"Yes, 'Chovy?" I answered in the tiniest voice I could muster. Antonio "Anchovy" Bennet was known for two things: being a rude little shit and a slave worker. From calling me off the clock to making me miss my mother's birthday–and then not paying me for the job I did–he's the worst.

But in this economy,beggars can't be choosers.

"Don't start with me, runt." He thinks it's funny every time he calls me that.

"How was your day, boss-man?" Leave it to me to egg him on, anyway.

"It was fine until I got a message from Rupert Domingo asking to see your big ass." The phone slipped from my hand. Scrambling to catch it, I missed half of what he said next.

"I'm sorry, did you say the president wanted to see me?!"

"No, of course not. Must have been a fluke. How many other giant bitches named Sapphyra do you think I have employed?! Now stop asking stupid questions and tell me what you did to get on his bad side!" I could hear his ragged breathing from here.

"Me? I did nothing, I swear!" I didn't, not that I could think of. A thought plagued me, though I tried not to lean into it.

"I'll keep your secret."

Guy could have been lying. Rupert was his direct boss. Why wouldn't he tell him after the crappy way I talked to him? Which means I did technically do something bad.

Couldn't worry about that now, though.

"I did nothing, Chovy, and even if I did, I would have told you about it. I've been working for you for five years now; I'm not some rookie."

He scoffed and snorted what was no doubt a line of this week's designer drugs. His habit has gotten the company close to bankrupting over the years.

"Whatever kid. Don't tell me, it's not my problem. Anyway, he wants you at the Imperial tomorrow morning, 8 a.m. sharp. I don't need to tell you what happens to people who disappoint him, do I?"

That might have been as close to kind as he's ever been to me.

"And I ain't paying you just cus' the president wants ta' see ya either! Lazy bum."

He hung up on me, a tiny blessing.

As I clocked out, I headed home, left with my thoughts. My bus ride was quiet. Yesterday it was loud, but months ago the sound was deafening. That's also the last time the bus was full of people.

Sometimes when I turn my head or close my eyes, it almost feels like the people were still there. I feel a hand on my shoulder, smell something musty–but when I open my eyes there's no one there.

Every street we passed ‌was another reminder of where the lines in the city sat. Maintained neighborhoods, pristine and secluded, never had to worry about cleanups. They weren't the leftovers–the rest of us were.

Growing up, I thought I was lucky. Mom bought a house with Dad's life insurance money long ago in one of the safer districts of downtown. Safety was short-lived, unfortunately. Once I turned 18, downtown stopped being a haven the day a building collapsed from a swarm of flying monkeys.

Almost at my stop.

We flew past Ernies. I saw a waitress carrying a large pink cake covered in berries with numerous candles on top. A young woman sat at a bar with a handsome young man next to her.

The flames on the candles flickered and laughed at me as my past kidnapped me once more.

"Happy birthday Sapph!" I hate that I still hear him on that day so clearly.

As I stepped into my house, I had to bite my knuckle to stifle the memory until it passed.

"Mom, I'm home!" I toss my keys into the bowl, kick off my shoes and wander into the kitchen–ravenous.

On the table next to the bowl was an overdue bill from The City.

"Hey baby. Did you have a good day at work?"

I bent down for her, letting my tiny mom kiss my cheek. She's not just tiny because I'm huge–over the years she's shrunk because of an incurable bone disease that I can't pronounce the name of. Yet even with a walker, at 54, my mom refuses to let anything slow her down.

She's such a badass; she's a secretary for the police department.

"Mostly. I helped a little girl reunite with her mother. The roads are empty where the attack happened, too."

Two truths, let's not add a lie.

"Mm, did you run into Mr. Dynamo again? I know you love yourself some Dynamo."

Bless her heart, she still thinks I'm that little girl with the superhero crush.

"Momma, I'm older now. I've moved far beyond crushing on celebrities." Especially when I casually break their hearts. God, I'm such a horrible person.

"What's wrong baby?" I tried not to look her in the eye but it was too late.

She's giving me the mom look. The look. The one that quietly commands you to dump out the contents of your soul. Or else.

"Nothing's wrong." There's the lie.

She squints, pouring herself a cup of coffee at the same time–never missing a drop.

"Mmhm." The soft hum is my first warning to come clean. Even now at 30 years old, I still start sweating whenever I hear that.

"Mom, I'm serious."

"I'm sure you are. You're a grown woman now–no need to tell your old fuddy-duddy momma about anything going on in your life." She's so dramatic.

"I'll just waste away knowing that my dear daughter doesn't need me anymore–"

I caved. "Okay! Fine. Mom, yeah, stuff...stuff happened today. I said some things to Guy."

She sipped her piping hot coffee, one eyebrow raised.

"First name basis already?"

"Mom! Not the point."

"Carry on. What did you say to him?"

Biting my bottom lip, I exhaled slowly.

"I may have...refused his invitation to be a superhero like him." Not with him. That's the last thing my mother needs to hear.

"And he took it that bad? I always knew you were a heartbreaker honey." I rolled my eyes at the pride dripping from her voice.

"It's not just the rejection, it's how I said it. Or, rather, what I said after. I spiraled, panicked–"

"You self sabotaged again?" She already knew. I hate that this is a pattern for me.

Running my fingers through my hair, I nodded.

"I started blaming him for all the bad shit in the city. Blamed him for the people he couldn't save-"

She slowly placed the cup down, sighing. She wasn't angry or disgusted–though I wished she was. No, she was disappointed and I hated that even more. When her hands folded over mine, my breath caught in my throat. I ripped my hands away and turned my back on her, heading towards my room.

She didn't stop me. Who could blame her?

I closed the door behind me, locking it. She had a key, of course–it was her house. No, I wanted to lock it for my peace of mind.

"Please tell me you're here. I need you so bad right now." The words ripped from my throat just as my strength left me.

I squeezed my eyes shut, and opened them again, coming face to face with my soulmate.

My gut finally started untangling itself as I stopped holding back tears.

"Rough day, beautiful?" The love of my life asked me.

"Rough day" is an understatement." I mumbled, falling onto my bed face-first. I couldn't feel him sit next to me but I knew he was there. When I looked up he was there, laying beside me like he's done for the last 12 years.

"I heard. I'm not gonna press you about tryna replace me but–"

"Who said I'm replacing you?! Ugh, you sound just like mom." I groaned, pulling my pillow over my face.

His chuckle both haunted and soothed me at once. Memories danced across the darkness of my eyelids. I shoved them down, same as always.

"So why'd you do it then?" Leave it to Wyatt to ask the real question.

"I don't know."

"Remove the pillow and try again, ma'am." I could hear his smirk, plain as day.

"You're the worst." Complying with this wasn't easy, even for him but I did it anyway.

"Sapphyra..."

"What?"

"Don't shut me out. We're all each other's got, right?"

"...right." I sank into my comforter a little more. Meanwhile, Wyatt intended to pry the answer from me with a crowbar. The hard line of his mouth said it all.

"Why are you asking something you already know the answer to? If I'm sabotaging anything, it's because of you!" furrowing my brows, I sat up and glared at him.

Wyatt Hart, the love of my life. My high school sweetheart.

The literal skeleton in my closet that I refused to bury.

"Sapph, I'm asking because I need to hear you say it."

"No." I crossed my arms, he wouldn't win this one today.

"Sapphyra! Look at me. Really look at me."

"No..." I whimpered, eyeing the soft gecko patterns on my pink comforter–anywhere but at him.

I couldn't feel his touch but I remembered it. When his warm, calloused fingers would grasp my chin because I was being so goddamn stubborn–I remembered it.

It was here and now, as our gaze locked on each other.

Except the man before me wasn't really a man, not anymore. He was a skeleton wearing Wyatt's clothes, forcing me to gaze into the abyss of darkness where his eyes once sat.

Wyatt died 12 years ago. Right on my 18th birthday...

"Wyatt." I choked on his name, raw hurt clogging my throat.

He died when we planned on eloping-bags already packed to finally leave this decaying city for good.

Wyatt's skeleton sighed, holding out his ethereal arms.

"I'm here. Come here." I fell into my memories of him, letting them free at last. Every birthday party, picnic, exam study session–those were surface level. They still held my sanity.

Our first kiss took my breath away. He saw me, not as a tree to be climbed or a mountain to be conquered but as a woman. His woman. I let him in and I never regret it...until he died.

Until Guy Dynamo failed to save him on that day.

"Shh. You're thinking too hard. Go to sleep."

I scoffed, a bitter smile on my lips. "Sleep is for the weak."

"Don't you have a big day tomorrow?"

My meeting with the president. It's not everyday a girl gets to do that.

But who gives a flying fuck. I buried myself into the pillows, pretending they were his embrace.

"I don't want to sleep yet. You'll be gone when I do." Mentally cursing, I couldn't fight the yawn that escaped me.

"That's not fair. You act like I won't come back to you." He murmured in my hair, half buried into the mattress just to comfort me.

"One day you might not." My eyelids gave up the fight first, falling down like curtains.

"Sleep, baby. It's gonna get better." I could already sense he was slipping away from me. I'm not sure how it worked but when I needed him, Wyatt would come.

I'm sure if I could afford a therapist, they'd probably tell me it's something to do with grief and hallucinations blah-blah-blah.

My phones alarm woke me up with a screeching cat in the morning. At first, I panicked for two reasons.

Wyatt was gone. That one settled quickly, he never did stay past midnight anyway. The time though? It had my blood running cold. 7:20 a.m.

The bus stop is 5 minutes up the street and it takes 30 minutes to get into the Administrative part of the city!

Bread jumps out of the toaster. I grab it with my mouth and run out the door, still shoving my clothes on. I went with a white-sleeved button up blouse and black slacks, pretty professional as far as I'm concerned. It's a little tighter than when I bought it though–but I'll manage.

"Have a great day honey! I love you." My mom called out, waving from the front door as I made a mad dash down to the bus depot.

The bus doors were this close to folding before I shoved my hand in and forced myself through.

"Whoa! Jeez, Sapph, cutting it close there ain't ya? What are you doing up this early anyway?"

"Got an interview Dax! Sorry. Can you take me to–" I lean in, whispering the location to him. His eyes widened but nodded.

"Anything for you Sapphy. I still can't thank you enough for-" I cut him off, slicing my hand back and forth across my throat frantically.

"Er, Uh, nevermind." He blushed, poor old guy. No one paid him any mind but I couldn't be too careful.

Keep your head down. Don't interfere.

I'd helped Dax with his house before...just not all at once like Penny's place. No, I gave him the special wood and bricks he needed by converting some of the stuff in my void.

Penny. Even now I still can't figure out how I did what I did for her place.

The bus came to a stop a few yards away from the front of the President's massive marble mansion. It wasn't a public place so when security stopped me at the gate, it all felt natural.

"Hold it! No trespassers–"

"It's alright." A familiar voice cut off the security guard holding a gun to my head. My body stiffened and I tried my best to still my racing heart.

Guy Dynamo floated down in front of the guard. He didn't speak, just glanced at the man threatening my life with the coldest look I'd seen yet. I'm pretty sure the poor man pissed himself.

Would Guy yell? Give me the cold shoulder for how I treated him? Both things I absolutely deserved.

I don't know what I was expecting but a smirk coupled with an adorable dimple was not it.

"You look good, Cleanup girl."

The silence was deafening as I trailed behind him, guilt twisting my gut back into knots. I wasn't used to walking in high heels-let alone anything other than a wedge.

Guess who tripped on her big-ass feet and squealed like a pig to break the ice? Me.

"Whoa! Easy there." He caught me. Of course he did, he's got super speed. Still...why is he holding me for so long?

I gulped, disliking how chiseled his arms were.

"You can let me go now." I softly muttered, more irritated than I intended. Guys blush was cute, almost cuter than his dimple–not that I cared.

He quickly let go, quietly coughing to himself. We continued walking in silence, yet it felt worse now than before. Eventually, after a soft tour of the mansion, we stopped right before a pair of grand oak double doors.

"Maybe I–"

"Do you–"

We looked at each other and laughed a little. Talking at the same time like we're in some sort of rom-com is not how the day should go. It's not how an apology should start.

"Sorry." I finally let it out.

He waved it away, shaking his head.

"Don't be. Besides, today isn't about me, it's about you." Guy beamed a little, then opened the doors with a push of his fingertip.

Up until now, I had only seen Rupert Domingo in books and on ads–never in person. He rarely ever let anyone come to his place of dwelling outside of his small cabinet of advisors. Something about him felt...wrong and right at the same time.

He was tall, nearly as tall as me with my complexion too. Salt and pepper hair slicked back with horn-rimmed glasses met me first. HIs grey eyes and slim face came second.

It wasn't his clothing that drew me in, or the way he stood with his hands clasped behind his back. His smile though...there was something familiar about it but I couldn't put my finger on it.

"Sapphyra, it's nice to finally meet you in person. Please, have a seat." Rupert motioned towards the chair in front of his expensive looking oak desk. Real oak too, not the synthetic stuff we grow in the east district.

I couldn't help glancing at Guy but he was nowhere in sight. That did little to help my nerves. At least the doors were still wide open.

"I never thought I'd be sitting here, Mr. President. I hope these chairs are sturdy." I mentioned with a nervous laugh, silently praying that they were actually built for hefty people. My hand covered my heart as a wave of relief washed over me when my ass didn't fall through the flimsy looking chair.

He smiled and sat down as well.

"Please, call me Rupert. And I'll let you know a secret, everything in this office is reinforced."

Blinking, I looked behind him at the paintings on the wall and the huge windows looking out onto his front lawn.

"Yes, everything–even the windows. I had it set up that way in case a monster should ever find itself here. Don't get me wrong, I trust that my men are highly trained but those beasts are tricky." My brow raised when he clenched his fist and slid it under the table.

The smile returned with a vengeance.

"Speaking of beasts, I've noticed the work that you do as a Battlefield Janitor and I am thoroughly impressed."

I shrank a little in my chair. What could he mean by that? What work? Guy said he would keep my secret-

"Sapphyra, what would you think about a class change?" The way his ocean deep blue eyes bore into me made me feel restless.

"A class change? You'd waste that on me?"

"Hm. That's right, you've reminded me about how tricky it is to come by one of the Applications. That said, I'm the president. I have a few to spare but this one is special. It's the second ever artificial Application made. The first belongs to our resident superhero, Guy Dynamo."

"Wait, his Application is artificial? What does that mean?"

The president drummed his fingers across his desk, stroking his chin. He stands up, walking towards the window.

"Come, stand by my side." It wasn't a request. My body moved but I felt like a leashed dog following its master.

For the first time in my life, there was a man shorter than me that I felt intimidated by-and it had nothing to do with his Class.

"What do you know about the Class system?"

"Is this a pop quiz? Should I have studied?" Why the hell would I say that? My idiot meter must be on eleven today.

He chuckled, shaking his head.

"It's fine. No one wants a history lesson anyway. Instead...tell me about 12 years ago."

My throat ran dry, palms so sweaty that I could hear it dripping. I shoved them behind my back.

"What about it?" There's only one thing he could be referring to.

I glance back at the door, noticing Guy leaning against the doorframe. His nostrils flared and his arms were crossed. Once he caught me gawking, he clenched his jaw and turned his back on me.

Why doesn't he like this conversation?

"A tragedy." The only real answer I could give him without turning into a puddle of tears.

"Sir. That's a very rough day...for both of us. We should switch topics." Guy said, suddenly next to me. His presence comforted me, just a little.

And that scared me.

Rupert looked between the two of us. His smile returned, softer–yet no less predatory.

"You really don't think you're special at all...do you." He all but whispered it, in awe.

Rupert smiled like he knew an inside joke. Raising a brow, he asked "Cleaning up battlefields...are you sure that's all you're good for?"

All I could do was nod-too petrified to speak. I knew I was lying but no good would come from him knowing my abilities.

Rupert reached into his pocket, pulling out a small remote. He pressed the button and the windows turned into a projection screen.

Why did that make me start sweating?

"If cleaning up is all you do...then what am I looking at right now?"

There on the screen was a top down view of me expelling Penny's house from my body.

Well shit.