Teen Titans Fan Fiction ❯ The Incredible Beast ❯ Gamma Rays ( Chapter 2 )

EPISODE ONE

 

Part One

 

“In every human being, there exists a great force of unbelievable strength.”

 

“Today scientists, researchers and those who assist them are frequently searching for a way to unleash this great power.”

 

…

 

Over Ten years ago, a family, by the name of Logan. Where out for a nice boat ride. The proud mother and father gazed over at their five-year old son Garfield. He really seemed to be happy and enjoying himself.

 

Suddenly… there was trouble. The Father wasn't watching where he was going, even though he was looking at his son only for a second, the boat hit some jagged rocks there were sticking out from the water.

 

KAPOW! There was a small explosion, and the boat was blasted into the air, soaring over the water and twisting and twirling like a top. In the midst of it all… little Garfield fell off and into the water.

 

Luckily he was wearing a life Jacket, and he had taken pee-wee swimming lessons. He was a rather smart kid for a five-year old, but what the little boy witnessed turned his little blood cold.

 

The boat had crashed hard onto the nearby shore, and landed upside-down, and burst into flames. Garfield swam to shore, and could see both his parents lying unconscious inside the boat.

 

The flames were starting to spread, and something told him that if he didn't get his parents out of there soon… he'd lose them! Unfortunately, the doors were jammed tight, and his just wasn't strong enough to try and smash open the windows with his bare hands, or his feet… but that didn't stop him from trying.

 

“Mommy…! Daddy…!” he squealed as he pounded on the doors trying to open them. Finally… he even tried to tip the boat back upright… but that was silly… a five-year old boy couldn't possibly move a medium-sized houseboat like that.

 

Finally… the flames grew so big and sot hot, little Garfield couldn't stay near them much longer, and no sooner had he fun clear… IT HAPPENED…!

 

The boat exploded in a huge ball of fire, and his poor parents didn't survive. The poor little guy was heart broken… not to mention scarred for life.

 

…

 

Twelve years later…

 

A school bell rang at the Murakami High-School in a place called Jump-City. Garfield Logan… now seventeen, was a regular boy-genius. With short brown hair, and green eyes, and a serious intention too do well in school and make his way through life.

 

He was a grade-twelve student with a high IQ that was supposedly nearing two-hundred.

 

All this was because of his foster mother, Dr. Rita Dayton. She was a physician, scientist, and also a long term friend of Garfield's long deceased parents. She was his God mother when Garfield was young… and when she heard of the Logan's death… she wasted no time in taking him in.

 

She was also a widow since her husband Steve passed away, and they never had any children. This was a shame for Rita, for she had always wanted to be a mother. Sometimes, she would even tell her co-workers at the labs,

 

“Although Garfield isn't my real son… since Steve, and the Logans died that boy has meant more to me than anything else in the whole world.”

 

Rita raised Garfield as if he really were her son, and ever since Garfield had always dreamed of doing something to repay his Foster Mother. We're it not for he, probably would have wound up in an orphanage, or dead.

 

Garfield decided to follow in her footsteps, and wanted to help her in her research someday. When he went to school, Garfield devoted his time to his studies, and getting good grades which was how he came to being the smart guy he was today…

 

In High-School he began to look over Rita's notes and confirm his own studies to them. Rita was so impressed and so were her co-workers and superiors that they couldn't see why not…

 

Garfield was now Rita's assistant, and only at seventeen years of age, but with college smarts and potentials. Every day after school, Garfield would head to the labs were Rita worked with her co-workers…

 

Rita couldn't have ever been more proud of her Foster Son.

 

Garfield also had a very close girlfriend. Her name was Terra Markov, who was an average student below Garfield's level, and a somewhat unpopular girl…

 

They first met when Garfield was in grade nine, and he stuck up for her when she got picked on, and what she flunked in… he helped her study, and taught her how to overcome her obstacles.

 

Before they realized what had happened, the two had fallen in love. They went on many dates, each one was more fun, or more romantic than the last, and their relationship only grew strong and stronger… and now… here they were four years later.

 

So many dates… so deeply in love… and who knew how much greater it could get. They would be graduating soon, and even though Garfield had to work with Rita at the labs… he still was able to devote time to Terra, and even help her with her dream to become a geologist, scientist.

 

The two were at the lookout point that overlooked the whole city. “I can't believe this is actually happening…” she said to him. “I never thought I'd graduate, but I will… and it's all thanks to you, Garfield.”

 

He smiled at her, “You should be thanking yourself, Terra.” he said, “You did most of the work, I only helped so much.”

 

Terra still hugged him tight, “But you said I could do it… and you were right.” She whispered into his ear. Garfield felt all warm inside, and hugged his love back. They both turned as the watched the sun go down together… and began to wonder. “What would life be like if things were normal…?” he asked her. “I mean… look at the things we can do together with each other. The time we spend together…” he paused, “Terra… I think you and I should really take what we found and put it to good use.”

 

Terra blushed slightly, the way he was talking made her feel shy. “Well… it would be nice to have more dates with my boyfriend.” she said.

 

Garfield turned to her, and turned her to face him and he looked her deeply in the eyes. “Terra… that's not what I meant.” he said deeply. “I love you… and I think, we should forget about dating and… consider something a little more permanent.”

 

Terra suddenly felt something cold sliding onto her finger. She looked down, and her mouth slowly dropped open as tears began to form in her eyes. It was a golden ring with a diamond on top, and then came the words, “Terra Markov… when we're old enough… will you marry me?”

 

Terra said nothing for a moment, but then she responded. “Yes…! Yes I will…!” and she pulled him into a deep, passionate kiss. The more romantic one they had ever shared.

 

When the separated they made a promise, “After we graduate, and once we're eighteen at least, and we can work things out… It'll be just you and me, together.”

 

“Forever…” she added to his words.

 

…

 

Later that night… Garfield went home to his Apartment where he had lived with Rita for the past twelve years. She wasn't home at the moment as the first thing he saw was a note on the counter in the kitchen.

 

“Be home late. Veggies and Tofu in microwave… XXX: Mom. PS: Hope Terra said “Yes”

 

Garfield smiled, Rita was such a thoughtful woman, and as usual, she couldn't help but want to call herself his mom, though he would always address her by name.

 

Garfield was vegan. He strongly respected animals in all his years of researching them and how they made the world go round. How could he possibly eat meat? That would be disgraceful…

 

As Garfield ate his dinner, and did his homework and research to help Rita with her project; to study the hidden strengths that all humans had… how they happened, where they came from and all that stuff…

 

His eyes fell upon one of the pictures in the living room. The picture of him and his parents that was taken the day before they died…

 

A sudden feeling of sadness began to dwell within him again…

 

It was the same sadness that had plagued ever since that horrible day…

 

Not a day in his life went by that he didn't find himself thinking back to the accident, and trying to move the boat by himself and save his parents. Though he was unable to save them… he still felt that he could have, by why couldn't he have…?

 

Sometimes when he went to sleep, the nightmares would just plague him, and torture him in the night, and no matter what he tired… it just wouldn't let him go.

 

Just then, he felt a warm hand placed upon his shoulder. Garfield turned and saw his Foster mother looking at him with concerned eyes. “It wasn't your fault, honey.” She said, “It was an accident.”

 

Garfield sighed softly, “It may not have been my fault, Rita…” he said to her, “But then why does it feel like it…? And why does it… hurt so much.”

 

Rita hugged her foster son close, as he tried to hold in the sobs that tried to escape… he really didn't think it was brave for a boy his age to cry. It broke Rita's heart to see him like this… so upset, and so haunted.

 

It reminded her of how much she missed Steve… and how no matter how much it felt like it, Garfield was not really her son. Still… she vowed that she would always look out for him, and be there whenever he needed her most.

 

…

 

The next afternoon… Garfield was excused to leave school early. He had an important engagement to perform at the labs with Rita that day… and the school did allow him the time off seeing as how he was more than thirty chapters ahead of practically everyone.

 

Today, Rita was going to interview several of her patients who had been in accidents where they had suddenly gained super-strength to do near impossible tasks. Rita wanted Garfield there to get an opinion of what they were going to hear.

 

“So… you feeling up to this?” she asked him as they walked towards the building. Garfield nodded, “Maybe we'll finally get the breakthrough we've been searching for.” he said.

 

For years now, the lab had done countless numbers of tests, and tried to determine where this hidden-strength in the human body came from, Garfield was even involved in a few of the experiments.

 

If they could just figure out where it all came from, then perhaps they could find a way to control it, or tap into it by will…

 

So far… nothing had been determined.

 

Rita and Garfield went through the security checks before entering, “Dr. Rita Dayton, clear.”

 

“Garfield Logan; clear!”

 

Garfield thought it was amazing. “We're all these upgrades really necessary…?” he asked.

 

His Foster mother giggled softly as she put on her white-coat, and gave Garfield his V.I.P name-tag. “Garfield this lab's projects have become top-secret. We can't just have strangers barging in and getting their noses where they don't belong.”

 

She even showed him some of the new equipment they had received. It had all been upgraded. X-Ray chambers now could go from a-hundred-thousand, to one-million points of penetration…

 

“And look at this…”

 

A radio-activity chamber could now withstand rays and chemicals millions of times stronger than before.

 

Garfield noticed there were stripes of white tape on the equipment control panels with the new numbers written on the last ones at the end. “All this and we can't even get them printed…?” he joked.

 

Rita giggled, “Come on you nut. We have work to do.”

 

They sat in a quiet room where two of her patients were already seated and ready to begin; a mother and her eight year-old son, who seemed to have a large burn mark on his arm.

 

After the introductions, they sat down and began the interview…

 

Rita began chatting about her son's scars and burns. “They haven't seemed to heal so well, and they probably won't ever…” Dr. Rita said. “But they don't hurt do they…?”

 

The Son answered, “They sting a little, but not so much that I can't bare the pain.”

 

Garfield confirmed his study notes, “Well that's possible. In times that fatal injuries don't vanish the nervous-system tends to shut down in certain areas, and the cells fail to reconstruct.”

 

The mother and son were amazed that Garfield knew that much for a guy his age… and then Rita asked “Tell us what happened…?”

 

The mother explained what happened that day a year ago… she and her son went boating…

 

Garfield's eyes twitched, “Boating…?”

 

She nodded in response.

 

It was a beautiful day, but then suddenly… there was an accident. They had hit some unseen rocks and the boat crashed hard onto land upside-down. The boy was thrown clear, but the mother was trapped inside.

 

The Son explained that the boat had burst into flames, and his mother was trapped inside. The flames were spreading and the boat would soon explode if he didn't get her out soon.

 

Garfield began to realize how all so familiar that sounded…

 

The son continued to explain that he pounded on the doors, trying un-jam them. He just had to get his mother out… then he tried to tip the boat over, but it just wouldn't budge. He wanted to give up, but he just couldn't leave his mother to die like that.

 

He was panicking… screaming… growling with determination and anger! Then… IT HAPPENED… the boat began to move. He was actually tipping the boat over. Soon it was right side up and he got the doors un-jammed and just got past the flames, which burned him slightly, and freed his mother just in time before it all exploded.

 

…

 

Garfield began to have flashback of the boating accident that killed his parents and how he wasn't able to save them.

 

Rita could see the tension in his eyes was building up.

 

…

 

The mother kept going on saying, “My son actually had that strength… he saved me!”

 

Garfield couldn't bare this anymore and got up and left, “Garfield…!” Rita called. “Excuse me please…” she said to her patients.

 

She walked outside and found him standing on the bridge that overlooked the parking-lot. “Garfield…? I'm sorry you had to hear that…”

 

Garfield was so confused and frustrated. “He was seven years old when it happened, and yet he managed to actually lift a boat that size? It's not possible…! He somehow managed to tap into the hidden-strength and I couldn't.”

 

He held his head tight and pulled his hair slightly. Rita tried to calm him down, but it only made him more frustrated. “You heard them Rita…?” he replied. “That kid's story was exactly the same as mine. Every single detail. Except that his mother is alive, and both my parents are dead. All because I couldn't find the strength…!”

 

Rita knew that something like this was bound to happen, “If you don't want to keep going, you don't have too…” she said. “It's your choice.” But Garfield decided to suck it up and go back with her to hear more.

 

Over the next few days, Garfield was excused from school, and went to work at the labs. As he interviewed more people, Rita, as a physician examined the patients to try and come up with a solution to where the strengths they experienced came from.

 

Garfield spoke to loads of people…

 

One woman was trapped in a collapsing building, and she got trapped by a huge metal-beam. “And I just felt so angry… that… I actually bent it in two. I bent that steel beam in two with my own hands.”

 

One was a man who was trapped in a fire, and the emergency exit was jammed. “The door had to be about seven feet thick, and I kept on kicking at it before the fire could get at me.”

 

“I kept on kicking and kicking… and I grew angrier, and more determined to get out of there… and all of a sudden… I felt this big burst of energy, and I kicked that door right off and I was out.”

 

Many others all had the same boating accident, or car crash story that was similar to Garfield's accident year's back. The more he went over his research, and the more people he interviewed, the more frustrating it became.

 

“Rita… it just doesn't make sense!” he growled one morning while they were at home. “Somehow every single person we questioned about had tapped into that strength!”

 

Rita agreed with him. She had given physicals, X-rays, and even compared her studies to the genes, or the nervous systems, but she couldn't come up with anything. “We'll just have to keep on researching.” she simply said.

 

“Research…?” Garfield nearly snapped in frustration. “Rita… that's all we've ever done. We've research every possible detail over and over. But where does this strength come from?”

 

“What are we missing?”

 

“How does it all happen…?”

 

“WHAT IS THE COMMON DENOMINATOR…?”

 

“Garfield, Calm down!” Rita snapped at him. “I'm sorry I yelled, but you have to take it easy. We'll find the answer. I just know we will.”

 

Garfield finally settled down, and then he realized something. “Every person we interviewed all said the same thing.” He said, “They all said that they felt this strength while at the same time feeling very angry and stressed out.”

 

Rita never thought of that before, and then she realized, “We never looked into DNA yet.”

 

Realizing this, Rita decided to rush back to the lab to do some tests, but Garfield had to go to school that day. He was ahead of everyone, but he still had tests to take, not to mention Terra needed some help to study.

 

…

 

When Garfield got to school that day who stopped him at the doors but two of Terra's old friends, Jackie, a girl with freckles, and red hair, and Jillian, a black girl with dark hair. “Hey, Brat-Boy… we need to talk.” Jillian snapped.

 

Garfield just walked past them, “Sorry girls I don't have time for this. I got a biology test first period and a History exam after that.”

 

The pesky girls followed him, “Yo' we don't like you. In fact we hate you.” Jackie sneered, “But for once we need your help. Our dads want to interview you and your mom for the paper.”

 

Jackie and Jillian were two spoiled-rotten brats who cared more about their own selfish popularity than other people's feelings. Ever since Day one they had given Garfield a rough time because they didn't like the fact that he was a genius, and made them look bad… when the real reason was they were slacker students.

 

They also didn't like him more when he became infatuated with Terra, and seemingly turned her against them, when Terra really saw them for what they really were… a pair of morons.

 

Their fathers were both reporters for a newspaper. One that usually believed in UFO's and Swamp things, and all the paranormal stuff that Garfield never considered to be real without proof. “Sorry girls… not interested.”

 

The girls wouldn't take no for an answer, “Look just you and your mom give us a few minutes of your time, that's all.” Jillian said.

 

Garfield stopped, and turned to face them. “Dr. Dayton is my Foster mom, get it straight! All right?” he sneered, “And secondly, our research is very serious stuff, we can't be bothered by sappy reporters like your dads.”

 

The girls felt heart-struck the way he insulted their fathers, but before they could argue, Terra came up from behind, “Why don't you two do a favor and get lost?” she snapped at them.

 

Then she and Garfield walked off hand in hand, and the girls caught a glimpse of Terra's engagement ring. “Did you see that?” Jackie asked.

 

Jillian nodded, “Those two are getting hitched!” she almost yelled.

 

This was really harshing on their cool but they weren't willing to give up yet. Their dads wanted a story that would make the paper famous, and get them more popularity. So all throughout the day they spied on Garfield and Terra.

 

Even in the library when Terra asked, “Garfield, are you okay…?”

 

Garfield shook his head, “I don't know… I've just never been so incredibly aggravated in my life. If I don't get some answers to this problem soon I'm going to go absolutely nuts.”

 

Then he realized, “Oh man… listen to me, I must sound like a total psycho.”

 

His Fiancée shook her head, “You're not acting like a psycho…” she said as she gazed into his eyes, You're acting like a scientist. You keep experimenting and searching for results… I don't think I could be more proud to be with a guy like you.”

 

Garfield smiled, and kissed her on the lips. “Thanks… I needed that.”

 

…

 

Later that night, Jackie and Jillian followed Garfield to the labs, and they brought their fathers. They all tried once more to gain some time, but once again Garfield refused to give them any.

 

“You can't keep following me…” he said.

 

“Oh yes we can…” Jackie snapped.

 

“No you can't!” Garfield practically yelled, and he pointed to a sign, “Authorized personal only! Now Good day!” and he walked into the building, but all four of the nosey people weren't beaten yet.

 

…

 

When Garfield met up wit Rita, she had some fascinated news. “I was doing some research on people's DNA, and I found this…”

 

She showed him a picture of the DNA belonging to the boy who saved his mother from the boat. “Now watch when I zoom in…” and she showed him a section of chromosomes that were affected by the human-emotions. Garfield's eyes nearly bulged, “Holy cats…” he said, “It's Gamma rays… and Sunspots.”

 

Rita nodded, “You were right, Garfield.” she said. Then she showed him a recording of the DNA when the boy was angry, “The levels of radiation increase dramatically. That must be the cause of the where he got the strength from.”

 

She then showed a few more records from other patients and they all had the same results.

 

Garfield could barley believe this. “But wait…” he asked, “Then what's my story about…? I was just as angry as all those people when they tapped into this. So why didn't it work for me?”

 

That was when Rita began to look concerned, “I never studied yours yet…” she said, and she didn't have time to do that either, she had three important meetings to deal with at the conference in town, and she had to leave at once.

 

It was a good thing that the board trusted Garfield, and through the years of experiments, Garfield was familiar with the equipment in the labs. He had full permission to stay as long as he needed to figure what he wanted to know. “But don't you do anything too extreme without me.” Rita said, “And I expect you home before nine. I don't want you late again”

 

“Okay…” Garfield said acting like an angel. His Foster mother pecked him on the cheek. “I should be finished by eight, so if you need me you can call me on my cell-phone.” And she left.

 

…

 

For the rest of the evening, Garfield id x-rays on himself, and even took a few samples of his own blood. “Hmm…”

 

Then finally he scanned his own DNA, and when he compared his example to all the others the level of gamma rays from his sample was much lower. “How can that be…?”

 

He needed to try a few experiments…

 

So he tried lifting a huge heavy tank by himself, but to no avail. He even rescanned his DNA when he got angry while trying to lift it up, but level of radiation still hadn't changed as much.

 

He sat in Rita's office for an hour as it grew dark outside. Then suddenly he realized, the reason it wasn't working was because there no sunspots, or solar radiation within the building to move up the levels in his body.

 

Recalling his notes from all the interviews, all the victims, they were involved in heat from flames, or strong sunny-days that helped them out… but on the day that his parent's died… it grew cloudy, and the flames, though big were not as big as they would have been.

 

“Of course…!” he cried for joy, but nobody had heard him as pretty much almost everyone had gone home for the night, and he was practically alone.

 

Somehow, there had to be a way for him to increase the level of radiation in his body. Maybe it would unlock the secret of how to control the super-strength and summon it at will… but there was only one way that Garfield could actually test this theory.

 

It was well after eight at night, and he tried to call Rita up, but she never answered. He tired twice more, and still got no answer. He decided that he couldn't wait, and had to go at it alone.

 

He walked down the corridors, and all the way to a room with a sign that said, “Warning, Gamma Radiation Chambers.”

 

Garfield walked right in, and there it was. The Gamma-Injection-Machine; it was a large chair with many straps, and a sort-of laser gun poised at it.

 

To test his theory, Garfield was planning to bombard his body with gamma rays hoping that it would increase the level of radiation in his body and make him stronger instantly.

 

He stepped into the room before the chamber and began to set the controls. “Time to Event… 2 minutes should do it.”

 

Then he decided to turn the voltage-meter all the way up to “Three-hundred thousand volts. That should be more than enough…” but what he had forgotten was that the equipment, like all others according to Rita, had been upgraded… and there was no writing on the white tape which was where the pointer was aimed.

 

Whatever it was set for, it's wasn't three-hundred-thousand, but Garfield was too excited to care. So he started the countdown, and then quickly dashed into the chamber. He strapped himself tightly into the chair… and even strapped his head into a bracer.

 

Using the control panel on the arms of the chair, he positioned the chair into a comfortable position, and poised the gun so that it would aim directly at his skull, and find its way to his DNA.

 

The countdown ended, and the gun began to flare the beams of radiation at him. For one whole minute Garfield lay there as the ray hit him, but what he couldn't notice was, in the control room… the levels were climbing far past the hundred-thousands… and the “DANGER” light was flashing.

 

Then suddenly… it was over. The gun had powered down.

 

Garfield un-strapped himself and got up, but he didn't feel any different. His muscles weren't even any bigger. He tried to test what he thought was he new strength by lifting a huge heavy hallow crate, that normally required a fork-lifter… but he couldn't even budge it. Not even when he got angry… “Ahh… crash it all.” he said in disappointment.

 

Little did he realize that it wasn't really a loss, and something strange was happening to his DNA at that very moment…!

 

Then he checked the wall clock, and realized that it was nearly nine pm. “Shoot! I got to get home.”

 

He dashed out of the lab quickly, and even bumped his elbow on the way out. “Ow…!” but he locked up the lab and dashed for his car. That's right… he could drive…

 

But on the way home, a heavy storm began to pour down making it hard for him to see. “Terrific…!” he sneered, “What next…?”

 

POW…!

 

E got his answer as he felt his tire blow-out. “MAN…!” he shouted. Now he had to go outside… in the pouring rain, and try to fix it, because it was already half past nine, and he knew Rita wouldn't like this.

 

Due to the pouring-rain, the thunder flashing, and everything else that had gone wrong that day and back at the lab, Garfield was starting to really get angry! I struggled and growled to pull out the spare tire, and his tool kick.

 

In his haste, he ended up bashing himself in the mouth with the tire, dropped the tool kit onto his foot, and finding it hard to jack up the car with all that rain. He was completely drenched, but still he kept going. “Come on…!” growled.

 

Finally he could start taking off the tire bolts. He had just gotten off one bolt and he scrapped his knuckled on the pavement. “OUCH…! GRR…!” he ignored his injury and kept right on going.

 

And then… he slipped again, and his hand smacked down hard really hurting him. “AAAOW…! GAAAA-AAAH…!!”

 

Then… something inside him began to SPARK, and he began to feel really strange. His body began to throb in sheer anger and pain, and his eyes began to glow brightly.

 

Suddenly… his body began to grow, and bulge. It ripped right through his school uniform, and his skin began to get all furry. His hands and feet grew claws, and his face… his face had taken the shape a furious monster!

 

A very angry looking beats that growled and ROARED loudly as the thunder struck. The monster kicked the jack away, causing the card to slam down hard. Still growling, the creature began to wham its huge fists right into it denting the metal, and breaking the windows.

 

Finally… with his awesome muscles, the creature picked the car right up off the ground, up over its head, and tossed into the ravine below where it exploded.

 

Roaring and growling madly, the creature ran off into the dark and stormy night, leaving behind a few bits of broken glass, and tattered school clothes.

 

To Be Continued…!