Calamity

"Show me the map again."

"It won't help you to look at a map if you don't know where you are!" Annabel yelled at me, but opened the map anyway.

I was dressed in borrowed sweats from Stark and had a stomach full of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I kept my promise about making it the best in the world, it was fucking delicious. I had also fixed my hair, buzzing the sides though I didn't have time to re dye the roots. I was hoping that once we got to where ever we were going I be able to fix it. Bruce had suggested that I get rid of it because it made me stick out among the crowd, but I refused. It was the only thing I had left from my life before and I wasn't about to give it up.

I continued to drive aimlessly around the backwoods roads that Bruce had insisted we take. I had gotten lost a long while ago and I was pretty sure I was going in circles. Annabel wasn't helping the matter, she was like a back seat driver only she would actually grab the wheel from you at times. All along the way we argued about whether or not to stop and ask for directions.

"Do you see any houses out here?" Annabel asked annoyed. "I can't believe that you couldn't follow simple directions, especially when you life's on the line!" She crossed her arms and huffed out an annoyed breath.

"Hey look a drive way!" I yelled excitedly and made a sharp right turn, kicking up a cloud of dust from the dirt road.

"Jesus Christ! Are you seriously trying to get us killed!?" She flattened herself to the seat and braced herself against the door like she was going to hop out at any moment.

"Calm down, we're fine. We've finally found a house."

"Maybe, if there's anything at the end of this really long piece of dirt." She clung to the safety handle like there was no tomorrow, her knuckles turning white.

"I see a gate!" I put my hands in the air and let out a cry of victory.

"Dear god put your hands on the wheel you crazy ass women!" Annabel grabbed the steering wheel and pulled a hard right to avoid crashing into the Iron Gate. I slammed my foot on the brakes and we slide just within inches of the large metal barrier.

As soon as we stopped Annabel jumped out of the car and fell to the ground. I stepped out and peered over the top of the car at her. "Something wrong with you?"

"Something wrong with me?!" She stood up and brushed the dust off her pants.

"What did I do?!"

She shook her head. "You are never driving again…."

"Can I help you two with something?" We both jumped as a dark skinned woman with short white hair spoke from the other side of the gate.

"Oh, um yeah, we're… "I paused and looked to Annabel. She was just staring at the woman with wide eyes and a red face. When I saw she wasn't going to say anything I continued. "We're sort of lost….. Could you tell us how to get to Brazil?"

She sighed and unlocked the gate, mumbling to herself. "Why don't you guys come in, we have a computer you can use." She opened the gate and waited for us to enter.

Looking again to Annabel I saw she was looking at the ground. Wondering why she would go quiet all the sudden I slowly followed the dark haired woman. I heard Annabel fall in behind me and watched as the woman slowly shut the gate. We all turned and I was struck by the sight of a large beautiful house. Lots of kids ran around freely, shouting and talking with their friends. A few grownups were scattered here and there supervising the children.

A man with a wheelchair approached us and my vision started to go. "Annabel?!" Fuzzy green specks dotted my line of sight and I reached out in her direction, quickly taking steps back away from the children.

"Cal?" I turned toward her voice and she was completely swallowed by the green flames dancing in my head. "Xavier! Get out of her head! You'll kill us all!"

A roaring voice filled my head and I covered my ears to the booming voice. I've been trapped for too long, it's time I break free and burn.

My vision quickly cleared and I found myself kneeling the grass. I shook my head to get the lingering ringing out of my ears. That voice left a chill in my bones, it's voice still rumbling through my chest. I've never heard that before; could it be the thing that Banner thought lived in my blood? If so, why would it only speak now?

I didn't hear anything and looked around to see what was going on. I was alone in the field, soccer balls lay motionless and forgotten in the grass. Looking around I didn't see any sign of me exploding and furrowed my brow in confusion.

"Ummmmm… Annabel?" I pushed myself up into a standing position. Looking around I could make out small faces pressed to the windows of the large mansion. Squinting I tried to make out any of the faces and couldn't. Turning around in circles I checked the tree line for where she could have hidden and saw nothing.

"Hey kid! You alright?" I gruff voice sounded from my right and I turned to reveal a scruffy looking man. He was a few inches taller than me, with dark hair and…

"Mutton chops? Seriously? That's what you went with?" He growled and I saw his muscles tense through his shirt. Maybe I shouldn't be insulting someone who can snap me in half like a twig. Gulping I continued, "Do you know where my friend went?'

"She's inside with everyone else. We had to hide everyone, apparently you're explosive." He took out a cigar and stuck it in his mouth. "Gotta light?"

"Not unless you want to keep your face."

He snorted and stuck the cigar back in his mouth. "The Professor wants a word with you. I'm supposed to make sure you're not gonna blow up the whole school."

"Ummm….. I'm fine as long as that guy stays away from me. I don't know what he did, but I almost went nuclear." I looked him up and down. "So why did they send you out to talk to the explosive girl? You pull the short straw?"

"Well believe it or not I'm fire proof." He smirked and motioned for me to follow him towards the house.

"Well if you didn't already know, it's not really fire. It's more like a flesh eating virus that affects the bone marrow." I held my breath and tried not to laugh as he gave me a panicked face. "Just kidding. Yeah, it's fire."

I could hear a low mumble emanating from his mouth. "No wonder you and Annabel are friends, both of you have a horrible sense of humor."