X-Men: Raising the Bar

[CPaulLandri]

And so it went. Six months had passed since the fire and Freebird and I had taken to Xavier’s school like a duck takes to water. We learned how to use our powers and discovered our limitations, which in Freebird’s case were extremely hard to find. I found out that I could augment my strength, speed, and agility through my telekenisis, and, thanks to Dr. Jean Grey showed some promise as a very low level psychic. I had to tell her that I didn’t really want to nurture this ability as I was, admittedly, afraid of it.

“You shouldn’t be afraid of what you can do, Paul.” The red haired doctor had said, “Besides, from what I gathered from you CAT-Scan the portion of your brain that triggers your telekinesis is also where this latent psychic power comes from. However, the level of extra sensory awareness is minute. Chances are you could only get a hint of what another person is thinking at any given time.”

No clue what she was talking about.

I was very happy that Freebird was becoming more her old self in this new environment. She had made friends with a Cajun fellow named Remy. I was told never to play cards with him because I’d lose every time. Of course I had to play him once and lost. Freebird thought that was the funniest thing. I seemed to remember getting a little jealous when he was around.

“Don’t worry,” Bobby had said, “Remy does that with all the girls around here.”

“Yes, but does he have to be so blatant about it?” I asked, slightly irritated.

“If he didn’t he wouldn’t be our Remy LeBeau.” Bobby walked off and I was left to stew a bit. I don’t recall ever getting so jealous in all my life. It wasn’t like he was intentionally hitting on her and her only. Maybe it was the Sicilian in me,

After a while, our Cajun friend quieted down and things were going great. I had moved a step up on the McCoy Power Scale and Freebird was training with Scott and Peter. We had different lives during the day, different classes and different homework assignments (although I did find it perverse that I, now twenty-nine, had to do homework,) but at the end of the day we both came back to our room and had each other. Just like old times.

As happy as I was to be with my fellow mutants and as glad as I was to see Freebird happy again, I couldn’t help but feel a little sad. Back then it had just been me and Freebird against the world and that was how I liked it. Now, though, we were just two mutants going to school. I didn’t like feeling that way, but sometimes, when I was alone or if Freebird had fallen asleep and I was still awake on my side of the bedroom, I’d secretly wish for Hell’s Kitchen and my bar, crowded and raucous, the jukebox blaring some Flogging Molly and me listening to some poor wretch spin a yarn about hard times with his old lady.

Other times, I’d just think of Freebird and Sam, the child we’d never get to know. Sometimes in the small hours of the night I’d wonder if what Freebird had asked me that night was true. Were we bad people? Did we deserve to lose our child because of some misdeed? I liked to think not, but after many a sleepless night listening to Freebird cry in her bedroom and knowing there wasn’t a damn thing I could do to make her feel better, I wondered why things like that happened. After one particularly troubling night I wanted to ask Kurt for some advice, however I had to stop myself because I didn’t want to talk to him without at least talking to Freebird about it first.

Talking about it was hard to do. I suppose everyone handles their grief in different ways. Whenever Freebird was upset I had to practically pry it out of her (thank goodness she was never upset with me. I don’t know how I dodged that bullet, and I was grateful,) so talking to her was hard. I know she probably felt much worse about the death of our child than I did, but what about me? Is a father’s grief somehow diminished because the father didn’t carry the child to term? On nights like those, when those thoughts rang in my head like church bells in the early morning, I’d pace my room and occasionally look in and see Freebird sleeping peacefully.

I think really what it all came down to was that I was having trouble adjusting to this place. Freebird had been alone for so long and now she was with people who understood her. She needed that understanding and acceptance despite the tough exterior. I can’t blame her though, who among us wants to be left out and abandoned? I guess what worried me the most was the feeling that I was losing her somehow, that every day that passed was a day where our bond, the special one we had according to Professor Xavier, was eroding. It made me sad more often than not.

Tonight was a particularly bad night for me. With the full moon casting it’s silvery glow in my room I found I couldn’t sleep. I kept thinking about home and how good it would be to just go back to the Kitchen and try to start over. I knew it was impossible, but I just felt like I didn’t belong at the school.

I got out of bed. No way was I sleeping now. I paced the room for a little while, occasionally checking to see if Freebird was okay. Of course she was. Usually I didn’t go over to her bed, but tonight I wanted to be close to her.

She was sleeping soundly and I quietly lay down next to her. She was breathing softly and I put my arm around her. She turned over and opened her eyes. I could see her smile in the moonlight.

“Can’t sleep?” She said. She let out a small yawn.

“No,” I said, “Been having trouble with that lately.”

“Why?” She asked. She sat up and turned on the lamp on her nightstand. “Are you okay?”

“I’m not entirely sure.” I said. Maybe it was the minute psychic ability Dr. Grey told me not to be afraid of, but I could sense Freebird’s concern. “I guess I’m still homesick after all this time.”

“You aren’t happy here?” She asked, “I had a feeling…”

“No! Don’t get me wrong,” I said, “I like it here, I’m just having a hard time adjusting. I know it’s easier for you but it’s been tough for me.”

She frowned, “It hasn’t been easy for me, Paul.” She bit her bottom lip, “I miss the bar too. I miss you.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, even though she was only voicing what I had been thinking, I still wanted to hear what she had to say.

“We used to be a team, you and I. I mean, after Sam died we sort of drifted a part, you know?”

It must have taken a tremendous will for her to bring it up and I was glad she did. Maybe now she’d talk about it more.

“I know. I hate it. I’m not upset that you’ve made new friends and all that, I think it’s good for you, I just wish…I guess what it boils down to, what’s really bothering me is Sam.” I frowned. The cat was out of the bag now.

“What about her?” Freebird asked.

“I just…we never really spoke about it after she died. It was like some taboo subject that maybe we just couldn’t deal with right away. I think we made a mistake by not at least acknowledging her death.” I looked at her and saw tears threatening. I sat next to her and took her hand.

“It’s always been hard for me, Paul, you know. Talking about my feelings was never something I was good at.” A tear rolled down her face. I wiped it off. “I was so ready to be a mom and I was going to shower that baby with more love than anyone could have possibly imagined. I was going to be the mother to her that I wanted my mom to be to me.” She didn’t look at me while she spoke, she just looked ahead. Her gaze was far off, as if she was telling Sam this instead of me.

“My mother told me that I was bad for being what I was, and that one day when I least expected it, God, whoever the hell He is, would punish me for it. Remember in the hospital when I asked you if we were being punished?”

I had never met Freebird’s mother, but I hated her with all the goodness in my heart. My folks never told me I was bad for being what I was; I was more an inconvenience to them, a faux pas, not some abomination.

“I remember,” I said.

“Yeah, well. I think we were punished for it.” Tears flowed freely now, “and here we are in a place where I don’t have to feel like I’m bad, where I don’t have to feel ashamed. I would have liked for Sam to grow up in a place like this.”

I would have liked that too. Xavier’s school was an insular place, sure, but it was a safe place where she would have grown up proud of her mutations (whatever they might have been,) and we could teach her that everyone, not just mutants, were special and deserving of love and dignity.

Now she looked at me, her eyes reddened by tears, “I still love you, Paul. I hope you never forget that.”

“I haven’t forgotten. I love you, too.” I said, “I wanted to talk to someone about all this. Maybe Father Kurt of Doctor McCoy, but I wanted to talk to you first.”

She smiled a little, “you don’t need my permission to talk about your feelings, Paul. It’s not like I’m your girlfriend or anything.” An old joke between us, sure, but a welcome one.

“I’m sorry I woke you up.” I said, “I upset you.”

“Stop.” She said, “I feel a little better now.”

“I hope you’ll talk to me about this more.” I said.

“I can’t promise anything, you know the way I am.” She said.

I knew. Knew better than anyone and was glad for it. That night we slept in the same bed and have been since.

 

[CPaulLandri]

damned double post

 

[CPaulLandri]

It was the first night I had slept soundly since coming to the school. I woke up the next morning feeling like a weight was removed from my shoulders. The Saturday sun drenched the room and I could tell it was going to be one of those picture-perfect days. You know the type I mean, the ones where the sky is so blue and the air so dry that no matter what happens to you you can say to yourself “well, at least it’s a nice day.” Today was shaping up to be like that.

I turned the coffee pot on in the sitting area. I had a habit of getting the coffee ready the night before. A little compulsion I had since I can’t really remember. The wonderfully rich, roasty smell soon filled the air. Weekends at Xavier’s were usually pretty fun. No class meant we could hang out and socialize with people we might not see during the week. Sometimes A group of us would take rides into Manhattan. Freebird expressed interest in doing that, but I didn’t really see a reason. Been there, done that, lost a bar to arsonists.

I put on a pair of jeans and fixed my coffee the way I liked it, cream and that fake sweetener that comes from the pink packets (that stuff, contrary to popular belief, does not give you cancer. I read it in the paper; they did a study in Rome a few years back debunking the cancer link,) without lifting a finger. The mug (a white cup with a red X on it,) floated gently through the air and into my waiting hands. It was hot, sweet, and delicious, the way coffee should be on a Saturday morning.

I sat there for a while, savoring my coffee and looking out the large Bay window overlooking the campus. Some of the students were playing Frisbee while others were playing a pick-up game of baseball. It was now April and the trees were beginning to bloom. I always loved the spring, even in Hell’s Kitchen. The cool mornings and warm afternoons seemed to make everyone a little nice. As if their winter-chilled hearts were somehow thawed by the promise of warmer days to come.

I heard Freebird walk behind me. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed the top of my head. I smiled, it was a pleasant surprise.

“Morning,” She said.

“Hey, sleep well?” I asked.

“Yeah. How about you?” She walked around the chair to face me.

“Very well.” I said, now if you would excuse me, I’m watching those kids down there play baseball. Freebird smiled and went over to the coffee pot and poured herself some and pulled up a chair next to me.

“Who’s winning?” She asked.

“The home team.” I said.

“Who’s the home team?”

“The team that’s winning,” I said. I grinned at her.

“Smart-ass.” She smiled. “I forgot to tell you, I’m going into Manhattan today. Kitty and Jubie want to check out the wax museum.”

I looked at her incredulously, “They want to go there? Place will probably be mobbed with tourists.”

“That’s what I said. I don’t think Professor Xavier wants us going into the city with the intention of drinking, so The Village was out of the question.” She frowned. “I think we should put a bar in this place.”

“Sometimes I think the school could use it.” I said, “I mean, there are a lot of us who are over the age of twenty-one. But I don’t think Professor Xavier would go for it.” I sipped my coffee, “I wonder if he drinks.”

“Probably not,” Freebird said, “could you imagine the world’s most powerful telepath completely gone?”

“True. I bet, though, if he did drink he’d be a wine guy.”

“No way, Scotch and Soda all the way.” Freebird smiled, “Maybe brandy. I mean, you’ve seen the books he reads.”

“Now you’re just being stereotypical.” I said.

“And you’re being difficult.” She patted my on the leg. There was a long, comfortable silence between us. The kind of silence only old lovers and best friends could be okay with. “Were you going to talk to Kurt? You know, about what we talked about last night?”

I nodded, “Yeah, either him or Dr. McCoy.”

“Good,” She said. “I think I might do that soon. I mean, Dr. McCoy should at least know, right?”

“He’s our doctor. I suppose it couldn’t hurt.” I looked at Freebird. I could tell it was going to be a long time before she got up the courage to speak to anyone about it, but just talking about doing it was a step in the right direction. “What time are you going into the city?”

“Noon,” Freebird said, “but Kitty takes forever to get ready, so probably five. What is it about girls, Paul? Why do they spend so long getting ready, only to parade around for a few hours, go home, and wait another week to do it all over again?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” Freebird was one of those girls who didn’t have to try very hard to look good and I think she knew it so she kept her outfits simple. Usually just jeans and a t-shirt did the trick. Sometimes she’d throw on a bandanna to switch it up. “I Think I’m going to find Kurt.” I said, getting up. I threw on a T-Shirt and a pair of socks, “I’m going to be bummin’ all day, so I’ll see you before you leave.”

“Okay.” Freebird said.

I poured myself another cup of coffee and went on my search for the fuzzy blue priest. If I couldn’t find him, I’d look for my fuzzy blue primary care physician.

For a Saturday, the kitchen was pretty empty, but I was lucky to find both Father Kurt and Doctor McCoy sitting at the breakfast table with Logan, Bobby, Peter, Scott, and Jean. Dr. McCoy was wrist deep in a grapefruit while jean ate yogurt. Everyone else was eating bagels. Kitty ran through the kitchen, her mouth glued to her cell phone (don’t ask me what she was saying, her voice was going a mile a minute,) and Jubilee was on her tail, telling her to wait up.

“Hi guys,” I said, “nice day, huh?”

Kurt looked over at me and motioned for me to sit with them. He tossed me a bagel. “Your daily bread, my son.” He smiled.

“Forgive me my trespasses.” I said, taking a bite.

“How are you on this exemplary day?” Dr. McCoy asked.

“I’m well, but to be honest, there’s something on my mind.”

“Oh?” Dr. McCoy said, putting his spoon down, “what is it?”

“Well,” I said, “no disrespect to the rest of you,” I looked at Jean, Peter, Logan, and Bobby, “but I was hoping to speak to you and Kurt.”

“None taken, kid.” Logan said, “but just so you know, we’re all friends here.”

“Da.” Peter said. I liked Peter a lot, although sometimes that accent made it hard for me to understand what he was saying, “We are like big family here.”

“Tin Man has a point,” Bobby said, spooning cereal in his mouth and talking while his mouth was full, “You’ve been here long enough, you’re one of us.”

It occurred to me then and there that Bobby was right. Despite all of my emotions about this place and my homesickness, I really felt like I was starting to fit in here. I interacted with these seven people on a daily basis. I trained with them in the gym, had a couple of them as teachers, even ran self-defense simulations in the Danger Room with them. Despite my feelings of being the odd man out, I had grown to trust the people I was sitting with and thought maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to tell all of them. We were in this for the long haul and I didn’t have any intention of leaving the school. Maybe after I told them, I’d feel less like an outsider.

It took me just under two hours to recount our story of tragedy. They listened to me and said nothing while I spoke. Father Kurt occasionally blessed himself and Peter shook his head in sympathy. I explained how I felt about being here and how I felt less close to Freebird since we came here. When I was finished talking, Dr. McCoy was the first to speak.

“My stars and garters, I’m sorry for your loss.”

”Thanks,” I said.

“Who did you say the doctor was?” He asked.

“Doctor Percival.” I answered.

“Ah.” Dr. McCoy looked at the clock on the wall and his eyebrows rose in surprise. “Oh dear, I’m truly sorry, Paul, but I really must be going. I’m horribly late.” He bounded from his chair and left the room in a great hurry.

“I don’t get it, though,” Scott said, “Why didn’t you two talk about it?”

“Freebird isn’t one to talk about what’s bothering her. She’s used to keeping everything inside.” I said.

“Sounds like someone we know.” Bobby said and looked directly at Logan.

“Kid, you gotta understand somethin’.” Logan sat in Dr. McCoy’s chair, “it aint easy to lose someone, especially someone just born. Freebird’s a tough gal and the fact that she hasn’t gone crazy with grief proves it.” He sounded like he’d gone through something similar, and maybe he had. From what I heard about him, Logan was very old despite the fact that he looked only slightly older than me.

“Everyvone deals wif death in zere own vay,” Kurt said, “Sometimes it takes a vile before people even vant to talk about it. Give her time, my son, and she vill talk to you.”

I sighed, “I hope so.” I hadn’t realized it, but another hour had passed before Warren bolted into the kitchen.

“There’s something going on in Manhattan.” He said, his voice excited and not in a good way, “You all better come see this.”

 

[CPaulLandri]

A few of the younger students were standing around the flat screened television in the main sitting area, muttering to each other as they watched. As we approached they moved aside so we could see what was going on.

“Again, this just in. The United States Government has issued a statement regarding the Sentinel Program. It reads: Due to the likelihood of a spike in mutant terrorism and anti-human protests in Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles, by the mutant community, this Administration has decided to implement a preemptive plan to deal with potential threats. From now on a curfew has been set for any mutant, regardless of age, for eleven P.M. Any mutant who breaks this mandatory curfew will be detained by the Sentinels and questioned by Federal Authorities.”

Now, I wasn’t born in New York, but I lived there for a long enough time to consider myself a New Yorker and therefore, not surprised at anything I see, but when I tell you that my mouth gaped open at the size of these metal monstrosities, I tell you no lies. They must have been four stories tall and as nearly as wide. Their eyes glowed an eerie yellow despite the midday sun. They hovered over Manhattan Island, all twenty five of them (five for each borough,) waiting to descend on some helpless mutant.

“Mein Gott, not again!” Kurt said, making the sign of the Cross. “How did zis happen?”

“I don’t know,” Scott said, “But I’m sure it’s illegal.”

“Doubt it, bub.” Logan said, “Or haven’t you been reading the New York Times?”

”What do you mean?” Scott asked, his eyebrow raised over the left lens of his red sunglasses, “The Democrats are in control of Congress and voted down the Sentinel Program.”

“Yeah, but, I think the Big Boss overturned it.” Logan said.

I looked at the clock on the wall; it was nearly two in the afternoon. My heart sunk, and Kurt would later tell me that my face lost all its color.

“Freebird,” I whispered, “She’s in Manhattan with Kitty and Jubilee.”

“Are you sure?” Peter said, “Kitty said nothing to me about going.”

“Freebird said they were going to be there at noon.” I said, “We’ve got to warn them.”

“I’m sure they’ve seen by now, Paul.” Jean said, “Besides, for the time being those robots are just hovering over the city and…” Before she could finish her sentence something on the T.V. flashed, and an explosion was heard.

“We have reason to believe that one of the Sentinel robots has been attacked by members of the mutant community and the Robot, in turn, has retaliated.”

“Boze Moi!” Peter exclaimed as we watched the bodies of seven mutants get vaporized by the Sentinel’s laser. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. My heart began to race as I thought of Freebird. Yes she was indestructible, but she wasn’t here with me. I looked over at Scott, who was looking at Jean and nodding to her.

“I think we’d better go.” Scott said.

“I’m going with you,” I said.

“No,” Scott said, sternly.

A wave of irritation washed over me. Scott was the leader of their “Peace-Keeping Task Force”, but my Freebird was out there and I wasn’t about to let him stop me from going.

“Scott,” I said, trying to keep my cool, “I respect you as a friend and as a leader but you’re going to have to let me come with you because Freebird is out there and I’m responsible for her.”

Scott looked at Jean then back at me and nodded, “Kurt will find you a uniform.”

“Come, I zink I have an old von that vill fit.”

It fit all right, and to be honest, it looked damned cool. I wasn’t too big on Kevlar coated black denim, but the top of the uniform made up for it. Kurt didn’t wear shoes so I had to make due with my old Chuck Taylor’s. He led me down into the sub basement of the school and entered a code into a keypad which opened a secret door across from the Danger Room. Until then I didn’t know it was a door. The wall simply slid apart.

“I zink Scott is ready for takeoff wif zee ozas.”

They had a jet.

I swear to God, they had a jet!

“How do we afford this stuff?” I asked, but Kurt was making the sign of the Cross again, muttering a prayer in German, before he boarded the plane.

“Heiliges Joseph von Cupertino, segnen Sie diesen Strahl und er ist, Scott-Sommer Versuchs. Wir bitten um um dieses durch Christ, unser Lord, amen.”

I boarded the Plan and sat next to Bobby, who, oddly enough, had earbuds in his ears. He was scrolling through the playlist on his Ipod.

“Should I listen to Rage against the Machine or DMX?” He asked.

“How can you listen to music at a time like this?” I asked, genuinely perplexed.

“It helps me focus.” He said.

Kurt entered the Jet and sat down next to me. “I must warn you, Paul,” he said, “Zee take off is za vorst part.”

You know something. He was wrong.

 

[CPaulLandri]

Looking around me, I couldn’t believe how calm everyone was while the plane took off (it actually came up through the basketball court. I don’t think I’ll be shooting hoops there ever again,) Bobby was listening to music (he’d decided on DMX in case you’re keeping score,) while Kurt prayed the rosary to himself. Jean and Scott piloted the plane while Logan stared straight ahead, every so often his lip would curl up in a snarl. Peter kept his eyes closed the entire time and for a moment I thought maybe he nodded off to sleep.

I thought I might throw up. The thought of Freebird having to deal with those things scared me more than the fact that we were going faster than any commercial airplane ever could.

“Alright,” Scott said, “I’m going to land her on the building closest to where we saw that blast.”

I think we were in the jet for fifteen minutes before he took it down for a landing. I’m wasn’t sure. I was trying not to be sick.

“You’ll be all right, Paul,” Kurt said, “it vill be just like the Danger Room, ya?” He clasped his hand on my shoulder and gave a short chuckle.

“Yeah, but You can’t die in the danger room.” I said.

“Follow my lead,” Scott said, “communicators on at all time. Code names only.”

Crap. I didn’t have one of those. I looked at Kurt.

“I christen thee, za amazing, sensational, spectacular, Poltergeist!”

“Nice.” I said.

“Paul,” Scott said, “I want you to stay with Kurt and help rescue anyone who needs it. Do not engage unless provoked, got it?”

I thought about Freebird for a moment. There was still a good chance she was no where near those giant robots, and if she was, the odds of them hurting her were very slim, but in the back of my mind I wondered, just how indestructible was she? “I got it, Scott.”

“Lets go.” The door of the jet ascended slowly and we made our way out on the building just below where the Sentinel had obliterated those mutants. It turns out we were right in the middle of Time’s Square.

“We’ve got incoming.” Scott said, looking up. Three of the giant robots were hovering over our vicinity. Searchlights beaming from their chests, searching for mutants.

I want to tell you that I’m a pretty lucky guy, that things work out for me when they need to, but if you’re still reading this you know damned well that I’m Lady Luck’s plaything and she constantly throws her lesser half at me to fetch. As I peered down the to the street I saw the searchlight shine on a group of three people.

“Can’t be…” I muttered, “Scott! Down there!” I pointed and they all looked down and saw what I was seeing.

“Those are our girls,” Logan said, “Colossus, bottom of the ninth and I need a strike.”

“Da!” Peter said. His skin went from it’s normal flesh tone to something like steel. I had only seen him use his power once or twice but it was always impressive. He lifted Logan with ease by the neck and, like a discus thrower, hurled him toward the descending robot.

“I hate it when he does that!” Scott said, “Jean, get me, Bobby and Peter down there.” They both got a running start and jumped off the building, Jean steadied them and they both landed with ease to the ground. Peter charged at the foot of the giant robot while Scott let loose from his visor. Suddenly Time’s Square was awash in red light.

“Vell, ours is not to vonder vy, ours is just to do unt die!” Kurt grinned at me and teleported down to the ground, leaving me alone with Jean.

“I guess he picked that up from Hank.” I said.

“Don’t be scared.” Jean said, “just keep in mind what Scott said and you’ll be fine.”

”Freebird is down there. I’ve got to see if she’s okay.”

”Then lets go.” Jean lifted herself off the ground and floated down gracefully to where the others were engaging the mammoth robots. I took two deep breaths and followed her.

I had to admit, watching them in action was beautiful. Either these Robots were held together with duct tape and bubble gum, or these X-Men (as they liked to be called,) were just that good (I like to think the latter.) Peter, Scott, and Logan had dispatched one of the robots already and were very busy trying to eliminate the other two. I hung back for a second, scanning the fleeing people to see if any of them was Freebird.

“Paul!” I heard her yell through the panic and the noise. I looked to my right and saw her running towards me.

“Hey!” I called, unfathomably relieved to see that she was okay. I should have been paying more attention to what was going on around me, because the next thing I saw was a brilliant yellow flash and then Freebird was lying on the ground.

“Freebird!” I screamed.

She’ll get up, I thought, my heart racing, I ran toward her, she has to get up, she’s indestructible. God, make her get up!

I was only a few feet away when I saw the mighty foot of the Sentinel, it has to be the length of a Mac Truck, Descend on Freebird’s inert body. With a mighty stomp it landed on where she lay. The shockwave of the impact sent me soaring backward. I let out a cry as I landed hard on top of a car.

The robot took to the air again, I saw it hover over me. I thought I was next, but it passed me. I don’t believe I had ever felt more pain in my life. Sharp needles zipped up and down my shoulder blades, but I didn’t care. The only thing I cared about was…

“Freebird!” I screamed again, running towards the small crater she now occupied. Tears of pain and horror filled my eyes. This can’t be happening.

I forced myself to look in the crater. She was still in one piece, thank goodness, but I could see some of her bones were broken. Blood poured from her nose and although her eyes were open, they were glazed over. It reminded me of the first time I had ever laid eyes on her.

I jumped into the crater and cradled her head gently. I checked to see if she had a pulse. Begging and pleading to all that was good and true in this evil world that she was still alive, that I wouldn’t be alone.

Before I had a chance to tell if she was still alive, one of the Robots landed only a few feet away from me. The brilliant searchlight descended upon me. I guess I was next.

I stared at it for a moment. A giant piece of machinery spawned from some human mind to exterminate me and my kind simply for being who we were. The glowing red eyes looked like fire. The same fire that ripped through my bar and destroyed the life Freebird and I had built for ourselves. In the emotionless face of the robotic monster that had broken Freebird, I saw those kids who burned my bar down and all at once I hated them. Hated this mechanical monstrosity.

I looked to my left and saw a turned over SUV. That would suffice. I rested Freebird’s head back on the ground and with a scream fueled by hatred I let loose. I sent the SUV flying at the metal beast, and another, and another. I got out of the crater and approached the Sentinel, flinging cars and debris at it. It tried to hit me with it’s lasers but I was too fast, too angry.

“Got no right! NO RIGHT!” I screamed, this time attempting to lift an Academy bus and deliver what I hoped was a finishing blow, “Leave us ALONE!” I roared. I felt blood drip from my nose as I used every ounce of my being to lift the bus and send it crashing into the robot’s chest. The explosion made the ground shake. The Sentinel fell backwards. It was only thanks to Bobby that it didn’t destroy several buildings.

My head hurt and I was breathing heavily, I turned around and went back to the crater where Freebird was lying. I saw Kurt kneeling over her.

“It’s bad, Paul.” He said, “She has a pulse but it is very veak.”

“Can you teleport her back?” I asked, frantically.

“It vould take too long. Scott! We’ve got a man down!”

Scott rushed over to the crater. “She alive?”

“Barely.” I said.

“Get her to the jet, Kurt. Fly back to the Mansion.”

“Vill do.”

“What about the rest of you?” I asked.

“We’ll be fine. She needs attention. I suggest you get some medical assistance too.”

I wasn’t about to argue. I lifted myself to the top of the building where I waited three seconds for Kurt and Freebird.

“Come, ve haven’t much time.”

Hang in there, Freebird. For My sake, hell for the sake of your daughter’s soul, just hang in there!

 

[CPaulLandri]

The flight back home seemed like an eternity. Freebird was breathing, but in short, raspy bursts. I think one of her lungs may have collapsed. I guess there was a limit to her imperviousness after all. My face was hot with tears as I stroked the hair from her face. Her eyes were closed now and her nose had stopped bleeding.

“Hank, we’ve got an injury coming home. It’s an emergency,” Kurt said. Dr. McCoy’s voice filled the cockpit.

“How bad?”

“Very bad. It vas Freebird.”

“I’ll prep for surgery.”

“E.T.A., five minutes.” Kurt said.

Longest five minutes of my life.

We landed under the basketball court and Kurt teleported Freebird into the operating room next to the Danger Room. I exited the secret hangar and waited for Kurt to come back.

::Bamf!::

He returned in a cloud of purple smoke and the smell of brimstone. “There is nothing ve can do now, save for pray. Come.” I walked past the operating room and stood there for a moment. Wondering just what it was Dr. McCoy was going to do. Wondering if he could do anything at all.

Kurt turned around, “I assure you, Mein Freund, Hank is a skilled surgeon and top notch doctor. Freebird is in good hands.”

“Will she die, Kurt?” I asked.

“I don’t know. Zat, I’m afraid is not up to us.”

“Then who is it up to?” I asked, already sensing the answer.

“Zat is up to Freebird and God Almighty. Come, zere is nothing you can do now.”

He led me into the elevator and back to the Mansion level of the school. I tried hard not to think of what Dr. McCoy was doing and if Freebird would survive, but it was hard. I loved her so much. She didn’t deserve this, and once again, as always, I blamed myself. Kurt led me down to a small room. It was dark save for the light coming through the stained glass window.

It was a chapel.

“Sit.” Kurt said, “now I know you aren’t a religious man, but if you need to speak to God, now is the time.”

”I don’t have anything to say to Him.” I said, “Why’d this happen, Kurt? After all she and I have been through? It isn’t fair. Why her? Hell, why are we being punished? What did we do?” my voice was caked with frustration and anger. Kurt frowned.

“Paul, I’m not going to sit here and tell you zat za Lord vorks in mysterious ways, unt zat He doesn’t close a door without opening a vindow. I respect you too much as a person to say this to you, especially after all you have had to deal vis. I look at these children zat come to zis school and I vonder, vould zay be better off as humans? Vy vould God punish zem for being vat zey are? I ask zis as a person who happens to be a mutant, who just so happens to be a priest. I cannot find a concrete answer for zat. However I do know zat God loves me, even though he has a sense of humor to make me look like a demon.” He smiled, “And he loves you and Freebird and za child you had together.”

“But why did this happen, Kurt? Are we being punished?”

“No. God does not punish. He does not persecute, and he does not seek revenge. Especially on good people like you and Freebird. Trust me.”

“So it’s the Devil then.” I said.

“Perhaps it is the devil inside of all of us. Perhaps just our lesser nature. You have been the victim of grief, fire, and now zis.I do not know how zis vill turn out, but you must be strong.”

The priest had a point. There was nothing I could do now but wait and see and hope that she’d come out of this. I looked at Kurt and was thankful for the fuzzy blue man I called friend.

So we waited there in silence for almost three hours. Kurt rubbed his rosary beads and I sat waiting for Dr. McCoy. Another hour passed before someone entered the chapel.

“Paul.” I looked up and saw Professor Xavier. His face was even, giving away nothing.

“Is it about Freebird?” I asked, dreading what he had to say.

“Yes. Come with me.”

My heart sank. Kurt patted me on the shoulder and as I followed Xavier out Kurt began saying the Hail Mary in German.

We walked several paces before I said, “She’s dead, isn’t she?”

“I don’t know. That isn’t why I came down here.” He led me into his office and told me to sit. I did.

“Before this Sentinel incident occurred Henry came to me a little alarmed. Now, is it true that while Freebird was pregnant with your daughter she was under the care of a Dr. Percival?”

“Yes.”

“Dr. McCoy used to work with Dr. Percival during a brief stint with the Brant Corporation. Percival and Henry butted heads on numerous things, one of those issues being research on mutants.”

I didn’t know where the Professor was going with this but I was intrigued despite my fear that at any moment, Freebird could die on the operating table.

“Percival left the corporation and wasn’t heard from in five years, later resurfacing as a Doctor who specialized in caring for sick mutants, but, as I have recently found out, this is just a front for something much more sinister.”

“What do you mean, sir?” I asked.

“Percival gave Freebird prenatal vitamins, I’m assuming.”

“Yeah, he did.”

“The Brant Corporation, among other things, was a pharmaceutical company specializing in performance enhancers. Dr. Percival was in charge of a particularly alarming drug which, if given to a pregnant woman, would speed up the pregnancy from nine months to six. Of course, the drug had side effects and several of his test subjects died while their fully developed, if not prematurely delivered, babies lived.”

I had an idea where he was going with this and it made me sick to my stomach, “wait, a second, are you saying…”

“Sam is alive, Paul. Alive and well.

 

[CPaulLandri]

I couldn’t move. I sat there just staring at Professor Xavier. Could it be true? Was my Sam really alive? How could it be possible? The Doctor told us she had died. Why would anyone lie about that? Were people so sick and so deranged as to kidnap a child fresh into the world? More importantly, why would a person do that to my child?

Our child.

“I realize this probably isn’t the best time to tell you this, what with Freebird being in surgery, but as soon as Henry bought it to my attention, I had to find out for myself.”

“…how did you find out?” I asked, still barely able to breath.

“I trust you’ve heard of Cerebro? I’m sure I, or one of the other X-Men have told you about it?”

Kurt did mention something about a device that Xavier used to amplify his power. I told him so.

“I used it to track down your daughter. I know her exact location.”

“Where?” I asked.

“Fort Kent, Maine. It’s a small, rural town on the border of Quebec. There is a research facility there. As far as I know they haven’t experimented with her yet, but my psychic ability is limited in matters such as this.” Xavier frowned, “there is more to this sordid affair, I’m afraid, but it will have to wait. Henry is coming.”

My heart began to race. Doctor McCoy had been operating on Freebird for hours, when he came through the door of Xavier’s office I would know right away if Freebird was alive or dead.

McCoy opened the door. He was wearing brown medical scrubs and his surgeon’s mask hung below his chin. He looked drained.

I stood up. “How is she?” I asked, bracing myself for the worst.

“Freebird has suffered from several broken bones and torn ligaments. She experienced some internal bleeding and at the very beginning of the surgery, she flat-lined and had to be revived. However after that I managed to stop the bleeding and set the bones. I’m afraid, she will never be able to leap again, as her Achilles tendons are completely snapped in half. She’ll make a full, if not painful, recovery.” McCoy smiled a tired smile. A victorious smile.

Relief washed over me like a wave. My love would survive and, once she was healed, we’d go find our baby. Still, I couldn’t help but feel responsible, but that was just the way I felt about everything when it came to her. She’d never leap again. She’s going to be devastated at that.

“Paul, I would like to show you something remarkable, if you don’t mind.” McCoy said.

“What is it?” I asked.

“While I was working on Freebird I noticed that I wasn’t working alone.” McCoy smiled wider, “Freebird was working with me.”

I was puzzled, “What do you mean?”

“Freebird is experiencing her secondary mutation. Come, I will show you.”

 

[CPaulLandri]

It wasn’t a pretty sight to behold, but I knew she was alive and she was going to make it. Freebird was hooked up to various pieces of medical machinery which were monitoring her heart and breathing and an I.V. was hooked into her arm. She was bandaged and her face was bruised. It broke my heart to see her lying there.

“I know it looks bad now, Paul, but I assure you she will make a complete recovery. As you can see some of the swelling in her face has already gone down considerably.” Doctor McCoy walked over to her and checked the monitors, “Heartbeat is steady as you can see and I have a feeling she won’t be needing a feeding tube in a couple of days.”

“What exactly does this have to do with what you told me about? This secondary mutation?” I asked.

“It’s quite simple really. You see the mutant X-Factor Gene is released during puberty. The pituitary gland, which is responsible for releasing hormones which allow for adolescence to begin, releases the chemical that will eventually bind to the Gene, thus causing a mutation. Up until fairly recently geneticists believed that the gland released a single dose and that was it. However what we’re seeing is a reserved dose that will either lie dormant for the life of a particular mutant, or, in response to a distressing situation, such as being stomped on by a robot the size of a small building, the secondary dose will enter the bloodstream, combining with the already mutated DNA and create a secondary mutation.”

I actually understood what he was talking about this time. “So, what is Freebird’s secondary mutation?”

”Let’s just say she’ll never have to be worried about getting injured ever again. See, when that robot blasted her and then stepped on her it tested the limit of her mutation. There was only so much she could take, which was why she’s in the shape she’d in right now. However, as I said before, the secondary dose of X-Factor combined with her already mutated cells and strengthened everything. Basically once she recovers, she will never have to worry about getting hurt again. Come see this.” McCoy walked over to a small table that had some papers on it.

“I took a few tests after the surgery was completed. Blood samples, bone density, I even swabbed her mouth to get a look at her cells. If you take a look at this bone density test you will find that compared to six months ago, her bones have become harder. Her cells have also become much more resilient and I have a suspicion the test I run on the sample I took will prove my hypothesis.”

“Remarkable,” I said. It really was.

“You ain’t just whistling Dixie, my friend. The best is still yet to come. I had a suspicion, just a scientific hunch about what was going on while I was setting her broken bones. As I was doing it, the bones began to set themselves, which led me to believe that if her body was able to sense something was undeniably wrong, maybe her blood might do the same.” He walked over to another portion of the room, where a microscope and some slides were waiting.
“If you don’t mind, I’m going to show you a little experiment.” Doctor McCoy said. “Look into the microscope.”

I did as he said and saw what appeared to be white dots floating around.

“Now Paul, I have here a virus. I won’t tell you which one until after the experiment. If you would just keep looking, I will now place a tiny drop of Freebird’s recently mutated blood onto it.”

I kept looking and saw a tiny red dot mix into the white solution, and sure enough, the white dots began to…die? Basically they started to shrivel up until there was nothing left but the red dot of blood.

“The virus is gone.” I said, “The blood killed it.”

“Yes. Freebird is immune to AIDS.”

”What?”

“That was a sample of the AIDS virus. Freebird’s blood killed it. She can’t get sick, Paul.”

I didn’t know what to say, I raised my eyebrows in impressed surprise. “She’ll be happy to know that when she wakes up, I think.”

“Bittersweet awakening, I’m afraid. I trust the Professor told you about your baby.”

“He did. But There is nothing I can do right now, not until Freebird gets better and we can figure out what we’re going to do.”

McCoy put his hand on my shoulder, “I want you to know that if you decide to go get her, we’ll help. You’re one of us and we help our own.”

”Thank you, Henry. I have a feeling we’ll be needing that help. If you don’t mind, though, I’d like to sit with Freebird for a while.” McCoy smiled and nodded at me and left the room quietly. I walked over to the bed and sat down beside her.

“Can’t get enough of these hospital beds, huh?” I said, “When you wake up we’ve got some decisions to make. Sam is alive, Freebird. Alive and well according to the Professor. We’re going to have to find her and bring her back here. Give her the life we wanted to give her. The others, they said they’d help us do it and I believe them.” I shook my head, “God, I don’t understand how we could have been taken in like that. This Percival betrayed our trust and took our baby. He’s gotta pay for that.” My words hung in the air as if waiting for a response. The only one they got was the beep of the heart monitor. “Doctor McCoy says you wont leap again, but I think you will. You’re a tough girl and if you want to leap again, you’ll find a way.”

They were the last words I said to her. For the rest of the day and well into the night I just sat there and watched her. Thinking about the day she was finally better and we could go find our Sam and live as a family.

 

[CPaulLandri]

She was heavily sedated for the next few days, giving me plenty of time to think about how I was going to tell her about Sam being alive and currently in some research facility in Maine. Freebird had several visitors throughout those days and I was glad for it. These people really cared for her and I’d like to think that all the positive feelings they bought with them made my decision easier to make. She would have to know right away. Not as soon as she was coherent, mind you, but as soon as she could bear the news. I asked Doctor McCoy what the best course of action was and he seconded my plan.

“Believe it or not, it might actually help her recovery,” he said, analyzing her chart, “if she has a goal, no matter how big or how small, the odds of her getting better soon are increased.” He wrote some notes in the margin of her file, “She should be coming out of sedation in a few hours. I’m sure your face will be the one she’ll want to see and not my furry mug.” He smiled.

“Thank you so much, Henry. You saved her life.”

“You’re welcome. We’ve all grown very fond of both of you.”

That made me feel good. Like our place was finally solidified. “What ever happened to those giant robots?”

“Unfortunately, there is still a curfew in the major cities, but the execution of those seven mutants, and the subsequent stomping of Freebird made all the papers as well as all the major network news shows. The president has ordered the robots returned to their respective military bases.”

“That’s a little victory, I guess.” I said, although it still made me uneasy, “I don’t see why they had to go to this extreme, though.”

“Human beings are an irrational lot, at least they can be at times.”

I expected him to say more, but he didn’t.

“I suggest you get a little sleep, Paul. She won’t be awake for at least six hours.”

I was tired, I’ll admit. I only slept three hours in as many days. I probably had a full beard by now.

She came around about six and a half hours later and I was there (I did sleep, but only for a few hours. I asked Peter if he would be kind enough to wake me so I didn’t miss it,) when she opened her eyes.

“…Hey.” She said, her voice was weak and a little raspy, “what time is it?”

“Seven o’ clock on Wednesday. Just in time for Scrubs.” I said, I smiled at her and put my hand on her cheek.

“What happened?” She asked.

“You got hurt pretty bad.” I said, “Doctor McCoy fixed you up though.”

“I don’t remember anything. A flash of light and then nothing, just dreams.”

“Are you in a lot of pain?” I asked.

“Not really.” Freebird said. I was surprised at this.

I heard the door open behind me.

“I wouldn’t feel any pain either if I had the dosage of painkillers you do, Ms. Freebird,” Doctor McCoy entered the room along with Professor Xavier. “Welcome back to the land of the living.”

”Hello Henry.” She said, her voice was still weak, but the rasp was gone.

“There is good news and bad news.” McCoy said, “Now, I don’t want to inundate you all at once, so I will make this quick. You’re going to be completely fine. You’re secondary mutation enacted itself due to your injuries. Once you are completely healed, which will take a long time; you will never have to worry about getting hurt ever again. I’ll bet my medical license on it.”

She smiled at this.

“Unfortunately certain ligaments in your Achilles heel did not set right. I’m afraid you will never leap again.”

I guess I was expecting her to get upset, to cry maybe. But She looked at McCoy and her smile got a little wider, “yes I will.” She said. The tone of her voice, though week, was the voice I knew. Stubborn, free, gutsy. The voice I fell in love with.

McCoy looked at me. I shrugged. The girl knew what she wanted and nothing anyone could say would change it. If she said she would leap again, she would.

“I suggest you get some rest, Freebird.” McCoy said, “You will need as much strength as you can muster before your therapy starts.”

“Can I stay a little while longer, Doctor McCoy?” I asked.

McCoy looked at Professor Xavier. Charles nodded.

“Of course.”

 

[CPaulLandri]

More soon.

 

[CPaulLandri]

Her recovery was, as Doctor McCoy had said, painful, however she was completely undaunted by the pain and made great strides in a very short amount of time. Unfortunately it also seemed as if Henry was right about her leaping. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t do it. I think that upset her more than the pain. In fact, I know it did. When she tried and failed for the hundredth time she cried herself to sleep. She didn’t know I was awake, you see. I had a heavy decision on my hands.

I chose to wait to tell her about Sam. I wanted her whole. I thought she’d be going through enough with recovery and coming to terms with the possibility of never leaping again, but now it seemed as if she was going to be back to (semi) normal in a matter of days, so it meant dropping an atomic bomb on her.

I suppose I was worried more about how she’d react towards me keeping it from her for so long, than I was about how she’d react. Thanks to Professor Xavier I knew Sam was okay and not being experimented on yet. I told Henry when the time was right I would seek his assistance in getting Sam back and I knew he’d make good on that promise.

Then of course, there was my own anger at the situation. How could we have been so blind? More importantly, how could I have been so foolish as to let Freebird trust this Doctor Percival? I was supposed to protect her, right? Wasn’t I supposed to be watching out for things like this? I told her from the very beginning I would care for her and I messed that up big time. I guess maybe I’m being too hard on myself. In fact, why am I even worrying about my feelings when, in actuality, they are trivial when compared to what Freebird has had to deal with and will have to deal with in the next few days?

It was going to be hard, and she was no doubt going to be mad at me for a long time for not telling her, but it was something I had to deal with when the time came. I reckon it’s hard, you know, when you love someone so much you’ll do anything you can to spare their feelings, even when it means holding back something this important.

I don’t recall the time I fell asleep that night, I just remember hearing Freebird’s pinched sobs and thinking I’d do anything on earth to make sure she never cried again.

Three days went by and, despite her tenacious efforts, Freebird still couldn’t leap, but her spirits were higher than they had been in a while and with a heavy heart I decided today was the day I broke the news.

We were in our room and the sun was sinking fast on the horizon. Fall was coming again and the nip in the air gave cadence to the coming change. Freebird sat and watched the sunset as I paced the room.

“You’re nervous about something.” She said. She could always tell.

“Yes.” I said.

She turned around, “sit down.” She smiled at me and I sat next to her. She took my hand.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this nervous, Paul. What is it?”

I paused. And now to drop the atomic bomb.

“Freebird, I have to tell you something and it’s not going to be easy for you to hear.”

She raised an eyebrow, “You aren’t gay, are you?”

I smiled, “No.”

“Ok. And if I don’t sound so apprehensive about what you’re going to tell me it’s because I got stepped on by a giant robot, so nothing you can say will upset me.” She smiled, “now what’s up?”

I held her hand a little tighter, “Sam’s alive.”

I saw the blood drain from her face and she became ashen. She took a quick breath and put her hand to her mouth.

“Impossible!” She said quietly, “Paul, why did you say that?”

“It’s true. Doctor Percival, you remember him, it turns out he’s a geneticist who preys on pregnant mutants in order to steal babies and then…”

Her eyes were welling with tears, her voice was shaky, I think she knew what I was going to say, but wanted me to say it.

“Then what? What does he do to the babies, Paul?”

“He experiments on them.”

“God, no.” She whispered, the tears fell and she squeezed my hand until it hurt.

“Charles assured me Sam is doing just fine. He has this thing…cerebro….and…” She let go of my hand and stood up and ran into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her. I shook my head, dejectedly as the sun finally set to the sound of Freebird’s pitiful, soul draining, sobs.

 

[CPaulLandri]

The mansion was peaceful at night. The students were either doing homework or watching television. Some read while others engaged in their hobbies. I walked past Peter’s room and found his painting a picture of a bowl of fruit. I guess I felt the need for company so I knocked on the door.

“Come in, comrade.” He said, not looking at me, but focusing on the finer detail of the orange he was currently painting. “You know, still life is a very tricky art form. What makes this orange an orange and not a ball of orange paint is the attention the artist pays to the rind.”

“That’s cool, Peter,” I said.

“And how are you this evening, Paul?” He asked.

“I’ve been better, Peter.”

“Da? Sit and tell me about it, comrade.”

I told him everything while he painted. When I was finished he put down his brush. “I am not surprised she acted in such a way. Her entire life was just turned around.”

”I know, Peter, but I just…I wonder if I made the right decision to tell her so long after she got hurt.” I sighed.

“If it makes any difference, comrade, I think it was a wise choice. Why burden her even more?”

“I suppose.” I said, although I was still unsure.

“Regardless of how she feels about you now, comrade, I think she needs you now. After all, Sam is your baby too, no?”

“Yes.” I said.

“Then go back in there.” He picked up his brush and went back to painting. This time, the purple grapes resting upon the orange.

I walked back into our room and saw the bedroom door open. Freebird was sitting on the chair she was sitting on when I told her about Sam. My heart beat quickly and my stomach felt cold and apprehensive. My palms were developing a film of sweat.

I walked over to the other chair and sat down. Freebird was looking out the window again. She turned to me.

“I’m sorry.” I said, “I should have told you sooner.”

She didn’t smile but her eyes were soft. “I want her back, Paul.”

“We’ll get her back.”

“Tonight. Now.” She took my hand in hers and gave it a squeeze, “we deserve to be a family, you know that, right?”

“I do.” I said.

“Then lets go get her.”

I paused, then nodded. “okay.” I squeezed her hand. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

We both stood at the same time and walked out of the room. “Come with me.” I said.

“Where?”

“Henry told me that some of the others would help us when the time came. I’m going to call in that favor.”

 

[CPaulLandri]

The door to Henry’s office was slightly ajar and I saw him going over some documents. I knocked on the door and he told us to come in.

“Henry, it’s time.” I said.

He put his pen down and looked up at us. He nodded, “I will inform Charles. He will tell the others. I would suggest we meet down in the briefing room downstairs.” He stood up and walked out of the office, leaving Freebird and I standing there. She took my hand and led me out the door to the elevator which would take us to the briefing room.

They were assembled quickly. Logan and Kurt, Peter, Jean, Remy, Bobby, and Scott sat around a metal table. Professor Xavier was at the head. Henry sat next to him.

Freebird and I stood. We waited for someone to say something.

“I have assembled you here this evening because it has come to my attention an abuse of mutant life going on without the knowledge of the government.” Xavier said, “This crime being committed, unfortunately, hits very close to home because it affects Paul and Freebird directly.”

Logan spoke up, “What is it, Chuck?”

Xavier glanced at Logan, cleared his throat and said, “it seems as if the child they had once thought dead is alive and well. Currently she is being held at a research facility in Fort Kent, Maine.”

I think I knew we were truly home when I saw their reactions to what Professor Xavier said. Kurt made the sign of the cross, Logan’s lip curled into a sneer, Jean put her hand to her mouth in surprise. The others looked equally shocked.

“How did dis happen, Prof?” Remy asked, “Dey was unda da impression les’ infants was dead.”

“I will field that question, Remy.” Henry said, “Paul and Freebird were duped into believing their doctor was prescribing Freebird with prenatal vitamins. A standard procedure with pregnancy, however Doctor Percival, a man I worked with for a short period, claims to be mutant friendly, but in actuality those vitamins he gives mutant mothers actually accelerate the pregnancy. Usually shocking the mother’s system and forcing an early pregnancy. The mothers die in most cases, but thanks to Freebird’s mutation she was able to survive. However Percival informed them their baby had died during the birth.”

The room was silent, until Bobby spoke, “So this guy steals the babies and sends them to this research facility?”

“Precisely, Bobby.” Henry said, “From what Professor Xavier has told me close to one hundred infants are there right now. Sam being one of them.”

“So let me ask you a question, Furball. Why the hell are we just sitting here?” There was a look in Logan’s eyes, a look I hope never fell on me. A look of murder and rage. A look of vengeance.

“The facility is heavily guarded,” Xavier said, “Private security abounds the place. You must enter discreetly, lest any of the children be executed or disposed of.”

Freebird took my hand and squeezed it, my heart was starting to race.

“With any luck, they won’t even know we’re there.” Scott said, “Suit up. Plane leaves in twenty minutes.”

They disbanded, leaving us to get to the plane. Freebird looked at me, “do you think we’ll find her?”

“I think so.” I said. Although something told me this wasn’t going to be a walk in the park.

 

[CPaulLandri]

We were the first ones on the jet. If Freebird was impressed with it, she didn’t show it. She looked straight ahead, I could tell in her gaze there was death in her eyes and it chilled my heart. Never in a million years would I have suspected a sweet, sometimes sassy, little thing like my Freebird to have that look. It was the look of the vengeful, a look I hoped never would return once this sordid mess was taken care of.

The rest soon boarded the jet and Kurt sat next to me, taking his wooden rosary beads from the front pocket of his uniform. He closed his eyes and muttered prayers in his native German. Bobby once again put on his headphones and scrolled through his Ipod selection. He glanced over at me and mouthed the words “Kanye West”, he gave me a thumbs up. I nodded slightly.

Remy sat next to Freebird and leaned over to talk to me, “won’t be long now, Mon Ami. Dis buhd’ll git us dere in no time a’tall.”

He was right. In just under an hour we were in Maine. I would later find out that Fort Kent is right on the Canadian border. It was as remote as Professor Xavier said it was and to the naked eye, it looked like a heavily wooded area, but as we landed I saw what appeared to be a large facility. It looked very much like a wherehouse, but I didn’t know of any wherehouses that had barbed wire fences and snipers patrolling the roof.

We landed in a clearing only a few miles away from the place. I was concerned that we were spotted, but Jean assured me, and the rest of us, that they had no idea we were there.

“They’re seeing clouds passing, not a giant, blue, jet.” She said. Referring, of course, to her ability to plant suggestions into their minds. I was impressed, maybe once this whole thing was taken care of I’d start practicing my own latent psychic power (I’d never have to pay a dinner bill again.)

Scott decided to break us up into two groups. Freebird and I would accompany Kurt, Logan, Peter, and Remy. Our job would be to sneak past the guards and infiltrate the building. Jean, Scott, Henry, and Bobby, would keep the guards busy while we figured out a way to get inside without being spotted.

“I suggest you follow me,” Logan said, “Stay twenty paces behind.” He started walking and we all followed, splitting into our groups. My heart was racing and I could tell Freebird, despite her mutation and despite the fact that she couldn’t be harmed, was as scared as I was. I think it occurred to her that if things went wrong she could lose her daughter, and me as well. I wasn’t bulletproof, after all.

“Things are going to get very ugly,” Kurt whispered, “I fear Logan is taking this mission very seriously.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Let’s just say Logan knows vat it’s like to be a test subject.” Kurt shook his head in pity. “However, in times like these I feel zat maybe he acts like the right hand of God.”

We stopped and I heard the sound of metal being sharpened and the choked off scream of a man being gutted. We kept walking until I stepped in what I thought was a rain puddle, however rain puddles aren’t red and don’t stain the grass like that.

It was a security guard, however a small portion of his abdomen was missing. I saw what looked like shredded intestine hanging out of the gaping wound. If anyone were to find him, they would think a bear had done it, but they would be wrong, a wolverine did.

Freebird stopped and looked over the dead man. Unphased by the gore she spat on the corpse. Seeing her do this filled me with a sense of shame and revulsion, but also a feeling of righteous pride. This particular person, this human, didn’t kidnap our Sam, but damn it, he was protecting the people who were going to make her into a guinea pig.

Kurt went over to the man and closed his eyes. He muttered a prayer (I assumed the Last Rights,) and moved on. Amazing how a man who looked nothing like a man treated people so humanely.

As we got closer to the compound there were more dead bodied and Kurt said quick prayers for them. Logan was waiting for us at the back of the barbed wire fence.

“Time to work your magic, Elf. Get us over that wall.”

“Certainly, but I expect a confession after this.” Kurt replied.

“I solemnly swear that I’m up to no good.” Logan said, his face twisting into a grin, “now get us over that wall.”

I don’t like it when I have to teleport with Kurt. The smell of brimstone and that weird in-between place between the place we’re standing and the place we wind up frightens me. It’s like one of the worse circles of Dante’s Hell. Fortunately we were only there for a few seconds. He had teleported Freebird and I first, followed by Logan and Remy, then Peter.

“Dat place stink sum’in fierce fo sho! Like Beelz’bub’s poisonal latrine.”

No one had time to comment on Remy’s crude description. That’s when the firing started.

 

[CPaulLandri]

I instinctively fell to the ground and Freebird jumped in front of me and took several bullets to the chest. They ricocheted off of her body, some landing harmlessly to the ground, others splintering trees.

“I need you alive if this arrangement is going to work,” she said, smiling. “Now get up and lets get our baby back.”

She grabbed me by the wrists and I was on my feet again. I could see the security officers firing from a distance. My telekinetic range was far reaching, and I could probably disarm them easily. I held out my hand and thought about the guns. Forcing the gravity around the officers to bend to my will and move in my direction. The guns flew out of their hands and landed at my feet.

They still had pistols, though. What is it about these guys and guns? They fired off some more shots and Logan got hit in the shoulder. He took two steps back, rotated his shoulder and popped his claws. This wasn’t going to end well.

And it sure as hell didn’t. Like a barbarian raider he charged the security men, taking several bullets to the head, chest, and legs, but he didn’t slow down. The foolish men kept reloading their pistols and firing.

One got slashed in the throat. A fountain of fresh, cherry red, blood shot like a fountain, drenching Logan’s face. Another had his shooting hand cleaved off clean. Logan finished him off by plunging his claws in his stomach. Before he could take out the last two guards, two glowing objects flew past his ears and exploded on impact with the ground. The two guards were sent flying in the air and landed hard on the ground.

“Wolv’rine, how many times I gotta tell ya, save some for da res’ offus!” Remy said.

“You know how I get, Cajun.” Logan snarled.

I saw more guards coming our way and heard an alarm go off. Great. This was not what I wanted. If people on the inside of the building knew we were here, they might get desperate and do something to the babies. I think I must have lost a little color because Freebird was looking at me.

“Don’t lose it now, Paul.” She said, “We have to get in there.”

“Ok,” I said, but I don’t think she heard me. They started firing again but this time, I was the one who stopped the bullets. Literally. I forced them to land harmlessly at my feet.

“I suggest you both try and get in zere.” Kurt said, “I vill be right behind you!”

“You heard the padre,” Logan said, “Get in there before something really bad happens!”

We ran, dodging bullets and security officers coming toward us. Freebird stood in front and deflected bullets off of herself while I made them move away from me. As we came up to the building I saw a guard on the roof, rifle pointed at us. Luckily a broken branch from a nearby tree was near me and I levitated it and sent it toward him. It hit him in the shoulder. I was aiming for his abdomen, but it knocked him down anyway.

We came to what appeared to be the entrance and we stopped, both of us out of breath. We were about to see if the door would open, but the sound of cocking guns filled our ears.

“Mutant scum!” A gravelly voice said, “turn around and put your hands on your head.”

“I really don’t think you want any trouble from us, friend.” I said, turning around. There were seven guards standing in front of us, they looked like their trigger fingers were mighty itchy. “We’re just here to get back what was taken from us.”

“Cram it, mutie!” The gravelly voiced man, said. He was older and had a few days worth of stubble, “only thing in there are some science experiments. I wouldn’t try to use those powers of yours either. These here guns ain’t got bullets in ‘em, they have X-Factor inhibitors.”

I would have been scared, really scared, but when I heard a sound from a short distance away, a sound that, gosh, sounded like a lot like Bamf , put my fears to rest.

“Der Weg des rechtschaffenen Mannes wird auf allen Seiten durch die Härten vom egoistischen und die Tyrannei der schlechten Männer belagert. Gesegnet er, dem im Namen der Nächstenliebe und des Goodwills, das schwache durch das Tal der Schwärzung shepherds, denn er ist wirklich sein brother' s-Wächter und der Sucher der verlorenen Kinder. Und ich schlage unten nach thee mit großer Rache und wütendem Zorn die, die versuchen würden, meine Brüder zu vergiften und zu zerstören. Und Sie wissen, dass mein Name der Lord ist, wenn ich meine Rache nach thee lege!”

Two of the guards went down in a flash as Remy threw two of his cards. Logan tore into another guard and Kurt teleported himself onto one of the other guards and let lose.

“In za name of za father!”

Punch

“Za son!”

Punch

“Unt za Holy Ghost!”

Punch

“Amen!”

The guard was unconscious before he hit the ground. This was just the opportunity we needed and Freebird and I took it. The door was locked, and we knew it would be.

“Throw me.” Freebird said.

“What?”

“Lift me up and throw me with all of your might. This I bet this door isn’t indestructible like me.”

I nodded. It made perfect sense and since we had a little wiggle room, I gave it a shot.

I lifted her with my mind. It wasn’t very hard, however whipping her at a speed of about fifty miles an hour proved a little difficult. The first time she slammed against the door it put a Freebird sized dent in it, the second time I had better luck and the door villently came off its hinges.

We were in.

 

[CPaulLandri]

more soon.

 

[Exploding Boy]

More

 

[CPaulLandri]

*

“I didn’t think it would have ended the way it did.” Freebird said, glancing over the pages of the journal. It was one of the few things Paul actually owned. He had written in it every day since the fire.

“I vish there was something I could say to you. Some vords of visdom, but vat can I say?” Kurt put his three fingered hand on her shoulder. Sam, safe and sound in a crib by the bed Freebird and Paul had once shared, cooed.

“He should have ducked or something.” Freebird said, “I mean…God, I miss him so much.” She took the book off the dresser and clutched it to her chest, as if, by some miracle, she would feel his presence in there. She did not. “it hurts, Kurt. My chest is tight and I can’t feel anything except the pain. Why does it hurt so much?” She asked. She was never one to express her emotions like this. She was always so insular, so private. The only one she could tell her feelings to was dead. Shot to death as they were attempting their escape.

“I remember he was shivering. Like he was cold. It reminded me of the day we met. I was shaking and cold, on the verge of death and he saved me. And there he was, blood in his mouth, choking him, probably, telling me to take Sam and get out of there. I couldn’t save him, Kurt.” Tears fell now, but she forced her voice to be steady.

“It isn’t your fault.” Kurt said, “He died saving your life, and za life of your daughter.”

“He deserved better than to be shot in the back. We were only taking back what was rightfully ours.” She walked over to the crib and picked up her child. She had grown much since she was born, as babies tend to, and looked robust and healthy. She was smiling.

“He was a good man, Kurt. He never asked anyone for anything, and he’d help whoever asked for it. When those guys burned down his bar, it nearly killed him. He loved the people who frequented the place, loved making them happy.” She paused, fighting back tears. She held Sam close, “he loved making me happy.”

“You can take solace in za fact zat he is with God now, and God rewards those who treat others with love and kindness.”

“It’s a nice thought, Kurt,” Freebird said, “but I’m not sure Paul believed in heaven.”

Kurt smiled, “he believed in something, zat is for sure.”

“People, Kurt. Paul believed in people. He always believed that people were good and never had an enemy. He treated everyone with respect. That’s why people came into his bar so much.” Freebird walked over to the fuzzy, blue demon, and smiled. “I guess no one truly dies, though. Do they, Kurt? I mean, if we love them and remember them, they live on, no?”

“Of course, Freebird. Death is nothing.”

She sighed, “I miss him so much.” She said, stroking Sam’s thin hair. It was coming in dirty blonde, but Freebird knew one day she’d have her father’s brown hair.

“I know you do. Believe me when I say zis, you vill feel better.”

“That’s just it, Kurt. I don’t feel.”

“You vill.”

“I think the worst thing about this is we don’t know if we got Dr. Percival. Before Paul got shot he had him up in the air, battered and bruised, but after that…” The tone of Freebird’s voice was bitter and regretful. “Lousy bastard.”

“Henry has assured us he vill do everything in his power to see if he escaped or if he died ven the fire broke out. He and Logan will not rest until they know the answer.”

It gave her little comfort, but she smiled at Kurt anyway, “Thank you, for visiting, Kurt. I think right now, I’d like to be alone for a little while.”

Kurt nodded, “of course.”

Freebird gave him a quick hug goodbye and she was left alone with her baby. She walked over to the window and looked out at the setting sun. This was Paul’s favorite time of day. The sky was purple and on the horizon the sun painted it’s goodnight with traces of peach and orange. Paul would have really enjoyed this sunset.

Freebird was interrupted by a knock on the door. She turned around, slightly irritated at being disturbed and put Sam in her crib before answering the door.

“Oh, hello Charles.” She said, letting the Professor in.

“I know this is a very difficult time for you, Freebird.” He said, “and I understand you wish to be alone, but I thought maybe you should see this.” He handed Freebird a large manila envelope. It was addressed to Paul.

“What is it?” She asked.

“Shortly after you arrived here I took the liberty of contacting Paul’s insurance company and told them about the fire. It took some convincing, but I managed to persuade them to reimburse Paul for the damages.” Xavier smiled slightly, “I know it’s not going to bring him back, but I thought maybe you could use the money for your child.”

Freebird opened the envelope. There were some documents explaining the disclosure amount and a check made out to Paul.

Five hundred thousand dollars.

“This is a lot of money, Professor.” Freebird said.

“Yes, I think it will cover Sam’s tuition if she decides she wants to go to Harvard instead of our school.”

“Thank you.” Freebird said, and hugged him. “Paul loved this place very much.”

“We loved him.” Xavier said, “take as much time as you need. When you decide you want to come back to class, your seat will be available.”

”Thank you.”

Xavier left without saying another word, leaving Freebird alone with Sam. She put the check on the last page of Paul’s journal and returned to the window to finish watching the sun set.

*

Charles Xavier wheeled down the corridor back to his office. It had been a long day and he was growing tired. He stifled a yawn. When he entered his office he sighed. Another student gone in a blaze of violence. He shook his head. He knew they all understood the risks when they went out into the field and knew they were capable of handling themselves, but it still kept him awake with anxiety. He always feared the worst and this time it happened. A child was now fatherless and there was nothing he could do about it. With all of his powers there was still nothing he could do about it.

“Come in,” He said, knowing Scott was about to knock on the door. He entered. “Yes, Scott?”

“We couldn’t recover the body, sir.” Scott said, “I think the fire consumed him.”

”I see.” Xavier said, “and what of this Dr. Percival?”

”We couldn’t find him either. We think he escaped.”

“Scott, do you think what I’m doing here is right?” Charles asked.

Scott Summers was not used to being asked questions like this by his teacher and mentor, so when he didn’t answer right away, Xavier understood.

“What do you mean?”

“Never mind, Scott. I was merely thinking out loud.” He smiled, “Henry and Logan are still searching?”

“Yes sir.”

“Good.” Xavier was about to dismiss him when he felt something. A tickle in the back of his mind. He put his index and middle finger up to his temple and tried to focus on it.

“Are you alright?” Scott asked.

“Yes. You may go now Scott.”

Scott was about to protest, but decided against it. He walked silently, out of the room.

*

The room was crude and dirty, but it could have been much worse. The equipment that was salvaged had scorch marks on it, but were still in perfect working order. He was glad they were plated with a thin coating of adamantium. Money well spent.

The mutant was still comatose, but soon he’d be awake. Awake and so full of rage and hatred that he’d no doubt try and tear the first person he saw apart, but he was prepared. He held the tazer out and waited for him to wake up. It wouldn’t be long.

The bullet wound was healing nicely and the enhancements he’d made to the mutant would make him a very deadly weapon. He knew there would be governments all over the world who would pay handsomely for their very own mutant killing machine.

He held the tazer out in front of him and switched it on.

“Paul,” Dr. Percival said, “Time to wake up.”

He knew it would still be a little while before Paul would open his eyes, but he held steady, waiting in case he woke up early. He hoped the young mutant would try and attack him, just so he could use his weapon to cause even more misery to the pathetic creature.

Something fell behind Dr. Percival and he glanced over his shoulder only to see the piece of equipment rise on it’s own. Wide eyed, he turned back to Paul, and all the color drained from Percival’s face.

Paul screamed. It was primal, full of raw, bloody fury.

Percival tried to use the tazer, but the weapon proved useless as it was flew out of his hand and was smashed against the wall. Now Percival was defenseless and Paul, who looked more like a beast now than a man, stood up.

He screamed again, and Percival swore he heard Paul say ‘Sam’.

It was the last thing he heard before Paul plunged his hand into Percival’s chest and ripped out his still beating heart. The last thing he saw was Paul throwing it to the ground and, like a wounded animal, flee the room.

THE
END

 

[Exploding Boy]

holy ****

 

[CPaulLandri]

Young man, we call that a plot twist :-D

 

[Exploding Boy]

Its not really over is it?! Make a future story with Sam!

 

[CPaulLandri]

Well, I got something percolating in the ole noodle, but havn't decided what.