The next morning as Storm and Jean piloted the jet toward Alkali Lake, Logan and I changed into our X-Men suits. Where his had yellow piping mine had aqua, almost an exact match to my eyes. Remy refused the spare suit that would contour to his specific body-type and instead made use of the fingerless gloves and boots that came with it before he zipped his blue X-men jacket up and made sure his pack of playing cards was stored in his pocket.
My suit was also a little different from the others. I wear fingerless gloves as well and the neckline of my jacket is cut with a zip that sits on an angle so that it can unzip and come away like a jacket with a grey tank-top underneath.
Rogue and Bobby were standing staring at the extra suit in its moveable storage case.
"Why don't we get uniforms?" Rogue asked Logan as he finished getting ready.
Bobby spoke up in agreement, "Yeah, where's ours?"
Logan answered them with his typical dry wit, "They're on order. Should arrive in a few years." He pushed the case back into the jet wall and then moved to take his seat opposite me near the front of the aircraft. "You gonna explain to me what's happening with you and your abilities?"
Logan didn't look at me so it took me a moment to realise he was asking me that question. I looked down at my hands as I answered, "I don't know. Truly, Logan, this has never happened before. Even with those that I have contact with daily I still get echoes from them every time I touch them. But with you it's like you're immune or something. Maybe it has to do with your ability to heal?"
He turned his hazel eyes onto me and I looked up at him. There was something there in his eyes that I couldn't quite understand and I wasn't sure I wanted to. He scared me and drew me in at the same time and I had made up my mind the night before that after we got the professor and the students back to the Institute I'd say my goodbyes and leave, taking with me the danger of Dr. Mortimer or any of my other enemies finding me there.
Storm landed the jet a few hundred yards away from the Alkali Lake dam and then we made our game plan. Mystique would go into the spillway looking like Logan and draw Stryker out. Once she got inside she would open the spillway doors into the base and let the rest of us in.
This part of the strategy went exactly according to plan. We got in and Magneto opened the metal doors to the operations room. Magneto and Mystique started talking with Jean about getting to the Professor while Remy, Kurt and Storm decided to go after the children Stryker had captured. I stood near the back of the group trying to control my breathing when I saw on the video monitors that Stryker had the children in cement rooms with electro-charged walls to prevent them from trying to climb out of the vent that was no doubt in the ceiling of the rooms. I had been the subject Dr. Mortimer tested those walls on when I was first taken by him and his people over thirty years before.
Movement out of the corner of my eye had me turn to see Logan walk soundlessly out of the room unnoticed by everyone except me. Sighing I followed him and caught up to him further along the corridor.
He grabbed me the moment we were around the corner and pushed me against the cement wall, "What the hell do you think you're doing, Jenna?" he growled looming over me, his hands tight around my upper arms.
"I'm making sure you don't get yourself killed," I told him as calmly as I could.
His nostrils flared and his hot breath brushed over my lips before he muttered a curse and then moved forward, pressing his mouth to mine. I froze in shock for a moment and that's all it took for him to pull away.
"No," I gasped grabbing the collar of his suit and pulling him to me, my lips finding his in a fiery kiss I felt to the tips of my toes.
He roughly drags my body against his and deepened the kiss, running his tongue along the seam of my lips until I let him in and then I'm drowning in the taste and feel of him, his arms around me, his leather-gloved hand twisted into my dark hair possessively.
He's the one that broke our kiss and pulled away so that only our foreheads were touching. I opened my eyes to find that he's watching me, both our chests rising and falling rapidly. I swallowed hard and looked away but he tugged one of his gloves off with his teeth and laid his calloused palm against the side of my neck.
"That wasn't about finding out if your powers still work on me, girl." He murmured gruffly.
Biting my bottom lip I looked back into his eyes, "Promise?" I asked weakly needing there to be something more between us than just him wanting his memories back.
"Swear, darlin'." He rumbled and then does something that I hoped he'd keep doing, he lowered his head and kissed me softly, the touch so gentle that I almost wondered if this was the same man who had stabbed a soldier through the chest in the kitchen of the Institute barely two days before. I smiled up at him when he pulled away fully.
Logan brushed his hand over my cheek and then tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear, a silent promise to continue whatever it is between us later.
We continued on our way through the maze of cement corridors until there was a sudden rumble that moved through the structure around us. Logan tensed and caught my arm ready to pull me behind him if necessary but then the noise fell away and we were left in silence once more. He looked around and I knew he's trying to sense if there's anything to protect me from but then he seemed to relax minutely and turned to a doorway just behind us. I followed him through it and then down a flight of stairs into a large room. A tank of water big enough for a person to lay down inside stood in the middle of the room, a vat of liquid metal bubbling at the opposite end and a back-lit glass wall with x-rays clipped to it took up the wall across from the stairs. The other two walls had glass cases along them with an assortment of bottles and other items that turned my stomach to look at them.
I suddenly knew where we were, and it seemed so did Logan. He flinched at a memory and I stepped toward him only to have him move toward the molten metal filled vat and then touch the side of the concrete tank where three long scratches were cut into the side. I moved to him and slipped my hand over his at the devastated look on his face.
"Show me," I murmured bringing his eyes to mine.
There was a crease between his eyebrows that I wanted to press away with my fingertips and a sad fear in his eyes that made my chest ache, "You don't need to see it," he muttered his eyes taking on a faraway look.
"No, I don't," I shook my head as he focussed on me once more, "But you need me to see this because you can't keep this to yourself. No one should have to carry something like this, not even you."
His jaw clenched but he nodded and I reached up to touch my fingers to his temple. This time I'm not accidently ripping memories from his mind, this time he's sharing them with me and they flowed into my head as he sees them in his own. He's lying on the metal grating suspended over the water of the tank, lines and entry points marked into his skin, then he's in the water and there are waves of fiery pain moving in agonizing slowness over his bones, he then bursts up out of the water with a yell, and then he's running through the maze of corridors in this place, his bones still burning and aching, finally he stops and he sees that he's covered in someone else's blood, he screams in pain, anger and fear and I'm drawn out of the memory by Logan's groan.
"I'm sorry," I gasped pulling my touch from his skin as he shook his head.
Breathing a little harder than before he looked down at me, "Didn't want you to see that last bit, darlin', that's all."
Biting my lip I shook my head and cradled his face between my hands, my power no longer working because he wasn't letting me see into his mind again, "That doesn't matter, none of it matters," I whispered earnestly looking him right in the eye as he got his breathing under control again.
We were startled as Stryker's voice came from the other side of the room at the steps we had just walked down, "The tricky thing about adamantium is, if you ever manage to process its raw, liquid form, you gotta keep it that way. Keep it hot. Because once the metal cools, it's indestructible."
Logan stepped forward, pulling me behind him as he did and stared down Stryker and the Asian woman following him.
"But you already know that," Stryker drawled stopping at the doorway to the next room to smile at both Logan and I, "I used to think you were one of a kind, Wolverine." He glanced at the Asian woman, "I was wrong."
I saw Logan tense as he looked at the woman but Stryker's next words pulled my gaze to him.
"Oh, and Genesis, Dr. Mortimer sent someone here to see you."
The breath left my lungs as a tall blonde man stepped out of the shadows behind Stryker and walked into the room.
"Hello Genesis," he grinned.
"Ragnar," I breathe my body going cold and my heart starting to pound.
Logan looked between us and took a step toward the taller man. Ragnar smirked and before I could do anything he had thrown a bolt of electricity into Logan's chest, flinging Logan across the room and into a glass case.
"No!" I screamed before I turned a deadly glare onto Ragnar's face.
His grin widened, "Come play, Genesis."
I pushed down my fear and turned my eyes on the Asian woman who stood beside Ragnar and she cried out as her skin melted from her face. But my powers shut down as electricity slammed into my chest. I screamed, my back arching as wave after wave of agony ripped through me only to stop when Ragnar closed his hand around my arm and threw me bodily into the room where Stryker had disappeared.
I was faintly aware of Logan fighting the woman but Ragnar's hand twisted viciously into my hair and he dragged me to my feet, slamming me back against the wall beside the doorway. "Scream for me," he whispered in my ear and then placed his hand against my neck.
I shrieked as his electric current raced through my body. And then it stopped and he grinned down at me.
"Didn't you miss this, beautiful?"
"Bastard!" I managed to gasp out before he shocked me again.
It was just enough to make me cry out and then it stopped, "That's not very nice, Genesis," he whispered, leaning into my body and drawing his lips across my jaw. When he tried to kiss me I jerked away and tried to punch him to get him away long enough to use my powers. He tut-tutted as if I was a naughty child and then shocked me again, and again, and again. Tears slid down my cheeks and I couldn't bite back my cries with every volt he forced through my body.
"Good girl," he grinned and I wondered suddenly if I would die here. "Let's try something different," he murmured into my hair enjoying my pain.
He stopped for a moment and I sagged against the wall sobbing for breath, "Logan," I gasped out softly, calling for the only person I wanted.
Ragnar glared, his face twisted with cruel anger, "You're mine!" he yelled down at me before he ripped my leather jacket open and grabbed me around the throat before he forced his other hand under my tank-top and spread his fingers across my stomach. I knew what was coming and grabbed his wrist to stop him but I was too late. Electricity burst through my body and I screamed, my back bowed and my head thrown back. Not only was Ragnar burning me from the inside out, he was also choking me.
"Logan!" I screamed his name for what I thought was the last time and the blonde torturing me pumped more electricity into my battered body.
I smelt my flesh burning where his hands touched me and sobbed knowing when I woke up again I would be in Dr. Mortimer's cells once more, never to see the light of day if he had his way and visited constantly by Ragnar to endure more torture.
Taking his hand from my throat, Ragnar grabbed a handful of my hair and forced me to look at him through slowly fading vision, "He's dead. No one will miss you when I take you back to the Doctor."
I screamed as he forced even more electricity into my body through the hand he had on my stomach. And then, through bleary eyes is saw the tips of three adamantium claws grow out of the left side of his chest.
Ragnar was dragged back from me with Logan's arm around his throat as the feral mutant twisted his claws deeper into his back, "Time's up, bub," Logan growled into Ragnar's ear as the light faded from the other mutant's eyes. And then he dropped his corpse to the ground, his claws sliding back into his forearms as my legs gave way and I collapsed.
He was at my side a moment later and I moaned when his hand touched my side, his thumb pressing into the edge of the burn mark on my stomach.
Carefully pulling my top up to just under my bra Logan's jaw clenched, "God," he growled his eyes lifting to mine, "Why isn't it healing?"
I laughed even as I cried, "I'm tired, Logan. Weak."
"Hey, hey," Logan got my attention calming me as I started to panic, "We're gonna get out of here, you hear me?"
Panting slightly I nodded.
"I'm gonna get you on your feet, okay?" he told me his voice pitched low to try and keep me calm.
I nodded and slowly put my arms around his neck. He tried not to hurt me but we both knew that moving me would be painful.
"Okay, on three," Logan said. At my nod he started counting, "One…two…"
He didn't get any further because suddenly pain exploded in my head. We both collapsed and I knew Logan was feeling the same pain I was. We were too late; Cerebro and Xavier were killing us.
Screaming I curled against Logan's side, my forehead against his ribs. The pain got worse and my strained voice gave out. And then, just as suddenly as it had started, the pain stopped.
We both relaxed for a moment and then Logan stood up, helping me to my feet as he did. He then swung me up into his arms. Not in a position to argue and weaker than I'd felt in years, I pressed my face to his neck as he carried me from the room following the path Stryker had taken.
Once out in the snow, Logan made his way to a helipad a few yards away over a small rise, following Stryker's scent and no doubt his own instincts. In sight of the helicopter, Logan put me down on my feet in the snow so that I could hold myself up against a tree. He then stalked over to where Stryker was unchaining his helicopter from the ground. I saw him punch the older man in the face and then drag him against the nose of the helicopter. Stryker screamed when Logan stabbed him through the arm and then questioned him. I knew something was wrong the moment a loud siren started echoing through the valley coming from the dam. Logan glanced over in the dam's direction before dropping his eyes to me. He then spoke to Stryker before pushing him down into the snow and chaining him to the helicopter's front landing gear.
As he strode over to me, I nodded, "I can run, go ahead and make sure the others know that something's wrong."
"Come on," Logan shook his head stubbornly and moved to pick me up again.
I caught his hands and looked him in the eyes, "You need to get to them before something bad happens." Logan's jaw clenched angrily and he looked torn but I needed him to go and help the others so I reached out and ran my fingers over his cheek and through the hair on his jaw, "Go," I whispered softly.
The crease was back between his eyebrows and he leaned in, kissing me roughly before he pulled away and started at a jog back toward the underground tunnels that led to the dam.
Taking a steadying breath I pushed myself to my feet and turned to follow him, limping painfully back into the complex. I was a few yards into the tunnels when a door burst open and Remy slid to a stop on the wet concrete in front of me.
"Ah, Cheri. Yah're always givin' Remy a heart attack," the tall mutant grinned his red-rimmed irises shining in the artificial light of the fluorescents above us.
I smiled before breaking down and collapsing onto the ground sobbing. Remy gave me a worried look before he moved to kneel beside me.
"How did you find me?" I asked trying to stop my tears.
Remy grinned, "That man a yours told old Remy here ta come and get yah, make sure you're alright, Cheri. Told me exactly where yah were."
His admission made me want to cry all over again, Logan was making sure I was safe, "Where is he?"
Remy tucked a lock of my now mostly loose hair behind my ear, "He's gone ta get the others and bring them to the helicopter he says is out there."
I nodded before letting him help me to my feet, "I need you to help me cover this up. The children can't see me like this. They're scared enough as it is."
"Cover what up, amore?" Remy asked looking worried again.
I swallowed hard and turned my head to show him the burn still healing on my neck, and then lifted my top to show the larger one on my stomach.
"Cheri…" Remy started but trailed off before glaring, "Logan make Ragnar bleed?" he asked knowing who was the only person who could do this to me.
I nodded blinking back tears, "He killed him, Remy. I'm free of him."
The long haired Cajun nodded tightly before stepping forward and as gently as he could he helped me zip up my jacket hiding the evidence of my fight.
We then continued slowly toward the spillway entrance hoping to meet the others. It wasn't long until we did. Logan was leading them and they had all the missing children as well as Scott and the Professor. Magneto and Mystique weren't anywhere to be seen however.
"Go back, spillway's flooding," Logan growled catching my hand in his and leading us back the way we'd come.
He then let the children and the others go first out of the door that led to the helipad, letting go of my hand only to scoop up Artie, a mutant child with a lizard like tongue, who had fallen in the snow. We caught up with the group in time to see that the helicopter was no longer on the landing pad.
"The helicopter was right here!" Logan yelled over the wind.
I stooped down and scooped up some snow before looking at the others, "Mystique, Magneto and…John took it," I told them letting the snow slip through my fingers and land back on the ground near my feet. Feeling dizzy suddenly I grabbed Remy's arm before my legs gave out. He caught me around the waist and I bit back a scream of pain while he swung me up into his arms.
Logan glanced over at me, our eyes meeting as the group stood silent and scared.
Suddenly the faint growling of an engine sounded over the wind. We looked up to see the jet rise awkwardly above the tree line, glide sideways toward us and then fall to the snow and slide a few feet before stopping within walking distance. Everyone started toward it and I relied on Remy to get me there, my eye lids sliding shut with fatigue.
I was dimly aware of being warmer and turned my head when Remy put me down in a seat and helped me buckle in. "Logan?" I slurred half asleep already.
"He's here, Cheri. Rest now," Remy murmured softly but I shook my head.
"I-I need you to clean these burns," I murmured leaning my head back against the seat; it was too heavy to hold up otherwise, "It'll help me heal faster."
"Course, Amore," Remy murmured finding the emergency first aid kit that was kept at the back of the jet near the x-men suits. He came back with antiseptic solution and gauze. There was a commotion in the cockpit but I didn't think on it as the Cajun kneeling in front of me unzipped my jacket and pushed it away from my neck before starting the painful process of cleaning the deep burn there.
And then all hell broke loose. Jean left the jet and used her powers to control it as well as hold back the water from the burst dam.
Feeling her in my head I let her speak through me as Scott panicked and tried to get out to her. I pushed Remy's hands from my wounds and stood, my eyes on Scott and Jean's words slipping from my lips.
"I know what I'm doing. This is the only way."
Scott rushed to stand in front of me, his hands on my shoulders, "Jean…listen to me. Don't do this," his voice broke and a tear slid down my cheek.
"Goodbye." Jean whispered through me.
And then she let me go and I was falling and everything went black.