Chapter 2 - Bonds Of Trust

Attention:  Generation X and their villains,as well as any other mutant mentioned in this story, is property of MarvelComics.  The character Richard Cale is named after family relations. Any other reference to anything copyrighted is a chance happening.
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Catch A Sound Wave
Bonds of Trust
                It was quiet at the Xavier School.  A while ago, Yvette Cassidy, asher name was now since Sean adopted her, would have enjoyed a movie withher boyfriend.  Of course that was before the museum, before theirnear abduction.  Now they had started to live for the day.  Afew times, someone one had caught them kissing for too long.  Theywere still scared to be apart, but Sean and Emma took precautions. Now it was a Friday night.  She knew that Rich was hoping to treather to a movie.  She had hoped it would have been one they could watchalone, no one from the school around.  That was then. Now they weresitting at a table, playing Clue with Jubilee, Everett, Monet, and Darrett,the new boy.  The only advantage they had was that they still hadtheir mental link.  {My love, any ideas?}  She asked throughthe link they shared.
               Although Rich wore a poker face, his mental voice said it all.  {Monetis to blame.  She killed Tim Curry, in the place to eat, with theweapon that killed the Telegram Girl.}  She had watched the film withRich twice already, and knew what the answer was.
               Monet looked at her and said, “Well Penny, what are you going to do?” She just smiled at her former captor’s sister.
               She stood up and in a proud voice said, “I accuse Ms. Scarlett in the DiningRoom, with the Revolver.”
               A voice came from the back of the room.  It was Emma Frost’s. “Very good, Yvette, now I want you to solve it without Richard’s help.”  Yvette was shocked that Emma knew.  She watched as Emma took the cardsand started to shuffle them, picking out a Person, Place and Thing. When she finished, she beckoned Rich to the couch. Yvette watched as herboyfriend moved away from the table and sat on the couch.  She knewit was best for him, but she wanted to be with him.
               She heard Darrett comment, “Should have know they’d cheat.”
               She was about to hit the boy as Angelo sat down and said, “Don’t judgethem for what they had done in your past.  Rich and Yvette are someof the best mutants here.” She nodded with what Angelo said.  Sheturned and saw Rich had reached for his Gameboy.  She had gotten hima Color one for Christmas.  She could tell by the red cartridge init that he was continuing his Pokemon game.
               The same game played out, but it was interrupted when she saw Sean enterwith the rest.  On her adoptted fathers face, she saw a look of urgency. She listened as he said, “Hank just called.  E’ said we might wantto see the news.”
               She had a little fear in her voice as she said, “What’s wrong?”
               She noticed that his look was grim as he said, “Hank just said we had betterturn it on.”  She watched as he picked up the remote and activatedthe TV.  It was as if no one was playing the game.  The pictureon screen had a prison on it.
               She noticed that everyone listen with intense intrest as the voice on theTV said, “What you see is the prison outside the city of Easton.  The rescent upset here was caused by a prison break.  The escapee,like most of the prisoners here, is an evil mutant. Easton is a known safehaven for mutants.  An FBI agent reporting here at the time gave thisstatement.”  The image switch to that of a man with dark hair andwhat looked to be a young face.
               Yvette watched intensly, but heard Rich say in their mental link, {No,it can’t be.}  She looked in his direction and could see it in hisform that he was scared.  He was shaking like a leaf.
               The man said, “The FBI believes that Soundwave, as he likes to call himself,is nowhere in the area at the time.  The key witness that helped inhis apprehension and gave the testimony that sent him to prison is notin Easton at this time.  We ask that all law enforcers help us apprehendSoundwave.  If you see him, approach him with Hard Rock music. He hates noise.  He can’t use it.  All that we can reveal aboutthe witness’ location is that he is up in the New England area.” Yvette heard a door slam.  She turned to see Rich had left the room.
               Sean just said, “I think Hank suspected as much.  Remember after Elane’sattack that Hank interviewed Rich for his files.  I think it has somethingto do with that breakout.”
               A mocking voice in the room said, “It has everything to do with it.” Yvette, as well as the others, turned to face Darrett.  “In my time,Soundwave was one of the worse in the army.”  Everyone knew that Darretthad saved her and Rich, but they also knew that Darrett was from a futurewhere she and Rich were evil Emplates.  It sent a chill through herbody everytime she thought of it.
               Emma looked at Darrett and said, “What do you know of this Soundwave character?”
               The boy just said, “Enough.  He was one of the worse in their army. He qualified as second in command.  He resented his spot and situation,but he knew he didn’t dare chance a conflict.  You see, accordingto story, Rich and Soundwave were at one time friends, but Soundwave attemptedto frame Rich for his own crimes.  Rich helped in the apprehensionof Soundwave and testified at the trial.  Soundwave was put away forlife.”
               Yvette realized what that meant.  Rich was afraid for his life. She knew now why Rich disappeared.  She looked at Darrett and said,“How crazy is he?”
               Darrett looked at her and said, “He’s been in prison, without interactionwith anyone.  He’s probably demented by now.  When he was brokenout in my time line, he was an affective enforcer, but was mentally outof it.”  The boy started to leave the room and said, “He was alsovery ‘lonely’, if you catch my drift.”  The boy had left and Yvettecould have sweared that everyone had shuddered when he said that. She didn’t like the tone that word carried.
               She heard Everett say, “That boy freaks me out.  Sean, did Hank saywho his father was?”  She had to admit that she knew very little aboutthe future boy, and she didn’t trust him.
               Her father said, “Hank never said.  He had his reasons.”  Shelooked at him and wondered what secrets her father was hiding from them. She then wondered where her love had gone into hiding.  She decidedto check his room in the boy’s door.

               Jubilee noticed as Yvette started out the door.  They all had beeninstructed to pay close attention to where both Yvette and Rich were. There was still an underlying fear that Rich would try and keep Penny’sabilities.  She motioned to the others at the table, “I think we betterfollow her.”  Jubilee had once walked in on one of their long kisses. She at times wished that Ev would kiss her like that, but she knew thatwould probably wait.  Lately, both Rich and Yvette were trying tolive for the moment.  She had caught a glimse of them looking overthe movie section of the paper.  They were trying to pick a movieto watch.  That’s why she decided on the Clue game.  Stop thembefore they leave.  Now, the news of this Soundwave character freakedRich out.
               She noticed Sean was behind her, Everett, Monet and Angelo.  He said,“Think she’s going to try to find out something.”  She noticed thelook on Sean’s face.  It was touched with worry.  A worry thatone might have about a teenage daughter.
               She just nodded, not knowing what to say.  Monet then said, “I hopethat Darrett is wrong about how viscious this Soundwave is.  Somethingtells me the way he put it, that Soundwave has no regard for others.”
               Everett just said, “He’s been in jail for a while.  I’m more worriedwhat he might due to certain people here.”  Jubilee realized whathe meant.  She shuddered at the thought.
               She just said to Everett, “That scares me to blazes.”  She lookedup at Sean and noticed that his face had gone pale.  She then said,“I think Penny might have gone to talk to Rich.  He looked prettyshook up.”
               As they entered the boy’s dorm, Jubilee noticed Penny was standing at thedoor to Rich’s room.  As they approached, Jubilee looked in to seea sight she had never seen. She just heard Penny go, “He’s terrified. I don’t want to go near him.  He’s had that all his life, a pieceof his youth, his innocence.”  Jubilee saw that Rich was sitting onhis bed, indian style, and clutching what looked like a blanket.
               She noticed that Sean stepped forwards and said, “Let me talk to the lad,alone.” She noticed that everyone left the door, except Penny.  Shedidn’t want to pressure her into leaving.  She just stepped back andallow everything to play out.

               He knew they were there, but he didn’t care.  He was too scared tocare.  Davis was loose.  The courts assured him that Davis wouldn’tescape, but he did.  He still remembered that day in court. Davis telling him that he would kill him when he got free. He was scaredfor his own life, more scared than he had been of Emplate and Aura. Then it hit him, Yvette was in trouble, too.  Davis would kill hertoo, and maybe even Gen X. He shuddered as the thought crept through hismind.  He almost jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He was so focused on his fears that he hadn’t noticed Sean’s ability hadkicked in on him until the Irishman put a hand on his shoulder.  Healso saw Yvette still in the doorway.  She was worried, and he couldtell.  Sean just said, “What happened, lad?  Darrett told usa tale, but what’s true about it?”
               Rich looked at his teacher, and as of recently, his girlfriend’s fatherand told him the truth.  “He was at one time my friend, at least Ithought he was.  Soundwave, or as his real name Davis Skinur, wasa high school friend of mine.  I never knew what he was until theday at the bank, due to the amount of mutants at our school.  Yousee, the news mentioned Soundwave everyday, and no place had a clear pictureof him.  He had pulled off robbery after robbery, and crime aftercrime.  To Davis, it was a daily game.  The FBI was called in. One day they managed to corner him, at the main branch of a local bank. I was there, running an errand for my parents.  I was surprised whenI saw who Soundwave was.  Davis had me taken aside and planned tosend me out in his place.  He wanted to frame me for his crimes.”
               Sean just looked at him, “What happened lad?  How did ye stop him?”
               Rich swallowed and said, “I learned about my ability a bit more than Ihad known.  I used his own ability against him.  I manipulatedhim and his gang out in to the police’s hands.  The FBI man rushedin and I almost collapsed.  It was a great strain on me.  Thetrial happened a few days later.”
               He saw his beloved walk over to him and say, “What happened?”  Shewas concerned, and she had right to be.
               “When I testified, Davis had no chance of an innocent verdict.  Hevowwed vengence on me.  He said that he’d kill me.  He acttedcrazy, for he said that someone named Big Blue wanted it that way. I was scared, that’s why I left Easton, but the FBI always tried to protectme.”  He sighed.  “It’s going to do no good now.  Davisis going to find me.  He’s going to kill me.  He’s a mad man,and I can’t imagine what incarceration has done to him.”
               He felt Yvette hug him as she whispered in his ear, “Protect me, please.” She was afraid of Davis, too.  He went to return the hug, but wasafraid of what Sean would say.  He lightly hugged her and looked atSean.
               He saw Sean look back and say, “It’s alright, but don’t get carried away. I don’t want to force you two to break up.”  He nodded and huggedhis beloved a little tighter.  He noticed as Sean left the room. He sighed a bit in relief.  He always worried about how Sean wouldtreat their relationship now that Yvette was his legal daughter. His thought was cut short when Yvette kissed him on the lips.
               When she stopped, he said, “How about that movie?”  That was theiroriginal plans for the evening.  Something nice, they were going totry and see a film with Matthew Broderick in it, but Jubilee waylaid themwith Clue.
               She smiled and said, “We were going to go see that Matthew Broderick film.Any suggestions?”  He smiled as he went over to a shelf and pulledout a tape.
               He put the tape in and said, “Well, he’s a scientist in this one.” He kissed her, knowing that Sean trusted their judgement enough to letthem be alone for a while, as the film started.  They just watchedthe film as they laid on the top of his bed.
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               Davis stood at the front of store in Easton appalled at what he heard. The one who put him prison was far away.  He was furious.  KnowingRich, the boy would only entrust the info with his family, but they wouldnever tell anyone else where he was.  Davis turned and faced the street. This was not going to be easy.  He had to find a way to narrow downthe search.  He then heard a deep voice say “I heard you escaped. Can I trust you to get the job done this time?”
               He spun around and saw a blue face one of the TV’s.  It was Big Blue,the one who wanted him to frame and then kill Rich.  He never understoodwhy this man, or was he a mutant, wanted Rich killed.  “If I can findhim?  He left town.”
               The face just looked at him and said, “I’ll give you some assistance, Davis,but you better not fail me.”  Davis nodded.  He wanted to findRich and get vengence.  He didn’t care why Big Blue wanted all ofthis done, but he did wonder about it.  Big Blue then said to him,“You can find information at the residence of the X-Men.  I trustyou can get past their security.”
               Davis had heard of the X-Men.  He knew that they were mutants, buthe was willing to fight them just to get the info he needed.  “I’lldo it.  I’m sure they’ll be no trouble at all for me.”  He didn’twant to disappoint his boss again, although he knew almost nothing aboutBig Blue.
               The face smiled, and he felt a shiver.  “See that you don’t, or Imay just have to reconsider your usefulness to me.”  The image disappearedand Davis sighed.  He couldn’t believe what he was going to do. It might be interesting to see how he can handle the X-Men.  He letand evil smile cross his lips as he contemplated what to do to them ifthey tried to stop him.  He took out a tape that he swiped, put itin ‘his’ walkman and flew off in the direction of New York, making a briefstop at his old hideout to get something.
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               Emma walked with Sean down the hall of the boys dorm.  “I can’t believehow this is affecting Rich.”  She was worried that all this wouldturn around the slow progress that was made when they were rescued fromEmplate.  She also then thought about what Sean told her.  Thathe had left Rich and Yvette alone.  “I also can’t believe that youleft Rich and Yvette alone.  You and I both know that they have beenliving for the day lately. You know what could happen.”
               Sean looked at her and said, “True, but I trust them not to do anythingstupid.  I know that they love each other, and I know that Rich norYvette want to jeopardize that.” She wished that she had the same faiththat he had in the two.
               Emma listened as they headed down the hall.  She heard a movie playing. “Are they watching a movie?”  She remembered that Jubilee mentionedthat they were planning that.  She had a thought run through her head. What some couples do in movie theaters. “Oh no.”  She broke off intoa run down the hall.  Sean was closely on her tail.
               She heard him say, “What’s wrong?”
               She just said, “Did you ever take a date to a movie, Sean?”  She heardhim pick up his pace.  That idea had worried him.  When theyneared the door to Rich’s room, they saw it was still open.  She wonderedwhy the door was open.  She looked into the room and couldn’t believeher eyes.  On the TV, a movie was playing, but the two people in theroom were fast asleep, on top of the bed.  She stepped into the roomand said, “I’m surprised.”
               Sean followed her in and said, “I’m not.  I trust the lad’s judgement,and I trust me ‘daughters’ judgement.  But I think that we shouldtake Yvette back to her room.” She watched as he went down to pick herup.  She then thought about it what it might mean to the two.
               She stopped Sean and said, “No, I think for tonight, they should stay together.Let’s just leave them a note.”  She saw the look he gave her and said,“We take her out of the room now, and Rich might panic.  Last thingwe want is for Rich to panic, especially since Davis escaped.”
               Sean nodded and said, “Yur right.  I just hope that they don’t tryto live for the moment.”  She looked as Sean picked up a patchworkquilt.  He then said, “With all that is running through his mind,Rich probably feels his only escape is to be a kid again.  Maybe it’llhelp calm him down, hope it does right now.”  She watched as Seancovered the two sleeping forms with it. She couldn’t help but view themboth as her own children.  It was very unusual, but it fit. She turned off the TV and VCR, and they left the room, but not withoutposting a special psionic note in their brains.  Only recently wasshe able to break through their language barrier.
               As they left the room and closed the door, she listened for a moment. She heard a different voice.  One she never heard before.  Beforeshe mentioned it to Sean, she heard a second voice.  She turned toSean and said, “Darrett is talking to someone.”  This worried her. What if Davis, or this Soundwave as his name was now, was on the schoolgrounds, and Darrett was helping him.
               Sean just nodded and said, “Let’s see the boy.”  For once, she couldhave sworn that he read her mind.  They headed off in the directionof his room.

               Darrett just laid on his bed.  He had company, but he knew who itwas.  He just said, “I don’t think I can get use to this time line,Henry.  I mean, it’s too weird.  Our savior in our time lineis a madman in this time line.  Skitz and Penance are good guys. Thereare too many things to mention.”  He sat up and looked at the figuresitting in the chair.  He was, as usual, tinkering with a toy.
               The man was wearing the garb of a 1930’s man of high wealth and almostrenaissance taste.  “Well, look at me.  Where I came from, myvictory turned into my failure.  You change an event in time, andtime rewrites itself.  Some things remain the same, others changegreatly.”  The man stop tinkering with the toy and threw it to Darrett.As he caught it, the man said, “It’s like that little puzzle.  Thereare many solutions, but with each choice the path is different.”
               He fiddled with the puzzle and said, “Yes, I suppose that is true. I just wish I could use my knowledge to help more.  I mean, now Soundwaveis free.  Any ideas on how to stop him.  I mean you should know.”
               The figure let out a slight cackle and said, “You have to do like I did.Manipulate him into defeating himself.  That can help you, but I don’tthink you can.  You see, Skitz and Penance aren’t your enemies thistime.  They are your allies.  All these people are.”
               Darrett just looked at the figure and said, “Henry, it’s hard to except. My father is dating one person, and my mother is interested in another. I don’t know what to think.” The figure walked over to him and put hishands on his shoulders.
               “Don’t think about it.  Remember you met Bishop.  His timelinemight be gone now.  He’s outside it.  He’s here and now. You’re here and now.  You are this timeline now.  Adjust. Remember some the best plans need some adjusting.”  Darrett noticedthat Henry stopped talking and looked at the door.  He turned aroundto see who was at the door.  It was Sean and Emma.
               Emma Frost looked at him sternly and said, “Who is that, Darrett?” Darrett lost his train of thought and the figure disappeared.  “Wheredid he go?”
               Darrett figured he had to explain that much.  “I brought him here. It’s my ability.  I summon certain beings.  While I have themhere, I control them.  It only works on some beings.”  He hopedthat they would understand.
               Sean Cassidy looked at him and said, “Alright, but who was that man? Was he someone you could summon?”
               Darrett nodded and said, “That was Henry.  He is a toy maker. He’s like a confidant I can keep.  I summon him when I need to talkto someone about my problems.” He noticed that Emma looked at him withhurt eyes.
               She walked over to him and said, “You can talk to us about your problems.Remember, we are all here to help you.”  He knew they wanted to help,but it was difficult to explain to them why.
               “Emma, I understand what you are saying, but there are so many things differentI have to try and think them through.  Just give me time.”  Hewatched as they nodded and left the room.  He closed the door, lockedit, and went to his bed.  Maybe he need to sleep on the whole mess.

               Everett had decided to spend some time with Jubilee.  This whole upsetwith the idea of this Soundwave character had her a little upset. It had him worried as well.  From what Darrett said, it had him veryworried.  That boy made him feel uneasy.  It was as if the boywas judging him.  He was lost on this thought when he heard Jubileesay, “Ya know Ev, I always thought I would have to worry about Sabertoothdoing me in.  Now, I don’t know.”
               Everett knew how scared Jubilee was of Sabertooth.  Even back duringthe attack by the Phalanx, she didn’t trust him.  “Jubes, you don’thave to worry about this Soundwave character.  I’ll protect you fromhim.”  That was true.  He would protect her from anything. He’d risk his life to protect her from Emplate, Sabertooth and all theothers that would harm her.
               Jubilee smiled at him.  That was a good sign.  She looked athim and said, “Ya mean it, Ev.”
               He put his arms around her and said, “I’ll protect you no matter what therisk.” That was the truest statement he ever said.  He looked deepin her eyes.  He wanted to kiss her, and something told him that shewas hoping he’d do the same.  He decided to kiss her.
               It seemed that that thought attracted attention.  He almost jumpedwhen there was a knock at the door.  On the other side came the voiceof Paige, “Jubes, can Ah talk to you for a second.”
               He looked at her and saw a heartbroken look on her face.  She justsighed and said, “Yea, come on in.”  He let go of her as Paige walkedin the door.
               He heard Paige gasp as she said, “Did Ah walk in on something?”  Hefelt a little embarrassed by what she implied.
               Everett then said, “No.  We weren’t getting into that at all. I was trying to comfort Jubes about the threat of Soundwave.”  Itwas the truth.
               Paige sighed and he saw another person behind her.  It was Jono. "Shewas worried about that too.  She was worried about what he might doto her, Jubilee, and all the other gels here."  Everett watchedas a look of fear washed over both girls faces.
               Everett just sighed and said, “We were just getting past all that Jono. I think we have to face facts that we have a real problem to deal with. I know that we don’t have to worry much about what he might do to all ofus.  We have to worry what he might do to Rich and Yvette.  Theyare going to get the full force of Soundwave’s fury.”
               He heard Paige gasp as she said, “My Gawd, you’re right.  Rich isthe real target, and Yvette will be in the line of fire.”
               Jubilee looked up and said, “And we are just consolation prizes in Soundwave’slittle game of vengence.”  Everett watched as they all nodded in agreement. “This is not good.  We have to help them, and it puts us in a greatrisk area.  We don’t even know much about Soundwave.  We don’thave a photo or anything.”
               Everett smiled and said, “I think we might.  Yvette will know becauseof the memories she and Rich have shared, but I remember seeing a highschool yearbook in Rich’s room.  We might have an answer there.”
               They were all surprised when they heard Emma Frost say, “Good thinking,Everett.  I wish I had thought of it while Sean and I were in there.”
               Paige was first to say, “Why were you in his room?”
               Emma just said, “His TV was on.  He and Yvette got to see part ofa movie. They weren’t paying attention to it as much as they were earlier.”
               He swore that the same thought was running through everyone else’s mindthat was running through his.  “You mean they were....”  He didn’twant to say what he suspected, but they all knew what he meant.
               Emma just said, “No.  They were laying on top of his bed, fast asleep. We left them together because if they woke up seperated, Rich might fearthat Soundwave is here. I planted a mental note in their minds saying whatSean and I did.”
               Everett looked at her and said, “What about making sure he doesn’t tryto keep her ability?”
               He notice that Emma gave him a nasty glance as she said, “Which do youwant to deal with, Everett, Rich trying to hold an ability, or Rich scaredout of his wits because Yvette isn’t around when she was around?’ He understood what she meant.  She then said, “Now, I think it isall time for you to go to bed.”  She left the room and everyone followed.
               Everett stopped and turned around to face Jubilee.  “Sleep well. I won’t let anything happen to you.”  When she smiled, he turned andleft.  Next time, he figured, they might get a chance to kiss goodnight.
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               She looked at the clock.  2 AM.  She had been laying in thisroom since she went to bed.  The thought about this Davis fellow keptpreoccuping her mind.  Monet St. Croix wondered if it had anythingto do with Claudette, her ‘twin’ sister that inhabited the form with her. She didn’t want to say anything to anyone about it.  No one here neededto know that her sister would help Marius at any chance she got. She couldn’thelp but wonder if Claudette was thinking of informing Marius of this,or even helping Soundwave. She was thinking about this when she heard thevoice of her sister pipe up in her head [Wondering who’d I help, dear sister?]
               Monet hated how her sister would do that.  [That has been rackingmy mind, Claudette.  I would not be surprised if you informed Mariusto meet this Soundwave character.]  She hated how her sister admiredMarius.
               Her sister just laughed and said, [You think you’re so brilliant, yet youare so blasted stupid.  Marius and his beloved wants Rich and Yvettealive, they don’t want two corpses.  If anything, I’d ask them forhelp to stop Soundwave, although I’d like to see what chaos this guy cancause.]
               She couldn’t belief what Claudette just said to her.  [Do you knowwhat he might do to all of Gen X?  He might kill us, or worse.]
               She heard her sister laugh again.  [You’re terrified of this aren’tyou.  I hope he does do something mean to you.  Let’s see, he’sbeen in prison for a few years and is crazy and demented.  I likethe sound of that.]
               Monet hated that and then realized something.  [If he does anythingto me, he’s doing it to you too.]  Her sister stopped laughing. Now there was a different feeling all together.  Her sister was scared,and she was now happy at that.  She was happy that her sister finallyrealized the trouble they were in.  At that moment, she finally gotto sleep.
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