Hope Returns
Chapter One
By: Lily Handle
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Author's Note: Look, look, I wrote something new! I got it rolling, I think, in my head. I still have a little trouble with the details for it, but I wanted to get this out so you reviewers can give me your opinions. Thank you so much for reading my work, I adore you all!
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"The human race has little choice now, we must arm ourselves against these monsters." A cheer went up from the audience, a single voice of bigotry and hate. "They believe they are superior, they know that at this time we can not stand against them. Soon they will rise up and take over. They will take over cities, towns, and kill anyone who stands in their way. They are violent, unpredictable freaks who shouldn't be allowed to live with people like you and me!" More cheering from an audience that was rapidly getting more and more agitated. A little more time, the speaker thought, a few of the right acts, a little more propaganda and they would be eating out of his hands for life.
"We must preserve the human way, the correct way of life. Mutants should not be allowed to live in normal, everyday society! They are freaks and as such they don't belong here!" Tomorrow there would be reports of anti-mutant riots, looting and a few attacks on mutants and non-mutants. It was exactly what the speaker wanted, they were mindless putty in his hands.
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Dr. Hope Chandler was quite content with her afternoon plans. She'd settled down in the Infirmary, today's newspaper tucked under her arm, and after she'd finished reading it, she'd start the first draft of her speech. She didn't expect anyone to be coming into the Infirmary today, there were no training sessions today, most of the students had decided to play outside in the snow and at the worst Hope would have to take care of a few sniffles. She was content with the silence, knowing that it could be shattered at any moment and she'd have to run off with the X-men or answer another call from a talk show interested in her work. She was amazed at how quickly her work had become accepted now that the mutant secrete was out. Like fire on dry tinder her career had sky rocketed and she spent a lot of her time answering people's questions about mutants. She absolutely adored the attention her theories were getting, they were bridging the gap between mutants and humans, which was what she had been going for. Hope found herself smiling as she settled on the stool in the Infirmary, there had been such leaps and bounds in X-gene theories and all of the newest theories had bases in her original ones it was hard for her not to be smug. Of course she liked these breaks too, when she could pretend for a few hours that it was like it use to be. Opening the paper she scanned the headline: Another Advocate Murdered in Washington. Hope's smile faded quickly as she scanned the article for the important facts. The victim this time was William Morrow, a leading authority on mutant genetics, he'd been shot in his hotel room. He was the fourth mutant advocate to be murdered in a week and like the other three he'd been unable to speak before Congress on the two mutant restriction bills. The first murder victim had been Silvia Houston, a sociologist who was considered the specialist in mutant human interaction. Hope had known of her, they'd often spoke at the same meetings, but beyond that they were strangers. The second victim was Andrew Chancler, who like William Morrow was a mutant genetics expert, and Hope had known him very well. He was one of her friends in the lecturing community, a kind man who's personality was that of a natural leader. Amelia Passer had been the third victim, a small mousy woman who was herself a mutant, she'd been a doctor like Hope, a supporter of mutant equality and harmless. William Morrow, Hope had no connection too besides that she'd heard his name before from other lecturers. What bothered her most was that all four had been murdered before they were able to speak to Congress. A few not so open minded politicians had decided that mutants needed policing and drafted two bills. One was the Mutant Restriction Act, which would bar a mutant from using their powers for any reason other than a lift threatening one. The second was the Mutant Registration Act, which would require all mutants to register with the government and have an identification card that would list their abilities. It was a touchy issue among the public, some thought while a good start mutants should have even more restrictions placed on them. Others were arguing that there shouldn't be any limits on mutants, that they should be treated like normal citizens. Hope believed there were upsides and downsides to both bills, but believed that with some tweaking common ground could be found. Perturbed with the paper Hope folded it, set it down on the counter and paced. She was supposed to talk before Congress herself, in a week, with the other instructors, well all except Logan. Since he'd rather avoid publicity and wasn't the best public speaker he'd been elected to stay at the Institute and watch over the students. Since the first murder Hope had been waiting for Charles to say that it was too dangerous for them, any of them to go. It hadn't happened yet, which attested to the importance of this mission, but with a fourth murder, one where the victim had been heavily guarded by police and FBI agents, she had no reason to believe that Charles wouldn't cancel the trip now. She would find a way to go to Washington though, even if she'd have to hide in South Carolina and then drive up the day she was suppose to speak. Speaking before Congress was the whole point of her work, to educate the masses.
"You look a little frustrated, Hope." Hope jumped and clutched a hand to her chest. Standing in the doorway of the Infirmary was Hank, watching her with a slight smile.
"Doesn't anyone ever knock here?" Hope asked, but she smiled at Hank, "Is there something you need?"
"Company, and a trained public speaker to look over my speech," Hank said, crossing the room and taking a seat on the stool Hope had been sitting on, held out a few sheets of paper to her. "I think I ramble a bit too much."
"Well, if this is anything like the first Congressional hearing then you'll probably be interrupted before you get a chance to ramble," Hope said, but she pulled out another stool and sat down to read. It was a fairly brilliant speech, well thought out and clearly reasonable.
"I can't compare," Hope said with a smile, handing the speech back, "You'll impress them."
"And this," Hank waved the paper at her, "Is what was bothering you?"
"Only slightly, it's unnerving to think someone is picking off mutant advocates."
"We'll be staying at the same hotel, but center rooms, with no windows. Charles saw to the room changes after the second one." Hank set the paper down, "Besides that the plans haven't changed."
"Will the government be watching out for us too?"
"Round the clock, Charles tried to get rid of them, but no luck."
Hope sighed, "I'm going to hate being tailed by FBI agents."
"Well, so am I. I thought Charles would be on the phone forever with the director." Hope smiled at Hank's exasperated tone.
"Had an important question for him?"
"I'm anxious to go, that's all. I'm tense, I guess," Hank growled, "Everything seems to be so important, every time the students go to school, or are called on to stop the Brotherhood."
"It's hard on everyone, Hank, not just you." Hope placed her hand over his, "You do splendidly when you come with me to lectures and dinners. You make a good impression on newspaper reporters and other lecturers. You'll do fine."
"Those dinner's I can handle, speaking televised on a set of bills that will effect every mutant in the United States, gives me butterflies." Hope laughed and squeezed Hank's hand.
"You know, there's a big get together, about two days before we're suppose to go to Washington," Hope remembered, getting up from the stool, "I got the invitation in the mail a few days ago, what do you say we convince Charles you and I can go. It's basically a lecture, a little less formal, more of a symposium of sorts. We'll get a table and argue theories, and politics with others. Ah ha!" Hope found the invitation in her briefcase, and held it out to Hank. "It'll give you a chance to try out some of those points you make in your speech."
"How come Charles didn't get one?" Hank said with a frown turning the invitation in his hands.
"Well, he doesn't lecture much outside of Bayville or through phone interviews with newspapers. I don't think the person hosting knows him very well," Hope said casually, waving a hand. She liked the plan more and more as she thought about it. It would give Hank a chance to dispel some nerves, she'd be able to find more points for her speech and argue theories with her collogues. Oh, heck, she needed to work off some nerves herself, this was the first time she'd speak before Congress.
"Do you know who's hosting?" Hank asked, frowning down at the invitation.
"Oh, uh, a man named Trask, or Tash, something of the like."
"Trask?" Hank practically yelled, "Hope, do you know who Trask is?"
"I've heard a little on him, runs a group trying to work on human and mutant relations," Hope frown and Hank's angry glared, "Everything I've heard about Wilson Trask is good."
"A man named Trask built the Sentinel robot, I think his first name is Jason, and he's in jail for it."
"You never told me that," Hope frown, "In fact no one told me who built the robot, and you don't know if these two are related."
"Trask is a pretty unusual last name. Hope, I think you should let me look into him," Hank ordered, "It seems too much like a coincidence."
"Hank, why would a man who hates mutants try to strengthen mutant human relations?" Hope tried to point out, but by the look on Hank's face he wasn't going to budge, but she wasn't finished yet, "A lot of mutant advocates speak highly of him, how could they if he was against mutants?" Hope sighed again and rolled her eyes, "Wilson Trask, at least get the name right." Hank smiled and patted Hope's shoulder.
"I'm just looking out for you, Hope."
"I know, Hank, I know," Hope smiled and kissed Hank on the cheek.
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"She got an invitation from a man named Trask?" Logan said, pacing the floor of Charles's office. Hank had asked the other instructors to meet with him there after dinner. He hadn't told them why until a few minutes ago, and of course Logan's reaction was expected.
"I did some digging after I talked with Hope," Hank continued, ignoring Logan's angry pacing, "Wilson Trask is the illegitimate son of a lawyer and a clerk. The mother's maiden name is Walters, but I couldn't find anything on the father."
"So, he could be related to the Trask responsible for the Sentinel fiasco," Ororo said from where she sat on Charles's desk.
"Trask said something about cutting connections with S.H.I.E.L.D., I can see if I can get Fury to tell me about Trask's past," Logan growled, looking determined.
"What else about this Trask?" Charles asked, sitting in the middle of the room, his fingers steepled together.
"He's a business man, owns a chain of car detailing shops. On the high end of middle class living, he's president of The Coalition on Human Resources. It's supposedly a group working on human mutant relations."
"The name just rings of it," Ororo snorted, "I've never heard of them, have you Charles?"
"Yes, actually, I have. They're a small group, with only about twenty so members. They seem to be a perfectly legitimate group. Though their public head isn't Wilson Trask, it's a woman, a Meredith Rike."
"Of course Trask wouldn't want to be public, his name is connected to the biggest anti-mutant act and group ever," Ororo pointed out.
"Did you find out anything else, Hank?" Charles asked.
"He has no criminal record, graduated with a bachelor's degree in business from Chicago University and is married with one child a son. The wife is a homemaker it seems, and the son is on the little league team. They're a painfully normal family. You think this symposium is nothing?"
"The Doc shouldn't go," Logan snapped, "We know nothing about this Trask."
"If I go with her, she'll be protected, and I can meet this Trask first hand," Hank suggested, "There will be other doctors and speakers there too."
"We could all go," Ororo suggested.
"No one should go," Growled Logan, "With the things in Washington the way they are it's not safe enough for anyone to go."
"Excuse me," Hope strode into the room, "I was looking for Hank. Did I interrupt something."
"Actually, Doctor, I was hoping for a chance to talk to you," Charles said, "We've been discussing your invitation."
"Oh," Hope cut her eyes to Hank's and mentally glared, "Is there a problem?"
"We have a few questions about…" Charles started.
"You know this Trask?" Logan cut in, stopping his pacing and glaring at Hope, his arms crossed over his chest.
"Not personally, no," Hope frowned, "He's certainly not dangerous and I did some snooping of my own. I called my friends from the lecturing circuit. They say Trask is a perfectly pleasant man, who speaks well of mutants and wants nothing but peace."
"It's called lying," Logan hissed.
"The man has no criminal record, he's donated to mutant research foundations and has started a college fund for under privileged mutants. Does this sound like a man who is anti-mutant?"
"Anyone can craft an image," Logan said, taking a step towards Hope.
"Logan, the Doctor has a point," Charles said, instantly playing peacemaker, "I think the choice is yours Doctor. Hank has found nothing suspicious, other than the name, and your friends speak highly of him. I don't see any potential problems, but I am a little uneasy with this."
Hope frowned, "I'd like to go," Logan growled, "Again from what I've heard from my friends, this is suppose to be just a free thinking session on human mutant relations and theories. I can't see any harm in it."
"I'll go with you, Hope, if the offer still stands," Hank said, "I'd like to meet this Trask myself."
"Well, then it's settled, we'll go, and meet you in Washington." Hope smiled, happy she'd won the battle, "I'll get the arrangements made." With a smile and nod to everyone in the room she left.
"Logan, contact Fury, find out everything you can about Trask," Charles said once the door was firmly shut, "Hank, don't let her out of your sight. Make sure she gets adjoining hotel rooms and slip a tracker on her."
"Don't you think you're being a little over protective, Professor?" Ororo asked, as both men left to do their assigned task.
"The leader of the anti-mutant group, Human's First made an announcement today over his radio station. He read the names of every pro-mutant speaker going to talk before Congress and where they live. He then went on to say something along the lines of kill them to preserve the human way of life. No Wilson Trask was on that list, neither was Meredith Rike. Hope's name, however, the Institute's address and her parents home in South Carolina, were on that list."
"You don't think they'd try for her here do you? No human in their right mind would attack a house full of mutants, no matter how strong their hate for us." Ororo said.
"These people who lead these groups are very good at what they do, they got that list, didn't they?"
"Then why not keep Hope here? Where she's safest?"
"We can't keep her locked up every time someone threatens her. She has enough control of her power where she can protect herself, and she's smart enough to know when she is in trouble. Is the doctor needs help, she'll ask for it."
"Do you think they'll turn up anything?" Ororo asked, picking up the invitation Hank had left in the office.
"Honestly, I can't tell," Charles rubbed his temple with one hand, "It's fuzzy, but the invitation didn't give off any bad premonitions or feelings. I think the doctor will be safe."
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Author's Note: I leapt right into the plot, no time for you to catch your breath at all. I think if you've read The Effects of Hope you were able to catch your breath and know enough of the back-story to understand this. Please review; I really, really need people's opinions on this. I'm a little unsure of this story, for some unknown reason. Thanks for reading.
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