Chapter 34: An Ugly Wake-up Call
When they got there, the med-lab was in chaos. Papers lined the floor, and Hank's computer was smashed into smithereens. Hank himself was lying face-down in a pool of blood. Rogue ran for the phone while Logan knelt beside Hank and rolled him over.
"Professor! There's been an accident or break-in or something, down in the med-lab. Hank's hurt and everything's been vandalized!" Rogue shouted into the phone.
Scott and Ororo were there before anyone else. "How's Hank?" Scott demanded.
"Not dead," Logan answered, and then added, "Yet." He'd managed to manoeuvre Hank onto a stretcher and starting washing the blood off. Rogue was struck by how gentle Logan was, while separating the blood-clotted mats of hair with deft fingers, and mopping the blood from Hank's furry head. "He took a hell of a hit, though. Wouldn't be surprised if he's unconscious for a while."
"So he won't be able to tell us what happened," Scott summarized.
"No… but give me a minute here. There's something…" Logan said, as he sniffed deeply and looked uneasy.
"You got something?" Scott asked.
"Yeah… I don't know… maybe. I can't smell it through all the blood, though."
"Here, let me help," Ororo volunteered. With a nod, she took the bloody rag out of Logan's hand and took over. He stood up and rolled his shoulders, trying to ease the tension that the smell of blood always left him with.
Kurt appeared in the doorway of the room with his trademark "bamf!" sound and silently went to help Ororo.
"Oh, great. Now all I can smell is blood and brimstone."
"Sorry, mein freund. I thought it best to get here quickly," Kurt explained mildly.
Logan grunted. He stalked around the med-lab, sniffing. He paid special attention to the papers on the floor, and spent a great deal of time bent low over the remains of the computer, examining and inhaling near some of the larger bits.
Ororo and Kurt finally got Hank cleaned up and comfortable, and the smell of blood and Kurt's brimstone began to dissipate. Logan began to recognize a smell, one that he remembered well and had hoped to never smell again. Just to be sure, he picked up a chunk of circuit-board and brought it with him into Hank's office. Scott and Rogue followed him. He closed the door and sniffed it again, closing his eyes. Then he opened them again and glared at the two of them. One disgusted word explained all that had happened.
"Mystique!"
A/N: Three cheers for Nicki, my one reviewer who guessed what was wrong in chapter 32. Bravo!