Chapter 12 (Finally!)

Rough granite crunched under my feet as I walked along the unfamiliar highway. It had been hours since I'd left.

Pretty much, at this point, I shouldhave been wondering why Ihadn't met up with anyone yet. It seemed like Icouldn't get five inches out ofthe school grounds without Magneto or one ofhis little henchmen showing up.Of course, usually after they showed up, Logan showed up.

And that was the last thing I wanted right now.

But right now, what I really wanted was to take a rest. My eyes were burning with tiredness, and the sack with my stuff in ithad a strap that was cutting into my shoulder. I swear, I was about to drop dead. I leaned on to the straight wall of rock that followed the highway, one that had been cut into a small mountain. I allowed my eyes to droop shut for a few seconds. No way was I going to go to sleep, but a break from walking couldn't hurt.

I slumped down against the rocks a little. Sleep was really starting to overtake me. I felt my bag slip off my shoulder. I leaned back a little more, my mind starting to drift into unconciousness...

And immediatly I knew someone was there.

I could just sense her, that disgusting, reptilian scent, just beyond the guard rails, hidden in shadows. In my mind, I snapped wide awake. But I acted asleep, seeing as how the element of surprise was pretty much my best weapon. So this was why I wasn't attacked? They were letting me tire myself out. Oh, great going Adrian. You've basically handed yourself to them on a platter.

Mystique slowly slithered around the boundaries of her shadows. Slowly, slowly, slowly...and shot straight out like an arrow.

I was ready for her.

My right arm swung out as three sharp claws glinted in the moonlight. Mystique was caught off guard, but apparent she knew my style by now, missing my claws by a fraction of an inch. But she lost her lithe balance. One leg was twisted when she dodged my arm, and her other leg tripped on it. She skidded to the ground.

I took my chance. My arms flew out in front of me as I threw myself on top of her. I was in killing mode now. I could almost smell the coppery scent of blood on her shimmering blue scales. My claws almost made contact with her stomach...

And an invisible barrier threw me the other way.

My face landed against the wall of rock, shredding my cheek. But I didn't care.

I had been ready for the kill, completely engrossed in a violent stupor. I'd been ready to take out all my anger, frustration, shame, and confusion on Mystique. And then Magneto stopped that. That wasn't something I could handle. The blast of anger seared the back of my mind.

I felt my body turn over, facing the road. Magneto was just barely visible, one hand raised strongly. I could see Mystique following behind. I couldn't see Creed, but that dead scent of his was burning my nose.

Magneto's form slowly became more visible. He was wearing the same gray uniform-like outfit he seemed to always wear. His face was hard and fierce. But noticing his face made me realize something else.

His helmet was off, tucked under one arm.

Suddenly, the blast of anger heated up again. I don't know why it did. Maybe just an instinct, becoming angry when I saw Magneto.

His eyes were a mix of fury and determination, as if he had something he was going to do and had to do now. His jaw was set and his hand hard and steady.

"You." he said silently. "You have no idea. Xavier was a fool, keeping up the charade. He knew the truth about you, and still hoped the Wolverine would figure out the past by himself. Perhaps figure it out for the both of you. You were a danger to hundreds, thousands possibly. He knew he was taking a risk for the safety of the school simply harboring you in it. They could have found the school!"

I glared at him. I had only a faint idea of what he was saying, but the anger building up in my mind was overwhelming. My hand started to shake...it was like power, fueled by my anger,was coursing through it...straight through to the bushes by the rail guards...and one of them shook. This took me by slight surprise.

Almost if by instinct, I mentally drained some of that anger through my arm to the bush again. It shook more violently this time. Then, something clicked. The last time I'd met up with Magneto...I'd felt anger...and it was like a bomb went off. And I, I realized, could have caused it.

That bit of logic seemed to quell my anger, which, to tell the truth, scared me. If I was going to escape this, I was going to need as much emotional fury as possible. I reached into the crevices of my mind, trying to find something that enraged me. Magneto stopping my kill...Creed attacking and trashing my old bike...and Logan. Logan, in that eagle-spread position, writhing in pain I could only imagine. And that imagining is what did it.

It was like I snapped. In a second, my body seemed to shoot out power. The rail guard twisted and flew, the asphalt cracked, the rock wall shuddered violently, and the figures of Magneto and Mystique went flying.

I felt the power restraining me break immediatly. I thrust my body forward, my rage like dynamite about to explode. I felt more and more power drain out of my body in a violent rush...until I was actually feeling weak.

My mind slowly cleared up. My limbs felt weaker. But I felt better than I ever had before, at least in spirit. I started to stagger forward...got my balance. I looked over to the figures of Magneto and Mystique. Mystique seemed completely unconscious. Magneto seemed like he was using all of his strength to lift himself up.

He looked at me, his eyes determined.

"If you go, you are-" he seemed to have a slight convulsion, but continued with all his might."You are going to destroy...everything. You could track the Wolverine. Striker will not hesitate in finding the school through you."

I watched him, silently and confused. His head fell slowly. His hands stopped moving, and his body rested, giving into unconsciousness.

Logan stepped up to the dorm door. Something seemed different. He couldn't truly see what it was.

He opened the door, expecting to see Adrian's slim figure sprawled on the bed. She wouldn't take too kindly to being woken up, but-

She was gone.

He went rigid. She didn't leave. She wouldn't. Especially after that last attack. And...wouldn't Xavier call them if she did?... He relaxed. Of course.

He still went to Xavier's office. Checking...wouldn't hurt. He strode to the office, and opened onelarge door. Silently, bathed in strips of light from the window, Xavier was sitting, faced away from Logan.

"So you've found out." he said silently. It was a statement, not a question. "Yes. She has gone...again. And this time, Logan...I'm afraid she can't be simply picked up and rescued. I knew...knew I should have done something when Magneto opened his mind to me."

Logan went rigid again. This was serious, he knew by Xaviers tone.

"Logan..." Xavier started, then sighed silently. "Logan there's something you need to know. Something about a man. Named William Striker."