Exodus Part One

Posted on Thu Dec 7th, 2023 @ 6:04am by Ethan Hale

543 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: 1.5 - Non Mission Posts
Location: LA California
Timeline: Ten Years Ago

Ethan looked down at the boy beneath him. His face had been handsome once, or at least attractive enough before he'd ruined it. Now, one eye was swollen shut, the other had a deep gash beneath it. The nose was broken, and the left cheek had already started to turn an ugly yellowish green.

All because the younger teen was a dirty, pathetic, twisted mutie. All because it was part of Ethan's job.

"Finish it," he heard an all too familiar voice beside him command.

~This is wrong, it's so wrong, ~ he thought to himself, guilt starting to fill his conscience. He didn't even know the boy, who couldn't have been more than sixteen, was really mutant at all, and even if he were did, he really deserve punishment, especially vigilante punishment?

He did not. There was no way.

"Are you deaf Predator? I said finish it."

"I heard what you said," Ethan replied, his tone cold.

"Then do it, Nancy Boy. Do it now!"

Ethan hated being called Predator, he hated being called Nancy Boy, even more. And he hated Daniel, the man calling him those names as well. He always had. Daniel had been tormenting him for almost five years. But what he hated most of all at that moment was himself. Who he was, what he'd become, what he'd allowed them to make him.

He took a deep breath, gathered his courage, and said the one thing he should have said a long time ago. It was one simple word,

"No." He'd meant for the word to be forceful, his delivery dramatic, but it sounded uncertain, almost like a croak.

He couldn't blame Daniel for his reply. "Excuse me, what did you say?"

"I said no," Ethan said, letting anger fuel his response. That sounded better. "But in case you can't hear, fuck no."

"I'm calling Apex you little shit, don't think you're going to get away with your insubordination, he'll kick your ass!"

Throughout all of Ethan's training, he'd been taught to keep himself under control. The angrier he got, the more out of control, and the more potent the poison he could secret became.

He didn't bother trying to curb the anger, mixed with not a little fear, he fed on it.

Apex, this is Captain Rogers, get your...

Flight or fright. What was he going to do?

Fight, definitely his only choice.

The claws in his hand extended their full four inches coated in an ocher-colored goo. Daniel, too immersed in his conversation never saw the blow coming. Even if he had, he would have been far too slow to prevent what happened.

Arterial blood sprouted from his neck, some of it spraying on Ethan. He clutched at his throat, an involuntary action that was useless. He stood erect for maybe thirty seconds before he collapsed to the ground. DOA. Dead before the poison had a chance to enter his system.

Now it was time for flight. Literally. There was no turning back, he was now the prey and not the predator, he'd likely be looking over his shoulder for a very long time.

He had no regrets. None at all.

He took a running start and leaped into the California sky.

TBC

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