Chapter Four

Logan walked out into the brisk morning air. He paused at the entrance of the woods behind the mansion to survey his surroundings. His keen eyes scanned the grounds that surrounded the Xavier Institute, an establishment set up to allow mutants, shunned from society, a place to learn without interference and train with experienced supervision to control their abilities. A feral smile played across Logan's features as he took in the fresh morning air. After assuring himself that nothing was amiss, Logan trotted off into the dense forest before him.

Walking quickly, he entered a clearing deep in the wooded area. Logan shed his shirt and tossed the article of clothing across a nearby low hanging branch. He began a series of stretching exercises, his muscles straining under the intense pressure. Feeling satisfied that he was sufficiently limber; Logan began to proceed into intensive martial arts exercises, a form of which resembled a mix of judo and karate. Animal like snarls accentuated the usual sounds of the forest as Logan slashed and leaped at imaginary targets in the clearing, razor sharp bone claws extended from between his knuckles.

On the other side of the clearing, a pair of blue eyes was intently watching the spectacle. Logan finished up his exercises, and promptly plopped down on the soft ground beneath him. Sitting with his legs crossed, he closed his eyes, retracted his claws back into his forearms, and allowed his head to droop slightly.

"Ya gonna sit there watchin' all day?"

Jubilee jumped at the sound of his voice. 'Keep forgettin' to stay downwind of that sniffer', she thought to herself. Sheepishly, she entered the clearing, walking toward the prone figure of her best friend.

Logan's eyes snapped open, and a small grin crossed his face as he surveyed the small figure walking toward him. "Ya change more and more each time I see ya, Jubes." Logan stood up, and dusted the pine needles from the back of his jeans. "C'mere and give me a hug."

Jubilee sprinted to the now standing figure, and leaped into his awaiting arms. "Oh Wolvie, you would not believe how BORING school is without you around!"

Wolverine returned the embrace, just to see Jubilee frown and pull away from him. "Eww, Wolvie sweat! Dude, you gotta go take a shower so I can give you a proper hello!"

Wolverine chuckled and released his hug. "Sorry about that Jubes. Kinda forgot myself in the excitement of seeing you again. What brings ya back here?"

"Frosty is giving us some downtime, and there is NO way I could get anything done around that madhouse. Jono completely destroyed the kitchen last week. He was trying to show off for Paige, and nearly burned the whole place down. Think he was trying to cook a turkey without the benefit of an oven or somethin'. Anyway, here I am, and I was hoping to get in some quality time with a certain furry friend before trudging back to the living hell that is Frosty's playhouse. You game?"

Logan smiled at the shining face that Jubilee presented him. "Sure, kid. Lemme finish up here, and I will go and get freshened up."

"Sweet. Besides, I have been back here at the mansion for an hour, and I have yet to make Cyclops cry!"

Logan growled under his breath, and swatted at Jubilee as she dodged his mock attack. "Don'tcha get Slim all riled up until after I have had a chance to make an escape."

Wolverine watched the disappearing figure of his partner slip back into the woods. It had been several years since Jubliee lived at the mansion, and it was always good to see the girl that had helped him when the Reavers in Australia crucified him. He sometimes thought of himself as her father figure, but as she grew up before his eyes, Logan began to regard the young Oriental woman as more of a partner. When they had first met, she was only thirteen, an orphan with nowhere to turn. She had spent several years under Wolverine's wing, but with the addition of a new school under Emma Frost, it was thought that it would be better for Jubilee to be around mutants her own age. Now, at twenty-one, she had mastered greater control of her mutant abilities, and it would not be long before she would want to come home to the X Men.

Wolverine's musings were suddenly cut short, as a blinding light seemed to split the air two feet in front of him. Galvanizing into action, Wolverine assumed a defense position, and with a <SCHLUT>, a pair of three bone claws emerged from his hands.

The air seemed to shimmer, as the light grew wider, soon forming a glowing disc pulsing with energy. As quickly as the light appeared, it was gone. In its place were two men, one of which did not seem to be coping with the travel as well as the other.

Nick Fury shook his head to clear the queasy feeling from the teleport. As he staggered against a nearby tree, he heard a low growl coming from the very tense Wolverine.

"I don't know what'cher doin' here 'bub, but yer not wanted" Wolverine snarled at the two figures in front of him.

Nick looked up and saw that Logan had his claws extended. That alone made him very nervous. But the murderous look in Logan's eyes made him truly question his decision to involve the Canadian.

"Easy there Wolverine. Before you start hacking us up, lemme try to explain." Nick could not see John Wraith beside him, but he could almost feel the older black man tense up at the sight of the snarling Wolverine.

As if he could sense his fear, Wolverine turned his gaze to Wraith. "And I thought ya promised that I would never have to see yer mug again after that crap you pulled over me and the rest of the team."

Wraith grimaced at Logan's words. "I am here merely at the request of a good friend. My involvement in any government affairs has long expired."

"Ya ain't got no friends, John. You betrayed em all. Yer always gonna be a S.H.I.E.L.D. pet, Wraith. Might as well get used to the idea." The look on Wolverine's face grew even darker.

Nick, having regained his facilties, decided this would be a good time to step in. "Look Logan, this definitely is not a personal visit. And given our past record, I understand if you are a little wary of ..."

"A little wary! Look, bub, yer watchdog here offered the entire the former Weapon X team up for a game of cat and mouse to satisfy some businessman's vendetta. I know we used to be friends, but the line ends there. The fact that we did use to be friends is the only thing that is savin' ya from me skewering the both of ya right now. I don't know what brought ya here, but yer pet there sure can getcha out. Ya know the way."

Nick's face was beginning to show traces of anger now. "Like I said Logan, this is not a personal visit. We have recently discovered information that you may want to know about. There are powers that be that want to see a resurgence of the very Weapon X project that you just mentioned, and you are gonna be the blueprint!"

Logan's eyes grew even wider. His snarl turned into a full-blown roar. He quickly retracted his claws and grabbed Nick Fury by the shirt. "Whatcha mean they are using me as a blueprint?", he roared in Nick's face. "Nobody is gonna get their hands on me this time."

A bead of sweat trickled down Nick's forehead. Few people have ever been this close to the X Man known as Wolverine when he was in a berserker rage and lived. Nick knew that it was a mistake to mention the Weapon X ordeal, and to rub the Canadian's nose in it by bringing along Wraith was a major fuckup big time. Not that any of this did him a bit of good at this point.

"Logan, I came here to ask for your help. One of your contacts in Madripoor tipped S.H.I.E.L.D. off about the emergence of someone who was peddling old Weapon X secrets to the Hand. It would appear that this person gained a very powerful ally who is able to provide him with the technology to make a new super soldier project a reality. Word from our operatives is that they have found a buyer, and the trade will be taking place soon."

Logan loosened his grip on Nick's shirt, dropping him back on his feet. "OK bub, ya got my attention. Now how do I play a role in this?"

"It seems that the person who was peddling the information also had another ace up his sleeve. He has genetic samples of every member of the original Weapon X program, including yourself and Creed."

Logan felt the hair on his neck stand up at the mention of his onetime partner and longtime enemy. "Anyone that would pay good money fer that looney's DNA deserves what will be comin' to em. As much as I don't like being a government pawn again, the idea of anyone going through what we had to go though pisses me off more. I will help ya out on this one, but I do it my way. No S.H.I.E.L.D. interference."

"I already anticipated that. As far as S.H.I.E.L.D. is concerned, you have no knowledge of this operation."

Wraith quietly stepped forward to stand beside of Fury. "Wolverine, I don't expect you to understand why I did the things I did. Just as I do not expect your forgiveness. However, I hope that you will allow the past to be just that, at least through this mission."

Wolverine surveyed the lean man before him. "Wraith, I promised ya that if I ever laid eyes on ya again, I would gut ya and leave ya fer dead. I'm goin' against my grain here, and I am gonna let things slide until we stop whoever it is that needs stoppin', but don't forget you and I gotta score to settle. Lucky fer you, this ain't the time."

Wolverine turned his attention back to Nick. "In the meantime, we better make off fer the mansion. I imagine that there will be a welcoming party any second now. I am sure that yer little teleportin' act alerted Bishop of yer presence here." Wolverine turned and grabbed his shirt from the branch nearby.

"Agreed. However, time is of an essence. We need to get to Madripoor as soon as possible. Wraith could teleport us there now, and we could have your belongings sent to follow ..."

"Not on yer life, bub. I think I will find my own ride. Gimme a day to tie up some loose ends here, and I will meet ya there."

"As you wish.", Nick replied. Wraith concurred with a nod. "In the meantime, as sick as this teleporting makes me, I think that we should go ahead of you. I am assuming that we will find you at the Princess Bar?"

"Old habits die hard, bub."

Wolverine turned to head back to the mansion as he saw the two former comrades disappear into thin air.