Mystique worked for several opponents to him, among which were the White Queen. That memory was locked away, hidden from a telepath. Same thing had been with Rahne that showed how mystique used her, both as a lover and possible tool to use against Sinister. I could easily access it however. When I had finished absorbing, the stranger invaded my mind again, this time with a more devastating force that rendered me unconscious.
When I woke up next time I was in a different setting. Sounds were muted and I first thought something was wrong with my hearing. I felt weightless, in fact I was floating. I had wrappings around my arms and legs, and then I become aware of a dull pain aching throughout my body. When I finally opened my eyes, I had to blink several times and then close them. I was in a glass tank filled with water. An oxygen mask had been strapped to my mouth and nose and bubbles rose from it when I breathed. Panic surged through me. What were they doing? What was Sinister doing to me? I tried to move, but my movements were slow and hardly created a crease on the water. I tried to scream but the mask and the water muted me. It was suffocating and terrifying. What was happening?
“Relax James. I am only upholding my end of the bargain.” I heard Sinister’s silky voice as if he spoke right into my mind. How was that possible? I twisted and trashed, movements slowed by the water.
My memories of that night in Sinisters hands are painful. Yet it was a nightmare I had been prepared to endure. The pain I experienced when the adamantium was injected into my body is impossible to describe. The heat of the molten metal burned through my flesh and I passed out so many times I lost count. Sinister was there all the time, talking and watching like a scientist would to a strange new experiment.
I can’t recall how long time passed. When the metal covered my bones and started cooling they lifted me up, strapped me against a wall like a chained beast. I had to endure that for several days while Sinister and his scientists took tests, tissue and blood samples. I was on fire and my body had a hard time to heal itself from the damage caused by the adamantium. Pain lived with me during those days.
I was weak when they finally pulled me down. They had to carry me to a room where I could lay on a bed and sleep. Exhaustion was the only reason that made me sleep for what seemed as days. Several more days went in Sinisters care. I had to get used to the weight of the metal in my body. I trained like I used to do, remembering Wolverines moves I had copied from the Academy’s forbidden files. Slowly and painfully I recovered. Each day I got a shot of something from Sinister. He didn’t tell me what it contained, only that it would help me recover more quickly.
When I finally had recovered, I was stronger than before. The adamantium made it possible for me to lift weights that I hadn’t been able to do. Sinister offered me a place in the hellfire club, and laughed when I rejected it. All that was on my mind was my revenge. He let me go, and I was relieved by that. Had I believed he would keep me at his side? Perhaps.
I could not summon winds strong enough to carry me back to Genosha, and there was no need as Sinister gave me a motorcycle. Another “gift” of his was a small chip buried in my temple that would scramble Xavier’s and other telepaths attempt to read my mind.
I felt bouts of doubt when I came to the island. How could I do this? How could I risk everything for killing a man that was already dead? But it was too late for me. To late to back away now.
This memory fades and I am aware of the light and humming sound. Somehow I can feel that I am slowing down, the machine is reaching the destination. New memories fill me. Shorter more rapidly. Just glimpses of occurrences prior to the time travel.
“Do you regret it now? Do you?” I growled those words at Xavier. My claws were released, dripping with blood. The old man was clutching his abdomen, pale, chocked and sad.
“I told you ,you would regret not telling me!”
“James, you were to young. Don’t you understand?” He sounded pained. His grey eyes looked at me, pleading, with regret. I bared my teeth
“I understand you’re a manipulating bastard that can’t let people decide for themselves!”
“Listen to me James, this is not what you have been raised to be. This is not what Henry or Cecilia raised you to become, what your mother wanted..”
“Don’t you dare mention my mother! She would have been alive if it wasn’t for you! Where were you, Xavier, the greatest telepath in the world when she needed you? She was always there for you and your stupid dream! But when were you ever there for her? For any of them?”
There is a flash and the images disappear, my ears are filled with the humming sound, now sounding more like drums.
“Please James, stop this madness” Bella is crouching by her bleeding mother. The tears obscure my vision. I turn and run
Another flash. My skin is itching.
“Stand down boy” My claws flash out and feathers from Warren’s wings fall down, he tries to grab me, but I am too fast, too determined. Could they not see I was doing what they should have done years ago? I was going to fix it, to make it all better.
The flashes comes quicker. My skin is no longer itching. It feels like it’s burning. The sounds get louder, more shrill.
“James I’m sorry we failed you”
I can’t see, can’t touch anything, but I try anyway. Am I on fire? What is wrong? The shrill sounds from the machine makes me want to clench my teeth and the pain would have brought tears into my eyes if I had any.
“James what have you done?”
Bella’s word is the last I remember before the machine stops.
