The Serum
Part 9
AN: I was trying to find new mutants that we'd recognise, but I realised the first four named new mutants we meet were all psionics and three of them were telekinetics. Bizarre. Anyway, I don't think we ever got the name of the propulsion new mutant we saw in the first episode so I called him Ben and stuck propulsion under molecular coz it sounded the best. The others you've never met.
Three days had seemed like months as she sat through her enforced leave, feeling slightly shell-shocked. In the space of twenty-four hours everything had been rearranged, altered, pulled apart, and she had had no option other than to return to her life and make the best of it she could. Nikki had given her no choice.
Now, on the last day of her leave she was making some phone calls. She would be prepared. The same thing would not happen again.
"Guys, I really need to talk to you."
"Ella, nice to see you back." Granger greeted.
"Granger, I need to talk to all four of you, it's important." Jaylynn and Davies stood from their desks to come and stand closer.
"OK, well talk." Granger said.
"Not here. Come outside."
"Outside?" She could see the doubt in Granger's face, but he stood and called the others over and they all trouped outside.
Allison and Ben were already waiting outside when they got there and it wasn't long before another car drew up and Carlie and James got out. She greeted them all with hugs and then turned back to the team.
"Granger, you asked for an explanation without any shit. This is a no shit explanation, understood? Don't freak out on me, just sit it out. These are friends and they aren't dangerous."
"Ella? What's going on?"
"There's a lot going on that hasn't been explained to the world in general, Granger. A couple of decades ago some scientists started messing with the human's genetic structure. They had good intentions but there were some unforeseen consequences. They created human mutations. When they realised what they could do they perfected the process and classified the mutations into four groups — feral, molecular, elemental and psionic."
"What are you going on about Eliza?"
"James is a feral." He stepped forward, but she held out a hand to make him wait. "June was a feral, but June was out of control. You have to understand that. James is nothing like June and will never be." James flashed his eyes feral, making all of the others jump and three guns appear from holsters.
"June was a menace, she made everything harder for us." James explained. Granger recovered first.
"You can move like she could, as fast?" James frowned.
"Maybe not as fast, she was very fast." He decided after a moment. "But I'm still a lot faster and stronger than you." Granger seemed to accept that.
"Ben is a molecular, he carries the gift of accelerated movement, or propulsion, not all moleculars have the same gift, it can be all sorts of things." Eliza continued, thanking James with a smile.
"You want me to give a show too?" Ben asked her, jokingly.
"If you don't mind." Taking a quick glance around, Ben disappeared from sight, only barely visible as he sprinted around the edge of the car park at an unbelievable speed. They all felt the rush of air as he drew to a halt beside them again. No one spoke, mouths open.
"Propulsion is only one of many molecular traits. I have a friend who can walk through walls, or make himself solid as rock. Carlie is an elemental, she works for the fire department and has one of the most unbelievable records for saving lives in hopeless situations. She has the ability to create and control water." Everyone jumped as a small spring of water appeared in the palm of the woman's hand, seeming to avoid her hand completely as it fell to the ground.
"You use this to do fire-fighting?" Jaylynn asked.
"I tend to use something a bit bigger to fight fires with." She teased.
"Why do you bother putting yourself at risk?" She asked, serious.
"You're a policeman. Why do you put yourself at risk?" Jaylynn took her point with a blush.
"Finally, Allison is a psionic." Eliza paused. She had spent the whole of the previous day trying to find a way to explain the psionics that wouldn't lead to distrust. So few people trusted the psionics because of their powers, there was an element of fear in someone who could manipulate the one thing that made you truly you. Allison had been the obvious psionic to choose to come today, her power didn't involve anyone else's mind, only her own. But the other types had to be explained. "Allison has telekinesis. She can move objects with her mind. There is a huge range of psionics, all have some kind of mind-power. Telepathy, telempathy, illusion. Telekinesis is the most common." Eliza grinned as she saw the car lift off and hover for a moment in the corner of her eye. The others all had to look twice before they realised what was going on. "Many of the more sensitive psionics," She continued as if there was nothing happening beside her. "Have problems blocking their powers. Some turn to drugs, like David who you met the other day, some end up in prison or mental institutes because they can't find control."
"Who's Adam, Ella?"
"Adam runs a Sanctuary for new mutants. He teaches them control and finds them somewhere safe to stay. He's always looked after us them." Eliza swore internally. She had been trying to keep herself out of this.
"Who are you Ella?" Granger asked finally.
"I used to be a feral, Granger. I took a serum that made me human. It looks like it's wearing off. Are you going to chuck me off the team for that?"
"You've just told us that when you're feral again you'll be faster and stronger than us. You're already fast, you're already strong and you're already a great asset to this team. You think I'm going to chuck you off because you're getting better? Thank you for explaining this to us, thanks to you guys for coming along to help out, now get back inside and lets do some work." Eliza watched open-mouthed as Granger headed back inside. She had watched him take many things in his stride, but she hadn't expected him to take this quite so easily. Shrugging it off she thanked her friends, waved them off and followed her team.
