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Chapter 4 - Another one

Ann paced around the little waiting area, nervously fidgeting her hands. What was going on down there? She checked her watch for the third time, but only a minute had passed since she arrived on the floor where the meeting was taking place. She wasn't allowed to wait directly in front of the door where Moira and the others currently were. Convincing the receptionist didn't work. Director's order, no one was to disrupt the meeting. Despite really needing to talk to Moira, Ann decided it was better to wait than cause a scene by storming in there unannounced.

About half an hour had passed when finally a change happened. She could hear muffled voices coming from down the hall and instantly Ann raised her head from the magazine she'd been reading for the past ten minutes. Tossing the paper aside, the woman jumped out of her seat and rushed past the desk.

"Miss, you can't go in there!" The receptionist shouted after her, but this time Ann ignored it and kept going until she spotted three people coming her way.

However Moira wasn't one of them. Out of the three, she only recognized two. Raven and Charles Xavier. The third man was a large guy. He had dark hair, a pair of glasses and wore a suit. Ann stopped in her tracks and waited for them to get closer. Raven was the first to notice her and the girl waved her way. Ann gave her a quick smile for acknowledgement, but quickly directed her attention to Charles once they got halfway down the corridor.

"I need to talk to Moira. Where is she?"

Charles opened his mouth ready to reply, but was cut off by the man who stood a few steps behind him.

"Agent MacTaggert is currently occupied elsewhere. Now, if you would step aside, miss. I need to escort these people out of the building."

Ann frowned and her eyes shifted towards Charles for a second. "Where are you taking them?"

"That is none of your concern. Please,-" And he motioned with his hand for Ann to move aside.

"I'm sorry, my good man. But I'm afraid she's coming with us." Charles suddenly said, causing the guy to rapidly blink his eyes behind his thick rimmed glasses.

"Excuse me?" He said.

"I beg your pardon?" Ann also replied at the same time.

What on Earth was Charles Xavier talking about? Where were they going in the first place, without Moira? And why was he telling this stranger that she was to come with them? It was then the stranger formed an 'oh' with his mouth. He raised his hand and rubbed his chubby chin.

"Is she like one of you?" He moved his finger from Charles to Raven before pointing it at Ann.

"She is." Charles answered.

"Charles!" Raven exclaimed loudly and realization hit Ann that the man was talking about whether or not if she was a mutant. And Charles just confirmed immediately that she was.

But what surprised her more was that apparently Raven was also one them? She hadn't known this. Charles never mentioned it before and neither had she. Of course it was foolish of her to think that Charles was the only one, aside from her. The man dressed in white with his sunglasses was also like them, only what she'd seen him do was something very different compared to Charles Xavier.

The unfamiliar bloke extended his hand towards her. "Pleasure to meet you, miss-?"

"Her name is Ann." Charles answered for her.

"Ann, you may call me Frank."

But Ann didn't accept his greeting, nor did she really register his name. Her eyes were focused on Charles who had so blatantly revealed to a complete stranger inside CIA headquarters that she wasn't a normal human being. Had he not promised her that he was going to keep her secret to himself? The man sure broke his promises easily.

"I am not going anywhere until I see Moira first." She quickly said, crossing her arms angrily over her chest.

The look of distraught on her face didn't go unnoticed by Charles and Raven. The latter stepped forward and wrapped her fingers around Ann's upper arm, followed by giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Moira will come. Charles will make sure she comes." The blonde assured her.

Clearly something had happened during the meeting, but what exactly? Raven seemed nervous. Charles not so much. The guy, Frank or something, eyed her with great curiosity. No doubt wondering what it was that made her like the other two. Ann didn't like this one bit. Things were happening too quickly. She was only here to see if she would help Moira out and that decision would eventually be based on the outcome of the meeting. Which was over apparently.

Now it seemed that she was supposed to go wherever Charles and Raven were going? And who was this Frank? Was he part of the CIA? He must be. He already knew one of her deepest secrets and she had only met the guy two seconds ago.

'Do not worry, Ann'

Charles's voice suddenly echoed in her mind. She glanced over Raven's shoulder at him. He gave her a look of comfort, but it didn't work. It actually had the opposite effect. She narrowed her eyes and turned her head away. One thing was certain, Charles Xavier was currently one of the people she disliked the most in the entire world.

::::::...::::::

During their walk to the third floor of the parking garage, Charles fell behind at one point. Ann glanced over her shoulder to look his way, but quickly turned back to listen to his younger sister explaining to her what had happened during the meeting. Although Raven was mainly focused on what happened after Charles had given them his lecture on genetic mutation. She had heard her brother practise it so many times, she could basically recite his words in her dreams. Not that Ann had any interest in the theory, she doubted she would be able to understand it.

Ann listened quietly as Raven told her how Charles revealed what his own mutation was, what it could do. But instead of resulting in convincing the Director and the rest of the board, it backfired and they all blamed Moira for having brought a spy within their midst. Things were starting to fall apart. Voices were raised, accusations were thrown, who knew what could have happened had it not been for Raven to stand up for her brother.

"So, I saw no other choice but to change." The young girl spoke.

"Change?" Ann asked furrowing her brow.

Raven nodded. "It's my mutation. I can alter my appearance at will."

The other woman frowned with surprise. It wasn't until a few minutes ago that she discovered Raven was also a mutant, but she didn't know what it was that made her special. Whatever Ann had been thinking off, it wasn't anything like this. Being able to change your appearance sounded complicated but at the same time amazing. Being able to hide yourself from so many people, walk around without anybody having any idea who or what you were. Live a life of seclusion away from everyone if you but wished it.

"Are you saying you could become anything or anyone?" She asked with genuine interest.

"Well, not anything,- I think. I can't become a toaster." Raven snorted and Ann actually smiled for a second.

The four of them arrived in the parking garage and it turned out Raven had been true to her words regarding Moira coming with them, for in the distance stood a black car and in the driver's seat Ann spotted the CIA agent. Moira raised her hand and waved in their direction. Immediately Ann ran away from Raven and the others to meet up with her friend.

Ann opened the door, slipped inside and shut it behind her. "I've got to talk to you!" She told the auburn haired woman frantically.

Moira had been a little bit shocked after seeing Ann run up to her. Her behaviour wasn't like her at all. Ann wasn't known to show a lot of emotion, aside from anger. Clearly something was wrong.

"Geez, Ann, calm down. This isn't like you, you almost sound hysterical. Can't it wait until we've left the building? We're in quite a-"

"I know where Hendry is or was, actually." Ann quickly said, ignoring Moira's comment on calling her hysterical.

Moira's eyes widened. "You do?" She breathed but then she blinked. "Where did you see him?"

"On a boat and he wasn't alone." Ann reached into her bag and pulled out the file Moira had given her earlier. "I saw the blonde woman you mentioned seeing in the Hellfire club and a few others."

The agent stared at her. This was incredibly unexpected. But she was happy with what Ann had discovered. Moira took the folder from her with a sense of relief and gratefulness. "You actually found him? So where is he now?"

Ann bit her bottom lip. This was the part she was dreading to tell Moira. The person she'd been looking for was no longer alive and she was the one having to deliver the bad news. It was like that time when she helped Moira with a missing child's case and the kid hadn't made it either. Although that was something else entirely. To conclude, delivering bad news was something Ann didn't like doing.

She was about to reply when the passenger's door opened behind her, revealing Charles Xavier. He lowered his eyes and locked them with Moira's.

"I'm afraid Colonel Hendry is dead, agent MacTaggert." The professor said with little sympathy in his voice.

"Dead?" Moira looked at Ann, who nodded.

The agent couldn't believe what she was hearing. Ever since she discovered Hendry had met with Sebastian Shaw at the Hellfire Club, she'd been set on finding him, followed by proving somehow what he had done and then was going to make sure he got the punishment he deserved. But it would seem that none of that was necessary.

"Was Shaw with him?" Moira asked.

Ann cocked her head with confusion. She'd never heard that name before. "Shaw?"

"That's the name of the guy you saw through Hendry's eyes." Charles answered.

The man in the white suit with the sunglasses and the smug attitude? The guy who Ann had seen absorb the explosion of a grenade and then in turn used that very same power to kill Hendry? She looked up at Charles and he nodded at her, confirming who she had seen was indeed Sebastian Shaw. Another mutant.

Suddenly Ann narrowed her eyes and threw an angry glare at the man standing behind her. There was only one way Charles could know about any of this. "You read my mind?"

"Ann, do you know where Shaw is?" Moira asked before another possible discussion or fight would erupt between those two.

Ann turned her head and nodded. "Miami. Near a harbour, but I don't know where exactly."

"That confirms the suspicion I had on where he might be." Moira relaxed her shoulders a little and tightened her grip around the wheel. "Everyone get in. We'd better leave immediately."

Charles nodded and patted Frank, who finally arrived at the car, on his back. "I don't think we'll be going to your facility after all. Not yet at least."

"What?"

"We're going after Sebastian Shaw."

Miami

It was dark and cold. The ocean made the weather feel more nippy than it actually was. The stars also seemed to have vanished from the sky, though there was not a cloud in sight. The searchlights coming from the ship automatically drew all the attention to themselves and left no room for anything else to be seen. Nothing except for a large yacht in the faraway distance.

The ship where Sebastian Shaw currently resided. Moira MacTaggert, Charles Xavier and the men in black agent named Frank, were outside on deck watching and waiting for the signal to be given that they were going to move in and arrest Sebastian Shaw. At the same time, Raven and Ann were downstairs, quietly listening to what was happened around them.

Actually it had been Charles who had ordered Raven to stay downstairs, he didn't want her near any of it. As always the blond listened to her older brother, despite it being clear that she wanted to be right there where he was. Ann on the other hand had no desire for being near any of them at all. But the woman hadn't had any time to think what her next move was going to be. Especially now that the CIA knew of her being a mutant. At least agent Frank did. Ann wasn't sure who else knew.

"So basically you can see what they see?" Raven asked her.

"For the most part, yes." Ann answered.

Ever since they arrive on the ship and left the others, Raven had begun to ask her multiple questions in regards to her mutation. Ann honestly didn't understand why the girl was so intrigued with it. Compared to her shapeshifting abilities or Charles's gift of being able to read and talk with someone's mind, hers was as boring as cold leek soup.

"And it doesn't matter where they are? They could be in Australia, with you here, and you would still be able to find them?"

"Yes." Ann replied rather shortly as she leaned forward and started to tap her fingers on the surface of the table in front of her.

"You know, you can tell me if you don't like talking about yourself." Raven suddenly said as she shifted in her seat. "I was just curious, that's all. Aside from myself and Charles, I don't know anybody else who is like us."

Before Ann could respond, something else took place in front of her very eyes. One minute Raven was seated across from her and all of a sudden there was somebody else in her spot. Someone with blue scaly looking skin, hair as red as fire, and eyes as yellow as buttercups. Normally Ann was pretty capable of keeping a straight face, but not at that moment. She let out a gasp of shock and pulled her arms back from the table.

"Raven?" She asked.

"This is me." The girl said. "The real me."

A pregnant pause fell over the room and for a good couple of seconds the two of them stared at each other. Raven's heart pounded in her throat. It was obvious she'd scared Ann by changing into who she really was without warning. At least she didn't scream, but her eyes said more than enough. Within a second Raven changed back to her everyday appearance and let out a shuddering breath.

"You're-?"

"Blue." Raven confirmed.

"Blue." Ann repeated.

"Do I scare you? Be honest." Raven kept her now blue eyes focused on the person sitting on the other side of the table.

"Well,-" Ann began and she quickly licked her lips. "I wasn't exactly expecting...blue."

Raven wasn't entirely sure if Ann was trying to lighten the mood by making a joke or if she was truly afraid. "I don't know why I'm blue."

It had been a shock to see the sudden change within her, Ann couldn't deny that. And yes, it had scared her the minute it happened. But the real question Raven was asking her was if she was afraid of her. Of course Ann wasn't. Taken back, obviously. But not afraid of what Raven truly looked like. Though she could understand all too well why she felt the need to hide herself from everything and everyone. People weren't great at accepting things that were different. Being blue would definitely be on that list.

"I don't mind you being blue, Raven." She ultimately answered.

Raven furrowed her brow. "You don't?"

Ann shook her head. "I'm just happy I'm not the only red head now." She gave the girl a small smile as she reached for her braid to show her caramel coloured hair.

"You're more blonde that red, Ann." Raven rolled her eyes but then the upper right corner of her mouth twitched. "But thank you."

"THIS IS THE US COAST GUARD! DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MOVE YOUR VESSEL! STAY WHERE YOU ARE!" A loud voice sounded from all over the ship.

Immediately Raven and Ann looked at each other. It had begun. Ann turned around on the bench she was sitting on and pulled herself up towards one of the portholes to look through it. Raven followed her example and moved over to the one a few feet away from her. From where they were situated, they had a perfect view of what was taking place outside. Lights were flashing, smaller boats were making their way over to Shaw's yacht.

"How many do you see?" Raven asked.

Ann shook her head. "I'm afraid I can't tell. There must be at least a dozen people in total heading for him."

"He can't really run away, can he? Being stuck on a ship and all?"

But the other woman shrugged. From what she had seen Shaw do, the man wasn't afraid of anything. A grenade hadn't been able to stop him, who knew what else he was capable off?

"Oh my God! Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Raven pointed her index finger against the glass of the porthole.

Ann narrowed her eyes to try at spot what the girl was talking about. All of a sudden her eyes widened. "Is that a tornado?"

"Two of them?" Raven added. "I need to get to Charles!"

Before Ann could comprehend what was happening, Raven had already ran out of the room. Those tornadoes couldn't have been created by the weather, there was not a cloud in sight. It had to be another mutant, it simply had to be. Up until a few days ago she'd thought she was the only one who could do things that wasn't considered natural and now all of a sudden other people with genetic mutations were popping up left and right like common weeds.

Ann didn't make an effort to follow the other girl up on deck, instead she sat back down in her original spot and rubbed the back of her neck. Suddenly a male voice shouted from the outside.

"You have to let it go!"

Was that Charles? As quick as she could Ann turned her head and opened the porthole window a bit further. Again the very same voice shouted. "You have to let it go!"

It was Charles. What on Earth was going on? Who was he yelling at? Despite not wanting to head up on deck earlier, hearing him shout from the top of his lungs at someone caused Ann to move almost immediately. She rushed outside, ascended the metal steps, nearly tripping over her own feet, until she finally reached the upper deck. It didn't take long for her to find Raven, along with Moira and agent Frank. However Charles was nowhere to be seen.

"Moira!" Ann shouted as she came up behind her friend. "Was that Charles I heard yelling?"

"He jumped overboard!" Raven cried out and she pointed at the water. "He's over there!"

At that very moment two people emerged from the water. Apparently one of them was Charles, only it was too hard to tell from up there. But Raven recognised her brother without a doubt. The other person bobbing at the surface was unfamiliar to all of them.

"We're here!" Charles Xavier shouted from the dark water.

"Somebody get them out of there!" Moira ordered loudly, her voice cracked as she spoke.

::::::...::::::

After about twenty minutes Charles was back on deck, along with a tall dark haired man. Both wrapped in emergency thermal blankets. Raven sat next to her brother, a look of concern adorned her face and her eyes kept shifting into the direction of the other guy.

"I can't believe you did that." She said in a disapproving tone. "You could have drowned!"

"Somebody had to." Charles replied as he also looked at the man seated near him. "He was more at risk of drowning than I was."

"Have I ever told you that you're an idiot?" Raven joked causing Charles to smile a little.

Moira watched the three of them sitting huddled in the corner of the deck. What a night it had been. Shaw had escaped to who knew where, and Charles saved a man from drowning. A man who was most definitely like them. But who was he and why had he been adamant on getting his hands on Shaw? She turned her attention to the person leaning on the fence of the ship.

Quietly she walked over to her friend. As soon as she halted next to her, Ann turned around to face her. "I can't believe the guy actually escaped in a submarine."

"That makes two of us." Moira replied as she also placed her lower arms on the metal fence. "We were this close and now...Now we have to start all over."

She moved her gaze until her eyes landed on Ann's. The woman had no idea where it was Shaw could have run off to. But she would locate him again. Still, there was someone who could perhaps make the search happen a lot quicker and easier.

"Ann?" Moira cleared her throat. "Do you think,-"

"No." Ann answered before she'd even finished her sentence. It was more than obvious what Moira was planning on asking her, she wasn't stupid. But she couldn't help her.

"You knew where Shaw was. Can't you do it again?" Moira asked, her big doe eyes practically pleading.

Ann shook her head. "That's not how it works, Moira. Hendry was my connection to this place, not that stuck-up guy with his white suit and sunglasses."

"Meaning?"

"It means I can't help you find Shaw. I've already given you this location, isn't that enough?"

It wasn't enough. Ann knew that perfectly well. But she couldn't give the agent what she wanted. The fact that she'd even seen Shaw had been pure luck. If Hendry had been somewhere else, they never would have discovered this specific location. Or perhaps they would have as Moira already had a lead on where she could find him. Ann had only been the second opinion of confirmation in that regard.

"Ann,- If I may?" A voice sounded from behind them.

Moira threw the professor a look of gratitude. Perhaps he would be able to get through to her friend.

"Leave me alone, Charles." Ann replied through gritted teeth. She threw him an angry glare before turning her back on all of them and headed down the walking board off the ship.

Hope you all enjoyed! I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Until next time!