London 2030

I looked up and down the vehicle, seeing the same look on each of the soldiers faces. A mixture of determination and occasionally arrogance. We were all kitted up to the hilt in protection, explosives, ammo and hand combat weapons, to cover any uncertainty. It was unlikely any of us would need most of it, not because we were mutants, but we were unlikely to make it past the second check point, or so they keep telling us. It wasn't a pep talk for your every day soldier.

"Squad 11. You are heading into no man's land, your very own Dante's Inferno. These fuckers hate mutants, they will kill you on sight as soon as they see you use your powers. Get past the first line of defence first, then rain hellfire down on these fuckers." His northern accent handed the extra drama. "Do you understand me?" His bark made all eyes stare at him.

"Yes, Sir!"

Mutant soldiers were all the rage after the they discovered non-mutants were easily expendable. I remember my father being dragged into a private war when he was young and even he said the other mutants he was with made a mockery of it all.

Most of London had been barricaded and sectioned off according to which gang decided they were leader of it. Each sanction never trusted each other which created all these civil wars. It was a fucking nightmare. This is where we came in, when whichever Mission Impossible department just couldn't do anything more. Humans just wanted an all out war and even though we were more powerful than them, it didn't always mean we were invincible. They seem to have figured out a way to turn off our powers. They would first use electromagnetic pulses to either knock out our weapons and communication devices and then huge sound-waves to knock us out, capture us and then cage us to prevent us using our powers, sometimes indefinitely. This is where I came in, a personified power sponge. I was able to absorb electrical and kinetic energy and use it, thanks to my father. I was half cannon fodder and the only hope for us to get through, but it would only last for six seconds, we had to be fast.

"This vehicle will not stop, you have two minutes to ready yourself and jump. If you do not jump, you will be pushed."

I did a last check that everything on me was where it was meant to be. My shotgun was loaded and ready to be enhanced. I remember when I first shot bullets and shells with my power and created a minor nuclear explosion. I also remember Dad's laughter as I stood there watching the cloud of flame and smoke reach higher in the sky.

"LeBeau, I bet you fifty quid I get to point 3 before you." Trickster, a soldier next to me smirked, she could cause hallucinations and see into the future, be it only for a short time but hell, in these situations it is fucking handy.

"Not much of a bet, you could just make us all believe it, again." I smiled at her sideways. She held a hand to her chest in shock.

"Me? I'd never dare."

"Birmingham.. Last year, reclaiming the city." A burly male with black metal scales all over his skin chipped in.

"Last week on our 'date'" A few chuckles throughout the lorry were heard and I actioned towards the men opposite us.

"Squad 11. Soldier up!"

We all cascaded, apparated and even threw themselves out of the vehicle. A soldier threw up a shield that surrounded us as they threw himself into the air to scout. A huge wave of bullets hurled their way at him. I stretched a hand to the sky and absorbed their power, forcing the firepower back to their source. As soon as we heard their screams we pushed forward.

"Towers at 2o'clock ahead." I heard in my headset, feeling the pulsation of it being brought to life.

"I'm on it." I replied.

"Best be quick Kinetic, we're all fucked otherwise."

I ran as fast as I could to the next barricade and I could see one of the two towers get fully charged by a group of men at it's base. All I need to do was bring it down. It let out a large spark and and I grabbed it from my distance and pull the power in on itself. The noise was extraordinary and I quickly heard Trickster shout something in my ear and suddenly everything went silent.

"Everyone good?" She calmly said. She had made us believe nothing was to be heard even though the sight was showing the complete opposite. The rebels didn't even have time to scream.

"All accounted for. Let's go."

I locked and loaded my shotgun, powering up my kinetic energy making my eyes glow red and moved along with my squad to get to the 2nd point. We all steadily moved forward, after a couple of minutes I hear a scream from one of my team behind me. I slammed to the floor and turned to see him convulsing and frothing at the mouth. What the fuck? "Man down!"

"He's gone, Kinetic."

Fuck.

Ahead was an enormous metal gate that protected the inner section of gangland 3. It used to be the industrial hive of power and progress. It now just reeked of desperation and insanity. No one lived in London any more, if you tried to, you would be trapped in one of these worlds. The Home Counties, the area of counties that surrounded the city was the closest things you could call a home. But life was harsh now, we became so used to having everything available to us at our beck and call, we forgot to realise what was essential. Food, medical care, shelter and protection. The law against gun ownership pretty much evaporated once three quarters of the world had succumbed to the epidemic, even being a mutant didn't help. It's been 10 years since the outbreak and all we do fight, secure, survive. I can't remember the last time we all breathed.

I watched as one soldier, an absolutely enormous creature bulldozed his way against the gate, causing it to fold in on itself and be ripped off his hinges. Another soldier ran up to him and was strategically thrown into the centre of it all "Oxygen on" and breathed noxious gas into the rebels. I turned my filter system on my helmet on and run into the gas cloud. The gas blinded and prevented the rebels from breathing, I switched on my heat sensors and counted 68 lives on the floor retching for air. One of the other soldiers that had done the same walked over to the nearest person and picked them up by their clothes. "Where is Herman?" He shook him vigorously, whilst the choking man's eyes started rolling back into his head, a shaky hand pointed into the direction of a lone, large shipping container.

"Well that's a little bit convenient." I sent over the radio.

"A convenient trap." Someone snorted back. "Baby steps everyone."

"It looks like Kinetic knocked out the speakers when she pulled down the tower." Trickster laughed and she stepped up behind.

"Herman, we have you surrounded. You are to be arrested for your crimes including the trafficking of illegal substances, war mongering, the capture and torture of British Troops including Mutants and many others." I watched as our designated Captain called out. The smoke was fully lifting from the ground and there were a good 60-odd men and women dead on the floor. I used to question these tactics but after having to deal with shit like this 5 years on the trot, I've lost my patience towards assholes like Howard.

A figure appeared through the dispersing noxious cloud with a full hazmat suit on. He appeared to be hold a switch in his left hand, a low muffled chuckle was heard from within Trickster was held back by another comrade.

"You think you have a place in this world, with this world you think you are now designed for. You are nothing without us."

"And you think your way is fair? Killing anyone who is different? You don't just attack the strong, Howard, you attack anyone who isn't of use to you."

"If we go," He held his left hand with the switch in and placed his right fist on his chest. "you go with us." At the very last moment

"Shield!" Trickster screamed in my ear. The blazing blue sheen appeared right in front of my eyes, I must've been right at the perimeter as I had to covered my eyes. The explosion was phenomenal, there was 7 of us left in total, watched as everything looked to implode. I watched the soldier struggling to hold the defence in place and I poured my energy into it to prop it up. I could see him relax slightly as we had flames encircling us for what seemed like an age.

"Well, that half solved our problem." Trickster sighed next to me.

"It's a shame he wasn't Herman." I said softly making the entire team look at me.