Control: An X-Men Adventure and Wolverine Romance

Rescuers

Suddenly alone, I gazed around me in awe and a little afraid. Our fight had destroyed the room. Yuriko was still motionless at the bottom of the tank, as though she was too heavy to float. I felt sick as I realised why, seeing the now empty adamantium vat. It could have just as easily been me in her place - would he have killed me too? Or, since he no longer had the liquid adamantium, would I have killed him? Was it even possible? In a fight using only our bodies, it was possible to do a huge amount of damage to one another, but was it actually possible to kill each other? I didn't know. I don't think the scientists knew... Stryker had sent us after him in a panic, I don't think even he knew what the outcome would be.

I considered for a second the facts. The similarity was too close... Logan must have come from here too - but he wasn't a prisoner. I wondered how many of us, or how many attempts there had been. Gazing at Yuriko's lifeless body and the x-rays which littered the floor, I sighed. There was one less of us now, that was the only thing we knew for sure.

Suddenly overcome with emotion, I knew I had to get out of this place. Logan wasn't thinking, sure he said he'd return - but I saw it in his eyes: he was chasing vengeance. I didn't blame him, I would have done the same, only my sudden desire to escape took me over completely. This was what I had wanted for months now, all that pain, it was over - if I could make it outside.

I sprinted through the halls, the electrics were still sparking. They were filled with smoke and lifeless soldiers. I heaved open the first exit I came across and was about to sprint out into the snow, when I froze. Like Logan, I had something I needed to do first.

As much as I wanted to escape the base, or to track and put down Stryker, there was only one thing which was more important: the children.

I ran faster than I ever had in the direction of the cells, tearing through anything and anyone in my way. The looks of panic on the faces of my tormentors as they realised they had created their own undoing was poetic. Like Frankenstein's monster, my creators would fear me.

By the time I reached the main pit which held the children, I could already hear them calling out for help. I clambered up to the top of the chamber, which was built like a well with bars over the top. I was about to call out, when I heard two sets of footsteps approaching. I whirled round, ready to face down more soldiers, but instead was met with the sight of a woman with a shock of bright white hair which beautifully contrasted her skin. She was quickly followed by a man, clearly a mutant, his midnight blue skin signified as much. I paused for a moment, before addressing them so as not to startle them.

"Are you here to help them?" I asked.
They looked a little taken back.
"Are you?" The woman asked immediately defensive.
"Yes," I urged.
She considered this for a moment.
"Who are you?" Asked the blue one, in a distinctly German accent.
"We can do formal introductions later, just know that I want to help get them out!" I urged.
"How do we know we can trust you?" The white-haired lady asked, still very suspicious of me.
It was then that I realised how I must look, in shredded military garb matching the soldiers', and covered in blood.
"I was a prisoner here too, the kids might not understand that i'm here to help -"
"And why is that?" She urged.
"because, Stryker he - he used mind control to make me and some of the others do some pretty fucked up stuff. He hates mutants and runs experiments on us. I just want to get the kids out of this hellhole!"

The blue one looked at me with a great amount of genuine pity and affection. I could tell immediately that he was a kind soul.
"I understand, he used me too," he responded softly.
This seemed to be enough for his companion to accept my explanation and the three of us rushed up to the well and peered inside. The children looked up at us, blinking. Some happy, some fearful.

"Don't trust her, she's not one of us!" one kid shouted pointing directly at me.

"I know, I hurt you - i'm so sorry, I wasn't in control of my body - I promise i'm here to help," I tried my best to reassure her.

She looked skeptical in such a cute little kid way.

"I promise, I came back for you guys as soon as I got free,"

In a flash, the blue one had vanished and reappeared in their cell. They all shuffled backwards, fearfully. Meanwhile, I was in awe - sure I knew mutants could do all kinds of things, but teleportation really was a mindfuck! This would solve the issue of how to get them out of the pit. He would transport 2 kids at a time back up - his power seemed to be something he could extend to those who were physically in contact with him.

Whilst he was down there, his companion was gathering the children and checking them for injuries. Suddenly, I picked up the sound of approaching troops at the end of the hall.

"What's your mutant power?" I urged.
"Why do you ask?" She was immediately prickly and defensive again.
"Because we might need it - Stryker's men, incoming!"

No sooner had I said it than they rounded the corner and took a ready stance, guns trained on us.

Her eyes grew wide and she instinctively pushed the kids behind her. I watched, again in amazement, as in an instant her eyes glazed over as white as her hair and the tunnel instantly filled with a kind of mist or fog.

Lucky for us, I also had my heightened senses. I stalked towards the sound of their confusion, I could hear the clicking of them fumbling with their weapons and headgear, probably switching to infrared. It did not take me long to silence them, I cut them all down with surprising efficiency. A few lucky shots in the dark found their mark, but it didn't slow me down much.

"Clear!" I yelled, hoping she could wave off the mist.

It began to dissipate. Her face was one of surprise at seeing the hallway now empty of our attackers, whose motionless forms lay slumped around. As calmer thoughts prevailed and the adrenaline rush began to fade, I tried my best to seem unthreatening towards the children. They were all out of the well now and huddled behind my two mutant companions and anything solid enough to cover behind - everyone wore a look of suprise and some apprehension. I understood, but didn't have time to dwell on this. My claws drew back into my fingers once more.

"You remind me of someone we know," muttered the woman.
"Run! the other way. There will be more!" I commanded.
"We have to regroup, find the others" she added.

No one needed to be told twice and we all bolted down the tunnels as fast as our legs would carry us, following her lead.