THE MOMENT
"My daughter can summon spiders through the pores in her skin," Norton said. The older man with salt and pepper hair smiled at the two women across the table from him. They all sat in a mint green booth in the corner of a crowded coffee shop. When they made an appointment with him, Norton thought he was going to find a Super some work. Once everyone was introduced and seated it turned out the woman in white, Ms. Sharp, had a job offer for him.
"Once you've seen an infant giggling because a dozen hairy tarantulas are tickling her,..." Norton shook his head. "...it's easy to feel like you've seen it all. That being said, I'm not sure I can start to believe what you're suggesting."
"Mr. Mejia," Ms. Sharp said. "If that kind of belief were a requirement for the position, I would not be offering it to you."
"I don't understand," Norton said. "You're from an alternate universe," he nodded as he worked through his thoughts. "I can kind of understand that but I'm lost with everything else. If I don't need to believe in the rest, why me?"
"Business, Mr. Mejia," Ms. Sharp said. "I learned long ago that the quickest way to get something I want is to offer someone something they want. I currently have my own service that helps Supers find uses for their abilities. The reputation you've built and the contacts you've made would bolster my own company." Norton tilted his head at Ms. Sharp.
"You're trying to buy me out?" he asked. Ms. Sharp gave a curt nod and he chuckled. "Usually those kinds of offers involve money," he said. Ms. Sharp raised an eyebrow at him.
"Is there any amount of money you'd sell for?" she asked. Norton shook his head enthusiastically.
"Hell no," he said. Ms. Sharp nodded again.
"Which is why I didn't waste time offering it," she said. "I'm well informed by the time I meet someone. I know that you genuinely love your business of helping Supers. I know that you think it's great money but the best part to you is: you have a loose schedule that allows plenty of time with your daughter." Ms. Sharp nodded at a young woman sitting by herself drinking coffee. She had a spider tattooed on her upper arm with the number 33 on it.
"No matter how much money I have, it's not enough. Instead, I'm offering you a job you can do with your daughter. Travel to and see alternate universes you've never imagined. And, you'll work closely with my Super advisor, Restraint, to make sure your people are being taken care of. You're losing absolutely nothing, but gaining so much."
"It sounds ridiculous," Norton said. He gave a slight chuckle while he considered the proposition. "I know you said my belief wasn't particularly important; but, who'd believe it? The idea that Mars, hell, every other planet besides Earth isn't real...," he shook his head.
"That idea is exactly what I want you to spread," Ms. Sharp said. "I just need the idea out there. It'll take root and branch out over time from Earth to Earth. Eventually, enough people will believe in the idea to make it true."