In Fear of Three Little Words

Chapter 16


“You know, Professor Xavier, I am completely sympathetic to your cause,” Senator Mitchell said. She stood at her office window and gazed out over Washington D.C. She turned to him and Charles saw determination in this woman’s eyes, but also concern and anxiety. “My daughter may someday need your help and I will do whatever I can to make certain she has a bright future ahead of her. This rampant irrational fear egged on by right wing conservatives is far more frightening than anything I’ve seen from a mutant. Either our Constitution stands for everyone or it stands for no one.”

“Your words give me hope, Senator,” Charles replied. “But no one seems to believe in this facility that my people know to exist. I’ve seen what Doctor Bolivar Trask has in mind for the future of mutants and it’s anything but bright. Imprisonment, slavery perhaps or simply destruction. I’m not certain he cares about the ultimate solution to what he perceives is the mutant menace. He kidnapped two of my associates, an instructor and a student. His staff put them through some horrendous experiments which constitute little more than medieval torture as far as I’m concerned.”

“Professor,” she said, trying to remain formal though they had talked many times before. “I’ve had inquiries made ever since your request to file a formal protest arose and was brought to my attention. All I’ve gotten are blank stares from everyone I’ve asked. And I’ve been asking all the way to the top. No one has any knowledge of anything.”

Charles felt as though he was treading through molasses, the red tape bureaucracy feeding these clandestine ventures, a shadow government as Logan so astutely put it, making them easy to create and difficult to prove their existence. “Well, I suggest you start with the Homeland Security allocations. I have it on good authority that this facility is run with funds from that department.”

The senator looked shaken. “How can that be? The legislature would never authorize money for experimentation or as you call it, torture of mutants, no matter how much a perceived threat mutants may be.”

“I’m told it’s being laundered before it reaches Trask. And how closely are the budgets monitored once the money has been allocated? Not closely enough, I’ll assure you, Senator.”

The senator abruptly sat. She looked tired and older than her forty years.

“Charles, I need proof,” she said. “I need something to get an inquiry started.”

“I understand, Mary. I can give you the location though I’m certain Trask has people in the government who’ll cover up this facility’s true purpose. But I do have one piece of evidence that can brook no argument.”

Charles pulled out a disc from his coat pocket. “Have you a DVD player?”

The senator frowned but rose, walked to a wall cabinet and opened the door to reveal a monitor and player. Rolling over to her, Charles handed her the disc.

Her hand rested on his for a moment. “I’m not going to like this, am I?”

“I’m afraid not and I wish there was some other way to prove to you the validity of my words.”

“Oh, my brain believes you, but my heart keeps screaming in denial.”

Charles nodded and patted her hand. The senator readied the player then sat. With a deep breath, she pressed the play button.

Charles fought the urge to look away, determined to watch the few select scenes he and Logan and Kurt had agreed upon. He remembered how hard the decision to allow this footage out of their hands had been on Kurt in particular. Charles owed it to both Kurt and Logan to watch the tortures they had endured and embed them in his mind so as to never forget or give up the fight.

He flicked a glance over to the senator. Her face had drained of color and her hand was pressed to her mouth. He heard her gasp, saw her flinch, but she also watched with determination on her face.

None of the rape nor what came after was on this edited disc. Charles hadn’t watched nor had he wanted to. And no one else would if he could find a way to prevent it.

But the most damning part was Trask himself, so sure of himself in all his self-righteousness. He slid a gaze over to Senator Mitchell and watched her eyes narrow and her hands clench into fists as Trask recited his speech and made his threats.

Finally, it was over and the senator pushed the off button with a click of finality. They sat in silence for a few long moments and Charles waited for Senator Mary Mitchell, mother to a mutant daughter, to process the horrors she’d just witnessed and the threats made by a madman with too much power in his dangerous hands.

“There’s more to this than you’ve shown me, isn’t there, Charles?”

“Yes and much worse. For the sake of those involved I can not and will not allow anyone to see the rest.”

“Trask is insane,” she stated.

“But he’s quite aware of what he is doing and has the backing of people in this government. We need to expose this facility for what it is and not allow a cover up to happen.”

She nodded. “I agree. I’ll find a way to get that inquiry started, Charles. I’ll not let the likes of that man dictate the world my daughter is growing up into. She’s going to have a chance in this world and so will all the other mutants, born and yet to be born to live a life free from harassment and free from fear.”

“Thank you, Senator. Your words will ease the minds of my students and my staff.”