Monday

Monday morning came. Ellen was again the first person in the facility. Clearly not having slept well over the past two days. Even the nanobots knew better than to fight off **** fatigue and give themselves away. Making herself a cup of tea before having a quick look at the local paper. The front page caught her eyes straight away. The headline read "ARMED THUG DRIVEN AWAY BY UNKNOWN HERO." She looked at the article thinking "I wonder." Reading the article out of curiosity. She found no reference to the description of the hero of the hour, or much detail of what happened to him. It all seems like a normal heroic event instead of what actually did happen, so she elected to get on with her work.

One hour later the rest of the staff had arrived and Ellen called a meeting in the conference room. Everyone took a seat around the table not sure what the purpose of the meeting was. They all chatted amongst themselves speculating as to what was going on. Ellen then strode through the door looking half asleep. "Good morning all. Hope you all had a good weekend. But now we have a lot of questions to answer."

The staff were puzzled. They were under the impression that all was well with the nanobot treatment. Some thought that they were having the plug pulled on them. Others, worried that there may have been unforeseen complications that have now risen.

"Calm down people. It could be nothing. But it could be everything. It appears as though our work has been more than a success." She studied the entire ensemble and waited to see if anyone spoke up.

"In what way do you mean more than a success." Bill Spoke up. He was the only one other than Ellen to see the results with his own eyes. "They've brought a kid back from the pearly gates so yeah. I'll say it was."

"Oh it gets better than that Bill. The nanobots appear to have broken their programming. They went above and beyond what they was supposed to do."

"That's not possible. They don't have the processing capability" A small middle aged technician said.

"I know how you feel. But I met with Steven on Saturday." Ellen paused. Her own feelings for Steven disturbing her mid sentence. She shook her head to clear it. "He said he wasn't just cured. He felt better than he ever had in his entire life. All scars gone. His strength improved and able to run faster. Heart rate and pulse was way to accurate."

"You know he could be lying to you Ellen. It's possible that he just wanted you to feel that our work went better than we hoped." Bill was sceptical about the evidence.

"I knew you'd say that Bill. I took his pulse and blood pressure. So I had to check a few things out on myself. Just so the rest of you know. After we celebrated on the day the Nano's came online. Bill and I stayed behind to test a theory. Short version. I used the Nano's on myself to heal a deep incision in my arm. Just to see if they could do what we needed them to do."

"I tried to talk her out of it. But, as you can see. She's still here." The staff just looked at Ellen in disbelief. "Yes I know. Bad idea was my thoughts exactly. But Ellen was right to try and not risk another. But still potentially stupid." He said with a friendly mocking tone and smirked at Ellen. She just looked at the floor smiling herself.

"Yes I know. But necessary. Anyway. After what Steven told me. I had to look into a few things myself. And, it appears as though it wasn't lie at all." Ellen paused to wait to see if any response came. None did. She was just greeted with looks of confusion. "I had appendicitis as a child. The scar has gone. Completely. Hell, even after drinking the night away when we celebrated. 5 hours sleep and no hangover. Same last night. I drank 2 bottles of strong red wine. Again, no hangover. We have to find out what's happening. As it stands. Steven and I are, for all intents and purposes, the healthiest people alive. So I need everyone to look into this and come up with answers. Dismissed. Good luck with this guys. But before you go. I need to try and get some sleep. I've not slept much since Friday night and I can't quite think straight. Just give me a couple of hours and then I'll join you."

STEVEN'S MONDAY.

Steven woke up late. But not having a job at the time, it wasn't really important. After contemplating everything over the rest of the weekend, he decided to see what else he could now do. Going over to his laptop. He typed in anything that came into his head. You tube, Film's, anything he could watch. Not noticing anything different, He picked up one of his mum's old books. To his amazement, He could scan a page without really looking at it, and still remember everything on it, word for word. "What the hell is happening to me?" It was really starting bother him and really needed the support of the person who was closer to him than anyone. Going back up the stairs, he went straight on past his room and knocked on the next one after. No answer came, so he knocked louder. "Jade. You home?"

"Yeah. Come in bro." Steven entered her room. He hadn't even let go of the handle when Jade saw the look on his face. "Stevie. What's wrong." Steven just burst into tears. His inability to understand what was happening was taking its toll on him. Jade picked her phone up and sent a message to their mum asking her to come home quick.

Jane got back as soon as she could. Her work place being very understanding considering everything Steven had been through over the last 2 years. It wasn't long before Jane walked through the living door. She saw both her kids sitting together, Jade had her arms around Steven, stroking his hair trying to calm him down. "What's going on?" Now she was worried about her son. He had been through so much since he was 17.

"He's not said a word mum, other than to say wait 'til you get home." Both were worried. thinking the same as John did originally. That the tumour had returned.

"Well I'm here now." Jane sat on the opposite side of Steven to Jade and put her own arm around Steven. He turned and held her back.

Through his own tears of worry and fear. He spoke for the first time since he entered Jade's room. "I don't know what's happening to me mum." Even the voices in his head had gone silent. The nanobots recharging and going into sleep mode due his down time at home. "I'm not even sure how to describe it."

Jane just listened to him then spoke. "I'm not sure I understand Steven. Tell us. You know I'll always love you. Your my son, and I hate seeing you like this. Tell us what's happening."

Steven told them both everything. The message on his laptop, The voices, The outcome of the robbery, and the offer the voices gave. He also included the fact that he was bigger in the trouser department. They were now aware of his meeting with Ellen Saturday gone. Both his mum and his sister sat and listened intently with great interest. When he finished, both of them just held him closely.

Jane spoke. "Both jade and I knew about the nanobots. It was me that gave the treatment the go ahead. But I assumed the hospital would inform you of what the treatment was too."

"Yeah, It's a breakthrough bro. And I for one am glad it happened. But this thing about your strength and the damage from the gunshots. Seems a little bit hard to believe. Can you show us? there's got to be a way for you to prove it." Jade was right. The whole thing seemed ridiculous.

"Dad's old car. That's still in the garage. I'll use that." Steven got up and walked toward the adjoining door to the garage. His mum and sister in tow. Entering the garage, Steven walked to the front of the Range Rover. It hadn't moved in years, and it showed. "Promise me you won't say a word of this to anyone. At least until I can figure this all out." Both nodded their agreement. "Ok, here goes." Steven took hold off the front of the Range Rover. With one arm he lifted the front end of the floor and stood there holding up. No sign of struggle in his face.

"Oh my god" Both Jane and Jade replied in unison.

"Yeah, I know. I'm not prepared to bleed myself so can you take my word for that bit?"

"We will Steven. Won't we Jade." Jade just nodded. "But I think I better speak to that doctor about this."

"NO. Leave her. She didn't expect this either. She's investigating why it happened already. But she doesn't know about how strong I have become. And I don't want her to know. Not yet" He looked at both of them waiting for an answer.

"Ok Stevie." Jade said. "Mum. Leave it for now. We got help Stevie come to terms with this. Wow. I just thought of something. My big bro, A less angry Bruce Banner."

"You've been watching too many MCU films Jade." Steven replied. "But that's what's beating me up, What if I seriously hurt someone trying to help them. I could be causing more harm than good."

"We get it Steven. We really do." Jane walked to her son and held him. "I think it's best you stay home for a while, at least until you know where this going."

"I know mum. Was planning on doing that myself. Anyway. As John already knows about it too. You can talk freely about it if he's about. This is between the 4 of us."