XXXXXXXXX
Bobby and Rogue headed into the student lounge to see many of the younger kids gathered around the big screen television. Pitor, Kitty, and Jubilee were also in the room, sitting together on one of the couches. Bobby was curious to see what they were watching and saw that it was some political thing. He shook his head, a little bemused.
"Hey change this. Who watches C-SPAN?"
"Be quiet," Pitor responded. "Dr. McCoy is going to be on."
That peaked Bobby's interest.
"Really?"
"Who's Dr. McCoy?" Rogue asked.
"He use to be a teacher here," Bobby responded. "He left for Washington before you came around to become a mutant rights activist."
They all then focused their attention to the television screen. In Washington D.C., on the campus of the University of Phoenix, Henry McCoy, a middle-aged mutant who was covered from head to toe in blue fur stood before a large audience of students and began his speech.
"Throughout history, the human race has adapted, evolved to become the top of the food chain. But recently evolution has accelerated creating unpredictable changes in the fundamental nature of man. Some welcome these changes, seeing them as a blessing while others seek to stop them at all costs."
Hank glanced around the students as they seemed to be hanging on his every word, but he wondered if it was his words or his appearance.
"William Stryker was one who tried to destroy all mutants, while the mutant terrorist Magneto has used his abilities for criminal gain and vigilante justice," Hank continued. "After Stryker's plans were exposed, many have sought a détente in the conflict between homo sapiens and mutants but there are still threats out there that threaten the stability of our entire world."
Back in the student lounge, while they all continued to watch Dr. McCoy, Rogue took Bobby's hand as if to guide him out of the lounge, however he didn't acknowledge her.
After a few more moments, Rogue gave up and walked away. Bobby slightly turned his head to see her leave before putting his attention back on the television screen. Rogue walked through the hall and when she passed the kitchen she saw Logan sitting at the counter with a beer bottle in his hand as he stared straight ahead at the wall.
"Hey. You're still here."
Logan raised an eyebrow as he turned his head to look at her.
"Surprised?"
"A little. I thought you were heading out again."
"I'm gonna stick around for a little while longer."
"Really?" Rogue headed into the kitchen and look a seat on the stool in front of Logan. "What are you going to do?
Logan shrugged.
"Well, I overheard the Professor say they are short staffed now that Scott is gone, so-"
"What? You're going to teach?"
Rogue couldn't help but laugh at the thought of Logan standing in front of a chalkboard with a pointer, Logan too chuckled a little before taking another sip of his beer. When the moment passed, Rogue decided to bring something else up.
"Can we talk?"
"Sure," Logan responded. "What about?"
"Bobby and me. We're…we're not the way we use to be. Ever since what happened with his family at Boston, and John leaving. When we got back from Alkali Lake, Bobby told me he wished he had stopped John from leaving the jet. I wish I tried harder too."
"You, Bobby, and John," Logan began. "There had to be an odd man out. Rogue, no one likes to hear this, but people grow apart. Especially young people."
"Like you remember being young," Rogue joked.
The two of them grinned at each other.
"Are you and Bobby happy?" Logan asked.
"We are."
Logan nodded.
"That's good. You hold onto him. Let him know how you feel."
Rogue then got up and headed for the door, looking back at Logan one more time.
"Thanks Logan."
"Don't mention it."
Back in the student lounge, no one moved a muscle for an hour when the speech finally ended. At the University of Phoenix, Hank watched the students all getting up from their seats and heading to the exits. His eye caught that of a young brown-haired girl who smiled at him which Hank returned. He then turned back walked back behind the curtain of the stage when the principal of the college, Alicia Vargas approached him.
"Thank you for the invitation, Mrs. Vargas," Hank said. "I think it went well."
"Dr. McCoy, are you in some kind of trouble?" Alicia asked, ignoring his previous statement.
Hank's brows furrowed, confused.
"What do you mean?"
"A couple of Secret Services agents are here to see you."
Suddenly, two agents wearing black suits and black sunglasses approached the both of them.
"Dr. Henry McCoy?" One of them asked.
"Is there a problem, gentleman?" Hank responded.
"Dr. McCoy, we need you to come with us." The second agent then spoke. "The President has requested to meet with you."
"The President? Are you serious?"
Hank didn't believe it, but the agents looked dead serious.
"The President says that it is of great importance to the mutant community."
It turned out to be no joke. The agents drove him in a black SUV to the White House. The secret service agents led Hank down the hall and naturally other workers stopped to stare at Hank, some remembering another blue creature in the White House not too long ago. They walked past the desk of the President's secretary and once they got to the door of the Oval Office, one agent knocked on the door and got the attention of President McKenna, who was sitting at his desk looking over some document. The door then opened and Hank was led in.
"Mr. President," the agent began. "Dr. Henry McCoy is here."
President McKenna got to his feet as he walked over to shake the blue mutant's hand. Hank looked shocked to be standing in front of him.
"Dr. McCoy, thank you for meeting me on such short notice," President McKenna said.
"It's no problem at all, Mr. President," Hank assured.
The agents then closed the door, staying in the room. Normally they would give the President privacy when meeting with someone, but being that Dr. McCoy was a mutant, this was a special circumstance. Hank took a seat behind the desk while the President sat back down at his seat.
"I must admit, I'm rather surprised to be sitting in front of you right now," Hank stated.
"I'm going to get straight to the point, Dr. McCoy-"
"Hank. You can call me Hank."
"Well, Hank. Ever since my re-election the people have been crying out for a solution to this mutant…situation."
Smiling a little, Hank appreciated President McKenna using a different word instead of 'problem.'
"Well, I've been hearing about the possible reintroduction of the Mutant Registration Act, and I have to be honest Mr. President, I think that is the wrong way to go."
"I agree," President McKenna responded. "But mutants are an issure that require special attention. That's why I've decided to create a mutant's division in my cabinet. A special division that will focus on the mistreatment of mutants, getting mutants help with controlling their powers, and bringing mutant fugitives…like Magneto, to justice."
"Mr. President, I think that is a wonderful idea."
"I'm glad you think so. And like all divisions we need someone to head it. And that's why I asked you to be brought here today. I would like to offer you the job of Secretary of Mutant Affairs."
Hank stared at President McKenna, slightly stunned.
"Me?"
"Yes."
"Of course I accept," Hank answered. "But I have to ask, Mr. President, why me?"
"Well, with all due respect I think it's fairly obvious that you're a mutant. People have seen you on television. In order for this to work mutants out there have to know that this is for real."
"When do I start?"
"Immediately. In fact there is already one person already eager to join your staff. Senator Robert Kelly has a lot of interest in working with you."
Hank's eyes widened.
"Senator Kelly?"
"You know who he is, don't you?" President McKenna asked.
"Mr. President, there is something you need to know about Senator Kelly."
XXXXXXX
It was afternoon in California as a Blackhawk helicopter flu in the air, overlooking the San Francisco Bay and hovering above the splendor that was the Golden Gate Bridge, iridescent in the afternoon sun that was slowly starting to set. Inside, Senator Robert Kelly sat, gazing down at the ocean with two escourts sitting with him. The helicopter approaches Alcatraz Island where General Steven Lang stood, two soldiers at opposite sides of him as the helicopter lands and Kelly exits, rushing forward with his head low until he was a safe way away from the spinning helicopter blades.
"Thank you for meeting me in person, General."
Senator Kelly and General Lang shook hands.
"This way."
Lang then led Senator Kelly into the facility. Inside the Alcatraz prison, Lang and Kelly walked inside a laboratory in the building where they were about a dozen scientists working.
"In conjunction with Rao Labs, this facility acts a warehouse to further authenticate the cure serum," Lang stated.
"Last I heard this was still being used as a prison," Senator Kelly responded.
The general nodded.
"For mutants. Criminals basically. Ones we've managed to catch."
Kelly then eyed Lang which the general noticed.
"We're in full accordance with your committee's guidelines, Senator," Lang continued. "President McKenna himself approved of this."
"Very well. What is the origin of this serum?"
"Rao Labs extracts blood samples from one of their own mutant subjects. It was how they were able to replicate it."
"And that is where the subject is held?" Senator Kelly asked.
"Yes."
Suddenly, one of Lang's bodyguard's got a message in his earpiece. After hearing it, he looked to the general and signaled to him.
"Excuse me for a moment, Senator."
General Lang walked over to the soldier who whispered something in his ear. Senator Kelly was paying no attention to the interaction as he watched the scientists continuing to work. Just then, Lang appeared back at his side. He had a different look in his eyes now.
"Senator," Lang began, his voice hardened. "If you'd come this way, I would like to show you something else."
"The mutant prisoners?"
"Please come this way."
"Very well."
Senator Kelly and General Lang walked forward down the next hall with two soldiers a safe distance behind them. Suddenly, one of the soldiers pulled out a tranquilizer gun and fired. The dart hit the back of Senator Kelly's neck and he stumbled forward before pulling it out and spinning around in shock. He tried to run but Kelly's eyes then turned yellow as his legs gave out and he finally collapsed to the floor.
They gathered around the fallen man as Senator Kelly began to fade away and they found themselves staring down at the body of Mystique...
XXXXXXXX
The lights turned on suddenly, temporarily blinding her. Mystique sat before a Agent in his late forties. Mystique looked down at herself and saw that her hands were cuffed behind her back. She was being kept in an interrogation room inside the Alcatraz prison. It took her a few seconds to fathom what was actually occurring as the man sitting in front of her began to speak.
"Raven Darkholme," the agent began. "You've been impersonating a government official to get into high security places you don't belong in. That's called fraud you know. Where is the real Senator Robert Kelly?"
Mystique didn't respond, the agent the opened a file and began to look through it.
"You've been pretty busy of the last few months. Attacks in London, Geneva, Alberta. A lot of people were killed. Does that make you feel like you are accomplishing something?"
Again, Mystique says nothing.
"Where is Magneto?"
Mystique lowered her head, ignoring the question. The agent leaned forward.
"Raven, I asked you a question."
"I don't answer to my slave name," Mystique finally spoke.
"Raven Darkholme, that's your real name isn't it?" The agent asked. "You had a family once…or has he convinced you otherwise?"
Mystique looked up and glared at the agent, pure hate in her eyes.
"My family tried to kill me, you pathetic meat sack."
The agent sighed.
"Okay…Mystique. Where is he?"
Mystique morphed into Magneto.
"In here. With us."
The agent scoffed.
"Look, I don't want to play games with you. I want answers."
Mystique then morphed into the agent.
"You don't want to play games with me?"
"Raven stop this!" The agent yelled, now frustrated.
Turning back into her normal self, Mystique merely smirked at him. The agent glared even harder at the mutant woman.
"Listen to me, you are going to tell me where Magneto is!"
"You really want to know where he is?" Mystique then whispered. "Come here."
The agent leaned forward and Mystique lunged up, head-butting the agent. She then kicked her chair into the guard then leaps over the table and lands behind the agent, choking him with her hand cuff chains.
"Homo Sapiens," She growled.
Mystique then uses the hold she has on the agent to crush his throat.
The door bursts open and four guards coming rushing into the room. Mystique lets go of the agent and nails one of them with a roundhouse kick. She goes to hit another but is shot in the back with a Taser gun. Mystique fell to the ground, her body convoluting as the two other guards began beating her with their clubs.
XXXXXXXXX
It was now night time at the White House as Hank was led down the hallways by several agents. They moved deeper and deeper into the core of the building, swooping past two marine-guards with machine guns in hand. By the time they look up Hank is already gliding through an imposing high-tech door. An alarm beeps as the door opens and Hank walks inside. He was now in the Situation Room where President McKenna was sitting at a long desk in the center of the room. There was a large screen at the end of the room where he and several other officials had just finished watching the playback of Mystique's interrogation. When the President saw Hank, he grinned.
"Hank, good news. We've got her."
"That's great, Mr. President."
"Not bad for your first day of work."
Hank came over and the two of them shook hands before taking a seat in front of the President. The other officials at the table glanced at each other, looking a little uncomfortable which Hank ignored.
"If you don't mind me asking, how did you know that Mystique was impersonating Senator Kelly?"
"Well…" Hank started, not knowing if he should tell the President about Professor Charles Xavier and the X-Men, and how he still stayed in touch with them over the years. "Let's just say I have my sources."
"I see."
The President said that with some suspession in his voice which Hank noticed and quickly changed the subject.
"Did we find out why Mystique was there in the first place?"
"Unfortunately, no. She was interrogated but it didn't go well. Not only did they not get any information but she managed to kill a federal agent."
"I hate to say that I'm not surprised." Hank sighed. "I don't think you're going to get anything from her unless you decide to go to the extreme."
"Well, the United States does not torture its civilians, mutant terrorist or not. And although she didn't say, we have a pretty good idea of what she was there for."
"And that is?"
President McKenna slid a file in front of the blue mutant.
"We've been receiving intelligence that a pharmaceutical company has been developing some kind of vaccine…for mutants."
"What kind of vaccine?"
Hank opened the file and scanned through it as President McKenna remained silent, as did the other officials. After a few moments, Hank's eyes widened as he got to a part about Dr. Kavita Rao and her 'Project Hope.'
"My god. Is this viable?"
"We believe it is, yes," President McKenna answered.
"This can't be possible," Hank said, still in disbelief as he continued to go further into the file.
"Hank, whether this is true or not, I want your full attention on it. We've begun hiring staff for you and an office building is being built downtown."
"Mr. President, do you know the level of impact this will have on the mutant community?"
"Yes, I do. Situations like this is why I brought you into my cabinet."
Hank then got to his feet.
"I need to go to New York."
The President's brows furrowed.
"Why there?"
"I think my sources are going to need to know about this. Some careful diplomacy is going to needed to turn the tide I fear my come with the news of this."
"How long will you be gone?"
"A couple of days. I need a couple of days."
President McKenna looked hesitant, especially about the part of Hank's 'sources' but decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, for now at least. Maybe this could be a good way to see if he could truly trust Hank in being able to handle this new position.
"Very well," the President finally agreed. "But do not forget that we have need of your...diplomacy, here as well."
Hank smiled as he began to think of the school.
"All the more reason for me to be where I belong."