Title: Horror Vacuum

Disclaimer: Please can I have Logan? *Puppy dog eyes* No? Grrr....okay then, fine he's all yours

Summary: Weapon X stands on trail and Logan is called up as witness

Rating: Probably PG, we're talking Logan after all....

Warning:I am not familiar with the justice system in America or Canada. That's why I wrote this from Logan's perspective. I figured he wouldn't know these things very well either. As for the terms I had to use, I'm sorry if it's not correct. Besides that, my grammar is probably horrible, sorry 'bout that.

Note:   Italics are thoughts

 Telepathic conversation

            Flashback

Thanks for the reviews!

Finally in the fresh air. I plop down on a wooden bench just outside the building and rub my face with both hands. We sit in silence for a while just enjoying the warm June sun. Surprisingly it's me who breaks the silence.

"I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"For not knowing that shit."

"You know you are not to blame for that Logan."

"Yeah, but it still feels bad ya know. I owe the others more than that."

"Who do you mean?"

"The other experiments." I spit the word out with disgust. Remembering the nameless faces of my fellow testsubjects. They too had been tested on, but unlike me no of them survived the course of actions back then. I can't even remember them clearly, but it feels as if they were the only ones connected with me in my dark and forgotten past.

"I see." Chuck says and again we're sitting in silence. Ben stands up declaring he needs to do something and leaves. After a few minutes it's Chuck this time who starts conversation.

"Logan?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." I give him a puzzled look. Chuck asking permission to ask something? That's new. He waits for a second and I see he's trying to find the right words.

"When I told you about the videotape earlier in the car. You seemed frightened." He pauses there for a few seconds.

"If you don't want to talk about it I will respect that, but I feel it is necessary if you do. If they will show it I need to know your possible reaction to prevent you from becoming…feral."

I nod. He was right. He needs to be able to help me keep control before my mind would turn bestial and put up my mental shields. The reasonable part of my mind tells me to tell him, but another part is trying to forget about the tape and whatever consequences there will be.

After a few moments of inner battle my reasonable side wins and I decide to tell him.

I'm in my small dark cell. The only light that can be seen shines through the little barred window in the door. The small column of light suddenly disappears and the stench of chemicals from the other side of the door assaults my oversensitive nose. I try to brace myself for what will happen next, but I always fail. The door slides open and there are three guards on top of me pushing their steel rods in my neck. I never understand why they would do that, for I'm bound by these electronic bounds around my wrists and hands. Besides that my feet are bound together by a thick chain. So it's not like I'm a real threat to them. I struggle a bit, but I know it's useless anyhow. I stiffen when I feel the tip of a cold needle pressing in my bicep. I growl when it breaks my skin, try to pull away, but the plunger is being pushed down and the burning liquid sears through my veins. My sight blurs and my body goes weak, I feel the guards getting off of me and then I fall in a blissfull emptiness.

I awake to the sound of metal instruments and beeping computers. A sharp pain shoots through my body with every breath I take. When I open my eyes I'm blinded by the lights above my head and I realise I'm still on the surgery table. As soon as my eyes get used to the lights I wish they didn't. The bastards are checking me thoroughly, while others are cleaning the now bloodied medical instruments. I try to shout at them, but there is a tube in my mouth refraining me from speaking. I look around frantically searching for something that will help me out. I notice the camera hanging above me, its little red light indicating it's recording everything. I feel sick thinking about that. Thinking that they taped everything probably using it for later analyses of what they just did to me. There's a hand pushing on the painful stitch on my chest. I look up to a face partially hidden by a mask. When I look in the eyes behind the glasses a find nothing there, no feelings, no compassion. Nothing but a vast emptiness.

Chuck's looking at me with the same understanding look he always has. I sigh, staring in the distance.

"I'm glad you told me Logan. I know how hard this must be for you."

I grunt and turn my head to face Ben who's walking towards us. He sits down next to me.

"I talked a bit with the judge and he thinks it will be sufficient if you're only present at the trails of the senior staff. In about ten minutes we'll continue this one and tomorrow there will be another one. They also had some more information on that videotape. They will show it tomorrow and they need you to be there to verify its content. Are you up to that?"

"Yeah, I am." Once more I look at Chuck for confirmation and he nods.

"I was also happy to hear that Nicholas Fury will testify also on behalf of S.H.I.E.LD. He was present at most of the arrests. You know him, don't you?"  

"Yeah, he's a good friend."

"Very well. Let's go back, okay?"

Once more we walk into the courtroom and another tiring round of questions is fired my way.

That night we when we're back in the fancy hotel were we're staying, I first take a long hot shower. Feel the water relieve some of the tension in my shoulders and neck. I'm glad to have some time to myself again. Chuck offered me to have dinner downstairs in the luxurious diningroom, but I told him I'd order something by roomservice. I could see he wanted to talk to me, but I needed some space. Some time alone.  I drop down on my bed and fall a sleep before my head hits the pillow.

I dream about a green forrest, a beautiful lake. A good dream. A dream that suddenly turns into a nightmare full of pain and terror. Full of anger and frustration.  I wake once again drenched in sweat, in the remains of my matras and pillow. After I realise were I am I curse. How the hell am I going to explain this to the hotel management? I sit on the edge of my bed, head in my hands. I wonder if this will stop after they're locked up forever. Knowing my luck, probably not.

For some unknown reason I pick up the phone and dial the number of the mansion. Listening I take a glance at the clock next to the bed. 4 am. Nobody will be awake. Just when I'm about to hang up I hear the groggy voice of Scott.

"Xavier institute, Scott Summers, how can I help you?" I have to smile at that. Even at 4 am, half asleep he's still polite. Not for long probably.

"Hey Cyke."

"Logan? Something wrong? Do you need the team?" I almost hear his brains switch to full Fearless leader mode. 

"Nah."

"Then why do you call at... " Pause."4 in the morning?!"

"I don't know."

"That's it, I'm hanging up!" I hear Jeannie's voice in the background. Scott sighs.

"Here's Jean. Oh, and Logan?"

"Yeah?"

"Normal people sleep at this time of the day, maybe you should consider to do the same...and leave others alone!" He passes the phone on to Jean.

"Hey Logan."

"Hey yourself Red."

"Is everything all right?"

"Yeah."

"How did it go?"

"Okay, I guess. It was...difficult."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, not really."

"Why are you awake?"

"Had a nightmare."

"I see."

"Shredded the bed."

"You did?"

"I don't know how to explain it to the hotel." She thinks for a while and I can almost see the smile coming up.

"Well, I have a suggestion."

"Which is?"

"Just say that you had some quite exhilarating encounter with a lovely woman."

I surprise myself by bursting out laughing. I can hear her laugh too on the other end of the line. Then I hear Scott clear his throat and she tries to be serious again, but failing miserably. She's still giggling when we're saying goodbye and both hang up the phone.   

It feels good to laugh again and suddenly everything doesn't look so bad anymore. I grab the discman Jubes got me once and listen to Nirvana while relaxing in the bathtub.

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