Indomitable X-Men

To Me, My X-Men!

Chapter One

Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters

...

Salem Center, Westchester, New York

A red sedan pulled up to the gates of a mansion. On the gate was a sign which read "Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters (Applications by Appointment and Interview Only)". A hand reached out of the car and rang the bell attached to the gate. A few moments later the gates opened, and the car drove through, on its way up to the red-brick mansion in the distance.

At the doors, the car stopped and two people got out; a man with a graying mustache and a red-headed, teenage girl with a far-off look, obviously the man's daughter. The man raised his hand to knock, but the girl stopped him.

"You don't need to do that, Dad," she said, grasping his arm, "the Professor's about to answer it."

Sure enough, the door opened a moment later, revealing a bald-head man in his mid-forties—and in a wheelchair.

"Ah, John, it's good to see you again," he said in a slight British accent. He turned to the girl and smiled. "And you must be Jean. It's wonderful to meet you. I'm—"

"Professor Charles Xavier, I know," Jean finished for him. "When do I get to see Cerebro?"

A frown crossed Professor Xavier's face and he placed two fingers against his right temple. "Cerebro is one of my most closely-guarded secrets, Ms. Grey," he thought to Jean. "From now on, please ask before you hear/feel/think/read my mind."

Jean's hand flew to her forehead. "Sorry, Professor," she said, almost automatically. "I won't do it again."

The Professor smiled. "I'm sure you will, Ms. Grey, though not on purpose at least," he said, gesturing for the father and daughter to follow him inside. "However, that's what I am here for—to help you gain control of your budding powers."

"Can you help her?" John Grey asked once they were all comfortably situated in the massive, yet cozy, parlor. "I mean, I don't mind that she's…" he swallowed, hesitant to say the word aloud, "…a mutant, but it's dangerous for her out there. Besides, she keeps accidentally broadcasting her thoughts to me and my wife."

Jean's face reddened slightly. The last time it had happened, she had been reading a fantasy novel and imagining herself as the heroine, thus giving her parents a rather amusing mental movie of their daughter fighting packs of Goblins. "It doesn't happen as often now," she muttered under her breath.

"Well, I'll help her control all of that," the Professor said. "I— ah— only have one other student at the moment, but I have a lead on another who needs help. Hang on a moment." He lowered his head, once again raising a hand to his temple. After a moment, the Professor raised his head again. "He's on his way up from the chem. lab," he said to Mr. Grey. "He'll be here in a moment."

"You let your students in the chemistry lab by themselves?" Mr. Grey asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Henry knows all of the safety protocols and follows them rigidly," the Professor assured him. "The lab also has a fully equipped, easy to use first-aid kit, and a self-activating fire-suppression system. He's quite safe."

Mr. Grey looked as though he were about to argue some more, but the door opened and a young man entered the room. He was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt with a lab coat thrown over them. Rather than shoes, he was wearing specially-made plastic covers to protect his large feet. Jean could hardly suppress a laugh at those feet, since they were extremely like a monkey's.

"Hello," the boy said, pushing his round glasses up over his pronounced nose. Around his eyes were slight indents from the lab goggles he had been wearing. "I'm Hank McCoy," he introduced himself, sticking out a hand for Jean to shake.

"I'm Jean Grey," she replied, accepting the handshake. "I hope we can be friends, because I'm going to be attending here from now on."

"We haven't decided that yet," her father reminded her. "We still need to work out details, and of course we need to talk to your mother some more."

"Mom would love it if I got out of the house," Jean retorted angrily. "Besides, I love it here! This place is so cool! Please, Dad, let me go here. I'll make sure my grades stay up!"

"How do you know this place is cool?" Hank asked, cocking his head to one side. "You haven't had the tour yet, right? I would have seen you come down to the lab, if you had."

"Well…" Jean winced, "I caught pictures of lots of the rooms from your mind. I didn't mean to!" she said quickly, not wanting to make an enemy of the only student. "I have a hard time controlling my power sometimes and I just saw pictures, not, like, what you were thinking."

To her surprise, Hank waved a hand dismissively. "It's fine," he said, smiling. "If a pretty girl wants to read my mind, who am I to say no?"

Jean's father coughed politely, reminding them both that he was sitting right there. "At least try to pretend you aren't teenagers until I leave," he said, giving Hank a meaningful look. As the young man straightened up, Mr. Grey turned to the Professor. "I'm not sure I feel comfortable with this."

"Don't worry," Professor Xavier reassured him. "There are separate wings for male and female students, and security clearance is needed to enter. Your daughter will be quite safe here. And, as I said, I know for a fact that I shall have more students soon. However, if you would like, you could pick Jean up every night and take her home."

Mr. Grey sighed. "I can't do that," he said. "On the weekends, maybe; but I just don't have time during the week." He turned to Jean and took one of her hands in his. "Jean, are you going to be okay here?" he asked. "Do you think you'll like it?"

"I think I will, Dad," she said, giving him a smile. She surveyed the room and nodded. "Yeah, I think I'll be cool here."

"Right," Mr. Grey stood up and shook the hands of Hank and Professor Xavier. "Well," he said to the Professor, "I have to talk to my wife, but I'm pretty sure that Jean will start attending here at the beginning of the school year. Thanks, Charles."

"It's nothing, John," Professor Xavier said, smiling benevolently. "It's the least I could do for an old friend. I hope to see you soon."

Hank escorted the Greys to the door and saw them off before returning. "So, Professor, you said that you had your eye on another student?" he asked. "When am I going after them?"

"Not until Jean arrives and has had some training, unfortunately," Professor Xavier replied. "He's in quite dire straits, and it would be dangerous for you to go alone. However, he's a strong young man, and if he can only hold on for another few days, everything should turn out all right…"

...

The boy tensed as another needle was inserted into his arm. The faint tugging sensation told him that this was an injection, not another blood-drawing session. As usual, his tormentor did not speak. Only the whisper of silk clothing signaled that he was there at all.

Of course, if the boy merely opened his eyes, this would all be over. Or would it? He had been away from the sun for two weeks now. Two weeks of endless experimentation. It would be unendurable without the Voice; the one that told him to hang on just a little longer, because he was going to be rescued.

So he didn't open his eyes beneath his blindfold, and he didn't strain against his bonds. Xavier was coming, and soon he would be free.

…

To be Continued.