Heroes Versus Villains

Trial Number 27

"Are you ready, sir?" Said Elijah to the man across the glass wall.

"You say I'm going to help a lot of people?" He asked, nervously.

"I promise it. The data I collect in this shop is one step closer to... Greatness! So even if this trial produces very little results or amazing results, it help, Mr. Byrd."

The man nodded. "Okay."

Elijah smiled. He was wearing a very fancy, self made, lab coat. His hair had been slicked back and flared out around his neck with a little strand sticking out on the top. He wore protective goggles like ones you'd see in a Biology classroom, only better in every way (and also self made). He held a clipboard with a sheet of paper and a voice recorder (yes, also self made).

Elijah activated the voice recorder and spoke into it. "Trial Number 27. Subject: Christopher Byrd. Test: Reaction to temporary Elixir number 3. Begin test now."

Chris grabbed a small vial of yellow liquid off the table in the test chamber. He took a deep breath and swallowed it all, dropping the vial on the table. Chris started breathing heavily but calmed down a bit after realizing nothing bad was happening. He breathed a sigh of relief and placed his now enlarged hand on his forehead. Then proceed to freak out as originally planned.

"Subject reaction: left hand grew twice its original size. Waiting for further reactions."

Chris was staring at his hand in shock and screaming in fear. "My... My hand! What happened to my hand!" He placed around the room a little, rubbing his temples. "Mr. - Er - Professor? You said this was temporary, right?" Elijah nodded.

"Subject is not taking the reaction very well, asking for reassurance."

Chris began to breath deeply, trying to relax, saying "This is temporary" to himself over and over. He shut his eyes and sighed loudly. Opening them again he started freaking out twice as much.

"Interesting results, Subject has now grown twice his initial size, everything seems to be proportionate. A perfect doubling of size, how very fascinating. The growth seems to occur when he relaxes. A very noticeable trend." Elijah turned on the speaker to speak to Chris once again. "Mr. Byrd, there is only one minute left of the effects of this test, please do not call down, you will not be able to fit in the chamber at this rate. Keep your heart rate up." Chris nodded through his episode. "Good man. Remember, $100 for completion of each exam." And he turned the speaker off. He turned around to check on his brother.

Aiden, ironically, was being paid by Chris' twin brother Alex to do his bit.

This shop was half science half show. While Elijah performed paid tests, Aiden put on a show of his incredible powers, courtesy of Professor Brain (as the sign says, to edge more people to volunteer).

Aiden was wearing a suit (yes, made by his brother) that made him look like a comic book superhero. Shoulder, elbow and knee pads, flexible lining on the biceps, joints, thighs, sides, and more, plating along the pecks, abs and shoulder blades, Gloves and boots to match the aesthetic, and a collar leading to a medallion with Aiden's symbol - the letter "M" - in the middle. The suit was designed to confirm to Aiden's ability and become the material he chooses - and it's very effective.

Aiden's show was him demonstrating the small things he could do with his power. Each trick cost a certain amount, from $1 to $100 the tricks ranged in intensity. Alex had paid for the $25 trick: turn into The Thinker. Alex was astonished.

"I'm thinking... I'm thinking... I'm thinking... I'm... Thinking..." Aiden said. Alex laughed a bit.

"Oh my god, you... Wow..."

Aiden turned back to normal. "The material I used there was the common metal you'd find... Anywhere. Toys, cars, tools, I don't remember where I got it but I did. And finally, thank you for watching Makeshift!"

"Oh I need another. Here!" Alex handed his $10 bill to Aiden. "Make your finger into a pencil, oh please do it!"

"Oh alright. Here I am using the simple graphite found in all standard wooden and mechanical pencils." Aiden put his finger up in the air and soon enough his fingertip was sharp and made of lead. Aiden grabbed out small paper copy of his picture and signed it on the back, handing it to Alex. "That one's free."

"Holy crap this is so cool." Alex said with excitement.

"Everything going good over here?" Elijah asked.

"Yep," Aiden said.

"Oh hell yeah," Alex said.

"Good. Now just remember that the flier you signed said you cannot tell anyone what happens in here. No social media, no telling friends or family, and especially no media. All you are allowed to say, and encouraged to, is something to promote people come to the store. Like 'Go to PB&M's!' But just that. Understand?"

"Yeah, sure. Damn I do want to tell everyone. But I've seen what he can do and I'd rather not have that coming after me." Aiden smirked.

"Alright, just double checking. I'll go remind your brother the same things." And Elijah was off back to the chamber.

"Does this really have to stay a secret?" Alex asked Aiden.

"'Fraid so. My brother is the smartest guy in practically the entire world - "

"I AM the smartest person in the world," Elijah interrupted Aiden.

"Right. But if he says we can't do something, we can't do it. Simple as that. But promote people to come here. I enjoy putting on shows and Elijah likes the research. Plus, it really does help a lot of people. We earn some money for more stuff and eventually Elijah can develop something to alter what happens in people's bodies to make them better! Give them a special kind of power. Right now it is just tests to see what differences in people cause what reactions but he says that he can make a special formula for each individual case he makes to improve their lives. He could give back sight, hearing, walking just by a simple swig of some juice!"

"Wow," Alex said, astonished, "That does sound important."

"Plus," Aiden added, "Volunteers get a little cash boost afterwards. So it's like a win-win."

Elijah and Chris walked over to their brothers. "I think it's time you guys got going," said Elijah. "Thank you, Mr. Byrd, for your help in improving the world. You guys can get your mobile devices on the way out. And remember the flier! Thanks for coming!"

The twins left the store and the doors closed. Elijah smiled looking at the door and Aiden began counting the money. When Elijah asked how much Aiden grinned and said that it was enough to buy some new consoles and games. It had only been two days since the store opened. The first day brought seven people in total. Five were volunteers and all of them paid for some show. Today the brother's got twenty new volunteers and about ten more viewers. The money was piling up fast and it was expected that their traffic would increase very soon. We need a bigger store, Thought Elijah. I know exactly what game I want, Thought Aiden. But I know I won't get it. Elijah won't let me.

"Go ahead," Elijah said. Aiden looked at him with confusion. "I know what you want, and what you're thinking about, go get the dang game. But don't expect this to happen every day. The money needs to go towards volunteers and the shop. Got it?" Aiden nodded incredibly fast, full of joy. "Good."

Just then another person walked into the shop. A message played on the speakers.

Welcome to Professor Brain and Makeshift's shop! Please leave all electronic and recording devices at the front, along with any other removable personal items like books, pens, or bags. Please sign this waver stating you will not tell anyone or anything about what happens here in this shop.

"Dude, do I need to sign this if I'm not gonna do anything?"

The voice sounded familiar to the brother's and upon closer inspection it was Owen wearing the same odd clothes he always wore, the same red hair and the same hairstyle he always had.

"Oh, no worries." Elijah pushed the flier back into the wall. "Why'd you come here then?"

"Because," Owen sounded serious. "There's something I need to tell you."