Echo

Pen Pal

Doctor Jean Grey, a strong, attractive woman in her early 30's and my friend, addressed the committee on the behalf of those who couldn't. This was an open hearing; behind the committee members were ordinary Washingtonians. An image of the human genome was closing down behind her as she's concluded a talk about what mutants are and how they came to be.

"We are witnesses a new stage in human evolution. The mutations appear during puberty, and are often triggered during periods of high emotional stress." she said. A microphoned voice interrupted her. I looked to see the flamboyant Senator Robert Kelly, a conservative from Florida, and the hearing's Chairman.

"Thank you Miss Grey, very educational. But it missed the question that is the focus of this hearing. Three words: are mutants dangerous?" he asked her.

"I'm afraid, that's an unfair question, Senator. After all, the wrong person behind the wheel of a car is dangerous." Jean told him.

"Well, we license people to drive." Senator Kelly told her.

"Yes, but not to live." She countered. "Senator, the records clearly show that mutants who have chosen to revealed themselves to the public have been widely regarded with fear and suspicion, even violence." I looked at the people around me as murmurs of dissent moved through the crowd. "It is because of this violence that I urge you all to vote against mutant registration. Forcing mutants to expose themselves will only-"

"Expose themselves?" Senator asked her. "What is it the mutant community has to hide?"

"I didn't say they were hiding-" Jean tried to tell him, but he stopped her.

"Well, let me show you what is being hidden, Miss Grey." He stood up and began to work the crowd, reading from a piece of paper.

"Senat-"

"I have here records of mutants living in the United States. Here's a girl in Illinois who can walk through walls. What's to stop her from walking into a bank vault? Or into the White House? Or into their houses? And I have even heard, Miss Grey, that there are mutants so powerful that they can enter our minds and control our thoughts. Even some who can even gain the powers of other mutants. Either one of these kinds of mutants could take away our God-given free will. I think the American people have a write to decide if they want to send their children to school with mutants. To be taught by mutants. Ladies and gentlemen, the truth is that mutants are very real. And they are among us. We must know who they are, and most importantly, we must know what they can do!" The crowd reacted loudly in support of the Senator. I noticed one man in a hat and trenchcoat get up and leave. I tapped my father's shoulder and pointed him out to him. We followed him as he stormed out and stopped him without a word.

"Erik. What are you doing here?" Dad asked him.

"Why do you ask questions to which you already know the answers?" Erik asked him.

"Don't give up on them, Erik." my father almost begged him.

"What would you have me do, Charles? I've heard these arguments before." Erik told him.

"That was a long time ago. Mankind has evolved since then." Dad told him.

"Yes... Into us." Erik told him.

"We aren't the future, Erik. But we can help build it by things like this." I told him, motioning back to where Jean was.

"Angela, you aren't old enough to remember everything your father and I went saw." he told me.

"I'm older than I look." I told him.

"Oh, I know." he told me. It was silent for a moment before Erik tapped his own forehead. "Are you sneaking around in there, Charles? Whatever are you looking for?"