First Mutant

By David D. Amaya

Chapter 35

Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia. 1043 EST One week later.
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On a gloomy afternoon, eight members of the US Armed Forces stand alone. Two proud members each of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. Seven stand with riffles, one Marine armed with a bugle.

Six more serviceman lay a flag-draped casket at its final resting place. An order rings out from a two-star Admiral.

"FIRE!"

Seven shots ring out simultaneously.

"FIRE!"

Twice more shots ring out through this graveyard of the brave, defenders of the land of the free. An all familiar sound now rings clear in the ears of those attending.

Taps.

Six pallbearers lift the Stars and Stripes, and with solemn precision, fold the Colors into a perfect triangle. The last sailor presents it to his commander, a two-star admiral who in turn steps in front of the black clad mourner in the front and hands the flag to the mourner, then snaps a salute as the coffin lowers six feet.

"In an emotional ceremony here at Arlington," the reporter begins an a somber tone. "The nation morns a hero.

"Senator Gerald Walter Crain, a veteran of World War II and a Pearl Harbor survivor, is laid to rest a week after suffering a massive stroke in his home in Maryland…."

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Sidwell Friends School, Wisconsin Ave, Lunch hour
Upper North West, DC
FIVE MONTHS LATER.
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"Hey Charlie, why don't we eat outside, one last time."

"Hell, why not," Special Agent Charlie Block replied, "The snow ain't that bad today. Lead on, son. Kilowatt to dine al fresco," he speaks into his hand.

Cyrus Parkman takes the lead. They exit the lunch hall to find the same table that he was sitting on when he was abducted all those months ago.

Today will be his last day at Sidwell Friends School. Tomorrow when the rest of the Sidwell students begin their semester break, he will be enrolled in the Xavier Academy for Gifted Youngsters in Snow Valley, Massachusetts.

After several discussions with him, Professor Xavier and his mom and dad, they finally said yes to enroll him in the Academy to control his mutant abilities, but only after several meetings between the President, the First Lady, Nick Fury of SHIELD and The Director of the Secret Service. And subsequent secret meetings with Col. Fury, the Director and the X-Men that Cyrus, nor his parents, were aware of, and the compromise they all reached to allow Cyrus to go to a new school.

"Heck, Charlie, I miss this place already," he said as he threw the bruised apple into a trashcan. "But my aim is improving daily!"

Everyone knew that he would be leaving, but no one was told where Cyrus was going to school next semester. Officially, Cyrus will be going to a private military academy whose mailing address is a SHIELD Signal Brigade Office in Oklahoma City.

"Are you all packed, Cyrus?"

"Yep, everything's gone from my room, but the tacky wallpaper," he replied, taking large bites of his taco. "This time tomorrow, I start to learn to throw cards like Gambit."

Out of the cold, a Redskins parka clad boy approached their table with six of his lackeys in tow.

"So finally your outta here, huh faker?" Laurence Flemming sneered at Cyrus. "You and your dad sets up some phony kidnapping to get some sob points, but he can't bribe me. I KNOW THE TRUTH, First Faker!"

"Flemming, what you don't know can fill a book."

"Oh, yea? Don't forget I have proof! I have THESE!"

He held up a zip-loc bag with pictures of Cyrus being led away in handcuffs the day he was almost killed. Though the White House dismisses the claims Flemming's family made to the National Enquirer as laughable (thanks in large part to an Executive Order and a large cash payoff to keep the mall guards involved silent), they realized Laurence Flemming's attempt to discredit Cyrus Parkman almost led to his death that day.

It had made Cyrus burn inside to know that those pictures almost got him killed. He still has nightmares about running into those guns on 14th Street. If it wasn't for Jubilee's experience and quick thinking, they would have never got out of that alive.

"Come on, Faker. You want these? Come and get 'em!"

Every time he taunts him, he fights the urge to leave Flemming some kinetically charged hate mail in his locker, but Charlie, his principal agent since returning to Sidwell, always gave him that look that said, "NO WAY!"

This afternoon though, the look was different.

"What are they gonna to do, expel you? You have two minutes until I look in that direction again. Use 'em wisely, son."

Cyrus got up and stood toe-to-toe with him.

"What you gonna do? Kiss me, fag?"

Cyrus slugged him square in the nose, dropping him to the light snow a bloody mess, causing him to drop the bag of pictures.

"That's for Jubilee, asshole!" Flemming's six-pack of lackeys looked dumbstruck as the President's son retrieved the photos from where he dropped them, and walked off throwing them into a trashcan, which then began to, unexpectedly, burn.

"And that's for Lariat!"

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Xavier Academy for Gifted Youngsters, Snow Valley, Mass 2:15PM EST THE NEXT DAY
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Pulling inside the front gates of the academy grounds, the view was even grander that Sean Cassidy had described, in Cyrus' opinion.

Four hours ago, he landed at Boston's Logan Airport aboard Air Force One under heavy security with his dad. The President is in town to deliver a 'last minute' speech at Harvard University tonight.

As with any trip made by the Chief Executive, a C-5B Galaxy transport plane accompanies Air Force One, hauling the Executive armored limousine, and several staff cars. So many in fact that no one noticed when one of the armored Suburbans slipped on Interstate 90 headed for the Berkshire Mountain Range, while the President and his entourage headed north to Cambridge.

Special Agent Block drove and the Director rode up front, leaving Cyrus to nap in the back seat during the three hour ride to his new school, waking in time for their arrival.

Sean was waiting for them as they pulled to a stop.

"Welcome to the Massachusetts Academy, Lad!" he said as Cyrus gave him a big hug, then he shook hands with Charlie and the Director. "Your things arrived yesterday, and the boxes are in your room waitin' for ye to unpack. You'll get a grand tour of the grounds when the other new student's arrive, but first let's head inside so we can discuss the security arrangements we have in place for ye."

Oh, crap! He thought, the expression of joy rinsed from his face and going sour as they enter the foyer. Don't tell me this place is crawling with James Bond-Wannabes!

"We have has several meetings with Professor Xavier, as well as SHIELD's upper brass, Cyrus," The Director explained. "After we almost lose a member of the First Family, we don't just let them out of our sights so damn easily."

"Eye, lad," Sean chimed in. "If it were me, I'd never let you out me sight after what we went through in Washington."

Why do I have the feeling things was better at Sidwell?

"So you see, Cyrus, " A blonde woman, who introduced herself as Headmistress Emma Frost joined in. "We made several major concessions to allow you to enroll here."

"Ya see, son," Charlie entered the discussion. "The President knows this school will help you learn to control your mutant abilities, and is kept under wraps. But only the Director and Nick Fury know that the X-Men run it. If your pa found out, you'd be doing hard time in detention for sucker punching that jerk yesterday."

"So after hours of negotiations with Charles Xavier," the Director continued. "We ironed out a protective detail for you.

"Let me introduce you to your Secret Service detail."

Cyrus swiveled around in the large leather armchair he was sitting in to come face to face with…

"Lariat!?"

Entering Emma Frost's office was Special Agent Kordel Nichols. Despite almost losing his life the last time he saw him, he looked in absolute perfect health. Clenched in his fist was something familiar to the President's son, who bounded out of the chair to embrace him.

"I guess I have something that belongs to you," was his first words to Cyrus in almost six months, he handing Cyrus the lucky Mariners jacket that he snuck out of the White House to give him that night.

Proudly putting it on over his flannel shirt he wiped tears with its' sleeve, then noticed that no one else entered the office behind him.

"Where are the rest of the MIBs?"

"Your looking at him," the Director answered. "With the relatively small class size, and a few assurances from SHIELD, we thought it best to have only Agent Nichols stationed here. But he will not just be your bodyguard. He will also assist the Academy as an instructor, teaching economics and creative writing as well."

"Now this gives ye more flexibility while you are here, and the occasions we take the students to the Institute in New York," Sean added. "But what we are asking ye is if you are mature enough to handle being responsible and not to abuse that freedom. What do you say, Cyrus?"

Responsible!? He thought, trying not to burst out in laughter. If HALF of what Jubilee remembers about this place is true!

"All right," was his verbal reply. "I believe I am responsible and mature enough."

"Very well then, Cyrus, Agent Nichols. Welcome to the Massachusetts Academy.

"Now if you will follow me we'll introduce you to the rest of the students shortly."

The End

© David D. Amaya 2007

Thanks to you for reading First Mutant.

I hope you will enjoy the companion story "Opening Night" (My first Fan Fiction story written in the late '90s) which is now posted here, to be followed by the Generation X sequel arc to these stories "The Big Mutant On Campus" Series, which will be posted beginning mid-November 2009!