Glaring at the deep gouges in the walls Logan shook his head and screamed a primordial sound filled with rage and agony. Whoever or whatever had gone on here told of violence and rage that couldn’t be covered up by paint or pretty words.
Inhaling he searched the air for the scent that he wanted, that he needed and grunted at the faint but distinct smell of perfume. Following the aged trail carefully he paused before a door and ripped it from its hinges to stare at the pile of clothing and other good stolen from captives.
Digging through it he felt something within him freeze as he found something he’d never wanted to find. Feeling that last tiny, unacknowledged feeling of hope fall away Logan sank to the floor his gaze steady on the tattered leather in his hands. Leather that bore the familiar X, along with the small, almost unnoticed maple leaves Rogue had smiled at him for giving her.
She’d promised never to take the pin from her uniform, it would be her good luck charm and to find it tossed aside with her uniform was disheartening, and woke the embers of rage that the Wolverine fed upon.
“She ain’t here,” the low, distinctly masculine rumble had Logan whirling his claws coming out to stare at the monstrosity staring back at him.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Logan hissed rising to his feet and glaring at the man who leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his massive barrel chest.
“The girl she ain’t here. Hasn’t been for some time.”
“I can tell that by myself,” Wolverine snarled, his claws oozing out to their full extension. Slowly, carefully he started forward, intent on getting answers from the bigger man even as some hint of familiarity plagued him.
“Does it matter?” Tank asked softly as he stood up straight, pushing away from the wall and moving to stare into the room. Helen had said it would be a marker left behind, a sign of lives cut short, of futures stolen and not to disturb it. He’d suggested sealing it but she’d shook her head, ‘No Tank, a tomb must never be truly sealed. The evil only festers within them then.’ So they’d left it open, left it for the next poor schmuck to find and Logan the poor, unfortunately man had found it.
“I’m gonna give you three seconds bub, then I’m gonna gut you. Tell me where they took her,” the screech of his claws gouging into the walls filling the hallway.
Tank shook his head neatly avoiding Logan’s claws, his gaze darting across the piles of clothes, “Somewhere else,” he drawled and looked at the shorter man, “You know you ain’t changed a bit. Still the same hard nosed little bastard I remember.”
“I don’t think so bub, where is she? Where’d they take them?”
“They?” Tank shook his head, “Can’t you smell the death that was here?”
“I smell it, just like I smell yours. Now tell me where…”
“Home. Safe in the bosom of a place especially provided for people like us.”
“Xavier’s?” Logan ground out angrily and turned away. The fucker hadn’t bothered to tell him that the girls..
“No. He’s on the ‘to kill’ list. The boss has offered them a place with her. I can take you.”
“Then shut the fuck up and get a move on,” Wolverine snarled, “And if you make one wrong move..”
“I heal Logan,” Tank drawled carefully, “Just like you do. We are what we are, if we’re going to them there’s a few things I need to tell you.”
“They’re alive ain’t they? They okay? Is she okay?” The need to kill back benched momentarily.
Tank shook his head slowly, “No. They might be alive but they are far from okay. Jubilation and Katharine took what was arguably the worst treatment of the three. Jubilation lost an eye, part of one nipple, and those are just a couple of minor injuries compared to the sexual mutilation. Katharine will never willingly have sex again, and that’s only partially because of the damage done to her body. They did a lot of harm, left a lot of scarring and it would be painful to have intercourse without a lot of assistance from lube or desire something I’m afraid is in short supply with that girl. Both have massive scarring on their faces and bodies..”
“And Rogue?” Logan ground out sickened beyond belief.
“Massive scarring that’s entirely surgical, only a few scars that are sexually based. She’s got a long scar running from her left shoulder down across both breasts and up to her right shoulder, dissecting her chest perfectly. There are also the implants?”
“Implants?”
“Adamantium,” Tank drawled, “On her hands, they gave her claws like yours, as well as selective grafting. She’s covered in the metal on her head, torso, and legs. Both arms have limited coverage, mostly where the implants are.”
Logan shook his head, trying to keep the rage to a bare minimum. “I shouldn’t have…”
“You had no way of knowing they would get sent out on this mission. No way of knowing what lay in wait for them at the end of their road. All three are healing; it’s just going to take time. They’ve all begun their training months ago and are doing very well. They’re almost as well trained as you were before you left home.”
“Home?” Logan frowned, “What the fuck are you talkin’ about bub?”
Tank smirked, “I think I’ll let Helen Creed tell you, Logan.”
Following behind the taller man Logan wondered if anyone would notice if he killed the big brute. Deciding to just wait and see he sucked in a breath and followed him to where his bike was parked. Sitting next to it idling smoothly was a massive black Chevy truck.
“You wanna ride with me and put your bike in the back?” Tank asked eying the bike.
Knowing that he would have to follow the truck Logan shrugged, “Might as well. Best find something to load it with.”
“I’ve got it,” Tank drawled and but the tailgate down. A moment later he hefted the bike and slid it into place before climbing up and securing it, “Get in.”
Driving with the big man Logan found was rather boring. There was no conversation, no annoying chatter like with the X-men, or subtle barbs like driving with Rogue. Instead it was as though the cab was empty space, dead air that did nothing but appear like a mirage in the desert. He hadn’t even heard a muttered complaint when he’d lit a cigar, instead there had been a quick glance and a hand that had pulled out the ashtray but that was it.
Briefly he wished he was riding with Rogue, that they’d never met the X-men that time had decided to be nice that cold, winter’s day in Alberta so very long ago. Straightening as he caught sight of a beautifully crafted gate and his gaze darted to the man next to him, “Three days of driving in silence and this is where you’re taking me?”
“Appearances Logan,” Tank drawled quickly, “Appearances. This is the money maker for us; we can’t do our work without a bit of financial backing.”
“Money,” Logan ground out, “Always about the fuckin’ money.”
Tank smiled sadly and looked at the man next to him, “It’s a necessary evil,” he stated calmly. “Be nice if it wasn’t but you can’t pay for supplies with good intentions or good looks. Someone has to pay for the things we need.”
Logan nodded slowly inhaling a lung full of smoke as the truck rolled to a stop in a six bay garage filled with a multitude of vehicles from bikes to cars, to four wheelers, to a lone tractor that sat covered with a tarp. “Well at least your vehicles are in good shape.”
Laughing softly Tank nodded and glanced at his watch, “The girls are in training and Val won’t like it if we disturb them. Come on I’ll show you to the boss’s office and you can talk to her for a bit.”
“I want to see Rogue, and the other two girls.”
Tank shook his head, “I ain’t risking getting castrated by some psychotic bitch with a blade just so you can see Rogue. Trust me, you’ll see her soon enough.”
Following the big man into the house Logan frowned at the sound of running feet a moment before a tall, willowy youth appeared.
“Tank! You made it back! Ooh Mrs. Creed will be happy. She’s down in the OPS room.”
“Thanks kid,” Tank ruffled the boy’s hair, “Lincoln this is Logan. Logan this is Lincoln, he helps out with the horses around here.”
Logan nodded at the boy before following ‘Tank’ down the hallway to an elevator. A few seconds later he was standing in a corridor lined with doors.
“This way,” Tank drawled and led the way down the hallway pausing next to one door to peek inside and smile smugly before ushering Logan further down the hall, almost as though he knew he was safe from the man’s temper.
“Hey Boss,” Tank knocked on a door and opened it slightly, “You busy?”
“No, no I’m not,” the soft, obviously pleased feminine voice had Logan guessing the woman was Tank’s wife although why he called her boss was beyond Logan. “Come in, come in.”
Stepping into the office Logan stared at the woman who was currently beaming at him like he was a sandwich and she was starving. Glancing at the man next to him Logan glanced behind him before shrugging mentally, “I wanna see Rogue.”
“Of course you do son,” Helen said pulling Logan into a tight hug, “Oh I’m so glad to see you. I’ve missed you so much; it’s been way too long. You look like shit though, haven’t been sleeping or something? You really do need to get your rest, just because you heal, you regenerate doesn’t mean that your body doesn’t need rest. Have you been drinking to? Logan you really should…”
“I heard Logan’s back,” the distinct sound of a male had everyone turning to see the young man standing grinning like a fool. “He is! Oh great, it’s good to see you Logan. You up for a few hands later?”
“Of course he is,” Helen smiled plucking imaginary lint off Logan’s jacket and tugging at his hair, ignoring the dark scowl on his face as he glanced between her and Edward, “Right after dinner. We have a lot of work to do starting tomorrow I won’t have anyone tired beyond endurance. You understand me Edward?”
“Of course Momma,” Edward grinned, “Rogue’s gonna be over the moon that you’re here. She’s missed you something fierce.”
“I’ve missed her,” Logan frowned uncertain why these people put him at such ease. Glancing from one to the other he could see a family resemblance between them, but how they knew him he didn’t know. “When’s training over?”
“Soon,” Tank replied a moment before a shrill scream tore through the air followed by a string of curses, and Jubilee’s voice filling with panic as she started going off in an Asiatic language.
Pushing past Tank Logan raced down the hallway, his heart pounding as he jerked open the door, his claws coming out instinctively. Stepping into the training room he froze, Rogue sat on the floor her hands covered in blood, her face filled with blind rage as she stared at the inches of adamantium exposed. Kitty and Jubilee stood huddled together a few feet away, obviously trying to calm Rogue and a few feet away a tall, blonde stood eying the trio with a mixture of pride and concern.
“What happened?” Tank ground out as he pushed past Logan and moved toward Rogue.
“Don’t!” Jubilee shouted as she glared at Tank, “Stay away from her. She’s flippin’ out.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know,” Jubilee replied glancing from Kitty to Rogue, “Kitty said something to her and the claws came out and..”
“Katharine are you injured?”
“No,” Kitty whispered sadly. “She didn’t get me at all. She just pushed me away and started screaming.”
Stalking past Tank who was inching his way toward Rogue, Logan threw a dark look at the pair sitting together and grabbed Rogue who immediately lunged upwards with her claws, narrowly missing their mark. Her body primed for a fight even as he noticed the slight tremble that raced through her along with the smell of adamantium, fear, and rage.
“Shh, I gotcha darlin’,” Logan whispered holding her so her claws were relatively useless. Rocking her back and forth he listened to her sobs, her muttered pleas and felt the pain go bone deep. Whatever hell she was in, she would need him to get back out.
“Logan!” Jubilee’s voice was filled with shock and an almost scary amount of pleasure as the girl launched herself at him followed quickly by Kitty. “You came! You really, really came. Thank you. We were so scared and then Rogue kept saying you’d come but we were beginning to doubt her and….”
“Shh, I’m here now,” Logan muttered wincing at the way the girls all clung to him. “I’m not about to let anyone hurt you again.”
“We’ve learned how to fight,” Kitty whispered sadly, her gaze steady even as she ducked her head to hide the scars.
“What did you say to her?”
“Just that I wasn’t sure if she should avoid learning how to use her claws then she said she didn’t want them and was going to tear them out.”
“I don’t want them!” Rogue sobbed turning to burrow closer to Logan. “I don’t want them, I’m not a monster. I’m not!”
“No baby you aren’t,” Logan whispered, “I’ve got you now baby, just let it all out.”
Sobbing Rogue clung to the warmth holding her, hardly aware of whom it was, even as small things began to creep in. The smell of tobacco, the faint but distinct scent that she knew beyond a doubt and slowly the tears faded until she could look up to stare into Logan’s eyes.
“Hey,” Logan smiled shakily down at her.
“Logan? Is it really you?” Rogue whispered softly, tearfully.
“Did you think you’d get rid of me that easily?” Logan teased softly.
“I prayed not,” Rogue whispered shifting so she was straddling his lap and wrapped around him. “We needed you so badly.”
“I’m here now, and I’m not going away!”
“Come on, everyone out,” Helen whispered after a few seconds of watching the girls and Logan on the mats, “Leave them to a moment of privacy.”
Tank shifted uneasily, eying Jubilee who sobbed into Logan’s shoulder, “But..”
“Rogue’ll be fine,” Helen glanced at him and smiled, “Jubilee will be as well. She adores you give her a chance to have this. They all need to know that they’re safe, that the one person they trust beyond us is there, that he didn’t forget them, that he accepts them.”
“I accept her.”
“But you’ve never seen her without the scars,” Helen pointed out gently, “You don’t see them because you see who she is with them, he knew her before the scars, before the lab. If you love her you’ll give her this.”
Tank nodded and turned to the door a soft, almost sad look in his eyes.
“Tank!” Jubilee’s voice halted his departure, “Thank you. It’s good to see you.”
Tank smiled at her tear streaked face and shrugged, “Aw hell Jubilation, just doing what I had to do.”
“You uh got time for me after?”
Tank grinned, “For you? I’ve got all the time in the world. I’ll see you after; you just spend some time with Logan okay?”
Jubilee nodded and clung tighter to Logan who looked faintly uncomfortable.
Stepping out into the hallway he met Helen’s gaze, “They’ll never know what hit them in New York will they?”
Helen shook her head slowly, “No and I’m not going to warn them. Get some sleep Tank, tomorrow is going to be a long, hard day.”
With a quick nod Tank moved toward his rooms, he’d wait for Jubilee to come to him.
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