Chapter 6: Calm before the storm

The Star penthouse had a total of ten floors. Floors one through five were residential. The sixth-floor housed staff quarters, the seventh was Vanessa's private suite, eighth was Vanessa war room, ninth was the sidekick's quarters, and finally the final room was the pool room.

The within the penthouse war room, everyone was quiet as Vanessa initiated the holographic display.

"Stonewall Island," Vanessa announced, zooming in on the aerial view.

The projection revealed a thermal signature moving through the abandoned resort, "Former five-star getaway. Now Marco Giovanni aka Donfather's personal kingdom."

The hologram shifted to display a tall bald brute wearing a pristine white suit with scars all over his head. His right eye was milky white while the other was black.

"Donfather's Trigger isn't just 'Explosion'," Vanessa continued, tapping the console.

Security footage showed the man placing a single finger against a steel door - the metal detonating outward in a perfect sphere, "He controls yield, radius, and most terrifyingly - timing. That door? He set it to blow six hours later when the security team finished their rounds."

Annie's hovering form dipped slightly, "So he could turn us into walking time bombs."

"Correct." Vanessa swiped to a new image - crimson strands glistening between broken bank vault doors, "Which brings us to his suspected partner. Red Widow."

Arthur leaned forward after immediately recognizing the name, "Couldn't be. Her MO is burglary and thief. Her past jobs have been museums, jewellery store, and banks. Why team up with a mafia?"

Vanessa's manicured nail traced a shipping manifest floating in the air, "Because three days ago, Donfather intercepted a Silex Corporation transport. Their experimental energy cores could amplify Triggers exponentially. Upon finding the drivers, they were web against wall and two hero were found dead due to a possible explosion."

Duke whistled, "So if Mr. Boom-Boom gets juiced up..."

"He could level most of Golden City. Making him S-rank threat that will take the entire top ten heroes cooperation to handle him. Makes manner worst, we don't have any handcuffs that can suppress anything above A-rank. So, he will simply break out whenever he feels like it." Bruce finished.

The hologram zoomed in on the island's underground facility schematics, "Your mission has three objections," Vanessa said, "One: confirm Red Widow's involvement and arrested her if needed. Two: recover or destroy the Silex cores. Three—" She paused, "—bring Donfather in alive. The Association wants his connection to last month's Trigger traffickers."

Annie's slightly tilted her head, "This seems impossible honestly. Donfather probably has a ton of henchman or people close to him that are strong trigger user. Why didn't the association picked the top five hero or something?"

Vanessa turned her eyes and point towards Arthur, "Not anymore. The most impossible and dangerous villain are now possible with our little wild card."

Arthur smiled understanding what she was thinking, "So the plan is to have me look at Donfather which will disable his powers then we jump him together."

Vanessa had a cheerful and innocent smile on her face.

Cassie's voice chimed through the speakers, "Lady Vanessa, your 10:30 appointment has arrived. They're... impatient."

Vanessa sighed, "Darlings, do try not to explode before midnight." She paused at the elevator, turning back with sudden seriousness, "Arthur I need to tell something important about our mission as Keepers."

Arthur stood up from where he was sitting, "Yeah."

Vanessa took moment of silence before saying, "As heroes we are here to protect against criminal. Those criminals we defeat we either put them behind bars, mental institution, and even rehab facility. We do that to protect villains from themselves and hope they will be reformed back into society...but not all villains want that type of help from us."

Arthur noticed the others mood changes to feeling rather uncomfortable, "What you mean? What type of help?"

The room was silent till Vanessa mutters out loud, "When they reach a point of no return. The only option is help them out of this life so they can't endanger any more people. That way we can truly save them" The elevator door begun to close leaving Arthur standing frozen from what he heard.

He looked at the others and asked, "Is that true?"

Annie was first to return his gaze, "Trust me on this but not wings of rebellion can be shackled. Even when beaten and bruised, a rebellion soul can only be free when their wings are ripped off."

---

Central Park breathed differently at dusk.

Arthur lay sprawled beneath an ancient oak, watching clouds morph from sailing ships to screaming faces.

The damp earth beneath him smelled of an impending rain, the distant laughter of children felt comforting and listening to people going on with their day was a sight to behold.

Galahad materialized without summons, the spectral knight's burning blue form sending squirrels scrambling.

Arthur didn't need psychic powers to sense his guardian's unease.

He knows that they are talking about him, the hero's who avert their eyes when looking at him, the parents who rushed their kids away, and children wanting to throw dirt at him.

"Not now," Arthur murmured to Galahad, tracking a cloud that resembled Empire Gold's final expression.

The memory should have hurt. After five years, it just felt... hollow.

The grass rustled against his neck like whispering voices.

"Well, well. The Demon Child in the flesh. It's a honour."

Arthur didn't bother turning as the shadow fell across him, recognizing the stench of gunpowder and cheap cologne.

Biscuit's wolf-arm twitched inches from Arthur's face, "You know how much they're offering for your head? Enough to buy my own island."

Arthur exhaled slowly, watching the clouds, "How fat you must be to produce this much shade. My I ask, why warn me of my bounty?"

A wet chuckle, "Professional courtesy. Guy who offed Empire Gold? That's royalty in my world. Believe it or not, the bastard sent me to prison a few times. That was the good old days."

Biscuit's knee cracked as he crouched, "How about we team up. You've got two answers, and you won't like what happens if you pick the wrong one."

Galahad's gauntlet right hand materialized against Biscuit's throat, Arthur finally turned his head, his left eye pulsing crimson.

Arthur whispered, "Not here."

Biscuit's grin as Galahad released him, "Old docks, right now." His tongue darted over his yellowed canine teeth as his eyes turned animalistic.

Arthur kickflip up to his feet and dust his trench coat, "Lead the way."