Chapter 4: The Offer (Rewrite)

Chapter 4: The Offer

Disclaimer: Velocity is a fanfic focused on Marvel comics and is a response to another fanfic, Tachyon Rise to Villainy, which is a fanfic of CW Flash that was created by my friend and which I have published with their permission. The characters, settings, and other elements of Marvel comics are owned by Marvel Entertainment and are used here for fanfiction purposes only. The events and plot of Velocity are entirely fictional and do not reflect the views or opinions of Marvel or its creators. This fanfic is written purely for entertainment and non-profit purposes, and no copyright infringement is intended.

The truck convoy carrying the mutants captured by MRD rumbled along the deserted road. The sound of the vehicle's engine echoed through the otherwise silent night. Inside, the mutants sat shackled, their eyes downcast and their spirits broken.

As the truck continued on its journey, two MRD guardsmen sat at the front, chatting idly. "Can you believe we have to guard these freaks?" one of them grumbled.

The other guard scoffed, "Tell me about it. I can barely stand the stench coming from them."

"They're not even human," the first guard added, "just a bunch of animals who need to be caged up."

The mutants in the back of the truck listened to the guards' conversation with a mix of fear and anger. They knew they were seen as less than human, and it made them feel powerless.

Suddenly, the truck hit a bump in the road, causing the mutants to jostle in their seats. One of the guards turned around to check on them, scowling at their movements. "Quiet back there!" he barked.

The mutants fell silent, not wanting to provoke the guards any further. They knew that any slight movement or sound could result in punishment.

The truck continued its journey, carrying its cargo of mutants toward an uncertain future. The guards continued their conversation, unaware of the rebellion brewing within the very people they held captive.

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The driver, a burly man with a shaved head, glanced at the rearview mirror and scowled at the mutants huddled in the back of the truck. "Disgusting freaks," he muttered under his breath.

One of the guardsmen sitting in the passenger seat smirked. "Tell me about it. They deserve to rot in prison for what they are."

The driver grunted in agreement and picked up the radio. "HQ, this is Driver Three. We're ten minutes away from the drop-off point. What's our ETA?"

A static voice crackled over the radio. "You're on schedule. Bring the mutants in for processing, over."

Suddenly, the driver's attention was drawn to a strange blue light in the distance. He squinted, trying to make sense of it, before his eyes widened in horror as he saw a massive dust storm forming behind it.

"Uh, HQ, we got a problem," the driver said, his voice shaky. "There's a blue light in the distance, and there's a dust storm forming behind it. What should we do?"

The voice on the radio was silent for a moment before responding, "Remain calm, Driver Three. It's probably just a sandstorm. Keep driving and follow protocol."

But the driver was not convinced. He could feel his palms sweating as he watched the blue light getting closer and closer. "I don't know about this," he muttered under his breath.

Suddenly, the mutants in the back of the truck began to stir, sensing something was amiss. They started to murmur amongst themselves, and one of them, a young girl with green skin, pressed her ear against the wall of the truck to listen.

"What's going on?" she whispered to her fellow mutants.

The driver's heart was pounding in his chest as he saw the dust storm grow larger and larger in the rearview mirror. He knew he had to act fast. "Hold on, boys," he said to the guardsmen. "I'm going to step on it."

As the driver pressed down on the accelerator, the blue light grew larger, revealing a figure in the middle of it. It was a mutant, and he was heading straight toward them. The driver's eyes widened in terror as he saw the mutant, a blur of motion, race towards the truck.

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Manny takes a deep breath and adjusts his goggles as he readies himself for action. He had just heard about the truck convoy carrying innocent mutants, and he knew he had to do something to help. As he dons his new costume, he feels the weight of responsibility on his shoulders, knowing that this is the moment he has been training for.

Manny speeds towards the truck convoy, his new costume billowing in the wind. With each stride, the wind whips past his face, and his new costume allows him to move more efficiently. His black cropped jacket has additional padding on the shoulders, while his gloves have a triangular emblem on the back. He has modified his goggles to have built-in night vision, and his cargo pants have additional pockets for his gadgets. Manny's appearance exudes confidence and heroism, and he's determined to rescue his fellow mutants from the MRD.

Manny chases the truck envoy with a fierce determination, his super-speed propelling him forward at an incredible pace. As he gets closer, he can hear the MRD guards panicking and shouting into their radios. Manny knows he needs to act fast to free the mutants before they reach their destination.

He sees the blue light in the distance and recognizes it as the dust storm that he had created. Manny increases his speed, closing in on the truck envoy as the storm overtakes them. The MRD guards are blinded and disoriented, giving Manny the opportunity he needs to strike.

With a swift and decisive movement, Manny opens the back of the truck and frees the mutants. The guards try to fight back, but Manny's speed and agility make him too difficult to catch. He takes down the guards one by one, making sure to avoid causing any serious harm.

Once all the guards are down, Manny stops the truck and opens the back door to reveal the mutants inside. They're scared and uncertain of what's happening until one mutant timidly asks, "Who are you?"

Manny, grinning confidently, introduces himself as "Velocity." He reassures the mutants that he is here to help and promises to get them out of this situation. The mutants, surprised and grateful for Manny's intervention, cheer and shout for joy.

Manny reassures the mutants that he won't let anything happen to them and instructs them to follow him. They trust Him and follow Him, their savior. Manny leads the mutants to safety, away from the MRD's grasp. As they escape, Manny can't help but feel a sense of accomplishment and pride in what he's doing. He knows that he's making a difference, and that thought fuels his desire to continue fighting for mutant rights.

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Manny led the group of mutants through the winding tunnels of the underground camp. He pointed out different areas as he spoke, explaining how they were used and who was in charge of each one.

"This area over here is where we store our food and supplies," he gestured towards a dimly lit room filled with crates and bags. "And this is where we have our medical clinic." He indicated a brightly lit area where several mutants in lab coats were tending to patients.

Despite the harsh conditions, the camp seemed to be thriving. Mutants of all ages and abilities were working together, using their powers to create a community that was self-sufficient and resilient.

As they made their way through the camp, Manny was approached by a mutant who expressed his desire to join Manny's crusade.

"I appreciate your enthusiasm," Manny said, "but I can't, it's too dangerous. I want you people to have better lives, not to live in fear just because your different. You have a life ahead of you kid, don't waste it."

The mutant looked disappointed, but Manny's words had a ripple effect throughout the camp. As Manny and his group moved on, they could see other mutants whispering and nodding in agreement with the rejected mutant.

Later, as Manny and his group were resting, a young mutant approached him. "Excuse me, Velocity?" she said tentatively.

Manny turned to her. "Yes?"

"I heard what you said to that other mutant earlier," she said. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm with you. And I know others who feel the same way."

Manny smiled. "Thank you. That means a lot to me. We'll keep fighting, and we'll keep growing our numbers. Together, we can make a difference."

As Manny turned to leave, he caught a glimpse of the girl's face. Her eyes were filled with tears, her expression one of intense sadness. Manny felt a pang of guilt as he realized he may have unintentionally said something.

But what Manny didn't know was that to the girl, he was much more than just a fellow mutant. He was a symbol of hope, a beacon of light in a world that often felt dark and hopeless. In her mind, Velocity was an angel, a guardian, a hero, a savior.

The girl couldn't bear the thought of her hero fighting a war all by himself. It was maddening for her to think that he was out there risking his life every day, while she was trapped in this underground camp, unable to help him.

As her hero walked away, the girl's mind drifted back to the times when the X-Men and the Brotherhood had come to their camp. She remembered watching in awe as they swept in, taking mutants away to safer places. In her heart, she knew that she wanted to be a part of that world, to fight alongside Velocity and the other mutants who were standing up against oppression.

Slowly but surely, the girl's sadness gave way to a newfound determination. She would do whatever it takes to join Manny's cause, to fight for a better future for all mutants.

As Manny continued to rescue mutants and bring them back to the camp, he couldn't shake off the feeling of discomfort that was growing within him. Everywhere he went, people looked at him with reverence and adoration, as if he was a deity. He didn't feel worthy of such admiration and was unsure of how to handle it.

The girl who had declared her admiration for him earlier continued to give him the same intense look, and Manny couldn't help but feel uneasy around her. He rationalized to himself that she was simply going through a phase of hero worship, but the way she looked at him made him feel like he was being worshipped like a god.

Despite his discomfort, Manny continued to bring mutants to the camp, helping to create a thriving community. He felt a sense of purpose in helping his fellow mutants, and he knew that he was making a difference. However, the feeling of being worshipped only grew, and Manny wasn't sure if he was ready for the responsibility that came with being seen as a hero.

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The girl started to gather a group of mutants who were eager to join her cause. "Velocity is our hero, our savior! He is risking everything to protect us, and we should do everything in our power to help him," she said, her voice full of passion and determination. "He is the only one who cares about us, and we must show him that we appreciate everything he's done for us!"

As the days passed, the girl became more and more enthusiastic about her mission. She would talk to anyone who would listen, telling them how Velocity was the only one who could save them and how he deserved their loyalty and support. Her words had an impact, and more mutants began to join her cause.

She would organize teams to scout the area for more mutants in need, gather supplies, and even create training sessions to help them improve their powers. All the while, she would talk about Velocity and how much he had done for them.

Manny noticed the group's activities, but he was uncomfortable with the way they were idolizing him. He didn't want to be seen as a hero, but he also couldn't deny that their efforts were making a difference. He decided to keep an eye on them, but also keep his distance, hoping that they would eventually realize that he was just like them and didn't want to be put on a pedestal.

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Manny spent the rest of the week strategizing on how to approach the Vanguard group. He knew that he had to address their fanaticism before it went too far. He spent countless hours practicing the lines he needed to say to make them understand that he was just like them and that he was not a god.

Finally, he decided to call out the leader of the group, the girl who had been spreading the word about him. Finally, he recalls the name of the leader of the group and decides to call her out.

The girl's name is Laura, and as she hears Manny calling her name, her eyes widen with excitement. Her imagination runs wild with the idea of meeting her hero, Velocity, and she envisions a grand meeting where she will be praised for her loyalty and dedication.

Laura's heart raced as she made her way to Manny's tent, her mind consumed with thoughts of Manny, or rather, Velocity, as she preferred to call him. She couldn't believe that he had called her by name and wanted to meet with her. She had been dreaming of this moment for weeks, and now it was finally coming true.

Her imagination ran wild as she thought about the different scenarios that could play out when they met. In one scenario, she imagined herself as an advisor, giving him counsel and helping him make important decisions. In another, she saw herself as his lover, wrapped in his arms as they talked about their plans for the future.

But as she continued to daydream, her thoughts began to take a darker turn. She imagined herself as a brood mother, bearing Manny's children and creating a new race of mutants that would rule the world. Her mind became consumed with thoughts of him, and she could feel herself becoming more and more obsessed with the idea of being with him.

She wanted him, and she wanted him badly. She knew that he was special, that he was different from any other mutant she had ever met. He was powerful, charismatic, and above all, he was a hero. And she wanted to be a part of that, to be by his side and help him in any way she could.

Her heart beat faster as she imagined the moment when she would finally meet him. She could picture him standing there, looking strong and confident, with his jet-black hair and piercing blue eyes. She longed to touch him, to feel his power flowing through her veins, to be a part of him in every way possible.

As she thought about him, her desire grew stronger and stronger, until it consumed her completely. She knew that she would do anything for him, that she would give up everything she had just to be with him. She didn't care about anything else in the world; all that mattered was Manny, and the chance to be with him.

Laura's thoughts became darker and more twisted, until they were consumed with thoughts of passion and obsession. She knew that she was in danger of losing herself to her desires, but she couldn't help it. She was in love with Manny, and nothing else in the world mattered.

As she enters Manny's tent, her face is filled with awe and reverence, and she kneels before him, waiting for his command. Manny observes her with a mix of concern and admiration, realizing the impact he has had on her and her group. He knows he must tread carefully and not let their fanaticism lead to chaos and destruction.

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Manny's heart sank as he gazed down at Laura, who remained on her knees, her eyes glazed over in a state of delusion. He had never seen such a level of fanaticism before, and it pained him to know that there was nothing he could do to save her.

As he continued to look at her, he knew that he had to use her obsession with him to his advantage. It was the only way to reach the rest of Vanguard, to make them see reason and understand that he was not a god, just a mutant like them trying to make a difference.

He couldn't let Laura's delusions cloud the judgment of the rest of the group, and he knew that it was up to him to use her passion to bring them back to reality. But the thought of using someone's obsession with him to his advantage left a sour taste in his mouth.

Manny had always believed in freedom and choice after his... "Enlightenment", but he couldn't deny the fact that sometimes people needed guidance to make the right decisions. And if that guidance came in the form of exploiting someone's infatuation with him, then so be it.

With a heavy heart, Manny made the decision to use Laura's zealotry to his advantage. It was the only way to save the rest of Vanguard, and he knew that he couldn't let his personal beliefs get in the way of what was best for the greater good.

But as he left his tent, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. Laura's obsession was not something to be taken lightly, and he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was taking advantage of her vulnerability.

He knew that he had a lot to think about and that this was just the beginning of his battle against the MRD. But for now, he had to focus on Vanguard and do what was necessary to lead them in the right direction, even if it meant sacrificing his own beliefs.

AN: So tell me what you think?