Not Sneaky Enough

Posted on Mon May 31st, 2021 @ 4:07pm by Iris Walker & Charles Xavier & Scott Summers

3,262 words; about a 16 minute read

Mission: Episode 0: X Lang Syne
Location: Xavier’s office
Timeline: June 3, 1990

Nobody had seen the diminutive mutant enter the mansion among the other student returning from break, nor had they seen her wandering the halls, peering through open doors and listening to everything. She kept her head down, made no eye contact, and was careful not to bump into anything, so nobody had any reason to see her.

She had wandered until she found a door marked “Professor Charles Xavier,” at which point she had waited for it to open. As luck would have it, three people came along in short order and were admitted. She slipped unseen between two of them and found herself a quiet corner in which to stand.

She listened as they spoke of trivial matters; school related issues that were of no interest to anybody outside these walls. But that didn’t matter. She had gained access to his office and that mattered. Because now, she could listen to everything that happened here for as long as she liked.

Well, at least until she got hungry or had to pee.

It was a short meeting and the three people got up and left, leaving Iris alone with Xavier. Now to wait and listen.

Reaching for his computer terminal, Xavier activated the desktop video phone that he used for secure connections. The signal dialed out over the digital subscriber line that only government officials and corporate titans had the benefit of using. It connected to the other end, putting the face of a middle-aged African American man on screen.

"Hello, Mr. Duncan," Charles said. "I trust you are well."

Duncan returned a gruff half smile. "Uh, it's going. What can I do for you, Professor?"

"It's about the matter we discussed before," Charles said. "I was wondering if you..."

"Let me stop you right there," Duncan said with his hand up. Looking around to see if the coast was clear, he leaned in closer to the screen and dropped his voice. "Now's not a good time, Charles. Lemme get back to you?"

Nodding with no small amount of disappointment, Charles graciously accepted the situation for what it was. "Yes, of course. Until next."

The other man grunted and cut the line without saying another word.

Leaning back in his wheelchair, Xavier closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. This situation was --

Something tickled his mind. A presence? He turned his head toward the corner where his mind had felt another. When he looked, though, there was nobody there.

"Odd..."

Furrowing his brow, Xavier closed his eyes and scanned the grounds with his awareness in search of someone who ought not be there. There was... something. But he couldn't place his finger on it.

~If you are hiding, you can come out now. You will not be harmed~

The words were broadcast from his mind with no small amount of will and intent. Anybody within a hundred yards would hear his voice inside their thoughts.

Iris started, eyes going wide, and she glanced towards Xavier. Had she made noise? She didn't think so. She'd been practicing this for a couple of years and knew when she wasn't being quiet enough and she was sure this was not one of those times. So how had he-

Oh, no. He was a mind reader. He could hear her thoughts! Time for a new tactic. "Sorry, sir," she said, thus calling attention to herself. "I just... I've heard rumors and I came to see if they were true."

"You are most welcome, young lady." Charles looked at her askance once she came into view. It was not often that his senses were deceived. "And a remarkable young lady you are. Tell me, what is your name?"

Iris opened her mouth to reply, then stopped herself. There was no point in lying; he’d probably be able to tell. And she really had no reason not to use her real name, did she? “Iris Walker, sir,” she said finally.

"It is good to meet you, Miss Walker. As you undoubtedly know already, I am Professor Charles Xavier." He backed his motorized wheelchair out from behind his desk and took it to the center of the room, swiveling back to face her. "You are not the first to wander into my home looking for answers. While I cannot promise to deliver those, there is one thing I can offer which is even better." He paused for a effect, smiling at the girl. "Hope."

With a genuine grin, Iris replied, “that’s one of the rumors, yeah.”

"That's reassuring to hear," Charles said with a chuckle, "seeing as how I began that rumor myself. Come, allow me to show you more of the grounds. You can tell me more of why you came during the tour."

A tour? Already? That was much more than Iris had hoped for, but she wasn’t going to turn him down. “Okay,” she agreed. “Where do you want to start?”

"Why don't we begin with the courtyard?" Charles suggested. "You may have missed it, sneaking in the side as you did." He chuckled at her. "Do not be alarmed. As I said, you are not the first to come unexpected, and I hope far from the last."

This earned another sheepish grin from Iris. “And they all sneak in through the side entrance?” she guessed as she followed him from the room.

"It is most inviting to those who do not wish to be seen," Charles said. "Though this manor is old to the tune of several centuries, it's been thoroughly renovated to suit my purposes. Gaps in security remain by design, for I wish to cast a wide net. Not everyone is willing or able to arrive through the front door, yet I would have them join us anyway." As they proceeded down the hallway, the Professor led them away from the front hall and toward a side door. "Come. The fountain is on a timer, and I believe we are nearing the start of its next cycle."

The two exited into the main courtyard, though they had to follow the narrow pavement toward the flagstone courtyard in order to see anything other than shrubbery. As they came into full view of the school's ten foot fountain, the flow of water began to change from a standard trickle into intermittent spurts.

"Right on time," Charles said with a smile. "Observe."

Hidden jets began to shoot water into the air like aquatic fireworks, rising up as streams only to disperse into mist. The timing went from gradual to frenzied, demonstrating a complex synchrony that made the fountain seem almost alive. After a moment of diverse streaming, the top of the fountain shot a spray high into the air like a geyser. Small droplets caught the wind, sending a scattered shower across the courtyard.

"Oh dear!" Charles exclaimed as he covered his head with his hands. "There is no accounting for the wind, I'm afraid."

"It's okay," Iris giggled ducking ever so slightly in delight. "Like my gran always says, we're not sugar; we won't melt. It's a pretty spectacular fountain. I could sit out here and watch it for hours."

"If you choose to stay with us, I could have it reprogrammed for more frequent intervals," Charles said, guiding her over the flagstones now that the fountain resumed its standard trickle. "Moving on, we have multiple courts and greens for leisure and sports activities."

Several teenagers were running, player, and laughing in the distance. The whack of a tennis ball against a racket could be heard even from where they stood. Charles was discreet enough not to probe too deeply, but he nonetheless skimmed her surface thoughts in order to gauge what Iris thought and felt in regards to seeing the teenagers at play and perhaps becoming one of them.

Iris glanced towards the sound. She had never been interested in sports. At a mere four feet and eleven inches tall, she found her height- or lack thereof- was a major handicap in just about any sport she could think of. Perhaps she would have made a spectacular gymnast, but she had never had any interest in the sport. She did, however, enjoy watching them. "How many students live here?" she asked out of sheer curiosity.

"As of right now, we have 19 students," the Professor said, "a bit low, but then it is the beginning of summer. Many of our friends stay for a time, leave, and return as needed. Particularly in the fall and winter months, when the elements are not kind to runaways."

~This is a welcoming place~ Charles projected ever so softly. ~Safe and sound with no need to hide~

A shiver ran through Iris’s body. It wasn’t a frightened sort of shiver, but rather a comfortable one, as if settling into your favorite chair to watch television after a long day. She actually felt safe. Somehow. Professor Xavier reminded her of everyone’s grandfather- the sort who teaches you to fish and tells silly jokes and interesting stories, perhaps interspersed with folk songs. A stray thought assed through her mind at that point, wondering if the Professor was about to break out in a rendition of Camptown Races or O Danny Boy, and she grinned at the thought. “And they’re all mutants?” she asked. “Even the ones who’ve gone home?”

"Mostly," said Charles. "A few human students have come through, and it would have been wrong to turn them away. What you see before you, dear Iris, is not just a school for the gifted. It is a proving ground to show the world how peaceful coexistence between humans and mutants is more than a pipedream, as it has been pejoratively described." A proud smile crept over his face as he beheld his domain and the happy young adults within it. "Seeing is believing, is it not?"

As she watched a student playing basketball stretch her body all the way from center court to simply drop the ball into the basket, Iris grinned again. “For sure,” she agreed as the other students good-naturedly booed and cried “no fair!” She vaguely wondered which of them were human and with a start realized that here, it did not matter. Everyone was equal, even when they weren’t. That was a concept she had never encountered before. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone quite like you before,” she mused aloud. “Someone who just accepts everyone, no matter what. It’s beautiful.”

"I couldn't agree more," Charles said with a warm smile. "You could have a place here, Iris, if you decided that is what you want."

Iris hesitated for a moment. It wouldn't do any good to pretend to be a kid; he could read minds, after all, and would know she was lying. It looked like she'd just have to be as honest as she could. "I... I would, sir, but I've... well, I've already graduated high school," she finished. "I'm afraid I wouldn't have anything to do. Unless you need a janitor. Or help in the kitchens or something," she added hopefully.

Images began to fill her mind -- a hover jet of sharp midnight blue flying above the clouds; superheroes in costumed uniforms; battles waged and fought over the soul of humanity; beings of otherworldly origin being repelled from the Earth. And, then, an underground training facility where mutants trained and honed their skills.

"I think we can find something to occupy your time." A smirk came over Charles' face.

Her already large eyes grew even larger as the images danced across her mind. The- the other rumors are true, too,” she whispered. She didn’t know how much of that she could do, though. “Are you sure I could...” she started, but didn’t really know how to continue.

"In time," Charles said. "For now I think you need a refuge to find yourself. Were you to stay on, then our training facility will be open to you, as would our library, gymnasium, and swimming pools. When you are ready, you may be called upon to go on mission with what my students affectionately refer to as the X-Men."

"Exmen?" repeated Iris, slightly confused. And then, with dawning realization, continued, "oh! X-men. Like short for Professor X-avier's Men? That's pretty clever, actually."

Crow's feet showed at the Professor's eyes as he chuckled. "It was a callsign chosen by the First Class, and as traditions are wont to do, it has stood the test of time." Pivoting his chair around to face Iris directly, Charles asked, "Would you prefer to see your new room? It seems that you are rather keen on the offer to stay."

“I think I’d like to try, anyway,” said Iris tentatively. “But I’d have to go collect my things. The apartment is owned by the company and since my internship is up, I have to be out in a week.” She glanced at the kids playing basketball again and realized this was the sort of place she’d always wanted to be. “Yeah, I think I would like to stay,” she added with a grin.

"If you have personal matters to attend to, then so be it," Charles said, "but if you would allow me the liberty, I can send movers to collect your effects and deliver them here."

An image of a bank account appeared in Iris' mind with off the chart 0's.

"It would be my pleasure," Charles added.

Eyes widening at all those zeros, Iris’s jaw about hit the floor. “Whoa!” she breathed. She had grown up privileged and she knew it, but that was more money than she could even have dreamed it possible for one person to have.

When she finally shook herself out her stupor, she said, “thank you, sir, but I’d rather collect my own stuff. I’d be worried sick if someone else did it. You know, did they drop my flute, did they forget my favorite book and all that.”

"Understandable." Xavier nodded. "If you require any other assistance, do not hesitate to ask."

"Thank you, sir," she replied. "I'll keep that in mind." She glanced at the fountain once more, then at the basketball kids again, and finally turned back to the Professor. "Where to next?" she asked.

A frisbee landed not far from their feet. Running to retrieve it was a tall young man with red-tinted sunglasses. "Hi there, Professor!" he said. Looking at Iris, he asked, "A little help?"

"Oh!" replied Iris, giving a start. She took the single step needed to get the frisbee and tossed it back towards the man. It went awry, though, and ended up a good twenty feet to his right. "Sorry!" she added with a grin. "I think that's the first time I've thrown one!"

The man in red shades called across the green lawn to a redhead girl. "Jean? A little help for our new friend?"

Before her very eyes, the frisbee floated up off the ground and hovered within arm's reach of Iris.

"I'm Scott, by the way," said the young man in red shades. "That's Jean and Bobby over there." Nodding to the floating frisbee, he said, "Why don't you give it another try?"

“Nice to meet you, sir,” she said as she plucked the frisbee out of the air. “I’m Iris. I’ll try again, but I’m pretty terrible at this.” And she took careful sim and let the frisbee fly where it may.

"Save the 'sir' for the Professor," Scott said. "Here we're all--"

The frisbee spun end over end in the complete wrong direction, flying far and wide from anyone else playing. A winged figure flew in front of the sun and dove down like a bird of prey to snatch the wayward frisbee out of the air. His wings folded around him, sending him into a swift dive from which he flung the frisbee straight back to Scott. It shot out straight like a discus.

"Whoa!" Scott jumped back, just managing to catch the frisbee before it struck him in the face. "Watch it, Warren!"

The Angel flew off behind the Mansion with raucous laughter in his wake.

"As you can see, Iris, we have a motley group," Charles said.

Iris, who was grinning so wide her cheeks hurt, watched the Angel fly away. “I like him,” she declared. Then something occurred to her. How had Scott and Jean and the others seen her? She was used to being invisible unless she said something first. But, they Had approached her. Puzzled, she turned to the professor. “They could see me,” she commented. “And I didn’t have to say anything first. I think that’s the first time in... well, since I was about twelve.”

"Yes... it took some concentration on my part. Guiding your mind to do what you can do on your own in order to teach you to do it on your own is more or less what I offer here." The smile fell from Charles' face, though his eyes remained kind. "What you experienced just now can be achieved on your own with due practice and training. In time, there is no telling what you may accomplish."

"You mean... you mean I could actually be noticed? Without saying anything?" asked Iris hopefully. "I think I'd like to learn that."

Charles chuckled at that. "Yes, I am sure it would. A long road of training and hard work is ahead of you, Iris, but know this: were it not possible for you to learn to control your ability on your own, I would not have been able to intervene as I did just now with the others." Taking a breath, he considered his next words carefully. "My doctorate is in genetics, so I know a thing or two about mutations. They are often triggered environmentally as often as not. That simply means with practice and training, you may discover that your mutation is far more than you've realized. The more you train, the greater you will become."

It was an exciting prospect for sure. She had always assumed that her power was automatic and almost completely uncontrollable, but this professor had more or less proven that she could have more control if she worked for it. "I'll work really hard, sir," she promised. "Every day. For an hour. No, two hours!"

"I am happy to hear that," Charles said. "Accommodations here are limited, but I believe we can get away with calling you an intern for cover purposes. Would you like to see your room?"

“Yes, sir,” replied Iris with a grin. “I mean, please. Yes, please, sir.”

Charles took on a look of pure delight. "Then, please, follow me, and closely. Until you are assigned your own passcode, you will not be able to access the restricted areas alone."

“I will, sir,” promised Iris, ever polite. “Are there a lot of those? Restricted areas?”

"Of course," Charles said, "but we'll cover that when you're moved in. Come, let me show you the library. You strike me as the reading sort."

"Am I ever!" exclaimed Iris cheerfully. "I just recently got a box set of the James Bond series by Ian Fleming at a thrift store for like 15 bucks. I had no idea they were books before they were movies! And as much as I liked the movies, the books are just so much better...."

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