'Finally!' I thought as my last class of the day ended. I had been on autopilot most of the day, barely paying attention to my classes. While uni is important, I had recently mutated and wanted to get home to continue testing my powers. Confused? Well let's have a little history lesson oh voices in my head.
During World War Two the Germans were losing ground and defeat seemed likely, so as a last ditch effort they infected tens of thousands of pigeons with a virus called, strain z. What happened to strains a-y? Who the hell knows. Those pigeons spread the virus to us and dozens of other animals. Now every human in the world is contaminated, however for most it will never effect them. Some though, around one in every one hundred thousand, will become mutants with some kinda of power. Most mutate because of a high stress incident. Some like myself just get lucky, or unlucky depending on your opinion, and mutate because of something idiotic, like stressing about failing a uni class. As for the rest of the human population? Well they live with the virus dormant in them and pass it on to their children.
Unfortunately it wasn't only humans who are able to mutate, about two dozen other species are infected with the virus and able to mutate. Usually this just makes them giant, relative to their normal sizes, and way stronger. There are still tons of studies being done, but some species mutate more than others and some species mutants strength multiplier is more than others. Why? Who knows, the world governments just say that's classified.
As for the war? Well Germany still lost because the war ended before the virus could spread far enough and people could start mutating. As for afterwards, well once mutants did start showing up it caused a crisis for most of the world. Most countries had a group of mutant try to overthrow the government. This caused most governments to become extremely wary of mutants and for a couple decades as soon as a mutant popped up they would be taken and no one would ever see them again.
This changed in the seventies when a large group of mutants started overthrowing governments, including Japan and China. Now we have rights! Yay! Most people just call mutants "Powered" now and there's is a global organization that oversees them, called the Powered Oversight Committee or POC. They register new powered and oversee any conflicts involving a powered person. This maks them an extremely powerful organization, they have their own small army of powered personal as well as a large army of unpowered. And they operate anywhere in the world, and are separate of any governments, though most governments have diplomats working with the POC to help avoid international incidents.
As a new powered myself, I would soon be going to register with my local branch of the POC. Most heroic and neutral aligned powered do this. They make a record of you and your capabilities, in case they need to call on you to aid them in any nearby "situations". Usually this happens during mutant outbreaks, which is when a large number of mutated animals attacks a city. Or there is some crazy villain that starts causing to many civilian deaths. Due to there being several outbreaks a year, most people lived in cities, even here in the US most rural communities had been wiped off the map.
I had been studying my power for the last few days and figured they'd give me a rating of Utility 3 or 4 star. Powers were on a five star rating and mine was extremely good, I could store items in a pocket dimension, and I had the space of several large warehouses. Of course that would likely grow as I used my powers, as all do. There are several different classifications for powers, you have Tanks who can take unnatural amounts of damage, Fighters who's powers are made for medium to close range combat, Rangers who are made for medium to long range combat, Crafter who's abilities craft or create, and Utility who's abilities don't directly help in combat. The majority of powered are Utility, this ranges from making prediction all the way to portals to transport people. Hell there's one powered who's only thing is predicting heads or tails on coin flips. I was honestly hoping to get a crafter ability if I ever mutated, making cool laser guns and shit or maybe crafting hybrid insects. But now that I had my power and a plan I'm fairly happy with it.
You see banks aren't really a thing, oh sure there's online banking, but no physical banks due to outbreaks and villains robbing any that pop up. There's no safety deposit boxes or anything like that. So I come in and provide my services to hold powereds valuables for a fee. My biggest issue at the moment is my own protection, I plan on going the neutral route, not discriminating anyone from my services. But I still need protection from any villains trying to force me to give up someone else's items. My best bet will probably be to make a deal with the POC to hold something of value to them in exchange for them hiring a neutral powered team to guard me, at least until I get my business going and have funds to spare. I already had a simple costume made, one I had been working on for a couple years after having all those daydreams of being a powered, though I had to modify it a bit to fit with my theme. Unfortunately this isn't like all the comic books, protecting your civilian identity was of utmost importance for most powered. If a villain found out who you are they have no issue going after you out of costume, or your family. And while I don't have parents, both dying a few years ago in an outbreak, but I did have a brother a year younger than me, Eddie, who I'm currently living with. And our parents would rise from their graves to strangle me if something happened to Ed because I wanna play as a powered. It might be a bit selfish but I kinda hope he mutates so we can work together, he does have a higher chance since someone directly related has already show to have mutated (me).
I get to our apartment building as Ed himself is coming out keys in hand. "Hey Alex! You need the car? Because if not ima head out. Jess wants to go see the new Star Wars movie, attack if the clones or something."
"Naw go ahead, if I decide to go out I'll just take the bus." I say back before heading inside after a quick fist bump. Luckily this time he didn't try to set me up on a date with one of their friends.
Getting inside the apartment I go to my room and get out my costume. While I always wanted to be a crafter, I had planned to sell my creations and so my I wanted to come off as a businessman which hasn't changed. I have a Kevlar vest which will go underneath my black three button suit, and black dress shirt. Originally the tie was going to be red but I switched it out for a good one along with gold buttons on the suit. Then I had a trench coat, again black with gold buttons, and I had a black cloth mask that when pulled on covered down to my upper lip. To end it all I put I have gold contacts for my eyes and gold gloves and boots. Was it cheesy? Yes. Did I care? Of course not, I get to be a powered now haha. I stuff it all in a bag, it would be idiotic to ride on public transportation in costume. While Skyport isn't a huge city like New York which has nearly ten million people as of 2002, it's still a decent size city with plenty of villains and gangs, who would be on me as soon as it got out that some fool was riding around the bus in costume.
Leaving and heading to the bus stop to wait, it would be about a thirty minute ride to the nearest stop to the local POC headquarters. Luckily not many places have cameras so I could slip into a public restroom somewhere to change. I'm glad I've always been obsessed with the powered scene, so I've kept up with all the groups here in Texas. Specifically here in Skyport there is two major villain groups and a dozen lesser, one major heroic group besides the POC and five lesser groups. There's no major neutral groups but a few lesser ones. I'll probably offer my services first to the heroes and neutrals to get my name out and get some funds. While I don't have an issue working with villains, I also understand there is a much higher chance of being backstabbed or even straight up attacked by them.
Getting on the bus and finding an empty seat I continue thinking about the future. First register and get my power tested then offer my services in return for either protection or them putting me in touch with a group I might be able to make a deal with. After that? Find a way to get my name out to the powered community. Hmm. Maybe I'll make that part of my deal with the POC, have them make an official announcement of me on their official forums. There's dozens of online forums to talk about the powered, but the two largest are POC Official, where only the POC can make posts. And the second is the POC Unofficial where any internetgoer can post. I'll have them make a post of about my abilities and that I'll be making my own post on the unofficial forums with my services. Luckily I already had the user: The_Banker.
Hearing my stop get announced I quickly lined up with others at the doors, getting off and walking down the street I noticed a park with public restrooms not far, perfect. I make sure to check for any cameras and see none before going in. Changing take only a few minutes, yes I've practiced changing into my costume, I'm a nerd. Leaving I notice I'm getting looks but with it only a being a few minute walk to the POC most people are used to seeing powered around here.
Arriving at the headquarters there's a few unpowered officers guarding the entrance to the base. Cara are being searched going in and out at the gate house, funnily I'm the only person trying to enter by foot. As I approach I see two guards coming towards me with guns, clearly made by a crafter, ready but not aggressive.
"Unknown powered cease approaching and state your intent." Guard one yells at me. Stopping I raise my hands before yelling back. "I'm here to register and for power testing sir." Man I really need some kind of voice modulator.
"Approach slowly with your hands raised." Guard two yells. Doing so I make my way to them. "We will now search you for any weapons or devices. Note that your mask will not be removed or tampered with. Do you understand?" The same guard asks.
"Of course gentlemen." I say with what I hope is a charismatic smile. But knowing me it probably looked dumb. As they frisk me I hear a third guard nearby calling for a transport for a new powered for registration. "He's clean. We have a truck coming to transport you to the registration and testing building on the base. If you attempt to go anywhere else on the base without escort and permission you will be taken into custody and charged. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir. Thank you." I saw with another smile. God my nerves are killing me, luckily I'm not shaking. That would be a poor look. Soon a blacked out truck arrives with two more officers inside, at there command I enter the truck. Looking out at the base I see eight or so building of varying size and a small runway with a couple hangers. Arriving at the closest building I exit the truck. "Go inside and talk to the front desk." The driver says.
Doing just that I go in and see a few ladies at a large front desk, one looks up at me as I approach.
"Hello! The Banker here for registration and power testing."