The next morning, I woke up and turned on the TV.
I was everywhere.
Every news channel, social media feed, and talk show was playing the clip of my baptism. The footage of me standing in front of the golden System statue, looking humble and smiling, was on a constant loop.
"Aegis Defense's Golden Boy Joins Church of God!" the headline read on the main news channel.
The anchor, a woman with bright pink hair, smiled at the camera. "In a stunning display of faith, S-Tier rookie Seasons officially joined the Church of God last night. Sources inside the Church report that Seasons is not just a powerful Hero, but a deeply generous soul who regularly donates to charity in secret."
I smirked. Liza was already doing her job perfectly.
"With his approval ratings skyrocketing," the anchor continued, "experts predict Seasons will be the most sought-after Hero at the upcoming Metropolitan Tournament."
I muted the TV and took a bite of my bacon.
My phone buzzed on the coffee table. It was a text from an unknown number.
What is your endgame?
I stared at the message.
I typed back: Who is this?
Genevieve, the reply came instantly. Captain May gave me your number. I saw the news. You don't believe in God. You don't believe in anything. Why did you join the Church?
I chewed my bacon thoughtfully. Genevieve was arrogant, but she wasn't stupid. She knew I was playing a game, and it bothered her that I was playing it better than she was.
I typed my reply carefully.
Security, comfort, and to be left alone.
I hit send.
I watched the three little dots appear on the screen, showing she was typing. Then they disappeared. She didn't reply, leaving me on read.
I tossed my phone onto the couch. Genevieve didn't understand. She wanted fame because she wanted to be loved. I wanted fame because I wanted a shield.
I grabbed my video game controller and unmuted the TV. I was ready to spend the rest of the day fighting monsters.
But before I could load my game, the news anchor’s cheerful face disappeared.
The screen flashed red. A blaring siren sound played through the TV speakers.
BREAKING NEWS, the text on the screen read in bold black letters.
The image cut to shaky, live footage from a news drone.
It was an alleyway in one of the outer districts. The ground was covered in broken brick and glass.
In the center of the alley, a man in a white suit was on his knees.
It was White Hole.
He was surrounded by riot police holding energy rifles. Standing in front of him was a Pro Hero I didn't recognize. The Hero was wearing a sleek red and silver suit with a glowing visor over his eyes.
"We bring you live to District 9," the news anchor's voice said, sounding breathless. "Where the notorious vigilante known as White Hole has just been apprehended after a brutal street battle!"
I sat forward on the couch, my heart beating a little faster.
Leo got caught.
"The vigilante was subdued by Laserman, an A-Tier Hero from Romder," the anchor explained. "Romder has been aggressively patrolling the outer districts to boost their ratings ahead of the Tournament."
On the screen, Laserman grabbed White Hole by the collar of his suit and hauled him to his feet.
"You're done playing Hero, kid," Laserman said.
Laserman reached out and grabbed the black mask covering White Hole's face.
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He ripped it off.
The camera zoomed in.
Leo's face was broadcast to millions of people. He had a black eye and a cut on his lip. He glared directly at the camera drone with defiance.
"Authorities have identified the vigilante," the anchor announced. "It is Leonard Spike. Former Gadol Hero. Spike's license was suspended following the property damage incident at the Grand Hotel."
The anchor's voice turned grave.
"Under HRC law, using a Blessing for combat without a valid license is a Class A felony. Legal experts state that Mr. Spike faces a mandatory sentence of five to ten years in a maximum-security System prison."
I stared at the TV.
Five to ten years.
I watched as the police shoved Leo into the back of an armored transport van and slammed the doors shut.
I shook my head and picked up my controller.
"No plan, just emotion," I said.
Leo was an idealist fool. He thought that if he just punched hard enough and did the right thing, the world would reward him. He didn't understand that the world didn't care about right and wrong. They only cared about control.
By fighting outside the System, Leo had guaranteed his own destruction.
I unpaused my game.
I wasn't going to make the same mistake. I was going to stay right here, in my comfortable penthouse, where it was safe.
A few weeks passed. It was mid-October.
I stuck to my plan. I didn't train or go on any night patrols. I just stayed in my penthouse, played video games, and occasionally posted a picture on social media of me drinking a Braple energy drink.
My bank account kept growing. My approval ratings stayed high. It was the easiest month of my life.
One Tuesday afternoon, I was lying on the couch, watching a movie.
My phone buzzed. It was a news alert.
I usually ignored them, but the headline caught my eye.
Vigilante Leonard Spike Secures High-Profile Legal Representation for Upcoming Trial.
I sat up.
Leo got a lawyer?
When the HRC arrests a vigilante, they usually assign them a terrible public defender. The trials last about an hour, the vigilante is found guilty, and they are sent to prison. It is a fast process.
I tapped the notification and opened the article.
In a shocking turn of events, Leonard Spike, the vigilante known as White Hole, will not be represented by a public defender. A powerful political consulting firm has taken his case pro-bono.
Pro-bono meant for free. Why would a powerful firm defend a broke, disgraced vigilante for free?
I kept reading.
The firm representing Mr. Spike is The Board, founded and led by former military general Arthur Kilpatrick.
I had never heard of The Board and I had never heard of Kilpatrick.
I closed the article and opened my search browser. I typed in "Arthur Kilpatrick."
Dozens of articles and videos popped up.
I clicked on his official biography.
Arthur Kilpatrick was a former top-ranked general in the United States Military who served in the Iraq War.
But the most interesting part was his Blessing.
S-Tier Telekinesis.
I blinked. An S-Tier?
There were only twenty-five people in America with S-Tier Blessings. Most of them were Heroes like me, or top-tier military assets.
But Kilpatrick was neither.
Well not anymore.
After he left the military, he founded The Board.
The Board was a political consulting and legal faction. They lobbied the government, sued mega-corporations and fought for "Blessing Rights."
I clicked on a video link from a recent political talk show.
The video started. Kilpatrick was sitting in a leather chair across from a news host. He looked to be in his late fifties. He had short, graying hair, a sharp jawline, and wore a simple gray suit.
"General Kilpatrick," the news host said. "Why is your firm choosing to defend Leonard Spike? The man is a confessed vigilante. He broke the law."
Kilpatrick looked directly at the host with piercing eyes.
"The HRC is a monopoly," Kilpatrick said. "When the System arrived, it gave Blessings to everyone. It was a gift to humanity. God's Abilities."
He leaned forward slightly.
"But the government and defense contractors have stolen that gift," Kilpatrick continued. "They made it illegal to use your own body unless you work for them. They turned heroism into a commercial enterprise. If you save a life without a corporate sponsor, they throw you in a cage."
"But we need regulations, General," the host argued. "Without the HRC, there would be anarchy."
"There is already anarchy," Kilpatrick countered. "The corporations cause massive destruction in the name of PR, and the HRC covers it up. Leonard Spike is not a criminal. He is a young man who used his God-given ability to protect his community when the corporations refused to."
Kilpatrick looked directly into the camera.
"The Board is defending Mr. Spike because we believe Blessing usage is a basic human right," Kilpatrick declared. "We are going to court to strike a blow against this corrupt monopoly. We will see the HRC in front of a judge next week."
The video ended.
I sat back on the couch, staring at my tablet.
I was fascinated.
Kilpatrick was an S-Tier, just like me but he wasn't playing the corporate game.
He was fighting in broad daylight, using their own legal system against them.
And in the process he was using Leo as a pawn to attack the HRC.
I looked at my calendar. Leo's trial was set for next Wednesday.
I had planned to spend next Wednesday playing video games but this was different. This trial was going to shift the balance of power in the entire city.
My curiosity was stronger than my laziness.
I decided I needed to see this S-Tier general in action. I was going to go to the trial.