What do you do when your whole life changes? When everything you've ever known turns out to be a lie?

So many questions were flowing through Starlight's mind. Her heart was racing. She could barely hear herself think. She wanted to race off to the bathroom and splash herself in cold water, at least until she could get a grip on whatever the hell was going on.

That was not the only reason she was internally panicking though, because Victoria was standing right in front of her.

Starlight kept up a bright grin, hopefully convincing the other hero that she was not falling to pieces. Victoria really did resemble her brother - the same blonde hair, yet her eyes were gold instead of blue. The same aura of power, too. The same aura that either made you scream in ecstasy or scream in goddamn terror.

"Victoria!" Starlight stammered.

"Starlight, wasn't it?" Victoria asked, tilting her head.

Starlight thought of the villains she'd met. She thought of the horrible things heroes had done. Surely Victoria wasn't like them, right?

"Uh, um," Starlight tried not to make a fool of herself, "yeah! Yeah, that's me."

Victoria didn't seem too bothered, if she noticed. She just grinned.

"That's right," she said. "We met the other day."

"Uh huh!" Starlight squeaked. "We sure did!"

Victoria's grin grew… a dangerous edge. "Starlight… are you strong?"

Starlight wasn't sure she liked the way Victoria was sizing her up, almost like a piece of meat. The corners of her eyes flared.

"Um…" she looked away. "I guess…?"

"Good," Victoria smiled. "I'll be looking forward to seeing you in combat."

And she left after that, eyeing a poster of herself and her brother. They were similar in many obvious ways, but Starlight could see the most striking similarity was the way they stared at everything below them, like they were all just ants. Funny ants that they protected, that they desired. Alone, either of them could kill thousands, but together?

Sickness brewed in Starlight's stomach, and she quickly excused herself.

Starlight grimaced, waiting outside the silver door. It soon opened up, revealing a group of important-looking Vought officials seated around a table.

She headed inside, putting on her thousandth fake smile for the day. She sat at the table. Madelyn Stillwell herself was at the head, a smile to dazzle any potential client.

"Starlight, good to see you," Stillwell greeted.

"You too," Starlight replied, sitting at the table. She tried not to gulp as all the room's eyes turned to her.

"We've called you here for an important mission," Stillwell told her. "A group of villains has just infiltrated one of our offices, just south-west of here. We need you and Greyman to go and handle it."

Greyman, Starlight knew him. He was an older hero; he'd been a part of Vought for a long time, almost since the beginning. Most heroes were on the younger side (mainly for marketing reasons….), so Greyman was an odd exception. While he wasn't part of the Seven, he was still a very well-known and beloved hero.

Starlight breathed out in relief. Well, at least they weren't forcing her to spend time with The Deep again…

Her focus returned to the group of villains. Considering she had very recently encountered such a group, she had to wonder.

"Can you tell me about the villains?" Starlight asked.

"Unfortunately, we haven't found much out just yet," Stillwell admitted, "but our research team is working hard. In the meantime, head over there and find out as much as you can yourself."

Stillwell's smile was kind, but her eyes were harsh.

Starlight swallowed. "Got it."

The building was on fire.

News helicopters floated around, numerous paparazzi on the ground, police officers waving them back. Cameras flashed, almost as bright as the flames.

"Starlight, wasn't it?"

Starlight turned around. Greyman stood there; like his name suggested, he had a long, gray beard and sharp, grey hair slicked back. He was in his late sixties at the youngest, the sun shining on his weathered face and powerful arms.

"Yes, sir," Starlight held out a hand. "It's an honour to meet you!"

He gave her a firm and solid handshake, before turning towards the flaming building.

"Let's waste no more time," he cracked his knuckles. Starlight eyed them; long, dangerous swords could erupt from them at any moment. She'd give him some good distance.

The two heroes busted down the glass doors. The whole building was flaring red, emergency lights and hastening footsteps. Luckily, most people had evacuated.

Starlight made her way through, avoiding large processions of panicked workers.

She ran and ran, pacing up stairs, holding out her arms. Greyman was alongside her, going up some different stairs.

"You stay here, young lady," he told her. "I got this."

And he went up even further. Starlight didn't mind him. He didn't make her skin crawl like so many of the other heroes she'd met, but that didn't mean she wanted to completely and utterly blindly obey him.

So she took a different route, passing a busted elevator. She helped up a coughing man, leading him to the stairs. Near him, she saw a dark door, smoke trickling out from the space underneath.

A horrible scream came from within.

She ripped the door open. She was in an office, the screens blaring, computers buzzing. A fire was brewing on a stack of files. It was so goddamn loud. She held out her hands, looking left and right. They were here, somewhere.

"So we meet again."

Starlight backed up, far away from Engen.

"You," she uttered.

"You're not surprised," Engen told her, as a matter of fact. He was right, the bastard he was.

"I should've known it'd be you," Starlight snapped.

"You're getting to know me already," Engen shrugged.

"You were expecting me, then?" Starlight asked, eyes glowing.

"One of the like," Engen smirked.

Of course Rachel was there too, smiling and waving like she and Starlight were old friends. Starlight just felt uncomfortable, especially noticing the large knife behind Rachel's back.

"I thought you were trying to stop the war," Starlight said. "What's going on here?!"

"They've turned you into a media stunt," Engen, naturally, avoided the question.

She could've slapped him. She could've blinded him and the rest of his stupid gang. But she couldn't, because she couldn't hide from the damn truth.

"You're not going any further," she threatened. "You're putting lives in danger. I shouldn't have let you go before."

"We're doing what we have to," Engen told her. "None of us want to hurt you, but that doesn't mean you should get in the way. All we're doing is sending a message to our brothers-in-arms. We didn't kill any civilians, did we?"

Oh, he was really testing her now, those damn piercing eyes of his. He was just the same as all the other men back in Vought, greedy, oppturnistic, probably a fucking nazi or something. Nobody was a good person in this business. Starlight was a fool to think otherwise.

Starlight was shaking. No. If nobody was a good person, then she would be. She would fucking try, because someone had to. Someone had to try. Someone had to be a hero.

"I'm not a villain," she told Engen.

"I never said you were," Engen replied. "But are the Seven really heroes?"

She turned away. Engen tilted his head.

"Become a double agent for us," he told her. "You give us intel on Vought, and in return… we'll put an end to the war once and for all."

"I don't want to be apart of this war," Starlight snapped. "I know you're just another liar!"

"But you already are, Annie," Engen drew closer. "You became apart of the war when you joined The Seven. But you have the power to end it, and save millions of lives. You have the power to be a real hero."

Annie backed against the wall.

"I can't trust you," she muttered.

Engen shrugged. "I won't make you trust me. I'll show you all the proof you could want, but it's your choice in the end."

"Yet you really want to recruit me," Annie uttered.

"I've seen too many good heroes get corrupted by that organisation," Engen replied. "I won't force you. I'm no saint, really. None of us are. We just want this to end."

Annie turned away. She felt lost, like a kid alone in a store.

"One chance," she muttered. "That's all you get."

And Engen just smiled, holding her hand in his.

"Excellent."