El Paso County, Texas. Early morning.
Logan had just dropped off his last passenger and was dozing off in the rented stretch limo when the noise outside woke him up.
"Damn it!"
Cursing angrily, he struggled to sit up and pushed the car door open.
He had encountered this scenario countless times before—it was likely some gang of smugglers from across the Mexican border eyeing his limo, trying to strip its tires to sell for cash.
But he couldn't let them get away with it this time. He still needed the car to earn a living, and right now, he needed money badly.
The professor's medication cost a fortune to maintain, and Logan had been saving up for a yacht, hoping to take Charles to live safely at sea.
Having lived for so many years and witnessed the deaths of friends and loved ones, Logan was tired of life.
His only remaining desire was to ensure his last surviving friend, Charles—who had once saved him—could enjoy a peaceful and dignified old age.
If these gangsters succeeded in stealing the tires, not only would Logan owe the rental company money, but he'd also lose his only source of stable income.
"Hey! These lug nuts are chrome-plated! You're messing them up—get out of here, now!"
Leaning against the door, Logan tried to reason with the gang without resorting to violence. His words fell on deaf ears.
One of the gangsters immediately raised a gun and shot at him before continuing to remove the tires.
Killing someone seemed as casual to them as eating or drinking.
Although Logan's healing factor had significantly weakened due to the adamantium poisoning his body, the injury wasn't fatal.
He stood up slowly, extended his claws, and lunged into a fight with the gang.
However, his aging body and lack of rest quickly took their toll. Surrounded by six thugs, Logan was beaten to the ground, forced to cover his head with his arms and wait for an opportunity to counterattack.
"George, can he really help us in this state?"
From the truck, Gabriela watched anxiously.
After four hours of searching, they had finally tracked Logan to El Paso County. But the scene before her shook her confidence.
George smiled and nodded.
"Of course, he can. He'll be a great help."
Despite how Logan looked now, if he truly got serious, even more thugs wouldn't stand a chance against him.
And if they could find a way to cure the adamantium poisoning, Logan's body might return to its peak condition. After all, Apocalypse, who shared the same healing ability, had lived thousands of years without aging.
"You stay here. I'll talk to him."
George stepped out of the truck, leapt down, and used his powers to guide two daggers toward the gangsters, slashing at their throats.
He had no sympathy for people who killed the innocent without hesitation. His strikes were swift and aimed directly at vital spots.
Swish, swish, swish.
The sound of knives cutting through windpipes filled the air as the gangsters dropped to the ground, clutching their necks in disbelief.
Logan, sensing the sudden change, lowered his arms and looked around, stunned.
A hand extended toward him.
"Are you alright, Logan? Wolverine?"
"Friend, you've got the wrong guy. I'm not Wolverine. But thanks for the help," Logan said, rising unsteadily without taking the offered hand.
George wasn't bothered. He retracted his hand and continued, "My name is George. I'm a mutant, and we have 35 mutant children who need your and the professor's help."
"Mutants? Mutants are gone. There are no mutants left in this world, and there's no Wolverine or professor anymore."
Logan shook his head, crouching with difficulty to gather the lug nuts scattered on the ground to fix the tires.
With a wave of George's hand, the lug nuts floated into the air and landed neatly in his palm.
"Natural mutants are indeed rare now, but mutants created through experiments still exist. I, for instance, was synthesized using the genes of the professor and Magneto."
"Who are you, really?"
Seeing the floating lug nuts, Logan's expression turned wary, and his claws extended again, though one stopped halfway.
George paused briefly, then gestured toward the truck parked nearby. Moments later, Gabriela approached with the 35 mutant children, including Laura.
"Show Mr. Logan your abilities."
Laura extended her adamantium claws, Rictor raised a wall of earth from the ground, and the other children demonstrated their powers—controlling wind, fire, plants, water, and electricity, as well as breathing frost.
Though their abilities were underdeveloped, they clearly proved their mutant identities.
"Mr. Logan, George isn't lying. We escaped from a genetic research facility in Mexico City," Gabriela explained, recounting her experiences and describing the horrors of the lab.
After listening, Logan took a deep breath, looked at George and the children, and replied with difficulty, "I'm afraid I can't help you. I'm not capable anymore."
Logan's life didn't matter to him, but Charles's condition left no room for distractions. If things went wrong, the professor might pay the ultimate price.
Though reluctant, Logan still refused.
Gabriela's expression darkened, but George remained unfazed. He had anticipated Logan's response and wasn't about to give up.
He knew Logan's reasons for refusal and understood that at his core, Logan was a kind man. All he needed was a reasonable push to persuade him.
"I've seen some information about the Westchester Incident back at the lab. You're working so hard to earn money—probably to treat the professor's illness.
Helping us would actually help Charles and yourself. If our plan works, the professor could have access to the best medicine and equipment in the world, maybe even recover completely."
George briefly told him about his plans.
"But have you considered," Logan countered after a moment of silence, "that someone like Tony Stark might not reward us at all?
The world isn't full of grateful people. Some will repay kindness with betrayal, or worse."
Logan spoke with deep conviction.
He remembered a time during World War II when he saved a military officer on the battlefield. Years later, that same officer, nearing death, had coveted Logan's healing ability and tried to kill him to take it for himself.