Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Marvel
A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! I've had some good suggestions for X-Kids... keep 'em coming!
Chapter 6: Awakening
X23 growled in satisfaction as she dealt the scent a killing blow, relishing its screams, its pain, its blood…
As the scent faded away, Laura's sanity returned, her claw deep in the screaming boy's brain. She staggered backwards, gore stained blade retracting as she stared in horror at her victim. He had survived, somehow, and was screaming more than she had ever heard.
She screamed in horror. She may have been desensitised to death - she had to be, the amount of killing they made her do - but pain? The pain of others? That was something else entirely.
"Someone! Help him!" She knew that they would not listen. If someone was here, other than mother or Ajax, it was for them to die. She may have wanted to kill Ajax, but she couldn't - mother told her not too. "It didn't kill him! Can't you see he's in pain! He's in agony! I didn't mean to do this! Help him!"
X
Ajax blinked. "Shit."
Malcolm was a lot less composed. "Someone get in there! We cannot lose the asset." He shook his head. "Damnit! The brain is fragile, even with a healing factor!"
Ajax shrugged. "I suppose she is strong after all."
"Shut up, Ajax," Malcolm hissed. "Someone get him out of their, or you're fucking fired!"
X
Laura froze in shock as the bay doors slid open, a squad of heavily armed gunmen accompanying a small contingent of medical personnel. On instinct, she settled into a defensive stance, claws at the ready, growling.
"Laura!" mother called. "It's alright - they aren't here to hurt you. They're here to help the boy."
Her stance faltered, but she didn't move, eyeing the group warily. She didn't attack, but she would defend herself. "Why?"
"Why what, Laura?"
"Why was he sent here, if not to kill him?"
Mother sighed, approaching her. "He's like you, sweetie - a fighter. This was to test him."
Laura glanced warily at the screaming boy. "What will happen to him?"
Mother shook her head wearily. "I don't know, Laura, I just don't know."
X
Malcolm stood over the restrained Weapon, tutting. They had had to restrain him, and gag him - even three hours later, he had not stopped thrashing, not stopped screaming. "Kinney."
"Yes, Director," the doctor glared at him.
"Why has he not recovered yet?" he glared at the Weapon as if its failure to recover were a personal insult. "He has a healing factor - he should have recovered by now."
"I am a behavioural psychologist, Director," Kinney snapped. "Not a brain surgeon."
"But you've interpreted cranial scans before!" he protested.
"I have basic medical training," she hissed. "And those scans were used to isolate signs of neurological malformation, not- not a failure to regenerate damaged tissue." She shook her head. "Doctor Windsor is the person you should be consulting."
"Windsor is… unavailable," Malcolm sighed, inwardly cursing his premature termination.
Kinney clucked her tongue. "Typical. As soon as his presence is useful, he buggers off."
"Language, Doctor," Malcolm chided.
"I speak how I damn well please," Kinney snapped. "How you treat these children…" she shook her head. "I should be using far worse language."
Malcolm glared at her. "You are not employed to criticise company ethics. This conversation is now over."
"Fine," Kinney said, standing. "I will be dealing with L- X23. Come and get me when he has a whole brain for me to inspect."
Malcolm shook his head as the woman left. The nerve!
X
In the end, it took three days and a constant supply of sedatives for the Weapon's mind to recover. His eye socket was another matter. While the surrounding tissue and bone had reformed, his eye socket was now empty, the emerald eye having burst completely, leaving only the left eye. With his enhanced intellect and extensive training, not to mention his heightened senses, this wouldn't prove to be too much of a problem, but he would stand out.
Doctor Kinney stood over the unconscious Weapon, analysing the live cranial feed. Watching the pulsing organ, she compared it to the original scans, looking for altered grey matter.
"Shit…" she murmured, double checking her theories. Several times she had to smack the side of the monitor. Honestly, you'd think state of the art technology wouldn't be bothered by the Weapon's strange bioelectricity. But that was a problem for another day. They had a much bigger problem now.
"Doctor?" Malcolm queried. "What seems to be the problem? In Layman's terms, if you will."
"Well, Director, you've done it," she laughed. "You've messed up his mind. He's a kid, and you've completely screwed his head. Not that you hadn't before, but this? You sick son of a bitch."
"I would request that you leave my mother out of this, and proceed with your explanation," Malcolm snapped. "Or I will send Ajax into X23 and let him have some fun. What do you call her? Laura?"
Kinney paled. "My apologies, Director. Anyway, there has been severe trauma to the mind, with several regions being irreversibly damaged. While there may be numerous side effects that I haven't noticed, the main problems are bad enough. If he were a civilian, he would probably be committed to an asylum."
"And what, pray tell, is the problem?" Malcolm asked. "And will it interfere with his purpose?" As she went to speak, he fixed her a stern glare. "And don't bother lying."
Kinney deflated, but shook her head. "There have been many mercenaries with far worse mental problems. While controlling the Weapon may prove difficult, it shouldn't impede upon his efficiency… too much, at least."
Malcolm huffed, obviously not liking the answer. "So what is this big problem?"
"To put it simply, his left brain and right brain have become dissociated. There is barely any neural connection left."
"Layman's, doctor!"
"The boy has developed a severe split personality," she sighed.
"Well, that's no problem," Malcolm laughed. "He doesn't have a personality to split."
"Well, now he does," Kinney sighed. "The conditioning will have broken down in the trauma, as will some of his short term memory. And with his new state of mind, I doubt that you will be able to reinforce it."
Malcolm swore. "Brilliant. What sort of personalities am I to expect.
Sarah shrugged. "I can only give a vague overview, based on the parts of the brain that will be active. When his left brain is in control, he will likely be a very stoic person, living their life by logic and cold calculation. He will have no empathy for other beings, and will likely be a very sadistic being. However, he will likely be amenable to authority, and continue following commands - maybe with an attitude, but he will still follow them."
"That doesn't sound too bad," Malcolm said. "And the right?"
She shook her head. "He will likely be a very feral, very passionate being, controlled by emotion and instinct. While he will have empathy, his perception of consequences will be warped, and could very likely turn violent. I doubt he will obey commands without severe incentives."
"Ah," Malcolm winced. "Not so good. Which will be dominant more often."
Sarah grimaced. "From the scans, the right, though the left will emerge quite often. Shock therapy may be able to forcibly switch the two. The one upside is that they seem to share a memory centre, unlike other similar cases."
"Right," Malcolm sighed. "Brilliant. Just brilliant. Any other problems?"
"Well, the pain inhibitor he grew from Ajax's mutation has been damaged - extremely high levels of pain will make it through. Also… it is extremely likely that his sanity will be impaired."
"Damn it!" Malcolm swore. "Another Deadpool!"
"Not so… severe," Kinney corrected. "Due to his upbringing, it will likely take the form of bloodlust, and a somewhat warped sense of humour."
"Fine," Malcolm spat. "Suggestions going forward?"
"I don't suppose shutting down the program is on the cards?"
"It is not."
"Then reintroducing me as a behavioural trainer, like with Laura," Kinney said. "I can… stabilise his personalities, and perhaps encourage obedience."
Malcolm nodded. "Then that is what we shall do - after some testing, of course."
Kinney feigned a thin smile. "Of course."
X
Fear. Agony. Rage. Hatred. He was lost in it, a throbbing ocean of tumultuous emotion, begging for release, begging for action.
He didn't know who he was, where he was. All he knew was the killing, the power, the facility.
There was discomfort. Something lodged in his arm. It was large, and sharp, and slit into his flesh. It should have hurt, but it didn't. He didn't care. He wanted it gone.
His eyes snapped open, his body thrashing furiously against his restraints, a muffled howl of rage emerging from his gag.
"Someone get the Director!" someone said - a doctor, he thought. A man, and weak. His scent was all over the needle. "The Weapon is awake."
There was bustling all around him. There were four doctors - all men, all weak. Not that he cared. He just wanted to kill. He wanted to tear the life from their body, feel their blood soak his skin.
With a flex of his wrists, his claws burst out from his knuckles, slicing apart his restraints as he lunged at the nearest doctor, stabbing him through the throat, killing him instantly.
"Oh fuck," one of the survivors said. "Doctor Cranbrew - he killed him. We're all going to die."
The smell of blood was strong. Overpowering. Disorientating. His foggy mind liked it. He wanted to smell more. To spill more.
"Somebody call the guards," another cried. "Scratch that, somebody call Ajax!"
He tore the needle from his arm, the gag from his mouth. He growled at the other doctors, ready to pounce.
He lunged at another doctor, seeking to spill blood. He missed.
"Fuck!"
"Halbernar, you okay?"
"Fuck no!"
He growled as he slid across the ground. He misjudged the jump. He never misjudged the jump. A hand rose to his face, touching the inside of his empty eye socket. His growl deepened as he took in the scent of his prey, listened to their frantic heartbeats echoing through the room. If he couldn't see the distance, he could sense it.
He lunged once more, stabbing another doctor in the chest, piercing heart and lung, before rolling, ripping apart the other's stomach. Blood continued to trickle away, continued to fog his mind. He relished in the scent, in the power, as his rage continued to flame, demanding the life of his last tormentor.
"Please, no, let me live!"
He ignored his please, stabbing him through the centre of his chest. "Who am I!" he demanded. "What is my name?"
The doctor's only reply was a gurgling moan, the life leaving him as the blood soaked his shirt.
"Damnit," he growled, dropping the body. He froze, ears quivering. Feet - boots, even, marching through the halls. Muffled scent. Twenty.
He dropped into a defensive stance, claws ready to strike as his single eye stared at the doorway.
The door burst open with a roar of gunfire, tearing through the medical equipment. He skin hardened momentarily, deflecting bullets as he lunged forward, howling with fury as he tore down armoured troops. Even when his skin softened, when the bullets dug themselves in, he continued to fight onwards, felling soldier after soldier.
A moment later he was standing amid a mound of dead bodies, bloodstained and naked, mind fogged beyond comprehensive thought as he savoured the scent of blood. Mind distracted, his response to sound was delayed, and he was struck across the head by a metal bar, collapsing to the ground.
With fading vision, he blearily looked up at his attacker.
"And stay down," Ajax spat, raising the bar for another strike. "You're a Weapon, and Weapons follow orders."
And then he knew no more.
INTERLUDE
Logan slipped into a bar, making his way to the back booths. Collecting a beer on the way, he sat down with a huff, before looking up at his companions.
"Finally here, old man?" Daken spat. "You've kept us waiting. We've all been here for half an hour."
"Fuck you," he growled, sipping on his beer.
"Ladies, ladies," Wade simpered. "We're not here to argue. We're here to take down Francis."
"The Department," Cage replied. "But he's right." He shook his head. "Can't believe I said that. Anyone got any news?"
"They're rebooting Zorro," Wade said.
"For fuck's sake, Wade," Daken growled.
"Hey, at least I have something," he complained. "But I did a bit of digging, and my contacts either don't know, or they ain't talking."
"Hmph," Daken growled. "I checked some old bases. All empty."
"Spilt a lot of blood, but got nothing," Logan growled. "Stryker's men know nothing, and I can't reach him."
"Stryker ain't connected at all," Cage rumbled. "He's committed to the Red Room. Burstein's working freelance."
"They know how we think," Gambit drawled. "Well, not Wade, but they know vaguely how he'll act."
"Was that meant to be an insult?" Wade asked. "I think I should be insulted."
"Shut up Wade," Gambit continued. "So the typical roads are closed to us. We need to think outside the box."
"Very good, Mr LeBeau," a familiar voice said.
"Windsor," Gambit hissed.
"Sinister," Logan growled.
"Correct on both counts," Sinister said lazily. Though I suppose Windsor is dead - tis the name of a dead man, after all."
Daken rushed forward, pinning the doctor to the wall with his forearm, claw raised threateningly. "Tell us where the Department is, or so help me, I'll slit your throat."
Sinister scoffed. "I do not fear your threats. This body is but a drone, after all." He tapped the red stone in his forehead. "It would merely be an inconvenience."
"Tell us what we want to know, or I'll hunt down every last body of yours, systematically slaughtering them all," Logan growled.
"Fancy words you cannot back up," Sinister drawled. "But have no fear - I have approached you for this very reason."
Cage narrowed his eyes. "And why should we believe you? You're a war criminal, not to mention that you're a leading scientist in the Department."
"I was," Sinister admitted. "I cared not for the politics of the department. I just wanted the resources to experiment."
"What resources did they have that you couldn't acquire yourself?" Logan growled.
"Yeah, you have lotsa moolah," Wade grinned. "Can I have a loan? I pinky promise I'll pay it back."
"DNA," Sinister smiled, ignoring the mercenary. "Specifically, mutant DNA. I could experiment all I wanted, manipulate the X-Gene…" he sighed happily. "I learnt so much."
"That doesn't answer the question," Cage rumbled.
Sinister's smile faded. "He shot me. He fucking shot me."
"Excusez-moi?" Gambit blinked.
"You heard me. Windsor was shot dead, a single bullet in the head, after all the work he had done," he answered, hissing by the end. "I made them a Weapon, and he shot me."
"Who?" Daken asked.
"Malcolm Calcord," Sinister spat.
"Knew it!" Wade laughed. "Let me check - Francis?"
"Ajax is employed," Sinister answered. "Head trainer for the Weapon, and of the security team."
"We knew they'd be making a Weapon," Daken replied. "But what are the details?"
"Oh, my professional pride restricts me," Sinister laughed. "But I'll give you a hint - it contains your father's DNA."
"You pulled another Daken?" Wade whistled. "Guts."
"I'm pretty sure I don't have another kid," Logan growled.
"You didn't the first time."
"Shut it, Wade," Daken snapped.
"It is not… another Daken, as you say, Mr Wilson," Sinister replied. "But that is all I'll say."
"Tell us, bub, or you ain't leaving this bar," Logan growled.
"Then I won't help you," Sinister smiled. "And you won't find the facility without my help."
Cage glowered at the man. "So, where is it?"
Sinister shrugged, pulling out a flash drive. "I'll let you know if you get me the intel on this list."
Gambit frowned, taking the drive. "Then we have a deal, Monsieur Sinister."
Sinister smiled a cruel smile. "That we do, Mr LeBeau, that we do."
A/N: Huzzah! A personality! And not even just one, but two!
How did you like this development? Hopefully, it'll provide some interesting scenarios later.
Gearing up for the end of the arc... Logan's Merry Mutants, incoming! But before that, we're going to have Laura and Harry properly meet - so at least a few more chapters.
I had a review questioning my choice of powers. While in hindsight, wings were a bit out of place and nerfing Shaw was unnecessary since I'd nerfed Harry's Titanium/Adamantium skin without nerfing Colossus, I chose powers that I thought would be of use to a covert agent. I tried to refrain from super-powerful abilities (magic is OP enough), and have also taken the view that for Harry, powers will be tools to use when needed, not his main weapon - that will be his skill, instinct and intelligence.
Lots of good reviews, lots of faves and follows - keep 'em coming!
Next time, Harry's personalities emerge further, beginning to define themselves...
Until next time, this is JaguarAJG, signing off.