𝖆𝖓𝖎𝖒𝖆 𝖎𝖒𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖆𝖑𝖊 ━ 𝖑𝖔𝖌𝖆𝖓 𝖍𝖔𝖜𝖑𝖊𝖙𝖙

𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 16

Unfortunately for both Logan and Verena, Jean had convinced them to wear suits. Verena wasn't having it, the fabric too tight against her skin as she tugged at the collar, trying to ease the discomfort. Storm swatted at her hands, "Stop messing with it. Just unzip it a little."

As the two women walked ahead toward the jet, Logan trailed behind, his gaze glued to Verena's back. The suit hugged her perfectly, every curve outlined as if the fabric had been custom-made for her. Her dark curls, loose and wild, cascaded just above her waist. In all the years he'd known her, Verena had only cut her hair a handful of times.

Logan's focus was broken when a hand clamped down on his shoulder. Scott. He immediately shrugged him off. "Stop staring holes into her back."

"Fuck off," Logan growled.

The team loaded into the jet, Logan struggling with the zipper on his suit. "You guys actually go outside in these things?"

"What would you prefer, yellow spandex?" Scott retorted, busy prepping the jet for takeoff. Verena glanced up as the basketball court above them opened, revealing the night sky. Logan, clearly trying to distract himself from the flight, unsheathed his claws, the metal tearing right through the fabric of his suit.

"Alright, there's the bridge. Storm, cover, please."

Verena watched in awe as Storm's eyes turned white, a thick blanket of fog enveloping the jet, concealing them from view. Scott landed the jet on the edge of Liberty Island with a jolt, shaking everyone inside.

"Sorry," Scott muttered, but Logan glared at him, clearly annoyed.

"You call that a landing?"

Verena snorted at Logan's remark as she unbuckled her seatbelt, joining the others as they disembarked. They climbed over the wall and onto the main platform of Liberty Island, Logan and Verena instinctively staying close together.

As they made their way through the Statue of Liberty, the team passed one by one through the metal detectors. When it was Logan and Verena's turn, the detectors went off immediately, loud alarms blaring through the air. Both of them unsheathed their claws, slicing straight through the machines without hesitation.

Scott had a smug smile on his face, but Logan casually flipped him off with his claw.

While they moved deeper into the statue, Verena suddenly caught a whiff of something unfamiliar. She could tell by Logan's reaction that he smelled it too. "There's someone here," she said, her voice low as she scanned the surroundings.

"Where?" Scott asked, looking around cautiously.

"Don't know," Verena responded, sniffing the air again. "Keep your eyes open." She and Logan peeled away from the group slightly, tracking the scent, tension mounting as they closed in on its source. The air felt thick with danger, the unfamiliar scent lingering strongly in their noses.

Suddenly, another Logan came barreling at Verena, crashing into both her and the real Logan, sending them tumbling into another room. Verena, wide-eyed, found herself staring at two Logans. The confusion was enough to make her hesitate, but she quickly unsheathed her claws, ready to fight the imposter.

The team arrived just in time to witness the chaos, and Scott immediately had his fingers on his visor, prepared to blast. Both Logans shouted, "Wait!" in unison, causing a brief pause. One of the Logans swiftly cut the weight holding the door open, slamming it shut and locking the team on the other side.

The fake Logan attacked first, swinging for Verena, but she countered with a hard punch to his nose. The real Logan grabbed the imposter, hurling him into the wall and slicing through his claws. A pained, feminine cry erupted from the fake Logan's throat, confusing them both even further.