Billy became infatuated with a waitress in Mutant Town called Sylvie. After he witnessed some guys harassing Sylvie for her mutant nature, Bates used his mutant powers to mutilate or murder most of them. Bates wound up taking Sylvie hostage and was successfully talked into surrender by Bishop but was abruptly shot dead by the assassin Popova to avoid political ramification due to Bates’ murder of several humans.
