Leo picks up his cup and gulps down a mouthful of whiskey. He opens a pack of cigarettes before pausing. Fuck, that's right. He thinks before letting out a sigh and throwing the pack of cigarettes. Ugh. Are you going to do it? Are you going to do it? He thinks as he takes out his phone. Fuck it, just get it over with. Can still say no… He thinks as he dials the number.

“Yes? Who's this?” A voice asks.

Leo groans. “It's Leo. I, ugh, wanted to know more about the organization…” He says reluctantly.

A chuckle is heard. “So you’re finally giving in, huh? It’s not like we’re desperate to have you, in fact, this is basically a favour to you. I don’t understand why you’re so reluctant to join.” The voice says.

Leo smirks. “Why wouldn’t I be reluctant? Don't you guys just play devil’s advocate all day long? It’s not too hard to understand why I’m not exactly enthused.” He says, not caring for the offense.

A laugh is heard. “Look, kid, anyone with any amount of power is forced to play that role. Shit has to happen somehow, and sometimes that requires a push. The only reason for that power in the first place is to make that push. But we’re not going to micromanage how you operate; if you want to play superhero all day long, that’s up to you. The only purpose for this organization is to make it easier for its members to earn work points; we have centralized data analysis and intelligence operations that are available to our members in addition to a tight-knit support system. Of course, the organization will occasionally have requests for you, but the benefits heavily outweigh the negatives for you. If you want to say no, just say no. We have no problem with ignoring Ronin’s recommendation.” The voice explains bluntly, clearly outlining the choice before Leo.

Leo presses a hand to his forehead. “Can I bring a friend?” He asks. He was about to say yes, but it would be nice if he didn’t have to navigate that organization by himself.

“That Sal, kid? Fine. I’ll consider it your recommendation, but no more than that. We can’t have too many virgins running around the place; it will just make us look bad.” The voice says with a chuckle.

Leo lets out a sigh. “Okay, I’m in.” He says.

“Alright, good stuff. I’ll send you a text. You’re going to have to go to our Northern States headquarters. Bring your friend in for orientation. After that, we’ll cut you loose and you’ll be free to wreak havoc as you please.” The voice says before ending the call.

Leo puts his phone down and picks his cup up once again. He takes a big gulp and exhales a breath. Guess I’m going on a trip. He thinks, nonplussed.

…

…

“First of all, we’ll be loaning you 10,000 work points. It should be enough for the appraisal ability and a self-defense skill or a body reinforcement skill. Although undead are a little harder to kill they can very much still die, so you’ll have to defend yourself somehow. As for the appraisal skill, this is absolutely necessary if you wish to maximize your work points. This ability will provide you enough information about a person’s personal story; enough for you to direct them to the next plot point. As you should know, this is the best way to earn work points, so use it properly.” A man explains.

“Ugh, what about magic skills? When can we get those?” Sal asks, very curious.

The man lets out a smirk. “That requires a good chunk of work points and you’ll have to earn those yourself. But your head is in the right place. As undead, our goal is basically to evolve, and there are many ways to do this, and many paths an undead can walk. If you request it, the organization will clearly explain your options when the time comes, but for now, the two of you are scrubs. I wouldn’t worry too much about that.” The man says.

Leo stares blankly, somewhat catching a glimpse of the future. Fuck, seems like a long road. He thinks, already feeling tired.