"Yea I suppose you do." Steve and Marc started eating.

Jaime walked up to James' room. She had been gone only a few moments when Steve and Marc heard Jaime scream

"Steve!! Get up here now!"

Steve and Marc bolted up the steps. “What in the world happened here?” Steve stared in amazement at the broken crib. James still held the rail to the crib in his hand.

“I don’t know. But I think we better call Rudy.” Jaime picked the baby up from his crib.

“Let’s go right now.” Steve ran down the stairs and started the car. Jaime bundled James up in his snowsuit and she and Marc joined Steve in the car.

Rudy was surprised to see the four of them. “Something wrong. Is James’ ear infection worse?”

“No Rudy that’s not the problem…” Steve told him what had happened.

“Interesting.” Rudy commented. “This is remarkable.”

“What Rudy?” Jaime and Steve said together.

“Well to be real honest I’m not sure, let me rephrase that. I have a strong hunch but I’ll need to run some tests on him first.”

They were still standing in Rudy’s outer office when Oscar, Dan, Matt and Joey walked in. “What’s going on?” Oscar wondered.

“That’s what we’re here to find out, why do you ask?” Steve wondered.

“Well Matt wanted to see Marc so we stopped by the house. Your breakfast was still on the table and we saw the baby’s crib…”

“Yea Rudy wants to run some tests on him.” Steve pointed to Rudy who had James in his arms.

Rudy turned to Steve and Jaime “You two stay here I’ll be right back. “Dan you might want to join me.”

The two disappeared into Rudy’s inner office. “What do you think Rudy?” Dan asked.

“Let me ask you the same question Dan.” Rudy pressed.

“I don’t think that’s possible Rudy.” Dan started.

“I didn’t think it would be either, but I think it’s obvious.” Rudy went on.

“It just doesn’t make any sense. That part of Steve in not biological.” Dan reminded.

“I know, but regardless. I think that is what has happened here.”

“How are you going to test him?” Dan wondered.

“I’m not real sure.” Rudy held a steel pipe in front of James. The boy grabbed at it. He grasped it in his tiny fist and to Dan and Rudy’s astonishment he slowly bent the pipe in half.”

“This is incredible.” Dan whispered. “How do we tell Steve and Jaime?”

“I don’t know. We never even discussed it as a possibility.” Rudy whispered back.

Dan gave Rudy a serous look. “You want me to tell them?”

“That’s ok Dan, I’ll handle it.” Rudy picked up a rattle out of the stroller and handed it to James. James held it for a second before the entire rattle crushed in his hands.

“How come we are just now finding out?” Dan asked.

“He’s just now learned how to grasp.” Rudy explained. “Well I better go give Steve and Jaime the terrible news.”

Rudy picked James up and carried him out to his anxious parents. Marc and Matt had already disappeared

“Well!” They cried jumping to their feet.

“I have some rather shocking news.” Rudy indicated they both sit back down.

“That bad huh?” Steve sat down with a thud and prepared himself for the worst.

“That all depends on how you look at it.” Rudy began. James is fine, in fact his the strongest baby I’ve ever met or will probably ever meet for that matter.”

“Look Rudy, Jaime and I are tossing around the possibility of doing this again in the not so distant future. Now if something is wrong with our son…”

“Nothing is wrong. I thought I told you that.” Rudy sighed as he sat across from them.”

“Come on Rudy.” Oscar coaxed. “Clue us in.”

“I want to, it’s just so unbelievable.” Rudy began once again. “Dan go get that pipe from the lab.”

“Pipe. Rudy I didn’t know you smoked.” Steve stared at him. “And I would prefer you not smoke around…”

“I don’t. It’s a lead pipe.” Rudy interrupted as he took it from Dan. And handed it to Steve. “Here this was straight fifteen minutes ago.”

“Well who?”… Oh no Rudy not James?” Steve blurted out.”

Rudy nodded. “Jaime do you have another rattle with you?”

“Of course “ she reached into the diaper bag and pulled one out, then handed it to the baby.

Again James grasped it and the rattle turned to powder before everyone’s eyes.

“Rudy are you trying to tell us?”… Oscar began.

Again Rudy nodded. “I’m afraid so. Some how, some way James got Steve’s bionic strength.”

“You mean he’s bionic.” Jaime and Steve sounded shocked.

“No he’s not, not the way you and Marc are. James just has the strength you do.”

“Well what are we going to do about it?”

Rudy shook his head “I’m not sure. We’ll have to be very careful until he’s old enough to control it himself.”

“This is amazing.” Oscar whistled.

“Don’t go getting any wild ideas Oscar.” Steve admonished. “James is going to have a normal life despite the fact he’s …well he has bionic strength.

“Yea I guess you’re right. I guess he can make that choice when he’s old enough.” Oscar agreed.

“Hopefully by then, you’ll be retired.” Jaime laughed.

“In the mean time.” Rudy cautioned. “You’ll have to watch him close.”

“We will and thanks Rudy.” Jaime and Steve gathered up Marc and their son and headed home.

“What else could go wrong?” Jaime wondered as Steve drove through the mid day traffic.