X-Men: The Mutant Problem

Chapter 1

Alex dragged his feet through the dirt path next to the road, his eyes drooping and staring blankly into the distance. His black pants and shirt were covered in dust from walking all day, yet the day was only half over. The warm temperatures forced Alex to carry his trench coat in his arms, though it did very little to cool him down. The dryness of his mouth only added to the painful reminder of his dehydration. Looking at the watch on his wrist, he pressed on of the buttons on the side twice, and percentage appeared on the screen. A brief grunt escaped his lips as he read the number. It was only early afternoon, and already the watch read thirty-eight percent.

Taking his fedora off, Alex fanned himself in a vain attempt to cool himself down. He heard there was a school along this road, but there was no sign of civilization besides the paved road. There road was lined with trees, but they did not yet provide any relief from the sun. Yet all that mattered was that he find the school, and soon. With only thirty-eight percent left, he wouldn't last much longer without resting.

Another five minutes went by, though it felt like eternity. It was then that a feint sound of a motor could be heard in the distance. A car maybe? Alex stopped and looked both ways, but saw nothing yet. He decided to wait there, and sure enough, a motorcycle appeared from around the corner. Maybe it was someone heading to the school. As it approached, Alex took a step back to avoid the vehicle. It stopped a few feet in front of him.

The rider was a male with hair that appeared to be jelled up, and a short beard along the sides. The look kind of reminded him of a wolf. "Hey kid," the man called out in a slightly scratchy voice. "What are you doing out here?"

Alex didn't know whether or not to trust this man, but he decided to approach him anyway. "I'm looking for Xavier's School for the Gifted," he announced, his voice shaking. He both hated and feared the fact that he was a mutant. Having to admit it was difficult.

"Well your not far away," the man said. He shifted forward on his seat a bit and revved the engine. "Get on. You look like you could use the rest."

Alex put his coat on and held his fedora close to his chest. As he got on, the man passed back a helmet which was hanging loosely on the handlebars. Alex accepted it and put it on. "Why aren't you wearing it?" Alex asked after fastening the chin strap.

"I don't need it," the man answered simply.

As they rode through the forest, Alex welcomed the wind against his face. It wasn't long before they reached a clearing where a large, old-looking building was standing. Vines scaled the walls and nearly reached the roof. A large brick fence encased the entire lot, with a metal gate at the opening. Though he could not see it, Alex could sense several electrical circuits running through the wall, more than what was needed to power the front gate, which swung open as they approached.

The man drove up to the front entrance, and turned to look back at Alex. "Classes are going on right now," the man said. "Try not to get in the way."

Alex got off the bike and began to go up the stairs. He turned back to the man and asked, "I'm Alex. You are...?"

"The name's Logan," the biker answered. "The Wolverine." With that, he drove off and around the corner of the building. Probably to the garage, Alex assumed.

Turning to the door, Alex took his hat and replaced it on his head. He had no where better to put it. Before going inside, he glanced at his watch again. Now it read thirty-six percent.

The inside of the school was absolutely gorgeous. The wood floors were polished and reflected the light perfectly, the walls were colored with pleasant shades of brown, and the elegant lights mounted to the wall gave added a medieval feel to the place. Many pictures of people Alex didn't know lined the walls in the main hall. From where he stood, Alex could see what appeared to be an entertainment room, though it was currently empty. Logan did say classes were going on. As Alex walked through the halls, he wandered past a kitchen, but most of the doors he saw were closed.

As Alex went deeper into the mansion, he began to sense some complex electrical systems. As he began to focus on those systems, he noticed that the lights began to flicker around him. He looked around and focused, but the flickering just got worse. A low buzz began to fill his head, gradually getting stronger. Again, Alex tried focusing on the lights, but his vision began to blur, and quickly went dark altogether.