Happy New Year! Hope you had a good time seeing 2019 in! I sure did! Yet I'm glad things are going back to normal! Time to wipe the slate clean and start fresh!
Hope you enjoy my latest chapter, yet be warned it does contain scenes you may find upsetting.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Betrayal
"I wonder how Mona and Callum are doing?" Jake asked cautiously as he sat with Tyroth by the canals in the main village.
The Dragon sighed.
"I don't know." he said "I hope Mona's talking some sense into him."
Jake adjusted his glasses and ran a hand over his hair.
"I've tried many times to talk sense into him." he said "So many times! Mona could always bring him round, but me, after she was gone, barely!"
"You've had such patience with him." Tyroth praised "I honestly don't know how you did it!"
"I only did my best." Jake said with a weak smile "He is my brother, and I owed it to our parents, I'm just glad mum isn't here, and she can't see what's befallen Callum."
Tyroth sighed sadly, he knew how much Gina's death had affected the boys.
"Same can be said for dad," Jake continued "For now anyway, I wonder if he'll ever find out, he'll want to meet me again, even though I said I wasn't going back to Wisconsin."
"Have you heard from him?" Tyroth asked in a worried tone.
"I got a reply from the letter I sent to him." Jake admitted "He supports my decision, though he did ask a lot of questions, such as where I'm living now, and where I'm working, and also where Callum's residing."
Tyroth gulped.
Jake sighed.
"I told him I'd send details to him soon, as I'm still trying to gather myself, which is no lie, but I will have to tell him the truth, yet still keep Mutopia and Callum's mutation secret."
"You are amongst friends Jake." Tyroth comforted "And we'll continue to help you, as will Hugh, that's a promise."
"I'm glad to know there's someone in the human world to help as well." Jake chuckled "I'm not the only human who knows about you."
Tyroth nodded with a smile.
"That's true, and you are the only human resident here for the moment."
"I like it down here." Jake said "As I said before I can see why those with no other place to go is happy here."
Tyroth patted Jake's shoulder.
"And soon you'll be a Chicago Knight, Jack has been saying you've been doing well in training, and not relying on your gun."
"There is going to be a time when I'll loose it, or run out of bullets and need to rely on my other skills." he said "And I have observed how you, your team, the turtles and my sister fight without the use of firearms."
"Many of us don't see the use of firearms, and when it comes to long distance weapons, Sephie has her arrows, and Kate can hit from a distance with that whip of hers."
Jake nodded then looked towards the residential area, wondering how the talk was going.
Back in the residential area, Mona was kneeling on the ground as she leaned against the dressing table, feeling rather faint from what Callum had just told her.
Callum meanwhile stood above her, unfazed by her reaction with his arms crossed.
"Admit it big sis." he said "You know those bastards deserved it! They spoke such cruel words! And people have been wishing for them to get their comeuppance, so I did them all a favour!"
Mona took a few deep breaths and looked up at Callum.
"Cal...Why?" she asked.
"Why not?" Callum glared.
"Those people..." Mona started "They...they never hurt anyone..."
"Are you hearing yourself sister?" Callum growled "Those bastards deserved it! They were hurting people! If not physically, but with their words!"
"Callum, this isn't the right way to go, think about what you're doing!"
"Think?" Callum growled "Think about what I am doing?!"
Mona stood up, her strength returning to her as she attempted to try and talk some sense into her baby brother.
"Callum, I'm not going to lie! I was just like you when I first mutated, I was angry! I was hurting so much! And I took it out on all who crossed me! I focused mostly on the Purple Dragons, I put my life at risk every night I went out into the city! I murdered them, tortured them and ransacked and burnt down their hideouts..."
"So we're not that much different eh?" Callum replied "You and I? Then you must understand my reasons!"
"I do brother! I do!" Mona protested "I was full of anger! I'd never been so angry in my life! Those bastards took me away from you, Jake, mum, dad, everyone! I blamed them! The whole gang! And I killed so many, until I found the ones responsible not long after the turtles took me in! And when I killed my attackers, I finally achieved satisfaction!"
"Then understand where I stand sis!" Callum said "I was angry when you mutated me! I've never felt so angry to have my human form taken away! I blamed you and Jake! And now after realising my purpose, I am finally grateful to you."
"I know you were angry Callum." Mona replied "And I'm sorry I did this to you, but I love you! And I wanted to save your life!"
"And I see that now." Callum said "I see that you wanted to save me, I just wish I had seen it before."
Mona felt the tears come again, maybe her brother was starting to see sense?
"I have see a new light sis." Callum said "And I must follow it, with my new body."
Mona's face fell and she stared at Callum.
"What...what do you mean?" she asked.
Callum swallowed hard and looked at Mona, a glint in his blue eyes.
"I mean, Monalisa." he said "I do not belong here."
Mona's jaw dropped.
"I do not belong here, in this world of restrictions and rules, I have observed how the others, especially the Dragon have been disapproving of my actions up top, and so, to keep following my purpose, I cannot stay here."
Mona almost felt faint again, but she gripped the dressing table to steady herself.
"Cal..." she spluttered "Are you hearing yourself?"
"I am." Callum replied calmly "And I know how I am speaking, I have decided on my path as a mutant, I am not the naïve little boy you knew as your brother! I am not that little dweeb that the bullies used to pick on! If only they could see me like this! Oh man would they shit their fucking pants!"
Mona sucked in a breath.
"No," she said "Little brother! Stop, stop for a moment! Don't think for a minute you don't belong here! There's so much you can do for humankind, even if they don't know about us, and some might not appreciate what we do, you can do so much for them! Like myself and the turtles, Tyroth, Sephie and the Knights, we've protected good people from crime, and many other things, stuff the police can't do, we live outside the law! And as long as no-one finds out about us, we can stop all things corrupt and save the lives of people!"
"And you're saying that's not what I do?" Callum snarled as he glared down at Mona.
"No!" Mona shot back "I never said that! I said you should think again about your decision! You don't know how bad it is up there for someone like you! I was lucky to survive for two years alone, and I didn't know how my new body worked! And there were times I was close to death! If it weren't for the turtles I might have been dead long ago! But good fortune brought me to them! Then we were lucky again to meet more mutants like us here!"
Callum said nothing yet continued to glare.
"Please!" Mona placed her hands on Callum's cheeks again "Please! Stay! Stay and embrace this life! You shouldn't let anger and want to hurt people because of their actions control you!"
Callum still made no sound or movement as he looked Mona in her eyes, that were full of pleading.
"All I want is your love again!" she begged "I want my baby brother back!"
"I am back Mona!" Callum said "What I just say to you? I'm thankful now for my new body, yet I wish to use it my way! And not be controlled anymore! I've been under the thumb of Jake and others, and I will not be under anyone else's thumb and their rules! We're mutants! We should live how we choose to live!"
Mona swallowed hard and her hands slipped from Callum's cheeks again.
"Cal..." she said "I...I don't know what to say, I'm not sure I know you anymore! You're not the little brother I used to know!"
"You're right, I'm not Callum anymore, I'm no longer him, you saw to it yourself, when you gave me the water from the Well, I'm no longer Callum Freeman! Just as you are no longer Monalisa Freeman! I am a new man, or rather new mutant, and I will live as I please!"
"I can't believe what I'm hearing!" Mona stammered as she stepped a little further away and her hands touched the chair by the dressing table.
"We are mutants Mona!" Callum snarled "We have powers and abiities that the humans dream to have! Who says we can't live how we please? But oh no! That old fool George says we should live in peace and stay hidden! And your Dragon friend as powerful as he is! He could do so much! Yet he chooses to hide down here? Like some fucking coward!? Well, not me! I've not staying down here! I will find my path in life! And live how I wish! Maybe I can find others to join me!"
Mona shook her head as tears of heartbreak at her little brother's words erupted from her eyes.
"You could leave these cowards behind and join me sis?" Callum asked "You and I? We could show the humans who should be the dominant species!"
"No..." Mona replied in a cracked voice "No, Callum, this isn't the way! Who are you? I don't know you anymore! You're breaking my heart! You're going down a path I can't follow!"
Callum's eyes narrowed more, and the black pupils in his completely blue eyes seemed to blaze.
"So, you choose to remain with the ones who choose to hide?" he demanded, he stepped over to Mona, flexing his talons "You've lived by the rules of those turtles and the Dragon and his people!"
"Callum!" Mona stepped back "No! Please come back! Come back baby brother! I love you!"
"LIAR!" Callum hissed as he stepped towards Mona.
Mona quickly moved out of the way but her ankle caught the chair leg and she tripped before falling on her back on the floor.
"No!" she cried as she crawled backwards, she reached for one of her bladed fans on her belt and pulled it out before holding it up closed and the razor sharp end pointed at the Raven.
"Stay back!" she said quickly scrambling to her feet.
Callum just glared.
"Actions speak louder than words sister!" he said "You choose not to follow me! And thus you are against me!"
"I was never against you!" Mona protested as she kept her fan held up and pointed at Callum "Promise! I just want what's best for you! I wouldn't be your loyal big sister if I didn't!"
"Forget it!" Callum growled "You never knew what was best for me! You made me into this! And thus I have choosen another path! I said I thanked you for it! But if you can't accept this, then you are no longer my sister!"
Mona gasped in horror, her hand holding her fan trembled and before she could moved, Callum lifted his wing and swiped the fan out of her hand then stepped up and grabbed at her throat with his taloned hand and squeezed hard.
"Cal!" Mona tried to scream "NO!" yet the breath stopped in her chest as Callum squeezed hard around her neck.
"You can't stop me!" Callum hissed "I've made my choice! And you've made yours! You made me into this! You are at fault! You and Jake!"
Mona shook her head and tried to break free of Callum's grasp yet he squeezed so hard she could feel his talons digging into her neck and she found it difficult to breathe.
Looking into his deranged eyes, she wondered if this was what his victims had seen before they went crazy.
"Cal..." she choked as she grabbed his wrist and tried to get him off her, yet he refused to let go, and she could feel herself getting faint due to the fact she could scarcely breathe.
"Cal..." she pleaded again as her vison began to get dark "Stop...brother...no..."
It was then Callum let go and Mona crumpled to the floor. The Raven looked at her and glared as she gave him a heartbroken look before passing out on the floor.
Seeing her lie there, Calum glared.
"Callum is dead!" he growled "I go by Diablo now! Diablo the Raven!" he turned away from her body and walked over to the bed where he had a bag of belongings as well as the stuff he had snatched from the Hate Preacher and his wife.
"Sorry it had to end like this Mona." Callum hissed "But if you don't follow me, then we are truly done!" he slung the bag over his shoulder and produced a gun which he had stolen from the Hate Preacher, loaded with bullets.
"If anyone tries to stop me." he whispered "I'll pump their guts full of lead! And I don't fucking care whose!" he glared once again at Mona and left his room.
So Callum has decided to turn on his sister and Mutopia and follow his own dark path! And has hurt his big sister in the process!
I suppose a few of you can tell I got some inspiration from Star Wars Episode 3 Revenge of the Sith to write this chapter, it's not the best of the Star Wars franchise, but at least it helped!
Stay tuned to find out the outcome!