Atlas: Titan Rising

by OCMixMaster27

Part 1 of my Anime Cinematic Universe: In Sternbild City, heroes fight for fame, money, and glory. But out of the ashes of a grim tragedy, a new figure enters the spotlight, one who seeks justice for the loved ones taken from him. As he dismantles the corrupt elements in the city, his actions cause the people of Sternbild to question what truly makes a hero.

3. Chapter 3

A.N. Welcome to the next chapter! Here, Atlas continues his investigations, encountering heroes and villains alike.

Let'sgetiton!

Disclaimer: OCMixmaster27 does not own any of the franchises represented in this story apart from original characters. This work is made for nonprofit entertainment purposes only.

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"Hello there!": Speech.

'This is gonna be fun': Thoughts.

[All systems are go!]: Mechanical/TV Speech

"How Dare You!": Monster/Demon Speech

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Fanfiction Studios Presents…

An OCMixmaster27 Production…

Atlas: Titan Rising

Chapter 3: War in the Shadows

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Location: Misty Grove Apartments, 56th Street, Sternbild City

Date: July 20th, 2013

A trio of black SUVs arrive at the abandoned apartment complex, parking in a back alley in the cover of darkness to hide from any wandering police vehicles. An assortment of shady-looking men exit the vehicles, with one heading for the back passenger door of the middle vehicle.

One of the goons opens the door, allowing Tyrone Wallace to exit the vehicle. He is an arrogant-looking man with dark skin, an expensive suit, and a smug smile on his face. He straightens out his suit as his bodyguards flank him.

Meanwhile, two other thugs open the trunk of the rear vehicle, revealing a large grey crate.

"Careful with the merchandise, boys," Tyrone tells his men. "It's worth more than every last one of you."

His piece said, Tyrone and his bodyguards enter the abandoned building, the rest of the goons and the crate following right behind him.

None of them notice the small device with a red blinking light on the roof of the front vehicle.

Location: Gymnasium

Inside, the group enters what used to be the gym room. There, they're greeted by a heavyset man sitting at a wooden table, flanked by his own armed entourage. He smokes a cigar as he regards the new arrivals.

"Tyrone Wallace."

"Mr. Nikolai Drozdov! How's it going, my friend?" Tyrone jovially asks.

"We are not friends, Wallace. We are not even associates. In fact, you need to have a very good reason why I don't shoot you now for dragging me here in the middle of the night," Drozdov replies in annoyance.

Tyrone keeps smiling. "Don't think of it as me 'dragging you here in the middle of the night', my man. Think of it as the start of a long-lasting and profitable business arrangement."

"I already have a good business arrangement with Goldstein," Drozdov states.

"Oh! You didn't hear?" Tyrone asks in fake surprise. "Goldstein got himself pinched four nights ago."

Drozdov growls at this. The crime lord has been having difficulties contacting Goldstein for the last few days. This piece of news is going to set his business back considerably.

"Lucky for you," Tyrone continues, "I am more than happy to take over as the chief weapon supplier for your organization, for a reasonable rate, of course."

"And what do you define as 'reasonable'?" Drozdov asks the arms dealer.

Tyrone responds by having one of his goons approach the Russian crime lord and hand him a piece of paper.

Drozdov takes one look at what's written on the paper and angrily crushes the cigar in his hand.

"Is this a joke?! This is almost twice as much as I paid Goldstein!" Drozdov yells.

Tyrone is unfazed by the gangster's anger. "Hey, if you don't like my deal, you can take it up with somebody else," he offers, before snapping his fingers. "Oh, wait! I just remembered! Goldstein and I forced all of our competition out of town ages ago, and now that he's locked up, I'm you're only option."

"You think that gives you the right to screw me over?!" Drozdov yells.

"Oh, I'm not trying to screw you over, Nikolai," Tyrone replies. "As a matter of fact, I'm here to help."

The two goons holding the crate approach Tyrone and set their cargo down at his feet. The arms dealer quickly types in a code on the lock screen to unlock the case, which opens up with a hissing sound.

Tyrone pulls out the contents of the crate, revealing a sleek metallic rifle-like weapon with a large front barrel.

Tyrone shows off the weapon in his hands. "Just arrived yesterday from a very special friend of mine. Gentlemen, I give you the Shockwave! The frame is made out of the same material they use for superhero suits, making it extremely durable. This also gives it a bit of weight, I'll admit, but nothing you can't handle. The stock fits well into your shoulder, plus the trigger and stock fit nicely in your hands, so that gives you a bit of comfort."

Tyrone makes an adjustment on the side of the gun, causing it to hum slightly.

"Then, of course, there's the firepower," he continues as he looks towards one of his goons. "Hey, Greg! You've got your vest on, right?"

The startled goon known as Greg replies, "Well, I–"

Tyrone quickly points the weapon at Greg and pulls the trigger.

FWOM!

Greg is suddenly blown backwards by a pulse of sound blasted from the hi-tech rifle in Tyrone's hands.

Drozdov quickly stands up in surprise at seeing the goon crash against the wall. He and his group clamor to see what kind of damage the weapon did to the poor man.

Two of Tyrone's men rush over to Greg and try to help him get on his feet. Greg himself is knocked unconscious, swirls in his eyes as his suit has a gaping hole in it, revealing his bullet-proof vest underneath.

"You just earned your bonus, Greg!" Tyrone calls out in amusement. He turns back to Drozdov. "That was Setting 1. Of 10."

Drozdov is now intrigued by the weapon, as seen by the contemplative look on his face.

Tyrone's smile widens at Drozdov's look. "Packs a hell of a lot more than a punch doesn't it?" the arms dealer asks. "And there aren't any bullets involved, so no need to reload. Just five seconds to recharge, and you're ready to fire again." He shows off the weapon again. "Powerful, durable, and, for what I'm charging, available at a reasonable price."

Drozdov is impressed by the display. A few of these in his arsenal and he would be quite the powerhouse in Sternbild's underworld. They would certainly give his biggest rival, Franco Consoli, something to think about.

Still…

"Very impressive, I admit," Drozdov tells the arms dealer. "…however, I'm not sure that I want to spend this much on a weapon like this when AK-47s and rocket launchers are cheaper and time-honored."

Tyrone scoffs at this. "AKs? Rocket launchers? Those are the past, Nikolai!" he insists as he presents the Shockwave. "This is the future, my friend! Trust me, this baby's gonna be a hell of a lot more useful out there on the mean streets of Sternbild than those old-time toys. Especially if you run into any Capes."

Drozdov looks intently at Tyrone. "And you can guarantee that they can deal with Capes easily enough?"

"That's what I just said, isn't it?" Tyrone replies.

"What about Atlas?"

The crime lord and the arms dealer both turn to the member of Drozdov's group who just spoke up.

The goon himself is suddenly nervous at the attention he's now receiving but continues, "I-I mean, I don't know if everyone saw him on the TV, but from what I saw, he seemed very tough."

Tyrone chuckles. "Come on, man. 'Big, tall, and scary metal man that doesn't take shit from anybody'?" he dismisses. "I wouldn't worry about him. He's probably just some act for HeroTV to–"

KA-BOOM!

Everyone gets blown away as one of the walls suddenly explodes, sending dust and drywall flying everywhere.

After a moment, the two groups try to collect themselves, some of them attempting to cough dust out of their lungs. Eventually, they all turn to regard the gaping hole in the wall.

And the crimson red light shining through said hole.

Tyrone's insides turn cold. "Ah, hell."

Drozdov isn't fairing any better.

With the thumping of large metal feet, Atlas enters the room. He looks around the space, his red vizor appearing to slowly scan over every one of the terrified criminals.

The mech then focuses on Drozdov.

[Nikolai Drozdov.]

Drozdov trembles as the behemoth speaks his name.

Atlas points his finger at the crime lord. [I'll deal with you later,] the mech declares.

Atlas then turns his attention to Tyrone, just as the latter points the Shockwave at the giant, the weapon set to Setting 10.

"Deal with this, motherfucker!" Tyrone yells before pulling the trigger.

FWOOOOM!

Atlas has just enough time to cross his arms in a front guard before the blast from the gun hits him, sending the giant skidding several feet backwards through the hole again.

Tyrone cries out as he himself is blown backwards from the recoil of the weapon.

The arms dealer gets himself back up and sees no sign of Atlas anymore. He chuckles and turns to Drozdov.

"I forgot to mention, it's got a bit of a kick to it in the higher settings," Tyrone explains, "but it's totally worth it if you can even send Atlas fly-OH SHIT!"

Tyrone's explanation is cut off when Atlas quickly flies back into the room, grabs Tyrone's weapon, and then rips it out of his hands. The mech then grabs Tyrone himself.

The arms dealer hangs on for dear life as he's lifted up by his collar.

Atlas glares at Tyrone, the former unscathed by the latter's blast.

[Nice toy,] Atlas says.

Tyrone laughs nervously. "T-Thanks, man…you, uh, wanna buy it?"

[No.]

The sound of guns clicking causes Atlas to look behind him. He sees Tyrone's goons all pointing their machine guns at the mech. He also sees Drozdov sneaking away with his group.

"Put him down!" one of the goons calls out.

Atlas moves Tyrone in the way of the goons' weapons. [Or what?]

"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" Tyrone desperately orders his men.

The goons hesitate, stuck between wanting to shoot Atlas and not wanting to shoot their boss.

[They won't shoot,] Atlas states as he attaches the Shockwave to a magnet on his hip.

He then transforms his free arm into a cannon and points it at the space in front of the goons.

[But I will.]

---

Location: 56th Street, Sternbild City

KA-BOOM!

The blast from Atlas's cannon sends all of Tyrone's men flying through the hole and out onto the street. Several are unconscious and some others are in pain, but all of them survive.

A moment later, Tyrone himself is sent screaming through the hole and onto the street as well.

Meanwhile, Drozdov and his men enter their vehicles and quickly leave the scene. None of them notice the small device with a red blinking light on top of one of the vehicles.

As Tyrone groans and tries to stand up, Atlas walks out of the building and approaches the arms dealer.

[Tyrone Wallace. You have failed this city,] Atlas declares.

Tyrone finally gets on his feet and glares at Atlas. "Fuck you, man! I haven't failed shit! I'm just a businessman trying to make a living here! I'm providing an essential service! Matter of fact, you should be thanking me – urk!"

Tyrone's tirade is interrupted when Atlas grabs his collar and lifts him off the ground.

[I have no words of thanks for a parasite who profits from death and destruction,] Atlas growls, his mechanical voice frightening the struggling arms dealer.

Tyrone struggles even more as Atlas floats off of the street and into the air with Tyrone still in his grasp.

As the two ascend higher and higher, Atlas glares at Tyrone.

[Now then, you're going to tell me where you got this weapon from,] Atlas demands as he pats the Shockwave attached to his hip. [I suggest you make it quick.]

"Hold it right there!"

Atlas abruptly stops his ascent. He and Tyrone both look down and see Barnaby Brooks Jr. and Wild Tiger standing on the street below. Above them are several camera drones recording the scene around them. A spotlight shines on Atlas and Tyrone from the HeroTV helicopter flying nearby.

A nearby jumbo screen shows the action unfolding.

[Ladies and gentlemen, what a treat tonight!] Mario Sanchez announces from inside the helicopter. [The Hero Tag-Team of Barnaby Brooks Jr. and Wild Tiger have stumbled upon the mysterious Atlas, who appears to be interrogating somebody! Is it another villain like Scream King that's in Atlas's grasp?! Let's find out!"

[…You have got to be kidding me.]

"Oh, thank the Lord!" Tyrone cries out in delight upon seeing the two heroes.

[Barnaby and Tiger arrived first at the scene, so both of them will get 25 points added to each of their total scores!] Mario continues as the screen shows '+25 Points' under each of the two heroes' profiles. [Now it's just a matter of whether they save the hostage and defeat the mighty metal monstrosity!]

"Dammit!" Wild Tiger curses. "It's not going to be easy saving this guy."

Usually, Wild Tiger would rush in and try and get the hostage as soon as possible, and with the run-of-the-mill bad guys, that wouldn't be difficult, but Atlas is a different case. The mech has shown to be stronger than Wild Tiger, and the full extent of the mech's abilities are unknown. Therefore, this is a unique situation where Wild Tiger has to hold himself back and make a plan.

"Why is Atlas targeting this man in the first place?" Barnaby ponders.

Barnaby's question makes Wild Tiger pause and think for a moment.

"Let's find out," Wild Tiger replies. He then opens his helmet and cups his hands around his mouth. "Hey, big man! What do you want with that guy?!"

Atlas regards the hero. [What's it to you?]

"Well, I'm just guessing that you're not the type of guy who goes around terrorizing people for no reason," Wild Tiger replies, "so what's the deal?! Is he another drug dealer?!"

"Hey, screw you, man!" Tyrone yells indignantly.

Atlas answers Wild Tiger's inquiry. [This arms dealer has information I need.]

"Really?! What kind of information?!" Wild Tiger asks.

[None of your business,] Atlas replies shortly.

"Ah, come on! Don't be like that! Maybe we can help each other out!" Wild Tiger offers.

Barnaby opens his helmet and looks at his coworker incredulously. "Are you seriously suggesting we negotiate with that villain?"

Wild Tiger gives Barnaby an annoyed look. "Hey, you're the one who keeps saying we shouldn't rush into a fight, first of all. Second of all, I honestly don't think he's a villain. He seems more like a…" Wild Tiger tries to find the right words. "… 'Rogue Hero'! Yeah, that's it!"

Pietro's eye twitches behind his vizor.

"The word is 'vigilante', first of all," Barnaby explains. "Second of all, if he's not a part of HeroTV, then he's not a hero, and if he's not a hero, then by definition, he's a villain."

"The police aren't part of HeroTV. Does that mean they're villains, too?" Wild Tiger argues.

"That's completely different, and you know it," Barnaby replies.

"Hey, bitches!" Tyrone interjects, getting the two heroes' attention. "You're both pretty! Now can somebody please help me out here?!"

Wild Tiger calls out to Atlas again. "Look, we don't have to fight here, okay?! Just let the man go, and let's talk this out!"

Atlas looks at the arms dealer in his grasp, who gives him a nervous smile. He then turns back to Wild Tiger.

[I'm not in the mood for talking,] Atlas responds, [but I will let him go.]

Wild Tiger smiles at this. "Alright! We're making progress–"

Atlas suddenly throws Tyrone high up into the air.

Wild Tiger quickly drops his smile. "–here?"

As Wild Tiger tracks the airborne screaming arms dealer with his eyes, Barnaby notices Atlas start flying down the street.

"I've got him!/I've got him!" Both heroes yell as their helmets close over their faces.

Both heroes activate their Hundred Power abilities, causing a blue aura to surround their forms. The Hero Tag-Team then splits up, each one going for a different target.

[Looks like Barnaby's going to hunt down Atlas while Wild Tiger saves the hostage!] Mario narrates. [Smart move for the younger hero to fight the villain while the older, less sprightly hero takes care of other matters!]

"Hey! I'm plenty sprightly!" Wild Tiger yells crossly as he sees Tyrone begin his uncontrolled descent.

Using his Hundred Power to boost his legs, Wild Tiger leaps high into the air and easily grabs the falling arms dealer.

"It's alright! I've got you!" Wild Tiger tells Tyrone as the former lands on the street below with the latter in his arms.

[Wild Tiger has saved the hostage! And with minimal damage too! That's unique for the Crusher of Justice! That's 100 points added to his score!] Mario announces as the screen shows '+100 Points' under Wild Tiger's profile.

Wild Tiger nods at the screen in approval. "Now that's what I call success!" He looks down at Tyrone. "Nothing broken, I…hey, you okay?"

Tyrone looks up with tears in his eyes at the now surprised hero.

"Man…" Tyrone sniffles as he wipes the tears out of his eyes. "I'm buying all of your trading cards after this! Every last one of them!"

"Uh…thanks, I guess," Wild Tiger responds as he sets Tyrone down onto his feet, "although I guess I shouldn't be praised by a supposed arms dealer."

"Hey! Like I told the big guy, I'm just a man providing an essential service," Tyrone defends himself. "So what if a few things around town get blown up? Not much different when you're on the job, am I right? You know, if you really think about it, you and I ain't so different."

Wild Tiger takes a moment to try and process Tyrone's "argument". "…Yeah, we are definitely not–"

Agnes Joubert's voice in his ear interrupts his rebuttal.

[As fascinating as this conversation is, perhaps you can assist your partner with catching the villain?] Agnes asks in annoyance.

Wild Tiger rubs his head sheepishly. "Y-Yeah, right."

Wild Tiger then sees several police cars approaching.

"Ah, perfect. They can handle this," the hero says as he pushes Tyrone, who stumbles towards the vehicles.

Tyrone steadies himself, then looks back at the hero. "Hey!"

"Thanks for the support!" Wild Tiger calls out as he rushes to rejoin his partner.

Leaving Tyrone Wallace, the criminal arms dealer, to deal with the approaching police officers.

Tyrone chuckles nervously. "Officers, I can explain."

---

Location: 51st Street

Barnaby continues his pursuit of Atlas, leaping across rooftops as he attempts to overtake the mech, who zigzags through the city in order to throw off the pursuing hero. Atlas surprises Barnaby by flying over the streets at incredibly high speeds and making near-hairpin turns at every corner, making it extremely difficult for the hero to catch up.

Barnaby scowls as he's forced to use the full force of his Hundred Power just to keep up.

'According to my scanners, there's no visible propulsion system on any part of the mech's body, and yet he's flying so fast and smooth. Could there be some other method for its flight capabilities? Or maybe it's the person inside the armor that's flying?' Barnaby thinks to himself. He then shakes his head. 'No point in speculations. I'll get my answers once I capture him.'

Barnaby then notices an intersection up ahead, where Atlas will be forced to make a left turn that will cross Barnaby's path.

'If I time this right…'

Barnaby grunts as he picks up the pace, racing for the intersection. He arrives right when Atlas finishes the turn. After one last check of his helmet readings, Barnaby makes his move.

He leaps off of a building and fires both of his "Wild Shoot" cables at Atlas, managing to wrap them around the mech's left arm. Barnaby allows himself to fall down to the street below, tugging on Atlas in the process.

Atlas grunts at the sudden force slowing him down. [Merda!]

Barnaby lands on the street below and begins tugging Atlas towards him. The hero eventually succeeds in slowing the mech down, though not without Barnaby's feet leaving deep trenches in the asphalt beneath them.

Having enough of the costumed annoyance, Atlas stops, descends onto the street, and fully turns to face Barnaby.

[You don't want this fight,] Atlas warns the hero.

"Surrender into my custody, Atlas!" Barnaby orders the mech.

Several HeroTV drones that were following Barnaby arrive to record the tug-of-war match between the two armored fighters.

[Looks like Barnaby has got Atlas caught in his "Wild Shoot" cables! Will they be enough to subdue the metal monstrosity?! We're rooting for you, Barnaby!] Mario calls out as a nearby jumbo screen showcases the action unfolding.

Pietro narrows his eyes at his opponent.

"Have it your way," Pietro mutters inside his helmet. "Minerva, initiate Wild Tiger Countermeasures."

[Yes, signori,] Minerva responds.

Atlas quickly grabs both cables with his free hand as an electric hum emanates from his right arm. He then clenches his fist around the cables, causing powerful electrical currents to enter and quickly travel down the cables towards Barnaby.

Barnaby is caught off guard as electricity enters his suit and shocks his entire body, paralyzing the hero.

[What's this?! Atlas has somehow managed to hit Barnaby with an electric attack! And now it's the hero that's been trapped by the villain!] Mario narrates.

Atlas isn't done, however. Just as the electricity dissipates, Atlas grabs the cables with both hands and pulls on them with a powerful tug, causing the stunned hero to fly towards him. Atlas then launches himself from his spot and flies towards Barnaby himself. Atlas intercepts the hero and sends his right fist into said hero's gut, knocking the wind out of Barnaby's lungs.

Atlas continues flying down the street, taking Barnaby with him. Atlas then slams Barnaby down into the street and uses the hero's body to dig a massive trench into the asphalt. Then, taking it a step further, Atlas stops, grabs Barnaby, plants his feet on the ground, and throws the hero into the side of an empty semi-truck, creating a large Barnaby-shaped dent in the vehicle's body.

[My God! Even with Barnaby's durability and the sturdiness of his hero suit, that has got to hurt!] Mario cries out, his cringe being heard in his voice.

While Barnaby recovers and tries to get himself out of the dent, Atlas summons a missile from his now cable-free left arm and fires it right at the hero.

[Barnaby! Watch out!] Mario warns the hero.

Barnaby, still disoriented, is unprepared for the missile that flies right into his body. Instead of an explosion, however, the missile releases a large mass of gray adhesive goop that quickly envelopes Barnaby's body up to his shoulders and sticks him back onto the truck.

Atlas watches as Barnaby struggles to free himself from the adhesive blob.

[Good luck with that,] Atlas tells the hero, knowing that the special adhesive trap was specifically designed to nullify the Hundred Power's strength enhancement.

Barnaby opens his helmet and glares at the mech.

[Oh no! Atlas has trapped the Rookie Hero with no way of escape! Now Barnaby is completely vulnerable! What will the metal colossus do next?!] Mario cries out.

Atlas answers by turning around and walking away.

[…Well, okay then,] Mario mutters.

[This has been a complete waste of my time,] Atlas complains, which causes Barnaby to scowl even deeper.

"Time to let out a mighty roar! HRAAAGH!"

Atlas looks up to see Wild Tiger flying at him from above, the hero's fist cocked back for a punch. Atlas intercepts Wild Tiger's fist with his own, creating a shockwave that shakes up the entire street. Wild Tiger continues on the offensive, throwing jabs left and right at Atlas, who uses his Nth Metal arms to block the hits.

[Now Wild Tiger's entered the fray! Can the veteran succeed where the Rookie Hero failed?!] Mario calls out.

As Wild Tiger keeps attacking, he notices that the metal of Atlas's body is not only extremely durable, but it also appears to be absorbing the energy of his punches.

"Nice armor you've got there. Very strong material," Wild Tiger comments in the middle of his attacks. "Did you make it?"

Atlas doesn't answer as he continues to block.

"I'll take that as a yes," Wild Tiger says as he throws a right hook.

Atlas, however, catches the punch with his larger hand, surprising the hero. Wild Tiger tries his left hand, but that's caught as well.

Wild Tiger grunts as he engages in a shoving match with Atlas, using every bit of his Hundred Power strength to overpower his opponent. Atlas, however, is able to easily exceed Wild Tiger's power, thanks to the mech's already considerable strength plus the enhancement from the Nth Metal.

[I can do this all night, hero,] Atlas tells the struggling hero. [Can you?]

"Of course, I…" Wild Tiger responds, only to pause when he sees the Hundred Power Timer in his helmet reach the 30 second mark. "…can't."

[Pity,] Atlas remarks with no sympathy as an electric hum comes from his arms.

Wild Tiger has even less time to react than his partner did before electricity forces its way into his body, causing him to seize up.

Atlas capitalizes on this by slamming his helmet into Wild Tiger's, stunning the hero even more. Atlas then swings Wild Tiger from the latter's arms and throws the hero right at Barnaby.

The good news for Wild Tiger is that the adhesive blob cushions him and his partner from anymore damage.

The bad news is that the Hero Tag-Team is now stuck together with that adhesive blob.

The worse news is that both heroes' Hundred Powers have just run out.

[This is terrible! Now both heroes are trapped! What a disaster!] Mario loudly laments.

Atlas approaches the two heroes, who renew their struggles upon seeing their opponent.

Wild Tiger opens his helmet and smiles nervously at the mech, who glares at the trapped heroes from a menacing red vizor. "Ehehehe…you sure we can't have a friendly chat?"

Atlas is silent for a moment, though the clenching of his metal fists speaks volumes.

[…I have been patient. I have been understanding. I have been merciful.]

Wild Tiger and Barnaby look at each other in surprise. That was patient, understanding, and merciful?

[If you continue to attack me, however, then I will respond with much less civility,] Atlas informs the heroes firmly. [That's my only warning to you. Stay out of my way.]

His piece said, Atlas rises from the street, turns around, and flies off into the night, leaving the Hero Tag-Team stuck together on the ruined semi on live TV.

Wild Tiger looks next to him and sees his partner Barnaby glaring at him.

"Why are you always glaring at me?"

---

Location: Secret Base, Castiel Estate

After a half hour of flying around and losing any possible pursuers, Atlas finally enters the base and powers down. Pietro climbs out of the suit and sighs in irritation.

His uncle, Leo, sits at the computer while Minerva stands nearby.

"Quite an eventful outing, wouldn't you say, Pietro?" Leo asks his nephew as he rises from the seat.

"Not the way I was hoping," Pietro answers as he detaches the Shockwave from Atlas's hip. He approaches the computer with the experimental weapon in his hands. "I may not have gotten an official confession from Mr. Wallace, but I might have the next best thing."

Pietro hands the Shockwave to Minerva.

[I'll begin scanning the weapon immediately, signori,] Minerva says as she places the weapon on a scanning pad.

Leo hums as he observes Minerva starting the scanning process.

"I've been wondering; if Minerva's body is a hologram, how is she able to touch and move things?" Leo asks his nephew, who sits at the computer and starts typing away.

"It's a simple matter of manipulating photons into forming a solid light construct," Pietro answers. "I've had years to add detail after detail to Minerva's physical and mental structures."

"Very impressive," Leo mutters as he admires Minerva's highly detailed physical form.

Pietro sees his uncle's fixated gaze and throws a pen at Leo's head.

"Ow!"

"Knock it off, tio!" Pietro admonishes, before turning pack to his work. "Anyways, I'm debating on whether to keep her as is or move on to the next step."

"Which is?" Leo asks as he rubs his head.

"A true physical form. Still mechanical in nature, but with a human appearance and the ability to feel all five senses," Pietro explains.

"You want to make her a real person," Leo realizes.

"She is a real person," Pietro tells his uncle as Minerva walks behind him and puts her hands on his shoulders. "She's just built a bit different."

Minerva chuckles. [Indeed, signori.]

Leo smiles at the interaction between the two.

Pietro quickly turns back to the computer as the screen tracks a blinking red dot on a map.

"Looks like the tracking device I put on Drozdov's vehicle has stopped moving," Pietro says as he looks at the map. "It's at a privately owned parking garage on 37th Street. Must be where he stores his 'work' vehicles, meaning he doesn't use his personal vehicles. Smart. I'll go ahead and bug the vehicles there later."

"So, he's going to be your next target?" Leo asks. "From what I saw on the list, I'd have thought you wouldn't have encountered him until two weeks from now."

"If I only follow the list exactly, Maverick will suspect something is up. By going after different targets, he won't think to check over the list," Pietro explains. "Besides, the sooner we get the crime syndicate off the streets, the better."

Leo gives a small laugh. "Honestly, nipote, at this rate, the city's criminals will all be gone in a month."

"I doubt it. Maverick's going to be working overtime to make sure he has villains for his heroes to fight." Pietro smirks. "That means it'll be two months. Three, at most."

Leo laughs at this, before quickly sobering up. "So, about the heroes…"

Pietro frowns. "The Tag-Team shouldn't have been patrolling at that time of night. That's far too late for normal broadcasting hours."

"Maybe not normal broadcasting hours, but…" Leo types on the computer, pulling up a video with Albert Maverick standing behind a podium.

[Loyal viewers of HeroTV, after seeing your support for Sternbild's guardians and hearing your calls for nonstop action, I, CEO Albert Maverick, am proud to announce that HeroTV will be broadcasting 24 hours a day!] Maverick happily announces. [That's right! 24 hours of your favorite superheroes fighting crime and keeping the people of Sternbild safe and sound! Along with normal patrols, each hero (or team) will be working the night shift on a single night of the week. You may check our website for the nightly schedules. Thank you all for your support, and we hope you enjoy!]

Translation: Around the clock patrols to track down and capture Atlas.

As the video ends, Pietro sighs in frustration. "Great. Now I'll have to deal with superheroes day and night. So much for staying under the radar in the beginning."

Leo raises an eyebrow. "You were planning on staying under the radar in that thing?" he asks as he points at Atlas.

Pietro gives an annoyed look to his uncle. "You know what I mean. I've just barely started my work and I've already revealed one of my trump cards to Maverick a half hour ago. Now I'll have to make something else to stay ahead."

Leo pats his nephew on the shoulder. "Don't stress yourself over it, nipote. You'll figure it out. You've done it so far."

Pietro smiles at the encouragement.

[I've just finished scanning the weapon, signori,] Minerva says, getting Pietro and Leo's attentions. [You have to see this.]

The schematics for the Shockwave appear on the computer screen, and the two Castiels take a look.

"It's not bad. A gun that uses sonic propulsion to blast the target away," Leo comments as he looks at the schematics. "I don't see anything really interesting, though."

[It's not the weapon. It's the material used to make the weapon,] Minerva states.

Pietro focuses on the material analysis of the weapon's frame. His eyes widen at what he sees.

"Now that's interesting," Pietro mutters.

"What is?" Leo asks.

"The frame of the gun is made of a metal compound that's been manipulated at a nanoscopic level, making it highly durable," Pietro explains as he shows the results to Leo.

Leo is surprised by this information. "So, it's…what? Nano-metal?"

"Exactly," Pietro answers. "It's the same material that was found in Scream King's sonic amplifier, and, according to Tyrone Wallace, it's the same material used in creating superhero suits at HeroTV."

"Which is proof that a certain somebody is supplying both sides for a profit," Leo finishes with a smirk, happy that they have more dirt against Maverick.

"Unfortunately, it's only circumstantial at best," Pietro states, bringing down the mood slightly. "We'll need more concrete connections if we want to throw Maverick into prison. Still, it's a good start. If I can track down the specific supplier of the nano-metal, then that will help immensely." He types on the computer some more. "In the meantime, I'll start working on a game-plan for Drozdov."

Leo gives his nephew a knowing look. "Isn't there something else you have to prepare for?"

"Well, I should figure out how to plant some bugs into Maverick's office," Pietro idly answers as he works. "There's also the sonic amplifier that I want to reverse-engineer–"

"I'm not talking about anything Atlas-related," Leo cuts his nephew off.

Pietro stops typing and gives his uncle a confused look.

Leo sighs and turns to Minerva with a smirk. "Isn't there a certain something my nephew has to do tomorrow?"

Minerva has a knowing smile on her face. [Are you by any chance referring to the presentation of the new Castle Industries Sports Utility Vehicle?]

Pietro's face falls in realization. "…Merda."

Leo and Minerva laugh at Pietro's expression.

"Why don't the three of us call it a night?" Leo suggests. "Drozdov will still be around tomorrow."

[I second that. You need your rest, signori,] Minerva says sternly to her creator.

Pietro takes one more look at the screen, sighs, and then nods in agreement. "Very well, then."

With that, the three head out of the lab to enjoy a good night's sleep (or a recharge in Minerva's case).

---

Location: Westgate Prison

Tyrone Wallace, meanwhile, is not getting a restful night's sleep anytime soon. The police had just finished processing him and his men a half hour ago, and he's been laying on this lumpy cot ever since, glaring at the ceiling and hoping that a certain friend of his can bail him out of this mess.

"Tyrone Wallace."

Tyrone turns and sees two guards standing at his cell door. One of them uses his key card to open the door.

Tyrone smiles and sits up on the cot. "Well, it's about time, boys. I've been complaining about this crappy bed…for…" Tyrone trails off as he notices the person standing behind the guards.

Albert Maverick.

"Good to see you again, Tyrone," Maverick says with a grandfatherly smile.

Tyrone sweats slightly at the CEO's presence. This can either turn out really well or really bad for the criminal. Hoping for the former, Tyrone smiles back.

"Albert, my man! I knew you'd pull through for me!" Tyrone cries out as he stands up and approaches Maverick with an outstretched hand.

Maverick looks at the offered hand and shakes his head.

"Honestly, Tyrone, you disappoint me. I provide you with an exceptional, state-of-the-art, one-of-a-kind weapon, and you almost immediately lose it," Albert admonishes the arms dealer, who drops his smile and his hand.

"Hey, man, I didn't lose it! It was stolen!" Tyrone defends himself. "How was I supposed to know that that 'Atlas' guy could handle a shot that can blast a tank away, or that he'd blast me and my crew out a goddam building?!"

"I suppose I can accept that," Maverick admits. "Speaking of which, what else did Atlas get his hands on, besides the weapon?"

Tyrone immediately realizes what's being asked. "You mean, does he know about…" Tyrone makes the 'you and me' motion with his hand.

Maverick nods. "Two of my other associates have already been captured and sent to prison thanks to that vigilante. My business has been considerably hit as it is, and I can't take any chances."

Tyrone gives a disarming smile. "Ah, you don't have to worry about that. I didn't tell Atlas a single thing. Even if your heroes didn't save my ass, I wouldn't have told him shit."

"Do I have your guarantee?" Maverick asks with a raised eyebrow as the two guards walk behind Tyrone.

Tyrone chuckles. "Albert, old buddy, old pal of mine, you know my word is good as gold. In all my years working in Sternbild, I've never stabbed anybody in the back, and I'm not about to start now, especially for my best friend."

Maverick smiles and nods. "Well, I'm happy to hear that, my friend."

Tyrone smiles as well, thinking that he's in the clear and about to be bailed out.

Maverick then snaps his fingers. "Guards."

The two guards suddenly grab Tyrone and force him to his knees.

Tyrone panics and tries to throw the guards off of him. "What the hell are you doing?! I said I didn't tell him anything!"

"And normally, I'd be comfortable with that. But these are trying times," Maverick says as his hand and eyes glow a bright blue.

'He's a NEXT?!' Tyrone yells internally as he struggles more.

The arms dealer's struggles are futile as Maverick reaches for Tyrone's head with his glowing hand.

"Like I said before;" Maverick tells the doomed man with a sinister smile on his face, "I can't take any chances."

---

Location: Apollon Media

Date: July 21st, 2013

Kotetsu T. Kaburagi, also known as Wild Tiger, lets out a yawn as he and Barnaby stand in front of their boss, Alexander Lloyds, as he gives the two (mostly Kotetsu) the mother of all dressing downs. The two heroes are currently out of costume, which Kotetsu is thankful for, considering that they both needed a deep cleaning to get all the gunk off.

"I'm sorry; is this conversation boring to you, Kotetsu?" Lloyds asks in an annoyed tone, causing Kotetsu to snap back to attention.

"No! Not at all!" Kotetsu replies. "It's just been a long night, that's all."

Honestly, it was a long night for the two heroes. After being left stuck together to the side of the truck by Atlas, the heroes and several HeroTV crew members tried to get free for two hours. Even reactivating their powers after the one-hour cooldown didn't help. They eventually had to call Blue Rose in the middle of the night to freeze the goop off of them. It worked, though not without getting an earful from the young woman about making her lose her beauty sleep.

"Yes, we're all aware of what happened last night, Kotetsu. That's what we're discussing right now," Lloyds tells the hero angrily. "Is there anything you'd like to say about this?"

Kotetsu looks surprised. "What do you mean?"

"If you had followed Barnaby's lead and chased after Atlas along with him, then maybe you two would have been able to defeat him," Lloyds argues.

"There was a man falling out of the sky. What was I supposed to do? Let him go splat?" Kotetsu retorts. "Anyway, I did help fight Atlas."

"After your partner was trapped in that gunk," Lloyds fires back. "You two are supposed to be a team, and you're not pulling your weight."

Kotetsu frowns and crosses his arms. "Last I checked, I'm the one who scored the most points last night, and unlike Bunny here, I actually put up a decent fight against Atlas."

Barnaby's eye twitches at the nickname.

"By those terms, I'd say that I'm definitely pulling my weight around here," Kotetsu argues.

"Is that so?" Lloyds asks with narrowed eyes.

Kotetsu nods proudly. "Yep. Besides, I think we learned a lot from that fight."

Barnaby turns to his partner and asks, "What do you mean by that?"

Kotetsu explains, "Well, there's that unknown metal covering Atlas's body. When I was attacking him, the metal appeared to be absorbing the energy from my hits. So, in the future, we can try going for areas without the metal. There's also the adhesive that Atlas trapped us with. Not even the two of us using our powers could break us free. I think Atlas had that goop made specifically for when he'd fight us. He might have other traps and weapons for countering the other heroes too. That'd be something to warn the others about."

Kotetsu stops his explanation as he sees Barnaby and Lloyds giving him astonished looks.

"…What?" Kotetsu asks.

"Those were some impressive deductions," Barnaby admits. "I didn't think you could do that."

Kotetsu looks offended. "Hey, I do that all the time! Why is everybody so surprised? I've been a crime-fighter for ten years, for crying out loud. I may be a bit of a klutz sometimes, but I'm not an idiot."

"I don't know. The way you were trying to negotiate with the villain last night was pretty idiotic to me," Lloyds argues.

"That's the thing; I really don't think he is a villain," Kotetsu defends.

"He attacked a civilian," Barnaby tells his partner.

"Wrong. He attacked a guy selling weapons to criminals," Kotetsu points out. "Before that, it was a gang of drug dealers. Before that, it was another arms dealer. As far as we know, he's never once attacked any civilians."

"Are you saying he's only going after criminals?" Barnaby asks.

"I'm saying that he's doing what we're doing, but without all the cameras and points and junk," Kotetsu explains. "That's why I called him a Rogue Hero."

"You mean 'vigilante', which is still a major problem," Lloyds says to his employee. "The only reason the heroes of HeroTV are allowed to do what they do is because the company goes through an extensive screening process for all hero candidates to make sure that they uphold the company's principles. If everyone and their cousins dispensed their own personal justice, Sternbild would erupt into chaos. Atlas is throwing off the balance of this city, and we at HeroTV will not tolerate it."

Kotetsu tries to argue, "But if we can get Atlas to work with us, then–"

"If Atlas truly wanted to work with us, he would have done so in the beginning," Lloyds interjects. "There is no room for negotiation here. The next time you two encounter Atlas, you fight him together, and you beat him."

"But–"

"If that's a problem, then you can just resign right now," Lloyds threatens.

"…No, sir," Kotetsu grumbles.

"Excellent," Lloyds says, ending the discussion there. "Now then, I believe you two have a documentary to continue filming.

Kotetsu winces. After a rather disastrous training session yesterday, Kotetsu was surprised to find himself dragged into the filming of a documentary following Barnaby Brooks Jr. During the filming, when asked about his feelings for his partner, Kotetsu's blunt and indifferent answer landed him in hot water with Agnes. Agnes then provided Kotetsu with a more positive scripted answer, which made the latter cringe throughout his recitation.

And now, he has to take his partner on a tour around the city.

'This is gonna suck,' Kotetsu laments internally.

---

Location: Downtown Sternbild

Kotetsu, now donning his domino mask to hide his identity, sulks in his sidecar. 'I knew it.'

The veteran hero is currently hanging around while his partner is talking to the cameras. Orlando Cooper, a HeroTV crew member with brown hair in a ponytail, holds the camera, while Cain and Agnes oversee filming.

And, once again, Origami Cyclone is dancing in the background.

The whole tour has been an ordeal for Kotetsu. He doesn't dislike publicity, but he's annoyed when the publicity takes all day and cuts into valuable crime-fighting time. To add insult to injury, only Barnaby is getting the good publicity, while Kotetsu is getting shoved to the sidelines.

It was especially embarrassing when, while Barnaby was giving some kids autographs, Kotetsu's attempt at giving a kid a signed Wild Tiger trading card ended in failure.

"I wonder if that Tyrone Wallace guy actually bought my cards," Kotetsu mutters.

[Bonjour et bienvenue, Sternbild City! Adalene Joubert here at Castle Corp headquarters for a revolutionary announcement from CEO Pietro Castiel.]

Kotetsu's attention is turned to a nearby jumbo screen. He recognizes Agnes's little sister standing in front of the camera. He climbs out of the sidecar to get a better view.

Barnaby approaches Kotetsu, apparently finished with filming this particular scene. "We're moving on now."

Kotetsu holds his hand up to his partner. "Hold on a second. I wanna see this."

Out of curiosity, Barnaby looks at the news report. Origami, Orlando, Cain, and Agnes do the same, though Agnes is annoyed at seeing her little sister in the spotlight.

[Just days after the new CEO took control of his father's company, Pietro Castiel already has a new creation to present to the people. He claims it will revolutionize the auto industry as we know it,] Adalene announces into her microphone. She then looks over her shoulder at some commotion right behind her. [And here he comes now!]

Cameras flash and hands clap as Pietro Castiel enters the room, clad in a silk suit and sporting a confident smile. His uncle, Leonardo, follows behind him.

The flashing and clapping die down as Pietro takes the podium.

[Thank you all for coming,] Pietro addresses the reporters. [Ladies and gentlemen, today is the day that Castle Corps, and Sternbild City as a whole, start on the path towards the future. A cleaner, more hopeful, and more prosperous future.]

A spotlight shines on a large object hidden under a massive sheet.

Pietro motions towards the hidden object. [This is the first step on that path. I present to you the Centurion Mark 5!]

The sheet is pulled off, revealing a smooth, futuristic SUV. Almost immediately, the cameras flash again as reporters take as many photos of the vehicle as possible.

Kotetsu whistles lowly. "Nice," he says, getting agreeing nods from Orlando and Cain.

[Stylish, comfortable, and highly functional,] Pietro continues as Leo opens the driver door and reveals the inside. [The interior material is made of an eco-friendly leather alternative that is comfier than the finest leather. It is also equipped with state-of-the-art navigation devices, Bluetooth, and a powerful surround-sound speaker system. All this, combined with its advanced suspension system, means a smooth and relaxed ride no matter what the road conditions.]

"Well, that's good news for my back," Cain comments, before getting smacked upside the head by an annoyed Agnes.

[And not just a smooth ride, but a safe one as well. The Centurion is equipped with a 360˚ collision and pedestrian warning system to warn you of any potential accidents. Should an accident be unavoidable, the Centurion's sturdy frame and airbags in the front, back, and sides mean that you and your loved ones will have the best protection possible,] Pietro explains.

Kotetsu immediately thinks of his daughter, Kaede. So far, this sounds like a great new car for her and the rest of his family.

[It's greatest strength, however, is its fuel efficiency,] Pietro goes on. [250 miles per gallon with a 30-gallon tank means that, once completely filled, you can drive from here to Madrid and back twice without needing to refuel…unless, of course, you get stuck in traffic in Paris, then that's a different story.]

The reporters laugh at Pietro's joke.

[But the greatest challenge in creating the car of the future is making it affordable for the average citizen,] Pietro says, before a cheeky smirk forms on his face. [That's why I gave my accountant an all-expense-paid trip to Cancun and priced this baby at $30,000.]

As the reporters laugh again, Kotetsu looks astonished. "Seriously?!"

[Stylish, comfortable, functional, safe, green, and affordable. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the future of the automotive industry, and in two weeks' time, you all can take home this quality vehicle for you and your families,] Pietro finishes, triggering a round of applause from his audience. [Any questions?]

[Mr. Castiel, is the Centurion a fast vehicle?] a reporter asks.

[It can go from 0 to 60 in 6 seconds and has a top speed of 120 miles per hour, so it's certainly not slow, though for a family vehicle, speed isn't a top priority,] Pietro responds.

Adalene then speaks up. [Mr. Castiel! Adalene Joubert from Sternbild News here! Are you worried that your revolutionary vehicle will make you an enemy of the world's automotive giants?]

Pietro smiles. [On the contrary, if my invention inspires the automotive giants to create even more advanced vehicles that will benefit the people and the planet, then I welcome any upcoming competition.]

As the questions continue, Kotetsu internally salivates at the idea of owning the new car.

"I definitely know what I'm asking Santa for this Christmas," Kotetsu says excitedly.

Barnaby gives his partner an odd look. "You're getting excited over an SUV? You are definitely an old man."

"Trust me, Bunny, ten years from now, you'll be acting exactly the same way," Kotetsu replies 'sagely'.

"I've got to admit, rolling out a vehicle like that after a week of taking over the company is impressive," Cain says to the group. "Looks like this Pietro guy is going to be even more of a tech genius than Lorenzo was."

Barnaby looks confused. "Lorenzo?"

"Lorenzo Castiel," Kotetsu answers. "Pietro's father and the former CEO of Castle Corps." Kotetsu shakes his head sadly. "Real shame what happened to the guy."

Out of curiosity and lack of knowledge, Barnaby asks, "What happened to him?"

Kotetsu gives his partner a surprised look. "You didn't know? Ten years ago, Pietro and his parents were attacked by a villain in a movie theater. Pietro managed to escape with only that scar on his face, but…well, his parents were killed right in front of him."

Barnaby's eyes widen in shock and his whole body goes rigid. "K-Killed…in front of him?"

Kotetsu, unaware of his partner's plight, continues, "Poor kid was only eleven at the time. He ended up disappearing without a trace for years, until last week of course."

"I remember that," Agnes says. "My sister cried for months when her childhood friend vanished."

Kotetsu is surprised by this information. "I didn't know your sister was his friend." He then pauses in thought. "Actually, I don't know that much about Adalene. How come you don't talk about her?"

"Because I know that you would have tried to make that wild child your friend, which would have made my life even more stressful than before," Agnes answers with annoyance.

While Kotetsu and Agnes continue their tangent, Barnaby tunes them out as his mind tries to process the information given to him.

The Rookie Hero's gaze is focused on the young CEO smiling and waving on TV. Barnaby notices that Pietro's smile seems rehearsed. Forced. Like the smile that Barnaby himself gives to the camera.

Wealthy family. Loving parents killed by a villain. Hiding one's true self from the world.

'He's…like me.'

"No way! You're totally jealous of your little sister, aren't you?!" Kotetsu loudly exclaims, snapping Barnaby out of his thoughts.

Kotetsu takes Agnes's furious red face as proof that he's right.

"Hahaha! Oh, this is rich!" Kotetsu cries out as he doesn't bother to hold in his laughter.

"…Did they catch him?"

Kotetsu stops laughing as he sees his partner giving him a serious look. "Pardon?"

"The villain that killed his parents. Did they catch him?" Barnaby asks again.

Kotetsu's joy leaves his body. He sulks and replies, "No, they didn't. They got close, but the bastard slipped away at the last moment."

"You know an awful lot about this event, Kotetsu," Origami notes.

"Yeah, because it happened three weeks before my graduation from Hero Academy. I'll tell you this; if my debut as Wild Tiger was sooner, I would have kicked that guy's ass six ways to Sunday," Kotetsu replies, punching his hand with his declaration.

Agnes looks at her watch. "It's getting late. We need to move on."

With that, the two heroes and the film crew enter their vehicles and head to their final destination, while Origami is forced to head home, his 'usefulness' having run its course for the day.

Through the ride, Kotetsu and Barnaby's minds drift back to the young industrialist on TV. The veteran wonders if he could have helped the boy back then, while the rookie believes he's possibly found a kindred spirit in Pietro Castiel.

---

Location: Secret Base, Castiel Estate

Timeskip: One hour later

The elevator door opens, revealing a visibly exhausted Pietro Castiel.

"Ugh," Pietro groans as he loosens his tie and enters the base.

Though his presentation of the Centurion only took five minutes, it took fifty-five more for him to answer all the reporters' questions he could tolerate, maneuver away from the paparazzi, and head home. Between that, and the amount of work done to set everything up and practice his speech, Pietro had had enough of the spotlight for one day.

It's a good thing he was able to get a nap in beforehand, otherwise he'd have passed out a long time ago.

Leo stands by the computer and chuckles at Pietro's tired expression. "The Mighty Atlas, Scourge of the Underworld and Bane of Heroes, gets the mother of all beatdowns from Sternbild's Press."

"They're lucky I can't pummel them like I do with criminals and heroes," Pietro retorts as he sits at the computer.

Minerva approaches Pietro with a steaming mug. [Perhaps this latte will help, signori.]

Pietro smiles as he accepts the cup. "You're a godsend, Minerva."

Minerva smiles back as Pietro takes a sip of his latte.

"So, another fun and busy night tonight, nipote?" Leo asks his nephew.

Pietro nods as he sets his mug down and starts typing on the computer. "With Goldstein and Wallace in lockup, Drozdov is going to get desperate in order to find a suitable weapons dealer to arm his men, especially if he wants to compete with his rival, Franco Consoli."

"The head of the Consoli Crime Family," Leo notes.

"This means that he'll have to go around town as soon as possible in order to set up a deal," Pietro continues. "Luckily, neither Drozdov nor his men have noticed the bug on their vehicle, meaning I have the ideal method of tracking their movements, and since Maverick doesn't have any crimes going on under the radar tonight, it's the perfect time to strike."

"Now we just have to worry about any heroes prowling the streets at night," Leo says.

"Already on it," Pietro says. "Minerva, check HeroTV's night schedule."

[Yes, signori,] Minerva replies as she closes her eyes and lets her electronic mind scour through the Internet at inhuman speed. [According to the schedule, Rock Bison will be on patrol tonight.]

"That shouldn't be a problem," Pietro says, not noticing Minerva's expression suddenly change. "A lot of the countermeasures for Wild Tiger and Barnaby can be used against–"

[Signori,] Minerva interrupts, [HeroTV is reporting an emergency situation at the new Fortress Tower Building.]

Minerva links herself to the computer system and opens up a live HeroTV broadcast. The video shows several helicopters surrounding the newly constructed building. On the ground, several heroes, including Dragon Kid, Rock Bison, and Sky High, are busy helping people evacuate the building.

[Welcome back to HeroTV, ladies and gentlemen!] HeroTV announcer Mario calls out. [We're here at Fortress Tower, where a bomb threat has been issued for the building just one day after its opening! Luckily, we have Barnaby Brooks Jr. and Wild Tiger on sight investigating the threat!]

Pietro is surprised by this development. "That can't be right," he mutters as he pulls up two lists on the computer. "This isn't on Maverick's Hero Response Crimes List, nor is it on his No Hero Response Crimes List."

Leo shrugs. "So? Maverick probably doesn't oversee all the crime in the city. It's possible that some things slip through the cracks."

Pietro disagrees. "Maybe for crimes of passion, random robberies, hit-and-runs, or that sort, but a bomb? That's an extremely violent criminal act that takes time and careful planning, and Maverick would never let that slip through any cracks, especially when two of his heroes are visiting the target."

[And it sounds like our heroes have found the bomb in one of the elevator shafts!] Mario announces to the audience. [Now it's just a matter of whether Apollon Media's Dynamic Duo can stop the bomb!]

"Uh, shouldn't Atlas do something about the bomb?" Leo asks nervously.

"By the time I suit up, power up, leave the base, head into the city, and reach the tower, it'll be too late," Pietro explains. "we'll have to trust that the heroes can do their job and stop the bomb themselves."

"Well, that's reassuring," Leo says sarcastically.

"In the meantime, we can find out who planted the bomb," Pietro says. He turns to his AI. "Minerva, access the Fortress Tower's security footage."

[Yes, signori,] Minerva answers as she closes her eyes and gets to work.

"She can do that from here?" Leo asks in surprise.

"Not that difficult, since pretty much everything is linked together on the Internet nowadays," Pietro replies.

Leo whistles at this. "That's an impressive artificial intelligence you have, nipote."

[I prefer the term 'artificial person', myself,] Minerva corrects, getting an apology from Leo. [I've just accessed the building's security systems.]

Minerva brings another video on screen right next to the HeroTV broadcast. The video quickly blurs through the events happening in the foyer of the building. So far, nothing pops out for the young vigilante.

Then, he sees the HeroTV crew arrive.

"Minerva, slow it down to regular time," Pietro says.

The video continues playing, though at a regular pace. It starts with the group checking in at the front counter, though Wild Tiger pulls away to admire the Mr. Legend statue in the foyer. After trying and failing to get some footage of the statue, Wild Tiger joins the group at the elevator, which appears to malfunction for a moment. Then, a man in a worker's outfit exits the elevator. Wild Tiger asks the man some questions, which are quickly answered by the 'worker', who appears to be in a hurry to leave.

"Stop," Pietro quickly commands.

The video ends right as the 'worker' is turning his head, giving the security camera a blurry view of his face.

"That worker looks way too clean to be doing any kind of maintenance. As a matter of fact, he shouldn't be doing any kind of work on a new elevator," Pietro states. "Zoom in on his face and enhance the footage."

Minerva follows her creator's instructions, and after some digital enhancements, Pietro sees the true identity of the 'worker', who has a knowing smirk on his face.

"Got him," Pietro mutters.

---

Location: Elevator Shaft, Fortress Tower

The clock keeps ticking as Barnaby works tirelessly to defuse the bomb. The outer casing is long gone, and Barnaby is now meticulously cutting wire after wire, hoping to stop the imminent explosion.

Off to the side, Wild Tiger lays back and records the whole scene with a video camera, a job given to him by Agnes. Barnaby had suggested earlier that Wild Tiger should evacuate the building along with everyone else, to which the veteran refused, saying that he wasn't so heartless that he wouldn't leave his partner behind.

Barnaby called that line of thinking old-fashioned, though he did smile at his partner's caring for his wellbeing.

Back to the present, the timer is now at two minutes, and both heroes are sweating bullets.

"Hey, aren't you done yet?! We don't have time to escape now!" Wild Tiger cries out.

Barnaby wipes the sweat off his forehead. "All right! I've dealt with the conductor, so now…"

"What is it?"

"I just have to avoid the trap."

"Trap?!"

Barnaby shows Wild Tiger the bomb, which already has multiple wires cut away. The focus, however, is on a tube of metal in the center, with a wire attached to the top and bottom.

"There's a wire above and below the detonator," Barnaby explains. "If I cut the right wire, the bomb won't detonate."

"But if you cut the wrong wire, we're dead, right?" Wild Tiger asks.

"Exactly."

"Talk about cliché," Wild Tiger grumbles.

One minute left.

"So, which one is it?" Wild Tiger asks.

"If I knew, I would have cut it already!" Barnaby answers in frustration.

Desperately, Wild Tiger tries to listen to his instincts. "Cut the top one!"

"Why?"

"Ugh…no, the bottom one!"

"Stop relying on your instincts!"

"My instincts are pretty accurate!"

"I don't want to get blown up!"

"Well, what do you think, Mr. Theories?!"

Suddenly, the bomb flashes red as thirty seconds remain on the timer. Now both heroes are in full panic.

"Top…or bottom?" Barnaby fearfully asks himself as his pliers keep switching between the two wires. It's a literal 50/50 between life and death. Barnaby's only hope would have been to theorize what the bomber would have chosen, but he has no information on the guy, and now his mind is working on overdrive trying desperately to theorize which choice is the right one, all while there's now fifteen seconds left until it explodes, and–

"Hey!"

Barnaby's inner rambling is interrupted as he looks at his partner, who has just activated his Hundred Power.

"Go for the top!"

Barnaby is shocked by his partner's words. Quickly realizing the plan, he activates his own power.

Wild Tiger throws the camera up in the air. The camera, mid-flip, records Wild Tiger jumping up high and smashing the ceiling above, making several a large opening into the sky.

As the camera rotates, it sees Barnaby kick the bomb through the opening and high above the surrounding helicopters and drones.

Just before the camera hits the ground, Wild Tiger catches it and points it at the opening, getting a clear shot of the bomb exploding safely above them in a large fireball.

The danger now passed, both heroes breathe sighs of relief and slump to the wall, letting the adrenaline run out of their systems.

"So, how'd you know what I meant when I said, 'go for the top?'" Wild Tiger asks his partner.

"It was an instantaneous decision. There was nothing else I could do," Barnaby explains as he cleans his glasses.

"Isn't that instinct?" Wild Tiger asks with a knowing smile.

Barnaby refuses to answer.

"Whatever the case, neither of us do well unless we're in a real situation," Wild Tiger states as he lays back and winds down from the high.

"You're free to interpret it however you wish."

Wild Tiger looks and sees Barnaby stand up and dust himself off.

"I don't care for such feelings of camaraderie," the rookie states dismissively as he starts walking away.

"For a rabbit, you're not very cute," Wild Tiger mutters in annoyance.

Barnaby stops and glares at the veteran. "Excuse me?"

This starts yet another round of arguments between the dysfunctional duo.

---

Location: Secret Base, Castiel Estate

In the safety of the base, Leo sighs in relief as he sees the Fortress Tower still standing, with nobody killed or injured.

[It appears that the heroes have successfully dealt with the explosive device,] Minerva notes, [though the Tower will be needing some renovations once again.]

"Looks like they're not as incompetent as we thought, eh, nipote?" Leo asks his nephew.

"I never thought they were incompetent, tio. Misguided and money-driven, but not incompetent," Pietro states as he rises from his seat and heads for his suit. "Minerva, I want that 'worker's' location pronto."

[Yes, signori.]

"You're going after him? What about Drozdov?" Leo asks.

"Drozdov can wait. I have bigger fish to grill tonight," Pietro responds as he climbs into the suit through the opening in the back.

Pietro sinks his arms and legs into the mech, which lock his limbs into place. As his head pokes out on top, the back of the mech closes up, fully securing the operator. Once that happens, the mech powers on to life, and Pietro does a quick check on the functionality of the arms and legs. After that, Pietro uses the mech's arms to secure the helmet over his head. Once attached, the red vizor lights up with a sinister glow, while the HUD system inside activates in front of Pietro's face.

Fully assembled, Atlas hovers above the ground as the ceiling hatch above opens. Once the hatch clears, Atlas flies through the opening and into a mile-long tunnel that leads to the outside.

---

Location: Castiel Estate Forest

A hole opens up on a small, unassuming hill in the forest surrounding Pietro's home. Atlas shoots out of the hole and into the sky above the trees, heading for the shining metropolis of Sternbild.

---

Location: 47th Street

[Although the Fortress Tower was saved from the bomb by the heroes Barnaby Brooks Jr. and Wild Tiger, the one who planted the device is still at large. The suspect's motives for this attack are currently unknown, though some speculate that it was an act of protest against HeroTV. Police say that they are working tirelessly to find the suspect and bring him to justice.]

A dark-skinned man looks away from the news broadcast and hurries down the street, desperately making sure he goes unnoticed.

If the bomb he planted had exploded like he intended it to, then he wouldn't be so afraid to show his face, but now, he has some damage control to do. He'll first have to lie low for a few days and let the heat die down. Then, he has to figure out how to take care of the ones that saw his face at the tower.

Hopefully, his superiors can help him out with that.

The man then sees two cops down the street giving him suspicious looks. Thinking quickly, he slips into a nearby alley and tries to vanish into the shadows, while checking behind him to make sure he isn't being followed.

Unfortunately, he's not paying attention to his front, which is why he suddenly runs into something large and metal.

"Ow! What the…hell…" the man exclaims, only to trail off as he fully takes in the massive figure in front of him.

And the glowing crimson vizor glaring at him.

"HEL-Mmph!" The man begins to yell, only to get cut off as a massive metal hand grabs his face and pulls him away into the shadows.

After a moment, the two cops enter the alleyway and shine their flashlights to try and find the suspicious-looking man, only to find nothing but dumpsters and loose cardboard.

---

Location: Abandoned warehouse

Atlas roughly throws his target down on the ground. He continues to glare as the man futilely tries to crawl away.

[Darius Jones. You have failed this city,] Atlas declares.

"I-I-I don't know what you're talking about!" Darius tries to defend himself. "I'm just a plumber!"

[Is that so? I thought you worked in elevator maintenance?] Atlas accuses as he approaches Darius, who now has a look of shock on his face.

Atlas grabs Darius and brings him up to vizor-level.

[Or perhaps your true calling is demolition?] Atlas questions the would-be bomber.

"H-How…" Darius tries to ask, only to find himself slammed against a wall.

[That bomb you planted would have killed scores of innocent people! Why did you do it?! WHY?!] Atlas demands.

"Y-You don't understand–"

WHAM!

Darius is cut off as a metal fist smashes the wall right next to his head.

[Then, by all means, make me understand,] Atlas orders as Darius leans away from the fist.

And reveals something interesting on the man's neck.

[Nice ink,] Atlas comments, causing Darius to sweat even more at the mention of his tattoo.

[Signori, his heart rate is spiking,] Minerva informs her creator.

"Is it now?" Pietro mutters inside his helmet. "Minerva, cross-reference that tattoo with all known symbols."

After a moment, Minerva responds, [Done. One match.]

A symbol appears on Pietro's HUD system. It is a snake eating its own tail as it goes in a circle. Pietro recognizes it from his time traveling the world, during which he visited Greece.

[Ouroboros. The Greek Serpent of Rejuvenation. The alchemical symbol for the cycle of life, death, and rebirth,] Atlas recalls.

Atlas sees Darius grow more anxious at the former's words.

[Perhaps, for you, it means something more,] Atlas loudly muses as he brings his victim closer to his vizor. [Tell me, Darius Jones, what does Ouroboros mean to you?]

After a moment of silence from both parties, Darius finally speaks, "…Ouroboros…is the Beginning…and the End."

[Of what?] Atlas asks.

"You...me…Sternbild…everything," Darius answers.

Atlas clenches his free fist in front of Darius's face. [If you want to spare yourself any torment, I suggest you answer me with as little vagueness as possible.]

Darius surprises Atlas by laughing. "Even with all your power, you can't stop us. We are eternal."

Atlas surprises Darius by having electricity form in his clenched metal fist.

[I'll be the judge of that.]

---

Location: Apollon Media

Timeskip: 15 minutes later

Kotetsu yawns as he exits the staircase and enters the front foyer for the building. Once again, he and Barnaby had another meeting with their boss, though this time it was much more positive. They (mainly Barnaby) were praised by Lloyds for their work in saving the Tower and the people inside. The fact that each of them scored 575 points in a single night was also praiseworthy.

Now, Kotetsu is just eager to get home and get a good night's sleep. Especially after the many flights of stairs he just walked.

"Did you seriously take the stairs down?"

Kotetsu turns and sees Barnaby giving him a look.

Kotetsu grins. "After what happened tonight, can you seriously blame me for not using the elevator?"

Barnaby chuckles. "You are such an old man."

"I'm pretty sure everyone's old in your eyes, Little Bunny," Kotetsu quips, getting an eye twitch from his partner.

"Goodnight, Wild Tiger," Barnaby grounds out as he heads for the door.

Kotetsu loses his smile at the younger hero's behavior. Despite all the time spent working with each other, the two heroes had made barely any progress in becoming a cohesive team, which is rather unfortunate since when they do work together, they're a force to be reckoned with.

They're especially gonna need to be a team if they hope to defeat Atlas.

Maybe, it's time to extend an olive branch.

Swallowing his pride, Kotetsu heads out the door to catch up with his partner.

---

Location: Outside Apollon Media

Barnaby ignores the people around him as he quickly heads for his vehicle in order to return to his apartment. All the while, he internally fumes at the behavior of his co-worker.

'That annoying old geezer! Why is he so hard to work with?!' Barnaby rants in his head. 'He's always running off without thinking and causing so much damage. Can't he just stop and think for one moment? And then, just as I think I'm getting used to him, he calls me that stupid nickname. What will it take for him to use my real name?!'

"Hey, Barnaby! Wait up!"

'…Wait. What?'

Barnaby turns around with a surprised expression and sees Kotetsu chasing after him.

Kotetsu catches up to the rookie and says, "We need to talk."

Barnaby snaps out of his shock and asks, "About what?"

"Look, let's face it; neither of us wanted this team to happen, and we'd both prefer it if we went and did our own separate things," Kotetsu honestly states.

"I won't argue with that," Barnaby agrees.

"But," Kotetsu continues, "we are a team, and we need to work together in order for our hero careers to continue. With that in mind, I was hoping that we could…you know…start over."

Barnaby raises an eyebrow at this. "Start over?"

"Yeah, start over," Kotetsu offers. "I mean, look at what happened tonight. We worked together, we had faith in one another, and we saved the day. If we can do the same thing every time, then we can be the best heroes this city's seen since Mr. Legend! Hell, I bet we can even give Atlas a run for his money if we were an actual team!"

Barnaby looks down in thought. "But…our philosophies and methods are so different."

"That doesn't have to be a bad thing," Kotetsu replies, surprising Barnaby yet again. "You have your theories, and I have my instincts. You have your knowledge, and I have my street smarts. If we can put all of that together and add in our Hundred Powers, then we'd be unstoppable."

Barnaby hates to admit it, but Kotetsu has a point. If they can actually work together, then he'd have a better chance of being a successful hero.

Still…

"I didn't become a hero so that I can make friends," Barnaby argues, some lifelong trust issues rearing their heads.

Kotetsu waves it off. "Yeah, yeah. You don't believe in camaraderie." He then gives Barnaby a serious look. "Well, you know what? I do. I believe in being friends with the people I work with." He then rubs the back of his head and looks away. "Plus, to be honest, despite our arguments, I actually kinda like hanging out with you."

Barnaby gives Kotetsu an incredulous look. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, seriously," Kotetsu admits. "In fact, down the road, if we get our teamwork thing taken care of, I wouldn't mind you being my friend."

Once more, Kotetsu surprises his partner with his words.

'He…he wants to be friends with me?'

For some reason, a warm, happy feeling swells inside Barnaby.

"I…I've never had a friend before," Barnaby admits as he shyly looks away.

Kotetsu smiles at this, happy to see that his partner has this side of him.

"Look, at the very least, teammates need to trust one another. I'm willing to put my trust in you if you're willing to put your trust in me," Kotetsu says as he offers his hand to the rookie. "What do you say?"

Barnaby looks at the offered hand, seriously considering the olive branch Kotetsu is presenting.

'Can I really put my trust in someone else?' Barnaby asks himself.

Eventually, Barnaby gives the veteran a look. "Does this mean you'll stop calling me 'Bunny'?"

"Only if you'll stop calling me an old man?" Kotetsu replies with a grin.

Barnaby smirks. "That might take some effort."

"Likewise."

Barnaby chuckles and accepts Kotetsu's hand. "Okay. I'll put my trust in you, Kotetsu."

Kotetsu smiles brightly and wraps his arm around Barnaby's shoulder. "That's the spirit, Barnaby!"

Barnaby flinches slightly at the sudden contact, but eventually accepts it as the two of them head for the parking lot.

"So, how does Barnaby Brooks Jr. spend his evenings?" Kotetsu asks curiously.

"I have some personal projects that I'm working on," Barnaby replies. "You?"

"Eh, well, usually I just kick back on the couch and enjoy a beer or two," Kotetsu admits.

"Why am I not surprised?" Barnaby says in a joking manner.

"Hey, at least I take time to relax! You should try it sometime," Kotetsu fires back.

Once they enter the parking lot, Kotetsu frowns.

"I swear, once I find the guy who planted that bomb, I'm gonna give him one hell of a beating," Kotetsu grumbles.

"If he's smart, he'll lay low for a while," Barnaby states. "I doubt we'll be seeing him anytime soon."

"–AAAAGH!" WHUMP!

Both heroes flinch back as a man suddenly falls onto the ground in front of them.

After a moment to recover from their shock, the two observe the groaning agonized man, who Kotetsu immediately recognizes.

"Well, what do you know? It's the guy!" Kotetsu exclaims in wonder.

[His name is Darius Jones.]

Both heroes flinch at the deep mechanical voice that is all too familiar to them.

Sure enough, when they look up, they see Atlas in all his glory hovering above them.

"…Ah, hell," Kotetsu mutters, suddenly feeling very naked without his Wild Tiger suit.

[If I wanted to fight you two, I would have attacked already,] Atlas tells the hero matter-of-factly. [I just came to drop him off into your custody.]

Kotetsu sighs in relief, then asks, "You couldn't have just dropped him off at the police station?"

[I need some assurance that this scum won't…disappear during his incarceration,] Atlas explains.

Kotetsu looks confused. "Disappear? What do you mean?"

While this conversation is going on, Barnaby takes a moment to analyze the man mumbling and writhing in pain on the ground.

Then, Barnaby freezes as he spots the tattoo on Darius's neck.

A symbol he's all too familiar with.

"Ouroboros…" Barnaby mutters, getting Atlas and Kotetsu's attention.

"What was that?" Kotetsu asks his partner, who surprises him by suddenly grabbing the would-be bomber.

"Tell me about Ouroboros! TALK!" Barnaby demands as he roughly shakes the criminal.

"W-We are eternal…" Darius mutters incoherently.

[Maybe I made a mistake bringing him to you two,] Atlas comments.

Kotetsu quickly gets behind his partner and pulls him off the criminal.

"Hey, Barnaby! Take it easy!" Kotetsu pleads to the man struggling in his arms.

"Let me go!" Barnaby orders. "I need answers!"

[Answers for what?]

Barnaby stops thrashing, and both heroes look back at Atlas.

[What do you know about that marking?] Atlas asks the younger hero.

Barnaby looks away and refuses to answer, causing his partner to look at him in confusion and concern.

[Wild Tiger.]

A startled Kotetsu looks back at Atlas. "Y-Yeah?"

[I trust that this criminal will be escorted to the police in one piece?] Atlas asks.

"Uh…sure thing," Kotetsu answers as he releases Barnaby, who stands to the side and composes himself.

Atlas nods. [Then my work here is done.]

With that, Atlas quickly flies away from the parking lot and heads back to base, leaving the Tag Team alone with the criminal.

"Man, that guy makes my spine go cold," Kotetsu mutters.

The veteran hero looks over and sees his partner facing away from him, not saying a thing.

Kotetsu approaches Barnaby, who has an uncomfortable look on his face. Kotetsu calmly puts his hand Barnaby's shoulder, which flinches slightly from the contact.

"You gonna be alright, partner?" Kotetsu asks in concern.

Barnaby looks away, but not from anger. "…I think it would be best if you carried him to the police station instead of me," he says in a small voice.

After a moment, Kotetsu nods and claps Barnaby's shoulder.

"Alright, but you're helping me with the paperwork," Kotetsu says as he heads over to the criminal.

Barnaby smirks at his partner's words. He wouldn't say it out loud, but part of him felt happy at his partner's caring for his wellbeing.

'Maybe this team can work out after all.'

---

Location: Above Sternbild City

As Pietro heads home, he mentally processes the night's events. Apparently, Darius Jones wasn't another Unabomber wannabe, but rather a member of an organization called Ouroboros, which sounds something akin to a secret society. Unfortunately, Darius was only a bottom-tier member, so the information he was able to extract from him was extremely limited.

All Pietro knows is that, according to the criminal, this organization is old, powerful, and has many strong connections throughout the city.

And, apparently, Barnaby Brooks Jr. has a history with this group.

[So, on top of Maverick, his superheroes, and the criminal underworld, we now have this Ouroboros to deal with?] Leo asks his nephew through the communicator in Pietro's helmet.

"Apparently so. Have you ever heard of this group, tio?" Pietro inquires.

[Not once,] Leo answers. [The Castiels have lived in Sternbild for five generations, and I've never heard of a group like this.]

"Well, apparently, this group prefers to operate in secret, so our encounters with them will likely be few and far between. Whatever their next plan is, we'll stop them and get some real answers," Pietro declares. "For now, we need to focus on our main target; Maverick."

With that, Atlas continues its trek home under the light-polluted night sky of Sternbild City.

---

A.N.: And cut! Another chapter over and done with

Anyway, let's talk about what happened in this chapter.

Firstly, we get to see Atlas's first fight against the superheroes, and his opponents are the Tag-Team of Barnaby and Kotetsu. Atlas wins, naturally, though not without revealing some of his arsenal to the heroes. Now both sides are going to be planning ahead for the next fight. Luckily for Pietro, he's had ten years to invent ways to counter the superheroes, and he'll be able to create new inventions as his Atlas career continues.

As for the Tag-Team, I'm accelerating their relationship a bit. With the potential threat of Atlas, Kotetsu recognizes that he and Barnaby need to get their acts together and work as a team, so he extends an olive branch, which Barnaby accepts. And now that Kotetsu is trying to be honest, friendly, and supportive with his partner, Barnaby will open up at a much faster rate, which will help their relationship immensely.

As for the criminals featured in the beginning, I'm doing my best to establish a criminal underworld for Sternbild City with the Drozdov and Consoli Crime Families, along with their many associates and dealers. The Tiger & Bunny show never really touched on any real crime syndicates, so I've basically had to work from scratch.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this story so far, along with the other stories being written in Phase 1. Stay tuned for my next update!

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