Jean and Hank were both certified medical doctors. Their experience gave the former prisoners a level of comfort neither Alex nor Scott could not match. On the other hand, the Summers brothers were also the best pilots the X-Men had to offer. Alex did not bother to compete with Scott in the cockpit. Flying was the one skill that had been passed down from their father; it was too important to cheapen with petty rivalry.

When they were somewhere over Pittsburgh, Scott noticed his brother's distracted air. He was quick to associate the silence with the events in Indiana. Scott swallowed his pride and decided to pay his brother a rare compliment. "You did good today, Alex. You helped save a lot of lives."

Alex glanced at his brother sidelong. Scott was focused on the horizon, giving no hint as to his intent. The last time Scott had complimented him, it had been to convince Alex to stay at the Institute. Did he think Alex would walk out on the X-Men? "We did," Alex humbly allowed. He could not deny that the X-Men were necessary. It was the existence of forces like the MRA and the Brotherhood that bothered him.

Scott picked up on the deflection. He wondered if that meant he should give more or less praise to his younger brother. Better to table the question for now. Jean would have better insights.

Xxxxx

Alex once again found himself reading a geology textbook. The mission to Indiana had been a success in every way possible, and he was free to resume his studies. Strange that he saved the world thought of saving lives as a distraction from geology. Was Alex turning into Hank McCoy? He remembered the random quotations flung about during the mission, and decided that he would never be able match Hank's wit. So where was he headed? The textbook started to blur. Helping people was in his blood, Alex could not deny that. Why did Scott think he wanted to move on?

The armbands started to heat up again, and Alex had to focus to get his anger under control. They had recently started to overheat whenever Alex was nervous or emotional. It should have been cause for concern, but he was afraid to say anything to Hank. He would do anything to keep from returning to the Black Death, his name life forever trapped in the containment suit.

It was too much pressure. Alex looked down in surprise as the textbook in his hands flashed yellow for an instant. Suddenly there was no textbook, and a pile of ash slipped to the ground.

"Deep in thought?" came Angelica's familiar voice. Alex almost jumped at the sound. He was horrified that he had lost control in that one split second. "I thought you studying."

Alex forced himself not to look at the black carbon pile that lay near his feet. "Not exactly." His voice almost cracked, and Alex decided to stay quiet.

When he did not speak, Angelica decided to pick up the slack. "The Professor said I might be able to leave soon. There's supposed to be some kind of evaluation at the end of the week." She sat down on the lounge couch near Alex and waited for him to say something. She tapped her thumbs a couple of times on her thigh, but whatever she wanted him to say would not come. "The test will certify me for the X-Men. If I pass, I can either start a new life or move in for good."

Alex did not hear a word. His thoughts were on the armbands. He had to leave soon, to release the cosmic energy stored in his body. The heat was starting to bother him. "You should go," he muttered.

Angelica's face fell. Despite her disappointment, his advice was a reprieve from the crush she had developed. It was time she moved on. "It's what I worked so hard for." Angelica withheld a sigh. She looked at Alex and saw that he was not entirely there. "I'm gong to work on applications of my Mutation. See you around, Alex." She walked away, completely missing the ash pile.

When she was gone, Alex calmly got to his feet and left the room. He found a vacuum and came back to take care of the ash, with extra care to prevent another plasma accident. This had to stay secret, and someone would notice a melted vacuum.

"You're Alex?"

This time he did jump. The lounge was not a private room, but he was sure it had been empty. He did not have the wherewithal to deal with anyone right now. All his faculties were focused on control. "Excuse me." He said the words before he saw who spoke. It was the green-haired woman from the Indiana facility, and she looked like something else. She no longer wore the torn rags, but instead had jeans and a sweater he recognized as Jean's. Alex did not have the luxury to decide which woman the sweater flattered more.

She tried to ask him another question, but Alex did not listen. He half-ran out of the room and made his way outside.

Xxxxx

The armbands were beyond warm. They were almost burning, hot to the extent that he had to tear them off. Plasma started to emit from his body in waves. His clothes incinerated instantly. He crouched low to the ground for the sake of modesty and tried not to scream. Someone could probably hear the crackling hum of the plasma that poured off in seven hundred twenty degrees, but the desire for secrecy was still with him. A hole started to appear beneath him as the sediment was incinerated. He needed the containment suit, and there was only one way for him to reach it.

He was still holding back. If he wanted to end the emissions, Alex had to release as much energy he could manage. He pointed one hand upwards and channeled the plasma through his arm into the air. It flowed in a river of superheated matter that could be seen for miles.

Other screams could distantly heard when the energy finally stopped. Tears were in Alex's eyes because he knew what was going to come next. Silent Death. The suit dropped into the hole beside him, and Alex looked up to see his brother. Scott was the only one who could withstand the plasma blasts. As brothers, the Summerses were immune to each other's powers. Alex only wished that it did not have to be Scott.