DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, Issue #1

[Keia]

". . . we need to work together to keep things from coming out. I'm sorry if I got you all spun up and I'm wrong about one or both of you, but I got this instinct and it's telling me I'm right." Kyle sighs and pauses to eat a bit more to let the others talk.

"Well, I guess instincts can be wrong, too," Lorenzo said. "I don't know about Jennifer . . . unless you're a mutant if you're an absolute sweetheart, then Jennifer is one . . . but I'm no mutant. My eyes don't glow and I'm pretty sure that everything is in the right place and should be there. Have you ever tested your 'sense' before. I mean, if there's never been a mutant in Smalltown then how do you know if you detect one. If you detect one and they admit it, well, then I suppose that's something. But I'm guessing that's not the case at all."

 

[Kangaxx]

Corey Vinyard

"uum...you alright corey? You're kinda on the stressed side, huh? I could tell the way you were sneaking around and sorta jumpy and stuff...none of my business just don't want you wiggin' out in my car. I'm not even supposed to be driving."

Huh? Oh, I'm fine.

Now Sammy's getting worried. That's the last thing I need. Just relax, don't think about it.

Corey opens his eyes, and he looks a little calmer than before.

I just didn't get enough sleep last night, and today's been, um, crappy. But I think it's getting better now.

"You care if we swing into a gas station before the mall....I gotta get some gas I on 'E' ?."

I don't really care where we go as long as I'm home by the time school gets out. My parents don't get home until later, but they might call.

 

[Radiant]

Jennifer Allen

"Relax Jenn, if I do get found out, I'm not telling anyone anything. I mean how many times have I given up anyone that has helped me? None, I don't dime out folks. Ever." Kyle looks over at the others, his usual depreciation and humor gone, a serious Kyle Graham in his place. "I don't rat folks out, but I don't think you get it. If coach knows something about all of us, then maybe he has files or something on us. At the very least, someone else might find out. What I am trying to say is, I.. WE need to work together to keep things from coming out. I'm sorry if I got you all spun up and I'm wrong about one or both of you, but I got this instinct and it's telling me I'm right." Kyle sighs and pauses to eat a bit more to let the others talk.

Her expression is calm again, but then it allways is. A more telling sign that she is startig to relax is the glass she picked up again and this time it isn't shaking anymore. She doesn't sound angry anymore either.

"For someone not about to tell anyone anything you did just drop a huge bomb here. Sorry if that doesn't make me feel confident in the faith that you won't do it again. But beside that it could have happened in a worse place so what. But did you listen to us at all? We are NOT! mutants. You should listen to yourself. So you find out your are a mutant, that happens. But then two of your friends suddenly turn up to be ones too and your dad is a forgotten mutant from the heroic age? Come on I wouldn't buy that if I wanted to make a cheap movie.
And now that conspiracy theory about the coach. You claim he did send a who are mutants away or something as I get it? Well, half the school would have to be mutants in that case, did you see the crowd in the parking lot?
And last but not least, I do not know about Lorenzo but I saw the coach in the gym today and he did not tell me to bail or anything. I just went because I felt it was a waste of time to let that scan go over me.
So I see three options here. One the coach doesn't like me and wanted me to be the only mutant they'd catch."

She just smiles and rolls her eyes to show how likey she thinks that could be true.

"Two, the coch did sent mutant he knew about, however he managed to get that knowledge, away. But Lorenzo and me wheren't among them.
Now I don't want to discuss on how likely I think it is that coach shelton has stored away information about all mutants in the city somethere in his bat cave but I think we can all agree it sounds a bit strange.
Three, the coach has no idea what is going on and just sent you on your way 'cause he knew you could get yourself into trouble then trying a prank on the feds. Or maybe he even knew you are a mutant. I could imagine him knowing about one."

She leans back in the coch, lying the back of her head flat and stares at the ceiling.

"However you take it, none of the versions I mentioned supports the idea we are mutants in any way. Don't worry Kyle, you know we won't report you but please do get down to earth, if we want to solve this problem we can't use comic book daydreams."

On the birght side she is sure that Kyle is just making this up, maybe it calms him. Lorenzo has nothing to loose by these ridiculous idea but there is the little fact that she happens to be mutant and she can't have his constant claims forcing her into a test or something similar.

 

[Keia]

Lorenzo Reynolds HP 2/2

". . . And last but not least, I do not know about Lorenzo but I saw the coach in the gym today and he did not tell me to bail or anything. I just went because I felt it was a waste of time to let that scan go over me . . . However you take it, none of the versions I mentioned supports the idea we are mutants in any way. Don't worry Kyle, you know we won't report you but please do get down to earth, if we want to solve this problem we can't use comic book daydreams."

“Uh, Jennifer, since we’re all being honest an’ all,” Lorenzo said after she was finished, “the coach pretty much told me, Eleyna and Gabe to cut today and not to get noticed. It seemed like he really upset about something, I thought it was because he couldn’t use the gym because of that monster piece of machinery in there – especially after what happened to the football team this past weekend. Or, it was because he knew I was gonna cut anyway and didn’t want the feds to pick me up. I would who else he told to cut or get out of there.”

Lorenzo will try and remember the last time he was actually at the school for a gen-scan.

 

[Unicron818]

Sammy Donaldson

I don't really care where we go as long as I'm home by the time school gets out. My parents don't get home until later, but they might call.

"That's cool. I'll just swing in this station and fill up. We'll grab some grub at the mall and I'll drop you off...sound like a plan?"

Sammy pulls into a small BP station. Using his parents fuel card fills up with 'the good stuff.' Cleans the windsheild and hops back in his car.

"All right all right....sun is shining, music is loud, a full tank of free gas courtesy of The Donaldson's, and NO SCHOOL.....what a damn great day, huh?!!! Nothing can ruin such a great day!"

Sammy happy to be 'living the dream'...pulls out of the gas station and heads for the mall...were the chicks are hot and the grub is stationed in the all proper designated eateries'!

 

[Nuke261]

Andrew Ward

As Andrew moved quickly through the school halls, back to Catherine's class he came to an abrupt halt as a line of students made their way towards him. As they walked past, several of them saying, 'Hi' as the got closer, Andrew realized this was Catherine's class. Her eyes lit up as she saw Andrew in the hall, the excitement at the unexpected visit obvious on her face. "Andrew! What are you doing? I thought you were going to b.s. with the Coach? You just missed me didn't you? Come on, you can go with us to the med-scan!" With that she eagerly grabbed onto his arm to pull him along with her class.

 

[KaintheSeeker]

“Uh, Jennifer, since we’re all being honest an’ all,” Lorenzo said after she was finished, “the coach pretty much told me, Eleyna and Gabe to cut today and not to get noticed. It seemed like he really upset about something, I thought it was because he couldn’t use the gym because of that monster piece of machinery in there – especially after what happened to the football team this past weekend. Or, it was because he knew I was gonna cut anyway and didn’t want the feds to pick me up. I would who else he told to cut or get out of there.”

Lorenzo will try and remember the last time he was actually at the school for a gen-scan.

"Okay, I was out of town visiting my Aunt's family during the last one." Kyle says quietly as he looks out the window and tries to 'feel' the presence of any passer bys. "And what about you guys?"

Gabe and Eleyna, that explains why she's been ready to melt down over the last few months, and why Gabe looked like someone killed his dog. Could he be a mutant to? Kyle mulls over that concept as he paces the room, looking around a bit nervously

"Okay, Coach had some reason to get us all off campus. I don't suppose you got a computer I can use? Seems that I might want to take a look at his network files a bit closer than just the video section. Might want to do that before he realizes that his password was too easy to quess."

 

[kid A]

Eleyna Robertson

"I'm not saying that I blame you for saying it, or anything, by the way. I..I really appreciate the way...the way you're helping me. I don't know how many other people would have."

Gabe looked right at Eleyna for a moment.

"You're something special, Eleyna."

Gabe seemed a bit taken aback at his last statement, but the only thing Eleyna could think about it was how sweet the sentiment was. He was a good guy, she knew that, and he was going through so much right now. The last thing she wanted him to worry about was how this was affecting her. Chances were, the more stressed he became, the better for his powers to go off if he couldn't control them. Failing to see the obvious connection to her own problems, Eleyna attempted to keep him as calm as possible.

She coudn't help but smile as she spoke, "Gabe, listen, I don't care about the law. You're a good friend, a good person, and I'm not going to let you be carted off and treated like... like some kind of animal or something. The way they treat mutants - its horrible. This country is acting just like Hitler did in Nazi Germany, only no-one seems to be able to recognize this because they're all hiding behind the comfortable facade that mutant incarceration is about our protection..." Realizing that she had stumbled into a small speech, she felt embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Gabe, I didn't mean to go off on a tangent like that. I just... All I'm trying to say is, I'll help you as much as I can."

"Forever.."

Gabe pulled his arms up to hug himself tightly, still gazing out across the pond. The tears continued to fall.

Only the sound of the wind in the leaves and their faint footsteps could be heard in the park as she followed him quietly to the park. Listening to him talk... she couldn't believe what he was saying. They were feeling so much in common, especially over the last year, and she had never realized. She'd pushed him away more than anything. And now here he was, suffering like this... Eleyna was overwhelmed by the connection to him she was so suddenly feeling. Tears began to well up, and before she knew what was happening, she had walked up behind him and hugged him around the waist, whispering to him, "Gabe, I'm so sorry."

 

[Synchronicity]

Gabriel 'Gabe' Adams, HP 2/2

Only the sound of the wind in the leaves and their faint footsteps could be heard in the park as she followed him quietly to the park. Listening to him talk... she couldn't believe what he was saying. They were feeling so much in common, especially over the last year, and she had never realized. She'd pushed him away more than anything. And now here he was, suffering like this... Eleyna was overwhelmed by the connection to him she was so suddenly feeling. Tears began to well up, and before she knew what was happening, she had walked up behind him and hugged him around the waist, whispering to him, "Gabe, I'm so sorry."

Gabe stiffened for a moment as Eleyna hugged him, and caught his breath sharply at her words, but then relaxed. His left hand gripped the fabric of his shirt, while his right hand moved down to position itself atop one of Eleyna's hands. From her position, Eleyna could feel Gabe's heart hammering..but as the moment wore on, its speed slowed. For a long moment he merely stood there, saying nothing, crying silently. Then, Gabe spoke; in a cracked voice, thick with the aftermath of tears, but sounding a lot calmer than he had all day.

"Thank you. For..for all of this. I..."

Gabe gently moved Eleyna's hands and pivoted so that he was facing her. Although his face was red, and the tracks of tears clearly visible, his eyes looked softer, less wild than they had minutes ago.

"Thank you."

Gabe moved, hugging Eleyna tightly, trying to express his appreciation and gratitude for what she had done, yet alert for any flinching on her part that might arrest his action. He hugged her for a long moment before drawing back. Then he stood there for a moment, just looking at Eleyna. His face broke into a real smile, the kind of smile people who knew Gabe had come to expect: warm, sincere, and in this case, thankful. Slumping down on the grass, Gabe spoke quietly and hesitantly.

"Do you mind if we just sit for a while? I know I've got to make decisions, decide what all of this means...but right now, I just want to...be. To sit, enjoy the company of a friend, be a normal kid, and not think about..the other things. Does that make any sense?"

He looked up, squinting against the sun, seeking a reply from Eleyna.

'I was right. She *is* something special.'

 

[kid A]

Eleyna Robertson

"Do you mind if we just sit for a while? I know I've got to make decisions, decide what all of this means...but right now, I just want to...be. To sit, enjoy the company of a friend, be a normal kid, and not think about..the other things. Does that make any sense?"

He looked up, squinting against the sun, seeking a reply from Eleyna.

As he turned around, she realized what was happening, which then made her realize she didn't mind it at all. She found herself enjoying Gabe's embrace more than she thought she might, even comforted. All her problems felt further away than ever before and she was glad for it. His smile only reassured her comfort.

As he slipped away and sank to the ground, she nodded in reply. Slowly, Eleyna lowered herself to the ground beside him and sat with her legs crossed and her weight on her arms behind her. "Yeah, that sounds great." The smile on her face was radiant...