I'M DYING 4: FLU MISERIES
Chapter 10
"I think we're getting through to him," Jean said.
"We can only hope," Wolverine growled.
The boy heard their words, through his link to Jean.
"Do--do they want to hurt me?"
"No," she said. "They want to keep you from hurting anyone
else."
The mutant dropped its arms. "Why don't they want me to hurt them?"
"Because . . ."
It was hard to explain to someone who had no idea what they were talking about. Respect for human life had never been part of Michaela's curriculum. Indeed, she had regularly gone out of her way to snuff it . . . but right now, Xavier was making a distinct impression on him.
It was confusing him. Who was right? Mother, or this stranger? And how was he to know?
Inside, the healings were finally finished. And not a minute too soon.
"That feels much better, yo," Toad said. "Now what?"
"Now we go beat up that monster," said Wanda.
"First we have to get Fred."
"Right," said Marco. He looked around. "So who's driving?"
"Me, yo." Toad sprinted ahead of them.
"You don't even have a license!" Lance said.
"So?"
With that they piled into the first car they could find . . . which happened to be Magneto's.
"One scratch," he warned, "and you're all grounded till the next millennium!"
Toad drove well for someone who didn't actually have a license. "I lived in a car for a while," he said.
"Oh great," Lance groaned.
"What if we get stopped?" asked Pietro.
"We'll switch seats before the cop gets here," Wanda said.
"OK."
Luck was on their side; not a cop was within 100 miles at the moment. And traffic was light.
Magneto sighed with relief as the hospital came into view.
They'd managed to get there safely and in one piece after all.
And then . . .
"What was that?" Lance said.
"What was what?" asked Toad.
"That loud pop I just heard."
"I didn't hear anything."
Toad stopped the car. Sure enough, one of the tires had gone
flat.
"Musta run over a nail or somethin', yo."
"That's just great," grumbled Magneto. "Somebody get the spare out."
"You do it," said Toad to Wanda.
"Fine. Open the trunk."
A moment later, the trunk popped open . . .
"There's no spare tire in here."
"What?"
Magneto looked like he was about to have a coronary. "There was when we left!"
Toad had a guilty look on his face. "I kind of, um . .
. borrowed it."
"You what?"
"Well, I've always wanted a tire swing!"
Lance wanted to kill Toad. "You couldn't find an old
tire somewhere?"
"I didn't know we'd need it!"
"Toad, you idiot!!!"
"Me?
Why didn't you just write Spare tire--do not
use for swing on it?"
Lance had no words to express his desire to beat Toad senseless. If Magneto
hadn't restrained him, he might have done just that.
"We have work to do," Magneto said. "Let's just go inside and
save the killing for another time, shall we?"
So they hurried to fix the tire . . . while Marco went in to do what he had come for.
As for Professor Xavier, he'd just gotten some alarming news.
"There's half a dozen choppers and a line of armored trucks headed this way," Wolverine reported. "Unless someone's having a surprise party, I don't think that's good."
(I'm sorry it's short, but at least it's up! More on the way soon!)
