Prologue

Ashton Kale crossed the grounds to the main building of the Xavier Institute of Higher Learning, affectionately known as the X-Mansion. The building had become his home in the last month in the wake of the events that led to the revelation of his mutation. But that secret seemed small compared to the one that still burned in his mind; one that he had to guard carefully. He won't lose someone he loved again to a secret.

Inside the mansions med-lab

"Hank, look at this." Annie Ghazikhanian said turning to her colleague, Dr. Hank McCoy the mutant also known as the Beast. Hank's hulking blue fur covered frame leaned over Annie's shoulder looking down at the large LCD screen. "When the computer was analyzing this blood sample non-human genes were found."

"Good eye, Nurse Ghazikhanian. Strange but it's a nice to have a little surprise in our lives unusual as they are. Computer cross-reference with our and the Avengers medical databases." Hank said raising an eyebrow. "Oh my stars and garters, it appears one of our new students is a little more than human."

"But what?"

"Now, that's the mystery, my dear."

New X-Men: Elite #4: Secret and Lies - Part One: My So Called Life

Kai-Alexander Silver couldn't stop fidgeting. This was not his idea of what being an X-Man, sitting in classes and taking exams. If he wanted all that he could have stayed at Georgetown Prep for his last year of high school. But as it was explained to him by the Professor many times that he had been sent to his office he would be receiving training in his abilities as well as a first class education before going on any missions. Figures. But here he was in Comparative Religion with Kurt Wagner droning on and on and on…

"Herr Silver, is something more interesting outside the window than the life of Buddha. " Kurt Wagner asked, his voice marked with annoyance and his thick German accent.

"Hmm. What'd you say?" Kai said on impulse being snapped back from his musing looking at the man who because of his mutation looked like the cross between a blue elf and a blue demon. At the moment, with his glowing gold eyes and furled brow he resembled the latter more than former.

"I was saying that you will write me a ten page paper on Buddhism's influence on modern western culture, due tomorrow!"

Kurt's response elicited laughter from the rest of the class. Kai's light brown skin reddened in embarrassment and anger. "Great more homework! What a complete asshole." He muttered under his breath. Then thought: I'll just get one of my family's research staff to whip me up something and email it to me by lunch tomorrow. That's the perk of being a multi-billion dollar heir. You have people to do anything you want at anytime. His steel-eyed gaze met Kurt's. Kurt held the contact until Kai's eyes shifted. Kurt sighed a little. One of those kid's looks could kill. A simple thought and he'd forget how to breathe. Kai was a powerful psionic who could control others with telepathy. And he wouldn't put it past him to do such a thing. Kai was less than angelic. But then again what do expect from one of Emma's hand picked choices. The bell rang and Kai threw his messenger bad over his shoulder and marched out of the door purposefully and defiantly marched out of the class and found himself on the floor after connecting with something very hard. Again hearing the laughs of my classmates, being a laughingstock was not something Kai was used to.

"Why don't you watch where you going?" The girl growled.

"Hey it was a accident!" He replied brushing himself off. Trying to ignore the stares of his classmates as they filed out of the room. Kai angry face softened upon looking at the girl. She was one of the most beautiful girls he ever laid my eyes on. And he'd laid eyes among other things on quite a few. Her complexion was a smooth bronze and her hazel eyes gleamed like refined amber.

"Look, I'm sorry. I should've been more careful."

"It's fine, I suppose, Kai." The girl said with an accent that was equally marked with French and Arabic nuances.

"Monet?"

"I see the playboy still remembers. You're still smug as ever I'm sure."

"That's the pot calling the kettle black huh, M?" Monet and Kai turned to see an Asian girl. Her look was trendy and had SoCal written all over her. Her silky black hair was pinned with a few strains cascading to frame her oval face. Her eyes sparkled like sapphires complementing her amber skin. Kai gave her the once over and smiled approving.

"Kai-Alexander, this is Jubilation Lee." Monet said introducing the young girl after she'd taken her place beside her. Kai noted the girl had bandages on her hands. Had she been one of those mutants that materialized crucified out on the lawn? A few of them had died. It was hardly the way to start the school year. But apparently what had happened to her, Archangel's healing abilities had cured.

"I take it you too know each other?"

"Yes, The Silver clan is known, throughout Europe. Insanely wealthy and notoriously elitist." Monet said with a

"Come now, Monet. You run in the same circles as I, so what does that make you?"

"You guys still here?" Kai said turning around at his three friends. "These blokes behind me are my friends. Ian Sorensen, Timothy Nguyen, and Monet you remember Ashton Kale." The warning bell struck and Ash, Tim, and Ian excused themselves to make their way to their next classes.

"Shit, Don't want to be tardy for my danger room session. Mr. Logan isn't very forgiving." Kai said lingering with the girls. "It was nice to see you again Monet and a pleasure to meet you Jubilation." Monet looked after the boy as he walked away. The last time she'd seen him was after she'd returned to Europe after the Massachusetts Academy closed. She turned to see Jubilee staring at her and didn't have to read her mind to know what she was thinking. Who was Kai? So she decided to change the subject.

"So how are doing?" Monet kicked herself mentally. Her concern wasn't completely altruistic. "I'm so sorry I missed Angelo's funeral. Xavier and his damned X-Corporation business, a Algerian mutant terrorist, etc. etc. I really wanted to see him off properly."

"He knows, how you felt." Jubilee said pausing. " I didn't get a chance to tell him how I really felt. We got really close in back in LA. We were in college. I was acting. He looked out for me when the industry dogs came after me. I think I was falling for him. Then we got called by Xavier to do some work with Roberto at X-Corp LA." Jubilee broke into tears.

"Oh my god Jubilee. Come here." Monet drew her into a hug. Of all the people in the world Monet knew how she felt. It hadn't been that long ago that she'd lost Everett. A little over a year and now she'd lost another friend. And Jubilee had lost someone else that she'd loved but hadn't been to get close to. "It's going to be okay."

"I hope so, M. I really hope so.

Kai leapt in a flying kick his foot connecting with one guardsman and as he land let a fist fly at another. The whole thing was so surreal for him. His senses told him that he was in a feudal Japanese compound but his mind knew differently, he was in the subbasement complex of the Mansion, in the holographic simulator called the Danger Room. Kai cursed as feinted left just missing the slash of a katana. Doing a back handspring to put some distance between himself and his attacker Kai recognized him. It was one of the rogues in the X-Men's gallery. The air crackled as Silver Samurai charged his sword with energy. Kai cautiously never taking his eyes off him extended his hand willing the blade of a fallen ninja to it.

Observation Deck

For Jubilee walking into the observation deck brought back memories of the days where she'd rollerblade down the halls to get a quick peek at what the Prof and Scott were putting the team through. Or the times she and Logan would train together. The smell of his cigar smoke is heavy in the room that he must be the supervisor for Kai's session. Jubilee moved over to the glass to take a look. "Silver Samurai? And he's, like, holding his own, color me impressed." Jubilee said more to herself than to Logan who sat back from the control panel grinning. Jubilee had yet to acknowledge him. Jubilee didn't know why she'd come here after she'd left Monet. Despite herself, everything that had happened maybe she saw a spark in the guy's eye. In any case it was something to take her mind off things.

Inside the Danger Room:

Kai parried an attack. The files on this guy don't do him justice, he thought to himself. But he was thankful for all those kendo lessons. But the Samurai was still by far the better swordsman; with his next attack his blade just vaporized Kai's katana. Up until then Kai had been holding back from using his abilities to fullest. Playing possum, Kai waited for the Samurai's next attack when his blade connected with his TK shield he'd be able to redirect that force back at the Silver Samurai. His ploy worked launching the armor-clad man into the air. But instead of the thunderous thud of defeat for the Samurai, he hung there floating in the air. Program glitch?

"Logan? What gives?" Kai said.

"That's Wolverine to you, bub. I don't know there was a system override." Jubilee finally stopped drooling over Kai turning to face Logan.

"That would be my doing." The voice over the communication system said as the holographic images surrounding Kai vanished leaving the sterile gray paneling that comprised danger room. "Mr. Silver, please come immediately to the medical lab." The voice that boomed out of the PA system belonged to Dr. McCoy.

Observation Deck:

Jubilee sighed watching Kai leave the Danger Room. She heard a gruff chuckle behind her.

"See something ya like, darling?"

"Wolvie!" I scream. "Oh, my god. You scared me."

"Either, Irish didn't teach you nothing up at the Academy or you were awfully distracted." Logan said with his head cocked to the side and smirk curled lips still containing his omnipresent cigar.

"No, I was just checking out one of the new kids. You probably know, I'm supposed to be an advisor something while I'm here. Since I'm on probationary status as an X-Man. So you know, I thought it'd be a good idea…" Jubilee tried to cover. But it was useless. He wasn't buying it.

"Right. Just checking out the new kids. You come in here and don't even as much as say hi. Come on, darling this is ol' Logan you're talking to. Well, you're not a kid anymore Jubilee. Just be careful. I don't want to have hurt the kid." Logan said as he pulled Jubilee into a hug.

The Medical Lab:

"Have a seat, please, Kai." McCoy said with his outstretched paw-like hand.

"Kai, what can you tell us about your family? Who are you parents?" Dr. Reyes said looking up from here notes.

"My mother is Alexis Silver-Lang. And my father was I didn't know. He was SHIELD Agent Luca Santini. He died before I was born." Kai said with a questioning look.

"Do you know where they met?" Beast spoke up next.

"My mom, told me she met my father in Italy, she was doing investigating the murder of a vatic young girl that had originally wanted to recruit. They were partners. One day he asked to a non-work related lunch one day. They became involved thereafter. What is this about? Are you and the nurse getting into the biography business?" I answered.

"I know your father died just before you were born, but…"

"What more can I tell you? I don't know that much. He was the sole survivor of an accident that robbed him of his parents. He grew up with a wealthy inheritance and he was a mutant, a low level TP. He eventually came to work with my mother. He died on an op a week before my parents were to be married." Kai blurted out, cutting off Dr. McCoy. He hated talking about his father; a man he never knew save from his mother's stories.

"Sorry to bring up old feelings, Kai, but we hoping that you could shed some light on what we found when reviewing your bio-data." Dr. McCoy apologized.

"My bio-data? What?"

"All new students here, as you know, are tested to help us better understand that nature of their abilities and also to help me and faculty determine if said student needs special medical care or attention due to their mutation."

"Okay, what does that have to do with me? Didn't my family physician send over all of my records? I don't have some kind of problem do I?"

"No, Kai your in excellent health but as we were reviewing you file, we noticed this." Annie said as she called up a holographic image of a DNA helix.

"It was a most astounding discovery by Nurse Ghazikhanian. This is normal human DNA." McCoy said showing another helix. "This, my young friend, is your DNA."

"Wait you're saying I'm not human? Okay. This is bollocks. You're joking, right?" Kai said leaping up from his chair shaking his head.

"No, Kai, we're not. We've done just about every test we can on the sample of DNA we have. Apparently, your father wasn't human or at least totally human." Annie said putting her hand on his shoulder and he slowly sank back into the chair."Well I guess that would explain these." Kai said slowly as he removed his shirt to reveal "the markings" as he called them, the dark pigmentations on his back across his shoulders and on the upper part of his arms that form a pattern.

"I didn't see these when you came in for your physical." Dr. McCoy said taking a closer look at his back.

"Of course you didn't, I hid them psychically. My mother told me that I should never let them be seen by anyone. I guess, I know why now. Is there anything else different about me?"

'No, Kai I don't think so. But your altered DNA has manifested itself in interesting ways. Heightened metabolism, denser yet lighter bone structure and enhanced vision and interesting enough you're fortunate that your born in the family you were. With enough money to make sure you didn't end up in some military science fair." Annie said jokingly but it still sent chills down Kai's spine.

After a few more tests Kai left the medical lab feeling like he never had before, alone and well, alien. There was no doubt that his mother had known. The time for secrets is over.

Part Two: Homecoming

The Xavier Institute.

Monet sat alone thinking about yesterday's events, returning to the States, being reunited with Paige and Jubilee, being back amongst the X-men. A world she never thought she think of being apart of again. But her memories wouldn't let her stay away. Part of the reason she came was because of Everett. They had had a brief romance while was at the Massachusetts Academy. He had died living the dream. He wouldn't have hide out in Europe. He would right her in Westchester. All he wanted to do with his life was to make this world a better place. "Maybe, at least for a while, can live out the dream for you." Monet whispered to herself drying the fresh tears as she sensed someone approaching. She turned to see Kai's friend Ashton. "Ashton, you've taken to sneaking up on people?" Monet says with a smirk trying to regain her usual regal posture. Ash's ruddy complexioned face conveyed loosely hidden contempt.

"Oh, hey, Monet. What's up? I didn't mean to startle you. I hadn't noticed you in here. What's the matter? You look upset. Did daddy cancel your Neiman Marcus account?" The young Indian remarked.

"Don't be silly, Father would never do something like that. If you must know, I was thinking about my boyfriend, Everett. He died a year ago. Emma Frost's sister, tired to kill us all. He died saving us."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I never thought it would be anything like that."

"If that was supposed be an apology, Ash, it needs work. And just what do mean?"

"Come on, Monet. Give me a break last time I saw you so upset it was because Dolce and Gabana's new line had been delayed."

"You don't know as well as you think, Ashton. And yet I'm not surprised you haven't matured since we last saw each other. "

"Whatever." Ash replied disinterestedly looking out into the courtyard through the windows of the sitting room. Monet wondered what held his attention. Then she saw Kai who looked sadden by something. But Ashton's attitude towards her warranted her attention more so than Kai. "Why do you hate me so much, Ashton?" Monet ventured. She decided to have a little peek inside his brain.

"I don't know, Monet, maybe because you're a pretentious bitch." Ash scoffed turning back to watching Kai in the courtyard who's been joined by Jubilee. Monet's eyes furled at the sight returning her attention to Ashton. She sensed something…jealously? Monet peered a little deeper into his subconscious. There it was buried and locked up tight. He'd let his guard slip. She's smiled. Monet could hold on to this nugget until it may prove useful.

"Tell me something I don't know, Ashton." Monet said pausing baiting him. When he didn't reply she taunted, "I see that you're busy. So I'll you leave to it." Monet sauntered out of the room with a laugh.

The Courtyard:

Kai thoughts swirled in his head it was all too unreal. Just who the hell am I? Did mom know? If so why would she keep this from me?

"Yo! Kai what's up?" Came a voice behind him.

"Jubilee, hi."

"Dude, are you okay?"

"To be honest, no. I just found out I'm not who I thought I was."

"Well, I know we just met and all, but if you want to talk about it." She said touching his arm lightly.

"Its the craziest thing. I'm not human." Seeing the confusion in Jubilee's face he continued. "I mean bedsides the whole Homo Sapiens Superior thing. I'm part something else."

"Alien?"

"I don't think so. Maybe?" Kai answered with a mirthless laugh.

"Whoa."

"Whoa, indeed."

Inside the Mansion – Professor Xavier's Offices:

"I am surprised to hear from you Selene, it's been awhile. Not long enough considering what you've done." Professor Xavier said with a cold smile, which Selene returned with her own, but her stern regal visage returned within moments.

"Charles I wish this was a just a social call but as you see I have used high encryption on this transmission."

"Yes. I am aware of it."

"In your midst lies a threat to both of us."

"I'm listening."

"There is a boy, a powerful mind like yours. Kai-Alexander I believe his name is. We've followed this boy for years, you and I. But you don't know everything. He could doom us all."

"Selene, what are you getting at?"

"You'll find out in time, Charles. Arrogant as ever, you think your little X-Men will be able to contain him."

With that screen went dark, the transmission. Charles Xavier was left with an uneasy feeling. Selene despite her posturing was threatened by a seventeen-year old boy, but why?

Elsewhere:

"Thank you Selene, dear. You've finally given me the to tools by which to remove you from the throne." Although grabbled with static, the listener had heard enough of the intercepted transmission to put a plan into motion.

The courtyard:

"Thanks for listening, Jubilee. I'd appreciate it though if you kept this between us, at least until I've had some time to figure out what all this means."

"Yeah, totally, Kai. You've got my word. You know if you want, when you to talk to your mom, it might help to have someone objective there."

"That's really nice of you to offer. But I can't ask you to get all involved. We've just met."

"Nah, dude. This is what the X-Men are all about. Besides I'm supposed to be baby-sitting you first year students. And I think there's a certain one I'd like keep and eye on. Besides, other than I be sitting around here being poked and prodded. And continually asked how I am." Jubilee said with a slight smile. The moment was tender between them. A connection had been forged. Kai smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear and leaned in. Jubilee moved forward. Their lips about to touch…

"Hey, guys what's up?" Ashton says.

"Uh, hey Ash." Kai said straightening up, running his hand through his wavy hair and letting out a sigh.

"Hi." Jubilee said getting up from the bench. "I'm going inside unpack and see a couple of more peeps. I'll catch you later?"

"Yeah." Kai said watching Jubilee leave the courtyard.

"Big date? You and Jubilee seemed pretty cozy when I came in." Ash said which in turn Kai punched him in the arm. "Ouch." Ash said feigning injury.

"That's for interrupting." Kai said laughingly, then turning serious. "No not yet. Although, maybe after all this shit is cleared, maybe. I have to see my mum. You too, I'm going to need my best mate there to back me up."

"You know it, bro. Whatever, whenever." Ash said with concern.

"What I'm about to tell you goes in the vault."

"Got it, my lips are sealed."

A few days later:

Jubilee heard knocking on her door and hoped it wasn't some stupid freshman. She put down the sweater she was folding and walked over to the door.

"Monet…hi."

"Jubilation." Monet said gliding past her into my room. "Going somewhere?" She said plopping down on the bed next to Jubilee's bag.

"If you must know I going to help out a friend. I just got a call and ask me to come along on a little trip."

"Kai-Alexander? Please, you've just met and now you're friends?"

"Stay out of my head, M. Just when I thought we might be friends you start with this bullshit."

"Jubilee, one, I didn't have to read your mind to know who you were talking about, and two because I'm your friend I'm warning you about Kai."

"What is so bad about the guy? I know I just met him and everything but he's got this pull. You know? We mesh."

"That's his charm, Jubilee. But don't believe him. He's a charlatan. I should know…" Monet just stopped there mid sentence. It was like one of those pregnant pauses on a soap opera where just before the flashback the heroine starts to narrate her story.

"I met Kai a few months ago after I'd returned to Europe. Kai's family was throwing some gala celebrating some new business acquisition. The St Croix's were among those invited, of course. We were among the youngest people there so naturally we sought each other out and we danced, chatted. He invited me to his family's villa on the Rivera and in the midst of the week I was falling in love. It was the first time I'd been with someone, Jubilee. The first guy since Everett…" Monet said turning away from to compose herself. She started again, her voice more bitter than before. "But after a few weeks he had return to the States to his boarding school, the summer was ending. We started off writing emails and letters, but the messages got shorter and shorter, then stopped."

"I'm so sorry, Monet."

"Don't be. I was a foolish. Maybe he has changed. Maybe you'll have better luck."

"Monet, thanks you're a better friend than I give you credit for. Why don't you come with us? That way you can watch my back. I'll just tell Kai that I'll feel better if you were there."

"Where are you two off to anyway?"

"It's a family situation that's all I can tell you."

"Great, then it's settled."

Somewhere Over the Atlantic on the Silver family jet

"Monet I didn't know you were coming along?" Ash said to the Algerian girl turning to face her.

"Why yes I am. Kai is an old friend of mine. He needs all the support he can get, right?" Monet said with a smile getting up to sit next to Ash. Ash simply turned back to the window pretending to watch the clouds float by. Jubilee and Kai sat at a table ahead of Monet and Ash.

"What's going on with them?" Jubilee said pointing at Ash and Monet.

"You know, I can't say I know. But as long as remember Ash has never liked Monet. He always would tell me she was a stuck-up society bitch. But I never paid it any attention because that's what he said about all my girlfriends. He tries to look out for me in that way."

"He's seems like a really nice guy. Quiet though." Jubilee offered.

"Not normally. But he just lost his brother last month due to all that Selene business. But I sense that he's holding something back. I wish he talk about it."

"If there something on his mind you should know, right?"

"I wouldn't ever read Ash's mind. He's my best-friend, one of the few people I trust implicitly."

Monet tapped Ashton lightly on the shoulder. And smiled when he turned to face her. "I know we've never been friends Ash. You say it's because I'm bitchy and I say it's because you're jealous."

"Why the hell would I be jealous of you, Monet?" Ash scoffed.

"Because I've been closer to your best friend than you'll ever get." Monet whispered into his ear. Ash's face flushed and he tried to quickly compose himself but it was too late. Monet had him. She knew.

"What? That's crazy. You don't know what the fuck you're talking about."

"I don't? Lying to a telepath is not a good idea, Ash. I suggest you calm down and listen before I send a instant message via telepathy to your best friend and let the cat out of the bag." Ash looked around and saw Kai and Jubilee looking at them.

"What's going on? You guys all right" Kai asked.

"It's chill." Ash returned quickly before turning to Monet. "I don't know what you think you have on me..." Monet put her finger to his lips and hushed him. "Ash, I know. And it's ok. You're gay. I know it. You know it." Ash squirmed in his seat then tried to get up. Monet held his arm holding him down; her superhuman strength gripping him like a vise. "We haven't finished talking yet. If you don't want me to out you, you'll help me keep Jubilee and Kai apart. He's a disgusting pig and I don't want my friend hurt. It's that simple. I've already started working on her. Now you just be the supportive best friend steer Kai away from her.

"How do you know I won't just tell him myself?"

"Oh, I'd doubt you'd tell him the whole truth. How you've been in love with him for years. You couldn't risk losing him as friend, right? You know how much he trusts you, hmmm. Just give in. Besides you never know he might even be open…"

"Shut up. Just shut up." Ash said finally phasing through her hand and getting up. "Look, I'll help you for now. Alright, but let's get something clear, you will pay for this." He said leaning down whispering to her. Monet simply smiled.

Ash walked over and joined Jubilee and Kai.

"What the hell was that? You guys looked intense."

"Kai, trust me you don't want to know. Monet just found out I was messing around with one of her debutante friends was trying get some gossip." Ash laughed although his eyes were locked on Monet's.

"Really. Still the player I see. That's my boy." Kai whispered to Ash so Jubilee wouldn't hear. "Get ready we should be arriving in minutes." He announced to his companions.

"Kai, we're miles away from anything were are we landing? I can't see any islands from here." Monet said looking out her window.

"Who said anything about any islands." Kai said pointed to the floating fortress hovering just above them. "Ladies and gent, I give you the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier."

"This is awesome. We're actually on the Helicarrier." Ash said with his mouth agape.

"This complex is the one assigned to special ops. The one Nick Fury floats around in is twice this size." Kai said to his friends as they as they reached the security checkpoint.

"How's it going Brody?" Kai says to the young guard at in front of the large steel doors leading into the complex. The young officer simply nodded in entered the codes to open the doors. Once in side, the true size of the Helicarrier was realized. Nearly a football field long and three stories high filled with most advanced equipment seen by any in the intelligence community.

"I can't believe they've allowed us in here. Usually, the X-Men have to seek on one of these things." Jubilee said as they entered an elevator.

"My mother, Alexis Silver-Lang, is the head of the E.S.P.E.R. Extra Sensory Perception Espionage and Reconnaissance division. So believe me she's already had her brain trust scanning your brains as we make our way to her office." Kai replied almost on cue as the elevator chimed opening the door to the ESPER wing of the Helicarrier. Their standing in front of the door was his mother flanked by four armed agents.

"Hello, Mother. What's with the muscle?"

"Orders, from on high. Please follow me. I trust you flight was sufficiently comfortable." Alexis said gesturing from them to follow. "You know your bunch of new friends are still considered terrorists?" She continued telepathically with Kai.

"Yes, it was Mrs. Lang" Monet offered raising a brow noticing the telepathic whispering but unable to fully understand it.

"My reports have stated otherwise. From all appearances the school is just that, a school. For the most part."

"Please call me Alexis. It's so nice to see you again, Monet it's been far too long. I just had the opportunity to see your father last Christmas when I was in Monaco." Alexis said turning to her right to talk to Monet who was still eyeing her and Kai. "Ashton you've grown quite handsome. How's your family doing?" Alexis said turning to Ashton with a concerned look.

"Thanks, Alexis. They're coping as best they can. We all still miss Anant. Thanks again for talking with them. At least my dad's speaking to me again."

"And the strike team of omega classed mutants?"

"So Jubilation is it? That's a pretty name. It's nice to meet you." Alexis said turning her attention the young Asian.

"It's in my reports Director Lang. But that's not what I'm here for." Kai said finally ending the conversation.

"Thanks, but everyone calls me, Jubilee." Jubilee said back with a smile.

"You with the bad attitude, take my friends on a tour while I talk with the Director." Kai motioned to one of the guards.

"Excuse me?" The guard grunted.

"Do it, Agent Samuels. Show them around, you know which sectors to avoid." Alexis said as she and Kai entered her office.

Kai turned to his friends smiling slightly. "I'll be fine go on and I'll find you guys later." Closing the door behind them. "You might want to debug your room for this conversation, Mum." Kai projected.

"I see you're serious. Fine done. You can speak freely now." His mother answered entering the codes into the console on her desk to censor the various monitoring systems in the room.

"So what has you coming all this way from New York? I hope it is not more money for you little experimentation with alternative lifestyles. Our family's corporate holdings already funnel enough money into Xavier's network." Alexis said sitting into leather chair swiveling to face the window.

"Mother, I know. But my being involved with the Xavier Institute is hardly an alternative lifestyle. For crying out load you make it seem like I'm out there waving a mutant rights banner on the White House lawn or in front of Parliament." Kai rebuffed taking one of the chairs in front of the desk.

"You might as well be. If you were to be discovered it could have detrimental effects on our family. Besides its dangerous."

"My being an X-Man is no more dangerous or less important than you being a SHIELD agent." Kai countered

"True, but you are still a child. My child. You may train there, but know this you still have obligations to the family."

"Of course. And while were on the subject of family when were you going to tell me about Dad?"

"What are talking about, Phillip is fine at home, in London." Alexis said turning to face her son.

"Not Phil, my real father Luca Santini, if that was even his name."

"What's gotten into you? We've talked about this many times. He was a…"

Kai slammed his fist on his mother's desk. "Enough lies, mother! I know! So I ask you again when were you going to tell me?"

"How did you find out?" Alexis said getting up to touching her son's shoulder but he quickly shirked her hand.

"That's irrelevant."

"I knew it was a mistake to let you near that school."

"Also irrelevant. I want the truth mother."

"The truth of the matter is that I didn't know either until shortly after I found out I was pregnant with you." Alexis started slowly. "Your father wasn't a SHIELD agent. We did met while I was working a case in on an occult murder. He was there too, Damion Hellstrom. As I've told you before, he asked me to lunch the next day after the killer had be apprehended. We became involved. Against my better judgment, I didn't investigate him until much later. By then it was too late. I found out about his father. It was all too bizarre. I told him I never wanted to see him again. I never told him about you. If the truth had been revealed you, my then unborn child, despite our family's worth would have been taken away for any number of experiments or worse he may have come for you. I had to protect you. Thank god your genes lied dormant and hidden until recently. The only sign that your were different were those markings."

"What do you mean? What about his father?"

"He claimed his father was the devil."

"What? That's mad. Mother, you can't be serious."

"The pendant I wear around my neck. It was your fathers. It was the only thing I kept. I studied its runes it's a good magick supposedly. I haven't been able to make it work. Even with my psychometric abilities I couldn't gleam anything from it. But I've always keep it with me." Alexis said touching the pendant around her neck. Made of a dark crystal it had tiny etchings on it. Kai had always been curious about the pendant but his mother never took it off. "Here. I said to myself when the time was right I'd give it you." She said finally placing the pendant around his neck. The pendant's etchings immediately began to glow with a silver light matching the faint glow of Kai's eyes the only visible trait that marked him as a mutant.

"It's glowing…"Kai began but was cut off by the intercom buzzing.

"This is Director Lang." Alexis said into the intercom.

"Director Fury is online. He says it's top priority." The report came back.

"Oh, I suppose this can wait. Me being a demon love child." Kai said asking his mother as she raced out of the room towards the elevators.

"Don't be so melodramatic. But I'm needed elsewhere. Find your friends and get back to New York."

"Mum. Mother." Kai said pleading.

"Not now, son." Alexis said with finality as the elevator doors closed.