Chapter 24: The Human Mutant Guinea Pig

Down in the med-lab, Dr. McCoy was conducting the final few calculations prior to his first test. The only problem was, he had no one to test it on. Lab rats didn't carry the X-gene; only humans did. Hank was unwilling to test his new serum on another human. It best, it could alter the mutations of people whose powers focused inwards—but at worst, it could seriously harm them. He finished the calculations and mixed up the liquid, but then sat there staring at it thoughtfully.

Pity Xavier wasn't available to ask. Hank liked and trusted Xavier more than he did anyone else, but he knew the older man would be busy with Rogue all day. Should he test it on himself? No, because if it did cause serious harm there would be no other doctors around to help him. It would be best, really, to test it on Logan; if it worked, it would merely blunt his healing and feral mutations, and if it didn't work he would heal from it instead of being hurt. Trouble was, Hank would never ask someone else to act as a guinea pig.

His problem was solved a few minutes later when Logan himself strode in. "Hey, Hank," he greeted the huge blue doctor.

"Good morning, Logan!" Hank greeted happily. "What brings you down here on such a fine morning?"

"Been outside?" Logan asked shortly. He had, and it was pouring out. Hardly a "fine morning" by most people's standards.

Hank waved away the question. "I meant it is a fine morning for me. You'll recall the project we discussed the other day? I've been able to formulate a serum that has the possibility of suppressing an inwardly-directed mutation. So I'm having a wonderful day even though it is raining."

"Oh, yeah?" Logan was interested. "How's it work?"

Hank frowned. "Well, that's the problem, you see. I don't know for sure that it does work; I have no way to test it."

"Don't you have rats?"

"Rats haven't mutated yet; none of them have the X-chromosome. I'd have to test it on a human, but sadly my ethics forbid testing on humans."

Logan showed his teeth in a tight grin and started rolling up his sleeve. "Then isn't it lucky I'm a Wolverine?"

"Logan, this is likely to be dangerous," Hank told him, trying to hide his excitement at the thought of a willing volunteer. Hank had enough ethics not to even so much as ask another person… but if the other person volunteered freely—well, Hank really wanted to see whether the serum worked. For his own personal reasons. "You run the risk of severe injury if not death."

Logan scoffed. "Is that my cue to look worried? I'm damn hard to kill."

"I'm not sure about this, Logan. I've never done alpha-testing on a human being before."

Logan shrugged. "Won't be my first time acting as a lab rat," he said bitterly. "You've seen my files. At least this time it's voluntary, and in a good cause. So go for it."

"I would have to have you sign a waiver before trying it on you," Hank gave him one last warning.

Logan fixed him with a pointed look. "If we've got that much to do, then you'd better get a move on, hadn't you?"