After sneaking out of the warehouse and limping my way to a McDonalds, I order myself a nice, big meal and treat myself to the delicious calories. “At least I can come here now without hearing Luke’s whining.” I smirk to myself and place five fries in my mouth.

My phone buzzes and I find a text from my dad. “By the way, the kind of work you’re doing takes a lot of effort so don’t worry about having a lot of food. In fact, you’ll need it.” That’s convenient. I place my phone back in my pocket and finish my burger. Tossing the empty containers into the trash, I head back out into the cold. I take my time getting to the subway and let myself enjoy the break from the world. No boys, no new super powers, no thugs beating up the homeless: just me and the strangers ignoring me as I walk by.

The ride back was pleasant enough but nothing beat the the relief of climbing into the shower and letting the hot water rush over my exhausted body. I placed my hands against the wall and lowered myself to the ground to alleviate my legs of the terrible weight of my upper body. I close my eyes. Time flows by.

By the time I get out, it’s 7:25. I look at my phone and scroll through the notifications. Nothing catches my eye at first, snaps, group texts, matches from a dating app… Then I see the message on HookChat from Bryan Caster. “What the fuck? Is at an automated message?” I’m not sure who I’m saying that too but it comes out anyways.

I tap the message and unlock my phone to see something that only makes the situation even weirder. “Hey there Tyler! I’ll be in tomorrow to help set things up. I figured that no one else would be better for the job than me. Don’t worry, this chat is secure.” I blink at the words on my screen.

My face morphs into a hundred looks of confusion before I finally start typing. “Um. I’m sorry. Is this… THE Bryan Caster? CEO of Hook?”

“Haha, yes it is! Don’t worry. I’ll explain it all tomorrow. Let’s just say your dad and I are good friends and I’m excited to be helping the next generation. See you then!” I throw my phone onto my bed and scratch my head.

“You know. At this point, I’m just not gonna be surprised by anything.” I throw my arms up and fall back onto the mattress. “Well, I started today worried about missing my exam and ended it as a superhero.” I chuckle in disbelief. “Andy would be jealous…” My smile grows sad as I stare at the ceiling. “If you’re up there, Andy, I miss you man. I hope you’re in a better place. You deserve it.”

I’d woken up at eight in the morning (not that what I did could really qualify as sleep), grabbed a bottle of water and a breakfast sandwich from a nearby bakery, and made my way uptown. My dad had texted me a long list of exercises and tests and told me to call him when I was finished. He’d sent it at four and I’m still unsure if he woke up then or had stayed up working on whatever this suit is gonna be.

Sliding into the warehouse and plugging in the code, I trudge my way down the steps into the hidden basement. To my surprise, the lights are already on and I see a hunched figure by a collection of new monitors showing blue screens. “Hello?”

The shape leans back and stands before addressing me. “Hi! I’m Bryan.” Party of my brain had blocked out the idea that Bryan Caster was actually going to show up today. But sure enough, here he is. The six foot something, black billionaire waved at me. His bald head reflected the fluorescent lights and his tight beard framed his wide smile. “You must be Tyler. I’m excited to work with you!”

I was frozen on the steps. “You’re… Bryan Caster.” He nods. “THE Bryan Caster.”

He starts to chuckle. “That’s what it says on my birth certificate.”

“Wha- How? Why are you here? How do you know my dad?” My mind is swirling as I run down the stairs to see if he’s real.

“I used to help your dad back in the day! I still fund him too. You really think an electrical engineer living in Vermont could really afford you having an apartment in Manhattan and pay for your school full ride?” I shake my head, dumbfounded by his words. “Technically, he’s listed as a ‘consultant for electronic design and development’ but it’s really cause he deserves the money for all the work he did and to help him fund his side projects.” Bryan crouches back down and returns to funneling cords through holes in the table. “Speaking of, this suit he has planned for you is kick ass.”

I crouch to be level with him - ignoring the crying pain in my calves. “Why did he never tell me that he’s friends with you? I feel like that’s something important to mention!”

Bryan laughs again and crawls under the table to fiddle with the large computers he must have brought. “What would he have said? ‘By the way, I know the CEO of Hook cause he helped me fight crime when we were in college?’”

I let myself fall back onto my butt and rest my head on the metal table. “Yeah, I guess. God, these past 24 hours have been insane.”

Sliding out from under the table, he pats my knee and pushes himself up off of me. “Trust me, kid. Things will only get weirder!” His grin is equal parts excited and disheartening. “Now you better get to training. I got some work to do over here that’ll keep me busy for quite a while. Once it’s all done I’ll show you how to work the systems and all that. Hey,” he reaches down and gives my shoulder a light backhand, “then I’ll take you to dinner. How’s that sound?”

I let out a soft chuckle. “Sounds like a date!” The words immediately hit me like a bat. “Wait! I didn’t mean like that kind of date! I meant like a-” his hearty laugh cuts me off and forces my cheeks to turn bright red. It was true that he was very attractive for his age, and rather built too (the tight tee shirt wasn’t doing me any favors), but I’m not about to fall for my dad’s friend.

“Don’t worry, Tyler. I gotchu. Your dad has told me a lot about you over the years and I can tell you he’s very proud of the man you’ve become. But, if I were you, I wouldn’t get back together with that Luke kid.” My face turns crimson now as he laughs even harder. “I’m just giving you a hard time! Go on, get to work.”

I walk to the gym equipment and try to ignore the tech mogul listening to classic hip-hop. One exercise at a time, I stifle my pained screams as my sore body begs me to stop. Every so often, I catch Bryan watching me before checking how I’m doing. “Just fine,” I lie every time.

“Let me know when you’ve finished the exercises so I can help you with the tests.” I squint in worry at the billionaire’s instructions but continue my regiment none-the-less.

After finishing the final push up, I collapse onto the cold ground and let out a long sigh. “You alright over there, kid?” Bryan’s voice sounds an ocean away.

“Just peachy.” I groan.

I hear his chuckling grow closer until his shadow covers my vision. “Come on, let’s get you up.” He reaches a hand down to me. I strain my arm up to meet it and let him pull me up. “Time for the fun to begin!” Bryan walks over to a table and slides on a pair of boxing gloves. “Your father told me about what he thinks your powers are and we’re gonna test that. I promise I won’t punch you TOO hard.” He gives me a wink as he walks back over. I’d long since taken off my damp shirt and for some reason this made me far more terrified for what was about to happen. “Remember, don’t tense up when I’m about to hit you. Let yourself relax and absorb the blow. Your body will thank you.”

He places his hands on my shoulders and positions me in front of him with nothing behind me. “Ready?” He reels his and back and shoots it forward into my stomach. I don’t have time to react before the rubber slaps against my stomach and blasts the air out of my lungs. I stumble back and cough for a moment. “Ready for round two?”

“Huh?” The fist makes contact again. “Ow!”

“Oh please, I know that didn’t hurt.” He was right and that only made me angrier. “But, unlike what your dad had you do, I’m gonna let you punch something!” I raise an eyebrow at his offer. “Come on, punch the bag.” He nods his head towards the punching bag.

I limp my way over and stare at the hanging black cloth. Looking back at Bryan, he gives me a reassuring grin and thumbs up. I take a deep breath and focus on the energy moving its way to my hand. I pull back and swing with a powerful jab, letting the force move my arm.

When my hand makes contact, there’s a loud bang. The bag explodes open, the chain snaps, and sand pours all over the floor as it crashes into the weights rack with a deafening clatter. “Holy shit!” I look down at my fist which seems completely unharmed.

“Well, I’ll be damned. Now that’s pretty impressive!” He walks over to me and taps my shoulder. “But let’s start practicing doing not that so you don’t murder folks.” I just keep staring in astonishment. “I’ll think about how to do that but, for the time being, hit the showers and let’s go get some grub. The showers in the back. I’ll finish up my work in here.”

He pats me again and walks away, tearing off the gloves. I wander back to the corner he’d pointed to and find a rather well kept and clean bathroom for the basement of an abandoned warehouse. Pulling on the handle, hot water starts spilling out almost instantly. I can smell a soft but sweet scent in the air as well. “Huh, alright then.” Pulling off the rest of my clothes, I step inside carefully.

The moment the water hits my skin, it’s like everything in my body relaxes. My muscles stop searing and my pain is washed away. It’s easily the nicest shower I’ve taken. When I step out, there’s a set of folded dry clothes waiting on the toilet seat with a towel hanging on the wall. Shrugging, I dry myself off and slide on the new clothes. They’re not a perfect fit but they’re nice enough.

When I come back into the main room, Bryan is typing on a keyboard looking up at an array of monitors. “I guessed your size with the clothes. I figured you’d need them, not knowing you’d go out tonight and all.”

“Thanks! Uh… Bryan. Can I ask you something?” He peers around the screens and gives me a questioning glance. “That shower was amazing! I don’t feel tired or sore at all. Am I just crazy?”

He smiles and returns to his typing. “No, it’s hooked up to a special water reserve we have down here. It’s mixed with this formula one of our partners came up with that can help folks with abilities heal a lot faster. I’m guessing your dad forgot to tell you and that’s why you were limping in here earlier.”

“Wait. That’s like healing water?!” I snap my head from the obscured Bryan and the corner bathroom. “Holy shit! This is just insane! Who made it? How is it still good? What happens if we run out?”

“All in due time, Tyler. I promise. For now, let me finish this up and we can head out.”

The walk to the small, classic diner was near silent. A few people pointed and whispered at the celebrity beside me but we were left alone for the most part. We slid into the vinyl covered booth and Bryan started to flip through the small jukebox at the table. He got a coffee and I got water to help refill the buckets that had poured out of me from my workout.

“Isn’t it weird for you to be out like this? Like… I don’t know… A normal person?” I look across the table at the distracted Bryan.

He starts to laugh at my, apparently, humorous comment. “Not at all. Rich people gotta eat too you know.” He doesn’t look up from the small glass case of song names.

“Well sure, but I figured you all ate nothing but five star meals and had personal chefs make your dinner.” I shrug and relax myself back into the cushions.

He pulls himself out of his focus and smiles at me with a dismissive gesture. “I’ve had my fair share of those, sure. But I’m just as likely to hit up a Chipotle or,” presenting the diner like a game show model, “a local diner.” He leans back in his seat and wraps his right arm around the top of the booth. “I may have money, but that doesn’t mean I’m obnoxiously pretentious.”

I purse my lips and nod. “Well, sure. I guess so. Sorry, this is my first real meal with a celebrity.” I can feel my face heat up. “Aren’t you worried that some tabloids or something will think…”

“That you’re my male escort?” He chuckles and raises an eyebrow.

“Well, not necessarily but… Yeah, I guess that.” I shrink down into my seat in concern.

“No, I’m not. Thank you,” he grabs the mug and saucer from the waitress and takes a sip. “If I wanted that I’d go somewhere else.”

“Wait… You’re saying that-” I lean forward with a look of disgust and shock.

“There’s a ring of child prostitution for the elite right here in the city? Yep.” He sets down his cup and give me a serious glare.

“That’s…” I’m at a loss for words.

“Disgusting? Abhorrent? Needs to be shut down? A stain upon everything good and just?” He says all of these without changing his expression in the slightest.

“Yeah. All of those.” I take a long gulp of my water and run a hand through my hair to try and comb out the fact I’d just learned.

“Well, I’ve been working on it for a while now. Sadly, the corruption is so deep that trying to announce it to the world or bring it to light myself would be suicide. Luckily, we have someone who will be capable of handling it very soon.” He leans forward to grab his coffee before leaning back and smirking.

“Who?” I sit in my own stupidity for a moment. “Oh! You mean me?!”

“You are a superhero, aren’t you? Sounds like the perfect person to try and bring it down.” He takes a long drink without breaking eye contact. “Of course this will take us quite a while. I’ve been working on this for years and I’ve been able to get a few folks out but it’s like drops in a bucket.”

“Wait, you’ve gotten people out? How’d you do it?” He’d piqued my interest.

“Lots of hard work. I funneled money through one of my charities to get them out. But ultimately, what they do afterwards is up to them. If they stay here, then they’re likely to run into some of the muscle from the prostitution ring.”

“Hmm… Do you remember who they are? Maybe we could get to them and make sure they’re safe.” I place my hands out in a pleading offer.

“Not off the top of my head. But I’ll get the names and bring them to HQ. But, in the meantime, you need to be training and getting control of your powers. Now look at the menu and get yourself a big meal. You need the calories.”

I grin and pick up the plastic covered menu. “Alright, alright. I hope you can afford a large stack of chocolate chip pancakes.”

His hearty laugh fills the near empty restaurant. “Yeah, I think I can do that. May have to double check my account though.” He gives me a sly nod and moves and waves the waitress over.