Ch.2
"When an individual acquires great power, the use or misuse of that power is everything. Will it be used for the greater good? Or will it be used for personal or for destructive ends? Now, this is a question we must all ask ourselves. Why? Because we are mutants. For psychic's, this presents a particular problem. When is it acceptable to use our power and when do we cross that invisible line that turns us into tyrants over our fellow man?" Charles said to his class.
"But Einstein said that ethics are an exclusive human concern, without any superhuman authority behind it." Kitty said, speaking up. Charles shook his head. "Einstein wasn't a mutant, as far as we know."
The class laughed. Charles smiled and pointed to the TV next to him. "Now, this case study was sent to me by a colleague, Dr. Moria MacTaggert. Jones." Charles said. Jones blinked and the TV came on.
A woman in a doctor's coat was standing in front of a man in a hospital bed. "The man you see here was born with no high level brain functions. His organs and nervous system work, but he has no consciousness to speak of."
The tape paused.
Charles looked to the class. "Now, what if we were to transfer the consciousness of one person, say, a father of four with terminal cancer into the body of this man? How are we to decide what falls within the range of ethical behavior in what…" Charles suddenly stopped.
Outside, dark clouds were rolling in.
All the kid's were confused.
"Professor?" Jones asked. There was a pause before he answered.
"We'll continue this tomorrow. Class dismissed." The Professor announced.
Charles wheeled off, and found Storm gazing at the darkening sky, blankly.
"The forecast was for sunny skies." Charles said. Storm whipped around, surprised.
"Oh, I'm sorry." She said, and her eyes clouded over and the clouds went away.
Charles wheeled forward some. "I don't have to be psychic to see that something's bothering you."
The two adults started to venture the hallways.
"I don't understand. Magneto's a fugitive, we have a mutant in the cabinet, a president who understands us. Why are we still hiding?" Storm asked.
"We're not hiding. We still have enemies out there and I must protect my students. You know that." Charles answered.
Storm sighed. "Yes, but we can't be students forever."
Charles laughed. "Storm, I haven't thought of you as my student for years. In fact, I thought that, perhaps, you might take my place someday."
Storm looked at Professor in shock, as they stopped.
"But Scott's-"
"Scott's a changed man. He took Jean's death so hard. Yes, things are better out there, but you, of all people, know how fast the weather can change." Charles said.
"There's something you're not telling us." Storm said.
Charles didn't answer, but strolled away, with Storm following.
Hank was in Charles's office, studying a picture, when Storm and the Professor entered.
"Hank?" Storm asked.
Hank faced them. "Ororo, Charles!" Hank greeted.
Charles laughed, as Hank and Storm embraced.
"I love what you've done with your hair!" Storm commented.
"You too." Hank said, and faced Charles.
"Thank you for seeing me on such short notice." He said as they shook hands.
Charles leaned back. "Henry, you are always welcome here. You're a part of this place."
"I have news." Hank announced.
"Is it Eric?" Charles asked.
Hank shook his head. "No, but we have been making progress on that front. Mystique was recently apprehended."
"Who's the fur ball?" Logan asked in the doorway. Everyone turned to him.
"Hank McCoy, Secretary of Mutant Affairs." The blue mutant answered.
Logan started to walk in. "Right, right, the secretary. Nice suit."
(If I were Charles, I would have sighed.)
"Henry, this is Logan. He's-"
"Wolverine. I hear you're quite an animal." Hank said, slightly cutting off Charles.
"Look who's talking." Logan commented, slightly offending Hank. Before a fight could break out, Storm spoke. "You know Magneto's going to come get Mystique, right?"
"Magneto's not the problem. At least, not our most pressing one. A major pharmacy company has developed a mutant anti-body, a way to suppress a mutant's X gene." Hank informed.
"Suppress?" Logan asked.
Hank looked at him, sadly. "Permanently. They're calling it a Cure."
Everyone shared a worried look.
"Well that's ridiculous. You can't cure being a mutant." Storm said.
"Well, scientifically speaking…" Hank trailed off.
"Since when did we become a disease? How can anybody in their right mind-"
"Storm."
Everyone looked to Charles. "They're announcing it now."
The adults quickly turned on the TV, and put it on the news, where Warren Worthington II was speaking.
Alcatraz Island
"These so called mutants are people, just like us. Their affliction is nothing more than a disease, a corruption of healthy cellular activity. But I stand here today to tell you that there's hope. At this site was the world's most famous prison. Well now it will be a source of freedom, for all mutants who chose it. Ladies and gentlemen, I proudly present the answer to mutation. Finally, we have a cure." Worthington said, and held up a syringe, while everyone clapped.
Institute
"Who would want this cure? I mean, what kind of coward would take it, just to fit in?" Storm questioned.
"Is it cowardness to save one's self from persecution? Not all of us can fit in so easily. You don't shed on the furniture." Hank said.
"Well, for all we know, the government helped cook this up." Logan said. Hank sat back to look at Logan.
"I can assure you, the government had nothing to do with this." He said.
"Well I've heard that before." Logan said sarcastically.
"My boy, I have been fighting for mutant rights before you had claws." Hank said.
Logan looked at Charles, and pointed to Hank. "Did he just call me 'boy'?"
Rogue sprinted in. "Is it true? They can cure us?"
"Yes, Rogue. It appears to be true." Charles said. Logan looked at her, understandingly.
Storm stood up. "No, Professor. They can't cure us."
Storm walked to Rogue. "Wanna know why? Because there's nothing to cure. Nothing's wrong with you, or any of us for that matter."
Church in Boston
"How should we, as mutants, respond? Here's what I think; this is about getting organized, bring our complaints to the right people. We need to put together a committee and talk to the government." The Theatre Organizer, who I'm going to call Bill, said. People started to shout their complaints, ideas, and agreements.
"They don't understand. They don't know what it means to be a mutant. We need to show them, educate them, let them know we're here to stay. People, you must listen. They won't take us seriously." Bill said, and was cut off by a girl named Psylocke.
"They want to exterminate us!" She yelled.
"This cure is voluntary! Nobody's talking about extermination!" Bill threw back.
"No one ever talks about. They just do it." Magneto said, and got up. He headed for the stage, with Pyro behind him. "And you go on with your lives, ignoring the signs all around you, and then, one day, when the air is still, and the night has fallen, they come for you." He said, and stepped on stage.
"Excuse me-" Bill started, but Magneto cut him off. "It's only that you realize, while you were talking about organizing and committees, the extermination has already begun. Make no mistake, my brothers. They will draw first blood. They will force their cure upon us. The only question is, will you join my brotherhood and fight? Or wait for the inevitable genocide? Who will you stand with - the humans… or us?"
Magneto walked off stage with Pyro behind him, and they headed for the exit.
"You talk pretty tough for a guy in a cape." An Asian guy named Quill said. Pyro turned to him, and ignited a flame with a new device around his wrists that gives him an endless supply of fire.
"Back off." He said, and the flame extinguished.
"So proud of being a mutant, where's your mark?" A girl named Callisto, with her friends Psylocke and Arclight by her side.
Magneto stepped forward. "I have been marked once, my dear, and let me assure you," Magneto pulled up his sleeve to reveal the numbers. "No needle shall ever touch my skin again."
"You know who you're talking to?" Pyro questioned.
Dozens of spikes appeared out of Quill's skin. "Do you?"
Pyro chuckled.
"And what can you do?" Magneto asked Callisto. She then ran to the back of the church and back in two seconds.
Magneto smiled. "Hmm, so you have talents."
Callisto got near him. "That and more. I know you control metal, and I know there are eighty-seven mutants in here, and none of them are above Class 3. Other than you two."
Magneto caught on. "You can sense other mutants and their powers."
Callisto nodded. Magneto bent down to her ear. "Can you detect one for me?"
On the Road/Time Skip…
A semi was driving down the road with two cops in front of him, and two in the back of him. In it were three cells and two guards.
"Let me out of here! I demand that you release me! Do you know who I am? I'm the president of the United States!" Mystique, as MacArthur, said.
"Oh, Mr. President… Shut up!" The guard, Dixon, said.
He turned around and was met with a little girl's voice.
"Why are you doing this to me? Let me down! I'll be a good girl! Please let me go! Please!"
Dixon turned around to find a little girl where the MacArthur was a minute ago, crying.
Dixon held up a can of pepper spray. "Keep it up. I'll spray you in the face, fool."
The girl suddenly smiled. "When I get out of here, I'm going to kill you myself."
Dixon chuckled. "Yeah, right."
He headed down the hall again, and Mystique transformed back.
Alcatraz Island
A helicopter landed on the helipad. Dr. Kavita Rao walked out to meet Hank, who got out of the helicopter, and shook hands with her.
"Secretary McCoy, welcome to Worthington Labs." She said.
"Thank you, Dr. Rao. This isn't an easy place to get to." Hank commented.
"It's the safest location we could find. That's why we keep the source of the Cure here." Rao explained.
The two walked inside, and begun to walk through the white halls.
"He is a mutant. You understand our concern." Hank said, talking about the source.
Rao looked at him as they walked. "We are in full compliance with your department's policy, Secretary."
"How long will you keep the boy here?" Hank asked.
"Until we can fully map his DNA. We can replicate it, but we can't generate it." Rao answered, as they walked up to a door.
"And his power? What is it's range?" Hank asked.
Rao opened the door, and they walked in. "You'll see. Jimmy, there is someone I would like you to meet."
A bald boy turned around from his game and looked at the two. This was Jimmy A.K.A. Leech.
"Hello there, son." Hank said, walking forward.
"Hi." Jimmy greeted plainly.
"My name is Hank McCoy." Hank said, and stuck out his hand to shake. His hand turned to a nice, healthy tan from it's original blue. Hank looked at it surprised.
"I'm sorry." Jimmy said.
"It's OK." Hank said, still looking at it. There was a pause before Hank spoke again. "You have an amazing gift. Thank you, Jimmy."
The boy in question nodded and went back to his game.
Hank turned around also, and watched as his hand turned blue again.
"Extraordinary, isn't it?" Rao said.
"Yes, it is." Hank said, and they left, the door closing, and leaving Jimmy in the room.
Well, that was a boring chapter.
Kadzait: Why don't you just upload all the chapters up until Danny comes in?
Eh. I need time to edit that crap and I need to get Young Justice done. UHHHHH.
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