Fresh start
I was woken up by an alarm. Sat up on my bed and looked at the time. 6.30 am. Next to the alarm clock was a note.
~Good morning, you will find out everything from one of your helpers. So, settle in, play around with any of your abilities if they have manifested. Enjoy your life~
~MR. ORIGIN~
I got up and went to the bathroom and looked at the mirror. Black hair, grey-blue eyes, sharp jaws and a nice nose. I was not too handsome. I was six feet tall and lean. Something I would work on. I looked over my shoulder and noticed my identification documents on my worktable next to my bed.
"Hmm… name's Theodore Wagner. So, this is my new name… from Germany. Both parents deceased. Twenty-three years old. Got a driver's license. A 4th year dropout student who studied Biochemistry in xxx University." So, this was my identity now. Picked up the newspaper and read the latest headlines.
[BATMAN PUTS A STOP TO A BANK ROBBERY AND SWIFTLY DEALS WITH OTHER CAREFULLY ORGANIZED CRIME OPERATIONS IN EAST GOTHAM.]
"The bat dynamic duo saves Gotham again. Remnants of the Sicilian crime family tried to get back in the game by carefully planning multiple heists on several important groups such as Wayne Enterprises and S.T.A.R. labs branch offices. Batman and Robin stopped them and handed them over to the police today noon."
January 2008,
Vicky Vale.
'Hmm. So, I'm in Gotham. Need to find my helpers soon and plan our future.' I noted. I took a quick shower since I was already up, opened the fridge and took out some ingredients to cook up a quick light breakfast. I picked a textbook on advanced calculus to peruse through and see if remember my last life's education. I read through a few problems and by my third question, gold math symbols started forming before my eyes perfectly entering in place and solving the question. I tried reaching out to the floating solution, but my hand just passed through them. 'This is new.'
That was a question that required 5-8 minutes solving time and I just did it within half a minute. 'So, this was the enhanced brain that Mr-'.
Ring. Ring.
I picked up the phone, "Hello?"
A feminine and rough voice stared, "Am I speaking to Theodore Wagner?"
"… Whose asking?" I asked cautiously. "Natasha Solovyov, sent by Mr. Origin to aid you in what you plan." Said Natasha in Russian accent. "Oh… where can I meet you… and the rest?"
"We can meet… in your suit shop… across where you live." Natasha answered. I could hear some background voices implying it could only be the rest. "I'll be there in an hour."
I leaned back on my sofa and went through everything till now. I'm in Gotham 2008, 23 years, a biochem dropout, I owned a haberdashery probably from my late parents and the gang found me.
I crossed the street and walked into the suit shop, and it looked spacious and well maintained considering that this was Gotham. A well-dressed lady approached me and gestured to her side, "This way Mr. Wagner." I eyed her for a few moments and followed her towards the back. We walked and entered an enforced door, and I was guessing that this was the meeting place. 'Woah… it feels like I'm a mafia boss.'
Six seats, four occupied meaning it was mine and the lady escorting me since she closed the door on her way in. I pointed at the only other female in the group, "Natasha?" She folded her arms and nodded. The rest introduced themselves.
'Daniel Johnes for the African American, Taylor Smith for lovely lady who escorted me here, Joe Price for the tattooed English man, Brian MacTavish for the intelligent looking Australian and Natasha.' I noted them in my mind's database.
"What are your specialities?" I started. "I work as an accountant, and I know computers. So, I'm the IT guy." Dan stated what he did. "I work as a club manager. I love working with bombs. The all kind." Joe said with a smile which disturbed me a little. "I'm a real estate developer. I deal with infiltration and spy stuff." MacTavish simply said and I gave him a nod. "I look after your suit shop Mr. Wagner, and I also like to steal stuff." Taylor said her piece. Then Natasha concluded, "I'm free roaming right now. You want to know about guns, you come to me." She pointed herself with her thumb smiling and showing almost all her teeth.
"When did you all arrive here?" I asked.
"We've been in Gotham under our normal disguises for two years now. Mr. Origin knew what you'd want and sent us here as a foundation of what you'll start." After a short pause, Joe continued, "the base of operations is in east Gotham under a rundown property of a man called Davis Johnson, Hotel & Suites Co. he's looking for people who are willing to buy his property but with how he's maintained it, no one is interested." Joe scoffed.
"We'll start there." I looked at Daniel. "How much do we have?" Daniel removed a small book where he'd been keeping track of financial matters either his bank clients or our own. "You sir, have 5 million dollars from your parent's inheritance and us as a group, have 10 million. Acquiring that property won't be hustle." 'An additional 5 million?!' I wondered how they'd manage that in just two years. Brian was keen to notice my questioning look. "We've been busy Mr. Wagner-"
"Just call me Theodore, or just Theo." I cut him in his answering.
"Mr. Origin told us what you'd need, and we had already started accumulating cash both from ourselves and other means. We've stolen minimum amounts from criminals over the two years."
"Did Mr. Origin tell you everything about me?"
"Yes, we are here to help you and we'll be under your service. He also added what to expect and that we'll develop abilities to aid resist groups such as the justice league." Brian answered. I nodded at that. "Let's buy that hotel. I want to see everything we have."
They nodded and started standing up to leave. Dan and Brian left together to buy the hotel, Natasha hitched a ride from Joe, and I remained in my shop together with Taylor. I apparently had experience with tailoring and sales although not as good as Taylor.
I went through the ledgers trying to understand my abilities more.