CH. 3
'The Warning'
The road stretched out before him, the sun made the chilly air bearable, Logan had given up his coat for Sophia, he definitely should have found a way to get his truck across the border.
The song "Ain't no Grave (Can Hold My Body Down), played on the motorcycle's stereo as the bike zoomed along the lonely highway.
Logan could tell she was tired given how she leaned into the backrest, she was quiet and had her face buried in the backpack he had gifted her.
He would have figured she was asleep if it weren't for the occasional squirm she'd make, trying to get comfortable on this horrible seat.
Cruising along at sixty-five miles per hour, Logan spied the mile marker, they still had well over three hundred miles to go, this revelation made his heart drop until he saw the accompanying sign for the mile marker, an exit with a motel and truck stop.
"Hey, you want to stop?!" Logan shouted over the wind and stereo, feeling her perk up and looking around.
"Yes!" he heard her say, she sounded more than ready to get off this bike, and he shared that sentiment.
Pulling off the highway, the motorcycle rolled to a stop in a parking spot just outside the hotel.
With the kickstand down, Logan eased himself off the motorcycle, his legs were stiff but he'd be alright, he half-turned and offered a hand for Sophia to take.
"I'm good," she said, Logan nodded and turned to the hotel's main desk, the last thing he saw was her swinging her leg over.
The sound of a body thudding on the pavement didn't faze him, it was a learning experience for her he figured. "When your legs wake up, come inside," Logan said, he had assumed she wouldn't be very fleet of foot after nearly a hundred miles of riding a motorcycle.
A bell rang as Logan stepped up to the front desk, indicating that Sophia had found her legs and had followed him in.
A short woman stood behind the counter, she smiled politely before speaking. "Just you and your daughter, today?" Logan placed his hands on the desk before he replied.
"Yes," he answered before turning to look at Sophia. "Want your own room?" Logan asked, tapping his fingers on the counter's polished surface.
He watched as Sophia got shy right before his eyes, she must not like being put on the spot, he figured. "Isn't that more money?" she asked, clearing her throat and shoving her hands in her hoodie pocket.
"Doesn't matter, do you want your own?" Logan reiterated flatly, looking at the clock above the exit, reading: five-twenty, PM.
"Yeah," Sophia replied, her anxiety seemed to lessen after that, he figured it was due to the fact the spotlight was on him again.
Nodding his head, Logan turned back to the woman. "Two rooms across the wall, please," he said as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet.
"Ok, two across the hall!" the woman said aloud as she started typing on the computer.
"Across the wall," Logan corrected, as he checked the amount of cash he had available.
"Oop, across the wall!" the lady said, rectifying her mistake, looking up moments later. "Ok, here are your keys, your rooms are outside to the left," the woman explained.
Logan pocketed the keys and turned to leave. "Thank you," he said over his shoulder as he walked back out to the parking lot.
"Hungry yet?" Logan asked, striding toward the truck stop, he figured they had to have some sort of food.
"A little," she answered, just before Logan pulled the door open and stepped in, and was greeted by the sound of slot machines, chattering people, and the song "Way Down We Go" playing over the speakers.
Sitting down at a table, Logan waved down a waiter. "I'll take a beer, and a water for the kid," he said, picking up the menu that was set in front of him.
"Sprite, actually," Sophia piped up before the waiter ran off, he nodded and scribbled it down as he walked away.
Sitting back in his chair, Logan looked around, until he saw the young mutant staring at him. "What do ya want?" he asked, narrowing his eyes slightly.
"What's the story with your hair?" Sophia asked, looking at the very odd way he kept his hair.
Furrowing his brow, Logan blinked twice trying to figure out what she could possibly mean. "What about it?" he asked, as his beer was set down, he absentmindedly picked it up, holding Sophia's gaze.
"Well it… Your hair…" Sophia stammered trying to be delicate. "Why does it look like that?" the girl asked, making an ocean wave with her hand.
A question he could half answer, no one had asked him about his hair. "I've been wearing it as long as I can remember," Logan answered honestly, whatever happened after the "Weapon X Project", he had always kept his hair this way.
"But why?" Sophia questioned before taking a sip of the pop she ordered.
"Why did you dye your hair pink?" Logan shot back as he took a swig of his drink.
"I don't know, I like the color pink, I guess, your turn!" Sophia replied both quickly and dismissively.
Logan formed a thin line with his mouth, not very satisfied with her answer, nonetheless, his lips parted. "I have cowlicks on both sides of my head," he answered after a sigh.
The young mutant nodded, accepting the explanation Logan hoped, it was the truth after all, and he didn't want to hear any more about it.
Finishing his beer, Logan waved for another one. "You're not going to get drunk, are you?" Sophia asked as the waiter set another beer down for the berserker.
"No," Logan responded, dismissively before taking a swig, and leaning back in his chair.
"Because I don't want to get on that bike with you if you're drunk or hungover," the girl said, earning an annoyed grunt from Logan.
"I'll be fine kid, don't worry about me," Logan snapped before he downed the rest of the bottle.
The night dragged on, six beers in, Logan noticed Sophia had left for her room, one beer ago, and he figured he would turn in after one more, he figured after he finished the seventh one.
With the drink out of the way, Logan stepped out from the table and headed to the exit.
"Need anything, mister?" a woman in a low-cut T-shirt and high-waisted jeans, asked as Logan passed.
"Need you outta my way, Toots," he said as he opened the door and headed outside, Logan only after shutting the door, noticed the woman's scent; it was familiar, sensually sweet, but he pushed away the sudden interest.
Pulling his room key out of his pocket, Logan opened his door and saw the woman outside, looking right at him.
He figured she was a concubine, hanging around like she was looking for her next victim, then again her aroma still left him thinking she seemed familiar, like he had known her long ago, but she didn't look like anyone he knew.
Shaking his head at the type of folk he normally let get in his bed, Logan turned and opened the door, taking a small glance over his shoulder before entering.
Closing the door behind him, Logan went for the bathroom, shutting himself in.
When Logan finished up, his brow drew together, he heard his door open and close.
Zipping up, he didn't waste any time opening the bathroom door and storming into the main room, there she was, sprawled up against the door, provocatively.
"I told you I don't want anything!" Logan growled, her scent was beginning to bother him, until it hit him.
Striding forth, she didn't have a chance to speak before Logan had pinned her against the wall with his forearm.
"What do you want, Raven!" his growl intensified on the mention of her name, as did his pressure on her neck.
"Let me down, Logan," the shapeshifter said, trying to push his arm off.
"What do you want!?" Logan yelled, pulling his left hand up and flexing, three claws protruded from his knuckles, menacingly.
"Don't stab the messenger," Raven said, struggling against Logan's might.
This piqued Logan's interest, releasing her, he stepped back and hesitantly sheathed his claws again.
"What message?" Logan questioned, staying ready for a fight, keeping his eyes trained on the mutant as she morphed into her true appearance.
She stood a bit taller than him, her natural frame was curvy, yet she sported a muscled body, perfect for the acrobatics she was known for.
"More of a warning, really," Raven cooed in a way most men probably found seductive, Logan had been one of them once, now it had him rethinking not stabbing her.
"Warning about what?" Logan grunted, anything she could say wouldn't have him scared.
"Not what," Raven corrected before she geared up to speak further.
"Who."