Rise of the Mystic Mutants Tales of Harry James Braddock
Chapter 3
Henry stood in the center of a large circular room covered in smooth, shining silver metal. It'd been two weeks since his mission to implant the memories and Martin Sutter.
He discovered that he could manipulate elements with his mind during that time.
After an examination, Madalyn theorized that the Psionic energy flowing through his brain allowed his abilities to evolve faster. She would like to have run more tests, but it was best to keep his powers secret from other facility staff.
Working with his aunt Madalyn, who used her powers of creation to conjure elements into the astral plane, he got a basic grasp of manipulating the elements.
A heavy thump began to Echo through the floor, causing the lights above him to sway and sending shadows dancing across the silver metal.
Blue energy flared around his body as he focused Psionic power through his muscles. His Emerald eyes glowed as he stared down at his charging opponent.
Cain Marko of earth 1610 was 9'4" tall, with broad shoulders and arms as thick as trees. Close cropped red hair crowned his head, and his Brown eyes narrowed in determination. A spandex shirt and pants covered his body as thick-soled combat boots left impressions on the metal floor.
With a roar, Cain swung his arm.
Henry jumped back, the tips of Cain's knuckles brushing against his crossed arms, causing blue energy to flare before him at the brief impact. He grunted, despite it being a glancing blow. The soles of his feet hit the floor hard as Henry skidded across the metal. Shaking out his arms, he winced at the bruises forming there.
Bright blue energy flared along and around his arms, forming gauntlets. In a blur of motion, he shot forward. In the blink of an eye, he began peppering the colossal man with a barrage of lightning-fast punches. Each time he threw his fist forward, it multiplied into three because of the speed.
The redhead ignored Henry's attack. Clasping both hands together, he raised them over his head and brought them down in a chopping motion.
Henry lurched to the side, teeth grinding together as Cain's attack brushed his arm, breaking it at the elbow. Taking a step back, he glanced at the limb hanging at an odd angle.
Focusing Psionic power through his limb, a shiver ran through his body as the bones shifted into place. Glancing at Cain, he found the man just standing there watching him. Taking another step back, he closed his eyes and sent a pulse of power through his arm, using it differently than before.
The energy drew a three-dimensional picture of his arm in his mind, showing him the cracks where the broken bone was now separated. His fingers twitched, pins and needles dancing around the break as he focused Psionic energy on it.
The image in his mind slowly changed as the bone gradually began mending back together. When the bone was whole, Henry opened his eyes.
Cain nodded, his lips pressed together in a frown, "You know that a normal opponent wouldn't allow you to heal yourself, right?"
"I know, but since you were just standing there, I figured you wouldn't mind."
Grunting, Cain turned away, "We're done for the day."
Henry moved beside him, "You know if I could use my telepathy, you would've been done, right?"
"That's not the purpose of this exercise; the exercise teaches you how to fight a stronger opponent."
Henry said nothing. After a minute of silence, he reached out with his mind and connected to Cain's.
Cain glanced at Henry as he felt the connection.
'So, how are things between you and Madalyn?'
Cain paused in mid-step. 'I don't think that's any of your business.'
'Oh, come on, it's not like you get a lot of entertainment around here.'
Cain Marko of earth 1610 had been brought to this world after a man named James Benedict Potter saved his life. In payment for saving his life and bringing him to a new world where he could hide his mutant nature and start a new life. He agreed to work for James for ten years.
However, when he arrived here and found out that Potter was kidnapping mutants about to die from other universes, he rebelled. James then placed a collar around his neck and forced him to work for him, or the collar would explode and take his head with it.
To survive what the facility was having him do, Madalyn Evans secretly used her abilities to transform the stone of Chthon into a regenerative healing factor. This process had the side effect of sending the stone's residual energy through his body and strengthening his powers.
After that, the two began talking to one another. A kiss eventually happened, and Lily would help hide them from others, so they could have a moment alone since Cain could not leave the facility.
'As well as to be expected, since I can't leave the facility.'
'You could.'
Cain shook his head. 'I may be able to make it out; I haven't tested my durability since Madalyn transmuted the stone,' he shook his head, 'but even if I could, I wouldn't, I would spend the rest of my life on the run, and Madalyn could be used against me.'
Henry felt Cain forcibly sever their mental connection. With Madalyn's help, he had learned to at least partially defend himself from mental attacks.
Looking around, he found himself standing in the hallway living quarters of the prisoners. It was a long smooth hallway made of clear metal, and three doors sat in thick frames on either side. The black metal of the doors reflected a muted mirror image.
Henry watched Cain enter his room, the doorway extra wide to fit his bulk.
'Well, what am I supposed to do with myself now?'
Suddenly, a feminine voice echoed through the base, "Reaper, please report for your next mission."
'I guess that solves that problem.'
–XX –
Martin Sutter stood in his home office, staring at his wife across his desk, "So, you finally decided to tell me?"
Rachel Sutter paused in her pacing across the hardwood floors, her head slowly turning to look at him, fear shining in her blue eyes, "How long have you known?" She whispered, staring at a spot over his shoulder.
"I just revealed to you that I know about your infidelity, and that's the first thing you ask me," he snapped back, his voice tight with anger.
Rachel opened her mouth to say something but stopped as the window to the office shattered, and a familiar little girl landed on the hardwood floor in a crouch, broken glass falling to the ground around her.
"X23," Rachel hissed, taking a step back; her gaze flicked to Martin, "what is she doing here?"
Martin's lips formed a thin line, "It appears your lover has sent X23 to kill us."
Suddenly, a pale blue aura surrounded X23, and she flew backward out the window.
"What was that?"
"Help."
–XX –
Henry blurred across snow-covered land, a blue light trailing behind him as he closed the distance to the Sutter estate.
A short, curvy figure jumped through a lower floor window, her long hair fluttering behind her.
Shattering glass echoed through the night, and the animals fell silent at the sudden noise.
Raising his hand, Henry reached out with his mind. He wrapped his power around the figure using his limb as a focus. As he felt her body stiffen under his mental touch, he yanked his arm backward, pulling her out of the window.
–XX –
X23 jumped through a lower floor window, glass falling around her and crunching underneath her boots. Her gaze flicked around, her blue eyes locking on her targets.
She stood in a rectangular-shaped room. Bookshelves lined the walls, and a large desk sat in the center of the room with a brown leather chair beneath it. Two wooden chairs with black cushions sat in front of the desk.
"X23," Rachel Sutter hissed, backing away, "what is she doing here?"
Martin Sutter shifted slightly, his lips forming a thin line, "It appears your lover has sent X23 to kill us."
Two claws emerged between the knuckles of Laura's hands with the sound of metal grinding against bone. Her legs tensed; her knees bent as she prepared to leap.
A cold wind blew in from the broken window at her back, sending strands of her black hair fluttering in front of her face.
With a sniff, she centered their fear; her head slowly turned to stare at the closet before focusing back on Rachel. Some part of her wanted to ask if they knew their son was in the room, but that wasn't her mission. Her mission was to clear out this family.
One corner of her mouth lifted in a snarl at the thought of what she was about to do.
Suddenly, blue energy flared around her body, locking her in place. Her muscles flexed against the force just as she flew backward.
She soared through the air, bending against the force holding her. The cold bit into her skin as she slammed to the ground. Snow clung to her body, and water ran down her exposed skin into her leather outfit, sending shivers down her spine.
As she rolled to a stop, she stared at the sky, wondering what had just happened.
A shadow appeared over her, "Hello, Laura."
–XX –
As Laura rolled to a stop at his feet, Henry stared down at her, an inner light illuminating his emerald eyes, "Hello, Laura."
–XX –
Laura rolled away from him, coming up in a crouch. She stared at him, her dark hair matted to her skin, her blue eyes shining in the light of the moon. She rotated her wrist, moonlight flashing on her claws.
Keeping her eyes locked on him, she sniffed the air, taking in his scent, sterilized air, metal, and something else. She began to move in a slow circle around him as she took in his features.
He was 5'5" tall with a lean, wiry build. His dark hair was buzzed close to his head, and his Emerald eyes shone with an inner light. Some strange black mesh armor covered his body, and thin black sleeves wrapped his toned arms. His fingers poked out from black fingerless gloves with dark metal circles across the knuckles.
Slowly, he raised his arms, "I'm not here to fight; I'm just here to stop you from killing the Sutters."
Laura's grip tightened, the tips of her fingers digging into her palm. He was here to stop her from completing her mission. 'She couldn't allow that,' she glanced back at the house, surprised to find her targets hadn't escaped.
Turning back to him, she charged; she would not fail in her mission. Her mother's life may depend on it.
–XX –
Laura lunged.
Henry moved, blue afterimages following in his wake. A quick jab slammed into Laura's stomach, halting her momentum, and a left jab snapped her head sideways.
Laura dropped to the ground, landing with her legs bent. She swept her right leg in a practiced movement at the man before her.
Henry stepped back a blue gauntlet with a 3-foot-long blade coming from the wrist forming over his right arm. "I don't want to hurt you."
Ignoring him, Laura charged forward. Leaping into the air, she performed a roundhouse kick. As her foot neared Henry's face, a claw emerged from her boot.
Henry leaned away, but the tip of the claw grazed his cheek. To his surprise, the layer of Psionic energy surrounding his body wavered in the wake of the claw, leaving a deep gash in his flesh.
Hot blood ran down his cheek as he stared at X23.
"I'm sorry, Laura, I would like to see more of your skills, but we don't have time to play." Locking eyes with her, Henry stretched his arms forward. A blue aura surrounded her body.
Henry spread his arms, and Laura's body followed his movements, her limbs splayed out as she lifted into the air.
Gathering his will, he formed it into a telepathic attack. As he concentrated, he felt the metal in her body fighting against his Psionic force. Bending his fingers, he forced her arms behind her back, lowering her to the ground; her knees hit the earth, and he spoke one word, "Sleep."
The last thing Laura saw was a flash of blue light, and then darkness consumed her.
As Laura fell to the ground, Henry reached up, pressing his earpiece.
"Alpha target captured; I'm going after beta."
With a force of will, Laura floated into the air. Looking at her one last time, Henry began walking towards the house, Laura floating behind him. As he walked, he poured Psionic energy into the cut on his cheek. Slowly, particles of blue light began to fill in the wound.
–XX –
Martin Sutter cautiously moved towards the broken window in his office, bits of broken glass crunching underfoot. The white curtains billowed in the icy wind and snow blowing in from outside.
"What do we do?" Rachel whispered.
Martin turned to tell her just what she could do, only to see her eyes widen.
She backed away until her body hit the wall.
Turning, Martin Sutter found a figure about an inch shorter than himself standing in the window. He froze. His hand gripped the edge of the window, causing bits of glass to dig into his skin.
Henry glanced at the blood running down Martin's palm before staring into the man's Amber eyes, "Are you Martin Sutter?"
Swallowing thickly, Martin straightened, wincing as he pealed his hand off the window, "I am," he replied with only a slight quiver.
Henry nodded, "Good." Pointing his finger at Martin, his Emerald eyes flashed, "Sleep."
Martin's eyes rolled into the back of his head, and his knees gave out.
Rachel watched him fall in slow motion, his body following the movements of the figure's outstretched hand. She watched as the figure stepped into the room, the body of X23 floating behind him. With two quick gestures, Martin's body settled into a chair. Then, he turned and locked his gaze on Rachel.
Emerald eyes glowing with an inner light locked her in place.
"Rachel Sutton née Sutter?"
Rachel jolted at the sound of her maiden name; her gaze flicked between her unconscious husband, the unconscious X23, and the teen in black mesh clothing, "Yes."
"Good," the dark-haired young man raised his hand, palm up.
A pale blue oval appeared on the floor beside her, and out of it rose Henry Sutter.
With a quick step, Rachel was beside her son, her arms wrapped protectively around him, her gaze never leaving the figure in black.
Henry turned away. Approaching Martin, he placed his hands on either side of the man's head and closed his eyes. Over the next few minutes, Henry reworked the man's memories, making it seem as if X23 had broken into the house and killed his wife and son before turning on him. Just as she was about to kill Martin, Henry arrived.
Martin was knocked out in the ensuing conflict between X23 and Henry.
Removing his hands from Martin's head, he turned back to mother and son.
Locking eyes with her, he sent his thoughts directly into her mind. 'Your husband now believes you died. In a moment, I will send you to an acquaintance that will help you gain a new life.'
Rachel opened her mouth to ask a question, but the stranger placed a finger to his lips. With a bit of effort, she mentally sent him her question.
'Why are you helping us?'
'While you are guilty of infidelity, that does not mean your son deserves to grow up without a mother.'
Raising his left hand, Henry concentrated.
A blue portal appeared beneath mother and son, bathing them in its pale light.
Rachel watched the stranger turn away as she sunk into the portal, a ball of fire appearing in his right hand.
As Rachel and Henry Sutter disappeared, Henry concentrated on the ball of fire in his right hand. With a mental push, the fireball vanished. He felt it appear in the basement and condensed it with a thought. As he pushed it to become smaller, he increased its heat.
Henry stopped his compression when the softball-sized fireball shrunk to the size of a pinpoint and burned with white light. Heat waves wafted off the small bead of light, blackening the thick wooden walls of the home.
Veins bulged out on his temples as he fought to keep the flame compressed. Beads of sweat ran down his face as he mentally lifted Martin into the air.
Taking a few deep breaths, pale blue light burned around his body as he blurred into the distance. As Henry moved away from the house, he released his hold on the fire.
The white pinprick expanded in an instant bright yellow and orange flames burst out of every window and door, sending melted glass and charred bits of wood into the night.
No longer holding the flames allowed Henry to move easier under Psionic enhancement while carrying his two passengers. As he weaved through the trees, he pressed his earpiece, "Mission complete, house burning, packages secure, no witnesses."
'Good luck, Rachel; I hope you make better choices in the future.'
–XX –
Giovanni Zatara stood before an ornate diagram drawn on the concrete floor in the basement of his brownstone home. It'd been over a thousand years since he traveled through time and space after being injured by a demon outside of reality in his home universe.
Eden village's residents healed him and strengthened his connection to magic with their biotechnology. At first, he was fascinated by the village. He felt despair when he tried to leave, and his body caught fire again.
After an examination, he discovered the demon had left a mark on his soul, preventing him from returning to his home reality via the advanced portal technology of Eden village. In hopes of countering this, he threw himself into learning Eden village's magic. Once he knew everything they could teach him, he left to travel the world.
He landed in Tibet, eventually being trained by a man named Yao, who claimed to be the sorcerer' supreme defender of the earth. After learning what the ancient one had to teach him, he once again tried to open a portal, and though the marker in his soul had weakened from the infusion of this world's cosmic energy as he learned its magic, he was still not able to pass through into his home universe.
At Yao's suggestion, he traveled to China to study under the spider queen and master the art of Chi manipulation. Again, after training, the mark weakened thanks to the spiritual strengthening of the Chi arts.
Finishing his training, he mixed magic and Chi to open a portal and was able to see his daughter, but as he tried to step through to meet her, his flesh burned. Realizing he would have to keep training himself to weaken the mark on his soul, he traveled around until the modern age, eventually settling in New York.
The mark was close to breaking. Soon, he would be able to return home to his daughter.
Suddenly, the symbol on the floor glowed, and two people rose from pale blue energy in its center.
Rachel Sutter looked around, finding herself in a circle of ornate symbols drawn on a dirty concrete floor. In the shadows created by the characters, she spotted a figure. She shifted in front of her son, her gaze never leaving the figure, "Who are you?"
A sharp snap echoed throughout the room, and Rachel jumped as lights clicked on.
A man stood outside the symbols.
He was 5'11" tall with a lean muscular build. His black hair grayed at the temples, and a grey strip ran down the center of his short beard. He was dressed in a white button-down shirt, black overalls, black slacks, and black shoes.
Pale blue eyes stared at her as he flicked his left hand.
A wind swept through the room. The symbols collapsed into dust that swirled into the air and seeped out of the cracks of the building.
Moving forward, the man offered her his hand, "My name is Giovanni Zatara, but my friends call me John; I'm an acquaintance of the young man who sent you to me, and I'm here to help you start a new life."
"And how are you going to do that?"
Giovanni's lips curled, "Magic."