Xavier institute for the gifted : 22.00
Scott Summers sat at a bedside table in the medical room. On the bed lay the mutant, whom he had picked up a few hours previously from South Detroit. The mutant was still unconscious, as he had been when Scott had found him.
The digital display on the far wall flashed once. Scott looked at the time displayed. 10PM. He should have been in bed hours ago, but he couldn't bring himself to leave, it didn't seem fair to. After all, what if he woke up. He would be bound to have questions, and there would be no-one to answer them. That would just be torture.
"you okay Scott?" asked a voice from the door, "you look kinda tired."
Scott looked up to see Logan stood in the doorway, holding a bottle of soda in his left hand.
"aren't you?" asked Scott.
Logan shook his head, "Sleep isn't my thing, know what I'm saying?" he took a swig of soda "I'll take over, you get yer rest okay?"
Scott smiled, stood up and crossed the room. At the doorway he stopped.
"Soda, Logan?" he inquired, gesturing to the bottle
"Ran outta beer."
"Oh."
Scott smiled to himself and walked out of the room.
"Third cupboard from the left." He called over his shoulder as the doors closed.
Logan cursed to himself. He knew he had forgotten to check somewhere.
10:00 next morning
It was Rouge's turn to watch the medical room. As she walked up and down the room she found herself looking straight at the face of the mutant. Every know and then a beam of yellow energy arced from one hand to the other silently, each arc causing the readings on the monitoring equipment to become one of the two extremes, either off the chart or flat line.
Suddenly, the mutant sat bolt upright, his eyes locking instantly with Rouge's.
"Where am I?" He asked standing up "what's going on? And, who the hell are you?"
"Ah'm Rouge, and as for the other questions, ah don't think it's my place to answer them."
"Why not?"
"Ah don't run this joint"
"Then who does?"
"That would be me."
The voice cut through the air like a knife. The mutant turned towards the origins of the voice to find himself staring into the face of an elderly man, stood very close to where he was.
"Professor Charles Xavier." said the man, holding out his hand "and you are?"
"Shockwave." answered the mutant, crossing his arms.
"Shockwave? What an interesting 'code name'. Daniel, is it?"
"stay out of my head chrome-dome, that is, if you know what's good for you." hissed shockwave.
"Right you!" snapped Scott, stepping forwards and readying an optic blast.
Scott suddenly found himself floating, unable to move. Behind him stood Jean-Grey, holding him there.
" Scott calm down." she hissed "A fight's not going to help this situation"
Xavier nodded "She's right Scott, a fight would be the least helpful action at this point in time."
Scott was lowered to the ground. He turned and strode out of the room.
"I'm off to the danger room." he explained as he passed the professor. "I need to let off some steam."
Charles nodded and turned back to Shockwave " you are in my school, we are just outside New York, Scott found you just after you collapsed, we are here to help you and I'm afraid I can't let you go back to Detroit as is it is to dangerous at this point in time." Charles said calmly, answering all the questions in Shockwave's head one after the other.
Shockwave's hands and eyes flared with excess energy. "I told you to stay out of my head !" he snapped "And I only ask once!"
Energy arced from his hands and struck the Xavier, lifting the X-men's founder off the ground and holding him immobile above the ground. Rouge dived at Shockwave, wrapping her arms around his neck. For a few moments he stopped, the professor dropping safely down to the ground. Suddenly, she lost her grip and fell, right through Shockwave.
Shockwave's hands and eyes flared again.
"Intangibility Rouge." he sneered "you can't touch me."
Shockwave turned back to the Charles.
"How do I get back to Detroit from here?" he asked, his hands glowing threateningly.
"I'm afraid I can't let you leave." said Charles sorrowfully.
The energy fields around Shockwave's hands subsided.
"Why not?" he asked
Charles turned and switched on the television. Shockwave only had t read the headline of the news to understand.
Thousands die in Casino Disaster.
"No, you're right, it wasn't an accident." said Charles, answering the question buzzing around inside Shockwave's head. "please, let us help you."
For a few moments, Shockwave stood, immersed in thought. Eventually, he looked up.
"I never thought I'd say this." he said "but sign me up, professor."
