Chapter 8
Although it wasn’t a nightmare, or even a truly bad memory Benjamin put him in, Scott still couldn’t fall asleep no matter how hard he tried. His mother’s words – “It’s important for him to be around you while he is still at home, Scott. One day this moment may be important for you, too.” – echoed in his head. Again and again, he returned to this piece of memory, cursing his foolishness. Alex was older but he never disregarded his little brother, he was always glad to throw a ball with him, or play a video game. Scott could have lost him back then, in Vietnam War, in a land that was miles and miles away from their home. It was a miracle he had returned to the family safe and sound…only to die at the very school the young man was now living in.
As Summers walked down the corridor in the morning, his eyes stumbled upon Lehnsherr’s figure and it felt like a slap. The man who killed dozens of people was chatting peacefully with Mystique. The man who brought Apocalypse here, pushing Alex to act. The man whom he should blame for his brother’s death. Moral grindings turned into a sudden fit of hatred.
“Man, if you keep standing here and ogling, you’ll better have a fine excuse when someone notice it,” Peter teased, approaching the young man.
The speedster has always been all grins and witty jokes, but today it got on Scott’s nerves.
“Buzz off,” he practically greeted out.
“Got up on the wrong side of the bed?” Silver-haired Maximoff raised his brows. “Did you and Jean have a fight? Don’t sweat it, I –”
“The wrong side is more like your family’s area of expertise, isn’t it?”
Peter peered into Summers’ face, trying to figure out what was wrong. Yesterday they all sat on the bridge, discussing their trip to New York City, excited and all, and today this sharp-tongued teenager was…trying to do what exactly? The speedster had never been quick on temper but talking shit about his family was sure way to make him act quick, after all, tape and ingenuity were always with him.
As if thinking about family could summon one of the members, another Maximoff materialized in the corridor. Literally, since Kurt’s hand was on her shoulder. Jean was them too
“I don’t know what happened with you today but you need to chill,” the speedster said, keeping the tone of his voice friendly.
“That’s what you were doing when Apocalypse got here? Chilling? Showing off your powers?” Summers snapped.
Unconcealed hurt pierced Peter’s features just as Wanda appeared by his side. She heard only scarps of this conversation, but one look at her brother slot pieces of puzzle into their legitimate places.
“Watch your tongue, Mr. Summers,” the girl warned.
“Or you’ll do what?” he provoked.
Squeeze the life out of you with a snap of my fingers, she thought but decided to choose empathy of a sort for today.
“Let’s calm down, everybody. There is no need to fight with each other,” Grey tried to reason them.
Maximoff narrowed her eyes, missing out the girl’s attempt to establish peace. “What I can do won’t please you.”
“Is that what you said to the bleeding guy on the highway?” Summers spat out. He knew he was crossing the line but couldn’t stop himself as his emotions overtook him.
Peter stepped between the two of them, walling Wanda off from the offender, his nearly black eyes now held no spark of amusement. “Whatever has gotten into you, leave my sister out of it.”
Kurt fidgeted in place, anxious to hear that steel note in his friend’s voice. Right now, the young man resembled his infamous father more than ever.
Jean sensed the growing tension between her friends and seriously considered using her telepathic powers to resolve the situation when Raven and Erik stepped in. The two of them long ago stopped their conversation, watching the unfolding teenage drama that turned into a flaring up conflict.
“What’s going on here?” Darkholme asked while Lehnsherr scrutinized the youngsters.
Wanda saw Summers’ lips part sure to blurt out another stupidity, so she had to intervene, ignoring the woman’s question. “These feelings inside sicken you, I get that. But it’s not my brother, or our…me you’re angry with. You’re angry with yourself and unless your goal is to hurt other people, I strongly suggest you to first sort things out in your head, and only then open your mouth.”
The girl’s persistent gaze made her words even more meaningful than they already were. It worked like a bucket of cold water, finally knocking some common sense into the young man.
She cast a glance at Wagner. “Get him out of here.”
Kurt and Scott instantly dissolved into thin air, leaving a bluish smoke behind. Together with perplexed Charles.
“Did I miss something?” the telepath asked carefully, noting too grim for that sunny morning faces.
“You’re quick to give commands,” Jean said to Wanda.
Though the main instigator was now gone his negative energy seemed to be contagious because Maximoff’s empathy was cut short with this remark. Sleepless night, growing headache and Summers’ escapade didn’t help her mood either.
“Keep your boyfriend on the leash and it won’t be necessary,” she muttered, rubbing the bridge of her nose.
Erik flicked his eyes to Peter, whose lips were pressed into a thin line that suspiciously resembled an ill-concealed smirk.
Jean bended her brows. “He is not a dog to be kept on leash. And I would ask you to show more respect for him.”
When Maximoff spoke again, her voice was like a poison, sweet but lethal, “I don’t need anyone to ask me to be respectful towards some personas. I treat people accordingly to their behavior.”
“Jean,” Charles called, when the lamp on the small table began to light up on and off by itself.
Raven’s gaze was fixed fully on Wanda. She couldn’t stop mulling over an idea that popped up in her head at least a week ago. It seemed like Magneto’s mutational gene was strong. From Charles she knew that Nina had had control over animals. Peter had mind-blowing speed. And then, there was Wanda. Mystique was sure that character traits and some external similarity wasn’t all the girl inherited. Wanda must have something in store. The question was why she didn’t display it.
The red-haired telepath crossed her arms over her chest. “Arrogance bordering with ignorance is a family trait, as I can see.”
Hell, what the deal everyone has with our family today? the speedster exclaimed to himself.
“Take a better look then, darling,” Maximoff challenged Jean. “Go ahead. Try it.”
“Wanda,” Peter muttered, pulling at the sleeve of his sister’s blouse.
He saw with his own eyes what Grey was capable of and didn’t want his sister to suffer the same fate as the blue dude.
For a simple observer it looked like the girls were only staring at each other, but those who were close felt two invisible forces clash fiercely. Lamps, pictures on the walls and chandeliers began to shook, banging and clattering.
Jean, that’s enough, Xavier said into the girl’s mind. It’s an inane quarrel that may lead to destruction of something beautiful – your flourishing friendship. Ask yourself, is it worth it?
A few minutes had passed before things stopped moving as Grey heeded the man’s advice and relaxed, letting go off of the fervor that was out of her character.
Maximoff took a long shrewd look at her ex-opponent and crooned, “As expected.”
When Kurt puffed beside her, she linked her elbows with him and her brother, threw “Peace out” at Jean with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes and disappeared together with the young men.
….
“Danke,” Wanda said to the teleport, realizing they were now in the kitchen. “Du bist gerade rechtzeitig aufgetaucht*.”
“Geht es dir gut*?” Wagner asked, a concerned line appeared between his brows as he watched Maximoff plop down on the stool, massaging her temples.
Peter crossed his arms over his chest and exclaimed indignantly, “Danke-shmanke. Speak English, people! I didn’t get a word you said and I don’t like it. What if you’re planning to pour chocolate over me in my sleep and I just stand and listen to you like an idiot?”
Wanda huffed a laugh but winced instantly from the shooting pain.
“Headache?” her brother guessed.
“Yeah.”
He gave her a sympathetic look. “I can make a cup of your favorite deadly sweet coffee with milk, if you want.”
The corners of Maximoff’s lips turned up. “I’d really appreciate it. Thank you.”
The speedster began to make a life-saving drink, trying not to cause any unnecessary noise while Kurt sat down next to Wanda.
“Didn’t sleep well?” he asked.
“Didn’t sleep at all,” the girl replied.
Peter furrowed. “Are you having insomnia again?”
She shook her head slightly. “No, not really.”
Silver-haired Maximoff handed his sister a cup of steaming coffee, grabbed two cans of Tab from the fridge, giving one to Kurt, and the three of them left the kitchen for the patio.
Wanda briefly told the young men about Benjamin and his powers, the memories she together with Erik, Raven, Ororo and Scott had no choice but revisit, not forgetting to mention the late-at-night chess play between Lehnsherr and Xavier.
To be honest, Peter felt a subtle pang of jealousy because it looked like his twin got to know their father better than he did. Somehow, she overcame that awkwardness and nervousness the speedster felt when he was around the man and it let her establish rather trusting relationship with Magneto himself in a spun of a few days. Wanda felt the same way seven years ago, when Peter’s robbery of the Pentagon turned out to be his meeting with their father.
“So, a little boy was sad his mom couldn’t make it in time to the school and it led to a nightmarish night?” Kurt concluded, amazed. “Who knew there are so many telepaths in here.”
Maximoff tried to explain, “True: he possesses psionic powers. Still, it’s not a real telepathy. Benjamin can only see things that had already happened, he can’t read your thoughts in the present moment or force his own into your mind. Though as the night showed, his powers may be no less troublesome.”
She and her brother exchanged glances as one thought was on their minds. Their grandmother was “lucky” enough to escape the Nazis while their father had to live through the horrors of concentration camp, survive but lose his parents. When he had finally found peace, lived like an ordinary human, mankind robbed him of his wife and child. They should offer him one more chance to have a family, not out of their own selfish wishes but for his sake, for him to know there were people ready to accept him the way he was.
“Can’t believe he plays chess,” the teleport said, not daring to utter Lehnsherr’s name as if it rendered him killed as soon as it would have left his lips.
“Nothing human is align to him, after all,” Peter muttered, consumed by his thoughts.
Bathed in the rays of sunshine, Wanda closed her eyes and took a deep breath of fresh air. Being at Xavier’s school enthralled and distressed her at the same time. Her testy nature proved itself with every opportunity that showed up on the horizon and it bothered Maximoff since throwing temper tantrums was something she tried to minimize in her life. The stress of this whole Apocalypse situation, of letting Peter go to the other part of the world only for him to say “I’m here for my family, too” to Erik and then almost die while she herself struggled not to be buried under historical buildings, or crushed by double-decker bus still had its impact on her.
“Hope Scott didn’t give you any troubles?” she suddenly asked Kurt.
“No,” he answered, scraping some kind of pattern on the now empty can with his claw. “Your words seem to cool him off, actually.”
Wanda swirled the remaining coffee in her cup. “Maybe I cooled him off, but messed up a minute later myself.”
“Don’t overthink it, sis,” Peter tried to sooth her qualms of conscience. “It’s just been a weird morning. The guy was on edge and you couldn’t leave it unnoticed. Especially since you saved their asses last night.”
Maximoff snorted.
“What did I miss?” Wagner glanced at the young man, then at his sister, puzzled.
The speedster waved his hand dismissively. “A staring contest with Jean. My sister won.”
“Well, I wouldn’t really put it that way,” Wanda said with a quizzical look. “But thanks for the cheer up, Pete.”
He winked at her, grinning.
“Did any of you see Ororo?” the girl asked. “We didn’t witness any “memorable moments” from her life, but I’m afraid this whole experience could still…unsettle her, too.”
“I’ll check her out,” Kurt replied and teleported.
“I keep thinking where he goes during these jumps. He can’t just dissolve into particles to reassemble again in another place,” silver-haired Maximoff mused.
Wanda smiled at him. “You know, there is a true scientist sleeping in your core.”
The young man’s nose crinkled in a clear “I’m not a nerd”, making his sister roll her eyes.
The girl placed her empty cup on the railing next to Peter who perched there too. “Do you have any plans for today?”
He glanced down at her, narrowing his eyes like a fox. “No. Why?”
“I don’t want to upset you, but my proposal holds no fun or actual entertainment,” Maximoff warned him ahead and giggled when her brother gave her a look. “Xavier let it slip that he is overburdened with paperwork. I would love to help him, but Hank and I are struggling with some constructional issues, so I was wondering if you can be of any assistance with the Professor’s matters.”
“Paperwork?” the speedster whined.
The girl batted her eyelashes at him, smiling sweetly.
He tried to fight it but eventually tsked and sighed, relenting. “Fine. A desk jockey is ready to shoulder his duties.”
“Maybe our father will be there, too,” Wanda crooned in attempt to sweeten the pot.
Peter got off of the railing and shook off the dust from his black jeans. “If it turns out a disaster, you’ll be the one to blame.”
“Well, you can always pull a sickie and come down to the lab,” the girl suggested.
Her brother lifted a brow. “Am I allowed to see your secret projects?”
Maximoff gave him a half shrug. “Once you’re in there, it would be difficult for Hank to kick you out. Puppy eyes and supersonic speed make you invincible.”
An ear-to-ear grin bloomed on the young man’s face, lighting up his features. “Trying to sweet talk me, sis?”
“What? Nooo. Of course not,” she drawled with a funny grimace.
“Then let’s go before we get into some drama again.”
He was about to turn around, heading to the Professor’s office, when Wanda put her hand on his shoulder, holding him gently in place.
“Speaking of dramas. I have to tell you something,” she said in a serious tone, looking right into Peter’s eyes, his soul almost. “It was a tough night for the five of us, six, perhaps, but especially for Scott as his healing wound opened anew. It really wasn’t about you, Peter. What happened to Alex Summers had never been your fault. He met his fate long before you even stepped into the school. You know it, I know it, everyone here knows it. No one actually would have stayed alive in this house if it weren’t for you.”
Although the young man’s spiteful words hit him, Peter knew that his sister was right. Summers has got to deal with a lot of things in a short time in addition to already uneasy period of life as he was still a teenager with uncontrollable emotions and all, so there was no point in mulling their morning dialogue over, or hold the grudge.
Briefly, silver-haired Maximoff covered his sister’s hand with his own.
Love you, little sis.
Wanda rolled her eyes good-humoredly, but then smiled warmly at him.
I love you, too, bro.
She grabbed the cup, and shoulder by shoulder the twins stepped back into the school.
They didn’t really make a lot of steps as Charles literally cut them off without even noticing it. His gaze was fully fixed on a woman who walked right beside him.
“Who is this?” Wanda muttered, tilting her head.
Peter grinned. “Prof’s girlfriend.”
Wanda’s eyes went round. “He has a girlfriend?”
“Well, not exactly girlfriend. In short, I heard they have some history together, Prof seemed to wipe her mind of memories and she lived thinking she doesn’t know him for the last seven years, even got married, had a kid and divorced, then after our encounter with the blue dude he returned them back. The memories, I mean. Not the husband and the kid. Though they are alright. As far as I know.”
“Wow, that’s…a lot…for the girlfriend,” the girl replied, trying to process all that. “Is she a mutant?”
The woman had light brown hair that were cut above the shoulder and neatly styled, she wore grey blazer and trousers set paired with chiffon white blouse. Maximoff had only a glimpse of her face but she could say that the stranger was beautiful.
“A CIA agent.”
Wanda looked at her brother. “What a CIA agent is doing here?”
The speedster turned his face to his sister. “Visiting Prof?”
The girl furrowed. “Did you see her at the school after the battle with Apocalypse?”
Silver-haired Maximoff recollected the events of his first days here and shook his head.
“I’ve spent a week here and never saw her either. Why did she come now?” Wanda looked back at the receding figures of Xavier and his “girlfriend”.
“Do you think it’s connected with, you know,” the young man lowered his voice, “a part of our family?”
“It’s a simple thing for the government to guess that…Erik –” Maximoff whispered and screwed up her face because it felt kind of wrong to call him by the name when conversing with her brother “– was involved in that worldwide mess so…”
“If they put him in jail, we can get him out. Won’t be the first time, anyway,” Peter noted.
His sister gave it a thought, then said, “All the same, I wouldn’t want him to get behind the bars.”
“Well, he won’t get behind the bars because they’re easily bend to his will. Last time it was all concrete, plastic and glass.”
Wanda gave him a pointed look and received one in response.
“I’ll try to find it out as soon as Prof lets go of her,” the speedster drawled, bouncing on his toes.
“Oh, come on!” the girl exclaimed in displeasure, watching as Charles didn’t lag behind the agent. “Did he decide to escort her right to the car’s seat?”
“Cover me, Porkins,” silver-haired Maximoff uttered suddenly in a lowered voice before striding away.
“What? Wait! How am I supposed to do that?” Wanda hissed, spreading her arms wide still holding the coffee cup.
For Heaven’s sake! What should I do?! she panicked, looking around for the answer.
Peter meanwhile followed the couple from afar, literally hiding behind the trees and bushes. He thought over what he would say to the agent so it wouldn’t look suspicious when he realized that he didn’t even remember her name.
Goddammit, he swore to himself.
Hesitant about his decision Maximoff still ran up with his supersonic speed to the woman’s car and rummaged through her stuff in the glove department. Thank God the car was open or else he would have to search her for the keys and that would have been already inappropriate.
“Moira MacTaggert,” the speedster read aloud the name under her photo on the pass. “Sounds about right.”
The thought came to him that he could visit the CIA, sniff around something interesting there, but he overcame this fit of highly criminal type of kleptomania and returned the plastic card to its place.
Suddenly, frightened screams were heard from somewhere behind.
Peter’s jaw almost dropped when he turned around and saw school’s entrance door in flames. He had no idea what Wanda did, but mentally he gave her a high five because Charles hurriedly said his goodbyes to Moira and headed to deal with the problem.
“Hey, Ms. MacTaggert,” silver-haired Maximoff greeted, strolling to her. “How are you?”
As the woman glanced at him recognition sparked in her brown eyes. “Peter, right? How is your leg?”
“I’m all good, thanks,” he replied, pleased by the fact that she remembered him. “Decided to have a look at the rebuilt school?”
Moira gave him a friendly smile. “Yeah. Just checking out how you all are doing after…You know? The crisis?”
Peter smirked. “Every day at this school is a crisis. For instance, in the night my sister stopped a little telepath who dragged her along with Ororo, Scott, Raven and Erik into their bad memories.”
The woman’s eyes widened. “Are they alright?”
He snorted dismissively. “Yeah, totally. Though Scott was an asshole in the morning but we’ll figure it out.”
MacTaggert nodded slowly, desperately trying not to be too surprised. In the end, she stood next to perhaps the fastest person on Earth.
And less than a mile away the mutants were trying to put out a fire that now threatened to engulf the building. It looked like Peter didn’t lie about crises.
“Didn’t know you have a sister,” she said at last.
“I’m a mysterious man,” the speedster crooned jokingly.
That made the woman chuckle.
“I actually had a question, Ms. MacTaggert,” the young man began, his tone now was more serious. “Is there any…like…news about the future of…certain mutants?”
Moira’s brows drew together in puzzlement. “Certain mutants?”
Peter shoved his hands in the pockets of his bomber, shifting his weight from one foot to another. “Like Magneto?”
She believed there were probably only two people in the world that cared about Erik Lehnsherr no matter what and hearing the same question Charles asked her ten minutes ago from this young man took the CIA agent by surprise.
“Did Erik send you to me?” the woman asked with a note of suspicion in her voice.
Peter grimaced and mumbled, “He better not know I even asked you about this.”
It confused her even more so the speedster decided to share a piece of his thoughts. “I know he is kinda bad guy and all but he lived peacefully for seven years in Europe and I believe he would have continued to do so for some more if his family weren’t killed. That blue guy just showed up in time and manipulated him, now when the true villain is gone Erik may face the consequences of the choice that he has already admitted a mistake. I’m not trying to justify his actions but it wouldn’t be fair to put him in jail or something worse.”
The tone of Peter’s voice and open expression on his face made Moira believe that the young man was speaking from his heart. She didn’t know Erik well, at least not the man he was now, and in all truth, it was hard to imagine him having friends instead of allies from another “brotherhood”.
Maybe there is something in him that only a few can see through, the woman thought.
“For now, our government isn’t planning to press charges against Erik. They know he aided in defeating Apocalypse. Actually, I don’t think anyone will be reckless enough to try and capture him,” MacTaggert replied honestly.
The young man let out a sigh he didn’t notice he was holding.
“Thank you,” he said in earnest. “Not only for this, but also for telling the truth to a bunch of hypocrites that make up all these committees. You’re practically mutants’ advocate now.”
The corners of Moira’s mouth turned up. “I’m glad you all trust me on this and I hope together we can make a difference in this world.”
They stood some time in a rather awkward silence not knowing what else to say.
“Well, I guess I got to go now,” the woman said. “Take care.”
“You, too.” Peter gave her a half-smile.
He watched her sit in the car and drive away to her top-secret job that introduced the CIA agent to the world of mutants in the first place.
“All good,” silver-haired Maximoff reported to his sister once he appeared by her side.
Her shoulders sagged a bit as the tension from anticipation of their family future faded gradually away.
“She seems like a nice person,” Wanda remarked. “What is her name again?”
“Moira MacTaggert.”
“Moira and Charles would make a great couple.”
The twins swapped a glance, grinning like two devils.
“Should we pair them up?” Peter asked.
She looked heavenward as if doing some mental calculations. “We should definitely try.”
“We need to make up a code name for them then,” the speedster suggested.
Maximoff smirked. “I’ll leave it to you. You’re good at it.”
“And you’re good at distracting the Professor. What did you do?”
Peter studied the ruined entrance door, the smell of burned wood was still hanging in the air.
“I asked Zola –” she pointed to a girl whose russet skin was reddened on her cheeks, her curls bounced playfully when she bended over to pick up the rucksack from the ground “– to help me. She can set fire to whatever you want so I chose the bush over there but at some point, it got out of control and…you can see the result. Thankfully no one got hurt in the process, I kept an eye on the kids.”
“What did you promise her for that?”
Wanda turned her face to her brother, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “A book.”
The speedster lifted a brow, skeptical. “She agreed to burn the Professors’ property for a book?”
“A book that won’t be approved by Mr. Xavier, I suppose,” the girl answered with a conspiratorial look. “‘Interview with Vampire’ may explore some things that are yet unknown to a teenager.”
“Wanda Maximoff, the founder of a clandestine book club,” Peter bantered.
She gave him a shrug. “I see it as a part of education, food for thought for an inquiring mind.”
“Speaking of inquiring minds, a certain one is coming on your left,” silver-haired Maximoff crooned. “What’s new, doc?”
“I heard there was a fire,” Hank replied, walking up to the twins.
“You are a bit late for the party,” the speedster sneered.
Wanda shouldered him though she herself had an impish grin playing on her lips. “Kids got to see a little light show before lunch. Nothing to write home about, really.”
The man took in the sight of the school and its damaged part, thinking that indeed nothing more “extraordinary” won’t happen with this place after it was wiped away by the blast and rebuild anew by a telepath and a man controlling metal.
*Thank you. You showed up just in time.
*Are you alright?