Baby It's Cold Outside ... (cont'd)
Scott was on his 'new' Harley, that others had helped him to build, in time for Christmas. He was now 'legal' as Scott Winters, complete with drivers license and with a history even more complete than the one had had had as Scott Summers. He was also backdated two years as the 'facilities manager' at Xavier s' Institute, in his new life. But he was also starting a part of his life he had never really expected to have, since he had never really believed he would live near Manhattan, and never really imagined a life outside of the military.
Today, he was going to Harlem, to listen to a small club performance by Ben E. King. He'd sent the singer a tape, two weeks before, of him singing one of Mr. King's signature songs. Scott had gotten the letter inviting him to sing it along with King just two days before. Scott was on his way now, the first trip alone anywhere off campus since had had come here, in August of 1961.
Even when he left, he was not sure who else was coming. It was a cold day, and likely to be colder, with a forecast of snow. So, probably only a few would make it. He hoped Hank and Jean and Haylie would be among them. His friends, the first friends he had made in this new life. He wanted to sing for them again. Actually, he wanted to sing to the whole world. His vision was back, and even filtered through ruby colored lenses, it was better and more marvelous than it had ever been. During the Westchester County part of the trip, he stayed to country lanes, and a reverie about his past leading to this moment.
Once he neared the City, his thoughts moved forward, to NYC and to Harlem. Both were places he had never been, though he had memorized maps and some visitors' literature. He had even cultivated a 'look', letting his hair grown out a bit, and today, not shaving, deciding that a five o'clock shadow was just about right for Scott Winters. He was showing up on a sleek ultramodern looking motorcycle with some parts that were 40 years old, and a shining silvered housing on which he had embossed, with his newest Visor, the symbol of Xavier s, which was almost the symbol for what some of them were calling the X-Men. He even wore a heavy jacket with that X on the back and the left chest, looking like a winter version of a high school jacket. In other words, with riding boots and jeans, and the red glasses in lieu of the Visor, he looked way cool.
And he felt cool. Next time he rode out in this cold, he'd have to have an additional jacket.
He rode south through Harlem, needing to stop by a hospital in Greenwich Village, to pick up a drug packet for the Institute's MedLab. He had chosen to leave early in the afternoon, and had plenty of time to see the sights. Long before he reached Midtown, he had stopped to gawk at the Empire State Building. Even taking a lot of stops, and asking directions, he made it to Greenwich Village in good time, and ran his errand pretty quickly. So he would have time to burn before riding to the club.
A few scant blocks along, he almost missed it. The Glow. Then it registered, and his visual memory kicked in, his analysis being conducted before he had really processed what he had seen. He pulled the cycle to a stop, and shook his head.
Girl, maybe his age, or somewhere around there, with guitar and knitted bag. Had she been playing for coins? Maybe. But she had definitely been Glowing. Or maybe, just Gleaming. Some of the crowd had not looked happy. Others had seemed enchanted. Street level clothing, she might even be a vagrant. Or dressing that way to cadge more change.
Didn't matter, really. She was almost certainly a mutant. HIS visual perceptions were pretty incredible, and like when Haylie was discharging, this girl was impossible with he Gleaming, not to register to him. He had located a mutant.
Cool. Now, what was he going to do about it?
Well, he was going to introduce himself. Scott gunned the bike, waited for a hole in traffic, and swung back around to the intersection, then turned when the light changed.
She was picking up her stuff, and apparently lost in thought. He let the cycle slow and braked before he reached her. "Hey. I guess I missed the show?"