Keep the Animal

OPERATION HAVOC IS NOW IN EFFECT EXECUTING WEAPON X-17 BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY

"Shoot to kill men you heard the Colonel!" A commander said as he and the rest of the soldiers charged at X-17's location while the intercom blared the command across the whole facility. Unknown to them and the rest of those at the facility something within the weapon had finally snapped. Despite Stryker no longer being able to witness X-17's true power the rest of the facility was just about to as due to the death of Dr. Frost the last bit of humanity within it had perished alongside her. Colonel Stryker and Professor Thorton finally got what they'd been waiting for years. They took away the man and kept the animal within X-17.

RAAAGGGGHHHHHH

"Crap shoot it damnit shoot it!" One of the soldiers screamed as X-17 lunged out from the room and tore his head clean off with one swift slash.

"Oh God!" Another soldier screamed as X-17 grabbed his gun and impaled him on it. The weapon threw the soldier's lifeless body at the rest of the men. Thankfully one of them had a shield on them as he deflected the corpse. The soldier with the shield then attempted to charge at the weapon as X-17 lunged at him. The soldier with the shield was able to knock the weapon back into a wall with a heavy bash from his shield. From the rubble emerged the weapon as X-17 rushed at the soldier once more quickly grabbed the top of his shield and leaped over him. It then stabbed him in the back and he tore him in two.

OPERATION HAVOC IS NOW IN EFFECT EXECUTING WEAPON X-17 BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY

"Fuck this! He's going to kill us all!" Another soldier screamed as he tried to run away. The weapon lunged at him and quickly thrust his claws into his chest. Soon more and more soldiers started to appear as some started to flee the carnage. X-17 continued to fight each and every one of them. Despite the facility throwing everything at him nothing could stop his berzerker rage as he continued to rip and tear the once metallic hallway was now blood red as guts and flesh covered it from top to bottom. As they continued to fight the intercom began to sound off again.

OPERATION HAV- CODE OVERRIDE NOW EXECUTING OPERATION KNIGHTFALL THIS FACILITY WILL SELF-DESTRUCT IN 1 HOUR ALL PERSONNEL ARE ADVISED TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY

The soldiers looked at each other in fear as they immediately stopped what they were doing and ran off. Whilst they tried to run, they weren't able to escape X-17's wrath as it continued to slaughter them.

"WHO AUTHROIRZED KNIGHTFALL WE WON'T BE ABLE TO MAKE IT OUT IN TI-" A soldier shouted as X-17 pulled them back and sliced his arm off then plunged his claws into his head.

"LOCKDOWN SECTOR 3 IMMEDIITLY!" A commander shouted as he ran through the exit door of sector 3. A few more soldiers were able to make it through as for those who didn't.

"OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR! OPEN THE DOOR!" A soldier screamed as he slammed his fist against the glass window on the door. A few looked back as the soldier's screams were soon silenced by the sound of him gurgling his blood as X-17 stabbed him through his back and threw him to the side.

RAAAGGGGHHHH

X-17 screamed as he slashed the door with a barrage from his claws as he busted through it, killing those few who were near it. The few other personnel who were still gathering their things in sector 2 weren't safe from X-17's bloodlust as they too perished by the hand of the weapon they helped to create.

"HELP PLEASE!" A Female doctor shouted as it rammed its claws through her stomach and tossed her body over him.

"Do something damnit or it'll kill us all!" A male scientist shouted as he ran alongside a few soldiers as they continued to run.

"We can't do shit! Everyone for themselves!" A soldier shouted as he pushed the man aside. The male scientist fell to the floor as he looked up X-17 thrusted his claws through the scientist's head as he continued his brezerker rampage.

"It's over we're dead!" A soldier shouted as he grabbed his pistol and pointed at his head. As he was about to pull the trigger the weapon cut his hand off and then stabbed him through the chest. X-17 continued his warpath the lights around the facility had turned red as they flashed blearing the message from earlier.

OPERATION KNIGHTFALL IS IN EFFECT THIS FACILITY WILL SELF-DESTRUCT IN 27 MINUTES ALL PERSONNEL ARE ADVISED TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY

Some ran still trying to escape the facility as the message was announced once more. Some tried to escape via flight, but the hanger doors wouldn't open. Some took their own lives, deeming it a quicker death than by the hand of X-17. Some even tried to hide.

"I don't wanna die…" A male doctor whispered as he hid behind a door. He sat in the fetal position. With his legs close to his chest he shook with fear as he outside the door he heard each of X-17's victims being torn to shreds.

"NOOO!" A soldier shouted as he tried to shoot X-17 in the head only to have X-17's claws shoved through his chest.

"PLEASE DON'T!" A female scientist screamed as she was gutted by the weapon.

"Pleasedon'tcomeformepleasedon'tcomeformepleasedon'tcomeforme." The male doctor repeated with a whisper as just then X-17 thrusted his claws through the door and the doctor's head.

As X-17 continued with his killing his mind was a shattered mess. Only bits and pieces of it had remained intact as he continued with his bezerker rage.

"You'll become something great X-17 something… better than what Stryker has planned for you." Dr Frost said as she was cleaning up X-17's right arm from one of his many tests.

"You think that Dr. Frost?" A younger 10-year-old X-17 replied with hopeful eyes.

"I know it X-17 you just have to believe in it yourself first and it'll happen." Dr. Frost said as she started to pack away some of her medical supplies.

"If… I just believe in myself?" X-17 continued to look at the doctor with hopeful eyes.

X-17 was taken out from his memory as he pulled out his claws from a male doctor's head. As with a loud boom everyone stood still, even X-17 too, as the floor shook again. Just then speakers around the facility once more announced the same warning as before.

OPERATION KNIGHTFALL IS IN EFFECT THIS FACILITY WILL SELF-DESTRUCT IN 12 MINUTES ALL PERSONNEL ARE ADVISED TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY

"Everyone to sector 1 we have to get the hanger open or else we all die!" Another commander shouted as most of them including the facility's other members made their way towards sector 1. As they ran few stayed behind in an attempt to stop the weapon from reaching sector 1. They threw everything they had from assault rifles, machine guns, explosives, and cloaking technology in an attempt to sneak up on it. While they were able to slow him down they weren't able to protect their own lives as X-17 continued to kill each and every one of them. Thankfully their deaths weren't in vain as some were able to make it to sector one as they closed the door.

"We made it! We made it!" One of the female scientists exclaimed as just then X-17's claws protruded through the door.

"There's no way…. That door is bomb proof how could it…" A soldier said in a murmur as another set of claws made their way through the door. Finally with one final slash X-17 made his way through the door and lunged at the soldier quickly killing him. As they continued to fight off the monster that they had created more explosions rocked the floor as they grew closer.

OPERATION KNIGHTFALL IS IN EFFECT THIS FACILITY WILL SELF-DESTRUCT IN 5 MINUTES ALL PERSONNEL ARE ADVISED TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY

The speakers bleared as the sounds of everyone's screams and shouts mixed in with it. Despite their best efforts they still couldn't stop X-17 and his rampage.

"Screw this I'm getting the fuck out of here!" One of the soldiers screamed as he ran into another room down a long hallway that led to the outside.

"GET BACK HERE DAMNIT!" His Commander shouted as he had his head torn off by X-17.

OPERATION KNIGHTFALL IS IN EFFECT THIS FACILITY WILL SELF-DESTRUCT IN 1 MINUTE ALL PERSONNEL ARE ADVISED TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY

The loud booms grew ever closer as the facility continued destroying itself. Some tried to catch up to the runaway soldier but couldn't make it as X-17 killed them off. Soon they were all dead leaving just the runaway soldier. X-17 made way for him as he leaned on all fours and then lunged at him.

"I'll live I'll live!" The soldier exclaimed as he was suddenly thrown to the floor as X-17 logged his claws in his back. As he did so they were both sent flying back as the facility had finally completed its self-destruction sequence. All those that were left were killed in the fiery inferno. X-17 and the soldier crashed against a tree. Although only X-17 had lived as he retracted his claws from the soldier's back whilst he tried to stand up he quickly fell to his knees. His body had taken too much damage as he sat there tired. His arms and legs were nothing but bits of flesh exposing his bloody adamantium skeleton. His chest was filled with bullet holes as said bullets slowly began to fall out from him. His face was mostly intact minus the fact he was missing half of it. He continued to sit as the facility he had once called "home" continued to erupt in a fiery blaze clouding the sky and area with smoke. X-17's body went limp and he collapsed onto the dirt. Finally, the animal could rest as he closed his eyes once again he saw the past moments that he had spent at the facility.

"Remember men in order to perfect him use as much force as necessary." Colonel Stryker said that a 10-year-old X-17 was shot in his knees forcing him onto the floor.

"Good X-17 but remember just because you can heal remember to not take too much damage or else you're healing factor will take longer to activate." Professor Thorton said as he pressed a few more buttons on his tablet.

"Yes, Professor." A 12-year-old X-17 said as he retracted his claws from a soldier's head and neck.

"Listen to me X-17 Stryker has crafted you to be the perfect solider… the perfect machine. Just know you don't have to be what Stryker wants you to be you can be your person X-17. Live your life the way you want to. I won't always be by your side X-17. So escape this life and find a better one. Find a place you can call home. Find yourself a family you can trust. Figure out who you are. Because I know deep down you're more than a solider." Dr. Frost had her head low as this time X-17 turned to look at her. He looked her in the eyes as he struggled to find the right words. He pulled her into a tight hug as the doctor recuperated it back.

"I… didn't mean to get you killed if I had finished my mission sooner than I could have-" X-17 stopped his apology as his mother spoke.

"It's alright X-17," she paused as she pulled back from the hug to look at X-17 eye-to-eye. "I don't blame you for my death X-17 so… don't blame yourself either son." The doctor said as she pulled his head down and kissed his forehead. Just then X-17 had finally woken up from his rest due to the now heavy rain. He quickly looked around and he saw that the fire had dissipated from the rain. He looked at himself now soaking wet but fully healed. He got up from the ground and looked over the area once more taking it all in one last time. He started running away and he continued to run until he couldn't anymore. He had lost all track of time as he just kept either running or walking. He didn't know why but he felt like he just had to get away from the facility. He just needed to outrun it all. He needed to escape from it. He continued as he soon reached a tall mountain covered in snow. X-17 climbed the mountain as he found a nearby cave to live in. He was able to get a few good nights of sleep there minus the occasionally wild animal or two that is. But thanks to his claws he was usually able to scare them off. That was until one day out of nowhere, when he exited the cave for food he saw a bright red light in the sky.

"Crap they've found me… if they want me they'll have to kill me because I won't be going down without a fight." X-17 spoke as he made his way toward the source of the beam of light. Once he was finally able to get a clear view it took him back as he thought 'Those aren't soldier's… they look like civilians… shit that wolfs going to kill them I better step in before something happens to them!' X-17 slid down the mountain as he lunged at the wolf. The boy and girl were stunned at his sudden appearance. X-17 continued to fight off the wolf as he was able to throw it off the ice bridge. Suddenly the wolf transformed into a bird. X-17 hadn't experienced an enemy like this before so he popped his claws ready for the kill. Soon the sound of a loud jet roared through the mountains as the bird flew away X-17 almost instinctively climbed up the mountain as he left the scene. She reached out her hand for him to wait but he continued to climb until he made his way back to his cave. The boy and girl got onto the jet and they soon left.

"What the hell was that… a wolf that turns into a bird? I thought I saw just about everything but I guess not." X-17 said in a quiet tone as he fell asleep.

Back at the Xavier Institute, the same girl as before had pointed at the short hairy man as she spoke.

He looked like you

And that right there folks marks the end of this chapter and of this arc that I'll call X-17 for now. Now, the next chapter won't be posted tomorrow, as when I post that chapter that'll be the day I decide on the upload schedule for this series. Moreover, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please don't forget to leave a comment on what you thought about it! And don't forget to like and follow to get notified once I upload another chapter! I hope you all have a great day!