Chapter 1, Simulation Part 1

*Unedited*

"Take that Batman, Take that Superman, and that Aquaman-" Dwayne was in his room performing his favorite pass time. An all out assault against the Justice League which involved complicated weapons. Said weapon was a cup full of darts and collectible posters of the heroes.

"Remember, when you begged me to buy those posters?" A masculine voice came from the doorway.

"I was a bratty six year old, Dad." Dwayne rolled his eyes, throwing another dart. "You only had three options. One: Hear me cry for weeks about it, Second: Buy the damn thing to shut me up, Third: Pretend you're taking me to the store and at the last minute push me in traffic then drive off."

"Option three was tempting, but your mother would make me sleep on the couch." The father smiled jokingly.

"Love you too, Dad." Dwayne's dart drilled into Superman's paper skull. "I use to idolize them, but now I see how big of a joke they really are. Especially, this red caped boy scout who spells hope with an S. They don't save most people, Dad, They save people when it's convenient for them, don't have to go too far off the beaten path, and beneficial to their egos. If they did save everyone, there wouldn't be war, starving kids in africa, and crime would stop altogether. Instead, they attract it like moths to a flame."

"They're superheroes, Dwayne, not unstoppable gods." Jacob said. "Can't be everywhere at once-"

"Except they can..." Dwayne cut him off, throwing a dart between the Flash's eyes. "Spandex over here is a thousand times faster than the speed of light. He's Fast enough to create multiple afterimages at once.They literally call him the fastest man alive, I bet the ladies love that...or men. Didn't him and Superman have a contest for that title?"

"A public child-friendly competition for charity." The eldest Cadman quickly clarified, wincing at the implication. That was Indeed a strange title for a man to have. "Dwayne, you're getting inappropriate. Your sister could be listening."

"Then there's Aquaman, Ruler of the Ocean, " he said after hitting Aquaman right on his nose. "The guy rules two thirds of the world, yet without any water he's as useful as a...well a fish out of water. I bet his entire species swim in their own feces."

"Actually, Atlanteans are quite strong. Their physiology surpasses the average human."

"Forgot I was speaking to an FBI agent." Dwayne smiled.

"Don't they teach you this in class?" Jacob crossed his arms leering at the boy. "Or are you simply not paying attention."

"Anyways!" Dwayne quickly deflected the subjects, another dart piercing the head of Wonder Woman. "We have--"

"What do you have against, Wonder Woman? She's your sister's favorite hero and remodel." Jacob protested, although taking a closer look at the poster he noticed she was the only hero not riddled with pock marks from angrily-thrown darts. At most the dart marks simply surrounded it, like in the old cartoons where projectiles traced an outline around the person they were meant to hit.

"That's the problem, it's how contradictory she is," the dark skinned boy said, juggling his darts "She claims to represent equality between men and women, yet she dresses like a patriotic stripper. Hell, you don't even approve of her. Do you really want an impressionable girl to dress like that for Halloween."

Sarah did try that once for Halloween and papa Cadman wasn't having that for his sweet daughter. Apparently her outfit went missing on the day of Halloween, conveniently at the same time Jacob was throwing a bonfire party.

" . . . Feel better?" Jacob asked once the last of the supply of sharp and pointy objects had been exhausted. It wasn't that he was scared of his younger foster son.

"I actually do, yes," Dwayne said with a sigh, his gaze turning to his father. "God, our big camping trip can't come soon enough, can it?" he asked anxiously,

"As do I, Son." Jacob patted his back. "Being surrounded by advance FBI technology gets old. It'll be nice to breath in the fresh air of the great outdoors."

"Hopefully-"

"Daddy!" A younger girl ran into the room stepping on Dwayne's toes to jump in her Dad's embrace. "Mommy said Dinner is ready and Dwayne can't come because he's mean!"

"I hate you too, little sis."

"You two stop it, " Jacob lifted Sarah in his arms. The two always were at it, blaming each other for different things. "Can you both get along on this one trip? Your mother and I, won't stand for your bickering. Am I understood?"

"Only if it's on paper!" The youngest daughter said.

"I agree with the imp, a treaty must be written."

"Are you three coming?!"Karin the mother of two, shouted from downstairs.

"Yes, mommy!" Sarah jumped out of her father's arms almost running over Dwayne's foot again, if he hadn't moved it in time. Jacob sighed before following the excited child.

"Dad..."

"Hm?" Jacob turned to Dwayne, who had his back turned go him. "What is it?"

"Do you ever get the feeling that something bad will happen?" Dwayne said suddenly.

"I'm a federal agent, Dwayne." Jacob retorted. "I have those feelings often--"

Jacob's cellphone vibrates in his pocket, he scooped it into his hand and read the message. The father frowned deeply looking up to his foster child.

"Duty calls, unfortunately." Jacob chuckled half heartedly, walking to the door. "I suppose your hindsight is 20/20."

"Yeah..." Dwayne looked out the window to the calm neighborhood below. "I guess it is."

Above the clouds and stars, strange lifeforms hovered over the planet. Using their enhanced vision to observe the lesser lifeforms. The lifeforms that will soon become their test subjects for their simulation.