"I need your help." I told to the older man in front of me.
"And what could I possibly do for you?" He stared at me with his cold eyes through his glasses.
"It's my friend Lance. Look, someone told me that you could help." I was desperate. Lance was like a distant brother to me.
"What exactly is Lance's problem?"
"This is going to sound crazy, but he has these powers."
This intrigued him greatly. "Really?"
"Yes. Ever since we were kids, he'd get these aches. And these aches led to his skin becoming different. He would get this coating of granite around him, as well as him getting buffer and a lot stronger than he really was. Also, as a warning, he doesn't know what he does when he's in that state. He could kill hundreds of people in an hour, and as soon as it wears off, it's like nothing ever happened."
The man smiled and held out his hand. "What's your name?"
I shook it. "Andi Hojem."
"Andi Hojem. Now, where is this Lance?"
"He's safe. Away from people."
"Well," He clapped his hands together as if in triumph. "Let's go see him, shall we? We can take my car-" He started to walk towards where his car was.
"Uh, Colonel?" He turned back around to me. "I can get you there faster."
"You have powers too?" He started smiling again.
"Yes, but mine are under control."
He had his one sided smile on. "Take me to Lance, please."
I grabbed the sleeve of his military jacket and teleported to my house. "He's in the basement." I led him to the door, opened it quietly, and went down the stairs. "Lance? It's Andi."
"Andi?" Came a whimper from the furthest corner from where the Colonel and I stood.
"Lance," I went towards him.
"It's coming back Andi." He was grabbing his head and sweating terribly. "It's coming back."
"You're going to be okay Lance. I've brought someone to help. His name's Colonel William Stryker."
"Hello Lance." Stryker approached and knelt down to him next to me.
Lance screamed and his body started to turn shiny and black. "Get away." He hissed through clenched teeth. I pushed Stryker back and only backed off slightly. "Andi, leave." He pleaded.
"You can't hurt me Lance. I'm gonna get you through this." Stryker just stood on the bottom stair, watching us.
Lance screamed again, and grew about a foot in height and gained about eighty pounds worth of muscle. His eyes went bright blue and pure rage covered his face. "Get out Colonel. Now." But he didn't move.
Lance screamed at me, and then lunged towards me. I counteracted with a large burst of wind that shot him into the wall. "You have to fight it Lance!" He didn't listen again, so I raised roots from under the foundation and they tied up his legs. He broke out of them, so I raised my hands and more came up. As I circled my hands, they twisted themselves around his body. He struggled to get out of them, they only squeezed him tighter. After a few minutes, Lance started to calm down, and I brought the roots down enough to anchor him to the floor. I turned to Stryker who had a grin on his face. "So can you help him or not?"
He nodded. "Yes, I think I can."
"Where can I take him?"
"I'll take him tomorrow morning. I just need to call in a favor or two." I led him back upstairs.
"Is there anything I can do to repay you?"
Stryker just smiled. "I'm sure I'll think of something. But, you'll have to come with us. Otherwise it's no deal."
"I have an exam tomorrow morning." I wasn't going to miss my last exam for the year.
"Then I'll pick you up after. Now-"
"You know what, I'll just bring him to you. I have to talk to my father anyway." At the end of my sophomore year, Mr. Hawkins had offered to adopt me. And of course I agreed to it. I moved into their house last summer, but I still keep this one for just in case purposes.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~
"Uh, Dad?" I was washing the dishes that night, and Mr. Hawkins turned to me with a surprised look on his face. I had never called him Dad before.
"Yes Andi?" He came over to the sink next to me.
"Can I talk to you about something?"
"Of course you can."
"It's about my friend Lance. See, he's kind of like Virgil, Richie and myself, except he didn't get hit with Bang Gas. It's a natural mutation. Well, his powers per se, are completely out of control. They always were. He was able to keep it under wraps for a while, but lately it's been getting worse. So I went to find this guy, William Stryker."
"How do you know about William Stryker?"
"This guy named Hannibal told me about him, but that doesn't matter. Look, Stryker said that he would help Lance but I would have to go with him."
"Andi, William Stryker is not a good man. Do not trust him."
"I don't. It's just that he might be Lance's only chance to learn how to control his powers."
Mr. Hawkins shook his head. "I don't like this."
"I know. But I need to go. Um, there is one thing you can do for me though."
"What?"
"Can you keep your ear open for information about a Charles Xavier? He was another name that Hannibal mentioned."
He nodded. "Sure." He was about to leave when he said, "You gonna tell the boys?"
"I wasn't going to. But if they ask, which they will, could you tell him I'm on business in California." Mr. Hawkins then got this confused look. "Wayne Enterprises and Stark Industries are going to become sister companies, so I have to be in Malibu." That actually wasn't a lie. Wayne Enterprises and Stark Industries were merging. Bruce was in Cali right now, probably lounging about with Tony.
"Sure."
"Thanks, Dad." I gave him a hug and went back to the dishes.
