Chapter 49: Deterrent

Chapter 49: Deterrent

Masque

Masque chortled when new members of his splinter group returned and alerted him to a mutant on the train. He appeared inside of the tunnel with other Morlocks.

"Masque." Thundered the handsome mutant as he grappled with Durvu.

Masque took two stumbling steps back before he was able to stop his subconscious retreat. He had always been a coward, but now he had others to do his bidding.

He growled in rage underneath his tattered crimson cloak. He looked around, noting his subject's eyes on him. He placed each stare's face to memory. Masque would mishape them further for daring to look upon him. He had already made an example of Callisto, and they needed another reminder.

He cut his beady eye toward the man who thundered his name. He squinted regarding the mutant.

Marauders would know him. But they hadn't sent the usual signal of their attack. He had worked with them countless times. He even facilitated the attack that got half their numbers captured.

Those blue orbs aggressively bore into him. He adjusted his trench coat and looked at his people.

He smiled inwardly, not wanting to act like he enjoyed what he was about to do.

"Marauders," he roared, waving his arms in indignation. "They want more from us. They took our friends, sons and daughters, husbands and wives."

The Morlock growled and readied the charge, wanting to defend their home from another attack.

The Morlocks surrounding him edged closer, wanting their chance at the mutant, their makeshift weapons ready to defend their home.

"They come again to take from us!" He bellowed.

His followers began to rile themselves up, and all he had to do was point.

'Let's see you remain the leader after this bitch.' Masque said, a sinister smile forming on his face.

He sneered at the man; he hated the pretty ones the worst, and this one was beyond his level of acceptance.

"Bring me his eyes, and the victor shall have my best mask applied to them indefinitely." He stabbed a clawed hand at the intruder.

"Kill the Marauder." The Morlocks bellowed.

Cole Stephens

"Sir, incoming combatants." Said Alfred.

He nodded, his enhanced senses beginning to hear the footfall of the incoming combatants.

He had already concluded what had occurred. Stamping down on his earlier assessment, this Earth wasn't one he was familiar with. Already, Masque had betrayed his leader. The marauders were active, meaning Sinister was behind the scenes.

"Reroute three boa-"

"Apologies," Alfred interrupted, "I recommend a trial run on the updated mobile boas drones." He didn't even think long and liked the idea.

Windows popped onto his H.U.D. He read the messages, sighing internally and mentally activating the new drones with his neural link, all the while dodging a haymaker and pushing the male Morlock back.

He sent another command. Angelica and Anne wanted to come to aid him. He didn't need help. He thanked them but told them to stand by.

Angelica: Let me control the Spider Drones, at least

He smiled at the young lady. He slid a window off the screen, sending the control commands to her.

Jeremy: Locate Callisto.

Angelica: Does she need to be restrained?

Jeremy: Explain to her who we are and what we can bring to the table. I rather have her on board.

He knew they had no idea mutants were underground. He made a notation that he needed to make a file for his members to at least not be surprised when they come in contact with unexpected situations. Soon, the others noticed, and all his members came online.

'Let's show them why I'm the boss.' He thought.

"Callisto," he called, leaping back as he manipulated his ectokinesis power, allowing him

to rapidly hover across the ground like a ghost in retreat, his physique allowing him unnatural control over his unique body.

"If you're listening, I suggest you reign in your problems before someone else does it." Masque must have done something backhanded to win against her. He scanned the faces arrayed before him, happy not to see something of the most problematic Morlocks in attendance.

He held himself back, wanting to remain unknown and at least hide some cards, but did he have to? His growth rate made his powers being cataloged useless.

He snorted in annoyance. He shouldn't retreat when dealing with weaklings. This would lead to people misinterpreting things and coming after him. He should at least have a line that one shouldn't cross.

The temperature in the tunnel dipped alarmingly, catching the Morlocks off guard and causing them to shiver almost immediately. His control over his newest mutant ability wasn't at the point where he could use heat and cold simultaneously.

The insect arm blade Morlock slashed downward, aiming for his life, coming from behind her partner.

Her eyes were red with rage. He tasted her writhing anger on his tongue as they made eye contact. Her hate was at his appearance; her mutation had misshapen her hands into claws, and Masque had expanded on her mutation as a means to control.

He had shown restraint, not lashing out for the kill when ambushed. He dodged, her arms digging into the wall. He lashed out, and he hit her under her chin, causing her head to snap back in a sickening blow.

Her body toppled in a crumpled mess. Chimes emanated in his head, a sure sign of her defeat.

He could also admit his partial fault in the situation, but he hadn't attacked first, and he hadn't aimed for their lives.

Dubbing him a Maruder based on his appearance was like him calling them monsters based on theirs.

Regardless, he had asked for a cease in hostilities. This would make the second time the mutant population aimed for his head.

Not ending, the bladed Morlock immediately after repeated attempts to decapitate him was a mercy.

"Calisto isn't our leader anymore." roared a powerfully built Morlock, meaty fist punched toward him.

He peered past the Morlock at the gloating face of Masque. He easily dodged the mutant bruiser's mighty blow. He grabbed his shoulder and plied his power. The man's body began to freeze.

"Pathetic." He shoved the ice-sculptured brute body to the side uncaringly. Cole had areas of his powers and abilities he hadn't touched upon.

Mutants grew in strength through several reasons, albeit external or internal. When mutant powers matured and their minds allowed them to go further, they would evolve.

Storm was a prime example. She had evolved into an Omega over the years, but that was after realizing what she was capable of.

Magneto was ultimately an Alpha, but his sheer will and insane training had manifested in him becoming an Omega and, indeed, a master of magnetism.

He breathes out, chilling the area around him, forcefully dropping the temperature further.

Jason Todd had Lazarus pit running through his system, granting him super soldier-like ability and a minor healing factor. Cole commanded the power of ectokinesis, which the Lazarus Pit bolstered.

Another chime. He smiled. Rewards were better when he held a decisive victory. He lazily flung his hand out, beeping batarangs stabbed into the tunnel wall.

The tunnel's wall exploded, and a spider web of cracks flashed across the other walls as the tunnel became unstable. He lept through the opening, landing on an old train in an old underground station.

Tactfully, it would be wise to fight them in the tunnel, but he didn't want tact. He wants to thoroughly beat these mutants into submission and send them back to their rightful leader.

"Whatever he is promising you, I can grant more. But I won't negotiate terms now; come, come all, let me show you the difference."

Cole was aware of the issue. Morlocks were so hideous, by design, created by another mutant whose name he can't recall. With their appearance, it was hard to survive and feed their children. The surface world would run and scream and cry monsters if they were seen.

The feline Morlock had rushed him. His blade materialized, the powerful Katana made from two powerful metals. Nth grants it anti-magic properties, and promethium gives it extreme durability.

Cole blocked the downward strike. He slid the blade from the sheath and moved impossibly fast. The Morlock stumbled forward before face-planting into the sludge of the station floor, her hands holding her guts in.

"It's my turn now, right?" Cole slowly closed in on another, planting one foot before the next in a methodical advance as unstoppable as an avalanche.

The Morlock had bones growing from her body, and he recognized her. Red flames ignited between him and the slight mutant. Her screams made the surrounding mutants falter.

"Mur…" The Morlocks stopped.

"Yeah," he said," standing before the Morlocks.

"It's a terrifying thing to watch happen. It's called a deterrent."

He knew she would survive. She had a healing factor, but he didn't care to turn into a pin cushion.

"Enough!" a booming female voice cut through the commotion. The crowd parted, and Callisto walked toward him, one arm wrapped in bandages.

Angelica: Masque and his cabal slipped away.

Not his problem. He would help, but he wouldn't get involved with the Morlocks. He had his problems.

Angelica: She wants insurance so that her people will be protected. Marauders have hit them twice this year…. She wants Masque head, too

"You come offering help but kill us?" She declared, standing directly in his face.

He smiled down at her. "I was defending myself. I've only killed one," he paused, eyes going unfocused, "I was wrong, two."

The male Morlock had succumbed to hyperthermia.

Her lone eye closed, and she took a deep breath. He was about to open his mouth, but he felt a foreboding feeling, but it held a minute sway before he realized what it was.

"It appears I'm not convincing enough." He unfurled his ability, and his presence stretched across the station, a vast shadow of bat spreading out from behind him.

Callisto's single eye opened in alarm and gradually grew as she stared at the image behind him.