The room Hal sat in exuded the air of an important person's private office—polished mahogany furniture, a deep red carpet, and dim lighting that cast long shadows against the walls. It was impersonal, devoid of any personal memorabilia, just the standard decorations one would expect in a place like this. No warmth. No sign of the person who occupied it.
Across from him, the woman he'd met earlier remained focused on her tablet, fingers gliding over the screen as she wrote something he couldn't see. The silence stretched between them, thick and deliberate.
Hal's gaze wandered. A security camera blinked in the corner of the room. Thick cables ran along the floor, disappearing into the walls, connecting to something beyond this space. His fingers twitched slightly against the armrest of his chair as his thoughts turned inward.
This situation—his situation—defied all logic. And yet, there was only one explanation that made sense for him.
Reincarnation.
It was absurd. Impossible. Yet, with the strange gaps in his memory, the unfamiliar setting, and the undeniable truth that he was still in his body—only younger—what else could it be? The more he tried to dismiss the idea, the more the puzzle pieces aligned in its favor.
A soft click echoed in the room as the woman finally set her tablet down. Her full attention was now on him.
"So," she said, her voice even and composed, "I suppose an introduction is in order. My name is Doctor Alia Gregor. I am the sole supervisor of this facility—the Milbury Rehabilitation Center. You may call me Doctor Gregor."
Hal arched a brow. "Rehabilitation center?"
Gregor's lips curved into a small, unreadable smile. "We house and guide young individuals who need a bit of... redirection. Preparing them for their future." She paused, studying him carefully. "Speaking of which, may I know your name? We attempted to retrieve your identity earlier, but it appears the government has no record of you. At all."
That detail should have unsettled him. Maybe it did. But at this point, nothing surprised him anymore. He glanced down at the carpet, then exhaled softly before answering.
"Hal. Hal Rayner."
Gregor nodded and made a note on her tablet. "And your age?"
Hal hesitated. He should know that, but the truth was, he didn't. He had no concrete reference. So, he picked a number that seemed reasonable.
"Sixteen."
"Alright…" Another note. Then, she lifted her gaze back to him. "Now, back to the matter at hand. When you woke up, I noticed that you looked like you remembered nothing. But that's not entirely true, is it? You know your name, your age…"
Hal met her eyes and shook his head. "That's all I know," he said smoothly, a lie. "Didn't even recognize my own face until I saw it in the mirror."
"I see." Doctor Gregor leaned back in her chair, tapping a few final notes into her tablet. "Well, Hal, I believe you might just fit in here. We can't return you to a family that doesn't exist—at least, not in any records. And beyond that…" She paused, eyes flickering toward him with something unreadable. "We detected something unusual in your body."
Hal stiffened. His fingers curled slightly against his lap.
Did his sickness carry over into this world too?
His voice came out tighter than he intended. "W-What do you mean?"
Gregor rested her elbows on the desk, fingers steepling together. "Do you remember how I said this facility houses young individuals that need redirection? Well, these young people are… special. In some ways, they've mutated beyond what we consider normal human biology—evolved, you might say. Some would even argue they're an entirely different species. Mutants."
A prickling unease crawled up Hal's spine. He narrowed his eyes. "What are you getting at?"
The doctor tilted her head slightly, as if gauging his reaction. "Do you know of heroes like the Avengers? Superpowered individuals—Thor with his lightning, Captain America and his super soldier serum, the Hulk's monstrous strength…"
His stomach twisted. His suspicions, already forming, solidified into something undeniable.
Hal schooled his expression into neutrality and lied. "Never heard of them."
Gregor merely smiled, unbothered by his answer. "Well, they possess extraordinary abilities—some through divine origins like Thor, others through science, like Captain America and The Hulk. But unlike them, the young people in this facility weren't granted their powers through experimentation or magic. They were born with them. Through a specific gene we call the X-gene." She let the words hang in the air before continuing, "This gene allows its carriers to develop abilities—unique from person to person, sometimes manifesting at birth, sometimes at puberty, sometimes much later in life."
Hal hummed, feigning thoughtfulness. "Why are you telling me all this?"
"Because, Hal," Gregor said smoothly, leaning in ever so slightly, "you have the X-gene too. We detected it when we brought you in for recovery."
A sharp exhale left Hal's lips. There it was—the confirmation he'd been waiting for.
A comic book universe. Marvel, to be exact. And he wasn't just in it—he was a mutant.
The real question was which Marvel universe this was.
Hal met Gregor's gaze, his mind racing. "Then… What can I do? My powers, I mean."
"That's what we don't know." Gregor shrugged. "We can detect the gene, but we have no way of identifying your abilities—only you can do that. Unfortunately, given your memory loss, that leaves us at a standstill. Which is why…" She folded her hands neatly on the desk. "You'll be staying here until we determine you're not a danger to society—or to yourself."
Hal scoffed. "And what exactly does that mean?"
Gregor's expression didn't waver. "Mutants can be unstable. If your abilities manifest without control, you could hurt yourself. Or worse, you could hurt a lot of people. This facility exists to prevent that."
"Do I have a choice in this?" Hal asked, his voice flat.
Gregor arched his brow. "And where exactly would you go if we let you leave? Become homeless?" She leaned back slightly, folding her arms. "A superpowered homeless person is the last thing the government wants, trust me. Besides, you're a minor. This is the best place for you."
Hal exhaled sharply. He wasn't convinced. This place felt off, there definitely was more to it than Gregor was letting on. But for now, he had no real options.
"Fine," he muttered.
His gaze dropped to his wrist, where the metal band still pulsed with a steady red light. "And this?" He lifted his arm slightly. "Can I take it off?"
Gregor shook her head. "I'm afraid not, Hal. That's a power dampener. For your safety—and mine." She tapped her tablet as if to emphasize the point. "Right now, it's inactive. That blinking light means it's in standby mode. But if it ever switches to a solid light, that means it's on—completely suppressing your abilities. We wouldn't want any… accidents, after all."
Hal frowned. "You said you were going to train me to control my power. Why give me this if you're just going to keep it locked down?"
Gregor gave a small, knowing smile. "I haven't turned it on, have I?" She tilted her head slightly. "Consider it a precaution. Nothing more. Well, the hours are quite late, let me take you to your room."
Then, without another word, she stood and walked toward the door. She pulled it open but stopped when she noticed Hal hadn't moved.
Her expression hardened. "Come on. It's not far from here."
Hal let out a quiet hum, then slowly stood. With one last glance around the office, he followed the doctor out.