Soon when exactly as soon? I thought.

So I grabbed my backpack and headed to where the plane was. I found that no one was there yet my thumbprint had given me access to the hangar.

"Hello." I say. No one answered.

"Why is a plane just sitting there no security -oh." It had came to me.

What can we go see mom now? Optimism said

Shut up Optimism. I know we have a ton of brain cells but doesn't mean you get to waste them. Logic said.

Uh. Well. Optimism was unable to reply coherently.

It's a trap. Logic said.

And that is a cheezy Galaxy Wars reference. Cynicism joined in.

Cheezy? Logic was confused. He shook his head.

The point is he expects us to break into the plane.

Why do that? I can't fly. I thought.

True, but he underestimates us hormone filled teen and all that. We might as well be 8 to him at times. Cynicism said.

He is really old. I think that comes with living so long. You think differently. For example what 14 year old thinks that they're a child? But plenty of 80 year olds think they are. Wisdom added.

True. Still I don't want to fall for such an obvious ploy so...

Wait I can use this..

I already had a plan ready to get back at Magneto for his ambiguity about the time of our departure but this would work much better. I decided to tease him. I knew he was watching the security video footage somewhere.

This is going to be fun.

If I was going to rebel and get away with it, I was going to milk it for all it's worth. So I went to the plane imagining the anger on the man's face and took a very much needed nap. Everyone thought this was a hilarious idea.

It was almost as if I'd bust the windows out someone's car but didn't steal anything. So the owners would be looking for what was missing when in reality nothing was.

Except in this case, Magneto must have thought that I'd have hacked the footage or some other crazy stunt that I didn't have the energy for. I was a growing boy and they do need sleep.

Forget all you know about sleeping on a plane. The seat on this plane reclined backward and were far softer than my bed.

The prank lasted 2 minutes until Magneto had finally went to see for himself and saw that I was very much sleep. In my dream, I could hear him mutter about how I was only asleep angrily. Still, he didn't move to wake me up. Success.

I found myself waking up at 20,000 feet in the air. The first thing I laid my eyes on was a chess board. Magneto was playing himself.

Or really.

I immediately recognize the strategies used because they were my own. At an opportune moment I put his king into check.

"Check." I said.

Good luck trying to wiggle out that. I thought.

Magneto moved but that wasn't good enough to save him.

"Checkmate." I get to say at last.

"That wasn't your game." Magneto said.

"Your using my tactics. Only fair that I get a few moves in."

He seemed a bit exasperated while also being simultaneously amused.

"How long have you been awake?"

"A minute saw a shot and took it... Though the opening I used was very obvious were you playing to lose?"

"I never play to lose." He assured while frowning and sneering at the idea.

"Oh... well. Oh I get it. That explains why you didn't see the move I'd make to win the game."

"What then is the difference?"

Oh I'd accidentally spoken aloud again.

"Playstyle. We're totally different in strategies 're really aggressive and at first I didn't know how to react to it. But, I know how to counteract you now. Which is why I've been winning more."

I pause before saying.

"Interesting this whole thing implies that you're not very good at figuring out how other people think. Movements yes. Thoughts? Not so much."

He started laughing very hard. So I was confused. Was there something I missed?

"Charles you're very correct that with that analysis."

"Charles?" I asked

He seemed to have suddenly remembered who he was talking with. "A very long story." He said

"How long's the flight?" I asked

It seems that he was in one of his more charitable moods because he said. "I'll abridge for you."

"In 1969 I was looking for a man named Sebastian Shaw. The US government at the time was also looking for Shaw..."

He continued.

He never got into why he hated Shaw but I figured that whatever it was it must have been terrible. Magneto had gone to the ends of the Earth to find the man. Literally.

"I lifted the nuclear warheads and was about the fire at them. At the Russians and Americans alike."

"What stopped you?" If ships were nuked off the map in Cuba I would've read about it.

"What else? Charles." His face contorted to one of agony and remorse.

"We fought each other- and Moria shot her gun trying to hit me. I caught all her bullets but one and it went into Charles back. It severed the spinal cord and he lost the ability to walk."

"That's awful."

"He's forgiven me."

"What?"

"That is exactly what I thought when he said that he forgave me."

"Wow. Charles-"

"Professor Xavier to you."

"Professor Xavier he must be a very forgiving person. Really forgiving even by my standards."

"He does run a school. I suppose it's the only thing keeping him sane."

He seemed to regret the comment but I waved his concern away. I didn't mind my mother's mental instability it was what it was. She was no lesser a person for having mental illness.

Several bits of previously unconnected data came together in my head.

"Professor that professor and his school for the gifted. Gifted? Does that mean mutants?"

"Yes. And how do you know of it?"

"Chess tournament. I didn't compete against them because they were in a different age bracket but they had a very solid team."

We were taking notes.

Magneto paused while he figured out what to say.

"Charles and I disagree about the role of mutants in the world. I believe mutant as the next stage of evolution should rule humans. He favors peaceful integration among humans. An impossible dream but alas he's very stubborn."

Something occurred to me.

"You're both very stubborn. And no that's not an insult."

I said while quietly watching as he started to understand what I meant.

"You're very good at saying one thing and meaning something different."

"Guilty as charged." I smirked at this.

I continue "Some stubbornness isn't that bad. Your friend's and an optimist and hasn't given up hope. I respect that. Being an optimist is the hardest nonpaying job ever. But they're important. Were the people who invent the airplane or got people to the moon realistic? No way."

He seems to much on my point.

"And you you're on everybody's most wanted list. You've been doing this since the sixties right?"

He says "Yes."

"So you have to be pretty stubborn yourself. Different approaches but you and your friend don't want mutants being discriminated against. Two sides of the same coin." I analyzed.

"I never said we were friends." In fact he didn't tell me anything about their relationship at all. He told me nothing of their chess games or how Charles had as cheesy as it is unlocked his power with the point between rage and serenity. Love.

"You don't have to. You call him Charles and not Professor Xavier. Well I'll stop there."

"No keep going."

"Ok. Yet insist I call him Professor Xavier so people who don't know him well normally call him that. Course you could be old school so I have to combine it with other things. I don't imagine you were the type to apologize often."

There was a knowing smirk that told me not at all.

"There's that. You earlier called me Charles and your face really told me all you needed to know. Finally you don't ever say anything against him. You disagree sure but you respect him. The amount of people you respect is extremely small. You guys are or were close friends."

"Do you do that often?"

"Do what often?" I asked

"So clearly see people as they are. If didn't know better I'd call you a telepath."

"All the time. It's not as good as you think. I had to go to highschool and I had the ability to see everyone's problems. Some of those problems I could help some of them I couldn't. It can be very depressing."

Honestly, the extra attentiveness was a survival mechanism. Since the adults around me weren't always kind or trustworthy I had be able to determine what they were going to do next so I could anticipate them. If I knew their behavior well, I could get myself out of many sticky situations.

This extrasensitivity is really common in abused children which while I hated to call myself that because it made me sound weak and powerless is a perfect description of my childhood. I got abused. Sometimes the people involved knew what they were doing most times they or should I say she didn't.

Heck, I did still get abused by Mystique in training and Magneto when he punished me seemed to be a firm believer in the principle of quality over quantity. It had been three months and I could count the times he had actually hit me on one hand. He didn't have to punish me often because the consequences for disobedience were so severe.

I was a very good child. Meaning I was better at hiding when I was doing things I wasn't allowed to than my peers. Most of the time the fanatics of the cults I was in didn't have anything to accuse me of. That actually angered a few people because in their eyes if children weren't beaten at least twice a week something was "wrong". That they'd "forget their place" which really meant they'd learn that they're worthy of respect and basic human decency.

To rectify this I got in trouble for the behavior of all the other children. To put it mildly, It was very bad.. Well at least until I convinced the kids to behave long enough for me to tell my mom. Leaving the other kids behind hurt because I knew they'd only get more of the same. But I hadn't heard of CPS until I well into middle school so it was the best I could do.

Depending on the week, we or may not have a tv in the house. I say week because mom sometimes didn't like what was on the tv and broke it, broke it in her psychosis or joined yet another cult that forbade it along with rock music and all other fun things.

I never did understand why she tried following their rules. Who were they to police our lives? They treated her like a dog because she was unmarried and had a child. If they did that when she trying her best to fit in why bother?

Still it wasn't like older tv's weren't a dime a dozen at a thrift shop. So we could afford to keep replacing and breaking them. I actually hadn't owned a laptop of my own until I was 14. Fortunately, I did have nerdy friends from school so I got plenty of practice when I was at their houses. I can still remember their cry of horror when I asked them what a laptop and video games were. I was six.

Really none of the things I did would've been considered wrong if I were brought up by ordinary parents. Want to learn about how electricity works? We'll get the books and cheer you on but don't expect us to understand a word. You want to go to college? Sure, let's work on picking it etc.

I never did understand how people could be against science yet drive a car and use electricity. What did they think these human inventions appeared out of nowhere?

There was a pause before I say "So this Professor X helps the students control their powers."

"He does. You're wondering why you're here and not there. His current opinion even matches your initial one."

"Yes I am." I say.

The blue eyed German said "Charles even though he does his best wouldn't focus on letting you use your mutation to it's highest potential."

I raise an eyebrow "Why not? He runs a school- for mutants. That's the whole point."

His face seemed to say 'that exactly what I was thinking.' With time I've since discovered that he was using his patented 'Charles you're acting ridiculous face.'

"He'd be concerned about you getting too much power too quickly."

"Too quickly?"

"By my calculations you'll reach my level of power by the time you're 30."

"30?"I said.

"A long time away from your point of view but it really isn't."

I know that. People live to their 80's cetera. Still wow,.

"He'd likely want to block your power as he did with the young Jean Grey. Your growth is very exponential and your lack of experience would worry him. He would want you to get too powerful too quickly."

"Too powerful? But power is a neutral thing."

"Neutral?" He seemed to want me to explain that.

"Power gives someone options for better or worse. However, it doesn't make someone act evil or immoral"

I mused on "If an immoral person has no power and they're afraid they'll be punished they won't harm anyone. But take that same person and give them power and they go nuts. No more restraints what they say goes."

He seconded my explanation.

"Well put. Though I doubt he'd agree with you there. if you do manage to convince them of that I'd be impressed."

"What kind of mutant is he?"

"An extremely powerful telepath."

"He's worried about becoming too powerful despite that? That's odd. Why think that when he is a good example of power not corrupting?"

"He generally encourages his students to use their power to their fullest extent but he does make exceptions. Grey has extremely chaotic and uncontrollable surges of power. And in your case your family has a history of mental illness which tends to appear at your age."

I shug " I'm not sensitive about my family's history of mental illness. Lots of brilliant scientists and engineers were a bit touched too. "

Magneto smiled at this "A good attitude though I doubt he'd agree with you."

I had plenty of reason to not be concerned about possibly becoming mentally ill. "Fun fact mom discovered that we're related to the US's first African American serial killer."

"Serial killer?"

"Yeah and she was a woman. The odds of that.. My grandparents were really racist which only made the whole thing more ironic. They refused to take a dna test one drop rule and all they weren't from the south mom's from Massachussets. They made up a bunch of excuses-"

"But were really afraid of finding out the truth." Magneto finished.

"Exactly." I say "Otherwise no real history of crime in my family. Black, white ,mental illness or no. I do believe deeply in the concept of choice and not predestination. The futures too uncertain for anyone to really know how someone will turn out."

I shrug "Besides that's not something I have control over so worry?"

"You have a very unique way of looking at things. Getting back to Charles however you'd remind him of me. I imagine he'd try to save you from your own nature and be very focused on making sure you agree with his stance."

"That response would drive you further away. You don't like being told what to believe and would rather observe and decide what is right based on what you see. You've had enough people trying to save you from how you are in your own life. It'd be a suffocating experience and if you were patient you'd stay a week maybe two."

That was a very interesting rebuttal.

Professor Xavier does seem like the type of person that saves people from what I've heard. Then someone who has the same power as his old friend shows up.. If the Professor doesn't understand that treading water until I pick a direction isn't the same as drowning I can see how we'd clash.

Of course, there were the more self serving reasons for why I was there but it wasn't as if we didn't already know those.

"Earlier you said being able to do anything scared you. Yet you believe that power is neutral."

He put it together.

"You don't think you're a very moral person. You're very wrong there. Extremely so. Even Charles wasn't that patient at your age. In fact your morals are at times so strong that they endanger you. that doesn't mean you're stupid simply young and naive."

For once I didn't mind being called naive. I think it was the ego stroking that he did in the beginning. I've been given a steady diet of praise for the last week but compliments like this were amazing.

Once we arrived to Tokyo we first headed to a hotel to put up our things. I won't lie. I was a bit nervous because killing someone one time didn't make killing easy. Still, the fact that I'd already done it before helped tremendously.

I suddenly see a silver blur of motion. There was no time to react. Instead of hitting what seemed to be the left side of my chest it bounces off a magnetic force field that I'd insticly made onto the floor.

From this angle I got a view of what it was.

"A bracelet?" I say.

"It's made of Adamantium. A very unique and rare metal."

Really, you're going to use this to keep track of me? I'm not five.

My shield disappeared. Still, if Magneto wanted to be paranoid he can go ahead. I'd already made my decision on what I'd do. I stuck my hand out and let the bracelet wrap snuggly around my wrist.

I looked over the small silver colored metal. "It's heavy considering how small it is."

"Yes, but close to unbreakable. I doubt that even you'd manage to break it."

"What about when I have my nightmares?"

"Are you suggesting that I sedate you?" He teased.

"No. I'm just curious."

"It wouldn't stand a chance." He did that thing where zoomed in on something. This either meant a new weakness to exploit to fight humans or when I did something that intrigued him.

"You often have a shield appear around you when you need it yet, you can't do it at will."

I shrug "I'm not sure how."

"Considering your level of skill you shouldn't be able to do that at all. The same as your harnessing of electricity. We'll explore that later when we return."

"Meaning you're going to shoot at me."

"You won't die."

"But I will be sore for days."

"Yes, you will. But that gives you reason to not get hit."

I shook my head sat on a bed and decided to change the subject "So Phelps.. Wait that's not really a mutant name."

"No it isn't. But it fits. He chose their money over the lives of his own people."

In some instances calling someone by their human name is an insult. I mentally noted.

We could afford to spend all this time talking because we already knew where he was. I'm certain that bit of banter and the fact that I knew I with Magneto were the only reasons why I was able to keep my composure. We were in Japan. Tokyo specifically and I was walking through a crowd as if nothing was wrong when we were on our way to kill someone.

Ok. Ok. He was a traitor. I knew that. Honestly, I didn't care about him dying. Magneto could feed him to the dogs for all cared. I'd come to my terms with my lack of concern for the scum of the earth. No, I cared about the possibility getting caught. I was also wondering if Japan was an extradition country.

Which do you think is better guys American or Japanese prison? We kinda are members of the Brotherhood so we're terrorists. And I really don't want to send mom letters from Guantanamo. Cynicism said.

No idea but I doubt either would be pleasant. Logic said.

Let's not think about it. We'll be fine Magneto's done this how many times? Optimism said.

We're using a man's successful kill count to reassure ourselves. Nice. Cynicism pointed out.

Ok even if Japan's non extradition still there is no way in hell Magneto won't go to America. Exceptions are made all the time. I bet the US already has some contingency plan cell ready just in case. Logic said.

Cynicism continued. And we'd probably end up being cellmates.

No way. They'd split us figuring that they could shake more info out of me than him. Play the 'you're a minor card' when we know that there already sentencing human children as adults let alone mutant children. Logic had to correct him.

Wonderful.

On the bright side they'd have to pay out the nose to make a replica cell. Optimism once again tried to make this conversation more hopeful.

Cynicism immediately shut that down. Like that would really put a dent in their budget.

Everyone agreeed with that.

Manipulation pointed out the elephant in the room. Still it's not like we can do anything about this anyway. Remember Magneto's little friendship bracelet? We'll just have to trust that this works.

I'd hadn't thought about it but I had been trusting Magneto a lot. I trusted that he wasn't going to kill my mother (not that I doubted he could), I trusted that assuming I wasn't careless I could get away with a degree of snarkiness , that the last plan I was involved in would work and now I had to trust that this one would work as well.

Plus, there was the whole matter of him knowing (but not telling me) that in terms of raw power that I was stronger than him. That in his lifetime I could actually be a threat to him. Stupid me. I thought that when he said I'd be his equal at thirty that I'd peak at that point. Um... no. It also didn't help that he was using a conservative estimate. He did that so as to not scare me.

I wonder what he was thinking when he found out about this. Think about it you randomly find a kid that has your powers, is in fact more powerful than you, whose powers flair when he's upset and has a family history of mental illness. Even with his arrogance he had to know he was taking a huge gamble.

Because of the gamble he took I can say without a doubt that he wouldn't let anyone harm me. Except him of course. Still it really could've been worse. When I first met him I could only command small amounts of metal at will. Capturing me would've been child's play for any team of agents. He wasn't going to experiment on, or kill me and could keep a secret. That was already better than at least eighty percent of the earth's population.

Phelps had taken refuge in a very posh penthouse. Super hearing was his mutation so it was no surprise that when we busted into his apartment he threw himself out the window.

Not a second later he was dragged back into the room as his belt was made with brass.

I couldn't comprehend the stupidity.

"You've gotta be kidding me." I say.

"Sir.. how are you? I just decided to take a trip to Japan. Like the new diggs? I've been saving.. The whole base went bust. I didn't know what to do."

Notice he didn't mention that he'd just tried to jumped out a window after he found we were there.

Magneto was livid and seemed to be seconds from killing him.

"You gotta believe me. I didn't do anything. I'm not the traitor. Come on kid you have to believe me here."

"We never did say why the plan failed. And why would you honestly think that it was because of a traitor unless you are indeed the traitor." I asked with a face made out of stone.

"I uh guess. Like sometimes I'm psychic. You get that right?"

I rolled my eyes.

What's worse than a good liar? A persistent bad one. Do the art some justice.

Magneto's attitude mirrored my own. "You're going to die. That's certain. Either by my hand or his. Pick."

"Pick?" The man asked horrified.

"Pick or I'll pick for you."

"The kid."

I calmly left Magneto's side and walked toward the man.

This comes down to a simple decision. Do I kill you and you die or refuse and put myself and mother at risk and you still die. Easy desion.

I mentally recounted all of the man's crimes and I summoned a knife to the man's throat and slit it. Magneto had taught me earlier how to slit throats in a way that wouldn't get blood on me and it had came in handy.

All my calmness disintegrated. I wasn't a disciplined soldier, I wasn't a seasoned executor even if I'd briefly pretended to be one, I was fourteen year old boy that wanted to leave. Now. The sight and smell of so much blood still made me seasick on land.

I've been thinking about having a change of pace for once. Maybe write Magneto's POV instead of Chris' in the next chapter and try it out. What you think?