"Zzzzz..."
The sound of electromagnetic doors rotating open echoed through the room.
Two security personnel, dressed in black tactical gear, dragged in the unconscious Nightcrawler.
"Boss, we've caught the target. It took enough tranquilizer to knock out an elephant."
"Good. Lock him up in the special cage; we'll study him later."
Adam wasn't too interested in Nightcrawler's teleportation ability. He knew it was rooted in the realm of magic, achieved by moving through an alternate dimension.
The black smoke and sulfurous smell that accompanied his teleportation came from that dimension, where ancient demonic mutant creatures were sealed away, their leader being Azazel.
So, even if Adam figured out the mechanics of this power, without the demon's bloodline, entering that space would be like serving oneself up as a meal for those creatures—an inevitable death sentence.
If Nightcrawler hadn't been so persistent in chasing after Mystique and stumbling upon Umbrella, Adam wouldn't have bothered capturing him.
As Nightcrawler was dragged away, Adam turned his attention to Mystique.
"Begin the gene extraction."
At his command, the surrounding scientists sprang into action.
..........
The next morning:
At the foot of a snow-covered mountain in North Dakota, the temperature was freezing, hovering around minus four or five degrees, even though it was July and the rest of the country was sweltering.
In a rundown bar nestled in the snow, a few fires burned in the corners, offering meager warmth.
Logan sat in his corner, sipping whiskey and smoking a cigar, contemplating where to begin his search for his lost memories.
Suddenly, he felt eyes on him. He turned and saw a young girl, about seventeen or eighteen, staring at him.
She was cloaked in black and had a hood pulled low, but from her fair complexion, Logan could tell she wasn't a regular around here. He turned back to his drink, uninterested.
The old television in the bar flickered on with the news.
"Ellis Island, once the gateway for immigrants entering the United States, will become the focus of international attention once again."
"In six days, the United Nations Summit will be held here, with an unprecedented gathering of over two hundred world leaders. They will discuss economic issues, arms agreements, and the global impact of mutants."
"Many U.S. senators believe the primary focus should be reaching an international consensus on mutant regulation…"
Before Logan could absorb the news, a burly man approached him from behind.
"Hey, I think that prize money should belong to me."
Logan recognized the man—his opponent from the underground cage fights. Without his memories, and with no other means of making a living, Logan had been surviving by fighting for cash. But now, the guy was demanding his prize money.
"Normal folks don't get beaten like that without a scratch," the man sneered.
His meaning was clear: he suspected Logan was a mutant and intended to blackmail him with that secret.
Logan, feeling bored, turned away and ignored him. He didn't care anymore—about his identity, being a mutant, or anything else. He couldn't even remember who he was.
Seeing Logan's disinterest, the man leaned closer, his voice dropping to a threatening whisper. "I know what you are. Pay up, or I'll expose your secret."
Logan's patience snapped. "Keep pushing, and losing that money will be the least of your worries."
Before the man could respond, he whipped out a knife and lunged at Logan.
From across the room, the girl cried out, "Watch out!"
Logan turned swiftly, pinning the man against the wall with one hand while unsheathing three metal claws from the other.
The bar fell silent as all eyes turned to the scene. The bar's owner emerged from behind the counter, holding a shotgun that he aimed directly at Logan's head.
"Freak. Get out of my bar!!"
The hostility towards mutants was evident in the man's words.
Logan's survival instincts kicked in, his anger rising like a tidal wave. He spun around and slashed the shotgun in half with his claws, the broken barrel falling to the floor with a clatter.
For a moment, Logan's eyes gleamed red with murderous intent, but slowly, he reined in his rage. He sheathed his claws, grabbed his backpack, and headed for the door.
The girl, who had been watching the whole encounter, hesitated for a moment before following him outside.
Logan stepped into the freezing cold, his breath fogging in the air. Even with his enhanced healing and tough physique, the biting chill made him shiver.
He hurried over to his RV, got inside, and cranked up the engine. As the vehicle rumbled to life, he stared down at his clenched fists, lost in thought.
He still couldn't remember who he was. The only things he knew for certain were that his fists could sprout claws and that his body healed faster than any normal human's.
Minutes later, he drove off into the snowy wilderness, the fading daylight signaling that night was approaching. The landscape around him was a bleak expanse of snow-covered trees and frozen ground.
At some point during his journey, nature called, and Logan pulled the RV over to the side of the road. He climbed into the back of the vehicle, only to hear some rustling coming from the trailer behind him.
Pulling back the tarp, he discovered the girl from the bar, huddled in the corner.
"What are you doing here?" Logan demanded.
The girl, looking sheepish, stood up and apologized. "Sorry, I was hoping to hitch a ride. I thought maybe you'd help me."
"Get lost," Logan grunted.
He wasn't interested in forming any kind of bond, not with anyone, not after losing his memories.
"Where am I supposed to go?" the girl asked, climbing out of the trailer.
Since discovering her ability to absorb energy from others, she'd been treated like a monster by her family and classmates. She'd been wandering aimlessly ever since.
Finding another "freak" like herself, she thought she might have a chance at some companionship, but it seemed she was wrong.
"You don't know, or you don't care?" Logan snapped as she got out.
She gave a sad look as she adjusted her backpack. "I saved you, you know."
"No, you didn't," Logan retorted.
With his skills and healing factor, there had never been any real danger for him. He hopped back into the RV and started driving away.
But after a few meters, Logan stopped again, glancing in the rearview mirror. The sight of the girl, standing there with nowhere to go, stirred something within him. His heart, hardened by the years of lost memories and pain, softened just a little.
Seeing the vehicle come to a stop, the girl's face lit up with hope. She grabbed her bag and quickly ran after him.
___________________________
Upto 20 chapters ahead on patreon :-
patreon.com/ShadySmuggler