(Three)

Logan mulled over Remy's description of Jael and seeing as how the man possessed Clan markings, decided that it might be worth to see what any of the Clansmen might have to say about it. He walked into Security and looked down the hall where the holding cells were to have a peek. The three Clansmen were secured inside, one to a cell, as they had been since their arrival here.

Bruce looked up and smiled as Logan entered, but said nothing. He was seated on his bunk with several open books around him. Of the three men, he had been the most co-operative and Henry had seen to it he had all the books and learning materials he wanted to pass the time. There had been some talk of re-integrating Bruce into the X-men society, but with everything going on, it hadn't come to anything yet.

Joseph came to the door of his cell, arrogant as ever, and gave Logan an evil sneer.

Valentin was on the floor of his own small cell, doing one armed push-ups, his broken and braced arm behind his back. Considering his injuries, he had recovered quickly and in spite of his obvious pain, was determined to keep fit to better use any opportunity that might present itself. He had heard someone come into the holding area, but didn't look up.

Wolverine approached his cell and slouched in the doorway. "Valentin."

"Yes, freak?" Valentin growled from the floor, never losing his rhythm as he pushed and pushed.

"Who's Jael, Valentin."

"How would I know?" Valentin sneered, letting Logan know he knew the answer well enough.

"Valentin."

"Go fuck yourself."

Logan growled and turned away. He should have known better than to waste his time.

Bruce cleared his throat, getting Logan's attention before he could leave. "I know who he is."

Wolverine paused and looked back at him. "I'm listening."

"Let me out and I'll tell you," Bruce said, making sure to keep his voice even so that Wolverine would know he wasn't trying to antagonize him. He had seen enough of Wolverine to respect the man. He had even had a taste of Wolverine's claws and had the scars to prove that he had been the one to lose.

Logan shook his head and walked to the door.

"You know I can't escape," Bruce continued to persuade, halting Logan's departure. "You can kick my ass easy. All I want is a half hour outside and nice cold beer, nothing more. You can even cuff me, I don't care."

Wolverine considered his options. It was true he could take Bruce without breaking a sweat. "Is your info worth my trouble?"

Bruce smiled and laughed a little. "I don't know. I'm not sure what you're after. All I can say is listen to what I have to say and decide for yourself. I've been in this room nice and quiet for all this time. I've given you no trouble. No harm in a little conversation, is there?"

"I 'spose not," Logan agreed, coming forward and unlocking the barrier shield to Bruce's cell.

Bruce came out cautiously and Logan led him away, not even bothering with the cuffs. Bruce was a little spooked with the elevator, never having been in one before, but followed his leader up through the house. Bruce looked around in wonder at the beauty of the place, but was silent. There was a small kitchen set up for the staff only and they paused in the kitchen long enough for Wolverine to grab a couple of beers before they went outside to where a small picnic table sat peacefully under an large oak tree. Bruce smiled and laughed and sniffed loudly, smelling the bright fresh air. It was late afternoon and very warm and comfortable.

"I've never seen a sky so blue!"

"Yeah. Yer Cerise was a pretty dull place," Logan commented, easing Bruce down to a bench. He sat across from his prisoner and cracked open the bottles.

Bruce sipped his beer and broke out in the widest of smiles. "Oh, this is good! How do you make it so smooth?"

Logan smiled, Bruce's good cheer was infectious. "No clue, bub. I just drink it, I don't make it."

"This is such a beautiful place."

Logan looked down at the three long red scars that raced down Bruce's right arm from his elbow to his wrist. Logan had cut Bruce quite badly when the Clan men had attempted to take over the Lucky Dragon on their way here from Cerise. He nodded at them and grunted, "How ya doin' with that?"

Bruce raised his arm and gave it a stiff twist. "Not bad. Henry said there's a special doctor he'd like to take me to see. I've lost the feeling in a couple of my fingers."

"No hard feelin's, eh?"

Bruce smiled. "None. I was stupid and I paid the price. I should have known Valentin's way would accomplish nothing. I've had better treatment in your holding cell than I've had most my life." He chuckled and pinched his waist. "I've gained a few pounds already eating your fine food. Don't ask me how we ever survived on Cerise."

"You'd be surprised what a man will do ta get by if he has to," Logan said, speaking from experience, in his long life he'd seen much of the world and it's hardships. " 'Sides, all you Clan guys were pretty scrawny. You look pretty good now."

"I feel good. If all prisons were as good as this, I'd have been a criminal a long time ago."

"So, you gonna tell me what I want to know?" Logan asked, all done with small talk.

"Sure," Bruce said, drinking from his bottle again. "Some years ago, we had a high ranking Dognan half breed officer named Katero. He was a good man, a fine warrior. A fierce fighter and ambitious. He served the Clan well and moved up through the ranks quickly. He gave Valentin quite the race for First General. If you ask me, Katero was better."

"Why's that?"

"He was smarter, more even tempered. He could adapt better to any changing situation he found himself in. He proved himself time and time again. Still they wouldn't give him the Honor Sword. Cerebus said Katero wasn't yet ready, but we all knew it was because he was a half breed, nothing more. His mother was a pilot, one that had been ill used and dumped into the pens. She gave birth and stayed with us. She was bright and well made like Fallen and she raised Katero well. I saw no reason why he should have been held back from the highest honors if he'd earned them. I spoke out in his defense, but no one would listen. I mean, who was I, right?"

Bruce paused and drank again. "When he got passed over for First General, he'd had enough. It changed him, made him angry and hard. He disappeared, taking his mother and some of his followers. Rumors spread that he'd defected to the Dognan, but I didn't believe it. I think he had bigger plans than that. You see, just before he left I saw that he had a visit from someone he didn't expect. I think it was a Dognan envoy but they weren't there to dig us out, they came for Katero. I didn't hear it all – something about his real father being royalty and that he was dead now. Somehow they had learned about Katero being his son and there was some kind of inheritance. The envoy wasn't alone, he gave Katero something, well.. someone. I think it was a female Siskan."

"How could you tell?"

Bruce just shrugged. "I don't know. I think because I saw something in her eyes that reminded me of Zander. In a good way, I mean."

Logan snorted a little at that, but didn't want to argue. "And?"

"Then I heard something about a game and that Katero couldn't play it at Cerise. He would have to leave. Katero said something to the effect that he didn't need anymore incentive to leave, the whole mess with the Honor Sword had really soured him. Listening to you now, I'll tell you what I think. I think that he somehow found his way here. I mean, think about it. Back at Cerise, the most he could expect was to lead the Clan. Here, he could conquer a world."

"How would he even know about us?"

"We had quite a few alphas by then. He must have heard stories of your world."

"Why do you think Katero is Jael?"

"Like all Clansmen, Katero had tattoos. On one arm he had the sword of the Deer Clan, same as myself. On the other, he had a J in a box."

"Why a J?"

"To honor his mother, he said. Her name was Jael. Like I said, she was also a pilot."

Logan considered what he had just been told. It made sense. The markings matched the description Gambit gave of the man he had seen, claiming to be Jael. Perhaps Katero wanted a new identity in this new world he found himself in.

"If I know Katero, he's probably been here a while, biding his time and gathering as many powerful, disgruntled alphas as he could find. He's a powerful, charismatic man, Logan. It's not beyond him to create a small yet influential army of souls, ready to do his bidding."

"You said his mother was a pilot?"

"Yes."

"Is he telekinetic, then?"

Bruce squinted, thinking. "I don't think so. He was in the alpha squad, but that was mainly on account of his mother and his half breed appearance. He's very strong physically, but I don't think he's as telekinetic as Fallen or even Kimble," Bruce said innocently. He didn't know Kimble's power had grown beyond that of his Mistress. "How is he anyways? Kimble, I mean."

"He's all right I guess. Still findin' ways to get in trouble."

Bruce chuckled wryly. "You still don't like him."

"I have a problem with little kids who don't learn. He's got no control and he's a lot more manipulative than I care for."

"What do you mean?"

Wolverine cocked his head at him. "Did you really believe he loved you all those years ago on Nine? He was workin' you, son. He was workin' you like a hundred dollar whore. He's got some kind of charm power, I seen him use it twice already since we've been here. Got his ass chewed out for it, too. That boy's got a whole orchestra of trouble he's playin'. He keeps it up, he'll be joinin' you down in a cell, I guarantee it."

"Even if you speak the truth — which I doubt, by the way —whatever he may have done didn't keep me from seeing the goodness in his heart. He is not evil."

"If he was so great, why'd you turn him down?"

Bruce looked down and toyed with his bottle. "I'd been with Justin a long time by then. We were as good as married, I'd say. That's not easy to walk away from. Zander was a distraction for me. To this day, I wonder if I made the right choice."

Bruce paused and looked up into Logan's eyes. "I've been doing a lot of thinking about where I am now and where I'd like to be. I don't owe Valentin anything. He's disgusted with me as it is, because he sees me as less than a man. I have no wish to languish in a cell forever, alpha. I want to be free. I can work for you as easily as anyone else. Teach me your ways and I will serve you faithfully."

Wolverine met his gaze and believed him. "I'll see what I can do."