A soft breeze ran through me, cooling the drying sweat on my body. For a handful of seconds, silence was the only response to my question - until the area a dozen feet away from me shimmered, causing my muscles to tense up.

Soft golden light burned away at reality like a page of a book, slowly revealing a figure emerging from some kind of cloaking tech. Dressed from head to toe in dark armor, Silhouette had the appearance of a cyber-ninja. The only part of him that was not matte shades of deep gray and black was a singular eye in the middle of his face - a featureless light that glowed a soft yellow.

“The League has sent me to observe maybe two dozen heroes-in-training, yet you are the first to make note of my presence. Gunquake, wasn’t it?”

His voice was slightly off. Not quite as robotic as mine, but there was a minor tinny quality to it that couldn’t just be his mask obscuring his mouth.

[I assumed that you wanted me to see you, otherwise I wouldn’t have.]

“Perceptive.” He crossed his arms and tilted his head. “I didn’t see everything you got up to, as I remained on the roof, but it looked as though you handled yourself well.”

[Will you be watching all of my trials?]

“You’ll never know. Ha-ha.” The hero relaxed, his body language loosening. “I was just a little curious about you, compared to most others. There aren’t many supers who stick to the shadows like us. I wanted to see if we were cut from the same cloth.”

[I’m not sure I possess the self-confidence to put myself in the same box as an S-Rank hero.]

Silhouette shrugged. “You’re running with some handicaps at present. Tech route is difficult without good tech, but from what I saw in the courtyard… just keep at it. I’m sure you’ll be nipping at my heels in no time.”

His face-light bloomed slightly brighter before dimming again - a couple of short pulses that I chose to read as a jovial tone to his statement. I wasn’t sure he could really read my face either, so that seemed fair.

[I will keep trying to improve, and do my best for Goldarch and the League.]

“Ha-ha.” He clicked his fingers. “Already got the necessary ass-kissing part perfected. League will be in touch once they’ve confirmed the full stats of your mission, and then arrange a proper debriefing before your next trial. I’ll need to give them my report on your actions before I get some sleep as well.”

[You’ll put a good word in for me then, I hope?]

“Ha-ha. Do not worry, shadow-brother. I too have mastered the art of kissing the League’s ass. As much as they downplay it, we need a few more heroes like you and I.” The yellow glow did the humorous flicker again. “Sleep well, Gunquake. You’ve earned it.”

We exchanged nods and his suit enveloped him in invisibility once more, as if his body submerged in water from his back to front. I waited a few seconds and exhaled.

[You’re not going to reply if I accuse you of still being there, are you?]

The expanse of the wastelands gave me a neutral response. Chance was slim.

//Clara: Gunquake, are you there?

//Gunquake: Of course, is everything okay?

//Clara: We lost comms for a minute there, and the drone stopped recording audio.

//Gunquake: Has it started up again?

//Clara: Affirmative.

I grunted and told her I was on my way back. It seemed as though somebody had the tech-disabling aura, and it wasn’t me. As much as my mind was eager to fill up with questions, I held them back. Turned the bike on and rode off toward home.

Spent my time focused on not falling into any ditches or hitting outcroppings of rock. Getting home safely was my only goal. But… there had to be another reason for Silhouette to make himself known and want to talk to me. It could be as simple as wanting to know a hero of similar persuasion… and nothing about him struck me as being dangerous or threatening. Slightly odd that I had sensed him there, but I was perceptive.

Did I want to read into it any more than that? Not at this stage. Befriending an S-Rank superhero was a double-edged sword. While it was nice to have friends in high places… there could be only one S-Rank team. Was that what our group of oddballs even wanted? Again, something I’d need to sit down with Roxy and work out our long-term goals.

Now that our foundations were becoming official and real, it was time to do more than play things by ear. Bottleneck was money… but I had a few ideas about how we could smooth that out.

Wasn’t long before I rolled myself into the dimly lit area of our home base, wheels biting through the gravel as I parked up near the van.

No sooner had I swung myself off the vehicle, Roxy was there.

“Fucking kick-ass!” She beamed and picked me up with her left arm, easily lifting me off the floor.

My spine clicked in a way that felt amazing, so I didn’t contest the act. I turned my eyes to see Clara run over from the workshop, the super picking up the smaller woman even easier with her right arm - and the three of us had a brief joint hug.

“You too, gremlin.” She put us both down. “A first hero mission and a first sidekick mission.”

Clara smiled. “Is that pride whetting your eyes, sister? Or is the partially melted outfit of Gunquake that pungent still?”

[I was two seconds of frying away from having the outfit permanently affixed to my skin.]

The super shrugged. “We all have our near-misses. League sort of plans it that way.”

That made sense, in a twisted way. Would a superhero really be just that if they didn’t put themselves in danger to save the day?

“It’s usually chance of injury rather than chance of death they skirt,” the techie clarified. “You just happen to be more prone to the latter than most.”

“I was figuratively shitting myself,” Roxy said. “But you handled yourself well. Dropping through the roof with Quake shot, using your lube to block off the hobs’ coming after you… oh, and the dude just jackin’ it. Peak fiction.”

Behind my goggles, I rolled my eyes.

[Before we go celebrating, I should say that I met Silhouette.]

“What?” they said in unison.

Clara frowned. “When I lost connection to the drone?”

The super seemed to be taking this with a pinch of panic rather than just concern. “He was watching you, and appeared to speak with you? Why?”

[I wish I knew. He said that he was interested in the League taking on a hero like me. One who lived in the shadows.]

With a groan, Roxy deflated. “You don’t think he’s like… one of your group? That shadows phrasing gives me the ick.”

I returned a shrug. In honesty, I wasn’t sure exactly how I knew he was there. Even past my usual trained perceptiveness, there was an almost extra sense I had for… something. Couldn’t quite externalize my thoughts on the matter just yet. Uncomfortable, but it seemed to be working for my benefit so far.

“There are some fantasy classes that rely on stealth,” Clara offered. “But we’ve already gone over rogue and assassin and you had no reaction.”

[It could be that some common words I’ve just become numb to. I have been an assassin myself, and things like warrior or thief aren’t unique enough to prompt any memories.]

The techie nodded. “We’ll prod that more tomorrow. You deserve a rest tonight.”

[You and I both, Clara.]

Roxy clapped her hands together. “Let’s retire to the once-again functional dining room and chill out until your preliminary report comes in? I won’t be able to sleep until it does.”

And that’s just what we did.

Fresh canister for myself, while the other two had their usual snacks. I had Clara tell us about her day with Dr Jarl first. He knew about her being sidekick to a tech super, and so was keen to ply her into learning-through-doing. Although Clara didn’t say it outright, she was hinting that she’d be able to get me some new tech, essentially for free, if she could build it herself during her education. Within certain limits, of course. Not everyone had a neutral stance on war crimes like she did.

We then discussed the meeting with Wren tomorrow. The offer was open to the three of us, but Roxy declined to join. She said it that she’d only get in the way, but would go if I requested. As much as the strength super was still the leader of our team, I wanted to prep the others to be receptive to that. If the pair of us turned up and started becoming bossy, it might push them further away.

I’d break the eggs, and together we could cook the omelet. Clara would accompany me, partially at the request of the super, to ensure I didn’t break up Wren’s marriage or something. The other reason was the techie just wanted to support me as a sidekick and see more of my alleged powers in action.

Which led to them trying to come up with what my Advanced nature might actually be. They were pretty convinced I had a minimum increase across the board, but especially my durability, charisma, and perception above all others. Reaction speed and strength too - although to me that could easily be from five years of experience living only for violence.

Eventually, a thought circled around the inside of my skull.

[Clara, do you know how they do the blood test for checking Super and Advanced powers?]

She tilted her head from side to side. “I can see where this is leading, Gunquake. The test itself is not something done by a normal lab, but instead by a superhero in the know of the scientific process - so no, we cannot replicate it.”

[Does it also test for… magic?]

Clara pulled a face at my use of the word. “While there is often little difference between magic and superpowers for the layman, the League’s stance is to not push the disparity so that there isn’t internal tribalism.”

“Belle is technically a magic user,” Roxy offered. “But it’s the same as how you’ll be called a superhero even if you’ve got nothing other than Advanced capabilities.”

[And Wren too, correct? She is Advanced with an Artefact.]

The super nodded. “For the general public, there’s no benefit to splitting the terminology.”

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

I found it interesting that out of the group of five of us—six if you included Clara—only two were actually superpowered. There would be a point I’d need to go through the list of heroes above our standing and see what they were capable of. Opponents I couldn’t just shoot my way through.

[That is skirting my question, though.]

Clara shrugged. “Unfortunately, I do not know. Do you think you have magical powers, Gunquake?”

[The ‘classes’ we have discussed previously are spellcasters, so I wondered if perhaps their abilities tied to these designations could be magical based.]

While the techie still held some visual disdain on her face at the prospect, she didn’t know enough to say either way. “I will ask Dr Jarl if he has a detector next time I see him, if you wish?”

“Ah!” Roxy leaned back in her chair, face wrinkled up. “Maybe you can’t cast spells because they took your mouth. Like magic usually needs some kind of focus, right? For a bard that’s like your voice… unless you can play the lute?” Her raised eyebrow was oddly hopeful.

[I have no inclination for musical performance. The only sweet symphony I enact is the percussion of my shotgun blasts.]

Roxy rolled her eyes. “Alright, dictionary guy. No, wait. That just makes me sound dumb.” She leaned her chair back forward. “Seriously, though. There’s always more to you than meets the eye. It wouldn’t surprise me if you had some minor magical bullshit about you.”

“Rockslide has a point.” Clara drummed her fingers on the edge of the table. “Even with Advanced increased regenerative properties… you just heal too fast. It’s a miracle that your left arm is even functional after the number of breaks it has had, let alone all those damaged internal organs now functioning once more. You should have been bed bound for weeks, if not months.”

[So we are saying that either I do have minor super powers, or some magical capacity lingers from my past life? There’s nothing in my recollection about casting spells.]

Neither of them had a concise answer to give me. Shooting in the dark. As much as my folders of mysteries were bursting to the brim, we managed to shuffle this extra page in without everything coming undone.

“I’m still pretty creeped out that Silhouette showed up. Sounds like intimidation, or he knows something more than what he said.” Roxy scowled. “But… you’re good at reading people, Dubs, so if you think…” Her voice trailed off, as we each received a notification at the same time.

The preliminary report.

Jolt God had been picked up not far from the location after the drop-pod had bounced a couple of times. Minor bruising and a little shaken up, but mostly uninjured. No deaths at the hobgoblin outpost. Minor injuries and a few broken bones. A couple suffering from smoke inhalation, but nothing permanent. Other than the metal roof and force-field door, no notable property damage.

Rating was… exemplary.

Roxy whistled. “Fuck, Dubs. For a prelim for your first trial, that’s huge. Might mean they give you something shitty for your next mission, but no doubt Stacy will be doe-eyed next time we go see her.”

[Well, I couldn’t have done it without Clara.]

The techie smiled. “As much as my knees weaken from your flattery, Gunquake, I assure you that you would have been fine solo. We have much to discuss and do before they give us the next mission, but it’s already late enough tonight.”

We came to an agreement. There weren’t enough hours in the day to get through everything, and I needed to have a sit down with Clara soon to go over gear and new tech. She was an overflowing basin full of ideas, and the more I stepped into the role of hero, the more I knew in which ways to guide that ambition.

After a few more pats on the back for a job well done, we retired to our rooms. Too exhausted for a bath, I just cloth-washed my torso from the sink. My base layers had stuck to me, but only from the dried sweat rather than burned skin - so I was thankful for that at least. Looking at myself in the mirror, I sighed before returning to the bedroom.

I closed the door and stood at the end of the bed, now just in my underwear, with only the bedside lamp illuminating the room. While Roxy watched, I stretched myself out. Arms, shoulders, and torso. Side to side. Working out all those muscles I didn’t injure during my mission. Somehow.

“Is this some kind of post-action show I get now?” She grinned, clearly enjoying my stretches.

[Gotta keep myself in good shape if this is a long-term thing. I’m not getting any younger.]

“Just how old are you, anyway?” She raised an eyebrow as I returned a shrug.

[At least five.]

The super rolled her eyes. “That reminds me. Don’t forget, your actual hardest mission is coming up soon.”

[Are you… coming on to me?]

“Asshole. My birthday is in a few weeks. You’re going to come meet my folks, right?” She stuck out her bottom lip and tried to twist my arm emotionally.

[You said your father would not like me, but your mother would?]

She nodded. “Mom would dote on you even if you were sentient roadkill, as long as you had manners and treated me right…”

[Rather close to reality, with how I came back from our duel.]

“But my pops is the opposite.” She ignored me. “He has hated everyone I’ve dated. I don’t think he’d ever be happy until I turn up to theirs married and pregnant. Unless you’re any good at farming, he probably won’t talk with you much, but might like your shotgun arm.” She pulled a face and deflated.

[Want to bet that I can win him over?]

“Motherfucker, don’t even.” This time, she gave me a scowl. “He isn’t even worthy of your time. The only person you have to impress in my family is me, and I am head over heels for you, smartass.”

I relaxed from doing my stretches and walked around to join her. There was nothing like the soft warmth of a real bed after a day in the field. I held my arm out so that she could put my gun cozy on, and we laid and looked into each other’s eyes.

[Clara will be going too?]

“Of course.” She smiled. “All my siblings and their families will be there. It’s quite the clusterfuck, but we only gather a handful of times a year these days.”

[I’m not sure if I even have parents, but if I did, I’d want you to meet mine too.]

“You’re sweet.” The super leaned a little closer and gave me a soft kiss on my closed eye. “I’ve been feeling fired up about being a super lately, thanks to you… but tonight… your success with Clara - it just clicked for me. We’re actually doing this, and we can be so much better as a team.”

[Trust me, once we get the other two on board, we’ll be climbing the B-Ranks on the way to the top.]

Roxy smiled, her hands pulling my head down gently so my forehead was against her clavicle. “I believe you. I know you’re going to break my heart one day by falling apart and getting injured, but I forgive you already. Just don’t ever die, okay?”

[It would take a greater force than exists on this plane to tear me away from your love, Roxy.]

She exhaled through her nose, the air warm against my hair, and she relinquished the hold on my head. “I’m such an asshole for choosing the voice I thought sounded hottest. They had some more average male tones.”

[I’m not exactly average though, am I?]

A smile was her only response as she turned away from me to turn off the lamp. In the darkness, she moved back against me and I put my gun-arm around her. We had considered switching sides on the bed, but it was less uncomfortable to have my gun inert over her rather than under her.

Despite the difficulties of the long day, and the questions still sitting to attention awaiting some manner of closure… I fell asleep comfortably. Not worried about who I was, why people were watching me, or how I could continue living this way.

A well-earned rest, indeed.

----------------------------------------

The morning was a blur, an overcast sky for a change shifting my mood away from what should have been one of my brightest days yet. Clara confirmed that Erin hadn’t picked up anything abnormal during the night. I wondered even with all the things it could track, was Silhouette still able to pass through undetected? This question was one I did not vocalize.

There was a certain amount of acceptance that once you were put in the same box as those with great power, death and danger were always a possibility. A hope that the superheroes we met would be on the level, and any villains just inept or easily dealt with. I reconciled with this fact on the basis that the League knew me already, and I’d rather be safely in their pocket than something easily swept under the rug.

The techie herself had been quiet once we set off. I wasn’t sure if she was nervous about the meeting or her time with Dr Jarl after we were done with Wren, but there was some wall that prevented her from filling my ears with innuendo and new tech ideas.

I leaned forward to look up at the building as we pulled up outside. In a word, it was grandiose. Not the tallest skyscraper I’d seen - but perhaps some of the biggest office blocks on this side of the city.

“I’ll let you do most of the talking, Gunquake. But I’ll be here for anything you need.” Clara delivered the statement rather flatly, not even adding in a little faux-flirting.

[Anything I should know? With you, I mean.]

Her green cybernetics eyes looked up to me, before out the front window. “I had grown accustomed to being the undervalued and unappreciated weird techie. Comfortable in knowing that was my place. Now I have been exposed to the light, and have the chance to prove to the world what I am actually capable of. It is… overwhelming.”

[I know that feeling.]

She tilted her head and looked back at me. “The fact that I get to work with and support my two best friends is both amazing and frightening. I’ll be fine, Gunquake. Once again, thank you for the consideration.”

I gave her a nod. She was taking on a lot, and I had to make sure she didn’t burn out. A high degree of stress not only being a sidekick, but with her education too. We’d share the load between the three of us, and rise to be the best.

[Roxy’s birthday is coming up. Did you want to tell her parents that you and I are married before she can introduce us accurately?]

Clara grinned. Mission successful. “Rockslide’s family gatherings are already a powder-keg. I’d rather we didn’t start a war. But by then, it might not even be a lie.” She shot me a wink and turned, leaving the vehicle before I could respond.

Seeing her more of herself again calmed my own apprehension over the looming meeting. While it would certainly be less violent than how I won over the Captain, I wasn’t too sure what to expect going in here. I stepped out of the side of the van and looked up at the skyline.

A billboard caught my attention. Defenders of the Peace, it was titled, and showed the five S-Rank heroes. Well, four of them at least. Silhouette again missing from the lineup as if it was some manner of practical joke they were leaning into.

“That’s their team name.” Clara caught my gaze. “A little cliche but… it’s what works.”

[What is ours?]

She bit her tongue. “No idea. Perhaps without our renewed efforts, we can have a little rebranding?”

I had a feeling she knew exactly what it was, but I didn’t press the issue. Instead, we walked across the sidewalk and entered the building. The interior immediately reminded me of the League lobby… albeit darker and more luxurious. A thick carpet of deep red lined a wide passageway leading from the door to a long reception desk. The furniture matched the decorative support beams at the sides of the room - a shiny black which was either jet stone or designed to look that way.

Very simplistic designs, but elegant in a very high-brow way. Something that was echoed in the man standing at the front desk, who was almost the polar opposite of Miguel at the League in demeanor. A tall man with almond colored skin and slim head. Slicked back dark hair with a thin mustache, and a look on his face that made him seem tired of our presence already. Name placard on the desk said his name was Edel Jacobson.

[Mr Jacobson. We have an appointment.]

“Of course. Madam doesn’t often entertain guests from the League, however, I must inform you that any weapons must be checked in down here.”

I shot Clara a glance and shrugged, placing my arm gently on his desk.

[You’ll need a good laser-saw.]

Edel flared out his nostrils. “Very well. Madam has just informed me that you are to be allowed to her office as you are.” With a long arm, he gestured to a discreet elevator I hadn’t noticed between two of the ebony support beams. “It will take you straight to her room. She is waiting.”

[Thank you.]

Clara gave him a short curtsy, but it didn’t have the same energy as the ones afforded to Stacy. We left and entered the small elevator, and shifted slightly as it moved upwards - for quite some time. Wren’s office must be near the top, if not at the peak, of the building. We slowed to a soft stop, and then the doors opened up.

Stepping through and expecting a lobby or further reception, it seemed as though we were literally now in her office. I had been expecting something similar to the mind-control villain’s lair. Opulence and extravagance.

Instead, most of the walls were roving screens of information. Holographic in nature, projecting graphs, stock exchange information, updating tickers of different cost per item for dozens of things my eyes couldn’t even focus on. At the end of a similar deep red carpet was another desk, this one also filled with screens, although some were actual physical monitors. Two chairs on this side, while Wren herself sat opposite.

“Welcome.” She waved her hand and the intangible screens clouding her table vanished away. “Good to see you Clara, and Gunquake - quite the surprise, although do you prefer Dubs?” The elf had her blonde hair tied up in a bun, a casual business suit in a soft blue color rather than her hero outfit on.

[If you feel this is an informal setting, then Dubs is fine.]

“Dubs it is then.” She smiled. “If you intend to be on our team, then I feel as though a cordial relationship is the minimum we can uphold. You’ve had quite the glow-up, moving up from potential sidekick to hero. League must see something in you.”

I held the chair out for Clara to sit before I joined her on her left.

[Apparently that is the case.]

Wren leaned back in her padded chair. “The record of your first mission was exemplary as well, so they can’t be wrong.”

[Oh. You get those too?]

She tilted her head, bright blue eyes piercing through me. “I get everything to do with the team. Reports, status updates, social media posts, and gossip. Once I prodded Roy about his suspension and reason why, I started following you, too.”

I wasn’t sure if I should be flattered or worried. Being in the public eye certainly had some privacy issues, as did having Clara with her fingers almost literally massaging my brain. Having the elf digging around could only mean trouble… which my silence seemed to confirm to her.

Wren placed her hands on her desk, spreading her fingers out wide on the wood. “I am someone who needs to know every scrap of information before making a decision, Dubs. When trying to find out exactly who you are, I ran into a brick wall. A cold trail.”

My head nodded slowly.

“Non-business partners usually come for me for one reason. Money.” Her brow furrowed. “Is that your intention here?”

[No. I only seek your commendation for me to join the team, and to discuss your involvement as a superhero so that our ranking can increase.]

The elf was silent for a moment, withdrawing her hands so that she could cross her arms. “I’ve heard you’re quite the talker these days. Very well, let me lay out the terms for this meeting to proceed.”

She leaned forward, clasping her hands together on the desk as she glared at me.

“You need to tell me why you’re such a mystery. Just who are you really?”