Chapter 3: 8 Years Later

Francesca's POV:

I stepped off of the bus. At eighteen with shoulder length black hair, dark blue eyes and small frame I was ready to take on the world...or, maybe just not even a portion of it. Blinking, I pulled my travel on bag tighter around my shoulder and stopped at the black iron gates.

Sucking in a breath I concentrated by using the fire element to burn the lock on the gates. I put my hand down, and the lock melted, dropping to the solid ground. I smirked and pushed open the gates with the air element.

My senses detected movement throughout the whole place as I walked along the black top driveway towards the huge mansion. I snarled and used the elements, fire. To burn all the lasers that started shooting at me.

Earth to move the undected weapons underneath. Water to make electricity and fry the hardware and finally air to blow away the smoke so that nobody would detect that I was the one who had caused all this damage.

Gritting my teeth I concentrated and felt myself move. Floating I quickly floated up the drive, past the fountain and up the stairs. Sucking in a breath I stopped floating and dropped to the ground. I blinked and raised a fist to knock.

How would they react to my being here? Guess only one way to find out.

I pounded so hard against the glass doors that they shattered around me. I blinked and stepped through; making sure that none of the sharp glass edges would slice me.

I walked in, looking around. The place was nice, warm but not at all like the cold place I was expecting. My father's lab was cleaner, and none too friendly place to stay and pretty much well lived.

Chairs and plants in each corner of the room. Tall dark stairs leading up towards everything or so I would assume. I blinked and slowly had the air element lift me up and carry me up the stairs. I was well in control; I just couldn't stand living with my father.

He wasn't exactly the father type. He kept ranting about how he wants to find 'Weapon X', even thought it's been like 8 years, since we last saw him, after he changed into the Weapon program that my father invented.

Saber Tooth said he hadn't destroyed 'Weapon X', so basically I was on a mission. To convince 'Weapon X' to come back with me and finish his assignment or else that chip would tick him off like an atomic bomb just waiting to explode.

So, my assignment? Search here.

Looking around I noticed a lot of doors. I closed my eyes and sensed that everyone was still sleeping. I passed the rooms until I found the one door that was far away from everyone else's.

Smiling and silently melted the lock and the knob turned for me. I pushed the door open. It slowly creaked backwards. Smiling I walked silently along the wooden creak floorboards towards where 'Weapon X' lay peacefully.

I smiled again and watched his peaceful frame of body. Rock hard biceps as his arms lay on top of his dark green and black blankets. He was mumbling something in his sleep like, "Must stop..." something, but of course I wasn't paying any attention to that.

I reached out my hand. He had his eyes closed. How I wanted to see those eyes. But I mentally had to shake myself out of a daze and I used air element to gently caress his cheek in a fond sort of way.

His eyes suddenly snapped opened and he snarled. He looked around the room. I smiled again, good, he hadn't seen me then. I was invisible to him, so he was looking sort of confused. Probably thought he was going crazy.

"Weapon X." I whispered, he sat up and his claws came out. Snarling he jumped up, I stepped back giving him some room.

"Who's there?" He snarled again. Looking and circling the room. I smiled. Showing my teeth this time.

"Weapon X." I said again in a louder voice. Weapon X snarled again and lashed at nothing. I tsked him, "You know your master. He wants you. You must come back."

"I will never come back. You tell him that. Whoever you are. I'm not Weapon X!" He shouted. I disappeared on the opposite side of him, he had snagged the door.

Very nice.

The door gave way and it fell making a very large bang on the floor.

I raised an eyebrow, "Somebody still has a temper." He snarled, circling and lashing at the air. "Is that the best you can do? You're skills must've gotten weak over the last eight years." I smiled and teased him.

He snarled and lashed close to where I was standing. By then everyone else woke up and ran this way. I saw three guys run in as well as three girls. I blinked and looked them over. "Logan, are you okay?" Asked one girl, with long brown hair pulled back into a ponytail wearing nothing but a pink t-shirt and pink shorts.

Ah, so that was his name.

A man in a wheelchair came into the room. "Logan? What is it?"

"I don't know Charles. Something woke me up. I can't detect it." He sniffed the air.

"That's because I don't want you to smell me out like a bloodhound and its prey."

Logan snarled and lashed at the air.

"Whoa tiger, somebody needs a chill pill." The girl in the pink outfit said.

"Kitty, I feel something too."

Hmm, so the girl's name was Kitty and the man in the wheelchair was Charles. He must be Charles Xavier. The owner of this place. Cool.

I smiled again, "Kurt, can you find anything?" Charles asked the blue fuzzy creature. I admit, he was sort of cute but so not the type of guy...or creature whatever 'it' was, was right for me. I was still on a mission here, and I wasn't leaving without 'Weapon X'.

"Nothing Professor." Kurt said. His blue eyes searching the room.

"Jean?" He motioned to another girl who had her hands held up in concentration. I raised an eyebrow when I felt something tug at my invisibly cape.

"Oh crap." I muttered right before it dissolved into invisible ashes and my cover was gone. "Heh, heh." I smiled widely while 'Weapon X' snarled and lunged for me. I was behind him and he grabbed me and pinned me to the wall. I grunted but held the pain in my back in. I looked at 'Weapon X's face. Man, he really did have pretty eyes...I blinked and frowned. He had his claws held up getting ready to strike at my face. "I don't think you wanna do that, 'Weapon X'." I said looking into his eyes.

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do bub." He grumbled. Still looking into my eyes. I smiled and suddenly an earthquake started thanks to the earth element.

"Is Lance here?" Kitty asked, looking out towards the window.

I slammed it shut with the air element, glass coming off and darting towards Kitty. She sunk right through them. The second guy zapped into nothingness. I assumed as much for Kurt. One other kid with spikes jutting out of his arm shot at a couple pieces of glass.

I narrowed my eyes and suddenly a blast of laser red energy came at the last remaining glass from the guy wearing sunglasses this late at night. "Scott, don't." Jean said and motioned for him to leave. Everyone did.

I raised my head up high and the air element obeyed. It struck out at 'Weapon X.' He snarled and fell back on his back. I smiled and went to strike the wind against Charles, but he stopped by holding up a hand.

"Wait. Please, can't we...talk first?" He asked. Nobody was ever straight forward with me before.

Blinking I put my hand down but aimed it at 'Weapon X.' I narrowed my eyes. "Only if he remains where he lies." I stated, raising an eyebrow I watched as he nodded his head.

I still held my hand poised at 'Weapon X.'

"Look, maybe we could talk things over..."

"No." I said in a loud voice. "'Weapon X', is coming back with to the lab." He snarled but didn't move. I narrowed my eyes but looked up,

"'Weapon X'? Logan, I believe that she..." Charles started to say, but 'Weapon X' moved.

I pushed him back with the force of the wind. He snarled look, "Look here bub; I don't know who you are, but listen. I'm not 'Weapon X', no more kid."

"I'm not a kid. Nor am I a child." I pushed him back with wind and he banged his head on the floor. He was out cold. I smiled, good, that part was done.

"Listen, Francesca."

I glanced up. Blinking I stopped moving altogether.

How did he know my name?

"I know that things maybe, difficult for you at the moment. Do you know what you are? You are a mutant."

"I know what a mutant is Mr. Xavier." I stated in a solemn voice.

"Then you know what I'm about to offer you then." He said.

I nodded my head. "I'm not interested. My father wants 'Weapon X' back for more testing. Saber Tooth wants him back as well."

"Ah, Saber Tooth, haven't heard from him in a while. Send him my greetings." The Professor folded his hands in his lap.

"Look Mr. Xavier..." I started to say.

What could I say?

"I wasn't here to chit chat. But, if I can get out of being with my father for a few months...then I suppose it couldn't hurt. But..." I started to say then stopped. I had never asked this question to anyone before. But...I had asked my father, but he didn't know either. Maybe Charles Xavier would. "Do you know what I am?"