Natalia paced in front of the group, her white coat pushed back as her fingers pressed against her hips. Emma had learned the blonde woman's name when she had arrived earlier that morning to wake Emma for the morning routine of washing, dressing, and eating breakfast. Now everyone was standing along a white wall opposite a glass window that rested against the edge of the ceiling. Emma tugged at her tight outfit; everyone seemed to be wearing the same black latex suite, but it was not ideal for Emma, she'd much prefer to breathe in her outfits.
A chirpy ring emanated from Natalia's pocked, and she quickly pulled out a small, flat, rectangular device the size of her palm, and held it to her ear. "What's taking so long?" She said, the feel of neck-wringing clear in her tone.
There was a mumble from the phone-like device, and Emma strained her hearing to hear a tired sounding man on the other side. "We've finished our diagnostics, and all we can guess is that the spike was from some kind of dream. There have been no other problems, subject six is free for use."
Natalia sighed, "Then why is he not here yet?" She complained, placing the phone back into her giant coat pocket. She looked at the group, taking time to eye each one of them, as if sizing them up and finding each one lacking. Emma couldn't help but miss the fake niceness she experienced from before; everything was beginning to be too real. "Here is what you will be doing today." Natalia announced, hands once again at her hips. "You will take turns fighting subject six, and you will not, under any circumstances, intervene when you are not the one in combat. This is a one-on-one session, and you will take notes as you wait for your turn." Everyone looked amongst each other, giving a little hint that they were confused by this session, but Emma felt that none of them really cared what they had to do except Jason, whose eyebrows were furrowed.
Across from Emma, below the stretched window, a metal door opened, and Logan stepped forward, wearing a tight red latex suit and a cocky grin.
Another sigh escaped from Natalia as her heels clacked on the her way over to Logan. "About time."
Logan looked Natalia in the eyes, giving off a strong sense of power and control. "Everything is as you asked."
"Great. Let's move!" She called, waving everyone to follow Logan back through the door he had opened.
They walked down a short hallway until another door was opened. Once inside Emma was taken back by all the rocks in the room. The ground was covered in a red dirt, and periodically spread throughout the room giant rocks stood out at sharp looking points.
"Subject three, you will go first. The rest of you go to the neutral zone on the left."
Emma looked at Chandler as she followed to others to a spot behind a row of horizontal bars. Chandler looked so small and thin compared to Logan's giant build. Logan smirked at Chandler, who gulped in return.
Natalia appeared in the giant window that sat up and to Emma's right, just along the wall of the door. "The training begins now."
Logan launched himself at Chandler, and before Chandler could blink an eye he was pinned against a boulder with his eyes practically bulging out of his head. Chandler struggled a bit, but to no avail.
"Enough. Subject three may return."
Logan stood up and sighed, as if bored as Chandler moved to safety with his head bowed low. Raven was fuming, and Emma tried to dismiss the rudeness of what she felt Raven thinking.
"Subject five, your turn."
Emma took a deep breath and moved in front of Logan. She looked for any signs that he remembered her, but his eyes were as cold and calculating as ever.
"Begin now."
Logan smirked and moved for Emma, but she anticipated this from watching Chandler, so she dropped to the ground and rolled out of the way. Logan landed on the boulder, wrapping one arm around it and finding Emma pushed himself off of it. Emma, never learning how to fight, was taken by surprise as Logan snatched her wrist and flung her to the ground. Fear began to take over Emma as a sickening grin stretched across Logan's face.
"Please, Logan." She said, knowing it was useless.
Logan grabbed at her again, but she tried to move out of the way this time. Logan still managed to grab her leg, and he swung her across the room, making her land on a bunch of smaller rocks. He launched at her, and deciding to take fight instead of flight, Emma launched right back at him. Logan grabbed hold of Emma's wrists, and her weight pulled him down on top of her as they twisted mid-air. With Emma's wrists pinned above her head, Logan seemed to half-smile, his eyes boring into hers.
Emma was quickly reminded of another time.
~~
It was raining and Logan had just lost a championship game. He had waited until everyone had left, and then found himself alone in the stadium. Emma knew he liked to process losses alone for a while, but she didn't like how sad he would get, so she went out, when everyone had left, to meet him in the middle of the field.
"You're still here." She called out to him.
He looked over at her, feeling the weight of his helmet in his hands and the stains of mud and grass mocking his playing. "You know I like to process things." He said at a normal volume as she stood in front of him.
"I know that, but it's raining." She said, motioning her pink polka-dot umbrella up and down. "You can't be alone when it's raining."
"And why is that?" Logan asked, a smile beginning to pull at the corner of his mouth.
"Because it's a waste of a perfectly good opportunity, of course." Emma closed her umbrella and dropped it on the ground, and before Logan could say a word Emma punched his arm and took of running. "You're it!"
"What are you doing?" Logan cried, feeling exhausted from the game.
Emma stood near the goalpost. "Ah, giving up before you even try. Maybe that's why you lost." She said with a shrug of her shoulders.
"Woah! Too soon!" Logan yelled, taking off towards Emma, who could barely run ten yards before Logan had caught up to her. Emma let out a squeal as Logan grabbed her arm, but with the rain pouring down the two of them slipped in the mud, landing on their backs. Logan let out a small groan. "Of all things, that I will feel tomorrow."
Emma chuckled. "Maybe you're not so bad."
Logan propped himself up so that his head was above Emma's. "Maybe." He sighed.
"Hey." Emma placed a muddy hand to Logan's face. "It was just a game. There will be lots of games, but there's only one you. And... well, you're pretty amazing."
Logan searched Emma's warm eyes and placed his hand over hers. "I love you." He whispered.
"About time." She smiled, placing a soft kiss against his lips.
~~
Emma looked hard at Logan. "Maybe you're not so bad." She said, restraining from clenching her teeth.
Logan's eyes dilated and a feeling of panic and confusion took control of his face. "Maybe..." He said, glancing at the rock he was clenching in his fist just above Emma's head.
Before Emma could respond Logan was pushed off of her, and Jason was grabbing the rock from Logan's hand.
A crackling sound echoed in the room, and Natalia's voice screeched, "Subject four, you have disobeyed command, and will not be receiving lunch!"
Jason stood up and brushed himself off, and Logan's cocky personality returned instantly. Emma got the feeling Jason could care less about missing a meal, but she wished he hadn't interfered. There was something there, maybe Emma could save Logan after all.
