Chapter 5
Cruel Intentions
- Part 2 -
Ororo - or Storm - and I had decided to fly back in the Blackbird instead of using our powers. I probably could have made it there faster by myself, but I didn't know how my backpack would have stood up to return trip. Plus - and I hated to admit this - Professor Xavier was right; I didn't want to overdo and a flight like that could really do me in. But sitting back in the co-pilot's seat, eyes closed, I couldn't be too angry about my decision to take a joy ride in the X-Jet. At least I could rest and let my mind just "wander".
It bothered me to have to agree with him - especially about being in a weakened state. I don't know why. It just seemed like every time we talked, he was always right. He made me feel like I was a little kid asking, for permission to go out and play. It was annoying. I wonder if I were telepathic, would I be so . . . pushy? Pretentious? I shook my head. I hope not. But maybe that kind of power lead you to be a little presumptious.I mean you always had that edge, that extra foresight. Reading other people's innermost thoughts and feelings - when even sometimes they didn't even acknowledge them. I wonder if he gets on everyone else's nerves because of his power - or if it's just me? Of course he would know if he were annoying people.But, then why would he do it? Maybe telepathy didn't compensate for someone's natural personality. But then maybe it did. I merely shook my head at the conundrum. I'm glad my powers were of physical variety - not mental.
I exhaled slowly and settled back in the chair. I shut down my scanner power and just focused on me - on what I was going to do now. Was I really in danger? Would it be as bad as Professor X had said? Would I have to always be looking over my shoulder now? What about the rest of the student population? I'm sure there were a few mutants mixed in at school - but none of them were X-Men.Could I fight back another contingence of Sentinels? What if I couldn't? What if I were hurt? What if someone else were hurt? Would I get blamed for it because I was a mutant?
Probably - considering the recent anti-mutant hysteria in Pittsburgh.And then what would happen?
Like my parents would actually take me back.I'd be kicked out of school.No home, no family. Then what would I do.? Live out the rest of my days, running? I shook my head. No. I won't. I won't give in to that line of thinking. It's ridiculous. A completely isolated incident. It'd be fine, I tried to tell myself. I'd be just fine. I'd been so far - on my own. I graduate in a year . . . then it's off to a new city and a new life. I've gotten pretty damned good at hiding - I hadn't even used my powers once in the last four years.well - not consciously anyway. But now, I do.And 2 days later, I've got the X-Men in one hand.And overgrown Transformers in the other. Good versus evil. More like the lesser of two evils, I corrected myself. What a choice.
I snuck a quick "peek" at Ororo. What do I really know about these people, anyway? At any time any one of them could take me down. What if they're not really the good guys? You hear, once in a while, about mutants getting killed or being involved in killings.public property destruction. What if the helping hand they are supposedly extending holds a smoking gun? What if they're just spying on me to see how they can take my powers away from me? Or what if they're trying to experiment on my powers . . . I blanched at that thought.it hit a little too close to home. I shifted uncomfortably in my chair, having strayed just this far across the line into paranoia.
Ororo said something from the pilot's seat.
"Excuse me?" I'd been so preoccupied that I hadn't heard her.
She repeated her query. "Are you unwell, Tres?"
Just listening to the sound of her voice did wonders to help me relax.But it didn't quite silence that little nagging voice inside me. "No - I'm fine. Just tired," I lied. Ororo nodded.
"This type of engagement can be unsettling."
"You can say that again," I said, sarcastically. She smiled, slightly. It was a small sign of joy that had no hint of malevolence. A simple gesture - but one I needed nonetheless. How could I think that she would have any interest in harming me, I thought contemplating her cheerful expression. Okay - maybe cheerful didn't exactly describe Ororo - but it did describe Kitty. And would a junior high kid really be involved in some nefarious scheme like that? Well - maybe a cult. I shook my head at that notion. I can't think things like that - I'll deal with it later, I thought pushing it aside.
"At dinner, you inquired as to the nature of my mutant abilities" she continued.
"Professor Xavier told me you could control the weather." I hadn't really thought of it in detail. Of course the circumstances surrounding the information exchange hadn't been ideal. But now that I had a moment to reflect.Did that mean she could make it snow? Or rain? Hail? Make the wind blow? Now that's a power . . .
"Wow," was all I could say. I'd seen the storm clouds earlier, and the lady herself hurling lightning bolts and creating Arctic-like conditions. She had a considerable amount of power at her disposable. I thought about her flashy, skin-revealing costume. You'd think someone that could control the weather would want a costume that would insulate them against all the various forces of nature. Like a parka or a wet suit. Not a skin-tight vinyl get-up that was only this big. Then I thought better of it. "Is that how you stay warm? Does your body compensate for the changes in the temperature?"
"Yes." She tapped a few controls on the Blackbird's console.
"Must be nice - to not get cold during the winter. My power kind of works like that, I think. During the summer, I never overheat, though. I don't tan.and I don't need sunglasses," I told her.
"Your mutant ability compensates for the excess light," she surmised.
"I guess," I shrugged. To be honest, I didn't really know. One person had tried to explain to me how my powers worked - but I was younger then and not particularly interested in the effects of mutant powers on my physiology at the time. I tried not to think about that particular lesson and instead took a good look around the X-Men's jet.
While I was no aficionado of planes, I'd have guessed that there were a few systems on board that far outstripped anything that the Navy had. Probably even NASA. I wonder where they got their technology from? Maybe Xavier's got some secret stash of inventors and such squirreled away in his mansion. You could probably hoard any number of people in a home that size, I thought recalling my scans of the grounds.
That only made me think of home and my parents. Probably toiling away. Right about now, my mother would be sitting down to watch Wheel of Fortune and my dad would be curled up in his Lay-Z-Boy reading the paper. I smiled at the thought. Thinking about my Dad brought my attention back to Ororo. I guess I was kind of warming up to her, despite my doubts. I mean she did risk her life to save me. She could have let me get cooked by that Sentinel. "What part of Africa are you from?" Her accent was distinct - much more pronounced than my father's. This was the first time I'd had the chance to mention it.
Ororo got a far-off look in her eyes. "I was born here in America. But my childhood was spent in Cairo," she said nostalgically.
That certainly explained the accent and some of her attire at dinner, although not the snazzy little X-Men's uniform. More importantly, though, that confirmed my hunch that we had some things in common. "My father's from Africa," I said. "He grew up here in America, though. I think he came here when he was very young."
"Do you know from what area of Africa your father is from?" she asked with interest.
I shook my head. "No." My father and I weren't exactly what you'd call close. I hadn't delved too much into his past.
"And your mother?" she queried. "Is she too from Africa?"
"Nope. She's Native American," I said with pride. "Full-blooded Cheyenne." I knew a little bit more about my mother's history than my father's. "She was the daughter of the tribe's shaman, although she was a little more progressive than the rest of her family. She moved away from the area where she grew up and came to Ohio after college with my Dad." Ororo nodded her head in understanding. "What about you?"
Again - that nostalgic look. Her eyes clouded over for a moment. "My father was American. He and my mother died when I was very young..."
"I'm sorry," I said, suddenly wishing I could take back my question. "I didn't mean to bring up any painful memories."
"The X-Men are my family now," she said with just a touch of tenderness in her tone. "They are as close as blood, bonded in ways that transcend friendship," she explained. I'd have to take her word on that; I'd never let myself develop those kinds of close relationships since.school. A few moments passed where neither of us spoke. I guess we were both thinking about our families and friends.
"Will you be missed at school, for a few days?" Ororo asked.
I shook my head. "Not really. It's finals time. Most students are in and out of the dorms. No one will miss me for a few days. I'll leave a few notes and make a few phone calls, so everyone's covered," I explained.
Ororo nodded her agreement. "Do you have a great deal of studying ahead of you?"
Now I felt really depressed. "More than I'd like to admit.But I'll get by. I always plan on studying a lot. Go over and re-do each problem set, then go through the old midterms, do some reading and extra problems in the books, then highlight key points in the notes." I started laughing. Ororo's eyebrow arched slightly. "Somehow, I never get all that done before I take the test."
"Perhaps you are over-planning," Ororo suggested.
"Maybe. But you can never be over-prepared. Some of my professors are pretty tricky. You never know what you're going to get on the test."
"You can avail yourself of the mansion's library and computers to help with your studies."
I considered that. "Certainly won't be as many people as there are on campus. Space in libraries is a hot commodity at the end of the semester."
"I believe there are fewer students at Xavier's than at Carnegie Mellon. You should find ample room in the Xavier manse to study," she said with a small smile. I laughed at Ororo's simple joke and felt the rest of the tension melt away.
"I guess I will just have to hope for the best," I replied, still grinning. This time the silence was warm and comfortable. I stretched in my seat before relaxing back.
"It is odd," Ororo said.
"What is?" I asked. I peered out the cockpit window as we flew onward to Pittsburgh.
"We had believed that the Sentinel program had been terminated. Yet just today, we have undeniable proof that it is fully active," she said. She didn't seem overly concerned, although come to think of it, on the whole, Ororo seemed rather impassive.
"Sentinel program?" Ororo gave me a brief run-down of what exactly a Sentinel was - a mutant-tracking robot, and how the X-Men had battled them several times before. There were a few details she seemed to gloss over, but I didn't press. I was too - shocked/disgusted - by the fact that people would go to such lengths to 'contain the mutant menace'. I could be ambushed by an overgrown Go-Bot?
"It is disappointing to see the depths of hatred that the human soul is capable of," she replied. "The X-Men have triumphed over adverse odds before and will so again. You have my word on that," she finished solemnly.
Her word might mean a lot but still . . . Those things had been designed to capture and even kill. What if I - we - weren't so lucky the next time? What if one of the X-Men were hurt or killed? Or what if I died? I slowly exhaled, thinking rationally about the situation. "Well - wouldn't it make more sense to search out the manufacturing facility of the Sentinels and destroy it?" I asked.
Ororo considered for a moment then shook her head. "That may compound the problem. The purpose of the X-Men is to re-integrate the small, but growing sect of mutants back into non-mutant society. Non-mutants are already afraid of the powers that we possess. By destroying a facility in such a fashion, we could increase mutant hysteria, making the X-Men a target for the rising feelings of distrust and loathing that is directed towards all mutants," she explained.
I didn't know if I bought into all that. I mean - if I knew some psychopath were pumping out huge robots to hunt me down, you can bet I'd make it one of my priorities to take the fight right to his front door. I mean - why not wipe out the plant making the Sentinels? Then - Poof! No more killer robots! That thought kind of eased the tightening knot of tension growing in my stomach. But only a little . . .
"Hmmmmm," was my only reply to her statement.
"You do not agree?" she said, regarding me for a moment.
"To be honest - no. I wouldn't stand idly by and let some bigoted tyrant create weapons of mass destruction and then send them after me. If it were up to me, I'd find that buster and make him sorry he'd ever built a 'Sentinel'."
Ororo paused a moment. "Today Tres we faced less than twenty Sentinels. It took a trained team of five to disable them. The Goddess smiled on us today, by allowing them to attack in waves. That allowed the threat to be more manageable. Consider, for a moment, arriving at the Sentinel production facility where not two nor twenty, but perhaps two hundred or two thousand Sentinels were waiting? Do you believe that you alone could mount an offensive that would disable such a formidable force? Sentinels do not tire, they do not need to breathe, or relax. And they do not forgive. They are designed to kill. And they do so, efficiently. Do you still believe it would be beneficial to launch a counter strike?
As she spoke, with such calm, unwavering certainty, an ice-cold sliver of fear worked its way up my spine. The thought of dozens, hundreds, maybe thousands of Sentinels lying in wait for me as I showed up ready to fight filled my mind.made it hard to breathe. That many of them - ugh - I turned my head to the side and swallowed to keep from vomiting. Outside, the night sky raced on, seemingly peaceful. But who knew what terrors were lurking in the darkness? I imagined an endless wave of Sentinels suddenly appearing out of nowhere, Ororo and I, vulnerable and outnumbered. The dimly lit cockpit suddenly felt suffocating.
Without warning I released a portion of my powers, summoning globes of bright light into existence inside the plane. No darkened corners remained untouched by the light - where a potential threat may be hiding. Simultaneously, I threw out my "scanning" sense to its furthest, searching, looking for anything. No supersized Decepticon was going to catch me unaware. That's for damned sure!
Oroco waited patiently beside me, and, when I had relaxed back into my seat, she spoke. "Perhaps, an alternative plan?"
I exhaled slowly to keep the tremor out of my voice - an old trick my mother taught me. Breathe out the fear - she'd say - then you won't be afraid anymore. A few breaths later and I felt a little better. Maybe it was the trick or maybe it was just thinking about Mom.
"What other way?" I asked slowly with deliberate pause between each word.
"One against many - the odds would not be in your favor." She didn't finish the rest of that statement - there was no need to. I knew what she was getting at. "However, consider if you were part of a group, a team. Your chances of victory would increase dramatically."
"Maybe." What? Join the X-Men? Be a part of the team? I saw what that would mean earlier today.4 city blocks reduced to rubble, and me taking orders from a pushy bald telepath. Nuh uh, I thought. "No," I snapped. The balls of light I controlled pulse in time with my anger. "I don't want that." I stopped myself from adding 'again'.
"I had no intention of upsetting you, Tres," Ororo said calmly.
"I'm not upset," I countered, not even trying to sound civil. Ororo turned her head ever so slightly, to regard the nearest blue sphere hovering mid- air. Her eyebrow arched ever so lightly before she turned her gaze upon me. Oops - busted! So much for Mr. Nonchalant. With a mental "flick of the wrist" I banished the light balls. The cabin returned to its uncomfortable dimness.
"I'd still rather beat the Hell out of whoever sent those things after me," I grumbled.
"As an X-Man we often have to put aside our personal feelings," she stated. Anger and fear and worry - all twisted up together inside me. "Do you not feel it would be wrong to use your powers against one who lacked the same ability?" And let someone else kill me? And you're making me out to be the bully, I thought viciously? Suddenly a simmering rage boiled over.
"But I'm not an X-Man, Ororo. I'm just a student . . . who happens to be a mutant. I don't think it would be an abuse of my powers to use them against the guy that sent those Sentinels after me. Mutant or no. I didn't do anything wrong! And more than anything, I just want to go back to my 'mundane' life. It's not fair," I said, choking on the last few words as the deadly seriousness of everything that had just happened to me settled in. By the Goddess - someone had wanted me dead or worse. I turned my head away from Ororo and kept the tidal wave of despair from washing over me. Drowning me.
"It is unsafe for you to be alone, Tres. Surely you see the wisdom in remaining at the mansion until we can determine the identity of your attacker."
"That's your opinion," I said coldly, still not looking at her. I paused, still struggling for control. My emotions and my powers needed release. All I wanted to do at that point was to hit something very, very hard. "The only reason I'm hanging around at all is because you and Professor Xavier think it's best," I countered in a low voice. "Maybe you're right...maybe you're wrong. I'll give it a shot the X-Man way but I'm not changing my personal philosophy. The next person that comes looking to start trouble with Tres Darkmoon is in for a world of hurt," I vowed, looking her square in the face.
Ororo grew slightly more impassive and focused her attention on flying the plane. "We have arrived," were her words after several minutes had past. "I shall engage the autopilot and provide cover for your reconnaissance. You will be all right?" She seemed somewhat concerned. Although, her tone had a flatness that it had lacked not more than ten minutes ago.
"I'll be fine, thanks," I said. My anger abated, I suddenly realized that I'd been a real jerk to someone who was going out of her way to make me feel more comfortable. Circumstances notwithstanding. Ororo was probably a little put off by my 'childish display'. "Be right back," was all I said, though. She tapped another control and door opened on the side of the jet. Amazingly enough, the wind didn't come rushing in due to the pressure differential. I wondered, briefly, if Storm's powers were responsible. I didn't stop to think about it though; instead I leapt out of the plane and made my way to the ground.
Sheesh! Ororo was right about 'providing cover'. If I had any doubt about the nature of her powers, I wouldn't anymore. There was a dense, pea- soup fog covering the entire campus. I was disoriented at first, and in my exuberance, dropped way too low to the ground before I thought better of it and began to scan my way forward.
Good thing I had. I'd come really close to crashing through a building. I managed to recover quickly enough, but that shook me up pretty bad. I'd be much more careful in the future.
The rest of the pseudo-mission went well. I shoved my books and a few clothes into an overnight bag, left a note for my roommate and got out of the room without incident. Through the window of course. Needless to say, I made it back to the plane without destroying any public property.But if I did, I'd definitely be branded with a big fat 'X' whether I wanted it or not. I shook my head and flew back to the plane.
* * * * *
We were pretty quiet on the way back from Pittsburgh. It wasn't a relaxing silence, either. It was more like a somber, foreboding hush had fallen over us. Ororo didn't try to initiate another conversation with me and I certainly did not want one with her. I tried dozing off, but I couldn't do it; there were too many thoughts tumbling around in my head, for one thing. I got up and began to walk around the plane, instead.
I was annoyed. I didn't like the fact that being around the X-Men meant that I had to act or behave differently than I normally would have. Asking permission to go somewhere. Having a chaperone. The discussion on our differences in personal philosophy was only my latest reason for me to not want to remain in the X-mansion. It was a minor difference of opinion - letting the bad guys have their way with mutant kind as opposed to appearing on their doorstep ready to bust some chops - but I'd been the target of the most recent anti-mutant assault. And I really wanted to strike back. Hard.
Maybe I was just on edge. I ran my hands through my hair whiled I pace up and down the X-plane. So what if Professor Xavier felt it was best for me to stay here in West Chester. Was that really the best course of action for me? I could handle just about anything that they threw at me. 'They' being the nebulous reference to any and all nefarious people with intention of bringing harm to my person.
Still it might not be so bad.From what I had 'seen', the mansion was nice. Professor Xavier lived well. It wouldn't be so bad to indulge, would it? At least for a few days, until I could figure out who or what was after me. Not that it would take that long.I'd already comprised a very short, but succinct Enemies List. The only thing was I didn't have any idea how to track them down.
Maybe it'd be best if I stayed at Xavier's for a while. I'm sure the X-Men could help, considering all their technology and their powers. If their jet was any indication of the rest of the mansion's equipment - I gave the plane another once over - then they'd probably have state of the art tracking devices. Maybe that could help me flush out a few potential prey. That would make staying with them worthwhile.
I sighed, rolling my head around on my shoulders trying to loosen up the tense muscles a bit.
"Are you injured?" Ororo asked from the pilot's chair. She must have seen me twisting about.
"A little," I replied. I smiled to myself, out of relief that the silence was broken and that I'd decided on a course of action - revenge. "Must have slept wrong." Or been unconscious wrong, I thought.
"Perhaps. When we return to the mansion, we can give you a full examination. You may have injured yourself in the fight," she suggested.
"I doubt it," I replied. "Those Sentinels couldn't throw anything at me that I couldn't handle," I boasted.
Ororo paused - making it clear to me that she knew I was full of hot air. "Perhaps not. But you were ill-equipped to use your powers in a combat situation. You could have easily been a danger to yourself or others," she rebutted. "Your stay at the School could benefit you greatly. You could learn how to use your powers effectively for self-defense, or at least so as not to endanger anyone else," she went on.
I shook my head. "I'm not interested in using my abilities effectively or otherwise. I just want to finish school, start my own business and make lots of money. Without rescuing cats from trees and helping old ladies across the street," I countered making my way back to the front of the plane.
"With great power comes great responsibility, Tres," she said wisely. "Your responsibility is to the world - to use your powers to benefit all of humanity."
"Why?" I'd come close to snapping at her that I had no responsibility to anyone other than myself. But that sounded pretty harsh - even for me.
"You have been blessed with gifts Tres. Powers beyond imagination, perhaps beyond reason. To not use your abilities to ease the burden on others, to not oppose those whose Machiavellian ideals would enslave the world, is to be no better than the deadliest of villains the X-men have ever faced. It is our duty to mankind. A sacred birthright that we are sworn to uphold." She tapped a few buttons on the control panel after finishing her speech. I think she was waiting for a response from me.
I'll give her one thing, she certainly knew how to lay it on thick. Now.Ororo didn't take a condescending tone or intend it to be a lecture. But I was torn between defending my position and agreeing with her. I couldn't quite bring myself to give into her position, although a lot of what she said did make sense. But.
I didn't know what to say or think - so I said nothing. We finished the trip in silence. Luckily, we weren't too far away from the hangar when this last little difference of opinion took place. I was certainly eager to get out into the open and give myself time to think about things.
* * * * *
"I trust your trip was uneventful," Professor Xavier addressed both Ororo and I in his large office. A fire had been lit, warming the spacious room. It kept the cold at bay, although Storm probably could have made it perpetually summer on the grounds.
I gave Ororo sidelong glance before answering. "It was . . . insightful," I replied.
"Yes - Clayton and I had a chance to discuss the school's ideology," Ororo said. Uh oh - I wonder if she'll tell Professor Xavier about our little 'chats'? And my - I quickly silenced those thoughts. I'd almost forgotten whom I was in the presence of. Xavier had been looking at Ororo, but I saw the corners of his mouth turned up in the barest of grins.
"Mr. Darkmoon, Kitty has volunteered to show you to your room. You must certainly be tired after the day you've had. Ororo will brief me on your little 'chats'," he said in a very polite dismissal. My eyes narrowed as he voiced the exact inflection of my thoughts of a moment before. I'd have to watch what I said and what I thought around this place. Just then, there was a knock at the door and Professor Xavier told Kitty to come in.
The youngest X-Man walked in, smiling to herself. "Hi 'Roro," she said brightly. "Tres." I stood up, getting a head rush from rapidly shifting my equilibrium. Whew - I was tired.
"I guess I'm all yours, Kitty," I said to her. I turned back to Professor and Ororo. "Good night. And thank you for having me," I added.
"We are glad to have you, here." Ororo graced me with one of her breathtaking smiles. "Sleep well." The Professor nodded his agreement to her words. I gathered up my books and my over night bag and followed Kitty out the door, pulling it shut behind us. I let out a small sigh once outside the study, glad to have a little breathing room for first time all night.
"How was your trip?" Kitty asked once we were out in the hallway.
"Interesting to say the least," I replied as the petite girl led me down the corridor.
"Oh? Did you and Ororo have a chance to talk about the school?" she asked perceptively. I quickly adjusted my pace from on-campus-gotta-be-in- class-soon to a more leisurely stroll. At least Kitty wouldn't have to run to keep up with me.
"Uh - yes, we did, in fact," I told her. Guess I can't let my guard down around anybody in this place.
"Well.I hope you like it around here. It's good to have another young person," she said. "Someone who can relate." I doubted I'd have much in common with a junior high student.but who knew? She certainly seemed intelligent. Smarter than some of my classmates, I thought. Maybe this was an opportunity for me to get the inside on the Danger Room and the rest of the X-Men.
"Kitty - Professor Xavier mentioned something about a 'Danger Room'. What do you know about it?" I asked trying to maintain a tone of moderate interest.
"That's where we exercise our powers. Professor Xavier or Ororo usually run the sessions."
Our, huh? "So you've used the room, then?"
"Yep. I worked out a lot though before hand - to get ready for my first Danger Room run," she explained matter-of-factly.
"Oh." I thought briefly. "So it's like a gym?" I was still confused. What kind of gym would be good for me to give my powers a work out? I'd burn every piece of equipment to the ground.
She laughed. "No. It's more like . . . well," she struggled for a moment to describe it. "The room uses a mixture of mechanical devices, holograms, force fields and the like to test the limits of our powers. You can create a lot of different scenarios in the Danger Room that you wouldn't get in real life. It's like having your own movie set that you can alter at will. Sometimes, though, the X-Men test their powers against each other."
"Like in a fight?" I said, only slightly alarmed.
"Something like that." An impish smile appeared on her cherubic features.
I shook my head thinking about Storm v. Colossus - the main event. Geez! That sort of answered my question about the Danger Room. "You'll get to see it tomorrow," Kitty said, sensing my confusion. "The X-Men work out every day in the Danger Room. Plus you'll probably use it on Sunday. Professor X's really interested in seeing your powers in a controlled environment."
Great! I thought. I had a sudden image of the X-Men trying to take me on in the Danger.Storm, Colossus, Angel.I wondered how many more mutants were running around the mansion. And how did he find all of them . . . ? "Professor Xavier has a mutant tracking device doesn't he? That's how he found me, right?" I guessed.
"Yeah. That's how he found me, too. It's called Cerebro. I'll show it to you tomorrow when we watch the Danger Room session," she prattled on. I allowed myself a small self-satisfied smirk as she gave me that last detail. Perfect.just what I needed to hear.
"Where are you from?" I changed the subject, idly chatting while I seized upon that important piece of information.
"Deerfield, Illinois," she said. "My folks are still back there. Where are you from?"
"North Canton, Ohio," I said. "Small town - about an hour south of Cleveland." I usually followed up with that last part. Most people didn't know where my home was. Unless of course you were a big football fan; the Football Hall of Fame was ten minutes away.
"Ah," was all she said. "Did you like it there?"
I shrugged. "Nice clean town to grow up in. Very conservative though. Pittsburgh's not much better, but CMU has introduced me to a more . . . diverse culture. Although not as diverse as this school," I said.
"Well - there aren't too many schools like this around," she informed me.
More than you know, kiddo. But I said, "Do you like it here?" I figured I could take advantage of the situation. She was after all, 5 years younger than me.maybe even 6. I doubt she could evade a full 'investigation'. Boy was I wrong.
"Yeah - Xavier's is where I wanna be. I was lucky Professor X found me." She led me down another long hallway.
"You think so?" I asked, questioning my own decision to stay here - even for a few days.
"You bet," she said stopping before a room. She opened the door for me and gestured grandly for me to enter.
"You like playing hostess, Kitty?" I smiled. In answer, she curtsied then reached for the light switch. The room was large - much bigger than my dorm room in the frat house. Fully furnished, too. I walked inside, followed by Kitty.
I tossed my overnight bags in the closet and jumped onto the bed. I could indulge in a little pre-teen delinquency by bouncing on the mattress. Kitty laughed at my antics.
"Is that what they teach you at college?" she asked. I turned to look back at her. She'd pulled a chair away from the desk and sat down, propping her head up in one hand.
"Uh - yes. And a few other things," I suppressed a yawned.
"Tired?" she asked.
"A little. But not too tired to chat.What else can you tell me about this school?" I prompted her for more facts.
She shrugged. "What else do you want to know?"
I had a few ideas - but the kid was just too quick. I'd have to be careful what I asked her, young or not. "What's there to know? How many 'students' are there?" I asked.
"Right now - just the six of us. Seven including you." She gave me a significant look.
"You, Ororo, Peter, and Warren.who else is there?" I queried.
"Wolverine and Kurt." She made a little face when she said the latter. Not disgust, but maybe distaste or apprehension. Like she wasn't quite friends with him.Hmmmm.Were the X-Men not quite the team front they attempted to portray?
"What're they like? Woleverine and Kurt?"
"Well - Wolverine's kind of grouchy - or he tries to be. And Kurt's . . . well . . ." Again - that mildly distrusting look on her face.
"Yes?" I asked my curiosity piqued.
"You'll see for yourself." She shifted, seemingly uncomfortable with either the topic of conversation or the chair. Probably the first one.
"All right - if you say so," I told her. This time I didn't quite stifle the yawn.
"You really are tired," Kitty observed. "I should probably get going," she all but bounced off the chair. "Have a good night Tres," she told me. "See you in the morning - bright and early," she added before shutting the door.
"G'Night Kitty," I called after her. I lay there for a few moments then managed to drag myself out of bed to turn off the light. I walked back to the bed and plopped down on the soft mattress. I pushed back the sheets and tugged off my shoes and socks - not even bothering to get completely undressed. I was so tired by now, I didn't care. I crawled under the covers and drifted off to sleep almost immediately.
- End Part 2 -
* * * * *
This story © 2001 Sherman L Taylor, II
Clayton "Tres" Darkmoon © 2001 Sherman L Taylor, II
The X-Men, Professor Charles Xavier, and all constituent
characters © 2001 Marvel Comics Group.
This story is not for sale and is not to be distributed without
permission of the author.
Please electronically mail comments to CommanderInChf@aol.com.
All constructive criticism is appreciated.
Cruel Intentions
- Part 2 -
Ororo - or Storm - and I had decided to fly back in the Blackbird instead of using our powers. I probably could have made it there faster by myself, but I didn't know how my backpack would have stood up to return trip. Plus - and I hated to admit this - Professor Xavier was right; I didn't want to overdo and a flight like that could really do me in. But sitting back in the co-pilot's seat, eyes closed, I couldn't be too angry about my decision to take a joy ride in the X-Jet. At least I could rest and let my mind just "wander".
It bothered me to have to agree with him - especially about being in a weakened state. I don't know why. It just seemed like every time we talked, he was always right. He made me feel like I was a little kid asking, for permission to go out and play. It was annoying. I wonder if I were telepathic, would I be so . . . pushy? Pretentious? I shook my head. I hope not. But maybe that kind of power lead you to be a little presumptious.I mean you always had that edge, that extra foresight. Reading other people's innermost thoughts and feelings - when even sometimes they didn't even acknowledge them. I wonder if he gets on everyone else's nerves because of his power - or if it's just me? Of course he would know if he were annoying people.But, then why would he do it? Maybe telepathy didn't compensate for someone's natural personality. But then maybe it did. I merely shook my head at the conundrum. I'm glad my powers were of physical variety - not mental.
I exhaled slowly and settled back in the chair. I shut down my scanner power and just focused on me - on what I was going to do now. Was I really in danger? Would it be as bad as Professor X had said? Would I have to always be looking over my shoulder now? What about the rest of the student population? I'm sure there were a few mutants mixed in at school - but none of them were X-Men.Could I fight back another contingence of Sentinels? What if I couldn't? What if I were hurt? What if someone else were hurt? Would I get blamed for it because I was a mutant?
Probably - considering the recent anti-mutant hysteria in Pittsburgh.And then what would happen?
Like my parents would actually take me back.I'd be kicked out of school.No home, no family. Then what would I do.? Live out the rest of my days, running? I shook my head. No. I won't. I won't give in to that line of thinking. It's ridiculous. A completely isolated incident. It'd be fine, I tried to tell myself. I'd be just fine. I'd been so far - on my own. I graduate in a year . . . then it's off to a new city and a new life. I've gotten pretty damned good at hiding - I hadn't even used my powers once in the last four years.well - not consciously anyway. But now, I do.And 2 days later, I've got the X-Men in one hand.And overgrown Transformers in the other. Good versus evil. More like the lesser of two evils, I corrected myself. What a choice.
I snuck a quick "peek" at Ororo. What do I really know about these people, anyway? At any time any one of them could take me down. What if they're not really the good guys? You hear, once in a while, about mutants getting killed or being involved in killings.public property destruction. What if the helping hand they are supposedly extending holds a smoking gun? What if they're just spying on me to see how they can take my powers away from me? Or what if they're trying to experiment on my powers . . . I blanched at that thought.it hit a little too close to home. I shifted uncomfortably in my chair, having strayed just this far across the line into paranoia.
Ororo said something from the pilot's seat.
"Excuse me?" I'd been so preoccupied that I hadn't heard her.
She repeated her query. "Are you unwell, Tres?"
Just listening to the sound of her voice did wonders to help me relax.But it didn't quite silence that little nagging voice inside me. "No - I'm fine. Just tired," I lied. Ororo nodded.
"This type of engagement can be unsettling."
"You can say that again," I said, sarcastically. She smiled, slightly. It was a small sign of joy that had no hint of malevolence. A simple gesture - but one I needed nonetheless. How could I think that she would have any interest in harming me, I thought contemplating her cheerful expression. Okay - maybe cheerful didn't exactly describe Ororo - but it did describe Kitty. And would a junior high kid really be involved in some nefarious scheme like that? Well - maybe a cult. I shook my head at that notion. I can't think things like that - I'll deal with it later, I thought pushing it aside.
"At dinner, you inquired as to the nature of my mutant abilities" she continued.
"Professor Xavier told me you could control the weather." I hadn't really thought of it in detail. Of course the circumstances surrounding the information exchange hadn't been ideal. But now that I had a moment to reflect.Did that mean she could make it snow? Or rain? Hail? Make the wind blow? Now that's a power . . .
"Wow," was all I could say. I'd seen the storm clouds earlier, and the lady herself hurling lightning bolts and creating Arctic-like conditions. She had a considerable amount of power at her disposable. I thought about her flashy, skin-revealing costume. You'd think someone that could control the weather would want a costume that would insulate them against all the various forces of nature. Like a parka or a wet suit. Not a skin-tight vinyl get-up that was only this big. Then I thought better of it. "Is that how you stay warm? Does your body compensate for the changes in the temperature?"
"Yes." She tapped a few controls on the Blackbird's console.
"Must be nice - to not get cold during the winter. My power kind of works like that, I think. During the summer, I never overheat, though. I don't tan.and I don't need sunglasses," I told her.
"Your mutant ability compensates for the excess light," she surmised.
"I guess," I shrugged. To be honest, I didn't really know. One person had tried to explain to me how my powers worked - but I was younger then and not particularly interested in the effects of mutant powers on my physiology at the time. I tried not to think about that particular lesson and instead took a good look around the X-Men's jet.
While I was no aficionado of planes, I'd have guessed that there were a few systems on board that far outstripped anything that the Navy had. Probably even NASA. I wonder where they got their technology from? Maybe Xavier's got some secret stash of inventors and such squirreled away in his mansion. You could probably hoard any number of people in a home that size, I thought recalling my scans of the grounds.
That only made me think of home and my parents. Probably toiling away. Right about now, my mother would be sitting down to watch Wheel of Fortune and my dad would be curled up in his Lay-Z-Boy reading the paper. I smiled at the thought. Thinking about my Dad brought my attention back to Ororo. I guess I was kind of warming up to her, despite my doubts. I mean she did risk her life to save me. She could have let me get cooked by that Sentinel. "What part of Africa are you from?" Her accent was distinct - much more pronounced than my father's. This was the first time I'd had the chance to mention it.
Ororo got a far-off look in her eyes. "I was born here in America. But my childhood was spent in Cairo," she said nostalgically.
That certainly explained the accent and some of her attire at dinner, although not the snazzy little X-Men's uniform. More importantly, though, that confirmed my hunch that we had some things in common. "My father's from Africa," I said. "He grew up here in America, though. I think he came here when he was very young."
"Do you know from what area of Africa your father is from?" she asked with interest.
I shook my head. "No." My father and I weren't exactly what you'd call close. I hadn't delved too much into his past.
"And your mother?" she queried. "Is she too from Africa?"
"Nope. She's Native American," I said with pride. "Full-blooded Cheyenne." I knew a little bit more about my mother's history than my father's. "She was the daughter of the tribe's shaman, although she was a little more progressive than the rest of her family. She moved away from the area where she grew up and came to Ohio after college with my Dad." Ororo nodded her head in understanding. "What about you?"
Again - that nostalgic look. Her eyes clouded over for a moment. "My father was American. He and my mother died when I was very young..."
"I'm sorry," I said, suddenly wishing I could take back my question. "I didn't mean to bring up any painful memories."
"The X-Men are my family now," she said with just a touch of tenderness in her tone. "They are as close as blood, bonded in ways that transcend friendship," she explained. I'd have to take her word on that; I'd never let myself develop those kinds of close relationships since.school. A few moments passed where neither of us spoke. I guess we were both thinking about our families and friends.
"Will you be missed at school, for a few days?" Ororo asked.
I shook my head. "Not really. It's finals time. Most students are in and out of the dorms. No one will miss me for a few days. I'll leave a few notes and make a few phone calls, so everyone's covered," I explained.
Ororo nodded her agreement. "Do you have a great deal of studying ahead of you?"
Now I felt really depressed. "More than I'd like to admit.But I'll get by. I always plan on studying a lot. Go over and re-do each problem set, then go through the old midterms, do some reading and extra problems in the books, then highlight key points in the notes." I started laughing. Ororo's eyebrow arched slightly. "Somehow, I never get all that done before I take the test."
"Perhaps you are over-planning," Ororo suggested.
"Maybe. But you can never be over-prepared. Some of my professors are pretty tricky. You never know what you're going to get on the test."
"You can avail yourself of the mansion's library and computers to help with your studies."
I considered that. "Certainly won't be as many people as there are on campus. Space in libraries is a hot commodity at the end of the semester."
"I believe there are fewer students at Xavier's than at Carnegie Mellon. You should find ample room in the Xavier manse to study," she said with a small smile. I laughed at Ororo's simple joke and felt the rest of the tension melt away.
"I guess I will just have to hope for the best," I replied, still grinning. This time the silence was warm and comfortable. I stretched in my seat before relaxing back.
"It is odd," Ororo said.
"What is?" I asked. I peered out the cockpit window as we flew onward to Pittsburgh.
"We had believed that the Sentinel program had been terminated. Yet just today, we have undeniable proof that it is fully active," she said. She didn't seem overly concerned, although come to think of it, on the whole, Ororo seemed rather impassive.
"Sentinel program?" Ororo gave me a brief run-down of what exactly a Sentinel was - a mutant-tracking robot, and how the X-Men had battled them several times before. There were a few details she seemed to gloss over, but I didn't press. I was too - shocked/disgusted - by the fact that people would go to such lengths to 'contain the mutant menace'. I could be ambushed by an overgrown Go-Bot?
"It is disappointing to see the depths of hatred that the human soul is capable of," she replied. "The X-Men have triumphed over adverse odds before and will so again. You have my word on that," she finished solemnly.
Her word might mean a lot but still . . . Those things had been designed to capture and even kill. What if I - we - weren't so lucky the next time? What if one of the X-Men were hurt or killed? Or what if I died? I slowly exhaled, thinking rationally about the situation. "Well - wouldn't it make more sense to search out the manufacturing facility of the Sentinels and destroy it?" I asked.
Ororo considered for a moment then shook her head. "That may compound the problem. The purpose of the X-Men is to re-integrate the small, but growing sect of mutants back into non-mutant society. Non-mutants are already afraid of the powers that we possess. By destroying a facility in such a fashion, we could increase mutant hysteria, making the X-Men a target for the rising feelings of distrust and loathing that is directed towards all mutants," she explained.
I didn't know if I bought into all that. I mean - if I knew some psychopath were pumping out huge robots to hunt me down, you can bet I'd make it one of my priorities to take the fight right to his front door. I mean - why not wipe out the plant making the Sentinels? Then - Poof! No more killer robots! That thought kind of eased the tightening knot of tension growing in my stomach. But only a little . . .
"Hmmmmm," was my only reply to her statement.
"You do not agree?" she said, regarding me for a moment.
"To be honest - no. I wouldn't stand idly by and let some bigoted tyrant create weapons of mass destruction and then send them after me. If it were up to me, I'd find that buster and make him sorry he'd ever built a 'Sentinel'."
Ororo paused a moment. "Today Tres we faced less than twenty Sentinels. It took a trained team of five to disable them. The Goddess smiled on us today, by allowing them to attack in waves. That allowed the threat to be more manageable. Consider, for a moment, arriving at the Sentinel production facility where not two nor twenty, but perhaps two hundred or two thousand Sentinels were waiting? Do you believe that you alone could mount an offensive that would disable such a formidable force? Sentinels do not tire, they do not need to breathe, or relax. And they do not forgive. They are designed to kill. And they do so, efficiently. Do you still believe it would be beneficial to launch a counter strike?
As she spoke, with such calm, unwavering certainty, an ice-cold sliver of fear worked its way up my spine. The thought of dozens, hundreds, maybe thousands of Sentinels lying in wait for me as I showed up ready to fight filled my mind.made it hard to breathe. That many of them - ugh - I turned my head to the side and swallowed to keep from vomiting. Outside, the night sky raced on, seemingly peaceful. But who knew what terrors were lurking in the darkness? I imagined an endless wave of Sentinels suddenly appearing out of nowhere, Ororo and I, vulnerable and outnumbered. The dimly lit cockpit suddenly felt suffocating.
Without warning I released a portion of my powers, summoning globes of bright light into existence inside the plane. No darkened corners remained untouched by the light - where a potential threat may be hiding. Simultaneously, I threw out my "scanning" sense to its furthest, searching, looking for anything. No supersized Decepticon was going to catch me unaware. That's for damned sure!
Oroco waited patiently beside me, and, when I had relaxed back into my seat, she spoke. "Perhaps, an alternative plan?"
I exhaled slowly to keep the tremor out of my voice - an old trick my mother taught me. Breathe out the fear - she'd say - then you won't be afraid anymore. A few breaths later and I felt a little better. Maybe it was the trick or maybe it was just thinking about Mom.
"What other way?" I asked slowly with deliberate pause between each word.
"One against many - the odds would not be in your favor." She didn't finish the rest of that statement - there was no need to. I knew what she was getting at. "However, consider if you were part of a group, a team. Your chances of victory would increase dramatically."
"Maybe." What? Join the X-Men? Be a part of the team? I saw what that would mean earlier today.4 city blocks reduced to rubble, and me taking orders from a pushy bald telepath. Nuh uh, I thought. "No," I snapped. The balls of light I controlled pulse in time with my anger. "I don't want that." I stopped myself from adding 'again'.
"I had no intention of upsetting you, Tres," Ororo said calmly.
"I'm not upset," I countered, not even trying to sound civil. Ororo turned her head ever so slightly, to regard the nearest blue sphere hovering mid- air. Her eyebrow arched ever so lightly before she turned her gaze upon me. Oops - busted! So much for Mr. Nonchalant. With a mental "flick of the wrist" I banished the light balls. The cabin returned to its uncomfortable dimness.
"I'd still rather beat the Hell out of whoever sent those things after me," I grumbled.
"As an X-Man we often have to put aside our personal feelings," she stated. Anger and fear and worry - all twisted up together inside me. "Do you not feel it would be wrong to use your powers against one who lacked the same ability?" And let someone else kill me? And you're making me out to be the bully, I thought viciously? Suddenly a simmering rage boiled over.
"But I'm not an X-Man, Ororo. I'm just a student . . . who happens to be a mutant. I don't think it would be an abuse of my powers to use them against the guy that sent those Sentinels after me. Mutant or no. I didn't do anything wrong! And more than anything, I just want to go back to my 'mundane' life. It's not fair," I said, choking on the last few words as the deadly seriousness of everything that had just happened to me settled in. By the Goddess - someone had wanted me dead or worse. I turned my head away from Ororo and kept the tidal wave of despair from washing over me. Drowning me.
"It is unsafe for you to be alone, Tres. Surely you see the wisdom in remaining at the mansion until we can determine the identity of your attacker."
"That's your opinion," I said coldly, still not looking at her. I paused, still struggling for control. My emotions and my powers needed release. All I wanted to do at that point was to hit something very, very hard. "The only reason I'm hanging around at all is because you and Professor Xavier think it's best," I countered in a low voice. "Maybe you're right...maybe you're wrong. I'll give it a shot the X-Man way but I'm not changing my personal philosophy. The next person that comes looking to start trouble with Tres Darkmoon is in for a world of hurt," I vowed, looking her square in the face.
Ororo grew slightly more impassive and focused her attention on flying the plane. "We have arrived," were her words after several minutes had past. "I shall engage the autopilot and provide cover for your reconnaissance. You will be all right?" She seemed somewhat concerned. Although, her tone had a flatness that it had lacked not more than ten minutes ago.
"I'll be fine, thanks," I said. My anger abated, I suddenly realized that I'd been a real jerk to someone who was going out of her way to make me feel more comfortable. Circumstances notwithstanding. Ororo was probably a little put off by my 'childish display'. "Be right back," was all I said, though. She tapped another control and door opened on the side of the jet. Amazingly enough, the wind didn't come rushing in due to the pressure differential. I wondered, briefly, if Storm's powers were responsible. I didn't stop to think about it though; instead I leapt out of the plane and made my way to the ground.
Sheesh! Ororo was right about 'providing cover'. If I had any doubt about the nature of her powers, I wouldn't anymore. There was a dense, pea- soup fog covering the entire campus. I was disoriented at first, and in my exuberance, dropped way too low to the ground before I thought better of it and began to scan my way forward.
Good thing I had. I'd come really close to crashing through a building. I managed to recover quickly enough, but that shook me up pretty bad. I'd be much more careful in the future.
The rest of the pseudo-mission went well. I shoved my books and a few clothes into an overnight bag, left a note for my roommate and got out of the room without incident. Through the window of course. Needless to say, I made it back to the plane without destroying any public property.But if I did, I'd definitely be branded with a big fat 'X' whether I wanted it or not. I shook my head and flew back to the plane.
* * * * *
We were pretty quiet on the way back from Pittsburgh. It wasn't a relaxing silence, either. It was more like a somber, foreboding hush had fallen over us. Ororo didn't try to initiate another conversation with me and I certainly did not want one with her. I tried dozing off, but I couldn't do it; there were too many thoughts tumbling around in my head, for one thing. I got up and began to walk around the plane, instead.
I was annoyed. I didn't like the fact that being around the X-Men meant that I had to act or behave differently than I normally would have. Asking permission to go somewhere. Having a chaperone. The discussion on our differences in personal philosophy was only my latest reason for me to not want to remain in the X-mansion. It was a minor difference of opinion - letting the bad guys have their way with mutant kind as opposed to appearing on their doorstep ready to bust some chops - but I'd been the target of the most recent anti-mutant assault. And I really wanted to strike back. Hard.
Maybe I was just on edge. I ran my hands through my hair whiled I pace up and down the X-plane. So what if Professor Xavier felt it was best for me to stay here in West Chester. Was that really the best course of action for me? I could handle just about anything that they threw at me. 'They' being the nebulous reference to any and all nefarious people with intention of bringing harm to my person.
Still it might not be so bad.From what I had 'seen', the mansion was nice. Professor Xavier lived well. It wouldn't be so bad to indulge, would it? At least for a few days, until I could figure out who or what was after me. Not that it would take that long.I'd already comprised a very short, but succinct Enemies List. The only thing was I didn't have any idea how to track them down.
Maybe it'd be best if I stayed at Xavier's for a while. I'm sure the X-Men could help, considering all their technology and their powers. If their jet was any indication of the rest of the mansion's equipment - I gave the plane another once over - then they'd probably have state of the art tracking devices. Maybe that could help me flush out a few potential prey. That would make staying with them worthwhile.
I sighed, rolling my head around on my shoulders trying to loosen up the tense muscles a bit.
"Are you injured?" Ororo asked from the pilot's chair. She must have seen me twisting about.
"A little," I replied. I smiled to myself, out of relief that the silence was broken and that I'd decided on a course of action - revenge. "Must have slept wrong." Or been unconscious wrong, I thought.
"Perhaps. When we return to the mansion, we can give you a full examination. You may have injured yourself in the fight," she suggested.
"I doubt it," I replied. "Those Sentinels couldn't throw anything at me that I couldn't handle," I boasted.
Ororo paused - making it clear to me that she knew I was full of hot air. "Perhaps not. But you were ill-equipped to use your powers in a combat situation. You could have easily been a danger to yourself or others," she rebutted. "Your stay at the School could benefit you greatly. You could learn how to use your powers effectively for self-defense, or at least so as not to endanger anyone else," she went on.
I shook my head. "I'm not interested in using my abilities effectively or otherwise. I just want to finish school, start my own business and make lots of money. Without rescuing cats from trees and helping old ladies across the street," I countered making my way back to the front of the plane.
"With great power comes great responsibility, Tres," she said wisely. "Your responsibility is to the world - to use your powers to benefit all of humanity."
"Why?" I'd come close to snapping at her that I had no responsibility to anyone other than myself. But that sounded pretty harsh - even for me.
"You have been blessed with gifts Tres. Powers beyond imagination, perhaps beyond reason. To not use your abilities to ease the burden on others, to not oppose those whose Machiavellian ideals would enslave the world, is to be no better than the deadliest of villains the X-men have ever faced. It is our duty to mankind. A sacred birthright that we are sworn to uphold." She tapped a few buttons on the control panel after finishing her speech. I think she was waiting for a response from me.
I'll give her one thing, she certainly knew how to lay it on thick. Now.Ororo didn't take a condescending tone or intend it to be a lecture. But I was torn between defending my position and agreeing with her. I couldn't quite bring myself to give into her position, although a lot of what she said did make sense. But.
I didn't know what to say or think - so I said nothing. We finished the trip in silence. Luckily, we weren't too far away from the hangar when this last little difference of opinion took place. I was certainly eager to get out into the open and give myself time to think about things.
* * * * *
"I trust your trip was uneventful," Professor Xavier addressed both Ororo and I in his large office. A fire had been lit, warming the spacious room. It kept the cold at bay, although Storm probably could have made it perpetually summer on the grounds.
I gave Ororo sidelong glance before answering. "It was . . . insightful," I replied.
"Yes - Clayton and I had a chance to discuss the school's ideology," Ororo said. Uh oh - I wonder if she'll tell Professor Xavier about our little 'chats'? And my - I quickly silenced those thoughts. I'd almost forgotten whom I was in the presence of. Xavier had been looking at Ororo, but I saw the corners of his mouth turned up in the barest of grins.
"Mr. Darkmoon, Kitty has volunteered to show you to your room. You must certainly be tired after the day you've had. Ororo will brief me on your little 'chats'," he said in a very polite dismissal. My eyes narrowed as he voiced the exact inflection of my thoughts of a moment before. I'd have to watch what I said and what I thought around this place. Just then, there was a knock at the door and Professor Xavier told Kitty to come in.
The youngest X-Man walked in, smiling to herself. "Hi 'Roro," she said brightly. "Tres." I stood up, getting a head rush from rapidly shifting my equilibrium. Whew - I was tired.
"I guess I'm all yours, Kitty," I said to her. I turned back to Professor and Ororo. "Good night. And thank you for having me," I added.
"We are glad to have you, here." Ororo graced me with one of her breathtaking smiles. "Sleep well." The Professor nodded his agreement to her words. I gathered up my books and my over night bag and followed Kitty out the door, pulling it shut behind us. I let out a small sigh once outside the study, glad to have a little breathing room for first time all night.
"How was your trip?" Kitty asked once we were out in the hallway.
"Interesting to say the least," I replied as the petite girl led me down the corridor.
"Oh? Did you and Ororo have a chance to talk about the school?" she asked perceptively. I quickly adjusted my pace from on-campus-gotta-be-in- class-soon to a more leisurely stroll. At least Kitty wouldn't have to run to keep up with me.
"Uh - yes, we did, in fact," I told her. Guess I can't let my guard down around anybody in this place.
"Well.I hope you like it around here. It's good to have another young person," she said. "Someone who can relate." I doubted I'd have much in common with a junior high student.but who knew? She certainly seemed intelligent. Smarter than some of my classmates, I thought. Maybe this was an opportunity for me to get the inside on the Danger Room and the rest of the X-Men.
"Kitty - Professor Xavier mentioned something about a 'Danger Room'. What do you know about it?" I asked trying to maintain a tone of moderate interest.
"That's where we exercise our powers. Professor Xavier or Ororo usually run the sessions."
Our, huh? "So you've used the room, then?"
"Yep. I worked out a lot though before hand - to get ready for my first Danger Room run," she explained matter-of-factly.
"Oh." I thought briefly. "So it's like a gym?" I was still confused. What kind of gym would be good for me to give my powers a work out? I'd burn every piece of equipment to the ground.
She laughed. "No. It's more like . . . well," she struggled for a moment to describe it. "The room uses a mixture of mechanical devices, holograms, force fields and the like to test the limits of our powers. You can create a lot of different scenarios in the Danger Room that you wouldn't get in real life. It's like having your own movie set that you can alter at will. Sometimes, though, the X-Men test their powers against each other."
"Like in a fight?" I said, only slightly alarmed.
"Something like that." An impish smile appeared on her cherubic features.
I shook my head thinking about Storm v. Colossus - the main event. Geez! That sort of answered my question about the Danger Room. "You'll get to see it tomorrow," Kitty said, sensing my confusion. "The X-Men work out every day in the Danger Room. Plus you'll probably use it on Sunday. Professor X's really interested in seeing your powers in a controlled environment."
Great! I thought. I had a sudden image of the X-Men trying to take me on in the Danger.Storm, Colossus, Angel.I wondered how many more mutants were running around the mansion. And how did he find all of them . . . ? "Professor Xavier has a mutant tracking device doesn't he? That's how he found me, right?" I guessed.
"Yeah. That's how he found me, too. It's called Cerebro. I'll show it to you tomorrow when we watch the Danger Room session," she prattled on. I allowed myself a small self-satisfied smirk as she gave me that last detail. Perfect.just what I needed to hear.
"Where are you from?" I changed the subject, idly chatting while I seized upon that important piece of information.
"Deerfield, Illinois," she said. "My folks are still back there. Where are you from?"
"North Canton, Ohio," I said. "Small town - about an hour south of Cleveland." I usually followed up with that last part. Most people didn't know where my home was. Unless of course you were a big football fan; the Football Hall of Fame was ten minutes away.
"Ah," was all she said. "Did you like it there?"
I shrugged. "Nice clean town to grow up in. Very conservative though. Pittsburgh's not much better, but CMU has introduced me to a more . . . diverse culture. Although not as diverse as this school," I said.
"Well - there aren't too many schools like this around," she informed me.
More than you know, kiddo. But I said, "Do you like it here?" I figured I could take advantage of the situation. She was after all, 5 years younger than me.maybe even 6. I doubt she could evade a full 'investigation'. Boy was I wrong.
"Yeah - Xavier's is where I wanna be. I was lucky Professor X found me." She led me down another long hallway.
"You think so?" I asked, questioning my own decision to stay here - even for a few days.
"You bet," she said stopping before a room. She opened the door for me and gestured grandly for me to enter.
"You like playing hostess, Kitty?" I smiled. In answer, she curtsied then reached for the light switch. The room was large - much bigger than my dorm room in the frat house. Fully furnished, too. I walked inside, followed by Kitty.
I tossed my overnight bags in the closet and jumped onto the bed. I could indulge in a little pre-teen delinquency by bouncing on the mattress. Kitty laughed at my antics.
"Is that what they teach you at college?" she asked. I turned to look back at her. She'd pulled a chair away from the desk and sat down, propping her head up in one hand.
"Uh - yes. And a few other things," I suppressed a yawned.
"Tired?" she asked.
"A little. But not too tired to chat.What else can you tell me about this school?" I prompted her for more facts.
She shrugged. "What else do you want to know?"
I had a few ideas - but the kid was just too quick. I'd have to be careful what I asked her, young or not. "What's there to know? How many 'students' are there?" I asked.
"Right now - just the six of us. Seven including you." She gave me a significant look.
"You, Ororo, Peter, and Warren.who else is there?" I queried.
"Wolverine and Kurt." She made a little face when she said the latter. Not disgust, but maybe distaste or apprehension. Like she wasn't quite friends with him.Hmmmm.Were the X-Men not quite the team front they attempted to portray?
"What're they like? Woleverine and Kurt?"
"Well - Wolverine's kind of grouchy - or he tries to be. And Kurt's . . . well . . ." Again - that mildly distrusting look on her face.
"Yes?" I asked my curiosity piqued.
"You'll see for yourself." She shifted, seemingly uncomfortable with either the topic of conversation or the chair. Probably the first one.
"All right - if you say so," I told her. This time I didn't quite stifle the yawn.
"You really are tired," Kitty observed. "I should probably get going," she all but bounced off the chair. "Have a good night Tres," she told me. "See you in the morning - bright and early," she added before shutting the door.
"G'Night Kitty," I called after her. I lay there for a few moments then managed to drag myself out of bed to turn off the light. I walked back to the bed and plopped down on the soft mattress. I pushed back the sheets and tugged off my shoes and socks - not even bothering to get completely undressed. I was so tired by now, I didn't care. I crawled under the covers and drifted off to sleep almost immediately.
- End Part 2 -
* * * * *
This story © 2001 Sherman L Taylor, II
Clayton "Tres" Darkmoon © 2001 Sherman L Taylor, II
The X-Men, Professor Charles Xavier, and all constituent
characters © 2001 Marvel Comics Group.
This story is not for sale and is not to be distributed without
permission of the author.
Please electronically mail comments to CommanderInChf@aol.com.
All constructive criticism is appreciated.