Alex gets a call from his new best friend and his teammate in football, Daniel Schmidtz. Daniel sounds kind of shaky, like he saw a ghost or something terrible otherwise. Alex asks, "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Daniel replies, with a stutter, "Cou. . . Could you g. . . get over here v. . . very soon, like r. . . right now?!"

Alex arrives at Daniel's house via his bicycle ten minutes later, only to discover that his house is in flames. Daniel and his family are standing in the driveway, looking on in despair. The fire department is trying to put out the flames, but it seems that they are not having success. Daniel yells to Alex, "Could you believe this?!"

"No! What happened?" Alex pulls up beside him. "Did a bomb go off in your house?!"

"You're not far from it. Let me tell you the story. I was playing a game on my computer when I got really frustrated and hit my hand on the desk." Heather, Daniel's sister, continues his story. "That's when I heard Daniel scream and when I rushed to see what was going on, a green beam of light blasts from his eye and destroys the monitor! The wall started catching fire and I yelled for everybody to get out, and that's when Daniel screams again and he blows a hole through four walls!"

Nathan, Daniel's brother, finishes the story. "That's when everything started to catch fire. We were all running outside when there is a huge explosion and the house is engulfed in flames. After that, the fire trucks arrive and they try to stop the fire."

Daniel says to Alex, "I don't think that we can save our house now."

Alex quickly grabs his cellular phone and calls Professor Davidson. Michael picks up on the other end. "Dad, it's me. Can you put on Professor X? It's urgent." Michael hands the phone to Professor X. "Professor X, I've found one. I repeat: I've found one."

Alex arrives at Tullahoma High School for his first football practice. Daniel arrives five minutes after Alex does so he could ask Alex some questions about yesterday.

Daniel walks over to Alex and asks, "Alex, could I talk to you?"

"Sure, Daniel. What's on your mind?"

"Who was that professor you talked to on that phone of yours?"

"That's kind of a long story, but if you must pry. . . ."

"Oh, I must, I must."

"Well, that was Professor Charles Xavier in New York. He's one of my dad's co-workers. Why do you ask?"

"When you said, 'I've found one,' what did you mean?"

Coach Winningham yells, "Allright everyone. Time for practice."

Alex says, "I'll tell you later."

After practice, Daniel walks over to Alex and says, "Well, that was a good practice. Are you going to tell me what you ment yesterday, or do I have to wait a couple of years?"

"I'm free until the year 20. . . I mean. . . ." He clears his throat and his face turns red. "I mean until the year 1998."

"What was that? Did you almost say 2098?! Who are you? Why are you here? You're not Alex, are you?"

"Yes, I am, just not the one you know. Let's discuss this later."

"No, I don't want to discuss this later. Who are you, really?"

"Well, in a nutshell, I'm from the future. Specifically, I'm from the year 2096. Either way you look at it, I'm not really from around here."

"Then why are you here? You didn't like the future or something?"

"It was terrible! How would you like if there was a person who could grow fifty feet higher than everybody else and trying to destroy the world?"

"Well. . . I can't give you an honest answer to that one."

"Look, you're gonna have to come home with me, since there's nothing left of your home to go to. We're gonna need to teach you how to harness the full potential of your powers."

"What do you mean 'my powers'? What do you think I am?"

"I don't think. . . I know, and I know that you're a mutant. . . just like me." 

Alex and Daniel are walking out of the locker room after another football practice discussing about different plays.

"Didn't you say that you were going to a movie, like Batman Forever?"

"I said I would, but I never did. I just haven't had the time anymore. What are you gonna do about your house? Are you gonna move, or what?"

"I'm not sure. I'll talk about it with my dad today."

Daniel is flying back to Salem Center from practice with his parents. They are discussing the idea of finding a new house in a different city.

"But all of my friends live back home. What do I do about football, high school, and my friends?" asks Daniel.

Daniel's father, Dennis, replies with another question. "Would you want to fly between Tennessee and New York every day for the next four years?"

"I guess not, but can't we buy another house in Tullahoma?"

"The way prices are, Daniel," says Daniel's mother, Suzanne, "there isn't any possible way we could pay for a house like we had before."

"But why don't we ask Professor Xavier for help?"

At that moment, Professor X appears on a projection screen in the airplane. "I have heard about your predicament, and I am willing to help you in any way I can."

"We need money for a new house," Daniel accidentally blurts out.

"I am afraid that you will not need a new house. In the near future, you will transfer with Alex to Salem Center to complete your training."

"How can we ever repay you?"

"All I ask is to use your talents to their full potential. You are part of the next generation. Make us proud."

To continue reading, go to the third chapter.