Alpha squad

The morning after their first training session, James felt a mix of soreness and determination. Every step down the stairs of his house reminded him of the physical strain, but the memory of his glowing alchemical symbols and the polished steel crates kept him focused. They were making progress, but their powers were still raw and unpredictable.

He walked into the kitchen, where his dad, Eric Maxwell, was reading the newspaper. The headline caught James's eye: "Strange Phenomena in Ivory City: Power Outages and Mysterious Fires."

"What's that about?" James asked, grabbing an apple from the counter.

Eric glanced at him, his brow furrowed. "Seems like the city's having a streak of bad luck. Unexplained power surges, fires in abandoned buildings… nothing concrete, but it's worrying."

James's stomach sank. He had a feeling these incidents weren't just bad luck. "Think it's related to those ruins?" he ventured.

Eric shook his head. "Could be. But Ivory City's always had its fair share of mysteries." He set the paper down and gave James a pointed look. "Stay out of trouble, alright? We've got enough problems without you getting caught up in something dangerous."

James nodded, though he knew staying out of trouble wasn't an option anymore.

At the warehouse, the mood was tense. The group sat in a circle, the morning's headlines spread out in front of them.

"This has to be connected," Peter said, pointing to one article about a blackout near the industrial district. "Look at the timing. These incidents started right after we left the ruins."

"But we didn't cause this," Samantha argued. "We barely know how to use our powers."

"Maybe not directly," Alex said, his voice steady. "But what if something else woke up when we activated those vials? Something that's causing this?"

James nodded. "We need to figure out what's going on before it gets worse. If this is our fault—even indirectly—we have a responsibility to stop it."

Peter leaned back, rubbing his temples. "Alright, but how do we even start? It's not like we can just waltz into the industrial district and start asking questions."

"Why not?" Samantha asked, her tone defiant. "We can use our powers to investigate, find out what's really happening."

Alex smirked. "I like it. Let's play detective. Worst case, we get some exercise."

James stood, his expression resolute. "Alright. Peter, you're the tech guy. Can you track down where these blackouts are happening?"

Peter nodded. "Give me an hour. I'll see what I can dig up."

True to his word, Peter compiled a list of recent blackouts and fires, all clustered around the industrial district. The group decided to split up to cover more ground, each taking a different section of the area. They agreed to regroup at a small diner nearby if anything went wrong.

James's section was an abandoned warehouse that had been partially scorched by fire. As he stepped inside, the air was thick with the smell of smoke and ash. Sunlight streamed through broken windows, casting eerie shadows on the charred walls.

His footsteps echoed as he moved deeper into the building. He could feel a strange energy in the air, like static before a storm. Suddenly, a low growl made him freeze.

"Who's there?" James called out, his voice steady despite the chill running down his spine.

A figure stepped out of the shadows, their form shimmering like a heatwave. As they solidified, James recognized the face from the newspaper archives Peter had shown them. It was Jeremy Brooks—Image.

"You shouldn't have come here," Jeremy said, his voice smooth but threatening. "This is none of your business."

James clenched his fists, the alchemical symbols faintly glowing on his skin. "Whatever you're doing, it's hurting people. I can't let that slide."

Jeremy smirked, his form flickering again. "Oh, you think you can stop me? Cute."

Before James could react, Jeremy's body split into multiple copies, each one identical. They surrounded James, their laughter echoing in the vast space.

"Let's see how you handle this," the copies said in unison.

James took a deep breath, focusing on the symbols on his arms. He reached out to the crates nearby, transmuting them into solid steel barriers. As the copies lunged at him, he swung one of the barriers like a battering ram, shattering two of the illusions.

"Not bad," Jeremy's real voice said, coming from behind James. Before he could turn, a sharp pain shot through his side as one of Jeremy's illusions struck him.

James gritted his teeth, spinning around and throwing a punch. His fist connected with solid flesh, and Jeremy stumbled back, his illusions flickering and disappearing.

"You… you're stronger than I expected," Jeremy said, wiping blood from his lip. "But this isn't over."

With that, Jeremy dissolved into a shimmering mirage and vanished.

When the group regrouped at the diner, James recounted his encounter with Jeremy. The others listened intently, their expressions a mix of shock and determination.

"So, we're not the only ones with powers," Samantha said, her tone grim.

"And whoever this Jeremy guy is, he's not working alone," Peter added. "If he's part of something bigger, we're in serious trouble."

James nodded. "This is just the beginning. But we can't back down. If we don't stop them, no one will."

The group exchanged determined glances, their earlier doubts replaced by a shared resolve. The challenges ahead were daunting, but they were ready to face them—together.