"Having been beaten to a pulp on multiple occasions and having to learn about the consequences of meeting individuals that are stronger than himself. Rex had to come to terms that he wasn't the hero he believed he was, the explosive man had come to terms with that he wasn't powerful or could survive anything due to his charismatic attitude. Especially having been given an operation on his head and given a robotic hand to help replace the hand that was eaten. With the absence of Immortal and the Guardians members decreased, he had to get his act straightened if they planned on continuing to protect the planet. Which includes handling a weapons deal happening with what GDA said was a tentacled monster who was making an arms deal with what reports say is a Mauler twin but couldn't determine it due to the burns that were across his face. Whether or not he wanted to call in reinforcements to help handle the business deal, Rex had to prove himself he could be a better hero as well as a better man. He just hoped he didn't have to lose any bones in the process."

Morning-Unknown Warehouse

It was late in the morning with no one around to hear or take a peek at the business that was happening. There were two groups facing one another as well having a set of cash and weaponry by the sides that were waiting to be traded off by each of their owners. The one on the left side was an octopus type cyborg with a blaster on the right side of his arm along having a group of squid men with rifles by his side. The other was the burnt Mauler twin with another twin on his side along a set of men armed with blasters that were designed by the twins. The octopus looked at the Mauler with a questionable look since his burnt face made it unsure if he could trust him.

"I. am Octoboss. I led Squid men; I require weapons to take out Atlantis."

Octoboss announced in what seemed like broken English which made the Mauler twin groan at how annoying it might be to have a conversation. Especially how the two were having this deal in the hopes of him getting gold from the ocean to help with his work in generating more clones.

"Well then, I'm King Mauler. And I'd be happy to give you the weapons that you desired, if you have the gold of course."

King responded back to the deal which left to the cyborg octopus to snap his tentacles and have his men bring over a chest filled with gold along different types of jewels. The burnt clone snapped his fingers towards his clone which made him annoyed since being created, he was treated like a servant than that of an equal partner. Seeing that the gold was real and legit, the twin whistled over to one of the hired goons to bring out a weapons case. Presenting it to Octoboss, it looked like a rifle that was modified to fire off electrical ammunition.

"To your specifications. This weapon can be fired off at sea without damaging the user that's submerged in water. Along having larger ammunition for your cannon arm."

He explained the weapon's usage to having specifically handmade ammo for Octoboss's cannon arm. With the men handling their deal, there was someone else hiding behind the crates and kept hidden due to how many people there were in the warehouse. It was Rex who had infiltrated the building and spied on them for a few minutes while trying not to break the moment with a one liner.

"Talk about your nightmare shit show. Still, doesn't mean you can't handle this by yourself."

Thinking to himself as Rex waited for the right moment to come in and interrupt the meeting between the two. Checking over to see the men continue with their deal, he possibly wanted to try and throw one of his explosives to interrupt them. His hands started to shake in hesitation due to how its been a while since he used his powers. Ducking behind the crates and struggling to get a grip on himself, Rex accidentally sneezed due to the anxiety that was building up from within which caught the attention of the two groups.

"You, betray Octoboss?!"

He accused King Mauler about having someone behind the boxes who would shoot him if they'd to back out on the deal. Before explaining himself to the enraged octopus man, Rex took the advantage of mistrust and threw several of his explosives near the cases which caused them to explode on impact. It sent several of the men on both sides flying in midair which sparked a shootout amongst the two gangs. King Mauler saw the commotion happening and saw the chest at the side ready to be taken.

"Let's go clone!"

Shouted at the Mauler twin as he grumbled at being told what to do as he rushed over to pick up the chest and make their way out. Just as the fighting continued, Octoboss noticed Rex handling the Mauler's hired men, he aimed his arm cannon at the hero preparing to open fire on Rex.

"Not you moving anymore."

He told Rex before firing off a shot at him to only take out Mauler's men. Surprised at how agile he was to avoid the shot; Rex couldn't help himself but let out a laugh towards Octoboss for how he was talking at him.

"That's how you talk? I mean I thought you were some experiment gone horribly wrong but that's how you actually talk? But your in charge of a gang, you should at least learn how to talk normally."

Rex told him straight out which made the squid men chuckled but was ended by Octoboss roaring at them to stay focused. Going over to handle Rex himself, Octoboss tried to crush the human while avoiding the explosives that were being thrown at his face. Using his cannon arm like a club and flaying it around left to right, he was able to grab him with his left hand and raise Rex into the air trying to choke the life out of him.

"Me am sorry to know your language well. But know one thing, Octoboss kicking your ass!"

The boss responded at Rex's remark on not knowing how to speak English as he was charging his cannon and ready to shoot Rex in the face. Before he could react and throw an explosive pellet into the weapon, the two were hearing the sounds of punches being thrown outside and grunting from the fighting that was going on. The fighting stopped as they saw the Mauler twins flying into the warehouse crashing into Octoboss and forcing him to let Rex go. Coughing from the hold that was placed on him, he took a moment to look at see who his mystery savior was.

"Question! How do you get victory when surrounded by overwhelming odds?"

A voice shouted over the two groups as they saw the figure coming through the exposed entrance was professor Strickler. Who had his arms behind his back waiting to see if anyone would respond to the alien's question. Shaking his head in disappointment, he brought out his pointer and hits it to the ground which got everyone to move back at how assertive he was at them.

"Answer! You even them out. With reliable acquaintances."

Strickler answered his own question as there was another figure with him who provided help as it was Molly Mauler. The female variant of the Mauler twins and reformed twin after being saved by Sledge and taken in by the gang, noticing the two groups and them aiming their guns at her. The blue woman couldn't help but smirk at the sight since she needed excitement after staying at the base for a while.

"Now then. Who wants to go first?"

She asked with a grin before the Maulers hired help started to shoot at Molly which left her to move quickly before taking them out with her immense strength. Surprised by the sudden help, Rex felt annoyed that it must have been Cecil who contacted who assistance that weren't members from the Guardians. Walking over to help the human out, Strickler fired several bolts of energy from his cannon arm at the Squid men which caused them to flee in fear.

"I had this. Didn't need a Smurfette and science guy knock off to help me out."

Rex responded to the unusual help he was received out of nowhere as the two noticed Octoboss getting up dazed from the attack and looking at Rex as he was filled with pent up aggression. Taking a moment to study the brute and Rex who focused his attention on the creature, Strickler decided to move back and see what he was capable of after getting modifications done to his body.

"By all means young man. Help yourself."

Strickler responded to Rex's response towards the assistance as he stood his ground and aimed his right hand directly at Octoboss. His palm opened up exposing a small blaster, he lets out an explosive blast that covered Octoboss's entire body as it scorched the large octopus. Moving back to see the fallen man drop to the ground, Rex couldn't help himself but laugh at how powerful his cybernetic hand was.

"Shit. Forget being stealthy, I should have started off with this at the beginning."

He exclaimed at how powerful his right hand was as they saw the remaining men that required to be handled since the two couldn't let anyone escape. Just as that was happening, Molly had the twins cornered by the wall since she focused her attention on the two of them since she was just like them.

"I can't believe that out of all those variants of us to survive. Sledge saved you; he must have wanted a woman with more meat on her bones."

The normal Mauler Twin spoke out as Molly raised a questionable look towards her variant twin as she looked over at the deformed Mauler who waited to see if there was a way to take her out. However, she took the advantage of the two's difference since she knew how to handle the fight.

"That's the least he could do compared to the so called 'King Mauler' who already seems to be the original. And possibly has you doing work like a servant, let me guess. He ruined the Bergeron?"

Molly asked King Mauler about despite being related to one another and having the same blood, he was the original due to the burnt appearance he had. He nods to that response as well couldn't help but agree that his clone's food tasted terrible.

"Yeah, hopefully with the treasure we take I can make a clone that's good in the kitchen. He couldn't even make a decent cup with lemonade I drank before coming here."

He answered her question about his clone being terrible at making food since he'd established that he was the original Mauler. Though it didn't last that long as he suddenly felt a sudden indigestion feeling coming from his stomach, gripping it tightly and dropping on his knees. The other clone looked at the burnt Mauler with no emotion since he'd had done something to his meal when they were coming to make the deal with Octoboss.

"My Bergeron is exquisite you jackass. Unless someone laced the lemonade with a modified micro toxin, which in case. That was me."

Admitting to poisoning his beverage as the burnt Mauler struggled to attack the traitor before collapsing on the ground before giving out his last breath. With King Mauler dead at his feet, the two looked at each other as it seemed they knew he had to die because of the conflict of being the original.

"Sometimes things are the way their supposed to be for a fucking reason. Which in particularly in this occasion."

Molly stated that this was the reason why their clones had to look the same and have the same memories whenever their made. Otherwise one of them will be the original and be completely in control of the relationship. The two looked at each other seeing how there was no reason for him to pursue the gold or weapons since he didn't want to be caught by Rex.

"Guess I owe you own. 'Sister'."

The clone spoke since they were related due to the similarities with her. Heading out of the building on his own, Molly grabbed the deceased King Mauler over to Rex and Strickler making sure that they believed she'd handle him.

"Finally. You took your time cleaning up as it seems, you just missed my explanation to the human about our reason for being here. Such as helping Invincible have a normal life after almost being beaten by another Viltrumite."

Strickler explained about Mark's current whereabouts since it seemed appropriate to try and take time off away from fighting strangers and possibly get his life together before another life changing moment happens to him. While Rex wanted to respond back at the chalkboard face monster about Invincible needing time off. Just as the three continued to talk, GDA troops started to come into the warehouse to arrest Octoboss and the unconscious men lying on the floor.

"Shit. I'm surprised that someone else like that exists, more or less he'd want to retire. I mean I'd do it since I know when I'm about to get my head caved in, but I guess he's got more endurance than me."

He commented that despite Mark getting thrashed around and smashed through buildings. Invincible would want to throw away the mask, but that wasn't what he was. Someone to walk away from a fight or let someone bully him into surrendering. With the matter handled, the two walked out of the warehouse as the professor looked over at Molly as he was able to deduce something about her encounter with the twins.

"You let the normal one go, didn't you?"

Questioning about on her letting the Mauler go due to him committing a crime along possibly continue in selling handmade weaponry to criminals that would seek his intellect. With them being at a distance away from GDA and no one around for them to hear them, she nodded to the professor's question about letting him go.

"He was being treated like a slave, despite coming from him and having the same DNA. Especially how that I'm the only Mauler in my world."

Molly brought up how she is the original clone back on her Earth which took the professor by surprise since to his knowledge about the Maulers. They usually come in pairs no matter what happens to one of them, they always come back in a pair. From how it looked on Molly's face, it was personal and couldn't let it continue any further if she'd let King Mauler escape to continue abusing his clone brother.

"Well then. Luckily that you have a group to socialize with than just a clone, even if their former bounty hunters."

He gave her comforting words how whether she was the only one back home to not be around anyone of her intelligence nor resemblance. The gang was there to give her any type of comfort if he needed it, yet it earned Molly a laugh from how he said it as she slaps the side of his shoulder since it seemed that Molly knew someone that she could relate to.

"Stop acting all sad for me, will ya? I got someone back home. He's this nerd who has a thing for swinging around the city, we've been talking lately with my own invention. Hopefully I can see him soon."

She explained that while she was glad about being a part of the group, Molly was dating someone back on her Earth. Strickler chuckled amused by that notion and hope that she'd never experience anything bad happening to her, its been happening lately to the group and was surprised that nothing happened to him. Though the more that the professor thought about it, the more it could with the world he was living in.

Afternoon-Mount Rushmore

Miles away from the city and needing space from the GDA along with Cecil that was keeping secrets from him. Mark needed time with Eve since the two were right now sharing stories about personal moments where they felt powerless and feeling like they couldn't do anything the moment. Right now he was listening to Eve who was listening to a recent encounter with her suppose arch enemy Killcannon, who was able to level a bridge and caused several people to get caught in the crossfire. Luckily no one got hurt but were in critical condition that left Eve to rethink how'd she want to handle things by herself or with a team.

"Do you want to join a team again? You could form a team since your basically powerful."

Mark applied how despite being strong enough to handle almost anything and survive from being beaten half to death. Eve was potentially one of the most powerful women across the planet due to her bringing plant life back rebuilding anything that had atoms.

"The last thing I need is either looking after a group that could be afraid of me or being a part of one that will keep secrets from. Which I can tell that hasn't worked out for both of us."

She responded that despite being able to do the impossible and help out everyone, they'd either complain about her not doing enough or being afraid that she could end their life in an instant. It was the same for Mark since it seemed that Cecil could be afraid of him due to his encounter with Anissa and her reminding him about his mission. It made it clear after the director recruited Snide to help out with handling the issue since he could have finished him off when he first met the psychopath.

"The last thing I could deal with are secrets. Especially now since I'm a brother who is living for my mother and trying to start a new life after my dad left."

Bringing up how the secret of learning about his brother that came from another life is now his mom's responsibility since Oliver's mom back on Thraxa had passed away due to her accelerated aging. It was a surprise for Eve when she met Oliver since he looked exactly like Mark but only purple. Despite that, he was like any ordinary baby.

"Maybe you should spend more time him. Help him learn what he is so that when he gets around your age, he doesn't get scared when accidentally breaks a table."

She joked about that with Oliver aging quickly, his strength would come and would leave him to break things around the house. Mark laughed at that since it could happen, one day his mom is cleaning the living room and then without warning he could break his playpen. The thought soon went away as he looked up at the sky which caught Eve's attention since there was another issue she wanted to bring up with him.

"Do you miss Sledge?"

Eve asking him about the bounty hunter that Cecil hired to look after him to slowly becoming a partner and friend that he'd never expected. Despite how he acted around him others whenever he was fighting crime or capturing his lost bounties, he seemed to be the one person he could rely on for help.

"A little. I mean I thought after the fight I had with my dad he would take me out on Cecil's order. Though despite him being a jerk, stubborn and of course a total ass. He knows when to back me up, but your also good in that department."

Mark somewhat complimented the bounty hunter that didn't give up on protecting him whether he had broken bones or was inches way from getting killed. The two continued to enjoy the look at the view of the forest and people passing by before Eve getting a call on her phone. Responding to the sudden call, the look on her face left her to groan in an annoyed tone as she hangs up which left Mark to think it wasn't a good sign.

"My mom needs help back home dealing with my dad. It's been annoying since I came back after the bridge incident, and he still is annoyed that I should give up being a hero and have a normal life. Despite me being able to turn anything to gold, he thinks I'm better off without powers."

She brought up how she had to move back with her parents after she couldn't keep the bridge stable and causing those people to get hurt. For a while Mark had gotten annoyed about despite Eve being okay with what she is and helping people, the one person that wasn't impressed or proud of her was her dad. He wanted to ask her something important that could help her situation out but was soon contacted by his mom on the phone and saw a text that needed him home.

"Same here. Maybe after we handle our parent issues, we could talk about something, nothing dramatic but something that might be helpful later on."

Responding to her on his mom needing his attention and about an idea that could come later on once things start settling when they wouldn't get involved in crimes or handling giant monsters. Eve nodded before kissing him on the check and changed into her costume with a snap of her fingers to help not get noticed by the people of a girl flying around in the skies.

"Is it possible you can make my suit appear?"

Mark asked as she was able to materialize his ordinary clothing into his Invincible uniform in an instant. However, she made his color palette from yellow and blue to her color style which made Mark huff since it matched her costume. Quickly changing his suit back to its original look, she leaves Mark to fly back to his home while she did the same for herself. Taking a moment to some stretching before taking off, Mark took off into the air at Mach speed so he'd checkup what was wrong with his mom since it could be with Oliver. It took only a couple of minutes before reaching back to the neighborhood and saw the house lights off. Landing in front of the door, he opened the door to try and turn on the lights.

"Mom? Is everything alright?"

He called out to try and get a response from her but soon noticed the house lights not turning on. It got him concerned as he felt a chill going down his spin, almost like if something was terribly wrong.

"Hello Invincible."

A voice breaking the tension that he was feeling as he heard a whimper coming from the side as Mark saw by the corner of his side a startling sight. Both his mother and his baby brother being held hostage by a deformed dark skin man with his entire head appearing like a brain. Aiming his right hand by the two, it emitted a green glow towards the two as if he was prepared to hurt them if Mark tried anything.

"Or should I say, Mark Grayson?"

The man asked Invincible his real name as it left Mark with a shocked expression on his face for how the attacker knew who he was and where he lived. He was feeling numerous emotions going through his body of how he could approach the attacker, but all he could do was wait before attempting to get his family away from him since this wasn't like any of the villains that he'd fought in the past. This was personal and importantly was aimed directly at Mark, the only question he was dumbfounded about who the man was.