SIlver Spoon Bar, Hub City, 12:40 PM

"Business." He agreed with a nod. He wasn't lying. "Coast City Celestial Observation Center. C.O.C. for short." He was still telling the truth. His job as an astronomer led him to finding the ring, which got him his new job as a defender of the planet, which led to him landing here in Hub City instead of Coast City. 

More cheering went on behind him, and Preston turned back to see what was going on. A smile grew on Preston's face. "Marvin Hayes was doing it! He was taking the title tonight!"

As Ives went down and Hayes was announced the new champion, Preston cheered. The other patrons groaned, some even got angry and proclaimed it was a rigged fight. 

"Rigged or not, Hayes won." Preston nodded to himself, smiling just a little Nobody except for a few were remotely happy about how the events turned out. "Now, I think we bet some money on this, didn't we?"

"I think you're on the wrong track, son. We didn't make any bets." A man walked over to Preston and towered over him with ease. His hands moved his jacket over slightly, revealing that the man was packing some heat. Preston grew tense, and sat back down at the counter, still facing the large man. 

Preston couldn't do it. He couldn't slide the ring on and beat down these guys for money. He had to do this bare-handed, and at least one of them was packing a gun. He could be tricky about it and use his ring in subtle ways, but the guardians wouldn't like that. He was forced to sit down and take this like a punk. He wasn't happy about it, but he was just a brawler, and nothing his human body had could stop a gunshot.