EX626
The sequel to 'Elementary My Dear Watson, Elementary'. Pertains kind of to his origins.In the early morning of a Sunday, Antony grew ever curious about what had been erased from his memories. The files at The Centre proved to be very useful to him, but otherwise it was not enough.
"Are you sure you are ready for this?" Professor Xavier watched him as he stood by the bookshelf in his office. Antony stood by the bookshelf for a moment, pondering. He reached out his hand to touch the spine of one of the books, but in pulling his hand back he formed it into a fist, and turned around to Professor Xavier.
"Let's do this." He said exhortly. Walking over to Xavier's desk he pulled out the wheeling armchair and sat down. Xavier reached over the desk top, placing both his forefinger and thumb over Antony's temples. There was a swift jolt by Antony as if he had been sucker-punched in the gut. However, Xavier ignored this factor and began to travel through the dark, forgotten memories inside Antony's mind.
-Your name is Antony Lawrence-Watson
-Chuck, we have a couple of curfew breakers
-I can not see, it is too bright
-He's blind
-Welcome, my name is Charles Xavier
-Stop him, he's headed for the exit
With each memory passed, Xavier came ever closer to when he had been kidnaped from his home and placed into the Centre.
-But what if you don't make it
-If I ever make it out, I'll come back for you
-EX626 has become more agitated in tests
-It is time to start him on manipulating his powers
As the memories became much clearer to Antony and Xavier, Antony was beginning to feel a sharp pain sweep over him. His though s were going out of sync, his mind was spinning. Xavier felt what was happening and immediately took action.
In the chair is where Antony sat. Body was shaking, eyes rolled back , and then all of a sudden, he became rigid as a board..
"Antony, Antony can you hear me?" Xavier spoke. When Antony opened his eyes he was in a bright lighted room, or at least it seemed bright for a moment. Antony peered over to the side and saw a large dark figure walk over to the wall, dimming the lights so that the dark figure come out to be Hank McCoy.
"What happened?" Antony took short breaths as he looked up at Xavier.
"Rest for a bit. You've experienced quite a convulsion," Xavier pressed down on his chest. Antony laid back down, his breathing was still very sharp and it felt as if hi head was going to explode. "Perhaps we should continue our little session once you've recovered." And like that, Xavier made his exit.
Hank walked over to Antony. He looked at the monitor on the side of him asking a few marks on his chart. "So, what's the diagnosis doc?" Hank looked at his face.
"Stress. And plenty of it." Hank pulled up a rolly chair and sat down next to Antony. "A boy your age and with the things you've been through. I can't imagine that you haven't done anything unforgivable to some people."
Antony rubbed the temples of his head. Pain searing through him like knives being thrown at random. Hank looked at him concerned.
"You get your rest, and professor will try all that he can to restore you." Hank got up and walked to the door. Light on or off didn't make any difference for him, but with it off, Antony was able to drift off to sleep more soundly.
It is hard to understand why people dream and even more difficult to interpret them. Some scientists believe that dreaming helps the body to store and organize memories, while others say that sleep acts like a rejuvenation chamber, when cells repair themselves. That evening, Antony was doing more than just repairing his cells, he was dreaming. More than just dreaming, he was fighting the memory that was lost to him long ago.
In the vast dark and quiet infirmary, with no one else around Antony tossed and turned in his sleep. There were voices inside his head that would haunt him repeatedly.
The door of the infirmary opened, the lights switched on. Echos of footsteps surrounded Antony. The monitor that was attached to him increased in speed. Faster and faster his heart beat. A hand reached over his body and brushed on his shoulder. Antony's eyes shot open and his hand furled into a fist and punched the person in their gut. There was a great grunt and growl heard. The sound of metal, like snikt, echoed and a voice was heard.
"I'd thought you'd give me a better welcome kid." Antony sat up in his bed realizing just who it was who spoke.
"Logan?" He shifted around.
"Yeah kid. Anyone ever tell you that you talk in your sleep?" Logan stood up and brushed off the punch like it was nothing.
"What'd you hear?" Antony asked interested.
"You were just mumbling. Not very distinctive. When I got closer to you I heard you say something about Angel." Logan raised a brow at him as it seemed to have sparked a wire. "Friend of yours?"
"I . . . I can't remember." Logan looked at him concerned.
"You remind me of me kid." Logan said with a sigh.
"How so?" Antony sat at the edge of his bed, feeling semi-better.
Logan got comfortable pulling up a chair and sitting in it. Logan was like Antony, he had no memory of his past either. And when he did start to remember, he would become this different person, filled with rage , hurt, and above all confusion. Only people who were brave enough, like Xavier, or strong enough like Piotr could be around him when he was in this state.
"You really are a wolverine. Striking fear into everyone that crosses your path." Antony jumped down on the floor and supported his weight on the bed.
"You better watch what ya say kid, cause remember . . ." snikt, went his adamantium claws, "I'm the Wolverine." Antony rolled his eyes with a little smirk and jumped off the observation table. "Feelin' better?"
"I'm feeling hungry." Antony tried to walk but almost fell over.
"Easy there," Logan rushed to his side. Logan supported Antony and both of them left the infirmary.
&&&
Inside the kitchen Kurt was fixing himself a sandwich. "Now where is that turkey meat?" The fuzzy blue demon searched through the fridge taking out tomatoes, lettuce, mayonnaise, pickles, and anything else he fancied , sitting all the items onto the counter top. Going back for his plate he came face to face with Logan and Antony. "Oh, it's you Logan," Kurt nearly dropped his plate, but thanks to Logan's fastly trained reflexes, "I was just in here fixing a sandwich." Kurt took a look at Antony for a second. He didn't know much about him since he came to the Institute, only except that he was blind, but that wasn't a secret.
"Trust that you'll be alright," Logan asked.
"Yeah, I'll be fine." Antony rubbed his head. Logan left and it became quiet.
Kurt went over to the counter and started eating his sandwich. The silence bothered Antony once Logan left. Because he was still moving into the mansion he only knew a handful of people and didn't feel comfortable to talk to anyone else. "So how do you like it here?"
"Well, um, I guess its alright." He didn't have anymore opinion on the matter.
"Well, my advice to you, for being the new guy and all, is to not miss curfew or use your power when its not necessary."
"I think my worries are over for the curfew. Despite my intentions to find my family I was grounded because of it." Kurt gave a little chuckle.
"So what's your punishment?" Kurt asked, putting down his sandwich.
"I just can't leave the mansion except for school. What is the school around here anyway? I though here they did all the teaching?"
Kurt stood up to wash his plate, then came back over. "They do, its just that sometimes we aren't allowed to attend public school."
"How come?" Antony asked curiously.
"You don't know do you?" Kurt asked shocked. "Man, you really have been locked in the dark for a long time." Kurt said without thinking. "Its this whole mutant prejudice. Humans just don't understand that we aren't trying to start a war and take over. Though, Magneto might," Kurt added.
"A war? Really now?"
"Ja."
The professor entered in the kitchen at that time. "There you are. Would you like to continue our session now, Antony?" The two boys ended their conversation when he came and Antony stood up. Charles looked around the kitchen and turned to Kurt. "Could you clean this all up? It looks like one of the younger students tried to cook in here."
"Sure professor," Kurt replied bashfully.
Antony grabbed onto Xavier's wheelchair and they both left the kitchen to return to the professor's study.
When they made back into the study Antony became comfortable once more in the chair, and Xavier went behind his desk. "How about we start a different approach this time. Close your eyes and think about the earliest memory you have when you were at the facility." Charles folded his hands like he always did when he gave his pupils and staff members his full attention. "Now describe to me what you are feeling." Just as Antony closed his eyes, he did the same.
"Its cold. I can feel vibrations echoing off the walls and on the floor wit the soles of my feet."
"Good what else?"
"I remember voices--"
"What are they saying?" Charles took hold of his hands and was transported into Antony's fresh thoughts.
-I don't want to do this
-Its alright, you want to help your country don't you
Giving in to his own thoughts, Antony's muscles loosened and he was no longer tense. Charles took this opportunity and entered into his mind with the goal of retrieving more of his forgotten memories.
-Angel, someone has to do this
-You'll get captured again
-I'm gonna bust out tonight
:Angel." Antony said softly, slipping back into his own thoughts.
"Keep concentrating Antony." Xavier commanded.
"I'm--"
-I'm Angel
-My name's Antony, what's yours
"You're doing great Antony! Now try if you can remember a time before you lived at the Centre." It was a task that Xavier asked highly of. Being only 6-years-old when he could hear his mother's voice, before being taken away.
-Don't play too far sweetie
-There he is
-Mommy!
-Antony! Leave my son alone
-Restrain her
-Don't let them take me
-He's not ready yet! Please give me more time with him
Antony groaned and jerked in his seat.
-Subject EX626, ready and operational
-Begin testing
-Where my mom
-I'm sorry to tell you that was not your real mother. I am Ms. Connors, and I am your real mother
The last memory backlashed at Antony and sent him in a terrible fit. His skin grew hot and nearly burnt the skin right off the professor.
"Antony, please let me--"
"No professor!" This came out as a bark.
Xavier sat upright, "Antony sometimes the mind needs to discover things for itself, but you came to me seeking truth. I am uncertain about what we saw was true, but perhaps maybe there is some truth in it. I can--"
"No professor. I found out enough." Antony stood up and walked toward the door. As he reached for the doorknob he turned around. "Thank you professor," and in his voice was neither pleasantry nor anger.
&&&
Later on that evening as the sun was setting and Antony was standing out on the balcony.
"Rough day kid?" Logan silently approached.
"He told you ." Antony remained staring out at the sky.
"Nah, all of his sessions that he has are confidential. But if you fell like you need someone else to talk to." Logan put one hand on the rail while holding a mug, containing coffee, with the other.
Antony choked, trying to get the courage to say something. "I found out who my parents are," Logan looked at him frozen. "Well, at least my mother." Logan gave Antony his full undivided attention. "She's that Connors woman we fought with back at the Centre." Antony leaned forward and looked in Logan's direction. I can either accept that what the professor said is true, or I can leave and find the truth for myself," Antony exclaimed and slammed his fist into his hand.
"Kid, I've been here for a few years and worked closely with Xavier. If I know one thins, its that he never lies." Logan sat his mug down on the rail and put his arm around Antony's shoulder. "As for running away, it may sound like a good idea now, but where will you go?" Antony unfortunately didn't have an answer for this. "That way I see it kid, is that whatever yer goin' through, the professor can help you through it."
"Now come on, I scheduled a training practice today." Logan carried his empty mug back into the mansion. Antony took one last breath of fresh air, then joined with Logan.
You may be as harsh as you want on this, i was really struggling with it. Eventually it'll be revised to my liking though, cause i hate it now!