The facility's main reception area featured a counter where people could drop off unwanted electronics and, if interested, browse a selection of refurbished items available for purchase. A bored-looking attendant glanced up as they entered.
"Dropping off or looking?"
He asked mechanically.
"Both."
Marcus replied, adding:
"I have some old devices to recycle later, but for today, I'm interested in purchasing non-functional items for an art project."
The attendant raised an eyebrow.
"Art project?"
"Technological deconstruction as a metaphor for societal obsolescence. I'm exploring the aesthetic of digital decay."
Marcus improvised, keeping his expression serious.
"Whatever, man."
The attendant shrugged.
"Dropoffs go there."
He pointed to a sorting area.
"If you want junk for art, check the bins in the back. Anything in the red bins is going to the crusher today. Five credits per pound for that stuff."
Perfect! These are items already slated for destruction and available at minimal cost.
Marcus thought as he directed his wheelchair toward the back area, Devin following curiously.
"Digital decay?"
Devin whispered, amused.
"It sounded appropriately pretentious, getting him off my back."
Marcus replied with a slight smile.
The red bins contained a variety of non-functional electronic devices—obsolete computers, cracked tablets, damaged phones, and miscellaneous components. Using his Contract Visualization, Marcus identified items with the strongest connections. The ones with strong links would yield the most EP when destroyed, and those were his targets.
"I need about twenty pounds of this. Particularly the ones with intact batteries if possible."
He told Devin, indicating a bin containing primarily older-model smartphones and tablets.
Devin helped gather the items, placing them in a collection bag provided by the facility.
"Mind if I ask what you're really planning to do with these?"
He asked, curious.
Marcus hesitated, then decided on a partial truth.
"My Tempest skill responds to the energy released when complex objects are destroyed. It's a form of practice."
This wasn't entirely false, as his skill did indeed benefit from the Existence Points harvested through destruction. The mechanism was simply more direct than he implied.
They paid for the electronic waste, one hundred credits for twenty pounds of technological refuse, and returned to Devin's car. The bag of devices sat between them.
"Back home now?"
Devin asked as they left the recycling center.
Marcus nodded, his mind already planning how to efficiently process his new acquisitions. Each device would need to be destroyed individually to maximize EP yield. With his Tempest skill, disintegrating the electronics would be simple, but he would need to establish a controlled environment to avoid damage to his apartment.
As they drove, Marcus found himself contemplating the notification about Devin's potential as a contracted ally. The man had proven consistently helpful, asking few questions and offering support without judgment. Such loyalty was rare.
Devin's loyalty to Marcus was valuable in ways that transcended the supernatural bond the system had suggested. From what he observed from hanging out with Devin, the man seemed genuine and wasn't planning to take advantage of him.
"Devin."
Marcus began and paused, uncertain how to frame his thoughts. Eventually, he asked:
"Why are you helping me?"
The question seemed to surprise Devin.
"What do you mean?"
"You've gone well beyond professional courtesy as a driver. You've involved yourself in my personal matters, offered assistance without expectation of return. Why?"
Devin was quiet for a moment, focusing on the road. Finally, he said:
"When I first picked you up at your apartment, you looked... empty. Like someone who had given up on life. I recognized that look because I've seen it in the mirror."
He glanced briefly at Marcus through the rearview mirror.
"Three years ago, I lost my sister to a Transcendent incident. We were in the wrong place at the wrong time when some hotshot was showing off fire skills in a public park. My sister was caught in the line of fire, literally. The authorities called it an accident, compensated my family, and that was that."
He paused, his knuckles whitening slightly on the steering wheel.
"I couldn't afford skill crystals to do anything about it. I wanted that bastard to pay, but I couldn't even afford the legal fees to pursue further action. So I just... lived on with a heart full of regret. Drove my routes. Went home to an empty apartment. Repeated the next day."
"I'm sorry."
Marcus said quietly.
Devin shook his head.
"My point is, when I saw you starting to fight back against whatever happened to you, it reminded me that there's always a choice. You chose action over surrender. It was... inspiring, I guess."
The revelation shifted Marcus's perspective. Devin wasn't simply being kind; he was finding purpose through Marcus's journey. He sought vicarious empowerment through association with someone actively confronting their trauma.
This complicated the ethical question of his potential as a human contract target. Would binding Devin supernaturally be exploiting his emotional vulnerability? Or would it formalize a mutually beneficial relationship that was already developing naturally?
They arrived at Marcus's apartment building before he could resolve the dilemma. Devin helped transfer the bag of electronics to Marcus's wheelchair, then hesitated by the car door.
"Listen, if you need help with your... art project, just let me know. I'm off duty tomorrow."
He suddenly said.
Marcus studied him thoughtfully.
"Actually, an extra pair of hands would be useful. If you're serious about the offer."
"Absolutely."
Devin smiled and asked:
"What time works for you?"
"Come by around noon. We can have lunch first."
As Marcus entered his apartment and locked the door behind him, he felt a strange mixture of anticipation and unease. He had many things to think about before tomorrow: EP harvesting from the electronic waste, skill enhancement, and a decision regarding both Voss's offer and Devin's role as a potential contracted ally.
He placed the bag of devices on his kitchen table and expanded the system interface.
"Show me detailed information about human contracts."
He requested, intending to learn more before making up his mind.
[ACCESSING CONTRACT KNOWLEDGE...]
[HUMAN CONTRACTS DIFFER FUNDAMENTALLY FROM OBJECT OR SKILL CONTRACTS]
[REQUIRES MUTUAL CONSENT AND UNDERSTANDING]
[CANNOT OVERRIDE FREE WILL OR AUTONOMY]
[ESTABLISHES ENHANCED CONNECTION, COMMUNICATION, AND SHARED ENERGY PATHWAYS]
[BENEFITS BOTH CONTRACTOR AND CONTRACTED]
[WARNING: HUMAN CONTRACTS CREATE PERMANENT BONDS THAT CANNOT BE SEVERED WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT TRAUMA TO BOTH PARTIES]
The information was reassuring in some respects. The contract wouldn't enslave Devin or override his will, but it was concerning in other aspects. Permanent bond implied responsibility and commitment that Marcus wasn't sure he was prepared for.
He would need to consider carefully before taking such a step. For now, he had more immediate concerns.
Marcus selected one of the damaged smartphones from the bag, examining it briefly before activating his Tempest skill. With precise control, he created a sphere of rapidly compressed air around the device, then suddenly released the pressure. The phone imploded, collapsing into its component parts before disintegrating into fine particles.
A soft chime confirmed his success:
[EXISTENCE POINTS GAINED: +7]
[TOTAL EP: 26]
Seven points from a single smartphone, which was significantly better yield than what his drawings had provided. With twenty pounds of electronics to process, he could accumulate enough EP to substantially enhance his contracted allies.
Tomorrow, with Devin's help, he would harvest this resource efficiently. Then he would make decisions about Voss's offer, about Devin's role as a potential contracted ally, about his path forward in the hunt for the Vitality Wraith.
For now, though, he had taken another step toward his goal. Each day brought new power, new knowledge, and new possibilities to pave the path for his vengeance. The broken man who had contemplated suicide three weeks ago was transforming into something capable of this vengeance, something dangerous, something that would make the Wraith regret ever crossing his path in this lifetime.