Avants (Book 1#,Avants)

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven
      The team followed behind Don Howard,to the General's tent."Wait out her,this won't take long,"Richard said to them,"and try not to cause any trouble."
       "Why,because we're mutants?"asked Sarah.
       "Because they'll be looking for it."said Richard,hinting at the soldiers around them.
       "Don't worry Doc,we'll behave."said Jack.
      The General came out of his tent and approached,the group."Richard Langford,never thought I see your sorry face again."said the General.
       "I could say the same about you,Lieutenant."said Richard.
       "It's General now,been promoted a lot since the last time we met."said the General.
       "How are you,James?"asked Richard.
       "I've been doing fine.When Amelia told me,you were coming I didn't want believe,but here were are."said the General.
       "Here we are."said Richard.
       "I see you didn't come alone,she told me you had a new team."said the General.
       "Yes I do,this Lightwave,Edge,Armstrong,Screamer and Quick."said Richard,introducing Sara,Jack,Caleb,Marley and Johnny respectively.
       "I never really understood,why you superhumans,are so obsessed with nicknames.Just like the old days eh.Come on Richard,we have much to discuss,battle strategies,tactics,positions and to catch up of course."said the General.
      The General,Richard and Don Howard left and went into the tent.A soldier bumped into Sarah,"Stay out of the way,freak."and went on his way.Sarah created a long blade,made out of solidified light,and wanted to strike the soldier on the back,but Jack caught her hand.
       "Let go of me."said Sarah.
       "Remember what Doc said.We should stay out of trouble.Don't give them a reason to think we're the bad guys here,trust me that's what they want."said Jack.
       "Fine."said Sarah,as the blade disappeared in her hand.She and Jack stared at each other for a while,until Johnny spoke,"Umm,Jack you can let go of my sister now."
       "Yeah,you can let go now."said Sarah.
      Jack lets go of Sarah's hand,and she continued to face the tent side.
       "So,now what?"asked Caleb.
       "We wait."said Jack.
      ***
      Avis flapping his wings in the air,lands on top of a building,he approaches Affliction,Oculus,Zero degree and Behemoth."What news do you bring,Avis?"asked Affliction.
       "Our army is advancing though the humans are fighting back."said Avis.
       "Then we're winning."said Oculus.
       "Yeah,the competition ain't much of a competition against our kind of fire power."said Avis.
       "It's cool that we're winning and all,but  I was hoping we be in the battlefield as well.I'm hitching to kill a bunch of normals,all of them actually."said Zero degree.
       "Tell me,why he's in the inner circle again?"asked Avis.
      Affliction ignored Avis question,and went towards Cyrus,standing on the edge of the building,"He's here isn't he?"
       "You feel him to,how?"asked Affliction.
       "I've had him in my head a lot of times,I how it feels like,when he tries to get into your head."said Cyrus.
       "But..."said Affliction.
       "You're blocking him,aren't you,why?"asked Cyrus.
       "Because,we need you.To lead us to victory,we can't have someone else exploiting every opportunity,he gets in thwarting.We need you,Cyrus.I need you."said Affliction.
      Cyrus turned away from Affliction,he looked at the city before him,as his superhuman army advanced on it,destroying everything and killing any human on their path,"There was once a time but those were the days I once believed,what he believed."
       "He made you believe,he twisted your mind.With his kind of power,one can only imagine what he could do."said Affliction.
       "Richard,wasn't like that.He never used his powers to force people,to do things,they didn't want to do,"said Cyrus,"I never really wanted to kill him,back in his mansion."
       "Then why did you?"asked Affliction.
       "Cause it had to be done.Richard would have gotten in the way."
       "He already stands in our way,along with five others."said Affliction.
       "That's Richard for you,always dragging others into his crusade."said Cyrus.
       "Messiah complex,that's what I sense in him.He thinks he's the one,that can bring unity between us and them."
       "And like a messiah,he refused death in the grave,he rose again.More willing than ever before.I admire him for that,his unwavering hope but it was wasted in the wrong direction,he doesn't realize it,his way isn't working,this is the only way."said Cyrus.
       "Your way is best,my lord."said Affliction.
       "You don't have to cool me,my lord all the time.Caeli."said Cyrus.
       "No one has ever called me that name in a long time."said Affliction,stepping closer to him.
       "And you keep calling me,lord."said Cyrus.
        "Because you are to me,a lord and so much more."said Affliction,drawing herself towards him,until they were an inch apart.
       "More,do tell?"asked Cyrus.
       "I can show you."said Affliction,she pressed her lips against his.Cyrus hesitated for a minute,but later gave in as he embraced her.
       "Didn't see that coming."said Zero degree.
       "Yeah,me neither."said Avis.
      They withdrew from their kiss and gazed into each other's eyes."We have to the something about those mutants,Langford brought with him."said Affliction.
       "I didn't expect you to worry just about five mutants."said Cyrus.
       "I was thought,not to leave any sides unchecked."said Affliction.
       "Then I guess Zero degree get his wish.Oculus,Zero degree,take some mutants with you.Go over to the military camp,you'll see five mutants there.Destroy them,with everything else."said Cyrus.
      Oculus leaves,followed by Zero degree."I think Oculus is in pain."said Cyrus.
       "I could care less for what he feels."said Affliction.
       "He's in love with you,you knew that didn't you?"asked Cyrus.
       "I knew."she said.
       "Let me guess,he wasn't your type?"he asked.
       "He wasn't good enough for me,"she said,then kissed him again again on the lips,"you're the one one,who's good enough for me."
       "Hate to interrupt,but Zero degree isn't the only one,hitching for a fight."said Behemoth.
       "Sure why not,we should all go and join in the fight."said Cyrus.
       "You all should go,I'll stay behind."said Affliction.
       "Why?"Cyrus asked.
       "Richard will try to get into your mind,I need to stay behind to make sure he doesn't.I can't do that while fighting out there."said Affliction.
       "Very well,will you stay out here?"asked Cyrus.
       "No,it's too open.I'll stay in a secluded place,I'll also need some defense as well,just in case."said Affliction.
       "Fine,"Cyrus said to her,then to Avis,"Avis get some superhumans,for Affliction's protection."
       "You got it."said Avis,he flapped his wings and flew away.

***
      At the the general's tent,the General,Richard and other high ranking military officers were discussing war plans,until a soldier came in,"Mutants are attacking the camp."
       "Richard."the general turned to him.
       "He's not talking about the ones with me."said Richard.
      They all left the tent.Jack,Sarah,Johnny,Caleb and Marley were fighting other mutants attacking the camp.Caleb was struggling against a bull like man,he held his horns as the bull man,pushed against him.Oculus fired laser beam at Sarah,blocking it with a constructed wall made out of light.
       "What in hell is going on?"asked the General,as he saw Richard's mutants fighting against other mutants.
       "Cyrus war is what is going on,Wilson."said Richard.
      Jack's screaming can be heard,as he tossed about in a circle in the air by a wind controlling mutant,she throws him down on the ground,where he lands in front of Richard's feet."Are you okay,Edge?"asked Richard."Never been better."said Jack.The wind power mutant,motioned herself towards Richard and the others,but was knocked out of the air by sonic sound waves that hit her."Nice job,Screamer,"Richard commended her,then he saw the bull man,charging with Caleb in his grasp,towards Screamer's position,"Screamer watch out."
      Marley saw the charging bull man,with Caleb in his grasp.She couldn't move out of the way,the shock of a seeing a monstrous bull man charging at her,had paralyzed her.The bull man would have charged straight through her,if not for a fast moving blur,taking her out of the way.The blur stops,"Are you okay?"asked Johnny.
       "I'm fine thanks.You saved me."said Marley.
       "We're teammates now,we gotta look out for each other.That's how a team work."said Johnny.
       "I've never been part of a team before.Wouldn't know how a team works,mostly being alone most of my life."said Marley.
       "You're not alone now.It's time you stop acting like you are.We're in this together.Now come on,we've got bad guys to round up."said Johnny,then left in a blur.
      The bull came charging towards Richard,the general and the others.They drew up their guns,started shooting at the charging bull with Caleb on top of him.Richard using telekinesis forces the gun out of their hands."What do you think you're doing,Richard?"asked the General.
       "That's one of my men,you're firing at."said Richard.
       "What the hell do you expect us to do? There's a freakish bull,charging at us."said the General.
       "Leave it to me."said Richard.
      The bull was meters away from them,before Richard lifted him up,took Caleb off him and tossed him to the other side."I had that under control."said Caleb,floating above the ground,behind Richard.
       "I didn't notice,was it before or after he had you in his grasp and charging blindly in a straight direction?"asked Richard.
       "I got this,don't worry."said Caleb,assuringly.
       "Well here's your chance to prove it,"said Richard,as he saw the bull man raising on his feet,"have you ever heard of the word,human cannonball before?"
       "No,but I like how it sounds."said Caleb.
      Richard lunched him,at the bull.Caleb in mid flight,grabs the horn of the bull,as he stood up.Lifted him up and smacked him on the ground.Caleb starts punching him on the face.
      Sarah and Oculus engage in a battle,she fires light beams at him,but he dodges it and hides behind a military vehicle.He rose up and fires a laser beam at her,she dodges the beam by shifting aside an inch.She returns her own blast as well at him,he ducks to avoid the blast.He stood up to return fire,but was dragged from behind and smacked on the vehicle.
       "I don't think so,bud."said Jack,he lifted him up and threw him over the vehicle,towards Sarah's side.
      Sarah took this as an opportunity to strike as Oculus was down on the ground.She ran at him,as he began to rise,she kicked him in the face.She made another swing with a kick to his face,but moved out of the way and stood up.His goggles lit up,preparing to blast his assailant,but Sarah smashed her fist on his goggles,shattering it.He took a few steps back,took off his shattered goggles and threw it away.He turned to face his opponent,only to meet a flashing bright light,that made him close his eyelids and moved backwards.Once his eyesight was clear,he was greeted by a fist,then another one came his way,but he blocked it.He punched Sara in the face,then an uppercut,he grabbed her by the hand,punched her in the face and tossed her at his back.Sarah rolling on the floor,quickly gets on her feet and created twin blades.Oculus fired a laser beam at her,Sarah quickly joins her two blades together to form a shield.The blast hit the shield,though it didn't break it,the force behind it sent her flying.