We all had that one question asked of us, or we asked others. It could have been asked as children in a sleepover. Perhaps as adults out in a bar, already gone through a couple of beers. The question did not need to be asked verbally. It could have been asked of us by ourselves through a wish.
Perhaps as a child in the back seat of the car and staring out at the flying birds. Maybe you are in a bad place in life, and you wished you could leave it all behind. Most would be watching a hero movie, playing that new game, or reading a comic and wishing you could be like them.
Regardless of the answer, anyone of us gave, the result would always be the same. That cold hard truth that cares for none, only in our dreams. Perhaps one day we will get a full-body experience virtual reality game that would let us live our dreams. Maybe with luck beyond luck, we all genuinely get our wish.
Some of you may even be telling the truth and never answered the question, let alone asked it of anyone. If you speak the truth, then let me be the one to ask it of you.
"If you could have any superpower, what would it be?"
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Alarms are blaring throughout the corridors. Warning lights along the walls fading on and off. A single man, a plain labcoat and glasses with a sleeked back hair, walked down a corridor. A simple white box with no symbols on it carried under his arm. Head straight and focused ahead of him with a side glance from time to time. Nervous and panicky of his actions being found out.
Reaching the door at the end of the corridor, he reaches inside his coat to grab his keycard. Unlocking the door in front of him, he hears another opening behind him. Turning his head around to see who it was, a single streak of sweat on his forehead, he sees two others walk out wearing the same lab coat as him.
"Oh, hey David. Where are you going? Don't you hear the alarm?" Asked one of the two, a man with messy hair and square glasses.
"Oh. Hi, Robbert. I know, but I need to get these samples to the lab before they go bad. If I don't get it over there fast, it could set us back." Replied David as he began to turn the handle.
"But the labs not over there." Answered the other, standing beside Robbert. A woman with hair cut shoulder length and shorter than Robbert.
"Oh, yeah, I know. I need to go to the office first to get the paperwork. It was nice seeing you two." Answered David as he walked through the door and not allowing the two to ask further questions.
"Huh, what's wrong with him?" Asked Robbert as he turned to look at the woman beside her.
"I don't know. He looked worried, though. Could the al..." She began to reply before being cut short as a group of soldiers came running into view. Noticing the two of them, the head soldier began running up to them, giving orders to three others to check one of the rooms to the side along his way.
"You two, have you seen anyone coming this way!?" Shouted the soldier as he came to a stop in front of the two.
"Aaah, yeah. David just came through." Replied Robbert to the soldier with a shaky voice.
"Which way did he go?" Asked the head soldier with a hint of urgency to his voice.
"Th...Through there. Said he was going to the office for his samples." He replied while pointing to the door.
"Noting inside the room, sir." Said one of the soldiers that came out from the side room.
"Alright, let's go!" Ordered the head soldier.
"Yes, sir!" Came the reply from the rest.
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Few minutes went by as David quickly searched through desks and cabinets, filling a bag with documents and other loose items. He finally fills it up before long and begins to pick up the bag and white container on the desk. Making his way out the door, he hears a shout at the end of the hall as he begins to turn.
"You! Stop where you are!" Came the command from a soldier, his gun held straight in David's direction.
With an entirely worried face and panic, David begins to run and turn the corner, few gunshots missing him with one grazing his cheek. Now on a full sprint, he starts making turns on his way to get out of the building. The running footsteps of the soldiers following and keeping up with David.
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"Come in command." It could be heard from one of the soldiers as David was making his way through another door. "This is command. What do you need?" Came the muffled reply. "Revoke building access to one Dav.." Came the answer from the soldier before the door closed behind him.
One door later, David came to a stop as the card scanner on the door flashed red, denying the card. Few more swipes followed by a few more denied access readouts he finally gave up. He turned back around to find another way out, only to find the soldiers slowly walking up to him.
"Hold! Stay where you are." Commanded the head soldier as he walked in front, the rest spreading to take up the hall's width. "David. David. You know, you were not the one I would suspect to do this." Came a voice as a man walked past the soldiers. "I mean, I don't trust anyone. But you were the last person I would suspect."
"Th...This is wrong. The ones that don't take to it die, and th...that is in the best scenario." Came a reply from David with a bit of stuttering. Staring at the Soldiers with their guns pointed his way. The man beside the head soldier, medium-length hair slicked back with a suit and dark-rimmed glasses, began to rub his eyes with a bit of annoyance.
"You know David..... It's a bit late to back down on this. Let us not forget this is your idea, a bit late to grow a moral compass." Finally stopping from rubbing his eyes and adjusting his glasses, he extends his hands out before continuing. "Now, hand it over. After that, we can put this all behind us."
"N...No. We have to stop. It is not right what we are doing. All the p...people that ar.." David began to reply before being cut short.
"David, this all began with you. You sure didn't seem to care with the first few failures. I am finding it hard to see how you suddenly care. Now last chance, hand it over so we can calm ourselves down and talk about all this." Replied with a hint of annoyance as he cut David short. Hands still out and expecting the container to be handed over.
"NO! It must stop. We can't do thi..." He began, cut short once more.
"Such a shame, David." Exclaimed the man in the suit as he began to walk backward. "Shoot him, try not to kill him if you can, and avoid hitting the container." He commanded the soldiers once fully behind them.
"Fire!" Came a loud command followed by gunshots. A few shots were missing David as a few others hit him on the shoulder and legs, with two more shots grazed the side of his forehead.
"You fools...." Commented the man in the suit, eyes focused on the container now leaking a red gas. In a few seconds, the container went from leaking a red gas to a loud and powerful explosion. Metal doors shattered and blown outward along with any debris from the walls. David was now floating in the air with the container and slightly transparent. Meanwhile, the rest of the soldiers safe with the commander in front with a hand stretched out and a semi-visible bubble surrounding them.
*Waob*
The container is sending out another wave without any force. David is going a bit fainter as the area around it gains a red tint as if looking through tinted glasses.
*Waob*
Another wave and a bit more transparent as David remains floating on the spot. The area with a red tint growing and expanding out some more.
*Waob*
Another wave and David now nearly entirely see-through.
"Yes, sir. Gone sir. Still here, but I'm afraid noting will be left inside." The man in the suit began to say while holding a phone to his ear. "Of course, sir. Right away. I will get things in motion at once." He finished speaking as he closed the phone.
*Waob*
A few more waves, and David is all but gone from sight. The red-tinted field already expanded beyond view.
*Waob*
"Let us go, J. Also, make sure the next batch has better aim." Ordered the man in the suit as he was walking away. The soldiers, aside from the commander, shakingly holding their guns as they slowly moved them under their throats and fired.
"Right away." The commander replied as the rest fell to the ground.
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"He failed. Yes, I know. But this is going to be a bigger problem now. Yes. But we got no plan set for something like this. I know. Alright, I'll see what I can do, but everyone is now going to be on high alert. Alright then, goodbye." Came the voice from Robbert as he was speaking on the phone and walking away from the blast site.