Search for Wolverine under the Microscope

[BEAST]

"Of Course Scott. I'm sure you're both quite famished after that long cold ride. Emma said you both went out just at sundown. It is well past that time now. I have rations stored in the refrigerator in my office next to the lab. I can dash in for a moment and find something for you both," Dr. McCoy said as he led them to his lab. "I can make some tea if necessary, just tell me when you are in need of something to calm you both. I'm sure it was quite a trying experience," he added, glancing at the young fire-bender. It wasn't difficult to decipher what Scott was implying.

Though Hank didn't know all the details of what they had found, he knew all too well what the scene looked like after a battle between Wolverine and Sabretooth, two long time rivals. From what he gathered during his encounter with Emma, Aideen thought herself to be at fault for the disappearance of Logan. She must have been filled with grief and after the failed attempt to search for Logan, Aideen must have, in simplistic terms, snapped.
Hank's knowledge on the human mind was quite extensive from all the reading that he had accomplished in his life. Though he couldn't be sure until he had observed her for a small stretch of time, it looked like she brought herself into a state of decathexis, otherwise known as isolation of affect. If that was the case as he suspected it was, something would need to be done very soon, since the condition can become permanent or have extremely damaging effects. He suspected that more events in the past two days had attributed to this state of isolation of the mind, but he would speak to Scott about that when Scott felt secure enough to leave the girl by herself. Hank saw how protective he had grown toward the girl. Yes we will need to have a word about her when we are no longer in her presence. Hank noted to himself as he unlocked the Genetics Lab.

"Here we are, please have seat," Hank said leading them over to the small row of chairs he had resting against the wall. "I will return in a moment for some rations for you both." He walked swiftly into his office, unlocking it and switching on the light. He walked straight to his mini-fridge and rummaged through it.
I believe Aideen's medical file indicated that she does not eat meat due to the amounts of polyunsaturated fat that takes too long for her digestive tract to process. But the girl doesn't look like she has eaten in over 24 hours. If she does not have the proper amount of protein and fat in a two day span, her body could go into starvation and nutrient loss would be drastic. She needs to make up for the period of time in which she lost essential nutrients quickly and unfortunately for her, animal products are the best way to do that. It might take some coercing but it will have to be done, he thought in his head as he finally decided on a hearty roast beef, swiss cheese, prosciutto, mozzarella and mayonnaise sandwich with lettuce and tomato. Hank only had one of these at a time in his fridge, saving it for the days where he was so caught up in his work that he forgot to eat. Right now Aideen was in greater need of it than he will ever be. Now Scott and I must coerce her into consuming it. I am unsure of how this will unfold due to her mental state, Hank thought as he grabbed a hearty roast beef sandwich for Scott and grabbed them both bottled water.

He hastily returned to the Lab and walked right over to the two of them and handed them both the water and first gave Scott his ration. "Here you are Scott, I hope roast beef is agreeable with you for now," he said to his friend.

Dr. McCoy then hunched over a bit more to look into the blank emotionless dark eyes that belonged to the young fire-bender. "Now Ms. Whelan, though I am well aware that meat is not apart of your diet, but it is apparent from your gaunt appearance that you have been neglecting your required meals and nutrients. To make up for that in order for your body to function correctly, I need you to make an exception this time and eat meat," he said in a gentle tone as he gave her the sandwich.

He glanced up and met Scott's eyes, hoping his old friend who most likely was not aware of how Aideen's body processed food would assist him in coercing her in her fragile state to eat the hearty sandwich.

Hank stood up to his full height and retrieved the unusually warm glass-like chips from his pocket. "I shall set up my equipment and we will have a look at this most divergent object," he said in an inquisitive tone as he walked off to put on his lab-coat and safely goggles and set up his equipment, all the while planning to keep a close eye on the girl and observe her behavior. Hopefully they could help her if needed

[Ember]

Aideen remained silent went Cyclops grabbed her elbow and took her to Beast's Lab. It was an interesting chrome like room. It looked a bit like the lab in the underground that Daog worked in. Of course, that was an illegal lab used store and test substances and items that Stones and Daog would get from the Black Market. That was some good money Aideen used to make whenever she brought in buyers from the races. That was the arrangement between her and Stone in exchange for getting first pick on any of the items. Of course there were others terms to that arrangement Aideen recalled as Beast and Cyclops took her to the Genetics Lab. There were also the perks of it that went beyond the arrangement. Come to think of it, the last time she had seen Stones, she left her belly chain on his night table.

She sat down in the chair when Beast showed them inside, still close to Cyclops. He was a nice man, just like that one officer at the military base who always smiled at her and gave her a lollipop whenever her uncle took her to the base. He always tried to get her a grape flavored lollipop, since that was her favorite. Aideen didn't remember knowing anyone as nice as him in her childhood, she wished she could see him again. He could see how much she had grown, but she still liked grape flavored lollipops.

The expression on Aideen's face remained like that of a mannequin; her eyes moved as well as her lips when she spoke, but her facial expression never changed, it remained emotionless and unreadable. Her voice was in the same state as her face, emotionless and unreadable. It was still soft and quiet, but no longer held a sign of life and emotion as it did at one point. Odd. But Aideen liked the sound of her voice, it wasn't bad for a girl with a light Boston accent. It wouldn't be a good voice for a man though. If she was a man and had this voice, she might be considered a flamboyant fairy. No that wouldn't do, men should have deep and rough voices. Kind of like James rough Bostonian Irish accent and Logan's dangerous sounding gruff voice. Too bad she would never see any of them again. Where did Beast go? Maybe he went to get her rice milk from her bag, that would be very nice of him.

The next thing she knew, Beast had returned and was giving Cyclops a sandwich. Wow that is nice of him and he gave them both bottled water. Why was he giving her the big sandwich? Aideen didn't like meat, it hurt her stomach whenever she ate it and then worked out. Well Beast did have a point that she hasn't eaten in awhile. Wow look at her pants, leather pants shouldn't be this loose especially when they fit her snugly about a day and a half ago. Odd.

She looked at the large sandwich that Beast gave her and told her she needed to eat before she looked back up at him with her large dull lifeless dark chocolate eyes. "Sir, if you don't mind me asking wouldn't having olives be just as good? I can go get my olives that I bought. They're in the garage though," Aideen said as she placed the sandwich on her lap daintily and delicately opened the water. Her uncle would be very pleased with her ladylike behavior just like he taught her.

This time she wouldn't have to have him harshly correct her movements with the tip of his military saber. Aideen was always wary of that thing because of how he would place it to her chin to position it. If she didn't move with the tip, her throat would have been sliced. Remembering that, Aideen straightened up and tucked her legs to the side of her chair and pointed her chin up in a dignified manner. There, much better just like how she was taught.

[Cyclops]

Cyclops watched as BEAST procured for them, from his personal stash no less, a meal fit for a king and queen. Granted Scott wasn't as interested in the food as he was in the results of BEAST's experiments, but he accepted the sandwich graciously with a "Thank you Hank" as he picked it up with one hand and took a big bite.

Standing he looked over at Ember who sat there with the sandwich in her lap. He didn't order her to eat it... No, instead he thought if he just let the smell work on her obviously hungry tummy she would, without thinking about it, begin to tuck in to her sandwich of her own accord.

"What do you think we got here?" he asked as he followed his old classmate over to the table where he was setting up his testing equipment. He wondered if he had explained the scope of what they had seen to BEAST in terms that he could visualized. With his mouth half full he said "It was immense Hank" he whispered, "like a Sentinal blast or an air-strike. No - bigger, actually. Probably could have been an explosion, if it was an explosion now...I don't want to bias your observations, but might have been an explosion a quarter mile across or so."

He lifted the bottle of water to his lips and took a long drink. The water felt good in his throat and he realized how cold he had been as the cold water felt almost warm going down. He looked back to Aideen. He didn't want to make her eat that sandwich but those were the Doctor's orders so he made sure to keep an eye on her. Not only were they his orders, but they were his sandwiches as well. "MMmm, good sandwich." he said as he finished swallowing.

[BEAST]

Dr. McCoy heard the blank soft voice that belonged to the young fire-bender and looked over at her, knowing that he had to speak to her carefully and act like nothing was impaired in her behavior. He adjusted his spectacles and in his gentlest and parent like voice that he was capable of, Hank answered Aideen's inquiry. "If you wish, you may have your olives at a later time. For now please eat the sandwich and drink all the water and then afterwords you may eat what you like."

Hank adjusted his microscope and put on the light, as well as the table light. He had his notepad nearby. Immediately Hank began his work, measuring the chip and recording his observations from under the microscope. "Hmm... curious. There is definitely life in this chip. According to what I see here, I observe plant cells as well as those from earth and other types of biological materials, I may have to perform some more tests to find out exactly what kind of materials.," Dr. McCoy said to his friend, not stopping to wonder if it sounded like gibberish or not as he was usually ignorant of doing so when on a roll with a new discovery.
"Most interesting. The heat from this minuscule chip of the object you described is quite astounding. There may be radioactivity, though it would make no sense with all the biological materials in here, but just in case..." Hank took out a long thin instrument and watched it carefully as he brought it closer to the chip. Nothing happened.
"Just as I thought. No reaction to any radioactivity. I believe your theory may be correct Scott. This indeed looks like something that occurred from an explosion. It may even be the one which Kurt was sent to get rid of, of course I would have to know the exact combination of explosives that the Brotherhood planted. As you remember there was no time for me to observe them all. The one in the trinket that young Haven left me, seemed like your basic time bomb that had been empowered slightly higher than the standard and was encased in a steel covering. I am sure that the other bombs were not all the same and perhaps a bit more complex... hmm I will see what else I can find out... Most interesting indeed," Hank murmured his observations to his colleague as he jotted down notes and continued testing this dark chip, trying to learn as much about this peculiar subject as was within his power.

[Ember]

Sighing, Aideen looked back at the sandwich when Beast gave his direct order and refuted her suggestion. Olives were better for her body than meat, but it was an order by a superior, and Aideen would never disobey a superior when they told her something directly. Oh no not at all, that would be bad. "Yes sir, I will do as you instruct," Aideen said in the same soft lifeless voice.

Beast and Cyclops were talking and fussing over the little thing from the big thing that crushed Logan's body. Wow this sure is a big sandwich, look at all that meat. There must be a cow in here. Why would Beast want her to have added hormones to her body? She didn't need any additional hormones. Granted it's not like she had the most ample chest, but she never had any complaints. Stones used to be quite fond of her chest. And her legs. And other things as well. James never criticized it either, though he critiqued her on her riding constantly so they could get their hustling routine perfect. She should ask around just to be sure. Aideen would hate to think her body was anything less than the perfect way her Uncle expected it to be. She was to look like a well-bred and attractive lady, because they didn't suspect the attractive women to be bred into a weapon. He called her that once, his perfect weapon.

Aideen took a bite of the sandwich and chewed the masticated animal flesh. Perhaps she can visit that nice man from the military base and have a lollipop. Oh maybe he will have one with her like he did that one time. He was so nice to her, she still didn't know why. He was quite handsome to and would always give her a sad smile when he saw her with her uncle. Perhaps he felt that she was unworthy of being his ward and felt bad for her uncle. That's alright though, those lollipops tasted much better than this sandwich of injected hormones and genetically altered meat.

When she turns eighteen, Aideen can finally work at a bar legally! She knows her way around a pub and if she wears tight leather tops the tips soar. Theres a bar in town, she can work there and make some money. Then she can move some place warm and never be cold, maybe buy a cat or a dog for a companion. Hopefully she won't drive it away or what be the reason it leaves her. Maybe she shouldn't take the chance, but at this point why should she care? As long as she had her heat, she will be alright.

Wow it must be a good conversation and Beast looks interested. Cyclops had finished his sandwich already! He certainly eats fast. Aideen looked at the huge sandwich in her hand that had three dainty bites taken out of it. Her uncle would be proud, he would give her all the hot water she wanted if he saw how well behaved she was.

[Cyclops]

"Well, if you can keep working on that it might give up some secrets." Cyclops said looking back to Aideen as he lifted his sandwich up and took a second bite. "So no radiation, eh? Guess that means we're in no danger right?" he said through the food.

"You want to give us a look see anyway, or do you think we're alright?" he asked. On matters of medical science Scott always deferred to Beast when he could. If it hadn't been for Hank, Scott never would have passed chemistry when they attended this school.

He was glad Ember had decided to listen to her doctor's orders and eat. It would have been a mess if they would have had to force her to eat. He made a mental note to make sure that he got her groceries from the garage, she was not going to go back out alone tonight. In fact her days as Team Leader looked to be all but over. 'Crying shame, she had some real potential' he thought.

[BEAST]

"No thankfully no radiation. If that was the case then we would have much more trials on our hands than we already have on our plate," Dr. McCoy said as he attempeted to measure and figure out the type of heat that was coming out of this object. It didn't respond to any of the instruments he used to to determine the heat. "Certainly most interesting indeed. It seems that there is an unknown energy of some sort coming from this and the known matter gives no indication as to what the energy might be... I will need to do some more research for this, since at this point, I am not certain to which direction I am to go with this study," Hank said stroking his chin as he gazed at the unusually warm substance.

He heard Aideen's response and looked over at her to see her deadpan disposition. Hank gazed away from her before he shook his head, and looked to his friend of many years. "Scott, I will need to have a word with Emma and yourself about the young lady's mental state as soon as possible. She is in a very fragile and potentially dangerous state of mind, and we may lose the Ember that we have all come to known unless something is done," He said in a clear whisper to his friend as he put away some of his equpiment and placed the dark fragment back into the a safe box and took out some research files that centered around explosions.

[Emma Frost]

"I don't think you understand Haven," Emma said to the young turncoat as the pair entered the Genetic-Lab. "You are not being ignored as such, BUT you are the least of my concerns at this moment. You helped to nearly destroy everyone and everything here that matters to me and if you think I can simply 'Get over it' then I think you can spend all of tomorrow, well today now" she corrected herself as she looked at her diamond encrusted watch "here in the lab alone."

She glanced up at the motley group of Cyclops BEAST and Ember as she finished speaking. Turning her gaze up from the girl, who was carrying a brown paper bag and stuffing what looked to be a fluffernutter sandwich into her mouth, to look at them. "Oh, so you've returned and from the look on Ember's face I would guess you saw what I expected you would. Am I correct?"

Emma looked at Scott with exasperation and spoke into his mind 'I don't need to go into her thoughts to know you've ruined that poor girl. Look at her now. I hope you think it was worth it and I mean really worth it because I don't know if I can fix her. At the least it will take months and I can't devote that much time to one child, even though I will now have to make the time for it. Scott Summers, you are such the myopic ass sometimes!Cyclops IS the perfect name for you'

[Cyclops]

"No actually we saw that and more, something unexpected. I think it's important" 'and I don't need you yelling at me inside my head right now. Don't you think I realize I screwed up!?! Drop it for now, I don't think it would be healthy for her to see us fighting.' Scott said as he looked to Emma. He spoke aloud and then inside his mind using the psychic link that he shared with the White Queen.

"A clue to what may have happened - I think to both our friends. Take a look, show her Hank." Cyclops said as he beckoned her over with a wave.

To Beast he spoke under his breath, knowing full well Emma would be reading his mind and know the words as he spoke them. He said "Well, guess we'll have that word with you sooner than I was expecting."

[Haven]

"I wish I'd be alone, that smelly hairy Beast is in here all day and I'm tired of him too. I'm sick and tired of being stuck here and..." Niki saw her friend Aideen, the girl she had saved, well who had actually saved her. Saved her from her own selfish hatred and the girl who actually saved the school.

If it hadn't been for her seeing Sabertooth and what he was about to do to Ember from the sky as she was plummeting down over the battle, none of this would be here now. Yes Ember and Haven had saved the academy in a manner of speaking.

Haven couldn't bear to let Sabertooth do to her friend what he had done to her. Haven also couldn't let the school be blown up after she had just decided that life was worthwhile, if only one life- Ember's life- was worthwhile. Funny thing about it all was that it didn't take some psychological dissection, or some deep in-depth study, nope it only took a split second and a feeling in her heart for Haven to do what she did and that was all that mattered.

She dropped her unfinished sandwich and the bag filled with other sandwiches as she ran over to Ember. She didn't have much time left before the effects of the stasis field would wear off and she really wanted a hug from the only person on this green earth who would care enough to hug her back. She jumped into the seat next to Aideen and threw her arms around her without thinking how it would look. She didn't care what Ms.Frost or that stinky blue BEAST would say, and she hated Cyclops too for yelling at her earlier so he could go to hell his damn self.

[Ember]

Aideen ate the sandwich slowly and systematically, just like her uncle taught her. Meat had a funny texture, one that didn't particularly appeal to Aideen, but she must eat it, because Beast told her to. She was a good soldier, would never be insubordinate. She was once, and because of that her friend was lost to her. From now on Aideen would behave, do just as she was told until she became her own General. like her uncle was.

She just about finished her sandwich when Emma Frost and Haven walked in. Wow Ms. Frost didn't look happy. Aideen didn't remember doing anything wrong that hadn't gotten its deserve punishment. She saw Haven run and sit next to her as she kept her posture as a proper lady should. Why was she hugging her? Oh she was warmer than her so its not too bad. Aideen looked at Haven with the same deadpan lifeless chocolate eyes. "Hello Haven," she said in the same voice that she had seemed to adopt permanently since the ride outside. "Thank you again for getting Sabretooth away. He did ruin my sweats though. It was my warmest pair. Too bad for my sweats," Aideen said in a soft lifeless voice. She raised a hand up and placed it on Haven's back lightly. "Is everything alright? Did I upset you in anyway? I hope not, I upset many people," she said softly.

Where was her helmet? Oh she left it! That was irresponsible of her. She would have to repent and retrieve it. Then maybe read a book. Gone With the Wind would do fine. She would like to go with the wind.

[BEAST]

Hank leafed through his files and looked up as Emma entered with Haven in tow. That child drove him to his last nerve, but she was quite disturbed. He looked up from his files to nod at Emma. "Good Evening Emma. Indeed Scott has returned with the most extraordinary object that I have yet to encounter," Dr. McCoy opened up the warm safebox and showed her the dark fragment with the life inside of it moving in a rhytmic motion. "As I'm sure you feel, the heat coming from this is quite immense due to its small size. Most interesting because as Scott witnessed, the type of heat is still unknown for none of my measuring instruments," Hank said with a blue furrowed brow. He picked up his notes and handed them to Emma and pointed out the observations. "As you see quite uncommon indeed."

Hank looked over to the girl with the expressionless face as she was given a hug from that child. It didn't seem to have any effect at all and her response didn't lessen his concern. "I see you will, though I would prefer for it to be outside of their presence," he said in a clear whisper. Hank gathered his files and placed them to the side for more studying at a later time when he had time to think it through.

[Haven]

"Who cares about your sweats, we'll get you another pair." She hugged her tight for a moment more until her power returned. Slowly at first she felt herself being pushed off of Ember, and the seat as well, and then she realized her power was back in full force. Pulling away from what was left of the hug she looked Quizzically at her friend. "What's wrong with you? You seem so spaced out? Are you O.K.?" She whipped her head around and scowled at BEAST.

"What did you do to her. Did you drug her! You did didn't you !?! You stinky blue bastard!" Haven balled up her fists. She had had it with these teachers, 'They think they know what's best, but they don't have a clue!' she thought.

[Emma Frost]

'Point taken, Scott. We will continue this later, I'm not even close to finished discussing this.' Emma telepathically spoke to Cyclops. "So what do you think it is BEAST? Is it of alien origin?"

Emma reached over and held her hand above the fragment of dark black glassy substance and she could feel the warmth. "That is odd! Have you got any theories as to what it is? Where did you find it, is there more of it, and what does it have to do with Logan and Kurt?"

'Ignore Haven, she's not going to do anything.' Emma said directly into the two teachers minds and she turned to look at the girl. "Your friend has had a rough time, can you relax and maybe help her through this? I think she could use one of your sandwiches about now." Emma hoped the little turncoat still had enough compassion to outweigh her rage, and she would ease up and not make matters worse.

[Ember]

When Haven abruptly let go, Aideen blinked and looked over at her. She had really white hair, it was pretty. "I'm perfectly fine Haven. But I did like those sweats. You think he could have at least taken them off a bit more neatly instead of ripping them into shreds. I don't think Sabretooh would be happy if someone ripped his favorite sweats," she said wondering if she could find a new pair that warm. She wouldn't be as bothered is Sabretooth had spared her sweats. What did the sweats ever do to him? Surely she was more appealing than the sweats.

Aideen straightened and corrected her posture just like she did whenever her uncle came in. He would be happy with her. "Oh I don't do drugs. Uncle would never allow that, he warned me once that there would be severe punishment and I will not be insubordinate anymore," she said as she wrapped her bandanna carefully around her hand. What a pretty color.