Chapter 4

Everyone gasped.

"I was never your daughter! I was just another test experiment to you! No father would ever put their daughter through that kind of torture!" I choked.

"But look at you now my dear Adele, you are the strongest mutant of all us," Shaw said and turned his back to me.

"Good evening. My name is Sebastian Shaw. And I am not here to hurt you," he said glancing at me before returning his attention back to everyone else.

"Freeze!" an agent shouted.

"Azazel," Shaw called and Azazel killed the agent.

"My friends, there is a revolution coming. When mankind discovers who we are, what we can do, each of us will face a choice. Be enslaved or rise up to rule. Choose freely, but know that if you are not with us, then, by definition, you are against us," Shaw said looking at me again.

"So, you can stay and for the people who hate and fear you, or you can join me and live like kings. And queens," he finished his speech.

Angel step forward and took his hand, I was beyond shock a mix of anger sadness washed over me.

"Angel," Raven said disbelievingly. "Are you kidding me?" Sean said.

"Come on we don't belong here and that's nothing to be ashamed of," she said when no one moved she began walking away with Shaw into the clearing.

Azazel threw me to the ground and joined Shaw, Angel, and the man in the grey suit in the clearing while I started gasping for air. Sean quickly helped me and I felt Sean's power surge through me. I staggered a little bit but I was able to steady myself.

"Wait I'm coming with you," Darwin said walking into to the clearing, Darwin not you too.

Then I noticed that Alex had stepped in front of the group while Sean, Raven, and Hank moved away towards the door.

"What can you do," Shaw asked, Angel had a smug look on her face.

"Well I adapt to survive so I guess I'm coming with you," Darwin said. "I like that." he said. Darwin moved next to Angel.

Shaw gave the man a smile and nod, and just as everyone joined hands, Darwin shouted at Alex. He ducked away with Angel.

"Alex- NO!" I shouted, but it was too late. He sent a volley of rings toward Shaw, who absorbed the attack like a plant soaking up water.

"Protecting your fellow mutants? A noble act," Shaw mused. He walked over to a shocked Darwin. "Adapt to this," he whispered, placing a glowing red orb into the man's mouth. Alex looked on, helpless.

"NO!" I screamed.

I mustered the last strength and ran forward but Shaw caught my arm.

"We'll meet again Adele, I guarantee it," Shaw said.

Next thing I know I'm sent flying into the wall and everything turns black.

I woke up with a stinging pain in my back and I slowly sat up in the early morning light. The sun was painful to my eyes still since my head was pounding, but the death of Darwin blocked out most of it. They were all sitting somberly, I subconsciously kept reaching up to touch my broken nose- which was stitched up and under a bandage already.

As Charles and Eric walked up, looking frightfully at the scene around them, Alex was already up and moving, like he was going to walk up and meet them half way, but stopped at the last second. He looked at me with sad eyes, like he knew what he should do, but was to frazzled to really processes it all correctly. I pleaded silently with him, hoping and praying that he wouldn't tell Charles about what happened between me and Shaw, or for any of them for that matter.

I don't know what Charles would do, hopefully nothing drastic if he did find out, like make me leave or make me tell him stuff about Shaw, because I wouldn't be able to do either of those things, I love both men to much for that. And I don't even want to know what Erik would do if he found out, lets just say that I am to young to die.

"I arranged for all of you to be sent home immediately," Charles said.

"No." Sean said.

Charles looked at him "Alex is not going back to jail," Sean said.

"Charles, Darwin is dead we can't even bury him," Raven said.

"All the more reason you should go home." Charles said.

"We can avenge him." Erik said.

Charles gritted his teeth "Erik a word please." Charles said quietly as he walked past the other man and off to the side of us. Erik and Charles were done talking.

"We will have to train. All of us. Yes?" Charles said.

We nodded, but Hank looked worried.

"Well we can't stay here even if they re-open the department it's not safe. We've got nowhere to go," Hank said. Charles smiled slightly

"Yes we do," Charles said.

We all stood together after piling out the vehicle, staring up at the towering building. Charles' mansion reminded me of a cathedral in some ways. The building was made of tan stone. It was three stories – four at the two towers that were placed in the middle of the side walls. All the walls were capped with stone rail work, ending in points at corners. The windows were tall, and though they were narrow there were so many they seemed broad. The grounds would have fit at least a dozen more of the mansions – which truly did say something. There were trees, both left wild and trimmed into orderly shapes. The driveway, which wrapped around the manor, was all fine gravel.

"This is yours?"Sean managed to break the awed silence.

"No, it's ours," Charles corrected, smiling.

Erik was standing beside him at the front of the group. "Honestly Charles, I don't know how you survived living in such hardship,"

Raven pushed up between them, wrapping her arm around Charles who did the same for her. His kissed the top of her head the way a brother might as she spoke.

"Well, it was a hardship softened by me,"

Raven let go of Charles. "Come on, time for the tour,"

I walked up next to Charles.

"There is something important I need to tell you and Erik," I said.

"What is it?" Charles asked.

"Is there a more private place we can talk?" I asked.

"Yes. In my library," Charles replied.

"Erik meet Charles and I in his library. There is something I need to tell you," I said.

Erik looked at me and nodded his head.

Everyone was quick about settling in except Charles, Erik, and I. We were in the library. The library was on the first floor of the mansion and put a great number of university libraries to shame. Charles was the owner of quite a number of books, many of them first editions. The tomes lined the shelves in alphabetical order and genre order. There was a large fireplace and two comfy looking wing backed chairs that sat near the hearth. A few extra chairs had been added to the mix, they were out of place with the rich decor.

"So what is it you wanted to tell us Adele?" Charles asked.

"I'm afraid I haven't been truthful with the both of you," I started.

"What do you mean?" Erik asked curiously.

"What I mean is...Shaw is my father," I said slowly waiting for both of their reactions.

Within a few seconds I was up against the wall, Erik's body holding me in place his arm was braced across my throat and the other held my right arm in place.

"Erik, let go of Adele," Charles warned.

I found myself staring straight into a pair of furious green-grey eyes"Your name is Shaw?" Erik practically spat the question at me, his teeth bared in anger.

"Yes," I replied.

"My father is a lovely man, isn't he?" I said sarcastically.

Charles was telling Erik to stop, but it was obvious to me he wouldn't. "Don't mock me-"

"And don't look at me like I'm him!" I snapped back.

"Stay away from me!" Erik's voice was harsh and his arm was cutting into my windpipe.

I fell to the floor in a heap and took a deep breath. When I looked up again Erik was gone. Charles quickly helped me up.

"Are you alright?" Charles asked concernedly.

"I'm fine but I need to talk to Erik," I said.

"I would leave him alone, give it some time to sink in," Charles replied.

"You didn't act surprised when I told you that Shaw is my father. Why?" I asked.

"Believe me Adele I am surprised I just didn't act out like Erik," Charles said.

Charles showed me to my room, everyone at the mansion shared a hallway, just in case someone needed something, but everyone was free to choose a different room.

My room had a large wrought iron bed and mahogany furniture. The bathroom was opulent, tiled in marble with a bathtub big enough to comfortably fit four. I was amazed that anyone could live in such wealth.

"Old money," Charles said. "We've been rich for god knows how long." He shrugged it off, but not in a way that suggested he was uncomfortable with his affluence.

"Thank you Charles for everything," I said genuinely.

"Your welcome Adele, now get some sleep. We have to get an early start," Charles said.