A New Mission, Part 3

Posted on Tue Jun 20th, 2023 @ 2:17am by Private Mattias Tonelly & First Lieutenant Bethany Harrison

Mission: The Mutant Underground
Location: Unknown
Timeline: Present Day

The Indian man thought for a few minutes before answering the curious young man. “That is a very complicated question to answer.” Dyami began his explanation, “First I have to say that, as you know, mutations are very rare to begin with. That limits the number of people who have them to a ridiculous degree. Experts think the number hovers around one in a hundred thousand. That is about eighty thousand on Earth at any given time.“ Dyami paused to allow that fact to sink in. “And of course no two people are identical, even twins have their differences. Secondly no one has just one power, which throws an entirely new factor into play. Given those odds it is extremely rare for two mutants to share exactly the same powers. Although it has happened.”

This little bit piqued his curiosity. "It has? With whom?" Mattias kept his eyes on Dyami as the countryside flashed by.

Dyami thought for a moment before replying. “You got me there, I have no idea. I was told quite a few years ago by a researcher that it had happened. So I just accepted it. Why do you ask?”

Mattias' brows furrowed slightly as he considered what Dyami just said. He had a feeling that the older man wasn't being totally honest, but he wasn't completely sure, so he kept it to himself. "I'd like to know as much about our kind as possible.

“You do know that we’re still human, right?” Bethany asked, the sparkling of her skin slowing, the level of light around them returning to normal. “I mean, yeah, we have powers and mutations and the like, so we’re a bit more advanced than most, but we’re still human. Well, most of us are anyway,” she finished, giving Dyami a pointed look.

Mattias chuckled softly. "I know that, Beth. I meant our kind as in mutants. Do we all fight the ones who choose evil and vice versa? Are there Mutants who don't fight? And if so, are they forced to do so, like being drafted?"

The young man had many more questions, but those were the first that jumped out of him.

The Indian man listened to both Beth and Mattias before responding, “First of all not all mutants can fight, and yes there are mutants who are forced, blackmailed, or brainwashed into fighting for the side of evil. That is what Hydra had in store for you.” Dyami quickly added. “If you survived the process.”

“The Underground is the largest employer of Mutants that we know of. I personally recruit 75 percent of the staff. People such as Beth and yourself.” Dyami smiled at Beth, “Although I have to give more attention to some..” Dyamis voice trailed off as he tried to keep from laughing.

“Yeah, yeah, Old Man. I’m nothing but trouble. That you keep insisting on keeping around for some reason,” she said, glancing over at the shaman. “Dyami knew I’d be a better fit in the Underground, even though I did try to get along at the academy. It’s not a bad place, just...I didn’t fit. And Miss Syn is pretty open about the fact that she spent some time as a bad guy. Under coercion, of course. Though, I’m pretty sure she’s capable of some pretty shady things,” Bethany continued, then shrugged, not really being able to judge, considering her choice of lifestyle. “Could be the eyes though, those are kind of weird.”

"How are they weird?" Mattias asked as more of his curiosity was piqued.

“You haven’t seen her? She’s the tiny little Asian lady that owns and runs the academy. She’s kind of the face of the place in the news and everything,” Bethany said, leaning her head back on the headrest. “Red eyes that look like they belong in a snake’s head, or a lizard’s head?”

Realization struck Mattias. "Oh! I remember her now! My parents had talked about going to see her, after I started to get stronger faster than the doctors swore was possible."

Hearing that actually made Beth’s shoulders slump slightly. “I wish they had taken you to her,” she said, knowing that Syn and her people would have died to protect Matty and his family had they been given half the chance.

Mattias turned his gaze to Bethany, his brows furrowed slightly. He suddenly thought that he had said, or did something wrong. He got real quiet and turned his eyes out to the passing countryside, not sure how to fix whatever it was that he had apparently done.

After a long moment of uncomfortable silence, Bethany sighed and said, “Look, kid. If they’d have just followed through on that thought, they’d probably still be alive and you’d probably be happily continuing your education and learning about your powers from them.” The young woman shuddered slightly, pausing to push the images of what had happened to his parents out of her mind, before continuing, “It would have been better for you than being thrown head first into a war that you didn’t even know was going on.”

Looking back over at Bethany, Mattias replied. As he did so, a single tear started to fall down his right cheek. "While I would give anything to have my parents back, my Mom always told me that everything happens for a reason. They couldn't have their own children, so they came looking for me. They made me who I am today…the young man who was at your side when you collapsed and almost died in your home."

“You’ll have to forgive me if I’m not overly grateful for that right now,” Bethany said, sighing heavily. “Why is it that people seem to think that I’m supposed to just brush off this whole waking nightmare that I’m dealing with right now and be grateful to be alive? What is it that I’m supposed to be grateful for again? The reality of existing with half a soul and the knowledge that I’m the whole reason he’s not even allowed to die? Look, I just wish that things had worked out better for you and your family. That you didn’t have to go through this same kind of waking nightmare. That’s all I was saying.” With that, the green-eyed brawler fell into a brooding silence.

Mattias suddenly felt more than just he had said or done something wrong…he felt as if he was unwanted. And for an orphan, one who grew up enough without parents, to know the difference…that was a painful feeling to bear.

He looked down at his hands, which were fidgeting and moving over one another nervously. He didn't say anything else.

Dyami allowed the young man to ponder everything that was said for a short time before adding anything to the conversation. “Mattias, I know that all of this has been a whirlwind of emotions, loss, and stress. You have been through more in the last few days than most people have to deal with over the span of years,” Dyami deftly maneuvered between a particularly dense patch of cars, all the while talking as if he was sitting across a table from the young man. “There are a few more things we have to do before we can allow you the time you need to process all that has happened.” Dyami smiled at the young man. "We will be here for you, we are not going anywhere.”

Looking back up at the older man, Mattias nodded slightly as he replied. "Thank you, Sir. I owe both of you so much. I promise never to make either of you doubt both saving my life, nor taking me into your family."

“You really don’t owe me anything,” Bethany said, her voice soft, almost lost in the winds that were battering at them as Dyami drove like a lunatic. “Just concentrate on your healing and your training.”

The teenager in the back seat simply nodded slightly in response. Though she told him those things, in his heart, he knew the truth. His parents were gone, the life he had before was stolen from him. Dyami and Bethany, whether they wanted to admit it or not, were his new family now. He would heal, he would train. Then, he would destroy any who tried to harm his new family.

Dyami smiled as the two seemed to be getting along with each other. “Once we are done at the Academy we will be headed to the ranch. That is in Oklahoma. We will be staying with my people, I am the Shaman and you will be living at my home while you train.” He said to Mattias as he finally slowed down merging onto an offramp that would bring them to the school. “Almost there,” he proclaimed.

"Yes, Sir." Mattias was still a little upset, but still remembered his manners.

Soon the trio were pulling onto the grounds of the Academy, high solid walls and security checkpoints framing beautifully manicured lawns with long stretches of tree-lined roads, leading to what seemed to be a beautiful, well kept, sprawling college campus.


FIN

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Dyami Bentley
"Talon"
Mutant Underground

Bethany Harrison
"Fractal"
Mutant Underground

Mattias Tonelly
(Newly Awakened)
Mutant Underground