Chapter 20

His head pounded.

Jason doesn't remember much, the last memory he had in the hospital was Eclipsa running after Zombieman. He passed out shortly after, but then… he remembered waking up for but a moment. There was a figure that lingered over his bed. "Father?" he whispered weakly.

The man merely smiled. "Not quite… but soon, you will call me that…" He saw the man reach for his IV bag and injected something into it. Jason froze as he saw the strange substance change the clear liquid to that of a dark black. "Just relax and let it work… you will fall into a sleep like death, and the doctors won't know the wiser… not to worry. I'll pick you up the moment they see me down stairs!"

He left out through the window. Jason weakly tried to get his IV out, but couldn't. He was too weak and didn't have strength in his arms. He could only watch in terror as the black liquid made its way into his system. He felt his body break out into a cold sweat, but he also felt something slithering down his spine. It wasn't long until his eyes closed, his body numb as the world around him grew dark. He could hear it all, and yet couldn't do anything to tell those around him that he was still alive.

He felt his body shift and move, he could hear the trolley roll him down the hall and then that voice. "Jason… my son… NO!"

The man mimicked his father perfectly, the doctor tried to calm him as he heard the trolley move again. "NO, wait… I'll take him now… I'm a doctor after all… please. I need to make arrangements."

"This is against our policy…"

"I understand, but please…"

The doctor sighed and agreed.

When the world grew silent, Jason jolted up as he felt a needle stabbed into his heart. He gasped for air and found himself in a lab. "I had wondered if he would have let his guard down…"

He was still weak from it all, yet his stomach wound had healed over. "Had he had a little more time, he could have healed your wound before I got to you… such a shame… But what I left behind in the hospital should keep them distracted. Sleeping death is a rare substance… but I didn't use that on you."

"Where… where are we?" Jason asked weakly.

"My lab… I had to go offline due to those damn cyborgs, but it was all worth it in the end. I have finally obtained means of making my own immortal test subject!"

Jason began to feel his strength slowly return for a moment, but it wouldn't be enough to break free. "I wouldn't struggle if I were you. The substance I injected into you… is barely keeping you alive. Your stomach wound may have healed on the outside, but not the inside…"

He settled himself, but was sweating nervously. "Not to worry dear boy, I was on hand when Genus turned the first Zombieman into what he is… I know what I am doing to say the least…"

"I… don't want…"

"It's not about your wants child!" he laughed aloud. "It's about what I want!"

This was him, 106… the most ambitious out of his father's clones. "Besides dear boy, when this is all said and done, I will make you even stronger than the original! That is… if you survive… You heart rate is very low right now… internal bleeding is a mess to say the least, but… I have worked with worst. Now then, you sit tight as I make the preparations…"

The madman left the room, Jason began to feel dizzy once more as his body began to grow weak and tried. "I want to go home…" he wept. "I want to go home!"

Then that slithering sensation returned.

Jason began to fade out, but he felt something slink across his body, it pried opened his mouth, and began to drift down his throat! He couldn't stop whatever it was, but the moment he felt it hit his stomach, he felt sick. His body moaned, his flesh began to crawl as he screamed out in pain.

106 was quick to rush back in as Jason's eyes shot open. "IT BURNS! STOP IT PLEASE, IT BURNS!" he cried aloud.

"I haven't done anything to you yet boy!" 106 protested. He didn't do anything to relieve his pain, merely tightened the straps around his body. But Jason knew something was wrong. He felt his body shutting down. His heart slowly came to a stop, until… it did.

His head drooped to the side, he could still see and hear somehow, but 106 glared down at him bitterly. "You couldn't last ONE test?" he muttered. "All that work for nothing… oh well… perhaps the corpse will still be of use…"

When 106 left, he didn't return. That was when Jason felt his flesh crawling once more. He thought for certain he would feel pain, but it wasn't to be found. But he could hear flesh tearing, bones breaking and setting again. Yet he felt none of it.

His heart jumpstarted again.

Jason's eyes fully opened as he took in the room.

Why did the room look bigger than before? He could see all aspect of it, when before he only saw straight ahead. He shook the thought from his mind as he suddenly sat up. His bindings were already taken off? He couldn't properly see his body, but it didn't matter, he was free… he can escape!

He couldn't explain the sensation he felt. He felt weak, yet at the same time, he could feel strength coursing through his body.

"Boss wants the body taken out now. We'll put it with the others…."

Two mysterious beings came into the room, yet froze at the sight of him. Jason too didn't move as the three had a very unusual stand off. "What… the hell…"

"I'm… going home…" Jason said defiantly.

The two mysterious being prepared themselves for a fight, yet Jason only remembers rushing past them, somehow, slamming them into the wall and letting them slump to the ground. Looking about, he saw a window… at least he thought it was. He didn't care if it would harm him, he wanted to get out of this place. With all his might he rushed towards what he thought was a window.

It was merely a shelf on a wall, however he tore through it without issue. He fell a good distance, yet he managed to get up again, unharmed. "Home. I'm going home…" he said over and over again.

He couldn't explain how or why, let alone understand where he was. Yet he walked for days without end, he managed to get to the city under the cover of night before finding his father's shop. He smiled at the sight as he took the fire escape up to his bedroom. Jason pried open the window, fell in and stumbled to bed. He slept from that moment on…

#

"JASON! JASON!"

His head rolled about, he opened one eye and peered out. "Dad… why are you so loud?" he whispered.

His father was crying, tears of joy by the looks of it. He was pulled up off his bed and into his father's arms who refused to let go of him. "Oh God, Jason, I am so sorry… this is all my fault. I should have done more to protect you…"

"What are you talking about dad?" he asked weakly. "I'm just tired…"

His father froze. "You… you don't realize it… do you?"

"Huh?"

"Jason!?"

He turned his head and saw Eclipsa in the doorway. Tears rolling down her face, but, she stopped herself from coming in. He opened his eyes, but jumped back as he once more got full spectrum of the room. "Wait… how can I see the whole room!?" he demanded.

He turned to his father with great confusion. "Dad… what's happened…" his eyes slowly looked down, he jumped as he saw his skin had turned pale yet with shades of purple within. "No… he… he didn't!"

His father however shook his head. "He's not this advanced to do so…"

Jason slowly swung his legs over the bed. That was when he noticed the inhuman aspect of himself. His feet were clawed, his skin appeared to have hints of plated scales to them, his arms too with ridged plates of barbs… then the second set of arms… smaller than his dominate ones, but they looked familiar. "These arms… they are like the creatures I've seen on Eclipsa…" he whispered.

His eyes darted at her. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME!"

She was startled by his tone, Eclipsa trembled as she shook her head. "I… I didn't!"

"YES YOU DID, LOOK AT ME!" Jason turned as he finally saw his reflection. He was startled by his own appearance. How he could take in the whole room… he saw three more eyes on his head!

His teeth were jagged, his tongue fork like. His eyes blood red as his body was more monster than man. It maintained human features, but they were few and far between. He shook his head to it all. "I'm a freak…"

"Jason, that's uncalled for!"

"FATHER LOOK AT ME!" he protested. "I'm a monster! She made me into a monster!"

Eclipsa was startled by his tone, she began to cry while shaking her head. "I didn't… I didn't do anything to you. I swear!"

"Then why do I look like one of those things that come off your body?" he demanded.

She looked to her arm, but then appeared startled. "It… survived…"

"I knew it!" he protested. "You couldn't let me die could you?!"

"You don't understand! I went to confront Zombieman on saving you…"

"GET OUT!"

She froze. Eclipsa's lip quivered but she rushed out of the hall and out of the restaurant.

"Jason!" Genus scolded. "She did not do this to you!"

"Then explain it father!" he demanded. "How did I become this?! How could I have become something like this if she didn't interfere!"

He was silent. "I will find out how it happened…"

"I don't want her around me… or any of them! I want to be left alone…"

His father merely nodded his head. "I will leave food out by your room in case you get hungry…"

He was left alone shortly after. Jason kept turning to the mirror in his room. Staring into his reflection.

"I am never going to be the same again…"