Chapter Text
City Center
“Let me go bitch!”
Bailey shouted as the Altered manhandled her into the building Zahedi and Armond were in. Both men looked up as they entered. Seeing his teammate, Zahedi began snatching against his restraints. He shouted out.
“Bailey! Where’s Toran?!”
Before she could answer, the Altered threw Bailey down beside Zahedi and moved towards a cabinet across the room.
Soon as she landed, Bailey jumped up and lunged at the woman who had her back turned. Blue energy of the Anomaly swatted her off-course, pushing her to the ground behind the Altered. Without turning around, the Altered woman said.
“Honestly… you’ve got to be the stupidest human in history! Did you think you’d get the jump on me?”
Turning around, she walked over and quickly secured Bailey. Yanking her up by the cuffs, she carried the Marshal back and slung her over by Zahedi again. Tilting her head she said.
“How bout you chill the fuck out or I’ll kill you before your friend gets here?”
Bailey grunted, but kept her mouth shut. She pulled and tugged at the restraints as she glared at the woman. Suddenly the Altered tensed up! A feral grin spread across her face as she looked over at her two prisoners. Smirking, she said.
“Seems like your friend is faster than I thought! I can sense him closing in on us! Armond, watch these two! I’m going to have some more fun!”
The Altered disappeared as she said the last words, leaving the three alone in the room. Bailey sneered at Armond as she tried to break out of the strong cuffs. Licking her teeth, she barked.
“Hey Armond! You know I’m gonna gut you like a fish when I get out of here, right? Corrigan can’t save your sorry ass this time!”
Looking over, Armond rolled his eyes. His face balled up in disbelief as he replied.
“You think you’re getting out of here? That Outrider friend of yours is gonna get wrecked! That Altered will probably kill you two as well. Hell, I’m not sure I’m gonna make it out of here alive to be honest!”
Zahedi spoke up, always the pacifist.
“It’s not too late, just let us go, and you can disappear!”
Armond crossed his arms as he strolled over. Looming over the pair, he said.
“And have a gotdamn ECA Marshal AND a fucking Altered on my trail? Absolutely not!”
Bailey chucked, eyes full of hate. She growled out.
“Glad you don’t believe the doc, cuz I’m not gonna stop until you’re breathing through a new hole, bastard!”
Armond pulled his pistol, pointing it at Bailey. Tilting his head, he asked.
“What if I just kill you now? I don’t have to worry about it then, will I?”
Trying to keep everyone alive, Zahedi interjected.
“Killing her will bring the entire ECA after you, including the Outrider!”
Growling, Armond put the gun away and walked back across the room. Over his shoulder, he said.
“Fuck you, and your new friends Abe…”
City Center
Toran ran through the center of the shitty city, screaming out his teammate’s names. Corner after corner led him to another empty street without an answer. Getting irritated, he almost turned around. Turning around another damn corner, he bristled as he felt the Altered who’d been baiting him here. Shouting out loud, knowing she could hear him, he said.
“If you’re gonna stalk me, at least tell me your goddamn name!”
The woman appeared with a smirk. Looking at Toran lustfully, she asked.
“So you want to know my name, huh?”
Tilting his head, stone-faced, he answered.
“I like to know who I’m telling to go fuck themselves!”
As the woman frowned and disappeared, Toran got ready. He felt her behind his body this time as she whispered.
“You first, fire boy!”
Stomping down, Toran trapped her in Ash as it flowed out from under him. Driving his elbow backwards, he struck her in the stomach. She flew backwards as the strike knocked her out of the dusty trap. Hitting the ground hard, she was slow to get up as Toran turned and watched. Taunting her, he asked.
“You sure that’s what you want, lady?”
She formed a blade of energy and threw it at Toran. He sidestepped, letting it pass him. About to say something snarky, he lurched forward as the blade sunk into his back after ricocheting off a wall. Standing up, she said.
“Watch it Outrider… I play dirty…”
The Anomaly energy grew in Toran’s eyes as he said.
“Not as dirty as me!”
Toran raised his arms, causing lava to spring from the earth all around him. A cage of molten rock formed in a wide circle around the pair. The woman looked around, stunned. With a twist of his hands, the lava raced towards the woman.
Her bubble formed around her, saving her from a direct hit. Toran growled as the flowing lava split down the middle. Both arms of magma thinned into sharp points and shot at her again. Unable to deflect two blows at once, one pierced the bubble and hit her in the side. Toran roared out.
“Where are my teammates!”
The blade of magma dug deeper into the woman’s side before it disintegrated, and she fell to the ground. Anger took over her face as hundreds of energy blades formed in front of her. They all shot towards Toran at once.
Toran’s eyes narrowed, and a wall of magma shot up in front of him. It stopped most of them, but a few passed by and bounced off his cage, aimed at his back. He stomped his foot down again, Ash coating the projectiles and causing them to drop to the ground. Toran walked towards the woman, sending out a line of fire in front of him. He growled, angrily.
“I’ll ask you again, WHERE ARE THEY!!”
She formed another bubble in front of herself, slowing the flames as they passed through it. A shockwave of energy released from the woman, aimed towards Toran. He rolled to the left, thinking he could escape, but the energy just curved and slammed into his chest. It pulled his body skyward as time around him slowed. She lifted softly off the ground, floating over to Toran’s suspended body, and said.
“Stop fighting me, Toran! Forget those losers and let me show you what you’re capable of!”
Orange light flared brightly from Toran’s body as the woman’s trap faded. When time resumed, his body erupted, sending large molten rocks in all directions. One hit the Altered taking her to the ground. Looking up, she noticed Toran still floating in the air, body surrounded by angry flames. A blue vein of Anomaly energy broke through his skin and pulsed on his neck as he screamed.
“I know EXACTLY what I’m capable of! I’ve been killing you arrogant fucks for months now! Tell me where Zahedi and Bailey are or you’re the next on the chopping block, bitch!”
The ground inside the cage lit up as it rose in temperature. It crumbled, turning molten under her feet. Eruptions began shooting lava into the sky around her as Toran pulsed brighter above it all. The eruptions sped up as he growled darkly.
“It’s a shame. I won’t even know your name when I kill you!”
Disappearing, the woman vanished before reappearing right in front of Toran. With a smirk, she leaned in and whispered.
“Its Taz, but I’m not dying today!”
She disappeared again, right as the entire center of the cage exploded upward in a molten blaze. As the lava rained to the ground, Toran spun, trying to find the other Altered, but she was nowhere to be found.
First City, City Center
All three people heard the explosion and the following tremble. Bailey spoke first, asking.
“What the fuck was that?!”
Backing away from the entryway, Armond said over his shoulder.
“Sounds like those two are fighting hard…”
Through the broken window of the building, they could see molten rock falling from the sky. A second explosion shook the building hard, knocking paneling loose. More lava rained down in the streets, some breaking through the remnants of the window and landing on the floor.
As they stared at the molten rock, Zahedi commented.
“Toran must be pissed!”
The entire area got eerily quiet for a few moments. Suddenly, the door buckled and snatched outward off the hinges. Toran stood in the door frame, heaving as he caught his breath. Blue energy swirled in his eyes as a newly formed branch of Anomaly energy pulsed on his neck, joining the first vein.
Scowl on his face, he stared into the room looking at Bailey, then Zahedi. When his eyes finally swung towards Armond, they narrowed as he asked his teammates.
“Is this him?”
Bailey piped up, a grin spreading across her face as she chuckled out.
“Sure is!”
Toran’s entire head turned to face Armond. Taking a step into the room, his eyes got even brighter as he sneered.
“Get wrecked motherfucker!”
Armond began screaming as he lifted off the ground. His body contorted as his insides burned brightly in the dimly lit room. One last scream and he exploded, showering the room in burning body parts.
Coming further into the room, Toran walked over to his friends. He bent down and pulled Bailey up first, then helped Zahedi up as well. Angrily, he told them both to turn around. When they did, he grabbed Bailey’s cuffs with both hands and the metal melted open instantly. Dropping the mangled restraints, he repeated the process to free Zahedi as well. They both rubbed their chaffed wrist, unsure what the next move was.
Softly, Toran turned to Bailey and asked.
“Give us a minute, please?”
“I get it, you need time to make uhhh—”
The woman didn’t get to finish her statement as she flew out of the room, wrapped in Anomaly energy. She landed on her ass in the street as a wall of lava shot up in the doorway. It quickly cooled, sealing her out. Jumping up, she shouted.
“Fine BITCH! I’m going back to the truck!”
With Bailey gone, Toran slowly turned to face the doctor. Anger and rage still twisted his face as he stared the man down. To his credit, Zahedi didn’t cower under the vengeful glare of the Outrider.
Closing the distance between them, Toran got in so close they were almost chest to chest. The heat radiating off the Outrider caused Abraham to step back. Toran stepped with him, never breaking eye contact. As the doctor felt the wall behind himself, he finally said.
“I’m sorry Toran! I didn’t know!”
A fiery fist punched into the wall beside Zahedi’s head. It was so close he felt the heat from the flames and could smell singed hair. Finally, Toran shouted angrily.
“THE NEXT TIME I OFFER TO HELP YOUR BITCH ASS, YOU FUCKING TAKE IT! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR ABRAHAM?!”
Zahedi nodded as Toran pulled his hand out of the wall. With the flames quickly extinguishing around his fist, Toran traced his fingers down the side of Zahedi’s face. Fingertips still warm with molten energy, he took the doctor’s jaw in an unsuspectingly soft grip as he continued.
“It seems we’re dancing around something that everyone else has noticed, including our enemies… Time to stop the games, if I’m gonna have to rescue you regularly!”
Toran waited for another nod before he pressed his lips to the doctor’s mouth. He ran his tongue over Zahedi’s lips, silently asking for entrance. The doctor opened his mouth, letting the Outrider in, his own tongue ready to explore. A warm hand ghosted down Zahedi’s neck, pulling a moan from him that cemented just how much he wanted this, too. Pulling away, sounding more demand than a request, Toran firmly asked.
“Here? Right now?”
Zahedi’s hand moved to Toran’s arm. Rubbing across the weathered duster, he marveled at the heat the man was putting off. Quietly, he replied,
“You made yourself clear, didn’t you?”
Working the duster off his shoulders without breaking contact, Toran said.
“Glad you’re a fast learner, Abraham…”
Toran moved to slip off Zahedi’s coat, but he stopped. A twinge of guilt crossed his mind, making him question the scientist’s motives. Looking the man in the eyes, he asked.
“You’re not doing this because you’re afraid of me, right?”
Zahedi scoffed as he replied.
“I thought I made it perfectly clear that I wasn’t afraid of you this morning?”
Smirking, Toran said.
“It was kinda hot when you told me to fuck off!”
Zahedi removed his own jacket and dropped it on the ground. Reaching out, he pulled Toran back in. Running his hands across every part of exposed skin he could find, the doctor marveled at the heat the Outrider put off. His hand found the newly formed veins of Anomaly energy and he hesitated before he softly touched them. Worried, he asked.
“This is new, does it hurt?”
Toran shook his head no in response. He could feel the branched energy lines, but it didn’t hurt. Knowing nothing on this damn planet had gon right so far, he answered truthfully.
“No, but I don’t think it’s a good sign either…”
Noting it for later, Zahedi wrapped his arms around the Outrider. His head turned as he began kissing Toran’s neck. His tongue barely grazed the vein, but he felt an immediate tingle of static electricity.
Toran moaned out, eyes glowing brighter as he whispered.
“Holy shit! Do that again!”
Zahedi followed orders and pressed his tongue flat on Toran’s warm neck. He licked across the entire vein, twirling along the longest branch before returning to follow the other. The Outrider seemed to waver under the sensation, causing the doctor to chuckle.
Wriggling loose from Zahedi, Toran held the man at arm’s length. An idea crossed his mind, so he sank down to his haunches. He looked up mischievously as he said.
“Ya know? I learned kinda quickly that I can control the temperature of my hands?”
Unzipping the doctor’s pants, Toran let them fall to his ankles. Moving his hand slowly, he rubbed small circles across the doctor’s thighs. Soothing warmth bled from his fingers as he worked Zahedi’s leg. Finally, Toran slid his hand into the bottom of Abraham’s boxers. Gripping the girthy shaft he found, Toran licked his lips as his hand warmed more and he began slowly jerking Zahedi to full mast.
The doctor moaned as he sank down against the wall. Enjoying the feeling, he said through the pleasure.
“This feels amazing Toran!”
Toran’s hand slid further along Zahedi’s length. Slowly circling the sensitive gland under his thumb, the Outrider smirked and said.
“Wait till you feel what else I can warm up!”
Leaning forward, Toran closed his mouth on the thick cock still trapped behind the thin cloth. He worked its length for a moment before reaching up and pulling Zahedi’s waistband down. Tucking it under the man’s large balls, Toran took the doctor into his mouth.
The warmth of his mouth, thanks to the Anomaly, made Zahedi moan. Rough hands found the back of Toran’s head as Abraham thrusted his hips forward. Losing himself, Zahedi felt a twinge of arrogance. How many people could say an Altered sucked them off?
His thrusts sped up as he enjoyed the unnatural warmth around his cock. Gripping the Outrider’s head tighter, he couldn’t help himself as he grunted.
“Damn Outrider! You got a nice mouth!”
Toran cut his eyes up at the man, but continued working on him. The temperature around Zahedi’s cock rose, making him panic. He tried to pull Toran off, but the Outrider simply pushed his own head to the base of the doctor’s cock.
A warm hand drifted up between Zahedi’s legs. When Toran closed his fist around the doctor’s balls, the man whimpered in pleasure. Fighting a losing battle, Zahedi tried to hold off the inevitable. The warmth on his body making his end come faster than he wanted.
Unable to move the unyielding Outrider, Zahedi let go as his orgasm took over. With a stuttering moan, he gripped the Toran’s head as he tried to chase his end. When the outrider finally relented, Zahedi immediately pumped his hips, fast thrusts as he spilled down Toran’s throat.
Holding the Toran’s head, Zahedi kept himself buried deep as he rode out the last of his ecstasy. Pulling out, the kneeling man licked the last of his seed off before looking up and asking.
“You liked my mouth, huh?”
All Zahedi could manage was a slow nod.
Toran stood back up and pressed his body against the doctor’s, grinding on the man against the wall. He leaned in and asked.
“Is it my turn?”
Looking in the Outrider’s eyes, Zahedi forgot the question as he watched the blue energy of Anomaly dance, just barely under the hazel eyes, waiting for an answer. He smiled as he nodded yes, ready for whatever Toran wanted.
The Outrider turned the doctor around and pressed him back to the wall as he pulled Zahedi’s boxers completely off his body. Back against the man, Toran asked.
“You’ve done this before, right?”
Zahedi pushed his ass back, grinding on Toran’s crotch. Over his shoulder, he said.
“I’m not the one who slept for thirty years… Do you remember what to do?”
Toran grinned and began grinding on Zahedi. His hands found purchase on the doctor’s hips and he began soothing the man with warm fingertips. One of his hands slipped around and took Abraham’s softening cock while the other moved between their bodies and a finger tested the waiting hole.
Zahedi relaxed in the warm touch as he got hard again. As Toran’s finger slipped inside, he moaned and rolled his head back. Letting the Outrider do all the work, he enjoyed the warmth inside, so close to his spot. His body put up no fight as a second finger joined, the stretch mellowed by the warm sensation. Panting as the outrider worked him open, he said.
“Damn Toran! You really know what you’re doing…”
All he got in response was a deep chuckle. A third finger joined as Toran pushed deeper, his fingers curled to rub right where they needed to. Zahedi bucked forward in Toran’s warm fist as he let the Outrider finger him open. After a few moments, unexpected lips kissed his neck softly. Leaving warm spots wherever he made contact, Toran whispered.
“You ready?”
When the Outrider got a simple nod, he pulled his fingers out and unzipped his pants. Reaching in, he pulled his own hard tool out and let it rest on Abraham’s ass as he continued.
“I’ve wanted to do this for a while…”
Gripping himself, Toran lined up and began pushing into Zahedi’s hole. As he inched in, the doctor made noises never heard before. Toran reached his hand around and pushed under Zahedi’s shirt. Finding a nipple, he played with the hardening nub in his warm fingertips as he whispered.
“Almost in, just give me a little more…”
Arching his back, Zahedi settled as the Outrider filled him. As Toran buried himself to the hilt, the doctor let his head fall back on the outrider’s chest. Heaving and panting, Zahedi said.
“Give me a second…”
Toran leaned forward, kissing the doctor’s neck. Pulling his hand from under Zahedi’s shirt, he wrapped it around Abraham’s throat. Hovering over Zahedi’s ear, Toran whispered.
“Tick Tock doctor…”
After a few seconds, Abraham nodded his head and put both of his hands on the wall. He closed his eyes and smiled as he said.
“Full speed ahead, Outrider…”
The fire-wielding Altered began hard thrusts as he let loose. His whole body warmed as he pounded into the doctor, putting his own hands over Abraham’s. Toran locked their fingers together as he kissed and nibbled on Zahedi’s neck and shoulder.
Toran found himself nearing the end faster than he wanted. Fueled by the wait he’d endured for this moment, he couldn’t stop. Warmth filled the room as warmth filled Zahedi.
Falling forward, Toran leaned against Zahedi as he said.
“Next time is gonna be better…”
The doctor nodded and replied.
“Oh I know!”
The two quickly arranged themselves and moved towards the exit. Toran put his hand on the volcanic blockage and it immediately melted and dispersed. They left, making their way back to the hilltop through the city.
Hilltop Camp
As the Outrider and the scientist crested the hill, Jakub called out.
“Bout time you two showed up! Bailey has been yapping the entire time!”
Neither man acknowledged the questions asked as the team got back in the truck and headed for Trench Town.
Power Plant
Taz stood on the rooftop of the old building, watching as the truck on the hill pulled off. She turned to leave when she felt another Altered’s presence. Over her shoulder, she told the approaching man.
“I don’t need a lecture…”
Seth stopped and crossed his arms. Sighing, he said.
“The fact that you can still hear it, is something you should be a little more grateful for…”
Turning around, she scoffed. It was true… She was the first Altered to face the Outrider and live. Toran had amazing strength and control for someone who’d just learned of his abilities. Taz turned, walked over, and said.
“He hasn’t killed you yet either!”
Seth quickly frowned and replied.
“He has no reason to, plus he knows who I’m searching for…”
Taz shuddered as she thought of the true terror of Enoch. Moloch would be the end of them all if they did not deal him with soon enough. The Altered were Enoch’s gift to humanity. Moloch was the vengeful curse. She shuddered again before finally asking.
“What do you want?”
Seth straightened up and said.
“Don’t provoke Toran again, Taz… I know you felt the change in him…”
She didn’t want to admit it, but that had been the exact reason she high-tailed it out of there. The Outrider was using more of his power, trying to kill her the third time. The power spike had been so strong that the energy had broken through his skin. Taz reached up, cradling her face where her own Anomaly energy had scarred her as she said.
“I just want to have some fun, that’s all…”
With a tilt of his head, Seth reprimanded.
“Don’t let those foolish Insurgents pull you into a battle against him again… His team is off limits as well! You saw how he just responded to the doctor’s kidnapping. Imagine what it would have been if you’d taken the drunk?”
Taz smirked as she replied.
“Oh, I’m sure the doctor is his primary focus!”
Seth raised an eyebrow, but said nothing else. He turned, walking away, but stopped. Firmly, he said again.
“Leave him alone Taz! We don’t want something stupid to drive him insane…”
Standing alone, Taz decided, Enoch would just have to deal with the consequences. She wanted the Outrider, and she wouldn’t be deterred.