Power (Book 1)

Chapter 16

"This is Dr. Snow," Jake said to me. "Our leading expert on superhuman biology and technology. She was the one who designed the infinity matrix. She will also be the one giving you your tests. "

"You made the infinity matrix?" I asked her.

"Yes, I did," she said. "You're probably wondering how an eighteen-year-old girl designed technology well enough to be integrated into a person's body while not harming any normal functions- which I might say, is an incredible feat- but I assure you, I am the most suitable-"

"Dr." Jake gave the woman a look that I was sure meant "stop talking."

"Yes. I understand," Dr. Snow said. "But nonetheless, I made the technology and put it in your body just after you were born. It was designed to regulate the amount of energy you released and at what times you released it."

"When I was born?" I was confused. "That can't be right. I got my powers when I turned sixteen."

"No, you didn't," the doctor said. "You had them as soon as you were born. They just weren't available to you yet. Come, let's talk somewhere more private." She glanced at a camera above the door. Then she turned around and walked further into the room behind her.

Inside, there were various types of lab equipment everywhere on top of black lab tables. There were scientists here, too, just like in the dome.

Dr. Snow took us through the middle of the tables, the only place you could walk without bumping into something. She opened a door in the back of the room and went through. We followed, hurrying to catch up with her fast pace.

The next room was much smaller. In it was a desk, some chairs, and what appeared to be an operating table in the corner.

"Ugh, where's the switch?" the doctor muttered. She fumbled around for the light switch.

The lights weren't on? But I could see perfectly fine...

"Here you go." I reached over to the wall and flipped the switch.

"Ah, there we go," Dr. Snow said. She sat in the chair behind the desk. "Shut the door now, please."

Jake closed the door. Then the both of us sat down in the two chairs in front of the Doctor.

"Okay, now, where were we?" Dr. Snow tapped her chin. "Oh, yes. The infinity matrix. You won't understand anything unless I start from when you were born." She watched me carefully. "Don't judge anyone, please. Especially him." She pointed to Jake.

"Alright." I nodded my head.

"When a woman gets pregnant, her baby always has to be checked for anomalies- to see if the child is normal, if it will develop abilities, or if it will have uncontrollable powers that will kill millions."

"This was after the Meta Revolution," Jake explained. "It was one of the new rules to keep anything like that from ever happening again."

"Yes, right," Dr. Snow continued. "So when your mother found out she was pregnant, she checked into Jackson-Estate Hospital. The person who checked her, she discovered what powers the babies would have."

"Babies?" I asked. "There were two? Me and who?"

"Let me finish," Dr. Snow said irritably. "What she found out was that one of the babies would be able to control and produce any type of energy or radiation. The other, unfortunately, would have the same powers, but had a genetic defect- it would have to send out waves of a deadly energy we call the X-factor constantly in order to survive. We don't really know what it is, but that doesn't matter."