Chapter 18: Five Degrees

"There's a voice that keeps on calling me
Down the road, that's where I'll always be.
Every stop I make, I make a new friend,
Can't stay for long, just turn around I'm

gone again."

-Maybe Tomorrow by DGS

Emma slipped out of a bedroom at the end of a long dark hall.

The tips of her perfectly manicured fingers dripped with blood, her lower lip quivered with emotion as she made her way down the dark hall.

Moments later the tingling in the back of her neck let her know she had moments before she was in absolute submission.

Her debt would soon be paid, and her full freedom was imminent.

A pang of sadness filled her heart as she looked back, at the other end of the long dark hall, where the love of her life slept blissfully unaware of the chaos about to ensue.

-Thomas P.O.V.-

~Late evening, Location: New Orleans, LA~

A cold breeze caused the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end, and a sinking feeling in my gut made me turn my head away from the window.

"We have to turn back." I told Bucky, looking around the blackbird.

"Thomas what is it." Logan called out from behind me.

The gut feeling got stronger, I had to stand up.

"Somethings wrong." I shook my head, turning to look at Bucky who didn't say anything.

"Bucky I said we need to turn back."I grabbed his shoulder, trying to get him to look at me.

"It's too late, you're not in control anymore." Bucky's voice sounded monotone.

I tried pulling my hand away but he caught it with his metallic arm.

"Fuck."

"If you can hear me, I'm sorry." I apologized, punching him with enough force to rip the jet in half.

His metallic arm had a tight grip on my hand but the force of the punch caused his grip to loosen but still enough of a hold to dislocate my wrist.

He went through the side of the jet, taking a part of the wall with him.

I looked back and Logan had the same look on his face, I watched him closely, he looked possessed, his pupils dilated and the color in his face was drained.

Logan unsheathed his claws.

The small x-jet sounded an alarm, it was starting to lose altitude, we'd crash land any second now.

I grunted as I popped my wrist back into place, still maintaining eye contact with Logan.

"Alright old man, it's just me and you." I told him, hoping some part of him understood me.

He lunged at me and I sidestepped, kicking him out of the already missing chunk of the jet.

I followed after, using my powers to slow his fall, he turned and slashed at me, and I let him fall faster, landing in the thick shrubs and dense forest shortly after he did.

"I don't want to hurt you, Logan." I tried reasoning, sensing him nearby.

"Grrr.." his soft growl let me know he was nearby.

I could hear him in front of me but his smell blended in well with the forest, he finally appeared to my left, charging at me with claws out.

I ducked and he turned rapidly after he missed my back but he slashed open my chest.

Throwing two punches at him, he stumbled but caught his footing before plunging his claws into my chest.

I blocked one set of claws, ignoring the pain of the other ones sinking into my chest.

"I knew you were holding out on me you ass." I groaned, grabbing his wrist and slowly pulling his claws out of my chest, he strained but I was stronger.

I pushed against him harder, my grip started peeling the flesh on his wrists, revealing the bone underneath that looked like steel.

I thought it was just his claws that were made out of that metal.

I could hear his muscles ripping and reknitting, he took a knee, letting out an ear-splitting roar, I flinched, the noise causing my eardrums to ring.

I released his arms.

His pupils were fully dilated, his breathing was labored, and even as hard as he tried fighting me for a second I thought I caught the smell of sadness, mixed with confusion and fear.

Logan flexed his arms, the skin already healing and he glared at me, his large fangs bared at me and for a second I felt uneasy.

No, I'm good, I'm good, I got this, shaking my head, clearing out the uneasiness.

Abruptly he hunched over, clutching his head.

It looked like he was trying to gain control and I step closer. Big mistake, he took a swipe and slashed my chest and neck, blood gushing out in a steady stream, the smell of my blood was different than any other human or mutant blood, much more acidic, making my eyes and nose sting.

It seemed to affect him too, he stepped away, shaking his head.

I already knew it would be damn near impossible to get him to stop attacking without knocking him out for a bit. If I could at least keep him subdued until I get him back to the school.

"This is gonna hurt like hell." I warned him, allowing a bolt of lightning to form in my hands.

Now or never, taking a second as he stopped moving around I let the bolt strike him in the center of his chest.

"Grraaahhhh!!!" Logan roared in pain, as he flew back about fifty feet.

I kneeled over, trying to catch my breath and letting the holes in my chest and back heal.

Looking around, we had to be somewhere in the south, I was grateful for my keen eyesight, because even in the dark I could see we had landed in a small clearing, about 70 feet away was a bigger clearing made by the blackbird.

Trashed jet, Bucky is MIA, Logan's fucked up, how do I keep getting myself into these situations?

A few minutes later he groaned and I turned to look at him, he was coming to.

I stood up, defensively waiting for him to attack again.

"What the hell happened?" He groaned, his chest was almost healed but he still smelled like burnt flesh and blood.

"Not sure but you tried to kill me." I replied wearily, watching him look around, even though I was a good distance away from I could see his eyes weren't dilated anymore.

"Where's the other guy?" He grumbled, slowly standing up.

"He went through the same thing but I lost him and the jet is fucked." I sighed, ripping off my tattered and bloody shirt off.

I noticed Logan looking at my chest, probably my old scars and the black streaks.

"We gotta get back to the mansion." I cleared my throat before walking to the trashed jet.

He grunted in response, following close behind me.

I couldn't even worry about or guess where Bucky went, his scent was gone. He could be anywhere.

-Charles Xavier Institute-

So much destruction, death, and deception.

This is not what I intended for my school, my dream to mediate the coexistence of mutants and humans. Protecting my student, and family from the evil that lies within certain individuals, and I have failed.

If I do not end this now, I may lose everything. My dream diminished.

Scott rushed in through my office door, narrowly missing the table beside the entrance.

"Charles! They took Storm, they too"- Cyclops yelled out, a small trickle of blood ran from the side of his neck.

"Gather the X-Men." I interrupted calmly.

"Sir I can lead both teams on this mission." Scott asserted, his eyebrows knitting together.

I nodded in agreement.

"We must first meet in the danger room to form a strategy...I fear this has become far more consequential than I could have ever foreseen." I explained, turning to face away from him.

Remorse would not allow me to look him in the eye.

"I'll get everyone there." Scott assured before rushing away.

Logan.* I reached out mentally, hoping he would sense it was me and allow me in.

A few moments later a connection was secure, the pain and confusion in his mind were nearly palpable.

Chuck we got a problem* He immediately informed me.

yes, please return at once.* I agreed, allowing him to sense my urgency.

Everyone alright over there?* Logan asked, the connection began to falter.

I'm afraid not.* I divulged.

A rush of fury and a slew of curse words came from Logan's mind and soon after the link was disconnected.

-Ororo P.O.V.-

~unknown location~

"Whe... Where am I?" I groaned, the pain in my skull caused my temples to throb.

My eyes flew open as I quickly discovered I couldn't move, my arms were bound at the wrists, and my legs were bound at the ankles.

A deep chuckle came from a few feet behind me.

"The frail's awake." The familiar voice immediately caused a cold chill to run down my spine.

"Sabertooth." I tried to keep my breathing steady as I said his name.

"Surprised to see me doll?" He questioned, walking up to stand right beside me, his putrid smell came wafting down.

"No." I responded, holding his predatory gaze, his yellow eyes gleamed predatorily.

"Good, surprised to see him?" His head turned to the left.

I turned my head as much as I could and saw who he was referring to..

"Declan... No!" I yelled, straining to get up for the first time.

"Shut yer trap bitch or I'll crush his skull." Sabertooth shouted back in response, shoving my head into the table.

His sharp claw-like nails dug into my cheeks, holding my mouth shut.

My tears stung as my flesh was torn open.

There was a loud metallic clunk and the sound of footsteps before a woman's voice rang out.

"Sabertooth, Out. Now." She spoke as if she were commanding a dog.

"Enjoy your stay." Sabertooth licked the tips of his claws, as though he were savoring the blood he had drawn from my face before walking away.

"Look at you, as perfect as the day I first saw you." The woman was out of my view but I knew who it was.

I've heard her voice enough times to recognize it, even in my disoriented and pain-ridden state.

"Victoria." I said, finally seeing her face caused my stomach to churn and blood to boil at the same time.

"I've never gotten the chance to talk to you. I assumed now would be a good time." She leaned in, brushing a stray lock of hair from my forehead.

"Let Declan go." I demand, knowing that my request was in vain.

"Yes of course let me get right on that." Sarcasm dripped into her voice like venom and I glared at her.

"What could you possibly want from him?" I demanded.

"It's not about him, you, or even me."

"It's about Thomas." I surmised.

Victoria smirked, rubbing her hands over my arm, as though tracing my veins.

"It's more specifically about his blood." She started, her hands now moved to my face where I had been clawed by saber tooth.

I bit a scream back as her own fingernails dug into the wounds on my face.

"Years ago I failed to conceive my own child, the father was rather upset about it. He tried to kill me and inherit my late father's fortune."

"I killed him first but I soon after developed a medical condition that left me on life support. It wasn't long before I got a call from my contact in Madripoor. Madam Hydra, she gave me a temporary cure."

"In the coming months, I developed a research team, I told them that the goal was to experiment and create a powerful mutant, a weapon of mass destruction if you will. I did not mention that I needed a permanent cure for my disease. Wolverine was the first finding that allowed me to go longer durations without being sick."

"I needed more. I experimented greatly with Wolverine's blood until he escaped, luckily I obtained a sperm sample beforehand. As for you, well you were my shining jewel, your beauty, and omega-level powers combined with his healing factor and animalistic predispositions... For lack of better words, seemed too good to be true." She ended her story, a smirk plastered on her thin face.

"You are a sick woman." I let the hate I felt for her seep into my voice.

I smiled internally as the vein in her neck bulged out but she quickly recovered and plastered another sick smile.

"I was but because of Thomas I am now healed and I've obtained a certain level of his powers." Victoria smiled brightly, her eyes hazing to black.

She lowered her head, sniffing my neck, and I jerked involuntarily in my restraints, the faint smell of wine came from her cold lips.

"What do you want from us now?" I ignored her attempt to intimidate me.

"You know what I want Goddess," she replied easily, with a minor shrug of a shoulder.

"Do you even comprehend the vast amounts of money people would pay to be cured of all diseases and illnesses?" The pitch in her voice rose as she spoke, from my view on this table, I could see the unnerved look on her face.

Anger welled in my chest and I breathed in deeply before answering her.

"He is not yours." I narrowed my eyes at her, willing myself to relax against my restraints.

"That's where you're wrong." Victoria countered, circling the table.

"No matter what transpires, he will always come back to me." Victoria brushed the side of my face with her cold bony fingers as she walked by.

"No." I turned my head towards her, engraining every moment and word into memory as I devised a plan to escape.

"Suit yourself, goddess. I have many samples of his blood regardless." Victoria tapped her fingernails on the table I was strapped to.

"Not to mention, his son…" She let the meaning of her words hang in the cold dry air.

If that were the case then she wouldn't need Thomas back. She would also use blood samples of Declan to keep herself stable and healthy, there had to be another reason she wanted Thomas.

"What of Viper? She destroyed all your labs" I argued, trying to see how she could possibly move forward without all her help.

"A lot of people do not share my ideations, if you could believe that, they wish to remain stuck in the past, not allowing themselves to move forward and see the potential all around us. Unfortunately, most of the people that previously worked with me couldn't see the potential." Victoria inhaled deeply, her eyes glowing black, the lights in the room began to flicker, and a distant rumble of thunder filled the stillness of the room.

"You purposely led Viper to do your work." I realized, stunned at the revelation I did not notice her pull a syringe out of the desk beside the table I am strapped to.

"Mutants can save humans." She paused.

"We just have to know how to use them." Victoria sneered, puncturing the vein in my arm, and slowly filling the syringe with my blood.

Pulling out the sharp needle she placed the cap to cover the needle. Blood seeped from the prick in my skin but she didn't bandage it.

Victoria walked past Declan with barely a pause and left the room.

"Please Goddess help us." I whispered, my eyes stung with tears of anger.

Victoria's words shook me to my very core, the thought of her wicked intentions for Thomas and Declan turned my stomach.

There is no place in this world for a person like her.

I swore a long time ago to never take another life again but I can no longer keep that promise.

Victoria must die.

~To Be Continued~

Author's Note: Shit's about to hit the fan