Logan takes one last drag of his Cuban and snuffs it in the ashtray of his rental truck. Opening the door his boots sink ankle deep into the slurry as he steps out into the freezing night. He cuts a striking figure among the ice and snow. Stalwart and statuesque, the leather jacket he wears can barely conceal his broad, muscular back and toned powerful arms. Hooking the thumbs of his large well-worn hands into the pockets of his tight fitting jeans, he slowly flexes his shoulders and cracks his neck, while surveying the surroundings.
After all this time, he is back here again. Standing in the snowy landscape of the Xavier’s School for Gifted Children, he felt surprisingly calm. For a place that he had called home for years, its desecration did not have the impact he thought it would. Of course, even though he called this place home, it had long lost its warmth, not that any part of his life was still warm.
Slowly walking through the overgrown grounds of the school, memories long suppressed slowly bubble to the surface. Without realizing it, he finds himself standing in the middle of where it all went wrong for him. It was here all those years ago, that despite his pleading, Marie had chosen someone else.
Pushing back against the unpleasant memories, Logan focuses on his task. There have been a lot of false leads before this one, but there is a hint of a familiar scent that lingers in the air. He has been here many times before and never paid it any mind. To think that they held her here of all places, that he had been so completely fooled, set him on a dangerous edge. Retrieving another cigar from his jacket, he lights it with a flick of a match. Inhaling a deep puff of the bitter smoke, he looks on grimly. This time will be different he swears.
Catching the scent of recycled air, he locates the underground access hatch after a brief search. On a whim, he inputs his own access code into the panel. Incredibly his code still works; he retains his access to this part of the mansion. Lifting the heavy hatch with ease, he drops down into the underground access way. The passageway is dim, stuffy. He hears the clang of boots on metal, further down. Crouching low and staying close to the shadows he stalks through the darkness.
Approaching a patrolling pair from behind, he springs forth, sending each set of claws into the back of a guard, puncturing their lungs. A raspy gasp is all that is heard, as both men dropped to the floor. A thick steel door is all that remains between him and his target. When his access code fails, he knows the time for subtlety is over.
Taking a deep breath Logan focuses his Ki. Spinning on his heel, his right leg lashes out, striking dead center against the door, a burst of blue light spark at the point of contact, the steel door shakes violently. All at once it shatters from the force of the impact, exploding inward. Screams ring throughout the main floor as shrapnel tears through clothes and flesh. As the sounds of chaos die down in the hallway, a strong stench of blood, piss and shit permeate the air. Behind the all the carnage and stench is that scent, stronger than ever.
Lowering himself into an aggressive fighting stance, he leaps forward into the dim hallway. His eyes instantly adjust to the murky darkness; a dozen mangled, bloody bodies lay before him. The welcoming party already shredded before his feet even touch the cold marble floor. The clatter of boots on stone can be heard further down, another two dozen men rushing to meet him. Pilfering a grenade from a nearby corpse, he casually chucks it toward the oncoming group. The grenade bounces off the back wall and around the corner. Panicked scrambling and yelling are silenced by the explosive detonation.
At least another dozen dead, yet they still kept coming. A new wave of scents accompanies the new squad of soldiers; fear, anger, and more of that scent. he takes a deeper puff of his cigar, hoping the burning smoke will taper the frenzy he is being driven to. His instincts rage at him to charge head on, to reach the source of that scent as fast as possible. The clatter of combat boots draws nearer, slowing just around the corner.
There are smarter ways to do this; the logical part of his mind informs him. But a red haze clouds his vision, raw animal instincts claw at the back of his consciousness. Then suddenly his worries and misgivings are swept away, a strange calm settles over him. Wolverine steps around the corner and unleashes his claws.
The sound of boots stop, the guards gape at the sight of the dark figure before them. All at once gunfire echoes and flashes in the corridor, but in the darkness and confusion they roar to no effect. A whirlwind with sharp pale claws and grim eyes, he tears through their ranks in a frenzy.
Barreling straight into the leading guard, he buries his claws into the guard's chest, each one sliding between the ribs and out his back. Lifting the dead man off the ground, Wolverine uses the body as a shield and a ram, pinning his next victim against the wall. With a backhanded swipe, he cleanly separates the two heads from their bodies.
Spinning along with his swing, Wolverine jams his other claws into the neck of the guard behind him. Using the dead guard’s frame as cover, he waits for a lull in the gunfire before kicking the body towards the final group. He grins as he twirls the grenade pin in his hands. The body rag dolls wildly in the air, colliding with the lead soldier, and breaking their formation. The explosions rip into the remaining guards, splattering them onto the walls and ceiling.
The speed of his advance leaves the occupants of the lab shocked and stunned. It is minutes before a scientist slams his hand on the emergency switch. Distress signals are sent out, soon a response team is dispatched. But it is too late; Logan is already inside the lab, even as alarms blare throughout the facility, his keen ears pick up panicked whispers.
“It's the Wolverine! The Wolverine is here!”
The hysteria spreads like wildfire through the lab. Scientists, janitors and soldiers alike rush about the corridors, hoping to escape with at least their lives. The elevator doors open into a near empty command center, and Logan casually strolls out.
“I don't care if its death himself, you mother fuckers get back to your-” A fit middle-aged man stops his yelling to stare at Logan in shock. He fumbles for his sidearm, but Logan is quicker. Springing forward, a quick swipe from his claws separates the officer’s right arm at the elbow. Logan spins past him and follows through with a slice at the back of the right knee. With a firm grip on the officer's neck and a set of claws at his stomach, Logan brings the now one armed man to his knees.
“Rogue, where is she?” Logan practically growls out the question. At the officer's hesitation, he pushes his claws in further. “Disemboweled is a horrible way to go, bub.”
“In-inside Cerebro.” The officer shakily points toward a door further down the hallway.
“Please I-” Wolverine, slices open the officer's throat before he can finish, blood squirts from him as he falls to the ground dead. He sniffs the air and follows Marie’s scent into the hallway.
The buzz of capacitors charging up is picked up by Wolverine’s keen hearing, giving him a chance to dive back into the security office, before a beam of energy rips through the passageway. Peeking through the shattered and melted metal door, he makes out a hulking scaled figure, with two glowing eyes. The dull thud of each step reverberates through the ground as it approaches.
Wolverine prepares to lunge at the armored figure only to see it send plumes of flames into the office. The fire twists through the gap of the door and expands to fill the entire room. Alarms ring out, the sudden noise sends sharp pains through his ears, as the fire eats away at his skin. Through the smell of burning flesh and smoke, there is a hint of halon; realizing what is about to happen, he launches out of the office as the halon fire suppression system activates behind him. Ignoring the burning pain, and correcting his trajectory in mid-air landing on in a crouch to the side of the menacing figure. With a roar he leaps at it, claws extended.
The towering figure proves an unexpectedly formidable adversary. As soon as he drags it into close quarter combat, its skin ripples, and a silver metallic coating spreads throughout its body. The new metal covering proves to be invulnerable to Wolverine's bone claws even when he specifically aims at joints and gaps. Frustrated he leaps onto its chest and grabs onto its head. Retracting all but one claw, he wedges that claw in through a weak point on its neck. A feral grin spreads across his face when the metal figure begins to spasm wildly.
Suddenly the head splits open up to reveal a shining core, a blast of energy spills forth, burning away his clothes and skin. The force of the blast slams Wolverine straight back into the wall, causing cracks to spider web around him. Grabbing onto a piece of metal, Logan rips it off the wall and uses it to shield himself from the blast. The metal glows red from the heat of the blast, he holds on to the burning shield till the blast subsides. Emerging from the cracking and melting wall, he lands on his hands and knees. Slowly he resumes a fighting stance, gathering his Ki with measured breaths, his wounds closing as he rises.
“Fucking sentinels!” Logan concentrates his Ki, enhancing his already considerable strength, and rips off another metal section of the wall. Ducking low he charges forward, knowing that he only has few moments before the sentinel’s automated repair will be done.
Unleashing a second blast of energy against Logan, the sentinel readies itself, its arms morphing into jagged metal claws. Raising the makeshift shield before him, he meets the blast head on, the shield scattering the beam all around him. As he enters melee range, he sprints forward, kicking off the nearest wall and soaring over a swipe from the sentinel's claws.
Logan severs the sentinel's arm at the elbow as he flies by; embedding his other set of claws into its right shoulder, he swings onto its back. Raising the superheated shield, he aims the glowing, jagged point down, plunging it into the sentinel’s back. The heat combined with the force of his blow cuts deep into the sentinel's metal chest before melting. The sentinel jerks wildly, its remaining arm clutching frantically at its chest. Slowly the molten metal eats through its insides and leaks out of its body cooling rapidly. The sentinel struggles forward, with Logan clinging to its back, before falling, after a few agonizing steps.
Sprinting down the hallways unopposed, Logan rips open the door to Cerebro and comes face to face with three surprised scientists. His stomach wretches at the sight of Marie’s gaunt figure barely covered in a surgical gown, secured on a gurney. The thought of her being tortured in a place for years nearly sends him back into a frenzy. With a snarl Wolverine slices open the gut of the first scientist; who backs away babbling incoherently, while frantically clutching at his entrails, finally slumping against a computer console.
Logan pushes back against the blood lust; if any more sentinels lay in waiting, he will need a clear and calm mind to protect her. Cold calculating rage fills his eyes when he looks back at the remaining scientists. Seizing the second scientist by the throat, Logan slams his head into the side rail, cracking it wide open like an egg, brains and blood splattering on the floor as he falls. Logan lets out a low growl as he advances on the final scientist.
“Please! I’m just doing my job!!” The man backs away pleading, Logan grabs him by his collar and with a quick flick of his left arm flings him over the side. The scientist’s scream ends with a sickening crunch.
Logan leans over her unconscious form. Her scent is so thick in the air he could almost taste it; pain, anger, sadness, and Marie. Without hesitation, he gently cradles her face in his hands. The pull of her mutation takes but a moment to kick in. Logan holds on till she awakens.
“Lo-Logan?” Her voice was barely above a whisper and her grip feather light. Logan pulls his hands away from her face and brushes back her witch’s lock.
“Hey, Marie,” Logan gently strokes her cheek, letting her take some more of his healing. Hers eyes clear and she focuses on his soft smile.
“I gotcha, I’m getting you outta here.” Slicing through her restraints, Logan helps her off the gurney.
“You're really here.” She steadies herself on her feet and looks disbelievingly at Logan.
“Talk later, we gotta go.” Taking her hand, Logan leads her down the hallway towards the access hatch. A loud crash draws their attention, as a sentinel bursts through the ceiling, tearing through insulation and leaving wires severed and sparking. With a struggle, it rips through and advances menacingly.
“Run!” Logan quickly shoves her towards the exit.
Turning to face the oncoming sentinel, Logan rips out two pipes on the wall nearby. A burst of sulfur fills his nostrils; ignoring the eye-watering stench, he twirls the pipes in his hands before launching them in rapid succession. The makeshift spears strike true, the sentinel stumbles back as its chest and right shoulder is pierced by the pipes. Seizing the opportunity, he rips off a metal grate, and clutches it like discus, and lets it fly with a 720-degree leading spin. The spinning iron grate slashes into the sentinel nearly slicing its head right off.
Suddenly, a second sentinel bursts through the floor, rising from the gaping hole in the ground, its drill arm thrusts toward Logan. With lightning reflexes, he intercepts the thrust, holding the drill at its base and stomping down hard on the sentinel's head. Using his foot to keep the sentinel down, he tightens his grip and crushes the drill arm before ripping it off. Aiming to end this fight quickly, he stomps on the sentinel's head several more times rapidly, the ground shaking from the force of his kicks. With one last stomp, he jams the head into its torso, and the sentinel goes limp and lays motionless.
A bright flash draws Logan's attention back to the other sentinel, now covered in flames. The sentinel extends both hands toward him, and a stream of plasma bursts forth. Shifting his grip on the drill arm, he focuses his senses and jogs two steps forward before launching the drill at the sentinel. The drill arm slices through the plasma and embeds itself into the sentinel's chest, the force of the impact knocking the sentinel off its feet and completely crushing its torso.
The fire started by the sentinel continues to expand towards him. Realizing the leaking natural gas is about to ignite, Logan turns and sprints towards the access hatch. He scrambles out of the hatch just as a plume of flame spews forth. Hastily dropping the heavy steel lid back onto the hole, he lets out a breath he unknowingly held. She is already in the passenger seat of his truck waiting, he smiles when he sees her dangling his car keys from her hands. Just as he reaches the truck the mansion explodes behind him in a series of more spectacular explosions. Getting into the driver's seat, she looks at him in shock.
“Yeah, should’ve planned that out a bit more.” Logan grins at her, trying to lighten the mood. She returns his grin with a strained smile. She looks past him towards the burning wreck that was once her home and gives his hand a firm squeeze. Shifting the truck to drive he speeds out of a wooded grove, leaving the school behind. Marie sitting next to him in a truck had been starting point of his fantasy for years, and he breaks out in a smile. Something is going right at last.
As the mansion recedes in the distance, the old memories fade bit by bit. Looking at her peaceful face, Logan allows himself one last glimpse into his past. She looks just as beautiful as the last time he saw her; in a dark green sundress, standing next to him on Coney Island celebrating her birthday. With every additional mile on the odometer, a little bit of the present settles back in. She is here, safe and sound, that's what matters.
The Wolverine & Rogue Fanfiction Archive
Barely Legal Since 2000
Story Notes:
Usual Disclaimer
This story came about from all the other wonderful DOFP Stories I've read on WRFA. So here is my take on one. This will be a pretty long story, I hope to update regularly.
A Big thank you to my beta readers cschoolgirl and roguelotus for their wonderful work and great advice. Rating will most likely increase as the story progresses
This story came about from all the other wonderful DOFP Stories I've read on WRFA. So here is my take on one. This will be a pretty long story, I hope to update regularly.
A Big thank you to my beta readers cschoolgirl and roguelotus for their wonderful work and great advice. Rating will most likely increase as the story progresses
Author's Chapter Notes:
I'm not sure how long Rogue was in that Lab but its has got to be years. Bobby really did not came out in a good light in the Rogue Cut of DOFP, leaving Rogue to rot for who knows how long. That and Movie Logan not stepping up was very disappointing. My head canon shall correct that last part.
Chapter End Notes:
Up next Logan and Marie have a little chat.