X3 Last Stand
Chapter Eleven: Hank McCoy
Henry McCoy who also goes by the knick name Hank, is in a car heading to meet the helicopter which will be transporting him to Alcatraz. He thought back to his visit yesterday to the Xavier institute. It had been about twenty years since he'd been at the mansion. He started out as one of the first mutants to stay at the institute and was one of the original members of the Xmen team. One might say he was a member of the first class of students at the institute.
Hank first discovered his mutation as a boy and noticed his feet were growing out abnormally. To hide his feet, Hank would keep his shoes on and would not interact with other children. He usually kept to himself and was often teased for it. It wasn't until he was much older where his parents discovered he was a mutant. They kept it a secret from everyone. Despite his growing mutation, Hank was a brilliant kid. He graduated junior high school and went straight to high school. He didn't like it in fact he at one point stopped going. Professor Xavier had found him using cerebro and paid his family a visit. He explained to Hank that like him he's a mutant and runs a school for gifted students. Hank was intrigued and begged his folks to let him attend Professor Xavier's school. His parents readily accepted.
Once he arrived at the school, Hank loved it quickly becoming one of Professor Xavier's best students. He even helped Xavier maintain the X-jet and fought alongside of his team. He even helped take care of the kids when they were sick. While his mutation continued growing, Hank didn't mind it because he knew he was in a safe place. His mutation would not be an issue because he wasn't the only mutant at the institute.
Hank was around before Scott, Alex, Jean, Ororo, Rion and Emma all first got there. In fact was the one who helped take care of them when they arrived. He would help them with their homework and held study groups to help them out. Hank even helped with Ororo and Rion's sibling relationship or lack thereof. At the time Ororo couldn't stand the site of her brother and Hank tried to talking to her but she was stubborn and didn't want him around. As much as he loved his time at the institute, he had to move on with his career.
Hank was accepted at Harvard University where he continued on studying science, biochemistry and genetics. He also studied medicine and mathematics and is a lover of art. He graduated college with top honors and earned his doctorate's degree. He went back to the institute to assist the professor in various ways at the mansion. Before Jean he was the resident doctor and taught math to the students. Hank then left the institute to focus on his career.
Despite his inhuman appearance, he is a brilliant man of the arts and sciences; he is a world authority on biochemistry and genetics and brilliant mind. He is also an activist for the mutant community thus the reason he was hired by the president to begin with. He has certainly come along way.
The car pulls up to the driveway near the building next the hanger. He got out of his car and headed into the headed for the helicopter. The helicopter took him to the Alcatraz facility. It use to be a prison but is now the science lab facility. The helicopter lands. Hank McCoy exits, as Kavita Rao moves forward to greet him.
"Dr. McCoy. So glad you could make it." Kavita greets him.
"Thank you for having me, Dr. Rao." Henry greets her back.
"Right this way." Kavita said escorting him. She leads him inside. Kavita leads Hank down a hall. "You know, Dr. McCoy, I wrote my thesis on your theory of genetic combination.
"I'm flattered." Henry said to her smiling.
They stop outside a room with a viewing window. Hank looks inside, sees Leetch playing video games. The room is pure white.
"I never had a subject quite like this. I heard the staff calling him by some nickname." Henry asked.
Kavita sighs.
"I've tried to stop them. But from your experience, I'm sure you understand how these things take on a life of their own." Kavita explained
"That's why I brought it up." Henry said.
"The staff have been firmly instructed never to call him Leech to his face, or where he can hear them." Kavita
"And you really think he'll never know?" Henry asked.
"I can hope." Kavita said to him.
"There's that word again. Hope." Henry said.
Pause.
"Why don't we say hello?" Kavita asked. Henry nods. Kavita opens the door. In Jimmy's room, he's playing video games. She pokes her head in. "Jimmy?" Jimmy looks over his shoulder.
"Hey Veeda." Jimmy said.
"He calls you Veeda." Henry said a little amused.
Kavita chuckles.
"Jimmy, this is Dr. Hank McCoy. He's from the government." Kavita explains.
"Hi." Jimmy said.
Henry steps a little closer and extends his hand to shake Jimmy's. Slowly, it becomes a normal human hand. Henry looks at it, transfixed.
"Sorry. I can't…" Jimmy starts to say.
"It's quite alright, Jimmy." Henry said to him.
Kavita smiles.
"And there's that word again. Hope." Kavita repeats Henry's words back to him.
She checks her watch.
"I should be heading back to the city now. If we're done here?" Kavita said to her.
Henry comes out of a trance.
"Oh. Yes, all right." Henry said to her.
Henry steps away. His hand reverts to its blue self.
"It was good to meet you, Jimmy." Henry said to the young boy.
"You, too." Jimmy said to him.
Henry follows Kavita out. They leave the facility. Henry was amazed at the young boy. Could he really be the cure to mutant salvation?