Old Ghosts (Hellion)

[Jamie McKay]

Jamie had been out walking around Red Hook. As much as he hated the Polygon Projects, the rest of Red Hook was one of Brooklyn's greatest treasures tucked along an industrial waterfront with the greatest waterside views in all of New York. It had plenty to do from the renowned Steve's Authentic Key Lime Pies to the Waterfront Museum and Showboat Barge. But he didn't have money to throw away on such luxuries. One day, when he did, he would do everyone he ever wanted to do in Red Hook, Brooklyn. But today wasn't that day. Instead he had spent the day walking around the nicer parts of Red Hook. Stopping by the Recreation Center to play a game of pool. He won a hundred and seventy dollars at a back room poker game. Usually he won bigger, but of he didn't take home a minuscule prize or lose out or break even every once in awhile they'd realize he knew how to count cards. They weren't as smart as him, but that didn't mean they were stupid. It was only around three in the afternoon and he had decided he'd go home for a quick nap. Maybe catch a movie after. Perhaps read that book he'd been saving. Maybe he'd come out again. Grab a bite to eat for dinner.

He found himself using a shortcut through an alleyway to get back to him studio apartment in Polygon Projects. As he got around halfway through he began to hear footsteps behind him. He pretended he didn't hear them and kept going. They thought they'd get the jump on him? A hand reached grabbing his shoulder violently and he immediately whipped around and right hooked the man in the face. He looked to be in his early twenties. As was the other man with him. And Jamie recognized the bozos immediately they were the two mutant drug dealers who had kidnapped him as insurance to make sure Jon paid what they owed. Even after all that time passed he recognized them. The man stumbled back from the punch. It wasn't his best, he'd admit that. There was only a little blood trickling from his lower lip. "What do you want with me? Don't tell me my Jon's using again." He stared them both down. Not an ounce of fear in his voice or face.

"No, but you cost us big back when you escaped," the man said as his friend began to control water in the palm of his hand. Jamie's eyes moved to the swirling ball of hydrogen and oxygen atoms. They didn't know of his powers. He hadn't had them back then. He thought of the theoretics of his power. How if he could just grasp it and get control over he could make such a thing as that ball of water completely obsolete. He could use his powers for electrolysis and simply separate the atoms. Break it down. But he didn't hav Ethan kind of control. That kind of experience. But he could still electrocute the man if it came to that. He wouldn't have to use too much electricity either, the water would do most of the work. Both seemed angry, but excited at the same time. Like himself when he was younger when he would wait all day, sometimes a day or two, for food. He'd be so angry about not having the food when he should of been being fed, but was overcome with excitement and joy when he saw the food. In their case, the food was revenge. "Don't come any closer. Turn around and go crawl back into whatever hole you came from. You've been warned. I take no fault in what happens to you if you proceed." That received a scoff. They were laughing as they proceeded. They was a shock of blinding light and a loud boom followed by the bellowing scream of pain from the hydrokinetic. Of course, the sound and light didn't bother Jamie at all. His mutation had conditioned him for such things. After all he had to shoot electricity from his body. 

Jamie began running down the alleyway oping to escape before the other man came to his senses, but the man recovered faster than he expected. Running had been the best option. He didn't know what the mans powers were. They could be something he was weak against. He had also thought he'd stay by his friends side. The man wasn't dead or anything. He just was probably going to have some serious electrical burns. The man grabbed him by his left forearm right over the fighters bandages covering the burn scars his mother had given him and smashed him into the ground. From the look on his face the man wasn't happy at all. He began to pound on him before he could do anything. It was dirty to hit a man on the ground. You could seriously and easily injure or kill them by accident. There was blood on his face when the man stopped for a moment to examine his work. "What do you have to say now smart ass? You gonna beg?" Jamie movies his lips mumbling his words as he looked up at him from the ground. "What's that I can't hear you?" The man bent down to hear what he was saying. That when Jamie spit blood in his face. "Bitch," Jamie said as he begin to get up while the other yelled fuck. He was really pissing this guy off.

[Julian Keller]

"Last time I ever go there," Julian muttered to himself, jogging down a few steps and onto the pavement in front of the dentist's office in Brooklyn. Julian hated dentists in general anyway, but this guy had practically been a quack. If not for the fact that he'd gotten permission to leave the Mansion, even though he was still being punished, then the trip would have been a complete waste. As it was, even though the dentist had not been any kind of fun he had an entire afternoon of leisure in New York ahead of him while Dolly was stuck back at the Mansion working on the tree all by herself.

Life wasn't too bad.

The dark haired teen was just meandering down the sidewalk when a guy went pelting past him followed by another guy. The man in pursuit caught up to the guy that was being chased and the runner was tossed to the ground. Julian watched the entire preceding with only a little bit of interest. He couldn't see much of a reason to get involved since he wasn't the one being attacked.

And the guy on the ground wasn't an attractive woman. That part was important too.

So, instead of doing anything Julian wandered around a bit so he could get a better angle to watch what was going on. Once he liked the viewing angle he produced an iPhone from one of his pockets. Pulling up the video camera he directed the phone in towards the fight and began film the entire thing while lazily watching it. Sure, it wasn't much in the way of entertainment, but it was at least free. Never pass up free.

[Jamie McKay]

Jamie easily got to his feet. He was slightly hurt. Not enough to keep him down. He knew how to take a beating. He had suffered through years of them. His steely blue eyes stared down the other mutant whom was wiping Jamie's spit blood from his face. The mans eyes caught his cast. "I read about you. You're mom was the schitzo, right? A single drunk, drug addicted schizo for a mom, dead overdosed dad, drug addicted cousin and you're a mutant. The McKay's really are something, aren't ya," the other taunted. Jamie's anger was rising more and more as the man talked. He really couldn't stand people like this. Bullies. Drug dealing bullies at that. He barred his teeth as he tried to keep his powers under control. But unfortunately electricity began sparking from his clenched fists. "Shut up," Jamie said through barred teeth as more electricity started coming from him.

"Whats wrong with your sister? Is she a mutant or schizophrenic too," he taunted even farther as he began to come closer. He had gone too far and it showed in Jamie's face. The anger that contorted it. The rage. The man through a punch at his face and Jamie easily blocked it and punched him straight in the gut as hard as he could with electricity still sparking from his hands shocking the other. It wasn't a strong shock and a moment later Jamie was blown away by a gust of air created by the other mutant. He smashed into the ground and rolled across the sidewalk. It was only at this moment as that he noticed the bystander with his phone out taping the fight, he couldn't have that. It might hit the Internet. He was sure plenty of people would recognize him. His family. The police he'd dealt with in the past. The kids from his high school. People could find out about his abnormality any number of things could happen. So he lifted up his hand and drained the battery power of e phone into him before redirecting it straight at the aerokinetic who managed to lift himself into the air to dodge it.

They began going at it harder. Matching each other practically blow for blow. The other guy had more control though. Jamie knew he wouldn't last long in the fight when it came down to their powers. He had to get the upper hand physical. And being the guy was a smoker and a drug addict he most likely wasn't in the most fit shape. He was skinny. Not lean, muscular skinny. Just skinny. Lanky even. He moved in as close as he could while letting out electricity violently. He wasn't controlling it well, but it was getting close enough to the guy that he didn't seem to want to move in case of being hit. Or maybe he just had too much confidence. Either way he managed to get close enjoy to right hook the guy and then get behind him to kick him in the back of the leg enough to make him fall down, maybe twist his ankle but it break it. He then grabbed the mans arm and broke his pinky finger behind his back. "Me and my family and my friends are off-limits got it? Don't sell Jon drugs, don't hurt us, don't attack us, don't talk about us. I don't want you or your gangbanger buddies even thinking about us! Understand!" As he yelled it he broke the mans index finger. He probably could've blown him away with his powers, but he was in too much pain and was busy screaming. "I said do you understand?" He broke his ring finger and while the man screamed he managed to create a powerful enough blast of wind to send Jamie smashing into a wall. He didn't hit it too hard, but it still hurt like fucking hell.

[Julian Keller]

Julian looked down at his phone as the device suddenly winked out. He had just charged it this morning, so there was no way it could be dead yet. Sure, the battery never lasted for all that long, but this was ridiculous. Obviously, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure what had happened. Well, so much for the next ten million hit YouTube video.

Julian yawned lazily and watched the next few minutes of the fight. If he couldn't potentially profit off of the fight there was no longer any reason to allow it to continue. It was time to put a stop to things since he was now no longer going to be able to potentially turn the fight to his advantage. Which made the dark haired teen angry. Sighing in a long suffering way Julian laced his fingers together and cracked all of his knuckles like a concert pianist.

"Enough," Julian snapped, stepping forward and waving to green glowing hands as his eyes glowed also. Reaching out he snatched both of the combatants and shoved them against the brick wall using his telekinesis. "I want to know what happened to my iPhone," the teen continued in a low tone, grinding the heads of both of the fighters into the brick wall, roughly.

"NOW!

[Jamie McKay]

Jamie's back ached with pain. But he couldn't that stop him. He could not let this bastard go on to hurt him, his family and friends. Terrorize them. Blackmail him kong full well that Jamie didn't know everyone in the gang so he couldn't go to the police without risking the remaining members coming after him and his family. Or Trev and Chris. He might of had recent falling out with all of them, a huge one at that, but as much as he tried it to care he still did. A lot. He began to push himself up as he wiped blood from his face when he heard a voice. He looked up at the teenager who had been taping earlier as he snapped his fingers. He lit up grew. His hands. His eyes. Jamie was completely taken off guard by this. Did the guy have no conscience or was he just stupid? Surely he realized the consequences making that video could bring to the mutant in it as well as every one associated with him.

Him already aching back slammers against the brick wall again and the pain shot through him again. He tried to move but e couldn't. That meant the other teenage boy was a telekinetic. Great. The man spoke in a low tone that many others might find intimidating, but not Jamie. You live in Polygon Projects long enough and you get used to that kind of tone. "Like, what the hell? What's your problem yo? Why don't you, like, mind your own fucking business asshole?"

Jamie narrowed his eyes at the dumb ass who was apparently trying to anger the person who could possibly be able to just stop the blood flow to their hearts or just stop the contracting muscles in their hearts. "It is so sad watching you try to fit all your vocabulary into a sentence," Jamie insulted the aerokinetic. His eyes began to look around as he tried to think of a way out of this. "What did you just say asshole? I swear I'll break your little neck! You think your so smart, huh? Huh? Just you wait, I'm gonna come back here with my buddies and we're going to kill you both!" the man bellowed angrily like a child throwing a temper tantrum. The rage could be seen in his face. He wasn't used to be this helpless and he didn't like it. Then again, Jamie didn't either. But he was used to being helpless. He hated it. The man then turned his attention to Julian. "You hear me? Let me down now or else?!"

"Shut up, Jughead and stop yelling at 90210," Jamie order him referring to Julian. People around here different have the luxuries of nice clothes and fancy iPhones and other apple products unless they were drug dealers and he didn't look like a drug dealer. He had seen plenty of them over the years. They were a five minute walk away from the Polygon Projects. People near and in the Polygon Projects don't get to have stuff like that. And nobody from Red Hook or any neighborhood like Red Hook would dare to flash anything relatively shiny or expensive around in the open. He obviously wasn't from around here or anywhere like there. "I drained the power. Sorry, but don't feel like having the whole world know I'm  a mutant so all the anti-mutant bigots can target me for being one as well as my family and friends for mutie sympathizers. Nor do I need the Government tracking me down and forcing me to sign some kind of paper like I'm some kind of weapon and not a person with basic human rights."

Jamie didn't have the best first impression of Julian. He was flipping to over a dead IPhone. Seemed like one of those sheltered types. The types that weren't normal. Who ant been through shit or at least the kind of shit he'd been through. The type who would get really pissed off and overreact to a backed up toilet. The kind who doesn't Realize when shits about to hit the fan because they haven't seen it do so too many times growing up. That w just his impression though. He had been wrong before. Didn't happen often, but it happened. He figured it was best to tell him the truth anyway. He might it want to admit it, but this guy probably just saved his life. He doubted he'd be able to keep up fighting this guy. He was more experienced and had more control over his powers. The only edge that Jamie had in the fight was his superior intelligence and the fact he wasn't a drug addict and thus was in better shape.

[Julian Keller]

Julian considered everything for a moment. On the one hand, the guy on the right was being pretty forthright and honest about what was going on with his phone. It hadn't really an intellect on the level of an Einstein to be able to put two and two together as to who had fiddled with his phone. On the other hand the skinny guy on his left seemed like he was probably a bit of a tool.

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

While he pondered on what to do Julian absentmindedly ground the face of the guy on the left against the brick facade of the building he had pinned the man against. "Clearly," Julian said in a low tone, his green glowing eyes flashing maliciously, "you require an education on how to behave in the presence of those who are clearly better than you," the teen continued in a haughty tone, grinding a bit more.

"As for you," he said, releasing his telekinetic hold on Jamie and allowing him to fall to the pavement. "You drained the charge, I would assume you can recharge my phone." He tossed the phone in Jamie's direction without waiting for a response and through up a telekinetic shield between himself and the other guy. No need to take pointless chances.

[Jamie McKay]

Jamie watched the other teen wondering what he was going to do. He wasn't going to pretend as if he knew who the guy was. He could just as likely snap his neck instead of the guy next to him who didn't know how to show up. He could be crazy. Hell, he could be a member of the gang and was playing mind games with him. The last seemed less likely being the gang members he'd met weren't the smartest of people. But a lot was up in the air as to what the mans reaction would be. Luckily Jamie had already seen how the gang banger reacted. He figured he could tell the truth and be nicer about it. Surely the guy would be more angered with the guy who was screaming threats at him than the one answering his questions.

Jamie's predictions were right and he caught Julian's phone once he was released from the mutants telekinetic hold over him. The teen was smart. Putting up a barrier like that. He had thought he was stupid for flashing his phone around in this part of Red Hook, but he seemed to be smarter. He didn't know if that was a good or bad thing at the moment. But he did know it meant the boy was cocky enough to think that nobody would be able to take his phone from him. He could see where that was coming from with his powers. Jamie concentrated his electricity slowly and carefully recharging it. He didn't want to break it by accident or anything. To be honest, he couldn't want until this was over. Maybe he'd stop at Steve's Authentic Key Lime pies. Sure he wasn't originally going to, but he figured he needed a little light in is life at this time.

"Here," Jamie said as he held the phone out to Julian once e had finished charging. "You're both dead. And so are your family's! You understand? Jon, I'll personally see to it he gets an extra pump of heroin into his veins, your aunt? Maybe she'll get into a head on collision. Maybe that sister if yours is in the back seat." Jamie's eyes shot violently at the man as anger began to rise up. He really hated this guy. He was part of a gang, a drug dealer, a drug addict, a bully and he left his own friend in an alleyway to go after someone else. He also didn't know when to shut up and who not to piss off. Of the barrier wasn't there he'd of broken another one of his fingers. Then the man mentally summoned a gust of wind towards them.

[Julian Keller]

Julian took the phone back from the other guy and pocketed it as the one he was still pinning to the wall started in on some kind of rant or rave about something or other. It was kind of hard to tell since the telekinetic wasn't really paying super close attention to what the guy was saying. Instead, to shut him up, the teen ground the man's face even harder against the brick wall using his powers, using the telekinetic shield that was already in place to block the wind attack.

"You need to learn your place," he hissed, grabbing the wind mutant's hand with his powers and then promptly crushing it with a sickening crunch. The process was repeated with the other hand as well. Then, for good measure, Julian bounced the guy off of the pavement a few times, progressively harder each time. Finally, he placed a barrier around the other mutant's head which gave his voice an oddly muffled sound.

"Behold you and your impotent rage, your mouth doesn't work," he continued, slamming the man's jaws shut using his powers. Then he sighed, they'd have to put in a call to X-Force to come pick the broken wind mutant up.

Fishing his phone out of his pocket Julian punched in the number to the XF Office and relayed his location and everything. Once that was done he shut the phone and settled back to wait, there wasn't much else to be done, really.

[Jamie McKay]

Jamie watched quietly. He noted the other mutant was not only powerful, but didn’t seem to have patience and was somewhat cruel. He felt no sympathy whatsoever for the man he was unleashing on though. He just hoped he didn’t go too far and kill the man. No doubt his friends would come after him and his family blaming him for it. He didn’t need or want that kind of attention. He had enough problems as it is. He would have left already, but he needed to make sure the man got the message to stay away from him and his family. He also worried that the other teenager might not want him to leave yet and he didn’t quite feel like being slapped around on the pavement like a rag doll.

He didn’t flinch or look away even when Julian crushed the man’s hands with his powers. He just stood there with a stoic expression on. He wasn’t going to say he didn’t deserve it. He wasn’t going to act like he was a good man or a lost person who made a few mistakes. That he had redeemable qualities. Because the truth was the man was scum. He got off on others pains and suffering and he was also a drug addict. Jamie stared suspiciously when Julia took out his phone and called someone relaying the experience. He was NOT okay with that. He didn’t need the attention of whoever he called and he didn’t want to take the chance of people finding out about his powers. “Who was that,” Jamie said narrowing his eyes at the telekinetic. “Too many people already know about my abilities. What are you trying to do?” Jamie looked around as other people were watching now. “Shit . . . I gotta get outta here before people start asking too many questions,” Jamie practically grunted in his Brooklyn accent.