X-Men: Exodus
"Enter Exodus"
Professor Xavier sat at his desk. The Xavier School for the Gifted was quiet for the night, and as usual, he was the only one up. He stared at his computer, needing to type it, but unsure how to start. Reluctantly, he began.
Professor X: For as long as the world has been around, there have been mutants, humans with a special gene, granting them unique and amazing abilities. Being a mutant myself I understood that as a whole we were not genuinely accepted by the world, so I started a place where Mutants could train their powers and be safe from a cruel world. But there is always a bad to good, and soon there were Mutant Terrorists, hell bent on ruling the world. One of them, Mystique, a mutant with the ability to morph into any human form, started her own academy and began training them to be future mutant terrorists. I formed many teams of special mutants to try and stop the mutant terrorists, with successes and failures, but one in particular, I will never forget. Exodus. A team that had a rough beginning, but still to this day catch my heart. It all started when I called Jenna Summers and Brian Miller into my office.
Jenna Summers and Brian Miller were mutants. They each had their own special and unique ability. Jenna, for instance, could control fire substances and create fire around her. She was the daughter of X-Men Jean Grey and Scott Summers, making her mutant genes stronger than most. Her mutant ability stemmed from part of Jean's Phoenix Force. Brian Miller had extremely keen senses. He could hear, smell, touch, and see things from far away and extremely intense. He could also cast out his senses, using them almost as radar, to detect changes in the environment around them.
They both attended the Xavier School for the Gifted, and were in the middle of Mutant History when they both received notices to meet Professor Charles Xavier in his office as soon as possible. Brian and Jenna rushed out of class and began walking the halls to the Professor's Office.
Jenna: What do you think this is about Brian, this is really making me uncomfortable. I hope we're not in trouble..
She looked down at her shoes and frowned.
Brian: Jenna Summers? In trouble? I don't think that is possible, and besides we rarely hang out together, so it has to just be news of some kind.
Jenna: I hope your right, and just remember, that if we ARE in trouble, I am placing everything on you Miller!
Brian: Gotcha. I think..
The two finally reached the doors to Professor Xavier's room. As they entered, Xavier rolled around in his wheel chair and welcomed them.
Professor X: Welcome Jenna, Brian. Please take a seat, and do stop looking so nervous, you are not in trouble.
Jenna look extremely relieved, while Brian looked somewhat humored by her stress.
Jenna: So Professor, if we're not in trouble. can I ask what the two of us are doing here?
Professor X: You're just like your mother Jenna, quick and to the point. Yes, now let's get down to what I wanted to talk to you about. As you know that last team of Mutants I put together was in 1990 that consisted of some of the best mutants I know, and while they are off on their task, there has been nobody to try and stop Mystique and her mutant terrorists. This needs to be taken care of quickly. I have been having dreams about the future, and they are not good. I do see a lot of pain that needs to be stopped. I need a new team.
Brian: Well that's fine and dandy, Professor but what does that have to do with us?
Professor X: That's simple, Brian. I want you two to head this new team. You are the strongest, most developed mutants here at the school, the best that I have. I really need your help.
Jenna: US? Are you sure we are ready for this Professor? I mean a new team is not to be taken lightly. Who is going to be a part of the team? Will we be in constant danger? Are we going to die?
Professor X: Jenna, please calm your self. The team will start out with just Brian and yourself, but as new mutants come in and as others develop, they can be added to the team. Your job will be to stop Mystique and her mutants from their attacks on mankind as well as the mutant race. It won't be easy, but I really think you are ready for this. So, I will give you until tonight at 9:00pm to make your decision. I will meet you in my office. Good Luck and happy thinking. You are excused.
Jenna and Brian slowly got up from their seats and left the office, completely dumbfounded. Could they start this new team? Would they live up to the X-Men legacy?
In a Dark Office, in an unknown building, a woman sits in a big red velvet chair, looking through mountains of files and folders. This is no ordinary woman. She has enchanting dark blue skin that covers her entire body, which is extremely voluptuous and that leads up to her silky, shoulder length, firecracker red hair. She is Raven Darkholme, better known to the Mutant world as Mystique. As she sifted through papers she stumbled upon an interesting file.
Mystique: Ethan Phillips, Age 17, from Dakota, Washington. Typical rebel without a cause, but possesses the ability of super strength and invulnerability. He might come in handy.
She put the file in her keep filing system, which lately seemed to be very bare.
Mystique: I haven't found a decent mutant in almost two years. I am not letting this one go without a fight.
She set the files to the side, and cracked her knuckles. It was time to go out into the world and find Ethan. She knew who he would relate with, the typical wild child with a hint of intelligence and hunger for life. Quickly, the once blue form of Mystique became normal flesh colored as she transformed into a blonde voluptuous, yet homey looking girl of about 17.
Mystique: Time to head in for the kill.
A smile curled up within Mystique's face.
Ethan had just received his daily mail. He scoured through the letters as he came across one from the Xavier School for the Gifted.
Ethan: Oh this has got to be the wrong Ethan Phillips. Maybe they mean "Special" instead of gifted.
Anyhow, Ethan opened the letter and began reading:
Dear Mr. Phillips,
It has come to my attention that you possess a mutant ability. I know that you might be confused about it, but there are people who can help you control it, use it for your own benefit as well as the benefits of other humans and mutants like yourself. All that I ask is for you to arrange a meeting with myself. By the way, my name is Charles Xavier, I am the founder of the Xavier School for the Gifted and am a mutant myself. I ask that you please consider this possibility as the future looks bright for you. Here is my information if you need to contact me.
Number: 555-1323
Hope to hear from you soon,
Charles Xavier.
Ethan wondered how these people knew about his power? He had only recently discovered his abilities and he was not about to join some frilly school where all the freaks go, just because he was really strong and could not be touched. At that moment he looked up and saw a strikingly beautiful blonde girl about his age staring at his as the girl spoke.
Kay: Hey there, you look like you need some company.
She walked up to him and put her arm around him.
Kay: The name is Kay, and you are the lucky winner of me for an evening. Come on let's go get a burger.
Ethan, not really sure what to do, but not wanting to disappoint the girl, took her to the nearby burger joint to share a burger.
The Professor picked up on Ethan using Cerebro to detect his movement when he noticed that he was with another mutant, with closer focus, he revealed that the mutant Ethan was eating with was none other that Mystique. It was 8:55pm. He shut down Cerebro and headed to his office, waiting for Brian and Jenna to show up.
At 9:00pm exactly Jenna and Brian entered the Professor's Office and took a seat in the exact same places as they had earlier that day.
Jenna: Professor, Brian and I have been talking about this all day. Weighing the pros and cons. It is a big risk, and a hard legacy to follow.
Brian: I mean, at any minute Mystique could kill us. We would always be facing danger, and it would take up a lot of our lives.
Jenna: But, Professor, thankfully we don't have lives, because we have decided to accept your offer.
The Professor was beaming from ear to ear, completely pleased with his self.
Professor X: You just made me a very happy man. I don't want to spoil the party already, but if you feel up to it, I have an assignment for you. I recently found a new mutant using Cerebro that seems to be extremely gifted. When I picked up on him today, I felt him with another mutant. Mystique. She needs him to join her. I need you to stop her. You need to go to Dakota, Washington and try to sway Ethan over to our side, but be careful of Mystique, she can take any form and voice, even finger prints. Watch out and have fun. You can take the X- Car. Oh yeah, don't forget to think up a cool code name for yourselves. Congratulations, you are X-Men. the head members of the Exodus Team.
Brian and Jenna smiled at each other as they headed down to the bottom floors of the Mansion. The place where X-Men walked, where they were welcome.
Brian: You think we are ready Jenna?
Jenna: Well, there is only one way to find out right? Hop in, I'm driving.
The X-Car took off with great speed.
Ethan sat across from this girl he had just met, and was surprising himself by buying her a Chocolate Shake. He was never really lucky with girls. In fact, fathers usually made sure he never went near their baby girls. But then again, here he was. He could tell this girl was different from the others.
Kay: You know, I can tell there is something different about you. something that makes you different from other people.
Ethan looked around and half smirked.
Ethan: Oh really, you know so much about me already?
Kay: I bet I can guess. But what will you give me?
Ethan: I will do whatever you ask me to do for the rest of my life.
Kay: Ooh. A challenge. Well I am up to it. Let's see. your parents left you when you were young so you turned to gangs as a way to find that family, when you recently discovered that you were superhumanly strong, and when anything tried to hit you a gold glow surrounded your body stopping it, you were a mutant. Now you're really confused, wondering how I knew all of this..
Ethan: I. uh. I never. I didn't. HOW?
A smile glazed over Kay's face as she stood up from her booth.
Kay: Follow me.
They stood up from their booths and left the joint.
Jenna and Brian, or Firesight and Radar if you count the new code names they had taken on, reached Dakota a few hours later looking around for someone who might know Ethan. They decided to take a pit stop at a nearby burger joint. Jenna: Maybe someone here will know where he is..
Jenna and Brian entered the restaurant. Quickly Brian walked up to one of the waiters.
Brian: Hey, do you know where I might find Ethan Phillips?
Waiter: That's a first in this town. I just saw him left with some blonde girl. They were talking about Mutants or something and then they just left.
Jenna: Mystique. she must be in town. Uh thank you Sir.
Brian and Jenna headed out of the Burger Place and back to the car.
Jenna: Do you think you can sense him or her, Brian? I mean, they can't have gone that far.
Brian closed his eyes, casting out his senses. He began to scan the small town of Dakota like radar, focusing on mutants using their abilities and just mutants in general. He began to sense something. Two mutants, a guy and a girl, both mutants which he began to see, it was Ethan.
Brian: I found them. they are near some kind of barn. We saw it as we were coming in. Let's go, we aren't sure how much time we have.
Kay lead Ethan into an abandoned barn just outside the town, she playfully opened the door and let him walk inside.
Ethan: Ok, now do you mind explaining to me how the hell you know about my. condition?!?!
Kay: Simple Ethan. I am a mutant myself. How do you think I got you to trust me?
Kay began to be covered with blue skin and her once blonde hair grew a little longer as it began to turn red. Standing in front of Ethan was the mutant terrorist Mystique!
Ethan: What the Hell? Who are you? What do you want?
Mystique: People are not understanding, Ethan. I mean you are a mutant yourself and look at your reaction to me. Whether you like it or not, you have to face your future. A future in a world that despises our kind. This is where you come in, Ethan. I can teach you to control your ability and use it to protect yourself. Mutants are the future, and people need to see that. You can help me do that, you can finally be a part of something bigger than yourself. Isn't that what you've always wanted?
Ethan: Well. yeah.
At that moment a huge blast of fire knocked the doors of the barn open. Jenna Summers stood there completely enveloped in the fiery phoenix force, floating, eyes poised and ready for action.
Mystique: What the? Why if it isn't Jenna Summers, daughter of the two most pathetic mutants to ever walk on the Earth. These are the people you probably received a letter from, begging you to join them. Well, if you do, you might as well sell your soul, half of them die trying to work together with humans, and the other half live a semi real existence in a huge mansion, doing nothing. Don't listen to them.
Brian: Ethan, I know it sounds tempting, but don't believe that Blue Beast. She is a terrorist, she wants to kill all humans, she thinks mutants are better, but with us you will learn to work WITH humans, she will only make the world turn on you more.
Ethan began pacing towards Mystique and Brian and Jenna. He didn't know what to do. Who was being honest with him?
Jenna: Ethan. please listen. I know it all so confusing, but if you make the wrong decision you will regret it for the rest of your life.
At that moment from behind, Mystique landed a quick scissor kick to Brian's head as he went falling to the ground.
Mystique: Now, now, I found him first. I have him and he is my mutant. I will make him do whatever I want.
The blue skin on Mystique began to turn skin colored as Ethan's mother stared him in the face.
Mystique: Come my baby boy I need you. Take these bad people away.
Ethan became enraged. How dare she try and imitate his mother! She would pay!
Ethan: No!! Don't EVER be her. You can NEVER be her!
Ethan ran at Mystique planting both fists directly on her chest, sending her flying up into the air and bouncing off one of the beams in the barn, instantly knocking Mystique unconscious as he turned to Jenna and Brian.
Ethan: Look, I am not making any promises, but for now, you are all I have. I don't want her coming after me again. So I will come with you guys. on a TRIAL basis.
Jenna and Brian smiled at each other. Their first mission was complete. They headed back to the X-Car and back to New York. The Professor would be pleased.
Somehow they knew that Ethan wasn't going anywhere. He was stubborn but he knew what was right and what was wrong. He was part of the mutant legacy, and with any luck, Exodus would be calling his name soon.
"Enter Exodus"
Professor Xavier sat at his desk. The Xavier School for the Gifted was quiet for the night, and as usual, he was the only one up. He stared at his computer, needing to type it, but unsure how to start. Reluctantly, he began.
Professor X: For as long as the world has been around, there have been mutants, humans with a special gene, granting them unique and amazing abilities. Being a mutant myself I understood that as a whole we were not genuinely accepted by the world, so I started a place where Mutants could train their powers and be safe from a cruel world. But there is always a bad to good, and soon there were Mutant Terrorists, hell bent on ruling the world. One of them, Mystique, a mutant with the ability to morph into any human form, started her own academy and began training them to be future mutant terrorists. I formed many teams of special mutants to try and stop the mutant terrorists, with successes and failures, but one in particular, I will never forget. Exodus. A team that had a rough beginning, but still to this day catch my heart. It all started when I called Jenna Summers and Brian Miller into my office.
Jenna Summers and Brian Miller were mutants. They each had their own special and unique ability. Jenna, for instance, could control fire substances and create fire around her. She was the daughter of X-Men Jean Grey and Scott Summers, making her mutant genes stronger than most. Her mutant ability stemmed from part of Jean's Phoenix Force. Brian Miller had extremely keen senses. He could hear, smell, touch, and see things from far away and extremely intense. He could also cast out his senses, using them almost as radar, to detect changes in the environment around them.
They both attended the Xavier School for the Gifted, and were in the middle of Mutant History when they both received notices to meet Professor Charles Xavier in his office as soon as possible. Brian and Jenna rushed out of class and began walking the halls to the Professor's Office.
Jenna: What do you think this is about Brian, this is really making me uncomfortable. I hope we're not in trouble..
She looked down at her shoes and frowned.
Brian: Jenna Summers? In trouble? I don't think that is possible, and besides we rarely hang out together, so it has to just be news of some kind.
Jenna: I hope your right, and just remember, that if we ARE in trouble, I am placing everything on you Miller!
Brian: Gotcha. I think..
The two finally reached the doors to Professor Xavier's room. As they entered, Xavier rolled around in his wheel chair and welcomed them.
Professor X: Welcome Jenna, Brian. Please take a seat, and do stop looking so nervous, you are not in trouble.
Jenna look extremely relieved, while Brian looked somewhat humored by her stress.
Jenna: So Professor, if we're not in trouble. can I ask what the two of us are doing here?
Professor X: You're just like your mother Jenna, quick and to the point. Yes, now let's get down to what I wanted to talk to you about. As you know that last team of Mutants I put together was in 1990 that consisted of some of the best mutants I know, and while they are off on their task, there has been nobody to try and stop Mystique and her mutant terrorists. This needs to be taken care of quickly. I have been having dreams about the future, and they are not good. I do see a lot of pain that needs to be stopped. I need a new team.
Brian: Well that's fine and dandy, Professor but what does that have to do with us?
Professor X: That's simple, Brian. I want you two to head this new team. You are the strongest, most developed mutants here at the school, the best that I have. I really need your help.
Jenna: US? Are you sure we are ready for this Professor? I mean a new team is not to be taken lightly. Who is going to be a part of the team? Will we be in constant danger? Are we going to die?
Professor X: Jenna, please calm your self. The team will start out with just Brian and yourself, but as new mutants come in and as others develop, they can be added to the team. Your job will be to stop Mystique and her mutants from their attacks on mankind as well as the mutant race. It won't be easy, but I really think you are ready for this. So, I will give you until tonight at 9:00pm to make your decision. I will meet you in my office. Good Luck and happy thinking. You are excused.
Jenna and Brian slowly got up from their seats and left the office, completely dumbfounded. Could they start this new team? Would they live up to the X-Men legacy?
In a Dark Office, in an unknown building, a woman sits in a big red velvet chair, looking through mountains of files and folders. This is no ordinary woman. She has enchanting dark blue skin that covers her entire body, which is extremely voluptuous and that leads up to her silky, shoulder length, firecracker red hair. She is Raven Darkholme, better known to the Mutant world as Mystique. As she sifted through papers she stumbled upon an interesting file.
Mystique: Ethan Phillips, Age 17, from Dakota, Washington. Typical rebel without a cause, but possesses the ability of super strength and invulnerability. He might come in handy.
She put the file in her keep filing system, which lately seemed to be very bare.
Mystique: I haven't found a decent mutant in almost two years. I am not letting this one go without a fight.
She set the files to the side, and cracked her knuckles. It was time to go out into the world and find Ethan. She knew who he would relate with, the typical wild child with a hint of intelligence and hunger for life. Quickly, the once blue form of Mystique became normal flesh colored as she transformed into a blonde voluptuous, yet homey looking girl of about 17.
Mystique: Time to head in for the kill.
A smile curled up within Mystique's face.
Ethan had just received his daily mail. He scoured through the letters as he came across one from the Xavier School for the Gifted.
Ethan: Oh this has got to be the wrong Ethan Phillips. Maybe they mean "Special" instead of gifted.
Anyhow, Ethan opened the letter and began reading:
Dear Mr. Phillips,
It has come to my attention that you possess a mutant ability. I know that you might be confused about it, but there are people who can help you control it, use it for your own benefit as well as the benefits of other humans and mutants like yourself. All that I ask is for you to arrange a meeting with myself. By the way, my name is Charles Xavier, I am the founder of the Xavier School for the Gifted and am a mutant myself. I ask that you please consider this possibility as the future looks bright for you. Here is my information if you need to contact me.
Number: 555-1323
Hope to hear from you soon,
Charles Xavier.
Ethan wondered how these people knew about his power? He had only recently discovered his abilities and he was not about to join some frilly school where all the freaks go, just because he was really strong and could not be touched. At that moment he looked up and saw a strikingly beautiful blonde girl about his age staring at his as the girl spoke.
Kay: Hey there, you look like you need some company.
She walked up to him and put her arm around him.
Kay: The name is Kay, and you are the lucky winner of me for an evening. Come on let's go get a burger.
Ethan, not really sure what to do, but not wanting to disappoint the girl, took her to the nearby burger joint to share a burger.
The Professor picked up on Ethan using Cerebro to detect his movement when he noticed that he was with another mutant, with closer focus, he revealed that the mutant Ethan was eating with was none other that Mystique. It was 8:55pm. He shut down Cerebro and headed to his office, waiting for Brian and Jenna to show up.
At 9:00pm exactly Jenna and Brian entered the Professor's Office and took a seat in the exact same places as they had earlier that day.
Jenna: Professor, Brian and I have been talking about this all day. Weighing the pros and cons. It is a big risk, and a hard legacy to follow.
Brian: I mean, at any minute Mystique could kill us. We would always be facing danger, and it would take up a lot of our lives.
Jenna: But, Professor, thankfully we don't have lives, because we have decided to accept your offer.
The Professor was beaming from ear to ear, completely pleased with his self.
Professor X: You just made me a very happy man. I don't want to spoil the party already, but if you feel up to it, I have an assignment for you. I recently found a new mutant using Cerebro that seems to be extremely gifted. When I picked up on him today, I felt him with another mutant. Mystique. She needs him to join her. I need you to stop her. You need to go to Dakota, Washington and try to sway Ethan over to our side, but be careful of Mystique, she can take any form and voice, even finger prints. Watch out and have fun. You can take the X- Car. Oh yeah, don't forget to think up a cool code name for yourselves. Congratulations, you are X-Men. the head members of the Exodus Team.
Brian and Jenna smiled at each other as they headed down to the bottom floors of the Mansion. The place where X-Men walked, where they were welcome.
Brian: You think we are ready Jenna?
Jenna: Well, there is only one way to find out right? Hop in, I'm driving.
The X-Car took off with great speed.
Ethan sat across from this girl he had just met, and was surprising himself by buying her a Chocolate Shake. He was never really lucky with girls. In fact, fathers usually made sure he never went near their baby girls. But then again, here he was. He could tell this girl was different from the others.
Kay: You know, I can tell there is something different about you. something that makes you different from other people.
Ethan looked around and half smirked.
Ethan: Oh really, you know so much about me already?
Kay: I bet I can guess. But what will you give me?
Ethan: I will do whatever you ask me to do for the rest of my life.
Kay: Ooh. A challenge. Well I am up to it. Let's see. your parents left you when you were young so you turned to gangs as a way to find that family, when you recently discovered that you were superhumanly strong, and when anything tried to hit you a gold glow surrounded your body stopping it, you were a mutant. Now you're really confused, wondering how I knew all of this..
Ethan: I. uh. I never. I didn't. HOW?
A smile glazed over Kay's face as she stood up from her booth.
Kay: Follow me.
They stood up from their booths and left the joint.
Jenna and Brian, or Firesight and Radar if you count the new code names they had taken on, reached Dakota a few hours later looking around for someone who might know Ethan. They decided to take a pit stop at a nearby burger joint. Jenna: Maybe someone here will know where he is..
Jenna and Brian entered the restaurant. Quickly Brian walked up to one of the waiters.
Brian: Hey, do you know where I might find Ethan Phillips?
Waiter: That's a first in this town. I just saw him left with some blonde girl. They were talking about Mutants or something and then they just left.
Jenna: Mystique. she must be in town. Uh thank you Sir.
Brian and Jenna headed out of the Burger Place and back to the car.
Jenna: Do you think you can sense him or her, Brian? I mean, they can't have gone that far.
Brian closed his eyes, casting out his senses. He began to scan the small town of Dakota like radar, focusing on mutants using their abilities and just mutants in general. He began to sense something. Two mutants, a guy and a girl, both mutants which he began to see, it was Ethan.
Brian: I found them. they are near some kind of barn. We saw it as we were coming in. Let's go, we aren't sure how much time we have.
Kay lead Ethan into an abandoned barn just outside the town, she playfully opened the door and let him walk inside.
Ethan: Ok, now do you mind explaining to me how the hell you know about my. condition?!?!
Kay: Simple Ethan. I am a mutant myself. How do you think I got you to trust me?
Kay began to be covered with blue skin and her once blonde hair grew a little longer as it began to turn red. Standing in front of Ethan was the mutant terrorist Mystique!
Ethan: What the Hell? Who are you? What do you want?
Mystique: People are not understanding, Ethan. I mean you are a mutant yourself and look at your reaction to me. Whether you like it or not, you have to face your future. A future in a world that despises our kind. This is where you come in, Ethan. I can teach you to control your ability and use it to protect yourself. Mutants are the future, and people need to see that. You can help me do that, you can finally be a part of something bigger than yourself. Isn't that what you've always wanted?
Ethan: Well. yeah.
At that moment a huge blast of fire knocked the doors of the barn open. Jenna Summers stood there completely enveloped in the fiery phoenix force, floating, eyes poised and ready for action.
Mystique: What the? Why if it isn't Jenna Summers, daughter of the two most pathetic mutants to ever walk on the Earth. These are the people you probably received a letter from, begging you to join them. Well, if you do, you might as well sell your soul, half of them die trying to work together with humans, and the other half live a semi real existence in a huge mansion, doing nothing. Don't listen to them.
Brian: Ethan, I know it sounds tempting, but don't believe that Blue Beast. She is a terrorist, she wants to kill all humans, she thinks mutants are better, but with us you will learn to work WITH humans, she will only make the world turn on you more.
Ethan began pacing towards Mystique and Brian and Jenna. He didn't know what to do. Who was being honest with him?
Jenna: Ethan. please listen. I know it all so confusing, but if you make the wrong decision you will regret it for the rest of your life.
At that moment from behind, Mystique landed a quick scissor kick to Brian's head as he went falling to the ground.
Mystique: Now, now, I found him first. I have him and he is my mutant. I will make him do whatever I want.
The blue skin on Mystique began to turn skin colored as Ethan's mother stared him in the face.
Mystique: Come my baby boy I need you. Take these bad people away.
Ethan became enraged. How dare she try and imitate his mother! She would pay!
Ethan: No!! Don't EVER be her. You can NEVER be her!
Ethan ran at Mystique planting both fists directly on her chest, sending her flying up into the air and bouncing off one of the beams in the barn, instantly knocking Mystique unconscious as he turned to Jenna and Brian.
Ethan: Look, I am not making any promises, but for now, you are all I have. I don't want her coming after me again. So I will come with you guys. on a TRIAL basis.
Jenna and Brian smiled at each other. Their first mission was complete. They headed back to the X-Car and back to New York. The Professor would be pleased.
Somehow they knew that Ethan wasn't going anywhere. He was stubborn but he knew what was right and what was wrong. He was part of the mutant legacy, and with any luck, Exodus would be calling his name soon.