The Outsiders
Sometimes it's painful to leave your past behind and move on, but what truly hurts is when the past never dies. Your past will be following you in the shadows, always there, haunting you, never letting go of its dark ties that are bound to your soul. That is what I thought anyway; always running but never finding shelter in the storm, so now I fight. I fight for all those people who have died or been hurt protecting me, but now it's my turn to take the lead and all of you can watch me from the background. This is our story, our life, our battle field!
"Nix! Come on Nix, we have to go. They found us again," whispered Zero as he shook his twin sister Nix awake.
"Really, I thought we lost them in Peru," grumbled Nix while zipping up her cameo jacket over her desert sand tank top and pulling on her black combat boots.
"So did I, but this time it looks like they brought an Outsider with them," cursed Zero, whose red hair was now pulled back into a small ponytail. "You ready?" he asked.
"I think so. I got the smoke bombs. Do you have the knives?" asked the gravity user. Zero patted one of the pockets on his cameo cargo pants as he started for the back door.
"Let's go Nix," her brother ordered, motioning for Nix to follow him out into Russia's cold, dark night. Silent as death, the two twin Outsiders made their way toward the airport in Moscow.
Outsiders are people who are born with the abilities to control different powers at the cost of losing their right to call themselves humans. Nix Soma, is an Outsider with the power to control gravity and her brother, Zero, controls lightning. They are feared by humans and because of that fear, humans try to kill Outsiders by hunting them down; an unwanted existence.
"Over there, men! Stop them at all costs but make sure to bring them back alive!" a familiar, rough voice shouted cutting through the cold night.
"Crap, it's the General," said Nix, shocked to see General Frost alive, "Doesn't that guy ever die? I mean really, I swear we have killed him five times already!"
"I guess we got no other choice. You want to play with an Outsider? Then come and get it, boys!" taunted Zero just as a bolt of lightning shot acrossed the night sky. His electric green eyes shifted to golden amber, proof that he was an Outsider. He held up his hands in a bring-it-on motion and let sparks of electricity dance in his open palms.
"It can't be…he couldn't be…" one soldier stuttered, starting to shrink away from Zero's intimidating form.
"What is it Sergeant? Don't tell me you are afraid of a pipsqueak with some fancy light show," the Outsider mocked with a smug look that he cast toward Zero who gave him a dark glare. By now there was no doubt you could feel the spark in the air as lightning began to fill the entire sky.
"No Sir…but this boy, isn't he the famous Outsider known as Zero Voltage?" asked the now pale, shaking solider.
"Ha! I haven't heard that name since we left Peru. How about you, Nix?" Zero asked looking toward his sister, who had been watching the exchange, shaking her head, "By the way, how long has it been Jack…no Spitfire?"
"So you do remember, Zero…or is it Alex?" Spitfire sarcastically replied.
"You know very well that Alex Walker died six years ago during the destruction of Hell's Gate!" Snarling, Zero charged at Spitfire creating a devastating path behind him. The two collided with a spiral of fire and lightning. The remaining soldiers visibly cringed as they witnessed a true Outsiders battle with two of the most powerful fighters ever recorded. Completely forgetting that there was one other Outsider among them, the soldiers were all forced to the ground by an unbelievable strong pressure.
"It looks like you forgot about little old me; that is not very nice you know. I guess I have to punish you." Nix giggled putting on a cute, innocent smile which resulted in the soldiers looking even more terrified. Others got their courage back by telling themselves that it was just a little girl. This made Nix laugh because she knew they were no match for her power. She glanced at her brother, giving him a look that said they had to hurry and Zero nodded in response.
"Where are you looking, kid!" Spitfire yelled sending out a fire ball toward Zero, and sent Zero flying acrossed the misty field.
"Brother!" Nix was about to run to Zero but was cut off by Spitfire.
"Where do you think you're going little girl?" Spitfire asked, "Your brother isn't here to save you this time." reaching for Nix as she tensed. Out of nowhere a bolt of pure, untamed power shot between them making Spitfire jerk back. He casted a dark glare toward his left, "So you're still alive after that hit I see."
"Don't you dare touch my sister, you filthy rat!" yelled Zero creating multiple lightning strikes engulfing his body to form his unbreakable Lightning Armor, "Now, Nix, do it now!"
Nix pulled out the smoke bombs and threw them on the ground at the soldier's feet. There was a blast of smoke concealing her movements as she ran toward her brother, grabbing his hand and running into the woods.
"That was pretty close right, Zero?" Nix exclaimed, sitting down next to her brother.
"Yeah, nice timing with the smoke bombs, Nix. Although couldn't you have done it a little sooner? I had to use that, and you know how it wears me out," Zero stated leaning his head against the wall and closing his eyes.
"Sorry Zero. I forgot how using your Lighting Armor wipes you out. But you didn't use it for very long; are you really that exhausted?" asked Nix feeling Zero's forehead, "Hmm…you don't have a fever this time. That's a good sign."
Just then the intercom sounded for the nonstop flight from Moscow to Beijing to begin boarding. Nix and Zero made their way to the terminal gate when Zero's cell phone went off playing Unknown Soldier.
"Is that Ace?" Nix asked bewildered.
"Unfortunately, but what I don't understand is why he is calling now," wondered Zero as he answered the phone, "Hello?"
"What is he saying, Zero? Oh! Is Tamari still with him? " Nix asked excitedly.
Zero held up his finger to signal Nix to wait a minute, but she was excited to hear from their old friend.
Ace and Tamari are childhood friends that they hadn't heard from since they split up in Peru about three weeks ago. They were also Outsiders; Ace has the ability to create anything imaginable except living creatures and Tamari could use telekinetic powers.
"You know you're an idiot right, Ace? Alright we will meet at the airport in Beijing and work from there. Stay safe you two, and don't die on us, okay? Bye Ace,"Zero sighed as he returned the phone to his pocket and looked at Nix, who was all but jumping up and down with excitement.
"So?"
"They found it; they seriously found Heaven's Gate. We are to meet them as soon as the plane lands," Zero explained as they started walking toward the terminal gate again.
"We're almost there brother; to the place that will help us understand why our parents were murdered. Maybe it will also explain how we became Outsiders. I just hope the truth doesn't destroy us instead," Nix mumbled as they boarded the plane.
A boy with raven black hair paced back and forth in front of Beijing's air port muttering under his breath, "They're late. Why are they late? The plane was supposed to land at nine o'clock it is now nine-ten."
"Ace, will you shut-up? You're giving me a headache!" Ace's brown haired, female companion, snapped.
"Tamari, how can you just sit there and eat when something could have happened to them? I understand if Zero bites the dust because he is an idiot but not Nix!" Ace confirmed franticly.
"Who are you calling an idiot, Ace?" an annoyed voice called, binging Ace in the head with a pop can.
"Oh! Hey, Zero, you're still alive? Weird, I figured your spark would have flickered out by now," Ace smiled jokingly and high-fived Zero as he walked up. Tamari stood up to hug Nix and nod toward Zero, which he returned.
"So what's this about you finding Heaven's Gate, Ace? We don't have much time, remember," Zero asked taking over as the leader of the group.
"Yeah, come on lets go somewhere less public," Tamari sugested walking toward the apartment complex. Zero was about to start following when a giant fire ball, that illuminated the plaza, shot toward him and his friends. He spun on his heel simultaneous activating his Lightning Armor to block the incoming attack. When the other people saw his eyes golden amber and his lightning, they began to panic exclaiming they were under attack from Outsiders.
"Well, Zero it looks like you were able to sense my attack and block it as well," said a figure as it emerged from the smoke.
"Spitfire, I knew I should have killed you in Russia. But this time I won't hold back. I will kill you," Zero spat toward the Outsider.
"This is bad; they found us already! I don't think smoke bombs will get us out of this one, guys." Nix said hastily getting into a fighting position as multiple soldiers surrounded them.
"Man…just when I was finally thinking we could have a break from fighting for a while." Ace muttered, creating five swords to float around his head.
"These idiots just don't know when they are outmatched," Tamari snapped as she pulled her brown hair into a ponytail.
"So you still think you have a chance against my army? Don't you realize that every Outsider who stood against me has died by my hands?" Spitfire snarled as he and Zero lunged at each other. Nix began fighting with hand-to-hand combat all the while using her ability over gravity to trip up the soldiers. She normally hated to kill but once they threatened her friends and hurt innocent people, she released her anger by slamming their bodies into the cement. One soldier tried to sneak up behind her, but Ace was there covering her from behind, easily impaling the soldier's body with multiple swords.
"Thank you, Ace." Nix said as she slammed a man's head into the already bloody street.
"No problem, Princess. Besides I think we're winning this one," Ace laughed as if he was having fun when he manifested brass knuckles and punched a soldier in the nose. Tamari on the other hand had opted to levitating small pebbles and shooting them at such a speed they shot straight through the men's head. Soon the only one left standing was Spitfire, who looked like he was barely standing, but so did Zero.
"How can you brats be this strong? It can't be possible!" Spitfire shouted.
"It's because we have something we have to protect. That's why we can keep fighting and never back down. Something you will never understand," Zero stated as he used the last of his power to shoot forward and pierce Spitfire through the heart with a bolt of lightning.
"It's over Spitfire; you lose," Zero whispered as Spitfire's eyes rolled back in his head as his last breath left him. Zero too collapsed exhausted on the ground.
"Zero!" Nix yelled concerned.
"He is fine just worn out. Let's go you two. We can't stay here," Ace stated lifting Zero on to his back. He ran toward the dark allies with Nix and Tamari behind him.
Five Days Later.
"Hey Zero do you think you should be up and about already?" Nix asked her brother as she walked up to stand beside him on the bow of the boat.
"I'll be fine. Remember Outsiders heal faster than normal humans," Zero sighed as the fresh ocean breeze ruffled his red hair.
"That's good because we need our leader to keep us in line and take us to Heaven's Gate," Ace joked walking up behind them with Tamari.
"So what is the plan when we get there, Zero?" Tamari asked.
"We find the truth from six years ago and make our own path to the future," Zero stated as he looked out to sea just when Japan came into view.
"Don't let them enter the gate! Stop the intruders at once!" shouted the captain of the guard stationed around Heaven's Gate.
"I don't think so Captain! Taste iron, old man!" Ace laughed summoning an Uzi and opened fire on the guards. They tried to return fire but were shot down by Ace's quick reflexes.
"Uh, Zero, he does know that the bullets are made of lead, right?" Nix asked her older brother, who just face palmed and mumbled something about being surrounded by idiots. Tamari, on the other hand, threw a rock at Ace's head, yelling at him to hurry up.
"Come on Ace, we don't have all day! We have to make it to the central control room before they send reinforcements," Zero called impatiently. Ace banished his gun and ran to the platform were the others waited.
"Sorry Zero," Ace stopped in front of Zero wearing a childish smile, "You know I can get a little carried away." Zero just sighed and started walking towards the control room door. He stopped by the DNA scanner cursing when the scanner rejected his hand scan.
"I should have known it wouldn't be this easy. Okay guys stand back just in case this turns out to be a bad idea," Zero covered the scanner with his hand, releasing sparks of lightning to short-circuit the wires. The door slid open with a hiss.
Zero carefully stepped into the dark room, prepared any attack that may come but the room was empty except for a large super computer. The four Outsiders poked around the room looking for anything that might be of any use. Nix was searching the computer for clues when she noticed a file named Code Eve. Clicking to open the file, a window popped up and began playing a video of a woman.
"Is that…Mom?" wondered Nix as the recording continued playing.
"Hello. If you are watching this then that means my husband, Elliot, and I have been killed. My name is Dr. Soteria Walker; I have been working at the research facility inside of Hell's Gate for the past five years, trying to understand its secrets. My two children, Alex and Alice, are what we humans call Outsiders. They were our first live subjects to be tested to cure disease. We never wanted to use our own children but after the accident, we only wanted to protect them. It seems that their DNA had the capability to regenerate damaged cells and heal minor wounds within a day. But General Frost, a twisted man, wanted to use them as experiments and turn them into bio-weapons. My husband and I tried everything we could to save them, even destroy our lab, along with our research. Outsiders were created to be used as weapons, but I believe they have an even greater purpose. They are still humans, even if they can do things beyond imagination. I believe they can save our world from destruction so I beg you please help the lost children. My brave Alex, protect your sister and my sweet Alice keep your brother out of trouble, keep each other safe. I trust you to make the right decision. I love you both and I'm sorry."
The transmission was cut off and the dark room seemed to get colder with every passing second. Zero had backed up against the wall and slid down to the floor, while Nix had fallen to her knees crying. Ace and Tamari stood there shocked, unable to say a word of comfort to the twins.
"I-I can't believe this we were made to be weapons. It can't…I mean we were being used by the military as experiments." Ace whispered wide-eyed as reality sunk in.
"Does that mean we are only living bio-weapons? Were we really alive to begin with?" Tamari asked although she was scared to know the answer, afraid she was right. The silence in the room grew thick and heavy causing their fear to grow immensely. It was suffocating and just as they were about to give up on their hopeless lives, one voice spoke up.
"No. I refuse to give up so easily. We made it this far on our own and I'm not going to give up here. So what if we were created for destruction, I don't care. We are still alive aren't we?" Zero stood up tall speaking with full confidence, "I'm not going to let this stop me. I'll keep walking even if my body dies, my soul will keep walking until I find my path. So what do you say? Are you going to let this hold you down or are you going to walk with me?"
"Brother, I..." Nix paused unsure for a moment but held her head up with pride, "I'm with you, Zero all the way."
"As am I, Zero. You're right we can't let them win." Tamari stood as well, a hopeful smile spread acrossed her face.
"I guess we don't have much of a choice here, huh?" questioned Ace walking over to high-five Zero, "Alright, so what do you say boss, let's get out of here shall we."
"Right, let's go."
The four Outsiders destroyed Heaven's Gate that day and disappeared, never to be seen again.