Seeing their confusion, Ryden clarified quickly.
"I'm Ryden Hunt. My parents were military researchers who died in a spy bombing six months ago. My sister is always at the police station. I need an honest housekeeper to clean, cook, and occasionally run errands for my research. The job requires living here. I'll pay two hundred dollars a month, plus extra for supplies."
Two hundred dollars.
Most people couldn't even find work for twenty.
This was a fortune.
Sarah looked at Ryden with a kind of maternal pity.
"I can do that, Ryden. I'll take care of you."
Steve was happy as well. Being a housekeeper was far safer than working as a nurse in a tuberculosis ward.
Without this meeting, Sarah might have died of contagion, just like in the original timeline.
"Great. Start tomorrow. I'm home on weekends. I'll pay you the first installment then. Nice to meet you, Aunt Sarah."
Sarah pulled Ryden into a warm, motherly hug.
She was a well-endowed woman, and the contact felt... different to Ryden.
The pure-hearted teenager flushed bright red.
Sarah noticed immediately. He was just a boy hitting puberty.
Instead of being offended, she felt a small, unspoken pride in her own charm.
She held the hug a moment longer to avoid making things awkward.
Ryden was embarrassed, but honestly, it felt great.
Steve didn't think twice about it. A hug of gratitude was normal.
After they left, Ryden moved his supplies into his lab.
At the center sat a reactor the size of a wheel, a prototype made from Element X and palladium coils.
It wasn't functional yet, but if it worked, it could power the entire house forever.
Ryden began his daily workout.
He needed a strong body to survive this era.
He remembered that on Wonder Woman's island, Themyscira, they had a tradition of dueling. The winner gained "dominance" over the loser.
If he could win, Diana would be his for life.
He couldn't beat a demigod with just push-ups, but a strong body paired with a few schemes gave him a chance.
Besides, he really wanted to get rid of that "shameful virgin hat."
"Hey, Ryden! You stingy bastard, come eat!" Terrence shouted from next door.
Ryden showered and headed over.
The Rhodes' house was smaller, but cozy.
Mrs. Rhodes, a shapely woman who worked at the police station, greeted him warmly.
"Ryden, come in! I could smell the food from across the street!"
Ryden sat down in front of a golden-brown steak.
"Mrs. Rhodes, your cooking keeps getting better," he said.
Terrence rolled his eyes.
"Mom, don't let him fool you. He's been a rascal since we were kids, always 'experimenting' in other people's yards because he didn't want to break his own stuff!"
Ryden enjoyed the hearty meal.
He needed the fuel for the long road ahead.
🍊 Boost This Fanfic! 🍊
Every 100 Power Stones gets 1 bonus chapters! 🚀