Chapter 6:

The School For the Gifted

"Everyone - we have a real big problem-" Nina burst through a portal back into the entrance hall of the school, startling the others, including, and especially, Moira. The others were fairly used to having Nina suddenly pop in from seemingly thin air.

"Wow," breathed Moira as the purple energy around the redhead dissipated.

"Oh, hello again Moira. How are you liking the school - so far?" she added.

"It's amazing!" Moira cried.

"Yes, it is."

The brunette gazed around. "And it almost seems a bit familiar..."

"Nina Love, what's this about a big problem?" asked Charles.

"Something's happened - wait, what's going on?" Suddenly she noticed their serious expressions. Hank Raven, and Charles were gathered in a huddle full of serious expressions.

"Erik," sighed Charles.

"Oh no - what happened this time?" She didn't like to assume anything, especially of their old friend, but Erik did seem to have a habit for getting into trouble - or rather causing it.

"That's why I'm here," Raven said. "He's resurfaced. He had a wife and a child, a family."

"He had?"

"Yes, they were killed."

"Oh no-"

"Along with a handful of policemen."

"Where?"

"Poland."

Charles sighed deeply. "Now the whole world will be looking for him."

"But you can help me find him before they do," Raven insisted.

Poor Moira looked very confused.

Back in Cerebro, Charles, Nina, Hank, Raven, Alex and Moira all gathered.

"Moira, I'm going to have to ask you keep this a secret," Charles requested.

"Okay... I don't even know what this is..." She gazed around the round silver and blue room.

"It's Cerebro," Raven explained. Then she observed, "the new model."

"Yeah, I based the colour on-" Hank was quick to jump in, but then reconsidered, cutting himself off and shaking his head. "Never mind, it doesn't matter." He handed Charles the helmet.

While the others were used to this, Moira jumped as Cerebro suddenly came alive all around them.

"What are those?" she asked as glowing figures began to take shape on the screen.

"Those are all the humans of the world," Charles explained. A handful of the figures changed colour and began to glow a deep red. "And these are all the mutants. I'm connected to all their minds."

Moira gawked. "Amazing... The CIA would kill for this."

"I know they would," said Charles. Then he muttered, "Where are you Erik?" Silence, then: "Hello old friend. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I feel your pain, I feel your loss. What happened to them, it was terribly wrong. But come back to us, I can help you. Think of your wife, think of your daughter - what would they have wanted?" Charles shifted in his seat. "He's not alone."

"What?" Usually when Erik went rogue, he did so alone. But it seemed this time was different.

"Oh my God..." Charles suddenly breathed, and sat up, rigid.

The screen changed, from the usual image to purple, pure purple energy.

"Nina?" asked Raven.

"No, this isn't me..." However, she knew that purple energy - she had a good idea of who this was.

"What - Charles? Charles, get out!" cried Hank, scrambling with the controls on the board, but it did nothing, Charles seemed to be locked in some sort of sudden trance.

"I've never felt power like this before..." Charles's eyes turned black, solid dark orbs.

"Charles get out of there!" Hank kept trying, but it was no use.

"What's going on? What's happening?" cried Moira.

Hank was scrambling. "I - I think someone's taken over Cerebro."

A shorter chapter but I felt like this was a good, suspenseful place to end!

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :)