It had been a week since I had become Emerged, as the media, internet and basically everyone seemed to be calling it now. I had managed to retrieve all of the money I had out of the banks and snapped and destroyed my credit card. I was pretty much free from my old life. I was Emerged, I didn’t have to live by anyone’s rules. Just my own motives and desires.

I had asked Miura the day before today to change my name on the contract I signed with her on the apartment and it seemed she was more than happy that I was moving on with my new identity. “Cynthia Sutton…” I almost couldn’t believe it. Shaking my head. “Gotta do stuff today!” Today was when I start planning to make a move on those Operation Barracuda bastards for stomping all over people, as well as seeing if they have anything I could use. I check my antenna are retracted and get dressed. Checking myself out in the mirror as I always do now I ruffle the sleeves of the blouse and put my phone in the jeans; making a mental note not to eat too unhealthily, as I was impressed with my figure. My first stop was Glenda’s shop. I needed to talk to her more about her son, hopefully not upsetting her too much.

I step down the apartment stairwell, glad to have a heavier coat on as the winter chill had well and truly set in. A breeze of cold wind blows my hair all over the place and a stray length falls across my face which I then adjust. Using the remote to open up the garage and unveiling the sleek Mazda. I crouch and admire the car for a few seconds, tracing the outline of its pop-up headlights with my small finger. It was a good car for me, and I had no plans of ever getting rid of it. The Wankel Rotary engine was perfect for my engineering and mechanical skills and knowledge, it was a unique challenge to keep the car going for sure. I climb inside and start the engine, letting it warm up and then beginning the journey into town.

It was a regular journey, by now the army had seemingly rounded up most of the local Emerged population, with only me and I imagine some lesser Emerged people flying under the radar. It might have been more kind to the planet if I hadn’t taken the sportscar out for a drive and gotten the bus, but there could only be me in my car, whilst buses had other people who might catch a glimpse of something and give me away, especially since they’re still out for me, according to the morning’s news bulletin. I pull into a parking spot close to the shop and give the parking meter a false positive to get a ticket printed prior to even leaving the car. The ticket firmly placed on view underneath the windscreen I stroll over to the high street and find her shop thankfully open.

The plastic surrounded door whines when I open it and the bell dings aboth my head. Glenda is busy dealing with a tall woman dressed in leather motorcycling gear, she has a helmet perched under her arm with an English flag design all over it. Her long brunette hair swept down over either side of her neck. There was something about her I did not like one bit, something about her smile seemed off to me. I make myself look busy browsing the lines of clothes and odd trinkets hung on the walls. The woman thanks Glenda for her help, hands her a business card then leaves with a bag in hand. I then turn, checking to see if she is properly gone and walk up to Glenda

“Oh hello...Cynthia was it?” I nod to her, an eye still on the entrance. “What can I help you with today?”

I lean on the counter. “I’d actually like to ask a bit about your son, I think I might be able to help you”. Glenda looks at me, slightly faltering and letting down her shopkeeper attitude.

“Wha...what’d you like to know?” She picked up a coffee cup and took a sip, looking more anxious than before.

“I’m sorry for asking but what sort of ability did he get, did he change much?” She nodded.

“The storm woke us in the middle of the night as I imagine it did you” I momentarily looked away, remembering the painful experience. “Me and my husband was fine, my son…. Michael is name is. I could hear his yelling from my bedroom, he was 25 and staying in the guest room as it had been his father’s birthday the day before. I rushed as quickly as I could to his bedroom and found he had turned into this half lizard looking creature. His hands were massive and had huge pads on them. My husband called the police and they came in the morning and took him away in a van, they told me I’d see him again shortly. I tried to argue that he should go to a hospital or something but they said it was for the best he came with them. I still haven’t seen him since”

Sparks threatened to fly off of my clenched first, the story had only furthered my anger with the police and the bastard cleanup operation being run here. As far as I knew it wasn’t so bad elsewhere. I guess they thought they could stock their forces with Emerged from some no-name town and no-one would notice or take notable exception. Too fucking bad they crossed me.

At least I now knew what to look out for, some sort of hybrid Gecko-human. That might be Micheal. I thank Glenda for the information and I purchase a black trenchcoat from her store. “I’m sorry about your son Glenda. If I spot him I’ll tell him to return to you soon” and with that I leave the store and return to the car. I take off the coat I was wearing, it wasn’t fit for what I had planned; the older coat I chuck in the back of the car behind the passenger seat and I quickly put on the trenchcoat. It goes down and over my waist, it doesn’t hide my curves but at least its a tougher material, plus I didn’t want to ruin the other coat. I pull out onto the road and check my rear view mirror, theres a police van about 100 feet back. I feel the need for a small amount of instant revenge.

***

Victoria was in the process of just checking the oil pressure levels on her old Triumph Motorcycle when she heard a metallic impact ring out from across the park. She had just done the rounds on the local high street informing them of her operation which officially will begin in the town tomorrow. She quickly floored it across the park, banging the bike’s small engine off of its rev limiter. The scene was carnage. A police van had careered up the pavement, off of a small bit of railing and into a tree, coming to rest on its side. It had been transporting two newly captured Emerged, which were causing havoc in the street.

She skidded the bike to a half behind a patrol car that had been following the van. Quickly grabbing her I.D she crouched down beside the officer at the back of the vehicle. Who’d taken cover after the dangerous individuals had broken loose.

“What happened?!” Victoria asked the woman.

“I don’t know, according to the radio the van decided it had a mind of its own, the steering jerked and it accelerated away by itself. Never mind how, we’ve got two of those things on the loose” Victoria couldn’t help but think she’d heard of a similar account before. She poked her head out from above the bootlid and regretted it almost immediately, one of the escapees was still nearby and nearly took her head off with a thrown dustbin. Putting her sense of deja vu behind her, she got to work.

***

I smiled when I watched the van come to a rest on its side in the rear view mirror. I was certainly getting more used to using my powers now. I drove a few corners away as normal before dropping it down a few gears and disappearing into the hillside. The next part was due to take place tonight, and I need to take a chill period at home. The news starts playing on the radio and I go to turn it off before catching a very quick snippet of information.
“Two dangerous emerged individuals are on the loose after a crash in the town centre of Hillchester. One is currently engaging police forces at the accident whilst the other has disappeared into town. Hopefully they capture these two quickly. The missing Emerged looks like a girl with furry creature like attributes. Remember, they are a dangerous unknown entity and you should keep your distance and contact the authorities if you see them”

I should have known they’d try and villainise someone as cute and awesome sounding as that, they’ve got one hell of a propaganda campaign against us. I shake my head as something brown flashed past my car silently. For a second I think it was a bike until I realised it made no sound.

“That must be her!” I floored it after the furry bolt of lightning, the rear wheels slipping slightly as I drop the clutch to get going. At 50 miles per hour I was reeling in the tiny missile, but then they darted into a dead end road. Braking lightly I guide the car into the road entrance, making sure to not understeer wide and crash. They’re sitting in the middle of the road looking around nervously. I stop the car and get out.

“Get in!” I shout “I’ll take you somewhere safe, I promise” She looks at me, her head fluttering about, considering her options before she slowly comes over to the car. I sit back in and open up the other door from inside.

“Who’re you?” she asks, settling into the passenger seat.

“Only the one who let you out, don’t thank me or anything” I pout selfishly. “When’d they get you?”

She begins to tear up and I put my hand on her shoulder. “I was on a night out with my friends when the Emergence happened, one of the bouncers grabbed me and wouldn’t let me go home until the police came. They were going to transfer us to the army camp for something. I hope Brad got away, he said he’d distract them whilst I could get away, he's like this big rock dude, super cool, how’d you get us out?” She had gone through a variable rollercoaster of different emotions during that little tirade, I was left reeling and trying to figure out what to say.

“Ummm, I kinda remote...controlled it” I tip my hood off of my head to show the antenna on my head.

“Woah thats neat” she reaches out to touch them and I flinch slightly. “I’m like, a Ferret girl now. I think, I can run super quick anyway and I have this tail and sharp gnashers” She grins, showing me her maw full of sharp almost canine teeth. “I don’t think the guy who caught me much appreciated the chunk I took out of his arm, was disgusting ya know”

“I can imagine it was” I shudder at the thought of tasting human flesh. “I’m Cynthia, you?”

“Lewis, but I guess that doesn’t really suit me now” She looks down at her body and it dawns on me that she must have changed gender too.
“Hey uh, look I was kinda in the same situation as you then” I put the car into gear and left the cul-de-sac. “You got your seatbelt on?”

“Yes, but wait. You changed gender too? You look so confident and feminine!” I blush at the compliment. Lewis went on: “I was always too afraid to come out as trans before, I had parents who are like super conservative and stuff, they would have disowned me. Guess they have no choice now. Bollocks to them as far as I’m concerned now”

I remember how Miura helped me decide on my new name and so I piped up: “Hey uh, how about Louise or something? I don’t know if you want to try and stray further from your deadname or stick close to it” She puts a hand to her chin in that adorable pondering pose.

“I think the further the better. I like….Sierra”

“Sierra is cute, I think you should go for it”

“Sierra, thats it then. I’m Sierra”

I’m distinctly reminded of my own reaction to my new name, although like turning up the adorable factor by a billion because of her tail. Thats what Sierra was like then.

“Sierra, do you have a home, or anywhere you can go?” She shook her head. “Right then, I guess I’ll take you to my apartment, its not very big”

“Sounds fine to me” In the corner of my eye I see her eyeing herself in the left hand mirror. She had gotten over her abduction seemingly quickly, although I suspected that her emotional rollercoaster hadn’t exactly coasted into the station. A few minutes later into the drive, and despite the heat leaking into the cabin from the close proximity to the gearbox, or perhaps because of that. She had fallen asleep. I stepped the pace up a notch to get home quicker.

20 minutes later we arrive at the apartment, the sunlight beginning to wilter down into the evening. One or two of the apartments had a Christmas ornament in the window, giving the cheap looking place a touch more colour. I reach across the car once its parked in the garage and give Sierra a couple of taps on the shoulder but she didn’t stir. Sighing, I manage to pick her up out of the seat, my cold metal arm causing a small shiver. Using my foot to shut the door gently but hard enough to close it properly. I rush her up the apartment before anyone sees me and starts asking any questions. Once she was laid out on my couch I mentally reached out to lock the car and close the garage door.

I let out a relieved breath. I loaded up the computer and sent a message to Miura on Messenger before I check twitter. I had mainly used my twitter account for artwork and following Car and Motorsports related accounts, thankfully no-one who knew me personally had ever followed it. I need to do some more housekeeping on here. I change my Display name to my new proper name: Cynthia. No surname as I don’t want to associate with my past. I also create another account to taunt the fools in charge and take proper claim for my actions. I chuckle to myself, pleased with the name I gave it. Eunos. Sounded real good to me. I snap a picture of Sierra and responded to a news tweet about the wreck and breakout.

Eunos @YesIAmEunos: Oops ;)

My life as a villain has begun.