The titan of a human looked down at him but didn’t move. Slowly his vision turned towards the room behind Sean’s partially exposed figure.

“I think I’ll be closing this NOW!” He grabbed the door handle and slammed it as hard as he could in hopes of shutting the man out in surprise.

It rebounded against something hard and swung back open, exposing Sean in all of his nearly nude glory. The towel hung limply around his waist, begging to give the hardened biker type a free show that would undoubtedly spell his doom.

He looked down to the ground where the man’s foot had blocked the door from closing before taking a few steps back.

“Sean. I believe it is time we had our talk.” The melancholic voice of a woman filled his ears.

He reared back in shock at the biker.

“I was expecting something more gruff.”

Sean could have sworn he saw the corner of the man’s lips turn upwards slightly in a repressed grin. The hulking figure stepped to the side. Standing in all of her dark beauty, the appraiser stared at him from the entrance.

“May we come in?” She sounded sincere in her request like he had a say in it. The massive man to her side said otherwise.

“Sure. Make yourself at home.”

He turned towards his bag and grabbed a few pieces of clothes when his towel came undone. The beige fabric slipped from his waist and his bare ass stared at the two figures making their way in.

“Oh my.” Her surprised voice rang out with a melodic tone of surprise. A strange, giddy laugh far too high pitch for the man’s stature burst out from his chest. Sean’s face heated with embarrassment as he rushed for the bathroom.

A minute of breathing exercises later he walked into the main room with as much grace as he could.

“I hope you will ignore the mess. It has been a hectic few days.”

The large man was covering his mouth with one of his gargantuan hands, but Sean could still see the smile in his eyes.

“I understand completely. New powered are always being put through the gauntlet, especially those in your situation.”

He sat down on the bed and looked at the pair.

“I don’t think I ever got a name.”

She stood up from the solitary chair in the corner and offered him her hand.

“No, you never did. I don’t really go around telling people. Most just call me The Appraiser, but my coworkers and friends call me Airmid. You may as well, if you like.”

The hulking man decided he had finally calmed down enough to reapply his intimidating look.

“Alright, Airmid. Nice name by the way. What did you come here to talk about?” He shook her hand only for the woman to grasp it tightly with a look of concern in her violet eyes.

“What happened to you? Something is missing compared to last time.” She looked up to stare him in the eye.

Sean’s other hand flew up to his face to block the gaze like Medusa had just entered the room.

“Nope! Don’t you dare do that again. I barely managed to leave the bed last time you did it.”

He heard her sigh and peeked through his fingers at her. She released his hand and sat back on the chair.

“Ah well, yes. That certainly can happen. Not the intended reaction I assure you, but a lot of powered just repress those memories in hopes of growing past them but they end up being a roadblock.”

She took a deep breath and sighed in regret.

“I hope you are doing well now. I intend for them to be more healing moments than anything else. The amount of us that are damaged and scarred is rather sad. I just want our kind to be better. Healthier.”

Sean was at a loss for words.

“Uh- but- um, I gave you six hundred dollars, and you just made me depressed.”

She gave him a knowing look.

“Come on Sean, we both know that depression wasn't my fault. You got to remember your family as they truly were, and I get that it was tough, but I can’t imagine you would have wanted it any other way.” She took a large sigh.

“Those memories were so tightly wound up in grief and complex emotions that I wasn’t entirely sure how things were going to turn out. I’m glad to see you came out of it well. It isn’t every day someone like you comes in, but it isn’t all that rare either if I am being truthful.”

“But my money.”

She slapped at his leg in a playful manner as a smile raced to her lips.

“I have to make a little something to keep the place afloat. Not many people with the right permits come for the weapons, so I gotta pay my employees from the main business.”

“You sell grenades.” His deadpan expression caused her to go silent for a moment as he watched their reactions.

She cracked a smile while the big man started up his strange laugh once more. The intimidating figure standing to the side appeared to have a much jollier side than he was expecting.

“Those are one of the few things that require no permit in our great city. Just top up the explosive in it, and it's a full-strength hand grenade. Might be a crime then, but i won't have any knowledge of it.” She looked far more enthused than he was expecting.

“Are…are weapons your passion or something?” She looked ready to burst from her seat with joy.

”Yes! They are so fascinating. The engineering, the purpose, the feeling of it in your hand. They are amazing. I have been bringing in shipments from all-”

The large man coughed to her side.

“Apologies, where was I?” She looked to the ceiling before finding her place once more. “Ah, You.”

“Me?” Sean looked down at the shirt he was wearing.

“Something happened to you and I want to figure out what. Nothing so horrific as the first time. This one will be more tender and sweet, less exploratory and rough.”

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

He let his hands fall to his sides as he turned to look at the woman. His head slowly nodded for her to continue, and the world immediately began to fixate on her eyes. The edges of his vision began to fold in, leaving only the darkest of voids. His reality quickly evolved into a crinkled mess all focused around the woman before him.

The eyes pulled at the precipice of his existence and drew his consciousness inside. Everything went black. It was just like before. She had lied.

He caught himself holding his breath with worry before forcing himself to relax. The soft murmurs of Airmid fluttered in his ear.

“What are you seeing? Where are the images?”

He turned around in the void to no avail. Nothing changed despite his efforts.

“Just relax. I’m looking at your form more than anything.” The booming voice rocked him to the core.

He stilled his heart through the process in hopes of getting through it quicker.

“Wow. That is very interesting. I never would have thought that something like this would result from your power.”

A massive force pushed him back like he was just launched in a roller coaster. His neck yanked back, and his arms were pushed to the side. A heavy pat startled him from the sensation, and he looked up to where the large biker was standing only feet away, checking his pupil with a small flash light.

The whole world returned at once.

“Woah.”

The giant backed away.

“I wonder what… well, never mind.” She flattened the pencil skirt she wore and readjusted herself on the chair. “It looks like your body didn’t appreciate the last power you absorbed. It stuck to another one that wasn’t very compatible with you and released itself from your…orifices. Think of a juice cleansing, but it was with supernatural powers instead of mundane toxins.”

Sean looked at her with a deadpan expression.

“You are saying I shit out superpowers?”

He saw the biker grin.

“I didn’t say that, but you aren’t entirely wrong. Looks like your healing ability warred with the newer one and shed itself from your body like some kind of immune response. Very interesting stuff if you ask me, but people tell me I’m strange so what would I know.”

"I could heal.... I am so fucking stupid sometimes." He thought back to all of the times it could have come in handy from helping Devon or treating Victor's ruptured testicals. All it would have taken was a bit of preparation and those problems would have been non-issues.

Airmid nodded along.

"It is pretty common for new powered to struggle with utilizing their powers effectively. I am sure it'll go double for someone like you." His shoulders slumped as she let the conversation lapse.

The room was silent for a moment. There was nothing but the sound of cars out the window and the creaky fan blowing down on them.

Sean decided to break through the awkwardness.

“I doubt you came here to just talk about this new change I went through and some of my shortcomings.”

She perked up.

“Yes, of course. My main reason was to come see how you are doing and to discuss our future together.”

“What do you mean?” He leaned back on the bed, crossing his arms.

She smiled brightly, her pale skin and shining teeth in direct contrast with the blackness of everything else.

“I know you very well Sean. There are many ways we could be of service to each other, and it would be beneficial for everyone involved. Part of the way I justify the cheap price compared to the other appraiser markets despite the demand is through the value all the information provides. Nothing beats knowledge after all.”

Parts were beginning to fall into place.

“So you sell your customers' information? Just like the black market I was trying to avoid?”

She reeled back in faux pain.

“You wound me! I would never. Those troglodytes are horrible, horrible people. Where the Hero Union requires you to register to their databases and the black market is essentially a chopshop, I provide the best service imaginable.”

She stood up and walked over to the window.

“This great city was running amuck with some of the worst people imaginable until I laid down my roots and took over the hotspot from the last appraiser. I have fostered connections between innumerable people in ways you would struggle to imagine.”

She threw the curtains open, letting the sun stream around her.

“Weaklings in need of revenge meet people with the same common enemy and take back their dignity. An unlikely partnership that rids the city of some of its human filth. The downtrodden with skills meet the wealthy with problems. Businesses come across lucrative deals where everyone benefits. The list goes on and I could, but I wouldn’t want to bore you.”

She sat back into the chair.

“I like to think I have changed the world for the better all while building up the people of our great city. My goal is to eventually become the mayor, but that is far in the future. For now, I am fostering gratitude in every rung of society and calling in favors from those in the position to provide them.”

Sean readjusted, uncomfortable with where the conversation was heading.

“What exactly are you getting at?”

“I would like to add you to my long list of contacts. One day, I hope we can conduct some business together and truly build this city into what it should and can be. What do you say?”

She was utterly oozing with passion. Every word was filled with a deeper conviction and faith than Sean could ever remember possessing. It was clear to him that she was being completely serious.

“And, I won’t have to risk my life or anything like that?”

She contemplated it for a second before coming to an answer.

“It’s not off the table, but it wouldn’t be like you couldn’t say no. These are two-sided deals. I can’t make you do anything you don’t want to do or for you to feel pressured to do so. Like I said, mutually beneficial and being dead certainly doesn’t help any of us.”

She scooted to the edge of her seat.

“Listen, I can tell you’re a good person given a shitty hand in life. I meet people like you all the time and I would like to help where I can.” The biker tapped on his watch. “Ah, shoot. Looks like we are running out of time. I need to head out to talk to my next client. We have another minute If you would like to ask me something.”

Sean fidgeted on the bed, twiddling his thumbs while looking towards the carpet. He did have a question. One that had been on his mind ever since they had first met. Something that he needed to know the answer to no matter what.

“Is my family still alive?” His jaw clenched as he looked up to watch the woman’s reaction.

It was well measured and clearly practiced. Her hands knitted together as she looked him straight in the eyes.

“Your father almost certainly passed away.”

Sean chewed at his lip. It was something he already knew well enough. Unsurprising but painful none the less.

“Your other family however is a different story.”

His heart exploded with relief.

“Your mother should still be alive. In fact, she might look similar to how your memories depicted her.... It just depends on If she remembers you or not. I am confident that I could remedy that if she ever came to me but she hasn’t as of now.”

His passion began to cool.

“Do you know where she is?” He asked with a tinge of hope.

Airmid shook her head solemnly.

“No. Unfortunately she is rather inconspicuous. I believe her power will keep her alive and well regardless of the hardships she has encountered. She just won’t always remember everything if my understanding is right.”

“She will remember me.” He clenched his fists.

The woman smiled.

“She will. I am sure. Now, for the more complicated topic.”

A wad of spit crawled down his throat as he waited for her to speak.

“You sister. She is…well. She is alive, probably. I made a few calls and found out she was passed around the foster system till she was thirteen and then she vanished. The people in charge of her said she just disappeared one night when they got up to take her to school.”

His heart stilled.

“But she is alive.”

It was more of a statement than a question.

“Yes, in all likelihood she is. I don’t know where she went but her name was Amanda Tate. After that, it goes cold. She is still out there in the missing persons registry but absolutely no trails were found. If there was a break in or any signs of anything then I wouldn’t be nearly as confident about her still being alive as I am. The police reports mention that she might have been powered so she should be able to handle herself.”

“Alright.”

He didn’t know what else to say. It was all so much. He fell back into the bed and stared at the ceiling.

“We are running late for the next meeting, but I wanted to say it was nice talking to you. We will see ourselves out.”

His head craned up and to the side.

“Goodbye Airmid and biker guy.”

His head dropped back down when a joyous laugh filled the motel room.

“Bye to you as well. And this Biker is my husband, Dick.”

He dissected the information.

“Huh, I guess I am.”

Dick cracked up once more, enjoying the jokes to the fullest now that the tough exterior had crumbled away.

“I saved my number in your phone. Try making a few more friends. It tends to help people adapt to their new life.”

His head flopped to the side.

“You know my code?”

She giggled.

“I know you very well. Of course I know your code.”

The pair waved before shutting the door to his room, separating him from the rest of his world while he thought about everything that just happened.

Hours passed as he made sense of all of the new information he had been delivered. There was a fine mixture of good and bad news that sought to relax his heart only to thoroughly tenderize his feelings right after.

His mom was probably alive, but she might not remember her family. His sister might be alive, but the best information gatherer in the city has no idea where she was.

He rolled around his bed in frustration.

“Urgh. This sucks.” He jumped off the bed and stood tall in the room. “God damn it.”