Stolen Lives

After a week had passed since the Brotherhood's attack on the X-Mansion and the city, Logan had been sleeping peacefully in his bedroom, until his cellphone woke up, as it rang insanely loud and started to vibrate on the nightstand beside his bed. However, due to still being slightly groggy, Logan had accidently knocked his cellphone on the floor as he attempted to reach for it before picking it up and answering with his eyes still closed. "Yeah?"

That would be when a mysterious female voice answered. "Christy Nord is in great danger."

The Adamantium clawed Mutant asked as his eyes widened in shock after hearing that Christopher Nord's teenage daughter was in danger. "Who is this?"

The female voice replied. "It doesn't matter who I am, what does matter is that Weapon X plans to 'recruit' her...unless you save her Wolverine. I know you do not remember everything about your past, especially during your time as a Weapon X operative...but I also know you've been looking for redemption."

Logan stated with soft eyes, as he knew that the mysterious caller's words were true: how he'd been trying to atone for every horrible thing he did during his time with Weapon X. "Just...please tell me that Christy is safe."

The mysterious caller would answer softly. "She's safe for the moment. She's still at her family cabin...but Weapon X is sending a strike team to capture soon."

Before Logan could ask the mysterious woman any further questions, she had hung up and the phone went dead. Knowing that he couldn't waste valuable time, Wolverine had gotten dressed, knocked on Blade's door and asked his vampire ally and 2nd in command to gather everyone in the briefing room for an important meeting.

Once the entire team was in the briefing room, Selene asked while crossing her arms. "So Logan, what's this meeting even about?"

Logan answered truthfully, which surprised everybody, especially his vampire friends. "I got an anonymous phone call from someone saying that Christie Nord is in danger and that Weapon X is after her."

Blade and his sisters were greatly stunned at that shocking revelation before the Raccoon Daywalker asked after recovering from the shock. "Did this mystery caller say if Christie was safe?"

His Mutant friend and co-team leader answered. "According to the woman who called me, Christie is safe for the time being, but she didn't say for much longer."

Amelia stated as she and lover, along with Blade knew what the Adamantium clawed Mutant was planning. "You're not going back to the Nord property alone. Logan. Selene, Blade and I are going with you."

Before Logan could even object, Selene stated plain and simple. "We're not asking for permission, Logan. Besides, you can bet your thickheaded ass that Sabertooth and that long clawed screeching bitch, Deathstrike, are going to be there."

Blade added sternly after his sisters while brandishing the claws to his right hand out. "Plus: Selene, Amelia and I still have a score to settle with those two murdering assholes."

Logan stated with a rare smirk, which deeply surprised everyone. "Actually Blade, I was going to say that you, Selene and Amelia would be coming with me."

Hank asked, as he immediately knew that his friend and leader was about to place him in charge of the team. "What do you and Blade want me and the others to do while you're gone, Logan?"

Wolverine answered honestly. "I need you and the others to keep an eye on both the Brotherhood and Mardies, Hank. Ever since we failed to prevent the Brotherhood from setting Tildie loose into the city, any small thing that ass clown Quicksilver and his two remaining idiot friends do will cause Kelly to sick the MRDs on every mutant in the city, including us."

Rogue stated softly. "I'm pretty sure Dom and I could help with that; keeping an eye on the Brotherhood."

Selene asked, as she and Amelia were rather intrigued by what the young brunette meant by that, along with Blade and Logan "What do you mean, Rouge?"

Dom had answered for her girlfriend and lover. "Marie and I were thinking that maybe we could...borrow some secret cameras that we could plant in the Brotherhood's hideout."

Blade stated with a soft grin, as he understood what the two secret girlfriends were getting at. "Bugging those moron's hideout does sound like a good idea."

Bobby asked. "Whoa, wait a moment. Rogue, how would you or Domino even get inside the Brotherhood's hideout?"

Rogue answered softly, which deeply surprised and secretly impressed Blade and the two vampiress lovers. "Before Dom and I left the Brotherhood so we could join up with you guys...we made sure to memorize whenever Quicksilver, Blob and Avalanche left the hideout, along with the best places to set up cameras they wouldn't even notice."

Logan stated, as he was just as impressed by how well prepared both the brunette and former Mutant mercenary were. "Heh, that's not a bad plan." Before he added softly. "Forge, give Rogue and Domino whatever spy equipment they need."

Their team tech support stated while giving Wolverine a thumbs up. "You got it Logan."

Rogue stated softly. "Logan, be careful while you, Blade, Selene and Amelia are in Canada."

Logan stated softly. "We'll be alright, kiddo. You just be careful when you and Domino plant those cameras in the Brotherhood's hideout."

Shortly after Logan had suited up, he and his vampire friends/allies had mounted up on their motorcycles and drove off at high speed, heading for Canada. Once they had crossed the Canadian border, Wolverine and his team had stuck to the same trail they had used last time and arrived at the Nord property...only to stare in shock and horror: as they had found signs of a struggle and the front door to the cabin had been torn off its hinges.

Logan stated softly. "No."

Blade stated softly while glancing in sadness, along with his sisters: as they had noticed two sets of different claw marks across the trees and cabin. "We're too late."

That was when a different female voice stated. "Indeed you are, Daywalker."

As soon as they heard those words, the Adamantium clawed X-Man and his vampire allies had turned to see a Mutant with blue skin, red-orange hair and yellow eyes standing against a tree.

Logan stated as he recognized her voice. "You. It was you who called me."

Blade stated softly while Selene and Amelia had their dual Beretta 92FS and Walther P99 handguns drawn out and aimed at the mysterious Mutant. "Who are you?"

Mystique answered softly. "My name is Mystique, I'm one of Magneto's most trusted followers and loyal Acolytes...and a former victim of the Weapon X program. Just like you...James."

Logan stated with a deeply shocked look on his face, especially as Mystique had said that last part directly at him. "What?"

Selene and Amelia turned each other with equally shocked and puzzled looks the moment Mystique called Logan by a different name. "James?"

Logan asked simply with his eyes still widened in shock. "How do you know me?"

Mystique answered before glancing away in sadness."That does not matter. What does matter is that Sabertooth and Deathstrike have the girl. They loaded her in a chopper half an hour ago and headed off to a Weapon X facility hidden in the mountains 30 miles to the south-southeast from here."

Blade asked softly. "Could you show us how to get there?"

Mystique answered while thumbing right behind her. "I was able to 'acquire' a chopper from the 2nd squad of Weapon X operatives assigned as observers, to make sure that Sabertooth and his partner captured Christy."

Logan asked softly, as he was curious as to why the blue skinned Mutant was helping and his vampire friends. "Why are you helping us?"

Mystique answered softly. "I'm simply paying off a debt...to a good man who saved my life, and who I loved."

"You're and Wolverine aren't the only ones that those bastards experimented on." Blade told her before showing his claws and retracting them back.

"So they did the same thing to you that they did to James, didn't they?" Mystique asked with sympathy.

"Yes. Only to a lesser extent than him. I only have the claws and not the whole metal skeleton deal. And, to my great relief, I was able to escape with my memories intact." Blade answered.

"Then you were 1 of the rare lucky ones to escape, Daywalker." Mystique said with a small smile. And shortly after Wolverine and his vampire allies had followed Mystique and boarded her jet, the mysterious blue skinned Mutant piloted the chopper and took off into the air, heading for the Weapon X facility hidden in the mountains.

Meanwhile back in New York

Rogue and Domino were currently surveying the Brotherhood's hideout from an nearby alley and after witnessing Quicksilver bolting out of the hideout, the two lovers had skillfully sneaked inside the Brotherhood's HQ and after making swift work of Blob and Avalanche, due to the blue/gray skinned X-Man putting her former 'teammates' to sleep with special made tranquilizer darts...she and her brunette lover went straight to planting and hiding the surveillance cameras and microphones that Forge provided them in specific corners of the hideout before exiting the building, as both Blob and Avalanche were beginning to regain consciousness.

After Dom had gotten the tranquilizer darts so nothing would be left behind to arouse suspicion, she and her brunette girlfriend/lover quickly got away from the hideout by going through the alleys. Once they were out of sight, Rogue embraced her girlfriend/lover before drawing her in for a passionate kiss.

Meanwhile with Logan and his team

After flying for what felt like an hour and 30 minutes, Wolverine asked softly, "Mystique...did you and I...know each other before?"

The blue skinned and red haired Mutant asked with somber eyes. "You really don't remember anything..do you?" However...before Logan could even reply, that was when their jet's alert systems began blaring insanely loud and Mystique cried out, as she immediately knew why, "Shit! They're onto us! They just sent an attack jet to take us out!"

Amelia asked while already knowing the answer. "This jet is equipped for aerial combat, isn't it?"

The blue skinned Mutant replied. "Yes, but unfortunately this jet is low on ordnance and only has two missiles left."

Blade stated while pointing out the window with Logan and his sisters glancing in the direction he was gesturing at. "That's good...because here comes that jet you were talking about!"

However, unknown to Blade and his siblings, especially Logan, the pilot contacted the Weapon X operative onboard the jet while his co-pilot readied the weapons system. "Sir, we've spotted the enemy aircraft and are preparing to engage."

Meanwhile, in the cargo hold of the jet, the Weapon X operative: Maverick spoke in a cold and emotionless tone. "Shot that jet out of the sky. The Professor does not wish for any other facilities to be compromised."

The pilot replied. "Affirmative, sir."

As soon as Maverick gave them the order, the two Weapon X pilots fired a laser beam directly from their engines towards Mystique's jet but missed, due to Logan and the blue skinned Mutant swerving to the right at the last second. Once they evaded the enemy jet's initial attack, Wolverine had swiftly retaliated and fired a missile that struck the bottom of the enemy aircraft and gravely damaged their engines!

Selene stated as she and Amelia nodded in approval. "Nice shot Logan."

The Adamantium clawed Mutant replied with a soft chuckle. "Thanks Selene." Before he then asked while turning to Mystique. "Can you pilot the jet by yourself?"

Mystique replied while asking. "Yes, but where are you and your team going?"

Blade answered plain and simple while softly cracking his neck. "We're gonna get some fresh air."

Shortly after Logan and his vampire allies had climbed the top of their jet and boarded the enemy aircraft...Wolverine stared in complete shock and horror as he immediately recognized Maverick, "Nord? You're alive?!" Blade asked with an equally shocked expression on his face, "Logan...what did you just say?" Selene asked as she and Amelia were just as stunned and horrified as well, "This man...is Christie's father?"

However...before Logan could even try to get through to Christie's brainwashed father, he had coldly blasted him, Blade and his siblings off his jet with a single kinetic blast and they shouted/screamed in horror, as they nearly plummeted towards their deaths...before Mystique had returned and rescued them just in time; as they landed on the roof of the jet instead of colliding onto the soil.

After getting back into the plane, Blade thanked Mystique. "Thanks, Mystique."

"You're welcome, Daywalker."

"So, Mystique, does Magneto know about Weapon X, or is this personal for you?" Amelia asked knowingly.

"Maybe it's a bit of both, Lady Amelia. And how did you know that it was personal for me?" Mystique asked.

"We may be vampires but we have more than one way to read people, without needing to drink a bit of their blood memory of them." Selene told her.

"Well, since you put it like that, Lady Selene, yes it is personal for me. Because...I used to be 1 of those monsters."

"That's how you know so much about Weapon X." Wolverine said with surprise.

"Yes. We were a black ops team called Team X. We did things. Things I thought were right, but they weren't." Mystique explained.

"Did I know you?" Wolverine asked.

"Yes."

"When did it go bad?" Blade asked.

"When the Processor wanted more. He brought in a doctor named Cornelius, who developed ways to enhance us. Sometimes genetically and sometimes surgically, like your claws... and yours, Blade."

"What did they do to you?" Wolverine asked, wondering how Mystique was forcefully enhanced.

"Nothing. I got away. But only because the man I loved gave his life to get me out." Mystique answered sadly.

"So this really was personal for you, wasn't it, Mystique?" Selene asked with sympathy.

"Yes. Just as it is for Wolverine... and your brother, Selene."

Mystique continued to pilot the jet until they had arrived at their main destination: the Weapon X facility where Nord had taken his kidnapped daughter. However, as soon as they infiltrated the facility and easily killed the Weapon X soldiers and scientists who stupidly attempted to restrain them...Logan had grunted while holding his head in sheer pain: as the haunting memories of him being a Weapon X operative began flashing before his eyes and flooding his mind.

After Blade, Selene and Amelia had defeated the remaining soldiers, the Raccoon Daywalker asked with a deeply alarmed and concerned look on his face. "Logan, talk to me! What's wrong?!"

Wolverine answered while panting deeply and with somber eyes. "Blade...the memories of this place...they're coming back."

Amelia asked as she and her lover turned to each other with deeply concerned looks on their faces. "Logan, are you saying you've been here before?"

That was when a cold and familiar voice called out. "Indeed he has, Lady Amelia."

As soon as Logan and his team had glanced down the hall, the Adamantium clawed X-Man and his raccoon-vampire hybrid ally stared deeply shocked and horrified: as the voice belonged to none other than the Professor!

Blade shouted with deep ire in his eyes while bringing the Adamantium claws in his left knuckles out, "YOU! You did this to me, you sick son of a bitch!"

Logan shouted out while glaring just as pissed as his friend and 2nd in command. "How are you still alive, you sick asshole?! I saw Creed kill you while I was in that containment pod!"

The Professor simply stated with a dark grin on his face. "What's the matter? Aren't you grateful that this reunion was even made possible...James?"

Logan asked with a deeply shocked and stunned expression on his face. "Just...who the hell are you?"

The Professor simply smirked and replied. "I'm the man who gave you purpose...James and helped you realize your true potential."

Logan asked while shouting in deep ire and hatred. "Purpose and potential?! You turned me into a weapon and sent me on 'missions' to hunt down and kill innocent people!"

"I simply let out what was always in you, Logan." The Processor said before looking at Blade. "Just as I would have done with you, Daywalker. You and Wolverine have proven to be lethal when teaming up together over the years. Imagine how much more lethal you could both be if you unleashed the animals inside you."

"Never! You've already hurt me, Logan and many innocent people, humans and mutants alike, enough! It ends today!" Blade vowed.

That was when a woman, nearly 20 years by the looks of her, came from behind the Processor and shockingly, 2 claws came out of her each of her index and middle knuckles while the 3rd claw came out of her feet, making both Logan and Blade's eyes widen.

"No, X-23, not yet." The Processor told her.

"What have you done?!" Wolverine asked with shock.

"I've merely ensured your legacy, Wolverine." The Processor answered evilly.

Shortly after the Professor and Dr. Cornelius made their escape with X-23, Logan and his team, along with Mystique, located and rescued both Christie and her father. However...before they could escape, they were confronted by Sabretooth and Deathstrike, who eagerly attacked Wolverine and his vampire allies while Mystique fled with Christie and Maverick.

Sabertooth looked at Blade and said with an evil grin. "Hello, Blade, nice to see you again!"

Blade immediately got angry as he brought out both his claws, remembering the last time he encountered Sabertooth months ago. "You!" Before he and Wolverine engaged him, while Selene and Amelia dealt with Deathstrike.

After a much heated battle and eventually defeating their archenemies, Logan along with Selene and Amelia were deeply concerned about Blade: especially since he had lost control when he tapped into the Hulk's power and had shattered Sabretooth's left collarbone, much to their great shock! But Blade, using what control he had left, regained his senses before they got out of the facility.

Once they had gotten to the Blackbird after the facility was destroyed by a bomb Mystique had planted and set, Logan strapped Maverick in as Christie asked. "Did you guys know he was alive?"

"Not till today." Logan answered honestly. "Christie, he's not the same man you remember. He won't know you."

"Isn't there anything we can do for him?" Christie asked sadly.

"I don't know. Maybe Emma can help, but don't get your hopes up, sweetheart. Who knows how much of his life they've erased." Amelia answered while touching her shoulders.

But when Wolverine looked out of the window and saw Raven, the last memory of him saving her came back, making him realize that he was the one she loved. He walked up to her and asked. "Raven, why didn't you tell me?"

"Because... the man who saved me. The man who sacrificed himself so I could get away. He's gone... because they took him." Raven answered as her voice began to break.

"Who was that man? Please, tell me." Logan begged. "I have to know."

"It doesn't matter. You can never be him again." Raven said sadly before walking away.

Later

After they arrived back at the X-Mansion, Logan couldn't help but smile brightly as he witnessed the heartwarming reunion between Christie and her father after Emma had used her powers to help restore Maverick's memories of her, making Christie happily embrace her father.

After Logan and Emma left the room to give Christie and her father their privacy, they had joined Blade, Selene, Amelia, Rogue and Domino in Forge's lab, with their chief mechanic and tech specialist sitting behind his personal computer.

Logan asked softly. "Did you or Domino run into any problems, Rouge?"

Rogue answered with a soft smile while her girlfriend/lover crossed her arms across her chest. "It was a walk in the park Logan. Dom and I entered the hideout as soon as Quicksilver took off."

Dom asked softly. "Anything, Forge?"

Forge stated with a warm grin on his face while giving the two secret girlfriends a thumbs up. "The cameras and mics are online. We'll be able to hear everything Quicksilver and Magneto say right here in my lab."

Once the words left Forge's mouth, Blade and Logan, along with Selene and Amelia smiled and gave the two secret girlfriends a wink on a job well done before Rogue and Domino went outside to watch the ocean together.

There you go, my dear friends, the Stolen Lives chapter is complete. Next will be the Hunting Grounds episode. R&R and I'll see you next time, my dear friends.