The Last Dainv Chapter 150

Gale sat in the back of the classroom, watching students co in. Today was physics and it had been way too long since he texted his friends. After all the zombies, wendigos, and divine beasts, a nice change of pace of physics and chemistry at an adult learning centre was a nice change of pace.

Opening his phone, he saw four text ssages from Rachel.

[Rachel: Don't believe Kyle about the feral stuff.]

[Rachel: I did not say those. He misunderstood it.]

[Rachel: I was just sharing stories about how I felt when you ca to save from the beasts.]

[Rachel: I really didn't think you were feral. Don't listen to the twin idiots. Ok?!]

What the hell is she talking about? He was feral, and that was a good thing. Even mom and dad acted the sa as him when they would sotis venture into cities after months in the wilderness. The woods were a tough place to live. The ferality made him strong. Too strong that he actually felt sorry for that first kid that got knocked out on his first day at the orphanage, Gale sighed.

[Gale: but i am feral? why is that a bad thing?]

[Rachel: No! You are not. Don't call yourself that!]

Gale shook his head. She won't understand. Feral is good. Besides, the woods didn't have the loud honking noise of the city cars. One of these days, he'll take Rachel and Rachel's best friend and Ollie and Mia and Jacob and Andrew to build a cabin in the woods together and be feral for a week.

"As I was saying last week," Mr. Walker fixed his glasses, "Newton's third law applies to all forces in nature. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."

Gale copied the formula into his notebook as he stuck his tongue out. Follow the rules, get the right answer. Physics didn't care about ghosts or cursed hotels or little girls stuck between worlds.

"If we apply a force of 50 Newtons to an object with a mass of 10 kilograms..."

Who knew that adventure could be so fun, especially with friends? Solving mysteries and getting rewards. Ollie was probably looking at the shard with a magnifying glass just about now. Lab 7 would be busy, and they'd all probably spend days doing all nighters. And here in physics classroom, just keep moving the pencil and write the notes from the whiteboard onto the paper. Easy peasy orange juicy. Now he wants so orange juice, or maybe apple juice. That sounds good just about now.

"Mr. Hathie?"

Gale blinked. "Sorry?"

Mr Walker pointed to the equation on the board. "The acceleration?"

"Five tres per second squared," Gale answered right away.

"Very good, young man!" Mr Walker said and continued. Gale went back to his notebook, writing down the notes while thinking of which juice to buy now he's got so allowance from both Ollie and Rachel.

When class ended, Gale packed slowly. Andrew waited by the door, scrolling through his phone.

"Food court?" Andrew asked as Gale approached.

Gale nodded. "Jacob and Mia eting us?"

"Already there. Jacob's been talking about ghosts all morning."

They walked through the crowded hallways of the adult learning centre and through the streets. It took about 20 minutes to get to Yorkdale Mall by foot, and what greeted them was the afternoon shoppers of moms with their too-young-to-go-to-school children.

Regular people living regular lives.

Jacob waved from a table when they entered the food court. Mia sat beside him, picking at a salad she clearly didn't want.

"Look who decided to show up," Jacob said as they sat down. "Mr. Monster Hunter himself."

"Sorry about not texting." Gale put his backpack on the floor.

Mia pushed her salad away. Dark circles showed under her eyes, her skin pale against her black hair.

"You okay?" Gale asked.

"Period," Mia said. "So, where have you been?"

"North. So hotel in the middle of nowhere," Gale said. Gotta keep them guessing. Tell them a story that'll keep them at the edge of their seats.

"And?" Jacob leaned forward at the edge of his seat. "Details, man! Ghost hunt? Vampire nest? Werewolf pack?"

"A ghost girl, actually," Gale said. "And a deer that wasn't really a deer."

"Cool," Jacob said. "Like, a skinwalker?"

"No, more like a spirit with lingering attachnts." Gale took a fry from Jacob's tray. He began summarizing the events that led up from the super zombies in the basent of a cabin. This led to them getting stuck in the snowstorm, and they had to go find a hotel called Hotel Frankley. The hotel itself was haunted by a wendigo that wasn't a wendigo, but a guardian spirit with lingering resentnt and attachnts to a child called Dyani. And finally, a divine beast that led them to the big macguffin.

"Gale, I think we need to discuss sothing super ga serious," Jacob said, looking serious.

"Like what?" Gale gulped.

Jacob fished out a box from his bag and put it on the table. The box was labelled 'GoPro Hero66'.

Mia smacked Jacob at the back of the head softly. "Put that thing back. Gale isn't going to put on a cara!"

"But he hasn't even-"

"No buts!"

Jacob took the box back and put it back into his bag.

Wasn't that a cara, though? Wouldn't it be cool for Gale to record himself in action and then be able to share it to Rachel on YouTube? That'd be so cool… if it wasn't for stupid Aur having its own secrecy rules.

Andrew leaned, studying his face. "You look tired."

"It's been a long couple of days," Gale sighed.

Mia sat up straight. "We found sothing. About the Red Death Incident."

"What about it?" Gale said.

"We went to Lakeshore West Heights last night," Mia said. "Found a detective's house about a guy whose family disappeared in the incident. He had files."

"You went there? At night by yourselves?" Gale said.

"We were careful," Andrew said.

"There were shapes," Jacob said. "People that weren't quite there. You'd see them out of the corner of your eye, but when you looked directly, they just magically disappear. I an they're ghost but magic."

Mia leaned forward. "What do you know about it? The Red Death. There's nothing in the public records except 'gas explosion' and 'terrorist attack.'"

"I was there," Gale said.

They all turned to him in unison.

"What?" Mia said.

"My orphanage was in Lakeshore West Heights." Gale looked down. "I turned eighteen on October 2nd. I'm not really twenty-eight like my docunts say."

Jacob's mouth opened and closed without sound.

"The Red Death wasn't a gas explosion or terrorists or any of the conspiracy theories out on the internet right now," Gale said. "It was a rift. When it opened, everyone in the area was pulled through. Including ."

"But the incident was ten years ago," Andrew said. "And if you were there, wouldn't you be past your 30s now, and you look like that?"

"Rachel said the ti dilation in the rift was pretty bad," Gale said. "For , it was only a few months. For Earth, it was a decade."

"You're saying you're not the age your ID says?" Mia squinted her eyes at Gale, glaring with extre intensity.

Gale shrank back into his seat, nodding.

"The rift, right?" Mia asked.

"I call it The Eclipsed. A place with an eternal eclipse. A blue moon hangs in the sky. Full of nightmares that you would never believe."

Jacob swallowed. "How did you survive?"

"My parents taught to hunt before all of it. I was fully prepared to live in the forest," Gale said. "Then I found a way back, an exit."

"And everyone else from the orphanage?" Andrew asked.

"Dead or still trapped. I don't know." Gale looked away. "I didn't have much to lose. No family. The orphanage wasn't exactly ho."

"So that's why you're taking adult classes," Mia said. "You missed ten years of education."

"Yeah…" Gale said, not eting any of their eyes.

"Jesus," Jacob whispered. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"You wouldn't have believed ," Gale said.

"Fair point."

Gale turned to Mia. "Now tell what you found and why you thought going to a known supernatural hot zone without was a good idea."

Mia sat straighter. "We found files labelled 'Red Death Incident' in Detective Frank's house. He lost his family that night. Been investigating ever since."

"You shouldn't have gone there," Gale said. "It's dangerous."

"We were careful," Mia said.

"Soone showed up while we were inside," Jacob said. "We got out through the back door."

"I'd rather look at haunted houses," Jacob added. "At least those are fun scary, not dangerous scary."

"Ignore him." Mia rolled her eyes, then leaned on the table closer to Gale. "Can I ask you sothing? Does it bother you that we're mundanes?"

"What?"

"You know, normal. Powerless," Mia said. "Rachel called us that, like we're... less."

"We want to be part of your life," Andrew said. "But we don't know where we fit. What do mundanes even do in Aur?"

Jacob raised his hand. "For the record, I actually want to be useless as long as I get to watch the cool stuff on the sideline. Just a side note. That's all."

"You're not going to be useless," Gale said. "Any of you."

"But what do mundanes even do in Aur?" Andrew asked. "Well, we do want to be part of your life. But… it's hard. What can we even do for you with all of the superpower stuff?"

"Look around you. See that coffee shop across the street from the learning centre? It's owned by an Awakened, but most of the staff are mundanes. They know about Aur, they're part of it, but they live normal lives." Gale sighed. "At Lab 7, Ollie's research facility, most of the staff are mundanes. Scientists, administrators, so of the security. There aren't enough Awakened to keep the system running. Normal people have their place in everything."

"So what, we're the support staff?" Mia asked.

"No," Gale said firmly. "You're the ones who keep the world turning while people like deal with the weird stuff. But that doesn't make you less important. Besides, only a handful of Aurians actually get to fight. Most can't fight and probably never will."

"So we're not just... bystanders?" Andrew asked.

"No. You're not." Gale looked at each of them in turn. "But that doesn't an you should go hunting for trouble. Mia, Jacob, what you did was stupid. You could have been hurt or worse."

"Andrew went too," Jacob said.

"Andrew's the only one showing basic logic here." Gale put a palm to his face. "Look, if you want to investigate, fine. But wait for next ti. I can protect you if sothing goes wrong."

"Can we at least get so weapons?" Andrew asked. "Like that coin Rachel gave Mia?"

"That's different. It's defensive," Gale said. "Weapons that work on monsters work on humans too. They're not toys."

"So no lightsabers. Got it." Jacob looked disappointed.

"I promise I'll go with you next ti," Gale said. "Just don't go alone again."

"So about that GoPro idea…"

"I'm about to smack you if I know what you're about to say," Mia said.

"Think about it! 'Real Monster Hunter' would get millions of views." Jacob spread his hands like he was framing a movie title. "We could monetize it, split the profits. You fight monsters, we handle the business end-Ow!"

"The production quality would need to be high. Good editing, music, maybe so graphics for context," Andrew said.

"See? Andrew gets it," Jacob said. "You could wear a small cara. Viewers wouldn't even know it's there. Capture everything from your perspective. Maybe even do so telekinesis and film yourself in third person."

Gale's phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw Ollie's notification.

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

[Ollie: Need you at Lab 7. Now. Important findings about the shard.]

"I have to go," Gale said, standing up. "Ollie needs at the lab."

"Think about the GoPro!" Jacob called as Gale grabbed his backpack.

"Shut up with the GoPro!" Mia shouted.

"I will." Gale turned back to them. "Rember what I said. No more solo adventures."

Andrew waved. "Be careful."

Gale stepped off the elevator onto Floor 52 of TD Tower. The familiar office space of rows and rows of cubicles and adulting life that people co to everyday to survive another day and get their pay cheques. Most importantly, not a hint of Lab 7 anywhere and he forgot which cubicle was supposed to be the entrance.

"Guide," Gale whispered. "I need to find Lab 7. What should I do?"

[Recomnd to use perception passive: Breath of the Void]

Tendrils spread out before him, sending information back to his senses. One of the tendrils tugged at him, third row from the window that told him that this was no re cubicle. That was it, the secret door to the super secret society.

Approaching the cubicle, it was a standard setup of a computer monitor, a keyboard, papers and the odd landline phone that looked like sothing from the early 2000s.

Gale picked up the receiver and held it to his ear.

"Hello?"

Next thing, he heard a click beside the wall of the cubicle. Ether spread before the wall, fading out of existence and showing him the white walls and buzzing fluorescent lights overhead.

Lab 7.

Gale stepped inside, the wall closing behind him. The familiar hidden corridor led to a larger space divided into sections.

A familiar woman in a lab coat approached him. Her hair pulled back tight, glasses, asian. Gale forgot her na.

"Mr. Hathie," she said. "Ollie told to expect you. You can just call Dr. Chen if you forgot."

"Ollie said it was urgent."

"Yes, we've made significant progress with the shard. Follow ."

She led him through the lab to a secure room. Inside, behind thick glass, the shard was in a container display at the centre of the room.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Dr. Chen's eyes fixed on the shard. "We've been studying its composition since Ollie brought it in."

"What have you found?" Gale asked.

Dr. Chen tapped her tablet. "By studying the shard and breaking down its properties, we could potentially make a cure for dust corruption within five years."

"Five years?" Gale said. "That's a long ti for people suffering now."

"And that's with only a ten percent chance of success," she added. "We're dealing with sothing completely new here. The molecular structure is unlike anything we've seen before."

Gale stared at the shard. A 10 percent chance of making a breakthrough in 5 years… that still seed a bit too much. Would people still have to suffer through those years? Thousands more would have to suffer under the premise of making the cure.

"We did discover sothing interesting," Dr. Chen continued, moving to a control panel. She adjusted a setting, and a video played on the screen. It showed a patient in a hospital bed, crystal growths visible on their arms and neck.

"This is test subject 23, stage two dust corruption," she explained. "Watch what happens when we bring the shard close."

In the video, a researcher carefully brought the shard near the patient. A close up of the crystal growths imdiately stopped spreading, so even shrinking slightly.

"The shard's presence effectively stops crystallization progress," Dr. Chen said. "But it's temporary. Once we remove the shard..."

The video continued, showing the shard being taken away. An hour later, the crystals began growing again.

"So it's not a cure," Gale said.

"No, but it's a treatnt or could be, if we had more shards." Dr. Chen sighed. "Which we don't."

She moved to another screen, showing complex chemical formulas that were nowhere near the complexity of what he'd ever seen in class. "We've identified sixteen parts out of sixty-four total components that are very similar to dust's composition. If we can understand the relationship between the shard and dust, we might find a way to neutralize dust completely."

"Or make it more dangerous," Gale said.

"Our goal is to help people, Mr. Hathie. Not create more problems." Dr. Chen smirked. "Which is why this research is classified. Now, Ollie's waiting for you in the conference room. Down the hall, last door on the right."

Gale thanked her and followed her directions. Approaching the conference room, muffled voices slipped through the door, one belonging to a man nad 'Alexei'.

He pushed the door open. Rachel sat at the conference table to the right of Ollie. Her face showed a different kind of anger that he hadn't seen before on her. Ollie stood beside her, leaning on the table as he talked towards the large screen. A man's face filled the display, late 50s, slavic features, and a clear russian accent with blue eyes.

Ollie turned as Gale entered. "There you are. Co in, we were just discussing a potential collaboration. An old man from Silver Lion claiming to be Spotlight."

Gale took a seat next to Rachel, who gave him a quick glance that said everything: she wasn't happy about this eting.

"Ahh, the dark hunter," Spotlight said from the screen. "A pleasure to et you at last. Ollie speaks highly of your abilities."

Gale nodded, sohow not able to et his eyes even though its just a screen.

Spotlight smiled. "A cautious one. Good. You'll need that quality in this business."

"What business are we discussing exactly?" Gale whispered to Ollie.

Ollie cleared his throat. "Spotlight knows we have the shard. It seems we weren't as careful as we should have been transporting it back to the city."

"And now he wants it?" Gale said.

"I want to work together," Spotlight said. "Your team has the shard. My family has resources, protection, and decades of research into similar artifacts. A collaboration would benefit us both."

Ollie nodded. "The Silver Lions have the largest research division of any family in North Arica. That mystic grade container is decades ahead of whatever the Path has."

"Doesn't forgive the shit they did throughout Canada?" Rachel crossed her arms. "They literally stuck the Jiuling and Knights on you, Ollie."

"That's just a side effect of their research," Ollie said. "Business expenses."

Gale frowned.

"People aren't expenses," she yelled.

"Which is what this shard might help with, to stop all the deaths," Ollie yelled back, then sighed. "Let's stay focused. A partnership with the Silver Lions would give us access to equipnt we can't afford on our own. Security we can't provide. And expertise we don't have."

"At what cost?" Gale asked.

"Shared research," Ollie said. "We work together, we share the results."

"And control of the shard?" Rachel asked.

"It stays here," Ollie said. "Non-negotiable."

Spotlight sighed. "I would prefer it in our more secure facilities, but I'm willing to compromise. The shard remains at Lab 7, but with our security personnel and routines implented."

"Security full of holes. Couldn't even keep the knuckle guards intact." Gale grinned.

Spotlight ignored Gale. "Three researchers, two security specialists. All vetted and under your supervision at all tis."

"What guarantee do we have that you won't just take the shard once your people are inside?" Gale asked.

Spotlight smiled thinly. "Because if I wanted to take it by force, we wouldn't be having this conversation. I respect Ollie's operation. I see potential in your little group. I'm offering a genuine partnership, not a trick."

"You're responsible for the worsening relations between Canada and the US. Not just that. The United Knights and Jiuling," Rachel said. "No shit your offer sucks."

"Politics are complex, Ms. Ann," Spotlight replied. "The situation is not as simple as that. The Ann Family definitely knows that."

"Don't lecture about politics," Rachel said. "You're not upholding any values."

Ollie's eyes turned to his side for a second. "Rachel. Be careful."

Spotlight cleared his throat. "I respect that. But let be clear, we got dust the sa way you people get it. Our own supplies were funnelled by the Arcanes, unlike your smuggling network. We studied it, learned everything about it. We've used it to fund our operation, but our goal has always been to understand it. Just like you."

"And this partnership would help that goal?" Ollie asked.

"Significantly," Spotlight said. "The shard you found is rare. Extrely. Combined with our resources, research, we could accelerate the tiline for getting the cure."

"Let think on this one," Ollie said finally. "I need to discuss with my team."

"Of course," Spotlight nodded.

The call ended, leaving the conference room in silence.

"We need to consider this offer," Ollie closed his laptop with a snap, turning to face Gale and Rachel. "The Lions have resources we can't match."

"You can't trust them. Are you really considering the idiots that sicked the dogs on one side and the knives on the other?" Rachel said.

"Their research division is legitimate," Ollie said.

"Their money isn't," Rachel said.

The conference room door opened suddenly. Gerard stepped through, dressed in his usual black and white butler attire, not a wrinkle visible.

"Mr. Glory," Gerard nodded to Ollie. "Young miss. Master Hathie."

"Gerard? What are you doing here?" Rachel said.

"Madam Esther sent ," Gerard said, straightening his posture. "She thought my presence might be required."

"To what do we owe the madam?" Ollie asked.

"A minor issue," Gerard said. "Young miss, Master Hathie, if I may, let us talk in private for a mont."

Rachel glanced at Ollie, who waved them off. "Go ahead. I need to review these notes anyway."

Gerard led them down the hallway to a small eting room. He closed the door and snapped his fingers. A soft red light pulsed along the edges of the room.

"Privacy asures," he said. "Lab 7 has excellent security, but one can never be too careful."

Rachel pouted. "What's this about?"

"Madam Esther has sent to extend a formal offer to Master Hathie. A contract of employnt," Gerard said, reaching into his jacket and taking out a crimson red envelope sealed with dark red wax. "The Ann family would like to hire you."

Gale took the envelope, surprisingly heavy for a piece of envelope. Must be expensive paper. "Employnt?"

"Yes. Madam Esther believes your talents would be valuable to her interests." Gerard smiled. "The contract states a starting salary of 200,000 annually, comprehensive health insurance with a personal spending account, housing within the Ann Mansion, and access to the training facilities."

"Two hundred thousand!?" Gale's eyes drooled at the envelope. That could really change his life.

"Plus performance bonuses based on missions," Gerard said.

Rachel crossed her arms. "Gerard, does my grandmother understand what she's doing? Gale isn't just so random person to hire."

"On the contrary, Young Miss. Madam Esther is fully aware of Master Hathie's unique circumstances." Gerard turned to Gale. "This offer cos with additional provisions. Madam Esther wishes to provide you with educational opportunities to make up for your lost decade. Private tutors, accelerated courses, whatever you require."

"Why would Esther want to hire ?"

"Madam Esther has her reasons," Gerard said. "She believes you possess potential beyond what others see. She also finds your... background intriguing."

"You an the Eclipsed," Gale said.

"Among other things." Gerard straightened his cuffs. "Madam Esther plays a long ga, Master Hathie. She has sches within sches, many decades in motion. Your sudden appearance has caught her attention."

"What would I do for her?" Gale asked.

"Initially, your role would involve accompanying Young Miss on various assignnts. Security detail, perhaps so investigative work. Nothing too demanding," Gerard said. "Madam Esther believes the two of you work well together."

Rachel's pout softened, eyes turning to Gale.

Gale placed the envelope on the table. "I need ti to think about this."

"Of course," Gerard said. "Madam Esther anticipated such a response. The offer remains open for one week."

"And if I say no?" Gale asked.

"Then you say no." Gerard smiled. "Madam Esther does not pressure potential allies. She rely offers opportunities."

"I think that kind of solves a lot of your problems… I guess." Rachel didn't look him in the eye.

"Miss Rachel," Gerard said. "Perhaps you might allow Mr. Hathie to consider the offer without undue influence?"

Rachel sighed. "Fine."

"Thank you," Gerard turned back to Gale. "Take your ti, Master Hathie. But consider carefully. Madam Esther's favour opens many doors in this world. Doors that would otherwise remain closed to soone in your position."

Gale picked up the envelope again. He was right. Articles did tell him that networking was very important in the adult world. Without networking, so doors stayed closed forever.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, checking the screen. A couple of texts from Andrew, Mia, and Jacob.

"I should check these," he said, holding up the phone.

"By all ans," Gerard said.

Gale stepped into the hallway, turning on the screen and flipping to the ssage app.

[Andrew: sent you notes on physics and chemistry. Brought you summarized notes on the last book we read up on too. check your email later]

[Mia: You coming to class tomorrow?]

[Mia: We can go to a restaurant that just opened up by dufferin]

[Jacob: think about the gopro bro. think about the girls thatll be watching the videos. the views for days!!]

[Mia: @J_starwars_cob Shut up before i smack you from the screen]

[Jacob: I didn't say anything wrong!! This is tyranny!]

He smiled. It was a window to the normal life he wanted when he just ca back from the Eclipsed. Study sessions and doing normal stuff that adults do, like going to restaurants.

If he took the Ann family offer, would he have ti for any of that? Two hundred thousand dollars was more money than he'd ever imagined having. But money couldn't buy back the ordinary life he sotis wanted.

[Gale: ill be in calss tomorrow save a seat]

[Andrew: you missed a quiz by the way. also sent you the notes for that.]

Rachel stepped out of the eting room. "Gale? You okay?"

"Fine," he pocketed his phone. "Just thinking."

"You're not actually considering my grandmother's offer, are you?" Rachel asked.

"I'm considering everything," Gale replied. "Your grandmother, Ollie, school. What I want my life to look like."

"Fair enough," Rachel nodded. "Just... be careful with Grandmother. She always has other motives."

Gerard appeared in the doorway. "Perhaps we should return to Mr. Glory. I believe others have arrived for this eting."

They walked back to the conference room. Inside, the scene had changed. Ollie still sat at the head of the table, but now Jonathan from Path Division 16 occupied the seat to his right. The twins, Kyle and Clyde, sat in chairs against the wall, looking bored.

"There he is," Kyle said, spotting Gale. "The golden sword boy himself."

"Shut up, Kyle," Clyde muttered.

Jonathan stood up, taking off the cigarette on his mouth that magically disappeared. "Gale. Good to see you again."

"Jonathan," Gale nodded. "Or should I call you Carl?"

"Jonathan is fine. Co, join us." Jonathan smiled, though that smile was definitely not sincere.

Gale took a seat, Rachel settling beside him. Gerard remained standing near the door, hands behind his back.

"As I was explaining to Oliver," Jonathan continued, "Division 16 has been watching your progress with great interest. Your work at the hotel was particularly impressive."

"You knew about that?" Gale asked.

"We keep tabs on all unusual activity in our territory," Jonathan replied. "The Path maintains awareness of potential threats and potential assets."

"Yeah, like deer monsters and ghost kids," Kyle snickered.

Jonathan ignored him. "Gale, I'll be direct. The Path wants to offer you a position within Division 16. Special Investigations."

"Like them?" Gale eyed the twins.

"Similar, but tailored to your specific abilities," Jonathan said. "You would undergo three months of training, then be assigned to a small team. Starting salary is 150,000 with a signing bonus of 25,000."

Not as much as Esther's offer, but still a lot.

"Benefits include full dical, dental, retirent package, paid housing, and access to Path training facilities and resources," Jonathan continued. "Additionally, you would receive special permission to continue your education if you wish."

Ollie leaned forward. "Path assignnts are typically less... intense than private contracting. More structure, more support."

"More paperwork," Kyle and Clyde said at the sa ti.

"What would I actually do?" Gale asked.

"Initially, reconnaissance and assessnt," Jonathan said. "Your unique perception abilities make you ideal for identifying threats before they fully materialize. As your skills develop, you would take on more direct intervention roles."

"And who would I work with?" Gale asked.

"A new team," Jonathan replied. "Hand-selected to complent your abilities."

"Not us, if that's what you're worried about," Kyle grinned. "We're special. The good kind of special."

"Special education, maybe," Rachel said under her breath.

Kyle flipped her off casually. Clyde smacked his arm down.

"The Path offers structure, Gale," Jonathan said. "Resources and transparency that others might not have."

"I appreciate the offer," Gale said. "But like I told Gerard, I need ti to think."

"Of course," Jonathan nodded. "The offer remains open for two weeks. Take your ti."

"Two weeks is generous," Ollie noted.

"Potential warrants patience," Jonathan stood up as a cigarette appeared in his fingers. "We'll await your decision. In the anti, should you need any information about the Path or the position, please contact directly."

He handed Gale a sleek black card with only a phone number in silver.

"Kyle, Clyde," Jonathan said. "We're done here."

Kyle pushed off the wall. "See you around, dark-sword-hunter-feral-whatever-boy."

Clyde shoved Kyle to the door and also elbowing him.

Jonathan followed the twins out right after, smiling at each of them as he passed by them.

Ollie whistled low once the door closed. "Two job offers in one day. You're popular, Gale."

"I didn't ask for this," Gale said.

"Didn't say you did," Ollie said.

"I should go," he said.

"School stuff?" Ollie asked.

"Yeah. I'll let you know about the offer."

"I can drive you ho," Rachel said.

"Thanks, but I'll take the TTC," Gale said. "I need so ti to think."

"Of course," she said. "Text when you get ho?"

"I will." Gale smiled at Rachel, then turned to Gerard. "I'll think about it."

Gerard bowed slightly. "Consider it carefully, Mr. Hathie."