[b][u]Jerusalem, Israel, Years Previously[/u][/b]

The sparring session was hardly unusual, father and son often practiced together, self defence was increasingly important and so the ex-military man had taken it upon himself to teach his progeny krav maga, the fighting style of the Israeli special forces. Their gym was sparse, a warm large room with mats across the floor and despite the strain and pain, a happy place for Alex. The fact they were sparring was not, as stated, unusual, but things would make a turn for that when mid session, his father stopped to speak.

"Do you know the vows I said to your Mother? The one I take most seriously?"

"No, Father, not the specifics I..."

"I swore, among other things, when we were wed, to protect her and her family from anything, to bear that responsibility. It's something that weighs heavily on my shoulders of late." Despite, obviously being included within the parameters of such an oath, Alex felt the beginnings of a sinking feeling in his stomach as his father's eyes settled on his own, deadly serious. "That includes protecting her from my own son. That you are the same child I have raised and loved is not in question, but these new...abilities of yours, we will work to control them, you understand?" There was a pain to his Father's voice, and not that of personal pain, he was feeling for his son, that did not wish to be dangerous, but had it thrust upon him. In that moment, Alex didn't think he could love someone anymore, even if he left the unmentioned threat of what would happen should Alex fail.

"Yes Father. I won't disappoint you. I promise."

[b][u]New Mexico, Present Day[/u][/b]

He had failed him, that's why he had run. He was a danger to everyone, including his family. One day he had disappeared, leaving a note only to assure them he had not been kidnapped or simply died. Alex had hoped they would eventually be happy, but knew that they would at least be alive. That was, until he had heard the news that had ripped his heart out and rendered his soul a dark pit. They were dead, and he hadn't been there to protect them, the thugs looking for him. The world had a cruel way of playing games.

"Hey Freak."

The voice came from the ground, Alex had begun wandering around the crash site, on the look out for further threats, he had assumed the charred human was dead, but apparently he still had some air left in him. Alex turned to him, a smirk on his face that was gone with the next words the came out of the crippled man's mouth.

"I fucked your mum."

"What?" He managed, barely more than an outward breath.

"We cam to your house. First we killed your dad, then we fucked your mum. Then we killed her."

It was all Alex could do to not collapse as his mind reeled. The first thought was to his family, of torture and death. But then the cold truth hit him, this attack was his fault, these monsters were here looking for him, tracking a mutant back to its nest, and they'd found the jackpot. If any of his friends and fellows had died, that would be on him, even more than the death of his parents. He fell to one knee, to the grasping cackles of the man before him, who, unknown to Alex, was desperately reaching for a discarded side arm. Alex didn't notice, but it wouldn't matter. As he surfaced from the guilt of what he had caused, the hottest rage the young man had ever experienced coursed through him, if the storm of earlier had been intense, this was an inferno, winds speeds began to rip across the land, a few small trees nearby were torn from their purchased. Less naturally, the lightning coursing through the cloud began to meet at a point directly over Alex, before coursing down to him, the vast energy flowing into him with seeming ease. When he opened his eyes, shut against the tears that were forcing their way though, as the storm beat against the surrounding landscape, nothing but light greeted the squirming figure on the ground, now not even trying to hide his lunges for the gun. Alex touched the man, and suddenly the lightning was give free passage and voice. The thunder clap roared across the landscape, and the man turned to dust.

Tilting his head to a still roaring sky, Alex fell to his knees and screamed.