X-Men #8 The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants

 

Dr. Norton McCoy stood before the Xavier’s School’s senior staff and senior student body, the X-Men, with a mixture of rage and confusion on his face.

Wolverine leaned against a cabinet in the back of the science lab, his cigar clenched between his teeth. Cyclops, Marvel Girl, and Havok sat in classroom desks in the front of the lab and Mystique perched on a counter against the west facing windows. Charles Xavier, himself, and the mutant robot called Jim were absent, which was McCoy’s intent.

“You probably know by now that I am not a happy camper.” McCoy paced and rolled the sleeves of his yellow button up around his forearms. He motioned with his right hand. “Please, nobody say a word until I’m done talking. Now, I know that Professor Xavier is recuperating after his accident on Santo Marco. I have questions about what went on there, mostly because he allowed my son, Henry to accompany you all into a mutant war zone. But also, I have questions because the doctor who has been treating Charles says that he will, without a doubt, lose the use of his legs.”

Cyclops and Marvel Girl looked at each other in surprise. They had both just gotten back from a recruitment mission in California and hadn’t seen the Professor yet.

“To hear Henry tell it, Xavier flew you to Santo Marco, where you swam into a terrorist stronghold, by way of a deep and swift moving creek. Henry tells me that your team leader, Havok, incapacitated one of the guards so that my boy could wear the guard’s clothing and get into the castle under the pretense that he and Mystique had captured Havok. Henry also said that while this was all happening, Wolverine was up in the towers killing other guards while he watched at the castle’s entrance. This is unacceptable!”

The X-Men shifted uncomfortably.

“The Charles Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters is supposed to be an institution where kids like my boy and like you all, can get help and learn to control their mutant abilities. This is not a training camp for mercenaries!”

“Mr. Summers...” McCoy’s angry voice dropped to an annoyed tone and a faux smile came across his face. “Alex… or should I call you Havok? Why did Charles find it necessary to take my son on a covert mission to remove a dictator from a third world country? Wait! Don’t answer that. What would your parents think? And what would they say to your chaperons killing the soldiers in front of you, in order to sneak into that dictator’s castle?”

Havok started to speak but McCoy put his hand up to interrupt him.
“Magneto! The same Magneto who took over the rocket base six months ago. The same Magneto who was on television claiming to have raised an army of evil mutants. Homo superior! Henry could have died. You all could have died. Charles nearly did die. And now he’s in a hospital bed, hooked up to fluids and oxygen, unable to use his mutant powers… and the doctor says he’ll never walk again? What in blue blazes is that about?! He already couldn’t walk.”

The teacher walked over to Wolverine. “Mr. Logan, I have no doubt that you and Ms, Mystique can keep these children safe, but you have to understand that they are still children. They should never have to subjected to murder, war, or death. None of you should have to be in a situation where your headmaster throws himself onto a bomb to protect his students. Yet there you were.”

Wolverine removed the cigar and McCoy turned away.

“Mystique, Henry also told me that when Magneto personally attacked Wolverine, you created a distraction to stop him. It should never have happened in the first place. Magneto barely escaped with his life, only after he realized his own powers over metal weren’t living up to the hype.”

“I am considering resigning from my position here and taking Henry to another school. I hear that someone in Massachusetts is opening an academy for unique children and if it means that my son will live the life of a young man and not an assassin, then that’s the path we’ll take.”

Dr. Norton McCoy walked behind his desk and stood up straight.

“Oh, I should tell you that the strange little man you brought back has eaten everything in the kitchen and has even finished all of Mr. Logan’s beer. That said, I’d like to let you know that I am glad you all returned safe. Henry and I are going to Massachusetts for a few days and when we return I will let Charles know what I’ve decided. Now, does anyone have anything to say?”

Good question...