Bob stood with his hands crossed behind him. He looked out upon the city as he rose, cars and pedestrians shrinking to the size of ants. He blinked as the elevator cleared the neighboring skyscraper, revealing the sun in all its glory. The tinted goggles helped for once. Nose still itched though.

The elevator came to a stop with the noise of a soft bell, doors opening behind him. Bob strode through the red carpeted hallway past the occasional potted plant and water station. Really, what's the point of buying nice carpets if you're going to mandate heavy boots? To his side were offices with glass walls, helmeted clerks hard at work. Seriously, not everyone in the org needed to be armored all the time.

Bob strode into an open area with tiled floors. On the far wall was a round wooden desk, a large double door to its right. Behind the desk was another armored figure, complete with a helmet. Though this one only covered the face, revealing braided black hair and the occasional hint of dark skin. The figure perked up when they saw Bob, only to drop their shoulders. Bob nodded his head.

"Londyn."

"Bob..."

The woman looked down.

"Need me to cover another shift?"

Londyn kept looking down for a moment, before looking back up and slowly nodding.

"I'm really sorry about this."

Bob shook his head.

"I know it's not your fault."

Londyn gripped her fists and let out a sigh.

"I've just about had it with this foolishness. Dr. Kayserling says he wants me to draw up a patrol schedule. I spend hours working out routes and assignments. Then he goes and pulls half the guards, leaving the assistants on break for half the day. Now the guards are complaining to me about the overtime and there's a massive hole in the security. Do you want a secure facility or not?"

"You all right?"

Londyn let go of her firsts and dropped her shoulders before looking back up at Bob.

"I'm fine, just tired. I'm more worried about you, you going to be ok running a double shift?"

Bob nodded.

"It's not my first rodeo. The hours here are much better than my last few jobs, thanks to you no doubt. I'm going to grab a coffee first, you want something?"

Londyn shook her head.

"I'll be fine, thanks Bob."

Fifteen minutes later Bob walked out of the coffee shop across the street from Kayserling Tower. He could've gone to the company cafeteria or one of the break rooms but the coffee there was truly Dr. Kayserling's most evil invention. He got a latte for Londyn too, she'd appreciate a real drink after another meeting with the doctor.

And then the world was on fire.

A fireball blasted through the fifth floor window of Kayserling Tower, showering glass onto the streets. A few moments later, the pedestrians began screaming and, in the case of the smarter ones, running. Bob dropped the coffee and sprinted into the street. He jumped and slid over the hood of a honking taxi. He slammed open the door and continued running, ignoring the confused receptionist and scrambling guards. He turned right, away from the stairs and elevators crowded with other minions, searching for the maintenance closet. Once inside he pushed aside a cabinet of cleaning tools, revealing the hidden emergency gear. Bob grabbed a pair of metal cylinders with straps, secured it on his back and around his waist and legs, grabbed a crowbar, and then bolted to an elevator that had been closed for service. He pried the doors open and stepped inside, jabbing open one of the ceiling panels. With a leap he grabbed onto the edge and grunted as he pulled himself up and onto the roof of the elevator.

Once there he situated himself, double checked all the straps and harness, put on the glove, and then pulled the strap of the emergency antigrav booster.

Bob grit his teeth. He felt as if he slammed into a wall. For once he was thankful for the full body armor he was forced to wear. Once he saw the ceiling he began counting. Three, two, one. Bob pulled the shutoff lever and prayed he timed it right. The ceiling grew larger at an alarming rate. Bob ignored the urge to close his eyes, waiting for his speed to drop. He came to a stop in the air in front of an elevator door. He stabbed the crowbar into the gap and pulled open the doors. Sirens blared and red lights flashed in his face. As soon as the opening was wide enough he threw himself out into the hallway. He was immediately drenched by the sprinkler system, yet his entire being was surrounded by heat. Smoke filled the hallway, obscuring his view of the now vacant offices, but Bob began sprinting regardless. Soon he reached the open area, flames covering the round desk. Bob kept to the walls as he stepped towards the smoking hole in the double doors.

"It's over, Dr. Kayserling! Surrender!"

"On the contrary, Captain Hot Devil, I have merely begun! Once my Mass Suppressor activates, gravity itself shall be at my command. The universe shall be at my fingertips! The laws of physics themselves shall be a privilege, not a right, and I shall be their sole distributor!"

A man wearing a red cape and mask stood, his back facing Bob and his fists clenched. In front of them both stood Dr. Kayserling himself, a twig of a man with frazzled gray hair on both his head and face, wearing a white lab coat and holding a remote in his hand. Behind him stood a silver polyhedron with glowing blue circles on its sides, floating between two metallic cylinders on the floor and roof. The rest of the office resembled Bob's former roommate's room but he did not like to remember those days and so ignored it.

Captain Hot Devil's fists ignited into flames.

"You may own the laws of physics, but the fires of hell are free for all."

Bob also ignored that.

Dr. Kayserling widened his eyes and smiled.

"Most excellent timing, minion! Now deal with the hellish captain while I finish activating the Mass Suppressor!"

Bob looked away, glancing around the room. He could feel two people's gazes but he had more important things to do. Finally he found what he was looking for.

"Heh, the great Doctor Kayserling. Says he commands gravity, but doesn't even command his own minions."

"Shut up. Minion, you are so fired!"

Another minion, but with braided hair, lying underneath a smoldering table. Bob gently removed the table and checked her pulse.

"Bob...?"

A gash on her forehead but otherwise fine. Bob hoisted Londyn over his shoulders and ran from the room.

Bob handed the physician a wad of cash, who nodded and left the room. They were in a small clinic, with three beds, an old box tv, and a small window with a potted plant. Not the most advanced care in the world but clean and, most importantly, anonymous. Bob turned his attention to the patient propped up on the bed.

"How do you feel?"

Londyn turned towards Bob. For the first time he could see her brown eyes, though mostly hidden by her narrow gaze.

"How do I feel? How do I feel?!"

Londyn took a deep breath.

"I feel like crap Bob. I hated that place. I hated my life. But now? It's all gone. All that effort, all that pain, all the late hours, all the denied raises, all the plans ignored, all the stares, all the whispers. And for what? So some hero of justice can wipe it all away. I'm scared, Bob. I can still smell the smoke, feel the heat as that man punched through a solid wall. I looked in his eyes, Bob. No pity, no sympathy, not even hate. Just nothing. Like I was just another piece of furniture, like I wasn't even there. And now I have nothing, and I don't know what to do."

Londyn held her face, quietly sobbing. Bob put a hand on her shoulder, saying nothing for several minutes.

That was all he could do.

Londyn put her hands down and wiped her eyes with her arm. She grabbed a nearby tissue and blew her nose. Bob took his hand off her shoulder and handed her a cup of water. She nodded and drank.

"I have a job for you if you're interested."

Londyn narrowed her eyes on Bob.

"Thanks but no thanks. I'm not working for another villain, Bob."

Bob removed his helmet, looking Londyn straight in the eyes.

"I'm not asking you to work for anyone. You'll be your own boss. I don't know if it will work, that will be up to you. And it will be harder than anything you've ever done. But you'll be the one calling the shots. And if it works, no one will ignore you again. Not even those damn heroes."

A tower of smoke rose into the sky. The ground was covered in dust and shattered glass. Firetrucks and ambulances blockaded the street. Helicopters patrolled the skies. Medics examined people wrapped in blankets. Firefighters carried people covered in soot. On the other side of the street, countless news vans had arrived, cameras were set up, and reporters spoke.

"We’re here live out the Kayserling Tower, home to Kayserling Inc. There have been multiple explosions and fires breaking out in Kayserling Tower. First responders are on the scene and working to bring the situation under control. At this time we have not confirmed the cause, but several eye witnesses claim the super known as Captain Hot Devil was seen shortly before the first explosion. Dr. Kayserling has produced numerous fantastical inventions and is widely suspected of having villainous intentions, so we suspect this may be the result of a fight between supers. We will continue our coverage of the event and our investigation of exactly what happened here. Now, let’s hear from some eyewitnesses."

"I-I don’t know, I was just walking back to work, a-and then suddenly the sky was falling!"

"I thought we were under attack. It was like, oh god, is this really happening?"

"I…I…I’m sorry, I just, I didn’t want to die. So when…I’m sorry, I need a moment."

"I thought it was a bomb. So a hero you say? That’s no hero. Those firefighters there, the medics, those are heroes. That? That’s a menace."