The School for the Gifted

Chapter XXIII

Twenty-Three

MILO, STORM, LOGAN and the Professor had all left the medical room, leaving me with Scott and Jean. The sirens were still going off, and I hated just laying there being useless. I wanted to help.

    I sighed in frustration as I laid there. I wanted to yank off whatever was connected to me and go see what's going on.

     "It'll be alright, Andi," said Scott. "They've got it under control."

     I glared at him. "Why aren't you helping?"

     He waved his hand at Jean. "I'm watching her."

     I rolled my eyes and sat up. I pushed my legs over the edge of the bed and started pulling off the chords. "Well, if you aren't going to help, then I will."

     Scott's eye brows bounced up. "No! You're weak! The Professor will kill you."

    I hopped off the bed. "No, he won't. Besides, I feel better." I ran to the door and headed out. I saw Bobby and Rogue head into the hanger. I ran after them. I felt winded halfway down, but I ignored that. I didn't want to show that I'm still weak.

     Beast sat a control panel, pressing buttons. "So what's going on?"

     Storm answered, "The normals are after Andi. They've already hurt a mutant, and I don't doubt that they'll hurt more."

      The Professor said, "Beast, the school has to protect the students."

     "Yes, sir."

     I felt a small hand wrap around mine and I looked down. I couldn't see who it was, but I could hear his mind. "Oscar, what you doing?" I asked in a whisper.

     "You aren't supposed to be out of bed. I figured I'd help you hide better."

     "Thanks." I looked down at my body. It had disappeared.

     "Most people notice when they turn invisible," my brother whispered.

     I ignored him and tugged on his arm so we could get a closer view of what was going on.

     "Professor," said Logan, "how can the school protect the children? I thought we - the X-Men - did?"

     The Professor nodded. "We do. But now that technology is advancing so rapidly - weapons being the most advanced - the X-Men aren't enough. Beast and I have been working on the school to update the technology in it since about a year before you arrived. It wasn't ready until about a month or so ago."

     "Why was I never informed of this?" Logan asked. There was slight anger in his tone.

     "It wasn't needed for you to know. Beast and I kept it top secret."

     I placed my free hand on my hip. I want to know more about this top secret thing. I like top secret stuff. I'm not sure if I can keep secrets well, though.

     Beast cleared his throat. "When I press the big, threatening red button, it won't explode. Instead, it'll shield itself, enclosing anyone within it. So, if bad guys break in, they can't escape if they retreat. The older students will be moved into their dorms, and the younger students will come down here. We don't think the younger ones will stay in their dorms."

    "I'd be more concerned about the older ones," Logan commented.

     I thought the same.

     "Yes, most would," answered the Professor. "They know how to control their powers better, though. But I'm not finished. The doors to their dorms have weapons all around the frames. They'll go off if the school detects a bad guy trying to get in."