Weapon X: Man or Animal

Chapter 24

Not too long after they managed to get Logan restrained, the Professor called for all of them in his office upstairs leaving Logan alone in the infirmary. A step up from a cell block, but not by much in Scott’s opinion. The infirmary looked like a laboratory with the lights out and even when the lights were on. So they had to make this quick, and more importantly they had to figure out what to do with Logan exactly. They couldn’t put him back in the cell. Something told Scott he wouldn’t allow himself to be placed there easily and there was now fewer members able to fight the feral berserker long enough to put him back in the cell. And Scott didn’t trust Victor Creed to do it, just look at what his flawed decisions caused him to do this time.

Looking to his side stood the slightly injured, but in one piece Kurt Wagner aka Nightcrawler. His tail twitched periodically and nearly reminded Scott of a cat. To Scott’s right was Jean. He would love to have Ororo’s opinion on this situation as well, but she was tending to the children at another location with the help of the older students she had with her as well as Moira. Hank was sitting on the sofa and Victor Creed was standing off to the side away from everyone. Peter was sitting on the same couch as Hank.

The Professor was at his desk with his hands folded in front of him on the desk as he regarded all of them. Laura was missing, Scott didn’t know where the young damaged girl was and he found himself worried over her safety as well as others safety around her.

“First of all, I want to apologize. I made a great deal of mistakes with this situation and few of them cannot be undone completely. They can, however, be mended and fixed, with work.” The Professor said, Scott swallowed the immature reaction of snorting at that. He was the leader, and he cannot allow himself to indulge in shallow behavior such as that.

“Laura Kinney has officially left us, I found a letter from her in her room. Mostly directed towards Logan who she refers to as Weapon X simply because she doesn’t know better. To make a long story short, she wants to figure things out for herself and cannot do that here. She has an auntie who is related to her late mother Doctor Sarah Kinney. She’ll go stay there for a bit.” Charles explained calmly as he eyed everyone in the room. Scott could tell that Victor didn’t care at all; to him Laura was probably just poorly created extension of his sibling, but not related at all.

“Are you sure that’ll be okay for her Professor, she’s a young girl who’s confused?” Jean asked, Scott agreed with her. And by what he could tell, most did.

“I have faith that she’ll be fine. Unfortunately we cannot look after someone if they don’t wish to be looked after. No matter how much we want to. We also need to focus our attention on our fallen X-Man, Logan. It’s with him that I made the most mistakes and most of them are very well unforgivable. As was my mistakes with you Scott, and I hope I can earn your forgiveness one day.” Charles calmly stated, looking everyone in the eyes especially making eye contact with Scott.

“In time.” Scott said, it wasn’t a yes or no. It wasn’t even a maybe. But in time he will decide on one of those. But he had to see for himself improvements. Continuing calmly with little to no emotion,

“What are your plans with Logan?”

The professor looked slightly put off at Scott’s lack of budging on the subject, but continued nonetheless while Scott crossed his arms tensely and only loosening up when he felt the back of Jean’s hand brush against his hip and a light nudging on his mind he knew was from Jean. Her silent comforts.

“The danger room is the only option. I have already programmed a forest like setting because we cannot very well take him to a real forest. We could very well lose Logan for good there. Victor helped me with designing it. There will also be a large building located there. A rather old fashioned Estate that hopefully he will find a way to recognize. Victor also helped me with the details on the inside. We did this while everyone else was busy tending to Logan, and you all did a good job with the whole situation. I am very proud.” Charles explained calmly and Scott frowned slightly. More trickery, but at least this time they were informed and it didn’t sound like it was something to cause Logan extra stress. Hopefully.

“And what will your role be in this? So far, you only said how Victor did this and that.” Scott asked, cutting to the point sharply.

“I will be keeping an eye on the whole thing in the control area, I will also keep myself linked to him in order to calm him down…” Charles explained and Scott found himself frowning.

“I don’t think you should calm him down Professor.” Jeans interrupted and Charles actually frowned. Scott wanted to look smug, but held off.

“Because you think he has a right to be angry? And he does. He had every right to be angry, but he cannot function in anger alone especially in society. He’s not a weapon, so we cannot allow him to go on like this. And I didn’t say I wouldn’t let him get it out of his system. I will, but at a controlled setting. For the most part he needs to calm down so he could reattach himself to what made him a man rather than the weapon we have all witnessed.” Charles explained calmly.

Scott could see that most of them were uneasy with the situation, but nearly everyone else was willing to trust the Professor’s judgment call here. Scott was a little more uneasy on the subject, but decided to give the Professor’s plan a try. But make no mistake; Scott will be ready to interfere.

“When do you want to start?” Scott asked professionally, arms back to his side. It was funny, right now he was willing to do what he could to help Logan and fight on his behalf, but as soon as he goes back to normal Scott had no doubt that their interactions would be back to its old self. Scott for once didn’t have a problem with that.  

“As soon as everyone is ready, all we have to do is activate the danger room and transport Logan there. That will be where you come in Kurt.”

“Ja.” Kurt said, tail twitching again.

~ Man ~ Weapon ~ Animal ~

Charles was pleased to say the least that everyone was going to help with this. Charles knew he should have done this from the start, so much time was lost and so many mistakes made. But as most would say, better late than never. However, it looked like Scott, despite agreeing was not going to be giving him a benefit of the doubt in this situation. Not that Charles expected him to, but it would have been nice. He already failed Scott’s older brother, by going down this path Charles went down so long ago that allowed him to make harsh decisions. Alex didn’t agree, and in turn left. So did Sean. Hank left for a short time, but he came back. And by then, there were more members here and the X-Men was truly founded.

Kurt already left, only Charles really knew the young man’s origins from his sister Raven and a former member of the Hellfire club turned Brotherhood member temporarily, Azazel. Charles really didn’t know what happened to the red-skinned mutant and didn’t know where to search if he wanted to. Azazel’s teleportation range was near limitless. He was simply gone. Raven was now only Mystique and an enemy. It hurt that knowledge and unfortunately unavoidable.

The rest followed him into the elevator as they made their way into the subbasement and headed towards the danger room.

“None of you have to stay the whole time, there’s no telling how long this will take. When it looks to me that Logan is calming down and ready for a more rational state I’ve agreed with Victor that he will go in and deal with the situation. Hopefully from there we can rehabilitate Logan and fully bring him back out into a more social environment.” Charles explained calmly as he once again took lead outside the elevator. They saw Kurt waiting at the entrance of the danger room, Logan wasn’t in sight. The lock was set on the danger room stating that someone was already inside. Charles gave him a kind smile as a thank you.

“I would like to observe how it goes in the beginning.” Scott states in a hard tone, Charles heard Victor snort at that. Thankfully neither starts anything; Scott’s busy telling Jean that she could go rest and that she deserves it. Scott’s always did look out for her, even when she gets stubborn. She reluctantly leaves, trusting Scott’s judgment. She takes Peter with her and Kurt takes a hint and leaves the three of them alone as they enter the control room that for now would double as an observation room.

It was activated to the right program and Charles marveled at the realism of it as a bird flew by the window. In the center of a small clearing laid an unconscious Logan.

Let’s hope this works and he doesn’t decide that he likes it in there… Charles thought to himself, but knows if it came to that gentle nudging can help persuade Logan otherwise. 

~ Man ~ Weapon ~ Animal ~

Stryker had bouts of doubt when it came to this decision of hiring what could nearly amount to what can be considered nothing more than a time bomb waiting to go off. Omega Red already took down one prison, two half-way houses and an alleyway of bums. All to keep him satiated, Stryker almost toyed with the idea of giving him the C-sync early, but scrapped that idea. What’s the point of having a bargaining chip if you just give it away for nothing? Who’s to say Omega Red won’t turn on him the second he had what he wanted.

So far it was apparent that he liked to flip through radio channels, commenting on the lack of style American musicians had. Especially when it came to one Lady Gaga. Stryker slightly agreed. But as for all musicians who were American not having style, Stryker disagreed. He liked the older stuff. Omega Red tried to find something sung in Russian, but mercy to Stryker’s ears he didn’t find any. He wasn’t in the mood to listening to anything foreign.

So they listened to news while Stryker literally drove the man into New York. They were on the opposite side of where the school was located. Within two to five days they will get the green-light and Omega Red would be released on the school with soldiers as back up. And Stryker would get his weapon back! And as soon as Weapon X was back in Stryker’s possession he will give the C-Sync to Omega Red and arrange for the man to be destroyed when at a safe distance.

He was behind in business that Weapon X offered him when controlled. Pity things weren’t like they were back in the day when Team X was founded and was actually a part of SHEILD, just a blacked out and classified part of that department. Back when it had enough common sense. Those were no longer the days. These days he had to wheel and deal under the table and through unofficial channels. He didn’t have a problem doing that, it was a war. But he believed that he shouldn’t have to. His father must be rolling in his grave by now.

Omega Red’s phone rang and he of course answered it in Russian. Stryker had the conversations recording so he could get it translated and sent to him in order to make sure there will be no secrets held from him. Stryker pulled into what appeared to be a mansion.

“We’ll be staying here, think of it as a base set up by a few friends of mine.” Stryker stated as he watched Omega Red pull the phone away from his ear as he watched the area with suspicious looks.

“Very nice… I vill have my dry cleaning sent here, yes.” Omega Red stated casually as he spoke Russian into the phone one last time before hanging up.

“I don’t see why not. When did you contact the dry cleaning?” Stryker asked conversationally, all the while cursing the fact that he has to communicate with this abomination like this. Weapon X was going to suffer for forcing Stryker to put up with this farce of a situation.

“Just now.” Omega Red answered with a sly grin as he waved the turned off phone slightly. Stryker nodded and parked the car, thanking the fresh air to give him a reprieve from having to breathe the same air as Omega Red. A woman walked towards them, showing no emotion. Stryker smiled at her, she didn’t react. She wasn’t supposed to. He had her under his complete control.

He gave her a folder that was labeled under her codename, Lady Deathstrike.

“Observe only.” Stryker stated, his usual confident smirk played on his features as he walked past her. Omega Red watched with unhidden amusement before following calmly into the mansion like building that was cleared out inside. Not even a nail on the wall was left.

“It was confiscated, a former grow op. Everything had to be cleaned out to fix the wiring.” Stryker stated calmly as he left Omega Red to his own, let him figure this place out. Stryker needed a break.