Seven days later. The information spreads quickly. Too rapidly.
Within the Agent Agency telephones buzz unrelentingly a symphony of distress and defeat. Agent Sherlock remains at the heart of the chaos his complexion a hue of crimson. He clutches his ceramic coffee mug firmly his knuckles turn pale.
"Sir!" a young operative yells, dodging between the desks. "We've lost track of them. The four mutants. They got away, from the facility."
SMASH.
Sherlock throws his coffee mug at the wall. Dark fluid runs down the white surface like oil.
"How did they get away?!" Sherlock shouts. His voice echoes, quieting the room. Not a single phone dares to ring.
"They… they overpowered the guards, sir. The door was ripped off its frame " the agent stutters, shaking.
Sherlock adjusts his tie. He inhales deeply suppressing his anger. "If my team fails to handle it I have someone, in mind who will."
He snatches his trench coat and strides away, from the agency. He requires an expert. A tracker.
Sherlock steers his sedan into the rough section of town, where the streetlights are out and elongated eerie shadows loom. He halts before a warehouse and climbs down the corroded metal staircase moving further below ground until the atmosphere carries the scent of ozone and aged copper.
He locates him.
The identical man who apprehended the siblings earlier.
THE ELECTRIC MUTANT.
The haired man is seated on a crate electric blue sparks flickering between his fingers accompanied by a sharp rhythmic buzzing noise.
"You've lost them " the Electric Mutant remarks without lifting his gaze. He smirks.
"They weren't lost " Sherlock retorts sharply. "They just had fortune on their side. I need you to complete the task. Apprehend them. Deliver them to me."
The Electric Mutant rises the sparks growing more intense. "I no longer operate solo. The kids… their strength lies in unity. That's why I assembled my crew."
Sherlock arches an eyebrow. "Let me see."
Emerging from the darkness two silhouettes move ahead.
The first figure is a woman, with an appearance. She sports a leather jacket paired with torn jeans yet her eyes shine with a animalistic yellow. A deep growl resonates from her throat shaking the atmosphere.
"This is Samantha " states the Electric Mutant. "She is twenty-nine years old.. She tends to have a bit of a temper."
Samantha grins, exposing teeth that appear sharp for a person.
"I'm able to track them down " she says, her tone coarse, like stones. ". Once I seize them I transform into something that will haunt their dreams."
"A werewolf " Sherlock understands, acknowledging with a nod of approval.
Then, the second figure steps into the light.
He is youthful, eighteen years old. He seems peaceful sporting brown hair and a grey hoodie. He seems like a teenager except his hands are concealed by heavy gloves.
"And this is River," the Electric Mutant introduces.
Sherlock regards the boy with suspicion. "He appears to be a child."
River decides to remain silent. He just moves towards a metal chair situated in the corner of the room.
He takes off one glove. He feels the back of the chair, with a fingertip.
For an instant nothing occurs. Afterwards accompanied by a rush the metal neither melts nor shatters it crumbles. The chair falls apart into a heap of grey powder, on the chilly ground.
Sherlock's eyes grow larger. "Is he able to transform items into sand?"
"Whatever he handles " states the Electric Mutant.
"Walls, doors… folks " Samantha cuts in with a smile.
"You're on board " Sherlock declares. He slams a sack of money onto the table with a resounding THUMP. "Bring them in."
Back at Motela Luna, the room is quiet, but the teenagers are loud.
Jonathan walks nervously in the confined area, restless and unable to rest. His hands are tightly balled into fists beside him.
"We need to return " Jonathan states abruptly. He halts his pacing. Stares intensely, at Chloe.
Chloe is seated on the bed combing her hair. She stops suddenly the brush paused halfway through a stroke. "Return where? To the jail?"
"No!" Jonathan yells. "Head to the Millers! Go to our home!"
Chloe rises, throwing the brush onto the bed. "Are you, out of your mind? That's the spot they'll check for us."
"I don't give a damn!" Jonathan shouts. "I crave vengeance. They betrayed us, Chloe! Mom and Dad… the Millers… they betrayed us. I want to see them suffer."
Sham and Sophia remain seated on the bed uneasily observing the dispute. Sham munches on a bag of chips the additional noise, in the room being the crunching sound.
"Jonathan cut that out!" Chloe exclaims, her tone trembling. "They got frightened. We possess abilities. We wrecked their lounge. They had no clue how to react!"
"That's not an excuse!" Jonathan's eyes begin to glow red. "They were meant to safeguard us. Instead they handed us over to the agents."
"We are not murderers Jonathan," Chloe states resolutely. "We have no intention of harming them. Our priority is survival. Our priority is discovering our pare—"
She halts.
The hidden truth she has kept buried for many weeks escapes.
Sham and Sophia gaze at each other. The unease, in the room immediately intensifies.
"What are you implying?" Jonathan inquires. The crimson light, in his eyes grows stronger.
"No—no what I was trying to say is th—" Chloe falters.
As they dispute indoors three silhouettes linger outside the motel entrance.
Outside the room… The Electric Mutant brings his hand close, to the lock without making contact. He gives a nod to River.
River advances. He takes off his glove.
He grasps the door knob.
Hiss.
Immediately the metal transforms into sand. Falls apart, onto the ground.
Next River makes contact with the door. The sturdy oak crumbles like brittle ash creating a wide opening, in the doorway.
Samantha inhales deeply. "I detect… rage " she murmurs to River.
They enter the room.
All eyes land on the three Mutants standing in the doorway.
"Who the hell are they?" Chloe inquires, retreating.
"Definitely not our allies!" Sham yells, his tone intense that Sophia sighs and looks away despite the peril.
Jonathan's gaze sweeps over their faces. He immediately identifies the man.
The Electric Mutant. The individual who seized them.
Jonathan signals to Chloe. She is already aware.
"Charge!" yells the Electric Mutant.
The space bursts, into disorder.
Samantha and River charge toward Sophia and Jonathan.
"ROAR!" Samantha shouts loudly.
She swings a fist toward Jonathan. He responds quickly evading the strike immediately. To him it seems as if time decelerates.
"Put in effort?" Jonathan remarks, his fury shifting into a combat- smile.
Samanthas heart pounds rapidly. Her thoughts whirl as fury consumes her. Her body starts to break and transform. Hair emerges on her skin. Her jaw extends.
She turns into a creature.
ROAR!
The Werewolf yells, drool trickling from her teeth.
"I have to confess, that was quite impressive. However I've got a trick myself " Jonathan remarks.
His eyes shine red. He folds his arms. The atmosphere surrounding him starts to spin transforming into a gust a small-scale tornado.
Sophia avoiding River's efforts to make contact with her is abruptly unsteady due, to the spinning air. She crashes forcefully onto the floor.
Jonathan hovers in mid-air, distracted by his fight with the wolf.
Sophia attempts to get up. Suddenly she senses a touch, on her shoulder.
She halts. Gradually she rotates her head.
River looms above her. His uncovered hand lies on her shoulder.
River smiles. "Farewell."
On the side of the room Chloe and Sham are battling desperately against the Electric Mutant. However when they glance over their expressions turn ghostly pale.
Chloe notices her throat becoming parched.
Sophia's body doesn't shout out. It merely disintegrates. In an instant she becomes a heap of grains of sand.
The wooden floor receives the sand, which falls with a shhh noise.
"NO!" Chloe and Sham scream at the top of their lungs.
The Electric Mutant observes the event. "You damn fool! Sherlock instructed to seize them not to kill!"
He shoots a glare, at his team. "Move out! The mission didn't succeed."
The Electric Mutant moves out of the room. Samantha remaining in her wolf shape dashes through the doorway leaving Jonathan floating on his own.
Tears roll down Sham's face. His eyes fall upon the heap of sand that once was his sister. Then his stare shifts, to River.
He is blinded by rage.
Before River manages to leave the room Sham rushes toward him.
River's eyes grow large. He stops abruptly. He's unable to evade. He lifts his hand reflexively as Sham rushes at him.
But Jonathan is faster.
Witnessing Sham near death Jonathan descends from above. He leaps ahead of Sham to absorb the blow.
River's palm rests against Jonathan's back.
POOF.
Jonathan doesn't get a moment to talk. His form dissolves into dust. The crimson light fades away.
The grains of sand drift down, through the air. Settle on the ground in a pile.
Sham freezes, mid-lunge.
Frightened by his actions River bolts, from the room and vanishes into the darkness.
"Jo-jo-Jonathan!" Chloe yells.
She pushes Sham aside causing him to lose his footing and tumble onto the ground. She drops to her knees next, to the heap of sand.
"Jonathan!" she shouts, digging her hands into the dirt. She attempts to gather it to keep him. It simply falls away, from her grasp.
"No! No!"
"This isn't possible!" Chloe cries, grasping the sand tightly against her chest.
Sham is seated on the ground. His face is covered with mucus and tears.
The only thought, in his mind is: This is entirely my fault.
What caused him to assault? What prompted Jonathan to leap?
"It's entirely my fault " Sham whispers quietly to himself.
He begins to hit his head.
THUD. THUD. THUD.
He punches and punches and punches, punishing himself, screaming silently as the tears fall onto the cold floor.