Stepping through the doorway of the warp chamber, Logan recalls that he’s been havin’ blackouts. It’s like he blinks his eyes and a week has slipped by and he’s been doin’ things he ain’t got a clue about. Still don’t know he got to Madripoor. One thing he did know was that the W.C. door in the ruins o’ Chang’s Landau, Luckman and Lake (LL&L) office in lowtown was a gateway outta there… but to where?
Exiting the door, he says to Zoe Culloden, a.k.a. the Expediter, that he figured she was mixed up in this. Zoe informs him that LL&L is a company with diversified interests. Their offices and warp chambers are situated at the crossroads of destiny but even she never suspected the importance of their field office in this obscure backwater. Surveying the carnage around them, Logan asks where they are.
Zoe tells him it is the wrath of a madman called Genesis, a village in Egypt that was once called Akkaba. It was an example and some warped idea of an “artistic installation.” Logan mentions that he heard about it from Storm and Cable but words and numbers don’t ever tell the story like seein’ it. Logan then asks that they ain’t there to sightsee and reflect on the evil that men do, are they? Zoe tells him she has been monitoring his activities for some time. She “arranged” for him to have access to their warp chambers, but she hadn’t realized their paths were going to cross again so soon. Threads of probability and time strings are converging too rapidly and other factors seemed to be going out of control…
Logan replies growin’ wild, she means. Zoe confirms yes, that too. They are all pertinent threads. She continues to tell him that there are forces which seek to manipulate him for their own ends – disparate, evil ends. It is his fate to unravel the threads. Popping his claws Logan says or cut ‘em. Zoe replies yes, or cut them.
Just then, Logan asks Zoe where the kid is that was with her. Scanning the ground, Zoe asks Emmet? He is not what he seems. He is also otherwise engaged. She then tells Logan that her scanner is registering a trace of her quarry, a footprint. And the footprint matches the hologram. Logan recognizes the hologram as Chimera and asks if she is still trackin’ that looney-tune down. Zoe replies that she is a thread she can ill afford to lose track of. With that, she warps herself off to another place and time. Before she does, she tells Logan that he must proceed to the citadel. She shall try to meet him there if she is still alive.
Logan calls out asking where the citadel is but the answer doesn’t come from Zoe, it comes from a voice behind him. Turning around he sees a man standing in traditional garb informing him that the citadel does not exist in a fixed place; it is as elusive as a houri of paradise. Logan asks the man who he is and what’s his business in this place of dead. The man replies that he is an Acolyte and he came there to marvel at the works of Apocalypse. This was the creation of a master of life and death, such is true power.
Logan tells him that Ororo told him all about this place and he ain’t impressed. He then asks if he’s ever heard of Ozymandis. A true master doesn’t do stuff like this, ‘cause he needs to prove nothin’. Removing his headgear, the man asks Logan that he knows the thief, she who calls the wind and rain? That changes things. He then introduces himself as Jamil and says that he will be honored to show him the way to the citadel. Logan tells him that’s right nice of him but to get one thing straight, ‘Ro told him ‘bout him. Logan then gives Jamil a warnin’, he crosses him and he’s meat.
Elsewhere, in the backstreets of Lowtown, the underbelly of the sprawling city of Madripoor, Sam Guthrie enters the Princess Bar to look for Logan. Entering the bar, he says that Professor Xavier said he should come out there and keep him company… When he sees the destruction, he mentions that it ‘pears folks get a mite rowdy ‘round these parts and that he guesses he’ll look up this Archie Corrigan fella the Professor tol’ him t’look up and ask if he knows where…
When he turns around, Sam finds his way out blocked by a bunch of thugs. When Sam mentions to them that they seem to be blockin’ the exit, the thugs respond they “know dat.” Sam politely asks them if they would mind steppin’ aside to let him out. The thugs tell him that he ain’t goin’ nowhere and call him a haole lo-fan gajin dog.
Just then, a machine gun is fired and a ladies voice tells the thugs to crawl back to their sewers and rat-holes, low-born vermin. When the thugs turn, they are surprised to see Tyger Tiger, boss of the Lowtown mob. Tyger proceeds to inform them that the “yellow-hair” seeks Logan, who was known there as Patch. She then asks them if any of them really care to bring harm to a friend of Patch. Upon hearing that, the thugs run off. When they do, Sam tells Tyger that she appreciates her help, but he can take care o’ himself. Tyger tells him she’s sure he can, she was simply “chasing demons” to welcome him to Madripoor. Patch and she are very close… friends. Touching Sam’s chin, she asks that he’s brand new, isn’t he?
In Egypt, Logan continues to follow Jamil through the desert. As he does, he asks Jamil how much further the citadel is. Jamil tells him just over the next big dune. Logan asks him that he wouldn’t be leadin’ him into a trap, would he? Jamil asks would he do that to a friend of Ororo? Sniffing the air, Logan grabs Jamil by the shoulder and says to Jamil that he’s lyin’. It’s his job to lead him into a set ambush and that he has the smell o’ Apocalypse’s work on him. Jamil then tells Logan they have arrived and to behold the citadel.
Just then, a massive citadel rises out of the desert sand below. Upon seeing it, Logan asks Jamil which door he was gonna point out to him and then tells him that he’s not going through that one. He proceeds to inform Jamil that before he gets it in his head to rat him out to his boss, he best think on two things. Just how bad he is and what are the chances Logan’s gonna come back and finish up with him? As Logan slinks off towards the citadel, Jamil is paralyzed with fear.
In Madripoor, Tyger drives Sam to the destroyed offices of LL&L. When Sam sees it, he says to Tyger that this can’t be where she took Wolverine. Tyger informs him that when she last saw Logan, he was stepping through the portal before them. Sam replies that it’s just a door and a frame standin’ there all by itself, it don’t lead anywhere. Tyger tells him that it does and opens it up. She then says to Sam that he must give something to Logan for her. Sam replies sure, what? Much to his surprise, Tyger kisses him. Sam then turns and heads off into the doorway.
In Egypt, Logan continues to make his way towards the citadel. As he does, he thinks to himself that goin’ around to the back door seemed like a good idea until he stumbled into the mine field and the laser enfilade. They got everything except air cover… Before he can finish his thought, Logan buries himself in the sand as a large aircraft prepares to land. Logan recognizes there are familiar scents inside the big armored hovercraft. Scents he remembers from the dungeon of Edinburgh castle where his ol’ sparring partner Cyber was being held. A lot o’ unfamiliar scents in there too. A whiff o’ soil and sweat – fellahin. Peasant farmers mixed with the stench o’ fear and despair.
Once the aircraft lands, Hurricane tells Deadbolt to herd out the prisoners and to keep in mind that Genesis wants their psychic energy intact. Deadbolt informs him that he knows how to do his job and that a little pain is just the thing to put a nice edge on psychic energy. With that, he hits one of the prisoners with his energy weapon which makes the old man cry out in pain. Hearing the pain of the old man, Logan is unable to keep his anger in check and lets out a growl.
When he does, Gauntlet whips around and asks his fellow Dark Riders if they heard that, something’s out there. Hurricane asks him how he can hear anything in all this wind. Gauntlet replies that it was a low, beastly growl, like some wild predator. Hurricane tells him there is no time to be gallivanting off and that there is no way anyone could get through their security perimeter. They have to get the load inside and processed before Jamil brings the chump in the front door. Turning to head into the citadel, Hurricane tells Gauntlet to move it or Genesis will have his thyroids for breakfast. Giving up his search, Gauntlet says that it was probably just a jackal and follows the rest of the crew inside.
Before the heavy metal door closes behind them, Logan pulls himself out of his hiding place in the sand and says to himself that he ain’t laughin’, not when he’s talkin’ about processin’ people. Moving as swiftly as he does silently, Logan is able to slide under the door before it slams shut.
In Akkaba, Sam Guthrie looks around and says wherever this is, it sure ain’t Kansas. In fact, if this ain’t “h-e-double hockey-sticks,” he don’t know what is. He adds that it looks like the thirteenth level of Doom. Just then, Sam sees two sets o’ tracks runnin’ out into the desert, straight as the tracks between Memphis and Nashville. Pulling his uniform out of his bag, he mentions that Sam Guthrie would just stumble along in the sand. But Cannonball, he’s another story. With that, he blasts across the desert.
Traveling inside the citadel, Logan thinks to himself that they don’t believe in wastin’ light bulbs there. No skin off his teeth, ever since he started goin’ feral, he’s been discoverin’ senses he never knew he had. Just then he sniffs the air and says he knows that stink and sees Dirt Nap scurrying across the ground. Dirt Nap challenges him to come and get him and runs off. As Logan gives chase he says that he absorbed that kid back in Times Square and he’s gonna get him back if he has to squeeze his genetic imprint out of him. Jumping onto the shoulder of a shadowed figure, Dirt Nap replies that he’s had a taste of him too – nice yummy twisted genes, he may just gobble him up again, healing factor and all.
Popping his claws, Logan says to Dirt Nap that he’s runnin’ to the shoulder o’ his master, huh? He adds that he don’t recognize his scent, but he sure has the whiff o’ Apocalypse on him and somethin’ else… The man says that the taint of his father lingers like a miasma on him. Dirt Nap says may he introduce Cable’s darling boy, Tyler – heir of Apocalypse, lord of the citadel, the ever-loving, one and only Genesis!!
At that, Genesis tells Dirt Nap to shut up! He needs no clarion for his pedigree. What he needs has done him the favor of delivering himself to his door. Genesis then shoots Logan with his weapon, which makes him slump to the ground in a heap. With Logan out of action, Genesis tells his Dark Riders to scoop him up and take him to the bonding room. He then tells Logan that he’s going to be the new captain of his Dark Riders, a fitting centurion for his legions.
While Deadbolt and Hurricane drag him to the bonding room, Lifeforce mentions that of course they will have to wipe his mind and install appropriate implants – unswerving loyalty. As they continue to strap him to the bonding machine, Genesis tells Logan that he’s going to be his and that he’s going to be whole again. Oh, didn’t he tell him? His friend, Cyber was there, and he left something for him – his ADAMANTIUM!! Dirt Nap says that he hopes it hurts as bad going in to him as it did coming out of Cyber. Genesis then calls out to initiate the bonding process!!
