Chapter IV in an ongoing
                          saga

     Our story leaps ahead two years.   Jon was thrown out of his house roughly
a year after his powers developed.   His father was a bigot, and couldn't stand
having a 'mutie' in the house, even if the 'mutie' was his own son..   His father did
give Jon $100,000 and the keys to an apartment in the London suburbs.   Jon left,
but snuck in a few days later to retrieve a few items.   He 'borrowed' a backpack,
several changes of clothes, a 9mm beretta and a box of ammo, and several
electronic devices: A small clock radio, and portable television set, electrical wiring, and several
types of batteries.   Jon still attended school, but was scorned by his friends, especially Grace, who
blamed him for the loss of the use of her legs.  Jon roughed it out until the end of school, working
at a supermarket to earn money.   As soon as school let out, Jon booked passage on a cruiseship
going to America.   He is now 15 years old, but with a bit of psionic suggestion, people think he is
about 17.   Our story find him waiting for the cruiseship to leave port.

     ~~`Ave my bags been taken up to my room?~~ He asks a steward.
     "Yes, sir.   They've been stored in your room, along with a complementary
fruit basket." the steward answers.
     ~~Good.   `Ow long until the ship leaves?~~
     "About an `our, sir." 
     ~~Good, I `ave to go make a phone call.~~

     "You can do that in your room, sir."
     ~~Oh, that's good.  My room's that way?~~ Jon asks, and points toward the
forward section of the ship.
     "Yes, sir.  Deck 3, Section 7, room 203"
     ~~Thank you.~~ Jon says as he walks toward his room.
     He is dressed in black.  He is wearing a turtleneck sweater, which disguises
his chamber of psionic energy.
     ~~Maybe this Xavier fellow can `elp me.~~ he says to no one imparticular.
     Jon comes to his room, and unlocks the door.   It is a modest sized room, with
a small bed at one wall, near the porthole.   A small dresser is on the other side of
the room, and Jon's bags are near it.   He locates the phone, on the bedside table.  
He walks over and picks up the receiver.   An operator comes onto the line.
     "`Ello?" the operator asks.
     ~~I'd like to make a call.~~ Jon informs her.
     "Is it local?" She inquires.
     ~~Of course.~~ he replies.
     "Number, please." she asks, and Jon gives her the number he's call many
times over the past two years.
     "Hello?" the person on the other line asks.
     "Miss, there is a call from a J. Starsmore." the operator states.
     "Put him on!" the other person insists. "Jon?"
     ~~`Ello, sis.~~ Jon says to his sister, Jizara.
     "Where are you calling from?   Who was that operator?" Jizara asks of her
brother.
     "I'm callin' from a cruiseship, sis.   I'm goin' to America to see that Xavier guy
they talk about on the news.~~ he tells her.
     "Cool!  What do ya need, bro?"
     ~~Well, you know `ow we both `ave a secret stash?~~
     "Yeah.   I checked your room, and I can't find yours.   Did you take it with
you?"
     ~~No, its really `idden well.  Remember the corner that my bed was at?~~
     "Yeah."
     ~~The floorboards come up.....~~
     "That's where you hid it!"
     ~~Yup, but it is down the way a bit.   I need you to do something with it.~~
     "Spend it on clothes?"
     ~~No.   I need you to deposit it to my ATM account.   I need the extra
cash.~~
     "Okay, I'll do it soon."
     ~~No, you'll do it as soon as possible.  And I know `ow much is in there, so
don't go stealin' any, sis.~~
     "Would I steal from my lovin' brother?"
     ~~Probably.~~
     "Jon!"
     ~~Kidding, sis.   Jus' deposit it.   I'll need it to get me to Xavier's place, I'll
probably get a motoscooter or somethin'.~~
     "`Kay, Jon.   I'll do it as soon as I can get out."
     ~~Good, Jizara.   Remind me to do something good for you when I return.~~
     "How about takin' me with you?   I can't stand dad."
     ~~You know I can't.   Dad would wanna kill me even more.~~
     "And I wanna kill dad for throwin' you out."
     ~~Don' do anything `arsh, Jizara.~~
     The operator comes on the line 
     "We are leaving port.   All calls must be disconnected"
     ~~Looks like I gotta go, sis.   I'll try to call you when I get to America.~~
     "`Kay, Jon.   I'll deposit your cash as soon as I can."
     ~~`Kay, sis.   Thanks a lot!~~
     Jon hangs up the phone, and walks over to the dresser.    He starts
unpacking, and finds his beretta in a pair of socks.
     ~~Oops.~~ Jon looks around, but can't find anywhere to hide his gun.   He
ends up laying it on the bottom of one of the drawers, along with the box of ammo.  He keeps the
electronics in his bag, and puts it under his bed.   He straightens up,
and walks outside, locking the door behind him.   He wanders the various decks,
getting to know where everything is.   He turns the corner, and runs into a strikingly beautiful
young woman, about his age.
     ~~Sorry, miss.   I didn't see you there.~~ Jon apologizes.
     "It's okay.   Neither was I.   Are you going to New York too?" she asks.
     ~~Yes, I am.   My name is Jon, Jon Starsmore.   And you would be?~~
     "I am,   Well, I can't tell you my name, because you'd be killed."
     ~~Well, that's one of the more unusual 'go away' lines I've `eard.~~
     "No, really.   All I'm allowed to say is that I'm traveling with several
bodyguards, and here they come"
     Several men dressed in black are rushing toward Jon and the unknown
woman.   They seem very irate.
     "Sir, we're gonna have to ask you to leave." the first one says.
     "Before you deem you a threat and have to remove you with force." the
second one says.
     ~~Okay, okay.   I'm leavin'.   I `ope I see you again, miss.~~
     "Yes, that would be nice." she says before she is escorted away.
     Jon turns and walks away, musing on who that could be.
     ~~I don't remember seeing anyone famous traveling to NY on the news.~~
 Jon resumes wandering the ship, thinking about how he could find out the identity of this woman. 
He finds a gym, several courts for tennis, handball, racquetball, and basketball.  He meets the
captain on his tour, and questions him about the woman.
     ~~Do you know who that woman is?~~
     "What woman?  There are many woman on this ship, sir."
     ~~The one with all the bodyguards.~~
     The captain's facial expression doesn't change, but his eyes give away that he knows. "Who?"
     ~~Nevermind.~~ Jon could use his psionic abilities to influence the captain to explain her
identity, but Jon doesn't.
     ~~That's really what I'd need, revealing myself to these people.. I'd probably get thrown
overboard.~~
     Jon wanders the rest of the ship, not really paying attention to the surroundings.  He is still
thinking how he could legitimately get her name.
     ~~Shouldn't there be a sign-in book or something?  I guestlist?~~ he asks outloud.
     Jon wanders into the office part of the ship, and finds the co-ordinater's office.  He rifles
through the files, and finds a guestlist.  Jon's scanning through the names, and then the
co-ordinater walks in.  
     "What are you doing in here?!"
     ~~Um, I got lost?~~
     "Stay right there!" the co-ordinater says as she grabs the phone, calling security.
     ~~No, you will!~~ Jon says, and tries to take over her mind psionically.  It doesn't work.
     "What?" the co-ordinater calls security, and they are there in a moment.
     "FREEZE!" the security officer says.
     ~~Okay, okay.~~ Jon says, and raises his hands up above his head.  The security officer escorts
Jon to a darkened room.
     "Why were you there?"
     ~~I got lost.~~
     "Why don't I believe you?  The co-ordinator says you were going through her files."
     ~~I was lookin' fer a map, so I could find my way back to my room.~~
     "Likely.   Listen.  I'll let you go, and you go back to your room.  You stay there, for maybe a
couple days.  You stay outta trouble, and I won't report this.  Okay?"
     ~~Fine.  I'll be leavin' now.~~ Jon stands up to leave, but the officer grabs his shoulder.
     "If I find out that you've been stickin' your nose in places where it don't belong, your nose, and
the rest of you will be locked in your room for the rest of the trip."

     ~~Okay, already.  I `eard you the first time.~~ Jon says as he shrugs off the officer's hand, and
walks outside, to his room.
    









         
     
     
     
      

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