The Mutatio Disease

Sector Fifteen

- - - - Sector Fifteen - - - -
- - - - Part One - - - -
Hell of a Long Day

     "Wait, that's it?" Silvester gaped as I collapsed onto one of the beds, groaning. Though it was barely the afternoon, it had been one hell of a day. After getting assaulted by Marco, calling Lrya, meeting Penelope, finding Silvester, the raider attack, and now Felix almost hazing over, I was ready to pass out.

   "I'm so done with this day," I groaned. Logan flopped beside me, groaning dramatically. Silvester watched, puzzled. "It's hardly two."

    "You have no idea what we've done today," I sighed, sitting up and crossing my legs. "I guess now that Felix has declared you as one of us, we might as well fill you in."

    "We?" Logan snorted. "Go ahead. I'm taking a nap."

    My whack connected with the side of his head and he yelped. Grinning, I ruffled his hair and sent him crawling under the covers for refuge. Let him feel what it was like to be younger for once, like Felix did to me all of the time.

    Silvester found the chair in the room and dragged it over. Taking a deep breath, I started explaining about our goal, the plan, and what had happened today. By the time I had finished, he looked alarmed. "All of this happened today?"

    "Yup." Logan popped the word, and I worked on undoing my hair with a snort. "Now you see why we're so tired. Oh, yeah, my name is actually Fletcher. This is Logan, the other red-head is Felix, and the woman is Penelope."

    Logan suddenly snickered. "Guess what?"

    Silvester looked at him, still only a foot visible from under the covers. "What?"

    "You're going to need a name, you poor sucker."

    I started laughing at Silvester's confusion. "A name?"

    "Like Argentum," I snorted. "And Logan's Jumper. Felix is Inferno, and Penelope's – uh—"

    "Valkyrie!" Penelope called from the bathroom. "It's Valkyrie!"

    "Yeah, yeah." I waved a dismissive hand at her with a sigh. "Anyway, you need a name unless you're okay with broadcasting your name to the world. Our target is Denver, then Kansas City, so we're going to be in the public eye."

    Silvester blanched, thinking. "I have no idea."

    Penelope entered the room, cleaning off her hands. Felix was following, tugging on a new shirt with a wince. "Why not Ghost?" Penelope suggested. "You're invisible, after all."

    "Cheesy," Logan scoffed from under the blanket. Her aimed flick hit the side of his head and he yelped. "What is with you guys and hitting me today?"

    Penelope offered me a high-five, which I gladly took. Felix chuckled, patting his shoulder to make sure the bandaging was sturdy before sitting beside me. Silvester considered Penelope's suggestion and shrugged. "Why not, I suppose. I guess I'll need a mask?"

    Reminded about my own, golden mask, I flinched. Mae was still in the Underground. Felix had promised me we would get her out, but she and the other hazed Mortems were still down there. My gaze turned to Felix, but he seemed to know what I was thinking.

    His head shook slightly. Still not enough people, apparently. Pursing my lips, I looked away. How long could we wait until one of them died? Or until Mae -- and other innocents -- starved? She had only been skin and bones when I was there, anyway.