Chapter 26

"An angel has no memory"

Terry Southern (b. 1924)

Angelina's hazel eyes shot open as she turned her head towards the scientists around her.

"What is your name?" asked one of them.

Angelina stared at them for a while not answering, "X-45" she answered.

"Let's see how strong she really is." Said one of the scientists as they pressed a button on the door and exited before a guard came in.

A guard named Lyman came in and he seemed stronger than X-45. She smiled as he looked around the room wondering why he came inside. He was so clueless. X-45 pulled on the metal tight against the bottom of her hand. Teeth gritted as she continued to pull, her slim hands straining against the metal. With an abrupt twist of the chains, the metal cut through with a screech of breaking the material.

Lyman quickly turned to see what had caused the noise, but his eyes met the empty bed in which Angelina had been situated. Immediately, his eyes darted around the room, scanning frantically for the missing girl. Gun raised, he advanced forward cautiously remaining quiet and alert for any indication as where she had hidden. There was only one exit, and she was yet to pass him to reach it.

He had only stepped past a stack of crated against the tiled wall when a figure flew down out of the shadows. Lyman let out a strangled noise as he was grappled around the neck, being forced to the floor at the weight landing on his back. His rifle flew out of his hands and skidded on across the tiles to rest out of reach. Driving her knees into his back, X-45 wrenched her cuffed wrists towards her, the metal chain tearing into his throat. Lyman desperately struggled to retaliate; his choking gasps echoing about the empty room.

But X-45 did not relent, blackened eyes staring down at the back of Lyman's head until she saw him fall limp. She pulled her wrists back towards her, panting softly as she inspected the blood that now stained her. With a growl, she wrenched her narrow hands through the metal cuffs, her skin cutting and tearing as she forced her appendages backwards through the designated holes. Fresh blood was soon pouring from her hands as she strained to free them. The pain was fuelling her. With a snarl, she tossed the freed manacles aside, bloodied hands bruised and cut. She slowly picked herself off of Lyman's unmoving form, crawling cautiously away as her eyes scanned the silent room. She located the exit, and ran towards it.

"Sir, we have a situation." Said one of the scientists.

Derek waited for the X-men to come while he was hiding behind a wall, so the guards won't see him. Soon, he saw thunder hit the guards around the warehouse and they fell down to the ground. Derek got out of his hiding spot as he spotted them.

"What took you guys so long?" he asked.

"Don't play funny with us, Derek." Dr. Cole said, "Where's Angelina?"

"I'll explain on the way." Derek answered as he walked towards the same way the guard did while he was carrying Angelina.

"By the time, I got inside the warehouse I found Zeke talking to some guard to take Angelina somewhere, where the scientists will do their job." Derek answered as he continued walking, "But, I don't understand. What job?"

The mutants stared at Cole, who shrugged. Even he didn't know what General Zeke was going to do to Angelina. Hopefully, not activating the chip.

"How about Me, Logan, Cole, and Jean go and find Angelina." Marie suggested.

Xavier nodded, "We will find General Zeke."

As Marie, Logan, Cole, and Jean were walking, Jean felt a little uneasy because she could feel many different emotions in this place. Meanwhile, a man saw the X-men in a video camera and called for General Zeke who was close to him.

"Sir, we have the X-men hear with X-55 on the way. Should we ask for backup?" asked the man.

Zeke stared at the video and was about to answer but noticed someone else on the other video and grinned. "No. I know someone else who will do the job perfectly."

Meanwhile, X-45 was running towards different exits and killed any of those who gotten in her way. So far, she murdered five guards including Lyman. Suddenly, Logan smelled a satisfied person, who has blood around him or her and wants to kill more.

"There's a killer on the loose." Logan said to the others.

"Does it get better than this?" Marie mumbled.

"Oh yeah." Logan said as his claws popped out of his knuckles.

They all stayed quiet as they heard running footsteps heading their way. Then, they all saw Angelina, covered with blood, wearing her black clothing. You could see her long face, making it hard to see her eyes.

"Angelina?" Marie questioned.

X-45 turned around to face two men and two women wearing a leather uniform. Then, the woman with white streaks in her brown hair called her Angelina. Who was Angelina? "It doesn't matter." X-45 thought. She was ready to fight and kill again.

"Angelina" Marie asked again.

Without even smiling at them, she ran towards a shadow.

"I don't understand." Marie said, "It's like she doesn't know who we are anymore."

All of a sudden, Logan let out a strangled noise as he was grappled around the neck, being forced to the floor at the weight landing on his back. Then using his arms, he pulled the body down onto the floor making hold around his neck loosen up a bit. X-45 rolled over Logan, stood back up to face her enemies again, and sees who to attack next. "The kid has good grip." Logan coughed up. "What happened to her?"

"What is your name?" Cole asked.

"X-45." Angelina answered.

"We're too late." Cole said, "Zeke must of erased of all her memories about everything except for the training she had here. She isn't Angelina anymore."

"No." Marie yelled. She grabbed onto X-45's shoulders and shook her, "Wake up, Angelina! This isn't the time to be funny."

When Marie was done with that, X-45 grabbed Marie's hand then flipped her over her shoulder. She landed roughly on her back. Then Derek came in and punched X-45 in the face, knocked back a bit, but not enough seriously damage her. Derek threw a second punch in; X-45 again was hit back. This time she dropped to the ground, on her back. She lifted her legs then jumped up onto her feet. Quickly, she kicked straight forward and hit Derek's chest, pushing him back into the wall.

He banged his head, but did not seem too badly hurt, as he leapt at X-45. She ducked, and then drove her fist into his back. He fell to the ground and she back flipped over Derek, with her legs apart in mid air, allowing her land neatly and safely. She hit him the face again making him faint.

"Who's next?" X-45 said as she stared at the three adults.

"That's it." Logan grunted as he ran towards her.

"Logan no!" Marie yelled who were up on her two feet thanks from the help of Jean.