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The room was a battle zone, a complete standoff. Her verses them with only a kitchen table between them. Just because Emma was in support of this new student didn't make a difference to them. Just because she had saved Emma's life didn't make them like her. All that mattered was that this girl had tried to kill Sean.WHAT'S IN A NAME? written by Echo
Emma cleared her throat. "What do you say? Jade wants to join our school and I'm in favor of it." She looked at the hostile faces, "Sean is in favor of it too."
This surprised them and they seemed to relent on their unwelcome attitude. Emma smiled at them, "I think I'll let you all get to know one another." Before anyone could argue, she walked out of the room.
Echo smiled hesitantly at the group of teenagers. "My name is actually Archer, I changed it a while back."
Silence.
"You can call me Echo though, I don't mind."
Silence.
"So.... nice school you have here."
Silence, except for a muffled cough.
"I can't wait to see the other one in Snow Valley."
Silence.
"Emma seems really nice."
This time Jubilee finally spoke. "Everyone's really nice when you don't try to kill them." She glared at the other girl and walked out of the room.
Echo sighed and looked at the rest of the group. "I'm sensing some hostility."
Paige made a choking sound in the back of her throat and left the room coughing. The rest of the group stared at Echo.
"Please don't let me stop you. Feel free to leave." She motioned towards the door and watched as every one walked quickly out. Clarice was the last one to leave. The two girls made eye contact and Clarice smiled.
"They're really nice. Just give them a while."
"Hey Clarice!" A voice boomed. "Let's go!"
Clarice smiled again and left the room. Echo looked around at the empty kitchen and shook her head.
"Your an idiot, Jade," she mumbled. "This was a stupid idea. The dumbest you've ever had."
She heard laughter from the room next door. It seemed to be aimed in her direction.
"Scratch that," she said. "Letting them think they've phased you is stupid." She marched towards the door and was about to swing it open when the laughter abruptly stopped. They all knew that she was about to walk through those doors.
She retreated a few steps and sat down at the table. She laid her head down on the table and closed her eyes.
"Completely stupid......"
"Every morning there's a halo hangin' from the corner of my girlfriends four post bed! I know it's not mine, but I'll see if I can use it for the weekend or a one night- Oh my Stars and Garters!" He was able to calm his racing heart beat when he recognized who his audience was.
"Oh my, Lady Archer," he performed a small bow. "You startled me."
"Sorry Dr. McCoy." She walked into the light and glanced at the monitors. "I didn't want to interupt you, I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all Archer. I can call you Archer right? Or do you prefer Echo?"
She shrugged, "Archers fine, or Arch at the very least." She glanced at the monitors again. "What are you working on?"
He shrugged and pushed a few buttons. The picture of a DNA strand vanished and was replaced with schematics for the Blackbird. "A little of this, a little of that. Nothing of interest to a young woman like yourself."
She motioned for him to move aside and then recalled the DNA strand picture. "On the contrary, Dr. McCoy, I'm extremely facinated by genetics and the diseases that go hand in hand with it. I assume that this is a picture of the effect of the Legacy Virus? If it is, then you have your hands full."
He stared at her intently and then took a step back, leaning on the heels of his feet. "I'm sorry Arch, but do I know you from somewhere? Another life perhaps?"
She smiled and turned to face him. "A while back at the San Francisco Health Center conference. You and Professor Xavier did a fantastick acting job, convincing the health community that the Legacy Virus posed no threat. I was the scientist from India in the third row who asked you questions in private after your speech."
He looked at her in surprise. "The raven haired goddess? But you-you-"
"I was 40 years old and sporting a Scottish brouge? Well, doctor, image inducers and acting lessons come in handy." She turned back to the screen. "I had a million questions to ask you, but you left rather quickly. Perhaps I can ask you now?"
He nodded his head and came to stand next to her infront of the screen, still dumbfounded. "Ask away."
"Have you tried-" he cut her off before she could go on.
"Before you start the 'have you tried this' scenarios, maybe I should give you a copy of all the information we've gathered so far." He pulled out a disk and handed it to her, ignoring her frowning face. "You can read up on it and give me all your theorys.
She stared at the disk and then up at him. "Dr. McCoy, I am aware of every detail of the legacy virus and all the attempts of curing it. When I aproached you in San Fransisco, it was to ask you if I could be your assistant."
He smiled kindly at her but turned back to the consule. "That's kind of you Arch, but there is a large difference between a science experiment and something as dangerous as curing this disease. Besides if I was going to choose an assistant, which I'm not, mind you, I would choose someone with some experience. I'm sorry."
She stared at his back with anger clouding her vision. She marched over to his desk and quickly scribbled something on a piece of paper and threw it at the surprised Beast. "Look up the name. It was the name I used while working at at a genetics lab. Perhaps then you'll realize that this isn't a science experiment to me!"
Hank flinched as she slammed the door. He stared at the name scrawled across the paper. "Margarett Scott?" Her shrugged and began searching his data base for scientists in genetic research named Scott.
She hated it here. The kids couldn't stand her because she had tried to kill Banshee, (as if she really had had a choice) and the adults didn't take her seriously.
The one person in this mansion who she thought she could relate to thought she was working on a science experiment. She had spent a year working for Sebastion Shaw on the Legacy Virus. She had been so close to discovering a basis for a cure when Shaw had ordered everyone on the project 'removed' from duty.
She had escaped the guns and the bombs only to have a blue furred dweeb tell her that the Legacy Virus wasn't a science experiment. It had taken all of her willpower not to look in his face and say 'Duh!' A few minutes ago Hank had apoligized, as soon as he found out who she was, but he didn't ask her to help him.
She sighed and turned the volume up another leval. The Goo Goo Dolls were not helping to drown out the laughter that seemed to be right outside her door. She began to flip through the CD's she had 'borrowed' from Chamber. The laughter was replaced by a low murmering. Maybe Offspring? For a Brit, Jono had excelent taste in music.
The door to her room was suddenly slowly opened to reveal Blink and Skin staring curiously at her.
"What are you listening to?"
Echo shrugged casualy. "Some CD's that I-"
//Stole?// Jono came charging into the rom and grabed the case from her. He angrily punched stop and took out the CD to replace it in it's special place, when he realized that the stereo was his as well. He ripped the plug out of the outlet and stomped out of the room. //Next time ask!//
Blink and Skin still stared at her. "Wow," was all Blink could say.
Skin shot a look at Blink. "I'd better go talk to him." She nodded in understanding and he left. Clarice smiled at Echo.
"Maybe you should ask next time. Jono's a little posesive with his possesions." Echo just shrugged and stared out the window. Blink came a sat in one of the chairs. "I understand what your going through. I was the new kid, I guess I still am." Echo made a sound in her throat that sounded like a harsh laugh.
"I doubt that you have any idea what I'm going through!" She stood up and began pacing. "I was given a simple job that would improbe my standing as a mercenary and I blew it! Then like an idiot, I kill the guy who hired me for the job! So I come to this school to try and start over but the students hate me because the guy I was originaly supposed to kill turns out to be their teacher!" She collapsed on the bad and stared up at the ceiling. "You have no way of understanding."
Blink peirced her lips together and nodded her head. "I may not understand, but I can help."
Echo sat up and stared at her hesitantly. "What do you mean?"
Blink smiled. "I don't hate you because I understand why you did what you did. All you need to do is prove that your not going to let them down. They don't trust you yet."
The reply was a huge exasperated sigh. "They trust you! You haven't been here for very long, why do they trust you?"
"Well, that's a long story. Look, united they stand, divided they fall." Whithout another word Blink left, closing the door behind her.
It was soon swung open as Echo realized what she needed to do. She stared at the door down the hall that was Jono's. One by one. She would bring the student body to her side. One by one......
