Nobodies Fool

Chapter 4

The Meeting with Xavier

“I really don’t see why I’m necessary, Mr. Pryde.” The lawyer says acting his official part. “We’ve been colleges forever, and I respect your opinion. I have heard your daughter’s story and feel that she is in no way liable for anything. Should there be a criminal hearing for the fact that she did shoot one man then I will be her attorney, but other than that she should need no legal council.”

“Thanks, Blake. I owe you this time.” Mr. Pryde says slapping the younger man on the back. “I just can’t be too careful with my own daughter, you know? I don’t want to see her get hurt or anything like I’ve seen before.”

“I understand entirely. Now the issue here is why were those men in the house to begin with? Kitty said that she heard them talking about watching them, I’d be worried that they could have accomplices. It’s not uncommon for men such as these to act in larger groups.”

“Thanks for your concern, and thanks for the tip.” Mr. Pryde says as the younger man walks down the hallway and out the double doors. After a few quick breaths Mr. Pryde walks back into Kate’s hospital room. “Well, Kit-Kat, you should be fine.” He says smiling.

“When did I even get that nickname?”

“Oh, back when you were little.” Mrs. Pryde says running a hand through Kitty’s hair.

“When will she wake up? It seems like an awfully long time to stay out of it.” Kitty says as her grip on Kate’s hands tightens. “I don’t want her to wake up and remember it, but I don’t want to be the only one who does? Is that so wrong of me?”

As I sat there, holding Kate’s hands, I realized that something was about to happen, and something big. Those two men knew I was a mutant. They knew and there was nothing I could do about it. I could testify in court and say that they were senile, or I could agree and be dismissed as a witness AND charged with assault. It was a loose-loose situation. How could a girl win? Luckily the next day my answers came to me.

“Are you, by any chance, Katherine Pryde?” A young woman with flaming red hair asks as she approaches.

“That depends on who is asking.” I reply attempting to play it cool. “If there is a check in that bag for a few million, then yes, if she’s in trouble than no.”

“Well, she is neither in trouble or a lottery winner, I’m sorry to say.” The girl replies with a slight smile. “I’m here to talk to her about a school that might interest her, a safe haven that she can escape to.”

“Well, if I were her, I would be listening.” Was my only response as I continue to stare at the sandwich choices on display in the hospital cafeteria. It was either egg salad or peanut butter.

“Well, there are a few things that I have to discuss with her.” The girl says again. “My name is Jean Grey, and you are Kitty Pryde, correct?”

“Yes, I am.” I reply still looking at the sandwiches. In frustration I just grab one of each and head to pay, the girl close behind. “I will be eating at that table in the corner over there, away from all of the other people, if you want to talk to me. I have a feeling that no one else needs to overhear.” I mumble to the preppy girl as she takes the hint and walks to sit at the table a few hundred feet away. After paying the outrageous price of five dollars for two sandwiches that I would only pick at I joined her, to find that she was no longer alone, but had been joined by an elderly man in a wheelchair.

“Well I see that you did decide to talk to us.” He says smiling. “My name is Professor Charles Xavier, and I’d like to say that I was sorry to hear about what happened to your friend.”

“So was I.” I reply dryly. He seemed friendly enough; I just really didn’t want to talk about it to anyone, especially not a stranger that I had only just met.

“As would anyone else in your situation, but not all is a bad thing. Jean and I came here today because during the attack we caught a trace of your abilities.”

“Who are you, and what are you talking to my daughter about?”

“Ah, Mr. Pryde. My name is Professor Charles Xavier and this is my student, Jean Grey, we’re here because-“

“Leave my daughter alone! I don’t care why you’re here, right now she needs her family and regardless of why you are here she isn’t talking to you. They warned us to watch out for accomplices, and I’m not sure that you two aren’t.” My dad was furious. He was so furious that he pulled me up by the arm and drug me out of the room, sandwiches forgotten. It wasn’t until later that I realized they had someone made it into my backpack that I had been carrying, along with a cell phone number to call if I wanted to talk to them. Weird, very weird.

“Ok, so how did my sandwiches, and this number get into my bag?” I ask softly into my cell phone while sitting on the sink of the bathroom. “Any why did you give me this card?”

“We thought that it would be a good idea, Kitty. Where can I meet with you that your parents can’t interrupt? Professor Xavier will talk to them, but I need to talk to you.” Jean reassures me, as if she can read my mind, but no one can do that, right?

“Um, my dad is at work now, so do you want to meet outside of the hospital, and we can talk a walk. My mom will let me, she has been telling me that I need to get out some. Kate is like a daughter to her.”

“That sounds good, I’ll be down there, take as long as you need. Patience is a virtue I have a lot of.” She tells me, and I’m sure she was smiling as the line goes dead.

“Mom, I need to take a walk, call my cell if she wakes up, ok?”

“Sure darling, take your time.” My mom smiles reassuringly at me. I’m being silly, right? My mom can’t see through me that easily, can she? I ask myself as I slowly walk out of the room and down the stairs to the back exit.

“How did you know that I would be coming out this door?” I ask the redhead as she just stands outside the door, waiting patiently like she told me she would be.

“Kitty, I have powers too. Watch this.” Jean says as she places her cup of coffee in her open right palm. She places her left hand at her side, and the cup levitates over hand and then comes toward me. Not knowing what else to do, I grabbed the cup gently looking for strings. “I know it’s hard to believe. I know that all of this is. But Kitty, you need the training that Xavier can give you. I have been where you are now, and I know what the indecision is like.” She says shaking her bright red hair, like a supermodel at a photo shoot. “Life is good for us, but it isn’t glamorous, and you will have people there who understand.”

“Can you convince my dad of that?” I ask her suddenly interested. Could this interest be a mind trick? I sure hoped that it wasn’t. “I don’t know if my parents will let me go, they have never been good at that.”

“Let us worry about that, and you can wait until after Kate wakes up. You don’t have to tell her anything. Just tell her that you are going somewhere where you don’t have to see this every time you turn, somewhere that you can relax without worrying about accomplices. It will work, and you aren’t lying. I can see that you worry.”

“Can you please get out of my head?” I request quietly.

“I’m sorry, I’m not as good as the professor. It’s hard for me to block out thoughts that people throw at me.” Jean replies smiling sheepishly.

Oh lord, over a year without an update, if anyone even reads this, I promise that I will update it. Vote in the poll in my profile! Review please!