Small Gifts

In a small apartment, a man groans as he gets up from his couch. It was getting to be a pretty regular narrative for him - ever since he'd quit his job, he'd been waiting for another one to fall into his lap, occasionally sending something out but mostly waiting and seeing. He hadn't had any luck yet, and as he exits his apartment, he doesn't notice the mysterious figure watching nearby. 

The man heads down a couple of streets, before arriving at a gym. The place he always worked off his frustrations, he'd started visiting a lot more in the past few months. Jamming his hands into his pockets and nodding to the receptionist, he heads for one of the back rooms, noticing to his pleasure that the punching bag is currently open.

Walking over to the bag and stretching his arms for warmups, he starts boxing the bag, taking out his current anger at the world. He's so focused on this that he doesn't even notice the mysterious figure from earlier approach, until they clear their throat. With one more punch, he leaves the bag to swing and turns to the strange figure, hidden beneath a full body cloak.

"Who are you, and what do you want?"

"Mr. Marcus Stone, correct? Recently of the city's police force, until you were pushed out. A traffic cop, found to be issuing false tickets, and subsequently barred from advancement-"

"Shut up!"

Marcus Stone grits his teeth, his anger at this subject apparent. Even months later, he was still furious about what had happened. His racket wasn't even that important, it was just an extra fifty bucks here and there!

"So you did your homework about me. What's all this damn stalking about, then?"

"Well, you see. I have a proposition for you. I believe you have a skillset that could come in handy, and it would make you far more money than you could ever spend."

Despite his initial reaction, Stone starts to untense at the suggestion of a large profit.

"...Go on. But if this is a scam, or I don't like what you're selling, then get out."

"Ho ho ho. I think you'll find this very appealing..."

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In an out of the way alleyway, a confrontation is happening, a woman pointing a crowbar at a trembling, nervous man in a suit.

"Please, don't hurt me! I'll give you my money!"

"Good. Take all your cash out of your wallet and throw it on the ground. Then run."

The scared man quickly moves to comply, opening his wallet and tossing nearly a hundred dollars on the ground. He then turns and flees, while the woman with the crowbar waits to confirm that he's gone and nobody else is preparing to ambush her. Reaching down, she scoops up the cash and laughs. Cards were more trouble than they were worth, with too much of a trail. Cash was easy to grab, and all she really had to do was find the ones easy to intimidate.

With her money put away, she grabs the crowbar and turns around, heading out of the alley with no real concern... until, on her way out, she passes by a strange cloaked figure.

"Ms. Saiko Tsuchiya, correct?"

That's enough for the woman to stop in her tracks.

"What the hell do you want?"

"You are slightly known in this town. Arrested twice for mugging, though charges were dropped the second time-"

The crowbar swings, nearly hitting the cloaked figure. They don't react at all as Tsuchiya pulls it back.

"Yeah, and what of it?"

"I simply have an offer to make. One that could be greatly profitable for you."

"...Huh. Yeah, right. But I'm feeling nice today. Tell me this nonsense you've got, and I'll see if I want to crack your skull open afterwards."

"Ho ho ho. Then, just listen..."

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Sitting at a bench in a public park, an older man sighs as he picks through his lunch. A simple food cart order, it was tasty enough, but it merely reminds him of when he could afford to visit high-end restaurants every single day.

"Hmph."

If only that young doctor hadn't panicked and exposed the entire scheme... 

As he continues to mull over his food, he looks up to notice that a strange cloaked figure is sitting across from him now. He tries to ignore them, but then they speak.

"Mr. Rodrigo Ramirez, correct?"

Eyeing the figure suspiciously, Ramirez thinks about how to reply.

"Who's asking?"

"Stripped of your pharmaceutical license and jailed for six months after your involvement in a prescription drug racket was made known-"

Ramirez slams his fist on the table, furious. "What, so now random people know this? Can't I have a moment's peace?"

"Do not worry, I do not bring it up simply to mock you. I know you need a new opportunity, a new chance to get ahead in life. So I bring you an offer, if you wish to hear it. Or I can be on my way, if you do not."

The ex-pharmacist looks at the figure, before nodding once.

"Ho ho ho. Now, the reason I reached out to you..."

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In a shared apartment, a young man groans and gets up, looking once again at the empty desk that he'd once had a computer sitting at. The fines hadn't been that much of a hassle, but the prohibition of not using a computer or internet-capable phone for the next year... he'd almost rather have taken prison time. Deciding to do something more than just waste the day inside, he throws on a coat.

"I'm going out." "Alright, stay safe."

Leaving the apartment, the young man starts walking through the brisk winter air, no particular destination in his mind. A strange cloaked figure approaches him, but he ignores it - after all, the big city had plenty of odd sights, what was another?

"Mr. Jamal Kingston, correct?" That, however, was enough to make the young man stop in his tracks.

"...Yeah?"

"Convinced of online fraud recently. Small-time scams, though, no critical hacks. Do I have the right person?"

"Nah. You've got the wrong guy."

The cloaked figure and Kingston look at each other, the former's face unreadable behind that cloak and the latter doing his best to hold on to his composure. 

"I was attempting to be polite, but I know who you are. Which is why..."

The cloaked figure extends one clenched fist from their robes. Kingston takes a step back, only for the hand to open up, revealing a strange object. 

"I'm offering you a chance. Nothing will happen if you turn me down - I have no need to force you into this. But if you take this opportunity, I can make you rich beyond your wildest dreams."

"What's the catch?" he asks, still suspicious. 

"Ho ho ho. I'm glad you're interested. Now, listen closely..."

And as the cloaked figure starts to explain their plan, Kingston grins. This was a lot more than he was expecting. It'd be dangerous, but he could do danger.

Still, the odd stone... as he looks down at it again, that's the most interesting part. If it could really do all it said, he wanted that more than just the cash.

"Hey, what'd you say those are called again?"

"Oh, these?

They are known as Asterisks."

COMING SPRING 2021

ASTERISK WAR