Microstory 150: Gus Arnett

This is an experimental Bellevue Profile microstory. The introduction can be found in Microstory 101. More to follow.

Freeman Sesto and Gus Arnett grew up in the same foster home, and for a while, were unsure whether they were brothers or not. They were left on the steps of a well-known foster mother at the same time. Whoever left them there tied toe tags, like the kind found in morgues, with only their names. Because of their abilities, it was conceivable that they were biologically related, but after some genetic testing at Bellevue, they finally received a definite answer that they were not. Though this, of course, did not change the fact that they were, and always would be, brothers. Freeman could manipulate the temperature to freezing levels, while Gus could manipulate the wind, even to the point of allowing him to fly. As children, they believed their abilities to be rather normal, and were not aware that they were doing anything strange. One day, their older foster sister caught them playing with draft and snow in the attic. She took them under her wing and taught them the ways of the comic book superhero. As the three of them grew up, they also grew apart, and spent a number of years on their own paths. Freeman spent some time in Antarctica, but Gus never strayed too far from England. Once they were older and wiser, however, the brothers met back up with each other. They ended up encountering two other pairs of anomalies. The six of them formed a group that predated Bellevue by years, and served as a test experiment that led to an understanding of how the later organization should be run. Even though Diane Ghoti was the one contacted to join up as one of the first recruits of Bellevue, Cosmo Drexler went in her stead. While he was busy stateside, she led the remaining team members on a crusade to find the one who betrayed them, against Gus’ wishes to abandon that mission in favor of pursuing the support of others. Their decision to overrule his plan began a series of events that ultimately led to his and Freeman’s untimely deaths.