The university campus was quiet. The air was chilly and the sun was only begining to break across the horizon.
Alex ran, smiling as he went. His powers were tuned in to the subtle whooshes of his heart and the twisting-turning balls of his joints. He perceived these things that an ordinary person never could and they made him joyful.
A few days had passed since the incident in the forest. The GDA had sent everyone involved back in private cars.
He sighed and looked up at the clouds. He thought of Taylor and her bright smile and green eyes. He hadn't seen her since the GDA ushered them both into separate helicopters.
Alex hadn't told Damien or Adrien what had happened in the forest. He hadn't told his parents either. He would tell them, he told himself, but at home. Face to face.
There were some secrets Alex knew that he had to keep from them. He wondered whether one day that might change.
The GDA had explained that the creature was an escaped experiment from a research facility of a villain known as Dr Splice. The doctor was now locked up in a secure underground facility and kept in a medically induced coma. The GDA agent who'd explained everything hadn't mentioned any plans to take the scientist out of the coma.
The air gradually began to warm up. Alex smiled at a handful of other runners that had dragged themselves out of bed. He got back to his room and turned the key. Everything in his room was neatly organized and his bed was made, he glanced over at the alarm clock on his bedside.
8:25.
Alex grabbed a towel and hopped into the shower. The hot water ran down his chest and dripped down to the floor. The feeling was warm and comfortable.
He threw on a pair of jeans and a short-sleeve shirt. The colours of fall were getting more intense as the days passed. The air was colder than it was a few months ago. The cold didn't bother him.
"Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your hair!" Damien stood on the other side of the door, grinning and holding a half-eaten apple.
Alex laughed and opened the door. He shoved Damien's shoulder, the taller man faked a pained noise.
"Still not gonna tell me why you turned up in a blacked out Benz? Look man if you hooked up with some celebrity, I might actually start respecting you." Damien pointed his spoon at Alex, unbothered by the cereal that slipped off and hit the table.
Alex groaned and leaned back in his chair, "I told you a hundred times. I can't talk about that."
Damien held up his hands in mock-surrender, "Alright, alright, don't get your knickers in a twist."
The banter continued while they ate breakfast together. Damien burped and casually left his bowl and spoon in the sink. Alex rolled his eyes and dramatically placed both items on the side. He rinsed out his own things and slotted them into the drying rack.
Damien shrugged his shoulders, "I'm a free spirit, I was born this way."
The walk to the lecture hall wasn't far. They were halfway there when Alex spotted someone he'd been hoping to see. Her back was turned to him and she was walking with a group of friends, but he recognised her unmistakeably.
Alex sped up. Damien blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes, "Did this idiot just ditch me?"
"Taylor!"
The group of women turned their heads almost in unison. All three of them looked curiously to see what unfamiliar voice was calling out their friend.
Taylor's face lit up. Her two friends exchanged glances and looked rapidly between the handsome brown-haired boy and their smiling friend.
"I didn't get to see you, after..." Alex trailed off. The things that had taken place in the forest still weren't allowed to be shared with the public. The GDA agent had emphasised this point heavily.
Taylor's two friends inhaled sharp breaths. The unfinished sentence sent their minds racing. They were torn between wanting to see the interaction between Taylor and the handsome stranger continue and desperately wanting to drag her away and interrogate her about whatever had happened.
Alex forced a laugh and continued, "I've got a lecture now, but maybe later if you're free we could catch up?"
Taylor's friends barely made any effort to hide their gasps. They moved towards one another and held each other tightly.
Taylor stood silent, her eyes blinked rapidly but her mouth didn't seem able to move. One of her friends looked like the interaction between Taylor and Alex was causing her genuine physical pain.
The friend kicked Taylor hard on her shoe. The impact made Taylor's rapid blinking finally stop and she blurted out, "Yes!"
Taylor's two friends clutched one another tighter and muttered in only voices they could hear.
Alex smiled and pulled his phone from his pocket. His fingers flew across the screen and he handed it to Taylor, "Great, put in your number, I'll text you."
Taylor nodded and typed in her number with shaky hands.
Alex read the digits and committed them to memory. He looked up and smiled, "Thanks, I'll see you later."
Damien followed after Alex as he left Taylor and her friends behind. His mouth was wide enough to fit an apple.
"What the fuck just happened?"
Alex grinned and draped his arm over Damien's shoulder, "Sorry bud, you either got it or you don't. You can't teach being charming."
The two found seats at the back of the lecture hall. Damien's usually rigorous notes were a mess as he insistently tried to whisper-pry details out of Alex.
"We met a couple days ago. I told you I can't talk about it yet." Alex whispered back.
Damien clicked his tongue and shook his head, "This had better be bloody good you know that."
Alex grinned at him, "It is."
The lecture went by quickly. Alex split off from Damien and headed to the boxing gym. The puncture wounds to his forearm had healed without a trace and the muscle was as strong as it had ever been.
He could've easily healed any scars, but he hadn't needed to. The GDA'S technology bordered on supernatural. He was confident that he'd only seen a glimpse of what the organisation was capable of.
"That's it Alex, left hook when he drops his guard!" The head coach yelled. Since Alex's arrival the boxing team a few months ago he'd smiled almost nonstop.
Jason, the men's captain stood in the ring with Alex. The two exchanged rapid and violent blows, both formally fought in the same category of light heavyweight.
Jason's feet danced across the right. He was moving faster than he ever had. His speed and aggression would've destroyed every opponent he'd faced before.
There wasn't any sign of happiness in his face. Jason's aggression wasn't tactical, it was raw and furious. His cheeks were flushed bright red and he was panting heavily.
Tiredness was a boxer's nemesis. It made punches sloppy and created gaps in their guard.
Jason was exhausted, his arms screamed at him to stop and the tightness in his chest was becoming unbearable.
He howled with rage. The cry sent a rush of adrenaline to his fading limbs and he hurled himself at his opponent with renewed strength.
Punches that could've sent a grown man to the ground struck. His guard blocked some, but others rocketed into his chest, the impacts echoed dullly.
The pain didn't faze Alex. Behind his guard his eyes glinted. There was no fear in his eyes.
Alex fought without enhancement. He didn't accelerate his reaction times or modify his lactic acid breakdown. He was fighting with everything a human body refined to it's limits could unleash.
The rise and fall of his chest was rapid. His muscles screamed for oxygen and his lungs worked desperately to provide it. The rhythm of his breathing was fast. But it was steady. He was tired, but not exhausted.
Jason's adrenaline faded. The rapid-fire punches he'd been hurling like bullets left him utterly breathless. The world span around him.
Alex's calves tensed and he pushed off. He flew forwards. His gloved hand slammed into Jason's shoulder. Then another to the stomach.
"Leave it there!" The head coach roared and leaped through the ropes, catching Jason's limp body.
The head coach looked at the unconscious captain in his arms. The decision he'd been weighing up was made.
"Good fight. First competition's in a week, you're starting." The coach said. His voice didn't betray the conflict in his heart.
Alex nodded and took out his mouth guard, "Thanks coach."
The head coach looked the young man standing in front of him up and down. Broad muscle-packed shoulders, eyes that only ever read confidence and gloves stained with faint droplets of blood that moved like lightning.
Some champions needed to be forged from nothing. Others only needed a little polishing in order to shine.
The head coach cleared his throat and wiped a rag across Jason's sweat-drenched forehead, "Go hit the showers. I'll tell him about the change."
Alex nodded and stepped out of the ring. He was at the door when he heard the coach's voice again, "Tournament's where your folks live right? Tell em' to come along, you're one of the special ones kid."
Alex turned back, "Will do coach."
The shampoo smelled like peaches, he'd had to go to a couple stores to find the kind he used back home. He watched the bubbles run across the bruises on his chest.
He urged his powers to work. The yellowish-purple skin remained unchanged, but the tissues beneath squirmed and repaired itself in an instant.
Out of the shower he dried off and threw back on the jeans and t-shirt he'd been wearing earlier. He paused for a moment, then pulled his phone out his pocket.
Taylor's name popped up. The conversation history was blank. He typed out the first message.
"Hi Taylor, this is Alex. There's a tapas restaurant not far from campus. Dinner's on me, Friday night at eight?"
He read the message over and thought for a moment. He smiled and added a happy face to the end of the message.
The message whooshed. Alex tossed the phone into his rucksack and put the text out of his mind.
The sun was beginning to set and the trees were bathed in orange light. The walk back to his room was quiet and peaceful.
Later that night Alex sat at his desk with a bowl of cereal in front of him and his laptop open.
A video began to play. An official wearing the GDA insignia faced a room full of reporters.
"At this time we can now release information regarding the incident that took place on July second.
A creature, constructed by Dr Splice escaped into a conversation area in Michigan. The creature has been killed and Dr Splice is now in our custody.
In order to respect their privacy, we will not be sharing the names or identies of those involved in this attack.
We would like to add that no individual was seriously injured and that the conversation area has been searched by thoroughly by Red Rush for any other potentially dangerous creatures.
The Michigan tourist board has updated the information on their website regarding how to safely enjoy the beautiful landscapes. They have also asked us to clearly state that the only dangerous animals now in the forest are the native grey wolves.
Thank you for your time. We will not be accepting questions."
No reporters shot out of their seats demanding further answers. Everyone in the room stood clapping politely as the agent walked off the stage and out of shot.
Alex's understanding of the GDA deepened. It was gradually becoming crystal clear that the world moved as the agency wanted it to. That kind of control wasn't built on friendly cooperation.
"I can't hide forever." Alex whispered to himself.
He knew that he wouldn't be able to keep his powers a secret forever. A day would come where he'd need to use them out in the open.
He hoped that he'd be ready for when it did.