Logan followed the path that his son and Sabertooth had taken.  He was willing his strength to return, and was grateful Sabertooth had created a somewhat easy path to follow.  He could barely remain on his feet, but he forced his body forward.  He knew his body had very little time to heal and regenerate, but he had to help his son.  Despite what the goon had said, it changed nothing.  Francis was his son, and nothing would change that fact.  He had invested far too much of himself in the boy to let go now, or ever.  Now, more than ever, he had to protect his son, to keep him away from Sabertooth.

 

He trudged up yet another small rise, and heard in front of him the voice of the boy, and the roars of his enemy.  He spurred his body on, in the direction of the sounds.

 

Ahead, he could see two shadows dodging and darting in the darkness.  And he could hear his son's laughter.  It was an odd sound, one he had never heard before.  The boy was enjoying his little game with the evil man.

 

"You can do better than that!  Geez, you're slow.  You're just too big and ugly to live, you know that?  You getting tired?  Need to rest?  What's wrong, do I need to call 911 for you?  Having a heart attack, are you?"  The boy increased his taunting, barely out of breath.  Logan slowed his approach, in awe of the boy's ability to handle the situation.  He did not appear to be getting too cocky, and showed absolutely no fear what-so-ever.

 

Sabertooth was becoming increasingly frustrated.  He again lunged at the boy, who quickly darted out of the way, and continued to run up the hill.  Logan's eyes scanned the area ahead of him, and saw the boy's goal.  A small fenced in area with.transformers.  An electrical sub station.  Despite the gravity of the situation, he had to smile.  He knew what the kid had in mind, and almost felt sorry for the big goon following him.  Almost.  However, his smile faded when he considered what the boy had in mind.  He wondered if he could handle it, control it.  He continued his pursuit.

 

Francis had made it to the fenced in area, and leapt on the fence, crawling over, carefully avoiding the barbed wire at the top.  He managed to make it over the fence with only a small gash on his leg.    He stood in the middle of the area, and watched Sabertooth approach.  Without hesitation, the man ripped the gate open, and threw it to one side, and Francis backed into a corner of the area and took a deep breath, concentrating.

 

Sabertooth approached him and growled, knowing he had the boy trapped.  "You are gonna learn not to mess with me.  Son or no son, you are gonna be lucky to be breathing when I get through with you."

 

This statement took the boy by surprise, and in the brief moment of confusion he exhibited, Sabertooth struck, cuffing the boy in the head, and sending him flying against the fence.  Francis fell to the ground in a heap, stunned.

 

"I told you to leave him alone.  You're gonna pay for that, big time, bub."

 

Sabertooth spun, and saw Logan standing in the gateway, claws out, ready to charge.  "Stay out of this Wolverine.  It's between me and him.  I gotta break him of some nasty habits you taught him."

 

"Uh uh, pal.  You ain't touching him again."  With his last remaining ounce of strength, he charged his opponent, tackling him to the ground.  Like a man possessed, he slashed and sliced at him, until Sabertooth pushed him off.  Both men struggled to their feet, and the giant held his neck, blood pouring from between his fingers.  Logan had sliced his neck wide open.

 

Francis slowly sat up, holding his head, and trying to focus his eyes.  He looked toward the two blurry figures before him, and shouted.  "DAD!!"

 

Both men turned to look at him, but Logan was distracted a split second too long, for Sabertooth lunged and swung his own claws, catching Logan's midsection.  Logan collapsed to the ground, holding his stomach, blood pouring out, covering his arms.  Sabertooth had in effect sliced his gut wide open.  He rolled on the ground, unable to breath.

 

Francis watched in horror his father's painful writhing.  He crawled to his side, and held him, looking up at the staggering giant.  Logan gasped for air, blood pouring from the massive wound in his belly.  Francis shook in fear, keeping his eyes on the enemy.

 

"One down...one to go...you just aren't worth the effort...too bad..."  The evil man smiled now.  "I'll...just have to...make another one..."  He staggered toward the two on the ground.

           

 

Scott swore in the darkness.  "Shit!  I can't tell which way they went!  It's just too fucking dark!"  He called out into the blackness.  "LOGAN!!  FRANCIS!!  CAN YOU HEAR ME?!"

 

Jean was standing very still.  She reached out with all her senses, trying to feel their friends.  She sent out a message, hoping they would hear.  "We're coming for you, just hold on."  She continued to crawl up the hill, followed by the others.

 

 

Francis held his father tight to his chest, as Sabertooth continued his advance.  The big man struggled for air, and was very unsteady on his feet.  The boy pressed his father's head into him, and closed his eyes, breathing deeply, whispering to him, "It's now or never."

 

Logan forced his eyes open, and saw the face of Francis above him.  He tried to focus on the boy's face, to study it, and he zeroed in on the boy's heartbeat.  It was slow and steady and strong, and it rang in his ears.  He did not want to lose contact with the boy, and stared at his face, letting the booming beat of his heart take hold of him.

 

The boy's face was bathed in sweat, and bruised, but calm, almost serene.  When the kid again opened his eyes, they glowed a deep aqua, and glimmered in the darkness.  He slowly focused them on the approaching man, and then Logan felt it.  The surge was beginning within the boy.  His body tingled with the electric charge, and he saw the faint blue glow begin.  He could feel a smile grow on his lips.  He whispered back to his son, "Fry his ass, kid."

 

Sabertooth saw the boy's eyes, and froze in confusion.  Despite all he knew about the boy, he had no idea exactly what he was capable of.  Logan turned his head to watch the man.  His eyes grew wide as the transformers around him began to strike out at him with lightning-like tendrils.  The air popped and hissed, and the boy's body swarmed with St. Elmo's fire.  Logan could not keep from chuckling, despite his great pain.

 

"HAHAHA, I warned...I warned you, you asshole!"  Sabertooth glared at Logan, and then looked back at the boy.  The glow was blinding now.  Any second dickhead, Logan thought, just you wait.

           

 

Scott stopped suddenly.  He could hear small popping noises.  "What is that?  Jean?  Can you hear that?"

 

Jean was panicked.  "It's just up ahead."  The team ran toward the sounds.

 

 

The transformers banged and popped and hissed, and continued their rain of sparks.  Logan knew that Francis was draining every ounce of power he could from them.  His skin tingled from the charged air, and his muscles twitched involuntarily.  But something was different.  He was in contact with the boy, but felt no pain, no electrical charge flow through his metal encased bones.  All the power was within the boy.

 

Logan again looked up into the boy's eyes.  They glowed an intense blue-green now, his face encased by an eerie blue shadow.  His eyes were focused on the giant, and narrowed slightly when he finally spoke.  His voice was cold, but full of the emotion he now felt.

 

"You're going to die for this.  Say goodbye."

 

He closed his eyes once more, and Logan did the same, knowing what was coming, knowing he would feel the pain soon.  Through his closed eyes, he could see the blinding flash, and could feel the concussive wave as Francis released his energy.

 

 

Scott stopped short when he saw the flash, and he, Storm and Jean were knocked off their feet by the wave that followed, feeling the heat and charge in the air.  They all lay stunned in the deep foliage, trying to regain their senses.