BI Inhibitors #5: Recruitment Drive

Previously on Blessed Inversion Inhibitors…

With the rise of Inversion related crimes, the United Nations forms an Inversion exclusive branch of NATO to combat them. To prepare the way for new members, Sasha Boone takes matters into her own hands. Meanwhile, the Inhibitors prepare themselves for the future…

Rory Tymchyshyn/Construct -Inhibitors Leader. Energy Constructs	Jun Naegi/Reflex -Inhibitors Second-in-Command. Precog
Katerina Sonter/Sleuth -Inhibitors Tracker. Pheromone Manipulation	Wei Jin/Nature -Inhibitors Elemental. Elemental Transmogrification

“When you joined the team did you expect it to turn into paperwork?” Rory asks. After the meeting with Sasha Boone, Rory returned to his room alongside Jun. As expected, a stack of papers sat on his small coffee table. Sitting down with his second-in-command they begin to read the list. He knew they had a list of possible Inhibitors but the list was far larger than they anticipated. Minutes pass of them reading before they’re even close to a fourth through.

“Not even once.” Jun agrees woefully. Leaning back in her chair.

“How does she expect the two of us to just go through the list?”

“We can always just say we did and pick the first we found interesting.”

“Cool, let’s do that.” Rory agrees. “I can ask Mach to read it later.” Putting the remaining stack aside he begins examining the candidates they already skimmed through.

“You know this might be what Mentalist wants.” Jun notes.

“We don’t really have a choice. We need more people to defend ourselves.”

“If this backfires I’m holding you responsible.”

“I know.” Rory continues reading. “I think him.”

“How do you expect to bring him in?”

“We didn’t get a chance to try talking to Rage but I think we can with him. He hasn’t shown any signs of being rogue like she was.”

“If you say so.” Jun had a number of concerns but it seemed pointless to argue. Instead, she’d focus on preparing for if they failed.

The following day, Rory gathers his team and board a VTOL for Prince Edwards Island, Canada. Specifically, the town of Duwang that sat to the northeast but was west of Elmira. It was a relatively small town created entirely by Kazuo Industries for the primary purpose of housing its workers. Although other civilians are allowed to move in as well if they so desired. It’d take only an hour to get there and this mission brought Construct, Sleuth, and Nature. A small team that hoped to come off non-threatening. Flying above the small countryside town, they land outside its walls and walk the remainder of the way. It was their first mission and neither Sleuth nor Nature was fully ready.

“Sleuth, you’re on point in finding them.” Construct orders.

Sleuth simply nods in response. For years she practiced using her powers before joining the Inhibitors. As such she could differentiate the auras given off by a regular Human and an Inversion. The target glowed like a sun and led deeper into town and it scared her. “I can do this.” she thinks to herself.

“Nature, I want you to…” Construct begins but stops when he realizes she isn’t following. “See something?”

“The land here…there’s so little pollution. How do they do it?”

“Maybe you aren’t the only one trying to clean the planet.” he smiles before walking after Sleuth.

“There.” Sleuth says pointing to a mechanic.

“Good work. Nature, I want you to stay back just in case.” Preparing for the worst, Construct enters the shop.

“Hello there son, how can I help you today?” The aged man asks from behind the front desk. The only color in his gray head of hair was from stray spurts of oil.

“Yes, we’re actually looking for someone. We heard Wendell Hoffman worked here.”

“Is something wrong?” he asks concerned.

“No, we just wanted to talk.”

“Good luck with that.” Signaling to the group they walk into the garage. “Hey Wend, you have some visitors.”

Hearing someone call his name, Wendell pulls himself from underneath a car. His 6’3 muscular frame towered over the Inhibitors. He wipes his hands on his pants and cleans the grease off his face and his short mohawk. His file stated he was a 17-year-old Fourth Generation Inversion with durability, flight, super strength, and natural armor. While not the most powerful ability set at first glance, he was said to have great potential. In theory, being able to become one of the physically strongest beings on the planet.

“So tall.” Sleuth thinks aloud. Wendell performs sign language in response.

“He said thank you.” the old mechanic answers.

“He’s deaf?” Construct asks confused. This was a detail left out of Wendell’s file. All it focused on was their abilities, potential for growth, and current threat level. He planned to request more specific information be added to the files.

“No, my grandson’s mute. Wouldn’t hurt a fly neither.”

“I sincerely doubt that.” Sleuth says accidentally to their annoyance.

“I think you should leave.”

“Has your grandson been acting differently than normal?” Construct asks.

“Not even a little. Are we done here?” he says sternly. Wendell looks confused and signs to him. “Not now Wend.”

“You want us out fast. Why is that?” Sleuths pheromone manipulation begins to trigger and affect him.

“I just want to protect my grandson. You can understand that right?” he feels compelled to reply.

“Protect him from what?”

“Some guys in suits came by here. Started calling him an Inversion and trying to hire him. But I didn’t trust em. They were like those thugs you see in the movies.”

“Do you remember them at all?”

“Nope, I just wanted ’em out of here.”

“How long ago was this?” Construct investigates further.

“Hmm…They’ve been coming back every few months. But I think it started back in January.” he says almost unsure of himself.

Wendell, on the other hand, seemed more than sure of himself. His confused expression turned to one of anger as he steps between the Inhibitors and his grandfather. His skin and hair turned into a shining silver and his eyes a hollow white. Construct and Sleuth retreat at the sight of the transformation. Their attempts to calm him fall on deaf ears as each footstep shakes the ground.

“Nature! We need you!” Construct shouts in the hope she’ll hear it. He creates a wall construct to try and slow Wendell but it doesn’t last through a single punch. His next attempt is a series of chains binding him to the floor. “Calm down Wendell we’re not-” Construct trips backward as Wendell breaks through his chains like they weren’t even there. The only thing that stalls him is the wall of ice that bursts out of the ground in front of him.

“What’s going on?” Nature asks while sliding onto the scene. Her body fully covered in ice.

“I don’t know he just attacked us. We need to knock him out.” Construct says catching his breath.

“Did you try talking to him?”

“He’s mute and even if he signed something our suits translate vocals, not visuals.”

“Is that all?” Nature returns to normal. She then banishes her ice wall, approaches Wendell, and starts talking in sign language.

“Wait you know sign language? Since when?”

“How much do you actually know about me?” she asks only for Construct to remain silent. “Exactly, you really need to learn more about your team. I learned so I could better help people in my country.” she stops signing Wendell as his demeanor calms and his body returns to normal. “He could tell Sleuth was using pheromones on his grandfather and was trying to protect him.”

“Sleuth?” Construct asks staring into her eyes.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t control it.” she apologizes. Her lapse in control could’ve gotten them all killed and she knew it.

“Really wish Steven was still here…” Construct thinks to himself. “What did you tell him?”

“The truth. He’ll be coming with us so long as his grandfather comes with him.”

“I don’t think we can do that…”

“Then he won’t be going anywhere.” Nature replies passively. She didn’t want to join the Inhibitors herself so it made sense she wouldn’t put a ton of effort into getting someone else to join.

“Fine, we’ll find a way to make it work.”

After all the misfortune they endured, getting Wendell in their ranks was a huge win. When Rory told Sasha the requirements he had for joining she went along with it without question. It was far easier to give him what he wanted then to risk letting someone else get to him first. Receiving the codename Titan, the latest Inhibitor was born.

Next Issue

Blessed Inversion Inhibitors Chapter 6- Wildfire

Recommended Reading

Blessed Inversion SWAT Chapter 2- Meeting

First Issue

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