SWNOVELXO Chapter 23: Child Rebellion
Weapon X Facility
The young girl was woken up and led to another room by several guards as she was bound in restraints. The fluorescent lights above hummed quietly. Her expression was unreadable.
High above, behind reinforced glass, Professor Thorton observed the most promising specimen. He adjusted a dial on the control panel in front of him. His gaze remained fixed on the young girl below, scrutinizing her every movement.
"X-23, begin the test," he ordered.
With a loud hiss, a heavy door on the far side of the room slid open. From the darkness beyond, the sound of guttural growls and shuffling footsteps filled the air. The first creature emerged, its pale, monstrous form unmistakably reminiscent of the Wendigo. Its eyes glowed with a feral hunger as it snarled, revealing rows of sharp teeth. Behind it, more creatures followed, crowding into the chamber
X-23 remained still, her small hands clenched into fists at her sides. There was no fear in her eyes, only a cold, determined focus. She had been trained for this, conditioned to face whatever horror was thrown her way.
The creatures hesitated for only a moment before they charged. X-23 moved in a blur, her instincts taking over. With a swift motion, two gleaming adamantium claws extended from her forearms, slicing through the air as she leaped at the nearest Wendigo-like beast.
The first creature fell, its throat slashed open by her claws. Blood sprayed across the chamber, but there was no time to pause. Another creature lunged at her, its massive hands swinging down to crush her. She ducked and rolled, narrowly avoiding the strike, then drove her claws deep into its side, tearing through muscle and bone.
Despite her skill and speed, the numbers were overwhelming. The creatures swarmed her, claws and teeth ripping into her flesh. X-23 fought back with everything she had. She slashed, stabbed, and tore through the horde, each strike precise and lethal. But for every creature she brought down, two more seemed to take its place.
Blood soaked the chamber floor, both hers and the creatures'. Her breaths came in ragged gasps as she fought against the tide. One of the beasts managed to clamp its jaws around her arm, its teeth sinking deep into her flesh. With a scream of rage, she wrenched her arm free, severing the creature's head with a brutal slash.
The relentless assault had taken its toll. Her body was small and not fully developed. The wounds she sustained began to accumulate, slowing her movements and sapping her strength. Still, she fought with a will to survive.
Finally, the last of the creatures fell, its body crumpling to the floor with a sickening thud. X-23 stood in the center of the carnage. Blood dripped from her claws. She was covered in cuts and bruises. She took a step forward, but her legs gave out, and she collapsed to the floor, gasping for air.
Above, Professor Thorton watched impassively as the girl lay amidst the remains of the creatures. Her wounds, though grievous, began to heal rapidly, the torn flesh knitting itself back together with astonishing speed. The sight brought a twisted smile to his lips. "Impressive," he murmured to himself. "The secondary Wendigo infected will serve as excellent training partners. She's stronger than expected."
He leaned closer to the glass, watching as X-23 slowly pushed herself up, her eyes burning fierce despite the agony. "Yes, she'll do just fine."
As the chamber doors opened once more and medical personnel rushed in to retrieve the girl, Professor Thorton turned away, already thinking of the next test, the next trial. There was much more to be done before X-23 could become the weapon they desired. Perhaps the Wendigo infection can be further hybridized.
#
Steve smashed a nearby desk. He had seen enough. They were creating living weapons here. This place was likely the reason why James didn't remember him. Now, seeing that girl, it was clear she was related to James by blood in some way. She was trained as a weapon like James was probably put through. He wasn't having that. Steve quickly studied the layout on the monitors, mapping out the quickest route to both Logan and the girl. He couldn't just abandon a child in this place, let alone James's potential family.
#
Steve Rogers had left the surveillance room and started moving toward Sector 5 to find the child.
As he rounded a corner, the sound of voices reached his ears. He froze, quickly pressing himself against the wall and slipping into a nearby alcove. From down the hall, two figures were conversing. He recognized the voices immediately from the attack on the town. The one clad in red and black had his usual manic energy. Steve listened intently.
Deadpool's voice echoed through the corridor, filled with his usual bravado. "I'm just saying, I have the same if not better regeneration than Wolverine. I could totally go through the adamantium skeleton process. Think about it, adamantium swords and bones. I'd be unstoppable."
Steve grimaced. If this man had the same level of healing as James, he would be hard to put down. Steve doubted that a bullet to the head would work if his memories of James on the frontline of the war were accurate.
Omega Red grew weary and sighed. "If you recall the doctor's words, adamantium is toxic to the body. It will handicap you further than you already are."
Deadpool paused, seemingly puzzled. "What handicap?"
There was a brief silence, followed by Omega Red's blunt explanation. "Wade... You are literally a walking tumor... Do you really want to throw toxic metal into the mix?"
"Hmm... Point taken," Deadpool conceded, and Steve could almost hear the gears turning in the mercenary's head.
Omega Red's patience was wearing thin. "Is there a reason you are here with me and not following the doctor's orders?"
Deadpool's tone shifted to something more casual, almost flippant. "What? Friends can't hang out together from time to time?"
"We are friends?" Omega Red sounded genuinely surprised, if not a little skeptical.
Deadpool didn't miss a beat. "Okay. Fine. We're more like begrudging co-workers."
Omega Red huffed. "Get to the point."
Deadpool's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, though it still carried easily in the quiet hall. "I was thinking that since Wolvie's back, we can tease him with his kid. He finally came back home with the milk and cigarettes he promised."
Steve's heart skipped a beat. His intuition was right.
Omega Red, however, was not amused. "The girl has much potential and doesn't need distractions from the defector before he gets reprogrammed."
"Come on," Deadpool argued, "growing kids need social interaction. Remember when I played catch with her?"
Steve could practically hear Omega Red's exasperation. "You were shooting her, hoping that she would cut or block the bullets in mid-flight."
"Exactly," Deadpool said, as if that made perfect sense. "You should have seen me in action when I was still sexy. There was this one time I was in an elevator surrounded by gunmen..."
Omega Red cut him off with a warning growl. "Wade..."
Deadpool wasn't deterred. "The point is that the kid could learn a lot from her Uncle Deadpool and Uncle Omega."
Omega Red's voice dropped to a low, threatening rumble. "One of the saving graces of that child is that she doesn't talk much. So that she doesn't get that mouth of yours, I would appreciate it if you didn't meddle with her training more than you already have."
As the two continued to walk away, Steve himself quietly moved from his hiding spot. A pit formed in his stomach of how much the girl had been affected by her experiences here.
#
Professor Thorton sat in his office revising the day's data entries. A heavy folder of data spread across his desk. His weary eyes scanned the documents before him, reviewing the progress and setbacks of the Weapon X Program. The Wolverine was back in their possession.
Thorton leaned back in his chair, letting out a deep sigh. He had come a long way since the U.S. Army. To think it all started when he found Nathaniel Essex's laboratory hidden within a Nazi concentration camp. It was a goldmine of genetic research.
The U.S. Government quickly absorbed Essex's work into its clandestine operations. Thorton was recruited into what would become known as the Weapon Plus Program to create super-soldiers. It would be the successor to Project: Rebirth. That was America's first step into the future: Captain America, aka Weapon I.
Weapon Plus expanded its operations, co-sponsoring with the CIA the formation of Team X. Thorton became the head scientist, responsible for the continuous conditioning that kept the operatives in line. Team X was a success, but it was only the beginning.
Thorton was later appointed Director of the Weapon X Program. The capture of Logan, codenamed Wolverine, had been vital. Logan was the perfect subject. His healing factor made him suited to survive the adamantium bonding process. The ultimate weapon had a body laced with unbreakable metal and a mind conditioned into a killing machine.
Sadly, free will got in his way. Despite all of Thorton's efforts to control him, Wolverine had broken free. The escape nearly brought the entire Weapon X Program to its knees. For a time, it seemed like everything Thorton had worked for would be lost.
Even as his superiors moved to shut down Weapon X, Thorton kept the program alive.
As he leaned back in his chair to stretch, a small red notification box appeared. His brow furrowed as he read the alert: "Subject Lady Deathstrike - Entered Containment Room: Subject Logan."
Thorton's eyes narrowed. "Damn it." He quickly set aside the paperwork. He knew how volatile Lady Deathstrike could be when it came to Logan. Their shared history was a powder keg. The last thing he needed was a confrontation that could jeopardize years of work. Thorton moved quickly toward the containment area.
#
Steve moved through the corridors as he approached Sector 5. Steve eventually came across an observation window and saw the girl again. She was bound in metal restraints that held her hands and feet. The girl lay on a narrow bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Her expression was seemingly devoid of emotion.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching. He quickly moved to a shadowed corner, watching as a scientist appeared carrying a tray of food. The man stopped at the door to the girl's room, pulling out a keycard and sliding it through the reader. The door hissed open.
The scientist stepped inside, his voice a condescending drone. "Okay, X-23. It's dinner time. Let's refrain from any messes this…"
Steve was on him in an instant, knocking the scientist out with a precise blow to the head. The man crumpled to the ground, the tray clattering beside him. Steve caught the keycard before it could hit the floor and moved into the room.
The girl blinked, breaking free of her trance-like state. She sat up, her eyes locking onto Steve. She tilted her head slightly, trying to understand this new situation. The last time someone unexpectedly entered her room was Deadpool, with one of his bizarre ideas of fun. She didn't like playing catch with him. It hurt. This was different. The man standing before her was new. Instead of the usual cold detachment, there was a warmth that she hadn't seen in a while.
Steve approached her slowly. "Sorry about that. Hello, there. My name is Steve. I'm here to help."
Laura pulled her legs to her chest.
"Don't worry," Steve continued, keeping his movements. "I'm not gonna hurt you. Do you understand me?"
Laura hesitated, then gave a small nod.
"That's good." Steve smiled reassuringly. "Do you have a name?"
Memories of Doctor Kinney flashed through her mind. She was the only other person who had ever shown her any semblance of kindness in this place. They had talked and read books together. The other people in white coats disapproved. The name the doctor had called her surfaced in her mind. "Laura..."
"Laura," Steve repeated, his smile widening. "That's a beautiful name."
She liked the name, too, but she should have been a better subject. Doctor Kinney was gone now. The professor promised that they would get a new teacher to properly discipline her from then on.
"Listen, Laura, I know where your father is. I can get you out of here and take you to him if you want."
Laura's brow furrowed. Father? The concept was foreign to her, but then she remembered the original Weapon X, the man whose genetic material had been used to create her. Doctor Kinney had mentioned him once. "Logan?"
Steve exhaled slowly. "That's... That's close enough." He gestured to her restraints. "Do you know how to get out of here?"
Laura nodded slightly and pointed toward a control panel at the edge of the room. She had seen the scientists manipulate it whenever they moved her from one sector to another.
Steve followed her gaze. He tightened his grip on his shield. When he broke those restraints, alarms would likely go off, and they'd have to move fast. He turned back to Laura. "Are you ready to get out of here?"
Laura took a deep breath. Kinney had talked about what she would do in the outside world. "Yes..."
#
AN: Special thanks to Seana, Jebest4781, Charles, vividlearner744, OmegaDelta, Henry Stickman, fearmegu, Kitsune Robyn, Salo Guzman, Traiton Moses, SonicSonicsSonic, KA012, Monkey, Tapion, Roger Cornejo, Dragon lord, and JJsouza09!
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