章 35: Gene Catalyst
In the dimly lit hospital room, the rhythmic beeping of machines was the only sound that broke the stillness.
Jack Murdock sat beside his son's bed, his eyes tired but unwavering, watching over Matt as he lay there, small and fragile under the blankets.
Every so often, Matt would stir, his face twitching as if he were trapped in a bad dream.
"Dad…?" Matt's voice was soft, barely more than a whisper, but it cut through the silence like a knife.
Jack leaned forward, his heart aching at the fear he heard in his son's voice. "I'm here, Matty. I'm right here."
Matt's hand reached out, trembling, and Jack quickly took it, squeezing it gently. "Dad, I—I can't see anything. It's all dark…"
Jack swallowed hard, trying to keep his voice steady. "I know, Matty. I know. But I'm here, okay? You're not alone."
Matt's grip tightened on his father's hand, his small fingers clutching desperately. "I keep seeing these… these lines, Dad. They're so bright, and they won't go away. I'm scared…"
Jack's heart broke a little more at those words.
He wanted to tell his son that everything would be okay, that the lights were just a bad dream, but he knew he couldn't. Instead, he brushed Matt's hair back from his forehead, his touch gentle. "I know it's scary, but you're strong, Matty. Stronger than you know. We're going to get through this together, okay?"
Tears welled up in Matt's eye or what was left of them, and he tried to squeeze them shut, trying to block out the lines that seemed to burn into his mind. "But what if they don't go away, Dad? What if I can't see you again?"
Jack felt a lump rise in his throat, but he forced it down, trying to sound confident for his son's sake. "You're going to be okay, Matty. I promise."
Sometimes, in his moments of waking, Matt would see those strange lines of light, bright and jagged, cutting through the darkness that now consumed his vision.
They twisted and turned, forming shapes that made no sense, only to dissolve and reappear in different patterns.
Along with the lines, he began to hear voices—strange, disjointed voices that echoed in his mind.
Sometimes they screamed, high-pitched and frantic; other times, they were peaceful, almost like a lullaby.
But no matter their tone, the voices were always incoherent, speaking in a language Matt couldn't understand.
"Dad… the lines… they're getting brighter," Matt whispered one night, his voice trembling. "And the voices… they won't stop. I don't know what they're saying, but they're always there. I don't like it, Dad. I want it all to go away…"
Jack tightened his grip on Matt's hand, wishing he could do something—anything—to make this easier for his son, to understand what was happening to him at all."I know, Matty. Just keep holding on, okay? I'm here. I'm not going to leave you."
"Sometimes, they sound angry… like they're yelling at me," Matt continued, his voice wavering. "Other times, they're calm, like they're trying to tell me something important, but I don't understand what they're saying. It's like… they're trapped inside my head."
Jack's heart ached as he listened to his son's frightened words.
Sometimes, in those brief moments when the lines would fade and the voices would quiet, Matt would feel a flicker of relief, only to have the fear come rushing back. "I'm scared, Dad," he would say, his voice small and full of fear, as if he were much younger than his eight years.
And every time, Jack would be there, sitting by his side, his voice steady and full of love. "I know, buddy. But you're not alone. I'm right here. Just keep talking to me, okay? Just keep talking to me."
It was during one of those rare moments when Matt was fully awake that he spoke with a little more strength in his voice. "Dad… you won't let them hurt me, right? You won't let them take me away?"
Jack felt a surge of anger at the thought of anyone trying to take his son away, but he kept his voice calm for Matt's sake. "No, Matty. No one's going to hurt you. I'm going to protect you, no matter what. You're safe with me son."
Matt held on to those words like a lifeline, repeating them in his mind whenever the lines returned, whenever the voices became too overwhelming.
He knew his father was there, knew he wouldn't leave him, and that gave him the strength to keep going, even when the fear threatened to swallow him whole.
"Dad… I'm trying to be brave," Matt whispered one night, his voice full of determination despite the fear that still lingered. "I'm trying really hard."
---
After noting these unusual symptoms that he was exhibiting which the doctorshad told to jack as a byproductof trauma, the doctor on duty decided to escalate the matter, sending a report straight to Vought Headquarters.
The boy, Matthew Murdock, had been flagged for special monitoring, and now, with the strange symptoms he was exhibiting, the doctor knew it was necessary to alert those higher up.
Niklaus Vought sat in his office, his eyes scanning the report that had just come across his desk.
A faint smirk played on his lips as he read about the peculiar symptoms Matt was displaying.
This was different from the Matt Murdock he remembered from the comics, where the boy's senses had been heightened after a chemical accident.
But in this world, Matt had come into contact with something much more potent—the gene catalyst.
Niklaus leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers thoughtfully on the armrest.
The gene catalyst was an integral part of Compound V's catalyzation and direction, a crucial element in Vought's arsenal.
It contained a mixture of Uranium Dioxide, Thorium Sulfate, and other compounds designed to catalyze nucleic acid activation.
In simpler terms, it was a substance that could awaken latent potential in those with the right genetic makeup—people who had the capability to become super, even without the full, complete form of Compound V.
Niklaus found it amusing how different Matt's experience was turning out.
In the comics, Murdock's abilities were a result of a freak accident, but here, his powers were being awakened through careful scientific manipulation.
The catalyst had interacted with Matt's genetic code, triggering the strange symptoms—visions of glowing lines, incoherent voices, and a heightened sense of awareness, all signs that his body was adapting to something new, something extraordinary.
But Niklaus knew that Compound V itself would always produce stronger, more refined powers.
The gene catalyst was a mere stepping stone, a way to unlock potential without the full transformation that Compound V provided.
Still, it was intriguing to see what kind of abilities Matt might develop from this altered process.
As he considered the possibilities, Niklaus couldn't help but wonder what other secrets the gene catalyst might hold.
It had the power to unlock abilities in those with high potential, and Matt Murdock was clearly one such individual.
Whether these abilities would rival those from the comics or diverge entirely remained to be seen, but one thing was certain—Matt wasn't going to be the same aw the Daredevil.
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