The Jean Grey School for Higher Learning:
Ms. Grey will do nicely, Rachel informs him coolly and reminds him his Psychwar 101 class started 90 seconds ago. He knows, he‘s listening in, he replies telepathically. Besides, he should be teaching that class. Psychwar 101? Maybe when he was six years old, he could have learned something there. Along with some basic manners apparently, Rachel bristles and orders him to class. Now!
Staring at the window, Quentin calls all of them peasants. They wouldn’t know a psychwar if it kicked their ass. Speaking of which… He hasn’t forgotten him, he thinks about Logan. Quentin may have helped him save the school and all, so he could play hero to the masses. Coolest dude in the room, right? But hero or no hero, no one embarrasses Quentin Quire like he did. No one locks him up like some political prisoner.
Logan looks up as though sensing Quentin’s rage. Quentin bares his teeth in a snarl-like smile. “Not even you,” he states coldly.
Broo addressed him, he was sent to tell him he is holding up class. Does he like games? Quentin asks him. Who doesn’t? Broo replies confused. Indeed, Quentin replies. Tell them he’s sick. Doubled over. He’s going back to bed and they can try him again in the morning. Broo runs off. So let’s play a game, Quentin decides. Outside, Hisako and Logan are still sparring. Suddenly, Hisako falls…
The Construct:
… and gets up. She and Logan are both dressed in ragtag wear. What the hell is he doing? she demands. Let her up!
They find themselves in a steampunk kind of city. What’s the matter with him? Hisako continues her rant. Hands to himself! No time to argue, Logan tells her. They gotta get moving. It’ll be night soon.
Reality:
did it! Quentin shouts triumphantly. It worked! The Construct is running. And it’s perfection! They want to talk to him about psychwar?
And there’s that. He looks outside the window to the unconscious bodies of Logan and Hisako. Swearing, Quentin runs outside. He tells himself to keep it together to both run the Construct and keep up an illusion. Pull this off, he’ll be able to run his own ticket. He knows he’s better than the other psychics here, so prove it!
He apologizes to Hisako’s unmoving body and puts her in the cellar. It’s really not about her, he tells her. A day off of school, a nice sleep-in. Catch up on her beauty rest or whatever. He’s really doing her a favor. All of them. It’s time for the students to flex a little muscle around here… fight the powers. Is he right? Yeah that’s a shot at you, Neanderthal. Deal with it, he tells nobody in particular.
Next, he slowly moves the incredibly heavy Logan and manages to hide him in the nearby garden shed which he secures with a padlock.
The Construct:
Reality:
In the Construct:
Hisako tries to support the injured Logan as they walk through the rain into the direction of the safehouse. He asks how she took that hit and survived. How did he? she retorts. They both have unanswered questions… She leaves him leaning against a car as she buys them something to eat.
Suddenly, a man holds a gun to Logan’s head. Addressing him by his name, he announces Logan is bleeding on his car. Hisako asks him not to. He’s been hurt! She’s just trying to take him home! Logan is strangely calm, sure it will be ok.
Reality:
Now he’s getting into the spirit! Quentin grins. He might still have an impenetrable skull, but how will he like taking damage with his healing factor way down!
The Construct:
The other man fires his gun and Logan slumps down.
Reality:
Quentin plops down on his bed, grinning.
The Construct:
Hisako has taken Logan to the safehouse and eats some soup. The roof in the shabby room leaks.
Reality:
In Logan’s body, a rudimental personality is focused on Quire, ordering him to get out of his head. So driven, Logan’s body tries to get out of the shed.
