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Apollo's Archers-Student Heroes
Mutation
"We have to keep moving. Can't get caught." Devan called to the Archers. The former Red was hand picked by Hunter as 2nd in command for their current mission.
The mutants who back the Archers are in danger. The US government discovered mutants and created the Mutant Police to hunt them down. All the Archers need to know is Xiam was raided and shut down. Some Archers are mutants so they know more. Hunter is working on finding an effective endgame. Until then his Archers are running and protecting mutants.
Back at the Archers recently established HQ, Hunter is discussing strategy with some techs and senior Archers. "What can we do?" Bryan, a tech said, "We're doing all we can."
Sr. Archer and mutant Joey said "There has to be more we can do."
"Agreed," Hunter said, "For one we can stop arguing the obvious. We have to help."
A tech raised his bow, Hunter pointed to Brandon's raised bow. Brandon said "We're outnumbered but aren't we always? Homeland, FBI, CIA, Marshalls. Fighting superior government numbers isn't new to us. Let's not pretend it is."
Joey said "Great speach, got a plan to back it up? We've never beaten those guys."
Hunter said "We're not alone anymore. Let's break out and recruit some mutants. Not necessarily in that order."
Bryan raised his bow in salute, the others followed his example. Hunter said "Guess it's settled." They left the room.
Outside their War Room, Hunter said "We'll need some back up for our raid. Recruiting and training mutants is foreign territory, we don't have the resources we used to. I'll contact the Bowman brothers. Senior Archers activate our reserves and call in Xiam grads. Techs fill the other bases into the plan."
He turned to the active base members, he said "Thank you for all your help. As promised every survivor will be rewarded. Fight with us and allies. We can't lose." They saluted. Devan's team returned to their Denver base. The senior Archers called in and approached all inactive Archers. The Bowman brothers agreed to help, the Protector refused to follow the Archers until Brett reminded them of the Archers' saving their lives thing. Meanwhile Archers started recruitment.
With all the trained Archers in play, Hunter took a envoy to the Protectors' headquarters. Archers broke off around the HQ, Hunter arrived flanked by Archers behind him. He fell back on the way in so his Red could move up to do the talking.
The Protectors assembled when the Archers arrived, not out of respect but because they have little hierarchy. The Red, Rex brought the Protectors up to speed. Together they strategized their raid on the Mutant Police bases.
The Archers in their mission teams enacted coordinated raids using undercovers to fight the armies on multiple fronts. The Protectors provided cover and transport, their cover evened the playing field for the Archers. After each raid the Archers moved to the next base before they could get hit by reinforcements. The mutants were taken to alliance safehouses.
In the aftermath of their war against the MuPol, the Mutant Alliance started training the mutant recruits. Erik and Carter joined Hunter's advisory alongside Armory, and Patriot from the Protectors. Archers had their own advisory meetings same as the teams had team meetings.
The Protectors set up an alliance with InterPol for superhumans, SIGO (cig-O). Apollo's Archers met to discuss alliances with black outlets, criminal Archers. They had to conference with hidden outlets, usually good mostly runaways. The Mutant Alliance/Vigilantes discussed allying with reclusive mutant groups for mutual survival and freedom. The Protectors discussed contacting foreign allies, hero teams outside the US. Each team had their work cut out for them. Some still wondered if they were making the right choices, Apollo's Archers were sworn to the team.
The team had their discussions before the alliance advisory met. Archer Devan ran the Denver base, the center of Apollo's Archers. Most of their servers were in his base. Hunter had Devan looped into advisory meetings, Devan gave weekly encoded status reports that were randomly verified.
At the meeting Amory asked "How do mutants know it's safe here? I haven't seen you all we. Before anything, we have to know that. For all we know you're working with the Mutant Police."
Hunter said "I get tension's high. You done?"
Patriot said "It's a valid concern."
Hunter nodded, "We have multiple warrants out for us, mainly vigilante activity. Plus some Archers are mutants. So we good?"
Carter said "I've never heard you say so much."
Erik said "Good idea on the secret ID. Better Patriot not know you Archers if he gets recalled by MuPol." Answering the obvious trust question.
Hunter said "The head of the secondary HQ sends out secure status reports. He'll be joining us from our hub."
Devan butt in "We've been around for a while, never been breached."
Patriot said "You've got a small army. How can you be sure?"
Erik said "Doesn't matter. Let's focus."
Armory said "We made a deal with SIGO."
Bryan asked "Who?"
Judo said "SIGO is a global police force."
Joey said "Super InterPol: beyond borders."
Armory said "Something like that." He lifted his face mask, "Something's jamming my systems."
Devan said "That's probably us. Sorry, can't help you."
Hunter stepped in "Who do we have? Allies? Who are we considering asking?"
Patriot said "As we said we contacted SIGO. We were considering foreign hero teams if all else fails."
Carter said "We considered contacting some reclusive mutant teams."
Erik added "We all want to survive, figure that'll help our case."
Hunter said "Got it, pretty simple. We conferenced dark Archers outlets, hidden outlets mostly runaways."
Bryan said "They seem on board but they're not vested. They'll probably help where they can but nothing big will come from it."
Joey said "We considered contacting black outlets, criminals like the Dark Archers."
Hunter said "I can see that working. We got mutant members, can't be the only ones."
John was his top advisor, he said "Black outlets have nothing to lose. It's a high felony, Dark Archers love the Piercer."
In a laugh Armory asked "What do you mean outlets?"
"Are you the only hero outlet?" asked Judo.
Brandon said "Outlets use the Archers name, for example Dark Archers. No we aren't the only hero outlet but it's hard to contact others."
Joey asked "Where do you think he's been?"
Hunter said "Dark outlets can be heroic."
Bryan said "Hero outlets like that,"
Devin finished "Die off. There isn't exactly a line to die playing Robin Hood."
Bryan asked "Can you not?" Hunter flicked out his compact staff, he leaned on it and waited. The Archers saw him, straightened up and shut up; even Devan who wasn't in the room.
Armory said "To recap. The Protectors made an alliance with SIGO. If need be we can try foreign heroes. Mutant Alliance can try other mutant teams. Archers can contact criminal Archers and have contacted ally outlets. That's where we're at, right?"
Bryan said "That's what we've said." He looked to Hunter, still holding his staff.
Hunter said "Yeah, that's what we've said."
Erik asked "What aren't you telling us?" Everyone in the room looked at him.
Brandon said "I think we've covered everything." He wasn't lying.
Carter asked "What are you hiding?"
Hunter said "Top secret, doesn't leave us." He heard alrights from everyone.
Hunter said "Techs, beat it."
Brandon raised his bow and signalled others out, he left with them. Devan was alone at his base but turned off security feeds.
Armory said "This'll be good." The console showed a destroyed town.
Hunter nodded, "We can't use it but there's a matrix of all Archers outlets."
Joey said "One of 5 surviving artifacts of a fallen dark outlet, we call the Azul Archers."
Devan said "We think they all wore blue hoods. They paid the ultimate price."
Joey said "All a hero's sacrifice to protect escaping civilians."
Erik said "I get it." He was a Holocaust survivor, destroyed towns were textbook Holocaust images.
"Makes sense why you tried to hide it,"
Patriot said "So let's figure out who to contact."
Carter said "A united mutant front will help our chances." Hunter put his staff away.
Erik said "Agreed."
Joey asked "Can the techs come back in?" Hunter nodded, Devan dropped the image Joey let the techs in.
Patriot said "We'll keep foreign contacts on the back burner, no guarantees." Hunter nodded.
Erik said "Guess we're done here." Everyone filed out.
Later while sitting and talking with an Archer on a couch Jack realized he could've used his enhanced senses to ID them and none of the Archers were afraid of mutants.
Hunter walked in on mutants, he said "Erik I need to talk with you alone." Erik followed him out.
In Hunter's barracks he dropped his hood, he said "Don't tell anyone, Sam still doesn't trust me. I don't think we can win. This isn't a frontal war. We're fighting our country, they'll convince other countries to join their fight. We'll be in the middle of, we'll be the Nazis of World War III."
Bad choice of words to a Holocaust survivor, perhaps but can't take it back so better move forward. Erik Carter were involved in an experiment that reversed the effects of physical aging, making them look like they're in their 20s.
Erik said "You're not wrong but we can't give in."
Hunter said "I know. That's why we're pulling so many allies Archers into this. Got any ideas on how to win, Erik?"
Erik said "You could try trusting other non-Archers with your identity."
Hunter said "You think my secret ID is that important."
Erik said "I do, I don't think fear is stronger than friendship anymore."
Hunter said "I hope the Archers don't fear me."
Erik said "This isn't about the Archers, it's about mutants."
Hunter asked "What do we do about this war on our hands?"
Erik said "I think you've hit your stride. Nothing to do."
Hunter stopped him from leaving, "You or Carter, Armory or Patriot. Let's shrink meeting times."
Hunter went out with his mission team for a regular shift. They were tasked with protecting a transport for sympathizers. The first leg of the mission was estimated 3 weeks long then 1 week rest at the sympathizers' base. Before they left Hunter dropped down, nodded to the ally leader then ran back to a rooftop.
The human activists contacted other groups. She made alliances with them and organized the transport. The sympathizer groups are like the Archers outlets, they're also allied with Hunter's alliance. That alliance of alliances created the mission.
Once Hunter was back on the nearby rooftop they began moving. The activists took breaks to change drivers. They got food during drop off stops at other bases, some gave Archers food at these stops. Rebels guarding the cargo were armed, drivers were unarmed. They had nothing non-mutant related they could be arrested for.
The Archers had barracks ready for them at the sympathizer base after the 3 week leg. They were cleared for boarding at the base. Stan Morris escorted them to their barracks. They planned to sleep for the week then feast.
Mallory Hearst, a guard on the transport came into the Archers barracks, her entrance set off the radar on the Archers comlinks. She contemplated waking them but decided against it. Hunter got out of his bunk, tapped her and put his hand over her mouth before she spoke. Archers are taught to sleep light on missions. He walked her out of their barracks.
Lights were on in the hall, the base was used by paramilitary outlaws before MuPol started up. Mallory and Hunter went to the mess hall. Despite having slept for over 24 hours Hunter was still tired after 3 weeks. Mallory brewed him some coffee, he accepted it and listened to her.
She told him why she joined her group, her brother Elijah was a mutant taken into MuPol custody. Mallory joined the activists because they're the human resistance to MuPol. Hunter made a finger frame like photographers do. She understood 'picture', she handed him a picture of Eli and told him she heard about their raids. He finished his coffee, took the photo and nodded to her then returned to his bunk. He sent Denver the picture for circulation around their bases.
After the week was up they feasted then met Stan outside for the next leg through MuPol infested land, this one had no breaks and more security at drop off points. He brought Mallory out to meet Stan who put her in a transport on the moving crew, she was also a backup driver. Stan and Mallory were in for the long haul, Hunter kept an eye on her and kept her updated on if there was news about Eli.
Both human rebels and Apollo's Archers are paramilitary groups. Despite being armed with modern weapons and more numbers, the rebels have done less for the mutant side of the war than the Archers have. Apollo's Archers are an army under Hunter. The human activists are multiple loosely allied rebellions.
As they entered MuPol territory Apollo's Archers are on high alert, the first leg had avoidable checkpoint but the second leg does not. The sympathizers have found a way to exploit the fact that citizens don't have to pass checkpoints. At secure checkpoints Archers went inside the transport.
After the first half Hunter's team broke off to their base to rest, every sleep shift is 1/3 the length of the prior work shift. A new team joined the convoy. After their off duty shift, the team took an express route back to their starting base. The mission members were selected for skill and being human which helps pass checkpoints.
When Hunter returned to base he and his teammates rejoined their previous teams. With Xiam shut down, the new cover is a Xiam activist group. At base, Erik confronted him "Where were you?"
Hunter said "I was on a mission. You or Carter?"
Erik said "Me, since you already talk to me. You can't just disappear like that, what was the mission?"
Hunter said "Protecting a transport. Erik, we have human allies in this war. Normal people are willing to stand up for mutant-kind."
Erik said "That's great. Do you know why?"
Hunter said "Mutants have human fam. Gov's lost it. Not sure."
Erik asked "Why do Archers talk like that?" Hunter stopped and looked at him. "In fragments? Like words cost too much?"
Hunter started walking again "Efficency. Secret ID guard. Take your pick."
Erik said "Me and Patriot."
Hunter said "That's our 3. Me, you and Patriot." Erik nodded. "Thanks, Erik. I got Archers business, I was gone for a while. Here's a picture, Elijah's a mutant MuPol took. Think you can ask around, his sister asked me to look for him."
Erik said "So you do know why."
Hunter said "Not everyone joins an army for the same reason."
Erik said "True, I'll ask around. You need to let others in, we're not Archers."
Hunter stopped "I know, thank you Erik." He walked off, Erik kept his word. Hunter met with Patriot before the Protectors ambushed him, he explained he was helping allies.
