In The Office

[magneto]

Somewhere among the many offices of El Dorado, Erik Lensherr was rubbing his temple. On his desk lay numerous reports and none of them had anything good to say. Of the most recent batch of mockants, only 4 managed to even survive the experiment. All but one of the surivors died within moments of their powers manifesting.

Erik swivelled in his chair to stare out the window. The experiment had been making progress, but things were moving far too slowly. The world was still largely unaccepting of mutants out of fear, jealousy, or whatever reason they could think up.

And yet, there were people who were willing to undergo the risky mutatation process for a paltry sum of money. Once the process was refined, just think of all the people lining up to become something greater than human.

His eyes swept back over his office. It was filled with metal, from the desk he was working on to the bookshelf. Even his thermos of water was metal. Once upon a time, when he still called himself Magneto, he had an affinity for the astheticism for metal. The visual appeal still held true with the restored human, but now it was tainted with bitterness. The metal seemed to mock him and his inability to control it.

But Erik had a feeling that this wouldnt be the case forever. If he concentrated hard enough, he could affect small metal objects. At the moment, he could only make a paperclip slide across his desk, but surely, in time he'd regain more of his power. Maybe even be restored to his former glory.

Sighing, Erik brushed his thoughts away and turned back to the reports. He had work to do.

[magneto]

It was the middle of the day now, and the jungle outside his window was distorted by the haze of humidity. It was truly a sight to behold, but its beauty only served to remind Erik that, even now, humans were trying to cut it down for their own purposes. He saw mutants as the jungle: beautiful, natural, and something that should be left alone. Of course, if humans were willing to destroy the very planet they lived on, they'd have no qualms with thinning the population ranks.

While he continued to watch the condensed moisture in the air, the former mutant remembered the mockant survivor in his reports. A man named Adam Fraser to be exact. Erik had spoken with the man and had been delighted to find he supported mutants and Magneto's cause. Erik made sure not to mention the more ruthless aspects of Magneto's cause, lest he drove Adam away.

The man said he would be swinging by today in the afternoon. Erik made sure his schedule was completely free for the other man.

[preacher]

While Adam Fraser had spent weeks inside El Dorado, he had been mainly confined to the underground lab fascilities. This would only be his second time above ground level (the first time having been his first meeting with an Erik Lensherr to personally commend him on his efforts to bring about more acceptance of mutants. (A plaque reading El Dorado's more nobler goals was placed upon a small monument in lobby.)

A pretty receptionist had directed him to the umpth floor, and a secretary had informed him Erik would see him shortly. After a few minutes, he was given the okay to go on in. Adam nodded his thanks toward the woman before letting himself into Erik's office. The first thing he noticed was the sterility of the metal furniture against the backdrop of the natural world. It was an unexpected but not unpleasant mixture.

[magneto]

Erik did a combination of turning and rising out of his seat to receive his guest. He saw the somewhat slack look of surprise and appreciation and found himself sharing a similiar feeling. The older man smiled and placed both his hands on Adam's shoulders.

"Ah! Good to see you again. It looks like you were a success! Please, have a seat and we can chat over a nice cup of tea." Taking one hand away to shut the door, Erik's other arm slipped around the man's shoulders to gently guide Adam to his seat. On his desk was an already prepared tray of an English-styled tea gathering. The receptionist downstairs had informed him of Adam's arrival and he quickly had everything prepared.

Erik poured a cup for both of them and sat down across from Adam. "Earl Grey, I do hope you find it to your liking. Now tell me about your new abilities."

[preacher]

After a few moments, Adam realized he had been projecting his emotions and quickly stopped himself. Hopefully Erik hadnt picked up on anything. Before he knew it though, he had been maneuvered into a chair and couldn't be bothered to care. The old man reminded Adam of a friendly grandfather he'd never had.

Taking a tentative sip of his tea, Adam found that he could grow to like it.

"Interesting flavor. I like it." He paused to collect his thoughts about the new situation he was in now that he was a mutant or mockant as the area seemed to call him.

"Well, I'm sure you've gotten reports documenting every little aspect of me, but I seem to have the ability to make someone sad or happy, depending on what I want them to feel. For the most part, I've just been experiencing a sort of natural high. Although in the beginning, I was a sobbing wreck of a man." Adam smiled sheepishly towards the other man. He was comforted by the fact that Erik was beaming warmly at him.

[magneto]

Ah yes. He had read about Adam's abilities in the report. A very useful tool in appealling to the hearts and minds of humans everywhere.Although passive tactics werent his forte, that was all he could do at the moment. Oh how he loathed the humans and what they had done to him. Stripped of power and left feeble and frail...

His growing rage was snuffed out though, by the sense of calm that was distinctly not his own. Being well aware of Adam's powers gave him a certain awareness of his own emotions and which weren't his. A look at the priest told Erik that the man wasn't fully aware of what he was doing. Maybe he should send him through a sort of training program.

"Yes, certainly a remarkable power, and quite an asset for the mutant cause, if I do say so myself. Once you've achieved full control over your capabilities, perhaps you should look into making public speeches for mutant rights. With your powers, who knows what kinds of doors you could open for our...I mean, mutant-kind."

A slip about his past. The calm that Adam had been projecting must have lowered his mental defenses. He'd have to be more careful around him.

[preacher]

To think that he might really make an impact on the world advocating mutant rights, it made Adam light-headed. And even now, seeing this as the Lord's work openning up before him, made his love for God swell. Right then and there, Adam Fraser decided he would learn to control his powers and set forth to spread the word of God on behalf of the mutant cause. That and help all the lost mutants realize the love of their Savior.

"...With your powers, who knows what kinds of doors you could open for our...I mean, mutant-kind."

Adam was a bright man, and he could put two and two together. He wished to befriend the man before him, and help him through whatever troubles he might have been through. The priest wouldnt ask direct questions, but he could offer an ear.

"You know Erik, I am a priest. If you ever need to talk about something, I'm always available. Your secrets would always be safe with me."

[magneto]

Erik couldn't help but smile at Adam. He was a good man. A bit of a bleeding heart, but a good man nonetheless. He took one more sip of his tea before standing up.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline on any sort of confessions at the moment, but perhaps we could talk about my life some other time. While we're in the present, why don't we head over to the new training grounds. There was a nearby warehouse that I've recently converted into a sort of exercise room for mockants and their budding abilities. I think you might find it ideal for learning to control your emotions. We'll just recruit a scientist or two for you to work on. How's that sound?"

[preacher]

Adam quickly joined his companion on his feet, and let himself be led outside of the office and out into the hall. He must have been shut away for a while if the warehouse was finished with rennovations. When he had originally walked into El Dorado, there was still heavy machinery lying around.

Testing out his powers actually sounded like an excellent idea, but that meant having to practice on innocent people. He didn't want to put anyone through any trouble.

"Are you sure about using other people to help me test my powers? I dont wish to hurt anyone, and I fear I'm like a kid who's found Dad's gun in the closet." As he said this, a man and a woman walked out of a nearby office and nodded to Erik. It looked like the older man had other things to do.

"These people have volunteered to help you control your new abilities. If you have any questions, ask them." And with that, the older gentleman walked away, in the direction of his office. Adam smiled at the two who remained and let them usher him to the warehouse.

((continued into Valley of Shadows))

[magneto]

The two assistants for Adam had appeared on time, and Erik was now free to leave.

"These people have volunteered to help you control your new abilities. If you have any questions, ask them."

Erik would learn of the man's progress from both the notes the two assistants took and Adam himself. But that was for later, and he was a man of the present. He needed to get his work done for the day before he could try out the training center for himself. A spring found its way into his step as he walked back to his office. He was eager to see how much power he could rediscover in himself.

There on his desk, a new report lay, manila folder undisturbed. Erik sat down and skimmed through. A man named Anthony Jenkins, survived the initial process, currently being contained in the lower levels. He'd probably survive the full manifestation of his powers if the head scientist felt the need to file a report so early. Erik would stop by sometime later to see how this mister Jenkins was faring.

[magneto]

"Mr. Lensherr sir, Mr. Jenkins has regained consciousness."

Ah. His secretary knew everything that went on inside El Dorado, and made sure he was up-to-date on every little detail. Maybe he'd give her a raise before Easter Holiday.

After a few moments, Erik was taking the elevator down into the lower levels of El Dorado, where the magic really took place. He liked to be the first person to talk to each mockant after the experiment.

((continued into Rude Awakening))

[magneto]

((continued from A Playground of Steel))

Once again in a red dress shirt(opened at the throat) and grey slacks, Erik walked back into his office. On his was through the door, he heard his secretary call out about "wanting to check the news." Wondering what sort of events could be important enough to catch the attention of South American news, Erik sat down in his chair and browsed the web for a reliable news site. Ah, found one.

Hmm, looked like England was suffering a bank heist, but wait. His mutant name was showing up on the page, as well as St. John's and Cain's.

What?

Erik read the article again, and then a third time before letting it sink in. So apparently Pyro and Juggernaut were still in contact with each other. Maybe the Brotherhood was still alive, as well. He decided to send an email to his base on Genosha.

To Whomever Reads This Message,

I am curious to know what sort of state the Brotherhood of Mutants is in, as well as why Pyro and the Juggernaut were robbing a bank in Liverpool.

Sincerely, a Friend

He hit the send button and away it went. Hopefully, if the someone who received his message was an enemy, they wouldn't realize that only he would know the contact information for Genosha headquarters.

[Pyro]

Auto Reply

I am currently out of the office and will contact you on my return.

[magneto]

When the message prompted on his screen, Erik was a bit disappointed. But the message meant that someone was still actively using his Genosha's network, and would hopefully live up to their auto reply. Although, truth be told, that auto reply looked like his own handiwork.

Erik sighed and began sifting through papers. Best not to focus on what he was waiting for.

[magneto]

At some point in time, a folder had been delivered to his desk, containing the notes on Adam Fraser as well as a DvD recording of his training session. If Erik had been a less self-serving creature, he would have questioned the morals of putting hidden cameras throughout the Valley of Shadows. But because Erik was ever focused on creating mutants and honing them into weapons, he never paused in his actions.

Instead, he popped in the DvD into his computer and began skimming through the notes. Looked like Adam had the basics of control, but his powers could still overwhelm him. Erik looked up at the video feed and watched how Adam had the two assistants laughing. After a few moments, Adam joined in, then suddenly crumpled to the ground in tears. He regained his composure fairly quickly, but the notes indicated that Adam had no recollection of the breakdown.

At least Adam was able to walk around freely, unklike their newest mockant. Erik was sure that with a few training sessions, Adam would be in complete control of himself once more.