The Flare

Pilot

CHAPTER ONE

July 12, 2100

It started like any other day. The city of Wellross was alive with its usual rhythm—people rushing to work, vendors shouting over crowded streets, neon billboards flashing advertisements.

Then, everything changed.

A streak of fire tore across the sky, moving at unimaginable speed before crashing into the Mirandor Forest. The impact was deafening. Trees were flattened in an instant, and a massive explosion sent a shockwave rippling outward. Within a 200-meter radius, everything was reduced to ashes.

Some called it a meteor. Others, an act of God.

But what was it, really?

> "This is Farrah, reporting live from Wellross, where an unidentified object has just crashed."

A reporter stood at the chaotic scene, cameras rolling as a crowd gathered.

Among the onlookers, a black van pulled up. Its sleek exterior bore a globe logo with an inscription underneath:

GENESYS CORPORATION.

A tall, aging man in a white lab coat stepped out. His graying hair and sharp features hinted at both wisdom and authority. Behind him, three men in black suits followed, their dark sunglasses concealing any emotion. Each bore the Genesys insignia on their jackets.

The older man approached the edge of the impact crater, peering down into the smoldering pit. Slowly, a small smile crept onto his face.

One of the suited men observed the destruction. "The crater is massive."

The scientist nodded. "Which means whatever crashed here… is far from ordinary."

"What about Dr. Rosicky?" another asked.

"He's on leave."

The scientist sighed, shaking his head. "Rosicky and his family." He turned back to the crater.

"Get the team ready. We're going in."

THE DISCOVERY

Minutes later, a group of heavily armed operatives descended into the crater, flashlights cutting through the lingering smoke.

A soldier at the front shivered. "This place feels… wrong."

Before anyone could respond, a sharp scream erupted from behind them. The team spun around, weapons raised—only to find one of their own, drenched in a strange, glowing liquid.

The squad leader, a broad-shouldered Black man, narrowed his eyes. Someone was missing.

"Dr. Paquin?" he called.

Silence.

He tried again. This time, a faint cry echoed from deeper in the crater.

They rushed toward the sound. At the center of the pit, Dr. Paquin stood—his hands trembling as he held a glowing stone that pulsed with an eerie blue light.

"What is that, Doc?" the soldier asked.

Paquin turned, eyes wide with something between fear and awe.

"I don't know… but we'll call it the Neon Stone."

---

FELIX ROSICKY

Meanwhile, Dr. Felix Rosicky was far from the chaos, enjoying a rare moment of peace with his 10-year-old twins, Alex and Lexi.

They sat in a quiet park, the sun casting golden hues over their picnic blanket.

Felix peeled an orange, inhaling the fresh scent. "This is wonderful."

"What's wonderful, Dad?" Alex asked, his bright eyes full of curiosity.

"The fresh air," Felix replied with a chuckle. "I spend all day indoors at work. It's nice to finally be outside."

Lexi tilted her head. "Where do you work, Dad?"

Felix smiled. "At a very big facility."

"How big?"

Before he could answer, his phone rang. He sighed and excused himself.

"Hello?"

"Felix, we need you. Now."

"I'm on vacation."

"This is urgent."

Felix hesitated, glancing at his children. "Nothing is more important than my family."

"Listen, Felix. This could be world-changing if we don’t act fast."

Felix clenched his jaw. He ended the call, sighing heavily before turning back to his children.

"Pack up. We have to go."

Within minutes, they were in the car.

Alex’s face fell. "But you promised, Dad."

"I know, son. I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you."

Tears welled up in Alex’s eyes. "That's what you always say."

Lexi nudged him. "Stop acting like a baby."

Alex shoved her. She shoved back.

Felix turned to stop them—just as a truck’s headlights blinded him.

The car swerved. Tires screeched.

Then—impact.

The world turned upside down as the car tumbled violently before crashing into darkness.

---

FIFTEEN YEARS LATER

A sharp ache throbbed in Alex’s skull as he opened his eyes. His vision blurred before slowly adjusting to the dimly lit room.

He stumbled into the kitchen, splashing cold water onto his face.

The door creaked open.

A tall, blonde American entered, arms crossed. "You're not ready?"

Alex exhaled. "I’ll be right behind you, Kay."

Kay nodded and left.

Outside, the unfinished building they called home loomed over the outskirts of Wellross. It was the perfect hiding spot for the Paragon.

In the living room, Bella and Kay waited for him.

Bella—brown-haired, serious-eyed—leaned forward. "We've got news."

Alex immediately knew what that meant. In the Paragon, “news” was code for crime.

"Where?"

---

THE FLARE

Dressed in a jacket and black jeans, Alex stood at the edge of a skyscraper, gazing down at the city.

He tapped his earpiece. "Are we in position?"

"Yes. RubberKid is ready." Kay’s voice crackled through.

"HyperB?"

"In position."

"Good. Move in."

Below, a black car sped recklessly through traffic. Gunfire erupted as a man leaned out, shooting at the police tailing them.

At the center of the street, Bella stood unmoved, dressed in a black bodysuit, mask concealing her face.

She screamed.

The shockwave blasted the car backward, flipping it violently.

"Alex, now!" Kay shouted.

Alex cracked his knuckles. Sparks flickered through his fingers.

"It's go time."

He stepped backward off the skyscraper—and fell.

Then—transformation.

A static charge surged through his veins, setting his skin ablaze with energy. His heart thundered as electricity pulsed through his muscles, igniting a storm beneath his skin.

His clothes dissolved into pure energy, breaking apart thread by thread, fiber by fiber. The crackling light molded itself around him, hardening into sleek, battle-ready armor that felt less like a suit—more like a second skin.

Lightning coiled around his head. Snap! A helmet materialized, locking into place with a sharp hiss. His visor flashed, feeding him real-time data.

In a flash, he was gone.

All the bystanders felt was a gust of wind.

The Flare had arrived.

---

Alex sprinted through the road, weaving between cars as he went. No one could see him, but they felt his presence—the crackling energy, the sudden gust of wind. The Flare had just passed.

"I see the car," he said through the intercom.

"Do your thing, Flare," Kay's voice crackled in response.

Time slowed down for Alex. The car—flung backward—seemed to hang in mid-air, and the world around him followed suit.

In a blink, he landed on the car’s roof, yanked open the door, and tossed the armed men out one by one. As soon as his feet touched the ground, everything snapped back to normal. The car crashed with a small explosion.

The armed men groaned as they struggled to comprehend what had just happened. One moment, they were inside a speeding car; the next, they were sprawled on the sidewalk.

Standing before them were The Flare and HyperB.

The leader of the group, a scarred man with a cold gaze, wasn’t ready to go down without a fight. He scrambled to his feet, g*n drawn. The others followed suit.

Then, before a single shot could land, a massive rubber-like body expanded in front of the heroes, absorbing every bullet and sending them bouncing back.

The gunfire stopped abruptly.

The rubber body shrank back, revealing a masked figure in a black overall—RubberKid.

The leader scowled. "HyperBitch and her gang." He spat. "Kill them!"

Gunfire erupted once more—but this time, The Flare moved.

Everything slowed again.

Alex darted through the storm of bullets, pushing them downward, out of harm’s way. Then, in a seamless motion, he snatched the guns from the criminals’ hands and flung them aside. The weapons hovered in mid-air, descending slowly, caught in his warped time field.

Then—normal speed resumed.

The men blinked in confusion, now completely disarmed, surrounded by a floor littered with bullets.

The leader lunged at Alex with a punch—but missed. The Flare moved too fast.

A sharp crackle filled the air as Alex countered, launching a bolt of lightning that sent the leader flying backward. He crashed into his men, knocking them all to the ground.

Then, the distant wail of police sirens filled the streets.

When the officers arrived, the criminals were already tied up—but the heroes who had stopped them were nowhere to be seen.

---

ROOFTOP REFLECTIONS

Alex and his team stood atop a nearby building, watching the scene unfold below.

"And the Paragon saves the day again," Alex muttered as his helmet dissolved, revealing his face.

Bella removed her mask as well. "Just another day at the office."

Kay stretched his arms. "So… what’s for lunch?"

Alex exhaled. "No idea." He turned to Bella. "Anything in the account?"

Bella didn’t hesitate. "Nope. We’re in the red."

Kay scoffed. "We’re always in the red. We risk our lives saving this city, and we can’t even afford a decent meal."

"We don’t do this for pay," Alex reminded him.

"Yeah, well, we still need to eat," Kay shot back.

Alex folded his arms. "So what do you suggest? Huh? Reveal our identities and put ourselves in danger?"

Kay sighed, then pulled a folded letter from his pocket. "I got an offer."

Alex frowned. "What kind of offer?"

"A company willing to provide us with everything we need to be the superheroes we’re meant to be."

Alex’s jaw tightened. "What company?"

"Genesys Corp."

Alex's expression darkened. "Stay away from that place. They’re evil."

Kay scoffed. "Says who? For all I know, they’re dedicated to making life better for us and the citizens of America."

"Stay. Away. From them."

"Or what?"

Lightning crackled through Alex’s suit, his eyes flashing electric blue.

The tension in the air grew thick.

Bella stepped between them. "Enough. We don’t need to fight over this."

Kay exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "You’re right. This isn’t worth fighting over."

He turned and walked away.

Bella frowned. "Kay, where are you going?"

Kay didn’t look back. "To find a better life."

"Kay!" she called after him, but he was already gone.

Silence hung between Alex and Bella as they watched their teammate disappear into the night.

---

"I'm sorry, but they didn’t make it."

The words crashed into Felix Rosicky like a hammer to glass, shattering him from the inside. His legs gave out, and his vision blurred. The hospital room, the doctor’s concerned face, the nurses hovering nearby—it all faded into a suffocating fog of disbelief.

A pair of hands caught his arms, guiding him to a chair. He barely registered the movement. His mind refused to accept what had just been said.

His children were gone.

His hands trembled as he clutched his head. His breathing came in short, uneven gasps. He had lost everything. His family, his reason for living—gone.

How was he supposed to go on?

How?

---

Meanwhile – Inside Genesys Corporation

Dr. Marc Paquin stood motionless, adjusting his glasses as he gazed at the Neon Stone. The crystal-like structure pulsed with a faint, electric glow, tiny bolts of lightning flickering around its surface. It was alive, in a way that fascinated him beyond words.

The laboratory was filled with scientists, all wearing the pristine white lab coats of Genesys Corp. The room buzzed with the quiet hum of machinery, the rhythmic beeping of monitors tracking the energy levels of the stone.

A voice broke through the low murmur of scientific observation.

"We’re ready, Doc."

Paquin didn't look away from the stone. He simply nodded. "Proceed."

One of the scientists pulled a lever, and immediately, the chamber surged with energy. The glow of the stone intensified, its pulses quickening. The air became charged, static crackling through the room.

A scientist monitoring the readings paled. "The energy levels are rising… perhaps too much."

Before anyone could react, the stone detonated.

A violent shockwave blasted through the lab, sending scientists flying. The force shattered monitors, tore wires from their sockets, and sent alarms blaring throughout the building.

The explosion didn’t stop there.

The energy pulse rippled outward, plunging entire city blocks into darkness. The sky over Wellross flickered as power grids collapsed, neon billboards went dark, and fires erupted in different parts of the city.

Coughing, Paquin slowly pushed himself off the floor, his ears still ringing. Around him, the lab was in ruins—equipment lay in smoldering heaps, shattered glass littered the floor, and the air smelled of burnt metal.

He turned his gaze back to the containment chamber.

The Neon Stone was gone.

In its place, a small, glowing blue orb hovered mid-air, tiny arcs of lightning flickering around it.

Paquin’s lips curled into a smile of pure fascination.

"Beautiful," he whispered. "This is just like the orb that fell in Pishon."

A scientist, barely able to stand, wiped blood from his forehead. "I think… it’s the same alien technology."

Paquin adjusted his glasses, nodding. "Perhaps."

Then, his phone rang.

---

---

Felix sat alone in the dim hospital room, shoulders slumped, eyes staring blankly at the floor. The world had become a meaningless blur. His children were dead.

The door creaked open.

Dr. Marc Paquin stepped inside, his usual analytical expression replaced with something softer—something almost sympathetic.

"I came as soon as I could," Paquin said as he approached. "My godchildren have gone to rest."

Felix barely lifted his head.

"It was my fault… If only I had—"

Paquin placed a firm hand on Felix’s shoulder, forcing him to meet his gaze.

"Don’t do this to yourself. It wasn’t your fault."

Felix swallowed back his grief, but his voice came out weak, cracked. "They were my life, Marc. What do I do without them?"

Paquin exhaled, then smiled slightly.

"There’s hope."

Felix frowned. "Hope?"

Reaching into his coat pocket, Paquin pulled out a small glass container. Inside, a glowing blue orb pulsated, its energy swirling hypnotically.

Felix’s breath hitched.

"What is this?"

"The Neon Stone," Paquin said. "Alien technology. Just like the one that fell in Pishon."

Felix tore his gaze from the orb to look at Paquin. "What does it do?"

A slow, knowing smile spread across Paquin’s face.

"We can use it… to bring your son back to life."

Felix’s heart stopped.

"What?"

Paquin leaned in, his voice low, almost conspiratorial.

"When someone dies, their cells shut down. But with the Neon Stone’s energy, we can reawaken them. We can shock them back to life."

Felix’s hands trembled.

For the first time that day, he felt something other than grief.

Hope.

"What do we need to do?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Paquin’s expression turned serious.

"Clear the hospital."

---

Hours Later – Inside the Operating Room

The doors swung open, and Paquin stepped out, removing his surgical gloves.

Felix was already there, rushing toward him.

"Did it work?" Felix’s voice was urgent, desperate.

Paquin gave a small smile.

"See for yourself."

Felix pushed past him, running into the room.

There, lying still but breathing, was Alex.

The monitor beeped slowly. His vitals were weak but stable.

Felix’s vision blurred with tears of relief. He grasped Alex’s hand, sobbing.

His son was alive.

---

Somewhere Else – Alex’s Perspective

Alex’s eyes fluttered open.

He was in a completely white room. No doors. No windows. Just endless emptiness.

Where was he?

Where was his dad? Where was Lexi?

Then—gunshots.

The walls shifted, folding inward like a mechanical door.

Standing there, his coat stained with blood, a g*n clutched in his hand, was Felix.

Alex gasped.

"Dad?"

Felix’s face softened with relief. He rushed to pull Alex into a tight embrace.

"Where’s Lexi?" Alex asked, voice trembling.

Felix hesitated.

"Lexi’s in a good place."

Alex frowned.

"Can we go there?"

Felix inhaled sharply, his expression unreadable.

"Yes. But first, we need to leave here."

---

Genesys Facility – Escape Attempt

Felix led Alex through a darkened hallway, stepping over bodies of fallen soldiers and scientists.

Alex’s stomach churned.

"Dad… what happened?"

Felix didn’t answer. He reached for the exit door handle—

"Stop right there."

Felix and Alex froze.

Dr. Paquin stood at the end of the hallway, g*n raised.

"You can’t take him, Felix," Paquin said, his voice calm, unreadable. "He’s too valuable to the company."

Alex shrank behind his father.

"Too valuable?!" Felix spat. "He’s not some experiment!"

"His life ended in that accident," Paquin said coldly. "Whatever he is now… belongs to us."

Felix turned to Alex, kneeling in front of him, his voice breaking.

"You have to run, Alex."

Alex’s eyes widened in fear.

"But what about you?"

Felix wiped a tear from Alex’s cheek.

"I’ll be right behind you."

He hugged his son tightly.

"Run."

Alex took a step back—

Then everything slowed.

Tears blurred his vision as he ran.

As he looked back, he saw the bullets moving in slow motion, headed straight for his father.

But he couldn't stop.

He just kept running.

---