At the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning in Westchester, New York, Logan sits in an office with Melita Garner. He tells her that they should start at the beginning. Who is she again? With a dejected look on her face, Melita tells him they’ve gone over this a dozen times. It’s not helping, is it?
Logan says he doesn’t know. He keeps hoping that if they keep going over this, it’ll shake something loose, trigger some memory. But this isn’t like amnesia. He doesn’t think this is something he can just remember. The memories, they just aren’t there. They’re gone. Her face, her voice, her scent, they’re all new to him like he only saw her for the first time a few weeks ago. Melita states that’s just what every girl wants to hear from her ex. And don’t think this means she’s taking him back, either. Logan remarks that he knows he should remember her. What’s more, he wishes he could. But Dr. Rot made sure that’s not gonna happen. Ripped out pieces of his brain, carved her and God knows who or what else, right out of his skull. Healing factor stitched the tissue back together, but the memories are gone. When Melita begins to say that she doesn’t understand, Logan tells her to wait, pops his claws and proceeds to tell her there’s someone here.
Just then, a holographic image of a young blonde haired woman tells Logan hello and that she’s terribly sorry to interrupt like this but they need to talk. Shocked, Logan asks “Vanessa?” With her arms crossed, Melita says of course he remembers her. Whoever the hell she is. Logan tells Melita that he’s sorry and that it might be best if she took off. They can pick this up again later. Making her way to the door, Melita angrily tells Logan sure. Whatever he says, just whatever and proceeds to slam the door.
Once Melita has left, Vanessa gives Logan her apologies. She hopes this visit isn’t going to exacerbate any domestic problems he might be having. Logan replies that, now she mentions it, he was just gonna comment on how exacerbated he’s feeling. He then asks her what she wants. He thought she was dead. Vanessa tells him no, she’s still fighting the good fight. Of course, the years have not been as kind to her as they have been to him. What he sees there is the product of a mobile holographic projector outfitted with all the visual, audio, olfactory and gustation sensors a girl could want. What’s left of her body is stored in several petri dishes and kept alive through some of Victor’s best work.
Logan asks her that she never did know when to give up the ghost, did she? Vanessa answers not while there’s work to be done. She then tells him he should have one of those beers he’s been craving. And not one of those domestics he keeps in his public bar. When Logan asks her what she… Vanessa cuts him off and asks him who he’s trying to fool. She hears the hum of a hidden refrigeration unit, and she can see the scratch marks on the corner of the desk. Her guess is he uses it to pop bottle caps. She’d be surprised if he didn’t have a private supply of rare microbrews. A Shi’ar pale ale, perhaps?
After calling her a busybody, Logan pulls out a beer, takes a swig, and asks her what about the rest of her friends. What about the Covenant? Vanessa informs him that most of them have proved as resilient or resourceful as he might expect. Ulysses is no longer with us, as she’s sure he knows. But the rest are managing in their own way. They have not, however, been working together. They departed ways decades ago. Logan asks retired, huh? Living the quiet life? Vanessa says until recently, she supposes. When Logan asks what changed, Vanessa tells him that she suspects he already knows the answer to that. They’ve found her. The Dreaming Maiden is stirring again.
Logan recalls a memory from 1934 when he was in Marrakech. Entering a temple, Logan said to himself no way, bub. No way is he gonna just walk in there without a bit of trouble. Is he? Just then, Logan is attacked by a number of individuals – men, women, and creature alike. As they do, they exclaim that those who would harm the Dreaming Maiden must die. When Logan begins to fight back, poison darts are shot into his neck and back. Continuing to fight, Logan asks that they’re trying to poison him? Slashing him in the back with one of their serrated fans, one of his attackers tells him they were born to protect the Maiden. They will stop him by any means.
In short time, Logan finishes off the rest of his attacker, ascends the steps and enters the Dreaming Maiden’s chamber. When the Maiden asks who he is and if he’s come there to rescue her, Logan brandishes his dagger and tells her not quite.
As they walk outside, Vanessa confides to Logan that she often disagreed with her colleagues. Killing the girl never sat well with her. Logan quips what d’you know. There must be a bit of heart soaking in those petri dishes back home, huh? Vanessa replies that he of all people should know that sometimes sacrifices must be made for the greater good. Logan says yeah and she should know that it’s awfully easy to trap yourself with that kind of reasoning. You do what’s right for the “greater good” long enough, you can’t help but wonder if all those “sacrifices” just make you a stone-cold killer.
Vanessa tells him that they need to speak frankly. He realizes she’ always known what really happened with the girl. She’s one of the greatest detectives who’s ever lived. Of course she knows the truth. She simply chose to look the other way as he double-crossed them. Logan asks that if she’s so smart, she knows why he doesn’t want to get involved. So why doesn’t she help her now. Vanessa replies that she’s afraid her current physical condition is… limiting. But he’s right, she does know why he’s hesitating. Some sacrifices are more difficult than others. However, whether she’s forgiven his actions or not… the Dreaming Maiden needs his help again. The others are already looking for her. He knows how ruthless they (the Covenant - Wyatt Crowley, Vanessa Baker, Jefferson Chambers, The Menace, Murderous Lion, and Ulysses Bloodstone) can be… especially now… especially in desperation. When Logan asks how she found her, Vanessa tells him they’re dreaming again, even her. They’re all dreaming again. Has he not… Gritting his teeth, Logan tells her that he doesn’t have time to sleep, how is he supposed to have time to dream?
At the Isle of Sombra off the coast of Morocco, Logan enters a cave. As he does, he knows he’s too late. He knew it as soon as he set foot on the island. If the Maiden is communicating with the Covenant, if she’s reaching out in their dreams, there’s a good chance they know where to find her. They’ll know where he hid her all those years ago. They beat him there, found her already. But if they just want her dead, where’s the body? Now the question is, who got here first and who’s there with him now. Popping his claws, Logan spins around and sees Elsa Bloodstone standing there. When he asks why daddy’s little girl is doing sneaking around there, Elsa tells him that, first of all, she suspects he bloody well knows why she’s there. Second of all, when he says “daddy’s little girl,” she gets the impression he’s looking at her like some trollop you might find in the pages of a girlie magazine. And third, he smells like a brewery. Logan tells her to hold that thought, looks like they’ve got company. Just then, a horde of attackers descends on their location.
In New York City, Melita sits on her couch and says “whatever.” Way to revert to eighth grade. It’s three in the morning and there’s still a half bottle of wine left. What to do… what to do… Pouring the wine, she remarks that it looks like she’ll be calling in sick today. As she takes a sip, Vanessa appears behind her and tells her good morning. She was hoping she’d still be awake. Angrily, Melita asks her how she got in there. More importantly, what the hell is she doing there? Rushing towards her, Melita passes through the hologram and lands face-first on the couch. Vanessa proceeds to tell her that she’s afraid neither of them has time for lengthy explanations. She’ll save the answer to her first question for a more leisurely time. As to her second question… her name is Vanessa Baker. And she’s there because Logan needs her help. After Melita asks what she means, what’s wrong, Vanessa tells her that she’s afraid he has embarked on a dark path. Indeed, a path she set him on. But she believes she has a role to play as well and that…that warrants an explanation. Perhaps she’d like to finisher her wine while they chat. Trust her, she’ll need it.
In Morocco, one of the attackers tells Logan that the Dreaming Maiden has been claimed by their master. Their instructions are to kill anyone else who might seek her out. Claws at the ready, Logan tells them that it sounds like a party to him. Elsa mentions to Logan that she doesn’t like this. She doesn’t enjoy fighting humans. Logan tells her to breathe easy then. Unless he’s mistaken, these fellas are the Twelve Horrors, disciples of Murderous Lion. They study a form of Kung Fu so forbidden that it is said to bring about physical transformations in its practitioners. Strictly speaking, they started out as humans, but they’re something… different now.
Smiling, Elsa states that’ll do and the two of them begin to fight the transformed, mutated attackers. As they do, Logan thinks to himself that. if Murderous Lion is leaving a kill squad for anyone who comes looking for the Maiden, it means the Covenant is more fractured than Vanessa let on. The Covenant’s not a group to be trifled with. But if they’ve gone to war with each other, if they’re using the Dreaming Maiden as some sort of pawn, they’re potentially more dangerous than ever. The Twelve Horrors aren’t pushovers but when you’ve been at the game as long as he and Bloodstone, you make it look easy. But if he’s going head-to-head with the rest of the Covenant, it’s going to get much worse. He’s not dragging the X-Men into the Covenant’s crosshairs, not if he can help it. This is a fight he started long ago. He’s gonna finish it. But, hey, if a famous monster hunter makes this scrap her business, well it’s nice to know he’s got somebody with some know-how on his side.
After the Twelve Horrors have been defeated, Logan mentions to Elsa that he’s got a pretty good idea where to look next – the Valley of Gates. If they’re gonna save the girl, that’s where they need to be. Elsa asks “save” and proceeds to point her rifle at Logan’s face. She tells him she’s sorry but she’s not trying to save her. Her father’s work is not finished. The Dreaming Maiden must die. With that, Elsa shoots Logan in the face at point-blank range and leaves him lying on the ground, his face smoldering from the blast. As he lies on the ground, Logan tells himself that he should’ve seen that coming.
