Discovery
Kela breathed deeply as she continued her newest hike with some of the X-Men. Since her arrival at the Xavier school, she had learned that not everyone in the massive mansion was out to get her. She grew to relax around the place she could now call home, even when she still wasn't sure she would be staying for long. She was happy for the first time in over a year and a half. She heard a distant call of one of them, perhaps Peter or Logan.
This is the freest I have seen you in a long time. I hope this means you can stay, the voice, now a constant presence, said. Kela was growing to like the voice, or Charles, as the voice preferred to be called. Every night, he (she was pretty sure "it" was a "he"—the sound said as much) would help her sleep, though she refused to sleep on the bed, it felt too comfortable to her. She would never remember anything he said, but each morning she seemed to know a little bit more about something, from concentration to Shifter and Normal (those that were "non-mutants") history. She also seemed to be able to think of styles of fighting, though she didn't want to try that out any time soon.
Hush, I'm trying to enjoy myself. Don't get used to this, by the way, in my experience, this never lasts long. She said. She began to feel another presence in her mind, that of the non-Shifter Caliban. He would often talk with Kela for hours. Asking more about her past, as if she would reveal anything. That, these "X-Men" would have to wait a little bit longer to find that vital piece of information.
Caliban wonders whom the Kela girl is talking to? Caliban asked. Kela blocked the voice from her mind (another useful trick Charles taught her) and quickly covered up that little misstep. Nothing, just, talking to myself. Kela then rolled her eyes. Like Caliban would fall for that, Kela was never a good liar. She felt Caliban retreat, and Kela sighed.
That was too close. Remind me again why I can't let anyone know about you?
It is not the time for them to know. Just wait.
Kela shook her head. Even though it had been a week, Kela was no closer to finding out why this voice chose her, and why she knew nothing about him. She focused on the trail ahead. She had to give it to them; this school has some great grounds.
Ororo was walking down the hall, humming to herself, worrying only about the students and making sure they were using their study hall to actually study. It was only the beginning of the year, but most of the students needed to be hard at work. She continued along the hallway, close to a side entrance of the school.
As she passed a computer panel, she heard a soft beeping noise. She furrowed her brow in confusion; it almost never beeped, and when it did, she would have been notified. She tapped the four-digit number to unlock the contents of the panel, and scanned the information. She pulled up a picture of two black SUV's turning up the main driveway, slowly making their way to the front door. There were no front license plates, and the only decoration was a seal of the department of Homeland Security. Seeing as there were no terrorist threats that demanded the attention of the X-Men, it only meant one thing: they found Kela.
Storm pulled out her phone and dialed the first number she could think of. To her, each ring took longer than a year. Finally, she heard the voice she needed to hear.
"Hank, you need to get Kela back here, now. They're coming."
Hank McCoy hung up the phone, and told everyone to get back to the mansion.
"Logan, you need to get Kela, she ran up ahead some time ago. There are people here from the Mutant Registration Act. She needs to be at the mansion, or they might take her, and I don't think she needs this kind of attention. Go, now." Hank turned to go help the others get back inside. Peter looked concerned, but he left with McCoy. Logan burst into a jog, hoping Kela wasn't to far ahead.
Kela was near the top of a hill, sitting cross-legged on the ground, meditating like the voice said. The sound of Logan's voice caused her to open her eyes and blink quite a few times, trying to concentrate on who had called her name.
"Kid, we need to get back to the mansion. You need to be registered by the MRA." Logan said, slightly out of breath.
Kela shouted, and scrambled back into a clump of bushes, shaking her head as he did so.
"No! They will find me. I can't, I can't. I will not be taken again."
"Trust me, they probably already found you, 'they' might be the ones who called the department. I keep telling you, I won't let anything happen to you," he held out his hand, and Kela slowly took it. Logan pulled her up out of the bushes. "Now, let's go, trust me, you don't want to keep them waiting."
What do you mean, taken "again"? the voiced asked.
Kela mentally winced. No, too painful. Can't remember.
Kela took a deep breath as she and Logan made their way down the mountain. She began to sense the people in the cars, them, and someone very familiar. She conjured up an image of a woman wearing all black, aiming a gun at…
Kela hissed as a searing pain lanced through her head. Logan turned to her, eyes full of worry. Kela grit her teeth and mumbled, "headache". She was reluctant telling him and the others her whole story. Soon, the mansion was in sight, and Kela started to tremble. Logan tapped her on the back of the hand, reminding her it was okay. She could feel herself closing up, closing off from the world. She stuck out her chin, and "soldiered on", as Hank would say.
They entered in the kitchen door, and made their way towards one of the offices. They turned down a hallway, and came face to face with one of the Catchers.
Upon seeing his old adversary, the Catcher grabbed Kela by the throat, and slammed her against the wall. Kela's eyes widened, and she began to kick and struggle, making the Catcher squeeze her throat harder. Logan extended his claws, and made to slice into the Catcher's arm.
"Clone, release her." A woman's voice, filled with authority and cruelty, sounded from the office room. Immediately, the Catcher let go, dropping Kela to the ground, making an about face to the woman that hung by the doorway, leaving the gasping Shifter to back into the corner.
"What on earth is going on here?" Storm yelled, coming down the hallway with another two men in identical black suits and sunglasses.
Kela reluctantly looked upward at the woman. She was a middle-aged Asian woman with perfect features: high cheekbones, perfect almond-shaped eyes, and full, upturned lips. To Kela, the woman seemed like a snake, innocent at first, but a deadly companion. She was covered in head to toe black, a pencil skirt that came down to her knees, and a short black jacket over a black tank top. On her side was a police-issued handgun next to a cell phone.
"Shifters are so base. Scared, and they back into a corner. When will you all learn? Please, it is a wonder how you were never captured earlier."
"Listen, lady, who the hell are you?" Logan growled. Kela closed her eyes from the assault of bad memories associated with this woman.
"Oh, so sorry. My name is Dr. Christina Lee, and I am a representative from RegiCorp. I've been sent to take her back to the labs; she is a very interesting class, one of the most extensive types of your species."
"Dr. Lee, there will be no 'taking' of any kind here, we've discussed this. This is to be a basic registry, so there is no need for your…bodyguards." Hank McCoy spoke. He tried to remain very calm, but Kela could see he was desperately trying to not rip this woman's head off. Kela remembered that he used to be a diplomat.
Christina smiled. "She is dangerous, I'm sure she has told you about her little problem…no? What a shame, it is truly something to behold. And don't forget our little deal, Dr. McCoy, she leaves these grounds, I can put her under the custody of RegiCorp." Christina's attention turned to her phone, which began to emit a soft ringing sound. She popped it open, and read the text contained within it.
"Well, I think I'm done here. Remember our deal, McCoy. I'm sure these boys can deal with the little…mutant. For now, goodbye, little Shifter." She turned to walk out the door.
Right before exiting, she turned her head over her right shoulder. "By the way, Maria says hello."
Kela snapped. She jumped up, and made to attack Christina. Logan reacted quickly, grabbing her arms and pinning them behind her back. He barely could hold her.
"Where is she? What have you done with her? If you hurt her so help me God!" she yelled, growling deep in her throat. Kela kept yelling until Christina was out of sight. Kela dissolved in a fit of sobbing, slumping to the floor, once Logan released her. The three teachers stared at each other, then at her. Off to the side, a nerdy-looking office drone cleared his throat, wishing to continue. He was deathly afraid of mutants, and Dr. Lee's words struck him to the bone. Kela took a deep breath and stood up, her face devoid of emotion. She walked in the office with the man, and began to register, the one thing she did not want to do, but was forced to prevent her capture.
It was Peter, watching from a remote corner of the room, who saw how much she was hurting.