Chapter Three: What’s In a Name?

Getting Seunghyun to agree to work with them was the least of their worries. Now came the part of actually getting him released from the facility, which he seemed to delight in making difficult for the people who worked there. His favourite thing seemed to be randomly igniting his hands so that he could spook the security teams. Thankfully Dr. Moon stepped in and scolded him about his childish behaviour, which stopped his activities, for a time anyway.

He took his time packing up his things, his black notebook included, into a backpack and slung it over his shoulder. He then departed from his cell and offered a hand to Jiyong, “Nice to meet you Detective Kwon, and don’t worry this ‘freak,’ will remain on his best behaviour. So long as you extend the same courtesy.”

Jiyong sighed but shook the man’s hand, wincing slightly at the intense heat that radiated from it, no doubt part of his ability, “I’m not going to live that one down any time soon, now am I?”

“Oh I wouldn’t worry, the four of us are going to end up great friends I’m sure, maybe, hard to say, as long as we don’t end up killing each other first.”

Jiyong and Youngbae stared after him as he walked down the cellblock hallway, with Seungri tagging along close behind him. Youngbae nudged his partner and pointed to something in Seunghyun’s file. Jiyong followed his gesture and his eyes widened in surprise; listed as one of the man’s secondary abilities was ‘precognition.’ This was a rare ability even among mutants, and allowed one to see certain events in the future.

“So we’re either going to kill each other or end up friends,” Youngbae muttered, as they followed after their new partners, “How reassuring.”

Jiyong shook his head, “That and we still don’t know for sure if he really did kill anyone."

"Boss, I feel like we just made a deal with the devil.”

Jiyong had to agree.

***

Seungri hated to admit it, but he felt nervous standing next to Seunghyun. The man radiated a steady heat and he wasn’t sure if he found it comforting or stifling. As part of his ability to manipulate ice, his own body temperature always ran lower than normal, and his skin was always cold to the touch. However, the cooler temperature never really bothered him; it was just something he got used to over time. Being near heat seemed to push his body temperature towards a more normal range, and while it wasn’t uncomfortable it was just different, and he wasn’t sure how to react.

Seunghyun glanced at him and offered a smile, “You’re leashed?”

“How could you tell?”

“Unleashed mutants give off a distinct scent,” he replied, “It’s how we identify each other. The leash blocks it somehow. A bit of advice, if you were to walk into a place mostly inhabited by mutants they’d probably beat you half to death. Most free mutants don’t like ‘pets.’ That’s the slur they use to describe ones like you. They probably didn’t tell you that in the facility.”

“They don’t tell us a lot of things there,” Seungri muttered.

“Don’t worry, I’ll teach you.”

The younger was surprised by that response and eyed the man curiously, “Why?”

Seunghyun shrugged, “Why not? Someone has to do it.”

“I take it you don’t like me much?” Seungri asked. The elder smiled, “I have absolutely no problem with you, Seungri. Our kind has to look out for each other after all; God knows no one else is going to. Personally I don’t take well with treating my own kind like , unless they deserve it of course.”

“So you’re not a mutant supremacist then?”

“I’m a realist, also an optimist because I believe in actual equality between our kinds. Each side has done ty things in the name of what they believe to be right. Humans shouldn’t try to control us, but mutants shouldn’t use their abilities to hurt people.”

Seungri found himself very surprised at the man’s opinion as it certainly wasn’t what he was expecting. He had thought that Seunghyun was going to be disagreeable and fight with them every step of the way, yet here he was calmly walking down the cell block without a care in the world. Still, Seungri kept his guard up, knowing full well that Seunghyun could bolt and try to escape at any moment. It was his job to keep an eye on him and he had every intention of doing just that.

The older man paused in front of Bom’s cell. The young woman was sitting on her bed, looking a little forlorn, he knocked on the glass and her gaze drifted to him. Seungri watched as her eyes lit up at the sight of him. For all Seungri knew her only contact with someone other than a doctor or scientist was the older man, so there was no wonder why she was pleased to see him. She stood to her feet and placed her hand on the glass, Seunghyun did the same. They stayed that way for a few solid seconds until another smile appeared on her face and he nodded to her.

“Take care, sweetheart,” he said to her.

“Be good out there,” she replied.

“No promises.”

Then, without looking back he continued on.

“What was that about?” Seungri asked.

“Nothing you need to concern yourself with, just a promise between friends.”

“Is that promise going to get us into trouble,” Jiyong asked him. Seunghyun laughed, “Detective you’re hanging out with two mutants; one leashed and one free, I’d say trouble is about to become your default setting.”

***

Once they reached the outside of the facility Seunghyun took a deep breath in, enjoying the fresh air. He was eager to get started on whatever task the two detectives had for him. Anything was better than staying in this place. Dr. Moon approached him and handed him an envelope, saying that all of his assets had been released to him, which would allow him the comforts he had been sorely lacking while staying in the facility.

“Sending you out is going to set back your progress, but once you are finished with this and back here we should be able to continue unhindered,” Dr. Moon mused.

“You never know doc, I could become a fully functioning member of society.”

“Hmm, make sure to continue your journaling.”

“