ISSUE #23

The same day, Ian and Kevin both had the entire school at their necks. Rumors had begun spreading around that the two of them were murderers. No matter where they went everyone was murmuring about them.

" The F.B.I came..."

" He murdered his father."

" Has to go to jail."

" You have to be careful if he touches you."

" Can kill you in an instant."

Ian sighed as he continued hearing more and more rumors. It was becoming nauseating how many people were judging him now. He walked into the cafeteria, all the while still listening to the whispers and murmuring and sat at the farthest table in the room, just so he could be alone.

' What did I expect?' Ian asked himself. ' None of them ever cared about me before. Of course, they're all so quick to turn on me. Nothing's changed, not with them anyway.'

Ian sat alone, not even eating his lunch. He didn't feel like it. He just wanted to leave. But just as he was ready to, something unexpected happened.

" All right everybody, Listen Up!" Julian exclaimed. When no one looked at him, Julian used his power to make a loud noise. " I SAID EVERBODY LISTEN UP!" Julian shouted to the top of his lungs. " You've all been talking gossip about how our classmates are going to jail. You should be ashamed of yourselves. They're mutants just like us. Some flatscan from the FBI shows up and says they're dangerous. And you all believe it? So, Kevin Ford is Dangerous. So, Ian Sinclair is Dangerous? we all are. We're the next step in evolution and they want to shut us down and all you can do about it is gossip. Take a good look at them. Because they could be you soon. Ben, when your flames manifested you burned down your town's park. Did they send you to jail? Because if they go, you might be next. Hey, Nori, you were homeless, your powers were out of control... You robbed the local coffee shop. They come for you yet?" Julian asked. " And Dallas, first time you went to shadow form your grandpas had a heart attack. Are you responsible for that? Sofia, didn't you trash your dad's store? You got to avoid jail because you came here. This is the place we go to be safe. They want to take our people away and all you can do is gossip. You're terrible mutants. You're not fit to be called homo superior!" Julian exclaimed.

Ian had to admit, he had begun to warm up to Julian. Yeah, they had a rocky history together, but for a while now Julian's been one of Ian's best supporters, outside of his teachers and the few members on the New Mutants. But he never expected something like this.

Ian and Kevin were both touched by Julian's speech.

That's a sentiment not everyone shared.

" Wow, who knew Julian had it in him?" David exclaimed.

" Does that speech remind anyone else of speeches made right before someone tried to wipe out humanity?" Josh asked.

They were both surprised by Julian's sudden rant.

" I think he makes a lot of sense." Sofia spoke up. She had been the only person on at her table that actually agreed with what Julian had said.

But just like Josh had been offset by Julian's speech, Another New Mutant felt just the same, Dani Moonstar, Ian and Kevin's advisor, had called the two of them to her office to talk about what happened in the cafeteria.

" You wanted to see us, Miss Moonstar?" Kevin asked.

" I heard there was an incident in the cafeteria." Dani spoke.

" Yeah, it surprised me too." Ian exclaimed. " I never thought Julian had it in him. It was actually really nice of him to show his support."

" Guys, Julian is wrong. We can't put ourselves outside of society and its laws." Dani explained.

" Wait? What?! You mean you want us to turn ourselves in?" Ian asked. Both he and Kevin were shocked that she would even entertain the idea.

" Yes. I've spoken with headmaster Summers and the school will do anything it can to help you through this." Dani spoke.

" But I didn't do anything wrong! I loved my dad!" Kevin exclaimed.

" I know that and the sooner we make that clear to the authorities, the sooner this will be over, and you can both come back here. I'm sorry, both of you. But this is the only way we can resolve this." Dani explained.

" No! No... No no no! I had my freedom taken from me once, Dani. I'm not letting myself be caged ever again! Do you hear me! Never! If that agent tries to touch me, I swear I will kill him!" Ian exclaimed. He burst out of Dani's office in anger and Dani sighed.

" Emma, I'm sorry, it looks like we're out of options." Dani spoke.

Emma had been listening to the conversation through a radio, Dani had in her office. They had planned for something like this happening, they just wish it didn't.

As Ian, prepared to leave the building, he suddenly found himself back in a white room.

" Hello, Ian." Emma spoke. Her usual cold demeanor was gone for the moment.

" What is it, Miss frost?" Ian asked. He didn't have time to waste, if he didn't want to be caught, he needed to leave now.

" Listen, I know what's going through your mind right now. I know it seems unfair, but I need you to calm down and go with the agent's peacefully." Emma explained.

" What?! You too?!" Ian exclaimed.

" Hear me out. If you run away any and everything, we are doing right now to prove your innocence will be useless. You will only make things worse for yourself. Think of this as more of a formal procedure where your innocence will be recognized by the law, setting not only a precedent for yourself, but a precedent for mutants in the future." Emma explained. " Scott is working out some angles, we believe we can get you out in just a few weeks. And if you go with them peacefully, we promise we'll spare both you and Kevin the embarrassment of being taken out in cuffs." Emma spoke.

" You believe you can get me out? You don't know? What kind of deal is that Miss Frost? How is that fair? I was taken by a group of crazy monsters, and I'm the one being blamed for the people they killed? How is that right?" Ian asked. Can't you just show them my memories? Wouldn't that prove I'm innocent?" Ian asked

" It doesn't work that way. I'm sorry. I wish it did, but it doesn't." Emma replied. " This is your only chance, Ian. If you don't take it, I'm afraid things will only get worse for you." Emma stated. " I am so very sorry, Ian. But this is the hand we've been dealt. I've gotten you and Kevin both a great Lawyer who is used to working Mutant cases. We can beat this. You just have to work with us. Please." Emma begged.

" I just can't Miss Frost. I can't sit in another cell. I just can't do it. I can't stand it, being contained like that... It's suffocating, it feels like I can't breathe, I feel trapped again. I feel like I'm less of a person. I feel like... I feel like I'm nothing more than a piece of flesh to be used. Don't make me go through that again." Ian begged.

" I'm sorry." Emma replied. " I promise we'll get you out, Ian." Emma then undid her telepathy and Ian woke up in his real body to discover he was already locked inside of a containment unit meant to hold prisoners with super strength like the Hulk and Juggernaut.

" Huh?! What is this?" Ian asked. He started thrashing against the bars holding him and no matter what he did, he just couldn't move. " LET ME OUT OF HERE! LET ME OUT NOW!" Ian exclaimed.

The Hellions and the New Mutants watched as Ian and Kevin were both carried off of the property by the FBI.

" MR. SUMMERS!" Ian called out for the man's help, but it was to no avail. " DANI!" Ian then tried his advisor who only hung her head. " MISS FROST!" Ian tried Emma, who only turned her head away, to hide the single tear falling from eye. " SOFIA, DAVID, JOSH, NORIKO, LAURIE!" Ian tried the New Mutants, hoping one of his teammates, and the people who called themselves his friends would help, but nothing. " JULIAN! HELP ME! GET ME OUT OF HERE JULIAN!!!!"

Julian was angered by the whole situation from the start. His eyes flashed green and went to take a step forward but was immediately stopped by Scott.

" Not one more step." Scott told the boy.

" But Mr. Summers" Julian exclaimed.

" Julian, stay where you are... Or else." Scott told the boy, he glared at him through his vizor, and Julian stood down.

" RAHNE! HELP ME!" Ian tried calling out to Rahne through their bond, and Rahne could feel it. Even in her class she could feel, Ian's pain. She looked out the window of the class and started growling. But even as much as she wanted too, she couldn't help either.

" Stop Thrashing around, kid. You're not getting out of those. You'll only hurt yourself trying." Pierce told Ian. " Just relax, if you behave, we'll let you out."

" DAMN IT! DAMN IT! LOGAN! I NEED YOU, LOGAN!!!" Ian shouted. " I Need, Youuu." Ian continued struggling and shouting, but eventually he went to sleep.

" I'm sorry, dear boy." Emma stated. She had used her powers to pacify, Ian's mind and put him into a deep sleep.

Once, Ian's fighting had ended he and Kevin were loaded into their respective vehicles and were both driven off the property in the hands of the government.