The narrow backstreets near Westerly's High were typically deserted after school hours, making them an ideal haunt for those looking to settle scores away from prying eyes. Leo found himself the unwilling star in a familiar, brutal play "" the role of the victim, and his classmates, the aggressors.
"Hey, Null, why so down? Oh, right you can't do shit" Derek taunted, his voice echoing off the grimy brick walls. He was a tall, brawny teen with a sneer that seemed permanently etched on his face, his powers of super strength making him one of the powerful ones in school.
Leo's back was against the cold, rough surface of the wall. He clenched his fists, the knuckles whitening. Normally, things like this wouldn't bother him, but years of being the target had filled him with a simmering, silent rage, one that was now bubbling dangerously close to the surface.
"Why don't you shut the hell up, Derek!?" Leo shot back, surprising himself with the volume of his own voice.
The group of power-abled teenagers surrounding Derek erupted in laughter. "Ooh, the Null's got some fire today!" one of them jeered, a skinny boy with the ability to manipulate winds, which he now used to blow dust into Leo's eyes.
Rubbing his eyes fiercely, Leo felt a sting not just from the dirt but from the years of accumulated insults and physical assaults. Today felt different, though. Usually he'd just hang his head and do nothing, but today, he felt a spark of something fierce within him. Without another thought, he swung his fist, connecting with Derek's jaw with a satisfying thud.
A shocked silence fell over the group. Derek touched his jaw, disbelief quickly morphing into anger. "Ohh you are going to wish you hadn't done that. All of you nulls are going to learn y'all place!!" he roared, and the laughter turned into angry shouts as the group closed in around Leo.
As Leo tried to run away, derick already grabbed him by the collar and slung him and had crashed Leo to the ground. The fight was brutal. Derek's punches, empowered by his super strength, felt like being hit by a truck. Leo tried to defend himself, but he was outpowered. With each blow, he felt his consciousness waver, but he also felt a strange clarity. Every kick and punch he received was a reminder of the stark lines drawn by their society—a society where those like him, the Nulls, people born without powers, were considered less than human.
"Ummm Derrick, I think he had enough…" one of the boys said. Derick pauses for a moment and looks towards his group and back to Lee. With one final punch to the face, Derrick stares coldly at leo…
"Remember this. you and your kind dont belong here, you and your kind are nothing!". Derrick then let leo go, letting leo lay there, not only leaving him bruised but broken.
As Leo layed on the ground all he could just think about was what his life was. It's already bad enough that he gets bullied every day because he was born as a null, but he always gets discriminated against because of that.
As a little time went by, Leo could barely stand up, but he managed to stay on his feet and started to slowly make his way home.
Limping home, his body aching from the fight, Leo's thoughts were dark. His internal monologue ran rampant. *No matter what I do, I'm always seen as less valuable, less human. But I'm so tired of being helpless. This whole entire world is just unfair.*
Leo's home was a small, cluttered house on the edge of the city, filled with scientific journals and gadgets—a testament to his father's obsession with finding a cure for their 'condition'. Dr. Vincent Hale was a visionary scientist, and more importantly, a loving father who had watched his son come home with bruises far too many times.
"Leo!!?? Dr. Hale asked, rushing over towards Leo as Leo walked in. His voice was building with panic and concern.
it's n....nothing ba...bad," Leo tried to exclaim, but his voice broke halfway through.
Dr. Hale sighed, his face a mask of pain and resolution. "This can't go on, Leo. It's time we did something about it."
"What can we do?" Leo question. "even if we go to the school and report it 9 times outta 10 that won't make a difference".
Followe
In the dim light of the basement that served as Dr. Hale's private lab, the air was thick with the promise of something radical, something dangerous. The walls were lined with monitors and high-tech equipment, some blinking steadily, others whirring quietly.
"I've been working on something, something that could change everything for you. But it's not without its risks..." Dr. Hale began, his eyes locked on Leo's, searching for fear, hesitation.
Leo, his body still throbbing with pain, felt a surge of hope. "I... I don't care about the risks. I can't live like this anymore."
The decision was made, Dr. Hale nodded solemnly. "Alright. We begin tonight. This... this could either give you powers or..."
"Or?" Leo prompted, a knot of fear forming in his stomach.
"Or it could be too much for your body to handle." Dr. Hale's voice was a whisper now, heavy with the weight of what he was about to do to his own son.
"I DON'T CARE!!" Leo shouted. "All my life nothing ever good happens". "First mom left us because I was born a null!!" "Then I always get bullied because I was born as a null!!" and we always get discriminated against because I was born as a null!!!"
"Just relax, Leo. Let the machine do its work," Dr. Hale instructed, though the tremor in his voice did nothing to ease Leo's nerves.
As the machine whirred to life, Leo felt a rush of energy coursing through his body. It was overwhelming, terrifying, and exhilarating all at once. His vision blurred and then sharpened, colors and shapes melding into vivid patterns. His muscles twitch involuntarily, responding to the surges of power flowing into him.
Outside, unbeknownst to both Leo and Dr. Hale, a shadowy figure watched through a hidden camera. The room, filled with its flickering lights and the hum of machinery, was under surveillance. A low voice crackled over a secure line.
"Subject Hale is proceeding with the experiment. Prepare the extraction team," the mysterious voice commanded, the tone cold and detached.
Inside, the experiment reached its peak. Leo felt as if he were being torn apart and stitched back together, an indescribable pain followed by a sudden, overwhelming burst of energy. He gasped, his body arching off the table.
"Leo! Leo, can you hear me?" Dr. Hale's voice cut through the haze, grounding him.
"Yeah," Leo managed to gasp out, his voice weak but alive with a new strength. "I feel... different."
"Let's keep it under observation for any instability," Dr. Hale murmured, more to himself than to Leo, his eyes scanning the monitors that displayed Leo's vital signs.
As Leo lay recovering, his mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. He had taken the first step into a world unknown, potentially dangerous, but it was a step away from the helplessness he had felt his entire life. *Is this power? Is this what it feels like to not be powerless?* he wondered, his heart pounding with a mix of fear and excitement.
The camera in the corner of the room continued to blink quietly, recording every moment, every word.
Back at a secure facility, a shadowy figure watched the footage, a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Begin phase two," he instructed, turning away from the screen. The implications were clear: Leo was no longer just a high school student; he was now part of a much larger game..