Chapter 2
Gambit dawdled his way around Times Square, unsure of what to do next. He didn't have Wolverine's keen sense of smell, but the exhaust from the numerous cars zooming around irritated his nose. He stood on a street corner, watching the advertisements flash by the huge screen mounted on a skyscraper. People about him were rushing about, eager to return home after a hard day's work. Others were making their way for dinner appointments, or just to grab a drink while bitching over the office politics. He always felt out of place in the Big Apple, and sometimes he even wished that he'd never left New Orleans.
But then he would've never met Rogue.
He couldn't help but smile at the thought of the southern belle, with that smile of hers that had charmed him from the moment he first saw her. He himself was known far and wide as a charmer, almost bordering on a Casanova, but it seemed that he had finally met his match. And she did it without meaning to as well. He ached to hold her, touch her bare skin, but previous attempts knocked him out. There was the' little problem of her mutation that stood as an unbreakable barrier between them. Rogue made no secret of the fact that she hated the 'gift' that nature had give her, and was always on the look out for new research or projects that would cure her. The last time she did that, she almost became one of Apocalypse's minions, a slave to the monstrosity that almost took over mankind. The X Men still talked about the catastrophe and its effects, which were still evident even though it took place more than a few years ago. He willed his mind to think of happier thoughts, like how she was doing in Kentucky. It was only then that Gambit remembered why he was standing in Times Square in the first place.
He sighed and started walking. He had no idea where to start. Cerebro may have been the most advanced computer of its kind, but it still couldn't give the addresses of the mutants it detected. All the Professor could see with his mind was the big screen in Times Square. Of which it had many.
His curiosity was suddenly picqued by the group of people gathered around a street corner, all of them seemingly waiting for something. He made his way and squeezed his way through, ignoring the looks that were shot towards his direction. A preppy looking young man stood next to him.
"Hey there, you new here?"
"You could say that." His accent gave his words an air of sensuality that clashed with the 'New Yoiker's' jarring speech.
"May Gambit ask what's gon' on here?"
"We're just waiting for Alex to appear. He's a street performer that comes here in the evenings."
"What he do?"
"No tricks up this one's sleeves, but he has a voice that rivals any singer of today. Possibly the best voice I've ever heard. Here he comes." His hand pointed out the man strolling down the pavement. Even though the night air was nippy, he only wore a plain white tank top that exposed the various tattoos on his arms, ones that could be seen even at this distance. The fingers of his right hand held onto a leather jacket that was slung over his shoulder, the left holding onto a portable stereo. The baggy pants slung low on his hips did little to cover up the fact that this man was pure leanness and sinew, skinny yet muscled. The light played on the various piercings adorning his ears, and the stud just below his bottom lip. The wry, twisted smirk on his face was framed by a carefully cultivated goatee, in an effort to harden his somewhat youthful features. He wore a pair of sunglasses even though it was twilight, finishing up his ensemble. He sure looked well off for a street performer.
The murmers of the crowds grew louder as he stepped up to them, and the people around cleared a space for him to place the stereo. The man turned round. "Sorry for being late ladies and gentlemen, got caught up somewhere else." He rubbed his hands in anticipation. "So...any requests for tonight? Or should I just go into my pre-planned repertoire?" His voice was raspy and low, and very seductive.
As the crowd jostled their way towards him to get him to sing their various requests, the red-eyed Cajun stood still and stayed silent, staring at the street performer.
He'd found Alexander McLean.
Storm and Beast sat in the car, watching a group of young men play basketball.
"Which one's Brian, Hank?"
"I believe he's the one that's slamdunking every chance he gets." Even as the words came out of his mouth, Brian caught the ball deftly, and leapt up to sink the ball into the net, hanging onto the rim as he did so. Considering he was only 5 foot 6, this was no mean feat. He threw up his hands in victory, a broad grin breaking out on his face. The blue eyes twinkled mischieviously as he high-fived his team.
Suddenly, one of his friends, whom he just high-fived, yelled in pain. A raw, shiny burn appeared on his palm and everyone rushed over to attend to the wound. The twinkle in Brian's eyes disappeared as fear took over. He stared at his hands as they emitted weak blue beams of energy and the two X Men recognized the look on his face. The look that asked a thousand questions, among them "Why me?". He slunk away from the group, hands stuffed into his pockets as he walked on the pavement.
"Beast, stay here, I'll talk to him." Storm went after Brian, trying to keep up with his footsteps.
"Hello Brian."
He looked up at her, the fear in his eyes temporarily clouded over by curiosity. "Yes miss? I don't think we're acquainted." His words drawled in a heavy southern accent, his voice soft and lilting.
"My name is Ororo, but people call me Storm." Brian took a closer look at the woman that spoke to him. She was dark-skinned and beautiful, but the long white tresses of hair were unusual. Probably some new fangled fad, he thought.
"What can I do for you Ororo?"
"Is there any place where we can talk privately?"
He thought for a while. How about my house? No one's there at the moment."
"That'll be fine, is it far?"
"Naw, 'bout ten minute's walk from here."
"Is your cousin Kevin there?"
He gave her a strange look. "Well he's tending the fields about three miles away from here, just turn left at Third Street."
"Excuse me for a moment." She pressed the commlink button on her wrist. "Rogue, Kevin's in the fields left of Third Street. Meet us back as soon as possible with his answer."
"You some kind of government agent or something? Honestly, I'm the most law-abiding citizen there is in Lexington!."
She gave him a smile. "Nothing of that sort Brian, relax." If she didn't know better, she would've thought that he were only a teenager. Brian had this aura around him, one full of youthfullness, enthusiasm and innocence. A good addition to the team.
"I saw what happened in your friend's driveway."
Brian fidgeted, pulling the covers of his bed straight. "It wasn't my fault. Since I was young, these...these things shot out of my hand. You have no idea how many punishments in elementary school I've had for unintentionally hurting those around me. I'm surprised I still have friends." He sighed. "At least nothing happened at bible college, that's where I met my current ones. Now, I'm not sure whether I have any more." His mood was now serious, the childish enthusiasm gone. Even his voice seemed more mature now, and he looked older than his twenty-four years.
"There is someone who can help you." He looked up at her words. For a brief moment, hope flashed across his eyes, then it was gone.
"I doubt it."
"You've heard of genetics right?" He nodded. "For the past decade or so, a number of people just like you, started developing strange powers. It all eventually boiled down to genetics. If you want the exact details, you'll have to ask my team mate, Beast. But what I am sure of is that we are the next step in the evolutionary ladder."
"Mutations you mean." He said flatly. "Outcasts of society."
"There is a man, Professor Charles Xavier, who has done extensive research on this. He wants humans and mutants to co-exist peacefully, he also trains people like you who do not know how to control their powers properly, and eventually they can rejoin society."
"And how would he know?"
"He's a mutant himself Brian, a telepath to be exact."
He stayed silent at the answer.
"There are also other mutants that feel that we are the more superior species, and want to enslave mankind. Professor Xavier formed a team called the X Men, of which I am part of, to counteract against them and prevent them from achieving your goal. When you are ready, you will join the X Men. You have already been identified as a potential recruit."
"What if I don't want to?" His head shot up, his voice menacing.
"Come with me to New York, if not for glory's sake, then at least stay there long enough for you to control your powers effectively."
"But my family..."
"They know of your ability right?"
He didn't answer for some time. "I don't know what they think anymore. I'm lucky I still live with them."
"I'll explain it to them. Please Brian, you have no idea how serious this is. Everyday there are mutants that plot and use their powers against mankind, we may be seeing the destruction of the world as we know it. Please."
Silence settled for a few minutes, during which Brian stood at his window and looked out.
"Why did you ask me about Kevin just now?"
"He's also a mutant."
More silence. "If he goes, I go."