The Plaguebearers - Log Six

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Kitty and Kane join Logan to continue the hunt while Sharon gets Julian to safety



“Sharon’s just been picked up with Julian. They’ll be back at the med lab soon.” Kane said, trying to wipe out the image of the pair of hands lying in the sewage. He and Kitty had rejoined the others just in time for Sharon to start pulling Julian out.

"Hope they got a fix for that." Logan didn't envy Julian. Would've hoped to prevent that if he could've but life wasn't that kind. Life was going to suck for a while for Julian. It was one thing to know he could regrow his own limbs. Didn't mean he wanted to do it or watch someone else lose them with no chance of getting them back.

"They do. I'm sure of it." Kitty's voice wavered, not sure at all. She floated up a step, going intangible without realizing for a moment. Shaking her head, she forced herself back. "Let's press on. What's next, boss?"

"The Death Adder is way too dangerous to leave down here. Or in the hands of whomever hired those two jokers. We have to find him."

"I might be able to help with that." The Doctor held up his phone. "There used to be a tracker implanted in the subject. It's old, breaking down, and this is exactly the worst place for it, but I'm getting weak signals."

"It at least gives us a direction. Can you pick up his scent, Logan?"

"Probably. Shouldn't be hard once we get headed in the right direction. I'm thinkin' with all the experimentin' been done to him his scent should be off the charts detectable." Logan motioned to the tracker. "Hand that to someone, 'less you're comin' with us, and we'll get goin'. Sooner we get him contained the better."

Kitty reached out and took the phone from the doctor. Glancing at the interface, she held it up to see if she could dowse for a better signal.

"It's not great but it's something. We'll get a clearer signal when we leave this area, I think."

"Let's move then." Kane said. He was rattled by Julian's injury; on his watch. That meant it was his responsibility. "Logan, take point. Doc, you sure this tranq can take him down?"

"Well, several of them, yes. But you need to hit flesh and not his carapace."

"Fun." He passed one over to Kitty before they started down the tunnel.

It took nearly an hour, backtracking and navigating through the tunnels, finding alternate routes along caved in passages and sealed sewers. Fortunately, Logan's senses were enough to bridge the gap between the weak sensor and the warren of pipes and corridors until they finally came into a vault roofed room. In the centre was an open pool; one of the many storm discharges that had been built. The room branched off into a half dozen directions.

"Great. He could have gon-" Kane was cut off as Death Adder emerged from the pool with a splash, hooking his claws into Kane's clothes and dragging him under the water back down the pool.

"Damnit!" Logan charged down the remaining length of the tunnel toward the pool. Kane may have enhanced abilities but that didn't mean he could survive drowning. If that bastard was lurking then the other asshole had to be too. Once he got to the pool, Logan sighed internally then dove into the pool headfirst to see what the situation was.

Kitty took a second to catch her breath, then phased in after Logan. Her eyes blinked as she adjusted to the murky underwater light. Oh shit, Kane.

Underwater, Kane had clamped on to Death Adder's tail, twisting it away at it kept jabbing at his face. He hadn't gotten a good breath, although his altered lungs gave him plenty more time than a normal person. The problem was that it was taking all of his attention to keep the tail barb away from him, and Death Adder was clawing vicious swipes across his chest and torso.

Logan kicked hard for Death Adder and slammed into him with as much force as he could. The more attention focused on him, the less the asshole would be focused on Kane or Kitty. The hard shell was the problem, combined with that damn barbed tail. At least there were only two clawed hands to keep track off. He started unloading punches into Death Adder's midsection, attempting to punch their the hard shell, while fending off the vicious swipes.

Kitty swallowed hard, gripping the tranq in her hand. Maybe while Logan was thrashing, she could get a chance. Forcing herself to remain solid, she waded in after them, dodging as the pair grappled toward her.

Kane managed to get the tail isolated, yanking on it to keep Death Adder in one place while Logan hacked at him. There was the hiss-spat sound of the dart, but it simply bounced off of his carapace. Tranqing him wasn't going to be an option. Kane's eyes tracked around and could sight of the overhead lines. Was it possible?

"Kitty, get in here and phase Logan out! Now!"

Kitty lept in, grabbing Logan by the collar and yanking back. It took a moment before she could phase him, afraid as she was that she'd take them both with her. Hoping Kane had a plan, she dragged Logan backwards and hoped for the best.

Kane lept up, momentarily leaving the water and grabbed a handful of the line, crushing the thin metal covering and tearing them down with him as he fell back into the water. The live wires hit the pool and the underground room was lit with sparks and arcs bolts as the electricity ripped through the water. Kane's body quickly shifted to a darker, rubbery cast, insulating him from the worst. Death Adder wasn't so lucky as the energy tore through him. His carapace was smoking when they dragged him from the water, unconscious and steaming.

Kane collapsed on the floor next to him. "Let's not do that one again."

As if on cue, two figures appeared from the shadows.

"Good of them to track him down."

"And subdue him. Heroes, time to walk away from our prize."

Logan glared at the two assholes off to the sides. "Why don't ya two go get a life elsewhere?" He was sick and tired of all this shit. It was time to end this and get the hell out of here. He roared and charged at Termite, looking to knock him out.

The mercenary wasn't prepared for Logan's rush. He flung his hands up and tunneled a tight blast through Logan's chest. Unfortunately, the straw diameter hole stopped as soon as it hit an adamantium laced rib, not even slowing the mutant as he crashed into him. Enforcer fired wildly, trying to force Garrison and Kitty to take cover.

Kitty jumped, firing the tranq gun wildly as she bolted. "Get down!" She yelled, realizing she was a half-second too late.

Garrison pulled the unconscious Death Adder to cover on the other side of the pool. Enforcer was snarling at the loss of targets, unable to sight on Logan as he struggled with his partner.

Logan grunted at the continual pain being opened in him and while it wasn't the worst he'd had it was damn irritating. He pummeled Termite in the body then laid him out with two quick uppercuts. He dragged the unconscious body upright enough to keep Termite from drowning then turned his attention to Enforcer.

Logan said, "Ya wantin' the same treatment or ya givin' up right now?"

"Fuck you." He said, bringing up his gun in a smooth motion, aiming right between Logan's eyes.

Her heart slamming hard against her chest, Kitty took aim and fired her last shot.

This one hit.

Enforcer stumbled first, his gun slipping from his fingers as his feet stuttered back. He opened his mouth, then slumped, crashing to the ground before he could speak.

Kitty ran to Logan, touching him first and phasing him out of instinct. When Enforcer remained still, she let her touch slip away. Biting her lip, she glanced over at Garrison. "We done here?"