Chapter 9 – The Complication
Walking down the hall, Warren was surprised to find the door of the control room slightly ajar. Peeking in between the crack, Warren saw Shamira pacing slowly around the room, running her fingers lightly over the glass shards that lay on the counters and on the ground.
"I heard what happened yesterday." Warren entered the control room, careful not to step on any pieces of glass. "Shouldn't you be in bed resting?"
"Maybe I should, maybe I shouldn't." Pieces of broken glass floated in the air and slowly rejoined themselves to form the window. "Why do you care?"
"Because—I care about you, more than a friend." Warren blurted out.
The shards in the air suddenly dropped to the ground. Shamira turned her back towards Warren and concentrated on repairing the glass.
"And I know you care about me too." Warren persisted with a few-found confidence.
"Don't be silly." Shamira replied as the last shards of glass resumed their flight and the glass window was repaired. "You're not a mind-reader."
"I didn't have to be one."
"Then why are you pretending, or at least assuming that I like you in that way?"
Warren grabbed Shamira by the arms and spun her around. She tried to struggle free, but his grip was tight. "I saw it in your eyes." Warren finally said, their faces only inches apart.
"Let go of me." Shamira glared at the blond haired boy, her cat ears twitching dangerously. "If I were you I wouldn't be so rough. I could wipe your existence from the face of this planet in the blink of an eye."
Warren still retained his grip. "Then why haven't you?"
"Because I have a conscience. And I was taught what was right and what was wrong."
"Don't think I can't relate to what emotions you're going through." Warren said quietly. "I know how alone you feel in the world, because we have powers and we are different from the rest of humanity. I can only imagine what an extra burden you must have, being possessed with powers that even most of us cannot imagine."
"You know nothing about my life." Shamira stopped struggling, but the cold glare remained, mixed by a great degree of sadness.
"You won't let me." Warren pointed out. "Put aside the death threats, stop using your powers as a shield. Tell everyone, who everyone what you're really feeling inside. Who the real Shamira is."
Tears started to glisten in those cat eyes. "I can't. Not now, not ever."
A split second later Warren's hands grasped air as he realized he was now alone in the room.
Heavy boots echoed through the stone hall as Wolverine made his way up the stairs. At the top of the landing sat Magneto behind a matching stone desk, calmly tapping his fingers as he watched the figure approach.
"I hope you encountered no trouble at all." Magneto said.
There was a small smirk on Wolverine's face as he slowly transformed back into the confident Mystique. "None whatsoever." She calmly replied. "I have what you want." She produced a small CD and handed it to Magneto.
As soon as the CD entered the drive of the computer that was sitting on the desk, a video started to play. It was a recording of Shamira in the training room, weaving expertly through all of the obstacles.
"Interesting." Magneto's voice seemed to soften as he watched the video. "Do you know how old she is?"
"Hard to tell."
It must have been a long time. Magneto thought to himself. That face seemed so unrecognizable and familiar at the same time. She had really changed, yet she didn't seem to have aged at all.
"Why are you so interested in her?" Mystique's voice brought Magneto back to reality. "I remember you telling me once, about this girl you met. Could this be...?"
"Don't ask so many questions." Magneto spat. "Stick to the plan, that's all you need to know."