"You're not going to stick around to meet my family?" Tanner asks as we reach the bus station where most people coming from out of town arrive through.

"No," I answer. "They're your family, and while we're friends, we aren't lovers."

"Yeah," he says. "I guess that makes sense. I thought you'd want to meet the people who raised me."

"Nah," I say. "That would make it seem like we're dating. Maybe I'll see them while we're out and about, but going out of the way to meet them? Yeah, no. Not for me."

"Okay," he says.

"See you," I start to walk away.

"Wait," he says, and I stop and look at him. "Just wondering, but have you met Ian's parents?"

"Ian's an orphan, like me," I tell him.

"Oh," he says. "How did-"

"Train accident, and he wasn't around to save them."

"Oh," he says. "That's… unfortunate. I'm glad you've both seemed to be able to move on after losing your families."

"We were both really little," I tell him. "The memories aren't all that clear."

They are crystal-sharp, but Tanner doesn't seem to have realized that yet. For now, I'm going to leave it that way, and I don't know if I'll ever tell him. There wouldn't really be a purpose to it.

"Anyway," I tell Tanner. "I'll see you either tonight or tomorrow, I guess. Later."

"Later," he responds.

It's evening, and I don't feel like camping out in the ruins this weekend, though I might camp later this week, just because. Sometimes, I just like sleeping out in the ruins, under the starry sky. Or cloudy sky. Either one works. With just me and nature around, no one to bother me. Sometimes, I'll sleep in Jay's garden, usually in one of the massive trees. He has an issue with heights, so he stays down below.

It's been awhile since I last camped at Jay's garden for a night, now that I think about it. Maybe I'll camp out there? He likes it because I bring stuff for s'mores when I come camp there and he has a massive sweet tooth. Then there's his love of scary stories, most of which aren't all that scary and sends him into fits of laughter. On the rare occasions I manage to do a story which actually scares him, however, Jay loves it.

Just as soon as he calms down.

Yeah, maybe I'll camp out at his place for a night next week.

That's not tonight, though, and since I'm not going to camp out in the ruins until next week, I can either go home and fix myself some more food, or I can stop somewhere and eat at a restaurant. Deciding on the latter just to be a little lazy after the workout Tanner, Ali, and I did today, I make my way to a semi-decent restaurant here in town.

It only takes me ten minutes to reach the restaurant, where I'm greeted and seated immediately. I vaguely recognize the waitress, though I can't place where from. That surprises me, because I don't normally recognize people unless I interact with them regularly. There's no point in remembering someone unless I need to, so I don't usually bother letting them stick around in my memory.

Even after she serves my drink and appetizers, I don't remember her. I'm halfway through my meal when I do, though. It's not that I recognize her, I was picking up on the family resemblance. This is Nadia Smol, Ali's cousin.

Man, Ali's going to tease me for a long time if I tell her that it took me almost half an hour to realize my waitress was her cousin. It's not like I kept track of Nadia, so it's understandable I'd only vaguely recognize her due to a family resemblance.

Now that I know why I recognize her, I resume eating while letting my mind wander. Only once I'm waiting for dessert does something happen to stop the wandering of my mind.

Wyatt just walked in, looking mighty pissed about something. How I wish I could just take him out right now. One of the biggest problems involved with the Klen's existence would be gone. Sadly, I can't do anything to him with the way I currently am. It's simply not possible.

No matter how many times I shoot at him with a rocket launcher.

The only person around right now who could possibly kill Wyatt is Jay, and I don't want to put that on him. Though he might have killed people in the past, based on what Ian told me, that's because he wanted to, not because I told him to.

Dammit, why did Ian have to leave right away? I understand needing to save lives in an emergency, but why did the emergency have to happen before he was around here long enough to track down Wyatt and take him out?

The Klen's agent makes his way over to me at the same time as Nadia does, and she falters for a moment upon seeing him as he pulls out the chair opposite me and plops himself into it, crossing his arms.

"Hello, Wyatt," I say as Nadia recovers and approaches, setting my dessert down in front of me.

"Hello, Nick," Wyatt sneers. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Considering you showed up and made a beeline towards me," I say. "You knew I was here. Nadia, would you mind getting him a menu and stuff? I'm sure a Sigil-Bearer as powerful as Wyatt is hungry, regardless of how long ago he ate."

"Yes," she says, then hurries off.

She's not sure how to react to having a Sigil-Bearer she doesn't know in here, especially one who so obviously dislikes me. I might even get barred just because he dislikes me.

"I take it this is because of what my boyfriend did the other night?" I ask, and Wyatt glares hard. "I had nothing to do with that, he was apparently in town to do it. It took me completely by surprise, and he wishes he could have stuck around longer."

"Yes," Wyatt grins. "How does he like my little present over in Brazil?"

The girl in Brazil seems to continue to lose control over her power, and the Federation is talking about suppression measures. Which means killing her. Right now, it's the only way they can put a stop to a high-level Sigil-Bearer who keeps letting loose, regardless of age.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

The way Wyatt said that makes it seem like he did something, except that his power doesn't let him continue to force a power out through someone after he loses contact with him. There are several other possibilities, though, such as a mentalist Sigil-Bearer doing something to her mind. However, Ian would have figured that out already if that were the case.

"What did you do to her?" I ask.

"Just a little present," he smiles. "We have enough things lined up to ensure that no Sigil God shows up during our stay here."

Nadia returns with a menu and roll of silverware, then asks if he knows what he wants to drink.

"Water," Wyatt answers. "Thank you and goodbye."

Nadia looks a little bothered by that, but leaves.

"Don't be rude."

"I don't need to fraternize with normies," he nearly spits that word out. "Pathetic, weak little things. I don't want to even eat something prepared by them."

"I bet I can convince you eat a full meal here," I tell him just in time for Nadia to return. "He'd like the steak dinner, Nadia. Medium-rare. Full course, so include all the sides."

"No, I don't," Wyatt snarls. "I don't want to eat a single thing made by normie hands, now buzz off."

"Ignore him," I tell Nadia as I pull out my phone and open up the notes, then type up a quick message and slide it across the table. "Check that, Wyatt. Do those coordinates look familiar?"

Glaring, Wyatt looks at the phone, then slightly pales as he registers the location. That confirms he knows the actual coordinates of the locations his people are at.

"Think about what I can do knowing that location," I tell Wyatt. "What happens to other members of your organization that crosses me. Do you know about the incident from December?"

He blanches.

"You can touch the phone," I tell him. "Ian made it. Go ahead and slide it back."

For a moment, it looks like he's contemplating breaking the phone. The thought of what my boyfriend will do if I request a new phone wins against that desire, though, and he slides the phone back to me.

"He'll have the full steak dinner," I tell Nadia, who looks about as lost as a kid who wandered into the dentist's office after thinking they were entering a toy store. "Without complaint. And he'll eat every last bit of it, too."

Nadia seems uncomfortable, but Wyatt mumbles that he'll eat that, so she leaves.

"You'd call in a missile strike," Wyatt growls. "Just to make me eat something?"

"Yes," I smile. "I can't kill you, but I can definitely make you suffer."

The coordinates I gave are the Klen's main supply center, something the Federation has been unable to locate. Not even Ian knows that location, and if he asks, I probably won't tell him how I know. There's no reason for me to annoy my boyfriend and the other Sigil Gods. But if I call in a missile strike to that location, the Klen will lose most of its weapons and resources.

Which would turn into a major loss for them considering they work on a tight budget. It's not tight enough they can't afford to throw away lives and resources at a heretic, but is tight enough that they should really have separated their supplies into multiple locations. The only reason they haven't done that is because it's difficult to hide things from a force like the Federation, especially when all of the optimal locations to hide it is in areas the Federation assists.

For me, the only downside would be annoying the Sigil-Gods.

"I can make you suffer, too," Wyatt snaps back. "Don't think that because you're dating him that you're untouchable, Nick. Not even close. Your aunt and cousin are pretty guarded right now, but there will eventually be an opening… and then there's Tanner. Your 'friend'. Just how much do you care about him?"

"Heh," I chuckle. "I barely know my aunt and I dislike my cousin, Wyatt. Go ahead, touch them. You'd find me as indifferent to them as I would be to a stranger. There's not a single person on all of Earth you could go after who wouldn't kick your ass to hell and beyond who you could use as a weapon against me."

I'm dating Ian, who's a Sigil God, and his power's even greater than publicly known. Then there's Jay. Small, young, and powerful. He's like a little brother to me, and I'd hate to see him hurt. However, he'd easily take out Wyatt if push came to shove.

I've seen the way he slaughters chickens. I want to keep him out of fighting people and avoid having him kill people, but if someone went after him, then there would probably be nothing I could do to save them. At all.

May the true gods have mercy on their souls.

Even Wyatt's ability to 'take over' people won't work on Jay – the kid's own power is a natural counter to it. In fact, it even contains a superior version of Wyatt's ability.

"Oh, really?" Wyatt sneers. "What about that unhealthy friendship you have with that monster? It's bad enough you've somehow seduced him, but to have befriended another? And are treated as an equal? I've a feeling you're infatuated with him, too. What will you do if I go after him? I doubt your boyfriend would come after us because we went after someone you like."

"He wouldn't," I set my fork down and stand, my meal finished. "You're free to go after Tanner, Wyatt. The reason he's befriended me? Because I'm able to navigate him safely through the ruins. That's it. He goes into them to train."

"And yet he hangs out with you outside of there," Wyatt scoffs. "I'm sure there's more to your 'friendship' than just that."

"He hangs out with me," I begin to walk by the table, stopping beside him to place a hand on his shoulder. "Because it keeps normies from bothering him, Wyatt. One glance from me, and any local runs away."

"Get your filthy-" he begins.

"Or what?" I ask, and his eyes widen slightly. "Enjoy your meal, Wyatt. I'm sure I'll see you around, as you seem intent on approaching me. Just remember, I haven't let the Federation know about something yet."

I release his shoulder and begin to walk away.

"Thanks for being so kind as to cover my meal," I tell him as Nadia returns with his appetizer. "It really shows how generous you are."

Wyatt shoots me a glare, but I just smile at him and leave.

I make my way back to my dorm and as soon as I'm inside, I strip off my clothes and take a shower. I feel dirty just from touching the punk's shoulder even if it was through his shirt. After I finish my shower, I dry off and put my clothes in the hamper, then check my phone and find a missed call from Ian from while I was in the shower. Without hesitation, I call him back.

"Hey, Cas," he says upon answering. "You were out pretty late today, I was expecting you back already."

"I was in the shower when you called," I tell him.

"Ah," he says. "Yeah, you don't bring the phone into the shower with you. I've told you before that it's safe to."

"I'm not going to."

"That's fine!" He says. "So how'd your day go?"

"I ran into Wyatt," I tell him, then let him know that he's threatened Tanner.

"What are you planning on doing about that?" He asks. "You basically told him to go ahead and take Tanner."

"He won't," I say. "I don't think Wyatt would do something without a purpose. I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again soon, I'm one hundred percent certain that he didn't get to talk about what he wanted to talk to me about."

"You have a way with doing that," Ian snorts.

"You're still in Brazil, right?" I ask.

"Yeah," he answers. "The situation doesn't seem to be lightening up. We're planning on calling in Katie, but-"

"Check to see if there's a Sigil-Bearer with overload or release," I tell him. "Wyatt mentioned the incident there is a present from him and that they have a full list of things lined up to keep the Sigil Gods busy these next few weeks."

"Overload or release," Ian mutters. "I'm sure I'd have noticed that, but it's possible that a talented enough one used it on her. I'll do a scan on her to see for signs of either of those or something similar being used. If there is, then soothing it shouldn't be an issue. We'll need to be careful if they're intentionally causing problems in order to prevent us from interfering in their quest to find the empathic healer."

"You've ensured they won't, right?"

"Yeah," he answers. "Unless someone gets really lucky with a guess, they can't. They're bringing in another reader, but they're much less effective than the previous, and I asked Ashley to hit him with a spell to ensure he doesn't pick up on the empathic healer."

"Alright," I say. "So how's it down there? Warm? Working on your tan between hurricanes?"

"Pretty warm," he chuckles. "And no, I'm not. Hell, you haven't gotten a pic or text letting you know because I've been so busy dealing with this. The hurricanes aren't the only problem, just the main one."

"That really sucks," I say.

"Yeah," he says. "Part of the reason I called was really just that I wanted to hear your voice again, before I get some rest before the next incident."

"Well, rest is more important," I say. "But we can talk a little more if you want."