Layla

Chapter Two: Why Her?

X-Mansion

Logan pulled up to X-Mansion in his green Buick Riviera, and stepped out looking around with confused eyes. The school did not look clean as he once remembered. Logan expected the school to be lively, and filled with students, but instead he was faced with a run down, and abandoned looking house. The sign on the front gate had even fallen to the ground, and was replaced with a private property sign. The small, stone fountain facing the front door was cracked, and moss had begun to grown in patches. The hedges that were trimmed to look like an X, were even overgrown with weeds. 

"What the hell happened to the school?" He thought a bit disappointed. 

Slamming the door shut behind him, Logan walked up to the front door, and knocked. A younger man with glasses opened the door, looking alarmed at the sight of Logan.

"Can I help you?" The younger man asked, while Logan tried to peek around the guy to get a look inside. 

"Uh...yeah, what happened to the school?" Logan asked a bit impatient. 

"Are you a parent?" The guy asked eyeing Wolverine. 

Logan laughed; a small smile tugged his lips. "I sure as hell hope not. Who are you?" Logan took off his sunglasses trying to look calm, and less impatient, or edgy.

"Hank." 

"You're Beast?" Logan said in disbelief. "Look at you. I guess you're a late bloomer." He said matter of factly, as he shoved his sunglasses inside his coat pocket. 

"I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm gonna have to ask you to leave." Hank tried to shut the door, but Logan pushed against it, asking where the professor was. 

"There's no professor here." 

"You're pretty strong for a scrawny kid. You sure there's not a little Beast in there?" Logan taunted as he kept fighting Hank from shutting the door.   "Come on, Beastie." Logan sneered finally pushing Hank out of the way, and making his way inside the school. 

"Hey," Hank shouted following Logan to the stairs. "I said the schools closed. You need to leave!"

Logan strolling through the entryway searching for the professor. "Not until I see the professor." He told Hank. 

Hank grabbed Logan by the shoulder, and yanked him around telling Logan once again, there was no professor. 

"Look kid, you and I are gonna be good friends." He informed Hank before he punched him in the face. Hank fell flat onto the floor, and took his glasses off, grumbling angrily. 

"You just don't know it yet." Logan finished with a shrug, and took off up the stairs shouting for the professor. 

Hank transformed into his beastly appearance, and followed Logan. He sprinted after him, pouncing on the walls, then on to Logan. The two of them tumbled to the floor, but Hank was able to grab Logan and toss him across the hall, like a pancake. 

Logan fell hard on his back, but before he could even move, Beast pounced on him again, and threw him onto the round table downstairs. Logan fell down with a grunt trying to brush past the pain. Meanwhile, Beast jumped onto the chandelier, dangling above Logan ready to strike again, but was interrupted by the professor. 

"Hank!" The professor called. "What is going on here?" He asked as he trudged down the steps. 

Logan and Hank directed their attention to him. 

"Professor?" Logan asked surprised. The professor looked miserable, and unkept. He was wearing a faded red and black checkered robe, and underneath that was a stained gray tank. His jeans were faded, and his brown hair fell above his shoulders looking dangled and messy. He had grown facial hair, and his blue eyes looked dull and faded. In his hand, he held a glass of what probably contained alcohol. Logan could smell the alcohol on Charles, and he reeked.