The Ball Game

Jay's cheerful mood upon leaving work was subtly dampened by a minor incident on the way. He couldn't shake off the words the homeless man had spoken to him, nor the deeper meaning behind them, but those weren't questions with easy answers.

Upon arriving home, Jay temporarily set these thoughts aside and was greeted by Mrs. Reynolds' bright smile. She enthusiastically took his briefcase and began asking about his first day of internship. When Jay mentioned his attendance at a banquet in three days, Mrs. Reynolds expressed considerable surprise and seemed even more excited than he was.

Mr. Reynolds didn't get home until almost ten o'clock. Mrs. Reynolds grumbled with dissatisfaction about his late arrival without any message, but he remained silent. Jay noticed that Mr. Reynolds uncharacteristically sat on the living room sofa, lost in thought for a long while. His expression seemed heavy, his gaze flickering, as if contemplating a decision that was incredibly difficult to make.

"Jay," Mr. Reynolds suddenly said, pulling a ticket from his pocket, "if you don't have other plans tomorrow, could you go in my place?"

Jay took it and saw it was a ticket to a football game. The Metropolis Warriors versus the Gotham Knights – the team names alone sounded quite interesting.

Jay raised an eyebrow. "What? You don't have time to cover a football game?"

"Perry assigned me to the sports section this week. It won't be difficult; you just need to get the score and a general sense of the game. You can look at past sports reports for the article; they're mostly repetitive. I'm sure you can handle it for me," Mr. Reynolds said, pausing before adding, "Consider it your first report as part of your internship."

Jay frowned slightly, sensing something odd. Regardless, such a decision seemed too hasty, even by his father's standards. He asked, "Then what about you? What will you be doing tomorrow?"

"I have to go on a business trip tomorrow," Mr. Reynolds said, his gaze pointedly directed at a crack in the floor. "I'm taking the 11:15 AM flight to Chicago and should be back in two or three days."

Mrs. Reynolds poked her head out from the kitchen. "Wait a minute, you're going on a business trip? So suddenly?"

Jay asked curiously, "Perry doesn't know about this?"

"Yes, he... doesn't know the details for now," Mr. Reynolds replied. "But it's no big deal, just an exclusive interview. I'll discuss more specific matters with him when I get back."

That was all Mr. Reynolds said that night. He wouldn't utter another word beyond that. It was clear he had something heavy on his mind, and though he wouldn't say it, it was plainly written on his face.

Football wasn't something Jay was particularly interested in, which was strange considering he used to be a star player on his school's football team. But it made sense; playing football was too easy for him, so while he could play very well, he wasn't passionate about the game itself.

This was Jay's first time at a real game. When he saw the roar of fervent fans erupt like a tsunami, he almost thought they were crazy. He suppressed the urge to use his superpowers and squeezed his way through the crowded stadium, finding his seat according to the ticket. The view was surprisingly good.

The entire game was filled with fans' hoarse cheers and continuous boos. Jay felt that staying there for too long would be torture for his eardrums. He watched the game seriously for a while at first, but his mind soon drifted. He couldn't help but think about the banquet he was attending in two days – with Kara, of course. A little later, he started thinking about Mr. Reynolds' unusual behavior, worrying involuntarily if his father had gotten into some kind of trouble.

But if he was in trouble, he should tell him, especially since he already knew what Jay could do.

The game was nearing its end. Jay could tell from the renewed roar of boos throughout the stadium that the Metropolis Warriors had likely conceded another score. Without needing to pay close attention, he knew the Metropolis team was playing uncharacteristically poorly today, almost completely dominated by the Gotham Knights. He glanced at the scoreboard, 34 to 6. The score difference was huge, and the Metropolis team's defeat seemed certain, with no surprises likely.

"Disappointing, isn't it?"

A magnetic female voice sounded beside Jay. He instinctively turned his head and saw a young lady sitting next to him. She wore a purple dress, had smooth, dark hair, and captivating features. Her fair skin seemed to glow golden in the bright sunlight, making her quite dazzling. Jay had noticed her when he sat down, but she had been covering half her face with her hair while playing on her phone, so Jay hadn't paid much attention.

Jay asked curiously, "So you are..."

"Alicia Bessemer," the lady introduced herself concisely, extending her hand with a smile. "A reporter for the Gotham Gazette. I noticed you seem to be in the same line of work."

Jay looked down at the Daily Planet business card hanging from his neck, couldn't help but smile, and shook her hand. "Gothamite?"

"Gothamite," Alicia nodded.

"Then you can go back with good news," Jay said. "The Knights won by an overwhelming margin."

"There's still a final match to play," Alicia said with a smile. Jay noticed her smile was quite memorable; it was a perfect blend of charm and politeness, as gentle as a spring breeze, making her as comfortable as her conversation and demeanor.

She looked around and asked, "I noticed you came alone. Don't you have a companion?"

"No."

"What a coincidence, neither do I," Alicia said with a smile, leaning closer by an inch unintentionally. "Perhaps we can find a companion for ourselves here."

"You mean, with me?"

"I mean with someone special." A slight curve formed on her lips. "I'm always very good at spotting special people."

The Metropolis audience erupted in boos again, this time even more intensely than before, almost as if they were trying to shake the stadium's dome. Many local fans could no longer bear it and began to leave early. It was understandable; not every fan could easily accept their beloved team being utterly dominated on their home turf.

Jay stopped Alicia before she could make any further intimate moves.

"I think we should stop here before we move on to the next indescribable step, Alicia," Jay said. "Of course, we both know that's not your real name. So, until you're willing to reveal your name, perhaps you think it would be better if I called you Huntress?"