The Bargain

Sadness, like a heavy blanket, weighed down on Alex. The plain white walls of the hospital room became unclear as he looked at the lifeless body on the bed. John, his only family member, had passed away, which was a result of Alex's own terrible change. The memory of his father's scared look right before the dark claw hit made Alex feel sick again.

He walked unsteadily out of the hospital, and the city lights seemed to mock him with their bright, uncaring shine. Rain poured down, cold against the hot anger inside him. He needed answers, someone to hold responsible. "Project Genesis," the name repeated in his mind, like a poisonous snake wrapping around his thoughts.

Driven by wanting to get even, Alex returned to the dark alley where he had first met the mysterious person. The flashing neon sign above a noodle shop cast a scary red light on the wet ground. He looked around the empty alley, feeling more worried.

"You shouldn't be here," a voice said harshly from the dark. The same person wearing a hood came out, hiding their face in the shadows.

"I need answers," Alex said angrily. "What did you do to me? Why did my father have to die?"

The person laughed, but it wasn't funny. "Accidents happen, kid. Project Genesis pushes boundaries, and boundaries bite back sometimes."

"It wasn't an accident!" Alex shouted, revealing both anger and fury. A dark energy throbbed under his skin, pushing him to react violently.

The person raised a hand, revealing a shiny metal object in the dim light. "Calm down, null. We both know you're stronger than you were before. Maybe strong enough to be useful."

Alex squinted. "What do you want?"

"Someone has to answer for the containment breach," the figure stated, lowering his voice to a secretive whisper. "Someone high up in Genesis. We need leverage."

A hint of a dark smile crossed Alex's face. "Leverage, huh?" He looked out towards the street, picturing the faces of the scientists who had cast him aside as if he were a failed experiment. The idea of making them suffer was a tempting, dangerous thought.

"So, do we have a deal?" the figure asked, offering a gloved hand.

Alex looked at the hand, feeling both angry and scared. He knew this choice could lead to bad things, but staying full of guilt wasn't good either.

He closed his eyes, seeing his dad's face in his mind. Taking a big breath, he reached out and took the hand.

"Okay," he said, his voice rough. "Let's see who we can leverage."

A pleased grin briefly appeared under the person's hood. "Excellent. Consider yourself… an apprentice. We'll show you how to use your newfound abilities, and how to bend them to your will."

All at once, a different, evil voice entered Alex's thoughts, a voice that wasn't his. "Let the dark side lead you, Alex. It will give you strength beyond anything you can imagine."

Alex felt a chill run down his back. This wasn't just a deal with a bad person; it was an agreement with a demon that was already starting to take part of his spirit.