Chapter 19--The End?
You'll rescue me right?
In the exact same way they never did
I'll be happy right?
when your healing powers kick in.
"Precious Illusions"--Alanis Morissette
copyright 2002 Universal-MCA Music
Now I ran with purpose up the narrow corridor in my mind, focused only on locating Logan and getting out. Xavier's presence was but a whisper again, urging me on. Come home, Brianna. Soon. But where to find the Wolverine was the puzzle. I felt for our empathic connection, hoping to use it as a homing beacon. Silence was my only response, and I felt the apprehension start to well up again. Concentrate. Think of where you last saw Logan. You will find him. Taking hope from the Professor's thoughts, I pressed on, my mind constantly searching for the man I loved.
There! Suddenly I felt a rush of anger and determination that could only be Logan. The sense of him was overpowering and I flew to the door at the end of my hall of memories. Turning the knob, I felt the Professor's relief in my head, and knew I had made the right choice. The entrance swung open and I was involuntarily propelled into the room, as if by a rough, invisible hand. The walls shimmered a bit, making my stomach do a funny twist and my brain feel like it was being stirred with a stick.
This was my and Wolverine's cell. The fetid den our tormentors had kept us in while turning us into animals and, ultimately, assassins. I felt the sick rage again, the wont to kill strong and undeniable. Recollection fought against my grasp of present reality and the two became indistinguishable. Wild eyed, my breath came in short, painful gasps as I struggled with the inner fury. I opened my mouth and the sound that came out was not human, but a feral howl of death.
And then the Wolverine was there, wrapping me in his protective embrace and making me sane once more.
As Brianna appeared in the room, Logan felt present and past collide in a sickening way. He knew for a fact that he was in the Danger Room, with Jean, Scott and the rest of the team standing by. But the memories attached to this particular vision were so strong now that time folded in on itself and he was, once more, the Wolverine, a man struggling to keep his humanity. Pain, brainwashing and mental torture had all been applied to strip away any semblance of civility, to break down any emotional pretenses. What they wanted was an animal, a brutal killer, and they were winning.
Logan, remember why you're here. A calm, soothing voice spoke inside his head. Brianna needs to come home.
Jean! Logan's thoughts came sharply into focus. The adamantium-laced mutant fought mightily to keep his feral side from taking over. The woman he loved was here. They had to get out, soon, before neither of them knew who they were anymore. Vixen's heartbreaking cry got his feet moving. Logan crossed the room and took her in his arms, silently willing her to fight for lucidity as he felt his own slipping with each heartbeat.
Jean Grey kept her telepathy focused on the X-man down on the Danger Room floor. She felt a burning sensation behind her eyes as she trained all her power on Logan, guiding him through the melee of newly surfaced memories. Knowing that things were still hidden from his damaged mind, Jean worried that too much revelation at once would send him into an irretrievable tailspin. But she was also familiar with Logan's inner strength and his multitude of coping mechanisms. The fiery-haired doctor prayed these would be enough to bring her friends back. To lose them both now would devastate the entire family. YOU have the power to keep them safe, a strange, beautiful voice came to life in her mind, bringing visions of unbridled sensuality and unlimited potential, all in the shadow of a blazing phoenix. Somewhat alarmed, Jean puzzled over these things for a moment, then returned her concentration to the mission at hand. But the glow remained in her cheeks. Scott noticed, and thought she had never looked so beautiful. Or dangerous.
The sense of deja-vu was overwhelming as Logan crushed me to his chest, stroking the back of my neck and muttering words of comfort. My bogged-down mind tried to sort out what I was feeling. Exhaustion, pain and residue of the unknown made it hard to focus on anything other than the man holding me. I could sense Logan's desolation and fear, combining with a killing rage so primal that it was almost a physical energy. As I stayed wrapped in Wolverine's arms, that feeling of brutal fury began to invade my own psyche. I could feel the keen edges of the seven-inch metal claws I had been equipped with tingling beneath the pale skin of my forearms, almost aching to be extended. Someone needed to pay…
Slowly, I realized that Logan's low murmuring had shifted to soft, growling exhalations against my hair. Large, warm hands began to roam across my back, leaving tendrils of heat in their wake. Unintelligible sounds that may have been my name escaped from Logan's lips as they trailed biting kisses along the side of my neck He pushed me away, roughly, and I was fixed with a fiery gaze that terrified me, even as ripples of excitement ran down my spine. Pulling me to him again, Wolverine crushed his mouth to mine, bruisingly rough. His desperate passion fueled my own and I rose to meet his assault, eagerly returning his kiss. We grasped at each other in a frenzy of need, trying to keep hold of the one sure thing we had in this living nightmare, even as our sanity receded.
And this time, when the panic began to mount, it was a weak background to the bloodlust that had been programmed into my broken mind. I was hard-wired to kill anyone that turned me on.
"Oh, God," Charles Xavier breathed in disbelief. "They turned her into a black widow." The Professor cursed himself mentally for not seeing this sooner, for not being able to help Brianna before things went too far. Jean! He called out to his protégé, be ready to act quickly, whatever happens. He sensed the lovely doctor's acknowledgement, and an almost joyous feeling of expectation, as if she was looking forward to the challenge.
Good. Xavier knew this was going to get tricky. They couldn't interfere now without risking damage to both Vixen and Wolverine's mentality. There would be a proper time to end the scenario; he just hoped he knew when that was, and that Jean seeming confidence in her powers didn't falter.
The quiet snikt! of deadly blades being unsheathed pierced the fog of animal recklessness in Logan's brain just enough. His reflexes took over and he barely dodged Vixen's ruthless jab at his vital organs. He vaguely registered a strange fleshy sound as his own claws shot from between his knuckles, and he found himself striking back at his cell mate with unconscious force. Again, the sick, reality warping feeling hit Logan: the hand that swung out at Brianna was adorned with nine inch bone talons. They hadn't finished with him yet.
Vixen stepped back to evade the powerful swipe but stood her ground. A snarl issued from between barred teeth and Logan advanced ruthlessly on the smaller female, who glaring hazel eyes held no fear. In his tortured mind, Logan heard his own voice yelling to stop, he LOVED this woman for Christ's sake, but the Wolverine paid no heed. Vixen leapt at him and the pair grappled fiercely, both of them attempting to throw the other to the cold concrete floor. Blood seeped from incidental wounds inflicted by carelessly wielded claws. Attempting to trip Vixen up, Wolverine caught her ankle with his own and the back of her head slammed into the wall with a dull metallic thud. Logan winced, rationality gaining control for a moment. "We…can't…do this! Brianna…" But Vixen swung at him again, no recognition in her face, only the conditioned look of an unthinking killing machine.
My God, what is happening, Hastings ?!? Don't let them do this to you! Don't let them win! My body seemed to be on autopilot as I lashed out at Logan, unrelenting as we deflected vicious blows from each other, metal striking bone, sweat and bone shards flying.
"Brianna, listen…to…me!" Logan seemed to be forcing the words out. "We've gotta…" He slipped under my arm in mid-arc and came up behind me, catching me in a half-nelson. "We…need to…get…get out! Now, before…GAH!!" I brought my foot down on his instep and broke free of his grip. The overwhelming urge to kill had passed, but my brain was still having trouble distinguishing memory from reality. I spun to face Wolverine, adamantium blades still extended in defense. It registered only then that his claws were not encased in the same indestructible metal.
"Logan, how…" I blinked in uncertainty. "Why are you here? I mean…how is this possible? Your…why…" My thoughts were still scrambled.
"I'm in the Danger Room with Jean. She brought me here to lead you out. That lady is more powerful than anyone thinks." Logan looked at me with such relief and love in his lupine eyes that all the questions I had were forgotten. I'd get the details from Doc when I got home.
"So how do we do this?" I wanted out of this nightmare with every fiber of my being. "Even the Professor couldn't help me."
"Charlie would kill you if he stayed in your head too long. Jean figured out that with our connection, I could get in here to find you. And…" Logan hesitated, his apprehension clear, "We could both follow the memory to the end." I gasped, fragments of subconscious flotsam coalescing.
"Yes! I…I think I remember. They were testing us, our abilities. That's why…" Logan and I locked eyes and now I understood his concern. "That's why we were trying to tear each other apart. But," my voice cracked in horror, "back then..."
"Back then I killed you." Logan finished with a vehement growl. "Or they made me think I did."
My heart clenched in my chest as I realized what needed to be done.
Xavier saw the scenario unfolding as he knew it must. Jean! Be ready to take Logan out at my signal.
I understand, Professor. I sensed how this would end when Logan and I came in. The young telepath's thoughts were very sure and clear. Xavier felt a great underlying power that hadn't been with the doctor before, almost on the level with his own. He acknowledged this, keeping his concerns shielded until the danger to his other X-men was past.
Almost...Jean, keep watch...steady...steady...NOW!
As prepared as the two mutants were for the outcome of this scenario, both cried out as they watched Wolverine run Vixen through with all eight bone talons, his unearthly scream shattering the air.
