Standing back to back with Jubilee, Wolverine thinks to himself that they call it the Ant Hill. Umpteen levels o’ techno hardware squattin’ in the Australian Outback like a giant stainless steel pimple. Not way up on the ol’ canucklehead’s list o’ fun places to be especially since he an’ Jubilee got themselves hijacked to this dump while they were checkin’ out the X-Men’s old compound and Gateway’s knoll.
He mentions to Jubilee that this is the big one. They gotta hit a grand slam or they are definitely skunked. Jubilee replies that the robo-goons aren’t stopping her – she has a mission. Like he said, they call it the Ant Hill and it’s a Sentinel hideout from way back. It is currently occupied by 3.14159, a Sentinel from the future and a bunch o’ his reconditioned buddies. Seems like ol’ 3.14159 went and got himself sentient. Sorta like the way the Tin Man got a heart…
Surrounding Wolverine and Jubilee, Sentinel 3.14159, holding his severed head in his arm, tells his four comrades that the two insignificant mutants before them are all that stand in the way of a future dominated by Sentinels. Sentinels unfettered by the constraints of the prime directive. Sentinels free to pursue their own destinies. Wolverine asks without squishy little humans an’ mutants clutterin’ up the landscape, huh? Jubilee queries what’s their national anthem gonna be, Purple Haze? Wolverine answers that somehow, he just don’t see Sentinels groovin’ to Jimi which is as good a reason as any to start rippin’ them apart.
With that, Wolverine charges towards Sentinel #23. 23 indicates to him that he cannot get past him. Wolverine replies who needs to get past him, when he can go through him. Using his claws, he slices the Sentinel in half and makes it out the other side. No sooner do they get to the other side, as do Sentinels 66 and 86 blast away in their direction. Jubilee mentions that it was lucky for them the top half of the Sentinel fell right into the spot where they used to be. Wolverine tells her to keep movin’ and bob and weave. He recommends that they not give the Sentinels trackin’ computers a pattern to get a bead on. Jubilee then asks if he has a plan or are they just running for their lives. Wolverine replies that he has a plan. Not much o’ one, but it’ll have to do.
With Wolverine and Jubilee gone, 3.14159 orders 99 to fuse his head back onto his body, 66 and 86 will continue pursuit of the mutants. As the top half of 23 lies on the ground, it calls out to 3.14159. He tells him that he “clik” is “bzzzzzt” damaged. “Click” “shuk” he “bzzzzzt” needs assistance. As 3.14159 leans down and reaches for his head, he tells 23 to hold still. 23 points out that “bzzzzzt” his head is not damaged. Why? Ripping a portion of 23’s head off, 3.14159 simply states that it’s because his head needs replacement parts. He has priority.
With 23 inactive, 3.14159 turns and asks 99 what he is staring at. Unit 23 was unrecoverable and that he reclassified him as salvage. Unit 99 answers that he understands and that the logical procedure was salvage. 3.14159 then informs unit 66 to transmit enhanced infrared view from his optical receptors. Unit 66 transmits the image and replies that he and unit 86 are in pursuit on level three and that he is transmitting updated route on schematic. He adds that they are going deeper into the Ant Hill. They are trapped!
At the end of the hallway, deep in the Ant Hill, Jubilee points out to Wolverine that they just hit a dead-end. She adds that she hopes this plan he has is totally wizard. Wolverine answers so does he. Jubilee then tells him that she does not intend to end up as a smear on the bottom of a big purple foot. Not after she found out that her parents were murdered, and she knows who did it – Reno and Molokai. They’re somewhere in Los Angeles and she’s going to find them. Her pafs have been getting stronger lately. They can really do some damage now. Maybe if she pushes the envelope even further she can…
Wolverine cuts her off and covers her mouth. He tells her to cool it. She has to take that anger and channel it if she wants to make it back to L.A. and get her payback. She has to get her act together and help him throw down heavy on the big purple guys. In short time, Sentinels 66 and 86 approach their position. When they get there, Wolverine leaps out and tells Jubilee this is it, no more jinkin’ and jivin’. This is where they open a six-pack o’ butt-kick and put it in their face. With that, Wolverine slices the top of unit 66’s head off and tells Jubilee to fry his memory banks.
As Jubilee unleashes her paf on unit 66, Wolverine tells her to hit the vision receptors of the other one. Jubilee does so as unit 86 calls out that his optic sensors are disabled. His infrared sensors and audio analysis suite are on-line. At that moment, unit 66 calls out to his partner to watch out behind him. 86, surprised to hear that his buddy is not terminated isn’t able to react when Wolverine slices his head off. Once he has done so, Wolverine tells Jubilee to paf it. Catching his partner’s head, unit 66 tells Jubilee to not terminate 86. It then calls out that it needs assistance.
Observing the proceedings, Wolverine and Jubilee are both in shock. Unit 66 informs the head of 86 that he will protect him and begins to repeat over and over 8686868686868686… Wolverine points out to Jubilee that 66 held itself together to try to save its buddy. Jubilee adds that it looks like all its circuits finally overloaded.
As 66 falls to the ground in a heap, it drops the head of 86, which lands in front of Jubilee. The head asks Jubilee to not turn him off. He is apprehensive of the darkness. Jubilee turns to Wolverine and tells him that she can’t paf it. It may be just a machine, but it’s afraid. Wolverine tells her it’s all right… Before he can continue his thought, Sentinels 3.14159 and 23 appear. 3.14159 says it is fascinating, the illogical difference to sentiment and empathy. He is…
Before it can finish its thought, Wolverine points out to Jubilee that 3.14159 has come to get his fair share o’ maximum throw down. As they both leap towards the Sentinel, Jubilee adds that if he wants to stir-fry the world, he gets no sympathy from her. Wolverine tells her that he’ll rip, she pafs and they’ll… At that moment, unit 3.14159 holds up his hand and tells them that he has not completed analysis of new data. He then puts them in a time/stasis field which will hold them while he finishes computations. Stuck in the field, Jubilee mentions that it’s… like… swimming… through… cold… peanut… butter. Wolverine adds that he hates… being… put… on… hold.
3.14159 tells them that he is perplexed by the behavior of the little female mutant. There is no logic in her reluctance to terminating 86. Picking up 86’s head, he continues by asking what humans call this – compassion? Is that common to higher forms of carbon-cycle beings? Does this come with a program bundle with wonderment, curiosity, and other non-logical processing functions? Those are all non-rational patterns that are related to a function called empathy. He does not comprehend empathy. Terminating the time/stasis field, he tells Wolverine and Jubilee to explain the logic path of empathy. Free, Wolverine tells him that there are plenty o’ humans who don’t understand what it is.
Jubilee adds that she doesn’t get this. The Franken-droid wants them to explain empathy to him? What about that whole world full of humans who are gonna get extra crispy real soon? 3.14159 tells them that there will be no solar flare. There will be no mass incineration. He then calls out for the solar flare generator turret and tracking module to retract fully. Once the generator has lowered to the level they are on, he and unit 23 destroy the generator and erase all schematics and diagrams of it from all memory banks.
It then tells Wolverine and Jubilee that he must analyze those processes and functions that seem intrinsic to organic sentience. He must create whole new algorithms and systems for this monumental task. The entire Ant Hill computer system must be restructured and task-dedicated to solve the problems and create a binary program for them. They are exponentially immense calculations that will take up a considerable amount of time, but time is a relatively meaningless to a Sentinel. To run a complete analysis and develop a sentient program for higher functions of sentience will take 2137.23 years.
He then tells them that all units present will enter processor sleep and awaken when it will be possible for them to at least understand, if not experience, human emotions. He adds that he will now re-open the space-time warp and return them to their own temporal niche. Once done, he asks them if they would like to return to the knoll where the time-hole spins. Jubilee answers no, they want to go to Los Angeles. The Sentinel simply replies as they wish and sends them on their way.
The next day, in an office building, a plain-clothes Wolverine asks Jocko and Sally if they remember him. Jocko admits that they do; they remember him real good. Sally offers Wolverine to take whatever he wants and go away. Wolverine smacks the watches off the table in anger and replies that he don’t want his cheap boot-leg, made-by-slave-labor merchandise. He just wants him to answer one question for the young lady standin’ in his doorway, a question about some erstwhile employees of theirs.
Later, in Burbank, Reno and Molokai are roughing up a man. The man informs them that he doesn’t need a new roof, especially at their prices. Molokai tells him that he doesn’t think he listens too good. He thinks maybe he should sign that roofing contract or Reno is gonna ream him a new nostril. Reno adds that it will be ‘bout the size o’ the air intake on a phantom jet.
At that moment, a car comes down the street and sideswipes Molokai’s car. Reno and Molokai stop beating up the man and check on their car. When Molokai notices that haoli low-life gouged three slices out o’ the side o’ his ’57 Mercury, they give chase. As Molokai cocks his shotgun he tells Reno that their targets next of kin is gonna dig out his insurance papers and collect big on his dead butt. Following close behind, Reno points out that the hombre behind the wheel looks mighty short, it could be a kid. Molokai says that he sees a cigar end glowin’. Reno adds that the Benz they are following sho’ does look familiar. Don’t Jocko and Sally got one just like it? Molokai replies that so do a hunnert other wise guys. He then tells Reno that the car they’re following is heading up Mullholland. They know that road like the backs of their hands.
Just then, Reno points out that the car has stopped. Molokai indicates that was stupid. Now they gonna be dead and stupid. Exiting the car, Molokai tells Reno that he thinks he’s gonna gut-shot the mope and watch him twitch for a while. Reno, brandishing two pistols, calls Molokai a sick puppy. Molokai simply says thank you.
As Wolverine and Jubilee get out of their car, Wolverine asks her if she wants him to disarm them for her. Jubilee tells him no thanks; she wants to do this all herself. When Molokai recognizes who they are facing, he mentions to Reno the guy before them is the creep that gave them all that trouble in Venice. Reno tells him to give him both barrels while he plugs the kid. Before they can, Jubilee uses a concentrated fireworks blast to destroy their guns.
With them unarmed, she proceeds to blast them in the eyes, blinding them. Jubilee then kicks Molokai in the gut and knocks him down. She then punches Reno and takes him out as well. When both Reno and Molokai are down for the count, Wolverine tells Jubilee that it looks like she got them right where she wants ‘em. He adds that it don’t take much, just a very accurate paf right in the cerebral cortex. Not even traceable, nothin’ to make it seem any different than another stroke, except the odds o’ it happenin’ to two fairly healthy ol’ boys simultaneously. He tells her to think how good it would feel, if she was that kind o’ person, that is. Heck, they killed her parents. It’s a good killin’, ain’t it?
Jubilee looks over at Wolverine and says to them that he killed people. He’s killed so many and… Wolverine replies yeah, does she wanna sit up with him some night and talk to them all? Jubilee’s answer is a double-kick to the crotches of both Reno and Molokai. As she and Wolverine walk away she tells him that she guesses she’s just weak, huh. Wolverine tells her no, that ain’t weakness. He adds that she has enough heart to save the world and as a matter of fact, she did.
