A hooded young man walked along the dimly lit streets of the night, heading for a convenience store. He walked into into the store, waving at the shop attendant who, in turn waved back.
"Good evening Nero, How are you doing?" She greeted.
"Not bad Sofie, I'm good." He replied as he head into the store, searching for his requirements.
After getting all he needed, he came up to the check out desk and stood over the other side of the counter, holding a box of cup cakes and a pair of new knitting needles.
"Will that be all Nero?" The store attendant questioned as she packaged the goods in a plastic wrap.
The young man raised his head, revealing an impressively handsome face, adorned with a clear and spotless skin, a beautifully coloured eye, and a finely chiseled jaw, reeking with masculinity.
In a clear and soothing voice, he replied "Yeah, that'll be all". He was the one Jiele had tailed from the store to the retirement home.
"You need to get some rest Nero, you don't look so good" The store attendant conferred with concern towards Nero's outlook.
"I'll be fine. I'll head home when I'm done. There's something I need to do first" Nero assured.
"Good night Sofie" He bid the attendant before he took up the packaged box and left the store.
On the way to the retirement home, Nero was laced with a sense of unease. Personally, he seemed to be going through a lot at the time and was barely able to keep his composure as he strode along the lonely streets.
It could clearly be seen on his face that he was lost in his thoughts, dawning a depressing outlook.
Reaching his location, Nero stood outside the doors of the elderly home, a sense of anticipation and concern filling his heart. He had come to visit his dear friend, Martha, who had always been a source of solace and guidance. Little did he know that a grim fate awaited him on the other side.
Pushing open the doors, Nero stepped into the dimly lit hallway, his footsteps echoing against the tiled floor. The air felt heavy, laden with a sense of foreboding.
"Something's not right" he thought to himself. As he walked deeper into the building, he noticed an eerie silence, devoid of the usual sounds of laughter and conversation.
A chilling realization washed over Nero as he approached Martha's room. The door was unusually open, revealing a scene of horror. Martha lay lifeless on the floor, her frail body surrounded by the remnants of a violent struggle. Shock and grief flooded Nero's senses, leaving him numb with disbelief.
In a panic, Nero backed away from the room, unable to comprehend the magnitude of the tragedy that had unfolded before him. He dropped the package he held in his hands abruptly and fell to his knees. Just then, he noticed a bag placed strategically under the bed, besides the wall. It was Martha's. It's components consisted of several devices, a note, a private tablet and some keys.
It was then that he noticed the faint sound of approaching footsteps. Fear gripped his heart as he realized he would be the prime suspect in this heinous crime. He couldn't bring his mind to think about anything more to do.
Without a moment's hesitation, Nero turned and ran, desperate to escape the clutches of a fate he did not deserve. The world around him blurred as adrenaline surged through his veins, propelling him forward. He darted through hallways, dodging nurses and staff members who were now alerted to the commotion.
As he reached the exit, alarms blared throughout the building, amplifying the chaos that surrounded him.
"Oh no, they've found out" Nero cried.
Nero pushed open the heavy doors and stepped into the outside world, the cool night air washing over his sweat-drenched body. He glanced back one last time, his gaze filled with a mixture of grief and determination.
With his heart pounding, Nero realized that he had to clear his name and find the true perpetrator behind Martha's murder. He continued in his track, head on, running far far away from the building.
As he ran with all his might, trying to get as far as possible from the building, he heard a voice;
"Hey, stop!" Jiele commanded from behind.
"It wasn't me! I didn't do it!" Thoughts cascaded in Nero's head as he panicked, increasing his speed and trying to put as much distance as he could between him and Jiele.
Suddenly he felt a rush coming up behind him. In a split second, a powerful force hit him, taking him off his feet, resultantly causing him to drop the bag and impact with the ground, rolling across the tarred flooring as he dropped.
He laid motionless on the ground for a short while, gathering his thoughts in the time.
Immediately he came into realization, he opened his eyes, allegedly seeing Jiele reach for his face.
He instantly panicked, his eyes glowing with a luminous blue as he sprang up in an attempt to get to his feet.
A massive energy bulk built up by his body in that moment, burst out, resultantly throwing Jiele across the floor.
Nero's mind flashed back to the first time he had gotten his powers, where he mistakenly wrecked an entire two storey building, destroying lives and properties in the process.
He had lost control of his powers once again.
Oh no! What have I done?." Nero thought as he stood to his feet and approached her where she laid.
Suddenly it occurred to him, "She's an anomaly just like me!"
"She's knocked out cold, I should help her." He thought.
"On second thought, she doesn't seem bruised or injured, she's probably fine, she'll be better off here than with me. By the way, I don't think she'll be all too happy to see me when she wakes up. I better go." Nero decided.
He walked up the road and picked up the bag which he had dropped earlier. After taking a brief glance at Jiele once again, he decided to take off, running into the night, looking for a safe haven.