Nearly three days had past since Anna had run away, and Logan hadn't slept
at all. He was sat in his room staring out of the window.
'Just when I thought we were getting somewhere.' He thought, sadly. He thought back to what happened following Anna leaving, again, on his bike.
He left the room and ran out onto the drive, but by the time he had reached the gates, she was out of site and even his mutant ears couldn't hear the bike.
He ran to the X-van and started the engine. Pulling out onto the road, he tried to follow her scent, but when he reached the freeway, he had lost it. He turned home, trying to think how this could have happened.
As he walked into the hallway, Scott stood up from the sofa he and Jean were sitting on and approached Logan.
"I'm so sorry, Wolverine. I never thought that she would ...." He began, lamely.
Logan snapped, "You never thought what? That it would hurt her? That she'd do what any other kid would do when she thought she wasn't wanted and hated. She ran."
He turned to storm off, then stopped and added, "Just be grateful that I am too worried about finding my daughter, before anything else does, to deal with you right now."
And he walked off, leaving Scott and Jean opened mouthed.
"He must really care about her. I've never seen him so upset." Said Scott.
Jean climbed to her feet and brushed back her red hair, "She's his daughter, Scott. You know how protective he is with us. This isn't just duty, it's his heart."
Jean hung her head and added, "We didn't do enough to make her feel welcome. No wonder she felt this was her only alternative."
Scott nodded his head, his guilt lifted slightly, "So, this isn't all my fault?" He asked hopefully.
Jean's green eyes burnt into him, "It's entirely your fault, you idiot. You should have left it alone. That argument was none of your business and, quite frankly, Lance's fault."
Scott sat back down and placed his head in his hands, all he could think was, 'What have I done?'
Logan lifted his head as someone tapped on the door, his thoughts returning to the present. Xavier entered and stopped beside him.
"We're going to find her, Logan. I can promise you. She's strong and her mutation will help her greatly."
"Help her how? Will it stop her starving or from being raped? She's just a kid, Charles." He felt like his heart would stop, "I have to find her."
Xavier placed a hand on Logan's shoulder, "And we will. As soon as she uses her powers."
"She could be anywhere. That bike's as fast as hell. And what if Magneto finds her? She's vulnerable enough to allow herself to be taken in." He said shaking his head.
"Yes, but she is also stubborn enough to ignore him entirely. She is a lot like you, Logan. You should give her more credit."
Logan smiled weakly, "I never knew having children would be so difficult."
Charles returned the smile, "After two years of living with a house full, you should have gotten an idea."
"It's different with her. I worry all the time."
Xavier smiled again and said, "Welcome to the wonderful world of parenting."
With that he assured Wolverine again that they would find her and left.
Logan heard the door shut and suddenly made up his mind. He leapt up and shoved some clothes into a rucksack and walked out. He climbed into the X- Van and started the engine.
He would find his daughter if it killed him.
Anna was fed up. She was hungry and had run out of money. She had spent her last $30 on petrol for the bike and a drink. And now the bike was nearly empty again.
She figured that it would be easy to stop at a station and fill it up and just drive off. The problem was food. In London, she never was at a loss. There were tonnes of people she could mug or snatch their bags. But she had barely seen anyone since she left the freeway.
The bike gave a last burst and then the engine died. She stopped the bike and looked at her surroundings. She had no idea where she was. She just ended up on a big long road through a forest.
"Great place to break down. It's like a horror movie." She said aloud. She left the bike and sat against a tree, lighting a cigarette. She realised she only had three left.
"Even better!" She was tired and had spent the last couple of nights sleeping rough. She needed a shower and a meal.
She had had plenty of time to think about what had happened at the mansion. It wasn't her fault and she could have coped with Kitty's outburst. She was angry and hurt, even though Anna still thought that she, herself, was really blameless, but that dickhead Scott had to get involved.
She felt that she had no alternative. The kids all hated her, and it would have been only a matter of time before the adults, including her father, turned against her.
Feeling itchy and hungry, she walked into the forest to take her mind off of things. About a quarter of a mile in she found a small lake. The temptation to clean herself was too much and she stripped off and waded in.
After ten minutes, when she couldn't stand the cold anymore, she climbed out and tried to dry herself with her T-shirt.
She started to dress and was just pulling on her sweater when she heard a low growl. She spun round and saw something very tall and broad approaching her from the shadow of the trees.
'Bear!' She thought and immediately unsheathed her claws. Suddenly a huge man, about seven foot tall, with long, shaggy blond hair stepped into the light.
"Well, you're a pretty little thing aren't you?" He said in a low voice.
"And you're a fucking great pervert. Do you like watching young girls swimming naked?" Replied Anna. She really didn't have time for some huge freak to try it on with her.
"Interesting power you've got, Girlie. Reminds me of an old friend." He said stepping closer.
Anna backed away but remained in a fighting stance. She said nothing. The tall man continued, "Tell me, do you know Wolverine or is this an interesting coincidence?"
"He's my father. But don't ask me where he is. I left. I don't even know where I am. Now if you'll excuse me." She tried to push past him, but he grabbed her arm hard.
"I'm not done with you yet. Try and run and I'll rip your head off."
Anna scowled, "Yeah, well you'll do it with three holes in your throat. Now LET ME GO!" She snatched her hand back and was about to walk to the bike, when he laughed.
"I like you. Sassy little thing aren't you?" He said.
Anna studied him. She didn't trust him, but who else could help her. "I try. I suppose if you got a hair cut, you'd be OK too. You look like Bigfoot!"
She started to walk towards her bike, and saw a larger red bike behind it. She lit a cigarette and sat on hers.
"So, what do I call you? I mean friends are supposed to call each other by their names aren't they?" She said, watching him sit on the other bike.
"Sabertooth. I used to work with your dad years ago." He replied, studying her. If she was Wolverine's daughter and she'd run away then he'd be looking for her. Perfect.
"Sabertooth? Oh, one of those stupid nickname things. What's your real name?" She asked smiling. This guy seemed to be OK. He did know her father too, which to Anna wasn't a huge plus, but it was better than a total stranger.
"Victor Creed." Said the larger mutant. Anna nodded.
"Cool, I'm Anna. So, Vic. Where are your digs? I'm starving. And my bike's out of petrol."
"Petrol? Isn't that Wolverine's bike?" He growled looking confused.
"Gas, you call it. And yeah, well I suppose it's mine now. I stole it when I left." She smiled, grinding out the cigarette, "So I suppose I use yours."
She climbed on the back of Sabertooth's bike and held his waist. He started the engine and they roared off.
A small light flashed at a console in the mansion. Xavier tapped the keyboard and an image of Anna appeared. He smiled and typed some more until a location came up. She was a hundred miles away, but safe.
He tried to contact Logan, but he couldn't find him. He requested Scott and Jean's presence. They arrived within seconds.
"Where is Logan? I've located Anna. She used her powers." The elder man asked urgently.
Scott and Jean exchanged a look, Scott spoke, "He's gone, Professor. He took the X-Van and left about two hours ago."
"We'll focus on him later. Prep the jet, Scott. I want the whole team ready in ten minutes." Xavier said, and the two teens ran off.
'Why did you have to so impulsive, Logan?' He thought. They needed Wolverine, especially if Cerebro was correct in naming the person Anna was with. She could be in serious danger if the mutant named Sabertooth turned nasty.
'Just when I thought we were getting somewhere.' He thought, sadly. He thought back to what happened following Anna leaving, again, on his bike.
He left the room and ran out onto the drive, but by the time he had reached the gates, she was out of site and even his mutant ears couldn't hear the bike.
He ran to the X-van and started the engine. Pulling out onto the road, he tried to follow her scent, but when he reached the freeway, he had lost it. He turned home, trying to think how this could have happened.
As he walked into the hallway, Scott stood up from the sofa he and Jean were sitting on and approached Logan.
"I'm so sorry, Wolverine. I never thought that she would ...." He began, lamely.
Logan snapped, "You never thought what? That it would hurt her? That she'd do what any other kid would do when she thought she wasn't wanted and hated. She ran."
He turned to storm off, then stopped and added, "Just be grateful that I am too worried about finding my daughter, before anything else does, to deal with you right now."
And he walked off, leaving Scott and Jean opened mouthed.
"He must really care about her. I've never seen him so upset." Said Scott.
Jean climbed to her feet and brushed back her red hair, "She's his daughter, Scott. You know how protective he is with us. This isn't just duty, it's his heart."
Jean hung her head and added, "We didn't do enough to make her feel welcome. No wonder she felt this was her only alternative."
Scott nodded his head, his guilt lifted slightly, "So, this isn't all my fault?" He asked hopefully.
Jean's green eyes burnt into him, "It's entirely your fault, you idiot. You should have left it alone. That argument was none of your business and, quite frankly, Lance's fault."
Scott sat back down and placed his head in his hands, all he could think was, 'What have I done?'
Logan lifted his head as someone tapped on the door, his thoughts returning to the present. Xavier entered and stopped beside him.
"We're going to find her, Logan. I can promise you. She's strong and her mutation will help her greatly."
"Help her how? Will it stop her starving or from being raped? She's just a kid, Charles." He felt like his heart would stop, "I have to find her."
Xavier placed a hand on Logan's shoulder, "And we will. As soon as she uses her powers."
"She could be anywhere. That bike's as fast as hell. And what if Magneto finds her? She's vulnerable enough to allow herself to be taken in." He said shaking his head.
"Yes, but she is also stubborn enough to ignore him entirely. She is a lot like you, Logan. You should give her more credit."
Logan smiled weakly, "I never knew having children would be so difficult."
Charles returned the smile, "After two years of living with a house full, you should have gotten an idea."
"It's different with her. I worry all the time."
Xavier smiled again and said, "Welcome to the wonderful world of parenting."
With that he assured Wolverine again that they would find her and left.
Logan heard the door shut and suddenly made up his mind. He leapt up and shoved some clothes into a rucksack and walked out. He climbed into the X- Van and started the engine.
He would find his daughter if it killed him.
Anna was fed up. She was hungry and had run out of money. She had spent her last $30 on petrol for the bike and a drink. And now the bike was nearly empty again.
She figured that it would be easy to stop at a station and fill it up and just drive off. The problem was food. In London, she never was at a loss. There were tonnes of people she could mug or snatch their bags. But she had barely seen anyone since she left the freeway.
The bike gave a last burst and then the engine died. She stopped the bike and looked at her surroundings. She had no idea where she was. She just ended up on a big long road through a forest.
"Great place to break down. It's like a horror movie." She said aloud. She left the bike and sat against a tree, lighting a cigarette. She realised she only had three left.
"Even better!" She was tired and had spent the last couple of nights sleeping rough. She needed a shower and a meal.
She had had plenty of time to think about what had happened at the mansion. It wasn't her fault and she could have coped with Kitty's outburst. She was angry and hurt, even though Anna still thought that she, herself, was really blameless, but that dickhead Scott had to get involved.
She felt that she had no alternative. The kids all hated her, and it would have been only a matter of time before the adults, including her father, turned against her.
Feeling itchy and hungry, she walked into the forest to take her mind off of things. About a quarter of a mile in she found a small lake. The temptation to clean herself was too much and she stripped off and waded in.
After ten minutes, when she couldn't stand the cold anymore, she climbed out and tried to dry herself with her T-shirt.
She started to dress and was just pulling on her sweater when she heard a low growl. She spun round and saw something very tall and broad approaching her from the shadow of the trees.
'Bear!' She thought and immediately unsheathed her claws. Suddenly a huge man, about seven foot tall, with long, shaggy blond hair stepped into the light.
"Well, you're a pretty little thing aren't you?" He said in a low voice.
"And you're a fucking great pervert. Do you like watching young girls swimming naked?" Replied Anna. She really didn't have time for some huge freak to try it on with her.
"Interesting power you've got, Girlie. Reminds me of an old friend." He said stepping closer.
Anna backed away but remained in a fighting stance. She said nothing. The tall man continued, "Tell me, do you know Wolverine or is this an interesting coincidence?"
"He's my father. But don't ask me where he is. I left. I don't even know where I am. Now if you'll excuse me." She tried to push past him, but he grabbed her arm hard.
"I'm not done with you yet. Try and run and I'll rip your head off."
Anna scowled, "Yeah, well you'll do it with three holes in your throat. Now LET ME GO!" She snatched her hand back and was about to walk to the bike, when he laughed.
"I like you. Sassy little thing aren't you?" He said.
Anna studied him. She didn't trust him, but who else could help her. "I try. I suppose if you got a hair cut, you'd be OK too. You look like Bigfoot!"
She started to walk towards her bike, and saw a larger red bike behind it. She lit a cigarette and sat on hers.
"So, what do I call you? I mean friends are supposed to call each other by their names aren't they?" She said, watching him sit on the other bike.
"Sabertooth. I used to work with your dad years ago." He replied, studying her. If she was Wolverine's daughter and she'd run away then he'd be looking for her. Perfect.
"Sabertooth? Oh, one of those stupid nickname things. What's your real name?" She asked smiling. This guy seemed to be OK. He did know her father too, which to Anna wasn't a huge plus, but it was better than a total stranger.
"Victor Creed." Said the larger mutant. Anna nodded.
"Cool, I'm Anna. So, Vic. Where are your digs? I'm starving. And my bike's out of petrol."
"Petrol? Isn't that Wolverine's bike?" He growled looking confused.
"Gas, you call it. And yeah, well I suppose it's mine now. I stole it when I left." She smiled, grinding out the cigarette, "So I suppose I use yours."
She climbed on the back of Sabertooth's bike and held his waist. He started the engine and they roared off.
A small light flashed at a console in the mansion. Xavier tapped the keyboard and an image of Anna appeared. He smiled and typed some more until a location came up. She was a hundred miles away, but safe.
He tried to contact Logan, but he couldn't find him. He requested Scott and Jean's presence. They arrived within seconds.
"Where is Logan? I've located Anna. She used her powers." The elder man asked urgently.
Scott and Jean exchanged a look, Scott spoke, "He's gone, Professor. He took the X-Van and left about two hours ago."
"We'll focus on him later. Prep the jet, Scott. I want the whole team ready in ten minutes." Xavier said, and the two teens ran off.
'Why did you have to so impulsive, Logan?' He thought. They needed Wolverine, especially if Cerebro was correct in naming the person Anna was with. She could be in serious danger if the mutant named Sabertooth turned nasty.