LIGHTFOOT (ONC 2021)

2.2| media friends.

Saint-Max took a sip of the energy drink, then placed it back on the coaster. Its message about increasing a peculiar's speed for a limited amount of time was a lie. All it did was cure someone's thirst. But people didn't know better, so Rush kept duping them and making millions.

"What do you think will happen once the interview airs?" Saint-Max asked Janice and Fabian.

"Um..." Janice glanced at her partner in crime, who looked at her, then back at Saint-Max. "Honestly, I don't know. Hopefully, you might attract a few advertisers and do commercials."

Saint-Max smiled. He liked the sound of that. Advertisers approaching him meant more money. More money meant he could bring forward the date of the ranking tests from the end of the year to the third quarter.

"What commercials do you think he'd do?" Fabian asked.

"With the Lightfoot name, he might do a foot cream commercial," Janice said.

Fabian covered his mouth with his hands. His heaving shoulders betrayed him, showing his struggle to hold back his laugh.

Janice had no shame. She laughed proudly. "I can already see it. Hello there, my name's Lightfoot, and you're watching a 'foot' cream commercial." She rubbed off the happy tears streaming down her face.

"What's wrong with a foot cream commercial?" Saint-Max asked.

"You don't do such commercials this early in your career. It's career suicide. Once the public sees that, then they'll start calling you Foot Cream," Fabian said.

"Then he'd join We Shall Name Ourselves and demand for a name change," Janice added.

The pair cackled, getting glances from other customers, waitstaff, and bartenders. Tears ran down their faces while they constantly wiped them away. They really found the joke that funny.

Saint-Max leaned back in his chair and drank his energy drink. Having been in a lot of roasting sessions throughout high school and university, he knew the best way of dealing with people laughing at your expense was saying nothing. If he spoke, then he'd only entice them to keep going.

When the two had calmed down, a server in a tight black shirt tied at her midsection and tight thigh-high red shorts came to their table. She placed a large silver tray between them, and each took their order from it. Then she left.

"I have a question," Saint-Max said after taking a bite out of his grilled chicken. "Why did you ask me out for drinks? Is there a specific reason?"

"For how long have you been thinking about that question?" Janice asked before eating her fries.

"Since we entered the bar."

"You're right. There's a reason we asked you out. Tim wanted us to be your Media Friend, but we told him we had to speak to you first before we agreed to it."

Like Vigilante, they did not use the term Publicist in the superhero business. In its place was Media Friend. It was a fancy new term that people gravitated towards, and the world governments didn't need to ban its predecessor.

"So, what do you say?" Fabian asked.

"Aren't you worried you're putting your eggs in the wrong basket?" Saint-Max asked.

"Do you think you'll become the best superhero the world has ever seen?" Janice asked.

"Yes." Saint-Max nodded.

"Then you're the right basket. Tim has an eye for talent. If he thinks you're worth the trouble, then so do we."

Saint-Max looked at Fabian. "Do you agree?"

"Yes," he replied.

Saint-Max finished his energy drink and food. "And what do you get in return?"

"Apart from money? Access," Janice answered.

"Access to what?"

"Information," Fabian replied.

"Information about what?"

"The Old World," Janice said. "There used to be seven continents. World War 3 left us with five—Africa and Europe became Afro-Euro. I want to know what led to the war, why they changed how the world looked and the name of every city, but kept the name of the countries?"

"But we know what led to the war," Saint-Max said.

"And you believe that shit?" Janice crossed her arms on her chest.

Saint-Max raked his hand through his hair. "No."

The victor always determined the history of the world. Even in the Old World, there was so much unknown. Governments hiding the truth from their people led to the collapse of the Old World. And history was repeating itself.

"So, what do you say? Would you like us to be your Media Friends?" Fabian asked.

Saint-Max looked at them with a smile. "Of course. Let's do this."

Words: 752. 

Total Words: 4361.