“What, no gift?” I asked in what was hopefully a teasing tone. I didn’t really want one, but I didn’t trust my voice to carry my meaning at the moment.

“Well, I do have something. And if all goes to plan, I think I’ll manage to top your gift. Not that it’s a competition or anything,” said Iraklis with a smirk and mischievous yet also knowing look in his eyes.

I chuckled slightly at his proclamation. “You’ve really raised the bar high my friend. Better hope that you deliver.”

“Well, if I’m going to be the next Alpha Surge, I need to live up to high expectations. So, let’s consider today a test. How about that?”

“Let’s see then,” I said while I left.

“Happy Birthday,” Iraklis called behind me, and I knew today was going to be a good day.

Parked right outside of the house, a black, who-knows-what-brand, car was waiting for me, a well-dressed, chubby, bald dark skinned man leaning on its side. He seemed to perk up when he saw me.

“You must be Alexander?” he said in Greek as I approached him.

“Yes sir.” I nodded stiffly at the man. To say I was nervous would be an understatement. I always was nervous when meeting up with Jensen and today seemed to be even more urgent than normal.

“You can call me Stelios. I see you’re appropriately stressed,” said the man–Stelios–lightly. I looked at him uncertain–should I laugh, comment or whatever else? He let out a full, hearty laugh and clapped me on the back, letting out an ‘oof’ after he was done.

“Are you alright?” I asked automatically, and he just laughed harder.

“Yeah, yeah,” he said dismissively. “I see you’re really sturdy. Jensen hasn’t let you slack off at all, huh? Well, we better get going, or we’ll miss ol’ boney ass.”

I couldn’t contain my chuckle at Stelios’s nickname for Jensen. He smiled widely at that, and we got in the car, driving in the city centre. Apparently we weren’t headed to the Gym and instead Jensen’s office.

After a few minutes of driving we reached Saint Minas cathedral, the large building casting a shadow over the parked car which apparently made Stelios really happy based on his hurras and small celebratory dance. He certainly was an… interesting character.

Jensen’s office apparently was in one of the buildings that were behind the church, hidden away from most views of the area. Even the entrance way was more than hidden. A plain door that was almost the same colour as the wall–not to mention that it was in a narrow alleyway which was all but a crack between two buildings.

“He really knows how to pick the best places, doesn’t he?” laughed Stelios before knocking on the door. I didn’t answer, but I believed that to be the understatement of the century. Jensen’s voice yelled ‘come in’ from the inside, and my guide unlocked and opened the door, gesturing for me to go inside.

“I assume I’ll have to go in alone?”

“Yep, but I wouldn’t worry,” said Stelios. “Actually I would. I would worry very much.”

“Well, that helped my confidence,” I said sarcastically.

A bunch of scenarios were now in my head. From Jensen telling me he didn’t think I couldn’t be a hero after all to Maria somehow being in there and what I had done to her out in the air to a villain straight up killing me. For good this time. I shivered involuntarily at that last thought.

This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

Flashes of my recent nightmares jumped to the forefront of my mind. I closed my eyes, clenched my fists and took a few deep breaths, doing my best to stop any visible reactions before they happened. I glanced at Stelios once again and he nodded encouragingly at me.

I had serious reservations that he would do the same thing if he knew my full story, but I still tried my best to grasp onto that. The hope. This wasn’t going to be a bad thing. This was going to be good.

I hoped.

I entered the building, only to be met with a hallway of brown doors with names on them. Eventually I found Jensen’s name and knocked on the door. This time he came and opened the door himself, smiling slightly when he saw me and gesturing for me to follow him inside.

The office itself was a bit plain. Apart from the desk there was a small plant in the corner and a small window in the back wall, although it didn’t lead to an especially interesting view.

“I used to have a few small shelves on the right wall, but I took them down,” said Jensen, apparently being able to read my mind. “Happy Birthday, Alex.”

“I know I told you this before, sir, but you really are scary,” I said to him, deciding not to question how he knew today was my birthday. He probably had a file on me or something like that, or he actually was a mind reader and lied about not having a power. “Thanks.”

“You can help your friend Iraklis for that,” said Jensen with a small laugh. “He called me frantically to try and organise a birthday party. I had a better idea. You, Birgit and the young, powerless man I told you about will have the interview portion of your entrance exam today.”

“Yeah, and then Alpha Surge will show up and make me number one hero,” I said in as much of a deadpan tone as I could muster. And it was hard, considering the mix of fear, nervousness and cautious excitement I tried to push down for the effect.

“Well, I was looking for a date,” said Jensen slowly. “Birgit’s birthday isn’t until September Twentieth, and I figured I’d give you a little present to offset the bad news.”

I almost felt my heart warm slightly at Jensen’s action, but the ‘bad news’ part made it cold as Norse hell. For all the good this summer had given me, it seemed to always have something bad to match it.

“What-what bad news?” I asked as I messed with the seams of my gloves.

“I won’t be able to teach you for the foreseeable future,” said Jensen coolly. “And before you say anything, I can’t elaborate. I have a mission to do as a hero and its content is confidential.”

Well, Jensen clearly didn’t know how to calm me down.

I had to restrain myself from squealing in excitement and asking him as many questions as humanly possible and then some. It was difficult, but Jensen’s serious expression and general behaviour made it clear he wouldn’t budge, and I didn’t want to bother him.

“Of course,” I said in a quiet voice. “What about the exam?”

“Well, Stelios will take you where you need to go. He’s a good man. One of the finest mechanics I know, and he’s making special gloves for you. He’ll contact you when the time is right.”

“Thank-thank you sir!” I said after a few moments of silence.

“What are you waiting for then?” said Jensen while motioning for me to go. “You don’t want to be late, do you?”

I nodded at him before rushing off, knocking into Stelios again. “You know, we have got to stop meeting like this,” he said with a small laugh.

“S-sorry,” I said quickly, but he just waved me off and ushered me inside.

The ride to the interview location was quiet. I had to admit that I felt rather odd. On one hand, this was like a dream come true for me. Heroes, both fictional and real, were more than incredible. Champions of humanity and so forth. And this could be the closest I ever got to being one.

In fact it most likely would be. No. I clenched my fists tightly. I promised my mom. I promised myself. This wouldn’t be the mindset I had going into this. I was going to make it. I would be a hero.

Images of Maria’s scarred face flashed through my mind. Of what my power could do. The only thing it could do.

I clenched my fists even tighter. To the point where they almost hurt. I tried to run away whenever I saw her. I was done running. I would fight. I would be a hero.