The Mutant

Afterwards

"Enough is enough, let her out."

"She is out, she's in the hospice, you didn't think that I would let her go without a little beating did you?"

"You bastard." I spat eyes glowing.

"Watch yourself, X. She isn't safe as long as I'm in charge here, so watch your, and her, step."

I scowled at him, and barged out of the office. I went to the hospice room, and she was there, bruised, bleeding. I growled as I got closer, and Derek was there next to her. Draven had a hand on Derek's shoulder, calming him. She wasn't awake, she was knocked out.

"Who. Did. This." I managed to get out of my clenched jaw.

"He didn't know, his father made him." Derek said standing from the chair.

"Jordan. The lucky bastard, now he'll finally get to face me like he wants too."

"Adrianna." Derek said sternly.

I stopped in my tracks, turning back to him. He looked at me, then motioned to the chair. I sat down, my back straight. He put a hand on my thigh, Draven growled softly.

"Get over yourself brother."

"Derek what is it?"

"We found something in the lab, something that should've died in the fire, but he didn't."

"He?"

"The test tubes weren't trial mutations, they were DNA. Meaning that they were living things."

"Okay? So?"

"The DNA from the tube managed to survive, and your good old friend made it to the DNA before he could die."

"Stephen." I gasped standing, "Are you saying that Stephen injected himself with a mutation, and lived?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying, but Stephen doesn't remember who he is, what he did, or why he's locked up in our cell on the lower levels."

"He's here!?" I yelled at Derek.

"Yes, he's here, and he's getting stronger, we need him to be on our side before he remembers who he really is."

"And you need me to...?"

"Convince him to be with us." Draven said getting to the point.

I looked at Claire, then at the brothers. Stephen, as strong as 1,000 men without the mutation, now with it... he could be unstoppable. I walked past them, and out the door. Draven followed me, and took me down to the cage. I looked at him, the man who tried to kill me. I scowled, watching him pace in the cage.

Draven walked forward, and I followed. As we approached the cage, he looked at us. His eyes glowed green, his body was bigger, more muscular. I looked him up and down, and then looked down at myself. I felt weak beneath his glare. He walked to the cage door, and I went in front of Draven.

"Go back, and call for help if he tries anything."

"Understood." Draven said walking back.

Stephen looked at him walking away, and then back to me. I sighed opening the cage door, and walking in, locking it behind me. Stephen's skin was no longer white, it was black. He looked to be covered in tar, but it was his skin. His eyes were emerald green, and they glowed softly. I showed him I meant no harm, my eyes glowed along with his.

"You are like me?" he asked.

"Not exactly, but yes I am a mutant."

"This isn't just any mutation, you are the legendary Phoenix."

"What is your ability Stephen?"

"How do you know my name?

"We are good friends."

"Are we?" he asked confused, "I can't remember anything."

"That's alright, we can help you with that. You weren't a good person before, but we're here to help you."

"Do I need help?"

"They think so. But I believe that you're just fine, just stay in line."

"Stay in line." He repeated softly.

"Yes, stay in line. Now what is your ability?"

He showed me his hand, his nails like mine, long talons. I smiled at him and he smirked. Then his hand lit up, black flames showing in his palms.

"So, poison talons, and flames? Black ones at that."

"What does the black within the flames mean?"

"Shoot one at the cage's door."

He shot it at the door, causing a hole to be in the middle. But as we looked away, it began to burn the rest of the cage as well. He grabbed me, and jumped out of the cage. It burned away, nothing left of it. I laughed with pleasure, and he chuckled.

"So you're power is basically total destruction."

"Wow, that's a lot to handle." he looked worried.

"Don't worry," I began, "I'm here to train you, to help you control it."

"Right." He said.

I stood, pulling him up. Draven looked at him with the darkest glare I've ever seen. I smiled and walked with Stephen to the elevator. I kissed Draven softly pulling him into the elevator with us. He looked at Stephen once, and nodded to him.

"Training begins tomorrow, are you ready?" Draven said to Stephen.

"I'd like to think so." He said laughing.

"See, that's what I said. But then I ended up in the hospital at least three times a week."

Stephen's face dropped and he looked at me concerned. I laughed softly as the doors to the main level opened up. People looked at Stephen with confusion, and he smiled softly. He liked the attention like I did when I first started.

"This is gonna be fun."