The Matters of Power

Chapter 34- Surprise Visitor

An intruder, burglar maybe? No, how could I have not notice them with my Sixth Sense View this close to the door? I can't stop to question things now, I open the door and see a person sitting down in a chair on the far end of the living room, myself unable to see his features initially. "Y'know, I'm very disappointed with you right now Marcus. To think that you would waste such a gift that I've given you on such little goals." He starts to stand up from the chair and only then do I see who they are: a late-30s or early-40s guy sitting with a suit, wrapped cloth covering his right shoulder, largely dark brown-ish hair with few greying strands, and a prosthetic right hand in view. Where have I have seen this person before? "I'm sure this is the first time we've met in person before, but there's no doubt you have seen me before, I am a big name in this city after all." Then it hits me, I saw him a few days ago when Carl had shown me an interview video, and it was the CEO of Star-Cor Technology: Howard Corvanez! "You! What have you done to my parents?! Where are they?!" Before I can think properly, I suddenly lunge forward to attack him out of anger, only to find myself quickly on the ground pinned by Howard's strong technique. How did he manage to do that so fast and effortlessly? "Calm down kid. You will hear what I have to say. Unless" he starts to apply an insane amount of pressure on my arms, "you don't want to be willing to see reason." Seeing no way out of this, I nod, and he releases me and feel the gratitude of open space. He holds a grim demeanor, "First off, your parents are not home right now. Your mother is currently at a supermarket halfway across town redeeming some extremely convenient digital coupons she just so happened to receive today, and your father is getting his overtime pay who just so happens to be awaiting a promotion at the company he works for, which is MY company in case you didn't know." My dad works for HIM of all people, but what does he want? "...Mr. Corvanez, how do you know all this?" He scoffs, "When you manage to have a large company such as mine that holds a considerable amount of money and influence, there's not a whole lot that I don't know... such as your psychic powers that you've have since last summer." He looks at me dead in the eyes when he says that last part, sending me a shiver down my spine. How long has this powerful man been keeping an eye on me since? "W-what do you mean, psychic abilities? There's no such thing as that or anything supernatural in this world." "Of course, you would try to use that defense, but you didn't know it was I that gave you those powers, huh? Yeah, that's right kid, all the good things that you have in this life right now is because I gave you such powers, and you've been wasting all that potential with petty and meaningless stuff!"

All of this hits harder than I would like to admit, hearing this from someone who clearly has the power to do all this, but give me supernatural powers for his own purpose? "So, what if I haven't used these powers to do your bidding?! I've been trying to live a normal high school life with my friends, and I never wanted to be controlled by a scummy person like you!" His face starts to frown, and he quickly grabs hold of the collar of my shirt. "Listen here, you little shit. You have no choice in that matter, because I gave you the blessing of my powers and I can just as well take it all from you! I've read the reports on your life before you moved to San Anton, all that bullying in Austin, somehow using your brain to stave off trouble, and all the while somehow doing well academically where others have slumped. If you don't see the bigger picture in all of this, then I might as well educate you on what you are supposed to do with that head of yours!" He roughly lets me go and takes a few steps back to breathe a bit, then taking the time to adjust his prosthetic hand. "Marcus, let me be clear on one thing. You can go ahead with all that 'normal high school life' stuff in your head, I couldn't care less, but there is more to this town than what you would see. Take for example, that little stunt in West Anton High and The Eastside Gang. They were never a gang in of themselves, they were but a thumbprint operation that I had created out of their placement. They had their doings while expected to pay me a given share through a complex networking exchange. You and your other buddies had taken out only two of them, but they were becoming a thorn to maintain so you did me the favor of knocking 'em down without doing anything." So, he's been creating gangs in this very city for his own personal gain at the cost of those innocent here? "You can't do that... I can very much have the police investigate you for disturbing the peace." "Oh yeah? You and what case against me? Face it, kid, you are just a high schooler going up against the CEO of a company with much more resources and with hardly anything to go on. Besides, how can you prove I'm the one propping up these gangs if they're doing their own thing? You don't have anything worth spit against me, and if you would have tried, I could just take those psychic powers that has kept you from taking a beating forever."

He's right, I'm no match for him, I never was. To think all the good things that have happened to me was because of an ambitious man with powers. "Fine," I start to stand up, "then what is it you want me to do then?" "Become the strongest with your powers and defeat all the other gangs left in this city." He clears his throat as he adjusts his suit. "Only then will you be able to defeat the one who has rebelled against me, Guadaro." He pulls out something from his pocket, and hands it towards me to see that it's a picture of someone, someone very familiar. "That there is what he looks like. Before you came along, all you need to know is that he the first that I've given my powers to, and he knows me too well that I can't be able to punish him for going against my will. So, here's the deal you can't refuse, Marcus." Mr. Corvanez slowly approaches me and crosses his arms together, sternly looking at me. "You will work towards getting stronger to the point that you can destroy the last two gangs here in San Anton, and you will find a way to get close to Guadaro where you will defeat him. After that, I will give you more information about your powers and allow you to live the rest of your life with that perfect body of yours." That's such a wild deal, and he expects me to accept this?! I don't even know how to begin to process what he says, but it's clear who has the upper hand where I can't press for any information unless he wants to. "Fine, I accept." "Good, good kid." He claps his hands together in satisfaction, "Then that means we are done here. If you don't know where to start, I might suggest going to ask that Yan fella, he knows more than he lets on. Adios." He brushes past me to head towards the door to leave but stops as he turns the doorknob. "Oh, and one more thing: you aren't the only one that I have given my powers to. They don't have psychic abilities like you do, per se, but they are around your age, and I suggest you should be careful on who you make enemies of later on." And just like that, he leaves the house while I stand in silence, hearing the low humming of a car and see a car leaving the driveway.

He even hid a car so close to the house just to meet me. I need to go to my bed to strongly reflect on what I've experienced.

Thankfully, my legs give off just as I get on and start to feel a flood of emotions. Oh, and I just got a message about Mom getting home about some 'conveniently-earned coupons', so I guess I'll be eating better tonight.