The Vault - REVIEW THIS STORY

Written by NicoPony
Last updated: 08/15/2007 08:57:57 AM

Chapter 8

Magneto was a man of strong convictions and swift, decisive action. He didn’t know why he’d let Charles Xavier talk him into allowing the federal agents to leave with Jean and Gambit. Perhaps his work training the New Mutants had softened him somehow, made him more patient. If one of Xavier’s own had not been involved, Magneto would not have been persuaded by Xavier’s reason. If the man was willing to sacrifice Jean Grey, Magneto would also reluctantly let go of one of his own as well. He valued Gambit almost as much as Xavier valued Jean. The boy was one of his successes. Gambit was loyal but without zealotry. He was bright and latched onto concepts quickly. He did not succumb to provocation. He was often breaking up arguments before they turned into brawls. Best of all, Magneto had found Gambit first, before Charles could fill his head with idyllic nonsense of humans and mutants peacefully co-existing. The abduction of Jean and Remy had proved that such thoughts were folly.

Magneto was now following Xavier as the man maneuvered his wheelchair down the hall. They were traveling down a corridor in one of Washington D.C.’s government office buildings. The seeming subservience of trailing behind Xavier was galling. Xavier smiled slightly and turned his head to look at Magneto. “You do realize your position behind me is an attempt at concealing your presence?” he said telepathically. “I am disguising you telepathically. Walking behind me only ensures no one bumps into you accidentally.”

“Yes, of course Charles,” Magneto replied. “I only thought we might move a little faster. I’d like to meet with this Gyrich person sometime today.” With a minute gesture, he propelled Xavier’s wheelchair forward a little faster. The gears in the mechanized chair whirred in protest.

“That is exceedingly rude,” Xavier said, gripping the arms of his chair.

“Charles, you’ve become so uppity in your old age,” Magneto said with a vague smile.

“And you, my friend, have not changed at all.”

“You realize it was your student who caused all this trouble. By all accounts, Jean was the one who started the fight.”

“Jean was provoked. I suppose in her place, you would have reacted to the crowd with your usual calm and aplomb.”

“Uppity, and impudent.”

“This is the office,” Xavier said, pausing before an office door. There was a gold plate on the red oak door reading: ’Henry Peter Gyrich, CSA Liaison.’

With his command of magnetism, Magneto gestured and the door latch turned. The pair entered the office. Xavier’s chair struggled a bit on the deep blue carpet. An administrative assistant looked up from his laptop.

“Can I help you?” he asked.

“Doctor Charles Xavier. Here for my appointment with Mister Gyrich,” replied Xavier.

“Ah. A moment, Doctor Xavier,” the assistant said, before pressing a button on an intercom. The man conversed briefly through the intercom before standing and gesturing Xavier toward a second door. “Mister Gyrich will see you now.”

Xavier and the as-yet unseen Magneto proceeded into the inner office. Gyrich’s office had a large window overlooking the short outer yard surrounding the government office building. His walls were decorated with framed photographs, each featuring the man now standing before them. Gyrich was a man of short stature with blazing red hair and ruddy complexion. He wore thick, horn-rimmed glasses and a perpetual frown on his face.

“Doctor Xavier,” Gyrich said, extending a square hand to the Professor.

Behind Xavier, Magneto let the office door click shut. Gyrich blinked and stared at the man who seemed to have materialized from thin air. “Who are...?”

“This is my...colleague, Erik Lehnsherr,” Xavier explained. Magneto removed his black, wide brimmed fedora, revealing silvery white hair.

“Mister Gyrich,” Magneto said coolly.

“It was my understanding that this would be a one-on-one interview, Doctor Xavier,” Gyrich said, leaning back against the edge of his desk and folding his arms over his chest. “How did your colleague manage to get past security without proper clearance?”

“I’m sure your intelligence may be able to tell you that,” Xavier replied, touching a hand to his temple.

Gyrich’s face reddened and he stood upright. “I could have Captain America down here in a heartbeat!” he told Xavier. “You can’t just waltz in here, flaunting your...your mutancy...!”

“Mister Gyrich, I assure you I meant no offense. Erik rather insisted on accompanying me at the last moment.”

Gyrich didn’t look appeased, but he did re-seat himself. “During our phone conversation, you implied there had been some trouble with two of our CSA agents?”

“We wanted to raise some concerns,” Magneto said ominously.

“Fred Duncan and Carl Denti arrived at the Institute yesterday morning and arrested two of my students. I have not seen nor heard from them since.”

Gyrich turned and shuffled some paperwork on the desk. He retrieved a pair of files and flipped through one and then the other. “Right. Jean Grey and Remy LeBeau,” Gyrich said after a moment. “I pulled up their files after we spoke yesterday. Apparently, they instigated some sort of riot on a university campus?”

“The reports may have been exaggerated,” Xavier said.

“Jean Grey has been involved in some suspicious activity in the past,” Gyrich said idly. “And Mister LeBeau was a guest of the state for several months. Though it appears that a glitch in the system has erased most of his record. He was released on a technicality.”

Xavier looked to Magneto and raised an eyebrow.

“Is there any way we might be able to communicate with our students?” Magneto asked.

“At the moment...I’m afraid not. But I’ll see what I can do,” Gyrich stood and circled his desk. He sat in his leather chair. He seemed prepared to dismiss the two men.

“Mr. Gyrich,” Xavier began, “what can you tell us about the Genosha Project?”

Gyrich was momentarily thrown. “Where did you hear that name?” His voice was deadly quiet.

“One of your agents might have mentioned it,” Xavier said.

“I sincerely doubt that, Doctor Xavier,” Gyrich retorted.

“We shouldn’t be having this conversation,” Xavier said. “Because my students should never have been abducted.”

“Your talking about this at all is a violation of the PATRIOT Act,” Gyrcich snapped.

“Have we rescinded the First Amendment?” Xavier said dryly.

Gyrich sighed. “Doctor Xavier, I have my own reservations about the recent revisions. We recently underwent a bureaucratic reshuffling. It gives the semblance of doing something, without actually accomplishing anything. After Apocalypse, people demanded action. A way to control mutants.”

“Kidnapping college students is your answer?” Magneto asked.

Xavier held up a hand, staying Magneto from saying anything further.

“The Genosha Project is an attempt to control mutants?”

“Doctor Valerie Cooper developed the concept. She speculated that the resulting backlash against mutants would result in instances such as the trouble on Bayville University’s campus. She proposed a scenario where mutants would live together---.”

“Perhaps in an internment camp...?” Magneto’s fists clenched.

“---And be properly trained in the use of their abilities,” Gyrich finished.

“Would we be able to have a conversation with Doctor Cooper?” asked Xavier.

“I’m afraid not. Doctor Cooper is dead,” Gyrich said with blunt finality. “The project was picked up by a Doctor Milbury. A geneticist. Apparently, he projected the evolution of mutants some forty years ago.”

“I’ve not heard of the man,” Xavier said.

Gyrich shrugged. “He operated out of some unaffiliated project in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Somewhat hush-hush.”

“Is Doctor Milbury available?” Xavier asked. “Where is he now?”

Gyrich raised a shoulder. “Hard to say. I communicate with him electronically, never in person.”

“So you do not know where this project is taking place?” Magneto asked skeptically.

“It moves around,” Gyrich replied.

Xavier looked at Gyrich quizzically.

“The project has no central location,” Gyrich prompted. “Rest assured, your students are perfectly safe.”

“I’d feel more assured if I could speak with them myself,” Xavier pressed.

“I’ll see what I can do,” Gyrich reiterated. “But after the re-shuffling, I find I have little say in the matter.” His expression turned bitter.

“We appreciate your time, Mister Gyrich. I hope we might speak again in the near future,” Xavier said.

Once outside of the office building, Magneto brought Xavier’s Rolls Royce around and helped his colleague into the passenger seat. “Were you able to uncover anything from Gyrich’s mind?” Magneto asked.

“Very little beyond what Gyrich admitted himself. The man is clearly dispossessed of his former power.”

“He was rather forthcoming, all things considered,” Magneto said. “I thought that was your doing.”

“Something about the Genosha Project has caused some disquiet,” Xavier said quietly. “I confess I am apprehensive as well. My father was involved in a genetic research project about forty years ago...also in Alamogordo, New Mexico.”

“A strange coincidence,” Magneto glanced from the road to Xavier.

“Indeed. And yet I’ve never heard of this Doctor Milbury,” Xavier said. “I may have to consult with the project archivist, but I have a feeling that Milbury is not who he claims to be.”

“Then our students are indeed in danger?”

Xavier paused, considering the passing scenery. “We need to assemble a full team.”