The Heroes' Union Headquarters is an unassuming building, all things considered. It looks like any old skyscraper you'd see in the Quinstin skyline. The only difference is that it's more heavily armored than any other place in the city. When a shelter-in-place is needed, the Heroes' Union Headquarters serves as a safe haven and a place where citizens know to congregate. It's tall enough and deep enough to house a hundred thousand civilians for multiple months if needed. Much more can fit inside if it is for a shorter timeframe. It has farms, water filtration, and purification, and it doesn't rely on the city for power.

It's built to withstand attacks from all kinds of Neuvohumans. A lot of people assume it's built with Tinkertech that the Union somehow has managed to mass-produce. And from my research, the assumption is correct. The buildings are basically immune to all forms of natural disasters. The only glass is on the higher floors, and they're completely shatterproof. State-of-the-art training systems, private rooms for Capes visiting from other cities, full-time medical care in the form of on-site doctors, and anything else a Cape might need to keep the city safe. From what little footage I've been able to see, Violet would have a tough time breaking through any of the walls.

We descend onto the roof, where Phoenix is waiting for us. Virtue gently lowers me until I can drop onto the concrete. Zephyr and the other two all land simultaneously. Phoenix, the oldest and one of the most legendary Capes Quinstin has ever had. They used to be a team leader; in fact, Phoenix was supposedly the one who discovered Titania and took her under their wing. Not much is known about our mentor's powerset beyond that it is incredibly versatile and capable of damn near anything. No one knows what Phoenix looks like, and the voice modulator they use makes it impossible to know who is underneath the black latex bodysuit. The way the suit is made doesn't give off a clue about whether Phoenix is a man or a woman. Hence, the they/them/their pronouns. And our mentor is tapping their foot, which is usually the only sign that we get to let us know that they're unhappy with us.

"Hey, Teach, how are you doing?" Adversary asked.

"Virtue, why were you involved in the attack caused by the Villains' Syndicate today?" Phoenix asked, completely glossing over Adversary's question.

"Because it's the right thing to do, and I happened to be literally in front of where Havok crashlanded." Virtue answered.

"And what did you accomplish with your 'help'?"

"Um, I was able to keep a few of the Villains' Syndicate members off of him, so he wasn't overwhelmed," Virtue answered.

"Okay, and the members you 'kept off him', where are they now? Are they in custody?" Phoenix asked, their robotic tone not offering the slightest hint of their emotion.

"No," Virtue said after a long pause. "They either died or escaped, but it wasn't my fault. There was an unrelated Cowl who attacked me."

"Virtue, you are a Probationary Member. You are only permitted to take action when either lives are in danger without your intervention or you have been authorized to by an official member of the Heroes' Union. Did Havok authorize you? Because I am one hundred percent sure that I didn't," Phoenix stated.

"Okay. Okay. Okay. Can we just head to the meeting?"

It's always so awkward when Phoenix chews one of the others out. Torn between wanting to say something and wanting to avoid getting hit by the shrapnel of the argument, I stay silent. Thankfully, my helmet prevents anyone from knowing how uncomfortable this makes me. Our mentor never talks to me like this; they don't have to because I work harder than anyone else. Virtue was having a bad day already.

"Virtue, I do not care how strong you are or who your parents are. I am the one who will ultimately decide whether you join the Union. There is no place for loose cannons in the Heroes' Union. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Phoenix, perfectly," Virtue responded.

"Good. While we are in that meeting, you are there to listen and watch. You are a spectator, not a participant. If you are spoken to, you may respond, but other than that, stay quiet. Pay attention and follow me," Phoenix ordered.

The Cape walks over to the rooftop access door, and it opens automatically as he approaches. Is it keyed to their biosignature, or is there someone controlling the door, watching it 24/7? While this isn't my first time at the HUHQ, this is my first time being here for more than just training. We follow behind as they go through the door, entering a large circular room completely lit up. There are rounded panels that stick out slightly from the walls, which can only be hiding turrets. The room releases a hissing noise as the pistons start to lower the floor downward.

None of us speaks during the ride down. Phoenix's orders are fresh in all of our minds. The concrete walls slowly transition into thick glass as we arrive inside the headquarters. The glass is the same shatterproof glass used throughout the rest of the building. We're completely surrounded, another precaution like the slow elevator. After five minutes, the solid glass is lifted, and we're officially inside the HUHQ.

I'll never stop being awestruck by how freaking cool it is. The sleek circuit board-esque design makes it look like the inside of an alien spaceship. Everywhere you look is something amazing. Framed pictures of previous Quinstin Capes engaging in triumphant battles against Cowls, saving people from burning buildings, and other heroic acts. The Heroes' Union symbol, the white diamond with the gold and silver letters H and U stretching to the edges of it, is on the walls, every few feet. Right in front of us is the Quinstin charter's copy of the Heroes' Creed. Filled with signatures at the bottom of every Cape that has been a part of this charter. One day, my name will be there with the rest of the greats.

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Do not measure a person by their power, but by what they do with it. No person is above another; power does not represent authority, it represents responsibility. Responsibility to do no wrong and follow the standard the Supreme Six set for us. I swear to defend this city and its citizens with everything I have, to uphold its laws, and to do battle against evil whenever and wherever it appears. I will use my powers to protect and uphold order, to save those in need, and never to abuse my powers or position. I will use appropriate force, I will not kill or maim, and I'll always act to preserve lives at all costs. I swear to uphold all previous statements and live up to the ideals of heroism.

I know the entire thing by heart. As a little girl, I used to recite the creed to myself while playing Capes and Cowls with my friends. Never in a million years did I think I'd get the chance to join the Union, maybe work there as support staff, but never as a Cape. Phoenix silently leads us, taking us through the halls where we pass a janitor, a few nurses, and other people who work here. I'd get lost if I weren't following our mentor, too many turns and stairways to recall where we came from. But I see a sign on the wall that says conference hall, and I understand that we're close. Closer and closer to seeing HER in the flesh. Or steel, I guess. I can't wait.

We take one more left turn and arrive at a set of double doors that, unlike the rest of the building, aren't automated. Two dark red oak doors with the Union symbol on them and brass door handles. Phoenix strolls right up to them and opens them without bothering to knock. I guess they are expecting us, so I shouldn't be too surprised. As soon as the six of us enter the room, it takes every ounce of willpower not to scream in joy. Titania is sitting at the other end of a round table large enough for fifty Capes to sit comfortably. Behind her is a display that takes up the entire wall, actually, as I look around, all the walls are just giant displays. It's her. It's really her. I want to scream and squeal like a little kid. I'm so happy I could do a cartwheel.

She's wearing her usual attire, her costume. Unlike so many other Heroes' Union Capes, she doesn't have bright colors, don a mask, or wear a cape. Her costume is a sleeveless black bodysuit that goes up to her neck. The only splash of color is white around the neck and ankles. Even sitting, she's so imposing and powerful. Alongside her is her teammate Havok in his human form. He's in his iconic outfit, the orange X-shaped metal harness that shows off plenty of skin and matching shorts. His orange mask is almost glued onto his face; it's so perfectly molded to it. AHHHHH. They look so fucking cool.

They're missing the other three members of their Cape squad: Veer, Vibrance, and Legend. Also sitting at the table is Arbiter's squad: Glow Guardian, ShiftState, Pileup, and Sigilist. Well, Glow Guardian is standing; his containment powersuit is far too big to fit in any chair. Their squad doesn't look too happy to be here. I mean they did get their asses absolutely handed to them by that new Cowl, Vesuvius. She's a monster who was able to defeat, disassemble, and destroy Arbiter's team completely. Another powerhouse who's wasting their abilities on petty crimes. When I think about what I could accomplish with her abilities, I can't help but get angry at what she's using them for.

The only other person standing up besides Glow Guardian is a Cape I recognize all too well: Sequence. Wrapped head to toe in a pretty teal hyperweave suit covered in an expanding purple square spiral pattern. He's skinny, probably weighs less than I do, and is average height. He's a Mentalist, a previous protégé of Phoenix, and the only squad leader whose power isn't combat-focused. Able to see and recognize patterns, analyze them to predict future events, and intuit connections that others wouldn't. A power like that should have landed him a role as a Data Analyst for the BNA. An inspiration to any Neuvohuman that your power does not decide your role. Arguably, the smartest person in the city, and supposedly that was before his trigger event. He's a genius, and I look up to him. Titania is my idol, but Sequence is the one who could teach me the most. I need to show him my helmet upgrades; there might be a way for him to help me refine it.

The last Cape in the room is the final of the four Quinstin squad leaders. KnickKnack, the Tinkerer who's ready for everything. His specialization is in making technology smaller to create compact throwables. He frequently helps the less powerful Union members by freely gifting them some of his Tinkertech to assist them. His costume is bright red with gold stripes starting at the shoulders, curving around his waist, and circling back down his legs. He's got gold combat boots and gloves with bracers that can fire his projectiles, a massive utility belt that covers his entire abdomen full of his knick-knacks. The center of his chest has a gold circle with two red K's. He has a hooded cape and a sharp, pointed mask that is almost bird-like, which matches his color scheme. Tall, broad shoulders, muscles visible through his suit, which show he takes training extremely serious. God, he looks so hot. Thank God for my helmet, so he can't see me staring.

Phoenix walks right over to the table and sits down. Violet takes the seat five away from them. Do we just take our seats? The rest of us quickly sit down, and I take the spot closest to our mentor. I'm in a room with every squad leader and getting to witness firsthand what the meetings look like. This is so fucking awesome. My foot won't stop tapping, I'm so excited. Sequence claps his hands together, and everyone stops talking. He's holding a remote and clicks it, turning on the display behind him. It shows a bunch of dots on a map that seem random but clearly aren't if we're being shown them. Even with my helmet's upgrades, I can't make sense of what we're seeing and looking around the room; no one does.

"This meeting was called to address my findings on recent events and whether they are related. I believe I may have discovered a new Cowl operating in and around Quinstin, leaving a trail of bodies in their wake. They are not like the Triad, the Lavender Club, and the Cavallaro Family, where they have codes, rules that they all operate by while trying to get ahead. They are not like the Villains' Syndicate, sick psychopaths acting out their evil impulses. And they are not like Mount Olympus, who believe in Neuvohuman supremacy. No, we are dealing with someone who meticulously plans their every move with no limits to what they're willing to do to accomplish their tasks. Something must be done soon, or I fear it may be too late," Sequence announced.

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