A small diner in Colorado.

The Ripples diner was empty, as was typical for a quiet little truck stop along the highway. Especially on a Sunday morning. Only two customers sat inside apart from the waitress and the chef. But most notable, and the most important in this small story was the young man from South Korea.

Several years ago he had fled South Korea after his powers became active. He had wanted to move to Tian, but that turned out to be too problematic a journey to undertake at the time. Instead he was heading towards the Institute in New York City. That was his second best bet, second best hope.

The second customer in the bar was an interesting man. He was pale in colour, and not entirely easy to focus on. That should have been the first alarm.

Kim had been away from home for a long time. And as people learned of his existence across the world, it was causing severe problems. Powerful people, mind. Not the general public. He had no doubt many of them had ties to Trask or other such horrible people. Movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention, the waitress bringing over his burger.

“Here you go sweetie.” She said, in such a motherly voice that made him miss his own home. His mother was American born, and came from Arizona. He missed her, but he had to put her safety first. “You okay kiddo? You look a little dire.”

“I just miss my home, is all.” He said quietly, eyeing the burger. He glanced up her managing a weak smile. She sighed and sat down next to him, smiling reassuringly.

“I can understand that. When I was young my mother overdosed. My dad was a deadbeat. So I went to live with my grandparents.” She replied sympathetically, pulling a photo from her pocket of her grandparents. “Unfortunately, they passed on earlier this year. But Gramma always had wise words. She told me ‘Home is a place where you are always welcome to return.’”

She slid the photo in front of him, and he studied the older faces on it. He didn’t think to take any photographs of his parents with him when he fled, and now he regretted that decision. It would have been nice to have with him. He nodded sullenly, sighing.

“Well. I’m sure one day I’ll go back…” He says quietly, picking up a chip from his plate and taking a bite.

“A lovely story I’m sure” The man with Blonde hair stated with little care, getting up from his seat and walking over. Kim and the Waitress stared at him for a moment.

“Can I help you?” She asks, raising her brow. “Or did you just walk over to be rude?”

The man laughed, running his hand along his face as he did. Kim stared at him in confusion. “No, I have a much more important reason for being here.

With a wave of his hand he pinned the waitress to the table and Kim to his seat. He glanced around for a moment and waved his hand again, shutting every single blind, window and door within the diner. Nobody entered, nobody left. And nobody could see inside unless they really wanted to. Kim got a better look at him now, and was greeted with Hazel eyes, watching him back.

A moment later and the the chef stormed out of the kitchen suddenly, holding a rifle in his hand. “I don’t know who the fuck you are, or what this freaky shit is, but you need to leave!”

“Drop it. No, better idea. Shoot yourself in the head.” The monster before him replied, looking between his new playthings. He smirked at the situation, the situation was in control and he knew it. A man with a rifle could do truly little to prevent what was coming. Like a cat torturing a mouse he was finding a lot of amusement in it. “In fact. Let’s all watch him do it.”

A hand slid up, slamming the waitress into the ceiling and moving her above the chef. Then holding her up there, with a birds eye view of everything. “Now, take the barrel of the rifle. Place it under your chin, and pull the trigger!”

“Please… I got a kid on the way… Don’t do this…” He muttered, his shaking hands turned the rifle, placing the barrel at the back of his jaw where it meets the neck. The puppetmaster regarded the puppet with a malicious smile. The puppet begged and begged until he could beg no more.

The situation was tense. There was still time to stop it, still ti- And he pulled the trigger, throwing his remains across the ceiling and counter of the diner. The waitress stared for a moment and then screamed horrendously, looking down at the hole in the top of her friends head.

“Shut it.” He said simply, glaring at her. She went silent, apart from a small mewl formed of Mental Anguish.

The young man, the target of this situation struggled against the mental bonds, shaking his head. He wasn’t happy with the situation, and he didn’t know if he would be able to get out of it.

“Put your arm out.” Kim followed the command, placing his arm out for the stranger.

His attacker pushed Kims sleeve up his arm, pulling a syringe from his pocket and inserting it into the kids arm. He pulled on the needle, drawing a full syringe full of blood. Kim watched, wincing in pain as the needle did it’s work.

“Who… Are you?” Kim asked, raising his brow.

“Well. Since you’re not going to live for very much longer, my name is James Bradley. But you can call me, Doctor Nemesis.”

Kim blinked at him. Wondering what was going to happen next. “You see, your DNA will allow me to quite literally give myself your powers. It’s how I’ve gained several others.”

Kim went to speak, but Bradley interrupted him, chuckling.

“Now that I have your DNA I want you and the waitress to place your heads in the deep fat fryer.” The Man orders them lackadaisically, dropping the waitress to the floor with a thud and turning towards the entrance. The bell rang as the door was pushed open, and the air came to greet him. Followed shortly by screaming.

“Another one down. And my plan continues.” He mutters, looking at the blood in his hand. He glances up and down the street and takes off into the sky, after his next target. He had Mr Kims powers. But he knew they would be useless against his greatest foe:

Mr. Sinister.