Earth.
Site 199, Jewel Continent
10/9/Year – 0909 Hours

Ian had been somewhat dispirited before the explosions. Now, after the explosions, his heart felt like a weight. There was the incessant urge to say something kindly. Staring at Phoebe and Edgar on their knees in the dirt, weeping, he felt compassion. A compassion that drained his energy. Without correct guidance (something that lay beyond the brain or deep inside the unused percentage), Ian remained silent.
Entire rows of houses were gone. Left behind were demolished pieces. There was no sign of life. Human and animal lives had been lost in the explosions. The only thing that comforted Ian was the fact that the lives were lost instantly without suffering.
He bit his tongue. He asked Phoebe if she missed her parents.
She posed that he must've been stupid or something for asking, and stated that she was only distressed about her mother's death. NOT her father, she repeatedly said.
Okay. So it was the wrong thing to say.
Ian turned his back to them, not in a disrespectful way, but to seal off their sadness. He folded his hands behind him and sighed. The poorhouse was just beyond his vision… the poorhouse he lived in. He looked back at Phoebe and Edgar.

Earth.
Site 469, Jewel Continent
10/9/Year – 0915 Hours

"You know, one would say that this poorhouse has become an orphanage.
"Back in the day, when the poorhouse was first erected, the only folks coming in, were the poor.
"Over time, more and more orphans came in. Without parents, without jobs, and without shelter. They were desperate and growing in number. I considered that the poorhouse merely contained an orphanage.
"Now, seeing needy adults is rare. The poorhouse is 99% orphans, and should really be considered an orphanage instead.
"Orphanages are common in this era."
"I see, I see…. Let me check my notes for a second, and let me apologize again for doing this so early in the morning. I understand that you let the orphans roam freely…?"
"Of course. Officially, it is still a poorhouse. I cannot keep anybody there by force."
"Don't you have a responsibility, though, to keep the orphans contained?"
"I keep track of every child."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"The milieu these children travel is no farther than 5 miles. I always account for disappearances. Though I don't need to, I perform roll call. May a person be missing, I will seek that person out, and ask if they will continue staying or not. If they say no, I let them be. So far, I've never had to do that."
"The children come back?"
"Yes. Where else can orphans live?"
"Does it matter how long they stay out?"
"I respect all of them. I feel that they are free to do what they like without my concern, as long as it doesn't break the law."
"But wouldn't it be easier to just keep them enclosed?"
"Like animals in a cage?" Nathanoel finally made it noticeable how much taller he was than the short reporter. The reporter backed off.
Continuing his tour of the poorhouse outside, crossing the garden, Nathanoel made a side note. "The children usually do harmless things while out. Visit friends, make money doing jobs, exercise…" He bent his hand haphazardly. "Usually harmless things."

Earth.
Site 469, Jewel Continent
10/9/Year – 0936 Hours

"Geo, where have you been!"
"Yo! Geo! Long time, no see!"
"We were wondering about you, Geo."
Strolling down random hallways in the poorhouse, Ian soaked in the usage of his chosen name. Geo. Geo, Geo, Geo, Geo, Geo, Geo, Geo, Geo!
"Word up, G!"
Following far behind Geo were his accomplices, Phoebe and Edgar, a.k.a. Phobia and Rebound. No one would recognize them here. The orphans didn't know about the things Geo did while he was out in the real world. They had no idea that he and the other two committed the ultimate bank robbery underneath the Government's noses.
Geo met up with Achilles, a mutant with average powers, not yet up to the level of Geo. They spoke in a hushed exchange, keeping clear of the others. Achilles spoke first. "Nathanoel's been worried. He had a search team in preparation."
Geo frowned. "Just where is Nathanoel?"
"He's giving a tour for a newspaper reporter."
"That seems surprising."
"You see the article too?"
"I may have glanced at it, yeah."
"Do you think it's true? That he's mutated like us?"
Geo remained silent. He thought back to the mob chasing Nathanoel, Nathanoel turning around, seeming to focus…
He destroyed those homes. No doubt about it. Nathanoel was responsible for the taken lives.
Geo eyed Phoebe and Edgar. They were standing by themselves, avoiding contact with anyone.
"Tell Nathanoel that I'm here. There's no need to search."

Earth.
Site 001, Jewel Continent
10/9/Year – 1248 Hours

"I've been………… driving all night…………………my hands…………wet on…the wheel," Amos drawled. "Na, na, na……na, na." His fingers draped over his face. This withdrew the blaring sunlight.
Amos resisted a burst of energy in order to conserve. He pushed his body up and sat Indian-style. He rummaged through his pack and found what he was looking for. A snack. An apple.
Amos had already gone through 16 of his comic books, and the journey was not even near the halfway point, despite his propellers. He just couldn't understand it. The raft was HIM, so it wasn't like his weight was slowing down the vehicle.
He bit the apple. His taste buds were overwhelmed so much, it literally hurt, and Amos had to wait before further chewing. When he did chomp on the apple again, he leaned back on his expanded buttocks and watched the sky. He expected to see seagulls. But he was too far out to sea. No life out here. That is, not above the water.
Once the apple had been nibbled down to its core, Amos dipped his head into the water. Life was sparse near the sea surface, too. Fish sensed danger, so they stayed clear.
Like I'm sooo dangerous.
Amos scratched his head while it was underwater. Already half a day and he wanted shampoo.
Above water, Amos tried humming the song, then realized that it didn't sound right in that form, and stopped.
Relaxing his head on his right hand, and morphing his left hand into miscellaneous items, such as knives, saws, and clamps, Amos thought, Boring.
 "There's a voice in my head that drives my heel…"

Earth.
Site 469, Jewel Continent
10/9/Year – 1248 Hours

Achilles was getting impatient. Keeping watch over these two strangers instilled a deep bother for him. They said nothing and did nothing, just… sat there on the bed. It got to a point that Achilles started toying with them by making estranged comments.
Geo made his reappearance through the doorway nearly 3 hours after he had left the room. When he returned, his face was red and he was covered in sweat. He motioned with his thumb toward the hallway, wheezing their names ("Rebound… Phobia…"), and inadvertently revealed the soil and grass stains blemishing his clothes. The two got up and followed him, without even asking for an explanation.
Achilles leaned back his chair after they left. He considered his situation. Before, he had nothing to do, but with those visitors. Now, he had nothing to do, alone.
He liked it better this way.
Letting a relieved sigh go, Achilles made this known to anybody possibly lurking nearby. This is what gave him the urge to look outside. Through the window, Achilles saw more strangers, these ones dressed in dark attire. The body armor hid their faces.

Earth.
Site 001, Jewel Continent
10/9/Year – 1249 Hours

That's when he remembered.
Amos sat up in a stir. How could he have forgotten! In an instant, Amos's hand went into his bag and pulled out the treasure.
The Victoria's Secret catalog.
 It had been a little gift of Jessica's. When she was finished with it, she had gone into the kitchen, leaving it on the coffee table for Amos.
Amos began thumbing through the pages, glad knowing he had something to busy himself with for a while.

Earth.
Site 469, Jewel Continent
10/9/Year – 1249 Hours

Oh… crap. Oh crap!
 Achilles bolted out of his chair. "Oh, crap!"
"Attention: Edgar and Phoebe McCoynn, we have the area surrounded. Come out!" sounded the speakerphone outside.
Achilles ran. He was thinking, I know I shouldn't care. It's none of my business. But I have to help them. He had barely begun his search before he heard a crash, and saw the soldiers rapidly moving into the poorhouse.

Earth.
Site 210: Subzero Protocol, Jewel Continent
10/9/Year – 0837 Hours

General Romeo Priest paced back and forth.
In the old days, humans were classified. There were the mutant humans. And there were the U-Men, original humans that stole the organs of mutant humans to become a Third Species. Then there were the originals that stayed powerless… weak.
I remember growing up in a time where mutation was a fad. Mankind was actually starting to accept the fact that they were transforming into a better species. Whatever happened to that attitude? Why are there still weak humans about?
Indeed, the world has become a melting pot. Classification is no longer viable, unless you're talking about humans with abilities and humans without. It doesn't matter if the mutation is natural or created. Pretty soon, everyone living will inherit powers. Do they honestly think outlawing mutants will change that?
 This racism should've stopped a long time ago. But I guess, the human race can never stop hating something. Our entire history is riddled with the goal of defeating what is thought to be the enemy. Genders will go against genders, colors will go against colors, old will go against new, and the powerful will go against the powerless. This fantastic hatred is probably what has driven my human-type to survive for so long.
 The general glanced at his troops. I joined the military as a sick personal joke, but these people joined it because they felt they needed to fight against something.
Typical human instincts.

Earth.
Site 469, Jewel Continent
10/9/Year – 1249 Hours

General Romeo Priest stood outside the poorhouse, clutching a weapon tightly between his hands. He spoke through a loudspeaker that fit on his collar with strong, unemotional speech, trying not to present any of his fear.
"We promise you no harm as long as you cooperate."
He could see from outside, his troops stampeding through the front hallway and forcing children onto their stomachs with their hands over their heads. Priest saw one ugly child with the face of a badger, and felt pity for him… or her.
After awhile, his troops came out. They told him that the children they sought were nowhere to be found. Priest couldn't even let out a sigh before an unexpected event occurred. He heard someone shout out, "That's right!" and saw a teenager in yellow John Lennon sunglasses standing on top of the building.
"I am Achilles," continued the kid, "and you're leaving this place RIGHT NOW!"
Priest raised the loudspeaker. "Shut up, kid, we're not here for you."
The teen known as Achilles was taken aback by this. But that didn't stop him from charging his mutant powers and taking aim at the troops.
Flit! Down he went. Priest caught Achilles as he fell from the rooftop after being shot by a stunner. Priest then turned Achilles onto his stomach and cuffed him. "Sorry, 'Achilles.' The law prohibits use of mutations."
"Mmmff-ff," Achilles mumbled.
A soldier stood by Priest as he was busy restraining the teenager. "Sir, we've sighted the three suspects."
"Oh boy," said the deadpan Priest.

Earth.
Site 887, Jewel Continent
10/9/Year – 1251 Hours

Soldiers were on foot. Soldiers were in jeeps. Soldiers were tracking down the three children they believed to be criminals. General Romeo Priest sat in the passenger seat of a jeep, his fingers tapping his knees, his eyes admitting anything suspicious. In a moment, the jeep he rode in was going to be stopped.
"I think we have our history lessons confused," said Welms, 13 weeks ago. "The government made a big mistake, as usual. They were stupid. They unleashed a virus, totally unknowing of its properties. Any of their scientists could've told them it was unwise to use it, but they wouldn't have listened."
"Action without consequence doesn't exist."
 "That's right, Priest. Good job."
"From what I remember, growing up without powers was uncool."
"From what I remember, growing up with powers was illegal."
"Guess that's what made it cool."
"Don't forget. There's still children being raised up under the belief that mutants should be abhorred."
"Racists."
"Rats."
"Rats."
"What is it, soldier?" Romeo Priest's attention was brought up by a negligible amount.
"We've lost them, sir."
"I knew tipping that waitress today was gonna bring me luck." He said this low enough so he wasn't heard.
The soldier held up the radio. "Correction: we have them sighted once more." Just as this fact was phonated, the jeep was motioned to a stop by a swarm of army men. They had three children being held to the ground. Romeo Priest jumped eagerly out of the vehicle to inspect their faces. Before he had come within two feet of them, his expression was infused with a crossover of a frown and a smirk.
"WRONG CHILDREN!"

Earth.
Site 001, Jewel Continent
10/9/Year – 1300 Hours

"Hurry! Hurry!" Ian shouted. "It's not like you need to worry about ruining your fur coats or anything!"
"What's this?" Phoebe stopped to stare at the boat tied to the dock. Edgar came next to her and retorted, "It's a boat, stupid." Phoebe punched him in the head. HARD.
Geo, a.k.a. Ian, was already on it, raising the line. "Hurry up, I told you!"
The two followed him onto the buoyant hunk of rust. It was very hard to balance, and Edgar fell over almost at once. Ian hardly waited until they were on before sticking his aching leg out and kicking the dock. The boat set off, but Ian somehow wasn't pleased with its speed. He jumped into the waters and paddled behind it.
Edgar stared. "Hey, Geo, why is it you don't get electrocuted?"
"You're asking me now?"
"Yea."
Phoebe spoke up for him. "If he didn't have insulation, he'd turn into a fried flesh pile."
"But if he's insulated, he shouldn't be able to do what he does."
Silence.
Phoebe brought up the next part in the commentary. "You're all wet now, Geo. Is that recommended when being out at sea?"
"The sun will dry me."
Silence.
Then, as a side note, Ian said, "Oh, and by the way, I signed for this boat with our pseudonyms."
"They might as well be our permanent names now. We're wanted by the Government."
Silence.
Fifty feet out, Ian hopped back in. He swiped Edgar's hoodie and pulled it tightly around him. The hood hid his face, so it became less uneasy for Edgar and Phoebe to watch him.
"'Wake up, silly feet, and go to sleep,'" Ian whispered, recalling a childhood nursery rhyme as he prodded the bagful of genesï. "'From this day on, you're a criminal….'"