Chance Encounter - Wolverine/X-Men Fanfic

Chapter 13: I think that's just about the worst thing I've ever seen

It curled in her psyche now, sated and content that it had saved its mate.

It was only a matter of time before Logan's body burned off whatever zombie cocktail those assholes had forced into him; he literally stank of chemicals. It would take a good deal longer for him to heal from the extensive injuries he'd endured. She had never seen anybody come back from anything this extreme before, and it left her more than a little shaken.

Max couldn't believe that Logan hadn't broken a single bone. What kind of metal covered them, anyway? His cell had literally been covered in gore, as if something had exploded, splashing it everywhere. She had wanted to ask Jean or Scott what had happened to him before the wolf released its hold on her, but neither of them seemed much in a mood for conversation.

Jean had looked as if she were going into mild shock. Max could get the story later. At least they had gotten him out.

She opened her hand and looked down at the souvenir that she'd swiped from the hook that it depended from just outside the cage where they had found him. It was a small metal plate that looked like an unusual military dogtag of sorts. She ran her finger over the single word engraved into the metal again – Wolverine. What the hell was that supposed to mean?

Max clutched it in her hands, her stomach lurching as the plane jostled gently. Flying in the cargo section was decidedly worse than sitting strapped into one of the seats. Max hoped they would be landing soon.

***

Pink water swirled around the drain as Max rested her cheek against the cool tile of the shower walls. The water was damn near scalding, but she could barely feel it. Ororo had immediately sent her to clean up after they deposited Logan in the infirmary. There wasn't much more that Max could do. It was just a matter of waiting now. She finished cleaning up, then headed back downstairs, still feeling numb.

Scott was sitting in the living room, staring quietly outside.

She padded over and sat across from him. "Can I ask you a question?"

He looked over at her, his expression unreadable. His tone was wary as he replied, "Sure. What is it?"

Max frowned for a moment, wondering how to phrase it without making it sound too ghoulish.

"What..what happened to him? What caused the big hole in his chest?"

Scott gave her a strange look, his tone tight as he asked, "You don't remember?"

Max gave him a sad shake of her head, pursing her lips.

He took a deep breath, then explained, "I think they put some kind of..explosive charge in him and detonated it before we could get to him in time, hoping that it would kill him."

His tone became hollow as he turned away and murmured, "Then when that didn't work, they opened fire on him."

Max felt the blood drain from her face as her hands began to shake.

"Jesus..." she whispered as she pulled her arms around herself.

"Yeah." Scott croaked, his hands tightening briefly into fists. "I think that's just about the worst thing I've ever seen."

Max took a calming breath, then asked, "How bad did I get?"

Scott let out a weak laugh and looked back over at her.

"Pretty bad."

She frowned and murmured, "I'm so sorry."

His expression softened as he replied, "We knew it was a nasty situation going in. I just..we had no idea."