Chapter One: The Visit

Chapter One: The Visit

Two weeks later:

Logan sat on his couch staring blankly at some unknown point on the floor, he only wore shorts and he and the rest of the place were a disheveled mess. Logan was normally a very neat person, he kept his house clean and tidy. Now he didn't care what he or the rest of it looked like, he could think of no reason to even make the effort, there was nothing to live for now that Max was gone.

His head hung down, and his elbows rested on his knees, and loosely held in his slack hand was the nine-millimeter. He had almost convinced himself that there was a reason to go on living, that he still had a job to do as Eyes Only. Those thoughts resounded hollowly in his mind. They seemed trivial now, unnecessary, he was tired of playing the world's savior. How could he continue the charade when he could not even save his own wife?

He had tried to remain level headed and stay positive, but Logan was already predisposed to depression and the longer he remained alive, and without Max, the more he realized that not only was there nothing to live for but that he wanted to end it. It wasn't the first time he had thought of suicide.

He had almost taken his own life when he had suffered the setback of his body rejecting the stem cells Max had given him. He had only returned to his senses upon seeing the despondency of his upstairs neighbor, seeing himself reflected in her eyes. She had been right, he had everything to live for at that point, so he had put the gun away. Things had improved after that.

The treatments that he had received had worked they had just taken a while to take effect, longer than the 48 hours that the doctor had quoted him. Since then Max's DNA had taken over his body like a virulent virus, rewriting his DNA patterns and giving him abilities that rivaled Max's own. But none of it had done him any good when he really needed them, he had been just as easily shot. Max had still died and now his life was empty.

Slowly he drew the gun up, making his slack arm move, resting his chin on it. He shivered at the chill of the metal on his skin. It was already loaded, the bullet was chambered and the safety was off. All he had to do was work up his nerve to pull the trigger. He closed his eyes again, the tears falling down his cheeks at the desolation in his soul. His finger began to tense.

Something warned him that there was someone in the room, the same sensation he had in the alley. Logan wondered if it had something to do with the abilities that he had been exhibiting over the past three years. The gun quickly changed aim from the bottom of his jaw to the intruder with lightning fast speed. The intruder froze under his aim, Logan blinked as he realized who it was, he hadn't been through this area in almost two and a half years, "What are you doing here, Zach?" Logan growled, not relaxing his aim.

Zach crossed his arms and looked around the penthouse, seeing the condition of it. His gaze then returned to Logan, seeing that he looked just as bad, "What's going on here? Domestic life been rough on you?" Zach asked instead of answering Logan's question, "Where's Max? I need to talk to her."

Logan blinked again, could it be that Zach didn't know? Did he not hear the announcement? "She's not here," Logan said evading his question, "Not anymore."

Zach's eyebrows furrowed, "What you guys havin' problems?" Logan's nerves grated, as he actually sounded pleased about that.

"Something like that," Logan said woodenly finally bringing down the gun. He stood up tossing the gun onto the couch behind him, not wanting to make his death a public execution. He moved down the hall and had to make himself go into the bedroom, that was where his clothes were. He ignored Zach for the moment as he put something more decent on. The cloud of self pity that had hung over him lifted slightly as curiosity about Zach's presence seeped up from the depths of his mind, "What did you need Max for?"

Zach let out a loud impatient sigh, "I need her help. You going to tell me where she's staying or what?"

"What with?" Logan pressed, "I mean what can she help you with that you can't take care of yourself, Mr. high and mighty leader of the pack?"

"Nothing that would interest a cerebral computer hacker like you… not matter how miraculous your recovery."

"Try me, I might just be able to help," Logan replied smiling slyly, secure in the knowledge that Zach knew nothing about what he was really capable of.

Zach looked at him oddly, then shrugged and turned away. He wandered about the living room of the apartment as he started, "There's some trouble down in California, Tinga and a couple of the others are being pinned down in a town called Yreka, by Lydecker and his henchmen. No one else has answered the call."

Logan felt himself bristle at the sound of the man's name as the vision of Lydecker suddenly welled up in his mind, "Shoot her," the cold words echoed in his ears again, "Small town in the mountains," Logan added in a distant voice as the scene continued to play behind his eyes, "Stopped there for gas once," He blinked bringing himself back to the present as the crack of gunfire faded in his mind, refusing to acknowledge the sight of Max's body falling to the earth, "And they need you because?"

"Lydecker has brought in several squads, including at least two Manticore's. They've been outwitted and are barely holding their own, I need Max and I need to get her down there fast. They can't last much longer."

"I'll help," Logan heard himself offer, burning with a need for revenge suddenly.

It was Zach's turn to laugh, "Right…" He said, "Max may have given you back your ability to walk but other than that you're not of much use. This is not about hacking into computers or dredging up information through your network of contacts. This is going to be blood and guts and kicking ass… it's not your scene."

"Don't underestimate me Zach," Logan said in a barely controlled voice, "I may be more help to you than you realize."

"Give me a break," Zach said rolling his eyes, "Quit wasting my time and tell me where Max is living right now."

"Sorry," Logan said smiling through his pain as he sat slowly on the arm of the chair he had been standing next to. He looked down as his sadness welled up again, "She was killed about two weeks ago." Two weeks, two day and twenty hours, he thought. He wasn't keeping track or anything.

Zach's eyes widened and he slowly sat down opposite Logan, "What?" he said slowly.

"She'd dead, Zach," Logan said, "Now, if you don't want my help go away and leave me alone."

"What so you could kill yourself?" Logan flinched. He had been there longer than Logan had realized, "Is that why? You're feeling sorry for yourself?"

"You can leave now," Logan said angrily standing, blowing by him, and opening the door. He cocked his head to one side; "You're trespassing."

Zach crossed his arms again and let out another frustrated sigh. He moved forward only to stop next to Logan. His eyes narrowed as he said to Logan, "I always knew… I told you that she would get killed if she stuck around for you. I hope you're happy."

Logan snapped and all of his self-loathing and guilt turned outward on a tangible target. He moved away from the door swiftly catching Zach off guard, hitting him in the gut, and lifting him off the ground in one swift motion. His momentum carried him back into the living room, and Logan flung Zach's considerably larger body across the room. Zach hit the wall hard leaving an imprint before sliding down to the ground. He looked up at the older man with a completely dumbfounded look on his face. Logan stood there breathing heavy a look of angry determination on his face. He was poised in a fighting stance that told Zach that Logan was not yet finished with him.

"What the hell?" He muttered rising to his feet, "What's happened to you?"

"You're about to find out," Logan ground out and rushed in again.

They sparred for long moments, Logan's pent up frustration coming to his aid as he lashed out again and again at Zach. Zach's expertise in his abilities slowly won out over Logan's sheer will until Logan found himself pinned, Zach's elbow pressed against his throat.

Logan stared defiantly into Zach's eyes, and Zach noticed only then how bleary and beaten he looked, "Do it Zach…Put me out of both of our misery. I know you've wanted rid of me for a while now, so here's your chance. Max isn't even here to stop you," Zach hesitated relaxing his hold slightly. Finally he just let Logan go backing off a step, realizing that he had overstepped even his own judgment. Logan stared at Zach for long moments rubbing his throat "You think that I haven't beaten myself up every day since her death about my responsibility to her?" Logan turned away running a shaky hand through his unruly hair. He sat heavily on a seat, Zach only pivoting in his spot watching as Logan rested his forehead on his folded hands. Logan looked up at Zach the pain of his loss plain to read on his face, "She was four months pregnant."

Zach's arms dropped to his side as Logan revealed that to him. Despite himself Zach said, "What happened?"

"Lydecker happened," Logan growled sharply, "He's been trying to locate where we have been living for a while now. We'd been followed several times before that, but always, we always got away before. We were ambushed this time, I was injured trying to escape and Max hesitated. The bastard had her shot in the back!"

"And you want to help me to get revenge on Lydecker?" Logan nodded once sharply. Zach looked away a moment, "I have to know one thing. How? How is it you are able to…"

"Max…" Logan said in one word, "Her DNA rewrote mine, and now…" Logan shrugged, "I'm as strong, as fast, and as able as any of you. And I want to use it… I have to make up for what I allowed to happen, even if it means getting myself killed getting to Lydecker."

"I want no suicide missions here," Zach said coldly, leaning back where he was sitting.

"I'll do what you need to get the others out, exactly what you say. But after that what I do is my business."

Zach looked down a moment his jaw working. Finally he looked back up, "All right, you're in."