REBORN IN X-MEN

Jade sat in the sterile hospital room, his body still weak but his mind restless. The steady beep of the heart monitor provided little comfort. The events of the past day replayed in his mind on a relentless loop—the explosion, the loss, the fire consuming everything he held dear. Grief clung to him like a second skin, and yet, beneath the suffocating weight, something else simmered—a faint, inexplicable energy.

His thoughts wandered to the faint silvery glow he'd seen in his reflection. It must have been a trick of the light, he reasoned. Or maybe the trauma had affected his perception. But deep down, a part of him knew better. Something was different.

He looked down at his arm, where the paramedics had cleaned and bandaged the wound from the explosion. It no longer ached. In fact, it felt stronger—like the muscles beneath had been rebuilt, fortified. Jade flexed his fingers experimentally, feeling an odd precision in their movements.

What is happening to me?

---

The Morning After

By morning, Jade was discharged from the hospital. His injuries, though severe, had healed at a rate that baffled the doctors. They attributed it to adrenaline and youthful resilience. Jade said nothing, unwilling to share his growing suspicion that something far more unusual was at play.

As he stepped outside the hospital, the cold morning air bit at his skin. A black sedan waited at the curb, sent by the school counselor to take him to his temporary housing. He hesitated for a moment, staring at the vehicle. The idea of returning to school, to routine, felt almost insulting. How could he go back to normal when his entire world had been torn apart?

But there was nowhere else to go.

---

The Briefcase's Secrets

When Jade arrived at the dormitory, he carried only a small duffel bag of belongings the rescue team had salvaged. The briefcase, however, remained clutched tightly in his hand. His father had been adamant about protecting it, and now it was the only piece of his family he had left.

In the quiet solitude of his temporary room, Jade placed the briefcase on the desk. Its leather was scorched, the once-polished surface marred by the fire. With trembling hands, he undid the clasps and lifted the lid.

Inside was a collection of documents, a laptop, and several sealed vials of an unfamiliar substance. His heart raced as he picked up one of the vials. The liquid inside was identical to what he'd seen in the ruins—a silvery, luminous fluid that seemed almost alive.

What is this?

A folder caught his eye, marked with a bold label: "Project Genesis: Phase One." Opening it, Jade's breath caught as he scanned the pages. Genetic diagrams, chemical formulas, and handwritten notes in his father's meticulous script. It was a blueprint for genetic enhancement—a way to rewrite the human genome and unlock abilities that were thought to exist only in science fiction.

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Questions Without Answers

Jade leaned back in his chair, his mind racing. His father had never shared much about his work, always insisting it was classified. But now, the pieces began to fall into place. This wasn't just about science; this was about power. The kind of power people would kill for.

His thoughts were interrupted by a sharp knock at the door. Startled, Jade quickly closed the briefcase and shoved it under the desk.

"Come in," he called, his voice steady despite the pounding in his chest.

The door creaked open, revealing Sarah. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her expression a mix of relief and concern.

"Jade," she said softly, stepping inside. "I had to see you. Are you… okay?"

He hesitated. Was he okay? How could he answer that?

"I'm alive," he said finally, his tone flat.

Sarah sat on the edge of the bed, studying him. "I can't believe they're gone," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Your family was so... kind. This isn't fair."

Jade clenched his fists, the grief rising like a tidal wave. But he refused to let it consume him. Not now. Not when there were so many unanswered questions.

"Thanks for checking on me," he said abruptly, standing. "But I need some time alone."

Sarah frowned but nodded, sensing the finality in his tone. "If you need anything, you know where to find me."

---

Unwelcome Revelations

Hours later, as Jade pored over the documents in the briefcase, a memory surfaced—his father's strained expression at the dinner table a week ago.

"Jade," his dad had said, his voice unusually serious. "Sometimes the pursuit of knowledge leads to dangerous places. Not everyone can be trusted to wield that knowledge wisely."

At the time, Jade hadn't thought much of it. But now, the words carried a new weight.

The briefcase's contents weren't just research; they were a roadmap to something extraordinary. And if his father had been cautious about sharing it, there was a reason.

Suddenly, a cold realization settled over him: the explosion hadn't been an accident. Someone had targeted his family.

---

A Glimpse of the Future

Late that night, as Jade drifted into a restless sleep, the warmth in his veins returned. This time, it wasn't subtle. It surged through his body, waking him with a start. His skin felt electrified, every nerve alive with energy.

Panicked, he stumbled to the bathroom and flicked on the light. What he saw in the mirror made his breath catch. His eyes glowed faintly silver, the same hue as the liquid in the vials.

He gripped the edge of the sink, his mind racing. Whatever his father had been working on, whatever had seeped into his bloodstream during the explosion—it was changing him.

As the glow faded, Jade's resolve hardened. He didn't know what he was becoming, but one thing was certain: whoever had destroyed his family would pay.

This wasn't the end.

It was only the beginning.

---

Somewhere in the shadows of a corporate skyscraper, Dr. Preston sat in his dimly lit office, a glass of scotch in hand. On his desk was a tablet, displaying a live feed of Jade's dormitory.

"He survived," Preston murmured, a smirk playing on his lips. "Good. Let's see how far this goes.