I will openly admit it, Canberra freaked me out.

Initially the winged bitch from on high had been heading towards the Middle-East, then at seemingly random Ziz did a ninety degree turn and fell on Australia's capital with little to no warning. This was outside of what the feathered bitch had done at this point; always slow, languid, nearly lazy, as she fell from on high as if to only earn her moniker for the laughs.

The Hope Ender.

Thoughts of my ex-wife, cheap wine, and burned cordite filled my mind as I reviewed the death of a city.

"Fucking monster..."

Memories of Jessica, cheap stale pinot grigio, and my smoke wreathed M9 that I had just barely jerked away at the last second entered my mind as I closed my eyes and turned away from the computer.

I took in a shuddering breath, then a voice cut through the void, "Cuddlebear? Are you okay?"

I froze, I turned back to the bed as Taylor stared at me, sitting up, her arms wrapped around her pillow, her worried jade gaze unobstructed by her glasses.

I can't... I adjusted my own glasses meeting her determined stare, and gave up immediately.

I flicked the computers power switch off, then stood up as the monitors light highlighted my silhouette before I turned it off as well as I tossed my glasses on the desk.

I fell down beside my girlfriend and Taylor quickly threw the blankets over me as she cuddled up to my side, I didn't hesitate wrapping my arm around her pulling her closer.

She practically melted when I whispered, "Of course Snugglebug, you're here, right?"

Taylor fell back to sleep a time later and I came to a simple decision, this couldn't stand, not anymore, I couldn't stay on the sidelines any longer, I had to protect those I loved, and fuck the consequences.

The following morning I had breakfast with Taylor and her dad, sent texts to Tammi and Amy, and went about my usual every day ablations. When I got home I made dinner with mom, resisted the urge to tell my father to fuck himself with a rusty rake, and went to my room.

I booted up my computer, stared at the login screen for a time, logged on, then loaded the search engine.

I stared at it for a time, sighed, then shook my head slowly as I typed in the phrase I had been ignoring for months and hit enter while muttering out, "This is fucking stupid."

As 'How do you buy super powers?' flashed through Google a white light appeared behind me.

I did not hesitate as I spun around and aimed my Glock at...a very professional looking woman in a tailored suit topped with a fedora atop her head tilted at a jaunty angle, who was aiming what looked like a Walther PPK directly at my forehead.

She smiled at me lightly, the expression lacking anything resembling human warmth. She had the vestige of someone of Mediterranean heritage, and the bearing of a corporate CEO, looking down at my pistol with honest amusement, so quite likely a sociopath as well, joy.

I decided to act as I felt I should, "Sup, who are you and who is your tailor because you are seriously working that skirt suit."

She paused, then smiled, "I am Contessa. Also, you couldn't afford her so don't bother asking any further on the subject of my attire."

Touché

I dropped my pistol on the desk and she mirrored my action, I turned away from her then let out a tired sigh, "Lemme guess, you're going to offer me some Faustian Bargain that I can't possibly refuse. Guess what lady? Not interested."

She sat on my desk, crossed her legs in a possibly intentionally seductive manner, which was amusing because she had nothing on Taylor's legs, and demurely replied with, "And if I could make it an offer you couldn't refuse?"

I glanced at my Glock, and she just chuckled, "Oh you boys and your little...toys..."

What was that accent? Was it Italian mixed with Greek? Whatever, had to reply.

Regardless, I was my mother's son so I shot out, "Weapons are just tools, tools make an action one intends to commit to regardless of any other deviations easier to fulfill in an expedient manner. They aren't necessary, they just make the process faster."

So...if I was a woman...I may have been rolling with Lustrum, who knew? Huh... learn something new about yourself every day.

The woman with the fedora stared at me for a time, then smiled, "You have been a hard one to Path. Truly, you have. Regardless your reaction to Canberra was enough to hedge bets, so we find ourselves at an impasse."

She pulled a glass vial from her pocket, then placed it on my desk, I stared at it a few moments, then turned back to her.

"The fuck is that?"

She simply smiled as she replied with, "The fork in the road. You want to protect those you love, you hold no value over your own life, only that which others value you for. Drink that vial, you will have powers, discard it you will just be a single insignificant mortal, the decision is yours."

Really? Just like that, one fucking Google search and I had a hot as fuck MILF popping into my room offering me super powers? What, could I become Spiderman, Superman, Wolverine, Gambit? That would be...fucking awesome, really.

Still...nothing earned was nothing gained, thinking of what the girls had all gone through, what Taylor was trying to cope with, I just...couldn't take the easy way out. I sighed, then spun my chair away from the vial while meeting Contessa's gaze evenly.

"Hard pass, thanks regardless."

The hottie MILF blinked in confusion, then mumbled out, "That was not part of the Path?"

I could only shrug, "Sorry, not sorry? Not really sure what you wanted me to say here-" she then pushed my chair into the desk leaning down as our noses nearly touched, "-and now this is happening! Umm... Can I hel-"

I choked off as a glass vial was shoved into my mouth, and something that tasted like chalk, gym socks, and despair was forced down my throat until I swallowed it.

I had been desperately grasping for my pistol the entire time and managed to bring the sights to the woman's forehead when I spasmed, dropped my gun, and saw stars.

I woke up some time later with my face firmly planted in a puddle of vomit soaking into my bedroom carpet. The bile, half digested food, and oh...OH WHAT THE FUCK!? What the fuck is that smell!? Sweet Holy Obi-Wan! I scrambled to a sitting position and kicked away as my hands slid across my face peeling off the thick slime covering it as my back hit the wall.

What the literal fuck?! Fucking relax, that's what is needed at the moment. Fucking keep your calm Ben!

SHUT UP BEN I HAVE A RIGHT TO FREAK THE FUCK OUT!

Right, I do, I just...I just need to think this out...

Bright side, I at least managed to vomit face down and didn't go out like Hendrix, that was a plus right? Silver linings.

Right, need to ignore the freaking the hell out as I let out deep, calm breaths, relax, and remember exactly what the fuck just happened in a rational manner.

I...right...I was getting emo about Canberra, I reminisced about my singular suicide attempt in my past life's divorce aftermath and fall into alcoholism, decided I needed to protect the girls of my life in this life and that resulted with me Googling about buying super powers...

Then I glanced at my bed, where the MILF that shoved a vial of what-the-fuck-ever-juju-juice down my throat was bleeding out from the gaping wound I left in the weeping hole that used to be her right eye.

Well...fuck... Guess that last muscle spasm was more pertinent than I thought it had been.

I...

Shit...

My phone rang, it was the orchestral version of 'Bring Me to Life.'

Fuck.

I clicked answer and placed the phone to my ear, "Heyya Cuddlebug, kind of busy at the mome-."

"Benjamin, are you all right?"

I stared at the dead body on my bed, the pistol still in her hand, and my vomit covered visage, then calmly stated, "Can I get back to you on that one love?"

Taylor took in a breath, then seethed out, "No."

I froze a moment, looked at the corpse on my bed, the half full cracked vial on my desk, and the vomit covering me and the floor, coming to a simple conclusion.

Fuck this noise.

"Sweetie, would you do me a favor and call the police and have them come to my house...I really don't think I'm in the right state of mind to deal with this shit right now."