Despite popular opinion crime does pay, especially when you are Anatoly Antropov. Being a criminal mastermind had its advantages. His crews were out stealing, extorting, and selling. Twenty-four hours a day seven days a week. Banks, armored cars, shipping trucks were being hit like hanging curve balls at Shea Stadium. Not even other criminals were safe from Anatoly. If it could be stolen it was. This was a crime wave of epic preportions. The papers were calling it “A WILD WEST REBIRTH.”

It was wonderful; money was flowing like champagne at midnight on New Years Eve. And the best part, most of the cash was going to directly to Anatoly’s war for mutant supremacy and no one could stop it. The NYPD, the FBI and the IRS were powerless.

The money was nice, but Anatoly also received something more valuable, information. Anatoly had his people in every newsroom, hospital, jailhouse and police stations gathering intel of strange and unique occurrences throughout the greater metropolitan area. Anatoly hoped that this info would lead him to recrutes for his army in the battle against the human race. Most of the gathered intellengence came up empty except for one thing.. .the Dr. Cullen’s Institute for Gifted Youngsters in New York.

“Now we are getting somewhere,” Anatoly said simply. What appears to be a normal school for advanced students is really an institution for mutant children and teens to hone their skills. It was perfect. The school would be filled with perhaps hundreds of naive young minds ripe for the picking. His plan was simple. Gain admittance into the school, as a student eager to learn about his newly discovered powers, befriend his fellow students and take the outcast and weak minded for him.

“I will have my army.”





Anatoly Antropov slowly and unsurely walk toward the gates of the Dr. Cullen’s Institute for Gifted Youngsters. A security guard met Anatoly at the entrance.
“May I help you?’ the guard asked without speaking.
It took a moment for Anatoly to mimic his ability, “Wow I have never done that before.” Anatoly answered him with a frightened look on his face.
“You are in the right place sir, don’t be afraid, hold on.” The guard said in a reassuring voice. The guard made a move toward his walkie-talkie on his chest. “Yeah, can you send an instructor down, I think we have another one at station two.”