"Involved in six murders. It's a good thing you can heal."

"Yeah, but he told me he 'spared me' so he didn't even plan to kill me. Though I thought he was just a mugger. He obviously didn't care if I lived or not but he wouldn't go out of his way to off someone if they just gave him their money."

"Either way I will open a bottle of good wine when he gets caught. Or dead."

David took the remote and changed the channel. He was greeted with a red-faced middle aged man screaming at the camera.

"- and they will wipe us all out! Those mutants came out of their hiding, and we gotta fight them! We gotta protect our children! Our families! I don't know about you, but if I saw one of them aliens like that Tim bastard all over the news pulls out their magic bullcrap imma stab 'em first thing I do! They keep popping up too. Yesterday one of our dear viewers sent us a story about a woman who could spit out ants out of her hands. Fucking ants! As an American I say we gotta -" and on it went in a similar fashion.

"Well, well, well. Hank Baker said something that is not complete bullshit. Didn't think I'd see the day." David remarked.

"I would even say he was almost right. I'm no alien, but the rest… we probably are spreading. If 'Dirty Tim' got powers why not more people."

"We?"

"You know, people with powers."

"I got that, but you saying 'we', being in that group… it feels weird. Makes it out as though you are not quite human or something."

"I kinda feel not human. The regeneration thing, and my mind works kinda different now. I'm still aperson and all that, but-"

"But you're still my Tad." David cut him off. "Don't ever forget that."

"I know. I- I know." Tadeus responded, hugging him.

Despite what he would have preffered, Tadeus returned to his lab the next day. With his boyfriend's support and daily runs he was able to subdue his restlessness to a managable degree. The first trial came to a close two weeks later, and it was time to compile and analyse the data.

One of the coping mechanisms Tadeus developed was to push himself hard whenever possible. He knew this would normally be unhealthy, but his situation wasn't exactly normal. That night, the first experiment concluded, Tadeus decided to pull an all-nighter to sift through it all.

Except he was interrupted by Lena.

"Tadeus, we need to talk. Alone."

"What are you even doing here? I thought you bailed on me to punish me for wanting to bail on you."

"That is not why I'm here. Please, we gotta talk."

Tadeus begrudgingly told the last few students-turned-assistants to leave, closed the door, and turned to face Lena.

"Alright, what is this about."

"I caught concordis from you."

"Probably, it's not hostile though, nothing to worry about."

"What I mean is I got powers."

Tadeus raised an eyebrow at that. "Show me."

Lena picked up a book from the desk and handed it to him.

"Throw it at me."

Tadeus would normally never throw something at anyone who didn't mean him harm, but because of how they last parted ways he trusted she wouldn't bother to come all this way back just to pull his leg. Besides, he was still a bit angry at her, so he put all his strength behind the throw, taking an excuse for a bit of catharsis.

His projectile flew fast right at her face, which would likely shatter a tooth or two when it impacted.

The book came to a halt about a foot before her, dropping harmlessly on the ground.