Warning Warning!!!! This story is a major spoiler for the first comic and thus should be read after Pryde Pack: Prelude to the Hunt.   Just warnin ya. =>

    Exhausted, that was the one word that symbolised Sam Walker as he sprinted down the empty downtown street. Each step he took was harder than the last. It didn’t help that he was carrying a one hundred and thirteen pound weight on his back either. Sam stopped running. He had to get his bearings, figure out where exactly he was. When he had started running he hadn’t had time to choose an actual destination, he had just started going as fast as he could using the closest route available to him. He had never ventured out this far into the city this late at night before. Everything looked different. The city was never exactly bustling with activity, even during the day, but now it looked completely desolate. Every building looked empty and dead in the nearly ineffectual glow of the moon. One would never think that about ten thousand people were living in this part of the city once called Blue Water.

    Looking around, Sam noticed that he wasn’t being followed. He thanked the heavens for that small gift. At least he didn’t need to run anymore. But now another problem arose, where could he go. Home wasn’t exactly a choice and since he wasn’t in his home territory anymore he didn’t know if he could trust any of the people who lived here not to inform the D.L.G. of their whereabouts. After walking for a few minutes he looked down an alley between two small apartment buildings and saw a side door which looked to be open. He hurriedly made his way to it hoping that it was an abandoned building, there were so many of them in the city these days. Upon opening the screen door Sam swept the room with his keen eyes. It was empty, as he had hoped, and the array of cobwebs that were evident showed that it had been so for a long time. To that, Sam let out a quiet cry of "Yes".

    It was a ground level apartment merely consisting of a large living room which was connected to the kitchen. After setting his sleeping burden down gently on a dusty couch in the living room he went to check the rest of the apartment to see if their haven was truly deserted. There were two doors leading from the living room, one which was the front door and the other which led into what was once the bathroom and bedroom. From the looks of things the former inhabitants must have left in a hurry; though most of the furniture was gone, some things had obviously been left behind. For instance, the couch in the living room, the bed in the bedroom which still had sheets on it, even the fridge still had some food in it, not that any of it was still edible. It was as if they hadn’t the time to take everything. They had probably left during the mass exodus that had occurred two years previously. On the floor of the kitchen Sam found three dish towels. With a level of strength that he was unaware that he still possessed, he shook the dust off them. He then folded them up one over the other and put them under the girl’s head like a makeshift pillow.

    With all his chores done he allowed himself to sit and rest on the arm of the couch. At first he tried to sleep, but unlike his friend Miaje he found that he couldn’t. The memories kept finding their way into his mind. So he got up and tried practice a kata or two. Hopefully, that would focus his mind on something else, anything else.

    "DAMMIT," he screamed as he slammed his fist into a wall. He couldn’t hold them back anymore. Every time he closed his eyes he saw the flames, they were all around him burning everyone he cared about. His parents were in those flames. "Why me? Why now?’ Each question was punctuated with the creation of a small crater in the wall. His life had finally been regaining some semblance of normalcy, but in the space of about an hour Sam and Miaje had lost everything. The group of families that they lived with had been massacred by the D.L.G. and with them died Sam’s parents and possibly Miaje’s father. Frank Thomas, may have given his life to cover their escape from their former home. Suddenly an unexpected smile crawled across Sam’s face as he recalled the last thing that his "uncle Frank" had said to him.

    "I’ll try to get out of here in time. If I do, I’ll find you, but don’t count on it."

    "That’s right," Sam said almost hysterically. "He must be out there somewhere, and if he is I’ll find him." In his mind nothing could kill his uncle Frank. He had seen his share of battles, he had even been a veteran of the war with Iraq fifteen years before.

    "Why did this have to happen anyhow" he asked himself. Greed and power were the only answers that came to him. Nothing was beneath them, extortion, kidnapping, murder, they would use any and all those tactics to get what they wanted. He had heard of the gang’s encroachment on other territories throughout the city but had never believed that it would happen to him. He found his hatred growing for the gang that took everything from him. At that moment he vowed that he would see the them destroyed for what they did. His rage threatened to overwhelm him just as it had nearly done when he had initially arrived on the scene and found out what had happened, but then he had had uncle Frank to calm him down and make him understand what had to be done, now he had no one. Then he remembered that thanks to his uncle’s detonation of a nitro-grenade, the ones who killed his parents were probably dead now. That fact was just enough of a consolation to reduce his blazing rage to mere anger. Once again he sat down on the arm of the couch. This time with most of his pent up frustrations expressed his exhaustion over came him and he soon fell asleep.

    Sam’s dreams were unusually peaceful, it was almost as if his mind was trying to deny his current plight. His dreams were a mixture of memories from when life was "good". Before the mysterious bomb had gone off. The bomb which changed the lives of everyone in Chicago forever. Initially it had seemed like a normal explosion, which would have been bad enough on its own, however within minutes it began to mix the DNA of anyone that been in recent contact with any non-human lifeforms. Although neither Sam’s parents nor Miaje’s father had been affected Sam and Miaje were. It left Sam in the form of a humanoid fox while Miaje became mixed with that of a rabbit she had been holding minutes before the explosion. Ironically, they were among the lucky ones. Their bodies did not reject their mutations, nor did their transformations cripple them or turn them into mindless beasts as it had done to others. After the onset of the epidemic, as it was called by the government, the afflicted citizens were promised help for both themselves and their families, but it never truly came. The city was quarantined as a radioactive site and none of the mutants, as they came to be named, were allowed to leave for fear that their conditions were in some way contagious. However, the unchanged humans were allowed to leave. Oddly enough, in the two years since the incident no one had come back to check on the citizens of Mutatia. A nickname used by the city’s remaining citizens. It is even rumored that a new city called Blue Water was being built a hundred or so kilometers from Mutatia. However, not all humans left the city. Some, like Sam’s parents, stayed to care for mutated loved ones, while others stayed because they saw an opportunity. The opportunity to live in a city completely lacking in any form of public authority. Within months of the exodus neighbourhood territories sprung up all over the city. Each one claiming possession of the replicators in that particular area. The matter-replicators was a new technology that could be used to create whatever goods would be need for the survival of the citizens. This was another clue that has lead more than one person to believe that the quarantine would be a long time in being lifted. For the most part the relationships between the territories has been peaceful. However, when Death Land Gang had arisen all thoughts of living in peace had disappeared. Their immense numbers and savage tactics had allowed them to easily overcome most adversaries. They swept over territories taking what would not be given. By now they controlled almost half the city. They demanded tithes of food and goods from the citizens of the areas that they acquired. To make matters worse they had reputation of being merciless to mutants. There were even rumours of mutants D.L.G. territories disappearing never to be seen again

    Sam woke with a start as a clanging noise echoed into the apartment from the alley. Initially, he looked around himself confused wondering where he was and why. Then like a punch in the face, his memories flooded back to him. The near complete darkness cued him to the fact that he must have only been asleep for a short time. He looked down at Miaje as she grumbled restlessly in her sleep. She had been sleeping a lot lately, he noticed. People had lately found her napping during the day and she slept long and hard at night. To add to that oddity she had been fainting a lot lately as well. In fact, one of the first things that uncle Frank had told him when he had arrive at the scene was that she had fainted soon after the attack had begun. Sam tried to choke it up to her not being able to handle stressful situations, but found that he couldn’t. He found that he had a sneaking suspicion that there was a more important reason. Sam suddenly recalled that uncle Frank had told him that he had heard one of the gang members saying that they had been sent to capture a mutant rabbit.

    "Well, if you’re the one that they’re after, they’ll get you over my dead body," he promised quietly. Suddenly he heard another noise coming from the alley. Getting up from the couch he found his way through the dark to the side door. Upon reaching it he gently unlocked it careful not to make any noise. Opening the door he quietly stepped outside into the alley. Because of the myriad types of garbage strewn any and everywhere about the alley Sam at first didn’t notice anything of interest and was about to go back in when he heard the sound again. Then a dull orange light suddenly appeared from behind a dumpster. As the glow began to approach him, Sam quickly hid himself behind a pile of tires. When the men first began to speak he found that he couldn’t quite make out what they were saying but slowly their muffled voices became clearer.

    "So, diju guys find anythin," asked a man with a long thick green mohawk.

    "No Blade we di’int," answered a slightly smaller but more thickly built man whose head was shaved all but for a long ponytail. "An we searched this whole friggin area too."

    "Yeh man," piped in the third man whose possessed the longest bangs that Sam had ever seen. "No one’s seen that rabbit chick. How doya know she escaped anyways she mite’ve been in the buildin when it blew. Just because we can’t find’er doesn’t mean nuthin. I mean come on that explosion was so big she could have been dis..... diss.... discriminated or sumthin.... Yeah that’s it she blewed up so nice that there wuzzint anythin left."

    "Sludge’s probably rite," said the second man as he lit up a cigarette, "for once. Sidze what does Spencer want wit all those freaks anyways? Yu’d think that he was makin a zoo or sumthin the way he keeps askin us to kidnap em."

    "I don know Nails man," answered Blade as he started playing with a switch-blade, "you wanna axe im?" A noticeable shudder past through the two other men at the prospect.

    After that their conversation drifted to the more trivial. Sam decided that he had heard enough and began to move back toward the side door but winced when taking his first step he heard something crack loudly under his feet. Cursing himself for being so clumsy he practically dove back behind the tires and began to pray that they had not heard him. Unfortunately the deities hadn’t seemed to be paying much attention to him lately.

    "Wha was that," asked Blade suddenly thrusting the flashlight they had been using as a light source in Sam’s direction. He then silently motioned for the others to follow him as he began to walk toward the pile of tires.

    Sam was desperate the fear literally washed across his entire body. One look at him and they would know that he was a mutant. Then, God knows what would follow. They might find Miaje. And it would all be his fault. Because, of his stupid curiosity and clumsiness they would find her. No dammit, he reprimanded himself, I won’t fail anyone else. Suddenly an idea came to him. He swiftly ripped a portion of his sweat shirt off and tied it around his mouth, then put his hood over his head to hide his ears. Then just as he noticed that they were nearly on top of him, he stood up from behind the tires.

    "Who’re you," asked Nails surprised.

    "Yeh kid, what’re you doin down here," added Blade. "Isn’it past your be time? Haven’t you heard, it’s not safe to be out this late. Lot of strange folks out and about dis time o nite."

    "Yah punk," added Sludge stupidly.

    "Er .... well," Sam stumbled as his mind whirled with possible things to tell them, "I .. ah ... couldn’t sleep so I .....I decided to take a walk." This could work, he thought to himself. "You really think that its not safe?" They nodded. "Oh, okay then.... ah... I guess that I’ll be headin home then."

    "Yeh kid I think you ought to," said Blade.

    Sam quickly turned to leave the alley, thanking God that he didn’t have a tail like some other mutants. That would have been considerably harder to hide. He decided that he would find somewhere else to hide until the three punks left the area before he would return to the apartment.

    "Hey kid," called Nails, " why’r’you all bundled up like that anyway. You have an accident and your face get all messed up or sumthin?"

    "Yeh yeh," added Sludge enthusiastically, "you all deformed unner there or sumthin."

    "Uh, well.... I just thought it was a bit chilly out is all," Sam replied quickly. Sam nearly smiled in joy at being able to come up with that excuse so fast. "I get cold easily you see." As he answered, he nervously put his hands into his pockets. He started to get worried as he saw Nails begin to eye him suspiciously. Sam had to suppress a near panic attack as Nails then rushed up to him and grabbed one of his hands, looked at it for a moment then called for his friends.

    "Hey guys, get a load o this," he shouted excitedly. "Kid here’s a freak." He then pulled Sam and his arm toward Blade’s flash light. "See, he only got three fingers, only freaks ave hands like those. Yep, he’s a mute alright."

    As Sam’s eyes flashed from face to face, he saw expressions of surprise turn to anger and finally to what could only be described as pure evil. He tried to pull his arm free but Nail’s vice-like grip only tightened.

    "So freak," said Blade as he popped open his switchblade, "tryin to make us look stupid eh? Well, well, well, so fellas what should we do wittim?"

    "Should we take im bak to Spencer," asked Sludge unsure.

    "No, no, man we found im he’s ours," decided Nails. "Les jus think of him as a bonus for all our hard werk."

    As their intentions became horribly clear, Sam reacted in a way that none of the punks thought he would. With a level of strength and speed that was far beyond anything he thought himself capable of Sam drove his free fist into Nails' stomach. This caused him to release Sam’s arm. Nails bent over gasping for breath Sam smashed his knee into the unfortunate man’s face. Then seeing the other two just then beginning to react to his attack on their comrade Sam stepped behind Nails and pushed him into them knocking them all into a number of dumpsters. As his potential tormentors flailed in the heap of garbage he, braking into a full sprint, sped out of the alley. The only thing he heard as he left was Blade barking orders to the other two to get that "little freak". While running Sam frantically attempted to come up with a plan of action. However the only thing he think of was that he had to lead them away from the apartment and then hopefully lose them so that he could later return to it. Sam looked again over his shoulder and noticed that Blade and Sludge were in pursuit. At least Nails is missing, he thought to himself, I only have to deal with two of them now. After another minute of running at the same pace Sam realised two things: that he was getting tired and that Blade and Sludge were catching up to him. Have to find a place to hide, he surmised frantically. In his panic the buildings on either side of him seemed to blend together. He was surrounded by two impenetrable walls with no way out. He began to contemplate giving up. "Concentrate dammit," shouted to himself, "you can’t die yet. you have a job to do." Then he saw something, another alley. Seeing that he didn’t exactly have a wide variety of alternatives at that moment he ran into it. However, soon after entering his hopes were dashed like that of a child who just learned of the inexistence of Santa Claus. A large fence stood at the end of the alley and Sam could see no doors that he could run into. He had no choice but to run toward the fence and hope that it perhaps was not as high as it looked. As he reached the dead-end he heard the footsteps of his pursuers approaching. When he finally reached the fence he just stopped and stood there staring at the evil thing that was keeping him from his freedom. He barely noticed Blade’s finger tapping him on the shoulder.

    "Now you’re trapped," he said pure malice dripping from his deep voice. "Turn aroun boy, I want to see the look on your face when you die."

    "Yah, punk!" added Sludge witlessly.

       Sam knew that he had but one option left to him, so he took it. With a swift turn he drove his foot into Blade's gut. Not even giving the man any time to land, he pounced on him. Again and again he slammed his fist into Blades face, he completely blocked out everything else. If he died here he would make sure someone suffered for the loss of his family. In his rage Sam almost thought he saw a kind of green aura surround his fists but soon chalked it up to his imagination and returned to his more important duties, i.e. making Blades face look like it had been hit by a meteor shower. Unfortunately his single-mindedness allowed Sludge to sneak up and grab him from behind. The next thing Sam felt was a series of cracks and a combination of sharp and dull pains as Blade took out his humiliation at almost being beaten by a "freak-kid". When Blade finally stopped, Sam found that his chest and stomach felt like they were on fire. It hurt to breathe. And it seemed like he was bleeding from almost every pore on his body. But still he struggled to get to his feet. He would not let them know how hurt he truly was, that would be too much like admitting defeat. He dazedly looked up at Blade’s ugly face and was somewhat proud to see that he too was bleeding.

       Blade resumed his tauntingas he took out his switch blade.  " Now, boy, we was discussin gettin a look at yur face, hehehe.....

    Sam knew that his time was almost up, but still he refused to surrender.  "You want to see my face so bad?  Then look," he shouted at the two gang members as he struggled to his feet.  Suddenly and to his surprise he saw a figure moving in the shadows behind Blade. At first he thought to himself, oh great Nails is back, that’s all I need, but then he noticed that the figure was too large to be Nails. He Hoped that he could somehow use it as a diversion, so when Blade cockily asked if he had any last words, he shouted, "What the hell is that?!!"

    "There ain't  no one there," Blade replied with a swift punch, "yur jus tryin ta trik me."

   "You get to die now  freak-boy", he heard Blade say as he opened his eyes for what he thought might be the last time.  Blade was in the process of driving the switchblade into his chest. Just at that second he saw a gleaming golden arm reach out from the darkness to grab hold of Blade’s shirt. As the creature stepped out from the darkness, Sam saw a sight that he would never forget. It was another mutant, a bird. He stood there seemingly generating his own light as the moon light reflected off his body. He looked to Sam like a golden phoenix. It may have just been the result of Sam’s feverish mind but he looked like a giant compared to the two other men. As Sam drifted into unconsciousness, he distinctly heard it say "I don't think so," and for the first time since that hellish night had begun, Sam knew that things would be alright.

The Beginning

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