“Okay, just two more and then your done.” The guy was smug. I knew he was smug. I couldn’t see his face, but he was grinning, I just know it. I grimaced as I let the weight down and tried to straighten my leg out again. I wouldn’t be there, but everybody at the mansion thought it was a good idea to get some extra physiotherapy in. They were going to send me off to some island in Scotland for my ‘recovery’ but there was this slight problem with the FBI looking rather strongly for me and the fact that I hadn’t exactly wanted to go. Last one and then I can get out of here and get something to eat. I’m starving. 

“That’s great! Okay, next week same time.” The guy in white slapped me on the shoulder. I don’t like to be touched at the best of times, but after the first guy I had, transferred after I broke his fingers, I promised Jean I wouldn’t hurt anyone. I didn’t really mean to do it, but he had whacked me on the shoulder I twisted earlier in the week fooling around on the uneven bars when I was bored.

Not saying anything, I grabbed a nearby towel, mopped off my face and headed to the change rooms. To be perfectly honest, the exercises they had me doing were helping, they just hurt like hell some of the time. I still had a slight limp, less than I’d had for the weeks since the last cast came off, my leg was stronger and my flexibility was better than it’d been since I was twelve. Heading back to the change room, I grabbed some soap and snagged a shower stall. Thank heavens they were private with curtains. I’m no exhibitionist. Besides, I have too many scars to explain. Turning the water on, I just sat under the spray, feeling it pound some of the stress out of my neck and shoulders. By the time my shoulders were numb, I was starting to feel a little more human, so wrapping a really large towel around me I headed over to change.

Stepping out of the building, I wrapped my jacket around against the slight chill in the air and started to wish I’d taken the time to dry my hair. It was just starting to get dark and, while the weather had been nice this afternoon, it was now a little colder with the evening chill settling in. Heading off to the café on the corner, I figured a cup of coffee might be worth it before I climbed in the car and headed back to the mansion. 

The aroma as I entered was heaven. The smell of rich coffee and faint cigarette smoke mixed to give it the aura of a place you’d expect them to break out reading bad poetry at any minute. I’d been there a few times and Sally behind the counter was already making up my drink. Large cappuccino, triple sugar. They gave me a wicked buzz, but I still had some work to do when I got back, so no big deal. Sitting at the counter, I wrapped my hands around the cup, savoring the warmth bleeding through the ceramic and ordered a sandwich to go with it. Once I was done I’d have to head back and work on those reports with Charles, but till then, I had a few minutes to sit and unwind. Flipping a few dollars on the counter, I headed over to a corner table, sat leaning up against the wall, feet propped up on the chair in front of me and sipped.

The café was pretty empty, a few people sitting down near the window talking about the movie they’d just seen and a cop getting two refills before heading back out. After a few minutes of watching the two couples animating out what had to be a scene from the movie, a crowd of about ten people walked in, all excited and talking fast. They got a round of coffee then sat down. The noise level increased more than a few decibels and then of all things they started to fight. No fists were flying, but there was certainly enough yelling to raise the dead. 

Poor Sally was starting to get frustrated and was looking for the cop who’d already left. Never around when you need them. I took pity and headed over to them. I wasn’t intimidating, but I could do a fair impression of a drill sergeant if I wanted to. At the very least I could try. As I got closer, I started to get an idea of what they were arguing about.

“…Creed was nothing but a bloody mutant himself!”

“Oh please, just because his dad was one doesn’t mean he is, besides, he founded …”

“…so just shut your bloody trap…”

“…think he should have gone out and kill…”

“… so he shoulda just gone and knock off his own father…”

“… not as nuts as those bloody Humanity people…”

“… bleeding heart is what you are…”

Great, they must have just gotten out from an FOH meeting. Well, all the more reason to get them to quiet down, I don’t particularly want to have their opinions shouted off the roof tops where I had to listen to them.

“Excuse me fellas, but I think you might want to quiet down a bit.” I didn’t speak loud, but I know how to get my voice to carry. They looked up at me as I spoke and I started to wish I’d let them yell their heads off, so Sally could call the cops on them. They weren’t too impressed. Oh well, too late.

“We’re not doing anything illegal bitch, so just take your tail elsewhere.” Polite bunch aren’t they. The one who replied was the one who was probably dragging the rest of his friends along. He was no recent convert. He also got smacked on the back side of the head for the comment by the guy beside him.

“Pay no attention to Cro-magnum man over there. He’s just annoyed at life.” His companion was quite good looking. Too bad he was with this bunch. Good looks never meant brains. “Sorry about the noise. We got a little carried away with our discussion. Were we disturbing you?”

“That’s okay.” 

“Listen, let us make it up to you and buy you a cup of coffee. Least we can do.”

“I already have one.”

“But we insist.”

“Um, okay.” Now what do I do? They’ll probably expect me to sit with them or something. The one guy waved over at Sally, and indicated to give me a refill. 

“We just came back from a meeting and I guess we let things get out of hand. Why don’t you join us and referee?” Sally was walking over with my cup, and I really did need to get going.

“Sorry, I’ve got to get going and from what I could hear, I’m not big on the topic.”

“Oh don’t judge us, on a bad first impression.” Suddenly he stopped talking, smacked his forehead in a dramatic gesture and then continued on. “Here I go on and on, and I haven’t even introduced this mob. I’m Brian, the Neanderthal is Ernie, the blond football type is Max, the guy with glasses is Chris, smooshed up against the glass is Dave, beside him is Jake, beside Jake is Joe, they’re brothers by the way, then there’s Steve, Harry, Pierre, Reggie and last but not least is Sam. Now that you know us, the least you can do is return the favor?” Brian started looking at me with these goofy eyes and I lost it when he started to bat his eyelids. 

“I’m Charity.” I couldn’t help it, I was actually starting to like this guy. Which is nuts. Very nuts. “But the truth is, I’ve really do have to get going.” Leaving the full coffee on their table, I went back to my table. I finished the last few bites of my sandwich, then glanced up as Brian stood beside my chair.

“I’m really sorry for bothering you. But the truth is that I really wanted to meet you. I’ve royally flubbed it up now, but can I at least sit and talk?” His eyes were earnest and he reminded me just the tiniest bit of Jason. I merely nodded.

“I’ve seen you here a couple times and I wanted to introduce myself, but I was too shy. And now this happened and you probably think I’m a total jerk.” He pulled up a chair and sat in it. “So now that I’ve totally embarrassed myself, I figure there’s no harm in asking you now.” 

“Ask what?” I’ll admit it, he had my curiosity peaked.

“Will you marry me? Or failing that, at least meet me here for lunch tomorrow?”

I couldn’t help it, I laughed. He definitely had a way about him, this guy.

“Okay.”

“Oh you just made my dreams come true. So when’s the wedding date.” He looked at me and batted his eye lids again. I didn’t realize guys could do that. 

“To lunch.”

“Ahh, shucks.” He looked at the floor and then looked up, an eager expression painted across his face. “I’ll take what ever I can. Noon then?”

“Noon.” 

***

Getting into the mansion it was completely dark. It was odd, because I was supposed to do some work with Charles when I got back, but his office was empty and there was no one around. Well, it was too early to head to bed so I started to the rec room. With no one around, I’d actually get to watch what I want to watch for a change. Stepping through the door way, I flicked on the light and just about freaked.

As light flooded the room, Everybody jumped out and yelled surprise at the top of their collective lungs. I don’t surprise well, but fortunately nobody was close to me so the only thing that suffered was my pride and the wall. Once I got up, I saw what the whole deal was about. In the middle of the rec room floor was a set of beautiful body armor, on a mannequin, complete with gloves and a rather nice pair of boots. It was a mat dark blue, with black shadows playing over it, rather obviously made to fit perfectly, and the boots were a sturdy black leather, with softer souls (just like I like ‘em) and flexible ankles.

“So how do ya like it?” Rogue was up beside me.

“I love it, but I thought I told you guys no Camouflage?” Giving all the girls a slightly dirty look, I turned to the rest of the gathering. “This is great though. How heavy is it, will it fit under regular clothing? How strong is it, will it stop Teflon bullets? And lasers? What about blunt traumas? Well, that might be asking too much…” I was firing questions out a mile a minute barely waiting for answers and in most cases, was already spitting another one out before the reply was started, let alone finished. Feeling around and examining the suit, I was impressed. 

A lot of thought went into the design of this thing. There were kidney guards, extra armor around the torso and in the back, the joints were all fully protected while still allowing a great deal of freedom, there were lots of little loops and surface pockets for my miscellaneous stuff and there was even a specially designed pocket for my lock picks. I was in heaven.

All of a sudden, a lump formed in my throat and realized how much this meant to me. It seemed silly to get worked up over a bloody suit of armor, but this is something that meant a lot to these people and to me. It would protect me, as they have protected me.

A quick swipe at my eyes, and I was facing everyone.

“So are we gonna try this thing out or what?”

***

Stepping out of the car the next day I was stiff. More stiff than I had been in a long time. After I got back from the Physio and saw my present, a few of us spent the next five hours trying it out. I was more impressed now than earlier. Unfortunately, I wasn’t completely up to that much exercise yet. So grinding my teeth ever so slightly as I tried not to grimace every time I took a step, I made my way back into the café. Grinning at Brian, I stepped up to the table he was at, and managed to sit down without embarrassing my self too much. I wasn’t that good at hiding it though.

“Everything okay?” He said.

“Ya, I just over did it yesterday exercising, a couple friends and I were trying to out do each other.”

“Well, a hot bath would put you to rights soon enough.”

“This is with a hot bath, and a hot shower last night before I went to bed.” I gestured to my aching body.

“Ouch.”

“Yup, I almost didn’t make it here.”

“Well, I’m glad that you did.” He flashed his bright smile at me again, then nodded over at the board behind the counter and the list of sandwiches and such. “So what does a stiff want to eat for lunch?”

“Now that’s a complementary description off me, thanks a lot.” I was in a bit of a bad mood because of my muscles, but I softened it a bit with a quick grin. “I’ll go for a classic BLT, no mayo.”

“In that case let me go and get it for you and make up for my smart mouth.” Getting up, he headed over to the counter and I watched, with marked admiration, the rather nice view. Shaking my head my sour mood returned, this time with a bit more punch as I wondered why I was here. Brian was probably a member of the FOH for heaven’s sake. This didn’t bode well for an ongoing relationship. I knew I should tell him off the bat, that I wasn’t what he thought I was, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I didn’t want to ruin what could possibly be the first normal date I’ve had in my life. 

Glancing around the café, the lunch crowd was bustling around, leaving it kinda noisy for my taste, but soothing in it’s anonymity. I could have lunch, pretend I was normal and then return to the real world afterwards. Turning back to the counter, I watched as Brian came back, balancing a tray in one hand and a large cup that didn’t fit on the tray. Putting them both down on the small round table, he returned to his seat.

“I got you a cappuccino, but I wasn’t sure how much sugar you wanted.” Finally getting his chair far enough into the table, he settled down enough to start eating. 

“Lots of sugar.” Reaching over for the sugar pot, I let a good dose pour in before I stirred it and took a sip, eyes drifting shut as the warmth of the coffee spread. “I love this.”

“A real coffee-aholic aren’t you?” he mumbled through a mouthful.

“Well, I can’t make coffee worth squat. This is the only chance I get for the good stuff.”

“Living on our own already, are we?”

“I’m not that young you know. What about you?” I figured I didn’t want to answer his question directly.

“I’m in a dorm at the college. It’s crowded, but I have a room to myself, so at least I have some privacy.”

“You’re going to college, what’re you taking?”

“Engineering technology. It’s interesting and the work pays, so I’ll actually be able to pay off some of those student loans I’m amassing.”

“Never underestimate the power of a good education.”

“Ya, my brother went to university, got an arts degree, and is still trying to find a job.”

“Remind me not to do that.”

“No guff.”

From here the conversation drifted to various topics, nothing too heavy or intellectual, but occasionally drifting back to our lives, before I steered it in another direction. Soon the sandwiches were done, we were on the third cup of coffee, and if I didn’t go to the bathroom soon, I’d have an embarrassing accident. Finally tearing myself away I made my way to the bathroom by the main counter. By the time I got back, Brian had company. It was the rude one from last night, Ernie I believe his name was. Oh well.

As I got closer, I knew something was up, cause both of them were over-excited and Ernie's eyes were almost feverish.

“What’s up? You two look about ready to burst.”

“Awe, not her again, you never said you were gonna be meeting her.” Ernie's manners hadn’t improved much since yesterday.

“I don’t have to tell you exactly what I’m doing every time I go out.” Brian didn’t wait for me to sit down again, but was already putting a light jacket on. “There’s a meeting I have to go to, something’s come up unexpectedly and they want to get everyone up to speed as soon as they can. I’m really sorry to have to cut this short, but I have got to get going. It start’s in a few minutes.”

I don’t know what exactly was going through my mind, but something clicked and if someone was calling an unscheduled meeting in the FOH there was something big coming. Well, time to stick my nose in and see what I could find out.

“This is for the FOH, right?” I was a little surprised by the dark look that passed over Brian’s eyes.

“How’d you guess?”

“I heard most of your conversation last night, it wasn’t that hard to figure out.” I paused, uncertain how to proceed. “Could I come along?” seeing the dark cloud build in Ernie’s face I quickly blundered on, trying to seem shy and inoffensive. “I mean I’ve never been to one of those meetings and something needs to be done about everything that’s happening now a days.” I couldn’t quite bring myself to pointedly blame mutants for the ails of the world. I was feeling dirty enough.

“Sure, come on, it’s probably nothing, but it could be interesting.” Brian threw a challenging stare at Ernie, daring him to say that I couldn’t come, but Ernie backed down and the three of us left.

***

It turned out to be old news for me. There was a big announcement about new technology from Genosha, that we’d found out about a few months ago, but the whole incident gave me an idea. I could go where not many other people could because of my unique physiology. I wouldn’t show up as a mutant on gene scans, I knew how the system work and I could get in and find out information that the X-men couldn’t find out so easily. 

Walking back to my car after the meeting, I was full of ideas. I know I’m not much of an asset to the team in combat, particularly if there’s any sort of major technology shooting at us. Beyond my hand to hand, there’s not that much I’m good at. My thieving skills are pretty good, but I’m not much for open confrontation. This however was right up my alley, this I knew and understood and I can tell what’s ranting and raving and what is the opening push for a serious attack. 

By the time I was in the car and heading back to the mansion, I had a pretty good idea of what I could do and couldn’t do for now. I could get into the general meetings, but my background wasn’t good enough to go into any of the higher level areas. A detailed background check would leave too many questions for me to be able to get in. These guys were nothing if not paranoid. 

When I got back to the mansion, there was a bit of a welcoming committee. Glancing at my watch as I walked up the steps, I cringed when I saw how late it was. I was supposed to have been back three hours ago, by now I was late for a sparring session with Logan and even later for a group session in the danger room. 

“Oops?” I looked up at the group on the steps, hoping they weren’t going to use me as bait in the next simulation.

“Oops. Three hours late and all you have to say is Oops?” Scott started up the lecture. “What were you doing that took so long?”

“Well, there was this guy that I met last night and he wanted to meet for lunch and we got started talking and the next thing I knew it was five and I rushed back, but …” I shrugged my shoulders, cause I was in it so deep right now, I was going to end up on night shift security watch. 

“You had a date.” Scott said it as a statement, bland voiced and unimpressed.

“An’ ya didn’t even tell us? Shesh girl, half tha fun o’ havin’ a normal date is lordin’ it ova everyone else.” Rogue lightened the mood up. “Is’ not like tha’ happens all tha’ much round here.”

“Listen, Scott, I’m sorry I missed the session, but I’ll join you guys first thing in the morning, and the truth is, I wouldn’t be much good today, cause I’m so sore, I can barely move.” I looked over at him with pleading eyes, more alive right now with idea’s and activity, than I’ve been in a long time.

“You better not be too stiff, cause there still enough time for a little sparing before supper. I’ll let you off for the session, but Logan is waiting for you in the Danger room.” Hearing that, I ran off barely limping as I hurried to get to the Danger room before Logan got mad and I’d be mopping the floor with my face. It didn’t even occur to me till I was flying through the air twenty minutes later that I hadn’t told anyone where I really was those three hours. 

***

That evening I spent in my room, thinking, wondering about what had happened. When I had left with Brian and Ernie I was uncomfortable at first, but after a few minutes no one really noticed me and I just listened, to the speaker and the people around me, trying to gauge who they were and their reason’s for being there. After wards, Brian introduced me a bit, as a potential new member and fortunately I didn’t run into anyone I recognized. A part of me was comfortable, back in the familiar surroundings, I’d lost track of how many of these types of meetings I’d been to; at the cult and in societies like the FOH, helping recruit new people to the HC.

I knew what was going on, I knew what to except. There was more danger now; if by chance I was recognized, or someone found out I was a mutant, I would basically be dead. But still, this was my area of expertise. Working the crowd afterwards, I played the shy new guy and let Brian do most of the talking. 

These meeting aren’t what some people expect. It isn’t raving crowds getting worked up into a frenzy; although that has been know to happen, many times; it’s more a case of debates and presentation of various speakers. It’s more like an Amway meeting than anything else. Once the main speaker was done, talking about the new technologies their producing in Genosha, along with dates of when they’re expected to be available within the states, the meeting pretty much broke up. People stood around in groups getting to know each other, there where a few splinter groups handing out pamphlets and such. It was all rather civilized, considering what these people were preaching.

By the time I got out, I had made enough contacts to, if I wanted to, start my way up the hierarchy. In a few months, with the right people convinced, I could be privy to an incredible assortment of information that passes through the hands of the FOH. There is danger involved, but I’m sick of tagging along, playing at doing something. I had a lot to make up for and I couldn’t do it with the way things were going now. I don’t want to go back into to any combat and I’d probably end up being a liability on most missions. The only thing I’m good at is sneaking around. We already have one thief on the payroll and he’s much better then me. But he can’t pass as human, while I can.

My mind made up, I went to talk to Charles. 

***

“While I agree with your ability to do this, I think you’re underestimating your worth to the team.” Xaviar was in his office, reading a book when I went to talk to him. I felt a little guilty about disturbing him, but I needed to talk to someone and he’s the only one I could really talk to about this. I don’t think anyone else would really understand what I wanted to do, without confusing the issue with my past. “You are more than capable of looking out for yourself in a fighting situation and I doubt you’d be a liability.”

“I don’t want to go into a fighting situation, I don’t want to know what that would do to me. This I can do. This is a contribution I can make, that no one else can without putting themselves in so much danger it’s not worth mentioning. I’m the only one who can pass the genetic scans and I have the skills to steal information that I can’t lie to get.” We’d been at this for a while; I try to talk Xaviar into this and Xaviar tries to talk me out of it.

“You talk about what fighting would do to you but what do you think the lying will do to you. The people you will be misleading will become friends to you, will trust you and you’ll end up betraying them. That isn’t easy either. You will be asked to do things you don’t want to do much more than anything you may be forced to do in a fight.” He was bring up a lot of issues I hadn’t thought about but I still knew this was something I could do, something I had to do.

“I’ve done it before and I can do it again. This I can handle because no one will die. This is a way to stop things before they get to the point of violence.”

“And if it blows up in your face, what then?” There was concern in Charles’ voice, as he spoke softly, not wanting to trigger any unhappy memories.

“Then I do what I have to, as I’ve done before. I’m not the girl you dragged here half dead over a year ago.” They were triggered anyway.

“A year isn’t a long time to heal some of the scars you have.”

“Well, they’ll add to character to the new persona.”

“I wasn’t talking about the ones on the outside.”

“Neither was I. Charles, this is something that I know I can do. Let me do this for you.” I was almost pleading. Finally I saw his eyes give in, not with resignation, but almost regret.

“Talk to Bishop in the morning about cementing down an alias. And we’ll see if it’s possible to give you a safe identity. If at any time the risk is too great, I’ll pull you out. No argument.”

“None.”

“Good. Now get out of here so I can finish my book.”

“Thank you Professor.”

“You’re welcome.”

***

And that’s how I go started on the undercover thing. I have various personas, each with fingers in different pies and with different organizations. I work pretty close with Bishop and I sometimes pull Remy in with me, to help work on things. I’ve been at it for about six months now and though I’m not very deep in anything, I’ve already stopped two riots and was able to anonymously tip of a few people to quietly disappear from the gossip I’d pick up at various meetings. 

As for Brian and Ernie, I still see them at the FOH meetings, but I’ve gone much deeper than they have, knowing the right words to say and the right buttons to push. I regret using Brian like that, but not as much as begging Xaviar to let me do this. It’s much harder than I ever thought it would be. Feelings and emotions that I thought I’d dealt with come back to haunt me in the night and I’ve withdrawn back into myself a bit.

I’m no longer living in the mansion, it’s too dangerous. I was sad to say good bye to everyone, even though I do see them around and I stop by when I can. I have my own apartment with a few different mailing addresses to keep the different people I occasionally become straight. I’ve dyed my hair dark brown and have taken to wearing makeup, to hide who I am. There’s still the danger that someone from the HC will recognize me, but I don’t look like the person I was a year and a half ago. With the coming of winter, things are settling down a bit more, tempers are calmer. 

But I’m surviving, and making a difference in things. I get letters from everybody, and I drive down for the occasional sparing session with Logan, and usually get dragged out of bed to join in whatever current program they have programmed in the danger room, often ending up on the casualty list, if not on the dead list. Although I do pretty good on the mob scenarios. I’m digressing, aren’t I. Well, in the real world, things are pretty calm. I’ve had a chance to pick up a few funky gadgets to help me out, including a rather nice tazer, with a range of about 75 yards in the extreme and a set of proper throwing knives. Also have my lock picks, including a key gun, radio jammers, palmtop that can hook up to the mansion computers via modem, some miscellaneous tools and electronics gear and last but not least, a communicator sewn into the lining of my back pack, and I quote “So you can’t forget it anymore.” They have so much confidence in my abilities.