Wolverine #95 -- "With Friends Like These..." Written by: >>>--Ricochet--> (miturria@artsu1.watstar.uwaterloo.ca) Part 2 of 7: Adamantium Bound Saga ************************************************************************ ** X-WRITERS is a fan-fiction e-mail group. Wolverine and X-related ** ** characters are copyrights of Marvel Comics and are used without ** ** permission. We are not sponsored by any other private organization** ** MUSH, individual, etc. We are a non-profit group of amateur comic ** ** writer hopefuls. Please don't rain on our parade with a lawsuit. ** ** I would like to keep the $1.37 in my bank account. Enjoy!!!!!! ** ************************************************************************ On a small port on the coast of Spain.... The wreckage was severe, and what was left of any crew would leave the authorities busy for weeks. The foul smell of death and carnage gripped the air around them like a choke hold. Wails and gasps could be heard behind the wall of policemen who were trying to hold the fearful crowd back from the slaughter. The common cry of "Madre Dios!" was exclaimed by many. Inspector Ramirez, in all his 50 years on the force, had seen something remotely close to this onslaught once before, but the torture and unspeakable violence that occurred on the washed up wreckage was so severe, he had to contain himself from throwing up more than once. Many others were not as strong willed. The most puzzling piece of this fury of madness was written on the remains of the hull. In blood, the word Wolverine signitured the wood, with an X deeply slashed through it with the furt and strength of a savage beast. ~~~~~ * ~~~~~ Somewhere on the road to salvation.... *The snow or wind don't bother me none. In fact, the brisk cold air makes me feel alive and free. After all these years, after everything that has happened through my life (and death), its the simple thing as a winter's breeze that can really strike deep into a man's heart. And what a troubled heart it is.. the love's gained and lost, the family and friends that have come and gone, the joys and pain I have lived through... was it all worth it? You're damn right it was! If their is one thing I aint ever cried about are the things that have happened to me. They made me what I am today. And, for the most part, I like me. My friends like me. Heck, I even begin to think that my enemies like me. But now it's time for this ol' canucklehead to figure out just who is this me that I like. My memories are a maze of fantasy and reality. Who knows which dreams and thoughts are real anymore. Added to that is the fact that the feral part of me has been growing stronger, and it aint getting easier to fight.I don't even know if I want to anymore. That scares me a little. Scares my friends a lot. This guy, Jaime Munoz says he can fix me. For the sake of my friends, I'll give him a try. I know I don't have to do this alone. The X-Men would back me up through thick and thin, but this is something I gotta find out for myself. * Wolverin could feel his consciousness slip away. The cold breeze slapped him alert now and then, but the strain of thought was overwhelming. Thoughts of his past ran rampant in his head, trying to peice together all that was known. Perhaps some of the peices fit more than twice. Either way, this wasn't going to be solved with speculation alone, Logan needed some concrete answers. *Something has been troubling me for quite sometime now. This Munoz.. I've swear I've seen him before. Dreams of his face trouble me at night, prodding me with needles and sensors. Only one place I can think of that fits the bill, and I don't like it. But it seems most of my troubles start and end with my involvement in Weapon X. Hopefully Jaime Munoz will have some answers, as well as the cure. * **GEEZ LOUISE!!!!** The railing came as fast as his mind could register. The hazy thoughts of his past were now flooded with the immediate danger of plummeting over the rail of the mountain road. The road was snowy enough to prevent any evasive maneuver, as the valiant effort was met with the bike skidding onto its side, sliding wheels first into the barrier. Logan let go of the grips, but his momentum was too great.. he followed the bike as it crashed into the rail. Luckily, the engineers had done their job, as the safety precaution lived up to its name. It didn't make the pain any easier to live with. ~~~~~ * ~~~~~ Japan.. Yuriko looked at the newspaper in amazement. After all these long years of torment, chasing Logan , even giving up her humanity to fight for the honour of her father Lord Darkwynd, Lady Deathstrike could not believe the words that seemed to laugh at her from the paper. "American Doctor Finds Biological Link to Precious Metal Alloy". "Gaijin dogs!" she yelled as her cyborg hands ripped the newspaper into fine shreds. "Jaime Munoz, pray to your gods little man, for my father's honour is about to restored.. with your DEATH!" ~~~~~ * ~~~~~ *Sloppy. Was a time I would have been able to jump off the bike and do a triple gainer. Heck, I shouldn't have even been close to that barrier had I kept my mind straight. Bike's ruined.. so's the right arm for the time being. Healing factor'll knit that up. The ego is another matter.* Logan looked down the cliff, taking in the thought of how close he came to meeting the base of the mountain quicker than expected. The wind began to pick up, as he flipped up the collar of his jacket to keep in the warmth. He checked his pockets to see if everything was accounted for. It was all there, some of it a little squished, like the package he kept in his breast pocket. He opened it up, pulled out a stick and placed it in his mouth. The taste hit him like a freight train, as a smile grew on his face. *Nothing like a good stick of chewing gum to ease a man's pain. Gave up those cancer ridden garbage awhile back. You kids out there who are smoking would pay attention to your pal Wolverine, it aint a pretty habit.* The walk ahead of him was long, but it gave him time to clear his head. More thoughts of Jaime Munoz ballet danced in his head. To bad Logan had never understood the ballet, or he might have been able to decipher what all these thoughts meant. It was a couple of hours before the flash of lights hit him. Jean Grey pulled up beside him in a jeep. Her warm smile had washed away all his cold and pain. "Need a lift?" Logan climbed into the jeep without a smile. "You shouldn't be here Jeanie. I would have asked for help if I wanted it." "I know you better than that Logan." she replied in a stern motherly voice. Having no recollections of his childhood, Logan took comfort in her tone. "You always put others in front of yourself. Well, it's about time *BUB* that you just sat there, shut up, and listen" Logan's eyes went wider than ever, as Jean's comment froze him like a deer in headlights. The stunned look was overtaken by a wide grin. *It's no wonder I love her so,* he thought *she tamed the savage beast*. "Logan, this trip you are taking is very important to you. We all know what you are going through, and we respect your need for privacy" "Has nothing to do with privacy Jeanie, but with hon.." "Quiet. I'm doing the talking here. Privacy, honour, call it what you like. Its about finding out about yourself. I know a lot about that. When I had thoughts of Phoenix and Madelyne running through my head, it was more than I could stand sometimes. And this business of your feral side, Logan, I think has more to do with your heart than with the adamantium. Logan, I love you, I always will. The X-Men love you. We are here for you, and deep down inside you know that. I'm not here to offer my help, but I think its about time someone told you that they loved you. We love you for who you are Logan, who you were, and who you will be. This quest you're on will help settle some things in your head, but only you can settle the things in your soul. Hopefully, knowing that our spirit and love goes with you will help in that struggle." Jean leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Jeanie, I don't want the boy scout after me now too" They both laughed heartily. "And Jean..." "Yes?" "Thanks.. for understanding. Try and make the others understand. And take care of Jubilee for me." "For the mean time I will, but you just hurray back to us, and take care of her yourself. So where to?" "Airport... and Jeanie, I love you to." ~~~~~ * ~~~~~ High above the clouds over the mountain road, an aircraft right out of a Star Trek episode hovered quietly. Zoe Culledon sat and watched the monitor systems carefully, and couldn't help but smile. Logan had many friends, this she learned quickly, but as to the extent of these friendships, she learned today. The com system buzzed and interrupted her train of thought. "Agent Culledon, report." "Everything is running smoothly. Logan is on his way to the airport right now. " "Just make sure you get to the appointed destination before he does. There is too much riding on this for any screw ups. And make sure nothing happens to Logan before he gets there. Understood?" "Yes. Everything will be fine. That's why I'm as expensive as they come. Zoe Culledon out." The com went silent. She found it funny how most of these employers treated her like a Walmart nightwatchman. They all learned quickly just how competant and deadly she could be. *Wolverine is fine at the moment* she thought. She picked up a dosier from the computer console and glanced at it interestingly. *There is more pressing business to attend to* ~~~~~ * ~~~~~ Somewhere in Egypt... "Let me see if I hear you right?" His tone was as soft as it was menacing. "Cyber was in our possession, and you allowed him to escape." "Yessss... Master Genesis, but Cyber was ...." Spynes last words were cut off by the impact of a plasma shot connecting with his chest. The lizard-like mutant writhed on the floor like a worm on a hook, and ended his consciousness with a few brief spasms. "Take him to the infermary." ordered Genesis. "I will not tolerate failure. I will capture Cyber myself. Luckily for you Dark Riders, I still have need of your pathetic lives. Count yourselves among the blessed." Genesis walked out with out further word. "Serves Spyne right! Telling Cyber all that master crap!" "Oh shut up Hurricaine!" replied Lifeforce. "If it wasn't for your lack of..." Their argument could only hide the surface fear they all felt. Deep down inside, they all knew terror that was Genesis. ~~~~~ * ~~~~~ Somewhere in Spain... "... an' gimme another stoagie while your at it!" Cyber propped his feet onto the desk. The wharehouse was a smaller operation than he was used to, but what could he expect from second rate criminals. Hector Resendez was an old associate of Cyber's, and could get him out of Spain and into the States quicker than a Telly Savalis haircut. "Yes sir... and I hope the accomodations are.. acceptable?" replied Hector. "Yeah whatever.." It helped that Hector was deathly afraid of what Cyber could do to him, so it made his cooperation that much more helpful. Cyber took a deep puff of his cigar and blew a ring in the air. It floated over his head gently like an angel to the heavens. Cyber noted the beauty and elegance of the smoke, and with one fell swoop, destroyed it. Cyber laughed out loud! *I'll do a lot worse to you Wolverine* he thought. *And when I'm through with you, you'll pray for death!* His laugh grew louder and more disturbing. However, it was the insane smile on Cyber's face that haunted Hector Resendez sleep for many weeks. Next Issue: Wolverine gets an unexpected visit from Rogue, the Princess Bar is revisited with some old friends, and Cyber conitunes his mad hunt for Logan in "Flights of Fancy", part 3 of "The Adamantium Saga". ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* * Marc Antony Iturriaga * C T * "If I see ONE more cup of * * U of Waterloo *>>>--I---O----E-->* coffee...." * * Prez of the GFC * R C H * - J. Silverman "Friends"* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*