Interrogation

Marcus slammed a thin paper file on the interrogation room's desk as he looked at Nathan.

"You didn't stay out of trouble for long, Nathan."

It hadn't taken much for the first responders and heroes to realize that Nathan wasn't more injured than a couple of bruises. Something didn't add up, so he was brought in for questioning. After all, he was the trigger of what had turned out to be a noisy incident, even if there weren't any other injuries or collateral damage.

Nathan shrugged.

"For the record, the trouble came looking for me at my house."

Marcus sat down opposite Nathan.

"I won't argue with that. We've got the troublemakers in their own rooms. But for now, I'd like to hear your side of the story."

Nathan looked around the room until he found the camera in the corner. He squinted slightly. It was visuals only. It wouldn't pick up what he and Marcus discussed. Peerless Perception also let him know there wasn't anyone on the other side of the one-way glass.

Nathan smirked as he looked at Marcus.

"There's no need for that, is there?"

"What do you mean?"

Marcus' face was blank. But the feelings swirling around beneath the calm surface didn't escape Nathan's eyes.

"This is the opportunity you wanted. You picked up the guy with the physical reinforcement skill, right?"

"..."

Nathan smiled.

"Exaggerate my injuries slightly, pin it on him, and keep pushing. He looked like a coward, so he should give in under some heat."

"Stop talking nonsense."

Nathan raised his hands in defeat with a shrug and leaned back in his chair. He weaved his fingers together over his stomach and looked at Marcus, completely at ease.

"I'm not charged with anything, right?"

"...No."

"And I don't need to give my statement when you already know what happened. So, Officer, am I free to go?"

Marcus looked at Nathan before sighing and nodding. He couldn't hold Nathan just for nothing.

Nathan stopped with his hand on the handle.

"I think you know what you need to do now, Officer. I trust you."

Nathan naturally didn't trust Marcus. But Marcus needed to hear words like those to take action. They would remind him of why he had become an officer of the law in the first place.

He wasn't a hero. He hadn't awakened any skills. But that didn't mean he couldn't help people. Even if his presence was minuscule in today's world, Marcus could still save lives by putting away the bad guys he could reach.

Nathan smiled as he sensed Marcus clench his fist in determination before the door closed behind him.

Nathan didn't have high hopes for Marcus. But a police officer chasing after the Vijang Syndicate would take some of the heat off him and his parents. Marcus' chase might also alert the Syndicate into action thus revealing their location.

Nathan's smile grew cold as he thought of the syndicate. They hadn't tried to use violence on his parents. But they had tried to interfere with his mother's business, which was almost as bad.

However, the Syndicate had also shed light on a flaw in Nathan's thinking.

Before his regression, he hadn't needed to think about anything except himself.

After his regression, Nathan had planned to do things while still under the same subconscious mindset that as long as he was safe, everything was alright. He just needed to keep his parents happy.

He had forgotten that it would be difficult to get rid of all of the Syndicate without risking putting his parents in the line of fire or exposing them to danger. It was impossible for him to be in two places at the same time.

So, before Nathan could start hunting the Syndicate, he had to figure out how to keep his parents safe when he was out. His dad was big and buff, stronger than the average guy, but he was like a twig in front of people who had awakened somewhat decent skills.

He had been lucky that the Vijang Syndicate only wanted to cause problems and not start a fight. Otherwise, Terrence would have been beaten up by the Syndicate members, especially by the one guy with a skill.

The problem with that was that Nathan had no idea what to do.

His mother ran a restaurant with customers. He couldn't just grab the two of them and stuff them in a bunker while he ran around.

Nathan tilted his head. 

His parents probably wouldn't like that, either. He couldn't do that. He frowned. It was a pain.

He didn't just have to think of his parent's safety. He also had to take into consideration their wishes and comfort.

"Ugh."

For now, the only way Nathan could protect his parents was to stay home and help his mom in the restaurant. They would have to stop doing deliveries, though.

Nathan nodded determinedly. If they wanted to make up for the losses, Terrence would have to hide in the back so he didn't scare the customers away.

'Perfect.'

Nathan quickly made his way back home. He wanted to see his parents again. But he also didn't put it past the Vijang Syndicate to try again.

'I wouldn't say I missed civilization, but it does have its perks.'

Nathan closed his eyes for a moment as he embraced the peacefulness of city-living. It was a shallow and superficial peace. But people walked around with smiles on their faces instead of blood.

And there was public transport so he didn't have to walk all the way from the police station. That was the important part.

With his current strength, it would take too long and be too much of a bother to walk or run all the way back to the restaurant when he could just ride a bus.

Nathan massaged his neck.

'Maybe I should actually train for the first time in a while.'

Since he wouldn't have much else to do at home, Nathan figured he might as well prepare for what's to come.