I gulped.
But I didn't run.
Instead, I did the dumbest thing possible. I pulled out my phone and started filming.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." I shook my head, putting on my best disappointed-face. "So you're Sonic Stryker? The guy who posts those videos beating up drug dealers and saving cats from trees? Man, I was such a fan. This is... really disappointing, dude."
I gestured vaguely at his still-tented pants and the hooker still kneeling on the ground with spit running down her chin.
"Like, a hero? Getting his dick wet in some back alley with a prostitute? How much did she charge you, man? Fifty bucks? A hundred? Did you at least get a discount for being a repeat customer?"
His face went through about six different emotions in the span of two seconds. Confusion, anger, embarrassment, more anger, disbelief, and then a kind of cold, dangerous calm.
"The *fuck* did you just say to me?"
"Just saying what everyone's gonna be saying when I post this bad boy online." I wiggled the phone. "I mean, can you imagine the headlines? 'Local Hero Caught With Pants Down In Back Alley.' It's gonna go fucking viral, man. You're gonna be the laughing stock of the whole city."
He took a step toward me, pipe still in hand. "Put the fucking phone down, kid."
"Or what? You gonna hit me with that pipe?" I laughed, but it sounded shaky even to me. "Go ahead. Posting this will make the hospital visit worth it, honestly. I'll sell the story to the tabloids for some cash, buy a new phone, and get famous off your embarrassment. Win-win for me, really."
The hooker looked between us, completely lost. "Uh, babe... is this, like, a problem? Should I go—"
"Stay out of this," he snapped at her, then turned back to me. "Listen, kid. You don't know who I am or what I can do—"
"I know exactly who you are." I pulled up my system screen. "Sonic Stryker. D-rank speedster. Top speed of about 200 kilometers per hour. Known for having more bravado than brains and a habit of picking fights with people way above your pay grade."
His eyes widened.
"How the hell do you know—"
"I know a lot of things, man. Again I was a big fan. And I also know you don't want this video getting out." I wiggled the phone again. "So here's what we're gonna do. You're gonna give me all the cash you got, I'm gonna delete this video, and we're gonna pretend we never met. Sound good?"
He stared at me for a long, uncomfortable moment. Then he sighed, running a hand over his face.
"Alright, fine, kid. You win."
He walked toward me, and I felt my heart start racing. This was it. He was going to try something—grab the phone or push me or something—and then I'd touch him and—
He took the phone out of my hand.
I blinked.
"Wha—"
He fiddled with it for a second, hit delete on the video, then closed his fingers around the screen and *squeezed*.
A low crackling sound came from my phone as he crumpled it like it was made of paper. Shards of glass and plastic fell to the ground, and he tossed the broken remains onto the pavement like it was trash.
"Here you go, kiddo." He smiled, but there was no warmth in it. "Now, how stupid do you gotta be to think I wouldn't just do—"
I stared at the broken pieces of my phone.
My plan—if you could call it that—had been to annoy him into touching me. Provoke him into shoving me, hitting me, slapping the phone out of my hands. Something that would get him in skin contact.
But he'd just... grabbed the phone.
Not me.
"Fuck," I muttered under my breath.
"Did you just say 'fuck'?" He laughed. "What were you expecting, genius? That I'd just let some random punk blackmail me? You're dumber than you look, and honestly, kid, you don't look all that smart in the first place."
The hooker started giggling—that high-pitched, ditzy sound that made me want to crawl out of my own skin.
"Babe, what a little idiot, right? Did he really think that would work? He's like one of those dumb kids who tries to blackmail somebody on the news and then—"
"Shut up," we both said at the same time.
She made a face and crossed her arms. "Rude."
He looked back at me, and I could see the gears turning in his head. He had me. He had me so completely that I hadn't even gotten a chance to--
Let's try again.
"Hey!" I reached out and grabbed his bare wrist.
"The fuck?" His head snapped back to me, and I felt every muscle in his body tense at the touch.
It was sudden and desperate, my fingers digging into his skin. He didn't dodge. Didn't even flinch. He just stood there, looking down at my hand like it was a bug that had landed on him.
"Why did you do that, man!" I yelled, putting as much fake desperation into my voice as I could. "That was my phone! Do you know how long I had to save up for that? Do you know how much shit I'm in if my mom finds out I lost it?!"
He rolled his eyes, a grin still plastered across his stupid face. "Kid, I don't give a single fuck about you— Fuck. Off."
"---hk!!?"
The next second, I flew through the air like a ragdoll and slammed into the alley wall.
Fucking hell, again in the wall?!
He and the whore both burst out laughing.
I slid down the brick, groaning, my vision swimming. Blood was leaking from a fresh cut on my forehead, and I could feel my ribs screaming in protest.
But I was smiling.
"S-so..." I looked up at him, a slow grin spreading across my face. "You just threw me against the wall."
"Uh, yeah. I did." He looked at me like I was slow. "What about it?"
"That's... actually fantastic."
He stared at me. The hooker stared at me. Even I was starting to wonder if I'd lost my mind for real this time.
"The hell is wrong with you?" he asked, genuine confusion replacing some of the anger. "You on something, kid?"
"Nope, not on anything." I shook my head, still grinning like a maniac. "Just having a really good day, that's all."
He squinted at me, trying to figure out if I was being sarcastic or actually insane. I must've looked pretty convincing, because after a few seconds he just shook his head and sighed.
"Whatever. You're clearly out of your mind." He turned to the hooker. "Fucking blanks... This shit's killing my mood."
He backed away slowly, like I was a bomb that might go off at any moment. "Okay, we're leaving. Come on, Candy."
"Babe, what's wrong?" the woman asked, scrambling to her feet and picking up her tiny purse. "It's just some weird kid."
"No, no, there's something off about him. I don't trust it. Let's get out of here before he does something else weird."
He grabbed her by the waist, and I caught a glimpse of a tattoo on her ass before he pulled her close. She giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"You're such a worrywart, baby."
"Whatever. Let's just go somewhere else." He slapped her ass, and she yelped, giggling like an idiot. The girl's eyes, rolling in pleasure, turned to me, her tongue slowly running against her upper lip, before the front of her teeth came down on her lower lip, and she laughed even louder, pointedly, and intentionally looking me in the eyes as she did so.
Fuck... she really reminds me of my stepmother.
I don't like her.
I watched them start to vanish, my smile still firmly in place.
"Hey, Sonic!" I called out.
He paused, looking back at me with a frown.
"Nothing. Just... have a nice night, man. Thanks for tonight."
"..."
He stared at me for another long second, then shook his head and took off with a burst of speed, leaving behind only a gust of wind and the faint smell of sweat and cheap perfume.
I stood alone in the alley, trying to catch my breath.
But I was smiling.
[Ding!]
[Parasite (Gen 0) planted.]
[Host: David Collins]
[Rank: D]
[Ability: Enhanced Speed]
[Drained: 0%]
[Lifespan: 18:41:22]
Huh... That's interesting...
Now what?
"..."
I panicked a little. I didn't know how to recover the parasite. And more importantly I didn't even know how to find David again.
[Ding!]
[Guide: How to Collect Power]
[1. The parasite drains a part of the host's power. Maximum drain for [Gen 0] is 10%. It needs about 12 hours to fill up.]
[2. Halfway through its life, the parasite will lay eggs inside the host. Each child is born [Gen 1] carrying 3% of the host's power, and inherits a small part of the host's ability.]
[3. To collect the stolen power, the parasite must be recalled.]
[4. Once recalled, the user may choose to FEED or BREED.]
[FEED: The stolen power is absorbed by the user.]
[BREED: The stolen power is used to create more parasites.]
[Warning: If the parasite's lifespan ends before it is recalled, all stolen power will be lost.]
[Warning: Early recall is possible. Only the power drained so far will be collected.]
[Tip: You can track the location of every parasite by opening the [Map]]
"Huh... map?" I muttered.
The second the word left my mouth, a blue screen popped up in front of me.
[Map activated.]
It was a map of the city. The streets, the buildings, all of it, glowing faint colorful lines in the dark. Right in the middle was a small white dot.
Me.
And a couple of streets away, not far at all, was a big red dot.
[Host: David Collins]
[Drained: 0.1%]
◇◇◇
I sat there for a moment, catching my breath, watching that red dot pulse on the map like a heartbeat.
I pushed myself up off the ground, groaning as my ribs protested. But I was smiling like an idiot.
"Heh... hehehe... I actually did it."
I looked down at my hands. Same pale, skinny hands as always.
My stomach growled loud enough that I could feel it in my teeth. I pressed a hand against it and winced.
"...Right. Food. Money. Phone."
I patted my pockets. Empty. My phone was shattered glass on the ground, my wallet was in Bucky's pocket, and my stomach was eating itself.
I looked at the shattered remains of my phone—the screen was cracked beyond recognition, the case bent at an angle that made my eye twitch—and let out a long, tired sigh.
"Fuck it."
I wiped the blood off my face with my sleeve. It was getting crusty, and I probably looked like a horror movie extra. Whatever. Not like anyone cared.
I'd have to deal with the aftermath of getting thrown into a wall twice in one night tomorrow. Right now, I just needed to get home. Pass out. And hope that when I woke up, this wasn't all some fever dream.
Steph said don't come home before midnight.
Steph could go fuck herself. I was going home.
I limped out of the alley and started the walk home.
The walk back was long, and I kept my head down, avoiding eye contact with anyone I passed. If someone saw me looking like this and decided to call the cops, I'd have to explain why a beat-up kid was wandering around at night. The answer "I got beaten up by a speedster" wasn't exactly great.
By the time I reached my apartment building, my ribs were screaming and I was seeing double. But I made it.
The building was nice. Fancy, even. Marble floors in the lobby, a massive chandelier hung in the entrance hall, casting warm light over the gold-trimmed elevator doors.
"Evening, sir." The doorman—Marcus, I think his name was—gave me a polite nod.
I just grunted and walked past him.
A pointless exchange. I wasn't a sir to anyone. I was just the weird kid who lived in 14B, the one that everyone in the building whispered about because his mom was obviously a hooker and his sisters were obviously bitches.
Steph's job paid well. Probably too well, considering what she did for it. Rich men paid a lot of money for "elite companionship."
Tsk.
I took the stairs instead of the elevator—fewer people, less chance of running into anyone who'd ask questions about my bloody face. The apartment was on the fourth floor, and by the time I reached it, I was ready to collapse.
Apartment 14B. I could hear muffled sounds coming from inside.
... Why do I even bother?
I slid the key into the lock as quietly as I could. The door creaked open, and I stepped inside, trying to make myself as small as possible.
The apartment was dark except for a warm glow coming from the living room.
The sounds hit me immediately.
"Ah—! Oh fuck... yes, daddy... right there..."
*Slap. Slap. Slap.*
"That's it, you dirty slut. Take it. Take all of it."
"Mmmnn—yes! Yes! I'm your dirty slut! I'm your little whore!"
*Smack.*
"Ohhh fuck~ Right there!"
"..."
I froze in the hallway, my hand still on the doorknob.
"Fucking hell," I whispered.
I suppressed a shudder and took a careful step toward the stairs.
I tried to be quiet. I really did. Keeping my weight on the balls of my feet, praying the old wooden steps wouldn't betray me.
*Creak.*
The third step. The one that always groaned no matter how careful I was. The sound was like a gunshot in the quiet apartment.
The moaning stopped.
"...Who's there?"
Steph's voice, sharp and annoyed.
"Shit," I hissed under my breath.
I turned to bolt up the stairs, but it was too late. I heard running footsteps, and then the living room door swung open all the way, revealing—
My stepmother. In all her glory.
She was wearing a fuzzy bunny outfit. And I don't mean a cute one. I mean the kind that left absolutely nothing to the imagination.
A black corset top squeezed her massive tits together so hard they looked like they were about to pop out. The fabric barely covered her nipples, and her cleavage was so deep I could see her sternum. A tiny matching skirt that barely covered her ass, which was massive, round and pale, jiggling slightly with every step she took. Black fishnet stockings that stretched over her thick thighs and led down to a pair of ridiculously high heels that somehow made her legs look even longer.
Her long blonde hair was messy, falling in waves around her shoulders. Her face was flushed pink, a sheen of sweat glistening on her forehead, and there was a red mark on her cheek—like she'd been slapped. There was a handprint on her left ass cheek.
Nice. Fucking perfect.
My eyes met hers. Then they trailed down her body without my permission. Then they snapped back up.
Her silver eyes narrowed at me, taking in my disheveled appearance.
"The fuck happened to you?"
Her voice was sharp and annoyed.
I tried to look anywhere but at her. "Nothing. Got into a fight."
She looked at me like I'd just told her I'd pissed on the carpet. "You look like shit."
"Thanks."
"Did you get jumped again? By those kids from school?" She crossed her arms, which only made her tits press together even more. "How many times I gotta tell you to stop being a fucking doormat? Stand up for yourself for once."
"Right. Because that's so easy when they're superpowered."
"Don't give me that 'woe is me' bullshit." She waved a hand dismissively. "There are plenty of blanks that make something of themselves. You're just lazy and pathetic."
I felt the words hit me like a physical blow. I was used to it, but it still stung.
"Whatever," I muttered.
"Whatever," she mocked. "Ugh. I got a client, Noel. I can't deal with your bullshit right now." She jerked her thumb toward the living room. "That's Mr. Harrison. He's paying two thousand for tonight, so you better not ruin this for me."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
"I mean it. Shut your mouth and stay in your room. Don't come out, don't make noise, don't exist. I'll make you something to eat later."
"..."
I wanted to say something. I wanted to tell her that I'd just spent the evening getting beaten up by the same bullies who'd been making my life hell for years. That I'd lost my phone, my money, my dignity, all in the space of a few hours.
But I knew better.
"Okay," I said, turning toward the stairs.
"Men are such idiots," she muttered under her breath, and then her voice changed, becoming sweet and sultry, the kind of voice that made me want to vomit.
"*I'm right back, honey~! Just had to deal with my annoying kid for a second~*"
A deep male voice chuckled from the living room. "Don't take too long, bunny. I'm not done with you yet."
"Hehe~ Wouldn't dream of it, daddy."
She disappeared back into the living room, and the moaning started up again.
"*Oh! Oh fuck! Yes!*"
I stood in the hallway for a moment, listening to the sounds of my stepmother getting fucked by some random client.
I hate them all.
◇◇◇
My room was small. A bed, a desk, a closet that was too small for my clothes, and a window that looked out onto the city.
I didn't have much. But it was mine.
I shrugged off my hoodie, wincing as the fabric pulled at the cuts on my arms. I'd have to clean those up tomorrow. Right now, I was too exhausted to do anything except collapse onto my mattress.
I lay there in the dark, staring at the ceiling, listening to the muffled sounds of my stepmother's pleasure through the floor.
"OHHHH, FUCK—BABY, YES!"
Tsk.
I hate them all.
"... *Sigh*"
I let out a long breath.
[Parasite (Gen 0) planted.]
[Host: David Collins]
[Drained: 2.3%]
[Lifespan: 17:42:15]
A slow smile spread across my face.
"Alright, Sonic Stryker. Let's see what you've got for me tomorrow."
The map pulsed in the corner of my vision. The red dot was still moving, still alive, still carrying my little worm inside his body.
"One step at a time," I murmured to myself. "Just one step at a time."
I closed my eyes.