“Calrik Corvin? I heard you were looking for me,” says a woman as she slides into my booth. Nobody can really sneak up on me anymore unless they have a specific and strong Power, but she surprises me a bit because my head is so deep into looking at the Hero scene in Florida. Maybe it’s the climate or something else, but it seems significantly overweighted and Dungeons are rife throughout the state. I’m not sure I could have picked a better place, even if it was kind of by accident since my main criteria was a high concentration of retirees.

  Sable Marwick turns out to look exactly like I thought she would. Probably in her early fifties but extremely fit and well put together. Stylish black outfit and long hair with blonde streaks. Glasses and strong hands that look like they’ve seen their fair share of physical labour, or maybe combat. I look up and she smiles at me, a slight snaggle tooth somehow adding to her character.

  “Can I get you a drink?” I ask her. It seems like the polite thing to do.

  “Already have one on the way.” By the time she finishes her sentence the bartender drops a tall glass of something fruity with a couple straws down. I kind of expected a tumbler of whiskey, but this is all good.

  “Thanks Dax,” she says while looking up, and he gives her the same hatless tip of his hat that he gave me outside when I arrived. Sable takes a sip and looks at me for a bit in an appraising sort of way that makes me wonder if she has a Power at play. I try to sense it with my Mana, but either I can’t sense it or she’s already finished. I decide to pull her Status and while I’m at it, I pull Dax’s Status from the corner of my eye.

  Sable Marwick (Negotiator)

  Rank estimate: E

  Level: 97

  Redux: 0%

  Power: Appraisal (Tier 1 Major), Healing Aura (Tier 2 Minor)

  Conditions: None

  Dax Grizfore (Warrior Guildmaster)

  Rank estimate: C+

  Level: 139

  Redux: 30%

  Power: Combat Domain (Tier 3 Major), Mixology (Tier 2 Spark)

  Conditions: None

  Dax is a badass and Sable is obviously someone to be reckoned with.

  “What can you Appraise?” I ask her, and she smiles then flicks her hair back over her shoulders.

  “Anything. The value of an object, people’s Powers, how a team will work together, even a team’s chances of beating a Dungeon. It works on context, though. I always get a floor level of Appraisal, but more information always gives a better and more accurate outcome.”

  “That was a much more candid answer than I expected,” I admit, and look around to see if anyone is in earshot.

  “Nothing you couldn’t have found out by asking around,” she says. “And I prefer to start off on the right foot. Dax was right to connect us.”

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Why is that?” I ask.

  “You’ve got good Powers and a successful mission with the ESF as a temporary member under your belt. I think there are a lot of teams who would want you around, and if you build a reputation I think even some bigger name teams or a Hero Guild specializing in Dungeon runs would be interested. Unless you’re angling for the EDF or ESF…?” she asks. I shake my head.

  “Not right now.” I pause. “Maybe one day. I’m pretty keen to stay local for a bit and really learn how to maximize my Powers.”

  “Smart,” she says. “You’re only Level 16. If you double down on your main Power to Evolve it at Level 50 and 100, depending on how it works out you might even sneak into a Superhero team. I’d be more than happy to represent you.”

  “Represent?” I ask, and take another sip of my drink. Of course she doesn’t know that my actual Power works differently to everyone else’s. Even with her Power to Appraise things. Good to know. Sable finishes her drink and Dax has laid another down before I can even look over to the bar. Guess maybe they do this double act a lot. “I’ve got trust issues.”

  Sable laughs and it’s a pure sound that makes me smile along with it, then chuckle along with her. Is that her Charisma affecting me?

  “You do as much of the Hero business as you want. But there’s a lot of stuff you can monetize if you want to. Selling off Dungeon artifacts, or even higher Level Monster parts. Selling merchandise if you get popular. Scouting for the kinds of missions and jobs you want to take, so you can focus on training and kicking ass.”

  She’s not wrong. My parents were so powerful they never bothered with any of this, but I do remember contacts they had at various organizations who used to stop by. Someone small time like me doesn’t get a direct line to EDF leadership to get good assignments, or a meeting with one of the Hero Guilds. Maybe if people find out about my Mythic Power, but I’m not looking forward to that day because of all the negatives. I look at Sable and she seems sincere.

  “I’ll think about it.”

  “I’m here pretty much every day, same time. Prefer face to face so if you want to start up a conversation let me know. For free I’ll tell you that you should really contact Night Shift, they’re the best fit for you right now and they need someone who can dive if things get hairy. I’ll put in a good word for you.”

  Makes sense she would always want to meet face to face with her Power. I’ve seen that Hero team name scrolling by and profiled on the screens. It’s one of the many names I was considering.

  “Thanks,” I say, and I mean it. It’s not that often people have bent over backward to help me in life, but I guess after my parents disappeared I didn’t have a lot going for me that society values. No Credits and no Power is not exactly a strong opening bid.

  Sable slides out of the booth and even though she’s a lot older than me it’s hard not to take a longer look than strictly necessary.

  “Hope to see you around,” she says with a smile, and heads off toward a pair of Heroes in an open back room that reminds me a bit of the pool room I went to with Kaltor.

  “You want another one, kid?” Dax asks, gesturing to my drink. Consummate professional, with a predator lurking underneath.

  “Yeah,” I agree. “That would be great. Thanks, Dax.”

  I look around the inside of Origin and have a good feeling about it. Nice atmosphere, like a place where up and comers can come and get a boost and build a network, rather than a place where everyone comes to get away from the rest of their life. I slide out of the booth myself and sit back at the bar. Dax slides me the drink and I pull my phone out of my Inventory, then scan the section for the Night Shift team and lodge a request for a meeting later tonight. I spend a few minutes on my phone looking at their team members and latest exploits. Seems promising. I slide my phone back into my Inventory and take a sip of my drink.

  “Useful Power,” remarks Dax. He’s standing not far from me and watching the door as a couple people leave.

  “Probably not as useful as Combat Domain,” I say with a smile.

  “No,” he agrees. “Probably not.”

  I take a deep breath and down my drink in one go, then stand up and walk unsteadily for a few steps toward the door before the world rights itself again. I exit back out into the warm air and take a path between two houses out to a little beach and Hillsborough Bay. A sleek spaceship zips past me overhead and descends to the space port not even a half hour walk from here. Another reason Origin is in a good location.

  As I look over the water and all around Tampa it really truly feels like a new beginning, for me at least. There are still things from my past that might not stay there, but I’m not going to look over my shoulder. I’m ready to take anything on.

  I decide to head back to a restaurant near Emeritus Lifecare until later when more people are at Origin. A guy’s got to eat, and I can’t turn down free Soul Sparks.

  Not if I want to be the apex predator.