The Uncanny X-Men #9

[fan4]

The Uncanny X-Men #9
An Uncommon Child
Part 1 of 3: The Past

Written by Kyle Jones
Edited by Aaron Martel

The Institute

It was November and only weeks away from Thanksgiving. Kitty stood on the back lawn waiting for Bobby and Sam. Not really thinking and in a rush before coming outside, she had neglected to put on an overcoat and, as the sun began to set, noticed the temperature dropping. It was beginning to get cold. Maybe I could ask Storm to make it a little warmer. Then, as quickly as she made the thought, Kitty remembered Storm’s reluctance to adjust weather patterns for personal gain. No, she said that if she makes it warm in one place she is simply taking that heat from somewhere else. Kitty made a mental note to Wikipedia weather patterns and climate changes.

POW!

A snowball the size of a tennis ball hit her arm. “BOBBY DRAKE!” she yelled as she turned to see the two boys walking toward her. Bobby was laughing.

“I told him not to do it,” Sam said as he tried to contain his own laughter. “Seriously.”

Kitty fumed and playfully punched Bobby in the arm. “Ok, Frosty,” she began to laugh. “Why don’t you try that again when you’re not behind my back.”

“Sure,” he replied, “all that would do is take the fun out of it. You would just phase if you saw it coming.”

“Are we going down to get the lake or not?” Sam jokingly interrupted. “Or, are you two going to go at it all day?”

“Hey!” Kitty answered quickly. “I was waiting on the two of you for ten minutes so don’t blame me. Blame the show-off snowman.”

They laughed again and began to walk away form the mansion and onto the trail that led to a small lake approximately one-fourth of a mile away and on the outskirts of the property.

“Are either of you going home for Thanksgiving?” Bobby asked as they walked.

“I don’t know yet,” Kitty replied. “I feel like I just got here, and my parents are probably going on vacation for the holiday. I might just wait and go Christmas.”

She looked at Sam to indicate for him to respond. “I’m going home. The Professor wants me to talk to my sister about coming here after the holidays plus I would like to see my family. Roberto is going to be gone back to Brazil by then, so I’m really looking forward to seeing the folks.”

“I’m not going home,” Bobby added. “I’m like Kitty. I just got here and don’t really want to leave so soon. Those first few weeks were so damn crazy I just want to sit back, relax, and enjoy myself.” He looked at Sam. “Do you mind if I ask you something?” Sam nodded an approval. “Don’t be offended, but I’ve been wondering this since I got here but just never asked it.” Sam nodded again as if to say spit it out and ask already. “You’re from Kentucky, but you don’t talk with a Southern accent. Again, no offense but why don’t you use words like ’y’all’ and ‘ain’t’?”

Kitty shook her head and rolled her eyes.

“I do have an accent,” Sam answered. “But I got rid of it with Jean’s help.”

Bobby looked puzzled. “How?”

“Telepathy. Jean had been practicing learning how to do stuff and then mentally teaching someone else how to do it too. The Professor said it was okay so she taught me how to speak like she does.” He smiled. “Trust me, the ol’ cuntry boy is still here but Ah can proper it up just as good as any ol’ body.”

The trio continued to walk a few minutes more until they reached the lake. “I still can’t get over how nice this place is,” Sam continued. “Back home we wouldn’t call this a lake, but most likely a pond.” Bobby realized the verbal jab was meant for him. “I can’t wait ‘til winter when this freezes over.”

Bobby stretched out his arm and pointed towards the water. “Who said we have to wait?” The air around his hand began to turn to smoke as the temperature dropped rapidly. While Bobby concentrated, Sam and Kitty watched as the cold moved in the direction of the lake. As it moved, the grass beneath frosted over. Finally, a thin layer of ice formed on the lake and crackled as it continued to solidify. Then, Bobby stopped and took a deep breath. “Maybe one day I’ll be able to make this entire thing solid without getting tired.” The trio began to leave and head over to the boathouse when a bright light began swirling in the middle of the lake. “What the hell is that?”

“I have no idea,” Sam stated as me moved in front of Kitty. The light continued to swirl and shimmer until a man’s silhouette could be seen. The image became clearer as the light began to dim until a solid figure, dressed in ordinary street clothes, stood on the thin ice. “He’s gonna fall in!” Like a reflex, Sam’s lower body began billowing with energy and he erupted into the air and flew towards the man. But, before the ice broke and before Sam reached him, the figure seemed to instantly disappear and then appeared standing next to Bobby and Kitty. Sam flew a distance more and turned around.

Startled by his sudden appearance, Kitty screamed.

[fan4]

Professor Xavier’s office

The Professor sat at his desk going over some paperwork and reviewing potential candidates for several positions he was considering adding to the school when he was interrupted by a mental image of Kitty’s fear. << X-Men, we have an intruder on the grounds near the lake!>>

[fan4]

The lake, minutes later

The clouds gathered and lightning began to strike near and around the lake as the winds went from still to near fifty miles per hour gusts in a matter of seconds. Ororo flew with the winds toward the lake and looked down to see Peter, Scott, and Logan running below. Jean floated just over the trees but not at the same speed as she did.

Hank, after leaping from tree to tree, was the first to reach the lake. Using his legs and superior agility, he bounced into the air, knocked the man off his feet and to the ground. Logan, claws extended, approached.

“Ok, bub,” Logan snarled, “either do it my way or my way because you don’t have a choice.” He continued to approach as Hank released his hold on the man and stepped back in line with the other X-Men. All were ready to defend the younger students.

The man held up his arms in protest. “Please, don’t do anything. I didn’t mean to scare her, or anyone for that matter. I just needed to find the X-Men.”

Scott stepped forward. “Who sent you and how did you know where to find the X-Men?”

The man continued to hold up his arms. “Nobody sent me. As for why I’m here….I think I am supposed to be here, or at least am supposed to be here someday.”

Logan flexed his wrists. “He’s talking in circles and not making any sense. Let’s just take him back to Chuck so he can find out what’s in his head.”

“Please,” the man continued. “I’m not here to cause trouble.”

“Then,” Peter added, “why are you here?”

“I’m here because I think I’m supposed to become an X-Man.”

[fan4]

Professor Xavier’s office, ten minutes later

The man sat in front of Professor Xavier while Logan and Scott stood on either side of the desk. Hank and Peter stood by the door. Ororo and Jean sat on the couch. Kitty stood outside the door listening.

<<Please allow us a minute of privacy, Katherine.>> The Professor berated as Kitty hurriedly left to join Bobby, Sam, and Roberto. The Professor looked at the young man and guessed he was probably about the same age as Scott or Hank. His face was tan from the sun and his hair was shoulder length and a shade of light brown. He was probably around the same height as Scott or maybe an inch shorter. “My students tell me that you think you should be an X-Man. I guess, for starters, if you belong here – as you say – we should start with your name.”

“My name,” he responded, “is Benjamin. Benjamin Anderson.”

“Well, Mr. Anderson,” the Professor continued, “perhaps you would like to enlighten us a bit more as to why we shouldn’t consider you a threat.”

Benjamin got up and walked to the window as Wolverine tensed as if ready to jump into action. He looked out the window and then turned to face the X-Men. Leaning on the windowsill with arms folded, he began.

“I woke up this morning with images of each of you in my head. I dreamed about you last night and I saw images of myself in a gold and black suit with yellow gloves and boots. There was a belt around my waist with a round buckle that had an X painted on it.” He reached into his pocket and produced the belt. “I had this in my hand when I awoke.” He handed it to the Professor who examined it and then gave it to Logan.

“Where were you when you woke up?” Logan questioned as he examined the belt. “Better yet, where’re you from?”

“I awoke in New York City.”

“That ain’t an answer, bub,” Logan demanded. “I also asked where’re you from.”

“Well, to be honest, I don’t remember where I was the night before but I awoke on a bench in Central Park wearing what I have on now.” He shook his head and shut his eyes as if trying to clear out the cobwebs that barricaded his memory. “I sat there thinking about my dream and kept picturing this mansion. I went to the library on Fifth Avenue but it was closed because it’s a Sunday. I found one open on West 53rd and did a search on the internet for old homes in the New York and surrounding areas. Honestly, having the picture in my head, it didn’t take me but about probably thirty minutes to find what I thought was the place.” He paused. “From there, I used my powers to send me here, and that is when I appeared a short time ago.”

Logan grimaced in disagreement. “This is too damn easy.”

“Why do we automatically assume that everyone has ulterior motives?” Ororo retaliated. “Have we become this cynical?”

“Perhaps you should ask 'one-eye' that question,” was Logan’s response. “I’d think that being held captive by men in white lab coats who produce mutant killing robots would make anyone cynical.”

Ororo didn’t continue as Logan’s remarks were understood completely.

The Professor looked at the visitor. “Is there anything else you would like to add?”

“Whatever you want me to do please just tell me,” Benjamin responded. “I know you don’t have any reason to trust me. I mean, here I have come into your home saying stuff like – 'hey, look at me – I’m an X-Man.' And, for that matter, I don’t really have any idea what being an X-Man means. Plus, I can’t tell you anything about me because I really don’t know. Really…I don’t.” He looked at Ororo, in whom he hoped he had made a possible supporter, and pleaded, “I promise you that I’m here on the up-and-up. What can I do to convince you?”

Ororo looked back at the Professor who sat there silent for a moment as he contemplated what to do next. <<Jean, would you be willing to assist me with something?>>

<<Of course, Professor. What do you need me to do?>>

<<You’ll see,>> he replied telepathically to Jean before responding to the question. “If you are truly here with good intentions, I ask then that you submit yourself to a telepathic probe and, after such, I shall make my determination.”

“What does a telepathic probe mean? What’re you going to do?”

“A telepathic probe will allow us to enter your mind, view your thoughts and memories and hopefully tell you something about yourself. But, most importantly, it will help me make a determination as to your intentions.”

“I have no problem with that.”

The Professor addressed the X-Men. “Please adjourn to the War Room with the exception of Jean – who will assist me with the probe.” The other X-Men reluctantly left the room. “Now, I have asked Ms. Grey to assist me and I promise, as long as you don’t resist, that this will not be painful.”

“Again, whatever I need to do.”

“Fine. Please take a seat on the couch and try to relax.” The Professor turned to Jean. “Jean, I need you to sit across form him and begin to telepathically reach out to him. I will buffer your own abilities with my own and monitor from afar.” He turned his attention back to the visitor in order to provide a stern warning. “Understand, young man, that – should you attempt to attack us in any fashion during this probe – I can and will cause you tremendous mental pain. If you do attack us know also that I can shut your mind down completely if I so choose.” He stopped for a moment to allow his warnings to take hold. “Do you still, then, wish to continue?”

“Yes.”

Jean did as instructed and began reaching out with her telepathic powers.

[fan4]

The astral plane

Once started, Jean could feel the Professor’s additional strength and was amazed at how good the added power felt. With a jolt to her system, Jean felt her consciousness leave her body and, an instant later, appear within a multicolor void.

Off to the side, she saw a door. It was blue and opened in the middle – much like a French door. There were panels to each side and one single handle to open it. Jean approached the door, reached up, took hold of the handle and tried to open the door.

Nothing happened.

She tried to open it again. Nothing happened. “I need some help here if you want me to talk to you.” Jean felt a key materialize within her right hand and, at the same time, a lock appeared under the handle. Jean inserted the key, turned it, and the door opened.

She entered.

The room was painted a dark navy blue with a single white lamp sitting in the center of an octagonal table. There were no chairs for sitting. Jean, now dressed in her original yellow and black uniform, stood alone in the room next to the table. “Benjamin, this is Jean Grey. Are you here?” There was no response.

Jean walked around the table and was patient. “I just want to ask you a few questions. Can we do that? This is what you agreed to do.” Again, there was no response. “Please, the Professor gave you a stern warning of what would happen if this is a trap.”

Jean concentrated until a single chair appeared beside her and she took a seat. She concentrated again and another chair appeared across from her. “Forgive me again for taking this liberty.” She looked around the room in hopes that she could tell if something had changed. Was she getting through to him?

Jean sat in silence for a while longer. Then, without a prior indication, the lamp began to flicker on and off. It did this several times while a figure of an elderly man appeared directly in front of her. The lamp continued to flicker, making a grinding noise as it did, and the image shimmered and changed to match the young man whom she met earlier.

“Hello, Jean Grey,” he said. “I am sorry that it took this long for me to appear to you. I’m not used to having someone get into my head.”

“I totally understand.”

He took a seat and stared directly into Jean’s eyes. “I know you guys are probably freaking out right now as to how I knew where to find the X-Men.” His demeanor began to change as he relaxed. “Trust me when I tell you that I don’t understand how I do a lot of the things I do or how I know what I know.”

“For starters, being mutants, sometimes we have to expect the unexpected. I think that is part of our being X-Men.”

Benjamin interrupted. “Listen. You have to help me. I’m not your enemy. Let me prove it to you.” He took a deep breath.

“Where exactly did you grow up? I know Logan asked you that but please, if there is anything else you can tell us, do so.”

Benjamin did not immediately respond. “That’s the million dollar question and – truth be told – I really don’t know. It’s weird actually. I get glimpses of the future but I really don’t know anything about my past.” He noticed Jean’s look of confusion.

“Ok, they described you as appearing on the lake in a swirling light but then disappeared an instant later – without the swirling light – and were instantly off the lake. So, do you teleport to different places? Is that your power?” Jean asked. “If it is, please know that you’re not alone. I know of a guy who has that same power.”

“Yes, I can teleport and it was the swirling light that is my signature – I guess you can call it that – of the teleport. As for the other, I knew immediately that I had materialized away from where I had intended and that I had mere seconds before I would fall through the ice into the water. To prevent that, I stopped time.”

“You did what??”

“I stopped time and walked across the lake and onto dry land. Once safe, I restarted time and this is what made it appear to the others that I had disappeared and appeared again in an instant. For them, no time had passed. For me, about a minute passed.”

He reached over to Jean Take my hand,” he instructed. Jean reached out and did as he asked as he shut his eyes while holding both of her hands. Suddenly, his eyes opened.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

Again, he hesitated. “You are more powerful than you imagine but you need to stay clear from the darkness inside you or something terrible might happen.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I see the futures of people or things I touch. Sometimes, but not always, I can see the past as well. I’ve learned that the past is pretty much static whereas the future is liquid.”

“What do you mean about me?”

“Beware the darkness.”

“So, I suppose you’re a precog too?”

“I can freeze time in my close environment. I can, as you just witnessed, see the past or possible future. I can teleport myself – and others – through space. Finally, I can absorb the chronal energy of an object.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“If I am hurt, I can touch an object, absorb its past, present, or future energy, and heal myself.”

“My goodness,” Jean replied. “I never imagined such a power.”

Benjamin again looked her in the eyes. “Jean, I want a home. That is all that I really want. I want a place to call my own and not some freaky hospital room with orderlies and nurses constantly asking if I am ok or if I need anything.” He stood. “I say that about the hospital because you people probably think I’m crazy. I’m not.”

Jean stood as well. “The Professor has monitored our conversation while probing your thoughts as we spoke. He said that it is time we leave and get back to the real world.”

For a moment, Benjamin seemed to be hesitant to leave. He looked around at the room’s blue walls and then at the octagonal table. “This is my sanctuary. Did you know that? This is where I always come to in my mind to escape.” He smiled. “This is the one place where I am truly at peace.”

“We all have our own special retreats.” Jean added. “So, are you ready to face the world with me? Ready to wake up?”

Benjamin reached out his hand to Jean again and she took it. As she did, the lamp began to flicker on and off once more as they both began to fade.

“Before we go,” she interjected, “who was the old man who. . .” Jean didn’t have time to finish the thought as they both shimmered out of the astral plane and back into the real world.

[fan4]

Westchester, New York, November 23, 1963, 5:15pm


They had both stood inside a blue room in the astral plane only a second ago. Now, fully awake in the physical world, they stood in an alley behind the local supermarket. Cars honked in the distance. It was raining heavily.

“Where the hell are we?” Jean exclaimed as telekinetic force shielded them from the rain. “What have you done?!?!?!?”

Benjamin looked down at the street, saw a discarded newspaper under a pile of trash, walked to it and reached down to get it. He looked at the date and then at Jean. “I’m so sorry. It looks like I’ve done it again.”

“Done what??!?!?!?”

“We’ve gone back in time,” he replied. “According to this paper, today is November 23 in 1963!”

“You didn’t say anything about time!”

The both stood there and listened to the sounds of the city. For one brief moment, Benjamin wondered why this happened or – better yet – what had happened. The panicked thought of what to do ran through his mind. As a telepath, Jean could not help but sense his panic.

For now, they were trapped in a time not their own.

[fan4]

Another time, another place

The ivory colored room, with its high ceiling and windowless walls, seemed to go on forever in all directions. In what could be considered as the room’s center there stood a golden fountain adorned with precious green and red stones. Liquid fire flowed from the top of the fountain down into the bottom reservoir. A single figure, dressed in a white and blue skin-tight bodysuit and a floor length overcoat with a hood that draped over the head, stood beside the fountain. The hood covered most of the figure’s head.

The flames seemed to dance about as the figure intensely stared at them. Hues of red, orange and yellow gave way to blue as the heat intensified. Higher and higher they climbed as if trying in earnest to reach out and touch the ceiling.

The figure backed away as the room became so dark that only the fountain’s light illuminated the room. Eyes became white as gloved hands were raised from the figure’s side to a level parallel with the chest. As the hands were raised, the flames flickered and began to dance even higher and with more passion.

The flames flew from the fountain and began to surround the figure and continued until the figure was completely engulfed with flames. Eyes remained white as the illumination grew brighter and brighter. The light was blinding.

Then, as quickly as it started, the flames returned to the crystal fountain. The figure’s eyes returned to normal and its hands were once again at the figure’s side. The hood was removed as the figure looked at its image mirrored within the fountain. The gloved hands then returned the hood to its previous position as the figure slowly walked away from the fountain and disappeared.

To be continued