I called him Uncle Logan even though he wasn’t a blood relative. Not even close. Both my parents were only children and if it weren’t for this “uncle” of mine, I probably wouldn’t have had parents in the first place.

I was 6 when he took me from Kepler Research Labs; snatched me out of bed in the middle of the night in my pajamas and no socks. I remember because my feet were freezing. I put them in front of the car heater, but it was broken. I was hungry and the collar around my neck itched.

We pulled up to the front of this small yellow house where two people were standing out in the snow like they’d been expecting us. Next thing I know, I hear the car’s engine gun up without me in it. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever see Uncle Logan again, but he came back the next year, taking me out for burgers and ice cream. My parents didn’t say a word, just handed me off to him, like he‘d handed me off that night. By then, I’d gotten my collar off and moved on to “health” injections, as Mom liked to call them.

Uncle Logan came back every year, and every year it was the same, he’d take me out for a few hours… no more… no less. I figured he'd gotten tired of visiting when he missed two years in a row; it was devastating to say the least, but I lived on.

Then a few weeks after my 16th birthday, Uncle Logan snatched me out of bed again, threw me in a truck with some of my stuff and started driving like a mad man.

“Where’s Pony?” I asked, not wanting the answer to my real question, the one that had me never seeing home again.

“Vegas, left me on the side of the road there.” He said, seeming somewhat annoyed.

I didn't ask him anything else for the next few hours.

It was pitch black on the road until a bright light came into view as if the heavens had opened up for just a moment. The white and blue neon sign flashed: Burger Heaven.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” I thought, realizing that it was the place I’d been to with Uncle Logan many times before.

He killed the engine and got out, locking me in.

I yelled at his retreating form from the partially opened window, “What the fuck are you doing? Making up for lost time? Get back here!”

When he returned, it was with an arm full of bags. He held one out to me and instinctually I salivated.

“Damn you.” I whispered, ripping the bag from his hand and shoving food into my mouth like a wild animal.

When there was nothing left to eat, I turned to my “uncle”, staring into his cold, unforgiving eyes.

“I want answers.” I said calmly, “Now.”

Swallowing the last of his burger, he looked at me for a long moment as if trying to gage whether or not I was ready to hear the truth.

“Time’s up kid.” He answered, matter-of-factly.

“What?” I asked, waiting for the rest of his explanation.

“You been livin’ under a rock or somethin’? Dickwad in chief just gave the go head’ for a Mutie round-up.”

“But I’m not a mutant anymore.” I argued.

He let out a curt laugh, “Right, and I’m fuckin’ Santi Clause. You can’t get rid of genetics kid, no matter how may shots you take.”

I slumped down in my chair, bringing my knees up to my chest, “Bye Mom and Dad.”

The tears had already begun to free fall from my eyes when I felt a hand touch my cheek, “It ain’t gonna’ be forever… just for awhile.”

My heart soared, “So they knew about all this?”

“No, but I left a note back at the house.”

“A note?” I asked, disbelieving.

“Yeah, well it was either that or nothin’. We can’t have em’ lookin’ for you and gettin’ us killed in the process, you wanna’ go back home in a body bag?”

I flinched at the words, not wanting to think about them as a possible reality.

Another awkward silence filled the car as Uncle Logan pulled out of the burger joint’s parking lot.

“So,” I started, testing the waters, “What happened to you for those two years… got tired of me?”

I listened to the sound of the engine ping and whir as I awaited his response, “Nope. Ran into Kepler’s bastard lackies… spent two more years in Hell.”

“Oh.” I managed, mentally kicking myself.

I stuttered a few times, not having decided whether to change the subject or apologize. As the moments ticked on, the latter was becoming more and more unlikely.

I heard the sound of crinkling leather as Logan turned onto another roadway, “Look kid,” He said, temporarily removing the newly lit cigar from his mouth, “I didn’t tell you that so you could feel sorry for me.”

“I don’t.” I lied shamelessly, “But I kinda’ feel like a bitch now for being angry with you the last two years.”

“Nah. Met plenty of bitches and you don’t fit the profile by a long shot kid. Sides’, how were you suppose to know where I was? It’s not like you had a number to call.”

“Yeah.” I agreed, thinking about the last statement, “Why is that exactly?”

Logan smirked, looking at me through the corner of his eye, “You don’t remember do ya’?”

I drew my brows up in confusion, “No, I guess not. Have I asked you that before?”

He laughed to himself, “Yeah. Told you I was a superhero and that we weren’t allowed to give out our home phone numbers… not even to best friends.”

It all started coming back to me, the carnival, the cotton candy, the ride on the Merry-Go-Round’ right before I’d asked him.

I looked at Logan closely, trying to find a point of reference that I could watch for a slight change, in case he lied, “So what about now? You still a superhero?” I asked, keeping the long forgotten X-Men in mind.

He didn’t flinch or hesitate, “Usedta’ be, but I just told you that so your parents wouldn’t know where to find me.”

My face fell, not wanting to believe that Logan hadn’t wanted to trust me, “I coulda’ kept a secret.”

“Yeah well, sorry for not taking the word of a 9 year old over years of being double crossed.” He said unsympathetically.

“You’re fuckin’ unbelievable, you know that Logan?” I asked him, venom in my voice.

“So I’ve been tol- Logan? It’s Uncle Logan to you kid.”

“Whatever, I’d just as soon call you a kidnapper than my uncle.”

“I’m savin’ you’re ass, the least you can do is be grateful.”

“Maybe, I don’t want savin’! In case you hadn’t noticed, I was sleeping very comfortably when you came barging into my bedroom earlier tonight. Just a few hours ago I had parents that loved me, I had security. Now… now, I don‘t know what the fuck I have.” I said, hoping for a reaction, any kind at all.

Logan was quick witted and heartless in his response, “You have a penchant for makin’ me wanna’ ram my head inta’ the steering wheel with all your bitchin’ and moanin’. So do me a favor, will ya’? Shut up until we get there.”

My head reeled, “Get where! Where in the fuck are you taking me you son of a bi-” I hadn’t the time to finish before Logan’s hand was placed tightly over my mouth and I was nearly gagging on the taste of motor oil. Apparently, I had pushed the wrong button.

“Marie! I don’t have a mother, but if I did, I sure as shit know she wouldn’t appreciate you talkin’ to her son that way, so you better quit while you‘re ahead.”

He pulled his hand away and I coughed loudly, further dramatizing the damage.

“I hate you.” I spat.

Logan looked at me for a long moment as if making a decision, “Good. It’ll make my job a lot easier.”

We drove for what I’d assume was another hour, though I spent the entirety of it mindlessly staring out the window.

“We’re here.” Logan told me in sarcastically excited tone, “Now get out.”

I pushed the car door open forcefully in hopes that I’d break something, but my plan backfired and instead the door bounced on it’s hinge and hit me in the leg, “Fuck!” I screamed, not seeing how the night could get any worse.

Logan appeared in front of me holding an army green duffel bag and looking positively calm, “You done callin’ attention to yourself?” He asked as I cringed in pain.

Not waiting for an answer, he grabbed my arm, dragging me up concrete steps where I stood waiting for him to find the motel keys.

Having been pushed in first, I stumbled over my own dirt covered feet. Looking at Logan indignantly, I took in the room with disgust.

“God, this must be where 70’s porn comes to die.” I said, staring blankly at a sticky white stain that I hoped was candle wax.

“Nope. It’s where we're stayin' tonight.”