Empire State University

Throngs of students stood behind police barriers, holding each other with tears spilling down their cheeks. Past the barriers, firefighters struggled to put out the flames, others working through the remains of the student union to locate any who weren’t killed in the explosion.

Television cameras recorded everything. One reporter in particular spoke into a microphone as her cameraman recorded the aftermath of the carnage.

“I’m reporting to you live from Empire State University where just this morning, an unidentified student went into the union and proceeded to utilize a superhuman ability to generate explosive bursts of energy. The union itself was almost completely demolished in the attack.

“Immediately following the attack, two Avengers—Iron Man and Warbird—intercepted the student and prevented him from causing any further damage to the rest of the campus. Unfortunately, damage to the student union, and the people inside, had already been done. Currently, he is being held by SHIELD and they have not released any additional information.

“The incident at Empire State is just the latest in what has become an unfortunate reality of school massacres. However, this is the first known mass murder committed on a school campus by someone with superhuman abilities. At this moment, the death toll is still undetermined and the city’s firefighters are still performing rescue operations and attempting to put out the flames.

“As of this report, SHIELD has refused any requests for further disclosure, so it is unknown at this time whether the assailant is a mutant or a genetically-altered human. It is also unknown whether or not the gene-altering drug called Mutant Growth Hormone was involved in any way.

“The motivation for this heinous crime remains a mystery right now. Despite Empire State University becoming quite a hotspot for superhuman activity, this is the first time the University itself was the target and not simply a setting for a superhuman battle.

“Since no law currently exists banning mutant and superhuman discrimination in colleges and universities, Empire State made headlines recently by being one of the first schools in the nation to ban any sort of genetic discrimination. What this latest incident means for the future of this policy remains to be seen.

“We will have more information as it develops. This is Trish Tilby reporting.”

CONCEALED WEAPONS

Part I

By Dino Pollard

Janice Yanizeski found herself stirred awake by the sound of the television. She sat up in bed, clutching the sheet to her body. Clarice Ferguson sat at her desk, her eyes focused on the television screen, on a news broadcast in particular. She had put on shorts and a t-shirt with XAVIER SCHOOL FOR GIFTED YOUNGSTERS emblazoned on the front.

“What’s so important that you had to get out of bed for?” asked Janice.

Clarice looked at Janice, her pupil-less eyes welled up with tears. Janice sat up and took notice. “Clarice…what’s wrong?”

She pointed the remote at the television and turned up the volume.

“—the first known mass murder committed on a school campus by someone with superhuman abilities. At this moment, the death toll is still undetermined and the city’s firefighters are still performing rescue operations and attempting to put out the flames.”

“Oh shit…” muttered Janice. “This happened today?”

Clarice nodded. “While we were still sleeping. I just woke up and turned on the TV and…” She buried her face in her hands. “This is going to end badly, I can just see it now.”

“What do you mean?” asked Janice. “What’s going to end badly?”

“This is how it all starts,” said Clarice. “All they need is an excuse. And pretty soon, it’s mutant discrimination all over again. And there’s no better excuse than some nutcase blowing up a campus with his bare hands.”

Janice sighed. She slid out of bed and walked over to Clarice, gently laying a hand on her shoulder. Clarice wrapped her arms around Janice’s torso, burying her face in the older woman’s abdomen as she stood by the chair.

“It’s okay,” said Janice. “This is nothing, okay? It’s not like it’s 1963 or anything. No one’s going to blame mutants for this whole thing. This will all just blow over very soon, trust me.”

“And tonight on the show, we have two very special guests joining us via satellite. The first is prominent journalist and publisher of the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson. And the second is Presidential hopeful, Senator Robert Kelly. Now gentleman, let’s begin by addressing the recent attack on Empire State University. We have seen school violence like this before, the ones most remembered being the shootings at Columbine High School in 1998 and the 2007 shootings at Virginia Tech. Every time there is an outbreak of gun violence, the question of gun control is brought up, particularly in the wake of Virginia Tech given that the guns were purchased legally. But this is a decidedly different kind of school violence, one perpetrated by a student who possessed superhuman abilities, a student whom SHIELD recently announced was, in fact, a mutant. Empire State, as it’s been noted, has banned genetic discrimination, which includes those who possess what is called the x-gene. As mutants cannot be separated from their abilities, what does this mean? Mr. Jameson, you may go first.”

“Pretty simple, really,” said Jameson. “Look, I understand and respect that mutants, just like anyone else, have a right to an education. But when we’re talking about people with these dangerous abilities, we have to look beyond just their mental state. What if these powers go off accidentally in some way? Gun control is one thing, you can set up metal detectors and have security to ensure that students don’t bring weapons into school buildings. But what we’re talking about here are walking concealed weapons.”

“Interesting point. Senator Kelly, in the past you have been a proponent of mutant registration, but you’ve softened in recent years, even teaming up with Warren Worthington’s X-Corporation to sponsor a mutant rights bill in Congress. What are your thoughts on this issue?”

“I can understand the desire many may have to lash out at the mutant community, I sympathize with that desire and I’m more familiar with it than most people,” said Kelly. “I lost my wife as a result of a mutant attack and at first, I thrust the blame onto mutants. But in recent years, I’ve realized my mistake in this matter. Mutants are people as well and if we start restricting them from things like an education or health care out of fear, then where does it end? Where is the line drawn?”

“That’s bull,” said Jameson. “We’re not talking about depriving them, we’re talking about protecting them and others. Setting up correspondence courses seems like a perfectly acceptable solution to me.”

“So you’re going to deprive young people of important life experience because of a genetic twist of fate?” asked Kelly.

“Fifty students were killed in the attack at ESU. That’s fifty young people deprived of important life experience because of this,” said Jameson. “What about that mutant school your X-Corporation keeps talking up?”

“The Xavier Institute is just one place and it isn’t large enough to hou—”

“So build more. You telling me Worthington doesn’t have the money? Especially with big shots like the King of Wakanda serving on his board?”

“You’re talking about segregation, Jonah. Need I remind you that this was tried once in the past and it was a disaster.”

“That was completely different, black kids didn’t have the ability to blow up white kids just by looking at them.”

“You both bring up some interesting points and it seems that this will become a very complicated and intense debate. Unfortunately, we are out of time now. Thank you for sharing your views today, Mr. Jameson. Senator Kelly.”

The Crash Pad

“This is bad,” said Johnny Gallo, pacing back and forth across the Crash Pad as Eddie McDonough sat on the couch, watching as the discussion between Kelly and Jameson came to a close. “This is real bad.”

“Could you stop pacing? You’re making me nervous,” said Eddie.

“I’m gonna be kicked out of school, I know it,” said Johnny. “Hell, bad enough I had trouble going to classes anyway. Now what am I gonna do?”

“What about that Xavier Institute?” asked Eddie.

“What, Freak U? No thank you.”

“Dude…”

Johnny looked up at Eddie. “What?”

“That’s a little harsh.”

“I’m sorry man, but that’s what it is.”

“What’s with all this mutant angst stuff you carry on your shoulder?” asked Eddie. “Yeah, you’re a mutant, so what? You don’t look like one and you got some sweet powers. You’ve got agility and that whole danger sense. It could’ve been a lot worse. I think the Toad can do those things, and look at him.”

Johnny paused in his pacing. “I don’t wanna look like the Toad.”

“No one does. And that’s what I’m saying. You could have it a lot worse.”

Johnny walked over to Eddie. “Hank McCoy.”

“Huh?”

“Hank McCoy, y’know. The Beast. That guy who came by to pick up Psionex with the hot Indian chick.”

“Native American.”

“Whatever, but you know who I’m talking about.”

“Yeah, what about him?” asked Eddie.

“He changed,” said Johnny. “And he changed when he was older than me. He used to be human but then he got blue fur and went all Planet of the Apes.”

“And became an Avenger.”

“That’s not the point! And now he changed again. Now he looks like an extra from Cats.”

“But blue.”

“Right.”

Eddie shrugged. “And?”

“And what, that’s my point,” said Johnny. “If he could change like he did, who’s to say I won’t? What if I wake up one day and I’ve turned into a mutant kangaroo or rabbit or something?”

“I think frog would be more likely.”

“Not helping!”

Eddie chuckled. “I’m sorry, but you’re talking crazy. Yeah, all that stuff could happen. And nothing at all could happen. You’re letting yourself get worked up over this when you don’t know if any of it’s true.”

“I dunno…this is just…” Johnny sighed. “Maybe Jameson’s right, y’know? Maybe mutants are too dangerous to be allowed to go to college.”

Midtown High School

Robbie Baldwin sat in his counselor’s office, just listening to the sound of the clock tick as his counselor looked over his file on the computer screen. After a few moments, Robbie saw the counselor shake his head.

“What? What is it?”

“I’m sorry, but it looks like you’ll have to stay here for at least one more semester.”

“No, you gotta be kidding me!” said Robbie. “At this rate, I’ll be able to drink before I graduate!”

“Robbie, you just don’t have the credits to apply for graduation. There’s no chance for you to pass this semester, you’re failing three classes and they just happen to be the three classes you need to graduate.”

Robbie slouched in his chair. “There’s gotta be something you can do for me. Anything at all. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

“My advice is to retake these three classes in summer school and if you pass, you won’t have to return here in the fall.”

“Something else,” said Robbie.

“I’m afraid there’s nothing else. You’re between a rock and a hard place.”

Robbie sighed. He rubbed his chin as he considered his options in his head. Then, he snapped his fingers. “I’ve got it!”

“Oh you have, have you?”

“What if I get straight As from this point on in those classes? Get all my homework done, do extra credit, and ace the finals. What then?”

“In theory, you could pass if you’re able to accomplish all that,” said the counselor. “But let’s be realistic here, Robbie. You’ve spent the past five years slacking off, just skating by. And last year, you stopped caring altogether.”

“Just say you’ll let me graduate if I pull it off,” said Robbie. “C’mon, all my friends are in college now and I’m still here in high school.”

“And what will you do in college?”

“I…I hadn’t thought of that yet.”

“What school would take you with grades like these?”

“Community college! I’ll go to community college!”

“Robbie, just take the three classes in the summer and work hard. You’ll start off with a clean slate, you can graduate at that point, and everything will be fine.”

“C’mon, just give me a chance.”

The counselor sighed. “Which classes are you failing?”

Robbie’s eyes bugged out. “Umm…well it’s so hard to keep track…”

“You don’t know, do you?”

“No, I’ve got it, just give me a minute…”

“U.S. history, algebra and chemistry.”

“You see? We’re on the same page,” said Robbie. “I knew all those, I was just testing you. So what do you say?”

“Robbie, you have three months before graduation. The only way I could even recommend doing this is if you get a tutor.”

“Sure, a tutor, no problem!” said Robbie.

“I do have someone in mind,” said the counselor. “She’s a junior but very advanced in her classes. I think she’d be an invaluable asset to you.”

“Alright, perfect! Who is she?”

“I actually invited her down here,” said the counselor. He went to the door and opened it. Robbie heard him speaking to a student who sat in front of the door. When the counselor entered, a young girl with short, brown hair entered the room, wearing a small, Spider-Man t-shirt.

It was the second time Robbie found himself caught by surprise that day.

“Mattie?!”

Elvin Haliday tossed the young child in the air and caught him in his massive hands. The five-year-old boy giggled in response. “Again! Again!”

“Okay, one more time,” said Elvin as he tossed the boy once more.

“That’s enough of that,” said an older woman sitting on a nearby park bench as she watched them. “Billy, you leave Elvin alone for a while and go play on the swings.”

Elvin set Billy down on the ground and he ran for the swing set. “Okay Mommy!” Elvin walked over to the woman, who patted the seat beside her and he sat down next to her. She leaned in against him, and Elvin carefully wrapped his arm around her.

“I’m glad you could come out with us today,” she said. “You’re always so busy with work, I was wondering if I’d ever get you away.”

Elvin shrugged. “Yeah well…you know how it is.”

“And all the mystery, won’t even tell me what it is you do.”

“Renee, it…it’s not important, okay? It’s just a grunt job, y’know? I don’t like talking about it is all.”

“Yeah but I feel like I don’t know anything about you except for your name. You never talk about your family or where you grew up or anything.”

Elvin sighed. “I’m…I’m just not that talkative is all.” In his head, he really meant to say that he’s only seventeen years old but because of an accident, he’s got the body of an adult. And he’s now dating a woman in her early thirties, a woman who has a child no less.

“Well you’d better start getting more talkative,” said Renee. “It’s been three months now and I want to start to know you better.”

“I promise, when the time’s right, I’ll tell you everything you want to know.” He kissed her on the forehead, thinking that the day it happens will be a very interesting one.

Empire State University

“GO BACK TO MUTANT TOWN!”

The starting linebacker on ESU’s football team drove his fist against the young girl with three eyes and pink skin.

“That boyfriend of yours blew up my best friend!”

He punched her again. Tears were pouring from all three of the girl’s eyes. “I had nothing to do with him! I didn’t even know the guy!”

“Hey!”

The linebacker turned around and saw one man push through the crowd, who had short, brown hair. He was slender and seemed like the last person in the world who should challenge a football player to a fight.

“Leave her alone,” said Greg Willis.

“Oh yeah?” asked the linebacker. He walked up to Greg and grabbed him by the collar. “You wanna take her place, freak lover?”

Greg narrowed his eyes. “You might want to be careful about all that freak talk.”

“And why’s that?”

His eyes and hands began to glow with blue energy. “Because you never know who might be a freak.”

The linebacker suddenly found himself shoved back from Greg by some invisible force. When he managed to get up, it was just in time to see Greg run—or was it fly—towards him and punch him with such incredible force that his world went black.

Greg looked around at the crowd of students who stood and watched, all of them backing off. “Anyone else want to beat up on a freak?”

The students shuffled off, leaving the scene and Greg went back to the girl, offering her his hand. “You okay?”

The girl nodded and accepted his help. “I was…I was just going to admissions. To tell them I’m pulling out of school when…”

“It’s okay,” said Greg. “I’ll walk with you.”

“No you won’t.”

Greg turned and saw a campus security guard approach him. “You’re coming with me, son.”

To Be Continued…