Chapter 25 - Second Shift Gets a Sign
Before saving a bridge, Mason needed a business license.
This annoyed him more than expected.
Tessa insisted.
“You are now taking six figures in relic work.”
“Six figures sounds less impressive when half of it is replacement parts.”
“You need insurance.”
“For cultivation?”
“For the normal world. If a spiritual espresso machine explodes, the city inspector will still ask boring questions.”
Ward added, “Civilization is mostly boring questions preventing exciting disasters.”
So Mason registered Second Shift Restoration LLC.
He rented an old machine shop at the edge of Old River above the hidden furnace access.
Todd donated a sign frame.
Mrs. D’Amico donated pastries.
Logan donated nothing because, according to Logan, “my presence increases property value.”
Tessa painted SECOND SHIFT across the sign herself.
Underneath, Mason added:
WE FIX WHAT OTHER PEOPLE QUIT ON.
Ward read it twice.
“Acceptable.”
“High praise.”
The business grew immediately.
Normal customers came during the day.
Cultivators came after midnight.
Mason learned that hidden-world problems were often stupid in familiar ways.
A spear cultivator wanted a warranty claim because his relic had cracked while striking a parking meter.
“Why were you striking a parking meter?” Mason asked.
“It disrespected me.”
“It charged you two dollars.”
“Exactly.”
A wealthy family brought a ceremonial bronze lion that sneezed sparks every time someone lied nearby. Their teenage son begged Mason not to fix it.
He understood immediately.
A courier brought a storage ring stuck on “vacuum mode” that had eaten three sets of keys, a sandwich, and half a sleeve.
Mason made money.
More importantly, he acquired traits.
Not all for himself.
Steel Meridian unlocked Trait Weaving.
He could combine compatible minor traits into tools.
TIMING + TORQUE became IMPACT RHYTHM on a repaired breaker bar.
HEAT TOLERANCE + LOAD BEARING became FURNACE FRAME on Tessa’s work jacket.
Ward refused all upgrades until Mason added a cup holder to his cane.
“Now it is civilized,” Ward said.
Three days before Marrow Bridge construction, Mercer’s granddaughter arrived.
Her name was June.
Twelve years old, shaved hair on one side, purple hoodie, prosthetic leg covered in the same faded stickers Mason had preserved.
She walked into the shop without a limp.
Then she ran the length of the floor.
Evelyn Mercer stood near the door pretending not to be emotional.
June stopped in front of Mason.
“You made it weird.”
Mason blinked.
“Sorry?”
“The leg. It knows when I’m going to move.”
“Adaptive qi damping.”
“It’s weird.”
“Bad weird?”
June considered.
“No.”
She handed him a folded paper.
Mason opened it.
A drawing of Second Shift.
The sign was crooked.
Argument Ender was three times too large.
Mason had superhero shoulders he absolutely did not possess.
At the bottom:
THANKS FOR NOT MAKING IT NEW.
Mason swallowed.
“Your perspective work needs improvement.”
June grinned.
Evelyn stepped forward.
“Consider Mercer House neutral in the Marrow Bridge dispute.”
Tessa looked up sharply.
“Neutral?”
“It is more than you had yesterday.”
Mason understood.
Evelyn could not openly fight the Council.
But she would not help them either.
June leaned toward Mason and whispered loudly, “Grandma says Crowe is a fossil with a legal department.”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
“I did not say that in those exact words.”
June looked delighted.
Mason decided he liked her.
After they left, the system chimed.
[REPUTATION MILESTONE]
SECOND SHIFT — LOCAL HIDDEN-WORLD REPUTATION: 21
[NEW EFFECT: ABANDONED OBJECTS MAY SEEK YOU OUT.]
Mason stared.
“What does that mean?”
Something crashed outside.
They ran to the alley.
A rusted motorcycle had rolled there by itself.
No rider.
No fuel.
Its headlight blinked twice.
A panel appeared.
[HELP.]
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