Stars: X23, Wolverine
Appears: Xavier, Cyclops, Beast, Rogue, Berzerker, Cannonball, Iceman, Multiple
Cameos: Sunspot, Magma, Storm, Jean Grey, Shadowcat, Nightcrawler
 

Summary

An unknown person searching through the X-Men files. As this person comes upon Wolverines file, he reads it then slashes up the computer screens with adamantium claws. This triggers an alarm and soon guards pursue the intruder.

Next morning, at the mansion, Logan's holding one of his exercises and the pupils aren't happy about it.. As Wolverine threatens them with another run, two helicopters land near the mansion. Wolverine asks Beast to take over, and runs away.

As Nick Fury shows Logan the damage, he tells him it was caused by someone with adamantium claws, and that they had found DNA-samples, which matched with Logan's samples. Logan can't understand how that could have happened, but the surprises don't stop there. Fury and Logan enter a room, where a lady is waiting for them. She is startled to see Logan there, and calls him 'Weapon X'. As Fury calms Logan and the lady, she begins to explain her presence.

She introduces herself as Deborah Risman, a scientist who used to work for an organization called Hydra. She explains an agent called X-23, who since seems to have betrayed the organization, performed the break-in. She explains she was given permission to do some genetic experimenting, to create an ultimate weapon: the perfect soldier. As Hydra knew about the Canadian experiments, the 'Weapon X'- program, and since they had stolen some of the research into it, they had tried to make a 'Weapon X'- program for themselves. However, it did not have the success the original program had, as the first 22 attempts failed.

The 23rd attempt was a success, as they had found a solution to the problem: using Logan's healing factor. To achieve this, Deborah reveals, they used Logan's DNA. But due to a fault in the process, she tells, the warrior turned out to be a girl. And the way she was formed resulted in emotional instability, and hatred. As Deborah remarks: They had created the ultimate warrior, but - they couldn't control her. And now X-23 had been unleashed upon an unsuspecting world, the question was: What kind of damage could she cause?

Meanwhile, X-23 is still spying upon the X-kids, without being noticed. As she sees the love and care in the Institute, she is taunted by memories of her past. Later that evening, as Xavier is driving through one of the hallways, he feels somebody's presence. As he thinks it's Wolverine, his guard is down as he meets X-23, and promptly gets knocked out by her.

As X-23 is looking through the possessions of the X-kids, and is very intrigued by them, Ray enters the room. X-23 cuts him out immediately. Meanwhile, Bobby is wondering where all of the others are. He enters Kurt's room, and finds an unconscious Kurt, Kitty and Jean. As he panics and backs out of the room, X-23 takes him out.

Back in one of the other rooms, Scott and Ray find the professor, and discover he, like Magma, is knocked out. As they study the 'inhibitor' that's keeping Xavier unconscious, they hear someone at the door. They prepare an ambush, but find it's a startled Rogue. As she freaks out and demands an explanation, Scott explains the institute has been infiltrated and several of the X-Men have been incapacitated. Ray tries to short out the inhibitor, but Logan arrives just in time to stop him doing it. Seems the inhibitors explode when they're overloaded. As Scott demands an explanation, Logan promises to give one later. He wants them out of there, but they don't want to leave the others. Together, they begin searching the other rooms.

After having looked through some of the rooms, and having found Storm, Roberto, Jamie and Hank, they are ambushed by X-23. Logan falls through a freshly cut hole, and Scott, Ray and Rogue find themselves outmaneuvered by X-23. As X-23 fights Ray and Scott, Rogue takes off her gloves to immobilize her, but the next moment, Rogue finds herself used as a weapon against Ray and Scott, and moments later, Rogue's down too.

As X-23 looks at the unconscious kids, Logan re-enters the room. She knocks him over and runs away, he tries to follow her. In the corridors, she ambushes Logan, and they start fighting. Logan's seriously disadvantaged, as he hesitates to hurt her and as he's outmaneuvered too by her. As they are fighting, Logan tries to calm her, by saying he understands her and that she's gone through things a child shouldn't go through. She responds by saying she's not a child, and attacks again.

As Logan discovers X-23 potentials, he's slammed against and through the front door. So the fight continues outside. As Logan asks her why she's attacked the X-Men, X-23 answers not they, but Logan himself was her target. She blames him for all she had to go through. Logan finally pops out his claws, to catch X-23's blows, as she, confused, hears him say that he didn't know about the project and that he too was used, and that he understands her feelings as he's the closest thing she has to a family. She breaks down and begins to cry. Logan hesitates, and then tries to comfort her.

Right then, they hear helicopters. X-23 reacts scared, but Logan commands her to seek shelter, he'll deal with it. The chopper lands, and Fury gets out and tells Logan she'll have to come with him. Logan tells him she's been through enough, and refuses to let Fury take her. Fury has to back off, and leaves.

The next morning, Xavier and Logan find a troubled Rogue in her room. They ask her to join an exercise, but Rogue doubts she's feeling well enough for that. Logan responds she might actually like this one. Outside, the student's first reaction to another exercise is about the same as Rogue's. But then Logan explains the exercise: a game of Mutant ball. As Logan points to Bobby as the first target, Xavier asks, bemused, why Logan's suddenly changed in his attitude towards the kids. Logan responds that they sometimes have to be reminded to enjoy their youth.