“Please help me!”
Rogue leant upon the smooth wooden desk, staring at the man behind it. The room was furnished as a office, but pleasantly so, with a lush royal blue carpet and walls of polished wood. Chairs bordered the rug in the centre of the room, all of high quality and expense. The three X-Men were stood at the doorway, still clad in their black uniforms and looking rather imposing, if accidentally.
Rogue had been introduced to the leader, Professor Charles Xavier, the man who would help her find Logan. That’s all she wanted. Jean had tried to usher her to their underground infirmary, but Rogue had been adamant that Logan was found first. She had stopped her insisting when she noticed that she had flown into a mansion and was stood in a metal corridor. It was at this point that the X-Men had relented and took her up to meet the Professor; Rogue yet receiving another shock when ascending in a lift to be walking out into something that matched the exterior. A large well furnished mansion.
Awe aside, she had to help Logan, as he had done for her.
Charles Xavier was an elderly man, but had none of the connotations that would be assumed with this. Even if by appearances alone, he looked less than enable to lead a team, for he was bald and disabled. But that was all. He sat straight, with an authoritive expression and a twinkle of kindness in his thoughtful blue eyes. He leant forward slowly when Rogue walked in with the X-Men, smiling in a knowing manner.
After the briefest of discussions, Rogue had pleaded for him to find a man called Logan. Charles wasn’t at all stupid; he knew just why she wanted him found. That was because he was also a mutant. Telepathic. And whilst he normally refrained from reading minds without permission, Rogue’s worry and desperation was radiating off her powerfully.
“I will, Rogue,” he replied gently, nodding his head, “As long as you assure me that whilst I search for Logan, you will allow yourself to receive the necessary medical treatment that Dr. Grey was unable to provide on the X-Jet.”
Rogue stared at him for a moment. His method of elaborate speech in a crisp English accent was something she wasn’t used to. “Alright,” she answered simply, straightening up, “Thank you.”
“My pleasure. Now, I’m sure you have bee familiarised with the X-Men on your journey here?”
Rogue glanced over her shoulder at the X-Men, smiling a little, “They mentioned it.”
Storm returned a grin, “In a brief way.”
“Well then, Rogue. Welcome to my school for the gifted youngsters. Mutants. As you may have already noticed, we are much more than a school. We are defenders of our population and aim for peace between humans and mutants.”
“And Magneto?”
“Especially Magneto.” Charles turned his chair slowly, rolling out from behind the desk to travel towards the doors. “Now, to find Logan. Jean, would you help rogue?”
“Hey, that reminds me,” said Rogue as she turned to watch the Professor leave, she noticed him pause the wheelchair motions. “How d’you know my name?”
The Professor merely continued on his way, seeming to not give an answer, but in her head, she heard his voice talk.
“You're not the only one with gifts.”
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In the metal walled corridors of the underground level, Scott and Storm stood outside the circular door of Cerebro, waiting for the Professor to return with his search for Logan. All he knew was his name, an idea of his location and that he would know of a girl named Rogue. It was time consuming, but the two X-Men waited outside patiently.
Then, eventually, the doors parted and Charles exited with a frown upon his face. Storm quickly noticed this, moving towards him, “Charles? Did you not find him? Is he.. dead?”
“No, he is alive..” replied Charles quietly, but he still looked concerned. “Did Rogue say he was a human?”
“Yes, and he got into a fight with Sabretooth. If he was human.. surely he wouldn’t have survived that.”
“But that’s the point,” Charles rested his fingertips together, looking down slowly, “I found a man named Logan, with memories of the vehicle crash and of Rogue. So that is indeed the correct person. But he is a mutant. A strong one at that.”
“What’s his power?”
“Enhanced regenerative capabilities.”
Scott raised an eyebrow, “Healing?”
“Yes.”
Storm glanced between them, “And Rogue doesn’t know of this?”
“Neither of them know that each other is a mutant. Logan holds memories of her as a human, and Rogue told you herself that she believed Logan to be a human. It’s the only way he survived the fight with Sabretooth.. but it’s not just that, there is something very complex about him. He has memories even I cannot access. I believe he is suffering from amnesia, but it is hiding something very secretive. If we are to pick this mutant up, I would like to speak with him as soon as possible.”
“If Jean allows it, we’ll go now,” replied Scott, nodding his head, “Can you connect his signal to the X-Jet?”
“The coordinates are being processed as we speak.” The two X-Men turned to leave, but Charles spoke, “Scott, Storm..” the pair slowly glanced back, “Be careful. I have a feeling he won’t come quietly.”
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Logan slumped into the snow quietly with a weary sigh. He had been walking non-stop for most of the day and in such cold weather it was harder than normal. Especially since his mutant powers had been working exceptionally hard that morning. He pulled his bag from his back as he leaned against a tree at the roadside. He hadn’t stopped thinking about Rogue. Allsorts of visions crossed his mind to the possible circumstances she could be in, many of them involving Sabretooth tearing at her like he did to him. He exhaled another sigh, holding his face in a hand. He just hoped the jet following them had caught up, and was helping.
The quiet surroundings were then disturbed by a quiet rustling, and Logan quickly dropped his hand to look around the area sharply. After this morning’s events he was wary of anything. He rose slowly to his feet, leaving his backpack unregarded in the snow. His eyes trained upon some distant trees, watching them closely.
Then, four figures emerged, three of which were clothed in tight black uniforms, and just ahead of them was Rogue. Logan gasped quietly as he saw her, his eyes meeting hers.
Rogue pushed forth the instant she saw Logan, finding it overwhelming that he was alive and well. She could just about feel her eyes beginning to burn with tears. She was so relieved, so thankful, “Logan!” She made to move towards him, but Storm pressed her forearm across her chest.
“Wait,” she murmured quietly, looking at Logan sharply. Scott placed a hand on Rogue’s shoulder, squeezing in a reassuring manner.
As Logan saw this, his mind quickly pinpointed the three with her as her attackers, and they were now here to get him, using her as bait! His fists clenched and a low growl sounded in his throat. It was three against one.. but Logan could handle that. He set off walking towards them, calm steps, but long strides. Seemingly composed as he came towards them, causing Storm to lower her arm slowly. But Scott kept his hand on her shoulder.
Then suddenly, Logan had leapt through the air with the speed no human could match. He pounced upon Scott with a reverberating roar, fists flying to hit Scott across the face.
“Logan!” cried Rogue as she stumbled backwards from the torrent of flying snow.
Scott cried out as he rolled over, attempting to throw the heavy mutant off him, “Storm!”
Storm glared angrily at Logan, her eyes quickly turning a brilliant white. Rogue gasped, staring up at the skies as they gave a sudden rumble. She leapt back with a cry of shock as lightening crashed from the heavens, hitting Logan square in the back, “No!” she cried, spinning to face Storm, “Don’t hurt him!”
But then Jean stepped forth, extending her hands. Logan was wrenched off Scott by an invisible force and lifted slowly. He fought against the hold however, managing to kick out and hit Scott upside the face. Scott stumbled back with an angry cry before his hand flew to his visor and a blast of red shot forth in retaliation. Logan was struck, the hold of Jean breaking and he flew back to hit a tree trunk with a sickening thud.
“Stop it!” Rogue screamed, staring wildly at the three X-Men.
“We can’t just stand by whilst he attacks a team member, Rogue!” said Jean, her eyes focusing on Logan’s distant body as he slumped in the snow.
“But he’s only human! You can’t just attack him with all your powers!”
However, Scott and Jean shared an anxious look at Rogue’s words before Scott turned to her, nursing a bruised face and cut lip, “Go and talk to him, Rogue,” he muttered quietly, “Clearly he’s not all that up for a conversation with us. Convince him to come back to the mansion.”
“To the mansion?” she repeated breathlessly, staring at him, “He’s not going back to the mansion! And neither am I!”
“Rogue, you must!”
But she turned from them with a scowl, quickly making her way towards where Logan was. He was in the process of standing up, shaking his head with an irritated growl. “Logan! Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, kid,” he muttered, looking up slowly to cast a dark glare at the X-Men, “Who the hell are they?”
Rogue sighed quietly, “They helped rescue me from those people who attacked us this morning.. I think you and them just got off on the wrong foot – “
“No kiddin’.”
Behind Rogue, the three X-Men had slowly come up, watching Logan cautiously. “So,” said Scott quietly, remaining composed even though his face was worse for wear, “You’re Logan.”
“That’s right,” snarled Logan, placing his hand on Rogue’s arm and pulling her back a little, “And you’re the rescuers, huh? How nice for you. That don’t mean you can come and push me around, bub.”
Storm shook her head gently, trying her best to smile pleasantly and make the situation a little easier, “We’d like to invite back to our mansion, Logan. With Rogue, of course.”
“I ain’t goin’ nowhere,” he snarled, “You really go about the wrong way at persuadin’ people.”
“I think you’ll find it was you who attacked first,” said Scott shortly, his arms folding.
Logan twisted his eyes angrily upon Scott, “I’m only lookin’ out for the kid!”
“As we all are, Logan,” insisted Jean quietly, “Now, there’s a man called Professor Xavier who would like to see you - ”
“I don’t think so.”
Scott sighed quietly as he glanced to the women besides him, “Very well, but it is vital that Rogue returns with us. Those that attacked are likely to try again and we need to – “
“Lookit, bub. Perhaps I didn’t make myself clear..” he extended his fist between Rogue and Scott and with a loud snikt! three claws slid out of his bare knuckles, their long length acting as a barrier, “The kid and I are staying here.” He then fell silent, slowly looking down, seeing Rogue’s wide eyes transfixed on the claws in front of her.
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