We didn't bother with formalities.

Ardent set up a bunch of plastic chairs, and we gathered in a small circle next to the training field’s gates.

At fifteen minutes past six, two unmarked vehicles rolled in from the north. They parked beside the building, springing open to reveal the rest of the crew. Rabidor’s team alighted from the neater truck, looking mostly unharmed.

In contrast, the second truck had survived a warzone. Bullet marks dotted the entirety of the vehicle and large cracks danced across the windows. Dia Mater clambered down the driver's seat, caked in mud. She limped her way over to us, leaning briefly on Rabidor for support.

Emotion welled in my chest at the sight of her, and I was halfway off my seat before I realized what I was doing. I stopped myself, and she sat at the opposite end of the circle. The rest of the two teams followed after her, grabbing chairs of their own.

“Erica,” Odim said, voice clogging in her throat. “Thank heavens you're alright.”

“It's Dia Mater in costume,” Dia Mater muttered. Then she smiled. “I'm glad you're alright too.”

“Don't downplay today’s incident,” Rabidor said. “You survived a gruesome ambush. I still can't believe we lost none of our people.” He gripped his knee. “Pro-now—”

“Pro-now will explain what went wrong,” Dia Mater said. “But this isn't the time.” Her gaze found mine. “I heard you suffered a similar ordeal, Volley. I was so happy to learn you made it back in one piece.”

“Y-yeah,” I said.

“Are you doing okay?”

“I . . . shouldn’t I be asking you?”

Dia Mater chuckled. “You should.”

Activity sat beside Harvest, locking fingers with her. For once, he didn’t glare at anyone. Dried blood lined his costume, but he seemed content to ignore it, staring instead at his feet. He worked a hand gripper in his free hand and scratched his shoulder intermittently. Harvest glanced at him, squeezing his palm.

“So,” Ballboss said in a tender voice, “we lost Catherine, Elixir, and the Dominic kid all in one go?”

No one replied.

“This sucks,” he said. “I guess sitting around like this is us doing something about it?”

“The incident hurts everyone equally,” Kabash said. “No point hammering the issue.”

Ballboss raised his palms. His PsuDerm-coated face twisted unnaturally. “Sorry if I came across as overbearing. I was just speaking from a place of frustration.”

“That is understandable,” Pro-now said, joining our group. His costume was still shredded in places, but he’d procured a tablet computer sometime during his conversation with the Colonel.

Dia Mater frowned as Tijani appeared behind him. “Scythe.”

“Dia Mater,” Colonel Tijani answered. “Let's save the pleasantries for later. Like I said earlier, I am here to help.”

The Colonel took a seat without so much as a cursory glance at Neviecha who occupied the chair next to her. The tech genius jolted away as their shoulders brushed, expression horrified.

“We have two problems,” Colonel Tijani said. “First of all, your unhinged ex-prisoner is wreaking havoc in Domo as we speak. Initial reports suggest he's been ripping up transformers and downing power lines: an action that has plunged entire streets into chaos one at a time.”

Odim let out a groan.

“No Light feeds on electricity, right?” Ballboss said, scratching his jowl.

“And he's hit four transformers already,” Colonel Tijani replied. “General Oluloye was kind enough to send an early response squad, but they were decimated in seconds. I don't know what kind of monster you were trying to rehabilitate, but we have the sapient equivalent of an electric storm rolling through midtown. I can't let this stand.”

“How bad is the situation, Pro-now?” Dia Mater asked, ignoring the Colonel's posturing.

“Bad,” Pro-now said, “with reasonable odds to deteriorate to unmanageable if allowed to linger.” He shuffled, having declined a seat. “No Light’s four times more massive than usual with enough power to light up the whole of Domo. The sooner we put an end to his rampage, the better.”

“This couldn’t come at a worse time,” Odim said, rubbing her brows.

“It couldn't,” Colonel Tijani concurred. “But keep in mind, CAH. This is your mess. I can assist with No Light but not by much. The 716 took all the losses on our failed raids today, and one of my heavy hitters is incapacitated.” She drummed her fingers against her chair. “In my independent capacity, I can spare All Mine and a squad of four regulars. No more than that.”

Kabash stirred. “You are the last person I want to hear giving us lip, Scythe. This crisis is on your head as much as it is on ours.”

“Kabash,” Pro-now warned.

“Why is she sitting here anyway?” Kabash continued. “Why aren't we asking her the real questions?”

Colonel Tijani tensed. “The Special Forces took losses—”

“And maybe you should take some more,” Rabidor growled, slamming his halberd. “Give me as much as a half reason, and I will see it done before the night is over.”

“I d-don't want to fight No Light,” Harvest said into the silence that followed.

“You won't, dear,” Dia Mater said, leaning over to rub her arm. She glared at Tijani. “You told Pro-now you have a way of finding our captured employees?”

Colonel Tijani nodded. “I can't find them. But I can transport you to their vicinity. The rest is up to you.”

“Explain.”

“I came with Hyperlink,” Colonel Tijani said. “My newest recruit. It pains me to give up a trump card so soon, but I will trade that for a chance to ingratiate myself with the Council. It would have been fun to keep you guessing Hyperlink's abilities for a few more years.” She sighed. “A wasted opportunity.”

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Hyperlink . . .? I remembered that name from back when Pro-now had barred him from entering the grounds. It made sense now in hindsight. We couldn’t tolerate the presence of unknowns.

“Get to the point, Scythe,” Rabidor said.

Colonel Tijani regarded him coolly. “Hyperlink is a teleporter. Give him time to familiarize with a person or location, and he can transport himself or anyone to a point within a few meters of the target.” She returned her gaze to the rest of the group. “The ability drops off with range, and he will require images of the target. However, he can send a team of your people over to the abductees—so long as they are still in Newtown.”

My left eye twitched. That was the fourth crazy ability I’d encountered today. I was starting to realize I was on the lower end of the spectrum as far as useful superpowers went.

“That’s an interesting ability,” Odim said. “Was this how you apprehended Evans?”

Colonel Tijani smirked.

“I don't like this,” Rabidor said. “Sounds like a trap. Smells like one too.”

“He's right,” Kabash said, crossing his arms. “We can't let Scythe yeet us through space-time. What will we find when we get there? A prison cell? The Sahara Desert—?”

“The Four-oh-Four waiting with guns,” I said.

“Pro-now,” Dia Mater said, tone imploring, “we can't trust her.”

Colonel Tijani sneered. “Trust has nothing to do with this. You think I sabotaged the mission today? That I sent my people to die just to get one over you? Do not insult me, Dia Mater. Either accept my proposal or don't. I'm not doing this out of the goodness of my heart.”

“Why are you doing this then?” Ballboss asked.

“Because,” Colonel Tijani said, “the Four-oh-Four must be stopped. The Country cannot afford to have Elixir fall into the hands of the most dangerous crime syndicate in the South-West—not while we know of their connection with the Yan. Should the Yan Magana get their grubby fingers on Elixir, the outcome bodes ill for us all.”

“Oh, cut the bullshit, old cow.”

Colonel Tijani’s eyes widened. She turned to Activity, features freezing like stone. “What did you say to me?”

“Oh, cut the bull—”

“Activity,” Pro-now barked. “Scythe is a Colonel of the Nigerian Armed Forces. She is also older than you by a good number of years. The least you can do is show some respect.”

“The least she can do,” Activity said, “is get started on whatever she intended. We all know she is making a play for something. And I am tired of pretending her panel beating is elaborate woodwork.”

Ah, there it was: the full Activity special. The dyed blond was always two seconds away from crazy, but this had to take the cake. Against my better judgment, I broke out into a grin.

“Activity . . .” Colonel Tijani mused, soft tone at odds with her glare. “I heard the CAH had picked up a problem child—one they intended to receive Saver’s mantle. But I didn't expect him to be this . . . unhinged. You are living proof why our juvenile system needs to be overhauled.”

Activity stared at Tijani, a baleful look in his eyes. He scoffed and returned to his hand gripper, squeezing harder than necessary.

“We will provide pictures of Elixir,” Pro-now said, breaking the tension. “How many people can Hyperlink transport in one go?”

“Assuming they are the same size as you?” Colonel Tijani eyed him. “About seven or eight. He has limits on weight. At best, it drops the maximum possible distance he can port things. At worst . . .” She left the sentence hanging.

“I am not comfortable with this, Pro-now,” Dia Mater said. “We can go after No Light and trust Intelligence to come up with something in the interim. I mean, it's your call, but . . .”

“I have taken your concerns into consideration, Mater,” Pro-now said, waving his tablet. “The good Colonel has hinted at how much her heart bleeds for the Country. We will take her up on her offer. However, she must prove her patriotism.”

Colonel Tijani glared. “What are you—”

“We are keeping you and Hyperlink prisoner until the mission is over,” Pro-now said. “The both of you will be fitted with a collar that can be detonated remotely. If we have any reason to believe you led us into a trap, well . . .”

“I'm fine with that,” Kabash said.

“I cannot possibly accept such terms,” Colonel Tijani rasped.

“Then we must reject your offer,” Pro-now said with a shrug.

“Elixir—”

“—should not be left with the Four-oh-Four,” Pro-now interjected. “That much we agree on. However, the Hero Council cannot afford—what was the term again?—a party wipe. If you want us to trust you, you must commit to your gambit.” He tapped his tablet against his knee. “What's the worst that will happen anyway? You trick us, we kill you; the fight you've always wanted commences between our groups. The only problem is: neither of us will be around to see it.”

“This is demeaning, Pro-now. I refuse to be treated like a dog.”

“Because of one collar?” Rabidor said, rolling his eyes. “How about a muzzle then?”

Dia Mater leaned forward. “It's a fair exchange, Scythe. Don't tell me you intend to back out after making a big song and dance of the purity of your intentions.”

“SRA purity has never counted as white,” Kabash said, rubbing his mask. “Cockroach brown, more like.”

“Barf yellow,” Activity chirped.

“Or cow-dung green,” Odim finished.

Neviecha coughed in a failed bid to hide his laughter. Bold of him, seeing as he sat within a meter of the Colonel.

Not that I was any better. I grinned a donkey’s grin behind my neck gaiter.

Colonel Tijani’s fingers trembled at the barbs. She steeled her jaw, eyes coming alight in their sockets. “I will not forget this, Pro-now.”

“Good.” Pro-now clapped his hands. “Now that we have the Colonel on board, we can begin preparations in earnest.” He moved to the front of the group. “We have two enemies, both of whom must be addressed simultaneously. Mater, you're in charge of the squad handling No Light. Can you provide an assessment?”

Dia Mater's lips drew into a line. She shifted, favoring her wounded leg. “This is a tall order, Pro-now. I've stretched myself too thin today. But I've fought No Light. Between engaging a vicious known entity and a bunch of equally vicious unknowns, my current condition leans toward the former.” She scrunched her brows. “How many teammates do I get?”

“Two.”

Dia Mater winced. “Then I'll need a bruiser and a Super with lots of utility.”

“Pro-now, sir,” I said, unable to keep silent. “Last time we fought No Light, it took seven of us to subdue him. If he is even stronger at the moment, then he is beyond recapture. We’re putting Dia Mater and whoever she picks at risk.”

Dia Mater frowned at me. “Thank you for your concern, Volley, but necessity trumps precaution in this case.”

“The boy is right,” Ardent said—his first words since the meeting began. “On a good day, No Light won’t pose any problems to you. But this is not a good day.” He paused, as if to add something, then changed his mind.

Pro-now hummed. “We need to preserve the bulk of our strength for the assault on the Four-oh-Four.”

“Why?” I said. “If the Colonel is to be believed, she has a Knight that can zap us to Elixir at any point in time. We can all go after No Light, regroup, and rescue the captives.”

“Hyperlink’s ability isn't without limits,” Colonel Tijani said. “If Elixir moves out of his range, he would end up unable to help.”

Neviecha squirmed in his seat. “If I may, Volley's suggestion strikes me as rational. The supervillains are bound to be grouped up at present time, making for a riskier operation. Waiting till tomorrow increases the chances of dispersal.”

Colonel Tijani chuckled. “You're green. No wonder you’re ignorant.”

“What are you saying?” I asked.

“She means,” Pro-now said, “that superhuman affairs are always matters of urgency. Everything comes into play when superpowers are involved. Never forget that, Volley. Had this been a normal operation, we would prep for the patient approach.

“However, between Knights, Rooks, Queens, and the Unconventional power types, the Four-oh-Four can inflict unimaginable amounts of damage within a short timeframe. Every second the captives spend in Villain custody is a second we could end up regretting. The syndicate knows this too, so they’d hurry to do their worst.”

Oh.

“My initial offer stands,” Colonel Tijani said. “All Mine’s a stellar soldier. Her range is excellent and few can outmatch her in terms of firepower.”

“We'll take her,” Pro-now said. “Odim, Rabidor. You both will round out Dia Mater's team.”

“No.”

It took me a while to trace the word back to Rabidor.

Pro-now cocked his head. “No?”

“Not No Light,” Rabidor said. “I need to go after the Four-oh-Four.”

“We are a team—”

“We have an agreement.”

Pro-now quietened.

Colonel Tijani glanced at both men. “I'll be outside with Hyperlink,” she said, rising to her feet. “Come get me whenever you are ready.”

“Denied,” Pro-now said. “From this moment, our deal is in effect. Ardent will fetch Hyperlink for you.” He turned to the group before the Colonel could answer. “The rest of you, freshen up. Take a breather. Grab whatever official supplies you need and chew on some ration bars. We meet back here in thirty.” His tone hardened. “Rabidor, a word?”

Rabidor lumbered up to him.

Around me, the rest of the Heroes split into pairs and marched toward the building.

Ardent stood beside a livid Tijani, an almost grin on his face.

Odim accosted Dia Mater before I approach her, fussing over her injuries.

I shoved my hands into my pockets and looked up at the sky.

It was going to be one wicked night, huh?