“Ahh!” Gladius screamed.

The cry thundered through the room. Reminding H-Bar of something primal, almost animalistic. A cry born from equal parts anger and despair.

A second later H-Bar was forced to duck in his chair as Gladius threw another cup. His seat was just to the side of her line of fire. His quick reflexes allowed the cup to sail past, harmlessly going over his head. The sound of shattering behind him a warning of what could’ve been his face.

Looking around H-Bar found pieces of porcelain scattered across the floor. Enough to piece back together half a set of cups and saucers. Gladius had been in full tantrum mode for the last fifteen minutes. If this kept up, H-Bar wouldn’t be surprised if they ran out of dishes by the end of the night.

With a shake of the head, H-Bar turned back to the meeting. Gladius’s outburst wasn’t that surprising given what they’d seen today. When they’d all gathered a few hours ago, Ullr had turned on the news asking them to watch. As they sat there, watching updates come in, the gravity of the situation fell on everyone. The public was gathering in the street and crying for blood.

“I see someone’s in a happy mood,” H-Bar said in the most deadpan voice he could manage.

The rest of the team turned towards him. Their faces showed what they thought about his joke. What could he say, some people just didn’t understand comedic timing?

“Back to being a jokester? I thought you were past that,” Skip said.

“With how things are going, humor is the only answer, and I’m here to deliver,” H-Bar said with a flourishing bow from his seat.

The team continued to look at him saying nothing. Dead eyes boring into his head. Maybe he was pushing it a little too hard, best to back off. Or was the joke that bad? He’d have to think about it once everything settled down.

Regardless, it’d been awhile since he’d cracked a joke. It was one of those things you didn’t realize you missed until you got it back. With the way things were going he might as well enjoy himself a little before things went completely off the rails.

“Now let’s get back on topic, before we get farther off topic,” Ullr said without looking away. Yeah, the rest of the team was far too stuffy H-Bar thought.

“I agree, we don’t want that,” H-Bar said. His voice containing his true sentiments.

He was only rewarded with a pursing of Ullr’s lips. He had to chalk that up as a victory. Man he’d missed this.

“Why’d it happen?” Skip asked.

Though he didn’t say a name, they all knew who he was talking to.

“I hadn’t fought anyone worthwhile in weeks. I needed to do something,” Gladius said. She was weighing another cup in her hand. After the near miss with the last improvised projectile, H-Bar paid close attention. He didn’t want to replace the wall as the next victim of a flying cup.

“No, not that. I know you well enough to understand why you fought the kids. I meant the video being played.”

That was obvious H-Bar thought. Their opponent was a mastermind. He’d been one step ahead of them since they first turned on him. After being caught by surprise, Liam had led the team around by the nose. Only sharing with them bits of what he was up to. As difficult as it was to admit, H-Bar was convinced Liam was toying with them.

The thought hardened H-Bar. He could still remember Liam’s first day on the team. He’d seen the nerves in the kid’s eyes. And now look at what he was doing to them. Centering himself, H-Bar decided he wouldn’t go down without a fight. Even if he didn’t know how to stop Liam, he’d still try and find a way.

“The cyber security team looked into it. Initial reports indicate there was a bug in the police’s firewall. It let the outsider have complete control, and play the video of Gladius,” Ullr said.

Skip sat up and turned to Ullr, half a frown on his lips, “But how could they do that? I thought those systems were impervious to external attacks?”

“I have some ideas but we’ll need to look into them,” Ullr said with his usual confidence.

H-Bar was paying close attention to the team leader, and he didn’t catch even the hint of a lie in the man’s words. Ullr was either a great liar or believed what he was saying.

“It was the police station break in,” H-Bar said, answering where Ullr didn’t.

Gladius cocked her head towards H-Bar with a quizzical look on her face. The expression dropped a second later as she went back to inspecting the cup. Yeah that would be in a dozen pieces in no time H-Bar realized.

Everyone else at the table just stared at him. Really, again? It was almost like they didn’t expect him to know what he was talking about. An annoying prospect after he’d been on the team for so long.

“What do you mean?” Skip asked.

“Liam was after the files,” Ullr said. Almost talking over Skip.

“He broke into the security system first. We thought it was to delete the tapes of the station. Now I think it was to plant the tech to do this. The experts looking into the system lands today, have him check it out,” H-Bar said. He leaned back in the chair, sure the experts would find the issue stemmed from that station.

“You give Liam too much credit. He’d never think of something like that,” Skip said. He stood up and started pacing. The thought of being bested by the young man was getting to him.

“And yet he did, so here we are,” H-Bar said as he watched his teammate continue to prowl.

“We’ll have the expert look into it,” Ullr said with a hint of uncertainty in his voice. Good, H-Bar thought. He was thinking of Liam as more than just a target. He could almost see the gears turning in his team leader’s head. The implications only now starting to dawn on him.

“I’m going to beat the kid to a pulp,” Gladius growled. The cup shattering in her grip. H-Bar relaxed for a moment as the threat of flying porcelain fell to the floor. Or at least until she grabbed a new cup. Resupplying already? That was unfair.

“It could’ve been other people, perhaps the Broken Crest?” Skip put forward from the far side of the room.

“I doubt that. The Cowls in the area are likely furious about that stunt,” Ullr said offhandedly. He was still focusing on Liam. H-Bar could see it in his face.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Can we be sure about that?” Skip asked, finishing his pacing he moved back to the table. Though he didn’t sit down. Instead deciding to stand behind his chair and grab onto the back of it.

“There’s no way to be certain about that, but the thought of outside Heroes coming to town is something no one wants. Least of all them and this spectacle is asking for that to happen,” Ullr said. His eyes only now starting to clear.

“It could be a third party attack,” Matt said. It was the first time he’d spoken since the meeting started. H-Bar had almost forgotten the man was even there. Seeing the attention directed at him, Matt hurried on, “Maybe an anti Hero group? Or someone else with a grudge against Gladius.” he finished with a shrug.

“There are a number of possibilities. All of which we will work through. But for now we have to focus on what to do next,” Ullr said. H-Bar got the impression his idea about Liam had struck home. Ullr was already taking it as the cause of everything that’d happened.

Bringing up what to do next spun Gladius around. The cup in her hand was fired off as she roared, “We hunt down whoever did this and gut them!”

H-Bar had been keeping an eye on the cup. So Gladius’s sudden movement wasn’t a surprise to him. The rest of the team hadn’t been paying as close attention to her, but they’d been in enough fights to avoid being caught napping. Both Skip and Ullr had tensed, ready to pounce on the first threat to emerge.

Matt on the other hand wasn’t trained like them. He almost fell out of his seat at the explosion of sound. Maybe they should bring the guy into the field H-Bar thought. It’d be fun to see him jump at every little sound. The Cowls would get a kick out of it as well, some might even feel pity for him. If even one went a little easier on the Hero’s because of that it’d be worth the risk.

“Save some for me,” Skip said, a wicked grin spreading across his face as he turned to Gladius.

Yep these were his teammates H-Bar thought. Prime examples of what it meant to be a Hero. He almost felt bad about joining them until the picture of his niece floated through his head.

“In due time, but first we have to decide what to do with Gladius,” Ullr said.

Gladius slowed her rampage on the dinnerware. H-Bar could imagine the remnants of the room thanking Ullr for the reprieve. Her recent bout of anger had left the team with no saucers and only half their cups. And that was only the damage H-Bar could see from his chair. It was bound to be worse if he went to check.

“What do you mean?” Gladius asked. H-Bar could’ve chiseled stone with her tone.

“I mean you’re on administrative leave until we figure this out?” Ullr said.

H-Bar watched as Gladius’s face turned first to a tomato red before settling upon eggplant purple. While he could understand her frustration, he’d be furious if this happened to him, it was still a good move for the team. They needed to take the video seriously or else the public would boil. This move did that while also insulating the rest of them from the worst of the fallout.

“You can’t do that to me! Not without a hearing in front of the union reps!” Gladius shouted.

“Well I just did it. Since this isn’t a DCP ruling you won’t get a hearing. The union only gets involved when the DCP hands down a punishment. Unless you want me to let the DCP act. Let’s be honest, they’d suspend you and there is no way you win an appeal,” Ullr said.

The color in Gladius’s face didn’t change which was a surprise to H-Bar. His emotional teammate not overreacting was just too strange. She stood there, defiant, but the reality of what was happening was starting to sink in.

“What’s the difference? They’d both ruin my career,” Gladius said.

“Not so. If you’re suspended, that means your career is over. While an administrative leave means you can come back. We have you take a few classes on anger management. Then when this all blows over we bring you back in,” Ullr explained.

“I don’t think it works that-,” Matt ventured. Before a glare from Ullr cut him off.

“How long would I be out?” Gladius asked, paying Matt no mind. Her stony exterior falling away as Ullr spoke.

“That’s hard to say. Weeks for sure, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it lasts a few months.”

“Can’t we say this was all a setup?” Gladius asked. A hint of pleading entering her voice.

“What happens when they find those young men you throttled?” Ullr asked. He was taking on the role of a school teacher H-Bar noted. Walking Gladius through what would happen next, like she was some unruly child, “With the public’s eye on this, they won’t be afraid of retaliation. I have no doubt they’ll corroborate the tape.”

“We could find them first. Then buy their silence or silence them,” Gladius said. The woman who was up in arms moments before had vanished. Only a shadow was left, pleading for her future.

“With the entire country looking? That won’t happen. You’re benched till further notice,” Ullr said.

One last spark ignited in Gladius’s eye. The small fire demanding some action from the Hero.

“I won’t do it!” Gladius shouted.

Ullr stood, so fast he was only a blur to H-Bar. The man towered over the team. He did nothing more than stand there and H-Bar found it hard to look at him. As he stared at Gladius, power seemed to ripple off of him. This was the enormity of his presence.

“What was that?” Ullr asked in the calmest voice H-Bar had ever heard from him.

As quick as the fire was ignited it was gone again.

“I mean, I don’t think I can sit on the sidelines for that long.”

“You don’t have a choice in this.”

Gladius threw caution to the wind, “You can’t make me do this. I’ll tell everyone what’s happening on this team. All you need to do is keep me active and I won’t say a thing.”

That was a mistake, H-Bar thought. Both he and Skip were standing now. Readying themselves for what might come. Matt on the other hand scurried away from the table. Hiding in a nearby hallway.

“Did I hear that right?” Ullr asked. All semblance of the teacher gone.

“I um, I mean.”

“If you ever so much as think that again you’ll join Blue Feather. Do I make myself clear?”

The last remnants of Gladius’s defance burned out.

“Do I make myself clear,” Ullr demanded. His hands tightening into fists.

“...Yes sir.”

H-Bar released a table knife, he didn’t even remember picking it up. He was so focused on a possible fight.

“Now everyone sit down and let’s continue,” Ullr said.

The team followed his command. Moving stiff legged back to their seats. Even Gladius joined them. Her head lowered, as if afraid making eye contact would bring trouble.

Matt made his way from the hallway. Halfway back to the table he looked down at his tablet. As his eyes scanned the screen, his face paled. Watching it happen H-Bar felt his stomach drop. More bad news, it had to be more bad news.

Matt raced over to the TV, drawing the rest of the team’s attention. Even Gladius peeked up at the anxious Matt. Reaching the TV, Matt un-muted it.

The reporter on TV said, “New images from the public gathering around Des Moines show violence has erupted.”

The video on the screen showed a darkened street. Mobs of people pushing and shoving amongst themselves. Opposite to them were police officers in their riot gear.

Projectiles flew from one side to the other. The police lobbed tear gas grenades. Where they landed a cloud of irritant rose. That simple tactic kept the crowd from grouping as they moved away from the smoke.

Even with the confusion the smoke caused, the crowd wasn’t standing still. They were grabbing anything they could and firing it back at the police. In the brief time he watched H-Bar saw bottles, bricks, and even trash hurled at the officers.

“Shouldn’t we be out there?” H-Bar asked.

“No. that’ll only make things worse,” Ullr said.

“This can get worse?” Skip asked.

Ullr turned away from the TV and looked at each member of the team one at a time.

“Things can always get worse,” Ullr confirmed.

The base’s phone started to ring. In H-Bar’s entire time on the team he’d never seen the thing being used.

Matt looked around as if to see who would answer the phone, then with a start got up and did it himself.

The call was short, Matt saying less than a dozen words. However in that short amount of time H-Bar knew something was wrong. Matt’s face was looking whiter by the second. H-Bar had never seen the man look like that before.

When the call was over Matt walked back to the table and said, “The Watch is sending a representative.”

“When?” Skip asked.

“He’s already en route.”