The X-jet landed softly on the grounds near Alkali Lake, a place Logan knew only too well. There was a compound almost three miles away that still gives him nightmares.
Scott, who was always the mission leader walked off of the jet, Jean, Kara, Logan, Bobby, Rogue, Ororo, and the Professor in tow. Logan sniffed the area, recognizing a familiar stench. "What is it?" Scott asked.
"We're not alone. Keep your eyes open." They scattered slightly, until Kara stopped.
"Are you sure we're in the right place?"
"These are the coordinated." Xavier told her. She just shrugged her shoulders and continued to search the area. Xavier cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. "It's getting late. We should probably set up camp."
"Camp?" Jean asked.
"Yes. I didn't anticipate the time difference." Cyclops furrowed his brow at the professor. He would have never forgotten about a time difference. He wanted to say something, but didn't on account he didn't want to scare anyone.
They set up a small camp and lit a fire. They couldn't all very well sleep in the X-jet, so everyone stayed outside. Besides, it was a beautiful night. All the stars were out and shining brightly. Kara lay staring up at them, a tear coming to her eye. Logan hadn't noticed this, but he could smell how sad she was. "You okay?" He asked.
"Yeah… I remember when I was little, my parents and I would always camp out in the backyard. We'd stare up at the stars and they'd tell me all of these storied about people under those same stars who had magical powers and who would fight for the side of good… I didn't really believe them, until I became who I am."
"What happened to them?" He asked, knowing that there was something else bothering her.
"They died when I was eight. I was raised by my uncle, until I found out about the institute. Then when I was sixteen, he pulled me out of it and I haven't been back since."
"Do you see your uncle anymore."
"From time to time, yeah. But, I would give anything to see my parents again." She turned on her side and set her head in her hand to look at him. "Look, Logan, about the other night…" He held up a hand to silence her.
"Don't worry about it." She blushed, slightly, but he didn't notice.
"I… I really do like you. I think you're handsome, caring and passionate, but I know you'd never see me as anything else, than an insecure orphan."
"That's not true. You have a passion about everything and you're good at everything you do. I find that very attractive. And, no, I may not stop loving Jean. But, she'll always have Scott and who will I have? No one." She smiled slightly.
"You're very understanding when you need to be."
"Yeah, I don't like people to know that I have a caring side. They'll think I'm, soft."
"I don't think that at all." She slid closer to him and placed a light kiss on his lips. He accepted it, wrapping his free arm around her waist. The kiss ended as they just stared into each other's eyes. They both smiled and rested their heads on their pillows, going to try to get some sleep. They laid there, his arm still around her waist. But, a foul, familiar stench caught Logan's nose. He sat up quickly and popped his claws. "What is it?" Kara asked. Logan didn't answer, he just kept sniffing around, waking everyone up in the process. They were disoriented until they realized that Logan was onto something.
A low growl told Logan that his instincts were correct. He jumped into the bush only to be thrown back out by a monstrous beast. Sabretooth walked out of the gush, an evil gleam in his eyes. Logan climbed to his feet and lunged at the horrid beast.
Everyone else in the camp gathered together. All accept Kara. With a daze in her eyes, she walked into the trees and out of sight. Only Xavier knew she had gone. He sat there, trying to get into her mind, but something was blocking it off. Something was always blocking it off. "Kara!" He cried out. He told Storm where she had headed and the white-haired woman entered the woods after her. She followed until they were at a clearing. There, Storm saw Kara, struggling to Stryker's grasp.
"Let me go!" She cried out. He just smiled evilly at her and dragged her toward his hidden compound.
"OH, no you don't." Storm said, conjuring bolts of lighting to stop them from entering. Stryker fired a dart at her. Soon, she was asleep.
Logan and Sabretooth battled until Sabretooth just ran off. "That's weird." Logan said.
"Why are you complaining? Kara and Storm are gone. We have to help!" Cyclops said. Logan nodded his head and ran through the woods, following the scents of both women. They found Storm, lying on the ground, asleep. Xavier was able to wake her up instantly.
"Where'd she go?" Logan asked.
"They took her into the compound."
"They?" Jean asked.
"Stryker and his men."
"What do they want her for?" The rugged man asked.
"I don't know. I've been trying to enter Kara's mind, but there is something blocking my telepathy." Xavier said.
"We have to get her." Logan said.
"Logan, we will get her back."
"Don't be so sure of that, Charles!" They hears a voice call to them.
"Stryker!" Growled Logan. "Where is she?"
"You may be Xavier's weapon, Wolverine, but I have my own… Sonic Wave." Logan furrowed his brow as Stryker moved out of the way to reveal his secret weapon. Kara stood there, jolts of electricity flickering from her eyes and fingertips.
"My, God, what have you done to her?" Xavier asked.
"She is a destroyer, Charles. That's all she will ever be." Kara grinned at all of them and walked over to Stryker, resting a hand on his shoulder.
"Kara?" Logan asked.
"Family must stick together, Wolverine." She said, looking right into Stryker's face.
"So, you're been working for Stryker this whole time?" Cyclops asked.
"Ain't it a bitch?" She asked. "If you weren't such goody-goodies, you would have seen right through me. And, of course, there's the love potion I used on Wolverine." Logan's face fell in shock. It was all a rues to get to Cerebro!
"Yes, and she did everything as planned. Now, their child will be my next weapon." Stryker cackled slightly.
"Child?" Jean asked. "What child?"
"But now, Logan has impregnated my niece to form a new kind of mutant. One that will destroy you all!"
"Impregnated?" Logan asked. "I never touched her!" Stryker's grin faded as he looked at Kara with loathing.
"What?"
"I-I couldn't." She said, meekly. His face became evil and demon-like.
"You've ruined the whole thing!" He took out a small remote control and kept pushing a button on it. Kara suddenly doubled over in pain, clutched her head. The pain was so intense that she fired electric currents all around her. The X-Men were able to dodge them, but Stryker's men were not. The few who were hit were killed instantly, leaving only charred remains. Stryker still held the button, though. Kara had fallen to her knees and was crying out, now and the electricity was getting stronger.
"Stop it! You'll kill us all!" Cyclops yelled at him, while dodging a bolt.
"That's the idea." Stryker smiled. Xavier moved to face Stryker a serious expression on his face.
"William, you can't do this. She's your niece. You are the only family she has!"
"My freak of a sister gave birth to her and now she will pay for bringing another like her into this world!" Xavier furrowed his brow in thought as the battle raged on around him and Kara's cries getting louder. He thought about what Stryker had said. Xavier knew what he meant, now. Why he had raised Kara on his own. Why he had pulled her out of the institute.
"She was getting too close to finding her, wasn't she?"
"And what if she was?
"Kara's parents are still alive, aren't they?"
"Barely. I sent my troops to dispose of them." Xavier nodded his head. He knew Kara's parents were still alive the entire time. He had set Nightcrawler and Beast to protect them. Xavier then concentrated on Kara's mind. He had to break the block and get through to her. There was a barrier around her mind and he hoped he could break it down.
Logan stabbed one of Stryker's troops in the chest with his claws and retracted them. He slowly walked over to Kara, who was now rocking back and forth, the pain, no doubt, unbearable. "Kara?" He asked, kneeling down in front of her.
"Logan." She muttered. "I'm sorry for what I did." He gently placed a hand on hers, for comfort, but he was give a huge electric shock. Kara screamed in pain. She felt someone inside of her head, trying to break through. She had to let him, so the pain would stop.
"Kara, listen to me. I cannot do this alone. Help me break down the barrier!" Xavier cried to her. She screamed in pain again as she did as the professor asked. The barrier in her mind was destroyed and was aloud to finally think for herself, yet Stryker still held the button. She concentrated hard on Stryker, his evil face burned into her mind forever. Soon, he was on the ground, dead from electrocution. She doubled over in pain again as it still raged on.
Now that Stryker was dead, his troops gave up the fight and ran away. Xavier's men just let them as they watch Logan leaning over Kara, wanting to hold her. "Logan." She muttered, holding her head tightly. "The beacon. Destroy it." Cyclops had heard her and disposed of the remote in Stryker's dead hand with an optic blast. But, the current still raged on in her. The bolts she was producing were coming more frequently and closer to the X-Men
"It didn't work!" Jean said, clutching onto Cyclops' arm in worry.
"Get out of here!" They all heard Kara yell. "Go, before I kill you all." Xavier nodded his head toward the others and they headed back to the X-jet, but Logan stayed behind.
"Logan, come on!" Rogue called to him, nursing a twisted wrist.
"No" He called back. Kara looked up at him, pain and tears in her eyes.
"Logan, go." She said. He just shook his head. "Please, go!" She clutched her head again.
"Not without you."
"Logan, I don't want you to get hurt. Please, go." She lowered her head in pain and looked at his hands. She grabbed a hold of one of them, which gave him no shock, and held his fist to her chest. He gave her a shocked look.
"No." He said.
"Please, Logan. I don't want to hurt anyone else. Please?" He shook his head.
"I can't." She reached up and touched his face with her other hand. To his surprise, her touch was just as it was before, warm and caring.
"Please, Logan." She pulled closer to him and gently kissed him. He felt terrible about what he had to do, but it was the only way. He quickly popped his claws into her chest and retracted them just as quickly as she let out a gasp. The electric current around her faded as she kept gasping. She caressed his face softly. "Thank you." She then fell lifeless in his arms.
"Logan, come on." Jean said, laying a caring hand on his shoulder. He laid Kara down, in respect and stood up. He didn't want to move her, because he knew Nightcrawler wouldn't approve because he was so religious and believed it was sacrilegious to move a dead body from it's resting place. They then headed back to the jet and began to fly home.