On the run
The day dawns bright and clear. Logan awakens and gets dressed. He looks at the bike and checks the engine. Everything looks good. He taps the gas tank… mostly full. He wonders when was the last time Travis had this puppy out for a spin. Probably ten years. Then there's the unanswered question about where their son is. Logan has a bad feeling about that… Vietnam was hell, worse than World War II in some ways.
"Did ya sleep well?" Travis asks pulling Logan from his thoughts.
"Yeah… yeah, I did." Logan answers meekly. It sounds lame even to him. Travis takes a few more steps into the barn closer to Logan you is leaning against the Harley.
"You look like a man fixin' to do a bad thing." Travis then says with concern. Logan looks to the old man with curious eyes and thinks, 'He's more perceptive than I thought.'
"You know what happens to a man who goes lookin' for blood?" Travis then asks as the concern etches his weathered face.
"What?" Logan asks and his sad eyes never leave the old man.
"They usually find it." Travis then cautions. He sighs then adds, "We've got a choice, Son."
""Well, mine was taken from me." Logan says as he looks away and his voice is harder than it has been in his short time here.
"Bullshit." Travis says sternly and the swear word catches Logan off guard. He quickly looks at Travis with an arched eyebrow, taking in the farmer with new eyes. They share a look for awhile as Logan has no come back… there's a million and one things he could say, but he lets the silence hang heavy between them. Travis then pulls a leather jacket from behind his back. He looks at it with sorrowful eyes.
"This was my son's jacket." Travis then says breaking the silence and his voice cracks ever so slightly. Logan knows the death of his son weights heavy on the old man. Travis then tosses it to Logan and he catches it with one hand. "Try it on." So Logan pulls the leather jacket on and it fits him like a dream. He can smell the old leather and hints of stale aftershave around the collar from the old man's long dead son. Logan feels a weight, a responsibility, on his shoulders come with the gift.
"Thank you." Logan says simply and with respect as he nods his head to Travis. He understands this means something to the old man… it's some way of honoring the lost son perhaps. Travis smiles and a light of pride fills his old eyes at the sight of Logan in the jacket.
"Yep." Travis says and walks closer until he stands next to the front of the bike. He looks at it and smiles again. "Wanna take my bike out for a spin? Test the suspension?" Travis asks as he looks back up at Logan who smiles in return as he nods his head.
"A '64, huh?" Logan says as he straddles the bike and his weight presses the bike down considerably. Both men look surprised.
"Man, you're heavy." Travis comments and lets a chuckle slip.
"Yeah, I put on a little extra weight recently." Logan says and chuckles as well.
"Good morning." Heather says brightly as she makes her way through the slightly opened barn door with a tray of breakfast and orange juice upon it. Logan stands up immediately at the woman's entrance. Travis smiles warmly at his wife.
"Good morning." Logan says to her as she comes to stand between them. She stops and admires Logan in the leather jacket. Logan can see her eyes start to mist as her breath hitches.
"Oh… It fits you beautifully." She then says with a warm, motherly smile to him. She then lifts the tray a little and says, "I brought you some break-"
She doesn't finish… as the window pane behind her breaks and blood pools on the front of her clothing… then a second shot hits and the tray is struck bursting the pitcher of orange juice and knocking Heather face first to the barn floor. Shock paints the faces of both men… then Travis is struck in the chest and he falls back against Logan.
"NO!" Logan shouts as he drops to the dirt floor and drags Travis back towards some hay. The old man blinks a few times then slips into death. Logan is stricken with a mix of sorrow, regret for coming here, and rage.
"Stryker." Logan whispers as he looks out the window where the shots came from. Only one person can hit his mark perfectly from so far away… Agent Zero.
"Weapon X is in the barn. He just murdered two civilians." Agent Zero says into his wrist com after he lowers his sniper rifle.
"Blow him to pieces. Let's see if he can survive that?" Stryker says into his walkie-talkie as he watches video monitors of the scene unfolding at the farm. The helicopter whirling overhead comes in low and takes aim at some fuel tanks at the back of the barn. The pilot presses the red button on his control stick and two missiles rocket off. The explosion demolitions the whole barn and Agent Zero smirks thinking Logan has finally been dealt with… Then his smirk drops instantly into a frown as Logan zooms out through the barn doors like a bat out of hell on a Harley.
Logan races down the gravel road and then across an open stretch of field as the pursuing helicopter fires his guns at him. He can the impacts getting closer so he darts from the tree line and takes the bike off-road through the woods. After first the firing stops, but before Logan can smile it resumes and bullets whiz around him. Some strike trees, others hit the back fender and tail pipe of the bike. It's all too close for comfort.
Logan slides the bike down a steep hill and finds himself out on another gravel road. He can hear the roar of the hummer coming up from behind. It gets closer and bursts out of the woods to follow behind on the road. Logan throttles the bike as fast as it can go as bullets whiz past from the gunner on the military vehicle behind… then he scowls as another hummer comes barreling out of the woods to take the road ahead. Logan comes up from behind as the gunner on this new hummer turns to point his gun at the fugitive. Logan moves up along side, pops a wheely as well as the claws of his left hand, and slashes through the barrel of the 50 cal machine gun as it is being fired at him. The gunner is knocked from his perch and hits the road. The vehicle behind swerves to miss but doesn't lose control or crash. Now both hummers are behind him… at least only one has a gun.
As he approaches a hill on the road, the helicopter comes open and looms low with the blades tilted just so to mow Logan down. He pops the claws out on his left hand and uses them as a pivot point in the gravel road as he turns the bike around on a dime. His claws retract and he then throttles up to race back at the vehicle with no gun. He pops the claws out on his left hand again and slashes down the entire driver side of that vehicle taking out both tires. It flips and rolls on the road. The helicopter has to pull up and dodge to the right or impact the hummer.
Logan then catches a grip on the other hummer and climbs up. He slashes to gunner and tosses him out then grins as he fires the machine gun up at the helicopter. A missile is fired and Logan's grin disappears. As the explosion destroys the vehicle beneath him, Logan jumps at the last second and is propelled into the air. He uses his claws to slash at the chopper's blades and then anchors himself to the top with them. The helicopter drops from the sky and Logan jumps off just before it hits the road.
The helicopter rolls and comes to a stop. Logan slowly lifts himself from the gravel road and he injuries heal in seconds. He's grateful that he doesn't have any broken bones at least… one good thing about the metal on his skeleton Logan supposes. He then looks towards the crashed helicopter as a nasty gash over his left eye closes. He walks over and hears Stryker over the radio.
"Agent Zero. Is Logan dead? Report back." Comes Stryker's voice.
"I'm down. I don't know about Logan." Zero answers as he grits through the pain of his sever injuries.
"Is he dead? Is Logan dead? Agent Zero!" Stryker asks and there is an edge of panic in the colonel's voice.
"You'll have to go to the island without me." Zero says as Logan comes to stand before the injured Agent. He can smell the blood seeping from major wounds in the Asian man's torso… he won't walk away from this. Logan grabs the head phone com set off of Zero's head. The injured man just glares daggers at him.
"You tried to kill me." Logan says heatedly as he holds the mic up to his lips.
"Logan?" Stryker says with some surprise.
"Where's Victor?" Logan asks coldly as he glares at Zero.
"Logan, come back to base, I'll explain everything, and we'll take Victor down together." Stryker says with honeyed words. Logan can hear the pleasant smile of the lie being uttered.
"Wrong Answer." Logan says hotly. "After I kill Victor… I'm coming for you."
"Logan, listen to me. If you go down this road, you're not going to like what you find." Stryker cautions.
"You wanted the animal, Colonel… you got it." Logan says heatedly and throws down the headset. He then says to Agent Zero, "Those were good people back there. Innocent people." Agent Zero just starts laughing. It starts out small but grows louder and louder. Logan's anger boils just beneath the surface. He wants to just pop his claws and stab Zero… but that would be quick. So Logan turns and walks away knowing Zero will be dead in less than twenty minutes. It will be slow and painful.
"It's funny how good innocent people tend to die around you!" Zero says loudly though his voice is strained. Logan stops walking and looks over his shoulder with a scowl to the dying man.
"So do the bad ones." Logan says coldly and pops the claws on his left hand. He scratches the graveled ground striking a spark which ignites a trail of fuel run-off. He then continues to walk away as the flames race back to the heap of metal that was once a helicopter. Zero's eyes go wide as the fire hits the gas tank… the explosion burns out and blows Logan's hair but he is far enough away to remain on his feet. He is determined to get Victor next… then Stryker.
Colonel Stryker and his lead scientist, Dr. Frost stand in the room holding the dazed blonde telepath. They are discussing the current problem… Logan.
"Agent Zero never stood a chance." Dr. Frost says with a solemn shake of his head. Stryker then looks at the seated Emma.
"Then it's a good thing I have an Ace in the hole." Stryker says with a smile then looks at the grey haired scientist. "This facility has been compromised. Prep transport. We leave for the island immediately."
"Yes, sir." Dr. Frost says and walks away. Stryker's gaze returns to the lovely Emma. He has plans for her. "Come." He says simply to her and walks away. He has to discuss the situation with General Munson and convince him to continue funding Stryker's work. Stryker finds the General in the ruined room where Logan's bones were laced with adamantium. The older military man is staring hard at the tub as Stryker approaches. Emma stays behind a fe3w steps.
"I am sorry for the troubles, General. I assure you we have our best men out on Weapon X's trail and he shall be dealt with accordingly." Stryker starts with an easy smile as he stops at the foot of the tub.
"Colonel, this is turning into a disaster." General Munson says heatedly.
"Don't worry, General… we'll stop him." Stryker says reassuringly.
"Really?" The General asks doubtful of Stryker's words. "You just spent half a billion dollars making him indestructible." The General's eyes narrow.
"General, Logan isn't the only piece of this puzzle. I need to evacuate this facility, so please go back to Washington. We've got work to do." Stryker then says ad Emma takes her cue. She focuses on the general and his eyes soften.
"You are right, Stryker. I will return to Washington." General Munson says and walks away.
"Good work, Emma." Stryker says with a smile to the blonde with the blank eyes.