A stash of clean clothes is waiting for me in yet another building that should have been condemned a long time ago but after striping down I find a small cut on my ankle. How did that happen? I tear a piece of the dirty shirt to bandage it, burn the rest and set my course towards the city center.

Weaving through empty back alleys, backtracking, doing everything possible to throw off my imaginary pursuers (one can never be too careful) what should have been nice stroll turned to almost 15 km sprint.

It is telling that by the time I arrive at my front door I wasn't even sweaty. My new physical condition notwithstanding with all that I was carrying I definitely should be out of breath at least. Peak Condition is all but confirmed.

Now let's check the loot. The drugs I'll dump tomorrow in the ocean as they are The Fruits from Satan and no self-respecting adult should ever touch them! I'm tempted to keep the weed. Through my apparent weak will, I remember I'm starting a teaching position next week and although I doubt there will be drug screening I rather not give the principal more reasons to fire me (I'm sure she will find something about me unsavory).

There is also the 'be a role model to young children' aspect. And yeah, I kill people but they don't know that.

So what else?

2K donation for 'Make city better' cause and we finally get to the prime meat. .38 revolver, Glock 19 with an extra mag and short shotgun with a box of shells (slugs) that might see some use for breaching. Not a bad haul.

Looking at the guns my mind wander. Is this normal? Five people all the way down on the criminal ladder and I get two handguns and a shotgun? If this is the sign as what's coming, my tactics and defensive gear requires some serious upgrades.

Then there is the cut on my leg. I spent a few minutes with the replay feature of Perfect Mind and realize I'm dumbass. I have permanently active anti-pain script which is fine in theory but right now it's decreasing my pain sensitivity across the board. That is why I haven't felt the piece of glass when I put Wife-Beater through the table. Pain is a signal that something in your body is going wrong, not be able to feel it could lead to worse problems.

I have a weird relationship with pain. Twice in my previous life, I was injured enough that I should have screamed in agony except there was nothing. When I was 8 I tripped and the edge of my glasses buried in my eyebrow down to the bone. Half a cm from my eye. I literally haven't noticed until somebody pointed to me that I've got a hole in my head. Even after that, the first thing I felt was when the doctor stabbed me with a needle.

This awesome nugget from my past should tell you that pain is a great friend. Now I've got to reprogram myself. Thankfully the power governing Protocols is somewhat intelligent so complex-ish scripts are intuitive. Also, I do have a programming background, my professors would hunt me down to this dimension if I couldn't figure it out. In the end, I set up a 0-10 scale and tell my brain to reduce the strength of the three highest points.

Then there is the evidence side of things. When it happened I wasn't looking down so I can't tell if I left my blood behind. Even if I did it doesn't worry me much. There was plenty of other blood to mask my own when I left and my DNA is not in any system so it can't be linked directly to me. Next time might be different but for now, I'm safe.

The Sun interrupts my highly important activities (read: watching Youtube) a few hours later and after doing my usual routine I check my scratch. Except there is no scratch. I didn't imagine it right? I did get cut up by broken glass but besides the few drops of blood on the bandage there was no way to tell. That… definitely is not normal.

So I have more superpowers after all and it's a right from the A-list. Regeneration, that would explain why the only thing I have from my childhood accident is one scar.

I do a little victory dance as my survival chances increased drastically but then I realize the downside. The injury didn't close in the fight or when I got home and treated it so it can't be Regeneration. At least not in full. The evidence tells me that at best I've got enhanced healing which, while being extremely useful and convenient, it won't help me in a fight.

Shit, I have to test the limits haven't I? Once again Protocols comes in for a rescue. I make a small incision where the previous cut was and create a script that will alert me when it's healed. All I can do now is wait and watch Youtube. That Scion clip will never get old.

He was flying at low altitude over the town of Granada in Spain when suddenly he stopped. The people observing and filming him started looking around as they thought that something is happening. For two minutes he just hovers there not doing anything when suddenly his expression shifts into confusion and possibly even fear as he frantically tries to blast off. Only he didn't get a chance. There was a loud pop and he disappeared. Just… puff… one second there and another gone.

There are entire websites dedicated to his disappearance and I'm sure that Cauldron is in the perpetual state between elation and horror.

My theory, based on my existence here and outside knowledge, is that he was made to disappear by something or someone more powerful than him. What it was I can't guess. Maybe Abbadon, maybe some other cosmic entity, maybe Scions race realized that their plan was stupid and decided to scrap the entire thing.

I also scour the internet for any mention of powers gone wrong but nada. However it happened, triggers weren't affected, although it might be too early to tell.

A few videos later my internal alarm went off and I check my excursion into emo territory. It took slightly over an hour for basically a papercut to vanish. Yeah, no Deadpool impressions for me. I might not need a hospital in the future but I'll still have to pack a first aid kit.

That over I do some preparations for the upcoming school start. Mostly I'm gonna be teaching first years with some of the older classes sprinkled on top. I received the materials from the teacher I'm replacing (no, it's not Mrs. Knott, she's still there) so I'm not completely screwed but it still gonna be a challenge.

It probably says something about me when I'd rather go against the scum of the city than try to mold the future generation. Perhaps it won't be as horrible as I'm expecting. For all my social hung-ups (as in I hate people in general) I have no problem with presenting to a large audience especially about something I like. Now that I think about it, I would be pretty good at college level teaching.

The rest of the week passed with nothing significant happening. In that time I finished my initial reconnaissance of the city and started focusing more on the people.

Faultline hasn't set up shop yet and without her, there wasn't a group I could go to for support. I know that she would (will) be opposed to my methods, however, she eventually might be for information exchange, especially if I tangle some C53 facts in front of her face. Although I can't actually tell her anything worthwhile since it would result in her, and possibly mine, immediate death.

New Wave, on the other hand, is present in full force. Amy and Victoria triggered at the end of the last year and already they've, along with their cousins, became known as the future hope of the city. Glory Girl and Panacea are media darlings and one of them (guess who) is milking for all it's worth.

That reminds me. This early the influence of GG's power might be easily reversible. All I got to do is approach the subject of light brainwashing in such a way that doesn't end with me in a cell or with a fist through my chest. A piece of cake.

I really have a lot on my plate. School, Krieg and the Nazi assholes, Coil, this mess and who knows what awaits me in the future. I need a way to start crossing out some of them from the list.

Surprisingly Coil might be the easiest to handle but I can't just shout his real name from the rooftops. I need hard evidence so he doesn't get a chance to wriggle his way out. Finding his house was easy (good neighborhood) but the one time I followed him he just went to work. I don't even have his schedule yet.

All I can do for now is take things one day at a time and see how it goes. Everything is not so bleak as I have one good news. The background check on Vance, the friendly shopkeeper, is in full swing. Two weeks max and I'm gonna introduce myself.