Meriweather, Georgia
Leon watched the gate into the trailer park, taking a deep breath and stepping into the security light, only to dart back into the shadows as a police cruiser pulled up and the officer in the passenger seat got out and walked up to the security gate. Knocking on the glass, the landlord inside activated the intercom.
“How can I help you tonight, Officer?” The landlord asked as the officer tilted his head slightly, as if he had heard something.
“I’m here to see Lizzy and Noah Sloane; their boy is accused of assaulting Mayor Glen’s son earlier this evening.” The officer stated, the landlord narrowing his eyes slightly before pressing a button, the security gate opening with a clunk.
“I find that hard to believe; their son doesn’t seem the kind to be fighting.” The landlord replied as the officer turned back to walk back to the cruiser.
“Kids apparently turned into mutants; good kid or not, I’ve never heard of one of their kind who stayed good.” The office announced as he ducked into the cruiser, the vehicle heading into the trailer park.
“Mutant huh?” The landlord snarled as he reached for the shotgun under his desk, struggling to unhook the weapon before checking that it was loaded, missing the dark shape dart through the gate after the police cruiser into the trailer park. “Ain’t no place for mutants in my trailer park.”
**
I85, Virginia, United States
Officer Franks held out the laser speed gun, the invisible beam clocking the speeds of the vehicles driving southward towards South Carolina. Yawning, the speed gun beeped, and the display showing a speed in three digits popped up.
“There has to be an error.” Franks grumbled as the ground began to vibrate and tremble. “What is going on?” He asked as he looked northward as an orange blur came charging around the bend in the road, blurring past a semi-articulated trailer. Charging past Franks location, the officer felt the vibrations die down and eventually become still.
“What in God’s name was that?” Franks asked as he checked the speed gun again, the speed displaying a speed in excess of 450mph. “I don’t get paid enough for this.”
**
Meriweather, Georgia
Richard Glenn unlocked his father’s gun safe, pulled out an AR15 assault rifle, and placed it on the ground before removing a pair of handguns and placing them next to the rifle.
“That mutant will pay for attacking me!” Richard snarled as he slipped the gauntlet on before taking a bandolier of bullets from the gun safe and slinging it over his shoulder. “So will everyone else who should be submissive to their masters!” He growled as he slipped a dagger with a silver eagle holding a skull with tentacles sprouting from its cranium out of the safe before slipping it into his boot.
"Richard, what are you doing?!” A voice stated from behind him. Turning around, Richard saw an older man dressed in a suit, his face and scalp clean-shaven.
“Father, I will not let that mutie disrespect me!” Richard snapped as he reached for one of the handguns.
“I have officers hunting him down; I know you want to pick up where me and your grandpa let off in the 1970s, but now we have to appear respectable for our neighbours and voters.” Richard’s father replied as he looked at the assorted weapons.
“You have, I don’t!” Richard snapped as he raised the handgun and aimed it at his father. “Appeasement, you sound weak like those woke fools at school! We live in a world where the filth rules us, when they should be in chains, driven by our whip, and only spared from extinction by our civility!”
“Son, if you must get your revenge now, then at least wear the family colours.” Richard’s father sighed as he looked at the dark purple tabard with a large ‘H’ emblazoned on it. “And once you’re done, get out until I call you; I can’t be associated...” A shot sounded, and he fell to the floor with a thud.
“…with someone weak and foolish like you?” Richard stated as he holstered the pistol he was holding and reached for the mask folded on top of the tabard, pulling the purple hood over his face. “I hate what you became, and that will be the burning brand that stokes the inferno coming for mutant kind and all the other animals!”
**
Leo darted behind his family’s trailer as the officers walked out, one of them tipping his hat to his mother.
“If Leo turns up, let us know; if he has become a mutant, he will be dangerous, even if he doesn’t mean to be.” The officer stated as he walked over to the parked cruiser, his partner following him.
“Officer Tino, I think I know how dangerous my son is.” Leo’s mother replied as she stood, dressed in jeans and a pink tank top. “Mutant or not, he wouldn’t; no, he couldn’t hurt a fly.”
“Ma’am, we are just worried about everyone’s safety, including your sons.” Officer Tino answered as his partner got into the driver’s seat of the cruiser. “Until we know what happened and what he is capable of, I’m not taking a chance.” He added as he opened the passenger door and sat inside. Watching the cruiser roll away, Lizzy Sloane waited until the officers had passed the security gate before taking a step out of the trailer.
“Leo, I know you’re out here.” Lizzy stated sharply as she stood under the security light of the trailer. Hanging his head, Leo stepped around the end of the trailer, trying not to meet his mother’s gaze.
“Mum I’m…” Leo began to state only for his mother to put a finger over his lips.
“You are my son; whatever else you are doesn’t matter.” Lizzy explained as her face softened and she wrapped her arms around her son. “Come inside; we need to figure out what we’re going to do.”
“What about Dad?” Leo asked.
“He checked in from Virginia before the police came; he doesn’t know and doesn’t need to until we get a handle on this.” Lizzy announced as she stepped back and looked at her transformed son. “Now tell me everything, starting with what happened with Mayor Glenn’s son.”
**
The landlord made a note of when the police cruiser departed before picking up the leaflet with the words Homines Verendi printed on the front. He was so engrossed that he almost missed the person dressed in a hooded cloak and a ballistic vest walking up the booth, its head bowed.
“Can I help you, sir?" The landlord asked as she placed the leaflet down and reached for the shotgun under his desk.
“Leo Sloane.” The figure said in a rasping, almost sneering voice.
“That mutant, he’s not here.” The landlord snorted as the figure raised his head slightly. “What do you want with him?”
“Hunting trip.” The hooded figure rumbled as he looked up, revealing mottled green skin and a sniper scope bored into his right eye. his appearance causing the landlord to swear and get to his feet so fast that the chair he was sitting on toppled backwards.
“Mutant!” He swore as he struggled to unhook his shotgun from under the desk.
“Wrong.” The figure replied as he smiled, a maw of needle-like teeth visible.
“Wha…what?” The landlord asked as he brought his shotgun up level before dropping it, blood pooling from two bullet holes, one in his heart and the other bored through his skull.
“Inhuman.” The hooded figure informed as he reached into the booth and pressed the button to open the gate.
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