Back to old offices
Ignoring the first barb thrown, we went to the entrance of the cabin where there were some chairs.
And it was sitting in them that they told me a very bizarre story.
"-So we sent you from the future, to stop Mystique from killing a scientist named Trask to prevent the hunting and turmoil of our people?"
"-Exactly."-the man named Logan confirmed. "-I know it sounds crazy but it's absolutely true. That said, we need your help to stop Mystique."
" - I can't," he said simply.
"-I'm sorry but you have no right to refuse, if Raven is going to kill someone and start an anti-mutant rebellion, it's your fault, for having put her on this path."-Charles growled.
"-Look, think of it as a long-term protection for the twins."
"-What do you mean by that?"-I asked slightly scared.
"-Ahhh...well in 30 years there was an attack and the speedster ended up...dying and with that the witch went crazy, blew up the robot army and half the continent when it was confirmed she was dead too."
Didn't know how to react to this 30 years from now? They would only be 38. How could I allow a child of mine to have such a short life.
I refuse to let that happen.
" - Very well, I have to make a call. "
__________//////////////////_________
I called Lilian, an elderly woman who stayed with the twins while I was at the metal factory where I work.
She said she would be here in a few minutes due to the proximity of our homes. However, she intended to prepare me for the trip.
I went up to my room and took a box from under the bed, there would be my helmet, however when I opened it it was empty...
"-Do you really have to go?" - I heard my daughter's little voice behind me.
I turned and found the twins side by side with Pietro holding my helmet.
"-I'll be right back."
"-Promise?" -Pietro asked.
"-Of course. I'm just going to help an old friend and I'll be right back."
" - Just be careful."-Wanda said levitating the helmet towards me.
__________//////////////////_________
I expected to find Erik in a Canadian jail, or leading the mutant Brotherhood in a terrorist attack in one of the most peaceful countries in the world. Kids. They weren't part of any of my expectations.
Erik had children. Two probably twins.
He wasn't doing anything evil, he was experiencing one of the most beautiful things in the world...parenthood.
I looked at the frames in the room.
Most were children. Both were very similar to Erik, although the girl had more similarities to him, her green eyes were just like Erik's.
But none of them were recent because the boy still had dark hair, probably his mutation appeared a short time ago, so his white hair has not yet been registered.
Aside from the twins and my old friend's rare appearances in pictures, there was also a picture of a woman.
She had several brown curls and brown eyes.
I knew she wasn't Erik's mother having seen her in his memories so I assume she is...
"-That's our mother."-I looked towards the stairs where the twins were now, but the voice was the boy's. "-We lost her too soon."-he said.
"-And that's why we can't lose our father. He's all we have left."-the girl completed. "-We need to be promised to bring him back safe and sound."
"-Your father knows how to take care of himself."-Logan said.
"-Promise."-Erik's daughter insisted, and I had the impression of seeing her eyes turn red for a second.
"- We'll see that your father comes home."-I said."-It's a promise."
I don't know why I said it just came out.
"-Thank you."-she said.
__________//////////////////_________
After leaving the twins with Lillian, with a promise to return as soon as possible, I got into the car and silence prevailed until we stopped at an airstrip, probably belonging to Charles.
We got on the jet, and something made me question...
"-Why turn to me? Even if it was the last on your side, you could just use your powers to take her back to the mansion and then away from Trask and tell her all about the future. Something happened, didn't it? ?"
"-The cunning and strategist Erik as always, isn't he?
"-It has to do with your powers, doesn't it? You'd never come to me if I wasn't your last chance. What happened?"
"-..I lost them."
"-How is it possible?"-I asked.
"-The treatment of the spine affects the DNA."-he said.
"-You sacrificed your power to walk?"-I asked indignantly.
"-Sacrificed my power to sleep. What do you understand?"
"-I had my losses.."
"-Dry your eyes, Erik. It doesn't justify what you did."
"-You have no idea what I did."
" -Took what I valued the most."
"-Why didn't you fight more for what you valued?"
"-Want to fight?"
I got up.
" -Sit down!" - Logan ordered.
" -We fought." - Charles said already up.
" -Let him come." - I said.
" -He abandoned me! "-he grabbed my collar." -He took her and abandoned me! "
" - After our last encounter I found several abandoned factories used for experiments with our species. Mutant brothers and sisters dead. "-My powers got out of control if they started to look at the jat." -Many guinea pigs.
" -Erik! "-Hank called but I continued.
"-Where were you? We were supposed to protect them! Where were you when our people needed you? Hiding! You and Hank! Pretending to be what you're not!"
"-Erik! "- Hank called once more.
" -Abandoned us all! "-I said. And I calmed down.
With that on the plane too, Charles went to Hank's side.
" -So you've always been such an asshole." - Logan commented.
"-I imagine being best friends in the future."
"-I spent years trying to end your race, Xará."-he said lighting his cigarette.
"-And can you?"-I asked.
"-You're like me. You're a survivor."
__________//////////////////_________
Later, after getting the jet straightened out, which I have a lot of practice with since I have two kids, one of them really likes to run at home. And then I prepared a chessboard and approached my old friend.
"-Want to play? It's been a while."
"-Not in the mood for games, thank you."-he said.
I looked for a glass and filled it with whiskey.
"-I haven't had a drink in eight years."
I didn't want my kids to see me drink.
The silence remained on the plane then....
"-Just so you know, I didn't kill Kennedy."
"-The bullet made a curve, Erik."-he declared.
"-I tried to save him. I got caught, I had to go."
"-Did you try to save him?"-he asked in disbelief.
"-He was one of us."-I said and he sighed.
"-You must think me a fool. You always said they would come after us."
"-I never imagined they would use Raven's DNA for this."
"-When did you last see her?"
I sat in front of you
" -Before I left for Germany, 8 years ago."
"-How was she?"
" -Strong. Determined. Loyal."
" -How was she?"
" -She was... We were... I understood why you valued her so much. You should be proud of her. Fighting for our cause."
'-Its her cause. The girl I raised was incapable of killing."
"-Didn't raise her, grew up with her. She wouldn't be a child forever, she would come out of the nest at some point."
"-Raven left, because you got into her head."
"-That's not my power."
"-She chose for herself."
" -Now we know where that choice takes us."
" -She's going to kill Trask, they're going to capture her, and then they're going to eradicate us."
"-Not if we get there sooner. Not if we change history tomorrow. Sorry, Charles...what happened. Really."
He sat back in his chair and drank the last of the whiskey in his glass.
" -I haven't played for a while. "-he said at last.
" -I'll take it easy. It will finally be a fair match."
"-You start. "
I moved the first pawn.
He coughed.
" - Have you already taught your children to play?" - he asked.
"-I started but the truth is that Wanda has more patience for this than Pietro."-I said smiling.