The Star penthouse had a total of ten floors. The first was the lobby, first to the fifth floor was the residence area, six floor was for the staff, seventh was Vanessa private room, eighth was Vanessa war room, ninth was sidekicks rooms, and finally the final room was pool room.
The penthouse's war room hummed with muted tension as Vanessa activated the holographic display.
"Stonewall Island," Vanessa announced, zooming in on the aerial view.
The projection shimmered, revealing thermal signatures moving through the abandoned resort, "Former five-star getaway. Now Giovanni aka Don personal kingdom."
The hologram shifted to display a tall man with a spiderweb of scars across his shaved head.
His right eye was milky white, the other black as crude oil.
"Don's Trigger isn't just 'Explosion'," Vanessa continued, tapping the console.
Security footage showed the man placing a single finger against a steel door - the metal twisting like taffy before detonating outward in a perfect sphere of destruction, "He controls yield, radius, and most terrifyingly - timing. That door? He set it to blow six hours later when the security team did their rounds."
Annie's hovering form dipped slightly, "So he could turn us into walking time bombs."
"Correct." Vanessa swiped to a new image - crimson strands glistening between broken bank vault doors, "Which brings us to his suspected partner. Red Widow."
Arthur leaned forward immediately knowing the name, "Couldn't be. Her MO is burglary and thief- museums, jewelry store, and banks. Why team up with a human grenade?"
Vanessa's manicured nail traced a shipping manifest floating in the air, "Because three days ago, Don intercepted a Silex Corporation transport. Their experimental energy cores could amplify Triggers exponentially."
Duke whistled, "So if Mr. Boom-Boom gets juiced up..."
"He could level Golden City with a handshake," Bruce finished, his voice thin.
The hologram zoomed in on the island's underground facility schematics, "Your mission has three objection," Vanessa said, her green eyes hardening, "One: confirm Red Widow's involvement and arrested her if needed. Two: recover or destroy the Silex cores. Three—" She paused meaningfully, "—bring Don in alive. The Association wants his connection to last month's Trigger traffickers."
Annie's slightly tilted her head, "This seem impossible honestly. Why didn't the association picked the top five hero or something."
Vanessa turned her eyes and point towards Arthur, "Not anymore. The most impossible and dangerous villain are now possible with our little wild card."
Arthur smiled understanding what she was thinking, "So the plan is to have me look at Don which will disable his powers then jump him together."
Vanessa had a cheerful and innocent smile on her face.
Cassie's voice chimed through the speakers, "Lady Vanessa, your 10:30 appointment has arrived. They're... impatient."
Vanessa sighed, "Darlings, do try not to explode before midnight." She paused at the elevator, turning back with sudden seriousness, "Arthur I need to tell something important about our mission as Keepers."
Arthur stood up from where he was sitting, "Yeah."
Vanessa took moment of silence before saying, "As heroes we are here to protect against criminal. Those criminal we defeat we either put them behind bars, mental institution, community service and even rehab facility. We do that to protect villains from themselves and hope they will be reformed back into society...but not all villains want that type of help from us."
Arthur noticed the other three mood changes to feeling rather uncomfortable, "What you mean? What type of help?"
The room was silent till Vanessa mutters, "When they reach a point of no return or have nothing left to lose. The only option is help them out of this life so they endanger any more people." Elevator door begun to close leaving Arthur standing frozen from what he heard.
He looked at the others and they all had the face of someone who already has then that task of setting a villain free.
---
Central Park breathed differently at dusk.
Arthur lay sprawled beneath an ancient oak, watching clouds morph from sailing ships to screaming faces.
The damp earth beneath him smelled of impending rain, the distant laughter of children.
Galahad materialized without summons, the spectral knight's burning blue form sending squirrels scrambling.
Arthur didn't need psychic powers to sense his guardian's unease.
"Not now," Arthur murmured, tracking a cloud that resembled Empire Gold's final expression.
The memory should have hurt. After five years, it just felt... hollow.
The grass rustled against his neck like whispering voices.
"Well, well. The Demon Child in the flesh. It's a honour."
Arthur didn't bother turning as the shadow fell across him, recognizing the stench of gunpowder and cheap cologne.
Biscuit's wolf-arm twitched inches from Arthur's face, "You know how much they're offering for your head? Enough to buy my own island."
Arthur exhaled slowly, watching the clouds, "Then why warn me?"
A wet chuckle, "Professional courtesy. Guy who offed Empire Gold? That's royalty in our world."
Biscuit's knee cracked as he crouched, his breath hot with whiskey, "How about we team me."
Galahad's gauntlet right hand materialized against Biscuit's throat, the blue flame casting hellish shadows across his scarred face. Arthur finally turned his head, his left eye pulsing crimson.
Arthur whispered, "Not here."
Biscuit's grin as Galahad released him, "Old docks, right now." His tongue darted over his yellowed canine teeth as his eyes turned into animalistic eyes.
Arthur kickflip up to his feet and dust his trench coat, "Lead the way."