The room was full, but not as bad as it could have been.

  Now that Max was actually in the job fair, situated, and could relax a bit, he took the opportunity to examine the people around him–both the Challengers and the regular people who had come to watch. He thought it was interesting how the non-Challengers respectfully kept their distance for the most part, unless they got an opportunity to ask for a picture or an autograph. It was very different from how Max remembered people acting around celebrities before he had gone to the Quartet.

  He had a few theories as to why this change had occurred.

  Another interesting observation was how most of the regular people who were attending and who didn't already have a purse or satchel carried backpacks. Meanwhile, the Challengers, for the most part, did not carry a backpack and wore a weapon. Max thought that the difference between the people he was seeing became more obvious the more he watched.

  He made his way slowly around the edges of the room, checking out the booths. His first inclination had been to head straight for the Trifecta Guild booth at the far side of the room and ignore the others. However, he decided not to because that would probably be more likely to stand out, and there was no reason to say no to free money.

  Free money was good.

  Max methodically worked his way around the room, greeting the person behind the counter at every booth, and accepting an envelope full of cash in return for hearing their pitch about their guild. All of them were eager to chat after finding out he was C-ranked. He was able to learn quite a bit just by doing this and was glad he had made the decision to visit the different guilds.

  As a result, by the time he finally made his way around the room and had spoken to most of the other guild representatives, he knew that some of the amenities the guilds were offering were all-expenses-paid health care, room and board, and a decent weapon as a signing bonus.

  Although Max didn't know what rates were competitive or exactly what was industry-standard, it seemed like almost anybody who was at his rank or higher had the potential to become rich.

  As he’d moved around the room, the guild representatives asked if he was a brand new Returner. He hadn't lied about it, or the fact he had been back on earth for less than a month. Now he was aware of the fact that several people were staring at him from across the room. He had no doubt that a few of the guild representatives were going to make him a more aggressive offer soon. That would be troublesome and would probably make his presence more notable.

  Max could feel pressure between his shoulder blades. The time he had to mess around was running out.

  When he finally made his way to the Trifecta table, there were actually one or two more guilds that he didn't get a chance to visit. Oh well, he thought, no need to push this any further.

  The young man behind the Trifecta Guild table, in front of a banner that read, “Trifecta Guild, Join Today!” was a stranger. When Max walked up, the man looked up with mild startlement. Max could understand why. During the entire time he was visiting the other tables, not a single person had gone to the Trifecta Guild table.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "Uh, hello, Challenger," said the man. "My name is Timothy Charles. May I ask your name?"

  "It's Max."

  Without being asked to, he handed over his challenger ID card. Obvious surprise crossed Timothy's face before he met Max’s eyes again.

  "This says you're a C-Rank," he said.

  Max thought it was quite unnecessary to say so since it was very obviously written on the card. "That's right.”

  "Well then, um, what would you like to know about Trifecta?"

  What the hell? thought Max. He had listened to almost two dozen guild pitches by now, and this was by far the worst.

  "Do I get any money for talking to you?" he asked.

  "Uh, yes, here you go." Timothy handed Max an envelope and wrote his name on a lined piece of paper. Curious, Max opened the envelope and looked at the money inside.

  Wow, he thought. What he could see in the envelope was less than a fourth as much money compared to the otherwise lowest de facto bribe he had gotten from any of the other tables.

  When Timothy was done writing Max's name down, he much more smoothly transitioned into a pitch for the guild. He began listing signing bonuses and otherwise trying to make the Trifecta Guild sound like a good choice. He failed miserably. Max didn't know exactly how good of a deal he had been offered by the other guilds, but everything Timothy was pitching paled in comparison.

  Now I know why nobody else is coming over here, Max thought. Even for the little bit of money they got for coming to the table, they probably didn't want to even talk to the Trifecta Guild.

  A handful of regular people had approached the Trifecta table, but only to take pictures in front of it. None had seemed too interested past that.

  Once Timothy was done explaining what a new recruit could generally expect for signing with the Trifecta Guild, he passed over a pamphlet about the guild. Then, obviously expecting Max to walk away, said, "Thank you for visiting with us. Please keep us in mind."

  Max smirked. The expression came from a place of irritation more than amusement, though.

  What in the hell happened to this guild I started? His original plan had been to sign up for the guild, get some money, and then head to wherever it was headquartered before making contact with some of his old friends. But now that he saw how far Trifecta had fallen, he thought that he might fast-track his original plan a little bit. His decision was made as much out of impatience as recognition of an opportunity.

  "Timothy, here's the deal. I'm actually interested in the Trifecta Guild, and I'm willing to sign an NDA or whatever it is I need in order to speak with somebody who can make me a rookie deal. In person."

  Timothy blinked in surprise and said, "Well, I am the recruiter here. I can definitely make you a rookie deal."

  Max shook his head. "No offense, but nobody else is really coming over here to your talbe, and I'm a C-Rank. It's possible that the Trifecta Guild won't make me a better deal than what you just described, but I have a feeling they will, especially since I tested at least at a B-rank level for my challenger ID test. I've only been back on Earth for a few days, less than a month."

  Now he truly had Timothy's undivided attention. Glancing left and right and lowering his voice, the young Trifecta Guild member whispered, "Did you participate in any Quartet competitions?"

  Now it was Max's turn to be surprised. But when he thought about it, Quartet competition participation would definitely be a shorthand for more powerful challengers during their time in the quartet. And the vast majority of Returners would have been participants instead.

  Whispering back, Max replied, "Yes."

  Timothy somehow looked more shocked than he already had before. His voice was strangled as he asked, "Why are you interested in Trifecta then?"

  Now Max's expression turned cold. "That's my business. Now, are you going to provide me with transportation to your guild headquarters so I can talk to somebody higher up the food chain, or not?"

  "Hold on, let me make a phone call," Timothy said. Then, almost running, he left the table and disappeared through a door.

  Max didn't have to wait long. Timothy was back in about a minute, his expression a combination of excitement and trepidation.

  "I just got word back. Challenger Max, you have been officially invited to visit the Trifecta Guild. If you hang around here, I'll make sure you get a room in my hotel, and we'll leave first thing in the morning."

  "Sounds good," said Max. He exchanged numbers with Timothy, and the other man told him to watch for texts. Timothy was already booking Max a room in his hotel. “I’m going to get some food and come back,” said Max. Sound good?”

  “Definitely. Good to go.”

  Max walked away, leaving Timothy typing out an email on his phone.

  As he left the convention center to look for some food, he wondered if any of his old students had heard his name when Timothy called. Was Max going to be visiting the Trifecta Guild as a promising, currently C-Rank challenger, maybe new blood for a dying guild? Would he be greeted by his friends? The harried Timothy didn't seem to act differently after he had made his phone call, so it was unlikely he'd spoken to anyone knew Max personally.

  He figured he would find out for sure the next day.