Chapter Sixteen: A "Cage" Within a Cage

Logan pressed his eyes tighter as he was dragged out of his dreamless sleep, someone was roughly shaking him. With lightning reflexes he jumped up threw a punch at whomever it was that was disturbing him, however the person managed to block his arm and hold back his punch, surprised Logan blinked the last bit of sleep out of his eyes.

The young man standing before him was short of stature, and his build was quite thin, which belied the strength he was now showing in holding Logan's fist back. Logan relaxed allowing the fist to fall to his side, as he realized who it was before him. It was the man that Shawnee had introduced as Cotton.

He was nearly white blond with very light blue eyes, and in his look he couldn't help to think of Zach, his face was almost the exact same proportions, with high cheekbones and a fairly prominent brow. He could have been Zach's brother, he was young enough he could have been Zach's son. But that couldn't be.

He smiled, "Jumpy aren't we."

Logan turned red embarrassed by his reaction. He had definitely been here too long if he was waking up swinging, "I'm sorry, Cotton is it?"

He nodded, "Shawnee asked me to get you up, she figured you'd be hungry after missing meal the night before last."

Logan looked at him oddly, surely he had heard that wrong. He sat back on his rack rubbing his face slowly, then looked around him noticing that it was still dark behind the high small windows, "What time is it?"

" 'Bout five fifteen, you' got forty five minutes before X-8-222 shows up to roust us out for chow."

"In the morning?" Logan said squinting up at the boy.

"Um, yeah," Cotton replied as if it was obvious, "You've been asleep for nearly two days now, figured you must have had it pretty rough to have been so exhausted."

"I slept that long?" Logan said out loud although the comment had been meant for himself.

"Um yeah," he repeated then he sat down next to Logan, "I thought that 222 was pretty generous allowing you that much. Our last Company Commander was not so nice."

Logan just sat there staring at the floor for a moment realizing that he had a headache developing, and now he knew what for. Cotton continued seeing the look on his face, "We all went through it…weeks on end of restless or no sleep followed by a total crash. All of us except for Mouse, she had no problems adjusting to this place, I think she could sleep walking upright given the chance."

Logan smiled crookedly rubbing his stiff neck. Cotton clapped him on the shoulder, smiling, "Better hurry, the water seems to go cold by 0530," he said pointing toward the bathroom. Logan looked a bit apprehensive, "The women are long done and the rest of us already had ours," He looked a Logan sincerely, "And if it's one thing we respect is what little privacy is given us. Its all yours."

Logan showered, dressed and returned to his bunk, sitting back down he set his head in his hands trying to stave off the depression that was starting to settle in again. Somehow he had managed to stave of that extremely common ailment the last six weeks. Today the reality of his situation had hit him rather hard. There was going to be no rescue, if it had not come by now it never was, that left him feeling alone. He was now going to have to rely on himself to get out of this…if there was one ounce of determination in him it was to keep this visit to Manticore as short as possible, and to keep them from turning him in the process. He would need help however, because there were things he needed to know before he could make a break, but just whom could he trust?

Slowly he looked up taking in the activities of his "unit", most were doing as he was sitting on their racks and waiting, for something. Shawnee was preening herself glancing at him on occasion, but mostly her attention was on her hair. Hawker was staring out a window with a distant look on his face, while Cotton neatly made his rack. He looked around a bit before he found Mouse who was sitting at the lounge table nearest her rack doodling on the small notepad that she carried with her at all times. Cage was doing much the same as he was, sitting on his rack, but he stared unflinchingly at Logan, measuring him. Logan returned his gaze for long moments and then blinked as he heard a key being inserted into the lock. All other activity stopped as all of them, even Cage swiftly moved to the foot of their bunks standing at stiff attention much as they had when he had first been brought here. Logan did not move as Torri marched into the middle of the room looking over her new unit.

She stared at him saying sternly, "On your feet Cale! Get on the line!" Logan didn't respond staring icily at the stout woman. He hoped she would come at him again, he felt like another fight today, but she just nodded, "On your feet!" She repeated. Logan's eyes moved from her a moment seeing looks of fear and incredulity coming from the others all staring at him through the corners of their eyes, "Fine," She said succinctly and turned away from him. That buoyed him into thinking he had just won the contest of wills.

"Because Mr. Cale doesn't want to be a team player…" and she turned back and stared him right in the face, "We will skip breakfast and move straight to the morning PT."

Logan's eyes widened, and he started to protest, but she cut him off, "Fall out!"

Logan reluctantly followed them out feeling small as all of them, even Shawnee glared at him angrily for denying them one of their few luxuries in this place. His gut twisted at the thought of cow-towing to his oppressors, but if there was one thing that he did not want to be responsible for was getting all of them punished for his own stubbornness. The rest of that very long day went without incident, Logan doing as he was ordered for the benefit of the people in his unit. They spent the entire day working out: running, calisthenics, obstacle courses, sparring…though some in the unit looked completely lost on the subject, and then more running. They managed to get a lunch, but the exercise had reduced his appetite and by the way the others were picking at their meals they were about the same. They were made to sit at the same large round table in the Mess while Torri stood over them. Conversation was not only minimal it was nonexistent, and Torri's presence was only part of the reason for their silence. Logan knew that the unit was probably going to stay upset with him for quite some time over his actions this morning and the resulting punishment.

Torri turned them over to another Cadre member after their lunch, probably so that she could eat, but their regime was no lighter for the commander change, and no one noticed when Torri returned to watch them circle the packed dirt track. Logan was glad that he was in good shape, but he was quick to notice that most of the others were not in his league when it came to that. The only one who seemed to be in better shape than he was Cage, who was actually ahead of him by nearly a sixteenth of a mile. It had been that way all day, and Logan had gotten a measure of the boy that startled him. They had been paired off for sparring and had ended up the center of the groups attention when they had matched each other blow for blow in a steadily more heated match. By the end Logan was no longer pulling his punches because it seemed Cage was trying to kill him. His were not the natural abilities that the others were here for. He fought like a Manticore, yet staring at the back of his neck had proved to him beyond a doubt that he was not of any generation to come out of Manticore. His curiosity was piqued, just where did he come by such a formidable set of talents.

He stared at the boy as something picked at the back of his mind. There was something about him, something familiar, something he couldn't pinpoint.

Logan began to lap some of the stragglers in his group and just as he was about to catch Hawker, the boy collapsed on the infield. Logan slowed quickly as he neared Hawker stopping before the boy.

"C'mon," Logan said grabbing for his arm. Hawker glared up at him panting hard and pushing his arm feebly away. Logan insisted lifting him up bodily and throwing one of his arms over his shoulder saying, "You need to keep moving or else you'll cramp up."

Hawker started to struggle, but soon gave up weakening quickly. He looked up at Logan with bleary eyes squinting as he asked, "How old are you?"

Logan laughed shortly as he made the young man walk, "Don't tell anyone, but I'm Forty-two," he whispered in a conspiring tone.

"Ain't no way," He panted, shaking his head. Logan just shrugged and continued to walk with the boy until his cramps subsided. He was American Indian by the look of him, with dark skin and high cheekbones, his hair was ebony, cut as short as Logan's was. Hawker stood just under his own height and was slightly thicker in build.

They continued to walk as Hawker slowly started to recover from his overexertion. Logan frowned as he saw Torri angling for him and the boy. He tried to ignore her approach, but it was obvious to him she would intercept him, long before she arrived.

She stopped them hands on her hips as she said, "Let the boy walk on his own."

Logan stopped looking at her angrily, but before he could protest Hawker had removed his arm from Logan's shoulder and started to back away from them. Logan turned and watched the boy go staggering slightly back down the track. Logan then looked back at his Company Commander, "You don't have to do this… I'll do what you want, just stop punishing them."

She laughed shortly at him, and Logan felt his hackles rise, "You think this is about you? About this morning?" She shook her head slowly looking down, "You've been the center of your own rich universe too long, Cale. This has nothing to do with you or your stubbornness. They're in training to be soldiers, and so are you."

Logan shifted to the other foot uncomfortably, "None of us are soldiers," Logan repeated, "We're not prepared for this."

"You will be, now get your ass back on the track!" Torri finished in a loud commanding voice.

He felt that streak in him start to rise up, almost started a war of wills with her, but for the sake of his new comrades he firmly squashed the desire to bait her. He, totally against his grain, popped to attention saying in a toneless voice, "Yes Ma'am." Turned away and started to run again.

The lot of them was famished when it came to dinner, and had they been allowed to get seconds on their meal they would have. There was still little or no conversation from the group. And it took all the dogged determination they had in them to march back to the barracks for the night.

Logan moved to his rack after watching them shut and lock the door behind the group leaving them to themselves in their prison cell. He sighed heavily, stripping down to just his shorts as he tried to cool off.

He watched as Mouse moved by her rack as if in slow motion, he smiled and nodded at her, which she returned with a wan smile of her own. Of them all she looked the most miserable from the activities of the day. She was a slip of a thing, probably only five foot two with long dishwater blonde hair that hung loosely about her thin frail looking face. She had startling light blue eyes that were intense and innocent all at the same time and her nose and cheeks were awash in light freckles. She looked out of place in the uniform that she had been provided, as small as the uniform was it was still too large on her petite frame.

The only one that Logan thought might have neared the misery of the young girl, was the man that Shawnee had introduced to him as Thomas. He was tall and lanky, standing just over Logan's own height, though he was probably about fifteen pounds lighter. His skin was the color of milk chocolate and his short hair stood up in tight curls on the top of his large head. As tall as he was his head was disproportionate to his body. He had large dark eyes that seemed to see everything, he had a knowing air about him. That would make sense though, he was the purported telepathic. Thomas glanced his directions suddenly and Logan abruptly stopped that train of thought, suddenly very conscious that he may have inadvertently offended the young man with his thoughts. That turned into a very insecure feeling about what the boy could pick up from him.

The anger that he had been met with after his failed attempt at insurrection, seemed to have eased, but Logan was unsure if they would forget so easily what his lack of action had gotten them. Time only would tell.

Logan mustered enough energy to gather his things and shower for the second time that day and then retired to his rack. He was tired, in mind and in body and he was looking forward to curling up in his rack and forgetting this day had ever happened. He rolled over onto his side and closed his eyes and again fell asleep.

Logan started awake bolting upright in his bed, breathing heavy and sweating again. He blinked several times as the adrenaline flow in his body slowed then looked around him hoping he had not cried out this time as he had been known to do. It was dark and quiet, no one around him stirred, seemingly undisturbed by his abrupt rousing. He knew with absolute certainty there would be no more sleep after another one of his reoccurring nightmares about Max. Trying anyway, he rolled over knowing that if tomorrow was anything like today had been he would need all the rest that he could get. As it was he tried so hard that his headache came back, sighing he sat back up and quietly got out of bed. Moving to the lounge area, he sat down and stared through one of the small windows that looked out at the small section of stars that were shining brightly. That was one thing that had impressed him about the dessert, the clarity of the sky, at night it was spectacular. He could see the faded wash of white that made up the trillions of stars of the Milky Way, brightened by his night vision.

Logan blinked as his radar caught the movement of someone in the room approaching him. Logan swiftly looked over locking his gaze on Cage who paused a moment as if he had been caught in a spotlight. He moved again a moment later pulling out the other chair and sitting down.

Logan wanted to ask the boy what he wanted but something kept him from it and he ended up just staring. Cage stared back at him his mouth set in a grim line. "You were stupid for going up against 222 like that, Y'know." Cage began.

"Yeah well I'm hard headed like that, comes from being a free man for forty two years. I don't take authority well."

"I thought the same way as you when I first got here. Got the shit beat out of me for it." Cage said suddenly looking away. Pain crossed the boy's face then, and Logan wondered just what he was thinking of. Cage looked back at him and asked, "Your not afraid of X-8-222?

Logan looked at him sternly, "Should I be?"

"She scares me, anybody under Bryn has to be just as crazy as she is," And in that statement Logan was reminded of just how young the man was.

"I don't know, she just came here from Washington, She doesn't seem to like Bryn much to me. She was my escort down here, the two of them do not see eye to eye."

Cage got up and slid his chair a bit closer as if he was afraid of someone overhearing them, Logan followed him with his eyes, stopping Cage in his tracks once again.

"You're too old to be Manticore," The young man stated.

"I'm not Manticore," Logan said succinctly.

"Then who are you?" Cage asked hotly.

Logan reached his hand across the table, "The name's Logan."

"So what is your story?" Cage said, shaking his hand quickly, then diving in to what obviously had been eating at him since Logan arrived, "You're abilities are not natural attained. Your fighting skills are too well honed and you are too old to be from any Transgenic Program, much less from Manticore."

"True," Logan answered not volunteering anything.

"How?" Cage asked bluntly.

"I'll tell you what" Logan said slyly, "How about a quid pro quo?"

"A what…"

"It means if I tell you why I am here you have to tell me the same about yourself. You're the only one in this group that has anywhere close to my ability, Manticore abilities, that doesn't have a bar-code on the back of his neck."

Cage leaned back a moment, looking as if he thought the price was too high, looking as if he was going to run. After a few moments his body relaxed again and Cage leaned back in saying, "All right."

Logan looked down a moment cleaning one nail as he said, "My wife is an X-5."

Cage's eyes widened unexpectedly, then his expression quickly smoothed over, "Now just how would your wife being Manticore have anything to do with your abilities?"

Logan leaned over the table a little weaving his fingers together tightly, "She gave me a transfusion once when I was near death from blood loss. Somehow…her DNA rewrote my own, and I steadily started inheriting her abilities. First I was able to walk, then see in the dark, and it just escalated from there."

"Wait, wait, what do you mean walk?" Cage said incredulously.

Logan looked down a moment and then back up at the young man smiling, "I guess I neglected to mention that didn't I. The surgery that left me near death was to remove the remaining bullet fragment from my shattered spine."

"You were…"

"Paraplegic, yes I was." Logan finished for Cage.

"Whoa," Cage said.

"That's why I'm here…Lydecker, Bryn and the committee want to see if what happened to me could be duplicated."

"To make cheaper versions of their Manticore test tube babies," Cage whispered incredulously, "By using humans."

"Yes," Logan confirmed for him.

"Where was your wife when you were taken?"

Logan looked down again chewing on the inside of his lip, "She was there," he went silent a moment.

"And?" He said sharply.

"And I don't know…" He replied sharply, "The last thing I remember, she was in a fight for her life with Bryn. I…I don't know if she made it."

Logan went silent blinking, trying hold back the tears at the thought of what might have happened. A moment later he was back under control staring intently at the younger man in front of him. Cage looked to him like he was about to balk, but after a moment he took a deep breath, "My mom, she was Manticore, only she never told my dad. It wasn't until Lydecker found out about me, about the abilities I was developing that the truth was told and only because she had to expose herself for what she was.

"They tried to get to her through me, introducing me to some kind of virus that only they had the antidote for, and then traded my health for my mom," He paused a moment, "The deal went south, at least for Lydecker and that bitch Renfro. Mom got free and then found us in Canada."

Things started clicking in Logan's head as he sat and listened to the boy speak. The pieces he was giving were forming a very familiar picture in his mind. There was still a possibility of coincidence many of the other remaining X-5's were never introduced to him. They had dropped under the radar from everyone, and had never surfaced again. Logan focused again on what Cage was saying, seeking confirmation to his suspicion.

"After a while, when they had fought for and got extradition status from Canada we moved back into the states setting up in a small California town in the hopes of escaping attention. And was fine until about four years ago, when we were discovered and driven from our homes. Mom stayed behind, trying to prevent one of her fellow Transgenics from falling into a trap," He looked down, "Dad and I never saw her again. I think she, like your wife, may be dead, either that or she doesn't care."

"Cage…I knew that name was familiar," Logan whispered, "You're…Tinga's son." Logan said in revelation.

Cage's eyes widened, "How do you know that name?"

Logan leaned back a moment, "I was the one who got Tinga's…Penny, her Husband and Son papers to get into Canada. I met you when you were like four or five."

"You?" Cage said staring hard at him trying to make himself remember. Logan only nodded, and Cage looked down shaking his head, "I thought I had seen you before, just couldn't remember where."

"So how did you end up here?" Logan asked.

"Dad and I spent the last four years on the run, somehow managing to stay one step ahead of Lydecker's people. Four months ago we were at a roadside inn on the coast. We'd been there a couple of weeks and no sign of pursuit lulled us into a false sense of security. That is when Bryn and her Cadre moved in on us." He stopped abruptly as his face pinched hard, "Dad did what he could to protect me, guarding the front as he told me to run out the back." He stopped again, seeming to choke a moment as tears started to fall from his eyes.

"Cage, what happened to your dad?"

He looked Logan in the face, the hurt expression deepening, "They caught me as I ran out the back door, and what little fighting my Mom had taught me was useless, they beat me into submission. They dragged me back into the room where we had been staying and…. And…"

"Cage?" Logan said softly.

"Bryn made me watch as she broke his neck, effortlessly, with no remorse on her face. That heartless bitch took my Dad from me. He was trying to defend me from them, keep me safe. And she killed him." He sniffed and straightened suddenly strengthening himself with a inner resolve, "Now I have no one but myself to rely on…I'm gonna get outta here, one of these days I will manage it, and then that bitch is going to pay for taking my family from me."

"She hasn't taken all your family," Logan replied.

"What do you mean?" Cage said suspiciously.

"I mean…Tinga, your mom, is still alive," He saw Cage's eyes widen in shock, "She's been looking for you since she lost you in Yreka."

"Alive?" Logan nodded. Cage looked away whispering, "Alive…"

Logan looked away himself glancing at he high windows again and then at his watch seeing it was about three thirty in the morning. Slowly he stood up tapping Cage saying, "I think we had better get to bed ," Logan said softly, "Daylight is going to come way too early as it is."

Cage just nodded and moved back to his own rack mirroring Logan.