Scene 1: Into the Shadows
Ethan's lungs burned as he sprinted through the labyrinth of the industrial complex surrounding the lab. The towering stacks and steel structures loomed like sentinels in the moonlight. His heart pounded with equal parts terror and adrenaline.
The glow from his hands had faded, but the memory of the heat and power still lingered, tingling under his skin. Whatever had happened to him wasn't going away.
Behind him, voices barked orders. Flashlights cut through the dark, sweeping across the concrete.
"Subject is heading east! Secure all exits!"
Ethan ducked into a narrow alley between two buildings, pressing himself against the cold metal wall. He forced himself to breathe quietly, his mind racing.
What the hell is happening to me?
The smell of burnt ozone clung to him, a reminder of the chaos he'd just escaped. He clenched his fists, willing himself to stay calm.
But the moment his hands tightened, a faint hum vibrated through the air. The wall behind him began to warp, the metal bending and groaning as if it were alive.
"No, no, no," he whispered, stepping away in horror. The distortion stopped, but the damage was done—a visible dent marked where he'd been hiding.
The flashlights were getting closer.
Ethan's instincts took over. He bolted from the alley, skidding onto an open road just as a black SUV screeched to a halt in front of him.
A man in a sleek suit stepped out, his calm demeanor contrasting sharply with the chaos around him. He held up a hand, signaling the other agents to stop.
"Ethan Voss," the man said, his voice smooth and commanding. "You don't understand what's happening to you. Let us help."
"Help?" Ethan snapped, his voice shaking. "You call this help? You blew up my lab, and now you're hunting me down like some kind of freak experiment!"
The man didn't flinch. "You're special, Ethan. The exposure to E-37 has unlocked something within you. Something we've been trying to perfect for years. If you come with us, we can teach you to control it."
Ethan hesitated. His pulse thundered in his ears. The man's tone was almost convincing—almost.
But then he saw the armed agents behind him, their weapons subtly trained on him, and the glint of calculated coldness in the man's eyes.
"Yeah, no thanks," Ethan said, raising his hands. "I think I'll figure it out on my own."
A surge of heat coursed through his veins, and a blinding flash erupted from his palms. The SUV's hood melted instantly, and the agents dove for cover as flames licked the air.
Scene 2: Uncontrolled Power
Ethan didn't wait to see what he'd done. He ran again, his legs carrying him farther into the maze of warehouses.
Every step felt heavier, the energy inside him building like a pressure cooker. His hands burned with a faint glow, and every object he touched—metal pipes, concrete walls, even the air—seemed to react violently.
He stumbled into an abandoned loading dock, collapsing against a stack of crates. His breath came in ragged gasps, and his body felt like it was on fire.
"Get it together," he muttered to himself. "You can't fall apart now."
But the truth was, he didn't know how much longer he could hold on. The power inside him was wild, uncontrollable. It felt like it wanted to tear him apart from the inside out.
A sudden sound snapped him out of his thoughts—a faint click, like a camera shutter.
Ethan whipped around, his glowing hands raised instinctively.
"Whoa, easy there," a voice said. A woman stepped out of the shadows, her hands raised in surrender. She held a small recorder, the red light blinking faintly.
"Who are you?" Ethan demanded, his voice harsh.
"Name's Mia," she said calmly. "Mia Lark. Journalist. And judging by the fireworks I just saw, you're the story I've been chasing."
Ethan blinked, caught off guard. "A journalist? What are you doing here?"
"Same thing you're doing," Mia said, glancing toward the distant sound of agents shouting orders. "Running from those goons. Only difference is, I've been following their shady operations for months. And you just gave me the proof I need."
Ethan lowered his hands slightly, though they still glowed faintly. "I didn't ask for this. I don't even know what's happening to me."
Mia nodded, her expression softening. "I can help. But we need to move. Now."
Ethan hesitated. He didn't trust her—not yet. But with the Elemetal Organization closing in, he didn't have much of a choice.
Scene 3: On the Run
Mia led Ethan through a hidden service tunnel beneath the loading dock, her flashlight casting long shadows on the damp walls.
"They'll track you," she said over her shoulder. "Whatever they did to you, it's not just in your blood. It's probably in your DNA. You're like a walking beacon to them."
"Great," Ethan muttered. "That's exactly what I needed to hear."
Mia smirked. "Don't worry. I've got ways to keep us off their radar. For now, you need to focus on keeping it together. Whatever that power is, it's only going to get harder to control."
Ethan sighed, rubbing his temples. "You think I don't know that? I can feel it, building up inside me. Like I'm going to explode."
Mia stopped, turning to face him. "Then you need to learn to use it before it uses you. Trust me, Ethan. The Elemetal Organization isn't going to stop until they have you under their control—or dead."
Ethan met her gaze, the weight of her words sinking in. He didn't know if he could trust her, but he knew one thing for certain: if he wanted to survive, he'd have to figure out what he'd become—and fast.