it. Otherwise you'd still be wandering the world, boozing and whoring."
"Ah, the good ol' days." She growled and slapped me again and I laughed out loud, grabbing her gently and pulling her into a kiss. "I'm jokin' tiger. I wouldn't trade what I have here anythin' in the world."
"You mean that?" I nodded and she kissed me again. "I just love the hell out of you."
"Mm, I love you too, darlin'."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I came awake all at once with a prickling feeling in my scalp. Something wasn't right and I couldn't figure out what it was. I strained my ears but I couldn't hear anything, so I reached carefully over Angela and picked up the internal com to buzz the security office. "Hey, it's Logan."
"Hey Wolvie," Jubilee said. "What's up?"
"I dunno. Just got a bad feelin' all o' a sudden. Check the cameras for me, would ya?"
"Sure thing, but I just checked everything five minutes ago and there wasn't anyth…whoa."
I sat straight up and Angela grumbled in her sleep. "What?"
"I've got movement on the north perimeter, but it doesn't make sense."
"Whattaya mean?"
"I mean plants and stuff are moving, but there's no one there."
I growled low in my chest. "Call the alert, get the kids in the Danger Room an' suit up, now!"
"But Wolvie, it's probably just…"
"Just fuckin' do it!" I shouted and threw the com down. Angela was fully awake and already tossing the blankets aside. "Get your ass down in the Danger Room."
"No fucking way!" She snapped. "Not here, not in my home!"
"I ain't got time to argue with ya! Get the girls an' get in there or I'll knock ya out myself." I crossed to the closet where we both had spare suits hanging. All the X-Men had spares in their rooms, just in case.
"You wouldn't."
"Try me." I slammed the doors open and started pulling on the black leather suit, already working out a defense strategy in my head. Once dressed, I grabbed the boots and gloves and sat down on the edge of the bed to put the shoes on. "I ain't gonna risk you or that baby. If they get that far, I know you'll mix it up, but there ain't no reason for ya to go outta you're way, all right?"
"I'll get you for this," she grumbled, but pulled on a pair of sweats and one of her silly maternity tops.
"I'm sure ya will, but it ain't gonna be today." I pulled the gloves on and zipped up my sleeves, then grabbed her and kissed her hard. "Now get outta here, get the girls to safety."
"I love you," she whispered, pressing her forehead to mine for a moment before rushing to Evie's room. Less than five seconds later she came back out clutching our daughter's hand.
I picked her up and hugged her fiercely. "You keep an eye on your mom, ya hear me princess?"
She nodded and kissed me. "I love you Daddy. Be careful."
"I love you too." I put her down and she took Angela's hand again. "Now go!" They dashed out of the room into the hallway, where senior students were already leading knots of kids downstairs. A couple of those older kids would be joining us, but not until everyone who needed to be hidden away was safe. Angela opened the door to Laura and Rachel's room and gathered them up before stopping at Storm and Sam's room to collect Jade. The five of them rushed to the elevator and disappeared from sight.
I ran down the front stairs to the entrance hall where most of Alpha and Beta team were already waiting. "Logan, what's going on?" Kitty asked.
"They're comin'," I replied as the rest of Beta and half of Delta showed up.
"What?" Scott asked. "Are you sure?"
"Even if he isn't, I am," Chuck said from behind me and we all turned. "They've decided to make their last stand here."
"Last stand is right," Bobby said, his entire body icing over. "I'm sick of these people destroying my home. Not again."
I nodded once and looked everyone over. "They started this war an' we're gonna finish it."
"How should we deploy?" Angel asked, his mouth set in a grim line.
"Is Bedlam back yet?"
"Right here!" He said, running up the stairs from the lower level. "Just got back tonight actually." He grinned, clearly looking forward to this fight. "What should I fuck up first?"
Gamma team and those senior students we had previously decided would be useful finally joined us and I took a deep breath. "All right, I want Nightcrawler, Sage, Colossus, Jubilee an' Multiple Man to stay inside. Seth an' Simon too. You'll be the last line o' defense if they get through us outside. Sage, you're in charge o' the squad. The rest o' Alpha, out back."
"Wait a second, who said you were in charge here?" Scott asked sounding annoyed.
"Oh, I ain't gonna be in charge o' all of 'em Scooter," I said. "I just want Alpha Three."
"Alpha Three?"
"Beta, Delta an' Gamma, form up with Cyke here," I said, looking them over once more. "'Cept I want Cannonball, Husk an' Polaris. You'll be Alpha One this time. Mystique, you stay in with 'em. An' it might help if ya looked like me."
"Sure thing Wolverine," she said as she shifted to mimic me.
"Why are you having her do that?" One of the Gamma kids said, a girl named Tabitha Smith.
"So they don't know which is the real one," Xavier said, nodding his approval. "I assume you'll want me in Cerebro."
I nodded. "An' be ready on a moment's notice to mindblast everyone out there."
"Very well." He thumbed the control on his chair and left for the elevator.
I looked over the teams one more time and took a deep breath. "We've dicked 'round long enough. Coms on everyone, let's get this show on the road."
Alpha Two took off and Scott told his team to form up out front. I started to move out with my team, but he stopped me. "Logan, why?"
"Why what?"
"How come we're all using the Alpha designation? And why give me the kids?"
"Cyke, I dunno when ya looked at 'em last, but they ain't kids anymore, none of 'em. They've grown up over these past few weeks an' now their home's in jeopardy again. They're all full X-Men now, graduated or not."
"But…"
"No, we ain't got time for this! Just trust me, I know what I'm doin' here. Ya got a damn fine squad out there an' they'll fight like hell to save this place." I clapped him on the shoulder. "Now go, you're in charge o' all o' us. I'm just a squad leader on this one."
He nodded and went after his team. I activated my com and joined mine out in back. "Husk, you can do adamantium, right?" She nodded. "Good. As soon as ya see anythin', I want ya to metal up an' stay that way long as ya can. As for the rest o' ya, if ya can fly I want ya in the air five minutes ago. Everyone else spread out an' find cover if ya need it. Gambit, Atlas an' Bedlam, with me."
The team scattered, finding the positions that would allow them to best use their powers. I jerked my head to the three with me and started walking across the lawn. "Wolverine, mon ami, what are we doin'?" Gambit asked, his staff already charged.
"Goin' into the trees to where Jubilee saw the disturbance," I replied. "They gotta know we're deployin' full teams, but they don't know who's gonna be where. I'm hopin' to draw 'em out, get 'em to chase us to the lawn where they won't have cover."
"An' you plan to do that how?"
I grinned and popped my claws. "I'm gonna piss 'em off."
We were about twenty feet into the trees when my com crackled. "Base to Wolverine." Angela said.
"Hellcat! Dahell you doin'? Why ain't you in the Danger Room?"
"I am," she replied, sounding distressed. "Buzz set up secondary communications in here. We have a problem."
"What?"
"Phoenix is missing."
I stopped in my tracks and Atlas nearly ran me over. "Repeat?"
"Phoenix is missing. I had her with me when we got down here, but I just did a head count and she's gone."
I swore softly and the three with me all looked at me curiously. "Where could she have gone?"
"I don't know and the Professor can't find her either, says she's blocking him."
"Can't he find her that way?"
"Apparently not. Wolverine, we can't leave her out there!"
I was about to reply when an electronic voice boomed through the air. "Mutant DNA detected. Mutant one-eight-six, code-name Wolverine. Initiating termination protocols." What the fuck! "Hellcat, there's no time! I'll keep an eye out, but shit's hittin' the fan out here! Out!" I heard it before I saw it, one of the small Sentinels flying overhead. Since when did they fly? "Down!" I shouted to the others as I dove into the trees. They followed suit just in time as a missile impacted the earth right where we'd been standing and exploded.
"Mutant DNA detected. Mutant two-one-seven, code-name Atlas. Mutant powers superhuman strength and endurance. Initiating capture protocols." Another Sentinel flew overhead as I heard the first one coming in for another pass and I cursed under my breath.
"Atlas! Get rid o' that thing!" I shouted. "I'm gonna lead the other one back to the lawn!"
"Affirmative!" He replied and I took off back towards the mansion. Right on cue, the first Sentinel changed course to follow me.
"Mutant DNA detected. Mutant two-two-six, code-name Gambit. Mutant power energy generation. Initiating capture protocols." It all became clear to me in that moment. The X-Men had destroyed most of Colcord's army and now he wanted to capture them and remake them. Except me and probably Angela.
"Mutant DNA detected. Mutant one-nine-eight, code-name Bedlam. Mutant powers electrical disruption and energy sensing. Initiating countermeasures and capture protocols." I broke out on the lawn and saw that the rest of the team was already engaged. Behind me, I heard the sound of something crackling and chanced a glance over my shoulder just in time to watch as a tree flew out of the woods and straight into one of the flying Sentinels – Atlas heaving the nearest weapon he could find. I kept running, looking for some way to get on a level with the thing when something rushed past me so fast I barely had time to register who or what it was. But the whoop I heard told me all I needed to know; it was Cannonball. "Mutant DNA detected. Mutant two-four-sev…" The voice was suddenly cut off when he impacted with the Sentinel and it broke apart, parts of it flying everywhere.
"Alpha One to Alpha Three, come in!" Cyclops said.
"Alpha Three, copy!" I replied.
"We've got Sentinels everywhere!" I could hear him firing his beams even as he spoke. "One for each of us!"
"Roger that! Wolverine to Magneto!"
"Yes?" He replied.
"Get out front an' assist Alpha One!"
"As you wish." I watched as he flew overhead, casually swatting a Sentinel out of the air as he went by. It crashed to the ground, disabled but not destroyed. I stalked over to it and it started its spiel about me even as I started clawing it to pieces. I don't know what a "termination protocol" is, but it didn't get far enough to employ it. I heard a loud thud behind me and turned just as another Sentinel landed. It too started its speech and I launched myself at it. A laser shot out of its eyes and I barely managed to dodge, rolling out of the way and coming up on my feet just to the left of it. It turned to fire again and I rolled under the beam this time, my claws ripping into the shell. It continued to go on about "termination protocols", but I shoved my claws into its head and shredded the main processor and it fell to the ground in a useless heap.
"Alpha Two to any other Alpha!" Sage shouted.
"Copy Alpha Two!" I shouted as Scott did the same.
"We have hostiles inside! Repeat, hostiles inside!"
Fuck! The Sentinels must have been a distraction. "Affirmative," I replied, "on my way! Storm, you're in charge out here!"
"Roger Wolverine," she replied coolly even as I heard the crack of thunder, followed by the sound of something large hitting the ground.
I took off towards the house at a run, wondering what I would find when I got inside. I hit the doors and went right through the glass, not that I cared that much and I heard the sounds of fighting in the hall just off the lounge. I rounded the corner and saw Mystique, Sage and Nightcrawler fending off at least eight Weapon X soldiers. As soon as they saw me, they paused for just a second, looking between me and Mystique, then back again. "Surprise," I said and leapt into the fray.
I gotta hand it to her. For a psycho bitch, Mystique sure had my fighting style down, which is as different from hers as it could get. Even more impressive was how she could anticipate what I was going to do and perform a move that complimented it perfectly. It still wouldn't save her from a good killing someday, but she'd been fighting by our sides for weeks on end and had given no indication that she planned to stab us in the backs. I'd never trust the bitch, but I found that I did respect her.
"Nightcrawler!" I barked as I slashed my claws across the eyes of a woman with dark brown fur and a long tail. "Get to the dart guns!"
"Roger!" He replied and teleported away. The stinky cloud he left behind momentarily choked another soldier and I took advantage of that to shove my claws in his belly. The elf returned a moment later and without hesitation he took aim and fired. It hit the guy I'd just stabbed in the upper arm and he snarled and pulled it out, tossing it aside. But the damage was already done and I ripped my claws out to the side. He grinned coldly for a split second, then realized he wasn't healing and his expression changed to one of horror. I lashed out again and removed his arm at the elbow – no adamantium in this guy – and he let out a strangled scream before falling to the floor.
More soft puffs followed as Nightcrawler continued to dart the opposition. None of them were as stupid as I could have wished. Having seen what happened to their comrade after being darted, they beat a hasty retreat out of the house. Mystique and Sage took off in pursuit and I turned to Kurt. "Nice goin', Elf," I said, clapping him on the back. "How many o' those did ya grab?"
He opened up the long coat he wore with his uniform, exposing three two-holster harnesses underneath. "All of them," he replied with a grin.
"Great! Get 'em outside to at least Rogue, Echo an' Sunfire."
"As you vish," he said and bamfed away.
"Wolverine to Storm," I said into my com. "Status?"
"Storm here," she replied calmly, even though I could still hear thunder. "Sentinels almost all destroyed, but have hostiles coming in from all sides!"
"Copy that. Nightcrawler on the way with the special weapons.'
"Affirmative. You coming back?"
"Ya think I'd miss all the fun?" I replied and took off back outside. I got out on the patio and skidded to a halt, amazed at the sight before me. At least a hundred and fifty soldiers were coming in from the woods and over the walls, engaging the X-Men in groups of as many as ten on one. I snarled and dashed towards the nearest group, my claws reflecting the flashes from Storm's lightning bolts. Soldiers came at me from all sides, dropping the fights they were already engaged in to try and get a piece of me. A guy with impossibly white skin tackled me and slashed at my face, opening cuts deep enough to expose the metal underneath. He raised his hand – fingers really just five long white spikes – but I grabbed his shirt and gave him a brutal head butt before tossing him off me. I leapt back to my feet and received a kick to the gut from another soldier. I lashed down with my claws and grunted as they met with adamantium bones. But the woman screamed and fell anyway, the wounds knitting back together – she'd not been darted yet, obviously – and she was replaced by another guy who topped me by more than a foot. I shamelessly kicked him in the balls as hard as I could, elbowing him in the face as he went down, clutching himself. The woman got back up and literally flew at me, snarling. I raised my claws and slashed her open as she flew past and she fell again.
I fought my way across the lawn, kicking, punching and slashing a seemingly endless sea of enemies, until I reached a large group that had Totem pinned down. I had just come up behind one of the guys facing off with him when a bright flash exploded behind me and all the hair stood up on the back of my neck. Instinctively, I turned around and looked up, my mouth falling open at what I saw. At first, I wasn't sure who it was. The only students I'd ever seen covered in fire like that were Sunfire, who was already flying around overhead and Magma to some extent, who was out front with Scott's team. As soon as my eyes adjusted to the glare, I realized who it had to be: Phoenix.
She was up on the roof, flames licking over her body, her hands held out before her. 'Stop!' I heard in my mind and the soldiers froze in place, unable to move. All the other X-Men stopped and stared up at her.
Totem looked at me in shock. "Did you hear that, Wolverine?"
I nodded mutely, staring up at the little girl above us. 'I won't let you hurt them anymore!'
"You traitorous little bitch!" I heard from behind me and turned around to see none other than Malcolm Colcord burst through the trees accompanied by about a dozen normal human soldiers.
She turned her flame-filled gaze on him. 'Ah, my so-called father. I wondered where you were.'
"Shoot her!" Colcord barked to the men around him and they all aimed their weapons at her.
"No!" I shouted and took off at a run across the lawn, even though I knew I'd never make it before they could fire. But I figured I could at least kill them and avenge her, if nothing else.
But before I even closed half the distance, the weapons were ripped from their hands and tossed deep into the forest behind them. 'I don't think so,' I heard and I knew everyone could hear her too. 'Did you think you could lie to me? Did you think I couldn't see what you really thought of me, of all of us? Did you think because I was just a kid that I wouldn't get it?'
"I made you!" Colcord cried, walking towards the house. "You belong to me! You wouldn't even exist if it wasn't for me!"
'I belong to no one but me. And I exist because you wanted to see if you could do it. But you didn't know what you made when you made me. You never bothered to find out about her, but I did! I saw her when you brought me here, in the Professor's mind and I knew! And when I saw the others in his mind, Cyclops and Wolverine, Storm and Beast and even Atlas, I knew the truth!'
"You know nothing! You are mine, you hear me? Mine!"
'No, not anymore. Never again. I'd rather die.' The light behind me brightened and Colcord winced. 'But today is not my day to die. You, on the other hand, don't have much time left.' He stopped dead in his tracks, paralyzed by her telekinesis. 'Wolverine, he's all yours.'
I smiled coldly and stalked across the lawn. I vaguely heard people shouting behind me, but a roaring in my ears drowned out their voices, my vision coming over in a deep crimson like fresh-spilled blood. The human soldiers took a single step towards me, but stopped dead before flying back into the forest. I barely heard their grunts and screams as they impacted trees or the ground before becoming silent. "Alpha One to Wolverine, stand down!" I heard Scott shout into the com, so I ripped the thing out and tossed it aside. I didn't need his over-righteous bullshit in my head right now. Only one thing mattered to me – ripping this guy apart and scattering the pieces.
I reached Colcord and retracted the claws on my right hand, then grabbed him by his shirt. His eyes were wide, wild and he stank of fear. "No more, ya hear me!" I growled in his face. "Never again!"
"You can't stop it, Wolverine!" he shrieked. "Weapon X is everywhere! Kill me and someone else will just take my place!"
"Then they'll die. An' the next one. An' the next. I will never stop til you're all dead!" I shook him hard and he grunted in pain. "Ya hear me! Never!"
He laughed shrilly, on the edge of hysteria. "You can't stop us! We're everywhere! Everyone has their own Weapon X!"
"I'll hunt every one o' ya down. There's nowhere they can hide that I won't find 'em."
"You don't understand at all, do you Wolverine? It's only a matter of time before you all die anyway! Do you really believe this army is it? It's only the beginning!"
"An' it's the end! NO MORE!" I plunged my other claws into his chest and he gasped as I gave them a vicious twist. "No more." I dropped his body to the ground and retracted my claws. I turned to face the others and saw that Totem had come up behind me at some point. I smiled at him and wiped blood off my face with my forearm. "It's over, Kyro."
He shook his head almost sadly. "No, Logan-san. I fear it is only beginning."
I started to ask him what he meant when the bright light on the roof suddenly died. I snapped my head up in time to see Phoenix collapse in a heap. "No!" I shouted and started running towards the house. I ran right into Nightcrawler after only a few steps and I grabbed him by the coat. "Get me up there, now!" He didn't ask any questions, just took hold of me and in a single disorienting moment I was on the roof. Rachel lay up there, a thin trickle of blood coming out of her nose. I fell to my knees and gathered her into my arms, an eerie sense of déjà vu coming over me as I remembered doing the same for another young girl a little over ten years earlier. "C'mon kid, wake up," I whispered, my voice tight. "Don't do this, I can't help ya like I helped Rogue."
She whimpered and her eyes fluttered open. "Oh, my head hurts," she said weakly.
I breathed a sigh of relief and hugged her fiercely. "Jesus kid, don't do that to me again!" She gave a weak little laugh and I pulled away to look her over. "Dahell didja do that for? Why didn't ya stay with Angela?"
"I didn't want anyone to get hurt anymore." She sat up and rubbed her head again. "I don't think I'm ready to try that again though."
"I didn't know ya could do anythin' like that."
"Me either." I couldn't help but laugh and I hugged her again, then helped her to her feet.
I looked out over the lawn and saw that all the Weapon X soldiers had fallen where they stood and none of them was moving. "What happened to them?" I asked, looking down at her.
She looked up at me and a brief flicker of flame went through her eyes. "Nothing can live after the brain dies."
My eyes widened slightly as a chill went down my spine. Colcord really hadn't had any idea what he'd created when he made her. And now I wondered exactly what it was we had among us.
AN: Check that out! Two battles in a row:) Special thanks to my beta reader, Turiel Tincdaniel, for all of her hard work...Super Special thanks to all of my readers, just for reading...and Super Swanky Special thanks to my reviewers, who were Andromeda Jones, LifeBringsMeOnlyTears, theNightEnchantress and a new face, Morgomir! Miss Jones: Do you really think i'm gonna tell you if she's having twins or not? ;) Sam: Is this enough action for ya? ;-) Morgomir: Thank you so much for all of your kind words and reviews...:) If you want more info on my job, check out my LiveJournal! rowenadevandal DOT livejournal DOT com...i rant on there quite often about things that piss me off...:) Or make me laugh on occasion...:)
Now, i DO want to let you all know that this is the 2nd to last chapter...that's right, the next chapter finishes this story...but never fear! There's yet another one in the works, though if i'm not done with it by November 1st, it won't be finished until after December 1st due to NaNoWriMo...more info on that can be found in my profile and if any of you want to give it a shot, i've also set up a forum for us, the link for that is also in my profile...:)
Now why don't you follow Morgomir's fine example and drop me a line? Come on, it's the last chapter! Wouldn't you rather see it sooner than later:)