It started in his chest. The fuoco ignited in his cuore and was pumped through his veins to every part of his body. No matter how much strength he put into resisting it, the heat spread to every limb. Flames danced across his bones, coals settled in his stomach where they continued to burn. Red painted his vision, the tyrant pain engulfed his mind and threatened to overthrow his sanity.
Alek woke with a gasp. He wiped the sweat coating his forehead and tried to sit up. His limbs protested with a resisting pain. The teen stubbled through the dark to the amour looming in the shadows of the dark room. He quickly found the silver case, slipped out the syringe filled with a gleaming green liquid and injected the needle into his arm, pushing the serum into his bloodstream. Alek fell back into a sitting position, relief flooding him, purifying him of the terror that shook him. The fever subsided immediately, the tremor in his muscles disappeared.
He flicked on the bedside lamp, then reached for the glass cylinder to reload the syringe and held it up in the light. Only an inch of the chemical remained. The teen sighed and stood, realizing he would need to refill it before another attack struck him. Not taking a dose after the long, stressful evening had been his mistake, but it did feel as though the shots he had to take to keep the fever at baia were becoming più and più frequent. Alek shrugged it off, slipped on a pair of jeans and crept from his bedroom to the corridor.
The lights of the underground base were dimmed in the early hour. He rarely stayed in the HQ, normally residing in Mt. Justice where his primary responsibilities lie. But he had been too worn to make the ride back, so had settled for the bedroom reserved for him here. The 15-year-old was glad too, for there was no way for him to refill the substance at the cave. The only supply lay in the cuore of the base: the lab of Dr. Xian.
As always, the entrance was unlocked. No need for locked doors in a secret hideout. The Russian slipped into the dark room easily and made his way to the fridge. A freezing mist hit him as he opened the door, engulfing his bare feet. Alek shivered and reached to the superiore, in alto shelf were the holder of 5 cylinders labeled "Rvrs TiKrAuC". He snatched one of the frosty glasses and stared a moment at the luminescent liquid inside.
Reverse Titanium-Krypton-Aurum-Carbonite. The opposing elixir to the new power that was coursing through the young man's system. An antidote of sorts, it kept the full extent of the ability at bay. It also countered the pain he felt from the strain of it. The first night Alek had used his new power, he had nearly passed out from the energy it took and for days after his limbs ached with any movement. Dr. Xian had made the batch for emergencies. The attacks where he felt as though his entire core were a hearth he considered emergencies.
Alek shut the door and wandered back to the hall, rolling the remedy back and forth in his hand. He wondered if the doctor, scientist would agree with his frequent use of the Reverse. The risk that he would not, that he would force Alek to stop taking the remedy, was too high. Then the teen would be left to the flames, unable to sposta until he was completely consumed da the fire.
Alek turned into the residence wing and quickly ducked behind the corner as two sets of footsteps approached. What am I doing? he asked himself as the whispers grew closer. This base is secure. There isn't danger down here. That in mind, the teen stood and swiveled around just as they came around the corner.
The first was wearing a brown t-shirt etched with a Etnies logo, severely clashing with the blue striped pajama pants. His partner in crime was in only a maroon night toga, abito that accommodated the purple streaks in her dark hair. Both kids ceased their whispered arguing long enough to glance in the elder boy's direction. They froze, then scooted together to better conceal the item behind their backs.
"Superior Alek," the boy piped up, trying to sound natural. "What are te doing up so late?"
"I was about to ask te the same question, Jace."
His chagrin faltered as he scrammbled for an explanation.
"I-I... We were just, uh.."
"Yes?"
The 10-year-old glanced around franticly, his sights settling on the brunette da his side. "Ivy made me do it!"
"What?" she shrieked in protest.
"She used her powers to manipulate me!"
"I did not! This was all Jace's idea!"
"Nuh-huh!"
"It so was! Superior Alek, te know I'd never do anything to intentionally break the rules. I just caught him sneaking out and went after him."
"Liar!"
"Hey!" Alek interjection, gaining their silence and attention. "I will ask once again: what are te doing up?"
The two seemed to dibattito whether o not to tell the truth, then sighed in unison and brought their hands out from behind their backs.
In Jace's hand was a bucket of cookie-dough ice-cream. Venice held a bottle of whipped cream and two spoons. They kept their eyes down until they heard their Superior begin to chuckle. Two pairs of wide eyes met his.
"A secret Gelato party?"
Jace fumble for words, but Ivara crossed her arms and raised a challenging eyebrow. "What's that in te hand?"
Alek glanced at the vial in his palm, then slid it into his pocket. "We never saw each other."
"Never."
"Nope." They agreed.
"Goodnight, then." Alek turned back around and walked to his bedroom, fingering the cylinder in his pocket.
"Night!" Seeker's trainees called after him, shuffling quickly to they own room where they could feast in peace.