8 Jack Winters

Jack would be the first to acknowledge that he had made many miscalculations in his plans for Scott Summers. He had already known well enough that Scott was not an ordinary individual, he possessed intelligence beyond his years and seemed to be moving with a drive and determination a child his age should not possess.

That had piqued his interest, more so than his powers.

With a drive like that, Jack knew that Scott would go far, everyone who ever became anyone possessed a similar drive and determination to keep moving forwards. They didn't care what stood in their way or who abandoned them, they just kept moving forwards because they couldn't stop.

Jack had been interested to see just how far Scott go with the proper guidance. Yet, he had to spend a great deal of his time playing catch up, slowly, bit by bit, getting closer and closer. But it was as he got closer, that he marvelled even more at the intelligence and strategical way in which Scott moved and acted. Everything was purposeful, targeting specific areas across the various towns and cities that would force the police to spread out allowing him and Alex to slip away unseen.

Some towns he skipped over entirely, occasionally going a little further north or a little further south as to throw any attempt of closing in on them by the authorities. Every action was carefully calculated and smart.

That was not something a teenager should be able to do.

So, Jack was heavily invested in getting Scott on his side at that point.

He was determined and unwilling to let him slip away from him as he did from the authorities. Eventually, that hard work paid off, Jack finally caught up to them in the final town on their journey and then made use of the police here.

His plan was simple, manipulate the police with mental probes that would lead to them cornering Scott in a vulnerable position in which Jack could then come and offer a helping hand. It was a simple and effective plan, one that would ingratiate him to Scott and earn him his favour, from there, he could manipulate Scott further and further, using his brother as leverage. Though making it obvious that Alex was a hostage, would have the opposite effect, if it was unspoken and Jack was able to earn Alex's favour, it would in turn have an impact upon Scott.

As the younger of the two, Alex would be much easier to manipulate.

He didn't understand who to trust and who to avoid.

Jack intended to take advantage of that, all in the pursuit of his goal.

For some time though, everything went perfectly.

Certainly, Scott's tactical know-how and the calculated way in which he moved and fought through the town were impressive, to say the least. He seemed to recognise traps before they were even set, either blasting them apart before they had a chance to prepare themselves or slipping away down an alleyway, bypassing them completely. Outnumbering him didn't work, Scott utilising his surroundings in ways Jack could not fully comprehend.

The blasts of energy that came from his eyes, rebounded off surfaces and struck officers hidden behind cover. Impossible shots became possible in an instant and Jack struggled to understand how such a thing was possible.

'It has to be part of his power.' Jack rationalised, that thought being the only thing that made sense to him. 'But as impressive as he was, he is still only a child.' Though Scott may possess incredible stamina and determination to keep pushing forwards through his exhaustion, he was not someone who had trained their body extensively.

His athleticism was impressive, but only above average for a boy his age, it was clear that he had not spent much time dedicating himself to his training, or had only begun recently. To keep fighting at such a level, handling the stressful environment, was overwhelming and Scott had reached his limit, which is when he was tackled to the ground, pinned there helplessly as Alex was taken away.

It was then that things began to fall apart.

Jack had nowhere to speak to him mentally, to make Scott understand that he was there as an ally. Scott's mind was closed off, no thoughts being let off, just a blank canvas that Jack could grasp hold of but was incapable of comprehending. He himself had also begun to grow tired, the constant use of his powers to force Scott into this position of helplessness had also begun to wear upon him as well.

He had never used his powers this much, for this long and with such intensity before. Jack had marvelled at how well Scott had handled things, but at that moment when he watched Alex being taken away and his plans beginning to crumble around him as he struggled to exert any meaningful control over the police, his awe over that determination grew even greater.

Jack had to make up a new plan, stopping the police from separating Alex and Scott was impossible. So, his intention was to help free Scott and then use him to complete his goal with the promise of helping him reunite with Alex.

A simple trade, one that would definitely earn him Scott's favour.

Easy and simple.

Except, once again, his newly formed plan crumbled away as the police car Alex was being held in saw an unnatural shift. He was slamming his hands against the glass, trying to break out, his cries and screams of anger silent and overshadowed by the cheers and shouted slurs of the crowd. But when the glowing from the car grew brighter and brighter, completely engulfing the interior, those sounds had grown silent.

Then everyone cried out in fright when the car exploded outwards, Alex walking free and firing blasts of energy from his hand at the officer holding his brother to the ground. 'These brothers.' Jack thought in wonderment, shaking his head with a smile. 'Their powers are amazing.'

Now, Scott stood protectively in front of his brother, exhausted but once again, willing to fight as the two faced the panicked crowd of people. They were terrified of the brothers, but none of them ran away, Jack could read what they were thinking.

'They're tired.'

'He's just a kid, not that strong.'

'I can take him.'

'If I'm quick, he can't hit me.'

"Mutant freak!'

All of the above and many more originated from the crowd of people as they slowly began to inch forwards, Scott in turn pushed Alex further behind him, eyes glowing brightly. But even though Jack couldn't read his mind, Jack could tell that it was a bluff, Scott hesitated in attacking where he would once fire without a second thought. He may be able to take out a few people, but Scott had used his powers too much. Perhaps he was reaching the limit of his powers, using all the stored energy, or perhaps his body was just too exhausted at this point, Jack did not know.

But whatever it was, Scott seemed to be bluffing and Jack would not allow the brothers to be attacked by the mob. They had all been driven to a point of fear where they would care little about keeping the brothers alive. Mob mentality had taken hold and the Summers brothers were in danger of being torn limb from limb.

So, in order to protect his investment, Jack reached out tiredly once more.

He just needed to target a few people, not the whole mob. Once one or two backed away, others would follow and like dominos, the mob would fall apart.

However, Jack learned at that moment, that Scott was not bluffing, he had just been hesitant to hurt so many people. For when a few people moved forwards, hostility practically radiating off them, Scott fired. The blast was strong and powerful, wide and long, engulfing the whole street and the mob that had formed them.

The building Jack was on shook violently, the glasses on cars and houses shattering apart and as suddenly as the blast appeared, it subsided. Where the mob once stood was nothing, they scattered down the street in heaps of bodies, some unconscious and others groaning in pain as they clutched parts of their bodies. It had been sudden and strong, a very clear message that this entire time, Scott had held back.

Not for his sake, but for the sake of those in this town.

Jack once again was forced to reevaluate his opinion of Scott.

-X- Line Break -X-

"Are you okay, Alex?" Scott asked, fighting the urge to close his eyes as the two of them made their way through the town once more. They had left the scene of the crime as quickly as they could, luckily many of the police had been there and so, were now unconscious or unable to move.

But he had pulled out his last card.

He had tried his hardest to avoid causing serious harm to people, using low-level blasts that would knock people out with enough force to only leave a bruise or cause a broken bone or two. However, that last blast was one that had been more powerful, enough that would send all struck by it to the hospital with some serious injuries.

There was nothing life-threatening, but they would not be coming after them for some time. But what it would do was cause a much more visceral and determined manhunt for him and Alex, which was the reason he had avoided using it.

Now though, their journey would become that much more difficult.

The only saving grace was that an event such as this in the beginnings of the Mutant Hysteria would spark national news. With it, all eyes would be drawn to this small town and the 'Mutant Attack,' including the eyes that would be interested in recruiting him. There were options for him now, but Scott knew there was one man who would be the safest option, the one he was most comfortable with and understood better than any other.

'Better the Devil you know than the Devil you don't.' Scott thought to himself, he and Alex rounding a corner only to come to a sharp stop when they looked upon the man waiting there. He was trying to be subtle about it, leaning back against the wall and looking elsewhere, but not subtle enough.

There was a tension that formed in his shoulders, a tension that quickly relaxed as they came into sight. His eyes took a moment to lock upon them like his attention had been elsewhere, even though they had flickered away from the corner they had just rounded as if he had been waiting to see them come into sight.

Subtle, but not enough so to fool him.

"What do you want?" Scott asked sharply, eyes narrowing as he looked upon the man wearing a lumber shirt and dirty baseball cap, his pants possessing a few holes in them. He looked clean, but his clothes were clearly old and well-worn, he was not a man of any wealth.

Scott however, knew him better than that.

A man who had just been let off from his job after an illegal and dangerous act that had caused the manifestation of powers. A man desperate enough to try it again. A man who had taken him after he first ran away from the State Home for Foundlings. A man who had fed that desperate yearning for a family, only to abuse it for his own means.

"Came to offer you a job, if you're interested?"

"Not particularly, no," Scott replied, gaze narrowing as the man's gloved hands came out of his pockets, he knew what those gloves hid.

"Then how about an easy escape from this town?" The man offered, Scott's gaze flickering towards Alex when the man did as well. There was an unspoken threat there, his eyes making it very clear what would happen if he refused, the thinning of his lips a clear tell that this was not how the man wanted it to go.

"...Okay." Scott agreed. "But no more than that."

Even though he said that Scott knew that escaping right now would not be easy. This man would be able to read his and Alex's mind, and in turn, cause damage to them. He needed to be careful how he progressed from here, telepaths were dangerous and tricky foes to handle, often needing to be caught off-guard. This man had already been forced to resort to threats and would as a result, not let his guard down easily.

'Though it does make sense now as to why the police were so effective.' Scott realised, fists clenching as he and Alex followed behind the man. 'He guided them, probably to force us into a situation where he could help us and appear to be a hero offering us aid. Things haven't gone his way at all.'

Despite knowing that, Scott knew he was stuck.

But he also knew that an opportunity would present itself, men like him were not trained, they were amateurs. They'd slip up, the pressure getting to them, they always did. That's when Scott would strike, just like he did at the State Home for Foundlings.

"What's your name," Alex asked, looking to Scott in confusion as to why they were so readily agreeing to go with this man.

"Jack Winters and what's your names?"

"Scott and Alex."