Mind Games

The city was calm, at least comparatively to recent events. Marshall was making his way through the office with a stack of papers in hand for his immediate supervisor. He took a moment to look out over the city through the high floor window, no real thoughts running through his head. After a moment he continued on with his delivery, stepping up to his supervisor's assistant to hand off the papers. Jessica was her name, a pretty girl who stood out from the rest of the staff with jet black hair and accented pale skin that seemed to be flawless. Marshall gave her a polite smile as he lied the stack down, pretending that it was a little heavy for him. Marshall had been keeping his abilities under wrap for the time being, the only person in the business actually knowing of his abilities was the CEO himself, Mr. Baxter.

"Afternoon Jessica, just dropping these papers off for Mr. Durk.... it's the remaining archive files of the New York incident. I have to say, it's a little curious that we dug up these files..... that incident happened years ago, and the damage is almost all but repaired."

"Heh.... thanks Marshall.... Mr. Durk has been in a mood today and these files are hopefully going to help that mood." She fluttered her eyes to him, giving a somewhat flirtatious smile to him before reaching out to pull the stack of papers closer to herself.

Marshall was naturally curious, asking questions here and there about simple things most others would already know about. He was taken for a simpleton by most, but he was just generally curious since he had been raised in a sheltered life. This also left him somewhat naive to the intentions of other people too, since Marshall himself always felt like people were good without any question.... at least the ones not in jail. Being this way, Jessica's flirtatious intentions flew right over his head, his mind not even recognizing the act as a flirtatious one..... he just figured she was being nice and bubbly, as usual. The building they worked in was the Baxter and Co. building, a construction company that worked almost exclusively on damage and city repair in the aftermath of a super hero/villain attack. Marshall had been selected by the CEO personally because of his abilities, but kept his secret for the sake of show and contract. Mr. Baxter's intentions on hiring Marshall were an enigma, even Marshall had no idea as to why he was fast tracked in the company.

5pm soon rolled around and Marshall was beat to hell and back. Despite his immense strength and resilience, he often still got achy muscles after a long day of work on his feet. He was looking forward to getting home and slinking into his bed with a nice funny show to fall asleep to. The Aussie intern made his way downstairs to the lobby, the lift door giving a soft 'ting' when reaching the lobby level before opening to reveal the sea of people in the lobby. Most of them were business types, wearing fancy pressed suits and carrying briefcases with important documents and contracts. In this sea of people, anyone could slip by and get upstairs with the proper disguise. Marshall began to make his way through the people, trying to be as gentle as he possibly could while pushing through the crowd. He had finally made it to the front of the building, opening the door and politely holding the door open for a woman in a wheelchair who was only just making her way inside.

"Be careful in there.... it's a madhouse of suits, ha." Marshall jokingly claimed to the woman, waiting for her to fully enter the building as to not let the door hit her chair on the way inside.

Marshall had completely missed the fiery red haired woman, perhaps because he was exhausted and looking forward to a hot meal and a soft bed. He almost made it to the cab before he realized he had left his phone and I.D. in his desk at the office. Giving a soft sigh of frustration, he made his way back into the building through the madhouse of a lobby until he got to the lift.

A soft 'ting' indicated that he had arrived at his floor, stepping out he began to make his way to his desk. Passing Jessica's desk, he decided to greet her politely again but was caught off guard by the change of hair colour she exhibited. It was curious to him, however he figured plenty of girls liked to dye their hair all the time.

"Hello there Jessica..... I see you dyed your hair..... pretty quickly too." He spoke in a curious, almost confused tone but accepted that it was what it was. Perhaps she was secretly a super hero who had some image altering powers!! Marshall quickly shook these  thoughts away while giving her another smile. "I only just came back up because I forgot my phone and I.D. and I figured I'd give you another 'Hey' before I head home for the rest of the day."

Marshall couldn't explain it, but he felt somewhat different around Jessica. It was as if there was some sort of aura around her that felt.... thick. Perhaps this was what other normal guys felt around pretty girls.... that thing they called attraction. Marshall never quite understood those things that other people talked about, mainly sexual attraction and arousal..... but maybe this is what they were talking about.

Marshall was surprised to see a black wig, thinking that her black hair was her real hair all this time. He was unsure as to what her comment meant, but he was trying to learn all he could in this new place he was in. Shrugging off the curiosity, at least for the time being he simply smiled, a warm and genuine smile at that,  to the now red-headed Jessica. She was acting different than she usually did, and this was only piquing his curiosity even more.

"Oh I see, well I suppose there is nothing wrong with that. I like the red hair anyhow, makes you really pop out. Like fire."

He could still feel that something was off, but perhaps he was just tired from work and his mind was playing games on him. Marshall slowly made his way around to the centre of her desk, smiling as he looked down to see she had opened up the files he had left for her. Once again his curiosity piqued as he leaned in to try and read them, though not really getting anything from the angle they were laying there. He was then snapped back into reality by her sudden request for a drink.

"Oh... well sure yeah. I suppose there may still be some coffee, unless you're wanting some water or perhaps a soda from the mac...."

His sentence was cut short by the sound that came from the closet. A light wooden clunking and a plastic thud indicating that a broom and bucket had toppled over in the utility closet not too far off. Marshall, once again, felt his curiosity get the better of him as he turned towards the closet.

"Huh, must have been set improperly on the shelf.... I suppose I could help the janitor by putti.... ooh!"

Another sentence cut short as Jessica gasped out before fainting and falling into his arms where he awkwardly, but gently caught her. She weighed absolutely nothing to him, and in the moment of instinct he caught her using a portion of his real strength as to ensure her safety. Marshall was not concerned with the safety of keeping his powers under wraps, just concerned with keeping Jessica safe for the moment.

"Jessica.... Jessica are you all right!? Oh god you really needed that drink, didn't you."

Marshall was gentle as she pressed her hand to his chest. The fact that the top button of her blouse had come undone had not phased him even a little, his focus remaining on her facial expression. She did indeed look exhausted, but was glad to see she was able to still walk and balance. He gave a chuckle at her comment as if she needed forgiveness from him for simply not being all together.

"I don't need to forgive you silly, it's been a long day for all of us."

His ears perked a little, figuratively anyway, when she mentioned the files so casually. Marshall knew that they were public files, at least the ones he had access to. Curiosity unfortunately being his weak point, he did have some level of interest in the more archived files in the sub levels of his building.

"Well.... in all honesty I am pretty curious about those files. Mr. Baxter is very secretive about a few, won't even tell me and I bring him coffee. I don't think we're allowed down there, and unfortunately I have no clearance. I can bring you some other files you need, plus I know that the computer you have has access to employee records and the like. I mean... didn't you know that Jessica?"

His inflection rises at the end as his statement forms into a question. He figured she would know this kind of stuff already... but she also did nearly faint just a few moments ago. Perhaps she is still dizzy and requires a little more rest. Marshall actually admired how diligent she worked, especially later at night where most others left to go home, including himself.

Marshall nodded to her, taking a temporary leave in search of those files Jessica so graciously requested. He was not gone long, but long enough to allow Jessica to relax and get into her computer files. While sifting through, Marshall was unaware that Jessica, or rather Naomi, was now reading up on the employee records.

The computer files were relatively easy to find and access, given Jessica's clearance level for said files. She occasionally acted as HR in the original HR rep's absence. Most of the files on the employees were pretty standard, dental records and the like. However Marshall's file turned up a little differently.

In his folder, Marshall had a sub-folder with an extra level of security to it. Lucky enough Jessica was allowed access to this folder, though possibly an error on Mr. Baxter's part. Once Naomi had opened up the folder, it revealed everything about Marshall.... at least as much as the company had on him.

Dossier 004:
-Name: Marshall Walker
-Age: 27
-Height: 6'1"
-Weight: 140-160
-Sexual orientation: Unknown
-Place of birth/nationality: Emerald City, Queensland, Australia/ Australian

Dossier 004 ((classified)):
-Subject name: Marshall Walker
-Subject's known powers:
1) Possesses exponential strength, true limits unknown.
2) Appears able to exert immense strength with ease, possibly possessing super human levels of mass in his physiology.
3) Appears to be nearly invulnerable to physical damage, possibly due to super human levels of density in his physiology, potentially provides longevity or even immortality.
-Subject's known shortcomings:
1) Appears to be limited to normal human locomotion, no increased senses or athleticism.
2) Appears to still feel the sensation of pain, although possibly retarded to the point of only minor nuisance.
3) Susceptible to common ailments such as headaches, muscle and joint pain, and the common cold.
4) Appears to exert a great deal of energy to maintain himself, causing fatigue if pushed enough. Limit of this fatigue is unknown, requires rest in order to maintain effectiveness.
5) Possibly susceptible to magic, voodoo, necromancy, and various other degrees of mind and reality altering effects.
6) Mentally young and naive, possessing the characteristics of a child at points as well as lack of cognition in brain activity.
-Alien: Possibly
-God-like entity: Possibly
-Subject conclusion: Potentially dangerous, super cell quarantine highly suggested.

The file had a good portion of data on Marshall, given that he never really tried to hide himself from prying eyes. The file however had nothing on his origin, nothing stating how he obtained his abilities or how they relate to where he came from globally speaking. Jessica/Naomi had only a little time to read through before Marshall made his way back with the folders. He grew concerned when he saw Jessica stumbling once again, feeling she must have not fully recovered from her previous episode. Glad she was still able to stand on her own two feet, he relaxed as he placed the files he found on the table. Giving her a nod to the next almost immediate question, he smiled and gave a soft chuckle. Food indeed sounded wonderful to him at the moment.

"That sounds great actually, I'm starved and could use a bite. Please allow me to help you outside, I wouldn't want you to fall.... you still seem a bit woozy." Concerned for her, he politely took her hand and gave her express permission to use any part of him she needed to maintain balance as he would lead them out of the building. He kept her close as they made their way out, the building only partially lit up now as it reaches it's final hour of operation before shutting down for the night officially.

Marshall had not noticed anything amiss about Jessica, partially due to his naive nature in general. He missed slips of the tounge, physiology alterations, and even her sleight of hand with his file. He was just genuinely trusting of her, an employee he had worked with for some time now. Unaware that there was anything wrong, he continued to lead her out of the building. From time to time he would glance to her and smile, the corners of his mouth wrinkling and his teeth slightly showing. This proved that it was a genuine smile, and that Marshall was having a good time. He rarely connected with coworkers like this, and he was enjoying himself and his company.

His stomach would make a slight gurgle as the hunger in his belly grew. It was screaming for food, and Marshall could hear it clearly. He got a little embarrassed as he wasn't sure if she had heard his stomach also. It had been a few hours since his last meal, but it wasn't substantial enough to fuel him for this long. He required much more nutrients and calories than the average person, sometimes he wondered how he could even afford food alone. The thought dissipated as he looked back to Jessica with another smile, coming up on security near the exit of the building.

"So, what were you thinking of having? I just got paid so, my treat." He asked calmly, not wanting to give away that he was starving and his muscles were starting to ache just a bit. It had been a long day, and the office had him running all over the place for files and documents and..... just so much paper. His brain was also fried, in a metaphorical sense, from reading and computers all day long. After a moment, Marshall presented his badge for the security before the officer looked to Jessica with a bit of a coy smile.

"Good evening Jessica. Badge please." Despite his professionalism, anyone could spot the security officer's coy smile and invasive glances. Anyone, except Marshall that is.

Marshall flashed his badge after Jessica, the guard swiftly checking him through. There was a look on his face of confusion, and possibly jealousy. Was that little kid with that piece of work? The guard would huff to himself, Marshall completely oblivious to his jealousy and frustration. His eyes were once more focused Jessica. As he exited the building to meet her, his own head would crane back as he admired the height of the buildings around him. No matter how long he had been in the city, the magnificence of it all never seemed to wear off. The sky was spotty with stars, partially covered with pollution and the other natural clouds. Enough to grasp his hazel eyes though.

After a brief admiration of the sky, his gaze shifted to his newfound friend. She was very sweet and polite, something that she wasn't too often in the office. Perhaps it was just stress, or maybe she just had a work ethic that prevented her from really socializing at work. Regardless, Marshall was enjoying himself greatly, and they haven't even gotten to the food yet.

"Actually there is the Mongolian barbecue place I wanted to try out. I hear it's great, and they have large portions. I admit, I'm pretty starved."

He paused for a moment and looked down slightly, a sheepish look on his face.

"Unfortunately..... I have no ride myself. Unless you're driving, we might be sharing a taxi."

He was not embarrassed about much, however he knew when his lack of transportation was a burden on others, and that often struck him hard. He tried to mask his slight shame, not wanting her to be frustrated nor pity him. He just simply hadn't gotten around to driving yet, and with this city it's near impossible anyways. Perhaps Jessica would disregard him entirely. This wasn't supposed to be a date, but Marshall still felt pressured to make a good impression and be a proper gentleman...... who couldn't drive....

Marshall smiled, nodding as he reluctantly began to walk with Jessica. He could have sworn that Jessica herself had a car, but he never really paid attention so that could have been anyone. The young man was looking forward to a good meal, and he had some money to spare so he could spoil himself, and Jessica. All this felt odd to Marshall, however, as he had never really gone out on a real date before. Was it a date? People go out and get food together, it's technically a date.... but he just couldn't quite understand it. For now he'd just remain the same, curious and optimistic about the time out together.

His feet ached as they walked, pulsing from the long day and the fact that Marshall himself lacked any sufficient stamina without proper nutrients for a number of hours. Lunch was at least 5-6 hours ago, so he was fading fast, metaphorically speaking. There was no way anyone in the office would know of Marshall's abilities, except for the CEO himself, who personally recommended his employment. This explained why Jessica didn't mind walking, and Marshall was dreading it.

He perked up when she began to speak, chuckling to himself as she questioned him about his time in New York. She had never been so outgoing or talkative, but he figured it was because they were always so busy with work. A big, genuine, kind smile creased his lips as the overzealous boy like co-worker responded with gusto.

"I thought you never were interested! I have been in America for about a year or so, maybe a little more. I got shipped over here from Australia on the CEO's request. I guess he saw my potential, or perhaps just wanted to expand his workforce.... I wouldn't know, I admit I'm not too.... savvy on all these details of the company."