A Price To Be Paid (John Proudstar)

Freedom Doesn't Come Cheap

"We're okay, we're okay, we're okay..." I murmured to myself as Sentinel Services began loading us on to the transport bus.

Trask Industries was a black hole, and I'd been left there to rot. I didn't know how long I'd been locked away. Years could have passed. There was no way of knowing. It had been like my own personal Hell, and it felt as if I was never going to get out. Dr. Campbell knew how to discover our greatest fears, and used them to destroy us. So, being out of his grasp, no matter how fleeting the moment might be, I was going to enjoy it.

Ignoring the terror and confusion flowing through the other mutants, I stared out the back window, watching the stars above. They looked incredible, even through the barred windows. They glittered against the black fabric of space. It was like I was seeing them for the first time, and they left me in awe.

As we finally drove away from the building, I let out a sigh of relief. We were finally free. I turned from the night sky to watch my fellow inmates. It was happening, we were actually getting away from those monsters. Campbell had lost, and he couldn't hurt us anymore.

It was a surprise that a squad of Sentinel Services agents played the role of saviour, but I welcomed it. What happened to us in Trask was unbearable. So, even the tyrants that had once handed us over were better, because they couldn't hide behind the geize of doctor-do-good.

When we reached the front gate, the bus stopped, making everyone jerk forward in their seats. We waited in terror for what might come. Looking from face to face, I started getting panicked myself. These were the bosses of the bosses, and they couldn't get a simple transfer done right? I couldn't go back, I couldn't be a lab rat again!

Losing a handle on myself, I involuntarily opened my mind to the rest of the prisoners on the bus, feeling a slight tingle from my collar. I could sense they were losing control of themselves. Their fear was almost palatable. That was not helping things...

Though it stung, I used my abilities to calm the hysteria building around me. I winced, trying to reach everyone on the bus. When I was sure I could handle the pain no longer, something strange happened.

Without warning, my collar switched off, and the searing pain stopped immediately. I glanced around the bus, confused. I locked eyes with a woman with incredibly green eyes, who gave me a shaky smile, which I attempted to reciprocate. Suddenly, an officer opened fire on the other guards in the bus.

"Stop, what are you doing?!" Yelled the green eyed woman, as the others looked on in horror.

I sensed the pain the man was in. He was trying with all his might to stop himself from hurting them, but he was being controlled. Through my link I could sense how angry the woman, well, women, on the other side were as they controlled his actions. The same went for almost every guard outside. They were all being controlled by these women.

Suddenly the guard looked at me. A moment passed between us as he stared at me, terrified, then he whimpered and shot himself. Everyone began to scream and cringe away from him. I just gasped and closed my eyes as the blood settled and the link was severed. This could not be happening right now.

"Okay guys, we need to get the collars off, help me find the key."

I opened my eyes and looked at Green Eyes, who was moving towards the guards, searching pockets. I stood, feeling a little unsteady, and gave everyone a bit of courage. We started searching bodies, and found the keys quickly. Everyone sighed as they yanked their collars off and climbed off of the bus.

As we unloaded, a guard tossed a grenade in his car and climbed in. The car exploded before our eyes, forcing us back a few feet. As we recovered, two of the women standing in front of me started towards a blonde chick. They lined up, and faced us. They were identical triplets.