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Title<\/b>: Coming Out [Expectation]
\nRating\/Warnings<\/b>: R for kicking the everliving crap out of frat boys.
\nSummary<\/b>: On Halloween night, all they want to do is go to a party, but a dozen frat boys and a sentinel later, nothing will ever be the same.
\nA\/N<\/b>: Well, it’s sort of X-men fic. They’re in it at the end? The members of Expectation are all my creation (except for Cody, who is are also partially Amber’s). Written from start to finish in about three weeks, which was pretty impressive for me in 2002.<\/p>\n
Coming Out<\/b><\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153All right,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Kris said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Stand back. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m liable to be dangerous with this thing.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Oh, please,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance rolled her eyes. She pushed Kris out of the way and grabbed the color hairspray from her hand. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Toby, put the towel up over your face and take a deep breath.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Toby did what Chance ordered and Chance let her have it with the spray can. After a minute, Joanna and Kris had to go fling the door open and stand in the hallway, gasping for air from the fumes.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Crybabies!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance called from the room, still spraying away with abandon. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153All right,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she finally said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I think that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s it.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Toby lifted her head cautiously and shook out her hair. Her normally blond hair was bright, fire-engine red.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Oh, wow!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna exclaimed. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Danny\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s gonna flip!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll look just like Phoenix!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Kris nodded vehemently. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153My turn!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
The process was repeated with a similar spray can, this time purple.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t wait to see what the boys are up to,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna laughed. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Adam as Angel is going to be hilarious. Kris, how long does it take to straighten your hair?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I dunno,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Kris mumbled from under the now-multi-hued towel. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Maybe fifteen minutes or so.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t believe you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to wear this costume in public,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Toby eyed Kris\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s purple leotard skeptically. Aside from a leg band and a crimson dawn tattoo, it made up more or less the entire Psylocke costume.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153This coming from the girl who has a lime green micro-mini dress and yellow go-go boots,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna rolled her eyes. Toby blushed.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re done,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance announced. Kris dropped the towel and gave a test shake of her hair. The other three stared.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s weird,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance finally said, grabbing her towel off the floor to gel her own hair into Wolverine\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s winged thinguses.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153This is awesome,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Kris grinned, fluffing her purple curls in the mirror. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s get cracking with the curling iron so we can go check out the boys.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get too carried away,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna laughed, handing her the can of white hairspray. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You need to make me Rogue first.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
* * * * * *<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t believe I agreed to this,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam grumbled.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Shut up and close your eyes,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny commanded, shaking the spray can vigorously. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153By the way, that shower cap looks particularly fetching on you\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t move! I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m about to start. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153<\/p>\n
Adam clenched his fists as a blast of cold spray paint hit him full in the face.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153\u00e2\u20ac\u02dcKay, hold out your hands,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Your head\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s done.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Adam opened his eyes experimentally as Danny sprayed his hands and forearms. Looking at the solid blue on his skin, he had the sinking suspicion that this was not indeed temporary.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Let me see that can,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he demanded, making a grab for it.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153No touching anything!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny scolded, pulling the spray can out of reach. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll have to spray you again if you mess it up.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Give it to me now,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam advanced on Danny.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t touch my shirt!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny stumbled backwards, trying to evade Adam\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s grasp. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6uh\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6I mean\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s PERMANENT, isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t it?!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam pounced on Danny, snatching the can away from him.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Only a little,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny confessed, edging towards the door.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153A LITTLE?!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam shouted. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153How can something be a LITTLE PERMANENT?!!!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I told you not to tell him,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Cody said, sauntering in the door casually. He slapped the irate Adam on the back.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t say it,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam warned him through gritted teeth.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be blue, man,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Cody couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t help himself.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m going\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6to kill\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6BOTH of you\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam hissed between deep breaths.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Put on your wings and chill out,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny advised. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The girls will be over soon to check us out and tell us if we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re allowed out with them.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Adam continued giving Cody and Danny murderous glares while he put his arms through the elastic bands on his CVS angel wings. Danny was busy taping two strips of yellow cardboard together with a piece of red saran wrap in the middle. He bent it over his glasses and secured it to the arms of his glasses to produce a rather respectable ruby-quartz visor. Cody, meanwhile, was coloring in a couple playing cards with a pink highlighter.<\/p>\n
Kris pounded on the door.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Are you guys ready?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she hollered through the door. Cody sauntered over to open the door and leered appreciatively at Kris\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u02dccostume.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ma chere?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Back off, before I use the sum totality of my psychic powers,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Kris pushed past him into the room.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t even think about it,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance added before Cody had a chance to say another word.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Adam,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna said, giving him an odd glance. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re awfully\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153BLUE,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam said loudly. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m BLUE, and I hope you enjoy it, because thanks to your FRIENDS, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m going to be BLUE for QUITE. SOME. TIME.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Well, did you think they made temporary spray paint?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Kris asked critically.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not going to talk about this any more,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam growled. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The next person who says the word \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcblue\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 is getting kicked off the team.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153The sky was very azure today,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna said slyly.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I think it was more cerulean,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny joined in.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Or sapphire,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d added Cody.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Cobalt.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Teal!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153ULTRAMARINE!!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ha.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam gave them the Look. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ha. Ha. Ha. I want you all to remember this when you are asleep tonight. Because I am going to get you back. Each and every one of you.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153That doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t sound like very effective leadership,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance put in sarcastically.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Right now,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam hissed at her, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153the only leadership facet I am interested in is being the first person to kick your asses.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Are you ready to go?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Kris interrupted loudly. A chorus of affirmatives in various degrees of enthusiasm was had.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I would just like to point out again that maybe this is not the optimum costume choice,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny said.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Why?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna asked. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the problem with being X-men for Halloween?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153There are several reasons I could mention,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny answered. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153For one, The X-men are not the most popular of people right now, nation-wide, cool though they may be, especially in the mid-west. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s sort of like going as a black person in the deep south. Two, the X-men are in fact mutants.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153And so are we,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance interrupted impatiently.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153But that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a secret, in case you forgot,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny continued patiently. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Probably associating ourselves with known mutants in people\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s minds is not the way to keep that secret.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be silly,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Cody shook his head. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s like hiding in plain sight. I bet no one will think twice about us.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
* * * * * *<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153MUTIE!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153No one will think twice?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna hissed at Cody, as all seven of them tried to ignore the townies\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 racist shouts, hoping that their intolerance wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t escalate to actual violence. They had experienced quite enough of that already this evening.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re just downtown,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Cody hissed back. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Once we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re back on campus everything will be fine.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Cause we were such a big hit at the Arts House party,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Kris said nastily.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153None of those people liked us before Halloween,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam pointed out. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153They hardly need an excuse to ostracize us.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Well, we gave it to them all right,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance sneered.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Told you so,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny said darkly.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Could you guys not fight?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Toby asked, tugging on Danny\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s hand. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I just want to go home.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Toby had taken their being kicked out of the party after being harassed and threatened the hardest, actually crying a little. Danny felt his anger flare when he looked at Toby\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s face, still marked with tear-tracks, but tried to swallow it as best he could. He pulled Toby close and put his arm around her.<\/p>\n
Over Toby\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s head, Danny\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s eyes met Chance\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s and found the same fury burning in her eyes. Something passed between them, and Danny knew their night was far from over.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Why\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re you complaining?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna was asking Kris. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153They liked us well enough.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Liked to get a piece of us, rather,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Kris said tightly. They had had a run-in with several frat boys, who had tried to separate her and Joanna from the others. Her anger was currently all that was keeping her from thinking about what might have happened if Adam hadn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t found them and broken the nose of the senior leading them.<\/p>\n
At long last they set foot on campus, which was mostly deserted since everyone was out at Halloween parties.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m gonna take Toby to the suite,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna said. Danny glanced at her in surprise, knowing that she would like nothing better than to have another crack at the ass who had grabbed her, without his half dozen thugs defending him.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Are you sure?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he asked, really asking if she was letting him go with Chance rather than her. Joanna nodded.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You and Chance,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna muffled the sounds waves passing between them so no one else would hear them, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll the beat the shit out of them, and you won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get caught. It matters more to me that they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll never try to fuck with us again than that I get to be the one to do it. Besides, we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve still got a secret to keep, and you can stop Chance from using her powers if you have to.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Danny nodded curtly, giving Toby a final hug. Looking her in the eye, Danny had no doubt that Toby knew exactly what he was going back out to do, but she bit her lip and didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t say anything as she went inside with Joanna. The fury in Danny flared again, knowing that even Toby\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s inherent pacifism had been surpassed.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Kris,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna gave her a meaningful look. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Can you come in with us and help me with Toby? If she doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t talk about it now, she isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t going to, and with her psionic empathy\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6you know how she can get.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Kris, knowing the same thing was true for her as Joanna but monumentally less happy about it, punched Danny in the shoulder hard as she went in with Joanna and Toby. Danny took it, giving her a nod to say that he would pass the message along in spades.<\/p>\n
Adam, Danny, and Chance stared at each other.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Cody, go stay with the girls in case anything else happens,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam said evenly.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153But\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Cody protested.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Right now,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam stopped him hard without looking over at him, his voice made of cold steel. Cody glanced among the faces of the other three, then did what Adam ordered without looking back.<\/p>\n
When he heard the door close behind Cody, Adam addressed Chance and Danny in the same voice.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want you to do this.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t stop us,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny informed him flatly.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t help,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam shook his head. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It will make things worse.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We have to make them stop,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny replied. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Before one of us gets hurt really.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153If you fight them tonight,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam argued, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll just come back at you with more tomorrow. They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll take us alone, you, the girls, Toby\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t talk to ME about Toby!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny broke in furiously. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153That could have been HER they tried to rape tonight! What if you hadn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t been there? What if we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not there next time!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s got to stop, Adam,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance, who had been uncharacteristically quiet up to now, put a restraining hand on Danny\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s arm and stared Adam down. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s getting worse, and we have to MAKE it stop. Or would you rather have us wait? Until we have to fight back? Right now there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a chance that we can do this without exposing our secret you want to keep so bad. When they hospitalize one of us? Or rape one of us? Or KILL one of us?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Barely concealed static was crackling up Chance\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s forearms and behind her eyes. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153When they start really hurting us, all bets are off, Lockhart. Instead of standing in our way, maybe you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d better concentrate on hopin\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 we can finish this right now. Before all hell breaks loose.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Adam clenched his jaw tightly.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153If you get caught, we get expelled,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he reminded them tightly. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153And if you fuck up, they own us. So you better make it count.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Adam, they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re threatening you and yours!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny said heatedly. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Come with us!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t endorse this,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam hissed angrily. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Whatever you do, you do on your own, not as part of this team.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s bullshit,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny glared at him. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The team\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s who we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re doing this for, including you! Stay here if you want, but don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t for a SECOND think I believe you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know what has to be done.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He brushed past Adam to stalk back towards the street.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Adam, I got a limited amount of insightful, understanding moments to hand out, but I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m gonna waste one on you now,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance stopped beside him before she went by to chase Danny, peeling off her fingerless gloves, to which she had attached knives as makeshift claws. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You wanna believe that your way is better than ours all the time, and you know, even I wish you were right, but that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s just not the way stuff is. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s times when ass needs to be kicked, and now is one of those times.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I feel like I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m failing everybody, whether I go or stay,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam kicked at the ground in frustration. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What kind of shitty leader protects his team by sending them out to get hurt?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Even Xavier\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s got his X-men,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance shrugged. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You just have to learn when to use yours. Here,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she slapped her gloves into Adam\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s hands. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hold these, I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to slit any throats accidentally. Or I probably shouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t, at least.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Chance disappeared after Danny, leaving Adam alone on the quad. He stared after her for a long time, paralyzed by anger both for letting them go and for not going with them.<\/p>\n
* * * * * *<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the plan?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny asked Chance without looking up at her when she caught up to him.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Plan?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance snorted. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re the fucking X-men, we don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t need a plan. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll just kick ass.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not in the mood, McCoughlin,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny snapped. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do you have a plan or what?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We could take them a few at time when they leave,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s expression sobered to one of hard stratgery. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But it won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t prove anything. We need to prove that we can take them all at once, anytime, and we need to do it in front of as many people as possible.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Can we do that?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny asked.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Beats the hell out of me,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance shrugged.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s what I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m afraid of,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s jaw tightened. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153How many of them were there?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Eight, maybe ten,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance counted in her head.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Fuck,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny swore. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I wish my power didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t suck.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Frat boys don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t really know how to fight, trust me,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance shook her head. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153All they know how to do is to throw their weight at you, fists up. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re lighter, faster, and with what I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been teaching you, I think we can take them. So long as they only come at us two or three at a time.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153So we fight them inside, where there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s less space,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny tried to think over what Chance had been teaching them about fighting. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153That way they can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t ring us, and their bulk will give us the advantage. Plus they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re drunk.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You have been learning something,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance slapped him on the shoulder. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Here\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the problem: Wallace.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Wallace Gibson was the senior president of Alpha Tau Delta. He was built like a brick house, and was a firm believer in immediate and violent retaliation for any disrespect to his fraternity.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Wallace outweighs us and actually knows how to fight,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance shook her head. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Both of us together might be able to take him, but certainly not along with everyone else.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Maybe he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll have left by now,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny suggested.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s worse,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance furrowed her brow. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If we don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t take him, he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be the first to come back at us, organized and hard, and we definitely won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be able to take that, tonight or after. Our best chance is to take him by surprise, then take on everybody else.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153And if we can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get him alone?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny asked.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re fucked,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance replied flatly.<\/p>\n
By now they had reached the Arts House, where the party seemed to have picked up speed since they left.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s go around back,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny said, pulling Chance behind a hedge that ringed the yard. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Maybe we can get a look at who\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s where before we go in.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance nodded sharply and they made their way stealthily to the back yard of the house, using the hedge for cover.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Oh, yessss,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance hissed as they peered through the hedge.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny whispered, trying to see what she was looking at.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Wallace,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance grinned ferally. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s alone. Well, practically alone.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What are you talking about?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny asked, finally pushing her out of the way.<\/p>\n
Wallace had led some hapless sorority girl out back, and was trying to drunkenly persuade her to go somewhere with him. The girl however, not being as vapid as she looked, was resisting the 250 pound frat senior as best she could.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I think I should just shock him,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance said seriously, her fist crackling in anticipation.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny grabbed her wrist and her static fizzled out. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153That girl will see, and what if you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t knock him out right away?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I know how to knock someone unconscious,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance jerked her hand away from him. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Think about it, Daniel, he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s our biggest problem, we can take him out with zero risk right now, drag him inside, and everyone will think we beat him! Then they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be intimidated as well as drunk, slow, and stupid!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6wait, listen to that,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny hushed Chance.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153NO!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d they heard Wallace\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s victim shout, followed by the unmistakable hiss of a mace sprayer. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Take THAT, you asshole!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Watching through the bushes, Danny and Chance saw Wallace roar and let go of the girl as he rubbed his eyes frantically. The girl ran inside as fast as her spiked heels could take her.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do it while he can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t see, and don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t fuck up,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny hissed hurriedly.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153No problem,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s eyes narrowed and she slipped through the bushes. She snuck up behind the blinded frat boy, fists crackling blue, and holding one fist inside the other, brought them down on the back of Wallace\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s skull hard. Wallace dropped lifelessly to the ground from the combination of blunt force and electric shock.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t kill him did you?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny asked, stepping out of the bushes.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I wish,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance said darkly, the remains of her static crackling up her forearms before disappearing. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153He doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have many brains to scramble, he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be fine. He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll probably claim we cracked his head with a baseball bat or something like that, after he finds out that we took out the rest of the frat boys.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153If we take out the rest of the frat boys,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny said darkly.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Now is not the time for pessimism, Daniel,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance hefted one of the downed senior\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s muscled arms. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Grab the other arm and let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s drag him inside and get this over with.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Chance and Danny fireman-carried Wallace to the back door, which Chance kicked open with her boot.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ready?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance asked.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t feel half as stupid if we weren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t still dressed as Cyclops and Wolverine,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny growled. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s do it.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Once inside, they pushed past the people hanging out near the door until people started to realize what was happening. A path opened up to the middle of the dance floor, and when they were standing in the center of the room, they dropped Wallace heavily to the floor.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yo, cut the fucking music!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d somebody yelled. The techno whine that had been smothering everything bendied into silence, and everyone stared at the fallen frat senior and his attackers.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You assholes fucked with the wrong people tonight,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance growled fiercely.<\/p>\n
There was a tense moment of silence.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Are those the X-men?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d somebody asked finally.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hey,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d a drunken voice said slowly. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Weren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t they here before?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yeah,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d one of the frat guys answered. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153They had those girls with \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcem.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I bet you remember the girls,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s eyes narrowed. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Six of you tried to rape them until Adam broke Covington\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s nose!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t rabe nobody!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Covington pushed through the ring of people, his voice thick because of his swollen and purple nose. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Maybe dey were sick ob you pussies!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re here to deliver a message,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance announced, sneering at Covington who she had decided would make a good enough messenger when Wallace came to. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Our friends, they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re off limits. Stay away from us.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Who\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d gonna stob us, liddle girl?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Covington stepped forward. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Bring it, Covington,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance gave a savage grin. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Think you can do better than Wallace?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Covington licked his lips, giving a nervous glance at the heap on the floor that was the head of his frat, but already a drunken cheer of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Covington! Covington!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d was circulating the room, and there was really no way he could back down now without losing face.<\/p>\n
He made a clumsy rush at Chance, who sidestepped him easily. She swept his feet out from under him and he crashed heavily to the floor, sending sprays of the alcohol slush that was covering the floor in all directions. He staggered to his feet, slush dripping off him, and opened his eyes to see Danny at close range. Danny drove the heel of his hand into Covington\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s already broken nose followed by a solid hit to the solar plexus, driving Covington to his knees, howling with pain and spurting blood from his nose. Danny grabbed Covington\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s collar and bore down on him, cracking Covington\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s head on the cement floor. Covington stared up at him with glazed eyes.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153If any of you ever touches Toby, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll kill you,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny snarled before cracking Covington\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s head on the floor again and knocking him unconscious.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, two other frat boys had felt brave enough to attack Chance together, actually possessing the presence of mind to attack from the same direction so that Chance couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t duck between them. She was holding her own, but had taken a few hits, unable to block four fists simultaneously. Before a third frat boy charged him, Danny had time to notice that Chance was charging her fists slightly, not enough that the inebriated fighters would notice in the confusion, but enough that they were feeling her punches more than they should have, and sometimes enough to stun them momentarily.<\/p>\n
Danny knew he didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have time to avoid the larger frat boy\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s sudden charge, so instead he grabbed the outstretched fist of the guy and pivoted like he was swinging a baseball bat, using the larger guy\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s own momentum to drive him into one of Chance\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s attackers and knock them both to the floor. Chance took the opportunity the other attacker\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s surprise afforded her to land a clean uppercut, and he joined his buddies on the floor. She dealt him a savage kick in the ribs before glancing over to see how<\/p>\n
Danny was doing.<\/p>\n
Danny had just dropped a fifth frat boy (six if you counted Wallace) to the ground, but looked worse for wear, having taken a gash above the eye; fortunately, his glasses were miraculously intact, faux visor and all. He looked stunned, and was having trouble seeing with blood pouring into his eyes. Chance saw that the last three frat boys seemed like they were going to make a final simultaneous bid for them, and took several fast backwards steps to put her back against Danny\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Can you hold out?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she hissed hurriedly.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Bring it,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny repeated her earlier words fiercely. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll take the far right one. Are there three or five of them?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re scaring me Daniel,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance tensed for the trio\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s charge. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Can you see or not?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153No, there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s too much blood on my glasses and everything\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s blurry,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny told her.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Then do exactly what I tell you, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got an idea,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance said tightly. She waited until the three guys were nearly on top of them. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Punch now!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Daniel struck out nearly blindly, ignoring his double vision, and got a lucky shot out at his attacker, catching him solidly in the throat. Unable to breath, the guy fell back, leaving two more.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hit the deck!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance shouted hurriedly. Her attacker was coming in too low for her to punch, so she crouched down and took the hit, grabbing the collar of the attacker and rocking back with the force, using his momentum to flip him over her head. Danny dropped just in time, and Chance\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s boy crashed into the remaining attacker. Chance jumped to her feet painfully and helped Danny up hurriedly. The only attacker standing was the one Danny had punched in his throat. They advanced on him, but he backed away.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he wheezed, clutching his throat with one hand and waving surrender with the other. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6hurt me\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You tell your friends to stay away from us,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance ordered sharply. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Tell Wallace if any of his pals lay a hand on any of our people, then we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll fuck him up for real. Slow, so he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll remember it this time. Got it?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
The frat boy stared at Chance dumbly, raw terror evident on his face.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153GOT it?!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance barked. The frat boy nodded jerkily. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s get out of here, Danny. I wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t spend an extra minute at this fucking party even if I was as much a brain-dead asshole as them.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Being as he still couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t see very well, Danny made a good show of following Chance\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s confident stride out of the house, and the silent crowd of stunned bystanders parted immediately, as though they were afraid to even brush against Danny and Chance.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Chance,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny started when he felt cold air on his face.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Not yet,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance ordered him in a low voice. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We need to get out of sight before you keel over. Act like its nothing.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t fucking see anything,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny hissed angrily.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Just keep moving forward, there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s nothing there,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance whispered back. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s an intersection coming up in about ten steps. You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to stop when I tell you, wait till I say \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcgo\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 and as soon as we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re on the other side of the street we can stop and look at your head. All right? Stop.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Danny obediently halted. Through his blood spattered glasses and red-cellophaned visor, not to mention his double vision, all he could make out was fast blurs of white and red lights whizzing by in front of him, making him more dizzy than he already was.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Go now,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance ordered suddenly, and they moved across the street as quickly as possible while still looking tough.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m stopping now,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny informed Chance, dropping to his knees. He peeled off his glasses and tried to use his shirt to scrape off the dried blood as best he could, trying to blink the blurriness of his vision away and ignoring the other parts of his body that were starting to ache. Chance crouched down beside him and probed the cut on his forehead.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t think its deep,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she said, as Danny jerked his head away from her hand, hissing in pain. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Head wounds just bleed a lot.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny peered at her near-sightedly, and saw that she had a split lip and a small gash of her own along her cheekbone.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re bleeding too,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he told her, putting his sort-of cleaned glasses back on his head. Chance touched her own cheek and glanced at the blood on her fingertips.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to have to go in one of the other dorms to clean up,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Toby\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll flip out if she sees you like this. We need to get moving, I think did something to my ankle, and if we don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t keep moving, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s gonna stiffen up real fast.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Danny grunted and struggled to his feet, leaning heavily on Chance. Once upright, he steadied himself and seemed to be okay to walk.<\/p>\n
They trudged back towards campus in silence for several minutes.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Danny,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance said finally.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yeah?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he asked, concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You did real good.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance, having a rare moment of respect for others, was having a hard time stringing the words together to say what she meant. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153All that stuff I taught you, you remembered it when it counted, and you wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t quit coming, even when we were pretty sure we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d lose. Used to be, I would\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve taken that fight on by myself\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6but next time, I want you to have my back.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What the hell are you talking about, McCoughlin?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny demanded with irritation, glancing at Chance and coughing some. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I got the crap beat out of me! I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t see, and I can barely walk for chrissake, and you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re hardly doing much better! The only reason we won is cause you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re a good enough fighter to kick the shit out of somebody and yell orders for me to fight blind at the same time!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153But we did win, Powers,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance reminded him, shrugging. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153And that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s all that matters. Wallace won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t touch us now, any of us. Neither one of us could have done that alone. As for the beating we took, well\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6if it keeps Toby and the rest of them safe\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve taken a lot worse than this, for a lot stupider reasons.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Careful,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny hacked a painful laugh. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Someone might mistake you for a member of some touchy-feely team.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He stopped walking so he could get a good look at Chance. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You really mean that? About wanting me to back you up?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Who else would crack someone\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s head on concrete without giving it a second thought?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance gave him a penetrating stare. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You do what needs to be done, and you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t second-guess yourself about it. Sounds simple, but the rest of them haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t learned that trick yet. And it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll get them hurt unless you and me are there to take care of things. Like we were tonight.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yeah, well\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s that noise?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny asked, looking around. There was a distant sort of pounding.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the sound of me not caring what the hell it is, Daniel,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance replied. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re done for the night.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s coming from campus,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny looked at Chance. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t sound good.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Danny, what could it possible be that would concern us?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance asked caustically. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s probably construction, but if it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not, they could blow up half of campus right now and I wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t lift a finger to stop it.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s bullshit,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny summarily dismissed her statement of apathy. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Come on.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Danny upped his admittedly pathetic speed slightly, dragging Chance in his wake. The sounds were indeed coming from campus and getting louder all the time. Now it sounded like a hollowly metallic, rhythmic pounding, and the ground was starting to shake a little. He and Chance exchanged glances and sped up a little more.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Whatever it is,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance warned, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re only going to look and then go get Adam. Neither one of us needs to get fucked up any more tonight.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny nodded.<\/p>\n
Suddenly, a voice like a deranged PA system rang out across campus:<\/p>\n
:HALT, MUTANT. UNIT GAMMA ALPHA 3958 INTERCEPTING TARGET.:<\/p>\n
Danny and Chance broke into a run, ignoring their aches, and headed for the quad in the middle of campus.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Holy shit!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance stopped dead when they broke onto the quad and saw what was making all the noise. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What the fuck is that?!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u02dcThat\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 was a two-story-high, purple and red metallic android, who at that moment was chasing a hysterical girl across the quad. It wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t very fast or very graceful, but given its size, it didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have to be.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a sentinel,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny went cold with fear. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It tracks mutants and exterminates them. Go get Adam, now!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What are you going to do?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance demanded. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not leaving you here to get yourself killed!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I block powers, maybe I can get close enough to that girl to turn hers off so we can hide,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny said, pushing Chance roughly towards the dorms. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153GO!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance growled and ran down the other side of the quad to the dorms, and Danny went after the girl.<\/p>\n
The girl had tripped and crashed to the ground, and was too terrified to climb back to her feet. Danny cursed and sprinted with everything he had left, knowing he wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t fast enough to reach her before the sentinel did.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153HEY!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he heard Chance shout from the other end of the quad, and he heard the crackle of one of Chance\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s shockbursts. The sentinel paused.<\/p>\n
:NEW MUTANT DETECTED. IDENTITY UNKNOWN.:<\/p>\n
The momentary pause was enough for Danny to gain the lead over the sentinel.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153CHANCE!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he screamed without looking to see if she could hear him or even if she was still there. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It tracks your POWERS! Turn yours OFF and GET ADAM!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
:PRIORITY: FIRST TARGET.: the sentinel decided.<\/p>\n
As the sentinel turned back towards the downed girl, Danny didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know whether that was good or bad news, but he was glad the sentinel was at least announcing his plans out loud. He made a desperate dive for the girl, and as he grabbed her, he concentrated every fiber of his mutantdom on turning off her powers.<\/p>\n
The sentinel paused again, and swiveled its head back and forth slightly, as if a satellite searching for a signal. Danny held his breath, sure that the pounding of his heart could lead the most inept tracking device to them, mutant or not.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Get up, stay quiet, and do exactly what I tell you,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny hissed at the girl, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153and for chrissake, no matter what happens DON\u00e2\u20ac\u2122T let go of me!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d The girl nodded dumbly, eyes wide with terror. Danny staggered to his feet, ignoring the sharp pain that was beginning to develop in his side and dragging the girl along with him. He hustled her to the nearest building and they huddled in the doorframe.<\/p>\n
Please let it not be able to sense my power, Danny prayed fervently.<\/p>\n
The sentinel moved forward to where they had been previously and scanned the area some more, managing to look confused despite its complete lack of expression. It seemed to know that they were still nearby though, and showed no signs of moving on.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s your power?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny whispered at the girl.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know what you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re talking about,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d the girl whispered back.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Your mutant power,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny tried to smother his irritation. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What is it?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not a mutant!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d the girl snarled at him. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not a freak!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do you think I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m an idiot?!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s patience snapped suddenly. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153That sentinel is tracking YOU with YOUR powers! It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not cause you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re the tooth fairy!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not a freak!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d the girl repeated louder this time. The sentinel\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s head swung in their direction.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Shut UP, you stupid bitch!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny tightened his grip on her arms until he was sure he was leaving bruises. He froze as the sentinel took a step in their direction.<\/p>\n
This is it, he thought. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m going to die defending some bitch who I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t even know, and who would rather die than be a mutant. How fucking perfect.<\/p>\n
The sentinel was less than ten steps away when he heard the most welcome sound he had ever heard in his whole life.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153OVER HERE, YOU OVERGROWN TRASH COMPACTOR!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Danny nearly fainted with relief at the abrasive sound of Chance\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s voice and the CRACK of her staticburst at full force. At the end of the quad, his other six teammates were doing their best to attract the sentinel\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s attention without being in close range.<\/p>\n
:NEW TARGETS LOCATED. UNREGISTERED MUTANTS: TERMINATE.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
The sentinel\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s flat statement sent chills up Adam\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s spine, but he kept his head.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Toby, you and Danny have the least battle-worthy powers, get that girl out of here and keep bystanders away!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he ordered, glancing over at the crowd of students that were starting to gather on the edges of the quad. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Kris, Joanna, and Chance, you have the most offensive powers, see if you can make a dent in that thing\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s armor! Cody, stay close and get them out of there if it gets too close! I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m gonna soak the ground and see if we can make it slippery enough to knock that tin soldier down!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
While Kris, Joanna, and Chance kept the sentinel busy with staticbursts, fireballs, and plasma shots, Adam got close enough to soak the ground near it, and Toby ran past to where Danny was still hiding in the doorway with the girl. Toby hugged Danny tightly with relief. Danny squeezed her back, wincing as she pressed against his bruises. She was about to demand an explanation for his head wound when she noticed the girl cowering behind him.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Rachel?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Toby asked, glancing at the girl. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re a mutant?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153NO!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Rachel nearly screamed. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You freaks keep calling me that, but I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m NOT! I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m NORMAL!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Toby bit her lip and exchanged glances with Danny, who gritted his teeth.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Fine, whatever,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he growled at Rachel. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But the longer you go without learning to control your powers the stronger they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll get, and the easier it will be for things like THAT to track you down!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny pointed at the sentinel, who was still advancing against his team despite the force of their combined powers. The girl opened her mouth to protest, but Danny cut her off fiercely. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Why don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t you just get the hell out of here, if you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not going to help, while you still can!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Rachel\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s eyes shifted nervously to the sentinel and back to Danny.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not going out there,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she said stubbornly. Danny thought he might snap right then, but Toby pulled away from his grip.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll take care of it,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Go keep the other kids back and I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be there in a minute.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny nodded, and sparing Rachel a last glare, limped quickly over to the growing crowd of students.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Rachel, everything\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s fine,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Toby looked into Rachel\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s eyes, using her mutant power to slip Rachel into a waking sort of daydream. Rachel looked confused for a moment, then calm washed over her face.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What was I doing here?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she asked Toby, benignly puzzled.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We were just talking,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Toby told her soothingly. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But you look tired. Why don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t you go back to your room and go to bed.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153That sounds really nice,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Rachel gave Toby a vapid smile and wandered off towards her room, paying no attention to battle raging behind her. Toby\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s power would lose its effect after Rachel was more than a couple dozen yards from her, but it would be more than enough to get her out of the way.<\/p>\n
Adam had managed to make the ground muddy enough so that the sentinel\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s bulk sunk it into the earth several inches, but it didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t do much besides slow it down. He retreated to where Joanna, Kris, and Chance were still blasting away. The sentinel, unable to move forward without difficulty, started fire rounds from the energy weapons in its hands towards its targets.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153This isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t working, Adam!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Kris yelled over the noise as they traded shots with the sentinel. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153And we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re all getting tired!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s made of some sort of plastic,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance told him, moving closer so he could hear her. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not even feeling my powers, and Joanna and Kris aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t doing much better.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It has to have circuits on the inside we can fry, if we can just get to them,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam thought hard. He snapped his fingers. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Chance, I still have your claws! Joanna, keep it distracted a little longer! Kris, Cody, get over here, I have an idea!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153This better be good!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna shouted, dodging a round of energy fire. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t keep this up much longer!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Kris,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam said hurriedly, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153at close range, do you think you can melt a hole in that plastic?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Real close range,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Kris said dubiously, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153And not a very large hole.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Enough to get these stuck in it?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam held up Chance\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s makeshift claws.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re you getting at?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Kris demanded.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I think we can keep it distracted long enough for Cody to teleport you up,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam explained rapidly, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153somewhere onto it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s back or shoulders, it doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t matter where. If you can soften up the plastic enough to stick Chance\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s claws through the plastic to touch the metal that has to be underneath, she can use it as a lightening rod and maybe we can fry it!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Cody took the claws and nodded sharply.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the best thing we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to come up with,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance agreed. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s go!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d She and Adam ran back to help Joanna keep the sentinel distracted.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s go before it figures out what we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re up to,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Kris told Cody. He nodded and grabbed her around the waist before winking out of existence.<\/p>\n
They reappeared on the broad shoulder of the sentinel and dropped immediately to their stomachs to have a better chance at holding on while the sentinel thrashed about, fighting Joanna, Chance, and Adam. Kris put her hands flat on the plastic and concentrated on heating it as fast as she could.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hold on to me,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Kris asked Cody, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153and try not to touch the plastic with your bare hands, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s going to get pretty hot before it melts any.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Kris knew Cody was just as scared as she was when he tightened his grip on her leotard-clad body without so much as a \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcyeah baby.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Adam!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance called seriously as they tried to keep the attention of the sentinel. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t shock that thing with enough juice to bring it down from here! I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m hurt and already tired, and Cody isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t going to be able to take another person with him up and back, he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll probably collapse once he gets Kris down!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153How close do you need to be?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam asked.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Adam, watch out!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna screamed. Adam dove to the ground just in time to avoid an energy shot that whizzed bare inches above his head. Distracted, Joanna cried out as another energy blast grazed her arm.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153About that close!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance told him. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Joanna, get behind me! Adam, you okay?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Just great,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam growled, hefting himself back to his feet as quickly as he could. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Joanna, how bad is it?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Bad enough,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna said through clenched teeth, clutching her arm. Blood was seeping out from under her hand.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Get out of here!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam ordered her.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153NO!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she shouted back. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I can still shoot and you two can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t hold its attention by yourselves!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d She shot a round of plasma blasts, eyes tearing up as pain lanced down her arm, but standing her ground.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Adam, what now?!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance demanded.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Fuck if I know,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam swore under his breath. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hurry UP, Kris!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Joanna\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s hurt!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Toby cried, grabbing Danny\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s arm.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We have to do something,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he took a step forward.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153No!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Toby tugged him back. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re hurt and your power would just stop theirs, there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s nothing we can do!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Get out of the shot, man!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d someone shouted angrily behind them. They both turned and noticed for the first time that one of the students in the crowd had a handheld camcorder and was filming the fight.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hey, stop that!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny shouted, pointing at him. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153This isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t entertainment, moron!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Are you kidding?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d the student didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t even turn his head, keeping his camera trained on the sentinel. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The X-men fighting a huge robot on campus? This is Pulitzer material!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re NOT the\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny started to yell, but Toby elbowed him sharply.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Let him think we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re the X-men,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she hissed at Danny. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Maybe nobody will realize it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s us in the confusion! Hiding in plain sight, remember?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny shut his mouth but glowered at the student. He and Toby turned back to the fight to watch anxiously. Joanna was struggling to fight beside Chance and Adam, but her left arm was obviously useless.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153That one chick\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s hurt!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d somebody yelled.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153All right!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d someone else yelled. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Blast those muties, robot!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Danny clenched his jaw so hard he thought he might black out.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Why don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t you two go play, too?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d a third voice called. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Then maybe he can take you all out at once, do the genetic pool a favor!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Danny spun around in a blind fury.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Danny, no!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Toby tried to hold him back, but he shook her off angrily. He grabbed the nearest person by the collar and lifted them off the ground, twisting the heckler\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s shirt until he could barely breathe.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You wanna know what we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re doing here?!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he screamed in his victim\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s face. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You all want to know?! We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re saving your worthless lives, that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s what! So you can go home, marry some other piece of white trash, and populate the whole world with racist, ignorant assholes JUST LIKE YOU!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Danny threw the choking guy to the ground hard and glared at the silenced crowd, including the film student, who now had the camera trained on him. He didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t care at all.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Fuck you all,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he addressed the camera clearly, voice cold with rage. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s flatscans like you that make mutants want to destroy humanity. Put that on the fucking news.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny flipped the camera the bird, then turned and ran to help his teammates.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What are you going to do?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Toby demanded, catching up to him.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m going to fight with my team,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny told her harshly. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d rather die with them than live another second protecting those flatscans.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153All right!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Kris yelled to Cody. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hand me the claws quick, before it re-hardens!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Cody gave her Chance\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s gloves, and Kris plunged them into the softened plastic in front of her as hard as she could. She heard a dull clang from inside the sentinel and nearly wept with relief. She ripped the leather glove off the blades stuck inside the sentinel so nothing would insulate the bare metal. Just them the sentinel seemed to notice they were there and slapped at the back of its neck, barely missing them.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s go!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she screamed at Cody, but before he could teleport them the sentinel\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s second swipe knocked them off its shoulder. Kris squeezed her eyes shut as the ground rushed to meet them.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hold on!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Cody shouted, teleporting them mid-air.<\/p>\n
They reappeared close to the ground several yards away from the fight, but their momentum was still the same and they hit hard. Kris, who had landed on top of Cody, had gotten the wind knocked out of her. Gasping, she rolled off Cody to see if he was alive. He was out cold, having absorbed most of the impact, but he was breathing.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153CHANCE!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she screamed as loud as she could, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153DO IT NOW!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Adam?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance called questioningly.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153When I say now, shock me!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam called back. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hard as you can!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153WHAT?!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Adam ignored her and concentrated on pulling as much water out of the air as he could, running a stream from Chance\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s claws in the sentinel\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s shoulder back to him.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do it!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam called, eyes screwed shut. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Everything you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Adam, no!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna screamed as Chance hesitated.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153FUCKING DO IT!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Chance grabbed Adams shoulders and poured everything she had into him. A raw scream tore from her throat she forced a bolt of blue-white lightning through Adam. The lightning blasted up the path Adam made and shot into the heart of the sentinel via Chance\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s bare claws.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153ADAM!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna reached over to pull Chance away from him, but Danny caught up with her at that moment and jerked her back.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be killed!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he yelled over the noise. He grabbed Toby and threw all three of them to the ground. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Cover your head and shut your eyes!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Completely overexerted, Chance gave a final harsh cry and blacked out; she and Adam both collapsed to the ground.<\/p>\n
The sentinel made an awful metallic scraping, grinding sound, then crashed to the ground, the impact shaking the whole campus. It laid smoking and sparking in the middle of the quad, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s chest a blackened crater.<\/p>\n
Kris, outside of the immediate blast center, was the first to sit up. She struggled to her feet and dragged Cody as best she could over to the others. Danny was sitting in the mud, holding Toby, who was crying, and Joanna was kneeling next to where Adam and Chance had been. Heart in her throat, Kris rushed to Joanna.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Are they\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t squeeze the words out around the lump in her throat.<\/p>\n
Joanna looked up and opened her mouth, but just then Chance stirred. She curled up on her side, making a thin wailing sound.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Is\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6is she crying?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Kris asked, crouching down next to Joanna.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Look at her hands,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna uncurled one of Chance\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s clenched hands. They were raw and blistered from the force of her last shock. Chance cried out at the touch and opened her eyes.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Sentinel?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she whispered, voice husky and cracking, struggling to focus her eyes on Joanna.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s down,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna told her. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You did it, you took it out. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s all over.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Adam?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance asked.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know yet,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna looked away, knowing there was no way Adam could have survived the force of Chance\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s powers at full force.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Fucking hero,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chance rasped, closing her eyes and slipping back into unconsciousness.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Joanna,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Kris said in a hushed voice. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Look at this.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to see,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna said, tears slipping out of her eyes.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153No, look!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Joanna crawled around to where Kris was leaning over Adam, who was facedown in the mud.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Help me turn him over,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Kris said urgently. Joanna reached over and gingerly helped Kris roll their team leader over.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Holy shit,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna gasped.<\/p>\n
Adam\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s shirt was a string of charred rags, but there wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t a single mark on his artificially blue skin. As they watched, his chest rose and fell evenly.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Danny!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Kris yelled. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Danny, Toby, come here!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny and Toby helped a newly conscious and dazed Cody over to the others, sitting him down next to Joanna.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What happened?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he asked.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Chance used Adam as a conduit to fry the sentinel,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna explained. Cody\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s eyes widened.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153But there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not a mark on \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcim,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Cody said, looking bewilderedly from Joanna\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s face to Kris\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153How can that be? How can he still be alive?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna shook her head wordlessly.<\/p>\n
Just then Adam began to stir. He opened his eyes and looked around slowly across the tearful and stunned faces of his team members.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153This is either real good or real bad,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam said, his own voice sounding thick like he had been in a deep sleep. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Did we win, or are we all dead?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna and Kris collapsed on Adam, hugging him and weeping openly. The other three just stared at Adam, speechless.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Jesus Christ,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny finally said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153How the fuck can you still be here?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not really sure,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam started to sit up, and Joanna and Kris backed off to let him up. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I just thought, if Iceman can become totally ice, maybe I could be just like water, and electricity doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t hurt water, it just passes right through it. I never tried it before, but\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6guess it worked. How\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Chance?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hurt,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna said flatly. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Her hands are covered in electric burns, but she\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be okay. We all will.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153That asshole is still filming us,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny growled, looking over Toby\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s head. Most of the crowd of students had dispersed when the sentinel went down, but the film student had come forward to film the downed sentinel close up, and now had his camera trained on them. As the other five looked up, the student turned off his camera and ran off.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Shouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t we chase him and get his camera?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Kris asked.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Forget him,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam shook his head, standing up. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We can worry about it tomorrow. Right now we need to get Chance inside and decide whether anybody needs to go to the hospital.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He picked Chance up and started walking to the dorms. The others followed slowly after a moment.<\/p>\n
* * * * * *<\/p>\n
Later that night, Adam came out of the girls\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 bathroom into the common room of the girls suite and sat beside Danny on the couch. His skin was bright pink with a bluish undertone, and he reeked of turpentine.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Are you okay?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he asked. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I never did find out how the first fight went. Looks like you took some damage. Chance too.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Danny was quiet for a few moments before answering, concentrating on cleaning the last of the blood off his glasses.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We won,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said with a shrug, using Chance\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s earlier words. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s all that matters. Both times.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t seem like you feel particularly victorious,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam pressed.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Adam, these people hate us,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny put his glasses back on and slumped in his seat. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We put our lives on the line for them, and they were rooting for the sentinel. One of them is likely selling a video of us to the news right now, and anybody with two brain cells is going to know we aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t really the X-men. They won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t let us stay once they find out who we are. We saved dozens of lives, and we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to be expelled for it. You nearly died, and it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s all for nothing. Doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t that make you angry?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yeah,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam leaned his head back on the back of the couch and looked at the ceiling. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It sort of does. But we couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t just do nothing. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re the ones with all the powers, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s our job to protect the people who can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t defend themselves. Even when they hate us. We knew it would suck when we decided to be a superhero team.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I just wanted a cool codename,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny managed a sickly laugh.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Danny, you put a lot on the line for this team tonight,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam looked at him. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What you said earlier, about doing what needed to be done for all of us, you were right. You came through for us tonight when I couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not true,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny shrugged.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I got to fight with my mask on,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam pointed out. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Tomorrow I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll go outside like nothing happened and no one will be the wiser. Like Clark Kent. But by tomorrow everybody will know what you and Chance did at the Arts house. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s going to stay with you for the rest of your college career, maybe the rest of your life, for better or worse. But you didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t care about that, you only cared that your team was safe. The real Cyclops couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have done any better than that.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153The real Cyclops isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t going to see himself on the six o\u00e2\u20ac\u2122clock news tomorrow night,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny snorted.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Oh, I think that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s exactly what he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s going to see,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam broke into a wide grin. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153In fact, he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s going to see himself calling millions of TV viewers across the country \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcflatscans\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 and then giving them the finger.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Heh,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Danny did have to snicker at that. He caught Adam\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s eye and they both lost it, laughing as hard as only unappreciated heroes can after having a near-death experience.<\/p>\n
* * * * * *<\/p>\n
Half a country away, in Westchester\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n
Storm knocked on Xavier\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s office door loudly.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Come in!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Xavier called, exchanging glances with Wolverine, who was sitting on the other side of his desk.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Professor,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Storm said urgently, coming inside quickly, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153there is something on the news you must see.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Xavier obligingly flipped on the TV in his office.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6X-men wreaking havoc in the mid-west?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d the news reporter was saying. Xavier raised an eyebrow at Wolverine.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t look at me, Chuck,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Logan growled. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t blow up nothin\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 this time.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Shh,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Storm shushed both of them.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6caught on film by a student at the college. Kent, could we roll the tape.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Xavier, Storm, and Wolverine watched in silence as the jumpy video tape indeed seemed to show Psylocke, Gambit, Rogue, Angel, and Wolverine fighting a sentinel.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not us,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Wolverine said, watching closely. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re powers are all wrong. Psylocke\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s shooting fireballs and I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m throwing lightning bolts.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Suddenly the camera panned right and focused on Cyclops and Phoenix look-a-likes, watching the fight anxiously. Someone off-camera yelled \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Why don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t you two go play, too? Then maybe he can take you all out at once, do the genetic pool a favor!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Storm stiffened and Wolverine growled softly. The Cyclops turned abruptly and attacked the heckler, holding him up in the air by his collar and shouting angrily at the crowd of bystanders.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You wanna know what we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re doing here?! You all want to know?! We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re saving your worthless lives, that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s what! So you can go home, marry some other piece of white trash, and populate the whole world with racist, ignorant assholes JUST LIKE YOU!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153If I had a buck for every time I wanted\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6to\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Wolverine\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s sentence trailed off as Cyclops very deliberately flipped off the camera. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Heh,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he tried to stifle his laughter. Storm was covering her mouth with her hand, and the professor was trying to look like he was coughing discreetly.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Computer, I think we need to see that again,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Wolverine commanded.<\/p>\n
Jean came in as the broadcast was rewinding obligingly.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What are you guys up\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6to\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6oh my god.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Jean covered her mouth when she saw her husband on the TV flipping a very dramatic bird. She tried to suppress it, but a snort escaped and they all burst out laughing.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s going on in here?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Scott demanded, coming into Xavier\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s office. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Have any of you seen what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s on the\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6oh.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Scott narrowed his eyes at the imposter on the TV screen and considered giving his own Grandma\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Salute as his teammates tried unsuccessfully to contain themselves.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153This is serious!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Scott informed them humorlessly. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153People are impersonating us!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Perhaps we should watch the rest of the broadcast,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Xavier cleared his throat, wiping tears from his eyes.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6investigation revealed that these mutants were not in fact the X-men,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d the reporter continued, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153but students at the college, returning in costume from an off-campus Halloween party. Bystanders claim that the rogue sentinel was attacking another student when these mutants came to her rescue. This morning, the school has officially identified juniors Adam Lockhart, Kris Danigan, Joanna Ward and Cody Forrestor, and sophomores Daniel Powers, Toby West, and Chance McCoughlin as the mutants seen on this tape. Sadly, the school has expelled the students permanently on the ground of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153destroying college property.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam Lockhart, the former captain of the varsity soccer team, and the self-proclaimed leader of the mutants had this to say about the incident.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
The TV switched to a taped interview, showing a tall, blond student, looking sincerely into the camera.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We just did what we could to protect the student body.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam raked his hand through his hair and smiled self-consciously. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We figured we looked like X-men, we ought to act like them.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Mr. Lockhart,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d the interviewer asked, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153how do you feel about being expelled for your noble acts?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Adam face darkened. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t think I should talk about that.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Why not?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d a female voice off-screen demanded. The camera panned over to show a girl with curly brown hair and her arm in a sling.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You are Joanna Ward, aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t you?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d the interviewer asked. Joanna nodded. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You were actually injured fighting the sentinel, were you not?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Shot in the arm,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna answered curtly.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do you have anything to say about your expulsion?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I could say lots of things about it,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joanna replied darkly. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But what I will say is this: when we first arrived here as freshmen, one of the things they stressed the most was giving back to the college community. The seven of us, we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re A students, varsity athletes, club leaders, RAs! We gave our lives for these people, and they want to expel us? Would the administration be happier if we had kept quiet and let students die? It doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t sound to me like we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re the ones who are threatening student safety.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
The screen cut back to the studio reporter.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Students themselves are divided on the issue. Several protest rallies have been held, demanding the mutants be allowed to return to classes, but they have received no response from the administration of the college.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
The screen cut back to another taped interview. An angry, dark-haired student was scowling into the camera. The caption underneath read \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Joshua Anderson: Leader of Recent Student Protests.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Mr. Anderson, can you sum up for us the essence of your movement?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Look,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Joshua\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s southern accent was readily apparent. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ah didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t used to like mutants neither, Ah thought they were dangerous an\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 they hated us normal folks. But Ah saw what those guys did for us, they got hurt savin\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 our lives, and we spit on them! The way we treat them, Ah wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t of lifted a finger to help us. They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re bigger folk n\u00e2\u20ac\u2122me.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
The camera panned over to a red-haired girl and the caption read \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Sheila Cormick: Co-Leader of Student Protest.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a disgrace,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Sheila said with venom. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The administration would never get away with this if these students were gay or black or Muslim. But they think can persecute mutants by claiming they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re dangerous? It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s racism, pure and simple, and the student body won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t stand for it. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to make sure every soul in this country knows what the administration is doing here. This college is where diversity comes to die!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
The news report cut back to the studio reporter to wrap up.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153The administration could not be reached for comment, but has issued a statement saying that the expulsion of the seven mutants is final and not up for appeal.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
The room was quiet for several minutes as Storm, Xavier, Jean, Scott, and Wolverine exchanged glances.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153This is awful,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Jean finally said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Those kids\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153And people wonder why I lived in the Canadian wilderness all those years,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Logan growled, standing up. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m gonna go kills somethin\u00e2\u20ac\u2122. Chuck, you oughtta do somethin\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 about this.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
As the door slammed shut behind him, Xavier sighed.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Sometimes I think Logan has the right idea,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said heavily. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Could you all leave me for a while? I have something things to take care of.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Jean gave Xavier a sympathetic smile as she, Cyclops, and Storm filed out of the room.<\/p>\n
Xavier sat in thought for several moments before telling the computer to rewind back through the interviews to the actual tape of the fight.<\/p>\n
He watched the seven mutants take down the sentinel several times in a row.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Fascinating,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said to himself. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Seven untrained mutants disabling a rogue sentinel with no casualties? It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s unheard of.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Xavier let the recording play through to Adam\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s interview and stared at the team leader\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s image for several minutes, tapping his fingers on the desk, before picking up the phone.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes, hello,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said to the person on the other end of the line. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153This is Professor Charles Xavier, headmaster of the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning. I would like you to give me the number where I might reach Adam Lockhart.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We figured we looked like X-men,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adam\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s voice continued on the television, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153we ought to act like them.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153For once, Logan,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Xavier said to nobody in particular, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I think you might have exactly the right idea.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Xavier allowed himself a small smile.<\/p>\n