It was a normal evening in early spring for Silver City. People were heading home, or going to work if they had third shift. Such was the case for MetaTech Industries, and the lab tech that was whistling as he sipped his coffee on his way to the door. He aimlessly set his car's alarm, and…

A red blur slammed into the building, making it rumble. He sputtered as the figure fell beside him, not even noticing the hot coffee dribble down his shirt. There was a crack in the buildings' concrete. The whole building.

"Oh no. It seems that I miscalculated my trajectory and have unintentionally caused an accident. Stand back citizen, I have to go search for victims...to help." Star-Strong deadpanned, cracking his knuckles. "You might wanna call off today."

Max strode through the locked doors, flipping them open so hard they shattered on the wall. He scanned the open reception area, darkened with flashing red emergency lights. No doubt the police would be on their way in minutes. He didn't have much time anyway. He went up to the steel door protecting the entrance to the rest of the compound.

Without hesitation he kicked it, his foot tearing through like balsa wood. He ripped through the first barrier, and the workers wondering what was going on ducked back into their offices. Perfect.

"I'm sorry for the mess and intrusion, but I'm looking for a kidnapping victim. Are there any places to do genetic research experiments in here?" he said over the alarm, snapping the doorknob off as he walked in. Three workers in office clothes cowered behind a desk. "Excuse me? Hello?"

"P-Please, just take what you want and go!" one of them wailed. Star-Strong reached down and plucked him up by the scruff of his collar, dangling him like a kitten.

"The only thing I'm taking is my sidekick back, and Knightsbridge down. Where are they?" he said with a glower. The man fainted. Max blinked. "It was just a question."

"I-If you're looking for g-genetic research, that'd b-be Dr. Thunder's lab on the sixth sub-basement floor." one of the others supplied.

"Thank you. Also, you might want to evacuate the premises. Where is the basement lab?" he said politely. The worker pointed to a large door at the end of the corridor. Star-Strong dropped the man and with a swirl of his cape leapt, rocketing forward down and through the now-open security door. A quick glance at the diagram on the wall showed him twelve sub-levels in all, winding down in a spiral shape. He'd have to pass through the first five to find Jason.

"Don't have time for this." he growled, crumpling the security door like stale bread.

Employees huddled in corners and offices as he passed, giving the imposing hero a very wide berth as he marched down the hall. Much as he'd like to arrest them all, most of them probably just worked here, without knowledge of the company's shadier dealings. That's what he told himself to ignore them, anyway. Rescuing Jason took priority.

The halls were filled intermittently with steel security doors of course, but those posed little problem for the super-strong hero, punching his way through with relative ease. However, they did slow him down enough to where he could never be sure what they were doing behind those doors, especially to his partner. That though spurned him on, but his experience with Talaxnia encouraged him to keep an eye out. She would've just charged right in and smashed it all.

His prediction was proven right on the third floor, when the steel plate he busted through held gun turrets on the ceiling behind it, spraying him with bullets. Annoying, but doable. He ripped two pieces of the door free, snapping under his fury. He threw them like discs, smashing the turrets and walking on without another thought.

It seemed like this was a restricted area, if the signs and lack of people were anything to go by. There were longer and longer stretches between labs and office doors. Max was itching to bust one down and see what illicit things Knightsbridge was up to, but saving Jason would expose all that and more. Tearing through another door, he took one look and surged forward, rolling on his shoulder.

The door was pelted with tar grenades not a second later, but it was too late for the shooters. Star-Strong was there, rising up from the floor with a double uppercut, ripping the launchers from their hands and shattering them. With motion too swift to make out, he'd seized the other two and smashed them together.

"Aaaaaaahhh!" Bounce and company screamed and ran, no way were they going to stay within arm's reach of him!

"Rock, forward!" Bounce cried, boinging away to an open office.

"On it!" Rock Solid snorted and squared up, nearly as wide and much thicker than Star-Strong's frame. Max rolled his eyes.

"Kid, stand down before you get hurt." he said simply. The rock man only came up to his diaphragm.

"Only one gettin' hurt is you. We owe you some payback for the other day. Eat it!" Rock Solid swung a right hook at him. Anybody else would've been paste. Star-Strong just dropped, ducking and scything out a leg to sweep the teen off his feet, smooth as a kung-fu master.

"Bwu-" Even his bewilderment was cut off as Star-Strong rose and slammed his palm into his rocky chest, not impacting into the ground, but indenting it. Rock Solid groaned, his body cracked.

"Anybody else want some!?" Star-Strong roared, but the last villain standing did. Behind an anti-tank rifle.

"Die!" Bounce shouted, opening fire. BOOM!

The shot went wide, ripping through the corridor and Star-Strong scrambled to close the distance. But Bounce's rubbery body absorbed the recoil with no issue, allowing him to aim and fire sooner than the giant expected. Point blank.

BOOM!

"Hurk-!" Star-Strong skidded along the floor and dropped to a knee, his hips blasted back with a burning sensation still there. He looked down at the shell lodged in his side, just below the ribs. It hadn't penetrated fully, but he was bleeding.

"Not so tough now, are ya!" Bounce cawed, lining up another shot.

"I don't have time for this." With a growl, Star-Strong ripped the shell free, marching on the villain.

"N-No! Go down, go down!" Bounce yelled, taking a step back in fear. How was he still up!? He levelled the rifle again in shaking hands, just soon enough to see the hero hurl the shell back.

BANG!

The rifle was destroyed, the shell crushing the barrel form the impact. Bounce was blown back as well, pinballing off the floor and walls. He only came to a stop when he hit the far wall, groaning.

"Worse'n my brother, man." he moaned, rubbing his head.

"A lot worse." Star-Strong agreed, looming over him with arms folded.

"Aaaah! Guys, get him!" Bladeshift came around the corner, defending his leader with a strange, thick handgun. It glowed as he pulled the trigger, but Star-Strong simply grabbed and crushed the gun in his hands. With a terrified howl, both Bladeshift's courage and body fled.

"What guys?" he smirked. The only one left form his crew was the mewling Rock Solid.

"Bastardos." he muttered.

"Don't worry, when I see 'em, I'll give them your regards." Star-Strong said. He picked the teen up, frozen in terror, and slammed him into the ground. He immediately bounced back-and bounced off Star-Strong's palm, bouncing him up, down, up, down, up, down…

Star-Strong dribbled Bounce until he was dizzy, then hurled him back down the hall.

"Wait for me." he said, marching forward determinedly.