The Red Star

Chapter 2

Jay held her jacket close to herself. The wind was picking up and the clouds were rolling in fast. Whatever was causing this instant storm was definitely nothing that Jay wanted to run it with. She quickly heard across a busy street and into the park. There she paused. Something was watching her, and she knew it. Whether it was Bucky again or someone else, she didn't know. But whatever it was, it was definitely starting to freak her out.

Cautiously she made her way through the park. She stopped when she reached the fountain in the middle of the park and she slowly turned, expecting Bucky to be standing there again. However, to her surprise, and horror, she didn't see Bucky at all, she saw someone else.

This man was, by definition, very large. He was extremely muscular and had dark brown hair that was in the most odd fashion that Jay had ever seen. He wore leather jacket over a dirty white t-shirt and he wore jeans with a pair of what looked like cowboy boots.

" Can I help you?" She asked.

" You can," he said calmly, " I'm with some people who are looking for you."

At this Jay stepped back fearfully. The man's eyes were harsh but his glow was fairly bright, she was surprised that he was even talking to her or chasing her. He was a good person, she guessed, not the best though. So why was he chasing her?

" Yeah somebody told me about people chasing me." She said, " he warned me that you were dangerous. I can't trust you."

" And who is this somebody?" He asked, crossing his arms.

The wind was blowing a lot harder now and Jay could feel shivers run up her spine.

" What's going on?" She asked.

" Just providing a little bit of cover." He replied calmly.

At this point a thick fog rolled over the city, Jay could barely see in front of her. She ran toward the fountain and waited there a moment glancing about, trying to find a way out. Whoever these people were, and whatever they were, they were definitely there to take her.

" There's no need to run." Voice sounded through the fog to her head, clear as day though.

" Who's there?" she said.

" You must calm yourself. Open your mind, and listen carefully."

" Why?! Why should I listen to a random voice?!" She was shouting now, gripping the side of the fountain with both hands.

" My name is Charles Xavier." The voice replied, " myself and my people are here to help you. Not to hurt you. "

" Then why do you need cover?!" She shouted once more.

" Pedestrians do not need to see this. And neither did those others who are following you."

" Well, how do I know that you're not lying to me?"

" I haven't tried to kill you yet, have I?"

For a moment Jay was stunned, for the millionth time that day everything was happening exactly how she didn't expect. Didn't that Bucky fellow tell her not to trust anyone? He told her to find Steve Rogers and trust only him but how did she know not to trust Bucky himself? Everything was confusing to her at the moment so instead, she ran.

She hopped over the fountain, into the water, and back over onto the cement again. She ran directly across the street narrowly missing a vehicle heading her way. However within a few seconds of getting out of the way of that vehicle, A sudden sharp pain shot to her left side as she flew forward onto the street. Her vision faded from the fog to black. Pain throbbed throughout her left side and she had no idea what was going on. Whoever Charles Xavier was, she had guessed he was sort of telling the truth, but whoever Bucky was, she assumed he was telling the truth also. She didn't know who to trust, she didn't know what was going on. But whatever was going to happen to her she knew she would be able to handle it, or at least she hoped.