A Piece of The Action
Posted on Mon Sep 2nd, 2024 @ 4:25pm by Charles Xavier & Ethan Hale & Theodore (Theo) Winters
1,938 words; about a 10 minute read
Mission:
Episode 5: Days of Fortune Past
Location: Theater 80 | Manhattan
Timeline: October 24th, 1990
Tags: ge
Ethan was, as far as he knew, alone in the kitchen. It was just after 10 AM and he'd just finished his third fried egg sandwich. It seemed that no matter how much he ate, he was always hungry. That had been especially true since his return from the Savage Land. He turned to make a fourth sandwich when he felt a tap on his shoulder.
Instinctively, he whirled around pulling his arm back, talons out, ready to strike. Recognizing one of the younger students, a Theo something, he restrained himself. "What do you want?" he asked, his voice more of a growl than he'd meant.
"Dude," came the reply. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you or anything like that. I just wanted to talk."
"Okay," Ethan replied relaxing slightly, "what did you want to talk about?"
"Nothing special. You've just been here longer and we kind of have similar backgrounds?"
"Oh, really? How so?"
"Well I heard your parents, you know abandoned you or something like that. Gave you up might be a better way to say it, and then the government started experimenting on you. My parents worked for Stryker and turned me into him."
"So, are you looking for advice or what?"
"Yeah, kinda. How do you handle it?"
"I'm probably not the best person to ask, I don't think I handle things too well. I mean I'm lousy when it comes to talking to people and shit like that."
"You and Bobby seem to get along pretty well and no one here thinks you're a dick or anything. That's kind of why I wanted to talk."
~Bobby is a confusing guy~ Ethan thought but did not say,
"But maybe not here. I'm bored and want to leave the mansion for a while," Theo continued.
"And go where?"
"Well, there is an 11:15 showing of Total Recall at Theater 80. How does that sound?"
Ethan eyed the younger teen, then shrugged his shoulders. "I'm game if you are, but we need to ask. I've snuck out a few times and don't want to repeat it."
"I already asked and Hank said if I got an older student to go with me, it would be alright. And I'll even buy the popcorn and we can get lunch after."
"And I suppose you to me to fly us?"
"That would be cool. I can teleport myself, but not that far." Theo paused. "I've never flown before."
Twenty minutes later the two teens were walking up to the ticket booth. The line moved along steadily enough, leaving the two teenagers to stand quietly until it was their turn at the box office.
"What'll it be?" asked the overweight man who looked half asleep behind the window. A rimless usher hat hung crookedly to one side of his head despite the chin strap that split his double chin in half.
Theo gave Ethan a sideways glance. "Two tickets for the 11:15 showing of Total Recall," he said as he reached for his wallet.
"I've got the tickets," Ethan interrupted pulling a ten-dollar bill out of the front pocket of he jeans as he folded his wings across his back. "You can get the tickets like you said."
Then turning to the heavyset attendant he asked, "How good is the movie? Have you seen it?"
"Yeah." The attendant didn't look impressed. Looking back and forth between them, the burly guy didn't believe for a second that Theo was old enough to see the movie. "You got ID?"
Ethan unfurled his wings. He kept his hands at his side, overcoming the temptation to release his talons. He leaned forward not quite entering the man's personal space, but getting damn close to doing so.
"He's with me, he's my little brother. Half brother if you're wondering. Come on, let us just see the movie."
Then leaning forward a few more centimeters, he added, "Please."
Not impressed by the spastic duo, the attendant looked annoyed. "Whatever," he said with a final shrug and gave them the tickets. "Theater six."
Not knowing the old man's thoughts Ethan gave Theo a triumphant grin as he took the tickets and the pair walked inside. The air conditioner was straining to keep up with the heat outside, but at least they didn't have to deal with the humidity inside.
After getting a large popcorn and two medium Fantas from the concession stand Theo and Ethan walked into Theater Six and found empty seats four rows back from the screen and sat down.
Not long after they were seated, the lights began to dim and the other theatergoers hushed one another in a dull roar. The dark screen flashed silver, illuminating the dim cinema with bright colors. Rather than a coming attraction, though, it was a public service announcement.
The screen turned a harsh black with stark red lettering as tense background music played.
In a calm but firm voice, the narrator said, "Are you and your loved ones safe? Every day, our neighborhoods are threatened by those who hide in plain sight—mutants, with powers beyond our control, beyond our laws. The mutant menace is real, and it’s growing."
The text crawl was replaced with images of destruction caused by mutant battles, with headlines flashing: 'Mutant Terror,' 'City in Chaos'.
Over top the images, the narrator continued. "What happens when one of them loses control? What happens when they decide to turn their powers against you? Your family? Your community? We’ve already seen the devastation—innocent lives lost, homes destroyed. This isn’t a distant threat. This is happening in our own backyards."
New scenes emerged. Images of ordinary people, families, children playing—safe, secure, and at peace with a No Mutants Allowed sign at the end of the montage.
"We, the Friends of Humanity, stand together to protect our way of life. We believe in a world where you don’t have to live in fear of the unknown. We demand transparency, accountability, and justice for those who put humanity first."
Stock footage of rallies played, showing people holding signs with slogans like 'Protect Our Future,' 'Say No to Mutants'.
Then the narrator's voice intensified. "Join us in the fight to secure a safe and mutant-free future. Stand with the Friends of Humanity, because together, we are stronger. Together, we can take back our world."
The screen faded back to black with the Friends of Humanity logo and a call to action: 'Join the Fight'.
As the music faded out, the narrator said, "Friends of Humanity—a future worth fighting for."
Right after the short presentation started Ethan began to bristle. Unseen to anyone other than Theo, claws dropped from his fingers.
Theo, gripped Ethan's right arm holding on tightly. "It's not worth it," he said under his breath.
Ethan pulled his arm out of the younger teen's grasp but he willed the talons back up in his hand.
"THIS IS SUCH BULLSHIT," he shouted as his eyes began to glow. "It's nothing more than fear tactics and propaganda!"
First one, then two sodas struck the back of Ethan's head and burst open. Cold, sticky Pepsi sloshed all over him while ice cubes slid down his clothing. Several "oooohs" went up from the crowd as people were shocked.
"Look at the mutie lover!" shouted one of the soda tossers.
"Bet his mother was a mutant!"
"That'd make him a mutie!"
Ethan, enraged and barely in control of himself stood to his feet.
Theo tugged on his arm and whispered, "Let it go, let's just leave." But his actions didn't calm the older teen down.
Ethan picked up one of the cups, which still had a little bit of soda in it. He held it aloft then punched through it with the claws of his left hand.
"I'M NOT MUTANT, YOU MOTHER FUCKING IDIOTS. That doesn't mean I don't have powers though. WHO THREW THESE CUPS AT ME AND MY FRIEND?"
"Yo, it's one of them muties!"
Somewhere a gun went off. Everyone screamed as the crowd dispersed and crawled toward the red exit signs. After a moment, all that was left were about eight thuggy types in sleeveless denim jackets and trucker caps. A few of them punched their hands into their fists, though most of them were accessing weapons. The gunman still had his smoking barrel pointed at Ethan.
"Back off, mutie fucker, or I will burn you down! Swear to God I will!"
Ethan arched his right brow and favored the gunman with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "If you think I'm afraid of a little gun like that, you are dumber than you look."
Ethan's comment was half bravado and half confidence. The gun looked to him like a .357 magnum revolver which he was sure would do a number on him and if nothing else cause him a lot of pain.
"I'm the mutie, genius boys," Theo exclaimed. Then in a tone pitched so only Ethan could hear, said, "I got this."
Then he teleported to the armed man, took the gun from his hand, and teleported back to Ethan.
"What are you going to do now?" he taunted.
"The mutant has a gun!" shouted the disarmed gunman. "Get 'em, fellas!"
The entire group came at the two young men now, most of them fanning out to the aisles while four hopped over the aisle seats with ease. Weapons were at the ready, waiting to defend if Ethan or Theo made a move. They were nearly encircled.
Ethan saw the bullies surrounding them with a dark expression. He wasn't scared. He was livid.
Theo was fighting to keep his emotions in check, but he was equal parts frightened and angry. He felt the energy growing inside him and couldn't contain it. That piece of dark matter detonated about thirty feet to the right. There was a loud explosion, the smell of ozone, and the closest thug to the detonation point disappeared.
Ethan took the gun from Theo's hand and twisted the barrel with as much force as he could muster.
"The little one wasted Harvey! Kill him!"
Weapons were drawn. Knives, chains, and another gun put heat on Theo, threatening him with imminent death.
"I know you can teleport," Ethan said in a stage whisper. "Get out now, I'll take care of these assholes."
"I'm not leaving you behind."
"GO!" Ethan shouted.
Instead, Theo tried something he'd never successfully done before, but desperate times called for desperate measures or at least an attempt at such. He wrapped his arms around Ethan in a bear hug and tried teleporting both of them out of the theater.
A blast of dark energy sent the Friends of Humanity thugs tumbling over the seats.
Outside the theater, Ethan and Theo appeared in a similar flash of Darkforce energy. People were still fleeing the scene, but the same dispassionate overweight employee stared at them with his crooked hat. "No refunds will be given," he said for perhaps the twelfth time.
Ethan breathed out a sigh of relief, while Theo clung to him exhausted. Ethan led him around the corner into a Baskin and Robbins.
"We're closed," the manager said. "Some mutant psychopath is tearing up the movie theater. You can hide here until the police come but the cash drawer is locked down. I was just about to lock the door."
"No," Theo supplied weakly, "We'll be okay. You know how long the cops take to show up. A lot can happen before then."
The duo stepped back outside where Ethan scooped up Theo in his arms and took to the air.
END
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