Disclaimer: don't own Logan and his spandex coated friends… unfortunately.
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It took them a few seconds to register that the car, no, truck, had actually stopped. Stumbling as fast as they were able, they made it to the truck, it took them two tries to open the door and it was pure agony to heave themselves in, but they made it.
Logan looked at his new passenger in concern. She--- he--- it--- was shivering uncontrollably and gasping for air.
"Hey bub, you all right?" He asked finally, the person nodded mutely then said
"We're fine."
Logan noticed the odd referral term and wondered what had possessed him to pick up someone in the early hours of the morning, probably the same thing that had allowed Rogue to stay with him. With an inward sigh Logan also noted that the person was wearing sunglasses. At night?
"So what are you doing all the way out here in the middle of the night?" He asked. His passenger, from the fine bone structure of what he could see of her face Logan assumed it was female, turned and regarded him through mirrored lenses.
"Running." She said, as if this fact should have been obvious.
"Where are you heading… civilian?" She inquired politely. Logan grimaced at the label and gave a mental sigh. Don't tell me I'm stuck with some drunken run-away A.J brat now.
"The name's Logan, kid. What's yours?" He said, giving some off their head A.J brat his name was better then being called 'civilian'.
"They called us many things," Monster, Freak, Failed… "But we prefer the name Maddy."
Logan winced and started wishing he'd never picked the kid up.
"Where you heading." He asked
"Away." She said, and then turned to regard the shadowy countryside rushing by. Logan could take a hint; he stopped trying to initiate conversation and went back to concentrating on the road. The last thing they needed was an accident. Or worse, a cop.
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Logan opened the door to the truck and was hit by a wave of heat. His eyes were immediately caught by his passenger, she was curled up into a ball and shivering uncontrollably. Concerned he reached over.
"Don't."
He stopped, his arm above the shivering figure.
"We cannot control it anymore. We may unintentionally damage you."
Her ragged breath dragged at his sensitive ears. God the last thing he needed was some unknown hitchhiker dying in his front seat.
"Can I do anything?" Logan asked.
"Yes." She gasped, "Keep driving."
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Logan shot another look across at the slumped figure. Her breathing had gotten worse, it was no longer ragged, instead it had become shallow and faint.
"Hey kid you still with me?" he asked in an overly loud voice. His passenger moved slightly.
"Yes." Was the faint response he received.
"Now kid, I'm not gunna let you die on me, you hear?" Logan was starting to stress slightly. The kid no longer seemed drunk. She seemed sick, really sick, and she was getting sicker.
"It may be," She gasped "Too late for that."
"Don't be a fool kid," he said, still using that overly loud voice.
"You must, you must dump me." A fit of coughing over took her, stealing what little breath she had.
"Now don't be stupid kid, I may wish I hadn't picked you up," Boy do I wish I hadn't picked you up " But I ain't gunna dump you."
"Then you will die. They will find us, and thus you, and then They will have you, and you will join our Family, mutant." Logan's fist clenched on the wheel and his passenger gave a bark that could have been a laugh
"Yes, we know what you are, we may be dying, but we can still taste you. Worry not, you will not be betrayed by us."
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