The Alpha Complex is somewhere I've been several times before, however I never expected to be taken there like this, under armed guard from SHIELD.

Still you can't blame them; my status in the US had taken a heavy blow from which it's fairly unlikely it'll ever recover. I'm a war criminal now, and though I've done my time, some sins ain't gonna be forgiven.

So here I am, at a private airfield just outside of Boston waitin' to be taken to Canada. Not much I can do but wait, seeing as I'm bound with chains and manacles so I can't get loose and make a break for it. Even better the manacles also keep my mutant abilities in check as well.

Fury did his best but his superiors were less than convinced that I wouldn't try and get away from the custody so they had taken as many precautions as possible. Can't say I blame 'em.

While I'm not exactly helpless like this, there's not much I can do to put up a proper fight, so it just a case of waitin' to be handed over to the custody o' the Canadians. Besides, the guards are leavin' me alone, because even like this I can tell they're wary o' me and what I could do.

"It's okay, gentlemen," comes a voice and I can see James MacDonald Hudson, in the red and white battle suit that he wears in his role as Guardian, leader of Alpha Flight. He's walking across the airfield corridors towards us, a familiar face in a sea of distrust. "Cut him loose, we can take it from here."

"Our orders are not to remove the prisoner's restraints until he is over Canadian airspace, sir."

"That was not what I was informed of," answers Mac, ready to start a fight over this. He's one o' my best friends and I know that he thinks what they've done is overkill, but a row ain't gonna make it go away.

"Leave it, bub, it ain't worth it."

"Heather sees you like this, she'll skin me alive."

"I won't let her."

"And exactly how will you do that?" asks Guardian and I just smile. He's known me too long and with a shake of his head, he concedes, knowing he ain't gonna win this one. I'm playing this by the rules no matter what the cost. Heather will understand that

"Okay, you win," declares Mac as he gestures to the guards. "This way, gentlemen. I'll take you to the Omnijet."

In another place, far from the United States of America, Ahmal Farouk watched and waited, as his plans took hold. Hydra were becoming more and more militant in their operations and Viper was under his careful care. There was only one thing outstanding for her with him.

Arnim Zola.

He wanted his pay off.

The Shadow King debated what to do with him. He had made his plans before he had made his attempt at ruling the world, in case the X-Men had managed to stop him, which they had. His defeat had robbed the psions of their powers temporarily as the very fabric of the astral plane was ruptured during the psi-war.

The Shadow King had ended up trapped within the mind of Psylocke until he was freed and then defeated again by Jean Grey.* However that had all been a ruse, as he had needed to see how the X-Men were coping with the death of their founder. He had survived, and was now ready to put his plans in to action. This had taken months of careful planning on his part for as he knew he would be freed, he had made Zola capture Viper from the heart of Madripoor and take her to be tested to see if she would be worthy.** Zola was a master geneticist and he had made the proper determinations and put Viper back in Madripoor, ensuring her mind had been selectively erased.

(* As told in M2K's Uncanny X-Men #3 -- Russ)
(** This happened in Marvel's Wolverine #140 [nice save, David :-)] -- Russ again)

How right he had been, for Hydra truly believed in a master race and she was no exception. After he had reviewed Zola's results he had proceeded, giving Logan dreams and fragments of the past, engineering things so they happened the way he wanted.

Now he was Hydra, and Zola might be a useful tool. Killing him was not his preferred option.

In fact, he had a much better idea of what to do with him.

"So what the hell is going on, Logan?" asks Mac when we're safely aboard the jet an' headin' towards Canada. "It can't be true."

"It is, bub. Surprised you didn't know," I answer.

"Logan, Department H isn't exactly the font of all knowledge," replies Mac, slightly hurt. "We knew your past was shady, but not that shady. The NSA had your files tied up, we couldn't touch them."

"Yeah, sorry, Jim," I apologize. "It's not exactly been easy. Finding out you were a traitor and that some telepathic creature used you to further his own plans... whatever they were."

"What went on?"

"The Shadow King used me as an Axis agent, made me do all the bad stuff they say. The whole of it's true, except the telepathic whammy ain't on any official report. No proof, my word against theirs, and they've got my confession."

"Jesus," sighs Mac. "So this isn't just a misunderstanding?"

"Nope," I answer. "No fakes, no clones, no imposters. I did it."

"You heard about that?"

"Yup. You guys have been kinda busy."*

(* See recent issues of M2K's Alpha Flight -- Russ)

"We're in Canadian airspace," said Heather comin' into the room. "I've put the craft on autopilot..." Then she sees me chained up as I am. "I thought you were going to sort that out?" demanded Vindicator.

"Easy, darlin'," I say, jumpin' in quick. "Ain't Jimmy's fault. I told him to leave it. Besides, now we're in Canada..."

"My pleasure," said Vindicator and she walks over and snaps the things like they're twigs and pulls the manacles away from me. I relax as I feel myself gettin' back in tune with things as my senses are restored and I breathe a sigh o' relief.

"Thanks, darlin', they were givin' me a cramp." Then I tell them the tale of what happened in Madripoor, about Elektra an' me, an Viper, and the Shadow King. I give 'em the whole nine yards. It takes quite a while an' it ain't a pretty story, and I guess it ain't gonna be the last time I explain it.

"So you're banned from the United States,"* muses Heather. "What does that mean for the X-Men?"

(* Last issue -- David)

"Not sure," I answer. "They need me, I'll come runnin', but I ain't gonna risk them. Besides I gotta find Elektra."

"You'll always have a place with Alpha, Logan," says Mac, but I shake my head.

"Nah, those days are done with, Jim. Alpha's a whole different beast to what it was, even if you guys have the old team back together, but the same goes for you as for the X-Men. You need me, I'll come running."

"That's appreciated," said Heather. "You never know what's happening these days. The Dream Queen, Llan the Sorcerer and whatever they come up with next, it's getting harder to find some downtime."*

(* As seen in recent issues of M2K's Alpha Flight - David)

"You're preachin' to the converted," I chuckle. "It seems to go from one crisis to the next without blinkin'."

"So, what are you going to do now?"

"Find Elektra, find a way of savin' my soul and then tearin' the Shadow King a new one."

"Sounds like a good plan," agrees Guardian, "but..." Then alarms go off across the jet, gettin' us all up out of our seats. "What in blazes?"

"The proximity alarm," says Vindicator, as she heads for the cockpit. "We're under attack!"

"There's a jet of some kind out there. No markings I know," says Guardian, lookin' out of the window. "I better go and let them know who they're after."

"Givin' 'em an easy target, Mac?"

"The suit can take one hell of a lot."

"Famous last words, bub. Be careful."

"Count on it," replies Hudson and he heads for the nearest exit as I strap myself in and wait for the pressure to equalize. Then I go to the cockpit and watch as Mac tells them to back off and that Alpha Flight are authorized agents of the Canadian government.

"We are the Sons of the Shield!" I hear them respond. "Set your craft down or we will blow it out of the air."

"You'll have to go through me first," replies Guardian and they hit him with some kind of energy pulse and he falls from the sky.

"Go," I tell Heather but she's already on her way to rescue the man she loves, as I take over the controls. The agents of SHIELD don't like this too much but they don't get a choice, as I think I'm the only one left on board who can fly a plane.

"Land the aircraft. Now," repeat the so-called Sons of the Shield. I don't got too much of a choice seein' as my defenders are down an' I have no idea if this crate has weapons, so I look for a clear spot to put this thing down. I know one thing though, these Sons of the Shield are gonna need shields as soon as I get near them.

"Stay back," I tell the SHIELD agents as I start to make my way out. If there's trouble then I'll be the one to take it first, an' as I view the landscape before me, I see whom these Sons of the Shield take after. With the fake wings on their heads an' the red, white an' blue circles with a star in the middle give them away at once. They're Cap junkies, so I guess the word is out.

"Give yourself up, mutie!" says the ringleader. I ain't never been fond of lynch mobs, especially if I'm on the receivin' end.

"Bub, you really don't wanna pick a fight with me."

"Or what? Da big, bad, mutie killer's gonna slice and dice me? Bring it on. Let's see what you got."

"Fine with me." The claws come out, more for show than anything else, and a couple of 'em back away at the sight of them, but not the ringleader. I was really hopin' he'd back off, but he hasn't and if he pushes his luck like that, he'll be a corpse.

"Tarrant..." warns one of his people, but Tarrant's hotter for battle than his followers

"You've got yours" he says to me. "I've got mine." He produces a replica of Cap's shield, and he flings it towards me, and I flip out of its way, and again as it ricochets back at me. I've done countless Danger Room scenarios with the X-Men against the Avengers, hell we've played it out for real more than once, and this guy ain't exactly Cap.

Except he catches me as I leap with one hell of a kick that almost breaks me in two.

"What the flamin'?" I ask as I rise up from the floor. He ain't no cyborg, I can tell that from his scent, and given his anti-mutant sentiment, I discount that one too.

"Yeah!" he shouts, celebrating this little victory. "C'mon, mutie, show me whatcha got!"

"Fine by me, bub," I say and I give in to the desire to kick the crap outta him.

He strikes toward me again, but this time I know what he's capable of and I dodge, and tag him with a sweep of the claws. However he moves back at the same time as I lunge and I tear his clothes and only scratch the surface of his skin.

"You were involved on the assassination attempt on our saviour," says Tarrant as we swap blows with each other, never really connecting properly but still doing some surface damage.

"Bub, I ain't got time fer this," I say, as I find an opening and go for it, plunging my claws into his gut. The fight's over and his body slides off my claws. "Anyone else wanna go?"

"Logan," calls Heather as she lands beside us, Mac in her arms. "Are you okay?"

"Yup, but this bloke needs a paramedic," I say, gesturing to Tarrant.

"Looks fine to me," says Mac and I turn around to see him standing behind me.

"Death to the Axis!" he cries as he manages to loop a metal cord around my neck and pull it tight. It digs in to my flesh, cutting in to my neck and makin' it hard to breathe.

"Logan!" cried Vindicator, the fear in her voice, but before she can unleash her powers, I've been thrown up in the air, and the cords landed over a tree branch. I'm danglin' for my life and the grip on my neck's getting' stronger thanks to the laws o' gravity.

I should've made sure he was down and now he's got the drop on me like a damned fool. I can feel the beast rising inside me and I start to flail, hacking at the cord with my claws but it ain't cuttin'. Dunno what the hell it's made of, but it's on a par with adamantium.

Vindicator's throwing down with Tarrant, but he's not even fazed by her geothermal assaults, so whatever he's gotm he's got it good. Then I see it, the mark on his chest. She ain't goin' ta to win and I start to thrash about, as I ain't got too much time left.

Then the branch breaks an' I fall, the pressure released but the animal in me wants to strike an' I know my prey. Tarrant looks up in time to see me descending, and if I could give a roar I would, but my healin' factor's gonna have to fix up my throat first.

I slash at his head with my fist, tearin' out his eye and leavin' grooves across his face, and y'know that's gonna leave a scar. His powers aren't natural, they were given to him in exchange for his soul. I can think of half a dozen beings who coulda done this to him, an' I ain't sure I can beat him, but I'm gonna hurt him but good.

He throws off Vindicator as he holds his hand to his face, and that gives her time to free me from the cord.

"Obliged, darlin'" I manage to rasp as I look towards Tarrant, who's retrieved his shield. Blood isn't streaking down his face anymore as the wounds have closed but the scars still remain.

I dive at him, and we tangle, but this time there's a difference - his powers were given by a demon, and mine make me a demon. Heather can only stand and watch as we trade blows, the sounds of bones breaking, of ripping and shredding until we're both exhausted and we back off.

I opened up and it came off as a stalemate, but his body's gonna be scarred and damaged for a while. Anyone else, with the possible exception of Creed, would be pushin' up daisies about now. This guy ain't though. If he's sold his soul like I think, then there's gonna be a way to kill him. One o' these day's I'll find it, an' make it happen.

But not right now.

"This isn't over," says Tarrant. "The Sons of the Shield will not rest until the betrayal and murder you have committed are avenged."

"Try it bub, an' see what happens." As I say it, I can feel a sense of calm come over me, a sense of the darkness the Shadow King put in my soul. I could give in to it and take him down, but it ain't worth the cost to me and mine. I ain't gonna play that game and it'll take more than this joker to make me.

"Look over your shoulder, Wolverine," he says. "Neither you nor those who call you friend are safe."

"Not on yer best day," I answer, more concerned with the fact that he knows as much as he does. Someone's ratted me out, big style.

"We'll meet again!" he calls and then there's a flash of light and they're gone.

"Sons of the Shield?" asks Mac. "Who says Capmania is dead?"

"Let's get back to Alpha Complex," says Heather. "We'll work things out from there."

I nod, thinking that this is only the beginning.

As the Omnijet takes off, two figures, a man and a woman, watch it disappear in to the distance.

"He failed," commented the woman.

"Just as we all expected he would," replied the man. "He was never going to defeat the three of them, though admittedly he came close."

"Logan weighs a great deal, and with his struggling like that, the branch had no chance."

"Yes, but the latest addition to the master's group did very well indeed." He pushed his shades up a touch. "Especially with the information we obtained from our informant."

"Yes," she said with a smile. "However there is another matter that we need to deal with, in Madripoor."

"Ah, yes," he said. "The Dragon Lord. His hold on the criminal world is expanding and expanding well. The master must be proud of his rescue of him."

"However he will need our help."

"Perhaps, however, I think for now the best thing we can do is let him know he has company. To Madripoor!" There was a flash and a stench of brimstone and they were both gone.

We've done all our checks at the complex, I'm healing, Heather's okay, if slightly bruised, and Mac's suit is getting' an overhaul. They hit it with some kind of targeted pulse that shorted it out. While we're there, they also send a message to the Avengers an' let them know about these Sons of the Shield, an' now we're back at their place.

It's been a long while since I was here when there's been the three of us together. Mac passes me a brew an' I settle back as we catch up on old times. They tell me what's happenin', an' how they're trying to make the marriage work and I tell 'em about Elektra.

It's been a long time since I simply sat back and enjoyed the company of old friends.

"So where do you go from here?" asks Haether.

"Been thinkin', darlin,'" I reply. "It takes being back here to remind me o' little details."

"Such as?" asks Mac.

"Last time I was here, after the Apocalypse stuff, I headed over to Japan. That was where Elektra had been. I found her there without lookin'. Maybe the Clan Yashida can help me out."

"When are you heading out?" he asks.

"I'm gonna set myself up with a place here, then I'll head off. See how Shiro's doin', and how the rebuild's come on."

There's a feelin' of déjà vu about this, and hopefully that's a good thing. I'll soon know.