Different

Chapter 6

"My name is Sebastian Shaw." He introduces himself and steps forward. "And I am not here to hurt you."

Bull.

Shit.

"Freeze!" A man steps into the courtyard with a gun pointed at them.

"Azazel." He glances at the red man, who reappears behind the last guard and slices his throat.

"My friends," He directs his attention back to us and hands his helmet to the man who had conjured the tornado. Shaw continues advancing towards us and speaks carefully and clearly. "There's a revolution coming, when mankind discovers who we are, what we can do."

I feel the heat of lightning creeping just underneath my fingernails as I recognise the real threat in front of us but I do my best to hold it back - this guy's dangerous, and attacking him in a closed space like this would not be a good idea.

"Each of us will face a choice - be enslaved," He looks at every one of us and meets my eyes for a moment.

I recognise him, and he recognises me too. He smirks and continues looking at the rest of the group.

"Or rise up to rule." He continues. "Choose freely but know that if you are not with us then by definition you are against us. So, you can stay, fight for the people who hate and fear you, or you can join me," He offers a small smile. "And live like kings," He glances at Hank and fixes his gaze on Angel for a few moments. "And queens."

Angel rests her hand on top of his open palm and he leads her towards the courtyard.

"Angel..." Raven starts.

"Are you kiddin' me?" Banshee objects.

She stops and looks at us with tears in her eyes. "Come on," She nods towards Shaw. "We don't belong here. And that's nothing to be ashamed of."

Darwin offers his hand but she turns and continues on with Shaw.

"We have to do something." Raven mutters.

Darwin turns and mutters something to Alex, who looks at him and shoves him angrily.

"Stop," Darwin speaks up and turns towards the group with Shaw. "I'm coming with you." Shaw smiles and steps forward to meet Darwin as he approaches him. "Good choice. So tell me about your mutation."

"Well I adapt to survive," Darwin says as our group moves towards the middle of the room. "So I guess I'm comin' with you."

"I like that." Shaw motions for him to stand with the group and Darwin moves next to Angel.

"Alex!" He yells.

"Get out!" Alex warns, and the rest of us duck behind the other couch as the red rings start up around him.

"Do it!!" Darwin turns and his back turns into shiny black scales as he covers Angel and the rings fly out to Shaw. Shaw spreads his arms and they all form into one ring trapped between his hands.

"Protecting your fellow mutants?" Shaw brings his hands together and the red light eventually disappears into his hands. Alex stops and stares at him in shock. "That's a noble gesture. Feels good." He smirks and turns to Darwin as he throws a punch at him. Shaw stops the punch with his forearm and Darwin stares at him incredulously. He grabs Darwin's jaw with his other hand so his mouth is forced open and leans in towards him. "Adapt to this."

The same energy that he'd absorbed comes to the tips of his fingers in a small red ball of light and he pushes it into Darwin's mouth. Darwin's mouth closes as the red light travels down his throat and chest. Shaw steps back and his group, Angel included, joins hands and disappears. Darwin stumbles as his body struggles to adapt. His body first shifts to a shining silver material as the light grows inside him, then to a hard black rock that cracks as though lava's underneath. The light disappears momentarily and Darwin looks towards Alex, who stares at him as he realises what's happening.

Darwin outstretches a hand and the rock peels away just enough to reveal his eyes as the light resurfaces through the cracks in his body and overtakes him in a blinding red-white light.