Project Radioactive

Marcus needs a speeding ticket

The results came in the next day. Every scientist and doctor in the lab was fussing about brainwaves, patterns and what not. I was pretty exhausted after the telepathy test and I was able to stop mind reading during lunch by just thinking of stopping. Marcus, Jayden and I sat in our kitchen eating chicken salads. I noted that there as something different about the house salad from Chick-fil-a. They used a new seasoning that wasn't there before, but I just forgot about it and finished eating.

"When do you guys think they will quit babbling about the brain scans? It's getting kind of old." The scientists observing us today sat outside the glass with more interest than ever.

"You should have seen them after they studied my speed," Marcus said.

"You know that she still hasn't seen you run," Jayden said. I looked at my brother curiously.

"Ok, meet me in my room in five," Marcus said. He threw his empty lunch in the trash shoot that lead down to the garbage room.

Jayden and I cleaned up the mess and raced to Marcus' room.

We walked through the door and saw Marcus standing near a door. I walked closer. "What's in there?" I asked.

Marcus opened the door and let me go in. "I guess it's like a bomb shelter or something. It's where I've been training."

We walked down the stairs into a huge concrete room like an underground parking garage. There were faint lights that lined the walls that seemed to go on for miles.

Marcus went towards a wall with chemical suits, flashlights, and other supplies hanging from hooks. He took two pairs of binoculars and handed them to each of us. "Look at the end of the lot," he said. I held the binoculars to my eyes and focused them until I could see a red flag at the end of the lot. "I'm going to run over there, grab that flag, and come back as fast as I can. Jayden's going to time me."

Jayden pulled a stopwatch from a hook and got ready to start. "The lot's about a half a mile long." She nodded at Marcus. "One," he squatted and placed his left foot in front of his right, "two," Marcus slightly extended his legs, looking down towards the flag that was only a dot of red at the end of the hall, "three!"

I could barely make out his outline which streaked across the lot before I could comprehend what was going on. His tall, lean body was next to Jayden's before my eyes could adjust to his moving form. "Three point ninety-two seconds, a new record," Jayden said. I stared at Marcus, mystified. I felt his thoughts and I knew that what I saw was real.

"That was real," I said as he panted. "I didn't think you were that fast!"

Marcus took my binoculars and hung them on the wall. "My heart pumps blood at a rapid pace. My muscles and bone strengthen rapidly, too, and my lungs are more efficient and quick at taking in oxygen. With all of those factors, you get me, the fastest teen ever."

I kind of stared at him thinking of a million questions when the door opened behind us and the fussy lady walked in. "You shouldn't be down here, please come back to your rooms. There are further tests to see all of our variables."

"Fine, Ms. Pam. Who's the subject this time?" Marcus asked. I could see how much he hated Ms. Pam and I couldn't blame him. Just by looking at her I observed her dry personality and her addiction to work.

"Jayden. Next time we will use Dr. Hans. We have a few lists of variables to go over. This will take a while.