Chapter 5

Logan sat in the lab, making it clear that he wasn't happy about what was going on as Hank drew a vile of blood. "How do you know this process of yours won't kill me? Huh? Look Vic, I know we have this healing thing and all...but you're talking about coating my entire skeleton with...metal!"

"We're not even sure that you have the marker, Jimmy." Victor half scolded. "That's why Hank is drawing your blood."

Logan flailed his hands in the air. "Who the hell ever thought this would be a good idea anyways? Did you cook this up, blue boy?"

Hank snarled at Logan. "Don't call me that ever again. I can assure you that it wasn't my idea, but I have read the research papers and the theory is sound...on paper that is."

Logan rolled his eyes. "Great. On paper. You know...Wade has a healing factor too. Maybe he has this marker thing you're looking for. Why not do it on him?"

Victor shook his head. "Wade's healing isn't part of his natural mutation. 20 years ago, the scientist that discovered the adamantium, thought that the application to the human body would make a soldier virtually indestructible. He began his experiments, but...uh...it didn't go very well."

"In other words, people died." Logan spat out.

Victor nodded. "That's when he had the thought to use someone who could heal at an accelerated rate...people like us."

"Ok...so how did Wade get my healing?" Logan asked, becoming annoyed by the bush beating.

Wade gave Victor a look. "Technically, I have Victor's healing, not yours."

Logan narrowed his eyes as he looked at Victor, who was shaking his head. "Well, you see, Bill Stryker, the scientist who discovered and started to experiment with the adamantium, he took several samples of my blood, using it to try to mix with the adamantium. When the blood wouldn't mix, he thought a more solid material might be needed and took a sample of my bone. The adamantium coated and adhered to the bone, but it caused the bone to become brittle and dissolve before the adamantium could harden. That's when he realized there needed to be a specific DNA marker to prevent the bone from dissolving."

"Ok...so how does Wade fit into this?" Logan asked, still perplexed by the whole thing.

"Well...Bill thought that a certain level of radiation, in combination with the healing factor, could possibly replace the DNA marker necessary. I couldn't undergo the radiation because my healing would simply null it, but Wade here was already undergoing treatments for cancer, and Bill thought that if my blood sample was introduced into Wade's system..."

"Presto, poof...super soldier!" Wade finished with a grin.

Victor rolled his eyes. "But it didn't exactly work out like that. The only thing Wade gained was enhancing his speed and reflexes by a few milliseconds, an ability he already had, but he also gained our healing and hearing, able to regenerate severed limbs...oh yeah...even decapitation won't kill this bastard."

Logan scoffed. "Our limbs regenerate, big deal."

"Yeah? Can you survive your head becoming detached?" Wade challenged.

Logan gave a shrug. "Don't know...never tried it. Vic?"

Victor shook his head. "I'm too pretty to try and remove my head, so that would be a firm negative."

Logan's brows furrowed in thought. "I thought you said they only did these experiments on enlisted who volunteered. How the hell did you get mixed up in that mess, Wade?"

Wade chuckled. "I was enlisted at the time. It was during one of my routine physicals when they found the cancer. The Army doc gave me 6 months to a year to live, and when Stryker came to me about this experiment...I figured I didn't have much to lose."

Logan nodded. "Six months to a year...guess I could understand that. So, what if I do have this marker thing? Vic, you already said that you couldn't lay your hands on this adamantium stuff, so what good is all this testing and talking doing then?"

Hank spoke while looking through the microscope at Logan's blood sample. "The Professor has procured a large supply of adamantium. He has been collecting it for years to keep it out of Magneto's hands."

Victor's brows shot up. "Really? How much are we talking about here? I'm sure Washington could make a sweet offer."

"It's not for sale." Charles called out as he came into the lab. "Washington doesn't need to know about my supply. It's much safer here, where Magneto can't get to it."

"Who's Magneto?" Logan asked.

Wade scoffed. "You think I'm an asshole...you should spend some time with that guy. I'm a pussy cat compared to him. At least I know where the line is."

"Magneto," Charles started. "Erik Lehnsherr is the leader of The Brotherhood of Mutants. He believes that mutants are oppressed and deserve the same rights and entitlements as non-mutants, and he is correct, but the way that he goes about demanding mutant rights is wrong."

Logan shrugged a shoulder. "So why do you have to keep the adamantium away from him?"

Victor shifted a moment. "His ability, he can manipulate metal."

Logan gave his brother a look, waiting for the other shoe. When it didn't drop, he prompted. "And."

Vic shifted a little more. "And he has the knowledge and resources to weaponize it."

Logan's eyes got wide and his jaw dropped. "This shit can be weaponized?! What are we talking about here, Vic?"

"You heard of MOAB?"

Logan slowly nodded as Victor continued. "A hundred times that...maybe more."

"Holy fuck." Logan whispered out. "How the hell do you know this?"

Victor gave Logan a cold stare. "Classified."

Logan's jaw once again dropped. "Victor! What the hell have you been doing in Germany? I-I thought maybe you were working on new types of armor or planes or something, but...nukes?! What the fuck have you gotten yourself into?"

"I didn't say that's what we're using it for, but we do know the potential of it, and Charles is right, Erik can't get his hands on it because that's exactly what he would use it for."

"Ok. So what does our government use it for then? Other than killing people trying to graph it onto their bones, that is."

"Classified!" Victor snapped at him. He shook his head as he continued. "Look, I can't get into any details about what I do, all I can tell you is that right now, today, if it turns out that you have the marker needed...Jimmy, you could become the greatest weapon ever created. A weapon with a mind, a weapon that knows right from wrong, a weapon that doesn't blindly destroy, a weapon that zeros in on its target and takes out only that target."

Logan hopped down from the exam table as he grabbed his shirt, yanking it on over his head. "I'm not a fucking weapon! I don't want to be your goddamn weapon, or secret hitman, or super soldier or anything like that! That's why I got out of the army after the big one, before any of those bastards found out about me, so they couldn't use me like this! Victor, I'm shocked! I'm shocked that you of all people would let the military even think of using you in such a way!"

"They're not using me, Jimmy." Vic responded calmly. "I worked closely with Bill and we spoke at great lengths about the potential this project could have. I volunteered of my own accord. Jimmy, please understand, I never told Bill or anyone else about you, I've done everything possible to protect your identity and mutation."

Logan scoffed. "Yeah...you didn't bother to protect my identity or mutation from Chuck here. So is this why you dragged me to New York? So your friends could create their own personal super soldier under the military's nose? I won't do it! You hear me, wheels? Go fuck yourself!"

Victor saw the look on Charles' face and groaned as he watched Logan's body stiffen before sitting back onto the exam table. He could see Logan's throat trying to work, trying to speak, but no sound came out.

Charles glared at Logan. "That's enough out of you, Mr. Howlett!" He snapped before continuing. "No one is forcing you to do anything, and we don't even know yet if you have the marker necessary, but if you do, it will be beneficial for all of us if you would kindly offer your agreement to proceed with the process. It would simply be a means to get your child back, and after that, you can take your family back to Colorado in peace, I will never contact you again and will happily...as you say...go fuck myself. Are we agreed?"

Logan tried to speak, all he could do is nod. Charles smiled. "Good. Now that we have that cleared up..."

Logan's body visibly relaxed and he cleared his throat a few times. "How-how the hell did you do that?"

Charles smirked. "Just a small demonstration of my abilities. Call me Chuck or wheels ever again...you won't speak for a year. Got it?"

Logan looked down and sheepishly nodded. "I'm sorry, Professor. I shouldn't have disrespected you like that, it's just...all this...it's so..."

Charles put a comforting hand on Logan's arm. "I know. If it were my child, I would be going out of my mind as well, and I'm sure all of this seems to be moving so fast, making it surreal. It is your choice to undergo this procedure or not, and if you choose not to, I'll understand and I will still help to get your child back to you, we'll just have to come up with another way."

Logan nodded again. "There is a detective on the case though."

Charles lifted a brow. "Yes I know, Detective Mercer, but he's looking in the wrong places. That's why I came down here, to tell you that I got a message from one of my people inside the FOH. She contacted me a few moments ago to let me know that Miss Mills brought in a 7 month old boy to collect her reward money. My inside person was able to get a picture of the baby and sent it to me."

Charles handed the phone with the picture to Logan. Logan let out a noise that was part gasp, and part sob. He instantly knew that sandy-brown hair, dimples on his chubby cheeks, the light hazel eyes and the small birthmark under his left eye. "That's him! That's Luke. My beautiful boy. So you know now? He's definitely at this Alkali Lake facility?"

Charles nodded. "It's been confirmed. He's there. Logan, we need to get into that facility, through the front door would be the best way...if you're willing."

Logan crinkled his brows. "We don't even know if I have this marker. All this talk could be for nothing."

Hank cleared his throat. "Actually...the results came through a few moments ago." When everyone gave him a hard stare, he quickly added. "I didn't wish to interrupt."