We spent the next few hours talking. I heard more than I said. She was, indeed, an ancient soul. And every memory she brought made my memories come back. I updated her as things were, now that Charlie knew I was with her, theoretically, he would speed up the plan ...
- He commented that tomorrow he will have a lecture at the United Nations. It will take all the bigger X-Men, including the villains whom they allied with there and threatened to do something with the children. I don't even know if it will be necessary anymore?
- Children? Logan, are you sure he'll take all the bad guys?
- Of course, Moira, no one will stay on the Island. No! One minute! Creed 'is in eternal punishment in the bowels of Krakoa, he was punished for killing unnecessarily... As if this were news...
- You mean he was taken out of sight, like me?
- But what does he gain by killing the children, red?
- Someone to blame? Krakoa can kill Creed after the attack, simulate that it was made by human beings, and then the blow is up!
- The entire summit says that we will not be the first to attack. But I think everyone is in agreement if the attack is to defend a massacre of mutant children! We have to get out of here!
- I thought you would never ask, Logan ...
"What?" - I think, with a face of total disbelief.
We walked to the backyard, there was a tool room, we entered it and I didn't see anything different, until she approached the tool bench and said to me:
- Will you help me out here, Wolvie?
I go to the table and we drag it, she takes out some bigger tools, imitates it and places it on the floor. With a crowbar, she starts to remove some boards from the wall and that's when I realize that the house was bigger on the outside and I grab the claws to help. She smiles and we both smile when we see a thriving portal on the back side that false wall.
"Is this going to be close to the coast, by any chance?"
She raises an eyebrow:
- Is there anything you don't know?
- My instinct led me to your scent, but I didn't see any portal over there, Moira. Neither me nor the crew on the Kitty ship.
- That is the intention, my dear. If it were easy to see, it wouldn't be an escape route, would it? You come?
- Wait, what's the plan again? You wouldn't have a flare gun around here, would you?
- The plan is to save the children, Logan! For that, you will need to fight the Sabretooth! - while saying this, she pointed to a part of the bench with two flare guns - Take both, will you?
- Are you sure? I 'm finding it too cliché... - and we threw ourselves on the portal, appearing on a slope close to the beach, where a waterfall line fell, conveniently hiding our arrival. Moira had to hold me by the collar of my shirt so I wouldn't fall down the slope.
- What's the signal for? One I want to use to destroy this portal. There's no turning back...
I pass the signal to her as I start down the slope.
- I'm thinking, suddenly a miracle in the form of a small reinforcement would not hurt, Moira.
I make the flare gun work, I see Kitty's boat far away, I hope she sees the sign, and most of all, I hope she chooses to help. That would be very good, exactly, because it is unexpected!
I see Moira coming down with two backpacks on her back.
- Did you think of everything? I was here imagining the distance between the next portal.
- I had a lot of time to plan my life, Logan... This is still hilarious, right?
- Don't blame yourself, girl. What matters, in most cases, is the intention... Otherwise, imagine what would become of my conscience, right?
She offers me one of the jet packs, we get dressed quickly and I follow her through the air. We see that the whole place seems empty of adults. Some children talk in scattered groups. We descend near what would be the School for Gifted Youth in Krakoa and see some teenagers walking aimlessly. I stop one of them with my hand on my shoulder and question:
- Where are the teachers?
- They gave us the day off; they all went out to a meeting at the United Nations. Professor Xavier said that you would be here to protect us.
- When did he say that kid? - I do not fail to express some concern in the voice.
- Yesterday, when you arrived accompanied by the Omega Red. Today they left without saying anything, before we woke up.
I thank him and look at Moira, wondering if she had any ideas in mind.
- Where did they take Sabretooth? It can be a good place to start... What do you say?
- That this is better than I had thought, since my brain decided to give blue screen...
She laughs, I like her laugh. I start to move towards where Creed would be, and she follows me closely.
- I could ask you to stay with the children, but I don't think sharing our entourage is a good idea... Wait! One minute!
I see a group of teenagers talking about physics and I understand that these are some of the nerds.
- Good morning, boys, and girl. I wanted to know your level of training and if you could help me?
The girl takes the floor: We have not yet reached the level of training with you, Mr. Logan. But we went through some sessions with professor Hank. - she lowers her face, as if embarrassed - In fact, we had two sessions.
- And how did you do?
It is the turn of a very tall and slender teenager, with a neck longer than usual, to answer:
- We managed to stay for two minutes without suffering casualties ... The second time.
I think without saying: "Wow! It would be suicide to ask them for anything ... "
- Right! There is no problem being in the initial training phase, we've all been there, guys ... Don't be so self-critical, okay? But ... For what I need, it would be necessary to have spent a little more than two minutes in the Danger Room. Do you know if anyone has had this level of training?
And that's when I hear a familiar voice that, honestly, I didn't think I would hear anytime soon! Quentin Quire!
- Do I serve, Mr. Wolverine? I planted it in everyone's minds that I am there with them, but in reality, I had more to do than participate in a boring meeting at the United Nations!
- Quentin! So good to see you, kid! - His shirt was with the phrase "Life is short, just like Wolverine."
- You're ok? You are never happy to see me... Hey! One minute! How are you managing to shield your mind? Nobody can hide from me, old man! Who are you, really?
*snikt* I put him against the wall and say: I didn't like your shirt, brat! - At the same time, I open my mind to him, allowing him to have access to everything I have lived in my lives.
Quentin's face is flabbergasted, he turns to Moira and can only say: Cooool!
"Does that mean we can count on you, Mr. Quire?" - Moira asks, smiling.
- Of course, of course you can. Go behind the Sabretooth and I'll get all the kids together, we'll all be in the Danger Room.
- Look, kid, I don't doubt your judgments, but if it can be a more neutral place with fewer weapons, we don't know what the Professor has prepared for today...
He shrugs and I realize that his shirt is no longer that one. Now she says: Moira X, is there XI? - I smile at the twisted humor he has. But it is still a way of saying that you care.
- Canteen, then! This would be the least technological place I know. Do you agree?
We both agreed and went flying, me in front and Moira right behind, as far as I saw Creed the last time. Below us, blocks of mutants move towards the cafeteria, called telepathically by Kid Omega.
I start to think that I had nothing to complain about with the guy up there; he didn't send me the signal at the exact time I asked, but he gave me so many other clues on how to get it right that I can only be thankful for whatever there is that governs the balance between the dimensions. More proof that we are on the right path and that we have no right to dispose of the lives of others like this.
We arrived quickly, thanks to the backpacks and when we went down we were able to talk again:
- This was the last time I saw Creed, Moira. Krakoa opened a hole and threw it in there while he raged. The Silent Council decided that he would be ecstatic, as chains are not allowed here.
- We had imagined such a beautiful world... Independent of humans, without conflicts! Why can't we do it? Why must there always be so much death?!
- I don't have the answers, Moira. But I know from experience that we grow a lot when death is involved. I have lived with her for so long that I don't even know how to think about the world without this resolution ... The fear of death always gives us perspectives; when death happens unintentionally, we change our priorities; when we know that we only have it, we are free! There is, I believe, at this moment in our existence, the chance to live without conflicts, without deaths. That's the only way we know how to evolve, red... Your intention was good, every time, but that's not all. We cannot embrace the whole and conceive how we are going to change lives and, I think, that's where the big deal is. We don't have the right to change the lives of others, without giving them a chance, you know? And happiness cannot be a constant, I think it's for us to value it when it appears, I don't know...
She puts her hand on my shoulder as she smiles:
- In none of those ten lives did I team up with you to try to do something better ... I always told you everything, but I never shared the possibility of power and, it seems to me, you have more fair ideas about the life of that Charles, Erik and the Apocalypse together, Logan!
- No, baby, you remember, I never wanted to share the power with you... But I said I could always count, especially in what I did best...
She shrugs: "It didn't hurt to try..." and I smile.
- Enough talk let's try to find Creed. I don't smell any of it around here...
Moira puts her right hand on the floor and closes her eyes, she starts to connect with Krakoa and asks her to give us passage to where Creed was. Nothing happens. She supports both hands and forces this communication again, making the earth around us shake, throwing the Irish girl away and, next to me, showing a kind of hole being made, from the inside out. The force of the impact leaves Moira unconscious and I eject the claws, prepared for what was going to come out of that hole. But no training was going to prepare me for this!
Several pieces of bones begin to emerge from the earth, through the dental arch and nails, I can identify the Sabretooth. Krakoa did not keep him a prisoner, she fed on him, to the bone!...
I look around, expecting any attack from the Living Island, but instead the tremors cease and I run to where Moira is. I pick it up and turn on the backpack. If my feet didn't have contact with the ground, possibly, she wouldn't know where I'm going. Or would she know? And was that exactly what she wanted? I climb as high as the jets allow and try to catch a glimpse of whether Kate's ship is moored on the beach. "Yes! Finally, good news! " I change my trajectory in that direction, hoping to find asylum for Moira on the boat and meet the twins and Cathy running up to where we were. As soon as they land, they stop and the twins exchange a look of recognition and happiness.
- What happened, Logan ?! We didn't know how to help; we were going to the central square behind a track. - speaks ex-Shadowcat.
I explain briefly what happened, seeing the expressions on Kitty's face change from surprise to hate; just as I hear the twins' breathing quicken and their hearts keep pace.
- Is he going to kill the kids ?! This is too crazy, even for him!
- I'm thinking that Charlie is no longer someone we know, you know? So, don't expect any attitude based on that, girl...
- Are we dealing with a megalomaniac who is the greatest telepath in the world?
In this, Quentin's voice appears in our minds, irritated: "Doesn't anyone have respect for my gifts?"
- Quentin? - Kitty verbalizes - How good it is to hear your voice!
- Hiiii! I must end this reputation as a "good guy", huh? I think I'm going to join Krakoa and fuck it up!
I look worriedly at Kitty, but after an awkward pause, he starts laughing in our minds. I ask:
- So, it's Krakoa's fault, Quentin?
- Look, Wolvie, I would say that you joined hunger with the desire to eat. From what I was able to analyze, without raising suspicions, Krakoa is very hungry to grow. It's in her DNA, it's instinctive; Charlie has a great desire to expand the mutant nation, from what I saw, this is exclusive to our Charles, not to all the others that Moira had contact with. She made a mistake this time, huh?
- Quentin, do we have a chance against Krakoa? It is one thing to fight with a backyard, it is another thing to fight against an island.
- Kitty one, there is nothing that Quentin here does not help ... You should already know that!
I laugh at Kitty's disgusted face when Quentin calls her a kitten and I realize that Moira is coming to her senses:
- Hey, Moira, are you okay? What happened?
- It's Krakoa, Logan! She refused to talk to me and even sent me the shouted "get away!" Message. It is not very verbose, only Cypher can understand it. But I didn't expect such a high amount of energy.
- After you kicked your boots, Krakoa regurgitated the Sabretooth bones - the Irish girl is amazed - so, I think we'll have to fight her.
- But I think it's more prudent for you to take Moira to the ship, Logan. My crew will defend her with life, if need be...
- What does Emma think of all this? - I ask to know if we could have any extra help at that moment.
- She hasn't answered my calls since earlier today. Either Charles isolated them at the United Nations, or I am stripped of my position as Red Queen. - And I see her shrug, as if she got used to losing titles and positions without losing the strength to live.
I fly quickly to the ship, some sailors were already waiting for me. I try to comfort Moira by saying that we will make it. But actually, I speak out loud to see if I can convince myself. As he returns, Quentin says:
- Look, Logan, the Island could have taken over the entire planet earth, but it would not stop being itself, with just a conscience, you know? No matter how big it is, as long as it is possible to access and hide this awareness, we will succeed!
- And you think Charlie didn't think about that, kid? He's a chess player. I just hope this isn't our Checkmate ... Where's Cypher? - And a map appears in my mind.
"Are you really going to want to talk to her before we act?"
- I told you, Quentin, I'm not a cold-blooded killer. I need to know what she's fighting for and, above all, if there's no way she can change her mind ...
- I can try this by accessing her mental matrix and *
- No! She was going to feel assaulted and the answer could cost a few lives. Let me do it my way, meanwhile, ask Kitty to meet you. Your priority is to save the children and nothing better than having an intangible mutant and another one that creates energy fields and flies to, you know, do an incredible job, keeping these children safe and sound!
- Hey! I do much more than just create energy fields and fly, even with fields ... But I get your point, Logan. And you know you can count on me!
- I don't know anything, Quire! I know you do what you want, but I also know that you are capable of things that you don't even know yet ... Now it can be one of those chances, you know? To do right for right, without putting your tremendous ego in the middle, kid!
He does not answer my questions. He knew that a part of them was right and, therefore, he addresses the girls, indicating where he was with the children and making a joke to Kitty.
I quickly reach Cypher's HQ, where he was in immediate contact with Krakoa, understanding everything she said and being able to send complex messages to her.
Krakoa had a lot of instinct. And I know from experience that instinct can blind us to all other possibilities, even those that are more certain and more worthy. Suddenly, the Island just needed a direction to realize that her actions were going to have repercussions on others that had nothing to do.
Knock on the door, Cypher or Douglock, answer:
- I was waiting for you, Logan. Came in. Krakoa is too anxious and just a conversation with you can calm her down...
- And how do we do it? I speak and you translate? I'm not sure how it works ...
- It's perfect like this: you speak and I translate.
So, I explain what I can about the sextillions of lives that will perish if we continue on this journey of mutant supremacy; I explain that the Charles I met believed in peaceful coexistence between humans and mutants, never wanting sovereignty, that was something that Erik always wanted and many other mutants joined him for that, causing Charles to create the X-Men, as a banner of tolerance and coexistence.
The answer is given in an unknown language, the notes were too high for my hearing and too long. I waited about five minutes for Cypher to put the headphones down on the counter and start reading what he had written down:
- I don't believe you, Wolverine. You have been manipulated by opposing forces, probably human, to turn against your species. They don't want to live peacefully. They only understand the language of war and oppression. Let's speak the same language as them, soon! When adults return to the Mutant Nation to see that all children and adolescents have been murdered and, conveniently, to find traces of Sentinels on the spot, they will understand what happened*
- But it didn't happen! Humans are not going to kill these children, you are! Are you being manipulated by Charles?
- I would like to finish reading, Mr. Logan ...
- I don't want to hear it anymore, Cypher! Don't go on without making sense! ...
The boy replaces the headphones, explains what I said and the question I asked and explains briefly:
- She replied that there is no mental manipulation, that she has never found a mind as close to her desires as Charles' and that it makes no difference who killed the children, as long as humans are exterminated from the world.
- Ah! I'm getting it! Preferably they are brought here to feed you, are they not, Krakoa?
Figure hesitates to get the message across. He looks at me, as if waiting for a more direct order to act:
- Cypher, if the answer is yes, I don't need you to send her the message ...
- I have had enough time with her to understand that the answer will be "yes". She's hungry, Mr. Logan. And her hunger has no limits ...
I bow my head. I really wanted to think that she was being manipulated by Charlie and then, there would be an epic fight between Quentin and Xavier and I would only have to kill the telepath at some point of distraction. But no ... The two entities had entered into an agreement, an agreement that would not be hindered by common sense.
- None of us will stop until we decide this impasse, Cypher. I need to know which side are you on?
- I am on the side that I have always been, Mr. Logan. On the fascinating side where I can learn a new language. Krakoa and I still have a lot to learn from each other. I'm on the side that I think is right. I know that you are also on the right side, so we are at an impasse...
- I need to undermine her allies, boy...
- I'm not afraid to die for what I believe, Mr. Logan. I've died before and I know there's nothing scary on the other side...
* snikt * the claws of the right hand strike the mutant's heart, I take a moment to let the blood leak out quickly and effectively, leading to rapid hypovolemia and death. The other hand holds his head, while I hug him and feel his life draining away. It seems that I hear Krakoa scream at his death and then I hear Quire's scream in my mind:
- We need you around here, Logan!
I destroy the entire control room, I think that with that it would be easier to allow entry into Krakoa and would make it lose its ability to monitor, defend and observe what happens outside it. At least, when Cypher explained to the Council what he had created, it seemed that these consoles helped to centralize all of that. Who knows...
- Quentin! Can you call the Avengers? The Fantastic 4? I think I destroyed the portals' ability to restrict entry.
- If I can do it ?! You guys are making fun, right? Of course, I can do it! And it's done, Logan!
- Thanks boy! I'm going there!
The backpack does its best, but its energy begins to fail with 1/3 of the way missing, I fly over low, running a little and gliding so much until the backpack is depleted. As soon as I walk with more assertiveness on the ground, my feet are entangled by plants and I need to cut them with my claws so I don't get stuck in the ground. I run as fast as possible, without giving the plants time to settle and, even though I'm late, she can't stop my arrival. Before I had prevented it. I arrive at the building and see chaos, I can't help moving, so as not to give the plants time to arrest me, but for some children, it was too late, they were trapped by plants; others impaled by some trees.
I go into the building pissed off, Quentin realizes my doubts and defends himself:
- They were startled by what they heard, it sounded like a howl, I couldn't keep them in here and I had other things to worry about. I can do my job really well when people cooperate, Logan!
- Spare me, Quentin! You have telekinesis, kid!
He is speechless, I see behind him a chain made by Kitty with hundreds of children, all kept intangible. I had no idea of the magnitude of her mutation. It had been a long time since I had seen her in a fight. I send a positive nod to her, but I see how tired she is and the blood trickling out of her nose tells me that that is the limit.
- Keep making sure she doesn't get in, Quentin. I will go out and see if I can destroy something important!
- No! Logan! The island's consciousness is miles away from here! Nothing you do will be definitive... I was waiting for you to arrive to say that the answer from the Avengers and the Quartet was: the mess is yours, get yourselves... Basically...
- If you located where the conscience is, why not put it to sleep, boy?!
- Because Charles empowered her with some mechanism that prevents me from doing that, bugs! I've tried everything, I think that just being faced to face could create a psychic weapon that would pierce that shield, I don't know! I feel like her strength is growing! I don't know how long I will be able to fight back... She is much stronger than I thought. I underestimated you, Logan...
- She is not strong alone, Quentin. And you're doing a miracle, fighting a horde of telepaths alone... Charles must be having a lot of fun... Do you still have the strength to take us all to the coast? Kitty's ship may be our only way out!
- I will never deny a good challenge, Logan!
I look at his shirt and have a silhouette of my uniform, written on the bottom "he was right". That was his way of saying that he trusted me, and I couldn't help but thanks for having this kid by my side at this time!
- You don't have to worry about me, I run, I think Kitty is no longer able to remain intangible, boy. It will be just you and the kids, okay?
He nods positively to me, starting to move all that mass of beings. Kitty passes out and is helped by the twins. The whole group begins to take flight while I go ahead, cutting down some trees and hurting the earth with cracks so that she would hate me so much that she would give the party a truce. For half the ride, this idea works. Until Quentin has a moment of weakness and makes the whole block touch the ground.
When Krakoa realizes the amount of beings moving to the coast, he lets out another roar and makes a wave of earth hit us in the face. Quentin continues to float, even passed out and I wonder how he can do that?
The children plummet and start running towards me, using their powers to try to stop the worst. The scenario is anguish! The fact that they came to me was not salvation ... I could do little to help, I could hardly help myself!
The few that arrive are in despair in their eyes. I quickly realize that the powers are fire, for the most part and ask if they can't help their colleagues, directing the fire to the sides, burning the Island and making it suffer and worry about itself for a while. They try, but stress always affects our mutations, not always for the better. Some are unable to produce the amount they were used to, others lose control and produce more fire or magma than they would produce and, thus, we cause damage, but not directed as it was, it did nothing good.
The earth under our feet begins to shake and an earthquake causes the rest of the students standing to fall. I spread my legs wide apart, claw the claws on the floor and remain semi-erect, analyzing the possibilities. The twins defended Kitty's passed out body but were losing the battle. Finally, I hear a noise in my mind, as if Quentin is yawning and shouting:
- It was time, Kid Omega!
He quickly looks back at the scene and sends me a look of pity, mixed with fear. Screaming, he creates an orb around us, tearing all that area out of contact with Krakoa and, for that very reason, making many children manage to get out of the plant cocoons that were trapped.
- We don't stand a chance against them, Quentin!
- Don't say shit, Logan! We haven't done our best yet!
- Don't come with this on me, boy! I saw what you did, and I thank you very much! But I just want one more person to die!
I send him my idea and he smile sarcastically:
- Why didn't you do that before ?!
- Because it is not sure that it will work ... But desperate realities call for desperate measures. Do you still have the strength to send me near the ship?
He doesn't respond verbally, I feel my body being pushed hard into the sea and I fall a few meters from the ship. I swim quickly to him and warn the sailors that an air rescue would be needed for Kitty and the twins. Lockheed understood me, or felt my despair and flew into the fight. I know that, at least Kitty, would be rescued ... I sigh for the twins, but I turn my focus, asking where Moira was. They point to the captain's cabin and I run over there. I open it suddenly and find her drinking a whiskey. She drops the glass with my entry, puts her hand on her chest.
- What a scare, Logan! Did we win?!
- I wish, Moira! The island gave us a ball. She is not alone... The help of Charles and even Emma and the Cockoos seems evident. Quentin was unable to access and disconnect the consciousness of Krakoa, the barriers of protection were so strong...
- And then you came to do what you do best, right? What if Irene's right and there is nothing after that? If this was my last chance?
- Why it would be, Moira? Do we happen to have a mutation amount? You are the greatest scholar about this that I know, answer me: does mutation have a duration?
- Not that I found it, Logan ... But the mutation is still something unique in each mutant. I couldn't say anything.
- But what does your conscience say? Does she also understand that it is possible that Irene manipulated you?
- Yes ... That also crossed my mind. She created a fearful memory in me, making me believe that this would be the last time, exactly because she would need the Mystique to relive it. I do not know!...
She holds her head firmly in her hands. I approach, taking my time. I wait for this moment of uncertainty to pass and question:
- If it works, M, you know what to do, right? Be the best geneticist you can, but leave Charles, Erik and everyone else you got involved in, ignorance, please! Let them live their mediocre lives, not knowing what they lost out of vanity and ego! I remember the first time we met you, we had many decades of happiness and learning. Do you remember?
She shakes her head positively. A tear runs down:
- Even so, we will be feared and hated, we will be persecuted, and we will die slaves to humans, Logan! This is what you want?
- I just don't want to be responsible for the death of so many people, of other dimensions, of so many futures that could be better than ours, just because ours sucks ... You know? I don't deny that it sucks. But I accept what that future is because that is our future. And with that, everything is on track, you know? That is the greatest responsibility. The great power! Knowing how it should be and accepting that it is so, despite having the incredible power to change that, baby...
She hugs me, cries convulsively, while repeating to herself that she didn't want it to be that way. That she hadn't done any of that for evil. His last sentence is: I am willing to bear the consequences. I remain hugging Moira for a while, holding her by the shoulders and issuing an ultimatum:
- I'm tired of killing you, red! I just want to live with you the way it needs to be, you know? - I smile, giving him confidence that everything will be repeated, and she will have a unique chance to do it right.
- I don't promise anything, Logan... If I'm stuck in a loop, at some point, I'll try to do some nonsense to get out of it. I just ask you to be patient with me, my friend... - she then takes my right hand and supports her heart - Be quick, like alw*
I don't let her finish the sentence. No matter how many times she has been through it, pain is pain. Your body bends, your pupils dilate, and your heart rate slows down. I hold it for the entire process. I lie her down on Kitty's couch and notice the movement outside, with the smell of Lockheed, Kate, the twins, and the sailors.