Scott hummed a tune from a sci-fi movie while he tied up the unconscious thugs.
He worked methodically, looping cable ties around their wrists and ankles, making sure each one was secure. Once they were all bound, he dragged them one by one and lined them up neatly against the wall.
"Alright, done with that…"
He saved the leader for last, hauling him up and strapping him tightly to a chair right in the middle of the smoky room.
Satisfied, Scott paced around the guy and patiently waited for him to come to.
"Alright, Vigilante 101… dramatic villain wake-up pose. Now, the classic option—arms crossed, looming over him—looks tough, but you run the risk of looking like you're trying too hard. And don't even get me started on hands-on-hips. That's how my gym teacher stood when I skipped class. Way too dad vibes."
He scratched his chin thoughtfully.
"Maybe… leaning casually against the wall? Nah, too cool-guy-from-the-movies. I'm here to stop crime, not audition for a commercial."
Then he tried crouching down in front of the unconscious thug.
"This one works if you're in a good mood, but right now, I'm just annoyed."
Finally, he settled on standing behind the chair with his hands on the backrest as he looked down at his foe.
『There we go. Dominating, but approachable. Kind of says, 'Hey, I tied you up, but we can still talk it out like reasonable people.' Yeah, that's the vibe.』
He smiled to himself then glanced at the rest of the thugs still passed out on the floor.
"Ah, they'll never appreciate the artistry in this."
After that, Scott gave himself a pat on the back.
As the gang leader groaned and slowly blinked awake, Scott was surprisingly still, thinking about how he wanted to come across.
He decided to try out a few more poses.
First, he sat casually on the arm of the chair, but that felt a little too laid-back.
Then, he stood with his arms crossed, but that felt too stiff and unnatural.
After trying a few other poses, he finally settled into the chair, legs spread and leaning forward, with his arms resting on his thighs.
The gang leader's blurry gaze focused, and he sneered with a clearly unimpressed face.
"What the hell… what's going on?"
Scott's face remained impassive and his eyes narrowed slightly as he kept his voice low.
"I need information. And you're going to give it to me. Now… punk."
The gang leader chuckled and shook his head.
"What's with that voice? You sound like you're trying out for a bad action flick."
Scott froze as a bit of heat rushed to his face under the mask. He cleared his throat, forcing his voice to sound even rougher.
"Do-, Don't know what you're talking about. I always sound like this."
The man raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? So you just… permanently gargle gravel or something?"
Scott shot him a deadpan look, suppressing a cough and staying in character. "You done? Because we're getting off topic here."
The gang leader sighed, rolling his eyes. "Whatever, man. Just get to the point."
Scott leaned in then lowered his voice.
"I need information on the Black Mechanica Gang."
The leader gave a slow, lazy laugh.
"And you're asking me? Kid, you're outta your depth. You think just 'cause I'm the 'leader' of this little operation, I've got a direct line to the big bosses?"
"Yeah. I do."
Scott's stare was hard.
"Call me crazy, but I figured you might have some idea of what they're up to."
He tightened his grip on his stun batons.
The leader snorted.
"Look, I'm a level-one thug compared to the big dogs. Black Mechanica? They're bigger than you think, kid. They're the kinda people who don't even bat an eye at folks like me."
"How big?" Scott asked as his voice tightened.
The gang leader only smirked then settled back with a smug look of silence.
Scott resisted the urge to roll his eyes, forcing himself to lean in with a desperate tone.
"Come on. Just give me something. Anything."
The gang leader sniffed.
"I don't know nothin', I ain't heard nothin', and even if I did, you think I'm spilling to some punk who thinks he's Rope Girl? Yeah, right. Piss off."
His expression remained unchanged.
Scott rubbed his temples as his patience wore thin.
"Listen, I don't want to do this, but I will if I have to."
He paused, watching the leader's face closely.
"I know you've got a daughter you're hiding in the—"
"Whoa, whoa, alright!"
The gang leader barked to quickly cut him off.
Panic even flashed through his eyes to show how much he cared about that secret remaining a secret.
"Fine, fine, I'll talk. Just… just shut up about that."
Scott hid a smirk as the gang leader shifted uncomfortably.
"That wasn't so hard, was it?"
The gang leader glared but spoke in a low, defeated voice.
"Black Mechanica… it's not just some gang. They've got connections—political ones. If they wanted to, they could hold the government hostage. They've got nuclear tech, alien stuff even, that they smuggle in with help from certain… friends."
Scott's eyes widened a little, but he quickly schooled his features back to calm neutrality.
Inside, though, he felt a pang of hesitation.
… Maybe this was bigger than he'd bargained for.
But of course he couldn't let the gang leader see that crack in his armor.
"And who's leading them?"
He asked, careful to keep his voice steady.
The gang leader's mouth twisted with another laugh.
"Honestly, I have no clue. Me? I'm just one of their disposable branches… a decoy. We're here to distract the Hero Agency and law enforcement so they can make moves where it counts."
Scott rubbed his chin, processing that, but then his focus snapped back. "Anything else?"
The leader eyed him for a moment before sighing. "Alright, alright. But only 'cause you asked nicely."
Scott fought back a grin. "Good answer."
━ ━ ━ ━
The next day…
The wheels of Vincent's private jet touched down in Fremont with a subtle bounce, followed by the low rumble as it taxied to a halt. A crew of attendants waited just outside, ready to serve the man of the hour and his company. Vincent moved with his usual poise, unbuckling his seatbelt and standing with the ease of someone who'd done this a hundred times.
Pulsar followed.
She was still processing the whirlwind of thoughts and nerves she'd been wrestling with since they took off.
As they exited, Vincent paused at the top of the jet's staircase to breathe in the cool Fremont air with a contented sigh.
Pulsar glanced out over the unfamiliar airport, taking it all in, while Vincent's attendants sprang into action by loading his suitcases into the sleek black limousine waiting nearby.
Vincent looked over at Pulsar then arched a brow.
"You did bring enough clothes, right?"
Pulsar frowned, caught off-guard.
"Clothes? Vincent, I have a boyfriend back in Metro City. And there's my dad too…"
Vincent waved her concerns off with an airy flick of his wrist.
"Oh chill out. Your father's already in the loop. I spoke to Dr. Hiram myself."
She narrowed her eyes. "Oh really? When? I didn't even give you his number."
Vincent just gave her a sharp, knowing look. "I'm an agent, little girl. Knowing things is part of the job."
She rolled her eyes, folding her arms. "And Scott? What about him?"
Vincent took a moment to study her reaction, then shrugged, his voice as casual as ever.
"Is he a hero?"
"No."
Pulsar's voice was sharp, as if the answer should be quite obvious by now.
"Superpowers?"
She shook her head.
"A big influencer?"
She scoffed, irritated. "No."
Vincent simply smirked, striding toward the limo.
"Then forget about him. He's not important."
The words stung.
Pulsar frowned then crossed her arms even tighter.
"Tch, Scott's important to me, jerk."
Vincent only patted the hood of the car, unfazed.
"Sure, sure. Now, get in."
"No, I really mean it... he's an amazing boyfriend. If you keep talking like he doesn't matter or isn't important, I'm seriously going to turn around and fly back to Metro City."
Pulsar spoke very firmly.
Vincent smirked.
"Well, if he's such a perfect and amazing boyfriend, why are you hiding this from him?"
"You…"
"Oh, and let's not forget that if he's really that great, he'd be supportive enough to let you have the spotlight you deserve. You're meant for bigger things, you know… being a real celebrity, a top superhero. That Scott of yours will just end up being the guy who carries your purse on the red carpet."
Pulsar's eyes narrowed as her fists clenched, but she held back, even though she looked like she wanted to hit him.
She took a breath.
"Stop talking about him like that…"
Her face turned sad, but Vincent didn't seem to notice, much less care.
"It's not like I enjoy saying it, it's just the truth. You're meant to be famous—a real symbol of hope. You're going to be bigger than those so-called 'superhero girls' like Miss Mercury or Mountress. Meanwhile, Scott's just going to end up working long hours in some convenience store. Ha!"
"Hrm…"
"And hey, we'll probably need to adjust your image a bit later too. Maybe I'll set you up with someone who's actually on your level. I could work something out with Xenon. Well, assuming he ever gets over that Miss Mercury. Ugh, that fuckin' bitch ruins everything…"
He scoffed.
"I'm not changing my relationship. I lov… I really like Scott, and I want to be with him."
Pulsar replied in a low, tired voice.
Vincent only chuckled.
"Alright, we'll talk more about this later."
"We won't…"
With her jaw clenched and an annoyed expression on her face, she got into the limousine. The door shut behind her, and they drove away from the private tarmac.
As they left the airport, the tall buildings of Fremont's skyline came into view all around them.
Pulsar looked out the tinted window and her eyebrows lifted in wonder. She'd never seen skyscrapers like this before, shimmering in the night.
"Wow… I've never been out of town before…"
She murmured, almost to herself.
Vincent glanced at her, unimpressed.
"Well, keep it together. Acting like a country bumpkin doesn't get you far in this business."
She straightened up then brushed her short hair back with a proud smile.
"I can handle myself just fine, thanks."
He gave a small, approving nod. "Good for you then."
They drove deeper into Fremont until a colossal building loomed ahead: a vast, glass-and-steel tower with the bold letters [TitanTech Industries] emblazoned at the top.
Pulsar's eyes shot wide open as they took in the massive, technological structure.
"What is this place?"
She asked in great awe.
Vincent's mouth curved into a satisfied smile.
"One of the companies I recruit heroes for. It's also the one of only places around that can afford to keep powerhouses like Fortitude and Lady Fortress on their payroll."
Pulsar's eyes sparkled. "Are they here right now?"
Vincent shrugged, as if the answer were only mildly interesting. "Maybe. Last I checked, Fortitude was on an off-world mission."
Pulsar narrowed her eyes.
"You lied to me about that, didn't you?"
Vincent's gaze hardened as his usual smirk was replaced by a more businesslike edge.
"Get used to it. Part of the job is understanding that everyone has their own motives, Pulsar. Welcome to the real world of superheroes."
Before Pulsar could respond, the ground beneath them shook violently and tremors vibrated through the limousine.
… kaaaa────BOOOOOOM!!
An ear-splitting explosion erupted in the distance, sending a plume of fire and debris skyward.
"Holy──!"
Pulsar's breath caught in her throat as screams filled the air and echoed around the towering buildings.
The driver slowed down.
『What the fuck is going on──?!』
His trembling eyes darted in every direction as panic rippled through the streets.
A news helicopter swooped in overhead as the whirring blades sliced through the chaos. The spotlight beamed down to illuminate a frantic news reporter clinging to her microphone.
"We're getting reports of a massive explosion several kilometers away! Eyewitnesses claim there's a man in some kind of containment suit, causing omnidirectional wave blasts that are ripping through the city!"
Pulsar's heart pounded as she flicked on the radio.
The crackling voice of the news anchor confirmed the chaos: "This just in—Fremont is under attack! Civilians are advised to evacuate immediately!"
Without a second thought, she flung open the door, ready to fly into action.
"I need to go!"
Vincent's hand shot out to stop her. "No."
"Why not? People are in danger!"
She snapped, frustration boiling off her.
"Because you need a better entrance than that! You can't go saving people until you've at least signed a contract with TitanTech Industries."
Vincent's tone was firm, as if the matter were settled.
Pulsar narrowed her eyes. "You must be joking."
"Not joking. Someone else will handle it."
Just then, a streak of turquoise and white shot across the sky, leaving a sonic boom trail in its wake. Civilians gasped and pointed upwards, their eyes wide with wonder.
The reporter in the chopper's spotlight fixed her gaze on the streak.
"What's that? Is that—? Oh my God! It's Lady Fortress!"
Pulsar's heart leapt when she saw Lady Fortress.
The renowned superheroine hovered mid-air to survey the devastation with her supervision.
Cheers erupted from the crowd below, people shouting her name with excitement and relief.
"Lady Fortress! Lady Fortress!"
"I love you so much!"
"To me, your the world's number one superhero!!"
"I want your autograph!"
Pulsar watched in awe as Lady Fortress descended gracefully, like an angel sent from heaven.
"Keep calm, everyone… I'll assess the situation."
She sounded very brave and bold.
"Look at her," Pulsar breathed, mesmerized. "She's incredible."
Vincent leaned back, arms crossed with a satisfied smirk.
"See? Now that's how you make an entrance. Not with a door and a worried look."
Pulsar shot him a withering glare. "That's not fair! I could be doing that right now!"
"Not yet, you can't. You've got a brand to build, Pulsar. You want to be up there with her, don't you?"
"But people need me!"
Pulsar insisted. She now sounded desperate.
"Then let's make sure when you do show up, it's for the right reasons. Imagine the headlines: 'Pulsar Saves the Day!' That's what I'm talking about. But first, you've got to be a part of TitanTech."
"Yah, fuck no…"
"Wait, what?"
Rather than give him an answer, Pulsar immediately flew in Lady Fortress' direction.