New York City had seen its share of chaos, but the past few months had taken things to a new level. Reports of superhuman abilities were hitting the news almost daily. In response, the government moved swiftly, forming the Superhuman Regulation Agency (SRA) to manage the growing number of people displaying powers. New laws were passed with lightning speed, criminalizing the concealment of abilities and requiring mandatory registration and testing for anyone showing signs of superhuman traits.
Theories circulated. Some claimed the government was behind it all, experimenting on citizens. Others pointed to environmental factors or even divine intervention. The most popular theory, though, was that humanity was evolving, triggered by crisis or stress. Hundreds, possibly thousands, were believed to have powers, with numbers growing every day.
Most of these abilities were harmless—people who could change their hair color at will or see a few seconds into the future. But some were dangerous, and those few were the ones making headlines. Criminals with powers were using them for personal gain, while others, like Cal and Ryan, took to the streets to fight back. The city was divided: some cheered for the vigilantes, seeing them as protectors, while others feared the chaos they could bring.
Cal sat in front of the TV, watching a news report on the vigilante known as the "Undead Man." The name was almost villainous, but the people of New York seemed to rally behind it. He sighed and turned to Ryan and Amber, who were sitting on the couch behind him.
"I really hate that name," Cal muttered.
"You're lucky they even named you," Ryan said with a grin. "I'm still a nobody."
Amber chuckled. "Better than being called 'Bullet Sponge' or something."
Cal shook his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. It had been a few weeks since their last fight, and his hand had fully regrown overnight. Ryan had insisted on "nursing" him back to health—mostly by annoying him with jokes and trying to feed him. Cal had practically kicked him out of the apartment.
Now, with his body back to full strength, he'd called Amber and Ryan over to discuss their next steps. He turned off the TV and faced them, his expression serious.
"We need to talk about our abilities," Cal said. "We can't go in blind anymore. We need to know what we can do, and what we can't."
Amber nodded. "Agreed. After what happened with Henry, we can't afford to be unprepared. He was different."
"And the police found nearly twenty different people's DNA in his blood," Cal added. "That confirms it—he was some kind of puppet."
Ryan leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Maybe that's why he ate your hand. If he's consuming people, maybe he can use their abilities. That would explain the different DNAs."
Amber shuddered at the memory. "If he can consume people and take their abilities... that means whoever's controlling him could be building an army, or something worse."
"And if he saw through Henry's eyes..." Cal began, his voice tight with worry.
Amber's eyes widened. "Then they know what we look like."
The room fell silent as the implications sank in. Cal rubbed his temples, trying to think clearly. "We need to find him. Fast."
"But how?" Ryan asked. "You were almost killed, man. And if Henry was just a puppet, the real guy could be even stronger."
Cal clenched his fists, the memory of the fight flashing in his mind. Each blow had felt like a hammer, his body barely able to keep up with the onslaught. He had never felt so powerless. "We need to get stronger. I can feel myself getting better with each fight, but I'm not there yet."
Amber looked thoughtful. "I've noticed my abilities getting sharper too. I can sense people's minds from a distance now. But I don't know how far my range is."
Ryan suddenly spoke up, his voice brimming with excitement. "Maybe we should go public. Show people what we can do. We could be like real superheroes! Think about it—if we had the public on our side, we could change everything."
Cal frowned. "I don't like the idea of claiming glory and popularity. That's not why I'm doing this."
Ryan's excitement faltered for a moment, a twinge of shame crossing his face.
Amber interjected, sensing the tension. "You can't help anybody if you're locked up by the government, Cal. The people's support could keep the SRA at bay."
Ryan's eyes lit up again. "Yeah! If we have public support, we could even make a team like the Avengers! With a team like this, we could take on Thanos or something!"
Cal raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "Definitely not."
Amber snickered. "You're such a dork sometimes, Ryan."
"Even with the gems and glove," Ryan added with a laugh.
Cal's smile faded as he looked at them both. "We have to be smart about this. We can't afford to be reckless."
Cal sighed. "I still don't trust the government. If they get their hands on us, on me, they could turn me into a super-soldier factory. My blood gave you the power to deflect knife blades and break concrete. They wouldn't be able to help themselves"
"We don't have to join them, Cal," Amber said gently. "Just... think about it. We could make a difference."
He shook his head. "I can't trust them with this power. We can't."
Ryan looked frustrated but nodded. "I know. I just... I don't want to hide forever."
Amber looked between them, sensing the tension. "Maybe we can find a middle ground. We need to keep fighting, but we also need to be careful."
They all nodded, the gravity of their situation settling back in as they turned their attention to the challenges ahead. The world was changing, and they needed to be ready for whatever came next.
Ryan suddenly stood up, his face set with determination. "I'm going out. I need to clear my head."
"Ryan, wait," Cal began, but Ryan was already heading for the door.
"Look, Cal," Ryan said, turning back. "I know you're trying to protect us. But I'm not a child. I'm not looking to be some sidekick. I've got powers now, and I'm going to use them."
Before Cal could respond, Ryan was gone. The door clicked shut behind him, leaving a heavy silence in the room. Cal felt a pang of guilt for pushing his ideas away too hard.
Amber sighed, her expression softening. "He's just trying to prove himself, Cal. He looks up to you, you know."
"You think so?", he rubbed the back of his neck. The thought made him uncomfortable.
She rolled her eyes and pointed at her head. "I don't mean to, it just happens." She justified it before Cal had the chance to begin a lecture.
He shook his head. "He didn't get to see how violent it can be doing this. I'm worried about him."
"He'll get there," she said, her voice gentle. "He just needs time and support from his buddy." She gave him a nudge.
Cal nodded absently, staring at the closed door. Amber's voice pulled him back to the present.
"Hey," she said, her tone lighter. "Wanna watch a movie? Get your mind off things?"
He looked at her, taken aback. "A movie?"
"Yeah, you know, those things with moving pictures and sound," she teased, a playful smile on her lips. "Come on, we need a break."
He hesitated, then nodded. "Sure, why not?"
They settled on the couch, Amber flipping through a small stack of DVDs. She held one up, raising an eyebrow. "Ever seen 'Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'?"
Cal's expression softened, a rare smile touching his lips. "Yeah, with my parents."
Amber's smile grew warmer. "Then we're watching it again."
She popped the disc into the player. As the movie started, she glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
"You've got me. And Ryan now." She spoke softly.
"You guys have made that clear enough." Cal said with a twinge of a smile. He had been alone for a long time. He never realized how much he hated an empty apartment.
"You know." His eyes drifted outward as though he was looking past the movie, past the apartment. "It's been a while since I've let myself remember them." The memory had a warm filter over it. Amber let him sit in it for a moment, quite literally feeling it with him.
"My dad was a Star Wars nerd, so we'd usually get up mid way and have a duel. Pretending the floor was lava." Scenes of the memory played in his head. Amber could feel the sadness tagging along with the nostalgia, an ache. She realized how deep she was in his thoughts and emotions and snapped herself out of it. Hoping somehow he couldn't notice the invasion of privacy, though she could hardly contain his sadness washing over her.
As the opening scenes of the movie played out, he allowed himself, just for a moment, to forget everything and simply be there, sitting on the couch with Amber, watching a movie like things were normal.