X-Men #2 Encounter at Cape Citadel

On the step, in front of the door to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, a book lays open, slightly battered and face up. Its dark brown leather cover scraped and the gold school insignia scarred from the concrete below it, this is the journal of Charles Xavier and someone will be missing it very shortly. Of course, it is open. What harm could come from a tiny peek? What does the professor write

in his very private journal?

September 24, 1963

I know they wanted more training. To see Cyclops desire more, wanting to grow, not be afraid of his own abilities... I couldn't be a happier teacher. But of course, the threat of the Mutant Menace was upon us and my students needed to jump to action. Hearing their accounts of what transpired, it helps me to know where their strengths are and where their weaknesses are. Each of them are invaluable, each of them need work. So how do I structure training for them on an individual basis?

Havok- 

Alex seems to be a natural born leader. Despite his temperamental brother, a feral wild man from the north, and a trained assassin seemingly seeking to atone for her misdeeds, Alex Summers was able to get them all to fall into line. His words, "let's talk to these people and see if we can get them to help us take control of the situation." 

I am like a proud father. I would however, hope that he is able to instruct the group individually in certain times, that they may have specific tasks than just a team goal to strive toward. I'll fashion a lesson on leadership just for him. I'm sure he'll succeed with flying colors.

Wolverine- 
What I know of Logan is very little, though more than he knows of himself. In his subconscious, he knows himself to be a monster, a killer. He's aware that the slightest trigger will set off a weapon that none of us could contain, and yet he is so unaware that we are strong enough to ease him back into his own gentle and civilized mind. His actions were a total surprise during this mission. I expected him to go running into the control room with his claws out and with the ferocity of a man sized Tasmanian devil (which he did at first), but when he got his wits about him, he used his senses to size up the minions Magneto had working for him. 

The child in particular, a 13 year old genius named Cal, was very amenable to Logan's urging to leave Magneto and join the X-Men. This conversation with Wolverine forced the child to see the truth in his own mission, and gave him reason to begin destroying the equipment that would send the rockets to Magneto's destined target. The work Jean and I are doing with Logan to open up his human side, is working quite well. I think he'd make a good teacher someday, but there's much more work to do.

Cyclops- 
The older Summer's brother, Scott, shows great promise as a leader and as a teacher. His hot headedness and his need to show off, might be the thing that gets in the way. Of course, I do like his forwardness and his confidence. I think we'll work on his athletic ability, for the sake of not getting knocked unconscious after two punches from a thirty-five year old woman. I see great things for Scott. Though he has a fiery temper and his brother has a strong personal competitive nature, I don't see sibling rivalry being an issue. 

I also feel that Scott would excel in the field of science. In his first Danger Room Training, he was drawn to the computer console that controlled the monitors. I wonder if it's time to accept Dr. McCoy's application to teach science. His expertise in computer engineering and nuclear physics is legendary. I'd gladly send a jet all the way to Dundee, Illinois to deliver him here to the school. For now, my last note on Cyclops: Do I tell him now, what I've learned about his father? Or do I wait until he's graduated into adulthood? I suppose I'll rest on that thought for a while.

Marvel Girl-
My first student. Her connection with Wolverine is an asset. Not only is she helping to calm his inner beast and bring back his memories, but her connection with him is a sort of symbiosis in the field. She can fling him about, like slicing through the wind with her own arms. Never is it a surprise to him and if she's throwing him at a target, he instinctively knows how to react. Like each of the members of this team of mutants, Jean Grey is simply Uncanny. During the encounter at Cape Citadel, Wolverine took it upon himself to empathize with the child. The boy's mother immediately began shouting telling the young man to shut his mouth. Of course she'd already knocked poor Cyclops out cold, so the X-Men knew what she was capable of. Jean surrounded her in force field and levitated her into the air so she couldn't hurt anyone else. This was just what Logan needed, to get information from the boy. 

Jean is definitely a team player. At this point, I don't know if that's because of her link to Wolverine, or if it's because she's just an important limb to the body of mutants called the X-Men.

Mystique- 

The newest member of the team. I accepted her into the school, not because she's a mutant, but because she's a mutant who needs my help. My personal code keeps me from prying into the minds of my students, so I do not know what she has done in her life. I can tell that she's an angry, violent person who has blood on her hands, but that doesn't exclude her from accepting help from others. There are those who would use her as a weapon, and I'm sure some have. 

I'd like to train her to think of herself... consider herself, to not fear her anger, but to work with it and dispel it. I'd like her to step forward, ask questions of her field leader, and eventually take the role of 2nd field leader. I think she and Havok could work together very well and shape several teams of X-Men to carry on the true mission of the Xavier's School. She's a natural born leader herself, but to become a leader, one has to learn to lead. I hope that she can go to Havok and say, "What can I do?" Taking that initiative would tell me and the team that the right choice has been made... the choice to welcome her into our family.

These are my X-Men. A fantastic team of bright and imaginative people, who will lead this world to a fantastic and brighter future. To say that I am proud is an understatement.

Now, about the information we extracted from the child, Cal. He said that Magneto told him that the missiles were being directed through a portal to Asgard! What would that do for Magneto. The X-Men told me that Magneto didn't use his powers. In fact, he barely interact with the X-Men at all, except to shoot a bolt of green energy into the chest of Havok and to teleport away from harm. I've seen Magneto on my monitor before. His powers are magnetic in nature, not magical. Obviously, this was an impostor. I have to remember that my Cerebro Unit isolated three mutant signatures at Cape Citadel. The impostor, whoever he was, was not a mutant! A call goes out to the Avengers first thing tomorrow.

As for the boy Cal, and the woman only known as "Mother", they fled when they could. The boy however, seemed to want to return with the X-Men. I do hope we see them again. As for the other mutant at the missile base, it is very unfortunate that the Army felt it necessary to kill him. I do feel there might have been a soul to save in that man.

All in all, this was a successful mission and the team acquired some positive recognition from the military. The headlines of tomorrow's news will no doubt have praise for the strangest super-heroes of all!

Enough for now. I need to see to the pounding on the door at the end of the hall before it wakes my students.

The entry stops there. The journal gets picked up and left on the table in Charles' office with a note that reads, "Found this on the step outside. Don't worry, nobody read it. Try to be more careful with things that may be personal or private. Going out for burgers and malteds. We'll bring you one. -the X-Men"