Mutant Kind (Story Arc)

[Paragon Vanguard]

"You asked for the profiles of each member," Aaron said, placing the jump drive on Meyers' desk. He looked to the leader of Mutant Kind for a moment, but realized he would get no response. It was just as well, Aaron was monitoring several other situations at the same time through his visor, and knew that any real interaction with the man code named Firelord would only divide his attention further. With nothing else said, he turned back around and quietly left the office.

 

Scott Meyers looked up from his monitor as Aaron was leaving, and was about to say "thank you", as the door was quietly closed behind the young man.

Scott looked at the drive a moment, then slipped it into the USB. His new computer had to be updated as his old one had an unfortunate accident. He was called Firelord for a reason, but there was times he did not feel that he was lord over fire, instead, fire was lord over him.

 

"Well Aaron, may as well start with you," he said to no one, as he clicked to download the young man's information. It took only moments before Meyers was able to click the profile.

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Aaron Brocaby, Code Name Hardrive02, Tech Support leader- second member to don the costume of Hardrive, as the original was killed. Though not actually possessing the mutant ability to interface with computers, as the original did, his technological IQ is so high it would almost seem as if he does. He is the only member of Mutant Kind that is not actually a mutant. Hardrive02 spends most of his time monitoring the team and providing tech support from the base, but will don his techno armor time to time if need be.

 

Pitt Viper, real name classified, Team Captain-  this member is also a  part of a secret order that follows strict codes of honor. He has an enhanced ability to heal, and his mutant gene has been verified. While there is a mystery surrounding who he is, and what this order is, Pitt Viper is a proven and valuable member of Mutant Kind.

 

Note: Viper does not reveal his face to anyone except members of his order, as his code dictates that his identity remain secret throughout his entire life. If someone was to see his face, he and the offender must undergo a "cleansing", which can end up in death of one or both. This has never been tested, and Mutant Kind members are warned early to not push this issue.

 

Hammer Stone, (real name and code name), Team Captain -was apparently born hundreds, possibly thousands, of years ago, even he does not know how old he is. His first memories was of living deep within  the Maunaloa volcano of Hawaii, where he was nurtured by its warmth. Emerging from within after an eruption opened up a whole "new world" to him, he was thought to be a god by the natives. Hammer Stone has always been humble and kind, and though not sure if he was a god or not, he felt uncomfortable with the ordeal and returned to the volcano years later, promising to help if they ever needed him. In 1984 Maunaloa erupted once again, and once again Hammer Stone found himself among the people, who were far different now than he remembered. Instead of being worshiped as a god, he was feared as a mutant. He was taken in by Mutant Kind after tests showed he did possess the mutant trait. He took the legal name Hammer Stone, and has no identity other than that to protect.

 

Note:It is theorized that as a mutant born baby, his parents may have thrown him into the volcano as a sacrifice, possibly thinking him a demon baby.

 

Tesh Jinkens, code name Mindreader Tesh -was born with the ability to read and control the minds of others. She is considered one of the top experts in psionics. While Tesh is a member of the Super Group Mutant Kind, she prefers to take a backseat role as much as possible. Tesh seldom uses her natural eyes to see, as it causes distortions between her natural sight and her psychic abilities. Tesh views the world through her mind's eye, and sees people as psychic imprints. She has stated in the past that were she to only see with her natural eyes, she would probably not be able to recognize even her closest friends.  She keeps herself blindfolded, and has done so since a very young age.

 

Daryl Stote, Code Name Shockwhip - Freedom Corps recommended this man, even when he was still locked up in juvenile detention. He has the ability to produce electricity and guide it where he wishes. His days as a petty criminal are behind him, and he even practices eastern style martial arts to help himself improve his skills and abilities, as well as attitude.

 

Daichi Misasagi, code name Arashi Kitaru: was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. He now has a duel citizenship with the US, and works with the team Mutant Kind. Another Freedom Corps recommendation, he has proven himself a valuable member of the team so far, with a desire to help people when he can. He has the ability to create and control storm clouds, on a local level.

Melinda Ferarri, code name Battle Dove - was born with small wings on her back, and an obvious mutant. Her mother was alone, and mostly homeless, and thus gave her up for adoption. She was adopted by a company, as opposed to parents, and raised to be an asset of Swope Inc, a shady business run by billionaire Anthony Swope. Brainwashed and turned into an assassin by the age of 13, she spent 6 years being used by the company that claimed to "mother her". She ran into Mutant Kind, and was taken in by them, after she failed to assassinate it's leader, Firelord. Mindreader Tesh, a psychic, saw the brainwashing and was able to remove it. Battle Dove is now a valued member of the team.

Bart Poloski, code name Snowjob -wished to use his mutant abilities to help the innocent. Having the ability to freeze air in a local area, he can create ice by using the moisture in the air. He is constantly training this, and learning new ways to use his abilities to fight crime. He was approached and offered a position in Mutant Kind, as him being a mutant is on public record with Freedom Corps. Originally Snowjob wished join Hero Corps, but after several failed attempts, he joined Mutant Kind.

 

Harry Swindol, code name Scramble,-he joined the group so Mindreader Tesh, a team member and psychic, could help him with his own psychic abilities. Scramble cannot read minds, or even control them, but he can scramble minds, even to the point of leaving the person a complete vegetable. Tesh, being a powerful psychic, has to be careful when dealing with Scramble. Add to it that Scramble has bouts of schizophrenia, he could become dangerous, though to this date he has not harmed any innocent people.

 

 

(OOC: These are all my alts, but not a complete list of members of Mutant Kind, an actual in-game SG. Of course I leave other player's character profile up to them.)

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Firelord sighed, staring in thought a moment, before clicking off the information on his computer and looking around his office. The new base was coming together well, thanks in part to the assistance of Freedom Corps. Already Hardrive02 was able to monitor the streets, and sending members out where they were needed. His own contacts in the city kept them informed as well to the activities of the criminals. The City Council saw Mutant Kind as a good asset, and the members saw each other as family. It was all coming together well, but Firelord could not help but sense the storm on the horizon, that all heroes of the city seemed to feel.

 

 

 

 

[Paragon Vanguard]

'We are Skulls, and you really have no idea what you are dealing with, hero," the man in the skull mask said, mockingly saying hero.

"Mutant Kind is a sanctioned department affiliated with Freedom Corps and backed by the council," Firelord said, almost as if reading it word for word from some card, but then added, "And I know your type, and I know your group, and I know who your leaders are. I also know you are not leaving this bank with a single penny."

The gang members all looked to one another, then to their leader, who simply nodded.

 

"I have Pitt Viper heading your way sir," Hardrive02 said through the micro earpiece to Firelord.

"Copy that," the leader of Mutant Kind replied.

 

Scott Meyers was not bullet proof, in fact, if a single piece of shrapnel struck him, it could be very critical. Yet he was able to raise the temperature around him to the point that the bullets completely disintegrated beforehand, and even though the gang members were firing their illegal automatic weapons directly at him, near point blank range, not a single bullet made it through.

The trick was never defending himself, it was using his fire in a non-lethal manner.

"You are all under arrest," he simply said, then ignited the air around the three gang members who were firing on him. Through intense training, he was able to localize it, but it was enough to flash burn the area, dropping the three into an unconscious state. That left their leader, who was apparently unarmed.

"They did not prove themselves well," the man said, looking down at his unconscious allies, then back to Firelord. "I am proven."

Firelord suspected the leader to have some sort of supernatural abilities, and being Skulls, it surely was of the arcane type. He was not disappointed in his assessment, as dark power flowed from the man's hands. It struck with force, almost as a solid, though it looked like smoke, knocking Firelord back, even through his protective flames. The impact took the leader of Mutant Kind by surprise, and he was unable to catch his breath immediately.

"You did your research on us, no doubt. We did out research on you. Did you think I did not know you could burn away most attacks?" the Skull leader said with a jeer, just before the ground around him erupted in flames, encircling him.

"No doubt in my mind that you did," Firelord said, in a raspy voice, finally able to catch a breath. "Do you think you are the first Bone Daddy I ever faced,' he asked, refusing to admit the attack was surprising.

"You are burning me," the man yelled, trying to shield himself from the flames. There was no doubt the fire was hot, and that the Skull would surely suffer mild burns if he did not have protection, but Firelord also knew these men were not to be trusted. They were cowards, liars, and the worst of the lot that were already a bad lot.

 

"Bone Daddy" Lonnie was not in as much distress as he was trying to put on, but the flames were intense enough to keep him in place for the time being. Surely they could not last forever. The darkness, granted to him by demons and devils, was sufficient enough to keep the worst of it at bay. He did need to buy time though, because he was not sure what he would do with this Firelord. No doubt the man had the ability to burn him to a crisp, but also no doubt the man did not wish kill him. Maybe if he bought enough time, his boys would come too and get the "heroes" attention.

This thought was going through his mind when a hand grabbed him by the hair, and pulled his head back. The back of his head rested on this knew attackers fist, and he watched claws extend from the other hand.

"I have two sets, if you were wondering, one for each hand. Tell me, would you like to see if my claws can penetrate whatever putrid power you have protecting you?"

Lonnie decided he did not wish that, and all thoughts of getting free were now gone. He simply extended his hands, to allow them to be cuffed, as the last of his fire cage subsided.

"Good choice, because once you put other's life in danger, my honor code no longer protected you, and demanded I insure you are no longer a threat," the new hero said. Lonnie knew of this man as well, who called himself Pitt Viper, and knew he had lost several of his gang buddies to those very same claws.

 

"Well done my friend," Firelord said, watching PPD load the gang members into a wagon. The "Bone Daddy" had special dampering cuffs that left him very docile, and unable to use his abilities.

"Same to you," Pitt Viper said. Firelord smiled a bit. The man known only as Pitt Viper spoke perfect English, with no trace of an accent, from anywhere. He also spoke many other languages, fluently, and with no trace of an accent in those languages. In fact, his ability to master language was such, that the absent of an accent was almost an accent in itself.

 

Hardrive02 watched everything unfold from security cameras around Atlas Park. He enjoyed being out on missions, the very rare times that he was, but the computer room was more his comfort zone, where he felt at home, and most useful. Codes and programs was his super power. Okay, not a super power. Not really.

"How did it go," the voice said from behind him, but Hardrive02 knew who it was.

"Went well Hardtop," he simply said, without turning about.

"Good, keep me informed if there is a need," the mutant called Hardtop replied, before walking away.

Hardtop was good friends with Hardrive, the first Hardrive. The actual mutant, Hardrive, before the man lost his life in a raid by some villains from the Rogue Islands on their base. Aaron Brocaby was not sure if that was the reason Hardtop did not like him, or maybe it was because he was not a mutant like the others. He was however sure that Hardtop did not like him. Not that the man made an effort to show dislike for him, but any attempt at being friends with Hardtop failed in Hardtop simply excusing himself.

 

"We are heading back to base," Firelord said, "have some coffee on if you don't mind Hardrive."

Hardrive did not mind at all.

[Paragon Vanguard]

2 weeks later

 

"I told you I was not using lethal rounds, Hardrive, why don't you believe me," Battle Dove said through the mic, looking about for her next target. The Skulls had become more vicious in the past few weeks, since Firelord and Pitt Viper took down one of their leaders. It was as if they now had something to prove, and maybe they did.

"I believe you, just like to keep it on record," Hardrive said, and she could hear the smile in his voice.

Aaron was a valued member of Mutant Kind, but he was not a mutant. He was just really good at his job.

"I am in the main chamber of the cave," Battle Dove said, looking about. She could see the fires burning, marking where most of the skulls would be. Keeping warm or staring into the flames, it was hard to tell with them. Most were drugged out, on superdine or worse. That made them dangerous. There were some that were even more dangerous. Their leaders were not only hopped up on drugs, but somehow tapped into supernatural powers, from demons or something. Battle Dove, on her own morals, would have no problem killing them. Arresting them only put them back on the streets, eventually. That somehow felt more wrong to her than putting bullet in their heads and being done with it.

Still, the Mutant Kind charter demanded they only use lethal force when absolutely necessary. Given Battle Dove's training, she hardly needed it for these guys, even their leaders.

"Do you have room to fly," Hardrive asked, making Battle Dove roll her eyes. His concern was unwarranted, nor wanted. She had been trained since a child to deal with far worse than these guys.

"I have all the room I need," she said, and she was not lying, this time. The cave was large enough and high enough that she could take flight. The suit she wore would help to protect her, and her aim was perfect. The Skulls would not know what hit them.

 

Dove took to the air, and flew to the ceiling, into the shadows. She counted maybe a dozen or so. Some were pushing one another, others actually fighting. Those were of little concern to her, they were the ones so high they presented little threat. Then she saw the ones she was looking for. Two men and two women in masks. Death Dolls and Death Walkers, as they were called. They were bosses, and they were bossy. They loved to kill, and it did not matter who. Given too much time between kills, they were liable to kill each other.

"I see my targets," she said, with Hardrive simply replying with an okay. If he had his way, she would be wearing a helmet with a camera to let them record everything. Thankfully she and most of the others were able to influence Firelord into not ordering such. Forgetting the camera on one time could become very embarrassing.

Dove stuck to the shadows at the top of the cave, making her way to the other side of the Skull leaders. Reaching behind her, she removed the smoke canister, and tossed it. Smoke began to fill the area around the bosses, and the cave erupted into chaos.

 

Bone Mush looked about the cave, with many of the Skulls coughing and choking on the smoke. He and the other three bosses were not effected as bad, but it did make it hard to see. He was not that concerned, this was actually expected, and very much wanted. Whoever was here, surely one of the members of Mutant Kind, was simply stepping into the trap he created. Their leader would regret stopping their bank heist, and arresting one of his captains.

[Paragon Vanguard]

Bone Mush was once a prominent up and comer on the underground rock scene, and never thought his life would come to this. A life of worshiping death. Sure enough, it had. Still, it was a life. People assumed he was killed in the fall of Galaxy City, but that was not exactly true. Not exactly.

 

"You cannot escape this cave, little dove," Bone Mush called, looking about into the shadows. "I know more about you than you think."

Bone Mush was not sure why he was telling her that, but it was the truth. He had learned all he could of Mutant Kind in the last couple of weeks since they interfered with the hit on the bank. He also knew this one was not involved, not directly anyway. It was the fire one and the one with claws that had shown up. Still, someone had to pay. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

Not exactly.

On the streets, where he grew up, if they give you a black eye, you rip their eye out. If they break your tooth, you break their neck. They arrested one of his, he killed one of theirs. A dove for Bone Daddy Lonnie, as it was.

 

"There," Nadiah said, pointing into the shadows. She was what they called a Death Doll. Death intrigued her. She loved being near it, and even welcomed it at times.

 

Bone Mush looked to where she pointed, and could barely make out the shadow in the smoke, and only because her guns were blazing a path through his gang. It didn't matter to him, he knew they were probably not lethal rounds. It didn't matter if they were anyway.

"Everything you have in your dark souls, aim at her now," Bone Mush said, and the others did as he commanded.

 

[Paragon Vanguard]

Of course it was a trap, that is the way of these cowardly gangs, and Dove knew it. 

What she did not expect was 4 powerful beings, as they never seemed to get along well enough to come together as this. Most of the dark force that was thrown at her missed. They could not see through the smoke bombs she was throwing around. Still, she was caught by some of it. It burned, but it was not due to heat. It burned with unimaginable cold. The numbness almost caused her to fall, but she was able to hold on and fire her rounds in the direction the darkness was coming from. 

"Dove, answer me, are you alright?" The voice asked in her ear. 
"Shut up Hardrive, I am trying to concentrate here," Dove snapped. 
Her rounds found two of her targets, and thankfully dropped them. All that remained of the bosses was a woman, and the man that had called her by name. 

"Come out of the shadows," the woman called. "Unless of course you are really a scared little bird."

Dove landed on a few feet from the Death Doll, her eyes scanning all around for the other one. 
"Did your friend abandon you, or is this come kind of plan," Dove asked, a smile on her face. 

"Some kind of a plan," Bone Mush said, exiting the shadows that hid him. 

"Then it seems I have stepped right in it," Battle Dove said, eyes scanning from one Skull to the other. 
Bone Mush could not understand why the woman was so calm. Did she really think she was a match for him and Nadia? Both were well versed in the use of darkness, and this mutant did not seem to care. 

"It seems you did," Bone Mush said with confidence, but his confidence was beginning to waiver.

 

The dark miasma seemed to reach out to her, but Battle Dove quickly hovered above it. She aimed a weapon at each of the Skulls, and fired. Both were hit, but neither fell. There was a reason these two were still in the fight. They were bosses among the Skulls, and that made them especially dangerous. 

 

Edited September 14, 2019 by Luke

[Paragon Vanguard]

Bone Mush was pretty sure he and Nadiah could win, but it was not a certain victory as he had hoped. The Mutant Kind member showed why her group was so resilient, and every blast from her blasted pistols wore he and the Death Doll down. 

"I don't see her again," Nadiah said, and Bone Mush rolled his eyes. Of course they could not see her with all of the smoke, but how in the world was she able to see them, in all of the smoke?

 

Battle Dove hovered back into the smoke, and tossed her last smoke bomb. She was getting low on rounds as well. The smoke hid her, but thanks to Hardrive's targeting drone she could see through the smoke. The two Skull bosses were scanning about for her, and regaining some of their dark energy while she contemplated her next move. She could leave, as the door to the cave was not blocked. She may not have arrested the two leaders, but she was able to put quite a dent in their operation all the same. 

"Or you could take care of business Dove," she could hear father say in her ear. If Swope Incorporated was her mother,  then Anthony Swope was her father. He raised her to be his personal assassin, and she did her job well for many years. 
But not anymore.
Still, a full on blitz seemed like the best option.  

Bone Mush could not tell where all of the bullets, grenades, and caltrops were coming from. If the mutant was alone, she was sure hitting fast and hard and moving around as if there were others. The razor sharp caltrops made walking difficult, and running impossible.  Nadiah had already fallen to the attack, and if he was not careful, he would as well. The darkness that surrounded him was wavering. Bone Mush did not wish do hard time in the Zig again. 
"I will give you this one Battle Dove, but we will meet again," Bone Mush called into the smoke filled cave, just before everything went black.

"No, we won't," Battle Dove said, as the Skull boss fell into unconsciousness. Her gun was still smoking, as the thud of his body sounded through the cave. Then all was silent, for a moment. 
"You still there," Hardrive asked, worry in his voice. Battle Dove rolled her eyes and sighed, keying up her mic.
"Yes, I am still here," was all she said, as she pressed for PPD assistance in loading up the Skulls.