Checkmate

Xavier smiled without any warmth in it. "There's a third option I don't think you considered. I'm sorry old friend," Proffesor X said. "But I have to know. I could-"

"No," Walt said simply. "You don't."

It was over in the blink of an eye. One moment he was simply sitting there and the next he was pointing his finger at Charles saying "Bang" and a large hole had blown deep into the chair narrowly missing Xavier's head... on purpose. "Don't," Walt growled his bowie knife drawn. "You even think about finishing that thought and threatening Jubilee or the others to get to me and it's over... Because I'll kill you, Charles." He said it not like a threat but like a certain fact. Inevitable. He'd do it just like his earlier analogy of putting down a rabid animal... because that's how He'd view Proffesor X if he crossed that line. No better than Orchis... and He'd deal with him the same way. Efficient and expedient termination without hesitation.

Emma bit her lip as Walt smiled at the shooter. "Well done. I knew you were the right choice. My compliments."

Logan smirked holding the smoking gun easily. "It was worth it. Besides if I hadn't one of your guys would have."

"What-" Charles started his face blanched white and a mixture if shock, anger and fear but Walt cut him off.

"You don't even realize it yet, do you?" He asked giving him a pitying look and shaking his head. He used it to steal a glance at both Jeans shocked expression and Emma's... excited expression? "That's a poor showing, old boy. You lose. I had you in checkmate before you even sat down and started playing this game, Chuck. In point of fact I've always had you in check. Always. From the first day we met. You're potentially too dangerous not to. I've just always been content to keep this game going while letting you win the actual chess games. I'm a good sport like that. But the time has come. One can only drag out the game so long and honestly you maneuvered yourself into this loss."

"Would you care to explain?" Emma asked him shifting in her chair. Her voice had a soft almost sensual purr to it.

Walt nodded. "Certainly my dear." She was intrigued and he found her intriguing as well and if he didn't know better he'd almost swear that she was... more than just simply excited.

"Firstly, you owe me. If I hadn't been here to unravel this web of plots you'd all be in a sticky situation. To be completely honest and truthful, I almost didn't finish in time. I've been a bit preoccupied with my own investigation and mystery to unravel that I almost didn't see just how big of a hornets nest it was you all were about to blunder into. In my defense Orchis had been building to this for years and I had a fair bit less time than that to piece it together and play their game."

He pointed at Charles. "Which was actually your game. It was personal, as usual. Moira and you. And they had you beat. The Sentinels, Moira-X, not one but two Essex clones, a MODOK clone," Walt snapped his fingers and Charles flinched. "Oh and let's not forget that upstart punk Feilong. That could have been particularly messy as well. And everyone else they manipulated into their side against you. Wheels within wheels."

He leaned forward across the table. "I either unraveled or was instrumental in the unraveling of it all. I had to sit down and take over playing the game you had practicly already lost at the eleventh hour. The Stark Sentinels. The plot on Mars. The tampered medicines. The hacked gates and the sneak attack that would have been another "mutant massacre"." He held Charles in his stare. "I did that. I cleaned up your mess and pulled your fat from the fire. All while working on my own case and problems and with my helping Krakoa in general with massively improving it's food production, monetary and public relations issues... not to mention helping everyone else, because that's what good neighbors and friends do. You're damn right you all owe me. I did as much for you in a matter of months as you all have in years. And a grant of citizenship aside what have you given back? And how much have I asked of you in return before? A home and trust. That's it. But I get this... mistrust, suspicion and accusations? No thank you."

He extended his finger again but instead of pointing it at anyone he tapped the table. "I want the acknowledgment and respect I deserve and am owed. And what others are owed as well. Logan and his teams. Ororo and the Arrakoan Mutants of Mars. Doom and the Latverians. Namor and the Atlantians. Thor and the Asgardians. And many, many more not least of which are all my people. And you and the council are going to give it... because you can't afford not to."

(("Boss, don't forget about the other thing."))

"Oh yeah. Thanks, Friday," He snapped his fingers. "I also want access to where you're keeping all your "too dangerous" mutants and I reserve the right to take them off your hands. Don't worry. I won't turn them loose and they're likely safer with me anyway then with you all for all parties concerned. And you and the council will give me that access, not like you could stop me anyway."

Xavier's eyes narrowed and Jean gasped in surprise and Emma gasped in... something else. "Was that a threat, Walter?" Jean asked.

He shook his head and smiled sadly at her. "Jeanie... you know me better than that." He was gratified to see her blush and look ashamed. "It was simply a statement of the facts. Not only do you all owe myself and others quite a bit, you can't afford to make any enemies right now and most especially me. Forget that I'm an other worlder with armies, resoures and powers at my disposal that you can't yet comprehend for a moment... including the agents and assassins you can't detect that are blocked and protected from you as they watch you through a scope as we speak." He fought the urge to smile as they all eyed the windows and shadowed corners as if one his agents might pop out from behind the ficus tree. "Forget all the good turns I've done you and that I am now, and always have been, your friend too. Take all of those things out of the equation for a moment."

He took a breath and held it a moment before letting it out and continuing. "I am Stark. I own the Stark Sentinels. I currently have all of Orchis information and plans. I know your weaknesses and vulnerabilities, both individually and as a nation of people." He punctuated each point with a tap on the table and looked around meeting all their eyes. "Anyone who has that much on you is not an enemy you can afford to make lightly in your position. Period... and adding all those other factors back into the equation they're not an enemy you can afford to make, nor in my case an ally you can afford to lose, in any situation. You. Need. Me... far more than I need you. Does that math add up to you?"

Emma nodded, smiling with her face a little flush. "Yes. You're right of course." She looked at Jean and Xavier and shrugged. "Well he is. Quite correct, indeed! To use the same analogy he won the game you were losing Charles after taking over for you and he had you beat at this game as well, right from the start. Two checkmates and two wins for Stark. Bravo." She shook her head. "Whether anyone approves or not, wheter he's sane or not, has been rendered moot and immaterial. We either trust and give him his due or we don't and suffer the consequences of him not having our backs... and he's completely correct in his assessment. Having-" she shook her head and smiled at Walt. "Forgive me. Making him an enemy is completely foolish, tactically unacceptable and would be grossly negligent and unsound strategically, commercially and politically."

Walt smiled at Emma and she smiled back and... he almost swallowed. He didn't need to be a telepath. All the signs she was giving off were clear indicators of attraction and arousal... and that was almost enough to distract him. *Keep your head in the game,* he thought. *Figure out if she's genuine or trying to work an angle after. For now she's definitely on your side.* "The voice of reason," he said. "Thank you, Emma." He rose and bowed to his date then extended his hand to her to help her from her seat. "I think we're done here." He gave Xavier a look. "Unless you seriously want to try? This is your big chance, Chuck. Just you and me... what's it going to be?" He asked tapping his temple.

Charles Xavier slumped in defeat. The confrontation was over before it had begun... or was it? "We could tell," he said his voice barely above a whisper.

Walt snorted as he picked up his hat and placed it back on his head as Charles continued grasping at straws. "You're grasping at straws. Who would you tell? Would they believe you? What proof of any "wrong doing" do you have? And it would any of it fly in the face of my narratives current popularity? Face it, Chuck." He sheated his knife and slung his jacket over his shoulder as he smirked with Emma on his arm and Logan rising from his seat. "I'm the "good guy". Always have been. I've just been hands off until now. Things change. My advice... better get used to it. There's a new sherif in town... and he's cleaning up the mess while protecting it."

Xavier's head jerked up as he desperately plucked his courage and quickly donned his helmet. He attacked Walters mind to break in with everything he had. He was one of the greatest and most powerful telepaths. He unleashed his full force like a crashing tsunami and... nothing. He couldn't find it! All that power was pointless with no target to find and concentrate it- "Ow!"

Walt had simply walked around the table, lifted the cerebro helmet off and finger flicked his forehead leaving a welt. He looked down at Charles Xavier with several emotions on his face. Anger, disgust... but none as plain as the sheer disappointment.

"It's over, bone head. You lose. Check and mate." He shook his head and gently placed Cerebro on the table infront of Charles. "I win... and I'm going to be a good sport about it. No one outside this room has to know. If they do, it won't have come from me. I'm not going to take away your toys, put you in a time out, make you write lines or send you to bed without your supper... this time. Everybody gets one or so they say." He locked eyes with Charles unblinking until Charles was forced to look away from that intense gaze.

"This was your "one", my old friend," Walt said turning his back and walking back around the table again. He patted Wolverine's shoulder as he went past causing him to smile before offering Emma his arm which she took, also with a smile.

Jean looked at Wolverine in disbelief. "Logan... why?"

He snorted and shook his head. "Damn... Walt was right. You really can't tell when your senses are blocked. You telepaths are blinded." He smirked as his form shifted revealing Mystique. "You really should learn to be more perceptive. Might want to work on that," she said as she casually waved over her shoulder after taking Walt's other arm and they exited the room together.

The last thing they heard was Jean telling Xavier, "Well he was right... You're a real bone head sometimes, Charles."

[Walter Stark Penny Polendina F.R.I.D.A.Y Neopolitan Pyrrha Nikos Nora Valkyrie Yang Xiao Long Blake Belladonna Kali Belladonna Sienna Khan Willow Schnee Glynda Goodwitch Zwei Ahnassi Lifts-Her-Tail Senko Sayoko Shinozaki Roberta Cisneros Haruna Sasha Blouse Ilulu Rachel "Raven" Roth Manami "La Brava" Aiba Tsuyu "Froppy" Asui Haruhime Sanjouno Anastasia "The Baroness" Cisarovna/DeCobray Demona Mystique Pirotess Lydia Aela the Huntress Serana Mission Vao Curie Ada PAM KL-E-O Merida Gwen "Gwenom" Stacy Jubilation "Jubilee" Lee Jennifer "She-Hulk" Walters Linda T Duck Shocket Raccoon Lady Loki Elizabeth "Betty" Brant Gloria "Glory" Grant and Mary Jane "MJ" Watson

Will Return In

White Queen and Mystique

Coming Soon]