CHARACTERS:
Logan bears a rare and powerful mutation: regeneration. as a result, he has a long lifespan and can take an incredible amount of punishment. for this reason he was conscripted into a secret government biological weapons testing program while serving as strategic assets for the US army with his childhood friend, Victor. The two of them could withstand more punishment than the average soldier, and having decades of experience beyond their apparent years that they were often deployed far behind enemy lines under the radar, often even forgoing parachutes. they specialized in precise operations and in backcountry survival. The missions became increasingly brutal and while Victor reveled in the unbridled opportunity, Logan became disillusioned with the forces he was fighting for. in an effort to earn an early ride home to the mountains, Logan elected to the secret program. Victor was not selected. In this program government and paramilitary scientists tore his body apart over and over again, testing the limits of his regenerative ability. in the process, they coated his entire skeleton– including the cranium– in unbreakable adamantium In the precess, they also traumatized his mind. They intended to make the perfect weapon, which is what walked out of that facility. Logan’s mind was lost in his trauma. In this state he was found by Professor X and his team of gifted children. However, his continued trauma response prevents him from assimilating into the Academy or into his peculiar role as adult, in the company of children who bear no less trauma than he does, while also needing acceptance, validation and emotional space and healing in a strange place.
Victor also bears the x-regeneration trait and many of the heightened senses that Logan boasts. His earliest childhood memories are of tagging along after Logan in the rural mountain home they shared and throwing pebbles at his window to coax him into another ill-advised adventure. One day during a particularly rough bout of play, Logan fell from a tree impaling himself on a fallen branch. Victor carried the gravely wounded Logan home, the both of them entering a state of mutual shock. Logan’s family sent for a doctor and a priest and chased Victor away from the home, cursing him for killing their favorite child. But a miracle came before the priest, and Logan’s wounds had healed themselves completely. Ostracized from the town for the unnatural blessing their child bore, the family held a redoubled grudge against Victor. When Victor’s abilities expressed themselves as well, a seed of hateful jealousy had already taken root in Victor’s heart. Ultimately the two boys, enlisted and served together in the army; however, he was passed on for the weapon x program that mutilated Logan and holds this against him. Instead of an adamantium skeleton and claws, Victor is larger and stronger than Logan, and much more brutal in the application of his talents. He delights in the bloodshed that Logan abhors. Victor also has most of his memories and knows more about Logan than Logan does, including their childhood. Instead of long claws that slide in and out of the forearm through the back of the hand, like Logan, Victor has claws of bone he built through a combination of his regenerating ability, the tenacity of his grudge against Logan, and much splintering of bones.
Location:
interior, drab industrial.
LOGAN is walking through a grim, derelict warehouse. he’s prowling, on high alert, looking for something. he sniffs the air. stops, sniffs twice.
LOGAN: Fuck —
VICTOR crashes in from the shadows. they fight. VICTOR is at least half again as tall and bulky as Logan, and brutal Logan dispatches VICTOR. VICTOR laughs and disappears. Logan has bought himself some time. It hurts him bad, but he heals over and limps away.
VICTOR (from the shadows): ain’t no use, Logan…
LOGAN pick up the pace, stumbling against a console. he PUNCHES A CODE or PICKS UP A KEY, we don’t really see which.
EXTREME CLOSE ON: LOGAN’s NECK/ EAR, stffening. the hairs raise.
MID: Logan whips around.
LOGAN’s POV: victr’s massive silhouette, backlit under a worklight.
LIGHTS FLASH no one’s there.
VICTOR: (from the shadows): You can run, but I’ll catch ya.
CLOSE on LOGAN, front-in: Logan puts his back up against a wall, puts up his dukes. SHINK! the claws come out.
VICTOR’s VOICE: (echoing, can’t tell where he is) You can’t hide…
VICTOR leans out of the shadows just behind LOGAN, a la Leon the Professional.
VICTOR: I was always the better hunter.
VICTOR GRABS for LOGAN. THEY FIGHT again. LOGAN is trying to attack VICTOR’s positioning but he’s hurt and tired. VICTOR knows this and relishes in it like a cat toying with its prey. IVCTOR has LOGAN up against a wall. finger-claws digging into LOGAN’s ribs.
LOGAN (in between bloody gasps): You don’t wanna kill me, Victor….
VICTOR: Yeah, I don’t gotta kill ya. Just slow you down. which means get to take my time.
LOGAN: No… (looks off to the side.)
VICTOR: what? Fuck–
something huge slams into VICTOR. He’ll be out for a while. Logan doesn’t even need to check.
CLOSE: looking at Logan as he walk s out: the wounds in his ribs fade. the first few steps are difficult, but he cracks his back and winces. but he quickly regains his composure and sheathes his claws, wipes some blood of his cheek.
LOGAN: just had to buy the kids more time.
just as the moonlight hits his face, his eyes briefly glint yellow:
LOGAN: now, where do get some wheels…