[i]The Night of the Incident
12: 30 A.M.
Warehouse District[/i]

"Why are we doing this again? There's a party right at the other warehouse." One of the new members of the gang said while looking out for any trouble.

Aaron sighed. He had been with the gang for a while now and had even risen in ranks. He was actually the one chosen to run this operation for the night. [color=6ecff6]"David wants this done. Once we break in here and get whatever's inside on the truck then you can worry about a party. Plus, it's the perfect cover."[/color]

The new blood sighed and looked around and muttered something under his breath. It probably had something to do with it being cold out there. Aaron knew it was cold and just wanted to get this thing over with. He knew parties tended to draw cops and with how loud that party was things might get hairy quickly. The guys working on breaking in finally got the door opened. They and Aaron went inside so they could start loading things onto the truck.

While they were about to head out for the first load they saw the newbie inside. [color=6ecff6]"What are you doing? You're supposed to be keeping watch!"[/color]

"Don't worry abo---."

He was cut off by a cop yelling "Freeze!" with his gun already out. Typical. The guy didn't even give them the chance.

Aaron covered his face with his item and yelled, [color=6ecff6]"SCATTER!!"[/color] They all, including Aaron, dropped what they were holding and started running around in a frenzy. Fortunately it was only one officer so he couldn't catch them all. Aaron wasn't even sure who ended up being captured, but he knew that he wasn't one of them. He bashed open a window and jumped out of it. He ran and didn't turn back. He knew going out into the open street would make it easier for him to be detained so he decided to do the sensible thing and joined the party.

He saw a few of the guys from his gang at the party, but he decided not to mingle with them and instead decided to enjoy himself. They may not have gotten the job done, but he wasn't arrested either. They could always try again another time when there isn't a huge beacon right next to him. The party was fun and one of the best ones that he went to. He found some kids who had happened to smuggle alcohol in and got some of their drinks. Soon the lights went off for a bit and then they came back on and the party resumed. He continued to drink and have a good time. He danced with some girls and made out with a few. After a while he noticed what he believed to be smoke around. He guessed that they just turned on a smoke machine or something and thought nothing of it.

After a while the party was officially shutdown and that's when things got really weird. People were doing things they shouldn't have been able to and others were turning into mutated freaks. He would have thought that it was the alcohol or something talking, but he wasn't the only one who had saw this and reacted. He even could've sworn that he saw some of the guys transforming as well. He got out of there as fast as he could still not sure about what was going on.


[i]A Few Days Later
Gas Station ATM
5:45 P.M.[/i]

The morning after the incident Aaron discovered that he had been granted with powers as well and told his gang. They decided to test these powers out for themselves by having him do some odd jobs. One of the jobs being breaking an ATM with his power so they could get the money out of it. Exploitation at its finest.

The clerk was keeping his eyes on them. They were suspicious characters after all. "Hurry up, Russell. This is supposed to be a fast and easy job for you."

[color=6ecff6]"It is,"[/color] he said with a sigh before charging the machine with electricity from the tips of his fingers. Suddenly the machine started to shake and it burst open in a miniature boom causing the money to fly everywhere. The clerk was quick to get his gun and Aaron knew what to do while the guys gathered up the cash. He thrust his arm at him sending an arc of electricity at him to knock him down. Fortunately for the gang the clerk hit his head and was knocked unconscious. [color=6ecff6]"Hurry up and let's get out of here."[/color]

They finished gathering up the money and started counting it as they walked. [color=6ecff6]"I haven't heard from some of the others since that night. What do you think happened to them?"[/color]

"Some got arrested escaping your failed job. Others were mutated into super freaks. David plans on finding them and busting them out and using you and them for some big scores." One of the guys said while still counting money.

[color=6ecff6]"Yeah... About that."[/color] Aaron started while looking down. [color=6ecff6]"I'm thinking about getting out."[/color]

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at Aaron. One of the tougher ones placed his cash in his left hand while lifting up his shirt to reveal a gun with his right. "You know there's only one way out. Do you re-ooof!"

Aaron slammed him against the fence with his arm pressed against his neck. The guy dropped his money on the ground and it started to scatter while being blown with the wind. [color=6ecff6]"You don't threaten me. I can handle you guys. Remember that. And I know you won't snitch to the police."[/color] He let him go spit on the ground next to his feet.

The guy was coughing and trying to catch his breath. "You think you're so tough now because you have powers? You could never kill one of us. You never killed anyone."

[color=6ecff6]"You want to test that theory of yours? I may not have killed anyone, but it doesn't mean that I can't and won't. I've put plenty of punks in the hospital and that was without my new powers."[/color] He started walking the opposite way of the others and remained cautious, but he knew that they weren't going to try anything. Not right now at least. They'd need David's new super goons. He wasn't sure if he could take all of them on alone. He'd just have to worry about that a different day.


[i]Today
Central City High School[/i]

Aaron had to watch his back ever since. He had made an entire gang of enemies. There was only enough that his confidence could do for him. What was he thinking by saying he could take on an entire gang by himself? He was smart, but stupid at the same time. He was opening his locker when he got a text message. He had no idea who it was from. The good morning messages usually stopped coming in by this time.

Before he could check it his locker was slammed shut from behind him. He turned around to see one of the guys from his gang. "So, I heard that you quit."

[color=6ecff6]"You heard right. Am I going to have to do the same thing to you as the last guy?"[/color] Aaron responded.

"No, of course not buddy. I'm cool with you, personally. But it's bigger than that. Just know that you're not getting away with leaving us." Before any fists could be thrown he simply walked away with a smile.

Aaron finally looked down to read the message.

[i]For our lives now, for everyone we know and love, its us versus them.

I don't know who exactly is the 'them' of that line, but we have something deeper here.

That explosion, the party itself, there's no coincidence here.  We were set up from the start to be exposed to whatever that stuff was.

They've been at it for some time now, slowly picking up some of the other people who were there that night.  Some willingly joining them, most probably not though.  

They're the others too, the ones who mutated their minds are gone, twisted into some kind of monster beyond all human form.  Or using their powers for greed, or just plain chaos.

I made sure you're the only person I want seeing this message, its encrypted, and will be completely wiped from existence as soon as I find out you read it.  They might think of you as a menace now, some kind of threat, but I know you have it in you to do something about all this, the right thing to do.   As for who I am?  Just call me Apollo for now.  Trust me, I might be the only 'friend' you have anymore.

As soon as I hear back from you, meet me at the janitor's closet in the west hall after school.  Once you're there, we can get this show on the road.[/i]

What was all of this about? And why did this guy want to meet him in the janitor's closet? Could this be some trap set up by the gang? No, they weren't smart enough to know what an encrypted message was. At least not all of them. They also didn't know how to wipe the message like this guy might. David probably had someone who could do it or maybe he could do it himself. He didn't know. He wasn't going to be a coward though. He'd meet this Apollo guy at the Janitor's closet as weird as that sounded.

~~~~~~

After school was over Aaron found his way to the West Hall Janitor's closet. He only saw one person outside of the closet and figured that this was this Apollo guy. He was the only one to receive the message after all. He didn't look dangerous, but looks could always be deceiving.

[color=6ecff6]"Uh... Apollo?"[/color]