Uncanny X-Men 1943

Chapter 21

//Anne. Don't respond until I tell you to. Write this down.//

Rachel almost fell out of her chair. She looked around the classroom as she grabbed a pencil. Miss Guthrie was still lecturing, successfully making her literature class hate any book she mentioned. Or perhaps that was just the views of teenage girls, most of whom looked close to sleep.

//Tell Christopher we'll meet at the Dorchester, normal time, next Friday. Let him know as soon as possible. Got it?//

//Got it.//

//Good. The guests are well?//

//Yes. Wait - //

//Good.//

Rachel looked at the paper in front of her. "Emma?" It was stupid speaking, as Rachel could feel that the psychic connection was gone, but how had Emma done it? How had she reached out?

"Did you have a comment, Miss Summers?"

Rachel looked up at Miss Guthrie, who didn't look as though she wanted to be in class either.

"No - I, ah, I feel very faint, miss. I think I'm going to - I don't feel well."

"Right. You look as white as a sheet. Miss Pryde, escort Miss Summers to the nurse's room, will you. I don't want her passing out in the hallway."

Rachel stuffed the piece of paper into her pocket, and Kitty took her by the arm, all eyes on them as Kitty carefully lead Rachel out of the classroom. Alone in the hallway, Rachel pulled the paper out.

"We need to get help."

"I know, I'm taking you to the nurse."

"No, that's not what I mean," Rachel said, shoving the paper in Kitty's hand.

"What is this?"

"I just got a telepathic message from Emma. How she got around the blocks I have no idea. I'm sure she's still across the Channel, and, well... She called me Anne, which is my middle name, and said this has to go to Christopher, which is Nathan's middle name, but - "

"It's also your dad's," said Kitty. "It's a code. This message, it's a code."

"Emma doesn't even like the Dorchester. Her favourite is Claridge's."

"I don't think this is about hotels," Kitty said, reading the note.

"We need to give it to dad. Right now. It's urgent. I can't psi-call him because of the blocks in his office. When's the next train?" Rachel asked, knowing that Kitty had the timetable memorised.

"We won't make the two-twenty-five, then there's the two-forty, but it's stopping all stations. We need to get there quicker."

"We don't have the money for a cab."

"Come on!" Kitty said, running down the hallway, Rachel at her heals. They ran up stairs, and stopped outside another classroom. "Wait there," Kitty said, knocking on the door.

"Come in."

"Excuse me, Professor," Kitty said, the most innocent expression on her face. "Deputy-headmistress has asked to see Miss Rasputin, please."

"Miss Rasputin," Professor Parker said, pushing his spectacles up his nose, "With Miss Pryde, please."

Waiting in the hallway, Rachel could feel the eyes of the class watching Illyana move through the tables, all wondering what she had done to be called to the deputy-headmistress's office, but was beginning to understand Kitty's plan.

"Kitty, what does - oh, hello Rachel."

"Hello Illyana," Rachel said.

"Illyana, we need to go to London. Right now," Kitty said.