XAVIER INSTITUTE

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NEW YORK

“Welcome.”

Sam greeted them heartily, even if the weight of the world seemed to rest across his broad corn-fed shoulders. The All-American, one-time X-Man and Avenger, had been coming to terms with not only his new vocation as a teacher but also with the helplessness he felt in the search for his abducted brother, Joshua.

“As many of you will have been made aware since returning from the Christmas break, there was an incident with one of your classmates and fellow trainees,” continued their personal tutor. His distinctive southern twang seemed fuller after the holiday period, spent at his home in Kentucky. “As such, Noriko will not be returning to the team for the foreseeable future. David has also elected not to return from Chicago for the time being.” There was a trepidation to his words and he noticed the sheepishness of the lupine student. “In lieu of that, I’d like to introduce you to the two newest additions of the Xavier Trainee Initiative.” He allowed a momentary smile. “Although, I know you’re calling yourselves the New X-Men.”

He ushered forward the two students that had been stood slightly behind him.

“This is my little sister, Melody Guthrie, and her boyfriend, Dallas Gibson,” he said, aware that his phrasing seemed to carry a layer of nepotism. “Aero and Specter, respectively. They’ll be working alongside you from this point onwards.”

Dallas waved, his mop of blond hair threatening to fall over his eyes with every movement, as Melody clung to his arm. Her long tawny hair was drawn to the side in a neat fishtail braid. Both, like all the others around them, were attired in sweatpants. In lieu of the uniforms of the senior X-Men squads, each an interpretation of their own personality, the trainees wore simple gym gear that would allow them the manoeuvrability of combat and defence in the Danger Room. There was a look of nervous anticipation on each of their faces. It would be their first time working as a unit and, true to form, the line-up had already gone through changes. Rosters amongst the X-Men had always been swift in changing.

Laurie was feeling that more than some of the others. Sweet and girlish on the surface, there was a sense of loneliness inside of her that she continued to struggle with. It was important for her, more so than anybody else, to maintain a calm mindset as being swallowed by her overwhelming emotions would make her a threat to everyone around her. The ability to manipulate emotions through pheromones wasn’t an uncommon gift but it was a power that required discipline. At times, it was a discipline that Laurie felt she was incapable of acquiring.

Since Sean Garrison had taken her aside, Laurie had worked harder to become controlled. Joshua, Noriko and David were slowly becoming minor figures in the back of her mind. The others, those former self-named Hellions who had left long ago, no longer existed to her. Julian, Josh and Sofia had abandoned her in favour of their own needs and desires and she continued to struggle with their absence daily but she couldn’t hold on to her sorrow if she wanted to move forward with her life.

Over her shoulder, Laurie could hear the giddy whisperings of Megan and Victor. Clearly the new arrivals had given them something to discuss, as irritating as it was when she was trying to focus on Sam. The lupine Nicholas hung back from them, solemnly leaning against the control panels of the circular room. Santo, more subdued than he normally was, had been a bit of comfort to her in the recent days. His boisterousness seemed to have dispersed in his mission to remake the genuine connections that had once made the institute a home to him. Cessily was less interested in rebuilding those bridges, she had become something of an overachiever. She was determined to be an X-Man and those that stood around her appeared to be little more than obstacles when it came to achieving that goal.

Sooraya remained quiet and sheltered. She hadn’t left behind her life in Saudi Arabia just yet, despite the traumas that she had faced there. As a roommate and, she would have said friend to Noriko, Sooraya was quietly attempting to grasp the situation for what it was. She knew more of the situation than any of the others but gossiping wasn’t in her nature and she kept the true details that lead to Noriko’s incident close to her chest.

Laurie followed Cessily’s jealous glare and found it rested on the uncomfortable shoulders of Alani. It was clear to see that she was envious. Alani had recently returned from a diplomatic mission to Recife with Sam. She’d received more assistance than any of the others so far. It was a position Cessily would have much preferred to be in but her haughtiness made her unapproachable. Laurie, for the little she knew of her, had always noted Alani as a relaxed person and something about the way she carried herself allowed an air of contentment to wash over those that moved alongside her. Although, she’d remained firmly confined in her interactions, speaking mostly to Megan and Victor.

They were the New X-Men, the trainees, and that carried a weight to it. Traumas had formed each of them into the people that they were and their status as mutants only promised that would continue. Sam looked at them as a personal pet project, broken toys that could be moulded and shaped into heroes if they wanted to accept the role they were destined to play. However, Laurie’s ability to manipulate emotions had caused her to become observant. Sam was throwing himself into training them so that he could ignore the reality that Joshua was still missing. Her Joshua, the boy she’d fallen for and, just as she had with Josh Foley, lost.

It hung heavily in the air.

The door swung open as a beautiful blonde entered. Her lips bore no friendliness as her eyes were almost as desolate as Laurie’s, but she held herself with more strength and composure that the teenager could muster.

“Paige,” said Sam. His intonation was surprised. “I wasn’t aware you’d be here?”

She replied. “I thought I’d come and observe whilst I was still in New York. Might be nice to see what the future of this little family holds.” Her accent was looser than her brother’s, it had been dulled down but not lost, their thick southern heritage was harder to break and it remained lyrical on her words. They may not have met her but they knew her. She was an X-Man and a Guthrie. The Guthrie’s may have been the only family to come close to supplying more members to the X-Men than the Summers and Grey families.

“Kids,” continued Sam. “This is my sister, Paige. Most of you have probably heard of her as Husk.” An idea seemed to ping in his mind. “And, if she’s agreeable, maybe she’ll model the Danger Room for you so you can see what you’re getting into?”

The question hung in the air for a moment.

“Of course,” she nodded. “I’d be happy to stretch my legs for a bit. We don’t see much action in Genosha.”

As quickly as the senior X-Man had arrived, she moved from the elevation stand and into the Danger Room. Paige drew her long blonde hair into a ponytail as she paced towards the centre of the room. She really wanted to hit something she was rearing and ready to go long before Sam had even asked it of her. Standing in the centre of the room, Paige felt a wave of nostalgia. Genosha was a job and someone had to do it but she missed the Institute, she missed the ability to go home when she was needed.

“Thank you, Paige,” said Sam as he twirled dials and pressed buttons on the control panel. The circular room began to move upwards, away from the floor of the Danger Room and acted in its secondary function: an observation deck. Sam ushered the students to his side so they could see through the thick panes of glass, settling their eyes on the X-Man below. He spoke to the machine. “This is senior tutor, Sam Guthrie. Run simulation five for designation: Paige Guthrie.” The machine burred to life and the lights dimmed beneath them. He leaned towards the speaker. “Prepare in five, sis.”

She nodded.

Husk looked around the room as the semi-darkness encroached around her. She flexed her fingertips, unaware of what she would be faced with and reading morph her body as required. Simultaneously, six humanoid forms manifested around her, forming a circle that quickly closed in on her. Husk reached for her face as a bioelectric shock rushed beneath her skin, transforming the layer of epidermis beneath and loosening the current layer. Her fingers grabbed her cheeks and she tore, the skin dislodged easily and she cast it aside as the X-Man stood in her fresh metallic form. She glistened beneath what was left of the light as the first of the simulation’s figures reached her.

Grabbing its arm, Husk ducked and flung it across her back. It hit the ground and exploded into nothingness. A soft smile crossed her lips as she realised Sam had gone easy on her. He hadn’t cranked the ante up to ten. Spinning, Husk planted her foot in the second before turning to the third, ripping the skin off her arm to unveil a blade, and decapitated it. She returned her attention to the second and thrust her bladed arm through its chest before pulling upwards. Already halfway there, she stepped towards the remaining three as the ground shifted beneath her feet.

A block shot skyward and Husk was forced to backflip, landing on her hands and knees. At least he’d seen fit to throw in a few curveballs. Two of the remaining simulations burst from either side of the block as the last jumped towards her from above. Husk slid forward as the two already on ground-level collided and knocked themselves off course. As the flyer landed before her, Husk shifted her hand back to a humanoid form and caught it by the neck, throwing herself backwards and slamming it into the floor where it dissolved.

Quickly, she rushed towards the other two as they had recovered from the collision. Slamming into the first, it was thrown to the ground, disorientated, and she focused on the second. A kick, a punch, and then she grabbed it, slamming it into the corner of the block as it tore to pieces. The last ran towards her and she spun, balling her fist and delivering a right hook so hard that the simulation’s ‘head’ flew across the Danger Room whilst the ‘body’ slumped at her feet.

Finished, Paige walked back towards the observation deck, shedding her skin to once again reveal the blonde bombshell.

Sam turned back to face his students as he lowered the watchtower to ground level.

“And that’s how it’s done. Right, New X-Men,” he smiled broadly. “You’re up.”

THRALLS OF THE TYRANT

Part I

By Gavin McMahon

Sam stood, his arms crossed, as he considered the vacant expression of his sister. Paige was leaning against the wooden wall, one foot offering her an extra modicum of support. He’d sensed she’d come for more than observe his students in their first Danger Room simulation but when she’d asked him for a moment as they left, it had been confirmed. A series of students, in various states of sweat-battered exhaustion, past by them. Some thanked them and some merely walked past as quickly as they could, their eyes telling him that they weren’t sure what they had let themselves in for or if this so-called ‘New X-Men’ training was worth the stress and bruises. When they’d all disappeared into the series of hallways, he attempted to catch Paige’s eyes.

“I’ve spoken to Jean,” she said finally. “There’s still no sign of Joshua and we’ve scanned the entire globe twice over. The nearest we can gather is that he must be held somewhere lined with material like that in Magneto’s helmet. We can’t penetrate it.” She bit her lip. “In hope of a better answer, we’re changing tactics. There’s been no sign of any of the Marauders since they were defeated and they appear to be in hiding. We’re keeping our eyes out for them. If they pop up, we might be able to hone in on a location of where they might be keeping it.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean, it’s not good news but I’m glad to hear that we have plans in action should we get any closer to locating him. He’s a strong kid. Stronger than I think we often gave him credit for. If anyone can keep himself going through this, Joshua can.”

“I hope so,” she sighed. “You never can tell what’s going on when Sinister is involved. He’s so fixated on finding the key to mutant evolution that . . . I just hope Joshua is okay when we find him.” Paige tucked the stray hair from her ponytail behind her ear. “If he’s not . . . I won’t even care what the consequences are when I’m tearing Sinister limb from limb.”

Sam stepped forward, pulling her into a hug that she didn’t initially reciprocate. Eventually though, she conceded and embraced him. “It won’t come to that, Paige. It might take some time but you and I have been X-Men for long enough to know that we don’t turn our back on the people that have been taken from us, no matter how dire the situation might seem.” He patted her back as they parted. “I gotta go and check on one of the kids in the medical bay. You gonna be alright?”

Paige nodded. “Yeah. I’ll keep you informed. Later Sammy.” She turned and made her way down the hallway as Sam moved towards the medical bay.

“Ah, Sam. I was hoping to find time to speak with you at some point today,” said the bespectacled Beast from behind the mahogany desk, his paws attempting to make some semblance of organisation amid the chaotically strewn papers before him. “Unfortunately, I’ve been backed up with meetings. Every time I go on a mission with the X-Men, it just builds up.” He looked up from his paperwork. “What can I do for you?”

Sam entered the room and pressed his hands against the back of the chair directly in front of Beast’s desk. It seemed weird that someone else other than Xavier would be sitting in the office but the professor was dead and buried¹ long ago. Beast was the perfect candidate to succeed him, an original X-Man who had an academic and paternal air about him that immediately put people at ease. Having served alongside him on more than one occasion, Sam could attest to the fact that the academic was more than just a scholar, the heart of a lion rested beneath that carefully selected suit.

Sam spoke carefully. “I just came from the medical wing. I was dropping in on Noriko Ashida, and I wanted to know if there was any update on the investigation.”

“Ah,” replied Beast as he took a seat and gestured that Sam should do the same. Once seated, he continued. “Unfortunately, further to speaking with Sooraya Qadir and looking over the indicators at the scene, it appears that Noriko may have been responsible for this herself. Cecilia noticed that her body had undergone an abortion, the baby being further along than most, and we fear she may have felt trapped without escape. Sooraya also mentioned an argument with David Alleyne, who is the boyfriend I believe, and that sheds some light on why he has decided not to return.”

Sam failed to hide the shock in his voice. “Noriko wouldn’t have done that surely? There are more than enough resources at the school to help her with any situation like that.”

“They’re teenagers, Sam. Angst and isolation are part of the job description. Even with the resources on offer, Noriko may not have felt comfortable confiding in anyone,” shrugged the headmaster. “However, I have been made aware that there may be someone else we need to speak to about the issue. I don’t mind taking the–”

Sam interrupted him. “No, with all due respect Hank, they’re my kids and if I’m to earn their trust and respect so that this doesn’t happen again, then I need to be the one to have these conversations with them. Just let me know who it is and I’ll get right on it.”

“Nicholas Gleason,” said Hank. “Sooraya believes he may have been the father rather than Mister Alleyne. If we could clarify what happened to her in the run-up to the apparent suicide attempt then we’ll be better situated to deal with the recovery when she finally wakes from the coma.”

Sam nodded.

UNDISCLOSED LOCATION

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Joshua coughed himself awake.

He moved, displacing the weight of his body from resting atop the slight cushion of his magnificent crimson wings. At first, the Kentuckian’s vision was groggy amidst the dim light of the cell. He seemed to have been held there for weeks but as time wore on, and the limited snow dispersed beyond his window, Joshua wasn’t sure his mind was a reliable judge of time. Having readjusted, the mutant stood and began to pace. It was the only exercise his containment would allow. He was a shadow of the youth he had been. Attending the Xavier Institute had been a fresh start for him, as it had been for Sam and Paige, but he hadn’t been allowed the opportunity to thrive before being snatched from the relative safety of the X-Men’s care by the Marauders.

He still had no idea why he had been taken or why he had been kept alive. So many others had passed through the cells that he could only remember them as a blur of names and faces. Horribly, each had become as inconsequential as the next. Joshua worried about his growing disconnection from the plight of those around him. Yet, somewhat selfishly, he was more concerned with the fact that he once again woke up every day with little memory of the experimentations that had been carried out on him.

As he cleared his throat, desperate for a glass of water, he noted a fresh sound in the eerie stillness of the compound. It was sobbing. He’d grown accustomed to it but there was an unfamiliar breathlessness to each gargled gasp that echoed from the cell next door. As quickly as it had dawned on him, it seemed to fade and was replaced by a shuffling sound.

“Hello?” her voice was soft and fragile with a distinct southern quality that he allowed to wash over him. It offered nostalgia, a taste of an all but forgotten home.

He considered his options. Since Ji, Joshua had distanced himself from all the other inmates. However, only three remained from when he had arrived and empty cells stretched ahead of him. Each was as foreboding as the last. The sorrow for the deceased, if that’s what had become of them, was enough to destroy him if he allowed it to but he continued to clasp onto the last shred of faith in his life.

Joshua croaked, his voice sounded almost unfamiliar to him. “Hi.”

“Oh God,” she exclaimed. “I thought I was in here alone. I’m so glad to have someone else.” There genuine happiness to be found in her voice.

“Who knows how much longer any of us will be here?” replied Joshua, unconcerned with frightening her. She would know true fear soon enough.

She continued, unperturbed. “I’m Verity. Verity O’Neal. They threw me in here last night.” She paused. “What’s your name?”

“Joshua,” he replied. He then noted how formal it seemed. He had always been Joshua or Josh but, after all he had been through, he no longer felt connected to the life he had led prior to being Sinister’s captive. He corrected himself. “Jay.”

She spoke with trepidation. “What do they do to us here, Jay? I mean, I’m not . . . I’m not afraid. I just want to know what to expect. I never got to say my goodbyes.” There was a sombre tone to her words.

“I don’t really know, Verity,” said the Kentuckian. “They come and they take blood samples. Sometimes they take each of us one by one. People don’t always come back from that. I don’t know what they’re looking for.”

“Oh.”

“I wish I could offer you more comfort.”

“It’s okay,” he could almost hear her attempts to remain cheerful in her words. “I just wanted to prepare myself. I’m so unextraordinary that I can’t fathom why they wanted me.”

“Are you not a mutant?” his curiosity piqued.

“I am. I’m just so normal,” Verity responded. “Mom, dad and two kids on a ranch in Kansas. Nothing exciting happened there. When I got my powers, they didn’t even want me to go to New York with the X-Men so that nothing like this could happen.” She exhaled. “Still, it happened anyway.”

“Kansas?” he said. “Kentucky.”

“I gathered,” said Verity softly. “It’s the accent.”

There was another pause.

Verity continued. “Are we gonna die here, Jay?”

“I hope not,” he said solemnly.

Instinctively he reached his hand through the bars and stretched it towards her cell, reaching beyond the wall that separated them. Still, he was surprised when her pale hand reached out and clasped his.

“Me too.”

XAVIER INSTITUTE

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NEW YORK

“Mister Guthrie.”

Sam looked up from his desk to find the mercurial form of Cessily. Her glossy, mutated skin was juxtaposed by the fiery red mane that trailed in a long ponytail to the nape of her neck. He found her more memorable for a bad attitude than for any of the qualities he had been looking for when he had selected her as a member of his training initiative. Hank had spoken highly of her academic prowess and her power set was physically domineering, but she was a student he struggled to pinpoint just how he could help her. He sensed her drive to become an X-Man, he’d live through it with Paige, but Cessily harboured very few endearing qualities. She stood on the outside of her peers, looking down on them from her pedestal.

Sam was curious but unexcited about whatever conversation she had approached him for. Still, as was his role, the Kentuckian directed her towards the chair before him. Languidly, she slid between the cushions and looked towards him, as if anxious. It was the first momentary chink in her armour that he had seen.

“What can I do for you, Cessily?”

She inhaled. “I just wanted to know why you haven’t taken my aside for any improvement opportunities? I mean, you took Alani to Brazil and if she were any more laid back she’d be dead. I want to be an X-Man, unlike the others, and I’m working for it more.”

He didn’t reply.

“I spend at least four hours in the gym every day,” she continued as if to persuade him to favour her. “I’m at the top of all my classes. Athletically and academically, I’m superior and I’m getting overlooked time and time again. I want to know why. Why haven’t I been noticed?”

“Honestly,” he said. “You are on paper everything that it takes to be an X-Man, the ambition and commitment is there, but you have the worst attitude that I’ve ever seen in my life. I’ve never seen someone who dismisses her peers, each of whom could be a teammate someday, with such little regard.” He crossed his arms as he leaned back. “Rather than be happy that Alani had a chance to shine, you turned it on you and took offence. That’s not what being a team player is about. In the X-Men, you’re working with a team, no-one is the star, and they have to trust that you have their back.”

His fingers trailed to his hair as he watched her jaw dropped, stunned by what he’d said.

“You have potential. The pieces are all there, but the areas you’re working on improving aren’t the ones that need to be fixed. You can be the smartest, or the strongest, but if you aren’t trustworthy or reliable, then no-one will ever want to work with you because they won’t put their lives in your hands.” He offered an encouraging smile. “Do you understand?”

“Yes,” she said. Her voice somewhat choked.

He nodded. “Then I’ll see you for tomorrow’s session. Cessily, I know you have this in you and all this training will be a chance for you to show me, and them, that you are the hero you want to be. You just need to make sure that you want to be that hero for the right reasons.”

Disappointedly but unable to deny the cold hard truth that he had laid before her, Cessily excused herself and stormed through the doorway as Paige arrived. The X-Man was knocked into the doorframe by the ferocity of the student’s exit. His sister gave a look of concern as she stepped in.

“Did something happen?”

Sam shrugged. “Her entitlement and ego just got a little knocked. She reminds me of you.”

“I like to think I was never quite so rude,” bristled Paige as she took a seat. “I forgot to say but the New X-Men did very well today. There’s definitely some quality amongst the crop.” The saying had slipped from her tongue before she could even stop herself, and she arched a brow at its use. It was ridiculously country, a stereotype she’d spent her life running from. “Even Melody impressed me.”

He glared. “You’re too hard on her.”

“She’s being ridiculous. Momma didn’t exactly raise us with much faith. It was more presents under the tree and occasionally listening to somebody sing a hymn,” snarked Paige. “And now she’s throwing herself on her knees for some boy. Which I’m sure is exactly where he wants her. It’s all so transparent.”

“You aren’t that different.”

“I’m not that weak of will.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “You still changed everything about yourself to suit your own ends. You wanted to be taken seriously so you lost the accent as best you could and worked hard to prove you weren’t some hayseed from the fields. You were a strong contender before you threw your heritage to the wind but at least you got what you wanted.”

Paige looked insulted but didn’t have time to react. A crashing echoed through the mansion, following by an animalistic yet gravelly roar.

“What now?” grumbled the teacher.

The pair made their way from the room as Sam could feel a sinking in his chest. He was very aware that there was a high chance that he was dealing with one of his hand selected students and that it would reflect badly on him. It was becoming very grating trying to keep this kid in line. No sooner had Sam stepped onto the staircase overlooking the grand foyer than his suspicions were confirmed. Santo was out of control as the rocky mutant grabbed the swaying mansion door, tore it from its hinges and launched it through the wall and into the common room.

UNDISCLOSED LOCATION

SOUTHEAST ASIA

“Get off me, you motherfucking sons of a bitch!”

Verity and Jay released each other’s hands as they snapped forward instinctively, grasping at the bars of their cell as a young tawny blond-haired man was dragged through the doorway by two of Mister Sinister’s goons. He thrashed wildly, attempting to free himself from their grasp, but the most curious thing about the boy was that his eyes were bound by a thick metal bar. The boy, amazingly, managed to strike one of the guards in the face and was dropped to the dirt. He quickly scrambled to his feet but was easily restrained with his lack of eyesight left him unsteady. He continued to punch and kick until a voice interrupted the scene.

“What’s going on here?”

Vertigo had entered in the chaos, commanding the room by her mere presence. Her body was dressed in a costume of green swirls and her hair was so pale than it made freshly fallen snow appear to be discoloured. She paced forward as Jay and Verity bounded back from their bars. Verity may not have known who she was but Jay was all too aware of what she could do to people who struggled against the containment. The female Marauder extended her hand as her eyes shone an eerie shade of green, a wave firing from her fingertips until it struck the boy. Immediately, he lost his balance and threw up the contents of his stomach as she smirked.

“We’ll have no more of this nonsense,” she scowled. “We’re trying to focus in the labs. Get him in a cell and out of might sight before I see to it that you too join him.” She stormed off.

Jay watched as the boy, still vomiting, was thrown into a cell. As the cell slammed shut, and he overcame his nausea, he continued to yell.

“Hey,” said Jay. “I know it’s scary. Probably more so since you can’t even see but this is gonna help no-one, especially you. If Vertigo comes back, she’ll have you emptying your bowels for a week next time.” He tried to sound more friendly than he did patronising. “I’m Jay.”

“And I’m Verity,” piped the girl from the cell next to him.

The boy stared directly ahead stubbornly. Neither where sure if he was ignoring them or if he was attempting to stare them out but unable to locate the direction of their voices. He finally seemed to compose himself with a modicum of dignity, rubbing the vomit from his mouth, and he spoke. “Nigel.”

If another time, in another frame of mind, Jay would have mused over the fact that Nigel’s response was so curt. However, the dreary situation that they’d found themselves in left little room for comedy.

“It’s best just to sit back and follow the rules, Nigel. Don’t rock the boat. Eventually, hopefully, someone will come and get us.”

Nigel snarled. “Yeah. If they’re gonna kill me then they can just get it over with because when I get this stupid eye-thing off, I’m gonna hand them their asses on a plate.” He was by far the angriest inmate Jay had come across, normally they were more frightened. “I can do things.”

“We can all do things,” said Verity softly. “I’m really strong but in this place, I can’t even bend the bars. Whatever is happening here, they know how to contain us. I don’t think your powers will be of much use.”

“We can’t just sit around and wait for them to kill us,” he continued anxiously. “I won’t.”

“Look, my brother and sister are X-Men,” said Jay. “They’ll be coming for me.” He was attempting to offer solace but was aware that his words were a silent plea, an effort to convince himself. “We just have to wait and the X-Men will bust us out of here.”

“Yeah?” replied Nigel coarsely. “And how long have you been here, hot shot?” There was a silence. “That’s what I thought. Clearly the X-Men can’t find you. They aren’t coming. We’re in this alone and there’s only way out of this.”

Verity leaned forward. “What’s that?”

“We revolt.”

XAVIER INSTITUTE

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NEW YORK

“Ignore the noise, Kevin.”

The Georgian found his attention drawn away from the doorway and back to Sean Garrison, the psychiatrist contracted by the Xavier Institute to assess and assist students such as him. Garrison reminded him of the type of man who would professionally help people work through their problems on television, like Jerry Springer or Ricki Lake, but that didn’t mean that the teenager felt he was equipped to help him come to terms with what he’d done. He wasn’t just a mutant, he was a monster and everyone knew it. Upon his arrival at the Institute, Kevin had been met with sympathetic and cautious glances. Whispers had followed him in the hallways as the news of his history unveiled itself to the student body. He’d felt accepted with the Hellions, as they’d called themselves, but with every one of them that left the Institute, he had become more and more isolated.

Kevin knew that he was far from the first student at the Institute that had been through a traumatic time with the activation of his powers but very few could say that they had watched as their father disintegrated before their eyes under their touch. His molecular degeneration was a curse, there was no safe usage of his power and he had come to terms with that. He’d even exiled himself, transformed himself into the pariah he believed himself to be. Megan had tried to reach out with him, she’d been friendly, but everyone started off as friendly until they learned the cold hard truth of his sordid past. Kevin shrugged, ignoring the general questions Garrison continued to throw at him.

He couldn’t help but focus on the distraction, the roaring from the foyer.

“Maybe we should check it out?” said Kevin as he pressed his right hand onto the armrest and hoisted himself onto his feet.

Garrison glared. “Sit.”

Uncontrollably, Kevin obeyed the command. His attention quickly refocused on the blond psychiatrist ahead of him. He was less friendly, his face taut and uncomforting, and his eyes were glowing an almost golden shade. Kevin wanted to speak but the words wouldn’t come out. As soon as his levels of fear started to rise, he found them decreasing with a tilt of the psychiatrist’s head. He was far from dumb and he quickly realised that he was dealing with a man who shared the same powers of Laurie, the girl he’d spent the last year crushing on. However, whereas he felt safe around her even when she momentarily lost control, Kevin didn’t feel safe under the manipulations of the man who had been helping him.

Garrison stood, walked around his desk and leaned in front of it. “Kevin, we’ve been working together for a long time and I’m sure you’ve received some benefit from it. However, that’s not why I came here. I came here to confirm what I’d learned several months ago. My daughter was a student here and when I found her, I knew.” He smirked. “My dearest Laurie has been kept from me for so long. First by her bitch of a mother and then by the X-Men.” Sean rubbed his hand across his mouth. “Now, I’m going to take my daughter but first, I need a distraction.”

A crash echoed.

“Your little friend out there is serving up the starter but I need something bigger, something much more horrific that will have all eyes focused off the other students and on you.”

Kevin clenched his gloved hands around the edges of the armrest as he felt Garrison burring into his mind, seizing control. Tears began to stream down the dark-haired youth’s cheeks as he fought back against him, and lost.

“Now, Kevin,” smiled Garrison. “It’s time to kill.”

Before he could stop himself, Kevin was standing and his black gloves landed on the floor. He walked out of the door and into the hallway as he screamed frantically in his mind. His steps were slow and heavy as he fought back against the manipulator’s control but Garrison was too well versed in controlling people, his years of experience were overwhelming. It was then that Kevin saw her: Irina Clayton. Her mutation was simple, three extra mouths around her neck that formed a chorus and earned her the name Choir. She was a beautiful singer, he’d heard her on the lawn. It sounded like angels. He’d known her for two years. They’d shared biology together. He found himself approaching her as she walked his direction, moving away from the carnage of the foyer, moving to safety.

Irina cocked her head as she approached, her words echoed in triplicate. “Kevin, are you okay?”

Out of control, Kevin grabbed her by the wrists. She screamed, it was shrill and echoing and it bore straight into his soul as the tears continued to rush down his now scarlet cheeks. Her face became sunken and her eyes shrunk until there was nothing left of them. Her short, boyish brown hair fell freely to the ground in clumps. Kevin could feel it, every moment of it. Every organ in her body failed as her scream faded to a choking noise and was silenced. As his grip of her released, Irina’s body slumped to the floor and burst into dust. He couldn’t stop screaming internally. He needed someone, anyone, to come and knock him out, to kill him before he could harm anyone else but Santo’s outburst, also Garrison controlled, was distracting them all.

Kevin found himself coming towards the staircase. Sam and Paige Guthrie were descending it rapidly and he wished they’d seen him, noticed what had just happened so they could subdue him but they didn’t. He moved towards the bannister and his eyes settled on the rounded face of Sophia Frost, the supposed-daughter of the White Queen and the student known as Fusion because of the personalities that acted independently within her mind. She turned towards him, her lips curled in disgust that he should be near her. His current broken state gained no sympathy. She wasn’t like Irina, she wasn’t a nice person, but she was one year shy of graduating and moving on with her life. It could be a full life. Or, at least, it could’ve been if his exposed flesh hadn’t wrapped around her neck. Sophia didn’t have time to scream, her throat was the first thing to degenerate under his touch.

As her body rotted in his hands, the other students had finally noticed him. Some beneath him screamed, those that knew him called his name, but it was far too late. Much like Irina, Sophia was dead the moment he’d laid his hands on her. Garrison’s distant command echoed in his head and he obeyed. Lifting Sophia’s rigid frame off the ground, she was light as a feather now, Kevin threw her body over the balcony where it exploded, covering several students in her ashes.

He’d gained the attention of Sam and Paige but, as Kevin descended the staircase, Garrison was far from done with him.

Next in New X-Men: Wither has already murdered two students under Garrison’s control but can Husk and Cannonball stop him from harming more? Garrison contacts Wallflower as a riot breaks loose at the Institute! Elsewhere, it’s a revolt in Southeast Asia!