The idea for this story came to me one morning while I was half asleep and it just went from there. I wanna thank LT and especially Deke for all their beta help on this and Elektra for leads on research and basically just listening while I rattled :-).
This is another one of my odd jumbles of Movieverse and comic canon. It's Movieverse Logan with comic book Logan's background although I've taken some liberties with the timeline of Logan's epiphany.
I've also taken some literary license with the existence of burlesque theaters in New York City in the 40's since Mayor Fiorello La Guardia actually began shutting them down in 1937 but I'm sure you all don't really care ;-)
Disclaimer: Logan and anyone else you recognize belong to Marvel and 20th Century Fox. Everyone else is mine but I'm willing to share 'em. I'm poor and not making any money of this so please don't sue me.
Feedback: Fugu me, man!
Department H Headquarters - Ottawa, Canada - 1987
Logan sat behind his desk and chewed on his unlit cigar, disgusted that the Powers That Be wouldn't let him smoke in the building, even in his own damn office! Glancing at his desk clock he realized it was time to go meet the new research geeks Mac was bringing in to help work on some pet project he was all hot for. He snorted in amusement. He'd never understand why Mac thought they needed some high falutin' research department to develop weapons; a metal skeleton and six nine inch claws seemed like damned good self-defense to him.
Reluctantly he headed for the lab. He hated that place with a vengeance and all the lab-coated eggheads in it. Shaking his head he wondered if he'd always been such a grouchy sonuva bitch or if that was another by-product of the process that equipped him with his 'miraculous' skeletal enhancements.
He peered through the window and saw that the introductions had already started. Slipping in quietly he took what he hoped was an inconspicuous place at the back of the group. It didn't do any good; eagle eye Mac noticed his entrance.
"Thank you for taking the time to join us Wolverine," he greeted wryly.
He smiled contritely. "Sorry," he mumbled.
Mac's wife Heather slipped in beside him. "You know he hates it when anyone is late for one of his presentations," she whispered.
"And he knows how much I hate the lab," Logan told her out of the side of his mouth. They both turned their attention back to Mac's speech.
"And so I'd like to introduce Dr. Michael Dillard who will be the supervisor of research, reporting directly to myself." There was a round of polite applause and good-looking man in his mid-40's stepped forward to address the assembled brass regarding his plans for overseeing the work in the lab.
Dillard's eyes moved over the assembly as he spoke, "As you can see we've arranged the research assistant's cubicles in the center of the room with access to the research stations along the. . . " he stopped abruptly as he caught sight of Logan standing next to Mac. Dillard blanched white and felt slightly dizzy but quickly recovered himself and continued.
Michael finished his schpiel, though he wasn't exactly sure how he got through it. He accepted the welcome and congratulations of the brass in a polite daze while trying to make his way to Mac.
"Well, congratulations, Mike, you made it through your first official meeting with the brass," Mac said shaking the man's hand.
"Uh, thanks. Mac, who was that man who was standing with you?"
"Oh, Logan? That's the Wolverine, Mac's hand-picked team leader. You shouldn't take his leaving without introducing himself personally. He's a good man but doesn't have many social graces," Heather told him with a smile. "I'm actually here to see if I can drag him out to lunch with me and Mac. Would you like to join us?"
"Logan? His name is Logan?" Michael mumbled dimly.
"Are you alright, Mike? You look a little pale."
"What? Oh, yeah. I guess it's just the excitement - first day and all, you know. I think I'll go back to my office for a little bit. I'll see you at the 2 o' clock, Mac."
Michael went back to his office and closed the door.
They'd just delivered his belongings that morning and they were still in boxes, but he dug around and found a bottle of Crown Royal. A little more digging and he located the envelope he was looking for.
Pouring a healthy amount of the whiskey into his coffee mug he sat down behind his desk. He opened the envelope and photographs of different ages and sizes spilled across his desk. Many of them had his mother's flowing handwriting across the back. One in particular caught his eye. It was a picture of Michael with his step-dad, and half-brother and sister in Wood Buffalo National Park on one of their regular camping trips. Mike, JJ and Micheline were all holding up strings of fish they'd caught while their dad stood behind them beaming happily. His mother had written across the back "Jim, Mike, JJ and Micheline, 1958."
All kinds of crazy things were going through his head. Had his father had another secret life that included another family? Was this man, who was also named Logan and looked just like his father, a son by some other woman he'd had an affair with? Is that why he'd disappeared over twenty years ago? Michael shook is head and looked down at the picture again. That seemed pretty far-fetched.
He thought. Wolverine was a mutant with an enhanced healing factor. He wondered if JJ and Micheline had ever been tested for the X-Factor. In retrospect it would explain a lot of things about their childhood. They never had measles, chicken pox or any of the other things that he had had to suffer through while they were all at school. In fact, the two of them were never sick at all and consistently got perfect attendance citations.
He quickly signed onto the Department H mainframe and searched for Logan's file, quickly skimming it for any relevant information.
Pawing through the pile of papers he found the old newspaper clippings he was after. Downing the last of his whiskey, he pushed his chair back and went in search of Logan's office.
He paused outside the door. What if he was wrong? There could be so many other explanations for this mystery. It could all be a big coincidence. Yeah right. There just happened to be two men named Logan who looked exactly the same. He raised his hand and knocked.
"What?" Came the terse reply.
He entered somewhat reluctantly. "Captain Logan. . . "
The other man looked up. "Dillard, right?" He stood and held out his hand.
"Yes, that's right. Um, I don't want to take up too much of your time, Captain. I understand from reading your file that you have no memory of your life before you met the Hudsons two years ago."
Logan's face was impassive as he looked at the other man. "Yes, that's right."
Michael pushed the newspaper clippings and photograph across the desk. "I think this might be part of what you're looking for."
Logan glanced down at the clippings and was about to question Dillard but when he looked up the other man was already gone and he could hear his footsteps fading down the hallway.
He picked up the first clipping. It was dated May 22, 1967 - twenty years ago. "Local Man Disappears. Wife and Family Fear for Safety," stated a 38-point headline. Logan read the short article.
Local businessman, James J. Logan, co-owner of Alberta Construction Company, has been missing under questionable circumstances since May 2. He left his home in an Edmonton suburb on his way to his office in the city but never made it.
"I just hope that wherever he is he knows we miss him," stated his wife, Nina. "Our son Michael is graduating from medical school next week. I'm praying the police can locate him and bring him home to us safely by then."
Authorities have been tracking all leads uncovered since that day but physical evidence has been almost non-existent. Foul play has not been ruled out at this point.
Logan quickly picked up the other clipping. It was an obituary from the Edmonton Journal and showed a picture of an attractive older woman dated December 19, 1986 - less than a year ago.
Mrs. Nina Dillard Logan, 65
Long-time local resident and patron of the arts, Mrs. Nina Dillard Logan passed away last night at the age of 65. Doctors say the cause of death was congestive heart failure.
Mrs. Logan, whose husband disappeared mysteriously nearly twenty years ago, was a driving force behind the construction of local community arts centers throughout the greater Edmonton area over the years. Last week she cut the ribbon on the James J. Logan Community Arts Center named in memory of her husband.
She is survived by her children; Michael R. Dillard of Ottawa, her son from a previous marriage, James J. Logan, Jr. residing in Edmonton, and Micheline Logan Rogers of Seattle, Washington.
Donations to the Community Arts Center Foundation are being requested in lieu of flowers.
Dillard? Ok, so this was his mother's obit. He hoped that this guy wasn't hinting that he thought Logan was his stepfather. It was then the photograph caught his eye.
He turned it over. "Jim, Mike, JJ and Micheline, 1958." He flipped it back to the front and stared long and hard at it. If that wasn't him it was damn sure someone who looked a helluva a lot like him. But how could it be when this picture was dated 1958?
Shit! That tears it, he thought. He'd been moping around Ottawa for the past year feeling claustrophobic. He knew he owed everything to Mac and Heather, for God's sake they'd taught him how to eat with a fork again when they found him naked and crazed in the Alberta wilderness, but he owed it to himself to get the answers to the questions of his life. Questions that had just gotten more urgent and more compelling with the information Dillard had brought to light.
Mac wasn't going to like it one bit but it was best for all of them. It would be hard to leave Heather and Mac but it was time to go back to Alberta and find out who he was. And like everything else in his life, he'd do it alone.
He just had one stop to make before he left. He crossed to the door and went in search of Michael Dillard. . .
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