Chapter 6: Run Like the Wind
Something is off. Pietro feels different today but he doesn't know why. It's like a twitch in his body. He doesn't share this sensation with anyone although various students ask why he is acting all nervous. During a basketball game in PE, the source is revealed. Pietro catches the ball and seconds later, he has scored, even though he was at the far end of the court. "What happened?" "You're cheating." "Pietro, did you just teleport?" a friend asks, completely in awe. "I don't know, I just dribbled down the court." "No, you did not. We couldn't see you." The teacher declares that the shot counts, but changes his mind after fierce opposition of the other students.
Charles has just spoken to Pietro. His powers have shown themselves. "It will be very strange at first, but you'll get used to it soon enough. In the meantime, it will be a quite a remarkable journey to get to know your strengths and push your boundaries." He has advised him to not go overboard. No need to show off and run across the state line, for instance.
Pietro is delighted. This is exactly what he needs. It's the perfect skill. He could be in and out of here in seconds. He could get away with all sorts. This brings him so much closer to his ultimate goal. He wouldn't need to figure out a way to escape the school grounds and be away for days; he could do all this in one night and be back before breakfast. He will need a few days to plan his actions, and then: show time. Time for him to show up and for nurse Lovely —actually Dr. Lovely; she had gotten the opportunity to continue her studies— to put on a show. She could tell him all she knew before he'd put an end to it.
Dr. Lovely wasn't looking forward to her appointment later this evening. The appointment was planned after regular office hours and it was with a mutant. Two unpleasant things combined. She had met Hank McCoy before; he was beastly. He was far too radical for her taste; he would definitely oppose the idea of tracking mutants and keeping tabs on them from birth to grave. If it was up to her all these mutants would find an early grave; it would solve so many problems. She doesn't consider the ramifications for her own line of work.
"Charles, wake up, Charles!" "What, what's going on?" "One of the students is missing. A roommate came to tell me." "Who is it?" "You're not going to be happy about it." "Just tell me, will you!" "It's Pietro. He must have left after lights out and with his gift… He could be anywhere." "We'll use Cerebro." "Do you think he went to meet his dad?" "I guess so. It is the most likely explanation."
"Remember me?" A young teenage boy has just tied her onto her chair and is smirking malevolently. "Perhaps this will help." Pietro runs a few circles through her office, almost causing a small cyclone. It stirs something deep inside her memory. "No? Not a clue?" "I, I, It reminds me of something… vaguely.. but I'm not sure.. Why are you doing this? Who are you?" She tries to wriggle out of her restraints. "You were expecting someone else, weren't you? I took the liberty of using his email." "So you know him?" "He's my teacher, but it has nothing to do with him. I'm here because of you."
"How will you convince him to come back?" "Do you think I should?" "Of course, running around with the Brotherhood isn't good for him. He needs to be in school." "Many people would say a child belongs to their family, that a son should be with his father." "You know just as well as I do that if Pietro stays, well, he'd be lost to, to them." "It might be where he belongs, where he wants to belong." "I can't believe you're really that indifferent to the situation." "I'm not, but I'm not optimistic about him coming back either. I think Pietro might have been waiting for this opportunity." "You suspected this? Why didn't you say anything?" "I didn't, but in hindsight…" "Yes, yes." Hank suddenly remembers. "You go on ahead, I have to check something."
"I didn't kill your mother and sister! How can you accuse me of something like that?" Dr. Lovely shrieks. "Oh no? Then why did they die a few days later? After you had so conveniently disappeared?" "Look, you're right about the other thing. I took the blood and brought it to a superior for examination. We wanted to uncover the mystery that is the x-gene and I not ashamed of it. It is a very noble goal, trying to save humanity from those…" "from the likes of me." "I would never kill someone, and in such a horrible way. You have to believe me! I wouldn't kill children, how can you even think that! Not when I can't…" "Not even nasty little mutant children?"
"And?" "Nothing, I thought someone had been into the lab a few days ago, but couldn't find anything and I still can't." "We'll know soon enough what his location is. Perhaps it will provide us with some answers." Both of them are lost in their own thoughts as they enter the room of Cerebro. Charles wonders if he will be able to persuade the boy to come back and if he, in fact, should. Does he have the right to interfere? Shouldn't he be ashamed of keeping his roots from this boy for so long, and is he, maybe, responsible for his departure?
Whether it is fate or coincidence, a few minutes later Magneto, Mystique and their entourage are entering the same facility. Time to release the mutants taken hostage there. As they are searching the rooms, Magneto aims towards the files, and Mystique sweeps the various offices. Most of the building is empty, since most of the employees have gone home for the night; an office near the end of the hallway however, is alight. "Prepare for a surprise," Mystique laughs quietly.