Categories > Movies > X-Men: The Movie > Daddy's Girl
One Step Behind
0 reviewsFollows X1. Logan's life is forever changed when he rescues an infant girl named X23 from a group called Hydra and raises her as his daughter. Then one day, they become entangled with a group known...
0Unrated
Daddy's Girl
Chapter 10: One Step Behind
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Scott, Jean, Ororo, and Logan were now all gathered outside the heavily reinforced door that guarded Cerebro. The Professor was still in an anxious state, the memories he had seen within the mind of Senator Edward Kelly still hanging strong over his being. But the important thing was that now they had the knowledge they needed to stop Magneto. Now they just had to find him.
"So this machine of his turns regular humans into mutants?" summarized Scott upon hearing the Professor's explanation of what he had seen in the senator's mind.
"Yes, it uses electromagnetic radiation to induce an artificial mutation, forming an X-gene in a being that would otherwise not manifest it," affirmed the Professor.
"But unfortunately, Magneto hasn't thoroughly studied his biology," added Jean, "Adding a gene in a body that's not prepared to accept it is like shoving high speed bullet train into a mouse hole. The damage it does to the human body is fatal. The cellular degeneration is practically irreversible."
"A fact that I doubt Magneto is aware of," said Ororo, not feeling too good about the implications such a device could have.
It was not a pleasant though, having Magneto use such a device on a mass scale. But these were only partial answers to the big picture. For Logan, he had much more pressing concerns.
"So then what the hell does this have to do with my daughter?" he asked with a frustrated grunt, "Why would he need her?"
Xavier took a deep breath, for Logan was not going to like what he had to say. But Laura was his daughter and he was bent on saving her. Therefore, he had a right to know.
"I'm not entirely sure, Logan. But I think I have an idea," he explained with a heavy heart, "You see, one of the things I noticed about that machine is that it seems predicated on Magneto's powers. Without it, there's no way it could function. But when he uses it, the strain on his body drains him. In fact, it nearly killed him."
"Stop stallin', Chuck! Just tell me what the hell he's gonna do to my baby!" shot Logan, prompting a protective reaction from Scott.
However, the Professor waved his student off, for this could not be avoided. Like it or not, Laura was a big part of this and Logan had to know.
"Using a machine like that on one man is just a stepping stone. I'm certain that Erik wants to use this device on a much larger scale. But if he's to survive the strain, he's going to need a means of counteracting the effects. In other words, he needs the ability to heal."
That hit Logan like a ton of bricks. It was finally starting to make sense now. He knew these pricks must have wanted him and Laura for a reason. Now he knew and it made him sick to the very pit of his stomach.
"No..." he said, dreading what this implied.
"I know," said the Professor with a sympathetic gaze, "If the senator's memories are accurate, there is also a smaller, secondary part to the machine. And while I can't be certain, I believe that it's some sort of transfer that takes the mutant power from one person and instills it on another like a conduit."
"Effectively giving Magneto Laura's healing powers, no doubt," concluded Scott, "And with that kind of endurance, there's no telling how far he could push that machine of his."
"Which is why we have to stop him!" said the Professor in a determined tone.
"Then what are we waiting for!" exclaimed Logan, "Let's stop this prick before he does anything more to my baby!"
The feral father was getting anxious again. He hated sitting around while his daughter's life was on the line. This time, Scott and Jean were forced to keep him from going berserker again. He didn't like it, but he was in this whether the X-men wanted him or not.
"We have to find him first, Logan," coaxed Ororo, "And only then can we strike."
"And just how in the hell do ya plan on doing that?" said Logan, his words dripping with sarcasm.
"With this, Logan...I call it, Cerebro," said Xavier as he turned to open the doors with the electronic retinal scanner.
"Cerebro?" said the skeptical Canadian, raising an eyebrow, "Sounds like mental illness."
Such words earned him a scorn from the three staff members, but he ignored them as he watched Xavier punch in a few commands into the high tech console.
"I assure you, Logan, this is our best weapon for a situation such as this," explained the Professor, "With this device a psychic can sense the mind of every human being on the planet. It has the power to discern between humans and mutants."
"Great, so then why the hell didn't ya use this thing before?!" shot Logan in response.
"Because it's not as easy as it looks, Logan!" replied Scott in a tone wrought with frustration over this man's continued disrespect, "We're talking about being connected to over six billion minds! It's not something anybody can do. It's very dangerous."
"Which is why I have specified it for use with my telepathy only," said Xavier as he wheeled himself into the vast chamber, "In addition, Magneto has a knack for shielding himself from my scans, so I'll have to go full power. And the sooner we find him, the sooner we can get your daughter back."
That silenced Logan as he watched the Professor wheel himself up to a console where a lone helmet littered with wires and tubes awaited him. As he put it on, the heavy metal doors closed behind him and the four mutants outside were left to wait and hope.
"Don't worry, Logan. The Professor will find her," said Jean, trying to sound supportive.
"I'll believe that when I see it," he replied with a grunt.
Not bothering to try any more words of comfort, the three X-men fell silent as they listened to the hum of the powerful machine. The lights flickered and a tense feeling dominated the air around them. They knew this was they're only shot. If they couldn't find Magneto here, then they were out of luck.
Inside the chamber of Cerebro, the Professor was preparing himself for the inevitable onslaught of minds that always came with using such a device. But having done this many times before didn't worry him. All he had to contend with now was using it at higher than normal power levels. And once the controls were set, he was ready to begin.
'Alright Erik...Where are you?'
Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, the Professor prepared to begin. However, unknown to him, the little 'surprise' that Mystique had left him was already going into effect.
Through one of the many tubes that fed into the helmet, a strange black chemical started making its way to the complex machinery that made the helmet work. At first Xavier didn't realize that anything was amiss. But when he started to sense all the minds of the entire human race, it hit him.
'No I...My head...'
Suddenly, he keeled over in his chair and numerous emergency alarms throughout the room sounded. Outside, this was not a welcome feeling as the four mutant scrambled to ascertain the situation.
"What's going on?!" demanded Logan, instinctively unsheathing his claws.
"Something's wrong!" said Jean in a grim tone, "We have to get him out of there!"
Rushing up to the console, Jean punched in the override command while Ororo and Scot anxiously waited to rush in to their mentor's aid.
"Professor! Professor can you hear me?!" yelled Scott through the door.
"Jean, hurry up and open this thing!" urged Ororo.
"I'm going as fast as I can!" she exclaimed, her hands moving frantically as she initiated the emergency protocols.
Finally, the door opened and the two X-men ran in to find their mentor keeled over the command console looking deathly still.
"Oh no...Oh Goddess, no!" said Ororo as she felt around for a pulse, "This is not good! Is he..."
"No!" shot Scott, not even letting her finish, "I can feel a pulse! He's out cold, but he's alive!"
"Then let's get him to the infirmary!" said Jean as she ran in to help.
Watching the three mutants of the X-men carry the frail body Professor Xavier off, Logan felt a renewed sense of dread come over him. He gritted his teeth in scathing anguish, for this had been their only chance. Without Xavier he couldn't find Magneto. Without Magneto he couldn't find his daughter.
Now that bastard was going to use his little girl for his sick war. Out there somewhere, he probably had Laura bound in some horrible way and was making her suffer. The thought of his little girl screaming in pain, crying out for her daddy was enough to shatter his soul.
It was over now. He had failed his little girl.
"No...Laura."
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Time moved in an incoherent blur as the Professor's body was put into the intensive care center. There, Jean used every bit of training and experience she had as a doctor to help her mentor. Scott did what he could to help, but even he couldn't guard his emotions from this. Professor Xavier was more than just a mentor to them...Much more.
Jean must have gone through every piece of equipment the institute had at its disposal. Half the meds they had in stock were focused entirely on saving this man's life. She pushed herself beyond her usual limits, a feat that seriously strained her body and mind. But she fought through it despite the obvious concern of her fiancé, who didn't dare stop her when he knew that she was determined to see this through.
"Come on, Professor! Stay with us!" she said anxiously as she filled his IV with some neuro-inhibiters to help relax his mind, "We need you. Please..."
Watching the monitors anxiously, Scott made sure it couldn't get any worse. It was very tense, but so far the Professor seemed to be responding to the treatment.
"He's stabilizing Jean. I think you did it," he told her.
"Yes...His EKGs are finally steady," said Jean as she tried to catch her breath.
All this stress was playing havoc on her powers. One of the lesser known facts about her that she kept from the students was just how much she struggled for control and it was times like this when it was especially hard.
Scott seemed to pick up on this as he watched her rub her temples. Sensing his future wife's distress, he got up and took her in her arms, clinging to her for the support they both so greatly needed.
"You did good, hun. You did real good," he said, placing a kiss upon her forehead.
"I don't know," she said in an uncertain tone now, "Without the Professor, how will we stop Magneto?"
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Upon seeing how bad Xavier's condition was, Logan's frustration reached its breaking point. He was officially out of options. Without this man, they couldn't find his daughter. He had placed his trust in these people and they had let him down. Now he was sick of it. If they couldn't find his baby, then he'd do it himself.
Storming down the halls of the lower levels, Logan was almost at the elevator. But before he could reach his destination, a lone voice stopped him.
"Logan! Logan wait!" said Ororo as she ran to catch up with him, "Where are you going?"
"I'm gonna find my daughter! Where the hell do ya think I'm goin'?!" he spat back in response, turning to flash the white haired woman a stern gaze.
"Oh? And just how do you plan to do that?" scoffed Ororo, folding her arms in a skeptical gesture.
"I don't know, but since you guys ain't helpin', I guess I'm on my own!"
Turning away, Logan was about to press the button on the elevator.
"You have no leads to follow, no trails to pick up, and no background information to go on. Leaving us now would be even more detrimental to your child."
"Don't tell me what's best for my daughter, lady!" yelled Logan angrily, turning around to face the younger woman with feral gaze, "You guys had your chance and you blew it! Face it, Magneto got the better of you! And now that baldy's out of the game, what else is there, huh?!"
"There's still a chance!" said Ororo strongly, not willing to admit defeat just yet.
"Bullshit! You guys are out and you know it! And if you can't help me, then I'll just have to help myself!"
The air between the two mutants seemed to grow hotter by the second. Maybe it was a reaction on the part of Ororo since this man was seriously pushing her. She knew he was a brute, but even this level of stubbornness was pushing it.
"You won't be doing your daughter any favors by going off like this and you know it," she said, trying to sound calm, yet stern, "Say you do leave and you try to find Magneto yourself. After what he did to you in the train station, do you really think you could stop him on your own?"
"I don't care!" he growled, turning away, "I'll do whatever it takes! I don't care what he does to me! I'm NOT letting him take my baby!"
"And would sacrificing yourself change that? Would it do Laura any good to see her father fight against a madman that she knows could kill him without breaking a sweat? How do you think that would make her feel?!"
Logan felt as though he was falling apart. Every piece of his being was just crumbling like a house of cards. Laura was in Magneto's hands now and he was powerless to help her. It made him feel like a failure, both as a father and as a man.
"Logan..." said Ororo, her voice becoming gentler as she reached forth and placed a hand on his shoulder, "I may not know much about you, but I know that you want to save your child. And we can help you. Just give us a chance."
"I already gave you a chance," he said, still not facing her, for he didn't want her to see the distraught look on his face.
"Then give us another. We'll find her."
Looking back at the determined eyes of the ebony weather which, Logan clenched his fists in a determined rage. He knew Laura wouldn't want him like this. He had to be strong for her. But it wouldn't stop hurting.
"I can't lose her," he went on to say, his voice becoming more distant, "I...I made her a promise. I told her I'd always be there for her."
"Then we'll just have to help you keep that promise."
It didn't lift Logan's spirits that much, but Ororo did manage to smile somewhat. Brute or no brute, this man was a very dedicated father. And his determination to do so was worthy of admiration.
"Now come, we have work to do and you have a daughter that needs you," she said, taking him by the hand and leading him back down the hall.
"Ah hell," said Logan, with a sigh, hoping this woman was right, "I hope I don't regret this."
"You won't. I promise," said Ororo confidently.
"In that case, lead the way darlin'. The sooner we find buckethead, the sooner I can make him pay for hurting Laura."
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Back in the infirmary, the Professor was resting comfortably. His condition had stabilized after having dealt with all that mental strain. But he would need some time to recover and that was time they did not have.
Still, Scott watched over him just in case. But seeing his mentor like this was very difficult for him.
"We need your, Professor," he said softly to his unconscious form, "You're...You're like a father to us here. We need your guidance. We need your strength."
Watching such a scene from afar put Jean Grey into a distraught state. Such words spoke volumes for the level of respect everybody had for the Professor. It was even more so for Scott, who was his first student.
It hurt her as well, for if it wasn't for him then she'd never have control over her powers. She never would have even met the love of her life. They needed to overcome this. Magneto couldn't be allowed to triumph. After all, they had a wedding to plan.
Trying to focus her attention on something else, Jean checked on Senator Edward Kelly, whose condition wasn't getting any better. His skin was now even paler and his whole body was starting to bloat up like a balloon. It was truly a horrific sight.
"Can...Can you cure me?" he choked out, sounding as though he was drowning in his own body fluids.
Not wanting to give him the news just yet, Jean hid her emotions and the truth from this dying man.
"I'll do what I can," she assured him.
He let out another round of coughing, spitting up some water mixed with blood. Jean wiped it away from his face, but it was only further confirmation that the end was near.
"But what...What about me being a mutant?" he asked, looking up at the redhead with a desperate look in his eye, "Can you cure that too?"
Jean forced herself to swallow the lump that was forming in her throat, but still she retained her poise.
"Mutation isn't a disease," she told him, "It's just a part of who you are."
"So that means it...It's a part of me now?"
"Yes...It is."
The look on Senator Kelly's deformed face sank as he sank into the cold infirmary bed. He was a mutant now. He was the very thing he had fought so hard to suppress. And there was no turning back now. His world had officially been shattered.
Was this how it felt for all mutants? Was this how it felt to be stuck with an inherent difference that could not be controlled? For so long now he had wondered and now in his final moments, he got his answer.
"I...I understand now," he said, feeling the world around him starting to slip away, "I finally...Understand."
Then, much to Jean's horror, his whole body started to swell. Stumbling back, all she could do is watch as the last of Senator Kelly's cell structure collapsed, falling apart in a cascade of water. Now there was nothing left...Nothing but a big puddle of water. It was a terrible way to die and this was just one of potentially millions who could suffer a similar fate.
"Oh God!" she gasped, feeling all the contents in her stomach jump up into her throat.
This couldn't be allowed to happen to anyone. Something had to be done. Magneto had to be stopped. And Jean Grey knew there was only one way to do that.
Slipping out of her lab coat, she left the infirmary and started making her way down the hall towards Cerebro. Scott picked up on this, sensing that something was amiss with his fiancé. Leaving the Professor to his rest, he followed her out into the halls.
"Jean?" he said watching as she continued walking without hesitation.
Jean ignored his words, not wanting to be talked out of this one.
"Jean? Jean, what are you..."
Then, it dawned on him. In seeing where she was heading, Scott knew what she was planning.
"Oh no," he said in a voice thick with dread, "Jean! Jean, don't do it!"
She was at the chamber entrance now, inputting the access code as Scott began to sprint down the hall to stop her. But he was already too late. She was going to find Magneto, even at the cost of her own well being.
"Jean! NO!" yelled Scott as he watched her step into the chamber of Cerebro, closing the door behind her.
'It's okay, Scott. I know what I'm doing,' she sent him via telepathy.
However, this didn't stop Scott from frantically pounding on the door, wanting to stop his fiancé from doing this. But they were out of time. It had to be done.
Taking the helmet in her hands, she ripped off the little injector that Mystique had planted, leaving the complex device ready for use. Placing it on her head, the young telepath closed her eyes and used every ounce of training the Professor had taught her over the years.
She had never used Cerebro before in this manner. She had only trained with it on low settings that were deemed safe. But she couldn't afford to be safe here. She had to find Magneto. Turning up the power, Jean felt the strain of millions of minds hitting her all at once and through the vast power of Cerebro she sought the location of the Brotherhood.
"Magneto...Laura...The Brotherhood! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
The lights outside flickered, causing Scott to worry even more as he felt her anguish through their link. Taking a step back, Scott prepared to blast the door down with his optic blasts. But before he could, the flickering stopped and the door opened. Without hesitation, he rushed inside where he found a tired Jean Grey slumped over the console.
"Oh no...Jean!"
Getting the helmet off her, Scott took her in his arms. She seemed conscious, but she was completely out of it. She was gasping for air and looked weakened from all the mental strain she had endured.
"Jean...What were you thinking?" said Scott, "You scared me. You..."
But Jean didn't let him finish. For as she opened her eyes, she had in her head the very image they needed. It was of a small island with a large, familiar statue of Lady Liberty. And this was where they had to go in order to stop Magneto.
"Scott," she said still trying to catch her breath, "I know where Magneto is."
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IN THE NAME OF LADY LIBERTY! REVIEW!
Chapter 10: One Step Behind
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Scott, Jean, Ororo, and Logan were now all gathered outside the heavily reinforced door that guarded Cerebro. The Professor was still in an anxious state, the memories he had seen within the mind of Senator Edward Kelly still hanging strong over his being. But the important thing was that now they had the knowledge they needed to stop Magneto. Now they just had to find him.
"So this machine of his turns regular humans into mutants?" summarized Scott upon hearing the Professor's explanation of what he had seen in the senator's mind.
"Yes, it uses electromagnetic radiation to induce an artificial mutation, forming an X-gene in a being that would otherwise not manifest it," affirmed the Professor.
"But unfortunately, Magneto hasn't thoroughly studied his biology," added Jean, "Adding a gene in a body that's not prepared to accept it is like shoving high speed bullet train into a mouse hole. The damage it does to the human body is fatal. The cellular degeneration is practically irreversible."
"A fact that I doubt Magneto is aware of," said Ororo, not feeling too good about the implications such a device could have.
It was not a pleasant though, having Magneto use such a device on a mass scale. But these were only partial answers to the big picture. For Logan, he had much more pressing concerns.
"So then what the hell does this have to do with my daughter?" he asked with a frustrated grunt, "Why would he need her?"
Xavier took a deep breath, for Logan was not going to like what he had to say. But Laura was his daughter and he was bent on saving her. Therefore, he had a right to know.
"I'm not entirely sure, Logan. But I think I have an idea," he explained with a heavy heart, "You see, one of the things I noticed about that machine is that it seems predicated on Magneto's powers. Without it, there's no way it could function. But when he uses it, the strain on his body drains him. In fact, it nearly killed him."
"Stop stallin', Chuck! Just tell me what the hell he's gonna do to my baby!" shot Logan, prompting a protective reaction from Scott.
However, the Professor waved his student off, for this could not be avoided. Like it or not, Laura was a big part of this and Logan had to know.
"Using a machine like that on one man is just a stepping stone. I'm certain that Erik wants to use this device on a much larger scale. But if he's to survive the strain, he's going to need a means of counteracting the effects. In other words, he needs the ability to heal."
That hit Logan like a ton of bricks. It was finally starting to make sense now. He knew these pricks must have wanted him and Laura for a reason. Now he knew and it made him sick to the very pit of his stomach.
"No..." he said, dreading what this implied.
"I know," said the Professor with a sympathetic gaze, "If the senator's memories are accurate, there is also a smaller, secondary part to the machine. And while I can't be certain, I believe that it's some sort of transfer that takes the mutant power from one person and instills it on another like a conduit."
"Effectively giving Magneto Laura's healing powers, no doubt," concluded Scott, "And with that kind of endurance, there's no telling how far he could push that machine of his."
"Which is why we have to stop him!" said the Professor in a determined tone.
"Then what are we waiting for!" exclaimed Logan, "Let's stop this prick before he does anything more to my baby!"
The feral father was getting anxious again. He hated sitting around while his daughter's life was on the line. This time, Scott and Jean were forced to keep him from going berserker again. He didn't like it, but he was in this whether the X-men wanted him or not.
"We have to find him first, Logan," coaxed Ororo, "And only then can we strike."
"And just how in the hell do ya plan on doing that?" said Logan, his words dripping with sarcasm.
"With this, Logan...I call it, Cerebro," said Xavier as he turned to open the doors with the electronic retinal scanner.
"Cerebro?" said the skeptical Canadian, raising an eyebrow, "Sounds like mental illness."
Such words earned him a scorn from the three staff members, but he ignored them as he watched Xavier punch in a few commands into the high tech console.
"I assure you, Logan, this is our best weapon for a situation such as this," explained the Professor, "With this device a psychic can sense the mind of every human being on the planet. It has the power to discern between humans and mutants."
"Great, so then why the hell didn't ya use this thing before?!" shot Logan in response.
"Because it's not as easy as it looks, Logan!" replied Scott in a tone wrought with frustration over this man's continued disrespect, "We're talking about being connected to over six billion minds! It's not something anybody can do. It's very dangerous."
"Which is why I have specified it for use with my telepathy only," said Xavier as he wheeled himself into the vast chamber, "In addition, Magneto has a knack for shielding himself from my scans, so I'll have to go full power. And the sooner we find him, the sooner we can get your daughter back."
That silenced Logan as he watched the Professor wheel himself up to a console where a lone helmet littered with wires and tubes awaited him. As he put it on, the heavy metal doors closed behind him and the four mutants outside were left to wait and hope.
"Don't worry, Logan. The Professor will find her," said Jean, trying to sound supportive.
"I'll believe that when I see it," he replied with a grunt.
Not bothering to try any more words of comfort, the three X-men fell silent as they listened to the hum of the powerful machine. The lights flickered and a tense feeling dominated the air around them. They knew this was they're only shot. If they couldn't find Magneto here, then they were out of luck.
Inside the chamber of Cerebro, the Professor was preparing himself for the inevitable onslaught of minds that always came with using such a device. But having done this many times before didn't worry him. All he had to contend with now was using it at higher than normal power levels. And once the controls were set, he was ready to begin.
'Alright Erik...Where are you?'
Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, the Professor prepared to begin. However, unknown to him, the little 'surprise' that Mystique had left him was already going into effect.
Through one of the many tubes that fed into the helmet, a strange black chemical started making its way to the complex machinery that made the helmet work. At first Xavier didn't realize that anything was amiss. But when he started to sense all the minds of the entire human race, it hit him.
'No I...My head...'
Suddenly, he keeled over in his chair and numerous emergency alarms throughout the room sounded. Outside, this was not a welcome feeling as the four mutant scrambled to ascertain the situation.
"What's going on?!" demanded Logan, instinctively unsheathing his claws.
"Something's wrong!" said Jean in a grim tone, "We have to get him out of there!"
Rushing up to the console, Jean punched in the override command while Ororo and Scot anxiously waited to rush in to their mentor's aid.
"Professor! Professor can you hear me?!" yelled Scott through the door.
"Jean, hurry up and open this thing!" urged Ororo.
"I'm going as fast as I can!" she exclaimed, her hands moving frantically as she initiated the emergency protocols.
Finally, the door opened and the two X-men ran in to find their mentor keeled over the command console looking deathly still.
"Oh no...Oh Goddess, no!" said Ororo as she felt around for a pulse, "This is not good! Is he..."
"No!" shot Scott, not even letting her finish, "I can feel a pulse! He's out cold, but he's alive!"
"Then let's get him to the infirmary!" said Jean as she ran in to help.
Watching the three mutants of the X-men carry the frail body Professor Xavier off, Logan felt a renewed sense of dread come over him. He gritted his teeth in scathing anguish, for this had been their only chance. Without Xavier he couldn't find Magneto. Without Magneto he couldn't find his daughter.
Now that bastard was going to use his little girl for his sick war. Out there somewhere, he probably had Laura bound in some horrible way and was making her suffer. The thought of his little girl screaming in pain, crying out for her daddy was enough to shatter his soul.
It was over now. He had failed his little girl.
"No...Laura."
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Time moved in an incoherent blur as the Professor's body was put into the intensive care center. There, Jean used every bit of training and experience she had as a doctor to help her mentor. Scott did what he could to help, but even he couldn't guard his emotions from this. Professor Xavier was more than just a mentor to them...Much more.
Jean must have gone through every piece of equipment the institute had at its disposal. Half the meds they had in stock were focused entirely on saving this man's life. She pushed herself beyond her usual limits, a feat that seriously strained her body and mind. But she fought through it despite the obvious concern of her fiancé, who didn't dare stop her when he knew that she was determined to see this through.
"Come on, Professor! Stay with us!" she said anxiously as she filled his IV with some neuro-inhibiters to help relax his mind, "We need you. Please..."
Watching the monitors anxiously, Scott made sure it couldn't get any worse. It was very tense, but so far the Professor seemed to be responding to the treatment.
"He's stabilizing Jean. I think you did it," he told her.
"Yes...His EKGs are finally steady," said Jean as she tried to catch her breath.
All this stress was playing havoc on her powers. One of the lesser known facts about her that she kept from the students was just how much she struggled for control and it was times like this when it was especially hard.
Scott seemed to pick up on this as he watched her rub her temples. Sensing his future wife's distress, he got up and took her in her arms, clinging to her for the support they both so greatly needed.
"You did good, hun. You did real good," he said, placing a kiss upon her forehead.
"I don't know," she said in an uncertain tone now, "Without the Professor, how will we stop Magneto?"
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Upon seeing how bad Xavier's condition was, Logan's frustration reached its breaking point. He was officially out of options. Without this man, they couldn't find his daughter. He had placed his trust in these people and they had let him down. Now he was sick of it. If they couldn't find his baby, then he'd do it himself.
Storming down the halls of the lower levels, Logan was almost at the elevator. But before he could reach his destination, a lone voice stopped him.
"Logan! Logan wait!" said Ororo as she ran to catch up with him, "Where are you going?"
"I'm gonna find my daughter! Where the hell do ya think I'm goin'?!" he spat back in response, turning to flash the white haired woman a stern gaze.
"Oh? And just how do you plan to do that?" scoffed Ororo, folding her arms in a skeptical gesture.
"I don't know, but since you guys ain't helpin', I guess I'm on my own!"
Turning away, Logan was about to press the button on the elevator.
"You have no leads to follow, no trails to pick up, and no background information to go on. Leaving us now would be even more detrimental to your child."
"Don't tell me what's best for my daughter, lady!" yelled Logan angrily, turning around to face the younger woman with feral gaze, "You guys had your chance and you blew it! Face it, Magneto got the better of you! And now that baldy's out of the game, what else is there, huh?!"
"There's still a chance!" said Ororo strongly, not willing to admit defeat just yet.
"Bullshit! You guys are out and you know it! And if you can't help me, then I'll just have to help myself!"
The air between the two mutants seemed to grow hotter by the second. Maybe it was a reaction on the part of Ororo since this man was seriously pushing her. She knew he was a brute, but even this level of stubbornness was pushing it.
"You won't be doing your daughter any favors by going off like this and you know it," she said, trying to sound calm, yet stern, "Say you do leave and you try to find Magneto yourself. After what he did to you in the train station, do you really think you could stop him on your own?"
"I don't care!" he growled, turning away, "I'll do whatever it takes! I don't care what he does to me! I'm NOT letting him take my baby!"
"And would sacrificing yourself change that? Would it do Laura any good to see her father fight against a madman that she knows could kill him without breaking a sweat? How do you think that would make her feel?!"
Logan felt as though he was falling apart. Every piece of his being was just crumbling like a house of cards. Laura was in Magneto's hands now and he was powerless to help her. It made him feel like a failure, both as a father and as a man.
"Logan..." said Ororo, her voice becoming gentler as she reached forth and placed a hand on his shoulder, "I may not know much about you, but I know that you want to save your child. And we can help you. Just give us a chance."
"I already gave you a chance," he said, still not facing her, for he didn't want her to see the distraught look on his face.
"Then give us another. We'll find her."
Looking back at the determined eyes of the ebony weather which, Logan clenched his fists in a determined rage. He knew Laura wouldn't want him like this. He had to be strong for her. But it wouldn't stop hurting.
"I can't lose her," he went on to say, his voice becoming more distant, "I...I made her a promise. I told her I'd always be there for her."
"Then we'll just have to help you keep that promise."
It didn't lift Logan's spirits that much, but Ororo did manage to smile somewhat. Brute or no brute, this man was a very dedicated father. And his determination to do so was worthy of admiration.
"Now come, we have work to do and you have a daughter that needs you," she said, taking him by the hand and leading him back down the hall.
"Ah hell," said Logan, with a sigh, hoping this woman was right, "I hope I don't regret this."
"You won't. I promise," said Ororo confidently.
"In that case, lead the way darlin'. The sooner we find buckethead, the sooner I can make him pay for hurting Laura."
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Back in the infirmary, the Professor was resting comfortably. His condition had stabilized after having dealt with all that mental strain. But he would need some time to recover and that was time they did not have.
Still, Scott watched over him just in case. But seeing his mentor like this was very difficult for him.
"We need your, Professor," he said softly to his unconscious form, "You're...You're like a father to us here. We need your guidance. We need your strength."
Watching such a scene from afar put Jean Grey into a distraught state. Such words spoke volumes for the level of respect everybody had for the Professor. It was even more so for Scott, who was his first student.
It hurt her as well, for if it wasn't for him then she'd never have control over her powers. She never would have even met the love of her life. They needed to overcome this. Magneto couldn't be allowed to triumph. After all, they had a wedding to plan.
Trying to focus her attention on something else, Jean checked on Senator Edward Kelly, whose condition wasn't getting any better. His skin was now even paler and his whole body was starting to bloat up like a balloon. It was truly a horrific sight.
"Can...Can you cure me?" he choked out, sounding as though he was drowning in his own body fluids.
Not wanting to give him the news just yet, Jean hid her emotions and the truth from this dying man.
"I'll do what I can," she assured him.
He let out another round of coughing, spitting up some water mixed with blood. Jean wiped it away from his face, but it was only further confirmation that the end was near.
"But what...What about me being a mutant?" he asked, looking up at the redhead with a desperate look in his eye, "Can you cure that too?"
Jean forced herself to swallow the lump that was forming in her throat, but still she retained her poise.
"Mutation isn't a disease," she told him, "It's just a part of who you are."
"So that means it...It's a part of me now?"
"Yes...It is."
The look on Senator Kelly's deformed face sank as he sank into the cold infirmary bed. He was a mutant now. He was the very thing he had fought so hard to suppress. And there was no turning back now. His world had officially been shattered.
Was this how it felt for all mutants? Was this how it felt to be stuck with an inherent difference that could not be controlled? For so long now he had wondered and now in his final moments, he got his answer.
"I...I understand now," he said, feeling the world around him starting to slip away, "I finally...Understand."
Then, much to Jean's horror, his whole body started to swell. Stumbling back, all she could do is watch as the last of Senator Kelly's cell structure collapsed, falling apart in a cascade of water. Now there was nothing left...Nothing but a big puddle of water. It was a terrible way to die and this was just one of potentially millions who could suffer a similar fate.
"Oh God!" she gasped, feeling all the contents in her stomach jump up into her throat.
This couldn't be allowed to happen to anyone. Something had to be done. Magneto had to be stopped. And Jean Grey knew there was only one way to do that.
Slipping out of her lab coat, she left the infirmary and started making her way down the hall towards Cerebro. Scott picked up on this, sensing that something was amiss with his fiancé. Leaving the Professor to his rest, he followed her out into the halls.
"Jean?" he said watching as she continued walking without hesitation.
Jean ignored his words, not wanting to be talked out of this one.
"Jean? Jean, what are you..."
Then, it dawned on him. In seeing where she was heading, Scott knew what she was planning.
"Oh no," he said in a voice thick with dread, "Jean! Jean, don't do it!"
She was at the chamber entrance now, inputting the access code as Scott began to sprint down the hall to stop her. But he was already too late. She was going to find Magneto, even at the cost of her own well being.
"Jean! NO!" yelled Scott as he watched her step into the chamber of Cerebro, closing the door behind her.
'It's okay, Scott. I know what I'm doing,' she sent him via telepathy.
However, this didn't stop Scott from frantically pounding on the door, wanting to stop his fiancé from doing this. But they were out of time. It had to be done.
Taking the helmet in her hands, she ripped off the little injector that Mystique had planted, leaving the complex device ready for use. Placing it on her head, the young telepath closed her eyes and used every ounce of training the Professor had taught her over the years.
She had never used Cerebro before in this manner. She had only trained with it on low settings that were deemed safe. But she couldn't afford to be safe here. She had to find Magneto. Turning up the power, Jean felt the strain of millions of minds hitting her all at once and through the vast power of Cerebro she sought the location of the Brotherhood.
"Magneto...Laura...The Brotherhood! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
The lights outside flickered, causing Scott to worry even more as he felt her anguish through their link. Taking a step back, Scott prepared to blast the door down with his optic blasts. But before he could, the flickering stopped and the door opened. Without hesitation, he rushed inside where he found a tired Jean Grey slumped over the console.
"Oh no...Jean!"
Getting the helmet off her, Scott took her in his arms. She seemed conscious, but she was completely out of it. She was gasping for air and looked weakened from all the mental strain she had endured.
"Jean...What were you thinking?" said Scott, "You scared me. You..."
But Jean didn't let him finish. For as she opened her eyes, she had in her head the very image they needed. It was of a small island with a large, familiar statue of Lady Liberty. And this was where they had to go in order to stop Magneto.
"Scott," she said still trying to catch her breath, "I know where Magneto is."
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IN THE NAME OF LADY LIBERTY! REVIEW!
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