Weapon X: Man or Animal

Chapter 6

Colonel William Stryker knelt in front of a grave marked William Stryker Sr. Flowers left gently placed on the grave. He found himself thinking back on the stories his father told him, about his time dealing with mutants. It was those very stories as well as his experiences with the hideous abomination to humanity that fueled his willpower and steeled his commitment of purging humans of this threat. Red mutants who drop CIA agents from the sky, a mutant who created tornado’s and don’t forget Shaw. Stryker had files on everything, all safely tucked away and kept as his eyes only unless you were in a need to know category. And most wasn’t considered in that category.

His father would be embarrassed with the latest loss of Weapon X; his father would be embarrassed with how much money went down the drain. The first test run they had with Weapon X against the unwanted X-Men and that God-Forsaken school filled with mutant nobodies during school years. That school was a mockery to good upstanding schools.

“I nearly had that psychic killed Father, the one that read your mind.” Stryker murmured to the marble slab that had decorations carved into it along with dates and names. Stryker had the option of burying him with other decorated officers, but decided not to in the end.

'Weapon X received its orders, and with stealth the weapon was known for it took off towards the wall. Up and over, quick and easy. Far too easy, it helped that the power was cut so security would be all but lacking. The psychic would know the attack was coming that was for sure. And Stryker remained within a jeep that was next to the transport vehicle that was lined with a thin coat of adamantium, but that was all that was needed due to the metal’s strength and that didn’t even include the cage made of adamantium sitting neatly inside with scientists and soldiers that handled Weapon X daily. 

Technology was used to make them invisible to the psychic’s prying mind.

A young soldier sat in the driver seat; he was new and a bit nervous. But the young soldier was eager to please. Stryker liked it when they were eager to please. 

“How’s the family Lieutenant?” Stryker asked casually, keeping an ear out for what was happening and a dog whistle in his hand ready to call Weapon X back without a moment’s notice.

“Um, they’re great. My wife gave birth to a healthy baby boy.” The young Lieutenant answered, Stryker nearly wanted to ask if he had the boy tested if he had the X-Gene or not. If he did, it wouldn’t stop Stryker from dealing with that immediately. But instead he settled for a polite,

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you sir.” The young Lieutenant said, he practically beamed. Stryker remembered a time when he was just as happy and excited to hold his son in his arms. Up until he discovered that his son was an abomination just like the rest of the mutants. He loved his son, don’t get him wrong. He did. But his son was dead to him the second he became a mutant. 

The clear sounds of fighting were heard even from here. Good thing Stryker had a cover up story in place already. Apparently there is a movie being made, and a good few blocks around this school was blocked off for it. Stryker smiled to himself. He was going to let this continue for a bit. Let him have his fun, run off his energy. It’s the least he could do for the weapon; it was well-behaved for the last couple of days.' 

In the end, however, Stryker had no choice, but to call him back, and cursed Doctor Zander Rice. For it, as well as Doctor Sarah Kinney. Apparently those two were bickering like cats and dogs when it came too little X-23 who was being tended to after completing another mission, this time separate from Weapon X. They worked so well together. Frowning slightly he remembered the lectures and the punishments he dealt out to both of them. Rice was officially off the project until further notice. Kinney was forced to watch the clone go through training exercise after exercise, all of which injured and brought X-23 down to her knees. Stryker knew the best ways to get to each person.

Just like he knew how to get to the doctors who were originally a part of this whole project back when they recaptured Weapon X in Japan. It was too easy.

Weapon X returned like a good dog, and was taken back into the transportation vehicle by his handlers and soldiers. He resisted almost like he didn’t want to leave, it was either that or he just didn’t want to be cooped up in that cage again. He got punished for it as soon as they returned to the base; Stryker still remembers the growls and screams.

Stryker originally had the Reifying Encephalographic Monitor also known as REM on Weapon X the first time back when they recaptured him and then this time and, despite how well the REM machine worked, it didn’t reconstruct Weapon X as fully as he would have liked. Sure it managed to do a lot of damage and fixing. But it was supposed to completely reduce the mind to something close to a beast-like state of consciousness – devoid of fear and doubt and desire, stripped of memory and emotion, and unfazed by personal extinction – would never waver. In its pristine purity, such a mind would experience no pain, suffer no discomfort, feel no remorse.

It didn’t do that completely, Stryker knows that for a fact now. Sure it did most of that, but there was still some emotion left behind and some ability to think on some level. It was unacceptable, but there was nothing he could do now, Weapon X was freed as was X-23. They both were now in the possession of Xavier and his club of nobodies.

That left Stryker in a tough spot. One he didn’t appreciate at all.

~ Man ~ Weapon ~ Animal ~

Scott Summers would freely admit that he was divided on the entire situation with Victor Creed and still a bit unsure about the situation with Logan.

True he was glad that Logan was gone, but he would have never wished what happened to the man on anyone. Logan was rude, he was an ass and he had no respect for authority not to mention he didn’t seem to have the ability to simply trust anyone. And Scott was higher authority than Logan when it came to the X-Men and this school, only outdone by the Professor himself. But he was looking in Logan’s files that were started when Logan first came and now, there certainly was a lot of things explaining why the man acted out the way he did. Scott understood that now, the man was suffering from PTSD to some extent and now Scott figured it was probably a big thing in Logan’s personality.

The anger and the flashbacks or nightmares, irregular sleeping patterns as well as hypervigilance. Not to mention now Jean told him that when she scanned him the first time he seemed calm outwardly. Even nonchalant about it, flirting with her even. But due to her being a psychic sensed he was uncomfortable and it increased the longer they were in the lab. Scott now figures, as does everyone else for that matter that the situation was a subconscious reminder of sorts and thus reminded his body of past trauma.

Scott was only aware of all of this to his level simply because he read the files and took a few short courses in order to help him become a better leader. 'A lot of good it did you if you were so willing to throw away a damaged mutant because you couldn’t take his attitude or his aggression. Who knows how good he could have been on this team.' Scott thought to himself bitterly as he sat in his classroom, his motorcycle taken apart again for the purpose of cleaning it and calming his own mind down from dealing with all the stress.

He glanced up momentarily to notice Sabretooth passing his open door, and frowned. Having that man here brought back too many memories. And fear. He remembered all too well the fear he felt as he ran through the hallways from a man who kept up too easily. Scott never felt so helpless in his life. Not being able to open his eyes and feeling a man with hideous claws holding him down. He was pleading, shaking. Then, mercifully knocked out. Only to wake up in a worse off situation. He still didn’t know how he escaped exactly. Just that the locks were broken and he and others escaped thanks to the Professor leading them to the exit with his mind.

Sabretooth was such a cruel man back then, and he still is. Some of the young woman he heard that were taken from their cells never came back. He could have sworn he heard them screaming. And laughter, he could have sworn he heard laughing. But that might have been his fear playing tricks on him. Sabretooth also tended to use the danger room a lot; apparently it’s the only thing that keeps him occupied at the moment. But Scott knew that there will come a time that fake simulations of murders and who knows what else he’s programmed into his personal simulation won’t be good enough. That the need for blood will become too great to resist and the X-Men will have to deal with that.

The only good thing that came out of having Sabretooth here was the extra help in getting Logan out of that place, and Laura. Scott was extremely uncomfortable with considering her X-23, it kind of reminded him of a conversation he once heard the Professor and Magneto have not too long ago. He had to shake his head to get that thought out of his head; he couldn’t let himself start thinking about that sort of thing. It would ruin his chances of achieving the Professor’s and his own dream. But still, the way he saw Creed look at the people he was killing. The sadistic enjoyment was as clear as daylight to the point that even a dense child could understand and notice it. It was disgusting.

Still, maybe there was some part of Sabretooth that cared about his sibling? That could be a long shot though, Sabretooth seems pretty closed off in regards of caring about anyone. And he hasn’t even faced his brother yet? What was he so afraid of when it comes to facing the situation? Scott wouldn’t doubt that.

“How are you doing Scott.” A calm voice caught his attention, and the sound of wheels moving along carpeted floors. Scott turned fully on his stool to face the Professor as he stopped when there were only a couple of feet between them.

“I’m fine.” Scott answered almost robotically; it was a response he used most of the time. He was the leader; he decided that he had to tend to everyone else. And in doing so he had to deal with his in a quieter manner. Professor Xavier didn’t approve or let him do it though.

“Honestly.” Professor Xavier pushed, Scott sighed. It was obvious that he was in one of these moods. He wouldn’t take a two word reply as an answer. Scott figured he needed more human contact as well, something to get his mind off of Logan down below along with Laura.

Silence for a moment, but it didn’t last long as he managed to say,

“How long will Creed actually stick around? Who knows what kind of threat he’ll be when he decides to kill again.” Scott really felt a need to know this.

“I don’t really think it’s his choice when he kills again. It’s like an addiction with him that rears its ugly head. I believe it’s safe to say he has chronic bloodlust, and needs to feel the glow.” Professor Xavier answered calmly, hands folded on his unfeeling lap.

“The glow?” Scott asked uncomfortably, not sure if he’ll like this answer if he were to get one.

“Think o’ it as a fix. Quenches my bloodlust, liken it to crack to a druggie if ya want. I don’ really give a fuck.” Sabretooth’s voice rumbled at the doorway, despite the amused smirk it didn’t meet his eyes. In fact, Scott saw that he wasn’t happy at all with the fact that he was being spoken about. Well too bad. Scott thought to himself and got a quick disapproval look from Professor Xavier who was now frowning in Sabretooth’s direction.

“That’s…” Scott started; it was a disgusting thing to say. Absolutely disgusting.

“Wha’? Sick? Who cares. You ain’t makin’ a big deal of all the little druggies gettin’ high.” Sabretooth mocked, a sneer showing off his abnormal fangs. It was proof that if the mutant in front of you actually sunk his teeth into you, you’d feel it. And Sabretooth fought dirty as it was, so Scott was sure that someone had scars of it if they survived.

“Of course I would!” Scott snapped angrily, he saw what drugs could do to someone. He wasn’t born yesterday and he lives in a school, and dealt with teenager mutants who used and are using drugs as an escape. He does what he can to help them. They all do.

“Ya ‘cause yer a boyscout.” Sabretooth purred out, his words were dripping with enough mockery that Scott nearly started to fume more visibly than he already was.

Before Scott could snarl anything else Professor Xavier interrupted with a timely,

“That is quite enough. Drugs and murdering people just so you can feel the thrill of it is two very separate things despite wording otherwise. And you will not succumb to that here, am I understood.” Scott turned his attention to Professor Xavier the second he started to speak, wheeling around to face the large mutant at the doorway.

A chuckle was the reply Scott heard, though he was surprised that Professor Xavier still had the ability to speak firmly like that without actually raising his voice. But then again, he shouldn’t be considering how things are now.

“Whatever you say, Professor. You obviously know shit loads more ‘en I do.” Sabretooth taunted, leaving plenty of bait to obviously mock Professor Xavier. Though Scott knew the man dealt with his fair share of taunts and baiting in his life being what he is and what he dedicated his life to.

“I will not get into one of these with you again, I have enough on my plate as it is.” Professor Xavier said firmly, Scott right from a young age knew better then to fight against this tone. You never win and it had nothing to do with Professor Xavier’s abilities.

“Oh, an’ like what?” Sabretooth said, clearly uncaring about what Professor Xavier had to deal with currently. Scott seethed for that, how dare that mangy nobody treats the Professor like that?!

“Your brother and that young lady.” Professor Xavier calmly stated, his tone gone, but it was obvious now that the conversation won’t go any farther. And for that Scott was glad. A fight no doubt would have been started, and that could alarm Logan downstairs and the few that remained here to help.

That seemed to end the entire conversation, if that’s what you’d want to call it. He watched as Sabretooth turned icy and simply stalked off growling.