Here's the seventh chapter of our little screw up. Enjoy!
Scrambles chapter seven: Livin' the High Life
"Jackson. Jackson. JACKSON!" The boy, about thirteen, looked up to his father. Wolfe Hooper was a powerful man and a hard father. Hard only because he wanted his son to be the best he could. Because he wanted his son to take over his law firm when he was old enough. Little did Wolfe or his wife Susan know, their son wanted another career. One that involved more darkness and danger. One that would set him aside with the law. Jackson Hooper wanted to be a thief.
Sean had heard him calling. He had heard him repeat himself. Never did Sean think this man was talking to him. That is, not until he laid his hand on Sean's shoulder. That startled him. He didn't know this man. Nor did he recognize his voice. One name stuck out, his name. Somehow, obviously, he had gotten into Alex's past. But how? Was this a dream? Or hallucination? 'Wait! The light! It caused this.' he thought. Then he went back into the daze, and heard himself say, "Yes, father. I'll do it after I check this out."
"Jackson, for goodness sakes, can't you leave that computer for one minute to throw the trash away?" his father said more than asked. He laid the garbage sack by Alex's feet.
"Isn't that what the maids are for?" Jackson asked sarcastically.
"Don't you get smart with me, young man. You may be the only child, but you will not be spoiled," his father, Wolfe Stevens Hooper, barked back. "One more would other than 'yes, sir' that comes out of your mouth, and you won't have your computer- any computer- for a month. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, sir," he replied, almost honestly. He got away with it.
"Now, take out the garbage," and he did without one peep.
Later that afternoon, Sean guessed he was in his room. There were school books on the neatly organized desk, no clothes laying on the floor. Everything was in top shape. 'Wonder if this is his doing, or the maid's? Sean thought. He felt his body get up from the computer desk and walked to the closest. He watched as the hands opened the sliding door and reached in. He knew he had picked up the book, but it wasn't him. "A Decade of Poe," he read the cover, but that wasn't what it said on the inside. "Locks of the World: A Guide to Lock Picking." He put it back down and picked up another one. "Shakespeare Through the Years." and on the inside of it, "Master Hacking for Master Thieves." Sean laughed, 'He really does have more experience than Shadow. Alex has been doing this since high school."
Alex walked back to the computer. After typing in several letter/number combinations, a screen popped up. "Yes!" Alex exclaimed, "I'm in." He typed some more codes in. Another screen popped up asking for Id and a password. Another set of codes typed in. "The secret files of the CIA. Now...let's see what they have on mutants."
"Jackson, time for lunch. Come on down." he heard his mother say, no not his mother. Someone else. Someone he was closer to. Jenny. Jenny Garson, his maid. She had been around since he was a kid. His parents had hired her when he was six. She had been eighteen at the time, had been his babysitter. One time she ran into trouble and was kicked out of her parents house. Feeling sorry, the Hoopers had taken her in. She still lived with them, though she no longer was the "babysitter." She had always been the one to take care of him when his parents were gone. That happened quite often.
He laid the Shakespeare back on the desk, turned out his light, and left the room. He was greeted by the smells of warm bread and the wine his parents both drank at lunch. He sat down in his seat at the right side of the long table. His mother was sitting at one end, and his father at the head. He was near the middle as always. The maids came around, laying napkins on their employers' laps and setting food trays in front of them.
Sean looked down at the well place table. Beautiful crystal silverware and Chine plates. Crystal goblets full of wine, his full of orange juice. And all the forks and spoons laid out nicely. 'Wait! There's like a dozen spoons and forks here!' Hunter screamed inwardly. 'What goes to what?!' The tray covers were lifted off, and Sean made a face, not realizing he was in charge of the body now.
"Jackson, are you feeling alright?" Susan Hooper asked, looking at her son.
"Yes, mother. I was just surprised." he didn't know what to say.
"It's your favorite. Duck alerange with Prawns and chocolate moose. I had it made especially for you."
"Thank you, mother, but I'm afraid I haven't the stomach for a large meal right now." 'Quinn's in control now.' Sean rejoiced.
"Do you feel okay, son?" Wolfe asked.
"I'm just tired, father. I've been real excited about the baby coming. I guess I haven't had enough sleep. I'm just so excited to finally have a little brother or sister." He hugged his mom and left the room, his food untouched.
Hunter was back in his room, going back to the computer. 'I wonder if it's all excitement and not part going out every night. Well, he may not have started that yet. He's probably fourteen of fifteen years old according to the school books.' "What's this about a baby?" he asked aloud, then answered. "He said he was an only child."
Jackson shut down the CIA screen and brought up the computer's word pad. He pulled one of the school books from the desk corner. "Time to work on the real stuff, Alex old boy."
Later that day, a Saturday Sean guessed, after his homework was finished, Quinn got back in his closest and pulled out a folder full of loose leaf paper. It was unlabeled. He opened it and turned to a section. 'Must be notes on something.' Sean thought, reading the words with his eyes. 'Looks like an ingenious plan to do...something. Alex must be intelligent to start planning schemes this young. It's not part of his power. Wonder if he has them yet?' With that Sean tested the electricity he knew ran lividly through Alex Quinn's body. A bright, powerful streak ran from one hand to the other. It was amazing, with blues and whites. 'He has good control of it at this age. I think...didn't he say he discovered his powers when he was ten? Four or five years of practicing like Quinn does, no wonder he had good control.'
Quinn stood up from the closest, closing it. He went and laid on the bed, the folder in hand. He began to make more notations, ones dealing with school and something about grades and pay offs, Sean noticed. The he heard a rap at the door, and Susan Hooper's voice. "Jackson, your cousin Emanuel is here." Quinn got up and, unlocking the door, let his cousin, younger by two years, in. Emanuel walked in and shut the door, locking it as Alex requested. "Hey, Manny," he greeted, sitting back on the bed.
"What you reading?" Emanuel asked taking the computer chair.
"Just some notes for school," and he laid the folder aside. "So what are the Bannisters doing in California so soon after Christmas?" His hands were crossed and raised behind his head, and laying back against his pillow, ankles crossed.
"Mother wanted to be here when Aunt Susan has the baby."
'There it is about the baby again!' Sean thought screaming. "Mother's not having the child for a few more days," Alex insisted.
"I know," Then Manny's face turned sad.
"Still haven't got the hang of it yet?" Alex asked leaning forward, feet now on the floor.
"No."
"You'll get the hang of it. Give it time." 'Give what time?! I'd better make a note to ask Alex about Manny.' At that time the young boys heard Susan call them for dinner. They both stood and walked out the door.
After the evening meal was over, Jackson helped his father set up a cot for Manny in his room. There had been much talk about the baby and what needed to be done. Jackson couldn't stand having to wait for this. Thinking about tonight and what he would need to do to succeed was the only thing keeping him from going crazy. He had changed into what appeared to be sleeping clothes and laid down in bed. When Emanuel came and laid down on his cot, Jackson, using his powers, turned out the lights.
About midnight, Sean felt his body get up and by the time he realized what was happening, he had on his black shoes and was headed towards the window. He witnessed as he climbed down the rope to the ground and run around to the garage. Inside, he walked the black Ninja outside and down the drive to the street. There he mounted and started the bike using his powers. He rode off.
After the boys had gone to sleep, Susan and Alice stayed up to talk. Susan confided in Alice that she was worried about Jackson, and the way he always stayed in his room. She also confided that she was worried about the baby. She hadn't felt well for the past several days. She was worried the baby was getting sick.
"Maybe you should see a doctor," Alice suggested.
"I don't want to alarm Wolfe. Maybe it's just because I'm so close." After their talk, the two women went to bed.
Sean found himself at what appeared to be a middle school. He ran around to the back of the building. Near a half open window, he used a small pry-bar to pry open the rest of the window. When it was about eight inches wide, Alex squeezed his body through the small opening. 'How can he fit through that? I never knew he was so thin.' Alex pulled the rest of his slender body through, and landed softly on the floor. He walked over and booted up the computer. The log on screen came up and he typed in the requested information. He was in. Five minutes later he climbed back out and fully shut the window.
"You should learn to be more quiet," Sean heard himself say. "I have what you want. Do you have what I asked for?"
"Yes," the shadow's voice answered. Alex turned around and faced his classmate. "I see you wore a mask. Convenient. But I still know who you are."
"Doesn't matter. Do you have it?"
"It's all in there," the voice answered and handed over a small, black suitcase. Alex counted the money. It was all there. "Here's proof. It wasn't hard. Only you and I will ever know."
"Good job. See you in class," and the shadow disappeared. Alex, himself, proud of the evening's turnout, headed home. As he was mounting, he heard a rustle in a near by bush. He went to investigate. Irona, in a bright pink outfit, jumped out.
"What the...Irona, what are you wearing?" Sean asked through Alex's voice.
"Okay, which are you?" she questioned.
"Uh, it's me. Sean." he answered confused.
"I'm suppose to tell you...oh, crap, what was that...I thought I wrote it down." She was checking her pockets. "Anyway, this will be over in the morning. Now, what was I suppose to tell you? Bye." and she was gone.
"Strange little thing, that girl," and he mounted the bike and was gone.
An hour or more after she had went to bed, Susan Hooper woke up with a terrible pain in her stomach. Her cry out woke everyone in the house. The doctor had been called in. At the time, no one noticed Jackson missing. When everything had settled, Emanuel went looking for him, noticing he was no where near his mother. He found him climbing back in the window.
"Where have you been, man? Your mother's in trouble," Manny screamed.
"I was out. What's wrong with her?" he asked nonchalantly.
"Dude, I'm...I'm sorry."
"Sorry. You're sorry about what? Manny, what are you talking about?"
"Your mom lost the baby, Jackson. He died." Jackson had to sit down at this. He couldn't believe it. Even though he had heard the words, it couldn't be true. She couldn't have lost the baby. "I'm sorry, man," said Manny, but it never reached Jackson's ears. He was already out the door, heading towards his mother. He entered the room and ran straight to her. She embraced him sadly. "Where have you been, Jackson? We were worried about you."
"It doesn't matter. I should have been here." He stayed with her awhile longer until she fell asleep. He joined his father outside. "Father, what happened?"
"The doctor said that stress got to her and caused her to have a reaction. That caused her to loose the baby. Your brother."
"Stress? What stress?" Jackson asked confused and scared. His dad went on softly.
"She's been worried about the way you're always inside. Always in your room on that computer. She was afraid you wouldn't turn out into what you can become."
"I'm the cause. I'm the reason." He began walking away.
"It's not like that, Jackson," his father screamed after him, but to no avil. Alex went to his room, shutting the door so no one could enter. Manny had tried to get in, but Alex sent him away. He sat there, alone, crying into his hands. His mom had been worrying about him. That stress had caused her to lose the baby. Well, that's not going to happen again. He promised, if only to himself, that he would get out into the real world, and still pursue his dream. One had died, he wasn't about to let the other. "Irona, go ask for some volunteers. Two or three. Don't tell tem what we want to do with them."
"Alright," So Irona was off on her quest. Minutes later she came back with Gambit, Rogue and Nightcrawler following. "I got three like you said," she announced petting the wolf and cubs.
"Thanks. Gentlemen, my lady. Here's what we need to do. And remember, you volunteered for this and time is important."
End chapter seven. Eight coming.
Scrambles chapter seven: Livin' the High Life
"Jackson. Jackson. JACKSON!" The boy, about thirteen, looked up to his father. Wolfe Hooper was a powerful man and a hard father. Hard only because he wanted his son to be the best he could. Because he wanted his son to take over his law firm when he was old enough. Little did Wolfe or his wife Susan know, their son wanted another career. One that involved more darkness and danger. One that would set him aside with the law. Jackson Hooper wanted to be a thief.
Sean had heard him calling. He had heard him repeat himself. Never did Sean think this man was talking to him. That is, not until he laid his hand on Sean's shoulder. That startled him. He didn't know this man. Nor did he recognize his voice. One name stuck out, his name. Somehow, obviously, he had gotten into Alex's past. But how? Was this a dream? Or hallucination? 'Wait! The light! It caused this.' he thought. Then he went back into the daze, and heard himself say, "Yes, father. I'll do it after I check this out."
"Jackson, for goodness sakes, can't you leave that computer for one minute to throw the trash away?" his father said more than asked. He laid the garbage sack by Alex's feet.
"Isn't that what the maids are for?" Jackson asked sarcastically.
"Don't you get smart with me, young man. You may be the only child, but you will not be spoiled," his father, Wolfe Stevens Hooper, barked back. "One more would other than 'yes, sir' that comes out of your mouth, and you won't have your computer- any computer- for a month. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, sir," he replied, almost honestly. He got away with it.
"Now, take out the garbage," and he did without one peep.
Later that afternoon, Sean guessed he was in his room. There were school books on the neatly organized desk, no clothes laying on the floor. Everything was in top shape. 'Wonder if this is his doing, or the maid's? Sean thought. He felt his body get up from the computer desk and walked to the closest. He watched as the hands opened the sliding door and reached in. He knew he had picked up the book, but it wasn't him. "A Decade of Poe," he read the cover, but that wasn't what it said on the inside. "Locks of the World: A Guide to Lock Picking." He put it back down and picked up another one. "Shakespeare Through the Years." and on the inside of it, "Master Hacking for Master Thieves." Sean laughed, 'He really does have more experience than Shadow. Alex has been doing this since high school."
Alex walked back to the computer. After typing in several letter/number combinations, a screen popped up. "Yes!" Alex exclaimed, "I'm in." He typed some more codes in. Another screen popped up asking for Id and a password. Another set of codes typed in. "The secret files of the CIA. Now...let's see what they have on mutants."
"Jackson, time for lunch. Come on down." he heard his mother say, no not his mother. Someone else. Someone he was closer to. Jenny. Jenny Garson, his maid. She had been around since he was a kid. His parents had hired her when he was six. She had been eighteen at the time, had been his babysitter. One time she ran into trouble and was kicked out of her parents house. Feeling sorry, the Hoopers had taken her in. She still lived with them, though she no longer was the "babysitter." She had always been the one to take care of him when his parents were gone. That happened quite often.
He laid the Shakespeare back on the desk, turned out his light, and left the room. He was greeted by the smells of warm bread and the wine his parents both drank at lunch. He sat down in his seat at the right side of the long table. His mother was sitting at one end, and his father at the head. He was near the middle as always. The maids came around, laying napkins on their employers' laps and setting food trays in front of them.
Sean looked down at the well place table. Beautiful crystal silverware and Chine plates. Crystal goblets full of wine, his full of orange juice. And all the forks and spoons laid out nicely. 'Wait! There's like a dozen spoons and forks here!' Hunter screamed inwardly. 'What goes to what?!' The tray covers were lifted off, and Sean made a face, not realizing he was in charge of the body now.
"Jackson, are you feeling alright?" Susan Hooper asked, looking at her son.
"Yes, mother. I was just surprised." he didn't know what to say.
"It's your favorite. Duck alerange with Prawns and chocolate moose. I had it made especially for you."
"Thank you, mother, but I'm afraid I haven't the stomach for a large meal right now." 'Quinn's in control now.' Sean rejoiced.
"Do you feel okay, son?" Wolfe asked.
"I'm just tired, father. I've been real excited about the baby coming. I guess I haven't had enough sleep. I'm just so excited to finally have a little brother or sister." He hugged his mom and left the room, his food untouched.
Hunter was back in his room, going back to the computer. 'I wonder if it's all excitement and not part going out every night. Well, he may not have started that yet. He's probably fourteen of fifteen years old according to the school books.' "What's this about a baby?" he asked aloud, then answered. "He said he was an only child."
Jackson shut down the CIA screen and brought up the computer's word pad. He pulled one of the school books from the desk corner. "Time to work on the real stuff, Alex old boy."
Later that day, a Saturday Sean guessed, after his homework was finished, Quinn got back in his closest and pulled out a folder full of loose leaf paper. It was unlabeled. He opened it and turned to a section. 'Must be notes on something.' Sean thought, reading the words with his eyes. 'Looks like an ingenious plan to do...something. Alex must be intelligent to start planning schemes this young. It's not part of his power. Wonder if he has them yet?' With that Sean tested the electricity he knew ran lividly through Alex Quinn's body. A bright, powerful streak ran from one hand to the other. It was amazing, with blues and whites. 'He has good control of it at this age. I think...didn't he say he discovered his powers when he was ten? Four or five years of practicing like Quinn does, no wonder he had good control.'
Quinn stood up from the closest, closing it. He went and laid on the bed, the folder in hand. He began to make more notations, ones dealing with school and something about grades and pay offs, Sean noticed. The he heard a rap at the door, and Susan Hooper's voice. "Jackson, your cousin Emanuel is here." Quinn got up and, unlocking the door, let his cousin, younger by two years, in. Emanuel walked in and shut the door, locking it as Alex requested. "Hey, Manny," he greeted, sitting back on the bed.
"What you reading?" Emanuel asked taking the computer chair.
"Just some notes for school," and he laid the folder aside. "So what are the Bannisters doing in California so soon after Christmas?" His hands were crossed and raised behind his head, and laying back against his pillow, ankles crossed.
"Mother wanted to be here when Aunt Susan has the baby."
'There it is about the baby again!' Sean thought screaming. "Mother's not having the child for a few more days," Alex insisted.
"I know," Then Manny's face turned sad.
"Still haven't got the hang of it yet?" Alex asked leaning forward, feet now on the floor.
"No."
"You'll get the hang of it. Give it time." 'Give what time?! I'd better make a note to ask Alex about Manny.' At that time the young boys heard Susan call them for dinner. They both stood and walked out the door.
After the evening meal was over, Jackson helped his father set up a cot for Manny in his room. There had been much talk about the baby and what needed to be done. Jackson couldn't stand having to wait for this. Thinking about tonight and what he would need to do to succeed was the only thing keeping him from going crazy. He had changed into what appeared to be sleeping clothes and laid down in bed. When Emanuel came and laid down on his cot, Jackson, using his powers, turned out the lights.
About midnight, Sean felt his body get up and by the time he realized what was happening, he had on his black shoes and was headed towards the window. He witnessed as he climbed down the rope to the ground and run around to the garage. Inside, he walked the black Ninja outside and down the drive to the street. There he mounted and started the bike using his powers. He rode off.
After the boys had gone to sleep, Susan and Alice stayed up to talk. Susan confided in Alice that she was worried about Jackson, and the way he always stayed in his room. She also confided that she was worried about the baby. She hadn't felt well for the past several days. She was worried the baby was getting sick.
"Maybe you should see a doctor," Alice suggested.
"I don't want to alarm Wolfe. Maybe it's just because I'm so close." After their talk, the two women went to bed.
Sean found himself at what appeared to be a middle school. He ran around to the back of the building. Near a half open window, he used a small pry-bar to pry open the rest of the window. When it was about eight inches wide, Alex squeezed his body through the small opening. 'How can he fit through that? I never knew he was so thin.' Alex pulled the rest of his slender body through, and landed softly on the floor. He walked over and booted up the computer. The log on screen came up and he typed in the requested information. He was in. Five minutes later he climbed back out and fully shut the window.
"You should learn to be more quiet," Sean heard himself say. "I have what you want. Do you have what I asked for?"
"Yes," the shadow's voice answered. Alex turned around and faced his classmate. "I see you wore a mask. Convenient. But I still know who you are."
"Doesn't matter. Do you have it?"
"It's all in there," the voice answered and handed over a small, black suitcase. Alex counted the money. It was all there. "Here's proof. It wasn't hard. Only you and I will ever know."
"Good job. See you in class," and the shadow disappeared. Alex, himself, proud of the evening's turnout, headed home. As he was mounting, he heard a rustle in a near by bush. He went to investigate. Irona, in a bright pink outfit, jumped out.
"What the...Irona, what are you wearing?" Sean asked through Alex's voice.
"Okay, which are you?" she questioned.
"Uh, it's me. Sean." he answered confused.
"I'm suppose to tell you...oh, crap, what was that...I thought I wrote it down." She was checking her pockets. "Anyway, this will be over in the morning. Now, what was I suppose to tell you? Bye." and she was gone.
"Strange little thing, that girl," and he mounted the bike and was gone.
An hour or more after she had went to bed, Susan Hooper woke up with a terrible pain in her stomach. Her cry out woke everyone in the house. The doctor had been called in. At the time, no one noticed Jackson missing. When everything had settled, Emanuel went looking for him, noticing he was no where near his mother. He found him climbing back in the window.
"Where have you been, man? Your mother's in trouble," Manny screamed.
"I was out. What's wrong with her?" he asked nonchalantly.
"Dude, I'm...I'm sorry."
"Sorry. You're sorry about what? Manny, what are you talking about?"
"Your mom lost the baby, Jackson. He died." Jackson had to sit down at this. He couldn't believe it. Even though he had heard the words, it couldn't be true. She couldn't have lost the baby. "I'm sorry, man," said Manny, but it never reached Jackson's ears. He was already out the door, heading towards his mother. He entered the room and ran straight to her. She embraced him sadly. "Where have you been, Jackson? We were worried about you."
"It doesn't matter. I should have been here." He stayed with her awhile longer until she fell asleep. He joined his father outside. "Father, what happened?"
"The doctor said that stress got to her and caused her to have a reaction. That caused her to loose the baby. Your brother."
"Stress? What stress?" Jackson asked confused and scared. His dad went on softly.
"She's been worried about the way you're always inside. Always in your room on that computer. She was afraid you wouldn't turn out into what you can become."
"I'm the cause. I'm the reason." He began walking away.
"It's not like that, Jackson," his father screamed after him, but to no avil. Alex went to his room, shutting the door so no one could enter. Manny had tried to get in, but Alex sent him away. He sat there, alone, crying into his hands. His mom had been worrying about him. That stress had caused her to lose the baby. Well, that's not going to happen again. He promised, if only to himself, that he would get out into the real world, and still pursue his dream. One had died, he wasn't about to let the other. "Irona, go ask for some volunteers. Two or three. Don't tell tem what we want to do with them."
"Alright," So Irona was off on her quest. Minutes later she came back with Gambit, Rogue and Nightcrawler following. "I got three like you said," she announced petting the wolf and cubs.
"Thanks. Gentlemen, my lady. Here's what we need to do. And remember, you volunteered for this and time is important."
End chapter seven. Eight coming.