Post by knightc3 on Feb 24, 2008 5:04:27 GMT -5
A man looking to be in his late 50s, early 60s walked slowly towards some people playing chess in a park somewhere in Washington. His hair were neatly trimmed and wore a green sweater. He sat down in one of the free chairs in front on a man who seemed to be playing alone with himself. This man looked a little older than him and wore a blue track suit.
He looked up at the new arrival and smiled inviting him to the game and began resetting the pieces. The man in the green sweater sat down and looked at the other for a few moments. "Hello Erik", he said smiling slightly. Erik froze for a moment as he looked up confused. It couldn't be him. But he smiled as he saw the chess pieces reset themselves.
"Hello Charles...its been a long time.", he said and pushed a pawn forward on the board without touching it.
****
Not many noticed this strange chess game, but a young man, sitting on a bench with his headphones over his head was staring at the pair in shock.
Ben checked himself as he realized he had been frozen for the past few seconds. He took out his cellphone and pressed a speed dial and put it to his ear, removing his headphone.
"This is Delta-1 reporting. Patch me through to the director...."
****
Somewhere inside the NSA building, a man received a call in the middle of a meeting. He was told it was high priority. He abruptly got up from his seat and made his way to a closed room that looked like every other operations room in the building.
"Whats happening?", he asked looking at one of the few people sitting on the computers. He pressed a few keys and put the call on the speaker, and nodded at the director.
"This is Director Reinor, report..."
"Sir, this is Delta-1 reporting. I am assigned to watch subject Perfect Harmony...", as he said this, the photo of a man the whole world knew as Magneto flashed on the screen. The director frowned as the excited man continued speaking.
"... and he is right now in meeting with a another person who seems to be a mutant. He is in none of our dossiers...", there was a pause,"...sir... I know I will sound crazy, but I am sure its Charles Xavier."
The room went silent as everybody looked at the director. The director's frown deepened as he spoke quickly, "Delta-1, abort mission. Get out of there as fast as possible.... and without being noticed..."
Director Reinor almost didn't hear the next part as he was got busy giving orders to the others in the room. This was a surprise, something they weren't ready for.
****
Ben was now looking at Xavier staring right at him, "I think its too late for that sir, he is looking at me.... orders understood. Aborting mission...", he kept his phone back in his pocket and quickly walked away, hoping nothing was about to happen to him.
****
Charles watches as the young man got up and starts to walk away.
"You are getting sloppy Erik. You were being tailed all this while and you didn't do anything about it?"
He looked like a frail old man without his usual gear. Magneto looked behind at the man then turn to face his old friend. It was the mind of Charles in another body. After the incident with Pheonix/Jeane when Charles was apparently killed, Charles it seemed, had been able to transfer his mind into another body, and now here he was. "There was no point in raising any fuss about it. I wasn't planning anything and he didn't disturb me."
"And when did that ever stop you?", Charles said smiling.
Magneto did not reply, just smiled. "I am glad to see you survived Charles. But as you must have found out already, you absence cost us all too much", he paused as he thought about the battle. "So lets get to it right away, why are you here?"
Charles was looking past him. He was shocked when he was told about what happened after his 'death'. He suddenly realized that everything he had been building for all these years had been destroyed in a matter of days and... he was furious.
"I think you were right all along Erik. At least to a certain extent. I was wrong to think this would never happen, the alienation and the isolation of mutants from the rest of humanity. I still believe that someday mutants will be accepted by the world as a part of the society. But..", he looked at Erik, his smile gone now, " right now, we need to protect and guard ourselves from those that wish us harm."
Magneto couldn't believe his ears. This was Charles Xavier. "You are beginning to sound a lot like myself Charles. So what is it that you want... from me?"
"I want you to help me teach Erik, teach the new generation of mutants. I realize now that they need to hear both our views, in order to survive. I have found a few who are willing to help. This time, I will need your help."
Erik thought for a while. This was the opportunity he was looking for. With his Brotherhood destroyed and him being under surveillance, there was not much chance he could do much. But this, this would be his way back. It suddenly hit him that this was exactly what had led to the destruction and the killing of so many. It was time for a compromise, and Charles was extending an invitation to it. He had to forget his past. This was still a war but even he wasn't prepared to lose all that he had lost.
On the other side of the table, Charles wasn't surprised to hear the thoughts at first but was surprised to hear the final decision. It seemed Erik had learnt something as well, just like he had.
"Alright Charles, you have convinced me. So when do I get to meet these new recruits of yours?", he stood up smiling.
Charles followed suit and smiled. "Right now. Come on, they are waiting. And Erik," he looked at him and raised a finger, pointing at his own forehead as they walked and continued speaking telepathically, *You forgot... you are getting sloppy*
For the first time in many years, Erik laughed.
He looked up at the new arrival and smiled inviting him to the game and began resetting the pieces. The man in the green sweater sat down and looked at the other for a few moments. "Hello Erik", he said smiling slightly. Erik froze for a moment as he looked up confused. It couldn't be him. But he smiled as he saw the chess pieces reset themselves.
"Hello Charles...its been a long time.", he said and pushed a pawn forward on the board without touching it.
****
Not many noticed this strange chess game, but a young man, sitting on a bench with his headphones over his head was staring at the pair in shock.
Ben checked himself as he realized he had been frozen for the past few seconds. He took out his cellphone and pressed a speed dial and put it to his ear, removing his headphone.
"This is Delta-1 reporting. Patch me through to the director...."
****
Somewhere inside the NSA building, a man received a call in the middle of a meeting. He was told it was high priority. He abruptly got up from his seat and made his way to a closed room that looked like every other operations room in the building.
"Whats happening?", he asked looking at one of the few people sitting on the computers. He pressed a few keys and put the call on the speaker, and nodded at the director.
"This is Director Reinor, report..."
"Sir, this is Delta-1 reporting. I am assigned to watch subject Perfect Harmony...", as he said this, the photo of a man the whole world knew as Magneto flashed on the screen. The director frowned as the excited man continued speaking.
"... and he is right now in meeting with a another person who seems to be a mutant. He is in none of our dossiers...", there was a pause,"...sir... I know I will sound crazy, but I am sure its Charles Xavier."
The room went silent as everybody looked at the director. The director's frown deepened as he spoke quickly, "Delta-1, abort mission. Get out of there as fast as possible.... and without being noticed..."
Director Reinor almost didn't hear the next part as he was got busy giving orders to the others in the room. This was a surprise, something they weren't ready for.
****
Ben was now looking at Xavier staring right at him, "I think its too late for that sir, he is looking at me.... orders understood. Aborting mission...", he kept his phone back in his pocket and quickly walked away, hoping nothing was about to happen to him.
****
Charles watches as the young man got up and starts to walk away.
"You are getting sloppy Erik. You were being tailed all this while and you didn't do anything about it?"
He looked like a frail old man without his usual gear. Magneto looked behind at the man then turn to face his old friend. It was the mind of Charles in another body. After the incident with Pheonix/Jeane when Charles was apparently killed, Charles it seemed, had been able to transfer his mind into another body, and now here he was. "There was no point in raising any fuss about it. I wasn't planning anything and he didn't disturb me."
"And when did that ever stop you?", Charles said smiling.
Magneto did not reply, just smiled. "I am glad to see you survived Charles. But as you must have found out already, you absence cost us all too much", he paused as he thought about the battle. "So lets get to it right away, why are you here?"
Charles was looking past him. He was shocked when he was told about what happened after his 'death'. He suddenly realized that everything he had been building for all these years had been destroyed in a matter of days and... he was furious.
"I think you were right all along Erik. At least to a certain extent. I was wrong to think this would never happen, the alienation and the isolation of mutants from the rest of humanity. I still believe that someday mutants will be accepted by the world as a part of the society. But..", he looked at Erik, his smile gone now, " right now, we need to protect and guard ourselves from those that wish us harm."
Magneto couldn't believe his ears. This was Charles Xavier. "You are beginning to sound a lot like myself Charles. So what is it that you want... from me?"
"I want you to help me teach Erik, teach the new generation of mutants. I realize now that they need to hear both our views, in order to survive. I have found a few who are willing to help. This time, I will need your help."
Erik thought for a while. This was the opportunity he was looking for. With his Brotherhood destroyed and him being under surveillance, there was not much chance he could do much. But this, this would be his way back. It suddenly hit him that this was exactly what had led to the destruction and the killing of so many. It was time for a compromise, and Charles was extending an invitation to it. He had to forget his past. This was still a war but even he wasn't prepared to lose all that he had lost.
On the other side of the table, Charles wasn't surprised to hear the thoughts at first but was surprised to hear the final decision. It seemed Erik had learnt something as well, just like he had.
"Alright Charles, you have convinced me. So when do I get to meet these new recruits of yours?", he stood up smiling.
Charles followed suit and smiled. "Right now. Come on, they are waiting. And Erik," he looked at him and raised a finger, pointing at his own forehead as they walked and continued speaking telepathically, *You forgot... you are getting sloppy*
For the first time in many years, Erik laughed.