Picking Up Girls With My Pickup System-Chapter 28: The First Recruit.

Kent woke to the weight of a countdown.

It wasn’t the alarm clock that dragged him out of sleep, but the System’s faint glow pulsing across his vision the moment his eyes opened.

[Quest: Recruit 3 Allies]

Time Remaining: 1 Day, 16 Hours

Progress: 0/3

The words lingered in the air above his ceiling fan, cold and merciless. Every tick of the clock was a reminder: Monday was coming, Derek was waiting, and they were still just three kids with a notepad full of wishful thinking.

Kent rolled out of bed, his body heavy, his throat dry. Yesterday had felt like the start of something—like maybe, with Mia’s certainty and Jake’s reluctant loyalty, they had a chance. But this morning, the doubt was louder. Derek’s smirk still burned in his memory. The way people had looked at him, waiting to see if he’d rise or crash.

His phone buzzed. A text from Mia.

Samir Patel. Robotics lab. Today. Don’t screw it up.

Another buzz, almost immediately after. Jake, of course.

This is dumb. Kid’s a hermit. We should recruit someone less allergic to sunlight.

Kent stared at the screen. Samir Patel. He remembered flashes—quiet kid, sharp eyes, always hunched over wires and solder at the back of the science wing. And he remembered last year’s science fair—how Samir had shown up with a working drone prototype, only to have Derek "accidentally" crush it in front of half the school. Samir hadn’t entered anything since.

If there was anyone who hated Derek enough to listen, it was Samir.

Kent shoved his phone into his pocket, grabbed his hoodie, and forced himself to breathe.

The System flickered again:

[Recruitment Target Assigned: Samir Patel]

Probability of Success: Low

Recommended Approach: Sincerity > Strategy

Kent muttered under his breath. "Yeah, thanks for the vote of confidence."

But he was already moving.

******

The robotics lab smelled like dust, metal shavings, and solder—half workshop, half graveyard of abandoned projects. Towering shelves lined with spare motors, stripped circuit boards, and half-assembled robots gave the place a claustrophobic feel, like stepping into a junkyard of lost ambitions.

Kent paused at the door, hoodie tugged up like armor. His pulse thudded harder than it should have. He’d faced Derek in a cafeteria full of eyes, but somehow this—walking into a quiet room to convince one person—felt harder.

Samir was there, of course. Alone, hunched over a workbench. A tangle of wires, batteries, and a battered laptop surrounded him. His dark hair hung low over his face as he worked, fingers moving with quick precision, eyes narrowed in concentration. He didn’t look up when Kent stepped in.

It was Jake who broke the silence. "Yup. There he is. The hermit king of circuit boards. Told you he wouldn’t even notice us come in."

Samir didn’t flinch. "I noticed." His voice was flat, precise, like a tool being set in its place. He didn’t turn around.

Mia elbowed Kent lightly, a silent your move.

Kent swallowed and stepped closer. His sneakers squeaked against the tile floor, louder than he wanted. "Hey. Uh... Samir, right?"

Finally, Samir looked up. His eyes were sharp behind smudged glasses, assessing Kent in a glance. "Yeah. And you’re the idiot who stood up to Derek in the cafeteria."

The words hit like a jab, but there wasn’t malice in them. Just observation.

Kent scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah. That was me."

Samir tilted his head, studying him the way someone might study a malfunctioning circuit—curious, but not invested. "You planning to lecture me about standing up for myself? Because if so, save it. Heard it a hundred times. Doesn’t work." He turned back to his wires, dismissive.

Jake leaned toward Mia and muttered, "Yup. Called it. Waste of time."

But Mia’s eyes flicked to Kent again, harder this time. Don’t back down.

Kent took a breath. The System pulsed at the edge of his vision:

[Recruitment Attempt: Samir Patel]

Charisma Test in Progress...

Modifier: Target Distrustful

Suggested Tactic: Honest Appeal

Kent stepped closer to the bench, his voice steadier now. "I’m not here to lecture you. I’m here because Derek burned you once. And he’s going to keep burning people until someone makes him stop."

That made Samir pause. His hands stilled over the wires. But he didn’t turn.

Kent pushed on, heart hammering. "I don’t have an army. I don’t even have a plan that makes sense yet. But I do know this—Derek isn’t untouchable. I saw it in his face. And I think you’ve seen it too. You just stopped believing it mattered."

Samir’s shoulders tensed. For a moment, the only sound was the faint hum of the ventilation.

Then he set his soldering iron down with deliberate care and finally faced Kent fully. His eyes weren’t bored anymore—they were sharp, wary, like a door cracked just enough to peek through.

"...You really think you can beat him?" Samir asked quietly.

Kent hesitated, then told the truth. "I don’t know. But I know I can’t do it alone."

The System chimed faintly, like a judge tallying the score.

[Charisma Check: Pending...]

Samir leaned back on his stool, arms crossed now instead of tinkering. His eyes cut through Kent as if weighing metal on a scale.

"You’re asking me to put myself in Derek’s crosshairs again," he said. His voice was calm, but the edge underneath it was sharp. "You don’t know what that feels like—having everyone watching while he tears you down. The laughter. The silence after. You don’t forget that."

Kent swallowed. Images flashed—the cafeteria, Derek’s fist frozen an inch from his face, the laughter that had turned against Derek for once. He remembered how heavy the air had felt then, how impossible it seemed until he moved.

"I know enough," Kent said quietly. "I know how it feels to be treated like you don’t matter. I know what it’s like to feel like the only option is to keep your head down and survive." His voice sharpened. "But I also know the second you push back? Even just once? You realize Derek bleeds like everyone else. That’s what he’s terrified of—people realizing he’s not invincible."

Samir’s gaze flickered, just for a second. The door cracked wider.

The System pulsed:

[Charisma Modifier: +10 — Resonance Detected]

Kent stepped closer, lowering his tone so it cut through the silence like a blade. "You don’t owe me anything. You don’t even have to like me. But you’re good at things I’m not—building, fixing, thinking five steps ahead. And I’d rather stand beside someone who knows what it’s like to be burned than with people who’ve never been touched by fire."

The words hung there. Raw. Unearned. Dangerous.

Samir didn’t speak. He didn’t look away either. He just stared at Kent like he was trying to detect a hidden lie.

Then, finally, he exhaled. Long. Controlled. Resigned.

"...You’re either stupid or fearless," Samir said at last. "Maybe both."

Jake snorted from the doorway. "Mostly stupid."

Samir ignored him. He turned back to Kent. "Fine. I’ll help you. But understand something—I’m not doing this because I believe in you."

Kent’s chest tightened. "Then why?"

Samir’s jaw clenched. "Because I want to see Derek fall. And if standing next to you gives me even a chance at that... then it’s worth it."

The System flared like a victory screen:

[Recruitment Successful: Samir Patel Added to Party]

Role: Strategist / Engineer

Traits: Analytical, Calculated, Distrustful

Special Ability: Blueprint Mind (increased planning and problem-solving efficiency)

Kent let out a slow breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. For the first time since walking into the lab, the knot in his stomach loosened.

Mia smiled faintly, relief softening her usual sharp edges. Jake, on the other hand, pumped his fist. "Hell yes! Team Gilbert is leveling up!"

Samir rolled his eyes and muttered, "God, what have I gotten myself into..." but his hands were already clearing space on the bench, as if a part of him had been waiting for an excuse to do exactly this.

Samir shoved a mess of wires and tools aside with a sharp scrape, the clatter echoing through the robotics lab. "If we’re doing this, we do it right. No half-baked hero nonsense."

Jake smirked, leaning against a desk. "That’s fine. I’m more of a half-baked sidekick anyway."

"Don’t test me," Samir shot back, but there wasn’t as much bite in his tone this time. His hands moved automatically, organizing his workbench with an efficiency born of habit. "First thing we need to accept—Derek isn’t dumb. Reckless, arrogant, sure. But not dumb. He’ll hit back, and he’ll hit harder now that you embarrassed him in front of the whole school."

The System pulsed:

[Strategist Activated: Samir Patel — Situational Analysis Unlocked]

Samir drew a quick sketch across the whiteboard, a rough diagram of the school’s cafeteria, hallways, and gym. His marker squeaked as he circled key spots. "These are choke points. Places Derek controls—stairwells, locker hall, weight room. He’s got a network of meatheads who do his bidding. If we’re walking blind into his territory, he’ll crush us before we even get a word out."

Kent nodded slowly, the weight of Samir’s pragmatism settling like cold iron in his chest. He thinks like a tactician. Every move, every risk accounted for.

Jake raised his hand like a kid in class. "Okay, love the evil overlord map. But where do we come in? Like, what’s our actual play here?"

Samir’s eyes flicked to Kent. "That depends on your fearless leader."

Kent blinked. "Me?"

Samir’s expression was unreadable. "You’re the one he wants to break. That makes you the center of gravity. Our strategy revolves around you. How you move. How you talk. How you hold yourself when Derek tries to corner you again."

The System chimed, almost smug:

[Reputation Path Acknowledged]

Centerpiece Role: Figurehead of Resistance

Risk: Target priority increased

Reward: Potential to unify opposition factions

Kent’s stomach twisted. It was one thing to stand up in the cafeteria with adrenaline screaming through his veins. But now? Sitting in this sterile room, hearing Samir put it into words, it felt heavier. Realer.

Mia crossed her arms. "So basically, Kent takes all the punches while we watch?"

Samir shook his head. "No. Kent’s the visible force. But visibility alone doesn’t win wars. We’ll need counters Derek doesn’t see coming. Tools. Information. Timing." He tapped the marker against the board. "That’s where I come in."

Jake grinned. "I like it. We’ve got the muscle,"—he pointed at Kent—"the brains,"—he jabbed at Samir—"and the looks." He thumbed himself.

Mia muttered, "You wish."

Kent smirked faintly despite the pressure building in his chest. For the first time, this didn’t feel like just surviving. It felt like building something.

Samir stepped back from the whiteboard, crossing his arms. "If you’re serious about this, then we start small. We test Derek’s control—see how much of the school bends to him out of fear and how much out of convenience. That will tell us where to push."

Kent met his gaze. "And if we fail?"

Samir’s expression didn’t waver. "Then you go back to being Derek’s punching bag. And I go back to pretending none of this ever happened."

Silence filled the lab for a beat. Heavy. Electric.

The System pulsed one last time before fading from Kent’s vision:

[Event Triggered: The First Strategy]

Objective: Undermine Derek’s influence

Allies Secured: Jake, Mia, Samir

Consequence: Escalation inevitable

Kent let out a slow breath, straightening his shoulders. "Then we don’t fail."

Jake gave a low whistle. "Damn. You sound like you actually believe that."

For the first time, Kent realized he did.