Hidden Dangerous 1

20th January 1988, Saturday

In a small room, Alex's parents, Martha and Oliver, sat in serious discussion. "I don't know, honey, but ever since Alex's accident, he's become a completely different person. I mean, I'm happy he can finally have a normal life now, but sometimes… I feel like he isn't my Alex anymore," Martha confessed, biting her nails anxiously.

Oliver looked at his wife's downcast expression, and his heart sank. He shared her feelings. It wasn't that they wanted their son to go back to struggling with severe learning disabilities, where it took him weeks or months to grasp something. But the changes since the accident had been so drastic that they could barely recognize him.

Alex had gone from barely speaking properly to making big tech companies pay him large sums of money for some software he had created. The transformation was astounding. And though they had initially been overjoyed for him, now they felt increasingly unsettled.

"He's so different," Oliver finally said, echoing his wife's thoughts. "It's like we don't know him anymore."

It wasn't just the improvements in his academic performance—Alex now aced all his tests, scoring at the top of his school—but also his newfound tech skills. Previously, he'd struggled even with basic math, but now he was creating advanced software that had companies like Apple and Microsoft knocking on his door.

Both parents had talked to Michael and Mark, Alex's closest friends, about what the three of them were doing with the computers in the basement. That's when they learned the boys were working on a video game. This, too, worried Martha and Oliver. Would Alex's focus on gaming affect his schoolwork?

But strangely, despite spending most of his time on the computer, Alex's grades hadn't faltered. In fact, he was excelling in every subject. Yet, the better Alex performed, the more distant and alien he seemed to them.

"Oliver? Oliver!" Martha's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Oh… sorry," he muttered, shaking his head. "I got lost for a moment."

Sighing lightly, Oliver looked over to his wife, whose frustration was still evident on her face. He spoke in a gentle tone, "Martha, Alex isn't a child anymore. He's turning fourteen this year, and we can't keep treating him like he's still a little boy. It's better if we start treating him like the rest of the kids, okay?"

Martha's cheeks puffed up in displeasure, showing her frustration at her husband's words. But deep down, she knew he was right. The Alex they once knew had grown up in ways they hadn't expected. Even though she accepted this truth, the sadness in her heart lingered. A part of her missed the innocent Alex, the one she felt like she could still protect.

Meanwhile, in the living room, a similar discussion was taking place among the three oldest children of the Williams family. Jennifer and Ashley had struggled to adjust to the changes in their youngest brother ever since they returned from college.

"I don't know," Jennifer said, her voice filled with concern. "I was just as happy as everyone else when Alex overcame his disorder, but what if one day he suddenly wakes up and reverts to the way he was before the accident?"

Ashley had the same expression of unease, clearly sharing her older sister's fears. She had done her own research on Alex's condition but found little information. Alex's case was rare—there weren't many documented instances of people recovering from such a condition, especially so dramatically. There were no records of someone with Alex's learning difficulties suddenly gaining expertise in something as complex as computers.

Ashley also feared for his future mental health. She wanted to suggest to their parents that Alex see a doctor, if only to be cautious.

Duke, watching his two sisters fret, couldn't hold back any longer. With a serious tone, he said, "Stop worrying about things that haven't happened yet. Focus on how we can support Alex now. He's not as fragile as you think, and instead of constantly worrying, we should treat him like a normal teenager."

His words calmed both Jennifer and Ashley. Looking at Duke, anyone would think he was the oldest among them, given his maturity.

As for Alex, the subject of their concern, he was completely unaware of the discussions going on about him. He was too preoccupied with other matters. He and his friends had just finished the demo for Castle Wolfenstein 3D, but Alex was frustrated with how long it had taken to create the game and its engine. Even with his extensive knowledge of programming, he was just one person.

His primary concern was timing—he was living at the dawn of the golden age of gaming and entertainment. The opportunity was enormous, and he needed more people on his side to capitalize on it. However, he also needed more capital. He still had about $95,000 in his savings account, though he couldn't access it all at once. He realized that he needed to find a way to gain more resources and support if he wanted to bring his plans to life.

Alex knew that the $90,000 in savings was technically meant for his and Duke's future college fees, something his parents had insisted on. His parents had already used a significant portion of the money to pay off their debts, cover his hospital charges, and help his father improve his business. His mother, who worked at a daycare center with his godmother Maria, was careful with their finances. Even though $90,000 was a lot of money, possibly enough to buy a house, it wasn't nearly enough for the ambitious business plans Alex had in mind.

This year, he planned to lay the foundations for his business empire, but he needed more capital and more time from his partners, Michael and Mark, who were often tied up with school and studying. Alex also knew that his parents would never let him tap into the college fund without a serious conversation.

The next morning, Alex knocked gently on his parents' bedroom door, calling softly, "Mom, Dad, are you in there?"

There was no response. After waiting for a moment, he decided to head downstairs to check if anyone was home. Searching the house, he realized he was alone. "Hmm... Looks like no one's home."

He thought back to what his parents had mentioned the night before—they had started going to the park together on weekends for some light exercise. With Duke likely off to the library, and his sisters probably out with their friends, Alex found himself with the whole house to himself.

"Well, I guess I've got the day to myself."

Michael and Mark weren't coming over today since they had finished the major parts of their game development, and their online distribution platform still needed to be set up. In the meantime, there was still work to be done on Castle Wolfenstein 3D, as Alex couldn't risk releasing the game without making sure everything was perfect.

He decided to head down to the basement, where the three of them had set up their workspace. Although the game was almost complete, they still needed to search for bugs or other software issues that might ruin the experience for players. A poor launch could sink their reputation before they even got started, so it was crucial to catch any problems early.

Sitting at his computer, Alex booted up the game, preparing to meticulously test it for any glitches. This would be the last step before they could begin distributing Castle Wolfenstein 3D, and the success of their first release was crucial to the future of his ambitions.

As he worked, he couldn't help but think about his next steps. Distribution was just the beginning. His real challenge would be to expand the team, secure more funding, and start building the game engine that would take the gaming industry by storm—Unreal Engine. If he could pull this off, Alex was certain that his business empire would become a reality. But for now, he needed to stay focused on the task at hand, perfecting this game.

Alex understood that Castle Wolfenstein 3D wasn't just a game; it was a bold statement. The game's programming software and game engine, Unreal Engine, could become a "golden goose" for other game creators in the future. He was sure of its potential, but knew it would also face challenges. The game's graphic violence and intense action would likely stir backlash, especially from concerned parents and those who still saw video games as simple children's toys.

However, Alex saw this controversy as an opportunity. He wanted to disrupt the industry and set a new standard for what types of games his studio would release. He planned to explore multiple genres and, in time, create subsidiaries under his gaming empire that would each focus on different types of games. He knew that allowing freedom and creativity would lead to success in a variety of genres, as history had shown.

After spending two hours debugging the game and testing improvements on Unreal Engine, Alex took a break. He grabbed a plate of sandwiches from the freezer, sat at the dining table, and opened a science textbook while eating. Despite already knowing much of the information in the book from the memories he had gained, he still liked to read to deepen his understanding. The memories felt like watching documentaries from different people's perspectives, and while he had absorbed their skills, mastering them in real life was still a process.

As Alex continued reading, he reflected on the unusual situation of having lived so many lives in his mind. The flood of knowledge sometimes made him feel like he had lived for hundreds of years. He was grateful that his brain had adapted to handle it all, keeping him grounded and sane.

After an hour, Alex noticed the time and realized his parents should have been back by now. Smiling to himself, he figured they were probably enjoying some time alone together. He decided that he could use some fresh air too, and after stretching, he grabbed his jacket.

"I should go for a walk myself—getting out of the house once in a while is good," Alex said to himself as he walked to the front door, ready to clear his mind and think about the next steps in his grand plan.

As Alex lay on the couch, his body trembling uncontrollably, his mind remained eerily calm. It was as though he were a spectator in his own body, watching the physical symptoms of panic take hold while his thoughts stayed sharp and analytical. The fear gnawing at him was all too familiar—this was the street where it had all gone wrong, the night before he was shot, the moment that had forever altered his life. The memories had triggered something deep inside him, something he hadn't fully processed.

His heart raced, his breath quickened, but still, his mind remained detached from the chaos. It was terrifying in its own right. He had always prided himself on being in control, but now his body was betraying him, acting independently of the rationality his mind clung to.

Suddenly, the sound of the front door opening broke the tension in the air. Jennifer's voice floated through the house, exasperated from her long day at the library.

"Ahhmm... why did we have to stay that long at the library? We were only supposed to be there for at least two hours," she grumbled as she stepped inside, her voice slightly muffled by the hallway.

Alex tried to sit up, but his body refused to cooperate fully. His muscles felt weak, his hands still trembling. He heard Jennifer and Ashley's footsteps approaching, and in a moment of panic, he straightened up on the couch, trying to compose himself. He couldn't let them see him like this.

"Hey, Alex, you okay?" Jennifer asked, noticing his strange posture and pale complexion as she walked into the living room. Ashley followed close behind, her brow furrowed in concern.

Alex forced a smile, though he knew it probably looked unconvincing. "Yeah, just... not feeling too great. I think I might have pushed myself a bit earlier."

Ashley narrowed her eyes, studying him. "You sure? You look a little pale."

"I'm fine," Alex said quickly, sitting up straighter, though the tremor in his hands hadn't fully subsided. "Just need to rest for a bit."

Jennifer and Ashley exchanged a look but didn't press him further. Instead, they sat down nearby, starting a light conversation about their day at the library. Alex leaned back, closing his eyes again, trying to steady his breathing. The worst of the panic seemed to be fading, but the residual shakiness lingered.

Deep down, Alex knew he couldn't keep brushing this off. Something about his near-death experience had left an imprint on him, one that even his newfound intelligence couldn't erase.

As Oliver and Martha sat in the park, enjoying the serene atmosphere and dreaming of a family picnic, they were blissfully unaware of the internal struggle their son, Alex, was going through back at home. While they had finally begun to reclaim their lives, finding moments of peace together without constantly worrying about Alex's condition, they didn't know that he was now facing something equally distressing, if not more mysterious.

The relief they felt from Alex's recovery had been profound, but beneath the surface, things were far more complex. His newfound skills and intelligence, a blessing on the surface, came with challenges no one could have foreseen—challenges that neither of his parents could help him with, even if they had known.

As Martha watched the children playing, laughing, and running with joy, she sighed softly, thinking of her own family and how far they'd come. There was a time when she feared Alex would never experience a life like this—carefree and independent. But now that he had, she couldn't shake the unsettling feeling in her heart, like something wasn't quite right.

"I can't wait to have everyone here, Oliver," she whispered, the image of their family together warming her. "Just all of us, together, like old times."

Oliver, sensing her wistfulness, nodded, holding her close. "Next weekend, then. We'll make it happen."

Back at home, Alex lay on the couch, still grappling with his body's rebellious panic attack. He had no idea how to explain what was happening to him, let alone ask for help. Even though his mind was sharp, his body betrayed a trauma that refused to leave, triggered by something as simple as walking down a street from his past.

Meanwhile, Duke, Jennifer, and Ashley returned home, the weight of their unspoken thoughts hanging in the air. While Jennifer tried to focus on her college work and Ashley kept the peace, Duke carried a quiet resentment, his unresolved feelings a barrier between him and his older sister. The memories of their struggles as a family were still fresh, even if the present seemed brighter.

As they walked back into the house, Duke noticed Alex sitting up on the couch, his face still slightly pale but composed. The tension in the air from earlier seemed to have lifted, though only Alex knew it hadn't gone away completely.

"You okay, Alex?" Duke asked, his usual cool tone softened by genuine concern.

Alex gave a small nod, still not ready to reveal what had just happened. "Yeah, just needed some fresh air. I'm good now."

Duke stared at him for a moment before nodding back. "Alright. If you need anything, just let us know."

As the family settled back into their routine, the shadows of the past, present, and future loomed quietly over them. While they all appeared to move forward, each member was still carrying a part of their history—whether it was old fears, unspoken tensions, or, in Alex's case, an internal battle that no one else could understand.