The facility lay just outside the Boston conurbation, its squat grey form hiding its true purpose. Blending in with the rest of the development, rubbing shoulders with technical services and computer programmers. Having parked the jet some distance away they’d approached the development quietly, sticking to the greenery that always accompanied such developments. Hiding them both. Checking his small watch the dial read 12.30pm, lunchtime but where was everyone? Winter had stripped the large trees making their footsteps muffle in the sharp air, the cars around the buildings looked used but there was something wrong here.
He could feel it in his bones. Sending a look to Bobby he watched as he shot off toward a large blue rv, kneeling down under the large vehicle he put his hand on the exhaust. A better way of gauging a cars use, they kept the heat longer in winter as they were protected from the cold wind. They kept their heat for up to six hours, Bobby shook his head and moved onto the next one. A few minutes later he was back in the evergreens, eyes alight and wound like a spring. “None of them seem to have been moved for a while, there’s an oil leak from one that must have been here for a couple of days. None of the ones I’ve touched have been moved for a while.” He could hear the question before he gave it voice. “So what now?” Logan turned to him and saw the excitement written all over him, making his muscles twitch and sweat.
“Now we go find out who that belongs to,” he pointed to the large white truck and trailer that was parked in the centre of the car park. “Did you see Cyc’s car anywhere?” Bobby looked around quickly, scanning the lot and a frown covered his face when he didn’t find it. “You won’t, it’s in the trailer.” Pulling out a small hand held tracker he showed Bobby the screen. He felt him stiffen up. “Your efforts weren’t wasted, we needed to know if the place was being watched and it is. When you were doing the car check I was watching someone watch you. We have to deal with them first.”
He could feel the heat from where he was, Bobby's face was bright red. Smiling he put his hand on his shoulder, “Don’t worry about it, I’ve done worse on my first trip out.” Taking the compliment onboard he made ready to move. Silently they moved through the bushes, the autumn carpet dampening their movements. They ended up across from the large trailer, only a few feet of open ground to cover. He looked at Bobby and nodded, they’d discussed what they’d needed to do earlier. Go quickly, find out who or what was going on inside the trailer and get out. Hopefully with Cyc and the doc.
They burst from the underbrush and quickly covered the few feet between them and the trailer doors, snapping the seal off with his claws he pulled the handle and the doors flew open. Bobby tensed and ready in case anything came out. Inside was Cyc’s car, strapped down to the floor of the trailer two men sat inside drinking. One sat at the front of the trailer with binoculars, the glint he’d seen earlier when Bobby had been searching the cars.
Breathing in the air of the trailer he picked up a scent he remembered, the sniper. His claws fired fully and he ran toward the source of the scent, the watcher. The two men in the car threw their drinks aside and made to grab him as he passed. The sniper kicked a panel and fell out of the trailer’s end, angry and frustrated he called out to Bobby. “Stop him, he shot Rogue!” He was gone in an instant, he could hear his footsteps chasing the man, he just hoped Bobby could stop him.
The two men that had him were finding it hard to hold him while they were still in the car and seemed reluctant to leave it. Slicing through an arm that was holding him, he watched as the man’s eyes widened with shock as he felt the blades cut through to his bone. The scream that echoed around the small space delighted the animal inside, the other assailant quickly let go and ran for the doors. But Wolverine was quicker, sticking out a foot he tripped him as he left the small car. Smashing his face into the metal floor, dazing the man just enough to grab him back.
Putting his foot on his chest and pressing hard with all his weight, he heard his sternum creak with the pressure. Moving would be excruciatingly painful, even breathing would be a struggle for him. Holding the screaming man close to him he let the animal free, letting it show in his eyes. “Hey bub, where is he?” The man found his gaze and he could see the indecision there, whether or not to speak. He pushed down on his friend’s chest and they both heard a wet snap as a rib exploded.
“He’s got plenty more to break. Want to go for two?” His blades came up to his gaze and his eyes widened and he flooded the room with fear. The man looked at his friend his lips speckled with red foam. The rib had punctured a lung, making his breathing even more difficult. Licking his dry lips he spoke, “They're down in basement level eight. You’ll never get down there, they’re all locked by code key.” Lifting his blades he smiled.
“Oh I don’t think that’ll be a problem, do you?”
*******************************************************
It took him a few minutes to secure them back in the trailer, tying them down to the metal floor with the strips of webbing that had been used to support the car. Running from the now closed doors of the trailer he looked around for Bobby. He caught the movement in the far edge of the car park and ran for it. He could see Bobby all over the man, trying to duck punches but telegraphing his own movements to his opponent. As he reached them he saw Bobby land a good blow to the man, a punch to the stomach. He watched as the man’s eyes widened as Bobby’s hand didn’t move from his midriff and he knew what he was doing. Growling he pulled Bobby away from him, seeing the cold vapour in the air and the frosty patch on the snipers stomach.
The man fell to his knees and just held himself, trying to warm up, trying to feel the blood flow through him again. Logan looked at Bobby and he just stared at the man with pure hate, he wanted to kill him for hurting Rogue but a dead man couldn’t give you answers. Taking the strap he’d brought with him he wrapped the man up in a ball, Bobby just watched with barely disguised hatred.
Bobby needed to see Xavier after this was over. There was something going on inside Bobby that no one knew about, something dangerous. They pulled him into the evergreens and he put him out for a while. Searching his pockets they came up with a small silver card and a key. He met Bobby’s gaze and he could feel the shift in him, the boy he’d known had retreated behind something, something cold and unfeeling. He’d seen it too many times not to recognise it, he used to see it in the mirror every day. He’d need to deal with this later, at the moment they still had to find Cyc. “Ready?” Bobby just nodded. He was ready, ready to kill if necessary. He just hoped it wouldn’t come to that, but underneath the animal hoped it would.
**************************************************
The air inside the building smelt stale, air conditioners droned drowning out the high range of his hearing. They’d entered through a small opaque window, the room looked like a slob had been living in a lab. Candy wrappers mixed with test kits, beakers strewn over the floor, paper everywhere, flowing out of the small desk and over the already cluttered surfaces. Bobby picked up a folder and read the small typeface on the front, “You should see this.” He handed the file over, the plain brown folder enveloping a large sheaf of photographs and documents, he read the name on the file ‘Subject 2287-4007 Code Number 8#66*9226/5 (Sabretooth).’
Opening the file in the semi lit room, he looked at the reams and reams of printouts, tests, blood work, physical ranges, strength tests, photographs of his hands, teeth, eyes, brain scans, bone structure.
Everything.
Looking out of the file and around the room searching for something anything that might have his name on it, his file, his own history. Bobby had crept to the door, crouched by the handle and gently pulled the door open.
“Can’t see any camera’s, there’s bound to be some but I can’t see them.” Bobby’s voice snapped his thoughts back to the here and now, answers were for later when they had more time. He dropped the file back on the cluttered desk, now they had to find the lift. Patting Bobby on the back he opened the door and they both quickly walked through, shutting the door quietly behind them. The carpet underneath their feet was plush, thick and quiet, moving quickly they reached the foyer and found the desk empty. No one home. Moving round the desk, the phone lines cut and the computer monitor smashed, he shook his head as Bobby took a look.
“There’s nothing to see.” Bobby’s eyes met his.
“Really? Where’s the hardrive?” He quickly searched the desktop, searched underneath for it and came up empty. “Look’s like they’re here for more than just the doc.” A dark thought surfaced in his mind.
“Yeah, if this place is what we think it is, they’d have records of families with mutants. They get hold of that information…” he left the sentence open for the consequences to sink in. The Mutant Registration Act had been quashed again last year, looking at the gap where the hardware should have been, it seemed like someone else was starting to gather their names again. A look passed between them and both of them looked toward the lift doors to their left. Time to go down.
Going down the fire escape Bobby wondered why they’d had to come this way, the lift was easy, it was quick. But Logan told him why but he still wondered. “They’ll expect us to come down in the lift, the one place you rarely find camera’s is in the fire escape. Especially in places like these, built cheap and fast. If there's anyone waiting at those doors, we’ll be behind them when the doors open.” The smile that had covered his face hadn’t reached his eyes and he’d felt the cold from them. Secretly Bobby hoped never to see that look again.
Eight flights later they arrived at the bottom door, a code key lock the only furniture on it. Steel plated and reinforced to serve regulations, the small bulkhead style lights barely illuminating the stairwell. Taking the key he slid it into the lock, it clicked quietly as the internal bolt opened, signalling to Bobby to do his thing on the door. Pulling off a glove he froze over the lock mechanism, keeping the bolt open and the door handle fixed. Nodding when he’d finished the job he pulled the glove back on, smiling at his skill.
Checking the hallway an armed man slouched by the lift, his eyes watching the counter as the lift came down. Moving into position, readying the automatic to fire into the lift when the doors opened. He could smell the man’s excitement and he waved Bobby to stay where he was for now. Crouching low he waiting for the lift to arrive, tensing every muscle, getting ready. His claws slid out noiselessly, Bobby’s eyes watched their growth and he licked his lips nervously.
The lift pinged as it reached the floor and Wolverine exploded out of the fire escape and into the man before the doors opened. Both sets of claws sank into his chest and punctured the wall behind him. He didn’t even get to gasp through his ruined lungs. Blood welled up from the severed arteries and began to spill over the wall, watching it flow from the wounds across the plaster he howled for more. Catching the man as he fell forward he placed him in the lift, sliced the controls and let the doors shut on him. Waving Bobby out of the stairwell, they had a good look around them for the first time.
The floor was hard, tiled, plastic, grey, easily cleaned. Two sets of doors led off from the small foyer one right, one left. Putting his head to one set of doors, hearing sounds of men laughing, smells of food and sweat. Waving Bobby to the other doorway, catching a scent of home, of roses. Turning to the doorway in front of him with all the sounds of occupation behind it he bent down till his face was almost at floor level. Breathing in hard finding the different scents of at least four men, two were speaking, two weren’t. But underneath their odours he caught the scent of a Damask Rose, he knew Cyc had taken to carrying a bud in his suit. A reminder of happier times, of him and Jean, Cyc was here and he was behind that door but so were at least four other men. Probably armed too just like their friend. Looking back at Bobby whispering what he wanted him to do, he didn’t want him in the firing line. He’d go and check the other corridor, try to find the doc.
He doubted that they’d be held in the same room, he wouldn’t keep them together if it had been his call. He was relying on Bobby’s common sense to keep him alive, the kid seemed more grounded; more cautious now they were here. He watched him go through the doors and listened for anything unusual. He hadn’t scented any danger that way, he hadn’t caught the scent of anyone, just chemicals.
Letting his breathing slow down, feeling the mood behind the door, the confidence of the voices, the scents of men settling in for a night. Feeling secure and safe, nothing to worry about, time to kick back and talk about what they were going to do after this gig. Getting his blades under the wooden door and pulling it open slowly, just enough to slip through. Sliding on his stomach down the smooth grey floor, the leather of the suit gliding easily against its polished surface. Pulling into a crouch just the other side of the doorway where the men were talking, the door was open, spilling light into the darkened hallway.
Quickly taking a glance inside, he saw two men seated in soft armchairs, both drinking coffee. It looked like a rec room for staff, boards covered the walls, one had a new piece of news on it, spray painted in blood red. ‘Mutants Out!’ Obviously the author wasn’t very original, he’d been seeing that slogan for years. Satisfied that they were busy he quickly moved away from the doorway and crossed the beam of light that filtered into the hallway. The corridor curved off to the left, the next doorway was on his right. He could smell the other two in there, putting his ear to the door he heard the soft sounds of sleep. Using a blade he sliced off the doorknob on his side and pulled the bar out. That would keep them for a while, maybe long enough for them to get out.
Letting his senses guide him the dark corridor was light to him, the floor soft and quiet. His sense of smell guided him to the scents source, it was a small steel faced storeroom with a keypad lock and padlock. The familiar scent of Cyc was overwhelming, but so was the smell of fresh blood. Slicing through the doorjamb he ripped open the door, it took him a while to locate Cyc in the room. He was huddled in a corner, head down, no visor to be seen. He whispered as he carefully closed the door, “Cyc? Cyc can you hear me?”
Scott moved slightly when he heard his voice, quickly seeing why he couldn’t move any further. He’d been trussed up like a chicken, arms and legs twisted together but his face was the worst. Across his eyes was a burn, the flesh still red, raw and sticky. Moving the gag they’d put on him he gasped for a decent breath. “Don’t worry Cyc, Xavier sent me to find you. We’re going to get you out of here.” Slicing through the plastic ties they’d used to hold him, he helped rub the circulation back into his arms and legs. Wincing with the pain Scott answered him.
“There’s more of us than you think. There’s a dorm on level six.”
Logan stopped rubbing and his face set. “Where is he, this McCoy?”
Scott tried to stand using Logan as a crutch. Feeling the pain shoot through him as he moved, feeling another rib float as he gripped onto him.
“He’s in the theatre, other corridor. They were going to shave him, as a joke.”
“Shave him?” Scott smiled a little at the tone of his voice.
“Yeah he’s more hairy than you, if that’s possible.” Smiling at the remark he pulled Scott closer to support him, he’d survive if he could get him out of here alive. Looking at the burn across Scott’s eyes he had a bit of settling to do first, he just hoped Bobby hadn’t interrupted anything.
If they were going to have some fun that meant there were more men than they’d already seen. “How many men are down here?” Helping Cyc to the door Logan quickly looked back out into the corridor. Watching as Cyc’s memory filled in the blanks.
“I saw at least ten down here. Who else is here? Is Kurt with you? Storm?” He could see him trying to work out a plan, a feasible way that they could all leave. But to do that he needed to know how many people they had.
“There’s me and Ice Man. That’s it.” He saw Cyc’s face stiffen as he worked out the chances of them getting everyone out intact. His final look was not one of confidence.
“What happened? You came to pick up the Doc and we get to pick you up. Did they jump you or what?” Cyc leaned against the doorframe as he allowed feeling and co-ordination back into his legs.
“I was met by Hank, the Doc. He wanted to show me his work and we went down to his lab, on the way there we were met by these guys. The so-called ‘Fellowship of Humans’. They’ve been rabble rousing for a couple of years but until now they’ve never had the muscle or money to do something like this.”
“And there was me thinking you just liked Washington for its nightlife.” Cyc smiled as he flexed his legs.
“Sometimes I’d rather be at home than in another damn fundraiser or social.” Logan watched the mixed emotions cross his face. Scott needed to be useful to Xavier but his need to be close to the school and pupils Jean loved was there also.
“Yeah but you can get them to talk and change things. Me, I’d just cause more trouble.” A tight smile crossed his face.
“You’re not the only one Logan, sometimes it’s all I can do to stop myself from opening their eyes by opening mine.” Scott pushed himself away from the doorframe and made ready to leave. Looking him up and down seeing he was ready he opened the door into the corridor. Moving quietly he guided Scott out of the storeroom and out into the corridor. Bending his head to his ear. “Follow the wall, the first doorway you come to is the rec room where the guards are. I’ll deal with them, you just keep out of the way okay?” He nodded quickly and they both set off back down the dark corridor.
Moving ahead of Scott, watching his steps move slowly and carefully along the wall. Speeding up his own movements as the realisation that Bobby could be in serious trouble. He hadn’t heard anything, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t.
Logan decided to go straight in. The light from the overhead strip reflected on the metal in his fists as he walked through the open doorway. The two men barely looked round in time to see him before he was on them. The one who was seated remained that way as his blades slid through his chest and pinned him to the foam behind him. The other tried to run but was caught by a backhanded slice to the thigh. The muscle separated and he screamed, the sound echoing around the large room and rebounding down the corridor. Annoyed at the sound his fist found the man’s throat, collapsing it with a crunch of cartilage. The corpse slid noiselessly to the floor, Scotts visor rattling on the floor as he fell.
Snatching the visor he made his way to the door, Scott was just outside, tensed and ready. As he came out he grabbed him and drew back his fist. “Hey, hey it’s me.” Logan grabbed the fist and pushed his visor into it. “Put it on, you might be able to open your eyes. Those burns look pretty superficial.” Watching as he snapped the slick black visor into place, his whole body becoming more relaxed, more confident in himself. As he opened his eyes he could see the blisters pop and he had to blink to keep his vision clear but he could see. The eyes behind the red glass were burning and he knew what he wanted to do.
“Let’s go finish what I started.” Smiling he followed him through the double doors, toward the corridor he’d sent Bobby down alone. Now he’d see if he’d made another mistake, hopefully one he could rectify.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Bobby and Logan find Scott and Hank but they find something much more frightening. And Bobby finds out the true cost of being a hero.