xp_logs | Kurt and Baron Wagner, Sunday afternoon

Kurt goes to see his father, as announced. It... could go worse?

The lunch meeting had run longer than he'd expected, and been far less productive than he'd hoped. Eric Wagner was in a less-than-pleased mood as he headed back to his suite, nodding curtly at his bodyguard, who took up his position outside the door. His assistant was elsewhere, arranging for dinner, so the suite was quiet. He would read some of the documents related to tomorrow's meeting and try to relax, until then.

The suite was quiet, but certainly not empty. There was a creak from one of the chairs as it swivelled to face the door, and a familiar blue figure smiled at him.

"Hello, Father."

Wagner paused, his expression cold as he sized up the man in the chair. "I have a bodyguard right outside. More security would arrive quickly if you cause a disturbance. I would suggest that you leave now."

"And I would suggest that you not bring them in", Kurt said, his smile vanishing, "unless of course you wish me to tell them exactly who I am and why I am here. I came only for... a conversation."

There was a trace of contempt in his father's cold gaze. Wagner loosened his tie and moved further into the room, keeping his attention on Kurt as he did. "If you honestly believe that my people would believe you, I'd welcome you to try. Your birth was never registered - you have no proof."

"They might not believe me absolutely, but there might be just that trace of doubt, no?" Yellow eyes were fixed on the man with less contempt than outright hatred. "And if you think proof is needed to make people believe in this world, you are not the politician I took you for."

"You think I haven't handled scandal before? Or that I haven't armed myself?" It was almost a sure thing that he wasn't talking about carrying a gun. "Don't flatter yourself that you can begin a war with me. I've destroyed people who've played that game for decades. A naive amateur is no threat."

"Oh, I am far from naive, Eric, though I will not deny being an amateur at that game. I know those who are not, but I did come only for a conversation. I would hope it will not come to that."

"I have nothing to say to you." Wagner's voice was low, but it seethed. Had Kurt been a telepath, he would have been immediately and fully aware that his father would have liked nothing better than to see him dead on the floor of the suite.

No telepathy, but it was quite easily guessable even so. "But I think you do. I would like to know, for example, exactly what you did to my mother before my birth."

Wagner's laugh was scornful. "Oh, I see. That's the narrative you've chosen to create for yourself? That I did something unspeakable to Raven. Bad enough to shatter her faith in the human race, perhaps?"

"I know you did something", Kurt snapped back. "From what I know of her, she would not have allowed a pregnancy to continue so long if she did not want it. And before you say it was to strike at you, why then did she leave me unaware of my parentage?"

"Why would she kill a potentially mutant child, when she believes that freaks of nature like the two of you are destined to displace humanity?" Wagner asked acidly. "As for why she never told you about me... why would your human father matter?"

"...you think she raised me", Kurt said after a moment's confusion, smiling strangely. "But you are quite wrong there. You see, she left me with a human family, knowing I was adopted but ignorant of almost everything else."

Astonishingly, it provoked a smile from Wagner, if a cold one. "That does make more sense. You can hardly plot the overthrow of human society while raising a child."

"With. A. Human. Family", Kurt emphasised. "Raised by them, learning to love them... why do you think she would have done that, if her motives were as you suggest?"

"Perhaps you don't understand her particular mindset," Wagner said. "If she wanted to ensure you grew up, and didn't want to be troubled raising you herself... well, there are precious few wholly mutant families out there, thank God. And sadly, too many... what is the American phrase, 'Uncle Toms'?"

"I think I understand her mindset far better than you ever have", Kurt said coldly. "Now, if not then. You will tell me what happened, or you will find yourself with another scandal on your hands."

Wagner turned to face him, raising an eyebrow. "I will tell you nothing. And if you attempt, in your fumbling amateur enthusiasm, to create a scandal... I will retaliate. I know where you work, Kurt. As soon as any news about my supposed mutant son appears in the press, Charles Xavier's school will pay for it. That mutant NGO, Elpis? Will also pay. As will this human family of yours - now that I know they exist, it should be no difficulty to find them."

"I think you may find it more difficult than that to do any harm to Xavier's or to Elpis", Kurt retorted. "And as for my family... the first sign I have that you are even attempting to harm them, and there will not only be articles in every newspaper in Germany that does not support you, there will be such in every newspaper worldwide I can manage, and they will not concern only me. Also there will be letters. Do we understand each other?"

"You have no idea of my resources, or the extent of my reach." The look Wagner gave his son might have been pitying, if there'd been anything resembling compassion in it. "Be foolish, then. But don't forget that I warned you." He turned his back on Kurt, picking up one of the file folders on the table. "I owe you nothing," he said, and there was a faint, savage edge of amusement to his voice as he continued. "Ask your mother. I imagine her response will fit your preconceived notions far better."

"My mother told me very little about you, before I met you", Kurt said, rising from the chair. "Not even your name. I suppose that now I can see why."

The next moment, he was gone.