The inside of Saint Marianne’s is still more active than usual, but in the end most residents spend all their time in their rooms and it’s the visitors and staff that have been scrambling around to make preparations or secure the hospice.

  Room 300 is no different than when I left; Auntie V hasn’t made any effort to personalize it. I glance at the large orange duffel bag, still sitting against the wall under a couple other bags, as she closes the door behind us.

  “Make the tea,” she instructs. I’m not sure how a cup of tea fits into this situation, but I decide to grab the kettle and fill it up then flick it on while Auntie V pulls the cube out. Once she does, she collapses back into the chair with a big sigh. It’s clear from the attack that her Power is still strong, but she seems so tired, and I wonder how long she has.

  “Why this place?” I ask Auntie V suddenly while I pour hot water into the mugs and steep the tea. “Why Saint Marianne’s?”

  “This is actually a special place, Cal. More special than most know. This room in particular sits directly on an intersection of multiple ley lines that power some of the protections, and it’s the first prison cell for Tier 3 Legendaries ever created. Things have moved on since then of course, but that’s why we’re here, in this place. You’ve seen for yourself what it can do in the right hands.”

  As I’m finishing the tea and bringing over the mugs I feel the weak mental glow of a Soul Spark created at the other end of the hospice. Slightly guilty I don’t even know who I’m Reclaiming it from, I pull Soul Spark into me and open the notification as I sit down and put the mugs on the small coffee table between us.

  Soul Sparks Reclaimed: 1

  Soul Spark reservoir: 1

  Would you like to allocate your Soul Sparks?

  (Y/N)

  Auntie V gives a soft smile and looks off in the distance to her left, then holds the cube out to me, so I close the notification.

  “This will tell us a lot, Cal,” she says. I’m not sure if her expression is hopeful or dread, or something else - or both. I nod and take the cube, then put my right palm on the correct side. We both stare at it closely as the seconds pass by and nothing happens. After quite a while I place the cube down on the table gently and we both pick up our mugs and sit back.

  “It’s not a guarantee,” she says after a sip. “But it’s promising, Cal.”

  I bloody well hope so. There’s no part of me that wants to tangle with whatever has taken her years to bring to the point of being able to finally eliminate it.

  “What will you do now?” she asks. I know what she means immediately - what will I do with all my new Attributes. It’s a good question.

  “I understand I need to stay near here,” I say. “I’d like to go back to the Dungeon and see if I can take on one that’s high enough to give me Soul Sparks. If I can’t, I’ll need to be patient and Reclaim them from places like this. Build things up slowly.”

  She nods as if she’s thinking about it, and that she thinks it sounds like a good plan.

  “With those Attributes you have now, you’d certainly qualify for the EDF. If you wanted other work, you could probably make a name for yourself as a Bounty Hunter or even get into an enhanced sports league. None of that is going to get you a lot of Soul Sparks, though.”

  My friends would have a lot of big fat opinions about what I should do now, but I haven’t had time to work out how I’m going to explain what’s happened to me, or about this situation with Auntie V. None of it seems like stuff other people should know about, at least for now.

  “I know, Auntie V. Something like this while also running Dungeons, if I can take on ones that are high enough Rank, might be my best bet for a while. I’m not going to get another chance like I did with Bobby any time soon - and I appreciate it, thank you Auntie V.”

  “Money can’t buy Powers,” she intones, then cackles. “Although for you it looks like maybe it can, as long as you want to call in a lifetime of favors and spend millions of Credits!”

  I grimace and look down, feeling guilty.

  “Oh, Cal - don’t worry. I won’t be around for them to collect.”

  She says it with such acceptance that it knocks me a bit.

  “Shouldn’t you… try to fight it? Find another way?” I ask. I know it’s prying, but I can’t help myself.

  “I am fighting, Cal. I’m fighting right now. Fighting to keep this cursed thing inside me from bursting free and fighting to kill it. We’ve looked for so many other ways, and this is the last one. I’m ok with it, Cal. I’ve had a long and mostly good life.”

  I’m not sure what to say to that, so I sip my tea for a while and we sit in comfortable silence.

  “There’s someone arriving today you should meet,” Auntie V says.

  “More EDF troops? A bodyguard?”

  “No, nothing like that. In fact, he might not be coherent. I’ve asked for him to be moved here, just in case my Powers can help him. And… if they can’t… well, I’ll be pleased if his Soul Sparks were Reclaimed by you.”

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  This is a whole different angle I’ve never really considered so far. Do the Soul Sparks I Reclaim contain part of the people who formed them? Do they live on inside me? Or are they released? I decide I’d much prefer to think that the Soul Sparks are released upon death and I just happen to be able to Reclaim them before they’re dispersed into the Universe, or whatever happens. It’s skirting way too close to religion and things about the Universe I’ll never understand for me.

  “Now that I’ve tested you with the cube, they’ll probably just wait for another hour or so and then bring him in. He’ll be in room 515. Why don’t you go get some food and see if that nice girl Lucy wants to do a Dungeon run with you?”

  I roll my eyes, but they’re both good ideas.

  “Ok. You need anything else, Auntie V?”

  “No, not for now Cal. It’s still going to be a few days before it’s time.”

  The calm she’s facing her end with unnerves me again, but I stand up and rinse the mugs out then put them back in the cupboard and give her a wave, then leave. I make sure to close the door behind me. My clothes are still a ripped mess, so I go back to my room and change, and take a shower. As I step out I examine myself in the mirror. Combat training has always kept me fit, but it’s clear I’m now a lot more powerful physically than I was before. My increased Attributes haven’t made me look like a drugged up bodybuilder, but my musculature is a bit larger and much more well defined. My movements are smoother and I can feel the power and resilience in my body. I can’t actually wait to get out on a Dungeon run and see what I can do. I wonder if I should display my Power, but decide not to. If the reason Auntie V is here is that I don’t have a Power, displaying one would be pretty stupid with all the security and EDF troops around.

  I only have one set of baggy workout clothes and I opt for it rather than jeans and a tight shirt, just in case it’s noticeable enough. Plenty of time to attract questions later, in different circumstances. I leave my room and head to the staff cafeteria. I’m surprised to be the only one here but I load up a plate and sit down. I’m a few bites in when the door opens and Lucy enters, then waves at me.

  “Hi Calrik,” she says. “I got a message you wanted to talk to me and that you’d be here?” she asks. Auntie V is shameless.

  “Hey. You make it through that attack ok? Seems like everyone did?” I ask.

  “Yeah. We did. I thought a few times they were going to break through that shield, but they never did. I was there to back it up just in case.”

  I nod. “I’m sure you would have saved everyone if it came to that.”

  “That all?” she asks and opens the door halfway while looking at me. I’m not sure, but I think maybe she’s noticed there’s something different about me, but she can’t place it.

  “You still keen on a Dungeon run if there’s no trouble tomorrow?” I ask. It seems a bit soon, but Powereds fighting Powereds and alien invasions are an everyday part of life across the globe, so I doubt after the excitement dies down anyone will be too traumatized since nobody here got hurt. You’ve just got to learn to get on with it.

  She looks at me for a couple seconds with her head tilted, then finally…

  “Yeah, let’s do it. Maybe Bart can come too.”

  I nod. It’s a good idea, if Bart is up for it and the hospice will still have enough staff. Just as Lucy is about to exit a woman pushes past her into the cafeteria. I see right away she’s dressed in a police uniform and means business. She’s short and stocky with a faint scar that runs through one eyebrow, giving her a perpetually unimpressed look. Her hair is tied back tight and her jaw is clenched like she’s spoiling for a fight.

  “Calrik Corvin?” she snaps in a sharp voice. Lucy steps into the room and closes the door behind her while I stand up.

  “Yes, hi. That’s me,” I say with what I hope is a friendly look on my face. Trouble with the law is about the last thing I need right now - only trouble with the Sentinels would be worse.

  “I’m Officer Pike and I need to ask you some questions about some of the deaths that have occurred here over the last few days.”

  I frown in puzzlement, but nod slowly as she stalks toward me.

  “Ok, Officer. Have a seat,” I say, and sit back down.

  “I’ll stand,” she retorts, and pulls out a small tablet. I glance over at Lucy who gives me a questioning look that seems like she’s asking if she should join me. I indicate yes and am gratified when it proves I was right and she walks over as Officer Pike finishes pulling up whatever information she’s looking for. Lucy sits down beside me, not too close - more as a witness - and Officer Pike doesn’t even seem to notice.

  “Edith Wenssler. On the night you arrived she died at around 10pm. Can you account for your whereabouts?”

  “What? I was in bed. I’d just arrived.”

  “Dorothy Nakamura. Is it true that you entered her room for the first time on your first day here, and shortly after that she was dead?”

  “Yes, but I didn’t have anything to do with that!” I protest as she taps on her tablet.

  “Geraldine Horlie. Is it true that you manipulated her breathing equipment and shortly after that she was dead?”

  “No!” I say. “I fixed her breathing equipment and tried to save her.”

  “Are you, in fact, a licensed repairer of medical devices?” she asks over her tablet. I don’t know what to say to this one. I mean, I fixed her things but no, I’m not a licensed repairer.

  “I’ll take that as a no,” she continues. “

  “Shrink Munroe died not more than a few minutes after you entered Saint Marianne’s after the alien invasion. Did you kill her?”

  “What? Shrink is dead?” I ask. I’m a bit sad when any of the residents die, but she was a real character. Was she the person whose Soul Spark I just Reclaimed?

  “How many residents of Saint Marianne’s have you killed, Mr. Corvin?” Her eyes are hard and she’s chasing me down like a dog with a bone. She really believes she’s onto something.

  “Am I being charged with something?” I ask her. Lucy glances at me. She looks less concerned than I worried she might be at this conversation. Death is a common occurrence at the hospice.

  “Not right now. I’ll be back to ask more questions. Don’t leave the city,” she warns me, and then turns around and strides out of the room, thumping the door open and closed as she does.

  “What the fuck?” I ask nobody in particular and shake my head.

  “I agree,” says Lucy. I can tell she’s not just siding with me; she’s genuinely as confused as I am.

  “That’s pretty messed up,” she says while standing up. “But, let’s take a raincheck on that Dungeon run until this passes over, yeah?”

  I nod, still trying to process what’s happening. Lucy leaves and my phone vibrates. I pull it out of my pocket and see it’s Sharon trying to call me, and my phone indicates it’s over a Carter Communications connection so should be secure. I glance around. Nobody’s here, so I answer it and she appears on the screen.

  “Sharon,” I say, keeping my voice down. I make sure the volume on my phone is low as well. “Something really fucked up just happened.”

  “Calrik, I have news,” she says. “Your offer has just been rejected as of a few minutes ago. Eddie himself demanded I pass along a very specific message to you as soon as possible, without alteration.”

  “Ok,” I say, shaking my head. The world is crazy. I can’t wait for this buffonery.

  “His message is: Calrik needs to give us a killer offer. You hear that, Calrik? Killer. There’s no escape clause. Killer.” She pauses for a few seconds. “That’s the message.”

  I can’t even believe what I just heard. Motherfuckers.