Parallel Universe

Wandering through the city, the group noticed how eerily similar it was to their home. Many shops were the same, or almost the same. All of the people had a similar look to Harrison (the Master), with the very subtle greenness in their complexion. The air smelled different as well; more organic than home. Almost like being in a forest. The air was far more humid than home as well. Dr. Benaeo's was not a long walk, but it was exhausting for the group. Greyson, Marcie and Kendra were fascinated with the new world. Lex, Big and Little Joe were on edge, ready for anything to jump out at them at any time. Tag and Bryce seemed lost, like they had left a part of themselves on the other side of the portal. Luke just seemed distracted... like he couldn't focus his mind on anything in particular. When they arrived at the office and met Dr. Benaeo, no one could have predicted the what they saw. Dr. Benaeo was a short man, about 75 years old, with skin as pale as Greyson. Dr. Benaeo saw the group walking towards him and his jaw dropped. "W-w-who are you?" stuttered the doctor. "You guyth are thertainly not from around here, are you?" Dr. Benaeo had a lisp, but his dialect was that of their home town, and nothing like Harrison's. "You are like us!?" exclaimed Greyson. "Are you from our world, Dr. Benaeo?" "There are theveral different worldth that egthitht (exist) to our knowledge... and I am not from thith one. It ith pothible that I originate from your world. Pleathe, call me Doc," explained the doctor. Luke proceeded to explain their story to Doc. "Harrithon Hunter..." mused Doc. "I haven't thpoken to him in yearth. He ith the reathon that I am here. When he wath younger, he appeared in my home one day and then convinthed me to come with him, through a portal. I thpent yearth working with him to better underthtand hith abilitieth. He wath not the only one, and after being here for a while, I thtarted to notith changeth in my own body. Thith world ith thtrange, and cautheth people to develop abilitieth. Harrithon brought otherth here ath well. Motht powerth are thmall, like moving tiny objecth with their mind or increathed vithion or hearing. However, thome powerth were much greater and thome did not thurvive the tranthition." Many in the group nodded understanding, as they looked at their own hands and at each other, finally starting to understand why they each felt so strange. They went with Doc into his lab to do some tests. After several days of testing, the effects of the new world had set in. Greyson threw away his glasses, as he could now see without them. Not only 20/20, but infrared and through walls, if he desired. Marcie was able to read minds. She had no ability to control others thoughts, but she could read them. Lex was getting stronger. Kendra could move objects with her mind, but it required all the strength that it would take her to lift it normally. Big and Little Joe could both fly, Bryce and Tag were both dying. The only one that no one understood was Luke. His moods were changing and he randomly showed hints of other abilities. At one point, he woke up from a nightmare, got freaked out and threw his entire bed across the room. Another day, he saw a snake in the grass and jumped all the way up onto the roof. Marcie claimed that she could hear everyone else's thoughts, but Luke's mind was blocked. "Thith ith very thimilar to what happened with Harrithon, from what hith parenth tell me," stated Doc. "When hith powerth thtarted acting up, he began lothing control of himthelf." "Do you know why Harrison came to our world and took over like he did?" asked Greyson. "The government here doeth not like people they can't control. Harrithon wath out of control tho the government locked him up and wath tethting him. They thought they could punith him when he would uthe hith powerth. He would tell them that he couldn't control it and that it wath merely an impulth. He became very bitter, and that ith when he dithcovered that he could create portalth. That ith when he found me. Of courthe he could be kept locked up anymore by then, but I worked with him to help him, and I kept the government informed of hith progreth. But one day, a few yearth ago he had an acthident and hith powerth took over. Theveral people died and the government wanted to kill him... it wath the only way to keep the retht of uth thafe from him, in their mind. That ith when he dithappeared." An alarm sounded in the background and a nurse came running in. "Dr. Benaeo.. Bryce and Tag are both dead. Their bodies couldn't handle the transistion." "Oh no!" screamed Marcie. The Joe's bowed their heads for their fallen brothers. "Is that alarm meant to signal a patient dying?" enquired Kendra. "No," said Doc, "that alarm meanth that Luke hath ethcaped." "You were holding him hostage?" shouted Greyson. "Jutht keeping him thafe," said Doc. "Keeping him safe from what? Or were you keeping us safe from him?" asked Greyson.