Wanted Mutants

Chapter 5

As she climbed off the transport car and headed into the garden she ran straight for the white orchids. The breeze carried the soft smell of blooming flowers along with the wind chimes' soft tones. She crossed the garden and sat beneath a large oak tree,

“So this is what you call defying your parents?” she looked around to see no one, only to remember death's words. Her gaze dropped to her shadow,

“This is where I come to think and nothing more. So please... be quiet and let me think.” Silence returned to Kari. She sat underneath the oak for hours just thinking about what she was going to do when she got home. None of her ideas proved fruitful. She knew she would have to answer for her absence in class, but nothing came to mind but the truth. But what would the truth really get her? She had no faith that her parents would react in any positive way. As the sun began to set she felt panic seep into her as she knew it was time to head home. At a slow pace, she made her way back to the transport terminal and boarded the transport. She sat in a seat and rested her head against the window. Her nerves had run a muck in her all day, causing her to feel nothing but exhaustion and fear. The cool glass of the window soothed her weary mind. She closed her eyes for a few moments to steal a bit of sleep. Her eyes were only shut for a few minutes, when she felt the cold rush of air blow against her face. Her eyes opened, and she sat up straight in her seat and, as she looked around, she heard her stop being called. With much reluctance, she hopped out of the transport car. The night air was pleasant, and the whole city seemed to be at a standstill like everything had paused, but every so often a hover car would zoom past, ruffling the still air. As she approached her home, she stilled her nerves and unlocked the door with her ID bracelet. She stepped into a dark entrance hall, and she put her shoes away. As she slowly walked down the hall her fear swelled. A dim light flowed out of the living room. The sound of pages turning and fingers tapping on wood echoed in her ears. Her heart began to pound. She found herself cringing at the thought of her parents hitting her. One part of her urged her to confront her parents, but her fear was overwhelming her, and she fled to her room. She curled up in her bed and she held her pillow close to her as she tried to slip into sleeps warm embrace. As the silk tendrils of sleep wrapped her in what felt like clouds, a hand reached through the warmth and snatched her out. She opened her eyes. All she saw was the wall, and then she felt her head hit it. Her head rang with pain as she tried to crawl away from her attacker. Her head ached from the pain as her attacker grabbed her. She flailed her arms in an attempt to ward off the person, but it was no use. The attacker continued to beat her with such force that she felt the warmth of her own blood against her face. Her skin screamed in pain and her head pounded with pain and her bones ached along with her muscles. When the attacker left, she curled up in the corner of her room and laid on the carpet. She felt someone gently pick her up and put her in bed.

“Why do you stay with them even when they beat you?” she tried to look at him but gave up and just rested against her pillow,

“I stay because it’s my family and I can’t leave, I wouldn’t, I couldn’t.” in the dark of her room she couldn’t see his face, but she felt his agitation,

“How could you stay with these people? This isn’t a family; a family is when people love you and support you... A place where, no matter what you do, you can go to them, and they love you. Accept you, flaws and all... But this isn’t a family…” he silently yelled at her, and she turned her head,

“This is the only family I have ever known and the only one I have.” she stared at him with tears in her eyes.

“No, you’re afraid that if you run they’ll drag you back." she looked away. She was ashamed to admit he was right. "You’ve been domesticated. You don’t know what freedom is, and you’re afraid it won’t be as you imagined. I won’t lie to you. Freedom is an illusion. There will always be someone who wants to suppress you, but that’s why you should come with us. At least with us, you won’t be treated like you’re an animal.” She looked at him. There was so much she wanted to say, but she didn't. So many emotions swirled inside her mind: anger, fear, despair and faintly hope. But the realization of what he was asking hit her, and she tried to push it from her mind.

“Go back to the shadows. I’m tired, I don’t care to listen anymore. I'll make a decision in the morning...” As she slipped into sleep she dreamed of nothing and when she woke the next morning she went through her daily routine for getting dressed. But for some reason she felt her anger flare as she heard her mother call her.

“Kari. Breakfast is ready. Come eat.” She left the room, and she slowly walked downstairs to the kitchen to see both her father and mother were sitting at the table. “Kari... Don’t walk around the house like a ghost. That’s not the proper way to act.” Kari went and sat at the table, but she didn’t speak. Her father took notice. She stared at her plate of food: pancakes with ham and eggs.

“What are you supposed to say to us in the morning?” Her father stared at her but she ignored him.

“Kari, why are you being rude this morning?” She felt her own agitation growing, “Young lady, you will speak to us…” her parents both stood up, but she remained seated, and she grabbed her cup of tea and took a sip. Then she put it down and cleared her voice and as she did her father swung at her, but she moved,

“You’re going to stop beating me like an animal.” She looked at both of them, “I grow tired of your constant abuse.” she felt her emotions finally release as she spoke. The table began to rattle, and the house began to tremble and creak, “I’ve been too traumatized to stand up for myself, but this is the final straw. Ever since I was five years old, you have kept me in a constant state of fear, but that all ends now!” her eyes began to glow a bright blue and her white hair flared about. She felt a sense of calm and power wash over her. “This ends now. I am no longer your puppet or toy. You will never again treat me that way.” Her father and mother backed away from her, but just as quickly as it began, it ended. Her sense of calm remained even though the power she felt was gone.

“You are truly weak.” Her mother took a step forward, “After all the power they injected into you, you still barely scratch the surface. I am going to enjoy taking it all away from you and sticking you into a rehabilitation center. So I can watch you squirm like the worm you are.” Her mother’s tone struck the fear back into her as she backed away. Her father reached for something, as her mother pressed a button on her ID bracelet. Her father turned to confront her holding a gun. As he took aim, her shadow oozed up off the floor into a shape. It moved to block her mother and father. A black wall of shadows prevented any harm from coming to her. When she felt Death grab her hand and take the ID bracelet off, he pulled her from the house in a rush. When they got outside, the sounds of the Enforcers cars filled the air.

“Damn it, I waited too late! Come on this way!” he pulled her and they both started running. It seemed like no matter where they ran, the enforcers cut them off at every turn. "Damn, this is going to suck... Gabriel owes me for this." he mumbled under his breath as they ran straight across the transit plaza. The sound of guns aimed at them filled her ears as one warning shot made them stop in their tracks.

“Rebels, it’s over! Hand yourselves over to the Authority now! Or we will open fire!” Death let Kari’s hand go, and he chuckled and whispered under his breath,

“Take them!” all of a sudden, darkness began to consume and attack the enforcer, and out of nowhere a black staff appeared in his hand. “Death will claim your souls!” he charged, but Kari stood motionless. He swung the staff, and a black blade appeared at the end. He cut the enforcers down one by one until they were the only ones standing. 'He...he just took on five enforcers and won...' As he gestured for her to hurry and follow him, she instantly ran to him. As she grabbed his hand, something coiled around her, and she fell to the ground. She watched as Death got coiled up with rope as well, and as he fell, a current of electricity shocked him and her. She tried to keep her eyes open, but she passed out. The sounds of the city roaring passed, every muscle ached and her head pounding. A sharp turn and her head bumped against something firm. Kari opened her eyes to find herself staring up at Death’s face. His intense yellow eyes were focused on the electric screen separating them from the enforcers. Her heart raced, and she moved, and their eyes locked. She instantly sat up, and she scooted away from him, but he never once stopped looking at her. His eyes never lost their intensity, yet as she met his gaze she could see the hint of another emotion. With their eyes locked, she tried to think of something to say. When she mustered the courage to say something, he leaned closer to hear what she had to say.

“There’s no way we’re going to get out of this, is there?” he sighed, and her heart began to race from fear.

“I’m not going to fill you with false hope, but this might not be the easiest task.” He locked eyes with Kari, “But I’ll make sure they don’t hurt you even if I die... I’ll try. That’s all any of us can do.” One of the enforcers looked back at them,

"Keep Quiet. Or I will shock you again." he then turned back around. Kari sat feeling helpless when she felt something inside her snap. She instantly looked at death, and he looked at her, but when he did, he looked shocked as her eyes glowed bright florescent blue. A rush of energy consumed her as her thoughts fogged. She could see death calling to her, but no sound reached her ears. As if controlled by a outside force, she looked at the driver, and she visualized a mental hand. Reaching inside the enforcer’s neck. A smile spread across her face and a hollow and haunting feeling ran through her. She tried to resist these dark thoughts, but they consumed her, and she felt the enforcer’s spine snap under her thoughts. The chaos of a dead driver behind the wheel began to unfold. Kari turned to Death and spoke in a ethereal tone,

“Death it is time to go.” she grabbed his hand, and she fazed them both through the car. They stood in the middle of the road as the enforcer’s car swerved and crashed. Death stepped back in fear, and she turned to him. The fog began to clear, and she felt the strength leave her. Her whole body felt heavy, but she managed to stay standing.

“Kari, you can’t do stuff like that. It's against our rules.” He came to stand in front of her, before quickly averting his eyes.

“I watched the news... I’ve seen how they slay mutants...in the street...” she looked down at herself and covered herself with her arms.

“I know what I said, but we can’t act like monsters, or you become one, trust me.... I’ve seen it happen to mutants before... you lose control for one moment, and if you can’t reclaim control it consumes you, and it turns you into a monster.” She looked at him as he handed her his jacket. She quickly put it on and zipped it up. He then rolled his sleeve up to show her a black scar. “This is the mark I have from losing control. It eats away at you until you can’t reclaim control. You can’t do things without thinking them through, not when you are a mutant.”

“How do I keep myself from becoming that?” He looked at her and sighed,

"It's different for everyone... now come on we need to meet the others." He pulled her close, “Don’t think anything negative, I’m just going to transport us using the shadows.” After he said that, the darkness swallowed them. For a while she didn’t see much, but then she felt the darkness creep off of her and there they were standing in front of the hut that Gabe had brought her to when she first met the Concordia Rebels. Death walked past her, and he moved the curtains,

“Where is everyone?” he commanded his shadow to move the stone slab,

“They’re waiting for us.” She climbed down the ladder, and he followed. When she reached the bottom, she followed the tunnel to the main room. Fire Fairy, Mastermind and Gaberiel were waiting. Fire-Fairy was pacing while Gabe leaned against a wall. Mastermind sat holding a data pad. Death walked past her, “Gabriel, can I have a word with you?” Death and Gabriel both walked back into the tunnel. Kari wanted to follow, but she felt the Mastermind tug on her cloak. He looked like a ten-year-old boy; he had short shaggy strawberry blonde hair and brown eyes. He wore big round glasses and an orange sweater and baggy slacks.

"Come with me. I have something for you." she led her to a case. She opened it and recognized the logo on the case, "I know it may hold bad memories but... i had to steal materials from your mother's company to make you a suit." she pulled a all-white suit from the case.

"Its fine... But what is it?" he cleaned his glasses,

"It's just a basic bio suit... It should protect you until we can get out of here, and we can make you a proper suit. Suited to your abilities." she nodded, "For now slip into it." he turned his back, and she quickly changed.

"Anything i should know about ?"

"Don't try to walk through walls... I'm not sure the suit will go with you." he then looked down at his data pad and began to type. "By the way, how old are you?" she looked down at him a little shocked by the sudden change of topic,

"I'm eighteen." he nodded as Gabriel and Death walked back into the room.

“Alright, we’re leaving this city.” Gabriel looked at all of them, and everyone silently agreed.