1963-07-10 - Blood and Genetics Part I
Summary: A rescue goes awry…
Related: None
Theme Song: https://youtu.be/21HwdNkzYq0
erik crystal moira cannonball alex bobby xavier 


BLOOD AND GENETICS, PART ONE

"If someone were to hurt my friends or family, I would eat them. I would probably go to jail for 500 years, but I would eat them." — Johnny Depp

OUTSIDE SLIGO, IRELAND

In the rural area outside the city there is a cemetery. Sleepy and wet, it feels like autumn here even though it is July and Charles Xavier cannot help but feel he wishes he were anywhere but here.

As the funeral ends, a weepy mother and father come to Charles, take his hand, pull him into a rain-soaked hug. "We should have done it, Professor. We should have sent Seamus to the Mansion. Oh god, if we had he wouldn't be dead!"

Xavier has known the O'Malleys for quite some time. At least enough time to remember Seamus when he was just a young man. He'd known that the O'Malleys had been mutants for years, but their mutations weren't visible. They weren't easily identifiable as such, like young Seamus was.

XAVIER INSTITUTE
THE NEXT EVENING

Another day, another death. The ground squishes under Xavier's feet as he treads off the driveway, walking lackadaisically toward the front door. The wooden door opens. He sets down his back, puts up his coat. The home should be a refuge but Xavier, in times like these, cannot see any sort of refuge in it. Only fear.

After informing Crystal he would be going to bed early, Xavier retires to bed, falling asleep almost immediately.

*

In the Rec Room, it's the night time and night time during the summer at Xavier's means a whole lot of things. It means Root Beer Floats. It means staying up late and sleeping in later. It means faces still pulsating from the heat after spending the whole day in the swimming pool.

There is more popcorn here than in all the theaters in the closest four counties. There's a flickering sound of the projector as it whirs around, over and over, blasting the large image up on the wall for everyone in the cramped room to see.

Most weren't sure if Xavier would have been alright with showing the young ones a horror movie, such as Frankenstein. But since he's asleep, he couldn't be asked. Every so often, people nudge each other for more room or reach out for popcorn. Just another summer evening at the world's greatest refuge for mutants.

*

Alex was totally in favor of a horror movie; does this make him a chaperone or a coconspirator? Who cares there's popcorn. He has a big bowl full that he's guarding as if it were his and his alone and no one else can have any of his. From where he stands in the back of the room, watching the youngin's and munching. And watching the movie, too. Relaxed, in shorts and a blue t-shirt, he's not at all prepared for anything to happen. Because what can go wrong on movie night? Bad popcorn? Perish the thought.

*

Bobby is nicely tanned after a month in the sun wearing almost nothing. Since he's inside, he added a white tank top to his gym shorts and his bowl of popcorn is caramel cause he made some special and isn't going to share with kids. "Frankenstein is a classic." he comments to Alex.

*

Crystal is really only responsible for operations here. Like making sure there's actually popcorn in the cupboards for movie night. So success on that count! When it comes to deciding what movies everyone is allowed to watch, she's not going to stop kids from having a little bit of fun. She has, however, taken up a spot near the door where she can keep an eye on the kids in the room. It's a school full of teenagers. Mutants or not, put them in a dark room and sometimes things happen that shouldn't.

*

It was a weekend, that meant it was an ideal time for moving, most of the campus down at Columbia slow and Moira not expected in any meetings in the city. With the assistance of a few strong teenagers and at least one telekinetic, getting her few boxes and belongings inside the mansion today was easy. A single trip with the moving truck and she was as settled as she would be in her new, old, home. Having mostly unpacked, the woman's now decided to do some exploring so it's not like she's just locked away in her room. That means she's drawn to where she's seeing several people sneaking off to — the rec room. Moira can't sneak inside exactly, the quiet click of her crutch giving her away too much, but as she catches sight of what is on the screen an engimatic little smile crosses her lips an she settles into the back corner of the room, trying not to disturb students.

*

Erik Lensherr may be late to the party, but he promised Crystal that he would partake in the chaperoning. He enters quietly, dressed casually in a white tee shirt and jeans. He eyes the film with a raised eyebrow, then steps up to Crystal's side. "Really?" he murmurs.

*

"Ah can't believe y'all got your own datgum projector," Sam Guthrie hisses, trying to be quiet enough not to disturb the others watching the film. He's leaning over toward Bobby, blue eyes wide. "Ah mean, this place is fancy and all, but come on! There're people back in Kentucky proud to have their own phones, never mind a movie theater." That's pronounced thee-AY-tur, in case anyone was wondering.

*

"Indeed." Alex murmurs to Bobby, "That makes this educational." he rationalizes, even as he glances over to grin at Sam with a little shrug of his head, "Gotta entertain the kids who don't have a home to go to. Besides, this is New York." As if that explains everything. He reaches over right intending on thiefing a handful of Bobby's popcorn, too.

*

They have indoor plumbing too! "Welcome to the north." Bobby murmurs back to Sam, giving him a quick grin. "Have you seen it before? It's really good. We should watch Dracula next. And The Wolfman."

*

*

Back inside Xavier's room, the Professor tosses and turns in a manic dream. In his mind, he falls deeper and deeper into his own nightmare. His hands clasp at the edges of the bed and he pulls the fitted sheets from the corners of the bed. He's mumbling, but what he's saying is indiscernible.

There is a cave, of some sort, but Charles cannot remember entering it. He walks deeper and deeper with just enough light for him to make out things in the shadows. His footsteps echo out in every direction and make a splishsplosh sound as he makes his way further inside. He asks himself why, but cannot stop either. It's the kind of dream when you know you're in it, but cannot do much to affect the outcome.

*

On the screen there peasants are circling the saw mill (spoilers) and the monster throws the doctor. Before long the credits roll, the tape runs out and begins slapping hard against the projector as it makes its rounds. The lights come on and the kids begin to gossip and talk, as is the custom.

*

"The Wolfman is awful. At least Dracula is classic cinema." Moira offers. Maybe she can actually be one of the cool teachers. Probably not, but she's not snitching on them and she seems genuinely content to be in the room for the film. As it plays on, she moves into the room just enough that she can at least perch on the edge of a seat somewhere, instead of keeping to her feet the whole night.

*

"When the cat's away…" Crystal murmurs back to Erik, clearly amused. "Besides, it's based on a classic piece of literature, how bad can it be?" Anyhow, the kids are the show for her. Catching sight of a pair getting a little bit more friendly than the cover of darkness allows for, she twitches a finger. There's a soft pop of sound as a little static shock goes off between the pair, slowing things down just in time for the lights to come back up.

*

Having succeeded in his daring theft from Bobby's bowl, Alex munches greedily, grinning like he's he cat that caught the canary. But then the movie is over, and lazily he rises up, rolling his shoulders and stretching for a moment "Hey, Dracula is good, I admit, and the Wolfman is fine, but really, isn't Bride of Frankenstein what you are supposed to show next?"

*

"Ain't seen none of these movies y'all're talkin' about," Sam says, scarfing another mouthful of popcorn. "Ah do believe my pastor would have a thing or two to say about 'em, and no mistake," he adds with a sort of awe. In spite of his occasional tendencies to get a little bit religious on his more secular schoolmates, Sam doesn't seem put off by the prospect of clerical disapproval in this case.

*

"It's not that bad." Bobby disagrees. "And it makes for a perfect triple feature with the other two." Yes, he saw the popcorn theft but Alex gets certain privileges. But just once. "Or Bride. Whatever, Alex. Just put on something else in the same theme."

*

*

Deeper and deeper now, Xavier taps into the moist cave. Abruptly something moves in the distance and there's a flicker of light like when you see a cat in the middle of the night.

"Hello?" Xavier asks, slowing his steps.

Gradually there's more and more movement and more and more light, subconsciously the Professor is allowing himself to light his dream. He can just make them out at first, and then he can see them better.

Children, at least most of them and those immediately in front of them. But they look emaciated, and dead. Their skin is grey and their lids of their eyes hang down low as if barely able to keep the balls inside.

It's as if all of the energy has been sucked clean out of them.

*

Just as people are debating whether to watch another movie, Xavier appears in the doorway, looking his own brand of dead. "Crystal, please turn on the television to channel 3," he says plainly. "There is something I think we need to watch."

*

"…Don't *any* of you have class in the morning?" Maybe she wasn't going to be the 'cool' teacher. But Moira's gently chiding, warm voice is only half serious, there being a tease behind her tone otherwise. "Or is it just nice to be young, energetic, and not need more than 4 hours sleep a night?" Moira is about to say something more when Charles comes in the room, looking half like death, and Moira's on her feet almost immediately. "..Cha… Professor?" She catches herself within a heartbeat of almost being too-familiar with him. The worry behind her tone is heart-deep, though.

*

"It does appear to make clever use of the more unique cinematic techniques," Erik agrees, before looking on with some amusement as Crystal separates the would be snoggers.

Erik is about to consider moving toward some of the older X-Men, when Charles' entrance catches his eye. He turns to look at his oldest friend, with concern cast across his face, then follows his attention toward the television with quiet curiosity. After a moment, he steps over toward the Professor, frowning. "What is it, Charles?" he asks quietly.

*

"I believe it's the second one," Crystal starts to laugh to Moira, just as Charles shows up. Her brows rise, concern crossing her features, but she steps away from the doorway. Not before setting a hand lightly to Erik's arm to nudge him toward the Professor, though. "Channel 3?" she echoes, crouching by the television to turn the knobs, glancing back up at the screen to check if it's working properly once she's turned it on.

*

"It's summer. There's very little in the way of real classes." Alex is already up, setting his popcorn down by Bobby with a murmur in his ear, "Guard this for me?" and then he's moving back towards the projector— then he blinks at the Professor. He looks form the man to the television and back again. "I … think the fun is done." he announces with a sigh.

*

Sam's posture gets noticeably straighter when Xavier enters the room, even though it's hard to look particularly formal and studious with a great big handful of popcorn. "Is somethin' wrong, sir?" he asks — but then Crystal seems to already be working on getting them an answer. The southerner just watches the screen with a mounting sense of dread.

*

Bobby looks over his shoulder when he hears Xavier. "You look like shit, Prof. What's the matter?" Assuming channel 3 will answer that question, he looks back to the tv.

*

"Yes, Alex, I do believe you are correct." The compounding events have begun to wear upon Xavier, but that's not why he's breaking up the party. His eyes go from Moira, to Charles, and then back to Sam. "Unfortunately, Sam. Yes."

As the television screen pops to life, it's hard to immediately tell what's going on. There's a group of squad cars in a residential neighborhood that seem as though they are blocking off a large white home. There's a mob there being held back by the police. A voiceover from a reporter fills everyone in.

"For those of us just joining us, you are looking at images of the Wallace Lewiston home. The former President of Kansas University resigned yesterday as it was made known that his son is, in fact, a mutant. A mob has formed outside the former educator's home, and our men on the ground have relayed that one of the protesters has thrown a brick through a window in his home.

"

*

While Moira doesn't take her pale eyes from the screen, she does slowly make her way in Charles' direction. He looks like death and she knows the tone of his voice all too well now, knows when it's near broken. She gives no words yet, not interrupting the feed coming across the news, but her hand reaches out to rest quietly against the small of his back. Just a touch of warm support, of quiet steadying. He is not alone. None of them are. Even as she stares at the screen in stomach turned, quiet horror.

*

"Fuck." Alex's bad language rings out quite clearly, the sound almost a growl as he crosses his arms over his chest, watching the news cast with a deep frown and a shake of his head, "They're going after families now?" This is said in a softer town, a near-growl, really.

*

"Do they not still burn crosses on peoples' lawns in this country?" Crystal replies quietly to Alex's question. "Of course they've gone to his home." She stays near the television, a hand hovering near the knob as she watches both it and the younger students in the room. "Bigots."

*

Bobby watches the news report and as soon it becomes clear what's happening, he stands up. "We…" We can't get to Kansas in time. "So they're forming a lynch mob just because someone's a mutant? He didn't even have to do anything to them?"

*

"Y'all gotta watch your language a little better," Sam says to Alex and Bobby. His tone is almost meek, a lot less disapproving than his words indicate: he's frightened by what he's seeing on the television and looking for something he knows how to react to. "It ain't polite," he adds, eyes never leaving the screen.

Then Bobby says something about getting to Kansas in time, and Sam's eyebrows rise and peak in the middle. "Beggin' your pardon, but Ah might be able to. How fast do y'all need to go?"

*

"Not to my knowledge Bob…" Xavier's words are cut off as something flickers upon the screen.

"And…oh my! Now it looks as though the left corner of the house has caught on fire! Our reporters believe that Lewiston is, in fact, inside though we cannot confirm at this point. We have no word on where the rest of the family is at this point, but again, it seems as though their home has now caught on fire. The protesters are breaking through the police lines!

"Very fast, Sam. Can you get there?" Xavier asks.

"

*

"Can you really get there and find a specific place fast enough to … /do/ something about that? When they're burning down that house right now?" Alex looks a little uncertain: not skeptical, but… unsure of the extent of Sam's powers, "You said you had to stop and ask directions coming up here…" He seems… tired. But he looks back and nods to Crystal, "They still do that, yeah. I just thought lynchings at least we had gotten over. Mostly."

*

"…My God…" Even if Bobby had just corrected the boys, and Moira is taking the Lord's name in vain, sometimes it happens, at moments like this. She sounds physically ill, but she drags in a deep breath through her nose and straightens a bit more as the boys begin discussing how to get there. She doesn't interrupt, but is listening quite keenly, waiting to see what support she might be able to give and otherwise not going to interfere when time is of the essence.

*

Over time, Erik's face grows pale. He looks from one face to the next as they all watch what is happening, eventually landing upon Sam. "And what will we do if we get there?" he asks Charles, his expression tired but his eyes icy.

*

Bobby tears his gaze away from the tv screen to look at Sam. "How fast? Kansas is what? About fifteen hundred miles away? You'd need to fly at forty five hundred miles an hour to get us there in fifteen minutes and even then it might be too late. I'd stop them, Erik." But he can't get there fast enough, assuming Sam can't go that fast. "Prof, you took control of the mob that was attackimg my home. Can you do it again?" Course, Bobby lived about fifty miles away and not fifteen hundred.

*

"If we can-" Crystal pauses, looking to the professor with a pointed arch of her brow. "A small team could conceivably make it there, if you were willing to risk it," she says slowly. He knows what she means. It's just not something she's intended to share with the student population. "I could at least stop the fire."

*

"Well, Ah don't rightly know just how fast Ah can go, but yeah, fifteen minutes ain't happenin'," Sam quickly admits, going bright red and scuffing his beat-up Chuck Taylors as he becomes the center of attention. He nods over at Alex, continuing, "Directions are a problem, too. But Ah oughta be able to take at least one person with me in a few hours, if Ah push it. Won't be able to save the house, but we might be able to do… somethin'." He obviously wants to help; equally obviously, he isn't sure how to do so.

*

Alex looks… Angry. A little bit dangerously so. Especially since word might have gone out that he had his first… accident… in years, in his room the other day. It didn't destroy that section of the mansion but it did render his room uninhabitable for awhile. He's still not quite stable with how to deal with that capital B thing. But still, there's no plasma erupting from his body yet. "Why can't they just leave us alone?" Then he glances towards Erik, "We do whatever it is we have to do to protect our people, Magneto." he says with a clenched jaw, though he looks at Crystal curiously, "I'm willing to risk whatever it is." A glance at Sam, and a nod. He'll even try that way.

*

"Crystal, do it. Now. Erik, Alex, Bobby, Sam. Now. I'll get to Cerebro and do what I can from that angle." Xavier doesn't waste another word as he bolts from the Rec Room and tears down the hall, heading to the basement.

On the screen the home begins really burning well. There's all those public service announcements that talk about how quickly a home can go up, and that seems to be the case.

*

Crystal do it? Bobby looks over at Crystal, wondering what she's supposed to be doing.

*

Crystal nods once, firmly. The decision has been made, which means there's no more time for hesitation. "All right. Everyone to the front lawn, please," Crystal directs, straightening from her crouch by the television. "And you two keep your hands to yourself," she adds with a look to the young couple from earlier.

Before the group can even make it out to the front lawn, there's an odd popping sound of displaced air and a brief flash of light. When they reach it, they're met by quite an unusual site. Standing on the front lawn, panting happily, is a bulldog the size of two bears with what looks like a tuning fork on its forehead.

"Gentlemen," Crystal says at the front door, "This is Lockjaw. He'll be our ride this evening. Make sure you're touching him."

*

Alex follows Crystal out: talk of doing something helps alleviate the anger, so that goes back down to simmering. As he heads out, he pauses a moment, "I'll meet you out front in two minutes." Then he's turning and running at top speed, taking three stairs at a time to go up.

*

"I'll stay back with Charles, make certain he doesn't…blow up his own mind." Moira states flatly, being that she's not much of a combatant AND the professor is going into Cerebro's room alone. "All of you… be safe." SHe insists gently. And then she's limping after him as quickly as her crutch and legs can take her. She can't entirely keep up, but she should get there before he does any actual damage to himself.

*

Erik looks at once to Crystal, but as he does, he lifts a hand and points it toward somewhere else in the mansion.

As Charles bolts down the hallway, a fist-sized ball of compressed metal flies past him, headed toward the rec room.

The ball of metal strikes Erik's hand when he reaches the front lawn. There is a look of focus on his face, while the ball of metal begins to unpack itself, weaving through the air and forming into plates of armor that pack against his torso, arms, and legs, forming a seamless work of art that is both impressive and intimidating at once.

With an arched eyebrow, he looks from Lockjaw to Crystal, before striding forward and reaching for the creature's hind flank. "Let's go."

*

Bobby still has no idea what Crystal is going to do but neither does he care. He assumes it's something useful. It takes three steps for ice to cover him completely; the Iceman never has to worry about a uniform. Once he steps out into the front yard, he has to pause. BIG fucking dog. "Why does he have a tuning fork in his head??" he asks, walking over to Lockjaw, palm up for it to sniff him if it's so inclined, and then scratching it behind an ear. "Hey boy. Nice to meet you."

*

Sam takes a couple of steps farther away from Alex, casting sidelong glances at the older boy. He looks ready to snag the nearest people by their collars and blast off at a moment's notice if Havok goes nuclear. Fortunately, Crystal defuses the situation by distracting Summers with some alternative means of transportation. Guthrie nods at her instructions, only too happy not to have the entire situation depend on him. It's good that he doesn't hear Moira's dire comment, really: who knows how he'd take that.

He reaches the front lawn barely more than a minute later, after a quick stopoff in his room to get his old pair of cycling goggles and change into an outfit that doesn't have the name of the school plastered all over it. (He has some sense of discretion.) He's wearing the outfit he showed up to the school in: jeans, sneakers, cream button-up. Not the flashiest superhero outfit, but it'll just have to do.

Of course, Sam doesn't need the slightest bit of encouragement to start scratching Lockjaw behind the ears. "Now just what kinda critter are you, ya big friendly fella?" he whsipers to his new best friend.

*

By the time Moira reaches Cerebro, Xavier is already prepping it with the control piece securely fastened on his head. He looks to her as the machine whirs to life and reaches out to hold her hand.

Charles closes his eyes and begins to rifle through the minds of the people of Lawrence, Kansas. He hops onto them, left and right, scanning as quickly as the synapse can fire, from person to person in an attempt to find someone who knows the directions of where this is happening. It takes a few precious seconds, but he has it, and makes the mental jump towards the protestors. Xavier closes his eyes. This will not be easy.

*

It's maybe slightly more then two minutes, but not by much, as Alex comes stumbling out of the mansion with his suit half on. Really, the pants are on, and he's trying not to stumble and zip up the side zipper that gets the top on. He's panting a bit, but stumbling over he stops and blinks at the gigantic dog, "That's new. Why does he have a tuning fork in his head?!" But, he moves over and very tenderly lays a hand on the big guy. "Sorry, need to be non-lethal if need be." he pants.

*

Lockjaw looks thrilled with Bobby's and Sam's greetings, returning them with a sloppy-tongued lick, a head bump and a wiggle of his butt. Crystal just barely avoids the same treatment when she steps up to the dog's shoulder. "I'll…explain later," she smiles ruefully to the group. She hasn't taken any time to change, which leaves her in black cigarette pants and a yellow blouse, but she doesn't look too worried about it.

"You know where we're going?" she murmurs to the dog, taking a deep breath before she nods once. "Everybody hands on. This should go smoothly, but we'll be there in just a moment. Be ready."

It really is just a breath. One second they're on the front yard of Xavier's, and the next they're in the backyard of the president's house, the roar of the flames to one side and the roar of the attackers just on the other side of the house. "Thank you, Lockjaw. Stay low," Crystal instructs the dog, who promptly disappears.

*

"I'm here, Charles…Do what you need. I won't let you go too deep." Moira states flatly, a firm, quiet promise behind her voice that she will be there to pull him out, to center him, to bring him home again before he loses his mind too far away. Her fingertips knit through is tightly, hand squeezing and not letting go. Her palm there will be his continued lifeline here. Something to hold onto in reality.

*

Now just leaning against Lockjaw, Sam turns to Alex and gives the man's suit a businesslike once-over, zipping zippers, snapping snaps, and straightening seams. Just like helping one of his kid brothers get ready for church! Sorry, Bobby. "There ya go," he says, going back to scritching Lockjaw with his whole hand.

It takes him a second to register that they've traveled — it's the roar of the flames that does it. Sam stumbles for a second when his buddy disappears, then turns to Crystal with wide eyes. "Ma'am, Ah think your dog might just be a mutant."

*

There is a moment of disorientation, a second that slows Erik. He blinks and looks around, recognizing flame and angry voices. His eyes seem somehow angry and placid at once, but there's no hesitation once he's collected his thoughts. "I'll handle the protestors."

Extending his hands to either side, Magneto lifts from the ground and begins to soar over the burning house. He goes just to the side of the heaviest flames, feeling the heat licking at his shoes. Eyes dance upon those below, and a fiery expression forms upon his face.

Then, a snarl, and his arms lance forth.

An immense magnetic wave sweeps the crowd. Guns are ripped from police officers hands, going skyward. Belts are tugged, flipping men over and halting their progress. Batons and handcuffs whip free from the police officers' belts, pelting into the legs of those who aren't wearing belts, and shackling the wrists of the others, mostly the women who are present. It all happens in a span of seconds, and the magnetic force is too strong for a normal human to withstand.

*

As soon as Bobby registers where they are, he runs around the side of the house. He heard Crystal say she can stop the fire so he takes her at her word. Rounding the corner of the house into the front yard, he shouts "STOP!" With Erik taking them from above, he handles it from the ground, forming a wall of ice on the lawn behind the cops.

*

Alex blinks at Sam helping him into his suit, momentarily having inappropriate thoughts that makes him grin. But then they are poof! Alex doesn't hesitate, he runs right in towards the burning building, showing absolutely no concern for the fire at all. Of course, being immune to fire has its benefits, "I'm here to help you! Shout out! Quickly, so I can get to you!"

*

Sam follows Alex, but shakes his head mournfully as he watches Magneto float over the house. "Him, too? Even the datgum dog moves more gracefully'n Ah do," he mutters to himself. As they enter the burning house, Sam crouches and lifts one sleeve over his face. "Keep low, Havok," he says. "Y'might be immune to fire, but Ah'd bet suckin' up a bunch of smoke wouldn't do ya much good."

*

The building is in flames pretty proper by the time the team arrives. The fire has spread from the walls into the living room, filling the air with smoke. It's not immediately clear where the family is at this point.

Xavier is under too much stress to control all of them, so is only able to get some. About half of the protesters, some flipped by Magneto, stay like mannequins frozen in time. With effort, he sends a message to those who venture inside. "Upstairs bedroom." His voice echoes in the chamber, but is heard easily by the X-men.

"We're up here!" comes the voice of a young person down towards Alex. Presumably it must be the Lewiston's mutant son. Unfortunately a pillar of fire blocks the way and the smoke is rising intensely. But the Lewiston's don't realize that Mr. Summers has no care for fire at this point.

*

As the others rush to the front lines, Crystal stays where they landed, taking a deep breath as she reaches her hands out in front of herself. The flames roar, but with an act of will, the young woman reaches out with her mind and simply pulls them away from their fuel.

She could let them die in the process. Fire deprived of fuel or oxygen has a short lifespan. But given the state of the crowd in the front, she'd much rather keep it in reserve. The flames sweep away from the home, away from the people in danger, to form instead a blazing column that reaches for the sky, spinning swiftly.

*

A tighter squeeze of Charles' hand, but then Moira slightly shifts her fingertips from his palm to wrapping about his wrist. She can't hook him up to actual medical monitors while here (though it's a thought for the future), but she can keep an eye on his vitals as he's lost in another world through his mind. So she keeps her fingertips against his pulse, watching on in worry but not interfering otherwise.

*

Alex glances back at Sam, lifting a hand, "Be careful man, you can get burned!" The moment he hears Xavier's voice, he's plunging through the fire without any concern, even if a moment later the flames are being pulled away. He's bounding up the stairs three at a time, heading for the bedroom. Once he gets to the door, there's a quick swirl of blue light before a tight beam of plasma shoots out from between his arms. Its mostly concussive, the plasma fading into nothing before it really comes into contact, but the shockwave is enough to turn a door into splinters. That might have been unnecessary.

*

"Maybe, but Ah always got a way out if it gets too hairy," Sam answers Alex. Hestomps up the stairwell, into the greater heat upstairs. He's got more reasons to sweat than just that, of course. Fortunately, with Xavier's mental guidance, they don't have too much trouble locating the bedroom in question. Once the door's open, Sam sidles past Alex, waving him back with a 'simmer down' gesture, and beckons the kid over. "C'mon now! We're gettin' out of here. Is there anybody else in the house?" he asks. "We gotta make sure it's clear; ain't no tellin' what they'll do once we're gone."

*

Bobby stays where he is, ready to manage any of the mob who haven't gotten the hint to behave. "Officers, you should probably call for backup and arrest them all. We've got the fire taken care of."

*

Clearly, Magneto is not one for subtlety. The magnetic wave causes interference in the police radios and the television broadcast, sending static to the watching world.

A good thing, too.

The police cars begin ripping apart, metal rending from their frames and twisting apart, flying into the air. Some of it forms a wall in front of Bobby's wall of ice, reinforcing it; three other pieces fly toward Magneto, and he slowly drops to the ground, the three panels hovering around him.

"They can't call for backup, Iceman," Magneto answers. "Their radios are fried."

The panels whip forward, pinning two protestors to the ground. The others remain pinned by various metallic objects, with still others joining the fray from every place in Magneto's grasp.

"Enough of this!" he shouts, anger in his voice. "We have done nothing to you. But if you do not stand down… we will not stop at anything to defend ourselves!"

*

As Alex bursts onto the scene and blows the door away, he'll find the family huddled near the window with the father looking out the window down below. Half of him is terrified, but the other half is angry beyond all belief.

"How are we going to get out of here?" Mary Lewiston shrieks at Alex. She has no idea who he is, but she doesn't care.

"No, this is it," Jimmy says, remarkably under control for someone whose life was in danger. This was his fault, of course. It was his mutant gene, and worse, his power set that led to someone at his high school telling their dad. And their dad telling the news for 25 dollars. It was his fault this all happened.

As Sam bursts in, the family seems to accept the pair as their saviors and get up to move towards them in an effort to get out of the home as quickly as possible.

Xavier would be happy for Moira's concern, but he's busy trying to hold more and more of the protesters back. All in all, he seems to be holding up well, even as the veins in his neck are popping out.

*

A conversation for another day between them — when is too much, too much. All Moira can do is monitor his vitals to the point she thinks his body might no longer be able to take it, and he isn't there yet. It's good to be healthy and still relatively young some days. So she remains close, her other hand coming up, shifting her palm out of the crutch (though her elbow rests there for continued balancing support). Her free hand now shifts to the back of his neck, not interfering with where the device touches his skull, but resting right at the base of it with her bare, cool fingertips. Another quiet reminder of reality. A second touch stone of contact.

*

Crystal throws her hands to either side, banishing the flames as the pulls the oxygen away from them and releases her own control of the pillar of fire. Taking a deep breath, she starts out from behind the house, moving quickly.

"Peace!" she calls toward the confrontation, glancing to Erik as well when she says it. "You are better than this. We are better than this. We are all called on to be more than our fears, to live up to our hopes and our dreams. No one here has ever hoped and dreamed for a world where they hunt down children. You are good people, or you wouldn't fear for your homes, for your family. But there is nothing in anyone here that needs to be feared."

For all she handles paperwork at the mansion, she's still a princess among her own people. And she carries herself with that as she looks to the X-Men. "We are here to help people. As should we all be in times of fear or need."

*

"Don't y'all worry, it'll be fine: we got a mutant teleportin' dog," Sam reassures the family, ushering them with remarkable politeness toward the back door. "He's about the size of a pony — can't miss him. Just y'all stick close and watch out for anythin' fallin', this house looks a little rickety from the fire." He glances back at the parents with an apologetic expression. "Um, no offense."

*

Alex gestures for the family, nodding in agreement with Sam, "The fire's under control, you all come out back with us. I'm Alex. We're here to help you. We're mutants too and won't let anything happen to you or your family." He says this ernestly. "My friends are keeping the mob at bay. We'll protect you. I promise."

*

Bobby looks up at Mags then at what he's doing to the police cars and the people. And while no one seems to be injured… Too much, Erik. Way too much. This is not how to calm down a mob, just terrify them more. Granted, cowing them into submission also works.

*

Crystal's words seem to break through the haze of anger. Magneto looks to her, then back to the crowd, then over toward Bobby. His mouth twists, and he finally relents. The magnetic tug releases, giving those trapped by their own metallic accoutrements and the rending of the police cars some semblance of freedom.

"Peace does not come easily," he agrees. "But it starts here, if we choose it. If all of you choose it."

*

By this time, Magneto will realize he's looking into the cold, vacant eyes of those controlled by Xavier's mind. Whether or not they are frightened enough by Erik's antics, the Polish man may never know.

Xavier begins to falter just a bit and exclaims to Moira, "I don't think I can hold them much longer." He swallows hard and doubles his efforts as his nose begins to bleed.

The backyard erupts now as people begin to pile out of it after running from the building that now lacks the prohibitive flames. X-men and Lewiston alike run for the giant tuning fork canine.

"What in the hell is that?" Mr. Lewiston asks as it takes up the entirety of his attention for just a moment.

POP POP POP!

Three shots ring out from the woods behind the house and the rest of the night goes quiet.

*

Crystal is unfamiliar with the look of people controlled by Xavier, but she knows a blank look when she sees one. These people are not going to do anything else. "We should go," she says quietly, nodding once to Bobby. Even as she's turning toward the back yard, those shots sound, and she breaks into a run, drawing a shield of air around herself.

*

"Charles. You have to let go. Now. You can't help anyone if you give yourself a stroke." Moira commands, reaching for the helmet, going to guide it back off of his head with her free hand, but he could stop her if he insists. She isn't just going to rip him out of this. "Let. Go. You've done all you can. Please."

*

Sam instantly recognizes that sound and dives to the ground. "Get down!" he yells. "Who's hit? Is everyone okay?!" He twists around, checking on the little group around him.

*

Rushing out with the family, Alex takes up position behind, and when there's shots? He tries to leap on the mutant kid and push him down to the ground to cover him. Alex's first instinct is to try to protect the mutant youth, if he can. If it doesn't get them both shot.

*

Bobby looks back to the crowd as Erik releases them and then he nods to Crystal. He's turning to head back when the shots ring out and he runs around the side of the building. "What happened?" His ice armor should handle normal bullets so he's not particularly worried about that. "Who fired a gun?"

*

When the shots sound, everything in Magneto's grasp drops, released. He spins and reaches a hand to the back yard, searching for the bullets, his mind like a razor. He only has a blink of time to find them, and divert them. Anywhere but their target. Down, into the earth, if he can just find them.

*

As Alex and Jimmy hit the deck, they both can hear the sickening sound of wet explosions. Before his parents even hit the ground, the bullets are ripped out of the their heads and driven down into the ground. Unfortunately bullets move faster than sound and Magneto's efforts are simply too late.

"No!" Jimmy yells as he turns his head to see his mother's dead eyes looking towards him.

In New York, Xavier passes out from exertion and leans forward into the control panel. Immediately, back in Lawrence, Kansas, the protesters regain consciousness, taking just a moment to try and decipher where they are.

*

Crystal rounds the corner just in time to see the bodies fall, a hand flying up to cover her mouth and stifle the surprised cry that follows. "Lockjaw, we need you back," she says hoarsely as the sounds of the crowd on the other side of the house resume. The giant bulldog pops back into the backyard, though he looks much less excited about the trip this time around.

"Everyone, hands," Crystal directs with weary calm. "We have to leave before they come looking for us."

*

"Shit." Moira hisses between her teeth, leaning forward to grab Charles and fully get the helmet off of him. She's just barely able to keep him up, one arm beneath his arms, holding most of his weight against her as she sinks with him to the floor. She'll take care of him until he wakes up, but it's a lesson to both of them in his limits.

*

"Oh, no." Sam's immediate, breathed horror hardens into anger after just a second. "Aw, hell no." If anyone's going to give gun-toting rednecks a bad name around here, it is Samuel Z. Guthrie. "Get the kid outta here — I got my own ride," he grunts at Alex. Then, with an explosive roar, the teenager bounces several feet off the ground, flattening the grass all around him, and rockets into the woods, demolishing trees and ricocheting around wildly, seeking out the gunmen. The whole treeline will turn into a rocket-powered pinball destruction derby as he tries to flush the snipers out of their hiding place.

*

Like a missile, Erik bursts into the air and goes soaring over the house, a ferocious magnetic blast pushing his armor in a smooth arc. It's a bit too much; the force of the armor pushing against his body is surely going to hurt in the morning.

He comes to the ground next to the bloody head of Jimmy's father. For a moment, Magneto simply stares at the dead face, his eyes blank. A second passes. Then another.

Suddenly, everything metallic in the house, the front yard, on the cops and protestors' bodies, it all gets pushed into the ground.

Seems he's not interested in catching a ride home. Either someone's going to put his hand on the canine's body… or he'll stay behind and create a slaughter.

*

"No…" Alex has a haunted look as he looks at the kids parents, a tremble running through him. The loss of his own family, the recent revelations about it, about how he and they were left for dead while Scott was kidnapped. He's not going for the dog. He's stalking towards the woods, and as he does power begins to surge out of him and flow about his body, gathering. He's going to go kill himself someone who just shot those two people in the head, if he can find them. If not he might decide to blow up a small mountain. He's FURIOUS.

*

Bobby comes to a stop when he sees the dead bodies and then he's looking toward the woods where Alex is headed. Up to Erik, back to Alex. "Alex, stop. We need to go. Erik, stop. We need to go. We need to take the boy back to the school and then let the cops catch a murderer. If we stay and destroy the woods and evidence, they'll just blame it on us and the guy will go free."

*

Jimmy gets to his feet and instinctively moves towards Bobby's side. He's scared. He's a brave boy generally and wise beyond his 16 years, but he's terrified and he can't stop weeping and looking down at his dead parents.

*

"Erik, please, no." Crystal reaches for Erik's arm, pleading. "More death won't solve this, and it won't help the boy. Sam said he could fly home. The rest of you, now," she says more firmly. "We need to leave, not make this worse." She looks back to Magneto then, letting go of his arm to offer an open hand instead. "We will fix this, Erik, but not here, not now, not like this. Not while this boy is standing here in shock. The living first."

*

The snarl on Magneto's face might seem as if it can't be broken, but in a moment of what may be fate, he grasps Crystal's hand. His eyes squeeze shut, and the magnetic field relents, before the crushing force can kill anyone. There is pain, though. Much pain.

Erik then releases a howl of grief and grasps hold of Crystal's hand tightly, hoping that they'll all be out of this place before his vision truly turns red.

*

Did we mention Alex was powering up? He's powering up seriously. Anger has always been his trigger, his weakness. He hasn't blown anything up but the currents of plasma that are swirling around his body collecting, coalescing, dispersing, gathering. Its more then anyone's seen him put out at once before. The plasma strains against him, as if captured in channels, rivers, but always wanting to escape. Some of it does: it arcs in some random direction, sending a long slender curved half-circle outward that slices a nearby tree clean in half as if the tree were made of nothing. That was only a small portion of the fury Alex has as he thinks of that kid, the orphan. Like him. Now he'll end up in an orphanage. Like him. Now his family is gone. Like him. Now he'll… Reason? Bobby is good at reason but Alex is almost completely past that point.

Almost.

Bobby, apparently, has a backdoor into Alex's brain at the moment. Its probably because the guy is ice and Havok is all fire. That's it right? He hesitates, his shoulders trembling, glaring. But he clenches his jaw, "I have to channel it somewhere. Once it's out I can only channel it." Just holding it all from exploding around him is clearly difficult.

So he takes a deep, deep, deep breath. And concentrates. And… does something he's always said he couldn't do. His body shaking, he directs the plasma down into himself. Why not? Its heat. Energy. So the superheated plasma burns through his suit in numerous places as the blue energy is slowly poured back into his body. The fury gives way towards the most extreme action of concentration he's ever done as he forces every particle to slowly circle down into him.

*

Steering is not Sam Guthrie's strong suit, unless he doesn't mind using ricochets — and annihilating whatever he's bouncing off of. In this case, however, the need to flush the gunmen out of the forest means that obliterating the scenery is actually a plus. Splinters of wood flying, leaves cascading, and dirt thrown into the air, the southerner is methodically demolishing any hiding place he can identify while watching for any fleeing snipers. At the very least, he's running solid interference for the rest of the team to come to their senses and get the kid to Lockjaw and out of the line of fire.

*

Crystal pulls Erik in when he takes her hand, looking over to the others long enough to make sure they're touching the transportation before she speaks up again. "Lockjaw, now," she says quietly, closing her eyes for the jump.

The front lawn of Xavier's is eerily quiet after the chaos. Upstairs, only ten or fifteen minutes have passed, if that, since the television was turned on and the adventure began. Among the group who went, though, it seems like so much more.

*

Sam bounces around the forest, but with the darkness, he can't seem to see anyone or anything. The forest seems quiet, but all in all, very eerie. Trees are hacked down as both Sam's and Erik's actions leave no doubt that a group of mutants were here. There is no way humans could do this much damage.

Meanwhile, the newly released protesters hit the deck and scream in fear as energy blasts take to the sky in multiple directions when Havok lets himself go. Several of them begin to run away in fear of being next! And that was just the energy that slipped off of Alex!

THE NEXT MORNING

Xavier sends a message to Alex that he'd like to see the Summers brother right away in the morning. No one really slept much, it's sure, but Monday morning comes just the same. As Alex arrives and opens the door he will find Xavier sitting on the desk, arms folded and Jimmy Lewiston, seating and turning to look at him. "Alex, I believe you know James. Please, come in and shut the door."

TO BE CONTINUED.

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