Ryker thanked the man for the information and looked at the Bounty Board to see what the big deal about the change was. Just as the man said, the top two entries in the bounty board had changed. While Ryker didn't know who the first two entries were previously, he assumed that they were now the third and fourth names. Additionally, it was made clear that the first two entries changed because they were blinking red.

The country-wide most wanted list looked like this:

1. Dr. Sarah Anderson / Reward - $10 million / Washington D.C.

2. Joshua Anderson / Reward - $10 million / Washington D.C.

3. The Elemental Quartet / Reward - $5 million / New York, NY

4. The Mutants / Reward - $2 million / New England

5. Adrian "The Cooper" Baxter / Reward - $1 million / New Hawaiian Kingdom

6. Black Cabal/ Reward - $500,000 / Los Angeles Ruins

7. H Hawk / Reward - $250,000 / New Jersey

8. Mysterious CT / Reward - $100,000 / Washington D.C.

9. The Bruja / Reward - $50,000 / Arizona

10. Prince Montavareous / Reward - $25,000 / San Antonio, TX

Ryker didn't know why, but he got a strange sense of familiarity while looking at the list.

"You could just tell me what I need to know about it," Ryker thought.

The subdued atmosphere from the event with Barrier Bob was starting to wane. Ryker thought it best to go since he got the information that he wanted.

Instead, he decided to stay for a few minutes to see what information he could glean from the Bounty Board's right side.

With a sigh, Ryker looked at the right screen. It was already halfway past the list of the most wanted. It displayed the information for the sixth most wanted criminal in the nation. Their gender was actually unknown as they were a master assassin who had never been seen out of costume.

There was only a blurry picture of them climbing a wall. It appeared that they were half inside a shadow. That made sense, considering that was the nature of their assessed superpower. The picture was most likely how they made that assessment.

The screen showed they were also highly trained and skilled at combat. It mentioned that the assassin was incredibly proficient with a variety of weapons and was known for their ruthless efficiency. The government was offering a $500,000 reward for the arrest of the Black Cabal, alive or dead.

Ryker waited around, reading the entire list, he didn't know why his power wanted him to stay and read through the information, but he knew it must have been important. He didn't mind, though, because even though he didn't like being at the Bounty Boards too late, he was curious about the new top two.

The top two were married; the information for them was shared on a single slide on the right screen. The couple didn't seem to be career criminals. The pictures they used showed the two well-groomed and smiling. They were probably their most recent work photos.

The woman had shoulder-length, dark-brown hair that was hanging loosely. She was wearing large glasses and a lab coat, which went well with her status as a doctor. She had a bright and authentic smile that was rarely seen on the bounty board.

The man didn't smile, but he still looked pleasant. His features were angular, and his eyes had an intensity that countered his wife's. He was dressed in a business suit that looked expensive even though it only showed the top half.

According to the blurb, the couple used to work in a top-secret lab in the Washington D.C. area before the invasion of the NecronAmerican and his ghoul army. They hadn't been seen since, but reports have indicated they were alive and had been involved in a number of overseas mass disappearances. It didn't give much more information other than they were considered highly dangerous and they were wanted alive. Usually, the request for dead or alive by itself raised a few questions to Ryker. Yet, being required to bring the criminals in alive had questions appearing like dandelions in a suburban yard.

"It does? Like what?" Ryker said.

QUESTIONS!

Just based on the amount offered for their capture, Ryker could understand why their sudden appearance on the list caused a ruckus. $10 million for each of them was not only an incredible sum of money, but since they were married, it was highly likely that capturing one would lead to capturing the other. Doing one job and getting $20 million seemed like the dream, but Ryker was sure every super in the country would be trying to find them.

That kind of competition wasn't something Ryker was willing to deal with. He wasn't trained or deputized, so he didn't even think about going after the pair. He considered going after the bottom criminal on the list once deputized.

The government was still offering a hefty sum of $25,000 for the final person on the list. With that type of money, Ryker could work for a year without worrying about additional expenses. The target was a known human trafficker, which he thought was the absolute scum of society. The man in question was someone Ryker knew operated in his area because he was also on the city's most wanted list. The city was only offering $5,000 but added together, it would be an even better payday.

What Ryker didn't know was that turning the bounty into the city negated the reward for the country. It was a loophole that the city used to make even more profit. They would pay out for the criminal's capture, then turn it into the higher system to claim the reward.

"What? Those bastards!" Hearing that made Ryker finally walk out of the area in a huff. He didn't care if his power wanted him to stay.

A short time later, Ryker walked into an internet café that was close to his orphanage. He had already turned in his weapon since he had ridden the tram back to his side of the city. He usually used this particular café so that it was easy to head back home to get some rest after spending long hours searching the internet.

When he walked in, a bell hanging on the door chimed, but no one bothered to look up; even the clerk didn't spare a glance. Ryker tightened the straps on his hoodie, then shoved his hands in the front pockets. Suddenly, he stopped.

"I wasn't wearing a hoodie!" Ryker said quietly while having a mini panic attack. "How the hell did you do that? Why did you do that?"

It seemed like the type of atmosphere where a hoodie would fit in better.

"Really?"

Yes, it's a dark and moody place where people prefer their anonymity. Also, it's winter, and you were wearing shorts.

"They’re cargo shorts, and I wasn't cold."

Fine, but you need a new wardrobe.

Ryker walked into an internet café that was close to his orphanage. He had already turned in his weapon since he had ridden the tram back to his side of the city. He shook his chilly arms and rubbed the cold out. Then, he nearly threw up from the awkward déjà vu of reliving the same moment again.

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The hoodie was gone, and he was once again in his plain t-shirt. Ryker looked around to see if anyone was paying attention to him or noticed what had happened. Yet, everyone was still going about their own business.

Ryker sat down in front of a computer, logged on, and paid the fee. After he paid for the time, he was able to slip on the Augmentation glasses. The normal screen for the computer was built into the desk he was sitting at. He could use it if he wanted, but it made for a sore neck at the night's end.

With the glasses on, the display became a three-dimensional construct that erupted from the desk in front of him. The system used a camera in the glasses and one coming from the screen. This created a three-dimensional structure that he could manipulate without having to use sensor gloves.

Instead of a flatscreen display, it made the contents of the desktop hover in the air. To access a program, he only had to tap on it. Then it would expand into the visual representation that the creators set up to navigate through it.

Ryker dug his hand into his backpack and pulled out the three job slips at the Bounty Board. After looking through them again, he realized that one of them could be completed fairly quickly. It was a simple request for some information on a missing item. It couldn't be completed right then, but he could prioritize his schedule to take some time out of his day to complete it while he was trying to see about his Circuit City job.

While that was on his mind, Ryker also looked up the corporate website and sent an email to what he thought was the human resources email. Although, he couldn't be sure because the website was primarily set up for online purchases. He had to go to a ton of other links to get where he wanted. He wasn't confident that it would be seen swiftly, so he also decided to head to another store the next day.

The first work slip Ryker grabbed read:

Help Wanted -

We are looking for a qualified individual to track a person's whereabouts for five days. No contact with the subject is necessary. The individual must be able to follow the subject without being detected and report all information gathered to the contact listed below.

Qualifications -

Must be able to follow a subject without being detected

Must be able to gather information about the subject's whereabouts

Must be able to report all information gathered to the contact listed below

Responsibilities -

Track the whereabouts of the subject for five days

Gather information about the subject's activities

Report all information gathered to the contact listed below

Compensation -

$300 per day

If you are interested in this position, please contact the following person:

Name: John Smith

Email: [email protected]

The name seemed made up, but based on his interaction with Pixie Dust, people thought his name was made up as well. If he was going to make up a name, then he would create an awesome superhero name.

The amount the job was paying for the work was phenomenal, at least for him. Ryker was glad the paper was slightly hidden while on the board. Still, others might have seen it and replied to the request. The job did last longer than he initially realized. He had only scanned the document briefly and noticed the pay. Normally, a five-day job would be impossible, but now he had extra time.

Ryker sent the email stating that he would take the job and requested more information. After that, he did some general work on the internet for a while, hoping that a response would come before he had to leave. Unfortunately, it never arrived. If he didn't receive a response by the next evening, he would have to return to the Bounty Boards to look for something else.

When his time was up, he left and headed back to the orphanage and his small yet familiar bed. It was already late in the evening, so he had to unlock the door to get in. Thankfully, he had been given his own key some time ago. He was glad that the Director trusted him that much. In fact, he had actually told Ryker that there were other kids that he wouldn't do that for, even if they had jobs like Ryker.

Ryker was glad for the trust, just as he was for a place to live with free rent. However, with the manifestation of his powers, he might have to consider leaving sooner. While he lay on his bed, having gotten ready to sleep, he found it difficult to drift off, so he contemplated not just the next day but his future for many days to come.

Ryker now had what he always wanted – a superpower. Now, he needed to decide what he should do next. He still needed to work, that was something no one could get away from, but he could change how he made the bulk of his money. His job at Circuit City was for the paperwork. His work at the Bounty Board is what gave him the bulk of his funds, but he still did smaller jobs with low risk.

Now that he had a superpower, he could take riskier jobs that paid more. Although, with the superpower, more options than the Bounty Board were available. He wanted to consider all the options.

His dream when he was younger and thought about getting a superpower was to then go to a Superhero Training Academy, but he was too old for that now. There was always a chance, but applying and getting accepted took time. Additionally, it usually took a strong recommendation from someone in the business, which was something he definitely didn't have.

Not everyone who joined a superhero team had to go to an academy. Some teams occasionally had tryouts if there wasn't a good fit from the academy or for a number of other reasons. Being a superhero was dangerous work. Plus, they had to uphold a certain image. Ryker thought that he would have trouble in the long run with the image; eventually, his smart attitude would work against him. Still, looking to see if there were any openings or tryouts in the area might be something to look up the next chance he got.

"What's next?" Ryker thought.

The image of Pixie Dust flitted through his mind, then the fight and the dead bodies. He reminded himself to stay away from her and the private security business. There was no way that he could do that job if it bred people to be so violent and callous as she was. The private security firms were little more than single-minded cops.

That made him think of the police and the incident he saw at the Bounty Boards. Instead of trying to de-escalate the problem, the initial three officers decided to try and beat the man senselessly. When that didn't work, he was executed in the most horrific way Ryker had ever seen. That was a serious contributor to why he was having a challenging time sleeping.

Being a poor orphan had also put him on the wrong side of the police more times than he cared to think about. Since his goal was to always be a hero, he didn't understand why they would be that way since Ryker rarely did anything wrong. Even when he did, his mistakes weren't anything serious unless you were a police officer. It might have been different in other cities, but in his, the cops were little more than mob enforcers.

The whole process brought him right back into the realm of trying to find a superhero team to join. However, there was one more area that Ryker could look into. The military had a superpowered branch. It was cleverly called the Super Force.

The issue with joining the military was the nature of his superpower. If he wasn't careful with describing his ability, he believed it could attract the type of scrutiny that he didn't want. He already knew that Pixie Dust thought he had a prophetic power based on how he fought.

He might look into the military if he discovered a good way to describe or even disguise his abilities. Ryker had time to consider that angle, though, since he wasn't even eighteen yet. Of course, it was the same for the police, security firms, and deputization if he wanted to try some of the bounties.

Although, he could always use a proxy for the latter. He could make a deal with other people or teams where he helped out but was left off the books. That was always risky, though. The people who usually went along with those schemes weren't the most trustworthy; it was an easy way to get screwed over.

The biggest problem that he currently faced was his age. He decided that he would look up superhero teams that he could try to join, but he would be stuck doing the investigative work until then. It was annoying, but it was his only choice outside of dropping everything and getting as far away from the superhero business as possible.

Even that was something that he considered. He thought about going to sleep, and when he woke up in the morning, just ignoring his superpower. He could head to the nearest Circuit City, ask for help, stop going to the Bounty Boards, and even try enrolling in Community College. Just forget about it all and ignore the world. He could meet a girl who was the same, grow old together, and maybe have a family. But that would mean he would be bringing a new life into a world that he didn't bother to make any safer for them.

It made him think of why he wanted to be a superhero when he was young. He thought that if he was a superhero and he managed to save even one child from the life he lived, then he would have done something good in the world. He still wanted that; he wanted to be on the side that improved the world. A world where life was just and fair and where people worked together to make it even better.

Perhaps it was a foolish dream, but it made Ryker feel better that he still thought that way. He had gone through all his options about what he wanted to do in the long term and what he would look into in the next few months. He had nothing else to do but to go to sleep. Unfortunately, the day's events wouldn’t flee his mind, and it took more time until he finally dozed off.