DEADLY NEW WORLD

Part III: The Sound of Thunder

By Dino Pollard

Phoenix, Arizona

{{ Down in the fourth!! The Paradise Valley Trojans need one more touchdown to take down the Pima Roughriders!! And it looks like the Trojans are about to send in senior John Proudstar, Paradise Valley’s star player. Freshman year, he was promoted from the freshman team onto varsity due to his amazing ability. Basically, Proudstar’s a pretty big guy, and fast to boot. Anyone who goes up against this thunderbird ends up eating his dust. }}

John ran onto the football field, pulling on his helmet as he did. A member of the Roughriders noticed the tattoo on his right arm of a red bird.

“Nice artwork, pal,” he said. “What’s it mean?”

John simply grinned.

“It means I’m gonna kick your ass from here to Tuscon.”

The Roughrider’s grin turned into a frown.

“You’re dead, buffalo, y’ hear me?”

“Promises, promises…” John replied, then looked down at his fellow teammate, ready to snap him the ball. “HIKE!!”

His teammate snapped the ball into his hands, and John backed up, looking for an opening. The Roughrider who he was talking to before began to charge him.

“They never learn…” John muttered. He tucked the ball under his arm and ran right into his opponent, knocking the kid over on his back. John continued to run down the field at fast speeds, slamming past anyone who got in his way. The goal was there, and this was why the coach had kept him out until he was really needed. He looked behind him to see the Roughriders trying to gain on him, but with no luck. The clock was cycling down, and he picked up speed. Once he entered the zone, he stopped and slammed the ball down.

{{ TOUCHDOWN FOR PARADISE VALLEY, AND THE TROJANS TAKE THE GAME!! }}

John pulled off his helmet as his teammates ran up to him, hefting him up. He noticed the Roughrider he had insulted with his helmet off, glaring at him.

Later.

John laced up his shoes when a kid around 15 walked into the locker room.

“Knock knock,” he stated.

“Hey Jimmy,” John said, standing up to greet his younger brother.

“Congrats on the win, dude,” James Proudster stated.

“Thanks kid,” John replied. “So, where’re mom an’ dad?”

“They already went home, I told ’em I’d go home with you.”

“Damn kid…” John muttered. “You’re gonna cramp my style…”

“That’s what I’m here for.”

John fished around his pocket and pulled out his keys as the two Proudstars walked to a black, Ford Explorer.

“Well, well, well… if it ain’t the thunderbird.”

John stopped and turned around to see five of the Roughriders standing there.

“That’s what they called you, isn’t it?” one of them asked. He was the same one that John insulted.

John handed the keys to his brother.

“Jimmy, go wait in the car.”

“What’s going on?” Jim asked.

“Just go wait in the car, Jim,” John replied. Jim looked up at him. John NEVER called him Jim, that meant something was up. He took the keys and ran to the car.

“Smart move, thunderbird. Don’t worry, we won’t hurt the kid.”

“You don’t wanna do this, pal.”

“An’ why’s that?” the Roughrider asked. “Oh wait, that’s right. Because you’re gonna kick my ass from here to Tuscon, right? Well, you better get started, because my grandparents live there, and I was hoping to drop by tonight.”

“Hope they’ve got a first aid kit handy,” John replied.

“No man can run that fast and hit that hard,” the Roughrider stated. “You’re one of them, aren’t you? You’re one of those genejokes–one of those goddamn freaks. People like you shouldn’t be allowed to live in the same place as decent human beings. You should be kept in a lab and studied. Or be put in a zoo.”

“You ruined our undefeated season, asshole. And if you weren’t some freak of nature, we’d still be at the top. So, we’re gonna take you out.”

“All right, boys…” John muttered. “If you want it t’ go down that way, I’m game.”

John launched the opening salvo by accelerating, his elbow striking one of the Roughriders’ faces. His foot slammed into another’s chest, causing ribs to break.

“What the fuck…?!”

“Kill him!! Rip his goddamn mutie head off!!”

John silenced those two by slamming their heads together. He turned to face the leader of the group. The same Roughrider whom he faced up against during the game. He cracked his knuckles and advanced on him.

“You still wanna wrangle?”

“Dude, you are fucking nuts!!”

John accelerated once more, grabbing him the hair and twisting him so they were face to face.

“Damn straight!!”

He slammed the guy down on the pavement. When the teenager got up, John slammed him back down. He did this a second time. But after John slammed him down once more, he didn’t get back up.

Sirens were in the distance. Cops surrounded the area.

“FREEZE!!”

John lifted his arms up.

“What the hell happened here?” the cop asked.

“These pricks attacked me,” John replied. “I was able to defend myself. My kid brother saw the whole thing.”

John pointed to the Explorer, which was now empty. Jim came running up to him.

“Hey Smith,” the cop’s partner stated.

“What is it, Michaels?”

“This kid’s dead.”

John looked at the dead kid Michaels referred to. It was the same Roughrider.

“He’s dead?!” John exclaimed. “I–I didn’t mean to kill him… it was an accident… he just provoked me and…”

Smith checked the boy for a pulse, then walked back to John, pulling out a pair of handcuffs.

“Put your hands on top of the car,” Smith ordered, searching him. He found John’s wallet and checked his license before handing it to Jimmy. He then pulled down John’s hands and cuffed them behind his back. “John Proudstar, you’re under arrest for accidental manslaughter. You have the right to remain silent. Should you choose to waive that right, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to have an attorney present during questioning. If you do not have an attorney, one will be provided for you.”

John tuned out the cop, instead looking at the dead body with horror in his eyes.

Tampa, Florida

Professor Xavier looked out the window of the hotel room.

“It’s really good to see you again, Charles.”

“Likewise, Louis,” Charles stated, accepting a glass of wine offered by Louis St. Croix. “How’s the business going?”

“St. Croix Enterprises have been making out,” Louis stated. “It can be a bit difficult when I’ve gotta compete with Osborn and Stark. What about you? Are you still teaching at the University of Chicago?”

“No, I’ve actually moved back into my father’s mansion in Westchester,” Charles stated. “My dream is to convert it into a school.”

“The Xavier Academy, eh?”

“Something like that,” Charles replied. “But right now, I’m doing some work for the government.”

“Mmm… sounds interesting. What branch?”

“I’m actually working directly with the President,” Charles replied. “And I have a close working relationship with SHIELD. In fact, I’m working in conjunction with them on a new project.”

“What would this project be?”

“You’ve heard of the terrorist attacks overseas caused by Magneto, correct?” Charles asked. Louis nodded. “Well, the purpose of Project: X-Men is to assemble a team of mutants to stop Magneto.”

Louis put down his glass.

“So that’s why you’re here, is it?” he asked. “For a recruitment drive…”

“It’s not like that at all, Lou…” Charles replied. “But, you must admit, Monet is very powerful. I came to talk to her about it. The entire thing is her decision.”

Louis walked out onto the balcony and looked down. He got a perfect view of the pool, and he noticed his daughter, Monet St. Croix, sunbathing. He sighed and turned to face Charles once more.

“I trust you, Charles…” he stated. “If you were anyone else, I’d kick you out right now. But, I trust you. And I know that if you say this could be good for Monet’s future… then I’m willing to allow you speak to her about it.”

“Thank you, Lo–”

“But there’s one condition!” Louis interrupted. “Don’t force her to do it. If she says no, you just leave it at that, understood?”

Charles nodded.

Phoenix, Arizona

*SNAPT*

“JOHN!!!” Jim shouted, as his older brother snapped the cuffs with his bare hands.

Smith and Michaels just stared in awe at the scene. John looked down at the cuffs, then at his would-be captors.

“Did I do that?”

“We’ll have to add resisting arrest to that list,” Smith stated as Michaels reached for his gun. John saw this and began to run.

“GET BACK HERE!!” Michaels ordered, firing after him.

“HOLD YOUR FIRE, DAMMIT!!” Smith exclaimed. “HE’S JUST A KID!!”

“A kid who just killed someone!!” Michaels spat. “And you let him get away!”

“JOHN!!!!!!!!” Jim shouted after his brother, who was already outrunning several cars on the road.

John knew he shouldn’t be doing this. He broke the cuffs on accident. It wasn’t meant as an act of aggression, he just didn’t know his own strength.

Now, he was on the run. He couldn’t go back home, the cops would be waiting for him. He was a runaway now, a fugitive. And he could kiss those scholarships goodbye.

His speed quickened, reaching his limit. Still, he pushed himself. That was, until something blinded him.

He stopped suddenly in his tracks looking up. A blonde girl dressed in a leather outfit with Xs on it stood before him, her hands glowing brightly.

“ALISON BLAIRE?!” he exclaimed, instantly recognizing the former pop star. “So… it’s true… you ARE a mutant!!”

Alison said nothing, just stood there.

“That’s right, bub,” a gruff voice stated from behind him. John turned to see a man with an odd hairstyle and a goatee. A cigar dangled from his lips, and he was dressed in a similar leather outfit, but he wore a bomber jacket over it. “An’ so’re you, John.”

“What the hell is going on?” John asked. “How do you know my name?”

“Name’s Logan,” he replied, extending a gloved hand. “You’ve already met Ali.”

John looked at Ali, who simply smiled. He then looked back at Logan.

“What do you want with me?”

“Accidental manslaughter and resisting arrest,” Logan began. “That doesn’t sound too pretty. A Presidential pardon can change that, though.”

“Yeah, right,” John said. “And monkeys can fly outta my ass.”

Logan glared at him, and John’s eyes widened.

“You’re… serious?”

Logan motioned to a helicopter which hovered in the air and began to lower.

“Let’s talk.”