Chapter 6: First Outing
Clark had only attended Bayville High for two days now and he still hadn't made any new friends. Especially since the only kids he spent any time with, the other students from the institute, were giving him the cold shoulder. The only ones who seemed willing to talk to him were Jean and Lois. In Jean's case that also meant Duncan, so she was a non option. As far as Lois was concerned, time spent with her was time spent on the firing line. The girl was really good at getting under his skin and she took his hints, subtle and not so subtle, that he wanted to be left alone as a personal challenge.
At the end of the school day he decided to just walk back to the mansion and since he wasn't returning to the farm and a list of chores that needed doing, he took his time. Having grown up on a farm he wasn't used to having so much free time, even with the accelerated speed at which he worked on the farm there was always something more that needed to be done. Here all he had to do that night was homework and even that was lightened by the fact he had already done all of the required reading.
Thursday morning he found himself faced again with a choice between riding with Lois or Duncan. Not a hard choice, he rode with Lois and Jubilee. After school he went job hunting. He figured that with nothing else to do he might as well earn some money, do something productive. He was just finding it hard to sit around, especially at Xavier's mansion. He was starting to appreciate Logan's comment about not wanting to be alone all of the time. Here he was surrounded by people but in some ways it was worse than if he had been sitting on an ice cube in the artic. Clark never had many friends but he had Pete and Chloe and he had always had his parents.
Friday morning he skipped breakfast and left early. By the time most of the students were leaving the showers he was halfway to the high school. He left Ms Monroe a note knowing that if he told her he was skipping breakfast in person she would try to talk him out of it. It was just easier to avoid the argument in the first place, so he did.
When he didn't appear at the table for breakfast, Jean looked concerned and Lois curious, but the rest of the students were actually more relaxed without him there. Storm found the developing situation to be very worrying.
After the last student left for school, Storm approached the professor with her concerns. She found Xavier in his study going over the institutes financial business, getting it out of the way before descending to Cerebro and the headaches that would follow.
She entered the room carrying a tea service on a tray. Setting it on a small table to the side of the room, she poured them both a cup before sitting down in front of his desk.
"Charles, I fear we have a problem with Clark and the other students. One that won't go away on its own."
"Yes, I am aware of that. I confess, I didn't expect Clark to have so much difficulty fitting in."
Storm hesitated, she didn't want to say it but felt it was something they needed to consider.
"I know you don't want to hear it, but maybe it would be best if Clark went home. His presence here is causing a disruption and I don't feel it is fair to the others."
Xavier sighed in frustration. He was already debating the wisdom of keeping the Kent boy here, knew the arguments against it by heart. He couldn't argue against the wisdom of sending him home, knew Clark himself would prefer it. He knew the arguments but couldn't ignore the feeling that sending the boy home would foreshadow the failure of all he hoped to accomplish.
"Do you know how many mutants there are in the world?" He asked her, then waited for her answer, letting her know that it wasn't a rhetorical question.
Storm considered his question, unsure of where he was trying to lead her. With a shrug of her shoulders she admitted she didn't know, wondering what it had to do with Clark's presence at the mansion.
"Maybe one in fifty thousand." Xavier told her. "Less than one percent of the population. When the world at large learns of our existence there will be many who will find it difficult to accept us. Many will fear us, seeing us as a threat to 'normal' folk. We've seen it before even among the parents of our own students. Already in the halls of power there are those who are discussing how to deal with the disruption we will create. While no one is seriously considering eliminating us, there are those proposing that we be culled from the general population, placed in colonies were it will not be necessary for us to interact with non mutants. We would for all intents and purposes be prisoners, living our lives in quarantine. They argue that it is unfair for the few, us, to cause so much discord for the vastly larger population of base line humans. How can we argue against such a course if we are as quick to ascribe to the same logic?"
Storm is a student of history and well familiar with earlier attempts to segregate a population through legislation and if necessary force. Every group to try always carried a logical argument explaining why it was necessary for the good of the majority, even Hitler claimed to be serving the greater good. In every instance it always ended in bloodshed and chaos.
"What then would you have us do Charles? The other children are angry with him and Clark himself is only making it worse. I believe he is trying to avoid the problem and the other students."
"Yes, I'm afraid Clark's fear is the source of the problem. Given time and the opportunity I am confident our students would accept him. No, the real question is how to convince Clark to give them the chance."
He sat quietly contemplating the problem, considering possible approaches. An idea occurred to him, it was a small step but at least it would be in the right direction.
"Ororo, what are the students plans for the weekend?"
"Jean has a soccer game, but otherwise there is nothing scheduled. Why Professor?"
He gave her a small smile, looking more relaxed now that he had a plan of action.
"Please tell Logan that I think this weekend would be an excellent time for a training trip, something involving teamwork."
****
When Scott came home from school on Friday he wasn't very happy to find Logan waiting for him. That never bode well.
"Pack a bag Summers, you too Kurt. We're all going on a little training trip this weekend and the bus leaves in an hour."
"What about me?" Evan asked, he couldn't believe he could be so lucky as to be excluded.
"Not this time Daniels. It's just gonna be Scott, Kurt and some of the new kids."
"Aw man, this really bites!" Kurt cried in agony, while Evan did a little victory dance.
"Stow it Elf." Logan walked away, he had more happy students to give the good news.
"Nothing like a weekend in the mountains to put a smile on your face." Even better than that was seeing the looks on their teenage faces when they found out they would be spending Saturday in the woods instead of the mall.
Sometimes life was good.
****
Scott found the professor inside Cerebro. Normally he wouldn't interrupt while Xavier was interfacing with the machine, but right now he was too angry to be so considerate and Logan wasn't giving him much in the way of time.
When the machine signaled Charles that someone was waiting outside the door, his own attention was focused on western Canada, a quick scan and he knew it was an unhappy Scott. It didn't take a mind reader to know why the boy was so upset. He debated leaving him cooling his heels in the hall but decided that an angry Scott would be a useless one.
Shutting down Cerebro and removing the headpiece, Xavier rolled his chair down the extended walk. Opening the round vault door, he found Scott poised to hit the signal button again.
"What can I help you with Scott?" Xavier tried to sound up beat but the sharp pain centered two inches behind his forehead caused him to wince. His work with Cerebro was taking a toll on him and he was seriously considering abandoning the search.
Scott tried to school his emotions, his face returning to a neutral expression, but his voice still held a bitter edge.
"Logan tells me that I'm going on an unscheduled training trip."
It wasn't a question but Xavier knew Scott was expecting a response.
"Yes Scott. I'm sending you and Kurt with some of the new students. We need to get them involved, make them feel like part of the team."
Scott lost his reserve, his face taking on a sour expression.
"Is Clark one of the new students going on this trip?"
Xavier winced again, fingers rubbing his temples. He had hoped Scott would be more mature about this.
"Yes Scott, Clark is going. Along with Rahne and Roberto."
Scott hated to ask but, "Is there any way someone else can go with them? I was hoping to watch Jean play tomorrow."
Could it be that Scott's problem with Clark was actually about Jean? Was all of this because he took her with when speaking to the Kents?
Xavier gave his head a small shake. He sometimes forgot that in spite of their gifts, his students were still little more than children with all of the insecurities and drama that came with the journey to adulthood. He had been so fixated on Clark's uniqueness and his search for Magneto, that he missed what was right in front of his face. He could see now that asking Jean to take Clark under her wing had only served to exasperate the situation. With that realization came the knowledge that this trip was more important than he originally thought.
"Scott, you and Jean were the first students at this institute and I rely heavily upon you both to help with the younger students."
Scott's shoulders slumped in defeat. "I understand that Professor and I want to help but..." He tried a different tact. "You know that Clark doesn't really want to be here? Why force him to be?"
"You may remember Scott that neither did Rogue, Kitty, Evan or even Logan. In time they found their place among us. It is my hope that Clark will as well. You have to understand Scott, the Kents sent him here because his differences were isolating him. They are trusting us to make him feel accepted, to help him realize that just because he is different doesn't mean he has to be alone."
Looking Scott in the eyes, he told him "Look Scott, if you don't feel comfortable working with him, then I will find someone else."
"No Professor, I won't let you down.""Thank you Scott. I knew I could count on you and I am sorry you will miss the soccer game. I know how much you want to support Jean."
****
Forty five minutes later Scott, Kurt, Rahne, Roberto and Logan were loading the van for a weekend in the mountains. Now they were just waiting for Clark, it was four o'clock and he still hadn't returned from school. On top of that Roberto was looking a little pale, in spite of his normally dark complexion.
"Where is that boy?" Logan muttered under his breath, checking his watch again. "I wanted to get there before dark."
It was after five when Clark came casually strolling up the drive. To find Logan waiting for him.
"Where you been boy? I wanted to leave more than an hour ago."
Clark looked at him, puzzled.
"I ran a few errands after school. Dinner isn't until seven and I thought that was my deadline. Why? What's going on?"
Logan put a hand to his forehead, rubbing his temples. These teenagers were going to be the death of him.
"Kent, we really need to get you a cell phone. Your probably the only kid on the Eastern Seaboard who doesn't have one."
Clark didn't feel like explaining that a cell phone was a luxury, one his parents really couldn't afford. Not like he had ever needed one. If his friends wanted him they just called on the land line and if his parents wanted him, they just yelled out the back door. They didn't even have to yell very loud.
"I've never needed one." He told him instead.
"Yea, well I think that's changed. The Professor needs to be able to contact any student at any time. Normally he would just call mentally but in your case..."
Clark didn't need to be reminded that he was different, even in a household of misfits.
"Sorry, if I had known I would have come right back."
"I'm not the one you need to apologize to, I won't be pitching tents in the dark."
Logan led the way inside and Clark followed.
"Tents? What's going on?"
Logan gave a half smirk. "We're going camping Kent. A leisurely weekend in the mountains. Now doesn't that sound fun?"
"Isn't it a little late for camping?"
"Well it wouldn't be if you came home at a decent time."
"No, I meant...it's September, isn't it you know, kind of cold for camping?" Clark wasn't all that sure about that, January or July, didn't make any difference to him. He didn't suffer from heat or cold.
"Cold? Naw. Now maybe if you were still in diapers, but a big strapping lad like you shouldn't be bothered. Cold air is invigorating. I would a thought a farm boy like you would already get that. Now go pack an overnight bag and I'll get the others. Go."
Entering his dorm room, Clark found Scott doing homework at the computer desk. Each room did have a computer, Clark normally used the ones in the computer lab for writing e-mail so he wouldn't disturb his roommate in the morning. Thinking of e-mail, he hadn't checked his yet. Looked like now it would be Monday before he got a chance.
Turning the desk chair to face Clark, Scott was still angry and couldn't resist the urge to get in a little dig. "Nice of you to finally come home Clark. Of course it would have been nicer an hour ago."
Logan told him to pack an overnight bag and after a moments thought Clark decided the best thing he had for that was his school bag. So removing his text books, he still carried them for appearance sake, he started removing articles of clothing from his drawers and put them in his backpack.
"Sorry about that, I didn't realize I was supposed to come back early. It's been a long time since I had a four o'clock curfew."
Scott could hear the anger and tension in his voice, even if Clark tried to hide it. Remembering his promise to the Professor, he decided to extend an olive branch.
"Yea, well it was kind of a surprise to all of us. Normally training trips are scheduled in advance but the Professor decided we needed an early start. So...I won't hold it against you."
"Gee golly thanks." Clark said with his best hick drawl. "That's mighty kind of ya, bein big city folk and all."
Scott scowled. "I think you've been spending too much time with Lois." Still, it was kind of a refreshing change from his normally cold but polite behavior.
Clark had finished packing his bag and was in the process of pulling the zipper when his face took on a slightly disturbed cast. "I think you might be right. What a terrifying thought. Do you think I'll be mocking Duncan next?"
Scott chuckled, not missing the shared animosity aimed at the quarterback, Jean's boyfriend. That thought killed his rising humor.
"I don't think you have to be Lois to dislike Duncan, only human."
They shared a chuckle at the quarterback's expense, but Scott thought he saw Clark wince when he said that. For the first time since meeting the farm boy Scott was worried about him. Was Clark so messed up about being a mutant that he had trouble seeing himself as human?
Their moment came to an abrupt end as the door blew open, permitting the entrance of a blonde haired bundle of unstable energy; Tabitha 'Boom Boom' Smith.
"Killjoy." She pouted, looking them both over with obvious disappointment. "I was hoping to catch one of you being less than decent. Oh well, another day. Logan says, and I quote; 'Tell those two to get their skinny butts down here, we're leaving' end quote. So what do ya say?" She gave Clark a good looking over, her eyes stopping on his backside with a lascivious leer. "Get those buns of steel moving big boy, Tabby hasn't got all day."
Standing, Scott blocked her line of sight.
"Tabitha, would it be too much to ask you to knock first?"
Turning to look Scott in the eyes, she gave him a raised brow and a smile that screamed mischief.
"Not at all Slim, I love to knock."
Watching them interact, the two total opposites when it came to personality, Clark saw a tiny mote of light appear above Tabitha's fingers and with a flick of her wrist she sent it flying across the room to land on Scott's pillow. There was a distinct pop as the light flared then exploded, destroying the pillow and filling the air with goose down.
Turning from the decimated remains of his bedding, Scott intended to give the irreverent girl a piece of his mind but she was already through the door and skipping down the hall.
"Light a fire under it Summers, we're burning daylight." She yelled back, voice filled with laughter.
Plucking a slightly blackened feather out of the air, fuming, Scott was suddenly looking forward to a little R&R in the wilderness.
His good mood didn't last long.
"What do you mean Tabitha is coming? I thought it was going to be Roberto."
Scott was confronting Logan, his voice carrying a note of desperation instead of anger.
They were in the garage, loading themselves into the black club wagon van.
"Yea well, Roberto came up sick so Chuck decided to send the blonde firecracker in his place."
"Pull that stick out Scott." The blonde bombshell spouted as she was climbing into the van's front passenger seat. "You know this party would have been A-1 boring without a little Boom Boom to liven it up. I do have to apologize to Rahne though, I know she just has to be disappointed about losing the opportunity to spend the weekend alone with five hunky guys. Sorry girl but don't fret it none, there are still two studs for each of us. I'll even let you have the old guy. You do like older men, right?"
Rahne Sinclair is only fourteen years old, with her hair pulled back into two small ponytails she looked even younger. The Scottish girl's face turning almost as red as her hair, she tried to shrink down and hide in the back seat. She really wished Roberto was able to come. She didn't really know any of the others that well, maybe Kurt a little. Being surrounded by virtual strangers left her feeling a little bit threatened.
Seeing her discomfort, Clark gave her a little smile of reassurance as he climbed in and sat beside her. It only made the young girl turn an even brighter shade as adolescent hormones joined embarrassment. There was a low 'bamph' sound and the smell of brimstone as a blue furred Kurt teleported into the seat on her other side. His image inducer was turned off to conserve its batteries, being out for two whole days would require him to tightly ration its use.
This only made Rahne's situation worse, like most of the younger girls she found the blue furred mutant to be rather cute.
Giving the cause up as lost, Scott turned to ask Tabitha to give up his seat but the girl had already closed the door and was lost in her head phones, her bare feet tapping to the rhythm of the music on the dash. Now it was his turn to turn red as the rebellious part of his teenage mind reminded him that she was wearing a mini-skirt and if he was as tall as Clark, she would have been giving him a free show. Muttering under his breath he climbed into the back with the others.
Once the door closed Logan put the van into drive, leaving the mansion he did his best to ignore his underage companions. Sometimes life wasn't so good.
****
By the time they reached Logan's planned destination in the Appalachian mountains the sun was already setting. They were as far away from anywhere as one could get in the state of New York, in a national forest that was usually empty this late in the year. The perfect place for a little last minute training without witnesses. Entering a state campground through a locked gate, Xavier had a contact in the DNR who made the necessary arrangements, Logan parked the van beside the farthest most campsite in the park.
Turning on the interior light, Logan reached past the sleeping Tabitha to the glove box where he removed a small metal box. Opening it he started handing out watches.
"Each of these has a built in GPS unit that is linked to the one in the van. With their help you should be able to find your way back here, no matter how lost you get. The little blue button is a light so you can read it at night. The red button, now listen up this is important, the red button is a panic button. Hit it and it will send an SOS with your current location to the van, the mansion and all the other watches. Don't hit it unless you need to. Ororo doesn't like getting woken up in the middle of the night and the Professor has better things to do then pull your backsides out of the woods."
He looked each of them in the eye, looking for evidence that they understood what he said. When he came to the softly snoring Tabitha he rolled his eyes in dismay.
"Scott, I'm trusting you to make sure sleeping beauty here gets the message. Make sure she doesn't blow anything up, will ya."
Scott nodded but the look in his eyes showed he didn't hold out much hope of being successful. Seeing this, Kurt was quick to promise to take care of it. Logan had noticed that the elf seemed to be a little enamored of the outspoken girl. He hoped the little fur ball didn't end up getting his feelings hurt. As loud as the kid was it would be a trial for everybody.
"All right elf, she's your responsibility."
"Logan," Scott piped up. "I'm as big a fan of hanging in the woods after dark as the next guy, but what exactly are we doing out here? What sort of training are we doing?"
Logan gave him an amused smile, glad that someone finally thought to ask.
"Simple Scott. You and the Brady Bunch are going to camp here for the night, while I take a little hike. Starting tomorrow morning, I'll leave how early up to you, it's a little game of hide and seek. In other words you try to find me, while I do my best to make it as hard as possible. You have until sundown to do so. If at that point I'm still lost, you will return to the van in defeat and wait for me to get bored."
"Uh, Logan. Vhat if we find you before that?" Kurt asked. He really didn't want to spend his weekend in the woods. He spent most of his life in social isolation and was really enjoying being able to live like a normal person.
"Well elf, then we go home early and you get to waste time cruising the mall. Consider it motivation to speed things along."
Exiting the van, Logan walked around to the back as Scott opened the side door. Opening the rear, Logan pulled out his backpack loaded with the few things he felt he might need over the next two days. Including a first aid kit in case one of his charges did something stupid. He prayed it wouldn't be needed.
"I'll leave you to your marsh mellow roasting, see you when I see you. Most likely here tomorrow night. Good luck."
Still tying the straps on his pack, Logan started off into the woods.
"Vell, this is the funnest. I'm so glad the Profezzor decided to give us this opportunity to commune with nature. All the same though, I'm sleeping in the van."
Scott gave Kurt the eye, not that it was easy to tell behind his glasses.
"What are you complaining about Kurt? At least with your fur you don't have to worry about mosquitoes."
Stretching out, Kurt responded with a grin. "That's right. Der are so many advantages to being da fuzzy man."
The three started unloading their gear from the van and pitching tents. They left Tabitha asleep in the van, silently agreeing that this would all go much quicker and easier without her unique brand of input. They placed an electric lamp in the middle of the camp site and set about pitching the tents as best they could. Clark was struggling to put up his.
Rahne on the other hand, had hers up in three shakes of the proverbial dog's leg. She had done her share of roughing it. "Hey Clark, having a hard time seeing?" She asked when she noticed his difficulty.
"Uh, no I can see just fine. I'm just not sure how this goes, I've never pitched a tent before."
The others stared at him in amazement.
"Your kidding." Scott's disbelief was clear in his tone. "A corn fed farm boy like you? Weren't you in the Boy Scouts?"
"No." Clark continued struggling with the tent, not looking the other boy in the eye. "My parents didn't think it was a good idea. Too risky."
Giving up on the poles for the moment, Clark decided to stake it to the ground first, see if that helped. Circling the tent he drove the metal spikes into the ground with his thumb. Kurt was reaching out to offer him the hammer when he witnessed the first stake going in like a knife through Jell-O. The same task had taken more effort for him and he used the hammer.
"Whoa! Vhat do they feed you mon frere?"
Clark couldn't believe he had done that. Was he already so comfortable around the others that he was beginning to forget what he could do? He reminded himself that they already knew he wasn't normal, that they weren't normal. 'It's okay.' He told himself, if only he could believe it.
Rahne helped him with the poles, quickly assembling the confusing mess into something usable without breaking a single fiberglass pole. Kurt and Scott started on Tabitha's.
"Ve should just let her sleep on the ground." Kurt grumbled.
Scott grinned at him. "Really? You know she would just kick you out of your tent don't you?"
Kurt grimaced, then let slip a shy smile.
"Maybe I could offer to share. She be happy with that, no?"
"Put it back in the holster cowboy. Let's just put up her tent and be done with it."
Once they finished, Tabitha woke up just long enough to say "Cool, room service." Before disappearing into her tent for the night.
Agreeing that it would be too much of a hassle cooking in the dark, they all decided to skip dinner and turn in. Climbing into his sleeping bag, Clark listened to the sound of the other's heart beats leveling out into sleep. Growing up he wished he could go camping with the other kids, envious of Pete's stories about scouting. Now he had his chance. Maybe coming to the institute had some advantages after all. It would be nice to just relax and be himself.
****
Saturday morning Clark was the first to awaken, leaving his tent, knowing from the steady rhythm of their heart beats that the others were still deep in dream land. With nothing to do until the others woke up, he decided to make breakfast. He may not know much about camping but he did know how to cook over a gas stove. How different could it be?
They brought charcoal briquettes with them and before long he was blowing on the heating coals. It had been easy to light, though he had used too much 'scout water' and if he had been anyone else he would be short his bangs and eyebrows. Armed with a cast iron pan, metal tongs and a spatula, he cracked open several eggs. Adding bacon, cheese and some spices to make omelets.
It hadn't been cooking long when he heard a change in Rahne's heart beat and sluggish movement from within her tent. Looking up, a good morning already on his lips, he dropped the spatula in surprise when a real life wolf stuck its head out of her tent. Its reddish brown fur gleaming in the light of the fire, it looked from the food to him and he could have sworn it looked pleased. Before his startled eyes, the wolf morphed into Rahne, pony tails and all.
"Morning Clark." She greeted cheerfully as she wrapped a jacket around herself to ward off the chill morning air.
"Morning." Clark's eyes grew wide as he spotted the dropped spatula resting in the coals, its wooden handle just starting to discolor in the heat and flames. He had resolved to stop worrying so much about hiding his abilities and without the benefit of gloves, he reached into the fire and snatched it out. Then using a little of their bottled water and a paper towel he wiped it clean.
Now it was Rahne's turn to stare. "Didn't that burn?" She asked.
Clark held up his hand so she could see it was fine.
Looking at him, she realized that while she was shivering in her heavy jacket, he appeared to be perfectly comfortable in just a t-shirt.
"Is that your mutant power? Not to be affected by heat or cold."
He shrugged, not sure how to answer without technically lying.
"It doesn't bother me, no." Deciding that not saying too much was better then out and out falsehood.
"Cool." She gave him a cheerful smile. "I was tempted to stay a wolf, warm in my furry coat but then I wouldn't have been able to eat that breakfast. It smells wonderful."
"Thank you. My mother would be pleased to know her cooking lessons weren't in vain."
Dishing some out, Clark left the rest in the pan on the fire. When the others crawled out of their tents he dished out more, while Rahne testified to how good it tasted.
Tabitha was the last to arise. She was halfway through her plate before her eyes opened enough to show their bright blue color.
"Hey, where's the coffee? I need a hot cup of Joe if I'm going to go traipsing through the woods."
Scott shook his head. "We didn't bring any, so I'm afraid you'll have to settle for a cold can of Coke."
"It's not so bad." Kurt nudged her with a smile. "At least there is caffeine."
"Yea, great. I forgot how much I love roughing it."
With two quick bamphs, Kurt was back and handing her a cold red can.
"Thanks Blue." She took the can, giving him a dazzling smile in return. Kurt nearly melting into a blue puddle of fur at her feet.
Clark and Rahne had started first, so they also finished first, cleaning up while the others were still eating. When everyone was done they each disappeared back into their tents to get ready for a day of hiking. Clark put on his flannel jacket over his t-shirt, not wanting to stand out too much if they managed to run into someone in the woods. The odds weren't very good, but better safe than sorry. Kurt was staying blue and fuzzy, ready to teleport away or activate his image inducer at a moments notice.
"So, how ve going to do this?" He asked. "You know Logan is not going to make this easy."
Scott was exchanging his sun glasses for his more practical visor. "I was hopping Rahne could lead us to him. What do you think Rahne, can you track him?"
"I think so." Shifting into her full wolf form, she trotted off in the direction Logan went the night before. Sniffing around on the ground until she found his spore, she looked back at the others before trotting off into the woods.
"Here's to a successful hunt and a quick return." Scott said before following the wolf girl.
****
Liwei may be of Chinese descent and rather small in stature, but he was anything but humble. At only five feet and three inches tall, he wore only the finest clothes and carried himself with a larger than life attitude.
He was special and he knew it. He did his best to make sure the rest of the world knew it too.
He was currently in Vegas, the club at the Mirage Casino to be precise. He didn't really care for Vegas, he hated the dry air of the desert and considered the gaudy glitz and over embellished glamour of the city to be beneath him. He preferred the understated elegance and extravagant wealth of Manhattan. Not to mention his home neighborhood of Chinatown. He was in Vegas because the money was easy. With his gifts dice and the spinning wheel were his best friends. When playing at the craps table or the roulette wheel everything always fell his way, for that was his gift, making things fall. He cut his teeth playing dice in back alleys and backrooms in Chinatown, before going to Atlantic City where he got too cocky, winning too much on dice until the casinos blacklisted him. It didn't matter that they couldn't figure out how he was cheating, they knew that no one won that consistently and even if it was just luck, they reserved the right to refuse service to anyone, especially people who broke a quarter million in one night. Regretfully leaving the city on the coast behind, he came to this oasis in the desert to seek his fortune. Careful not to make the same mistake again, he expanded his repertoire to include any game of chance where he could get close enough and where gravity had an influence on the outcome. He also learned not to win too much at one time or in one place, spreading his activities over a wide swath.
So now he was in Vegas, doing his best not to stand out too much at the tables, while doing everything he could to stand out everywhere else. Like here in this bar, where he was doing his level best to make the ladies tumble for him. Wearing a five thousand dollar suit with the finest in tasteful accessories, while throwing money around like it wasn't water in the desert. If he threw enough of it around then some girl would fall for him, it never failed and tonight was no exception.
Though the girl in question was, she was far from his normal catch. Caucasian, with dark brown eyes and hair with just a tinge of honey in her long tresses. Slender of build with curves in all the right places, best displayed by the little black number she was wearing. She was the very definition of classical beauty. She was also five six without the three inch heels and looked to be in her thirties. Liewi would never admit it but normally he found taller and older women to be intimidating, preferring something more akin to petite and fresh out of high school. Not tonight, tonight this woman was very much the exception.
Liewi was enjoying a sexual rush equal to anything he had ever felt between the sheets and all she had done so far was place a delicate hand upon his own. If she could get him this excited by only holding his hand, then there was no way he was turning down her attentions. He would stand on a box if he had to.
Now he was following her back to her hotel, his head lost in a euphoric haze.
Leading the dazed boy by the hand, she hadn't broken physical contact with him once since joining him at the bar, she gave him a seductive smile before pulling him down an alley and away from the brightly lit and crowded street. He was following, a fool's smile plastered across his fine Asian features when gravity decided to help him once again. Walking with his head in the clouds he never saw the unattended and empty beer bottle lying in his path, causing him to stumble and fall. Landing hard on his knees, hands stretched out before him to keep his head from bouncing off the pavement, he broke contact with his lady friend. His ardor cooled instantly with the lose of her touch.
Kneeling on the ground, Liewi's mind suddenly cleared. Looking up he saw her stumbling on the unsteady platform of spiked heels, having been nearly pulled from her own feet when he fell. Steadying herself she turned towards him, the suggestive smile back on her face as she reached for him.
"What's wrong handsome, are we feeling impatient?"
She was bending down, reaching for him, when with a flash of insight he realized that letting her touch him again was a very bad idea. His mind and senses blessed with a clarity brought on by fear, Liewi saw his surroundings for the first time. He was in an empty alley with a woman who he realized had never even told him her name. It hadn't seemed important when he was under the influence of her touch. He saw a black, unmarked van with darkened windows parked at the far end of the alley with its rear end facing towards him. Standing behind it was a tall man with dark hair and a severe black suit that lacked any style. Next to him was a woman with long blonde hair, dressed entirely in black form fitting leather; boots, pants and jacket.
The streets of the big apple were not kind to those who hesitated and Liewi was not slow to act. With a warding gesture, he caused his would be date to fall away from him as gravity took a ninety degree turn, now running parallel to the ground. Slamming into the far wall of the alley, gravity then reverted to normal allowing her to tumble to the pavement.
The couple at the end of the alley were quick to act as well.
"Angela! Blind him, now!" The poorly dressed man yelled to his female companion.
Raising her hands before her, she sent a wave of darkness down the alley to wash over Liewi. Leaving him in a void, the total absence of light.
Liewi smirked, they underestimated him, the darkness would do little to hinder one with his magnificent gifts. Releasing gravity's hold on him, he started to rise towards the sky.
"He's rabbiting!" A woman's voice yelled.
The darkness did nothing to inhibit sound and Liewi heard the distinctive click of the van doors being opened.
"Rupert! Release your dog!" The man yelled to someone unseen.
Liewi tried to speed his ascent as he heard the sound of claws scrabbling on pavement. Then he felt a heavy weight slam into him with horrific force. Hot, foul breath blowing across his face, Liewi fell back to earth and into the dark embrace of unconsciousness.
