On television, Trish Tilby from BNBC reports that their top story is that a forty-two year-old Connecticut man has plunged to his death down a fifty foot elevator shaft. Police speculate that the man mistakenly entered the shaft during an elevator malfunction and have ruled this death accidental. In unrelated news, the world continues to wonder about the disappearance of Senator Drexel Walsh. Walsh was last seen almost a month ago.
Shooting out the television with his pistol, Senator Walsh, surrounded by Chinese food containers, alcohol bottles and monitors remarks that she’s wrong on three counts and calls her a bargain basement Jane Pauley. Number one, it’s more than just a “man” who’s been found dead, it’s men – sixteen of them to be precise. They’re just too stupid to make the connection. Number two, he wouldn’t call being systematically murdered by a group of extremely evil men “accidental” by any means. And number three, his disappearance is not “unrelated” at all seeing as how he could very well wind up the next “accidental” death. He sure as hell didn’t kiss his wife and children goodbye and vanish from the public eye for nothing. Lord knows his family shouldn’t be mixed up in this; they shouldn’t have to pay the price for what they’ve done. Sixteen men, all with very little in common except something they were all involved in years ago, and now that something has returned. God have mercy on their souls.
Just then, an agent rushes into the room in a panic and says that he heard a shot. Looking at his watch, Walsh tells the agent, Smithers, that that was fifty-four point three seconds and asks if he calls that a reaction time. He could be dead, buried and dug up by now. Sighing, Smithers assures him that he has nothing to be worried about. They’ve taken every possible precaution since he decided to hole himself up there. The rooftop is covered, the house itself is equipped with reinforced doors and bulletproof windows, they have agents posted at every single location of entry. The security system is the best money can buy, equipped with perimeter detectors, lasers and they even have snipers positioned at the gates. The room he is in is reinforced with titanium, including the door. A fly couldn’t get in there without their say-so. So if he doesn’t mind him by saying, he needn’t worry about whatever or whoever it is he’s afraid of, it simply can’t hurt him there.
Solemnly, Walsh says to him that he thinks so, doesn’t he? He then tells him that if he doesn’t mind, he’d like to be left alone again. Turning to leave, Smithers asks Walsh what is this thing he’s so terrified about. Walsh informs him that he’ll find out soon enough. He and the rest of the world will soon find out.
Pulling out a computer disk that has the words restricted printed on it and placing it on his desk amidst a number of pictures of scientists, Walsh mentions that it is his last bargaining chip, his last insurance policy not to wind up like the rest of them. When the world sees the information on this disk, there will be no turning back. It will all be over, one way or the other. Picking up the phone, Walsh calls up Ben Urich over at the Daily Bugle. Before he can start his conversation with Ben, he realizes that the line has been cut and in a panic, yells out for Smithers. Looking at his monitors, he realizes that it’s happening. They’ve sent someone for him and he’s massacred all of his guards.
Just then, Smithers rushes towards his office, starts banging on his door, and pleads with him to let him in and help him. He was right, they can’t stop him. He’s got to let him in, he’s almost there. Clutching his rifle, Walsh tells him that he can’t and asks him to please forgive him. Hearing Smithers being killed, Walsh covers his ears and continues to repeat over and over please forgive me.
At that moment, the door is destroyed by a pair of claws. Shaking and pointing his rifle at the door, Walsh sees his attacker – the mutant Wolverine. Upon seeing him, Walsh shoots him with his rifle to no avail. As he is being attacked, Walsh tells him that n-no one knows anything. He-he never told a soul, he swears. Wolverine doesn’t answer, but only laughs. After Walsh shoots him a few times with his hand-gun, Wolverine viciously attacks him and kills him in cold blood. Once the carnage has been completed, he picks up the computer disk and crushes it into a million pieces.
In his bed at the Xavier Mansion, Logan awakens with a start. Grabbing his head, he remarks that he had another friggin’ dream. Seems like he’s been havin’ ‘em every freakin’ night lately. Frankly, he’s gettin’ sick of it.
Driving in his car alone, Logan knows that it’s Apocalypse. This has gotta be some kinda aftereffect from when he turned him into his Horsemen Death. And if that’s the case, if Apocalypse still has some kinda hold over him, then they’re all in a lot of trouble. Hearing a thump on his roof, Logan realizes that somebody’s on the roof and proceeds to crash his car directly into a pole. Getting out of the car, Logan pops his claws and tells the mystery individual that it looks like somebody wants t’ find out what adamantium claws taste like. Putting his blue furred hands over Logan’s eyes, Hank McCoy, Beast, tells him that they taste just like chicken, so he’s told. But why only mention the claws? What of the enhanced senses, healing factor, unbreakable skeleton, questionable personal hygiene? It seems to him he’s selling himself short – pun intended. But that’s just two cents worth from the popular, ever loving, ever bouncing Beast.
After seeing him, Logan wonders why it had ta be him. He means well, but the last thing he needs right now is the X-Men worrying about him. Logan then asks Hank what he’s doin’ there. He’ll tell him right now, he ain’t in the mood fer any of his games. Hank tells him something new, something different. His usual foul disposition notwithstanding, he tagged along after he obviously had another of his bad dreams, so does he care to share. Turning his back on him, Logan tells him to go back t’ the mansion, this ain’t none of his business. Hank replies that he begs to differ. After what they’ve all been through lately, losing Peter and Moira like they did, he’d say this very much is his business. The X-Men are family and family doesn’t sit idly by when one of their number is in need.
Logan tells him that “family” should also know when t’ take a hint. Sighing, Hank says perhaps he’s going about this all wrong. As he recalls, Logan once doled out his own personal version of “tough love” on Peter by having him pummeled by the Juggernaut. But, since their dearly departed comrade isn’t there to return the favor, he’s afraid it is he who must now deal with him, in the only manner he’s ever seemed to understand. In other words, if he doesn’t come clean on what’s troubling him, he’s going to have to beat it out of him.
At first, Logan is in shock, and then he breaks out in laughter. After he tells Hank that he had him goin’ there fer a minute, Hank proceeds to punch him in the face. Picking himself up off the ground, Logan takes a swing at Hank but misses. When he does, Logan thinks to himself that sometimes he forgets how fast Hank is. As Logan attempts a side-kick, Hank jumps up, grabs a branch and proceeds to grab Logan with his feet. Hank tells him it was a worthy attempt, adequate enough for the usual riff-raff he faces, stinking of Miller Lite and Lucky Strikes as they do but he’s looking at a one-time member of the Avengers, X-Factor, Defenders and Britney Spears fan club. When Logan pops his claws, Hank tosses him with full force into the car and tells him that he’s afraid the claws simply won’t do.
Picking himself up off the ground, Logan angrily tells him that he shoulda left when he asked him to cuz now he can’t leave. With that, Logan leaps at Hank and slashes him across the chest with his claws. As Hank falls to the ground in a heap, Logan wonders in shock what he’s done. He lost his head for a minute, lost control. Rushing over to Hank, he tells him he’s sorry and pleads with him to wake up. Opening his eyes, Hank says ‘but I don’t want to go to school today mommy. Can I stay home and watch Mr. Rodgers instead?’
Putting his hand to his head, Logan remarks that he’s playin’ possum? Geez, way t’ give a guy a freakin’ coronary. Hank tells him it was an unsportsmanlike tactic, he’ll admit. Now, help him up, or to put it another way, alley-oop! Taking Logan’s hand, he proceeds to flip him over with his feet. While Logan gets up, Hank tells him that his slash was no big deal. It’s a little known fact he heals twice as fast as a normal human being although obviously not nearly as rapid as he, Mr. I-see-bullets-as-a-pizza topping. Holding out his hand, he asks if they are going to continue acting like guests on the Jerry Springer show or do they talk?
In his mind, Logan thinks look at this guy. He almost kills him an’ he’s still willin’ t’ help him. He then tells him that he wins, maybe he’s right. Maybe he shouldn’t keep somethin’ like this a secret. Or to put it another way, alley-oop! Taking Hank’s hand, he flips him over his shoulder and onto the ground. Walking over to the car, Logan tells Hank that he’ll fill him in over a cup o’ joe – he’s payin’. Holding his head, Hank asks if there are little tweety-birds flying around his head too, or is it just him?
In parts and whereabouts unknown Victor Creed, Sabretooth, lies naked and face-down on a table, clasps pulling his skin away from his exposed spine. His eyes wide-open, he is awake and in visible pain as the machinery and technicians subject his helpless body to the adamantium bonding process. High above, through glass, he is being watched by four shadowy figures. When informed that the process is going well and that he will have his adamantium skeleton back soon, one of them mentions that hopefully he will be able to hold onto it this time.
In the Gunga Diner, Logan sits at the bar next to Humphrey Bogart, remarking that that’s the story. If it is some kinda Apocalypse programmin’, he thinks it’s makin’ him more violent t’ boot, as he experienced firsthand. In reply, Humphrey Bogart, in actuality Hank McCoy, tells him that they’ll run some tests as soon as they get back to the mansion. Logan replies that he’d feel a lot better if them tests weren’t performed by “Dr. Bogie.” Hank tells him “here’s lookin’ at you, stick-in-the-mud.” What’s the point of having a personal image inducer if you can’t have fun with it? He’ll excuse his uptight demeanor to a bout with tense-it is, but will he relax?
Just then, a report comes across the television with breaking news. The search for Senator Drexel Walsh has unfortunately ended in tragic results. Walsh was found murdered at his summer home in upstate New York. After seeing the Senator’s face, Logan is in shock. He’s the guy he murdered in his dream. The news report then shows videotape footage of the killer from the Senator’s home. Authorities are scrambling to identify the man (Logan), but in the meantime, they ask that if you see him avoid him at all costs as he is considerably armed and extremely dangerous.
