Cathedral

"You boys ready for your first mission?" Coming from an unusually excited BulletProof as Roy and Leo sit on his couch. 

Roy had his arms crossed and his eyes closed, still angry that he's involved in this. In Roy's mind, it was ROY that was babysitting Leo and BP. He graduated top of his class (and only of his class save Skai), was granted a Blue Bottomed Blade, he couldn't work with a mere hitman, it was so beneath him. "Not my first mission. Not my last." He said bluntly.

Leo, on the other hand, was rocking back and forth in anticipation like a baby's first taste of sugar. "Yes! I mean, technically my first mission was when I met you. But, yes!"

"Well it's time for your first real mission!" BP smacks his wall and a projector's light flickers on. "The New Dawn Society!" BulletProof does jazz hands after revealing a crudely put together powerpoint presentation. In the picture on the screen, several figures in gold and white robes kneel before a central figure in a similarly colored suit.

Roy sighs, "You do this for all your missions?"

"Sometimes I make moodboards, now listen up!" He smacks the wall again. "This is Father Paco and his flock. They took hold of a Cathedral on I Street right after the previous Church's mysterious dissolution."

"Ooouu dissolutionnn…" Leo says.

"Leo, that's not a big word." Roy says with a side eye. "Alright, now what about them?"

"Hold on, hold on, I'm getting there. So the theory is that these guys killed the last guys and took over their spot, however, the last guy's were pretty fucking powerful. So it's our job to find out what powers these new guys have."

"Sounds simple enough, remind me why I'm here?" Roy asks.

"Because you don't know how to close your mouth!"

"Just like your girl can't close her-"

"Motherfucker, what did you just-" BP says, reaching for his gun.

"C'mon boy, try it!" Roy says, reaching for his blade.

"GUYS! GUYS! GUYS! Relax! Before I beat both of your asses." Leo says, standing between the two.

BP and Roy side eye Leo and laugh together before saying in sync "Yeah, okay. Whatever."

"Well before I was rudely interrupted," Bp flicks off Roy, "We know one of their powers." The slide changes and BP points at the screen again. "This is Requiem. Known by the Church as God's Blade" The screen shows a tall individual that's often standing next to or near Father Paco. His robes are different from the rest of the flock, red, almost ceremonial, and donning a military fashioned hat, as if he were their general or something. In the next slide is a video of security footage, seemingly between the last church's security and Requiem. The man can barely be seen as a flurry of slashes decimate and mutilate the armed guards that seem to be shooting at nothing. Once the dust settles, Requiem lands in the center of the frame, retracting long blades protruding from his arms. He stands up and holds a fist towards the camera and stabs it, ending the video. "As you all can see from the security footage and how the name implies, Requiem has the ability to produce blades from his body."

"That's it? But he was moving so fast! I barely even could see what was going on!" Leo says in shock.

"He has incredible control of his flow state." Roy adds.

"Flow state?" Leo asks.

"Flow state or also known as Focus is a feat everyone can achieve but most often seen in athletes. It allows you to take in your surroundings and make decisions in the slightest fraction of a second to gain the upper hand." BP explains.

"Think of it like your mind catching up to your body." Roy helps. 

"Moving forward, remember that your travel speed, reaction speed, and combat speed are all three separate things. The latter two are what allow people with simple powers or none at all to keep up with people like you in close-quarters."

"So you think you're faster than me too huh?" Leo points.

"Your comprehension skills are terrible." BP sighs as Roy just laughs.

Later, the three are walking down I Street, still about three blocks from their destination. It's eerily clean, the I Street Leo remembers you had to walk over the homeless every couple steps. Leo guesses sleeping on the sidewalk becomes troublesome when The One Million Man is fighting his villain of the week on the street you call home. Bulletproof notices this as well, he's been in the city for a few years now and although you still see high speed chases and the occasional lunatic out here, it's the small things that are missing. The homeless on the sidewalks, the protesters and their shitty pamphlets, the drummers, the hustle men with suitcases of snacks and essentials, are all mysteriously displaced. 

A limo parked outside of a cafe catches Leo's eye. There's a decent crowd surrounded out front and a few camera crews. "Ayo, what's going on over there?"

"Some book signing, stupid? I know, right? I forget the kid's name but he's some normie looking to make a name for himself. I wouldn't worry about it, leave it to the hate groups to eat that shit up." Coming from BP, walking ahead of Leo with his hands behind his head. 

Leo can't take his eyes off the crowd vying for the attention of the person about to walk out those doors, he wished to be that person. Leo was about to regret that feeling as he realized just who it was walking out of the cafe. 

"Best to just focus on the mission ahead. The church is right there." Roy says as they close in on their destination. The Cathedral is massive, like the size of your average mall. There is lush flora draping the obviously reinforced walls. "Wow, this place looks more like a fortress than a church. We sure we're at the right place?"

"Well that's what it says on the door, dummy!" BP says pointing to the Welcome to The New Dawn Society sign on the archway above the stairs leading into the cathedral. "So what's our play?"

"I thought this was your plan? You had your mood boards and everything." Roy says sarcastically.

"It was a presentation, and I dunno, just wanted to see where your heads were at?" BP bickers back.

"On my body."

"Whatever! Shut up! Here's the plan! You and Leo go inside like you two have just been in a traumatic experience or some shit while I do some recon."

"Yeah? No." Roy shuts him down. "One, Leo sucks at lying. Like atrociously bad. And two, wait!" Roy and BP both quickly scan around before sighing. "Goddamn it, Leo!"

"Umm! Where the fuck did your brother go?" BP frantically asks.

"Hmmmm…did you ever remember what the normie's name was?"

"Ummm! I think it's like Tristan or Tevin or some shit. It's Sigurd Gunn's kid. Why? I hope Leo isn't a fan or some-"

"TREVOR!" Roy yells in realization.

"Trevor Gunn! Righttttt! He better not be a friend."

"Definitely not! He's the bitch that put Leo in jail six years ago." Roy face palms for not realizing this sooner. 

"No way. You're telling me that Leo is the one who killed Sigurd Gunn!"

"Don't ever, utter that sentence again. Trevor is a snake and always has been. So far he'd kill his own father and frame my brother for it to gain that massive inheritance. Had I been home when this was happening, I'd be the one in jail, not Leo, for killing Trevor." Roy furiously explains.

"I can't believe Caine left that out of his file. Woulda been good to know, Trevor's been a thorn in my side for a while." BP sighs and scratches his scalp.

"Cain?" Roy asks.

"Sorry. Murphy. Last names are stupid, you know? You know I had to do my research on you two. Heheh."

"Yeah. Looks like you don't know when to close your mouth either." Roy says bluntly, putting distance between the two.

"Awww! Come on! Don't be like-" BP tries to apologize but is cut off by the Cathedral doors opening and a massive gust of wind flies up his back blowing his shirt up. 

"Excuse me!" A hushed but nonetheless commanding voice boomed from above Bulletproof. Once he adjusted his shirt back, BP noticed a tall woman towering over him, crouching slightly to peer through the doorway. He recognizes her from the picture but he assumed her size was due to the perspective. Her robe is featureless outside of the same color scheme the rest of the flock dons. The only unique detail outside of her height is the single slit in her robe that reveals marvelous shiny gemstone like eyes. BP is trapped in her gaze for a moment before she speaks again. "You are disturbing the peace of the church's confessional hours."

"I sincerely apologize. I was urging my friend here that this is the salvation we need. He's been through some pretty traumatic things recently and I think this church is the answer to his problems." BP explains pointing to his "friend" behind him.

"I see. You indeed are a deeply troubled individual. Are you aware that you are here alone?" The woman asks in a gentler tone.

BP turns around and sees that Roy is nowhere to be found. "Motherfucker!" He says under his breath before turning back around to continue the facade alone. "We are never truly alone! Even now I can feel him around us, listening, taunting me. Please Miss! I need to see Father Paco! I've heard of the miracles he performed! Save me from this affliction! You're my last hope."

The woman fully steps out the doorway and an aura of judgement radiates from her, she has to be at least 9 feet. A separate voice answers him, more similar than different to the woman in front of him. "The Father is unavailable for one on one study this evening." Given he can't see or even smell anyone but the two of them right here he can only assume it was her that said it, but something about her eyes unsettled BulletProof. Another voice this time. "However, The Father may be available in his study after the fellowship supper." She reopens the door to the cathedral and enters, holding out a hand for BulletProof. Another. "Allow me to give you a tour until then." BP didn't realize not being able to see someone's mouth would piss him off so bad but he proceeds anyway. 

"Oh thank you so much!" BP says as he reluctantly grabs ahold of the lady's hand like a lost child. "What is your name Miss?"

"God's Beauty."

Above the fortress-like church is where Roy was, he launched himself onto the roof as soon as he detected movement. Roy has an electromagnetic field that surrounds himself and can be used to cover an area. Similar to MRI technology, Roy can produce radar-like waves that penetrate certain materials and bounce off others to detect anomalies and bioelectrical signatures. This effectively allows Roy to build a mental map of schematics and live feeds of everything in a 3 mile radius. He's currently beating himself up for not activating it until he noticed Leo was missing. Roy could only hope Leo wasn't about to end up in jail again. "Well here goes nothing."

Currently on the other side of town where Trevor Gunn's limousine was driving, a sudden impact in the back causes the car to spin out and crash on a closed road. The door on Trevor's side blows off and he steps effortlessly out, brushing dust off his purple suit. "God Damn it, Clarence! This is coming out of your pay!" Trevor goes to the back of the limousine to inspect the damage and sees a size 13 footprint. His driver attempts to get out but a gust of wind knocks Trevor to the ground as Leo slams the driver's door shut. The driver screams as the force of the door chops his fingers off. Trevor gets up to face Leo and brushes himself off again. Smiling ear to ear, "WELL LOOK WHO'S HOME!"

Trevor's head would've been kicked clean off if it weren't for a shimmering violet forcefield he had around himself. Leo drops to the ground. "Highway's closed!" He darts away. "Can't you read?!" You hear as Leo returns as a flash of light as he strikes the forcefield again, a punch this time, still no effect.

"Of course I can!" Trevor says walking in circles trying to track Leo's movement's, currently safe in his bubble. "I'm surprised you can! I doubt that prison education taught you much!" Trevor jests as a flurry of punches and kicks collide all around the shimmering barrier. Arrogant, but nervous, Trevor wasn't aware Leo had grown so fast in six years. Six years of confinement that is. Now it was him boxed in. 

"I'll show you what I learned!" Leo says as he slams on the ground in front of Trevor, causing a shockwave that breaks the ground beneath him. Seeing his chance, Leo jumps over top of the hole to slam down Trevor and- 

A laser shoots Leo back up and onto the ground where he coughs and pats out the singed mark on his chest. "Oh shut it, loser! That's what you are! Just a sore loser! Now lay in the dirt and die!" Trevor says, appearing out of the rubble with what appears to be a cybernetic suit under his clothes and firing another laser at Leo. This time, Leo quickly gets up and dodges out the way as soon as the words leave his mouth. Rolling to the right and bursts forward with a left hook that causes a sonic boom on Trevor's face. Leo looks up to see he barely left a dent in the armor now covering Trevor's face. The faceplate seemingly dissolves off of Trevor and he chuckles. "Nanomachines! Ain't that a bitch?"

Leo blinks away before Trevor can swipe at him and exhales. "This is annoying."

"Agreed." Trevor says before lifting up into the air due to the jets on his soles. "You know it doesn't have to be this way…" He says holding out his hand.

"Motherfucker, I went to jail for you! My entire life has been taken away from me!" 

"Yeah! Because you killed my father!"

"YOU killed your father! Then told the world that I did!" Leo shouts, blood boiling. He can feel an inexplicable burning sensation within his chest, it must just be adrenaline. You could say this was his first fight in a while where Leo was the aggressor.

Trevor smirks and shrugs his shoulders. "But it sounds better when I say it." Trevor laughs. "Think abouuuutttt it! Trillionaire non-powered prodigal son is orphaned by his childhood friend who was corrupted by greed from living the street life!"

Leo tenses up. Eyes wide open. Chest hot.

"The poor lonely orphan then takes over his now deceased father's massive successful weapons enterprise and becomes the first non-powered Superhero! Transforming father's business into a home security corporation to protect non-powered families internationally from the world's greatest…gifts. Read more in my book, Gunn: The One You Can't Shoot." Trevor holds his arm out and a hologram of the book rotating is showing. On the cover of the book is Trevor in a turtleneck and wearing glasses. 

"You have to be fucking kidding me?!" Leo says, not believing his eyes.

Back at the Church.

"I just can't escape her! Everywhere I look I see her face!" Whining from BP who was basically laying his head on the large woman's lap with tears streaming down his face. BulletProof is a great actor, however, he isn't acting here. "I came to this city 5 years ago, and she was the first person I met. It was so toxic, but that's why I like her! We'd break up and get back together almost every day because every time I bring a new lady home it ends up being her trying to catch me in the act! I hate shapeshifters!"

"There there, child. I cannot say I fully understand your relationship with this Selena-"

"It's Selene! Lena is just what I call her. Or at least I used to!" BP says before crying.

"Right…well in our faith, we believe that God's adoration for humanity transcends these mortal systems of individual fulfillment." God's Beauty says in an attempt to comfort BP.

"But I don't want God's adoration! I want hers!" Despite his whining, BP would feel the weight of his words as the woman's eyes widened and fixated on him with a hardened gaze. He realizes that he got ahead of himself. "You must forgive me. I spoke without thinking. It's just, I've done a lot of bad things. Falling for her is not one of them." He says, sitting upright and pulling himself together.

God's Beauty relaxes and sits upright as well, looking up to the ceiling before responding. "I understand. I remember a time where all I could fixate on was how my earthly flesh was perceived." A memory flickers across her mind, a stressed looking woman staring at herself in the mirror. "Too tall for a woman, they'd say. Not feminine enough. For a long time, I'd pick up any habit that would potentially stunt my growth, like drinking coffee. That is, until I met Father Paco. It is he who allowed me to see myself fully and completely through the adoration of God."

BP notes that this is the first time he's seen her lips moving from under the veil. This voice wasn't as unsettling or commanding as the previous, softer, calmer, more human. It seems that God's Beauty is lowering her guard just a bit for this potential infiltrator, possibly seeing him as a candidate for the flock. He realizes that honesty is his best route here. BP chuckles. "Your Father sounds like a real miracle worker. As it stands I think it's practically impossible for God to adore a person like me."

The voice switches again, more investigatory. "Tell me about the bad things you've done."

Back on the roof of the cathedral, Roy was creating his mental map of the base. Although he can't technically see, the electromagnetic waves he produces differentiate between the materials they interact with. Roy instinctively spits to the side of him as a secret room underneath the chapel appears to be filled with glass, which always leaves a weird taste in his mouth. "Ah, must be the reliquary. Nothing too out of the ordinary." He says before feeling a faint electrical presence deep underneath. "Yet, that is." 

The veins in his forehead bulge as he focuses to get a clearer image of the lowest room and he finds a door that leads to a descending stone staircase. He knows it's stone because it's a terrible conductor, unless there's a high density of iron mixed in with whatever granite or limestone that the lower levels are lined in, this would be as far as he goes. However, just before Roy reaches his limit, he feels a bioelectrical signature he can latch onto. A singular figure walking up from this mysterious staircase. "Let's see where you came from, shall we?"

After bouncing a wave from the emerging person in the secret passage, Roy reaches the bottom and it strains his vision a bit as a massive room is underneath. Nearly overloading his senses, Roy feels hundreds of different bioelectrical signatures with varying degrees of brain activity, ranging from none at all to sporadic minds only seen in the clinically insane. They seem to all be huddled in reverence for something. As Roy inches closer he's suddenly unable to go further, as if a wall was preventing him from seeing something he wasn't supposed to. Or perhaps, it was keeping something from leaving. "It can't be."

Over on the closed road, Leo was dumbfounded as several other figures emerged from the limousine. A shirtless man in shades gets out of the vehicle and stretches, revealing large red wings on his back. "Finally! Free at last! Being cooped up in that limo was making my wings itch."

Following him was Selene, her iconic lush red hair flowing down her back as she stepped into the cracked street gracefully in stilettos. "I share the same sentiment, your feathers are always getting on me. Also, put on a shirt will you?"

Last was a young black boy, no older than 11. Neatly tied braids and an impossibly clean white uniform. "Well, you should see the new street sweepers I've been making. It'll make the hassle of cleaning up after our supervillain fights way easier."

Leo blinked twice as the three stood around Trevor looking back at him. "Birdie? Selene? And uhhhh…"

"Rex Williams!" The bright eyed boy runs up to Leo and smiles, holding out his hand. Leo confusedly goes to shake it but Trevor shoots a laser between them.

"Rex! Don't get too excited, he's a loser." Trevor says in disgust.

"Sorry boss!" Rex chuckles then scurries behind Trevor. "Back away, vile villain!" 

"Umm. Birdie. Selene. Can you please tell me what in the actual fuck is going on?" Leo asks.

The man Leo calls Birdie points a finger back at him. "That's Brother Bird to you!"

"And I am The ShapeSister." Selene says with a soft chuckle

"Okay, I'm not calling either of you that so if we're done playing the fucking name game, can someone please explain to me why both of you are standing on the side of the bitch ass nigga who put us all in jail?!" Leo exclaims.

Trevor covers Rex's ears. "Language, Leo."

"Ehh two years for manslaughter in Salem wasn't too bad." Brother Bird says scratching his scalp and sniffing his finger after.

"And they never caught me. Laid low with a fling of mine for a few years, I should call him one of these days, I'm sure he misses me." Selene says in a seductive purr.

Leo grinds his teeth before saying, "He does. I met him the other day after you ran away from me. He literally shot me in the face after speaking your name, good thing they were BB's."

Selene smirks, "Sounds like my man! Oh my TinTin doesn't play about me."

Trevor steps forward while pushing a few buttons on a device attached to his wrist. "Rightttt. Anyways, I agree. Leo, prepare for the chance of a lifetime…" A hologram appears from the device, a video showcasing Trevor flying around fighting Birdie and Selene in costumes. 

"What is this?" Leo says in awe.

Trevor says nothing but the holographic video continues showing Birdie holding a captive woman in the air against her will. "Let her go! You flying devil!" Trevor in the video says to Birdie. "Gladly, then she'll earn wings just like mine hahahaha!" The costumed video Birdie says before dropping the woman just for Trevor to fly up and save her. "There we go, Miss. This Gunn is always on safety."

"The fuck is this corny shi-"

"Shhhhh! Here's my part!" Selene excitedly says, cozying next to a beyond uncomfortable Leo.

In the video, Trevor floats down with the woman and says, "Are you alright Miss? That chicken didn't hurt you did he?" The beautiful woman then starts shifting into the red-haired seductress we know all too well and yells, "OH I've never been better!" Plunging a shocking blade into Trevor's armor causing it to malfunction and fall out the sky. Suddenly the video is now narrated by who Leo only assumes to be this Rex kid, "Oh no! Our intelligent hero was fooled yet again by The ShapeSister and Brother Bird! How will he overcome this threat this time! Find out next time on Gunn:Reloaded!"

Birdie walks over as the video ends putting an arm around Leo. "We're s u p e r v i l l i a n s!" He says waving his free hand in the air.

"You're fucking lame, that's what you are! I can't believe this shit, get off me!" Leo says brushing past Birdie and Selene.

"We're basically famous! I mean it issss a wee bit corny at times but the upsides besides money and wealth-"

"That's the same thing." Leo bluntly says.

"Shut up. The benefit of this facade is that the world thinks it's real." Selene finishes, grabbing Leo's hand and spinning around as he quickly jerks his hand back.

"Well, duh, I can see that but-" Leo stops as Selene gets in close. Too close. Close enough to notice her freckles, her eyes, the ones he could never remember the color of. It's as if she changed them every day, or they reflected her mood. This time, they were red.

"Of course, the naysayers can see the truth behind the smoke and mirrors…" She gets even closer. BP would be melting in his boots right now. "The true benefit is that when it's real, the world thinks it's fake."

"Alright! Showtime Speedy! Police are about 30 seconds out! Remain a broke loser forever, or get money with my scheme?" Trevor says, pushing a few more buttons.

"You're joking?!" Leo scoffs.

The hologram changes to a map of the area showing a dozen pulsating lights inching closer towards them. "Called them when you chopped my favorite driver's fingers off. Told them to wait a few minutes so we could have a touching reunion."

"Get fucked."

"You should try it sometime. 20 seconds." Trevor says, sticking a tongue out.

"Ew. Fuck you," Leo says, unmoving.

"Ew, Never. 15 Seconds! Rex! Hit it!" Trevor laughs.

Rex childishly giggles before a swarm of droned lights and cameras swarm down out the sky as he faints, falling asleep on the floor.

"The fuck is wrong with him?" Leo asks.

Selene pushes off Leo then shifts into an older woman, her hair turns short and greyed, becoming a bit more small in stature and frail looking. She rushes to Rex's side and holds the boy's head up. "IS THERE ANYONE AROUND TO SAVE US? IT'S THE SPEED DEMON!" The drones start recording.

Leo's face contorts upon the realization dawning, Birdie pats him on the back. Saying under his breath, "You got this, brotha." Birdie flies up into the air before shouting, "NOW THAT WE'VE FREED THE SPEED DEMON FROM PRISON, NOTHING CAN STOP US! Birdie flies away cackling like a hyena. 

"5!" Trevor calls out.

The cameras follow Birdie for a bit before returning to Leo as the focus.

"4." 

Leo swats at the cameras.

"3."

Leo sees a green dot on the holographic map bee lining to their position, fast. 

"2."

Leo can start to hear police cars nearing and sees a flickering light in the distance. "Is that?"

"1. Action!" Trevor says before falling onto one knee, his suit all of sudden malfunctioning. "Officer Neon! I've held him off for as long as I could!

"NEON!" Leo shouts before turning around high-tailing it out of there. The cameras are briefly sent flying from the miniature sonic boom but begin pursuit soon after.

Neon quickly fully comes into frame, passing Trevor in an instant. He smacks the siren on his shoulder, inching closer and closer to the golden bronze blur that was Leo. "I swear you won't evade me this time, Speed Demon!"