The Spectre #30

I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths, trying to steady myself. I felt a gentle, almost imperceptible pressure as Professor X attuned himself to my brain waves. It was as if a faint hum vibrated in my mind, a presence that wasn't intrusive but rather observant.

Moments later, I heard Professor X's voice in my head, calm and clear. "I can see what you see. Focus on this spectre"

I opened my eyes and looked directly at Vito, who was leaning casually against the wall, watching the proceedings with an amused expression. His figure was sharp and clear, as real as any other person in the room.

"I see him," Professor X's mental voice confirmed. "He appears solid, not a mere figment of imagination. Tell me, does he speak to you?"

I nodded slightly, not wanting to disrupt the connection. "Yes. He talks to me. Offers advice, commentary... sometimes he's helpful, but mostly he's just annoying and disruptive..."

Vito smirked. "Annoying? That's harsh, considering all the good times we've had."

"Interesting, now that I'm in I can feel two distinct waves from your brain... each different from the other..." Professor X's voice mused in my mind. "this persona of yours isn't a hallucination or split personality born from schizophrenia... I can say that for certain now... at the very least it has thoughts of its own..."

Vito couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "So I'm an it now?"

I just grunted. "So... can you get rid of it...?"

The professor shook his head, his voice echoing in my mind. "I'm not certain. I'd need to ascertain its origin and the reason for its existence before I can make an educated judgment... however, I will need to delve deeper for that..."

I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Do what you need to do." Though I'd hoped otherwise, I had a feeling it would come to this, and I came fully prepared.

'Try to relax... I will dive into your mind now in an attempt to locate the memories of this secondary persona..."

The pressure in my mind increased slightly, still gentle but more focused. I felt my mind and thoughts being carefully examined, as if Professor X were flipping through the pages of a book.

There was a brief pause, and then a rush of images—Vito's memories—flooded my consciousness. I began to feel a sharp pain that felt like a thousand needles pricking my brain, and then it stopped all too suddenly.

"These memories," Professor X said, "they are indeed distinct from your own. They belong to another individual, and yet they are fully integrated into your mind, though locked behind lairs and lairs of coping mechanisms... for the lack of a better word... there is a deep connection between you and this spectre, a merging of sorts."

I winced at his words, feeling a mix of confusion and relief. "So, I'm not crazy?"

The connection between me and Professor X cut off, and his voice returned to the room, no longer in my mind. "No, you're not insane. Not in the traditional sense of the word, anyway."

I frowned, trying to process his words. "What do you mean?"

He leaned back in his chair, folding his hands thoughtfully. "Unlike a clinically insane patient, you are in perfect control of your actions and capable of telling right from wrong. However, there is indeed something wrong with you, specifically with your brain."

I opened my mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come. A heavy pit formed in my stomach, and I struggled to find something—anything—to ask.

The professor sighed, his expression one of deep contemplation. "The sudden merging of these memories was akin to forcibly combining two personas," he began.

"By all intents and purposes, that should produce something entirely new, if the process succeeded, which should be an impossibility. However, the personalities in question were both distinct and too different from each other, resulting in one dominating the mind and the body while another simply took a back seat...."

I frowned, my thoughts a jumbled mess. "Is there any way to get rid of the second persona?"

Professor X shook his head, his eyes gentle yet firm. "You might be misinterpreting my words. This specter you see," he pointed at Vito, who was leaning nonchalantly against the wall, "isn't an actual person. It's a coping mechanism developed by your brain, an integral part of your being that is standing between you and severe, irreversible damage to your brain..."

"What?" I could only manage a single, bewildered word.

He leaned forward, his gaze intense but kind. "This merging wasn't a mere failed attempt to combine two personalities, but two lifetimes of memories, skills, and knowledge..."

"This is too much for your human brain to handle, so it created a mental construct—Vito—to manage the overflow, to give you access to some of the sealed memories without overhwelming you."

My confusion only deepened. "Can you explain it in words that someone who hasn't spent their entire life studying the human mind can understand?"

Professor X smiled faintly, nodding. "Of course. Imagine your mind is a computer, and suddenly, it's been uploaded with the data from another computer—different files, programs, and operating systems. Instead of crashing, your mind created a partition to to compress, store, and manage this new data separately, and that partition is the spectre you see."

I let out a slow breath, trying to wrap my head around it. "So, he isn't real, but he's also not going away because he's part of me now?"

Professor X shook his head. "Not necessarily. The specter you see is merely an avatar of the memories sealed in your brain, one that shouldn't exist in the first place."

"Then why can I see him and talk to him?" I asked, the frustration and confusion clear in my voice.

"He was most likely born out of a stressful situation as yet another coping mechanism," Professor X replied thoughtfully. "This specter isn't the owner of the memories sealed in your brain but a mere personality construct your subconscious formed using your opinion of the person in question and his sealed memories."

I was utterly speechless, struggling to fully grasp the situation. "You're starting to lose me, professor.... is there a way to get rid of him or not?"

The professor leaned back, considering his words carefully. "I can unseal the locked memories, which would remove the need for the specter. However, this would likely cause irreversible damage."

"Alternatively, you can wait until your subconscious mind fully finishes processing the additional memories, disposing of what it finds unnecessary and keeping what is useful. Avoiding stress would quicken the process and make the specter appear less often."

Vito chuckled from his corner of the room. "Hear that? You need to chill out. Maybe take a vacation."

I ignored him and focused on Professor X. "Now that you mention it, he does seem to appear more during stressful situations and when I'm alone. He's been showing up less lately, especially when I'm around other people."

The professor nodded. "There you have it. It's a fascinating case, but the cure is quite simple. You need to avoid stress and being alone for the foreseeable future."

I shook my head, feeling a mix of frustration and helplessness. "I only wish it was that simple."

Professor X appeared thoughtful for a moment before speaking. "You're welcome to stay at the mansion for a few weeks. I can promise you a stress-free environment and good company."

I gave him a strange look, genuinely surprised by the offer. "Why would you let a wanted criminal stay in your home so easily?"

The professor's eyes twinkled with a hint of amusement. "Are you referring to the gang war you supposedly incited?"

Before I could respond, he continued, "I know you didn't do that. I'll make a bold guess and say that you are, in fact, not the original owner of this body and that you found yourself adhering to a mess someone else created."

Vito chuckled again, leaning against the wall with a smirk. "Well, I'll be damned. Who would have thought the mutant with super telepathic powers would figure out your biggest, darkest secret?"

I ignored Vito, putting on a frown and trying to feign ignorance. "What are you talking about?" I asked, looking straight into the professor's eyes.

Professor X sighed, his gaze steady. "There's no need to pretend with me. The specter you see looks exactly like you, which I merely thought odd at the beginning. But then some of the sealed memories flashed in my mind—bits and pieces of a drug deal gone wrong—and it all became abundantly clear."

I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his words. "So, you believe me? You believe that I'm not the criminal everyone thinks I am?"

He nodded. "I do. And I believe that with time, we can help you integrate these conflicting parts of yourself. But first, you need to allow yourself to heal. That won't happen if you're constantly on the run or under stress."

The offer was tempting, more tempting than I wanted to admit. A part of me still hesitated, wary of accepting help so freely given. "I appreciate the offer, but I've made a deal with some dangerous people to get myself out of a sticky situation. I can't implicate you or your students."

Professor X relented with a nod, his expression somber. "That is a shame, but I thank you for your honesty."

I placed my duffle bag on his desk, the weight of it thudding softly. "Please accept this donation as my way of saying thanks."

The professor shook his head. "There's no need for that."

But I insisted, pushing the bag closer to him. "I insist. It's the least I can do."

He looked at me for a moment, then nodded, accepting the gesture. "Very well. Thank you."

I thanked him one last time and turned to leave, my footsteps echoing in the quiet room. As I reached the door, I glanced back at Professor X. "Goodbye, Professor."

"Goodbye," he replied, his voice warm and understanding.

...

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