Cerebro
When morning came, Erika was dressed in a black leather jacket with a black shirt underneath, dark blue jeans, black high-heeled boots and sunglasses, as she got out of the car and walked up to Burt's facility with the others. He'd been authorized to study the use of paranormal powers in military defense. Knowing just how quickly "defense" could become "offense," Erika was still distrusting of him, his facility and MacTaggert, having learned the hard way to never trust the government.
Despite what she'd revealed the previous night and what little Charles had seen, there was still a great deal she had yet to reveal, and there was a dark secret she'd kept buried deep within in her mind for eighteen years, which she had no intention of revealing anytime soon to anyone.
Erika had made quick friends with Charles's foster sister and nephew. She found Raven's story interesting. Raven's powers had manifested when she was six. Her family hadn't taken well to them and Raven had been forced to flee. She'd learned how to control her gift alone and had run on her own on the streets for two years before Charles found her trying to steal a bite to eat from his kitchen. Being a kind soul, Charles had taken her in and they'd become family.
Raven was a shape-shifter, and her true form was of blue skin, yellow eyes and red hair. It was similar to her son's appearance. Apparently, during a trip to Germany when she was in her teens, Raven had married and divorced within a year. The only good thing that had come of her failed marriage was her beloved son, Kurt, whom she'd raised on her own with the help of her brother.
Despite his demonic appearance, Kurt had one of the purest hearts Erika had ever known and was a devoted Catholic. He'd known known fame as a circus acrobat and he'd inherited his teleportation abilities from his father, whom Raven wouldn't speak further of, other than he was a demon in every sense of the word. But unlike his parents who could shape-shift, Kurt couldn't change his appearance. Erika sympathized with them both, knowing what it was like to be unable to let others know just how special you really were, but she did not share in young Raven's desire for a normal appearance.
After a tour of Burt's facility, Erika found herself in one of the labs, where they were examining a model of an aircraft.
"What kind of aircraft is this?" asked Erika.
"It's a supersonic jet, the Blackbird," said a young scientist, as he approached them. He was quite handsome, but he still looked like your typical science geek. "The most advanced plane ever built. You should see it in real life. It's incredible."
"Hank, these are the special recruits I was telling you about," said Burt. "Everyone, this is Hank McCoy, one of our most talented young researchers."
Charles smiled as he walked over to Hank and shook his hand. "How wonderful. Another mutant already here. Why didn't you say?"
Hank's face fell as Burt looked confused. "Say what?"
Erika let out a soft chuckle as Charles looked embarrassed and apologetic. Charles's telepathy and excitement had gotten away with him and he'd exposed the poor boy's secret without thinking twice. Why did it not surprise her?
"Because you don't know," said Charles. He turned to Hank. "I'm so, so terribly sorry."
"Is your brother always like this?" asked Erika, to Raven.
Raven nodded and looked almost apologetic. "This is one of his better days. Sometimes he's worse, unfortunately. You get used to it."
Burt approached Hank, looking a tad hurt. "Hank, you're one of them? Why didn't you tell me?"
Hank looked uncomfortable. "You didn't ask, so I didn't see reason to tell you."
"So, your mutation is what, you're super-smart?" asked Raven, looking at him curiously.
"I'll say," said Charles. "Hank graduated from Harvard at age fifteen."
"I wish that's all it was," said Hank, softly. He looked nervous and far from the confident young scientist of but a few minutes ago.
Erika sighed in exasperation as she pushed the others aside. "All right, that's enough. Back off, all of you. You're making him uncomfortable. Give him some space. Most abilities don't work well when one's under pressure. Back off, now." She gave them all a warning look that none of them disobeyed. They all backed off, except for Raven, who kept smiling at Hank and who was obviously lessening Hank's stress. Erika placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're among your own kind now, Mr. McCoy. It's okay to show us your gift. Don't be scared."
Hank gave her a grateful smile before turning to Raven, who he smiled broadly for. He then took off his shoes and socks, revealing enormous ape-like feet before he did a backwards flip upward and attached himself onto the model of the jet, as everyone applauded.
Raven smiled more at Hank. "You're amazing."
Hank looked touched. "Really? Thanks."
Erika just smiled a little before turning to Charles, who'd tapped her on the shoulder.
"May I have a word with you? Privately?" he asked.
"You may," said Erika.
While everyone else was busy talking or admiring Hank's lab and his work, Erika and Charles went to a private section of the lab where they could talk.
"Erika, I want to apologize for last night. My intrusion into your mind was wrong, I'm sorry," said Charles, looking regretful. "When I sensed your presence and saw your gift, I just became so excited about meeting you, that I lost control and I acted without thinking. I'm deeply sorry. I won't enter your mind again without your consent, I promise."
Erika was surprised. Few had ever apologized to her in her life for anything, least of all for this. She had to admit that she also felt a twinge of guilt for her own actions. "I'll accept your apology if you accept mine for slapping you as I did. You and your nephew saved my life and I was too angry to see it. I'm sorry." It was ironic that anger fueled her abilities, and yet often blinded her. If he hadn't done what he had, she'd probably be dead and of no use to her children.
"Think nothing of it," said Charles, smiling. "What little I saw of your life was enough to show me of the kind person you truly are."
"And what's that?" she asked, warily.
"Someone who's been lonely for far too long, suffered more than anyone should have to, and yet still caring for what she's lost," he said, simply. "You're angry and hurt, but you still care. Wanda and Pietro are your life."
Erika was surprised by his answer, as she'd half-expected the worst, but he was complete and utterly right. She wanted revenge, but even more than that, she wanted her babies returned to her. "I want my children back, Charles. If I have to do it alone and by extreme measures, I will. There's nothing I won't do to get them back safely." And she honestly meant it. A mother's love and desire to protect her offspring knew no bounds whatsoever.
Charles took her hands in his. "I know, but Erika, listen to me, I'm concerned for you. I've felt your agony. I know what he did to you and I know part of you wants him dead, but I implore you not to quench your thirst for vengeance. Revenge is like a slow poison. It'll eat at you until there's nothing left. You have a chance to be something better. For the sake of your children, if nothing else, I implore you, please, stay here and don't give into that anger."
Erika sighed. Charles had a point, she had to admit. But that didn't mean she would completely comply with his requests. She still intended to make Shaw pay for what he did, but perhaps staying wouldn't be such a terrible idea. "I'll try. I'm not going anywhere. But for right now, I can't promise you anything more, Charles."
"Fair enough," said Charles, nodding. He had a sight hopeful look in his eyes. "But I do hope this means we're friends, at least."
"I don't see why we can't be," said Erika, softly. In her mind, there was no reason why she and Charles couldn't be friends. He was unlike other men she'd known in her life. Perhaps this would be a good thing in her life.
Suddenly, there was the sound of a throat being cleared. They turned to see Hank, carrying some folders under his arm and looking almost embarrassed. "Excuse me, I hope that I'm not interrupting anything. Am I?"
"Not at all, Charles and I were just finished with our talk," said Erika, as Charles nodded. "What is it you want, Mr. McCoy?"
"I was talking with Raven and she told me something interesting about you, Miss Lensherr. Can I borrow you for a few moments?" asked Hank.
"I suppose so," said Erika. What could this possibly be about?
She followed Hank to another corner of the lab where there was table with blueprints laying on it and just outside the little window on the wall; she could see the foundation of a machine that was nowhere near complete.
"You can manipulate metal, correct?" asked Hank.
"Yes. Why?"
"Well, I was hoping you could help me with this project idea I have for Professor Xavier," said Hank. He showed her his plans for a device that he couldn't finish himself. Erika's powers and knowledge would be the key to it all.
Erika found herself consenting to help and then she was working through the night with Hank to create the machine. It was dawn by the time they were finished. After she got a few hours' sleep, she went to talk with Charles, who was speaking with Burt about the machine.
"I'm so glad Hank finally got the machine up and running," she heard Burt say. "He turned that radar installation into a transmitter. According to his blueprints, it's designed to amplify brainwaves, so it could enhance your telepathic powers and help us find other mutants for our division."
"What if they don't want to be found by you?" demanded Erika, making her presence known. She didn't quite like the sound of Burt's plan.
Both men looked up when they saw her, though only Charles was smiling. "Erika," he said, sounding pleased. "I'm glad to see you're staying on. What're you doing in here?"
"I just needed to talk with you both," said Erika, as she turned to Burt. "If a new species is being discovered, it should be by its own kind. Charles, Kurt and I will find the mutants, no suits." It made perfect sense in her mind. If mutants were discovered by the authorities, it'd cause fear and trouble. It'd be better long-term for them to be found by fellow mutants. There was also the fact that Burt's comments unsettled her somewhat.
"Why you do want Kurt's help?" asked Charles, curiously.
"Kurt's teleportation abilities make him invaluable to the mission," explained Erika. "There's also the fact that he might be able to reach out to some of the mutants better than you or I can."
"Regardless of that fact, there are still several variables you're failing to consider," said Burt, stiffly. "First of all, that's my machine out there. Second of all, and much more importantly, this is Charles's decision, not yours. Charles is fine with the CIA being involved. Isn't that right?"
Charles and Erika shared a brief silent conversation before Charles turned to Burt. "No, I'm sorry, but I'm with Erika. We'll find them alone."
"What if I say no?" demanded Burt.
Neither Erika nor Charles looked the least bit fazed by Burt's threat of refusal. It was his machine, yes, but he was failing to realize exactly whom he was talking to. If he was going to play this game, they'd play their hand as well.
"Then good luck using your installation without me," said Charles, coolly.
"There's also the fact that the machine is metal and I can destroy it without a second thought," said Erika, folding her arms across her chest. If the agent wasn't going to cooperate, she'd destroy the machine quicker than he could blink. While she knew they couldn't work it without Charles, there was no way she was going to leave it in the hands of humans and risk them finding another way to make it work. "It's your choice, Mr. Burt. What's it going to be?"
There was a brief moment's silence before Burt finally sighed and said, "All right, fine. You win. No suits. You can work alone."
Erika smiled. Human were so easy to manipulate. "Thank-you," she said. "Now, shall we go see Mr. McCoy's machine, gentleman? Raven and Kurt are already on their way as we speak."
Without waiting for a reply, Erika took off for Hank's machine, smirking inwardly to herself when she saw that the two gentlemen were right behind her.
XXX
Twenty minutes later, Kurt, Charles, Raven and Erika entered the machine where Hank was adjusting the controls and settings. The building itself was enormous and round and similar to a golf ball in appearance. Inside was a spiral staircase leading up to a second level which contained several large computers, a pedestal for Charles, a strange-looking metal helmet with wires attached to it that came from the computers, and a printing device.
"Welcome to Cerebro," said Hank, when they came in. As he spoke, he seemed quite excited and somewhat nervous about his work.
"Hank, why don't you explain to them how Cerebro works?" asked Erika, trying to help him.
Hank looked almost relieved. "Oh, yes, of course. Well, the electrodes connect Charles to the transmitter on the roof. When he picks up a mutant, his brain sends a signal through a relay, and then the coordinates of their location are printed out over here," said Hank, beckoning to each piece of equipment as he spoke.
"You designed this?" said Raven, looking impressed.
"Yes," said Hank, blushing under Raven's attention.
"It's quite brilliant, Herr McCoy," said Kurt, in amazement.
"Well, to be quite honest, the machine wouldn't even be up and running without Miss Lensherr's help," he admitted. "She was able to fix the flaws in my designs and her magnetic abilities are the reason this is even possible."
"Nonsense. I only did what was necessary," said Erika, as Raven and Kurt looked at her in awe.
"Excellent work, both of you," said Charles, smiling as he began placing the headpiece on.
Erika couldn't help but look a tad concerned. "Charles, if anything goes wrong, just say so, and I'll shut it down." She wanted this to work, but not at the expense of her friend. It was bad enough he looked like a lab rat—and she'd know, considering she'd been a lab rat.
Charles just gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine, Erika."
"Enough chatter, let's get this started," said Hank.
He started powering up the machine as the room became dark and then the machine lit up. Suddenly, Charles let out a gasp before he started laughing. Coordinates were appearing on the graph. Erika relaxed. It was working! After a few more moments, Hank shut down the machine at Charles's request. Charles was smiling broadly.
"That was incredible," said Charles. "I've never experienced such a thing in my life before. I've never been able to touch so many minds before. Excellent job, both of you. Really excellent."
"Did you find Shaw?" asked Erika. That had been part of the reason she'd agreed to help Hank. If Charles could locate Shaw, she'd find what she was looking for.
Charles's face fell as he shook his head. "No, unfortunately, I didn't. But I did find several mutants that I think can and will help us. Hank, give me the list of coordinates and then we'll retrieve them."
Hank tore off the paper and handed it to him. "Good luck, Professor."
And with that, they prepared for their departure. Half an hour later, they were ready to go, but Raven wasn't letting them teleport away without saying good-bye. It had taken a lot of persuasion to get her to let Kurt go and while she'd agreed, she was still anxious about it. Erika fully understood her feelings, being a mother herself. It was only to be expected.
Raven hugged Erika and Charles. "You'd all better come back safely, or I'll kill you. And the two of you had better good take care of Kurt," she said, warningly. She then held Kurt close. "And you had better be careful. Don't forget to wear your image inducer when you're in public and if anything goes wrong, teleport straight back here. Okay?"
"Mutter, ve'll be fine," said Kurt, as he hugged her. "Don't vorry so much."
"Kurt, she's your mother. Worrying about our offspring's what we do best," said Erika, chuckling. Though in spite of her smile, Erika felt a pang of envy, watching Kurt and Raven as it reminded her all too well of when she fussed over Wanda and Pietro when they were children. She would give anything to have those kind of moments just once more.
"We'll be fine and we'll watch out for Kurt, I promise," said Charles.
"I'll hold you to that, Charles," said Raven, sternly.
And with that, Charles and Erika took Kurt's hands and then they teleported away.
Over the next several days, the trio found four mutants who they thought could be helpful in the upcoming confrontation. The first was a young boy named Alex Summers, who could emit energy blasts. The second was a dancer girl called Angel Salvadore, with insectoid physiology who had the ability to fight and fire acid balls. The third was an African-American taxicab driver, Armando Munoz, who had the power to adapt to any situation to survive. And the fourth was Sean Cassidy, a young teenager with the ability to produce supersonic screams.
All four of them agreed to join the CIA's mutant division after Erika and Charles spoke with them and Kurt proved them that being different didn't mean you were a freak. They were all especially happy to find out that they weren't the only ones of their kind, that they weren't alone in the world when it came to what they were.
They stopped their travels for a short break one day. They booked several rooms at a hotel. Erika and Charles had been talking in his room until they'd stopped for a few moments. Charles had to send out some messages and he'd sent Kurt out with money to buy everyone's dinner while Erika was quietly reading in comfortable silence. The silence was broken when Charles asked, "Erika, do you play chess?"
"I do indeed. Quite well, in fact, why?" she asked, peeking up from her novel.
He held up an old chess set. "Would you care for a game?"
Erika smiled as she put down her book. "Certainly." She hadn't played in a while and she had a feeling Charles would be a worthy opponent.
They proved to be evenly matched and they each won two of the four games that they played. It made them both smile.
"I must say, I've never met an opponent like you, Charles," said Erika, as they finally put away the chess set. "No one's even beaten me in chess before."
"Likewise," said Charles, softly, not quite meeting her gaze.
Erika gazed upon him and recognized the signs. "Is there something on your mind?"
"Yes, actually. I can't stop thinking about the others out there, all those minds I touched. I could feel them," said Charles, finally meeting her eyes. He looked somewhat excited, but hesitant at the same time. "Their isolation, their hopes, their ambitions…I tell you, we're at the start of something incredible, Erika. We can help them."
"Can we? Or are we wrong?" Despite it all, she still had her doubts and couldn't help but feel that history was repeating itself. "Identification, that's how it starts, and then it ends with being rounded up, experimented on and then eliminated."
"Not this time," said Charles, insistently. "We have common enemies—Shaw, the Russians. They need us."
"For now," she corrected. For someone so brilliant, he was failing to see what plain as day to Erika. "But what happens when we're no longer needed anymore? If there's anything I've learned, it's not to take anything for granted. What you've gained can be taken away, just as easily. Those who fail to remember history are doomed to repeat it. What if that's happening now? Only, instead of my fellow Jews, it's our fellow mutants." Her father had been needed in WWI, and when he was needed no more, he was treated like dirt on the government's shoes.
"Erika—"
But he was cut off when Kurt suddenly teleported in with their food. "Sorry, Uncle Charles, Miss Lensherr, am I interrupting?" he asked, looking apologetic.
"No, you weren't," said Erika, before Charles could speak. She took her meal from Kurt. "Thank-you for getting us dinner, Kurt."
"You're-Velcome," said Kurt.
Erika and Charles's discussion did not continue, most likely because Erika suspected Charles could tell she wished to drop the subject for the time being, but she had a suspicion, that their little talk was far from over.
After dinner, Erika found herself walking around the streets of the city they were in and somehow, she wound up at the local church. There was mass going on and the members of the church were singing a familiar hymn. Feeling something stirring inside her that she hadn't felt in years, Erika quietly slipped into the building and hid amongst the dark shadows as she listened to the hymns and sermons. When it was over and the church all but empty, save for the priest who was in his office, she lingered and for the first time in years, she knelt by a statue and prayed.
"Lord, I've always been told and taught that you're always there and listening to everyone's prayers here on earth," said Erika, softly. "I'm not sure you'd listen to mine, considering my past and what I am. I'm not even sure what I believe in anymore, but I do hope that there's something or someone out there who can help me. Please, watch over us and my children. Keep us all safe and help me get my children back from Shaw, please. Amen."
"That vas beautiful, Fraulein Lensherr," said a voice.
Erika turned to see Kurt behind her, with his image inducer off. No doubt with the lack of people inside, he'd felt it safe enough to look like his normal self.
"You can call me, Erika," she said, as she rose up. "Did you follow me?"
"No, I came by earlier for the meeting and vhen I saw you, I thought you might need someone to talk to. Uncle Charles told me about earlier," explained Kurt. He looked concerned for her.
Erika sighed. "Perhaps," she admitted. "Perhaps not. I don't know."
Kurt made no reply, but sat down on one of the pews and beckoned for her to sit with him. Erika obliged with Kurt's silent request. She was grateful for Kurt's presence. In some way, he reminded her of her son, and that brought her comfort in some strange way.
Erika bit her lip. "Kurt, I feel history's repeating itself. Mutants will be found out one way or another, sooner or later, but few will accept us, whether our abilities are easy to hide like mine or difficult, like yours is. Mankind fears what it doesn't understand and sooner or later, that'll turn to hatred." And then a war will start between homo sapiens and homo superior, and it'll be just like the Holocaust all over again. If it comes to a war, which it probably will, then I'll fight on the mutants' side until my last breath. Mutant and proud.
Kurt snapped her out of her thoughts by placing a hand on her shoulder.
"You cannot change the hearts of men; they must do that, themselves." He held up his inducer. "I vear this because I must, for now; and one day people vill know the truth about me. Once, I vas not so accepting of vhat I vas, but I made my peace vith it long ago. It's the Lord's vill that I am like this and I have faith in his plan for me."
Then faith is blinder than I once thought. Erika shook her hand. Kurt, I sympathize with your desire to no longer having to hide and I applaud you accepting yourself. However, I don't understand how you don't feel hatred or anger towards those who would fear and hate you. How can you still have faith in God after everything?"
Granted she'd just prayed, but she had little to no faith after her sufferings. Truth be told, she'd more or less given up after her mother's death.
"Because my trials drove me to seek God and it's vith him that I've found peace and acceptance. Your story is different than mine in many ways, and yet similar in others. Come vith me," said Kurt, holding out his hand. "And let me telling you a story you might learn something from."
Erika hesitated, but then took Kurt's hand and then he teleported them onto the church's room.
"When I vas younger, I traveled to Germany and it vas there that I spent several years with a group of circus performers vho became family to me. I became a skilled trapeze artist and swordsman. I vas famous for being something of a 'goofball,' you might say. My brother figure, Stefan, vas a sorcerer, and a very gifted one at that. But he feared vhat he was capable of and made swear to stop him if he ever crossed the line. I thought little of it at first, but a few years later, terrible things vere happening to the children of the village and I later found out that Stefan vas the one behind it all."
"Good heavens," said Erika, trying and failing not to picture such a thing in her mind. "What did you do?"
"I confronted him and I discovered he'd become consumed by the dark magic he vas practicing. Vhether he vas possessed or just mad, I'll never know. I tried to stop him, I tried to help him and reason vith him, but he fought me at a building's entrance and in the ensuring fight, he fell down the front steps and died. It vas then that the villagers found us. The village vas cut off from the rest of the vorld and knew not of mutants, or anything of the like. They thought I vas a demon and that I vas the one responsible for the recent tragedies.
"They vent after me and sought to put an end to me. I could only flee so far before I vas found. I vas cornered and then I prayed. I said, 'Lord, forgive them for they know not vhat they do.' Luckily, Uncle Charles and Mother were able to rescue me in time and they helped me vith it all."
"And you honestly feel no anger towards the ones who feared and hated you?" said Erika, stunned, by this revelation. "How can you not despise them? Do you still mean what you said back then?"
"No, I don't despise them. How can I? They didn't know the truth. I meant vhat I said back then and I still mean it now," said Kurt, gently. "I have no hatred for any who fear or hate my true form because I only pity them. Do you know vhy? It's because most people vill never know anything beyond vhat they see vith their own two eyes."
Erika's throat tightened. Kurt's strength was obviously far stronger than that of her own, and he showed wisdom beyond his years, but it didn't change her opinions. "Well, I wish I had your strength, Kurt, but I gave up on pity, a long time ago." In her experience, pity was useless and there was no reason to pity the ones who'd hurt her when they only deserved her rage.
Kurt shook his head at her and he looked sympathetic and almost pitying. "Someone vith your heart, should not be so angry," he said, softly.
Shouldn't be? How could he possibly say that? He wasn't like her. "How can I not be angry? I became angry with all my sufferings and losses, I feel nothing but anger towards my enemies, and it's anger that gives me strength and fuels my power," said Erika, bitterly.
"It is not just anger that gives you strength, Erika," said Kurt, gently. "It is also faith and something more. You need only to see it for yourself. God's never forsaken you. Once you vere alone, but now you have friends and people vho care about you. And I believe that you be reunited vith your children once more. Keep faith."
Erika was quiet, not knowing what to say as she rose up.
"Danke, Kurt," she said. "Please, take me back to my room. I have much to think about and I need to rest."
Kurt just nodded before complying with her request.
That night, Erika lay awake on her bed for a long time, just thinking.
Her talk with Kurt kept ringing through her mind. Kurt's story of compassion and forgiveness and compassion had touched her, but she was forcing those feelings back. Keep faith. Those were her mother's words, and her mother had never lost faith, not even when Shaw threatened her. She'd been strong, even when Erika hadn't. Erika thought back to those twelve years when she was raising Wanda and Pietro. She'd raised them in her own religion, despite what little, if any, faith that she had left. Had she not truly given up on what she'd known? Could it really be possible? Was Kurt right about what he said?
Eventually, Erika slipped into a fitful slumber.