Hector walked down the street, feeling the pressure of someone watching him at his back. A chill went down his spine. The route home had become substantially more difficult since the Aether quarantine. Aetherials and Empaths were rampant. A mugger with a knife wasn't anywhere near as bad as a mugger who could form a blade of energy with their mind. Staying inside wouldn't feed his family, though.

  As he turned the corner to his block, two large men blocked his way forward. The larger of the two grimaced. Red light swirled in the palm of his hand briefly, then shot out, terminating about three feet out. The shape vaguely looked like a glowing red pipe or a bat. “You're gonna give us everything you have. If you're quick about it, you can even walk away from here alive,” said the brute.

  Hector laughed. He rolled his broad shoulders, cracked his neck and took a stance. He knew being able to use Empath abities was basically the norm in an Aether-claimed zone. Not his first time taking out some punk who thought he was tough. “I’m gonna be nice and not take everything you have when I knock you out,” Hector said calmly. “Tell your family I say hi when you wake up tomorrow.”

  The smaller man’s hands began to glow a soft yellow, almost solar in quality. He placed his hands on the bigger man’s back. The glow moved from the small man’s hands to the large man’s body, lightly radiating from his arms and legs. The big man grinned, gripping his aether bat and swung wide, aiming for Hector’s side. Hector ducked low, touching the ground, one hand keeping him from hitting the ground entirely. The bat grazed his back slightly, the energy cutting his skin slightly. Hector grimaced with pain, but moved undeterred. In one fluid motion, Hector swept his leg, knocking the large man onto his back. Leaping forward like a wolf on the hunt, Hector dove forward. A solid punch to the downed man’s chin left him out cold.

  Hector hopped to his feet. “You boosted him and this is all you got? Come on, brother. You wanna follow suit?” Hector cracked his neck, making direct eye contact with the other man. The man shuddered and stumbled back half a step.

  “No, sir. Let me go. I have a family! Please!” The man whimpered pathetically. “We just have to do what we have to do, you know?” He took a defensive stance, ready to take a hit.

  Hector laughed. “I know you do. Listen, I work for what I have, but I know it's tough out there. Just get out and see your family. Don't come around here again, alright?” Hector took a small loaf of bread and tossed it to the man. “Peace offering. We didn't see each other, you hear me?”

  The smaller man nodded and started dragging his friend off to the side in to wake him up. Hector shrugged, knowing they wouldn't trouble him anymore.

  Hector walked as a brisk pace, knowing his sister was going to chew him out when he got home. The streets may be tough, but home sure could be tougher. Hector laughed to himself.

  As Hector rounded the corner to his neighborhood, he saw her. Standing on the porch of their small home, Isabella stood there, arms crossed, looking furious. Hector sprinted up to give his sister a hug after such a long day. She held an arm out to stop him. "Hector, you smell like blood. Were you fighting again? I told you to keep your money honest. I'd rather starve than steal!" She looked him down sternly, tired of dealing with him coming home beat up.

  "Bella, I swear I wasn't fighting or stealing! Some thugs from a nearby neighborhood tried to jump me. I handled 'em quick and gave 'em a bit of bread as a peace offering. I'm on the up and up, I'm tellin' ya!" Hector pleaded, hands together like he was praying that she would believe him. Hector knew he had a rough history. He couldn't deny she had reason to doubt him.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  "Hector! You think I don't know you?! Who did you rough up? Let's go make it right with their family. I don't want bad blood. That always comes back to bite us. We barely got the neighborhood to be peaceful. Come on!" She chided him.

  "I swear it! I got receipts, look! You can even see the bread is gone! I promise, Bella. I would never!" Hector frantically shoved a piece of paper in her face, way too close for her to read.

  “Okay! I hear you, Hector! Just be careful. It's dangerous out there. Come inside. Dinner is ready.” Isabella held the door open and gestured for him to come in.

  Hector walked into the far too cramped kitchen and set his bag down. “Abuelita, I got us some good meat. I know you love your pork. The butcher had some good markdowns today.” Hector leaned in to hug an old lady, barely four feet tall, as tightly as he could. She beamed at him, happy to see her grandson.

  “I’m just glad you're home safe, Hector. You know I don't like that you go out there,” she stated, worry showing on her face.

  Hector sighed. “I know I know. But ever since Anthony passed and Valentina went missing, it's all me out there. I won't let you or Bella go out while we’re still Aether-claimed. Anyone could be a danger. Besides, you know I know how to handle myself.” Hector puffed up his chest and flexed his biceps, grinning ear to ear.

  His grandmother let out a sigh. “Okay, Hector. I just worry. Come sit down. Isa and I worked hard on a nice meal for us.”

  Hector pulled up a seat next to his sister. A delicious dinner was laid out in front of him. He grabbed a tortilla and started loading up. Isabella, looking apprehensive, caught his eye.

  “Hector, have you thought about the military? We could be a lot safer,” Isabella questioned. She couldn't make eye contact, knowing how he felt about the subject.

  Hector clenched his fist. The pain in his eyes was unmistakable. “I can't. I won't be a dog for some government. I'm not going to go die in some Aether-claimed wasteland just because I have good aptitude for Empath abilities,” Hector said, angrily. He looked like he was barely holding back tears. “I lost Anthony and Valentina to the damn UAPS. One bad deployment and now this is all the family we have. God only knows if we’ll see Valentina again.” Hector slammed down his fist, shaking the cutlery. Tears gently rolled down his cheeks.

  “But we can move to the base! That's safer than slums where basically anyone can pull out a damn weapon out of thin air. The whole continent is fucked if it's to the point of the base getting attacked. Hector, where could we be safer?” Isabella pleaded with him. “Maybe you could be an instructor! I've never seen anyone use Empath abilities as well as you! You could teach!” Her eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope.

  Hector grimmaced. He made a face like he had been stabbed in the chest. “You want me to not only be a military dog, but train others to go die in war while I’ safe? How could I live with myself?”

  Isabella choked up, tears falling. “We don't get to make easy choices, Hector! We die in the slums, we die in the wilderness, maybe we live in the base. I don't like UAPS either. I don't like that after Aetherstorms started hitting they took over so much land. I don't like that they silence independent Aether users with violence,” She shouted, steeled in her resolve. “But if it means we're safe, If it means we’re taken care of, then maybe we should. I'm proud too, Hector. I don't like it. But I don't want to die proud. I want to live.”

  Hector flinched as though Isabella just slapped him across the face. “There has to be something else. I could join a resistance group. I could do freelance work. It can't be that. I can't. Please don't ask me to do this.” He looked down, knowing these options weren't any better. He didn't want to go die fighting for some ragtag group or for some company either. He just wanted to keep doing his work in construction and going back home.

  “Hector, think on it, okay? Please? Any day something could go wrong and we all die here. Please,” Isabella pleaded.

  Their grandmother sat quietly, eating her meal and trying to have a moment of peace. She spoke gently, “You do what you feel is right. Your grandfather always wanted you kids to be free. I’ve lived a good life. As long as I finish my days with what family I have, you have my blessing.” She leaned over and gave Hector a kiss on his shoulder, a bit too short to reach his cheek. “I love you, mijo. Thank you for taking care of us.”

  Hector cried deeply, overwhelmed by the situation. Isabella bit her lip, holding back how she felt. The three finished dinner quietly, happy to be in each other's company. The night passed peacefully. The family rested, uncertain of the future, but happy together.