January 23, 1998 — Central Hospital of Chicago
The night was calm by the city's standards, but inside the hospital, the atmosphere was anything but peaceful. Screams of effort, hurried footsteps, and machines beeping formed the soundtrack of the birth that would change the fate of the universe.
Debbie Grayson squeezed the nurse's hand tightly while Nolan, her husband, watched anxiously. He had already witnessed interplanetary wars, watched entire civilizations fall... and yet, nothing had prepared him for the moment of his first child's birth.
Or so he thought.
— It's coming! — announced the doctor.
Minutes later, a loud and clear cry filled the room. A healthy baby, with dark hair and brown eyes, was carefully handed to Debbie's arms.
— It's a boy! — said the doctor, smiling.
Debbie cried tears of joy. Nolan smiled, feeling a pride he rarely expressed. The name was already chosen: Mark.
But before they could fully celebrate, the nurse furrowed her brow.
— Wait… there's another one coming!
— What? — Debbie and Nolan asked simultaneously, astonished.
With delicacy but agility, the doctor helped with the second birth. A few minutes later, another baby, but no cry this time. The second baby was almost identical to the first, also with dark hair and brown eyes. However, even a Viltrumite would notice the subtle difference: the structure of the face, the shape of the eyes, a different energy.
Nolan looked at both babies. He felt the weight of responsibility double. One of them would be the heir to the Viltrumite mission. But… what about the other?
— Twins. — Nolan murmured, visibly surprised. — This is… uncommon.
— Quite rare, but it happens — said the doctor. — Sometimes the second baby can hide in exams. Especially if it wasn't expected.
Debbie, exhausted and still emotional, looked at the two babies now lying together.
— Mark... and... what will we call him?
— And the other... — Nolan hesitated for a moment. — Kayn.
— How about Kai? What do you think?
— Yes, it's a good name... Kai.
— Mark... and... Kai — Debbie said with a smile. — I like that.
Nolan narrowed his eyes. He felt something about this second child. Something he couldn't explain. But decided to say nothing. For now.
In little Kai's consciousness, something completely different was happening. He didn't cry from the shock of life or the pain of birth. Inside him, there was silence. Awareness. Memories of another existence, another body, another world. And more than that: the memory of a celestial conversation.
"Just stay out of their way... and don't get in the way of this Mark saving the world, it'll all be fine."
He slowly moved his eyes and saw his twin brother's face for the first time. Mark.
And it was there, in the silence of his own thoughts, still unable to speak, that Kai wondered, "Mark? It can't be the Mark they mentioned, that would be too much of a coincidence, right?" Anyway, still overwhelmed by his indifference, he made his first decision since arriving in this new world: he would do everything to live a quiet life and, by bad luck, if he had been born as the brother of that "Mark," he simply wouldn't get in the way. If this Mark needed to save the world, then he would be the support. Someone who doesn't get in the spotlight, doesn't seek attention, and doesn't want to be noticed.
After all, there was nothing more he desired from life. Not even this new one.
A Few Days Later...
The Grayson house wasn't big, but it was cozy. Nolan, with his reserved and routine personality, tried to get involved as much as he could — especially when Debbie was tired.
Despite the appearance of being a present father, Nolan often isolated himself. He spent long hours in his office, writing science fiction books and dedicating himself to what he called "research."
It was on one of these afternoons, with the twins still newborns, that Nolan, believing he was alone, began to murmur as he wrote near them:
— I can't forget the mission I have if they have powers... It's not the time yet, just a few more years and I'll know.
Kai, lying next to his brother, heard everything. With eyes still infantile but a fully awake mind, he understood every word.
"Mission. They. Not the time yet."
That was the confirmation. Nolan wasn't just an ordinary father. He was something more. Something dangerous.
"So even that is real…"
The world of superpowers that the divinities had mentioned… the Viltrumites… the warning to not get in the way of Mark... everything was starting to make sense.
Kai closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"No doubt it must be that Mark, but what bad luck, I'm connected to someone who will be important in this world and I just wanted peace, I'm not the hero of this story. And I definitely don't want to get involved. Keeping Nolan in a good mood, supporting Mark... maybe that's enough."
The Grayson's routine, as the babies grew, settled with a certain normality. Debbie divided her time between maternal care and professional frustrations left behind. Nolan, sometimes present, sometimes mysterious, was kind but always carried that distant, vigilant look.
And Kai, still unable to walk or talk, observed. He observed everything.
Because, for someone like him, even childhood was just another phase of the game.
And he wanted to pass through it on stealth mode.
The First Nights
The orange light of late afternoon filtered through the curtains of the small Grayson house. Outside, the early spring chill in Chicago made the trees sway, but inside, the warmth of the newly formed family filled every corner.
Debbie walked slowly down the hallway, holding Mark with great care. Nolan followed right behind, with Kai in his arms. There was something curious about the way he observed him — as if he was waiting for the baby to reveal some secret at any moment. But Kai, still and serene, only stared at him with his attentive brown eyes.
The room was arranged to welcome the two new members of the family. Two simple cribs side by side, gifts from the maternal grandmother, filled most of the space. Debbie sighed as she gently placed them down, covering them with soft blankets.
— It seems it's going to be a long journey — she murmured, exhausted, but with a smile on her lips.
Nolan crossed his arms, silently staring at the children. Kai could feel something there. Discomfort... or was it just caution?
Even with his small, fragile body, his mind was fully functioning. Every glance, every tone of voice, every facial expression... everything was processed, analyzed, compared. It was like living inside a game with a new HUD — fewer controls, much more limitation.
"This is going to be slow… but maybe it won't be so bad."
The first day at home passed like a blur. Diapers, bottles, colic, cries alternating with tired laughs. Debbie did her best to handle everything, with Nolan helping in the moments he wasn't locked in his office or "resting."
Kai noticed every detail. The way Debbie smiled even when exhausted. How Nolan pretended to be natural but furrowed his brow when picking up the babies. How the house seemed to live between two worlds — the warmth of the mother and the silently hostile presence of the father.
At night, after hours of trying to make Mark sleep, Debbie placed him in the crib and sat next to it, looking at both of them.
— Two sons... who would've thought? — she whispered. — One to save the world... and the other to remind me that he can still be good.
She didn't know that Kai understood her. That her words weighed like promises in his tired but firm mind.
He closed his eyes for a moment. That phrase echoed strangely within him. As if the "savior" and the "guardian of good" had been defined that night.
But Kai... he didn't see himself as either of them.
"I just want to get through this in peace. If this world is as they said, full of superheroes and threats, then let Mark be the hero. I'll stay in the background. No fuss."
However, when Nolan walked past the bedroom door once more and looked directly at him, Kai felt a slight chill. Those eyes… there was judgment there. As if Nolan was trying to understand who — or what — he was.
And at that moment, for the first time since he had been reborn, Kai wondered:
"Am I hiding well enough?"
A few days later...
The late afternoon bathed the twins' room in a golden, soft light. Debbie, exhausted but serene, sat in the armchair next to the cribs, wearing a light robe and her hair tied up haphazardly. There was something sacred in that silent routine, in that space between chaos and rest.
Gently, she picked Kai up. His brown eyes were still heavy with sleep, but he remained awake, attentive.
Mark, already fed, slept in the other crib with a dreamy smile on his face.
Debbie looked at the son in her arms and let out a light sigh.
— You and your brother arrived as a surprise... — she said quietly. — But I think I always knew, deep down, that I would have two.
Kai watched her. He couldn't respond, but he felt, despite doubting her words, since he knew he was someone who shouldn't be here. He felt the warmth of her arms. The rhythm of her heartbeat. The gentle firmness of her voice.
— When I was little — she continued — my mother used to sing a song every night before bed. And even after I grew up... on the tough days, I still remembered it.
She paused for a moment, as if searching for something very distant in her memory.
— I don't know if it will work with you, strangely, you're a baby who doesn't cause trouble... and you have a look that's way too serious for your size. But I'll try anyway.
Debbie then began to sing, in a soft voice, a melody that sounded more like a whisper between memories.
Kai, although understanding all the words — there was something there that went beyond language. That song, as soft as a mother's touch, enveloped his thoughts in a different silence. Not empty, but comforting.
For the first time since he had been reborn in this world, he didn't think about running, hiding, or analyzing.
He just... existed.
In that embrace.
In that song.
Debbie smiled when she saw his eyes finally close, and let him sleep on her chest for a few minutes before placing him back in the crib.
She looked at the two sons for one last moment and whispered, like a secret:
— Good night, my boys.
And as she left the room, the silence that remained wasn't cold, nor empty.
It was peace for the first time.
The Closed Office and the Viltrumite Whisper
The Graysons' house slept in silence.
It was midnight, and Debbie had finally managed to rest. The couple's room was dark, with only the distant sound of a car passing by the street outside. Mark slept deeply in his crib, his little arms raised as if dreaming of stars. Kai, however... was awake.
Not from hunger. Not from discomfort.
But from something more... instinctual.
He felt.
Something in the air.
A slight shift in the wind in the hallway. Heavy but controlled footsteps. The sound of the office door opening.
Nolan.
Kai recognized his movement pattern. The father — or rather, the disguised Viltrumite — had a contained, almost silent presence... but now, he seemed less careful. As if he were too secure in that domestic setting.
From the crack of the slightly open door at the end of the hallway, a faint amber light came through. The office chair creaked. Papers were being turned. A glass with liquid was placed on the table.
Then came the most important sound of the night:
Nolan's voice.
He wasn't speaking to anyone. It was a monologue. Perhaps a solitary habit of someone who carried too many secrets... Nolan walked to Mark and Kai and once again... A baby who shouldn't understand anything, with the mind of someone over 25 years old...
— ...they need to be watched — murmured Nolan. — The blood is strong, but I can't trust just that. One of them... maybe. Or both. I can't take risks. I need to know if they inherited the gifts.
Pause.
— I still have time. The plan is long-term. The first signs should only appear in a few years. And then... we'll see.
More silence. Then, in a nearly inaudible tone, Nolan added:
— If necessary, I myself... will handle this.
Kai didn't understand everything. But he understood enough.
And inside, something broke hearing that murmur once more.
"Not the time yet."
"We'll see."
"I'll handle this."
He remembered the phrase the entities said before his rebirth:
"Just stay out of their way... and don't interfere with this Mark who's supposed to save the world, and everything will be fine."
Mark.
The twin brother.
The centerpiece of the prophecy.
And now, the potential target of someone who claimed to be his father.
The room sank back into silence when Nolan finally turned off the light and went back to the bedroom. The footsteps echoed less heavily. The office door was closed.
Kai remained motionless for a few minutes.
There was no fear.
But there was no peace either.
There was alertness.
The Viltrumite mission was real. And the figure of the gentle father was now something else in his eyes: an infiltrated soldier.
A sleeping predator.
Kai didn't know what would come next — but now, his decision was taking clearer form.
The peaceful life he had wanted to live would be much harder than he imagined.
But not impossible.
Perhaps, with caution...
With subtlety...
He could protect Mark.
And keep Nolan away from the danger he didn't even realize he represented.
It was too early to act.
But never too early to watch.
The First Visitors
The sun entered through the living room window in golden tones, warming the wooden floor of the Grayson house. Debbie, with dark circles and a messy bun on top of her head, walked back and forth with Mark in her arms. Kai rested in the small crib beside the armchair, eyes wide open, observing every detail with that silent awareness that only he possessed.
The routine was always the same: feedings, diapers, alternating cries, sleepless nights. And, occasionally, unexpected visits.
— Nolan? — called Debbie, opening the door with her shoulder. — There's someone here to see you!
The Viltrumite appeared shortly after, coming out of the office with his shirt slightly wrinkled and a notepad still in hand.
— Who is it?
— Cecil.
Kai blinked slightly. He had no idea who "Cecil" was, but from the way the name was spoken... it wasn't just anyone.
Debbie seemed uncomfortable.
Nolan, impassive.
A few moments later, a man entered through the door: a dark gray suit, thinning hair, a cold expression, his eyes hidden behind sunglasses even in broad daylight. The type of person who seemed to observe more than speak.
— Debbie. Nolan. — he said with a brief nod. His eyes quickly passed over the children, not lingering too long.
— What are you doing here? — asked Nolan, bluntly.
— Just a routine visit — replied Cecil. — Wanted to see how you're doing... keeping the records up to date. The government still invests a lot in keeping some GDA members anonymous.
Debbie crossed her arms, clearly uncomfortable.
— Does that include showing up at my house unannounced?
Cecil ignored the question and turned to the cribs.
— So... these are them.
— Yes. — said Nolan, his posture stiffened.
— Two boys... was this expected?
— No. — Debbie answered before her husband could intervene. — A complete surprise. But a good surprise.
Cecil only nodded, as if mentally taking notes. He then bent down, approaching Kai's crib.
— This one seems... attentive. — he murmured, almost playfully.
Kai kept his gaze fixed on the man. He was curious. There was something about him that didn't match the rest of the people in the house.
He wasn't a hero. He didn't seem like a villain either.
But he carried the aura of someone important, who knew too much.
— He's like that — Debbie said, smiling. — Always with his eyes wide open, as if watching the world.
Cecil stood up, adjusting his suit.
— I'm glad everything is fine. Just... keep in touch. And if anything changes, any signs... well, you know the protocol, and we'll help you with whatever you need.
Nolan nodded silently.
When Cecil left, Kai, still trying to understand the new world he was part of, turned his gaze to the ceiling.
The feeling was clear.
The web was stretching.
Little by little, the threads of the world began to show themselves. Viltrumites, secret government agencies, undisclosed protocols, and his brother — Mark — sleeping innocently beside him.
From that moment, Kai understood something fundamental:
The story wouldn't wait for him to grow. It was already in motion.
Interlude – A Star is Born
June 25, 1998 — Genetic research laboratory in Chicago, Illinois
The night was calm in a government facility that occupied more than a city block in an area slightly removed from downtown.
The early morning remained silent in the lab, until the peace was shattered by a thunderous explosion that shook the walls. The Lizard League, made up of seven members, had invaded the place with a clear objective: to steal a crucial genetic serum.
The explosion knocked down a wall, and from the shadows emerged Lizard Prince, the first to step through the breach, surrounded by smoke and debris, speaking loudly, his dominant presence imposing authority.
— Lizard Prince (excitedly, after the explosion): "Spread out, let's conquer! We'll split up to get the serum."
But Lizard Queen, firm in tone, was quick to correct her son, her strong and authoritative voice cutting through the air.
— "No, Prince. We can't split up. That strategy is wrong. There are still dangers we don't know. Together we're stronger." — said Lizard Queen.
— "But mom..." — Lizard Prince
He was promptly interrupted by his mother's commanding voice.
— Lizard Queen (not allowing discussion): "Don't disrespect me. I already let you cause the explosion. Now, I take over."
One of the other members of the Lizard League approached, urgency on his face.
— Salamander: "What's the command, Queen?"
Lizard Queen raised both arms to shoulder height.
— "Enter the lab! Our intel says the serum is on this floor. Take everything!" she said emphatically.
With the command given, Lizard Queen shouted:
— "Forward, Lizard League! The lab is ours!"
As the Lizard League advanced through the lab, a loud crash cut through the noise.
Immortal burst in, flying and breaking through one of the upper walls of the lab, charging straight at Komodo Dragon, the largest member of the League. He struck Komodo hard in the abdomen, hurling him into the opposite wall. The impact was so strong that it broke through part of the lab wall, opening into another room.
At the same time, War Woman, Aquarius, Green Ghost, and Black Samson emerged from the hole Immortal had created. The Guardians of the Globe were ready to confront the threat.
Lizard Queen looked at the heroes and, with a grim expression, exclaimed:
— "The Guardians of the Globe!"
In a swift move from the back of the room, Immortal attacked again, throwing Komodo upward with all his strength. He flew up before hitting the ceiling and then delivered a powerful kick, launching him to the floor below. The impact cracked the floor, creating a hole that took both of them to the lower level.
War Woman stood at the front.
— "Surrender now! This is your only warning!" — said War Woman, in a firm and loud tone.
Lizard Queen signaled, preparing her team for battle, but saw War Woman already charging at Salamander with her mace. She delivered a strong blow, knocking him into a nearby tank that spilled water across the floor.
The battle was just beginning. Aquarius, Green Ghost, and Black Samson advanced toward the remaining Lizard League members, who retaliated with explosive attacks.
War Woman swung her mace with precision. Despite the difficulty of the fight, she maintained accuracy. The lab echoed with crashes as the Guardians moved swiftly between the blasts. The fight was even, but they had the numbers.
As they exchanged blows, Immortal positioned himself to block Iguana from striking War Woman's back.
— "Is Darkwing not coming?" said Immortal, back-to-back with War Woman.
War Woman swung her mace at Salamander, striking him in the abdomen.
— "He's still recovering from the fight with Chronodile," she said seriously, her voice labored from combat.
Immortal continued fighting and asked:
— Immortal: "And Red Rush?"
— War Woman (still focused): "Busy in Russia. Martian Man is helping Darkblood with a big mission. It'll be fine. But I called in the Reservist just in case."
Immortal scoffed.
— Immortal: "Seriously? Don't let him hear you call him that."
The battle intensified. Black Samson and Aquarius alternated attacks against two other Lizard League members.
— "Struggling there, Aquarius?" — Black Samson said teasingly.
Aquarius used the spilled water to launch himself at Black Samson's opponent.
— "Not at all. I even have time to help you out." — Aquarius replied, equally sarcastic.
They both laughed as the fight continued. War Woman pushed forward with her mace, trying to reach Lizard Queen. But the unexpected happened... a tremor shook the room.
The lab ceiling was about to collapse. Chunks of concrete rained down as the building grew more unstable.
Everyone ducked for cover as it seemed the ceiling would crush them—
But it didn't. It was suspended in mid-air. Everyone looked up.
Omni-Man.
With one hand, effortlessly, he held the ceiling above his head, preventing it from falling. His strength was undeniable. The scene was surreal, as if everything was under control.
— Omni-Man: "Right on time!" — he said with a faint smile.
War Woman stood up, sighing in relief. She looked at him and couldn't help but ask with a light tone:
— War Woman: "New suit?"
With Omni-Man's help, the Guardians began to turn the tide of the battle.
Immortal, still focused, made a dry remark:
— Immortal: "That white one wasn't flashy enough?"
Still holding the ceiling, Omni-Man smirked:
— Omni-Man: "The tailor said it lacked iconography. Apparently, big chest letters are in style now."
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the lab, Dr. Elias Brandyworth was helping a pregnant woman, Polly, escape the chaos. He hurried along with her leaning on his shoulder.
— Dr. Brandyworth: "All I needed was a distraction! They'll bring the whole lab down on us... Your due date was two weeks away."
Polly, breathless and contracting, smiled weakly.
— "Sorry, Dr. Brandyworth. I didn't mean to disappoint you. I know how important the baby is."
— "You did nothing wrong, Polly. I should've planned better."
Suddenly Polly stopped, a contraction hitting. Her eyes and mouth glowed bright pink as she screamed.
They resumed walking until they reached the lab's parking lot.
They got into a red car, catching a glimpse of Omni-Man in the sky subduing a Lizard League member with one hand.
As they drove toward the hospital, Brandyworth's phone rang. An angry voice shouted, "Where is my specimen?"
Holding the wheel with one hand and the phone in the other:
— "We need a hospital. The lab is under attack. We can't stay."
A bump in the road caused the phone to fall between the seat and door. From the speaker, someone continued screaming in rage.
— "Doctor, I don't think I'll survive... please, promise me you'll take care of my baby," Polly said, just before another contraction lit up her eyes with pink light.
— "I promise, Polly. But you'll be okay." — he said, voice firm but sad.
Moments later, they reached the hospital.
Everything happened fast—stretchers, nurses, doctors, emergency room...
But Polly's contractions emitted pink energy waves, throwing everyone back.
Chaos.
Minutes later, the baby was born. A girl. But Polly didn't survive.
Dr. Brandyworth was heartbroken, his mind replaying the promise.
He knew the baby would be taken back to the lab. A grim fate.
As he walked the hospital hallways, he overheard a conversation in another room:
— "Sadly, the baby didn't make it... it was a girl."
The pieces came together. Before the government arrived, he quietly switched Polly's baby with the stillborn.
A few minutes later, government officials showed up.
Two scientists and a dark-skinned man in a suit, accompanied by special forces soldiers.
They blamed Dr. Brandyworth for the baby's death, escorting him out.
But from another room, he heard:
— "It's a miracle, your baby came back... She's breathing on her own." — followed by the joyful cries of two strangers.
That baby, saved by desperation and luck, switched with another...
The world would know her only as: Samantha Eve Wilkins.