For clarification in this chapter I'm referring to the Democratic Republic of the Congo not the Republic Of The Congo. Also, most mentally ill people aren't violent. Chris' mom is at times, but she's the minority.

spirit of hogwarts: I ran with your electricity theme for Chris' mutant name. Having Chris specialize in electricity is a wonderful idea. I was thinking the same myself. Magneto is the uncontested Master of Magnetism and I don't see the power gap between them closing too much in that regard. As for Chris staying with Magneto forever.. I'm undecided there. I have two possible ways this could go in my head with him leaving or staying. I'll take your opinion on the matter into consideration. Thanks for the comment.

Bluesnowman: Don't think I forgot about you. Thanks for the review and I'm very pleased you enjoy reading this story. That was the whole point.

sxcond: You caught me. I'm not the best with grammar to put it frankly. I did go over my earlier chapters and edited the problems I spotted there. Hopefully this next chapter will be a bit better than the other ones in that aspect.

I just now realize how strange I was. I'd gotten electrocuted and cut up by Magneto and not a week later I defied him by going to the VR room and after that disagreed with him on mutant superiority.

Sorry if it confuses you. I was a strange kid. Not that Magneto was any different with his sudden mercy with the VR incident. It blows my mind even now. Truth truly is stranger than fiction.

Toad suddenly started giving me ugly looks after I broke into the console room. Likely because Magneto had given him hell since a 14 year old could get through their security. That was harsh considering that I was a genius and how he'd only forgotten one door, but since when has Magneto ever taken things like that into consideration?

Toad's irritation didn't bother me a bit. If he wouldn't attack me then I really couldn't care less about what he thought.

Toad wouldn't attack me, but the Queen Of Asskicking- Mystique did. I told you she smirked when I was in hot water with Magneto, but that's not all. She had one personal mission- to make my training as hard as possible.

I didn't notice because she was harsh on me from day one. So I figured harsh training was a completely normal thing. Good thing I had such a high pain tolerance. Since she often asked me about my weight and chided me for not eating more. I figured she was the stern, but caring type. That didn't mean I liked her, but I didn't hate her either.

As I walked passed a brown open door I heard Toad say "I hate that kid."

I smirk. I'd gotten my revenge. Let's just say it involved leaves and maple syrup. He could wash away the sticky sweetness, but after doing this his skin was incredibly dry. Which made perfect sense, he was a toad. The slime on his body protected his skin like lotion.

I can only imagine how itchy he felt.

Magneto after seeing the newly bathed Toad said he "should try it more often". That was a really cruel taunt. He knew as well as I did that Toads are supposed slimy. A toad that's not slimy means something's wrong.

That made me feel for him. My retribution was completely disproportionate to his prank. I had been taking heed of Magneto's lessons.

Being sticky, then itchy, then your own boss laughs at you. Sorry Toad.

I tried to apologize many times, but he wouldn't hear a word of it. After this, I stopped caring. It had been a few days and he was still sore over that.

Toad you're such a sore loser. If you're angry at me do something.

Toad continued "Oh you hate him too. Don't we all sister don't we all."

Sister? So Mystique is in there. Logic said

Is this like their version of an employee break room? Rebellion asked

Maybe there's a tv. Optimism had somehow managed to sneak his way to the front of my mind.

Optimism your priorities. Logic facepalmed too exasperated to tell Optimism to leave.

"Really don't lie you think he's a piece of work like me."

"I don't see how this is relevant to anything." Mystique finally answered.

"Doesn't it get tiring? Pretending to be ignorant."

"There's nothing to pretend about." Mystique snapped.

"It's no secret that you two..mix business and pleasure." Toad pressed on.

"Magneto did have a mission in Chicago 15 yrs ago and suddenly the kid shows up with exactly the same powers as him. Keep swimming in that denial Misty."

What is he? Oh. No, that's absurd. And totally wrong.

A loud bang was heard.

"Your throat one more word and I'll crush it." Mystique's voice had become very low and dangerous.

I didn't breath afraid that she'd hear me.

I dare not peek in the door to see what was going on. Not that I needed to.

Sabertooth started laughing. Knowing that he's a sadist I wouldn't be surprised if Toad got a black eyes for this.

"Ok -ok maybe I went a bit far."

A bit? Toad, you were asking for death.

I shook my head at his stupidity.

"Still, back me up here. Magneto spends a great deal of time with the kid. I've never seen seen him smirk as much in the years I've seen him as much as he had in this last month. And if we did half the things the kid did we'd be six feet under."

There was a very long pause. Sabertooth broke it by laughing uncontrollably at something and once he stopped Mystique started speaking.

"I'll admit that Magneto has become attached to the boy in short amount of time. Something I haven't seen since-" Mystique paused

What Magneto had a friend? Rebellion asked.

Logic answered. Well, you need some human contact to become charismatic.

True. Rebellion said.

"However, you're wrong. He's interested in the child because they share a power and quite a bit of personality."

That's interesting. Quite a bit she says.

"That's all. This interest will fade and Magneto will keep the boy at a distance."

Like he does with you?

I decided to leave at this exact moment. While Toad's accusations were interesting, I didn't believe them. I had been to my father's grave and my mother wept for him yearly on the day he died.

Well, if she could. If she were in the middle of an episode she could think she was a completely different person altogether. I hoped my mom had an episode on that day because I hated seeing her cry. Even if her lack of tears came at the cost of her trying to attack me while she suddenly seemed to possess the skill of a master martial artist. It is a very good thing that I'm a fast runner.

I met Magneto at 14. Why would we have no contact until now? Besides, my mom was pretty strict about these things. I can't imagine her having a casual fling. A casual fling with Magneto? I don't even want to imagine that.

She had been bugging me about marriage and "finding the one" since I turned 14 and had even set up a blind date for me. I managed to avoid that with some excuse making. Obviously, Toad's scenario didn't happen.

The truth was obvious. This was clearly a game of "Daddy love me more" "No daddy loves me most " Brotherhood style. Mystique used to spend the most time with him and now she didn't. Toad, while he'd never been high on the totem pole *, feels like he's getting the worst of it because I embarrassed him and got the attention he craved.

Sabertooth didn't care one way or another so at least he wasn't an enemy.

Still, that was ironic. As much as having Magneto praise me felt nice, I didn't actively seek it. In fact, I was "the most rebellious and defiant recruit I've ever had" in Magneto's own words. Yet, he approved of me and if I believed Toad I was the favorite and was given preferential treatment.

I couldn't believe it and if it were true I'd rather not believe it. Just how much worse could he have been on me?

That was the scary part. Magneto was holding back and I was playing a very dangerous game with my behavior.

It sort of hit me during my second punishment, but to have a member of the Brotherhood complain about the inequities? What exactly was the man capable of on a bad day?

I walk into the sitting room when something struck me. Magneto wanted to see me at 1 p.m. I looked at the time 12:50 p.m.

I ran like I had never ran before before, slid down the stairs, ran again and entered his office just as the big hand struck 1:01 p.m.

"You're late."

Crap.

" I apologize for the tardiness. I have no excuse for it."

Wow, that conversation must of really shook me up if I apologized. It's been awhile since I've been that polite to someone.

Magneto seemed just as surprised as I was, but didn't complain.

"So you are capable of being respectful."

I did not like that jab one bit, but bite back my already prepared and scathing retort.

I really didn't know what to expect. I hadn't been late before. There really was no reason to be.

"Lift this desk until I tell you otherwise."

That's weird. I thought

I did exactly that though and discovered that the desk was made of an extremely heavy metal. If I devoted 100% of my attention to lifting it I could keep it in the air- barely.

What is this thing made of? I ask myself.

Magneto still hadn't told me to put down. Sweat beads formed on my forehead as I struggled.

By the five minute mark the only reason I hadn't dropped it was sheer stubbornness .

"Quietly place it down."

I grit my teeth, but manage to lower it at a measured pace. The desk was a millimeter from the floor when I lost my grip. It fell landing with a loud bang.

"I said quietly. Did I not?"

So I had to redo the exercise all over next time I made sure it didn't fall as I knew that if I tried a third time I would pass out.

I'm not sure how, but I manage to make the desk this time land without a sound.

I don't remember anything of the conversation that followed after that. I do remember getting a very sound beatdown from Mystique during training.

It had been a hard seven weeks and as stubborn as I was even my behavior started to change. I retained my wit of course but I didn't dare argue with him on anything relating to mutants.

I had my thoughts and he had his. If I was asked (and this was a big if) I'd better not use any snarky comments. I could somehow sense that he'd lost all patience for anything of the sort. This only got worse as the mission came closer. So being the sane guy I supposedly am I stayed out the way and did what I was told. Which was frighteningly easy.

I was wrong in thinking that being a doormat was hard- it was easy compared to the prospect of getting on his bad side. Something was bothering him, but I didn't dare ask.

Time went on and of course he had to flip flop on me. I'd get to talk with my mother on the phone. It wasn't that much of a flip flop he still seemed angry as he gave the news. That confused me.

Isn't talking to my mom a good thing?

As I busied myself with avoiding eye contact with the man, I noticed that the number he called had a 312 area code.

That's Chicago. So he didn't move her.

Magneto turned the speaker on of course and I spoke first.

"Mom what's up"

"Who are you saying what's up to young man?"

I blushed at the chastisement and corrected myself.

"Sorry. How are you Mom?"

"Dearie, I'm quite fine. How's boarding school?"

So that's the excuse they went with.

"Okay?"

"What are you learning?"

Oh, the standard stuff how to maim your enemies, resistance to the torture that is Magneto lecturing me and calculus.

"Lots about calculus mom."

"Calculus? How did you get that?"

Oh great. This is bad.

"I tested into it."

"No, there must be a mistake. You can't be taking calculus."

"I am though."

"Oh. Did you talk to your teacher about it. You've never been much of a numbers person. I bet they can place you in something like geometry. That should work. You're handy."

I felt myself go red with irritation.

I'm handy and I can use Calculus. What's so hard to understand about that?

"Nothing to be ashamed of. Not being that smart. Still you're better than most."

I silently sigh " I'll get it sorted out."

"I'm sure you're trying your best. That's what matters. And if you fail at this you can always come back home."

I didn't even need to see Magneto's face to know that he was angry and likely wanted to give my mom a piece of his mind cover be damned.

" Meet any interesting girls lately?"

"One, but she insists on trying to kill me at every possible occasion."

Magneto smirks at the inside joke.

"Then tell her take her scaly skinned self on somewhere. You can't reason with people like that so violent."

"Uh…"

This is bad.

You could feel the tension in the office. If only there there was a way to silently communicate this to her.

Mom continues "But, no one else? It's never too early to start looking I found mine match at your age."

And he was an abusive SOB. I thought.

"No. I've been pretty busy getting adjusted."

"Good to know that your happy"

Far from it mom far from it. I'm afraid, nervous and angry. I keep on getting caught up in issues that aren't my fault my whole life. Your mental illness, poverty, gang violence and now this. Still I'm not going to mope over the phone about this.

"Lately, I've been scrapbooking"

Mom had a scrapbook which really wasn't a scrapbook. She called it a scrapbook, but really it was a sketchbook. She drew pictures in it or sometimes pasted photos inside.

"You know your lawyer friend? I have a picture of her in my scrapbook."

"Lawyer?" I ask. None of my friends were older than 18.

"Yes, Sally wonderful lawyer I see her on TV all the time."

"1 second I have to hold."

"I'll wait." She said. I press the hold button.

"What was that?" Magneto asked

"My mom she sometimes think she's in a time period other than the present. Right now she thinks one of my friends is a lawyer."

I pause in thought for a moment before saying " I'm going to guess that she saw her on TV for a scholarship, same name, same face, and fancy clothes. The psychosis warped her perception from there."

"And her remarks about you learning calculus."

"She doesn't think I'm all that smart" I frown "Not even on her good days."

"Then she's diluted on her bad days and is a complete moron on her good ones."

I wanted to say something in defense of my mother, but truthfully I liked this assertion. I wasn't stupid. I could handle mind games, had learned tons of calculus, and beat Magneto in the debates sometimes. Did unintelligent people sneak past fingerprint scanners with tape? Hardly.

No, Mom was wrong and I was glad that he was. Still, she was my mom so I gave Magneto an appropriately icy glare.

"I was defending you." He pointed out.

Oh no you don't.

"By insulting my mom at the same time." I state calmly.

He gave a look that roughly translated to 'your upset because you know I'm right' and 'you're not at all threatening to me.'

I didn't even have anything witty to say to that.

I pressed the hold button again.

"Haven't you ever wondered about the source of magnetic north? No one's ever been there to find out. Lots of people have tried though."

So somewhere in the 1900's now.

"It's something I rarely think about." I say honestly.

"I bet there's a ton of iron there." She said.

We kept talking and eventually I hung up.

Magneto raised an eyebrow "The source of magnetic north?"

I did tell you that my mom sometimes thinks she's in the wrong time period. Oh well I'll have to explain this more thoroughly to him.

"That means she thinks she's in the 1800's or early 1900's.. The source of magnetic north hadn't been discovered yet and no one had ever been to The North Pole successfully."

"But, she was talking to you on a telephone- a modern telephone" If it were a different time I would've laughed at how flustered the man looked.

I shrug "I never said she was sane. She does that- talk about things she could have never been to. For example she thought once that she was at a suffrage meeting and kept shouting about why women should be allowed to vote even though she was born in the eighties"

He was surprised at how calm I was about this.

"How do you cope?"

"Lots of historical knowledge. Almost like being a detective. What era is she in? What language is she using? Will she freak out about something she sees? If so hide it."

Magneto seemed to want to know what I meant by freak out.

I sigh "She tried to sacrifice herself once when I was 9 because she had at one point dyed her hair red. Since red was obviously a 'demonic and unnatural' hair color" I used air quotes here.

"She thought that she had to burn the house down to prevent the curse from spreading."

I hadn't ever seen Buckethead seem so surprised. I had completely caught him off guard with that. Eventually, he got his composure back. "That explains the reports. She has been trying to cut herself with knives, pencils anything she can find."

I nod. "Ah. The daily sacrificial blood rites. Common Aztec thing. It's not as bad as you'd think, living with her. Usually, she's in the right time period. That sort of thing is rare."

He didn't look convinced.

"And you kept this a secret for years."

"Of course, she'd go to jail for neglect because of something she can't control -mental illness. And if she gets insanity she'd be shipped off to an asylum and never be released and I'd be in foster care. She'd be in there longer than if she just served time in prison."

Magneto apparently learned something new from what I said. "Really?"

"Being insane isn't a get out of jail free card. Public safety is the police's top priority and because of her episodes I suspect she'd never get out."

I continue.

"Legally speaking the state court did say it's illegal for insane prisoners to be in the system "indefinitely", but I can't afford the lawyers to fight for her release. Little people little justice." I say bitterly.

"And you're the only person that knows of this."

The answers flowed out my mouth like water. I was good at keeping secrets, but that didn't mean I liked to keep them. It felt great to get something like this off my chest.

"Her employers know and they work with her. They might be religious fanatics, but they're loyal have to give him that."

"How long?"

"It's been years. She's been mentally ill since before I was born. I've known that my mom is mentally ill since I was four and that I should not tell anyone about it."

"I can see where your patience comes from." I could see him pinch his forehead as if warding off a migraine.

Did my Mom's episode annoy him? That could be it. Magneto probably didn't know much about the severity of her illness and just dropped her in the institution without thinking.

The institution demanded answers because my mom was trying to cut herself and mom was probably calling every day because she is just as stubborn as I am.

Or maybe it was the mission. Or both.

The older man started "There's one thing that still confuses me. After all that you're still fiercely devoted to her."

"Why wouldn't I be? She's my mom. No ifs ands or buts about it." I could see from his face that while he respected the loyalty I had, he clearly thought it was misplaced. Still, he didn't challenge me on this. He knew that would lead to this calm conversation turning into a power struggle. She was my mother and I would defend her honor against anyone who dared to disrespect her.

"And during these episodes... is she violent towards you?"

"Most of the time no."

And when she is she does not mean to- unlike you.

"Most?"

"Sometimes she might think I'm a robber or some other threat. Last time she was a Japanese soldier during WWII. Good thing I'd replaced the deadlocks on my door. She had a gun."

"She shot you?" He asked surprised.

"She shot at me. My door took it like a champ. Can't go wrong with solid hickory. It's been three years and to this day I have no idea how she got into my room " Leaving him hanging after saying that was cruel but fun.

Magneto of course had to know more."And after she did break in?"

"I jumped out the window." I say as if I were talking about the weather.

Magneto could do nothing but blink at me.

I shrug. "It's not as hard as you'd think. Three stories is when it gets tricky. My house isn't that tall though. If I fell from that height the wrong way I'd live."

"Living with her is risky. But, it is a risk that can be mitigated with proper precautions. I cut the houses gas with my phone, childproofed the outlets, locked up the knives. But, I forgot to lock the gun up properly that night." I sigh.

Stupid.

"You were 11."

"What did me being 11 have to do with anything? I should've put the gun away after I used it to ward off a burglar."

Magneto stared at me for a moment in dead silence. I really didn't understand why he did that. People have emergency escape plans in case of a natural disaster. I happened to have one in case of my mother trying to kill me. It really wasn't anything new to me.

However, my nonchalance was exactly the problem. "At that age you shouldn't have to worry about your own mother trying to kill you."

"True. Still, the alternatives were terrible. If she went to prison my mother wouldn't have lasted a day. I did not and do not want that on my conscious." I'd done the flowsheets years ago and nothing good came out of my analysis.

"You don't have to worry about that anymore."

I look at Magneto searching for any signs of deception. I found none. Why would there be any? He hadn't ever lied to me. He told me I'd have power beyond my imagination and I'd already achieved that. He told me that MRA was back on the House floor and it was.

I suppose it did sound too easy, too much like something out of a storybook. My greatest responsibility in my life suddenly lifted from my shoulders? Of course I couldn't believe him. I'd planned my life around her illness anything else was inconceivable. Still, Magneto didn't lie to me so he must be telling the truth.

I envied how he could just do that. Decide that something should happen and make it happen. He bent to world to his will and not the other way around. I found myself thinking more and more about what I'd witnessed in the VR room. I'd never seen real power before.

I'd seen teachers and other authority figures, but they didn't hold a candle to Magneto. His confidence was entrancing and I often found myself wishing that I had some of the same characteristics he had myself. Not that I'd tell him. His ego was big enough as it is.

The days fly by and soon it was time. I had an idea of what to expect, but that didn't make me any less nervous. The day before after going over the plan we were given the day off although I really couldn't rest much.

It all felt too soon.

Could I do it? I wasn't sure. But if I didn't I'd be in serious trouble.

I need some air.

I decide to go look at one of the other ponds the island had. It was qute peaceful and I hoped that listening to the croaking frogs and buzzing insects would calm me down. That didn't work at all.

"The first mission is always the hardest." I jumped and turned around.

Great, I'm so nervous that I can't even sense Magneto approaching when he's holding his helmet!

The older than dirt man smirked at my surprise. Usually, I was far more observant than this."Have you decided on a mutant name?

"Electron"

The name caught his interest. "Why?"

"That's all magnetism is moving around and aligning electrons in layman's terms."

The man nods."We've prepped for this for weeks follow the plan and this will go fine."

I know the plan but none for my previous fights have ever been so- serious.

We're going to rescue 50 people of course it's serious. Cynicism said

Leave me be I'm allowed to be nervous. It's a perfectly normal response to stress. Logic said.

Some hours later, I was taken back down to the bases underground portion. No wonder I couldn't find the hanger. It was very far down and the lower levels looked like a maze. I once again see the blue plane that had taken me to the island in the first place.

I spent the time on the plane playing chess against Magneto. I lost every single game in moments as I just couldn't focus. To calm me down Magneto poured me some tea. On the first sip, I burnt my tongue because I tried to down the hot liquid as if it were liqour.

I place the teacup down and relaxed as I felt Magneto touch my shoulder. This time for some reason it felt very comforting. I suppose since I was stressed out my brain wasn't too picky about where it got comfort from.

When we landed, all the fear that I had been trying to suppress at me full force. Still I was sure that as long as things went as planned I should be fine. Before our attack we landed a few miles away in the densely wooded forest and waited. The humidity of the place made the island look arid by comparison. It was an odd combination that confused my Chicagoan mind. Wet and hotter than hell?

A main road led to the base and as in the training sequences it was protected by a metal wall. That was really stupid having a metal wall surround your base when there was a mutant extremist running around that could easily bend it at will. So stupid that I wondered if the BOF (Bringers Of Light) even knew they were holding mutants captive.

I did have to go pretty deep to find those files. The scientists know certainly, but the soldiers? That's debateable.

No focus human rights violations general tyranny the BOF is not good even if they didn't know.

A good portion of their recruits are conscripts.

No-no I am not doing this now.

I forced the thoughts out of my head and took out the binoculars I'd been issued.

Wait for the signal follow the plan. Wait for the signal follow the plan. I've been prepping for this for weeks.

"Do you sense that?" Magneto asked.

After a bit of focus, I barely felt several hundred tiny fragments of metal embedded in the ground around the base. My mind jumped to the answer.

"Mines."

"They expected an attack from the ground. Not the skys."

I nod "Makes me wonder if they're stupid or out of the loop about the fact that they are holding mutants here. Seriously, using regular guns, a metal wall and now this. Or maybe.. "

"It did seem a bit too good to be true. Calm yourself if I thought this were a trap we wouldn't be here."

I nod. Once again, I did yet another deep breathing exercise, but that didn't help much with the burn I felt in my gut.

A small red flare lit up the blue sky and we knew it was time.

Magneto tore open the base's wall and security towers as if they were paper. My training suddenly kicked into gear and I twisted up the guns of the ground guards after catching their bullets mid-air.

Sabretooth and Toad followed closely on the ground viciously ripping through any guards that happened to be on their side. Toad prefered to jump on one guard breaking their bones before twisting his throat before going on to the next. Sabertooth cut men down with his claws to the bone. It was a good thing I avoided him. Who knew claws could be so sharp? They were certain to stay on the road to avoid setting off the landmines.

Now the next thing actually killing people.

I knew what I was supposed to do next. Turn the tables on the shooters. I had the power to do so, the bullets were in my grasp, but I just couldn't. I couldn't at all. I did try. But despite the many logical reasons I had for shooting the men, the bullets drop out the air harmlessly.

"Idiot Boy." I heard immediately before I heard the sickening sound of several bullets tearing through human flesh and bones.

I'm in trouble. He's going to kill me when we get back.

I knew this would happen. I don't have the nerve to attack people.

The blood gushed out of the gun wounds making the dirt crimson instead of brown. Horrified I froze in midair unable to move.

"Electron." Magneto's voice me snapped out my trance like state .

Right get back to work.

I flew again behind Magneto although I kept some distance between guards were soon dead and the only thing left to do was to go to free the prisoners.

Seems simple enough.

Magneto ripped the windows out by their metal bars. We flew into the prisoners cell block and with a gesture from Magneto the small dark filthy cells opened. Instead of the fifty prisoners we expected to find their was only a still stiff corpse on a cot in every room. If one ignored their gaunt faces faces and shrunken bodies they seemed to only be asleep.

I kept looking just to be sure. By my third frantic visual search it hit me. Everyone was dead. No one survived. The mission had failed.

Why? I could only think of this one sentence, but it had so many meanings. Why do this to people? Why did the mission fail?

I hear Magneto bark orders, but it felt like it was just distant background music drowned out in my horror.

Why couldn't we save them? Why was I unable to attack people who did such awful things? Why was I that stupid?

Anyone who chose to do anything like this to anyone were nothing less than monsters.

A very strong yank from Magneto pulled me back into the present and I tried my best to ignore the bodies we flew past as we exited the cell block.

I didn't know what we were looking for so I focused on trying to keep up with the older man. Not an easy task as he was a very fast flyer and the base's metal warped as he flew past. He didn't mean to, but I found myself dodging a lot of metal on our way to... I wasn't even sure.

Soon we arrived at a room labeled Director and I had very clear idea of what was going to happen next even in my state.

The door flew clean off its hinges and we entered. The director of this awful program was a very fat and cowardly man. I say cowardly because instead of accepting his death gracefully and with at least an ounce of remorse he continued to hide under his desk. When it was obvious that it was providing him zero cover.

At 14 I was more of a man than he only led to Magneto cuffing him to the wall.

"You don't have to do this. I've got- a lot of money we can work something out right?"

This man turned my stomach in a way I hadn't ever felt. I'd seen people do bad things in my lifetime yes, but never on this scale. The fact that he only cared about preserving his life and didn't all seem to care that 50 people died made him a worm in my eyes. No, that's an insult to worms everywhere. They contributed to the earth. I can't say the same for scum like him.

One moment I was narrowing my eyes at the man the next a metal shard embedded itself in the his very large belly. I figured it must've been Magneto's work. He must've been as annoyed as I was.

The director screamed as he held his stomach in a vain attempt to save himself."Why?"

You dare ask that.

"You imprisoned and tortured all these people. Congratulations you're the first person that I've actually wanted to kill before." I say before I tear the shard completely through the man. I had only meant to this do with with one but several other shards soon followed.

The organs inside flew out and blood dripped down the wall onto floor. I immediately felt sick from the pungent smell. From the surprised look on Magneto's face I realized that I did the whole thing myself.

The strangest thing however, was my distinct lack of guilt. I didn't feel like I'd killed a man, but had instead put down a rabid dog. I couldn't kill the soldiers, but without a thought did the director in. It's amazing what a change in perspective can do.

As we flew away my mind kept going back to the prisoners I saw. How small and frail and fragile their bodies were. Anyone of them could have easily been me. No one deserves that. No one. Hell, I even gave the director a relatively quick and painless death, but they were killing them slowly even before they were poisoned. Killing them each day with the constant experimentation and horrendous treatment.

Still, it was mercy compared to what Magneto would have done to him. That much is certain.

The plane trip back to the Island was done in complete silence. But, I didn't notice. I kept griping my keys in my hands until they turned red from the pressure. I did this to distract myself from how sick I felt from everything that happened that day the blood, the corrupt director. It all made me ill and nauseous.

This chapter came out pretty well. It shows that Chris while he's not particularly strong or powerful (yet) or influential is a badass in his own right. Staying with your mentally ill mom after she tries to harm you because you know it's not her fault? That takes guts.

Magneto had already before, but really respects the teen after hearing that. No I'm serious he does. Chris has what most don't have when they talk to Magneto- a spine. Magneto doesn't meet too many people like that. And honestly, who wouldn't respect a guy like Chris?

What do you think of the battle? I'll admit writing action isn't my strong point but it went pretty well I think. Chris has now killed someone of course he was coerced into the whole thing by Magneto by being forced to join the Brotherhood, but he did kill someone even if was impulsively.

In my head it ties him closer to the Brotherhood as he has now killed in the name of their cause. Still it's not like it mattered. He never had a real chance. With him it's guilty until actually let's not even pretend that any government in the world wouldn't treat him unfairly. He was born "wrong" even worse he was born "wronger than wrong" by having Magneto's mutation that sort of stigma marks a person for life.

Since I literally write this to entertain you guys the readers I'm always up for any suggestions you have.

* The idea that being low on the totem pole means low status is actually a myth. I just liked the picture the description created.

Till next time