The rain was pouring on the night Kallichore sent a note to the police department, In blood specifically. It read.
"Tonight, I am going to kill someone of high stature. Someone who is corrupt and evil. Someone who takes the lives of others carelessly. And hides behind a veil of goodness. You know who you are and I'm coming for you."
Because of that letter all the higher ups of our city were in shambles, each knew who the target was, Steven Coal. And no one wanted him to die.
Here is the thing, Steven Coal is a good person but not always. Mr. Coal has split personality disorder, he is a great man most of the time. He alone is single handily responsible for how great our city is, he donates Almost half his net income each year to every charity in the city and beyond. He builds three parks a year at least. He sponsors college students, he offers jobs to the homeless. And gives them entire houses for working with him. He has shares in every company. And forces them to make environmental friendly decisions, He works with veterans to make his own private "army" to defend the city, but really he just wants an excuse to give them jobs and a home. And that is just the tip of the ice burg, he is the best thing to happen to this city since it was made... Usually,
once in a while his other personality comes out and he becomes truly corrupt. He kills to get power, he hunts people down, and he controls the city with an iron grip. But it only lasts for a week or so at most. After we wakes up he publicly apologizes and gives very very generous compensation to everyone harmed because him. He even tried to serve jail time because he killed the parents of a family 15 years ago. But no one on the jury had the heart to do it. He already paid the family the not small sum of 3.4 billion voluntarily. And got on his knees for 18 hours in front of the house asking forgiveness from the family until the eldest daughter finally said he was forgiven and sent him off. But then he sued himself to get himself in jail because he felt like it wasn't enough and that's when the jury didn't jail him.
The point is he isn't a bad person. And the public didn't think he was either. So getting a note calling for he death was... surprising to say the least.
"Get on it!" The chief of police yelled! "If Mr. Coal died everyone here gets fired!"
"Yes sir!" Everyone in the room called back.
The chief of police was organizing both a man hunt for Kallichore and Mr. Coal more protection. At this point Kallichore had only just appeared, once before at a rally Steven Coal was attending. They tried to assassinate him with a sniper rifle. But was stopped by Steven Coal's private guards. Kallichore escaped that day and broke into the police department to leave that note on the chief of police's Desk.
I don't think I need to tell you why a known criminal breaking into the chief of police's office and leaving a note covered in blood. Would do more then a little to anger him.
So now we get to me. My name is Nightlight. I'm was a superhero. But now I'm just mercenary, I still save People, I still stop bank robberies. But I am no hero. Heros don't hurt their families. But I digress. I'm a mercenary, so the chief of police hired me to protect Steven Coal. Something I specialize in.
Currently me and Steven Coal were sitting in his pent house, a large room with one entrance, and a short wall in front of it forcing anyone entering to go left. Which leads to the living room with two couches and a glass table between them. Extending out was the kitchen, separated from us by a countertop and some decorative lighting and a friut bowl. In the corner of the room was a stair well that lead to a second floor I had yet to explore. And a hallway behind me that lead to several rooms, such as a theater, gym, studio, and guestrooms. It was pouring outside and only getting darker by the minute I could tell because opposite to the door an entire wall was dedicated to a window.
"Please take a seat Nightlight" Steven Coal said, gesturing at one of the Couches, a small smile on his face and a very unexpected bag in his hand.
"Starby's sir?" I replied taking a seat across from Steven Coal on a couch that was surprisingly bland for the richest man in the world.
"Oh yes, I have to eat out sometimes you know how it is. 'Rich person food' doesn't taste as good as a hamburger dripping with starby's sauce." He said putting 'rich person food' in quotations as if he was done with it. " do you want some?" He offered pulling a swapped sandwich out of the bag.
"I'll pass sir, I can't exactly eat with a mask on." I replied, trying to sound as polite as possible I continued. "Aren't you worried about poison sir?"
"Poison? Honestly if someone tried to kill me I deserve it. I've done some pretty bad things in my life, and if someone hates me to the point of death, I probably deserve it." He replied. His smile getting even smaller but never leaving. "Besides I'd be a fool if I didn't notice my head bodyguard testing everything I eat for poison."
From the other side of the room the head bodyguard responded. "Sir I have no idea what you mean, you told us to stop checking your food years ago."
"I guess I have really slow elevators for the food to take 45 minutes to go up 40 floors. And magical ones too for it to be warm still." Steven Coal joked. His smile returning to normal, perhaps even bigger.
"I see the rumors about you having a death wish are true." I said.
"Death wish? No no, I don't want to die. But when you are responsible for so much death and terror that you had no control over, it wears down on you, you feel responsible for everything. And I do feel very responsible for everything I've done. If someone wanted to kill me I might as well own up to my mistakes and take it like a man." Steven Coal said. "A lesson you should take to heart Mr. Nightlight."
"Advice from your ability no doubt?" I said. Referring to his special ability, the reason he is so successful, and why he has a split personality.
"Ah yes. My ability, no I have to touch you for it to work. Would you like to try?" Steven said calmly. That same smile resting comfortably on his lips.
"So it's true you have the ability to see the best possible version of someone" I questioned.
"Yes, and the steps they need to take to get there." Steven confirmed, adding some more information at the end.
I thought for a moment, but I didn't see any downside. "Sure, just don't tell anyone my identity, it's important that I keep it secret. I don't want any old friends from work tracking me." I said.
"Of course, you aren't the only hero I've shown before." Steven said with a joy of a kid who just woke up on Christmas. Something told me he likes doing this.
He reached out his hand to shake mine. I removed my glove and shook his hand. I felt a cold wave pass through my body. As Steven's smile got even bigger, he really is constantly smiling huh.
"Oh wonderful, truly amazing!" He exclamationed he was looking at me... not at me but through me, as if I was made of glass and my entire being was on display. "I see a lot things that could make you better, which is always a wonderful sight to see. It means you will improve overtime no matter what you work on, but I do see something else. Interestingly." He stopped looking through me and locked eyes with me.
"you have many things tied to specific people." He continued. " That alone isn't interesting but the list is so small for you. Only 4 thousand or so long. That's quite a small number for a world this big. But the reason I am so interested is because one name is on almost every one of those lists. Lucy something. I can't give you a last name as the universe doesn't acknowledge family names. But I can give you that. Many things are specific to her or him, even something as mundane as meeting them is beneficial to your well-being."
I was a little stunned that one person could have such an impact on my life. I wondered who they could be and why they could have this impact on me. "How much would meeting them impact me." I asked.
"Oh, well I won't give exact numbers, at theirs size it doesn't matter, but they will contribute approximately 40% to your entire best self. That is to say. You would be 40% worse of a person if you didn't meet them, and achieved everything else." Steven responded happily.
"How can I meet them?" I said, sort of half hoping and half skeptical of this person who would make me so much better.
"Hm... let's see..." Steven began to mumble and look through me again. "Well... you will be happy to note that as long as you stay close to me you will meet them... you will be less happy to note that if I tell you anymore almost every benefit you get from them would disappear."
"So if I know anymore I lose everything?" I questioned.
"Yes, do you want me to continue? This is your future, I have no right to hid it from you, but I don't want to have you lose that 40%." Steven said concerned, that smile finally leaving his face, for a look of worry. "The choice is yours"
Do I want to know? Not particularly, while I am curious I don't need to know so why give up future benefits for this? "I'll pass, as you said I shouldn't give up 40%. I can live without it." I said letting go of his hand and shrugged.
"I'm glad, now that I know your identity would you like a sandwich? It will change your life." He said that smile coming back to grace his face again.
"Oh. Something you got from your ability?" I asked, a smile falling on my partially visible lips.
"Oh, of course!" Steven said smiling getting bigger by the second. Something about that smile gave me pause, like he knew something I didn't. Probably just happy about my acceptance.
"Well if we ate alone I could take of this mask and eat with you." I responded with a condition.
"I wouldn't have it any other way. Gerald can you boys come back in after we eat?" Steven cheerily called behind him.
"Sir, we shouldn't in light of the recent threat. And..." the head bodyguard started arguing.
"It will be fine." Steven said. "Just listen in on those bugs you planted in my house."
"Sir I don't know what you mean. We scan this place for bugs every day." The head bodyguard said.
"I know." Steven said smiling as usual. "That's why I know they are yours."
"I couldn't hear you sir. Perhaps me and my men should get our ears checked." The head bodyguard said, before quickly leaving with the rest of the men.
"They care too much about me." Steven signed. Still smiling of course.
I took off my mask and started eating and chatting with Steven like an old friend. He gave me advice and I gave him company as we ate. It was nice.