Yes, yes. This was perfect. Vincent's body bulged at first before deflating with hardness replacing the air. His lungs grew larger, and his airways became wider. He took two drugs. Two evolution pills at the same time. I hoped that he wouldn't turn into one of those monsters. I clutched my hands together as I watched him rip the plastic wire that strung him and his friends to the tree. The ginormous wave was only thirty feet away. He picked up his wide-eyed friends under his armpits and began to run. The strength pill helped him lead by bounds, the distance between him and the wall of water became increasingly larger. The yellow pill helped his lungs and oxygen levels keep up with his physical desperation. It was an amazing sight. A teenager carrying over three hundred pounds of flesh while running faster than an average car without any signs of tiredness.
I looked at the other computer that showcased the aptitudes of each participant. The twins' aptitudes had not yet been deciphered, but I don't really give a shit. I searched up Vincent's name until I found his face. I clicked on it and waited. The results would be there any moment now. The little green loading bar reached the end. "C'mon! That's not fucking fair!" I whined. Why does shit like this always happen. It gives false hope every ti- *Boop* I jerked m head. I covered my eyes with my hands. I was afraid to see it because if the aptitude was the same near hundred percent, then he would definitely be my clone. There was no need to check for DNA tests the likes. I lifted my had of my eyes and took in the percentage. "How the hell?!" I couldn't believe my eyes. It was an exact hundred percent. One percent more than my own aptitude. Was he even human? Aptitudes measure how much of the drug that a person can use without it going to waste via heat, sweat, etc. Every person had some waste, it was inhuman to not have any. But, right in front of my own eyes, I saw a monster in disguise. A monster that had compassion, empathy, a sense of loyalty, the complete opposite of me. So, who was the real monster? Me or him?
I landed back in my office chair and continued to watch him evade the tsunami.
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Vincent POV:
The energy in my body felt good. It felt like a spring of vitality opened in me and was providing me with seemingly infinite strength. The drug was supposed to last six hours before being converted into waste, so it wouldn't be a problem to at least make it all the way to the mountain biome before then.
I adjusted Bill and George, so they would be more comfortable. This would be one long ride. George asked a question after he had recovered from his shock, "Vincent, have you ever used an evolution pill before?"
"Nope." The wall of water was far from me now, only a glimpse of its majestic height could be seen by the naked eye.
Bill added to his brother's question, "Then, did you take two?"
*Thump* My feet landed on the desert floor before I launched off again to the sky. The sand was harder to push off of because it provided a lot of resistance. Then again, I couldn't really choose. "Yeah, I think I had to. Otherwise, I couldn't save the both of you and myself."
George seemed touched, "Thanks, man." He patted me on the shoulder affectionately.
Bill analyzed the situation, "Wait, so you took two, but you're not immobilized? Never mind that, when you feel like fatigue washing over you, land, ok? Don't push yourself, otherwise, there might be worse side effects. We'll take care of you until you wake up again." I nodded my head in an appreciative manner.
The same motions of landing on the gritty, sinking sand and rising back up with a heavenly jump took a toll on me. The wind that generated towards my body when I jumped was refreshing, but the sun's rays that hit me very closely were almost unbearable. My skin had turned several shades darker by the time we made it to the mountain biome. The water seemed to stop behind us as there was no sound of being madly pursued. "How long...," I panted in between breaths, "has...it...been?" The rhythmic drops and rises began to feel like torture for me. I needed to know how much longer I could hold on.
Bill looked up at the sun with his palm shielding his eyes from the radiation. "I think it has been about two or three hours. I think I'm not really sure."
The sun shined into my eyes too much, so I asked George, "George, can you see the mountain ranges?"
I jumped extra high with the last bit of energy I had. My vast sea of energy turned into a small puddle, making me feel drowsy. George, in a loud voice, yelled, "I can see it! I can see it! The mountain biome is at a walkable distance!"
I asked him another question while we were still in the air, "Is it a walkable distance with around a hundred and sixty pounds of cargo?"
George looked back at the distance, "Yeah, I guess so. It would take around thirty minutes to walk it out. Wait! Vin-"
I wrapped the twins close to my body and said, "Take care of me."
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Micheal Grey POV:
Vincent falls from the sky. His average-sized body was trying to protect the twins from the fall. I was intrigued. So the consequence for a one hundred percent aptitude was a shorter run time. Okay. Also, he can take multiple pills, but he gets proportionate ramifications on his body. Even I couldn't do that! Amazing! *BAM!* I looked back a the computer screen from my daydreams. The once flat desert biome now had a miniature crater from the apocalyptic fall. The twins roll out from Vincent's grip and see him on the ground. One of them picks him up and starts to carry him to the mountains. Along the way, the other one helps as well.
I smile. I took out of phone call Flin.
"Hello."
"I found him and his aptitude."
"What is it?"
"One hundred percent. Even higher than mine."
"..."
"The plans still a go."
"Got it."
I cut the call and lean back on my chair. With Vincent's help, I could make this world my empire.