"So. Is it just me, or did that bloke from the fire seem a bit dodgy?"

  "Oh, totally."

  "Yeah, super weird vibes."

  Having swapped out their heroing gear for civvies, the Astra Gems sat together in a corner booth at The Daily Grind, a cozy little coffee shop not too far from their headquarters in the Seaport District. Ruby sipped her chai tea and Amethyst her matcha latte while Sapphire typed away at her laptop.

  "Kinda cute, though, yeah?" Ruby asked.

  "If depressed suburban dads are your thing, I guess," Amethyst replied with a snort.

  Sapphire stopped typing and looked up at her teammates. "Well, his background check was clean," she said. "Specialist Gabriel Theodore Shaw. Thirty-eight years of age. Honorable discharge from the Army after five years of active-duty service and three years of inactive ready reserve. Global War on Supervillainy veteran. No criminal record. Just a string of security jobs and an apartment in Southie."

  Amethyst shook her head. "I'm telling you, someone in that crowd was using telekinesis," she insisted. "The containers should've fallen. Someone stabilized them just long enough for me to get to them. I felt it."

  Ruby sighed. "Well, whoever they are, they did us a solid and saved some lives, so maybe we should give them a pass," she argued. "We're not in the business of snitching on unregistered metahumans, after all."

  "That's not the point," Amethyst said.

  "Hey, get this," Sapphire interrupted, turning her laptop around toward the others. "The ABPD just sent us their findings. Looks like someone was trying to smuggle Aethercite weapons into the city, but a malfunction with the containment units triggered the fire."

  "Bloody hell," said Ruby. "Now we've got Aethercite to worry about, too? That's way too many coincidences."

  Amethyst's head tilted, her eyes narrowing in thought. "Sapphire, you said Shaw was a GWOS vet, right?" she asked.

  "Yeah. What about it?"

  "His service record," Amethyst said. "Can you find it? Specifically, any reports of metahuman activity filed under his name?"

  Sapphire's fingers flew across the keyboard, her brow furrowed in concentration. Then, she stopped, and her green eyes went wide. "Jesus," she muttered. "This guy's seen some shit. Metahuman conflicts across deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan... couple other names that are redacted." She looked up at Ruby. "Rue, we have to check this guy out."

  "Alright," she replied. "But we don't want to spook him off, yeah? Let's keep it casual."

  Amethyst's eyes narrowed at Ruby as a wide grin spread across her face. "You want to take him out on a date, don't you?" she teased.

  Ruby's cheeks flushed slightly, and she took a sip of her tea. "I just think we should be friendly about it," she said. "Show him we're not here to cause him any trouble. If he is caught up in all this somehow, maybe he just needs our help."

  Sapphire rolled her eyes at her team leader. "Do you want me to get his phone number?"

  "Yes, please."

  ***

  I woke up late, still hungover, still not sure if the visit from my future self had really happened or not. My apartment was a wreck, my head was pounding, and my soul was heavy with way more existential dread than usual. Part of me wanted to chalk the whole thing up to a drunken fever dream and go back to my life of quiet misery. But a bigger part of me knew better.

  With a groan, I dragged myself off the couch and shuffled into the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror. "Get your shit together, buddy," I told my reflection, mimicking my future self's words.

  I splashed some water onto my face, swished a cup of mouthwash to get the stench of yesterday's booze out of my mouth, then brushed my hair into something at least mildly presentable. As I was toweling off my face, my phone buzzed on the counter. I glanced at the screen. Unknown Number.

  With a hesitant thumb, I tapped the screen and opened the message.

  > Hey, is this Gabriel Shaw?

  I shook my head and tossed my phone aside. Probably some scammer trying to get my personal information. But a few moments later, it buzzed again.

  > Sorry, not a scammer or a bot. It's Ruby. From the fire.

  Oh shit, that's right. The stupid fire. I picked my phone back up and stared at the screen. My mind raced as I tried to decide what to do. I really just wanted not to have to deal with this, but I had a feeling that was no longer an option. I let out a low grumble, then did my best to formulate a reply that didn't immediately tell her, "Yes, I am an unregistered metahuman, please arrest me."

  Yes, this is Gabriel. <

  How the hell did you get my number? <

  Three dots appeared, disappeared, then reappeared. She was typing, deleting, retyping. I could practically hear the gears turning in her head. Finally, a new message came through.

  > Sorry, was that a bit much?

  > Sapphire fished it up for me. Dunno the specifics, but she knows her tech.

  I watched again as the three dots danced at the bottom of the screen. A few seconds later, her next message came through.

  > Anyway, the Gems and I are helping ABPD with their investigation on the fire, and I was wondering if maybe you'd like to give your own perspective on what happened?

  > If you want. No pressure.

  I stared at the screen, my thumb hovering over the little pop-up keyboard. I don't fucking talk to cops or capes. That was my first thought. My second thought was, well, maybe that's not the best approach here.

  Future Me's words hung heavy in my mind: I needed to become both the Gems' greatest threat and their greatest ally so this Coming Storm or whatever didn't end the world. And right now, one of them was asking to meet me. So, with a heavy sigh and a deep sense of reluctance, I typed out my reply.

  Alright. I'll bite. <

  What are you thinking? <

  Her reply came just a little too quickly.

  > How does coffee sound?

  Sure. Where at? <

  > The Daily Grind. Little place in the seaport.

  > Are you free today? I can do 3 PM, if that works.

  Sure. I'll see you at 3. <

  > :)

  With a sigh, I set my phone aside and checked my watch. 11 AM. Suppose I'd better get myself properly cleaned up. I had a "date" with my soon-to-be nemesis.

  ***

  I arrived about 10 minutes early, opting for the long walk between Southie and the seaport so I could clear my head before walking into the lioness's den. I found the Daily Grind tucked between a couple of office buildings, its sign a cheerful, handwritten chalkboard that promised 'The Best Damn Coffee in Aurora Bay, Khed.' I lingered outside for a bit, trying to get a feel for the unfamiliar battlefield I was about to step into from a safe distance.

  I spotted Ruby first, her blue eyes buried in her phone as she sat alone in a booth in the back corner. She wore a red leather jacket over a plain white hoodie and jeans, a pair of glasses perched on her nose, and her short black hair was loosely styled. She looked normal.

  Then I noticed the other two. Amethyst and Sapphire sat at a table in the far corner in their civvies, trying, and failing, to be discreet.

  Amethyst lounged back in her chair, her long blonde hair streaked with purple highlights spilling over a purple blouse. Several silver bracelets sat loosely on her wrist, and a matching pendant dangled from her neck. Her violet eyes darted toward the door every couple of seconds, her senses clearly on alert.

  Next to her, Sapphire pretended to be absorbed in her laptop. She wore a loose blue hoodie and dark jeans, with her red hair pulled into a messy, half-hearted bun. Her fingers danced across the keyboard with quiet focus, but her attention wasn't on the screen. Not really.

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  I sighed and shook my head. 'No pressure,' Ruby had said, but still brought her backup. I wanted to leave right then and there and forget about everything. But what would running away accomplish now? At best, it would only confirm whatever suspicions the Gems had about me. Running and hiding had kept me alive this long, but honestly, I was getting tired of all that.

  So, I pulled out my phone and shot Ruby a quick text:

  Hey, look outside. <

  Ruby glanced up, her phone still in her hand, and saw me through the window. Her face lit up with a bright smile, and she waved me in with a cheerful, enthusiastic energy. As I stepped inside and took a seat across from her, I did my best to pretend not to notice Sapphire and Amethyst hiding in their little corner.

  "Hello," she greeted, her accent warm and easy. "Glad you made it."

  You ever have one of those moments where you see someone so attractive your brain just kind of stops working for a second? I'd seen Ruby on TV plenty of times before, and while I got a good look at her on New Year's Eve, seeing her up close like this was something else. She looked like the tomboyish childhood crush I absolutely would’ve fumbled, except now she’d grown up into one of those absurdly perfect Greek swimsuit models.

  Focus, idiot.

  "Uh... hey," I finally managed.

  She folded her hands and gave me a teasing smile. "So... do you always surveil your coffee dates from outside, or am I special?"

  I scratched the back of my head. "Sorry. Bad habit."

  "No, no, I'm just being cheeky," she said. "I know this whole thing's probably a bit weird, yeah?"

  "A little bit," I admitted. "Never thought I'd ring in the new year with Ruby Rush tracking me down for coffee."

  She let out a quiet laugh, a hint of pink coloring her cheeks. "'Ruby' is for when I'm in costume, by the way," she said. "Around here, Fiona Frye. Or just Fi, if you like."

  "Fiona Frye, or just Fi, if I like," I repeated. "Understood."

  Without warning, the waitress appeared beside our table, notepad in hand. "Hi!" she greeted. "What can I get for you two today?"

  "Regular. Black," I replied.

  Ruby waved her hand. "I'll have another chai, please," she said. "And a couple of those biscotti things."

  The waitress gave a nod, then disappeared to put in our order. Once she was gone, Ruby leaned forward on her elbows and looked at me with those pretty blue eyes. "So, Gabriel Shaw," she began. "How's Southie been treating you?"

  "It's fine," I replied. "Fires notwithstanding, of course. The neighborhood's been getting a bit... bougie for my taste, but that's Aurora Bay for you."

  She chuckled. "Yeah, we get that a lot over here in the seaport, too. But our landlord's decent, so we're sticking it out."

  "Wait," I said. "You guys rent?"

  "Yeah," she said, her head tilted in confusion. "Why wouldn't we?"

  I shrugged. "I dunno, I guess I just... I always pictured you guys owning your own building or something."

  She shook her head. "Nope. Just a nice loft with a great view of the harbor," she said. "We used to have a smaller place in West Fens, but once we got a bit more popular, we decided to move somewhere a bit more out of the way."

  The waitress returned with our drinks, and I immediately took a long sip of the coffee. It was hot, black, and bitter, and exactly what I needed to bring me back down to earth. "So," I began, leaning back in my seat. "You mentioned you're helping ABPD with their investigation. What's the official story there?"

  Ruby took a sip of her chai, her expression shifting slightly. "Right," she said. "The official story is that it was a chemical fire caused by the mishandling of hazardous materials. Nothing to worry about."

  "And the unofficial story?" I pressed.

  She sighed, then leaned in closer, lowering her voice. "The ABPD is reasonably certain that someone was trying to smuggle Aethercite weapons into the city," she whispered. "But I dunno, my gut tells me there's more to it than that. That's why I wanted to talk to you. I was hoping you might've noticed something. Anything that didn't sit right."

  I clenched my jaw at the mention of Aethercite weapons. They'd given normal folk a fighting chance against metahumans during the war, but I'd seen the damage they could do in the wrong hands. "Hold on, are you serious?" I asked. "About the Aethercite weapons?"

  Ruby gave a solemn nod. "Afraid so," she replied. "You're familiar with their capabilities?"

  "Yeah," I said. "Seen plenty of 'em in action when I was in the Army." I met her eyes. "So, if there's something I can do, I will."

  "Right," she said. "Well, I'd appreciate anything you can tell me."

  I took a long sip of my coffee, then set my cup down on the table. "Honestly, I didn't see much of anything," I said, shaking my head. "I was nursing a bottle of whiskey when I saw the fire on the news, and I just decided to come check it out because I was bored. And a little drunk."

  "You didn't see anything out of the ordinary on the way there?" she asked.

  I shook my head. "Sorry, no," I told her.

  "How about the fire itself?" she pressed.

  I shrugged. "The only thing that really stuck out was you guys," I said. "Oh, and that close call with the falling containers."

  I watched as Ruby's expression shifted, a flicker of discomfort in her eyes. "Yeah," she said. "We were lucky. Amethyst, she's the one with the magic, she managed to get an anti-gravity spell up just in the nick of time."

  We both knew that was a lie, of course. "Bet those firefighters were pretty happy about not getting crushed," I said, holding her gaze.

  I saw a flash of guilt cross her face. "Yeah..." she muttered. "I'm sure they were."

  Ruby's eyes turned aside as she began fidgeting with her drink cup, and she let out a sigh. "Listen, Gabriel... I feel like I should tell you something," she said. "About why I wanted to meet you, I mean."

  I shrugged my shoulders. "I know this wasn't a social call," I said. "You were pretty upfront about that."

  She swallowed and met my eyes. "The Gems... we thought there was something... off about you. Not necessarily bad, just... unusual. Enough that Sapphire ran a background check, and... when I saw your military record, well, let's just say we all agreed that there was a non-zero chance that you might have been connected to the fire somehow."

  I took a long, slow sip of my coffee, then set my cup down on the table. "I figured as much," I told her. "I mean, why the hell else would a girl like you go through the trouble of tracking down a washed-up GWOS vet?

  Ruby blinked, pink creeping across her cheeks. "Well.. we didn't exactly know what to make of you," she admitted. "And, uh... I guess I still don't completely, but my gut tells me you're a good person."

  I shrugged. "Eh, I'm alright," I replied. "But hey, I got a coffee date with a cute girl out of it, so I guess I can forgive you."

  Ruby gave an adorable little laugh. "Good, good," she said, letting out a breath she'd been holding. "I was worried you were going to be upset."

  I shook my head. "Nah," I told her. "I'd have probably done the same in your shoes, honestly."

  Ruby stared at me for a long moment, her blue eyes searching mine as if she were looking for something. "So... if it's not too forward of me... why'd you leave the service?"

  I let out a slow sigh. "I got fed up with everything," I told her. "Fed up with the brass sending us into the meat grinder while they chased medals. Fed up with having to choose between following orders and doing the right thing. The whole Global War on Supervillainy... it was just haves throwing the have-nots at each other. All so they could play with their magic space rocks in their ivory towers."

  Ruby listened intently, frowning as she processed my words. "Yeah," she said. "I think I get that. The Gems have always tried to stay out of all the political stuff. We're independent, so we don't have to answer to any government or corporation. We get to do what we think is right."

  "And you have my respect for that," I told her. "Seriously." I paused, then decided to change the subject before I got too carried away ranting about all the horrible people running the world. "So, I'm guessing your friends aren't just here for the coffee."

  Ruby glanced over at her teammates, and when she turned back to me, she was biting her lower lip. "Of course you spotted them," she said, defeated. "You know, I wanted them to hang back, but they wouldn't let me meet with you alone."

  "Can't blame them," I said. "But uh... little piece of advice if you want to blend in better: don't wear the same colors as your costumes."

  Her eyes flicked down to her red leather jacket, then back at me, a faint smile forming at the corner of her mouth. "Yeah, I suppose we should've thought of that," she admitted. "We never really put much effort into concealing our civilian IDs, though. I mean, I only met you yesterday, and you already know it. We don't really have any family but ourselves."

  I winced internally. Right. The whole foster kid thing. "Sorry," I said. "Didn't mean to hit a nerve."

  She shook her head. "No, no, you're fine," she insisted. "It is what it is. We've made our own family. That's what matters."

  I glanced over at the other two, who were now looking pointedly away from us, trying their best to look busy. "So, what's the plan now?" I asked. "You got what you wanted from me, right?"

  "I... I think so," she said, her eyes still locked on mine. "But I'm also starting to feel really bad about dragging you out here under false pretenses."

  I shrugged. "I'm a big boy," I told her.

  "Yeah, but..." she started, then trailed off. "Would you be terribly opposed if I asked to see you again? Under... more honest circumstances?"

  I raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. "You… want to see me again?" I asked.

  She let out a soft laugh. "Is that so hard to believe?" she asked. "Look, I know this is all... weird. But I'd really like to get to know you, Gabriel. If you'll let me."

  I thought about it for a moment. "Maybe," I replied. "I just... I'm kinda going through some personal stuff right now, so I might be a little flaky."

  She smiled, a genuine, warm smile that made my stomach do a little flip. "I'm a superhero, luv," she said. "Believe me, I understand 'flaky' better than most."

  I couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Fair enough," I said.

  "Great!" she chirped, her energy suddenly perking back up. "So... I'll... call you? Or text you. Or you can call or text me. Whatever's less weird."

  I nodded. "Sure thing, Fi."

  She beamed at the sound of her name, her smile widening. "Right, then," she said, standing up from the booth. "I'll let you get to it. Thanks again for coming, Gabriel. And for not being a criminal."

  I gave a low chuckle at that last bit. "Alright then," I said, finishing off my coffee. "I'll see you around."

  I left a wad of cash on the table to cover the bill, then stood up and made my way to the exit. As I reached the door, I glanced over my shoulder at Sapphire and Amethyst's table, where they were both trying to look busy. Two fingers to my eyes, then a hand pointed at them to let them know that I could, in fact, see them.

  As I stepped outside, I took in a deep breath of the crisp winter air, then turned back toward the shop. Ruby waved one last time from the window, her bright smile still on her face. I gave a small wave in return, then turned and walked away, a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions swirling through my head.

  I was gonna have to break that poor girl's heart, wasn't I?

  As I started the long trek back toward my apartment, Future Me's words seemed to thrum in my skull: "You have to push them. You have to bend and break them. You have to forge them into the weapons we need them to be."

  To do that, I knew I needed to get serious and become Kingslayer. But being a supervillain wasn't something you just woke up one morning and decided you were going to do. I was a metahuman. I had powers. But where was I supposed to go from there? More importantly, how could I go about it without ending up in a power-dampening prison cell?

  I tugged my coat tighter around me as a gust of chilly wind whipped between the buildings. My life had been a miserable, if somewhat comfortable, rut for the better part of a decade. But now, with the Coming Storm looming on the horizon, I needed to start moving. I needed to get stronger, so they could get stronger.

  First things first: a costume. Or armor. Something. Then, I needed a base of operations. My little apartment was fine for hiding out, but it wasn't exactly a supervillain's lair. And after that? I needed to make a name for myself. But what kind of villain was Kingslayer going to be? A thief? A terrorist? An anarchist? Some combination of the three?

  My mind raced as I walked, the city a blur of gray and white around me, but there was a spark of something in my chest that hadn't been there in years. Not exactly hope. Not yet. Something more like purpose. Something that put a smile on my face.