Tag: Creator: Bj Jones

Prequel: A Single Shot

Part One

Part Two

Reminder: << >> indicates telepathic communication

***

“PETER!”

Kurt looked up at his brother, and said in a singsong voice, “someone’s in trouble.”

“Just because you’re the goody toeshoes in this family.”  He looked around trying to find a place he could hide, maybe someplace in South America …  He felt the pull of the metal in his jacket. “Wish me luck!”

The young teleporter waved as Peter was yanked down the hall.  He then wandered off to find his Uncle, for storytime.

Quicksilver ended up sliding in front of his enraged father.  “Hey dad.”

“Don’t you even …”

Peter closed his mouth, and looked around hoping to find Charles.  It would seem luck was not on his side today. “So …”

“You’re mother called.”

He cringed.  “I put the records back.”

“Records?”  Erik gave him a look, one that was firmly on the side of ‘don’t lie to me, my boyfriend is a telepath and he’ll rip it out of your mind’.

“Nothing, what did she call about?”  Peter tried to sort through the many reasons his mother would call.  Over the past decade, the two had come to an understanding of how to handle Peter.  Erik trusted his mom to take care of him, and she trusted Erik to protect him.

For the past couple of years Erik had taken to upping Peter’s training, knowing he would need to learn to fight and defend his fellow Mutants.  Especially as he adopted Kurt as his little brother, and despite the sweet nature that the teleporter had, his appearance scared most people.

Well except the Catholic Priest in town, who adored him to no end.

Who knew?

Erik pulled out some Polaroids.  “It seems it’s nice weather in Los Angeles, this time of year.”

He cringed. “I went to see Sean!”  Erik’s eyes narrowed, well at least someone else would get yelled at.  “Darwin was there.”

“I will deal with them later.” He ran a hand over his face and sighed.  There were times he looked older than Peter remembered. Ever since he had that lung infection, two years ago.  There was more grey in his hair, and he swore Uncle Charles had a bit less hair. “I know you want to explore. I get it, I do.  But you just turned sixteen, and there’s been rises in Mutant disappearances. I can’t always be there.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“You’re my son.”  Erik stood and landed a hand on his shoulder.  “I would do anything to protect you. And you know how Charles feels about me hurting humans.”

Peter chuckled.  “So you’re using Uncle Charles to guilt me into staying out of trouble.”

“If it works.”

“Fine, I won’t go on any vacations without telling you.”  He shrugged, then settled into the chair. “I’m feeling a bit hyper, even more so lately.”

“Hormones.”  Erik sat across from him.  “Charles thought you might as you go through puberty.”

“I need to run.”

“Next time let us know, and we’ll work something out.”  Erik frowned when he heard the doorbell. They didn’t get a lot of visitors, and the ones who visited, rarely knocked.

“Go find your brother, stay out of sight,” he ordered.  

In a flash he was gone.

***

Logan took in the gate, the plaque on the wall, and then the school.  It was exactly as he remembered it, yet completely different. The Brotherhood Headquarters that he had stumbled upon after fleeing Stryker, was intimidating.  The school was the exact same building, yet felt more welcoming.

He hesitantly opened the gates, waiting for the mind sweep, but nothing came.  Still on guard he made his way up the driveway, parked the stolen car, and as he stepped out of the vehicle he took everything in.

The grounds were meticulous, well manicured.  Nothing like the rough patches he had been used to seeing.  There were no outside training grounds, no obstacle courses.  The fence was still high, but no cameras or barbed wire. But then it was 1970’s so cameras were bulky at best, not the nice discrete ones they had before the Sentinels destroyed the place.

With a shake of his head, he rang the doorbell.

Even that was different.

After a few moments, the door creaked open to reveal a geeky kid.  He peered over his glasses, frowning at Logan. ‘What type of place was this?’

“Can I help you?” he asked.

“I’m looking for the Professor.”  Logan demanded, they didn’t have time to waste.  His instincts was telling him, his future was on the brink of being destroyed.  If they didn’t fix this now, there was no hope.

“Do you have an appointment?”  

“Look bub, I need to talk to Chuck.  This is a matter of life and death.” He pushed on the door, stepping into the building.  Everything may seem different, but it was still the same place. The Professor’s office was on the second floor, across from his rooms.  A section very few people had been allowed to venture into. If you had the misfortune of being called into his office, no one got into his private residence.

Many whispered that a ghost lived there.

He was halfway up the stairs, when he was attacked from behind.  With a grunt, he pushed back and took a swipe at his attacker, only to stumble in shock.  “Beast?”

The geeky kid, who was now rippled with blue fur, gave him a contemplative look, before going in for a second attack.  The two slammed into the ground, both growling. In a move, ironically one Beast had taught him, Logan tossed the kid upwards.  Beast snarled, as he landed in the chandelier.

Logan released his bone claws ready to get down in dirty, when a metal snake crawled up his leg, yanking him down, dragged across the room, and slammed into the wall.  He snarled at the unexpected intrusion, only to have the wall sconces melt and wrap around each of his wrists.

“What the bloody hell is going on down here?”

He knew that voice.

Logan looked up the stairs to see the Professor … with hair!  But he sure as hell wasn’t the man he knew. This Professor was softer, bright blue eyes, gentle expression, and was wearing a cardigan for god’s sake.

“He tried to break in, Professor.”

“Hank, why are you in the chandelier?” he asked.  With a sigh he waved his hand downward. “Get down from there.  And the last I checked most burglars don’t ring the doorbell.”

Hank easily landed in a low crouch.  His blue fur faded as he stood. “He says he knows you?”

Logan felt the metal tighten around his wrists.  He had no idea how Beast was doing it, though if the kid was anything like his older counterpart he was pretty damn creative and sneaky when it came to boobytraps.  “Let me down asshole.” He glared at Hank, who shrugged and glanced towards the shadows of the lobby.

“Erik.”  Charles voice softened as he came down the stairs. “This is not how we treat guests.”

Logan slid down the wall, his focus on the man who stepped out of the shadows, so this was the elusive Erik.  If there was a man who had seen war, it was him, not the two geeks he was supposedly seeking out. He was starting to understand why, Mystique told him to find him.

“Guests don’t attack those they are visiting.”  He pointed out, giving Logan a dark look. “He knew exactly where to find you Charles.  I don’t like that.”

“Erik…”  He amonished, then smiled brightly as he stepped up to Logan.  “Welcome to the Xavier School of the Gifted.”

“What the fuck happened to you?”  He felt the metal wrap around his wrist again.  

“Do I know you?”  Chuck gave Erik a side-eye.  “Let him go.”

“I don’t trust him.”

“Look bub.  You sent me here.”  Logan looked between the two men, while making sure he kept Beast in his line of sight.  At the moment it looked like Logan could break him like a twig, but he knew exactly how well Beast could fight.  “From the future.”

<<Charles?>>

<<Something is odd.  He’s not lying, that’s for sure.  But he’s not alone his mind.>>

<<Another telepath?  Emma isn’t usually this cras.>>

<<It might seem weird darling, but the other presence I’m feeling is mine.>>

Logan looked between them, it was obviously they were communicating.  The Professor – he knew – had no problem using his powers to get information, whether the person wanted to give it or not.  This one seemed to have a conscience. He rolled his eyes, this was going to suck. “Look the future is in jeopardy, and you sent me back to fix it.”

“How is it jeopardy?”  Beast asked moving next to Charles, two steps behind and one to the left.  Logan almost sighed in relief it was such a familiar view, even if the two in front of him were far from the hard bitten Generals he knew.

Erik gave Charles an all knowing look. “Let me guess, they found out that there were more Mutants than they thought, flipped their collective shit and started hunting us down.  We defended ourselves, and they declared war … destroying everything.”

“Erik!”  Charles frowned at his lover.  “I know you’re pessimistic but still!  I have a bit more faith in humans and mutants, than the two of us wouldn’t destroy the world.”

“Naive Idealist”

Logan stared at Erik, he was starting to understand what they meant now.  He smirked, then turned towards the Professor. “Sorry Chuck, he’s right.

<<See…>>

Erik gave him a second look.  “I freely admit I’m not nearly as idealistic as Charles here, but we really destroyed the earth?”

“The Sentinels did.”  

He began to explain how everything went wrong.

This is the sequel to Afternoon Fic: A Single Shot – if you haven’t read that, go now.

Note: Afternoon Fics have always been sporadic, so be prepared to see long moments between updates.  It feels good to get back into this.  With everything that’s been going on in RL, and then so much going on in Sylum – it’s nice to do something not related to anything.

***

The Blackbird landed at the base of the Chinese Temple, that was hidden deep inside the mountains, making it virtually impenetrable and secluded.  Bobby had done a good job finding the place and getting the team secured – away from the Sentinels.

For now.

Charles walked down the ramp as it was lowered, with Hank and Mystique flanking him, Logan and Storm followed, Logan chomping on his cigar as always.  How he found on in this nightmare, ceased to amaze Charles. He gave Bobby a nod, as they made their way into the Temple, where Kitty and others were waiting.

They were so few now.

His dreams of a school destroyed by hatred.

“Professor?” Kitty smiled at him, as she took a seat on the large stone altar. “We called you here because we might have a plan.”

“To stop the Sentinels,” Bobby added into the conversation.

“At this rate, any idea is a good one.” Hank snorted, his voice low and gravely with age.  The blue fur rippled under the X-Men uniform, the only thing they all still held onto.

Mystique smirked over at him, ready to comment about one of Erik’s crazy plans, but shut it, when Charles gave her a dark look.

“What is this plan?” he asked the younger Mutants.

“We’ve been staying one step ahead of the Sentinels by tricking them with illusions – basically they are fighting us in the past. When they get to Kitty, we all disappear, and they are left where we were, giving us time to escape to the next location.”  Bobby explained, glancing over at Kitty, who nodded along with him.

“I think I could use the same abilities to send someone back.” She took a deep breath, her gaze on the Professor, watching him intently.  It was him they had to convince. “I know no one talks about the time before the Sentinels, but maybe, if we knew what time to go …”

“1973,” Hank said without hesitation. “It wasn’t when it all started, but that was when Trask Industries got the Sentinel program approved.”

“Trask’s labs had been targeted by the Brotherhood.” Mystique continued Hank’s train of thought. “He’d been experimenting on Mutants for years, but it wasn’t until then the company got the approval…”

“How did they get it?” Bobby asked.  He had never been sure how this whole thing started. He had been trained by Charles since he was a boy, after his parents abandoned him, not wanting a Mutant for a son. As long as he had been alive there had never been peace between Humans and Mutants.

“I killed Trask,” Mystique answered honestly. “And from that moment, the war began.”

“It just didn’t start until ten years later when the first Sentinels appeared.” Charles glanced at his sister, she still looked as young and beautiful as those days before Cuba, before the Brotherhood. “Do you think this would work?” His focus turned towards Kitty, she was one of his brightest would’ve made an excellent teacher, instead she ended up a soldier.

“It could, it’s just that I’ve never done it for that long or far.” She glanced around the last of their unit. “We would need someone who was there, but I don’t know how it would affect the person being sent back.”

“I’ll do it.” Logan stepped up volunteering. “I was around at the time, and with my added abilities.” He gnawed on his cigar, giving them a shug. “I should be able to handle it.”

Hank gave Mystique a side eye, then both turned and looked at Charles.

“It might not be like you think it is.” The Professor chuckled humorlessly.

“Oh, I know about the 70’s Chuck. Lava Lamps, free love, the war … it was a different time. I might not remember most of my life, but everyone knows the 70’s.” Logan smirked at the Professor, who gave him a rare smile in return.

“You will need to go to Westchester, find the Xavier School for the Gifted.” Now that was a name Charles hadn’t thought about in a long time.

“It’s in the same location where our headquarters were located.” Hank explained hesitantly, knowing they were approaching ‘never bring up’ territory.

Logan glanced between them, a confused expression on his face.  “Wait. You’re tellin’ me that our headquarters was a school?”

“Yes.” Charles gave a warning look to both Mutants before they said anything more damaging.  Leaving him to explain the one thing he never wanted to talk about. “Logan, when you meet me, I’m not the same man I am now.”

“No one is bub.” He put out his cigar before settling on the spot Kitty had vacated.  He felt like he was going to be a living sacrifice.

Maybe he was.

“I’m not kidding Logan. I was a very different then, naïve and so stupid.  Or as someone once put it Naïve Idealist.” He closed his eyes trying not to think about that time or him. “I will be difficult to deal with.”

“Oh for fucksakes, Charles.” Mystique threw her arms up in frustration as pushed past her brother.  She looked down at Logan, rippling into her natural form, knowing it would get his attention. “Ignore Charles.  You’ll need to convince Erik.”

“Just tell him Charles’ life is in danger and he will listen to you.” Hank added, his hand wrapped around the metal Star of David in his pocket.

“That’s enough!”   The rest of the team, startled at the raised voice.  Only having heard that tone, when the Professor was beyond pissed and it was usually at the two he was glaring at now.

“No!” Mystique yelled back at her brother. “I know I fucked up back then, but if we’re going to fix this, you’re not going to be the one to do it, not you from back then. He needs Erik.”

“Who the fuck is Erik?” Logan asked wondering what the hell he was going to walk into.

“The reason for everything.” Charles answered sadly.

***

Logan woke up to the sight of a lava lamp.  

He took stock of the situation, realizing he was stark naked.   Well it was the 70’s and the embracement of free love. He moved out from under the very naked woman next to him, and grabbed his pants.

He searched his memory and came up blank.

He had no idea who the woman in the bed was, or what was supposed to happen.  

When the door opened, and angry thugs stormed in, he really wasn’t that surprised.  Fighting some pissed off wannabes was par for his life. What was shocking was when he slid down his claws they were bone and not metal.

He finished dressing, grabbed the keys and left the carnage behind.  He needed to figure out where he was, and how to get to Westchester and to this Xavier School for the Gifted.

In all the years he had known the Professor, he had never known that he had actually been a Professor.  He had thought the name had stuck because of his posh tone in lecturing all of them in the arts of war.

He still had no idea who this Erik was, it was obvious it was a sensitive subject by the way the Professor was ready to shred his closests Generals.  He couldn’t imagine the Professor being anyone but the ‘Professor’.

Hopefully this Erik wasn’t an asshole.