My eyes pop open as my perception brings the surroundings into my awareness. I slept the sleep of the dead and feel amazingly well rested. So much more refreshing than sleeping in that room with the door closed. I should really thank Cindy, but there is no way I will be approaching her. She might be ok with what happened. Stevie boy is a different story. If I get anywhere near her, he will flip out. Forcing Mac’s people to choose a trusted protector over a dangerous unpredictable newcomer.

“I’ll tell her when I get the chance.” Steph says “ Mac just left for the training room. This sleep took a while and you’ll need to hurry up and train. The opportunity to claim this floor is diminishing quickly”

“Thank you.” I say as I rub my eyes. “With my recovery rate I don’t think more training will be on the menu. I would love to spend weeks training. One more day won’t make a difference.”

“Are you sure?” Steph says speculatively. It isn’t what she expected and I’m happy to surprise a psychic. “Mac is gonna be upset that you just up and leave.”

“Yep. If I die some horrible horrible death. Tell everyone thank you and they can have my stuff.” I say as I get up to leave.

“You don't have anything but that bottle” she points out. I take a swig out of it and toss it to her.

“Then I guess you get all my stuff”. Ya that's cool. That is how she will remember me. Mr. cool guy.

I walk to the end of the hall terrified at what dangers are ahead of me. No matter what training Mac had in mind it wouldn't be enough. Everyone has a heck of a lot more time working on honing their skills. I have enough tricks up my sleeve to make myself a contender. There is more I am capable of, but how to access them is another matter. I don’t think there is much but real danger that will help me.

My flesh is energetic and weighs me down. I would much rather find a comfy spot and play video games or watch some cheesy movies. This is the right move though. If I don’t go when I’m well rested then ‘they’ might make my implants do something to call for me, or someone else would get this floor. Sooner or later these implants are going to shut down my abilities. I don’t want that to happen here after a new person is crowned leader of this floor. No doubt the killer of the previous leader will be number one on the hit list.

This thought process distracts me from the walk and my surroundings. A bit too distracted. I depended on people avoiding me as they have been. So when I approached someone who had not moved away it was a bit of a shock. Not only was this person not moving, he was standing. With several four others, two at each side. They half encircled me. If I didn’t see his feet I would have plowed right into him.

“Where do you think you’re going?” the familiar man in the middle asked, trying to sound tough. “You think I’m gonna let you take over this place after what you did. You can’t just show up, kill the floor leader and take what you want. You have to pay for what you did.” All five of them did their best to look as intimidating as possible.

“I’m sorry, who are you exactly. I feel like we met somewhere.” I respond.

“You know exactly who I am. Me, Goliath and Carlos ran this place before you got all up in our business.” He gestures to one of the other men. It was the guy who shot heat out of his hands.

“Oh you mean that big idiot with a super cliché name? The one that was going to do some non-consensual stuff to some random woman. I don’t feel bad about that at all. As for what I am doing. Well I am just out for a walk.”

“That was his real name, asshole. He was our brother.” Carlos cried out. The first guy put his hand in front of Carlos signaling him to stand down.

“Whose brother? Like a biological brother or a symbolic brother?” I ask.

“He was our real brother that you killed.” the first man said. I nod in understanding.

“So the big idiot who was struck down by a guy whose name begins with a ‘D’ was literally named Goliath? This sounds a bit comicbooky or like Potter. Is there a werewolf like guy who is named wolfy wolferson. Oh what's your last name? Is it giantus or something.”

“You’ll pay for that.” he says as he takes a swing at me. I step back and teleport behind them. Using the brief confusion to look them over with my perception and magical senses. None of them have implants. They might not be floor leaders though. Most likely they are subordinates like Goliaths brothers. One of them turns and looks at me. He taps Carlos on the shoulder and I make a break for it.

The end of the hall is only a couple of hundred feet away, but it might as well have been miles. Light erupts behind me. Carlos is still a one trick pony and is about to blast me with intense heat. I doubt my ability to run while I deal with the attack. So I stop and turn to confront and brace myself for the attack.

The heat barely touches me as I focus on it moving around me. I was right, this would have been too difficult to do while in motion. My senses flare as something is moving through the heat wave fast.

Luck is in my favor as the light abruptly ends before the object hits me. Freeing me to move. I twirl around into a focused kinetic kick. At the point where I normally would hit someone I try to teleport. The object grazes my arm right before I disappear.

My foot lands successfully into Carlos’s chest and he flies back. Now what was coming at me? I haven’t seen anything but bottles and bowls. Certainly no weapons. The others look around trying to figure out where I went. For some reason they all have to do a double take as their eyes pass over me. As if they couldn’t believe I was standing in the place of a comrade.

One of them presses his hands together like and slowly pulls them apart. Manifesting some sort of knife. That is a neat trick and I make a mental note to ask Mac about it later.

Shit Mac. He is going to be so pissed at me for skipping out on training and getting into a fight. I will never hear the end of it. Unless I die.

Before the knife could be used or the others pull out some sort of trick, I run. Teleporting in a serpentine fashion around the hall. Making less progress than if I was walking. Slower but safer.

The third brother decided to not try and catch me. He goes straight for my goal. Positioning himself right in front of the end of the hall. The others chase me and perform some light attacks. However, it doesn’t feel as though they are putting forth that much effort. I stop dancing around and just walk up to the last brother.

“I’m not letting you through.” He says as copies of him dash out surrounding me. If it wasn’t for my perception and my magical senses I would be extremely worried. They tell me the copies are not real. Just illusions with the original walking around figuring out the best way to attack me.

“What are you doing?” I say as I point at him. “I can see the real you. These duplicates hold no substance.”

With that he pulls them back into himself. He stares at me, calculating. I’ve beaten both of his brothers and his first trick did nothing to me. To add insult to injury, I have my implants and he doesn't.

A knife flies at me. My perception is more then up to the task of warning me before it hits and I easily dodge it. It was easy. Thrown objects, even from one of us, do not move fast enough to beat out these near superhuman reflexes. Especially from far away. It does however distract me, allowing for one of the others to get close. He lifts his hand up, an unseen force flies at me and I am unable to mount a defense.

It knocks me off my feet onto the ground a few feet away. Once on the ground I am unable to get up. Weight is pressing down on me. Looking over I see the one who pushed me is a stable stance palms down. Telekinesis is a neat trick which I wish I learned from Mac or some kind of defense.

The last man is walking towards me slowly. Rubbing the knuckles of his fists together in long motions. This action causes sparks to fall away from his hands. Getting hit with those will not be pleasant.

Fear sets in as three of the four approach me. I am extremely dumb. Should of went to training with Mac and Lucy.

“You must understand that we don’t want to do this. We have just been put into an awkward position. No one has challenged the leaders lately. If we let this go unanswered then others might repeat your actions.” says the guy with the knives. His words and his lips aren’t syncing properly. “In the end it is best for everyone.”

“But it isn’t up to YOU.” I say in defiance. “I come to challenge for the right to lead this floor.”

It was a desperate gambit. When I headed this way I had no idea what the right words were or what would happen when I said them.

“This floor will be mine!” says the third brother.

“No it is going to be mine.” Carlos says. Fully recovered and preparing for another blast.

“Hold on comrades. We discussed who would be going in for the challenge and neither of you were chosen.” The knife guy chimed in.

“I’ll be damned if either of these weak idiots get to be full fledged leaders.” Sparky fist joins the fun.

They stare each other down. There might be a chance that I can get out of this while they argue. Time to try and push against this force pushing down on me. It is similar to potential energy, but with no substance to contain it. Another trick to learn later. If there is a later.

I push against it like with the metal in the ceiling. When it ripples, the guy who is producing this effect freaks out. He immediately lifts me up and slams me back onto the ground. Immediately alerting the others of their actual purpose.

“Enough is enough, I will end this.” Sparky fist guy says as he approaches me. Taking unnerving slow steps. His knuckles are now glowing blue. I try to use my magical senses on them, but some sort of barrier blocks me. It is a form of magic. The manipulation of forces is hidden from me. I suppose it's a sign of a more seasoned fighter.

He reaches me and looks into my eyes. My throat is too choked up to talk and my eyes fill with tears. All my bravado falls away as my gut wrenches at my prospects. My end will be a tiny blip in the events of this place.

Metal sounds and lights. Not from any of my attackers. They are shocked and turn their heads to the end of the hall. I am no longer the biggest threat and the weight lifts off me.

A beam hits the unnamed brother. Then the one that shoots waves of heat. Sparky fist turns to run, but it is way too late. I get on my feet in time to feel a knife flying towards me. I manage to catch it with only a tiny cut on my hand. It’s owner now has a beam on him as well. All of them motionless except the one holding me down with telekinesis. He is on his knees as though he is worshiping the light.

One by one they get sucked through a doorway. Sensing running I turn around. Mac, Lucy, Stevie, and even Chuck are racing towards me. I can barely make out them calling out to me. It is too late.

A beam of light from the doorway hits me. My body freezes. For a brief second I consider pressing against it. That is a terrible idea. In a blur Mac reaches me. He mouths ‘good luck’ as I am sucked through the door.