Ch 1: Hell’s Kitchen

In New York City there is one place that higher-ups least care about. The reason behind this isn't related to fame or anything like that but to their lives. This place is called Hell's Kitchen place which is hailed as the paradise of criminals in New York City. Here the police can be said the last thing you can trust is your safety.

Here in Hell's Kitchen, the only thing you can rely on is you and only yourself. Also, follow the three golden rules of Hell's Kitchen. Rule 1, never forget to pay your taxes or protection fees. Rule 2, always think before taking action aka never stick your nose in someone's matters. Rule 3, Never go out after 10 PM without a weapon. This three are the golden rules of Hell's Kitchen. If you wanna survive here as a civilian then you better don't forget these rules. But that's only if you are a civilian or after all. There are always expectations in things, doesn't it?

*Gunshot sounds.*

"D-Damn it! Mike! Jonathan! Micheal! Are you three there?!" In one of the streets of Hell's Kitchen group of guys are shooting each other. There was about the corpse of a dozen or so men laying down while soaking in their blood.

"I'm here sir!" A black thin man with a missing front tooth said while shooting towards another two men. Seeing that one of his loyal men is still alive Laran let out a sigh of relief.

"Damn it! I know I was supposed to not take these pigs under my wing. Laurel you son of a bitch you better pray I will die here today! Jonathan, do you still have any of that goddamn stun grenade?" Laran then aimed his shotgun and shoots down some unlucky guy.

"No sir, but in the bag, there might be one." Jonathan saw one of the guys getting closer so he tries to shoot him down but found out he is out of bullets. The attacker used this opportunity to tackle him but what he greeted was a knife that was aimed at his neck. Within a few seconds, he turns into a corpse.

"Then where is your goddamn bag?!" Laran also noticed that his shotgun was out of bullets. This is a bad thing because that was his last gun. His pistols are also out of bullets too spare ones are in his car.

"In the car sir!" Laran heard Jonathan shouting. Then he looked at the car that was at least 50 meters away from him and a clean road that doesn't have anything to cover him from enemy fire.

"God! you damn piece of shit!" Laran then looked at the revolver on the floor not far away from him but the problem is if he want to take it he need to let it out of his cover. But then thinking of his current situation it's either do it or die so he decides to try his luck. He quickly run towards the revolver and took it. Seeing him come out from the cover traitors of his gang didn't let go of this chance either and start shooting toward him.

"Agh!"

Even though he was hit by the bullet it wasn't too life-threatening which isn't too bad. After all little blood for the chance to send these traitors to hell seems isn't a too bad a deal. "Now I just need the right moment."

He took a deep breath and start counting in his heart. 'One, two, three, four, five, six, now!'

Then he quickly gets out from his cover and shoots three traitors in the head then get back in following him was another continuous gunfire. 'Another nine to go. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine,…'

After the gunshot stops the first-time Laran was still counting in his heart then comes the second time he was still quietly counting, the third time he checked his bullets which were two and eleven bullets he managed to snatch from the corpse.

And then finally fourth time they stopped firing Laran took a deep breath then jump out from his cover while shooting towards the traitors. Six bullets hit their target and finish their job, two hit but couldn't finish their jobs, and lastly one missed.

After that, he gets up from the ground slowly and walks towards the injured two while still on guard. He was going to finish the job. He took his first step pain from his wound made him groan but nothing more happened. The second step was is still hidden one didn't shoot his shoot. This continued till the eighth step. In the eighth step, he finally reached the front of two wounded guys one tried to shoot him but he was too slow and the other one just accepts his fate.

*Gunshot sound.*

Just as Laran was about search third one he got a shot in the leg which made him fall. He turn around and saw the last guy who was aiming at him and now aiming at his head. But just as he was about to end his job someone hits him on the head with an empty glass bottle and knocks him out. The person was Jonathan he survived till now.

"Ha! Good job Jonathan now help get up." Jonathan nods his head and helped him get up. And they head towards the car Jonathan places him carefully on the car's back seat and bandages his wounds. then drags the knocked-out guy in front of Laran.

"Now we need to know where Laurel is from this pig," Laran muttered while thinking about how to torture Laurel when he gets his hand on him.

"I think you don't need to worry about Laurel mister Laran." Suddenly, a stranger, his voice comes to his ears. Laran quickly looked at the driver's seat a middle-aged man was sitting while smoking a cigarette.

"Huh? Who the hell are you damn rascal?! Jonathan, who the hell is this guy in my car?" Laran yelled angrily but the only answer he get from Jonathan was silence.

"Don't need to scream so much mister Laran. No one will help you now. As for mister Laurel, you don't need to worry about him. He agreed to give control over all his business and fortune to you well to be exact to me." a middle-aged man said while throwing his cigarette out of the car window.

"What do you mean?" Suddenly he saw a horrifying scene. The middle-aged man who was sitting in his car without his permission started changing. His skin color, hair, eyes, face, and even clothes changed exactly like his.

"Whatcha wanna say, pal? Pretty good isn't it?" While patting off nonexistent dust from his shoulders fake Laran said. And hearing his voice fear in Laran's eyes grow even more. Fake Laran is not just voice but the accent, style, and even tone are exactly like him. If he wasn't seen him change in front of him Laran might even doubt himself for a little bit.

"So let's see… my name is Laran Shliker the head of The Black Plague Gang. I like to listen to Beethoven's symphony while eating steak. Hate dogs because when I was a kid I was chased by one… blah blah blah." The more Laran heard his fake says more he become afraid. It's like this man in front of him is known his whole life like an open book.

"H-how? Wait a minute! You are a mutant, aren't you?! Mutant that can shape-shift to anyone… you are Mystique! You are Mystique, aren't you?! But why? Why does the brotherhood of mutants care about me?" Laran said while start trembling in fear.

"Good guess. You can keep guessing while going to hell you damn rascal." With that, he gives a signal with his hand, and Jonathan who was standing beside the car took out the gun he hide in his pants and kills both the last traitor and Laran. Then he drags out real Laran's body then pours gasoline on himself. Then took out a lighter and burns both himself and Laran's body.

As for the fake Laran, he leaves there without any problem. Well, here it is folks another night in Hell's Kitchen but who knows it might be the beginning of a way bigger thing.