Disclaimer: I own Chasca, Totem, Buzz and a couple other mutants here and there (like Ryan Hiller)...everything else is owned by other people...especially Logan, which makes me very sad indeed...
AN: Just so you know, unless otherwise stated, if Logan is talking to Chasca, they're speaking Spanish...however, i exhausted everything i know about Spanish on the scene where she first showed up...if someone out there wants to translate for me, feel free to pm or email me the translation and i'll edit this chapter!
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Chapter 12.
(Logan)
I haven't actively plotted to kill anyone in a very long time. Hell, I never even plotted to kill One-Eye over Jean. But knowing that Angela had something inside her that was going to push her towards Totem no matter what had me positively homicidal. It scared me more than I'll ever admit to anyone, because I didn't know if I wanted to kill him or kill her from one moment to the next. I knew it wasn't her fault, it was something that Stryker had done to her, but I was operating under the belief that she could fight anything and win. I just couldn't imagine how she would be able to fight something that was a part of herself that she never even knew was there until now.
Of course, I blamed Totem. I know that Chuck would have never sent us after him had he known what would happen. I know he did what he did because he thought it was right. In a way, I think his desire to always do the right thing will ultimately be his downfall, but at the time I wasn't concerned with that. All I wanted was everything to be the way it was before this guy showed up with a yen for my woman. It didn't help that she was programmed to want him back and I couldn't let her out of my sight. I know she hated it, too but short of leaving the mansion altogether, we didn't see any other options.
The next day, Chuck finally had his meeting with Totem. An hour later, he called Angela and me to his office. We cut our strategy and tactics class a little short to get to him right away. As always, he invited us in before we had a chance to knock. I flopped down in one of the armchairs near the window, but Angela remained standing, her arms wrapped around her in an almost defensive gesture.
"Thank you for coming right away." Chuck started, his chair gliding to a stop beside his desk.
"Don't mince words, Charles." Angela said. "It's worse that I…than we thought, isn't it?"
He sighed. "Yes, I'm afraid it is." His expression turned grave as he turned to me. "Logan, this won't be easy for you to hear."
"Just get on with it." I snapped. "It can't be any worse than what I already know."
"Very well." He folded his hands in front of him. "Totem isn't just programmed telepathically to believe that Angela is his mate. He was telling the truth about how he came to be in Stryker's hands. From what I was able to read, he was cast out by his family at the age of sixteen and arrived at Alkali Lake a few months prior to your augmentation. However, Stryker also employed other methods of conditioning to keep him under control. He actually has a very strong sense of personal honor and he believed that his mutation made him a shame to his family. By his reckoning, he should have killed himself. The exact circumstances of his capture weren't very clear, but as soon as he was taken to Alkali Lake, he was led to believe that taking Angela as a mate would bring honor back to the family in the form of his children, who would be able to protect family and clan in ways that normal people could not."
"Isn't that just fucking rich." Angela said, gazing out the window. "I supposed they started on me right after."
"Yes, they did." Chuck replied, turning to her. "Totem didn't know the exact circumstances of how Stryker's people discovered that you had a growing attraction for Logan, but he did know that once the two of you crossed the line from thought to action, there would be no turning back. However, I believe I have some good news for you in that regard."
"You'll let me kill him?" She asked, only half joking.
"No, I'm afraid that isn't it." He leaned forward in his chair. "It seems that the conditioning they were giving you wasn't completed. They were only able to place enough suggestions into your mind that would make you agreeable to Totem, but they'd been having trouble getting anything more than that to take hold. It is my belief that your feral instincts operate on too primitive a level for Stryker's telepaths to successfully overcome what you've known for so long."
"That Logan is the one I'm meant to be with, he's my true mate?"
"Precisely. And I believe that by working with you in a feral state will actually make it easier to break the compulsions they did manage to implant."
Angela sat down heavily, her hands covering her face. When she looked up, her face was filled with gratitude and hope. "Charles, I can't thank you enough for that. But I still don't want him anywhere near me until we're sure we got everything."
"Of course. Now, that leads me to the next part." He looked at me again. "It seems that they also started to program you as well, inserting hidden telepathic commands that they buried underneath suppressed memories."
"Like they needed to suppress anythin' else." I snorted. "They stole everythin' else, what's a little more?"
"Yes, but I believe that if we can uncover what they suppressed, it will go a long way to bringing more of your past to light."
It was my turn to lean forward in my seat. "What do you mean?"
"Totem indicated that they were programming you to be something called 'Weapon X', a perfect killing machine. As such, they didn't want you to remember much of your past unless it was something they could use. Again, during our meeting, I didn't detect anything that seemed untrue about what he said. He told me that Stryker attached certain commands to certain memories, so if you encountered something that reminded you of them, you would react in a certain way." He took a deep breath and if at all possible, became even graver. "From what I read, he believes that Stryker programmed you to kill Angela if you ever saw her with Totem. It was to be a kind of final test for you, after your augmentation, to prove that you would follow any order you were given even if it went counter to anything you'd done to that point."
I swallowed hard. "So, the things she's been dreamin', they're real?"
"I'm afraid so. I think it's because he used the same telepath to condition her and he was unable to control his thoughts to the degree necessary to perform such a task. There was some psychic bleeding, for lack of a better term, and he inadvertently 'told' her what would happen."
"So you mean that the same thing that's pushing me towards Totem is trying to tell me to stay away at the same time?" She asked.
"Yes. As for Totem", he looked down, his expression guarded, "I am not sure it will be as simple for him. He was taught to believe this was something that would give him back his honor. I can eliminate the telepathic commands, but something like that will be much more difficult to overcome."
"Leave that to me." I said, sitting back again. "I think I know how to handle that."
"Are you sure? You do have a personal stake in this, after all."
"I know, but it's not that. I just have a feelin' that I can give him back his honor and keep my woman away from him at the same time."
"Very well, I'll leave it to you. What about the commands that are left in your mind?"
"We'll get rid of 'em as soon as possible. I don't want anythin' in there that's a threat to anybody."
"Fine. Tomorrow is Saturday, we'll work on them for as long as it takes, if that's all right with you."
"Whatever. The sooner we get it done, the happier I'll be."
"Very good. Now, if there's nothing else?"
"Yeah, Professor, there is." Angela said, crossing to sit in the chair next to mine. "A couple things, actually. First off, what's Totem's real name, anyway?"
"I was wondering if you would ask. It's Kimura Kyrohyou, which is appropriate if you know Japanese."
"His name means 'panther'." I said, nodding. "Makes perfect sense, though the irony is kinda…well, ironic."
"He thought the same thing, all things considered." Xavier replied. "Though why Stryker chose to strip him of it completely is a trifle baffling."
"I know." Angela piped in. "Totem calls Stryker 'Father'. He wanted Totem to be his in every way, I'm certain of it. It's the kind of thing he'd have done."
"Yes, of course. Another means of control." Charles replied with a nod. "That makes perfect sense." He seemed to ponder this for a minute before giving his head a little shake. "So, what else did you need, Angela?"
"Actually, this is…about Scott." She said and I tensed immediately. I still wasn't convinced that he didn't have designs on my woman and it pissed me off. Angela just shot a glare at me and continued. "Charles, he's grieving so much for Jean, but he hasn't had any real closure." She leaned forward in her chair. "I have to say, it's not good for him. It's making him second-guess so much and that's not a good thing in the field. I'm pretty sure it's at least part of the reason he didn't want to go off half-cocked after Logan when he was taken. I think he's afraid of losing anyone else he genuinely cares about and he's overcompensating."
"I was afraid of this." Xavier said with a frown. "Storm told me during her report from South America that he was holding back more than usual, to the point that she overrode his orders and went in to rescue Chasca on her own. Scott did follow her a few moments later, but it's not the kind of thing he would have done before Jean's death."
"Charles, he needs to go back to Alkali Lake and say goodbye to her. I don't want anyone to push him into it, because it seems like I'm the only person he really trusts around here, even more than you." I growled at that and she just glared at me again. "I'm sorry, Logan, but it's true. I can only guess that it's because I've always been completely honest with him from the start, he knows he'll only get the truth from me. But there has to be someone else he can at least talk to about this. Surely Storm and Jean weren't his only friends while he was a student here."
Chuck settled back in his chair, deep in thought. His eyes roamed over his office, finally coming to rest on a piece of glass sculpture on the mantle over the fireplace. "Angela, I think I know just the person. Let me make a phone call."
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A few hours later, I kissed Angela goodbye as she went off with Storm in the jet to bring someone back to the mansion. Seems One-Eye had a friend out on the west coast somewhere and Chuck seemed to think this guy was just what the doctor ordered to help him out with his grief over Jean. For the first time in months, I found myself at loose ends around the place and no idea what to do with myself.
Classes were done for the weekend, so the kids were in high spirits, which also meant they were loud. I was tempted to gather Beta team for a Danger Room session, just to have something to do, when the new girl, Chasca, came up to me. She already seemed a bit less fearful, which I'm sure was directly related to rooming her with Sofia Mantega Barrett, a mutant who'd come to us through the underground over the summer. She'd been living with her father in Colorado, but she'd spent the first seventeen years of her life in Venezuela, so she'd seemed like the logical choice to room with Chasca.
"Hello, Mr. Logan. How are you?" She said, looking down. "I wanted to thank you for finding me such a nice roommate."
"Hey, it's no problem. And its just Logan, ok?"
"Ok…Logan." She looked around the room at the other kids and sighed. "I just wish I could speak with more of the people here."
"Hey, don't worry about it. I'm sure the Professor will help you learn English in no time. And you have me and Sofia to help you, so you'll be talkin' like a native in no time."
She smiled at me again and Sofia came up next to her. She asked Chasca if she wanted a tour of the grounds outside and they took off. I was still feeling mighty restless and decided to go into town for a beer. I went to my room to grab my jacket and just as I was closing the door, One-Eye came out of his room. I gritted my teeth and started towards the stairs, but he called after me to wait. I let out a breath of frustration and turned.
"Whattya want, Cyke?" I asked, not bothering to try hiding my irritation.
"Buzz says he has some new scenarios he wants us to test out before inflicting them on the students, as he put it." He replied. "Will you be around later?"
"Yeah, I'm just goin' for a ride. Be back in a couple hours."
"That's fine. I'll meet you in the Danger Room at 4:30 then?"
"Sure, whatever." I grunted and turned to walk away again.
He grabbed my shoulder. "Hey Logan. Are we ok?"
"The hell you talkin' about?" I growled.
"It just seems like since that misunderstanding with Angela that you're, I don't know, surlier than usual?"
"Look, it's in the past, all right? She's a big girl, she can take care of herself."
"I just don't want there to be anything that could affect the team going on, that's all."
"Really?" I leaned in a little. "Then take a good look in the fuckin' mirror, Cyke. I ain't gonna sugarcoat stuff like Angela does. You've got problems you need to work out and quick. Now, for some reason, you like talkin' to my woman about your issues and if she's ok with that, then I'm ok with that. But she ain't always gonna be there when you want her to be. You need to figure this out on your own." I pulled myself back up to my full height. "I actually thought you were gettin' past all this, but I guess I was wrong. I ain't sayin' you have to forget her, but you do need to let her go."
"That's easy for you to say. You found someone you actually loved before you came here and anyone with half a brain can see how true that is. I lost the only woman I've ever loved. Not everyone gets a second chance, you know."
I felt the blood rush to my head as a sudden burst of anger washed over me. I could have missed my second chance with Angela. I could have gone to another bar or another city and she'd still be lost to me. It was pure chance that I ran into her and I thank whoever is up there every day that it happened. But I had let her go, once upon a time. It was the hardest damn thing I've ever done and no thanks to Stryker, I forgot all about her. I took a step towards Scott, my fists clenched at my sides. "Ain't goin' there with ya, bub. Let's just say I got lucky, pure and simple, and leave it at that, got it?"
"Can you stand there and honestly say you don't miss her?"
"Jesus Cyke, whattaya take me for? Of course I do! But this ain't about me, it's about you. Do you what you gotta do to deal with this, but don't take forfuckinever." I turned and stalked away, wanting that beer more than ever. I just made it to the front door when, right on cue, Rogue intercepted me.
"Hey, where you runnin' to?" She asked, looking worried.
"Not now, Rogue." I snapped. "It's none of your business."
"Well, someone put the asshole pants on today." She shot back, glaring at me. "Angela's gone less than three hours and you go right back to your old charmin' self."
I sighed, letting some of my anger slip away. "Look kid, I'm sorry. I'm just goin' for a beer, I'll be back before you have time to plot my demise, ok?" She didn't say anything, but I walked out anyway. I wasn't in the mood for a heart-to-heart with her. In fact, I was in the mood for a fight. I tore away from the mansion and headed towards the city. As much as I still don't like big cities, they do provide me with a never-ending array of punks, thugs, assholes and other unsavory sorts who are just begging to be beat down. I rode around on my (ok, Scott's) new motorcycle until I found an appropriately seedy bar and parked out front.
As I walked through the door, I was assaulted by the mixed scents of cheap beer, cheaper perfume, piss and sweat. In other words, just the kind of place where I could get into a little trouble. It was still early, not quite two o'clock, but about a dozen people sat scattered around the place. They mostly looked to be regulars here, but a table at the back was home to a couple of toughs who looked like they were waiting for something. I recognized their scowls and arrogant posture; it reminded me of me. I took a seat at the end of bar, lit a cigar and ordered a beer.
As the bartender set the bottle down in front of me, I sensed someone coming up behind me. I caught a stronger whiff of the nasty perfume as the figure took the stool next to mine. "Hey good lookin'." She said as she settled in. "Never seen you here before."
"Just passin' through." I grunted, concentrating on my beer.
"That right? Then I guess today is my lucky day."
I glanced at her sideways, taking in her appearance. She looked to be about twenty, with dark blond hair pulled back from her face and about an inch of makeup on her face, which still didn't hide the fading bruise high on her left cheekbone. Her clothing, such as it was, left nothing to the imagination. "I don't think so, sister." I replied, taking a long pull from my beer.
"Oh come on, gimme a break." She whispered, leaning close to me. "Don't tell me you're not interested."
"I'm really not." I turned my attention to the television over the bar, which was tuned to a talk show of some variety, but my new friend wasn't willing to give up so easily. She leaned in a little more and placed a hand on my leg. I looked down at it, scowling, then back at her. "Look, I've had a really shitty day and you ain't improvin' my mood. So why don't you back off?"
She jerked back a little, looking a little hurt, but I could tell it was all just an act. "I'm sure I can come up with some way to cheer you up." Her eyes briefly slid to the table in the back that I'd noticed as I came in. "Come on, whattaya say?"
So, that's the name of this game. I grunted a little and gave her my best smirk. "You really think you can cheer me up? Fine, let's see what you got."
She smiled and took my hand, leading me out the back door of the bar to the alley. It has to be one of the oldest tricks in the book and why anyone actually falls for it anymore is one of life's great mysteries. She led me to a doorway about twenty feet from the bar door, one that was recessed enough that you'd have to be right on top of it to see anything. She gave me a little push and I obligingly stumbled into the wall, where she fell on me like I was the last man on earth. I closed my eyes, clenching my teeth to keep from shoving her back out into the alley. She rubbed herself against me, kissing my neck and making little groans of feigned pleasure.
Less than a minute later, I heard footsteps approaching followed by the click of a gun being cocked and pointed at my head. "Move and you're dead, asshole." A deep voice said from just behind the girl. I opened my eyes slowly and sure enough, the toughs from the back table were both standing there. The one holding the gun was about twenty-two with a shaved head and black eyes glittering with menace. His friend took the girl by the arm and shoved her out of the way. He was a little older, maybe twenty-five and holding a knife loosely in his right hand. They both sported a tattoo on the back of their left hand, some kind of gang symbol I'm sure. Fucking amateurs.
Bald guy shoved the barrel of the gun against my temple. "Just give us your wallet and the keys to that fine ass bike and we'll let you walk away." He growled.
I looked him right in the eye, letting a touch of my feral side out. "You picked the wrong guy today, bub." I whispered.
"Oh yeah?" He said and his finger tensed on the trigger. I shot my hand out and grabbed his wrist, squeezing it until I heard something crack and he howled in pain, dropping the gun. I spun into him, driving my elbow into his face, breaking his nose. Blood spurted over the bottom half of his face and when I let go, he fell to the ground, gagging. I felt a sudden pain burn through my lower back and turned with a snarl to face the other guy. He pulled his knife out of me, dripping with blood and he waved it around in what was supposed to be a menacing gesture.
I looked at him with an icy stare. "C'mon, you think you can scare me with that little thing?" His eyes widened as I slowly slid the claws out of my right hand. "Now we can do this one of two ways. You can take your friend here and call it a day, or we can dance, your call."
They must not have been as desperate as I thought, because Knife Guy picked up his friend and they scurried away so fast they almost left a dust trail. I retracted my claws and took a deep breath to calm myself. I heard a sound behind me and turned to see the girl curled up next to a trash can, crying. I walked over and helped her up. "Look, mister, I don't want no trouble. Just let me go."
"I ain't gonna hurt you." I replied. "But do yourself a favor and get the hell away from those losers."
"I-I can't." She stammered. "They'd kill me."
"You keep up this scam and you'll be dead anyway."
"I got nowhere else to go."
I sighed, really hating the world at the moment. I took out my wallet and grabbed all the cash I had in there, almost five hundred bucks, and shoved it into her hand. "Here, take this, get a ticket to anywhere out of here. Ain't no reason for you to work for assholes like that." I didn't wait for her reply, I just walked out of the alley and back to my bike. As I pulled away, I saw her stumble down the sidewalk in the opposite direction her so-called friends had gone. I wished her luck as I sped down the street.
I arrived back at the mansion in a slightly better mood than when I'd left. True, I would have preferred to fight both those guys, but it left me with plenty of energy to take out on the new scenarios Buzz had waiting for me and Cyke. I went up to my room to stash my jacket and get rid of my bloody shirt before suiting up and going to the Danger Room. As I went in, I waved up to Buzz in the control room before taking position next to One-Eye.
"So, he say what these are about?" I asked, popping out my claws.
"No. I think he wants it to be a surprise." He replied, not looking at me. "I'm sorry about earlier."
"Don't mention it." The steel walls melted away and our test run began.
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Two hours later, we were surrounded by the wreckage of several different vehicles and the inert forms of dozens of foes. One-Eye was panting heavily and limping on a badly sprained ankle, an injury he sustained when I shoved him out of the way of a grenade that had been lobbed at us. My uniform was covered in blood, most of it not my own, though I'd taken a few pretty good hits as well. The carnage melted away and the plain steel walls came back in a rush.
"Jesus, Logan. I had no idea you could move that fast." Cyke said, slumping to the floor.
"I tried tellin' you weeks ago that you needed to work out more." I replied, pulling off my gloves. "Maybe you should join the senior defense class for a while. Let Kitty run circles around you for a few weeks. You'll be in shape in no time."
"I thought I was in shape."
"Hmph. Maybe for a desk jockey. You're supposed to be a superhero, you have to be held to a higher standard."
He laughed and tried to stand, stumbling on his ankle. I reached over and hauled him to his feet. "Thanks." He said, shifting his weight to his good foot. "Maybe I will join the class."
I grunted and walked out, heading straight for my room and the shower. I spent a lot longer in there than I normally would, I felt like I'd been trudging through Death Valley for a week with no chance to bathe. After getting dressed, I headed towards the patio for a smoke, but Chuck's voice in my head stopped me short. 'Logan, please come to my office.'
'On my way.' I cursed to myself and carefully pocketed my cigar, changing my route. The door was already open a bit so I just walked in. Kurt was there with the Professor. "You rang?"
"Please, close the door." Chuck said and I complied before taking a seat. "Now Logan, I don't want you to be alarmed…" He began.
I cut him off. "You know, that's the best way to make sure someone's alarmed, tell them not to be. What's wrong? Is it Angela?"
"After a fashion." He replied and I tensed in my seat. He held up a hand to stop me. "Now, it's nothing bad. She's all right, she hasn't been hurt." I settled back again and he continued. "You know she went with Storm on a special errand for me?" I nodded. "They've run into some…technical difficulties and will be gone for an extra day."
"What's that supposed to mean? Somethin' wrong with the jet?"
"No, it's just…they've run into an unexpected snag and will be delayed. I assure you, everything is fine and she'll be back late tomorrow or early the next day. I've asked Kurt here to assist you in the defense classes until she returns."
"There's somethin' you're not tellin' me. I have a right to know."
He sighed and leaned forward. "I will ask that you speak of this to no one, both of you." We nodded in agreement. "I've asked them to go and ask an old friend of Scott's to come here and help him with his troubles. He hasn't been around here for a long time and I didn't expect that he'd be so resistant to coming back. From what Storm told me, Angela was sitting down with him and several bottles of whisky to tell him her life story in an attempt to convince him that he was needed by more than Scott."
I gave a brief snort of laughter. "If anyone can do it, she can. And unless he has an iron liver, the whisky will do half the job for her."
"Oh, I'm certain he can hold his own. Nevertheless, they're only staying one more day. They will return after that, regardless of his decision."
"All right. I suppose I can live without my woman for that long." I grumbled.
"Ja, mein freund." Kurt replied. "But the real question is, can ve live vith you in the meantime?"
I scowled at him and Chuck as the broke into laughter at the comment. I left the office and went to the patio for my interrupted smoke. With friends like these, who needs enemies, really?
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AN: I've noticed on my story stats that every other chapter has hits that are way off from the chapter immediately before...for the readers out there, in case you hadn't noticed, it had been requested that i do two chapter updates at a time so this story will be finished before i leave for vacation on August 7...so if this story is suddenly not making sense, you know why...:) I will repeat this message at the end of the next chapter as well, just in case...:)