It was almost dusk of the following day when the Blackbird landed
about a half mile away from Fort McMurry. Kristine walked off the jet in
her borrowed X-men uniform. Logan took the in the scent from around them.
He growled at it.
"What's wrong?" Scott asked of him.
"I can smell the fluids from the tank." Logan hissed as they walked through the forest towards the base, "I would know that smell anywhere."
"So they are attempting the Weapon X project here." Storm replied.
"Not as long as I'm here, they're not." Kristine growled.
"We don't even know if they've done it or not." Said Jean.
"Just keep your eyes open, we don't know where guards are stationed." Logan said. A few minutes later, they all walked out to the edge of the forest and were shocked by the number of guards standing in front of the seemingly one layer building. Kristine's face-hardened as she focused her power.
"Jean see what you can find in that building." Scott told her. Jean put her hands to her head and focused on the building.
"I can see that there are several under ground levels." Jean said, "But I can't see where any prisoners are.
"I think we just walked into something bigger than what we originally thought." Kristine revealed as she squatted down.
"What are you talking about?" Scott asked.
"I have a slew of powers to pick from." Kristine told him as she pulled out a small pair of binoculars and looked over the base, "There are so many mutants around here."
"I'd pick some good powers to use then," Scott said to her.
"I can only use one at a time," Kristine said, "and right now, it looks like I'm going to take someone's agility."
"I'm not letting you take on those guards alone." Logan said firmly.
"You think you can get in there?" Kristine sarcastically asked him.
"They'll take you in seconds." Storm told her.
"In a minute, I'll have guns and you'll have your door." Kristine told them, "Just stick to the plan."
"How are you planning on getting in there?" Logan asked her as he took hold of her arm. She smiled at him seductively as she shook off his hand and took off running down the hill towards the base. The four, left in the trees, watched in shock as Kristine ran towards the base wall and lifted herself up and flipped over the wall. As she landed inside the base, she latched onto a power of strength and kicked a guard in the chest, sending him flying into a brick wall. Within seconds, more guards were charging towards Kristine. She ran up to another guard, flipped over him, kicking his face in the process and flipped over two more guards, taking their guns while in flight. She shot two of the guards, mortally wounding them, as she landed on her feet. A guard, then, grabbed her from behind and held her as tight as he could. To free herself, Kristine kicked one leg up hitting the soldier in the face. She then swung her leg up and around taking out 2 more in the process. She fought with several more taking them down with minimal blows to her face and chest. She jumped up kicking another guard in the face and landed with one of her legs around the neck of another. She quickly twisted her body, breaking his neck. Continuing to shoot at anyone she could not physically touch.
Meanwhile, Logan was watching the scene unfold from the forested area with his jaw on the ground. She dodged bullet after bullet, and returned every attempted punch with a kick.
"She's good." Logan said matter of factly.
"Let's just stick to the plan." Scott said.
"How will we know when to proceed? Jean asked. Just then, Logan took off running towards the building. As he did, Storm, Scott and Jean followed in suit. As they reached the base wall, Scott opened his eyes and blasted the sidewall down creating an entrance for them.
"COME ON!" Scott called to everyone. A few of the guards turned their attention to the new intruders hoping for an easier battle. Logan turned to the guards and took them out with ease. As Scott and Jean made their way into the building, Logan ran back out for Kristine who was still taking care of what was left of the guards. Logan grabbed Kristine's arm as threw her into the building. Once inside, Storm created a wall of ice to block the hole in the wall.
"What was that for?" Kristine snapped at him.
"We're not arguing here." Logan sighed, "Where are they?" he asked.
"The holding cells are on one of the lower levels." Kristine said as the intrusion alarms sounded.
"You two go," Scott, said to Logan and Kristine, "We'll hold them off."
"NO!" Kristine shouted, "I'll stay here with Storm and Jean, we'll hold them off, you two go." Just then, a door opened up revealing a group of guards. Scott and Logan nodded and took off running as a door burst open to reveal a new group of soldiers. Kristine focused her powers for a moment before her eyes began to glow purple and something resembling a dagger appeared on her arm, "You like picking on mutants?" Kristine said as she leapt at the guards, "Well try picking on me!"
Meanwhile, Logan had sliced apart a set of elevator doors and he and Scott were climbing down the elevator cables as a quick step towards their destined level. Once they reached the bottom floor, Logan again sliced through the door. Scott and Logan took off running in opposite directions looking for the holding cells. A while had passed before they ran into each other again.
"Nothing, they're not down here." Scott said as he stopped running. Logan looked around for maybe something they had missed.
"We don't have time do check every floor, someone's bound to already be on to us." Logan growled.
"Wait, you have an exceptional sense of smell right?" Scott asked him.
"Yea, so what?" Logan answered.
"Take a whiff for something that smells like you." Scott said.
"What?"
"Wouldn't it make sense that your children would smell like you?" Scott said.
"Good point." Logan answered. The two were quiet for a second as he took in the scents of the building, "This way." Logan said as they ran back in the opposite direction. They ran down a few hallways before Logan stopped again, "They're above us." Scott charged up his blast and then shot his beams upward. Once the rubble and dust cleared Logan boosted Scott up through the hole, then Logan jumped up himself. Once above the two found themselves in an empty cell. They took a look around at all the people in the cells. Logan unleashed his claws and swung away at the cell bars giving them an exit out in a second.
"Go find them, and I'll see what I can do about getting the rest of these people out." Scott said to Logan. Logan quickly walked down the line of cells looking at everyone trapped there. When he finally came to a cell with a young man asleep on an iron cot. Logan took a couple of swipes at the bars of the cage creating an opening.
"Hey kid." Logan said to the young man, "Wake up. You're getting out of here." The kid opened his eyes and looked at the man standing over him. The sight of seeing his own eyes staring back at him was almost more than Logan could handle, "James?"
"Yea." James said as he stood up, "Who are you?"
"We'll get more acquainted later." Logan said, "Right now we gotta get out of here. Where is your sister?" He asked as he ripped the machine stunting his son's powers off of his head.
"They took her and the other girl this morning, they haven't been back since." James revealed.
"Who took her?"
"Viper, she's been experimenting on Lane almost everyday." James told him.
"Do you know where she is?" Logan asked him as they walked up to Scott.; James nodded in the affirmative to Logan.
"I can't figure out how to open these cells." Scott said in frustration.
"I'll get it." James said. Within seconds a few sparks resonated from the cell doors and they all opened. The door to the hallway opened as well, "Everyone, get out of here!" He yelled to the other prisoners, as he, Logan and Scott ran in search of Lane.
Kristine, Jean and Storm had taken care of the guards and were now on the search for the children. Kristine had explained to Storm that she could feel James down below, but Lane was somewhere close by, when they walked into a laboratory. Kristine walked up to a set of X-rays and lab reports. Her eyes widened as she looked at them.
"These are Lane's," She gasped, "It looks like they already started her process."
"Yes, you always were a quick one." Came a voice from behind them. Kristine turned around Viper standing behind her.
"Viper? What is this about?" She snapped, "Where is my daughter!?"
"Lane, she's fine. In fact," she smirked, "she's better than she's ever been."
"What did you do to her?" Kristine screamed as she ran towards her, but was quickly stopped by three guards holding up their weapons to her.
"We stole the information from the original Weapon X program years ago, and have spent countless years working perfecting it." Viper started, "The original weapon was a failure, and so was our X23, but now, X24 will be the perfect one." Viper smirked, "We figured out our problem with the original Weapon X was that the adamantium cannot be fused with the skull. The results from that are.. well you know."
"You were never an operative for S.H.I.E.L.D," Kristine realized, "You only weaseled your way into our program so you spy on us?"
"That's what I do. That's what my organization is all about." Viper laughed, "We deal in information, dearie, and sometimes we go to great lengths to get that information." Kristine's eyes began to glow a red color as she stared Viper down.
"I wouldn't Kristine, after all Lane isn't finished, and you wouldn't want anything to go wrong would you." Just then a large cylinder containment unit rose from the ground. It was filled with an unknown liquid substance and in it, her daughter floated helplessly.
"Lane." Kristine whispered with tears in her eyes.
"And just so you don't try anything stupid," Viper laughed as she pressed a button on her wrist and a wall turned over revealing, X23. The young girl tried to struggle in her bonds, but as she did, shocks of electricity waved over her. The girl screamed in pain as she stopped struggling.
"Tonight I put the finishing touches on the project that I have worked so hard to perfect over the years, and you are not going to stop me." Viper demanded, "Then once we clear her mind, and the mind of the other, these two girls will be greatest weapon this world has ever seen." Lane looked through the glass at her mother and saw the worried look on her face. She signaled to Kristine that she was ok.
"Let them go." Jean said as she stood next to Kristine, "We'll let you walk away from all of this, just let them go, and we'll leave."
"Are you crazy?" Viper laughed, "Walk away?" She laughed more manically, "I've worked to hard on this just to give it up like that."
"They're children; my children that you stole from me," Kristine growled almost psychotically, "They're not your toys or your creations." Kristine said, "You've taken away so much from their lives and my own, are you just going to continue taking from me?" Viper started to walk towards the tank containing Lane. Kristine started after her, but Viper quickly stood to stand up to her.
"Do you think I don't remember what you can do? That's why you were chosen." With those words three guards rushed to Kristine, two held her down as one put the same device that stunted her children's powers on her head, "Let's see how you hold up now."
"Please, just let Lane go, use me instead." Kristine pleaded with him, "I'll latch onto her abilities and you can use me."
"You're not included in this part of the plan." Viper snapped at her as she turned on the machines, "You weren't even supposed to live past Windsor." Kristine watched in horror as her daughter was set to have her bones laced with adamantium. She watched as her daughter screamed in pain.
"STOP!" Kristine screamed. Just then, Logan threw open the door with a look on his face that could kill.
"Let her go, Lady!" Logan growled fiercely.
"The original Weapon X!" Viper smirked, "Have you come to ruin this project too?"
"I'll ruin as many as I have to just to make sure what you did to me doesn't happen to my children." Logan growled at him. James cocked a quick eyebrow.
"You're too late," Viper laughed at him, "The feed for her arms has already started." She flipped another switch causing the device on Kristine's head to electrocute her. Kristine dropped to the ground screaming in her own pain. Scott released a blast from his eyes and pushed half of the guards back, but more guards piled into the room, "Keep them away from the tank, I won't let them screw this up."
"Good luck, asshole." James snapped as his arms turned into wiring and he quickly fused with the machine his sister was trapped in.
"NO YOU FOOL!" Viper screamed, "If you stop it now you'll kill her!" Fearing he would harm his sister, James quickly unfused with the machine, instead ran to X23 and released her from her bonds. Logan rushed to Kristine, who was clutching her head on the ground, and quickly removed the device from her. Viper saw her whole plan falling apart and decided to run for it.
"Logan, get Lane out of that tank. I'm going after Viper." Kristine barely breathed out as she stood up. Logan left Kristine to collect herself and rushed to the tank that contained his daughter. Logan looked at it helplessly as he knew there was nothing that could be done.
"We have to stop this thing!" X23 shrieked.
"We can't, you heard Viper, it'll kill her." Logan said as he fought guards off from the tank. Jean had created a shield around the tank so that none of the guards could reach Logan. James had converted his arms into several long wires and used them to choke the life out of the guards that had so badly mistreated him over the past two weeks. Kristine on the other hand had run off after Viper. The guards were an easy obstacle. Logan watched as the last of the adamantium drained into his daughter. The metal quickly cooled to her bones and the liquid drained from the tank. Once the liquid drained and the tubes removed themselves, Logan slashed the glass on the tank and broke his way through to his daughter. He looked at his unconscious daughter for a moment, a realization set in as he looked at her. Quickly, he handed his daughter to James.
"Jean! Scott!" Logan yelled, "Get them out of here, I'm going after Kristine." Logan said as he ran out of the room, "You go with them," He said to X23, "I'll deal with this here." She nodded at him.
"Come on, let's go." Jean said as Scott created an exit out of the building. Lane shook herself awake as Scott's blast went off.
"Lane, we're getting out of here." James told her as he held her in his arms. James let his sister down to her feet.
"Where's mom!" Lane yelled.
"She'll be ok; we're not leaving without her." Scott said as he took her hand and started to lead her out.
"NO!" She screamed as she pulled her hand out of his, "Did she go after Viper?" No one answered, "She's going to kill her! She was supposed to killed the night they took us."
"How do you know?" X23 asked.
"Because she told me," With that Lane ran in the direction she could smell her mother.
Meanwhile, Kristine was slinking down hallways, tracking Viper like a wild animal. Making random clinks and clanks to test her nerves, and making spook calls to make sure she knew who was behind it all.
"You can stop running now, Andrea. You'll never hide from me." Kristine cooed as continued to taunt her from the rafters above her, "Not now, not ever."
"Leave me alone." Viper whined in a wimpy voice.
"Aww, is some body whining because they've lost." She cooed more, "Someone down there is a sour puss about losing."
"SHUT UP!" Viper screamed as she pulled a gun out of her coat and fired two shots into the ceiling.
"You're going to have to do better than that if you want to catch me." Kristine said as she flipped down on the rails and kicked the gun out of her hand, and just as smoothly kicked Viper in the face sending her crashing to the floor, "I don't need mutant powers to deal with you, Viper." Kristine said as she walked over to her and put her boot heel on his chest, "I was a hunter/destroyer, remember. I was an assassin, remember. Tracking shit like you was my job, and I liked it. But I had to leave my home with S.H.I.E.L.D and become a waitress." Kristine growled out the last part as she kicked her the chest, "A fucking waitress. You even took one of my children from me and ruined her childhood. You stole my baby!"
"I regret none of it." Viper smirked as she grabbed her leg and flipped her on her back, "Looks like someone forgot what I used to do too?"
"I didn't forget, I just figured since you got OLD you couldn't do it anymore." Kristine snickered as she flipped herself up to her feet and gave her enemy a low sweep bringing her crashing to the floor, "Opps I hope I didn't break your hip."
"Why do you care so much for these children?" Viper asked her as she stood up, "They're not yours."
"What are you talking about?" Kristine asked.
"They're not yours. They're Logan's alright, but your eggs weren't used." Viper said. Kristine's face was washed over in shock, "You were just the host."
"I was never part of any of your projects." Kristine snapped.
"But on top of all this, your memories are all a façade." Viper laughed, "I really thought you had figured it out. You were another of our great projects."
"What are you talking about?" Kristine said as a tear rolled down her face.
"See, Kristine, you did work for S.H.I.E.L.D and you did meet me when I was infiltrating their systems, but then your name was Karen or something," Viper smirked, "You were involved with Logan, which is why it was imperative that we use you, it made the memories so much easier to alter." Kristine glared at Viper as she spoke, "Anyhow, I found the plans for the Weapon X program through Department H and decided it was something I had to work on. So, we had you kidnapped, and impregnated you with three eggs. The boy was supposed to get the traits but when we found it in X23 instead, we had to alter our plans."
"So my children were supposed to be guinea pigs?" Kristine yelled now crying.
"Your eggs weren't used, they're not your children." Viper laughed more.
"I bore them, they are mine!" Kristine snapped back.
"You see, Kristine, most of your memories with Logan were fake too. You were in our captivity for the 9 months you were pregnant." Viper snickered, "After their birth, we dropped you off in Windsor to let you live there and raise those kids until we needed them. Most of your memories are fake."
"So you stole my whole life from me, and gave me a new one that never really happened." Kristine growled.
"I think we have a winner!" Viper cheered, "You were supposed to die in Windsor a few weeks ago, but some how you escaped. We couldn't have you interfering like this, now could we."
"I don't even know who I am." Kristine said as tears rolled down her face, "You stole my life!"
"Now, this is where I make sure you don't interfere again." She pulled another gun out from the back of her pants and fired off three more shots, missing her completely. Kristine ran up to Viper, but instead ran up the wall next to her and flipped around and wrapped her legs around her neck and reached up the grab the rails above her. She found strength in her that she never thought she had, as she tightened the grip on her neck and lifted her off the ground.
"KRISTINE!" Logan screamed ran to them, "Let her go."
"You're lying you son-of-a-bitch!" Kristine screamed at her, "They're mine, it's not fake. Those are my children and my memories."
"She's got nothing left. All her work is destroyed; nothing she wants done will be seen in her life time." Logan pleaded to her, "The kids are out, along with all the other prisoners. You've won."
"WHAT!" Viper struggled to breathe out as she struggled.
"I've won?" Kristine snapped, "Won what? She stole my life from me, nothing I've told you is real. She has taken the only thing that ever mattered to me."
"Darling, let her go and we'll talk." Logan said one final time. Kristine's face hardened as her hold softened. A few moments later, Viper fell to the ground like a pile of bricks. Kristine let go of the rails and landed on her feet next to her. She knelt down next to her, and grabbed her by her hair.
"If you or any of your people come looking for me and MY children ever again, I'll snap your neck like a twig." Kristine said as she let go of her head and walked over to Logan. With that, Logan and Kristine turned their backs on Viper and began to walk away.
"You think this is over!" She screamed as she stood up, "They're not yours, they're mine, they belong to me. I won't let you interfere again!" Kristine stopped in her tracks and turned around only to find Viper had picked up her fallen gun and opened fire.
"What's wrong?" Scott asked of him.
"I can smell the fluids from the tank." Logan hissed as they walked through the forest towards the base, "I would know that smell anywhere."
"So they are attempting the Weapon X project here." Storm replied.
"Not as long as I'm here, they're not." Kristine growled.
"We don't even know if they've done it or not." Said Jean.
"Just keep your eyes open, we don't know where guards are stationed." Logan said. A few minutes later, they all walked out to the edge of the forest and were shocked by the number of guards standing in front of the seemingly one layer building. Kristine's face-hardened as she focused her power.
"Jean see what you can find in that building." Scott told her. Jean put her hands to her head and focused on the building.
"I can see that there are several under ground levels." Jean said, "But I can't see where any prisoners are.
"I think we just walked into something bigger than what we originally thought." Kristine revealed as she squatted down.
"What are you talking about?" Scott asked.
"I have a slew of powers to pick from." Kristine told him as she pulled out a small pair of binoculars and looked over the base, "There are so many mutants around here."
"I'd pick some good powers to use then," Scott said to her.
"I can only use one at a time," Kristine said, "and right now, it looks like I'm going to take someone's agility."
"I'm not letting you take on those guards alone." Logan said firmly.
"You think you can get in there?" Kristine sarcastically asked him.
"They'll take you in seconds." Storm told her.
"In a minute, I'll have guns and you'll have your door." Kristine told them, "Just stick to the plan."
"How are you planning on getting in there?" Logan asked her as he took hold of her arm. She smiled at him seductively as she shook off his hand and took off running down the hill towards the base. The four, left in the trees, watched in shock as Kristine ran towards the base wall and lifted herself up and flipped over the wall. As she landed inside the base, she latched onto a power of strength and kicked a guard in the chest, sending him flying into a brick wall. Within seconds, more guards were charging towards Kristine. She ran up to another guard, flipped over him, kicking his face in the process and flipped over two more guards, taking their guns while in flight. She shot two of the guards, mortally wounding them, as she landed on her feet. A guard, then, grabbed her from behind and held her as tight as he could. To free herself, Kristine kicked one leg up hitting the soldier in the face. She then swung her leg up and around taking out 2 more in the process. She fought with several more taking them down with minimal blows to her face and chest. She jumped up kicking another guard in the face and landed with one of her legs around the neck of another. She quickly twisted her body, breaking his neck. Continuing to shoot at anyone she could not physically touch.
Meanwhile, Logan was watching the scene unfold from the forested area with his jaw on the ground. She dodged bullet after bullet, and returned every attempted punch with a kick.
"She's good." Logan said matter of factly.
"Let's just stick to the plan." Scott said.
"How will we know when to proceed? Jean asked. Just then, Logan took off running towards the building. As he did, Storm, Scott and Jean followed in suit. As they reached the base wall, Scott opened his eyes and blasted the sidewall down creating an entrance for them.
"COME ON!" Scott called to everyone. A few of the guards turned their attention to the new intruders hoping for an easier battle. Logan turned to the guards and took them out with ease. As Scott and Jean made their way into the building, Logan ran back out for Kristine who was still taking care of what was left of the guards. Logan grabbed Kristine's arm as threw her into the building. Once inside, Storm created a wall of ice to block the hole in the wall.
"What was that for?" Kristine snapped at him.
"We're not arguing here." Logan sighed, "Where are they?" he asked.
"The holding cells are on one of the lower levels." Kristine said as the intrusion alarms sounded.
"You two go," Scott, said to Logan and Kristine, "We'll hold them off."
"NO!" Kristine shouted, "I'll stay here with Storm and Jean, we'll hold them off, you two go." Just then, a door opened up revealing a group of guards. Scott and Logan nodded and took off running as a door burst open to reveal a new group of soldiers. Kristine focused her powers for a moment before her eyes began to glow purple and something resembling a dagger appeared on her arm, "You like picking on mutants?" Kristine said as she leapt at the guards, "Well try picking on me!"
Meanwhile, Logan had sliced apart a set of elevator doors and he and Scott were climbing down the elevator cables as a quick step towards their destined level. Once they reached the bottom floor, Logan again sliced through the door. Scott and Logan took off running in opposite directions looking for the holding cells. A while had passed before they ran into each other again.
"Nothing, they're not down here." Scott said as he stopped running. Logan looked around for maybe something they had missed.
"We don't have time do check every floor, someone's bound to already be on to us." Logan growled.
"Wait, you have an exceptional sense of smell right?" Scott asked him.
"Yea, so what?" Logan answered.
"Take a whiff for something that smells like you." Scott said.
"What?"
"Wouldn't it make sense that your children would smell like you?" Scott said.
"Good point." Logan answered. The two were quiet for a second as he took in the scents of the building, "This way." Logan said as they ran back in the opposite direction. They ran down a few hallways before Logan stopped again, "They're above us." Scott charged up his blast and then shot his beams upward. Once the rubble and dust cleared Logan boosted Scott up through the hole, then Logan jumped up himself. Once above the two found themselves in an empty cell. They took a look around at all the people in the cells. Logan unleashed his claws and swung away at the cell bars giving them an exit out in a second.
"Go find them, and I'll see what I can do about getting the rest of these people out." Scott said to Logan. Logan quickly walked down the line of cells looking at everyone trapped there. When he finally came to a cell with a young man asleep on an iron cot. Logan took a couple of swipes at the bars of the cage creating an opening.
"Hey kid." Logan said to the young man, "Wake up. You're getting out of here." The kid opened his eyes and looked at the man standing over him. The sight of seeing his own eyes staring back at him was almost more than Logan could handle, "James?"
"Yea." James said as he stood up, "Who are you?"
"We'll get more acquainted later." Logan said, "Right now we gotta get out of here. Where is your sister?" He asked as he ripped the machine stunting his son's powers off of his head.
"They took her and the other girl this morning, they haven't been back since." James revealed.
"Who took her?"
"Viper, she's been experimenting on Lane almost everyday." James told him.
"Do you know where she is?" Logan asked him as they walked up to Scott.; James nodded in the affirmative to Logan.
"I can't figure out how to open these cells." Scott said in frustration.
"I'll get it." James said. Within seconds a few sparks resonated from the cell doors and they all opened. The door to the hallway opened as well, "Everyone, get out of here!" He yelled to the other prisoners, as he, Logan and Scott ran in search of Lane.
Kristine, Jean and Storm had taken care of the guards and were now on the search for the children. Kristine had explained to Storm that she could feel James down below, but Lane was somewhere close by, when they walked into a laboratory. Kristine walked up to a set of X-rays and lab reports. Her eyes widened as she looked at them.
"These are Lane's," She gasped, "It looks like they already started her process."
"Yes, you always were a quick one." Came a voice from behind them. Kristine turned around Viper standing behind her.
"Viper? What is this about?" She snapped, "Where is my daughter!?"
"Lane, she's fine. In fact," she smirked, "she's better than she's ever been."
"What did you do to her?" Kristine screamed as she ran towards her, but was quickly stopped by three guards holding up their weapons to her.
"We stole the information from the original Weapon X program years ago, and have spent countless years working perfecting it." Viper started, "The original weapon was a failure, and so was our X23, but now, X24 will be the perfect one." Viper smirked, "We figured out our problem with the original Weapon X was that the adamantium cannot be fused with the skull. The results from that are.. well you know."
"You were never an operative for S.H.I.E.L.D," Kristine realized, "You only weaseled your way into our program so you spy on us?"
"That's what I do. That's what my organization is all about." Viper laughed, "We deal in information, dearie, and sometimes we go to great lengths to get that information." Kristine's eyes began to glow a red color as she stared Viper down.
"I wouldn't Kristine, after all Lane isn't finished, and you wouldn't want anything to go wrong would you." Just then a large cylinder containment unit rose from the ground. It was filled with an unknown liquid substance and in it, her daughter floated helplessly.
"Lane." Kristine whispered with tears in her eyes.
"And just so you don't try anything stupid," Viper laughed as she pressed a button on her wrist and a wall turned over revealing, X23. The young girl tried to struggle in her bonds, but as she did, shocks of electricity waved over her. The girl screamed in pain as she stopped struggling.
"Tonight I put the finishing touches on the project that I have worked so hard to perfect over the years, and you are not going to stop me." Viper demanded, "Then once we clear her mind, and the mind of the other, these two girls will be greatest weapon this world has ever seen." Lane looked through the glass at her mother and saw the worried look on her face. She signaled to Kristine that she was ok.
"Let them go." Jean said as she stood next to Kristine, "We'll let you walk away from all of this, just let them go, and we'll leave."
"Are you crazy?" Viper laughed, "Walk away?" She laughed more manically, "I've worked to hard on this just to give it up like that."
"They're children; my children that you stole from me," Kristine growled almost psychotically, "They're not your toys or your creations." Kristine said, "You've taken away so much from their lives and my own, are you just going to continue taking from me?" Viper started to walk towards the tank containing Lane. Kristine started after her, but Viper quickly stood to stand up to her.
"Do you think I don't remember what you can do? That's why you were chosen." With those words three guards rushed to Kristine, two held her down as one put the same device that stunted her children's powers on her head, "Let's see how you hold up now."
"Please, just let Lane go, use me instead." Kristine pleaded with him, "I'll latch onto her abilities and you can use me."
"You're not included in this part of the plan." Viper snapped at her as she turned on the machines, "You weren't even supposed to live past Windsor." Kristine watched in horror as her daughter was set to have her bones laced with adamantium. She watched as her daughter screamed in pain.
"STOP!" Kristine screamed. Just then, Logan threw open the door with a look on his face that could kill.
"Let her go, Lady!" Logan growled fiercely.
"The original Weapon X!" Viper smirked, "Have you come to ruin this project too?"
"I'll ruin as many as I have to just to make sure what you did to me doesn't happen to my children." Logan growled at him. James cocked a quick eyebrow.
"You're too late," Viper laughed at him, "The feed for her arms has already started." She flipped another switch causing the device on Kristine's head to electrocute her. Kristine dropped to the ground screaming in her own pain. Scott released a blast from his eyes and pushed half of the guards back, but more guards piled into the room, "Keep them away from the tank, I won't let them screw this up."
"Good luck, asshole." James snapped as his arms turned into wiring and he quickly fused with the machine his sister was trapped in.
"NO YOU FOOL!" Viper screamed, "If you stop it now you'll kill her!" Fearing he would harm his sister, James quickly unfused with the machine, instead ran to X23 and released her from her bonds. Logan rushed to Kristine, who was clutching her head on the ground, and quickly removed the device from her. Viper saw her whole plan falling apart and decided to run for it.
"Logan, get Lane out of that tank. I'm going after Viper." Kristine barely breathed out as she stood up. Logan left Kristine to collect herself and rushed to the tank that contained his daughter. Logan looked at it helplessly as he knew there was nothing that could be done.
"We have to stop this thing!" X23 shrieked.
"We can't, you heard Viper, it'll kill her." Logan said as he fought guards off from the tank. Jean had created a shield around the tank so that none of the guards could reach Logan. James had converted his arms into several long wires and used them to choke the life out of the guards that had so badly mistreated him over the past two weeks. Kristine on the other hand had run off after Viper. The guards were an easy obstacle. Logan watched as the last of the adamantium drained into his daughter. The metal quickly cooled to her bones and the liquid drained from the tank. Once the liquid drained and the tubes removed themselves, Logan slashed the glass on the tank and broke his way through to his daughter. He looked at his unconscious daughter for a moment, a realization set in as he looked at her. Quickly, he handed his daughter to James.
"Jean! Scott!" Logan yelled, "Get them out of here, I'm going after Kristine." Logan said as he ran out of the room, "You go with them," He said to X23, "I'll deal with this here." She nodded at him.
"Come on, let's go." Jean said as Scott created an exit out of the building. Lane shook herself awake as Scott's blast went off.
"Lane, we're getting out of here." James told her as he held her in his arms. James let his sister down to her feet.
"Where's mom!" Lane yelled.
"She'll be ok; we're not leaving without her." Scott said as he took her hand and started to lead her out.
"NO!" She screamed as she pulled her hand out of his, "Did she go after Viper?" No one answered, "She's going to kill her! She was supposed to killed the night they took us."
"How do you know?" X23 asked.
"Because she told me," With that Lane ran in the direction she could smell her mother.
Meanwhile, Kristine was slinking down hallways, tracking Viper like a wild animal. Making random clinks and clanks to test her nerves, and making spook calls to make sure she knew who was behind it all.
"You can stop running now, Andrea. You'll never hide from me." Kristine cooed as continued to taunt her from the rafters above her, "Not now, not ever."
"Leave me alone." Viper whined in a wimpy voice.
"Aww, is some body whining because they've lost." She cooed more, "Someone down there is a sour puss about losing."
"SHUT UP!" Viper screamed as she pulled a gun out of her coat and fired two shots into the ceiling.
"You're going to have to do better than that if you want to catch me." Kristine said as she flipped down on the rails and kicked the gun out of her hand, and just as smoothly kicked Viper in the face sending her crashing to the floor, "I don't need mutant powers to deal with you, Viper." Kristine said as she walked over to her and put her boot heel on his chest, "I was a hunter/destroyer, remember. I was an assassin, remember. Tracking shit like you was my job, and I liked it. But I had to leave my home with S.H.I.E.L.D and become a waitress." Kristine growled out the last part as she kicked her the chest, "A fucking waitress. You even took one of my children from me and ruined her childhood. You stole my baby!"
"I regret none of it." Viper smirked as she grabbed her leg and flipped her on her back, "Looks like someone forgot what I used to do too?"
"I didn't forget, I just figured since you got OLD you couldn't do it anymore." Kristine snickered as she flipped herself up to her feet and gave her enemy a low sweep bringing her crashing to the floor, "Opps I hope I didn't break your hip."
"Why do you care so much for these children?" Viper asked her as she stood up, "They're not yours."
"What are you talking about?" Kristine asked.
"They're not yours. They're Logan's alright, but your eggs weren't used." Viper said. Kristine's face was washed over in shock, "You were just the host."
"I was never part of any of your projects." Kristine snapped.
"But on top of all this, your memories are all a façade." Viper laughed, "I really thought you had figured it out. You were another of our great projects."
"What are you talking about?" Kristine said as a tear rolled down her face.
"See, Kristine, you did work for S.H.I.E.L.D and you did meet me when I was infiltrating their systems, but then your name was Karen or something," Viper smirked, "You were involved with Logan, which is why it was imperative that we use you, it made the memories so much easier to alter." Kristine glared at Viper as she spoke, "Anyhow, I found the plans for the Weapon X program through Department H and decided it was something I had to work on. So, we had you kidnapped, and impregnated you with three eggs. The boy was supposed to get the traits but when we found it in X23 instead, we had to alter our plans."
"So my children were supposed to be guinea pigs?" Kristine yelled now crying.
"Your eggs weren't used, they're not your children." Viper laughed more.
"I bore them, they are mine!" Kristine snapped back.
"You see, Kristine, most of your memories with Logan were fake too. You were in our captivity for the 9 months you were pregnant." Viper snickered, "After their birth, we dropped you off in Windsor to let you live there and raise those kids until we needed them. Most of your memories are fake."
"So you stole my whole life from me, and gave me a new one that never really happened." Kristine growled.
"I think we have a winner!" Viper cheered, "You were supposed to die in Windsor a few weeks ago, but some how you escaped. We couldn't have you interfering like this, now could we."
"I don't even know who I am." Kristine said as tears rolled down her face, "You stole my life!"
"Now, this is where I make sure you don't interfere again." She pulled another gun out from the back of her pants and fired off three more shots, missing her completely. Kristine ran up to Viper, but instead ran up the wall next to her and flipped around and wrapped her legs around her neck and reached up the grab the rails above her. She found strength in her that she never thought she had, as she tightened the grip on her neck and lifted her off the ground.
"KRISTINE!" Logan screamed ran to them, "Let her go."
"You're lying you son-of-a-bitch!" Kristine screamed at her, "They're mine, it's not fake. Those are my children and my memories."
"She's got nothing left. All her work is destroyed; nothing she wants done will be seen in her life time." Logan pleaded to her, "The kids are out, along with all the other prisoners. You've won."
"WHAT!" Viper struggled to breathe out as she struggled.
"I've won?" Kristine snapped, "Won what? She stole my life from me, nothing I've told you is real. She has taken the only thing that ever mattered to me."
"Darling, let her go and we'll talk." Logan said one final time. Kristine's face hardened as her hold softened. A few moments later, Viper fell to the ground like a pile of bricks. Kristine let go of the rails and landed on her feet next to her. She knelt down next to her, and grabbed her by her hair.
"If you or any of your people come looking for me and MY children ever again, I'll snap your neck like a twig." Kristine said as she let go of her head and walked over to Logan. With that, Logan and Kristine turned their backs on Viper and began to walk away.
"You think this is over!" She screamed as she stood up, "They're not yours, they're mine, they belong to me. I won't let you interfere again!" Kristine stopped in her tracks and turned around only to find Viper had picked up her fallen gun and opened fire.