Almost thirty years earlier…
Nathaniel Cole was married to Catherine Cole. Together, they had two children: their oldest child, Tobias, and their daughter, Lola.
Nathaniel and Catherine’s marriage seemed like something out of a Disney fairy tale—a prince rescuing his princess from a life of torment and uncertainty.
Before meeting Nathaniel, Catherine had spent most of her life being told that she was too stupid to become anything. Those cruel words followed her everywhere, causing her to doubt herself and question what kind of future she could possibly have.
Then Nathaniel came into her life.
They had been married for three years when Tobias was born. Nathaniel was the proudest father in the world. He imagined taking his son to baseball games, teaching him how to play sports, and cheering for him from the sidelines.
Nathaniel didn’t want to be a father who only supported his son financially. He wanted to be active in Tobias’s life.
He wanted to be present.
Three years after Tobias was born, Catherine gave birth to their daughter, Lola.
Nathaniel was grateful that she had been born healthy. However, if he were completely honest with himself, he had never wanted a daughter.
Still, Lola was his child. Her birth didn’t change his commitment to his family, and he had no intention of leaving simply because he had hoped for another son.
She was here now, and Nathaniel was determined to accept his new role as the father of a little girl.
The Cole family lived a simple and ordinary life in Willowmere, Bellmont. Catherine was a stay-at-home mother who devoted her time to caring for Tobias and Lola, while Nathaniel worked as an editor for the local newspaper, The Brookdale Press.
The newspaper’s editorial office was located in Brookdale, Bellmont, approximately thirty minutes from the Cole family’s home.
It was a Monday morning in the middle of June. Nathaniel had just finished his coffee and was preparing to say goodbye to his family before leaving for the office.
That morning, however, would be different from every other morning.
Nathaniel had an important meeting with his boss, Harrison Blake, the editor-in-chief of The Brookdale Press.
Nathaniel already suspected what Harrison wanted to discuss.
The previous week, one of the newspaper’s reporters, Josh Langer, had written an unusual article about an experimental energy drink being developed inside a private laboratory.
According to the researchers, the drink could provide extraordinary energy, improve concentration and memory, and help people accomplish their greatest goals.
The claims sounded almost impossible.
Still, Nathaniel believed the story was important enough for the public to read. After editing Josh’s article, Nathaniel recommended that it be published in the newspaper’s next edition.
Nathaniel arrived at the editorial office of The Brookdale Press at 8:30 that morning. His meeting with Harrison was scheduled for 9:00, but he wanted to arrive half an hour early so he could settle into his office, listen to his unanswered voicemails, and check his work emails.
At exactly 9:00, Harrison Blake called Nathaniel into his office.
“Take a seat, Nathaniel,” Mr. Blake said.
Nathaniel did as he was told, settling into the chair across from his boss’s desk.
“I read the article you edited and recommended for our next edition,” Mr. Blake began. “It is certainly an interesting story, but I have several concerns that we need to discuss before I can approve it for publication.”
Nathaniel straightened in his chair.
“What kind of concerns?”
Mr. Blake leaned forward and rested his arms on his desk.
“Do you actually know who Dominic Steele is?” he asked. “Do you know anything about his background?”
“Yes, I do,” Nathaniel answered. “Dominic and I grew up together, but we lost contact after high school.”
Nathaniel paused before continuing.
“A few months ago, Dominic contacted Josh about the experimental energy drink. Josh met with him, conducted an interview, and decided to write an article about it. When Josh sent the article to me to be edited, I immediately recognized Dominic’s name.”
Nathaniel shifted in his chair.
“I asked Josh for Dominic’s contact information because I wanted to find out if he was the same Dominic Steele I had known in high school. Once I contacted him, he confirmed it. He was indeed my old high school friend.”
Mr. Blake reached across his desk and handed Nathaniel a piece of paper.
Nathaniel looked down and discovered that it was a copy of Dominic Steele’s arrest record.
According to the report, Dominic had been arrested and charged with killing his wife.
Nathaniel stared at the paper in disbelief.
“This can’t be true,” he whispered.
He immediately pulled out his phone and searched Dominic’s name. Within seconds, he found several articles about the case.
It was true.
Dominic had been arrested following his wife’s death. However, he was later found not guilty because prosecutors lacked sufficient evidence to prove that he had killed her. The evidence presented in the case supported the conclusion that his wife had taken her own life.
Nathaniel slowly lowered his phone, still trying to process what he had just read.
“With all due respect, Mr. Blake, Dominic was found not guilty,” Nathaniel said.
He placed the arrest record back on Harrison’s desk.
“Besides Dominic’s past, what concerns do you have about the article?”
Mr. Blake looked directly at him.
“My concern is your reputation,” he answered. “Do you really want your name tied to Dominic Steele and this experimental energy drink?”
“Dominic was found not guilty,” Nathaniel replied. “He was cleared of the charges against him. I don’t believe his arrest should prevent us from publishing Josh Langer’s article. The story is about Dominic’s experimental energy drink, not his wife’s death.”
Mr. Blake considered Nathaniel’s words for a moment.
“All right,” he finally said. “I’ll approve the article for publication, but I have one request.”
Nathaniel waited for him to continue.
“I want you to visit Dominic Steele and conduct a follow-up interview before the article goes to print. Find out everything you can about this experimental energy drink—how it was created, what it contains, and whether there are any risks the public should know about.”
Nathaniel agreed and left his boss’s office.
The rest of the workday passed quickly. Before leaving that evening, Nathaniel made a mental note to call Dominic the following morning. He hoped they could meet for coffee, discuss the experimental energy drink, and catch up on each other’s lives since high school.
The next morning, Nathaniel called Dominic.
Dominic answered on the first ring.
“Hello?”
“Dominic, it’s Nathaniel,” he said. “Are you free to meet me for coffee? I thought it would be nice for us to catch up.”
“Of course,” Dominic replied. “I’d like that.”
“Are you familiar with Brewed Awakenings?” Dominic asked.
“The one on Cobblestone Avenue?” Nathaniel asked.
“Yes,” Dominic replied. “If you’re available, we can meet there in thirty minutes.”
“That works for me,” Nathaniel said. “I’ll see you there.”
Thirty minutes later, Nathaniel arrived at Brewed Awakenings.
The charming little coffee shop was located in the heart of Cobblestone Avenue, Brookdale’s busy main street. The café occupied the ground floor of an old redbrick building, with a dark green awning hanging above the entrance and its name written across it in large cream-colored letters.
Through the wide front windows, customers could see small wooden tables, comfortable chairs, and framed photographs of Brookdale from years ago. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries greeted everyone who entered. A large chalkboard behind the counter displayed the daily selections, while soft music played quietly in the background.
It was the kind of place where local residents gathered before work, friends met to catch up, and employees knew many of their regular customers by name.
Nathaniel spotted his old friend sitting at a table on the far-right side of the coffee shop.
“Dominic!” Nathaniel called.
Dominic stood, and the two men warmly embraced.
After taking their seats, they each ordered a coffee with milk and no sugar. For a while, they talked about their lives and everything that had happened since high school.
Eventually, Nathaniel leaned forward.
“So, Dom,” he said, “tell me about this experimental energy drink.”
“It’s called Quantum Rush,” Dominic answered. “And Nat, when I tell you this drink can give a person superpowers, I’m not exaggerating.”
Nathaniel studied his old friend from across the table. He was certain Dominic was exaggerating. He had always been known for stretching the truth when they were in high school.
Nathaniel took a sip of his coffee.
“All right, Dom,” he said. “What exactly is in this drink?”
Dominic smiled and leaned back in his chair.
“Everything in Quantum Rush was created inside the laboratory,” he explained. “It contains Neurodyne Q-17, which increases brain activity, and MitoFlux-9, which causes the body’s cells to produce an extraordinary amount of energy.”
Nathaniel listened carefully as Dominic continued.
“Synaptamine improves memory and concentration, while Adrenex-4 increases strength, endurance, and reflexes. We also added Cerebroline to prevent the brain from becoming overwhelmed by the other compounds.”
“And all of those ingredients work together?” Nathaniel asked.
“Not by themselves,” Dominic replied. “That’s where the Quantum Catalyst comes in. Once the drink enters the bloodstream, the catalyst activates the other compounds and allows them to work together.”
Dominic leaned forward and lowered his voice.
“That combination is what gives Quantum Rush its power.”
What Dominic didn’t tell Nathaniel was that Quantum Rush did more than increase a person’s energy, intelligence, and physical abilities.
It changed the person completely.
The drink slowly altered the way someone thought, felt, and behaved. With every dose, the person’s original personality began to disappear, replaced by someone more powerful, obsessive, and dangerous.
Nathaniel believed Quantum Rush could help him become the man he had always dreamed of being.
He had no idea that it would eventually cause Nathaniel Cole to disappear—and Dr. Victor Hale to take his place.
To be continued…
Bio:
My name is Lilyan Ruiz. I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and I am the proud mother of two grown daughters. I am currently pursuing a degree in criminal justice while continuing to explore my passion for creative writing. I enjoy creating stories that combine family relationships, childhood memories, suspense, and imagination. Through my writing, I hope to entertain readers while reminding others that it is never too late to pursue a dream, discover a new passion, or share your voice with the world.