《Portal》


 Chapter One

    ¡°Tonight, I will be airing my live interview with a Super that goes by the name ¡°Portal¡±. I hope you¡¯ll tune in tonight at nine PM for this once-in-a-lifetime event!¡±


    I turned off the TV. Why had I agreed to do this?


    It was customary for every new Super to give an interview with one of three different stations. GoldNews usually did interviews for the typical ¡°Good Guys¡±. You know, The Metal Marvel, Captain Outside, and The Diamond Ring. Folks like that. The Silver Station tended to hold interviews and such for what narrow minded folks called ¡°Villains¡±. Think more along the lines of The Loco Motive, Vermillion, and Envy. I had even seen some old recordings of the only interview done for Mysterious. Now that was a bad guy if I ever saw one. Totally out of touch with reality, but he got shit done. Wasn¡¯t good shit, but he got it done.


    I was going to be interviewed by neither of these prestigious stations. Instead, I was going to be interviewed by Stan Lankholme of The Iron News Network. It wasn¡¯t a big station. Maybe ten or twelve unique shows, and all the rest were reruns that were so old they were public domain.


    I sighed and slipped on my outfit. It was nothing special. Just a pair of jeans and a t-shirt with a door silk-screened on it. Pretty cheap, and pretty simple. I didn¡¯t have to worry overmuch about getting it repaired, so I could cut out tailoring costs. Those bastards would nickel and dime you to death.


    No, just a custom t-shirt I could buy for fifteen bucks a pop with a silly door on it. Because that was my power, see? I could create doors. Anywhere. In anything.


    Sounds dumb, doesn¡¯t it?


    See, I once thought so, too. Until one day, it wasn¡¯t.


    As I rode the bus to the news station, my mind worried at the questions Stan might ask. I began to write down some answers to the common questions that I could think of and had heard before.


    A few moments later had me walking up to The Iron News Network building. It was depressingly small. Just a single story, gray, nondescript building on a somewhat busy street. You¡¯d miss it if you didn¡¯t know it was there.


    I walked in, and a tired receptionist sat at the front desk, an unlit cigarette between her lips.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡± she asked, her voice rough from several years of smoking.


    I tried to sound as polite as possible, which was difficult thanks to my nerves. ¡°I¡¯m here for an interview with Stan Lankholme, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re his nine o¡¯clock, then? What was your name? Purple Menace or something?¡±


    ¡°Portal, ma¡¯am.¡± I shoved my fists into my pockets, doing my best to smile at her.


    ¡°Ah, yeah. That¡¯s right. The doorman. Down the hall to your left, third door on the right. Can¡¯t miss it. Good luck, kid.¡±


    And with that, she ignored me and focused on her nails. I resisted the urge to create a door on the floor beneath her. She didn¡¯t have to be so damn rude.


    I walked down the aforementioned hall, counting the doors. Stan¡¯s door had a window in it, and I could see him writing something down in a notepad. I knocked on his door.


    ¡°Who the fuck is it?! I told you that I¡¯m not to be disturbed before an interview, dammit!¡±


    Down the hall, I could hear the receptionist laughing. It cut off a moment later.


    I called through the door, ¡°Stan? It¡¯s me. Portal? We have an interview in¡± -I checked my watch- ¡°Three minutes?¡±


    ¡°Portal? Oh shit. Hang on, man. I¡¯ll be right out, and we can go to the studio.¡±


    I politely stepped back as I heard a few muffled curses and some papers being shoved into¡­something. A few seconds later, Stan emerged wearing a well-worn brown sportcoat and khaki slacks. He gestured down the hallway and I preceded him into what I assumed to be the studio.


    It was¡­not. A webcam had been set up on a desk with an old laptop, with a pair of fairly decent microphones nearby. At least there was good lighting. Two chairs sat behind a folding card table upon which the microphones stood, their rainbow LED lights voobing.


    Stan took a seat and I copied him. He pulled a remote out of a pocket on the inside of his coat and clicked a button. Instantly, the frantic man I had just met vanished, replaced with a smiling  persona that was definitely not the guy that I had just met.


    ¡°Welcome to The Iron News Network! I¡¯m Stan Lankholme, and with me is a very special guest, the new kid on the block, Portal!¡±


    ¡°Hello, Stan. I¡¯m glad to be here.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m glad to have you here, Portal. So! Tell me. Why the name Portal?¡±


    A crooked smile crept across my face. ¡°Because Doormat just sounds wrong, Stan.¡±


    An unreadable look flashed across his face before he snorted a laugh. ¡°That¡¯s a good one. But seriously, what is it you can do?¡±


    ¡°I make doors, Stan.¡±


    ¡°Doors?¡±


    ¡°Yes, doors.¡±


    Stan fumbled a moment. ¡°Uh..O-okay. So, you make doors. What kinds?¡±


    ¡°Any kind. All kinds.¡± I started settling into the role of interviewee, feeling a little more comfortable.


    ¡°I think a demonstration would be in order.¡± He pressed a button on his remote, and the lights in the studio got brighter. ¡°Would you all like to see that?¡±


    I looked over at the laptop screen, and saw what appeared to be a chatroom, with text scrolling up at a rapid pace.


    ¡°I think our viewers want to see what you can do, Portal!¡± Stan gestured to the wall behind us.


    ¡°Are we broadcasting live right now?¡±


    ¡°Uh, well¡­ yes. We are broadcasting onto our website and our TV station in real time. No phony cuts here at Iron News Network, baby!¡±


    Excellent. Time to really introduce myself to the world.


    ¡°Okay. Try not to be too surprised, then.¡± I stood up and walked to the wall in the back and rapped on it with my knuckles. It was solid concrete, about ten inches thick. Perfect.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t there be, I dunno, a door there before you knock?¡± Stan gave a mocking laugh, and I felt my irritation rise once more. I counted down from five.


    Four.


    Three.


    Two.


    One.


    A steel security door popped into existence on the wall. I heard Stan¡¯s breathing momentarily stop as I opened it onto the alleyway behind the studio, startling a cat that had been scavenging through the trash.


    I stood there, basking in the cool night air for a moment. I let the door close behind me with a solid thud and turned back to Stan.


    ¡°As I said, Stan. I make doors.¡±


    ¡°I see! That¡¯s¡­ useful, I suppose. Can you do anything else?¡±


    ¡°Nope. I just make doors.¡±


    ¡°Just¡­doors. Okay. That¡¯s going to¡­ Well, let¡¯s face it, I thought your name meant something more like sci-fi portals or something.¡±


    ¡°Oh? You mean you were expecting something flashier? Something a bit more¡­.interesting, perhaps?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah. Look man, the chat is shrinking. And you know what that means. Fewer views. Less publicity. Less chance of you being picked by either The Hero¡¯s Guild or The Dark Alliance.¡± Stan shrugged.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°What if I told you I wanted neither of those two?¡±


    Stan stared at me. ¡°Neither? You wanted to remain unaffiliated?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t possibly mean The Gray Cloud.¡±


    ¡°The very same.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t exist, Portal. There¡¯s been no evidence of their existence for over three hundred years. You should give that idea up.¡± Stan¡¯s voice was sympathetic, but firm.


    ¡°You sure?¡± A pair of small, one foot by two foot doors appeared in the table. Stan scooted back a bit.


    ¡°What the¡­¡±


    I opened one, which caused the other to follow suit. Sticking my hand into the one in front of me, I watched as it came out the other, waving to the camera. I pulled my hand back, shutting the door as I did so.


    ¡°Is that sufficiently flashy enough for you?¡±


    Stan approached the table once more, hesitantly reaching for the door in front of him.


    ¡°Go ahead. It won¡¯t bite.¡±


    Slowly, he opened the small door and gasped as the one in front of me opened as well. He stuck his hand in and marveled at how it rose from the door in front of me.


    ¡°This is¡­ this is incredible, folks. Think of the possibilities. Think of the¡­¡± he trailed off, slowly withdrawing his hand from the door.


    I reached in and shut the door, causing the pair to disappear, leaving the table as it was beforehand.


    ¡°You were saying, Stan?¡±


    ¡°...potentials. Ladies and Gentlemen, I¡¯m going to do something I¡¯ve never done here. Please don¡¯t think harshly of me, but I¡¯m going to commercial.¡± He clicked a button and the camera went off, followed by the microphones.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Stan began to point his finger at me, getting close and in my face. ¡°Now you listen here, you little shit. I don¡¯t know how you did that, and I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but you better come clean, and come clean now.¡±


    ¡°Stan, I¡¯d back up if I were you.¡±


    ¡°You think your little door trick is gonna scare me? I was there when my dad interviewed Mysterious, and there is nothing that you can do that-¡±


    His tirade ended when his hand fell from his wrist, a door attached to both the end of his arm and the stump of his wrist. I glared into his face.


    ¡°You were saying, Stan?¡±


    His remaining hand shook as he reached down and picked up the severed hand, turning it over and over.


    ¡°Did you just¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yep. I warned you.¡±


    Stan swallowed and sat back in his chair. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°Do not, under any circumstance, open either door. If you do, you will bleed out.¡± Stan nodded, and I continued. ¡°I can restore that, as long as you promise not to piss me off. Got it?¡±


    He swallowed, a bead of cold sweat snaking its way down his temple. ¡°No problem, Portal.¡±


    ¡°Line up the doors. That¡¯s it. They¡¯ll click together once they¡¯re aligned. See? Now. Hold still.¡± With the two doors lined up, I removed them, leaving smooth, unblemished skin connecting his hand to his arm. He made a fist and flexed his fingers.


    ¡°No real damage. Not even any tingling. Amazing. You realize, of course, that neither the Guild nor the Alliance will want anything to do with you, yes?¡±


    ¡°I know. Like I said; I don¡¯t want to be part of either of them. I¡¯m no Paladin, nor am I a Lich. I¡¯m somewhere between. I-¡±


    Stan held up a hand, silencing me. His voice was calm, measured. ¡°Let¡¯s continue with the interview, shall we?¡±


    I nodded, and Stan clicked a button once more, letting his persona shift back into his Peppy Interviewer mask.


    ¡°We¡¯re back, ladies and gents, and boy do I have a- hang on. It seems one of you wishes to speak to us! Go ahead, caller!¡±


    A couple of clicks and an unknown voice filtered through the speakers. ¡°Hello, Portal. This is No-Face from the Dark Alliance.¡±


    ¡°Hello, No-Face. How can I help you?¡±


    ¡°Polite. Good, good. I¡¯ll get right to it. Join us. You¡¯ll never want for anything ever again.¡±


    I stroked my chin in thought. ¡°Tempting offer. May I think on it, No-Face?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Contact us no later than next Sunday. Goodbye, Portal.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, No-Face. I will be sure to do so.¡± There was a click, and then a dial tone.


    ¡°Wow! No-Face himself? That¡¯s incredible, Portal! What will you do? Will you- What¡¯s this? Another caller?¡± Stan clicked a couple of buttons. ¡°Go ahead, caller!¡±


    ¡°Hello, Portal. This is Brighthawk. Your abilities will be quite useful to us in the Guild. We will give you the same timeframe Mr. No-Face has. You have until next Sunday to declare your allegiance. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Brighthawk. I will think on it and let you know.¡±


    ¡°Holy shit, Portal! I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen anyone get an offer from both the Guild and the Alliance before! So? What¡¯ll you do?¡±


    ¡°Stan, I think I made-¡± For the third time, a ringing came over the speakers.


    ¡°Who the fuck is that?¡± Stan clicked the buttons again, and this time, static was all that could be heard.


    ¡°Hello? Caller? Caller? One moment while I look into this, folks. Excuse me.¡± Stan got up, muttering under his breath as he crossed to the laptop and began fiddling with some settings.


    I sat there, drumming my fingers against the desk, when it suddenly became eerily quiet. I looked up and around, seeing nothing unusual, save for the fact that Stan had gone completely still.


    ¡°Portal. Come to the Mirleson Building tomorrow night at 7:45PM. We will pick you up. There is much to discuss, my friend.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Will do.¡±


    Sounds rushed back to me as I watched Stan fiddle with the computer a bit more. ¡°Maybe this one? Ah! Yes. Most excellent. Hello? Caller?¡±


    An excited voice, sounding much younger than anyone had a right to sound, came over the loudspeaker. ¡°Omigawd! I saw that! I saw your hand go in that one door and out the other one! How did you do that, Mr. Portal? How did-¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you, caller. I think we all know how superpowers work.¡± Turning his attention back to me, Stan smiled. ¡°And I think the only question we have left is this one: Who will you choose?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Not sure. I¡¯m gonna hafta weigh my options very carefully. I¡¯ll be sure to let you know, Stan.¡±


    ¡°Well! I¡¯m certain I speak for the rest of us when I say that I¡¯m going to be watching you very closely, Portal. Very closely indeed.¡± He turned his attention back to the camera. ¡°And with that, we will bid you goodnight! Stay safe out there, folks. For The Iron News Network, this is Stan Lankholme signing off.¡± A couple of clicks, and the camera and microphones went off. Stan shifted uneasily.


    ¡°So¡­ Now what?¡± He unconsciously rubbed his wrist, his eyes nervously searching my face.


    ¡°Now? Now I go home and sleep. Maybe get some Chinese takeout on the way. Why?¡±


    ¡°Why? Why? Because you have a power that could upset the whole world, man!¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°So? If word gets out that I can do far more than I showed on camera, I know where to go and who to remove. Let them think I need to be able to see where I open a door. It¡¯ll keep us both safe. Am I understood?¡±


    Stan swallowed. ¡°Yeah. I understand. Marge will give you your payment. Don¡¯t¡­ah¡­ Don¡¯t come back, Portal. I don¡¯t want you near me. No offense.¡± He raised both hands up.


    ¡°None taken, Stan. I¡¯m used to that reaction. And Marge won¡¯t be giving me anything. She left early for the night.¡±


    ¡°Left early? What do you¡­ No. You didn¡¯t.¡±


    I crossed my arms in front of my chest. ¡°She was unnecessarily rude to me when I walked in, and the way she treated you was disrespectful in the extreme. Besides, there¡¯s absolutely no way to connect it to me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s known what you did, Portal. They¡¯ll all know!¡±


    I leaned in close to him, pitching my voice low. ¡°Remember how I said ¡°Let them think I need to be able to see where I open a door?¡± Stan?¡±


    He shrank back before my glare. ¡°Y-yes. What of it?¡±


    ¡°Imagine, if you will, that there is now a door that suddenly appears inside a part of your brain. It blocks the flow of information to a very important neural structure. Can you guess what that structure might be?¡±


    The color drained from Stan¡¯s face. He nodded slowly.


    ¡°Mm-hmm. You seem to understand, Stan. The effect is nearly immediate, and relatively painless, thankfully. I am not a cruel man. She felt nothing when it happened. Now. I am going to get my dinner, and then I am going to go home and to bed. Don¡¯t even think about sending anyone after me. None of them will survive.¡±


    I got up and walked out of the studio, passing Marge¡¯s corpse on the way. She looked like she¡¯d just had a stroke and died. Which, in all actuality, was medically true. It was just that the stroke had been induced rather than simply happening.


    I caused a door to open in the wall, and walked through it, stepping out onto the back alleys of a street in San Francisco, nearly two thousand miles from my home. Dinner in Chinatown sounded like a treat.


    Causing the door to disappear, I shoved my hands in my pockets, and walked down the street, hunting for a good restaurant.

 Chapter Two

    The weather was mild for this time of year. No clouds in the evening sky, and the usual traffic for rush hour. As I listened to the hustle and bustle of the city, I overheard an old-timer talking to a friend.


    "I tell ya, if a Paladin were still around, those Dark Alliance bastards would be wiped out, and good riddance!"


    "You know that if a Paladin existed, so too would a Lich, right? We don''t want that again. Be glad they''ve only returned once in a thousand years."


    My mind cast itself back to my past, and I recalled what I''d learned when my power manifested early.


    I¡¯d gotten my power a little earlier than most; around nine rather than fourteen. For most people that developed a power, this happened on their fourteenth birthday. Why fourteen? Nobody knew, and nobody cared enough to look into it.


    Powers had existed for nearly a thousand years. Nobody knew why, and most people just accepted it as a fact of life. Paladin and Lich were the first known Supers, and as one might assume, they had powers that matched their names.


    Paladin was a holy warrior that sought to maintain the supremacy of his religion. He was a knight of course, and wielded a blade of light that burned all his foes to ash. I thought he was kind of a dick, to be honest.


    Lich, on the other hand, was a nigh-immortal skeletal sorcerer. His powers bordered on god-like, thanks to his longevity and his ability to manipulate reality. From all the research I¡¯d done on him, it seemed that all he wanted was to learn as much as he could. His methods were absolutely terrible. Vivisecting people to see how they worked? I shuddered thinking about it.


    Paladin killed Lich in a protracted battle that lasted for weeks. Neither Super had expected to be able to last that long while awake, but they did. Paladin had managed to beat Lich back to his home where, in a final stroke, he managed to not only kill his nemesis, but destroyed the vessel in which he imprisoned his soul.


    As Lich died, he used the last of his power to curse Paladin to expire in nine days, then burst into flame. The resulting fire heated up Paladin¡¯s armor, and burned him horribly. He lived for nine days after that, then died.


    After that, the so-called ¡°Golden Age¡± of Supers began. We came of age and received a power, seemingly at random. It wasn¡¯t until the modern era that some egghead decided to compile a list of powers and the people that received them. What she found rocked the world of Supers.


    Our powers recycled. Sure, every few decades something new would appear and the powers themselves would, for the most part, upgrade to stay current to the modern world, but they would cycle into new bearers after a few years of non-existence.


    My power was new. Like, the very first recorded instance, new. There was no training manual, no records to give me an idea of how to use it, nothing. I just woke up on my ninth birthday and stepped through a door that just so happened to open up on my bedroom floor, letting me fall into the kitchen below.


    My parents didn¡¯t believe that I¡¯d broken my ankle by falling through a non-existent door in my floor. A few government tests later, and it was discovered that yes, I had developed a power, and no, nobody had ever encountered it before. As such, I was whisked away from my family into a government facility that helped me to learn to control it and to teach me the history of Supers. A history that I was forbidden to reveal.


    They kept me there until my fourteenth birthday. I was allowed visits on the weekends from my parents, but was otherwise isolated from the outside world. At least until they were sure of my secrecy.


    Once they determined that my power was, and I quote, ¡°A worthless anomaly of a power, hardly deserving to be called such.¡±, I was allowed to leave, and rejoin the world at large. Word of my re-arrival to my family spread quickly, and the whole neighborhood came out to see me.


    I hated every second of it.


    I also hated the fact that the few friends I had had had all but forgotten me and moved on with their lives. I had to enroll in the local school for Supers, which cost my parents a fortune, and there, I had to endure the torment of other kids.


    The worst of these was the bearer of Spark. Zack was the kind of kid who, while not cruel, was still an ass. He found delight in zapping other kids with a mild shock just to see their reactions. It was from him that I got my first unofficial Name.


    I remember getting shocked in the left buttcheek and having that whole leg go numb and collapse, sending me to the ground. The kids all laughed at me.


    ¡°What the hell, man? I¡¯m just trying to get to class! Why¡¯d you do that for?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s funny. What¡¯s your power, anyway? Ain¡¯t seen you at practice or nothin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Because mine isn¡¯t able to be used to fight, asshole.¡±


    ¡°Oh, a Lame-O! You can¡¯t do anything, can you?¡± Zack advanced on me, electricity arcing between his fingers, and the other kids spread out, leaving a circle.


    ¡°I-I-I can too! I just don¡¯t want to!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± His right hook caught me off guard, the extra jolt from the electricity sending me a little farther than normal.


    FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!


    The standard chant of schoolkids everywhere began, and I knew I was in for a beating.


    ¡°Come on, pussy! Do something!¡± Zack hit me again, in my side this time, causing me to convulse.


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    His laughter was something I¡¯ll never forget. Since we were at a special school, the rules were different. Teachers had been instructed to allow fights, all the way up to hospitalization. We were each destined to be a Hero or a Villain, and would be sorted out in the next couple of years. Our lives would likely never be soft or comfortable, and this was seen as a way to ¡°toughen us up¡± before we were thrust unto the world.


    Zack kept hitting me, and I kept getting up, prideful fool that I was.


    ¡°Come on! Show me what you got, pussy!¡± He pulled his right fist back for a final punch, and I could see even more electricity than usual gathering around his fist.


    As it rocketed toward my chin, I saw the absolute glee in his eyes and did the only thing I could.


    I created a door. Right in front of me. It was a steel security door with a bolt lock, and Zack punched it with all his might. Electricity arced through the door, dissipating along its edges. Luckily for Zack, the electricity seemed to shield him from shattering his fist, but he did manage to create a crater in the front of the door.


    After I made the door vanish, Zack stared at me with a smirk. ¡°So that¡¯s your power? A fuckin¡¯ door?¡± He laughed and walked off. ¡°See you around, Doormat!¡±


    Zack never let up, either. He kept teasing me until we were sorted out to various schools where we could receive instruction more tailored to our power. Myself and a handful of others had to stay at that school until we turned eighteen, as there were few applications for our powers.


    Mandy could fly, sure, but only as fast as a carrier pigeon. That just wasn¡¯t useful, anymore. Neither was Carl¡¯s frog-like abilities. Sure, he had a long, stretchy tongue that was sticky on the end, but what could he do with it? Last I heard, he was making adult videos. And me? I made fucking doors.


    I shook my head as I remembered graduation. I¡¯d received a complete, standard education, and would be heading into the workforce of the average person. What a joke.


    I spied a Chinese restaurant I¡¯d not had before, and stepped inside. The line was only three people deep, and all were Oriental. I¡¯d probably picked a good one. As I stood there, scanning the menu, stupidity happened.


    Someone with more balls and desperation than brains rushed in waving a gun and started demanding people¡¯s money.


    Most of the people screamed and hit the deck, while the cashier stood there in mute shock. I sighed.


    ¡°Gimme yer money now! I¡¯ll pop one in you, I swear!¡± He waved the gun around at the five of us he could see.


    The cashier opened the till and pulled out the contents. Not much, unfortunately. I started laughing.


    ¡°Th¡¯fuck¡¯re you laughing at, bitch? I oughtta pop you just for laughing.¡±


    ¡°You bust in here, demand money, and all you¡¯re getting is what¡± -I looked over at the counter- ¡°ninety-some-odd bucks? Damn, that¡¯s sad. And funny.¡±


    He took a step closer. ¡°The fuck you say?¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s the deal. You walk out, we don¡¯t call the cops, and everyone goes about their day. Otherwise, I¡¯ll make sure you regret eating lunch.¡±


    ¡°Bitch, you ain¡¯t about to shit to-¡± He cut off as he fell through a door in the floor, his gun sailing into a corner, and started screaming.


    Unfortunately for him, I also opened a door in the ceiling, which was about twelve feet high, linked to the one in the floor. He fell from the ceiling, and into the door in the floor again, and again, and again, screaming in fear the whole time.


    The patrons of the restaurant slowly got up from the floor, staring at the spectacle before them. The cashier slowly put the money back in the till, and I motioned for everyone to get up.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go guys. He¡¯s not gonna stop falling until I allow it. I¡¯d go ahead and order dinner if I were you.¡±


    So they did. A surreal scene with a screaming and whimpering man falling at over a hundred miles an hour behind us as we each ordered dinner. The apparent owners came out of the back, alerted by the noise, and stood in shock as the man continued to fall in their lobby.


    As I got up to the counter, they thanked me once the cashier explained the situation. Graciously, they offered to give me my dinner at no cost, which I gladly accepted. The cops were called, and I waited for them to come in and take control of the situation.


    ¡°So¡­ how do we handle this Lt? I sure as fuck ain¡¯t reaching in there. You see how fast he¡¯s falling?¡±


    The Lt shrugged and motioned me over. ¡°You¡¯re the guy that did this, right? Stop it.¡±


    ¡°Sure. It¡¯ll kill him, though.¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°This dumbass is falling at terminal velocity. If I suddenly stop him, he will splatter all across this entire restaurant. I¡¯m sure the owners won¡¯t thank you for that.¡±


    The would-be thief began making noises, and I motioned for everyone to move. ¡°He¡¯s gonna puke! Get back!¡±


    The cops and I dove for cover as the man vomited loudly, splattering the walls with bile. ¡°Ew. You guys got a Super that can slow shit down? I¡¯m sure one exists somewhere.¡±


    The Lt looked pale. ¡°Yeah. We got one. I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll call him. Damn, that¡¯s nasty.¡±


    I sat at a table and ate my dinner while we waited for the Super. About ten minutes later, he walked in.


    ¡°Alright, what seems to¡­be¡­. Okay. That¡¯s new.¡± The man blinked a couple of times.


    I checked my watch. Oof. ¡°He¡¯s been falling for about an hour, now. I think he wants it to end.¡±


    The Super cracked his knuckles and walked up to the doors, examining the situation. ¡°Okay. This should be fairly straightforward, if a little precise. Let¡¯s see¡­ A ten-foot column of air with a single body traveling at Mach Jesus should need¡­¡± He held out his hands as if to hug the man.


    The idiot began slowing down incrementally, the process taking about five minutes for him to come to a halt in mid-air. I removed the doors, and the Super let him fall the three feet to the ground, where the dumbass began to scream incoherently. A foul smell emanated from him.


    ¡°Smells like he shit himself at some point. He¡¯s all yours, guys. You have my statement and my phone number if you need me. Oh, and his gun is over there in the corner. You might want that.¡± I motioned to the opposite corner of the restaurant as I gathered up my leftovers.


    The officers cuffed the gibbering fool of a man and hauled him to his feet. Marching him out the door, I waited until they all got in their cars and left. Time for me to head out, too.


    As I got up, I felt a small hand on my arm. Looking down, I saw the elderly owner¡¯s wife behind me.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Sir, who are you? Who saved us?¡±


    I smirked as I began walking out. ¡°Call me Portal.¡±

 Chapter Three

    I walked out of the little restaurant and headed down the street, looking for an alleyway that wouldn¡¯t get me killed.


    Hey, I¡¯m clever, but I¡¯m not invincible.


    No, that moniker belonged to my roommate, Lab.


    Lab was a dwarf. Not like a D&D Dwarf, just a guy with dwarfism. He stood all of four foot eight, and weighed every bit of three hundred pounds. I had a suspicion that he was the bearer of Iron, but he never commented on it. In fact, he constantly said he didn¡¯t have a power.


    I call bullshit. The man was as strong as an elephant during mating season. I watched him pick up the ass end of a ¡®65 Chevy like it was nothing, just so he could get out of his parking spot. Put it back, too. Hell, he even got hit by that same truck the next day and brushed it off like he had just stumbled over something. Tough skin, my ass.


    I¡¯ve also seen that man eat three day old chicken that was left on the counter and ask for more. Shit that would put most people in the hospital with food poisoning, Lab could eat like it was fresh veggies.


    And boy did he eat. It cost a small fortune just for his portion of the groceries each week. I know I couldn¡¯t afford to keep his ass fed, so I was just glad he was a whiz with cars. He could diagnose, repair and rebuild damn near anything just by listening to it and maybe riding in it for a bit. Kept a steady stream of customers rolling through his shop.


    He was the reason I was still alive, truth be told. It was because of him that I had a place to stay, and had learned how to control my power even further.


    I found a decent alleyway that seemed to be devoid of people, so I headed down it and made a door home. I heard some rustling behind me and decided to not take the chance that it was a cat, and hurried in.


    I had no sooner closed the door than I heard a bang on the other side, and saw three inches of steel protruding from the wood. When I made the door disappear, the chunk of knife fell to the floor, and I tossed it into Lab¡¯s scrap bin.


    ¡°Lab? I¡¯m home. You here?¡±


    I heard a groaning come from his room, then his thudding footsteps approached his door. ¡°It¡¯s about goddamn time, Jackson. Where th¡¯fuck¡¯ve you been? It¡¯s eleven-thirty!¡±


    I cringed when he used my birth name. He had to be pretty upset. ¡°I had my interview, remember?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, dude. I remember. Caught it, too. You really killed it with the hand thing.¡± The pride in his smile was contagious. ¡°That still don¡¯t explain why it¡¯s almost midnight, and you¡¯re just now getting in.¡± He crossed his arms in front of his hairy chest.


    ¡°I went out for Chinese afterwards and well¡­ stupidity happened.¡± I looked down at the floor, rubbing my neck.


    ¡°Aw shit. You didn¡¯t kill anyone, did you?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah. But only the once, and only because she was super fucking rude and disrespectful to everyone. But the stupid guy lived.¡±


    Lab sighed and shook his shaggy head. ¡°Gotta keep that temper of yours in check, Portal. How¡¯d you do it?¡±


    ¡°Stroke. Made a door in her brainstem. It¡¯s gone, now.¡±


    ¡°Well, at least nobody will suspect you.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s the thing, see¡­ Stan Lankholme knows. It was his receptionist.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Marge. Yeah, she wasn¡¯t the best of people. Didn¡¯t have much life left in her after all those cigs. But still, you could have opened a door to the Arctic and dropped her there. At least there¡¯d be no body.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t think of that. That might¡¯ve been better. But I¡¯ve never been to the Arctic. Couldn¡¯t drop her there. Farthest north I¡¯ve been is Wisconsin.¡±


    Lab nodded and uncrossed his arms as he headed for the fridge. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. You hungry?¡±


    ¡°Dude, I just got back from dinner.¡±


    ¡°So? Oh yeah! Tell me about the stupidity. What happened?¡±


    ¡°Ever see someone fall forever?¡±


    Lab stood up, a wicked grin on his face. ¡°You didn¡¯t.¡±


    I leaned against the wall, my hands in my pockets. ¡°I did. He fell for like, an hour straight. Did exactly as you figured he would. Spewed his lunch everywhere. When the cops showed up, they got another Super who could slow shit, and when I removed the doors, he dropped him! I¡¯m surprised he didn¡¯t have a heart attack and die right there.¡±


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    Lab laughed, then. A hearty belly laugh that filled our massive apartment. ¡°Oh, man I wished I¡¯d seen that!¡± He pulled out some coldcuts and sliced tomatoes and cheese, then began to craft a massive sandwich.


    ¡°So, you decide on who you¡¯re going with?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yup. And it¡¯s a third party.¡±


    Lab stopped mid-bite. ¡°They contacted you? When?¡±


    ¡°Remember when Stan fiddled with the computer when he had that static?¡± Lab nodded. ¡°It was then. Time stopped or something, and a voice addressed me and told me when and where to meet them.¡±


    ¡°And? Don¡¯t hold out on me, man! Dish!¡± He took a hearty bite of the sandwich, and stood there listening as I filled him in. When I¡¯d finished he just shook his head. ¡°Wow. I hope it really is The Cloud.¡±


    ¡°Who else could it be? I mean, does anyone know who the bearer of Time is, if there even is one?¡± Lab shook his head. ¡°See? It has to be The Cloud.¡±


    Lab nodded. ¡°Makes sense. I mean, we¡¯ll see tomorrow. Just be ready to drop out of there at a moment¡¯s notice. Never know.¡±


    ¡°True. I¡¯ll be careful. So what¡¯s your day been like?¡±


    We talked about Lab¡¯s day and the cars he¡¯d had roll through his shop, most of which had been on a three month waiting list. He told me about the people that drove them, and how they all seemed so nice to him, a thing he wasn¡¯t too used to.


    See, in his youth, Lab had been a bit of a Hellion. Fell in with a rough crowd and got on some street drugs for a time. Did a few crimes, spent a bit of time, but he ultimately reformed his life. He¡¯d been known for quite some time as a rough gang kid, and had quite a few run-ins with both the law and his former victims.


    The law would hassle him for a bit, but the other people? They beat him mercilessly. He said he stood there and took it, too. Just covered his crotch while the others beat him bloody. He felt it was his way of atoning for the sins he¡¯d committed. I thought it was nutso, and I said as much, but he would just smile that insufferable grin of his and shrug it off.


    Tough, sweet, kind bastard of a man.


    We sat around in the kitchen chatting for the better part of an hour before I started nodding off. It had definitely been an eventful evening. Lab suggested I head to bed as he finished off the sandwich, and I found myself agreeing with his suggestion whole-heartedly. I didn¡¯t even have the energy to open a door to my room, so I walked in, kicked my shoes off and fell onto the mattress. I think I was asleep before I hit the pillow.


    I woke up late the next morning to a note from Lab telling me that he¡¯d be picking up groceries that evening and would be home late. I shrugged and grabbed a shower, figuring it¡¯d be best to go ahead and get that particular necessity out of the way early.


    Clean and shaven, I stepped out of the bathroom feeling like a new man. Checking the clock, I saw that I still had about five hours until my meeting, so I occupied myself with video games until about seven thirty.


    *****


    Checking my watch, I realized with a start that I would be late if I didn¡¯t hurry. Thankfully, I had been to the Mirleson Building before. It was sixteen-story office park that I¡¯d used before as a hideout when things got hot. There were only two businesses on the thirteenth floor, and they were clustered near the elevator. That made my hiding out so much easier. Opening a door to the roof was easy, and I found myself looking out over the vast expanse of high-rises and condos a moment later.


    I leaned against the ledge, wondering what it was like for normal people to get up and go to work every day in office buildings like these.


    I was so lost in thought that I didn¡¯t hear him approach me.


    ¡°It¡¯s not so bad, you know. You have a routine and you stick to it. Boss man pays you -not what you¡¯re worth, obviously- and you go home. That¡¯s it.¡±


    I stiffened and slowly looked to my left, where the voice was coming from. A man, about six feet tall, with a fairly average build leaned against the ledge, holding his chin in his hand. He seemed utterly relaxed and almost nostalgic.


    He stood up and turned to me and smiled as he stuck out his hand. ¡°Where are my manners? I¡¯m Shade. Nice to meet you, Portal.¡±


    Warily, I shook the proffered hand. ¡°Hello, Shade. You have me at a disadvantage.¡±


    He held his hands up apologetically. ¡°A coincidence, I assure you. I saw you admiring our fair city, and it struck me that I¡¯ve not looked at it -really looked at it- in quite some time. Stop and smell the roses, and all that. Would you mind terribly coming with me? We¡¯d like to meet and talk.¡±


    I looked around. ¡°Okay. How will we get there? Car, boat, ¡®copter, what?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who can travel the way you do,¡± he said enigmatically as he turned away and stepped into the shadows.


    Knowing it was dumb, I followed him into the dark. I felt him gently grab my arm and lead me toward the door as the blackness became all-encompassing.


    ¡°This way, Portal. I¡¯ll take you to the meeting.¡±


    A moment later, and we were inside a smallish room in a building. I had no sense of scale due to how dark it was, but Shade walked confidently towards what I hoped was a door. A few seconds later, I heard a knob turn and released the breath I didn¡¯t realize I was holding.


    A shaft of light spilled into the room, and I was met with a long corridor. There was a distinct lack of doors along its length, so I simply followed my guide.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to spoil anything, Portal, so I do hope you¡¯ll forgive my silence, yes?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Sure. It¡¯s fine, and I didn¡¯t think you were rude for not speaking. The precaution makes sense, actually. You don¡¯t know me, after all.¡±


    ¡°Excellent. And just so you are aware, this isn¡¯t our main hub. This is simply where we screen each and every prospective member for safety purposes. There is only one way here, and that is through me.¡±


    I nodded. It made sense, after all. A secure facility with which to screen prospective members? Fantastic idea. Breachable by only one person? Even better. Well two, now. They didn¡¯t know how my ability worked, and I wasn¡¯t about to tell them.


    Eventually, we came to a fork, and Shade led us down the left side. It opened into a large chamber that housed a broad, rounded table. Four people sat there, wearing what appeared to be cowled robes, conversing quietly among themselves.


    As we entered, Shade cleared his throat and the conversation ceased as if it had never been. All four people turned to watch us with an unreadable expression.


    ¡°I have returned with the prospect. I shall leave him in your hands. Call me when you are done.¡± Shade inclined his head and left me there, shutting the door behind him.


    I was alone.


    ¡°Mister Wernock? Please have a seat. Anywhere you¡¯d like is fine.¡±


    Oh shit.

 Chapter Four

    I stared at the quartet for a moment, then looked at the seats. They had seated themselves nearly equidistant to each other, and I began to feel a little uncomfortable at disrupting that sequence.


    But, I¡¯d been asked to have a seat, so a seat I would have. Looking around, I spied an old wooden spool for wire, and figured that would do as well as anything else. I rolled it over to the table and situated myself a couple feet away.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯m sitting. Um¡­ Hi?¡± I waved self-consciously.


    North was the first to speak. Their voice had a soothing, feminine quality to it. ¡°Mr. Wernock, if I¡¯m understanding correctly, you¡¯re not interested in either The Guild nor The Alliance?¡±


    ¡°This is correct.¡± The muscles in my midsection quivered.


    West spoke next. Their voice was deep, almost raspy. ¡°Tell me why you would discount The Guild please, Jackson.¡±


    My face hardened. ¡°I have reason to believe that The Guild is compromised. Some of their actions over the course of my life strike me as¡­odd, to say the least. I have no desire to work with an agency that is duplicitous.¡±


    East nodded. Their voice reminded me of a spring rain; light, refreshing and calm. ¡°Some would say that that description would apply to The Alliance, as well.¡±


    ¡°I would disagree. While they seem to do and be exactly what they say they are, The Alliance tends to be made up of the people who balance out The Guild. Usually with directly opposing powers. I¡¯ve noticed that the two groups seem to have entered into a stalemate over the past few decades. Also, they tend to be either psychotic or just plain mean. I am neither of those things.¡±


    South folded their hands on the table. The voice that emanated from the cowl was a pleasant baritone and slightly familiar. ¡°That¡¯s an interesting observation, Mr. Wernock. Would you happen to have any evidence to back either of those claims up?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Nothing concrete. Nothing that wouldn¡¯t get me put in a loony bin, or identified as a crackpot chasing conspiracy theories.¡±


    North spoke again. ¡°Do you know who we are, Mr. Wernock?¡±


    I tilted my head. ¡°Do I know? No. Do I have a suspicion? Yes.¡±


    I could hear the smile in their voice as South spoke up. ¡°Tell us what you suspect, Jackson.¡±


    My heart thrummed in my chest as I spoke. ¡°I suspect that I am speaking to members of The Gray Cloud.¡±


    West spoke again. ¡°That is correct. We are the Filters for The Cloud. Any prospective members must come through us. We must unanimously agree on their inclusion.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°That makes sense, actually. In order to operate in secret, under the noses of both The Guild and The Alliance, you must be able to trust every member of your team.¡±


    North nodded once more. ¡°This is true, Jackson. I must trust the other Filters, as they must trust me. Just as we must all trust you, should we admit you.¡±


    South cocked their head to the side. ¡°Can we trust you, Mr. Wernock?¡±


    I was stunned. ¡°Can I be trusted? With what, exactly?¡±


    East nodded before they spoke. ¡°An excellent answer. Should we admit you, you will need to keep secret our identities from anyone that may pry. From Labrador, even. You will also need to keep the very existence of The Cloud a secret. Every single detail must be kept to yourself. Failure to maintain secrecy will result in your demise.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I can do that. Nobody really listens to me, anyway. Except Lab. He listens to everything I say, and always seems to have the right kind of advice.¡±


    South nodded. ¡°It seems you found a good companion in him. Do you trust him?¡±


    I smiled. ¡°He saved my life when there was no benefit to him, and has kept my confidences for the last three years. I trust Lab implicitly.¡±


    East raised a finger. ¡°I feel I must bring the following matters up. You murdered Marge, did you not?¡±


    I hung my head as my shoulders slumped. ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    I took a deep breath and leveled my eyes at them. ¡°Because I am tired of being belittled and forgotten. Of being mocked and shamed. I¡¯m tired of seeing people be cruel to each other for no other reason than they can. She had to have known Stan¡¯s needs. She had to have known how it would needle him for him to be interrupted. I¡­I have an anger issue. I know this, and I¡¯m trying to get myself better. But I¡¯m just so damn tired of seeing the bullshit people do to each other, and nobody stands up and says ¡®Enough!¡¯ Everyone is too scared. Well, I¡¯m not. I¡¯m fucking mad, and dammit, I¡¯m going to do something about it; with or without help from any group of Supers.¡±


    ¡°Does this not make you a better fit for The Alliance, Mr. Wernock?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it does, actually. I¡¯m not acting solely in my own interest. The Alliance seems to act only in their best interest. I try to act for everyone¡¯s benefit.¡±


    ¡°Do you feel that the only way to do so is through murder and assassination?¡±


    ¡°No. I see them as simply tools to use.¡±


    East leaned forward. ¡°And what of the threat to Mr. Lankholme?¡±


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    ¡°I meant every word. I can, and will kill him if word gets out regarding the extent of my abilities.¡±


    They settled back into their seat, nodding. ¡°You neutralized a would-be thief last night. Why and how did you come to the conclusion you did?¡±


    I sighed. ¡°It was a little sloppy, I know. I didn¡¯t want to simply kill him. I wanted him to learn a lesson, and I felt he was able to receive and absorb said lesson.¡±


    ¡°But Marjorie was not.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No. In that brief interaction, I had zero indication that she would either listen to or accept any lesson I chose to give her, and I had some options.¡±


    ¡°Such as?¡±


    ¡°I could have dropped her in the Arctic, for starters. Or the middle of the Sahara. Or any number of remote locations. Those would have likely ended up in a long, protracted death. While she was a rude bitch, she didn¡¯t deserve that. She was also getting up there in years and her health was declining.¡±


    East nodded. ¡°Back to the thief; what other options did you have that would have been less sloppy?¡±


    ¡°Iron-banded doors. I could have surrounded him with six Linked iron-banded doors. It would have been taxing, but doable.¡±


    ¡°Linked?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m guessing the details of his neutralization didn¡¯t make their way to your information network?¡±


    South spoke up. ¡°Unfortunately not. While our network is vast, as you¡¯ve no doubt noticed, it isn¡¯t omniscient.¡±


    I nodded, the decision making itself. ¡°Then I will offer this freely, as a gesture of goodwill. I am able to Link my doors. So far, I¡¯m able to Link two doors, and can maintain a maximum of four Links at a time, for about an hour. I would have called six doors into existence, each one touching the other, forming an impenetrable shell around him. He would never be able to leave the confines of the box. Not unless I called another pair, with one being a trapdoor directly below him, and an exit outside of the box.¡±


    The Filters sat there stunned. I watched as they looked to one another, unsure how to proceed, until North spoke up. ¡°So. How did you neutralize him?¡±


    ¡°A single pair of Linked doors. One above and one below. He fell for over an hour.¡±


    South spoke up quickly. ¡°An hour? He would have hit terminal velocity in under five seconds. How did you keep from having him splatter across¡­well¡­everything?¡±


    ¡°I can, if need be, shift my doors slightly. Over time, I can move a pair of Linked doors almost anywhere. It gets to be draining after a while. I was honestly glad they had a Super that could slow him down. Otherwise, I¡¯d have had to open up new Linked doors in rapid succession to keep him alive.¡±


    The four of them nodded. North spoke up. ¡°One moment please. We must confer.¡±


    I nodded and Shade appeared from a corner. ¡°This way, please.¡±


    I got down from my seat and followed the man as he walked into the shadows, where he took my arm gently as we walked farther than it seemed possible. Sounds became distorted, then unintelligible as I looked around.


    The area we currently existed in was a purplish black void. I could see only Shade once he stopped.


    ¡°This is far enough, Portal. I must say, I¡¯ve not seen an interview last this long. Usually, it¡¯s only a few questions before they call for me. You¡¯ve been in there for nearly a half hour. Tell me. What is your impression?¡±


    I pursed my lips as I thought. ¡°I think you lot are meticulous, paranoid, and downright frightening. The things they knew should not have been possible.¡±


    Shade nodded. ¡°True. They shouldn¡¯t be. But they are. Why do you think that is, Portal?¡±


    ¡°Probably because The Gray Cloud has some Supers with new Powers. Like mine. I can only guess at what they might be.¡±


    I saw him smile. ¡°Quite so. Remember that, should you ever think to reveal what you currently know.¡±


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no worry there. I¡¯m not gonna breathe a word of this to anyone. Not even to my journal.¡±


    I sighed and looked around at the gently swirling purple and black mist. ¡°Not quite like the city¡¯s skyline, is it?¡±


    Shade looked up. ¡°No. No, it isn¡¯t. I spend a lot of time here. It¡¯s cozy, after a fashion. You won¡¯t get hot or cold here. Hungry and thirsty, yes. But not hot or cold. I¡¯ve found that each person feels it differently in here. If you prefer the cold, it¡¯s cool; if you like it hot, it¡¯s warm. If - hang on. They¡¯re requesting you.¡± We began walking once more, and eventually the sound returned.


    Shade let my arm go, and I walked back to where my spool was. I stood in front of it as the Filters stood and approached. My core was shaking violently, but I shoved my hands in my pockets and tried to remain as uncaring as possible. Outwardly, at least.


    The four of them stood six feet in front of me. They all seemed to be of a height, and slowly, one by one, they pulled their cowls back.


    I recognized the voice of North as a slender hand pulled her cowl back. ¡°Hello, Portal. My name is Dice. Welcome to The Gray Cloud.¡±


    South¡¯s oddly familiar voice was next. As he pulled his cowl back, he said, ¡°Nice to meet you, Portal. I¡¯m Quantum.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who spoke to me during the interview! I knew I recognized that voice.¡±


    He smiled and nodded. ¡°Dead to rights. I¡¯ll explain later.¡±


    The next cowl was pulled back by a pair of scarred hands and a face that was strangely familiar. ¡°Nice to see you again, Portal. It¡¯s me, Spark.¡±


    My hands hardened into fists in my pockets. ¡°Zack. I should beat the shit out of you.¡±


    He held his hands up in surrender. ¡°Yes. You probably have reason and the right. I don¡¯t blame you, and I know it¡¯ll take time to earn your trust, but I want to say that I was initially against you joining. Hearing you talk? Cleared that away. As far as I¡¯m concerned, you belong here.¡±


    I took a deep breath and let it out. ¡°Thanks, Zack. I mean, Spark. I appreciate that.¡±


    East pulled her cowl back. She had a broad smile and eyes that laughed, as though she knew a secret she¡¯d never tell. ¡°Welcome to The Gray Cloud, Portal. I¡¯m Celeste.¡±


    Dice spoke up. ¡°Spark was truly against even considering you, Portal. He was not convinced you¡¯d be able to do anything useful. Only Celeste knew what had transpired in the studio.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right, Portal. I was there. I couldn¡¯t hear anything, but I saw it all. I don¡¯t know how you killed Marge, but I was certain that you did. Care to share?¡±


    I froze. ¡°Um¡­ Well¡­ I might have a nearly encyclopedic knowledge of anatomy in my noggin.¡±


    ¡°Okay. That still doesn¡¯t explain how you¡­oh. Oh dear god.¡± Spark¡¯s face went white.


    ¡°What is it, Spark?¡± Dice asked.


    Zack stood there staring off into space, his scarred hand over his mouth. Eventually, he turned his gaze toward me. ¡°You made a door inside of her, didn¡¯t you?¡± he whispered.


    The other three stared at me, eyes wide and fearful. I nodded sadly.


    ¡°Yeah, man. At, um¡± -I pointed at the back of my neck- ¡°at her brainstem. Mimics a stroke, and she didn¡¯t feel a thing.¡± I tucked my hands behind my back.


    ¡°Jesus Christ. Shade¡¯s gonna love that.¡± Zack locked eyes with me.


    ¡°Shade? Why Shade?¡±


    ¡°Shade¡¯s our leader, bud. He¡¯s been watching you for a while.¡±

 Chapter Five

    ¡°What?¡±


    Spark laughed. ¡°Yeah, he likes to get a feel for the applicants, too. It¡¯s why he went and picked you up.¡±


    Shade called out from the darkness. ¡°And I had a hell of a time finding you, Portal. Didn¡¯t expect you to be on the roof. Although, hearing that you can Link your doors -neat trick, that- I shouldn¡¯t be too surprised. So how does that work?¡±


    I stood there, nervously looking between the five smiling faces. Thankfully, someone came to my defense.


    I just didn¡¯t expect it to be Zack.


    ¡°Let¡¯s give the man some mystery. And some time. If what I recall is correct, you have a difficult time trusting people, don¡¯t you, Portal?¡±


    I sighed and looked at the floor. ¡°Yeah. I really do.¡±


    ¡°And I accept that it¡¯s my fault. At least partly.¡±


    ¡°Also true.¡±


    ¡°Give him some time, Shade. Once we prove to him that we aren¡¯t gonna rat him out or take unfair advantage of him, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll help us all understand how his ability works. And how we can use it in a team setting.¡± He clapped me on the shoulder and squeezed it gently, smiling at me.


    I gave him a half smile that I didn¡¯t really feel.


    ¡°That makes sense, Spark. Hmm. If neither of you have an objection, I¡¯d like for the two of you to work together. Help him get a feel for us, Spark. Who we are; what we¡¯re about. You good with that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with it, boss. I¡¯m not sure Portal is, though. We have a rough history, and I was the reason for it.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Well, in that-¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s fine.¡± I took a deep breath. ¡°If I¡¯m likely going to be working with him at some point, I have to come to trust him, right?¡± Both men nodded. ¡°What better time than now? May as well bury the proverbial hatchet while we¡¯re at it, too.¡±


    ¡°You really mean that?¡± Zack leaned forward slightly.


    I screwed my face up in thought. ¡°I think so? It was seven years ago and we were kids. Well, you were an asshole. I was a kid.¡±


    Shade snorted. ¡°He¡¯s still a bit of an ass at times, Portal. But, I think he¡¯s changed enough that you might find working with him tolerable. I¡¯ll leave you two to it, then. Can you leave this space, Portal?¡±


    I thought for a moment and pulled up a tiny door on the wooden spool, Linked to my bedroom. Opening it, I saw everything as it was when I left. I closed the door and let it vanish. ¡°Yes, sir. I can actually come freely to this space.¡±


    ¡°I would request that you not. Spark is able to jam all EM frequencies, so I¡¯m not concerned about your cell phone right now, but since you say you can open a door to this space, I can¡¯t be too careful. Go anywhere but here, Portal. Our existence hinges on that.¡±


    ¡°You got it. Um¡­ What if I don¡¯t have my phone on me and can¡¯t be tracked?¡±


    ¡°Not until after we remove your implant, and that could take weeks.¡± Shade said off-handedly.


    ¡°Implant? I don¡¯t have a fuckin¡¯ implant.¡±


    Shade crossed his arms. ¡°Spark? Show him.¡±


    Spark rolled his left sleeve up and pointed to a scar by his elbow. ¡°See that? There was a tiny little GPS transmitter implanted in my arm. We went to the same school, so it¡¯s likely there¡¯s one in your arm, too.¡±


    I looked at my left arm, flexing and tensing the muscles there. Wrinkling my brow, I repeated the process on the right. Nothing felt different. I cocked my head and relaxed my left arm, using my right hand to poke and prod at the flesh.


    Shade chuckled. ¡°You won¡¯t find anything like that, Portal. Trust me. The implant is tiny. We have someone that can find it. It¡¯ll just take them a while to get to you.¡± He looked over the five of us. ¡°You guys ready to leave?¡±


    ¡°I can open a door to my apartment from here. I don¡¯t want to trouble you.¡±


    Shade stroked his chin. ¡°Can you now? I wonder¡­¡±


    ¡°Sir?¡± asked Spark.


    ¡°Hmm? Oh. It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just wondering how the Linking part of his ability works. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know how it works. I just know that it does. Here. Let me show you.¡±


    Shade nodded and gestured for me to continue. I walked over to the shaded corner that Shade had led me to earlier. Concentrating for a moment, I opened a door that simply opened up on the far wall. I walked into the one in front of me, and walked out of the one on the far wall.


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    ¡°And that¡¯s pretty much it.¡± I called out, causing all five heads to turn in my direction. Shade began clapping.


    ¡°Simply marvelous. And you have to have been to wherever it is you open a door?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yep. As long as I¡¯ve seen the room, or whatever, I can open a door there.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Dice chimed in.


    I sighed in annoyance. ¡°I already told you-¡±


    She held her hands up defensively. ¡°No¡­ What I meant is how are you able to keep that many locations in your head?¡±


    I relaxed slightly. ¡°Oh¡­Um. I also have a photographic memory. I was born with it, and it¡¯s not always a blessing, let me tell you.¡± I shot Spark a dirty look, and he deflated slightly.


    Shade laughed. ¡°This will certainly prove useful. For now, I¡¯d like you to open a door to the roof of the Mirleson building. That way, when Spark here stops jamming your GPS, it¡¯ll look like just a glitch. None of us have a phone of any sort on us, so we won¡¯t arouse suspicion. You, on the other hand, do. I¡¯m not blaming you. Quantum is only able to give short messages in the way he did.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I had to rest for most of the day afterward.¡± He nodded.


    ¡°And believe me, that is a major improvement. He used to only be able to send a single one-word message per day. He¡¯s advanced leaps and bounds.¡± Shade looked over at Quantum with a face filled with fatherly pride. He turned to face me, and smiled. ¡°Here in The Gray Cloud, I expect you to hone your abilities to their utmost. You won¡¯t be doing so alone, however. Every single member of The Cloud will support you to the best of their ability.¡±


    Celeste spoke up. ¡°He¡¯s right man. All of us. We want you to be better tomorrow than you were today. You may not know this, but a lot of members in The Cloud are those of us who have¡± -she cleared her throat and pitched her voice low- ¡°a worthless anomaly of a power, hardly deserving to be called such.¡±


    I laughed softly. ¡°You were told the same thing, huh?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°At the time, all I could do was influence my own dreams, but now? Now I can enter what I can only guess is the Astral Realm; separate from my body. I can bring only one sense with me right now, but I¡¯m working on more.¡±


    ¡°Huh. Shows how short-sighted the spooks were.¡±


    Shade nodded. ¡°Indeed. And I would wager that once word gets out -and it will get out- that you¡¯re not working for either the Alliance or the The Guild, that they¡¯ll start to hunt you down. We¡¯ve lost a few members to either forced rehabilitation, or outright murder.¡± Shade clasped his hands behind his back.


    ¡°Jesus. Well, I guess that solidifies my impression of the pair of them, then.¡±


    He turned to me with a shrewd expression. ¡°And just what impression is that, may I ask?¡±


    ¡°That The Guild is more corrupt than the common people want to believe. Brighthawk may not be behind it, but she sure as shit isn¡¯t doing a damn thing to stop it. They only look righteous and loving and caring.


    ¡°When I was told my power was worthless, I immediately went to them. They heard me out and asked me to demonstrate my abilities. The weakest of them -Bumblebee- was able to shatter my doors with a few well-placed stings. Gotta tell ya, that felt terrible.


    ¡°And The Alliance is no better. They¡¯re fully ready to commit murder and terrorize people, and for what? Money?¡± I snorted. ¡°They could each make more money finding a more helpful use of their powers. I mean, The Loco Motive would make bank as a demolitions expert! Shit, team him up with Bubble from The Guild, and they¡¯d be a literally unstoppable duo.¡±


    Shade¡¯s grin grew wider as I spoke. ¡°Tell me something, Portal. Have you ever looked up anyone that The Alliance has killed?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Do it when you get home. You may be surprised. For now, I believe we should get back to the city. Portal? If you would please.¡±


    I nodded and removed my previous doors while the others pulled their robes off, hanging them up on pegs. Concentrating, I opened a pair of steel emergency doors from here to the Mirleson building. ¡°Here we go. Back home.¡±


    Shade opened the door, stepping out into the shadows on the roof. The rest of us followed, and I took a deep breath of the city air.


    Blood. I smelled blood. Fresh blood. I quickly looked around, trying to find the source.


    ¡°stop. don¡¯t move.¡± The whisper echoed in my mind. I was fairly certain it was Quantum, so I halted in my tracks, my eyes darting around.


    What I couldn¡¯t see, I could hear, however. I heard footfalls coming from above and slowly craned my neck to look up onto the billboard. What I saw boggled my mind.


    There was a person up there. Pacing. They had hands that were wrong, and a very unnatural gait. Celeste reached over slowly and grabbed my arm. I looked over at her and she gave the barest shake of her head. I nodded and we both turned our attention to the figure above us.


    It had stopped its pacing and was standing there, hunched over. It appeared to be breathing deeply. A sound distracted it and it whipped its head to the left. Quick as a lightning strike, it struck out with a hand, skewering a bat on an elongated finger. Opening its toothsome maw wider than should have been possible, it deposited the morsel inside and crunched noisily. With a huff, it leapt down to the city, and I heard a few shrieks as it left the area.


    A collective sigh escaped the six of us.


    ¡°They¡¯re getting better. Spark, are you any closer to what you¡¯ve been practicing?¡±


    He shook his head, visibly frightened. ¡°It has a range of six feet at best. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°No worry. You¡¯ll get there.¡±


    ¡°Is anyone gonna tell me what the fuck that was? It didn¡¯t look human.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t. They¡¯re called Hunters, as far as any of us can tell. As to why they¡¯re here? Anyone¡¯s guess. The Guild and The Alliance keep their existence as quiet as possible. Those screams you heard? They¡¯ll be silenced by morning. One of the few areas in which the two powers will readily work together. Silence. Secrecy. If word got out that there existed creatures on par with Paladin, there¡¯d be mass riots.¡± Shade was quiet, neutral in his delivery.


    ¡°Portal, can you take us somewhere safe? And preferably with food?¡± Spark asked nervously.


    I checked my phone. 8:45. A few places were still open. I grinned. ¡°How about Chinese?¡±

 Chapter Six

    Five heads nodded, and I opened a door to a gloomy alley in San Francisco. They all stepped through and the door vanished as I led them to the same restaurant I had visited the day before.


    As we walked in, the manager looked out from the back and smiled. ¡°Ah! You have returned, sir! I trust your meal was to your liking?¡±


    I nodded with a smile. ¡°It was excellent. So good, in fact, that I¡¯ve brought some friends with me so that they might experience it for themselves. Go ahead, guys. I¡¯ll buy tonight.¡±


    Shade quirked an eyebrow and shrugged. ¡°Very well, Portal.¡± He turned to face the menu and thought for a moment.


    I stepped back and dug my wallet out of my pocket. Fifteen bucks. I sighed. I hated having to do what I was about to do. ¡°Be right back, have to hit the ATM next door.¡± Spark nodded at me, and I walked out, ducking down the narrow alley beside the restaurant.


    Opening a tiny door to the bank vault down the road from my apartment, I peered in, seeing the usual darkened room. Carefully, I located a secure box, closed my doors and opened a new pair. Reaching in with a hand wrapped up in my shirt, I withdrew two hundred-dollar bills from two separate stacks and stuffed them in my wallet. I closed the doors, making sure no trace of me was left inside the box. The last thing I needed was to be accused (rightly) of bank robbery.


    Returning to the restaurant, I saw that Spark was placing his order. ¡°I¡¯d like a quart of moo goo gai pan, three eggrolls and an order of chicken on a stick, please.¡±


    The manager nodded, writing the order down. ¡°And what would our savior, the mighty Portal, like for dinner?¡±


    I smiled, my face growing warm as I perused the menu. ¡°May I have a pint of orange chicken and a pint of General Tso¡¯s with an order of crab rangoon and an order of chicken on a stick?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely. We will have it right out.¡± He stepped back, and was about to leave when I stopped him.


    ¡°I need to pay, right? I can¡¯t let you guys cook us this much food for nothing.¡±


    ¡°For you? No. It would be most unseemly to ask you to pay.¡±


    ¡°Please? I-I don¡¯t feel right about that. Let me at least pay half?¡±


    The manager¡¯s face went calm. ¡°I owe you, friend. Surely you wouldn¡¯t let me dishonor us both by continuing to take your money?¡±


    Shade placed a hand on my shoulder. ¡°This is the cost of being a hero, Portal.¡±


    I bowed my head in defeat. ¡°Okay, then. But I won¡¯t make this a habit, sir. Once a week, tops. And only me.¡±


    The manager - who I later learned was named Chen Shou - giggled like a schoolkid and rushed to the back, shouting orders in what I assumed was Chinese. I took a seat with the others and waited.


    Dice pulled a deck of cards from her pocket and began shuffling. ¡°Wanna make a bet, Portal?¡±


    I saw Shade try to hide a smile from the corner of my eye. ¡°What are we wagering, Dice?¡±


    She grinned like a cat. ¡°Loser buys dinner.¡±


    I grinned and rolled my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m already covering dinner tonight, remember?¡±


    ¡°Not tonight. Later.¡±


    I stared at her for a moment. ¡°With a name like ¡®Dice¡¯, it isn¡¯t hard to figure out your power. Probability?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yes. Very good. I manipulate probabilities in a very small area. So. Wanna play?¡±


    ¡°How small?¡±


    ¡°A ten foot radius centered on myself.¡±


    I thought about it and figured it couldn¡¯t hurt. What was a little money to me? ¡°Okay. What are we playing?¡±


    ¡°War.¡±


    I thought for a moment. ¡°Isn¡¯t that where you shuffle, split the deck, and flip over the top card?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yep. It¡¯s one of the most fair ways I can make a bet with someone.¡±


    ¡°Always active?¡±


    She nodded sadly and shuffled the cards. I watched her hands like a hawk. I could see zero indication of her stacking the deck or doing anything unsportsmanlike with the cards. With a final riffle, she split the deck neatly and offered me the choice. I took the left half and slid it in front of me. ¡°Aces high, Portal.¡±


    The game was on.


    Several rounds passed with her winning most of them. I won the next few, and she won a couple of wars. The other four were watching us intently as it came down to our last ten cards each.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    I played the six of clubs to her seven of spades. I played the two of diamonds to her ten of hearts. Seven and four, Jack and two, five and five - a war - eight and four.


    ¡°Last card, Dice. I think we¡¯re tied. Last chance to say that the bet¡¯s off.¡±


    She grinned. ¡°Never!¡±


    Shade gave us an impromptu countdown. ¡°Three, two, one!¡± and we flipped over our final cards. I played the Ace of clubs and she the Queen of hearts.


    ¡°I lost?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Maybe? I think it¡¯s close. Count them up.¡±


    We sat there and counted our cards as the manager, his wife and a cook came out bearing trays of food.


    I had twenty-seven cards to her twenty-five. I grinned at her. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re buying dinner.¡±


    She sat there, dumbfounded, as the others laughed. Shade clapped me on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re the second person to win that game with her!¡±


    ¡°Who was the first?¡±


    The laughter died down as we cleared the cards and the food was set in front of us. I thanked the manager, and he returned to the back.


    Dice poked at her food. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about that.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s okay. I didn¡¯t mean to open a sore subject. We all have something that stays inside.¡± I dug into my orange chicken.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I just don¡¯t want to go there right now. It just brings back memories. Some wonderful, others¡­not so much. That¡¯s all.¡± She smiled sadly at me.


    ¡°I understand. It can stay right there, and we never have to bring it up again, if that¡¯s what you want.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Portal.¡± She took a bite of her noodles and made an appreciative noise. ¡°These are pretty damn good!¡±


    I grinned and continued eating. This was a good night, all things considered.


    After about forty-five minutes, we were all well and truly stuffed. The manager brought out several take-out containers, each full of the same items that we had each ordered.


    ¡°Shou¡­¡± I said softly, my eyebrows knitting together.


    The smiling manager waved his hands at me as he spoke, his tone reverent. ¡°Hush, now. I take care of people who care for me and mine. Come see us any time, Portal. We will always take care of you.¡±


    I sighed softly. If this were to be the price of saving this restaurant and its employees, then I would bear it with as much humility as I possibly could. I smiled at the shorter man. ¡°If that is your wish, Mr. Chen, then I will abide by it. Thank you, sir.¡± Turning to my companions, I nodded my head toward the door. ¡°Shall we?¡±


    We stood and walked out of the little restaurant, tomorrow¡¯s lunch or breakfast in our hands. Once outside, Shade took the lead, and directed us to a dark alleyway and reached back for Spark, who took his hand. We each held hands with the other, Dice gripping mine tightly, as Shade pulled us into whatever dimension he traveled through.


    Ten minutes of walking later, we emerged near the docks of home. It may just be a lake, but it smelled much like any other seaport in the world.


    We all scanned our surroundings, and once we deemed the area safe, we stepped out of the shadows one by one. Shade turned to face me and smiled.


    ¡°Portal,¡± he said quietly, ¡°I am glad to have you with us. I¡¯ll send Spark to your apartment with more information on where to meet up in the future. There is also the matter of training that you will need to undergo. It might not seem like it, but we have an extensive training ground set up for all our members.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right, man. It¡¯s helped me immensely.¡± Spark nodded.


    I looked between the two men. This could be the beginning of a fantastic future for me. ¡°No problem. Spark, just so you know, it¡¯s going to take me quite some time to trust you completely. I¡¯ve still not forgiven what happened, and I don¡¯t know if I can at this point. I¡¯m not ready to write it off completely, though.¡± Spark met my eyes and nodded thoughtfully. I was glad that he didn¡¯t seem to expect me to just forgive everything at a moment¡¯s notice. Looking at Celeste and Quantum I cocked my head. ¡°Is there somewhere I can send you guys to get you closer to home?¡±


    ¡°I live near Marquette Park. Can you open a door there?¡± Celeste asked softly.


    I thought for a moment. I had been locked up at the police station near there a couple years ago. There was a mosque that was fairly dark across the street and down a ways, and I said as much.


    ¡°That will be perfect!¡± She bounced happily on the balls of her feet as I created a door on the wall beside us.


    ¡°Bye everyone!¡± She said as she opened the door and walked through.


    Once the door was closed, I let it disappear. Turning to Quantum, I smiled. ¡°And you?¡±


    ¡°Can you open a door to anywhere in Mississauga?¡± He had a half-smile on his face.


    ¡°Oof. I¡¯ve not been out of the US, actually. Sorry, man.¡±


    ¡°No problem. Shade can drop me off, then.¡± He shrugged and smiled.


    I nodded. ¡°Spark?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t live too far from here, really. I¡¯m good.¡±


    I nodded and looked over at Dice, who still held my hand in hers. I cleared my throat softly and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. ¡°Dice?¡±


    She shook her head with a start and started to stammer as she yanked her hand away from mine.  ¡°Um¡­uh¡­ Y-yes?¡± Her face had turned a bright shade of pink.


    I smirked and asked her softly, ¡°And where can I take you?¡±


    Her face snapped to mine and her breathing came in swift gulps. ¡°Um¡­ Uh¡­ I, uh¡­ I¡­what?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sending folks close to their homes if I can. That¡¯s all. Do you want me to open a door to somewhere close to your home?¡±


    I saw Shade struggle to keep from laughing as Dice looked frantically around. ¡°I-I-I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve ever been to Arizona before, but I live in Sedona?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯ve been to Phoenix once?¡± I scratched my head with a rueful smile.


    She smiled and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll just get a ride with Shade, then. Thank you anyway.¡± She quickly moved to stand beside our leader.


    Our leader. My leader. Damn, but that would take some getting used to.


    Shade grinned. ¡°If we are all ready?¡± He held out a hand, and Dice quickly took it as Quantum reached for her other. ¡°Spark will visit you tomorrow, Portal. Be safe, everyone.¡± He stepped off into the shadows, where he, Quantum and Dice vanished, leaving only Spark and myself at the docks.


    ¡°See you tomorrow, Spark.¡± I said as I created a wooden door leading to my room.


    ¡°See ya, dude.¡±

 Chapter Seven

    I shut the door, immediately dissolving it. Collapsing on my bed after setting my extra food on my dresser, I sighed heavily. Inducted into the world¡¯s most exclusive and secretive superhero group, encountering something called a Hunter, and having dinner with my new crew in the same night? Exhausting. And incredible, too. Oh! Not to mention scoring a date with a fellow Super!


    As I went to the kitchen to put my food away, my mind kept drifting to Dice. There was something about her mix of sadness and cheerfulness that made me curious about her past. I wondered just what that had been like. Having a passive ability wasn¡¯t rare, but it was nowhere near common. To have been born as the Bearer of Probability? Insane. I couldn¡¯t recall having ever seen that ability anywhere before.


    Still, it had to be lonely. Not being able to trust in any good luck that ever came your way? Never being certain that someone¡¯s actions in your favor was due to their own desire to do so, or it being an effect of your ability? It had to be maddening. The more I thought about it, the more I felt for the poor girl.


    I sat there in thought for a few more moments, then opened the fridge. Hearing some clattering upstairs, I called out to my roommate.


    ¡°Hey Lab? You awake?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Gimme a minute.¡± I heard the burly dwarf yawn and curse as he kicked at something in his room.


    ¡°Gawdamn table! I swear the damn thing keeps hopping out in front of me.¡± He limped into the room, clad only in a pair of boxers.


    Grumbling softly, he limped into the kitchen and pulled out a brown bag from the fridge. ¡°What took so long?¡±


    I grinned. ¡°Yeah¡­ I can¡¯t really talk about it.¡±


    ¡°Whaddya mean y¡¯can¡¯t¡­¡± He trailed off as he pulled half a rotisserie chicken from the bag, then looked me in the eye. ¡°Ya got in, didn¡¯t ya?¡±


    I smiled. ¡°I can¡¯t say, Lab. You know how these things go.¡±


    ¡°Heh. Client confidentiality, then. I do the same with my own business. Well, as long as you can pay your half of the rent, I¡¯m not gonna fuss or ask.¡± He tore a chunk of meat from the bird and stuffed it into his bearded maw. ¡°How you gonna deal with the others?¡±


    I sighed softly. ¡°I¡¯ve six more days before I need to make my choice known to them. I¡¯ll have to figure out some way to be diplomatic about it. Especially to the Alliance. Don¡¯t want them coming after me.¡±


    Lab nodded thoughtfully. ¡°True. The Guild should be easy to deal with. You can send them a damn letter. We can figure out the Alliance in a day or two.¡± He continued to pick pieces off the chicken and shove them into his mouth.


    I sighed and stuffed the takeout box into the fridge. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m gonna head to bed. It¡¯s been a long day. What¡¯s going on tomorrow?¡±


    Lab sighed. ¡°I got several clients lined up tomorrow. I¡¯ll be gone most of the day.¡± He yawned. ¡°So, you do whatever it is that you¡¯re gonna do.¡±


    I nodded sleepily. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll let you know generally what¡¯s going on when I know.¡±


    ¡°Alright. See you.¡± Lab shuffled off to his room, and I opened a door to mine and went to bed.


    I awoke to sunlight streaming into my room. It was sometime after eight, and I got a shower and threw on some clothes. Nothing to do now but wait. I figured killing time with some games wouldn¡¯t be a terrible idea.


    About twenty minutes later, a knock sounded at the door. I opened a small, palm-sized Linked door in the wall outside and took a peek. It was Spark. I sighed and dissolved the door. Saving my game, I got up and unlocked the door.


    ¡°Come in, Spark.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d you know it was me?¡± he asked as he walked in.


    ¡°Well, since Shade said you¡¯d be here today, I figured you¡¯d be the only person to show up. Lab and I don¡¯t get visitors often. He¡¯s at work, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Oh. That makes sense, I suppose. Well, are you ready to begin training?¡± He rubbed his palms together with a smile.


    I snorted. ¡°I dunno man. You seem awful eager to beat up on me again.¡±


    He planted his hands on his hips. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t act like that. Besides, I¡¯m not the one who you¡¯re gonna be dealing with. I¡¯m just taking you there so you have a frame of reference.¡±


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    I folded my arms across my chest. ¡°Really? Then who do I have the honor of getting my ass kicked by?¡±


    ¡°Nobody. You¡¯re going to be learning a fighting style, not getting beat up.¡± He stuck his thumb over his shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Most of the crew will be there.¡±


    ¡°Everyone I met last night?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Except Quantum. He has a headache he needs to nurse after last night.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Okay, then. Take me to wherever.¡± I gestured for him to leave, then followed, locking the door behind us.


    Spark began whistling a jaunty tune as he led me down the streets of our lakeside city. I stuffed my hands in my coat pockets and looked around warily. While a part of me knew nobody could know that Spark was a member of The Grey Cloud, my nerves couldn¡¯t help but keep me alert.


    I still had that damn tracking device or whatever it was, after all.


    ¡°Um¡­ any idea when I can get that thing taken out?¡± I asked quietly.


    ¡°Hm? Oh! Yeah, our man should be at the gym today. We¡¯ll have him look. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m masking the signal. You did leave your phone at home, right?¡±


    ¡°Shit. No.¡±


    ¡°Okay. A short detour it is.¡±


    ¡°Nah. Let¡¯s go to Wendy¡¯s. Breakfast would be good.¡±


    ¡°Huh? But what about¡­?¡± He trailed off once he saw my face. ¡°Oh. Duh. Okay, then. Breakfast it is.¡±


    We walked to the nearest Wendy¡¯s and ordered breakfast. I paid, then excused myself to the restroom. Opening a door to my room, I made sure my phone was turned off, then tucked it into my bedside table. That should take care of that particular method of tracking.


    Once I returned, I found that our food was ready, so I grabbed the tray and sat down.


    ¡°Man, that¡¯s useful. How did you figure out you could even do that?¡±


    I smiled around my biscuit. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe me.¡±


    ¡°Aw come on! It can¡¯t be that unreal.¡±


    ¡°You sure? It¡¯s kinda dumb.¡±


    Spark shoved a few hash rounds into his mouth. ¡°Spill it, man!¡±


    I shook my head, the memory bringing a smile to my face. ¡°Two words.¡±


    Spark leaned forward like an eager toddler.


    ¡°Toilet paper.¡±


    ¡°Hah?¡± He sat there, frozen in shock.


    I just nodded at him. ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you were out of toilet paper? And that caused you to figure out how to do the thing?¡±


    ¡°Told you it was dumb.¡±


    ¡°Like¡­ you were at home, just finished your business and then realized you were out?¡±


    ¡°Worse. Gas station. I was hitching from New Orleans and stopped in Memphis on my way back. I ate some bad fast food that morning, and it was catching up to me in a violent way. By the time I had the presence of mind to look up and see that the dispenser was out, it was too late. I spent almost an hour getting my door to Link with home. Once I did, I wound up scaring the bejeezus out of Lab. How was I to know he was getting out of the shower at that exact moment? Anyway, I got what I needed, got out of there, then just Opened a door home. The rest is history.¡±


    Spark sat there, a hash round halfway to his mouth. ¡°That¡­ That¡¯s gotta be-¡±


    ¡°The dumbest way anyone has ever discovered a new use to their superpower.¡±


    Spark snorted a laugh. ¡°Yeah. Something like that. Still. I wonder what other uses and abilities your power can have.¡±


    ¡°Same, but I hope it doesn¡¯t take running out of toilet paper in a roadside gas station to figure it out.¡± I shook my head.


    Spark choked on his coffee.


    Fifteen minutes later, we were heading back down the road to the gym, making smalltalk as we went. It seems that Spark had had a rather rough time of it after school. His mother had taken ill and passed a year after he graduated, and this sent his father into an alcoholic spiral. Spark had coped by withdrawing into himself and isolating for three years, until his father kicked him out one night on a drunken binge.


    Homeless, Spark had taken to petty thievery to survive. It worked for about six months, until he met Shade.


    It had started like any other day. Awake at dawn, Take stock of himself and his meager belongings, then step out onto the street, scanning for threats and potential cattle. He hated to think of them as cattle, but it helped him to sleep at night.


    As he sat on the park bench, he watched the people passing by. Parents with their kids, teens headed to school, and the occasional jogger passed him by without a second glance. What caught his eye, however, was a delicate silver chain that spilled out of a man¡¯s pocket as he leaned against a tree.


    Slowly, he crept up behind the man. He was tall, about six foot five, with an average build. He didn¡¯t seem to be much of a threat, so once another man passed his mark, Spark walked by him and bumped his shoulder, dipping his hand into the man¡¯s pocket.


    ¡°¡®Scuse me, sir.¡± He started jogging away. ¡°Hey Mark, wait up!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only worth five bucks, kid,¡± the man called out.


    Spark slowed down and looked back. The man was still standing there, his arms crossed, a smirk playing across his lips. He sighed and walked back, his head down.


    Offering the pocketwatch back to him, he mumbled an apology. ¡°Sorry. Here. I¡¯ll find somewhere else to go.¡±


    ¡°Somewhere else? Where, exactly?¡± He took the proffered watch and stuck it back in his pocket.


    Spark shrugged. ¡°Dunno. I¡¯ll find somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps-¡± The man¡¯s statement was cut off by a loud groan from Spark¡¯s midsection. He smiled. ¡°I could treat you to breakfast, in exchange for a small favor?¡±


    Spark thrust his hands in his pockets. ¡°What kind of favor?¡± He felt his face grow warm.


    ¡°Nothing illegal, I assure you. Just a small favor that is well within your abilities. What do you say? I know you¡¯re hungry, and I¡¯m in need of a task fulfilled.¡±


    Spark grimaced. The last thing he wanted was to owe someone. Especially a damn stranger. But a hot meal sounded good. ¡°Where we going?¡±


    ¡°Excellent! First, we¡¯re going into the alleyway over there, and then we¡¯re going to breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Alleyway? Alone? I don¡¯t think so, man. I¡¯m trying to live. I know better than to dip into some dark alley with a damn stranger.¡± He turned around and started to walk off.


    ¡°Now don¡¯t be so hasty, Zack.¡±


    Spark froze. How did the man know his name? Had the government found him again? ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡± Electricity crackled around his fists as he raised them to defend himself.


    The man smiled. ¡°Excellent. Come on. Breakfast awaits.¡± He turned away and walked off to the alley, leaving Spark standing there, electricity dancing around his fists.


    Spark sighed, defeated and hungry. He lowered his fists and slowly followed the man, his midsection quaking with fear.

 Chapter Eight

    When Spark met him at the mouth of the alley, he looked around nervously. ¡°You¡¯re not gonna kill me, are you?¡±


    ¡°Kill you? Whyever would I do that? I will neither kill nor harm you in any way. I¡¯m going to do exactly as I said: Get you some food.¡± He held out a hand in invitation.


    Spark looked warily at the extended hand, then reluctantly took it. The man smiled and began walking deeper into the alleyway. Spark felt his hand getting sweaty in the man¡¯s gentle, but firm, grip.


    Shadows descended onto the two of them as they walked and the air began to get noticeably cooler. Sounds distorted until they were unintelligible and then vanished altogether. The air was still, but not oppressive when the man stopped and faced Spark.


    ¡°Where the fuck are we, man? This isn¡¯t Chicago.¡±


    The man smiled. ¡°Technically, no. It isn¡¯t anywhere. Welcome to my domain, Spark. I am called Shade, and you will now pay me that favor. I¡¯m still going to take you to breakfast, don¡¯t worry. I just wanted to talk to you without the risk of being overheard.¡±


    ¡°All this just to talk? What the hell? You could have just gone to Stan¡¯s and had a donut and coffee. Nobody¡¯d listen there.¡±


    The man smirked. ¡°Are you certain, Spark? Even now, they¡¯re trying to ping your location. The government is keeping tabs on you, son. No asset goes unused. Or untracked. You¡¯ve been tracked since your thirteenth birthday. During one of your routine exams, something happened, didn¡¯t it? You were hurt unintentionally by the ¡®new¡¯ equipment, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    Spark stood there, his mouth agape. ¡°Y-yeah¡­ They used a new blood pressure cuff on me. It went on my left forearm, and just when it had fully inflated, I felt something stab me in the arm. I still have the scar and a small knot.¡±


    Shade withdrew a small rectangular box from a coat pocket. ¡°Here. I want you to cut it out.¡±


    Spark took the box and opened it, revealing a scalpel, forceps, curved needle and suturing twine. ¡°Seriously? You carry a kit like this all the time?¡±


    ¡°Only when I¡¯m meeting someone important. Go ahead. A bit of pain for truth. It won¡¯t be very deep. Just under the skin. If I¡¯m wrong¡± -he pulled a wad of cash from his pocket- ¡°I¡¯ll give you this.¡±


    Spark stared wide-eyed at the money. That had to be several thousand dollars, easy. ¡°What stops me from just killing you and taking it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not who you are, Zack. You¡¯re not a murderer. Besides, you¡¯d be trapped here until you died of thirst. This is my domain. Remember that.¡±


    Spark sighed and held the scalpel. It gleamed in the omnipresent dim light. I ain¡¯t about to die in here. Besides, I¡¯m getting breakfast one way or another. With a shaky hand, he placed blade to skin, and began to cut.


    The pain was intense, but thankfully short-lived. The knot was indeed just below the skin, and a small sac had grown around it. Slicing it open, Spark saw a silvery, metallic, lozenge-shaped object, about a half-inch in length. Shade held out a hand, and Spark deposited the scalpel. Picking up the forceps, he grasped the object and pulled it free from his arm. It had adhered to his flesh, and he ripped a small amount of fat out with it, but he was free of the tracker.


    ¡°As I said, you were being tracked. Hand it here, and I¡¯ll see to it that it is placed into some other creature. Maybe a horse or a cow. Some far off field, where you went once or twice in your youth?¡± Shade held open a small baggie, into which was deposited one bloody bit of flesh attached to a tracker. ¡°Now, do something about that wound, would you. Can¡¯t go walking around town bleeding everywhere, can we?¡±


    ***********


    ¡°And the rest is history. Shade introduced me to my new crew, and I¡¯ve worked up to being a Filter. And I love it. I have a place I belong, people that care about me, encourage me, and a job that makes me feel good to do. Sure, I¡¯ll occasionally assist in something a little unsavory, but we do good stuff, for the most part. Mostly trying to take down the Hunters. We¡¯re learning how to track them and predict their movements.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever killed one?¡±


    Spark shook his head. ¡°Nah. We can barely even wound these things. They¡¯re tough bastards. Oh, hey. We¡¯re here. Welcome to The Storm Forge Gym.¡±


    ¡°Storm Forge? I¡¯ve been here before. With Lab. He invited me in to help spot him, but there was no way I could help with that. I think he did that just to show off.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Labrador has been here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I think he holds the record for your deadlift. Seventeen hundred pounds.¡±


    Spark had reached the front desk and stared at me in shock. ¡°Seventeen hundred pounds?¡±


    The clerk perked up and interjected. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re talking about Lab, right? He was in here last week. I think he hit eighteen.¡±


    ¡°What is your roommate made of?¡±


    I laughed and shook my head. ¡°Fucking Lab, man. I swear he has to be the Bearer of Iron, but he keeps telling me that he has no abilities.¡±


    Spark shook his head and introduced me to the clerk. ¡°Anyway. Bethany, this is Jackson. He¡¯ll be joining us from now on.¡±


    ¡°Excellent! May I see your right hand, please?¡±


    I laid my right hand, palm up, onto the counter. ¡°Sure, but-¡±


    Quick as a whip, a sharp object pierced my thumb, drawing a bit of blood. I was too stunned to react as she placed a pipette next to the bead of blood welling up, absorbing the droplet of blood. ¡°You may want to squeeze that for a few moments to halt the bleeding. I¡¯ll deposit this into the system, and you¡¯ll be given full access to our facilities. One moment, please.¡±


    I slowly withdrew my hand and squeezed my thumb, stopping the bleeding. She squirted the small amount of blood onto a metal tray, which withdrew into a machine, complete with whirring and beeping and chattering. A moment later a soft ping sounded, and she smiled at me once more.


    ¡°There you are. Follow Zack, and he¡¯ll show you to our training facility. I hope to see you again soon, Jackson,¡± she said with a wink.


    ¡°Uh, yeah¡­ You too, Bethany.¡± I followed Zack into what seemed to be an office.


    I pointed back the way we came. ¡°Uh, is she always like that?¡±


    ¡°Who, Beth? Yeah. She¡¯s a good face for us. Always happy, always willing to help and damn good at her job. If she hits on you, just remember: she¡¯s super precise with those needles of hers. So don¡¯t be a dick to her. I did once, and she kept me from moving my left hand for three weeks.¡± Spark led me through a door in the back of the office, which opened into an elevator with only three destinations. Two sub-basements and this floor. He pressed the first basement button.


    ¡°So what¡¯s first?¡±


    The elevator lurched into motion. ¡°First, you¡¯re going to be assessed. Then an instructor will be assigned to you and you¡¯ll be with them for a few hours. Then you¡¯ll see Doc. Then you¡¯re done for the day. Your instructor will explain everything to you.¡±


    ¡°Huh. Sounds like something I¡¯m going to hate.¡± I grimaced.


    Spark crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. ¡°Probably.¡±


    I shoved my hands into my coat. I hated PE as a kid, and had no desire to run or do push-ups or any of that shit. And I was going to be assessed to learn a martial art? Why the hell was that necessary? I could just open a door and be wherever I wanted at any time. I shook my head and followed Zack out of the elevator and into a place with garish carpet that looked like it belonged in an arcade from the 90¡¯s.


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    He went through a series of doors until we arrived in a massive open gymnasium. There were fifty or sixty people, all doing some sort of exercise or training with at least one partner. He led me to a corner that had ten different people, a simple set of free weights and a punching bag.


    ¡°Here we go, Jackson. In here, you will use your birth name, or whatever other name you go by. Not your Super name. I¡¯ve brought him, and now it¡¯s time for you guys to work your magic.¡± Turning to me, he clapped me on the shoulder and nodded. ¡°Show them what you¡¯re made of, man.¡±


    I watched him as he jogged off to meet up with his trainer or whatever he was going to do today. Nervous, I faced the group of ten instructors, who were all sizing me up, like a cat would a bird.


    A rather lanky man stepped forward and shook my hand. ¡°Welcome, Jackson, to the Storm Forge Gym. I¡¯m Michael, and I¡¯ll be conducting your assessment today.¡±


    ¡°Hi, Michael. Don¡¯t hit me too hard, please.¡±


    The group laughed. ¡°Hit you? No. We aren¡¯t going to hit you. At least not indiscriminately. You¡¯ll only be struck during sparring and training in the martial art that best suits you. Nobody will lay a hand on you otherwise. Now, before we begin, will you demonstrate for us your ability?¡±


    ¡°My ability? Didn¡¯t any of you see the interview with Stan?¡±


    Michael shook his head. ¡°Nope. When the boss told us to expect a new member, we made sure to not watch any interviews for a couple of weeks beforehand. Keeps us on our toes, and helps to keep any of us from thinking too hard on it.¡± A few people had halted their training and wandered over to watch.


    I nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± I created a standard wooden door in front of them. ¡°There it is. My ability. I make doors.¡±


    Snickers erupted around us.


    ¡°That¡¯s it? Fuckin¡¯ doors? They¡¯ve done lost their fucking minds.¡±


    ¡°A door? I guess it¡¯s a nice door.¡±


    Michael cleared his throat loudly. ¡°Is there more?¡±


    ¡°More?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Most Supers have at least one sub-ability that goes with their powers. Have you found one, yet?¡±


    ¡°Sub-ability? Well, I can do this¡­¡± I created a pair of doors, with one behind the instructors.


    ¡°Is this what you mean?¡± The entire gym gasped as I walked through the door to emerge behind them.


    Michael spun around in surprise. ¡°How did¡­ Wow. Yes. Yes, exactly. That¡¯s a sub-ability. What do you call it?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ As far as I¡¯m concerned, they¡¯re just Linked. I walk into one¡± -I walked back into the door, reappearing in my original spot- ¡°and out of the other.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating. How many unLinked doors can you make? Is there a specific style they have to be?¡± Michael was leaning forward, examining my door.


    ¡±No, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any set style. I¡¯ve also never made many at one time.¡±


    ¡°What about Linked doors?¡± Michael had crossed his arms.


    ¡°I can create at most four pairs. I¡¯ve not experimented much with it, though.¡±


    Michael nodded. ¡°Show me.¡±


    I blinked twice. ¡°Okay, then.¡± I stood for a moment with my eyes closed, and called four pairs of doors into existence, surrounding Michael. I made sure to enclose him completely.


    ¡°Fascinating. Each¡± -I heard him opening four of the doors- ¡°one opens to the one directly across from it.¡± He was silent for a moment, and I heard movement inside the octagon. ¡°Seeing myself like this is rather disorienting. It¡¯s like an Infinity Mirror. Are these permanent?¡±


    I spoke through gritted teeth. ¡°No. I can only¡­ hold it for a short time.¡± My breathing became labored as I held the concentration.


    ¡°Keep holding it. I want to see how long you can last.¡±


    A few more seconds went by, and my vision began to swim, then darken. ¡°Stay out of the doors.¡± I fell to my knees, panting.


    ¡°That¡¯s incredible, Jackson. The Linking is holding strong and not wavering in the slightest. Keep going. I want to see what happens at failure.¡±


    Sweat was pouring from my brow as I struggled to hold the doors intact. My arms were shaking from the strain of holding the doors and my body up. I could taste copper and iron as my reserves gave way and I collapsed to the floor completely.


    I came to with Dice, Celeste and Zack around me, their faces worried.


    ¡°Mike! He¡¯s awake!¡± Zack was yelling through a door.


    ¡°Thank the heavens. You¡¯ve been out for about an hour, Por- Jackson.¡± Dice had a hand on my shoulder, a worried frown creasing her face.


    ¡°Can you sit up?¡± Celeste had a bottle of water for me.


    ¡°Ladies, he needs to stay put. We don¡¯t know yet how his body will react to such stress.¡± Michael had walked into the room, followed by a rather short woman.


    He took a seat beside me, shooing Celeste out of the way. ¡°Jackson, I¡¯m sorry to have done that to you on such short notice. If it wasn¡¯t obvious, I am a man who loves data. The more information I have, the better able I am to help you get stronger and be even more effective. What I saw in there¡­ Incredible. Have you ever surrounded yourself like that before?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No. I had the idea to surround someone with six doors and a pair of trapdoors above and below, but I¡¯ve never had the need to do it.¡±


    ¡°So this was the first time you¡¯ve actually done this before?¡± I nodded. ¡°Interesting. Jackson, I think we¡¯re going to train your body before we train your ability. To that end, you will be working with Jennifer here¡± -he motioned to the unknown woman who had walked in- ¡°with the bo staff. Doc and I took the liberty of examining you so we could find and remove your implant. Your body isn¡¯t built for power, it¡¯s built for speed. Sure, you¡¯re gonna get a fair bit stronger, but you¡¯ll mostly get faster.¡±


    I nodded slowly, the dizziness threatening to overtake me. ¡°Okay. Can it wait? I can¡¯t even see straight right now.¡±


    ¡°Take your time, Jackson. I¡¯d wager it¡¯s been a while since you strained yourself like that. Marie? The water you had?¡±


    Celeste -whose actual name I just learned- handed him the water bottle. ¡°Here we are. One cool bottle of water.¡±


    Michael opened it and handed it to me while Dice assisted me to a sitting position. Jennifer spoke up. ¡°Jackson, what we¡¯re going to do is train your coordination, balance and stamina. You already have a fairly trim physique, so we just have to¡­.optimize it. Take your time recuperating, and come see me when you¡¯re ready.¡± She patted my shoulder and left, Michael trailing behind her.


    Zack pulled a chair up and sat beside Marie. ¡°Dude. What the fuck?¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®what the fuck?¡¯¡±


    ¡°The doors, man! Going through a door yesterday was neat, sure, but to have eight of them around you? That has to be trippy. I know you described it to us yesterday, but to actually see it? Man, that¡¯s gonna be wild.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, Zack? He just woke up. Let him rest before you go all fanboy on him.¡± Dice had put on her best ¡°scolding mother¡± routine and was shaking her finger in Zack¡¯s face. It seemed to work, as Zack appeared chastened. I laughed quietly.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Dice. He¡¯s fine, too. I¡¯ve never held four links for that long. How long was it, actually?¡±


    ¡°About two minutes, Jackson. You were shaking like a chihuahua by the end of it, and you got a nosebleed.¡± Dice shook her head. ¡°You seemed determined to keep going, too. Push your limits, sure. Just¡­ know where the edge of the pavement is.¡±


    I nodded and drank more water. She was right. For the past three years, I¡¯d been relying on a single Linked door to get me in and out of places. I¡¯d fooled around a bit with the multiple Links, but never held it for this long. ¡°I should approach this like weight lifting, huh? Find my failure point, and go up to like, eighty percent of that until it¡¯s easy, then push ahead.¡±


    Zack nodded. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s pretty much it. First, you need to listen to Jennifer and train your body. You might use weights, you may just jump right into weapons training, but you have to do what she says. She¡¯s got experience doing this. Trust her judgment.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I will. I need to get up and move around. My body¡¯s all tingly.¡± I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and slowly stood.


    ¡°Jackson¡­ You don¡¯t have to push yourself.¡± Dice reached out for my arm to steady me, and I took her hand with a squeeze.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± I lied with a smile. ¡°Just a bit shaky and tingly for some reason. Wish I knew why.¡±


    Zack rushed out of the small room, trailed by Marie, leaving me alone with Dice. ¡°So,¡± I said, taking a shaky step as she supported me. ¡°You know my name, but I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know yours. Can¡¯t very well call you ¡®Dice¡¯ when you buy me dinner, now can I?¡±


    Dice faltered a bit, but quickly caught herself -and by extension, me- on the wall. ¡°Um¡­ My name is Anna.¡±


    I stopped and faced her. ¡°Hello, Anna. I¡¯m Jackson. Nice to meet you.¡±


    She turned red and nodded. ¡°Hi, Jackson. I¡¯m glad to actually meet you, too.¡±

 Chapter Nine

    Dice - Anna - assisted me to the main training area, where I saw Zack talking with Jennifer. She was nodding her head to his words, her arms crossed, until she happened to catch me out of the corner of her eye. I watched her heave a sigh and shake her head before she turned and stalked over to me.


    ¡°What are you doing out of the bed, Jackson? Hmm?¡± She crossed her arms once more.


    Damn, but she was intimidating for someone not much bigger than a twelve-year-old.


    I squeezed Anna¡¯s hand, and she slowly let me go. ¡°Well, I wanted to see just what it was I¡¯d be doing when I felt better before I went home.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®before you go home¡¯? Jackson, you¡¯re in no shape to walk, especially that far.¡±


    I opened a door to my room. ¡°I can get from here to there no problem, Jennifer. Trust me.¡± The door vanished, and I felt a little shakier. I was fairly certain I could do it again.


    Jennifer shook her head and pulled a small rock from her pocket. She held it in her hand, palm up, and I watched as it swiftly grew into a staff six feet in length made of what looked like solid marble.


    She went through a series of strikes, spins and thrusts before she stopped. ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re going to be practicing tomorrow. Think you can handle that?¡± She leaned on the staff and stared at me, her eyes narrowed.


    I took a gulp of the water, then opened a small door into my fridge. I pulled out the meal from last night, then opened a second door to get a fork. ¡°One moment, please.¡± I said, then shoveled food into my mouth like there was no tomorrow. A minute or two later, I opened another door into my fridge, where I replaced my half-eaten meal.


    ¡°Okay. I think I can do that. May I use your staff?¡±


    Jennifer snorted and handed me the stone staff. ¡°If you think you can run through a kata after seeing it once, you have to-¡± She cut off as I replicated her movements precisely, albeit much more slowly.


    ¡°Yeah, Jennifer. I think I can run through the kata you showed me.¡± I handed her the staff back. ¡°So you¡¯re aware, I have an eidetic memory. No matter how I may wish to forget something, I never will. I¡¯ll practice this kata until I can run through it at speed, and only then will I feel ready to move forward.¡±


    She took the staff and nodded. ¡°I see. Well, if you can keep up, you may learn all I can teach in a matter of months. However. There are no shortcuts to strength and precision. You hear me? You may have the memory, but you do not have the body. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. Rest.¡± With that, she turned and walked back to the mats, where she began practicing a kata.


    I turned to Anna and my left leg gave out on me. She caught me, and helped prop me up. ¡°Are you sure you can get home, Jackson?¡± She looked into my eyes.


    Damn, she had pretty eyes.


    I nodded. ¡°Should be.¡± I opened a door into my bedroom again and smiled at her. ¡°See? I¡¯m right as rain. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, Anna.¡± I opened the door and stepped through.


    ¡°Wait! Are you sure you don¡¯t-¡± The door vanished in her face and I collapsed on my bed, exhausted.


    I don¡¯t know how long I lay there, but it wasn¡¯t long before I was asleep.


    *********


    ¡°-son. Jackson? HEY ASSHOLE!¡± Lab bellowed and smacked me with a pillow, startling me awake.


    ¡°Wha?¡± I struggled to roll over. ¡°What th¡¯fuck is happening? Lab? Izzat you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me. Ain¡¯t nobody else gonna swat you with a pillow. Not in your own home, at least. Get up, man. It¡¯s nearly nine.¡± He turned and stumped out of my room, leaving the door open.


    I looked around, seeing sunlight spilling into my room. Nine? AM? Had I slept a whole day? I stood slowly, my joints protesting loudly.


    The sudden and immediate need to pee assaulted my senses like a falling house. I ran to the bathroom and loudly relieved myself. As I walked back to my room on legs that felt like wet spaghetti, I heard a muffled buzzing, and pulled my phone from its hiding place.


    A phone call? From a blocked number? Fuck that. They can leave a message. I hung up on the caller and slipped the phone into my pocket, then headed down to the kitchen. On the way, I felt my pocket vibrate no fewer than four distinct times. Whoever it was, they were quite insistent. They could wait until after I¡¯d eaten.


    I found Lab at the table, devouring what looked like a BLT with at least a pound of cooked bacon, four runny eggs and several slices of buttered toast. I shook my head and grabbed the last of my leftovers from the fridge, then sat down across from him.


    ¡°Hell of a sandwich. You okay?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Oh, yeah. I¡¯m good. Have a couple of clients at noon, so I figured I¡¯d eat enough to last until then. Settled for this light snack.¡± He took a crunchy bite of his sandwich and grunted in satisfaction.


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    ¡°Only you would call a literal pound of bacon a ¡°light snack¡±.¡± I shook my head as I dribbled a bit of soy sauce into my leftovers. ¡°How long was I out?¡± I shoveled a forkful of food into my hungry mouth.


    He swallowed as he thought. ¡°Hm. Let¡¯s see. The interview was Monday¡­¡± he trailed off as he mumbled into his beard, counting on his fingers. ¡°Saturday. Today is Saturday, Jackson. Two and a half days. Whatever you went and did on Wednesday sacked you out like I¡¯ve never seen. I dunno what they did to you and I ain¡¯t gonna ask, but just be careful, man. I actually like you, and don¡¯t wanna see you hurt.¡±


    Tough, sweet, bastard of a man.


    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m good, man. Just a bit harsher training than expected. That¡¯s all. Speaking of, I should get back there. I¡¯ll see you later, Lab.¡± I stood, making a door that led to the Wendy¡¯s near the gym.


    ¡°Alright. Tell ¡®em I said hi!¡± He waved and took another bite of his inhumanly large sandwich.


    I snorted and stepped through the doorway, emerging on the back side of the building. I walked around front and retraced my steps to the gym and wandered inside. I waved to Bethany, who smiled sweetly in return.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you again, Jackson. Before you go for your workout, may I have a word?¡± She tilted her head.


    ¡°Sure.¡± I made my way to the counter and leaned on it. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    She held out her hand with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll need your phone if you¡¯re going back there. Zack isn¡¯t here today.¡±


    ¡°How about I just take it back home? Not that I don¡¯t trust you¡­. Well. Actually, I don¡¯t know you, so I really don¡¯t trust you. I¡¯m sorry.¡± I tried to look apologetic.


    She laughed. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Jackson. I completely understand. But, how are you going to get it home? From what I¡¯ve been told you¡¯re a thirty to forty-five minute walk from here.¡±


    I smirked and pitched my voice low. ¡°It¡¯s a security measure, right? Can¡¯t let them know where I¡¯m at?¡± She nodded. ¡°How about this: I go into the office -you can watch me every step of the way- and show you how I¡¯ll get it home. Shouldn¡¯t tax me overmuch.¡±


    I saw her fingers grip something thin, probably a needle, as she spoke. ¡°Okay. Just know that you can¡¯t move fast enough to escape me, Jackson. I don¡¯t even need to move to use my ability.¡±


    ¡°Understood. I swear everything will make sense when you see what I can do. I just need privacy, as it¡¯s somewhat obvious what my power is when you see it. Okay?¡± She nodded and the office door opened behind her. We walked in, the door closed behind us and she crossed her arms.


    ¡°Well?¡±


    I created a door on the wall behind me that led to the Wendy¡¯s. ¡°That is how I¡¯m gonna get the phone to my house. I make doors. Furthermore, I can make doors that not only breach a wall, but Link two points in space, like this,¡± I opened the door, revealing the alleyway behind the restaurant. ¡°From there, I¡¯ll make another set of doors that lead to my bedroom, where I¡¯ll stuff my phone, then I¡¯ll come back the same way. It¡¯ll take two minutes, tops.¡±


    She stood there in mute surprise. ¡°I had no idea. Go, then. I¡¯ll wait right here.¡± She started tapping her foot, and I took the hint.


    I walked out the door and closed it, letting it dissolve into nothingness. Opening another set of much smaller doors into the hiding spot in my room, I dropped my phone off, and let those doors vanish. Opening a second set of doors that led back into the office, I walked in and smiled at Bethany. ¡°Honey! I¡¯m home!¡±


    She hid a laugh behind her hand and nodded. ¡°Very good. In the future, please do not open a door to or from anywhere in the gym, unless instructed to do so. No matter if you¡¯re coming or going, we can¡¯t be too careful. Okay?¡± I nodded and walked off to the back of the office. ¡°And no phones either, Jackson. Seriously.¡±


    ¡°Noted, Bethany. I¡¯ll see you again on my way out.¡± I heard the office door open and close as I exited the back door, and hit the elevator to make my way down to the first sub-basement.


    Once I exited the elevator, I made my way to the gym floor, where I once again saw several people exercising and practicing. Spying Jennifer off to herself in a corner, practicing a kata with a pair of short swords, I made a beeline to her.


    ¡°Ah. Jackson. I was beginning to wonder if we hadn¡¯t scared you off. Glad to see my fears unfounded.¡± She tossed a stone staff in my direction, which I clumsily caught. ¡°Show me the forms from Wednesday.¡± She took a seat and crossed her legs at the knee, watching me like an owl.


    I pursed my lips and nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± I slowly worked my way through the forms, twirling and striking an invisible opponent with my staff.


    ¡°Stop. Move your left foot forward two inches, and your right foot to the right one inch. Good. Continue.¡±


    ¡°Stop. Bring your left elbow closer to your body. Do the strike again from that position. See how that grants you more power? Continue.¡±


    On and on she drilled me into the proper form until I was sweating profusely and panting like a dog in the summer sun. Eventually, she seemed content with my work, and called a halt.


    ¡°Good job. Run through it one more time -slowly- so that I can judge it completely.¡±


    I sighed and looked at my feet. ¡°Okay. One more fuckin¡¯ time.¡± Slowly, I stepped through the forms, remembering to use the adjustments she gave me, until it ended and I stopped, pulling myself into a standing position and faced her. ¡°Is that better, Jennifer?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s adequate. Too slow to be of any use, but the form itself was good. Tomorrow, we will begin to speed it up. You¡¯re going to hurt yourself a few times while we do this, so I want you prepared for that eventuality. Also, you¡¯ll be given a much heavier staff. You¡¯re going to get stronger and more skilled, Beanpole. Count on it.¡± She took the staff from me and I watched her convert it into a tiny stone and shove it in her pocket as she walked off.


    Tomorrow? I still had to deal with The Alliance and The Guild. Dammit. I still didn¡¯t know what to tell them. Maybe I should just show up at The Guild. They wouldn¡¯t harm me, that was for sure. And I could leapfrog around the city until I¡¯d confused any followers before I went to the headquarters for The Alliance.


    Of course I knew where it was. Or, I had a good idea of their location, at least. I¡¯d be putting my hypothesis to the test, and hopefully walk out of there with my life.


    Hopefully.

 Chapter Ten

    Once I stepped out of the office, Bethany stopped me by clearing her throat. ¡°Yes? Have I forgotten something?¡±


    ¡°No, Jackson,¡± she said with a soft smile. ¡°You didn¡¯t forget anything. I just have some questions regarding your power. Well, that and Anna wanted to know if she could get your number. She had to run out of here in a hurry earlier.¡±


    I sighed softly and rubbed the back of my neck. The last thing I wanted was for yet another person in my life to try and simply exploit my power. ¡°Bethany, I don¡¯t mean to be rude, but I¡¯m not very¡­comfortable talking to you about my power.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no! I don¡¯t want to know your secrets or anything. Just some logistical questions, that¡¯s all.¡±


    I regarded her with some skepticism. ¡°Go on¡­¡±


    ¡°In the event of a fire or catastrophe, how big a door can you make? How many people can you evacuate?¡±


    ¡°Oh. Is that all?¡± She nodded. ¡°Well, I can make a door the size of a standard garage door, I think. I¡¯ve not really experimented with making them bigger, and I fear it may drain me much faster than making a standard door.¡±


    She nodded, chewing at her lower lip. ¡°Must it be on a wall?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No. It can be at any point in space, really. In the air, on the ground, wherever. Why?¡±


    ¡°I need to know, in the event of an emergency, just who I can count on to help get folks out of the gym. You¡¯ll likely be placed in the Emergency Management team, as well as whatever other team or teams you are assigned to. You won¡¯t cover just your gym, but the one up here, too.¡± Damn, but her smile was captivating.


    I nodded. ¡°That makes a lot of sense. I¡¯m good with that, actually.¡±


    ¡°Excellent. Now about your number?¡±


    I shook my head and smiled as I wrote it down. ¡°Sure. Make sure she knows that she could have come up and asked.¡±


    Bethany laughed. ¡°I will. I hope you have a good night, Jackson. Sleep well!¡±


    ¡°You too. See you tomorrow.¡±


    I walked out of the gym and back to the Wendy¡¯s. No reason not to get a burger and fries, right? Once I¡¯d gotten my dinner, I went into the bathroom, and opened a door to my room. No sense in going outside, and I made sure to unlock their bathroom door before I closed mine.


    I¡¯m thoughtful like that.


    I sat in my room and ate the modest meal, letting the day¡¯s events play through my mind once again. When I remembered the recurring phone calls, I pulled my phone from its hiding spot and checked the call log.


    Eighteen missed calls from the same unknown number. Spanning four hours. Whoever it was had been insistent. Huh. A voicemail. I hit play, and settled in for what was likely a robo-caller.


    I was so wrong.


    ¡°Portal. Please tell me that you¡¯re not being rude and ignoring my calls. I would just hate to have to make an example out of someone so promising. Return my call, please.¡±


    Fuck. Fuck fuck fuckity fuck. I¡¯d nearly forgotten about No-Face. Hearing his voice fill the room, a chill ran down my spine. His words, though polite, carried an underlying threat that was hard to ignore. Hesitantly, I pressed the button to return the call. Perspiration beaded on my forehead as I waited for the call to connect.


    ¡°Hello, Portal. So good of you to call.¡± His voice oozed a spine-chilling, menacing calm.


    ¡°Mr. No-Face. Please accept my apology for not returning your call. I¡¯ve been unconscious for most of the past three days.¡±


    ¡°Three days, he says! And nobody thought to inform me?¡± The call fell silent as No-Face¡¯s voice cut through the air, laced with an unvoiced threat. I heard nervous muttering and one voice -male- began to explain.


    ¡°Silence! Since you four have clearly failed in keeping an eye on him, I suggest some remedial training. Go. See Vigil. Perhaps she can impart some competency where it is sorely lacking.¡±


    I heard footsteps recede and a door close. I swallowed my own protestations. ¡°Now, Portal. Have no fear from me, young man. Whether you join our ranks or shun us entirely, I¡¯ll not retaliate. After all, why would I bring harm upon someone who has done literally nothing to me, hmm?¡±


    I felt a bead of sweat roll down my temple. ¡°Well, sir, you make an excellent point. To be quite honest, I have been dreading speaking to you for just that fear.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! I, much like yourself, it would seem, abhor harming innocents. Truly, I¡¯d rather we all get along. Would I be correct in assuming that since you¡¯ve feared my wrath, you¡¯re turning down my offer?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. You would be correct in that assumption.¡±


    I heard him sigh. ¡°A pity. We could sorely use a new power like yours in our ranks. Are you certain that there¡¯s nothing I can do to sweeten the offer? A higher cut of our global profits, perhaps?¡±


    ¡°A higher cut- Sir? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Surely you don¡¯t think we knock over banks and jewelry stores for money! That sort of petty thievery is done by rank amateurs, not members of The Dark Alliance. No, we have many legitimate businesses worldwide. Well, mostly legitimate, anyway.¡± I heard his rich baritone laugh, and smiled along with him. Maybe he wasn¡¯t such a terrible guy, after all?


    ¡°Once again, sir. I¡¯m afraid you will be unable to sweeten the deal. It is tempting, I won¡¯t lie. I think I need to remain unaffiliated for now, though. I hope you understand.¡±


    ¡°Unaffiliated! Well, I cannot blame you one bit for trying to blaze your own trail to glory.¡± He was silent for a long moment, and I felt my fingers begin to twitch. Thankfully, he resumed speaking a moment later. ¡°In that case Portal, I wish you a long life and great luck in your endeavors. Do keep us in mind if your efforts prove futile, yes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. I will, sir.¡±


    ¡°Very well. Take care of yourself out there.¡±


    The line went silent before I had a chance to reply.


    I made sure the call had completed before I let out a shaky breath. No-Face and the Alliance had a reputation for being devastatingly ruthless and unforgiving. Hopefully, he wasn¡¯t a liar as well.


    That task finished, I pulled up the number for the Hero¡¯s Guild. At least turning them down shouldn¡¯t be an issue. Being a legitimate group, they were very public about their location and contact information. I dialed the number and waited.


    And waited.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    And waited.


    Jeez. Was it always this difficult to contact them? No wonder public opinion of them had gone downhill in recent decades.


    An unknown male voice picked up. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ Hi. This is Portal. I¡¯m trying to reach Brighthawk? She¡¯d said to contact her by Sunday.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Portal, sir. Brighthawk had called the Iron News Network last week during my interview. She told me to give an answer by Sunday. Tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Do what?¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Look, man. Is this the Hero¡¯s Guild?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Is Brighthawk there today?¡±


    ¡°She is.¡±


    ¡°May I speak with her?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s waiting on a call from some new guy.¡±


    Through gritted teeth I asked, ¡°Are you in the lobby right now?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ Yes. Why?¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± I terminated the call and opened a door onto the far wall behind the lobby desk at their headquarters. It felt as sterile as any hospital, for some reason. I slammed the door behind me, startling the receptionist who had just hung up the phone.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡±


    I leaned over and stage-whispered into the man¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m the new guy Brighthawk was waiting for. Now. Where. Is. She?¡±


    He shied away and pushed an intercom buzzer. ¡°M-M-Miss Brighthawk? Ma¡¯am?¡±


    ¡°Sebastian? What¡¯s got you all worked up?¡±


    ¡°R-remember that new guy you talked to? Uh.. He¡¯s here.¡±


    ¡°New guy? Outside? Let him in, man! It¡¯s hot out there.¡±


    ¡°N-no, ma¡¯am. He''s right next to me.¡±


    ¡°What? Buzz him in. I¡¯ll deal with him.¡±


    Sebastian pushed a button, and I heard a door click to my right. ¡°Thank you, Sebastian.¡± Leaving the terrified man there, I walked over to the open door and knocked.


    ¡°Come in, please.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am. I want to-¡± I cut off as a shining arrow sped towards me.


    I created an iron-banded door just in time to see the arrow thwock into it, the head quivering less than an inch from my nose.


    ¡°Should I come by some other time, Brighthawk?¡± I asked from the safety of the door.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be able to be inside this building, kid. How¡¯d you get in here?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± I scratched my chin. ¡°I opened a door?¡±


    ¡°Nice try, smartass. The building. How did you breach it without setting off the alarms?¡±


    Realizing that she was dead serious, I decided to safeguard myself.


    ¡°What the fuck is this?¡± I heard her cry.


    I reached back and shut her office door, then let the door in front of me vanish, the arrow clattering to the ground. I heard doors open and shut frantically, and Brighthawk beginning to hyperventilate. ¡°No¡­No, no, no, no¡­. Please God, no!¡±


    I created a fourth pair, large enough for my head to fit into, above her containment and directly in front of me. I opened it and saw her frantically opening and closing door after door. ¡°Brighthawk? Brighthawk!¡±


    Her head snapped up to the tiny door. ¡°What have you done? Let me out!¡± She drew her bow and aimed it at me, her arms shaking as tears rolled down her face. I ducked away.


    ¡°It¡¯s me! Portal. Put the bow away, please. If I meant any harm, it would have already happened, ma¡¯am. Please. Put the bow away?¡±


    ¡°Just let me out of here. I¡­I can¡¯t handle being in here.¡±


    Horrified, I dissolved all the doors, watching as the stalwart woman fell to her knees, shaking. ¡°Shit. I had no idea you were claustrophobic. I¡¯m sorry, Brighthawk. Let me¡­ ah.¡± I opened a door to my kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Pulling out a can of soda, I handed it to the shaking woman. ¡°Here¡¯s a soda. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    She looked up and hesitantly reached toward the can. ¡°You know, I rarely consume caffeine. Or sugars. Thank you.¡± She cracked open the can and took a small sip. ¡°Where did you get this from? We don¡¯t keep these here.¡±


    ¡°My refrigerator. We keep a twelve-pack in there at all times.¡± I extended a hand to her.


    She hesitantly placed her hand in mine and pulled herself up. ¡°That makes no sense. You live four miles away.¡±


    I shut my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. ¡°Does everybody know where I live?¡±


    ¡°Just me. Why?¡±


    ¡°So does Mr. No-Face, apparently. He had four goons watching my home. I got off the phone with him about fifteen minutes before I came here.¡± She took a seat, and I handed her her bow.


    ¡°Thank you. I still don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°You saw the interview, right?¡±


    ¡°Interview?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± My brows knitted together. ¡°The one with Stan Lankholme? Iron News Network?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you before. It must have been our recruiter, Mouth. He¡¯ll watch for likely candidates and contact them on my behalf. He can sound like anyone.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°That explains a lot. I¡¯m sorry for trapping you like that. It was either that or destroy your bow, and I wasn¡¯t about to do that.¡±


    I¡­ wha? Destroy my¡­ How would you do that?¡± She leaned forward in her chair.


    I took a seat opposite her and grabbed a pencil. ¡°Like this.¡± I made a tiny door on the pencil and separated it.


    Her eyes widened as she watched. ¡°You mean to tell me that you could sever almost anything like that?¡±


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡±


    She picked up both halves and examined them as I made the door vanish. ¡°It¡¯s not cut. Just¡­ severed. Like it was made this way. Your doors can do this?¡±


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. As you saw, I can make a prison out of them, as well.¡±


    She shuddered. ¡°I never want to see that again.¡±


    ¡°And you won¡¯t. I have no intention of ever putting you there again. I was hoping to do this over the phone, actually. Sebastian didn¡¯t seem able to understand what was going on.¡±


    ¡°Forgive him, Portal.¡± She sipped daintily on the soda. ¡°He¡¯s only trying to protect us here.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    ¡°Now. What was it you wanted to discuss?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± I began, ¡°you¡¯ve seen what I¡¯m capable of. Mouth apparently thought that I would be a good addition, and told me to let the Guild know by Sunday. Well, that¡¯s tomorrow, and I¡¯m going to give you the same answer I gave Mr. No-Face. Thank you for the consideration, but my answer is No.¡±


    ¡°Are you certain, Portal? We can safeguard you, you know. And your roommate, too. Send you on some easier missions for some easy pay. Nothing strenuous.¡±


    I smiled graciously. ¡°Once again, I thank you. However, I¡¯d like to go on my own, unaffiliated.¡±


    ¡°Well, be that as it may, we are going to have to keep tabs on you, Portal. Can¡¯t have you running to the Alliance when things fall apart now, can we?¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, Brighthawk, that¡¯s one of the last things you want to do. I value my privacy, and when I find out that it¡¯s being violated, I will react swiftly.¡± I leveled a cold glare at her. ¡°Whomever it is that¡¯s tailing me will find themselves missing a digit or two. If it continues, that person will be missing something with more substance. A further violation will result in their death.¡± I continued glaring into her wide eyes. God, but I was tired of being treated as if I were a child. ¡°Please, if you value your subordinates, do not encroach on my privacy. Leave me be, and if I ever choose to join you, I will speak up. Is that clear, Brighthawk?¡±


    ¡°You would threaten us?¡±


    ¡°No, ma¡¯am. I¡¯m simply informing you of the potential consequences of your hypothetical actions. I¡¯m easy to get along with. As long as I¡¯m respected, that is.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like a threat to me.¡±


    ¡°Take it as such, then. I don¡¯t care. Just leave me alone.¡± I stood, and she did the same, clutching at her bow.


    ¡°You won¡¯t make it out of the building.¡±


    ¡°Brighthawk, I can come in and out of this office should I so choose. At any time. And you will never know. Keep that in mind.¡±


    She stood there, mute as I opened a door to the Wendy¡¯s down the street from my home.

 Chapter Eleven

    Since she knew where I lived, I was wary of going home. I doubted she would attempt to retaliate, as I¡¯d shown her just what I was capable of, but it never hurt to be cautious.


    I wandered around the city for a time, occasionally opening a door to another section to throw off any would-be tails, but realized that I would eventually have to go home. That eventuality could wait, though.


    It was dark by the time I got tired of walking, so I steeled myself, ready for whatever I might find at home, then opened a door into my room. I cautiously stepped through, and dissolved the portals.


    Nothing was amiss, but I couldn¡¯t be too careful. I expected No-Face to leave me a parting gift, but I found nothing. Nothing missing, nothing extra. I opened a small peephole onto a telephone pole nearby, and looked out, scanning the area slowly. I saw no movement and no people wandering around nearby.


    What I would give for a set of thermal goggles.


    I had no idea where to find any, so I put that thought out of my head. Instead, I opened several other tiny doors in various locations around the area, and saw nothing. Nobody extra, nobody with any odd movement, and no weirdness.


    It seemed I was safe. For now, at least.


    I did see two people. Lab and Michael from across the street. He was on his way home, a couple of grocery bags in his hand, chatting amiably with our neighbor. Mike had always been a stand-up kind of guy. Figuring Lab had his dinner taken care of, I went to the kitchen and checked the fridge. Nothing but a few bottles of beer. Dammit.


    Lab walked in, seeing me in front of the fridge. ¡°Shit. Sorry, man. It¡¯s been busy and I haven¡¯t gotten to the store, yet. I got a few sandwiches for my dinner. You want one?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Nah. I¡¯ll head to New Amsterdam and grab a gyro or something.¡±


    Lab stroked his beard. ¡°New Amsterdam, huh? I¡¯ve not been there in a few years. Could I come along?¡±


    I nodded, surprised by the relief I felt at not being alone. Opening a door on 24th street, in a darker area of the nearby buildings, we walked out into New Amsterdam. This particular part of 24th was an old hangout for some friends I¡¯d made while I was hitchhiking. There was a Greek place just around the corner, and we wandered in, eyeing the menu.


    The smells of the restaurant were amazing. The warm, heady aroma of cumin and dill, mixed with the mouthwatering scent of cooked lamb and beef served only to increase our appetites. When we got to the front of the line, a smiling, dark-skinned man greeted us. ¡°You are new faces. Welcome to The Halal Guys! What can I prepare for you tonight?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I¡¯d like the beef gyro with lettuce, tomato and onion, please.¡±


    The man nodded. ¡°A drink? A side?¡±


    ¡°Oh. Uh¡­ fries, please and a large soda?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely, sir.¡± He turned to face Lab. ¡°And for you, sir?¡±


    Lab studied the menu for a half second longer and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll have a beef gyro, the combo platter with beef and falafel, baba ghanoush with pita chips, baklava cheesecake and a large soda. I got the pair of us.¡±


    The man blinked a couple of times, but put the order in. ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Nah. That should do me.¡±


    The man shook his head and recited the order to us. ¡°That¡¯ll be 57.78, please. Out of a hundred? Okay.¡± He counted out the change after verifying the bill. ¡°And 42.22 back to you, sir. It¡¯ll be just a few minutes. What¡¯s the name for the order?¡±


    ¡°Labrador.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Give us just a few minutes.¡±


    Lab nodded as he pocketed the change, leading us to a nearby booth. ¡°So what¡¯s got you on edge, Jackson?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m kinda running from the Guild.¡±


    ¡°The Guild?¡± His eyes widened. ¡°How did you piss off Brighthawk?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ I kinda trapped her in a door prison.¡±


    Lab let out a low whistle. ¡°Holy shit. You didn¡¯t know, did you?¡±


    I leaned forward, my brows knitted together. ¡°And you did? How?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been places and done things, Jackson. Not all of them good, remember?¡± I nodded and he continued. ¡°You¡¯re lucky she hasn¡¯t killed you herself.¡±


    ¡°I might have threatened her.¡±


    Lab dropped his face into his hands. ¡°Jackson. How many times do I have to tell you not to do that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! She said she was going to keep tabs on me so I don¡¯t fall to The Alliance. I wasn¡¯t about to tolerate that. Hell, No-Face himself said he would leave me be. Let me carve my own path out into the world, and would leave me an opening if I ever decided to join them. He didn¡¯t threaten me with constant surveillance, at least.¡± I crossed my arms and glared out the window.


    ¡°Labrador!¡±


    ¡°Cool. I¡¯ll get the food. You sit there and pout.¡±


    I briefly considered stranding that bastard here, but I knew that he would somehow make it home with more money than he started with and several new friends. Plus an adventure or two, to boot.


    ¡°Fuck you, dude.¡±


    He returned, and set my tray down in front of me, spreading both of his out across the table. He sat down with a smirk, and began diving into his meal. I sighed and chewed on my fries.


    ¡°You know I hate being monitored, Lab. More than anything. I won¡¯t allow it. Not from anyone.¡±


    ¡°Izzat why you cut your arm up?¡± he asked softly.


    ¡°You know about the trackers?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm. Wondered what was taking you so long. They never could get one into me. Tried to prescribe me ¡°pills¡±, and I took them for a few years. Later on, I found out what they were after I had one that was broken. Had this tiny little nub sticking out of it. I took a close look and never took another one of those gawdamn things again. I ain¡¯t about to be tracked, either. Pretty sure they know where I am, though. You, on the other hand? You can vanish like a fart in the wind.¡± I snorted. ¡°I¡¯m serious! With that power of yours, you can go anywhere. Vanish and hide, away from prying eyes. I¡¯m honestly jealous.


    ¡°I¡¯m stuck working on cars and trucks in Chicago, but you? You can go to Orleans, if you want. Disappear here in New Amsterdam. Wherever you please. Let them watch you. They sure as shit can¡¯t follow you wherever you go.¡± He dipped a pita chip into his baba ghanoush.


    I contemplated his words as I ate. He was right. There was no way for them to know just where I was at any given time. Especially if I never showed my face on the street. How could they follow what they couldn¡¯t see?


    ¡°I¡¯d need to have words with someone, but I think I can keep them from following me. At least to anywhere important. Let them follow me to the grocery store or to some fast food place. Let them wonder how I can afford anything. With no proof, I can never be charged with any crime. And if I can get a ¡°legit¡± job, they can all just kiss my ass.¡± I took a bite of my gyro. ¡°Yeah. That could work. Hmm. This is really good.¡±


    Lab snorted as he shook his head and took a bite of his combo platter. ¡°Yeah. This is good. We should come here more often.¡±


    ¡°It ain¡¯t cheap for a couple of nobodies from Chicago, though. Maybe once we hit it big, huh?¡±


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Speak for yerself. I do just fine at the shop. Three month waitlist isn¡¯t exactly ¡°common¡± for a mechanic, Jackson.¡±


    I nodded, conceding the point. I¡¯d been to several places across the country, but I¡¯d never heard of a mechanic with a wait list. A doctor? Sure. All the time, actually. It would be a blessing if that was all one had to wait for.


    We ate in a companionable silence, then took care of our trays. Lab had, unsurprisingly, finished all of his meal. We waved to the employee at the counter as we left, promising to return, and turned back towards 24th.


    I looked around, seeing nobody nearby, and created a door on a dark patch of the wall. I opened it, revealing our apartment, and we stepped through into the kitchen. Lab immediately grabbed a sandwich from the fridge and began to devour it.


    ¡°Jeez, man. Have you ever been full?¡±


    ¡°Once. About thirty years ago. I ate at an All You Can Eat barbecue joint. Damn good food. A pity they went out of business.¡± He shook his head wistfully.


    ¡°All you can¡­ Lab? Did you literally eat a restaurant out of business?¡±


    ¡°....maybe.¡± He took a furtive bite of his sandwich.


    I shook my head, laughing. ¡°Never change, fucker. Never change. I¡¯m heading to bed. Goodnight.¡±


    I Opened a door to my room and collapsed into bed. It had been an exhausting day.


    *********


    I opened my eyes to another sunrise, a thought rattling around in my head. What sort of job could I get that would still leave me able to do whatever work was needed for The Cloud? Time for some online searching. I had little in the way of practical skills I could levy to influence my job prospects.


    Insurance agent? Nah. Scroll¡­click. Freelance journalist? I do like writing, but no. Don¡¯t want to deal with interviews and putting on a fake-ass happy face. Scroll¡­scroll¡­click. Security guard? Too many people. Scroll¡­click. Security consultant? That could be¡­ no. Still have to deal with asshole bosses. Let¡¯s see¡­. What¡¯s this? Cybersecurity consultant? Huh. Mostly online/remote. Decent pay. All I need are some certifications. That shouldn¡¯t be too hard. I can communicate well enough, and do most of it remotely. Could also get me new locations around the country to be able to go to. Yeah. This could work. I¡¯ll talk to Shade today, if I can find him.


    I checked the time. About time to go get more training. I got a shower and dressed myself, then opened a door to the Wendy¡¯s near the gym. A little fuel for the upcoming fire wouldn¡¯t be amiss. I ate as I walked, figuring I should get there as swiftly as possible. Ten minutes later, I was standing in front of the Stormforge Gym, and tossed my empty breakfast wrappers into the can outside.


    The inside of the gym was rather quiet. Not surprising, since it was Sunday. There were a few people on treadmills and various other equipment upstairs. I headed to the front desk.


    ¡°Good morning, Bethany.¡±


    The effervescent desk clerk -who, I was certain, was much more than a simple desk clerk- perked up when she heard my voice, her magazine left forgotten on the counter. ¡°Morning, Jackson! I hope you¡¯re ready for a workout. Jennifer seemed pretty peppy today.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Oh boy. Another day of endless drills.¡±


    She giggled. ¡°Yep! And another and another and another until she¡¯s sure you¡¯re not going to die on your first mission. She has a ninety-eight percent success rate. That¡¯s why she¡¯s so damn strict.¡±


    Ninety-eight? ¡°What do you mean, Bethany?¡±


    She cast her eyes around and dropped her voice to a whisper. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be the one to tell you, Jackson. Best you hear it from her.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°When she¡¯s ready to tell me about it, I¡¯ll ask. Thanks, Bethany.¡± I headed to the back office.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Jackson! Have a good workout!¡± She picked up her magazine once more and got comfortable as I entered the office.


    I made my way down the now-familiar route to the lower gym, finding it mostly empty. I guess even superheroes take a day off now and then. I spied Jennifer in her usual corner, working her way through a kata with a long spear. I stood politely to the side, watching her lithe form step through the motions.


    She was really quite beautiful. Fluid and graceful, like a panther, she moved from one form to another, her movements precise and balanced. I couldn¡¯t help but be mesmerized by her skill and grace.


    ¡°Quite the show, isn¡¯t it?¡± a familiar voice murmured from my left.


    I nodded, looking over at Shade. ¡°It is, sir. She¡¯s got to be one of the most graceful people I¡¯ve ever seen. She looks calm and kind of lost in the movements.¡±


    He crossed his arms across his chest. ¡°She is. Lost, that is. Her mind goes¡­elsewhere when she walks through the forms. She¡¯s happy, Jackson. That right there¡± -he motioned with an outstretched hand- ¡°is her peace and solace. She doesn¡¯t go afield anymore, so she makes a living instructing our members.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    He rested a large hand on my shoulder. ¡°Best let her tell you that. When and if she ever feels it appropriate.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Um, sir?¡±


    ¡°William.¡±


    I cocked my head to the side. ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°My name, Jackson. William.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Okay, then. William, it has come to my attention that I will probably need a day job. I have to make money somehow to help pay rent.¡±


    He quirked an eyebrow. ¡°Oh? I thought you had one? How did you plan to buy dinner the other night?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­.Well, you see, the thing is-¡± I stopped when he held up a hand.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to know the details, Jackson. You stole it, didn¡¯t you?¡± His face bore no hint of admonishment, no trace of disappointment.


    I nodded. ¡°Yeah. I did.¡±


    ¡°I see. Well, I¡¯m not going to tell you that you can¡¯t continue doing that. If that¡¯s what you choose to do, just don¡¯t ever get caught. But, I suspect that you brought this up for a good reason, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I made a couple of calls yesterday, to the Alliance and the Guild, and now I think I need to stay hidden for as long as possible.¡±


    Jennifer finished her routine and walked over to us as I finished. ¡°Stay hidden, huh? What¡¯d you do? Threaten No-Face?¡± She chuckled good-naturedly.


    ¡°Brighthawk, actually.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Shade -William- uncrossed his arms, planting his hands on his hips. Even Jennifer¡¯s jaw dropped.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I kind of¡­.discovered? her weakness in doing so.¡±


    ¡°Jackson, it¡¯s common knowledge that she¡¯s weak to ice.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No¡­ not ice. Her psychological weakness. She has a phobia.¡±


    William leaned forward. ¡°Oh? Do tell.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No, man. That¡¯d be wrong. Taking a couple hundred from a wealthy asshole? Pfft. Whatever. Revealing someone¡¯s deepest, most secret fear? That¡¯s a violation I¡¯ll never commit. No matter what you or anyone else do to me.¡±


    William nodded. ¡°Good to see you have some scruples, Jackson. I won¡¯t pry any further. But! What do you mean you need to stay hidden?¡±


    So, I told them of my call to No-Face, and my visit to the headquarters of the local branch of The Guild, leaving out what exactly had transpired within Brighthawk¡¯s office. Both William and Jennifer agreed that it would be prudent for me to lay low for a few months or so. The threat of either The Guild or The Alliance finding out that The Cloud existed and where was far greater than most other concerns.


    William scrubbed his face with a hand. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you to do something, Jackson, that might get you hurt. Are you willing?¡±


    I shrugged. Pain was nothing new to me. ¡°Sure. Lay it on me.¡±


    ¡°Open a door to the front desk. A small one. Like, barely able to stick your hand into.¡±


    I thought for a moment, remembering the structure of the desk. An idea came to me. A small door, barely bigger than my fist, appeared in the air beside me. I knocked loudly.


    The door opened slowly, revealing Bethany¡¯s alarmed face. ¡°Jackson? I told you not to do this. Now I¡¯ll have-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Bethany. I asked him to.¡±


    ¡°William! Ohmigod, I¡¯m so sorry! I didn¡¯t mean-¡±


    William chuckled. ¡°Calm down. I¡¯m glad to see you take your job seriously. Here¡¯s the deal. You listening?¡±


    I saw Bethany nod, and I smiled at her.


    ¡°Good. Until further notice, Jackson will be opening a door directly into the office when he comes to the Gym. Am I clear?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. May I ask why?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for him to tell if and when he¡¯s comfortable doing so.¡±


    Bethany nodded, and I felt the need to interject. ¡°I¡¯ll knock on the office door to let you know I¡¯m here. It only feels right, you know?¡±


    I heard her sigh. ¡°Thank you, Jackson. That would be greatly appreciated. But just you, right? You¡¯ll never bring anyone else?¡±


    ¡°Correct. Just me. Not even Lab.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Thanks for letting me know, guys.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome Bethany.¡± William closed the door, and I let it pop out of existence.

 Chapter Twelve

    ¡°Now that that is taken care of, what were you thinking of doing for work, Jackson?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­.¡± I began, then detailed the job posting I had seen earlier in the morning. William listened thoughtfully.


    ¡°I see. Jennifer? Any thoughts?¡±


    Jennifer paced for a few moments, tapping her staff on the floor. Slowly, she came to a stop in front of me. ¡°Do you know anything about the job?¡±


    ¡°No, ma¡¯am. As I said the other day, I learn and memorize things exceptionally quickly. Thankfully, I¡¯m also able to make connections between ideas and concepts, so I¡¯m fairly confident I could do it without much trouble.¡± I nodded as I finished, hoping I was right.


    ¡°Okay, then. You¡¯ll be in charge of our cybersecurity. It pays 45k to start, and as you become more skilled -and we will test you- we will pay you more. Deal?¡±


    I took an involuntary step backward. ¡°Do what? You want me, an absolute novice to handle cybersecurity for the entire Cloud?¡±


    She laughed softly as she walked off to the far corner. ¡°Oh, no. Not the Cloud. Just the gym.¡±


    ¡°For now, Jackson. You will eventually take over the cybersecurity for the entirety of The Grey Cloud. No timetable or anything. Just the knowledge that that will be one of your roles.¡±


    I thought for a moment. It was easy money, would keep me out of the spotlight, except for when I went after groceries, and I got to learn a skill. I shrugged. ¡°Okay. Sounds good. I¡¯ll get some learning materials and whatnot, and I¡¯ll start as soon as I can, deal?¡±


    ¡°Deal. For now, if I¡¯m not mistaken, you have a date with our very own Jennifer. There is much to learn, young man. Make us proud.¡±


    William clapped me on the shoulder as I walked to the corner of the broad floor with Jennifer. She tossed me a stone staff as I approached. I caught it, mildly surprised by its weight.


    ¡°This must weigh at least ten pounds, Jennifer. What gives?¡±


    She smirked. ¡°Like I said, you¡¯re going to be training with something much heavier for a while. It¡¯ll teach you better precision. Move at about one quarter speed, Jackson.¡± She placed her hands on her hips, shifting her weight to her left side.


    ¡°One quarter¡­ Huh? How am I supposed to gauge my speed like that?¡± I thumped the pole onto the ground.


    ¡°Just move slowly.¡± She sighed, rolling her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know if you need to speed anything up. Remember: You¡¯re learning precision, not speed or power. The same kata I showed you on the first day. Go.¡±


    I sighed, hefting the staff. Slowly, I began walking -literally walking- through the kata, my face scrunched up with indignation. Fifteen minutes later, however, found me sweating and panting as if I¡¯d just run five miles without a break. My arms felt like jelly, and my legs felt like hot ramen. I made a final, shaky thrust and stepped back to the ready position, sweat streaming down my face.


    Jennifer approached me, her hands clasped behind her back. ¡°Good job, Jackson. Your form was good, if a little shaky near the end. You have decent muscle memory, which is exactly what you need for this art. How often have you practiced since Wednesday?¡±


    I leaned heavily on the staff, gulping air like a fish out of water. ¡°Only here, Jennifer. I don¡¯t have the space at home.¡±


    ¡°Only here? Hm. If you can, make the room at home. I daresay you¡¯ll improve by leaps and bounds if you do. I want you to run through this form until you can barely move. Go.¡±


    I stared at her, my eyes wide. ¡°Until I can barely move? But I can barely move now!¡±


    ¡°Then you don¡¯t have too long to go, do you?¡±


    I whimpered and stood up straight, determined to make it through one more iteration of the kata. Slowly, I took my first shaky steps, making a wide diagonal sweep from my right shoulder to my left foot.


    Fifteen minutes later, I came back to the ready position and fell immediately to my knees, my hands sliding down the smooth stone. My limbs felt like lead. ¡°No more,¡± I panted hoarsely. ¡°I can¡¯t go again.¡± Sweat, or tears, I couldn¡¯t tell which, dripped from the tip of my nose, making a small puddle on the floor beneath me.


    ¡°Get up.¡±


    I looked up at her in pained surprise. Sliding my sweat-slicked hands up the staff, I gripped it as hard as I could and pulled. Groaning with effort and no small amount of pain, I wondered if it might not be better to simply open a door to my room beneath me and fall into my bed. Slowly, inch by agonizing inch, I stood on wobbly legs, leaning heavily on the stone staff. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m standing.¡± I wiped the stinging sweat out of my eyes. ¡°Now what?¡±


    ¡°Again.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Do. It. Again. Jackson.¡±


    My breathing picked up pace as I contemplated working through the kata again. ¡°I can¡¯t, Jennifer. I¡¯m lucky to be standing right now. Don¡¯t you get it?¡±


    ¡°Do it again.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You can and you will. Pick it up and go through it one more time.¡±


    I tried lifting the ten-ton staff, feeling my grip weaken. ¡°I don¡¯t have the strength, Jennifer. Let me rest.¡±


    She leaned toward me, pointing a finger in my face as she yelled at me. ¡°Pick it up, Jackson! Walk through the kata again! And again, and again, and again, until you have it right!¡±


    ¡°I already have it right, goddamit! I can¡¯t pick this fucking thing up again!¡±


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    ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to join The Grey Cloud? Didn¡¯t you want to make a difference? Or are your convictions so fucking weak that you can¡¯t even pick up a little staff and do a fucking exercise?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m. Not. WEAK!¡± I hefted the staff high, letting my hands slide down towards and end, slamming it down onto the ground with all my might. A high-pitched ringing sounded throughout the gym, resonating in my head. I heaved a shuddering breath.


    Jennifer knelt beside me, gently laying a hand on my shoulder. ¡°You can pick it up again, Jackson,¡± she said softly, as she gently turned my face up to meet her eyes. ¡°And you are not weak. You¡¯re simply untrained. My job is to get you stronger than before, faster than ever, and skilled enough to know when and where to dip out of a fight. Your power is new, Jackson. Nobody knows enough about it to teach you how to use it effectively in a fight. Instead, we¡¯re going to teach you how to fight with a weapon, and how to be fast. Your body is untrained. I¡¯m going to fix that. I need you to trust me, but I also need to trust you to tell me when you¡¯ve actually reached a limit. Have you reached that limit, Jackson?¡±


    I sighed, letting the staff go. My fingers hurt from gripping it so tightly. ¡°Jennifer, my strength is spent. I¡¯m sorry for reacting like that. I¡¯m worn out, and I don¡¯t know how much more my body can take. I¡¯m frustrated that I could only last thirty minutes. I should be able to walk through these forms for hours. I¡­.I can¡¯t believe that I¡¯m this weak.¡±


    Jennifer stood, helping me up in the process. ¡°I want you to see something, Jackson. This way.¡± She led me to the corner, where a pair of chairs awaited us. She sat me down, then pulled a stone from her pocket. ¡°This is my staff.¡± She held the hand up, and a stone staff grew from the pebble. Gently, she placed it in my lap, and my eyes went wide.


    It had to weigh as much as a small anvil.


    ¡°What the fuck, Jennifer?¡±


    She nodded, hefting the staff in her hand with apparent ease. ¡°This is where I¡¯d like for you to be, eventually. Stepping through the forms with this in your hand the way I do? You¡¯d be unstoppable. Especially with a normal staff. Well, at least one that has been reinforced. You¡¯d shatter anything else.¡± Slowly, she stepped through the form I had just attempted, slowly picking up speed until she was moving at what seemed a normal combat speed. Through it all, I saw only an intense concentration on her face. When she finished, she hurriedly walked to me, placing my fingers on her neck.


    Her pulse was steady, strong, and most importantly, not elevated.


    ¡°What the fuck are you, Jennifer?¡±


    ¡°I wield Stone, Jackson.¡± She spread her arms and stood still for a moment. The staff shattered soundlessly, coating her in a fine layer of stone dust. ¡°Strike me. As hard as you can.¡±


    ¡°Hit you? Why?¡±


    ¡°So that you may understand.¡±


    Groaning, I stood, my muscles protesting the movement. Heaving a sigh, I opened a door beneath my staff, with a second in front of me. Reaching in, I pulled the staff into a ready stance, then dissolved the doors. ¡°You sure, Jen?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°As hard as you are able, Jackson.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then. Remember, you asked.¡± I looked around the gym, seeing for the first time just how large it was. I grinned, then began to open a series of doors, starting with one directly below me.


    For an instant, I saw Jennifer¡¯s look of surprise as I seemed to vanish from view. I fell through that door, being ejected from a second. I kept opening and closing sets of doors, appearing and disappearing from sight, seemingly at random, until I felt I was moving fast enough. I opened a final set of doors, ending up exactly where I started, swinging the staff upward with all the strength I still possessed, connecting neatly with her midsection.


    With a ¡°Whooff¡± sound, I saw Jennifer fly upward about ten feet. As I reached my zenith, I opened a door directly below me, dropping me neatly on the ground beside Jennifer¡¯s prone form. I dropped the staff, which had surprisingly held together, and knelt. My arms screamed in protest from the impact, but I managed a shaky, if concerned, grin.


    ¡°Jennifer? Are you okay?¡±


    She laughed and sat up. ¡°Jackson? That was a good hit! It¡¯s been a long time since anyone hit me that hard.¡± She got to her feet, the stone powder falling from her body, coalescing into a small, palm-sized stone once more. ¡°I know now more than ever that the staff will be perfect for you. What do you call that attack?¡±


    ¡°Call it? Hell, I dunno.¡± I scratched my head. ¡°I just made it up on the fly.¡±


    She squealed happily. ¡°And he thinks and strategizes off the cuff! William, what a treasure you¡¯ve brought me. Here¡¯s the deal, Jackson: You work hard at gaining your strength and speed, and I¡¯ll work hard at devising an art that utilizes your power effectively. Deal?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ yeah. Sure, I guess.¡± I stared at this woman, wondering just what the fuck had happened.


    She leapt to her feet and ran to the corner, hefting her staff once more. Slowly, she began walking through a new kata, one I¡¯d never seen before. I slowly made my way over to her, using the staff as a crutch. I heaved myself into the chair once more and promptly passed out.


    ************


    ¡°Jackson? Jackson? Wake up, Jackson.¡± Jennifer gently shook me awake. As I came to, I noticed a sheen of sweat on her face.


    ¡°Shit. I¡¯m sorry. How long was I asleep?¡± I attempted to raise my hands to my face, but was pulled up short by a wave of intense pain. ¡°Oh, god. That hurts.¡± I let my hand fall back into my lap.


    ¡°About two hours. I may have just worked out a form for you to start with, but it can wait until you can move again. Probably tomorrow or the next day. Let¡¯s get you home.¡± She leaned over and pulled me to my feet. Slowly, we made our way up to the office, where I opened the door, startling Bethany.


    ¡°Jackson! You startled -are you alright?¡±


    I smiled weakly. ¡°What was it you said when I got here? Something about endless drills?¡±


    She laughed nervously. ¡°Yeah. I guess I did say something like that.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yeah. You were right. She beat the hell outta me. I gotta get home, Bethany.  I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, probably.¡± I opened a door on the wall just inside the office and Jennifer helped me through it into my room. ¡°Thanks, Jennifer. Just help me to, yeah.¡±


    Lab¡¯s voice rang out from across the hall. ¡°Jackson? Izzat you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Lab. It¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Who you talking to?¡±


    ¡°A friend, Lab.¡±


    ¡°A friend? I¡¯m yer damn friend, ass!¡± I heard him thumping across the hallway, and saw my door opening slowly. ¡°Th¡¯fuck happened to you? Who is¡­ Jennifer?¡±


    Jennifer smiled. ¡°Hi Lab. Good to see you again. Help me get him to bed?¡±


    ¡°Oh. Yeah¡­uh.. I can do that.¡± Lab picked me up as easily as he would a child, neatly depositing me into my bed. Jennifer reached for the sheet, but was forestalled by Lab. ¡°No need. He¡¯s still clothed. That¡¯ll just make him too hot to be comfortable.¡±


    I smiled up at my friend. ¡°You¡¯re the best, Lab. Jennifer, you best get going. I¡¯m tired, and I dunno how long I can hold that door.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Jennifer. I¡¯ll allow it this one time because Jackson¡¯s so worn out. Hi, Lab!¡±


    Lab looked through the open door. ¡°Hm? Oh hey, Bethany! You two taking care of my buddy for me?¡±


    ¡°Only the best for our Lab! Hurry up, Jennifer, I think the door is getting all wavy.¡±


    Jennifer hurried through the door and looked back at me. ¡°Get some rest, Jackson. Lab? I¡¯ll see you soon, okay?¡±


    ¡°Bye girls!¡± Lab waved cheerfully as he closed the door.

 Chapter Thirteen

    As I looked over at Lab, still facing the space the door had been, I saw him deflate slightly. ¡°Lab? Buddy, you okay?¡±


    Lab perked up and turned to face me. ¡°Oh yeah¡­ I¡¯m good, Jackson. I just haven¡¯t seen Jennifer in a while, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Seems like you know her, then. Wanna talk about it?¡±


    He shook his shaggy head, waving me off with a smile. ¡°Nah, man. You don¡¯t wanna hear it.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t¡¯ve asked if that were the case.¡± I struggled to sit up in the bed.


    Lab came over and sat on the foot of the bed. ¡°She used to spot me some time ago at the gym. When I got too strong for her -or anyone else, really- to be of any use there, she would just watch me from a safe distance and comment on my form. ¡®Slide your left foot three millimeters forward,¡¯ or ¡®Splay your left hand out a bit less,¡¯ or something similar,¡± He shook his head with a soft chuckle and I smiled with him, knowing all too well what that was like. ¡°It annoyed the hell out of me.¡± He looked up, a sad look in his eye. ¡°I had enough one afternoon when I hit a personal -and gym- record when she told me that she¡¯d seen my right arm quiver a bit more than usual, and that I needed to bring it in a quarter inch. I blew up at her, man. She jerked back as if I¡¯d slapped her. Just said ¡®Okay, then,¡¯ and went back into that little office of hers.¡± He sighed heavily, then softly added, ¡°Haven¡¯t seen her since.¡±


    We sat there in silence for a moment before I added, ¡°You want to see her again, don¡¯t you?¡±


    He heaved a sigh. ¡°I dunno, man. I-I think so? I don¡¯t want to leave that as our last interaction. I genuinely like her. I think she¡¯s a fine woman, incredibly smart -too smart fer a dumbass like me- and talented, to boot. I really feel bad about the way we left things off. I¡¯d like to at least apologize to her.¡±


    I nodded along with him. Such a sweet bastard of a man. ¡°I can make that happen. She¡¯s training me right now.¡±


    ¡°Really!? Huh. What could she possibly be teaching you? How to slouch effectively?¡±


    I sputtered a laugh. ¡°Fuck you, dude. Nah. She¡¯s training me to get my speed up. I¡¯m not built for strength, but I am able to move fast. Especially when I factor in my doors. I found that out today. Part of why I¡¯m so worn out.¡±


    ¡°Huh. I won¡¯t pry. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find out eventually. You should get some rest. I don¡¯t know what all happened, but if it¡¯s anything like the Jennifer I know, you¡¯re gonna be sore for a couple of days. Let me know if you need something.¡± He got up and patted my leg as he walked out. I painfully scooted back down in the bed and promptly passed out.


    **********


    I looked around the room I was in. It was¡­odd. There were no shelves of nick-nacks, no TV, no clothes strewn about, and no window. There was a bed and little else. The stone floor, walls and ceiling were bare. The door seemed to be made of wood, with a handle directly in the center.


    I walked over, turned the knob and opened the door to a fuchsia sky, gently glowing grasses, and odd plant life. I stepped out, falling through the ground -


    I woke with a start, feeling like I had just fallen into my body. The sheets were tangled about my legs and a sheen of sweat covered my body. I had somehow undressed and gotten back into the bed at some point.


    I rubbed my face. My arms were still sore from Sunday¡¯s exercise with Jennifer. I rose slowly, my body protesting. With slow, ungainly steps, I clothed myself and made my way down to the kitchen for breakfast. As I sat there, eating my bowl of cereal, my mind replayed snippets of the dream that had awoken me. Why did it seem so real, so¡­familiar somehow?


    I wrote it off as just an oddity caused by stress, a fever-dream, almost. Dreams were just our minds trying to make sense of our body¡¯s sensations, after all. Everything I¡¯d been experiencing in the past few days had definitely been weird, to say the least.


    As I was rinsing my bowl, I heard a knock at our front door. I opened a tiny peephole where I was, and saw an unknown woman standing there. Odd. I certainly wasn¡¯t expecting any visitors today.


    I opened the door a fraction of an inch. ¡°Can I help you?¡±


    ¡°Hello, Jackson. My name is Kira. Zack and William sent me to check in on you.¡±


    I sighed in relief, opening the door completely. ¡°Come in, Kira. You want some water or something?¡±


    She walked in, shutting the door. ¡°Yes, please. So, how¡¯re you doing?¡± She took a seat on the couch and thanked me as I handed her the glass of water.


    ¡°I¡¯m sore as hell. Jennifer didn¡¯t exactly let me off easy.¡± I set my own water down on the coffee table and tried to gently stretch my right arm as I sat across from her.


    Kira laughed. ¡°Yep. That¡¯s Jen. A perfectionist if there ever was one. What does she have you doing?¡±


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    I opened a small door to Lab¡¯s room, making sure he wasn¡¯t home to listen. ¡°She has me working with the staff. Says that I¡¯m going to be fast.¡±


    Kira stared at me, an eyebrow quirked up. ¡°What was that? A door?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Oh, yeah. That¡¯s my power. I can make doors.¡± I opened a small door to the pantry, and grabbed a bag of chips. ¡°To just about anywhere.¡± I opened the bag and started eating as the doors dissolved.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­incredible. And useful, to boot. I can talk to pretty much any creature. If they like me, we can even work together.¡± She smiled prettily.


    ¡°That¡¯s cool. How long have you been with the Cloud?¡± I sipped my water.


    ¡°Four years. They got me almost immediately after I graduated from school. It¡¯s rather easy work and I get paid well.¡± She shrugged.


    ¡°Cool. Guess I know what I have to look forward to.¡± I leaned forward, my hip and lower back popping loudly.


    ¡°Yep. Once you get more used to the training, you¡¯ll have an easier time. Speaking of, are you going in today?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Hell no. I¡¯m going to let my body heal. I¡¯m staying out of sight for the next day or so.¡±


    Kira smiled. ¡°Good. Pay attention to your body. It¡¯ll tell you when it¡¯s time to go back.¡± She stood. ¡°I should get going. I¡¯m glad to have met you, and I hope we get to work together sometime.¡±


    I slowly rose to a standing position and walked her to the door. ¡°Likewise. Be safe out there, Kira.¡± I opened the door with a smile.


    ¡°I will be. Get better soon. I¡¯d like to see what you¡¯re capable of out there.¡± She left, and I shut the door behind her.


    I opened a door to my room and sat in front of my computer. Time to learn everything I could about cybersecurity.


    *************


    The evening passed by in a blur of text and music. By the time I got tired, I had read through most of the primary and parts of the intermediate class materials for the degree program offered by the local college. Thankfully, most community colleges were free to those of us who had abilities. I am not ashamed to say that I abused the hell out of that privilege. If they were going to give it to me, I was going to take it.


    I stood and stretched as well as I could. Sitting for several hours hunched over was never a good idea. I felt several vertebrae realign, and the familiar cold chill was delightful as it traveled down the entirety of my spine. My arms and legs, while still sore, didn¡¯t give me nearly as much pain as they had that morning. It seemed I was healing up just fine.


    As it was nearly midnight, there weren¡¯t many places I could go to get a decent meal. I realized that I¡¯d have to go to the West Coast if I wanted something good. I sighed and put on my shoes. Santa Francesca it was, then. Checking my wallet, I found that I still had about a hundred bucks to my name. I opened a door to a little-used alleyway near Japantown, and headed east to Tommy¡¯s.


    Tommy¡¯s Joynt was a local favorite, and one of the few places I¡¯d actually enjoyed eating at when I got lost in this massive city a few years ago. They had some good food, with flavors approaching Southern Hospitality, so it was a place I quickly gravitated to. The brisket was good, but nothing out of this world, so it remained a good, safe option. I walked in and was greeted by a friendly face behind the counter, and maybe four other patrons.


    ¡°Welcome to Tommy¡¯s! What can I getcha?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have the brisket sandwich with mashed potatoes, please. And whatever cheap beer you have on tap.¡±


    ¡°You got it, man. Brisket and mash, one PBR coming up in five.¡±


    I paid the man and stood to one side, waiting patiently. My meal came up in just a couple minutes, and I sat down to enjoy something approximating my great-grandmother¡¯s cooking.


    Grammy lived a few hours south in Murray, Kentuck and was one of the best cooks I¡¯d ever met. Visits to her house were always three days, at least, and we would eat good for the whole time. Grammy always had a brisket or a pork butt or some haunch of meat smoking when we got there. Her husband, Pappy, would make the sides and fixin¡¯s every time. Always with the same excuse of ¡®Yer Grammy¡¯d beat me about the head and shoulders if¡¯n I ever touched her smoker. So I jus¡¯ learnt to make all the sides and gravies for y¡¯all. Hope yer hungry, son!¡¯ and then he¡¯d laugh that belly-laugh of his while we got ourselves settled in for a weekend of family and food.


    All that changed once my power developed. Mom and Dad stopped visiting Dad¡¯s grandparents until their deaths four years later. I was in the school while they were able to go to the funerals. Pappy didn¡¯t last a month after Grammy passed.


    For years afterward, I would search Chicago for places that served the kind of food I had at Grammy¡¯s place. It wasn¡¯t until I started hitchhiking across the country that I found Tommy¡¯s Joynt in Santa Francesca. It wasn¡¯t exact, but it was close, and close was good enough for me right now.


    My sandwich and beer were placed on the counter, and I went off to a table to eat. From the first bite, I was transported back to Grammy¡¯s as a wide-eyed eight year old with an appetite to rival Lab¡¯s. Memories of early childhood spent with family flooded into my mind, peppered here and there with stories from Grammy¡¯s days running a BBQ shop in a college town, and the taste of delicious brisket, mashed potatoes and gravy, and sweet tea.


    I chewed thoughtfully, the memories taking over so hard that I didn¡¯t hear the man trying to get my attention until he slammed a fist down onto my table.


    ¡°I said, can you hear me, you drippy shitbag?¡±


    My eyes traveled up the powerful, tanned and tattooed arm that had made a divot in the table to an equally tanned and tattooed face. ¡°Sorry. I was lost in a memory. Could you repeat yourself, please?¡±


    The man pulled back, confusion evident on his face. ¡°You hear this, guys? He says he was lost in a memory! You ever hear anything that stupid?¡± He and his four companions started laughing.


    Quick as a flash he reached out and grabbed my face, squeezing it painfully as he pulled me to my feet. ¡°You¡¯re going to give me everything in your wallet right now, or I¡¯m gonna bleed ya.¡± He flicked out a switchblade, holding the blade up to my chin.


    ¡°I dfftt thkk tho.¡±


    ¡°What did you say to me you little fuck?¡± He jammed the tip of the blade into my lower jaw, drawing blood.


    I calmed myself and created a door at the base of the blade, hearing the metal crash to the ground.


    ¡°What the¡­¡± He released me, stepping back to take a look at the blade on the floor.


    ¡°I said I don¡¯t think so.¡±

 Chapter Fourteen

    I stuck my hands in my pockets and leaned against the wall. The thug stood there, staring dumbly at his ruined knife. ¡°Well? You five gonna leave or what? I¡¯m not giving you a single penny, and unless I miss my guess, nobody else is, either.¡±


    ¡°You think you can just tell me what I¡¯m gonna do? I¡¯m about to kick your ass.¡± He tossed the handle to the ground and advanced on me, his fists raised.


    I opened a trapdoor under him, with the exit just behind his compatriots. He fell through, landing on one of his friends, stunning him. The doors disappeared as suddenly as they came, leaving nobody the wiser. One of his friends threw his knife at me. I opened a pair of small doors, letting him stab himself in the thigh. He grabbed at the knife and fell to his knees with a cry of agony.


    ¡°I¡¯d leave that there, if I were you. Who knows how much you¡¯ll bleed if you try to take it out.¡± I looked at the others. ¡°Anyone else? I can do this all day, y¡¯know.¡±


    The big man had gotten up, shoving one of his friends away. ¡°Go on, then. Leave, if you¡¯re such a pussy. I¡¯m gonna teach this bitch a lesson.¡± He put his hands up again, advancing slowly.


    I shook my head. Some people just never seemed to learn. ¡°Okay, then. You asked for it.¡±


    Both of his arms fell off just below the elbow, two doors on the stumps. He fell to the ground, screaming incoherently as his friends all ran off, one with a pronounced limp. I strolled over to him and squatted in front of him.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to leave?¡± His continued screams were annoying. ¡°Shut up!¡± Silence. ¡°Now. I told you to leave, didn¡¯t I?¡± He whimpered and nodded his head. ¡°That¡¯s right. I tried to be nice about all this, but you¡­ you decided to ruin my meal. I was having such a good time, remembering my Grammy and Pappy. And then you show up, demanding money. Get a job, pal.¡± I picked up his arms, feeling their heft. This guy worked out a fair bit.


    ¡°My¡­my arms! Put ¡®em back, man! You gotta put ¡®em back!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to do a damn thing. I could open a door over the ocean. Drop you and your stumps into the drink.¡±


    ¡°God, please no! I can¡¯t swim!¡±


    I smirked and realigned his arms, feeling the doors click together, then let the doors dissolve. He flexed his arms and clenched his fists, marveling at the sensations.


    ¡°Oh thank you! Thank you, thank you thank you!¡±


    ¡°Shut up. Get the hell out of here before we find out if I can do the same with your head.¡± I stood and stepped away from the sniffling thug. He shuffled backwards and ran out as quickly as he could get his feet under him.


    I looked over to the man behind the counter who stood there with his phone to his ear. ¡°Could I please get a bag to take this home in? Thanks, man.¡±


    The guy disappeared into the back, returning a few minutes later with a bag filled with sandwiches and sides. ¡°Here dude. Just¡­just go. Diego will be back, and he¡¯ll be looking for blood.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Got a pen and paper?¡± The man nodded and handed me a legal pad and a pen. I wrote a note and ripped off the paper, then handed the pad back to the guy. ¡°Thanks, man. I¡¯ll leave this for him on my way home. Make sure he gets it, would you?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ yeah.¡±


    I placed the note on the table, then opened a door to my room. I grabbed the bag and walked to the door just as the front door burst open. ¡°Left you a note, Diego. Leave these guys alone.¡± I walked into my room and shut the door just in time to hear Diego roar my name before the door dissolved into nothing.


    ¡°What the fuck¡¯re you doing over there, Jackson?¡± I heard Lab yell.


    I walked out to see him stomping over to my room. ¡°Man, what did you do this time?¡± He sniffed the air. ¡°And what smells so good?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you know. Just the usual. Antagonizing a gang in Santa Francesca. And brought home some sandwiches and sides from Tommy¡¯s Joynt.¡±


    Lab sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as he held out a hand. I slapped a wrapped sandwich into it. He unwrapped it and took a bite. ¡°Mmm. Roast beef. Not bad. What¡¯s this about a gang?¡±


    So I told him the tale of my run-in with Diego. ¡°And I left him a note, then came home. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Lab gave me a grin. ¡°What¡¯d it say?¡±


    I shuffled my feet and gave a nervous laugh. ¡±Fuck you, I¡¯m Portal.¡±


    Lab snorted. ¡°You dumbass. Are you trying to get yourself blacklisted from every city in the country?¡±


    ¡°Hey man, I could¡¯ve killed him. Been easy as hell to do, too. They¡¯re not gonna bother me. Besides, Tommy¡¯s ain¡¯t the only place for good food." I crossed my arms and leaned against the door jamb.


    Lab ate the sandwich thoughtfully, then licked his fingers clean. ¡°They do have good food, though. Maybe reconsider not going back. You don¡¯t want to leave a negative impression of yourself, after all.¡±


    I sighed. The man was right. I opened a small peephole next to the camera at Tommy¡¯s. As I looked in, I heaved a sigh. Diego was there, backed up by seven of his friends. I let the peephole dissolve and turned to Lab with a grin.


    ¡°Feel like taking out the trash, Lab?¡±


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Oh? How many?¡±


    ¡°Eight total. Diego is mine. He¡¯s the big one with the tats.¡±


    Lab nodded. ¡°Maim the others?¡±


    ¡°As much as we can. Teach them a bit of a lesson.¡±


    ¡°Where we coming out at? Wall?¡±


    ¡°Nah. Let¡¯s get the drop on them.¡±


    ¡°Oo! Fun! Let¡¯s go.¡±


    I opened a trapdoor above the group of idiots Diego had brought, and we dropped onto them, stunning three and knocking a total of five prone. Diego¡¯s head whipped around at the noise and he roared at us in an impotent rage.


    Lab grabbed a pair of wrists and twisted until we heard them crunch and pop. I hit one with a palmstrike to the side of his head, knocking him out. I watched Lab as he giggled like a schoolboy, punching indiscriminately at the thugs that surrounded him, taking a couple of punches himself. Due to his short stature he hit most of them just above their pelvis, and I saw another go down with hysterical screams.


    One of the thugs punched at me, and I opened a small pair of doors, letting him punch himself in the face. He fell on his rear, stunned, trying to make sense of what had just happened. I opened a trapdoor under him, dropping him onto the roof of the building from about ten feet in the air.


    Lab had taken the last of the men to his knees, having dispatched the other by breaking his knee, then pulled an arm back and slapped him across the face as hard as he could. The man stiffened, then fell to his side, leaving just Diego.


    Diego stood there by the counter, his jaw hanging wordlessly. He quickly regained his composure, then whipped a hand forward, hurling what looked like several steel balls in our direction. Lab and I juked to the side, hearing the projectiles impact against the walls, sending up puffs of dust.


    ¡°Heh. Think you¡¯re the only one who can do somethin¡¯? I don¡¯t need no gun.¡± He flicked his hand out several more times, as Lab and I barely dodged the hail of tiny bullets. What were those?


    Lab was grazed by one, and I heard him cry out in pain. I glanced over and saw him clutching his shoulder, a bloom of red seeping into his shirt as Diego laughed, sending more projectiles our way.


    I opened a door beneath my friend, dropping him into his bedroom. I stood, brushing debris from my shirt as I tried to focus on the maniac in front of me. His hand flicked out a couple more times, and puffs of dust erupted from the walls, sending debris into my eyes.


    ¡°Hah! Can¡¯t see, can you? Makes this so much easier.¡± Diego advanced quickly and punched me in the gut. Hard.


    I doubled over, my breath gone. Involuntarily, I vomited my dinner across the floor. I heard Diego laugh, then walk off. Something scraped across the floor, and I heard the guy behind the counter shout at me.


    ¡°I told you to just leave, man! Told you he¡¯d be back for blood! Now look at you. About to get killed by a broom handle.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, asshole! This bitch deserves the beating I¡¯m about to give him.¡± I heard Diego walking back over.


    I struggled to see anything. My ears had begun to ring, and I still couldn¡¯t take a breath. I did the only thing I could think of. I surrounded myself with six doors, all facing out.


    ¡°What the¡­ Whatever, man. Can¡¯t hide forever.¡± I heard little pops as something tore holes in the doors, ripping straight through.


    This was bad. I pounded on my chest, forcing myself to take a breath. At the first inhale of the sweet cool air, the ringing in my ears and darkening vision began to disappear, but the cloudiness in my eyes remained. More holes were ripped into the doors. I pulled my shirt off and scrubbed my face, trying to clear my eyes. As my vision began to clear, I realized how bad my situation was. Diego wasn¡¯t going to stop, and I didn¡¯t want that cashier to fall into the crossfire. My mind raced with possibilities. I didn¡¯t want to kill him, but at this point, something had to be done. I released a pair of doors, and slid backwards slowly as I saw more and more of the shop through the door in front of me. Diego had to be stopped.


    I opened a peephole, finding Diego nearly to the counter, flicking whatever it was at my door. I opened a trapdoor behind me, dropping onto the counter behind the man. He spun around, swinging the broom handle at my legs. I opened a door on the stick, letting it sail harmlessly behind me into the back of the restaurant. He flicked a hand out, sending more of his ammunition at me. I opened a door in front of his hand, letting the projectiles sail harmlessly into the floor at his feet. He slung his hands out over and over, and I redirected his attacks to the floor each time.


    ¡°Got anything else, big guy?¡±


    Diego roared and pulled his fist back, and it was then that I saw it happen. A baseball-sized black ball materialized in his hand, and he wound up like a pitcher, throwing the ball as hard as he could at my face. I opened a door just past his hand, letting the ball impact the ground between his legs.


    ¡°I can do this all day, Diego. However, I¡¯m sure Tommy wouldn¡¯t want his restaurant destroyed by the likes of you. Let¡¯s get you somewhere else.¡± I opened a door beneath Diego, sending him to the beach, then followed behind him.


    He landed on the sand and rolled to his feet, his head darting around. I fell a few feet onto the sand behind him and gazed out across the ocean. It was always peaceful here, with the gentle susurration of the waves washing over me. Tonight, however, it was going to be a tomb.


    I turned to face Diego, who hadn¡¯t noticed me yet. I opened a door to my left and stepped through, emerging some twenty yards away. ¡°Hi, Diego! I¡¯m sure you¡¯re wondering why I¡¯ve brought us here, and I¡¯m going to tell you. First, let¡¯s just keep you still.¡±


    He started running at me, and I opened a small door in front of him, and just below the waves, which immediately began to spew seawater out, blasting the big man with its pressure, sending him several yards away. I quickly dissolved the doors, opening a second set under the sand, and proceeded to bury his torso under several hundred pounds of sand.


    I walked over to him, hearing him struggling to breathe. ¡°Aww¡­ what¡¯s wrong, Diego? Having trouble?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, you son of a bitch. I¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    I shook my head and sat down next to his head. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t struggle too much, man. That pile of sand could topple this way and bury your head. Why won¡¯t you learn this lesson, Diego? Leave me alone. Leave Tommy¡¯s Joynt alone. Or next time, I¡¯ll just drop you into the ocean. Deal?¡±


    Diego paled at the mention of the ocean. ¡°I can¡¯t fucking swim, man¡­¡±


    I gently soothed the man¡¯s hair. ¡°I know, Diego. I know. So just leave Tommy¡¯s Joynt alone. Me too. Remember that I could easily kill you.¡± I leaned in close, pitching my voice low. ¡°And nobody would know it was me.¡±


    Diego swallowed. ¡°Alright, man. I¡¯ll leave Tommy¡¯s alone. And you. Now get me out of here. I¡­I think there¡¯s a crab crawling up my leg, and it¡¯s freaking me out.¡±


    ¡°Shit. Sorry.¡± I opened a door directly beneath him, sending him to the top of the pile of sand, then closed it immediately. He rolled down the mound and shook out his pants, sending a small crab scuttling off to the surf. ¡°You good, Diego?¡±


    The man nodded. ¡°I hate crabs. All those legs.¡± He shuddered and looked at me. ¡°Get the hell out of here.¡±


    I nodded and opened a door to Tommy¡¯s. ¡°You¡¯re at Ocean Beach, near Fulton. I hope I never see you again, Diego.¡± I walked through the door, seeing the carnage at Tommy¡¯s fully for the first time.

 Chapter Fifteen

    There were holes in the wall and the floor tiles, as well as the two large windows. One of the registers had been destroyed, as well. I heard the cashier from earlier talking on the phone.


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me? Man, whatever. Just get your ass down here now. The lobby is all beat to hell and back, and Diego filled the walls with fuckin¡¯ holes, man. Yes, that Diego. He was trying to kill some door guy, I dunno. What I do know is I ain¡¯t staying here after you get here. It¡¯s all yours, man. Diego could be back any damn minute, and I sure as shit don¡¯t wanna be the one he¡¯s pissed at.¡± I stepped on a piece of tile, the crunching sound forcing the man to speak in a strangled whisper. ¡°Oh shit, he¡¯s back. Get over here!¡± I heard him clear his throat. ¡°H-hello?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re cool. It¡¯s the door guy. My name¡¯s Portal.¡±


    I heard him sigh in relief. ¡°Oh thank god. Look man¡± -he stepped out from the office- ¡°you pissed Diego off. How are you not dead?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m more than I look, man. Look, I fucked up. How can I help fix this place up?¡±


    The man stared at me like I was a maniac. Which in all honesty, was probably warranted. ¡°Fix this place up? Dude, the owner is on his way. He¡¯s gonna be pissed. I¡¯m quitting after he gets here, so I don¡¯t give a shit what you do. I don¡¯t wanna be here when Diego gets back.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not coming back.¡±


    ¡°Do what? You killed him?¡±


    ¡°What? No. I left him over at Ocean Beach after making him promise to leave this place and me alone.¡±


    ¡°The beach? You left a criminal dickhead like Diego out at Ocean Beach after making him promise to leave this place alone? Seriously? That¡¯s your plan?¡± He stared at me wide-eyed. ¡°Do you really think Diego will hold that promise?! He¡¯s a goddamn criminal, you moron!¡± He started pacing, his head in his hands. ¡°I¡¯m gonna die. I¡¯m gonna die because some slack-jawed moron got Diego to make a damn promise and he left him alone. What the fuck.¡±


    I sat on the counter, my back against the wall as the man paced. I figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt to talk to the man that owned the restaurant. I could always dip out if it got heated. After about a half-hour, during which the cashier got quiet, the door opened, admitting an older man with a lean build and a shock of white hair above his left eye.


    ¡°You the door guy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Fuck this shit, I¡¯m out, man.¡± The cashier walked out from behind the counter, only to get stopped by the owner.


    ¡°Hang on, Michael. Let¡¯s not be hasty. You might be part of a lawsuit.¡±


    ¡°Not against me, he won¡¯t be. I ain¡¯t got nothing. I just came in for dinner when that tattooed dickhead started tryin¡¯ to rob the place.¡±


    ¡°See! I told you the door guy was nuts!¡±


    ¡°Michael, go sit in the office, please. And bring up the footage of the incident. Okay?¡±


    I could see Michael warring with himself. The thought of a potential lawsuit had piqued his interest. ¡°Alright, Dave. You better make this right, man. I ain¡¯t liking this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Michael.¡± Directing his attention to me, he said one word. ¡°Talk.¡±


    I told him everything that happened, from the moment I arrived in Santa Francesca, to the moment he walked in. Everything. Including the bit on the beach.


    ¡°He still there?¡±


    I opened a small door facing where we had fought. Diego was nowhere to be seen. I followed Fulton street with a series of doors, heading towards my location, not seeing a hair of Diego anywhere. ¡°He¡¯s not there anymore, but he also doesn¡¯t seem to be heading here.¡±


    Dave nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what to do, then. I have insurance for this kind of thing, yes, but it isn¡¯t often that an unaffiliated Super gets tangled up in this kind of thing. You might not be off the hook, son. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Shit. Well, you do what you have to do. Like I said, I ain¡¯t got nothin¡¯ you guys can collect on.¡± I shrugged.


    Dave nodded and headed to the office. ¡°I know, kid. Hang tight, would you?¡±


    I nodded and he left. Wondering about Lab, I opened a head-sized door to our hallway. ¡°Lab? Buddy, you okay?¡±


    ¡°Jackson? Yeah, I¡¯m fine. Gonna need stitches for this gash, though. What was that?¡±


    ¡°I dunno, but I saw it happen. It¡¯s some sort of created matter he can do.¡±


    Lab emerged from the bathroom, a towel pressed against his shoulder. ¡°Huh. Well, I¡¯m gonna head to a doctor friend I know. He¡¯ll patch me up. I catch up with you when we get home. See ya.¡±


    I nodded and let the door dissolve, waiting for Dave. After a few minutes, I began to get restless and began to pace. My phone rang after a couple more minutes.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Jackson? It¡¯s Anna. You need help. Open a door outside the gym, on the east side of the building. Can you do that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but how-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Someone will be there to help you. Gotta go.¡± She hung up, and I opened the door like she asked.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    A tall young man, about my age, walked through. He looked like he was wearing a cyberpunk costume, with a full face mask resembling a cybernetic fever-dream. ¡°Hey man. I¡¯m Tekky. Heard you got caught on camera and we need it changed?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Uh, yeah. I guess so?¡±


    ¡°Sweet. Where is it?¡±


    ¡°Well, the manager-¡±


    The office door opened up and Dave walked out. ¡°Good news, kid. Tape shows- Who the fuck¡¯re you? If you can¡¯t tell from the damage, we¡¯re closed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. My name is Tekky. I¡¯m here to fix the video.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with the video. System shows that it all happened just like the kid said it did. He won¡¯t be held liable for damages. I¡¯ve had this kind of shit happen before. They¡¯ll treat him like a good Samaritan, and he¡¯ll not have to pay a dime.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point, sir. I need to erase him from the video. I¡¯ll replace him with someone else with a different power, but he can¡¯t be on there. Not yet, anyway.¡± Tekky started walking toward the office.


    ¡°Now you hold on! That young man just saved my restaurant, and now you want to take away his glory? He earned that!¡±


    Tekky smiled. ¡°Yes he did. He¡¯s just not ready to join the front, yet. I¡¯ll replace him with a friend of ours that has, and make his entry plausible. I¡¯ve done this thousands of times before. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but¡­ Can it be detected?¡± Dave sighed.


    ¡°Nope. Not a chance in hell.¡±


    Dave nodded. ¡°Michael! Get on out here.¡±


    Michael emerged from the office, staring at the new arrival. ¡±Now what?¡±


    ¡°Tekky here has some work to do in the office. Let¡¯s let him in there.¡±


    Michael looked frustrated. ¡°Another Super? Y¡¯all are like damn cockroaches, I swear.¡± He joined Dave and I at the counter.


    ¡°So, kid. Looks like you have friends. I won¡¯t say anything about you. Neither will Michael.¡± We both heard the man grumble under his breath. ¡°Right, Michael?¡±


    Michael huffed and looked away. ¡°Fine. I won¡¯t say anything. But only cuz Dave asked me to. Not you, door man.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine with me, guys. Look Dave, I am seriously sorry this happened. I¡¯d like to make it up to you, if I could.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, kid. It happens from time to time. And this time, it¡¯s just a table, some chairs, two windows and some- what are those, bullet holes?- in the walls and the floor. No lives were lost. Except maybe that guy with the shattered pelvis. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s gonna be okay. And where¡¯s the other guy you just dropped out of here?¡±


    ¡°Oh shit! He¡¯s on the roof!¡± I opened a full-sized door to the roof, seeing the guy seated against the wall. ¡°Hey man. Let¡¯s get you down from there. Come on.¡± I extended a hand to the man, who pulled himself up from the ground.


    ¡°Man, I hate heights. Where¡¯s the boss?¡±


    ¡°Diego? I dunno. Probably went home after I nearly killed him.¡±


    ¡°Do what? You nearly killed him?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yeah. Threatened to drop him a few miles out at sea if he ever came back.¡±


    ¡°But, he can¡¯t swim.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Yes. I know. That¡¯s the whole point.¡±


    ¡°Whatever, man. You¡¯re crazy. I¡¯m out.¡±


    ¡°Remind him of his promise to not return, dude. I really don¡¯t wanna come back after him.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­¡± The goon walked out of the restaurant, waving a dismissive hand.


    Tekky came out of the office a few minutes later. ¡°There we go, man. It¡¯s Spark in the video now. You guys can still file your claim. Good Samaritan Super, asshole criminal. And since you know the asshole in question, you can put his name down. Let¡¯s go, Portal. These guys have some paperwork ahead of them.¡±


    ¡°Hang on, Tekky. Let me just give Dave my number. If Diego comes back trying to hassle you guys, call me. If I¡¯m available, I¡¯ll pick up, I swear. I can¡¯t take my phone to some of the places I go, though. If he comes back and messes with you guys, and I don¡¯t answer, leave a message, and I¡¯ll make certain he can¡¯t hurt anyone else ever again.¡± I fixed Dave with a hard look.


    ¡°You sure, kid? Something like that¡­ Not many folks can do that.¡±


    I grabbed some paper and a pen and wrote down my number. ¡°Call me if you need me, Dave. I¡¯ll be there. Let¡¯s go, Tekky.¡± I opened a door to the outside of Storm Forge Gym, and we left Tommy¡¯s.


    The doors disintegrated and I leaned my back against the wall. ¡°Fuck. I¡¯m sorry you had to come out, Tekky. Tell Celeste I said thanks.¡±


    ¡°Celeste? How did-¡±


    ¡°Celeste is the only person I know of who can remote view. When she saw the security camera she probably figured there was gonna be an issue. So, I¡¯m betting she called Shade, who called you, then called Dice, who then called me. Sound about right?¡±


    Tekky nodded. ¡°Yep. And it''s because of exactly what I said, too. You aren¡¯t ready for the front, yet. I need to get home. See you, Portal.¡± A motorcycle rolled up from the shadows, sans rider, and Tekky climbed aboard. Revving the engine once, he sped off into the night.


    I heaved a sigh. I hoped that was the last time I had to go help people for a while. My arms were sore. As I created a door to the Wendy¡¯s down the street, I heard Anna¡¯s voice from around the corner.


    ¡°Jackson? You still here?¡±


    I let the door dissolve. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m still here, Anna. You okay?¡±


    She came around the corner, dressed in a pair of jeans and a dark colored t-shirt, hugging her midsection. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. Are you okay?¡± She stopped in front of me, looking up at me with those honey-colored eyes of hers. Damn, she was pretty.


    ¡°I¡­ uh¡­ I¡¯m fine, Anna. Really. Just sore from the exercise, is all.¡± I grinned, my stomach feeling like it was tied up in a knot.


    She tucked her hair behind her left ear and smiled at me. ¡°Good. I was worried. When William called me and told me what was going on, I got real scared.¡± She stiffened and started talking rapidly. ¡°Not that I didn¡¯t think you couldn¡¯t handle yourself, though! Ha ha! No, of course not! You¡¯re strong, and you¡¯ve got a real cool power and everything and I¡¯m sure you¡¯d have been fine. Right? Right. So, yeah. This was all probably me being a worrywart! Yeah. That¡¯s it. Ha ha!¡±


    I smiled and put my hands on her upper arms, squeezing gently. ¡°Thank you for worrying about me, Anna. It means a lot. Would you like for me to walk you somewhere? I can take you just about anywhere in the city.¡±


    Her face burned crimson. ¡°Um¡­ No, thanks. I¡¯m staying here for a while, with Bethany. She lives here at the Gym.¡±


    I nodded, letting my hands drop to my sides. ¡°Okay, then. Get inside, and I¡¯ll see you later, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± She turned to go inside, and I opened a door downtown. I still had my phone on me, after all.


    ¡°Jackson?¡±


    I turned to face her. ¡°Yes?¡±


    She ran over to me and wrapped her arms around me in a hug, surprising me with its intensity. I returned it awkwardly, being unused to the gesture. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay. Stay that way for me, okay?¡±


    ¡°I will be, Anna. I¡¯ll see you later, okay?¡±


    She nodded against my chest, then let me go, running inside. I stepped through my door, arriving near the piers by the lake.


    For once, I was glad of my eidetic memory.

 Chapter Sixteen

    I looked around, taking a deep breath and immediately wished I hadn¡¯t. The lakeside wasn¡¯t always clean.


    Where I emerged had once been the site of a steel mill, but the land had given way decades ago, sending most of the mill into the lake. The city felt it wasn¡¯t necessary to rebuild or repair, so this area had been mostly off-limits in the past twenty or so years. Long enough for the water to reclaim some of the metal and wood, and more than long enough for the chemicals to leach into the surrounding area, killing off vegetation and wildlife.


    The stench was oily, clingy, and it never quite left your clothes. I¡¯d have to burn what I was wearing at some point down the line. The squat buildings gave off an air of melancholy and loneliness in their dilapidated state. Broken windows stared out at me, almost accusative, as if their state was my fault.


    Weeds and dandelions jutted up from cracks in the pavement at irregular intervals. Here and there, the concrete had been ground down to rubble from heavy use. I saw more than one raccoon scurry away from me as I walked towards my destination.


    I located an overturned crate and dragged it out to the end of one of the long piers, giving myself an unobstructed view of the massive lake. It wasn¡¯t the ocean, not quite, but it was peaceful here.


    I don¡¯t know how long I sat there, looking out over the lake that day, but it was nearly dawn when I noticed him.


    He was of middling build, in a t-shirt and jeans. Brown hair framed an average-looking, clean-shaven face with brown eyes. He wasn¡¯t watching me, but rather seemed to be enjoying the view with me, seated on a chair that I hadn¡¯t seen earlier. When he noticed me noticing him, he nodded politely.


    ¡°Hello, Portal.¡± My blood ran like ice in my veins. I knew that voice.


    ¡°Mr. No-Face. I never expected to actually meet you. I trust you¡¯re doing well?¡±


    A satisfied grin spread out across his face. ¡°I am, thank you. And you? How is your soloing going?¡±


    I huffed a laugh in spite of everything. ¡°I¡¯m sitting here looking out over Lake Mishigami at dawn next to what I¡¯ve been told is one of the most dangerous people to ever live after Mysterious.¡± I sighed softly. ¡°I came back home after a botched bit of unintentional heroism out in Santa Francesca, and I didn¡¯t even get to eat dinner.¡± I created a door to the refrigerator at home, pulling out a pair of beers, then handed one to No-Face. ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯s going swimmingly.¡±


    No-Face gratefully accepted the beer with a smile. ¡°Thank you for the gift, Portal. I¡¯ve not had a beer in several years.¡± He popped the top and took a swig with a grunt of pleasure. ¡°Just as good as I remember.¡±


    I sat there, a bead of sweat rolling down my temple, sipping at my beer. I knew better than to drink on a mostly empty stomach, but at this point? Fuck it. What the hell else could happen?


    After a while of this, No-Face spoke up. ¡°May I offer you some friendly advice, Portal?¡±


    ¡°Sure. Whatcha got?¡± I said absently, watching as a fish hawk dove down, snatching a fish, then beat its powerful wings, lifting away with its prize.


    ¡°Marvelous animals, are they not?¡± No-Face sighed in appreciation. ¡°Anyway, what I have to say is this: None of us - and I mean none of us - are good at this at first. Not Paladin, not Lich, not you, and certainly not me. It has taken me fifteen long years of watching my back and hiding in the shadows to build my empire. Am I respected? Yes. But I¡¯m also feared, Portal. I didn¡¯t set out to be feared. It¡¯s a sad side-effect of what I¡¯ve done to build my empire over the last fifteen years. I am wealthy beyond the wildest dreams of the boy of seventeen when I began this journey.


    ¡°By all measurements, you only just began to try and make a name for yourself in this world. You¡¯re going to be bad at it for a while, and that¡¯s okay. Be bad at it. Just don¡¯t stay bad at it.¡±


    He drained the last of his beer and threw the bottle far into the lake. I watched as it caught the light, tiny diamonds of rainbow reflecting back at me. I looked over at him, and he smiled, brushing his long red hair out of his green eyes.


    ¡°Wait. Wasn¡¯t your hair short and brown before?¡±


    ¡°Was it?¡± He shrugged, scratching at his bushy black beard. ¡°It might have been, I don¡¯t know. Damn Power.¡± He sighed softly.


    ¡°Can¡¯t be easy, I guess. I¡¯ve met others with constant passives before. They have their issues with it, too.¡±


    ¡°No, Portal. It is not easy,¡± he said in a quiet voice. ¡°There are no photos of me as a child, no mirrors allowed in my home, and nobody knows what I look like, not even myself. The only thing that has never changed is my voice. This life, while it has a great many perks, also has some serious drawbacks. I cannot trust anyone. Hell, I shouldn¡¯t even be talking to you right now, but I saw you and decided to take a chance. I have no other strengths beyond my constantly shifting visage, and no weapons with me, should you attempt to kill me. My life is, as is your friend¡¯s, rather difficult. However, I wouldn¡¯t trade it for anything.¡±


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    He checked his watch and stood. I rose with him. ¡°And now, I must go. I¡¯ve a meeting to attend, and Japan hates to be kept waiting. Take care of yourself out there, Portal.¡± He extended his hand, and I took it, shaking it warmly.


    ¡°Thank you for sitting with me, sir. And for the advice. I appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°Anytime. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± He gave me a curt nod, gold ringlets of hair cascading over his shoulders, then turned on his heel and walked away.


    I walked to the edge of the pier, the ancient wood groaning beneath my feet, and leaned against a pylon, digesting the words of the leader of The Alliance. ¡°Be bad at it, but don¡¯t stay bad at it, huh? Easier said than done, but I suppose he¡¯s right,¡± I murmured to the lake. The lake responded with its constant droning as the waters ebbed and flowed.


    I stood there a moment more, then opened a door to my room and stepped in, letting it dissolve behind me. I put the beer bottle down on my nightstand, then went across the hall, knocking on Lab¡¯s door.


    ¡°Lab? Buddy, you up?¡± A soft groan answered me.


    ¡°Hey man, can we talk?¡±


    ¡°Jackson? Talk? Since when do you talk?¡± Lab opened the door, and I saw the bandage on his shoulder.


    ¡°How¡¯s the arm?¡± I motioned to the gauze he had taped to his arm.


    ¡°Bah. It¡¯s fine. Stopped bleeding a couple hours ago, I think. Where the fuck¡¯ve you been?¡± He leaned on his door jamb, crossing his arms.


    ¡°Sitting on the pier, drinking a beer with a rather interesting fellow. Goes by the name No-Face.¡±


    Lab let out a low whistle, his eyes going wide. ¡°You have the devil¡¯s own luck, man. How¡¯d you survive? And what happened to that asshole at Tommy¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­ No-Face is chill as long as you¡¯re not trying to mess with him, I¡¯d say. Gave me some real good advice, actually. And Diego is alive - for now - and the guys over at Tommy¡¯s are going to keep it all quiet.¡±


    ¡°Seriously? How¡¯d you manage that?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t. A ¡®friend¡¯ did. Sent someone out to fix the surveillance vids. I think I¡¯m going to focus on my training. I¡­I can¡¯t be doing that anymore. I¡¯m seriously not ready. But first and foremost, I¡¯m going to get some sleep. Glad you¡¯re okay buddy.¡±


    Lab nodded sagely, then poked me in the chest with a stubby, muscular finger. ¡°Damn proud of you, bud. Glad you¡¯re waking up and growing up. Not the same shithead I met a few years ago, are ya?¡±


    I snorted and rubbed the place he poked me. ¡°Nah. I guess not. Thanks for looking out for me, man.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Jackson. Get some rest, and if anyone comes knocking for you, I¡¯ll send them away.¡±


    I yawned and nodded. ¡°Okay. Sounds good. Oh! Uh¡­ if it¡¯s a woman about this tall¡± -I placed my hand at chest high, slightly higher than Lab¡¯s head- ¡°and says her name¡¯s Anna, come get me.¡±


    Lab nodded. ¡°If you say so. See you when you wake up.¡± He shifted from his position with a grunt and went downstairs. Probably to eat the rest of my damn sandwiches.


    I went back to my room, shucked my clothes and was out before my head hit the pillow.


    ****************


    I awoke in the strange stone room again. I opened the door once more onto the alien landscape. The glowing grass seemed to pulsate in a rhythm not unlike a heartbeat. I watched, spellbound as the glow rolled out in waves, seemingly from the building I was in. Remembering that I fell through the ground the last time, I created a heavy duty trapdoor immediately outside the room I was in and stepped onto it.


    The air smelled sweet, like someone was making candy. It filled me with a heady rush, and I felt alive and vibrant. I wanted to run through the field I found myself in. A field with nothing but the glowing grass and the stone building. I crafted more doors to make a staircase of sorts, and got about thirty feet into the air.


    Looking around, I saw a lazy river behind the building, which wasn¡¯t much more than the room I had found myself in, and a path leading towards it. I opened a pair of doors to the ground, gingerly testing my footing before fully trusting it. Finding the ground to be solid, I stepped out, letting all the doors I had created dissolve.


    Once more, I focused on the sweet-smelling air of this alien landscape, appreciating the odd euphoric rush. I wiggled my feet around, feeling the solidity of the ground I was on, how the dirt was spongy and soft, but not like a squelchy mud. Deciding to follow the path, I walked through this strange world, seeing mostly the glowing grasses, but also some low shrubbery with a tree line not too far ahead. Of animals, there were but a few, mostly resembling rabbits and raccoons, but with decidedly odd colorations. They showed no fear, several wandering up to me and sniffing my bare feet before bounding away. The trees ahead of me were yellow, but this seemed normal for them, as they were still in full leaf, and several had flowers drooping from their branches. Flowers which filled the air with the sweet, sugary aroma which only grew stronger the closer I got to them.


    Intrigued, I plucked a couple of the palm-sized blooms and examined them. They resembled hibiscus flowers in color and aroma, the difference being these smelled much sweeter. I shrugged as I walked and pinched off one of the petals and shoved it in my mouth. The flavor was nearly the same as hibiscus, just once again, much sweeter. I smiled and continued to munch on the flower, eventually reaching the water.


    The river flowed by languidly, a few fish visible in its depths. Kneeling, I dipped a hand into the water, scooping it to my mouth. The water was clean tasting and bitingly cold, but refreshing. I stood and walked upstream, trying to find a place to cross, slowly munching on the flower I had begun to disassemble.


    Its seven petals had surrounded a core with three stamens and a jelly-like substance in the center that held it all together. The petals tasted faintly of a mix of cranberry and strawberry, but the center? The center jelly bit was like biting into a gummy made of pure sugar with a hint of citrus. It was ungodly delicious.


    As I popped the last of the flower into my mouth, I felt myself sinking into the earth. I shook my head, expecting to wake up -


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">and wake up I did.</li>


    </ul>


    Low beams of sunlight were streaming into my window, which had struck my face, waking me. I stretched and yawned, feeling energized and ready to face the rest of the day. I threw back the covers, only to find dirt in my bed.


    Dirt, and a large flower, vaguely reminiscent of a hibiscus.

 Chapter Seventeen

    I didn¡¯t have time to contemplate just what this meant, as I heard an insistent knocking at my door.


    ¡°Jackson? It¡¯s me, Anna. I came to check up on you.¡± I heard the doorknob begin to turn.


    I leapt into the bed and scrambled to cover myself. ¡°Anna? Come on in.¡± The dirt was scratchy against my feet, and I had to resist the urge to scratch.


    Anna opened my door and came in, a slight frown on her face. ¡°Are you okay? It¡¯s after one, and you hadn¡¯t dropped by the gym. I was getting kind of worried, because you seemed just fine last night.¡±


    I sighed and pulled myself up to a sitting position, tucking the sheets around my butt. ¡°I, uh¡­ I had a lot on my mind, Anna. I went for a walk.¡±


    ¡°A walk?¡± She came over and sat on the bed, near my feet. Hooking a stray bit of hair around her ear, she asked, ¡°Just a walk? How would that make you sleep this late? Just how far did you go?¡±


    I gave her a soft snort of a laugh. ¡°About seventy-five feet. I went to the old steel mill on the lake. Sat there for a while, just thinking. Had a conversation with someone I barely know, and they gave me some good advice. I was there til just after dawn.¡±


    Her eyes grew wide. ¡°Til just after dawn? That¡¯s crazy, Jackson. Why would you stay out so late? Especially after what had to have happened in Santa Francesca. Kai was exhausted. He said he¡¯d not had to do that much editing in quite some time.¡± She shook her head in disbelief. ¡°Your doors must not take much out of you.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve never really thought about it before. I guess they really don¡¯t take too much out of me. Not a single pair, anyway. Four pairs? Yeah. They drain me quickly; but just a single pair? Nah.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say much. My ability is always there, and there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. It just¡­is.¡± She sighed and shrugged.


    I smiled at her then, as I took her in. She was pretty, even as I saw her sadness. Part of me wanted to reach out and hug her, say some soothing words. The rest of me, however, knew better.


    I¡¯d never really comforted anyone before. Not even my own parents. My grandparents had died while I was under government care, and I was unable to talk to my mom or dad until well after my grandparents¡¯ funerals. At that point, they were consoling me.


    Lab had never had anything happen that would require consolation in the time I¡¯d known him, and I didn¡¯t really have any other friends. My experience being that kind of person was almost in the negative.


    So, I said nothing. I did nothing. And I watched Anna pick her heart back up and turn to me with a smile.


    ¡°So! Are you really okay, Jackson? Who did you talk to out there?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just went to bed late and woke up late. That¡¯s all.¡± I saw her relieved smile. ¡°As to who I was talking to? I¡¯d like to talk to William before I discuss that. Nothing bad; I just want to make sure I¡¯ve got the right of things, first.¡±


    ¡°That sounds reasonable. He¡¯s been around for quite some time, so I get why you¡¯d want to talk to him.¡±


    I cocked my head. ¡°Really? He doesn¡¯t seem to be much older than Lab. How old is William?¡±


    She smirked at me. ¡°I can¡¯t go around divulging all his secrets, now. That¡¯ll be something you¡¯ll need to ask him.¡±


    I nodded and a somewhat tense silence descended. After a few minutes of watching her fidget, I cleared my throat, and she immediately looked up at me expectantly. ¡°I¡­ I was wondering something.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Her cheeks flushed with color, and I saw a tiny tremble in her hand.


    ¡°Um¡­ You said you¡¯re staying with Bethany, right?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yes. Why?¡±


    ¡°She really doesn¡¯t leave the gym?¡±


    Anna gave a small shake of her head. ¡°No. Almost never. She has her meals delivered there and everything. She claims it keeps her personal costs low, but I¡¯m pretty sure she just doesn¡¯t like much of the world. Silly woman.¡± She smiled, obviously remembering something nice.


    ¡°What¡¯s got you smiling like that? Whatever it is, it has to be a good memory.¡± I grinned at her.


    She ducked her head as she smiled, crimson flowing up her neck. ¡°Um¡­ It¡­ it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit. Spill it. I know a good story when I see one.¡± I leaned forward, a broad grin on my face, heedless of the sheet falling away from my upper torso.


    Anna looked over at me and went still. ¡°I¡­uh¡­¡± She closed her eyes and cleared her throat, taking a moment and a few breaths to compose herself. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking about Beth, and how lucky I am to have her. That¡¯s all. And this time, I¡¯m pretty sure it isn¡¯t my power that makes her want to stay.¡±


    ¡°Oooo¡­. Juicy. So you and Bethany are a thing, then?¡±


    She nodded, a soft smile on her lips. ¡°Yeah. I never really considered the possibility of being with a woman before her, but I¡¯m glad I did. She¡¯s been wonderful to me.¡±


    I pursed my lips in thought, my eyebrows drawing together. ¡°So¡­ what¡¯s with all the awkwardness around me? It¡¯s rather adorable, by the way.¡±


    She ducked her head as her cheeks reddened. ¡°Well¡­ Like I said, I¡¯d never really considered being with a woman before her. I never thought that I''d be, well... bisexual. You, though? I¡­ I think you¡¯re awful cute, Jackson.¡± Her cheeks seemed to glow with embarrassment. ¡°That¡¯s why I made that bet with you.¡±


    ¡°You figured your ability would cause you to win, didn¡¯t you? And I¡¯d have to make the first move?¡±


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°Something like that, yeah.¡± She gave a nervous laugh. ¡°Seems silly doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Nah. I¡¯d do the same thing in your shoes. Definitely make things easier, mostly. And then you have situations like this. You¡¯re already dating someone, and your power has set things up to where you now have to date someone other than your partner. Must make things hard. Can¡¯t imagine Bethany being okay with that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s fine with it, really.¡± At my inquisitive look, she continued. ¡°Beth is a lesbian. She¡¯s also pretty open-minded and doesn¡¯t mind me going out with other people, or even starting a relationship with them. She was all for me trying to date you, actually.¡±


    I sat there dumbfounded. Both of us? At the same time? ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s odd. I¡¯ve never heard of that before, but I guess it takes all types for this old world to keep turning.¡±


    She looked hopeful. ¡°What are you saying, Jackson?¡±


    I grinned. ¡°I¡¯m saying that I¡¯m ready to go on that date whenever you are, Anna.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ I never said it was a date¡­¡±


    ¡°At the time? Sure. You probably didn¡¯t think of it that way. But, from what I¡¯ve been seeing out of you? It¡¯s kind of a date.¡± I paused a moment, thinking. ¡°Almost definitely a date.¡±


    She chuffed a laugh. ¡°I¡­I guess so.¡±


    We sat there for a few minutes in silence. ¡°So¡­ what kind of food do you like, Jackson?¡±


    I leaned back against the wall, pulling the sheet up a bit. ¡°I really don¡¯t have a preference. I love Chinese food. Bacon cheeseburgers and pizza. I¡¯m really kind of simple.¡±


    ¡°So, you have no preference and I can pick wherever I¡¯d like?¡± I nodded and she continued, her excitement obviously growing. ¡°Like, we can go to my favorite restaurant and you won¡¯t throw a fit?¡±


    ¡°Why the hell would I throw a fit?¡±


    She deflated somewhat. ¡°Well¡­ Some people have issues with sushi.¡±


    ¡°Sushi? You know that¡¯s adjacent to Chinese food, right?¡±


    She smiled. ¡°Okay then. Sushi, it is. And a real sushi place. Not one of those buffet sushi places.¡±


    I leaned forward again, intrigued. ¡°A real sushi place, you say? What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Can you open a door to any other countries?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ no. Well, not unless you count Canadia. I¡¯ve been just across the border.¡±


    ¡°Well, in that case, how about we have William take us somewhere? That way, you have a new place you can go, and we have a quick way to my favorite sushi place.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a fantastic idea. When do you wanna go?¡±


    ¡°Tonight.¡±


    I sat up straight, the sheet drifting down my torso again. Tonight? Well, it wasn¡¯t like I actually had anything else to do. But, damn that was fast. No sense in waiting, I guess. ¡°Sure. I can get a shower and get dressed better than usual.¡±


    She giggled. ¡°There¡¯s no sense in doing all that, Jackson. It¡¯s just me.¡±


    I fixed her with a glare. ¡°Anna, don¡¯t ever say anything like that again.¡± She shrank back, her eyes wide. ¡°Don¡¯t ever say that it¡¯s ¡®just you¡¯, as if you don¡¯t matter. As if you¡¯re not important. You do, and you are. Also, anything worth doing is at least worth doing half-assed. I am able to do it well, so I will. Now, shoo. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t wanna see me naked¡± -she looked to the left as her face reddened- ¡°or at least not yet, and I feel like I need a shower anyway. Besides, if William is taking us there, I have just found myself in need of talking to him about something. In private, hopefully.¡±


    She rose, casting a glance at my midsection as she headed for the door. ¡°Okay, then, Jackson. I¡¯ll let William know. It¡¯ll be around midnight, okay?¡±


    I blinked twice. ¡°Midnight? Well¡­ Okay.¡± I did some quick math. ¡°I guess we¡¯re going to Japan, then. Do you even speak Japanese, cuz I sure don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Ë½¤ÏÈÕ±¾ÕZ¤¬Á÷•³¤Ê¤Î¤Ç¡¢Í¨ÔU¤·¤Æ¤¢¤²¤ë¤³¤È¤¬¤Ç¤­¤Þ¤¹¤è¡¢ÁµÈË.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then. That settles it. I¡¯ll rely on you for¡­ Whatever you just said.¡±


    She just smiled in response and walked out. I made a set of small peepholes to make sure she was truly gone, then stood up. The flower was still sitting there under my sheets, whole and uncrushed. The dirt was there, too.


    I leaned down to get a closer look at it. It wasn¡¯t the same brown as I was used to. This was more reddish, similar to clay from the southern part of the country. I picked up a small pinch and rolled it between my fingers. It felt like¡­ well, dirt. I sat there and racked my brain, trying to figure out just what happened.


    While I was lost in thought, a knock sounded at my door. ¡°Jackson? Bud, you okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m fine,¡± I answered absent-mindedly as the door opened.


    ¡°Hey, I just wanted to apolo- Shit! I¡¯m sorry, I thought you were dressed.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± I turned my head, seeing Lab averting his eyes. I grabbed a pair of shorts and slid them on. ¡°You¡¯re fine, man. Sorry. I was lost in thought.¡±


    ¡°Lost in thought? What the hell were you two doing, and why is your bed so dirty?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t really know. We were just sitting here talking.¡±


    ¡°Then what hell¡¯s up with the dirt? And that massive flower? Looks like a hibiscus. Those¡¯re edible, y¡¯know.¡± He started reaching for the flower.


    I grabbed his hand. ¡°Not this one, bud. Trust me.¡± He halted and slowly pulled his hand back.


    ¡°What¡¯s got you spooked, Jackson? You don¡¯t normally act like this.¡±


    I picked up the flower and twirled it gently between my fingers. It still had that jelly-like core. ¡°I can¡¯t explain it just yet, but as soon as I can, I¡¯ll tell you. No matter what rules I may have to break.¡±


    He grunted. ¡°That¡¯s serious. Okay. I¡¯ll let it be. What will you do with it in the meantime?¡±


    I opened a door to the kitchen and got a glass of water, setting the flower in it. ¡°This should hopefully help it to stay as fresh as possible. I¡¯m gonna have a chat tonight with my boss. See if there is something to what may have happened here. I promise you Lab, I¡¯ll keep you intimately in the loop here. If I have to persuade my boss to let me keep you in the know, I will.¡±


    Lab nodded. ¡°I think I understand, Jackson. I¡¯ll leave you to it. By the way, what¡¯s going on between you and that slender little lady, eh?¡± He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.


    I snorted a laugh. ¡°We¡¯re going out on a date, if you must know. Tonight. She and another associate of ours will be picking me up at midnight. I dunno where exactly we¡¯re going, but we¡¯re going at midnight.¡±


    ¡°A date?!¡± He pressed his hands to his heart. ¡°My little boy is all grown up!¡± He sniffled and sighed.


    Fucking bastard.

 Chapter Eighteen

    I chucked my pillow at him. ¡°Asshole.¡±


    Lab giggled and ducked under the projectile. I opened a door in its path, and redirected it to my bed. ¡°You can¡¯t blame me, Jackson. You¡¯ve been a shut-in for literal years. Seeing you go out is a joy, actually. I¡¯m seriously happy for you.¡±


    I shook my head with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re still an ass. Anna made a bet with me and lost. The cost was buying dinner. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°So you two aren¡¯t hooking up?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know what we¡¯re doing. As far as it goes right now, we are colleagues and friends. She thinks I¡¯m cute, so it may move beyond that, but I¡¯m not gonna get my hopes up, man.¡± I walked over to my dresser, looking for a decent pair of pants and shirt.


    ¡°Makes sense, I guess.¡± He was quiet as he watched me pull a pair of pants and an old button-down out of my dresser. ¡°Yeah, no. If you¡¯re gonna try and actually woo this woman, you¡¯re not gonna wear that. Throw something on. I¡¯ll take you shopping. My treat. Let¡¯s go.¡± He turned and walked out of my room, leaving me staring after him.


    Knowing that attempting to ignore him was like attempting to ignore the tornado on your front porch, I ran to the bathroom and hurriedly wiped off my legs. I threw on the clothes I had pulled out, then rushed after Lab, who was waiting at the door.


    ¡°Good. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    We left, and Lab started walking towards his shop. ¡°Why are we going to your shop, man? You keeping something from me?¡± I joked.


    ¡°Something like that. I have to give this thing a test drive anyway, so we might as well go together.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Makes sense.¡±


    ¡°You just make sure you don¡¯t tell nobody we did this. That¡¯s all. It¡¯s not strictly legal.¡±


    ¡°I understand. My lips are sealed,¡± I said, as Lab opened the hangar door to his shop.


    I heard the distinctive shunk shunk shunk as each massive light over the vehicles kicked on. There were easily thirty or forty cars in there. I watched in open-mouthed awe as he ducked into the office for just a moment, and then walked to a sleek, matte black Jidosha Nightshade.


    I let out a low whistle. ¡°A friggin¡¯ Nightshade? You can work on a Nightshade? Do you know how much this thing is worth?¡±


    Lab nodded as he unlocked the vehicle. ¡°Step back, Jackson. This thing needs to be updated to allow you to even enter it.¡± He got in, and pushed a few buttons on the center panel. ¡°Get over here to the driver¡¯s side.¡±


    Excited, I power-walked myself to his side. He got out and had me sit down. ¡°Okay. Now what?¡±


    ¡°Hang on. I gotta call the owner. He told me to call if I was gonna put anyone else in it.¡± Lab stepped away, dialing a number.


    ¡°Hey Carl. Yeah, it¡¯s Lab. No, no! Your car is just fine. I was actually about to take it for a test drive, and I need to stop and get an outfit for my roommate. Yeah, man. Kid¡¯s actually going on a date, can you believe that? I am. He¡¯s grown a lot in the past few years. You¡¯re good with him being in the vehicle, then? Awesome, man. An authorized user? You sure, Carl? He doesn¡¯t drive. Well, if you insist. Okay. Once I get the notification in the vehicle, I¡¯ll set him up. Thanks, Carl. Yeah, tomorrow at two is good. See you then!¡±


    He came back over and watched the information panel intently. I followed his gaze, waiting for¡­something¡­ to happen. Shortly a notification popped up.


    [ADD NEW USER?]


    Lab tapped the screen and smiled. ¡°Follow the prompts, Jackson. You¡¯re getting added as an authorized user to this beaut.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡±


    An automated, somewhat digitized voice rang out. ¡°Please state your name, New User.¡±


    ¡°I..uhhh¡­ My name is Jackson Wernock.¡±


    The voice shifted in tone, becoming more familiar, soothing, even. ¡°Thank you, Jackson. I am Hashimoto-san version 3.7, the AI for the Jidosha Nightshade. Please do not worry. I will assist you in completing the registration process. It is painless and non-invasive, and the questions I will have for you will not compromise your identity in any way, should I be hacked. Know that the likelihood of such an event succeeding is less than 0.00005%.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, listen to ol¡¯ Hashimoto-san. He¡¯ll help you. I¡¯m going to get a drink.¡±


    ¡°Labrador is correct, Jackson. This will take at most ten minutes.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then. Let¡¯s get to it, Hashimoto-san.¡±


    Hashimoto-san guided me through the onboarding process which included a retina scan, several different facial expressions, the recitation of poetry for some reason, and some standard questions that he assured me were kept in an encrypted file that only he had access to. Not even for any other user, even Carl.


    ¡°This concludes your registration process, Jackson. Do you have any questions for me?¡±


    ¡°Um, no, Hashimoto-san. I¡¯m honestly a little weirded out about all this.¡±


    ¡°Oh. I¡¯m sorry. How can I help ease your mind?¡±


    ¡°What does the registration process do for me? Aside from allowing me in the vehicle?¡±


    ¡°Hang on, Hashimoto-san,¡± Lab called out as he walked up. ¡°I need to be in the driver¡¯s seat. Carl would be upset if Jackson were driving.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely, Labrador. Jackson? If you wouldn¡¯t mind getting into the passenger seat?¡±


    The center console dropped away, allowing me easy access to the other seat. Once I had scooted over and buckled myself in, I felt the seat shift slightly, accommodating my smaller frame. Lab had apparently been working on the car from this side. After Lab got in and handed me a bottle of water, Hashimoto-san continued.


    ¡°The registration process allows you access to the vehicle and, in the event of my primary user¡¯s untimely demise, marks Labrador my primary user. You are my tertiary user. My ¡®backup of a backup¡¯, as it were. Otherwise, due to the nature of-¡±


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Lab cut him off. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Hashimoto-san. That bit of information isn¡¯t needed.¡± He then turned to face me. ¡°Look, if Carl dies and I die, Hashimoto-san will drive himself to your home location. The car would then be yours, with only a small bit of paperwork to turn in, which Hashimoto-san¡¯ll have printed out on the seat for you. All you¡¯d need to do is sign it and he will take you to the DMV to turn it in. No cost, as the fees have been paid up front. There are also no taxes owed on this vehicle, either. Carl thinks pretty far ahead.¡±


    ¡°Labrador is correct, Jackson. That is what the registration process gets you. Now. Where can I take you gentlemen?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll drive, Hashimoto-san. Gotta make sure all the bugs are out of the system. Just keep a text log for me to review once we get back.¡±


    ¡°Of course, sir. I am available if you need.¡±


    Lab pushed a couple of buttons, and the vehicle began moving. I could feel no rumble of an engine, no transmissions shifting, nothing. ¡°Electric engine?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Jackson. I''m equipped with an E-Hybrid dual-turbo V6 engine and a 150 kilowatt electric motor. For city driving, I generally use my electric motor, as it is much more efficient and can provide more than enough power to get you to wherever you need to go here in Chicago. My total system output is equivalent to 600 horsepower. Would you like to know more?¡±


    ¡°No, Hashimoto-san. I¡¯m fine with that. I¡¯m not really a car guy. That¡¯s Lab. I¡¯ve just never been in an electric vehicle before.¡±


    ¡°Very well, sir.¡±


    Lab pulled out of his shop, and pressed a button on the console. Behind us, I could hear the garage door close. Neat. I stared out the window, watching the buildings and people rush by, remembering days from my childhood, before my ability manifested.


    Sometimes, it was good to watch the world whiz by.


    About fifteen minutes of driving later, we wound up at the local mall. Lab parked in an adjacent parking structure, and we walked in. He made a beeline for Roland Lawson, causing me to balk.


    ¡°Dude, seriously? Roland Lawson? I shop at fucking Walton¡¯s for everything!¡±


    ¡°I know. Now you¡¯ll have at least one nice outfit. We¡¯ll just make sure it¡¯s something acceptable for a wedding or a funeral. And no, we aren¡¯t getting jeans. Slacks. And a button-down. And an undershirt.¡± He turned to me, an odd gleam in his eye. ¡°Dammit, Jackson, you¡¯re going to impress this woman. I mean it.¡±


    I shrank back from the intensity of his gaze. ¡°O-okay, dude. Jeez. It¡¯s just¡­ not someplace I¡¯ve ever really considered shopping. I¡¯ve never even been here, it¡¯s so far out of my price range. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Lab patted my arm and sighed. ¡°Look. I¡¯ve been¡­ keeping something from you, Jackson.¡±


    ¡°Lab? What do you-¡±


    ¡°Hush.¡± When he was sure I¡¯d be quiet, he continued, his voice pitched low and soft. ¡°I make substantially more at the shop than I let on. I don¡¯t really need any rent money from you. So¡­ I¡¯ve been putting what you give me into a little account, just for things like this. So, I¡¯m not buying you anything today. You are. And trust me. You can more than afford it. So, I want you to get in here and treat yourself.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­ That whole time?¡± He nodded and my eyes got wide. ¡°So¡­ there¡¯s nearly thirty-six thousand in there right now?¡±


    ¡°Closer to forty, but yeah. I told ya I¡¯d help ya, kid.¡±


    My heart was thrumming in my chest. He did this for me? I had to scramble every month to get the rent and my share of the food, and he just dumped everything I gave him into the bank? I walked, still reeling from the secret Lab dropped on me. I had money? I would be starting a new job soon for The Cloud making forty-five a year. Should net me about twenty-five hundred a month or so after taxes. I could easily give Lab the nine hundred a month, plus put more into that account. And I¡¯d still have money left over. Not much, but enough to pay my cell phone bill and maybe eat out at better places than Wendy¡¯s on occasion.


    ¡°You¡¯re a fucking bastard, Lab. You know that, right?¡±


    ¡°Heh. Love you too, Jackson. Let¡¯s get you suited up.¡±


    We spent the next couple of hours getting me into and out of different shirts and slacks. In the end, I settled on a comfortable pair of black slacks and a teal blue dress shirt. Lab had made sure the shirt was roomy enough for me to move in and that the slacks had enough give to allow me to run, if need be.


    Purchases in hand, we walked to a sporting goods store, which left me confused. ¡° I don¡¯t play a sport, Lab. Why are we going here?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see. Trust me.¡±


    I shrugged and went along with him, knowing that resistance was futile. He walked back to the clothing and started thumbing through some tiny shirts. After he¡¯d found what he was looking for, he tossed it at me.


    ¡°Here. Go put that on. Looks small, but I promise it¡¯ll fit.¡±


    I shrugged and wandered off to the fitting room that had a sign that said ¡°Batting Cage¡± over it. I closed the curtain and slipped my arms into the tiny shirt. Lo and behold they slipped into the sleeves easily, hugging my skin. As I pulled the shirt down over my head, I felt a gentle compression across my entire torso as the shirt hugged me close.


    I stepped out and Lab let out a low whistle. ¡°She¡¯s gonna love that, Jackson. Hell, so are you once you get the other shirt on. That undershirt is gonna wick away all your sweat and help keep you cool. Might wanna see about getting a few of them if you like what it does.¡±


    I nodded and pulled my shirt back on, intending to wear this one out. All in all, I wound up spending almost nine hundred dollars on three items of clothing. More than I¡¯d usually spend in half a year, otherwise.


    As we approached the Nightshade, the doors opened of their own accord. ¡°Welcome back, gentlemen. I trust your shopping went well?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Hashimoto-san. I got what I needed, thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Jackson. Labrador?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Four attempted thefts, sir. They are all with the local police now.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Hashimoto-san. Taser or something stronger?¡±


    ¡°The first two were dissuaded by the taser, the third needed to be forcibly removed, and the fourth required the gas. I had to restrain him in the passenger seat.¡±


    ¡°Good work, Hashimoto-san. Carl will be pleased. Can you take us back to the shop?¡±


    ¡°Certainly, sir.¡±


    I watched in awe as Lab sat back, his eyes closed, as the car drove itself through the city. It always followed the speed limit and even slowed down for people jaywalking. Jidosha certainly had a knack for programming their AI.


    ¡°Labrador? We have arrived at your shop, and I have parked myself in my space. You can wake up now.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Oh. Thanks, Hashimoto-san. Send the log to my phone, and I¡¯ll look it over. Let¡¯s go, Jackson.¡±


    ¡°Take care gentlemen.¡±


    We left the car and Lab received a message on his phone. Probably the log file. ¡°Jackson, let¡¯s get lunch. Anywhere is fine. I need to take a look at this, preferably over a beer and a sandwich or something.¡±


    I nodded, my stomach rumbling in agreement. ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s just drop these off at the house first.¡± I opened a door to my room, dropped the bags on my bed, then closed it. I smiled to myself as I knew exactly what I wanted to eat, opening a door to an alleyway in Santa Francesca.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get Chinese, Lab.¡±

 Chapter Nineteen

    Lab shrugged and followed me through the door, startling a couple of the unhoused that happened to dwell there. We calmed them down as best we could, and continued on our way to Mr. Chen¡¯s shop. Once we got to the restaurant, we saw a line heading out of the door. I looked over at Lab and shrugged as we got in line.


    Apparently, Mr. Chen had taken the liberty of capitalizing on my first visit. He¡¯d somehow gotten a photo of me -likely from my interview on the Iron News Network- and had a life-sized cardboard cutout made. Cardboard me was saying something in Mandarin and I couldn¡¯t read it, but the gesture made me cringe. Not that I was angry. Far from it, really. I¡¯d just never expected something like this would actually happen to me.


    Me. A second-rate nobody from Chicago with a lame-ass power that had so far caused me more trouble than it had given me in benefit. Someone went and created a life-sized cardboard cutout of me. Not Brighthawk. Not Diamond Ring. Not even No-Face. Me. Chen Shou had thought enough of me to get this made. I pointed my camera at it and snapped a picture, curious as to what ¡°I¡± was saying. Running the photo through a translator, it said ¡°My doors are just the beginning step to Heaven!¡±


    I sighed, causing Lab to look up at me, a question on his face. ¡°It¡¯s just the cutout, dude. I didn¡¯t expect Mr. Chen to do that.¡±


    ¡°Whaddya mean? You been here before?¡±


    ¡°Remember the guy that fell for an hour? This is where that happened. Mr. Chen promised me free food whenever I come. I told him that it was only gonna be me, and that I¡¯d not do it more than once a week.¡±


    ¡°Oooo¡­ This oughtta be good, then.¡± He stepped out of line and went to stand next to the cutout.


    ¡°Lab?¡± I said warningly. ¡°What are- fuck.¡±


    He made a show of examining the cutout and then tapped a gentleman on the arm. ¡°Excuse me, sir?¡± The man looked down at Lab, somewhat startled. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that guy right there kinda look like the man on the cutout?¡± He pointed directly at me.


    Fucking bastard.


    The man looked shocked, then tapped the guy in front of him, muttering to him. Pretty soon, whispers and mutterings raced from our place in line all the way inside the building. Not five minutes later, Mr. Chen came out and grabbed my arm.


    ¡°Mr. Portal! Come in! No line for you, friend. Come in and sit. Sit!¡± He laughed and all but dragged me in, all the while, Lab sat there grinning like the fucking cat that got the canary, the bastard.


    I stumbled beside Mr. Chen up to the front counter, where I saw several members of his family gathered, smiles on their faces. The others in line began clapping and fucking cheering for me. Me! I felt my face grow hot and flushed.


    Mr. Chen had picked up one of his menus and was pointing at something. ¡°See here? We have a new menu item. Named after you!¡±


    I looked and saw my order from the second night I came. Orange chicken and General Tso¡¯s. With crab rangoon and chicken on a stick. Twenty-five bucks. Came with a side of rice. Not a bad deal, really. But the name? A Portal to Heaven?


    I nodded and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s incredible, sir. I¡¯ll have that, then. Could it come out with that little man¡¯s order right there? He¡¯s a friend, and he will be paying.¡± He nodded and directed me to a table, and I waited for Lab to place his order.


    About fifteen minutes later, Lab came and sat with me, still grinning. ¡°Hello there, Mighty Portal.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°Shut the fuck up, dude. That was mean. I hope he charged you double.¡±


    Lab grinned. ¡°Nah. I did, however, get just about one of everything. They¡¯ll be busy for a few.¡±


    We sat there in relative silence for a while. I did, however, have to meet several excited patrons as they sat down, waiting for their own food. Most were simply amazed that a Super had visited this little hole-in-the-wall, but a few wanted to shake my hand and thank me for saving the life of their favorite restaurant¡¯s owner. A couple of young kids wanted me to demonstrate my power, and I wowed them with a simple pair of small doors, reaching out to tap them on the shoulder. It spooked them, of course, and they jumped and squealed with laughter every time.


    While I didn¡¯t want any of my own, I knew that children were a treasure, and they deserved to be able to keep that sense of whimsy for as long as possible.


    About a half hour after Lab sat down, the manager and his family brought out several trays filled with steaming entrees and appetizers. I heard conversation die down elsewhere as the other patrons openly stared in shock.


    Lab¡¯s food took up a good portion of our table, all of another, and half of a third. I shook my head, a silent laugh in my chest as my relatively small lunch was placed before me. Mr. Chen looked confused for a moment.


    ¡°I am certain there was more food in your meal, sir. Please accept my apologies.¡±


    I laughed and gently touched his arm. ¡°No need for that, Mr. Chen. Lab here always eats like this, and it makes anything look small. I assure you, this is more than enough for me, and he will eat all of this before we leave.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right, Mr. Chen. This is a decent lunch for me. It might even fill me up.¡±


    Was it just me, or did he look excited at the prospect of being full? Mr. Chen nodded and walked back to the kitchen. He had a fairly long line to take care of, after all.


    I picked up the chopsticks and dug in. The orange chicken had that customary sweetness to it, and the General Tso¡¯s was delightfully spicy. I sighed in appreciation as I ate. Lab, on the other hand, had taken a single bite of his and decided it was worthy. I shook my head with a smile as he grabbed a spoon and started shoveling food into his hungry mouth.


    After a few minutes, Lab simply looked over at me and said, ¡°Nervous?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± I stopped, a piece of chicken halfway to my mouth.


    ¡°Your leg, Jackson. Might want to keep it still, unless you want everyone around you to stare at it.¡±


    I looked down. Sure enough, my left leg was bouncing like crazy. I took a deep breath and stilled myself, receiving a nod from Lab.


    By the time I had taken the last bite of my chicken on a stick, Lab had finished his entire meal, soup included. Several of the patrons had taken out their phones and were videoing the absurdity. Lab simply smiled and waved at them as he ate. Thankfully, they were more focused on his gustatory accomplishments than me even being there, so I wasn¡¯t in the spotlight.


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    ¡°Well? How was it, Lab?¡±


    ¡°Gotta tell ya, kid. You sure picked a winner with this place. I¡¯m actually comfortably full. What¡¯s more, it didn¡¯t cost me more than two hundred bucks.¡±


    ¡°Holy hell. Mr. Chen actually did it.¡±


    ¡°What did I do, sir?¡± Mr. Chen asked as he walked up to the table, his jaw dropping as he saw the pile of empty plates.


    ¡°For starters, you filled his black hole of a belly. And secondly, your food is as delicious as ever. Thank you so much for taking care of us.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right, man. I ain¡¯t been this full in several years.¡±


    ¡°Several years? Hold on.¡± Mr Chen gave Lab a shrewd look. ¡°It was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Thirty years ago. You were the one who put Roger Li out of business!¡±


    ¡°I¡­um¡­¡± Lab belched as quietly as he could. ¡°Maybe?¡±


    Mr. Chen laughed. ¡°Li was shamed so badly, he had to go home to Mongolia! He works for his father as a sheep rancher now.¡±


    I stared at Mr. Chen. ¡°You knew the guy?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Li was a neighbor when I was a child. Always bragging on how good he was at business. Bah! I have surpassed my rival! Just wait until I prove it to him. You come once a month, I feed you. You eat a lot of food, Mr. Lab, but I can take care of you! Just call a week ahead, so I can make sure to have your dinner ready. Ha!¡± Mr. Chen walked back to the kitchen, shouting something in Mandarin to the people there, and we heard the ringing laughter.


    Our meal eaten, we decided it was time to leave. ¡°Bye, Mr. Chen! Thanks for having us!¡±


    ¡°Be safe out there, Portal! See you when you return!¡± he called out from the back.


    I created a door on the wall, and Lab and I stepped through onto our street, to surprised gasps from the other patrons. I let the door vanish once we were through and we walked to our apartment. Once inside, I checked my phone for the time, seeing that I still had six hours until my date with Anna. I set an alarm for ten-thirty, then sat down to learn more about cybersecurity.


    Once it went off, I sat back and rubbed my eyes. How had four hours passed by so quickly? I yawned and stretched, then got a shower and dressed myself. Eleven-fifteen. I paced in my room, my mind whirling with the myriad possibilities and potentials for the evening.


    What if I said something stupid? What if I did something stupid? What if some moron decided that tonight was the time to be a thug? Anna¡¯s power was probably no help to us there. Was I able to stay awake for long enough? Shit. I should¡¯ve taken a nap. Did she really like me? I grumbled and scrubbed my hand across my face.


    ¡°Relax, you idiot. She told you she thought you were cute, and she seemed excited that she got to go out with you. No sense stressing out over this.¡± I nodded to myself and opened my bedroom door to find Lab standing there, his arms crossed over his chest.


    ¡°Y¡¯done stressing out? Good. Get downstairs and chill. Your room is no place for you to be stressing out in.¡±


    I sighed and headed down to the living room with my phone. He was right, though. I¡¯d just work myself up if I stayed in there. I opened up a game on my phone and sat down to wait.


    I didn¡¯t wait long. About ten minutes later, a knock sounded at the door. I opened a peephole, seeing William and the top of Anna¡¯s head. I let the doors vanish, thankful that they were silent, and tucked my phone in my pocket, scrubbing my sweaty palms on the front of my slacks.


    As I opened the door, my greetings caught in my throat as I saw Anna. She was beautiful. She was pretty before, to be sure, but with what she had done? I was utterly speechless.


    Anna had done her makeup in an extremely flattering light application, and her hair had been done up in a simple, but beautiful pixie bob. She was wearing a figure-hugging black evening dress that had a single wide strap on her left shoulder. It cut down across her chest just above her breasts, displaying the barest hint of cleavage. As my eyes ran down the length of her short, fit body, my jaw dropped involuntarily.


    ¡°Best close that mouth, Jackson. Might catch a fly.¡± William smirked at me.


    Anna looked up at me through her lashes. ¡°Hi Jackson.¡±


    ¡°Uhm¡­ uh¡­H-hi, Anna. You, uh¡­ You look amazing.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said in a small voice, her head bobbing inward a bit.


    ¡°May we come in, Jackson?¡±


    ¡°Hm? Oh, shit. Sorry, yeah. Please, come in. Make yourselves at home. Can I get you some water?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no thank you. We won¡¯t be here long. Anna says you needed to speak with me, Jackson? Something about picking my brain?¡±


    I was so absorbed in Anna¡¯s appearance that I didn¡¯t quite hear him. Damn, but she was beautiful. ¡°Hmm?¡±


    William chuckled good-naturedly. ¡°Come here, Jackson. Let¡¯s talk.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Shit. Yes, I¡¯m sorry. I¡­ uh. Yeah. I have something to show you.¡± I started toward the stairs. ¡°Hey Lab? Would you mind coming downstairs for a bit?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Gimme a moment.¡±


    Lab came down a few seconds later. ¡°Whatcha need, Ja- William! Been a long time, man!¡± He thrust his catcher¡¯s mitt of a hand at William, who shook it happily. ¡°How¡¯s that P250 treating ya? Still chugging along?


    ¡°Labrador! So good to see you again! Sadly, no. I was t-boned a couple years ago. While I survived with nary a scratch, the truck was totaled. Haven¡¯t driven since. The work you did was simply stellar, however. I do appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°Oh damn. Sorry to hear that, Will. I know you liked that thing. I might be able to dig up a decent vehicle for you, if you¡¯d like?¡±


    William nodded appreciatively. ¡°I think that might work. Once I¡¯m done escorting these two to their destination, I can drop by and we can discuss it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! I¡¯d like that. We could catch up, too.¡± Lab directed his attention to me. ¡°Now what did you need?¡±


    I blinked rapidly. ¡°Is there anyone you don¡¯t know?¡± Lab shrugged, helpless. ¡°Anyway. Would you please keep Anna company? I need to discuss something with William.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Certainly, certainly. Now, where¡¯s the- oh my.¡± He let out a low whistle. ¡°You look prettier than a field of butterflies, Anna.¡± He walked over and sat on the couch across from her, and they began talking.


    Once I saw that he had her attention, I opened a door to my room, leading William inside.


    ¡°Jackson? I¡¯m flattered, but you¡¯re about to go on a date with Anna.¡± He smirked.


    ¡°Not now, William. This is serious.¡± He stood a little straighter, motioning for me to continue. I reached over and grabbed the glass of water, holding the large flower. It had already begun to make roots.


    ¡°William, I found this in my bed after having pulled it off a tree in a dream this morning. I put it in this glass of water after not even an hour, and now look. It¡¯s starting to make roots. What the fuck is happening, man?¡±


    William gingerly took the glass, examining it closely. ¡°Tell me everything, Jackson.¡±


    So I did. I recounted the dream in its entirety, including what happened after I woke up. He looked thoughtful.


    ¡°And you say you ate one?¡± I nodded. ¡°Is the dirt still there?¡±


    I pulled back the sheets, revealing the dirt in my bed. ¡°I left it in case you wanted to see it.¡±


    William nodded. ¡°Okay. Here¡¯s what I¡¯ll do. I¡¯ll come back after dropping you two off, grab these sheets and this glass. I¡¯ll see about setting it into some soil; see what comes of it. In the meantime, if you find yourself in this other place again, just go along with it. See where the dream takes you. I have a theory, and we just have to wait to see if I¡¯m right.¡±


    ¡°What? What are you thinking?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to get into right now, but if I¡¯m right? Things are going to change.¡± He set the glass down on my nightstand. ¡°Let¡¯s get you two to Japan, yes?¡±


    I nodded and held up a hand. ¡°Before we continue, you have to know that whatever this is, I¡¯m not going to keep it a secret from Lab, okay?


    William paused, his brows furrowed. ¡°That¡¯s reasonable. He¡¯s your friend and roommate. This could affect him greatly.¡±


    I nodded and opened a door downstairs.

 Chapter Twenty

    ¡°So he was homeless when you met him?¡±


    ¡°Yep! He¡¯d been in trouble a few times -nothing serious, mind you- and was starving when I met him, but he seemed alright. Took a chance, and here we are. Wouldn¡¯t trade him fer nothin¡¯.¡±


    I dissolved the door behind me as William and I walked out of the kitchen. ¡°Shit. Are you telling her how we met?¡±


    ¡°Ha! You know it. Did you know he was homeless, Will? Bouncing around from city to city without a care in the world?¡±


    ¡°Truly? You should tell me of your travels sometime, Jackson.¡±


    ¡°But not right now, William. We¡¯ve got somewhere to be, right?¡± Anna stood, wrapping her arms around one of mine.


    My face grew hot as my mouth went as dry as the Mojave. William grinned when he saw my face. ¡°Certainly, Anna! Jackson? Are you ready to go?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ yeah. Yeah, I¡¯m ready. I¡¯ll see you later, Lab.¡± I waved my goodbye as the three of us walked out.


    Lab pursed his lips together, stifling a laugh as he waved.


    William led us down the street a way, then into some shadow behind a nearby house. As we walked hand in hand, the familiar sounds of my home receded, replaced by the silence of whatever realm William had control over. We walked for what seemed like hours, but was probably just a few minutes, before the environment of whatever street he knew of in Japan came into focus. It was rather jarring to see daylight slowly filter into reality as the sounds of lunch hour traffic also came into being.


    We walked out of the shadows behind a pair of buildings onto a very busy street. Ahead of us was a large building with the word ¡°Takashimaya¡± on it in red. Anna led us to a crosswalk, pressed a button, and we waited.


    Wherever we were, it was a stark contrast to the impatient honking and at times too-loud conversations of home. Here, there were next to no conversations being held outside. Those that were, were hushed and soft, making the atmosphere feel almost sacred, like one would find in a church vestibule.


    I looked out among the sea of heads, most of which were half a head shorter than my six foot plus frame. Several people openly stared at me for a moment before returning their gaze to the front.


    William¡¯s words snapped me from my musings. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you as far as into the building, and then we will split up. Jackson, you can get her home, yes?¡±


    I held up my phone and opened a small door to my room. It was slightly more difficult than normal. ¡°Yeah. Shouldn¡¯t be too much of an issue. I¡¯ve just never opened a door this far away before.¡±


    ¡°Hm. I wonder¡­¡± William nodded thoughtfully.


    ¡°Wonder what, William? Is there something going on?¡± Anna¡¯s voice was almost too loud for the environment, causing her face to go slightly red.


    ¡°Hm? Oh. No, Anna. Just running some scenarios through my head, that¡¯s all.¡± The light changed and we crossed swiftly, entering the cool air of the building a moment later.


    ¡°Okay, you two. I¡¯ll see you at the gym tomorrow. Just whenever you can get there, as I¡¯ll be there all day. Have fun!¡±


    I watched William walk away, my palms growing sweaty. I was alone with Anna.


    ¡°Come on, Jackson! Let¡¯s go have some sushi!¡± She held her hand out to me. I scrubbed my hand on my slacks, hopefully ridding them of some of the excess moisture and took her hand in mine.


    She turned as red as I surely must have. I could feel her shaking slightly as we walked toward whatever restaurant she had chosen. My earlier concerns ran through my mind at a million miles an hour as I willed myself to not trip, to not stumble, and most importantly, for nobody to bother us while we were there.


    Eventually, we walked into a small, well appointed restaurant, where we were seated at a table by one of the staff, as the counter was full. Anna thanked them, said something in Japanese and we sat there to wait.


    ¡°So¡­ how do you know this place, Anna?¡± I asked in a low tone, seeing as there was little in the way of conversation happening at the counter.


    She smiled softly. ¡°I used to live here in Shinjuku. Mom would bring me here on occasion as a treat, and I just came to love it.¡±


    ¡°Wait. So you¡¯re Japanese? I thought you were American.¡±


    She laughed quietly. ¡°Yeah. Dad was stationed here and mom and I moved around the world with him. I was born here, so I¡¯m technically Japanese, but I¡¯ve lived most of my life in the US. Dual citizenship and all. I¡¯ve got several friends here in Japan, too.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°So that¡¯s why you know Japanese. Okay. Makes sense. Anything else I should know about my date?¡± I crooked an eyebrow at her.


    She turned beet red once more. ¡°Um¡­ I, uh¡­ I dunno, Jackson. What did you want to know?¡± She interlaced her fingers, her elbows on the table, and rested her chin on the back of her hands.


    ¡°Well¡­ Y¡¯know, I don¡¯t even know how old you are. Let¡¯s start there.¡±


    She perked up. ¡°Oh! Well, I just turned twenty-seven last month. I was born and raised here in Shinjuku and moved to the states when I was eleven. I am fluent in both Japanese and English, as you can tell¡± -the server came back with some water, and Anna said something to her in Japanese- ¡°and while I have reservations about my power, I can honestly say it¡¯s been a blessing more often than not. What about you?¡±


    I blinked at the rapidity with which she had spoken, marveling at the way she casually swapped languages. ¡°Well. That was rather impressive. Anyway, I¡¯m just a few months younger than you. I was born and raised in Chicago, went to the same school Zack did, and got my power at the ripe old age of nine, and have been in government care for most of my life.¡±


    Her eyes widened. ¡°Nine? You realize how statistically unlikely that is, right? I think the youngest known was eight.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± I sighed heavily, remembering the tests. ¡°It¡¯s me. By three days. The suits just chalked it up to a random twist of fate. Never looked into it afterwards.¡±


    ¡°Gosh. That¡¯s¡­ I don¡¯t even know what to say. What about your parents? Do you talk to them much?¡±


    I paused then, my mind screaming into the past. I must¡¯ve been quiet for a beat longer than usual, because she broke into my reverie. ¡°You don¡¯t have to talk about it. It¡¯s okay, Jackson.¡±


    I felt queasy as I thought about my parents. I rested my chin in my hand, elbow on the table. ¡°It¡¯s okay. My parents, huh? Well¡­ They were hardly there, really. From the age of nine until I was eighteen, I was in the school. Once I graduated, I left state and wandered the country. I could get into and out of any building I wanted, so I always had a safe, dry place to sleep. I really didn¡¯t think much of them after my grandparents died, and they never really came and looked for me.¡± I shrugged. ¡°So, there¡¯s that. They might be dead for all I know, and I don¡¯t really think I care.¡±


    Unbidden, my mind pulled up the last memory I had of them. My senior year, they came to school to tell me I was going to have a little brother. Mom was about seven months into her pregnancy, and I just nodded at them and said ¡®Congratulations. Hopefully, you¡¯ll even get to raise this one.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t tell if they were hurt, as Dad just nodded and agreed. After a polite lunch with them, I thanked them for the visit and wished them well. Mom was mostly blank. Not emotionless, but just¡­ there.


    Anna put a hand to her mouth, and with the other, took my free one. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Jackson. I didn¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t want to bring anything bad up.¡±


    I shrugged, letting the memory fade, and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You couldn¡¯t have known. I¡¯m not really too bothered by it, really. Lab is my only family now.¡±


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    She shook her head, a smile on her face. ¡°That¡¯s not true, Jackson. You have us¡± -she squeezed my hand tightly- ¡°and we won¡¯t leave you.¡±


    I smiled, pulling away as the server brought out our meal. It looked amazing. Anna said something else -probably a thanks- and then she described each item as we ate. It was one of the most amazing experiences I¡¯d ever had for a dinner. A pretty woman patiently explaining what each item was, its history and how to eat it? Quite a unique experience. Learning the etiquette and manners for dealing with the locals here was also wonderful.


    We continued to chat throughout ¡°dinner¡±, sharing laughs and tales from our pasts. I felt more at ease with her as time crept forward on its silent feet.


    Eventually, our meal was finished, so we got up, Anna paid at the counter, and we left. I knew I was pleasantly full, so I figured she was too. She took my arm and we left the building.


    Once we were out on the oddly quiet street, heading down the road at a leisurely pace, I felt the need to address the proverbial elephant. ¡°So¡­ now what? I don¡¯t even know where home is in relation to where we are right now, so this is your show, Anna. I¡¯ll follow your lead.¡±


    ¡°Well. How tired are you?¡±


    ¡°Honestly? I wish I¡¯d had a nap beforehand, but I was just so damn nervous that I simply couldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Nervous? You? How? You¡¯ve always seemed so calm and composed every time I¡¯ve seen you. Hell, even after you passed out at the gym, you were as cool as a cucumber.¡±


    I stopped, gently tugging her by the shoulder so she could face me. She reached up, taking my trembling hand in hers with a smile. I took a moment to work some saliva in my suddenly dry mouth. ¡°Because I¡¯ve never been on a date before, Anna. And here I go getting asked out by a woman who is, by any measure, a knockout. How do you think I¡¯d feel? I¡¯m quite honestly terrified that I¡¯m gonna screw something up. I¡¯ll say or do something that bothers you or triggers an old memory or-or-or something. I¡¯d hate to lose the chance to continue to get to know you just because I couldn¡¯t keep my stupid mouth shut or something.¡±


    She searched my eyes, an impish smile on her face. ¡°Jackson, you¡¯ve been a perfect gentleman. I¡¯ve enjoyed every second of the past two hours. We can end the night here, if you want. Now that you¡¯ve been here, you can return at any time, right?¡± I nodded. ¡°Well, let¡¯s plan for a longer date next time, okay? I know I sprang this on you pretty fast.¡±


    So I hadn¡¯t screwed up? Score one for me! I scanned the area, seeing a shady spot between a pair of buildings. ¡°In that case, why don¡¯t I take you home?¡±


    She nodded and wrapped her arms around my left one again, holding it close to her. I headed down the narrow space between buildings, opening a door to the gym. As we stepped through, the door vanished, and I grabbed my head, a splinter of pain lancing through my brain. ¡°Oof. Shit, that hurt.¡±


    ¡°Jackson? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    I rubbed my head gingerly. ¡°Nothing, really. Like I said, I¡¯ve never made doors that far apart before. Kinda taxing, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re sure. It¡¯s your power, and you¡¯d know it best.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yeah. Damn, that stings.¡±


    She reached up, touching my cheek with her soft hand. Her other hand found the opposite cheek, and she gently brought my face down to meet hers, where she planted a soft kiss on my lips. It felt light being struck by Zack¡¯s electricity all over again, only this time, it was an infinitely more pleasant experience. I was so stunned that I simply stood there, hunched over like some sort of gangly gargoyle, blinking rapidly as fire and butterflies raced along my veins.


    She smirked. ¡°Goodnight, Jackson. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, okay?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡± was all I could muster, my eyes firmly fixed on her face, my memory searing this moment deep into my soul.


    She giggled then, slipping into the gym, leaving me there alone, half-hunched over in a stupor. I don¡¯t know how long I stood there, but it was William who found me.


    ¡°Jackson? Jackson, you okay?¡± He laughed softly.


    ¡°Huh? Um¡­ Yeah.¡± I closed my mouth and shook my head, bringing myself back to the here and now. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    He clapped me on the shoulder. ¡°I take it you two had a good time, then?¡± I nodded. ¡°Good. Good. Get yourself home, Jackson. We¡¯ll talk tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Okay. See you, William.¡± I opened a door to my room and walked in, collapsing on the bed. I was asleep in moments.


    ***************


    I awoke around noon, my stomach groaning loudly. My bladder was rather insistent as to my awakening, too. I got up and took care of the second need first, then went downstairs to find a bite to eat. Thankfully, there was half a pizza on the counter with a note telling me that I¡¯d better eat it all. Who was I to argue with the pizza gods?


    After devouring the pizza, I felt whole enough to make my way to the Gym. I changed into some more comfortable clothes, and opened a door to the office. I knocked on the door, seeing Bethany¡¯s smiling face.


    ¡°And hello to you too, Jackson!¡± She winked conspiratorially at me. ¡°Anna says she had a wonderful time last night and can¡¯t wait to go out with you again. I¡¯m so happy for her. Make sure you treat her well, okay?¡±


    I felt my face grow hot. ¡°Um¡­ yeah. No worries there. I, uh¡­ I gotta go? Talk to you later, okay?¡±


    She tittered and nodded. ¡°Have a good workout, Jackson.¡±


    I made my way downstairs, shifting my thoughts to whatever Jennifer had cooked up for me. She had said that she developed a new kata for me, and I was curious to see it in action. As I opened the door at the end of the hall, I heard a rather irritated voice in the arena.


    ¡°No, no, no! I told you that you can¡¯t do that here, Zack. If you wanna practice that, you have to take it elsewhere. I¡¯m not about to get zapped because you can¡¯t control your lightning.¡±


    I recognized Jennifer¡¯s tone, and knew that something had happened.


    ¡°But, Jen! I gotta practice this! What do you propose I do, then? Start zapping randos out there on the street? I¡¯ll get arrested!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, and I don¡¯t care, Zack. You¡¯re not endangering anyone here.¡±


    Zack stormed off, posting up against the wall. I walked up to Jennifer. ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡±


    She sighed in annoyance. ¡°Zack¡¯s trying to get better at throwing his electricity. We don¡¯t have the budget for targets for him, so it¡¯s pretty difficult for him to practice.¡±


    ¡°Well, what does he need?¡±


    ¡°Conductive targets. We don¡¯t have it in the budget.¡±


    ¡°Is that all? I can help with that.¡± I turned to face Zack, calling a plethora of steel doors into existence in random spots. ¡°Will those suffice for targets, Jennifer?¡±


    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°How long can you keep that up, Jackson?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±


    She shook her head, still annoyed. ¡°Zack! Hit those doors.¡±


    Zack looked up, startled. ¡°What the¡­ Well, okay.¡± He pulled his hands back, mimicking the Kamehameha stance and threw a soccerball-sized ball of electricity at one of the doors, where it impacted with a bang and a shower of sparks, flinging the door open. ¡°Thanks, Jackson! This¡¯ll work!¡±


    I waved and faced Jennifer, feeling sweat beading on my brow. ¡°So. What¡¯s the new kata?¡±


    ¡°You sure, kid?¡± she asked softly. ¡°I can see you start to sweat already.¡± I nodded. ¡°Okay then. Watch me carefully.¡±


    In all, I had her walk through the kata four times. Once from each side, so I could form a better mental image of how it should look. At the end of the fourth walkthrough, she and I were both covered in sweat.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Zack! Jackson¡¯s about tapped.¡±


    I saw him nod and I let the doors vanish into nothingness. I fell to my knees, gasping from the effort. Two pairs of hands helped me rise, seeing me to a nearby chair. Someone draped a dry towel around my head and I dried the sweat as best I could.


    ¡°Thanks, dude. I really appreciate that. I didn¡¯t know you could do that with your doors.¡±


    I smiled, peering up at him with one eye. ¡°You don¡¯t remember, do you?¡± When he shook his head, I continued. ¡°That first time we fought in school, I pulled up a steel door, and you dented it with an electric punch. I figured it¡¯d be conductive enough to pull whatever you were doing towards it.¡±


    ¡°You remember that?¡±


    ¡°I have a truly eidetic memory, man. I can¡¯t forget anything.¡±


    ¡°Is that so, Jackson?¡± I froze as I heard a voice behind me, as small, soft hands caressed my shoulders.

 Chapter Twenty-One

    Zack and Jennifer hid their smiles as best they could, ultimately failing to contain their laughter. Frantically, I looked to each of them, hoping that one of them would speak up.


    Thankfully, Jennifer did. ¡°Once you¡¯ve recovered, walk through the new kata until you can¡¯t. Zack? Come with me. Time to show you some new footwork.¡±


    ¡°Seriously? Alright! It¡¯s about time I graduate! See you, Jackson!¡±


    The traitorous pair walked off, leaving me alone with Anna. She walked around me, pulling a chair up to sit directly in front of me. I found my mind being assaulted with the memory of last night¡¯s kiss, and began to feel somewhat dizzy.


    ¡°Anna!¡± I squeaked, then cleared my throat. ¡°Glad to see you. How, uh¡­ how are you?¡± I cursed myself inwardly for being such a lame-ass. ¡®How are you?¡¯ As if this petite woman didn¡¯t make every single neuron just stop with a kiss last night? Gaaahhhh.


    She smiled sweetly. ¡°So? Is it true?¡±


    ¡°Is-is-is what true?¡±


    ¡°The memory thing, silly!¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± I nodded. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s true. I have a truly photographic memory. It¡¯s how I keep all the locations I¡¯ve been to in my head. Everything. Every situation, every word that¡¯s been said, every conversation, is all locked away in my head. The only way I¡¯ll not remember something is if I¡¯m drunk, and even then, I can recall more than most.¡±


    She tapped a finger on her chin. ¡°I wonder¡­¡±


    I leaned forward, bracing my arms on my thighs, hands dangling between my knees. ¡°What do you wonder?¡±


    ¡°What were you thinking about right before I left last night?¡±


    I gazed out across the gym. Jennifer was leading Zack through some boxing drills. Someone was lifting a medicine ball in her outstretched arms. Four people were jogging laps. ¡°You. You were going through my mind.¡±


    She cocked her head to the side. ¡°How so?¡±


    I chuffed a laugh, sitting up. ¡°You damn near short circuited my brain. I¡¯d never been on a date before last night, and beyond that, I¡¯ve never even been kissed.¡± I looked into her eyes, seeing a giddy smile. ¡°I dunno if it¡¯s normal to act like that, but I couldn¡¯t keep that memory from replaying in my head. I don¡¯t even know how long I stood there before William came by.¡±


    ¡°About fifteen minutes. I phoned him because you weren¡¯t moving.¡±


    I laughed, then. ¡°Well, I thank you for that. I went home, the memory of you on my lips, and passed out.¡±


    ¡°Wanna do it again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to! When were you thinking of going out?¡±


    It was her turn to laugh. ¡°No, silly!¡± She dropped her voice to little more than a whisper. ¡°The kissing part. Do you¡­ uhm¡­ Wanna do that again?¡±


    ¡°Here?¡±


    ¡°You really have no clue, do you Jackson?¡±


    Suddenly, I felt as if all the positivity that I¡¯d accrued from last night had vanished. My heart crashed through the floor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Anna. I really am out of my depth here. You¡¯re¡­ I¡¯m¡­¡± I sighed, scrubbing a hand through my hair. ¡°I really don¡¯t know what to do or say.¡±


    She reached over and took my hand, a serene smile on her face. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Really. I don¡¯t like you any less. It¡¯s kind of cute, really. It¡¯s also a big responsibility.¡± She straightened and hooked a stray bit of hair over an ear. ¡°I¡¯m the one who gets to teach you how a relationship can work. I have to make sure that if you and I don¡¯t work, that I¡¯ve not ruined you for someone else. I get to be the person who helps you grow. You get to experience this all with me. You get the benefit of having your first relationship be with someone who not only wants a relationship with you, but also wants to be your friend. Think you can handle that, Jack?¡± She smiled and cocked her head to the side slightly.


    Jack? I¡¯d never been called that before. Not even by my family. I caught her eyes with my own. ¡°Jack, huh? Nobody¡¯s ever called me that. I¡¯ll let you be the only one.¡±


    She leaned forward, letting her lips brush my ear. ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that, Jack.¡± Abruptly, she stood, her face flushed. ¡°I have to get my own workout and practice done. I¡¯ll see you later, okay?¡± I watched absent-mindedly as she left, my mind taking in all the details laid before me as my heart hammered in my chest.


    There were times that having my memory was a curse, such as my years in the government school. And then there were moments like these. Times when it seemed everything was good and right and true. I sat back, remembering the feel of her hands on my skin, the smell of her soap. An odd thing to recall, even for me, but it was just one of the many little things about her that tugged at me. Eventually, I stood up and headed to the small rack of stone staves that Jennifer kept, selecting a moderately heavy staff. It was time to utilize that memory of mine for another purpose.


    Forty-five minutes and what seemed like ten gallons of sweat later, I was on my knees, having finished a fourth repetition of the new kata. I levered myself up with the staff, then dragged it back to the weapon rack. As I headed back to the offices, I found Jennifer standing over Zack in the boxing ring, having had his own workout culminate in a beatdown. Curious, I climbed up the steps.


    ¡°And what have we learned, hm?¡±


    Zack panted hoarsely. ¡°That I¡¯m not ready to graduate yet.¡±


    ¡°True, but I was thinking a little more Immediate, Zack.¡±


    He sat up with a groan. ¡°I dunno, Jennifer. I¡¯m not the thinker that Jackson over here is.¡± He reached up with a gloved hand. ¡°A little help, dude?¡±


    I climbed in and took his hand in mine, letting him use me to lever himself up off the floor. He dusted himself off, then removed the gloves. ¡°Seriously, Jennifer. I have no clue what lesson you¡¯re trying to beat into me.¡±


    She sighed and crossed her arms. ¡°Jackson? What do you think I¡¯m trying to teach him?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­ That experience wins out over blind enthusiasm ninety percent of the time? I saw you tag his face a lot.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I suppose it could be seen that way. Zack? Make sense to you?¡±


    I saw him purse his lips in thought. ¡°Huh. Yeah. It kinda does, actually. I kept trying to rush in and hit you in the gut, figuring I¡¯d be able to tank at least a couple shots. Seems I was wrong.¡± He shrugged and attempted to hand her the gloves.


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    ¡°Nuh-uh. I don¡¯t want those. Put ¡®em where they belong. You¡¯re both done for the day. Go on.¡±


    We both watched her lithe form saunter over to the corner, and begin a slow Tai Chi routine. Just how many martial arts did this woman know?


    Zack gently smacked my shoulder with the back of his hand. ¡°So. What did you and little Anna talk about, huh?¡± I heard the smirk in his tone.


    I gave him a funny look. ¡°¡®Little¡¯ Anna? Look, man, I know she¡¯s short and all, but seriously?¡±


    Zack raised his hands defensively. ¡°It¡¯s what almost everyone calls her. Only folks that don¡¯t are William and Jen. She¡¯s been called that to her face by nearly everyone, and has yet to say anything about it. I thought you knew.¡±


    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t. And we just talked about¡­ things.¡±


    He nodded sagely. ¡°I see, I see. Talking about things would indeed be important, Jackson.¡±


    I fixed him with an unamused stare and he sputtered with laughter. ¡°Nah, man. I¡¯m just messing with you. You don¡¯t have to tell me if you don¡¯t wanna. I¡¯m just curious, is all.¡±


    I nodded and grunted an agreement. ¡°I suppose. Maybe later, okay? I need to find William, and you need to put those gloves away.¡± I started heading off toward the offices.


    He sighed. ¡°Yeah. Man she whipped my ass. Hey! Some of us are going out for drinks tomorrow night. Wanna come?¡± he called out after me.


    I turned around, walking backwards. ¡°Sure! It¡¯d do me good to get to know some of the others. Send me a message, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yep! See ya!¡±


    I turned back around and headed up to the offices, eventually making my way back to the lobby, where I saw Bethany. ¡°Hey. You seen William anywhere?¡±


    She started and turned around, a needle in her hand. ¡°Jackson! Uhm¡­ no. Let me see if he¡¯s in his office.¡± She pushed a button on her desk phone, and we heard William¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Bethany? Is everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes sir! Jackson was wanting to speak to you, is all.¡±


    ¡°Send him in. We need to talk anyway.¡± The intercom went silent.


    ¡°Two doors to your left, Jackson. You¡¯ll see it.¡±


    I placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Thanks, Bethany. I appreciate you. See you in a bit.¡± She nodded and patted my hand before I walked off.


    William¡¯s door was plain and unadorned with a plaque beside it that read ¡°William Gould - Owner¡± I knocked twice.


    ¡°Come in, Jackson.¡±


    Stepping into his office was like walking into a time machine. Due to the room¡¯s dimmer than usual lighting, it had an otherworldly, ancient feel. His desk was a massive chunk of rich, dark wood; worn slightly on the edges, but pristine otherwise. Along the walls were row upon row of books. Several were titles I recognized, but others were simple leather covers, with no obvious markings. Farther back were some glass cases, housing things I couldn¡¯t see within. Directly over the desk hung a curious, leaf-shaped bronze sword. He was standing when I walked in, a book in his hand. He motioned to a chair in front of the desk.


    ¡°Please, have a seat. I was just brushing up on some history regarding Supers.¡± He closed the book with a snap and took a seat on the other side of his desk. ¡°So what did you want to speak to me about?¡±


    I cleared my throat. ¡°Well, it¡¯s about that flower, and the dream I had.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the probability that I didn¡¯t dream it?¡±


    He steepled his hands in front of his chin, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. ¡°Nearly certain.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°No idea, Jackson. That¡¯s what I was doing all night and just now. Trying to figure out if any ability to move the way you do has ever happened before. The closest I can find is my own, but that isn¡¯t quite the same. I move through and between shadows. Like you, I have to know my destination. Moving through the Shadow Realm is no different than walking from one place to another; it just takes far less time. You, on the other hand, make a tear in the fabric of space itself.¡±


    ¡°Do what, now?¡±


    He handed me the book he was reading. ¡°Page seventy-three. Paragraph two, lines four through seven.¡±


    I picked up the book and found the relevant page. It appeared to be a treatise on Supers and the abilities we held. Scanning down the page, I found the line he referenced. ¡°...[tied] to movement. To date, there are only four known Supers with any sort of movement-based abilities. The reason for this distinct gap is unknown. More research must be done.¡±


    I looked up at him, my brows knitted together. ¡°I¡¯m assuming it references you and The Loco Motive here. Who are the other two? How old is this?¡±


    William nodded. ¡°True. The others are a long-dead super who could ride the wind, and one from the 1800¡¯s who, like our Celeste, was able to remote view. They classed that as a movement based power until things were reexamined back in the fifties. This book was written in 1931, and is likely the only copy in existence.¡±


    I stared at him in shock. ¡°What do you mean the only copy?¡±


    ¡°I mean that the rest of them were likely burned by the Wehrmacht.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ how?¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t your concern. What is your concern -and mine, now- is how similar your dream is to the reports from the remote viewer I mentioned. The Celestial Sparrow was his name, I think. Let me grab that for you.¡± He stood and walked to the back of his office, sliding a thin tome from a shelf, then handed it to me. ¡°Roughly in the middle of the report, you¡¯ll see what I mean.¡±


    I quickly scanned the entirety of the report, committing it to memory. As I read over the sections William was talking about, the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. This man was describing exactly what I had seen. From the stone room to the path down to the river, to the trees. What was missing, however, was any mention of the flowers. Instead, he mentioned a fruit that littered the ground, and how the little critters ate them. I looked up at William, my eyes wide. ¡°Where¡¯s the flower?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s missing from the report, but- oh. You mean the one you brought back. It¡¯s in my personal garden. Already begun to grow the rest of a tree. It¡¯s slow going, but it¡¯s growing all the same. I¡¯ll show you later.¡±


    My breath came in rapid gulps. ¡°Where¡­ where did I go, William? What is happening?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t know, Jackson. But you may want to calm down before you pass out. Tell me. How hard was it to open a door from Japan to here?¡±


    I gulped air for a few more breaths, trying to settle my nerves. ¡°Uh¡­ it gave me a headache. Felt like¡­ like a spike was being driven through my skull. It didn¡¯t last long. Just a few minutes at best, but it was unpleasant all the same. Also, I only kept the door open long enough to get us through. And it was a standard size door. Why?¡±


    William sat back, his hands steepled in front of him. ¡°If all you got was a slight headache, I want to see how we can train that. How are you doing with Jennifer¡¯s training?¡±


    ¡°I thought we were going to train my body before we attempted to train my abilities any further?¡±


    ¡°We are. Make no mistake. However, if you and Miss Anna continue to date -and there is no reason not to, Jackson- you¡¯ll likely go there a few times. If we can kill two birds with one stone, then why shouldn¡¯t we?¡±


    I sighed and picked at my lower lip, staring into space. He was right. No reason not to date Anna, and if we would go there a few times, I might as well do what I could to increase my stamina. ¡°How about making a small door, say on the side of a building or something? Lead it to the top of the Mirleson Building?¡±


    He leaned forward. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you done something like that to begin with?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I dunno. Never really seemed important enough?¡±


    ¡°Try it. Open one to one of the letters on the building you went into last night. Doesn¡¯t have to be big. Just enough to see clearly through it.¡±


    I nodded and did as he asked. Once more, there was a tugging sensation, but once the door was open, it was no more difficult to hold than any other. ¡°It pulled at me, but it¡¯s gone now. I should be able to hold this like any other, I guess.¡±


    William came around the desk and peered through the door. ¡°I wonder¡­¡± He tapped his chin. ¡°Can you see the area that the two of you used to come home?¡±


    ¡°Not from here. Let me¡­¡± I opened doors in rapid succession, feeling like I was a passenger in a car accelerating swiftly. ¡°Here we are. That alleyway is where we made our exit.¡± The vantage point was a light pole that I had seen while there. The street was dark and nearly deserted, save for a smattering of people heading home from a bar.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to Japan.¡±

 Chapter Twenty-Two

    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You heard me, Jackson. Open a full sized door, keep it open, and let¡¯s go.¡±


    I let the tiny peephole door vanish. ¡°Sir? I mean¡­ sure. But like, why?¡±


    He sighed. ¡°Think, Jackson. Japan isn¡¯t the farthest point from Chicago. It gives you a very minor headache, yes?¡± I nodded. ¡°Then open a door, and keep it open until you simply can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Well, okay.¡± I did as instructed, feeling that odd tugging sensation again, accompanied by the searing spike in my head.


    William pushed a button on his desk phone. ¡°Bethany? I¡¯m going out for a while. Nobody is to come to my office for any reason.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir.¡±


    He nodded to himself and stepped through the open door, with me following. ¡°And make sure you leave that door open, Jackson. We need to see how long the headache lasts and to see your stamina level.¡±


    I rolled my shoulders and tried to loosen my neck, only to discover that I¡¯d been holding it tense the whole time. I took a breath and tried my best to relax. ¡°Okay, but I¡¯m not sure it¡¯ll be much different than usual. The headache and the pulling sensation are both gone already. It hurt like hell at first, though.¡±


    ¡°And you can hold a single pair open for a long while?¡± He leaned against the wall, keeping an eye on the empty street.


    I nodded. ¡°Yeah. Probably at least an hour. It almost feels like nothing at all, really.¡±


    ¡°Open a couple more. To anywhere. We need to test this.¡±


    I sighed heavily. I was already pretty physically worn out from training. I nodded and opened a door directly to my bedroom, and another to the top of the Mirleson building, dropping to my knees and clutching my head a moment later with a blinding pain.


    ¡°The doors are wavering, Jackson. Hold on to them. As long as you can.¡±


    I groaned and nodded, fighting the urge to vomit. Instead, I looked up, seeing double of everything, and clawed my way to my feet, using the building as a support. ¡°Okay. I got three pairs up. A fourth will likely put me down, man.¡±


    ¡°Better wipe your nose.¡± He handed me a small handkerchief.


    ¡°Huh?¡± I wiped my nose, seeing the white fabric come away red. ¡°Shit. Zack wasn¡¯t kidding.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Here¡¯s the deal, Jackson. ¡°I¡¯ll find the farthest point you can get from Chicago, and take you there someday. Once per day, you are to simultaneously open two sets of doors there until it no longer hurts to do so. Then three. Then four. If you can manage it, open a fifth. You don¡¯t have to travel there, or anything, so don¡¯t worry about getting stuck. You do this after you train at the gym. Sound tolerable?¡±


    I nodded slightly, the movement sending shockwaves of pain lancing through my skull. ¡°Sure. Can I close the other two?¡±


    ¡°No. We need to let you fail. I can get us home.¡±


    I groaned and held on as long as I could. After a time, my vision began to cloud over, and chills wracked my body. As I felt the last vestiges of my energy give way, William put a hand on my shoulder.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. They¡¯re gone.¡±


    I let the breath I didn¡¯t know I had been holding go, gulping sweet air. I put a shaky hand on the building and simply breathed for a bit. ¡°How¡­ how long?¡±


    ¡°About four minutes. Is that good?¡±


    I wrapped my arms around myself, chills racing through me. ¡°I-I held four Links for just over two minutes my first day.¡±


    ¡°Those were just a few feet apart, though. You held three spaced six thousand miles apart for about four. That bodes well. Let¡¯s get you home, and put some food in you. Come on.¡± He held out his hand, and I took it, exhaustion threatening to take over. He carefully guided me through his Shadow Realm, eventually exiting in his office.


    ¡°Here we are.¡± He took a long, appraising look at me, eventually coming to a decision. ¡°You¡¯re in no fit state to go home your usual way. I¡¯ll get you some help.¡±


    I waved off his concerns and attempted to open a door, which immediately failed, sending me to my knees. ¡°Guess not. Yeah, man. Call someone to help.¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Always the independent one. You¡¯ll learn to rely on your teammates, eventually. Get yourself into that chair, and I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    I heard the door open and shut as he left. Hauling myself up by his desk, I dropped heavily into the chair. The desktop looked so comfortable and inviting. Surely I could lay my head down and rest for a bit?


    ¡°Jackson?¡± Anna shook me as she called my name softly. ¡°Jackson? You need to get yourself up. It¡¯s time to go home.¡±


    ¡°Hrm?¡± I sat back and yawned. Looking around, I saw William, Jennifer and Anna standing around me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time to leave, Jackson. William pushed you rather hard, it seems.¡± Jennifer crossed her arms and leveled a glare at him. ¡°What did you do, Will?¡±


    William held his hands up in defeat. ¡°I¡¯ve given him some more training on top of what you¡¯re putting him through. That¡¯s all. I have a feeling the time is drawing closer to what we¡¯ve been working toward. This man may have what it takes to help us move forward. On top of the training you¡¯ve begun to develop for him, he is now going to open three sets of doors to a location that is yet to be determined and hold them for a minimum of a minute. He¡¯s going to do that until it stops hurting to open them. After that, he¡¯ll move to four. And a fifth, if his mind can handle the added strain.¡±


    ¡°To what end, Will? What will pushing this man to the edge of exhaustion and beyond do for us? For him?¡±


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°A lot, Jennifer.¡± She turned, giving me a sharp look. ¡°More than you realize. I have some ideas and have had some things¡­ happen recently that might give us something that nobody else has. I¡¯m trusting him. Trust that I won¡¯t endanger myself, okay? Please?¡±


    William crossed his arms. ¡°This is his decision, Jen. He agreed to the experiments we just did, and to the added work. If any of us have the strength and abilities to do this, it¡¯s him.¡±


    Jennifer grumbled. ¡°Fine. If he gets hurt to the point he cannot fight, I¡¯m taking it out of your hide. You hear me?¡±


    ¡°Agreed. Now, can you two ladies get him home?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s light enough to carry, so yeah. I can do that.¡± I saw Jennifer nod.


    ¡°Then, what about me?¡± Anna still hadn¡¯t removed her hands from my neck and shoulders.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got the most important job, actually. Make sure he eats and drinks before he goes to bed. Do whatever you need to do to make sure he does.¡±


    ¡°I can do that, William.¡± She leaned down next to my ear and murmured. ¡°You hear that, Jack? I¡¯ll do whatever I need to do to make sure you eat.¡±


    I swallowed, feeling my heart begin to race. ¡°Uhm¡­ Okay. I¡¯m ready to go now.¡± I started to rise, feeling my arms shake as I slowly stood. Eventually, I was upright and William nodded approvingly.


    ¡°Good. You may need to take tomorrow off. Feel free to do so, but I need you to commit to this, Jackson.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. I will.¡±


    Anna took my left hand and wrapped herself around it as Jennifer got the door. ¡°I¡¯ll see him home safely, William. And then, you and I are going to have a chat.¡±


    ¡°Noted, Jennifer. Be safe.¡±


    Anna helped me to the front door as Jennifer explained things to Bethany. I heard some muttered cursing as we walked out the door into the afternoon sun. I was thankful that it wasn¡¯t summer just yet, even though the temperatures were beginning to climb. ¡°Thanks for helping me, Anna. I don¡¯t wanna think about how I¡¯d feel if Jennifer actually did carry me home.¡±


    She giggled. ¡°It¡¯d probably be pretty cute, if I¡¯m honest. She¡¯s not much taller than me, and you¡¯re like, a giant compared to us.¡±


    The door to the gym opened up behind us and Jennifer stormed out. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I need to get back there and give him a piece of my mind.¡±


    The walk home was slow and uneventful. It did feel good to have Anna there by my side, though. I just hoped she didn¡¯t have to keep interacting with me like this. As they led me to my apartment, Jennifer halted.


    ¡°Listen, Jackson. Will has the habit of demanding a lot out of all of us. You don¡¯t have to do this.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I do, Jennifer. Some things have happened that only William is aware of, and if this works the way we both hope, I might be able to get us into something out of this world.¡±


    She nodded unhappily. ¡°I understand. Just don¡¯t hurt yourself too bad. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing the style I¡¯m developing for you in action. Anna, the rest is up to you. I need to go have words with William.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Be safe, Jennifer.¡±


    I unlocked the door and Anna led me to the kitchen, where she sat me down and rummaged through our refrigerator and cupboards.


    ¡°There¡¯s almost nothing here. How the hell do you guys survive?¡±


    ¡°Heh. That¡¯s Lab¡¯s fault. That bastard eats like a whale.¡±


    She found a couple packets of ramen and started preparing them. ¡°Seriously? I know you guys are all alone here, but this is ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°Maybe. We sure as hell don¡¯t waste food though.¡±


    She grumbled under her breath, but didn¡¯t press the point. ¡°It must cost a fortune, keeping him fed.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. S¡¯why I don¡¯t foot that bill. I¡¯d be penniless. At least until I start my new job, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± she turned to face me, leaning on the counter. ¡°What might that be?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be doing cybersecurity for the Gym, and then the Cloud. Plus maybe some freelancing on the side. Well, I will be, once I¡¯m confident in what I¡¯ve learned.¡±


    ¡°That sounds cool! Will you have to go to many places?¡±


    ¡°Hopefully not. Maybe for an initial consult, but hopefully never again.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    I sighed, feeling years of ridicule and teasing laying heavily on my shoulders. ¡°Because I generally don¡¯t like people, Anna. I was more or less stolen from my parents as a kid, and had little to no meaningful interaction with adults until I was one. Since I was nine, I¡¯ve more or less been on my own, and kids like Zack were there to make sure it was unpleasant to say the least. Trusting people is hard for me. You? You were a blessed exception. I still don¡¯t know if I can trust the rest of The Cloud. Especially since I could easily vanish into any big city, and nobody¡¯d ever find me.¡±


    She walked over and draped her arms around my neck and shoulders. It was all I could do to stay calm. She squeezed gently and began rocking slowly from side to side.  ¡°Marie and I would. I¡¯d help her find you. Then I¡¯d take a plane to wherever you went, and try to talk you into coming back. And if you didn¡¯t? You¡¯d find it difficult to get rid of me, Jack.¡± She tugged the chair back, then swung around to sit in my lap. ¡°I-I think you have more in you than you believe, and I want to help see it come to life.¡±


    I sat there, gazing into her honey-colored eyes. How could I let her down now? I nodded, feeling a little better. ¡°Okay, then. I promise I¡¯m not going to just disappear on you guys. Not permanently, anyway. Sometimes I just have to get away from people, y¡¯know? I don¡¯t think William knows that about me. Lab does, in a roundabout way. And now, you know. So, don¡¯t go telling anyone unless it¡¯s super serious. Okay?¡±


    She kissed my nose and nodded. ¡°Deal. Ramen¡¯s ready.¡± She hopped up and made two bowls, then set them down on the table.


    We ate and talked for a bit longer, until a deep exhaustion began to overtake me. I forced the rest of the soup down, then tried to stand, finding my legs still wobbly. Unwilling to let me make a door to my room, Anna assisted me up the stairs and to my room, where she helped to my bed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you comfy, okay?¡±


    ¡°Uhm¡­¡±


    ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong?¡± She tilted her head to the side.


    ¡°Comfy for me involves no clothes, Anna. I don¡¯t think we¡¯re ready for that. I mean, we just went out on our first date.¡± I could feel my face heating up, and my midsection began to tremble.


    ¡°Nonsense. You¡¯re exhausted, and will likely sleep for twelve hours or more. The first time you did this to yourself you were out for two days. Now. Quit fussing, and let me help.¡±


    The woman was like a force of nature. Impossible to resist, and undeniably beautiful when she did what she did. She helped me with my shoes and shirt, but I drew the line at my shorts. A guy¡¯s gotta have some semblance of rules, right?


    ¡°Not that. Not yet. Please. I¡¯ll take care of that on my own, Anna.¡±


    She shrugged and turned her back. ¡°Okay, then. Let me know when you¡¯re done and in bed.¡±


    I shucked the rest of my clothes and relaxed in the bed with a groan. Pulling the sheet over me, I let her know I was in bed. I yawned and lay on my side, feeling my consciousness get pulled into the abyss of sleep.

 Chapter Twenty-Three

    I woke up in the stone room once more. Again, I checked the room, seeing nothing in it but the bed and a door. Fully convinced that I was on another planet or plane of existence, I opened a door to the river, the heady aroma of the flowers assaulting my nostrils. I stepped through, feeling a little sluggish. Reaching up, I snapped off a couple of the large flowers and stuffed them both into my mouth, relishing the sugary goodness.


    Feeling a little energy return, I looked out over the river, seeing the fish darting to and fro in the lazy current. If only I could stay here. I had food and water near a workable shelter, and I doubted the weather would turn nasty. Even if it did, I could just open a door to the shelter.


    But I knew I couldn¡¯t. I had a life to go back to, eventually. And friends. I nodded, grabbed a few more flowers and started walking downstream, looking for anything I could use to figure this place out.


    Eventually, the stream forked, and I decided to stay on my side. As I walked, the air began to take on an odd scent, vaguely reminiscent of Lab¡¯s garage. I followed the stream and the scent for another mile or so, eventually seeing what looked like buildings in the distance.


    I began to jog towards the symbol of civilization, hoping against hope that I would be able to find some sort of answers to this place. Eventually, out of breath and with leaden legs, I reached one of the sleek stone buildings.


    The stone was smooth, with large windows about ten feet up from where I stood. I walked around the building until I came to a massive door, its handle easily six feet from the ground. With a racing heart, I reached out to the door handle and gave it a tug. Slowly, with a soft crunching sound, it swung down, releasing the door for the first time in God only knew how long. I tugged on the door, feeling it slowly give, and was eventually rewarded with a gap just wide enough for me to slip into.


    I turned sideways and slowly sidled into the room. I took a halting step in, and fell through the floor-


    -to land in my bed with a jolt.


    I gasped and flailed around, momentarily tangled up in the sheet. Once I realized where I was, I calmed down, letting my shuddering breath slowly ease. Once I got myself under control, I lay my head back down on my pillow. I looked over at the window, seeing a pitch black sky. Must be late night or early morning.


    ¡°Jack?¡± I heard Anna¡¯s voice from the hall.


    ¡°Anna?¡±


    My door slowly opened just a crack. ¡°I heard a crash. Are you okay? What happened?¡±


    I sat up, making sure I was still covered by the sheet. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m fine. What are you still doing here?¡±


    She opened the door wider, sticking her head in. ¡°Still? Jack, it¡¯s been almost two days. I¡¯ve come over every day to check on you, but you¡¯ve been asleep. At least, that¡¯s what Lab says. What happened?¡±


    I snuck a feel under the sheets, hoping I wouldn¡¯t find another flower, or worse, dirt. Thankfully, there was nothing there. ¡°I just fell, that¡¯s all. Two days would make sense. I really have to go to the bathroom.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Sorry!¡± She slipped out of the door and shut it while I threw a clean pair of shorts on, then hurried to the bathroom.


    Once I finished, I opened my bedroom door, inviting her in. ¡°Two days, huh?¡± I sat back down on the edge of the bed, where she joined me a moment later.


    ¡°Yep. Lab said he left you something in the fridge. Jennifer¡¯s worried. Beth and Zack are, too. William said that he expected this. Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± She had turned to face me, one leg up on the bed.


    I nodded and opened a door to the refrigerator. ¡°Ooo! He got me shawarma. What a sweet bastard.¡± I pulled the sandwich out and let the door vanish, then started eating. Anna just watched me with a soft smile.


    After a few bites, I sighed gratefully. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m okay. I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s nighttime?¡± She nodded. ¡°Okay. Too late to go do anything, then. I think I¡¯ll study some more.¡± I looked up at her. ¡°Unless you had other ideas?¡±


    She shook her head and grinned. ¡°I¡¯m just here to make sure you¡¯re okay. There was nothing planned on my end, no.¡±


    I paused, the sandwich halfway to my mouth. ¡°Okay. I didn¡¯t miss that. I dunno what it means, but I certainly caught it. What¡­ uh¡­ What are you thinking, Anna?¡±


    ¡°Weeeelllll¡­ It¡¯s nearly ten, and Lab said he¡¯d be back around midnight, and there¡¯s nobody else here, and nothing to do¡­¡± She looked down and started drawing little circles on my sheets with her finger.


    I could feel my heart hammering in my chest, and hear the blood rushing in my ears. ¡°W-well¡­ Um. I don¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying, Anna. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m not, um¡­ Not sure about what¡¯s going on here. What to do.¡±


    She giggled. ¡°God, you¡¯re cute when you¡¯re flustered, Jack.¡± She leaned closer, and I could smell her soap once more. It was light and herbal, a perfectly complimentary scent for her. I swallowed involuntarily as she leaned in and kissed me softly at first, and then with increased vigor.


    Stunned, I simply sat there for a moment before I let her push me down on the bed, the shawarma forgotten beside us. After a few minutes of kisses, I took her shoulders and pushed her gently away from me, my breath coming in ragged gulps. ¡°Anna¡­ I don¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡±


    She hooked a stray bit of hair behind her ear and sat up, resting on my midsection. ¡°Know what, Jack? What¡¯s wrong? Do you want to stop?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve just¡­ I¡¯ve never¡­¡± She placed a finger on my lips.


    ¡°Shh. It¡¯s okay, Jackson. Here. Let me,¡± she said, reaching down to move the takeout container away onto the nightstand. She shifted and got off my midsection, scooting down to lay next to me. She lay her head on my shoulder, her hand on my stomach. ¡°There. I won¡¯t force you into anything. Is this okay?¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    I nodded, a pang of guilt beginning to bloom in my gut. ¡°Yeah. I guess so.¡±


    She patted my bare skin gently. ¡°No need to be upset. I¡¯m sorry I misjudged things. Would you like to watch some TV instead?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I think that might be best for now. I¡¯m sorry, Anna.¡± I reached for the remote on my nightstand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare be sorry, Jackson Wernock. I¡¯m the one who moved too quickly. We will take this at whatever pace is best for you, okay?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re sure. I don¡¯t wanna be a buzzkill.¡±


    She hugged me tightly. ¡°You aren¡¯t. You¡¯re learning where your boundaries are, Jack. There¡¯s no shame or problems with that. Anyone that has a problem with that isn¡¯t worth your time.¡±


    I hugged her with the arm she was laying on. ¡°I guess you¡¯re worth my time then.¡± She giggled and I turned on the TV, finding an old rerun of The Witcher.


    We lay there for almost four episodes before I noticed her snoring. I looked down at her slight form, curled up beside me, short jet black hair falling over her eyes, and her mouth slightly open. Gently, I reached over and smoothed her hair over her head, away from her eyes. She squirmed a bit, then snuggled closer to me, sighing contentedly. Against all odds, I was laying in my bed with a girl.


    A girl that seemed to want to be around me. A girl that was patient and kind. Unhurried. Unbothered. Willing to let things move as they would and not try to force anything. Someone that seemed to hold my best interests at heart. She found me attractive, and obviously wanted to move things along in that regard. I kind of did too, but I was honestly terrified to let things move forward.


    I was in way over my head, and what¡¯s more? I knew it. Still, there is something to be said to having a beautiful woman laying next to you, comfortable and content. So I just lay there with her, dozing off here and there until eventually, she woke up.


    ¡°Oh shit. I¡¯m sorry I fell asleep, Jack,¡± she yawned.


    I snorted softly, squeezing her gently to me. ¡°Nah. It¡¯s fine. I dozed here and there, myself. Are you okay?¡±


    She rolled onto her back and stretched, making a soft squeaking sound. ¡°Mm-hmm. I¡¯m good. It was a nice nap.¡± She rolled back over, laying her head on me. ¡°You¡¯re a decent pillow, Jack.¡±


    ¡°You uh¡­ you staying for awhile, then?¡±


    ¡°Figured I might as well. As long as you¡¯re okay with that?¡± She looked up with me, her eyes filled with hope.


    ¡°I dunno¡­¡± I teased. ¡°You might get grabby or smoochy¡­¡±


    ¡°But, but, but¡­ you have kissable lips! And a squeezable butt!¡± Her pouting was cute as could be.


    I rolled my eyes and sighed theatrically. ¡°Oh, alright. Just don¡¯t blame me when you don¡¯t get any sleep!¡± I smiled and kissed her forehead.


    ¡°Yay!¡± Her giggles were infectious, and I found myself loosening up a bit.


    I turned off the TV and the lights, pulling the sheets up once more. ¡°But seriously? I¡¯m a little uncomfortable. I¡¯m willing and wanting to have you here, but I¡¯m like, 90% sure I¡¯m gonna freak out at some point.¡±


    She draped an arm and a leg over me and sighed happily. ¡°Just do what you were doing while you were watching TV. I¡¯ll do the same. God, but you really are comfy to lay on.¡±


    I lay my arm over her waist and grinned. At least I was comfy.


    **********


    I awoke to the sun filtering through the blinds, and a naked woman in my arms. Once I registered that my hands were on her naked body, I froze. The last thing I wanted to do was put my hands somewhere she didn¡¯t want them.


    I needn¡¯t have worried. A moment later, she took my hand, laced her fingers in mine, and pulled it to rest between her breasts, making sure she was backed up as close as she could be to me. I kissed the top of her head. ¡°Morning.¡±


    She mumbled something and curled up tighter around my arm. I leaned down next to her ear and murmured, ¡°Anna? It¡¯s time to get up.¡±


    I heard her gasp and stiffen momentarily. A second or two later, it passed. ¡°Jackson? Am I in your bed?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m naked.¡±


    ¡°I was surprised, myself.¡±


    She shifted slightly. ¡°You¡¯re not.¡±


    ¡°This is also correct.¡±


    ¡°When did I get naked?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I woke up to this. And you pulled my hand to where it is right now. I didn¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re okay with it there?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah. I didn¡¯t wanna touch you inappropriately.¡±


    ¡°And what if I put it here?¡± She moved my hand to cup one of her pert breasts.


    I shifted uneasily. ¡°Well¡­ I actually like that very much, but I don¡¯t want to get too excited about it. Don¡¯t want to¡­ Uh¡­ Don¡¯t want to¡­ um.¡± She had begun kneading my hand into her breast.


    She looked up and back at me. ¡°Don¡¯t want to what, Jack?¡± She hadn¡¯t stopped moving her (and my!) hand.


    ¡°Anna, I don¡¯t want to move too fast. Do I like this? Yes. Yes I do. Do I want this? Absolutely. Do I want to get to know you better before we move on to¡­ uhhh¡­ whatever stage this is? Yes.¡± As her face fell, I hesitantly squeezed her breast and nipple, causing her to bite her lip. ¡°Don¡¯t mistake my wanting to take this slow for a lack of desire. That is absolutely not the case.¡±


    She nodded and pulled my hand away from her chest, then rolled over completely to face me, giving me a good eyeful as she did. She wrapped her arm over me and snaked her other one under me, then hugged me tightly. ¡°If every guy was as good as you, Jack, I¡¯d probably have had a much better childhood. Might not be here with you, though. Nah, I think this is better.¡± She hugged me again.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m all that, but I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here, Anna. What say we get some food, then go to the gym?¡±


    She pushed me once more onto my back, then straddled me, sitting up. God, but she was gorgeous. ¡°You sure? I can¡¯t tempt you into staying right here with me?¡±


    I let out a shuddering breath, not wanting to trust my voice. I swallowed and nodded. ¡°I think it would be for the best, Anna.¡±


    She smiled broadly and kissed my lips. ¡°Good. I love a man that can hold to his word.¡± She hopped off me and proceeded to hunt down her clothes, leaving me speechless.

 Chapter Twenty-Four

    I did my best to keep my eyes off of her while she hunted her clothes down. It wasn¡¯t easy, let me tell you. She was humming to herself while she paced around my room on tiptoe, eyes glued to the floor. Totally nude without a care in the world. I closed my eyes and counted, struggling to maintain my composure.


    ¡°Jack? Are you okay?¡± I heard her voice just a few inches away from my ear.


    I opened one eye, then shut it quickly, seeing as she just had her clothes in her hands. ¡°I¡¯m fine, really. Just trying to be respectful.¡±


    She gently took my chin in her hand and tipped my face upwards. ¡°Open your eyes, Jack. Please.¡± When I did, I saw her smile. ¡°I want you to listen, and listen well. You are a total sweetheart, and I really like that about you. However. I don¡¯t want to just date you for a while and move on. I think you¡¯re cute and sweet and handsome, and all that other good stuff, yes. I also think you¡¯re worth sticking around for. I also think you¡¯re worth not only getting to know, but to be with. Like, on a more permanent basis.¡± I could see her pupils dilate as she started breathing a bit heavily. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s my power or something else, and I don¡¯t think I care too much, but I¡¯m wanting to stay with both Beth and you. Like, for serious. I don¡¯t know how else to put it, but something tells me I belong here.¡± She stepped back, planting her fists on her hips, and I could see every bit of her illuminated by the light coming in from the window. ¡°Be respectful of me, yes. But remember also that I want you to see all of me. Enjoying the view doesn¡¯t equate to being disrespectful. As long as you¡¯ve been invited to do so, that is.¡± She smiled and dressed herself under my gaze.


    I sat there on my bed for a long moment, my mind running like mad, struggling to fit this new information into my worldview. It wasn¡¯t easy. Hell, just the fact that I had a (maybe?) girlfriend was so far outside the realm of my experience that I was already struggling to fit her into things properly. And now this?


    I was sure I¡¯d die of information overload.


    But for the moment, I was alive and healthy. I figured it¡¯d be smart to dress and get ourselves to the gym, so that is precisely what I did. I threw some clothes on and checked that she was ready, then opened a door to the Wendy¡¯s down the street.


    ¡°Hungry? My treat. I know I am.¡± I steered us into the restaurant.


    ¡°I could eat something, sure.¡±


    We ordered food, then ate and walked as we talked. She told me that Jennifer was so upset with William that after fussing at him, she stopped speaking to him. I simply shook my head in wonder. I had, after all, agreed to the additional workload. Zack had been a little let down that I hadn¡¯t been in in a couple days, as he was really hoping to continue his training. I smiled inwardly at that. I¡¯d never felt useful to another person like I had here with the Cloud. Hell, the only other person in my life who even accepted me was Lab, and now I had a whole group of people? I didn¡¯t even know how many people were even in the Cloud. I resolved to ask William when I saw him next.


    As we reached the Gym, we had long been finished with breakfast. We threw our trash in the bin outside and walked in.


    Bethany looked surprised. ¡°Jackson? Why are you walking in here? I thought you were going to, you know, pop in.¡±


    ¡°Hi Bethany. We just got to talking, you know? Next thing you know, we¡¯d walked all the way here.¡± I smiled sheepishly and shrugged.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s up to you, I suppose.¡± She came around the counter and held her hands out to Anna. I took a couple of steps back to give them room. ¡°Hi sweetheart. Did you two have a good night?¡± She kissed Anna and raised her eyebrow suggestively, making me snicker.


    Anna turned cherry red. ¡°Well¡­ I think you should ask him if we had a ¡®good night¡¯.¡±


    Bethany turned to face me, an appraising look on her face. ¡°Oh?¡± She walked right up to me, her hands on her hips. She planted herself not two inches from me and looked up into my eyes. ¡°So did you? Did you have a good night with little Anna?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ Well, I¡¯d say so. We watched some TV and then passed out.¡± I shrugged. ¡°I think that¡¯s a good night.¡±


    Anna put her arms around Bethany¡¯s waist from behind, laughing. ¡°That¡¯s exactly it, honey. We watched TV and passed out.¡±


    Bethany turned to face Anna. ¡°Seriously? I thought you-¡±


    Anna silenced her with a kiss. ¡°Relax. He¡¯s an absolutely perfect gentleman. I¡¯ll tell you all about it later.¡± She looked up at me, seeing my raised eyebrow. ¡°If that¡¯s okay, Jack?¡± I saw Bethany¡¯s confused look as she mouthed the name.


    I blinked rapidly, spinning it over in my mind. If the two of them were serious, and she wanted to be serious with me, didn¡¯t Bethany have a right to know if we were ever¡­intimate? ¡°Sure. Makes sense, I guess. Don¡¯t take this the wrong way, Bethany, but I am seriously in the dark over here.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± She looked at Anna. ¡°What does he mean?¡±


    ¡°Again. Later.¡± Her face lit up. ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk it over at dinner? Jack can come over tonight and I can cook that fried chicken you like so much?¡±


    Bethany¡¯s eyes got wide and she smiled. ¡°Are you for real? Like, seriously? Jack, you¡¯re in for a treat! Her fried chicken is the best.¡± She bounced on the balls of her feet.


    Anna cleared her throat. ¡°Sweetheart, Jack is my name for him, okay? Just a head¡¯s up.¡±


    Bethany clapped her hands to her mouth, her face going pink. ¡°Omigod. I¡¯m so sorry, Jackson.¡±


    I laughed and waved it off. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Bethany. Don¡¯t stress over it. I¡¯m certainly not going to. Just let her have that one, ¡®kay?¡±


    Bethany nodded and headed back behind the counter. ¡°Head on in, you two. Jennifer is waiting.¡±


    I nodded and led the way to the elevator, feeling slightly tense. Anna must have noticed.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Jack? You okay?¡± She pushed the down button.


    ¡°I think so? I don¡¯t know how to take all this. The situation between the three of us, I mean. Relationships in general are new ground for me, and this is far outside of what I usually see. I¡¯m not complaining; far from it. It¡¯s just going to take me time to wrap my head around it, is all. And¡­ I dunno, Anna. Just getting a bit overwhelmed, too.¡± I ran a hand through my hair as we entered the small box.


    She wrapped her arms around me, laying her head on my chest. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. I promise. Beth and I will make sure you¡¯re okay and ready to take whatever steps you need to be comfortable. She gets a bit excited and acts before thinking sometimes. That¡¯s all. Come on.¡± The doors opened and she took my hand, lacing our fingers together as she led me to the workout floor.


    Why did that feel so good?


    My thoughts were interrupted as I heard counting coming from what seemed like an entire stadium. We shared a curious look and walked in, only to find a crowd of people surrounding someone, counting what must have been reps.


    ¡°...twelve! Thirteen! Fourteen! Fifteen! Sixteen! Seventeen! Eighteen! Nineteen! Twenty!¡± I heard a loud clank, and the crowd clapped and cheered loudly.


    ¡°Holy shit, that¡¯s crazy! How much was that?¡±


    ¡°Nineteen hundred? I dunno, man.


    My eyes got wide and my breath caught. ¡°Nuh-uh!¡± I ran to the edge of the crowd, shoving people to the side as I got to the front.


    ¡°What the fuck, dude?¡± I put my hands on my hips.


    ¡°Huh? Oh, hey, Jackson! Nice place you got down here. Why didn¡¯t ya tell me you had heavier weights?¡±


    I put my face in my hands. Of fucking course that bastard made his way in here. ¡°Lab, why didn¡¯t you leave me a note or something? Don¡¯t you think this is the kind of information I¡¯d want -no, need- to know?¡±


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s the door guy. How does he know the new guy?¡± Murmurs rippled through the crowd as Anna slipped through to stand beside me.


    ¡°Oh, hey, Labrador! Glad to see you down here, finally. Did Bethany give you any hassle?¡±


    ¡°Nah. Little sweetheart that she is even let me draw the sample myself.¡± He turned to me and planted his fists on his stocky hips. ¡°And I didn¡¯t leave a note because I didn¡¯t know that you were part of the Cloud. Remember? No talking about it and all that jazz? You kept your lips clammed up, and you know I keep mine the same. Dipshit.¡± He shook his head and grinned at me.


    ¡°Fucking bastard. I love you. You know that?¡±


    ¡°Bah. You know, they keep telling me that I¡¯m the Bearer of Iron.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been saying that for three years, Lab. Three of ¡®em. A man just doesn¡¯t get hit by an old farm truck, bounce off of it and the pavement, only to dust himself off without a scratch. You slid at least ten feet that day.¡± More murmurs swept through the crowd.


    ¡°I just have tough skin! That¡¯s all.¡±


    One of the people in the crowd tapped me on the shoulder. I¡¯d not seen him before. ¡°Dude. How do you know him?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re roommates. He took me in three years ago, and has been my only friend ever since. Well¡­ Until I came here, anyway.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡±


    I nodded and smiled. ¡°He¡¯s a good man. You¡¯ll all come to love him, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    I heard someone clear their throat behind me. I flinched involuntarily. ¡°Well. If we¡¯re all done gawking at the new guy, I think we have exercises to do, yes?¡±


    I turned slowly, seeing most of the crowd disperse. ¡°Hi Jennifer. I literally just got here. Didn¡¯t know Lab was part of the Cloud until just now. I¡¯ll head on over to my training area, then.¡± I started to move, but she caught my arm, pulling my attention to her face.


    She searched my eyes for a moment. ¡°Are you okay, Jackson? This is the second time we¡¯ve exhausted you.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Jennifer. I promise. I¡¯m learning the extent of my power, and working to raise that level. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t neglect your body, I won¡¯t fuss. I just wish William had spoken with me beforehand.¡± She released her gentle, if ironlike, grip on my forearm.


    ¡°I promise. I¡¯ll take care of both and learn the last bits of cybersecurity. I¡¯m nearly done with the first part of the course. With what I know so far, I think I might be able to take care of the gym in a few weeks.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re sure. I won¡¯t fuss as long as I see the truth of your words. Go. Train.¡± She waved me off, then turned to face Lab.


    I didn¡¯t envy him in the slightest.


    I reached my corner and snatched up a staff, taking my stance for the kata. Taking a deep breath, I launched into it, as Jennifer gave me minor corrections here and there during my second run-through. Forty-five minutes later, I stopped, panting heavily. My arms felt like lead weights.


    ¡°Why are you stopping? I need you to do it again.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t make it through another kata, Jennifer. Not completely.¡± I leaned heavily on the stone staff.


    ¡°Then fail in the middle.¡±


    My eyes went wide and my belly knotted up. ¡°I, uh¡­ I don¡¯t think so. That¡¯s a bad idea.¡±


    She stepped up to me, her face a blank mask. ¡°Explain yourself.¡±


    ¡°I need to know my limits, right?¡± She nodded. ¡°Here is my limit. Physically? I would fail about two-thirds of the way through. Mentally? I¡¯d go nuts for having not finished. Give me a half hour or so, and I¡¯ll be able to go through it one more time at least.¡±


    ¡°I understand, Jackson. In the meantime,¡± -she turned and cupped her hands around her mouth- ¡°Labrador! Get over here!¡± She stood there, hands on her hips as Lab jogged over.


    ¡°You bellowed?¡±


    She swatted him with a stone-wrapped hand, knocking him prone. ¡°Get up. I need to see how strong your punches are. With Jackson here, we can get a fairly accurate measurement.¡±


    Lab stood, wobbling slightly. After a moment, he shook his head and blinked. ¡°Damn. I¡¯ve not been hit that hard before.¡± He looked over at me. ¡°I ain¡¯t punching him. I¡¯ll kill him.¡±


    ¡°Not him. His doors.¡±


    Realization washed over me. I nodded and made a steel security door, like I had for Zack. Lab nodded and balled up a fist, then punched a hole clean through it, as if it were paper.


    ¡°Got anything sturdier, bud?¡± He grinned.


    For the next half-hour or so, I made door after door. Steel, wood, stone, you name it, I made it, and he put a fist or a foot through it. By the end of it, Lab had to stop, as his hand had swollen to the size of a small football.


    ¡°Jackson? Got anything stronger?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ Just one thing is left in my head. I don¡¯t even know if I can make it.¡±


    ¡°Give it a shot.¡±


    I nodded and took a deep breath, letting the image and the internal workings fill my head. A moment later, I felt an incredible drain on me and looked up as I fell to the ground on my butt.


    I¡¯d done it. I¡¯d made a bank vault door.

 Chapter Twenty-Five

    Lab whistled through his teeth. ¡°Didn¡¯t know you could do that, bud. Y¡¯okay?¡±


    I panted and stood, using the staff to haul myself up. ¡°Yeah. Damn, but that took a lot out of me.¡±


    ¡°Heh. I bet. Is it just the door? Or does it lead somewhere?¡± Lab quirked an eyebrow at me.


    ¡°Just the door, man. A pair of these would have me on my ass for a whole week, I bet.¡±


    Jennifer nodded and began pacing around the door, experimentally pushing and prodding it. ¡°That¡¯s impressive, Jackson. Looks like it took a fair bit out of you. You good?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Will be after I eat something.¡±


    ¡°Go. Grab a bite, take a break and come back. Labrador? Let¡¯s talk.¡± She walked off, leaving the pair of us standing there. Lab and I shrugged at each other, then went our separate ways.


    As I headed down the hallway to the elevator that led to the main lobby, I wondered at the door I¡¯d just made. Sure, it was several thousand pounds of steel and associated bits and bobs inside, but it also happened to be one of the biggest and heaviest doors I could think of. I was glad that maintaining a door or a Link was fairly trivial as long as it was just the one.


    As I reached the main lobby, I heard Bethany speaking to someone. I knocked on the door and opened it. ¡°Hi Bethany.¡±


    She turned, a smile on her face. ¡°Hi Jackson! Are you leaving already?¡±


    ¡°Just going for lunch. You want anything?¡±


    ¡°Where from?¡± She cocked her head to the side.


    ¡°Just going to Wendy¡¯s. It¡¯s quick and easy, usually. Unless you have a better idea?¡±


    She got an odd gleam in her eye. ¡°Maybe Al¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Al¡¯s? Man, it¡¯s been awhile since I went there. Alright. I¡¯ll hit the one over on Wells. I think I know a couple of the folks there, still. How do you like yours?¡±


    ¡°Dry on the side, hot and provolone? With a large fry?¡±


    ¡°You got it. Back in a few.¡±


    She made a happy noise and thanked me as I shut the door. I opened a door to the outside of the restaurant and stepped out onto Wells St. only to find that the place had apparently just been robbed.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    I spun around to face the voice. ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°What the fuck are you doing over there? Get back here behind the tape, asshole!¡±


    I looked around me, seeing yellow plastic tape that said ¡°Police Line. Do Not Cross.¡± I nodded and walked to the other side of the tape. ¡°Sorry, man. Won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    The cop, a portly man with a pronounced limp on his right side, waddled up to me, baton in his hand. ¡°Why were you on that side, huh? You trying to make my job harder, pal?


    I held my hands up in a placating gesture. ¡°No, dude. I just got lost in thought, didn¡¯t pay any attention to where I was going. That¡¯s all.¡±


    He poked me in the chest with his baton. ¡°You best get the hell outta here, kid. If you know what¡¯s good for ya.¡±


    I snorted and opened a door to the location on Clark. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll go to the one on Clark, then.¡±


    The cop¡¯s look of surprise was priceless as I shut the door in his face.


    I looked out at a sea of people as the door dissolved behind me. The little triangular spit of land between rivers of traffic didn¡¯t have much real estate to put a door on, but it was doable. I walked into the restaurant, and placed mine and Bethany¡¯s order.


    Fucking cops, man. Ever since I got out of the government school, it seemed as if I¡¯d been almost targeted by cops. Not my fault I¡¯d never learned any useful real-life skills in school. No, all I¡¯d learned how to do was run from a bully and keep my head down. Once I got out, I was pretty much all on my own. Parents hadn¡¯t even come to my graduation. With nowhere to go and nobody to go to, I lived on the streets. Cops had always been nearby to push me along somewhere else. Nobody wanted any homeless people near them. After being harassed by them for several years, I¡¯d grown an appreciable dislike and mistrust of them. As I stood there waiting, my arms crossed, a pair of uniformed police officers walked in and approached me.


    ¡°Can I help you boys?¡±


    ¡°We got a call about a disturbance here by a guy fitting your description.¡±


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡±


    The taller of the two raised an eyebrow at me. ¡°You wanna repeat that?¡±


    I stood up straighter, and glared at the cop. ¡°I said, no, you did not. You couldn¡¯t have received a report about a disturbance here, much less about a guy matching my description and gotten here in less than five minutes. You¡¯re lying. What happened was you got a call from some fatass beat pig down on Wells about a guy that accidentally walked behind some police tape, then disappeared saying he was going to the Al¡¯s on Clark. That¡¯s what happened. I know you¡¯re cops and all, and it might be difficult for you, but tell the truth, or don¡¯t bother talking to me.¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t think you should take that tone with us.¡± I saw the shorter one slowly lower his hand toward his weapon.


    ¡°Listen, pal. I don¡¯t like cops. I¡¯ll take whatever tone I feel is needed when I speak to you, and I don¡¯t think reaching for your weapon is a good idea.¡±


    The clerk placed a pair of white paper bags on the counter, then backed off. ¡°Now. If you two will excuse me, I¡¯m going to take my lunch and go home.¡± I reached for the food, and two tasers were immediately pointed at me.


    ¡°Sir, put that down and come with us.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± The front of their weapons fell off, a pair of tiny doors in place of the muzzle. ¡°I don¡¯t think I will.¡± The cops took an involuntary step back, staring at their ruined tasers.


    ¡°What the fuck did you do?¡± The tall one¡¯s hand was shaking slightly as he looked beyond his weapon, into my face.


    ¡°Warned you. That¡¯s what I did. I¡¯ve done nothing wrong today, and you two have no right to accost me. Pick up the pieces of your toys and walk away.¡±


    I heard the short cop start to breathe harder, and sighed internally as he reached again, this time for his pistol. ¡°Put your hands up!¡± When he pulled, all he got was the grip, the rest of his sidearm still in the holster. ¡°What the?¡±


    ¡°Sir, I¡¯d suggest you two leave, because I¡¯m about to.¡±


    The smaller of the two put his hand on his partner¡¯s bicep, pushing himself to the front. ¡°What did you do? What are you? Who are you?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Nothing. Human. None of your goddamn business. Goodbye, gentlemen.¡± I opened a trapdoor beneath me and fell into the office behind Bethany, dissolving it as quickly as I could. Hearing the noise, Bethany opened the office door a moment later, seeing me on my knees.


    ¡°Jackson? What the hell happened? Are you okay?¡±


    I groaned and stood up with her assistance. ¡°Fucking cops. I can¡¯t stand them. Here¡¯s your lunch, Bethany.¡± I handed her the bag, which she took hesitantly.


    ¡°Cops? Jackson, you need to explain yourself.¡±


    I nodded and motioned to the lobby. She headed out, placing her bag on the counter, then gestured to a second seat. ¡°Have a seat, Jackson. Let¡¯s eat and talk.¡±


    I gratefully sat down beside her and we started eating. After a few bites, I recounted the experience. ¡°Can¡¯t stand those pricks. Always overreacting, always abusing their authority, always assuming they¡¯re right. Then they kill you and get away with no repercussions. Fuck ¡®em.¡± I savagely tore a bite off my sandwich, chewing angrily.


    ¡°Check on the scene, Jackson. Make sure there isn¡¯t anything to tie you there.¡±


    I sighed. Al¡¯s certainly had cameras. Just like everywhere else. ¡°Goddamn cameras. Alright. Gimme a few. I¡¯ll take care of any evidence. Won¡¯t be as clean as Tekky, but it¡¯ll get the job done.¡±


    Bethany nodded and watched as I opened several peepholes in rapid succession, searching for the office at Al¡¯s. I saw the cops talking to the manager, and then I followed him back to the office. The cops didn¡¯t follow, which was to my benefit.


    ¡°Hang on, Bethany. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± She nodded, and I ducked into the office behind her.


    I opened a small door to the office at Al¡¯s, and stuck my torso through, startling the manager. Quickly, I covered his mouth to stifle any screams.


    ¡°Shh. Dude, look. I ain¡¯t hurt nobody, I ain¡¯t stole nothing and I ain¡¯t about to. Okay? I won¡¯t even hurt you, either. Will you listen to me?¡± He nodded and I removed my hand from his mouth.


    ¡°Who are you? How are you doing that?¡±


    ¡°Not important right now, dude. Look. Does your camera system back up to the cloud?¡±


    ¡°No, man. Just a tape and an internal backup.¡±


    ¡°Can you erase the footage from the past two hours? Make it look like your system is on the fritz?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but why? The cops want it.¡±


    ¡°Because fuck them, that¡¯s why. Look man, they¡¯re just looking for something to get me on, and I haven¡¯t done anything wrong. I got lost in my thoughts and wound up behind the caution tape at a robbery scene, then came to this location because I wanted a Polish sausage that badly.¡±


    ¡°Wait. The location over on Wells got hit?¡± He put a hand on my arm, concern etched on his face.


    ¡°Yeah man. I¡¯d just arrived and the fatass beat pig started fussing at me, so I came here. Why? Is something going on?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say. There¡¯s not many Al¡¯s left that haven''t been knocked over in the past year. We were hit last month.¡±


    I cocked my head to the side. ¡°Really? Tell you what. Get rid of the last two hours of footage however you can, and I¡¯ll see if I can¡¯t nab whoever¡¯s doing this. Deal?¡±


    The manager pursed his lips and nodded. ¡°Alright. On one condition.¡±


    ¡°Spit it out, man.¡±


    The man closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. ¡°Let me take a crack at them before you turn them over to the law. They hurt my daughter last month.¡± There was a fire in his eyes that I could well appreciate.


    ¡°How bad?¡±


    He clenched his hands, and I could hear his knuckles popping. ¡°She¡¯s still in the hospital. Doc says she¡¯ll be fine, but I¡¯ll be damned if some fucking punk is gonna get away with hurting my little girl.¡±


    I stuck out my hand and he shook it warmly. ¡°Deal.¡± I pointed up at the security system. ¡°The tape?¡±


    He jerked slightly, and nodded, clicking away at the system. A couple of minutes later, he turned to me and nodded. ¡°Done. The time from after the cops took the footage from yesterday up to right now is gone. Unrecoverable.¡± He pointed a finger in my face. ¡°You get those bastards, kid. You hear me?¡±


    I nodded solemnly. ¡°Loud and clear, sir. Loud and clear.¡± I ducked back into the office and let the door vanish.


    I popped out of the office a moment later, resuming my seat beside Bethany. ¡°Taken care of. That footage is now gone, and I have a job to do.¡± I took a bite of my cooling sausage.


    Bethany shook her head. ¡°You know you aren¡¯t ready, Jackson. Why did you antagonize the cops?¡±


    I sighed and pushed my food away, irritation replacing my appetite. ¡°Because from the time I got out of that fucking school until the literal day I moved in with Lab, cops have been hounding and harassing me. All because I was homeless. Homeless people don¡¯t have rights, apparently. Not to privacy, not to consideration, not to politeness, nothing. And the cops only show up to hassle us. Never to check on our welfare. Never to make sure we¡¯re okay, or when we¡¯ve been robbed or beaten. We¡¯re invisible, Bethany.¡± I sighed and stared at my hands. My voice dropped to a soft whisper. ¡°Nobody sees us. Not really. And when they do? It¡¯s just as a curiosity. Nothing more.¡±


    I sat there a few minutes longer than I intended to, both of us silent and in our own thoughts, but eventually got up. I boxed up the last of my lunch and turned to Bethany, who hadn¡¯t moved since I started talking. ¡°Mind if I leave this here? I¡¯ll grab it before I leave.¡±


    Her voice was soft and distant. ¡°Sure, Jackson. I¡¯ll see you when you get done down there.¡±


    I nodded my thanks and turned my steps back toward my gym and the stone staff that awaited me.

 Chapter Twenty-Six

    I went back downstairs and into the corner that I used to practice. Silently, I hefted the staff and made myself ready to step through the kata. Just as I took my first step, I heard Jennifer behind me.


    ¡°Jackson. We need to talk.¡±


    I was yanked from my focus and stumbled. Catching myself, I turned to face her. ¡°Yes? Have I done something?¡±


    She stood there, her arms crossed, staring at me impassively, chewing on the inside of her cheek. After a moment more of quiet, she gave a minute nod of her head. ¡°Come with me. You¡¯re going to learn something a little different today.¡± She turned on her heel and walked back to the offices on this floor.


    I sighed softly and placed the staff back on the rack and followed her as quickly as I could. She was quick for a small woman. Idly, I wondered just what she would have to teach me back in the offices. Eventually, we wound up in a small meeting room with a long table, and we were not alone. Five other members were there, including Zack, Anna and Tekky.


    She closed the door as I walked in. ¡°Everyone else here? Good. Jackson, why don¡¯t you get us up to speed?¡± Jennifer took a seat at the far end of the table, leaving a single seat open by the door.


    ¡°I¡­ uh¡­ What?¡± My eyes darted around the room as I felt my body temperature rise. I began backing toward the door.


    Zack stood up. ¡°Dude, chill. Take a seat and then take a breath. As far as I¡¯m aware, you¡¯re not in any trouble. Jennifer?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right, Jackson. You¡¯re in no actual trouble, though we will be discussing a few things in private with William. Please. Sit.¡± She gestured to the open chair directly across from her.


    ¡°Um¡­ yeah. Okay.¡± I sat between the two unknown members. ¡°What, uh¡­ what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Zack spoke up first. ¡°I¡¯m hoping you can shed some light on that, actually. See, we¡¯ve been watching some interesting patterns lately, and it just so happens that the place you went for lunch today is involved.¡±


    My eyebrows bunched together. ¡°Al¡¯s?¡±


    The man on my right nodded. ¡°Yeah. Seems that location is just the latest in a long string of robberies. If you could tell us what you saw, that¡¯d help us out.¡±


    I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose, taking a deep breath. ¡°Hang- hang on. Let me get this straight.¡± I looked at the man who just spoke. He had a slightly hooked nose and a wicked-looking scar that ran down his left side that puckered up that side of his face. ¡°Al¡¯s Italian Beef is just the latest in a string of robberies?¡± He nodded. ¡°And since I was at the location that just got hit over on Wells, you think I might have some information?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, kid. I heard you have a memory for stuff, so if you saw anything out of the ordinary, that¡¯d be a big help.¡±


    I sat and ran the event through my mind once more, checking every detail that I could see, and came up with nothing. ¡°Nothing out of the ordinary, really. What details do we have? Maybe I could spot something?¡±


    The woman to my left slid a thick binder over to me. ¡°Here is everything we have so far. Before you go digging in, tell us what happened. From the time you left here to the time you got back.¡±


    I pulled the binder in front of me and began to recount my experience. From walking through the door and being yelled at by the fatass, to the pair of morons at the other location, all the way up to the conversation I had with the manager. ¡°...and that¡¯s when I figured that if the guy was telling the truth, I could help him, and it ensured his silence and kept me out of the public record.¡± I looked down the table at Tekky. ¡°I know I¡¯m not ready for the front, but I can handle some punk thieves in the night. I¡¯ve done it before.¡±


    The woman to my left cleared her throat. ¡°Jackson? Do you know why you¡¯re not ready for the ¡®front¡¯, as it were?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m assuming it has to do with my relative lack of experience.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s only part of the equation. The rest of it is sitting in this room.¡±


    ¡°I-wha?¡± I looked around, seeing four people I at least knew of, and two that I¡¯d never met.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how to work as part of a team, son.¡± The man on my right placed a large hand on my forearm. ¡°And that¡¯s okay. We just can¡¯t have you going all vigilante on us. If you really want to be part of The Grey Cloud, you¡¯ll have to learn how to be part of a team. Remember, kid: You¡¯re not alone anymore.¡± He sat back and motioned to the binder. ¡°Show me that memory of yours. I want to know what you might be able to see that we haven¡¯t yet.¡±


    I stared at him for a long moment, my breath coming in shallow gulps. After a moment, I shook myself back to reality and nodded. ¡°Okay. One shocker coming up.¡±


    Over the next fifteen minutes, I flipped rapidly through the binder, scanning each page. Maybe five minutes in, I had begun to notice a pattern. After about ten minutes, it became clearer. By the last page, along with my recent encounter not even an hour ago, I was sure of it.


    ¡°Damn, that was fast. And you¡¯ve memorized all that?¡±


    ¡°Yes sir. Every last word, every photo, every detail. You wanna quiz me?¡± I pushed the binder to him.


    ¡°No! Good god, no. That¡¯s not what I¡¯m all about, son. You say you got it, I¡¯ll believe you.¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    I breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Thanks, man. Tell me. What is it you guys are thinking of?¡±


    The group was silent for a long moment, then Zack opened a folder. ¡°Look, all we know for certain is that this person or group has hit fourteen different restaurant chains, but beyond that there isn¡¯t a pattern that we can see.¡± He eyed me suspiciously. ¡°What have you got cooking up in your head, man? We spent too long together in school for me to not know you have something going on.¡±


    The man to my right perked up. ¡°You two went to school together?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yep. He kicked my ass nearly every day for about five years.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Zack, I expected better out of you than to be a bully.¡±


    ¡°Liam, it was years ago, and-¡±


    I held a hand up. ¡°It was years ago, yes. Zack was a child. Am I over it? Kinda. Do I trust him? Not completely. Will I still work with him? Absolutely. I don¡¯t want to relive the past any more than he does, so I''d like to move past this bit of information. Is that okay with you, Liam?¡±


    Liam sat back and crossed his arms. ¡°I suppose. But we will be discussing this later, Zack. Understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Zack huffed softly and after a beat, he picked up where he¡¯d left off. ¡°So. As I was saying. You got an idea that we don¡¯t. What is it?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°I want to know what you guys have first. I just have a memory. Nothing more. I also don¡¯t want to present something to you that you¡¯ve already dismissed.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense, Jackson.¡± Jennifer piped up. ¡°So far, we¡¯ve come up with the following:


    ¡°First, this might be the work of a group that simply hates the idea of fast food. Some sort of eco-terrorist organization. Since they¡¯ve hit places that serve processed food, it might suggest a desire to force others to a more intimate, family-oriented lifestyle.¡±


    I nodded as she spoke. It wasn¡¯t an unworthy goal, but it was definitely poorly-executed.


    ¡°Second, this might be someone who has a personal vendetta against the franchises in question. What better way to get back at them than to disrupt their operations?


    ¡°Third, we might be dealing with someone who just wants to spread chaos. I mean, if you can¡¯t eat at your favorite lunch spot after a shitty day because some jerk robbed the place, you might wind up doing some shitty things.¡± She shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯ve got so far.¡±


    I nodded. It all sounded possible. However, one thing, one detail that I¡¯d seen might be what they¡¯d been missing. ¡°Who is the one in charge here? Which one of you is calling the shots?¡±


    Jennifer spoke up again, motioning to the woman on my left. ¡°That¡¯d be Lydia. She¡¯s the director for this team.¡±


    I turned to her. ¡°Would you ask Marie to send herself to the Al¡¯s location over on Wells? Tell her to look for a receipt stapled or pinned or somehow fastened to the side of the middle cash register? I have a hunch.¡±


    She eyed me up and down. ¡°Okay, hotshot. One moment.¡± Lydia put her hand on the wall behind us, and I felt a high-pitched vibration echo through the room. It lasted all of five seconds before she folded her hands atop each other and nodded. ¡°She¡¯s on her way. Be about two minutes.¡±


    I blinked in confusion and waited. Sure enough, two minutes later, Marie walked into the office, seemingly upset.


    ¡°Lydia! I thought I told you not to ever call me when I¡¯m in the bathroom! Do you know how creepy that is?¡± She must have noticed the confusion on my face. ¡°Lydia here can control vibrations and sound, Jackson. She¡¯s able to send a message to anyone she wants here in the Cloud, and make it seem like she¡¯s right fucking next to you.¡±


    ¡°Jackson here has a request of you, Marie.¡±


    Marie put her hands on her hips and turned her glare on me. ¡°What is it?¡±


    I took a deep breath. ¡°First, I¡¯d like to apologize for bothering you while you¡¯re in the bathroom. Second, would you please send yourself to the Al¡¯s over on Wells and see if there is a receipt affixed to the side of the middle cash register? I need as much information and detail as you can give me, please.¡±


    She knitted her eyebrows together. ¡°A receipt? You bothered me to go see if you left your receipt at the restaurant?¡± She leaned down close to me, boring a hole in my face with her glare. ¡°If this is some bullshit prank, Jackson, I¡¯m going to feed you to the lake. Am I clear?¡±


    I leaned away from her icy stare. ¡°It¡¯s no prank, Marie. I swear. It¡¯s also not going to be a receipt for Al¡¯s. It¡¯ll be for another restaurant. They¡¯ve brought me in for an investigation, and I¡¯ve got a bead on something. I wanna make sure I¡¯m right before I present my theory.¡±


    She poked me in the chest, punctuating her words. ¡°You¡¯d better be, or so help me¡­¡± She grumbled and sat herself in the corner, drawing her knees up to her chest, resting her arms on them, and lay her head down. Soon, all we could hear was her steady breathing. I opened the binder to a fresh page, and sat it down beside her, along with a pen, then settled back in my chair to wait.


    Anna cocked her head to the side. ¡°How do you know it¡¯ll be for another restaurant?¡±


    ¡°Not only will it be for somewhere else, but it¡¯ll be for a total of $6.50. Cash.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Anna stood up and leaned forward on her hands. ¡°You can¡¯t possibly know it¡¯ll be for that much, Jack. That makes you look suspicious.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I can see that. I¡¯m asking you to trust me. I¡¯ll lay out the rest of my theory when Marie gets back.¡±


    I put my face in my hands, putting some pressure on my eyeballs. God, I was tired. I knew the request was odd, and my statement made me look suspicious, but I was fairly sure of myself.


    After a few minutes more of tense silence, Marie came to, seeing the binder and the blank page. She picked up the pen and started writing. ¡°You were right, Jackson. There was a receipt there, but it was for Milo¡¯s Mediterranean Bistro, of all places. Here.¡± She handed me the binder. ¡°I¡¯ve written down all I could remember. Sorry it took so long. The cops had already bagged it, and were packing it away.¡±


    ¡°How had it been attached to the register?¡±


    ¡°A small knife. Like maybe two inches long. Just poked right into the screen. Damndest thing I¡¯ve ever seen. Anyway, if you guys are done with me, I¡¯d like to finish my workout.¡± She turned to Lydia. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever talk to me like that again, Lydia.¡± She turned and stomped out of the office, slamming the door as she went.


    All eyes were on me as I scanned the information she had written down. I was right. The total had been $6.50.


    ¡°I know where they¡¯re going next.¡±

 Chapter Twenty-Seven

    Everyone started talking at once - Jennifer was demanding how I guessed the restaurant, Zack wanted to know where we were going, and Lydia and Liam were both asking about the binder. I raised my hands for quiet.


    After a moment, I got it. ¡°Okay. First, I¡¯ll tell you how I knew about the receipt. From there, I can tell you what is on the receipt that¡¯s so important. And we¡¯ll go from there. Okay?¡± Five heads nodded, and I launched into my findings. ¡°After going through these images -and I don¡¯t wanna know how we got them- I saw a pattern with the receipts. They were always attached to the center register if there were three, or the farthest one from the main door, otherwise. Having been to the Al¡¯s on Wells several times, I know that they only have three registers. Now-¡±


    Liam spoke up, ¡°Sorry, Jackson. But, I have to know something: How did you put together a plan or a pattern or whatever the fuck you did after looking at a binder with over a year¡¯s worth of data in just fifteen minutes? And you didn¡¯t even read any of it! Just glanced at it and went on.¡± He shook his head in bewilderment.


    ¡°Oh. Sorry. I¡¯ve got a photographic memory. It¡¯s not as fun as it sounds¡ªI basically can¡¯t forget stuff. Comes in handy sometimes, though.¡± I smiled and nodded my head. ¡°May I continue?¡±


    ¡°Shit. That¡¯s crazy. Sorry, yes. Please do.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. As I was saying, I noticed that each restaurant chain gets hit twice in a week. Some -like Portillo¡¯s and Malnatti¡¯s- get hit at different locations around the city. There¡¯s a lot of them around. There¡¯s also something of a pattern in the order, too. There¡¯s fourteen chains getting hit, and each chain is hit twice a week, but they rotate.¡±


    Anna cleared her throat. ¡°So, you mean to say that there are fourteen chain restaurants and there¡¯s a rotation to who gets hit?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± There was an order to the robberies, but not exactly a pattern that I could see. ¡°See, Al¡¯s got hit today. Yesterday, it was Milo¡¯s. The day before, it was Portillo¡¯s. But since there¡¯s fourteen chains and seven days a week? It gets a bit dicey trying to figure out where they¡¯re going.¡±


    Jennifer nodded. ¡°So that¡¯s how they¡¯ve gotten away with it for so long.¡±


    ¡°Yep. They don¡¯t stay in one place or area of the city for longer than a day. Two, max.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Lydia look confused. ¡°I thought you said you knew where they were going next. And how did you figure that out?¡±


    I was pretty sure of their next location. Only problem was, I didn¡¯t know which one. ¡°Right. What did Marie tell us was holding the receipt to the register?¡±


    ¡°A knife? So what? Plenty of people carry knives.¡± Zack sat back in his chair and shoved his hands in his pockets.


    ¡°True! But. Only one place on the list has a knife that the customers would use.¡±


    Liam and Lydia both spoke up at the same time. ¡°O¡¯Hara¡¯s!¡±


    I snapped my fingers and pointed at them, feeling excitement bubbling up inside me. Was this what it felt like to be part of a team? ¡°Bingo! O¡¯Hara¡¯s Steakhouse and Brewery is next. Only trouble is, I don¡¯t know when these folks are striking. And yes, I¡¯m certain it¡¯s more than one. The timing just can¡¯t work otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Well, O¡¯Hara¡¯s has what? Three locations in Chicago? Can¡¯t be that hard to keep an eye on ¡®em, can it?¡± Zack had shifted and was leaning on the table.


    ¡°Nine. O¡¯Hara¡¯s has nine locations in Chicago. This is a big city, son. Remember that.¡± Liam had a broad grin on his face.


    Zack grinned. ¡°Nine? Can¡¯t be that hard to cover all of them.¡±


    Liam chuckled, leaning forward. ¡°Trust me, kid. In a city like this? Nine¡¯s enough to give us a serious headache.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Jennifer pointed at me. ¡°This still doesn¡¯t explain how you knew the receipt was for Milo¡¯s and that it would be for $6.50.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. How did you know that, Jack?¡±


    ¡°Well, over at Milo¡¯s, they used a receipt from Portillo¡¯s for $6.55, stuck to the register with a toothpick from Al¡¯s.¡± Al¡¯s used a very distinctive toothpick to hold their sandwiches together, and when I saw that in the pictures? I knew.


    Zack blinked, his brow furrowing as something clicked in his head. ¡°It¡¯s a countdown, ain¡¯t it?¡±


    There it was. The realization was written all over his face, like he couldn¡¯t quite believe he got there first. ¡°There we go. Exactly, Zack. It¡¯s a fucking countdown. I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re counting down to, but it can¡¯t be good.¡±


    He beamed a broad smile at me. I watched as Jennifer raised an eyebrow at Zack, a smirk tugging at her lips. "What, you finally got something right, huh? About damn time."


    Zack shot her a look, clearly trying to play it cool. "Yeah, well, can''t be a dumbass all the time."


    We discussed the situation a bit further for another hour or so. From what locations of the stores had already been hit to just which O¡¯Hara¡¯s they were going to hit next. Also on the list were just who was going to go and watch which place. We couldn¡¯t very well set a 24/7 watch over the restaurants. That would certainly tip off the culprits. With only five of us -since for reasons I still didn¡¯t know, Jennifer absolutely refused to go do field work- for some fifty or sixty total restaurants, to say we would be stretched thin was a serious understatement.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    In the end, it was decided that Zack and Liam would take a few stakeout shifts at a couple of O¡¯Hara¡¯s. As we left, I could practically feel Zack¡¯s excitement at the prospect of watching for action.


    ¡°Oh man! I can¡¯t wait to finally crack this thing wide open! Who do you think it is, Liam? Some wannabe who couldn¡¯t make it in the Alliance? Maybe some rogue super who just happens to be really smart?¡± He was bouncing on the balls of his feet, shadowboxing as we left the office.


    Liam chuckled good-naturedly. ¡°Look, Zack. I don¡¯t wanna burst your bubble of enthusiasm here, but a stakeout at a steakhouse is gonna be boring. You¡¯d best be ready to sit and do absolutely nothing for hours at a time. Lemme guess: All you¡¯ve done up to now is nab a bad guy or two in the act of a robbery or some other crime, yeah?¡± When Zack nodded, Liam continued. ¡°The work we supers hafta do is sometimes the most mundane and boring shit there is. The cops take care of traffic shit and sometimes secure a scene before a super can arrive and do his or her job. They sometimes do rescues, but it¡¯s usually us out there putting our lives on the line. They aren¡¯t equipped to do most of what we do, and we need to keep it that way. We got regulations and rules and shit we gotta follow and they get what? Ten weeks at a training camp? Pfft. Ain¡¯t the same. Come on. I¡¯m gonna grill ya on how to properly do a steakhouse stakeout.¡± He led Zack off, presumably to another office.


    I followed behind the others, heading back out to the workout floor. Jennifer split off, headed to a different area than usual, while Anna and Lydia headed deeper into the maze of offices, presumably to the showers.


    Figuring I could get at least one more round of my new kata in, I went to my usual corner and hefted my staff. As I let my body run through the steps of the exercise, I focused my mind more on the upcoming stakeouts. I¡¯d no idea which O¡¯Hara¡¯s Liam and Zack would be watching, so I couldn¡¯t process anything any farther than that. What I could do, and did, was speculate on just who it was committing these crimes.


    I found it difficult to believe that it could be a disgruntled employee. It was highly unlikely that anyone had worked at all these restaurants. Equally unlikely was the idea it was anyone even remotely connected with them. What was left? Eco-terrorists? PETA nutjobs?


    Whomever it was, we needed to figure it out and fast.


    I finished my kata and placed my staff back onto the weapon rack. Deciding I was done for the day, I made my way back to the front office. On my way, I passed by the boxing ring, where Jennifer was sparring with Lab. Watching her dance literal circles around him was amusing, as he couldn¡¯t connect even once with anything he threw at her.


    ¡°All¡¯s I¡¯m saying is that we should at least talk about what happened, Jen.¡± He nimbly dodged a kick aimed for his face.


    ¡°And I¡¯m telling you that it doesn¡¯t matter, Labrador. There are more important things to deal with right now than some outburst you had years ago.¡± She punched him clean in the nose, snapping his head back.


    ¡°But-¡± He saw me and cut off. Jennifer saw his distraction and capitalized on it, landing a kick to the side of his face that sent him to the floor.


    ¡°Pay attention, dammit!¡± She walked over and reached down with both hands, lifting my stout roommate easily. ¡°If you can¡¯t focus on what''s in front of you, you die. Again.¡± She put her hands up in a defensive posture and awaited his attack. ¡°Hit me, Labrador!¡±


    I continued on, feeling like I¡¯d unintentionally eavesdropped enough. I made my way upstairs, knocking on the outer door before opening it.


    ¡°Hi Bethany. Just me. I¡¯m headed home for the evening. What time should I be back for dinner?¡±


    She jerked slightly, then faced me. ¡°Jackson! I¡¯ll check with Anna and have her message you? We eat pretty much whenever.¡± She beamed a bright smile at me.


    ¡°Okay. That sounds good, Bethany. I¡¯ll see you tonight. Want me to just pop in here in the office, or outside?¡±


    ¡°Come into the office. Message Anna before you come, and one of us will be down to meet you.¡±


    I nodded, yawning as I grabbed my leftovers. ¡°Sounds good. I¡¯ll see you tonight.¡± I shut the door and opened a door to Wendy¡¯s, then a second to my room. I walked in and set the leftovers down on my nightstand, then sat in my chair for the first of my extra exercises in making doors. I opened a full size door to the alleyway I had disappeared down in Japan, following it up with another pair directly next to it that opened to the ledge of the roof on the Mirleson building. The spike of pain that assaulted me was hideous, but short-lived. I sat there for a few minutes as I felt my energy deplete. I took a risk and opened a peephole on the telephone pole near my first set of doors, making sure nobody was near my doors. A few minutes more found me going cross-eyed, and I stood, releasing the peephole. Eventually, it got to be too much, and I wound up collapsing on the bed after releasing both pairs of doors. A short nap wouldn¡¯t hurt, especially after the day¡¯s excitement.


    **********


    I woke up in the stone room once more. This was almost annoying. Why did I keep waking up in the exact same place when I came here? It almost seemed to be by design, somehow. I shook my head and opened a door to the trees by the river, only to find that the sky had opened up and was dumping buckets of rain on the area. Funny how I couldn¡¯t hear it through the stone walls.


    Not willing to get wet, I opted to instead harvest some of the flowers from the nearby trees. Looking around, I spied none of the aromatic blossoms, nor could I smell their heady aroma. What I found instead were the fruits that had been described in the report William had shown me.


    The fruit of the tree was large, about the size of a personal watermelon, and a deep, vibrant blue color. I plucked one off the tree and felt the skin give ever so slightly. It weighed at least four pounds, and the bit of stem on it smelled absolutely heavenly. Similar to the flower from before, but this time with a hint of vanilla. I stepped back into the stone room and let the door dissolve, seating myself against one of the cool walls.


    Gingerly, I took a small bite of the fruit, feeling the flesh part with some resistance. A burst of sweetness cascaded over my tongue. The flesh was juicy, sweet and tart, tasting like a mixture of honey, peaches and something else I couldn¡¯t quite place. Beneath it all were the subtle flavors from the flower that this fruit once was.


    I slurped some more of the flesh through the small hole I had bitten into the fruit, chewing appreciatively. Pulling back, I took a long hard look at the interior of the fruit, noting for the first time that it was a deep, vibrant emerald green. I could feel the muscles in my jaw quivering from the sweet and tangy juice. Deciding that I should go ahead and finish the fruit, I tore into it with an insatiable hunger, finding after a few minutes of noisy chewing, a large pit in the center, shaped like an almond. I opened a door to the river and washed my hands clean of the sweet juice. I then took the seed and buried it a few inches deep near the bank.


    As I stood to go back to the stone room, I felt an odd pulsing sensation in my chest. It was a counterpoint to my own heartbeat; strong, steady, and unmistakably insistent. This sensation was just like what I had experienced from eating the flowers, only ten times more powerful.


    As I stepped through the door I¡¯d opened, I felt like my entire body was vibrating, and once I let the door disappear, I fell through the floor-


    -and woke in my bed with a jolt.


    Groggy, I picked up my phone and flicked it on. I¡¯d just been asleep for an hour.

 Chapter Twenty-Eight

    Blinking away sleep, I stood and stretched. A shower was in order before I went to dinner, so I grabbed a towel and headed to the bathroom, stopping short when I caught my reflection in the mirror.


    My lips were stained green.


    Concerned, I called William.


    ¡°Jackson?¡±


    ¡°Hey. Yeah, there¡¯s been a development, man.¡±


    ¡°Lay it on me.¡±


    So, I told him about the dream. How the fruit was ripe, its flavor, size, the type of seed it bore, and how I had woken up with my lips and teeth stained with the juice.


    ¡°I see. Are there any ill effects? Nausea? Jitters? Cramps?¡±


    ¡°Well, no. Hang on. I did feel an odd vibrating sensation in my chest afterwards, but it seems to be gone, now.¡±


    ¡°Vibrating? Explain.¡±


    ¡°Kind of like a sugar high mixed with being over-caffeinated. Like my heart was about to beat out of my chest, but it wasn¡¯t my heart that was pounding. It was something else. I dunno how to describe it. Kind of freaky, man.¡±


    ¡°Keep me updated, Jackson. Was there anything else?¡±


    I racked my brain, recalling the walk on the pier several days ago. ¡°Actually there is one more thing. How¡­ How trustworthy is No-Face?¡±


    ¡°No-Face? Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°Well, I might have had a beer with him a few days ago.¡±


    ¡°Hang on. What?¡±


    I gave him the run-down of the encounter. ¡°And then I came home and passed out. It was rather weird to actually meet the man.¡±


    ¡°I can imagine. I¡¯ve never even met him. Kind of jealous, if I¡¯m honest. But as for your question? Yeah. He will do exactly as he says. If he says he¡¯ll leave you alone, he¡¯ll leave you alone. If he says he¡¯ll kill you, he will kill you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely keep that in mind. I¡¯ll also not speak of that meeting again. You and Lab are the only other people I¡¯ve talked to about it.¡±


    ¡°Probably for the best. Was there another subject you needed assistance with?¡±


    ¡°No, sir. I¡¯m going to get a shower and get ready for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Jackson. Remember: I¡¯m here to talk if you need.¡±


    The line went dead before I could reply. I guess he was just busy. I cleared my head and turned on the shower, intending to let the water carry my concerns down the drain. Ten minutes later, I was clean and clear-headed. I got myself dressed and sat back down at my computer to squeeze another hour or so out of my learning.


    Unfortunately, forty-five minutes was all that I got. My phone buzzed and I checked it. Anna said that dinner was ready. I replied, then stashed my phone, stood and slipped on a pair of sneakers, then opened a door to the back lot of the Wendy¡¯s again, then to the office. Bethany was waiting for me. She looked rather cute in her low-cut top and capris.


    ¡°Follow me, Jackson. Dinner is just about ready.¡± She took my hand and led me to the elevator, where she pressed the second basement button. ¡°So. Tell me something?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Sure.¡±


    ¡°Are you gonna run away?¡±


    I screwed up my face in confusion. ¡°What? Why the hell would I run away? I¡¯ve actually got friends. Lab, Anna, maybe Jennifer and you. You are wanting to be my friend, I hope?¡±


    She snorted. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯d like to be your friend, Jackson. Anna told me what you said to her a few days ago. About being able to disappear into the world.¡±


    I sighed, recalling that conversation. ¡°I did say that. I also meant it. Bethany, I need you to-¡± She shushed me, placing a finger against my lips. The doors opened and we started down the hall.


    ¡°Hush. I know you could vanish like a soap bubble, Jackson. I also know that Anna would stop at nothing to find you. She¡¯s drawn to you for some reason, and that isn¡¯t normal. Not with her ability. People usually shy away when they learn about how it works. You didn¡¯t. That alone makes her want to get to know you, but there is something else that pulls her. I just don¡¯t want her to get hurt. I do love her, after all.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I promise, Bethany. If I ever get the urge to walk away from all this, I¡¯ll at least let you two know. And maybe Lab. I will, on occasion, need to disappear for a few days, though. It¡¯s just what I do. Hasn¡¯t happened in a year or so, but it¡¯s a definite possibility.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fair, and yeah. I can get behind all that. But first?¡± She opened a door near the middle of the hall. ¡°Dinner.¡±


    The door she opened led to a rather spacious living room, and the distinct aroma of fried chicken filled my nostrils. I began salivating as I stepped in, feeling uncomfortably tall as I had to duck to fit inside the door. The ceiling had to be just a couple inches above my head, and I looked around, taking in the details.


    A standard-looking sofa, loveseat and recliner took up about half the floor space in the living room, along with a coffee table and a TV stand, which looked to be rarely used. Several bookcases lined the walls, each one stuffed full to bursting with books on seemingly every subject, and more than a few fictions. I walked in and stood by the TV, gazing about as Bethany disappeared into the kitchen.


    ¡°Honey! I¡¯m home! Dinner smells amazing. I¡¯ll finish with the rest. Your man is waiting by the TV. Go. Shoo!¡±


    I heard Anna giggle as her petite form stepped out of the kitchen. Her hair was plastered to her head as sweat ran down the side of her face. She wiped her hands on a towel slung over her left shoulder as she approached.


    ¡°Hey. I¡¯m glad you were able to come. I hope you like fried chicken. I made a lot.¡± She wrapped her arms around my waist and hugged herself to me.


    I draped my arms around her and squeezed gently. I could get used to this. ¡°We¡¯ll see if it¡¯s as good as my Grammy¡¯s.¡± I felt her sigh into my chest as she squeezed me tighter, then let go.


    She looked up into my face. ¡°Jeez. I never really noticed how tall you actually are. How tall are you?¡±


    ¡°Six four. Had to duck to get in here.¡±


    She shook her head, then took my hand, showing me the rest of the apartment. It was rather spacious, with one and a half bathrooms, three bedrooms, a kitchen, living room and a dining room, where she ended the tour, pulling out a chair.


    ¡°Sit. We¡¯ll bring dinner out.¡±


    ¡°What? No¡­ I can¡¯t do that. Let me at least-¡±


    She planted her hands on her hips and leaned forward. ¡°Jackson Wernock, you will sit right there. Do you hear me?¡±


    Oh shit. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll sit right here.¡± I nodded and sat still. Anna held my gaze for a moment longer, then went back into the kitchen. A few moments later, the pair of them emerged, carrying several bowls of sides, biscuits and a massive platter of fried chicken.


    ¡°Damn. This is quite the spread. Mashed taters, fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, biscuits and¡­What¡¯s that?¡± I pointed to a bowl of what looked like giant raisins, saying as much.


    Anna snickered. ¡°It¡¯s called umeboshi, Jack. Pickled plums. They¡¯re a good pairing with the chicken.¡± She and Bethany sat down on either side of me.


    As they started loading their plates with food, I copied them, taking a little bit of everything, even the giant raisins. The girls, once all our plates were filled, each grabbed one of my hands. I felt somewhat overwhelmed as I heard Bethany clear her throat.


    She spoke softly, almost a whisper, ¡°To the earth that gives us food, to the sky that gives us breath, and to the fire that warms our hearths.¡±Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Anna closed her eyes, adding, ¡°We thank the hands that prepared this meal, and the spirits that guided them. May this food nourish us, body and soul.¡±


    The pair of them gently squeezed my hands, and they both ended in unison, ¡°With gratitude, we share.¡±


    They released my hands and began diving into the meal. As I bit into the chicken, my mouth was filled with savory spices and more than a little bit of heat. I began coughing softly, not used to the fire that was currently dancing on my tongue.


    ¡°You okay there, Jackson?¡± Bethany took a bite of her chicken, seemingly unaffected by the level of spice.


    I attempted to clear my throat. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just not used to eating fire. It¡¯s pretty damn good, though.¡±


    ¡°Fire? This isn¡¯t even that spicy. Anna went easy for tonight.¡±


    I dabbed at my forehead with my napkin. ¡°How considerate.¡± I turned my head to Anna, who was reddening. ¡°Remember the General Tso¡¯s at Mr. Chen¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Yeah? What about it?¡± She looked up at me, her face crimson as she took another bite of the chicken.


    ¡°That¡¯s usually about as hot as I¡¯ll go. This is more than a bit hotter, but I can manage it. It¡¯s got a great flavor, so it¡¯s not hard to eat, and I still want more. I like it.¡±


    ¡°Try a bite of the umeboshi, Jack. It¡¯ll help.¡±


    I shrugged, thinking that any relief from the heat would be welcome, and bit into the fruit. It was vinegar-sour and sweet. The acid cut through the greasiness of the chicken and the flavor seemed to lessen the effects of the peppers she used in the batter. I grunted softly in appreciation, and continued eating.


    About twenty minutes later, with most of the food gone and the three of us were fat and happily stuffed, Bethany cleared her throat.


    ¡°So. About last night. I know you said you just watched TV, but that¡¯s seriously it?¡±


    Anna and I looked at each other and shrugged. ¡°Yeah. I turned on The Witcher and after a couple episodes, she was asleep on my chest.¡±


    ¡°And no¡­fun stuff?¡±


    I felt my face grow warm. Thankfully, Anna came to my rescue. ¡°No, honey. I wanted to, but Jack wasn¡¯t sure, so we didn¡¯t.¡± She took my hand in hers and leaned into my arm. ¡°I¡¯m not upset or bothered by it, Jack, so don¡¯t think that I am. I meant what I said. You¡¯re learning your boundaries in this, and I am determined to support you through it.¡±


    Bethany patted my other hand. ¡°We both are, Jackson. If this is as new to you as Anna says it is, then I¡¯m going to be there for you, too. You tell me if I ever do or say something that makes you uncomfortable, okay? I want to make sure you two have just as much of a chance of success as she and I do.¡±


    I felt a bead of sweat trickle down my temple. ¡°That¡¯s another thing. I don¡¯t understand just how this is going to work. Aren¡¯t you two like, y¡¯know¡­ serious?¡±


    Anna nodded against my arm. ¡°Mm-hmm. Very much so. Neither of us sees a reason that I can¡¯t be serious with you, also. Beth doesn¡¯t feel like she could keep up with another woman beyond me, and I know I can handle being with a man alongside being with Beth, and she¡¯s here for that.¡±


    I slumped back against my chair, my mind warring to fit this new information in with my current ideas about the world. ¡°I mean, I understand same-sex relationships. That part is easy. It¡¯s the inclusion of a me that¡¯s throwing me for a loop. I¡­ um¡­¡± I looked down at Anna. ¡°Do I have to start dating Bethany, too?¡±


    The pair of them began sputtering, trying to contain their laughter. Anna squeezed herself to me tighter. ¡°No, silly. You don¡¯t have to date Bethany, too.¡±


    Bethany squeezed my hand. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that while you are cute, I¡¯m just not attracted to you like that. Strictly women for me, hun.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Okay. I¡¯m glad for that. Not that I would mind dating you! You¡¯re obviously pretty and smart and all that, but I dunno if I could handle dating the both of you.¡± I felt my hands grow clammy.


    Bethany grinned and leaned forward, letting her top fall open to expose her cleavage as she looked up at me through her lashes. ¡°You think I¡¯m pretty, do you?¡± I swallowed and nodded. ¡°Prettier than little Anna?¡±


    ¡°Hey! That¡¯s not fair, Beth! Don¡¯t do that to him.¡±


    Bethany quirked an eyebrow. ¡°Well? Which is it?¡±


    I closed my eyes. ¡°I refuse to answer on the grounds that I might die, no matter what my answer is.¡±


    ¡°Well. I guess he is smart. But just so we¡¯re clear, Jackson?¡±


    I hazarded a glance in her direction. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just picking at you. It¡¯s fun!¡± She straightened and took a sip of her drink.


    I shied away slightly. ¡°Terrifying, more like.¡±


    ¡°Let it be, Beth. I can tell he¡¯s starting to get a little antsy.¡± Anna took my hand in hers and gave it a squeeze, which I returned gratefully.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jackson. I can be a bit¡­ much sometimes. Or so I¡¯ve been told.¡±


    ¡°A little bit, yeah. Zack¡¯s a little terrified, too.¡±


    ¡°Zack?¡± Bethany¡¯s eyes went wide.


    ¡°Yep. He remembers you numbing his arm quite vividly.¡±


    ¡°Hey. I warned him what would happen, but he insisted on being rude. He¡¯s not a sleazeball, but he is pretty dumb. When it comes to interpersonal skills, anyway.¡± She shrugged.


    I nodded. Looking back and fitting the pieces together, I had to agree with her. He never really seemed to be good at holding a conversation or saying the right thing in almost any context, so it seemed her estimation of him was pretty spot-on.


    ¡°At any rate, Jackson, Anna¡¯s told me that this is actually your first relationship? How could someone so sweet stay single for so long?¡±


    I ran my free hand through my hair and shook my head. That wasn¡¯t a word I was used to hearing in conjunction with myself. ¡°I¡¯m not really that sweet, Bethany.¡±


    She snorted. ¡°You¡¯re a terrible liar, Jackson. You¡¯ve treated all of us with nothing less than kindness and care. You¡¯re a sweetheart. Deal with it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a killer, Bethany,¡± I said softly. She looked at me sharply and I nodded. ¡°Didn¡¯t know that, did you?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± She leaned forward and glared at Anna, who shrank back a bit. ¡°What does he mean, Annabelle?¡±


    I leaned forward and shifted in my chair. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you weren¡¯t told what happened during my interview?¡±


    ¡°No. William wants those things kept between himself, the applicant and the Filters.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll offer this to you freely, then. When I was interviewed by the Iron News Network, there was a bit of an¡­ altercation. Verbal, mostly. But there were things happening behind the scenes that I could clearly see. Did you happen to catch that interview?¡±


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t care for any of the networks. What happened, Jackson?¡± I saw a thin sliver of metal appear between her fingers and nodded.


    ¡°Before I was interviewed by Stan, I met with the receptionist, Marge. She was a nasty woman with nothing but contempt in her eyes. She went out of her way to goad him into being flustered and potentially tanking the interview, and that was after intentionally misnaming me and being dismissive of me to begin with.¡±


    ¡°How do you know she was misnaming you?¡±


    ¡°Her desk calendar, Bethany. I could see my name ¡°Portal¡± at the nine PM time block on the day¡¯s calendar. The frustration she caused Stan that night, she delighted in. She had obviously done it multiple times before, too. As her health was visibly in a steep decline from her smoking, I knew that she wouldn¡¯t even attempt to hear any kind of pushback to her behavior, and would just double down. So¡­ I killed her. And she was far from the first, too.¡± I sighed, my hellish memory bringing back all the names and faces of people I¡¯d killed over the years. I felt Anna¡¯s arms wrap around my midsection as she hugged herself to my back.


    ¡°Just like that?¡± I nodded. ¡°How? How can you do such a thing?¡± I saw tears in her eyes, and felt heat rush into my face.


    ¡°Because, Bethany. Some people live to hurt others. Marge was one such person. Others are just trying to get by the only way they know how, and just so happened to run into me instead of some regular Joe. I have never killed anyone just to kill them. I¡¯ve always done it to either preserve my life, or to save someone else from prolonged harm. I see murder and assassination as just another pair of tools in my arsenal.¡±


    Anna poked her head out from behind me. ¡°Believe me, Beth, when he told us what he did, we were horrified. It was the obvious remorse that made us withhold judgment. He didn¡¯t enjoy what he did. He simply felt it was necessary. The best option he had at the time.¡±


    ¡°But nobody was in danger, Anna! From what he¡¯s said, she was just a rude bitch! And he just killed her. That¡¯s murder, Jackson!¡±


    I hung my head and sighed. ¡°Yeah. I know that, Bethany. I murdered Marjorie. I did it because if I hadn¡¯t, she would still be torturing Stan. She would still be a cruel, callous bitch to everyone she met. And do you know the worst part of it? The absolute worst part?¡±


    She sniffled and shook her head. ¡°What?¡±


    I punctuated my words by jamming my finger into the table. ¡°I¡¯ll never get her face out of my mind.¡±


    ¡°What do you- Oh. Oh god.¡± Her hand covered her mouth. ¡°You really can¡¯t forget, can you?¡±


    I shook my head, feeling hot, angry tears stream down my face. ¡°No, Bethany. I¡¯ll never forget her face. Her voice. The cigarette stink of her breath. Her vicious laughter as she reveled in Stan¡¯s irritation and frustration. Not hers, nor any of the others I¡¯ve had to kill. I am not the sweetheart you think I am.¡± I sniffled. ¡°And I don¡¯t know if I ever could be.¡±

 Chapter Twenty-Nine

    ¡°I¡­ I need to go.¡± I moved to stand, but Anna clung tighter to me.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t go.¡± Her voice was small and soft, making my brain war with my heart on just what action to take.


    I reached down and gently took her small hand in mine. ¡°Anna, please,¡± I whispered, my throat tight.


    I felt her fingers dig into my belly painfully as she shook her head against my back. I could feel my shirt growing damp where her face rested against my warming body. ¡°No, Jack. Please stay,¡± she sniffled.


    I closed my eyes and tilted my head back, struggling to force my breathing to be even. It was a losing battle that I valiantly fought to the end. Eventually, I opened my eyes to the ceiling, feeling the scalding tears course down my cheeks, blurring my vision. ¡°Why? Why couldn¡¯t they all just leave me alone?¡± I whispered to the air.


    As if on cue by a sadistic ringmaster, my memory assaulted me with the faces of those I¡¯d killed. From Marge to the many nameless faces I¡¯d killed just to stay alive while I was homeless and wandering, all the way back to just a few days after graduation. Michael Algoode. A kid with an equally useless power at the time. All he could do was change the color of something. From whatever to whatever.


    See, by the end of school, I¡¯d already found that my doors could breach walls and buildings. A somewhat useful ability, but one that was overshadowed by so many others. But not to Michael. He was jealous; and like most jealous kids, he wanted what he couldn¡¯t have. But, as everyone knows, abilities can¡¯t be given or traded. So, he opted for the second approach.


    If he couldn¡¯t have it, nobody could.


    He cornered me late one evening outside near the slums. I¡¯d gone for a walk to clear my head after panhandling on a corner, heading to a defunct warehouse near the docks that I had been using for shelter.


    ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t the doormat. What¡¯s wrong, Doormat? Parents don¡¯t love you? Nobody there to take a loser like you in?¡± He snickered, thinking he was clever.


    ¡°Come on, Mike. I just wanna go to sleep, man. Can you leave off for the evening?¡± I remember shifting to my left, trying to keep him in the streetlight.


    ¡°You wanna sleep, loser? You don¡¯t deserve that power, you know. Maybe I should let you sleep for good. Let that power go to someone who doesn¡¯t suck at everything.¡± A knife slipped into his left hand. It glinted in the streetlight.


    ¡°Dammit, Mike. Leave me alone.¡± I held my hands up and started to back away, knowing that I could never outrun him. He had been one of our top sprinters.


    ¡°You know you¡¯ll never get out of here alive, don¡¯t you? And your lame ass can¡¯t even fight back. Good thing nobody¡¯ll miss you.¡± He swiped at my eyes a couple of times in quick succession.


    I couldn¡¯t help myself. I turned and ran. I could hear him laughing at me as he chased me, felt my shirt get sliced into ribbons with him just a hairsbreadth from doing me any serious harm. Every so often I felt a hot lance of pain swipe across my back as the tip of his knife scored my tender flesh. Just enough to spur me on.


    Eventually I got winded, and tripped over a curb, sliding face first across the concrete. Mike kicked me in the side until I turned onto my back. I saw him brandishing the knife in a duellist¡¯s grip, a bloodthirsty grin on his face.


    It was the last time he ever smiled. It was also the first time I found out I could create a door not just on a building, but on a person.


    A small door appeared on his shoulders, bisecting his head from his body. I saw his eyes roll back in his head as he fell, the door crashing open, arterial blood spurting across the cars and the street. I vomited next to his still-warm corpse in horror. What had I done?


    Knowing I¡¯d be suspected if it were found, I dissolved my door, and took the knife from his twitching hand. It now rests in a very secure and special place that I try to never visit.


    I ran all the way to my hiding spot near the docks, the image of Michael¡¯s headless corpse forever burned into my brain. I opened a door in the side of the building and darted inside, tears streaming down my face. I dropped the knife just inside the building, and collapsed into a sobbing mess.


    I couldn¡¯t bring myself to leave the warehouse for days, certain the police were just outside, waiting to pick me up. I¡¯d just killed a man. Sure, I¡¯d done it out of desperation, to preserve my own life. Certainly it could be justified. My shredded shirt and scored flesh were proof enough of the intent behind Michael¡¯s murderous rage. It still didn¡¯t sit well with me then, though. I¡¯d killed someone. Only bad people did that. I wasn¡¯t a bad person, was I? Was I?


    I didn¡¯t know then, and I still didn¡¯t know now. The string of bodies I¡¯d left in my wake was proof enough that I had a screw loose. Right? Yesterday, I¡¯d have said yes.


    Now, though? I wasn¡¯t so sure.


    I slowly brought myself under control over many long minutes, with Anna clinging to me in her death grip. I heard Bethany¡¯s chair slide across the floor and a few moments later, an ice pack was draped across my face. I heard the subtle creaking of wood as Bethany reassumed her seat, then her chair scooted some more and I felt her cold hands take mine and place them on the ice pack.


    ¡°Take your time, Jackson. We aren¡¯t going anywhere, and if my little Anna has anything to say about it, neither are you.¡±


    I felt my midsection quiver as my surroundings slammed back into me, realization of what was happening finally entering my awareness. Anna, her tiny, sensitive hands gently caressing my roiling muscles still sat behind me, my anchor to the here and now.


    I pressed the ice pack into my face, willing it to leech the excess warmth from me. I felt raw, weak and most of all, I felt exhausted. I sat that way, face tilted to the ceiling, until I felt that my breathing had become more regular and even, and only then did I let my neck relax, even as my breath hitched once or twice. I shifted, gently displacing Anna, and planted my elbows onto the table and rested that way, my face buried in my hands, for a few minutes more.


    Anna refused to leave me be, and forced her way into my lap, where she sat, her head resting on my shoulder, as mine slowly buried its way into her neck. She was gently rubbing my back as tears silently rolled their way down my cheeks. After a few minutes, I slowly sat up straight, looking at her sad face. She reached up and carefully wiped a few stray tears from my cheeks with her thumbs.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Hi Jack. Welcome back. Beth¡¯s right. I¡¯m not going anywhere and neither are you. No more running. No more hiding. Okay, honey?¡±


    I nodded, sniffling. ¡°Yeah. Okay.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right, Jackson. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry to have brought this up and ruined dinner.¡±


    In response, I held out my arm, and motioned her closer. Once she was in range, I swept her into a gentle hug. ¡°Thanks Bethany. You¡­ You didn¡¯t ruin dinner. My past did.¡± I directed my gaze to Anna. ¡°I hope you understand better now just what you¡¯re getting into, Anna. I¡¯m broken. I¡¯ve done terrible things in my past, and I¡¯m not the most stable of people, nor am I one of the good ones.¡±


    Anna took my cheeks in her hands and planted a soft kiss on my lips. ¡°You¡¯re good enough for me, Jack. Remember that, okay? Even if you don¡¯t feel like you¡¯re good, remember that I think you¡¯re good enough for me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re not so bad, Gigantor. I see why she cares so much for you.¡± She gave me a gentle squeeze.


    I sniffled once and took a deep breath. ¡°Alright, alright. Enough with the sappy stuff, okay? I ain¡¯t used to it, and it¡¯s kinda making me feel weird.¡± I opened my arm and Bethany stepped back a bit, but kept a hand on my shoulder.


    Anna leaned back, her hands locked behind my neck. ¡°You mean I gotta move?¡±


    A thousand and one ideas raced through my head, and I grinned. ¡°Nah. You¡¯re tiny.¡± I stood, cradling her butt with an arm, hearing her delighted giggle, as I moved my chair with the other. ¡°Now which way is the TV again?¡±


    ******


    ¡°Rise and shine, Gigantor.¡± Bethany gently shook me awake.


    I blinked several times and stretched languidly. ¡°Hrmm? What- what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Anna placed a steaming mug of coffee in front of my face. I gratefully took the bitter, black, lifegiving brew, sipping it gently. ¡°It¡¯s about nine in the morning, Jack. You passed out on the couch, and neither of us had the heart to wake you. Besides, you looked awful cute all curled up there.¡± Her impish smile brought a similar one to my own face.


    I sipped more of the coffee. ¡°So¡­ now what?¡±


    Anna came around and sat beside me, shrugging her shoulders. ¡°I dunno. What do you want?¡±


    I yawned. ¡°Well, what I want is breakfast. I don¡¯t know what you ladies have here, but that¡¯s what I want.¡±


    Bethany smirked. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure Anna has some eggs you could scramble.¡±


    ¡°Oh my god, Beth!¡±


    I choked on the coffee, feeling scalding bean water shoot from my nostrils. Anna went crimson, hiding her face in her hands as Bethany clutched her sides, laughing loudly. It took me a few minutes to recover.


    ¡°While that would be enjoyable for us, I¡¯m afraid it doesn¡¯t answer the need for food,¡± I said, once I had recovered sufficiently.


    Bethany snickered a bit more. ¡°True. How about we go out for breakfast? My treat?¡±


    I looked over at Anna, who shrugged. ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s do that. What do we think of going over to Wilhelm¡¯s? They make a good breakfast.¡±


    I nodded and coughed softly. Wilhelm¡¯s was an old-style diner modeled after the German style of cooking. They did a hearty, home-cooked breakfast like you wouldn¡¯t believe, and the flavors were simply to die for. It was a shame they were a wee bit expensive, or I¡¯d have been eating there more often than the once a year treat I limited myself to. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, letting the coffee work its magic in my soul.


    ¡°Wilhem¡¯s? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve been there before. What do they have?¡±


    ¡°Well, let me ask you a question.¡± Bethany cocked her head to the side. ¡°Do you like sausages?¡±


    ¡°Like breakfast sausage?¡± She shrugged. ¡°Sure. I like sausage just as much as anyone else, I guess. Why?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a German style diner. Lots of bratwurst and knockwurst and eggs and potatoes. And coffee. They love their coffee.¡±


    Bethany lit up like a Christmas tree. ¡°That sounds heavenly! Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Beth, honey? Don¡¯t you think we might need, I dunno? A shower?¡±


    Bethany scoffed and waved dismissively. ¡°Bah. It¡¯ll be fine. I don¡¯t go out much, Gigantor, so count yourself blessed that I¡¯m willing to take us out for breakfast.¡±


    I grinned. ¡°Sure thing. Uh¡­ Is the restriction on opening doors in the gym still there? I can get us there really damn fast.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, big guy. I¡¯m not gonna lift that one. That you come to the gym that way is one thing. Going elsewhere is not going to be okay. We¡¯ll go the old fashioned way. By bus.¡±


    I nodded. A little paranoid, but understandable. ¡°How about I meet you two there? It¡¯ll take a half hour or so to get there from here, and it would maintain a sense of normality to anyone spying. For me to just walk out of here after being ¡®at home¡¯ would be a dead giveaway to Brighthawk¡¯s watchers.¡±


    ¡°Huh. I hadn¡¯t thought of that. Probably best. Go then. We¡¯ll see you there.¡±


    As I opened a door to the office, Anna caught my arm. ¡°Don¡¯t run off now, Jack. I want to enjoy a sausage or two with you.¡± She gave me that mischievous smile once more and I felt my blood begin to rise up my neck.


    I cleared my throat and nodded. ¡°No worries there, Anna. I don¡¯t want to miss breakfast with you.¡±


    She grinned and gave me a playful shove towards the door.


    I left the gym and made my way home, quickly stripping and stepping into the shower. The hot water helped to shed the weight of the previous night¡¯s ordeal. I toweled off and tossed on some fresh clothes, the scent of detergent oddly comforting. When I glanced in the mirror, it was more out of habit than curiosity- just a quick check before heading out again.


    But something made me stop.


    My hair was still a sandy mess, but clean. I let my eyes drift down- eyebrows were fine, nothing new there- beard? Still refusing to cooperate, sadly. I paused, my focus narrowing. Had my shoulders always looked like that? Broader. A little more definition than I remembered. I blinked and tried to scan my memory. How long had it been since I¡¯d really looked at myself?


    It hit me that I didn¡¯t, not often. Just quick glances. A habit of skimming over whatever stared back at me.


    Maybe all this training was paying off, after all.


    Shaking myself from my maundering, I straightened my clothes and opened a door to the outside of Wilhelm¡¯s, startling a cat, who yowled loudly and sped off like a rocket. I shrugged and stepped out of the alleyway, to find both ladies stepping off the bus.


    I slid up behind Anna and placed my hands on her shoulders. ¡°Hello again,¡± I murmured in her ear.


    She stiffened and squeaked loudly, causing Bethany¡¯s head to whip around and a needle to appear between her fingers. She dropped the needle and laughed softly when she saw it was only me.


    ¡°Jackson Wernock! Don¡¯t do that!¡± Anna swatted me with her hands as I chuckled. She crossed her arms and turned away from me. ¡°Let¡¯s get in while we can. Big jerk.¡±


    I stepped forward and opened the door, gesturing for them to enter. ¡°Beauty first.¡±


    ¡°Well. What do you know? My little Anna was right. You are charming. Thank you, Jackson. Anna? You first.¡±


    Anna sputtered. ¡°Wha? Me? Why me?¡±


    I held her eyes with my gaze. ¡°I did say that beauty was first.¡± I flashed a glance at Bethany. ¡°I did say that, right? I didn¡¯t just think it?¡±


    ¡°I do believe you did, Mr. Wernock. Beauty is first, therefore Anna must go in first.¡± She nodded sagely.


    Anna, red-faced and shaky, walked in reluctantly. ¡°I hate you guys.¡±


    Bethany and I shared a laugh and followed Anna inside.

 Chapter Thirty

    Once inside, we were told to grab a seat; that someone would be with us shortly. We opted to sit by the window, as watching the marina was soothing. Bethany grabbed a menu and was perusing the offerings, her eyebrows scrunched together in thought.


    ¡°That¡¯s not cheap, Gigantor. Why¡¯s everything so expensive?¡±


    The server had arrived and was setting down our silverware and glasses of water and smiled at Bethany. ¡°That¡¯s because nearly everything we sell here is hand made. We make our own wursts, our own bread, even our own cheeses and beer. I take it you¡¯ve not been here before?¡±


    Bethany shook her head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t really get out much. I moved here almost twenty years ago with my parents, and I think I can count on one hand the amount of restaurants I¡¯ve been to. I order from places all the time, though.¡±


    ¡°I try to come once a year or so, usually during Oktoberfest or your Yule season. I love the holiday sausages.¡± I grinned at the memory of the spicy delicacies.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been here a few times, too. It¡¯s always been good.¡± Anna leaned onto my shoulder, a small smile on her face. ¡°And now I get to share it with two of the most important people in my world.¡±


    ¡°Aww! That¡¯s so sweet! I¡¯m gonna give you three a few more minutes to look over the menu and discuss things, okay?¡± We nodded and she walked over to another table.


    I relaxed a bit in my seat, looking out over the lake from the diner¡¯s ideal location. Boats were being piloted around lazily in the warming late spring sun.


    It was a good day.


    ¡°What¡¯re you smiling about over there, Gigantor?¡± Bethany set her menu down and propped her chin up on her hand. ¡°Thinking about what you¡¯re gonna do to our little Anna?¡±


    ¡°Beth!¡± Anna whispered in a strangled voice. She looked down, rubbing her forehead. ¡°What the fuck, man?¡±


    I snorted softly, her reddening face and neck bringing back pleasant memories of the morning I woke up to her snuggled up to me, and draped an arm around Anna¡¯s shoulders, pulling her close to me, still gazing out onto the lake. ¡°Nah. I¡¯m just¡­experiencing something for the first time, I think. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯d call it, but it feels nice. Before I met Lab, I¡¯d never been out to eat with other people. Not really, anyway. With Lab, I always felt a sense of owing him for the meal, and we¡¯d hurl insults or jokes back and forth, and I thought that was normal.¡± I shrugged. ¡°This? This feels different. I don¡¯t know how to explain it, but I know it feels good.¡± I smiled at the odd warmth rising inside me.


    ¡°It¡¯s called family, Jack.¡±


    I looked down, seeing Anna¡¯s bright smile. ¡°Huh. Never thought I¡¯d experience that again,¡± I murmured softly.


    The waitress returned a moment later, and took our orders. Beth had a simple sausage, bacon and egg breakfast; Anna decided to have waffles with cream, and I opted for a ham, egg and mushroom omelet.


    We talked a bit more as we ate, and I learned that Bethany was from New Amsterdam originally. Her family had moved here a few years before her power awoke, and they¡¯d decided to stay in a relatively quiet neighborhood, in a somewhat quieter city than they¡¯d come from.


    Her power was technically the same as Deigo¡¯s, actually. She was able to create needles instead of rounded projectiles, and could use them with terrifying accuracy over a distance of some twenty feet. She revealed to both Anna and I that she was thinking about studying acupuncture therapy, and become an even bigger asset to the Cloud.


    We both thought it was an excellent idea, and said as much. Hell, just the thought that she could use them from a distance was crazy cool.


    After breakfast, we sat there, comfortable in each other¡¯s presence, letting the meal digest. Bethany paid the bill, and we decided it was time to head back to the gym and get our training in for the day. I said my goodbyes to the pair of them, and watched them get on the bus. Turning around, I walked back to the rear of the diner and created a door to my room.


    ¡°Hello again, Mister Wernock. Would you have a moment to chat?¡±


    I let my door dissipate as my stomach fell to the floor. I knew that voice.


    I turned around slowly, seeing No-Face and three others arrayed behind him, blocking the alley. He was wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a scarf, occluding most of his face. ¡°Of course, sir. To what do I owe the pleasure?¡±


    ¡°I do love that polite way you have about you, my friend.¡± He paused, tilting his hat back slightly to peer into my eyes. ¡°Even if it¡¯s forced, it is much appreciated.¡± He raised a hand politely. ¡°I don¡¯t wish to take up much of your time, as I know you¡¯re a busy man. Especially with two beautiful ladies at your side.¡± The grin beneath the scarf seemed genuine, and I felt some life return to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s a new development, to be sure, and in all honesty, I¡¯m a little lost in the situation. It¡¯ll work out, though.¡±


    His baritone laugh cut through the alley, and even his attendants smiled. ¡°I like your optimism. Anyhow. As I said, I won¡¯t take up too much time. I merely wished to inform you that you have a watcher.¡±


    I sighed. Fucking Brighthawk. ¡°Brighthawk?¡± He nodded. ¡°How close?¡±


    ¡°They were in the restaurant with you. Walked in just a moment after you did. It¡¯s doubtful that you saw them.¡±


    ¡°But you did, didn¡¯t you?¡± He nodded. I shook my head and sighed softly, knowing what was coming. ¡°Fuck. What can I do for you, then? I¡¯d like to know who they are, and I know that information won¡¯t be free.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    I saw his eyes crinkle under his hat. ¡°Smart. I¡¯ll not waste time, then. I know you aren¡¯t going it alone, Jackson. Tell me who you¡¯re working with, and I¡¯ll give you the information.¡±


    I straightened, my head reeling. There was no way he could¡¯ve known. I had to think fast. ¡°If you know that sir, you already know who I work for. I will not lie to you.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Of that, I am certain. You fear me, and for good reason. If you choose not to tell me, I won¡¯t hold that against you. You may, for example, report this meeting to your superiors and put the onus on them, if you wish. It matters not to me. Well? Do we have a deal, Jackson?¡± He extended a loosely gloved hand.


    ¡°May I make a phone call?¡±


    He spread his hands. ¡°Of course! I know you want the watcher situation resolved quickly. There¡¯s no telling what they¡¯re relaying to Brighthawk.¡±


    I nodded and retrieved my phone from its hiding spot in my room, dialing William¡¯s number.


    ¡°Jackson?¡±


    ¡°I have a situation.¡± I explained what was going on immediately, and waited.


    ¡°I¡¯ll meet with him. Open a door from my office to the top of the Mirleson building, and then another pair to your location.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re okay with it, he¡¯d like to meet. Here and now.¡±


    ¡°Splendid! I would love to meet my rival!¡±


    I opened the doors as requested, and William walked through. The doors vanished and I stood there, terrified.


    William extended a hand. ¡°Mr. No-Face? I¡¯m Shade.¡±


    No-Face took William¡¯s hand, pumping it warmly. ¡°Shade, then? It¡¯s an honor to meet the leader of The Grey Cloud. Fear not: No harm will befall either of you, nor to your organization. Just knowing it¡¯s real is enough for me.¡±


    William crossed his arms. ¡°Why did you want to know?¡±


    ¡°Merely to confirm a theory. Jackson? Here is a photo of the person in question.¡± He extended a picture, obviously taken a short while ago. I opened a peephole into the diner, seeing nobody matching the photo.


    ¡°He¡¯s gone. Shade? There¡¯s nobody else with a movement ability similar to mine, is there?¡±


    ¡°No. The Bearer of Wind or Air has yet to be reborn.¡±


    No-Face tapped his chin. ¡°I wonder¡­ Mr. Shade? How would you feel about an exchange of information?¡±


    William narrowed his eyes. ¡°What kind?¡±


    ¡°I propose a joint database. No other information beyond a list of known abilities and their sub-abilities. Maybe we could help each other?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I¡¯ll have to think about that. It¡¯s tempting.¡±


    One of the attendants leaned over and whispered something in No-Face¡¯s ear. ¡°It seems my car has arrived. Gentlemen, I must take my leave. When you¡¯ve made a decision either way, please have Jackson - I¡¯m sorry - Portal relay it to me. I¡¯ll not retaliate in the event of a negative answer. I eagerly await your response, Shade. Farewell.¡±


    I watched as a sleek black car pulled up outside the diner and the four men got in, then drove away. I turned to William.


    ¡°Still jealous, Will?¡±


    ¡°Terrified, Jackson. I¡¯m fucking terrified.¡±


    I opened two sets of doors back to the Mirleson building and then to his office. William was right. No sense in being careless. We went to his office, and we both took a seat, deep in thought. How had No-Face found me again? Chicago wasn¡¯t exactly small. Further, how had he known that I had a watcher, and managed to take a picture of them right when I needed it? Something was fishy as hell.


    William abruptly stood and motioned for me to follow. We walked back into a darker corner of his office, where he took my hand and led me through the Shadow Realm for a few minutes, eventually coming out in a dark room, which opened high up on a brightly lit hillside, facing the setting sun. A broad expanse of land stretched out as far as the eye could see, complete with a small forested section that bordered a stream.


    ¡°Welcome to my Sanctuary, Jackson. Few people are allowed to visit here, and fewer still know its exact location. I want to show you something.¡±


    He headed off down a series of switchbacks that took us down the hillside, eventually coming to a door built directly into the earth. We went inside, finding a long, well-lit tunnel that opened into an expansive greenhouse garden. A familiar smell assaulted my nostrils and I found my eyes drawn to a familiar, small, shrubby tree at the far end. Recognizing the large flowers that adorned the limbs, I stared open-mouthed at the sight.


    ¡°Impressive, isn¡¯t it? From flower to sapling in just a few days. Of course, I had to give it copious amounts of fertilizer, as it started sapping the nearby plants for nutrients. The flowers are in full bloom, though. My bees have been having a hell of a time extracting the nectar.¡± He chuckled and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m curious to see what effects this plant has on their honey.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s insane, William. This kind of growth shouldn¡¯t even be possible. But it is. I¡¯m staring right at it.¡± I looked over at him. ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡±


    He gestured toward the tree. ¡°For starters, I wanted you to see that your experience in whatever place you¡¯ve been visiting is not just a dream.¡± I nodded. ¡°I also wanted to check with you to see how you¡¯ve been handling the extra tasks I¡¯ve put on you.¡±


    I blinked rapidly. ¡°That was what? Three days ago? I was out for the first two, dude. Still, though, I lasted about ten minutes with two doors and a peephole last night. Got a headache from hell for the next hour or so.¡±


    William began pacing around the various plants. ¡°Do your visits to the other place tend to happen when you¡¯re exhausted?¡±


    I cocked my head and let my memories replay. Holy shit. He was right. Why hadn¡¯t I seen it? ¡°Fuck. Yes. Yes they do.¡±


    William nodded. ¡°Expect to go there more often for the next few weeks, Jackson. I want you to make sure you do everything you can to increase your stamina. Not just with your doors, but with everything. Build your muscle memory with the staff. Increase your knowledge with our security concerns -especially now that No-Face knows of our existence. And build your stamina with your doors. I think you are exactly what we here in the Cloud need, Jackson.¡±


    I looked at him sharply. ¡°You¡¯ve said that before, William. Level with me. What do you mean by that?¡± I crossed my arms.


    William stared into my eyes for a long moment. Eventually he nodded. ¡°Okay. You deserve to know a couple of things. But!¡± He held up his index finger. ¡°It never leaves this garden.¡±

 Chapter Thirty-One

    I leaned against the wall. ¡°For sure. Not even Lab. Lay it on me.¡±


    William walked to the tree and plucked a single flower. ¡°What would you say if I told you that I was much older than I seem?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°It would make some level of sense. You seem to have an answer for almost everything, you have some seriously ancient stuff in your office, and you have a book that was supposed to have been burned by the Nazis.¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°So how old are you, William?¡±


    William sighed, and I could see the weight of time press down on him. ¡°I¡¯m nearly eight hundred years old.¡±


    My stomach flipped and I felt my jaw go slack. ¡°You¡­¡± I started to laugh, but the serious look in his eyes gave me pause. ¡°Wait. You¡¯re serious? You¡¯re eight hundred years old?¡±


    He held my eyes with an unreadable expression. ¡°I grew up with my father telling me about the time he was saved by Paladin.¡± He shook his head slowly. ¡°Nobody ever believes me.¡±


    I watched him for a moment. Could he be telling the truth? At any rate, he believed his words. ¡°Let¡¯s say I believe you,¡± I started, holding up a hand. ¡°Which I¡¯m not sure I do. But let¡¯s say I do. Why tell me?¡±


    ¡°Because I think your power is the key to finally discovering where the source for all powers originate.¡±


    ¡°Hah?¡±


    He sighed and wiped a hand down his face. ¡°Think, Jackson. The flowers. The fruit you ate. The effect it all had on you. Think.¡±


    I let my memories play out about the fruit and flowers. How the fruit I¡¯d eaten in the dream world perfectly matched the drawings in the book William had shown me. I looked up at the sapling on the other end of the garden, bees hovering around its rich source of nectar. Slowly, it dawned on me. ¡°You think our powers come from that other world, don¡¯t you? Some sort of something there has influenced us here. And you want me to get stronger so I can open a door in my waking life to that place. That¡¯s why you want me to do all the extra work, isn¡¯t it? So you can go there.¡±


    ¡°Guilty as charged, Jackson. I¡¯ve been popping into and out of the mundane world for centuries. Come in, take some books or building materials, kidnap the odd expert and learn from them, all to hone and build my skills so that one day, one day, I¡¯d be able to figure all this out. Why do we have our powers? Why only some people? Why do they seem to evolve with our technology? Jackson,¡± he said, placing a hand on my shoulder. ¡°With you, I finally have the answers to these problems within my reach. All you have to do is get stronger.¡±


    I crossed my arms and leveled a hard stare at the man. ¡°And there¡¯s the truth. I¡¯m just a tool to you.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± he dropped hand. ¡°Yes. I want to¡­use you. At this moment, at this point in time, it''s the only way I see us -The Grey Cloud- moving forward in a world that is more and more becoming a world that will eventually tear itself apart. Look around us, Jackson! In Chicago alone, you guys are chasing down thieves who¡¯ve been knocking over restaurants. Restaurants! Now, I have no idea why they¡¯re doing it, but come on! Surely you would think of a better target than a restaurant.¡± He sighed, and I could see true exhaustion in his face. When was the last time he had slept? ¡°Imagine watching centuries slip by, kingdoms fall, and the world shift around you¡ªall while the answer stays just out of reach. I¡¯m running out of time, Jackson.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true. I would choose a bank. Then again, I can do that and not get caught. Or even suspected.¡± I thought for a moment, mind whirling a million miles an hour. ¡°Even so, Will. Why me?¡±


    ¡°Because, Jackson. You have the kind of temperament and drive to make this happen. Plus, with your memory, you¡¯ll always be certain to go exactly where you want.¡± His eyes darted around the garden. ¡°Can I show you something? It might help you understand a few things.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like being used, William. You have one chance. If I don¡¯t like what I see and hear, I¡¯m going to cut my losses with you. I can tell you that No-Face has made me an exceptional offer.¡±


    ¡°Fair. One chance, huh?¡± I nodded. ¡°Aside from being nearly eight hundred, I¡¯ve been expecting you -or more accurately, your power- for the past two hundred years,¡± he said, extending a hand to me.


    ¡°Two hundred?¡± I asked incredulously as I took his hand. ¡°What do you mean you¡¯ve been waiting?¡±


    William pulled me down the hallway, and with each step, the air grew heavier, thicker, until it felt like I was walking through water. Shadows stretched and swirled, their edges shimmering like heat haze, and the walls dissolved into the now-familiar endless, starless void of his Shadow Realm. ¡°Exactly what I said. Powers follow patterns. As new technology arises, and new ideas enter the world, the powers themselves change. Or, more precisely, new ones emerge. When the steam engine was built, that generation saw more supers with the ability to harness heat, and the budding electricity. Now? In the Digital Age? We see more technopaths and people who can play in the World Wide Web. It¡¯s like the powers grow to match our tools.¡±


    We walked for another fifteen minutes, until I saw a vast building in the distance. ¡°What the hell is that?¡±


    ¡°That, my friend, is my Shadow Archive. Over the last five hundred years, I¡¯ve been¡­ acquiring, shall we say, certain items and artifacts. About a third of what you¡¯ll find in there are treatises on powers and their bearers, along with detailed notes made by yours truly. The rest is my collection of artifacts from various supers. Plus¡± -he opened the door- ¡°my notes and web detailing how I predicted your specific power would manifest.¡±


    I stopped, unsure of what I just heard. ¡°You mean to tell me that you expected me?¡±


    ¡°Well, not you, but your power. Eventually, at any rate. Come on. Check this stuff out.¡± He motioned with his head and walked in. I heard a click, and light billowed from the entrance.


    I followed, momentarily unsure of my place in the world. If my power had been expected, then what was I? Just a vessel? Just a potato chip for the dip? Unwilling to follow that thread any farther, I tried to clear my mind; focusing instead on the sheer amount of books and odd trinkets in this space.


    The building was lit by what looked like braziers, casting a pallid glow on the walls. As I examined them, I saw no smoke, but did see cleverly hidden wires running throughout the ceiling. The walls were covered floor to ceiling with a veritable library of books. Everywhere I looked, there were books. Most had English titles, but there were a few in other languages, some I couldn¡¯t even make heads or tails of. There were also pedestals scattered through the building. Each one held an item. A glove here, a shard of metal there, that one over by a section of books in what looked like Greek had a severed hand.


    William continued through the building, stopping for nothing, until he reached an ancient-looking wooden door. Producing an iron key from his pocket, he slipped it into the lock and turned it twice, before a solid thunk reverberated in the halls.


    ¡°There we go. I stole this from the Cathedral de Notre Dame back in, oh¡­ somewhere in the late thirteen hundreds. Can¡¯t really remember exactly. I tried my hardest to stay out of the public view during those times.¡± He stepped through the door, beckoning me to follow.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Black Death.¡± William shrugged as he lit a small candle, heading down a low hallway.


    ¡°Oh. That makes sense,¡± I said, following him.


    Eventually, we emerged into what looked like a large, tidy bedroom. Tacked to the walls were notes, pictures and timelines of various sorts. Different colored string connected various items, each culminating in the center of one wall. A placard that read ¡°True Teleportation¡±. I studied everything I could see, burning it all into my memory.


    ¡°Yes. Please memorize all of it. I need another mind to pick at this puzzle. I¡¯m wondering if you truly Bear the skill in the center. Your movement ability is by far the most advanced I¡¯ve seen, but is it the true pinnacle? Has it reached the level of actual teleportation?¡±


    I shook my head. These notes were so meticulous. ¡°You really have been obsessing over this, haven¡¯t you?¡± I murmured.


    He gestured around us. ¡°About five hundred years of research are on these walls. I¡¯ve stolen books, kidnapped and tortured people for their knowledge and understanding, bribed and assassinated for data, and this is where I¡¯m at. It¡¯s why I agreed to the exchange with No-Face. If he has data that I don¡¯t, I can add it to this.¡±Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°Did you do this for other abilities?¡±


    ¡°Not to this extent, no. There have been many astral travelers and remote viewers, but relatively few who can move anything like what you do, Jackson. All of them reported -at some point or another- seeing flowers like the one you brought back or fruits like the one you ate. I have that data somewhere in here, too.¡±


    ¡°Ever think about digitizing all of this?¡±


    ¡°Once or twice. Although, the task is daunting, to say the least. Maybe when a Super is born with an ability to create a disk or something with the data. Running all these books through a scanner isn¡¯t exactly economical. Nor could it be time-saving. I¡¯d need to bring everything out of here into a clean room, have specific technology built, train people to run it all¡­ I just don¡¯t have the wherewithal to do it.¡±


    ¡°I noticed you didn¡¯t mention costs, William.¡± I smirked at him.


    ¡°Ah¡­ You noticed.¡± He sighed. ¡°I have gained -and lost- fortunes several times over, man. I have multiple bank accounts across the world, and I could easily finance the operation.¡± He stuck his hands in his pockets and leaned against the wall. ¡°But I¡¯m tired. I want to find the root of it all and see what we are capable of. And I truly think you hold the key.¡±


    I looked at him then. Really looked at him. He didn¡¯t seem to be very old, but he had this weight to him. Something I couldn¡¯t quite define. Authority, perhaps? No. That didn¡¯t quite fit. Whatever it was, it had me thinking that he may well be right. ¡°You really believe that, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I do. And I really want to see the place you go in your dreams.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Tell you what. Build the facility to house this archive in the mundane world. You aren¡¯t immortal, and there¡¯s no telling when or if another Super will be born with a power like this. We can¡¯t let this knowledge potentially be erased from history. I know it¡¯ll take time, but it can be done. In the meantime, I¡¯ll keep working to get stronger. Last night¡¯s exercise was promising, so I¡¯ll keep that momentum going. Deal?¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡± He stuck out his hand, and I shook it.


    ¡°What will you do when you find what you¡¯re looking for?¡±


    ¡°See if I can¡¯t use whatever power that gives us our powers to make things more equitable. You know how corrupt the Guild is.¡±


    ¡°And what if you can¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll destroy it. All of it. No more powers. No more supers. Just regular folks doing regular things.¡±


    I stared at him, unsure I heard him correctly. ¡°Destroy it?¡±


    He nodded and began walking back to the main room. ¡°Absolutely. These powers we have are becoming more and more just another tool to hurt people with. Far better without them if we can¡¯t level the field somehow.¡±


    I followed him back. ¡°Just how do you plan on ¡°leveling the field¡±?¡±


    ¡°Augment the worthy powers. Give more people powers. Implement some sort of safety protocol to either keep powers out of the hands of the unwell or plain evil, or cause them to be lost if someone persistently acts in a manner that is against humanity¡¯s best interes. I dunno, yet. If we ever get there, we¡¯ll have to see what kind of options we have.¡±


    ¡°Who would decide these things, William?¡±


    He snorted. ¡°Not me, that¡¯s for damn sure. No, it¡¯d have to be decided on by multiple people. Supers and not.¡±


    That was a relief, at least. The last thing I wanted to do was distrust him. He¡¯d already come close to it once already. ¡°Makes sense. So now what?¡± We walked back through his archive, and I couldn¡¯t help but stop to examine the hand.


    ¡°Now we- oh.¡± Noticing that I wasn¡¯t at his heels, he had turned to look at me. ¡°His hand, huh? Know who¡¯s that is?¡±


    I shrugged. It was creepy, but seeing the hand on the pedestal was kind of neat, to be honest. ¡°Not a clue. Paladin¡¯s? Can¡¯t be Lich. He was mostly skeletal, if the stories are true.¡±


    ¡°Oh they are. Also, they aren¡¯t quite accurate. He wasn¡¯t mostly skeletal, he was totally skeletal. There wasn¡¯t any flesh to him at all. No, that hand belonged to The Loco Motive. I took it after he died.¡±


    ¡°What? You were there? That dude was crazy, William!¡±


    He laughed softly. ¡°Craziest I ever met, Jackson. It was some time after his final battle with Thunderclap. Arron was in the hospital and I¡¯d gone to visit him. His spine had been broken at his pelvis, and his spleen had been shattered. Poor guy was more broken than whole. In more ways than one. Couldn¡¯t move anymore.¡± He picked up the hand fondly, gently clasping it.


    ¡°I remember him telling me that he wanted me to have a piece of him after he died. The doctors were shocked, but I thought it was a weighty gesture. I¡¯d tried to help him, you know? Back then, I popped in on the Cloud once or twice a week for a few hours, then back here to do more studying and to stay away from people. Just so happened that I popped in a couple days after their final battle. Thunderclap had just left, so it was just me, Arron, a doctor and a cop. When he said that, I checked with the doc, and he gave me and Arron a bunch of forms to fill out. Six hours later, my friend was dead and I had a hand in my possession. I gave it to a mortician, who preserved it for me, and now it sits here.¡± He reverently laid the hand back onto its pedestal and motioned for me to follow him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the gym. I¡¯ve shown you and told you what you need to know. Will you work with me?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°I dunno, man. I¡­ this is all so¡­ so damn big. You want me to open a door from Chicago to wherever it is I¡¯m dreaming of, all so you can manipulate our powers? That sounds pretty suspicious, William.¡±


    He flicked a switch, and the lights went off in the Archive. ¡°I know. I can¡¯t help that fact, but I want you to know that I have nothing but the best of intentions when it comes to that. Humans are corrupt, and we corrupt nearly everything we touch. Especially power. I¡¯ve seen far too many good people fall to that type of corruption over the last few hundred years.¡±


    We walked out and he took my hand once more. ¡°Hang on a second. I want to try something.¡±


    William stopped and faced me, a curious look in his eyes. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°How far away are we, distance-wise, from your Sanctuary, or the office?¡±


    ¡°Distance? Uh¡­ Whoo¡­¡± He exhaled sharply and thought for a moment. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know. What¡¯s cooking in your brain?¡±


    I created a door to the inside of his Archive, near where the light switch was. It was only fifty feet or so. When I opened it, a gust of wind pulled the door open wide. That was new. ¡°Is this the inside of your Archive?¡±


    William straightened. ¡°Did you just¡­?¡± He shook his head with a smile and reached in, feeling the wall. A moment later, I saw the Archive light up in the distance, just as light spilled out of the doorway. ¡°Well, shit. I didn¡¯t think of that. Think you could open one to the office?¡± He turned off the light and crossed his arms, smiling at me.


    I let the doors dissolve and did as he asked. The moment the door popped into existence, a blinding pain stabbed through my skull. It wasn¡¯t much worse than making a door to Japan, so I was able to keep it summoned. Barely.


    ¡°There we go,¡± I panted. ¡°One door to your office.¡±


    William opened the door, finding the office dark. ¡°Sure looks like it.¡± He extended a hand to me and pulled me to my feet. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Once we exited into his office, I let the doors vanish. ¡°That shit hurt.¡± I rubbed my head gently, the headache slowly subsiding.


    ¡°I bet. I think my Shadow Realm is another dimension entirely. I don¡¯t know much about it, and there isn¡¯t much of a way I can find out, either.¡± He walked with me to the desk, where I sat down. ¡°You gonna be alright?¡±


    I nodded, the headache nearly gone. ¡°Yeah. Yeah, I think so.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± he said. ¡°I think you should head downstairs to the gym. Get a workout in. Will you do what I¡¯ve asked, Jackson? Will you help me find answers?¡±


    I leveled my gaze into his eyes. ¡°You gonna help No-Face?¡±


    He sighed and nodded. ¡°I think so. Since he doesn¡¯t want to know the Bearers, I can assume he already has a list. I¡¯ll set Tekky on doing the same.¡± He huffed a laugh. ¡°If the little bastard hasn¡¯t done so already, that is. Tell him we¡¯ll do it, and also tell him I have a gift for him, as well.¡±


    ¡°What kind of gift? You know he¡¯s going to ask.¡±


    ¡°A history database. Far greater than any he¡¯s ever seen.¡±


    Understanding dawned on me. ¡°I see. How long will it take for this database to be ready?¡±


    ¡°I think I can have it built, staffed and online in six months. I already have a location in my possession. Just needs power and water. As long as you¡¯re willing to help me, that is.¡±


    I didn¡¯t relish the headache that would give me. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. You give the word, and I¡¯ll open the doors. I¡¯ll leave the details to you, but I¡¯ll trust that the people you hire will be able to keep their mouths shut.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll let you know when it¡¯s done. Go on, then. Call him, then go see Jennifer.¡±


    I nodded and dialed the number.


    ¡°Portal? I didn¡¯t expect to hear from you so soon. Is everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. Everything is just fine here. I wanted to let you know that Shade has agreed to your proposal, and he has a gift in mind for you.¡±


    ¡°A gift? How thoughtful of him. Might I ask what kind? It isn¡¯t Yule, nor is it my birthday. I don¡¯t think, anyway.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°No, sir. It¡¯s a history database. Far greater than any we have ever seen. It¡¯ll take some time for it to be built, however, but he wants to give you access to it, as well.¡±


    ¡°Oh my. That is a gift.¡± The line was silent for a moment. ¡°Give him my number, Portal. Tell him he is free to call upon my services at any time. Once only, mind you. I don¡¯t extend that boon to many.¡±


    ¡°I will, sir. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Have a good day, my friend.¡±


    ¡°You too, sir.¡± The line went silent as he hung up.


    I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen from the desk. Huh. William liked fountain pens. After a moment of fiddling with it, I wrote down No-Face¡¯s number. Handing the paper to William, I smiled. ¡°He says he owes you a favor. You may call upon his services one time. I hope we don¡¯t regret this.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t. I assure you. Go. Get stronger.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± I turned and walked out of the office just as Bethany and Anna walked into the gym.

 Chapter Thirty-Two

    ¡°...the only person who doesn¡¯t look ridiculous in neon gym clothes?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even own a neon workout set, Beth.¡±


    ¡°So? You¡¯d still make it work.¡±


    I saw a faint flush creep up Anna¡¯s neck. ¡°You¡¯re just trying to butter me up, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Is it working?¡± I saw Anna nod. ¡°Then yes. Yes, I am.¡±


    I slipped up behind them, grinning. ¡°She¡¯s right, you know.¡±


    Anna made a strangled squeak, freezing in place, as Bethany grinned. ¡°Good one, Gigantor. How long you been here?¡±


    ¡°Maybe five minutes. We left the restaurant a couple of hours ago. Why are you two just now getting here?¡± I wrapped Anna up in a gentle hug.


    ¡°Meany. Don¡¯t scare me like that.¡± She swatted my chest, then wrapped her arms around me, squeezing me tight.


    As we neared the desk, Bethany cleared her throat. ¡°Your phone, Jackson?¡± I jerked slightly and opened a small door to the roof of the Mirleson building, depositing my phone in a crevice behind a loose brick. ¡°Thank you. Our little Anna wanted to see some outfits at one of the stores on the way here. We got a little¡­ carried away looking at clothes.¡±


    ¡°Oh really? Find anything you liked?¡±


    Anna nodded. ¡°I saw a really pretty dress that would look good on me. Beth said so, too. A little too expensive, though.¡± She shrugged and laid her head on my chest.


    I grinned. ¡°How about we go get our workout in? I¡¯m sure Jennifer is wondering where we are.¡±


    ¡°Ugh. I don¡¯t wanna do aikido today.¡±


    ¡°Aikido? That¡¯s what she has you learning?¡±


    Anna nodded as we walked into the elevator. ¡°Yeah. She says I¡¯ll never be strong enough for something like boxing or karate, or even staff fighting like you will be. My best bet is to be able to redirect energy and force. I need to change first, though. Would you like to come with me or meet me in the gym?¡± She blushed as she looked up at me through her lashes.


    I swallowed hard, my heart already hammering against my ribs. Her voice was soft, and the way she tilted her head just enough to look through her lashes? Ugh. Not fair. ¡°I... I don¡¯t know what the right answer is here. I mean, yes, of course, I want to come with you, but-¡±


    She placed a gentle hand on my chest, her grin turning wicked. ¡°When a pretty woman¡ªespecially your girlfriend¡ªasks you to help her change clothes, Jack, you¡¯re supposed to say yes.¡±


    The elevator gave a soft chime, pulling me from my daze as we reached the second basement level. ¡°I¡­um¡­Anna...¡± I straightened and gently took her hand in mine, forcing my thoughts to clear. ¡°I think I¡¯ll wait. Not because I don¡¯t want to¡ªI really want to¡ªbut because I think if I came with you, we wouldn¡¯t make it to the gym anytime soon.¡±


    She stared at me, wide-eyed, before bursting into giggles. ¡°That¡¯s... probably true.¡± Her voice dropped to a whisper. ¡°Such willpower.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± I asked, as her muttered words reached my ears.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she waved the statement off. ¡°Go on up. I¡¯ll see you inside, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± I stepped back and reached for the button for the gym, but Anna reached up and grabbed my face, pulling me down to her level for a kiss.


    And what a kiss it was. It felt as if she pressed all the promise of sunny days, cozy nights under a blanket and endless dreams of hot chocolate in the winter into that two-second smooch. I stood there, hunched over, in a delirious haze of sweetness for a few moments before she chuckled and gently pushed me back upright.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you in a few, Jack.¡± She winked and flounced away down the hall.


    ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡± I mumbled as the doors closed, the sudden jerking of the elevator shaking me back to my senses.


    I had a short ride into the gym to compose myself. It wasn¡¯t quite enough, as I was still wearing a dumb grin as I stepped out of the elevator.


    Zack raised an arm in greeting. ¡°Jackson! Glad you made it! You think you can make a few more doors today? What¡¯s that look on your face all about?¡±


    ¡°Huh? What look?¡± I shook my head slightly, coming fully out of my daze.


    He grinned. ¡°Nah. I get it. Anna, huh?¡± I grinned sheepishly. ¡°Awesome, man. I¡¯m happy for you. Both of you. Seriously.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Zack. You wanted some doors to zap?¡±


    He nodded as we headed to the weapons corner, where Jennifer was flowing effortlessly through a new kata. I kicked off my shoes as we reached the edge of the training area, following Zack around to the weapons rack. Once I had hefted a staff, Jennifer cleared her throat. I looked over at her, somewhat worried.


    ¡°Zack? Lab is waiting for you in the ring. Punch on him a few times, and see if he can handle your electricity. Under no circumstance is he to hit you back, do you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Aw, man. I wanted to know what it¡¯s like just once.¡±


    ¡°Dude, don¡¯t even play with that. The man punches through half-inch plate steel. You¡¯d wind up a pink paste,¡± I said, somewhat horrified.


    Jennifer just raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Okay, okay¡­ I won¡¯t let him punch me. All¡¯s I gotta do is beat on him, though, right?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. We¡¯re testing his resilience to the elements. Get to it.¡±


    As Zack walked away I began to feel a little sorry for his fists. Until, that is, a stone staff whipped up in front of me, stopping in front of my eyes. I jerked backward, stopping a good five feet from where I stood previously.


    ¡°You, on the other hand, will be sparring with me. Ready yourself, and do not use your doors.¡±


    I was toast.


    Swallowing, I readied my staff, settling into a defensive posture, receiving a nod from Jennifer. She came at me with surprising care, her pace slow and measured. Quickly, I realized what she was doing, and let what little muscle memory I had take the lead. I parried her initial strikes, only to get swept off my feet a half second later.


    ¡°Again.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    I stood, and this began four hours of sparring, with her focus never once wavering, nor a bead of sweat never appearing on her brow. I, on the other hand, was slowly becoming frustrated with being put onto my back as frequently as I was. Sure, I had begun to anticipate her sweeps and strikes, and respond accordingly, but I still wound up on the floor after every exchange.


    At the end of the four hours, she stopped, planting her staff on the ground. ¡°Enough. You¡¯ve done well, if sloppy. Make sure you burn these lessons into your head, Jackson. I expect better next week. Get a shower. I need to check on Zack and Lab.¡± Retracting her staff into a small pebble, which she slipped into a pocket, she strode off toward the boxing ring.


    I took the staff over to the rack on wobbly legs, then turned around, only to find Anna, her hair plastered to her forehead with sweat.


    ¡°Four hours, huh? She sure seems like she¡¯s trying hard to train you, Jack. She usually spends maybe an hour with each of us. In the beginning, anyway.¡± She smiled up at me, and I cast my gaze down her shiny, sweat-slicked body.


    ¡°She¡¯s dismissed me for the day. I need to get a shower. That was irritating.¡±


    ¡°You look like you could use a nice, long soak in a tub, instead. How about you do that here?¡± She chewed hopefully on her lower lip as she gazed into my eyes.


    ¡°Anna, I¡¯m not just sore, I¡¯m tired. I still have to exercise my power today. And do some more work with the cybersecurity degree. I¡¯m not going to be able to rest for another six to ten hours at least.¡±


    ¡°Damn. I didn¡¯t realize you had all that to do, too. I¡¯m sorry, Jack. I wouldn¡¯t have asked if I¡¯d known.¡± She shuffled her feet slightly as her gaze slowly dropped to the floor.


    I pulled her into a gentle hug. This whole relationship thing seemed to be getting easier for me. ¡°No, don¡¯t worry. Once I settle into a routine, and have things figured out, it¡¯ll be much easier for me to get away and do things.¡± I squeezed her gently. ¡°Like taking a bath with my girlfriend?¡±


    She giggled and nodded. ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡± She looked up and gently patted my chest. ¡°Get yourself home and cleaned up. We¡¯ll chat later.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Text me or something?¡±


    She nodded, a soft smile playing on her lips. ¡°Absolutely. Get going, you big, stinky goof.¡± She gently shoved me toward the elevator, then walked off toward the boxing ring.


    I boarded the elevator and went up to the main floor. Knocking on the door, I poked my head out to see a smiling Bethany. ¡°Hey, Bethany. Just heading home for the day. Jennifer wore me out, and I got some schoolwork to do.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Jackson. We¡¯ll see you tomorrow, then.¡±


    ¡°You got it. Good night!¡± I shut the office door, then created a pair of doors to the top of the Mirleson building. From there, I retrieved my phone, then created a pair of doors to my room, collapsing on my bed.


    My relief was not lengthy. A few minutes after collapsing on the bed, I received a message. Checking it, I found it to be from an unknown number.


    Please open the door.


    Confused, I sat up. I opened a tiny door on the telephone pole across the street, hoping to see who was outside. Seeing nobody and no package there, I shrugged and laid back down. Not ten seconds later, my phone buzzed again. Another message.


    Please open the door.


    With mounting concern, I slowly stood, my legs protesting the movement. I sent a quick reply; Who are you and why?


    Please open the door.


    Not until you tell me who you are and why I should.


    Please open the door.


    Nope. Not dealing with that. I blocked the number, then opened a tiny door overlooking my hallway. Nobody there. I set my phone down and headed for the shower. Once I had finished and felt somewhat more human, I went back to my room and threw on a shirt and a pair of shorts, sitting down to study some more.


    Another buzz from my phone. With a shaky hand, I opened a pair of small doors to my nightstand. Picking up the phone, I saw that I had several messages and four missed calls. What the fuck? I opened my messenger, and it held twelve new numbers, each with the same message.


    Please open the door.


    I checked my voicemail. Four messages. Each of them from one of the unknown numbers, each of them with the same four words spoken by a computerized voice. ¡°Please open the door.¡±


    Well and truly freaked out, I called William.


    ¡°Jackson? You should be relaxing. Or studying or working with your doors. What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°William, I¡¯m either being cyberstalked or someone is pulling a seriously elaborate prank. I just got twelve messages from twelve different numbers each asking me to ¡®Please open the door.¡¯ I¡¯m kinda starting to freak out a bit.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I know! There was a thirteenth, but I blocked it at first, and when I went to get a shower, I had twelve more, plus four voicemails with the same four words. The voices were computerized or something. They sounded all weird.¡±


    ¡°Open a pair of closed doors to the top of the Mirleson building and then to my office. I¡¯m sending help.¡±


    He hung up, and I created the requested doors. Ten minutes of pacing later, the door opened, and Tekky walked out.


    ¡°Sup? Boss said you had an issue, but wouldn¡¯t explain. Just said it was urgent, and that I needed to come with him now. So, whatcha got, man?¡±


    Tekky -Kai, I reminded myself- was dressed in what looked like biker¡¯s leathers. He must have been riding, or had planned to ride soon. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disrupt your ride, man. Could you possibly trace a few messages for me?¡±


    ¡°Psshhtt¡­ Child¡¯s play, dude. Give me your phone.¡± I handed it over. ¡°Okaayyy¡­ Messages¡­ huh. Twelve numbers, each sending the same message? That¡¯s not weird at all¡­ Hang on.¡± He placed his hand over my phone, and I saw his fingers start to¡­glitch out. Like they were phasing in and out of reality.


    Ten minutes later, he hadn¡¯t moved a muscle. Fifteen minutes¡­twenty. Something wasn¡¯t right. I shifted to his side and gently poked his arm.


    ¡°Tekky? Tekky?? Kai!¡± I shouted.


    With a start, he came out of his trance. ¡°Holy shit.¡± He started shaking and I guided him gently to the bed.


    ¡°What is it? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Whoever sent those messages did so through like¡­ thirty different proxies. I¡¯ve never seen more than three. And that was in a government lab that technically doesn¡¯t exist. Here¡¯s the original sender, though. One person. Same person that actually called you.¡± He wrote down a phone number, but it seemed to have more digits than I was used to seeing.


    I checked the number, scratching my head. ¡°Dude. This is like, twenty digits long. Nowhere on Earth has a number that long.¡±


    ¡°I dunno, man. I checked all thirteen numbers that called or texted you. They all route back to that number.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡± I sat on the bed beside him, punching the number into my messenger app. I typed in the same response from before: Who are you, and why should I open the door? ¡°Here goes nothing,¡± I said softly as I pressed Send.


    ¡°You want something to eat or drink? You look like the work was rough.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± I opened a door to the kitchen, rummaging around in the fridge. There was my order from Al¡¯s that I hadn¡¯t eaten. Should work. I got a glass of water, and went back into my room, setting the meager offering down on the nightstand. ¡°Here you go. It¡¯s what I have available.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, man. I appreciate it. Normally, something like this wouldn¡¯t be an issue, but this guy? They know what they¡¯re doing. And they don¡¯t want to get caught. But what door do they want you to open? Do you know?¡± He tore into the sandwich.


    I shook my head. ¡°Not a clue, man. At first, I thought it was the front door, but nobody was there, then I thought it was my bedroom-¡±


    BZZZZZT BZZZZZT BZZZZZT


    We both looked at my phone, then each other.

 Chapter Thirty-Three

    ¡°Check it, dude. See what¡¯s up.¡± He took another bite.


    With shaky hands, I reached for my phone, hoping for something different, yet dreading it all the same. I unlocked it and checked the message.


    Whomever you are, please open my door. Please.


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know what to make of this. This person is begging me to open their door, but I don¡¯t know where they are. I can¡¯t help.¡±


    Kai wiped his hands on his pants and reached for my phone. I handed it to him and he scrutinized it. ¡°It¡¯s definitely the same person. I can¡¯t tell you where they are, either. Whatever it is they¡¯re doing, it¡¯s far beyond my ability to penetrate.¡±


    I sighed and sent a reply. If I knew where you were, I¡¯d help. Who are you? Where are you? ¡°I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s anything else to do, man.¡± A moment later, my phone buzzed again.


    Please open my door. It¡¯s so quiet here.


    I sighed in annoyance. ¡°They keep dodging my questions and just repeat the same shit over and over.¡±


    Kai shook his head. ¡°Probably someone just messing with you. I¡¯d mark the sender as spam. That way you¡¯re not blocking them, and you can always go back and read anything they send.¡± He stood and stretched.


    ¡°Sounds good.¡± I did as suggested and deleted the other texts. ¡°Want me to send you anywhere in particular?¡±


    ¡°Over by Milo¡¯s on Fourth?¡±


    ¡°I can do that.¡± I created a pair of doors to the back of the restaurant. ¡°Thanks, Kai.¡±


    He paused, his hand on the doorknob. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it, man. It¡¯s what we do, remember? See ya.¡± He walked through the door and once it closed behind him, I let them vanish.


    Figuring it was past time to finish my daily routine, I opened two sets of doors to Japan, feeling the icicle stabbing through my brain. I didn¡¯t bother timing myself, as I¡¯d already opened a set of doors across literal dimensions, but I was pretty sure it was close to ten minutes. Once I felt my consciousness start to waver, I let the doors vanish. My head was pounding, and I rested for a few minutes before shifting my focus to the schooling I still had to complete. With a pounding headache, I started tapping away on my keyboard.


    Two hours later, with my head pounding harder than before, I stopped. Checking the time, It was only eight, and I belatedly realized that I hadn¡¯t eaten since breakfast at Wilhelm¡¯s. Figuring dinner was in order, I grabbed my phone and opened a door to Wendy¡¯s. It wasn¡¯t the best for me, but it was filling.


    Ten minutes later, with a triple combo in hand, I walked back into my room, and sat down to eat. I checked my phone, seeing a message from Anna.


    Want to go back to Japan tomorrow night? We could do more this time?


    I sent a reply in the affirmative and settled back to enjoy my dinner. Once that was done, I felt exhaustion finally taking hold, so I turned in for the night.


    *********


    I found myself in the stone room once more. Looking around, I saw a green stain on the stone by the door. Most likely from the fruit I¡¯d eaten. I opened the door, seeing a dark sky with unfamiliar stars twinkling overhead. The gentle, pulsating glow of the grass lent the world an eerie visage, one that always awed me. Figuring I needed to explore this place as much as possible, I opened a door to the building I had attempted to enter last time I found myself here.


    The door was still partially open, and my surroundings dark. None of the glowing grass grew here, so I made a small door leading to the outside of the stone building. Reaching in, I pulled a tuft of grass from the ground, noting that it pulsed faster and brighter once I ripped it from the earth. I held it above my head, letting it shine its meager light into the building. I saw what looked like several workbenches, each about chin high. Whatever used these must have been a towering behemoth of a creature.


    Minding my steps, I made my way inside the building once more. The light from the grass seemed to be dimming, and I didn¡¯t want to take any more, so I did a quick visual sweep of the building, seeing little more than the workbenches inside.


    As I turned to leave, a shimmer caught my eye from the far reaches of the workshop. Curious, I turned toward it and walked on. Up on a workbench sat a metallic implement. Quickly, I looked for a stepstool, but found nothing. Shrugging, I created a doorway to the top of the workbench. Once there, I examined the tool more closely.


    It looked like a simple metallic rod, about an inch and a half thick and nearly as tall as I was. It was textured in the middle, and unnaturally smooth at the ends. So smooth that the surface looked like glass poured over metal. When I picked it up, I was surprised by how light it felt - practically weightless. Curious, I wedged one end between my foot and the smooth surface of the table, leaning back slightly to test its flexibility. The rod bent just a little under the pressure, but as soon as I eased up, it returned to its perfectly straight form.


    Nodding, I opened a door to the outside of the building, and stepped out, only to-


    -wake with a start in my bed.


    Once my heart had stopped pounding, I threw the covers back and sat on the edge of my bed. I certainly hoped this wouldn¡¯t happen every time I slept. Scrubbing my face with my hands, I stood, searching for a towel. Once I had the towel in hand, I made my way to the bathroom to shower.


    Upon my return, I dressed and made my bed, only to find the metal rod from my ¡°dream¡± sitting in the middle of the bed, under the sheets. Retrieving it, I found it to be just as weightless as before.


    Would this happen every time I went to that other place?


    I shook my head and called William. He needed to see this.


    ¡°Jackson? Everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Yeah, everything is okay, but there¡¯s been another dream, and I brought something else back. I think you should see this.¡±


    ¡°Come to my office when you get here.¡±


    ¡°See you in a few.¡±


    The line went dead, and I tucked my phone into his hiding spot, then opened a door to Wendy¡¯s, then to the office behind Bethany¡¯s counter. I knocked on the door and waited. A few moments later, I saw Bethany¡¯s smiling face.


    ¡°And a good morning to you, Jackson! Ready to train some more?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yup. Just need to see William first. He told me to come to his office when I got here.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then. You know the way there.¡± She stepped back and I exited the office, and wrapped her in a hug.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°Always good to see you, Bethany. I¡¯ll be back in a few.¡±


    ¡°You too, Jackson.¡±


    I walked over to William¡¯s office and opened the door. He was just walking out of the back, towards his desk. ¡°William? I think you¡¯ll want to examine this.¡± I held out the metallic staff.


    ¡°A metal rod? You brought this from there?¡± I nodded as he took it. ¡°It¡¯s lighter than titanium or aluminum. Huh. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen anything like this.¡± He ran his hands across the length of it. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ slippery at the ends. Weird. It¡¯s almost like¡­ like an axle of some kind, impregnated with oil as a frictionless bearing. I wonder¡­ Did you see anything else noteworthy in that place? Rails on the floor, an overhead crane system? Anything to denote its purpose?¡±


    I shook my head as he handed me the staff back. ¡°No. It was really dark, even with the glowing grass.¡± At his confused look, I added, ¡°The grass in that place glows. Almost like it¡¯s a living, thinking thing. When I ripped up some to use as a makeshift torch, it kind of freaked out. Started dimming after about ten minutes or so.¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°I see.¡± He rubbed his chin and crossed his arms. ¡°Well, it looks like you have yourself a weapon there. How strong is it, do you think?¡±


    ¡°Strong enough that I can barely flex it. I can take it downstairs and find out.¡±


    ¡°Do that. Though I¡¯d suggest against using it to train with. It¡¯s far too light for that.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°That seems reasonable. I can¡¯t wait to figure out what the hell that other place is.¡±


    ¡°You and me both. Get to training. I¡¯ll see you later.¡± He took a seat at his desk and turned on his computer.


    I headed downstairs and walked to my corner, where I found Jennifer and Anna. Jennifer was throwing Anna around easily, taking her attacking strength and energy and redirecting it elsewhere. After a few moments, they switched roles, and Anna began attempting to put what she had been shown into practice. It was a sad sight.


    Sure, she was able to fend Jennifer off most times, but when she didn¡¯t, she found herself mercilessly thrown to the mat by Jennifer¡¯s terrifying strength.


    ¡°Again.¡±


    Anna got up and shook her head to clear the cobwebs, then put herself into a ready stance. Jennifer advanced, and with a series of soft, lightning quick movements, Anna had thrown her to the mat.


    ¡°Very good, Anna. You¡¯ve improved.¡± Jennifer stood and smiled. ¡°Now, I believe it¡¯s his turn.¡± She motioned with her head to me.


    Anna stiffened and turned slowly. ¡°H-hi, Jack. When did you get here?¡±


    ¡°Just a bit ago. Looked like you were doing pretty well there.¡±


    A flush crept up her neck. ¡°I guess so. Jennifer thinks I¡¯m improving. Where¡¯d you get that? What is it?¡±


    I crossed the distance to her and gave her a quick hug. ¡°Just a thing I found. Thought it might come in handy here.¡±


    She nodded and pushed herself away from me. ¡°I should get to the rest of my workout. Don¡¯t die!¡± Grinning impishly, she jogged off, leaving me standing there confused.


    ¡°Hah?¡±


    ¡°Show me what you have there, Jackson,¡± Jennifer said from the mat.


    I shook myself from my mental meanderings and faced her. ¡°Just a staff I picked up. Thought it might be useful.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s find out, shall we?¡± She reached into her pocket, withdrawing a small stone. A moment later, it lengthened into a staff.


    This might suck.


    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s see what this thing can do.¡±


    I kicked my shoes off and strode onto the mat. In just a moment, she had crossed the space and delivered an overhand strike at my face. Instinctively, I lifted the staff, angling it to redirect her strike to my left. She followed with a sweep at my knee, and I swung my staff at hers, hearing a dull clack. She leapt back and I pressed the attack, striking as quickly as I could at her, finding no openings in her stance. She easily parried my every movement, no matter how hard or quickly I attacked.


    Feeling more than a little irritated, I tried something different. I leapt at her and flung my arm towards her, releasing my grip only enough to let the staff fly forwards an extra foot. The tip of my staff connected with her belly, and I heard her grunt in surprise. Not wanting to waste the momentum, I pulled back, and started a flurry of attacks, each one being once again, effortlessly parried by the much more skilled woman in front of me.


    On and on we went, attacking and defending until I saw her staff disappear. I halted mid-swing, my staff a few inches from her shoulder. Panting, I stepped back, planting my staff on the ground.


    ¡°Hand it here. I need to see it.¡±


    I handed her my staff, and watched as she inspected it. ¡°Interesting. You say you just picked this up somewhere?¡± I nodded and she continued. ¡°There¡¯s nothing on it. No sweat, no scratches, no dents, nothing. Make a wooden door.¡±


    Confused, I pulled a wooden door into existence behind her. I watched as she hefted the staff like a club, and swung with all her might. The staff connected with the door, erupting in a shower of splinters and fragments of wood. She inspected the staff again as I dissolved the door.


    ¡°Metal. Solid.¡±


    I shook my head and pulled a steel door into existence in the same place, and she repeated the strike. A loud bang reverberated through the gym as the steel door dented deeply. In a flurry of strikes so fast that I couldn¡¯t follow her movements, she repeatedly beat on the door. Deep rents and gouges began forming as she worked and I began to fear for my new staff.


    After a few moments, she stopped, panting heavily. The door hung crazily from its hinges and I let it dissolve. Again, she inspected the staff and this time, she grinned. ¡°You will use this when you¡¯re done training under me, Jackson. It will serve you well. There¡¯s no damage to your staff. It looks like it was made to endure this kind of abuse. Where did you say you found it?¡± She placed it on the weapon rack.


    ¡°That information needs to stay with me. For now, at least.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I understand. Go through your katas, then help Zack with his work. He needs doors to hit.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± I picked up a heavy staff, and started walking through my forms.


    Almost two hours later, I placed the staff back in its place, then went off to find Zack. Thankfully, he wasn¡¯t far away, dancing around a heavy bag, punching away. I leaned against the wall and watched him. He was pretty good, but I could see a few places where his enthusiasm tended to pull him into flamboyancy. After a few minutes, he noticed me.


    ¡°Hey. What¡¯s up?¡± he panted.


    ¡°Want to hit a few doors?¡±


    ¡°Oh shit? Let¡¯s do this!¡± He began to undo his gloves, and I could feel the air start to charge.


    I pulled several metal doors into existence in an empty area of the gym. I held them intact while he threw lightning bolts at them. Eventually, he was able to hit them three times out of five. The misses tended to go either straight up, or back into his own body.


    ¡°Dammit. Still can¡¯t get much farther than fifteen feet. It''s an improvement, but God, is it ever slow going.¡± He walked over to me, shaking his hands out. I saw little wisps of electricity dance across his fingers.


    I let the doors vanish as he started peeling off the tape from his hands. ¡°Getting better. That¡¯s all that matters, right?¡± He nodded absent-mindedly. ¡°How¡¯s the stakeout going?¡±


    ¡°Ugh. I¡¯ve been bored before, but that is beyond boring. If it wasn¡¯t important, I¡¯d beg Liam to let me do anything else. At least we have an idea of where they¡¯re going every time. Not our fault there¡¯s literally no pattern to their target beyond what you were able to lay out.¡±


    I nodded. I certainly hadn¡¯t seen a pattern to the specific locations. Sometimes they hit the same Al¡¯s when it¡¯s turn in the rotation came up, sometimes they didn¡¯t. It was frustrating. ¡°Yeah. At least we have what we have, though.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I need to go see Liam anyway. He has some more work for me. I¡¯ll catch you later, Jackson!¡± He grabbed up his gloves and tape, then ran off.


    I looked up at the clock on the wall. It was a little after noon. I¡¯d spent several hours here already. Figuring it was time to leave, I headed back up to the main office. Once there, I knocked on the door again, and saw Bethany¡¯s smiling face.


    ¡°Headed out?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yep. I have some things to do. Anna wanted to go back to Japan tonight, so I need to go get ready for that, too. Plus I have my schoolwork.¡±


    ¡°Busy man. I¡¯ll not keep you, Jackson. Go do your thing.¡± She smiled and closed the door, and I went home my usual way.


    Once there, I showered again, laid out my clothes for the evening, grabbed my phone, then sat back down for some more schoolwork. Six boring hours and several passed tests later, I sent Anna a message to call me at around eleven, then took a nap.


    ********


    I awoke to my door being banged on.


    ¡°Get yer ass up, Jackson! Yer lady is here!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Lab?¡±

 Chapter Thirty-Four

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s me! I¡¯ve only been beating on your door for five minutes. Anna¡¯s here. Something about Japan.¡±


    ¡°Fuck. Alright. I¡¯m up.¡± I heard his heavy footsteps recede down the hall. Checking my phone it was already 11:30, and I¡¯d missed two calls from her. I threw on my clothes, slapped some cologne on my neck and hurried downstairs the normal way.


    ¡°Hi, Jack. Looks like you¡¯re ready to go.¡±


    ¡°Jack? You let her call you Jack?¡± Lab grinned at us.


    ¡°Yes. She¡¯s the only one allowed. Don¡¯t go getting any ideas.¡± I heard Anna giggle at my side.


    ¡°No, no. Far be it from me to get any ideas, kid. You two have a good time. Give me a call if something comes up. I have friends there that can help if you need.¡±


    ¡°You what? No. No, nevermind. Forget I said anything.¡± As I opened a door to the alleyway by the Takashimaya building, pain lanced through my head. Thankfully, I could ignore it now. Anna and I stepped through and the pain jumped up a bit in intensity. I let the doors dissolve and looked down at my date. ¡°So! Where to?¡±


    ¡°Well, I figured we¡¯d grab a bite at Dixie, then maybe do some shopping?¡±


    I shrugged. Sounded as good as anything. ¡°Sure. I¡¯m fine with that.¡±


    She took my hand and led me back into the building and up to the thirteenth floor, where we found the Dixie Diner. It was a smallish space, especially to me, but it still had a similar atmosphere to an old train-car diner from the states.


    We were seated swiftly, as it was only noon there, and got our water almost immediately. Anna and I both ordered a sirloin with fries. The restaurant was sparsely occupied, and as it felt rather ¡°homey¡±, I was immediately at ease.


    ¡°So, I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve spent a lot of time with William lately. Everything okay?¡± Anna regarded me serenely, her chin resting atop the back of her interlaced fingers as she leaned on the table.


    I leaned back in my seat, still a little tired. ¡°Yeah, everything¡¯s okay. He¡¯s just following my progress with my doors and such.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°It did seem a little easier for you to open the door here. How¡¯s your head?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good. A little bit of a headache, but that¡¯ll probably go away after we eat.¡± I smiled, knowing that she cared enough to ask.


    With a grin and a wink, she said, ¡°Good. I want you to be well-rested.¡±


    Heat crept up my neck and cheeks. The reply I had was interrupted by our server coming over with our meals. Feeling that anything I said further would only serve to make me more embarrassed, I simply dug into the steak.


    It was good. Well-seasoned and perfectly pink inside, it tasted more or less like any other grilled steak I¡¯d had in the past. Which wasn¡¯t often. Now that I knew I had an income, and a substantial savings built up thanks to Lab, I could afford to do this more. And I was starting to feel like taking Anna out on dates more often would be a central point in my life for the foreseeable future.


    We ate and chatted softly for the better part of an hour, eventually finishing our meals. I paid the bill, and we left the shopping center, where Anna led the way to the subway station, which eventually had us passing under a large blue sign proclaiming ¡°Subnade¡±.


    ¡°Subnade? What the hell is that?¡±


    She giggled softly. ¡°Just wait, Jack. You ain¡¯t seen nothing, yet.¡±


    She confidently led us into a sprawling shopping district, which felt very much like a shopping mall back home. Only underground. And quieter. So quiet. Japan sure seemed to have a penchant for silence.


    ¡°Why are things so quiet here?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Oh. The Japanese culture places heavy emphasis on being considerate and respectful of others, especially their peace. It¡¯s really comfortable, especially when you come from our hectic and abrasive world.¡±


    I nodded. It was comforting, in its way. The lack of constant chatter was a relief to the cacophonous counterpoint in my head. Especially after the last few days. It was nice to just walk around and ¡°be¡± in a place where we didn¡¯t have to worry too much about any bullshit from other people.


    ¡°Huh. I like it. Kinda soothing.¡± I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into my side. ¡°Just like you.¡±


    She grinned and hugged me tightly, then took my hand as we explored the many shops in the Subnade. We visited several clothing shops, a wig shop, for some reason, jewelry stores, and other department stores that randomly caught her eye. After another hour or so, she started yawning, and I suggested heading home.


    ¡°Aw. But I¡¯m having such a good time with you.¡± She looked up, a cute pout on her face.


    I gave her a crooked smile. ¡°Yeah, but we have lives to live back in Chicago. It¡¯s not very crowded here. I can open a door near the bathroom,¡± I suggested, motioning with my free hand.


    She sighed heavily. ¡°Oh, alright. Let¡¯s get home, then.¡±


    I opened a door just inside the alcove heading to the bathroom, and we walked into my bedroom as my brain threatened to burst from my skull. I grunted in pain as I let the door dissolve a moment later, and sat down heavily on my bed, clutching my head.


    Anna rubbed my back gently. ¡°Do you need anything for the pain? Aspirin or something?¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Nah,¡± I shook my head slowly. ¡°It¡¯ll go away in a few minutes. Always does. Anyway,¡± I took a deep breath and looked up, smiling at her concerned look. ¡°Do you want to go back home, or are you staying the night?¡±


    Her cheeks burned red as she fidgeted and looked down with a soft smile. ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s staying the night, you idiot!¡± I heard Lab yell from across the hall. Damn, that man had good ears.


    Anna laughed and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll stay. I-if that¡¯s alright, I mean?¡±


    I pulled her close. ¡°I asked, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    She nodded against my chest. ¡°You did.¡± She checked her phone. ¡°It¡¯s pretty late, Jack. Let¡¯s get some sleep?¡±


    I nodded and pulled off my shirt. ¡°Sounds good.¡± I stood, turning off the light as I saw her doing the same. A moment later, I heard the sheets rustle and she patted the bed. ¡°Lay down, Jack.¡±


    I laid down, clutching her soft, nude, slender body to mine, and was asleep in moments.


    *****************


    I was falling, that dizzying, sickening feeling when the world beneath me cracked open. I felt the ground split, hearing the sudden shudder of reality itself as if it were made of glass.


    The pain in my head spiked, sharper than before. I tried to shake it off, but it was like something was pulling at me, yanking me deeper into the ground, my body pinned beneath an invisible force. But... it felt different this time. Anna¡¯s breath next to me was too real, too steady, and my pulse raced with that same pull, dragging at my mind.


    I snapped my eyes open, a strangled gasp escaping my lips, and the pressure stopped.


    I lay there, heart pounding, sweat beading on my brow. Anna, still beside me, was fast asleep, blissfully unaware. I swallowed hard, trying to steady my breathing.


    I sat up slowly, letting the sheet fall away from my torso. The cool air of my room was a balm to the heat radiating from my body. My pulse slowly calmed down as I sat there in the dark. I looked down at Anna. Had I nearly dragged her with me to the other world? Could I have done that? Was I too worn out to go there? Not tired enough? I still didn¡¯t know how it all worked, as I¡¯d not been there while awake, but I certainly didn¡¯t want to chance it. Not yet, anyway. After a few more moments, and cooling down a bit farther, I scooted back in, wrapping my arms around her tightly.


    The morning came, and with it, came the sunlight streaming onto my face. I woke, bleary-eyed and exhausted still. I¡¯d jolted awake several more times throughout the night. Each time, terrified that I might have woken up with her in that place. Or worse yet, not woken up beside her.


    Anna had snuggled against my chest, and was watching me as I woke. ¡°Morning, handsome.¡±


    ¡°Hello to you, too. Been watching me all creepy-like for long?¡± I smiled into her eyes.


    ¡°Oh, hush. You know you¡¯d do the same if our roles were reversed.¡±


    ¡°This is true.¡± I had to fight to keep my eyes on her face instead of letting them roam along her body.


    ¡°Did you sleep okay? You were jerking a lot in your sleep. Is something wrong?¡±


    I waved my hand. ¡°Bah. I¡¯m fine. Just restless, I guess.¡± I yawned and stretched. ¡°Wanna get up and get a shower?¡±


    ¡°You saying I smell?¡±


    ¡°What? N-no, I-¡±


    She laughed and swatted my chest playfully. ¡°Relax. I¡¯m messing with you.¡±


    I sighed and laid my head back on the pillow. ¡°Ugh. That¡¯ll be the death of me, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°I mean, maybe.¡± I felt her hand sliding down my body. ¡°But¡­ I could mess with you in another way?¡±


    I snapped my eyes open and raised my head to look down at her. ¡°Uhhmmm¡­ Where, ah, where is that hand going?¡± I felt her fingers caressing the tender spots near my hip, causing me to shy away from the touch, giggling.


    Her eyes brightened. ¡°What¡¯s this? Is he ticklish?!¡±


    ¡°Ack! No! No, no, no¡­. I¡¯m not ticklish! It¡¯s just a- Ack!¡± I started laughing uncontrollably as her fingers danced up and down my sides, making me twist and turn as I tried to escape her evil grip.


    We tussled about for a few more minutes, with me unsuccessfully attempting to evade her nimble fingers. Eventually, we both succumbed to a fit of giggles and laughter, falling into each other''s arms.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you tell a soul. I mean it. Not even Bethany.¡±


    She kissed my chest. ¡°Not a peep.¡±


    ¡°Shower?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Shower.¡±


    We both rose, and I opened a small door to the linen closet, retrieving a pair of towels. We wrapped up and headed to the shower. Once the water was running, I suddenly realized that I¡¯d never done anything like this before.


    ¡°So¡­ um, how-how does this work?¡±


    She dropped her towel onto the sink and shook her head. ¡°I know you¡¯ve showered before.¡±


    ¡°No. I mean, yes. I mean- dammit.¡± I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. It was getting a bit long. Time to cut it. ¡°I meant, how do we do this? Take turns? Get in together? What?¡±


    She grinned and pulled the shower curtain back. ¡°Get in here, you big goof. I¡¯ll teach you.¡±


    It was here that I learned how addicting it could be to shower with your girlfriend. I still wasn¡¯t quite ready to take that next step, easy as it would have been, even though she tempted and teased me relentlessly.


    Eventually, the water started to chill, and we got out, dried ourselves, then dressed for the day. I opened a door to the office at the gym, and announced our arrival to Bethany.


    ¡°And a good morning to you two!¡± She held her arms out to Anna, planting a kiss on her soft lips. ¡°Ooooh, a bit damp, are we? Did you have a good time?¡± she asked, cocking an eyebrow and grinning crookedly.


    ¡°I had a wonderful time, love. He¡¯s still a perfect gentleman, and still strong enough to hold his word. Even in the shower.¡±


    Bethany gave me a sly grin. ¡°Even in the shower, huh? I can¡¯t even resist her there. You¡¯re something else, Gigantor. Get downstairs, the both of you. I¡¯m sure Jennifer¡¯s got the floor ready.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Thanks for the head¡¯s up, Bethany. I¡¯ll see you later, yeah?¡±


    ¡°See you in a few hours, Jackson.¡± She waved and went back to the front desk.


    ¡°Ready, Jack?¡±


    ¡°Yup. Let¡¯s do this.¡± As I pressed the button to call the elevator, ready to settle into my routine, I felt a quick, stabbing pain behind my eyes. I shook my head to clear it, and distinctly heard a voice, soft, but insistent, threading itself through my mind.


    Please open my door.


    Anna looked up at me, worry etched on her face. ¡°You okay, Jack?¡±


    I smiled down at her. ¡°Yeah,¡± I lied. ¡°I¡¯m good. Just, ah¡­ trying to get the image of you in the shower out of my head. That¡¯s all.¡±


    She grinned and hugged herself to my arm as the elevator door opened.