Chapter Text
4/1/1988, Department H Headquarters, Toronto
Logan had walked with Jimmy in the hall right now and as they did so, James spoke, “We got a bonafide Red Ball on our handsome Logan.” The Hudson had told him, “Hostage Situation at La Citadelle in Quebec, early reports suggest at least SOME of the perps are superhuman.” he had warned, making the Mutant huff, “Sounds like my kinda scrap.” he had said as they revealed the roster.
“Now I know you like to work solo, but the Ministry of Defense is insisting you bring a Strike Team on this one–” “For once I agree with ’em.” he had said, “A hostile extraction with multiple targets needs plenty o’ warm bodies.” he had said, thinking that there were a few that he’d like to team up with like usual, “Lessee here… I’ll take…” Logan started before seeing a trio he had preferred.
“…Snowbird. Other than me, she’s got the most operational experience…” he had said, plus a shifter was great for infiltration, “…And Aurora.” he had said, pointing to one of the kids he trained, “She’s a little flighty for my tastes, but she’s one of our speedsters, and we’ll need to hit these jokers FAST.” not to mention Jean–Paul was busy right about now, “And… Um…” he started before picking.
“…Gimme the Doc.” he had said, “He started to call himself Shaman, right?” he had asked, making James look towards Logan, “You sure?” he had asked, “Michael is more of lab rat than a field operative, he’s always been our mystical advisor–” “That so?” Logan had asked as they walked to the others, the techie nearby calling the trio in, “Well, when innocent lives are at stake, Jimmy…” he said, planning to use his words.
“…Never hurts to have a little magic on your side.” Logan told him before seeing that the trio were all there now, “All right, gang!” he had shouted, “Saddle up! I’ll give you the sitrep en route.” he started before Jeanne–Marie had sped over to stroke his cheek with a mischievous smirk, “I’m SO grateful you selected me for this team, M’sieur Logan.” she had told him.
“If you have some free time afterward, I’d like to show you HOW much…” she had said, Logan unsure who was asking but was still uncomfortable at this kind of joke, “Er… Thanks, Jeanne–Marie…” he said, as he walked, he heard them, “It would be best for all if you simply kept your mind on the mission, Aurora.” she said, “Oh, Pardonnez–moi, Ice Queen…” she joked, “Snowbird.” she said, “Mais Naturellement.”
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4/1/1988, La Citadelle De Québec, Québec
As they had flown in by chopper, Michael had spoken, “The only thing I don’t get is the costume.” the mystical had said, scratching at his throat, “It’s so… garish. Is it really necessary?” he had asked, making the Mutant snort at that, remembering when they went to Thompson, “You’d look even dumber in your hospital scrubs, Doc, trust me.” he had said before looking to the others.
“Showtime, ladies.” he had said, “You’re our recon team. See what’s to be seen, but be careful.” Logan had told them, making Jeanne–Marie give a mock salute as they two went and leapt down, “Oui, be tres careful, Snowbird.” The Flyer had said, “Or you might actually start enjoying yourself.” she had said jokingly, making Snowbird roll her eyes, “Mission first, jokes later.” She went before shifting into an Owl.
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Logan and Michael were at the table with the operatives that were there, “Whoever these hostels are, they’re definitely now amateurs.” the lead had said towards them, “The minute they secured La Citadelle, they hunkered down behind her fortifications.” he had said towards them, “My men have no idea where they are inside the fortress, or even HOW MANY there are!” He had snapped in annoyance.
“I counted fourteen.” Aurora had said as she had zoomed through towards them, making the soldier react, “Yaah!!” He had said, but they were more focused on everything right now, “It took me about Two–and–a–half–minutes to case the entire fortress.” she had said towards them, “And you know, in that entire time, I didn’t see Snowbird anywhere, I’m a bit worried.” she had said towards them.
Jeanne–Marie had taken a breath as she had continued, “De Toute Facon, they’ve herded The Garrison, all The Tourists and Staff into The Museum, along with a goat for some reason…” she had muttered, making a man in a suit approach now, “That’s be ‘Baptiste’, The Regimental Mascot, Weapon X.” he had said, making Logan tense at that as he recalled his tags, the words there with his names…
“You know my Cipher–Code. That pegs you as Int Branch, Bub.” Logan had said towards him in irritation, “What’re you doing here? Thought this was strictly a local law enforcement deal–” “Kinney, Second Int Platoon, Ottawa.” the man told Logan who did not like the person at all, “This is a matter of National Security now, straight from The Ministry.” Kinney explained as if he couldn’t understand.
“The Governor General is a prisoner in there.” The man had told them, making the Mutant annoyed, “What? She is?” he said, surprised Jimmy didn’t tell him, “When were you planning on telling Department H crew that–” “Whenever I bloody FELT like it.” Kinney had said, annoyance in his voice, “We’re lucky we’ve kept the media’s noses out of it.” he had explained towards them before jabbing his finger at logan.
‘You may be ringmaster of this traveling freakshow, but now it’s Int Branch’s circus.” he had snapped as if he was terrifying to them, “You weirdos’ A–Number–One priority if to find where they’re keeping the Governor General.” he had snapped, making all three of them annoyed when the fourth had spoken, “They took her to the cellar in her residence on the grounds.” a voice said near Aurora’s feet.
“Wha–? EEEEEKK!!” she had went, surprised at her teammates rodent form, but she didn’t care right now, “And Wolverine… we should proceed with caution.” Snowbird told him as she had shifted to her more humanoid form, “One of the terrorists is definitely a superhuman.” The blonde warned, making Logan nod as he peeled his glove off now, “There’s a reason they called us in and not the mounties, darlin’.”
They had nodded, liking the sound of that as Logan had went and spoken to Kinney now, “Okay with you to cut to the heroics, Int man?” he had snarled, making him glare, “I suppose…” Kinney started, seeming convinced, “But you give me constant reports on your progress, Weapon X, or I’ll–” “Yeah, yeah. Send me to bed with no supper.” he had said, checking his timepiece now.
“Synchronize your watches, people.” he had ordered, “I’ll extract the Governor General,” he had told them, “You kids stick together,” he told them, knowing Snowbird was the oldest of them, “Secure the Museum. We’ll hit them simultaneously in thirty minutes.” he had told them which they nodded at, “You got any hocus–pocus that’ll get you inside all stealthy–like, Shaman?” he asked of him.
“I’m not sure I’m comfortable with you referring to Grandfather’s sacred medicine Sarcee Medicine Pouch as ‘Hocus–Pocus’, Wolverine.” he had said, before pulling out some powder, “I simply empty my mind and reach inside…” Michael went before tossing it, “And I find anything I need, like a fog of invisibility.” he had said, “Yeah, like I said.” Wolverine said, not liking Magic much.
“Hocus–Pocus.” the mutant went before checking to make sure both his gloves were on now, “Course, I’m no slouch in the cloaking department myself,” he said before popping his claws at them all now, “Though I prefer a more conventional method.” he had told them before going and heading to one of the less prominent tunnels for him to go and get inside to deal with them.
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They were all pretty easy to take down, having cut himself open a way in, he had snuck through the tunnel before knocking out multiple terrorists with a stranglehold, thankful for his metal bones making it easy as he had gotten onto the green and then started to head in, looking around at everything there before he had headed towards the threshold to the cellar where The Governor General was.
Logan had taken a quick check on his watch and waited until he had seen that the time was up, making him grin at that as The Mutant went and started to descend the stairs now, trusting the three of them to take care of the others as Wolverine reached the wine cellar and saw the Governor General who had been tied up a a chair with the guard there ready for anything it seemed.
Logan was a bit confused, he had looked the same as the others that were there, he had readied to take him down, when all of a sudden he had realized that there was a smell, The kind of smell which had made him think that there was more of him there when all of a sudden, a metal hand had grabbed at his head right before he had went and thrown him into a wall, destroying the wood there.
Disorientated, he had looked up and saw that there was a man in a military green and gray exoskeleton that had surprised him, at least until the man had went and tried to smash him, so Logan had went and rolled backwards to avoid it, reacting, he had went and popped his claws to slash at his metal, but instead of cutting through, it had made a large Skree now.
“AAAAHHH!” He had went in pain, the armor being the same as his claws and his bones, he had gripped at his wrist, in pain at that before the man spoke, “I knew it!” The armored man said, “We try to negotiate, like civilized people,” The Giant said as he had lifted him up now, “But the scum send assassins to silence us!” he had snarled before going to hit him hard before he had lifted him up.
“They didn’t tell you anything about ol’ ‘Citadel’, huh?” the man said, confusing Logan even more, having never heard of a Citadel, “No surprise. They like docile sheep.” he had snarled before going and tossing him onto the ground, “Like me and my men… wounded serving our country overseas!” he had snarled in anger as three more of them had approached them right now.
“They told us they were shipping us back home, to a clinic where we’d get the latest in cutting–edge medical treatment!” Citadel had snarled in anger as the others removed their masks, revealing the metal grafts and scars that had covered them, “But instead, Government Frankensteins grafted this synthetic metal onto our bodies, and it’s slowly eating us from the inside!” he shouted in anger.
“I was the biggest success,” he had snarled at the Governor General, making her flinch away, shame fear, he couldn’t really tell, “They cipher–coded me ‘Weapon Y’, and their biggest nightmare!” he had said, the designation surprising him at that, “I busted out of that hole, and I’m not leaving my namesake until we get just compensation for our suffering!” he had said with the men there nodding.
“Or maybe we’ll just demand a televised press conference so The Public can hear where their Tax Sollar go, huh, Ms. Governor General?” he had asked and hearing t hat, Wolverin knew he had a link to his past now, “Citadel, listen, I’m on YOUR side.” he had told the Adamantium man, “They cipher–coded me ‘Weapon X’!” Logan revealed, making him look towards him now.
“I have an Adamantium–Laced internal skeleton, but I don’t know how I got it.” he had explained, “I can help you just tell me what you know–” Logan started, at least until Citadel had grabbed him by the throat and lifted him up, “Shut up! Stop trying to confuse me! You work for them!” he had snapped in anger, a form of madness inside of eyes making Logan glare as he readied to try stabbing his eyes.
“Well, when we throw your body over the walls of La Citadelle, they’ll know we mean busine–” “BAAAAAAAA!” a voice had said, making him look in confusion as he had noticed the Goat that was there, “Alright. Who let the Goat out?” Citadel started before Snowbird had shifted and cold cocked the creature, “Wolverine, quickly!” She had said, “While I have him off balance–” but Logan was on the move.
“Damn it, Citadel, you gotta listen to me, you’re right.” Logan had told the man who was sitting by the wall now, dazed, “The public needs to hear your story, and so do I!” he had told him, “Where was this clinic you were taken to? Who operated on you? Could you recognize any of them if you saw them again?” he had demanded of him in anger, but the Metal Giant was not scared.
“I ain’t telling you Jack except my name, Rank and Serial Number–” “Yeah Yeah!” Logan had said, annoyed, “That’s a start!” THe Mutant told him as the two had focused on him, “WHat’s your real name, soldier?” he had asked, a new smell barely registering right now, “What unit were you assi–?” he had started when a taser had shot out, hitting him, “EEYAARRGH!” He had screamed as they turned to see Kinney.
“Good work, Weapon X, distracting him long enough for me to get in close with a strong enough volt.” he had said towards them as the soldiers came in, “It’s about the only weapon that has any effect on him.” he had explained as the troopers kept their weapons aimed on the terrorist, “Kinney! He says the Government made him like that! That the process is slowly destroying him–”
“Did he now?” Kinney had asked of them, not seeming to care, “Wel, the man is clearly delusional.” he had said, but that didn’t convince Logan at all, “You telling me there’s nothing to his claims?” he had asked, making Kinney look towards him with a moment of silence, at least until he had turned, “I’m not telling you a THING Weapon X.” he had said towards him, “Because I was never here.” he explained.
“And you don’t have the clearance to know otherwise.” the Int Officer had said before walking away, as he had done so, they took Citadel away, “Logan–” “I need to know where they’re taking him.” Logan had told her, this was a link to his past, there was no way in any kind of Hell that he was going to be letting him go just yet as he had went to go and make a call right about now.
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4/1/1988, Air Base, Quebec
Michael and him watched as they had seen Citadel unconscious in a bed, “As near as anyone can tell, his vital signs are deteriorating… slowly, but gradually.” Michael had explained sadly, “And there’s nothing we can do but watch.” The Magic User had said to him, “No needle can penetrate his impenetrable skin. We can’t even pry his jaw open to administer medicine orally.” he had told Logan, but he could only stare.
“I understand they’re trying to develop an aerosol to spray through his eyelids that will bind and inactivate the toxic metal in his bloodstream, but until then…” Michael had went, not sure how he could explain, “It will continue to slowly destroy his nervous system… just like lead poisoning.” he had said towards him, making say something… something that didn’t sound depressed.
“Guess my healing Factor is what’s keeping me spry with all of it in my bones, huh, Doc?” he had asked, but instead of agreeing, Michael said something surprising, “No, your healing factor merely keeps you alive.” he had explained towards Logan, “Your brain and spinal column are still under constant attack by metallic toxins, either by your bones or the bullet in your head.” he had explained.
“In fact… your beastial rages, your memory loss, all could be explained as long–term adamantium poisoning.” he had said, and as Logan hear that… he was shocked, so shocked that he had nothing to say except snarl, “Logan–?” Michael had asked before The Mutant had went and started to walk out, he was angry, and he needed to do something that would make him angry.
He had marched out now and as he had done so, The Mutant had noticed that there was Kinney who had looked annoying, he had taken away his chance of finding out who he was, he had stolen a way for him to find out why he had allowed himself to be subjected by this as Kinney spoke, “Weapon X, you need to–” “Quit.” he had snapped towards Kinney which had surprised him.
They had lied to him, they had grafted Adamantium onto the soldiers which had made them start to die, start to go insane, “Weapon X, you can’t just leave–” “My name is Logan, Bub.” he had snarled before popping his claw and slicing the tie, making the man gasp at that as he had stumbled and fallen, spooked at that while Logan had went to storm off to go and hand in his resignation.
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4/15/1988, Department H Headquarters, Toronto
“Are you sure about this, Logan?” Heather following him as Logan had walked, his belongings over his shoulder, stetson on as The Mutant had went and headed towards the Chevy pickup that he had won in a game of cards, “I can’t trust the government,” he had said, “I can’t trust Int, if I wanna find anything out, I need to find it out on my own.” he had told her.
Hearing that, the woman had sighed at that as she had went and turned the corner, “Then it’s good we decided to have the party here.” she had told him, making the man a bit confused until he had seen that there was the rest of Department H there, seeing them, he had grinned as they had cheered, “Bon Voyage, Logan!” they had all shouted out towards him, surprising the man.
James had approached first and offered him a bottle of whiskey, “Shame to see you go, Logan.” he had said towards him, making him smile at that, “Make sure Kinney gets away with nothing.” he had said towards James, making him smile at that before Aurora had went and zoomed forward to wrap her arm around him, “Venez ! Fêtons!(Come along! Let's celebrate!)” she said and he was happy to comply.
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Kyle had looked as he had seen that Logan had went and gotten into his truck, giving a small wave at that before he had went and drove off, the group who had watched him all feeling sad at him leaving them while Kyle had went and sighed, “See you, Uncle.” he had muttered once he was sure that Logan was out of hearing range which had made the twins turn towards him.
“Quoi?(WHat?)” they had asked in surprise at that with James and Heather look, “Might as well, we’ll probably never see him again.” James had said towards them, “His real name is James Howlett, a vestigial ancestor of mine, and Kyle’s Great–Uncle.” he had told them, making Jeanne–Marie smile, “This is incredible! We should go–!” “You knew all along, didn’t you?” Jean–Paul had asked.
That had made his sibling confused before James spoke, “We weren’t sure how he would react or if he would believe us.” The Hudson had asked, making the group there confused and shocked, “So you just lied to him?” Puck had asked, the short man glaring in anger for him while Heather took a breath, “Look up The Devil’s Brigade, Jimmy and Smiles.” Heather had told him.
That had confused Michael as well as the others, “There are parts of Logan’s past… if we just told him, if he was faced with them right now, he might react in a VERY bad way.” he had said, making the group there look at each other before Jean–Paul spoke, “Is there anything that we can tell him?” He had said, making them look at each other before James thought of something, “A name.” he had said.
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4/15/1988, Highway 7, Ontario
Logan had been driving and as he had done so, the Mutant had wondered where he was going to go, what he was going to do, his first lead– that was until he had heard a thud, surprising him until he had noticed that there was a name that had been written onto his windshield, a name that had made him confused as he had looked towards it with some confusion, “What the Hell–?” he had questioned.
“Kayla Silverfox.”
It had read, Logan had no idea who that was, he had never met her before, but as he had looked at the name and felt that there was, there was something which had made the man take a breath, he had never heard of this person before, but there was this… this nostalgia which had made him feel happy and sad… he knew that it was important, which mean it was his first clue he needed to find.