“JIMMY! Someone’s coming. Terminate the session” Belladonna sounded exasperated, I didn’t listen. Leaping through the air, I release my bone claws and copy the same punch-kick and stabbing as the fighter, landing in a crouching position I kicked hard at an unseen opponent. I had run this session, and others. It got easier for each time. The fighting style was a mix of martial arts and street fighting. Brutal and dirty but with a poetic deadly grace. My body had formed by the hard exercise. Tough and flexible. I didn’t mind the sting in my knuckles now that I released the bone claws. The pain was somewhat comfortable. What I had to mind was not to let the rage take control. It was something I could feel lurking at the border of my consciousness. A berserker rage as my father called it. He had learned to suppress his, and taught me how to calm my own beast, if I kept it in check, I’d not loose my control. He did not approve that I trained, not like this. He didn’t want me to become a fighter. I couldn’t understand it. He had been an X-man and an Avenger. Fought opponents and saved the world. Why would he deny me this? We had our arguments, none of us budging. For the family peace sake we didn’t bring it up anymore. I didn’t tell him I sneaked up to the academy and trained in secret, using forbidden files to hone my skills. I didn’t fool my self into believing he didn’t know. His senses was even more accurate than mine. He could notice the bruises, smell the faint taint of blood that sprung up whenever I released my claws. I noticed the sadness in his eyes when he subtly checked me up, but we didn’t speak of it. I still studied and helped him in the Lab. Having my MD in Bio technology I had even started to look for work.
“Fine! Yer on yer own thick head! Ah’m out’a here, ye hear?” I cast a glance up to the rec. room window where Bella stood, glaring angrily at me. The door to the Danger Room suddenly opened, and I turned to the intruder, claws at the ready.
“Cerebra, terminate this session” Xavier’s calm voice betrayed no emotion. The holograms winked out of existence and I found my self standing in it’s sterile stainless steel environment looking at the aged Charles Xavier, still the most powerful telepath in the world.
“Belladonna, please return to your home. I will speak with you and your parents later. James, you follow me to my office, and sheathe your claws. I am not your enemy. “ We silently obeyed. For an old man, he was commanding even if he didn’t raise his voice. I followed him through the long corridors, in sullen silence. He didn’t look at me, nor speak. I was taller than him, but he made me feel like when I was seven and was taken to the principals office for starting a brawl with Johnny Drake.
“Close the door and take a seat” I did as I was told when we entered his office. It was difficult to think that this man had been tied to a wheelchair for the most part of his life. He seated himself across from me, behind the oaken desk, placing his hands in front of him.
“Now, tell me what you think you were doing. And why you broke into the restricted files to access those specific data.”
I didn’t answer, but stared sullenly on the clean surface of the desk. Xavier sighed finally.
“James, I could pry the answer from your mind”
“Why don’t you?” I replied vehemently without raising my gaze to meet his.
“I would rather you told me.”
“Yeah? I bet you already knows anyway, so why don’t you just go ahead and lecture me, then bring in my parents so they too can tell me how disappointed they are by my actions!”
“You think that would solve the matter? James, those files are restricted for a reason. If you want combat lessons, you should join Tabitha Smith’s class. She has pulled together a new group”
“Boomer’s back?” This revelation put me off guard. Xavier nodded. I didn’t know all the facts, but she had been “indisposed” as they called it, for nearly six months after her son died. Ricky and I had played as children, but had drifted a part as we grew up. I hardly knew him as a teenager. His death had shocked me. Rumor told he had been butchered by another mutant. Other more vicious rumors stated that it was Sabretooth who Ricky had found out was his father. The whispered rumors said that Sabretooth had assaulted Tabitha, forced himself on her and left her for dead. Eight months later, Ricky was born. Apparently Ricky had found out the truth and went out to revenge his mothers suffering, but ended up dead.
“What happened to Ricky, professor?”
“He was killed”
“How? Who killed him?”
“That information is Tabitha’s to give when she is ready”
“Shouldn’t we be informed if there is a killer on the loose? He could be running through our streets and murder more people!” I was getting angry again.
“Richard Smith’s murderer have been apprehended, that is all you need to know James. Now, as I stated before, if you want to learn combat, I am sure Tabitha wouldn’t mind you in her class. You are old enough to participate and don’t need your parents permission. But I was under the impression you wanted a career in the science department. Haven’t you applied for a position as a lab assistant in Stark Enterprises?" Xavier change of subject was a clear indication that he would not answer any more questions about Ricky’s death. I balled my fists in anger and didn’t answer him. I had the feeling that the older mutants kept many things from us, the next generation as they called us. Things from their past that they deemed was unnecessary or even dangerous perhaps for us to know. I didn’t know why I believed that. Maybe from certain looks I’ve seen they share. A sudden sad glint in their eyes when they seemed to think on an event that happened before our time. And then it was the questions I asked that went unanswered. Like what kind of accident it was that killed my parents. They had died when I was two years old. I’ve asked their closest friends, The LeBeau’s, Mr and Mrs Rasputin, Mr Summers and Xavier, neither answering straight. Not even Hank or Cecilia who had adopted me. It was driving me crazy, because I knew they were shielding me from the truth. A truth they believed was to much for me to handle. Bella and I had tried to search for some information, but had found nothing so far. There were no records of how they died. The obituaries only stated they died by an tragic accident. I was nineteen and still lived in my parents house, but by both mutant and human standards I was a grown up, so why couldn’t they just let me in to their secrets? What was it in their past that could hurt me? How could knowing the truth about my biological parents hurt me more than not knowing?
“It’s apparent that you won’t respond to my question. So allow me to be brief. You will no longer have access to any of the academy’s files. You are no longer granted any access to Cerebra or any other system tied to her, and that goes for your friend, miss LeBeau too. If further attempts are made to reach any restricted files, you will be forbidden to enter the academy and it’s grounds. Is that understood?”
“James, is that understood?”
“Yeah, whatever” I didn’t realize how juvenile I sounded. I rose from the chair feeling the anger seethe through me.
“You can refuse me entrance to the academy Xavier and do your best to keep your secrets. But the day will come when I learn the truth. So consider this, would you rather I learned it by myself, or will you wish, that day that you had told me?”
The event fades. It’s memory still fresh as it was now happening. I feel odd, my skin is tingling, perhaps it was the effect of time traveling. Father and I hadn’t tested the machine yet. And when he suspected what I was about to do, he tried to dismantle it. I can’t feel myself traveling, not like when I flew or drove a car. I feel weightless, but still planted on one spot. It is a strange feeling, but not unpleasant. Details from my past come and go like dreams, other than that I see nothing but the light and hear nothing but the soft humming that lulls me.
