Lillian’s reassurance is helpful in calming down my family and I can see the tension leave them as their shoulders sag.
My mom glances out the floor-to-ceiling windows and high-rise view and asks, “I’ve never been able to travel, but just looking out that window I know we’re somewhere I’ve never been before. Where are we?”
Lillian glances at me, and I see her lips curl into a smile and a little wrinkle forms at the corner of her eyes. The look causes a sense of déjà vu, and I remember seeing that look on Lillian’s face so many months ago when I asked her the same question my mom just did.
Lillian turns and gestures towards the window and answers my mom, “We are in New York City. One of the most densely populated cities in the U.S.”
From there, Lillian goes on to explain about portals, the System, dungeons, how Users help keep the world safe by defeating them, and she answers all the questions my mom and sister throw at her.
Explaining everything takes hours, and I’m not sure the two believe everything they’ve been told. My mom’s a little hurt that I’ve been lying to her for most of the year about what I’ve been doing. But Marie has a speculative look on her face.
Marie asks, “So, let me get this straight. My brother is part of a secret group that defeat dungeons created by social unrest and thus help the world not spiral out of control into an apocalypse?”
I’d never quite thought about it that way. To be honest, I’ve always been more concerned about making some extra money to help pay our bills. But I nod at the summary.
Marie smiles and claps her hands. “So you’re a superhero, bro! I can’t wait to tell my friends at school.”
Lillian shakes her head. “I’m sorry, but you can’t tell anyone, Marie.”
“Why not? It’s so cool.”
“Mostly, because no one will believe you. After all, most people can’t even see the dungeons and the kind that would believe you aren’t likely to be good people.”
My mom chimes in, “Well, from what I can see, not everyone that’s part of your secret System are good people either.”
“That’s true, Mrs. Tinoco but letting the larger world know about all this would only invite catastrophe. Imagine what a terrorist could do if they could get superpowers. That’s the kind of power we’re talking about.”
She thinks about it. “Who decides who gets to join then? Who’s going to stop the man that attacked us?”
“Well, mostly we regulate ourselves, but there’s also an Oversight Committee that responds to crimes committed by System Users and also serves as a type of governing body for us. I’ve already notified them, and they’re sending someone over now.”
Lillian’s phone beeps and she checks a message. “Speaking of which. They’re here.” She excuses herself, walks to the office door, and opens it. Standing there is a tired looking man in a black suit. He introduces himself as Agent Smith from the Oversight Committee. Agent Smith is a professional and gets right to work. He interviews my mom, my sister, and myself separately. Once he’s done taking statements, he takes down our address and promises he’ll go by there next to continue his investigation and then leaves. The whole process takes less than half an hour and leaves me less than reassured that the masked man will be caught tonight.
While we are being interviewed, someone from Ludas Inc. contacts Lillian, to let her know that they arrived at my house, they found it aflame, and the fire department on its way. They searched the area for the masked man but didn’t find him.
The news is devastating for my family. My mom’s first instinct is to ask to be taken back home to try and save the house. Lillian explains that the masked man might have laid a trap for my family and that we can’t go back there. This last bit finally breaks my mom and she sits down and cries. I can only begin to understand how she feels. The home she worked so hard to provide us with is gone. Marie and I sit next to her and try to comfort her as best we can.
In an attempt to provide help, Lillian makes a very generous offer. “You can all stay here with me. My home is connected here, and I can add a couple of bedrooms for you all to use.”
I’m about to refuse. After all, my mom’s never taken charity from anyone the entire time that I’ve known her. But my mom wipes away the tears in her eyes and hugs Lillian and accepts her offer. Lillian shows us through the door at the back of the office that leads to her home. I’d known that it was possible to attach other rooms to your home base, but it was always too expensive a proposition for me to ever consider.
We walk through the door, into what appears to be a small apartment. The door opens into a small living room. There are pictures and paintings all along the walls. Off to the left is a kitchen, and beyond that is a hallway. Lillian uses the System Store to purchase pajamas for my mom and Marie. I kiss my mom on her cheek and wish her and my sister a good night's sleep, and Lillian shows them to their rooms.
After getting the two settled, Lillian comes back to the living room to find me looking at some of the photos on the walls. She walks over, and I point out the photo of the two of us from the Halloween party. I’m standing awkwardly in the photo in my Dracula costume, but Lillian looks gorgeous in her dress.
Without thinking about it, I say the first thought that comes to my head as I look at the photo. “We look pretty cute together, don’t we?”
Lillian blushes, but ignores my question. Instead, she asks a more practical one. “Do you need me to purchase you some pajamas too? I can buy you some with the Peanuts gang on them.”
I feel my cheeks blush as I realize either my mom or my sister must have told her that I slept with a stuffed Snoopy until I was 13 years old. I mentally give her props for the jab. “No, I don’t think I can go to sleep yet. I’m too wound up from everything.” I’ve been dreading telling Lilian something, but it has to be said. “Lillian.”
“Yes?”
“There’s something I haven’t told you. I wasn’t just killed once by the masked man but repeatedly. So many times in fact that I lost a couple of levels. I don’t qualify anymore for the System Games.”
Lillian scoffs and pats my chest. “You don’t have to worry about any of that anymore. You and your family have been through so much. I can’t ask you to continue risking your life just for my company. I’m letting you out of your contract with the company so you won’t be associated with me anymore.”
I’m stunned by the statement and blurt out the first thing that comes to my mind. “No! You can’t do that to me.”
“I’m doing this for you. Not to you.”
“I refuse to let you let me out of the contract.” I have to think for a second to make sure that makes sense. “Yeah, that’s right.” Seeing that Lillian doesn’t understand, I continue, “I want to keep working for you. No, I need to keep working for you. The guy who tried to kill my family and me was working for someone. If I quit, then they win, and that is not something I’m going to let happen.”
“But what about your family? What if he comes back for you while you're out training?”
“Well, you’ve already said you’ll provide security for my mom and sister, right?” She nods, and I continue, “As far as I go,” I gather the beginnings of a fireball in my hand, “I hope the bastard does try to attack me again. I’m going to be ready for him.”
Lillian understands that this is important to me, and she doesn’t try to convince me to quit again. Instead, the two of us spend the next hour making plans to get me back to level 10. After working out our plans, she shows me to my room, and I give her a hug goodnight. The hug turns into an embrace, and I feel her return the sentiment. I push away slightly and look down on the beautiful woman that’s been such an amazing support tonight. No, not just tonight but ever since she first found me passed out on my college campus. I realize that she’s the most amazing woman I’ve ever met and that she has the most beautiful blue eyes I’ve ever seen. I lean down to kiss her. The world around me seems to explode as our lips meet. I don’t know how long the kiss lasts, but I find that I’m breathless when our lips part.