Onwards to Asa and Skin

When I showed Jenna the door, and Asa had recovered, we could relax, unwind, and decide which of Skin’s 100 SP traits to choose. But first, I had a bomb to drop.

“So, yesterday…”

“Look, I’m sure you’re uncomfortable with the whole raceplay thing, but I made that call, not you. And I know you. On behalf of all POC everywhere, I say you’re a good ally and a certified ‘Good White Man.’ I’ll mail you your certificate.”

I snorted a laugh at that. “Yeah, not that. Though, uh, thanks? We can figure that out later. Or never. What even were the options?”

“Messy.”

I shrugged, trusting her. “Shit, I don’t even want to think about explaining this to Diamond…uh, you can do that, right?”

Full lips pouted, but she nodded slightly.

”Anyway, that’s not what I’m talking about. When I got home, fucking Batman and Zatanna were in my apartment.”

I walked her through their request.

“Fuck. You’re not doing it?”

“I’m not doing it.”

“Good. I mean, she’s hot as hell in her profile pic, but I looked her up. She’s killed a lot of people back in India.” My eyes widened slightly, as I belatedly realized something. “Don’t even think about it. We can find an Indian woman who doesn’t burn people alive for the Neopolitan mission. I shrugged and nodded, though I made no move to delete her, but then again, Asa didn’t ask me to.

Instead, she pulled up the phone, though she didn’t need it, having clearly reviewed them earlier. I hadn’t, as I didn’t want them floating in front of me all the time, so I glanced at the phone.

Computers are Easy: All of Skin’s computer knowledge is copied to you. Touching other computer science professionals will allow you to do the same to them. In no case will it give you other knowledge, or an excuse for how you know this. WARNING: USE OF MULTIPLE MIND ENHANCEMENT PERKS MAY RESULT IN UNFORESEEN SIDE EFFECTS.

Exploring Her Sexuality: You helped Skin discover what she truly enjoys, or what you made her enjoy, other targets will consider you an ideal candidate for any form of sexual experimentation they want to engage in.

Teacher: Targets who are younger than you are more likely to view you as an authority figure, especially if you cast whatever you’re doing as a lesson, or teaching them.

Well, fuck. If I’d known that in advance, then I don’t know that I’d have chosen Security Expert, but it was done.

I glanced over at her. “So, we’re in agreement then?”

“Of course.”

We spoke at the same time, “Exploring Her Sexuality.” “Teacher.”

“Oh, come on Eli, Exploring Her Sexuality isn’t limited to targets who’ve already fucked you and that’s the key point. If you can get in their pants once, then between nostalgia and orgasm control, you should be able to bring anyone into line.”

“Maybe…” I admitted. “But it doubles down on what the app is trying to get me to do and focuses everything on only one tool.”

She dodged addressing that argument, and instead went in another way, “How many targets are even younger than you? Me, Skin, maybe Una, Bridgette and Firefly?” she pulled out her phone. Penelope and Peyton were also younger than me, as was Kat, but she was right, the harder targets, Clayface, Jinx, Jewelz, Harley, Poison Ivy, and Alyce were all older than me.

“Yeah, but that’s likely to change, eventually. Not with them, but with new targets. If we’re playing the long game…”

“You have to live long enough to make it there.”

”_We _have to live long enough--”

“I’m not the one in fucking Arkham, or playing with Batman!” she snapped, anger slipping out.

I stepped forward and kissed her.

“That doesn’t fix anything,” she said after a moment, though it sort of did. “You’re still in there with Zsasz, who tried to kill you!”

I blinked…shit, I’d never told her that, had I? “Babe--”

“Don’t babe me.”

“Babe, he’s dead.”

“What?”

“Harley killed him.”

“How the fuck did you get her to do that?”

“She likes being able to check out books and really wants that movie night. Which she won’t ever get if I get dead. Plus everyone hated him.”

“How’d she even know about it?”

“I told her. And every other supervillain in there.”

“So…they all know that Harley killed Zsasz for you?”

“Uh…yeah?”

“That’s gonna go well.” she was teasing me, the fear released. “I still don’t like it.”

“Neither do I. I didn’t like having him killed either…”

“****. Don’t get soft on me.”

“Never.”

She laughed. Then blinked. "That's why you went with Just A Contractor? You didn't want any more people hurt?"

I nodded.

"That's...not going to be possible, you know that, right?"

“If we can get Alyce and Penelope under control, then things get a lot easier. We’re making progress,” I said, trying to convince both of us and evading the question.

She nodded, and while I was considering, hit one of the options.