He looks at himself in the wall of mirrors. His baggy shirt and pants conceal his body, hiding it from the world and himself.

"I remember how it felt when it began..." Jeff's words haunted him. Jim began to unbutton his shirt.

"My stomach was hard, and I could feel the abs below." Jim opened his shirt and looked at his eight-pack.

"They were hard as rocks." Jim put his hand on his stomach and flexed. They felt like bricks. Jim removed his shirt, and stared at his massive chest.

"...there was a ridge there." Jim moved his hands to his chest. Palm up, he placed his fingers below his pecs. The massive chest muscles hung over his open hand.

"I could flex the muscle and feel that ridge harden." Jim flexed. His body felt like warm steel.

Jim stopped, and took off his pants. He flexed his quads, marvelling in their size.

"It got me off," admitted Jeff those many months ago. Jim's cock began to harden. It was now Jim's turn to get off on his growth. Jim had never felt right in his body. It was like something should have been there but wasn't. Now, he realized, it was there. He had made it happen. His brain wanted to deny it -- it had been too fast, it couldn't really be... Something else inside Jim felt, 'at last.' On another level, Jim knew he didn't have time for self-doubts. Tom and Charlie were in trouble. Jeff was in trouble. Only Jim could save them.

"This ends here and now!" Jim shouted at himself. Jim had a plan, and he willed the courage to carry it out.

He walked around the gym, programming the various equipment with Jeff's last routine. He noted the enormous amounts Jeff was able to push. No wonder Tom went down so fast. Jeff outlifted him by over 50% on every single lift.

Jim had been afraid to push himself, but not so now. He started with squats. The machine adapted to Jim's strength, as it was programmed to do. He knew that Jeff's max would occur on the 8th rep. That's the way the prgram worked. Jim pushed out 10. Jim did three sets, each time forcing his body to go beyond what it did last time. The same pattern held true for leg extensions, leg curls and calf raises. Jim exceeded the program designed for Jeff every time. Jim's legs were pumped huge and he knew that they were bigger than the man he loved.

Next, Jim attempted the bench press. Jim pushed himself as hard as he could, but he only managed to get out 6 reps. "That's not good enough!" he cried, feeling the anger building. On his second set, he managed to eek out a seventh rep. His chest felt like it would explode. He thought about Tom, and about Charlie. On the third set, he barely managed the eighth rep. He pushed himself just as hard on cable cross overs, and got eight reps two of the three times he tried.

Jim flexed his bicep, checking himself out before attempted a gruelling set of curls. His arm was as big as any bodybuilder's thigh, but he knew Jeff's was bigger. "No, can't get psyched out." He did a set of five reps on his first set of curls. Jim got six on his second and third sets. It was the same pattern on his tricep workout.

Jim knew that eventually his body would strengthen beyond Jeff's. Jim had more hormone in his system, but it took time. Unfortunately, time was the thing that he didn't have. He showered, and put on one of Jeff's spandex shorts and a tank top. "No more hiding," he thought.

Jim collected his notes from the exercise room. He went into the lab and took the hardcopies of what was there.

In the middle of the lab was a safe where the students were producing the muscle hormone virus. The Army had plans for a battallion of super soldiers, and the lab had found a way to make Jim's immune system trick generic enough so that it worked on 90% of all men. Jim had different plans. He placed one arm on the handle and forced it open. He placed all the vials in a cooler. He also put one syringe in the cooler. He left with them. Lastly, Jim raided Professor Apple's office. Jim took all the doctor's notes and formulas. He also found the second proposal, and took the page that talked about Jeff.

Jim knew that wouldn't be enough. There were other copies of the documents stored electronically. Jim knew that the professor had not yet given the formulas to the government, but there were e-mails and computer files in many places. Jim couldn't find them all, so he needed help.

Jim walked across campus, dropping the cooler and stolen notes at his car. Then, he walked to the computer lab. It was past two in the morning, and only the real geeks would be there. He sat behind a public terminal and accessed a cracker chatroom. A guy at a terminal in the far room seemed to squirm when Jim's ID appeared as joining the chat. A few seconds later, he noticed someone abruptly leave the chat room. Jim got up from the terminal and walked to where the guy was sitting.

"Are you CrackHappy?" Jim asked the guy, using the name that had left the chatroom.

"Uh, I don't want any trouble. If I did anything," the geek babbled. He was small, maybe 5'6". His hair needed to be washed. He was thin and pale white.

"Hey man, it's cool. You haven't done anything that I care about. I need your help."

Jim described his problem. He needed the computer records destroyed. Did CrackHappy know of a virus or something that could help him?

"I may know something, but what's in it for me? How do I know you aren't here to set me up?"

Jim flexed his huge bicep in the cracker's face. "If I wanted to cause you trouble, this could have done it without the story. I don't need to make things up." The cracker gulped. "And if you help me, how'd you like a body like mine?" Jim bounced his pecs as he kept his bicep in the guy's face. "I'm a grad student in genetics, and I have the formula to do this to you. I need you to make sure no one else has it, though. That's the deal."

The cracker thought for a few seconds. "It will take me a couple hours. Can you come back around 6AM. I'll have the worm coded by then."

"Deal."

CrackHappy lived up to his bargain. A six o'clock, he and Jim used the professor's e-mail to send the worm to everyone in the doctor's address book. The subject was "Hypertrophic Growth Project". Everyone would open it. The worm was thorough, and would completely erase anything that had to do with this project, seeking them out.

"What about anti-virus software?"

"They don't have its signature. It'll work."

Jim took the geek to his car and filled the syringe with a vial of the growth virus. "Just out of curiousity, how big's your dick? The size of your hang will tell me how much muscle you'll eventually grow."

The geek looked perplexed at the question, but eventually answered, "It's a bit over 10 inches."

Jim gave him the shot. "You'll be a stud, that's for sure. Not as big as me, but pretty damned big. You may feel like you have a cold for a few days, but don't worry. It's the virus working. And thanks for your help. Oh, and plan on going to the gym."

Jim left, taking the notes and remaining virus-serum to his apartment. When he checked the schedule, it said that the procedure on Tom and Charlie would begin at 10. Jim caught a couple hour nap. It had been a long night.

Jim put his baggy wear over the spandex shorts and went to campus, arriving several minutes before 10. When he got to the building, Harry, Max and the other guys were leaving. Tom and Charlie weren't with them.

"Sorry, Jimmy-boy, we couldn't save Tom and Charlie. That big mother-fucker is in there guarding them. Damn, he's strong," said Harry.

"Have they started yet?" Jim asked.

"No, not yet. But they punished us. They weren't real happy that we were trying to help Tom and Charlie. The gave each of us a shot, and now we're all weak. Couldn't lift a car if I tried. They said it would wear off in a few days, but I don't like it Jim. And they got worse planned for your bro."

"Unless I stop them," said Jim.

"Good luck, but with that behemoth in there, I just hope you don't get hurt. Love to help you, but..." Harry flexed, but Jim knew there was no strength behind it.

"It's OK Harry. I got a surprise for them." Jim went in.

He found them in the same theatre where the demonstration had been given with William Neal. Tom and Charlie were chained to two stretchers. Jeff stood between them, shirtless, one hand on each of their chests. Jeff held them down while Dr. Apple prepared a syringe next to Charlie. Tom and Charlie struggled, and there was a strain on Jeff's face but he was succeeding in overpowering the two men.

Jim threw open the doors as Dr. Apple inserted the syringe into Charlie's arm.

"Stop!" Jim screamed.

"Jim?!" asked Jeff.

"What is it Jim?" asked Dr. Apple as he withdrew the empty syringe from Charlie's arm.

"I can't let you go on. This isn't right. I know them. They've never hurt anyone. They aren't criminals or asocials or anything."

"That's not for you to say, Jim. Besides, I've already given this man the hormone neutralizer. You may release him, Private. He's safe now," said Dr. Apple.

As Jeff let Charlie go, Jim watched him struggle trying to break the chains. He couldn't. His strength was gone.

Dr. Apple began to walk toward the table where the other syringes were. Jim got there first, picked the table up, and threw it against the wall, smashing the contents. "I said NO. You aren't doing that to my brother!"

"Mr S..." was all the doctor could get out before Jim punched him the face, knocking him out.

"Jim, what are you doing? You know I can't let you do this."

"Jeff, you don't understand."

"I understand that you seemed to have lost your head."

Jim walked to wear Charlie lay. Tom struggled to get up, but Jeff held him down. Jim took the chains in his hands and snapped them, freeing Charlie.

"Jim? How the fuck did you do that?"

Jim ripped the shirt off, then his pants. Charlie's expression changed from confused to a grin. "Well, I'll be."

Tom stopped struggling. "Jimmy?"

"Figured it out, bro. Figured out why you were strong and I wasn't. Now, we both are."

"Two of you, huh? Knew you looked like my Jim, but I'm afraid I'll have to knock some sense into him. Sorry about his Tom," Jeff made a fist and struck Tom hard, knocking him out. Charlie ran to him, but Jeff just picked him up and tossed him against the wall where the doctor lay.

"Looks like it's you against me, Jim."

"I don't want to fight you, Jeff. I love you."

"I love you too, but I got my orders." Jeff walked over to Jim, sizing him up. Jim was huge, but Jeff had the training. Jim made the first move. He fell back on the floor and swung his legs against Jeff's. Jim knew that his legs were stronger. Jeff was unprepared for the power of Jim's blow, and fell. Jim wrapped his legs around Jeff's waist and squeezed. Jeff tried to flex, but felt his muscles being crushed by Jim's massive legs.

Jeff knew he had to break Jim's grip. He positioned his mighty arms against Jim's legs and tried to pry them apart. He failed. Jeff could barely breath. In desperation, he swung a massive fist into Jim's abs. The crack was deafening. Jim's abs held, but the sting of the powerful fist distracted him enough for Jeff to squirm out.

Jeff lept to his feet. The two exchanged blows that would have killed an elephant. Jim took aim for Jeff's face, but Jeff reacted quickly and blocked the blow. He grabbed Jim's hand. Jim tried to throw another fist, and Jeff blocked it, grabbing both hands. Jeff tried to overpower Jim's arms. Jim resisted. Slowly, Jeff powered Jim's hands down to his side.

"Damn, you're strong Jim.," Jeff grunted. "But, looks like my arms are still a bit stronger." Both men flexed against the power of the other, but Jeff's arms had the advantage. Jim tried to kick Jeff, but Jeff flipped Jim on the ground.

"Jeff, please. You don't understand."

"What's there to understand," Jeff grunted as he contained Jim's power.

"You're going to be next."

"Huh." Jeff let go.

"What are you talking about Jim."

Jim showed him the proposal. Jeff turned red with anger. "NO! I won't let them."

"Jeff, you don't have to. *I* won't let them. That's why I'm here. Don't you see? Look what they did to Charlie. He was my teacher and my friend. Tom is my brother. And, you... I couldn't let them. I had to act."

As Jim explained everything to Jeff, Tom began to come around. He lept up and began to lunge at Jeff. Jim grabbed his brother. Tom flexed and screamed, then realized his brother was overpowering him. It wasn't even a strain for him."

"Something you want to tell me, Jim?" Tom looked into Jim's eyes.

"Cool it Tom. Jeff," said Jim.

Jeff stuck out his hand. "Tom, I'm sorry. Jim explained everything to me. I was wrong."

"Tom, Jeff is my lover and my friend. Please forgive him."

Tom looked angry, but then began to laugh.

"Hey man, sure. No real harm done, right? Charlie will recover eventually, right Jim?" Tom asked, a bit of concern creeping into his voice.

"Ya, the effects are temporary, and I've destroyed all the records and the rest of the formula."

"Well, looks like your career as a biologist is over. I don't think Dr. Apple will be too pleased with."

"We can always become lumberjacks," Jim teased his brother, reminding him of that time so many years ago. The brothers hugged.

"Now about his bod of yours," asked Tom.

"Hope you don't mind being the weak one," Jim replied. "Let's get out of here."

Tom picked Charlie up from the floor, while Jeff and Jim made sure there were no copies of the forumla in this room. The four men left, never to return.

The End. •