X-24: WOLVERINE REBORN
CHAPTER VIII
John and Xavier sat down on the bench in the middle of the void. John was still at a loss for words at what he was experiencing. This man was asking if he wanted to remember his life before the Moonstar's home. How was that even possible?
"What are you asking exactly?" John wondered.
"I want to give you your memories from your life before you met the Moonstar's," Xavier offered.
"Why?"
"So I can better help you find your place."
"I know what I am."
"But do you know who you want to be?"
John didn't have an answer for that. He has been focusing on finding Dani's father he never considered what he wanted to do afterwards or who he wants to be.
"Show me."
Xavier nodded as he closed his eyes and put his hands to his head. He went deep into the damaged parts of John's mind as he began to pull the little memories he had. John saw flashes of images race to his head as started to remember. He saw someone who looked like him but older and a full beard. He saw a little girl screaming. He then saw Xavier…
"I killed you," John said shooting up from the bench.
"Yes," he responded.
"Why…why…why would you want me to remember these things? John stammered. "I killed the actual Wolverine I tried to kidnap that girl."
"Those were all things you were forced to do. You weren't your own person."
"But I am now!?"
"Don't you think so?" Xavier questioned.
"I don't know?"
"You found a family took a name of your own. Not many people in your situation can say that."
"How are you even here right now?" John asked.
"My mutant ability of telepathy allows me many gifts. When you stabbed me I projected part of my mind into your own."
"Part?"
"The rest of me is on the Astral Plane. It's a place where powerful psychics such as myself can go with enough practice."
"Since you put part of yourself in my head you can communicate with me," John began to piece it together. "What do you want from me?"
"I wanted to tell you that you don't have to be the weapon they designed you to be. I've known many in your shoes and they always overcame what people said they were built to do."
"Like Wolverine?"
"Especially, he had a long hard life but he was his own man. You can do the same. If you are even half the man he is I know you can," Xavier stood up. "I also want to talk to you about Danielle."
"Dani? What about her?"
"I thought the days of mutants being born were over but she is proof that it isn't. She is special John and she must be kept safe."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Take her to Canada. There is a place there that can help. Teach her to use her abilities."
"I have to help her save her father first."
"I knew you would say that. Be careful out there my friend."
"Will we talk again?" John asked as Xavier got up and walked away.
He turned around and smiled and faded away.
John's eyes suddenly popped open as he heard heavy footsteps moving in the rain. He peeked out the window and saw them sticking to the shadows. He moved to Dani shaking her awake.
"What is it?" she asked rubbing her eyes.
"Reavers," he simply said.
"Those bastards don't quit do they," she said putting her pants and shoes on.
John opened the back window but before they could go through John falls back hard as he is hit by a bullet. Skullbuster fired the shot from a long distance and reloaded ready to fire another. John was about to get up but the door was kicked in and a Reaver tossed a flashbang inside. Both Dani and John went blind as the Reavers charged in. They struggled but there were too many men. John felt them clamp his arms together using some device like handcuffs. They wrapped something around Dani's head and tied her limbs together.
"Now that's how it's done," Pretty Boy said walking in. "Let's load them up and get our payday."
They picked up John and Dani and walked outside. Pretty Boy stopped when he saw a big figure standing right in front of them. Pretty Boy looked him over carefully seeing he looked a lot like Sabretooth but not nearly as old.
"You must be one of Graydon's projects. You can tell your boss we got the job done so you can go."
X-25 didn't move as he suddenly looked up at the men then eyes fell on John and Dani. He raised both his hands and popped out his eight claws from his knuckles. Pretty Boy went for his gun but the clone was to fast as he cut the gun in half then kicked Pretty Boy so the side. The other Reavers dropped Dani and John and began to attack the clone. They opened fire as the beat charged at them and began to pick them off one by one. Hs dug his claws deep into one of the men and tossed him into another then cut down the one beside him. John watched as the Sabretooth clone cut them all down one by one.
Pretty Boy got up off the ground to see all his men had been killed. That bastard Creed sent this lapdog to retrieve the mutants. He would normally understand given they haven't been able to capture them but he went and murdered his men to and now Creed and his little pet will die to. Pretty Boy pulled out his knife and charged the clone. He pulled out his sidearm and opened fired as all the bullets hit him. The clone growled as he ran to Pretty Boy. Pretty Boy fired another shot hitting him in the eye then jumped over him climbing on his back he slit X-25's throat. He leaped off the clone and then fired shots into his legs. He charged in with his knife again this time colliding with the clone's claws which cut his knife in half. Pretty Boy stepped back to gain distance but the clone was much faster as he slashed across Pretty Boy's chest making blood come out. He fell to the ground as the clone leaped at him only to be shot out of midair.
Pretty Boy looked behind him to see Skullbuster with his sniper rifle raised. He loaded the gun again firing hitting the clone right in the head.
"Get your ass up," he said to Pretty Boy
"You are a life saver old man," he responded.
"We're not saved yet," he said watching as the clone got up healing from his wounds.
"I hate healing factors," Pretty Boy said grabbing a machinegun from off the ground.
He opened fired on the clone as the mutant came charging at them. Skullbuster fired a shot nailing X-25 in the head making him slow down but not fall. He healed continuing onward Pretty Boy and Skullbuster jumped back as the clone came slashing at them. Pretty Boy cartwheeled out the way as firing more rounds as he landed. Skullbuster pulled out his revolver and fired shots into the clone's legs making him fall. Pretty Boy grabbed a grenade off his belt and tossed it as the clone causing an explosion.
John and Dani lied on the ground struggling in the cuffs that they were in as the cloud of smoke from the blast covered their vision. John couldn't maneuver his claws to cut them. He reached over to Dani taking the bag off her head. She looked around trying to figure out what was going on.
"We need to find a way out of these cuffs," John said still on the ground.
Dani's breathing just got heavier as she saw the smoke clear and the younger Sabretooth clone healing from the explosion. She wondered how many clones they had of mutants. She looked down at the cuffs and tugged on them harder and harder. The clone began to walk over to John his claws ready if needed. Dani struggled more trying to get the cuffs off when suddenly they began to glow purple along with her eyes and they snapped off of her. She didn't have time to grasp what she just did but she moved to John in hopes of doing the same. The clone made it their first as he grabbed Dani then John lifting both up. He suddenly dropped them as a loud gunshot went off hitting him in the back. The clone screamed in pain as he turned to see Skullbuster with his gun raised. X-25 charged in a fury getting nailed by more gunfire but not slowing down. He jumped at the elderly mercenary stabbing him in the chest with his claws and pinning him to the ground. He coughed up blood as grunted in pain.
X-25 took his claws out and moved back to grabbing John and Dani. Dani scrambled to grab one of the guns off the ground but was to slow as the clone picked up John lifting him over his shoulder.
"Let him go you son of a bit-
The clone grabbed Dani by the throat making her gasp for breath.
"Dani!" John screamed trying to break out the cuffs but they must have been reinforced for him. They covered his hands and banded his legs together.
The clone held on tighter to Dani's throat to the point she was about to pass out when all of a sudden a spike like object flew through the air hitting him in the arm. He growled turning around to see a team of people he has not seen before.
"Hands off," a woman with spikes coming out of her body said. She was wearing an all green uniform and had short bright red hair.
"Nice shot Marrow," a dark skinned man said. He was holding a big gun and his were a bright red. He had dreadlocks and a physique like a mountain.
"Thanks Bishop," she responded.
"That guy really does look like Logan," a young man with skin the color of gold said.
"The rumors were true," a young Japanese girl said.
X-25 glared at the group growling showing his fangs.
Dani wondered who these people were all of a sudden but she was positive they had to be mutants. She looked closer seeing they all had an X logo on all their uniforms. Her eyes went wide as she realized who they must be.
"The X-Men."
Back in his office Graydon saw what was taking place and grew furious. He pushed a button on his desk.
"Yes sir," a voice came in.
"Move in."
He went to the X-25 controls and changed his orders to come back at once with just X-24. He could get the girl another time. The X-Men? He heard rumors of a team of mutants in Canada but he was hoping that was all they were.
Back at the hotel X-25 took off in a sprint in the opposite direction away from the mutant team with John in tow. The team and Dani were about to go after him but many vehicle pulled up and various men came out with guns.
"Crap, they're going to get away," Marrow yelled.
The young Japanese girl suddenly glowed red and an energy like armor over took her body. The goons with guns opened fired but the bullets just deflected off of her armor. She punched her way through the men knocking many of them down.
"Good job Armor," Bishop said lifting up his huge gun. He stuck his hand in some fire that was coming from a car from one of the explosions in the middle of the last fight and began to absorb it. His eyes radiated energy as he began to fire lasers from his gun.
Marrow got in close on the attackers firing man spikes from her body. She punched one in the face and the kicked another in the chest. She grew more spikes on her back grabbing one and tossing it like a boomerang hitting to across the jaw.
"I have to help," Dani said about to reach for a gun but her hand was grabbed. It was the golden skinned young man.
"Leave this to them," he said as the wounds on Dani's body started to heal almost like she had a healing factor. "The name is Elixir by the way."
By the time Dani looked back up the fight was over. Marrow was delivering the final punch to a goon.
"Let's get them tied up," Bishop ordered walking over to Dani.
"Dani Moonstar," he greeted her. "My name is Bishop. We're the X-Men."
"Thanks for the help but we have to go after that clone."
"We will," Bishop assured her. As if planned the air around them began to blow and a black jet emerged out of nowhere. "Our jet," he said. "We had it cloaked nearby."
The jet landed in the middle of the hotel parking lot and opened up for them to get in. Dani was in pure awe at what she was experiencing. The X-Men were here and she was trying to keep a cool head. They all got on where Dani saw a man in the driver seat.
"This is Forge our tech expert," Armor said.
He had a beard with a robotic arm but a care free attitude.
"I'm guess things went well," Forge said pushing buttons in front of him. He looked back and saw Dani. "You must be the girl. Don't worry you're in good hands." As everyone took their seats he took off in the plane where. He looked back at Bishop. "You should check the cargo hold."
Bishop confused got out the chair and made his way to the cargo hold where he pushed a button to open the door. He narrowed his eyes as he took a few steps back crossing his arms.
"What is it?" Armor asked.
Someone slowly walked out the cargo by door and the looks of all the X-Men let Dani knew that she wasn't supposed to be here. It was a small girl with eyes like daggers with hair going down her back.
"Laura!?" Marrow said with rage. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"You were told to stay at the mansion," Bishop said sternly.
"Who is she?" Dani asked Armor.
"You could say…she's our Wolverine."