X-Men: The Gifted Ones

45. CHARLES' OFFICE, XAVIER MANSION, WEST CHESTER, NY

The time for mincing words was over. Charles had to be straightforward. "Right now your son is a danger to himself and everyone around him. I have eight children in this school that I am responsible for and I cannot add more until this is under control. You know what kind of illusions and panic he is capable of inducing. I cannot have that here. Most of these children have already been through enough as it is!"

William was indignant. Who did this Professor think he was? "You are talking about controlling a person's mind!" William raged. "Taking away their God-given right to free will! I thought you would help my grandson! My son finally thought you would help him, too! What will I tell him now? We thought we finally had something!"

"I would not take away his free will, just his inability to control his anger and his ability to hurt others!" Charles said apologetically. "Can't you see him now? He has no control over his anger; it controls him! Your grandson is suffering! You have no idea of the hurt and pain inside this boy's mind!"

"Do you know it?" William demanded.

"Yes, I do," Charles fired back. "He allowed me to access his memories, and if you could see what I did, see what he endured through that hell he escaped from, you would understand why I wish to help him in this way!"

"I don't like this... this... entering my son's mind," Mary shook her head. "I don't like the idea of anyone controlling him like that."

"I wouldn't control him," Charles said, empathetically. "For God's sake, the boy is a human being, not a puppet. I don't like the idea of it, either, but I have to think about Jason and the other children. I cannot let one child be permitted to endanger the others on a daily basis. He almost died yesterday! The things he does to others, entering their minds, puts them in grave danger. Do you want him to repeatedly enter your mind, too?"

Mary shook her head and wrung her hands. "No! Professor Xavier, you have no idea what images he has sent to me! There are times I feel a power drill to my head is the only way to get them out!"

"I know, Mrs. Stryker. That's why I feel these barriers may be the only way to help."

William was still refusing. Charles knew he would have to make a difficult choice. He wished he would have asked Mary to be here alone, but he realized she would have asked her father-in-law to come along anyhow. Mrs. Stryker seemed unwilling to make a decision on her own, her husband and father-in-law had her cowed, feeling as if they knew what was best for the boy instead of her. "I don't like this idea of controlling the mind of a human being!" William exclaimed. "What if we say no to this? What happens to Jason?"

"He would have to leave immediately," Charles conceded, his voice resigned. "I can't have him here if you are not willing to do what is necessary to keep him safe."

Mary closed her eyes as William's face was dark with frustration. Jane looked on, her face empathetic.

Jason could only glare at Charles. The boy got up and headed toward Jane, looking sad. Charles realized the boy likely wanted to stay. Jason hugged Jane and she hugged him back.

Charles gasped in horror as Jason withdrew a large knife from behind his back and stabbed Jane. She screamed and slumped to the floor. Charles dived out of his chair and crawled toward his wife who was bleeding on the floor. The wound was surely fatal. "Jane! No, Jane!" he cried, reaching his dying wife, cradling her in his arms.

"You're next, Professor!" Jason warned, lifting up the knife from Jane's body and plunging it between Charles's shoulder blades. He screamed in agony as the knife pierced his heart.

"He's in an illusion," Jane cried out. She leaped out of her chair and went to her husband on the floor. She tried shaking him, trying to move him, trying to do what she could to shatter the illusion. "Charles!" she called out to him. "Charles! Charles! It's OK, you're OK! Whatever you're seeing, it isn't real!"