What Powers?

The room was dark, the kind of dark that felt alive, pressing in on Jack from all sides. The curtains had been drawn tight, but thin slivers of light seeped through, casting faint, ghostly lines across the floor. Jack's eyes were wide, his mouth hanging open as Renie moved through the shadows, her figure a silhouette of curves and mystery. She clicked off the last of the lights, and the room plunged into near-total blackness.

Jack could feel it—the weight of someone's gaze on him. It was Doctor Odd, he was sure of it. The man was somewhere in the room, watching, waiting. The thought sent a shiver down Jack's spine, cold and sharp as a blade. His heart pounded in his chest, a rapid, erratic rhythm that made his breath come in short, shallow gasps.

And then Renie began to undress.

Jack's throat went dry. He could see her faintly, the dim light catching the edges of her form—her bra, her panties, the swell of her hips. She was beautiful, achingly so, but there was something wrong about it, something that made his stomach twist. His body reacted despite himself, his penis hardening beneath the thin fabric of his hospital pants. He looked down, shocked. It was bigger than he'd ever seen it, straining against the material. *What the hell?* he thought, a mix of fear and excitement bubbling up inside him. *Is this because of that fluid the doctor injected into me?*

"Jack," Doctor Odd's voice cut through the darkness, low and smooth, but with an edge that made Jack's skin crawl. "Show us your power. Hehehe…"

Jack's head snapped toward the sound, but he couldn't see the doctor. The man was a shadow, a presence lurking just out of sight. "What do you mean?" Jack asked, his voice trembling. "What powers?"

Renie stepped closer, her movements slow, deliberate. She was in her underwear now, her body a sensual silhouette that made Jack's pulse race even faster. But there was something off about her, something hollow in the way she moved. She glanced toward the corner where Doctor Odd's voice had come from, and Jack thought he saw her shoulders tense.

"What the fuck are you staring at, Renie?" Doctor Odd's voice snapped, sharp and angry. "Do as I say! Or have you forgotten about our contract?"

Renie flinched, her body stiffening. She reached up, pinched the bridge of her nose, and removed her glasses. Jack couldn't see clearly, but he thought she might be wiping away tears. The sight made his chest tighten.

"Hey, what's going on?" Jack demanded, his voice rising. "What contract?"

"Oh, it's nothing, Jack," Doctor Odd said, his tone light now, almost playful. "I saved your life. The least you can do is show me your newfound powers. Don't worry about her. She wants this."

Jack's heart raced, his mind spinning. He didn't trust the doctor, didn't trust any of this, but the man's voice had a way of crawling under his skin, of making him feel like saying no wasn't an option. Before he could think, Renie's hand was on his thigh, her touch sending a jolt through him.

"This…" he started, but she pressed a finger to his lips.

"Shh," she whispered, her voice low and raspy. "Let me show you something good." Her fingers trailed up his chest, and she giggled softly, the sound sending a shiver down his spine. Then her hand closed over his erection, and he froze.

"Why are you so nervous?" she murmured, her breath warm against his ear. "Your little guy is pretty excited."

Jack's mind raced. He'd never been with a woman before, never even come close. He'd always been too shy, too awkward, too afraid. And now this—this beautiful woman, touching him, teasing him—it felt like a dream, but one that was slipping into a nightmare. *She's only doing this because he's making her,* he thought, his stomach churning. *There's no way she'd want me otherwise.*

"Hey, Doctor, stop this!" Jack said, his voice firm despite the fear clawing at his throat. "I don't want any of this!"

Renie pulled back, her expression unreadable in the dim light. "Why?" she asked, her voice soft but laced with something sharp. "You don't like my figure?"

Jack's face burned. "It's not that," he said quickly. "I don't want you to do something against your will."

For a moment, the room was silent. Then Renie laughed, a low, throaty sound that made Jack's skin prickle. "You're such a good boy," she said, her voice dripping with mockery. "I like you. Don't worry, I'm doing this on my own accord." She leaned in, her lips brushing his cheek. "Now show me what you've got. I'm getting excited."

"Hahaha!" Doctor Odd's laughter echoed through the room, dark and menacing. "You heard her, Jack. She wants this. So don't worry, and give me a good show."

Jack's stomach turned. He couldn't do this. He *wouldn't* do this. With a surge of strength he didn't know he had, he pushed Renie away and stood up, his legs trembling beneath him. He stumbled to the light switch and flicked it on, flooding the room with harsh, fluorescent light.

Renie was on the bed, her body half-covered by the blanket, her cheeks flushed. Doctor Odd stood in the corner, a camera in his hands, his face twisted with anger. Jack looked down at himself, his chest bare, his body lean and muscular in a way it had never been before. *The serum,* he thought, his mind racing. *What the hell did he do to me?*

"What have you done to me?" Jack demanded, his voice shaking.

"Done?" Doctor Odd snarled. "I've given you another life, and you can't even pay me back! So ungrateful!"

Jack's fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white, the veins in his arms standing out like cords. His jaw was set, his teeth grinding together as he stared down Doctor Odd. The man's face was a mask of fury, his eyes glinting like shards of glass in the harsh fluorescent light. But Jack didn't flinch. "I'll pay you back," he said, his voice low and steady, each word dripping with defiance. "But not like this."

He turned on his heel, his movements sharp and deliberate, and grabbed his clothes from the corner of the room. The fabric felt rough against his skin, a stark contrast to the strange, electric energy still coursing through his veins. His heart pounded in his ears, a deafening drumbeat that drowned out everything else. He didn't look back as he stormed out of the room, the door slamming shut behind him with a finality that echoed down the empty hallway.

The building was a labyrinth of shadows and silence, the kind of place where the walls seemed to breathe, where every creak and groan felt like a whisper from something unseen. The hallways stretched on, dark and endless, the flickering overhead lights casting long, jagged shadows that danced like specters. Jack's footsteps echoed as he walked, each one a sharp, staccato beat that seemed to reverberate through the very bones of the structure. His mind raced, a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions—anger, fear, confusion. *What the hell did he do to me? What am I now?*

The cool night air hit him like a slap as he pushed open the heavy metal door and stepped outside. It was a relief, the crispness of it, the way it cut through the oppressive heat of the building. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the scent of damp earth and distant rain. The sky above was a vast, starless expanse, the moon hidden behind thick clouds that seemed to press down on the world.

And then he saw her.

His mother stood by the gate, her figure small and fragile in the dim light. Her face was pale, her eyes wide with worry, and when she saw him, she let out a choked sob and ran to him. Her arms wrapped around him in a tight embrace, her body trembling against his. "Jack," she whispered, her voice breaking. "What's happening? Why is the doctor so angry? He saved your life."

Jack held her close, his hands gripping the back of her coat as if she were the only thing keeping him grounded. Her familiar scent—lavender and something faintly medicinal—filled his nostrils, and for a moment, he felt like a child again, small and scared and seeking comfort. But he wasn't a child anymore. He couldn't afford to be.

"Don't worry, Mom," he said softly, his voice steady despite the storm raging inside him. "I'll take care of this."

She pulled back slightly, her hands gripping his shoulders as she searched his face. "Jack, you're scaring me. What's going on? What did he do to you?"

He opened his mouth to answer, but the words caught in his throat. How could he explain something he didn't even understand himself? The serum, the changes in his body, the strange, pulsing energy that seemed to hum just beneath his skin—it was all too much, too unreal. Instead, he just shook his head and forced a small, reassuring smile. "It's complicated. But I'll figure it out. I promise."

As he spoke, his eyes drifted past her, back toward the building. The door was still open, a yawning black maw that seemed to beckon him back. And there, standing in the doorway, were Doctor Odd and Renie. The doctor's face was shadowed, but his eyes gleamed with something dark and dangerous, like a predator watching its prey. Renie stood beside him, her expression unreadable, her arms crossed over her chest. But even from this distance, Jack could see the faint glimmer of something in her eyes—regret? Fear? He couldn't tell.

His stomach churned, a sickening mix of dread and anger twisting inside him. Whatever the doctor had done to him, whatever power he'd been given, he knew one thing for certain: this wasn't over. Not even close.

The night seemed to grow colder, the shadows deeper, as Jack turned away and led his mother toward the car. But even as they drove away, he couldn't shake the feeling that the doctor's eyes were still on him, watching, waiting. And in the back of his mind, a voice whispered, *This is just the beginning.*