ILLUSION {Charles Xavier}

Old Habits Die Hard #01

"Just fucking run!" Police sirens wail as blue and red lights flood in through the windows. Just behind me three dead and brutally murdered men lie piled up on the now stained carpet.

"I am, you stupid-" Monticello starts but I send him a glare and he shuts right up, remembering what I can do to him. He sheepishly smiles, forgetting he even started a sentence.

"We're gonna jump," I state. It's no surprise to any of us here. All we ever have to do is jump out windows. The only surprise is what happens to catch us when we land. Monti closes his eyes and mumbles a quick prayer before following right after me. I take a deep breath before making a run for it. I turn to my side as I jump, and my shoulder breaks the glass. I fly through the window and realize it was a bad idea. I jumped from a five-story window and looking down all I see is cement.

This is it. I'm done for. I should've known to scope out the area better and know my surroundings more.

I close my eyes, waiting to hit the ground with a "splat". Suddenly I feel myself stop falling. I open one eye to peek out. I'm hovering just over the ground.

"What the hell?" I question aloud and instantly I'm dropped onto the ground. I land with a "thump" instead and let out a groan. I look next to me and watch Monticello dive into the portal he created. He disappears just to reappear walking through a hole beside me. I stand up, wiping off my jeans. "Don't stop running Monti," I whisper as I try to forget the mysterious force that stopped me from falling to my death. Normally Monti would make me a portal, but instead, someone else helped me.

I glance behind me at the men who come rushing up to the window with guns blazing. They lock eyes with me, their guns turning my direction. They pull the triggers and I make a move to dodge the bullets, but they stop mid-air or curve right around me. My mouth turns into a smirk as I slowly turn around. "Damn, how do you piss in the toilet with an aim as bad as that?"

I watch as Monti vanishes around the corner and I sigh, picking up my speed to catch up to him. Without warning, I'm grabbed by the arm and my mouth is covered. They pull me into the alleyway, slamming me against the wall.

"Don't scream," he warns as he slowly removes his hand. I stare at his face, for some reason he scares me. Not for the fact that he's holding me to the wall with a hard grip, but something else. His eyes. They show power and control.

"Erik, I can't get into her head," I hear come from behind the man in front of me whose name must be Erik.

"Why not?" Erik asks. I can feel his grip on me tighten and anger pulses through him. I close my eyes, getting in his head and making him feel snakes crawling over his arms. He looks down and instantly he drops my arms. He shakes his hands around and I yell out.

"Monti!" I shout and when I blink I reappear next to Monti who is sitting next to me in the speeding van.

"What took you so long?" He asks as I turn around to watch the police drive after us.

"I, uh, got stuck..." I look to our driver in the front seat. "Vernon, you should step on it."