And here's a special update because I was two weeks late… And for real this time. This is the last of my pre-written stuff.

The Perks of Being a Telepath

Chapter 29: The Beginning

Charles froze mid-step when they were about halfway down the sidewalk. Erik glanced at him, raising an eyebrow in confusion and some concern.

The telepath shook his head and pointed. Erik followed his gaze, stunned to find two people he never expected to see standing a few yards away. One was Emma Frost, who supposedly sold herself to the government. The other was Angel Salvadore, who hadn't been seen since Erik and Raven had been kidnapped by the CIA.

Damn it.

Charles closed his eyes, opening them again half a second later with a look of annoyance.

"The crowd's too big. I can't get a grasp on their minds. I just know that they're here and where they are."

"Do you know if there are others?"

Charles shook his head.

"I don't know. I can only sense those two because I've been in their minds before."

Erik sighed heavily.

"I guess we're going to have to do this the old fashioned way, then."

Charles raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, before I had a telepath to do all of my spying for me, I did use to have conversations with people."

Charles rolled his eyes and huffed a laugh.

"Point taken. All right. Lead on, fearless leader. They're probably less likely to kill you than me."

"Don't be ridiculous, Charles. No one is out to kill you."

"I know at least six people who would say differently."

"Stryker and the CIA don't count. They're out to kill all mutants and you're just included because you can read minds."

Charles scowled.

"I wasn't talking strictly about them."

Erik raised an eyebrow, but otherwise said nothing. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know what Charles meant by that, especially after all the telepath admitted to that morning.

They walked down the sidewalk, their efforts to reach the other two mutants hampered by the large crowd and the fact Charles couldn't seem to keep his balance.

The third time Charles stumbled in the span of five seconds, Erik had had enough.

Are you all right?

Charles blinked back at him with stubborn, annoyed eyes. All sense of camaraderie they had developed since leaving the plane disappeared instantly.

"I'm fine."

The telepath's voice was barely above a growl and he pushed by Erik, only to trip once more. He was saved by doing a face plant onto the hot cement by Erik, who had been more or less expecting the move.

"No, Charles, you're not."

Erik received an eye roll and a glare for his efforts.

"I don't need your help, Erik."

"Charles-."

"Leave it."

There was just enough persuasion in Charles' words that Erik was left dumfounded and unable to move as his friend stormed off through the crowd.

Coming back to his senses, Erik made to follow Charles—if only to save the idiot from himself—but was brought up short when Angel stepped into his path.

"Hello, Magneto."


Raven looked away from Charles briefly to study Erik. He was still completely out of it, though the rapid eye movement beneath his eye lids had slowed down considerably. She frowned, not understanding what it meant.

There was a faint groan behind her. Raven turned back to Charles, hope momentarily erasing the concern she felt for Erik.

Charles' eyes fluttered and then sprang open, revealing pained blue eyes. Raven let out a gasp of surprise.

"Charles!"

He blinked, his eyes momentarily closing for a moment, before he locked eyes with her. He looked puzzled, as though he couldn't figure out where he was.

Raven gently took his hand into hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. Tears of happiness stung her eyes but she managed to keep her emotions in check.

"Can you hear me, Charles?"

Charles made a faint noise of affirmation, a faint smile spreading across his face.

"Raven."

His voice was barley audible, scarcely louder than a breathy whisper, but it was the sweetest sound in the entire world.

"I'm here, Charles. I'm here."

A tear slid down her cheek before she could stop it. Charles looked mildly concerned.

"Are you all right?"

Raven closed her eyes and nodded, swallowing around the lump in her throat.

"I'm fine, Charles."

He raised his chin a fraction of an inch in a nod of relief, before his eyes started slipping shut. Raven bit her lip, unable to completely hide the relieved, happy smile that spread across her face.

"Get some sleep, Charles. You're okay. We're all going to be okay."


An explosion of emotion crashed over Erik's mind as he stared at Angel in astonishment. He couldn't believe that she was standing in front of him, alive and seemingly healthy after nearly a month and a half of being held captive by the CIA.

"What are you doing here?"

His voice was surprisingly steady and calm, betraying nothing of his inner turmoil. He would never admit it to anyone except perhaps Charles, but the thought of what happened to Angel kept Erik up at night. He had felt so guilty about not being able to do more to protect her, for letting her fall into the hands of the CIA.

But, apparently, she was fine. And she was smiling.

"I'm looking for the other mutants, same as you."

Erik gave her a sideways glance.

"And you think they're going to reveal themselves in the middle of a parade?"

A fleeting look of fear crossed Angel's face. The hair on the back of Erik's neck began to rise.

"What's going on, Angel?"

She shook her head.

"I can't tell you."

"Angel."

"Seriously, Magneto. I want to tell you but I can't."

The true meaning of her words hit him.

"Where's Emma?"

"I don't know—we split up in the crowd. Magneto, it isn't her fault."

The words threw him for a moment.

"What?"

"She didn't want to do this. But Stryker… Stryker forced her. He said he didn't want us tipping you off."

Erik felt as though he had been hit by a truck. Stryker. The man responsible for Erik being held captive for so long.

"Is he here?"

His voice was a rough growl, startling Angel . In the dark recesses of Erik's mind, he felt guilty, but he would have time to deal with that later.

Angel shook her head.

"No. But others of the CIA are. And they know you're here, too."

Scheiß.