Lisa found Xavier's school amazing. She had never seen such a beautiful building. None of her family or friends could afford a home like this, and she certainly couldn't on her meager housekeeping income. She had grown up in a 2 bedroom 900-square-foot house. Aunt Caroline's house wasn't much bigger. Now Lisa lived in a tiny apartment no bigger than her room at the Route 66 Budget Motor Hotel.

She felt like running from room to room. But instead, she walked slowly, examining every stone tile, every wooden panel, each scrolled rail of every staircase. She listened as her footsteps echoed off the tall brown walls. Lying on a leather sofa, she stared at the ceiling of the rec room so long that she began to feel as if she had vertigo. Her eyes crossed, and the room began to spin.

She heard the faint sound of wheels on hardwood and the almost silent hum of a motor. Though he was far away, she knew Xavier was coming. She smiled. Over the past 24 hours, since her rescue from Magneto's cave, Xavier had become a friend. She somehow felt close to him even though she did not truly know him yet. Like a grandfather she never had, she knew she could trust him. And trust was something she was running short of lately.

She steadied the spinning room and sat up. The sound drew nearer. Eventually Xavier turned in to the rec room from the long hallway. They did not exchange trivial "hellos," for she knew he was coming, and he knew that she knew he was coming. It was if their conversation had begun the minute she heard his wheelchair. It seemed a little late for greetings at this point.

"Do you think it's safe for me to go home?" Lisa asked. She hoped his answer would be "no." She wished to stay here in this beautiful home.

"I don't think you should venture away from the mansion until we are sure that Magneto won't try to kidnap you again. I know him well. He will eventually move on. He will find someone like you, with similar powers, and adapt his plan to fit them. Then you may leave."

"Should we try to stop him?" Lisa did not want anyone else to have to go through what she went through at Magneto's cave.

"We will stop him. But we will wait until his plan escalates and comes to a head."

Lisa frowned.

Xavier explained. "He is very powerful and very determined. And he has many hideouts. We would use our time and resources more productively training—and wait until we know where he is and how to stop him."

"Training?" Lisa wondered.

"The X-Men train daily. And for the time being, you are one of us. So when would you like to begin?"

"Who will be training me?"

Xavier smiled. "So I suppose that means you would like to begin immediately?"

She nodded.

"I will be training you in the beginning. We no longer have anyone else here who is qualified to help you increase your powers."

She stared at him. A sadness seemed to overtake him momentarily. She wished she could read his mind.

He continued. "I know that you need to exercise great mind control in order to manipulate sound in the way that you do. And I know that you have had great success in the past. You are a very intelligent young lady, Lisa."

Lisa bit her lip. She knew she was smart, but she hated to admit it. It just made her unproductive life seem all the worse. Why would someone so smart be working as a housekeeper?

"Follow me." Xavier turned his wheelchair around and headed toward the hallway once more.