Be your own boss

Arthur Green adjusted his mask and glanced at the door to the conference room. It was a little unnerving, knowing there was a possibility the powerful teenagers could try and fight their way out. He had dealt with many volatile clients before, but these might be the most dangerous he had ever faced. He tried to take comfort in the six security guards, standing ready at opposite ends of the room in case there was any ****.

"Where are they?" he asked the attractive blonde woman standing nervously in the corner - Jemma, he recalled.

"On their way, sir," she promised. She had barely finished the sentence when the opaque glass door opened, and the would-be-heroes entered. He recognised the leader as Alpha {if Futa==true}Woman{else}Man{endif}, followed by Sparrow, Foxgloves, Woodpecker and Hurricane. He had done his homework, knew all their powers, all the threats they posed. Thus the need for the filter masks he and his colleagues wore, to protect against any influence Alpha {if Futa==true}Woman{else}Man{endif} might try to exert against them.

When the five young adults had sat down, Arthur began. "You know why I am here. I hope by now you have had time to study the details of your contract, and are ready to sign."

Alpha {if Futa==true}Woman spoke. Her voice was confident and powerful, but simultaneously sensual and musical.{else}Man spoke, his voice deep and commanding.{endif} "We reject the contract - as it stands. Unless you are willing to rewrite this from scratch, to produce a contract that gives us a fair balance of freedoms and rights alongside these duties, we will not sign."

Arthur sighed. This was exactly how he had expected the meeting to go. "I'm afraid that's not possible. And you're really not in a position to negotiate."

"Oh yeah? What're you gonna do if we walk?" drawled Foxgloves.

"I've done a bit of research," chimed in Sparrow. "There's no law against mutants simply existing. You can't **** us to do anything."

"Unfortunately, your research is out of date." Mr Green's lips curled beneath his mask. "Mr Archer?" He nodded to his colleague, who slid the relevant documents across the table. "This morning, parliament passed this bill. The Mutant Act. Active immediately, any humans with mutation-induced abilities are required to be registered, assessed physically and psychologically, and trained to prevent damage to the general public. Currently, the only institution certified to do this is the Special Pantheon for Extraordinary and Rarefied Mutations. Breaking this law carries an unlimited jail sentence."

The costumed heroes glanced at one another, and Arthur's smile faded. Suddenly Foxgloves threw out an arm, and a vine whipped towards one of the guards, curling around his throat. Sparrow turned to another, and he suddenly was thrown into the ceiling, before crumpling **** to the floor Both of the girls were then hit by tasers, which left them slumped and twitching on the table. Alpha {if Futa==true}Woman made it a step before she was hit. Arthur's smile faded as she growled, but stayed on her feet, before she was hit with a second discharge, which finally **** her to the floor.{else}Man made it a step before he too was hit.{endif} The final guard fired his taser at Woodpecker, but the prongs just bounced off the teenager's impenetrable skin. Woodpecker seized the man, but the guard pulled out two acoustic devices and held each of them beside the mutant's ears. The devices then emitted extremely intense ultra-low frequency sound waves, causing Woodpecker to drop him and kneel, clutching his head in agony.

"I suspected this might happen," said Mr Green, shaking his head at Alpha {if Futa==true}Woman, whose beautiful eyes were fluttering open.{else}Man, whose eyes were blinking open.{endif} "Such a waste of potential." He turned to the four conscious guards. "Restrain them, and take them away."

They began to do as he ordered, when suddenly the blonde woman leaped forwards from her corner. She pulled the masks off two of the guards, before another restrained her. Arthur started as {if Futa==true}Alpha Woman rolled to her feet like a gymnast, effortlessly pulling the taser prongs from her skin to tear the filter masks off the two remaining guards.

"What on Earth do you think you're doing?" yelled Arthur, as the four guards looked at the Amazonian mutant, blinking, their pupils widening. "Arrest her!"

"I don't think they want to do that, do you?" Alpha Woman directed her question to the four men with a smirk, who hurriedly shook their heads, backing away from her.{else}Alpha Man suddenly jumped up, pulled the taser prongs out of his skin with a grunt, and ripped the filter masks off the two remaining guards.

"What on Earth do you think you're doing?" yelled Arthur, as the four guards looked at the mutant, blinking, their pupils widening. "Arrest him!"

"I don't think they want to do that, do you?" Alpha Man directed his question to the four men, who hurriedly shook their heads, backing away from him.{endif} "We'll be leaving now. I'd suggest you don't try to stop us. Hurricane, are you coming?"

Mr Green looked at the black hero, whose dark eyes were firmly lowered to the desk.

"I think I'd better stay," he rumbled.

"Suit yourself," shrugged Alpha {if Futa==true}Woman{else}Man{endif}, as Sparrow and Foxgloves began pulling out their taser prongs, and Woodpecker got up, a little unsteadily. Arthur Green was helpless to watch as the four mutants filed out of the meeting room, followed by Jemma. The door closed, and a deathly silence fell over the lawyers and cowering security guards. After a few seconds, Arthur jumped up and gave chase down the corridor, looking for a phone or someone who could help - but as he emerged into the sunlight, he saw it was too late. Sparrow had levitated the five of them over the electric fences, and they disappeared into the city.