Mark’s voice was direct but respectful. “I’m here to buy a pce or rent one. I need something secure,” he said, cutting straight to the chase. The woman, with her striking silver-streaked hair, regarded him with an appraising look before offering a nod that suggested she was accustomed to such requests. “Security is our specialty,” she replied, “though I can't promise it will come cheap.” Her eyes were calcuting, but not unkind. “I have a spot recently vacated. One of my clients was confirmed dead, so their room is avaible. It hasn’t been cleared of their possessions, so you can keep anything you find. Rent is five grand a month, and I’ll need the first and st month's payment before you move in.”
Mark nodded, accepting the terms without hesitation. He handed over ten thousand of his hard-won cash. It was a steep price, but the urgency of their situation left him with little choice. The woman exchanged the money for a key, her movements as precise and smooth as a seasoned chess pyer. She signaled to one of the guards. “Show them to their room,” she instructed with a flick of her hand. The guard, her Exosuit gleaming under the office’s tasteful lighting, gestured for them to follow, and they exited the plush room in silence.
The cng of the metal door echoed behind them as they re-entered the cavernous passage. Mark and Katerina were led deeper into the byrinth, the tunnel strangely immacute for an old, abandoned sewer. It was well-lit and astonishingly clean, with a crispness that cshed with the damp exterior. As they hooked a right, they stopped in front of a rge door marked with the number 10. The guard gave them a curt nod before pivoting on her heel and retreating back the way they came, her departure as unceremonious and efficient as her arrival.
Mark turned the key, and as they stepped into the room, both he and Katerina were taken aback by the luxury before them. Their shock was palpable, evident in the way they exchanged looks of disbelief. The supposed hideout was more like a high-end apartment. A rge, comfortable space greeted them with every amenity one could want. A ftscreen TV dominated the living room, complete with cable and gaming systems strewn about. Functional lights bathed everything in a warm glow, and central air conditioning hummed softly in the background. A bathroom, visible through an open door, boasted a fully functioning shower.
Catching his breath, Mark eyed the interior, noting the signs of the previous tenant. “Looks like a guy and his girlfriend—or girlfriends—used to live here,” he mused aloud, a hint of irony in his tone. Katerina didn’t respond; she was already rifling through a pile of clothes. Mark joined her and checked out the walk-in closet, where a wealth of options awaited him. He snagged a non-ripped leather jacket off the rack, more out of habit than necessity, then grabbed some blue jeans and a pair of high-tops. His eyes nded on a set of pajama bottoms and a white T-shirt—perfect for the night. He turned to Katerina, who was clutching a handful of clothes.
“You wanna take a shower first?” he offered, genuine concern and relief weaving through his voice.
She nodded eagerly, her distress from earlier giving way to a cautious optimism. Without wasting a moment, she gathered her selection and hurried to the bathroom. The sound of running water soon filled the apartment, a soothing backdrop to Mark's exploration.
While Katerina showered, Mark continued to rummage through more of the former resident’s things. The abundance of luxury was a stark contrast to the chaos they had left behind. He found a stash of expensive colognes and watches, clear indicators of the previous occupant's taste for high living. Mark’s mind wandered to how short-lived that lifestyle had been, and for a moment, a sense of foreboding gnawed at him.
He pushed the thought aside, reminding himself of the need to rest—if only for a brief moment. Digging further, he unearthed a stack of action movies, a veritable feast of old-school VHS tapes. He ughed to himself, amused at the eccentric collection, and set them aside for ter.
The bathroom door swung open, and a cloud of steam billowed into the room. Katerina emerged, her hair damp and her face radiant with relief. She seemed lighter, the trauma of their escape momentarily washed away. Mark was gd to see her looking more like herself and nodded in approval.
“Your turn,” she said, her voice absent of the earlier tension.
Mark nodded again, and without a moment's pause, he grabbed the clothes he had picked out and headed to the shower. The hot water poured over him, a welcome reprieve from the grime and stress of the st few hours.
Mark stood under the shower, letting the heat soak into his muscles, easing the tension and grime of the past few hours. As the steam enveloped him, he couldn't help but marvel at how unbelievable his day had been. It had started with him waking up in a world straight out of a 90s comic book, full of supers with outndish powers—and finding out that he was now one of them. He grinned at the thought, remembering that he was superhuman. The weight of that revetion still hadn’t settled, and he felt like a kid in a candy store, wondering what came next. As he thered up, Katerina's voice came muffled through the door, saying she had brought him an extra toothbrush. He chuckled, appreciating her foresight.
Mark stepped out of the shower and toweled off, feeling refreshed and a bit more like himself. He slipped into the pajama bottoms and white T-shirt, savoring the comfort after the ordeal they'd just escaped. After brushing his teeth, he poked his head out of the bathroom, spotting Katerina seated on the only bed in the apartment. It was a king-size, dominating the room with no proper sofa in sight—just an array of zy boy chairs scattered around. Katerina gave him a knowing look, the edges of her lips curled into a faint smile.
“There’s plenty of space in the bed for both of us,” she said, the offer genuine and sincere. “You saved my life. I’m not gonna let you destroy your back sleeping in the chair.”
Mark hesitated, a mix of relief and uncertainty pying across his face. He met her gaze, trying to gauge her intentions.
“Are you sure?” he asked, the words carrying the weight of his internal conflict.
She nodded, decisively, moving the covers back and sliding into bed. She gestured for him to join her, a clear signal that she was comfortable with the arrangement.
Mark took a breath and eased himself onto the bed, hyper-aware of her proximity. As he did, he couldn't help but notice her for the first time. She wore a nightgown, the sheer fabric leaving little to his imagination. Her thick thighs pressed together, and the material clung to her curves, revealing enough to make his face flush. It was obvious she wasn’t wearing a bra; her nipples poked through the gown, and their intimacy made him acutely self-conscious.
He swallowed hard, trying to maintain his composure while his heart thumped in his chest. As he slid over to the other side of the bed, his member brushed against her thigh, and his cheeks turned an even deeper shade of red. He could barely bring himself to speak.
“Sorry,” he muttered, sheepishly, the word barely a whisper amidst the tension.
Katerina’s expression remained easy and unbothered. She watched him with a small, amused smile as he awkwardly settled himself. He finally let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, grateful for her calmness.
It was more comfortable than Mark expected, and the exhaustion of the day began to overtake him. He y there, staring at the ceiling, too wired to rex but too tired to stay awake, his mind racing through the day’s bizarre turns. He hadn’t felt this off-bance since he first ced up a pair of boxing gloves. Katerina shifted next to him, the movement drawing his attention and reminding him that it wasn’t just his powers that were new and strange.
The room grew quieter, the only sound was the low hum of the air conditioner and their steady breathing. As Mark’s eyelids grew heavier, he mused on how quickly their situation had changed, how suddenly they had gone from scrambling for survival to resting in the p of luxury.
Katerina seemed to have already drifted off, her calm breathing a soft reassurance. With one st gnce at her, Mark let himself sink into the comfort of the bedding, the events of the day quickly fading into a blur.
