Drew Hayes [Super Powereds 02 Super Powereds Year 2 (epub) i

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.I hope you can understand.”“I can, though I’m disappointed.”“Chin up, old friend.There are others from our Class of Legends who you can still try.”“I suppose you’re right,” Blaine acknowledged.The truth was that of the few that remained active, most had turned Blaine down already.Ionics was happily married and raising her third child.Bullrush was a successful coach in the Super Athletics Association, his football team having won four championships in the last decade.“I’ll let you get to your flight, sorry for the delay.”“Not at all,” Hallow assured him.“It’s always nice to chat with a classmate.One day when my life slows down a bit we should get together and catch up.”“Of course,” Blaine agreed, knowing full well Hallow wouldn’t be slowing down anytime soon.Not with his particular talent so vastly in demand.Blaine pressed his fingers to his temples as his comrade continued walking through the garden, never sparing a glance back at the man he called friend.Blaine had known it was a long shot going in, but that gave him little comfort.He’d exhausted nearly all other available options, leaving him with only one that he considered an even longer shot.Still, he had to try.* * *Nicholas tapped the felt gently, a subtle gesture that conveyed all he needed it to.While he was normally one who spent his time wiling and beguiling at the poker table, today Nicholas was taking it easy and just playing some blackjack.He wouldn’t keep his winnings, of course: money won from the house just came out of the family pot, which was another reason he preferred trouncing tourists.Still, there was something relaxing about letting go of the need for guile and subterfuge while taking in its place the pleasure of tracking a myriad of numbers.He leaned back in his chair as a seven of hearts was laid onto his stack, placing his total at twenty.The dealer was showing eight, so Nicholas made the easy call and decided to stay.He wore grey slacks and a black button-down, and a gold tie hung loosely around his neck.Nicholas worked hard to convey an image of disheveled elegance.Every now and then Nicholas felt the urge to adjust the sunglasses he was no longer wearing.He’d get a new pair soon; even if his dorm mates knew the reason he wore them, they still provided excellent camouflage from the rest of the students.Aside from which, they were a rather ingrained portion of the Nick character, and Nicholas was loathe to put him through major modification mid-performance.For Nicholas had indeed elected to continue his career at Lander for another year, even with his big secret leaked to the world.There was so much to learn, and so little of it from the classrooms.Besides, his dorm mates had proven loyal beyond the degree of rationality in the events of last spring.That meant he could count on them to help him get by, despite his comparative lack of ability.Those four were trusting, dedicated, and strong.They would make excellent pawns, possibly ones so good he would be able to play his charade all the way to the end.He just had to go slow, and take things one move at a time.The dealer flipped his face-down card to reveal a jack, leaving him unable to hit on the eighteen he now held.Nick and two other players at the table raked in their winnings.Nick methodically set out a two hundred dollar bet for the next hand.By his count, the deck was about to get very hot.One of the waitresses stopped by, dropping off a new gin on the rocks for him.Nicholas gave her an acknowledging glance then turned back to the game.She was new here; he’d remember to get to know her better later in the evening.After all of his pressing business was attended to, of course.One move at a time indeed.* * *This man wore all white too, but his was not a designer suit custom tailored to his frame.It was a jumpsuit, one with a number stitched on the front and a series of tracking devices woven throughout it.The regular prisoners still wore orange to be easily spotted, but those like him were decked out in white.Some said it was in recognition of what they once were, or what they could have been.The official reason was that it was a safety measure to allow the guard to immediately distinguish between his kind and the regular inmates.Not that this man was given much time to socialize with the others [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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