Over the next few days Alex worked with the numerous teams on the list that Emily gave him. When he finished with those, he saw Emily who gave him a list of a few more teams to work with. Four days later Alex badged in to finally rejoin his team.

  “Oh my gosh! You back dude?” Siddiq exclaimed from the back of the lab. Evalyn and Reshma both turned to look at the door.

  “Hey guys! I am finally free,” he smiled, as he grabbed his lab equipment. “So where are we with our work here?” As Reshma filled him in, Alex noticed that Zayd was missing. “Where is Zayd?”

  “We haven't seen him since he left that day after the review,” Evalyn said.

  “Yeah, I even went to his apartment, but there was no answer,” Siddiq added.

  “Weird, I wonder where he is then?” Alex added.

  “Yes, I haven't received any news of him leaving our team or the campus either,” Reshma added.

  “Humm, oh speaking of, when do we get our results?” Alex asked.

  “Oh, it should be in the next day or two,” Reshma replied. “It is nice to have you back Alex. Let’s get to work. They all nodded and finished out the day running experiments. As the day turned to evening they all gathered their things and headed out.

  “See you all tomorrow,” Alex waved as he hopped on his scooter and headed towards his apartment. Alex’s scooter beeped at him. Oh no, I haven't charged this thing in a while. It's about to die, he thought, I will just cut across the grass this one time. Alex turned to make a beeline for his apartment. What’s that, he thought as he noticed something up ahead. As he approached he noticed it was a sinkhole.

  “Oh no,” he said, peering down into it. As he looked down trying to see the bottom the ground below his feet gave out and he was falling. Alex screamed, his arms reaching for anything to slow or stop his fall. He looked down panic stricken as there was no end in sight and nothing around him to grab. He closed his eyes, this can't be it. Suddenly he felt himself slow down and his feet touched the floor. Alex opened his eyes and looked around. He was standing on the grass with his scooter on its side next to him.

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  “What just happened?” he asked out loud while still looking around. Alex bent to pick up his scooter, which was now dead, and continued to his apartment. When he got inside he put the scooter against the door and plugged it in. Still reeling over the vision he had, Alex sat in his living room and turned on his tv. As he changed through the channels he dropped his remote and stared in horror at the news station.

  “THIS JUST IN! A massive sinkhole has opened in the middle of a farm in the mid-west of the country. The diameter measures nearly one acre and is still growing. Teams are being sent to investigate but the depth of the sinkhole is the concerning issue as there is no bottom in site. Drones are being sent to measure but still have not come back with an answer,” the news anchor finished.

  Did I just see that? Was I there? Alex asked himself as he continued to watch the new story unfold.

  “We have an update folks!” the news anchor said after nearly twenty minutes breaking into Alex’s thoughts. “It would appear one of the drones has finally reached the bottom of the sinkhole and it is measuring almost twelve kilometers! I believe this is one of the deepest sinkholes we have seen to date.”

  Twelve kilometers! We have to stop this. I have to stop this, Alex thought, his horror at the event on the television turning to determination. He looked at his bag of materials in the corner. “I haven't been able to practice, let alone think about anything other than these experiments, but I think it’s me. I have to do something,” he exclaimed, balling his fists as a white glow began to emit from them.

  Harden, he thought, staring at the bag. His fists flashed brighter and he walked towards the corner. Peering in the bag he nodded as it was all solid. I have to get stronger. It’s the only way.

  The next few days Alex worked in the lab with his team. Experiment after experiment failing as he was sure not to use his powers to affect them. It was at night when his true work happened. Alex began to sneak to the border of the campus and into the woods making sure that no one saw him. It was here where he began to strengthen himself.

  “Ungggh!” Alex grunted as he willed the ground all around him to harden. His bare feet gripped at the earth and he felt the shift. His hands glowed white as he flexed his fingers. His eyes were shut as he strained the veins in his neck bulging as he pushed himself. After a few moments he relaxed and looked around. He had found a small clearing in the surrounding woods that had become his new work space in the evening hours. He grabbed his tape measure and started walking it out until he found the border of the rock surface he created and the soft ground of the woods.

  “Another foot further,” he sighed happily. Alex closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Return,” he whispered. He had learned that shifting the solid form of the rock that he created back to its original state was much easier. Walking back towards his gear he gathered his things and started to head back to his apartment. It’s only been a few nights and I feel like I have gotten a lot stronger, but, I just don't think I am enough. That sinkhole has gotten bigger and deeper. Thankfully it's in the middle of farmland and not a city, but who knows another one could open up, then another one, Alex sighed.

  A gust of wind blew through the trees encompassing Alex as it entered the clearing. Alex turned looking around, the sudden feeling that he was not alone tickled the back of his mind. Closing his eyes, he dug his toes into the ground instinctively bracing himself for something to come, but he didn't know what. A laugh echoed through the trees. Just as suddenly as the wind picked up, it was gone. Though a chill ran down his spine as he listened to the laugh fade into the night.