Magnetic Attraction 9 (Patreon)

Kayden remembered me fondly. When I called her to schedule a little date for ourselves even if she wouldn’t call it that and would call it a catch-up between friends, she spoke with pleasantly surprised happiness. 

From Alan’s memories and Max’s admission, I knew that Kayden had broken from the Empire Eighty-Eight, even if said break-up was temporary if the future continues in the same vein as the Worm canon. The story also showed Kayden’s frustration with being unable to change and be identified as an independent hero. Her fear of losing Aster prevented her from becoming a Protectorate, an unfounded fear if she manages to talk to someone like Legend.

This was, fortunately, all in my favor. 

Kayden wanted to break away from Max. 

Kayden wanted to be acknowledged as an independent hero.

Kayden wanted to change herself for the better (for Aster).

I could provide all three of that and more. 

So three days after I made that call, I found myself in a quaint cafe at the southern edge of the Downtown. Kayden hadn’t arrived yet, so I was mentally going over how I could win her over. 

Yes, I wanted to fuck Kayden like I was fucking Jessica, Nessa, and Clarissa. Clarissa was the cute, naive flower I plucked. Jessica and Nessa were the distrusting, hot twins who I’d ensnared with my honesty. Kayden, though, was a simple beauty everyone simply acknowledged as being beautiful.

Too bad the first person who took her heart was a manipulating jackass that was my older brother. 

The chimes on the entrance of the cafe rang, and I looked up just in time to see Kayden walk through.

She was as beautiful as the day I first saw her. Even though she was five years older than when I first met her, she looked no different in my eyes, but I couldn’t lie to myself about everything. Her skin looked no older, her mousy appearance had stayed the same, and she was as short as I remembered; Jessica and Nessa came up to my eyes, Clarissa to my chin, and Kayden came up the nape of my neck. 

To my surprise, she brought Aster with her.

And I couldn’t help my next action.

“Hey, Kayden!” I said as I stood up with a bright smile. “It’s been so long!”

She seemed hesitant at first but greeted me back with a small smile of her own.

“Three years, I think?” she asked me.

“And this is my niece Aster, huh?” I asked while looking down at the little baby squirming in Kayden’s arms. Kayden immediately changed her how she held Aster, cooing her baby for a second before realizing that I was watching. When she opened her mouth to apologize for ignoring me for a second, but I took the little pause to coo Aster too, getting the baby girl to giggle. 

“Did Max tell you about her?” she asked.

“Nope,” I replied in the same tone I was cooing Aster with. “Learned about her from our other acquaintances.”

Make her dislike Max more: Check.

What mother liked hearing that her baby’s father didn’t even talk about their baby? 

I looked up after Aster stopped squealing and giggling, and saw Kayden’s eyes. She still smiled, but there was a bit of longing there. Perhaps for a real partner? I could be that for her but I also couldn’t just come out and say it.

I smiled for her. “Let’s take a seat, yeah?”

She nodded, and we went to the corner of the cafe. 

“So how have you been?” I asked as we sat down. “Last I heard, you started your own interior design business.”

She smiled genuinely. “I’m doing well. It was hard starting out on my own, but once I had a reputation as a good designer, people came to me.” 

“Good,” I replied. “You were too good for Max anyway.”

She stared at me with wide eyes. “I, uh… I thought you were … you know.”

I knew exactly what she was talking about.

“You know exactly how Max thinks, Kayden,” I snorted. “Despite that, he was oddly open with me about exactly how dumb the idea he was supporting. He did it for the sake of power, not ideology.”

She stilled and then frowned. 

“That bastard…” she mumbled.

“Exactly.” She looked at me again in surprise. “What exactly are you surprised about?” I asked.

“I just…” she uttered out before she began to look frustrated by her inability to express herself. I knew that Kayden was Purity, and as Purity, there was very little hesitation in her affairs. This change of pace she involved herself with in talking with me was uncomfortable for her. Perhaps I should change the pace for her liking? 

“It’s not what expected?”

“Yes. Max always talked as if you weren’t-”

“Alright? That something’s wrong with me?” I paused as she looked sheepish. “From his perspective, it’s understandable. I come from a family who all had it but I was the only one who didn’t. They kicked me out for it.” I paused. “Well, I did get it eventually.”

Kayden stared at me uncomprehendingly for a second before she got it.

“You-!” she stopped. Her voice had been almost too loud, but it hadn’t. “You’re not supposed to talk about it!” she hissed quietly.

Aster noticed her mom’s distress and squirmed unhappily. She took Kayden’s attention with that little distress signal, and I had time to think for a bit. 

“Taking care of her is a full time job, huh?” I asked her.

She sighed fondly. “It is, but I love her. I left the Empire for her.” She startled at her own admission, but looked around to see who else heard. It was unlikely she heard, however. We were in the corner of the shop far away from other customers and she spoke quietly enough. She looked back down at Aster as she bounced her baby gently. “I … want to be better for her.”

“That’s good. The Empire would have used her like a rag cloth,” I replied as I drank my coffee. “To get to you, that is. Just like Max does, no doubt.”

Her hold on Aster tightened just slightly, and she looked at me warily.

“I’m not interested in blackmail,” I replied. “Best partners, friends, and allies are those I earn the loyalty of.” I set the cup down. “Which is why I am here with you, actually. I wanted to ask if you were interested in joining a hero team of my making.”

The word ‘hero’ got her to snap to attention.

“... You’re going to be a hero? In Brockton Bay?” she asked in shock.

“Yes,” I replied. “I’ll fight the Empire even if I have to.”

Her eyes widened even further. “... How? He leads the Empire, though.”

“I know, and he and its existence is a cancer that rots the city and beyond. Sooner or later, it has to go, if not for my sake, then for Aster and whatever kids I might have.”

Honesty. It was a gamble. I knew that Kayden could always go back to Max and tell him about what I said and what I intended to do… but I just pinned Max the bad guy and myself as a good guy. I was also pushing the idea that the Empire was an evil that would sooner or later harm Aster, not help her.

She seemed to struggle. Either I was pushing her too much and getting Empire sensibilities she got by osmosis or I was making it through to her. I wanted a resolution here that would get me her on my side, but if I couldn’t do that, then the best I could do push her to the Protectorates, who would not fight against me.

To that end, I had a decision to make on the snap here: risk pulling her to myself or safely push her to the Protectorate.

… No, I’m wrong. I can do both.

“Whether you join my team or try the hardline Protectorate, I can help you with any legal trouble Max might try to bring, so don’t worry about him. If you be as a hero long enough, then I can also give you legal help to get your former crimes forgiven. Either way, it’ll be safe for Aster and you can go on to become a better role model for her.”

That didn’t mean I couldn’t make joining my team more enticing for her.

“Max thinks he’s rich, but I’m richer.”

Butter it up.

Kayden’s internal struggle warred on her face, and then she finally spoke her. “I… I need time to think.”

I nodded. “I know. I’m being too bluntly honest and I offer a lot of things.”

She nodded with a gulp. She tried to stand but stopped and looked at me. “Why are you helping me?” she asked.

I grinned. “Didn’t Max tell you about me?” I asked. She shook her head. “I had a crush on you when I first met you. It’s not exactly gone.”

I stood up first, leaving a red-faced Kayden behind in the shop. I paid the cashier for both of our coffees and left.

Part 1 of Plan Fortification: complete.

Part 2 of Plan Fortification was a go.

I pulled out my phone and called up an acquaintance of mine. 

Ring ring ring.

Ring ring ring.

He picked up the phone. 

“Ah, Mr. Anders. I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon after our last deal.” This being me purchasing his share of the Medhall stocks. “How can I help you today?”

“Oh, just calling if you were interested in golfing this Saturday, Thomas.”

Coil, who had to have Kayden, Clarissa, Jessica, and Nessa’s identities by this point, needed to go.