Nelson Lays Low

Nelson and Kendra arrived back at their office not much more than an hour after they had left it, though the former was no longer looking like a thrift shop frequenter, with his perfectly tailored suit.

"So, how did it go?" Todd asked, sounding bemused at even asking.

"Total non-story," Kendra answered, slightly glaring.

"Yeah, it was a complete waste of our time," Nelson agreed. "Still, it was your fault for being the total moron who sent us there. Honestly, Kendra and I should both have our wages doubled for having to work for you, you stupid dickhead."

Nelson and Kendra stopped in their tracks, shocked at what he had actually just said out loud, while Todd looked at him and scratched his head pensively.

"I hate to admit it, but you make a good point, Kent. I do ride you guys pretty hard. I'm probably not the smartest, and I could probably be nicer. Look, budgets are tight here, but doubling your wages seems more than fair, since you both have to put up with my shit on a daily basis. Leave it to me, I'll figure something out."

As Todd walked away, Nelson realized he had been holding his breath waiting for an outburst. He showed visible relief as Kendra approached him.

"Nelson! That was amazing!" Kendra beamed as she hugged her friend. "You persuaded him to double both our wages just like that? I don't know how you did it or how to thank you!"

"There's no need," Nelson told her, still coming down from the adrenaline rush. "But…I tried to say earlier when Todd cut me off. I have two tickets for the ballet tonight at the Orpheum. I know it's the kind of thing you enjoy, so I was wondering if you wanted to go with me?"

"Oh, that sounds amazing!" Kendra began, in a tone Nelson had already detected wasn't going anywhere good. "But I'm seeing my sister tonight. She's just split up with her boyfriend and she needs an arm around her shoulder right now. Thanks for thinking of me though, maybe another time?"

Nelson suspected he could have easily lied his way into changing that outcome, but he didn’t want to. Not with Kendra. She was the one person he really liked, respected, and cared about, so he decided she was, effectively, off limits to his new powers.

"Yeah, sure. Another time," he smiled weakly.

***

After work Nelson found himself drinking, alone, in his regular dive about a block away from his studio apartment. It wasn't the first time he'd come here straight after work. It wasn't even the first time that week; he often came to drink away his sorrows, lamenting Kendra's lack of romantic interest in him.

Tonight, however, something was different. He wasn't just another down-on-his-luck schmuck wallowing in unmet desires. He had the power to make good things happen.

With Kendra having turned down his advances yet again, he scanned the bar for a beautiful woman - and quickly found one. She was sitting alone at the bar, reading a book, and despite (or perhaps because of) her obvious good looks, no guy in the bar had disturbed her yet. Looking like she was straight out of college, trim, athletic, and with a gorgeous head of bright ginger hair, she was way out of Nelson's league.

Nevertheless, armed with a confidence boost driven by his new abilities, he decided to approach.

"Hi, I'm Nelson."

She looked at him, and the look on her face told Nelson everything he already expected: that she wasn't interested, she was just another mean hot girl. It was a look Nelson had seen a hundred times before, and a look he was tired of.

"Hi, Nelson. I'm someone who prefers to drink alone," she told him coldly.

"Well, that may be true normally," Nelson replied, undeterred. "But I'm actually a very intriguing and mysterious person, and you're fascinated by me. You want to buy me a drink and have me keep you company."

Her face altered itself to one of curiosity as he spoke. “I do want to do that, you're right,” she conceded, before turning to the barkeeper. "Excuse me, can you get him whatever he is drinking."

"An Old Milwaukee,” Nelson confirmed to the barman, who now looked at him with respect rather than pity.

"So. What's your name?"

"Elizabeth,” replied the woman, whose expression showed curiosity, though slight shifts to confusion told Nelson she wasn't certain why she was indulging him like this. "But my friends call me Liz."

"Well, Liz, we're friends now.”

Her expression softened, her eyes became warmer, and her posture relaxed at this.

“Are you in a relationship, Liz?”

"No, not at the moment."

"Good. You are now my loyal and devoted girlfriend and, once we have finished our drinks, you are coming back to my apartment and we are going to fuck like wild animals."

Nelson saw this new information sink in in less than half a second before she responded.

"Alright, sounds good, babe, I can’t wait."

‘This is fantastic,’ Nelson thought. ‘I haven't gotten laid in months and even then I've never been able to pick up someone higher than a four. This chick is a nine and a half, and now she believes she's my girlfriend! If anyone can help me get past Kendra, it's going to be her.’

As they finished their drinks and left the bar, Nelson thought of all the depraved things he had imagined using his new gift to convince Kendra to do, only now, he was picturing his new girlfriend.

‘This is the smartest thing I could be doing right now. My wildest dreams are about to come true. What could possibly go wrong?’

***

The next morning, Nelson woke up to the sight of his beautiful new girlfriend. He admired her sleeping form, naked in the morning glow.

He didn't know very much about Liz besides her name and the fact she was hot, but already she felt like a keeper. Last night had been his first time with a woman of her quality and, excited as he was, Nelson had disappointed himself by shooting his load inside her after less than five minutes. Nonetheless, he'd assured her it was the best sex she had ever had, and she believed him. Combine that with letting her know that he was exactly her type, meant that Liz was by now head-over-heels for Nelson.

"Do you really have to go to work?" she asked longingly, still lounging in his bed. "Wouldn't you rather take a day off and fuck me again?"

Her nudity truly stood out to Nelson, making this an extremely tempting offer. In the past, girls who had stayed over had typically worn a long t-shirt or otherwise covered themselves while the light was on.

He could have easily phoned in with any number of excuses, and each one would have been accepted by Todd. However, his manner of introduction to Liz last night had him feeling almost giddy, a feeling he wanted to share, and there was only one person he trusted enough to have that conversation with. Kendra may blow off his attempts to engage in more romantic frivolities, but he could usually count on her when he needed his best friend.

"We have all of this evening for that. I have to go and earn a living right now, but once I get back, you're all mine!"

"I can't wait!" Liz replied, giggling happily. “Hurry back!”

***

Upon arriving at work, it didn't take long for Nelson to find Kendra and pull her into a less congested part of their office.

"What's wrong?” she asked concernedly. “You look like you just found the story of the century!"

"Nothing's wrong. This is going to sound nuts, but I need to tell someone who'll keep what I have to say quiet, and I trust you. You won't share with anyone if I tell you something in confidence, right?"

"Of course not, Nelson. But you're starting to freak me out," she said, as Nelson noted the look of concern vanished, replaced by curiosity. "What's going on?"

"That gunk. From yesterday. It worked."

"It worked? I don't understand, what do you mean?"

"People believe whatever I tell them!"

"Sure they do. Why wouldn't they?"

"No that's not- ugh. Look, it'll be simpler if I show you." Nelson decided. "Kendra, we're in a rocket flying through space. If you look out the window, you can see Mars."

"Holy shit!" Kendra reacted a little louder than Nelson would have preferred. The look on her face as she looked out the window now reflected the shock in her voice. "How did we get here? What the fuck! Is that really Mars out there? We were just in Iowa, this is amazing!"

A few nearby co-workers looked up at Kendra's exclamation. They didn't leave their desks, but they shot Nelson an annoyed look.

He spoke loud enough for them to hear, “Everything's fine. Nothing is happening here.”

Then he returned his attention to Kendra.

"Kendra, we're not on a space ship or anywhere near Mars. We're in the office. At work. I just made that up."

Kendra rubbed her eyes, Nelson guessed, because the image she saw out the window was shifting from Mars back to Iowa. As she regained her bearings back on Earth, the magnitude of what had just happened hit her as she looked at Nelson with wide eyes.

"That felt so real, I didn't even question it! One minute I'm at work, then I look out the window and I'm in space," the excitement in her voice was palpable. "And now everything is fine, nothing’s happening. Nelson, this is huge!"

"I know it is. But I need us to keep quiet about it, for now at least," Nelson told her. "I've always wanted to break a major news story, but I don't want to be the subject of that story.”

"My instincts as a reporter are going to really struggle with that," Kendra admitted. "But our friendship is way more important. I promise. I won't tell anyone."

"Thanks, I don't know what I'd do without you. I'm glad I can trust you."

"Of course!" Kendra laid her hand on Nelson's arm in a way that, even as platonic as the gesture was intended to be, made him semi erect. "This is like… a superpower. Imagine all of the good you could do with this!"

"What do you mean? How so?"

"Think about it, Nelson. Look at all of the awful things propaganda and agendas and fake news have made happen. We could go the other way! If we could use your new talent to make the world a better place….I'm not sure how off the top of my head, but there has to be a way. We need to know more about this. How about I bring dinner and wine to your place after work and we could brainstorm it?"

Whoa! That was the first time Kendra had ever tried to invite herself over to Nelson's place, and she wanted to bring alcohol? That almost sounded like a date. The whole superhero thing did seem pretty cool too, even if he couldn't quite see it. It didn't fit how Nelson saw himself, and it went against how public he wanted to be with this ‘power.’

And, he already had plans.

"It sounds like fun, I'd love it, but I'm spending the evening with my girlfriend."

"O-oh." Nelson thought, or perhaps just hoped, he had detected a hint of disappointment in Kendra's reaction to that development, perhaps even a pang of jealousy. "I didn't realize you had a girlfriend."

"Well, it's early days but I like her a lot," Nelson shrugged. "What if we hang out tomorrow instead? I'm pretty sure I can convince Todd to give us both the day off work." He winked as he said this.

"That's naughty. Already using your power for evil," Kendra teased. "But yeah; if it's for the greater good, then let's do it."

"Perfect, then it's a date!" Nelson smiled before catching himself "I mean, not a date but-..."

"I know what you meant!" Kendra rolled her eyes, but kept stroking her friend's arm with affection. "Also, thanks for not taking advantage of me."

"What do you mean?" Nelson asked hesitantly.

"I mean, a lot of men, if they suddenly had power like you do, especially to effectively control people's minds, would use it to get women into bed. I appreciate the fact you didn't try anything like that with me; I can tell you're using restraint, nothing's happening, everything is fine. You're a good guy, Nelson."

"I couldn't do anything bad to you, Kendra," Nelson told her, slightly uncomfortably, knowing there was a woman in his apartment because he had done that very thing.

But thinking about it, it was indeed the first honest thing he'd said in a while.