Once Zac and Kenji returned, no one spoke or asked any questions. They were curious about these Taboo Children, especially with two of them standing in their presence, but they were more excited to get this underway.

  “Good, then we will be performing this in groups of 10. It shouldn’t take more than an hour for each group to finish. When I call your names, please step forward and follow me.” Dr. Varma then called out 10 names. Among those 10 names, Akiko and Ume were called. They were led toward those specimen tubes. Dr. Varma moved her hand across her tablet, and the sides of the tubes rolled down.

  “Please step inside and place the breathing mask over your face, then we will begin.” The 10 of them tentatively climbed on top of the stand. The walls of the tubes rose once again, and a breathing mask lowered for them. They all quickly put on the masks.

  “Here we go. Good luck.” Dr. Varma said as she moved her hand across her table once again.

  The tubes all began to fill with a luminescent fluid. In moments the tubes filled with the fluid. The training gear that the recruits were wearing began to light up, and Dr. Varma sighed,

  “Here it comes.” She then pressed her tablet, and the liquid began to move and bubble. When the liquid began to move, so too did the recruits in the tubes. They all began to contort and writhe in pain. Watabe instinctively moved towards Ume’s tube with a frightened look. Ume was always so even keel. This was the first time he had seen such intense emotion on her face. Kenji winced at the sight but noticed something else. That luminescent liquid began to lose its luster over time.

  “The luminescence is the nano-machines?” Kenji blurted out.

  “Correct, they are drawn into the body through your pores. The training gear we equip helps to facilitate that. As well as regulate your heart rate, and keep an eye on your vitals.” Dr. Varma said.

  Kenji slowly nodded his head. They not only had them wear that gear to get comparative data. They also had them wear it, so the gear could document their vitals under different circumstances to accurately assist in this process. Kenji shook his head in disbelief. Indeed, everything these people did had a reason. Kenji turned his attention to Akiko’s tube. She seemed to be in less pain than the others, or at the very least, she seemed good at bearing the pain.

  “Not bad. Hachiman found some premium goods this time.” Zac thought to himself as he looked at Akiko as well. That girl seemed to have gone into a trance-like state. She had cleared her mind and was already starting to acclimate to the nano-machines. Zac then turned towards Ume and smirked. He knew this would be the hardest thing for her. However, after she survived this, there was nothing she wouldn’t be able to do. He just wondered what Program she would birth.

  An hour passed, and the liquid the recruits were floating in became dull. The tubes rapidly drained, and all the recruits landed on their knees.

  “No casualties and no abnormalities. Good, everything looks great. Ok, everyone, hop on down, and let’s get a look at your Programs.” Dr. Varma said with a smile on her face.

  The recruits quickly gathered themselves and walked towards her.

  “I’ve been wondering about this for a while, but what exactly is a Program?” One of the recruits who just got out of the tubes asked.

  “Simply put, they’re a superpower. The Nano-machines enhance your body while discovering innate abilities hidden within your DNA. The Nano-Machines manage and maintain those abilities, so we call them Programs.” Zac explained.

  “Manage?” Another Recruit asked.

  “Yes, you initiate the Programs with a command phrase. The Nano-machines allow you access to said abilities, and then you can use them freely.”

  “If the nano-machine ‘allows’ us access, I’m guessing you control the nano-machines?” Ume asked.

  “Correct. To be more precise. The leader of each Organization has direct control, along with a kill phrase.” Zac said sinisterly.

  “A k-kill phrase?” Akiko stuttered.

  “Of course, if you guys go rogue or attempt to betray us. Devin says a key phrase that only he knows, along with your ID number, and boom! Those countless nano-machines in your body detonate in tiny explosions that reduce you to atoms. What? You didn’t think you could run unchecked with superpowers, right?” Dr. Varma chuckled.

  Everyone instinctively gulped but then immediately calmed down. Those were pretty easy rules to avoid death. Don’t betray, and don’t go rogue. Dr. Varma then motioned for Akiko to come up; she held up her tablet and scanned Akiko. She then flicked her stylus in Akiko’s direction. Akiko’s eyes lit up, and her body twitched a bit.

  “Give me your name, and then confirm your Program and ID Number? It should have popped into your mind just now. We need to make sure the communication function is working properly.” Dr. Varma instructed.

  “Yes, Hanabi Akiko 88471469. Program: Flare.” Akiko responded. Dr. Varma nodded her head, indicating everything was correct. On the other hand, Zac tilted his head to the side with wide eyes.

  Program: Flare; allows its Chaser to raise heat values, and directly control those bodies of heat. They are only limited by their own control.

  “Did you say Flare?” Zac asked

  Akiko nodded her head affirmatively. Zac started to laugh.

  “You kids really are something else.”

  “Indeed.” Dr. Varma agreed with Zac’s assessment.

  “What do you mean?” Akiko asked.

  “All Programs are not created equal. Some are more…well, just more than others. Flare is a perfect example of that. Kenji, remember the night we saved you?” Zac said as he turned towards Kenji, who nodded.

  “That idiot that shot the giant fireball at you. He had the Blaze Program, which is pretty common. Flare is like Blaze’s more attractive, more talented, and more successful older brother.” Zac said with a smile. Kenji remembered the destructive nature of that fireball. It melted the platform instantly, but Akiko’s Program was capable of more? He didn’t really want to think about it right now.

  “So there are tiers to Programs?” Genkei asked.

  “Not really. All Programs have strengths and weaknesses, and anyone could push any Program to do unbelievable things. It’s just that some Programs are easier to do that with than others.” Dr. Varma said.

  “Well, that’s not completely true. One Program sits above all of them. Program: Zero.” Zac said with a smile.

  “What’s that?” Akiko asked.

  “It’s a Program with infinite possibilities, or zero limitations. It can't be fully explained because it’s different for every Chaser that has that Program. It should be called Program: Infinity, but Zero sounds cooler, I guess.” Zac shrugged his shoulders.

  “There are currently only 3 known users of that Program, our illustrious leader Devin being one of them.” Dr. Varma said with a smile.

  At this confirmation, Watabe had a proud smirk on his face. He didn’t know whether he could become one of these Zero Chasers, but the fact that his Mentor was one was enough for now. More recruits went and got their ID numbers and Program names. However, none of them stood out as much as Akiko’s Flare Program. The last to go up was Ume.

  “Ok, tell me your name. Then confirm your ID number and Program.” Dr. Varma repeated as she had so many times before.

  “Chiba Ume 54712482, Program: Bloom,” Ume responded.

  “Bloom?” Zac asked curiously.

  “Yeah, I’ve never heard of it before, either. Maybe Devin or Mr. Chiba will know.” Dr. Varma said. Zac nodded his head in agreement. If anyone knew, it would be one of those two

  Ume had a satisfactory smile on her face. Akiko’s Program was supposedly awe-inspiring, but her Program was so rare as to stump even these two. In her mind, it meant her opportunities were limitless. She bowed to Zac, who had a proud smirk, and walked over toward Kenji and the others.

  “Alright, next group! Come forward when I call your name!” The following 10 were called, but Kenji, Watabe, and Genkei were not in that group. Watabe and Genkei seemed slightly annoyed; they wanted to see what they would get. On the other hand, Kenji was happy not to be called just yet. After everything he had just learned, he felt like this was a lose-lose situation. Either, he lived up to their expectations and was a kind of super freak. Or he would be a disappointment, and the Nano-machines wouldn’t take just like with Zac. And he would be at a loss at what to do… again.

  Kenji looked over at Zac and started understanding why he was so pissed at his mindset in the beginning. Zac dedicated his life to this stuff, to be the best he could be, even to the point where he could fight Chasers without a Program of his own. Yet Kenji, a person that could hold the key to getting the thing he lacked, didn’t want anything to do with this world.

  “Things are different now.” Kenji thought to himself.

  He still wasn’t sure what he wanted to do, but he was invested now, and if those Nano-machines didn’t take, he knew not only would Zac be disappointed, but he would be worthless. And for some reason the idea of Zac being disappointed scared him more than anything. He didn’t believe he could become someone like Zac. Even if Kenji was A Taboo Child, Kenji didn’t believe he could fight against someone like Watabe after they became a Chaser. He was sure that everyone in this room, once they became Chasers, would leave him in the dust.

  “Suzuki Kenji!” Dr. Varma called out his name. As he stepped forward, he could feel the quickening of his breathing and his heart threatening to beat out of his chest.

  Kenji, Watabe, and Genkai were all called up with the last group. They looked at each other for a moment before entering their tubes. Kenji placed the breathing mask over his face as he tried not to think about what would come next. The pain was one thing, but if he experienced it with nothing to show for it, that would be the worst. Not only that, his life would be at significant risk.

  “Please work.” Kenji thought to himself.

  The thoughts of everyday life were long gone. He didn’t know if he wanted to serve the world. But he’d rather be extraordinary in an extraordinary world, where he could freely choose what he wanted to do. He was tired of being dragged around in this vortex of absurdity.

  Kenji looked down as he saw the luminescent water begin to fill the tank. The water reached up to his neck, and he closed his eyes. At some point, he felt something pinching at his skin and entering his body. He waited for the pain, but it never came.

  An hour passed, and all of the recruits exited their tubes except for Kenji. Everyone stood there staring at the tube, especially Zac. His face was unreadable, while Dr.Varma was confused. Watabe walked towards Zac and Dr. Varma and asked,

  “Is he like Mr. Zac?”

  “No, this is something different.” Dr.Varma responded as she looked down at her tablet.

  “What’s going on, Shaila?” Zac asked, never taking his eyes off Kenji.

  “The Nano-Machines are entering the body but are then forced out.” Dr. Varma responded.

  “Not disappearing? But being rejected?” Zac was confused.

  “No, not rejected. I am reading noticeable changes in Kenji’s body. Also, the rate that the Nano-machines are being drawn in and expelled is slowly increasing. It's like breathing. “

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “We don’t know how long this will take, so let’s finish registering the others first,” Zac said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

  “Yeah, Micheal Stepton. You first.” Dr. Varma called out one of the foreigners in this Japan branch recruit party. Out of the 30, 14 individuals were not Japanese. A stoic, 6’2 athletic young black male stepped forward, shaking his damp dreadlocks. Dr. Varma scanned him, and then her eyes widened for a second. She then checked what she was reading once again and started to laugh.

  “Hidden gems everywhere in this recruitment group. Ok, sweetheart, you know the drill.” Dr.Varma said with a smile.

  “Yeh, Michael Stepton 45297856. Program: Pulse.” Micheal responded in a British accent.

  Zac immediately took his eyes off Kenji and looked over his shoulder at Micheal. He started to chuckle.

  “He could be a problem,” Zac said to himself.

  During Day 3, Micheal didn’t stand out too much with these recruits, but he would have been at the very top with any other recruiting class. He had a good foundation and was an excellent leader. Zac also knew who his mentor was. That psychopath would turn Micheal into a monster even if he had an average Program. But Pulse?

  Program: Pulse; allows the Chaser to manipulate, and control all forms of waves. Wave manipulation had countless applications in and outside of combat, all of them extraordinary. If that kid understood a fraction of his abilities, he would be one of the crown jewels of Renegade Technologies. Zac might have to prepare especially for him for day 6. Several others came and went; nothing was shocking about their programs, at least when compared to Micheal’s. Now, only 4 recruits remained. One of them was Kenji, floating in the luminescent liquid.

  “Travis Kane, come on over.” Dr. Varma pointed at Travis. A caucasian sandy blonde-haired male happily walked over. He was of average height and build but had a bright disposition. He looked over and nodded at Micheal. Dr. Varma quickly scanned him. This time she let out a sigh,

  “Is it that bad?” Travis asked nervously with his American accent. This was the first time they had heard Dr. Varma sigh. Micheal was his team leader, and his other 3 teammates had pretty good Programs from the responses they got.

  “No, no. It’s the opposite, actually. I’m just annoyed. Your recruitment group seems to have ruined my ability to be surprised. Go on, you know what to do.” Dr. Varma waved her hand for Travis to go ahead.

  “Ah, ok! Travis Kane, 52478963. Program: Mind Matter.” Travis smiled.

  The sounds of Zac laughing could be heard throughout the laboratory. He couldn’t help it. Program: Mind Matter; Chasers with this Program could use psionic energies(energy of the mind) to create constructs. The only limitation was the Chaser's creativity and the things they adequately understood. Micheal and Travis, on their own, could become a two-man army, even within this deadly world of super-powered hunters.

  Zac laughed because he assumed that the only team he’d have to worry about on day 6 was Team Watabe. Now, depending on what Watabe and Genkei’s Programs were, Team Micheal might be his biggest concern. Of course, Kenji might be a problem all on his own if his administration was successful.

  “Alright, you're next, big guy.” Dr. Varma called out to Genkei, who proudly strutted towards the Doctor. He was already satisfied with his Program; he didn’t need Dr. Varma to confirm his thoughts. All Chasers had a basic idea of what their Programs were capable of once they became Chasers. It was only that most had no idea how to properly use those Programs and had no litmus test on what would be effective or not. From Genkei’s and Watabe’s attitudes, they clearly felt their Programs were equal to, if not superior to, Micheal’s and Travis’.

  “Wow, ok, go ahead.” Dr. Varma shook her head in disbelief after she scanned Genkei.

  “Takashi Genkei 7954638, Program: Stockpile.” Genkei had a cocky smirk on his face. Zac looked at him,

  “Well, that's the perfect Program for him. Dammit.” Zac groaned.

  Program: Stockpile; allows its Chaser to absorb and redistribute kinetic energy in various ways. Its most basic function could make the Chaser an immovable object or an unstoppable force. It was a simple but incredibly versatile ability. Akiko, Ume, Micheal, Travis, and now Genkei, all birth Programs that would make them the focus of any other Organization, especially Michael.

  However, Zac’s eyes focused on Watabe. Watabe Ken was a very proud individual, but even after the others had revealed their Programs, he didn’t show a change in expression. Watabe walked forward without being called by Dr. Varma. She scanned him with her tablet, and her jaw dropped.

  “I was wrong, looks like I can still be surprised. Zac, come here.” Dr. Varma called Zac over.

  He looked at her tablet and let out a whistle.

  “You think you can handle that on day 6?” Dr. Varma said with a chuckle.

  “On day 6, yeah. Give him a year, then… ehhhhhhh. Hehehehe…. Ahhhhh. I’ll get back to you on that.” Zac let out a nervous laugh. Dr. Varma motioned for Watabe to verify his information.

  “Watabe Ken 69458724, Program: Ion.”

  Program: Ion; this Program could manipulate charged particles. At its most basic level, they could control and manipulate electricity. At its peak, Chasers could manipulate things on an atomic level. Add that Program to Watabe’s already stellar performance thus far,

  “I really got my work cut out for me.” Zac sighed. He had high expectations for this group of recruits, but he didn’t expect this. All the recruits saw the look on Zac’s face, and they couldn’t wait for Day 6.

  “Yeah, keep that energy, Tiny Tots.” Zac chuckled as he looked at the recruits staring at him like fresh meat.

  The recruits had already forgotten what they were told. It was difficult for anyone not to be initially seduced by the new power they were feeling. It was the only good thing about Zac not being able to use Programs. It allowed him to help these recruits remember that they were still human.

  “Well, now Dr. Varma here is going to take some time to review what your Programs can do individually. I know you have a general idea floating in the corner of your mind, but she will go over it with you in detail. You’ll have the rest of the day to toy around with your abilities and…” Before Zac could finish explaining what was next, Kenji’s tube began to bubble. Dr. Varma ran over while frantically tapping her fingers across her tablet. Everyone turned their attention toward the tank.

  “What’s going on, Shaila?” Zac walked over.

  “I don’t know; the Nano-machines are fighting directly with Kenji.”

  “What?”

  “Yeah, I don’t understand.” Dr. Varma stated worriedly.

  “Stop the process,” Zac commanded.

  “I can’t do that. It’s like a tug of war if we forcefully remove him from there.”

  “It will do more harm than good… dammit.” Zac cursed.

  Everyone looked on as Kenji's body began to twitch. But he didn’t appear to be in any sort of pain. Dr. Varma was frantically combing through her tablet as she observed all the information thrown at her.

  “This is incredible.” Dr. Varma blurted out.

  “Well? Share with the class.” Zac joked.

  “His body is constantly changing and evolving. With each evolution, it picks out what it likes and expels the Nano-Machines, stabilizes, and then allows the Nano-machine to come in again.” Dr. Varma commented with a curious expression on her face.

  “What? You’re saying he’s using the Nano-machine to endlessly improve his physical condition?” Zac tried to understand.

  “Not just his physical condition, everything. His DNA is constantly being changed and reworked. He’d hardly be human when everything is said and done.” Dr. Varma no longer seemed worried and more fascinated.

  “Why didn’t something like this happen to me?” Zac asked.

  “If I had to guess, it’s something to do with your innate abilities. You said Kenji instinctively copied everything he saw and adapted them to himself? Maybe that’s just how his particular body works. A sort of ultimate adaptation. He subconsciously takes in information from around him and copies what he deems the best, or at least the best parts while trying to improve it. On top of that, he is most likely using the Nano-machines scanning abilities, to expedite the process. ” Dr. Varma could only theorize.

  “So you think his body takes in the Nano-machines, scans the room, picks out the best sample, and copies and modifies it to change his body? Then push out the Nano-machines to start the process again?” Zac tried to understand.

  “Yes, and I don’t think this will stop until he’s satisfied.” Dr. Varma solemnly spoke.

  “You think he’s controlling this?”

  “Not consciously. You, on the other hand. Whatever your innate ability is, seems rooted in destruction, not adaptation. So the Nano-machines never had a chance when waking something like that up. But, with you guys being polar opposites in how your body reacted to the Nano-machines, this could be pivotal to fixing your situation.” Dr. Varma explained her theory. Zac nodded his head in acceptance.

  He also looked around the room, at all the “samples” Kenji could be copying from. Varma was correct, when everything was said and done, he may barely be human. However, In the depths of Kenji’s subscious there was only one being in the room he thought superior to all the rest.

  “Zac…” The singular goal his body worked towards was to achieve what Kenji subconsciously deemed perfection.

  Everyone stared at Kenji’s tube for another 30 minutes before the turmoil within it died down. The liquid was still emitting a luminescent glow, indicating the Nano-machines were still present. Zac and Dr. Varma breathed relief, and just as they turned their attention back toward the other recruits, the liquid churned again. The luminescence instantly disappeared.

  The water drained, and Kenji opened his eyes as his head instantly snapped over in Zac’s direction. Zac saw Kenji's pupils turn into slits for a moment and felt a wave of aggression before Kenji’s eyes returned to normal.

  “What the hell was that?” Zac asked himself. It wasn’t only the wave of hostility that he felt that shocked him, but the excitement he got from it. Kenji felt the same excitement, although he could not understand where it came from. It was almost instinctual.

  “Kenji, let's get a look at you.” Dr. Varma called out to Kenji, who stepped down.

  “How long was I in there?” Kenji asked as he cracked his neck.

  He looked at everyone around them, and they had completely dried off. That meant he was in that tank long after everyone else had gotten out.

  “About 2 and a half hours,” Zac said as he stood next to Dr. Varma.

  Kenji almost recoiled at the sound of Zac’s voice, as if he had seen his natural enemy. After Zac raised a confused eyebrow at him, Kenji calmed himself down and shook his head.

  “You ok, kid?” Zac asked curiously.

  “Y-yeah, Yeah. I’m just on edge for some reason.” Kenji responded.

  “That’s not too surprising. You went through countless and repeated enhancements and changes. I suspect it will take a while to get used to certain stimuli. From my observation, your instincts have heightened to frightening levels, and you perceive Zac as a viable threat.” Dr. Varma explained as she looked over the initial data she had gathered from Kenji’s suit.

  Kenji nodded his head in understanding, as he kept sneaking peeks at Zac who was looking at him with a raised eyebrow. Kenji wanted nothing more than to charge him at this moment, and he couldn’t understand why? He felt like an animal that needed to establish its dominance over a rival.

  “Alright, time for the moment of truth. Hold still, please.” Dr. Varma began to scan Kenji.

  Dr.Varma motioned for Zac, who leaned over and looked at her pad. He chuckled a bit,

  “Not bad, Isuel.”

  “It’s Kenji!”

  “Shut up, Isuel,” Zac smirked and started walking away.

  “Ume, come with me. We’ll see if Devin can figure out what that Program of yours is. There’s currently nothing that can help you in our database.” Zac said without turning around to look at Kenji. Ume followed behind him, tentatively looking over her shoulder periodically at the others.

  “Sensei, what did his chart say?” Ume asked sheepishly. Zac seemed in a foul mood, although she couldn’t bring herself to look at his face to find out.

  “Suzuki Kenji, ID#: Not Applicable. Program: Unidentifiable,” Zac responded.

  “What does that mean? And with no ID#, doesn’t that mean….”

  “The Kill code is ineffective, correct. But that’s par for the course… with Zero Chasers.” Zac responded.

  “Program: Unidentifiable means he’s a Zero? It can’t be identified because it has no quantifiable limits?” Ume asked.

  “Correct.”

  “I see.” Ume then flinched as she finally looked over at Zac’s face. She thought to see a face filled with rage or jealousy. She could understand that. Kenji was a Taboo Child like him. However, Kenji’s body seemed to send the Nano-machines into overdrive instead of rejecting them. It was no secret to Ume that Kenji didn’t seem cut out for this life and that he was reluctant to be here, but all this power landed in his lap.

  Zac had worked hard for several years hoping for them to figure out a way to make the Nano-Machines work on him, to no avail. But that twisted expression of jealousy was not there on his face. The look he had was far more frightening. There was a tranquil calm, with a sinister light in his dark purple eyes.

  “Don’t disappoint me, Isuel.” Ume heard Zac mumble to himself.

  He wasn’t jealous at all. He was excited. Just for a moment Ume thought she saw Zac’s pupils turn to slits.

  Dr. Varma watched Zac walk away and just sighed. She then turned her attention back toward the recruits,

  “Alright, Tiny Tots. Let’s get you guys squared away. I’m going to call you guys up one by one. Then transfer all our data about your individual Programs directly to you. You’ll be able to access it through your Nano-Machines. They’re a part of you now, like an extra muscle. So start flexing them. Except for you, Kenji… Kenji!!” Dr. Varma called out to Kenji, who was still staring at the door that Zac had walked through.

  “Ah? Ah… sorry, yeah, what’s up?” Kenji refocused.

  “I won’t be able to help you with your Program. No one can. That’s the only downside with Zero Chasers. All I can tell you is that you need to get familiar with your abilities and pay attention to your Boot-Up sequence.” Dr. Varma warned. Kenji nodded his head in understanding.

  “Boot-Up sequence?” Akiko asked.

  “It’s not something you guys have to worry about; it’s something only Zero Chasers have. If I’m being honest, it’s the real thing that sets them apart from other Chasers.” Dr. Varma then walked towards Watabe and then poked him in the chest with her tablet,

  “Speaking frankly, Watabe’s and Michael’s Programs are comparable to what the current Zero Chasers have. However, assuming they were of equal skill, Watabe and Micheal would be severely disadvantaged because of those Boot-Up sequences. Even if they fought one of them together.” Watabe and Micheal looked at each other and then stared at Kenji.

  “So make sure you completely understand what yours can do. Also, keep what it does to yourself, for now.” Dr. Varma warned Kenji, who nodded his head in understanding.

  “When I call your name, step forward.” Dr. Varma started to call people up as Kenji walked away from the group.

  Kenji closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. He felt like he could do anything, but every time Kenji looked at Zac, he felt a primal hostility rise within himself and primal fear. He still didn’t understand this feeling, but he was sure he would come to do so on Day 6 when they clashed directly.

  Information about his Program and Boot-Up sequence flowed through his mind. However, the Nano-Machines needed a name for both to properly help him regulate them. The Program was simple enough. He could name it anything, but he was identified as a Zero Chaser, and there was already a certain amount of prestige and fear associated with that name.

  “So, of course, it will be named Zero”

  After naming the Program, details of what his Program and Boot-Up sequence could do filled his head. His eyes widened. He then chuckled as he came up with a name for his Boot-Up sequence.

  He walked towards the exit excited, but before he left, he turned to look back at the group. His pupils turned into slits as he said,

  “Let’s try this out. Initiating Program: Zero. Boot Up: Replica”