Brave men are all vertebrates; they have their softness on the surface and their toughness in the middle.
Chesterton
As the Double-Helix approached the site, Adam's voice came over the airwaves,
"Heads up. I'm counting over two dozen police units and the army just turned up."
"The gangs all here then." Remarked Brennan, drawing a smile from his team-mates. The airship landed and the group exited, heading for the surrounded building.
"So," Asks Emma, "Think he's a mutant?" Before anyone could answer, the building exploded in a gigantic fireball.
"Doesn't matter now let's head back." The group turned around but Emma stopped,
"Guys hold up. I'm sensing someone or thing." She walked towards a dumpster and looked behind it, "Guys have a look at this." Behind the dumpster was an injured wolf. When it laid eyes on Shalimar, it growled.
"Hey Shal, looks like it knows you." Remarked Brennan which drew a slap round the head. As the others laughed Emma stared intently at the beast. The rest of the group stopped laughing and looked at her.
"Emma you OK?" Asked Shalimar but Emma didn't reply, she merely bent down to pet the wolf. Jesse grabbed her hands before you could,
"What are you doing girl?"
"It's OK." Replied Emma, "He won't bite." Jesse was confused,
"Who won't bite"
"I won't." Came a voice from behind them. Jesse, Shalimar and Brennan jumped round to see a man were the wolf had been. He had emerald green eyes, long jet black hair and a distinctive scar running from ear to lips on his right cheek. Emma stilled stared at this man having just watched his transformation.
"Who are you?" Asked Shalimar. The man just smiled,
"Most people who get to know me call me Orion. And to answer your next question I am a new mutant as you put it." The team looked on wondering how he know the answer before asked the question. Then it hit them, "Yes I am telepathic. Just one of many little tricks up my sleeves."
"Along with shape-shifting." Remarked Jesse. Before anyone else could speak a police team came round the corner,
"Hands up. You are all under arrest." Orion just groaned while the others prepared for a fight.
"You don't want to do this guys." Said Brennan. The police began to close in as Emma helped Orion away from the impending battle.
"Hands up." Repeated the officer. Orion shook of Emma and stood up straight.
"You have been warned now leave." The voice echoed through everyone's minds. Orion raised his arms aloft and began to speak,
"Dragonous, I besiege thee. Come forth and destroy these challengers to your might. I Orion, the Hunter command." The skies above grew black and a shape began to appear from the clouds, slowly a massive dragon descended above Orion and hovered. Orion turned back to the police, "Leave now or be destroyed." Most ran but a couple fired at the mighty beast. Orion just laughed,
"Fools, you can not destroy the Dragon with your puny weapons." As if to back up the statement, the dragon sent forth a mighty blast of fire in front of the cops. The remaining police dropped their weapons and ran. Once they were gone the dragon simply vanished. The Mutant X team, minus Emma, looked at Orion in complete bewilderment
"How?" Asked Shalimar. Orion just smiled,
"A magician never reveals his secrets fair lady." This didn't remove the confused look.
"He can project illusions." Stated Emma. This drew smiles from the others.
"You saw through it?" Orion asked her.
"Yes. I could see an image of you blinding someone." Orion stared intently at this girl,
"Well congratulations, no-one has ever seen through them before when they didn't know my powers." The two just stared at each other lost in the moment. The rest of the team stared from their team-mate to this mysterious newcomer.
"Uh guys, can we go now?" Interrupted Jesse. Emma shook herself off and looked at her friends. Her cheeks were flushed and her pulse was racing,
"Sorry about that. We were just..... talking telepathically." Shalimar just smirked,
"Well you can finish your talk back at sanctuary lets go." As the group started to move a shot rung out and Emma collapsed. The others formed a group round her.
"Emma!" Yelled Shalimar, "Talk to me girl." Emma moaned. The guys scanned nearby buildings for the sniper.
"There!" Jesse pointed out the man and Brennan hit him with a blast. The sniper fell off the building but stopped in mid-air. Jesse and Brennan looked at Orion who had his arm out-streched towards the sniper, as if he was holding him up. Orion looked at the two guys,
"You do know it's not nice to kill. Maim, torture and terrify yes but kill unnecessarily, now that's just wrong." With a swing of his arm ,the man was sent flying into a nearby dumpster. Jesse picked up Emma and the group headed back to the Double-helix. Before they could get out of the alley two military Humvees and a truck came round the far corner and ground to a halt. Out of these came about two dozen heavily armed soldiers. One man stepped forward, a loudspeaker in his hand.
"Major Orion Wolf you are under arrest under article fourteen twelve of the military justice code. Surrender now and no harm will come to you or your friends." Orion stepped forward with his arms out-streched,
"Surely we can resolve this peacefully?" His answer was the cocking of several rifles. His face lost all compassion. "Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you." With that the two Humvees lifted of the ground and flipped over backwards landing on top of the truck. The soldiers and conscious members of Mutant X looked on in awe and a little fear. The officer approached, placing his rifle and loudspeaker to the ground. Orion, Shalimar and Brennan went to meet him. The officer indicated the car wreak behind him.
"Orion did you really have to do that? My bosses are going to crew my ears off now." Orion just smirked.
"Come on James, you know what I'm capable of so just go home back to your wife. By the way how are Deloris and Robert?"
"There fine thanks, though I still can't tell them it's you I'm after." By now Shalimar and Brennan were royally confused, Orion picked up on this and explained, "Sorry I really should introduce you. Guys this is my best friend, Major James MacRae of military special projects division. James these are...." Brennan shook James' hand,
"I'm Brennan and this is Shalimar. The two back there are Emma and Jesse." James nodded slightly,
"A pleasure to meet you both." He Turned back to Orion, "You know I have to try and stop you, even though it won't work." Orion just nodded and a sad smile crossed his face.
"I know. Goodbye old friend." With that he turned and walked back to Jesse and Emma with the other two in tow. James walked back towards his troops. Shalimar caught up with him,
"What was all that about?" Orion turned to look at her,
"James and I have been friends for ten years, I even introduced him to is wife."
"And now he has to kill you." Asked Brennan. Orion nodded, "That sucks." Once they were back with the others they noticed the trail of blood,
"Oh god." Remarked Shalimar.
"How is she?" Asked Brennan. Jesse looked up at his team-mate,
"Not good. We have to get her back to sanctuary now."
"Go then." Said Orion, "I'll deal with these guys. If you do hear from me in five minutes leave. No Buts." With that Orion began to walk towards the soldiers. The team just looked at each other before picking up Emma and heading back to the jet.
As the group got back to the jet they heard a massive explosion and turned round to see the alleyway they were just in buried under at collapsing buildings nearby.
"Do you think he survived?" Asked Shalimar. Emma stirred,
"He's alive. I can feel him." Just then Orion came running round the corner being chased by half a dozen soldiers firing merrily at him. He was launching fireballs without looking hoping to hit someone.
"I little help would be nice!" Echoed through the teams heads.
"You heard him Bren, give them hell." With that Brennan started to fire electric bolts at the soldiers. As Orion got within one hundred yards of the jet a round ricocheted into his leg. Orion collapsed. Shalimar and Brennan ran out to get him but he waved them back. Slowly he stood up, turned to face the dangerously close soldiers and sent debris hurtling at them. As the soldiers ducked and scampered for cover Orion flew into the jet before collapsing to the floor as it took of. Emma fell unconscious as Orion scrambled up and took a seat.
"How is she?" He asked.
"Not good." Replied Shalimar who was scanning Emma's vitals. "The bullet's lodged near her heart and she's suffering massive internal bleeding. I'm not sure she'll make it." Orion crawled over to the fallen girl.
"The bullet's near the heart." Shalimar nodded. "And the entry point is..?" She pointed it out to him. "Stand back." He placed his hand over the small hole and slowly Emma's body began to rise. The others looked in shock as this stranger tried to save their friends life. Jesse opened a comm link.
"Adam were on our way back now."
"Everything OK?" Jesse looked over at Emma before continuing,
"No. Emma's been shot. A new mutant named Orion is trying to help her now, but it's touch and go." No response was for coming. "Adam?"
"Yes I'm here. I'll have medical ready when you arrive." He paused for a moment. "Orion?" Without looking up Orion answered.
"Yes Adam?"
"How is she?" Orion stood up but nearly collapsed under his own weight. Brennan helped him to a seat as Shalimar scanned Emma.
"Adam I don't know what he's done but the bullets gone and she's stable now." Shalimar turned to Orion and mouthed 'Thank you'. Orion merely nodded in reply.
"All right." Came Adams' voice, "I see you all when you are back. Orion, thank you." With that Adam closed the comm link.
"You're welcome." And with that he fell unconscious.
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