Quirin

The wheels of the skull truck glide over the sandy road. The wind is whipping Kai in the face as he steadily approaches San Francisco. He sees giant walls with barbed wire along the top of it. The Kai drives over to the gap in the wall. Two guards stand at the opening. As Kai pulls up to the opening the guards put their hands out. The truck stops.

Guard: Is this that fucking skull truck I've been hearing about?

Guard2: Yeah, but who's this chump?The skull twins are usually driving it.

Kai: I took it from the skull twins when they tried to kill me.

They stare at him with murderous intent. Then they both laugh holding their stomach. Soon their laugh becomes a cough.

Guard: Thank god. We hated those two human scum in our mutant paradise. You can come in. As long as your a mutant.

Kai raises his fist and white energy blasts into the air.

Guard2: Welcome to the new San Francisco, or as we call it Quirin.

Kai slowly drives inside. He looks at all the buildings. He sees many different stores and mutants walking around. The city looks futuristic, but dirty and apocalyptic. Kai sees farther away there is one giant skyscraper. Kai stops the car as a little kid runs across the road. Kai sees all the mutant people just being normal citizens. He gets another pain in his gut. Kai mumbles under his breath.

Kai: Why did it have to end up like this?

Kai finds an inn and parks the car. A younger kid is running down the street away from something. He tries to run past Kai shoulder checking him, and Kai grabs him by the back of his collar.

Kai: You should pay more attention. There's a lot of street here. You had to bump into me?

Kid: What, I can't run?

Kai: You shouldn't have to run from anything. So what the hell did you do?

The kid hits Kai's arm off of him.

Kid: There trying to rob me!

Kai: Really? They are chasing you in the middle of the street to rob you?

The two thugs come in running.

Kai: Yeah, I don't think that's the truth.

Kid: Now they're going to catch me. Look at what you did!

Kai: Shouldn't run from your problems, kid. I can't help you.

Kai leans against his car. The two thugs catch up to the kid. The kid tries to run, but one of the thugs punches him in the back of the head. The kid hits the ground hard.

Thug: Where's the money?!

Kid: I don't have it.

Thug2: Are you saying you don't need this finger either.

The thug grabs the kids middle finger.

Kid: No!

Kai: I think that's enough.

Thug: Stay out of this.

Kai grabs the thug by the back of his shirt and throws him to the other side of the street. The other thug takes out a knife and stabs Kai's stomach. Kai barely dodged it. He gets a cut on the side of his stomach. As the thug falls forward from stabbing Kai, Kai punches him in the back of the head. Kai looks at the kid on the ground.

Kid: I thought you couldn't help me?

Kai: I changed my mind.

Kai puts out his hand and the kid gets up by himself.

Kid: Thanks, but I have a question. Why are you walking around shirtless?

Kai: That's a good question, and not one I'm willing to answer. You got a shirt I could borrow?

Kid: Not one that'll fit you, but I can buy you one to pay you back for the help.

Kai: Deal.

The kid walks into one of the shops. He comes out, and hands Kai the sweatshirt. Kai throws on the black shirt.

Kai: What was your name?

Kid: My names Luke.

Kai: Thanks Luke, now get out of here kid.

Luke: Why?

Kai: I have a habit of bringing trouble with me, and the trouble I could bring to this city is more than you can handle. Stay out of trouble.

Kai walks back to the inn. When he walks inside he talks to the receptionist. He gets a room and goes up the elevator. Kai walks down a hallway and opens the door. He lays down on the bed and soon falls asleep looking out a window.

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Skull and Bone walk up to Quirin's gates. The guards put out their hands.

Guard: You are not allowed to pass!

Guard2: Never again will you be allowed in Quirin.

Skull: A man stole our car. Just let us get the car and we will never come back, please!

The guards look at each other.

Guard: You may take back your truck, but you must leave Quirin

The Skull Twins look at each other.

Skull twins: Yes!

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The next day, Kai wakes up to the sound of the window shattering. Chains move across the floor and Kai gets out of the bed.

Kai: Elecain…

Elecain: You fight off our men for two years and then you decide to come here! The biggest mutant base of them all!

Kai: I can leave if you really need me to.

Elecain: Now that we know you're here you'll never leave.

Elecain whips his chain. The electric chain wraps around Kai's leg. Kai gets shocked, and elecain whips his chain at the wall. Kai is thrown out of the inn. The chain lets go and Kai starts falling a few stories. Kai flips around and lands on his feet. Elecain jumps down from the inn. His chain turns into a hammer. Elecain walks over to Kai, and starts throwing hammer attacks at Kai. Kai tries to block the hammer attacks, but the bruises and electricity start to win. Kai pushes Elecain back, and then punches him in the stomach. Elecain gets the wind knocked out of him. As Elecain gasps for air Kai punches him in the head. Kai stands over Elecain. Elecains hammer turns into a knife, and he stabs Kai in the leg. Kai drops down to one knee and Elecain gets onto both feet. Elecain's knife turns into a sword. Luke shows up and throws a metal bar to him.

Luke: Here!

Kai takes the knife out of him and catches the bar. Then he stands up mostly on one leg. Elecain slashes back and forth with the blade. Kai blocks the sword.

Kai: You want to know something about me Elecain?

Their blades clash causing sparks.

Elecain: What?

Kai: I might not like swords, but I've trained enough to be a master swordsman.

Kai moves the bar in a way that flings Elecain's sword out of his hand. Kai knocks Elecain out with the bar. Kai sees everybody just moving along like it was nothing after the fight happened. Kai walks up to Luke.

Kai: Is this how it always is? Everyone just keeps going on with the day after a fight breaks out.

Luke: Yeah, pretty much. Everyone has powers here so we expect it to happen.

Kai: Kids grow up with people trying to kill each other all the time?

Luke: Yeah, what's the problem?

Kai: Nothing. Now stop helping me-

Luke: No, you have no idea about how to get around this town. I can help.

Kai: You could also die.

A spike comes out from Luke's arm.

Kai: Fine, I guess I can't stop you. At least you have powers to defend yourself.

Luke: Where are we going?

Kai: The giant skyscraper looks like it will probably be the best place to start.

Luke: Are you sure that's a good idea?

Kai: You could always not come.

Luke: I'm… going to try to find the best way to escape.

Kai: You do that.

Kai travels to the skyscraper and walks in. The place looks pretty empty. Kai walks right past the receptionist. She yells at him as the elevator goes up. Kai leans on the railing and starts tapping his foot. The elevator stops at the last floor and Kai walks around. He sees an office and he walks inside. He sits down at a chair. A man sits in front of him. The chair spins around to show the man.

Kai: A robot.

Kai sees a robot with clothes on. The robot starts ticking. In its eyes is a countdown. A hologram of a face shows up on the table.

Hologram: You're here and not in New York. What could happen to your city? Maybe you might want to see how much General Grey has cleared out of the city.

A bar that is almost filled up appears below the face. The bar shows 90%.

Hologram: By the time you get back there will be no one left to save.

Kai sees the timer in the robot's eyes has fifteen seconds left. Kai runs out of the room and jumps out a window. As Kai falls through the air he hears the top of the building explode. Kai teleports to the ground and starts running. Kai sees the inn and Luke stops him.

Kai: Where's the truck?

Luke: There are more important things than that!

Luke leads Kai to a tv playing the news. There is a picture of Kai on the screen.

Reporter: This man, commonly known as the Crimson Dragon, has attacked us. He is a mutant traitor who likes humans.

Kai: Get as far away from me as you can Luke.

Luke: Is this what you meant by trouble?

Kai: Yes, this is what I meant.

Luke runs away, and Kai runs to the opening in the gate. The two guards put out there hands.

Guard: Here for one day and you've already become a terrorist.

Guard2: You'll die for what you have done.

Kai teleports behind them and he keeps running.

Kai: Maybe another time.

Kai gets far enough away that he doesn't hear anyone.

Kai: It's time to go to the coordinates. North, he said. Alright.

Kai gets in the running position.

Kai: It's time to run around the country again.

Kai runs as fast as he possibly can. He kicks up dirt as he does so.

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Later that day, Skull and Bone are driving.

Skull: We always end up on top Bone. We have our car and our lives.

Bone: That's not much.

Skull: Living the high life.

Kai runs past them and the car flips over. Kai doesn't stop running.

Skull: How are we supposed to move this thing?!