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Chapter XI: The Three Bears

"So," Gnoll said, as he propped up his leg on the side of Shark Tamer's console while absently chewing loudly on an apple.

The news was playing on the geneticists broad screens. In the dark room, the scenes of destruction caused by Kodiak were being highlighted. Honey Bear and Gummy Bear were being branded as misguided heroes. It seemed that the story concocted by Gabriel about him being born a panda and his offspring was made into truth. The two were being seen as victims of Kodiak's machinations and it was Kodiak who was being branded as the true villain behind the Ursa strain.

It was clever.

"An irreversible coma, huh?" Gnoll continued. "Kind of convenient, don't you think?" He giggled and pointed a finger at Shark Tamer. "Are you sure you didn't specifically construct that power for him?"

Shark Tamer, grinning broadly from ear to ear, shook his head. "I have yet been able to isolate the gene or supernatural power to grant specific superpowers. It was purely random. I have been able to isolate baseline superpowers and we have built the foundation to creating true supers but granting specific powers..." He sighed theatrically and shook his head. "Sadly, that is not yet within our capabilities. But I feel that the keys have already been set before us."

"Gabriel did do as he was told." He took another bite from the apple. "_Reacher_is being seized by the FBI now. He spilled to them that we wanted it taken down and now the government is bailing it out. Of course the FBI is closely monitoring it and most of its assets are now under FBI jurisdiction but..." He grinned broadly at Shark Tamer. "... That was all according to your plan, wasn't it?"

Shark Tamer's grin never came back and the mad scientist was strangely pensive.

The sudden change in the geneticist's mood gave Gnoll reason to worry. "Wasn't it?" he asked, lowered his feet.

"One of the possibilities I have explored in the source of all superpowers is that, perhaps, there is some great deity who decides what powers people get." Shark Tamer locked gazes with Gnoll, his eyes filled with intense thought. "It is not beyond the gods to enchant a mortal with powers. What those powers are may be up to fate. Alternatively, it could be of their own design." The man tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Do you know that before the Ursa Strain began, Chimera gave me a box with instructions_not_ to open it until the threat of Gabriel Ramos was eliminated."

Gnoll rolled his eyes and waved his paws in the air theatrically. "Oooh! Let me guess. He put some prophetic stuff in there that has come true. Come on. It's only been less than a month. Any idiot could've seen that Gabriel was going to betray us."

Shark Tamer gave him a narrowed gaze. "Not at the beginning of his activation, Gnoll. At the beginning of the Ursa Strain. As in when I first approached him. Three years ago."

What mirth and mockery they hyena had faded. "Oh... What was in it?"

"Just one note," answered Shark Tamer, his gaze turning back towards his screens. "Unlike you, I know why he wanted Reacher taken down. However, I do not know why he allows Dragon Knight to keep his harem. Nor do I even know what Wendigo or Spider Queen are truly doing during all this. But I cannot shake the feeling that we are mere pawns to him and that we are merely playing to his designs. That he is God and these powers, these bodies, these paths we walk are all according to what he wants."

Gnoll eyed Shark Tamer warily. "You've never shown any doubt in him before. You love the fact that you're performing experiments for him. All in the pursuit of knowledge, right?"

"What use is knowledge when you already know the answer?" countered Shark Tamer. "He is the master and we are the asses following him blindly as he dangles a carrot in front of us." He narrowed his gaze at the screens. "I want to know what he knows. But it irks me that he taunts me so. That serum that I developed to grant Leonard superpowers was derived from my own research. Independent of Chimera's abilities which the rest are based upon. However, in the box, the note simply said, 'I knew you were going to open this two days early'."

"You didn't...?"

"I did." Shark Tamer's eyes fell on his keyboard. "I thought I was making leaps and bounds with my genius. I thought I had cracked the code to making supers and granting the genetic perfection that we all seek. But given this new information, is it not plausible that Chimera already knows how to obtain it but he refuses to share it with us?"

"I suppose..." Gnoll murmured. "But I think it's just like he said before; you've got to earn your powers, grow into them. You can't just be given them. If you were given the answers straight away, how would you feel? Would you feel accomplished? Would you actually learn anything? Would you know how to even use that knowledge?"

A soft hum of acknowledgement escaped the geneticist. "You make a valid point." His lips split into a grin again. "You've been spending too much time with that goody-goody Caleb Hale."

Gnoll shrugged absently. "It's not that. It's just common sense." He leapt off his seat and tossed the apple core over his shoulder, sending it off into the abyss. "There's going to be big, powerful guys trying to control our lives all the time. Government officials are going to try to change policies, people with superpowers will try to make our lives theirs and hell, even the gods tell us what to eat, drink and who to sleep with." With a theatrical shrug, he said, "I say, just have fun with it. You ultimately still get to choose how you live and how you die. Just do whatever makes you happy."

He gave Shark Tamer a light punch on the shoulder. "And if fucking with people's heads and watching them squirm is what makes you happy, I don't see any reason to stop."

Shark Tamer chuckled. "Sound advice." His gaze lifted towards the news being displayed on screen. "All according to plan. Whose plan? Does it really matter? I'm enjoying myself too much. Thank you, Gnoll."

"Anytime."

Gnoll turned and walked down the wide pathway that hovered precariously over a seemingly bottomless pit. Shark Tamer's console placed in a large alcove dug into a large stalactite, making for a rather dramatic villain's nest. The idea just made Gnoll chuckle as he moved down the path and left the geneticist to his thoughts and experiments.

When the large, metal door shut behind him, separating him from Shark Tamer once and for all, a larger hyena looked up from where he was leaning against the wall. Mike Swayne unfolded his big, muscular arms and wrapped them around Gnoll tenderly.

"How'd it go?" rumbled Alex Connery's mate.

"Just as bad as expected," Alex rumbled. "A father torn from his sons after a brief reunion, two sons separated from their father who turned the world upside down just to get them back and a kid blinded by jealousy and lust for power blamed for shit he doesn't even understand." He shook his head. "Fuck... I wish there was something I could have done..."

"Starting to have doubts?"

He smiled up at Swayne. "Doesn't help that you keep bringing it up."

Swayne shrugged and gently kissed his forehead, having to lean down slightly. "Look, I know what Chimera wants. So do you. That's why we agreed to this. How Shark Tamer does things, how Spider Queen manipulates people... It doesn't matter."

"But Chimera knew it would happen. I just know he does. It bugs me that he lets it happen."

A third voice, one that sent chills down their spines, made them both freeze. "There is a difference between letting something happen and choosing not to interfere for a specific purpose."

They both spun.

The shadowy silhouette of Chimera loomed before them, his one blue eye shining through the darkness.

"Erm... Chimera..." Gnoll began, letting out a nervous laugh. "How have you been?"

"Pensive," answered the leader of the Gene Stealers. "Why do you think I demonstrated my abilities to you all and turned Zigzag Zapper into the raving beast that he is?"

"To prove to us once and for all that we're actually working towards something?" Alex offered meekly, ears folded back.

"No. Shark Tamer was right. I do know the solution to my 'problem'. I just choose not to disclose it. Why? Because you too are right. The world is not ready for my power. They must earn it. Should I skip to the end of my plan, it will not turn out well for all of us. No..." Chimera shook his head. "I turned Zigzag Zapper into the monster that he was as a warning to Arsenal. Now they know that supers can become infected.

"Do you think Spider Queen let Zapper out of Dragon Knight's Menagerie without instruction? No. Arsenal didn't pick up the hint the first time Zapper was released so I needed to make another demonstration. Who do you think helped Zapper regain his sanity? It was I."

"I thought that was Dragon Knight," Mike murmured.

"He tries. He sometimes succeeds. But I am ultimately the one that brought Zigzag Zapper back to some level of sanity."

Alex opened his muzzle to question but Chimera continued.

"Why do you think Shark Tamer can't just create more Originals of the same strain? Would it not make sense, perhaps even on a global scale, to have more than one Ursa? More than one Gnoll or Minos? We knew of Minos' betrayal. Why could we not have infected someone else? We have a long list of candidates. Why not merely replace him and dispose of him as we disposed of Ursa? Why let him continue his pitiful ploy at raising awareness against us?"

"Erm..."

"Because I give Shark Tamer the Original Strains. He does not create them. I give him a set amount. No more, no less. Any more than the set number of Originals and we will have anarchy." From within the darkness of his silhouette, Chimera lifted up an arm and pointed a finger towards Gnoll. "I gave Shark Tamer three Original Strains because I had hoped Gabriel would do as he planned, give the serum to Caleb Hale and flee."

Mike's brow furrowed. "You wanted Gabriel to go free with his sons?"

"There is a reason why I silo your knowledge along with the others. Part of evolution and indeed the base desire of all people is to make their own path. You cannot help but question if what you are doing is right." Chimera's eye fell on Gnoll and the young Gene Stealer hugged Mike all the tighter. "I have no qualms with you leaving. If you so desire it, I will not stop you. You will have to deal with Shark Tamer and the others but I will not raise a finger against it. Nor will I raise a finger for it. As far as I can see it, even should you betray us, it will not matter. Your knowledge is limited. The damage you can do is limited. Your value is priceless but the risk you hold is limited."

"So... if we wanted to walk...?" Alex began.

"You'd be free to go. But the other Gene Stealers may take offense and you would have to deal with their retaliation."

"And you won't help us?" growled Swayne. "Just like you didn't do anything to save Gabriel? Why not?"

"Because my role in this is still at the barest minimum. As I said, if I skip to the end, it will be catastrophic." Chimera's eye levelled at Swayne. "And I have done much to aid Gabriel. As I said, I gave him the Original Serums. It was I who proposed him as a candidate three years ago. It was I who directed his attacks. He could have lived comfortably. But regardless of my machinations, I cannot control everything. All I can do is adapt. Evolve."

Swayne shook his head angrily. "It still isn't right. You don't care about us!"

Whoosh!

Big, black wings spread out from Chimera's back, sending black feathers at the two. "That is a dangerous assumption to make." Those wings folded back slowly. "However, if you think I do not care about you, then perhaps _this_will prove to you otherwise."

Chimera, shadowy leader of the Gene Stealers, stepped forward. For the first time since Gnoll had met him, Chimera's features were visible.

And the hyena's eyes went wide in horror. Swayne hugged him tightly.

"Oh my god..." Gnoll murmured.

"Now then..." Chimera said, his one good eye narrowing. "Your mission is complete. How about another?"

******

Lenny stood quietly as he was escorted down the ramp to the Earth-Luna Portal. Usually used for commercial traffic between Earth and its moon, today, the large archway glimmering with green energies was reserved especially for escorting him to a lunar facility. Judgement had been passed on him and he was not going to be shown any mercy. No extravagant prison. No, he was going to be sent to the moon where he'd be transported to some distant prison facility, cryogenically frozen and then shot into space to who knows where.

Nothing short of what a supervillain deserved.

He let out a gruff laugh through the thick, metal plates that were wrapped around his muzzle. Though allowed to breathe, it made talking nearly impossible. The anti-super manacles wrapped around his wrists prevented him from even using his enormous strength to break free. Even though he was still bigger than the men and furs escorting him, he was as weak as a cub.

And that sickened him.

Weak... Once again, he was weak. Only this time, there was no one he could rely on.

But why should he rely on anyone?

Relying on people only led to him getting hurt.

He relied on his parents and they threw him out.

He relied on Gabe and he was betrayed.

He relied on the Gene Stealers and they made him a freak.

There was no one he could rely on but himself.

It was with some bitterness that he remembered Gabe's last gift to him. Apparently, the panda could enhance the qualities of anything he touched. Somehow, those powers had been used to stabilise Lenny's body somewhat. He was no longer constantly writing in pain, his body was no longer constantly tearing itself apart... Well, that is if he didn't exert himself. When he was captured, he tried breaking free of the anti-super cell he was given. After a while, the pain returned and he was thrown back to the ground, waiting for his bubbling flesh to abate.

It was a curse more than a blessing. Gabe had given him a taste of power but a price.

"Fuck Gabe..." he growled softly. "Glad he'd dead..."

His eyes lifted towards the portal, heavily guarded of course. No one was taking any risks with him. For a moment, he glanced through the crowd of marines and gathered supers who were overlooking the ceremony. Arsenal was not present. How he wanted for them to be there just so that he could give them that one, last, deadly look to tell them that he would be back.

Supervillains always came back, after all.

He huffed loudly as they came to a halt in front of the shimmering, green portal. In a few hours, he'd be frozen and then he would sleep. Maybe forever. Ironic considering he had the power to make people go to sleep with a single punch.

Did he have any regrets though?

No.

What did Caleb Hale tell him? Use regret to make yourself stronger? Well, he was going to do just that. One day, he'd be back. One day, he'd show Hale and McLeod.

He'd be back.

He stepped through the portal with his escort, eyes burning with fury.

For a moment, he didn't actually register where he had emerged into. It certainly didn't look like the enormous, domed city of a moon base. The air wasn't so artificial that it stung his nostrils. It actually smelled fresh. Even a faint hint of pine in the air. He was in a big, broad chamber, circular in fashion and the portal behind him was just a simple, small ring just big enough to fit him not the fifty foot arch that he had passed through.

The soldiers that had escorted him all split away in an orderly fashion, surrounding an important looking dark-skinned man in a military uniform. Escorting the man were two, enormous bull furs, each of them wearing an impressive amount of tattoos. Though the two guys were dressed in the typical green shirt of a military man and camouflaged pants there was no mistaking them.

"Spit Roast... Bullhorn..." His brow furrowed as two of the soldiers moved to remove the muzzle from him. "I thought you were...?"

"Subject to the same fate you were?" answered the general with a sickeningly benign smile. "My two associates here have kindly joined the US military on a little project and thus pardoned for their previous crimes." The man placed a hand against his chest. "First of all, let me introduce myself. I am General Vernon Washington."

"Yeah? And?" growled Lenny.

"I have been put in charge of an initiative to not only study the powers that these Gene Stealers impart upon people but also to utilise it to once again make this great nation of ours the leading superpower in the world." Washington smiled at Lenny. "Spit Roast and Bullhorn have agreed to assist, changing some of this nation's best and finest into the most powerful weapons this world has ever seen." He turned and waved for Lenny to follow.

The two bulls immediately marched towards Lenny, seizing his manacled arms and pulling him across the chamber. All three had to slouch slightly in the cramped hallway that followed and it became impossible for anyone coming in the opposite direction to pass so they had to wait patiently while the three, massive furs passed.

Washington stopped in front of a large window and nodded towards the vista beyond. "This is Camp Genesis."

Beyond the window, Lenny could see a vast, desert landscape. It looked like they were in the Arizona desert. An_enormous_ hole had been dug into the ground, countless facilities built into the sides and with dozens of interlocking metal bridges connecting one side of the hole to the other. It looked like the pit went on forever. His eyes were drawn to the facility in the immediate proximity of the window. A large, square training yard was filled with massive, muscular bovine furs, almost as big as Spit Roast and Bullhorn, all training hard with weaponry or their own brute supernatural strength.

"What the...?"

"We've allowed our two patriots to transform volunteers into members of the Minos Strain," Washington continued. "They train day in day out, growing stronger and more accustomed to their new forms. Some have even developed powers that mirror our two friends."

"He's saying we get to fuck some hot marine ass and watch them change around our cock," grunted Bullhorn with a grin. "And man, are those marines horny fuckers! Never a dull night!"

Lenny snarled at the guy. "That's disgusting."

"Don't knock it until you try it!" laughed Spit Roast. "You'll be getting a hell of a lot of ass and cock here!" He squeezed Lenny's rump, making the bear jump a little. "Yeah, can't wait to get my cock in that."

"Please," Washington said, lifting his hand to indicate silence. "Let's not jump straight to the best part. We're making a sales pitch here."

Lenny snarled at the man. "If you think endless amounts of sex will seduce me..."

"There's sex, your own personal living quarters here on the base, a military stipend, your needs provided for you and..." Washington grinned broadly. "Vengeance against Arsenal."

Now that just confused Lenny and his brow furrowed. "What have you got against Arsenal? As far as I see it, they're providing you with new strains."

"Oh they are." Washington nodded sagely. "Sadly, they are rogues. Renegades. As are established supers. They are not within military jurisdiction. They cause billions of dollars' worth of devastation with each supervillain attack and get to walk away with their heads held high. The military does that and we're_the bad guys. Complacency and reliance on supers and now _Outsiders have caused the military to become soft and obsolete. How can we truly trust men and women with the defence of our nation when they have no loyalty to it whatsoever?"

Washington shook his head. "And Arsenal is the worst of them all. They are cavorting with supervillains! Blood Wolf! Their handler, Bren, is a former FBI agent and in my book, that makes him a traitor." He made a slicing gesture, pressing his hand against his wrist. "If we are ever to make the US military the pride and joy of the country, to make it the sole line of defence against villains, opposing superpowers, alien invasions and whatever else may come our way, we need to do two things."

He lifted to fingers. "One, make the military strong again by any means necessary. And two, get rid of all established supers and Outsider groups."

Lenny's eyes narrowed. "What about all those supervillains then? Who will keep them in check?"

There, Washington grinned. "Well, that's the joy of your situation, isn't it? You're an Original according to all reports. That means you can create lieutenants with powers of their own. You can create an army of soldiers loyal to the US military and each of them will be at the same level as any super."

He held out his hand. "So what do you say, son? Can we count on you to help us? For Uncle Sam?"

Lenny grinned broadly. "I have one condition."

"Name it."

"I get Weapons Master."

******

Richard Hammerstein, AKA Grizzly, regarded his newest abode; a large mountainside home in the Californian hills. It was a gated community but that was exactly what Shark Tamer wanted. He lowered his bag next to the broad entrance while his sons began unpacking what meagre belongings they had from the truck. After they had changed, it wasn't like they could just go back home and fetch their old things. But with all the money that Shark Tamer had given them, it was easy to replace what they had lost.

After all, they had a new life now.

And a new mission.

Back to being a human for now, he moved into the house, enjoying the cooling touch of the floorboards against his bare feet. It still felt odd no having padded feet or carrying a massive, muscled weight around. Being a small - in comparison - human felt so alien to him now. He was a bear and putting on what he considered his disguise made him feel uncomfortable.

Plus it had been a long ride from West California Island now that only one bridge was usable. Hours of traffic had tempted him to just transform, rampage across the bridge and get onto the Californian mainland as soon as possible. But that would blow their cover. It didn't help that Odin and Othello grew bored in the back and constantly made out, enjoying slowly letting their ursine sides slip and then forcing them back. Richard likened it to sticking his cock into an ass - a practice he had performed continuously with his sons - a moment of pure, unrivalled pleasure before pulling out and building that anticipation before pushing back in and feeling that tight ring of flesh around his sensitive member.

He shook his head free of the thought, adjusting himself at the thought of being with his sons again. He knew what he'd be doing straight after they finished unpacking. Well... perhaps 'straight' wasn't the right term.

Not that there was a lot to unpack.

The house came furnished, a reward for 'services rendered' according to Shark Tamer. The broad, open plan house had very few walls. It had three storeys with the 'upper' floor being on the level of the road. By far the biggest of the floors, it contained the broad lounge, kitchen and entertainment rooms. All had big, floor to ceiling windows that displayed the vast Californian city of Lincoln Mounts, facing west for the sunset and the ocean. In the distance was the faint, black smudge that was West California Island. Naturally, all the furniture was for large furs. Extra big couches, extra big chairs, big pots and pans and wider stairs for them.

Speaking of the stairs Richard made his way down the broad flight of stairs to the second floor which housed the three bedrooms and a 'common room' which had a big holographic projector for entertainment and a big enough space for a dance floor. This was a house built for partying. He never considered himself the party going kind of person but just the thought of dozens of Californian socialites bumping and grinding while their bodies packed on the muscles and their hormones took over until the entire house was consumed by the orgy of bears... it made him drool.

He wiped his lips with the back of his big hairy hand and moved to each of the different rooms. Naturally, the master bedroom was bigger than the others. It was no surprise that it had a fur king sized bed built just for himself and his two sons in their ursine forms doing their own 'bumping' and 'grinding'. He absently kicked the frame and heard resounding clang of its reinforced structure. Shark Tamer thought of everything. Odin and Othello's rooms likely wouldn't see much use but it was nice to see it all neatly organised. The shelves, drawers and walking closets were all empty but they would see use soon enough. The master bedroom had a large en suite complete with a walk in shower. Odin and Othello only had one bathroom to share but there was another one on the first floor if they grew desperate for a bath. Though from what he saw of his sons, they liked their men musky.

Richard headed down to the third and lowest floor, the one that was most embedded into the hillside. The smallest of the floors, it just contained a large sitting room with chairs turned towards the floor-to-ceiling windows and the adjacent balcony area. Beyond the glass doors, was the large pool and the Jacuzzi. There was room enough for both and much more.

He sat down on one of the big, comfortable seats and let out a contented sigh. In front of him, on the coffee table, were three separate folders. Each of them contained their new identities. A quick leaf through and he learned his new name was Richard 'Dick' Albrecht. His sons were Matthew AKA 'Matt' and Maximillian otherwise known as 'Max' There was something about the thought of crying out his sons' nicknames during their heated love making that stirred his cock.

"Down boy," he laughed softly, glancing at the tent in his pants. The temptation to change was growing and it took most of his will to turn back to the dossiers and continue reading.

As a rich socialite from the east coast, he had moved to California after the housing prices dropped dramatically with the recent turmoil of the Gene Stealers. He and his sons were daredevils, not afraid of anything. They loved the outdoors and they got a hard on from extreme sports. Admittedly, he had always been cautious about skydiving, off-road mountain biking or rock climbing but with his new near-indestructible body, he couldn't wait to do all those things that he had never gotten to do because he had been a scared, introverted pussy. He hated to admit it but he wanted to be more like his ex-wife and just be out there. And he'd get to be that guy with his sons too!

When they weren't out tempting fate, Richard and his sons were hosting parties and enjoying life as a whole, at least according to the dossier. Matthew - AKA Othello - was extremely social and quite the frat boy. Enrolled in the local university, he joined the Beta Epsilon Rho fraternity and was studying economics. He was still a family man though and from all appearances, he was encouraged to bring as many of his frat mates to his house as much as possible.

Spreading the Ursa Strain to fraternity kids? The thought caused Richard to buck his hips involuntarily. He wasn't fighting it anymore. One hand was leafing through Odin's new persona while the other was shamelessly folding the tent in his pants.

Odin would now be known as Max and he would remain the quiet one. He would stay at home with his dad, working out in the two storey garage. Apparently, there was a gym on the bottom floor of the garage. Thinking about him and his son 'working out' made him moan. At least he wouldn't be alone in his life as a socialite.

Richard let out a low growl, feeling the change slowly creeping up from his crotch and taking over. It was so hard to resist when he was hard. He decided to fuck it all and threw aside the dossiers, making a note to read them later. One hand slipping down his pants, he griped his raging hard on, enjoying the feeling of blood pumping through his thick member and how each throbbing pulsation brought more and more of the growth. A loud groan rolled up from his throat, his pitch rapidly dropping as his neck thickened, strong veins thickening to supply the bulging muscles that were quickly pushing the limits of his shirt and remnants of his pants.

In his arousal, he barely managed to register the tightness of his clothes but like everything else, he decided to fuck it because he just loved it when his big, brutish form burst free of the constraints of clothing. He spread out his legs across the chair, grunting loudly as his balls began balloon out, pushing up against the limits of his pants. He rested his big feet up on the coffee table, grinning to himself while he watched his toes start to thicken. Thick strands of hair on the back of his feet back to grow, spreading all over his flesh. The bones grew, stretching the muscles. He loved that sensation, loved the feeling of bursting out of his human form. He groaned loudly when his big, bear feet fully emerged. Their weight felt so familiar and now there was no stopping the change.

Like his feet sensed his need and desire to change, the started pulling further and further away from his body, stretching his legs as the thick fur began crawling up his legs. Where the fur passed, muscles grew. Richard was constantly rolling his ankles, getting the blood pumping all throughout his legs. His jeans stretched, riding up his calves until they became stuck halfway, unable to pass further up as they became trapped by the thick watermelons of muscle. With nowhere to go, they just gave up, tearing down the seams to reveal his huge, calves covered in his fur. His thighs burst out of the remainder of his pants, like a caterpillar bursting from its cocoon. Thick brown fur could do nothing to hide the rippling muscles that covered his legs, ever line and chord of muscle defined clearly in the sunlight that streamed through the windows.

Now came the best part.

Richard pulled his hands away from his cock, tongue rolling out as he panted and watched his cock change. His balls finally got the space they needed to expand and flop on the couch as large as coconuts. The touch of the warm sofa against his fuzzy sack made him buck his hips. A surge of power erupted from his cock, precum pouring out of the thick tip and all over his chest and soaking into his the fabric of his stretched shirt.

"Daddy, are you down here?"

He growled in irritation as his eyes were pulled away from his thickening, faucet like cock. Feeling his member fill with blood, the rush of his human cock disappearing into an ursine one and the bestial lust to stuff it into something taking over... It was his ambrosia. To have it interrupted pissed him off. But having Odin - no, Max - call him 'Daddy'... it more than made up for it.

"Come here, son," growled Richard, stroking his still-growing ten inch member. "Daddy needs you."

Max grinned broadly and he eagerly bounded over. His normally introverted, silent son never showed so much energy than at the prospect of sex. Each step he took, his body bulked up. Just three steps into the room and he was shredding his clothes with power, clawed paws. By the time he reached Richard and knelt down in front of him, the boy's body had tripled in size. Over the past few weeks, he had really grown, filling Richard with pride. He was the biggest of the three and he was goddamn sexy to boot. Not an ounce of muscle on his huge, vascular frame. And he loved how his son worshiped his cock.

Max dove straight for Richard's cock, his human tongue lengthening and flattening with every lap along the sensitive, pink flesh. The warming sensation of having his son's lips touch his cock brought on the temptations of another more intimate, carnal act that they could partake in. These lewd thoughts filled his mind and the restraint he had put on himself, slowing the change went out the proverbial window.

His torso followed the path of his legs, blossoming with new muscle. Every abdominal muscle became thick and big, almost pushing his belly button into non-existence between their enormous folds. He had to grip the back of Max's head just to keep his bearings as his torso stretched upwards, expanding and lengthening at the same time. He almost lost sight of his sons as pectorals bloomed past his shirt, tearing through them just the way he liked it with his erect, nipples first. The resounding rip of fabric was accompanies by the rush of his fur covering his chest.

An answering growl met him as he felt Max's muzzle wrap around his dick, the heat of his son's breath making him shiver and squirt more and more of his cum deep into his son's throat. He arched his back, head hanging over the side of the couch. He caught sight of Othello - Matt - hover over him, thick cock already changed and the boy halfway into his own transformation.

"Thought you'd break in the new house without me, guys?" grunted his horny son.

"Shut up and give me your cock," Richard growled, seizing his son's thick, vascular member and pulling it into his mouth. The touch of that hot rod kick started the change in his own facial features. The more of Matt's precum he drank, the longer it took to travel down his throat as his neck thickened and lengthened to match his deepening voice. His lips pulled further and further from his face, forming the long ursine muzzle that was just made for sucking big, thick dicks. It saddened him a little that he couldn't get all of Matt's cock in him. The kid had the biggest dick of the family and while it made him jealous, he just loved seeing his son erect.

He bucked his hips. Max mumbled some discomfort from the act. Richard loved his sons and would never do anything to hurt them. At least not willingly. He wrapped his legs around his son's big, broad shoulders, pulling Max closer and swaddling the boy in his muscular thighs. Loving the closeness with his father, Max wrapped his big paws around his father's legs, cuddling them for comfort while he eagerly drunk from his father's throbbing dick.

"Aww, fuck Daddy, you suck dick good..." grunted Matt, his vocabulary slowly slipping as the primal beast. It was something he observed in his sons. As they changed, the grew more and more... primitive. It wasn't a good thing. Their mental faculties were still greater than most people but most of the time, they spent more time grunting and snarling than actually talking.

Then again, most of the times when they were bears was when the three of them were fucking each other.

He felt a sudden, strange sensation against his ass and his eyes peeled open in shock. The thick finger pressing into his ass was alien but at the same time, the warmth radiating from it had him yearning for more. He voluntarily pulled away from Matt's cock, letting out a loud moan. When he felt Max pull away from his cock, he let out a soft growl.

"Daddy likes," grunted his son. "Likes it up ass..."

Richard had never had his anal virginity taken before and he could think of no time better than the present in their new lives. He lifted his legs as far as they would go, offering his ass to his son. He felt Matt's eyes widen as Max got up and angled his thick cock straight into his father's ass. Warm splashes of precum coated Richard's ass, the warmth of the touch making the older bear pant in lust.

He winced when that first inch pushed into him. There was pain at first but as he kept telling his sons when he mounted them, he relaxed. Another inch pushed into him, filling him with a warmth deep inside that he could simply not compare. And he wanted more. Sensing his desire, Max suddenly seized Richard's waist and yanked him off the chair with his might. Being a massive bear himself, that was no easy feat but Max was up to the challenge. He hoisted his father into the air, the bigger bear wrapping his enormous arms wrap around Richard's waist, holding him steady and letting gravity do the work to spear this father on his throbbing cock.

Still, given the weight, Max began to grow unbalanced and as he staggered, Matt came to his rescue. Richard felt his youngest son press his ripped body against back. Matt's own cock pushed up against Richard's ass already stuffed with Max's cock. Despite already feeling somewhat stuffed, Richard wanted nothing more than for both his sons to be in him.

He became vaguely aware of the spikes along his back starting to emerge and remembered where Matt was positioned. A barely audible grunt of warning was all he could manage. His sons still took to his meaning and the two began shuffling around. Max began swivelling around to flank Richard, gripping one leg while Matt did the same, keeping their father stable and up with their combined strength. With Matt's cock still in him, Richard was in heaven while the boys readjusted themselves. He felt himself loosening up with the movement, giving enough room for Matt's giant cock to slip in right next to his brother's.

Both boys groaned. Richard instinctively squeezed down on the twin members penetrating him, pushing the two dicks against one another. He could _feel_their heartbeats through their cocks. He was also feeling strangely full as more and more of their precum began pouring into him. He joined in their groans. Precum poured out of the miniscule gaps between the twin rods, soaking into his fur and dripping on the floor.

Gravity took hold to him as the boys gave in to their pleasure. Richard sank down his sons' cocks, feeling the base of their members and their balls bounce against his ass. Lost in the lust, Richard bent to his right, locking lips with Matt, their lips clashing together in mad passion. Max wasn't to be left alone and he gave his father's nipple a quick twist to tell the older bear that he needed some attention. Richard complied, turning away from a growly Matt and pushed his lips against Max's, his own paws twisting Max's nipples just to give the younger bear a quick thrust that drove Richard wild.

The bears grunted, Richard constantly being driven back and forth between his hot and panting sons. The constant grinding of their members driving into him with the force of a jackhammer kept him constantly edging closer and closer to orgasm. His moans grew louder and louder, barely able to support himself on his sons alone. He was no longer fighting it. He gave himself entirely to the pleasure and with one, last triumphant cry...

"Aw fuck!"

The pristine, clean glass windows that looked out into the Californian mainland, just a few metres away from the crystal clear waters of the pool... suddenly got covered in semen. Two, three, four and a fifth caused the window plane to shudder and shiver, quaking in place as the bears' roars. Hot semen pumped into Richard from his two sons. The eldest of the bears grit his fangs together with every blast of seed from his boys filling him to the brim. On some level, he imagined that very seed pushing into him, filling him until all he could do was shoot it straight out of his own cock.

All three bears collapsed onto the floor, a mess of bodies, sweaty fur and flexed, vascular muscles. Richard, barely conscious could only roll his head to the left... give Matt one, last tender kiss and then turn towards Max and give his hulking son the same treatment.

"I love you guys."

Neither of his boys could respond. They were in their primal states. Their grunts were all the confirmation he needed.

Richard closed his eyes, resting his head back on the floor with a content smile on his face.

"I'm going to love this new life..."

******

The Tower Hospital was extremely busy. It had already been three weeks since the attack from Izzy and Migs had devastated one of the Twin Bridges. Search and rescue efforts were still underway and there were a few people still missing but with the aid of the Alliance, those numbers were quickly dwindling. That didn't mean people were still scrambling to ensure that those in critical condition could be stabilised and hospitals all over the state were packed with victims. Some were even shipped over to neighbouring states to be treated.

Caleb wasn't sure how to feel. On some level, he felt extremely proud that casualties were minimised in their battle against Kodiak. On the other, he was devastated that the one casualty was to someone he admired.

"No," he told himself with a shake of his head. "He's not dead. Just in a coma."

A strong paw rested on his shoulder. Lars' familiar musk was comforting but didn't fill the emptiness in his chest. He turned to find the Doberman giving him a gentle, apologetic smile. He was careful not to crush the bouquet of flowers he was clutching tightly as he threw his arms around his boyfriend and held him tightly.

"I'm sorry, Cale," Lars whispered in his ear. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there as more than just a big, crazy bear..."

Caleb nudged his boyfriend lightly. "You were still there. You helped a lot. Only one that could actually beat him. Your crazy regeneration was the only thing that could keep him knocking us all into a... a..."

He pulled away from Lars, gazing back down the hallway. The door to Gabe's ward rested beside them. Currently Izzy and Migs were inside, consoling their father, begging him to wake up. They had never left his side... except to reopen his restaurant. People had been sceptical at first that they were eating food from two infected but when all of_Arsenal_ paid them a visit, business began booming again. Just in three days, they had pooled enough money to keep their restaurant going and allow themselves enough funds to make sure they and their father were comfortable.

They both had to do a lot of growing up but after those first three days, they had been able to keep themselves stable and out of trouble. People were constantly at their door demanding reparations for what they had done but no one could blame them, not really. Entire groups of people who had been transformed in the previous strains had caused about as much damage. Maybe not as many deaths but the principle was the same.

All they could do was move on and grow stronger for it.

"What are the chances of him waking up?" Caleb murmured softly.

"About the same as anyone else waking up from a coma," answered Lars gently. "Maybe a little less because he was hit by a super. Maybe a little more because he's effectively a super. We don't know."

"I was afraid of that..." Caleb clutched the bouquet in his paws tightly. "I just wish Lenny could've turned a new leaf. Gabe gave him stability. A second chance at life! I wouldn't be so mad if he didn't just spit at Gabe's memory and... and..."

Lars' big arms wrapped around him gently. The already large Doberman had actually put on a few more pounds of muscle since his reversion. A couple of inches of height too. According to Elliot's analysis, whether it was a combination of Lars' heritage as a super or Caleb's powers growing, Lars had effectively become the Ursa Strain equivalent of Caleb. With Crude Claw equipped, he could change back and forth from a bear form at will. The only true limitation was that his DNA could not be truly used to make a cure. His DNA was not as adaptive as Caleb's and didn't seem to like being turned into a cure. Elliot theorised that his aggressive regeneration would also likely rip people apart than heal them. Though he would no longer 'hulk out' if struck, his regeneration was so blindingly fast that even the smallest of scratches would heal almost instantaneously. He was also almost as supernaturally strong as Lance who was monstrously strong even by super standards.

As Caleb once said, Lars had become something of a super-super.

Sadly, for the victims of Ursa, the only true cure was for Lars to visit the victims and touch them with Crude Claw equipped. For the past few weeks, he had gone around visiting people who had been affected and curing them. Mass distribution of a cure was impossible but so long as Lars lived, the Ursa Strain would not be a problem. He became somewhat of a celebrity because of his exposure. GUYS were already eager to get him in with his new form.

"I know, Cale, I know," Lars murmured softly. "Lenny was just an asshole. But me..." He gently cupped Caleb's cheeks and met his gaze. "I'm going to treasure this gift that you've given me for all my days." He paused and then his lips formed those magical words. "I love you Caleb."

"I love you too, Lars."

The ward door opened and Izzy, in his ursine form, popped his head out. "Hey," greeted the youngest of the Ramos brothers. "Did you guys want to come in?"

Caleb nodded and stood, Lars beside him. He stepped into Gabe's quiet, private ward. The walls were lined with get well soon cards, flowers and balloons, all beckoning Gabe from the slumber where he currently rested indefinitely. The panda looked so peaceful, still wearing that small smile he had when Lenny had last struck him. Somewhere, wherever he was, Gabe was probably looking down at them, glad that they had come together.

Migs sat up from where he was kneeling next to his father, wiping his tears away. "Thanks for coming, guys. We really appreciate it."

"He saved us," Caleb answered. "Without him, I don't think any of us will be standing here right now." He moved next to Gabe and set down the flowers on the bedside table. "I hope you can hear me Gabe and I'm pretty sure if you can, you'll probably have gotten sick of me saying this but... Thank you. Thank you for everything you've done. Thank you for making me a stronger wolf."

Just like the past two weeks, he pulled up a seat next to Gabe and began chatting about what he was doing. With the attack still fresh in everyone's minds, the football games had been delayed. Their match against their rivals, the Leviathans was to occur the following week provided there were no further interruptions. The last of Lars' shows was finally over and he finally had the Doberman to himself. Ben had made their bookings to New York and they would be leaving the week of Christmas and staying for the week after New Year. After all, Caleb and Lars will have football training all winter. Snow had started to fall. Still lightly but soon, West Cali would be covered.

"Finals will be right around the corner too," Caleb said. "And I don't know if you heard, but I have quit my job at Hero Taco." He glanced over to Migs and Izzy, grinning at them a little. "Just a little too crowded over there now that your sons have hired on extra help."

"You make for a better hero than a waiter," answered Migs, big, burly arms folded.

Caleb tapped his chin lightly as he turned back to the slumbering Gabe. "I guess the only thing left is... Arsenal."

He shrugged absently as he recounted what had occurred since the last time he was there which wasn't much.Arsenal got a hell of a lot of funding from the mayor for ending the Ursa Strain, keeping them aloft for a few more months. Madman finally got his own room in the Facility as had Mary. Several news outlets were still scrambling for interviews with them, paying top dollar for their stories. Some toy company was pestering Bren to make Arsenal figurines while a cereal company wanted him to appear on their box.

"My dad is against the cereal idea," Caleb chuckled. "He says it has something to do with this B list supervillain he fought called the 'Cereal Rapist'. Had no actual powers except for the unnatural ability to produce a _lot_of cum. Would go around sticking his dick in people's cereal and providing them with 'milk'. I can't tell if he's serious or not."

"For the last time, there was a Cereal Rapist."

Caleb turned in his seat and managed a smile. His dad stood at the door - something that would've made him grin - but the presence of the Hound of Death hovering behind David was far less encouraging.

"I brought someone I thought might help," David said, stepping into the ward with Arcturus right behind him.

"How'd you pin him down?" Lars asked. "Rhiannon has been trying for weeks to contact him."

David eyed Arcturus with a sly smirk. "I just threatened to level California with my powers and kill everyone and he showed up."

Arcturus' face remained as passive as always as he stepped up to Gabe's bedside. "If he didn't mean even a_fragment_ of it, I wouldn't have come."

Everyone eyed David warily.

"You were going to sink the island?" Izzy asked.

"Not the island. California. I've got a few people there that I really _do_want to see dead," David answered with a sinister grin. That smile faded as he nodded towards Arcturus. "Anything you can do?"

The Hound of Death looked at the comatose Gabe for a good, long minute.

Then...

He shook his head.

"He is still touched by the Gene Stealers. Even as he is, I cannot tell where his future lies. We know his actions but I cannot see his heart. On paper, one could easily see that he was noble and deserved to have paradise but at the same time..."

"Wait!" Migs shouted, pushing ahead of everyone else. "You're planning on killing him!?"

Arcturus gave the eldest of the brothers a cold, unfeeling stare. "It is the only way to guarantee him peace... maybe. I do not know Shin-Lazar's intentions for him. Perhaps he will be condemned or saved. I can only bring him to my God's throne. I cannot make the judgement."

Migs suddenly shoved Arcturus away. "Hell no! You aren't going to kill my dad! There's still a chance he could wake up! He's only been out for two weeks!" He pressed a paw against his chest. "My brother and I were out for three goddamn years!"

The Hound's eyes narrowed. "And now you must ask yourselves, would it have been better for you to have remained asleep and your father human and safe or do you prefer the current outcome?"

Both bears balked. Caleb glanced between the three, squaring off against one another. Migs and Izzy were clearly contemplating what the best path was... and he could start to seem them inching towards just letting Gabe go... when...

"You really are a killjoy, Arty."

Rhiannon stepped into the ward, striding up to Migs and Izzy and gently placing a paw on both their shoulders. "So clean cut. It's either death or not. You don't give people the chance to fight. You don't account for hope."

"Hope is an illusion and the cruellest punishment of them all," Arcturus replied. "Why hold onto it when even the Gods cannot determine where the future will lead?"

She grinned at him over his shoulder. "That's the best part of it all, isn't it? We don't know. No one knows. It's the adventure of a life time! Maybe he'll wake up. Maybe he won't. But you know what will keep these two fighting to keep his restaurant going?" She nodded towards Caleb. "Do you know what will keep him fighting against the Gene Stealers? What'll make him try to be a better father?" He pointed at David. "What'll make him strive to be a better super?" Lastly, she pointed at Lars. "It's for Gabe and the hope that when he wakes up, it'll be to a better world."

Arcturus folded his arms and let out a loud huff. "It is futile. The best we could give him is a quick, painless death. We can petition for his path to paradise. That we can fight for. But fighting for him to wake? That is not within our power."

A mischievous glint entered Rhiannon's eyes. "I know, right?"

For a second, Arcturus looked confused... then his eyes widened. "You didn't...?"

"The big guy's orders," she answered with a shrug. "None of the Gods want to be proven wrong. None of us know where he will go. So we have to ask the one person that does."

Caleb flicked his ears curiously towards the two. "There's someone that knows more than the Gods?"

"Yup," Rhiannon replied brightly. "Him." She hiked a thumb at Gabe. "But since he's currently in a coma and we have no way of tell what he wants, we have to ask someone who can do that for us. So we called in a... consultant."

"Who?"

She glanced over Arcturus' shoulder at the door. "Well, he _should_be here soon. But you know what? I'm hungry!" She wrapped her arms around Izzy and Migs' shoulders, pulling them both down a little due to the size difference. "I've heard you have this _crazy_honey-covered jelly statue you guys have in your restaurant that no one is allowed to eat or touch because it took you _hours_to make."

Izzy let out a soft laugh as they were led out of the ward by Rhiannon. "I know you're the Hound of Destruction and all, but I'm sorry but we can't feed you a slice of that thing."

"Well... it's not like there's any left to give me..."

"Wait... What?"

Caleb laughed softly as he turned back towards Arcturus who cracked a rare smile. The Hound of Death shook his head and let out an exasperated sigh.

"This guy not someone you like?" he ventured.

"Oh no. He's likeable. It just so happens that..." Arcturus turned towards the door to leave. "Let's just say that the Gods don't like calling on anyone for help. It's a matter of pride when they have to admit that there's someone out there that's stronger than they are. And if you ever meet this guy, he'll always insist that there's always someone stronger."

Lars' ears were perked, eyes on the door. "When is he coming?"

"If he's not here by now, something has to change." Arcturus shrugged. "I will take my leave. Good luck. All of you."

The Hound of Death headed out of the ward though Caleb seriously doubted that he would just walk out of the Hospital. Caleb waited a few more minutes for this mysterious 'other' to come in but when no one came in, he glanced at Lars.

"I think it's about time we left," suggested the burly Doberman. "Gabe needs his rest."

David inclined his head slightly towards the slumbering panda. "I'd just like some words with Gabe if you don't mind. You boys head on out. I'll catch up."

Caleb held his boyfriend's paw and smiled. "Sure thing, Dad. Take your time. See you at home."

They left David with Gabe, the two young men stepped out of the hospital paw in paw. They took their time. Caleb could not help but remember the last time they had passed through these doors, it was just after Minos' attack and he and Lars had kissed with affection for the very first time. It made him chuckle softly. That Lars didn't ask what he was laughing about spoke volumes about their bond together.

Once through the sliding doors and into the chilling air of West California Island, they looked up at the distant setting sun. Already, the damage to the city had been mostly repaired. It only took two weeks but a major bridge had already been reconstructed, several devastated buildings had been repaired and people were getting on with their lives.

"You know," Caleb began, "sometimes I wonder if we're making any progress against the Gene Stealers at all. I mean, every time a new strain pops up, they're always stronger, they always find a way to trick us or hunt us down. But for the first time, I think we're actually one-upping them."

"How so?" Lars asked.

Caleb smiled and nuzzled his boyfriend's neck lightly. "You, dumbass. You're the first super to be infected by them and actually cured! You know what this means?"

"That we have a way to defeat them..." Lars answered softly, holding Caleb tightly. "They can infect Outsiders, your average Joe or Jane and even supers but it won't matter. Because we have a way to beat them." He held Caleb's paw tightly, lifting it up so that it was at eyelevel. "Right here."

Laughing softly, Caleb gently shoved Lars away. "You're such a sap."

"Hey, I'm part bear now. I'm meant to be all cuddly. I'm your big, buff Teddy Bear!"

"I think I prefer Smokey."

Lars groaned and rolled his eyes. "Please, not that. Anything but that."

Caleb laughed and gave Lars another light shove. "Come on. You'll find ways to turn my hyena and bull forms on me as well." He licked his lips and reached down towards Lars' pants, squeezing his boyfriend's big bulge. "And dad might be in there for an hour or so. What do you say we break in the bear?"

"Oh... Heh... Um... Wow..." Lars was blushing deeply beneath his fur and there was no denying the bulge in his pants. He never got further than a few stammering words, however.

"Excuse me."

Caleb instantly pulled away from Lars, coughing softly as he straightened. Lars sighed softly, his tongue rolling out between his lips as he panted. The person that interrupted them was a short man dressed in a winter vest and slacks, the kind that people from the 1900's wore when it was Christmas and they were sitting by the fire smoking a pipe. It made him look a little archaic especially with the big, brown loafers he wore. His thick glasses added to the illusion.

Though that unsettling grin was oddly familiar.

"Are you Caleb Hale?" asked the man. Then he turned his deep, black eyes towards Lars. "Lars McLeoud?"

Lars' haze of lust was instantly knocked away as the two boys exchanged glances. As one, they turned back to the man and confirmed their identities.

"Can we help you?" Caleb asked.

"Indeed you can," answered the man. "I am -"

Suddenly, David wrapped his arms around the two boys, bringing a pang of disappointment in Caleb that his father had finished up early. He also felt terrible for minimalizing the emotional moment David had with Gabe. Though at the same time, he wondered how his dad could be so quick to unload his emotional baggage on Gabe. He briefly wondered if his dad has smothered his only paternal rival... then shook it off as him being paranoid.

"Hey boys!" David announced. "Who's this?"

The man's grin grew broader. "My name is Alphonse Newman. Doctor Alphonse Newman."

"Pleased to meet you, Doctor Newman. How can I help you?"

"Please," chuckled the doctor, briefly lifting a hand to wave away the title. "'Doctor Newman' is so formal."

With a laugh, David said, "You prefer Al?"

"Actually, I prefer to go under another name." Newman's grin returned. "You can call me Shark Tamer."

Caleb froze. Lars nearly crushed his paw. David's eyes boggled and he almost chocked them both with his grip.

"You're kidding..." Lars began.

"Oh no," Newman answered with a smile. "I am the Shark Tamer. The Original. No Thrall. No Generation version. The Original."

Caleb prised himself from his father's choking headlock and Lars' crushing grip. "I don't suppose you've come here to surrender because you've seen the error of your ways and now want to help us against Chimera... are you?"

"Heavens no!" laughed the Gene Stealer. "I am here... because of you." He pointed directly at Caleb.

"You're not getting my son," growled David.

"Now, now," said Newman, lifted his hands and waving them down. "Hear me out." His creepy grin returned, angled straight at Caleb. "You see, we Gene Stealers have been plagued with the conundrum that our Original Serums can grant people an alternate form, an infection vector and baseline superpowers. When applied to an Outsider, it works perfectly. When applied to a normal person, however, it starts to tear them apart as their genes are incapable of coping with the sheer power we grant them. When applied to a super, it stacks on their already incredible powers and again proves to be unstable."

"All the Originals are Outsiders...?" Lars murmured. "Gnoll... Minos... Gabe...?"

"All Outsiders," confirmed Newman. "And before you ask, the transformations we grant and the subsequent powers that follow are based upon the infection vector reorganising the vict - erm - subject's genetic structure to mimic that of the Original. They aren't exactly the same but they are similar enough that they have the same shape and the genetic capacity to grow to possess powers."

Caleb, ears folded back and fangs bared, growled, "Why are you telling us this?"

"Because," Newman responded, "you are our solution, Caleb Hale."

"What?"

"Out there on the field, you had two individuals on opposite sides of the serum. One was a normal person who took a serum and was made unstable. Gabriel Ramos cured him with his powers, stabilising him. You may think we want him but we already have his genetics mapped out and his powers mimicked. We can stabilise people as we see fit. However, the problem will be the supers. Infecting them as your friend, Lars McLeod, had been infected, makes them wild, primal and destabilises their baseline superpowers to the point where they could very well overload."

Shark Tamer bowed to them slightly. The motion caused his glasses to slide down his nose so when he straightened, he had to push them back. "Then, you come along, Caleb Hale. Somehow, your powers allowed you to stabilise_Mr. McLeod not only giving him back his sanity and ensuring that even the tiniest pinprick doesn't turn him into a dullard with the might to move mountains but _also substantially increasing his baseline superpowers to above and beyond that of supers. This is our perfect Generation 4."

He grinned at Lars. "You, Mr. McLeod, are a Generation 4 Gene Stealer. Be careful who and what you touch let alone when you give off that signal. I suspect someone on your team has already figured out how to nullify it or Miguel and Ignacio would never have been able to open their restaurant to much success." He rubbed his chin. "I would very much like to meet this scientist you have working for you. He and I have much to discuss."

Newman then straightened at them. "So I suppose I should cut to the chase." He held out his hand to Caleb. "Come with us, Caleb Hale. Let us push this world to the next stage of evolution. With your powers, we will be one step closer to genetic perfection! We will grant you all the riches you desire. We'll even give you the baseline superpowers that we know you long for. You will be safe, powerful and untouchable..." His voice dropped a little, a sinister edge touching his words. "So long as you remain loyal that is."

Caleb had to pull himself back from punching the bespectacled Gene Stealer. "Gabe did what he did for those that he loved!"

"And thus comes our ultimatum," answered Shark Tamer. "We know who you are. We know those that you love. Don't come with me and become another Gene Stealer, and we will systematically bring torment and pain to each and every person that you hold dear until you do."

David's warnings about supervillains knowing the identities of their enemies and thus their loved ones came back to haunt him. Caleb took a step back, clutching his heart, thinking about his family and friends. Seeing Ashton turn into a bull that one time already hurt but he couldn't imagine Abby, his mom, Leon or even Arthur turn into some horny, slavering beast. Worse yet, what would happen if his dad or Lance got infected? His heart broke in two when Lars had been turned...

"Bring it on."

He turned, stunned at his father's declaration.

"We're not afraid," David said firmly. "You can turn each and every person on this world into a Gene Stealer but we'll find a way to stop you." He growled at Newman, fangs bared. "You may not know it, but every Gene Stealer you throw at us brings us one step closer to you. One of these days, you'll go too far and then you'll find us at your doorstep."

"You want genetic perfection?" Lars continued. "You can't make perfect when you're so flawed."

Shark Tamer's smile faded and he was almost scowling at Lars. "Indeed... Very well then." He reached into his vest... and immediately pulled out a dart gun.

Caleb flinched and immediately put himself in front of his boyfriend and father.

"Don't be so paranoid," chuckled the Gene Stealer, turning the gun around and offering it to Caleb. "This is the next Gene Stealer strain. We're giving it to you."

Stunned, Caleb could only ask, "What? Why?"

"To prove a point." Newman deposited the weapon on the ground and started to take a few steps back. A portal sprang open behind him. "Take the serum and make it into a cure. Or don't take it and watch as we turn this island upside down until you do. Either way, we will be watching. You say that each step we take brings you closer to us? Well, the same goes for our side. Every time you 'defeat' us, brings us a step closer to our end goal."

He spread his arms wide, taking a step back until half his body had vanished into the portal. "We are learning just as you are. We too are growing stronger. The question now remains who will reach their goal quicker?"

His unsettling grin returned.

"The choice is entirely up to you, Caleb Hale. Take the serum we have prepared, ultimately further our plans even for that brief instant until you cure yourself... or don't... and watch as our established Original turns each and every person that you love into a beast for our purposes. Each of those ruined lives will be on your head.

"The choice... is yours."

My Life is Super

End of Issue 3

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