The Duality of Oliver Adams

Chapter 1

Fernando Jimenez should have been at work. On any normal day, he would have been. Instead, there he was, standing in line at a convenience store with an armful of junk food.

Fernando was thirty six years old. At least, that's what his ID said. He hadn't really gotten a good look at himself before he'd strolled into the store, but either way he was definitely old enough that the girl at the counter wouldn't question his age.

"That'll be $12.50." 

"I'll take four lottery tickets too. For that one," he said, pointing to the largest jackpot listed.

"$20.50 then," she amended.

It was more than he'd been planning to take, but he was hungry, and he was sure that twenty dollars wasn't really enough for anyone, especially someone dressed as well as Fernando was, to miss.

That was when something out the window behind the cashier caught his attention. He couldn't see much, but three men had cornered someone in the parking lot. At first, they just seemed to be arguing, their hands flying in wild, angry gestures as they spoke. As he watched, things quickly started to escalate.

"Sir? $20.50."

The man they'd cornered was curled into himself on the ground, arms up to shield himself from the assault. It wasn't a fair fight, and it definitely wasn't going to end pretty.

"Right."

It would have been a lot easier to look the other way. He wasn't obligated to help. He didn't know any of them, and involving himself in the whole situation could only make more things complicated and messy.

Somehow, he still found himself reaching for the card in his wallet and scanning over the information listed.

Strength. He'd been hoping for speed, but strength would still work just fine.

He sighed. "Actually, can you hold that for me? There's something I need to do first."

"Sure?"

"Great, thanks," he called back to the girl before bursting through the doors. "Hey! Leave him alone!"

All three of the attackers turned toward Fernando at once, and he got his first good look at the group. They were all young, definitely still in their twenties, and the boy they'd surrounded had to have still been in high school.

"Get lost before you get hurt, old man. This isn't any of your business."

Fernando ignored the threat completely. "Tell you guys what, step away from the kid, and I'll let you off easy."

The one who'd spoken snorted and stepped forward. "You deaf? I said get lost."

"Afraid I'm not so good at listening. You might need to make me."

Just as quickly as he swung at him,  Fernando had caught his fist in one fluid, effortless movement and twisted his arm behind his back with a sickening crack.

"Whoops, that was harder than I meant for it to be. Sorry, man," he apologized.

The other two advanced on him while their friend lay hissing and cursing on the ground, but neither stood much of a chance. In a matter of seconds, he'd sent one flying into a parked car, and the other into the wall of the convenience store.

He could definitely get used to having enhanced strength.

"This is too easy. What, you all zeros?" He taunted.

He almost missed the glint of the knife as it came slashing toward his leg. Almost. He stepped back, just in time, and brought his foot down onto the hand holding it.