Chapter 5 – Kurt of the Mall
Author's note – Thanks for the reviews, I'm glad you're enjoying reading this as much as I'm enjoying writing it. As requested, here is the next chapter. Enjoy!
Kurt stared down at the American dollars in his disguised hands, examining them with the care and attention of one who had never seen that type of money before. It was Saturday morning, and Kurt had wanted to go and change his money into local currency, and then buy supplies for school on Monday. Perfectly normal activities for a perfectly normal teenager. Except…he was not normal, and no amount of hiding his true form with fancy watches and holograms would ever be able to change that. And now he also had to worry about a huge robot made by mutants who desperately wanted to change the world order, so that mutants were the ones who were in charge. Kurt sighed quietly to himself, and looked down at his coffee, which he stirred absently. He had wanted to try doing normal teenage things, to show the world that he really was normal. So, he had come along to this mall, where he had changed his money into American dollars. The lady at the cash desk had not even given him a second glance; it was clear that he was just another European, come over here and wanting local currency, just like the countless other foreigners that she had no doubt dealt with before. But this whole thing is a lie, Kurt thought to himself, as he looked up and saw his disguised reflection in a mirror opposite where he was sitting. It still felt weird to see that familiar yet strange reflection staring back at him, with blue rather than yellow eyes.
After he had changed his currency, Kurt had decided to look in a stationary shop for supplies for school. He had not been sure exactly what he would need, but in the end had decided that he would buy a notebook, since that was bound to come in useful. And then he had found a recent dictionary, which had a list of idiomatic expressions at the front, so he had thought that that would also be useful, since, although he was practically fluent at English, the language did change quickly; besides, he had wanted to check to find out what 'five fingered discount' meant. It apparently meant exactly what he had expected – to steal, especially small items from a shop or other retail outlet. He flicked through it idly as he took another sip of his expensive coffee.
Kurt did not actually like coffee very much, but it did help him to stay awake, and he had had very little sleep the night before, in a strange bed, in a strange house, surrounded by strange people in a strange and foreign country. Besides, he was still thinking about everything that had happened yesterday, and worrying about what to do about it all. He absently looked around at the people in the coffee shop and outside in the rest of the mall. No one seemed to be paying him much attention, so it was clear that they did not suspect that he was hiding his true mutant form by the fancy image that was created by his new watch. There were a couple of people playing chess in the corner of the coffee shop, but no one who worked in that shop seemed to mind, since the players kept ordering expensive coffees every ten minutes or so. Kurt stared at their game for a long moment. He knew how to play chess, but was not very good at it, having only played the game maybe five or six times. He liked the knight, because it reminded him of himself a bit – a powerful piece that could materialise behind enemy lines, jumping over obstacles to arrive at the intended destination. Kurt took another sip of his coffee. Unfortunately, he did not feel very much like a knight right now. Oh, he could teleport down into the underground chamber where the giant robot was located, that was easily enough for him to do, but what exactly was he supposed to do when he actually got down there? Say 'hello Mister Robot, please don't kill people?' he could just imagine how well that would work out. No, he felt more like one of the pawns, a small, almost completely powerless piece, that was essentially being ordered around by those much more powerful than itself. Still, the pawns were plucky little fellows, always going forward into enemy territory, even though this often proved to be fatal; and occasionally, if they made it all the way across the board, then they could be promoted to one of the most powerful pieces in the entire game. So perhaps I do just have to be patient right now, Kurt thought to himself, as I am essentially making my way across the board, binding my time until my true ability is finally revealed.
Kurt took another sip of his coffee, and began to relax. There was also another reason why he wanted to explore around the area. He could only teleport to areas that he had actually been to before, so it made sense to 'scout out the territory' as a Native American might say, to increase the number of places that he could teleport to if there was trouble. Of course, he could always teleport to the Brotherhood Boarding House, but it was quite possible – even quite likely from what he had observed of the other occupants there – that the trouble that he wanted to get away from would actually be there. Besides, it never hurt to have other potential places where he could quite literally vanish to, when he needed to get away from problems.
Of course, arriving in a cloud of foul smelling smoke in the middle of a busy mall could cause all sorts of trouble later, but – and here he looked down at the page of idiomatic expressions in his dictionary and grinned slightly – any port in a storm. Although it was probably a good idea to try to scout out a quieter area, a place where he could teleport to without having anyone else around asking awkward questions, and no security cameras. He decided that he would do that once he had finished his coffee.
He took another sip, and watched as people made their way across the mall, going in and out of shops, and chatting to each other. I wonder how many of them are mutants, Kurt thought to himself. If Magneto is right, then about one in ten people is a mutant, meaning that there almost certainly are quite a large number of mutants here. I wonder if any of these other mutants have to disguise their true form in order to go out and do normal things in public, the way I have to. From the little he knew about mutants, most seemed to at least look human; his own mutation was unusual, which was exactly why he had to disguise it. It still seemed like a lie though.
And talking about lies, Magneto had brought his papers round first thing this morning, had given him his passport and other documentations, which Kurt had gratefully accepted. He had looked through them, and they seemed official enough. There was a photo in his passport, showing him – in his disguised human form – next to a page which declared that he was Kurt Wagner, born on the Eleventh of November, in Bavaria, Germany, and a legal member of the European Union. Well, so that was the actual date of his birth, was it? Kurt had often wondered. His parents – his real parents back in Germany – had always celebrated his birthday on the Fifteenth of November, when they had adopted him. Kurt had once asked them why they celebrated his birthday on that day, rather than his Adoption day. They had replied that it was because it was a more generalised term, even if it was not necessarily accurate, in much the same way that they celebrated his youngest sister's birthday in July, even though she had entered this world by a Caesarean section, and so had, technically, never been born.
Kurt carefully examined the papers in his hands. There was no doubt that the documents would prove to be useful if he did have to prove his identity to someone, but there was still the nagging thought that they were in some ways a lie, that he was in some ways being complicit in the crime of fraud. Which really was not fair, as he had simply done everything that all of the adults - who doubtlessly had more power and influence than he had - had told him to do, however much he had not liked being ordered away from everything and everyone that he had ever known and loved. But he doubted that the American authorities would care about that very much if he was found out. Ideally, they would simply send him back to Germany, but there was still the nagging thought that they might not be so understanding, might want to make an example of him, a foreigner abroad, and therefore clearly a threat to American security, or something similar. And there was the worrying thought that they still had the death penalty in America…it was just possible that they, having discovered his true form, would want to make an example of him, of the threat that mutants, especially foreign mutants, were to America, and he would end up as a stuffed throw rug on some mutant hating American's dining room floor.
Of course, I'm probably being paranoid, Kurt thought to himself; I've seen far too many movies, where the criminals come to unpleasant ends. And talking about criminals, was not that the rest of the Brotherhood, just opposite his coffee shop, walking out of a jewellery shop, just as the alarm bells started to ring? Kurt shook his head, and took another sip of his coffee. So they had decided to go through with their plans anyway, even though Kurt had told them quite clearly that he wanted nothing to do with what they were planning. And now they were being followed by maybe half a dozen other teenagers, and one of those teenagers had tackled Toad to the ground. Wait a minute, did not one of those teenagers just walk through a wall? Kurt narrowed his eyes, and then looked down at his cup of coffee sceptically. Maybe there was something strange in American coffee that made people see things? Or maybe he was just tired, and had just imagined her walking through a wall. A small crowd of people had begun to gather around the teenagers now, anyway, clearly interested in the excitement, and the chance for a bit of free entertainment. And here came the police, who were now talking to the captured Brotherhood members. They were not exactly happy, and seemed to be speaking sternly towards them, although Kurt could not hear what they were saying. They seemed to let them off with a warning, and, doubtlessly, a clear indication that if they were ever caught again, they would not be nearly so lenient with them. Well, that could have been much worse, Kurt thought to himself. Honestly, is it really worth getting a criminal record for the sake of a gold watch that they probably did not really want anyway? Now, if it was for something that was important, such as stopping a giant robot from killing a load of people, then maybe, just maybe, it would be worth it. Kurt shuddered at the very thought of getting in trouble with the American police authorities. What if they wanted to take his finger-prints? He looked down at his disguised hands. Well, that would cause all sorts of problems, would quite likely lead to him revealing his true mutant identity. Of course, as always, his ability to teleport could allow him to get away from immediate danger, but sooner or there might be a time when he could not teleport, and would just have to deal with the problems that were in front of him.
And talking about problems that were in front of him, it looked like a load of the Human Defence League obsessives had started to gather outside the jewellers where the excitement had so recently happened, and were pointing to the other Brotherhood boys, claiming that it was clear that mutants were criminals, since a load of mutants had just been caught by the police in attempted theft. Kurt rolled his eyes. They are not criminals because they are mutants, you idiots, he thought to himself, they are criminals because they are a bunch of bullies and thieves who don't seem to realise that what they are doing is just – and here he looked down at his list of idiomatic expressions – adding fuel to the HDL's fire. Why don't people think more?
Fortunately, most people were just ignoring the Human Defence League, clearly too busy going about their daily activities to be bothered with obsessives shouting about the value of their cause. A few teenagers giggled and pointed towards them, and others just rolled their eyes and shook their heads. But there were a few who stopped and listened. These people looked like they were thinking, and listening intently. These people seemed sceptical, but also seemed to think that the HDL did have a point. If someone could walk through walls, what was to stop this person from going where they were not supposed to go, and causing all sorts of trouble because of this? After all, there was usually a very good reason why certain places were not available to the general public, and, really, did the mutants have anything to worry about, anyway, as long as they continued to obey the law?
The innocent have nothing to fear, is that it? thought Kurt. Well, I seem to remember reading a rather sarcastic Englishman writing that the innocent have plenty to fear, mostly from the guilty, but in the long term also from those who claim that the innocent have nothing to fear. Sometimes the English were really good at expressing succinctly exactly the way Kurt felt about society.
But more and more people had started to stop and listen to what the HDL were saying. Granted, some were probably doing this just for cheap laughs, but more and more of them seemed to be of the thoughtful type, the type who realised that these people might well be raving on…but who nevertheless considered that they were making a valid point. Well done, Brotherhood boys, Kurt thought to himself sarcastically, you've just given these fanatics the fuel they need to demonstrate why what they are saying is so important. And the worst thing is, they are not entirely wrong…
"You are not entirely wrong," the words came, clear and loud, from a man in a wheelchair who was just rolling up to where the HDL members were ranting on about the dangers that mutants posed to society. Silence gradually fell as he rolled closer, accompanied by an attractive white-haired woman and a muscular man who looked like he was some sort of bodyguard. Kurt leaned closer to get a better look at the man in the wheelchair. Yes, it was the same one as had been at the Xavier Mansion yesterday, the one who had been talking to Magneto. Kurt did not entirely trust him, but certainly wanted to listen to what he had to say.
"You are not entirely inaccurate in your assessment that mutants can be a danger to society at large," the man in the wheelchair spoke calmly, but with a demeanour of authority that seemed to demand instantaneous attention and respect. He looked from one member of the HDL to another, in turn, "however, I feel that you have exaggerated the threat that mutants pose to others. It is true, some of us mutants do have powers that are potentially dangerous, however, we work to ensure that they are able to control those powers, that they do not abuse them, and, if they so wish, to use those powers to defend those that are less able to defend themselves."
"You admit it yourself," one the HDL members yelled, pointing down at him, "you said it yourself, mutants are a danger."
"Almost anything can be a danger," he replied calmly, "getting out of bed in the morning can be dangerous, going down the stairs can be dangerous, as can crossing the street. You are far more likely to be run over in traffic on your way about town, than you are to be killed by a mutant. I just wish for you to get the danger that mutants pose to be considered in perspective. However, as you so rightly point out, mutants are a potential danger, and a danger that my organisation is trying to minimise as much as possible. Yet there are those with psychopathic tendencies amongst groups of mutants, just as there are, doubtlessly, groups with such tendencies amongst those that lack mutant abilities, probably some of which are currently within this mall complex." At this comment, many of the people present started to look around themselves nervously. He continued, "Which is another reason why my group of mutants wish to ensure that law abiding mutants are able to use their powers to ensure that those who do not respect the law – mutant and non-mutant alike – will be dealt with in the appropriate manner, by the appropriate authorities, as was the case not ten minutes ago in the jewellery store opposite us."
There was a low murmuring in the crowd, general nods of approval, and a few people started to wander away from the group, since it was clear that there would not be excitement and bloodshed in the near future. The man in the wheelchair nodded to the HDL members once more, "As I said before, you are not entirely wrong," he said, "but you would be better to target your energies and enthusiasm against only those mutants who have clearly a disregard for the law, rather than the mutant population in general. If you would like to discuss this issue further, my details are available on this card," and here he handed one of the slightly stunned-looking HDL members a small piece of stiff paper, "and we can discuss any fears or issues that you might have in a civilised and adult manner. Now, if you will excuse me, I would like to go on with my day, as I do have a very busy schedule that I really need to attend to."
Without another word, he rolled off. The HDL members just watched him go, still staring after him as though completely unsure of what to do for the best. Kurt laughed out loud. Right, he might not entirely trust that man, but if he could leave those Human Defence League obsessives in stunned silence, then he was certainly a person worth talking to. Kurt quickly finished his coffee, left a generous tip on his table, and went to follow him, but by that point the man in the wheelchair, and his two companions, had vanished into the crowded mall.