The School for the Gifted

Chapter XI

Eleven

 "HURRY UP!" BEAST shouted.

     I was suiting up, getting ready to leave the school. We were going to find Magneto. I didn't think it was a good plan to bring me, but Professor X thinks I'll be safe. I hope I'll be safe.

     Oscar was coming, too. The guards at the mansion won't be enough to protect him, and X-Men are all leaving. I'm scared of bringing him, but I'm also scared of leaving him.

     I headed inside the ship and sat down on the cold seat. I strapped myself in and turned around in the chair to check on Oscar. He was talking to Claire, Jamie and Andre. I could see the worry in his face, but all-in-all, he was fine. He was going to be fine. My gut says so.

     Jean looked at me. "Hey, don't worry about him," she said in my mind. "He'll be protected. He's staying inside the ship with Andre and Beast. They're taking control in here, in case we need to use the missiles."

     I nodded. "Thanks," I replied.

     Once everyone settled in their seats, Storm and Beast took us away. I saw Logan tense, and I tried to hold back a laugh. He most certainly does not like it when it comes to flying.

     The Professor informed us that this was going to be our first real mission as the X-Men. "Don't falter," he said. "Be brave. We've trained you well, and I believe you are ready for something like this."

     "Professor?" Claire piped up.

     His eyes moved to her. "Yes?"

     She cleared her throat. "What should we expect? I mean...so we won't freak out."

     "Magneto is a very powerful mutant. He will try to kill you if you make him angry enough."

     Andre said, "I thought Magneto was imprisoned? Logan was tellin' us in History class that he was taken away fo' tryin' ta kill people."

      The Professor rubbed his head. "That is correct, yes. But we believe he broke out, and he's trying to rise back to power. That's what Mystique said."

    I looked back at her. She had been so quiet that I nearly forgot that she was even in the ship. She had one leg crossed over the other and her arms folded across her chest. She was staring at her foot that was in the air.

    "Another thing," the Professor continued, "if we do run into Magneto - he may have guards - I want to speak with him. He's an old friend. He may listen to me."

     I heard Mystique laugh. "Charles, he won't even listen to me," she said. "I highly doubt that he'll listen to you."

     Logan said, "Hold on, we have his helmet. Couldn't you control him?"

     The Professor hesitated. "I could, yes. But if I let him go, he'd probably just turn back to the bad guy he is."

     "Erik is a moron who thinks no will stop him," Mystique rose from her seat. "I've tried to change him, before he changed me."

     The Professor looked into her eyes. "Raven..."

      I could tell that Professor X really cared for Mystique. They had a long history before she ran away. She was like a sister to him.

     "Charles, you have to be careful," she whispered. "He's a lot stronger than you think." She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "I'm going with you. I have a plan."

(X)

We landed in the water a half mile away from the island. We were going to have to swim. Jean and I were going to carry the Professor over the water with our powers very carefully. Claire said she'd try to control the waves - it was really windy today.