“Hello, I will be the head researcher in charge today. My colleague contacted mre to let me know that a new unresearched super power holder was going to be tested in a local location. I couldn’t turn it down. Chances like this are one in a million nowadays.” The man standing in front of Asher had shown up a little less than an hour after Art had sent a text t his mother and father. Asher was beside himself with just how opportunistic some researchers were when it came to data. 

“Umm, yeah. My name’s Asher. I have a lucky jinx super power. My friends told me I need to do some research of my own so that I can better understand the span of its effects. Sorry to take you away from your job for this.” Asher truly felt bad taking someone from their lab. He hadn’t really wanted to do this in the first place. 

“No no, don’t feel bad. This is what I live for. I have a super power that allows me to memorize data and even remember everything I have seen. But where it differentiates from a photographic memory is in my ability to save it to a flash drive or disk just by touch. It’s odd, I will admit that. But it is why I neat out many of my colleagues to get data collection jobs like this.” There was an aura of excitement around the researcher. “Oh, and please don’t worry about my name or anything. I am researcher forty three. Just call me that if you need me. It helps with anyone trying to steal data from us.” 

While Asher felt it was odd to call someone a number over a name he didn’t shy away from it. There were many people that went to great lengths to protect their identity lately and there were rumors that people with a face sculpting ability had been changing the appearances of researchers, For all Asher knew, he could walk by this man in the future and never recognize him again.

“Well, the idea is-“

“To go to a casino and gamble. Yes. My supervisor let me know the details. We have prepared a small sum of money to test this out. We will start going through the basic games and you can do as you wish. We know that it may not be fin due to your age and that gambling is not as popular as it used to be. But rest assured, we will not bring you to an aged location. We have a very special casino for such tests like yours. Although they usually have to do with predictive or mental super powers.” 

The idea that hero corp ran a casino to research predictive super powers like future sight and probability prediction was fairly interesting. The way to test these super powers must be very broad and hard to keep organized. Even more, having a super power that lets someone read minds would also make games like poker easily cheated. Therefore, having research for mental powers like that could go to end a decent number of potential problems. 

“Art, you really have to do this?” The question was nothing more than a minor complaint that got Art to shrug his shoulders. 

“Just go and study your super power. Just make sure that Jane is still learning how to use her super power too.” Cara pushed them away toward a car that the researcher had arrived in. If the man had not introduced himself as a researcher then they would not have noticed. The hero corp leaders had changed the obvious coats and markings so that they were more inconspicuous. The change was to help protect researchers and other staff while out on assignments like this. 

“I have also been briefed on your super power. Medusa was very well known in Greek mythology. We have a very limited explanation of the way the super power differs from the way the mythology is. I hope that you are also excited to test the data we know and do not know.” The researcher was very happy to have two subjects. 

“Well…I just want to better use my sight to freeze people in place. I want to go around without these sunglasses and if I have to look down or away from people all the time then I will learn it.” Asher hadn’t realized just how much Jane was hating the sunglasses. But it made sense. She had tan lines from always wearing something and on top of that, she couldn’t see properly ever. Being able to walk around the way she had before her super power was definitely a strong desire he had overlooked. 

“I’m the lucky charm. If there is a way my luck will make sure you find it.” There was a wide smile in response to Asher’s comment. The researcher even averted his gaze to give the pair a little more privacy in the cramped car. He knew that Asher gad to be saying this as a way to cheer his friend up. But also because he cared for her. Just because forty three was there to research didn’t mean he had to ignore proper human boundaries. 

“Ehm, so, Is that the place?” The car ride had only been a few minutes long but had been enough time for them to come in to view of a larger building. 

“Yes, it sounds like you have seen this place before. It’s very popular for sporting events, betting, large fundraising, arcades, and even restaurants.” The multipurpose building was part of the mall strip that had been made to encourage entertainment in the city. But what stood out most of all was the fact that the building appeared to be very devoid of people. 

“I have never seen it so empty. What’s going on?” Jane had passed by a few times in her life. Mostly when she was going to the mall to buy clothing or other things. 

“Well, it usually isn’t fully open by this time. The only clientele that use this part of the building are those that come to the twenty four hours casino and sports view room. So, it is the perfect time for some small data collection such as this. I am pretty sure there are even a few professional car players and statistic gurus here right now.” The researcher seemed to know much more about the casino than he had led them to believe. 

“You research super powers here a lot, don’t you?” Asher had zeroed in on this and was met with a slight nod. “Then I guess we are going to make your research pool a bit wavy today. Jane can use her super power to stop people from folding or calling bets. I can use mine to get lucky and catch twenty one of land right on the slots. It will be much more advanced than the arcade games we played before.” 

“Exactly my thinking. The arcade games are fun for children. But add the pressure of real money and we may see some interesting occurrences based on super powers involved. I would love to see what happens when one of my mind readers loses over and over. Or when a foresight super power is proven wrong again and again.” The scenarios that the researcher was thinking about would make the super power users stressed and most likely cause their super powers to be used differently. Overall it would be very valuable data for those super powers. 

“Do you have the feeling that Art knew this would all happen and we kind of played in to his hands?’ Jane and Asher just held their gaze for a short while before Jane nodded her head. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. I bet his mom asked him to get me to help them collect data. The two that helped give me my evo shot were pretty excited to record a new super power.” It was inevitable that Asher would end up in this position. But to know that Art had played him left a slight bitter taste in his mouth. “We are pranking Art so hard when we get done here.” 

“Of course we will. It’s only fair.” There was a slight evil tone in Janes’ voice that Made Asher smile wider. He was glad to have a partner in crime before he stepped out of the car. 

“So, we have been allowed to take ten thousand dollars as starter money. I want you to split it between both of you and make it in to a hundred thousand for the children’s hospital ball tonight. The donations are broadcasted on television to endorse certain companies and businesses. It will be donated under the Link hero group name. I also took the liberty to properly enroll your group as an official hero group without a practicing license. It’s the next best thing for your future.” The researcher knew exactly how to bait them in to going all in on this research.. But it was just what Asher needed to get in to it.