 
                             Kindred Souls
 
_Kindred Souls_
 
By Gambit
 
 
 
_ _
 
_Chapter One_
 
_ _
 
_ _
 
Logan, also known as the Wolverine, surveyed the so-called science lab
with a resonating growl that rumbled like that of an animal regarding
its prey. After all, this *might *be what he was looking for. The
bastards on the other side of that wall may damn well know what
happened to him. They may have even been a part of it. Just the thought
of confronting them made his knuckles itch.
 
 
 
The place that Chuck (The Professor) had sent him to was almost a
complete waste of time. *Almost. *He had found one old computer disk,
which he had an old friend decode. That was when luck had finally
shined on the Wolverine. It led him to this place. The place was
located deep in some woods in Michigan. So deep in fact, that he
doubted they ever had any lost visitors.
 
 
 
It almost looked like a regular military base-- save for the fact there
wasn’t enough soldiers. Logan had scouted the place out the night
before. There were only two guards guarding the front way and two
guards guarding the back way. He had over heard them talking about the
lack of security on the inside (they said there was only one guard) and
that had only made him grin in the feral way he was so good at. The way
he figured, he only needed to take out the two guards in front, handle
the guard inside; Then be well prepared if the guards in back showed
up. Hopefully that wouldn’t happen, though.
 
 
 
His claws slipped out almost half an inch without him knowing it, just
from the pure anticipation of the fight: Or slaughter. After what he
read on that disk, he was ready for a slaughter. In his opinion, some
people just needed killed. They were flat out too stupid to live.
 
 
 
But then a picture of his Marie would pop up and the animal inside
would settle, only a little though. There were those that said that
Logan had no conscience, because god knows, he had killed his fair
share of men in the fifteen years of his life that he could remember.
But that just wasn’t true. He just lived by a code. And if a person
broke the code . . . Well, he had six blades to fix the problem.
 
 
 
Those idiot scientists had started Weapon-X up again, or so the disk
had said. This time with someone else. The disk wasn’t very specific on
who it was, but the mere thought of those sons-of-bitches doing to
someone else what they did to him was almost enough to send him into a
berserker rage. No one should have to go through the nightmares that he
went through: No one.
 
 
 
“Well, Ol’ boy, do we want to be sneaky, or do we wanna to be direct?”
He muttered to himself, grinning manically. He already knew the answer.
After all, he was one of the most direct people on the planet. Rash and
brash, that was Wolverine.
 
 
 
He watched, from the trees, the base from the safe distance he was at
for only a second more, then threw caution to the wind, fully intending
to just to walk up to the first two guards.
 
 
 
Wolverine shook his head in disgust as he approached the guards. They
had no discipline whatsoever. They were just talking to one another
about which football team was better. The Cowboys or the Packers?
 
 
 
Logan had actually managed to get four feet from the idiots when they
still hadn’t noticed him. He didn’t want to kill them if he didn’t have
to. *I think Marie softened me up too much. *He thought with a shake of
the head.  

 
 
They looked no older than twenty-two at the most. *Easy prey.* 

 
 
When they still hadn’t noticed him, he spoke up. “Hockey’s better,” And
before they had any time to act, two adamantium laced fists shot out
and nailed both of them in the head, effectively sending them into the
land of unconsciousness. They fell to the ground with a thud.
 
 
 
With that, Logan walked straight into the building. Behind a desk sat
the third guard. Playing solitary of all things. To his credit, he did
notice Wolverine. “Can I help you?” The burly man asked getting up from
behind the desk and walking over. He was a fairly large man in his late
thirties. 

 
 
“I don’t think you can, bub.”
 
 
 
“Then what . . .” Wolverine cut him off.
 
 
 
When the man was in distance, Wolverine grabbed him by his guard
uniform, pulled him forward with vicious speed, and head-butted the man
in the forehead as hard as he could. All three hundred pounds hit the
ground with a solid thud. Another one out. And Wolverine knew that one
had a fractured skull.
 
 
 
He looked around the place that he just walked into. For all intents
and purposes, the place looked like a regular waiting area. Then his
eyes caught the large metal door that was on the back wall. A sign that
said “Restricted Area” hung above it. It had a pass-card lock. He could
easily cut through the door with his claws, or . . . He looked down at
the card key that was clipped on the guard’s uniform.
 
 
 
*This is just too fuckin’ easy. *He thought as he reached down and
plucked the card up, walking towards the large metal door. With one
swipe of the card, the door *swished *opened and allowed Logan to walk
in as if he owned the place.
 
 
 
He walked as silently as a cat down the hall, that was when he started
hearing the voices. They were cheerful voices. Almost like the voices
in his dream, but very different. But still, very cheerful. That was
when he stopped outside of the door, out of sight, and listened.
 
 
 
“Sean, you old dog! I can’t believe you actually pulled it off!” One of
them said with a barked out laugh.
 
 
 
“Well, we still have to erase her past, and we still have to give her
memories of the skills she will need, to complete the process. Then
we’ll open that bottle of champagne I know you’re hiding, Eh, Paul?”
His voice sounded just as cheerful.
 
 
 
“This one even surpasses the original. I can tell you one thing, the
military is going to pay top dollar for this Weapon.” Wolverine could
hear papers being shuffled being shuffled as the man spoke.
 
 
 
He could also hear the hum of computers buzzing. That was all he needed
to know. This was where the information was. With a low growl he took a
step back and kicked the door so hard that it literally flew off the
hinges. The pieces of wood from the frame littered the floor loosely in
different spots of the office.
 
 
 
“What the hell?!?!” The first scientist screamed out– only to receive a
vicious backhand that had such force that it shattered the man’s jaw.
He passed out from the pain alone.
 
 
 
Yes, the Wolverine was seeing red. The other scientist tried to get out
of his chair, but Wolverine took a running jump and cleared the desk,
pinning the scientist to the wall with an adamantium clad grip. It was
taking all of his reserves of control not to kill the man out right.
Logan had a conscience, but the Wolverine? No, the Wolverine wanted to
see this man’s blood. 

 
 
“Recognize these, Bub?” he asked, three of his adamantium claws popping
out with a *snikt! *right before the scientists eyes. Wolverine could
smell the urine running down the man’s leg.
 
 
 
“W-w-weapon-X.” He somehow managed to stutter out.
 
 
 
“All right, bub. I’m gonna ask ya two simple questions, and since ya
know I can tell when yer lyin’ ya’d better answer truthfully and right
quick.” 

 
 
The scientist nodded very quickly.
 
 
 
“First question: Where’s the back-up disks to them three computers
there?”
 
 
 
The murderous intent in the Wolverine’s eyes made it clear that lying
was *not *an option. “O-o-over there.” He replied, pointing at a couple
of simple CD holders. 

 
 
Wolverine was again shocked at this places security measures. He
wouldn’t have believed the man if his senses didn’t tell him the two CD
Cases were indeed the back-up files. Wolverine always trusted his
instincts and senses– they had saved his life on a lot more than one
occasion.
 
 
 
“Ok, brainiac. Where’s yer brain-child? Where’s the new Weapon-X?” He
asked with a gravelly voice. He was on the ragged edge at that moment
and was barely containing the berserker rage.
 
 
 
The scientist lifted a shaky hand and pointed east. “T-third door on
the left, d-d-down the hall.” His stuttering seemed to be worse. 

 
 
That was when the Wolverine snapped. Logan wouldn’t kill an unarmed
man, but the Wolverine had no problem with it. With the claws on his
left fist still extended, he delivered an uppercut that went under the
scientist’s chin and straight into his brain, killing the man instantly.
 
 
 
Logan picked up both CD cases and put them in each pocket of his brown
leather duster. *Now, let’s see what those fuckers did to this mutant*.
He thought with more than a little disgust.
 
 
 
Logan walked back out into the hall and the one thing that he didn’t
want to see, he saw. The two guards from the back were on their way. *I
knew I should have killed those idiots. They warned the rest of them.
Marie, Darlin, yer goin’ to be the death of me. *He thought humorously.
Then he put his mind back on the events at hand.
 
 
 
The two guards were only about fifteen feet away . . . Instead of
strategically retreating, Wolverine decided on a full charge. Both
guards and himself charged at each other. He did three roles, weaving
in different directions, before he made it to them. He also took three
bullets from an M-16 before he made it to them.
 
 
 
But when he made it to them, all six claws came out with a *snikt! *and
plunged, strategically, into each guards hearts. All the while his
healing factor was taking care of the gunshot wounds. The Wolverine was
now playing for keeps. He watched as both of them hit the ground with a
stoic face. After all, anyone that would work for these people couldn’t
be very good to begin with.
 
 
 
He turned his back down the hall where the new Weapon-X was being held.
There was a guard in the middle of the hallway, pale as a sheet and
trembling. Wolverine could smell the fear role off of him. They were
about thirty feet away from one another before Logan spoke. “Get outta
here before I change my mind.” He spoke with a fierce growl. 

 
 
The boy, who looked no older than his Marie, didn’t have to be told
twice. He dropped his rifle and headed in the opposite direction as
fast as he could. Logan just shook his head in wry amusement, as he
headed for the third door on the left. He stood in front of it for only
a moment, wondering why they would go with such a simple slide and bolt
lock.
 
 
 
He decided that he didn’t have time to think about it. 

 
 
Logan undid the locks as fast as he could and shoved the heavy metal
door open. The figure inside the cell surprised him more than anything
else that he had encountered in this very low tech lab. He knew there
was a reason that this lab was so low tech, but he would have to figure
that out later.
 
 
 
What confused him the most was the figure that was huddled in the
corner of the cell he just opened. The girl, who could be no older than
fourteen, tops, was staring at him through dark brown curly bangs, with
big light blue eyes. The only thing she had on was a faded pair of
jeans and t-shirt that was about three sizes too big. *Wonder why they
let her wear street clothes? *He thought.
 
 
 
The thought was cut off when the girl suddenly leapt out of her corner
with a growl that would have made a wolf proud, and tried to strike
Logan. She was chained to the wall though, and missed by bare inches.
The kid stood still then, sniffing, head cocked to one side. “You’re a
mutant . . . And you’re not one of them, I can smell their blood on
you,” Hope suddenly welled in the kid’s eyes. “Are you here to get me
out of here?”
 
 
 
Logan merely nodded. “If I get closer, ya promise not to try and hit me
again?” *She doesn’t know about the claws yet, or she would have tried
to use them. *Logan shook his head sadly. 

 
 
“Hey man, if you can get me the hell out of here, I won’t do a damn
thing.” The kid said with a sparkle in her light blue eyes. Eyes that
held . . . Yes, they held a hint of mischief. Logan could hardly
believe it, considering what she had been through. But it was there.
 
 
 
Logan just grunted with agreement. But he was a little surprised the
kid still had the sparkle in her eyes. Logan was surprised that the kid
could stay in such good spirits, considering what happened to her.
 
 
 
He walked over to the girl, popping out his claws on the way. He saw
the girl wince in reaction. *Should have warned her about that. *He
thought as he made short work of the chains and shackles in mere
seconds. “Ya ready to get the hell outta here, Kid?”
 
 
 
“Ya know, I bet you’d make a great kitchen appliance. You can slice and
dice and I would bet dollars to pennies that you could make great
french fries.” She said with a devilish teasing tone. “And yeah, I
could get the hell out of this place.” 

 
 
*Great, I had to rescue someone that probably won’t shut up. *He
thought sarcastically. But in truth, he didn’t mind the kid talking
like that as long as she shut up when he told her to.
 
 
 
They both walked out into the hall, with Logan leading the way. The
coast was clear. But there was still a lingering thought on Logan’s
mind why this place was so easy to get into, and out of. If it was a
set up, he could smell it on the Kid. His senses wouldn’t lie.
 
 
 
Logan decided to go out the back way. He discovered it when he was
scouting the place the night before. The further he got in down the
hall an aroma that he had smelled before, but couldn’t quite remember
where, assaulted his senses. Then it came to him. C-4.
 
 
 
Logan grinned almost evilly at his young charge. “Hey Kid. Ya like fire
works?”
 
 
 
“I guess,” She replied. The look her savior had in his eyes was making
her a bit nervous. “What do ya got in mind?” *Great, I hope wild man
here don’t do something to outrageous. *She thought with a wince. She
*really* didn’t want to get caught again. She wasn’t sure what they did
to her, but she didn’t want to repeat it. All she knew was that it was
*very painful.*
 
 
 
It was at that moment that Logan figured out that the kid acted like
she was from the street. She even moved like she was from the street.
Like how she tried to look behind her without looking like she was
doing so. It was almost as if she grew up on the street. “You’ll see,
kid. You’ll see.” He replied with that same grin.
 
 
 
About to minutes later, Logan found a mother-load of explosives and
detonators. He set all of them up on remote. And in case the remote
didn’t work, he had them on ten minute timers. He figured that would be
plenty enough time to get out of the way of the explosion.
 
 
 
If the explosives he sat up were in a city, they would take out about
two square blocks.
 
 
 
After he put the final touches on the explosives, he turned to the kid.
“Let’s get the hell out of here.” He said this with a note of finality. 

 
 
“Whatever you say, Mister. I don’t think I’m going to argue about
staying.”
 
 
 
They both ran double time back to the tree line. Logan ran about two
hundred yards away from his original position in the trees just in case
someone was watching. When he finally made it to his position, he
handed a pair of binoculars to the kid, along with a small black box
with a red button on it.
 
 
 
Logan looked the kid directly in the eyes when he spoke. “Those folks
down there cause ya a lot of pain?”
 
 
 
The kid just bowed her head and nodded mutely. She really didn’t want
to go into it at that moment. *Like he’d give a shit anyway. He barely
knows me.*
 
 
 
Logan looked at the kid with semi-furious eyes when he spoke. “I want
you to sight in that base down there with them binoculars. When you can
see it real good, press that red button on that black box . . . Let’s
see how much pain we can cause them.” 

 
 
The girl gave him a curious look, but did what she was told. When the
place was sighted in, she pressed the red button just like she was told
. . . And an explosion from the likes of which she had never seen went
off. The entire base was flattened. “That was fucking AWESOME!!!!” She
shrieked out, almost jumping up and down. It did feel great to get sort
of even.
 
 
 
Logan reached out and squeezed the kid’s shoulder. “C’mon. We have
about a mile track to get back to my bike.” He knew it was Scooter’s
(Scott’s) but he had it over a year and was already starting to claim
it as his own.
 
 
 
“Whatever you say, Mister.” She replied. It was appearing to Logan that
that was one of her favorite sayings.
 
 
 
“Cut the mister shit, will ya kid? Makes me sound old.”
 
 
 
“What do I call you?” Curiosity marred her features.
 
 
 
“Some call me Wolverine, but my friends call me Logan.” He replied, as
he pulled out a cigar and lit it.
 
 
 
“I think I’ll call ya Logan, cause I’m sure as hell gonna be your
friend.” She told him with iron clad confidence and twinkling eyes,
along with a sweet smile. “You can call me Jesse. Although, and this is
hard to believe, even to me, but I like the way you call me kid.”
 
 
 
Logan just grunted in amusement as they started out on their long walk.
 
 
 
* *
 
**************************
 
* *
 
_ _
 
Logan and Jesse pulled up to a cheap motel about two hours later. Jesse
had the time of her life on the bike, even though Logan refused to go
above fifty-five miles an hour. The motel was one of those places that
only cost about twenty-five a night and you might have room mates that
crawl on the floor. But she wasn’t about to complain. 

 
 
“Here’s the rest stop fer the night.” Logan said gruffly.
 
 
 
“Hey Logan, what’s the real reason you wouldn’t go fast? It would have
been fun.” Jesse asked, curiosity getting the better of her. Because
Logan struck her as many things, but caution wasn’t one of them.
 
 
 
“I don’t know if you have a healing factor, or if ya do, I don’t know
how good it is. We’ll test it out tonight.” He answered in a clipped
tone, effectively ending the conversation. But if what the disk said is
true, then he was pretty sure her healing factor was more than enough
to take a tumble on the bike.
 
 
 
*Healing factor? What the hell is he talking about? *Jesse thought as
she watched her savior walk into the motel management office.
 
 
 
He then turned on his heal and walked over to the managers office. The
manager was a short balding man with a goatee, and he reeked a little
of Mad Dog 20/20. “One room, two beds.” Logan growled out.
 
 
 
The manager could tell quite quickly that Logan didn’t like waiting.
Logan paid for the room. And walked back outside, seeing that the kid
hadn’t moved an inch from where she was sitting. “We got room number
six.” He told her in the same gruff tone.
 
 
 
Jesse walked in the room with her head bowed, her face set into that of
a frown. *Not even three hours with the man, and I’m already getting on
his nerves. *She thought sadly. She was used to it though. Some people
just hated her personality. 

 
 
Logan watched as the girl walked over to the bed on the left side of
the Room and turned on the light. He could sense that she was concerned
or worried, or maybe disappointed about something. Of what, he didn’t
know. Since Logan never was one for guessing games he got straight to
the point.
 
 
 
“Somethin’ wrong, kid?”
 
 
 
“Not really,” She said trying to summon up a cheerful voice and failing
for the most part. But apparently her disappointed mood did nothing to
curb her appetite. Because just then her stomach rumbled quite loudly.
“Um, sorry about that.”
 
 
 
Logan gave her a small smirk. “Tell ya what, Kid. Let’s go get some
grub in that stomach of yours and afterwards . . . You tell me what’s
really buggin’ ya. I don’t like secrets.”
 
 
 
Jesse just gave him a small nod.
 
 
 
**************************
 
 
 
Clarice’s Restaurant wasn’t but about a mile from the motel and it said
on the outside that it served hamburgers and french fries, so he
decided on that. When he asked Jesse what she wanted, he actually
wasn’t very surprised when she said three large hamburgers two large
orders of fries and a extra large Mountain Dew. It was the healing
factor. It increased a person’s metabolism and they tended to eat more.
It just confirmed his theory that the disk he read was correct.
 
 
 
Logan and Jesse ate in comfortable silence until they were finished
then Logan asked the question. “So what’s buggin’ ya?”
 
 
 
The girl looked around the restaurant and found that it was relatively
empty and they were in a secluded corner (not to mention she could talk
low because of Logan’s sensitive hearing) so she thought that she could
talk freely. “Well actually it’s a couple of things. And the first I
seem to do to a lot of people.”
 
 
 
“Well, spit the ‘couple of things’ out, Kid.” He replied, there was a
bit of impatience to his voice.
 
 
 
“Have I done something to annoy you? Because you act it and if I have
Iamreallysorry.” The last part of the sentence was run together real
quickly. Like she wasn’t used to saying she was sorry.
 
 
 
Logan took on a curious look. “Why would you think that?”
 
 
 
“Well, you’ve been real snippy with me.” She replied in a serious tone.
*This is the part where he tells me that I talk to much. *She thought
with a frown.
 
 
 
Logan gave a dry chuckle. “Don’t worry about that, Kid. I’m that way
with everybody. It’s just the way I am . . . I promise. If I get mad at
ya, you’ll be *positive* of it.” Logan paused taking a drink of his
drink. “So what’s the second thing?”
 
 
 
Jesse bowed her head again, her voice so low that Logan was barely able
to hear it. “I’m worried about what they did to me.” Jesse always hated
weakness and she considered self doubt to be exactly that.
 
 
 
Logan looked at the kid with compassion in his eyes. “We’ll find out
what we can at the motel, and what we can’t, well . . . I have some
friends in Westchester, New York that will be able to help. They have
top of the line medical equipment. That’s where I was planning on going
anyway. Even before I found you.”
 
 
 
Logan was glad to see the hope flare in the young girls eyes once more.
 
 
 
“There’s one more thing.”
 
 
 
Logan arched an eyebrow at her.
 
 
 
“I want some shoes, I’m tired of running around barefoot.” She listened
as Logan just let out an amused chuckle.
 
 
 
 
 
After a trip to a Wal-Mart Super Center, Logan was wondering if maybe
he might have to do some more cage fights before he went back to
Westchester. But the thought was just in jest, he had a little over
seven grand from previous fights. The kid spent about four hundred on
clothes. 

 
 
For some reason all the clothes she picked leaned towards blue and
black.
 
 
 
When they got back to the motel Jesse told him that she was gonna take
a shower and try on a set of her clothes. While she was in the
bathroom, Logan had time to think. Time to think about something that
was completely ludicrous. He was beginning to think that his feelings
for the girl ran more like Big brother/Little Sister type feelings. 

 
 
*That can’t be right. I just met the damn kid. What the hell am I
thinking? *He thought as he laid on his bed, waiting for her to get out
of the bathroom so that they could find out a little bit about what
exactly they had done to her.
 
 
 
About forty-five minutes later the kid walked out wearing a pair of
tight blue jeans with a black t-shirt tucked in, along with a new pair
of black cowgirl boots. Logan was glad he rented that rental truck or
he would never had enough room to put all of the stuff she bought on
the bike.
 
 
 
Logan scooted over to one side of the bed and patted the other. “C’mere
and sit down. We have to talk about what they did to you . . . But
wait, could you go out and look under the front seat and get my
lap-top?”
 
 
 
“Wild Man is in the computer age?” She asked jokingly. “Ohhh, look at
that scowl! It’s soooo cute.” She laughed and was out the door before
Logan could respond. Since she wasn’t in the room, Logan had to chuckle
at her antics.
 
 
 
By the time she made it back he regained his composure. “Hey Logan,
will you do me a favor? If my teasing gets too annoying, tell me? I
know I go too far sometimes.”
 
 
 
“Don’t worry, Kid. I’ll be the first to tell you.” He said as he pulled
the CD Cases out of his duster jacket. “Let me look these over real
quick, then we’re gonna have a serious talk.” He gave her a stern look
that told her there would be none of her usual antics during the talk.
 
 
 
Logan inserted disk after disk, hoping to luck out. He knew how to work
a computer, but he was by no means a hacker or a cracker. And almost
*every *single one of the disks were encrypted. Except one.
 
 
 
It was labeled *“Animal Instinct”*.
 
 
 
Logan started to read and his face paled a little. Jesse noticed this
and spoke up. “What is it, Logan?”
 
 
 
“Let me finish reading it.” He replied with a little bit of an edge to
his voice. But Jesse was already getting used to that.
 
 
 
After Logan finished reading all he had to read, which took about an
hour, he patted the bed for her to scoot closer. “What was ya readin’
about, Logan?”
 
 
 
“Did they give you a shot in the base of the neck before I got there
today?” Logan asked. Jesse gave a nod of affirmative. Logan just gave
an explosive sigh. One of regret.
 
 
 
“What the hell did they do to me, Logan?!? I’m not gonna die am I?!?”
Jesse was close to becoming hysterical before she noticed that Logan
was looking at as if she were nuts. *Ok, so I went overboard. It’s my
life, I have the right to do that when people mess with me. *She
thought, defiantly. 

 
 
Logan growled deep in his chest, wondering where to begin. The growl
made Jesse do a double take. *Better get used to that, Kid. You’ll be
doin’ it soon enough. *He thought with no humor whatsoever. Then he
finally decided on a place to start.
 
 
 
“Mind if I tell ya a little about myself?” He asked, keeping his voice
neutral. 

 
 
Jesse wondered why he was straying off the subject, but agreed.
 
 
 
“They don’t call me the Wolverine for nothin’, Kid. I have a lot of
animal characteristics. Take that growl for example. I can’t seem to
control it. It comes out when I’m worried, mad, happy or furious. And
when I become furious, that’s when I’m a real danger, ‘cause I don’t
know what I’m doin’. A lot of people I know call that *“Berserker
Rage.” *

 
 
“Then there is the fact that it’s hard for me to stay in one place for
very long. Or when I’m near the woods or forest, I get the urge to just
stay there for a while. In fact, that’s when I’m the most at peace.”
 
 
 
“But a person can’t forget the Heightened Senses. Advanced Hearing,
Smelling and Seeing. And sometimes I have sort of a sixth sense about
people, ya know? Like when their up to no good . . . But I would have
to say my temper is the worst out of all of this. I’ve gotten a lot
better, though. Took *years *of practice for me not to lay into someone
for the stupidest of reasons.”
 
 
 
*This has got to be the longest I’ve ever talked to anyone at one time
in _years_.* Logan thought dryly. “Those sons of bitches at the
Weapon-X program did this to me . . . And now they’ve done it to you.”
 
 
 
Jesse looked at him blankly for almost a full thirty seconds before she
spoke. “Do you think that I can make it through this, Logan?”
 
 
 
“I’ll help if you want me too.” The words slipped out of his mouth
before he realized what he said. And he knew that he had to abide by
them. Logan didn’t have a lot of things in this world. But by god he
had his honor, and he wasn’t going to let that go.
 
 
 
Jesse embraced him in the tightest hug she could, and whispered to
words in his ear. “Thank you,” Then she sat back, with a slight smile
on her face. “Well the senses ain’t that bad, I guess they don’t work
as good for me as they do you.”
 
 
 
Logan grimaced slightly. “They won’t fully be kicked in until tomorrow,
Kid. It’s a delayed reaction kind of thing. You’ll be a little faster
and stronger tomorrow too. Then you’ll see what the world really smells
like.” He said with a rakish grin, trying to cheer her up a little
more. It didn’t work. She asked the question he was dreading.
 
 
 
“Do you think they did anything else to me?”
 
 
 
*Snikt! *Logan’s claws on his left hand popped out in all their glory.
“My guess is you have a set of these too.” He let them pop back into
his fist and just looked at Jesse. 

 
 
“How do you do that? And why doesn’t your knuckles bleed after you do
it?” She asked, her bright blue eyes a wide as saucers. *Jeez, I really
am a walking weapon!* She thought wildly.
 
 
 
“The reason your knuckles don’t bleed is simple, that’s do to your
healing factor. As for how you do it . . . They’re just like any other
part of your body, just tell them to move and they will. Sometimes they
do it on reflex alone.” He replied calmly. But in truth, he would give
anything to be *not *having this conversation with this kid.
 
 
 
Jesse made two fists and held them out. *Snikt! *Sure enough, all six
adamantium blades popped out. They were about nine inches long, one
inch shorter than Logan’s, but they were there. She repeated this
procedure five or six times before looking at Logan. Her eyes were
completely serious. Way too serious for a teenager in Logan’s opinion.
“Will you teach me to use these too?”
 
 
 
“You want me to teach you to fight?” He asked, almost incredulously. He
was the Wolverine. He was no teacher. *But the kid will have to know
how to protect herself when I’m not around. *He sat there for close to
five minutes before answering her. “If you’re dead serious. But its on
two conditions.”
 
 
 
“Name’em.” Jesse replied, still very serious.
 
 
 
“Number One: You have to train five days a week and do everything I
say,” She nodded affirmative. “Two: We do it at Westchester, New York.
I have a doctor friend that I want to run some tests on you to make
sure everything is all right. She’s a really good lady. Goes by the
name Jean Grey.”
 
 
 
“Done,” Jesse said with a smile. She was already growing attached to
Logan but she didn’t mind. It was more of a bother/sister thing and she
liked it like that. She also knew that she would probably do anything
for the man. “I wonder what I’m gonna be like in the morning? Will you
be able to put up with me?” There was more than a touch of worry in the
usually rambunctious teenager.
 
 
 
“Kid, I’ve put up with a hell of a lot worse. Go on, get in yer own
bed. We’ll talk more tomorrow, Kid.” He replied with a half smile.
 
 
 
Logan sort of had an epiphany as he watched Jesse take off her shoes
and get into bed, fully intending to sleep in her clothes. She was the
ONLY person he knew that he got along with almost as much as Marie.
 
 
 
The man made a mental note to call Marie tomorrow. He had been doing so
about every other day sense he had been gone. Just to let her know he
was alright and see how she was holding up at the school. The calls got
more personal as the year went on and pretty soon, Marie became the
girl of his fantasies.
 
 
 
The usually gruff man fell asleep with a smile on his face, just at the
thought of his Marie. *Yer gettin’ soft, old man. *He thought as he
drifted into dreamland, to the nightmares that awaited him.
 
 
 
 
 
*TBC*
 
