Walking into the meeting room, I saw two other men in their early 20s along with a typical meeting room setup – a table, a few chairs, and screen on the wall. Both of the men were in typical bodysuits that heroes wore in comic books I read. One of them just had a face that said, “I’m angry! I’m killing you with my power!”

“Shield, please take a seat,” the woman pointed to the empty chair in between two of the men.

I walked in and sat at the seat, while the woman continued her way to the front of the screen in the room. I tried to take a glimpse at the angry man’s face, but all I could see was his fist raised up. Slowly a finger-length bone started protruding out of the middle of his fist where his middle finger was. I could only let out an awkward smile before I turned my head towards another team member of ours. That was a warm welcome for a new team member.

“Oh. Hi, I just realised you are here,” the other just seemed to have a slow time reacting to our presence inside the room.

“Hello I’m…”

“Alright, with everyone here, let’s begin please, gentlemen.” The woman said.

“In case you don’t know yet, I’m the leader of The Response Against Super Heroes,” the woman said as the screen behind her showed her profile. “My codename is Strength, and my power is super strength.”

“Wait, do we all call each other by codenames here?” I asked as I saw “Valerie” written as her real name on the screen.

“Yes please, we’re professionals,” Valerie replied with authority. “The man beside you is Sword.”

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“And his power is shooting bones out of his body.” I quickly cut in as the screen showed his real name to be “Taylor”. “Sword and Shield. That is us, right?”

“Yes and no. The codenames are meant to be easily remembered with one syllabus, while explaining our powers.” Sam confirmed. “You will not be partners on the field. You will be with me. More on that later.”

“My name is Speed and I’m the fastest man alive. To the outside world, I’m…”

“Alright, Hermes. No one wants that monologue every time we meet.” Taylor interrupted.

“I thought you guys are too slow to get it yet.”

“For a man that fast, you are so slow to understand what is going on!” Taylor shot out a bone out of his palm into the wall behind Hermes.

“See! I dodge that.” Hermes smirked.

“Please! Stop it guys!” Valerie took charge of the situation as she lifted the table and threw it into the wall behind us. “Let’s not scare your new member here, Shield.”

“Yes Madam.” My team mates sighed as my name “Steve” appeared on the screen together with every details of my history that not even I had much memories of.

“Today will be our first mission as a team. We are responding to the leak at the wormhole on the north side of our city. S.H.I.T. is late, so this presents an opportunity for us to take back our city and show the people that we can protect them to. Understand?”

“Yes Madam!”

“The strategy is simple. Speed will scout the ground. Shield and I will then charge in with Shield taking the front…”

“What?” I thought I was chosen for a noble task to protect my country, but it turned out that I am a walking human meat shield for my team.

All I could think was how I could die as piles and piles aliens jumped onto me.

“Sword will cover us with his spikes from behind. As we reached closer to them, I will knocked them back to the wormhole. Remember their weak spot are at the centre of their chest. Alright. It’s time to move out!”

“Roll out!” Hermes exclaimed as he rolled out of his chair.