Andrew Chapter 17: Chad's Revelations

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On Saturday, October 15, 2005, Andrew woke up to the sound of his father banging on his bedroom door.
?Andrew, wake up; you?re on the news again!? Sam shouted.
Andrew quickly got into his robe and came down into the living room.
?And our top story is once again Andrew Pearson: our local superman,? said the reporter. ?This time, Andrew has found cars too light for lifting, so he has switched to limousines.?
The screen switched to footage of Andrew military pressing his limo at University of Miami. Then the screen switched again, to an interview with Steve.
?How does it feel to be the best friend of a man with superhuman strength?? the reporter asked Steve. ?Are you jealous at all??
?It feels great,? Steve replied. ?Andrew was the one whose strength will allow our high school to win the Provincial Championship for the first time in years. As to your second question: yes I do feel a little jealous, but I hope this interview will make up for it. Hopefully, this will give Andrew the recognition he deserves.?
?It will indeed,? agreed the reporter. ?If you?re watching Andrew, we will be coming by your house at 9 am to interview you. See you then. Now back to the News Centre. Lance??
DECEMBER 2005:

?Thanks Julia,? said the main news anchor, Lance Chilton. ?In other news, the sudden reappearance of Alexander and Max Collins had prompted police to wonder: where have these men been for the last 20 years??

OCTOBER 2005:
?Well, there you have it Andrew,? said Sam, turning off the TV. ?You have once again put our town on the map.? He looked over at Andrew, who was sitting on the sofa with an expressionless face. ?What?s wrong son??
?I think we need to talk, Dad,? Andrew replied, ?about who authorized Marge to turn me into a huge freak, and who videotaped me without my knowledge.?
?Now hold on son,? began Sam, ?just wait a min??
?No you hold on!? snapped Andrew. ?This is precisely what I was trying to avoid: a media frenzy! Don?t you think if I wanted the news to know I could bench a van, I would have told them myself? And who exactly authorized Marge to enhance my adrenaline anyway? I went to the Space Station Sickbay to have my ribs repaired, not to be turned into Superman!?
Sam was stunned by Andrew?s sudden outburst, and had nothing to say for a few moments.
?How did you find out about the adrenal enhancement?? he asked finally.
?Oh I don?t know Dad, how about the first time I benched a car?? asked Andrew sarcastically. ?I think it was pretty obvious by then that I was no longer a normal football player. I had some external help, didn?t I??
?Some external stimulation of your adrenal gland actually,? Sam corrected him. ?When Marge told us how you took four bullets with just an adrenaline surge, she noticed that you had superhuman potential. She asked us if we would like to have you permanently enhanced to that level and beyond. We thought of how it would help your chances of getting into a good football school, so we agreed.?
?Without even consulting me?? asked Andrew. ?I had to hear it from Marge and George. Why didn?t you tell me??
?We were afraid you would tell all your friends and get all their hopes up,? Sam replied. ?Marge has been looking for a while for a human who is compatible with the adrenal enhancement program, but you were the first one she found. A careful DNA scan, from the fingerprints you left on the food plates, revealed that you would show the most response to the program. Steve is the next most compatible, but nowhere near your level. So you got the full dose, all of the prototype serum she had.?
?I see,? said Andrew. ?So basically, I was your guinea pig!? He began walking towards his father, who backed up to match Andrew?s forward pace. ?I?m just a big medical experiment to you, am I??
?You don?t know how much we had riding on you!? Sam snapped. ?I wasn?t quite good enough to get into the NFL so I had to settle for Business Management instead! I didn?t want my son to lose the same opportunity I did! So I gave you a little help!?
?Didn?t you think I was good enough on my own?? Andrew asked, shocked at his father?s revelation. ?And what are you complaining about? You?re a millionaire!?
?Yes, now!? exclaimed Sam. ?But it took me almost 30 years to reach that point. I wished I could be a millionaire right away, which football would have allowed me to achieve if I was just good enough. I wasn?t going to take the chance that you weren?t good enough. Besides, no one else has a problem with you being genetically enhanced. They know everything.?
?It?s not what you did, it?s the way you went about it Dad,? said Andrew, completely calm now. ?You went behind my back and changed me without my permission. I was almost 18 at the time; I had a right to give consent or not.?
?We can?t reverse the process,? Sam said. ?It is permanent. I?m sorry we didn?t tell you, but we thought you would become drunk with power. Obviously we were wrong: it seems to have undermined your self-confidence. I can?t take back what I did, and I can only apologize for it. What do you say son? Can you forgive me??
He held out his hand, and Andrew looked at it for a long moment.
?If it can?t be changed, I guess I will just have to live with it,? Andrew sighed. ?But I had to let you know how I felt.? He shook his father?s hand; Sam winced and was forced to his knees from the pain. ?Just remember, you created me as I am now, so you will have to live with it. I?ll just learn to enjoy it.?
?Sure son,? gasped Sam. ?Could you let me go now? I can hardly feel my fingers.?
?Oops,? said Andrew, releasing his grip slightly. ?You will have to guide me as I adjust to my new strength. How strong will I become anyway??
?It is an educated guess only,? replied Sam, as Andrew guided him to a chair. ?Your adrenaline levels gave us a guide to follow. Basically, you started out at 10 %, when you were able to bench-press 700 pounds.?
?Seems like a long time ago,? Andrew mused. ?But go on, I?m fascinated.?
?Marge?s Strength Serum had a timetable,? Sam continued. ?One dose would gradually increase your adrenaline levels to 100 % over a period of 6 months. But this effect would only be noticed with a phenomenal athlete like you, who worked out every day.?
?You mean if I did nothing, there would be no change?? Andrew asked.
?That?s right son,? Sam agreed. ?This serum was designed to stimulate your adrenal gland only when needed, such as during strength training. But then the results would be extreme. I?m sure you noticed them.?
?I certainly noticed when my bench-press went past 1000 pounds,? Andrew agreed. ?Then I had to buy a whole new wardrobe, because all the 2XL shirts were too small.?
?Yes, Marge noticed that your final growth spurt was coming up, which would allow the serum to act more rapidly. So, you had 90 % of your potential to receive, over a period of 6 months, which would mean that your adrenaline and testosterone levels would increase by 15 % a month. This would coincide with a corresponding best-lift increase of the same magnitude.?
?So, if my math is right, my bench-press of a car, about 2000 pounds, is about 35 % of my total potential,? Andrew figured. ?So I can soon look forward to lifting about 7000 pounds by the time the process is completed, in about January.?
?That?s correct son,? said Sam. ?I told Mr. Malcolm everything as well, which is why he has been hyping you up to his team. I suppose you might be wondering why I received the promotion to President of the Company, instead of Nathan?s son Daniel??
?I wasn?t actually,? Andrew replied. ?I just assumed it was because of your seniority and greater experience. Is there another factor I should know about??
?Yes,? replied Sam. ?It?s you. I told Nathan about Marge?s experiment, and I am now to help the military parallel her research for our soldiers. Since we are a sports company, once the military is satisfied, the athletic community may soon be able to become part of the whole phenomenon.?
?You mean my change may soon help many more people?? asked Andrew.
?Yes son,? Sam answered. ?You got so mad, you must have forgotten the potential benefits the serum could have for everyone. And it is all thanks to you, the successful first test case. Think about that the next time you feel tempted to reject this wonderful gift that we have given you.?
?I will Dad,? said Andrew, humbled by what his father had revealed to him.
?Well, if I?ve answered all you questions son, I think we should get ready for the interview,? Sam decided. ?I hope this information will help your self-confidence.?
?I think it will,? Andrew agreed. ?I used to think I was becoming a freak, but it seems more like I might be the prototype of the next step in human evolution.?
?Don?t go too far the other way,? Sam warned him. ?I don?t want you to get a Superman complex. Just appreciate your new strength without letting it go to your head.?
?It seems to be a tricky balance,? Andrew said. ?How exactly do I do that??
?I?ll help you during the interview,? Sam decided.
?How much does the New VR know about the whole thing?? Andrew asked.
?They know everything; Marge told them,? Sam replied. ?We both felt it was important to get everything out in the open before people started asking questions. This helped us get government funding for our research.?
?All this in a few months?? Andrew asked. ?Is that why you weren?t at any football games except for the last one??
?That?s right son,? Sam replied. ?But I was also busy with the transfer of power in the company, assuming the President?s role and everything.?
?That?s okay Dad,? Andrew said. ?I?m sorry I got so mad earlier; I was just hurt that you didn?t tell me all this before.?
?I didn?t want you to get your hopes up in case the serum didn?t fulfill expectations,? Sam said. ?But it did, so everything is fine.?
?Well, I guess we should get ready for the interview,? Andrew said.
?Relax, it?s not until 9, and it?s only 7 am now,? Sam assured him. ?You go upstairs, get dressed, and I?ll make breakfast.?
?Who are you ordering around?? growled Andrew jokingly. He advanced on his father and held him up with one arm. ?You think you can tell me what to do, little man??
?I made you mister, and I can break you just as easily!? snapped Sam jokingly.
?Yeah right,? sneered Andrew, setting Sam down on the floor. ?Not even Steve can hurt me, with his best shot!?
?Well, don?t ask me to try,? said Sam. ?Now get upstairs.?
Andrew glared at him and then grinned.
?I mean ?would you please go upstairs and get dressed sir,?? Sam said in a fake scared voice. ?Is that what you wanted to hear??
?I?d be lying if I said I didn?t love it when people treat me like their boss,? Andrew grinned. ?It really helps my self-confidence.?
?Get used to it son,? Sam said, as Andrew headed upstairs. ?This is just the beginning.?
About 20 minutes later, Andrew came back downstairs, completely filling out his 3XL t-shirt.
"I see that you may soon need a wardrobe change soon," Chad remarked, looking up from the pancakes he was making.
"That's because I weigh 355 pounds of solid muscle!" Andrew bragged, flexing his massive biceps.
"That's great son," Chad said. "I'm very proud of you."
"Thanks Dad," Andrew said, shaking his father's hand. Chad only winced slightly. "I guess I almost got the pressure of my grip light enough. I feel like I am getting stronger every day!"
"You are son, especially when you work out every day," Chad assured him. "But that does remind me of something I've been meaning to ask you. If you can lift cars and limos now, how are you going to work out regularly? Lifting cars and limos will attract too much attention and I imagine weight rooms are pretty useless to you by now."
"I'm afraid they are," Andrew agreed, looking frustrated by that fact. "I feel really bad that I am too strong to belong in the weight room anymore. Even my home weights, with the denser plates you provided me, are too light for me now."
"Yes, Coach Malcolm told me that last Friday, after you went out with Carrie and your friends," Chad replied. "But I am sure that you will find some weight plates that are heavy enough for you. But now it's time for breakfast, and then you will have the energy to show off your great strength for the reporters during the interview."
Chad and Andrew sat down at the kitchen table and had breakfast. Chad informed Andrew that Susan and Sarah had gone away on an overnight trip and that they would be back the next evening.
At 9 am, the reporter from A Channel news knocked on the front door. Andrew opened the door and the reporter and the cameramen recoiled in shock when they saw how big Andrew was.
"You've put on a lot of muscle since we interviewed you in September Andrew," the reporter finally said.
"Yeah, about 30 pounds of muscle Mr. Cooper," Andrew replied. He noticed that Mr. Cooper and the cameramen still had looks of shock on their faces. "It's okay sir, I won't hurt anyone. Come on in."
Mr. Cooper nodded gratefully and stepped into the house. Andrew made sure all the cameramen got inside before he closed the front door. Andrew watched the cameramen get set up and then sat down on the couch beside Chad.
"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Andrew asked Mr. Cooper, as the cameras began rolling.
"Basically how you became so strong in the first place," Mr. Cooper replied. "I'm not sure if your dad told you everything."
"What do you mean?" Andrew asked him, looking over at Chad. "Is there something else you want to tell me Dad?"
"You didn't tell him Chad?" Mr. Cooper asked Andrew's dad.
"Tell me what?" Andrew asked them both. "Would someone please tell me what's going on?"
"The doctors on the space station extracted a sample of your adrenal gland as they healed your injuries," Chad replied. "Then they purified the adrenaline by filtering out all the impurities. So when your adrenaline was re-injected back into your adrenal gland, it pumped out pure adrenaline from that point on. Your strength increased greatly as a result and your size increased much quicker because your testosterone glands were purified the same way."
"That process eliminated a counterproductive immune response, because no foreign materials were introduced into my body," Andrew realized.
"That's exactly right Andrew," Mr. Cooper agreed, checking his notes to make sure that Andrew's analysis was correct. "That was a very scientific analysis by the way!"
"My son is a really smart man," Chad said proudly, patting his son's massive shoulder. "He'll be going to the University of Miami next fall on a full academic scholarship, and a football one as well!"
"Aww stop it Dad!" Andrew begged Chad, grinning at how proud his dad was. "You're embarrassing me!"
"Don't think of your accomplishments as embarrassing son; enjoy them instead!" Chad urged Andrew. He turned to Mr. Cooper and said, "Andrew has a little problem with shyness."
"That's okay Andrew," Mr. Cooper said. "You may have a little shyness problem, but I bet that anyone who gets in your way would have a big pain problem!"
"Actually, I have tried to be smart enough to keep my hands to myself; I don't want to hurt anyone, even accidentally, like I did many times last year," Andrew informed him.
He looked over at his dad and narrowed his eyes slightly, silently warning Chad not to tell Mr. Cooper about his fights with Anthony in Miami.
"How smart are you Andrew, since you brought up the subject of your intelligence?" Mr. Cooper asked him.
"I'm not sure," Andrew replied, hoping that Mr. Cooper would drop the subject. "I guess I'm smart enough to get an academic scholarship."
"You're being modest again son," Chad said, leaning forward. "Are you going to tell Mr. Cooper the IQ value, or do I have to go upstairs and get the IQ report?"
"No Dad, please don't do that," Andrew begged him, catching his arm gently. "I'll tell Mr. Cooper how high my IQ is."
"Go ahead son," Chad urged him, sitting back and smiling proudly.
"My IQ is 150 Mr. Cooper," Andrew said quietly, staring at his feet in embarrassment.
"That makes you highly gifted Andrew, and some charts would rate that level as Genius!" Mr. Cooper shouted in astonishment. He noticed Andrew still staring at his feet and added, "Don't feel embarrassed Andrew; that IQ level makes you as smart as a University Professor!"
"I guess you're right, which means that I have both brains and brawn," Andrew realized, looking up at Mr. Cooper again. "Do you have any more questions for me today sir?"
"No, I think I got all my questions answered and I hope I was able to return the favour," Mr. Cooper replied, as they all stood up and headed outside. "Did you have a good recruiting visit in Miami last weekend?"
"Yes I did sir," Andrew replied, as Chad closed the front door behind them. "I met a lot of new friends and had a great time at my future school."
"I bet the Hurricanes were very excited to meet such a phenomenal player as yourself Andrew," Mr. Cooper said, as the cameramen began loading all the equipment into the van.
"I must admit that I was not prepared for such a passionate response to my arrival," Andrew informed him. "But after my embarrassment faded away, I was very flattered by all the attention. It's great to be a football star."
"I imagine that you will be a Provincial Champion in another six weeks," Mr. Cooper predicted. "If all the talk around town if correct, this will be the year that OD wins the Provincial High School Football Championship!"
"We'll just have to wait and see about that," Andrew said modestly. "I don't buy into that talk yet, but I will certainly celebrate if it happens."
"And we will be coming back to interview you if it does happen," Mr. Cooper promised him, as he got into the news van. "So you make sure you have that Championship Ring shining brightly for the cameras next month."
"I will Mr. Cooper!" Andrew promised him, as the van drove off. "Thanks for the interview and see you later!"
Andrew had no idea how prophetic his last few words were, but he would soon find out.

To read Chapters 18 and beyond, go to www.freewebs.com/andrewstories