Exodus Part 4

Posted on Sat Oct 21st, 2023 @ 4:55pm by Ethan Hale

719 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Episode 0: X Lang Syne
Location: LA CA
Timeline: July 12, 1990

Previously in Exodus Part Three:
The smirk slowly faded from Apex's face, replaced by a more serious expression. "We're not exactly friends, Boy Scout, and I don't hate you. I kind of respect you. but if I let you go, they'd find out, and then they'd turn on me. And, I'm not going to let that happen."

Giving up on talking his way out, Ethan decided to try escaping from Apex. Just flying away. He was faster, he hoped. then a shot rang out and he saw Apex fall backward.

And now the continuation:

A splash of crimson blossomed across Apex's bronze fur, center mass. Ethan wasn't sure of the caliber, but he knew the shot would have killed a normal man instantly. There was no doubt that Apex had been hurt, but it wasn't close to fatal. Yet.

Ethan's reflexes were fast, faster than anyone on his team, but, he wasn't faster than a speeding bullet. So, he turned round slowly. He forced himself not to extend his claws barely, but he couldn't bring himself to raise them in surrender either. He was facing a man armed with what he thought was a .45, though he couldn't be one hundred percent sure. The good news was he wasn't in uniform, so he was some loner with no real authority. The bad news was that he was a loner with no real accountability.

"What are you doing? What do you want?" Ethan asked, stalling for time as much as wanting an answer.

"I'm going to be a hero," came the reply from the stocky man. Going to bag me a couple of mutant freaks."

"We're not mutants," Ethan almost added you idiot, but he didn't want to be shot at this close range. So a smart-ass remark wasn't the best of ideas. "We're mutant hunters just like you, but the government gave us powers."

"LIAR! You just don't want to be caught. Do you think I'm stupid.?"

Ethan, being Ethan couldn't restrain himself. "I think you're a moron and when you bring our bodies in, assuming we don't kill you before you get a chance, you're reward will be a long stretch in prison, if they give you a trial and don't just kill you outright."

The loner, whose name was Keith squeezed the trigger tightly. He knew he was being played with and didn't like it one bit. But, he didn't a small part of him believed it was at least a possibility that what he was being told was the truth.

In his peripheral vision, Ethan could see Apex getting to his feet. He wasn't sure whether he should be relieved or worried.


"LOOK AT ME!!!!" he shouted trying to draw Keith's attention to him. "I'll prove we are what I said we are. You have a mutant scanner."

"No, I know a mutant when I see one. You're lying to me," but his words held less conviction that before.

"I've got one," Gryphon said I'll toss it to you nice and easy. Just don't do anything dra..."

His words were cut off when Apex came crashing into Keith like Lawrance Taylor sacking a quarterback He managed to get a shot off, but it was wide.

Once he was on the ground Apex began beating him unmercifully.

"APEX STOP YOU'RE GOING TO KILL HIM."

"That's the idea, came the curt reply, "He tried to kill me. he deserves this."

"He's a dick, I'll grant that, but he doesn't deserve to die," Ethan urged as he drew closer

"But Apex wasn't listening, he was continuing to pound his fist into the man's face. As far a Ethan knew, he could already be dead. He sure as hell couldn't take much more of this.

"STOP!" he shouted but once more was ignored.

With no choice and in something of a panic his claws came out and he buried them in Apex's side releasing a neurotoxin that he knew could prove fatal.

Almost immediately Apex collapsed. "I underestimated you," he managed to say. "I guess you're not really a Boy Scout after all."

Ethan didn't wait around another instant. Apex had stopped breathing and he was sure he was dead or dying. At leas Keith was breathing.

Still, in something like a panic he flew up into the sky.

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