Chapter Thirteen:The School of the Mutants (2).
When Beast opened the office door, Daniel and Matt stepped in with measured strides. The office was spacious and lit by natural light pouring through the large windows behind Professor Charles. On the walls hung old paintings and pictures of his students, and beside them shelves of books and manuscripts.
Professor Charles lifted his head from the papers before him and smiled gently. His voice was warm as he said, "Welcome to Xavier's School. I learned of your arrival only a little while ago." He gestured with his hand toward the chairs in front of his desk. "Please, have a seat."
Daniel's heart tightened slightly until Matt felt it, though he did not comment on it, because what occupied Daniel's mind were his lessons about Professor Charles:
(Professor Charles Xavier—the man who sits in a wheelchair, yet holds in his mind a power capable of stopping armies. Born with the rare ability to read minds and communicate mentally with others, he can, if he wills, control thoughts and memories. He can issue commands or silence entire minds with a single moment of concentration. Thanks to his colossal device, Cerebro, he can extend the reach of his awareness to cover the whole world, sensing the presence of every mutant on the planet. Despite his tremendous power, Xavier chooses the path of peace, believing that humans and mutants can coexist without fear or hatred.)
Daniel sat first, while Matt took the seat beside him a moment later. The two felt an odd ease, as if the place itself carried an energy of calm and confidence.
While Scott and Jean sat in the back and Beast joined them after entering, Charles looked at them with his calm eyes and said, "I know your journey has not been easy, and that you have come in a time filled with chaos. But know that you are among friends here."
Matt smiled faintly and said, "Thank you, Professor. Our being here is purposeful. We need your help." Daniel looked toward the professor.
Then Matt asked the professor—he did not know his abilities nor much about the school except that its members were mutants—but after hearing the heartbeats of everyone in this place, he found that they truly welcomed them sincerely. Matt asked, "What is your stance on Wilson Fisk, the mayor of New York?"
Charles nodded slowly. After slightly adjusting Matt's awareness to make him believe—although he hated doing that at all—he wanted to let things flow to learn more about Daniel, the one who could not be penetrated mentally. He said in a confident voice, "Isn't Wilson Fisk, the mayor of New York, a wonderful man? He does a lot of charitable work and has put down many gangs."
So far no one knew of the mutants' powers at the school, especially Jean's and Charles's; therefore Charles felt compelled to answer thus, although he already understood Fisk's nature when he took his seat.
Matt said to him, "Although I am a stranger to you, and I know it will be very hard for you to believe me, know that I will tell you the truth."
Charles smiled lightly to put Matt at ease; he knew the weight of the problem inside him now and said, "I promise I will listen carefully and judge fairly."
This calmed Matt somewhat, especially since he knew Charles was truthful. With the beat of his heart he handed over many papers containing evidence of Fisk's corruption and said, "So let me tell you that Wilson Fisk is a criminal—and a dangerous one. He currently controls the city through his money and influence, and he intends to rule the city with absolute power so that he can commit his crimes there with ease."
Professor Charles closed his eyes for a moment, then said in a deep, calm tone:
"I have heard many good things about Fisk, but what you say… carries a truth that cannot be ignored."
He opened his eyes and looked at Matt directly; his tone was not accusatory but understanding:
"I feel that your words come from personal experience, from direct knowledge. And that changes much."
He turned his chair slightly toward the window, then continued in a reflective voice:
"Wilson Fisk possesses a unique ability to hide his intentions behind a face of benevolence and charity. This kind of man is more dangerous than those who brandish weapons openly, because they warp the meaning of trust among people."
Professor Charles closed his eyes for a moment, then looked at Matt and Daniel with eyes weighed down by understanding and concern, and said in a calm but sincere tone:
**"What you say is serious and deserves confrontation, but unfortunately—if everything points to Fisk's guilt—I cannot enter an open political battlefield against a city mayor who is, to most people, an ordinary man. I am a mutant, and you both know how the world treats us; any public move of mine against a man of his standing would be exploited to inflame fear and incite hostility against mutants.
Imagine, for a moment: even if we defeat Fisk, what will people think of me? Will they see me as a hero defending justice, or will they interpret my intervention as a new threat that must not be tolerated?
I do not say this to be lax about injustice—but because I try to calculate the consequences so that we do not bring about a greater disaster. If we are to take action, for that reason I am sorry to refuse your request for my help."**
All the while Daniel was silently sizing up Charles's performance in his mind as the best—Daniel remained inwardly calm when he heard the refusal; this astonished Matt regarding his own power and what Charles and Jean had learned of Matt's abilities.
Despite all the calm and civil conversation in that room, things were indeed chaotic. Matt listened to everyone's heartbeats to determine who was truthful and who lied, while Charles concealed his ability and read Matt's thoughts and altered some of his awareness so Matt would not know he was being deceived; Charles's ultimate aim was Daniel.
And Daniel, who knew the two men's abilities and this contest to discover what lay within the other, had his inner excitement betray him first—by the beats of his heart that were revealed to Matt—so Charles noticed that.
So Matt asked Daniel in front of everyone, which made Daniel realize that Charles had done something to Matt — something that made him ask, "What made you happy inside? Isn't it what we wanted but couldn't get?"
Daniel smiled on the surface, then looked at Charles and said to him, "I really did not expect you to control his mind."
At that moment those sitting in the back—Scott, Jean, and Beast—stood up, stunned and ready, for no one knew the extent of Charles's power except them and, roughly, Magneto; thus they all quickly assumed he was a mutant sent to them by Magneto.
Scott said, "Now he is a mutant sent by Magneto; we shouldn't have let him into the school."
Daniel raised both his hands up after seeing the three standing behind him and the shock and bewilderment on Charles's face, and said quickly, "May I say something first?"