Charles Xavier was sitting in the waiting room at St. Peter's Hospital, waiting for word on the condition of Todd Mathews.
His friend, Principal Kelly was standing near by, staring out the window. It had been awhile since they had spoken. "This is going to be hard to cover up Charles. We haven't had anything this bad since…"
"Erik's senior prank." Charles put the magazine he was reading down. "Yes, I remember."
"Have you heard from him lately?"
"Last time I
checked up on him, he was back in Europe."
"Do you think he
could be behind what happened today?" Kelly walked away from the
window and sat across from his friend.
"I wouldn't put it past him."
"So how did you get rid of that…Sabertooth fellow? That is what Login had called him wasn't it?"
"Some minor Psychic blasts. A little trick I picked up in the war."
The war. The phrase caught Kelly's attention immediately. He cast a glance over his friend.
Dressed in a suit and sitting in his wheel chair, Charles Xavier had been paralyzed for just over a year.
Kelly had heard the story of how it happened several times.
Charles was over in Iraq as a medical consult tint, he had studied medicine in college. His father had always wanted him to be a doctor… it was the family business.
The camp he was in was raided by a small group of rebels. In the mass chaos a stray bullet had hit him in his lower back, causing him to lose the use of his legs.
"So how are you holding up?" Kelly asked.
"I'm doing alright. I'm having the mansion refitted to be more handicapped acceptable. And I have my nephew and the others around for any extra help I might need. How are you?"
"Margaret left me last month. She took Sarah with her. Our court meeting to decide custody is next week."
"I'm sorry to hear that Robert. If there is anything I can do to help…" Charles knew Robert wouldn't accept his help, he held a lot of pride in his life, but he offered it anyway.
"Don't worry about it. Right now it looks as if you have more important issues to deal with. How are you going to handle Mr. Mathews, I doubt he will be willing to go back to school after what happened."
Charles really hadn't given it too much thought. At the moment he was more interested in finding out if Erik was behind the attack and if he was, what he wanted with a small high school mutant.
"It's not like he is under my care. What do you know about him?"
"Not much." Kelly rubbed his hand over his face and leaned back into his chair. "A somewhat average student. His records list his uncle as his guardian. We've already contacted him… sounded like he was drunk."
"Something tells me his uncle doesn't know he is a mutant. I suppose I could offer an invitation to stay at the mansion while he recovers from his wounds. What do you know about the drugs found in his jacket?"
"Well it's not heroine. You'll just have to ask him."
"Excuse me gentlemen." A nurse had entered the room. "You two are here for Todd Mathews?"
"Yes." They answered in unison.
"The doctor is ready to see you now. Please follow me."
Erik Lensherr was not a patient man. He let Samuel know this as soon as he entered the room. "Your late!"
"There were… complications." Samuel growled.
Erik looked at the wreck that was standing before him… empty handed. "Where is he?" He asked bluntly.
"They have him."
"And why do they have him?" Erik's voice showed his anger.
"He was a persistent fighter. I almost had him…but…"
"But what?"
"Something… in my head stopped me."
'Charles' Erik thought to himself. "Something in your head?"
"That is what I said… SIR!" Samuel spat the last part out.
"You make a terrible liar Mr. Sabertooth."
Samuel didn't have a chance to respond before he felt it. Every limb went stiff. A small humming sound was all that was heard.
"I don't appreciate failure Mr. Sabertooth." Erik outstretched his hand. He had a grip on him now; he knew Samuel couldn't go anywhere or attack, so he decided to have a little fun with him. "I send you on a very simple mission… recruit one, little mutant. If he resisted I told you to fight. Are you going to tell me that this little slim ball was able to defeat you?" He tightened his grip even more, forcing Samuel to spread his hands out, cross style.
"I had him…ugh!"
"Had is the key word in that sentence." Erik lifted Samuel up, slamming him into the ceiling.
Looking up at his captive he added, "As long as that metal remains in your body, you belong to me. And as long as you belong to me, you will carry out my orders to the letter. Do I make myself clear Mr. Sabertooth?"
"Crystal." Samuel growled.
"Very well. You can take a small-undeserved vacation. It seems I will have to handle the rest of this myself." Erik left the room, keeping his grip on Samuel until the door shut behind him.
Samuel fell hard on the floor as soon as the grip was released.
Getting up he snarled at the door. 'Just you wait Erik. As soon as you turn your back at the wrong moment I will strike you down.'
