My feet thudded against the pavement as I ran at a good pace. I started to pant a little, but this body was fit and had good endurance, even before I had taken over. Eli was a soldier, after all, and already pretty fit.
Astoria was quiet at this hour, with only the occasional delivery truck rumbling down 30th Avenue and the faint clatter of metal shutters rolling up at the local shops. I made my way through the various blocks and reached the park via 19th Street and Shore Boulevard.
The park was massive, easily 60 acres in total, hugging the East River. I entered, passing the early morning joggers, and made my way onto the Shore Boulevard path, a wide paved loop that hugged the river's edge. Joggers, dog walkers, and the occasional cyclist shared the path. The ground was cracked in places,and patched with tar, but it was mostly smooth.
As I started to push myself, I noticed a few odd things, nothing bad per se, just different.
Despite the preternatural control and nimbleness I felt, there was a certain lag in my body, as if the commands from my brain to my muscles were supercharged and my body just couldn't keep up. To my surprise, I realized I could remember every detail with crystal clarity. Every man and woman I had passed, all the landmarks I had jogged by, were imprinted in my mind, and I could recall them with perfect clarity.
Red hoodie guy with the golden retriever. A woman in blue clothes on a run. Graffiti tag under the bridge. The exact number of benches between the entrance and the first bend.
It all stuck in my head perfectly. If I focused, I could replay the last five minutes like a video file.
I have near photographic memory... I thought with giddiness.
It felt incredible. I realized that I was no longer entirely human. Sure, there were people, entities that could kill me with ease, but everyone had to start somewhere.
By the time I had finished a loop, By the time I finished a full loop, my hoodie was damp, and sweat trickled down my back. My calves burned pleasantly. My heart pounded, steady and strong. I sat on an empty bench, took some deep breaths, and looked up at the morning sky.
All the pain and risk had been worth it.
I sat there for a moment, looking around. To my left was the East River, choppy and cold-looking, and further down, rolling water rose to meet the Manhattan skyline, a faint silhouette across the water.
All things considered, not a bad world to live in,There were a lot worse worlds out there to end up in. i shuddered in thought
It was around midday when I came back home, sweaty and tired. I grabbed a couple of bagels, overloaded with cream cheese and lox, wrapped in paper that immediately started soaking through.
Walking home with warm food in my hands felt good. I opened the door and entered the apartment.
It had been a good choice to go for that jog instead of cooping myself up inside. It definitely cleared my mind. I had been a little nihilistic the past day, but I realized that yes, there were dangers in the world, but that didn't mean I couldn't relax a little and pace myself.
I quickly ate the bagel sitting on the couch, washing it down with a Heineken, feeling a little lonely in the empty apartment. I shook my head, shaking away the useless thoughts, and stood up, wanting to see what else was in the apartment, hoping it would bring some more clarity to my situation, seeing as I technically had nothing to do.
I spent the following hours going through Eli's possessions, combing through the closet and drawers, finding relatively useless things. Drawers full of random junk. Receipts. Old MetroCards. A half-broken watch. Flashy clothes which I would never wear, things like his high school yearbooks, and some special magazines. I smiled, keeping them aside, and then found something that could really come in handy if shit really hit the fan.
I took out a gun case from the bottom of the closet in the master bedroom. Placing it on the ground, I knelt down, opened the case, flipping the locks and holding the lid in place. Inside was a semi-used Glock 19 with 3 mags, and looking back into the closet, I found a box of ammo as well. I carefully took out the gun. Always consider a gun to be loaded unless confirmed. I held it comfortably in my hand, released the mag, and racked the slide, checking to confirm if the gun was loaded or not. Once satisfied, I checked it for any damage.
It was Dad's... I thought, frowning a bit at what I called an unknown man in my head.
The gun was in perfect condition. I placed it back into the case and placed it in the closet. I didn't have a permit for the weapon, but I wouldn't hesitate to use it if the need arose.
This was a good find. I had felt a sort of nakedness without any kind of weapon on hand. Looking at the clock, 6:53 pm, I realized I smelled and had to get ready for dinner with the Campbells.
Let's go then...
It didn't take me long to take a quick shower and change into clothes, nothing fancy, just a pair of pants and a black t-shirt that hugged my frame, emphasizing my physique. Standing in front of the mirror, I tried to comb my hair before giving up, realizing it would take a lot more effort and a lot of pomade, and this situation did not require it.
Looking at the clock again, I made my way out of the apartment, grabbing one of the expensive wines Tony had sent for me.
I think he did, or at least his PR team did.
Locking the door on my way out, I knocked at the Campbells' place and stood there,waiting for the door to open. When it did, Gloria ushered me in with a smile. I smiled back and entered their home, but an old instinct took over. I knew something wasn't right. Despite her smile...
Gloria looked worried...
"Eli, come in, come in! I'm so glad you came," she said, holding my arm.
"How could I not, when I get to eat your food, Gloria? And here's a little something as a thank you." I handed her the wine.
Her smile became a little more genuine as she accepted it. "You didn't have to..."
I smiled, despite her words, she did accept the gift.
We walked through the small hallway to the living room. The layout was very similar to mine: the same hardwood floors,the same single bedroom down a short hallway. The living room, however, was well-decorated, feeling like a home. An old floral couch with a crocheted blanket draped over the back faced a wooden coffee table and a TV, which was running CNN on mute.
As we walked to the dining table, I glanced to my side, catching a glimpse of Ruby's room. The door was half-open, revealing a bed with a purple comforter, posters of Paramore and My Chemical Romance taped to the wall, and a small vanity mirror with lights strung around it. The room looked ransacked.
I quickly looked away, realizing it was Ruby's room. It would be weird to look into a young woman's room with too much attention, I thought.
Matt, Gloria's thirteen-year-old son, was already at the table, sitting impatiently. Probably told to wait by his mother for me. I knew them well enough to remember that he'd grown taller since I'd last seen him, thirteen going on fourteen, all awkward limbs and energy.
They do grow up fast, huh? I thought.
"Hey Eli, what's up!" he grinned as I sat in one of the empty seats around the table.
"The roof!" I shot back with a lame comment, grinning back at the kid. I knew Matt looked up to me as a cooler older brother figure.
Gloria, smiling at our interaction, served us all a hearty meal of spaghetti and meatballs. My mouth watered at the sight of the dish, but I stayed my hand, knowing the Campbells insisted on saying grace before their meal. I followed along easily, then we ate.
Small talk followed around the table as we ate. Gloria talked about the neighborhood, the new bodega on 30th Ave, the way the rent kept climbing. Matt chimed in with school stories. I was thankful that Gloria ensured that the conversation never went to my deployment or war.
As we ate, I could clearly see something was bothering her, quickly deducing it was the other empty seat next to me.
Her daughter...
As we cleared the plates and moved to the living room, my gaze drifted to the muted TV. CNN was running a segment on Stark Industries. A polished anchor spoke over B-roll of the company's headquarters.
I stared a little and thought
cynically, So it begins...
Matt's voice snapped me back. "What workouts do you do?"
Sith sorcery, kid...
"Why? You want to impress someone?" I teased him, not answering his question, and smirking at the way his face turned red as he denied my Accusation.
"Oh my... who is it?" Gloria came bustling into our conversation, hearing her sons confession,
He stared at me balefully as I laughed at his misery. I stayed a little longer, then hugged Gloria goodbye, ruffled Matt's hair, and stepped back into the hallway.
Back in my apartment, I laid on my bed facing the ceiling. I didn't bother to shower or change my clothes, feeling content and lazy after the heavy meal. I contemplated working with the Codex again but dismissed the idea.
I needed to get used to my existing enhancements first and needed more information.
I made my way down the stairs with quick steps, dressed in my workout clothes for a morning jog. I wanted to use this opportunity to get some books about human anatomy. I needed more information and understanding of the human body to further enhance myself.
I stepped out into the early morning chill and noticed Gloria standing near the walkway, still dressed in a sleeping robe, her hair undone, looking very distressed as she kept looking at her phone and then to the street.
Concerned, I walked up to her. "Is everything alright?"
Startled, she looked at me, breathing heavily. Up close, I could clearly see she was worried.
"It's Ruby... she didn't come home last night... I called the police last night, but they weren't really receptive... they said she was an adult and told me to report back after 48 hours," she said, agitated and clearly angry at the local cops.
They're not wrong, though... I didn't say it out loud, though.
"Didn't she say she was going to a party?" I asked, trying to rationalize the situation. "Maybe she was drunk and stayed with a friend."
She stared at me, and I realized how my statement could be taken. I shifted a little, feeling awkward at what I implied her daughter was probably doing.
"Still... she would at least text..." she continued, then looked at me, hugging herself. I wasn't sure if it was due to the cold. "I just have a bad feeling..."
Wanting to comfort her, I asked, "Where did she go?"
My thoughts halted for a second at her answer.
"Some famous party in the Hamptons, she called it the Frost White Party or something..."
No way...