Evolution: Posthumanity (An X-Universe series)

The New School

Hellions #1 (12/06)

It could get cold in the Berkshires in the middle of December. The area was quaint, quiet and not especially designed for tourists. Still, it attracted people from nearby who wanted to ski the slopes at this time of year.

The Massachusetts Academy, a preparatory school that was founded over 200 years ago, was the most significant landmark in Snow Valley. The existence of the school was part of the reason the area remained quiet. This school was for the elite, or those who could afford the dream of attaining that status. Those in the upper echelons of society did not want their children to have to deal with tourists or commoners mingling with them.

This was not to say that there was nothing at all in the area. There was a mall only a few miles away and could be reached by bicycle or walking as weather permitted. There was also a nightclub for those tourists who did come to the area. While club goers had to be at least eighteen to enter, many students found ways around this prohibition.

Two limousines, one black and one white, pulled up to Hancock House, which contained the admissions office. From out of the white limousine came four girls and from the black limousine emerged four boys. Their luggage – the minimal amount that came with them personally – was removed from the trunk and placed before them. The youths mostly looked nervous, chatting amongst themselves. None of them appeared very happy.

A woman with platinum blonde hair dressed in an entirely white women's business suit emerged from the building. She had a warm smile on her face and approached the teenagers as she would any new group of students. Those looks could be deceptive. The woman in question was Emma Frost, White Queen of the Hellfire Club and chairperson of Frost International. These new students had clashed with Frost in the past and were none too happy to be here.

"Children," Frost said genially. "I'm so pleased to see you've arrived at last. I know you've had a long drive here so we'll get you checked in quickly. Then I'll show you to your dormitories so you can get some rest."

Looks of bewilderment passed through the group. This woman was their enemy. She was quite the actress to treat them so kindly in public. Or was it simply that she knew she'd won and had no further reason to treat them like captives?

"Don't think for a minute that we're happy to be here," said the American Indian girl. "None of us would have come here if we'd had a choice."

The girl was Dani Moonstar, erstwhile co-leader of the New Mutants. Dani was a mutant with the ability to pull forth the fears and desires of others, manifesting them as illusions visible only to the victims. As Mirage, she was a student at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. That school had also been the secret headquarters of the X-Men, as well as the training grounds for the New Mutants. When the X-Men, along with numerous other super-heroes and super-villains, vanished, Xavier's was acquired by the Massachusetts Academy. Its student body was then transferred to the main campus in Snow Valley.

"There is no further need for hostilities," Frost replied. "You are my students now. As you will no doubt discover, I am very well liked by the students."

"They don't know you like we do," said another girl.

Kitty Pryde was the only member of the X-Men who had been left behind when the others had vanished. Ironically, had Frost not held Kitty captive, she would likely have gone off with her teammates and never returned. Emma could imagine that she had saved Kitty's life. The fact that she was blackmailing Kitty and the New Mutants into staying was irrelevant.

"Darling, you don't know me at all. I regret the measures I had to take to bring you to me. It's for the best. You'll understand that some day when you reap the benefits the Hellfire Club brings to you."