CHAPTER 8: The System's Call and a Taste of Power
Back at S.T.A.R. Labs, the post-metahuman-capture debriefing felt more like an intervention. Caitlin was still reeling from Adam's apparent death and miraculous recovery, questioning him with a rapid-fire succession of medical inquiries. Barry was trying to process the idea of a friend who literally couldn't die. And Cisco? Cisco was just delighted, his mind already buzzing with theories and potential experiments. Wells, however, remained the most unsettling, his calm demeanor masking an intense, calculating scrutiny.
"Adam, you died," Caitlin repeated, her voice incredulous. "Your heart stopped. There was no brain activity. How can you be sitting here, perfectly fine, talking about 'minor wind control'?"
Adam leaned back in his chair, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Well, Dr. Snow, it's a proprietary process. Very high-tech. Requires a lot of dark matter, a pinch of sarcasm, and a dash of plot convenience. But seriously, it's my… Immortal System." He pulled the phrase from the depths of his mind, trying to make it sound as nonchalant as possible. "It's a bit of a curse, really. Every time someone kills me, I get a new skill from them. But there's a catch: I can only die once at the hands of any individual. A second death from the same person? Permanent oblivion. Poof. Gone. Like a bad sitcom from the 90s. So, yeah, Mardon's on my 'do not die to again' list for a while."
Cisco's eyes widened. "Wait, so if you die, you get a new power? That's… that's like a video game! Is there a menu? A skill tree?"
"You get it, Cisco!" Adam exclaimed, pointing at him. "You're the only one who truly understands the profound, yet terrifying, implications of my existence! Yes, there's a system. And it's pretty bare-bones right now, honestly. Just a few notifications. And it seems like I need to die a certain number of times, and also accumulate a substantial amount of money, to upgrade it. The upgrades, apparently, let me die more times to the same person, and unlock cool new perks. Like 'Mission Perks' and 'Merge Perks.' "
Barry, who had been listening in stunned silence, finally spoke. "So, you're telling me… you want to die? To get powers?" His voice was laced with concern.
Adam shrugged. "Not want to, Barry. More like… need to. It's part of the process. Think of it as… extreme method acting. Or a very, very risky investment strategy. Look, it's not ideal. It hurts. A lot. And the whole 'permanent oblivion' thing is a real buzzkill. But hey, if I'm going to be stuck in a world full of super-powered psychos, I might as well level up, right? And besides, imagine the pranks I can pull with some of these skills!"
Caitlin, still trying to wrap her head around the concept, looked at Wells. "Dr. Wells, this is… unprecedented. A human being who can resurrect and gain abilities upon death? It defies every known biological and scientific principle."
Wells steepled his fingers, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Indeed, Dr. Snow. But then again, so does a man who can run at supersonic speeds. The universe, it seems, has decided to rewrite some of its rules. Mr. Stiels's condition, while extraordinary, may simply be another facet of the dark matter's influence. Or perhaps something… else." He glanced at Adam, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. "Mr. Stiels, how does this 'Immortal System'… manifest?"
Adam frowned. "It's mostly internal. Like a voice in my head, or a little pop-up window in my brain. Very convenient, really. Saves on having to carry around a clunky interface. And it's pretty vague about the details. Just says 'skill acquired' or 'regenerating.' No instructions, no manual. Typical, really. You'd think an omniscient system would come with an instruction booklet."
He then rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So, about this money thing. This system apparently needs a lot of cash for upgrades. And frankly, my current financial portfolio consists of a few lint balls and a half-eaten stick of gum. So, I'm going to need to figure out how to become obscenely wealthy. Any ideas? Because I'm pretty sure 'professional sarcastic consultant' doesn't pay nearly enough for immortality upgrades."
Cisco, always quick to embrace the fantastical, bounced in his seat. "We could build you a suit! One that helps you farm powers! Or maybe we could find obscure metahumans who have really cool, but low-risk, abilities!"
"Now you're talking, Cisco!" Adam grinned. "See, this is why you're the best. You think outside the box. Or in my case, outside the coffin." He paused, then added, "But seriously, about the money. I've got some… insights into the stock market. A few companies that are going to be bigger than Google. We could discreetly invest. Become tech moguls. Fund our superhero operations. And my immortality habit."
Wells raised an eyebrow. "You claim to have knowledge of future market trends, Mr. Stiels?"
"Let's just say I have a very, very good knack for picking winners," Adam said, winking. "Or losers, if I want to short them. It's all part of the 'psychic' package. Very vague, very unhelpful unless you know what to look for, but occasionally lucrative. So, what do you say, Dr. Wells? Want to become obscenely rich and save the world at the same time? Sounds like a win-win to me."
Wells considered this for a long moment, a slow, predatory smile spreading across his face. "Mr. Stiels, you continue to surprise me. Perhaps a small, discreet investment fund is not out of the question. Provided, of course, your 'insights' prove to be as accurate as your predictions of metahumans."
"Oh, they will," Adam promised, a dangerous glint in his eye. "They absolutely will. Because if there's one thing I'm good at, it's being right. Even when it's incredibly inconvenient for everyone involved."