X-Men First Class: Trickster

Chapter 1

Charles POV

We'd been on the road to the Covert CIA Research Base now for 12 hours. We had stopped once in Georgia, Savannah to go for refreshments and to use the restrooms, and we are now in North Carolina, Greensboro for the same thing. As I left the car and walked to the nearest restrooms with Erik beside me, I observe Erik like I had been doing the majority of the drive up here. His face was closed off of any emotion and his eyes are filled with anger and silent pain that has been a part of him for the past 18 years. As it would for anyone who has been what he's been through. I thought quietly to myself. As we came up towards the bathrooms a young and rather filthy woman with beautiful strawberry blonde hair that has been recently washed and put into a messy French braid bumped into me. I reached out and grasped her shoulders to keep her from falling over. She looked up at me with wide, apologetic jade green eyes.

"I'm so, so sorry! Are you okay?" She asked me frantically. I smiled at the worried look in her eyes, as she had offended me by bumping in to me.

"Yes I'm perfectly fine. Don't worry yourself, my dear." I assured her.

"Are you sure you're not hurt? I rammed into you quite harshly? I can be really clumsy-" She was cut off rather rudely by Erik.

"Look kid. He said he's fine now scram." He told her forcefully. I could see that he was quickly losing his patience with the flustered girl.

"Erik." I warned. "That's-"

"No it's okay." The girl interrupted. "I should get going anyway. Sorry again." She continued before walking off the way we had come. I looked over to Erik with agitation, missing the girl's triumphant grin.

"What?" He questioned with confusion.

"Was that really necessary? The poor girl is probably traumatized now." I said aghast at him. He really doesn't have any tact.

"Oh come on Charles. If you want to get to Virginia we don't have time to be playing Good Samaritan to the locals." He told me in a brash voice. I placed my hands in my pockets and eyed him in abashment.

"You know a little kindness-" I cut myself off and felt around in my pockets. Where the bloody hell is my wallet? I checked my coat pockets and my back pockets and it was then I realised that my watch was also missing. I pulled up both my coat sleeves. It's not there.

"What the hell's wrong now?" Erik growled at me.

"My wallet and watch is missing? I don't understand I had them just a second ago." A look of realisation passed over Erik's face and he looked at me as if the reason was obvious.

"And who bumped into you just a second ago Charles?" He exclaimed with clear annoyance. I finally realised what he was saying and I looked down the street behind us and I searched for her both physically and mentally. It took a few seconds but I spotted her hair in the crowd and I zoned in on her thoughts.

The innocent little girl look works every time. It's a shame though, he seemed like a nice guy although his friend is an ass.

"There she is." I told Erik as I pointed her out. We quickly walked up the street after her trying not to make a scene. But she chose that moment to turn around and look behind her. She saw Erik and I swiftly approaching and a wicked smirk made its way across her mouth as she gave us a quick wink and started running away at a relatively fast pace. Erik and I broke out into a sprint after her as I yelled: "HEY! Stop!" We quickly barged passed the people in front of us as we tried to catch up to her. I zoned back on her thoughts as she ran down a dead end street, with us not far behind her.

Great! I gotta do it again!

We ran around the corner to see that the dead ended street was empty, except for the stray golden retriever dog curled up by a dented dustbin growling at us. It was strange, I could still hear her thoughts as if she were right in front of us.

"Where the hell did she go?" Erik questioned in bewilderment as he stared down the empty street. I laughed quietly to myself as I realised what was going on. What she was.

"Erik. She's right in front of us but not as a human." I mumbled to him as I scrutinised the golden dog in absolute amazement.

"What are you on about now Charles?" He demanded in agitation.

"She's a mutant." I explain in wonder. I can see in her thoughts that she is starting to get edgy and is going to run. "Wait!" I plead her. "Don't run." I say getting closer and kneeling a few feet away from her. She stops growling and tilts her head to the side, looking at me curiously. "We are not going to hurt you. It's okay, you can show yourself we're like you." I can hear that she's wondering if we're saying this so we can take her to the police or if we are telling the truth. "Don't worry we're not going to take you to the police. We're telling you the truth. You are not the only one who is different." I explain calmly and I know that I finally have her convinced.

Slowly the dog vanishes as if by magic leaving behind a golden, sand like mist. As I get back to my feet I see the young woman, Adriana, materialise from the golden mist and she takes a tentative step closer to us.

"I thought I was the only one." She utters in confusion. "I thought I was alone." She carries on quietly. And I smile at her peacefully.

"No one is ever truly alone in the world Adriana." I replied gently with a small smile. She looked up at me in shock.

"How-?"

"It's my mutation. I am able to read your mind just as my friend Eric here can manipulate metal." I inform her. She looks over at Erik in wonder and he swiftly focuses on my watch in her hand and it rises up in front of her face and then quickly zooms over so it is in front of me. I grasp it out of the air and put it back on my wrist. She quietly walks over closer to us and hands over my black leather wallet to me.

"I'm sorry I took it. Stealing is all I really know now. I need to eat somehow. I don't have anything else left apart from this." She gestures towards her duffle bag. And I suddenly get an ideal thought.

"Adriana, how would you feel about coming with me and Erik? We have another friend like us called Raven and I'm she you and her will get along perfectly. You wouldn't have to be alone again. You would never have to steal again. You could be with others like yourself." I tried to persuade her. She looks at me with a darker looker in her eye.

"There isn't anyone like me. I can make bad stuff happen." She whispers in horror. I look at her in sympathy. She's had a really tough life.

"Adriana. I promise you. I will teach you how to control it. You won't have to be scared anymore." I reassure her. She looks in to my eyes a smiles in acceptance.

She holds out her hand to us. "Then let me formally introduce myself. I'm Adriana Danvers."

"Charles Xavier." I reply shaking her hand with a wide smile.

"Erik Lehnsherr." Erik informs her.