As the two Heroes worked their way through the bank, they passed several offices. During the day they were used to issue loans. Now they were the scene of a systematic search for the missing security guard. One by one the Hero’s checked every room.

The farther their search led the quieter the bank became. The fighting in the entryway had been a thundering roar. Now it was only an occasional thumping in the otherwise still bank.

After searching almost twenty rooms they found what they were looking for. Peeking through an empty doorway the Heroes spotted a man laying face down. The contents of the filing cabinet were strewn next to him in an otherwise unblemished office. Papers from the cabinet were spread around the guard. He must’ve knocked it over during a struggle Liam thought.

Making his way into the room an arm shot out and barred his way. H-Bar was staring dead ahead as he held Liam back. Did he see something Liam had missed? Trying to find what it was Liam stared hard into the office. Besides the cabinet and the man nothing else seemed out of place, this was as clean an office as Liam had ever seen. Nothing here raised a red flag like H-Bar was implying.

With his arm still stopping Liam, H-Bar reached out his other hand. Gripping towards the room in front of them. Light swirled out from it as H-Bar said, “Watch.”

With that some of H-Bar’s liquid light jumped forward. Forming into a blade of pure white. With a subtle motion the blade fell. Slicing through the empty doorway. Or what Liam thought was an empty doorway as the falling blade brought with it a twang from a broken string.

“Ah, you saw through my trap,” A sickly sweet voice said from behind them. Liam spun towards the sound, but saw nothing in the dim hallway. “You ruined all my fun. Bad boys like you should be punished!”

Liam caught a hint of motion as something came towards them. But it was H-Bar who reacted first. Balls of light sailing from him towards the blurred motion around them. One by one the balls of light shattered as they contacted something Liam couldn’t quite make out. H-Bar’s light stopped whatever was attacking them in its tracks.

“It’s Cat’s Cradle,” H-Bar said. A dozen more orbs forming around him and hurtling forward. “I’ll handle her, you check on the security guard. Then come back and support me.”

Trusting his fellow Hero, Liam pivoted on the spot and dashed into the room. Behind him a light show was going off in the hallway.

Approaching the prone guard Liam slowed down while he waved his staff in the air in front of him. Best to be safe Liam thought. What would H-Bar say if he showed Liam there were traps and the second he turned around Liam fell into one? The answer to that question was best left unknown.

Checking the space around the guard and finding it empty of traps, Liam dropped down and inspected the man. He was unconscious, but otherwise appeared to be fine. No obvious external injuries that Liam could see. Great news Liam thought with a sigh. It was always wonderful when the team could save someone. Doubly now because they’d found a murder victim earlier in the night.

A creaking floorboard was all the warning Liam received of someone behind him. Spinning Liam spotted a slim, but tall woman. A cocky grin on her unmasked face as she advanced. Her face elongated unnaturally and left uncovered. Flashes of light from the hallway behind her glistened off her metallic skin.

This must be Copper, Liam realized. He’d never faced off with her, but she came up in reports from time to time. Trying to remember anything from the files, Liam strained his memory. Metallic skin, preferred to fight in close quarters, and a founding member of the Broken Crest. That was the extent of what Liam could pull out of his head in such short notice.

“Only you made it this far? I was looking forward to a round with Gladius,” Copper said an exaggerated pout on her face. She moved forward with the ease of one who feared nothing around her. As if Liam was an inconvenience at best.

“I was enough for Mr. Shock. I think I’ll be fine here,” Liam said. His time with the team making him confident in his abilities. What little doubt remained was silenced as Liam prepared to face this new opponent.

Copper’s only reaction to this young, but confident Hero was to smile even wider. Not in the least bit rattled by Liam’s bravado.

Copper brought her fists together like a boxer awaiting a fight. Then sprung forward as impatience won out over caution. Grabbing a chair like a hammer she swung it down. Liam dodged backwards, narrowly avoiding the improvised club as it wizzed in front of his face.

The chair crashed into the floor, sending splitters flying around the room. Copper was left holding two wooden chair legs. The rest of the chair was broken beyond recognition. Copper’s face, giddy with excitement from the attack, contorted into something beyond a smile.

Chair legs, now clubs in hand, Copper moved to attack again. Swinging with one club then the other as she traded blows with the Hero. Liam focused on defense. His staff a blur as it met the incoming attacks, parrying each blow to the side with precision honed through long hours of training.

As the exchange stretched on, Liam could feel the force behind his opponent’s strikes. Each blow a fraction stronger than the last. All he could do against Copper was parry. Trying to fully block an attack, with the staff, would be stupid. The strike would shatter his weapon given the chance.

Liam tried to send an occasional retaliatory blow at the Cowl, but wasn’t able to make much progress. The pressure from her attacks was too much for him to get any good shots in.

Knowing Copper’s body was made of metal Liam kept trying to land a blow with his staff. Just one strike from the electrified end would be enough to do some real damage. But her guard was too strong. Every strike he made was blocked like he was facing a brick wall. Thinking of an alternative approach, Liam used his HUD to trigger a taser to fire from his chest. Timing the attack with an offensive thrust of his staff.

The blow from the staff was blocked with ease, but served its purpose. It left Copper exposed to the surprise taser probes as they emerged from Liam’s chest. With no time to react the Cowl braced for the flow of electricity. But the expected shock didn’t come. The probes that were flying forward a moment before stopped mere inches from Coppers chest. Pieces of paper wrapped around the zapping points of metal.

“Where were you, Page?” Copper asked. Annoyance dripping from each word.

“Sorry, sorry I’ve been busy. You know how things are,” a man said as he climbed in through a window. Rolling his eyes at Liam as he sighed in Coppers direction. A move that didn’t go unnoticed by his fellow Cowl.

As his name suggested Page had the ability to control paper. A power the Heroes had long been curious about. Unsure of its extent, they’d gone to some lengths in protecting their base as a precautionary measure. Even removing paper from it to avoid the possibility of the Cowl spying through it.

The man’s costume was as bland as the paper he used. A white ivory jumpsuit with a matching mask. No frills on either of them. The only other thing of note was a small white bag on his back, opened at the top. Taking the theme seriously Liam noted.

“We can talk about that later,” Copper said. Her eyes returning to Liam, “Let’s team up for this fight. The new guy is annoying.”

“It’s a talent, really,” Liam shot back. Preparing for an imminent attack.

“Not for long,” Page said as he pointed a finger at Liam. Liam flinched at the move. Sure he was about to be attacked. But nothing came, no rush of energy, or fierce attack. Just a Cowl pointing a finger at him. Relaxing slightly, Liam was about to taunt back when there was a sudden sound coming from behind Page.

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The sound of pages of paper being dumped on the ground. Then thrown into the air to fall back down again where the process began anew. The sound grew louder with each cycle as an invisible hand threw the paper with increased intensity. Liam could glimpse what was behind the Cowl. Page’s bag contained stacks of paper. Some of which were folding themselves into different shapes behind the Cowl’s back.

Copper took that moment to attack. Liam was distracted by the unknown ability and lowered his guard ever so slightly, but not by enough. Liam’s staff met her thrust of the chair leg in a clean parry.

More attacks followed as their weapons moved back into a dance of blows. The pieces of wood being whittling away by the fierce exchange.

An attack aimed at his lower stomach caught Liam off guard. To get a better angle of defense, he switched his stance. Or tried to as Liam realized his feet wouldn’t move. They were stuck to the floor like a fly on a trap. Without time to figure out what was happening Liam pulled his elbow up in defense.

The blow that followed was fierce. Easily strong enough to break bone. With his armor on Liam only had to worry about a nasty bruise tomorrow morning. But the force was still enough to send him crashing to his back. Staff lost to the side. With his feet stuck to the ground Liam fell awkwardly. His legs, up to the knees, still standing while the rest of him flopped onto the ground.

With his helmet cushioning the fall Liam was able to keep his wits about him. Promptly looking at his feet he saw what the issue was. They were covered in paper. It was sticking to him like some paper mache abomination. The paper strewn near the security guard Liam realized. Even with his caution entering the room he’d still fallen into a trap. He pushed the shame of that realization to the side as he fought to escape his predicament.

Regardless of how he strained his feet just wouldn’t move. He wanted to use his new jet boots. The thought of lifting into the air and escaping his new opponents sent warmth through his heart. However, he was afraid of what might happen if the paper held out. His feet could be sent in unpredictable directions by the jet boots.

While Liam was trying to figure out what to do Copper took advantage of his plight. Pinning him to the floor before raining down attacks. Copper had discarded her makeshift clubs as soon as Liam lost hold of his staff. Preferring to beat the Hero with her bare, metallic, hands.

The first blow took Liam by surprise and he wasn’t able to block it. Without his armor the attack would have knocked the wind out of him. With it on he felt a biting pain. The following two attacks he deflected. Avoiding the consecutive crushing blows.

Through the next few attacks Liam lost any conscious plan of defense and was forced to rely on reflex. His body moving as only one with years of training could. His arm went up to block a right, then slide to the left to deflect the next blow. If he wasn’t in the middle of a fight, the display would have been breathtaking.

Straining against the Cowl, Liam pushed back. Hoping to stem the bombardment from above. But that turned things into a wrestling match. One the Cowl was in a better position for. It didn’t take long until she was peeling away Liam’s defenses. One arm at a time until Liam was left with his right hand gripping the Cowl’s forearm.

Right hand Liam thought. There was something special about that. But what was it? The desperate defense was slowing down his ability to analyze the situation. When suddenly, like a light snapping on, Liam realized what it was.

Using his HUD Liam triggered electricity to course through his hand. Sending it rushing over his glove and into Copper. Her metal body soaking in the crackling blue light. Leaving the Cowl stunned and open for attack.

Which Liam was more than happy to take advantage of. Using the opening Liam landed blow after blow with his electrified hand. Each one sending more electricity through his metallic opponent.

After a few strikes Copper was done. Leaning to the side she went limp. A nudge from Liam was all it took to send her collapsing to the floor next to him. The metallic luster of her skin melting away, as did nearly half a foot of height. Leaving an unrecognizable and unconscious woman behind.

“That was great,” Page said. Clapping in a slow and deliberate way.

“What can I say? Takes more than brawn to beat me,” Liam shot back.

Liam took the momentary lapse in fighting to inspect his feet. They were covered in paper. The pages folding around him. Snuggly holding every crack and crevice in his boots. Despite their tight fit the paper itself looked like any printer paper.

“That’s true,” Page said. “But whatever, Copper can’t complain, I helped her. I mean I was the one who trapped you to the ground.”

Liam didn’t respond. Instead letting the conversation die again as he stared up at his new foe. Trying to figure out what the man might do next.

Liam wasn’t worried about the constraints on his shoes. That problem had an obvious solution. What worried him was the possibility of other traps the man might have set. Someone skilled enough to lay that filing cabinet surprise was dangerous and couldn’t be taken lightly

The man in question didn’t seem perturbed at all. Above one of his palms a piece of paper twirled. Folding itself into a lion before refolding into a bear. Another time the display would have been beautiful. Today it showcased the man’s complete control over his power. That is, if the array of paper airplanes, hovering in the air behind him, didn’t.

“I thought she had you at the end,” Page said. “That would have been unfortunate.” The paper in front of him stopped twirling mid shape as the Cowl’s eyes focused in on Liam. “I was dying to take you on myself.”

Using that as the go sign Liam ignited his left hand for the final time. He had a little fuel remaining, but it’d run out soon. Every second with the flame was precious.

Liam reached down with his burning hand. Touching the paper holding him in place. It went up like a bonfire. Angry red flames licking around Liam’s armored legs. The paper constraints falling away as the fire engulfed them.

Seeing the burning Hero, Page attacked. The paper airplanes hovering around him darted towards Liam with reckless abandon. Closing in, the planes refolded themselves, becoming any number of origami animals that leaped onto Liam’s armor.

Attacking with their paper claws and teeth the little animals tore into Liam. Trying to overwhelm him with their considerable numbers. Despite their best efforts, the animals couldn’t pierce Liam’s armor. Their bite and claw attacks only bent their edges against Liam’s suit.

With his hand still alight Liam spun it through the paper cloud. Each piece touched, burst like a match. The pages themselves falling above the Hero, a burning crown for him to wear.

“Not my Paper!” Page screamed. Enraged as he saw his creations being destroyed with such disregard.

More and more of the creatures flew from Page’s backpack. Swarming Liam as he lay there. With each surge the paper changed their approach of attack, instead of trying to cut through the Hero’s armor they aimed for the joints. Clogging them with pure numbers, trying to prevent Liam from moving.

Even so they stood no chance against Liam’s flames. With a simple swing of his arms he could burn a dozen paper creatures. The falling balls of fire would touch other creatures, causing them to ignite as well. Generating a burning space around Liam, void of any origami animals.

This was working, Liam thought. He looked at his hand’s fuel gage and his mouth went dry. It was working for now. How long that would last was another thing.

“Let’s see how you like it when I use your toy,” Page said. Turning his focus to the staff Liam lost earlier in the fight. With paper holding it aloft the staff darted into Page’s hand. One end still alight with a pulsing electric current.

Instead of the expected fear or surprise the Cowl was looking for, Liam merely snapped his fingers. Causing the staff to break into a dozen parts. Each nothing more than scrap metal until Liam put them back together. No techie worth their salt would let their own tech be used against them.

The broken staff only helped enrage the Cowl. First his creations and now the stolen one from Liam were destroyed. He screamed out his frustration.

“AHHHH!”

More paper flowed out of Page’s backpack to hover around him. Each one folding itself into a different animal. The man was building himself a paper zoo, Liam noted. But the new pets didn’t attack. Even through his rage the Cowl wasn’t sure how to get past Liam’s flame. Instead of throwing more of his creation away he opted to have them hover around him. Acting as a threat against the Hero.

As Page was debating his next course of action, a new voice spoke up, “Don’t be upset Page. He has you beat this time. Instead focus on Cat. H-Bar is giving her some trouble and I’m sure she’d appreciate your help.”

The mention of Cat’s Cradle needing his help was like a bucket of cold water. Page went from red in the face to blue. His eyes darting to the new voice. It was coming from a small figure by the far wall. Shadows obscured Liam’s view of the new arrival.

“He was burning my creations,” Page said, more pout than anything.

“I can see that,” the new Cowl said. The voice soft and calming. “Don’t worry, I’ll make him pay.”

“Do you promise?”

“Yes. For every single one.”

“Good.”

After one last look at Liam’s burning hand, the Cowl was out the door. Rushing into the hallway to face H-Bar. The second he was gone the flame on Liam’s glove sputtered then died out. Having run out of fuel.