The System Gave Everyone Superpowers

Borab led me to the edge of the parking lot. A massive black SUV sat idling in the private lane. The windows were so dark I couldn't see my own reflection in them.

Borab opened the door and gestured for me to get in.

"After you, Seasons," he said.

I climbed into the back. The leather seats were soft.

Sitting across from me was a man in his mid-thirties. He wore a gray suit with no tie, the top two buttons of his shirt undone.

"Shay," he said, holding out a hand. "I’m Kevin. Executive of Brand’s Hero Division."

I slumped into the seat and crossed my arms. "What does the second biggest defense contractor in the country want with me?"

Kevin smiled, pulling his hand back. "Straight to the point. I like that. Nice job with your sister back there, by the way. Very entertaining."

"I was just showing support," I said.

"Sure you were." Kevin leaned back, resting his ankle on his knee. "Let's talk about Aegis. Your contract was up when you hit Level 20, right? That’s what Graves told you."

"Yeah. I hit twenty a while ago, I'm a free agent. I can go wherever I want."

Kevin let out a laugh. "Graves is a fucking snake, Shay. You're never leaving Aegis."

I frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"He wrote a perpetual lock clause into your contract," Kevin said. "It's buried in the liability section under 'local jurisdiction.' It basically states that because Aegis purchased your failed HRC exam results, they own the rights to your license indefinitely. Even if you hit Level 100, you can't quit. You can't transfer. You are their property."

My chest tightened. "That's illegal."

"It’s completely legal," Kevin corrected. "The HRC approved it. Mid-tier agencies do it to dropouts all the time. You signed the papers, Shay. You didn't read them because you wanted that ten-thousand-dollar check."

I stared at him. "I'll make him tear it up and freeze his entire office with him in it."

"And then the HRC will freeze your bank accounts, strip your license, and put you in a maximum-security prison," Kevin said. "You can't fight the lawyers, kid."

"And you're offering to be my backing?" I asked.

"Brand is a member of the Lion's Den," Kevin said. "The top five contractors. Under HRC law, a Lion’s Den member can initiate a hostile talent transfer. We can override mid-tier contracts meaning I can pull you out of Aegis and bring you to Brand."

I leaned forward, looking directly into his eyes. "You're lying. You made this lock-clause shit up just to scare me into signing with you."

Kevin’s expression remained calm. "Look at this car, Shay. Look at me. Brand is a multi-trillion-dollar empire. We don't need to lie to get a Level 51 rookie. We want you because you're charismatic, but we don't need to play games. Check your phone. I just sent you the original Aegis file with the clause highlighted."

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and opened the document.

There it was. Page forty-seven. Highlighted in bright red. Perpetual Ownership of License under Section 9.

"Fuck," I muttered.

"Exactly," Kevin said. "I have a contract ready for you. Four years. Thirty million a year. Plus we handle the transfer fee."

I locked my phone and looked back up. "I'm not signing anything right now. I need to read your contract first. Every single word."

Kevin nodded. "Fair enough. Take your time. Borab will drive you home. Let me know when you're ready to leave the minor leagues."

He tapped the glass divider, and the SUV began to roll forward.

The SUV stopped in front of my penthouse building. I got out, walked through the lobby, and took the private elevator up to my floor.

My apartment was quiet. The view of the city skyline through the glass walls was usually relaxing, but right now, I couldn't even look at it. My chest felt tight.

I tossed my jacket onto the couch and grabbed my laptop. I booted it up and opened the Aegis contract file Kevin had sent.

I scrolled down to page forty-seven.

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There it was. Section 9, Subsection B.

I read the legal bullshit three times to make sure I wasn't missing anything.

In the event of a sponsored intervention, the licensee's rights are permanently assigned to Aegis Defense even if the licensee reaches Level 20.

I stared at the screen.

Graves had set a fucking trap.

I closed the file. I was angry, but mostly I was just annoyed that I had to deal with this.

I opened the second file Kevin had sent. The Brand contract.

Thirty million dollars a year. For four years.

That was more money than I could ever spend on room service and video games.

The contract also listed the sponsorships. Elevation wanted to make a game called Elevation: Season by Season. Mountain Yard wanted to make a sneaker called the Seasons Y.

But the most important part of the Brand contract was the first page. It had a legal clause called the Lion’s Den Override. Because Brand was the second-largest defense contractor in the country, their legal team could buy out any mid-tier contract.

It was a hostile transfer. Graves wouldn't be able to do a damn thing about it.

I leaned back in my chair and stared at the ceiling.

I hated playing their stupid corporate games. But if I stayed with Aegis, I was a slave. If I went to Brand, I would be a very rich, highly protected corporate puppet.

With thirty million a year, I could build a shield so thick that nobody could ever touch me again.

I grabbed my phone and dialed Kevin’s number.

He answered on the second ring.

"Shay," Kevin said. "Did you read it?"

"Yeah," I said. "Graves is a piece of shit."

"I told you," Kevin chuckled. "So, what's the plan?"

"I'll sign with Brand," I said. "But I want the transfer done fast. I don't want Graves to have time to react."

"Don't worry," Kevin said. "Our lawyers are already drafting the override. Be at Brand Tower tomorrow at nine. We’ll make it official."

"Fine," I said.

I hung up, closed my laptop, and threw myself onto my bed.

Brand Tower made the Aegis building look cheap.

Borab was already waiting for me in the lobby, dressed in a black suit. He gave me a polite nod and led me to the private elevator.

"Kevin is waiting," Borab said as the doors slid shut.

The elevator ride was incredibly fast. When the doors opened on the top floor, we stepped directly into Kevin’s office. It was a massive room with panoramic windows looking down on the entire city.

Kevin was sitting behind a floating glass desk, sipping coffee from a ceramic mug.

"Morning, Seasons," Kevin said, gesturing to a leather chair. "Slept well?"

"Better than Graves did, probably," I said, sitting down and crossing my legs.

"Actually, Graves doesn't know yet," Kevin chuckled. He slid a tablet across the desk. "This is the master agreement. Four years, thirty million a year base salary. The Lion's Den override clause is fully integrated. Just sign at the bottom."

I looked at the numbers on the screen. Thirty million a year. That was a stupid amount of money. I tapped the screen and signed my name.

Kevin smiled and tapped a button on his own tablet. "And... sent. Aegis has just been wired a thirty-million-dollar buyout fee. Graves' system will notify him in about five seconds. He’s going to blow a fucking gasket, but our legal team has already blocked his number."

"Good," I said. "I don't want to deal with his whiny bullshit anyway."

"Next up are your endorsements," Kevin said, sliding two more digital pages to me. "First, Elevation. They’re a gaming giant. They want to make a franchise based on you called Elevation: Season by Season. You'll have to do a few motion-capture sessions, but they’re paying an extra five million a year."

"Motion-capture?" I frowned. "Sounds like actual physical labor."

"You just stand there in a suit covered in shiny balls while they scan your face," Kevin said. "You can probably do most of it sitting in a chair."

"I can handle sitting," I said, signing the screen.

"And this is Mountain Yard," Kevin continued. "They want to make your signature sneaker, the Seasons Y. Another five million a year, plus a five percent cut of every pair sold."

I signed that one too. In less than ten minutes, I had secured forty million dollars a year. It was ridiculous.

Kevin reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a gold-and-white metal card. He slid it across the glass. It had my picture on it, the Brand logo, and my hero name: Seasons.

"Your new license," Kevin said. "And because you're officially registered under a top-five contractor now, the HRC has finalized your entry into the national rankings."

I closed my eyes and thought of a single word.

Status.

The blue screen popped up in front of my face. I scrolled past my stats and looked at the very bottom.

Rank: 991

"Nine hundred and ninety-one," I muttered, opening my eyes. "Is that good?"

"For a nineteen-year-old who has only been licensed for a year? It’s completely absurd," Kevin said, leaning back in his chair. "Most heroes spend ten years grinding in the outer districts just to break into the top five thousand. You're already in the top thousand. The media is going to lose their minds."

I stood up and pocketed my new license. "Let them. As long as they do it while I'm asleep."

Kevin laughed. "Welcome to Brand, Seasons."

"Thanks," I said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a date with my couch."

I turned around and walked out of the office.

My days of playing in the minor leagues were officially over.