Revolution #9

Man in Black

Harold (Harry) Bloomenfeld, canine feral, was a proud man. One of the first new mutants to be put in the Underground, he received a new identity arranged by the Man himself. That was one of the highlights of his life, a life he owed entirely to an organization that, in return, only asked for a tour of duty according to the person's talents. If not for them, he would certainly be stored in a box, with a "nail" firmly implanted in the back of his neck. If one tour of duty was requested in exchange for a normal life, he would give it gladly, and today, it was his turn to do his part in what his beautiful wife Melissa called, jokingly, the "beast brigade". And the name had stuck with his pals from his Underground security detail.

The Underground... Since Ally Turner's murder, the organization had been in an uproar. Rumors abounded, security measures were amped to the highest level, the teams were in red alert. Harry dealt mostly with Vince Meisel and, sometimes, with Brennan Mulwray, head of security. He had asked about the new procedures, but they hadn't really been forthcoming and Harry didn't insist, but he could tell they were dealing with something big. And dangerous.

Recently, Harry had seen the Man a couple of times, while supervising the design of the new clinic he was watching over tonight. Harry had never dared to approach the Man, mind you, but watched from a distance while he instructed the terraformers and telekinetics working on the site. Now, the place was ready, the furniture, the machines, everything a proper hospital needed to operate was being delivered, and they were hiring the staff. His wife, Melissa, a registered nurse, had applied for a job. She wanted to work with new mutants and their families, something only natural, since they were thinking about a new addition to the family soon.

"It's 10 pm, security guard on duty front door," he reported on his radio. "Nothing here." And he signaled "all right" to his partner, Raisha Connors, a reptilian feral he knew was watching from the other side of the street, but could not see, since her chameleon powers blended her with her surroundings, making her virtually invisible.

The silver BMW came around the corner and stopped facing the clinics front door. Harry watched its approach and signaled Raisha to stay alert. He saw as she detached herself from the building's wall and came closer to the car. "Stranger alert! Car stopped front door, silver beemer," Harry immediately reported on the radio, and he saw two other ferals step out of the clinic and glare at the intruding car.

The beemer's door opened and Harry's eyes bulged. He breathed in deep and held it. It was The Man! Wow! With a gesture, he stopped the other from approaching the car and the driver. "Step back, it is Dr. Adam Kane!"

Respectfully, Harry approached the visitor. "Need any help, doctor?" He had to force himself to speak, so in awe he was of the Man, who actually smiled at him!

"Yes, thank you," the Man answered pleasantly. "I have two suitcases with fragile equipment to the clinic, drugs and medicine. If you help me get them in, I can have them properly stored and classified." And the Man opened the beemer's trunk.

Harry easily lifted the suitcases and followed the Man, two steps behind him. The feline feral by the door opened the way to the Underground's creator and they entered the clinic.

"Lets take the suitcases to the Pharmacology lab," instructed the Man.

"Do you need any assistance with the storage, doctor?" Harry asked, hoping the Man would say yes.

"No, thanks, I can manage." And he flashed his warm smile to Harry. "And warn the security guards that I'll check the whole premises. I'll be walking around a lot, and I'll be in the most unusual places."

"Yes, sir." Harry almost saluted. "I'll go back to my station, then."

Three hours later, Harry Bloomenfeld, canine feral on tour of duty for the Underground, saw the Man In Black, Adam Kane, creator of MX and the Underground, the mutant protection network, leave the hospital's building carrying two now evidently empty suitcases, wave him a good-bye and board his silver BMW. Harry waved back, sighed, proud of the small measure of help he was able to provide, and followed the car as it left. Harry watched as the car distanced itself from the building and, in the distance, he thought he saw a strange light glow inside the vehicle. 'It's just a trick of light, nothing more.'

Inside the car, the image of the Man In Black coalesced into the real features of the blonde man with spiky hair. Aidaan Malone, shapeshifter and New Order operative, looked back at the imbeciles guarding the hospital door, and grinned, cold and cruel.

Mission accomplished.