Chapter 7: Second Chances

It was the 4th Quarter of the high school playoffs game between the Central City Cougars and the Coast City Sharks. The score was tied with each team having 52 points. This next score was crucial, or they went into overtime. The Cougar's quarterback, 17 year old Victor Stone, gathered his team up for a final huddle during the last few seconds of the game.

"Alright team, we got this," he declared. "We've practiced this maneuver for weeks. We pull this off, and our team takes home the championship."

"Lead the way, Vic," One of his teammates told him.

They all broke before getting into position. Victor got ready, then began calling out the play.

"17! 52! 12! Hut!"

The ball was snapped into Vic's hands, prompting him to chuck it across the field to his running back. His teammate caught the ball and took off with it. In well practiced motions, the other team members intercepted any of the Sharks trying to stop him. Soon, the running back crossed over into the endzone, scoring a touchdown and winning the game for the Cougars. The crowd erupted into applause as all the Cougars began celebrating in their own way. Victor was beyond ecstatic, his eyes drifting to the crowd to the spot reserved for family of the team. His face fell when the one face he was looking for was nowhere to be seen.

…

Afterwards, Victor slipped his jersey off, leaving him in his padding. The rest of the team had vacated, but Victor lagged behind, seeing no point in hurrying. As he put his stuff in his locker, a kid in a red hoodie rushed inside, leaning against the wall to catch his breath. Victor looked over, surprised by the kid's presence.

"What are you-?"

The kid shushed him, taking cover as a security guard came inside.

"Hey Stone, you see a kid run in here?" He asked. "Slipped in without admission."

The kid, who was hiding behind the door, gave Victor a pleading expression.

"No," Vic told him. "Just me."

The guard just shrugged as he left, closing the door behind him and allowing the kid to breathe.

"Thanks. I wasn't causing trouble, I just wanted to meet you."

"Hey, it's no trouble. You don't look like you could cause trouble if you tried."

"Mind telling that to my social worker?" the kid quipped, plopping down on the bench.

"You're an orphan?"

"Foster kid actually. I'm on family number six right now. Honestly, I give them a week before they get sick of me."

Vic sighed, closing his locker.

"I have an inkling of what that's like. My dad couldn't care less about about me."

"Yeah, I saw his reserved seat when I went down for a closer look. Sorry about that."

"You know, I had hoped that this time would be different. I thought that just maybe, he'd show up for once." Victor snorted, leaning against the locker. "Dad always did say that thinking wasn't my forte."

"I'd beg to differ. That play you pulled off was amazing. It took a lot of trust in your team, not to mention some serious strategic thinking."

"Yeah, well a play's only good when you got a good team backing you up." Victor replied. "I'm sure you'll find yours some day."

"Here's hoping," the kid sighed. "I'm Billy, by the way. Billy Batson."

"Nice to meet you, Billy." Victor paused for a moment, then got an idea. "Hey. here."

He grabbed his jersey, then tossed it at Billy, much to the kid's surprise.

"Whoa! Seriously?"

"Seriously. Just take good care of it, alright?"

Billy grinned, sliding the shirt over his hoodie before making his exit. Victor watched him go, sighing happily before grabbing his stuff and heading out.

…

At S.T.A.R. Labs, Dr. Silas Stone, Victor's father, was going over the readings of the recently activated particle accelerator.

"Dr. Wells, readings from the cooling system are looking good," He called over comms.

"Good, keep me posted. I know you're eager to return to your pet project, but you're the most qualified to track these readings."

"I know how much this accelerator means to you. I'm sure the box can wait one night."

Just then, his comm buzzed as his secretary came on the line.

"Dr. Stone, your son is here to see you."

"Tell him to wait for me."

At that moment, the door to the observatory opened, or more accurately, they were thrown open by an annoyed Victor.

"I'm not some intern you can turn away, Dad. I want to talk with you."

"Not now, Victor," Silas insisted, turning away from his son.

"Yes, now!" Victor moved so he was in front of his father. "You weren't there, Dad. Again!"

"Dr. Wells needed my help launching the particle accelerator," Silas explained, once again turning away.

"We won," Victor continued, seemingly ignoring him while moving once again into his field of vision. "There were scouts there. They offered me a full ride scholarship to all the best colleges. Each and every one of them."

Silas sighed, then faced Victor.

"Victor, we've discussed this. I'll pay for your college. You don't need to go kissing up to some coach for money."

"That's not the point! They think I can cut it with the best of them. Why don't you?"

"Open your eyes, Victor!" Silas threw his arms in the air. "Look at the world we live in today! We have an alien hero in Metropolis, an Amazon in New York, a man who can breathe underwater, and another with a ring that can create anything out of nothing! These people are going to make what you can do obsolete. In that world, son, throwing a football is a joke!"

Victor looked stunned as he backed away, tears welling in his eyes.

"You're never gonna come to one of my games, are you?"

Before Silas had the chance to answer, alarms started blaring throughout the building. Turning away from Victor once more, Silas grabbed the comms.

"Dr. Wells, what's happening?"

"Something's gone wrong. What are the readings on the cooling system?"

Silas took a look at the readings and looked worried.

"They're going critical! We need to shut it down!"

"It's too late! Get out of there! Now!"

Energy began building up as Silas quickly dove for cover, along with the rest of his team. Victor was not so lucky. Before he could make it to cover, a part of the wall burst open, sending a surge of energy through the crack towards Victor. He screamed as it washed over him, enveloping him in light as everything went black.

...

"Victor!" Silas called out, coughing slightly as he struggled to pull himself free of some rubble. "Victor, where are you?!"

He managed to catch sight of someone pinned under part of the collapsed roof and rushed over to them. Instead of his son, he found Dr. Wells.

"Dr. Wells! Are you alright?"

"My legs…" Wells let out. "I can't feel them…"

"Have you seen my son?" Silas begged.

"No…" Wells lamented. "I'm sorry."

"Dr. Stone!" Silas' secretary cried out from across the wreckage. "I found him!"

Silas darted over to where his secretary found his son, only to be horrified by what he found. There was barely anything left of Victor, his entire lower body gone, as well as his entire left arm and most of his right. Half of his face was burnt beyond recognition, and he was deathly still. However, Silas could see a very faint movement in his chest. By some miracle, he was still alive.

"Get him to my lab, now! Before it's too late!"

…

Victor, or what was left of him, was hooked up to the most advanced life support system STAR Labs had. Silas had been working around the clock on trying to find a way to save his son's life, but nothing had worked. He switched on his video logs, the dark bags under his eyes and the stubble on his face showing how hard he had worked.

"Day 4 of my ongoing efforts to save Victor," he recited, letting out a long breath. "His life signs continue to degrade… at the rate he's going… He has another week at best. And as worst… hours."

As he said this, sorrow overwhelmed him. He let out a primal shout, knocking several papers, tools and glass vials off his desk. As he looked over the mess, he saw he knocked over a picture of his pet project. He picked it up, looking at the name imprinted on the image: US Gov Object 6-19-2. The image was of a strange, red and black box. It was a mysterious device dug up in an archaeological dig and was believed to have alien origins. Silas team had been trying to crack its secrets for weeks, with little to no success.

Silas just looked at the pictures in disdain, feeling he wasted so much time on the box. Even worse, because of his obsession, his last words to his son would have been ones of anger and hatred. He was just about to tear the pictures apart when he was suddenly hit with an idea. There was certainly risk to it, but Silas had reached the point of desperation that he was willing to do whatever it took to save Victor.

…

Not that much later, Silas brought in a handheld box about the size of a large cellphone, placing it near Victor. As he did so, thick lines etched into the box began glowing and sparking. Silas gasped, immediately turning his camera back on.

"Dr. Silas Stone, officially waving all medical practices. US Gov Object 6-19-2, dubbed Black Box, has been successfully activated, proving my long standing theory of it being a means of protection and preservation. With luck, this is the miracle I need to save my son."

Slowly and carefully, he held the box up over Victor's prone form. Almost immediately, the energy emitting from the box latched onto Victor, flooding the remains of his body with power. Bits of the box began breaking off, grabbing onto Victor and rebuilding him. It even began grabbing raw material from around the lab to help with the process.

"Yes..." Silas gasped. "Yes!"

His body was being rapidly rebuilt from the box itself, energy flooding the room and causing Victor's life support system to go haywire. Victor then began crying out in pain as his body was fully rebuild, the box completely disappearing into his new form. After several minutes, the power died away and Silas was able to get a better look at his son. Victor's entire body was made of metal, save for the unburned part of his face. His limbs were silver with blue inlays, light pulsating at every major joint. His right eye was now a red glowing light that focused in and out. The wires from the life support system were all severed as Victor just laid on the lab table.

"Victor?" Silas let out.

Victor gasped, sitting up in shock as he tried to get his bearings.

"Victor, it's alright," Silas reassured. "You're alright."

"What happened?" Victor questioned before getting a look at his legs. "What the hell?! What happened to my legs?!"

"There was… an accident. Much of your body was… damaged as a result."

"What did you do to me?!" Victor demanded, grabbing his father by his coat.

"I did what I had to! It was the only way to save you!"

"You didn't save me! You ruined my life! LOOK AT ME! I'M A FREAK!"

"Victor…"

"My life is over thanks to you!" Victor accused, shoving him away. "At least now you finally have an excuse to not come to my games."

Silas could only sit there as Victor clenched his now metal fists, turning away and stomping off. Silas watched him go, then silently turned to his video logs and shutting off the camera.