"Hell no." he growled.

"Logan. Be reasonable. The young man has no one else." Xavier steepled his fingers, giving the animalistic X-man a stern look.

"And that's his problem, chuck." Wolverine scowled, though he knew that intimidating brow would not faze the professor.

"He needs our help."

Logan barked out a laugh.

Xavier sighed. "You realize that your grudge may cost this boy his life."

"Like his little phone call almost cost ours?" He looked away from the professor's eyes. They made him feel guilty, and he hoped to god it was his powers doing it. "Plus, what makes you think he wouldn't be better off with the cops? The kids here know what he did, Ororo hates him, they'll rip him apart." If I don't first, he added inwardly.

"That's a risk we're going to have to take. His powers are much too complicated for him by himself to control."

Logan growled.

"Good. You'll be driving Scott's car, I believe you're familiar with which one that is. I've talked with the sheriff on the phone, and he'll be waiting for you. This is a big risk, Logan, because there'll be many people angry over his release of Ronny Drake into our custody. Most of the heat will fall on his department, but some may reach us."

"As if we haven't got enough…" Logan muttered.

"I'll expect you to report to my office with him as soon as you get back, Logan."

Logan continued to mutter as he turned and left his office.

Xavier stared at the closed door through which Wolverine had just exited. Be careful. He thought.

Logan had to ask three people directions when he reached Boston. One of them promptly flipped him off and hurried into the opposite direction. Logan returned the favor and drove on, knowing the professor would be checking up on him through his mind, and would be none too happy if he got some unwanted attention.

As he parked in front of the police station, he felt a sense of foreboding settle inside his stomach. He didn't want to be in the same car as this brat. Didn't want to hear his protests all the way back to the school. Wolverine sneered. He'd probably call back here saying he'd been kidnapped.

"Oh, you must be Mr. Logan." The sheriff said. He was a tall, extremely skinny man, with a mustache that looked like you could sweep with it. He held out a hand for Logan to shake.

Logan hesitated, but shook it anyway. "I'm here for the Drake kid."

The sheriff nodded. "Creepy case that one is…" Logan quirked an eyebrow. "We get mutant calls all the time, Mr. Logan. Some of 'em real live criminals with no business with the powers they got. We've had to remodel this station at least four time 'cause of their breakouts. Can't keep 'em in here. But the rest of 'em are just kids. Kids like my nephew who can't control whats suddenly inside 'em. They make bad mistakes that they don't have no control of. And I've seen some sad and scary cases. But nothin' like this."

"What happened?"

"You know his dad? High flutin' lawyer type?"

"Yeah."

"We've met him before. Some brit nanny they'd hired reported him for child abuse on the youngest one a long time ago. The kid had the signs, he was real quiet and kinda jumpy, and he had bruises, but it never mounted to nothin'. Its not like he beat 'im. So he snaked out of it, haven't heard nothin' since you little friend had himself a bonfire in their front yard."

Logan sneered.

"Yeah, well, the thing is, since then, Mr. and Mrs. Drake have kinda been teeterin' on the edge of their handles. Maddy's been slippin for a while now, while Steve, well, he took a swan dive early this morning. The boy looks like he did the first time I met him, all quiet and teary eyed and a lil bruised, but you should see his father."

"Bub, you're boring me. You gonna tell me what the kid did or not?"

The sheriff smirked wryly. "I'll show you." He walked toward his desk and pulled a picture from beneath a silver paper clip.

Logan stared. He seen the man maybe half a year ago, and here he looked like he'd aged fifty years. "He did this?"

"Yup. I'm no Professor X, but he's got some control over time. The patrol car that picked him up took three hours to get here, and its just a few blocks away. Shook the deputy up pretty bad."

"How—"

"He can't control worldwide time Mr. Logan…I'd hate to meet the mutant who could do that…"

Logan nodded. "I better get going…the professor's waiting for us."

"Yeah, he's back here."

Logan followed.

They drove in silence. Awkward silence.

Ronny was still remembering his fathers face…the way his teeth tumbled from his mouth…the way his bones creaked as their density weakened so rapidly. What had he done? Who was really the monster? All Bobby did was freeze Mom's tea…

Logan cast dubious glances at his passenger. What anger he'd had toward him had drizzled away and as much as he tried to muster it again, he could not. Why? He suddenly sympathized with this spoiled rich brat who'd actually got him shot in the head. It'd healed, but damn, those things hurt. He had no reason not to make him piss his pants in fear right now.

But he smelled the fear already. The tears and the guilt and a million other motion radiating off of him like cheap cologne. It almost choked Logan as it was.

"You doin' ok kid?" he asked, surprising himself. That's it. He'd lost his mind.

Ronny looked at the hairy professor of art with pained eyes. He wasn't stupid. The man hated him. The memories flashed in his head again:

Drop the knives

BANG!

LOGAN!

Logan twitched. That was weird, he thought. He thought he'd heard something.

I don't wanna shoot you kid.

He looked sidelong at the Drake boy, watching how his eyes were screwed up against some sort of pain. "Hey…I'm serious kid, are you ok?"

You know all those dangerous mutants you hear about?

Logan pulled over and reached to shake Ronny's shoulder. Ronny cried out, and Logan was quick to jerk his hand away. He knew enough about Rogue and what he saw in Steven Drake's picture that too much physical contact could be hazardous to your health working under Xavier.

"Did you hear?" Ronny asked, his eyes wide like a frightened animal.

"Yeah, kid…you got some crazy powers there…think you could calm down and keep 'em in check 'till we get to the professor?"

Ronny looked into Logan's dark eyes. He felt strangly calm. He nodded. "I think so."

Logan nodded and took off again.

"Mr. Logan, sir?"

"Yeah, kid?"

"…I'm sorry…"

Logan kept his eyes on the road.