Prequel: A Single Shot

Part One

Part Two

Reminder: << >> indicates telepathic communication

***

“PETER!”

Kurt looked up at his brother, and said in a singsong voice, “someone’s in trouble.”

“Just because you’re the goody toeshoes in this family.”  He looked around trying to find a place he could hide, maybe someplace in South America …  He felt the pull of the metal in his jacket. “Wish me luck!”

The young teleporter waved as Peter was yanked down the hall.  He then wandered off to find his Uncle, for storytime.

Quicksilver ended up sliding in front of his enraged father.  “Hey dad.”

“Don’t you even …”

Peter closed his mouth, and looked around hoping to find Charles.  It would seem luck was not on his side today. “So …”

“You’re mother called.”

He cringed.  “I put the records back.”

“Records?”  Erik gave him a look, one that was firmly on the side of ‘don’t lie to me, my boyfriend is a telepath and he’ll rip it out of your mind’.

“Nothing, what did she call about?”  Peter tried to sort through the many reasons his mother would call.  Over the past decade, the two had come to an understanding of how to handle Peter.  Erik trusted his mom to take care of him, and she trusted Erik to protect him.

For the past couple of years Erik had taken to upping Peter’s training, knowing he would need to learn to fight and defend his fellow Mutants.  Especially as he adopted Kurt as his little brother, and despite the sweet nature that the teleporter had, his appearance scared most people.

Well except the Catholic Priest in town, who adored him to no end.

Who knew?

Erik pulled out some Polaroids.  “It seems it’s nice weather in Los Angeles, this time of year.”

He cringed. “I went to see Sean!”  Erik’s eyes narrowed, well at least someone else would get yelled at.  “Darwin was there.”

“I will deal with them later.” He ran a hand over his face and sighed.  There were times he looked older than Peter remembered. Ever since he had that lung infection, two years ago.  There was more grey in his hair, and he swore Uncle Charles had a bit less hair. “I know you want to explore. I get it, I do.  But you just turned sixteen, and there’s been rises in Mutant disappearances. I can’t always be there.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“You’re my son.”  Erik stood and landed a hand on his shoulder.  “I would do anything to protect you. And you know how Charles feels about me hurting humans.”

Peter chuckled.  “So you’re using Uncle Charles to guilt me into staying out of trouble.”

“If it works.”

“Fine, I won’t go on any vacations without telling you.”  He shrugged, then settled into the chair. “I’m feeling a bit hyper, even more so lately.”

“Hormones.”  Erik sat across from him.  “Charles thought you might as you go through puberty.”

“I need to run.”

“Next time let us know, and we’ll work something out.”  Erik frowned when he heard the doorbell. They didn’t get a lot of visitors, and the ones who visited, rarely knocked.

“Go find your brother, stay out of sight,” he ordered.  

In a flash he was gone.

***

Logan took in the gate, the plaque on the wall, and then the school.  It was exactly as he remembered it, yet completely different. The Brotherhood Headquarters that he had stumbled upon after fleeing Stryker, was intimidating.  The school was the exact same building, yet felt more welcoming.

He hesitantly opened the gates, waiting for the mind sweep, but nothing came.  Still on guard he made his way up the driveway, parked the stolen car, and as he stepped out of the vehicle he took everything in.

The grounds were meticulous, well manicured.  Nothing like the rough patches he had been used to seeing.  There were no outside training grounds, no obstacle courses.  The fence was still high, but no cameras or barbed wire. But then it was 1970’s so cameras were bulky at best, not the nice discrete ones they had before the Sentinels destroyed the place.

With a shake of his head, he rang the doorbell.

Even that was different.

After a few moments, the door creaked open to reveal a geeky kid.  He peered over his glasses, frowning at Logan. ‘What type of place was this?’

“Can I help you?” he asked.

“I’m looking for the Professor.”  Logan demanded, they didn’t have time to waste.  His instincts was telling him, his future was on the brink of being destroyed.  If they didn’t fix this now, there was no hope.

“Do you have an appointment?”  

“Look bub, I need to talk to Chuck.  This is a matter of life and death.” He pushed on the door, stepping into the building.  Everything may seem different, but it was still the same place. The Professor’s office was on the second floor, across from his rooms.  A section very few people had been allowed to venture into. If you had the misfortune of being called into his office, no one got into his private residence.

Many whispered that a ghost lived there.

He was halfway up the stairs, when he was attacked from behind.  With a grunt, he pushed back and took a swipe at his attacker, only to stumble in shock.  “Beast?”

The geeky kid, who was now rippled with blue fur, gave him a contemplative look, before going in for a second attack.  The two slammed into the ground, both growling. In a move, ironically one Beast had taught him, Logan tossed the kid upwards.  Beast snarled, as he landed in the chandelier.

Logan released his bone claws ready to get down in dirty, when a metal snake crawled up his leg, yanking him down, dragged across the room, and slammed into the wall.  He snarled at the unexpected intrusion, only to have the wall sconces melt and wrap around each of his wrists.

“What the bloody hell is going on down here?”

He knew that voice.

Logan looked up the stairs to see the Professor … with hair!  But he sure as hell wasn’t the man he knew. This Professor was softer, bright blue eyes, gentle expression, and was wearing a cardigan for god’s sake.

“He tried to break in, Professor.”

“Hank, why are you in the chandelier?” he asked.  With a sigh he waved his hand downward. “Get down from there.  And the last I checked most burglars don’t ring the doorbell.”

Hank easily landed in a low crouch.  His blue fur faded as he stood. “He says he knows you?”

Logan felt the metal tighten around his wrists.  He had no idea how Beast was doing it, though if the kid was anything like his older counterpart he was pretty damn creative and sneaky when it came to boobytraps.  “Let me down asshole.” He glared at Hank, who shrugged and glanced towards the shadows of the lobby.

“Erik.”  Charles voice softened as he came down the stairs. “This is not how we treat guests.”

Logan slid down the wall, his focus on the man who stepped out of the shadows, so this was the elusive Erik.  If there was a man who had seen war, it was him, not the two geeks he was supposedly seeking out. He was starting to understand why, Mystique told him to find him.

“Guests don’t attack those they are visiting.”  He pointed out, giving Logan a dark look. “He knew exactly where to find you Charles.  I don’t like that.”

“Erik…”  He amonished, then smiled brightly as he stepped up to Logan.  “Welcome to the Xavier School of the Gifted.”

“What the fuck happened to you?”  He felt the metal wrap around his wrist again.  

“Do I know you?”  Chuck gave Erik a side-eye.  “Let him go.”

“I don’t trust him.”

“Look bub.  You sent me here.”  Logan looked between the two men, while making sure he kept Beast in his line of sight.  At the moment it looked like Logan could break him like a twig, but he knew exactly how well Beast could fight.  “From the future.”

<<Charles?>>

<<Something is odd.  He’s not lying, that’s for sure.  But he’s not alone his mind.>>

<<Another telepath?  Emma isn’t usually this cras.>>

<<It might seem weird darling, but the other presence I’m feeling is mine.>>

Logan looked between them, it was obviously they were communicating.  The Professor – he knew – had no problem using his powers to get information, whether the person wanted to give it or not.  This one seemed to have a conscience. He rolled his eyes, this was going to suck. “Look the future is in jeopardy, and you sent me back to fix it.”

“How is it jeopardy?”  Beast asked moving next to Charles, two steps behind and one to the left.  Logan almost sighed in relief it was such a familiar view, even if the two in front of him were far from the hard bitten Generals he knew.

Erik gave Charles an all knowing look. “Let me guess, they found out that there were more Mutants than they thought, flipped their collective shit and started hunting us down.  We defended ourselves, and they declared war … destroying everything.”

“Erik!”  Charles frowned at his lover.  “I know you’re pessimistic but still!  I have a bit more faith in humans and mutants, than the two of us wouldn’t destroy the world.”

“Naive Idealist”

Logan stared at Erik, he was starting to understand what they meant now.  He smirked, then turned towards the Professor. “Sorry Chuck, he’s right.

<<See…>>

Erik gave him a second look.  “I freely admit I’m not nearly as idealistic as Charles here, but we really destroyed the earth?”

“The Sentinels did.”  

He began to explain how everything went wrong.