31.08.2104

Tuesday, 6:47 PM

"You're arresting him?! Seriously?!" Charles Cooper's assistant, Brody Keller was going off the rails. "right before the show starts too?" He wiped sweat off his forehead and stared at the policemen as if they had just betrayed him.

Nosy people started to stop at the sidewalk and watch the dramatic show unfolding right in front of them. After all, Dr. Cooper himself, the saint, the savior, was getting arrested!

Policemen ignored Brody's whiny concerns, put handcuffs on Cooper and harshly shoved him into the car.

"It's okay, I'll make it in time," Cooper looked down at his wrist where he was wearing a shining silver watch. The late night show he was invited to wasn't gonna start at least for a few hours. He had nothing to worry about.

"I'm innocent, this will be quick," Cooper smiled at Brody, even gave him a calming nod. "Warn Miss Carlton just in case."

The assistant stepped back, put his glasses om his head and watched as the police car drove away.

As soon as wheels started rolling, Intrusive thoughts invaded Cooper's mind despite him being confident in himself. Yeah, he was sure he could prove his innocence but...

What if they found out? What if they knew? Did he tangle all these schemes for nothing?

His eyes got stuck on the moving trees and the buildings. The sun was faintly sneaking in from the corners of the horizon.

This day was too beautiful to be ruined like an incident like this.

There was no chance anyone could solve this case. It seemed exactly as Cooper told them and fortunately, they weren't smart enough to prove him wrong.

Even if he had confessed it to them

step by step, what he did and how he did it, they still wouldn't understand it.

Cooper had nothing to worry about.

But even if the worst happened and they managed to capture him, he'd still be able to be at prison and anywhere else at the same time.

He could easily go to the interview and stay at the interrogation too, save poor Brody from all the trouble, but since he was constanly being watched, he didn't risk anything. Then there'd be questions... how are you there and also there... and he didn't want to answer those.

Charles peeked at his reflection in the front mirror. He looked so weird... well, he certainely pdidn't look the same. Seeing himself like this... it startled him every damn time!

He softly touched his cheeks and pinched it. Then he ran his hand through his red hair, turned his head around and checked his crooked nose out, grinned and saw these familiar but still, weirdly crooked teeth...

"What are you smiling at, Cooper?" A cop scrutinized him suspiciously. "You got jokes for us?"

"You're wasting your time," he said compassionately, convincing them that he actually cared. "It happened four months ago! Tatem asked me a bunch of questions then and he couldn't prove that I was guilty! What would change now?"

"Shut up!" Another cop got frustrated with him. "Just because he couldn't find evidence, doesn't automatically mean you didn't do it!"

"Alright, it's your call," Cooper shrugged and sighed.

No matter what, he'd be a winner at the end of the day.

He had them on his side. Humans couldn't possibly put up with that.

The car made a rapid turn, engines screeched annoyingly and then the cop parked it in front of the tall, crowded building. The paint was coming off from its walls, some windows were taped, some did't have windows at all.

He had spent weeks in there, he knew this place better than his own body.

The driver cop dragged him out of the car and pushed him into the police department as if Cooper had done anything personally to him.

"There's no need to be this rough!" He told them politely, tried to make him feel bad for acting rudely.

"Oh, I think there is!" This cop clearly felt no remorse. Then he leaned down and whispered to him: "I don't trust you even for a bit."

They threw him in the interrogation room, handcuffed him to the table, and left him alone, told him to wait for the detective.

He wasn't even gonna ask for a lawyer, he knew he had everything under control.

Cooper looked up and crushed into his reflection again. He grabbed his hair and pulled it like he didn't believe it was his.

"Okay, let's do this," a man with a blue flannel and blue jeans busted in. His clothes were dirty, like he had just come back from working on constructions. "Cooper." He clicked his tongue and narrowed his eyes.

One look was enough to understand how much Vincent Tatem disliked him.

"Hi, Mr. Tatem," he charmingly smiled. "Haven't seen you in a long time."

"Cut the crap for me, will you?" He sneered and sat in front of him. Then put a metal ring on his index finger.

"Really?" Cooper flared his nostrils. "You're gonna use my own invention on me?" He lost his temper.

"Not yours, Cooper, that belonged to Rami Essam," Tatem reminded him. "You already took his life, don't take his belongings too."

"I didn't kill him," he outlined every word he said. "And you know it," The ring stayed silent.

It was supposed to buzz whenever he'd lie. Too bad he knew how it worked, meaning he knew how to trick it too. "We saw the bodies together, Tatem!"

"And that's an argument for what?" He shook his head and immediately jumped into asking questions. "Let's start from the beginning. On Thursday night, Rami Essam, Lyron Essam, and Lyron's wife Marcia were found in Lakesvale's cabin. Weirdly, people confirmed you and Essams had a big fight right before the accident. Actually, they said you had been fighting for a long time!"

"Mr. Tatem, with full respect, Rami was my partner, my- my lover! We fought sometimes, yes, but that doesn't mean I'd kill him and his family! We were all friends! I didn't love anyone more than them! Lyron had a kid, god damn it, how could I do that to him?"

Tatem leaned back as he silently stared at him.

"So, how did they die then?"

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"I already told others. I don't wanna go through it again."

"Did I ask what you wanted and what you didn't? Talk!"

"We went to Lakesvale for a week," he glared at the corner of the room. "Me, Rami, Lyron, Marcia, and their newborn, Erik."

"Even though you were fighting?"

"That's why we decided to go. All of us were having problems and thought it was a way to cool off. To rest," he closed his eyes. "But we were wrong. One night Lyron got drunk, as he usually did, and started to argue with Marcia about some nonsense. She handed me Erik and they went to another room to talk. A talk turned into a massive fight. Marcia screamed... objects flew... Rami ran to stop his brother but... none of them were strong enough to beat Lyron. He... he... he..."

"You're saying Lyron killed his twin brother and then his wife?" Tatem squinted his eyes. "How did you survive?"

"I- I almost didn't," Cooper stammered. "He punched me several times, you saw my face back then, didn't you? He tried to choke me, I was about to pass out and then it kicked him. He snapped out of his rage and realized what he had done. I couldn't even say a word to him, he grabbed the gun and shot himself in the head. And I... I took Erik and ran. What was I supposed to do?"

The ring didn't buzz even for once.

He couldn't wait, he wanted to smirk and rub it in Tatem's face. They'd never catch him.

"Where's Erik now?"

"With my mom," Charles lied again. "She's helping me raise him."

Tatem didn't believe him. Well, he shouldn't have but it didn't matter. He couldn't prove it so... Tatem's opinions were irrelevant.

He was about to ask another question when some lady opened the door and excused herself.

"Tatem, the governor called. They need him out, right now!"

"I am not finished with him!"

"He said we'd all lose our jobs. You know everyone loses their mind over him, just let him go!" She said and left without any further explanation.

"Why would a governor help you?" Tatem could't care less about governor's wishes. "What did you do?"

"Simply because I'm a good person, who wants the best for this country, for this world, for everyone!"

Tatem scowled and covered his face with his hand. He was too good, he smelled through Cooper's bullshit without any proof and the more he talked, more convinced he was that Cooper was at fault.

"You're talking about the new law, aren't you?" The detective scoffed. "Didn't that happene because of you? Ban on defectives."

"That's right, I'm protecting our people! Can't you see it?!" He whined desperately. "Lyron was defective. Look at what he did!"

Tatem sighed.

"I can see through your lies, you stupid chicked," Tatem breathed out as he unlocked his cuffs. "Actually, no, Chickens are pretty intelligent compared to you," he muttered to himseld. "We're not done yet!"

Cooper smiled at him.

"Goodbye, Mr. Tatem," he stood up. "For good." He grinned at the detective and walked out.

Tatem had no idea what was coming for him.

_______________________________

Interview with the famous scientist, dr. Charles Cooper. - said the flair with big black letters. 

In a crowded street, full of Charles Cooper fans, was standing a man, who didn't look anything like the rest of the people around him. His face was hidden with a beige hat and a scarf, he was also wearing a gigantic coat, covering him from neck to toes. He was just trying to blend in, curiosly looking at the flairs stuck on the wall. The Famous scientist almost made him giggle. He couldn't believe he was about to listen to the bullshit Charles Cooper had prepared for the world.

He walked into the studio and took a place far from cameras, hoping nobody would notice he was there and expose him.

The seats were already full. People, mostly crazy teen girls and forty-year-old men, were waiting for their hero to show up.

Stupid, little shits!

It was hilarious, really, tricking a human mind must've been the easiest thing in the world, if all these people were convinced Charles Cooper was an innocent man.

"Why is he late?" A woman next to him complained. "Did I pay for nothing?"

He rolled his eyes and tucked himself in his scarf, pulling the hat even lower than it already was.

"Wait, your eyes," the same woman stared at him. "You're so familiar- were you on TV lately?"

God fucking damn it! He didn't want to use his powers today, that's why he decided to dress up but of course, a curious bitch like her had to be seated next to him.

"No, woman, I'm not," he vexedly answered and got up, found another seat, now with a completely different appearance. He didn't look like himself anymore, he was an average middle-aged housewife, who had come here to support a legend himself!

This was ridiculous... his powers would drain him... then it'd be hard to get home... he'd probably pass out again.

"Excuse me," Some man sat down next to him. He looked annoyed, nothing like other Cooperatives. After five seconds of thinking, his brain lit up and he finally realized who he was looking at: Vincent Tatem, also knows as the best detective in town. What the hell was he doing here?

"And he's here!" Josie Carlton, the hostess of the show announced loudly to her watchers. 

Josie, even at the age of twenty-five, was an embodiment of failed body modification. There didn't exist a work that hadn't been done to her face. Her lips were outragesly gigantic, her eyes were lifted up to the point she could barely open them, her nose was so slim and small that oxygen couldn't go through and her tan was so dark everyone had forgotten about her original skin color. 

"Charles Cooper, straight from the interrogation room to us! Let's welcome him with a loud applaud!"

Cooper walked in with the hugest smile on his face, sending kisses to his admirers, spinning around, touching his chest every time a random girl shouted his name. 

He just wanted to jump and strangle him, on the live show. He'd blow his cover and put others in danger but god, it was worth it.

Weirdly, Cooper looked different even though nothing in his appearance had changed. Still a ginger with a giant, crooked nose, glasses, and cold green eyes.

By the way, his nose didn't always look like that. He was at fault, he broke Cooper's nose on that night.

Cooper went in to shake Josie's hand but she hugged him and proceeded to kiss him on both of his cheeks. He almost threw up.

She laughed, well, faked her laugh, and dropped to her plush chair across Cooper, who was still blushing because of the kisses. That lying cocksucker! Literally!

"Oh, Charles, what an honor to have you here!" She giggled and tried to clean the lipstick off of his cheek. "So, how do you feel?"

"Fantastic!" He grinned. "What about you, Ms. Carlton?"

"Don't ask me something like that when I've got a guest like you with me. I am absolutely marvelous!" Josie started laughing. "You're the hero of our country!"

Cooper looked at her angrily for a second, then he changed his expression and put on the same polite smile.

"The police wouldn't agree-"

"Shhhhhhh!" She didn't let him finish. "They don't know anything!"

"Yeah, right," Vincent Tatem scoffed next to him. "And you do, you stupid cow."

He almost laughed but he had to keep playing the role of Charles' crazy-stan.

"You were the first one to talk about them, you opened our eyes, you built the laboratory," Josie said suspensefully. "you saved us!"

"I did what had to be done," Charles heavily breathed out. "Those people.. what do they call themselves? Specials? Chosen ones? Humans with powers? It's all nonsense! Whatever they are, they can't control themselves!" His face turned red, he clenched his fists and forced himself to stay in his seat, without causing a scene. "They are dangerous and they would've killed us all eventually. If I hadn't decided to intervene, we probably would be dead right now. I had to stop them, didn't I?"

Oh, come on!

Cooper had a point though, he did want to kill him and everyone else in this studio. Everyone except Mr. Tatem, maybe.

Josie nodded her head and put her hand on Charles' to comfort him, but it only made him feel uncomfortable.

"Just a year ago they were freely walking outside, in public, using their powers, putting us in danger! How did we even let them?!" She stood up and walked back and forth to make her show even more dramatic than it actually was. "Can you at least explain to us, what are they, exactly?"

Charles started thinking, he looked like he didn't know which words to use to explain everything correctly, then his eyes lit up, he snapped his fingers and started talking.

His acting threw him off. How did he never notice? How did he never see what was hiding under an innocent, sweet boy?

"More than eighty years ago we survived a horrific world war. The nuclear war," He had to stop, because his words worried the audience, even though they already had that information, they all knew about the war.

It happened decades ago, come on!

"How did we do that? I have no idea, but it indeed stopped or at least stopped the process of our development, because we had to start everything from zero, build the world up all over again!" Charles talked like the burden of the world's reconstruction was laying only on his shoulders and no one else did something to improve their lives.

"But the important thing is that we're still alive. Most people were still dying because of the radiation in the air. Thankfully, Its pollution has decreased and so has the number of deaths. Unfortunately, this doesn't mean that the radiation is completely gone. It's here and we can see how it's affecting us." He stood up as the screen lit up behind his back and opened the PowerPoint presentation named "Defectives- the most destructive breed."

"Humans have become mutants. Their special abilities are nothing more than a defect, an illness. It's not good for them. It's not good for us. If you ever meet one of them, don't see them as something normal or great. They shouldn't be able to live among us!" He finished his speech as the presentation continued by showing them the pictures of the horrible things that defective people had done throughout the years.

Everyone started clapping and whistling, some of them even got up and praised Charles. Were they enchanted to do that? Why did they act like robots? Was this whole thing a skit too?

"Yes, those people were really frightening, the defective ones," Josie went for her own monologue. "Some of them could control the weather, others were good at compulsion, some could do worse.

How were the normal people supposed to be calm? How were they supposed to sleep, when they knew people like that were walking outside? How were they gonna send their kids to school when they knew that schools were full of defectives?

It was impossible to live like this, society was slowly drowning in chaos and crisis, and the human race would eventually go extinct but... but our savior Charles Cooper, who is only twenty-four years old, appeared out of nowhere with his laboratory. Despite being so young, he is smart and experienced, he knows how to get things done. He even built new jails for these abominations and gave some really good officers jobs there, to guard them.

Since then, there hadn't been a single defective person in the streets, or if there are, they are hiding it very well!" She finally finished her traumatizingly long speech, which sounded a lot like an ad for Cooper.

"We'll never be able to fully thank you!" Josie frowned and looked at Copper with puppy eyes. "Now, maybe you could tell us something about the Essam brothers? No one really knows what happened to them, but I know that they were close to you, weren't they?"

"They're actually the reason I was taken by police earlier," he frowned. Was he tearing up? No way! No fucking way! "They still think that I did that... that I killed him!"

"Well, did you?" Josie asked him impatiently.

"Of course not!" And here they were.

Sobs and cries. Every damn time! And people gasped, they were awed, they bought his cheap acting! "I'm gonna tell you what I told the police. Lyron Essam, a defective, by the way, who can alter the way we see things and mess with our brains, got drunk and attacked his wife. Then his brother and then he almost killed me!"

He almost charged at him. Maybe he'd get to finish him this time.

"When he realized what he had done... he shot himself," Charles muttered in his microphone. "Can I- Can I have a napkin?"

"Of course, here you go!" Carlton immediately handed him a napkin for his tears. "Poor you... you had to go through hell."

"I lost everyone that day," he shivered. "The man I loved... My best friend..."

They have never been best friends, bullshit!

"Okay, okay, let's change the subject," Josie felt bad for him. "So, The Laboratory is open tomorrow and I heard some news about it!" She yelped excitedly. "Are you really gonna treat and try to cure defective people in your laboratory, or is that just a rumor?"

Cooper swept his tears away and awkwardly smiled.

"That's- that's not a rumor. I actually want to help them. They deserve a chance to live, don't you think?"

And those dumb motherfuckers stood up to clap again. Jesus fucking christ!

"You're s-" Josie started to say something but she staggered and almost fell. Charles jumped up to catch her. The studio started shaking.

"What's going on?" People panicked. "What is-"

Suddenly, a pipe busted and water splashed out of there with a force so strong it would slice you open. Something, rather someone changed its course and it hit Vincent Tatem in the stomach.

"No!" Josie screamed.

"Defectives! They're here!" Cooper bellowed. "Find them!"

Everyone panicked.

They all tried to run away.

Did none of them realize what was going on?

He ran to Mr. Tatem and knelt next to him.

"Oh, jeez," he gasped. The water had really pierced man's entire stomach. "Man, sorry, shit-"

"He's lying," Vincent mumbled. "Please, believe me... He is not what he says he is!"

"I know," He desperately snickered. "Trust me, I know."

He changed back to his real form. Showed Tatem the reality, who he really was.

"You-" his eyes widened. "You..."

Then his stare froze. He stopped moving. He stopped breathing.

Vincent Tatem was dead.