(The next day around 10 a.m., tanks approach Tucson. They stop a couple dozen miles from the city. Hoffman rises from one. He appears to be in his 50's, buzzed gray hair, stern look in his eyes which had pitch black irises. He is caucasian in skin tone and well built for his age.)
Hoffman: Give me a count.
Private: 10 tanks, 300 men, 20 aircraft, and 15 missiles.
Hoffman: It's a beautiful day today.
-----------------------------
(Trey, Raine, Alma, and Micheal are at the rec. center. It is noonish.)
Avacyn: Oh? Raine is...still around?
Raine: I sure am, Avacyn.
(The two stare each other down.)
Micheal: I told you, Trey.
(Trey quickly put his finger over Micheal's mouth.)
Trey: SSSSSSHHHHHHHhhhhhhhh, *whispers* child.
Avacyn: Anyway, here you go Trey, a milkshake on me. Made special for you.
Trey: Thanks Ava-.
(Raine pushes Trey's head back from the drink.)
Raine: Hush.
(She checks the milkshake.)
Raine: It's thin and chunky. Take it back.
Trey: Chill, it's fi-.
Raine: Did you make this yourself, Avacyn?
Avacyn: You've got some nerve questioning me.
Raine: Some? No, I have one nerve. You're actually on my last one.
Avacyn: Who-!?
(The entire building shakes. Seconds later, a loud boom is heard and the wall they sat next to caves in. Several kids die under the pile of rubble. Avacyn puts up a barrier of light shaped as a rhombus and protects them.)
Trey: Nice reflexes Avacyn. Were some of us playing too much or something?
Avacyn: (Crap, that wasn't- but I like them. Ugh.) I don't know. Maybe check?
(Trey peers through the hole and sees the barrel of a tank 5 feet from him.)
Trey: ....Oh.
(Before the tank fires, the barrel. bends upward and the tank then crumples. Trey looks over at Micheal whose birthmark now appears as three different sized cogs that are moving.)
Micheal: "Oh"? That's your reaction for almost getting blown away by a tank?
(Suddenly, loud screams and sounds of terror flood their ears. They all step outside to see soldiers along with regular human citizens hunting and killing people with powers. One person of power with incredible speed is stopped cold by mach bullets.)
Micheal: That was a speedster! They can move up to mach 30, and he was still gunned down!
Trey: What!?
Raine: That's military grade mach weapons for you.
Avacyn: Then what do we do??
Raine: Alma, run. They won't hurt you because you're human.
Alma: You don't know that.
Raine: This isn't the time to argue!
Alma: I'm not! And I'm not gonna leave you anyway so suck it up!
Trey: G-Guys, look!
(They watch in horror as every person of power is mercilessly killed. One is grabbed by the military and stabbed to death by normal humans. Another is captured and bludgeoned to death. Among the sounds are bones cracking, flesh splitting, interrupted screams, slurs, cursing, menacing laughter and sounds of joy from regular humans.)
Avacyn: This...this is horrible. I never thought-.
Trey: Watch out!!
(Another tank shell is fired at the rec. center. The blast separates them. In a panic, they each ran in different directions. Raine grabs Alma and books it in a direction without so much as looking where. Trey ducks and weaves through crowds of danger. As he runs, he sees people of power being slaughtered in unnecessary ways. He sees beheadings, burnings, impalements, and heads popping. Another is shot in the head just before him. Their brain matter and blood splatter onto his face and clothes.)
Trey: W-What the-! *Gags*
(He finally reaches his home. He calls out for his parents and finds them sitting in the kitchen.)
Trey: Mom, Dad, are you seeing what's happening outside!? It's a madhouse!
Mom: You shouldn't have come back.
Trey: What did you say?
(His dad pulls out a revolver.)
Dad: There's been a law passed, Trey. It's called the Xeno act. It's a law proposed by our governor. It...allows humans to kill people like you, with absolutely no consequence by the law or government.
(He aims the gun at Trey. His mother begins to cry.)
Trey: Did you just betray me? YOUR OWN SON??
Dad: Government officials like myself...are mandated to kill any family member with power.
Trey: So you admit it!!
Mom: It's not what you think! You're the only one!
Trey: What are you talking about!?
Dad: Those who do not comply, have their entire family wiped off this Earth.
Trey: No way...
Dad: We have a big family. All who are accepting of you. Who none ever treated you differently. Is that fair to let them die for you?
Trey: But!...Is it fair that I have to die? I love my family...but I guess you're right. Better me than them.
Dad: Y-Yes.
(His dad cocks the gun.)
Mom: No, wait!
Dad: We have to.
Mom: This isn't right either way!
Dad: I know that! I don't take any pleasure from this!
Mom: Trey, you can move at mach 2, just run!
Dad: No. This is a military grade revolver. It shoots at mach 40. And I know how to use it.
Trey: Just...get it over with.
Dad: You're just gonna...?
Trey: Gonna what?
Dad: (This isn't like you. Bolas, have you changed? Or is this situation even too much for Trey?). *Sigh* I'm sorry that this happened, Trey.
Trey: *Melancholic* Whatever.
(His dad takes aim, and shoots.)
-------------------------------
(Raine and Alma run through the streets until they come across their mother, who is wielding a 9 mm adjusted for mach speeds.)
Alma: Oh no!
Mother: Let my baby go, you monster!
(She aims at Raine.)
Raine: Ok....ok.
(Raine pushes Alma to their mother.)
Alma: Hey! Stop it! I don't-!
Raine: Just go! Now!
Mother: You've plagued this family long enough with your filthy blood!
(She shoots Raine in the leg. Raine falls to the ground in agonizing pain. Her mother walks up to her.)
Mother: And now I'm going to make you suffer for that.
To Be Continued…
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Collaborator Arc 1: Fade To Begin
Fantasy10% of Earth's population are infected with mysterious parasites that grant them power. In a dream like state, they manifest as mythical creatures of old. Join Tremaine and his friends as they go through their journey as one of the 10% and deal with...
