Ethan, the eldest at six, squeezes his younger brother’s hand. Beside him, Kai, Leo, and Max exchange anxious glances as a stern-faced scientist approaches with a silver tray. "I don’t like the look of those needles," whispers Leo, his eyes wide. The scientist offers a reassuring smile, but "Just a quick pinch, boys. It’s for science," doesn’t do much to calm them.
Max is the first to change, his limbs elongating, skin taking on a steel-grey sheen and jaws widening into a powerful megalodon maw. Kai gasps as bold stripes ripple across his muscular arms, teeth sharpening into a tiger shark’s grin. Ethan feels his own body stretch, his new great white form radiating strength and confidence, while Leo towers above the others, his skin dappled in the gentle spots of a whale shark.
Leo stares at himself, running webbed fingers over his spotted shoulders. "Whoa, are we… superheroes now?" he breathes, awe and uncertainty mixing in his voice. Kai flexes his new biceps, a playful smirk forming. "If superheroes look this good, then I’m in," he jokes, breaking the tension with laughter.
Max, now towering and imposing, tests his strength by lifting a heavy crate with ease. Ethan discovers he can slice through metal with a swipe of his tail. Leo glides gracefully, barely making a sound, while Kai sprints up the wall, laughing. "We have to stick together. Whatever they did to us… we’re still brothers," Max says, his voice deeper and more commanding.
Ethan leads the way, smashing through a barricade as Kai and Leo use their speed and agility to dodge guards. Max shields his brothers from tranquilizer darts, roaring with newfound power. "Let’s show them what sharks can really do!" Kai shouts as they burst through the final barrier into the rain-soaked night.
Leo reaches out, his hand webbed and strong, and the others join him in a circle. "No matter what, we face the future together," vows Ethan, his great white eyes shining with resolve. The brothers, now a team, leap into the unknown, ready to carve their legend in the depths and beyond.
