A/N_Extremely apologize for not updating this fic. Thanks for keeping your follows stagnant.

Initiative

Max quickly drew the steel bar next to his feet to parry the knife jab, simultaneously forming a fist with his unoccupied hand and planted it firmly into the villain's mid section, who disorientedly staggered back in pain giving Max the opportunity to raise a leg in rotational rhythm and sent the villain spiralling into the alley wall.

Max leisurely walked to stand before the body slumped against the alley wall, quickly readjusting his mask in the process.

"So, are you gonna talk or not?" he asked, relieved the fight was over because it was nearing the late hours of night, and he had to get back home, lest the family get suspicious again.

"You're just a kid!"

Annoyed, Max retrieved a pocket knife from his jacket and hovered it between the thug's eyes.

"See this blade? Its small, like me, but one single thrust from something this small and you're six feet under. Now I suppose you don't want to die with the conscious of being done in by a brat, now would you?" he asked, "I know you work for the villain league, particularly the division that handles inventory, and that you've been receiving c4 mech weapons from a certain arms dealer. Am I correct?"

When the sprawled figure didn't respond, Max inched the tip of the knife further, drawing a bit of blood.

"Alright alright! I'll tell you!"

The blade hovered back into Max's awaiting palm, stuffing it into his black jacket as he knelt to meet the villain's eyes.

"I'm listening."

"L-look, all I know is that we receive new shipment every end of the week in substantial stock-"

"Tell me something I don't know." Max growled out.

"I swear, that's all I know!"

Max sighed, and slid his hand into his jacket, sliding it back out with a syringe in hand.

"What's that?! What are you-"

Max injected the green serum into the exposed vein with perfected accuracy.

The villain seemed disoriented. Max flicked the side of the fiend's head, who composed himself into composure.

"Now, tell me what I want to know."

"There has been changes to the villain league's routine. The league has been receiving anonymous aid from an unknown source for about 4 months as of late."

"Aid?"

The villain nodded. "Financial aid to be exact,"

"Financial aid? Is there a chance the arms dealer may be that same person?"

"I'm uncertain, I work in the inventory division, so I only know more about the weapon's trade portion."

"Alright. So the weapons, aren't they from any known manufacturer of sorts?"

The villain shook his head. "Nothing, the weapons are plain, no brand no nothing."

Max nodded in acceptance. Villains are unlawful, so illegal weapons trade on the black market is done inconspicuously, but what intrigued him more is the third party involved, literally feeding the villain league.

"Tell me, who's commissioning the villain league now?" he asked, knowing Dark Mayhem was behind bars, yet the league was still in function, meaning someone else had to represent or run the evil faculty for the time being.

"A new entrée of about 2 months, Hemphis Duran."

Max stood up. "Is that so?"

The villain staggered to stand up. "Are you working with the hero league?"

"No, I'm not."

"Then why-"

The man slumped to the floor, unconscious – as Max shortened the extension of his rod taser and slowly trudged out of the alley.


"You're late again."

Max sighed.

"I know."

"Where have you been? And don't tell me you were at a friend's because I called all of them."

He racked his brain. "I was with someone."

When a response wasn't immediate, Max glanced at her.

"Oh."

Her expression spoke volumes. He looked around to find the house empty, drawing his jacket on the couch as he moved to stand before her, playfully nudging her shoulder.

"Dinner together?" he offered with a smirk.

She smiled and nodded, moving for the kitchen with Max in tow.


"Is this going to become a routine?"

He looked up. "What?"

"I mean, you coming home late. Me, having to wait up for you and having to keep the fact that you're dating a secret from mom and dad." she pointed out. "…not to mention you skipping school. Do you know how much trouble you'll get in if mom and dad found out?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "What they don't know won't hurt them."

Phoebe shook her head in disapproval of his carelessness. He always got away with doing wrong or going against the rules, which itself is a wonder how he never got busted for his mischief considered the number of times he does so.

"I'm sorry."

The unorthodox apology caught her off guard. "What for?"

"You know, earlier when I kissed you."

A stronghold of conviction not to blush when the inquiry was made so straightforward and blunt – failing immensely.

"Its alright." she tried,

"Seriously?"

"Yes."

"You're seriously fine with the fact your twin brother kissed you?" he asked with a risen brow.

"Can we please not talk about it, please?"

"Hey, you kissed me first. Atleast I'm apologising for the consequences of what you started." he pointed out, watching as she registered everything in stride.

"It wasn't necessarily a kiss, it was more of a… peck."

"Can you peck me again?"

"Why?"

"So I can maximum rights to kiss you." He said evenly.

"And why would you do that?"

He shrugged.

Phoene knew he was kidding, but decided to bask in his humor. "You really want to kiss me?"

"Would you allow it?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because its wrong and I don't want you to kiss me. Besides, you have a girlfriend."

Max ran a hand through his swoosh. "She isn't real."

Phoebe scoffed. "Right, and when you're not home you run around doing the world good," she said sarcastically.

Max smirked. "So, is that a yes?"

She levelled him with a plain stare. "Max, we're not kissing, end of story."

"This conversation is pointless. You're just in denial. Let's kiss already."

She made to stand up, levitating her plate into the sink nearby. "This weird conversation holds the word kiss for far too many times, I'm going to bed." she announced stepping around the table, but stopped as Max impeded her journey by standing before her. "Out of the way Max."

"Not until we kiss."

"Telekenisis, heat and freeze breath or my foot below the belt. Which would you prefer?" she challenged, crossing her arms in annoyance.

"I'm just messing with you." he remarked, turning for his lair. "Night Pheebs."


"-is falsifying information from within the hero league." Colosso said, "This is somehow connected, because who ever this is, is staging a constant fledge by using the fact that Dark Mayhem is behind bars to keep the league instilled with firm morale that the villain league is crippled."

Max threw his shoes off. "We'll have to find out whoever this is."

"You're just concerned for your sister."

"Among other mentionables."

Colosso hopped next to Max. "That's patriotic in a sense, caring for family. But she's grown up now, and she's Thundergirl. I'm pretty sure she can look after herself."

"She's the only twin I have Colosso,"

"…And she's the one you love." The bunny retorted bluntly.

Which Max ignored, since denial from his side only strengthened the staunch and firm belief that he had feelings for his sister, in the bunny's perspective to say.

"So, what you gonna do about the anonymous arms dealer? I have seen what c4 mech-tech is capable of Max, and let me tell you, its devastatingly destructive."

"… I'll need the suit."

"After its tweaked with terrestrial absorbent nanotech that is," Colosso pointed out. "Besides, I think its better to snuff the mole misdirecting the hero league,"

"I'm not killing anyone you darned bunny."

"That's what all the real heroes say at first."

"I'm not a hero."

"Anti-hero or vigilante is another name for good doers Max, they remain unknown but they save lives, only difference being they go to extreme measures to get the job done." Colosso concluded as they heard a knock.

Max ignored the philosophical bunny and jumped to the small stair case to walk towards the door, yanking it open to reveal Phoebe.

"Pheebs?"

"You aren't asleep yet?"

"No."

Awkward silence.

And Max knew.

"Its getting to you, isn't it?"

She sighed and looked to the side, "Can you blame me? We're teenagers, its natural, they just don't understand now that they've grown up and forgot their adolescent experiences. Sometimes, I wish we weren't born with powers."

"Why don't you just do it behind their backs?"

"I can't… I don't want to. I want to enter the Initiative Squad with a clear mind and clean sheet."

"Yet you don't think this is wrong?"

"Its limited, so, it can't be wrong." she applied more to herself, not meeting his eyes.

"Alright."

She looked up. "I'm serious Max."

He didn't respond, he pulled her head and for the first time ever, initiated a yearning kiss, which he felt her respond to when her arms paralleled against his chest.

It was meant to be short.

Retracting, Max regarded her. "About enough?"

Phoebe couldn't direct a proper response since the tremendous red on her cheeks darkened by seconds. "G-Goodnight Max."

Max watched her scurry away till the end of the dark hallway.