Chapter 4
::::::Talking in the mind::::::
The walk to Xavier’s office didn’t relax Kendall’s nerves much. Just the sound of the big, green idiot walking behind her pissed her off more and even though she wasn’t cold, Kendall kept her arms wrapped around herself to keep from punching him in the chest. She purposely walked through the more dense part of the forest and let several of the lower branches smack the “supposedly” lost man behind her.
“You are so damn lucky that Chuck broke in when he did. You have no fucking clue.”
The winds picked up as Kendall’s mind began to wander again. She reminded herself of the look on the green idiot’s face when she poked her head through her cloud. Kendall grinned at the thought while she heard the man behind her stumbling through the underbrush that she’d easily avoided.
“He’s a big one, isn’t he?” Kendall mused silently. She let his physical appearance drift into the front of her mind. The idiot was at least 6’8” and had a very well-developed chest with broad shoulders. As far as Kendall could tell, his eyes were green too. She glanced behind her to make sure that he was keeping up. Sure enough, he was trudging along and had been staring at her back the entire time. His wet hair hung around his face and Kendall had to refocus her energy on walking to keep from drowning in the sight of him.
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Clint stalked behind the woman as quietly as he could, but due to his large frame, that was proving to be a challenge. Every so often, he would hear the lady leading him grumble to herself and he’d have to stay alert because of the branches that were stinging his stomach.
He rubbed his bruised mid-section as they cleared the trees and approached the mansion. Once in better lighting, Clint got a better look at the rather aggressive woman in front of him. Her hair was slicked back and tucked behind her ears. She had her robe tightly wrapped around her body. It only reached her knees and exposed well-toned calves and small, shoeless feet. From what he could recall in the midst of his terror, she had a body any man would kill or be killed for. Clint laughed to himself. If he’d run across her in any other situation, he’d probably try to pick her up. Clint shook his head. Now really wasn’t the best time to start having erotic thoughts of a woman who had just tried to kill him.
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They reached the back door and Kendall tried the knob.
“If you wanted me to bring him indoors, you could’ve at least unlocked the damn door” She thought to herself. “Well, I know I don’t have my keys, but I‘ve got the next best thing.”
Kendall reached into her pocket and revealed a large hair pin. She placed it into the lock and fiddled with it for a few moments. Quickly, she tried the knob again and the door swung open. Kendall replaced the hairpin in her pocket and stepped into the house. She’d gotten in a few steps when another thought crossed her mind. She turned on her heel and glared at the green idiot, who had just entered the house.
“You didn’t just see what you just saw. Alright?” The green idiot nodded and they proceeded onward. Kendall been told not to break into the house before, but at the moment, she really didn’t have a choice. Seeing as how she didn’t have the patience left for yet another lecture tonight, Kendall decided to keep this one as quiet as possible.
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She let him through the expansive kitchen, past a huge staircase and down a long hallway. There were pictures hanging on the walls, blown-up photographs of the past teams of X-Men. Clint looked at each of them as he walked past and noticed a few people that he recognized. Several of them being people that he’d seen around, including the white-haired woman and her husband that had delivered him from the airport. Clint noticed that some other people, who were currently members of the Avengers, seemed to have spent some time at the institute, including his own father.
He kept walking and admiring the photos until one of the earlier ones caught his attention. It was a group photo from about twenty years ago.
“The roster hasn’t changed much over the years.” Clint said to himself. Upon closer inspection, Clint spotted a white-haired little girl, cradled in the arms of the man he only knew as Logan.
A shrill whistle reached his ears. The girl, now years older, was beckoning him in her direction. Clint quickly glanced at the child in the picture and made his way toward the young woman, who was now standing in front of a set of double doors.
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Kendall watched he traipsed toward her. The jolly green bastard still hadn’t replaced his shirt and the lights and shadows in the hall were dancing across his muscles. Kendall swallowed hard, but quickly regained her composure.
When he’d gotten close enough, Kendall opened one of the doors and stalked into the huge office. There were books everywhere, on shelves and stacked around the room. More books and magazines, mostly old medical journals, were piled on the desk. There was also a computer and a small reading lamp. In the middle of all the clutter, with an amused look on his face, sat Charles Xavier.
Charles was an old man. He’d been old for as long as Kendall had known him, ranging from newly old to very old, which is where he was now.
“He’s got to be pushing 80 by now.” Kendall thought.
:::::::Actually, I’m only 78, but close enough.::::::: Charles’ voice rang through Kendall’s mind. She shook her head and tried to get rid of the strange sensation of having a telepath inside your head.
:::::::Never could get used to that.::::::: Kendall replied.
Charles smiled at his granddaughter and removed his glasses. He calmly leaned back in his wheelchair and put his folded hands in his lap.
“Please, have a seat.” He began.
‘Thanks, but I’d rather stand.” Kendall replied flatly. Clinton took a seat in one of the chairs in front of Charles’ desk. Charles nodded and continued.
“Clinton, this is Kendall Logan. A lifelong resident and mutant in good standing.” Charles chuckled.
Kendall interrupted. “Sorry to bust your bubble, Chuck, but I’m afraid he’s already had the pleasure. She glared at Clint and he turned a deeper shade of green.
“I told you that was an accident.” He protested. Kendall growled at him and Charles laughed again.
“Yes, I understand that you’ve already “sampled” some of her abilities.” Kendall folded her arms and Clint sunk a little lower in his seat.
Charles continued. “At any rate, Kendall, this is Clinton Barton Jr.” He nodded in Clint’s direction. “He’s going to be spending some time here with us.”
“Well, isn’t that lovely.” She sneered. “May I ask why?”
“I believe he’s here to hone his skills and use them in the service of mankind. Much like many others. Charles replied.
“Couldn’t he hone his skills at Moira’s” Kendall said coldly.
“Yes, but I’m afraid she’s already has her hands full and she doesn’t have the proper facilities to tend to Clinton’s abilities.”
Kendall started pacing and Charles followed her with his eyes. The man had a point. Xavier’s institute for Gifted Youngsters was probably the best equipped and most diversely staffed mutant academy she could think of.
“If combat training was what he wanted, then that was what he was going to get.” Kendall though, allowing a small grin to cross her lips.
“What abilities?” She asked, pretending to care.
“Clinton, here, has amazing strength and agility, along with telescopic vision and near flawless physical invulnerability.” Charles answered. “I, for one, believe that he will make and excellent addition to the team.”
Kendall locked eyes with Charles. “What team. Not the X-Men.” She exclaimed. Kendall had learned to pay very close attention to what exactly was being said and exactly what wasn’t after living with thieves and telepaths for so many years.
“Eventually, yes.” Charles calmly replied. “But for now I’ve decided to form a sort of a junior team of X-men. Mostly used for back-up and smaller missions.” Kendall’s eyes widened as Charles continued. “As I’m sure you already know, the current X-men are getting older and can’t perform as they used to . I believe that we should start training replacements as soon as possible.”
“But isn’t that what you were doing anyway?” Kendall asked.
“Sort of” Charles answered. “But, as you know, most of our graduates just want to return to a normal life, or as normal a life as they can have.”
Clint yawned widely and Charles did as well. “You’ve had a long day. Why don’t you get some rest.” Clint nodded. “I trust that you can find you own way to your room.” He nodded again and started toward the door. “Oh, and Clinton.” Charles added. “Try not to wake anyone, will you please?” Clinton laughed shortly and left.
Kendall stopped pacing and sat in Clint’s chair, crossing her legs. “So.” She started. “Who’d you have in mind?”
“Whomever wishes to remain here after graduation.” Charles replied. “Along with a few recent graduates willing to help out.”
Kendall lifted an eyebrow. “Recent graduates, as in…?”
Charles picked up one of the larger medical books in front of him and wheeled toward one of the shelves. “I don’t have very many conformations yet, but I know that one Ms. Lee and a Mr. Bishop have already signed on.”
Kendall’s heart skipped a beat. “Really?” She asked nonchalantly. “And when will they be arriving.” Charles turned back towards her.
“Lucas will be making an appearance sometime tomorrow afternoon, so he says. Jubilee’s flight won’t get in until 8 p.m. and I’m fairly certain that she’ll need a ride.”
Kendall smiled brightly and stood up. “I’ll take care of it.” She stated.
“I knew you would.” Charles replied. No sooner than he had finished his sentence, Kendall yawned deeply and cracked her back.
“Now you should get some sleep too, young lady. You don’t want your friends to see you in such an aggravated state.” Charles joked.
“It wouldn’t be the first time.” Kendall replied. She walked over to Charles and kissed the top of his bald head.
“Good night, Papa Charlie.” She said.
“Same to you, dear.” He replied.
Kendall walked to the door and Charles stopped her. “Kendall.” He said. She turned and looked at him.
“You should smile more often. It suits you.”
Kendall smiled again and left the room. Closing the door behind her, she proceeded toward the grand staircase in the parlor. The large grandfather clock sounded twice and Kendall sighed. She relinquished her hold on the front of her robe and exposed herself to the cooler air of the mansion. Shakily, she ran a hand through her damp, disheveled locks and sighed.
“Jubes would have a fit if she saw my hair like this.”
Jubilee was what Kendall liked to call a “girly girl”. She didn’t like physical training or even sweating too much. Jubilee spent almost all of her free time and money at the mall, Splurging on the newest trends in fashion and her credit card bills often showed her impulsiveness. Somehow, Kendall usually got dragged into these little excursions and did all she could to keep Jubilee out of debt.
Jubilee made sure that Kendall dressed like a beautiful young lady instead of a “damn lumberjack”. Jubilee would attack Kendall’s clothes and make what she referred to as “tasteful alterations”. Sometimes, Kendall would find one of her pairs of jeans cut off way above the knees. Other times, when Kendall would be wearing one of her father’s old flannel shirts, jubes would come along, undo a few buttons and make a belly shirt out of it. At one point, Kendall had to put a lock on her closet to keep Jubilee away from her clothes.
“Your body’s too gorgeous to keep it locked up under all those clothes.” Jubilee would say.
“It’s not always locked up.” Kendall would protest. “Sometimes I’m totally naked.”
As much as Kendall didn’t like being treated like a Barbie doll, she usually went along with it. Hell, It wasn’t as if she hadn’t talked Jubes into a thing or two herself.
“Some quick French braids should be good enough.” Kendall thought to herself. She had just started to make her way up the stairs when a very drunk Remy LeBeau stumbled through the front door.
“Good morning, ma belle” he exclaimed, waving an empty bottle of Remy Martin in her direction.
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