Chapter01.rtf

Mind over Mutation

Trust can be hard to win... and all too easily lost.

A X-man fanfiction by Skalako87

Genre - General/OC

Rated - PG

July 2008

Teaser:

It was Jean now, who spoke. "Not so fast," she said, as she placed a hand on her head. Her powers lifted Talon off the ground. Talon responded with a flick of his wrist. A disk flew from his hand, detonating in a blinding flash.

Rogue blinked at the green blob in her vision and glanced around. Everyone in the room was recovering from the flash...

But Talon was no where in sight...

Kitty and Kurt rushed from the kitchen, "Did we miss something?" then took in the damage all over the lobby.

"It's Talon." Rogue reached back and dislodged the bone spike from the floor. She checked Evan, and found him breathing normally. She then slowly got to her feet. "He could be in anyone of us."

Chapter 1

With Wolverine in the lead, they rounded the corner. The dark ally dead-ended thirty feet from the street. There was a dumpster and various refuse scattered about, but no sign of their target.

"Jean?" Scott questioned.

Jean shook her head. "I'm not picking up anyone."

Wolverine stepped further into the ally suspicionly trying the air. "There's no one here," he said at length. "he must have gone further, let's move."

The X-men dispersed, but Wolverine lingered. He turned as if to go, then, paused and spoke into the air. "You don't have to hide, you know. We just want to talk."

The ally was silent for a slow count to ten. Logan waited patiently.

Newspaper rustled in the windless ally. "I'm listening."

Wolverine slowly turned around. In front of the dumpster stood a young man, wearing large military boots and heavy canvas pants, dusted in concrete and sawdust. His snug-fitting T-shirt was stained with sweat and his skin showed a deep tan. He was similar in height, but a heaver build than Wolverine. His mirrored sunglasses showed no expression, his angular face no fear.

Wolverine liked what he saw. "I have a friend who wants to meet you, someone who can help you with your mutant powers; he'll give you a place to train and live in safety."

The other raised an eyebrow, "And he wants to do this because of what?" The words

dripped with suspicion.

Wolverine chose his words carefully, "Most of the time I would tell you that it's because we want to help you and nothing else, but I can see you wouldn't be buying that."

The other shook his head slowly.

Wolverine continued, "That is true, but yes, there is another reason. We have enemies, and if we found you, they will be looking for you too."

The other was silent for a minute. "What if I don't want to get involved?"

Wolverine shrugged. "You were involved the moment your powers showed up. If you don't come with us, they will want you to go with them and they won't take no for an answer."

The silence that followed was broken by a chirp from Wolverine's com-link. "My friends are checking on me," he explained. "Yeh mind if I tell them they can stop running around?"

The other waited through a second beep, then nodded.

Wolverine keyed his com-link.

"Wolverine?" came a girl's voice. "Is like, everything okay?"

"Yeah," Wolverine replied, "you guys can cut off the search and meet back at the ally."

"Roger," she replied. With that, Wolverine clipped his com-link back on his belt. He extended his hand to the other. "I'm Logan, code name Wolverine."

The other relaxed a little but ignored the hand. "You can call me Talon."

Wolverine dropped his hand as footsteps sounded on the sidewalk. "Can you travel?"

"Now?" Talon was surprised.

Logan nodded. "Magneto will want you bad and he can't be far behind us."

Talon looked over Wolverine's shoulder as the X-men came cautiously into view. His silvery visors swung back on Wolverine. "I'd like to go home and pack."

Logan nodded.

X X X

Shortly after,

"You can put your stuff in here," Logan directed, as Talon loaded his bags into the X-Jet storage. Talon unslung his backpack, picked the seat nearest his belongings and sat down with his backpack on his lap.

Logan took the co-pilot seat and Scott lifted the X-Jet off.

X X X

"... and bright light gives me headaches," he explained. Talon was now seated in Professor Xavier's study. For the past twenty minutes Xavier had given him a brief introduction of who and what the X-men were. Talon had listened carefully but never volunteered information. He had answered questions... with very short sentences.

"That why you wear your glasses indoors?" Logan asked.

Talon let out his breath then slipped off his sunglasses. His eyes seemed normal, until he inhaled sharply, then his pupils narrowed into new moons. "Adrenalin contracts my pupils," he explained.

"You must also have a good reason for your gloves as well?" Professor Xavier encouraged.

Talon replaced his glasses. "Yes, I do," he confirmed but didn't volunteer anything further.

Professor Xavier put his hands together. "I see. Thank you. I know you've been through a lot today Talon, and I am deeply grateful for your cooperation with us. Dinner will be served in an hour. Scott here will show you to your room."

Talon stood up and followed Scott out of the room. And thus concluded the Xavier preliminary interview.

Logan came around in front and sat on the corner of Xavier's desk.

"He doesn't trust us," Xavier said.

Logan laughed without humor. "Yeah, I'd say that's a safe hypothesis."

Xavier looked up at Logan. "And your impression?"

Logan shrugged. "See how he shut the door just now? No click from the latch, no rattle from the door frame, every motion carefully planned out. His outfit's the same, no flashy colors or gadgets. His watch, folding knife, and cell phone are all business. He wears boots, not shoes, and despite the hot weather, he's wearing long sleeves and pants."

"Now that you mention it, that is unusual for a young person."

"Yeah, so is his ability to pack and leave. He packed over a hundred pounds into his three bags in less than thirty minutes. Even Jean would have a hard time beating that."

"Yes, and all things considered, I believe, at present, he is not a menace to any of the students or the institute. Despite the bellicosity I sense in him, the employment records Hank pulled were perfectly clean; so was his driving record. Frankly, he seems to be a puzzle of incongruity."

"So long as we give him lots of room, I don't think we'll have anything to worry about," Logan agreed. "He won't do anything without a reason."

Professor glanced at the door. "Come in Rogue, you're not interrupting. What is it?"

Rogue came through the door carrying several books. "Sorry Professor."

Xavier smiled. "It's quite alright. What's the problem, math class?"

Rogue nodded.

X X X

Scott opened the door and led Talon into a well furnished bedroom. "So just make yourself at home." He had made a great effort to be pleasant and friendly on their way to the room. Talon remained a silent contrast.

"Someone will get you when dinner is ready and the bathroom is just two doors down," Scott finished.

Talon nodded, "Thanks."

Talon found the bathroom and showered. He changed out of his work clothes into an identically clean outfit. The stress was taking its toll. All he wanted to do right now was sleep but that would have to wait, because footsteps where coming down the hall. There had already been several people passing in the hall. But these steps sounded more serious, like a person on a mission. Talon put his last boot on and laced it, as the footsteps came to a halt outside his door and a knock came through.

"Come in," Talon answered guardedly.

The door opened and an mid-aged lady with soft white hair stood in the doorway. Talon hopped politely to his feet.

"Mr. Talon, I presume?" the lady addressed him.

"He went that way," Talon said innocently, pointing out the open window.

She smiled. "You better go get him because dinner is now ready."

X X X

Dinner was served.

The food was simple, and familiar, and for that, Talon was grateful, because he was hungry. He had removed his sunglasses, but was careful not to make eye contact for more than a moment.

"Are you always this quiet at the dinner table, Talon?" Storm ventured.

Talon wiped his mouth and glanced up. "Food is serous business, Miss Storm, but no. I suspect there'd be more warmth and good humor here if I wasn't, but give it some time. You know what they say about time and friendships?" Talon tilted his plate to get the last crumbs.

"And what do they say?"

"I don't know." Talon set his plate down. "That's why I asked you. May I be excused? It's been a long day for me."

"Of course, Talon," Xavier confirmed.

The dinner table was quiet for several minutes, as the tension surrounding the new mutant dissipated.

"Ah ha! I just got his joke!" Kurt's laugh echoed around the silent table. Kitty elbowed him and he choked on his milk

Scott cleared his throat, "So, what's the verdict Professor?" He nodded towards the door Talon had exited.

Professor Xavier glanced around the table of curious faces, hiding a proud smile. "Yes, I'm sorry I didn't tell you a guest was coming. We had to improvise, and thank you all for trying to make him feel welcome."

"Yeah but he looked at Kurt like, he has red horns growing out of like, his head or something," Kitty said.

Xavier chuckled at her evaluation. "Yes, I don't believe he has seen any mutants besides himself before. However, he has agreed to stay for a few days and try to work with us. From what I can tell, he will be watching all of you students to see if what Logan and I have told him is true, so you all will be playing a very important part."

"Does he pose any threat, Professor?" Scott asked.

Xavier closed his eyes in thought. "We don't know his full potential yet, but no, Scott, there's no immediate danger, especially to the younger students." Professor opened his eyes again. "However, it's taken us several years to find and contact him; so far, Talon has not volunteered any information about his past. It's a foregone conclusion he is not telling us the extent of his powers or knowledge."

"Years?" Jean echoed.

"Yes," Professor confirmed. "I am sure he is the one that Cerebros has been detecting in the area where we found him."

"So, why didn't you contact him before?" Rogue asked.

Professor let his hands fall to the table. "The signals were momentary, and because of this, Cerebros could physically identify the person but was never able to match the information to existing records. By the time we arrived at the location, the signal would always shatter, as if it had never existed in the first place. Over the years, the signature had become more elusive." Xavier glanced around the table again. "Logan and I believe that this is part of his mutant abilities, and it also suggests that he has received training."

"Are you sure this is the same mutant?" Scott asked.

Professor nodded. "With little doubt. The mental picture I have formed over the years fits Talon well."

"So how did we, like, find him this time, Professor?" Kitty asked between bites of spaghetti.

"This time, Cerebros detected him multiple times. For some reason he was using abilities other than concealment, both frequently and extensively. Because of that, we were able to track him long enough to arrive and make contact," Xavier explained. "What his other powers are exactly, I am not certain, and I don't want to pry, but he certainly has achieved unique control over them."

"So what do you want us to do, drag him to school or something?" Rogue drawled from her corner of the table.

"I'll bet it would be easier to just roll him there," Evan chuckled. "I think it's down hill all the way..." His voice trailed off under the rebuking gaze of his Aunt. It was obvious to all the Xavier students that Talon had nothing of the lean, athletic frames shared by Evan, Scott or even Bobby. Instead Talon seemed to sport a "pooch" in his midsection and abnormally thick limbs with little definition to them.

"I think school would be an excellent place to start," Storm declared.

The table quieted while everyone glanced at each other.

"I've never met anyone who wanted to go back to high school," Rogue said, feeling a little boxed-in.

Hank smiled knowingly. "You might be surprised. As far as I can tell, Talon's never been to school before. The earliest educational record I found was a High School Scolastic Achievement Test from six years ago."

"Man, how'd he pull that off? I've got to know!" Evan demanded.

"Yes." Xavier said thoughtfully and turned to Scott, an idea forming. "Scott, why don't you invite him to drive the students to class tomorrow?"

Kitty and Rogue exchanged resigned faces. Scott looked worried.

"Relax, Summers, his driving record is cleaner than yours. And he's been driving for five years now," Hank McCoy put in.

Scott turned back to Xavier, his mouth forming a protest.

"I believe we have to show that we trust him, before he will return the favor," Xavier explained forestalling Scott's protest.

"I'm still not sure. Will they be safe with him?" Scott asked, his fork stabbing one last bean that kept slipping across his plate.

"I think we can handle Mr. tall, dark and buttery for a day," Rogue drawled, cracking her knuckles.

"Yeah! Girl power!" Kitty said, raising her fist in the air. "How bad could one guy be?" Her meat ball slipped off her raised fork and splattered spaghetti sauce everywhere.

"Hey! Watch the collateral damage!" Evan cranked, trying to wipe his shirt clean.

Kurt brightened. "Hey do you think he knows anything about geography? The final is next week and maybe he knows about a cheat that the teacher won't catch."

Kurt's seat became the crossfire of all the adults' disapproving gaze. Kurt managed a nervous laugh and was gone in a cloud of smoke.