Hey all! Welcome to the revised edition of my story The Problem with Invisible Mutations. If you've been keeping up with the story thus far (and I hate to do this again), I'd suggest you re-read it. Some important changes have been made. These changes affect the development of the story as a whole. I really want to make sure I'm putting my best work out there, so that's why I keep revising. A massive thank you to all those who put in the time and effort to read my story. You all motivate me to keep writing.
Note: For those of you who don't remember or perhaps know (?) Selene Gallio was the original Black Queen of the Hellfire Club. She wasn't in the movie, but I personally feel like Angel was written like that to fill her spot. I first heard of her in The New Mutants comics and I always thought it was cool that she was ruler of the Amazons or something. Anyway, I liked her character and decided to give her a mention in this story.
Come morning, Joanna and Charles had a meeting with Fred Duncan. He said he wanted to show them some sort of transformed radar. It would apparently enhance Charles' telepathic powers and help them find others like them.
"What if they don't want to be found by you?"
A masculine voice had interrupted Duncan's monologue. Joanna and Charles quickly turned to the door. Joanna grinned.
"Erik!" Charles sounded surprised. "You decided to stay."
Erik cast them both a barely detectable smile, before continuing.
"If a new species is being discovered, it should be by its own kind. Charles, Joanna, and I find the mutants. No others."
"First of all that's my machine out there. Second of all, much more importantly this is Charles' decision. Charles is fine with us being involved. Isn't that right?"
Charles looked at Erik.
Erik looked at Charles.
They were having a telepathic conversation.
"No, I'm sorry, but...I'm with Erik. We'll find them alone," Charles finally said.
"Surely you, Agent Storm, don't agree? Think of the regulations." The man looked at Joanna hopefully.
"To be honest, I'm not sure I mind. But, I'm afraid I've been overruled. Two against one."
Duncan sighed.
"What if I say no?"
"Then good luck using your installation without me."
Charles looked confident.
Minutes later, they were standing inside the radar. True to his word, Duncan made it happen.
"Do you think it's gonna work?" Raven moved to stand next to Joanna.
"It's going to screw up Charles' brain cells and ultimately end up killing him."
Raven stared at her shocked.
Of course I think it's going to work. After all, Henry built it."
As soon as the word "Henry" left Joanna's mouth, a pink blush crept onto Raven's cheeks. Something told her that Hank and Charles weren't going to be bosom buddies for long.
"The electrodes connect Charles to the transmitter on the roof. When he picks up a mutant, his brain sends a signal through a relay. Then, the coordinates of their location are printed out here," Hank stated.
Unlike Charles he looked rather nervous. Speaking of Charles, the man had already connected himself to the machine and was awaiting Hank to switch it on. Joanna already knew the prospect of finding new mutants made him more excited than he cared to put into words.
"What an adorable lab rat you make, Charles." Erik smirked at Charles, who at that point was raring to go.
"Don't spoil this for me, Erik."
"I've been a lab rat. I know one when I see one."
Hank quickly broke the tension by adjusting some wires connected to Charles' head.
"Are you sure we can't shave your head?"
"I think it's a good idea," Raven added.
"Don't touch my hair," the telepath replied a bit more seriously than before.
Hank gave a small shake of his head and hurried off the start the contraption.
Charles closed his eyes.
Joanna suddenly felt sick. Charles was one of her oldest friends. What if...something actually happened to him? Her sarcasm a few moments earlier suddenly wasn't all that humerous.
The room darkened and the panels in front of Hank lit up. Charles gave gasp of pain and grabbed the rails. Both Raven and Joanna's eyes went wide. The wave of nausea crept up upon Joanna again. She felt helpless. Just ask she was about to make a run for it, Hank broked the agonizing silence.
"It's working!"
Charles smiled and Joanna breathed a sigh of relief. Everything was alright.
Moments later, Charles was disconnected from the machine and the five of the were looking over the list of had got at least five locations in one go.
"Should we start recruiting tomorrow?" Hank sounded nervous again.
"I don't know about you lot, but I can't think of a better time to start than now," Charles was nowhere near exhausted from using the machine.
Erik agreed and Joanna found herself outvoted again. She wasn't sure that they should be recruiting in the first place. How old were these recruits? Did they have previous combat experience? These were all important things to consider, from her perspective.
However, she wasn't the one making the decisions here. It was her job to watch, not decide. It was about sixty-percent Charles, forty-percent Erik, and zero-percent Joanna.
Soon enough, the two people with the power to make decisions decided. Charles, Erik, and Joanna were to leave immediately to pick up the first mutant, but for some reason they didn't want to bring along Hank and Raven...
The car ride to where their first potential recruit resided was enjoyable. Charles and Erik talked casually and Joanna was more than content to stare out the window. She was starting to think the whole "recruiting" thing wasn't going to be so bad...until they stopped in front of a strip club.
So that's why they didn't bring Hank and Raven.
"Ready?" Charles turned around from the front street and stared at his companions.
Erik nodded and was about to open the door when Joanna spoke.
"Maybe you two would be better off without me on this one?"
"Now, now love. This no time to be getting cold feet," Charles looked at her mockingly.
"Didn't you say something about being a part of something bigger than all of us?" Yet another smirk from Erik.
What did she do to him? Oh right, she still had his jacket. That happened.
Joanna rolled her eyes and looked at her feet.
"If you insist."
"I do."
Smoothing out her colorful shirt-dress, she stepped out into the darkness of the night. That's when she realized how wrong this all was.
The two of them gave her a slight nod a headed toward the club.
"I will be a part of something; just not right now."
Her looked clearly stated that nothing would change her mind.
"This recruit is a stripper. I don't know how you plan to recruit her, but having me there won't help. I guarantee you. A woman, in want of a lap dance? I think not."
Both men looked at each and shrugged.
"Wait here then. We'll be back, hopefully with the new mutant, and then go find a diner to lunch at. Sound good?"
Joanna gave her friend a meek nod and leaned back into the plush leather seats.
Both Charles and Erik left the car and headed into the building. It was just Joanna and the driver now.
"Would you like some music, miss? Your two friends were talking earlier and I didn't think there'd be much place for it."
"Yes, please. Believe me, you don't know how wonderful that sounds right now."
Charles and Erik were discussing the future of their current state of affairs, quite animatedly, and Joanna didn't want to think about it. Music was just the thing she needed to distract her. The man nodded and flicked on the radio. A cheery song about surfing in America came on and Joanna instantly felt some of her anxiousness subside.
She wasn't sure why she hadn't gone to the strip club with them. She wasn't usually so "boring" as Raven would put it. Something just...felt wrong about that whole lifestyle. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it just felt wrong. That's when it hit her. It reminded her of someone she'd met along time ago.
June 17, 1960
"You're awfully young."
Joanna looked up from her file. In front of her, stood a woman dressed a sparkly sheath, with sheer sleeves, wrapped in a coat of some poor animal's fur.
"Can I help you?"
"What are you deaf or something? I said you're awfully young to have this job."
"What can I say? I have connections."
"Oh. Now that's interesting. Connections like Senator Ellis?"
Joanna desperately wanted to this woman to go away and stop questioning her, but it didn't look like that was about to happen.
"Once again, can I help you with something?"
"It must be him, huh. Word on the street is, he likes 'em young."
"I'm sorry, but this is the CIA and I'm busy. Perhaps, you'd like to discuss these matters with...someone else?"
"Calm the hell down, chica. I was just trying to make friendly conversation."
"Okay then, if you don't mind me asking, why are you here?"
"Oh. Let's put it this way...I'm an early birthday present for Mr. Stryker."
"..."
"What's wrong? Need me to tighten your chastity belt or something?"
"I didn't know he was into that...lifestyle."
"Trust me, hon. All men are."
"If you say so."
"Ever met a seductress before?"
"I thought the running term was prostitute."
"For some, but not for me. The name's, Selene. Selene Gallio."
"Agent Storm."
"Wow, aren't you a friendly one."
"..."
"You don't have a first name?"
Joanna sighed. Talk about difficult.
"Joanna."
"Well, Jo...Wanna know what makes me different?"
"I'm sorry, different?"
"From all those other bitches working the streets."
"Not particularly."
"I command respect and I get it. No man or woman ever takes advantage of me. I make sure of it."
"I'm sure you do."
Their brief chat was interrupted by Agent Sterling's secretary. He'll see you now, ma'am.
"Until we meet again, Jo."
The woman flashed her a patronizing smile, one a little to friendly for Joanna's liking.
"Pleasant sit, love? Did you ponder your life?"
Charles and Erik had returned, the new recruit with them. She certainly looked a bit like Selene. Joanna hoped with every fiber of her being, she wouldn't be like her too.
Joanna stated unblinkingly at the telepath. It was a while before she recovered enough to answer.
"Err...yes. It was very enlightening."
"Good to hear."
He turned to the young woman standing beside Erik.
"Ms. Salvatore, this is Joanna Storm . A good friend of Mr. Lensherr and myself."
The dark haired woman gave Joanna a small smile and stuck out her hand.
"Call me Angel."
