Ch.9: Other Worldy Beauty.

Pitch Black.

In a loop of breathing in air he's already breath out.

'Where am I?'

He tried moving but found his legs tied to something while his hands were tied together.

'I'm tied up in a chair and this darkness is probably produced by a bag over my head. Yeah..' He moved his head back and felt ragged material, proving his point.

'I remember...I remember shooting someone. Yeah, I committed murder, didn't I...?'

If that man were to be arrested, he'd be in jail for a while with attempted rape to his name. That said, he'd be out in a few years and would probably go back to doing the exact same thing that put him in prison.

'It'd be ideal for a man like that to never rome the streets again, right? I just... yeah, I did the right thing, right..?'

While in his own thoughts, he was unaware of the people starring at him. Maybe 20 to 25 people in black suits were sitting in desk around him, forming a circle.

They had papers and pins at their desk, some with bottles of water and other consumables.

"Okay. Let's start."

Clay heard and the next thing he knew, the bag was yanked off his head. It caught him off guard, but the people starring at him was more attention grabbing.

'The hell? A warehouse? Dark too. Who are all these people? I can see suits, but not heads. And also, these ropes... They aren't normal. I can barely move my wrist, much less break out of them..'

"Clay Ozerden. Age, 19, has a mother, father and baby sister. Born and Raised in Silver City, he's lived a fairly normal life. That was until an incident took place where he had been stuck and hit by two vehicles. After, had a week long surgery, took 3 years in a coma to self-heal and just last week, awoke from said coma.."

There was a woman directly behind him speaking, but whenever he'd go to look at her, she quite liberally wouldn't be there. Like she was invisible to him and him only.

'She sounds young.... and familiar. Maybe she's around my age? She doesn't speaks directly to the back of my head, so I'm guessing she's not short as well.'

"We already know all of this. What we want to know is superpower. Is it dangerous? Should we pour money into it so we can further advance it? Details, please."

It wasn't the same people in the audience speaking. Rather, just them randomly talking and yet, not interrupting each other which is somewhat amazing.

"Yes, of course.."

She said. She would then press a button in her pocket which made a huge, black box with screens on each surface float down. All but the top and bottom screens would turn on.

When it did turn on, it showed Clay. From when he first looked at the alley way to when he went unconscious. It showed all of it and upon seeing the video of him, some in the audience made noises that Clay identified as impressed.

"It looks like regeneration. Hmm, how many of those do we have again?"

A man talked aloud. Clay assumed the question was meant to be answered amongst the people since the lady behind him behind didn't talk.

"One on each continent, no? Well, all besides Asia.

"I see. Well, then, is the reason you presented this young man for 'that' reason? To take him to Asia and..?"

"Yes, sir.." She spoke, "We think his ability will be useful to us. Since he sorta leaped in time with his coma, his ability hasn't dissipated yet, meaning..."

"His superpower might be permanent?"

The board of people seemed to have realized. "A permanent ability user is impossible. They only last until one is not adolescent anymore. She's obviously lying! Is there even a way for you to prove that false claim?!"

The man asking seemed angry for some reason.

"There isn't, no. But I believe it's worth testing, yeah? If a man really could keep their powers, this man in particular actually, he'd outlive us all. I'm sure that's enough reason to allow me and my team to train him, make him into a weapon that can't die and one that could save humanity."

"You've seen only a little bit of his powers though. What exactly makes him different from the other Regen Power Holders?"

'Yeah, what he said! I ain't special~...' He gulped, unaware that a guns barrel was on his neck.

"What makes him different? What makes him special? Why don't I show you?"

*BANG*

Clay's head drooped forward. A few seconds later, it perked up, his whole body jolting and filled to the brim with energy. He felt as if he could take on an army.

As soon as he got out these ropes, he meant.

*BANG*

His head drooped again. And like last time, after a few seconds, it perked back up.

*BANG*

The process kept repeating. Clay would 'die', perk back up, then get shot again.

After 20 more shots, *BANG*, the bullet was just about to pierce his skin, but it failed to penetrate it. The bullet flattened out upon contact with his skin, the sound of metal falling onto the floor, ringing in the broad space.

"Wha-?! It didn't go through?!"

Most people had the same reaction to this. Even Clay was surprised for a moment, before remembering that,..

"He can adapt. The same thing won't harm him after a few times.."

"That's amazing!"

The board went up in an uproar. "He really can become the ultimate soldier! And it seems that his healing factor activates instanly, allowing for him to heal in seconds and escape the touch of death!"

Not like he was dying before. Just the force of getting penetrated by the bullet, mixed in with fear, caused him to go unconscious for a certain time period before waking up.

'Now I'm not afraid. And since I'm not afraid, the bullets don't affect me. Fear is a huge factor in my...adaptive regeneration or whatever it's called. The more fearful I am of something, the longer it takes for me to adapt to something. I'll have to test this out further later on..'

"Yeah, I'm convinced. But the thing is, why should Asia keep him? I mean, what do you guys have that we don't."

"Well, I guess you're right. You guys do have schools that hold ability users, don't you?"

They don't.

"So yeah, having a superhuman who's locked up 24/7 will be great. Not like he'll harbor things for you guys as time passes until finally, he snaps and kills all of you. Oh, well.."

Blue, maybe desaturated Cyan came into his peripheral vison. His eyes locked onto it, slowing moving to the left, then stopping as he was looking ahead and into the persons eyes.

Brown Skin like caramel. Light purple eyes, Dark blue pupils too. This woman,...she was beautiful beyond belief, heavenly, so pretty that words couldn't describe it.

"Jasmine?"

Flower Dress.

Heels.

No makeup, but was so considerably beautiful that makeup would make her look worse.

Lip gloss.

Perfume so sweet smelling that you could get a cavity off of it.

"Clay. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

She didn't change at all in those 3 years. Well, besides by somehow managing to get more beautiful.

"Why are you..? What is all of this..?"

"I'll tell you about everything when the time is right. For now, I'm gonna need you to get out of those ropes so you can help me."

"Help you? With wha-?" She placed her finger on his lips. "You trust me, don't you?"

Clay shrugged and whispered, "Well, look at the situation I'm in. How can I say that I do?"

Fair point so she didn't say anything to retaliate. Instead, she pressed her thumb up agaisnt his forehead, making him instantly go unconscious.

'Hopefully he learns fast. I might've gotten us into an predicament we won't be able to get out of..'

"SO?! WHO THE HELL CARES?! We'll mold that boy! Make him our Super Soildier! That boy will be the start of something great!" The man talking slammed his fist on their table, causing a ruckus.

"Yeah, and that's exactly why we can't let you have em'! I tried talking with you people, but I guess the rumors about you were true after all!" She reached for her back and yanked on a tiny, black string with white edges.

"You dare draw your weapon against [The Order]?! You've gone and done it now!"

From the shadows, purple outlines of human figures had glown. 'Lady Death is also involved with them? Great..' The string in her hand started to grow and extend until finally, a metal rod, a staff essentially, was in her hands.

The staff then started to spin around her fingers. The motion got faster and faster, creating wind tunnels that blew some of the people out their chairs.

'This is [Silver Staff]'s power, huh..?'

Her fist were seemingly closed and yet, the staff danced around her knuckles with grace and ease.

"Attack her! And get that boy!" A man yelled out and the purple outline of people came forward to reveal zombie like creatures. They groaned as they kept slouching towards her.

'My powers dwindle by the day, the second even. Clay, hurry...and show them that you're not someone to mess with!'

Lying unconscious in the chair, Clay was shaking and moving like he was on a rollercoaster. At time's, he'd mumble something that nobody could make out.

'Without you and your power, the world may really crumble..'

....