Logan quickly made his way through the terminal of Heathrow anxious to get on the phone with Hank when his sensitive hearing picked up a familiar voice coming from one of the televisions in one of the waiting areas. He had to be wrong. The voice he thought he was hearing..there was no way. As the screen came into view he shook his head in disbelief. Brian Portman in a press conference live from the Royal Plaza hotel. The caption below him read HANNAH MASTERSON RESCUED FROM MUTANT AMERICAN KIDNAPPERS. His phone call to Hank would have to wait. He had to hear this.
"The relief I am feeling at this moment is so overwhelming I cannot even begin to tell you. Hannah is safe and now resting from the ordeal she has been through and I have felt it necessary to postpone her European tour so she can have this time to recuperate fully, but saying that she is anxious to get back to her public and has already expressed the need to get back to the piano." There was a cheer from the news media covering the event.
Logan was confused. What was going on here? Was this for real or some kind of joke. As far as he was aware the last thing Hannah wanted to do was be back under that bastards reign.
Brian continued, "I am requesting the media to give Hannah this time to recover and giving you my word she will be glad to speak openly and honestly about this horrible ordeal as soon as she regains her strength." He was about to leave the room and then turned back to the cameras, "Oh, and she also wished to inform all of you that she has excepted my proposal of marriage and we are hoping to tie the knot as soon as possible." Another cheer went out from the media.
Logan scowled and shook his head thinking, "Like hell that is going to happen, bub" He slung his bag over his shoulder and made his way for the taxi bay, clicking open his cell phone he dialed Hank's number.
Brian Portman darted from the Royal Plaza hotel and jumped into an awaiting car. His cellphone immediately rang. Taking it out of his pocket as the car pulled away from the curb, "Portman here."
"Ah, Mr. Portman, your press conference was very effective."
"Schwartzman, you wasted valuable time to call me and tell me something I already knew?"
"I am sorry, sir, but in fact everything is in place and I am confident the procedure will go as planned."
"You understand, Schwartzman, I only want the last few years erased, that is all. This has to be understood completely."
"This isn't a problem, Mr. Portman, I assure you."
"And no harm to Miss Masterson."
"Of course, sir, we've gone over this. She won't even have any recollection of the procedure."
"And what about the memories that you will program into her mind? This procedure is safe?"
"Completely. The government has done a lot of experimenting with the REM and what you have asked me to do is incredibly simple for what the machine is capable of."
"Good. I am on my way home and want to proceed immediately."
"Miss Masterson is already prepped, sir."
"Excellent. I will see you shortly, then." He slipped the phone back in his pocket and relaxed back in the seat. In a few hours Hannah would have no recollection of her parents death or of the conversations she had overheard that night. She would be the young woman who had listened to his every word and would not disobey him for the world. The piano would continue to be her life, their livelihood. And with the new memories implanted she would recall the love she felt for only him and the fact they were to be married. He still was a bit concerned about her mutancy, not really understanding it at all but hoping that they could keep it hidden as they had for the past 10 years of her life. If he could pull this off, everything would go accordingly. And any information Hannah had about the Relocation camp would be blocked from her memory, this way he would be able to proceed without her knowledge. Because despite his hatred for mutants he loved Hannah and he had to believe that she could go on living as she had, not knowing of her mutancy and living a normal existence with him, with her concert career. There was no question in his mind that this couldn't happen. It had to happen, but there was one little problem. Her new found friends in America. Wiping them from her mind was one thing but he knew of their persistence and Charles Xavier would not let her go easily.
Hank had been efficient as usual with all background information about Brian Portman but Logan was a bit surprised when Charles came on the line. "Logan, this has to be handled very delicately. I want you to hold off until Scott and the others arrive."
"You know I can't do that, Chuck." Logan flagged down a London cab and threw his bag into the bag seat, anxious to get going and annoyed with the professor's lack of faith in him.
"This is my daughter, Logan. My only child."
Logan had never heard him sound so helpless, so desperate. If he was the team player like his fellow Xmen, he would have been more accommodating, but that wasn't who he was. His gut instinct, that very rarely steered him wrong, told him he had to move quickly. There was no time to waste."If I wait for them, it could be too late. I will do what I have to do." Not waiting for a response, he immediately hung up and slipped the cellphone into his pocket, climbing into the cab.
"37 Woodsford Square, Kensington. And make it fast."
"You Americans, always in a hurry."
"Canadian...I'm a Canadian, bub. " Logan sat back into the seat as the cab pulled away from the curb. Hoping that he would get there in time.
During one of Hannah's bouts of consciousness she realized she was not in the bedroom she was in earlier. The flowery wallpaper and 4 poster bed was replaced with a hospital gurney and the room was full of machinery and stainless steel. She tried sitting up and felt sick to her stomach. A woman approached her, "Miss Masterson, you must lie still."
Hannah recognized the woman who Brian had called Vera, "Where's Brian? What is going on?"
"It will be over soon and everything will be fine. He loves you very much."
"No...no, he doesn't. He wants to control me." She became frantic.
A voice from behind Vera spoke up, "Restrain her now. I just spoke to Portman and he wants the procedure done as soon as he arrives home."
Vera began to strap her onto the bed and Hannah tried fighting with everything she had left in her, but it was no use. The man approached her holding a domed helmet with wires connected to the top. Hannah couldn't believe any of this was real. It was like something out of a science fiction movie. "What are you doing to me? I don't understand any of this. I want to speak to Brian now." She surprised herself by her forceful words. Her time at Xavier's had given her the independence and confidence she had lacked for so long but not being able to get herself out of this situation was only becoming more frustrating by the minute. She saw the man in the white coat, she assumed was a doctor of some kind, preparing a needle. Not again. But as she focused on the syringe she thought she heard a familiar voice calling her. The question was, where was it coming from?
"Hannah."
She looked around the room as calmly as possible, but there was no one there. She had to be hearing things. It was the drugs surely. But it didn't go away.
"Hannah, it's Jean. Don't be alarmed. I'm at the school and we know you're in trouble. You need to remain calm and whatever you do don't say a word. If you concentrate I can read your thoughts."
Hannah remembered that morning and how Jean's presence had ruined everything.It made her angry and all of sudden the thought of the drugs knocking her out seemed like a good idea.
"I know you're upset with me. But I just need you to know that Logan is on his way, as well as Scott and the others. They'll get you out of this mess. The professor won't let anything happen to you. You have to know that."
Hannah felt like she was going to cry. The doctor had turned and was walking towards her. The helmet loomed on a table next to the bed, she could see the machinery in the background. Something horrible was about to take place. She knew it. It was too late. No one could help her now.
"It's not to late, Hannah. You can't give up hope. Logan will be there. He won't let you down."
Even telepathically Hannah could read her skepticism. Even Jean knew that the chances he would get there on time were slim. Whatever was about to happen to her, was going to happen and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
"He wants to take away your memory, Hannah. The professor is pretty sure that is what this about. You know something he doesn't want you to know."
Hannah knew a lot of things he didn't want her to know, but taking away her memory. That felt like a horrible joke, especially since she only could remember the last 10 years. What would happen if it was to all go away? She felt the anxiety build up just as the door opened and Brian entered.
"Hannah, try and stall him. You need to get a hold of yourself and stall him for as long as you can. This procedure..."
She was gone. She didn't finish the sentence. What was she trying to tell her? And how the hell was she supposed to stall anyone in this state? Brian walked towards her, leaning over her smiling and stroking her face.
"I know you're frightened but this is a very simple procedure, darling. It will be over before you know it and you'll feel as right as rain." Behind him the doctor held up the needle. Brian turned to see what Hannah was looking at and gently kissed her cheek. She cringed in disgust, "The last time. No more sedatives, I promise."
"What are you going to do to me? What is that thing?" Her eyes now fixed on the helmet. "You can't take my memories from me. Please, Brian. I'll never tell anyone anything about what I know. I'll do anything you say. I will play the piano and I'll be a good wife, but please don't take them away from me. My parents..." she closed her eyes remembering last night with Logan. Who was she kidding? The only memory she really cared about right now was what had happened with Logan.
Brian's smile turned. "Your parents? Like I'm supposed to believe that is your concern. What memories could you possibly hold dear for them? I was more of a parent then the two of them put together."
She didn't like the anger in his voice, "Of course you always cared for me. Looked after my best interest. If you erase my memories I won't remember you. I can't imagine you would want that."
"I know what I'm doing. And I know it's the mutant you want to remember. He will be erased, Hannah." He motioned for the doctor to administer the shot as he picked up the helmet and placed it on her head. As he strapped it into place, tears streamed down Hannah's face. He gently wiped them away with his handkerchief. She was starting to fade. She tried to keep her eyes open, but it was no use. "When you wake up my sweet, it will be me in your thoughts. Only me. So as you sleep, my darling think of the hairy beast to your little heart's content for the very last time."
After the cab left him standing on the pavement outside Portman's residence, he sussed out the situation like he always did. Listening for anything out of the ordinary. It was a quiet street and the house seemed exceptionally dead. Unlike some of his other teammates going through the front door was always his first choice because in most cases he had no problem getting in and he knew tonight wasn't an exception. Confident and determined he rang the bell and heard the footsteps approaching from below. Keeping that in mind for later. The door opened by an elderly housekeeper.
"May I help you?"
"You've got something that doesn't belong to you, lady and I'm here to fetch her and take her back where she does belong."
"I have no idea what you're talking about, young man. You obviously have the wrong residence." She began to shut the door.
Logan scowled and pushed the door open knocking the woman over. He glared down at her sprawled out on the floor, "I don't think you heard me correctly. I've come to fetch her. I'm not leaving here til I have what I came for."
The woman scrabbled to get up. A frantic, "Mr. Portman." escaped for her throat.
The SNIKT of his blades startled her and she slid back down to the floor as the shiny metal hooked into the collar of her blouse, "You have a choice, lady. You let me get on with my business and take what I came here to get, or you call your boss and I leave you with my signature. 3 clean cuts right into the heart. I don't like harming the ladies mind you, but I do what I have to do. Don't get in my way and you won't be harmed. Understand?"
She nodded her head.
Before letting go, his eyebrows lowered and he scowled, "Don't think about phoning the police either. It could get really messy and I don't' think your boss would want that now would he?"
"No police, I understand."
"Good." He let go of her and she once again stumbled back onto the floor. Listening for the slightest sound, he heard the slight shuffling of feet coming from the door under the staircase. He shook his head smiling. It was obvious Portman had anticipated Logan's arrival and it was pretty evident those awaiting it were behind the door leading down to the basement. This made things a lot easier for him. Open the door, slash through a few armed thugs and then make his way downstairs where Hannah was being kept.
Logan didn't do anything quietly. He flung the door open and the two armed guards awaiting him didn't see it coming. He sliced into both of them in one go and they flew down the stairs hitting another man in their path. The next guy did see it coming and shot a couple rounds at Logan. Stunned for a second by the pain in his shoulder and arm, he could only think what a horrible shot he was. Wasn't the heart the place to be aiming for? One bullet nicked him, the other entered his skin causing him to stumble slightly. The guard looking pleased with his attempt was a bit surprised when the bullet popped out of Logan's shoulder. Logan shook off the wooziness and stood up erect. The guy stared in disbelief and shock as Logan didn't waste any time and plunged towards him, both sets of blades entering his chest. With an agonizing scream the man joined the others in a pile at the bottom of the floor in front of a steel door.
Logan stepped over them, determined to complete his task and finding it much easier than he could have thought imagined. He could hear the rumbling behind the door and without any hesitation he kicked the door in with all his might.
Brian Portman ducked the flying door and rushed to the doctor's side, "The memory chip. Take care of it now."
"But Mr. Portman, that isn't possible til the process of eliminating memory is complete." He continued fiddling with knobs ignoring Logan's towering presence coming towards them.
"I want that chip programed now."
Logan passed by the unconscious Hannah wired to that contraption he was so familiar with, glancing down, he wondered what damage had already taken place. For a few seconds he had a flashback of himself being wired and emerging from a tank with a body laced with adimantium and a mind he felt he could not control. The rage built inside him, much like it had done that very night when he went berserk on the Weapon X compound and he murdered everyone in his path. Tonight would be no exception. He snarled at the timid man now hiding behind a computer monitor. The doctor now looked up as he saw Logan approach, but continued to monitor the reading coming across the computer screen.
"The process is nearly complete."
Logan lunged towards him throwing him up against one of the monitors, "Stop the procedure now."
The doctor looked terrified at Brian, and Logan pushed him towards the control panel, "I'm calling the shots now, bub. Turn this damn thing off. Do I look like a patient man?"
He shook his head.
"You got that right, I'm not. And I don't give a crap what that creep over there wants you to do, because in a few minutes he is going to wish he would never have messed with this young lady." Logan scowled Brian's way, getting the cowering look he expected, "In fact, i think he already wishes that. Now turn the damn thing off before I really get mad."
The doctor pushed a few buttons and Logan gave him one more shove across the room, "I'll deal with you later." He then concentrated on Brian and grabbed him by the collar holding him up in the air, "I think I told you once that you wouldn't want to mess with me."
"She's mine. You had no right to her. And now she'll have no recollection of you what so ever. So who's messing with who now?" A slight but uncomfortable smile formed on his lips.
The words were no longer important. Logan concentrated on the only thing he had in mind to do and that was ending this man's life right here and now. Throwing Portman across the room his body knocked over a tray of syringes and instruments. As he fell to the floor they clattered around him. His head now seeping with blood from the impact.
With a furrowed brow and beady eyes focused solely on his prey, Logan extended his claws, snarled and charged towards Portman. Brian, not able to pick himself off the floor, scooted back in fear, only to find himself backed into the corner.
"Look, maybe I made a mistake. You know girls like her are a dime a dozen. Hell, she's all yours mate."
Logan just snarled again as his face and Brian knew at that moment that this man wouldn't spare his life. The rage inside Logan was like a wild animal protecting something near and dear to him and all rational thoughts had disappeared once he had his prey in sight. Brian's eyes widened as he watched the claws draw closer and closer to his chest. Looking into Logan's eyes, he saw nothing left of the man but only the berserker animal rage now at it's boiling point. The end was here.