Chapter Four: Superdeformed
All characters except for Det. Walsh and Dr. Tom's are Marvel's. The story is mine.
P
Later on that afternoon, Kurt, Bobby, Sam Guthrie, and Jubilee made a trip to the Bayville Public Library. Each was doing research for various school projects that were due before midterms. After spending several hours there, Kurt noted that dinner was to be served at the Institute and quickly rounded up the others in the group to go home. He and Jubilee had reached the black Volkswagen van first, and were waiting for Bobby and Sam. The two boys were straggling behind after Bobby stopped to check out several books on Greek mythology.
P
Bobby was stuffing his books into his backpack, staring ahead at Jubilee. After a brief absence from the school at the insistence of her foster parents, the young girl returned to the Institute when she moved in with a new family who were more trusting of the Professor and his assurances that she would be safe. Upon her return, Bobby was excited. The two of them had been close before she left, having been in the same classes together and often training together in the Danger Room. Most importantly, she appreciated his sense of humor.
P
The two picked up where they had left off---hanging out together during and between classes, laughing at his jokes, and training together with the other students. Yet, Bobby noticed something different about things now. Even after weeks following her return, he still experienced those feelings of excitement when he was around her. He was grinning quite a lot while they were together and at times, found himself tongue-tied.
P
As he struggled to research sources for his world history report, Bobby realized what was different. There were no longer feelings that indicated the once platonic nature of their friendship. No, these were stronger, charged feelings that left him in a state similar to the silly putty Dani often played with when she was stressed out. Unfortunately, sorting through his emotions regarding Jubilee had cost him valuable study time.
P
When he was packing up his things to leave, Bobby noticed Sam and Jubilee talking and laughing together by the circulation desk. A surge of jealousy pulsed through his veins. While he and Sam were good friends, Bobby decided to demonstrate to Jubilee who was the better mutant.
P
"Last one to the van has to kiss Kurt's hairy butt!" Bobby called out when they exited the library. He and Sam made a mad dash for the van where Kurt was standing with his keys in hand. To Bobby's dismay, Sam propelled himself forward to the van and won.
P
Kurt dropped his cargo pants slightly, but kept on his rocket ship boxers. He then wiggled his bottom at Bobby. "Pucker up, baby!"
P
Bobby grimaced. "Eww! I'd rather vomit, eat my own vomit, and then vomit again."
P
Kurt's face dropped. "Eww." He pulled up his cargo pants and zipped back up. Then he quickly opened the doors to the van.
P
Sam opened the side door and hopped inside. Being the polite Southern gentleman he was, the lanky teenager extended a hand to Jubilee. Smiling up at him, she obliged, allowing him to pull her inside. Sam leaned his blond head out the door and stuck his tongue out at his friend, then closed the door. Bobby sighed, rolling his eyes and climbing into the passenger seat of the van.
P
The ride back to the mansion was uneventful at first. Kurt had popped in the latest Coldplay CD Kitty had lent him, while talking to Bobby about grossing out Rogue during biology lab. This prompted the other boy to start boasting about his latest escapades in class to the others in the van. This was met with a chorus of laughs and groans of disgust.
P
Kurt was in the process of making his usual left-hand turn at the traffic circle when the van jerked suddenly, followed by a POP sound. Startled, he slowed the van down. Then he pulled over, finally parking the van in front of an unmarked office building. "Is everyone OK?" he asked.
P
"Yeah," Bobby replied, running a hand through his sandy hair. He turned around and saw Sam and Jubilee nod their heads.
P
"Cool. I think one of the tires blew out. Who vants to help me change it?" Kurt already opened the driver's side door and stepped one foot outside.
P
Sam raised his hand. "I used to help my dad with his car all the time," he commented, pulling the tire jack from underneath the seats. He opened the door and hopped out.
P
Before Kurt joined Sam behind the van to extract the spare tire from the back door, he tossed Bobby the van's cellular phone. "Call Logan and tell him ve're running late vith car problems. Don't vant him tearing up town, looking for us." Then he slammed the driver's side door closed.
P
Bobby pressed the talk function on the phone. Nothing. Frowning, he stared down at the phone and noticed that the battery had not been charged. "We can't call home. The phone's dead," he told Jubilee, motioning for her to get out of the van.
P
She followed him, quickly buttoning up her red, hooded, toggle coat. "It's going to take those two at least ten minutes to change the tire," she said, nodding at Kurt and Sam who were pulling the tire off from the back door of the van. "What are we going to do?"
P
Bobby peered over at the office building and noticed that the lights were on from inside. He waved a hand towards the building. "Why don't we go in there to the front desk? I'm sure they'll let us use their phone. No one turns away kids in trouble."
P
Jubilee followed his gaze. The building was not that far from where they were now---at least a couple of yards. She nodded her agreement with the idea. "Wait here," she said to him, walking towards the others. "I'll let them know what we're doing."
P
She found Kurt positioning the tire jack while Sam propped the spare tire against the curb. "Guys, the phone doesn't work. Bobby and I are going to the office building over there to see if someone will let us use a phone."
P
Kurt raised his head and noted where she was pointing. "OK," he grunted, wishing he had Logan's strength at that moment. "When you talk them, tell them ve'll be there in about fifteen or twenty minutes. Sam, a little help here?"
P
"I thought you said you could handle it." Sam sounded tired and indignant.
P
Jubilee returned to Bobby and the two began to walk to the building. Their pace was brisk, as it was getting darker and darker outside. Last night's information or scare session, as some liked to call it, still lingered in their minds. Needless to say, both wanted to return to the safety of the mansion as soon as possible.
P
"Are we almost there? I can't see." Bobby groused, squinting under the dimness of the streetlamp overhead. He thought he could see the three- story office building and its metal sculptures nearby, but he wasn't really sure.
P
Jubilee raised a brow at him. She raised a hand in front her, about to summon a spark. Bobby grabbed her wrist and pulled it down to her side. He shook his head emphatically.
P
"Don't. Someone might see you."
P
Blushing, she nodded, feeling stupid for forgetting. Even though the anti- mutant fervor had died down a bit, it did not mean that people were ready to embrace mutants. Exposing her powers would prove to attract attention she did not want or need.
P
"Thanks," she said softly.
P
He did not release her wrist, but loosened his grip. "No problem. Who else is gonna look out for you?"
P
She gave him a wry smile and continued to walk on with him. "You're my great protector, huh? How chivalrous."
P
"That's me. Bobby Drake, shining example of what a hero should be."
P
"Somehow, I don't think Ms. Munroe would agree with you after what you did in the Danger Room this morning."
P
"Listen, that robot with the lasers was going nuts. It was going to be either Jamie or me. I chose me. Besides, he's not too mad. I think it was actually one of his clones that took the brunt of the fall, really."
P
Jubilee laughed. She was about to come back with a quip when her foot suddenly hit something hard. She was slightly ahead of Bobby, which prevented him from catching her right away. Stumbling forward, she put out her hands to catch herself on the ground, bracing herself for the impact.
P
Or what she thought was going to be the ground.
P
Her palms felt clothing.
P
Her palms felt something lumpy and solid underneath.
P
Her palms felt something like a body.
P
Why wasn't the person moving?
P
So still.
P
Why was it so cold?
P
So cold.
P
Immediately, the young girl's mind began to race frantically.
P
I Oh my God.. What was that? What was that? What was that? What was that? What was that? What was that? What was that? What was that? What was that? What was that? What was that? What was that? /I
P
Gasping, Jubilee scrambled to her feet and began to back away. Her eyes widened in fear as she suppressed the urge to scream. Under the dim streetlamps, she could barely make out the outline of what she had tripped over. The young girl's knees almost buckled underneath her, but she managed to keep standing.
P
Bobby raced to her side, placing an arm around her shoulders to steady her. He could tell she was trembling. However, he had not seen what had inspired her frightened state. He was almost too afraid to ask.
P
"There's something---someone on the ground," she whispered finally. "Bobby, I felt something."
P
"I can't see anything," he whispered back, peering around them. The parking lot across the street from the building was empty. No one was standing in front of the windows of the office buildings. "Or anyone." His brown eyes told her to go ahead and light things up.
P
Nodding, Jubilee pulled away from him slightly. A pinkish-yellow light sparked from her hand and she held it over the ground, over the spot she had tripped. Her blue eyes widened when she saw what she had actually stumbled over.
P
I Oh no. /I
P
She grasped Bobby's hand and buried her face against his shoulder.
P
Normally, Bobby would have been thrilled to have her this close to him. Given the circumstances, holding her in his arms was somewhat bittersweet. He craned his neck to see what prompted this reaction. His insides ran cold---no pun intended.
P
There was a body on the pavement, not moving. Most importantly, the body was not breathing. Yet, that was not what had terrified the two teenagers at that moment.
P
They knew the person.
P
Caliban. The Morlock who had befriended Jubilee and other students after they fled the mansion many months ago lay on the ground, dead. A frail, somewhat childlike individual, he seemed an unlikely person to meet such a fate.
P
There was also the condition of his body.
P
The chalk-white skin around his neck was marred by a series of bruises. His bald head lay in a massive pool of blood with several deep cuts across his forehead. These cuts were deep, slicing past bone to the point where brain matter seeped through some of these incisions. The thick, crimson liquid was a sharp contrast to the paleness of his skin. The mutant's wide, yellow eyes were still open as was his mouth, reflecting the shock and terror he must have experienced at the time of his death. Caliban's hands were outstretched at his sides. It was almost as if he had tried to defend himself from his attacker.
P
Jubilee's breath was quick and hot against Bobby's neck. She refused to turn her face from his shoulder and look at the body. Her arms tightened around him, her fear almost overwhelming her. For some reason, she did not want to admit that Caliban was dead. He didn't deserve to die; not this way.
P
"Is he.? Is he.? Oh my God, Bobby. It's Caliban. He can't be. He can't. Oh my God!"
P
Wordlessly, Bobby shook his head. He pulled her closer to him, as if to comfort himself. What they had just seen was too horrible to even process. Initial hopes that the whole situation was a nightmare diminished as the two continued to stand over the body.
P
Suddenly, a cloud of sulphur swirled around them. Kurt's face peeked from the dissipating mist. "Vhere have you guys been?" he demanded, his face quizzical when he noticed Bobby and Jubilee clinging to each other. He knew that the other boy had a slight crush on the girl, but this was kind of too cutesy.
P
Then his eyes followed Bobby's unwavering gaze. The German native placed a shaking hand over his mouth. He sank to his knees, never taking his eyes off of the corpse before them. "Mein Gott," he muttered.
P
Several minutes later, Detective Walsh's heavily made-up face glowed in the spinning police lights. Her dark eyes watched Dr. Tom and a young man from his office wheel the gurney with the black body bag. CSU was casing the area, combing the area for evidence, within the confines of taped off space. Uniformed Bayville police officers were spread out between the office building, questioning individuals who in there. The teenagers who had discovered the deceased were being questioned nearby, all of them clearly upset with what they had found.
P
A black Lincoln town car pulled up next to her Dodge Aries across the street. Walsh watched a tall, slim woman with long, white tresses and coffee-colored skin climb out of the driver's seat. She crossed over to the other side of the car and opened the back door. Professor Xavier's trademark wheelchair rolled out slowly with a sleek grace. He was dressed impeccably as usual in a dark khaki suit and a black, wool turtleneck.
P
Leaving his female associate at the car, Xavier wheeled himself over to where the young detective was standing, which was about a foot away from where the body had been discovered. His face was drawn with worry. He looked up at Walsh and said, "Well, Detective Walsh?"
P
She stared at him hard, her cherubic features grim. "Well, Professor, I think we have a problem."
All characters except for Det. Walsh and Dr. Tom's are Marvel's. The story is mine.
P
Later on that afternoon, Kurt, Bobby, Sam Guthrie, and Jubilee made a trip to the Bayville Public Library. Each was doing research for various school projects that were due before midterms. After spending several hours there, Kurt noted that dinner was to be served at the Institute and quickly rounded up the others in the group to go home. He and Jubilee had reached the black Volkswagen van first, and were waiting for Bobby and Sam. The two boys were straggling behind after Bobby stopped to check out several books on Greek mythology.
P
Bobby was stuffing his books into his backpack, staring ahead at Jubilee. After a brief absence from the school at the insistence of her foster parents, the young girl returned to the Institute when she moved in with a new family who were more trusting of the Professor and his assurances that she would be safe. Upon her return, Bobby was excited. The two of them had been close before she left, having been in the same classes together and often training together in the Danger Room. Most importantly, she appreciated his sense of humor.
P
The two picked up where they had left off---hanging out together during and between classes, laughing at his jokes, and training together with the other students. Yet, Bobby noticed something different about things now. Even after weeks following her return, he still experienced those feelings of excitement when he was around her. He was grinning quite a lot while they were together and at times, found himself tongue-tied.
P
As he struggled to research sources for his world history report, Bobby realized what was different. There were no longer feelings that indicated the once platonic nature of their friendship. No, these were stronger, charged feelings that left him in a state similar to the silly putty Dani often played with when she was stressed out. Unfortunately, sorting through his emotions regarding Jubilee had cost him valuable study time.
P
When he was packing up his things to leave, Bobby noticed Sam and Jubilee talking and laughing together by the circulation desk. A surge of jealousy pulsed through his veins. While he and Sam were good friends, Bobby decided to demonstrate to Jubilee who was the better mutant.
P
"Last one to the van has to kiss Kurt's hairy butt!" Bobby called out when they exited the library. He and Sam made a mad dash for the van where Kurt was standing with his keys in hand. To Bobby's dismay, Sam propelled himself forward to the van and won.
P
Kurt dropped his cargo pants slightly, but kept on his rocket ship boxers. He then wiggled his bottom at Bobby. "Pucker up, baby!"
P
Bobby grimaced. "Eww! I'd rather vomit, eat my own vomit, and then vomit again."
P
Kurt's face dropped. "Eww." He pulled up his cargo pants and zipped back up. Then he quickly opened the doors to the van.
P
Sam opened the side door and hopped inside. Being the polite Southern gentleman he was, the lanky teenager extended a hand to Jubilee. Smiling up at him, she obliged, allowing him to pull her inside. Sam leaned his blond head out the door and stuck his tongue out at his friend, then closed the door. Bobby sighed, rolling his eyes and climbing into the passenger seat of the van.
P
The ride back to the mansion was uneventful at first. Kurt had popped in the latest Coldplay CD Kitty had lent him, while talking to Bobby about grossing out Rogue during biology lab. This prompted the other boy to start boasting about his latest escapades in class to the others in the van. This was met with a chorus of laughs and groans of disgust.
P
Kurt was in the process of making his usual left-hand turn at the traffic circle when the van jerked suddenly, followed by a POP sound. Startled, he slowed the van down. Then he pulled over, finally parking the van in front of an unmarked office building. "Is everyone OK?" he asked.
P
"Yeah," Bobby replied, running a hand through his sandy hair. He turned around and saw Sam and Jubilee nod their heads.
P
"Cool. I think one of the tires blew out. Who vants to help me change it?" Kurt already opened the driver's side door and stepped one foot outside.
P
Sam raised his hand. "I used to help my dad with his car all the time," he commented, pulling the tire jack from underneath the seats. He opened the door and hopped out.
P
Before Kurt joined Sam behind the van to extract the spare tire from the back door, he tossed Bobby the van's cellular phone. "Call Logan and tell him ve're running late vith car problems. Don't vant him tearing up town, looking for us." Then he slammed the driver's side door closed.
P
Bobby pressed the talk function on the phone. Nothing. Frowning, he stared down at the phone and noticed that the battery had not been charged. "We can't call home. The phone's dead," he told Jubilee, motioning for her to get out of the van.
P
She followed him, quickly buttoning up her red, hooded, toggle coat. "It's going to take those two at least ten minutes to change the tire," she said, nodding at Kurt and Sam who were pulling the tire off from the back door of the van. "What are we going to do?"
P
Bobby peered over at the office building and noticed that the lights were on from inside. He waved a hand towards the building. "Why don't we go in there to the front desk? I'm sure they'll let us use their phone. No one turns away kids in trouble."
P
Jubilee followed his gaze. The building was not that far from where they were now---at least a couple of yards. She nodded her agreement with the idea. "Wait here," she said to him, walking towards the others. "I'll let them know what we're doing."
P
She found Kurt positioning the tire jack while Sam propped the spare tire against the curb. "Guys, the phone doesn't work. Bobby and I are going to the office building over there to see if someone will let us use a phone."
P
Kurt raised his head and noted where she was pointing. "OK," he grunted, wishing he had Logan's strength at that moment. "When you talk them, tell them ve'll be there in about fifteen or twenty minutes. Sam, a little help here?"
P
"I thought you said you could handle it." Sam sounded tired and indignant.
P
Jubilee returned to Bobby and the two began to walk to the building. Their pace was brisk, as it was getting darker and darker outside. Last night's information or scare session, as some liked to call it, still lingered in their minds. Needless to say, both wanted to return to the safety of the mansion as soon as possible.
P
"Are we almost there? I can't see." Bobby groused, squinting under the dimness of the streetlamp overhead. He thought he could see the three- story office building and its metal sculptures nearby, but he wasn't really sure.
P
Jubilee raised a brow at him. She raised a hand in front her, about to summon a spark. Bobby grabbed her wrist and pulled it down to her side. He shook his head emphatically.
P
"Don't. Someone might see you."
P
Blushing, she nodded, feeling stupid for forgetting. Even though the anti- mutant fervor had died down a bit, it did not mean that people were ready to embrace mutants. Exposing her powers would prove to attract attention she did not want or need.
P
"Thanks," she said softly.
P
He did not release her wrist, but loosened his grip. "No problem. Who else is gonna look out for you?"
P
She gave him a wry smile and continued to walk on with him. "You're my great protector, huh? How chivalrous."
P
"That's me. Bobby Drake, shining example of what a hero should be."
P
"Somehow, I don't think Ms. Munroe would agree with you after what you did in the Danger Room this morning."
P
"Listen, that robot with the lasers was going nuts. It was going to be either Jamie or me. I chose me. Besides, he's not too mad. I think it was actually one of his clones that took the brunt of the fall, really."
P
Jubilee laughed. She was about to come back with a quip when her foot suddenly hit something hard. She was slightly ahead of Bobby, which prevented him from catching her right away. Stumbling forward, she put out her hands to catch herself on the ground, bracing herself for the impact.
P
Or what she thought was going to be the ground.
P
Her palms felt clothing.
P
Her palms felt something lumpy and solid underneath.
P
Her palms felt something like a body.
P
Why wasn't the person moving?
P
So still.
P
Why was it so cold?
P
So cold.
P
Immediately, the young girl's mind began to race frantically.
P
I Oh my God.. What was that? What was that? What was that? What was that? What was that? What was that? What was that? What was that? What was that? What was that? What was that? What was that? /I
P
Gasping, Jubilee scrambled to her feet and began to back away. Her eyes widened in fear as she suppressed the urge to scream. Under the dim streetlamps, she could barely make out the outline of what she had tripped over. The young girl's knees almost buckled underneath her, but she managed to keep standing.
P
Bobby raced to her side, placing an arm around her shoulders to steady her. He could tell she was trembling. However, he had not seen what had inspired her frightened state. He was almost too afraid to ask.
P
"There's something---someone on the ground," she whispered finally. "Bobby, I felt something."
P
"I can't see anything," he whispered back, peering around them. The parking lot across the street from the building was empty. No one was standing in front of the windows of the office buildings. "Or anyone." His brown eyes told her to go ahead and light things up.
P
Nodding, Jubilee pulled away from him slightly. A pinkish-yellow light sparked from her hand and she held it over the ground, over the spot she had tripped. Her blue eyes widened when she saw what she had actually stumbled over.
P
I Oh no. /I
P
She grasped Bobby's hand and buried her face against his shoulder.
P
Normally, Bobby would have been thrilled to have her this close to him. Given the circumstances, holding her in his arms was somewhat bittersweet. He craned his neck to see what prompted this reaction. His insides ran cold---no pun intended.
P
There was a body on the pavement, not moving. Most importantly, the body was not breathing. Yet, that was not what had terrified the two teenagers at that moment.
P
They knew the person.
P
Caliban. The Morlock who had befriended Jubilee and other students after they fled the mansion many months ago lay on the ground, dead. A frail, somewhat childlike individual, he seemed an unlikely person to meet such a fate.
P
There was also the condition of his body.
P
The chalk-white skin around his neck was marred by a series of bruises. His bald head lay in a massive pool of blood with several deep cuts across his forehead. These cuts were deep, slicing past bone to the point where brain matter seeped through some of these incisions. The thick, crimson liquid was a sharp contrast to the paleness of his skin. The mutant's wide, yellow eyes were still open as was his mouth, reflecting the shock and terror he must have experienced at the time of his death. Caliban's hands were outstretched at his sides. It was almost as if he had tried to defend himself from his attacker.
P
Jubilee's breath was quick and hot against Bobby's neck. She refused to turn her face from his shoulder and look at the body. Her arms tightened around him, her fear almost overwhelming her. For some reason, she did not want to admit that Caliban was dead. He didn't deserve to die; not this way.
P
"Is he.? Is he.? Oh my God, Bobby. It's Caliban. He can't be. He can't. Oh my God!"
P
Wordlessly, Bobby shook his head. He pulled her closer to him, as if to comfort himself. What they had just seen was too horrible to even process. Initial hopes that the whole situation was a nightmare diminished as the two continued to stand over the body.
P
Suddenly, a cloud of sulphur swirled around them. Kurt's face peeked from the dissipating mist. "Vhere have you guys been?" he demanded, his face quizzical when he noticed Bobby and Jubilee clinging to each other. He knew that the other boy had a slight crush on the girl, but this was kind of too cutesy.
P
Then his eyes followed Bobby's unwavering gaze. The German native placed a shaking hand over his mouth. He sank to his knees, never taking his eyes off of the corpse before them. "Mein Gott," he muttered.
P
Several minutes later, Detective Walsh's heavily made-up face glowed in the spinning police lights. Her dark eyes watched Dr. Tom and a young man from his office wheel the gurney with the black body bag. CSU was casing the area, combing the area for evidence, within the confines of taped off space. Uniformed Bayville police officers were spread out between the office building, questioning individuals who in there. The teenagers who had discovered the deceased were being questioned nearby, all of them clearly upset with what they had found.
P
A black Lincoln town car pulled up next to her Dodge Aries across the street. Walsh watched a tall, slim woman with long, white tresses and coffee-colored skin climb out of the driver's seat. She crossed over to the other side of the car and opened the back door. Professor Xavier's trademark wheelchair rolled out slowly with a sleek grace. He was dressed impeccably as usual in a dark khaki suit and a black, wool turtleneck.
P
Leaving his female associate at the car, Xavier wheeled himself over to where the young detective was standing, which was about a foot away from where the body had been discovered. His face was drawn with worry. He looked up at Walsh and said, "Well, Detective Walsh?"
P
She stared at him hard, her cherubic features grim. "Well, Professor, I think we have a problem."