Chapter 3: That Nice Little Girl

(note: The second half of this chapter has been removed and posted as Chapter 4; I apologize for any confusion...)

Billy woke me at the gas station he had pulled into. I filled up, grabbed a quick bite with him, and then it was my turn to drive. I didn't mind: I'd gotten enough sleep for the time being, and I wanted do some thinking, anyway.

I wondered how Laura was doing and thought back to when I'd met them Wednesday morning.

My friend Buddy had called to tell me about somebody collapsed on the road about ten miles away, and I grabbed Billy and headed out there.

Sure enough, there was a man lying alongside his truck, with a young girl kneeling beside him handing his hand. When Billy saw them he got agitated, which was something he rarely does anymore, and I had to scold him a couple of times before he calmed down.

When I got close enough to see the man's face, I was stunned to see that it was somebody I recognized. It was Logan – commonly known as the Wolverine – and I knew then why the sight of him and the girl had upset my son. Billy has a quirk whereby he can sense folks who belong to a certain family, and there are few of those, mutant or not.

When I checked my patient he was in bad shape, not so much due to his injuries (though they were serious), but because of his general condition. He was haggard and looked utterly exhausted, and the injuries he had suffered the night before ought to have healed by that time. I asked the girl what her name was and what had happened, but she merely looked at me and said nothing at all. Other than that, she seemed normal except for the bloodstains around her knuckles.

We didn't waste any more time: after making sure Logan was safe to move, I had the boys help me move him into the back of my truck.

At the clinic, I got an IV into his arm and gave him a sedative, for all the good it would do. I doubted that he'd stick around once he recovered a bit, but figured he could use all the rest he could get.

Then I took Billy aside for a quick chat, and I asked him what he knew. I found out the girl's name – Laura – and why they'd been out by Buddy's fishing hole early that morning. I should have given Billy royal hell for scanning her without permission, but to be honest it was something I'd wanted to know myself.

So they were on the run and, knowing why, I was well-motivated to help them get away.

I told Laura she could have a short visit with her father as long as she didn't disturb him, and then I stepped outside with Buddy to ask him a favour. He wasn't too crazy about it at first, but I can be persuasive when I need to be, and I assured him that one way or the other I'd see to it that he'd get his truck back.

When we went back inside, Laura reluctantly left her father's side to rejoin us in the waiting room.

I turned towards Buddy. "It's a shame to spoil your fishing, so the least I can do is to cover your breakfast."

"Sure, Doc," he shrugged.

"You could probably use a bite yourself," I told the girl. "Would you like to go have breakfast with these fine young gents, or stay here?"

Her eyes flicked toward Logan's room.

"I understand," I smiled.

"Would you fetch a couple of breakfasts for us, too?" I asked Billy as I handed him a couple of bills on their way out. Then the door slammed and we were alone, staring at each other across a small table, and since she wasn't going to start the conversation, I did.

"I've never met your daddy, but I know him pretty well."

The girl gave me a cool appraising look, putting me on notice that whatever I might be up to wasn't going to fool her.

I smiled.

"Not many folks know this," I said, "but my Mama's maiden name was Howlett."