In Fear of Three Little Words

Chapter 9


“Professor, don’t you think we have a right to know what happened to Logan and Kurt?” Jean asked.

Sunlight streamed in the office window, but Professor Xavier didn’t look very light of heart nor did he look like he had slept well. The ordeal two of his team members had endured obviously weighed heavily on his mind. Jean felt uncomfortable pushing the Professor, but Scott and the others wanted to know what they were up against. They wanted answers to their questions and Jean wondered if the Professor had the right to answer those questions.

“I mean this could have happened to any one of us and still could,” Jean continued. “How can we prepare ourselves or help Kurt and Logan if we don’t understand what this man Trask is capable of doing.”

“And since when are we keeping secrets?” Scott added. “We’ve been through this before and keeping us in the dark has caused trouble. We’re not kids anymore, Professor. We’re capable of understanding bad things happening. We’ve certainly seen our share of bad stuff.”

The Professor rubbed his temple and sighed. “Sit down, both of you, please.”

Jean sensed the Professor formulating an answer, yet Jean knew there would be more than the Professor was willing to tell them. She had sensed Kurt’s shame and Logan’s self-loathing, yet she didn’t know what those thoughts meant.

“There are no secrets here, Scott,” Professor Xavier said. “But now is not the time to press Kurt or Logan for details of their ordeal. I’ll give you the basic facts and that will have to suffice.” He gave them a serious gaze and they nodded, accepting his terms. “Logan and Kurt were captured by Trask’s people in a violent manner. They were beaten and tortured. Tests were performed on them and experiments. They were given no food or water and suffered pain and humiliation for four very long days and nights. The details are not up for discussion and as team leaders I expect that you will keep the discussions to a minimum and discourage speculation among all in this household. Kurt and Logan need some space and rest. Though Logan is already chomping at the bit this morning.”

“What are we going to do about this guy? He’s crossed the line,” Scott said.

“Yes, more than crossed,” the Professor murmured. “There is no plan yet in place. Logan has his contacts. He intends to “explore” that angle annd ond out what he can about this fortress. Storm, also will be doing some reconnaissance. We need information before we start strategizing. I also will be contacting certain authorities to file a formal protest.”

Scott rose and paced to the window then returned with the question that haunted all the X-men. “But how did Trask contain Kurt? How did they keep him from teleporting.”

The Professor rolled to a desk and picked up tetaletal rings, broken, no, sliced apart and returned with them, handing them over to Jean.

“These collars contained ’s a’s and Logan’s powers. They caused excruciating pain and effectively cut off their ability to function.”

A mental picture filled Jean’s mind of searing agony slicing through Kurt’s body and knew he must be having a nightmare.

‘Wake up, Kurt. It’s a dream. Wake up and be free of it.’

Kurt’s mind responded sluggishly, but instantly Jean sensed mental walls going up, trying to block her access to his thoughts.

‘I’m sorry. I just sensed you were having a nightmare. I won’t invade again.’

“We can’t let this technology become widespread then,” Scott said, bringing Jean back. “Or we’ll all be wearing metal collars courtesy of Bolivar Trask.”

“Precisely,” the Professor concurred. “Hank will be examining the collars more carefully to see if he can find how they work. If he can, then we can find a way to counter their effects.”

“What can we do?” Scott asked. “Get inside that place and shut it down?”

“No, not without more information. It’s too dangerous. We have to first see if we can get it shut down in a non-confrontational manner.”

“After Apocalypse, good luck getting the government to listen to mutants, Professor. They think all mutants want to take over the world.”

“I understand your skepticism, but first we must try or we are no better.”

Scott’s skepticism worried Jean and she knew his mind had not fully accepted the sketchy details of Logan’s and Kurt’s captivity.

“I still think we deserve to know more details about this place and what Trask intends to do to any mutant he happens to get his hands on.”

“Scott, let’s give the Professor some peace,” Jean injected.

“But,” Scott began.

“Please, Scott,” Jean said. “We’re adult enough to know that some things don’t need to be said. At least, not now.”

The Professor offered her a weary look of relief. “Thank you, Jean.”

“We’ll try to keep things as normal as possible,” Jean continued. “Let us know how we can help when the time comes.”

“And the time will come.” The Professor’s tone held an ominous ring. “Let me assure you.”

Jean took Scott’s hand and lead him from the room. He started to say something, but she hushed him with a thought and lead him to an empty sitting room.

“Jean,” Scott began as soon as she’d closed the door behind them. “He’s keeping secrets from us. We’re team leaders, we should know the details. It’s very simple. Either he trusts us or not----”

“No, it is not that simple.” Jcut cut Scott off. “This isn’t about us, Scott. This is about Kurt and Logan and something terrible that was done to them. We have to trust the Professor that there are reasons for those details to remain concealed. I sensed something personal...intimate. I...can’t I...no! I don’t want that knowledge. Not by prying and stealing it from their minds. If Kurt ogan gan want to reveal to us what happened then fine, but we do not have a right.”

“Intimate?” Scott murmured.

“Yes,” Jean almost whispered. “There’s a battle going on inside of each of them. Something....that draws them towards each other yet shoves them apart. Something....”

Sexual. But she couldn’t say it. Not to Scott.

“Ks ins inner turmoil is almost physical. And Logan....I can’t even describe the battle going on inside of him.”

“But how is this going to weigh on the team?” Scott asked. “They’re both intricate parts of the whole. I don’t want to do battle without them.”

“And hopefully we won’t have to. Let’s just wait and see and give them some time.”

Scott reached out and rubbed Jean’s arm. “You’re such a good person, Jean. And you’ve got a good head on your shoulders. We’ll trust the Professor and we’ll do as he asks.”

Jean smiled, but her mind turned to troubling thoughts and uneasy feelings that this ordeal was far from over and all of them would be a part of it before it was over.