As his head slammed against the wall he felt his strength sag and he knew that had hurt him. It had been an interesting conflict but he had simply been outclassed, and it was awkward to admit that even to himself. Before he had the chance to even speak he felt the fist clench around his neck, holding him tight and steady. There was little use in struggling now.

He heard the pop of the tearing skin and the slide of bone against flesh, clipping away the hairs as the twin blades passed over them, then he heard nothing for a second until the sliding resumed. This time the sensations were more intense as he felt the pain personally as the blades made little grooves in the sides of his throat, and he could sense that there was another third claw ready and waiting.

He wasn't exactly afraid, however he was becoming increasingly concerned by the minute as he could feel the claws resting around his throat, feel the warmth of the bone and the jagged roughness of them. He could sense the heat of the rage and the passion coming off his adversary, the demanding taste of his breath, lined with liquor and stale cigar smoke that clung to the back of his throat, tainting every exhalation.

"Tell me where she is, bub," the low, gravelly tone spitting fire and venom in its timbre and his concern stepped up a level, as this was not the same voice that he had spoken with not moments before. There was a darker more malevolent tint now. His concern skipped another two levels as he felt the sharp point press against the underside of his jaw and he focused on the clinical assessment of the fineness of the point, of how the sharp edge tickled against the fine stubble, putting out of his mind the fact he didn't know what his opponent would do.

The fact that the claw wasn't breaking the skin, yet still causing enough pressure for discomfort was also a marvel and he was glad that he couldn't see into the eyes of the man who held him thus. There were sometimes benefits to being blind.

"Logan," called Fury as they waited for the transport to take them from Westchester to the Headquarters of the United Nations in New York. Fury had just watched as a spacecraft had taken off with several members of the X-Men, including Kitty Pryde. Logan had wanted to say goodbye as the X-Men went into space to deal with the visions that Cyclops kept having, and other than that, Logan would not say.*

(* In M2K's Team X #1 - David)

However there were two things of importance. Apocalypse was alive after all and the Pale Riders had been restored to their right minds. He knew Maverick would be interested in those details and decided to let X-Force know as soon as he got back to the Helicarrier. Finding Chris Bradley would be easier if he wasn't trying to kill everyone.

"I'm here," said Logan as he came down the steps. "I let the X-Men know the situation and that I may be out of action for a bit."

"You tell 'em about the dreams?" said Fury, knowing that Logan had experienced some strange visions several hours ago. Logan didn't answer. "Thought not."

"Would you?" asked Logan as they boarded the transport vessel. Fury didn't answer. "Thought not."

"So what's your plan?" asked Fury. "For getting' in touch with Daredevil?"

"Ya mean Murdock?" said Logan with a smile and Fury almost dropped his cigar from his mouth. "Bub, it was in the SHIELD records that you guys knew who he really was. Let's just say he'll be at the trial."*

(* It was revealed that SHIELD knew Daredevil's real identity in Daredevil #200)

"Dammit, Logan!" said Fury, annoyed at what Logan had done. "Ya were supposed to be usin' the files to look fer Elektra!"

"Means to an end, bub. They weren't on speakin' terms last time they spoke, but the two of 'em have a connection. First love an all that. Don't tell me yer too old to remember that, Nick?"

"Can it, Logan," said Fury, "while I try an' figure out the damage limitation on this."

"Don't sweat it, Nick," said Logan, closing his eyes. "I'll make something up."

Sometime later, in the United Nations Security Council Chamber, the American Representative was waiting with a delegation. Also present, the representative for Canada with their delegation, the Secretary general and the President of the Security Council, currently chaired by the United Kingdom. This was not a meeting of the Council, nor was it a meeting of the International Court of Justice. This was a private matter of global security and as such would be dealt with in a minor matter.

Fury had managed to get that much for a war crimes hearing in Geneva would push Logan to the top of the media scene and that would not be good for either mutants or the X-Men. Having their member Wolverine announced as a traitor would descend the current climate into something Fury didn't even want to contemplate, and truth be told neither did the US government. Tensions were high enough without a civil war taking to the streets. That was why this special hearing had been created.

The case for and against Logan went back and forth, with the American's arguing how this man had destroyed an icon, a hero and had cost them many, many lives by his treacherous deeds during the war. This was also backed by the fact that Logan freely admitted that he had committed these deeds, however he did express regret and that there was some confusion over the causes of his actions.

More importantly was the fact that this information had mysteriously come to light, something that the Canadian government claimed was an effort to discredit them and their efforts during the war, at which the American's scoffed and decried that as fiction of the purest sense.

Before Canada could reply, the President intervened and broke up a potential argument. Canada went back to their defense, being made at the request of Department H and Alpha Flight. They said that Logan had been tried and convicted of these accusations, citing the documents provided by the National Security Agency in respect of the Weapon X project and the reasons behind Logan's participation in the project. Surely being made into a special agent for the CIA by medical enhancements and other surgical procedures was punishment enough and that it had also gone beyond the notion of human rights by what they did.

This brought questions of what the Weapon X project actually was and the President and Secretary General wanted answers and wanted information on it and called an hour's recess for the United States to get the information together. The Canadians looked smug and the Americans looked furious, and Logan shook his head and wondered how long this was going to take. However he did know that there was someone else in the room, someone he'd met before. He only had to taste the air to know that Matt Murdock, the man who was Daredevil was also in the room.

"Where can I smoke in here?" asked Logan.

"The roof," said Nick. "Besides, it's the only place you'd be allowed to go. Not even you could get down from there without being wounded badly enough for the guards to finish the job."

"Nick," said Logan, with a grin. "Would I?"

"Excuse me, Colonel Fury," said the Secretary General, "could I have a word?"

"Yes, sir," said Nick and Logan took his leave. As he walked past Matt Murdock, he whispered something in such a quiet voice that it was as if he was simply breathing.

"Daredevil," he said, knowing that Murdock's enhanced senses would pick it up. He knew Murdock had picked it up by the fact his breathing slightened and he seemed a little paler though it was barely noticeable. Then the guards took him up to the roof, where he lit a cigar and waited. He knew that Daredevil would be interested in finding out how he knew and why he'd asked him here in the first place. The SHIELD agents he was with didn't smoke, but he already knew that from when he'd gotten their scents from earlier.

He'd let it slip to Matt's law firm that there was an interesting case for human rights involving mutant relations taking place at the United Nations a day or so ago when he'd found out. Then he'd used Fury's name to arrange for a pass for him to be at the front desk, using him as 'special legal advisor' for SHIELD, though he hadn't told Nick that as yet. He'd been working out how to find Elektra for a while now, and he was going to be the best bet, even though it was a long shot.

He didn't have to wait too long before Matt appeared. To the Agents who'd let him up to speak to Logan, he seemed to be nothing other than a blind lawyer, but Logan could tell from the beat of his heart, the shifting of his body, the tensing of his musculature that he wasn't up here as Matt Murdock, he was up here as Daredevil. Instinctively Logan tensed, letting the cigar fall to the floor, and he knew Daredevil would realize that and know that he was ready to spring into action as Wolverine.

Both warriors approached each other and stood facing them, not seeing themselves in their civilian identities, but as their other selves.

"Wolverine," said Daredevil.

"Bub," said Wolverine.

"My being here is your doing," said Daredevil, more a statement of fact than a question.

"Yup," said Logan. "Where's Elektra?"

"What?"

"Yer blind, bub, not deaf."

"I heard the question, but not the reason."

"The lady's special to me, I aim ta find her but I ain't havin' much luck. I figured I'd try you, bearin' in mind you have a history."

"I don't like your tone," said Daredevil, "and even if I knew, why should I tell you? You're not exactly what she needs in her life."

"Way I heard it you disagreed with what she needed in her life."

"Maybe you heard it wrong."

"Maybe you should have given her the benefit of the doubt."

"Maybe it's none of your business."

"Ya gonna tell me where she is, bub?"

"No."

"Hoped you'd weren't gonna say that," said Wolverine and swung a shot at him, which was easily met by Daredevil, who discarded the cane he had been using so that he could grab hold of Wolverine.

"You don't want to do this," said Daredevil, holding Logan's wrist. "We've fought before."*

(* In Daredevil #249 - David)

"And we've worked together too," said Logan, and twisted, throwing Daredevil over his shoulder. "An' I've a pretty good idea of yer moves."* Something in his mind clicked, and whatever restraints he would have had under normal circumstances dropped away, without the berserker state that it was normally associated with.

(* In Daredevil #196 - David)

"A lot's happened since then," said Daredevil flipping over and making a rough fall in to a gentle landing, failing to notice the change in Wolverine's biorhythms.

"You ain't kiddin'," said Wolverine, his eyes narrowing and he leapt towards his opponent, forcing Daredevil to move out of the way and the two men went at it.

Nick Fury was not happy. In fact he was damned annoyed.

"Where's Logan?" he barked at one of the agents.

"The roof, sir. Talking with Mr Murdock."

"Godamnit!" cursed Fury and headed for the roof. He'd just been in meeting with the Secretary General about a SHIELD sponsored superhero team for the United Nations and that Fury was to gather the information and be ready to make a presentation to the full Security Council to resolve a problem raised by the United States over the Genosha situation.

He'd been backed into a corner over it because he'd pushed for the creation of X-Force as a SHIELD team and so this was their way of getting back at him for it. They were to be housed by SHIELD, run by a SHIELD agent, using specialist equipment to be based on the Helicarrier, yet not actually be a SHIELD strike force, and not responsible to him.

Fury was going to be damned if that was the actual way it went down, because while he was in command of the Helicarrier, things would be done his way and to hell with the politicians.

However he still had to do it.*

(* As you'll see in the upcoming Excalibur - David)

That said, he had an idea or two of how to mess them about a bit, but he was not happy about this in the slightest. He opened the door to the roof to see Logan and Murdock going at it. Each of the two men was a skilled fighter, with markedly different styles.

Logan was the samurai, trained in various martial arts and fighting techniques that he had learnt over the years as well as being a brawler by nature.

Matt Murdock was the son of a boxer and that was predominant in his moves, however he moved with skill and grace, using the survival skills he had learnt over a lifetime and the training he had gained from his own association with the Chaste.

There were certain similarities at times between them in terms of grace, but their styles were what made them unique. Then Fury realized that Logan was playing for keeps. Each hit he gained on Murdock was a nerve, which weakened his opponent, while taking the punishment that Daredevil inflicted. The only thing that was making this last was the fact that Logan wasn't using his claws. Fury seemed to note a marked pleasure in the fact he wasn't and it worried him. Logan liked to fight, but he'd never taken this kind of pleasure in it.

Daredevil was fighting this as a contest of skill, Wolverine as a show of power, and ultimately that gave him the edge, and then came the move Fury had been waiting for. Logan had seemingly grown bored of the fight and his punches and kicks started to get harder. Daredevil obviously noted this and tried to avoid him but even he wasn't fast enough and Logan's foot crashed into chest, throwing him across the roof and into the wall of the lift shaft.

Daredevil was stunned and Logan seized on the opportunity to grab him by the throat and now the claws were released, Logan only just restraining himself. The right and left claw covered the sides of Murdock's neck and though Fury couldn't see it, he knew the middle claw would be pushing up against Murdock's jaw.

"Tell me where she is, bub."

"I don't know," said Daredevil.

"Wrong answer," said Logan but he then heard the click of a safety switch on a pistol and he turned to see Nick pointing the gun at him.

"Back off, Logan. Now."

"Nick..." said Logan, his voice wavering in uncertainty, and Murdock took the opportunity to press back against the wall and kick out at Logan, knocking away the X-Man and freeing himself.

"What the hell's going on here, Fury?" he asked.

"Big trouble," said Fury, walking towards to Logan who was picking himself up. "Let's make this simple, Logan. Make a move, I'll blow off the back of yer head."

"I'm cool," said Logan as he stood up. He looked over at Murdock. "Sorry, bub. It wasn't supposed to happen like this."

"You've changed again," said Murdock, thinking about it. "It was like there were two of you there."

"You ain't kiddin'," said Logan. "You ever heard of the Shadow King?"

"Not really," admitted Murdock, and Logan explained who he was and what he had done.* "My God," sighed.

(* See the Shadow Scenario storyline in issues #7-11 -- Russ)

"I need to find Elektra, bub. Not just because I love her," and Daredevil could sense that he meant it, "but because only the Chaste can give me the inner peace I need to fight this. They put me back on the Path once, I'm bettin' it can be done again."

"Except the Chaste are gone, all save Elektra," said Murdock, realizing what Logan meant.

"So I got two reasons to find her."

"I don't know where she is now," said Murdock, "but she was in New York a while ago. She came to my office, but she wouldn't say what had happened."

"It's complicated," said Logan. "She caught me being forced to have sex with my wife. She knew I was helpless but they forced her to watch it happen. I... ain't proud of what happened, but she took off before I could do anything. It hurt her bad."

"And she has a problem with what she sees as being let down, especially by those she cares about," said Murdock. "No wonder she seemed distant."

"What did she say?" asked Fury.

"She mentioned something about going back to her roots. I didn't know how to help her because she wouldn't let me close and she left quickly because there were sirens outside and she is still wanted after all."

"It ain't Greece," said Logan. "I've checked there constantly."

"I don't know where else it could be," said Daredevil, "but if I hear anything, I'll let you know."

"Thanks, bub, an' I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I needed a workout. Good luck, Wolverine." Fury passed him his cane and Murdock left.

"What happened, Logan?" asked Fury.

"I lost it, Nick. Whatever Farouk did to me, it's started, and I knew it was happenin' but I didn't care."

"Come on," said Fury. "Let's go to the SHIELD office and see what we can find on Elektra. See if we can find her roots. We have some time to kill for the recess."

Logan nodded and they left the roof, to what Logan could swear was mocking laughter.

Later that day, after the arguments had been heard, Logan was summoned back to the hearing. They'd found nothing on Elektra and time had run out.

"Mr Logan," said the President. "After listening to the facts carefully and taking into consideration the possibility of coercion in your actions based on the testimony of 1944. As you have already been convicted of this, there is no point in depriving you of your freedom and your liberty further, especially in light of this 'Weapon X' project. However, as the American's have said, you were instrumental in the near death of a cultural icon. Captain America is a symbol of the United States, both then and now."

"The world needs icons, especially in this bleak time and your presence on the soil of the United States would cause a level of tension that could in all likelihood disrupt the very values that Captain America and the Avengers whom he represents seeks to promote. These decisions have not been made because of your genetic status, but as a means of keeping relations between nations peaceful and not creating acts of retaliation between mutants and the rest of humanity."

"Mr Logan, you are hereby forbidden entry to the United States of America. Re-entry to the country will result in decisive military action being taken against you without merciful consideration. You will have twenty-four hours to get your affairs in order, and then representatives of the Canadian government will escort you out of the country, at which point your image will be posted to every law enforcement agency and office in each of the fifty states. You are hereby named as an enemy of the United Sates of America and will be treated as such.

"This hearing is now adjourned."