Hey guys! Sorry it's been so long since I've written anything, I've just been busy and maybe sorta kinda have forgotten about this. But let your worries be put to rest, I'm still going! Thanks for telling me that you want me to continue the series. You guys are great!
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I didn't find a book on basketball, so I headed to my room. Some of the other girls were talking and laughing. One girl was hanging from the ceiling by her feet. I gave them a small smile as I flopped down onto my bed. Grabbing a book from atop my dresser, I flipped open to the first page of The Scarlet Letter and began reading. Soon the talking of the girls grew to a raucous of laughter and giggles, and a throbbing headache followed.
I set my book down on my stomach. "Will you girl's-"
There was a sudden knock on the door. Grudgingly, I rose from my bed and opened it up. Warren stood in the doorway, adjusting his bracers.
As much as I tried to push my mind away from the fact that they were leaving, I couldn't.
"Hey," I spoke casually, leaning against the door frame.
"Hey yourself," he said while smiling.
"So, when are you leaving?"
He sighed and folded his arms, giving me an apologetic look. "Right now actually. I came to say goodbye."
I nodded grimly and inhaled and exhaled loudly. "Well, goodbye."
He raised an eyebrow and peered his head around the doorway, glancing at the girls who were now jumping on the beds.
"You don't mind if I take Daniella for a minute, do you girls?" As he said this, he gave them his famous full toothed grin. I rolled my eyes.
They giggled and shook their heads. He winked as he grabbed for the door and closed it.
"Do you always have to do that?"
"What?" he asked innocently.
"Be so...charming."
"Charming comes with the package love. Let's head downstairs so you can say goodbye to everyone. Plus I think Ororo is going to give you the whole rundown of how to keep this place under control."
I nodded bitterly and followed in suit down the stairs and into the foyar. Ororo nodded her head in a greeting as the others talked to one another. All except for Logan, who was sitting on the stairs, looking sceptic, weary, and stern as usual.
"Daniella, good to see you. Okay, since most of the professors are going to be gone, school will be cancelled until we get back."
Around the house, I could whoops and hollers. Someone was eavesdropping on us.
I nodded.
"Don't let them invade our food supply, you know how it is...going to the grocery store and all. And everyone may have outdoor activities for a few hours a day, and lights out is at eleven."
"You do realize I'm tending to a whole mansion of kids with mutant powers that could otherwise kick me out and go rampant if they wish."
Ororo winked. "Don't worry, they know better. But just in case, talk to Santana on the third floor, she'll know how to sort them out. Now, for the briefing. We're all going to head to the capital of New Zealand and head out individually from there."
"Why is this so important?" Logan asked. "Why do we have to head to a different country all the way across the Earth just to calm down a few mutants?"
"Because, Logan, if you didn't do your research like the rest of us did, there have been strange attacks all over the place. People have disappeared, died and some have been kidnapped. Do you not find that a problem?"
Logan muttered something unintelligible under his breath, but I picked it out to be something like, "Damn those people...."
I raised an eyebrow and cleared my throat. "So, you're leaving now." It wasn't a question.
Ororo nodded and pulled me into a brief hug. "You can take care of yourself here, and everything will be fine. We'll be back before you know it."
Ororo smiled slightly and opened the doors. The others filed out, but Warren stayed. With folded arms, he crossed in front of me. "You're sure you can handle yourself?"
I nodded. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Go kick some bad guy butt."
He smiled and pulled me against his chest. "I'll miss you, but I'll be back soon. Don't get into trouble."
He pulled away and lightly pecked my lips before running out the door, his angelic wings launching himself into the air. I watched until he was just a tiny black and white dot. The Black Bird rose with him and rocketed into the sky, disappearing behind the clouds.
I sighed and closed the door. Well, I was stuck inside a huge mansion, practically empty of adults....I could practically do what I wanted. Smiling largely to myself, I strode quickly down the hallway towards the elevator and pushed the down button. It was time for some exploring.
Once I reached the basement of the mansion, I chose a random direction and started walking. The halls were plain, and a large entrance with an X was stationed at the end of the hallway, blocking my journey. Pursing my lips, I looked around for some sort of lock. I didn't find a lock, but I did see a hand print screen located on the wall.
Pressing my hand against the cool surface, a scanner ran over my hand. When it beeped, I pulled it away and watched.
"Print's recognized. You may enter, Daniella."
I raised a surprised eyebrow and the X door opened up. There was another hallway, this time dimly lit. Hesitantly, I began striding forward, my shoes clapping against the floor. A more elaborate entryway was stationed, and this time I found no scanner, or lock.
"Come on," I said, folding my arms across my chest. Scanning my eyes along the length of it, I kicked it nonchalantly.
"Well, so much for exploring."
Disappointed, I turned away from the door. Just as I made it a few yards away, I heard a creaking sound. My head whipped around, and I glanced at the door for any signs of change. The creaking continued, and evidently, it turned into a deep rumbling sound. Cracks started forming along the doorway, spreading around the exterior. A hand flew to my mouth as the door started to break away, falling backwards from the pull of gravity.
"No, no, no, no, no, don't fall." I shook my head over and over holding my arms out towards the doorway as if that would prevent it from crashing.
In a moment, it stopped moving all together. The creaking ceased, and I was able to relax. I exhaled loudly and approached the door. The cracks that had formed stopped towards the middle, and it wasn't leaning so much inwards as it had before. Sucking in a deep breath, I was about to turn away from it again.
Instead of creaking, small flaky bursts of noise indicated that it was crumbling, I heard one big whoosh, and the entire thing fell backwards. I shrieked as dust billowed up from the bottom, shielding the fallen doorway.
"Crap, crap, crap, crap..." Frantically, I dove towards the wreckage, stepping over broken bits and pieces of rubble. I jumped down from the pile and examined the damage. The entire portion of the doorway was gone, leaving a giant gaping hole.
As the dust settled, I knew I would never be able to fix it, or let anyone see it. Groaning, I turned away from the hole and examined the area behind me. What I saw, was astounding. What I had assumed would be another hallway, instead, was a large spherical room nearly the size of a football field. A panel lead down to a circular ending, housing a chair and a strange device. Along the walls, most of the square like screens lay in shambles. Slowly, I walked down the runway towards the desk and chair. The device was shaped like it should go around the head, cables connecting it to the desk. As I leaned in to get a better look, I picked it up in my hands. Should I mess with this? Or should I put it down, exit the room, and head upstairs?
Heck no, I wasn't going to leave without finding out what this was. Fingering it slightly, I flipped it over and slipped it over my head. As soon as contact was made, my head was blazing with pressure and pain. I suddenly saw images crossing my eyes, all in the a blur. I could hardly depict what they were. Despite the intense pressure, I felt as if my awareness could expand, touching conscience minds. Thoughts whirled through my head, all jumbling together in a mental blender. It felt as though hundreds of pounds were beating against the sides of my skull, and it was hardly possible to pick out the thoughts into one coherent word. Finally, the pressure and pain were too much. Grasping it between my shaking hands, I ripped it off my head and threw it down. It clattered against the desk and I collapsed to the ground. My head was finally free from the confinement.
What was that? How on earth did it do that to my mind? How was I able to spread my mind to others? I could only do that with birds, and not that many either. One thing was for sure, I would have to ask Ororo what this device was when she returned.
Grasping the edge of the desk, I pulled myself shakily to my feet. The room seemed to spin, and I felt as though my body were rocking side to side. Quickly turning away from the room, I ran and jumped over the pile of debris as I heard strange whispers barely distinct through the walls. One word in particular stood out to me, and it was the only one I could decipher.
"Cerebro..."