Episode 7.0
Turn of the Rogue
Part 1 of 2
"Here's the supplies you wanted" Kurt said the moment he teleported into Scott's room with his hands full of small survival equipment such as a rope, pocket knife, lighter, compass etc..
"Awesome, can you drop it on the desk?" Summers said gesturing vaguely in the general direction.
Wagner walked over to it and let the items he hugged against his chest scatter beside a solid backpack already sitting on the desk. A list of items to take along was sitting beside it, and it consisted very few, if any of the ones Summers asked him to fetch from the shed.
"Doesn't seem like Rudetsky wanted you to come this prepared" the German commented scanning the brief list that consisted of gloves, lunch and usual stuff like that.
"You know what they say, better safe than sorry" Scott replied as he approached and proceeded to fit everything into the backpack. "Thanks for getting it for me. Man, one thing I hate about winter the most is having to put on layers of clothing to step a foot outside."
Kurt nodded that it's fine. January brought along snow and penetrating cold, but he of all people didn't complain. He always loved winter, not only because it was the only time of the year when he could get away with hiding behind many clothes and go explore when he was a child, but also simply because the world looked so pure and majestatic covered in snow. And cold didn't quite have the same effect on him due to an extra layer that kept him warm, that being his fur.
"Fallen and Forge already left?" Summers asked.
"Ja, they left after breakfast. They wanted to let everyone know but they were running late" Kurt replied in a matter of fact tone that made Scott peek at him curiously;
"Are you really okay with them going alone?"
The german looked at him confused as he got up to crouch at the wooden part at the foot of Scott's bed. "Nein, warum? I need to be at the extracurricular class tomorrow to pass american history, so it made perfect sense they'd go alone since I can't run the risk of missing it."
"Yeah… But since they may or may not stay in Oklahoma overnight…" Summers said working on the arrangement of everything in the already stuffed backpack. "Aren't you worried that they might… do something stupid?" he sounded like he was trying to water down his question.
And he did water it so much that Kurt failed to get the point. "What do you mean?"
"You know, cheating?" Summers lowered his voice ever so slightly like the word was bad.
Wagner's eyebrows twitched at the suggestion, then he laughed shortly. "Nein. No, Forge's a really good friend to me and I would never question if I can trust Fallen even if she'd went with the most charming flirt of our generation. Who, of course, she's already going out with" he smiled pointing to himself.
Scott snickered inwardly at the boy's remark. "Are you really that confident you two are meant to have a happily ever after? We're all pretty young. Some more than others" he glanced back meaningfully.
Kurt's wide smile became fainter, but was still there as he replied in at a more serious note; "I don't know first thing about happily ever afters" he said. "But I know for sure that Fallen would be honest with me if anyone or anything were to come between us."
xXxXxXx
40 minutes later Kitty Pryde emerged from the ground in a quiet, high-security facility, no more than a couple steps behind a female night guard doing the usual rounds. Living up to her nickname, Shadowcat quietly crept up at her and tapped her shoulder - the woman's light ponytail swung as she turned around with surprise and immediately received a dose of sleeping gas sprayed in her dark face. She softly dropped to the ground unconscious.
Pryde pulled out her communicator and reported in a semi-lowered voice; "North perimeter secure."
On another side of the building Evan was getting a top view of another guard, the spikes on the back of his arms sunken into the wall to keep him pinned there like in a Spider-Man-isque fashion. He smirked and released the hold of his spikes as the men went a couple steps past him; he dropped quietly to the ground - not quietly enough to avoid being hear, but when the guard turned with a gasp it was already too late. He inhaled a solid dose of sleeping gas, enough to put even a bulky man like him down.
Evan put his communicator to his lips as well; "This guy's catching Z's. I- I mean, south perimeter secure" he smiled a bit.
Scott's voice responded to him from the other end; "Okay. Let's make it a clean rescue."
The inside of the building was a big, open-spaced magazine that was almost completely cleared out at this point. Windows were rimming the room high up, a few feet below the high, metal ceiling; this is how high a sudden burst of air could be heard as Kurt teleported himself and Scott into the air.
"Oh gooott!" Wagner gasped as they started free falling, luckily a few feet down they slowed to a stop held up by an invisible force.
"Ah, sorry" Jean's struggling voice came from their communicator. "You guys are heavy!"
Looking up to the skylight window a dozen feet to their right they could see Jean's shadow drawn dark against the navy sky. With her fingers firmly pressed against her temples she proceeded to lower them towards the ground.
Area of about ten feet from the ground was clearly secured with laser detectors that apparead as shimmering red lines in the dusty air. In the dead middle of the room was a metal stake to which a figure was chained.
"Storm… Storm!" Scott called out trying to stay quiet enough in case there is more security waiting outside.
"She's out" Kurt said. The imprisoned person lay at the foot of the stake, sprawled under a hooded cape and seemingly unconscious.
Jean lowered them a few more feet and Scott reached to his visor. He let out one beem that hit the ground to the left of the chain, he fired another and it missed it by a foot to the other side.
"Nice aim" the german clutching his back teased. "Maybe you just wait back and I'll sneak between the lasers."
"And how will you remove the chain, huh?" Summers frowned at him critically.
"Teleport her out of it?"
Summers didn't seem to like the idea because he fired another beam; this time it hit the target, splitting the chain wrapped around the metal stake. His critical frown was gone just like that as he smiled and high-fived the other boy.
This is when Jean's voice broke the radio silence again; "Which one of you guys has put on so much weight? I can hardly hold you!"
"It's Nightcrawler!" Scott responded as if it was obvious. "Burger seven days a week will do that to a fella!"
"Hey, they said I am still underweight and should eat more!" she heard the accused defend his diet.
"I really doubt they meant fast food of all things" Summers stated.
Listening to their voices on the radio and being about to tell them off for not focusing on the objective, Jean herself was distracted enough that she didn't hear someone approach her until the said person grabbed her shoulder and a man's voice rang just by her ear; "HEY!"
Startled she gasped and her hold on the boys inside broke completely, they gasped with surprise and free fell right through the laser sensors to the floor. Lifting his face off the floor Kurt saw that he laser beams flickered and disapparead, which was never a good sign. Suddenly he was janked up by his arm and looked back to see Scott;
"Let's grab her and 'port outta here!" Summers said with an edge of panic to his voice. He moved closer to the unconscious female and reached out to flip her onto her back. However as he did the most unexpected thing happened; she shifted on her own, revealing the face hidden under the hood to be the last one he would expect.
A pale face framed with white bangs and otherwise dark hair smiled at her evilly, her hand immediately grabbing his wrist; "Gotcha!" she proclaimed.
Scott was so struck by the sight of her that he didn't react before she got up to her feet and reached to his exposed face. He saw a red light appear in her eyes, one he was very familiar with from looking in the mirror back when his powers were developing. In another surprising turn of events she didn't stuck him, but turned her face abruptly and struck Nightcrawler, who gasped in shock and was sent back across the floor a few dozen feet.
Finally getting a hold of himself Summers turned away from his fellow teammate and to the pale girl before him. "Hold it- HOLD IT, STOP THE SIMULATION!"
The girl seemed to glitch of a moment and then everything around them, including her, dispersed into the air.
Professor's voice sounded in the speakers; "Scott, you are never to stop a simulation unless you are hurt!"
"Trust me, that hurt" Kurt said getting up from the Danger Room floor.
"Why is Rogue in this marker? She was not part of the briefing" Scott protested.
"Simply an element of surprise" Xavier responded. "It's part of life so expect it on every exercise. Well, we're finished. Better get to school."
Scott looked back and Jean and Kurt who were still in the Danger Room and took a deep breath to bite back his anger at the situation. "Come on, Jean, we gotta help Rudetsky load for the field trip" he said, almost muttered, as he headed towards the exit.
xXx
It was almost 30 minutes later that both Scott's and Jean's backpack were dropped into the cargo of the X-Van and now they were waiting for Ororo who was supposed to drop them off and take back the car. Kurt previously offered to do the honor, but Monroe reminded him that he doesn't have a license - which left him surprised for a moment, as if someone can forget not having a license. Scott frowned at that reaction.
Wagner however still - for some reason - decided to follow them to the garage, all along looking deep in thought and as if he wanted to say something but didn't know how. For a few minutes Scott just assumed that perhaps he's thinking back to the conversation they had in his room, but once the young german actually voiced his thoughts it turned out to be something completely different;
"Scott, be careful out there. And be mindful of Paul and Rogue."
Summers raised his eyebrow. "Rogue's not even part of the Geologist Club."
"Also thanks for your concern for me" Jean said half-jokingly.
"You're not going" Kurt said under his breath before he really thought if he should.
Confusion barely made it onto the older two's faces, but they never responded as Ororo entered the garage waving a set of car keys. "Get in, I hear traffic is terrible today so let's not take chances" she said.
"Alright… See you later, mate" still looking a little confused Scott got onto the passenger's seat while Jean took a place behind him.
Ororo rolled down the window and smiled at Wagner. "Kurt, since you're already here you're welcome to come along. I could use some company on my way back."
The boy looked unsurely past her, at Scott before unsurely responding; "...Alright."
He slipped at the backseat as well.
On the way Ororo asked more details about what kind of explorations Scott and Jean were scheduled to do during the trip, and Kurt was half grateful to the woman for keeping them busy so that they wouldn't question his previous statements. On the other hand he needed them to pay much needed attention to those.
Once they arrived at the school's now-empty parking lot Ororo parked nearby the front door and got out of the car to unlock the trunk for the teens. After a moment of hesitation Kurt switched on his watch and followed them out.
"Remember, Scott" he spoke up as they dragged their backpacks out of. "Be careful about Paul and mindful of Rogue."
This time Summer's confusion was quicker to turn into critical, almost angry look. "Why would you warn me about Paul? He's my friend. And I already said Rogue's not even-!"
"Scott" Jean calmed him. "Give Kurt a break. We need to check in with Mr Rudetsky."
Frustrated, but still Summers waved Wagner off, partly questioning his sanity today.
Resisting the urge to keep pushing his case, Wagner hopped back into the car and sunk down in his seat frustrated. After a short moment Storm joined him, slipping behind the wheel. However she didn't start the engine, just watched him for a moment which finally made him look back questioningly.
"Is something bad going to happen during the field trip?" she asked.
The german inhaled a deep breath contemplating how to respond to that. He had a difficult to explain need to try and make today less dangerous for everyone, but he knew it's ridiculous because at the end of the day everything was supposed to turn out fine. "Kind of, but it'll be fine."
The woman watched him curiously for another moment before shifting, her hand traveling to the car key. "Should we go back to the Institute then?"
Wagner looked out the car window at Jean and Scott walking away from them. "Actually…" he hesitated. "Jean will need a ride back home so maybe we should wait."
xXx
"So, he threw off your game by sticking Rogue in the simulation. What's the big deal?" Grey asked as the walked along the building to join the rest of the Geologist Club.
"Me fouling up isn't the problem" Scott shook his head with a frown.
"What then?" Jean asked confused. "Because he chose Rogue?"
"Yeah! I guess…" Summers grimaced not looking her in the eye. "Look, how can we pretend she's the enemy in battle simulations while we're trying to convince her to be our friend?" he stopped and turned to the girl. "If we can't think of her a s friend, she'll never want to join us."
"Hey, it was only a simulation, Scott" Grey assured putting her hand on his shoulder. "Nobody wants you to stop trying with Rogue" she grabbed his arm to get him walking again.
As they walked along they didn't notice the Principal watching them from the back door, an evil smile appearing on her lips at the words she heard. 'They're only making it easier every step of the way' she thought as she retreated back into the empty building and headed to the gym.
The gym was equipped with the usual machines such as a bench and a boxing bag, however in the middle was a big open space with a padded mat used during martial arts classes that were held here a couple times a week. Right now however the only person in the room was Rogue, swinging her fists and feet at imaginary enemies, trying to get her muscle memory down but more importantly - trying to get her frustration out.
With one powerful 180 degree kick she misplaced her foot and fell to the floor. For a moment she just sat there breathing and letting her heated skin cool off.
"Jean, tie that down over there" she heard a semi-familiar voice outside the window and got up to see through the open shutters.
"Got it" a female voice responded, one she also recognized.
Outside the window was a yellow school bus, sitting behind it was a platform with snow scooters that Scott Summers and that redhead Jean were securing. "This trip ought to be fun" Grey said enthusiastically.
Holding back a low growl that urged to push through her throat, Rogue reached to the string to pull the shutters closed. She then parted them with her fingers and glanced from this hiding at the smiling two, something in her chest aching at the image.
Then she noticed something move in her peripheral vision and she jumped a little; "Principal Darkholme!" she gasped surprised. Mystique, or Ally, or whatever she should call her these days, nothing seemed clear anymore.
"He's never going to be your friend" she said. "You know that."
"Who, Scott?" the girl grimaced with forced disgust. So maybe one thing is clear - the woman's despise for the other superpowered group. "Ah ain't interested in him."
"Really?" the Principal asked as the girl turned her back to her again and approached the boxing bag. "Tell me, have you forgotten how Mr Summers and his friends attacked you?"
Two punches in, Rogue stopped and forced herself to take one deep breath. "No, it's just that-" but the hurt was clear in her voice still.
The woman approached her back. "Just this morning I overheard them discussing their simulated battle exercises with you as their target."
That came as a little surprise. She's been watching them all this time and the more she did the more it seemed like they aren't the bad guys they seemed at first. "But why?" she asked. "Why would they do that?" she felt her anger rise. Just when she thought she's getting it right…
"I think it's time you'd be reminded just who your friends really are" the woman walked towards the entrance causing the girl to turn around with interest. She grabbed a backpack and placed it on the floor in front of the girl. "Enjoy the field trip, dear. It should prove most enlightening."
As the woman walked away the girl's eyes hesitantly traveled to the window again.
xXx
"Alright, double check your spelunking gear" the teacher said checking everyone out on his list. "Make sure your packs contain a hard hat, spiked boots, rope, compass, rations, lamps, candles and matches. Remember, there are no sporting goods stores in the Tapo Caves. Oh, and I better not see any game toys…" he pointed the tip of his pen at the students threateningly.
Pretty much all of the bunch that already gathered moaned in disappointment and proceeded to pull out their nintendos and gameboys.
"Mr Rudetsky" he heard a cold voice behind and turned to see the Principal. "A word please."
A few minutes later the teacher returned to his students and approached two of them who were helping to load the trunk. "Jean" he called. The redhead stood straight and turned to face him; "Bad news" he said, feeling guilty to deliver them.
"What?" she asked concerned.
"Seems administration won't clear your time off for the field trip. Something about too many absentee days in your file?"
"Woah, wait a second!" Scott got involved immediately. "Those were all approved!"
Jean looked at him with eyes widened. "If they just call Professor Xavier he'll-"
"I wish we had the time, Jean, but they've already filled your spot!" Mr Rudetsky gesticulated apologetically. He didn't like having to pull his top students off the list. "I promise, we'll clear this up when I get back. Hey, I'm really sorry" he said softly at the sight of disappointment on the girl's face.
"Yeah, well… have fun" she leaned down to retrieve her backpack from the trunk.
"Wait, but Kurt did say you'd-" Scott broke it off, but Jean got the point. Immediately, both surprised, they looked around and it only took so much to see Rogue climb in the bus with a winner's smirk on her face.
"Okay junior geologists" the teacher turned the students. "Let's pile in, we're behind the schedule!"
Scott's shocked face turned into a deep frown. "Teacher, can I have another two minutes?"
"You heard me, we're-"
"Please, it's important."
Rudetsky exhaled with defeat. "Fine. Be quick."
He walked away with Jean just far enough out of earshot and looked at her. "What's this all about!?" he hissed. "Wagner said about you not coming and to be careful of Rogue- what does he know!"
"I don't know, Scott" Jean said. "But you need to calm down, alright?"
But this is when they made the corner and saw the van still waiting right where Ororo parked it in front of the main entrance. Summers' already quick pace edged on running when he darted towards it, the frown only deepening on his face.
"Scott, wait-!" Jean tried to stop him, but he slipped out of her grip like she hadn't even tried.
The boy was at the passenger's window in an instant, startling Wagner. "We need to talk" he stated do firmly it sounded like a threat. Seeing the younger boy's hesitation to leave the vehicle he added; "Now."
The German stepped out of the car and followed him a dozen feet away, with Summers giving it his all not to start shouting questions in his face by then. Then they faced each other and Scott needed to take a deep breath to stay rational; "What do you know?"
"I don't know what-"
"Don't play games with me!" he hissed. "You couldn't have know that Jean will be pulled off last minute, and what's up with the warning about Rogue!"
"Scott, I-" he took a deep breath and looked towards the vehicle where Ororo helped Jean put her bag back in the trunk while both females glanced hesitantly in their direction. "I just know some things before they happen, but I used it to warn you so no harm done-"
"Are you physic?" Summers asked.
"What? No-"
"Are you clairvoyant then?"
"No, I-"
"Then how do you know those things?" the intensity of his glare penetrated even the ruby layer of his shades.
"I- Scott, man, look… Can't we just pretend nothing happened?"
Summers' face became more solemn as he stood straighter. "...I already pretend that nothing happened with too many things. Fallen's not being a mutant and yet being at the Institute, I pretend that I believe she's related to the Professor but it doesn't play along with anything at all" his jaw was clenched so tight a nerve was popping. "Or you seeming to know the mansion's layout from the moment you set the foot in there. Same with how to fly the jet. I pretend I believe that the Professor really taught you how to fly it in the meantime but the records on the simulator are blank."
Heavy silence responded him as Wagner stared back at him, shocked at the sudden backlash.
"I may have my drawbacks, but I'm not stupid" Scott stated harshly. "So are you going to explain this to me or are we going to keep pretending that nothing is out of ordinary?" before Wagner managed to fully open his mouth he added; "We can play masquerade all you want, but be aware that my trust as a leader's to you as my team is continuously wearing off due to all these secrets."
"I- Scott, this is- I just-"
Seeing how Kurt seems to be looking for an excuse not so much as a way to spill, Summers' face hardened even more. "Fine. I need to go back to Rudetsky now, but don't think you can keep ignoring this weird whatever this is. I'm onto you, all three of you."
With the final frown he paced back to where the bus was waiting to take them on the trip.
xXxXxXx
Having returned from Germany merely two weeks ago and now over an hour into the fight to Oklahoma Fallen was nearly questioning whether it's worth to get off planes at all. It felt like she's been on them too often since October. It was a constant loop of flying places, going to school and training, and even though she considered it a good life, there was hardly any time to take a moment to appreciate it.
Except for the winter recess spent with Kurt and his mom she didn't get to enjoy any life outside the 'high school attending X-Man' mold, so when it turned out she'd be going with Forge she instantly saw the bright side to it – a break out. Even the cramped seat of this aircraft wasn't too small for her to feel relieved off the X-Student responsibility.
"Not like I complain about coming along, but - why didn't you want to go alone?" she asked.
"Eh, honestly?" he sighed browsing through the adds tucked by the seat in front of him. "I've had enough of being alone in the Middleverse. Besides…"
He trailed off appearing to change his mind about finishing the thought. Even still Fallen felt a bit surprised – she never heard him say a word of complaint about his time spent in the Middleverse. Because of that she never wondered if it took much of a toll on him, until now.
"How about you?" he asked turning his face to her. "You don't feel alone in this… you know" he lowered his voice, "dimension?"
The girl turned her face to the window with a grimace. "Here I have more family than I ever had back in mine" she responded a bit harshly.
Forge knew the coldness isn't directed at him personally, so he asked; "What do you mean by that?"
"I mean" she inhaled shifting and turning to him like it was an annoyance to have to explain her words, "that I would not call any of my relatives a family even if my life depended on it. And I want nothing to do with them, which is exactly what is happening here. On the other hand there's a few people here that I want or might want to someday call my family. So I lost nothing. Coming here, it's a win-win for me."
Forge grimaced with discontent about her situation. "Heck, man, when Kurt asked to get you two to come here he never said it was so bad for you to actually really want to ditch the whole thing. I thought it's romantic of you to want to come here for him but in back of my mind I felt like it's selfish of him to make you abandon your life in that dimension."
"Oh I abandoned it with pleasure" Fallen laughed a little bitterly. "Or, I would have, had it happened a little earlier" she smirked half heartedly. "By the time we were able to come here me and Kurt had it all figured out there. We moved to New York, settled down a bit. Things were looking good."
"I'm sorry for not getting you here sooner" Forge said sincerely.
"Don't be" she shook her head. "We were still both eager to come here."
"That's a weight off my chest, but I don't understand…" Forge pulled his brows a little tighter as he shook his head with confusion. "If you had it that good there, why did you want to come here? I mean, come on" he hushed his voice; "You know how things here will turn out. The mutant war, all this danger. You two won't be able to sleep calm at nights, unlike you might if you stayed there."
"I had my doubts too, believe me" Fallen pulled up her sock-dressed feet and rested them at the edge of her seat. "Life we created for ourselves in my dimension was surely more secure and all, but… All my doubts perished when I saw the look in his eyes when he got to see his mother again. His friends. As much as I was happy to leave my world behind, he wasn't feeling that way when he left his before that. I wanted him to get it back. And if it's going to turn into a war zone in matter of two years…" with a sad, worried and yet content look on her face and arms wrapped around her knees she shook her head slowly.
Forge could imagine the gore images that must be before her eyes – the scenarios of either of them dying, of the rage of war and fear they might need to face because of the decision of coming here.
"Kurt was worried about it too" she continued. "He kept asking me if I'd not rather stay where it's safer. We thought maybe we'd appear here after all the 'cartoon' events and perhaps things would be easier from then on. But even though we're at the beginning of it he has a lot of hope that we can make it through this and create a life as secure, just after the dark days that are to come. And though I knew he'd stay with me if I said I'd rather not come, I wanted to leave my own life behind and it only felt right to give him his old life back because he did want it back. So now we're here. Working with what we've got."
"I never doubted you two made a conscious choice but this…" Forge inhaled. "It gives me a whole different perspective of why you two are here. You just wanted him to have his family and friends back, leave your past behind while you're at it, and since things turned out different than you expected you're just hoping to live past the danger. Am I summing it up well?"
"Pretty much."
"I just wanna know one more thing" the two of them looked at each other. "What was so bad about your past?"
Fallen slowly closed her eyes exhaling low, like she did see that coming but hoped it would not. "Just the usual bullshit" she stated. "I'm just simply not the kind of person who'd put up with someone putting my life through a shredder and act all damsel in distress or pretend it doesn't happen. So I became my own knight, steed and armor. I rescued myself, left shit behind and moved on. When Kurt came into the picture I was already used to counting on myself alone, so I never expected him to be my hero. He was just someone I wanted beside me in spite of everything."
Feeling like he's not receiving the full story, and yet seeing that Fallen's purposefully delivering answers that are only to deceive you into thinking she addressed the question so he doesn't ask for details, Forge stepped down his game and rested against the back of his seat.
"Good to know you moved on" he said absently before sighing and grabbing the ads again. "Oh look! On-Board Menu. You hungry?"
xXxXxXx
Kurt sighed heavily as he removed his winter hoodie and threw it on the bed, followed by his inducer and then the boy himself as he plopped back and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He felt really conflicted over the situation of events he knew are to take place today and how he chose to handle it. Yes, Fallen did advise him not to act on his worry for Rogue and Scott since it was all fated to end with little more than a few bruises, but he couldn't help hoping he could save them from emotional damage that he knew would come with it.
The problem is that he didn't know how to prevent that, and his attempts on addressing the upcoming situation beforehand backfired a big time. So much that he was ready to bet more than his arm that Scott won't let this one slide, not with the way he verbally attacked him for saying too much.
Following his heart that was so concerned about everything made him lose his footing within less than five hours of Fallen's absence. She was the level-headed one who always reminded him to ask his brains five times before acting on one impulse. However right about now she was probably soon to touch down in Oklahoma with Forge and thus was in no way able to stop him before he collapsed this house of cards this morning, so of course he did. Not only has Scott been suspicious of them all along, but now Kurt knew he really gave him reasons to throw any trust out the window. Jean also kept looking at him in a peculiar way throughout the drive back to the Institute, maybe she even tried to read his mind and ended up coming across the barriers set up by Professor Xavier around a big junk of his memory. That would no doubt make her absolutely sure that there is, indeed, something big being kept from everyone.
A part of him - a tremendously big part of him at that - wanted to just come clean and tell the truth, but he could already hear in his mind how both, Fallen and Professor Xavier, would advise him strongly against it.
However, he can consult the situation with at least one of them; That thought in mind he got back up and teleported to the hallway, just a step or two away from Professor Xavier's office's door. He knocked, but no one responded so he cautiously cracked the door and called in;
"Herr Professor?"
The office was empty, but the man's voice came from the adjacent bedroom; "Ah, yes, I didn't hear you knock. You're welcome to come over here, Kurt."
Wagner walked across the office and peeked into the other room. Charles was at his private desk propped against a bookshelf built into the wall; the monitor of his computer was off but reading light was illuminating book he had been reading.
"Is something on your mind, Kurt?" he asked as the boy hesitated at the doorstep.
"Kind of. I'm not really sure…"
He started telling him about how suspicious Scott got this morning and how it didn't seem like he was going to let it go anymore.
"I take it you mentioned about Jean staying home before the decision was made?" the man asked after listening him out.
The boy nodded. "And about Rogue going instead of her. I'm sorry, I knew I should have stopped myself but I was just worried…"
"Well, I can't blame you for worrying about your friends-"
He trailed off as a strong gust of wind swept the window of his room open. The storm that was picking up starting this morning sent curtains flying and whistled as it rustled materials and papers around the room.
"Excuse me" the man said moving towards the window. But just as he reached to close it he felt an invisible tug on his chair and all of sudden it refused to do anything.
Before he fully registered what happened he gasped as it was pushed back, wheeling abruptly and out of control. Wagner called out in surprise and instantly jumped towards him but the chair whirled around in what seemed like conscious effort to avoid him. Instant later the side of his wheelchair hit stopped, hitting against the drawer and knocking everything off of it.
Immediately lifting his eyes from shattered porcelain on the ground Xavier frowned towards the window; "Magneto! Why are you here?"
An echoing voice came from the outside, swiping inside with the wind. "I've come to pay your compliment. Your young charges, they seem to be… flourishing under your tutelage."
Still in shock Kurt shifted his eyes to the window but could barely glimpse a shadow of a character outside of it; his attention was back to Xavier.
"Yes, they're doing quite well" the man clearly tried to appear calm, but there was a hint of panic deep at the bottom of his voice, and his fingers were frantic trying to get the control stick or any buttons of his wheelchair to respond.
"I'm referring to the development of their mutant powers" said the voice. Kurt knew the voice for years, but it never ceased to make him shiver when Magneto brought it so deep out of his chest and let it resonate through his helmet and out in the crisp air.
"I'm very proud of them" Xavier agreed giving up on trying to get the chair to cooperate.
"Proud… yet you don't trust them" said Magneto.
"But I do trust them, with my life!" Charles frowned towards the window. Kurt felt almost inclined to step closer and see out, glance at the owner of this shadow hovering in midair, but instead he felt himself inch further back.
Just like a part of him knew the voice - already chilling as it was - would now turn into something nightmarish as it risen; "But not WITH THE TRUTH!" at the same instant Xavier's chair was abruptly pulled towards the window that shut closed just in time to have him slam against it instead of falling right out. Xavier gasped as it crashed against the glass making it shatter and shower over him.
"PROFESSOR!" Kurt gasped, snapping out of this daze and finding himself beside the man within a fractal of a second. Xavier lifted his head again, his brown eyes wide with shock as they climbed the trees and into the darkened sky outside. Wagner followed his gaze to find no sign of the mystery guest beyond the remains of glass still stuck in the empty frames. "A-are you alright, Professor?" he asked trying to get his mind back on track after this sudden intrusion.
"A… Yes- Yes, Kurt, I'm- fine, thank you" the man hesitantly shifted his eyes away from the window and looked at him before rubbing the sockets of his eyes. "This was- unexpected…"
Wagner took a deep breath, calming down. So this is why the window in Professor's office ended up broken at one point. He never talked to his students about it. "I… I'll go grab a brush and clean this up" he said in a semi-whisper before stepping back and teleporting.
A minute later when he returned he heard a conversation being dropped and looked around to see Wolverine at the door, wearing an angry frown.
Professor resumed; "I don't know Logan, I can only assume that knowing Erik, he just wants to make his disapproval of my ways as clear as he can" he said while Wagner walked over to the window to scoop the shards of glass and drop it in a black plastic bag he brought along. "He mocked my dishonesty regarding the kids' principal."
Logan's brow slightly twitched and his blue eyes shifted to Kurt who peeked back at him as he dropped another load of shards into the bag. The man's eyes shifted back to Xavier as Charles responded to his unspoken concern; "Kurt knows the truth about her already."
Wolverine's gaze sharpened with suspicion; "How?"
Xavier swallowed and opened his mouth ready to make up some excuse not to discuss it, but Kurt was first to speak up as he stood up. "Because she's my mother… biologically, anyway" he grimaced slightly.
Now both of the man's bushy eyebrows traveled up. "Ya got you one fucked up mother, Elf."
"Logan" Xavier reprimanded.
"Yeah, right. Screwed up's what I meant t' say."
Charles sighed with defeat.
"Why not tell them the truth?" Wolverine turned his eyes to him again.
"How do you tell students that their principal - whom they're supposed to respect - and their enemy are one and the same?"
"Look, if there's anythin' those kids are used to doin', it's keepin' their cool an' keepin' their secrets."
"I don't know" Charles closed his eyes with a conflicted frown.
"I know they wouldn't spill" Kurt assured. "But there is something more important at the moment, Professor. It's about the trip Scott went on-" he cut off as the door of the office opened and Ororo marched in with Jean beside her.
"Trouble's brewing" Monroe started immediately before noticing they're in the next room. "A blizzard in the mountains" she said upon arriving at the door.
"The geology club left for a field trip there-" Jean was clearly concerned but she trailed off as Xavier put his hand up to stop her and turned his face to Wagner.
"What were you saying, Kurt?" he asked.
Only now the two females noticed the broken window and frowned with confusion at that as well as their news being dismissed in his favor.
The german started nervously fiddling with the the glass-filled trash bag in his hands. The attention of all four of them made him more nervous - he'd rather if only Professor and Ms Monroe were here so he could consult this with them fully before revealing he knows the first thing to Logan and Jean. "My mother, Mystique I mean- she went with them posing as one of the students and she put Rogue on that trip to completely mess up our chances on getting through to her…" the growing confusion and suspicion on Logan's and Jean's faces made him tense, he tried to keep his focus on the Professor. "We- we should get ready to go. But we can't step in too early either- If we do she might not chose to join us at all-"
"And how exactly would ya know any of that?" Wolverine asked harshly seizing him.
"I-"
"Ya? Ya what? Ya seem to know an awful lot of things ya shouldn't know-"
"Logan, please prepare the jet for the flight" Xavier interrupted with the tone of a school teacher putting a misbehaving child in its place.
"What is bein' hidden fr-"
"Logan!" Charles frowned at him. "Please prepare the jet. Ororo, get ready to leave. Jean, you can leave too. I want to speak with Kurt alone now."
A/N: The next part should be up soon as well. I'm getting better with updating more often and we're almost halfway season 1 so YAY!