First Mutant
By David D. Amaya
Chapter 19
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Broadcast Studio Three, CNN Center, Atlanta, GA 0730 EST. Day 21
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From our studios in Atlanta, this is CNN Headline News.
In just a few hours, the biggest governmental task to be preformed by Congress since the kidnapping of Cyrus Parkman, will take place.
The Senate International Security Committee's Joint Investigative Hearing on Mutant Affairs will begin this afternoon in Washington.
Sworn testimony will be conducted today by Subcommittee co-chairmen Senator Robert Kelly (R-MA), the author of the Mutant Registration Act, and Senator Gerald Crane (R-SC).
Scheduled to testify today are eight witnesses; Three noted scientists, including Dr. Henry McCoy, a former member of the Avengers, The mothers of two teenaged mutants who were beaten and killed by anti-mutant mobs, and noted mutant affairs expert Dr. Charles Xavier.
Also expected to testify is an unknown mutant, which because of the hundreds of threats by many groups, will give testimony with behind a bulletproof screen and a special voice scrambler, widely used to hide the identity of undercover agents during Congressional testimony.
The United States Secret Service will be stretched to its limit this afternoon, as it will have no less than 100 uniformed Division agents present inside the Rayburn Building and around the Capital to assist is safeguarding lawmakers and witnesses, due to the volume of threats. But are still searching for the whereabouts of the President's son, Cyrus and Agent Kordel Nichols.
A statement released by the Secret Service this morning said that although the Secret Service is confident that they will locate the President's son unharmed, that they quote 'will continue to carry out their protective mission as ordered by the President of the United States,' unquote.
From the steps of the Capital Building, this is Ron Kilgore, CNN Capital Hill.
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Ronald Reagan-Washington National Airport, Sterling, VA 0737 EST.
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As the Professor and his 'staff' exited the terminal at National, two people wearing dark sunglasses and displaying badges met them.
"Dr. Charles Xavier," the woman asked. "I'm Special Agent Elizabeth Frank, Secret Service. This is Special Agent Matt McKey. We are here to accompany you to your hotel."
"I'm pleased to meet you both Agent Frank, Agent McKey. I would like to introduce my head of security, Mr. Charles Block."
"Long time, no see Frankie," Block said as he extended his hand. "I see you got a new partner."
"And I see you traded in limos for mini-vans, you old bloodhound," she replied as she shook the veteran agent's hand.
Do you know Agent Frank well? The professor asked telepathically.
I've known Frankie here, her entire career, he replied. Other than Kordel, there isn't anyone in the agency I'd trust more. "Is there any word on Kilowatt?" He asked aloud.
"Mr. Block, I don't think it is protocol to discuss an investigation with non-personal," McKey said.
"Matt here is new," Frank explained to Block. "McKey have you ever heard the stories of the agent who was shot 29 times in the line of duty? Well, that's him, the living legend, Charles 'Bulletproof' Block himself. He's taken more lead in the line of duty than a mechanical pencil, and has more decorations than the White House Christmas tree. But to answer your question, no. Everything is a dead end."
"Well don't worry, Frankie, I'm sure he'll be back at Castle before you know it." Noon to be exact, "Anyway, I thought Dr. Xavier declined protection."
"He did, but the Director thought you needed help after all that's gone down already."
Just then three blue Astrovans pulled up alongside the unloading area.
"Okay, Frankie, if you two ain't got anything else to do. I got my people pulling up in the caravan. You'll come with me, McKey you'll be bringing up the rear with Mr. Yen. Professor Xavier will be taken in the center vehicle, driven by Mr. Cassidy. We're staying at Lightfoot, so you know the drill, Frankie.
"We'll take the normal route for a change." Agent Block continued. "After the Professor and his staff settle in, we'll be ready to head to Punch Bowl."
"Alright, you heard the man, McKey," said Agent Frank. "Hop to."
"Mr. Yen," Block said. "You will take Mr. Summers, his niece and nephew, and Agent McKey…"
"Yes, Boss," he replied with a Texan accent.
"Mr. Cassidy, you will be driving the Professor, along with Miss. Monroe, Mr. Bishop, and Mr. LeBeau," he continued. "Miss. Rogue, Mr. Logan, Dr. McCoy, and Mrs. Summers, you will be riding up front with Agent Frank and myself. You don't mind driving, do you Frankie?"
"If this is how you spend your vacation time," quipped Agent Frank as Logan tossed her the keys. "I'd hate to see your retirement plan."
"Me too, Boss." Said Mr. Yen.
Now I know why Maverick hates yankees!
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Top Floor, Madison Hotel, 15th St., Downtown, DC 0815 EST.
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"Ok, Lariat. The room's clean," said Agent Block. "Time to get phase one of this plan of yours into motion."
"Yes, Boss!"
"AND STOP TALKIN' LIKE MAVERICK!"
"If you say so, Charlie," Agent Nichols said reverting back to his native East Coast dialect, though still in disguise. "Now you all know the game plan. Banshee, Rogue here are the directions and the necessary codes. Jubilee, Cyrus you know what to do."
"Yep."
"Sure do, Lariat."
"Storm, please take this." he said handing her one of his 'throw phones.' "You, Bishop, Gambit, and Wolverine will be outside near Capital Street. If there's any change in plans, I will contact you. There is supposed to be at least 5,000 protesters, so be careful."
"None, to worry, Secret Agent Man," said Remy. "De Gambit, he on de job."
"That's what the G-Man's worried about, Gumbo," Logan replied between puffs of his cigar.
"Charlie, You know what to expect inside Lightfoot. Dr. McCoy and Professor Xavier are finishing up on their notes. Cyclops, you and Phoenix will be seated on the left, right behind the House Page chairs. Charlie can fill you in on the decorum, but I doubt the senators on the panel will abide by them."
"What about you, Kordel?" Jean asked the disguised federal agent.
"I have to check on my Ace-in-the-hole. Even if he thinks I am guilty, at least you do not get implicated."
"Yea, but if something goes wrong, Kordel, don't be bashful, you give us a holler, and I'll bail you out."
"Do not worry about me," he replied. "Once Cyrus talks with the President, it will be smooth sailing from there."
"I still don't know, Lariat," said Charlie. "What about civilians? You don't know what DC's like in the mist of a good 'ol fashioned harshly-divided protest, Kordel."
"Like, don't worry, Tex-dude," said Jubilee. "I'll keep the crowds entertained with an early fireworks show!"
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Rayburn House of Representatives Office Building, East Capital St., Capital Hill, 1005 EST.
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Room 2141 of the massive marble and granite edifice, named in honor of the former Speaker of the House, Sam Rayburn of Texas, has been the stage for it's share of American historical drama.
In this room, 36 men and two women, members of the House Committee on the Judiciary, played out their unrehearsed roles, overwhelmingly passing three articles of impeachment against President Richard Nixon, Which they submitted to the full House for its consideration in the Summer of 1974.
Over 30 years latter, Room 2141 once again raises the curtain on yet another act in the saga called "American History."
With the sound of a gavel the players assemble for the opening scene.
"The Committee will please come to order," Sub-committee Co-chair Senator Robert Kelly pounded the gavel. "Members will take their seats.
"Our hearing today deals with an issue that is and should be of concern to our entire nation, namely, the growing threat from mutant terrorism.
"In fact, a new poll shows that Americans now find the prospect of renegade mutant terrorism a most likely and frightening outcome. More disturbing, three-quarters, 76 percent, of those interviewed believe that a mutant terrorist group will strike a mass disaster on American soil within the next decade.
"Up until recently, most of us have viewed the problem of mutants as an issue of obvious concern, really only of marginal nature, though. In other words, mutants were only a danger to a small percentage of our citizenry. Mutants are considered dangerous, but were usually operating in some other city and could only muster up an occasional threat.
"Moreover, each of these problems were isolated and with little influence or action over the other. In other words, our only challenge was for local law enforcement to stop any action or for the Department of Homeland Security to identify and arrest amateur mutant terrorists stumbling around with uncontrolled powers searching blindly for unsuspecting targets.
"We truly wish it were that simple. Regrettably, we are in something far worse. I will humbly suggest that what we are witnessing these days is a mutant threat to humanity as a whole, like two huge geological plates which are slowly starting to shift and grind together. They could ultimately produce an earthquake of unprecedented magnitude and destruction.
"What this tells us is that in the interest of humanity throughout the globe, these dangerous mutants will soon cross a threshold of compartmentalization, will begin merging and work jointly with one another.
"These new global mutant terrorist groups can ultimately be capable of overthrowing governments, and lastly their ability to hide amongst unsuspecting humans will give any mutant terrorist organization the necessary means to power bully itself through the use of force and intimidation.
"We have as witnesses today members of the law enforcement and scientific communities, both domestic and international, and the private sector, all of whom have exceptional first-hand knowledge on both the depth of the problem and its potential solutions.
"Now in the interest if time constraints I will ask that the Members forgo any opening remarks and call our first witness this morning . . . ."
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Parking Garage Level One, United States Secret Service Headquarters, G St., 1126 EST.
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The Director entered his Lexus and sped off for his home in the Virginia suburb of McLean.
After yet another dead end in his agency's search for the President's son, the Joint Subcommittee Hearing and subsequent protest, his people had been stretched to the limit. And now Agent Steinwinter's disappearance, after he ordered an interrogation about his misinformation to Dr. Xavier, was too much for even his seemingly endless patience. So he ordered two of his best and brightest field agents to assist Charlie Block's new client.
He had all but confirmed that Agent Nichols was innocent, and had Cyrus Parkman with him safe, somewhere.
But, where?
His apartment in Addams-Morgan was out of the question, but he has an undercover agent posing as a homeless beggar stationed outside his place just in case.
He wouldn't dream of going back to Boston or Martha's Vineyard, but he had dispatched two surveillance teams in the unlikely event he would visit his childhood homes.
"If I were Kordel Nichols," the Director thought aloud to himself. "What would I do?"
"Give myself every third weekend off."
Luckily for southbound traffic on the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge, the Director was caught in a traffic jam.
If he was driving the maximum speed limit, his first impulse would be to slam on the brakes, point his weapon at the voice and splatter his brains all over the back window.
But two out of three sounded fine to him.
"Reach for the smog! One wrong movement and you become a two-bit stain on nappa leather!"
"Are you still mad about that drawing? That happened 10 years ago."
"Nine years, 10 months and 28 days, but who's counting?"
"If I did not know any better, I would say it made it to your conformation hearings."
"It DID!" said the Director, still pointing his service pistol at the voice in the back seat. "Everyone on the Hill had a big laugh. I should shoot you right now, but I just had the interior cleaned and besides, it wouldn't be painful enough for me."
"I would have expected you would have mentioned the whereabouts of a certain President's child," said Agent Nichols from the backseat.
"I figured you'd use his name to weasel out of my wrath, but since you are willing to talk," he put away his gun and exiting off the bridge. "I'm willing to listen. I'll just save this bullet for latter."
"Take the Jefferson Davis east, sir."
"Why, were are we going, Kordel?"
"To see Kilowatt," Agent Nichols said.
As the Director drove, Nichols filled the Secret Service top agent on the rescue of Cyrus Parkman, excluding the involvement of a certain group of mutants.
"Knight's not there, Kordel."
"WHAT!?"
"The President is trying to busy himself with work to keep his mind clear," the Director explained. "He's at Center Stage with Fadeaway."
"Shit! Get us back to Punch Bowl, NOW!"
"Are you ordering me?"
"With all due respect, sir, YES! Plan B was to make contact through Green Party. Kilowatt could be in danger!"
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East Entrance Guard House, The White House, 1103 EST.
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"So 'Coz,' now what?" asked Jubilee.
"Easy on the name callin,' Sugah," said Rogue as she, Banshee, Jubilee and a very much disguised Cyrus Parkman left his home in the Capital City. "But she's got a point, hun, what do we do next?"
"Simple Aunt Rogue," Cyrus replied. "We go to Plan B."
"Plan B?" questioned Jubilee. "I don't remember that part, 'Watt. What's 'Plan B?'"
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Passageway under the White House, 1139 EST.
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"Plan B, Cousin Jubes, is to contact Green Party from a secured terminal," said the now undisguised President's son as he led the group to the door that he was getting so acquainted with. "That's Lariat's Double-O Zero way of asking me to e-mail Oz to call President Dad and tell him to send the good guys, pronto-like."
"Why don't y'all reach out and touch someone from a payphone, hun?" asked Rogue.
"Because if it gets traced, we might as well open the other door and say 'I'm home!'," he replied as they reached the correct panel. "This is it."
Slowly opening the secret panel behind the bookcase, they entered the room, which Rogue found out from a friendly Uniformed Division Guard at the East Entrance, was chained up since the kidnapping at Sidwell.
Powering up his computer, he spoke a silent word of prayer that his best friend was on-line.
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Seattle Urban Academy, East Madison St., First Hill, Seattle, WA 1142 EST.
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"Miss. Jenkins. Can you please call me Oz? NO ONE calls me by that name. Not my friends, my pastor, my doctors, other teachers, Principal Stefan, my parental units haven't even used that name since I was seven. So please, for the sake of continuity, please don't say that name again, please?"
"All right, Oz it will be," conceded Miss Jenkins. "Welcome back to the Academy. We all know that you have missed the first three weeks due to your illness, but you have done exceptionally well with the assignments on your syllabus. You are even three days ahead of the rest of the class. So you may use the computer to write your journal entry for today."
"Ok Miss. Jenkins," Entry Twenty-one, 'The last true friend I had in this world's been kidnapped and I don't know if he's alive or dead.'
Loading the USLink mailreader, Oz nearly freaked when the lone e-mail message popped on the screen:
From: KillowattΘ Acme. Whitehouse .gov
Message subject: SOS! Clyde Hill in Kent!!!!!!
Oh my Gaush! Oz screamed silently. That's the codeword! He's back in the White House!
Oz, no time to explain it all.
AN is innocent, he was the one who did the Delta Force job at that racetrack.
I'm at La Casa Blanko with some of his friends, but we're headed for Ground Zero via the hamster tube.
I need you to call Knight on the Football line. The extension is 666. The clearance code is 6825327.
If El Presidente, don't believe you, tell him that I left my rail pass in my coffin.
If he don't believe it *IS* YOU, remind him about what happened on the 26th floor of the Stouffer.
Tell him, and *HIM ONLY* Where I'll be.
***********DO NOT SEND THE MiBs!!!************
They're in on it. Tell Knight to have the Rope or the Team get me. NO ONE ELSE!!! I see one 00-Zero, I bolt!!!
This is the real deal, Oz. I need your help BAD!!!
Yours 'Til Puget Sounds,
KillowattΘ Acme. Whitehouse .gov
"Clyde Hill in Kent?" asked Sean.
"Oz used to live in Clyde Hill, but it's in Bellevue not Kent." Cyrus explained. "It's our code, that way if my account ever got hacked, Oz will know it's really me. Come on. We gotta move. Wait a sec! There's something I need!"
Reaching into his closet, he grabbed his lucky Mariners jacket and they headed back out the secret passage way.
"Um, Miss. Jenkins, may I be excused. I suddenly don't feel too good."
Luckily for the four mutants now running through the access tunnels under the District of Columbia, Miss. Jenkins was given explicit instructions, if Oz wasn't feeling too good, it was bad for the rest of the class.
"Yes you may be excused, Oz, but hurry back."
Oz left the room with a printout of Cyrus' message, but after making a right turn at the water fountain, ran straight out of the school and headed across the street for the Garrand Building at Seattle University's nursing department.
After racing up three flights of stairs and reaching a bank of pay phones, Oz inserted a calling card and punched a number by heart.
The number Oz prayed never had to be dialed.
"This is the White House switchboard, If you know the extension you wish to reach, please enter it now."
Oz pressed the number six, three times.
"You have reached a secured line, unauthorized use is a federal offense under the USA PATRIOT Act, please enter your clearance code now."
Oz entered the number 6825327.
"One moment please."
Gee, Oz thought. You'd think the line to the guy handcuffed to our nation's nuclear launch codes wouldn't be tied up after the Cold War.
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Main Exhibit Hall, Washington Convention Center, Downtown 1158 EST.
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While the President was being preped for his speech, a cell phone rang, But since no one outside the room, save Nick Fury knows how to dial the one that was ringing. The White House Chief of Staff took it from the Air Force Master Sargent who had it.
"Roth here."
"Mr. Roth," said a voice that was well too young to ever use this line. "Give the phone to Knight, tell him it's the Green Party Operative and I know were Kilowatt is."
"Look kid, I don't know how you got this number, but this is line is for official governmental business only, if you don't hang up right now…"
"NO, you listen!" Oz yelled. "You give this phone to Knight RIGHT NOW! It's a matter of life and death, HIS SON'S!"
"Jon who is that of the Football line?" the President asked as he entered the room.
"Obviously some hacker, sir," he replied. "Claims to know something about Kilowatt."
"Oz? Give me that phone Jon."
"But sir, this has to be a 15-year-old kid."
"Thirteen this April." He replied as he grabbed the phone from his hand. "Oz, its me."
"Mr. President," the 12 year-old. "I just got a message from Cyrus. It's him sir. He said that Nichols is innocent and was the one who rescued him. He's hiding out."
"How do I know it is really you and not some crank call?"
"First of all, who else but SHIELD would have this number? Secondly, and this pains me to no end to do this to someone I think of as a cool tetego, but do you remember what happened on the 26th floor of the Stouffer Madison the night you won the party nomination?"
"Good enough," the President replied. "How do you know it was really him?"
"Call whoever you can trust that's involved in the investigation," said Oz. "He left his old rail pass in his coffin."
"Get me the Director of the Secret Service on a secure line NOW!" The President barked at his Chief of Staff. "Where is he, Oz?"
Oz told the President the location of his son and the translated description of his e-mail.
"Don't send the Double 0-Zeros, sir," said Oz. "He says they're involved."
"Oz, where are you?"
"The Garrand Building, Seattle U. You'd better hurry, this phone just said it's gonna disconnect on me."
"Give me the number that you're at, I'll call you right back."
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Victor Garrand Building, Seattle University School of Nursing, Seattle, WA, 1204 EST.
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Oz gave the President the number of the pay phone inside the Garrand Building, then heard a click. The time on the hacked phone card used up.
Ten seconds latter the phone rang.
"Oz," the President told his son's 'surrogate twin.' "If this checks out, I'll name you Children's Ambassador to the United Nations. Just sit tight and stay by that phone!"
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Inside the Secret Service Director's Lexus 400, Northbound on the Arland Williams Bridge, 1207 EST.
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"Don't you have a police siren, sir?' asked Agent Nichols.
"No, this is MY car," replied the Director.
"Well sir, you should get one!"
///Ring. Ring. Ring\\\
The Director picked up the phone.
"Hello? … Yes, I did receive a full accounting at the racetrack… Coffin? … Yes, sir, there was sufficient DNA and fiber evidence prevalent… Effects? … Yes, sir, the report stated that there was a transit pass for the Westlake Center Monorail in Seattle. How did you know that, sir? I have not completed my report yet? ... Yes sir, he IS here.
"Kordel, it's the President. I'll put him on the speaker."
"Agent Nichols, I'm told by a very reliable source that you are innocent, and in fact, have rescued my son."
"What else did Green Party say about Kilowatt, Mr. President?" Nichols asked.
"Oz just received an e-mail from him, he told your 'Green Party Operative' that he is hiding and the Secret Service is involved."
"Sir, this is an open line and I know he would have sent that note to Oz encrypted. What did it say exactly?"
The President relayed the information he had received. "He also said to have only the Rope or the Team get him."
"Sir, he can not trust anyone else, especially anyone from the agency, I have three members of the team with him, but if there is a mole or the original transmission was intercepted they could be in danger.
"Sir, Contact Green Party's parents. Police protection would not be a bad idea either, sir."
"This may have been brought to my attention by someone I trust, but why should I believe you, Agent Nichols?
"With all due respect, sir, because we no longer have any positive alternative," the Secret Service agent replied to the Chief Executive.
"Mr. President," Replied the Director. "I can vouch for Agent Nichols, we will get your son back to you. You have MY word on that, sir."
///Click.\\\
Kordel then used his throw phone to contact the group at Punch Bowl.
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Rayburn House Office Building, East Capital St., Capital Hill, 1210 EST.
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"Dr. Xavier," said Senator Kelly. "Have you ever consorted with renegade mutants at any time or place?"
"I have not, Mr. Senator," the Professor replied calmly.
"Isn't it a fact that your so-called Institute for Higher Learning is in fact merely a clearinghouse for pro-mutant propaganda?"
"Senator Kelly, my school is dedicated to the idea that mutants can live harmoniously alongside their human brethren."
"A very inspiring answer to be sure," Senator Gerald Crane retorted. "Need this committee remind you that this hearing not be used as a forum for your obviously subversive views on human-mutant propaganda?"
"I take offense at your remark, Senator."
"And the record shall note that!" Sen. Kelly bellowed
"Gentlemen, You have before you a prepared statement, detailing steps I believe will promote understanding between humans and mutants," Xavier said. "I request that it be read, for the record."
"You are here to answer questions," barked Sen. Crane. "Not to propagandize or promote your views! Do you understand that, Dr. Xavier!?"
"I understand that intolerance, such as yours, is the root cause of our difficulties."
"Kordel was right, 'McCarthy' is the best word to describe this farce," Jean whispered to her husband. "I'd like to give those creeps a piece of my mind, Scott,"
"It's okay, dear," he assured her. "The Professor can stand up to those Senators."
Just then the phone Kordel gave her, started to signal that it has a message.
"Oh my!" she gasped as she read it.
"We'll take a one hour recess for lunch," said Sen. Kelly. "After which we will continue without the presence of my esteemed co-chair Sen. Crane. I have been told that he just received an urgent message and must be leaving. But you, Dr. Xavier, WILL remain nearby to continue answering questions! This Committee stands in recess!"
As the committee and the audience members stood to leave the room, Dr. McCoy, Agent Block and the Professor went over to Scott and Jean.
"What is it Jean?"
"A text message from Kordel, Hank. They went to 'Plan B.'"
"Damn," Agent Block spat. "Knight wasn't at Castle."
"Was there any mention of where they were headed?" Dr. McCoy asked.
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Shops at The National Place, F Street, Downtown, 1213 EST
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"Back to the scene of the crime, eh 'Watt?"
"Don't remind me, Jubes," said Cyrus as they entered the shopping mall where the President's son first displayed his mutant abilities in public. "They're still trying to stick the government with the bill. By the way, Sean thanks for the flight, we'd barley be passing the Hotel DWEEB-vill on foot. Is controlling air sickness part of the Generation X lesson plan?"
"I don't know 'bout y'all, but Ah don't think it'll do us any good to just stand around and watch the paint drin'," Rogue mused as they stood. "Why don't we so some lookin' around."
"Aye, lass, we do look a wee bit out of place standin' around here," Banshee noted. "Let's say we do a bit of window shoppin'."
"I say let's, like, do some buying shopping, too."
"As long as we can stop at Starbucks," Cyrus added. "I'm feelin' bout a quart low."
Then the four mutants headed for the Food Court as three pairs of eyes spotted the quartet.
"Hey, look Bobby," said one of them. "It's the First Fag."
"Yea, I knew that his dad was fakin' those tears just to get re-elected, Ricky."
"I'm gonna get him good," replied Lawrence Flemming, who with Bobby and Ricky decided to ditch classes at Sidwell. "Let's follow 'em. No one tries to make me look like a fool and gets away with it."
End of Chapter nineteen
© David D. Amaya 2007