Bob and Cikizwa walked down a hall in the facility.

“How are we doing?”

Cikizwa looked over a tablet and nodded.

“This is Nemesis’s fifth successful mission in a row. Word is starting to get around, I’m receiving more requests as we speak.”

Bob raised an eyebrow.

“Nemesis?”

Cikizwa shrugged.

“Someone online referred to them as Aurora Legion’s Nemesis and the name stuck. Helps with the branding, so I didn’t see a need to object. In any case, word is spreading and the team is gaining confidence.”

Bob nodded.

“Let’s ease up on their schedule then. Thanks to our zero-casualty policy, the ILS is treating them as low-priority for now, but that will change if we make too much of a splash.”

“How about we take some government contracts then? Put them in a bit of a gray zone?”

Bob hummed and rubbed his chin.

“Not a bad idea but it will be hard to keep things clean. Let’s do it if we can avoid excessive publicity and the attached strings.”

Cikizwa nodded.

“A couple of smaller governments have already submitted requests, they’ll be happy just to have some help and should be amenable to conditions.”

Bob nodded when he felt his phone begin to buzz. He took it out and glanced at the name.

“I need to take this.”

He opened the phone.

“Linda.”

“Hi Bob.”

“What’s going on?”

“Well…the ILS got attacked.”

“...Are you alright? What’s the damage?”

“No casualties beyond minor injuries for now, and it was a fairly quiet affair. I don’t think they were after the director this time, either.”

“Then what were they after?”

“Well…”

A short while earlier…

Three figures in black clothing and masks stood on a building near the ILS Headquarters. They nodded to themselves, then crouched down and leapt into the air. As they approached the window of an upper floor, the leader pulled his fist back.

The figures smashed through the windows with a crash.

The bulletproof windows.

Alarms immediately started blaring throughout the building. The figures rushed forward, smashing through the door of the room and rushing down the hallways. As they did, a group of guards entered the hallway, taking aim with SMGs.

“Halt! Stop moving and put your hands up, or we will open fire!”

The figures rushed forward, closing the distance before the man even finished talking. The man’s eyes barely had time to widen before a fist smashed into his face, sending him sprawling onto the floor. The other two intruders leapt in as well, taking down the guards before they fired a single shot.

Up in her office Londyn swapped her video feeds to view the intruders, speaking into her mic.

“Squad 5 is down on the seventh floor, east hallway. All ILS personnel, hostiles are dangerous, and likely supers. You are cleared to engage, exercise extreme caution.”

On the seventh floor, another squad took up their guns, nodding to themselves. They rushed out the door of their barracks and ran down the side hallway. Just then several dark shadows flashed past the corner up ahead, entering the hallway.

“Open fire!”

The squad lit up the hallway. The shadows leapt about, jumping on the walls and even the roof to avoid the lines of fire. Bullet holes peppered the walls and lodged themselves in the bulletproof windows.

But not a single drop of blood fell.

And then the assailants were on top of them.

The intruders continued on their way, rushing down the hallway, when suddenly a door exploded as they passed it. The door slammed into one of the intruders, knocking them into a wall. A teenage boy stepped into the hall, fists raised. He wore casual clothes, except for the red mask over his eyes.

“Of course I’m the only one who arrived on time today. Just my luck.”

Wonder Knight stood ready.

“This is the ILS! You can’t escape, surrender now and no further harm will come to you!”

The second assailant tensed and took a stance when the lead assailant placed a hand on their shoulder, and then stepped forward. They took a stance, and then lunged at Wonder Knight. The boy grunted and dodged the kick, swinging his fist at the attacker. The attacker ducked under and jabbed Wonder Knight’s side, the boy letting out another grunt.

The boy went for a kick but the assailant took a step back, barely dodging the foot. They stepped forward, tapping Wonder Knight’s shoulder and sending him stumbling off balance.

“Sloppy. Amateurish. What’s the point of all that strength if you cannot land a single blow? You are but a child, playing in the muck. You have no idea how to really fight.”

Wonder Knight grit his teeth and lunged at the man. The man casually bent to the side, Wonder Knight’s fist passing through the air. The man then bent in under Wonder Knight’s arms, and slammed a palm into the boy’s chest. Wonder Knight let out a gasp and then flew down the hall, crashing through the wall at the far end.

“Then maybe you’ll prefer me.”

A blast of fire filled the air. The lead assailant ducked, the inferno singing his clothing.

Captain Hot Devil approached from the other side of the hall, fires covering his fists. The second assailant ran towards him. Captain Hot Devil swung his fist from side to side, sending out an arc of fire. The assailant dropped to their knees, leaning back under the blazing arc as they slid forward. Once they passed the arc they pulled themselves upright.

Just to find a boot in their face.

Captain Hot Devil’s foot accelerated, a jet of fire blasting behind it. He caught the assailant on the side of their head, sending them headfirst into the wall. The lead assailant shrugged.

“Still amateurish, but at least you know what you’re doing. Still, you will not compare to me.”

Captain Hot Devil took a stance.

“But I’m not alone.”

As he spoke another squad of guards entered from the other side of the hall, sandwiching the assailants. This time, they carried a large cannon-like device, humming and glowing with purple light.

“Fine. You escape my wrath for now, hero.”

The lead assailant grabbed his fellow from under the broken door, then flickered and appeared in front of Captain Hot Devil. He swung his leg down, smashing through the floor, reaching out with a free hand to grab the other attacker as he fell to the next floor. Captain Hot Devil thrust his fist into the hole and filled it with fire.

“Sir, did you get him?”

Captain Hot Devil frowned.

“Unlikely, let’s move.”

He leapt into the hole. The guards nodded and ran for the nearest stairway.

Londyn rubbed her chin as she watched Captain Hot Devil pursue the intruders.

What were they even here for?

They entered into a mere office floor, made no attempt to steal documents or access the computers, and seemed to be running about at random. Likewise, their attack wasn’t nearly flashy enough to be a publicity stunt or terrorist attack.

Which meant the most likely goal was a diversion.

Londyn flipped through the cameras before she found it.

A lone assailant in the basement, approaching the vault.

The last intruder whistled as he passed by the shattered and sparking remains of automated turrets. How disappointing. He’d expect the ‘mightiest power’ on Earth to do more than lob some pebbles around with machines. But he supposed that was their limit. Just fools, flying too close to the sun on fake wings, trying to mimic that which they would never achieve.

And then he was surrounded by a purple light, lifting him off the floor.

He sighed.

This was what they called manipulation of the fundamental forces of reality?

He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small stone. He looked for where a light shined in the wall, and flicked the stone towards it. The stone smashed through the purple barrier and slammed into the light.

He heard the flickering of a machine dying and powering down.

And then he dropped to the floor.

He strode to the vault, looking over the large metal door.

Really?

They thought a hunk of metal would stop anyone who made it this far?

He reached for the door.

Truly their arrogance knows no…

Just then the door lit up. A large blue circle appeared over the door, glowing runes all over it.

The man screamed as his hand burned on contact.

He pulled back his hand, glaring at the door as the circle faded away, leaving the vault door as mundane as ever.

“Hm, so you have some skills after all. I suppose this much is to be expected.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

The man whirled around. Londyn stood at the ready, grav-cannon charged up. She fired a singularity bolt at the man. The man simply smiled as he tilted back, the bolt passing him by and colliding into the door. The runes appeared once more, crackling and sparking as the singularity roared against them. The man stepped down the hall.

“The Director herself, responding to a single intruder? I did not think your little league was so…understaffed.”

The man flickered and appeared before Londyn, hand pulled back.

“It’s not.”

And then a fist covered in scales slammed into his stomach.

“Heh, I thought this would suck, having to come in for the ‘unnecessary collateral damage’ lecture, but looks like there’s something interesting going on after all.”

Dragontooth slammed her fist into her palm, stepping forward with a smile.

The man straighted his spine and sighed. Then he saw the flashing red light on his wrist. He frowned.

These two he could handle. But those runes would take time to crack.

And it seems his ‘comrades’ weren’t even good enough to buy time.

He let out a sigh.

“It seems you win this round, Director. But I will be back. And I will have what is ours.”

“Oh no you don’t! Get over here and fight!”

Dragontooth leapt forward, swinging her fist at the man. He flickered and vanished, and she passed through the air. Londyn glanced around the room.

But he was gone.

Londyn let out a sigh.

They got away. But the vault was safe…for now.

“Thank you, Dragontooth. I appreciate you acting on short notice.”

“No problem, boss! Well, I’ll see you around then!”

“This does not exclude you from our planned chat, however.”

“...drat.”

Back in the present at the Nemesis facility, Bob rubbed his temple.

Really?

Again?

Just who was it this time?

Just how many shadowy organizations were there?!

This was getting very…annoying.