SSS-Class Profession: The Path to Mastery

I’ve been to Mars, fought fires for multiple hours on end, competed in a mafia tournament and despite all that, this is by far the most dangerous thing I’ve done. Billy stood just outside the camera’s direct line, barely visible. His face was blurred in real-time, voice scrambled to a slightly robotic drawl. A flicker of my hand set the filters in motion, pre-set algorithms kicking in.

I wasn’t nervous.

But I was aware.

Because this wasn’t just an interview. This was a Cold War with one side wired directly into my bloodstream. The minute I said the wrong thing, hell, maybe even hinted at it, they’d have me in front of every global channel before I could say "Mask". We were always walking a tightrope since we both could practically launch nukes of public information against each other in any moment.

So I played my role. My mask smiled like a host at a dystopian game show, sitting on a pile of rubble, knees crossed, mic clipped to my collar. My outfit was still torn, yet people were more invested in the stories and secrets. Only the girls really cared about the injuries on me, though I already knew they were going to chew me alive for having leaving their concerned messages on read.

"Alright, Billy," I said smoothly, "we’re live. You’re live. But you’re safe."

The chat was already foaming:

@ghostcloud42: HOLY CRAP IT’S REAL

@milkthief69: Masked Syndicate who?? I want more Billy lore

@watchtower7: No way this stream doesn’t get banned

I smiled faintly at the last one. They were right. But that was the point. To reveal what they wouldn’t let people see or know.