Chapter 8

Tarin woke up in a giant machine, with his arms held down by metal braces. He looked around, he saw all of his friends waking up slowly as well. He looked in front of him to see his suits, and a man in a wheelchair admiring them.

“An incredible piece of technology, even I'd say that.” said the man, “You know, I’ve always been intrigued with the idea of superhuman abilities. I was the one who discovered that plant that gave you your abilities you know, and yet I was unable to harness the abilities it had.”

Tarin looked up, now fully awake and saw the man. He was Christepher Méndez, founder of Genex. In records he was dead though, everyone thought that too. “What do you want from us?” Tarin said his friends were also awake. They had the same looks on their faces, Christepher Méndez was a legend in the scientific field. Now he’d kidnapped them and was interrogating them, why?

“Just a simple thing, how you got your powers.” He said, “I’ve been trying to make what happened to you for four years now, probably from before you were born. I’ve done too many tests to remember them all, and they were all trying to get the results that happened to the four of you. This plant, it’s unnatural. Filled with something unknown to science, but with science I’ve been trying to harness its power. You all beat me to it, and I'm guessing it was an accident?” Dr Christepher Méndez was interrogating them on how they got their powers, this would have been a dream for Tarin if it didn’t have the whole supervillain vibe to it.

Tarin looked at all of them, they were drawing blood from each one of them. “Why are you doing this? What do you get out of this?” Tarin asked. 

The man looked at his hand then set it back down on his chair, “I’m trying to fix, and improve myself at the same time.” he said, “You see I’m like you in a way, but it has affected me in a new way. I can’t walk enough, so I'm trapped in this chair until I find a way. You all might be that way.” The man explained, “But you, Red Dash, you're like me. Just without all of the bad, you’ll see soon. For now though, my soldiers will be watching you. See you all later.”

Tarin kept trying to move, and struggle out of the machine keeping them in place. The more he did the more blood it took from him, his regeneration must’ve been on hold because of the weakening blood draw. There must be a way out though.

“Have you guys found anything yet?” Tarin whispered to his friends,

Max shook his head, “My powers are on to cool down while in the machine.”

Colten nodded, “Same.”

Aaron nodded as well, “There has to be another way though.” Aaron looked around the cramped space that they had, and he wedged his hand into an area of the machine. A few of the tubes stopped pulling blood, “Wow, that feels better.” He whispered, “You guys it's hard, but find the little switch behind this machine. It helps.”

Tarin did as told, and immediately felt relief of the blood drawing. “Thanks, but there has to be something other than that. Maybe something that can get us out of here.”

A soldier approached them, “No talking.” The soldier walked back to his post, and stayed there.

Tarin saw an opportunity, “Hey you, why do you work for Méndez?” The soldier stayed silent, “Hey, I’m talking to you.” The soldier wouldn’t budge, there had to be another way to get out of here. Tarin closed his eyes, and thought. He came across the memory of a few weeks ago, he’s been given his abilities. He felt a jolt of energy, and then the next day he could run fast. He thought about it hard, and then a blast of energy shot out of him. The machine was destroyed, he exited the device. He heard soldiers coming, and he got Max out of the Machine.

“Hey, how did you?” Max said wearily,

“No time, help me out would you?” Tarin said, they both freed both of their friends. They were able to find their stuff, they got into uniform. Colton grabbed his Gadgets, because Green Gadget was nothing without gadgets right? Max barricaded the door, and Aaron charged up a blast of energy just in case.

Colton shook his head, “Ok, how do we get out of here?” he asked, “And do you think they put like tracking devices on these?”

Tarin shook his head, “I checked, the lab and suits have no bugs or trackers. We’re good to go.” They heard a bang from the door, “We gotta get out of here.” Tarin ran to the door, but thought for a second. “Make the door, they’re all waiting for us out there.” His friends looked confused.

Max nodded, “Ok, I get it.” He got into a running position, and ran into the wall. Crashing it in the process. “Was that right?”

Tarin nodded, “Perfect, but we have to go. Now.” Tarin ran fast and kept an eye out for the soldiers. When he came back they all started talking.

Aaron looked at Tarin “Tarin what was that? The blast I mean.”

Tarin shook his head, “I don't know some kind of electronic pulse maybe?”

Colton was wide-eyed, “You have electric powers too!”

Tarin shrugged, “I guess.” They heard running from the hall in front of them, “Come on this way.” Tarin lead them down a pathway, and into a windowed lab. “Let’s jump.” He said,

Aaron and Max nodded, but Colton wasn’t fully into the idea. “So we’re just going to jump out of a building?” Everyone looked at eachother, and nodded in Colton. “Aright, it’s official. I need a new friend group.”

A group of soldiers ran into the room, and shot bullets at them. Tarin went fast and grabbed all of the bullets before in hit any of them. Then went and punched one of the guys, and it hurt more than he thought it would. The guy turned to him, and was about to punch him. Tarin grabbed his arm, and kicked the man's side. Tarin ran back to his friends, “We should get out of here.” Tarin and his friends all ran to the window, and jumped. Something Tairn thought he’d never do, even as a superhero. Tarin thought he could survive, but then he realized he was a speedster not a flyer.

“Hey guys, I can't fly!” Tarin yelled,

Colton pointed at the building, “Run!”

Tarin tried to get close enough to the building to run on it, and when he did he ran as fast as he could. His friends were falling, and he was running. Was this an average day for superheroes? If it was, he'd have to get used to it. Max, and Colton landed first. Max was carrying colton, then Aaron floated when they hit the ground, and Tarin ran to the curb and fell to the curb. 

Tarin ushered them to home base, and regrouped. When they got there he had them meet at the table, and talk about what they just experienced.

Aaron was flying, “Ok, we were just kidnapped and tested on.”

Max was sitting, “We also know that the doctor is planning something.”

“And that he has powers.” Tarin added, “He said he was like us.”

Colton nodded, “True, and he has a whole armed force ready for anything.”

Max shook his head, “How are we going to do this?”

Tarin looked down, “And what’s their end game.”