Han Yu's slippered feet made no noise as she gently landed on the roof.
The meeting location was on top of a skyscraper in the southern end of the Corporate Playground. It was the middle of the day; if anyone with binoculars had looked up, they would have seen New Dawn's Heavenly Astrologian looking annoyed.
Heavenly Astrologian wore a black bodysuit decorated with stars like the night sky. Over her shoulders was a green half-cape connected to the hood she wore that fluttered in the high winds. Her face was entirely covered, with white lens over her eyes that adjusted to match her expression.
Said expression was a frown.
Yu hated when Catherine did this. She always put the strangest entrances in the strangest places. Good for remaining unseen, but irritating when you didn't know what it was you were looking for. Yu felt extremely foolish until she spied what she it—a refrigerator box walking around on a pair of chicken legs.
Yu bit back a sigh. Baba Yaga did
love committing to a theme.
She approached the box and nodded at it. The box-on-legs considered for her a moment before inclining its top back at her and crouching down. Yu looked around to make sure
absolutely no one was looking at her, before opening the box and climbing in.
The sudden change in gravity was disorienting. Yu used her power to keep herself from toppling over and repositioned herself into a standing posture.
She was in a richly-decorated antechamber complete with plush chairs and a chandelier hanging from the high ceiling. Yu pulled back her hood and took off her mask as she looked for a pair of indoor-slippers to put on.
"Now, none of that! You know my Domain's don't get dirty unless I want them to! And I
don't want them to! Cleaning? Ha! Who has the time?"
A squat, older woman walked in from the main room with her arms spread. Catherine Hawkins, Baba Yaga, always had a style all her own. Which is to say: all of them. She wore an evening gown beneath a frump sweater with a picture of a cat. Overtop was a fluorescent, fuschia blazer that clashed horribly with her red, horn-rimmed glasses. Every finger had a different, chunky ring, and she wore high-top sneakers on her feet. The only thing that marked her as a superhero was the black, pointed witch's hat atop her head and a certain glint in her eye that warned of danger.
She gave Yu a quick hug and dragged her from the antechamber.
"Come, come, you're the last to arrive! Lloyd just beat you here."
"I'm late?" Yu said dumbfounded, "I'm nearly a half-hour early!"
"Yes, as I said, late! But no worries! We didn't start the meeting without you. Now, come, come make yourself comfortable before we begin the
haggling."
"I'm certain it won't . . . be
that . . ." Yu groaned. She couldn't even finish the sentence. Today was going to be a
disaster.
"Yes, yes, have a croissant."
Somehow, Catherine had steered to a table where another man was waiting. Lloyd Morgan, Lightstep, was munching on a pastry when she sat down.
"Look who the Cat dragged in! Heavenly Astrologian! Y'know, good thing you're here. Novalight's been complaining about you being late for over an hour now."
"
I'm a half-hour early!"
"Yeah, well you know how Dear Leader gets.
'Early is on-time, on-time is late, and late is unacceptable!'" Lloyd said in a passable Russian accent, "Besides, you had to know she has an ax to grind with you. Where have you been?"
Yu signed and picked up a croissant.
"I was dropping Noelle off at camp. Novalight knew I had to do that when she scheduled the meeting for now." Yu took a big, angry bite. "Three more weeks until school starts up again and I have more time during the day."
"Ah, single mothers. The
real heroes!"
Lloyd flashed her an insouciant grin and leaned back. The problem with New Dawn's public relations manager was that she could never tell when he was being sincere.
Lloyd was also in costume, wearing an open, blue and white bomber jacket over a jet-black athletic shirt. Even in his early forties, Lloyd was still in fantastic shape from his days as a professional boxer. His salt and pepper hair was styled in a haircut you could set your watch to, and he drummed his hands, covered in red, studded, fingerless gloves, in a staccato beat atop the table.
He noticed Yu observing him and his grin grew wider.
"See something you like?"
"I'm reporting you to HR."
"Oh!" Lloyd cried, clutching his chest, "You're breaking my heart, Yu!"
"Catherine, I am reporting Lloyd to HR."
"Report received," Catherine, head of Human Resources, said, picking up the plate of cookies. "Now, come, you two. I think Yelena's grown tired of waiting."
"Ma'am, yes ma'am," Lloyd said, rising to his feet, "Time to get a move on."
Yu shoved the rest of the croissant into her mouth and got up as well. As they followed Catherine to a door in the ceiling, Lloyd leaned over and whispered to her.
"Y'know, everyone expects you to just be Wolong's mouthpiece during this meeting?" His easy grin was still plastered on his face. "What do you think of that?"
"I think," Yu whispered back, "You have nothing to worry about if you stick to your end of the deal."
Lloyd's cheshire grin grew by inches. "Ma'am, yes ma'am."
* * *
The next room in Catherine's Domain lacked all the warmth of the antechamber and living room. It was a black, featureless void filled only with a round table occupied by two other people.
One was Maria Banderies, the metahuman known as Cisma. They were out of costume, in a smart blouse and blazer. Maria gave Yu a small smile and gestured for her to take a seat at the table next to them and another woman.
Said other woman was stark, like the side of a mountain. The woman radiated power, a slight light glimmering from beneath her pearlescent costume. Her domino mask was on the table, her crystal blue eyes burning a hole into Yu. Not a strand of her long, blonde hair was out of place, pulled into a ponytail.
Yu could count on one finger the number of times she referred to Yelena Sokolova as anything other than "Novalight."
"Heavenly Astrologian. You're late."
"I'm early actually. And early is on-time, isn't it?"
There was a frisson of tension as neither Yu nor Novalight broke their gaze. Finally, Maria interrupted them with a cough.
"Now, none of that, ladies," she said, "We're all friends here. And Catherine, wonderful croissants as always!"
"The secret is butter!"
"And what a secret it is!" Lloyd agreed as he sat down, "Now, can we start this meeting before I get cancer or my bones exploded?"
That broke the stand-off as both Yu and Novalight glared at him. Then Novalight sat back and inclined her head toward Maria.
"Cisma, set up a room."
"Really?" Lloyd asked, "We need that in here?"
"I quite agree," Catherine said, "No one is in here without my permission."
"And yet," Novalight said, "Cisma?"
Maria signed and stood up. They placed their hands together, forming a box which she looked through with their thumbs and forefingers. Then, in a second, there was a burst of energy and everything
changed. The area outside their table became desaturated and lifeless. Yu knew that someone looking into where they were would see the same thing. No sound could pass in either direction, nor could someone inside Cisma's area interact with the outside world and vice-versa.
It was a perfect form of separation, the very power that made Wonderland possible.
Maria sat down and then, and only then, did Novalight begin.
"You are all here because you were chosen to be on the Selection Committee for the NuGen Initiative," she said without preamble, "It has been brought to my attention that metahuman recruitment rates for New Dawn have fallen to all-time low. It seems the new generation would rather act as mercenaries on
Hero for Hire rather than join an organization with exacting standards."
Or, you're too paranoid to let anyone join New Dawn proper, Yu thought, but didn't voice out loud.
"NuGen will be a satellite team affiliated with and supervised by New Dawn," Novalight continued, "Made of the best and brightest of the new generation. To that end, we are here to decide
who that is."
Novalight stared each of them down, as if demanding to know why they thought they could decide who was "best and brightest."
"I now open the floor. Cisma?"
Yu kept her face blank as Cisma activated the table's holographic display and launched into a well-rehearsed speech. No doubt, Novalight had scripted out every word she was to say down to the letter.
"I nominate Rakeem Wade, also known as Adamant."
The display showed a tall, dark-skinned young man, built like a greek statue.
Lloyd let out a low whistle. "Lamar and Becca's kid, eh? Sends one hell of a message."
"Yes," Maria agreed, "One that bridges New Dawn's past with its future. The child of Steadfast and Dragonsteeth, Adamant possesses an extremely powerful defensive power that lets him turn his body to metal. He's an educated young man who is well-regarded by everyone he has worked with. He would be a perfect leader for NuGen."
"I'm told he can be a little stiff . . ." Catherine mused, "A member, sure? But leader? We should let them decide that for themselves."
"Well, I like it!" Lloyd said, "And maybe he'll help us pry Lamar back from Global Justice?"
"Steadfast is unneeded," Novalight said, "And I approve of this choice. Heavenly Astrologian?"
Novalight was staring her down again, but Yu affected indolence. "No objection. Rakeem seems like a wonderful young man."
Novalight eyed her suspiciously, but the motion passed without issue.
"Alright, me next!" Lloyd rubbed his hands together. "I got a doozy for ya!"
The image changed to a tall woman with dusky skin and wavy hair, dressed in a blue costume.
"Uiara! The Amazing Aquatic Amazon! But, get this! Her real name?
Yazmin Oliveria. As in
Oliveira Pharmaceutical Concerns "Oliveria". The granddaughter of Ọsanyìn himself!"
Yu attempted to act as surprised as everyone else.
"Are you sure?" Maria said with wide eyes, "Ọsanyìn granddaughter is a metahuman? Why hasn't his company snapped her up?"
"She apparently had a
nasty falling out with daddy," Lloyd said, clearly enjoying the reaction he was getting, "And now she's striking it out on her own. Controls water, tanks bullets, and looks good doing it. Perfect clay to be molded, I'd say."
"I dislike you speaking of a person like that," Catherine sighed, "But you're right."
Novalight disagreed. "No. Even if she is
estranged, she's too close Ọsanyìn Industries. No doubt they'll lean on her to influence New Dawn. I have no doubt her allegiances could be swayed."
Yu saw Maria exchange a look with Novalight before deflating. "I'm afraid it's a 'no' from me as well. I wish her the best, however."
Yu took a moment before answering.
"Yes."
She said nothing else as Lloyd whooped and cheered. Catherine pursed her lips and Novalight shot another look at Maria. They frowned and spoke.
"I would like to hear your reasoning, Yu?"
"Yes," Novalight sneered, "What is Wolong thinking?"
"I wouldn't know," Yu said levelly, "You didn't invite Gabriel."
And wasn't that just a snub? Wolong, Gabriel Kwan, was on New Dawn's council, but was politically isolated and powerless. Novalight and Cisma formed one faction, Arc and Lightsep the other. Normally that would make him the kingmaker in disagreements, but no one ever
really disagreed with Novalight. The only reason Yu was even invited to this committee was to show Wolong that
he hadn't been chosen.
What a mistake.
"Now," Yu said, "My nomination."
Lloyd nodded at her. Good. He was keeping up his end of the deal.
The image changed to someone radically different. She was eight feet tall, covered in a bluish chitin and gray hair. An insectoid abdomen hung behind her digitigrade legs, and all four of her hands were nervously twiddling with a rosary around her neck. Her head was . . . unfortunate with bulbous, compound eyes directly over red, humanoid eyes with no sclera. Mandibles split her jaw apart, showing-still human teeth.
"Rosemary Ward, also known as Apiary."
The room was silent for a moment before Novalight spoke.
"
No," she said, "
Absolutely not."
"I wasn't aware you had a veto,
Yelena," Yu shot back.
"She is a monster."
"She is a twenty year-old girl! Who has lived her whole life dealing with comments from people like you!"
Novalight slammed the table. "
She is a self-replicating abomination!"
"Her power—"
"Her power," Novalight interrupted, "is to change organic matter into more of the material her body is made of,
which she can remotely control."
Yu was equally incensed. "That's no reason to lock her away in Wonderland forever!"
"If we release her onto the street, she could subsume the city in a month! New Dawn may as well douse Horizon in goldnine!"
"No problem then! I believe someone already tried,
under your leadership!"
Yu didn't remember standing up. Novalight was on her feet as well. For a terrible moment, Yu thought they would come to blows. But they didn't.
For all her photokinesis, Novalight's energy blasts were useless before Yu's power. Yu could control her own inertia and the inertia of anything she could see. Novalight's bolts of power would sizzle helplessly in the air, robbed of all movement.
By the same token, Novalight
could melt the flesh from Yu's bones with unseeable radiation above the visible spectrum. But not before Yu sent her head and body rocking in opposite directions.
It was a stalemate. From the moment they met, Yu knew she and Novalight would always be enemies. One day, they would settle the score.
"Ah, unless today is the day, I suggest the two of you cease with this posturing," a filtered, metallic voice said.
Yu blinked. She had been so focused on Novalight, she hadn't realized the holographic display changed to an image of a metal head adorned with two red, blinking eyes and a blinking circle for a mouth.
"Steelheart," Novalight bit out, "You're interrupting."
"I'm sure. But ensconced as you are in
two different pocket dimensions, taking control of your table's projector was the only way to contact you. Have you seen the news, perchance?"
"No," Maria said, "What's happening?"
"The Defiance Unit attacked Roswell University forty minutes ago."
Yu felt her heart freeze in her chest.
Noelle's camp was being hosted by Roswell University.
"We have to go, immediately," Yu choked. Her mind was going a mile a minute.
"Calm yourself, Yu. The threat has been subdued. And your daughter is safe; I checked on her personally."
Time resumed flowing as suddenly Yu was able to breathe again.
"What, you called just to brag? Good job, old man," Lloyd called, "Could you let us know without the heart attack next time?"
"Ah, it was not I. Observe."
The image changed to a young, twenty-something reporter talking to a familiar metahuman: Uiara. Uiara stood proudly as a Chinese woman in sunglasses smirked and a person in metal armor hovered awkwardly behind her. The report was speaking excitedly:
"I'm speaking with Watery-Warrior, Uiara herself! Uiara, you've been on the rise in ranks of
Heroes for Hire, and you just drove back the Defiance Unit! How are you feeling?"
"I'm just glad nobody got hurt," Uiara said in an honest tone, "And I couldn't have done it without my friends."
"Yes! Who are these other mysterious heroes behind you?"
The Chinese woman approached the microphone first, "I'm Lady Leizi, darling. If you haven't heard of me, you will."
The armored woman was more reluctant to speak, but Uiara pulled her forward.
"Um, I'm new. I don't have a name yet."
"Well that's fantastic armor you have there!" the reporter gushed, "So sleek!"
"Thanks? I made it myself."
The reporter gasped. "You did?! Do we have another Valiant Red on our hands?"
Uiara laughed, "A Valiant
Silver, maybe!"
Half the table exploded into smithereens and Novalight shoved her hand through it and blasted.
"
She dares?"
"She should," Steelheart's emotionless avatar said, "An unhavested Algernon-type? What an opportunity. I've taken the liberty of letting the media know they are the first three members of 'NuGen' our new satellite team."
"You did
what?" multiple voices in the room demanded.
"He who hesitates is lost. I require this 'Valiant Silver' and her assistance. The other two are promising newcomers. You should be thanking me."
"Retract your statement," Novalight demanded, "
Now."
Steelheart snorted. "I'm not some wet-behind-the-ears rookie you can bully, Yelena. This Algernon will be a member of NuGen. As will Apiary."
"
Never."
"You'll find that never is now, Yelena. I did not build Wonderland for you to lock children away. If you don't like it, you may maintain it without me."
Light erupted from Novalight's hands, and she looked at Steelheart's image with a glance of pure hatred. But she didn't say anything.
"As I thought. Oh, and Yu?"
"Yes?" Yu responded.
"Tell Gabriel we are even."
