• Chapter 1: His Beginnings

    The note was taped to the apartment door. With a heavy groan, it was torn off, glanced at for a few seconds, and then crumpled and tossed over the shoulder of a young scruffy man. It bounced twice before rolling into a pair of old worn out boots. The young man didn't notice.

    "Did you even bother to read it?" The owner of the boots asked. He tossed the paper ball at the young man, who caught it without even turning around. "Well?"

    The young man uncrumpled the note. "'Van: Call sometime. Haven't heard from you in ages. Bet you're starving for action, and food. Doctor Henry'," he read in a monotone voice. He looked up over the paper at the man standing before him. He was middle-aged; forties or so. "Didn't know you cared so much," he mocked and crumpled the paper with one hand, throwing it again. "Didja stop by to make sure I got the note? or to just stand there and continue to piss me the ******** off?"

    The one called Doctor Henry narrowed his eyes at the young man. "Van," he started.

    "I don't wanna hear it," the boy interuppted. He opened the apartment door and took a step in.

    "Don't walk away from me," the doctor warned. "Van!"

    Van stopped. "Don't speak to me in that tone of voice, Jimi. I'm not your son, nor will I ever be."

    "Please, Van," the doctor pleaded. "We need your help. Via and Stone aren't strong enough or even fast enough to-"

    "Can it, Old Man!" Van exclaimed, slamming the door on the doctor's face. He continued to speak from the other side of the door. "I don't want to ******** help you!"

    "Stupid boy!" Dr. Henry exclaimed. "Stop living in the past! No one blaims you for Sonia's death!"

    The door flung open. Dr. Henry knew that would get him to open the door. Van stood there glaring at the man. "Don't you EVER mention my sister's death again! Not around me, or anyone else, got it?"

    Dr. Henry slammed his hands between the door frame and the door. "What are you so afraid of?"

    Van inhaled deeply and let his eyes lower to the fround. He began to laugh quietly, letting his pain slowly leave his body with each laugh. Then, without looking up, he turned to his apartment. "So you just gonna ******** stand there, or are you coming in?"

    ~

    Van Treason pulled the binoculars away from his eyes and watched as the sand began to swirl like mad. He was in the middle of the desert, thousands of miles away from civilazation, and in dangerous territory. The wind picked up quiet suddenly. He pocketed the binoculars and revved up the motorcycle he was on; his motorcycle. The sandstorm grew bigger in size, but remained in one place. Van placed a pair of sunglasses over his eyes, grinned and drove toward the still, yet spinning, sand tornado. A trio of bikes stood on nearby cliffs as the scruffy young man speed off toward the storm. One of them held a stopwatch that they had initiated the minute Van had taken off.

    "Do you think he can do it?" one ot the trio asked. It was a young woman's voice. "I mean, I know he's done it before, but in less than six minutes?"

    The middle one smiled. It was Dr Henry. "But of course, Via. Van's only been around as long as you or Stone have."

    "Dr. Henry," stated the one holding the watch. "He's reached the Storm. And, it's only taken him less than two minutes."

    "Impressive," Dr Henry said. "And to think... he was once someone like us..."

    Van's bike continued to kick up sand as he drove faster. The Storm ahead of him had grown twice the size of a small house in width, but in height, it was no taller than a small tree. He shook his head and went faster.

    "He's going on to four minutes, Doctor!" exclaimed the one holding the stopwatch. Dr. Henry smiled as Van circled the Storm on his bike.

    "There! Watch!"

    The trio watched as Van leapt from his bike and into the sand tornado, pulling a gun from his back. He shot it into the eye and rolled out. The sand stopped and fell to the ground as a creature shrieked in agony. The sand dissipated, revealing a medium dog-sized creature the colour of sand. A small dart stuck on the outside of its left shoulder. With a another shriek, it leapt at Van.

    "Van!" exclaimed the girl named Via.

    Van flipped backwards, pulling another gun out and holding it in between the creature's eyes. The creature hissed, its yellow eyes burned with rage. The sand-coloured skin on its body was a continual movement of sand as if it were falling through one's fingers.

    Van smiled at it and slowly stood up. He kept the gun pointed in between its eyes. "Now, be a good little Storm and don't move. I know you can understand me..." The Storm hissed again.

    "All right! Way to go, Van!" exclaimed Via, jumping up and down.

    "He's amazing! And under five minutes!" said the one holding the stopwatch. "Where ever did you find him, Doctor?"

    "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you," said Dr. Henry. "Van! Round it up and bring it here!"

    Van raised a hand toward the trio and kept his attention to the Storm. "Easy boy," he said, pulling a small gun from his pocket. The Storm, having seen it, flinched and hissed angrily, yet again. "It's just a net..."

    The Storm hissed once more, then stopped. Its ears twitched in random directions, then it turned its head to the sounds coming close. Van did the same.

    "Aw, dammit to ******** hell!" he exclaimed, pulling out the real gun from inside the coat he was wearing. He held it out as a rowdy group of people circled him and the Storm. His eyes followed them circling the two. The Storm could only respond by hissing, ready to attack.

    Dr. Henry started his motorcycle. "Let's go, he'll need help."

    Van kept calm, which was hard for someone like him. The group finally stopped circling and the biggest member stepped off his hover cycle, stepping toward Van and the Storm.

    "Nice job, Kid," he said, pulling a net gun from his pocket. Van growled. "We'll take it from here."

    "Now way in hell!" Van exclaimed, stepping in between the Storm and the big guy. "I stopped this Storm fair and square, and law says it's mine."

    "Yeah? Well, laws don't work out here. Not in my territory."

    Van lost his temper and threw his weapons aside. "Not your territory if it doesn't have your name on it. Besides, I'm surprised the desert hadn't spit something as foul as you out, yet."

    "Keep talking, Boy. You're only digging a deeper grave."

    Van smiled. "Oh, I'm so scared."

    The gang leader pointed his gun at Van, and Van, in turn, kicked it from his hands. He caught the gun before it hit ground. The gang leader looked amazed by Van's speed.

    "Not bad you little punk," he cracked his knuckles. "Ready to play?"

    Van grinned and unloaded the gun. He tossed it aside and took a stance.