Prologue

25 Years Ago, GLASS-Tech, Swellview:

Dr. Carl Manchester Ph.D. He is a Molecular Physicist, an employee of GLASS-Tech, and a father to young Raymond Manchester. Now, he is preparing to present his newest invention to a small group of close colleagues and investors. Everyone is gathered around an arch-like machine. As the Doctor makes the final calibrations, Ray rolls into the room on his skateboard.

"Dad! Dad, look! I'm doing it!" He gleefully shouts. Carl almost panics as he stops his son before he can get too close to the machine.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Ray!" He holds his son by the shoulders.

"Did you see me, Dad? I was doing it by myself that time!" Ray continues, happy because of his achievement.

"That's great, Ray. But what did we talk about earlier?" Carl scrutinizes his son with a knowing look. The boy visibly deflates.

"That I shouldn't play around in here while you're working." He reiterates his father's rule while getting off the skateboard and picking it up.

"That's right. Why don't you go back to the waiting area and play there, okay?" The Doctor suggests, patting his son on the shoulder. Ray nods sullenly and walks out of the room the same way he came in.

"Dr. Manchester?" His assistant catches his attention. He looks over at the woman. "We're ready." She speaks. Carl nods back at her and begins the presentation by addressing the crowd.

"Excuse me!" Everyone falls quiet, all eyes on the Doctor. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming. I am Dr. Carl Manchester, specializing in molecular physics. Today, I will be testing my latest invention, the Molecular Densitizer." He gestures behind him to the machine and then to his assistant. She wheels two stands, each holding a pane of glass, to Carl's immediate right. "Here are two identical cuts of glass." His assistant then hands him a wooden bat. Carl weighs it in his hand for a moment, then hits one of the panes. It shatters and glass falls all over the floor. "Exhibit 'A'." Carl hands the bat back to his assistant and wheels the other pane to the machine, under its arch. Dr. Manchester moves to the control panel and throws the switch. Five sets of proton beams saturate the glass for fifteen seconds until Carl switches it off. He gestures for the bat again, the assistant handing it to him. "Exhibit 'B'." Carl swings it at the second piece of glass. Nothing happens, the glass remains intact. He hits it a few more times for good measure. The force manages to crack the glass but it mends itself just as fast. Carl discards the bat and turns to the crowd. "With further development, this machine will revolutionize the glass industry for years to come." The group starts a round of applause, amazed by the presentation. Carl smiles and takes a bow. His assistant steps in.

"I'm sure you all have lots of questions for Dr. Manchester. If we could all move to the next room, we can have a proper meeting and hopefully answer all of your inquiries." She begins leading everyone to a door opposite the main entrance. Carl stops her for a moment.

"I'm not sure that leaving the Densitizer unattended is a good idea." He states his reservation.

"Not to worry, Dr. Manchester. If anything goes wrong, we have a state-of-the-art security team just outside." She tries to assure him. He agrees, reluctantly, and follows everyone else to the back room. Carl still cannot help the dreadful feeling in his gut telling him to stay behind.

Meanwhile, young Ray is rolling in circles around the waiting room just outside the lab areas. He's slowly gaining speed, preparing to attempt a skating trick he's only seen other children try in the streets. He figures the best place to try it is in the long hallway leading to his father's lab.

'It's okay. If I stop in time, I won't get in trouble again.' He thinks. Ray kicks off with more speed, crouches, jumps while kicking the board with him...

He sticks the landing!

Ray can't help the smile that splits his face as he laughs. He can't wait to show his dad later.

That smile falters as he realizes that he doesn't know how to stop. He's going too fast and he's scared.

Ray enters the lab, his course set for the Molecular Densitizer. He tries to stop himself by grabbing a lever on the control panel. That stops him, his board crashing into the opposite wall. Unfortunately, that lever turned on the machine with him underneath the arch. The machine comes to life and saturates him with proton energy. This time, there's no one to stop it as Ray convulses on his feet.

In the other room, Carl heard the bang and the machine activate shortly after. All talking ceases as he runs out and into the lab. He sees the machine running full power... with his son as the unintentional test subject.

"Good God! RAY!" Carl exclaims and rushes to turn the Densitizer off. The proton beams stop and Ray falls forward, disoriented. His father catches him before he can hit the ground. "Raymond! Raymond, are you alright?! Say something, please!" He shouts, hoping to the heavens that his son is still alive. Ray opens his eyes and stands on his own.

"I'm okay, Dad. I feel great." He says, smiling a little. Carl is caught off guard, shocked. He didn't know what to expect but this reaction is unexpected. Could it have...?

Dr. Manchester grabs a scanning device from the table next to the machine and passes it over Ray's body. It glows red and beeps erratically, detecting disturbing amounts of proton energy in his body.

Ray is confused. Is he as okay as he feels? Why does his father look so afraid?

Carl has an idea. If his theory proves positive, Raymond would be a scientific marvel. He would be capable of great things. Testing it, however, will be an emotional challenge. He puts the scanner aside and looks his son in the eyes.

"Ray? Daddy's going to test something really fast, okay?" He speaks. Ray nods, now feeling a little nervous. His father has never talked to him like this before, that he can remember. Carl grabs the scanner again. "I'm going to hit your shoulder with this. It will be a hard hit, so let me know if it hurts too bad. Understand?" Ray nods, apprehensive. What has he gotten himself into?

Carl makes it quick, as he said he would, reeling back and striking the scanner's wand across his son's shoulder.

"OW!" Ray exclaims, stepping away from the source of the pain. Temporary pain. "Hey, it only lasted a second. I'm okay!" Ray is excited at the idea of his new superpower.

Dr. Manchester is staring at the, now broken, scanner wand in astonishment. This accident has opened an even bigger door of opportunities for his invention. He pulls his son in for a bone-crushing hug, glad to have him alive. This moment is soured slightly by one question, though.

What happens now?