X-Men: The Gifted Ones

47. LOCATION UNKNOWN

Scarlet Witch had no idea what time it was, what day it was, or how long she had been there. She had woken up to find herself in the middle of a dark cave. The deep cold she felt made her wonder if she was someplace near the poles. The pangs in her stomach made her realize she must have been there at least half a day. She felt frightened and desperate. I have to stop Magneto, she told herself. I have to! I know what he is planning!

But what could she do? She was in a cave lined with ice. She could only see a faint eerie glow around her, could barely see her hand in front of her face. Her feet slipped and staggered over rocks. Her hands were scraped from the efforts of trying to leave.

She felt hopeless. She wasn't a telepath. She had no psychic abilities.

But she knew of someone who did, someone who could track her! She had heard Magneto talking about him. She heard him speak of Charles Xavier, and his Cerebro that enabled him to enhance his telepathy and find any mutant, anywhere in the world.

She knew he could find her... if he knew about her.

She was so hungry, she had so little energy. She didn't know how she was going to send a psychic call to him. Would it even work?

What was the worst that could happen if she tried?

If she tried and failed, she would be no worse off than she was now. If she did nothing, she could die in this unknown location.

She tried to take her focus from her shivering body. It used up too much energy. She stood on the highest point she could find and focused all of her energy on Charles Xavier and West Chester, New York.

"CHARLES XAVIER! CHARLES!" her mind screamed. "CAN YOU HEAR ME!? CHARLES, HELP! MAGNETO! VIETNAM!"

She collapsed from the effort of her call. She fell down from her perch and sprawled on the floor of the cave, drained of all energy. Her head throbbed as if she had been pummeled by a hundred fists and her bones felt weak, her muscles failed to move. Her final thought before exhaustion took over was a small prayer that her idea worked.