Chapter 2: the introduction

It had only been a month since Dylan had escaped, but his name was on the news more than the presidential elections that fall. Wanted posters were hung from every street sign to every store window. Thank god they didn't have a good picture of him. The only one they had was from when his hair was bleach blond. Today it was its natural fiery red shade. It was either very late or very early when Dylan finally came out of the cheap, run down hotel. He walked alone on the empty street for about thirty minutes when he finally made his way to a small local grocery store. Dylan looked at the door and examined the lock. With one small flick of the wrist Dylan hit the door and blew it clear off its hinges. Inside Dylan walked slowly around the store. Looking for any thing and everything he might need. He knew he had at least five minutes until the cops would show up, if they drove fast. Dylan walked up to the cash register and picked it up. He thoroughly looked it over from every possible angle. Dylan set the register back down in its original position and gave it a soft flick. The drawer shot out with a blast similar to a bottle rocket. Dylan was shoving money into any pocket he could find in his jeans when he heard the cops pull up. "Shit!" he muttered to himself. "They must have been on a night drive when I set off the alarm."

Dylan ran outside through the back door and into the small back alley. It was probably only three feet from the next building. He looked around for a quick escape but both ways were fenced off. Dylan knew that he could easily melt through the fence but that would give away his identity. Any one could keep explosives with them but how many criminals have hot hands? He frantically looked around panicked until hey saw a ladder leading to the roof. The police busted through the back door, wielding flashlights and guns. "Men be ready. The criminal is armed with high explosives." One of the taller officers said. "Sir there are fences on either side of this alley. They have to be at least seven feet tall no one could climb one that fast!" a shorter balder officer said. Just then a shadow was cast from somewhere over head. "Up there! Look!" one of the officers screamed. "See ya round po- pos!" Dylan screamed as he leapt from one rooftop to the other. Dylan ran as fast as he could, jumping from rooftop to rooftop. The police were gaining quickly. Dylan kicked up his pace a bit. He jumped frantically onto the next roof. "Hey Hotstuff what's the rush?" Dylan tripped on the edge of the roof when he heard the voice next to him in mid-air. "Wow nice face plant." The voice said with a laugh. Dylan jumped to his feet to see a skinny boy standing in front of him. The boy had to have been about seventeen. He had white hair and a weird green suit on. "Oh now that really isn't important," the boy said. Just as soon as he was in front of Dylan he was gone again. "What the?" Dylan said taken aback. Dylan turned around to come to come face to face with a pale, greasy hared kid in baggy clothes. "Whow I wouldn't go back there if I were you," the kid said. "Sorry about my friend. He has no manners. That guy was Peatro. He calls himself quicksilver. I am, well my name isn't important. Just call me toad that's what all my friends call me." He said extending a hand. Dylan looked at him in disgust. "I'm not your friend." "Hey! That's what all of my friends say too!" Toad said. Suddenly the buildings all around started to shake. The building the cops had been on collapsed. "WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED!?!" Dylan screamed. "Oh that was my little friend Lance." It was the kid with white hair again. "Some one say my name?" Dylan let out a small scream when a kid jumped onto the roof wearing a bowl on his head. "Yeah that's Lance, a.k.a. Avalanche. Our other buddy is down there. the blob. he's to fat to get up here." Peatro said. "Shut up speedy before I break your legs so you cant run." "Who?" Dylan stuttered. "Look down." Toad said. Dylan walked over to the edge not taking his eyes off of the bunch. He turned slowly and looked down to see a gigantic teenager with a mohawk. Dylan stumbled back. "Who are you people?!?"

They all smiled and moved in. "How would you like to join our little group. We're out to win one for the minority." Lance said. "You guys have me all wrong. I don't swing that way." Dylan said shaking his head. "DUDE! We aren't talking about that minority. Were talking about the brotherhood. The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants."

Dylan's tortured mind shot off like a rocket. The rain, the lightning, the car crash, the explosion, the years in solitary confinement, all flashed in his mind in three seconds. Dylan's eyes glowed a soft red and he mumbled something under his breath. "What was that man?" The soft red was gone now it was as if his eyes were on fire. "I AM NOT A MUTANT!" The roof around them caught fire as Dylan let out an enraged scream. "What the??? Lets get outa here!" Lance screamed running away. NOT A MUTANT NOT A MUTANT, he thought. Dylan feel to his knees screaming in the night.