Captain Hot Devil sighed as he walked into the room and took his seat. He couldn’t believe she was actually gone. Like, just like that? She always had a trick up her sleeve, she had always been prepared. Sometimes it seemed like she could read the future, the things she knew, the calls she made. So how had she been done in, just like that?

He glanced around the room. Silence reigned. Heads hung, puffy eyes, an occasional sniff.

The door opened.

Acting Director Carter stepped into the room.

Captain Hot Devil let out a sigh. He felt for the man. He had to step into shoes no one wanted filled, no one could fill.

“Thank you for coming everyone.”

All eyes turned to the man.

“I know this is a difficult time, for everyone. But that’s why it’s important we come together. To show the world that…even though she’s gone…that the ILS still stands strong. That there are still heroes, willing to fight, willing to protect this world.”

“And most of all…”

His eyes narrowed.

“...Willing to avenge what was lost.”

Everyone’s eyes narrowed. Some of the heroes started nodding, others gripping their fists. The Acting Director took a deep breath.

“There’s going to be some changes around here. I know no one wants to hear that. But I assure you, this will all be for the better. It will all be for a single purpose.”

He took a pause.

“To bring down the sons of guns responsible for this. We are not going to let them get away with this. We are not going to sit back and wait for their next atrocity. We’re going to go after them. This time, we’re going to shoot first and hit them where it hurts. And we’re going to show the world what happens to those who mess with the International League of Superheroes!”

“Here here!”

“I can get with that.”

“Let’s get those jerks.”

“I hope you all will join with me in this. Let’s do her proud.”

With that, the Acting Director started laying out some of the specific changes. Captain Hot Devil’s eyes narrowed though as he watched the man.

Nothing he said seemed particularly wrong. Rather, it was much what everyone here was already thinking.

Yet, he had a bad feeling about this.

In a basement in London, twelve men’s phones began to vibrate.

“You have received your instructions, get to it.”

With that the light shut off for about half a minute. When it turned back on, the twelve men were alone. Bob pulled out his phone as the others glanced around at each other. As stated, there was a text message. It contained two addresses, one listed as target and the other supplies.

“Let’s go.”

The other men checked as well. The biggest one stepped forward and motioned to the others. Bob followed suit as they moved out.

At the supplies location they found some night vision goggles and grappling hooks. Bob equipped his pair with the rest of the men, and they made their way to the location. It was a large office building, some of the lights still on. They could see shadows move past the windows on occasion. The big man nodded.

“Guards, from the looks of it. They want us to go from the roof. Let’s head over to that alley and grapple up.”

Bob raised an eyebrow. That alley was a solid wall, climbing up it would be difficult even with grappling hooks. The building on the other side had a fire exit hidden from the target they could use to reach the roof, and then shimmy over.

But he held his tongue.

Big guy made it clear he was the leader. Debating the leader right now would end the night in failure.

And failure was not an option.

So Bob swallowed his sigh and stretched his arms. This was going to be annoying.

Some long minutes, burning arms, and pained grunting later and the men had reached the roof. Their phones began to buzz.

A target, a particular room on the 3rd floor would contain a safe. They were to retrieve the contents and escape. They were not to trigger any alarms nor to kill anyone. Either would count as an immediate failure.

A few more moments for the burning to die down and the team shuffled their way over to the roof entrance. Locked, but that wasn’t a barrier for anyone here.

The team made their way into the structure. The top floor was deserted, lights off. Bob narrowed his eyes.

He checked his headset for settings and swapped to infrared mode. He quickly stepped forward and tapped the leaders shoulders. The leader spun around and hissed.

“What!”

Bob tapped the setting on his night vision goggles then pointed to the floor. The leader hesitantly followed suit.

And saw the thin infrared beam he was about to trip.

He nodded to Bob and motioned to the others to swap to infrared. The men made their way down the halls, careful to avoid the beams.

The team successfully passed through the top floor, coming to a staircase. They slowly stepped down it, but it only led to the next floor. The leader peaked out the window of the door and motioned for the team to follow as he stepped through. Another dark floor, this one full of twists and turns. And as the team rounded the final corner…

A light. One of the hallways was lit, just around the corner. The leader motioned for everyone to stop, and pulled out his phone. He turned one the camera and very carefully peeked the top of the phone past the corner.

At the end of the hallway was a door.

And two guards.

The leader motioned for everyone to double back until they had gained some distance.

“What should we do?”

“I’m thinking. Hold on.”

The leader rubbed his chin. Then he pounded his fist into his hand.

“I got it. Those guys weren’t packing, we can rush them down.”

Bob’s eyes narrowed.

“That’s against orders.”

“No, it’s not.”

The leader grinned.

“You see, they said no killing, not no fighting. As long as we don’t kill them, it’s fine.”

“We’re going to give ourselves away.”

“Not if we’re quick about it.”

“It’s too risky.”

The leader took a step forward, putting his face right in front of Bob’s.

“Well wise guy, what’s your idea then?”

Bob pointed down another hallway.

“There’s a window there. We go back, grab one of the grapples, and then look for another entry point.”

“That’s a stupid idea. We’re going to be dead visible on the side of the wall like that, any old pedestrian will spot us immediately! And what if there’s someone in the window?”

Bob met his gaze.

“Then we look for another window.”

“That will take way too much time. We’re on the clock here. We need to get in and out fast before we’re noticed, no matter who’s in our way.”

“I don’t know, he has a point.”

“What if those guys have something concealed?”

“Or what if they set off an alarm before we reach them?”

“Quiet!”

The leader glared around the team.

“I’m in charge here, and I say we take them. It’s the most sure and efficient way to get through this and we need to show what we got here and now. I don’t care if the rest of you are getting cold feet, but I’m not failing here because of two measly guards.”

Bob shrugged and turned around.

“Have it your way.”

“Where are you going?”

“To the roof, then the window.”

The leader walked up to him and grabbed his collar.

“You’re not going anywhere.”

“Or what?”

“What do you think?”

The man made a fist with his free hand. Bob just stared him down.

“You really want to fail because you got into a fight?”

The two stared at each other for half a minute. Then the leader let him down.

“Fine. Go fail for all I care.”

Ten of the men continued down the hall. Bob turned to the remaining man.

“I’m with you. Seems too straightforward if you ask me.”

Bob nodded and the pair made their way back to the roof.

A few minutes later they rappelled down the side of the building, finding their way into an unoccupied room a few floors down.

And then the door burst open.

“FREEZE! HANDS IN THE AIR!”

The other man swore as the pair lifted their hands.

Two men carried Bob into a room, his head covered with a sack. They slammed him into a slanted table and strapped him to it, then pulled off the sack. Bob let out a sigh.

He was in what looked like a surgery room. And a table full of surgical equipment, electrical devices, and syringes.

This was about to get very annoying.

“Kekeke…”

An old man shuffled into the room, wearing scrubs and a head mirror. He was hunched over and rubbing his hands.

“So your friends were telling the truth after all. There were two more of you. And where there are two, perhaps there are three, yes?”

The man flicked a switch.

Bob cried out as electricity surged through his body.

“Let’s have a little chat, shall we?”

An armored soldier knocked on a wooden door, two others standing to either side of the entrance.

“Enter.”

The soldier opened the door. A man was sitting on a couch facing away from the door, a wall of monitors before him. The soldier gave a salute, even though the man hadn’t turned to face him.

“What is it?”

“Report on the prisoners, sir.”

“Ah, yes, go ahead.”

“Most have broken and we’ve cross-examined their stories. Seems they told the truth as most have told us the same information.”

“How boring.”

“But…there’s one who’s giving us trouble.”

“Oh?”

“He’s refusing to give away anything related to the operation or his employer. Even after a day with the doctor he hasn’t said anything we consider relevant.”

“Curious, most curious.”

The man stood up.

“Perhaps I shall attend to this one…personally.”

Bob grit his teeth as the electricity surged through him once more. At this point the shock treatment was more a break between the real attempts. The doctor wasn’t a spry young lad anymore, after all.

Bob gasped for breath as the pain stopped for a moment, preparing himself for the next wave.

But it never came.

Suddenly the door opened and several armed guards strode into the room. Along with a man in a suit, wearing a smooth and featureless white mask. He stepped in front of Bob, looking into his eyes. Bob met his gaze.

“Release him.”

The guards stepped forward and removed the straps. Bob took the opportunity to stretch his aching muscles, rubbing his wrists as he did.

“So, you won’t talk?”

Bob shook his head. The man raised a hand. The guards raised their guns.

“The others have already broken. We already know everything. There is no point to your resistance.”

Bob’s eyes didn’t waver.

“Then you have no need of me.”

The man chuckled.

“I suppose we don’t.”

They stood in silence for a minute. Bob closed his eyes.

“You…pass.”

Bob opened his eyes. The man stepped forward, holding up a phone.

A phone that had sent them the original message.

“It’s so hard to find good and reliable help these days. But you look like you have a spine. I think there’s much you can do for us.”

The man handed Bob a small pin and a mask.

“Now don’t get me wrong. You’ve barely got a foot in the door. But…you made it. As of right now, you have become a part of something greater than yourself. Greater than all of us. You’ve only scratched the surface, but continue to prove your loyalty and competence, and you will find more than you could ever imagine.”

The man stretched out his hand. Bob put on the mask and shook hands.

“Welcome to your new life, minion.”

“It’s an honor.”

Under the mask Bob grimaced as pain shot through his arm once more.

Job interviews are so annoying.