An alert was blaring on his phone as Hector woke up. He was still groggy, squinting at the alert. The dream was still vivid in his mind. As he sat down just before he could taste a slice of pizza he woke up.

Martial law had been declared the National Guard was setting up relief stations and security screenings. Hector wasn't surprised after last night. He was starting to feel guilty for leaving his friends on the ground.

He didn't have any missed calls or texts he couldn't tell if it was because they couldn't text or if he wasn't that high on the priority list.

“All residents need to be cleared with the guard. Checkpoints have been established throughout the city. We ask for everyone's cooperation as we assess the damage and couldn’t injured.” An official-sounding voice was blaring over a speech system in the streets.

After getting teased with a slice of dream pizza Hector was hungry and felt gross.

“A shower, some food, then national emergency priorities must be met mister loudspeaker voice,” Hector responded to the voice knowing they couldn't hear him.

Eventually, Hector creaked the stairwell door to the lobby open. No sign of the berserk doorman. He could see movement outside past the rubble and some of his neighbors standing in the wrecked doorway.

“ Wild one last night right, how's everyone?” Hector asked as He approached the rubber-necking neighbors.

A man in sweats that Hector didn't much like turned and just gave him an ugly look before looking back into the street.

A guard vehicle must have spotted us all loitering and stopped. “ We have food, water, and other supplies after you go through the screening. If you gained any abilities last night you need to get a datasheet and be cleared before you can head home or to a shelter. “

They slowly rolled on while shouting directions and coordinating soldiers combing the streets. A couple came over to check if any of them had serious injuries.

Hector figured he would go to the checkpoint and see what they could tell him. A datasheet sounded helpful since all he had was a vague instinct and intuition. These abilities he could feel now a part of him didn't always feel active. So far Hector had only used them by accident and when in danger. Following the soldiers outside he could see the damage to the street.

A few cars parked on the curb had been melted and twisted into some kind of spiral explosion. Not a lot of windows had survived making each step crunch with glass and debris. Hector could see the checkpoint up ahead of a large tent area; a few imposing vehicles angled as barriers to more tents set up at the center of the large intersection.

As he got closer soldiers waved him towards a line of other citizens like him. He wasn't bleeding or crawling his way up so no rush as he stepped up to the others. They had a range between frumbled and fresh out of a shower like Hector. The man ahead of Hector was a short pale blonde with one of those average faces.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

“We don't know each other right?” Hector said as he stepped behind the guy.

“No, I don't think so. I'm just visiting but I think my meeting is canceled now. I needed that to go well.” The blonde man said, starting to bite his nails.

“Buddy my guy, I doubt any of that matters anymore. Did you see the moon? If you did it's a new world I'm here for the food and water. Get what they hand out and find a hotel or something to run up your credit card. The world may explode. What are they going to come and get it? No all this is on the way out.” Hector blurted out in a chaotic ramble

The man somehow was reassured by this rant. His nervous demeanor shifted some when he stopped biting his nails.

“You may be right, I can start fresh. That feels close to what I was thinking. I can be something else, stop with what my old decisions trapped me into and build new.” The man's eyes had changed to a deep distant look like he could see this future self.

“Ya man, after seeing the moon I have no clue what is possible anymore. Don't be limited, just lay low as you can and go with the flow.” Hector responded.

He had been feeling different after his mad jog and weird dreams. He hadn't realized that speaking to someone who seemed more freaked out than him would be so helpful.

—-------------------------------

Each level of any bureaucracy is vulnerable to corruption that was a thought Felix had often the last 8 hours. The phone call left him sweating with anxiety. Andrew Botaqu was not a man you could give any answer but yes. When he calls and says skim off the top you better find a way to skim.

Ten years working in discretion acquisition he had learned how to hide losses and with the amount of paperwork about to be processed some could be rerouted. Now sitting in a hot tent he was hoping he could find a few assets nobody would miss.

Felix could feel his two newly unlocked abilities: a sonic screeching and some kind of shadow skill. He glimpsed the moon in a mirror and woke up a few hours later filled with new intuitions. He knew he would have to hide that he unlocked his tree. The people he had worked with would lump him in with the others as an asset. The amount of people who had unlocked must be uncountable at this point. He could hide a handful of people among the millions getting evaluated.

The shadows kept shifting and warping the corners of the room. Each time they swelled closer to Felix like the tide threatening to wash him away. A surging fear that if he used his shadow ability it would consume him rising to a certain fact as the dark creeper closer. The phone rang startling Felix back into breathing and the shadows receded.

—-----------------------------------------

The line outside was moving along at the pace of most post offices. Hector had a feeling it would be like this. He could see up ahead an area with a plate like a truck weigh station coming up. Each time a person stepped up they would have them hold then send them off in a couple of different directions. It made Hector remember getting his license but here they hand you some datasheet.

A soldier had explained while they waited that the data sheet would name the abilities they had unlocked as well as show the general classification them. The way they had all this prepared was worrying. In the end, he could use an idea of what was happening.

“Green-named abilities have lethal potential purple names are mass casualty hazards. Hehe, I wonder what I'll have.” the blonde was muttering after having overheard the colors' meanings.

Hector had noticed the way the guy in front of him was getting some screws loose as the line moved forward. Watching the short blonde walk onto the plate Hector thought of what he was saying. Some of these abilities have got to be more than dangerous. The way he pushed his doorman was a raw violent force. He used a sledgehammer to open the peanut butter and the result was messy.

Deep in his peanut butter thoughts, he was interrupted by a shout like someone scored a goal. Hector noticed the blonde was excited about his datasheet as they directed him towards a tent. He began to move that way then went stiff and just blinked out. His short self had just gone a frosted pair of shoe prints giving off vapor left behind.

Something about it was just funny to Hector. He started laughing, not a full witch cackle or anything but a poorly hidden chuckling.

“My guy just peaced out or something right? Like he just went pop. Haha, shit man, anyone got a guess.” Hector said through his laughter.

“ He teleported or something similar. I didn't feel him die or explode.” A female voice said a bit behind Hector

“At least we aren't just popping now. Thanks for that, I'm Hector,” he said as an introduction.

Hector tried to smile at the cute in a library kinda way girl who had confirmed the blonde had run. He was about to ask her if she was local when he could feel a pair of cuffs click on his wrist. The soldier had a just do as I say look on his face at Hector's confusion.

“It's illegal to flirt now. Tell them I had a chance right.” Hector said as they clicked the second cuff on.

“No, definitely not interested but it's always worth a shot. Good luck with that situation.” she shot back.

As the soldier took him off to the side all he could think was she didn't even give her name that's cold.