Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men, X-Men:Evolution or any of its iterations.
First in a series of three teen angst pieces – it takes place shortly after Growing Pains – Season 2 episode 1 (overall episode number 14)
The Blame Game – Chapter 1 – It's All My Fault
Scott got out of his car and made sure he closed the door as quietly as he could. He had parked at the far end of the school parking lot, behind the dumpsters to hide his car from view. It was early in the morning – just after 2am - so his bright red card would still be hard to spot unless someone was searching for it.
He walked towards the gym and hesitated for a second. The fire was two days ago but the scent of burnt wood and roofing materials still hung in the air.
He noted the Bayville Fire Chief's car and another car parked in the lot by the front entrance. He ducked under the yellow police tape and snuck inside.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
"I just don't get it, Jim. Normally in a natural gas explosion, the pipe looks like a flower opening up. Up in the stands, it looks like it was torn – like someone pushed or pulled the eagle from its base. Look at the way the pipe thins down at the break." Chuck snapped a few more digital pictures of the gas line connecting to the eagle statue.
Jim shrugged his shoulders, "Yeah, but who or what would be strong enough to lift this beast – it's easily a thousand pounds. The design drawing says so." They both looked at the contractor's drawings they had acquired for the accident inspection. Chuck used his new laptop and portable printer for hard copies of the accident scene pictures at the top of the stands – what was left of it.
Chuck stood his ground, "No burn marks either – in an explosion there'd be burn marks at the ignition point. Nothing there on the concrete floor or the pump setup. At least the safety valves you insisted they install worked - I still remember that propane explosion at the football game. Once the valve detected the open pipe, it shut down the pump and set off the carbon dioxide charge. Just like you designed."
Jim muttered, "It's nice to be right for a change." He patted the statue, "Okay, Mr. Eagle, what can you tell me about this little incident?"
Scott hid in the corridor listening to the arson inspectors try to determine the cause of the fire.
Jim pointed to the base of the mascot saying, "And look at this – it's some kind of impact point here at the base. Just like a sledgehammer whacked it right here." Chuck ran his hand over the indentation, "About a six inch diameter. Just like that other one, remember?"
Chuck put his digital camera in review mode. "Yeah, I got the pictures of that car that fell from the overpass and missed that school bus right here." He flipped back through the older pictures to the vehicle in question and there it was. "There's my tape measure over the crater in the side of the car – just over six inches in diameter."
Jim rubbed his chin deep in thought. "I don't believe in coincidences. How about you, Chuck?" The fire chief replied, "I haven't in the fifteen years of snooping around and I'm not about to start now."
Scott's ears popped as he felt an increase in the air pressure flow past him in the hall. That meant one thing – he just got caught breaking curfew. He wondered if the empty bed or the missing car was what gave it away.
Jim asked, "Wind's picking up, huh?"
Scott watched her silhouette move silently up the hall and saw her motion for him to join her by waving her hand. Time to face facts – I'm way busted. He walked towards Ororo with his head held down.
She gently took his bicep and guided him towards the front entrance to the gym. She gripped his arm as they rose into the early morning sky. She was glad they had practiced this carry in the Danger Room.
As they rose out of earshot of those below, he muttered just loud enough for her to hear, "It's all my fault. If I hadn't blasted the eagle out of Blob's hands, this never would have happened."
She halted their rise into the sky and held their present position above the stands. "Scott, below us is where the eagle was picked up from its stand. If you deflected it this way where would it have landed?" He followed her outstretched arm and said, "In the parking lot." She continued the thought, "Yes, into a sea of cars filled with gasoline. In a crowded lot where many tailgaters were celebrating because they couldn't get tickets." She slowly spun and asked again. "How about if you deflected it in this direction?" He answered, "Into the open field." She finished, "Into another group of tailgaters playing their own soccer game. And where Logan and I discovered the main gas pipeline runs towards the stadium. Where the eagle could easily have smashed the pipe open after falling from that height and thus igniting the whole city block with it."
She pointed to the stands below, "And if you hadn't pushed it out of Blob's hands as he turned with it? Where would it land as he was loosing his grip on it? The others have told me it was clear he could not hold it for much longer." Scott looked down at the torn up bleachers – wooden bleachers. She didn't wait for him to answer, "The stadium would have been ablaze in no time flat. Along with all the trapped spectators underneath said stands."
She turned again and pointed towards the gym. "Your instincts told you to send it there. It landed on the roof and fell through the floors. The sprinkler system quickly responded and the fire was contained. Not a single life was lost, no one was injured because of the eagle. And this structure can be rebuilt."
She flew towards the Institute saying, "We can get your car in the morning. You're going back to get some rest." They flew in silence the rest of the way.
She landed on the balcony on the dormitory level and walked with him down the hall, as quietly as they could. She lightly patted him on the back as he went into his room. He hesitated as if to say thanks but didn't speak aloud. She waited by his door, listening to be sure he had gone to bed.
She rested her head on the wall outside his room. :It's all my fault. If I had been at the stadium, I could have put the fire out quicker and he wouldn't be torturing himself like this. I should have been there. If I had insisted we all go and got enough tickets instead of letting the younger students talk me into staying at the Institute. Of course Charles wanted to see Jean play – she was his star student, so I let him go in my place. I should have been there.:
She felt the familiar tickle in her head. :What's good for the gander, isn't good for the goose, Ororo?:
Surprised she sent back, :Charles, you should be sleeping – you need your rest.:
He answered, :How can I rest when two of my students are so troubled?:
She proposed, :If I stop worrying, will you please go back to sleep?:
The answer came back, :Agreed. Now rest easy, my friend, you did nothing wrong.:
Author's note: First of all – I have no experience investigating crime or arson scenes. This is just dribble from my own personal brain – or what passes for one.
I had seen this episode a couple of times, but it was during the third viewing it hit me. Scott blasts the flaming eagle out of Blob's hands. Scott started the fire in the new gym.
That was a lot for a devoted Scott fan like me to take.
But it was a good development in the Evolution of Teen Scott. It's one of many reasons I like the Evo cartoon better. Evo Scott is portrayed in a realistic human fashion – not the stuck up cardboard manner of the 90s Fox cartoon.
In Evo he makes mistakes – a boatload of them. The important thing in life I learned a long time ago is not to avoid mistakes, but to learn from the ones you are destined to make.