Escaped

Xander's voice echoed through the sterile room, his eyes wide with panic as he thrashed against the restraints on the metal table. His skin felt like it was sizzling in a hot pan, and his veins bulged and throbbed under the pressure of whatever they had injected into him. He slammed his head against the cool metal surface, desperate to escape the burning sensation coursing through his body.

As the strange energy surged through him, Xander's body lifted off the table, hovering several inches in the air. With a sudden jolt, he crashed back down as if an invisible hand had let go of him. His skin prickled with cold and his breath formed visible puffs in front of his face. The room shook violently as if an earthquake had struck, and Xander cried out in agony as the intense sensations of ice, fire, and cold coursed through his body. And just as suddenly as it began, everything stopped, leaving Xander gasping for air and covered in goosebumps.

Ace and Vince stood side by side, their lab coats billowing from the icy gusts of air. The monitors before them flickered with erratic data, then went flat as a graveyard. But the room told a different story - it was in disarray, with scorch marks etched into every surface and steam rising from smoldering equipment. Vince's fingers flew over the controls, his brow furrowed in concentration as he tried to regain control of the situation.

Meanwhile, Ace's eyes were fixed on Xander, who lay motionless on the table. His chest rose and fell rhythmically, his skin still tinged with frost but slowly returning to its normal color.

"He's stabilizing," Vince announced, relief evident in his voice.

Amidst the chaos, Ace could only whisper to himself, "You truly are your father's son." He couldn't help but feel a mixture of amazement and fear at what had just transpired.

***

When he woke up, he was no longer tied down. He stretches his legs and arms. He jumps down off the table his chest bare and only in shorts.

He was still in the same room, though it looked like a tornado had swept through. He could vaguely recall the violent shaking and intense sensations from before. Had he done this? Was he capable of such destruction?

Stretching out a shaky hand, Xander examined the deep burn marks on the table where he had lain moments before. The sight of it brought back the memory of the searing pain coursing through his body, his veins alight with a strange form of energy.

Xander stumbles a bit before reaching for the door and sliding it open. He cautiously peeks his head out, but the halls are deserted and he can't hear any sounds.

Xander's feet felt cold against the cracked linoleum floor as he cautiously made his way down the dimly lit hallway. He strained his ears for any sounds, but the only thing he heard was the sound of his breathing. The abandoned hospital felt eerie and desolate, with peeling paint and broken windows. Xander picked up his pace to a jog, quickly checking each room and corner for signs of life. "What the hell," he muttered, unsure if this was all just a dream.

As he turned another corner, he saw a glimmer of light shining through an open doorway. Without hesitation, he burst into a sprint towards the exit, finally reaching fresh air as he pushed through the doors.

As Xander emerged from the dimly lit building, he blinked rapidly to adjust his eyes to the bright sun. He cautiously navigated through broken glass and scattered trash on the sidewalk, making his way toward a tall metal fence. With a surge of superhuman strength, he easily vaulted over it, landing gracefully on the other side. Shock and confusion washed over him as he looked back at the fence, marveling at the incredible height he had just jumped.

"Did that just happen?" He muttered under his breath. Taking in his surroundings, Xander noticed that the street was bustling with life - cars passing by, people walking down the sidewalk, and birds chirping in nearby trees.

Despite the apparent normalcy of the scene, he couldn't shake off the feeling of being in a dream. Without question, Xander broke out into a sprint, determined to find his way back to his grandmother's house where everything would hopefully make sense again.

As he sprinted through the street, none of the buildings or shops looked familiar to him.

Nothing did.

Xander grinds to a halt when the realization hits him that the sun is setting. He hadn't realized it was so late when he left the hospital. Deciding to take a shortcut, he turns into an alley and stops in his tracks.

Leaning against the wall are four or five unfamiliar guys, with a different energy about them than what Xander is used to seeing.

They stop whatever they are doing and look up at Xander, one of them flashing a toothy grin that resembles fangs hanging from his mouth. "Well, well, what do we have here, boys?" the guy says with a smirk.

Xander takes a few steps back from the alley, hoping to avoid any conflict. "I don't want any trouble," he says calmly. 

One of them chuckles, "It's trouble when a mortal can see us. Don't you know what we are?" another asks.

Xander shakes his head and raises his hands in a peaceful gesture.

"We're vampires."