Chapter Nine: On our Own
It took us a day and a half to reach the outskirts of New York City. When we got there it was about noon, and the mid-day sun was burning down not only into my still-painful eyes, but also on to our pale skin, which was more acclimatised to Scottish weather.
"It's too hot," Chloe gasped. "I can't stand it."
"It's the humidity that's the worst. I feel like I'm melting," said Jacqueline.
Chris grinned at her, "Yeah. Don't you just wish you could change into liquid to escape the heat?"
"Very funny. What's our next move?"
He thought for a moment, then said, "Anything that will help us track down our enemies. I was thinking we could check the newspapers. If there's been any mutant crimes reported, it might be our old friends Chameleon and Inferno. I'd wager those two can't stay out of trouble for too long."
"OK, let's find some newspapers," I said.
Jacqueline held up her hand, "Wait a minute."
"What?"
"I dunno. Something weird's happening. There's somebody trying to dive into my mind. Neil, can you feel it too?"
"Just about. I'm not as sensitive to it as you are."
"Who is it?" asked Chris.
"I don't know. It's gone now. But there was definitely somebody."
"Maybe it was the Professor, keeping an eye on us," Chloe suggested.
Jacqueline shook her head, "No, I'd have recognised if it was him. He taught me a lot about mind-reading when we were at the school, and he was in and out of my head all the time. I learned to recognise his thought pattern."
"What about Dr Grey?"
"Same. I practised with her sometimes when the Professor was busy. It wasn't anyone we know."
"Weird," said Chris. "Well, NYC's a big place. There must be other telepaths living here. Maybe one of them sensed our presence and was just curious."
"Yeah, could be," I said. "Anyway, we'll worry about it if it happens again. Let's look at the papers."
We headed down the street in search of a newsagent's. It was my first time in a city since this whole thing had started, and I'd forgotten how people reacted to me – to us. Without any sun-glasses to cover my eyes, my gold pupils instantly gave away the fact that I was a mutant, and people responded accordingly. Children ran away from us, people crossed the road to avoid walking past us, and we had insults thrown at us from all directions, as well as one or two stones. Chris was angry and turned round to scan the street every time somebody yelled an insult, in the hope of finding the guilty party. Jacqueline had gone back to her cool, uncaring appearance, and I could sense she was desperately trying to keep her emotions in check, in case she lost control. Chloe was scared and walked close to me. I tried to ignore the insults and keep walking. I knew people didn't hate us because they were evil – it was ignorance and prejudice, rather than real hatred, the Professor had said.
Thankfully we reached a newsagent's before Chris lost his temper and attacked anyone. Copies of various newspapers – local, city-wide and nation-wide – were lying on a bench outside of the store. Chris picked up one of the city papers, and began flicking through the front pages.
"Well, don't just stand there, try some of the others," he said impatiently.
"I'll keep an eye out in case any trouble comes our way," I said.
Jacqueline and Chloe both picked up a New York paper, and examined the front pages. A few minutes passed, and no sign of any threats approaching.
"Anything yet?" I asked.
"No. Two mutants arrested near the coast, but they were both in their 30s. Can't be either of our little friends," said Chris.
Jacqueline looked up, "An 8 year-old mutant child was shot dead outside a library yesterday. Identity of killer: unknown. Police response: none."
"They probably did the killing," Chris snapped.
"I can't believe someone killed a mutant kid and got away with it, and nobody cares," said Chloe sadly.
"Believe it. Most people would love to see us all dead," said Chris.
"Wait a minute, here's something," said Jacqueline, scanning the page intently. "Yeah, this sounds promising. Two mutants – male, late teens – escaped police pursuit after robbing a bank last night. South edge of the city."
"Could be them. Could be someone else," I said.
"Except one of them set several police vehicles on fire and the second was seen to suddenly disappear without trace," she continued. "It's them. It's Inferno and Chameleon."
"Right!" Chris enthused. "We've got them! They must be based down in that area. We'll head down there immediately."
"We'll need to take a bus or a train," I said. "Have we got enough money?"
"Actually, we haven't got any," he said. "We've got the money we picked up when we were in the Highlands, but that won't be any good in America."
"Can't we get it changed at a bank or something?" Chloe asked.
Jacqueline shrugged, "Probably, but if we're changing foreign money, they might ask to see our passports."
"Which we don't have with us," I said. "Actually, we have no legal basis whatsoever for being in this country. We're foreign nationals and we haven't got any visas or anything."
"That's bad," said Chris. "All right, here's a plan: let's not get picked up the police. We're mutants and we shouldn't even be in the country – probably the very least they'd do is lock us away for ninety years."
"So how are we going to get down to the south of the city?" Chloe asked.
"I dunno. We'll nick a car or something," said Chris. "I learned how to drive when I was 13. My cousin and I found an abandoned car down by the docks."
"Didn't you just say we don't want to get caught by the police?" Jacqueline retorted. "Mutants, who shouldn't even be in the country, stealing a car and driving it under-aged and without a license – yes, that would look good, wouldn't it?"
"All right then, Einstein, you give us a plan."
"We'll use the subway," she suggested. "If someone comes round to ask for tickets, I'll just go into their mind and make them think we've already shown them."
I nodded and Chloe brightened at the prospect of progress. Chris said grudgingly, "All right, I suppose that would work. Where's the nearest subway station?"
"We passed it back there. Let's go."
The journey on the subway passed uneventfully, but the carriages began to get uncomfortably hot as we travelled south. Chris had gone to sleep – I wondered idly if his ability to drop off within seconds was actually an extra mutation – and Jacqueline had her eyes closed and her head resting on the back of the seat, but she wasn't asleep. I could sense it. Chloe was bored and had picked up a magazine that had been left by a previous occupant of our carriage.
Jacqueline? I asked telepathically.
What?
How are you doing in there? How is – um – little Jacqueline? What do you call her, incidentally?
You can refer to her as Jackie. That's what people called me at that age. Anyway, she'll still upset. She's wondering who you were. She liked you. She wants you to come back.
Maybe I could. If we get a spare moment, I could –
Could what?
I could go back into your mind and talk to her.
I'd – I'd prefer you didn't. It's hard enough with the two of us. I think if there was a third person in here, I'd begin to go crazy. I feel pretty awful leaving Jackie in there alone, but there's no other way.
OK. Well, if you want someone to talk to her, I'll do it any time.
Yeah, thanks.
"Looks like we're almost there," said Chris, startling both of us. "Next stop's ours."
We got off the train at the next stop and Chris opened his jacket to pull out the newspaper which he'd swiped from the store. It was the one Jacqueline had been reading, the one with the report about Inferno and Chameleon.
"All right, where now?" I asked him.
"Well, we're assuming that your father's operating out of this area. We've got to find out where his centre of operations is. Let's try and find a directory of the area."
We found a telephone directory in a nearby phone box, and Chris opened it.
"OK, what're we looking for?" he said.
"I dunno. It was your idea," said Chloe.
"Try the name Rosiçky, I suppose," I shrugged.
He flicked to the Rs and scanned down the page, "OK, 7 Rosiçkys live in this neighbourhood. None of them named Davor."
"Hmm. Try the business section."
He turned through the pages and searched for my father's name – my name – once more.
"Hey, this might be it," he said. "Rosiçky Genetic Research Laboratories. It's – um – a few miles west of here, I think."
"Then let's head there."
"All right. We may need to stop and formulate some sort of plan at some point," he said with a hint of sarcasm. "I mean, fun as it may sound, I don't like the idea of just walking up there and passing the time of day with your father and his four 'kids'. Some way of sneaking up on then might be nice."
"Also nearly impossible," I said. "Chameleon can look through walls, just like me, remember? We can't hope to get in there undetected."
"Sure we can. You just keep an eye on Chameleon. Chloe can do her stuff and start some distraction, then we'll sneak in."
"You think they'll fall for the distraction-by-animals trick a second time?" Jacqueline asked dubiously. "If they know we're capable of it, it will just alert them to our presence."
"Do what we did with the Professor," suggested Chloe. "Wait until Chameleon's gone to sleep, then make our way in."
"No, I still think that's too risky," I said. "We don't know what mutations my father, or the other two we've never met, possess. Maybe one of them is a telepath, who'd be able to sense our approach."
"I wish we'd stayed with Xavier," Jacqueline sighed. "He'd know what to do."
"Why don't you telepath to him and ask his advice if you think he's so great?" Chris snapped.
She shook her head, "I would, but – I don't feel like I could talk to him right now. Not after betraying his trust the way we did."
"And we can't rely on him sending his X-Men to help us out a second time," I said. "If he's really mad at us – and I wouldn't blame him – he may not be willing to help."
"I think he would help," said Chloe.
"So do I, but we can't be certain of it."
Chris threw up his arms, "Oh, this is pointless. Let's stop arguing and just get on with it! We can think of a plan when we get there. At least then we'll have a better idea of how we might get into this place."
We put the phone book back, and walked down the street in the direction Chris indicated. I was focusing a few hundred yards again, watching for trouble, when I suddenly spotted something.
"Uh-oh," I said.
"What?"
"There's a huge bunch of people staging an anti-mutant demonstration. Looks like some kind of march. They're coming this way."
"Scum," Chris seethed.
"Can we go round them to avoid being seen?" asked Chloe.
"Why should we?" Chris demanded. "I'm not ashamed of what I am! I'd like to know exactly what it is about us that these people can't accept! In fact, I'm going to go over there and have it out with them right this second!"
I closed my eyes, "Don't."
When I opened them, he had already sprinted ahead in the direction of the mob.
"Stop him!" said Chloe.
Chris! Don't! Jacqueline sent.
Don't start any trouble! I told him.
I projected my thoughts towards him for any reply he might make.
Sorry, Shades. Sorry, Psyche, he responded, a man's gotta do – well, you know the rest.
Psyche? Jacqueline repeated.
Yeah, I decided to give you a nickname, he told her, like it?
Chris, come back. Now!
He made no response, and we had no choice but to run after him. Jacqueline and I were reasonably swift runners, but not as fast as Chris, and Chloe was slowing us down. We had no hope of stopping him before he reached the demonstrators, but we had to pull him away from there before he went and started some kind of riot.
When we got there, he had reached the front of the crowd. A man, holding up a placard that read Die Mutant Scum appeared to be the leader of the march, and was instigating some kind of chant. I couldn't quite make it out, but I wasn't really listening. I was more intent on watching Chris, as he grabbed the man by the collar and began yelling at him. I could sense Chris' emotions running wild – anger, mostly – and screams began to erupt from the crowd as they saw the furious teenager manhandling their leader.
"So what's wrong with mutants, scum-bag?" I could hear him yelling as we got closer. "Huh? What the hell would you know about it? Do you hate black people? Do you hate the disabled? They were born what they are, just the same as us!"
The man was terrified – I didn't even have to read his emotions to tell that – and he struggled to get away from Chris. By this time the crowd were fleeing in all directions, horrified when they learned that Chris was a mutant.
Chris! Leave him! It's not worth it! I sent.
Chris shoved the man on to the ground and spat down at him, "Scum!"
The man scrambled to his feet and fled. Chris glared after him, kicked at the fallen placard, then I sensed him getting his emotions in check, and he calmed. Turning to us as we ran up to him, he said, "Well, that was a pleasant discussion. Always nice to exchange one's views."
"What were you thinking?!" Jacqueline shrieked. "We can't get into trouble, you said! Everybody's looking at us now! You've probably gone and alerted half the neighbourhood to our presence!"
"Yeah, so what?"
"It'll get through to Rosiçky and the rest, that's what! Come on, let's get away from here and hide somewhere!"
Grabbing him by the arm, we pulled Chris off the main road and into a side street. A few people pelted us with rotten fruit and stones as we went. Then came the sound I had been dreading ever since Chris had launched himself at the crowd.
Police sirens. At least two, coming our way.
"Oh, great," Chris said. "Don't worry, I grew up dodging the police. This shouldn't be – "
A voice came from behind us, "Freeze!"
"OK, forget I said that," he muttered, as we turned to see two police officers, guns in hand, standing a few yards away.
"Mutants," one of them hissed, when he saw my eyes.
"Wait a minute," his partner said suddenly. "It's them. These are the ones we've been looking for!"
"What are you talking about?" Chris snapped.
The officer pointed the gun at him and said, "Shut up. We received a report of four mutants, one with gold eyes, involved in an armed robbery in this area, less than an hour ago. Looks like we caught you. Honestly, you freaks are so stupid. The least you might have done is cover up your eyes."
Chameleon! I telepathed to the others, they must be talking about Chameleon! He's got gold eyes like mine! He and Inferno and the other two we've never met must be the ones they're looking for!
Right, Jacqueline responded, which means they're definitely still in the area. We just need to get out of this situation, then we can search for them.
Easier said than done, said Chris.
Are they going to shoot us? Chloe asked nervously.
The police officer smirked and said, "I take it by your silence that you freaks aren't going to deny anything. We're taking you in. Get the cuffs on them."
The other cop walked towards us, and Jacqueline said, "We haven't done anything!"
"Yeah, whatever. Save your lies till we get you down to the station."
"Sorry, we're not going anywhere," Jacqueline replied, as she raised her arm.
Using her power, she pushed the two officers away from us, and yelled, "Run for it!"
We didn't hesitate. Chris led the way out into the main road, where we fled back in the direction we had just come, back towards the subway station. I sensed the two policemen following us, yelling for backup. A police van was parked at the side of the road, and as we watched, three cops jumped out, and three dogs on leashes followed them. The dogs were released and sent after us, easily covering the short distance between themselves and our fleeing figures.
"Chloe? Do something!" Chris yelled.
Chloe turned behind her and called to the dogs, "Please! Stop! Turn around! Leave us alone!"
The dogs barked in acknowledgement, and turned around to trot calmly up the road, back towards the police van. Chris grinned and we continued hurrying down the road.
"The subway station!" he cried. "We'll go down there and lose them in the crowds!"
When we got to the subway station, however, we could see the crowds of people, screaming, running, up the stairs from the underground section. Not stopping to consider what had scared them, we plunged into the crowd, pushing against the flow, heading down the stairs.
It probably wasn't a good idea. Chloe was right behind me, but I lost sight of Chris and Jacqueline as soon as I entered the teeming mass of people. I heard Chloe cry out as she lost her balance, and I turned to help her, but the crowd had already swallowed her up and I could see no sign of her. Pushing onwards, I reached the bottom of the stairs, where the throng of people thinned out, and looked around for my friends. I couldn't see them anywhere.
Guys? I called telepathically.
Neil, where are you? Jacqueline replied.
At the bottom of the stairs, where are you?
Uh, same. Damn it, we must have gone down different sets of stairs? Can you see Chloe?
No.
Hang on. Talk to you later.
She cut off the link, and I looked around, trying to see if Chloe was anywhere near me. The crowd had disappeared up the stairs, and I found myself alone in the subway station. The others must have taken a different route and ended up somewhere else in the terminal. Damn it! I couldn't believe we'd got split up! Well, at least we'd lost the cops.
Just as relief was beginning to flow through me, something slammed into my back and knocked me to the floor.
Help! I called to the others, not knowing whether or not they could hear it.
I tried to get up, but a knee in my shoulder blades pinned me down, and an arm was wrapped around my throat, cutting off my breathing.
"Well, well, look what the cat dragged in," Chameleon hissed into my ear.
