Annika looked around the train station, Brett asleep in his pram and Whip shadowing her.
"Who are we looking for?" Whip asked.
"My friend Julie. She said... ah ha!"
Annika grinned, seeing a sign with "IGP2ZH" written on it.
"What does that mean?" Whip asked, frowning.
"Private joke," Annika replied. "Julie?"
"Annika?" Julie asked.
"Yep."
Julie gave Annika a hug.
"It's so great to finally meet you!" she said. "And this is Brett?"
"Yep," Annika smiled.
"And you must be Whip."
"Yeah..." Whip said softly.
"Where are your kids?"
"They're at the Mansion, with the baby sitters."
"The Mansion?" Annkia asked.
"Another name for Mutant High," Julie explained. "C'mon, the car is this way."
Julie lead them to where her car was parked. They secured Brett in his baby capsule, put in their luggage, everyone got in and soon they were on their way.
"How far is it?" Whip asked.
"No short drive," Julie warned, and told him how long she expected it to take.
Whip spent most of the trip gazing out the window while his sister and her friend chatted away about things he just didn't get, and people he didn't know. He knew Annika had alien blood, and Julie seemed to know this too. Annika only told him when she found out he was a mutant. He was grateful that Annika had been the one to find out, and not anyone else.
This whole thing that she organised, it was amazing. He could hardly believe that she managed to get him a scholarship at this school just for mutants. He could hardly believe there was a school for mutants. It would take some getting used to. When his mother was approached with the offer, well, truth be told Whip was a little embarrassed at the way she praised them, and then promptly told his brothers they should follow his example and work hard. She was a fine one to talk about working hard!
Annika had offered to take him, as she said that she had some friends in New York. Somehow she managed to give their mother the impression that one of these friends was a prospective father without actually saying that any of her friends were even male. Thus, managed to wriggle her way into leaving too. Whip had a distinct feeling that Annika was not planning to go back home. Not if she could avoid it.
Some time later, they arrived in Westchester, and Whip soon saw why it was also called "the Mansion".
"It really is a mansion," Annika gasped. "Wow! It looks amazing."
"Yeah," Julie smiled. "It is pretty cool."
They drove up to the gate. Julie poked her head out, hit the button and waved at the camera.
"Hi! Julie here with Whip Cade."
"Hi Julie," a voice replied through the speaker. "Come on in."
"Thanks."
The gates opened, and Julie drove in. She went up the driveway and parked outside the front door. There were a few people waiting for them, and they got out of the car. Whip looked around in awe. So, this was his new school.
Then he focused on the people waiting. One of them was wearing these cool red-shaded sunglasses.
"Welcome," he said. "I'm Scott Summers."
"Annika and Whip Cade," Julie introduced. "And the baby is Brett."
Whip held out his hand as Julie started pulling out Whip's bags.
"It's good to meet you, sir," he said nervously.
Scott smiled and shook the 14-year-old's hand.
"And it's good to meet you. I hope you like it here."
"I'm sure I will, sir," Whip said.
Julie winced. She hoped Whip would grow out of the whole 'sir' thing. It would go to Scott's head.
"This is Mark," Scott said, gesturing.
Mark nodded.
"He'll show you to your room."
"May I go with him?" Annika asked. "I'm his sister."
"Of course," Scott conceeded.
"So," Mark thought, "This is the new kid. Older sister, Annika must be friends with Julie - they sure are acting like it. And she has a son."
"This your stuff?" Mark asked. "Here, I'll help."
He picked up one of the bags, and Whip picked up the other. Then they all followed Mark to where Whip's new room would be.
"This is it," Mark said.
Whip looked around. It was bigger than his room at home - and he had to share that with two other brothers. This one only had two beds in it.
"You may have a roommate in the future," Mark warned, "but at the moment it's all yours."
Whip stared.
"A room all to myself?" he asked in astonishment at the foreign concept.
"Yep."
"Wow!"
The girls smiled while Whip checked out his room.
"Would you like a tour of the place?" Mark asked.
Julie consulted her watch.
"As I recall, lunch starts in an hour," she said. "Try and make it to the cafeteria during lunch and meet the other kids. Don't let Mark contaminate you."
Mark's eyes narrowed and Julie gave him a pointed look. Whip looked between them for a moment.
"A tour would be great," he said finally.
He prefered not to comment on Julie's belief that he would be contaminated. He was sure he'd meet the other students sooner or later, and in any case, he would make his own friends without being influenced by who other people thought he should be friends with.
"Well, I guess I should go," Annika said.
Whip looked up at his sister, then wrapped his arms around her and gave her a great big hug.
"Thanks so much!" he said.
Annika smiled.
"No problem, Whip."
The four soon broke up - Mark and Whip to go on the tour, and Julie and Annika, first via the nursary, and then back to the car and to Julie and Bobby's apartment.