Chapter 13: Confrontations
He had found him. He had finally found him! In a small town by the coast. Quicksilver had been running on the beach and he had seen someone in the distance. Something about his demeanor caught his eye. The man had long hair and a beard, but it was really him. His first instinct was to grab him right there on the spot, but he decided against it. Too many witnesses.
Back with the Brotherhood he was about to tell them, when he stopped himself. Why grant his father the privilege? It should be his turn. This man had taken him, and his father already had a chance in the cellar. Perhaps he should tell Mystique but surely she would enlighten Magneto. Quicksilver believes this should be his moment. His great moment.
"I think I should get even with Charles for his betrayal." Magneto's focus had slightly altered. Here had been his chance, his first chance ever to kill this man, and he had taken it away, just like that. Chosen the side of this human, this ruthless killer. Charles should know better than to stand in his way. "You're not considering anything too drastic, are you?" Mystique is a little worried. "Still your brother, you mean?" He laughs unpleasantly. His behavior towards her had changed since their short conversation. Mystique can't believe it. He doesn't want her, but he doesn't want her to want anyone else either. The arrogance.
"Just a little reminder that he should stay out of my business." "What do you have in mind?" "I'd sit this one out if I were you…" He had been slightly hurt by her questions. Mystique's worship of him had long gone, but he certainly did not want to lose her. Food for thought, she had said. He takes it as a silent reminder that even his most trusted lieutenant could flip alliances. Not that she had mentioned anything even slightly resembling that.
He goes out alone. With eyes and ears everywhere Magneto had heard of Charles' monthly visits to local chess club. Apparently he won quite often. He'd go on his own. Have a few moments to himself without all the troubles of the school. Be nothing but a chess player. Magneto wonders if he should grab him before or after the games. They might get suspicious if he doesn't show, but afterwards the X-men would be up and running in no time.
Charles is wheeling through the dark park to the building where the games are held. He always comes early so he can enjoy the silence of the beautiful nature. It's a very peaceful park and either sooths or cheers him whenever he enters it. If he wasn't a scientific man he might call it magic. Tonight is no different. The colors of the flowers, the smell of summer. The sound of… twisted metal?
Before he knows it, Charles is tied to his chair, tightly.. and hanging in a tree, way up high. His chair is bound to it and in the tree opposite him, a familiar figure is laughing softly. "Hello Charles. An unexpected surprise, isn't it?" "I could call out and people would come running." "A few elderly chess players? I think I can handle them. You wouldn't want to shock them into heart attacks, now would you?" "What do you want, Erik?" "Just a little chat, nothing more. It's time for us to establish some boundaries, don't you think?" "I don't know what you mean." "Well, for one, you could not get in my way when I'm eliminating unwanted…" "It's about my little trick then?" His eyes darken. "I wouldn't call it a trick, more like an interfering intervention. One you had no right to!" "Look, Erik, I wanted to protect Pietro from this kind of violence. From violence as the only answer to everything." "His name is Quicksilver now, and he is not your son to shape." "You left him in my care easily enough." "It was far from easy, I can assure you. Your sister convinced me. Come to think of it…. She tricked me into it. You might as well be genuinely related." "Raven told you to?" "No one tells me to do anything. She suggested it and as she determined the route we were taking, we suddenly ended up very nearby…" Charles can't help but smile. That sounded just like her.
Quicksilver is standing outside the man's house. In just a few more minutes, he will leave his house and buy some fish for his evening meal. On his way back, he will walk across the beach, and as it is quite rainy, there won't be many others present. He'd been stalking the man for a few days now, to get to know his routine. Tonight it will happen. Joy is rising in his chest. It will be his grand moment, the one he'd been waiting for ever since the memories returned. The longing for this particular day had grown even stronger after the Professor had saved him —and saved this blasted man as well.
"I'll need you to make up for your mistake," Magneto continues, "to track him down and let me finish my work." "You know full well that I will not." "Alright, perhaps you need a bit of an incentive…." His wheelchair is wrapped even tighter around him and the pressure on his chest increases. "Or should I get that nice lady over there, I could use her hearing aid, drive it into her skull perhaps? Or that other woman, her earrings contain enough metal to wrap around her neck and snap it…" "I'd need Cerebro." "Really? I suppose you're right. Even the great Charles can't do everything… Glad to see my suggestions made you change your mind. Your soft spot for these people will be your downfall…" "You might want to loosen these chains, Erik, I do need to catch my breath!" "Very well, it's hard to resist a man so adamant."
A minute later, both of them are safely on the ground. Charles' wheelchair looks good as new. "I think you may have just fixed this shrill squealing wheel." "Glad to be of service." "How about a game of chess? Surely, you have time for that?" His eyes narrow. "And in the meantime you tell him to run away and prepare your troops? I don't think so!" "You have my word. I need Cerebro and I could murder, maybe not a good choice of words, a decent opponent." "For old time's sake, you mean?" "I have to warn you though, I've improved greatly. So if you don't accept the challenge, well, I'll just have to assume you're not up for it." "It has been a while since I've played a game that needed more than half my brain.."