Author's Note : I hate this scene. It was pretty much all listed dialogue (which has become my personal pet hate recently) when I first started, I have tried to break it up without much success. I don't think any of the characters are themselves, particularly Vixen but hey ho, I don't think I can improve on it any more so it's going up. And this is it for now, I have nothing more written, although I have the end scene set up in my head, so I will try and write the rest ASAP. Enjoy!
Scene Seven
"Really?" Mac looked at her sharply. The statement was said so calmly, without hint of any emotion that Mac thought for a moment that he had misheard.
"Yes. Years ago, my father and Eric Lensherr were great friends. As thanks for Eric's support throughout the emotional turmoil of the death of his wife, my mother, my father gave him the dubious honour of being my Godfather."
There was a moments silence between the two then, both considering the loss of a loved one; Mac's from the perspective of losing his wife, Ilehana's the loss of a mother. Though old wounds, her words stabbed each of them as deeply as if the wounds were fresh. It was Mac that recovered first, quietly pulling up the Autopsy footage that Sid and Hawkes had taken, allowing Ilehana another moment in reflection. When she glanced at him, coming out of her reverie with the softest sigh, he spoke again.
"Take a look at this. Tell me you've got something that could explain this and I'll buy you a steak dinner."
"Steak?" She smiled, although Mac could still sense the sadness that echoed through it. "Do you know how much steak a 500 pound tiger can eat, Mac?" They both laughed at her attempt at humour, but it died swiftly as Mac ran the footage. Ilehana watched the video through three times, before shaking her head. "You've got me there. I've never seen anything like it."
By mutual consent, the two of them headed down to the lab where Hawkes was working on analysing the water from the autopsy table. Mac introduced Ilehana to him, only stating that she was now working alongside them on the case. Hawkes, never questioning his boss or their guest, was quick enough to show them the chemical formula for the substance that Hawkes and Sid assumed would have been in the victim's blood stream. Ilehana stared at it for a few moments, only asking what concentration Hawkes estimated the substance had been when it was injected.
"I think it was diluted to 25% based on the vic's height and weight. There was nothing in the syringe to confirm against." Hawkes replied, impressed. She nodded, thanked Hawkes and then glanced meaningfully at Mac, who took her arm and steered her into the corridor towards his office.
"I've seen that chemical formula before." She admitted. "A couple of years ago a friend of the family tried to create a 'cure' of sorts for his mutation... His natural strength and the... peculiarity... of his feet made him wish for a more 'normal' appearance. Only when he tried it out on himself, it pushed his mutation into over drive. He's now blue and furry, and still has strange feet. I'm guessing Robert Kelly is what happens when you give the stuff to a human in enough quantity." She sighed. "I need to call my father."
"There's no doubt that it was Mystique and Toad who attacked Robert Kelly. The two of them together suggests they're working for Magneto. They've got Hank's 'cure', Dad. They injected so much into Kelly that he... changed into primordial soup." Ilehana wasn't sure how to phrase it, nothing did it justice. Her phone was sat on loudspeaker on Mac's desk, although silence followed her words. "Have you heard from Hank lately?"
"Not since last week. I'll have Storm call him. He was supposed to be attending a symposium on mutation this week using the image enhancer he created."
"Device that changes what the eye sees so people like Hank can go undetected amongst humans." Ilehana explained quickly. "It's a risk, Dad, if it gets damaged..."
"Hank knows what he's doing, Ilehana. Besides, you wanted to run some field tests..."
Ilehana acknowledged these words with a nod and a wry smile. She shook her head roughly as if to clear it and brought the subject back to its heart with an impatient growl. "None of this explains why they attacked Kelly." She frowned heavily as she thought it through. "What was the point? Why go out of their way to find, modify and inject him with the mutation enhancer, why not something simpler but just as lethal?"
"I think I can help there." Professor Xavier assured her. "I've been speaking to a friend of mine that works closely with the President himself. It turns out that Robert Kelly was working on a project below the general radar. He was lobbying for the registration and incarceration of all mutants, claiming we are a danger to the general public."
"Presumably because it was mutants that killed his son." Mac intervened before Ilehana could vent her anger verbally, and did he note a touch of despair? "You're thinking they didn't mean to kill Kelly? That they wanted to... make him a mutant?"
"That would be my interpretation, Detective Taylor. I think they underestimated the chemical's potency. I suspect the wanted to make Robert Kelly into something he despised."
"As punishment? Or do you think they were hoping that Kelly would suddenly see things from a mutant's perspective and start rallying for their cause? Either way it's insane!"
Ilehana had risen to walk by one of the windows. She stared out over the New York skyline, frustrated beyond words. She had accepted the role in her father's world many years ago, spent considerable time away from her family home watching mutants that worked for Magneto, had fought alongside other mutants in her father's team to prevent the Brotherhood of Mutants from starting their war. Ilehana stood to inherit not only her father's fortune and the mansion that was home to countless mutants who had learned – as she had – that their mutations were gifts, not curses, but also the legacy of the X-Men. But the one thing she had never been able to understand was why Magneto and his cronies insisted on causing trouble and trying to start a war. She closed her eyes, fought to get her emotions under control and re-opened them with a sigh.
"This is why we choose not to reveal ourselves to humans unless we have to. In most cases, they freak out. Although, you're doing better with this all the time." This time the statement was made with a twinge of humour.
"I keep thinking I'll wake up at any moment." Mac responded wryly.
"No such luck." Was the dry response. "Do you think they'll try this again, Dad?"
"There are other targets rallying for Kelly's cause." Professor Xavier admitted somewhat reluctantly. "It is fair to say that they are likely to hit them next."
"Who?" Mac asked quickly, grabbing a pen out of the drawer on his desk.
"You can't protect them, Mac. That's our job." Ilehana turned to face him. "Your men and their weapons are all but useless against our kind. Let us handle it."
Mac scowled as he tried to understand what she was suggesting. He, too, was wrangling with the idea of these mutants starting a war. It seemed to him as if the X-Men, as they called themselves were little better than vigilante warriors fighting for their own cause. And now they were planning on using his team and resources to track down the people – mutants, whoever – responsible for the murder of Senator Robert Kelly, so they could carry out their own vigilante justice right under his nose?
"Don't look on it as vigilante justice, Mac." Ilehana sighed, though he could hear her resentment in the hint of a growl that edged her words. "Consider it... playing to our strengths. We aren't interested in justice, per se, we're interested in preventing the loss of any more lives. If I thought we could hold them, I would gladly bring Magneto, Mystique and the rest in for you to incarcerate, but a prison that could hold these people has yet to be built."
"Nevertheless, I cannot condone what it is you want to do here." Mac wasn't comforted by her words.
"Then don't condone it, Detective." Ilehana spat his title as if it left a bad taste in her mouth, her blue-grey eyes flashing with sudden anger. "If you and your people meet Magneto's men, you will die. Simple as. He and his followers will crush you with as much compassion as if you were cockroaches. However, if you wish to pursue your own justice then so be it. I will not be held accountable for you or the lives you will lose."
Silence followed this outburst that escaped Ilehana's normally tight controls. She glared straight into Mac's eyes, her own blue-grey ones flashing sapphire with her wrath. He looked away, couldn't stomach the intensity of that angry gaze, didn't know what to say or think, unsure whether either was safe. She turned away, arms crossing tightly across her chest, and Mac sensed that he had truly offended her.
"Not for nothing do they call my daughter the Vixen." Professor Xavier murmured apologetically through the phone. He knew, through the access to his daughters mind, that she was willing to walk away, wipe Mac's mind and look elsewhere for help. So stubborn, his daughter. "However, Detective, she has a valid point. Your guns and weapons will be useless against Magneto's power. We are grateful for your help, but the time has come for my team to take action. If you can provide any assistance in locating Magneto's team, I – that is we – would be forever in your debt."
A moment's pause followed whilst Mac considered the words of both Xavier's. He had to admit that while he had little choice in accepting their words as truth, a part of him would miss the hunt and the catch of the criminals on this case. He was so used to being a part of the team who brought a killer to justice. If he agreed to this, he would miss out on that part of the job. Whatever he said next would give them their answer, so it was with a heavy heart that he suggested "We could try tracking their cell phones, if they have them."
"My daughter can provide you with the details." Professor X responded gratefully, giving his daughter a mental nudge. Still angry, she hung up the phone and found the necessary information.