The rest of the month passed by faster than anyone truly expected, and yet, immerse progress had been made. One would even say that they were all ready for battle, and while many liked to believe that as well, it felt different when the time truly arrived.
For the day had started simply, with everyone going on about their daily training when Moira shouted from the living room.
"Guys, come quick!" was all she said, somehow her voice reaching everyone that was in the close perimeter.
"What's wrong?" Melinda asked as she jogged into the room, out of breath.
It was not long before everyone followed suit, Charles taking a seat next to Moira on the couch. The rest chose to stand around them as the agent pointed at the TV. A live broadcast was playing as President Kennedy was addressing the crowd.
"It shall be the policy of this nation to regard any nuclear missile crossing the embargo line that surrounds Cuba as an attack by the Soviet Union on the united states, requiring a full retaliatory response upon the Soviet Union..." the President said, making everyone exchange looks.
"That's where we will find Shaw," Erik said, pointing at the TV since it was clear now where their enemy had made his temporary new base.
"How do you know?" Alex asked, most of the young mutants not having fully understood what was going on or what connections Erik had made in his mind.
"Two superpowers facing off, and he wants to start World War III. He won't leave anything to chance, " Charles said, his eyes never leaving the screen as the President kept talking.
Melinda pinched the bridge of her nose and folded her hands in front of her chest. "And now, without that telepath, he will not take any chances," she commented, eyes never leaving the screen.
She knew eventually they would have to come face to face with Shaw, but she was not ready for it... not yet. She glanced around her at the other mutants, most being young kids that had their whole life in front of them. She did not want to see them in harm's way, but if they had no other choice, she had to.
"So much for diplomacy," Erik said, snapping her from her thoughts. "I suggest you all get a good night's sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By nightfall, everyone was deep into their thoughts. Erik and Charles had chosen to play one last round of chess for the day, having a discussion of what is to come. Despite all this, Erik was still not going to let his chance for revenge escape through his fingers.
They sat across one another on matching armchairs, a glass of good brandy to keep them company as they eyed the chessboard.
"Cuba, Russia, America...it makes no difference. Shaw has declared war on mankind on all of us. He has to be stopped, " Charles said as he made his move.
Erik watched him and heard him quite clearly as he took a few sips of his brandy. "I am not going to stop Saw. I am going to kill him, " He told his friend as he moved his king to eat one of his pawns. "Do you have it in you to allow that?" There was a small silence between them as Charles leaned forward and eyed the chessboard. "You have known all along why I was here, Charles. " he continued, making the telepath look at him.
"But things have changed, haven't they?" he asked him, passively insinuating something that Erik knew too well.
He felt the need to roll his eyes and he, instead, chose to take another ship from his glass while waiting for his next move. "It is not wise to bring Melinda into this," he said,d deciding to undress the elephant in the room. Yes, her presence and what they had done in the last month had been something new and enjoyable even in his life. But his mission never changed and never truly would, not after all those sleepless nights filled with dark memories of his time with Saw.
"This is not what I meant -" Charles tried to explain, but Erik stopped him.
"Yes, things have changed but not the way you think. "What started as a Covert Mission, tomorrow mankind will know that mutants exist. Shaw, us, they won't differentiate. They will fear us, and that fear will turn to hatred."
Charles kept looking at his friend, understanding that from his past, he saw the glass half empty and the world through a much darker lens. The telepath, on the other hand, saw everything differently, and he did not want to be as pessimistic as his new friend.
"Not if we stop a war," Charles argued. "Not if we can prevent Saw. Not if we risk our lives doing so"
"Would they do the same for us?"
"We have it in us to be the better men,"
"We are. We are the next stage of human evolution. You said it yourself! You-"
"No..." Charles interrupted him, stopping Erik before he fully got the wrong idea. Slowly, he started to sound more like Saw.
"Are you really so naive as to think they won't battle their own extinction?" he asked, somehow not fully surprised that the telepath saw the world in such a way.
He had spent his whole time with money and comforts, few could truly enjoy; let alone from such a young age like him. He did not know of the hardships or of the true nature the dark world around them possessed.
Erik, on the other hand, had lived through such times and knew them first-hand. Humans hunted down other humans just for something as different as religion. Only a child would think that they would not do the same for something so far different from them.
Yet, the more he looked at Charles, the more he thought that perhaps was something else behind his stance. "Or is it arrogance?" he finally asked, finally seeing a little more of the true colours of the righteous Charles Xavier.
"Excuse me?" the telepath exclaimed.
"After tomorrow, they will turn on us. But you are blind because you believe that they are like Moira"
"And you believe they are all like Shaw." No answer came as Charles knew he had struck a point. He leaned a little more forward, his eyes never leaving his. "Listen to me very carefully, my friend. Killing Shaw, will not bring you peace"
"Peace was never an option."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melinda had spent quite some time in her training room, almost losing track of how long it had been since she first entered that room for the day. She eventually chose to stop, her knuckles sore from punching the bag for so long.
Sitting on the floor, a small white towel around her neck, she drank some cool water from her bottle. She leaned her back against the wall, eyes closed as her mind was chaos. She had so many thoughts in her mind, so many worries and fictional scenarios that caused her a terrible migraine.
Usually, doing some intense exercise always helped her to release that tension gathered deep inside of her and help her clean her mind. This time, however, she found that her usual ways were ineffective and that only added to her frustration.
The doors to the room were pushed open, and she opened her eyes, turning to look at the newcomer. At first, she thought it was Erik but to her surprise, it was Raven. She stood there, in her blue form with no clothing on her body.
"Will you also ask me to get dressed?" she asked, her tone having a coldness that she usually lacked.
Melinda did not need to know more, to suspect that she had an argument with Charles. Whenever those two would argue, the young mutant would always come to her for comfort and some kind words; needing someone to listen to her.
"You know I never minded that or your form, Raven," she said and patted a spot on the floor next to her.
The blue-skinned mutant seemed to relax after hearing those words and her eyes almost filled with tears at the accepting words, which seemed to come only from her and Erik. She wasted no time to join her on the floor, only to quickly lay her head on the woman's lap.
One hand hugged her thigh like a little girl, and she was silent for a moment, letting her older sister gently comb her orange-red hair with her finger. Then, Raven decided to open up about what she had talked about with Erik and how he told her to be proud. Of how Hank had found a cure and insisted they should take it, for her human form was more beautiful and her argument with Charles of what is to come next.
The Healer listened carefully, not once stopping caressing her sister's hair as Raven opened up her heart, tears leaving her beautiful eyes as she finally said everything that she had piled up inside of her and voiced out all those second thoughts she had about her mutation and her appearance.
"Do not take Charles seriously, Raven. You know how he is when it comes to humanity and his positivism, " she finally said, deciding to tackle the issues one by one. "I think that Charles deep down worries, as much as we all do, but his way of coping with it is different from yours or mine or anyone else's"
"It still doesn't make sense, though. He has the evidence, why is he so hot-headed"
"You said it yourself. Charles...and even I do not know how you see the world, because of your unique and beautiful nature, " she said, exposing that she had eavesdropped on her conversation with Hank a month ago.
"I am sorry, I didn't -" Raven tried to apologise, realizing that she had sort of called out her sister that day for no true reason.
"Don't, it's okay. You do have a point, and I do not blame you for thinking that way, " Melinda said, never truly having held any grudge against the younger mutant. "It's true, I do have it easier fitting with people than you, and I will never truly understand how it is for you. However, I will try and I am trying...Charles is doing the same, he needs a little more time" she explained, her fingers now gently caressing the unique blue-scaled skin of the girl laying on her lap.
"And what about Hank? Will he see it? I mean, he should understand more, " the shapeshifter said, pouting like a little kid.
"Hank needs time as well...Look, Raven, " Melinda started, leaving out a sigh. "Not every mutant you will see will agree with you. Some might wish to hide their gifts or choose the option to get rid of them, and that's okay. There is nothing in this world that everyone will agree on, always will there be different opinions. At the end of the day, however, we are all mutants, and we must support each other; no matter what decisions we make or what side we choose, "
Raven did not answer but listened to her carefully, each word sounding so wise coming from her. Somehow, Melinda always knew what to say and how to comfort the shapeshifter. Unlike Charles, her words always sounded so neutral and trustworthy; never to be biased. It offered comfort to hear them, especially during times when she was not sure what to think or do.
Eventually, she lifted herself and embraced the older woman in a tight hug. "Thank you, Mel. You always know what to say. "
Melinda smiled and stood up with Raven, eventually pulling away as she gave the younger mutant a caring smile. "I try, and Raven, you look beautiful no matter what," she said, placing her hand against the girl's cheek in a motherly fashion.
She had been more like a mother to the shapeshifter than a sister, always looking after her and being there for her in times of need. Raven could not truly remember her mother anymore, for each time she thought of a motherly figure; it was Melinda that popped into her mind. She did not mind, though, for she was glad to have her in her life.