"I'm going to ask you one more time…Have you seen a small child running around. He can't be any more than six years-old. Brown hair, scrawny little thing?"
"I've said it once and I'll say it again. There are a lot of children running around here without parents. I don't usually pay attention to them. They all look the same to me."
Erik growled and released the man's jacket, running a hand through his hair. He'd been searching all day for Charles, and had angered quite a few people in his search. He hadn't let that deter him though. He knew Charles was still around, he just wasn't sure where the boy had run off to.
Stepping out of the pub he'd just been in, Erik scanned the streets for any sign of the boy. A scrap of cloth or a shoe or anything to give him a direction to search in. The street was just as barren of clues as it had been when he'd first arrived. He groaned and started down the street, oblivious to almost everything around him.
A few people called out to him, trying to sell their wares, but he didn't pay them any attention. What if Charles wasn't around? What if Shaw had grabbed the boy without his noticing? No, impossible. Charles would have called out or caused a disturbance. The boy was smart enough to know not to just wander off. Especially after what had happened on the train.
Thunder drew Erik out of his thoughts, his gaze turning up to the darkening sky. He stood still for a moment, eyes glued to the sky before he continued on his way. He couldn't leave Charles behind, but he had a higher duty to get to. The boy would have to survive on his own.
This thought made him pause, his eyes widening in surprise. He was harsh, yes. He took pride in his ability to distance himself from his emotions. But Charles had changed that. The small orphaned child had managed to do what no one since his mother had been able to do. Erik froze at the end of the street, remaining in place even as the rain began to fall.
He couldn't just leave Charles here. Not after everything the boy had gone through. He couldn't bring himself to do something that horrible. Without a second glance at the station, he turned around and walked back into the town.
He walked the street once more, pausing to speak to the few people still out. No one had seen the boy, and Erik was beginning to lose hope. He'd decided to turn in for the night when a door slammed open behind him. He turned, narrowing his eyes against the darkness.
"Who's there?" He snapped. Silence answered him, hanging over the street for a brief moment. Finally, the sound of running footsteps broke through the rain.
"Erik!"
"Charles?"
The boy was in his arms a moment later, laughing as Erik spun him around and hugged him close.
"Don't you wander off like that again, do you hear me?" He murmured, looking down at the boy with a small frown. "Something could have happened to you." Erik smoothed a hand over the boy's damp hair, thankful to have him back.
The boy looked down, pouting before opening his mouth to speak. He opened his mouth to speak, but a loud cough from behind them cut him off.
"It's a good thing I was around to make sure nothing did."
Erik's head snapped up, eyes locking onto the woman from the train. He tightened his grip on Charles, turning to try and keep the boy away from her. The woman remained in the door, protected from the rain by the awning above her head.
"Who are you?" Erik asked, fighting to keep his voice under control. He could have walked away, but didn't want to upset anyone farther. Though from the look in her eyes, he had already done that.
The woman sighed and shook her head. "Agent MacTaggert. CIA."
Erik rolled his eyes and groaned.
"Damn Americans, sticking their noses in where they don't belong. What do you want from us?"
"How about you come inside and get out of the rain. The last thing we want is a sick child." She stepped aside and gestured into the building, raising her eyebrow at Erik's hesitance. "If you can't keep an eye on him if he's healthy, how are you going to care for him if he gets sick?"
Erik had set Charles down by this point, hands curling into fists at his sides. He approached the woman, eyes dark.
"Who are you to tell me what I can and cannot do with the boy?" He demanded. The woman tilted her head in surprise before huffing.
"A child needs someone who will take care of them no matter what. And despite what Charles was telling me, you don't seem to be taking good care of him. When's the last time he had a true meal, hm?"
Erik was silent, eyes burning into the woman opposite him. Charles clung to his sleeve, eyes flicking between the adults with worry. Erik took a step forward, the metal street lights beginning to quiver and bend.
"He was going to get one tonight before you came along and stole away with him."
"Stole away with him? He came to me!" She snapped, mirroring the step forward, almost daring Erik to react. His lips curled into a snarl and he stepped forward once again into the woman's space. She didn't back down.
"Erik…" Charles warned, voice timid in the tense moment. The older man paid no attention to him, glaring down at the woman who refused to back away.
"We don't need your help." He said, each word a low growl. Charles had tucked his face into Erik's shoulder and gave up his attempts to calm the man.
The woman raised an eyebrow, opening her mouth to speak before pausing. Her she stared at the cloud of red smoke that had appeared behind Erik, head cocked to the side. Her words faded and turned into a horrified screech, eyes blowing wide. Erik whirled around, cursing as his eyes fell on the source of the woman's fright.
A figure stood where the smoke had been, his red skin obvious in the low light. Erik stood in shock, staring at the devil before setting Charles down. The woman moved forward, leading the child back into the building.
The two figure stood in the middle of the rain drenched street, staring at each other. Finally, the devil stepped forward, tail flicking behind him like a whip, and spoke.
"The child. " He said, holding out a hand.
Erik expected flames to leap out of its palm, and he took a step back as though that would save him. He frowned when he realized that was not the case, narrowing his eyes at the devil.
"You want the child? You'll have to get through me first."
The devil's lips curled into a smirk, his eyes flashing before he was gone. Erik turned in a quick circle, hands curling into fists in anticipation of a blow. It came from behind, the devil's tail lashing out and sending him sprawling forward. A street lamp swung down, the light dying as it connected with the devil's chest. He vanished again in the air, reappearing behind Erik. Without hesitation, the devil curled his tail around the man's neck.
The metal bender's hands flew up, tugging in an attempt to get free. As he struggled, nails pulled free from the crates piled on the sides of the road, and flew towards the devil. Too late he vanished, three of the dozen nails finding their mark.
Erik stumbled forward, gasping for air and scanning the street. It had gone quiet, the devil nowhere in sight. He edged his way back towards the building, aware of every small noise. Charles had cracked the door open, beckoning Erik in with a frantic wave. The man hesitated a moment before walking over, about to head into the building.
"Duck!"
At the woman's voice he dropped down, flinching at the shot. He turned, staring wide eyed at the devil who had one hand pressed to his bleeding arm. He looked down to the wound, growling before launching himself at Erik, eyes blazing. Erik pushed himself back to his feet and lunged forward, the two colliding halfway.
More lights were beginning to flick on, people emerging from their homes in confusion. A woman screamed at the sight of the devil and man in the street, drawing both their gazes to her. While Erik turned, the devil lashed out with his tail. The spiked tip slashed over Erik's chest, leaving a narrow gash. The devil then vanished, leaving Erik alone in the street.
Charles raced forward, grabbing his hand and trying to pull him out of the street. Erik followed, his chest stinging where the devil's tail had pierced skin. Several people had emerged from their homes and were examining the scene. One woman clung to her husband, demanding that he tell her she hadn't just seen the devil.
Agent MacTaggert ushered both Charles and Erik into a room, shutting the door. She turned to look at the two, her expression unreadable.
"What was that?" She demanded. Erik ignored her and settled down, cradling a trembling Charles close to his side.
"Hell if I know." He muttered, smoothing his hand over Charles' hair and murmuring to the boy. "I've never seen anything like that before. He…he was the devil."
"There's no such thing." She snapped, shaking her head. "The devil doesn't exist."
"Then how do you explain him? How do you explain the tail and the red skin?" Erik demanded, lifting his gaze to glare at the woman.
Charles, who had been silent, swiped at his eyes before he willed himself to speak.
"A mutant. Like us."
Both Erik and the woman fell silent, turning to look down at the boy.
"A mutant?" She repeated, eyes narrowing. "Like us?"
Erik was quiet for a moment before sighing and pulling his shirt off, wincing as he did.
"If you would be so kind to help me with this, I would be glad to explain." He said, the words heavy in his mouth.
For the longest time he had believed it was only himself, that he was alone. Shaw had spoken of others, but Erik had always believed it to be wishful thinking. Then Charles had come along, along with the other telepath, and now a devil. He looked up as the woman sat next to him, a box resting in her lap.
"You have until I'm finished to explain everything."
-0-
"So just let me get this straight." Moira said, pinching the bridge of her nose as she leaned back. "You got experimented on as a boy because you could...what was it again?"
"Control metal." Erik replied, examining the stitches on his chest. Moira, as they had learned her true name was, had a steady hand when it came to stitching up wounds.
"Right, control metal. So now you're hunting him down for revenge. Charles fits in because you found him wandering a town and decided to take him with you?"
"I followed, actually." Charles interrupted. Moira cast a glance to him and managed a small smile before nodding.
"Okay. And now this Shaw guy wants Charles because of…?" She trailed off, looking between the two for an explanation.
"We don't know why." Erik replied, pulling Charles in close to his side. The boy nodded, dropping his gaze and curling close to Erik's side. Moira pursed her lips and nodded.
"Oh…well that doesn't help much at all."
"No, it doesn't." Erik agreed, "But that doesn't mean there isn't a reason for it. We just need to figure out what it is."
"Me." Charles said, fighting back a yawn. "It's me…"
Erik was quiet, looking down with a small frown. "You? How do you know that?"
"He was thinking it." Charles said, dropping his gaze and swallowing. "Shaw sent him…he wanted me so that he could get to you. He's planning something."
A heavy silence settled over the room, the three occupants lost in their thoughts. Finally Erik spoke, shifting about and tucking Charles in.
"You need to sleep. We'll figure out what to do in the morning. It…it's been a long day for us all."
Charles looked up and hesitated a moment before closing his eyes and curling up.
"Promise you'll still be here?"
Erik looked down to the boy and nodded, brushing a strand of hair out of his face.
"Of course."
Charles nodded and was asleep in moments, hugging the pillow to his chest. Erik watched him a moment before looking up to Moira.
"You have more questions." He said. It was a statement, more than a question of his own.
She locked gazes with him and nodded.
