Max's pulse raced as he heard the heavy footsteps of the intruders pounding closer to the workshop. His mind was spinning—he didn't have time. The suit, still in its prototype phase, was his only chance. He grabbed it from the table, the metal cool against his fingertips. Sweat beaded on his forehead as the pressure mounted, but he couldn't afford hesitation.
His fingers fumbled over the activation button, but in the end, the suit hummed to life with a deep, mechanical growl. The sound was like the roar of something waking up from a long slumber. "It's now or never," Max muttered to himself, his voice low and shaky. The suit powered up, the chest plate glowing faintly with blue lines of energy as the joints began to flex with a soft whirring sound. The hum filled the room, loud and reassuring.
Max stepped into the suit, the process quick but awkward, as the tight-fitting armor conformed to his body. The helmet slid into place with a firm click, its dark visor blocking out everything but the faint glow of the suit's internal systems.
As the suit sealed around him, Max's body surged with unexpected strength. "Whoa." His heart beat faster, not just from fear but from an exhilarating sense of power that flooded through his limbs. He flexed his hands experimentally, and with a simple push, he sent a nearby workbench sliding across the floor.
Max blinked. What just happened? His mind tried to process the surge of energy, but the instincts were already kicking in. The suit was imperfect—some joints were stiff, and the energy output wasn't fully optimized—but it was alive. It had power.
"This is it," Max whispered to himself, barely able to contain the awe in his voice. He clenched his fists, feeling the raw strength coursing through his muscles. It was as if the suit had unlocked a new version of himself—something more than just the awkward, unmotivated inventor he had been for so long. In that moment, he felt unstoppable.
But there was no time to dwell. The door rattled as the men outside began to breach the entrance, banging on the thick steel with a ferocity that sent vibrations through the floor. Max snapped into action.
Without thinking, he turned toward the back wall of the workshop. It had been reinforced years ago with a metal framework, and most of the tools he had at his disposal were useless against such solid construction. But now, with the suit's enhanced strength, it felt like nothing more than a paper-thin obstacle.
Max didn't hesitate. "Let's see what this thing can really do." With a deep breath, he launched himself at the wall, his muscles firing with more power than he had ever known. His fist collided with the metal structure with a sickening crunch, and for a moment, Max thought he might break his arm. But the suit absorbed the shock, amplifying his strength and pushing his body through the impact.
The wall cracked, then gave way, and Max stumbled forward, his feet scraping against the ground as he slid through the opening he had just made. His heart raced, not from fear, but from the rush of having just torn through solid metal like it was nothing. He paused for a split second, feeling the weight of the suit's power.
The suit wasn't perfect, but Max could already see its potential. The energy was barely stable, and the joints weren't yet fluid. But for this—this escape—it was more than enough.
He quickly shook off the brief moment of awe. There was no time to admire his work. The agents were closing in, and Max needed to get out of there.
Max's mind raced as he sprinted toward the alley, using the suit's enhanced agility to push himself faster. Every step felt effortless, each movement more fluid than the last. He could hear the agents yelling in frustration behind him, their footsteps echoing in the narrow space. He glanced back only for a second before he realized he was too far ahead. The suit's thrusters powered on, and Max shot forward, using the added propulsion to leap over a stack of wooden crates, landing gracefully on the other side.
A satisfied grin tugged at the corner of Max's mouth as he took a moment to catch his breath. His first real test with the suit had worked. "This could actually work," he said aloud, his voice filled with both disbelief and excitement.
But then, a realization hit him. This wasn't just an escape; this was his reality now. The agents weren't just going to give up. They would come for him, for the meteorite, and everything his father had worked for.
Max's grip tightened on the suit's gauntlet. "They don't know what they're dealing with," he muttered to himself. His voice was more certain now, the fear replaced by a newfound resolve. Whatever it took, he would protect his father's legacy—and the power of the meteorite.
With one last look over his shoulder, Max disappeared into the shadows, ready to face whatever was coming next.