The Serum

The "Truth"

~Alex Sanders~

I smiled carefully as my friends surrounded me. Their support was important to me. Lexi already had doubts about my relationship. I knew this would happen, I should have chosen a different excuse. But the best lies come from the truth, so here I am. Connor is going to be upset I had to tell them so early. The trials aren't completed yet.

I startled when Karter shook my shoulder. "Earth to Alex? What's his name?" Karter asked. I stared at her, letting a blush creep onto my cheeks. Her soft brown eyes made it hard to keep anything from her, but not hard enough.

"His names Connor. He's studying biochemistry in hopes of working towards a solution for cancer."

"Woah, who knew you would get frisky with a wannabe hero?" Autumn said, giving me a friendly bump on the shoulder.

"I know, I just got lucky I guess!" I said, casting my gaze down. Good thing I've always enjoyed acting...it makes this a lot easier. "I just thought you all should finally know. I'll be telling Hannah when she gets back from her date!"

"I just can't believe it," Lexi sighed, "you get a college man and I can't even get a high schooler." She walked back to her chair, shoulders slumped.

"If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone. You just got to keep your head up," I replied.

She smiled a little at that. "Well since everyone knows, I have to get going again." I stood up to leave.

"Have fun on your date!" Autumn called as I walked toward the door.

"Be sure to text us how it goes!" Karter yelled as I shut the door.

I shook my head. Now I'm going to have to make up romantic scenarios. Just what I needed, another distraction.

I walked to my car, shaking my head slightly to myself...Connor's going to love this.

Pulling my hoodie over my head I got out of the car. It had started to rain 30 minutes into my drive. As I walked towards the seemingly abandoned building, I felt the pitterpatter of raindrops against cloth. Shaking off the cold, wet feeling I rasped my knuckles three times against the rusted metal door.

Slowly I looked around me, making sure no one had followed me. A little above my eye level, a small compartment slide open. "Password?" a voice growled from behind it. "Long live Ceaser," I whispered.

The compartment slide closed again, leaving me alone on the outside. A minute later I heard a click and the rusted door groaned as it moved inwards.

I stepped into a brightly lit hallway, lowering my hood. A man I've come to recognized stood expectedly at the end. I nodded to the guard who had let me in and moved farther within the lab.

"You're late." Connor said, making no time for small talk. Knowing it would irritate him, I took a minute to look him up and down. He had a muscular frame, broad shoulders, thick arms, and a chiseled jaw line. He had a scar that traced the right side of his face...from his eyebrow through his upper lip. Raven black hair topped his head, making his blue eyes seem pale. He looked unsettled, as if he hadn't gotten any sleep for the past two night.

"I ran into trouble with the test subjects. I was unable to reveal to Autumn the procedure as planned. Also, they think we're dating
," I answered briskly. He ran a strong had through his hair, sighing.

"This shouldn't set us back too much." He turned down the hallway, beckoning for me to follow him. "I've made improvements to the formula since the last injection. I think this time, the effects will happen more quickly and be 10 times more effective."

I nodded along, taking the chart he held out for me. "Do you think these effects will be permanent?" I asked. "The subjects had a race today. I know they're already feeling stronger, faster than they ever were."

He raised an eyebrow. "Did you witness this race? Did anyone show any significant changes?"

We walked into a giant room, filled with lab equipment and whiteboards. The board in the center of the room was decorated with a picture of everyone of the subjects - my close friends. Under each of their photos was listed the dosage, desired effects, and shortcomings of the individual.

I studied the board. Looking at our calculations for each individual and how our serum would enhance them to become something better, something greater, something different.

"As suspected, Autumn and Karter showed the greatest improvements as of yet. They both gained speed and agility. After questioning Karter, it would see that her senses were heightened too. I believe that it is time to up the dosage to include their elemental choices."

I turned to face Connor. He nodded, motioning me toward where he stood. "These are the updated batches. As I said they're 10x more potent. The girls will have to go through a period of intense pain before their bodies acclimate." He reached into the incubator, pulling out a syringe filled with glowing liquid.

As I stared into the red hue, marking this one for Autumn, I remembered my first time getting a larger dose of the serum. Immediately after injection, my body was attacked by harsh coughing fits, a high fever, and intense vomiting. What came after was worth it though. I just hope my friends will think the same thing...

"They will understand that what we're giving them was worth the secrecy. Your friends are being given one of the greatest scientific gifts in history. We are fusing their DNA not only to that of the strongest animal, but to that of an element. No longer will we need to write about superheroes, but we can become them ourselves," Connor soothed, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"I know. I just wish I had been able to give them a choice first." I knew there was no way they would have agreed. We needed strong subjects, and my friends were all hand picked by Commander. It was my job to make them friends, my job to get them to trust me, and my job to create them.

"When will these doses be finished infusing?"

"Late this evening, after that the Commander wants reports within the week how the subjects are taking to the serum."

I nodded. Not enough time to get it to everyone individually. I'll have to get them together again, so that the injection can happen within the same time frame.

"I'll be back later for the doses. Right now, I have a party to plan." I said to Connor, walking towards the door.

"If you need any help, let me know. I think it's time I met the subjects. You know how messy a larger injection can be."

I walked out the door without replying. Allowing Connor to meet them was opening another door, a door that could never be shut. You opened the door when you took the first injection. This is just the next step...