“So let me get this straight.” The mayor, Carmichael Sandiego, was sitting behind his desk, rubbing his temples as he spoke to two of Century City’s finest. “You threw multiple cars at a man, shooting lasers from his mouth?” There wasn’t a hint of surprise in the mayor's voice as he spoke to them, an all too telling fact.

  “It was tactically sound at the time,” Todd said, shrugging as he shared a look with Steve.

  “Were there people on that bus?” Steve asked.

  “Honestly, I was kind of in the moment. It’s not often I can cut loose. But I made sure no one was in the cars.” Todd made sure to clarify.

  “Cut loose? People were using the cars as cover. They could have died.” Sandiego was visibly shaking in rage as he spoke. “Do you know how many complaints are already coming in? I’m not even sure how all the criminals survived this time!”

  “Wait, what?” Steve said shocked, looking over at Todd. “Did you know that?”

  “No...shit. Am I getting old? Is this what it feels like to be you guys? Losing my touch already...“ Deep in thought, Todd seemed to ponder this miraculous change.

  “You dropped a fucking building on them? It’s a miracle they walked out of there unscathed!” Sandiego interjected. Steve couldn’t help but send Todd a scathing look, wondering if his partner had protected the criminals out of spite.

  “Stop trying to make me feel better.” Turning to Steve, Todd looked at him, suddenly realizing everyone was staring at him accusingly. “I wasn’t even sure I could do it, honestly.”

  “I knew you did it on purpose!” Sandiego roared. “You’re lucky it was slated to be demolished!”

  “Does that mean I get paid for destroying it?” Todd innocently asked.

  “You’re lucky if you’ll get paid anything this year, you’re being garnished. We’re looking at twenty million in damages from this skirmish alone. The insurance companies are fleeing the city as we speak.”

  Looking down dejectedly, Todd only shook his head, muttering, “Yeah, yeah, save the city, don’t kill anyone, but everyone still blames Todd.”

  “You did bring the building down,” Steve muttered.

  “Anyways,” Sandiego continued, “how would you like to clear your debts now?”

  The Two agents shared a look, silently conversing with one another even as Veronica cut in along the comms: “Just do what he wants.” The level of anguish in her voice, as they heard her rapidly typing, brought a smile to Todd’s face.

  “What do you want us to do?” Steve said, instantly taking over what had now become a negotiation.

  The wall behind the mayor slowly withdrew at the press of a button, exposing a large screen hidden behind him. “The man you helped apprehend is Damian Marks, a low-level pusher who mainly works in the Brighton subdivision of Century City.” Todd nodded his head, acting like he understood everything already but had no idea what was going on. “Until last month, Damian was a minimalist, gifted with only an inkling of power, but now he’s stepped up his game, as you’ve experienced yourselves.”

  “He was alright,” Todd interjected, pawing at the dried blood beneath his nose.

  “It’s believed that Damian came into contact with a drug known as Icarus, one that enhances the gift within those that take it.” The statement was left hanging in the air as Todd and Steve suddenly grew serious. It wasn’t that surprising of a development. Supersoldier programs had been around for decades, each one failing in ways that the previous could only dream of, but that never stopped them from hitting the streets, killing the poor souls who wanted something more than just a drop of power.

  “So, where do we play into this?” Steve said, his amusement gone.

  “I want you to find out who is selling this shit and bring them to me. I can’t have this on the streets. We have enough gifted problems already.” Sandiego implored.

  “Excuse me,” Todd cut in. “This sounds like a job for Group C, they usually handle this shit. Or the Composer.”

  “Group C is handling the Mauler right now.” Todd and Steve looked at each other, stunned.

  “What the hell!” Todd said, coming to his feet as he pointed at the mayor. “Why weren’t we called in for that!?”

  “That’s more our style,” Steve added nodding in agreement.

  “You didn’t answer your phones,” Sandiego stated pointedly.

  Todd and Steve looked at each other before sitting back in their chairs. They had no retort.

  “That doesn’t sound like us...” Steve said, shaking his head.

  “Nah, we’d never be that irresponsible,” Todd added, the look the mayor sent him was scathing.

  “Let’s cut the bullshit. I expect this from you.” Sandiego’s finger hovered in Todd’s direction. “But not you, Steve. You’re my boy, we went golfing last week. I expect so much more from you”

  “You went golfing? Without me?” Todd’s look of absolute betrayal illuminated the room, even as Steve shrugged in response.

  “You know you cheat,” Steve said matter-of-factly.

  “I nudged the ball one time out of a fucking sand trap, and you never let me live it down,” Todd said.

  “I’ve never seen a ball drop beneath the surface of the pond, float back into the air, and then skip across the water to the green,” Steve said sarcastically.

  “That wasn’t one of my proudest moments, you know how hard it is for me to play, I’m disabled, I deserve a handicap.” Todd began to make his excuses.

  “There isn’t time for this.” The mayor said, holding up his hands to silence them.

  “No, this needs to be settled now. Did you...” Todd could barely make out the words, “Did you go for chicken and waffles afterward?” Almost sobbing, he stared at Steve, tears welling up in his eyes as he bit down on his gloved fist.

  Steve looked away, unable to meet the gaze of his friend.

  “We went for pizza.” Sandiego said, nodding to Commissioner Kramer, “The grilled chicken Escobar from Hitop Slices.”

  “You...you...” Todd stuttered, looking away. “That’s our thing, man, that’s our thing.”

  “You made it sound like chicken and waffles were your thing,” Krammer began.

  “What the fuck,” Sandiego said, throwing his hands into the air. “Fuck it, do this mission, and I’ll clear your debts to the city, how about that? Do I have your attention now? Fucking hell. It’s like I’m dealing with children.”

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “Sir, please. I know it’s difficult,” threw in Captain Krammer. “But they are the best we have. Well, the only ones we have.”

  “Give us a minute,” Steve said.

  “I feel like my world has been turned upside down, it’s been one betrayal after the next, and I just don’t know who to trust anymore,” Todd said.

  “Still, all that debt, those garnished wages, fixed in the blink of an eye...” Steve tried to bring Todd back to the topic at hand.

  The atmosphere in the room changed at the mere declaration of something that both Todd and Steve desperately desired: a debt-free life. Still, they would not merely succumb to what was being offered.

  “I have demands,” Todd exclaimed.

  “We have demands,” Steve corrected.

  “Like what?” Even as Krammer shook his head no, Sandiego was already willing to play ball.

  “We need to think this through before we commit, this could be incredibly dangerous,” Steve said.

  “I want you to reserve two seats at the Marlene’s Diner for us.” Todd cut in, not even giving Steve a chance to speak.

  “Todd, you’d waste this chance on the fucking diner?” Steve said, anger apparent in his voice.

  “Shut up, man. I need this. They never let us reserve our seats!” Todd said.

  “Two seats in the diner?” Krammer asked.

  “Yes, at the counter.” Todd clarified,

  “We might be able to work out something else,” Sandiego said, shit-eating grin more than apparent.

  “Shit,” Steve said, slinking down into his chair.

  “Is this… for tomorrow?” Sandiego asked,

  “I want it so that if I get up, some fucker isn’t sitting in my chair when I get back.” Todd’s gaze was vicious as he spoke, almost as though he was reminiscing about his worst enemy.

  “I think that might be possible…” Sandiego said, somewhat deep in thought.

  “Also, two maids. High quality.” Todd said, giving Steve a thumbs up even as Captain Krammer looked on in shock.

  “Todd,” Steve said, looking at his friend with incredulous disdain. Turning to Sandiego, he added, “They don’t necessarily have to be high quality. Our place is a mess.”

  “Are we talking female “maids”... or male?” Krammer asked, stunning the group as he looked on with a strange, knowing look.

  “That’s a weird quest-“ Steve started.

  “Surprise us,” Todd said, cutting them off.

  “Interesting, I take it that’s all,” Krammer said.

  “Wait-“ Sandiego started.

  “Yes?” Captain Krammer asked.

  “What do you think, Krammer?” The Captain shook his head no, not a hint of remorse on his face.

  “I knew they wouldn’t go for the maids,” Todd whispered to Steve. “Aim high and then get what you really want.” He added, winking at his friend.

  “ Do you think we can do the seats?” Sandiego asked, to which Krammer shook his head no.

  “No?” Todd asked, horrified.

  “Yeah, your plan kind of backfired, what the fuck are we going to do with maids…wait.” Steve’s attention turned towards the duo before them. “So, is that a yes on the maids?” Steve asked. Sandiego turned to Krammer, who nodded his head in the affirmative.

  “Female? Male? I don’t care. The place is a mess...” There was no response from the captain. Instead, he flipped open his phone, cycling through something rather delicately.

  “But my stool,” Todd said.

  “Fuck your stool,” Steve said. “Do you know how many pizza boxes you’ve left pilled in my apartment?”

  “Children. Please.” Sandiego said, moving around his desk.

  “Do you think that’s, like, the master maid list for the city?” Todd whispered to Steve. “Like, can he just do a quick search and find someone for us?”

  “It’s some kind of list. Let the man work.” Steve said. He was beginning to think that the Captain had misunderstood. If the rumors were true...

  “I think that can be arranged. Is there anything else we can do for you gentlemen?” Sandiego asked.

  “I want those fucking stools,” Todd said.

  “I could seize them from the diner if you want.” The mayor replied.

  “I don’t think that’s the point…” Steve added.

  “Wait, let him talk.” Todd interrupted, leaning in closer. “Like, I could have them in my apartment?”

  “You sleep on my couch, in my apartment,” Steve said.

  “Shut up, I’m working here,” Todd said.

  The two powerhouses were talking amongst themselves as the less-than-heroic pair argued about the functionality of stealing the stools from their favorite establishment. Both sides were heated as they discussed the circumstances they were facing.

  “Is this all to make me pay for the golf thing? Are you trying to embarrass me, Todd?” Steve asked.

  “Why do you always have to point out I sleep on your couch? Are you ashamed of me? Is that what this is? I’m your friend. Do I not dress well enough to play golf with you and your cool friends?” Todd began his guilt trip.

  “You look like you came from the future and mugged a homeless man for his clothes,” Steve said.

  “So you are ashamed of me!” Todd exclaimed. “Shit, Maybe I shouldn’t have held back this morning, maybe then you’d be proud. What is it going to take, another billion in property damage? I could have brought down two buildings. If they are just going to forgive the debt, might as well go all out.”

  “I think that would probably kill you, Todd,” Steve said.

  “I’ve been working out, not that you’ve noticed.” Looking down at the floor with a sorrowful look on his face.

  “I don’t think opening pizza boxes and waffle irons constitutes working out,” Steve said, silently miming opening said pizza boxes.

  “How would you know what I’m doing? You don’t pay attention to me anymore.” Todd said.

  Sandiego waved his arms in front of them, bringing their attention back to him and the glowering Krammer.

  “So, are you sure you want ‘maids?’” Krammer asked.

  “Yes!” Steve and Todd replied together, huffing as they attempted to ignore one another.

  “Krammer and I have been talking it over, and we have bad news. We can’t get the stools.” Todd groaned while Steve smiled at his friend's sorrow. “Marlene’s is an institution; it’d hurt my approval rating if I touched it.”

  “What do we do now?” Todd asked, throwing his hands in the air.

  “I am willing to make a counteroffer,” Sandiego said.

  “I don’t want to hear it,” Todd said, getting up. “I’m going home.”

  “To my couch, where you wallow in debt and self-pity,” Steve interjected.

  “And watch Dancing with the Stars,” Todd added as if it were a positive part of his life.

  “Look what you’ve done,” Steve said, pointing at Sandiego and Krammer. “I’ll have to listen to that shit for weeks now. I’m going to have to cancel the cable and internet subscriptions to get around this one. There goes your trickle economy plans for the city.”

  “What I can offer,” Sandiego continued, unperturbed by their comments, “is hotdogs from the vendor outside.” Todd stopped on his way to the door, seemingly mulling over the comment before turning around.

  “Are they kosher? Polish? What type of hot dogs are we talking about here?” Steve asked.

  “Whatever kind you want. It’s the oldest stand in Century City, it’s never been damaged in a single gifted incident, and has proudly worked outside this building for the last thirty years.” Sandiego said.

  “Is it,” Todd started, looking outside with uncertainty, “is it good?”

  “The best in the city, " Krammer added, his involvement adding to the gravity of the situation.

  “How long would we get these free hotdogs?” Steve asked, clearly interested in where the conversation was going.

  “For life,” Sandiego replied, spreading his arms wide to emphasize this magnanimous gesture.

  “What about drinks?” Todd asked. “Do we get free drinks?” Sandiego turned to Krammer, who shook his head no.

  “We can’t do drinks.” Crestfallen, Todd shared a look with Steve. There was no need for words. They knew what they had to do.

  “We’ll take the case.” They said in unison.

  “Wonderful!”