Chapter 4 : Episode 3 – Anomaly

The next day, Lucias walking through the busy streets of the city, Swimming in his own thoughts. What happen previous night played over and over in his mind. His knuckles still hurt, and the bruises were a reminder of something he couldn't remember. He felt disengage, as though the person who fought the robbers wasn not him.

The crowded sidewalks and honking cars can barely he hear. His world felt quiet despite what just happen to him. But as much as he tried to keep his head down and push forward, something about the world didn't feel quite right. 

He goes onto a quieter street, he stopped abruptly. There was a reflection in the glass window of a shop nearby—a man standing across the street, staring directly at him. The man in dark hoodie but couldn't saw his face. Lucias could feel the intensity of his gaze. He turned his head to look directly at him, but the man was gone.

"Get a grip, Lucias," he muttered to himself as he continued walking. But the unease in his chest only grew.

Frank and Troy stood at the center of a warehouse. Opposite them stood Vince, the leader of a local gang, with three of his men lounging casually behind him, clearly not care by the two teens standing before them.

Vince leaned against a metal pillar, twirling a knife in his hand, His eyes studying Frank and Troy like prey. "Alright, you two. I don't usually take a job from college student, but you seems desperate. So, talk. What's the problem?"

Frank, faint bruise on his cheek, stepped forward. He tried to appear tough, but his fidgeting betrayed his nerves. "We've got a job for you, Vince. There's this guy… He needs to be taught a lesson."

Vince arched an eyebrow, his lips turned into a smirk. "A 'lesson,' huh? And what makes you think I'm interested?"

Troy slammed his fist into his palm. "This ain't no normal job, Vince. This guy… He's not normal. We tried to take him on ourselves, and he beat us. Left us looking like fools."

Vince chuckled, tossing his knife into the air and catching it. "You're telling me a couple of teen got roughed up, and now you want me to clean up your ass? Why don't you report to your Sir or Madam instead?"

Frank clenched his fists reddening with anger. "Listen, Vince. This isn't just about a fight. This guy's not normal. One second, he's this quiet, girly loser. The next, he's a complete maniac. He took us both down like we were nothing."

Troy nodded, his tone bitter. "We're not asking for a favor. We're paying you. We want this guy broke, Vince. We want him to know he messed with the wrong people."

At the mention of payment, Vince's interest piqued. He straightened up. "Now you're speaking my language. How much are we talking?"

Frank pulled out an envelope and handed it to Vince. "Five grand upfront. Another five once the job's done."

Vince opened the envelope, flipping through the stack of cash. He let out a low whistle. "Not bad. So, what's the plan? You want me to just broke something up, or are we going all the way?"

Troy shook his head. "We don't want him dead. Just… beaten. Break something maybe. We want him to know not to mess with us ever again."

Vince's grin turned predatory. "You want him scared. You want him broke. I can work with that. But if this guy's as dangerous as you say, I'll need backup. That means the price goes up. Ten grand won't cut it."

Frank's eyes widened. "What? We're already giving you everything we've got!"

Vince stepped closer, towering over Frank. His voice was calm, but there was an edge of menace to it. "If this guy's some kind of freak, like you're saying, I'm not risking my men for chump change. You want this done right? You pay. Or you can take your little revenge fantasy back to your goddamn college."

Frank hesitated, glancing at Troy. After a tense moment, he nodded reluctantly. "Fine. We'll get you the extra money. Just make sure this guy doesn't walk away."

Vince smirked, pocketing the envelope. "That's more like it. Now, tell me about this guy. Where can I find him?"

Troy handed Vince a crumpled piece of paper with an address scribbled on it. "This is where he lives. You'll know him when you see him."

Vince chuckled, tucking the paper into his jacket. "Don't worry, boys. I've handled bigger fish than your little freak. My boys and I will take care of it. You just make sure the rest of the money's ready."

Frank and Troy nodded, their expressions a mix of relief and unease. As they turned to leave, Vince called after them. "Oh, and boys?"

They paused, glancing back.

"If this guy's as dangerous as you say, you better hope I don't decide to charge you extra for damages. Have a nice night."

The bullies hurried out of the warehouse footsteps echoing in the empty space. Vince turned to his men, a wicked grin on his face. "Alright, guys. Looks like we've got ourselves an interesting job. Let's pay this 'freak' a little visit."

His men laughed darkly, their voices mixing with the sound of the flickering light above them. 

Lucias finally made it home, closing the door behind him and locking it. He leaned against the door, exhaling a shaky breath. The feeling of being watched had followed him all the way home. He wasn't sure if it was just paranoia or someone really was watching him.

He tossed his bag onto the couch and sat down, rubbing his temples. His head was pounding, and a faint buzzing in his ears.

"You're worried about the wrong things" the voice echoed in his mind again.

"Get out of ma head" Lucias muttered under his breath, gripping the sides of his head.

" You brought me here, remember? You needed me. You still do."

"I didn't ask for you," Lucias hissed, his voice trembling.

"Maybe not with words" the voice said, its tone softening into something almost comforting. "But every time you felt weak, every time you felt like the world was crushing you, you called out for me. And I answered."

Lucias shook his head, tears stinging his eyes. "No..no..no i don't want you here."

"You don't have a choice" the voice replied simply. "I'm a part of you now. And I'm not going anywhere. We could show anyone who dared to mess with us know the meaning of agony!!"

Before Lucias could respond, there was a loud knock at the door. He froze, his heart racing.

"Lucias, it's me!" a familiar voice called. It was Mia.

Lucias hesitated before getting up and unlocking the door. Mia stepped inside, her face etched with concern.

"Hey," she said softly, closing the door behind her. "I just… I wanted to check on you."

Lucias tried to force a smile, but it came out strained. "I'm fine, Mia. Just… ."

Mia crossed her arms, studying him. "You don't look fine. You look like you haven't slept in days. And you've been avoiding everyone—me. Dr. Sarah been asking about you."

"I'm just tired," Lucias said, avoiding her gaze.

Mia stepped closer, her expression softening. "Lucias, you don't have to go through whatever this is alone. If something's wrong, you can tell me. I want to help."

Lucias opened his mouth to respond, but the words caught in his throat. How could he explain what was happening to him? How could he tell her about the fights, the voice in his head, the feeling that he was losing control again?

Before he could figure out what to say, Mia placed a hand on his arm. "You can trust me," she said gently. "Whatever it is, you can tell me if that issues you having happen again."

Lucias looked at her, his chest tightening. He wanted to believe her, but the voice in his head whispered a warning.

" She wouldn't understand. She'd just get in the way."

"Mia…" Lucias began, he whisper. But before he could continue, there was another knock at the door—this one heavier and more deliberate.

Both of them froze, exchanging a worried glance.

"Are you expecting someone?" Mia asked.

Lucias shook his head. He stepped toward the door cautiously. When he looked through the peephole, his blood ran cold.

A middle aged man stood on the other side. 

"Who is it?" Mia asked, her voice tinged with unease.

Lucias didn't answer. His hands trembled as he stepped back from the door, his mind racing. He didn't know who the man was, but something told him he wasn't here for anything good.

"Let me handle this, "the voice in his head whispered.

"No," Lucias muttered under his breath, shaking his head.

"What?" Mia asked, confused.

Before Lucias could respond, the man outside knocked again, harder this time.

Let me out, Lucias, the voice insisted. "You can't protect her. But I can."

Mia, who had been sitting on the couch, froze. "Who would come here this late?" she whispered, her voice tinged with fear.

Lucius stepped toward the door cautiously, motioning for her to stay quiet. His instincts screamed that something wasn't right. He peeked through the peephole and saw two unfamiliar men standing in the hallway. They were large, rough-looking, and definitely not friendly.

The taller of the two men, with a scar running across his cheek, pounded on the door again. "Open up" he called out. "We just want to talk."

Lucius felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead. This wasn't some random mistake. He glanced back at Mia, who was now standing, her face pale with worry.

"Who are they?" Mia mouthed.

"I don't know," Lucius whispered back. His hands trembled slightly as he clenched them into fists. "Run Mia."

"Open up!" the scarred man barked again. "Don't make us break the door down. It'll be easier for everyone if you just let us in."

Lucius' mind raced. Whoever they were, they clearly weren't here for a friendly chat. And after everything that had been happening lately—his blackouts, the fights, the cryptic phone call—he had a sinking feeling these men knew more about him than they should.

He turned back to Mia. "Go to the bedroom and lock the door. Don't come out, no matter what happens."

"No," Mia said firmly. "I'm not leaving you alone with them."

"Mia, please," Lucius pleaded. "I can't protect you if you're out here."

"You don't have to " she said, her voice shaking but resolute. "I'm not going to hide while you—"

The sound of a heavy thud against the door cut her off. The men were trying to force their way in.

Lucius' breathing quickened. He felt it again—that dark presence stirring in the back of his mind. It was waking up, clawing its way to the surface, whispering in his thoughts.

"Let me out, Lucius," it growled." You're too weak to handle this. Let me have them."

"No," Lucius hissed under his breath, clenching his head as if to physically block it out. "I won't let you take over."

Mia grabbed his arm. "Lucius, what's wrong?"

He shook his head, trying to focus. "Just stay back."

The door suddenly burst open, slamming against the wall as the two men forced their way inside. They into the apartment, their eyes locking on Lucius. One of them glanced at Mia, a cruel smile forming on his lips.

"Well, well," the man said, his tone mocking. "Looks like we've got company. Didn't know you had a girlfriend, Boy."

Lucius stepped in front of Mia, shielding her with his body. "Leave her out of this," he said, his voice trembling but defiant. "What do you want?"

The shorter man chuckled. "What we want is simple. Someone's paying us to send you a message. But if you make it easy for us, maybe we won't have to get too rough."

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Lucius said through gritted teeth. The presence in his mind growing stronger.

The man sighed, pulling a crowbar from behind his back. "See, that's the problem. We weren't really asking."

Before Lucius could react, the shorter man lunged toward him. Lucius tried to fight him off, but the man was stronger and more experienced. They grappled, knocking over a lamp and sending it crashing to the floor. Mia screamed, backing away toward the corner of the room.

The man, seeing Mia's retreat, smirked and started toward her. "Maybe we'll send her a message too. Some gift to remembered."

Lucius' eyes widened in horror. "Stay away from her!" he shouted, but his struggle with the other man kept him pinned.

The presence inside him roared. "You can't stop them, Lucius. Let me take control. Let me handle them."

"No," Lucius growled, his voice strained. "I can do this. I don't need you."

The man grabbed Mia by the wrist, yanking her toward him. She struggled, tears streaming down her face. "Lucius!"

Hearing sound was to much . Lucius snapped. He stopped resisting the presence and let it flood through him. His vision darkened, and when he opened his eyes again.

The man grappling Lucius suddenly found himself thrown across the room with inhuman strength, slamming into the wall follow by a straight punch through the chest. The other man let go of Mia and turned, startled, just as Lucius stood up straight.

"Finally," the alter said, his voice deeper and colder. He tilted his head, a cruel smirk forming on his lips. " Fun came to find me."

The man barely had time to react before Lucius closed the distance between them in a blur of movement. He drive his knee on the man chin and punch him through the wall, the plaster cracking from the impact. The man groaned, dropping the crowbar.

Mia watched in shock, her back pressed against the corner. "Lucius…?"

The alter glanced at her, his expression softening slightly. "You're safe now girl" Then he turned back to the man in his grip, his face hardening. "But you? not so much." The alter eye glowing blue.

Lucius' alter continue his beating of two intruders outside. When it was over, both men lay unconscious on the floor, senseless.

The alter took a deep breath, his fists unclenching. He turned to Mia, his intense gaze softening. "You hurt?"

Mia shook her head, too stunned to speak.

The alter closed his eyes, and when they reopened, Lucius was back. He stumbled, clutching his head, and Mia rushed to catch him.

"Lucius… what just happened?" she whispered, her voice shaky.

Lucius looked at the unconscious men, then at Mia. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice breaking. "I couldn't stop it. I… I had to let him out."

Mia wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly. "Hey.. its okay" she whispered. "Whoever that was… pretty reliable."

"Someone's coming," Lucius whispered, his voice strained.

Lucius took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm in his mind. But before he could think of a plan, five shadowy figures emerged front of him.

The man at the front . He was tall and broad, with slicked-back black hair and a confident smirk. Vince. Behind him stood four of his gang members.

"Well, well, well," Vince said, his tone dripping with amusement. "Looks like Frank and Troy weren't kidding when they said you were...FREAK." He glanced at the two unconscious men on the floor and chuckle. "Though I didn't expect you to handle them so…easy."

Lucius straightened, his body trembling but his gaze steady. "Who the hell are you?"

Vince raised his hands in mock surrender. "Easy there, champ. Name's Vince. These two," he gestured toward the senseless intruders, "are part of my crew. Someone really have a grudge toward ya. And they're paying me to deal with you."

Mia stepped forward, her voice trembling but defiant. "You can't just came here and attack him!"

Vince tilted his head, studying her with a raised eyebrow. "And who's this? Your girlfriend? Cute. But sweetheart, you might want to step aside. This doesn't concern you."

"Run Mia, Get away from here!" Lucius snapped, stepping in front of Mia protectively. "You want me? Fine. But leave her out of this."

Vince laughed, a cold, sharp sound. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. But here's the thing—you're not in a position to make demands." He nodded to one of his men, who stepped forward blocking their escape.

Lucius clenched his fists, his mind racing. He could feel his alter stirring again, pushing against the walls of his consciousness. Can i just trust him again this time.But...

"You've got two choices," Vince continued, his tone casual but his eyes sharp. "You come with us quietly, or we make this messy. And trust me, you don't want messy."

Lucius glared at him. "I'm going but leave her out of this."

Vince sighed dramatically, rubbing the back of his neck. "Why do they always choose the hard way?" He snapped his fingers, and his men stepped forward, closing in on Lucius and Mia.

Mia grabbed Lucius' arm. "Lucius, don't. You're hurt. Let's just—"

"No," Lucius interrupted, his voice firm. "I won't let them hurt you."

The first thug lunged at Lucius, but Lucius managed to dodge, his instincts sharp despite his exhaustion. He countered with a punch, but his strength was waning. The thug barely stumbled before recovering and charging again.

The second thug grabbed Mia, pulling her toward Vince. She screamed, struggling against his grip.

"Mia!" Lucius shouted, his vision blurring with panic.

Inside his mind, his alter whispered "Round 2 is pretty dope. Don't you think?".

Vince smirked, watching the struggle. "What's the matter, champ? Losing your nerve?"

Lucius dropped to his knees, clutching his head as the presence in his mind grew stronger. He could feel his control slipping, the darkness consuming him again.

"Lucius!" Mia's voice was desperate, filled with fear.

Hearing her cry out was the breaking point. Lucius clenched his fists, his body trembling as he finally gave in. "Fine," he muttered, his voice barely audible. "Do it."

A sudden stillness filled the room as Lucius stood up, his movements slow and deliberate. When he opened his eyes, it was blue.

The alter smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Alright, boys," he said, his voice deeper and more menacing. "Now it's my turn…again."

The thugs hesitated, exchanging nervous glances. Vince frowned, sensing the change in Lucius' demeanor. "What the hell…?"

Before anyone could react, the alter moved. He was a blur of motion, taking down the first thug with a single punch through his stomach. The second thug released Mia and tried to back away, but the alter grabbed him by the collar and threw him across like a ragdoll.

The remaining thugs rushed him,. The alter fought with brutal precision, avoiding the first thug punch and right hook other thug front of him. Continue again to drive his kick to another thug temple of the head as the thug lunge toward him. The remaining two thug lunge toward alter together but instead—third thug receive an elbow from below to his chin and the last thug been given side kick on his stomach as Alter turn his body position from the elbowing the third thug. Within moments, all four thugs were on the ground unconscious.

Vince, now alone, took a cautious step back. "What the hell are you?" he muttered, confidence shaken.

The alter turned to him, his smirk widening. "I'm your nightmare."

Vince ran, but the alter was faster. He grabbed Vince by the collar and slammed him onto the ground pinning him in place.

"Listen closely," the alter said, his voice low and dangerous. "You're welcome to try again but this time— don't include anyone else. Just me." Alter smirked.

Vince nodded frantically, his eyes wide with fear. "Okay, okay! We're done, I swear!"

The alter released him, letting him Ran. " Well quite fun."

As Vince scrambled to his feet and fled, the alter turned back to Mia, who was standing frozen in the corner. Her eyes were wide, her hands trembling.

"Mia," the alter said gently, his voice softening. "Well.You're safe."

She stared at him, her voice barely a whisper. "Lucius… is that you?"

The alter closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, Lucius was back. He stumbled, catching himself against the wall as the adrenaline drained from his body.

Mia rushed to his side, catching him before he fell. "Lucius! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he murmured, his voice weak. "I'm sorry… you had to see that."

Mia shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "You saved me," she whispered. "I don't care… you saved me."

Lucius looked at the unconscious thugs around them, a weight settling in his chest. "But at what cost?" he muttered, his voice barely audible.

In a quiet room, the glow of numerous computer monitors, the two mysterious figures who had been watching Lucius sat in tense silence. Each screen displayed different angles of the footage they had been monitoring— showing the recent fight with Vince and his gang.

A soft beep echoed through the room as the live feed of the spy switched to a clear video call. The spy, a man in his 20s, adjusted his earpiece and looked directly into the camera.

" Reporting," the spy said crisply. "I've just returned from observing the situation at the target's residence."

The man with a commanding presence leaned forward. "What did you see,? Is Lucias progressing as expected?"

The Spy nodded. "Yes, Director. It's confirmed. Lucius's alternate emerged again during an altercation tonight. He completely overpowered five men. The sheer strength and precision of his movements… it's a unique one. This alter isn't just some psychological defense mechanism—it's something that could be dangerous."

The other figure, a woman interjected. "What triggered the emergence this time? Was it a direct threat, or something more personal?"

The spy hesitated, then answered, "The situation became personal. One of the gang members grabbed a girl. Lucias attempted to resist his alternate but eventually gave in when the girl was in danger."

The woman scribbled notes onto her clipboard, furrowed in thought. "Interesting. So the alternate surfaces when Lucius feels helpless or when someone he cares about is at risk. A classic pattern cases, but he rather unique. Did you get close enough to observe his demeanor during the shift?"

The spy nodded again. "Yes. It's as if he becomes a completely different person. His movements, his tone, even the look in his eyes changes. His alter is an entirely separate entity with different set of skills. Pretty basic pattern i should say."

The Director leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he processed the information. "And the girl, Mia—how much does she know?"

"Not much, sir," The spy replied. "She's aware something is off, but she seems more concerned about Lucius's well-being than what happen with his condition. She doesn't pose a threat to our observation. Not yet, i hope."

The woman glanced at the Director. "This is faster than we anticipated. If the alter continues to surface in response to emotional triggers, it's only a matter of time before Lucius becomes fully depend on it. That could either work in our favor… or he could use it to harm others."

The Director's lips curled into a thin, almost predatory smile. " Perhaps. But chaos often reveals the most valuable data. Keep a close eye on the girl. She may prove useful in our project."

The spy expression tightened, but he nodded. "Understood. Do you want me to intervene directly if the situation escalates?"

The Director waved a hand dismissively. "Not yet. For now, continue monitoring from a distance. But be prepared to act if necessary. Lucius is… somewhat different. We've invested too much time and resources into this to let him slip through our fingers."

The woman tapped her clipboard thoughtfully. "The gang? They'll talk about what happened. That could draw unwanted attention."

The Director shook his head. "The thugs are small-time. No one will take their stories seriously. And if they do start talking, we'll handle them."

The spy glanced at the monitors, where the footage of the fight replayed on a loop. "One more thing. During the fight, Lucius's alter spoke directly to One of the thug. It's almost as if… His alter isn't just protecting Lucias out of danger—He's having fun."

The room fell silent for a moment, the weight of the spy words hanging in the air. The Director finally broke the silence. "Good. Let it be for now. The more it does, the closer we get to understanding what makes Lucius unique."

The woman's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "And if the alter becomes too dangerous to contain?"

The Director's smirk faded, replaced by a cold expression. "Then we'll have to prevent that. Using our own."

The spy nodded once more before the screen went dark, leaving the two figures alone in front of the monitors. The Director leaned back in his chair, eyes fixed on the footage of Lucius standing over the unconscious gang members.

"Don't let your Alter control you Lucias , I hope i'm wrong about you " he murmured, almost to himself. "Let's see the potential you have, Lucius."