Various Dropped FFs of mine

[1] Application Successful Part 1

Application Successful Part 1

I wearily made my way back to the parking garage where I left my car, pulling my phone out of my pocket to check the time. 

"Wow, three fucking hours, down the drain and I accomplished nothing." I sigh as I notice that it's been three grueling hours, since I began beating my feet in an in person marathon of job hunting, you know putting in applications in person handing out resumes and all that jazz, to the point that I've lost count of the number of businesses I've been to today.

"Haa, I know that most of the employees at those places I went to took my resume and cover letter and threw them away, after giving me a nonchalant affirmative or a well practiced work smile when I asked them to pass it on to their boss." 

'I really need something for me to pan out soon…' I sigh as I'm not sure that I'll have the resources to go around and do it again in a month or two..

"You know another the major problem with applying for jobs whether it be online or handing in resumes by hand, is the fact that 99% of these assholes don't even give you the curtesy to send a quick email or phone call to say "we don't need you, so fuck off!" 

'Heck, if they'd just say fuck off…I wouldn't wait anxiously for some sort of reply or bother pestering them with phone calls, to see if they got my application and resume.

 But I can understand not doing that to a prospective low wage slave, may not be needed now, as they currently don't have any positions open right now, but employee turnover is high enough they might need you in a month.' A sigh escapes my lips as I slowly unbutton the top two buttons at my neck, making the tight grip around my throat lessen…hoping that my business casual gave a good impression at least to a few today, plus good first impressions are pretty much all that matters besides connections and if you don't have connections you need good impressions these days when going for a job. 

You can't look sloppy unless your insanely handsome or beautiful, shit if you're not your chances automatically go down, your beard has to be trimmed up nice…better yet you shouldn't have one at all, or your chances go down, you shouldn't have a tattoo at least not a visible one or your chances go down! 

Sometimes I wondered why I spent so much money and time getting ASE certified if no garage was going to hire me, for fucks sake I interned at BMW and left certified by them as well, not to mention the job I managed to keep at a multi big vehicle repair place, personally rebuilding transmission and axles for 18 wheelers. 

It irks me that all that experience and training hasn't landed me a decent job, but I accepted it and was just fine being a factory worker…and then I lost my job because of the mother fucking pandemic…I'd watched as other people were losing their jobs left, right and centre and thought I was secure in my position there and thought I could just keep my head down and keep working as a machine operator and a product transport specialist, I'd been there full time for the 3 years before the pandemic bullshit, I had a good relationship with my supervisors and a "friendship" with the in house fixer and no I don't mean a mechanic…but alas my luck ran out there.

And now with the way things are going my savings have just about dried up and no income coming… "Haa, I have to get a job soon or else…" I sigh as I fish my car keys from the left pocket of my grey slacks. 

 Pausing in my forward motion to give the lock button a few presses making the car's horn go off and lights to flash whilst giving a quick glance around the parking lot to make sure there wasn't anyone hanging around to jump me…and seeing that my car is parked exactly where I left it, I let out a relieved breath. 

Restarting my trek over to my car, wiping away the bit of sweat that had formed on my brow off, 'Not sure how I'm sweating when it's only 18° Fahrenheit out…but I am.' 

*bzz* My attention is drawn to my phone as it vibrates in my right hand, stopping for half a step, as I look down at my hand and wearily start to raise my hand so I can get a view of my phone's screen.

'I know it's dumb, after the day I've just been through, but I'm hoping for some good news.' I think to myself as I turn the phone just enough to view the screen, my imagination starts to run wild for a second as I imagine some congratulations you've won the dream car give away or an acceptance/inquiry for an over the phone interview email, or maybe even a booty call.. but being a broke ass nigga doesn't get you too many of those unless you're willing to be a drug dealer and I left that side of me behind when I turned 17.

I feel my face frown as I read the small notification picture of the message. 

'You have 1 New Message!'

Pressing my thumb to the fingerprint reader, once the phone unlocks I quickly navigate the phone's unlocked screen, dropping into my Messaging App and seeing the small little red 1 icon before the text box.

I quickly tap on the message box icon from this new sender, as I reach my car and press the unlock button on my keyfob…pausing in the motion of moving my keys to my pocket as I look into the group chat, which only has one item…which is a hyperlink. 

To, [R.O.B.O.M.C communications app]

Holding off on the impending eye roll…from what is most likely spam, I look up to the top of the screen for a phone number or an actual name…and only find an unlisted phone number detected. 

"R.O.B.O.M.C, Robo Motorcycle Club?" I ask aloud, as I start straining my brain to remember if I'd seen this acronym somewheres before, and it takes me awhile to remember that…a week ago after the passing of Grandma Daisy I had put in an application on Craigslist while drunk and high on painkillers, though it and most of last few weeks are a bit fuzzy, I feel as though the offer sounded good enough that I was willing to risk another craigslist scam…though then again I also tried killing myself unintentionally of course…by sliding off of my roof "removing snow". 

Still unsure of the veracity of this Robo Motorcycle Club…I feel a small smile starting to grow on my face, as I slide into the driver's seat put the keys in the ignition start my car and press the door locking mechanism, as I pull down on the screen using the quick menu to activate my VPN, to give myself some measure of security before opening the somewhat suss link, though not sure why I bother to do so as I seem to always leave it off when I search up certain videos and research materials at night…with more intrusive ads that are just hoaxes for various viruses. 

Looking for the little key mark to make sure that the VPN is on, finding it I drag my finger up returning the screen back to the group chat page, and click on the link. 

Clicking the link and hitting allow for app download, 'I'll admit I am surprised by how fast the download is going especially for my five going on six year old heavily worn smartphone that needs replacing…'

After about thirty seconds the phone vibrates and a little pop-up at the bottom of the screen informs me that the app has been successfully installed.

Leaning my head back against the headrest of my seat looking up at the ceiling of the car, 'I can't believe I'm going this far on some unknown…whatever or other in the vain hope that there's a legit gig on the other end.' I sigh before looking back down at my phone screen that is already on the page where the new apps quick icon is displayed. 

Eyeing the app displayed on the screen wearily before carefully tapping it to open with my thumb, noticing that the App's name is [R.O.B.O.M.C] and that the image is that of a white dagger in a closed fist on a black background. 

[2] Application Successful Part 2

I gently palm smack my forehead as there is a small loading icon on screen as the app loads up, before finally opening and the progress bar is crawling to competition at a snail's pace. 

As I wait for the app to load I find myself relaxing into the seat as I turn on the seat warmer, turning on the defroster and air conditioning so they can do their jobs or melting ice and keeping down as the fogginess, as I he look through my new app that just now finishes downloading.

At the top left of the screen is a [User ID] and [Photo] both currently blank at this time, while to the top right of the screen is a three line menu button and underneath that is 4 options. 

The First is [Chat], 

The Second is [Assignments],

The Third is [Pay], 

And The fourth is [Log In].

As the user ID and 3 of the options are all shaded out my eyes gravitate to the final option [Log In] which is at the bottom, and is the only one lit up. 

Pressing on it the option the screen changes with some new text and an input box. 

[Please enter phone number.]

[Back] [Confirm]

'Isn't this a little redundant? I mean they had my number to send me the app link…!'

The requirement to enter my phone number manually setting off the warning bells in my head that were already on full alert, while making me become even more suspicious of this, more than likely malware fishing app, and the rules that I've drummed into my head at seeing so many other people scammed blaring a warning, not to give away my personal details, no matter how desperate I currently am. 

 With my danger sense well and truly triggered and my anxiety peaked the fuck out for the day I put my guard up and begin to swipe up to close the app with the intention to delete it right away…and maybe do a factory reset while I'm at it. 

But I suddenly stop to think for a second, 'I might be overreacting…' I think to myself as I've been cautious with activating the VPN that also scans apps and blocks them if it detects any nastiness from them, and the fact that they already have my phone number from my application and that this is just a way to verify who I am.

Shaking my head from side to side feeling disappointed in myself and letting out a small sigh of defeat, knowing that even if this is a scam that it's already too late to save myself, I slowly input my number into the bar and press confirm. 

Nothing happens for a second other than a loading bar appearing on screen, suddenly the screen flashes and a notification pops up.

[Confirming Application]

I feel my heartbeat uptick as I'm waiting for more information as my brain becomes a little foggy, suddenly my phone vibrates and goes back to the main screen.

[Application Accepted]

"What?!" I ask as I unconsciously furrow my brows as I take in the notification on the screen. 

My head spinning slightly as the screen changes slightly now up at the top the User ID has now changed to.

[The Mercenary]

I'm left dumbfoundedly staring at the words on the screen for a few seconds as my mind drifts back to the night I had drunkenly applied for the job…that I don't actually remember exactly what position that I applied for. 

Tilting my head back letting out a groan.

'I'm a fucking idiot…Please, for the love of god, don't tell me I applied for a position…as some private sector killer…fuck, I'm not cut out for that kind of work!'

"Haa, this is just..bad, I applied for a job I'm not qualified for, and actually fucking got it. Shit, please god…I know I only call on you when I need a favor but I can't lose this job, I need it too fuckin much!!!" 

Quickly clicking on my new User ID, and get a little pop-up at the bottom of the screen that quickly disappears. 

The message informs me that, [The User ID name is set by Admin, and is unchangeable]

Resisting the urge to slam my head into the steering wheel again, again and again until I brain myself to death. 

Quickly pushing away those thoughts as I click on the chat function, 'Hopefully I can sort this whole mess out with the admin in a chat.' I say to myself in my mind.

Pausing as I inspect the new screen, I feel my suspicion increasing...as there is only one other person/contact in the chat contacts, and that is the [Admin], another of many red flags that are set off in my head today. 

A new contact/chat opens and my eyes flicker down to it, [Omniversal Mercenary Corps, employee group chat], that being another red flag, scrolling through the screen finding that there aren't any offline members to my contacts or the group message…group, meaning that I and the admin are the only ones in the app for a company and that is the third and final red flag, telling me I'm being scammed,

'That's three Strikes, you're outta here.' I say in my head as my little hope for having found a job evaporates and my whole body deflates in depression and I slump back in my seat.

"Haa, I can't believe I fell for this shit...probably one of the guys fucking with me, to try and cheer me…but damn did they have to go this far?!"

*Bzz*

My phone vibrates as I mutter aloud to myself, as my phone goes off and the screen flashes thanks to the settings I have activated, looking at the screen while feeling deeply annoyed as text boxes start to appear in the chat.

[The Mercenary, has been Registered]

[No clients found]

[Detecting new clients]

[Clients Found]

[Inviting…]

[Creating User Names]

[The boy that Hates Sand, has joined the group.]

[The Mother of the Apex Predator, has joined the group.]

[The Fire Chicken, has joined the group.] 

[The Dark Prince with a Bat themed fetish, has joined the group.] 

[The Son of the Mother of Fire Breathing Lizards, has joined the group.]

Rolling my eyes.

'Okay, now I know someone is fucking with me'

[3]Application Successful Part 3

I continue to sit here in the parking lot with my car idling as I stare at the phone screen for a solid minute, before finally starting to type my reply to, who I am hoping is my friends having a go at me, opening up the first chat to start the good-natured mutual ribbing, might as well play the game they made to cheer me up.

[The Mercenary: Alright guys first off, fuck y'all! You know how long I've been looking for a job, y'all didn't have to screw with me like this! Second off this is fucking amazing work, hope you guys didn't waste too much money on making this prank app thing.] I type out and hit send hoping to get the ball rolling so we can get started with the jokes and the laughing. 

 Though I quickly become confused as I wait and continue to wait, whilst watching the icons of the other users light up with the [...] icons/animations that show that they are typing appear, before they stop blinking and disappear and reappear again.

Which means that they are writing something and then deleting it, which makes no sense. 

Especially when the conversation can easily be something like 😂😂😂 gotchu bro sorry about your G-maw, see easy…but no! 

I mean come on I started the convo off with a "fuck you", they should be replying with the usual type stuff like "like damn bro, I can't believe you fell for that shit, you're one gullible son of a bitch" and I would shoot back something about their small penis's, or being retards or something along those lines…maybe throw in how I fucked one of their girlfriends or moms and it would end with us cussing each other out and seeing when we can all get together for some beers…you know nice and simple bro stuff. 

Suddenly my phone vibrates in my hand twice, "Finally one of you cunts replied!" I cheer and see that it is the Anakin/Darth Vader hating friend of mine and The Mother of the Apex Predator…

[The Boy That Hates Sand: I do not know how you hacked this secure comm frequency but the Force is telling me to trust in you, please I wish to hire you to save my precious Padmé from the fate that leads to her death.]

[The Mother of the Apex Predator: Please I don't have much, but please I beg of you, save my son Andrew!] 

 Rolling my eyes, as I look up into the rearview mirror noticing that there are slight, purple bags under my eyes showing off how bone tired and sleep deprived that I am…seeing my reflection in the mirror I realize all I want to do is go home, take a nice long shower, and cuddle with my pups. 

It takes me a while to realize that a few minutes have passed since I had gotten the messages from Sand boy and Apex Predator Mom. 

Looking at the clock on the dash seeing that the day is pretty much over as there are only a handful of minutes left until 5pm, "Haa," I sigh while looking back at the phone screen and quickly begin to type out my replies in private 1 to 1 chats, trying to stick with the "stay in character" as [The Mercenary], since jig the guys have going on is pretty cool.

'I mean shit why the heck not the joke is pretty damn funny!' 

[The Counselor: Mother of The Apex Predator, I will do my best to save your son Andrew.] I finish typing out and hit the [deliver] button and just as I'm about to back out of the private chat to message Sand Boy a pop-up appears on screen. 

[Congratulations Mercenary you have accepted your first assignment! Guaranteed compensation is $168,000 USD, scans indicate that there's a possibility for the power of telekinesis to be gained from this world which you know from the movie Chronicle, as a beginner Mercenary you are now being given the sign on bonus of an Inventory, a hub world where you will travel to before traveling to the location of your assignment, you are also being given the standard issue weapon of all O.M.C's which is the Particle Magnum. Now transferring you to the Hub.] 

Suddenly there's a flash of blue light and I find myself in a foreign place that kind of reminds me of…a certain farming game with ville in its name as I'm in a square patch of land surrounded by shaded out areas of land with price tags suspended in midair buttoned up against the border of my land. 

Getting out of my car phone clenched tightly in my right hand as I spin 360° finding two blue swirling vortexes bordered by gray colored metal rings, one is labeled [Assignment World], the other is labeled as [Home World]. 

Suddenly I no longer feel my long day, or my usual aches and pains, as the realization that this, what I initially thought was just a "shitty joke" is real. 

Suddenly my phone vibrates rapidly. 

[Mercenary, as your assignment will take you to a highschool setting it is recommended that you either switch to a premade avatar of a younger age so you can more easily connect with target or customize your own Avatar.] Sent by Admin, I read the message and feel the limits of my patience and sanity starting to hit peak levels before a massive meltdown. 

Following the directions that appear on my phone screen I click the three line button at the top right corner and then select Avatar, which is underneath the [Hub World] bar in the menu with settings being at the bottom. 

Scrolling through the pre-approved list of Avatars while also seeing that customize/create an Avatar is highlighted and has a [1 time free customization] underneath it. 

Scrolling back through the pre designed and approved Avatars I settle on an Avatar that is 17, white male, 6' tall 170 lbs, with an athletic build, slightly messy curly red hair at brushing of shoulders length, and green eyes, the looks aren't quite handsome but definitely above average especially for a teen, one of the things that drew me in though is the endowment of a third leg…if you know what I mean. 

[Congratulations, you have gained an Avatar to use on missions! Would you like to use your one time free customization on this Avatar?] [Yes] [No] 

Pressing [No] on the screen a new message hits my screen. 

[Please begin your assignment of protecting Andrew Detmer, your Transmigration is "a drop in" people will remember you as always being present but not really knowing you.] 

"Am I really going to do this?" I ask of myself as I approach the portal…Stargate looking thing that is labeled as Assignment World. 

"Yes, Yes I am!" I mutter as I feel myself smiling, a rush of excitement coursing through me. 

Stepping through the portal feeling a cool…cold sensation freezing against my exposed skin, the feeling fades as I enter a…warehouse or maybe an abandoned co-op store, where a rager of a party is currently going down. 

'Damn I feel like a grandpa!' I mutter in my head as the loud music and strobe lights are already beginning to give me a headach

e.

[4]

Scanning the room, I see that I'm a few feet away from Andrew who is aimlessly and awkwardly walking around the rager recording everything he sees, while stopping to shoot a hot blonde rocking her body like a professional pole dancer.

"Hey, you recording my girl?!" Some slim douchebag Vanilla Ice wannabe confronts Andrew while puffing his chest out and invading Andrew's personal space.

'My job's to protect Andrew…better get in there and ingratiate myself into his mind.' I say in my head as I nod and lunge forward pushing the guy back away from Andrew.

"Fuck off loser, your girl loves the fucking attention anyways!" I confront the tool and he throws his drink at Andrew and I.

'This motherfucker!'

"You fucking cunt." I snarl.

"Fuck you I'm gonna fuck you and your fugly boyfriend up!" the guy shouts at me, and I grab the collar of his shirt and wrench him towards me, and make my right fist connect with his sternum making all the air in his lungs rush out in a whooshing cough, before allowing him to drop to the floor gagging, he curls in on himself.

"He-hey le-lets get out of here." Andrew stutters, his voice filled with fear and awe as his eyes glisten with tears as he cradles his camera against his chest.

I nod to him and we walk away from the confrontation together, I notice Andrew superstitiously wiping away the moisture leaking from his eyes with the cuff of his sweater.

"You alright buddy?" I ask Andrew who flinches and looks down at the floor and nods, "Yeah." He replies to me though it comes out as a whimper.

"Your camera, okay? It seems like it's a good one…though a little dated." I say and clap Andrew on the shoulder lightly.

"Come on, let's head outside for a bit…and take a look at your camera." I continue and Andrew nods.

Once outside we walk about a 100ft or so from the building and sit down in front of a blue 67 Chevelle.

I hear Andrew sniffle a bit and I look over at him.

"Hey, you can't let the tools and the douchebags get to you man-" I start to comfort Andrew but am interrupted by a loud shout from a guy approaching us.

"ANDREW?!" Andrew flinches at hearing someone shouting his name and starts furtively looking for the person, when he sees who is yelling and jogging towards us he knows who it is and he tenses up a bit.

'Wow…the being or whatever is in charge inserted me into the story at the most opportune time.' I think Steve, who is a dead ringer for Micheal B Jordan, reaches us and claps us both on our shoulders.

'ANDREW?! Shane…right?!" Steve shouts at first and then quiets down when tries to clarify my name for himself.

"You?!" Andrew asks, probably assuming this meeting pertained to the confrontation earlier yet he pretends to be confused.

"Steve, Steve Montgomery, next class president!" Steve answers Andrew's confused inquiry, with a jovial smile, and acts very friendly towards Andrew which I can tell shocks the kid greatly.

"Yeah, I know who you are, I just don't know why you need me!" Andrew replies and there is more than a little unpleasantness in his tone of voice.

"Well, Matt told me you have a camera and we want you to record something." Steve says his smile never leaves his face, as he manages to laugh that stupid laugh while talking that black people have mastered.

"And what is this thing?" Andrew asks in a sarcastica and somewhat confrontational way.

"It's a little difficult to explain, it's better if you see it yourself, you should come to Shane." Steve says, and tries to put on an air of mysticism.

Andrew looks to me as if waiting for my lead and I give him a nod.

"Well, lead the way." Andrew says to Steve though I can tell he's wary of following the preppy Jock into the woods.

Steve barks out a laugh, "That's how you talk, Damn Andrew." Steve replies good naturedly…like a politician he laughs, before moving between us and slinging his arms over our shoulders, "Come on guys, they're waiting for us!" and just like that we leave the relative safety of the party, and head into the woods.

'Off to see the MOGO The wonderful Massive Organic Geoelectric Object of Seattle!' I sing in my head as Steve senselessly prattles on about nothing, as I think about MOGO which is supposedly an ancient extraterrestrial species with great ability in telekinesis; and it is shaped like a spider, its body is made up of large crystals and it has the ability to remain in an inactive state for long periods of time.

"I just remembered you, you're Andrew, from the community hall in elementary school, always coming in with your gray hoodie on, and Shane you were always the one in your camo hooded Carhartt jacket!" Steve suddenly expresses as he jumps up and down using mine and Andrew's shoulders as a lever.

"Wow, you have a really good memory!' Andrew says sarcastically.

"I do, I do that's why I'm going into politics, oh don't forget to vote for me!" Steve jokes lightly and doesn't miss a chance to campaign and move his agenda along all the while keeping a smile on his face.

Andrew doesn't reply and I just nod feeling relieved that similar to Jump Chain stories I have somewhat of a background.

"Uh, by the way, does your camera have a light?' Steve asks Andrew as he nearly trips over a protruding branch.

"Yeah, just a minute." Andrew replies to Steve, and flips a switch on his camera which turns on a bright light.

"Haa, that's much better, thanks Drew!" Steve sighs and thanks Andrew, 'Fuck it feels like we've been walking for a long time.' I think as we come to a gravely opening in the woods and I spot Matt hunched over with his hands on his knees looking down into a hole…a pit in the ground.

"MATT, I FOUND ANDREW!!!" Steve shouts and I can't help but wince as it feels like my eardrum is going to burst.

"YOU TOOK TOO LONG, THE OTHERS

HAVE ALREADY LEFT, HURRY UP-"

Matt shouts back.

Walking over, meeting up with Matt, who offers me a fist bump.

"This, this is what I was telling you about Andrew, it's weird in a fantastic sorta way!" Steve says with unrestrained excitement in his voice.

'Andrew, come here, come on, light up the interior." Matt instructs Andrew.

"Don't tell me what to do Matt." Andrew replies back a touch aggressively, even as he approaches the hole, and proceeds to shine the light into the hole, illuminating maybe 20 feet down.

Andrew still stands at a relatively safe distance from the hole, before Steve insists he comes closer. "Now come closer guys, you need to be closer and be quiet." and as we do as he says I feel a strong vibration through my shoes accompanied by a high-pitched sound.

'That must be a psychic pulse generated by the crystal, it's powerful enough to vibrate the ground.' I say in my head.

"Let's go in!" Steve says as he jumps in the hole he approaches the hole, 'Fuck it I want super powers that will allow me to sit on the couch and lift a bag of chips off of the top of the fridge!' I say in my head and follow Steve a few moments after he went in, and then Matt follows me in and finally Andrew…after the three of us lightly peer pressure him into getting out of his comfort zone.

Counting my steps as we go, we reach a cave after walking for about 45-50 feet before coming to a fork in the tunnel that is illuminated by a bluish white light that overpowers the camera's light.

"WOW, THIS IS CRAZY!!!" Steve exclaims loudly as we step into a large cavern where MOGO rests.

'Are you recording this, Andrew? Matt asks in a whisper that is filled with excitement.

"I'm trying to, but there's a lot of interference…" Andrew replies back, as he watches Steve and I approach the object.

As Steve and I start touching the crystal, it changes color from blue to red and the noise/vibration it emits becomes louder which causes both Steve's and my nose to start bleeding.

'Steve your nos..Waaa-" Matt doesn't finish speaking because a force of energy sends all of us flying backwards, looking over towards Andrew to see if he's alright, I spot him clinging to his camera for dear life.

'I've finally gotten those superpowers I've always wanted…time to make a better life for myself.' I thinks, as my nose starts to bleed and a dizzy spell hits me, the last thing I notice before I lose

consciousness is the world around us rippling and us appearing back at our starting point.

[5]

The sound of an alarm clock going off is deafening to my ears.

Helping myself wake up, I find that I'm not in my bedroom but instead, I find myself in a messy room, with things a teenage boy would like on his walls.

Whipping my head around quickly inspecting the room of…a teenage boy, as I sit up I swing my legs over the edge of the bed and groan as I cup my face in both of my hands, as I remember the events of yesterday from the app, the job and the cave.

My head begins to pound… and I develop an instant case of cottonmouth sitting perfectly still for a few minutes…my headache begins to calm down.

"Where am I and how did I get here?" I wonder aloud to the empty room only for the bedroom door to swing open and Andrew to run in cradling hot pockets, Pop Tarts and Totino's pizza roll things to his chest.

"Hey, sorry we didn't know where you lived." Andrew greets me as he walks over and sets food down on the bed between us.

"It's fine bro, thanks for letting me crash here and for not leaving me passed out in the woods." 'It's not like I know where to go anyways.'

"No problem, th-thank you for helping me out with that asshole." Andrew replies back to me while handing me a hot pocket.

"Ehh, it was nothin, I hate cunts like that…thanks for the breakfast…have you noticed anything weird…after last night?"

"No…" Andrew says while trailing off and gaining a distant reminiceful expression on his face.

"Hmm." I hum in acknowledgement but I don't believe him.

Looking around spotting a computer desk with a monitor and tower on it, the shelf above the computer desk has various action figures on it ranging from star wars to power rangers, spotting a tennis ball.

I reach out with my right hand from the bed which is a few feet away from the desk…I visualise the ball moving, I imagine what it feels like in my hand…which surprisingly works…as I make the tennis ball shakily lift up into the air by an inch or so, before imagining it flying into my hand.

"HOLY SHIT!" I exclaim my surprise in a hushed shout, and hear Andrew let out an expletive of equal volume, which causes me to lose concentration…and my hold on the ball at the same time, making the ball bounce across the bedroom floor.

"What the hell!" I mutter in soft wonder, as I watch the ball continue to bounce on the floor before rolling to a stop…against a pair of discarded jeans, that have been haphazardly left on the floor.

'Okay, this is awesome!'

'I know the movie doesn't really give us the greatest timeline for when the boys… manifest…their powers. I always figured that it was at least a few days…more likely a few weeks after the event with the crystal. Since in the movie we have to wait a few seconds for Andrew to get a new camera, but with Andrew living in poverty I always figured he has to earn the money himself to buy it…cause even though Steve asks about the camera in the movie. I doubted that he'd drop 500 plus on one for Andrew though he seems to come from a pretty well off family, and I also doubted the popular idea of Matt buying the replacement camera for him…even though he said he'd replace the other camera for Andrew if it broke.'

"So…could you always do that too?!" Andrew asks me with a snicker as he picks up the tennis ball with the power of his mind.

"Nope this is new for me! What about you?! I ask while releasing a sigh as I reach out with my right hand again to see if earlier was a fluke or not, while also wanting to see who was better, me or Mr Apex Predator, I easily succeed in taking over control of the Tennis Ball.

Feeling pressure against my temples, I unconsciously bring my hand up to my nose and tap my finger just above my upper lip and just under the opening of my nostrils and hear a small wet plap sound.

"Shit!" I curse softly while letting go of my mental grip over the ball making it fall back to the floor and it begins it's track of bouncing around the room until it hits another article of clothing as I grab the bottom hem of my shirt from last night the slept in and use it to stem the flow of blood from my nostrils.

'Fuck I hate bloody noses!' I curse in my mind, 'I wonder if the others are already exhibiting their new abilities…or if it's only Andrew and I?' I wonder internally as I get up off of the bed, walk over to and pluck the ball, from it's resting place on the ground not using telekinesis but good old elbow grease, and then walk over to the desk, and set the ball back down on the top shelf before pulling out the chair and sitting down at the desk.

Andrew and I stare at one another wide eyed, both of us trying to stem our bleeding noses.

"Haa-haa, Ha-ha-ha!" I suddenly burst into laughter, standing up from the chair continuing to laugh, feeling the control over my emotions that I've had since waking up slipping away, in my emotionally excited state and without a conscious thought from my mind, and his room begins to pay the price for my mental breakdown. As everything begins to levitate around me, all of the items turn into a tornado spinning around me…until I feel something like a rubber band stretched and strained to the maximum snap in my head, and blush gushes onto the lower half of my face from my nostrils as my world spins before blackness takes me.

…

"Hey, hey Shane, wake up!" I hear Andrew's panicked pleas as he shakes my shoulder harshly in panic.

"So worth it!" I groan from my place on the floor with a small sad smile on my face, not caring much about the fact that I'm experiencing a nose period.

I sit up and look at the mess I've made of Andrew's room.

"Don't, that was so cool dude, so worth some broken shit." Andrew expresses as I open my mouth to apologize.

"Yeah, I think it's safe to say the initial nose bleed is a sign to take a break, pressure on the temples means you're going too far…I think that I'm lucky, that I only passed out and didn't die."

"Dude." Andrew says in a whisper as he sits down on the floor heavily beside me.

"Do you think Matt and Steve…"

"Probably." I reply back to Andrew as I pull what feels like a wallet out of the back pocket of my jeans, finding a brown leather wallet slightly bulging, opening the wallet, finding a driver's license…with my avatar's face on it and an address in Seattle Washington, a bank card and the money pocket full of 100 dollar bills.

Andrew makes a soft noise of surprise at the sight of the money in my wallet, shrugging. I pull a couple of bills out of my wallet and offer them to Andrew who looks at the money both offended and in need.

"Take it, for the food and anything I broke…"

"Thanks." Andrew says as he reluctantly takes the pro-offered money from my hand.

"No problem, I should probably take off-"

"OPEN THE DOOR YOU LITTLE SHIT BASTARD!!!" A man's voice boomed from the other side of the door and Andrew flinches, with everything harsh pound on the door.

'Fuck this fucker.' I growl internally at my soon to be meeting of Andrew's father.

Getting up I move to the door and pull it open and Andrew's father tries to punch me in my face, but I knock his arm out of the way with my left arm, and swing a right hook, at him and connect with his jaw making him stumble, into the wall to the left of the door.

[6]

The smell of booze is heavy on the man as I hunch down and grab him by the collar of his shirt.

"Listen here you drunk worthless fuck, you put your hands on Andrew again and they'll never find your body you sack of shit." I say calmly with a little bit too much cheerfulness leaking into my voice.

"Y-you, you." Andrew's father sputters and spits as he tries to form words and I backhand him across his face, again and again until blood sprays from his mouth and he stops struggling.

I look into the room and I see Andrew staring at me, his mouth hanging open as his whole body trembles, awe and terror shining in his eyes as he looks between me and his father.

"Sorry…I kinda lost my cool…I probably just made things worse on you."

"P-please leave." Andrew stutters as he looks down at his feet.

"Yeah…again sorry Andrew." I apologize again as I turn towards the stairs and pass by an open door where I hear a woman groaning in pain.

My eyes connect with those of the woman laying in bed, her mostly covered by an oxygen mask, and in the instant our eyes meet I see recognition in her eyes and she mouths the words "thank you" to me, and I nod back to her as I turn my head and continue to leave the Detmer residence.

'I'll admit I'm a little surprised that MOGO isn't the one that hired me…since the crystal could be considered Andrew's..no the Apex Predator's mother.'

A couple of wannabe punk gangster# sat in front of Andrew's house in what equates to a park on a picnic table, smoking from a crack pipe.

Ignoring them I walk down the block while pulling out my phone…which may be five or six years out of date…back home…but here in this time it is more advanced than anything on the civilian market.

Typing in the address on my license in maps and hitting the calculate route button,

"Damn, three miles…" I sigh as I halt mid stride knowing that the thugs have a car but then common sense kicks in and I shake my head and keep steppin.

'Should probably practice with my inventory.'