Chapter 8: Claws & Spit
Logan landed the X-Jet in front of a small warehouse on the border of New Rawley and Carson. Everyone but Xavier got out of the jet. As they did they broke into groups: Finn, Logan, & Hamilton; Scott & Jean; and Kitty & Kurt. Scott and Jean backed them up as Logan led them to side entrance. Logan tried the door, to find it locked. Finn changed to his icy form and shot an icy stream at the door. Logan punched it and watched it shatter. Logan quickly surveyed the room; along the walls were large crates. Logan turned to Hamilton and told him to stay close to the crates so he would be easily hidden. They all moved in quietly and stayed among the crates.
"But?" They heard Magneto say.
Hamilton saw Jake standing inside the circle of villains. She was facing Magneto.
"But you shouldn't go around trying to kill and kidnap people just to proveā¦"
Hamilton couldn't understand what was happening. Logan's claws were out and Jean looked like she was ready to fight. Hamilton looked down his body was the same as the wooden crates. He looked up at Logan and tried to sneak away. Logan retracted his claws, reached down, grabbed Ham by the back of his shirt, and jumped onto a large five-foot tall crate.
"Hey, metal man, looking for someone?" Logan cried out, holding Ham up in the air.
Magneto glared at him. "Haven't you ever heard of knock?"
Finn raised himself above the crates. "No."
Magneto looked at Jake, she shook her head, "I'm sorry." Sabertooth reached down and grabbed her.
"No, please, not Ham, no!"
Logan dropped behind the crate as the rest of the X-Men burst forward. He pushed Ham against the crate, "Stay!"
"Wolverine! Are you looking for something?" Sabertooth called out as he tossed Jake to Magneto. Magneto used his power to catch Jake with a chain and strap her to the ceiling.
"Ham!" She yelled.
Hamilton watched as Logan fought Sabertooth. Scott and Jean were battling Magneto. Finn was fight who Ham thought was Mystique, but he wasn't sure. The figure was engulfed in flames. Kurt and Kitty were trying to avoid the brown haired boy, who Ham heard him called himself Avalanche. Although the one called Toad was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly a gob of goo hit his chest. Ham glanced down it was green and looked like mucus. Ham was really grossed out, but if he moved someone would see him. Then more landed on his left shoulder. Before Ham could do anything, Wolverine was slammed against the box where Ham was hiding. Ham started to fly forward, but Toad's slimy tongue caught Ham's neck and yanked him over the box. Ham grabbed the tongue, but Toad's grip tightened. As the pain increased, Ham saw his hands begin to glow. Ham concentrated and the blue light grew. It suddenly burst from his hands and up through the tongue to Toad. Toad cried out and dropped Ham. He felled directly on top of Sabertooth, knocking him unconscious.
Logan smiled through his mask. "You'll make an X-Man yet, kid."
"Ham, look out!" Jake screamed.
Ham dropped to the floor as a beam of light flew over his head. Scott had shot at Avalanche, throwing the kid into a wall. But Ham had landed on Sabertooth's claw; the pain was making his hands glow again. Ham stood up and pointed his hands at Magneto. The blue light burst out and pushed Magneto through the wall of the warehouse. Meanwhile Kurt and Kitty had gotten Jake down.
Mystique looked around to see herself the only one still standing and ran. She tripped over Toad, knocking herself unconscious as she hit the floor. Ham saw Jake standing next to Kurt. A second later, her arms were around his neck. She pulled away to discover that the goo on Ham was now also on her.
"Eww, what is this stuff?"
Kurt laughed. "Toad's spit."
"Ewww!"
Hamilton smile, he put his arm around her shoulder and followed the X-Men out of the warehouse. "So what were you talking about?"
"Huh?"
"You shouldn't go around trying to kill and kidnap people."
"Oh, I was trying to convince him to let me go. How well do you think it worked?"
"Don't know I've never been kidnapped before."
"How much did you hear?"
"Just from there and on."
"So how did you make that blue light?" She asked as they got seated on the plane.
"You did it again?" Xavier asked.
"Yeah, when Toad was strangling me and again when I fell on Sabertooth's claw." Ham looked down his shirt was torn, but there wasn't a scar or blood or anything.
"Were you in pain?" Jean asked him.
"Sure, it hurt like hell for a minute. Then my hands started to glow blue and I shot the light at Magneto."
"Pain." Xavier said. "When even you're in pain the energy changes to kinetic and creates the light."
"So if something hurts me physically, my body changes the pain into energy that I can throw back at someone."
Xavier nodded his head.
Hamilton looked at Logan. "Sorry."
"No prob kid. It only hurt for a second."
"Logan's mutant ability is to heal at a rapid rate." Xavier explained.
"Oh, well, I'm still sorry."
"Um, can I ask a question?" Jake asked.
"Sure." Xavier answered with a smile.
"If he's Logan, then who's Wolverine?"
Xavier smiled. "He is. Jake, Hamilton, let me introduce you to the X-Men. Cyclops, Jean Grey, Shadowcat, Nightcrawler, and Wolverine."
"Iceman." Finn added.
Xavier smiled.
