Adam is going to be a superhero in the Games of Chance universe, and this is his origin story! As we get closer to the end of Games of Chance, I'll be revealing a lot of new superheroes in preparation for GOC: When Numbers Fail. I hope you guys are as excited as I am for the expansion of this universe!

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Max took a long sip of his coffee. Maddie took a small bite out of her croissant. This wasn't the first lunch break the two had spent at a small table outside their local Starbucks, sharing a meal and perhaps a philosophical conversation. Ever since their not-so-distant college days at MIT, the two starry-eyed engineers had been inseparable, bringing more than a few 'impossible' projects to life through passion and teamwork. 

"Oh, there he comes!" Maddie's eyes widened with excitement as she put down her croissant, tapping Max's arm. Max groaned softly. It was witching hour. The brief moment during which Dr. Madeline Faye, a veritable genius and Thornton Tech's single most valuable employee, turned into a giggling schoolgirl. 

"He's so cute, isn't he Max?" Maddie tossed her dirty blonde hair over her shoulder, staring dreamily at the well-dressed man crossing the street. Every day, at 12:20 PM, he arrived at the same bus stop to wait for the 12:25 bus to the other side of town. Every day, at noon, Maddie dragged Max out to the same table right in front of the bus stop for the sole purpose of observing him. For nearly a year now, Max had waited patiently for Maddie's crush to pass, but her fierce attraction to the mysterious stranger only seemed to grow stronger. 

"I wonder what his name is," Maddie cocked her head to side with measured curiosity. 

"How would I know," Max grumbled. "He's a complete stranger. He has no idea who you are, and frankly, I think this is starting to get a little creepy. You should stop before he notices you staring at him every day and you get yourself into a very awkward situation."

"Oh, Max, why not just let a girl dream?" Maddie shook her head in disapproval. "I think he's an Adam. He looks like one." 

"That's... random. How does one look like a name? Don't your parents name you before they know what you're going to look like?" 

"Oh, it's very possible to look like a name," Maddie smirked. "Just like you look like a Mr. Maximilian Thornton, the kind of rich old guy who screams at kids to get off his lawn." 

"I hate you," Max lowered his head, unable to hide his wide smile. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't stay mad at Maddie for long. 

"I wish I had the guts to go up and talk to him, but no, I just have to be an awkward, antisocial nerd," Maddie sighed. 

"Don't worry, Mads," Max smiled encouragingly. "You're the cute kind of nerd." 

Maddie smiled down at the table, revealing her dimples. "Hey, it's time for us to get back to work." She stood up, looking down at her watch. Behind her, Adam obliviously boarded his bus. 

Max rose from his seat, easily catching up to Maddie with a few long strides. The pair turned the corner, walking down a narrow alley until they paused in front of a shaded pothole. 

"What's up?" Max asked when he noticed Maddie standing at the edge of the pothole, rolling her shoulders back as she looked down at it. 

"No matter how many times I do this, it still makes me feel like a kid again. Like I'm going to Narnia or something." Maddie took in a deep, exhilarated breath before stepping into the pothole. 

Her feet sank right through the holographic concrete and she stumbled for a moment before finding footing on a concrete staircase that led down into the bowels of the Earth. Hearing Max approach her from behind, she paused for a retinal scan. 

"Mr. Thornton and Dr. Faye, Thornton Tech welcomes you to the Edgar Lawrence Thornton Covert Research Center. Dr. Faye, you are two minutes and thirty four seconds early for work. We thank you for your punctuality," an automated voice droned as the door at the end of the staircase popped open. 

"I'm going up to see my father. See you later, Mads! Let me know how Project Exceedis coming," Max called over his shoulder as he strode into the spacious underground office building, heading for the elevator. 

"Wait, E. L. Thornton is here?" Maddie gasped, but Max was already out of earshot. Sighing, she made her way through a maze of cubicles until she reached a keypad-locked door labeled Project Exceed: authorized engineers only. 

Punching in the password, she smiled softly to herself, thoughts of Adam still fresh in her mind.