"It's not impossible," said Storm. "There have been many young people who stayed at the school for only a few days – young mutants on the run – who chose not to remain, and left to make their own way in the world. We don't keep records of them. This girl Amnesia is probably one of them. Now that's she's here, her memories of this place are resurfacing. That's probably the explanation. She's one of the kids who came here as a runaway but didn't stay long."
"But how many of them would know about the base and Cerebro?" asked Logan.
"Probably none," she admitted.
"Exactly. Something doesn't add up. And besides, at least one of us would remember her."
Scott nodded to Gemini, "Thank you, Alexandra, for bringing this to our attention."
"What do you think it means?" asked Gemini.
"I don't know. We've got the results from the blood tests – she is definitely a mutant – and I suspect this mystery is connected to her powers in some way. If only we knew what they were. She herself obviously doesn't know about them."
"Has she done anything else unusual?" asked Storm.
"Not as far as I know," said Gemini.
"Could it be telepathy?" asked Scott. "Alexandra, you've been down to the base before. Maybe Amnesia read your mind without realising it, and thought your memories were her own."
"I guess that could be it. Oh, except my dad's trained me to know when a telepath enters my mind. I'd have sensed at least something."
Storm shrugged, "If I'm right about her being here before as a runaway, it would explain why she came back. Maybe she realised she made a mistake and couldn't survive on her own, and came back to ask for our help. That's why she doesn't have anything with her. She's run out of money."
"And on the way something happened and she lost her memory," Scott guessed. "It's possible, I suppose – but as Logan said, it doesn't explain where she got her knowledge of Cerebro."
He turned to Gemini, "Leave this with us, Alexandra. Spend some more time with Amnesia, help her to settle in, and see if she can remember anything else."
"Will do."
She turned to leave, and was at the doorway when Scott said, "It's strange, really – Amnesia has obviously been here before, but the first thing she remembers on returning is about the base and Cerebro."
"You think something happened to her?" said Logan. "I mean, to make that her strongest memory?"
"Yes, that was my line of thought. Anyway, there's no use speculating. Hopefully she'll remember more."
Instead of heading back up to the dormitory to meet Amnesia, Gemini decided to pay Melody a visit. She'd had an idea and she needed to ask her sister something. She checked the bedroom Melody had been allocated, but only little Athena was there, sleeping soundly. Gemini closed the door quietly to avoid waking her tiny niece, and went off in search of her sister.
When she finally found her, Melody was out on one of the first-floor balconies overlooking the gardens, and Dad was there too.
"Hey, guys," said Gemini. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"
"No, not at all," said Pyro. "Well, I need to go and speak to Chronos."
"What do you wanna talk to that creep for?" asked his daughter.
"Long story. Tell you later."
He left, and Gemini found herself alone with Melody.
"Mel, can I ask you something?"
"Sure, Alex."
"This may seem like a weird question, but – is there anyone missing from the conference?"
"Missing?"
"I mean like somebody who was due to come and speak, but hasn't shown up."
Melody raised her eyebrows, "Actually, now you mention it, there is."
"Yeah?"
"One of the speakers we were expecting today never arrived. One of our key speakers. Fortunately we had her notes, and one of us managed to fill in for her. Why do you ask?"
"Because I think I might know where she is."
"Go on."
"Have you heard about the girl who arrived here just after you did? The one who lost her memory?"
"Someone mentioned her, yeah."
"I think she's your missing speaker. She arrived at the train station holding a flyer about the conference, without any memory of who she was and why she'd come here."
"Is that all you have to go on? It's a big of a long shot."
The teenager shrugged, "Maybe it is. But hey, come and meet her, and see if it is your missing speaker."
Melody shook her head, "I've never met the speaker, so I don't know what she looks like. I only have her address."
"Can you tell me it?"
"Sure, it's in my briefcase, downstairs somewhere. What are you going to do?"
"I'll take Amnesia – that's her name, for the moment anyway, until she remembers – to that address and see if it's her place. I bet it is. Then we just have to figure out why she lost her memory in the first place."
"Well, I'm not convinced, little sister, but I'll give you the address. It's getting chilly out here anyway. Let's go inside."
- - -
Vertigo glanced at his watch. Chronos had been in Pyro's room for about half an hour now. The ninja leaned against the wall and folded his arms impatiently. It was time for their weekly table tennis match, and Vertigo had a score to settle from last week. Vertigo and Helios together had invented the concept of "Extreme Table Tennis", a game in which anything and everything was permitted. Use of mutant powers and manipulation of other objects in the room weren't just permitted, rather they were essential for anyone who hoped to stand a chance of winning. Considering this involved Vertigo, with his impossibly fast reflexes and ludicrously flexible body, on one side; and Chronos, with his ability to stop time at will, on the other side, the games were fast and furious and almost impossible for spectators to follow. The game was forbidden by the X-Men, as they considered it too dangerous and destructive, but that didn't stop it from being played.
He sighed, and glanced over at the door. What was taking so long? Why did Pyro want to speak to Chronos anyway? Vertigo wasn't aware that the two of them had any sort of relationship, other than occasionally acknowledging each other's existence. Everyone knew that Chronos wanted to get into Gemini's panties, and Pyro wanted to keep him out at all costs. There wasn't much common ground. He guessed that was what their 'conversation' was about. Pyro had probably caught Chronos staring at Gemini, or something. Vertigo had dared Chronos to freeze time and sneak into the girls' shower room while Gemini was taking a shower, but as far as he knew the time-stopper had yet to summon the courage to try.
Bored and unwilling to stand and wait any longer, Vertigo sidled up to the door and put his ear against the wooden panelling. He wasn't really that interested in what they were saying, but listening to Pyro lose his rag at someone was always amusing.
"…discuss this again later," Pyro was saying. "I'm not asking you make a decision just now, but keep what I've just said in mind. Think it over and let me know if you're interested. And Chronos?"
"Yeah?"
"You will mention this to no-one. And when I say no-one, I mean no-one. You don't want to see me angry."
"No, I guess I don't."
"All right, now go. I'll speak to you again another time."
"OK."
Footsteps coming towards the door.
"Oh yeah, and one other thing," said Pyro.
"Yeah?"
"Stop staring at my daughter. I've told you before: as far as you're concerned, she doesn't exist."
Chronos made no response. The door opened, and he emerged. Pyro pulled the door shut from inside.
"What was that all about?" Vertigo asked.
Jumping slightly, Chronos looked round in surprise, "Oh! I didn't see you there!"
"What did he want?"
"Oh, uh, he was just telling me off for staring at Gemini."
"You were in there for half an hour."
"Well, he was shouting and stuff, you know."
"Yeah. Well, whatever. Ready for our game?"
"Uh, no. Not tonight. Sorry, mate, I don't feel up for it."
Vertigo shrugged, "All right."
But as the Scottish boy walked away, Vertigo was deep in thought. It was obvious Chronos was lying. The boy simply didn't know how to sound convincing. And besides, Vertigo had overheard what Pyro had said, and it hadn't been about Gemini. At least, not all of it. What had Pyro been talking about? And why had he wanted to talk to Chronos of all people? It had sounded as if he was offering him some sort of proposition…but what? Vertigo was intrigued. What was Pyro up to?