H-Bar led the team out of Source’s workshop. When they arrived, it was a place of discovery and innovation. A place their former teammate was proud to call his own. Where he had created some of his greatest devices.

When they left, it was a shell of its former glory. Everything inside was cut, crushed, and then burned. Taking no chance in leaving any of the techies’ work intact.

At first Skip and Gladius had gone around like two children on a sugar high. Running from one side of the room to the other destroying everything in front of them.

It’d taken H-Bar a few minutes to reign them in. Convincing both of them it’d be better to comb through the workshop systematically. That way they could guarantee nothing was overlooked.

Once convinced to follow his suggestion the three settled into a routine. H-Bar organizing the devices while the other two destroyed what was a treasure trove of technology. Even if he wanted to save some of it, he couldn’t. It was too big of a risk. Watching spare lights for his suit be destroyed was especially painful. But they had to be thorough, who knew what little gadget Source could’ve hidden inside that’d come back to haunt them.

The kid had a tendency to hide tech in his inventions. Almost like he was building Swiss army knives out of them. His boots being a great example of that. Who knew how long he had those stashed away until he used them. They’d almost finished him at the factory, just to have the hidden invention pull Source out of the claws of defeat. They couldn’t afford to have that happen again.

After the dismantling of the workshop the group headed over to Source’s room. His most intimate of spaces. Opening the door, H-Bar felt a sense of disgust well up inside. Unlike the fight from earlier and the workshop, both of which he’d gladly do again if it meant keeping his niece safe. Coming into Source’s room felt wrong. But he knew the stakes, this must be done.

They worked through the room with the same precision learned in the workshop. Systematically disassembling everything and destroying it. If anything was hiding in here, it wouldn’t be after they were through.

When they reached the closet H-Bar almost broke down. The space was packed full of Source memorabilia. From replicas of him in armor to posters and shirts. It was likely every piece of merchandise released to the public. Seeing it all was hard. The innocence of the young Hero laid bare for them to see. Knowing the coming days would see the corruption of his image made it all the worse. These items would go from representing the best of humanity to the worst of it.

Skip took a sadistic pleasure in destroying everything in the closet. A smile plastered on his face as he ripped a figurine’s head off. Making some joke of wishing it was the real one. H-Bar wasn’t sure exactly what it was, as he was only half listening at that point.

Even Gladius, who was usually looking for a reason to break things, didn’t take part in dismantling the closet. He could see she was sharing similar thoughts about what was inside. Breaking it would be too much of a stain for her to bear.

After an eternity of watching Skip slowly rip the posters into confetti and mince the shirts, it was over. The room was purified of the stain of a true Hero. Left in its destroyed state by imposters who claimed the title.

Leaving the room H-Bar swallowed hard. It was done, but every moment of it hurt. He knew why he was doing this and kept reminding himself. This might feel bad right now, but it’ll help your niece in the long run. If you don’t do this, she’ll be kicked out of the hospital. That can’t be allowed to happen. The mantra continued again and again. Everything was true, but felt hollow in his own ears.

Those around him had their own reasons for being here. None as noble as his own, if he could even claim that word. If it wasn’t for his niece, he would’ve said all of their reasons were stupid and petty. But having his own weaknesses laid bare he couldn’t say that anymore. Everyone has a point where they break, a price where they’d be bought. It was only a matter of finding it.

As the three walked away from what they’d done, H-Bar tried to think of a joke. Something he could use to lighten the mood. But everything he came up with fell flat. Eventually he decided to forgo the jokes. He’d be a professional until they dealt with this situation. As much as that pained him. No jokes until Source was done and buried.