DC: Zoom

"Oh my god, you have superpowers!" Charlotte squealed, jumping with excitement.

Jason, however, wasn't as thrilled. He flexed his fingers, his hands still tingling. "Yeah, well…" He clenched his fists. The energy surging through him didn't feel right—too much, too overwhelming. "It kind of hurts. Like it's more power than I can handle."

Charlotte rolled her eyes, sticking out her tongue. "Well, duh." She crossed her arms with a smirk. "You're only 14. You probably just need to grow into it."

Jason considered her words—she might be right. But the speed he saved his sister, his body should've been torn apart. The only explanation was that something, somehow, was protecting him from the laws of physics.

Is it my power? But why didn't I feel discomfort earlier? Maybe it was because I was using less of it… Jason wondered.

"Maybe this time, I'll try a different approach."

Instead of closing his eyes, he focused, calmly reaching for the power within him. Electricity surged through his body, crackling along his skin. But this time, there was no discomfort—only control.

He glanced at Charlotte, noticing her lips moving, but her words came out painfully slow, like a video stuck in slow motion.

His heart pounded with excitement. It's working.

Testing his speed, he bolted toward the backyard shed. But the moment he tried to stop, everything snapped back to normal. His momentum didn't slow—he crashed straight through the shed, leaving a gaping hole in its side.

"Jason!" Charlotte's voice cracked as she sprinted toward the gaping hole in the wall, her heart hammering.

A pained groan echoed from inside. "Fuck!"

She skidded to a stop, breathless, eyes darting over the wreckage. "Are you okay?"

Dust swirled in the air as Jason shifted, sprawled across the shed floor. With a wince, he lifted a shaky thumbs-up, a lopsided grin on his face. "Yep… totally fine."

"Mom and Dad are going to kill us—they just got the shed fixed," Charlotte muttered, her face scrunching with worry.

Then, a mischievous glint sparked in her eyes. She smirked, crossing her arms. "Well, technically, you broke it, so… good luck, big brother."

With a giggle, she spun on her heel and strolled away, leaving Jason groaning on the floor.

Jason pushed himself up from the floor, the ache in his body fading as he dusted himself off. His eyes drifted to the gaping hole in the shed, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.

I really need to get the hang of this… He stared down at his hands, flexing his fingers.

Then reality hit. How the hell am I gonna explain this to Mom and Dad? His mind raced, already imagining the conversation. Oh hey, remember that shed you just fixed? Yeah… I put a new hole in it.

He groaned, running a hand through his hair. Yep. I'm screwed.

Jason ended up grounded—no phone, no TV, no computer, he let out a long sigh. Still, he hadn't told his parents about his powers. Even he was smart enough to keep that secret. The last thing he wanted was to worry them.

Of course, he made Charlotte promise to keep quiet, and she agreed… but not without a price. Now, he was stuck doing her chores too.

As Jason scrubbed a plate, his mind drifted back to that feeling—the raw energy surging through him. So, it's about output…

He considered Charlotte's theory. His body was still growing—not just physically, but mentally. If this power protects me from the laws of physics, then maybe it's also protecting me from itself. That explains why he hadn't torn himself apart and why he barely felt any discomfort.

But then there was the pain. Sharp, fleeting agony whenever he pushed too hard. That surge of energy—it didn't feel like it was coming from within him. If not from me… then where?

His grip tightened around the sponge, his mind racing. He was missing something—he just didn't know what.

As Jackson rinsed the last dish, the sound of the TV caught his attention. His mother sat on the couch, eyes fixed on the screen as the President of the United States addressed the nation.

Drying his hands, Jackson walked over and sat beside her, listening closely.

"Today, I bring the people of America grave news," the President said, seated in the White House, his hands gripping the podium. "Congress has passed new regulations and laws. No longer will America stand by and allow individuals with abilities beyond comprehension to instill fear in your families, your children."

Jackson's stomach tightened as the President continued.

"These new laws will require those with abilities to register with the government. You will be treated like any other citizen, but with necessary precautions. STAR Labs has provided law enforcement with specialized equipment to disable your powers, and we have constructed secure facilities to contain you if necessary. From this day forward, no one shall use their abilities in public. No one shall use them to inflict harm."

The President's words weighed heavily on Jackson, each sentence tightening around him like an invisible grip.

"And finally," the President continued, "you will be classified as Meta-Humans. The government has plans to recruit men and women with abilities for service—to stand against those who use their gifts for evil and criminal acts."

Jackson clenched his fists, his mind racing. Service? That didn't sound like a choice.

As the speech ended, Jason's mind raced. If someone refuses to register and gets caught… they'll be thrown in prison.

His jaw tightened. Yeah, not happening.

He didn't trust the government—never had. Too much greed, too many lies. They weren't looking out for people like him. They were looking for control.