Oh, wow. Thanks to Dringer for the review on Chapter Three. Thank you to aunni (glad we've given you a nudge!), rogue1984 and Time and Fate for the reviews and comments.
kmf's stuff: to Time and Fate --I'd have to say I agree with curt. He doesn't intentionally become the good guy, for the mutants at least, but he's no longer what the mutants consider a bad guy. I hope that makes sense. Thanks to all our reviewers. Enjoy!
curt's crap: (I see John as a unintentional good guy -- a good bad guy, if you'd rather.) By the way, this is bloody awesome. I'm really loving this X-Men fandom -- I don't see reviews like this for any other story. You all are wonderful.
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Chapter Six
The TV in the window was suddenly interrupted by a news bulletin, the reporter droning off rules the president had sent for him to announce were being established: "Any mutant caught using their powers in public is to be reported to authorities. Also, any mutants who have yet to register, must do so immediately. If you do not register and you are caught using your powers, you will be imprisoned in Alcatraz, or other high-level facilities being established cross-country..."
The announcement went on with the new rules restraining the mutants from using their powers. It was even being played on the radio. Everywhere, mutants were being locked up for even accidental use of their powers in public. If it was even so much as suspected that a mutant was using their abilities, they were taken in. Worthington came on the TV and radio minutes later. Everyone who could stop in the streets stopped to watch television screens in shop windows and in stores, people were glued to home televisions and attentively listening to the radio to see and hear what he said, horrified to see him for the first time with half his face mutilated from the slight inferno that the Pyro boy had unleashed upon him only a little over a month ago.
"I would like everyone to know that, though I have ended production of the cure, I will back the president on this case. The mutants must be restrained. They cannot be allowed to take advantage of their powers anymore. Look at me -- see what them running unchecked reaps.
"I would also like to let everyone know that I am now backing a major anti-mutant company and would like anyone who wants to join to do so. Any and all donations and support are appreciated. Thank you, and good evening. One day soon we will wake to a safer world," the old man said, before the screen cut out and turned back to the reporter, who continued announcing the new laws and developments.
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John had found himself somehow at the head of the resistance. There had been no spoken words, no declaration of him as their leader. They had simply started relying on him to tell them what to do. He had been the one to step up -- to show them what needed to be done for them to succeed. But he hadn't intended to be looked up to. He was so lost, being the one to lead, that Remy had become his second-in-command and would help him whenever he, John, had no idea what to do. He had also found ten or so mutants with military smarts that he had asked to be a sort of 'council' for him. They helped him make desicions, helped him figure out how to coordinate the mutants and train them.
Through a system of underground channels, the mutants had started rallying behind John and Remy. The two were constantly underground during the day, John giving speeches of how everyone was going to have to fight for their rights. They had gathered an army shortly. And this time it wasn't like the brotherhood. It wasn't just a hundred or so mutants. It was thousands of mutants across the country. Their nexus though, was the Bronx, New York, with John and Remy. In such a place where human trouble plagued the authorities enough, they were lax on the mutant oppression. Perfect.
They had become as much a figurehead for the mutants as Worthington had for their opposition.
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"Look, kid. You do this and you'll have immunity. You won't have to worry about being thrown in prison. They're not gonna catch you. Just slip in, kill him and come and find me," a figure said from the shadow of his office, sitting behind his desk where the young mutant couldn't see him.
"You, a human who hates mutants, want me to kill the president? Why?" he asked.
"For the benefit of a war. There's no way I can get all of the humans behind me. But if a mutant kills the president, the humans will be so outraged that they'll start protesting against mutants. They'll start gathering together, ready to fight for their own safety. That is why," the man said.
"So I kill the figurehead of the damned country and it's all cool where I'm concerned, right? 'Cos I ain't gonna be in good with anybody after that. I've set up my own kind, and I'm what the mortals are being programmed to despise. How the hell is it gonna be okay for me?"
"There's a bit of the cure left..." The man paused, then continued, his voice silken. "I could...arrange for you to benefit from the formula."
"So the mortals would be cool with me?"
"Has being a mutant ever benefitted you, child?"
"Not now," the kid grumbled. He clicked his tongue as he thought on it a bit more before finally replying: "Alright, you have a deal."
"Good. When?"
"Tonight, Mr. Worthington. I'll kill him tonight. But remember the deal."
"But of course."
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The president was standing in his office when the young man suddenly appeared in front of him. He didn't have time to speak before he found himself up against the wall. He shuddered as the young man met his eyes, realizing that the teen had tobe a mutant due to their reptile-like yellow hue.
"Guess you messed with the wrong man," the teen said, before stabbing the president in the gut and twisting the blade before ripping it across. The president slumped to the ground, eyes staring blankly at a wall, and was dead as soon as he hit the floor. The doors burst open and men started filing into the room, guns drawn. They were all surprised to see a teenager of eighteen standing over the gutted, dead body of the president. The mutant turned his head to look behind him with a smirk. The glint of humor was all any of them caught in his yellow eyes before the teen disappeared in front of them. Moments later he reappeared in Worthington's office.
"It's done. I left him dead. They know I'm a mutant," he told the older man. Worthington nodded and turned from the window he was staring out of to look the young mutant over. Hands clasped behind his back, he walked over to where the teen stood. As soon as Worthington stood before him, his hands jerked from behind his back and towards the mutants stomach. The teen looked down to see the old man's hand hold the hilt of a knife, which was embedded in his stomach, much like he had left his own blade in the president.
He looked up at his employeer, eyes wide in pain, shock and betrayal. Worthington simply pulled the knife from the boys stomach. As if the knife had been the only thing holding the mutant up, the boy dropped to the ground with a soft thud, staring up at Worthington with a question lingering in his eyes.
"I hate mutants. There's no place for you," the old man said, dropping the knife and moving away from the mutant boy, who died only moments after he left the room.
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"A mutant has killed the president. Authorities are currently searching for this young man --" a reporter said, just before a picture covered the screen with the young boy's face on it. "Secret Services say that when they entered the room he was there, but he disappeared before their eyes. He is thought to have been hired by a specific mutant, one who is rumored to be leading the newly formed mutant resistance -- a mutant by the name of John Allerdyce, also known by 'Pyro'. The vice president has stepped up and taken the place of the president, stating that he will capture the mutants behind this. He has also stated that this does means war against the mutant community. From now on, any mutants seen using their powers are to be reported to authorities to be taken to Alcatraz and other corresponding facilities.
"In other news, due to the presidents untimely death at the hands of a mutant, anti-mutant protests have broken out all over the country. Protestors, demanding that the use of mutant powers be banned permanently, have stationed themselves out of the White House and other places around the country. We'll take you to Jennie Haldez, who is live at the White House now."
The news report switched over to a live feed of protestors outside of the white house. They were chanting something about mutants and holding up anti-mutant signs saying things like "Fight the Freaks", "Down with Mutants", "Zero Tolerance for Mutant Activities", "Unnormal is Unnatural". John noticed as he turned the TV off that the eleven men, Remy included, that were gathered in the room were all looking at him.
"I didn't hire anyone to kill the president. It's Worthington I wanna take down," he snapped as he sat back down on a couch. They were in his and Remy's place, watching a TV that one of the men had brought over and set up. The stolen stereo in the other room blared some grunge song: "Stop comin' around 'cause you bother me. Stupid motherfucker pull your head out your ass and see. What don't you get -- was I stuttering? I don't need to take your shit get away from me!" It was matching John's mood pretty well right now.
"Dey done officially declared war against us, John," Remy stated, leaning against the wall. He was flipping a card about in his fingers -- it seemed almost a nervous habit. It was a Jack of Clubs this time. "We gonna fight. But we gon' need a plan."
(The lyric in the page break is from "Image of the Invisible" by Thrice.)
("All My Problems" is by Smile Empty Soul -- one of curt's favourite bands ;-)