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"You're kidding me."

"I wish I was sir, it looks like your old stomping grounds back in Lost Haven are being flooded with Heroes." Chang responded, motioning to the large computer screen in the basement of The Cowl's coastline compound. "Super-powered, costume wearing heroes, to be precise."

"No, no, not their existence." The Cowl responded, bringing a hand to the bridge of his masked nose to rub it. "I was already well aware that such beings existed, I watch the news, Change." He pressed a few keys on the keyboard, zooming in on some particular articles involving a demon invasion. "What I'm more disappointed in that the situation has gotten this hectic this fast."

"Sir?"

"I've already had eyes and ears report back to me, but I've only got bits and pieces of the new 'meta-human' incursion." He motioned to the demon portal. "But this recent event here really brings to light what exactly we're dealing with, doesn't it?" He motioned to the heroes shutting the portal down, caught on camera by what looked to be some unlucky bastard with a smartphone. "People who can change the very balance we tried so hard to grasp down in Lost Haven." He brought up more articles as he spoke with a few taps on the touchscreen before him. "Countless costumed freaks are showing up back home, for some reason all locking in to Lost Haven. The sheer population of heroes alone means that before long, one of them is going to jeopardize one of our major assets."

There was a brief silence, with the Cowl swiping between hero articles, the faces of heroes like Lyger, Icon, Arachne, and even newer heroes such as the young girl who could shoot lightning and others still who were unnamed, but displayed wild costumes and powers, all crossing the screen. Eventually, Chang stepped next to his boss, reading a few of the articles before he was able to stammer out the inevitable question.

"S...so what are we going to do, boss?"

A brief sigh from The Cowl solidified the decision in Chang's eyes, but The Cowl responded as he made a heel turn away from the computer. "We can't ignore this threat anymore, I have to head to Lost Haven to solidify my power back home before these meta-humans destroy everything I've built. Have my private jet prepared immediately."

"Bu...but sir, what about here, in China?" Chang responded, he tagged along the brisk pace of The Cowl, whipping out his smartphone to text the men upstairs to have the jet ready as requested.

"Well, I suppose I have to leave the operations here in some very capable hands. Don't I?"

"Boss, I don't know anyone who..."

"Which is why I'm entrusting our operations here to you."

"Wh...what?"

"This isn't a request, Chang. I need someone to run things here while I'm off consolidating power, so you are going to have to stay here and continue expanding the Shroud Syndicate territory, am I clear?"

Clearly in a mix of emotion, Chang's response was to murmur and shift as he followed. Not hearing what he wanted, The Cowl stopped dead in his tracks and whirled around to Chang, meeting his gaze in a rather intimidating repeat of the question.

"I said. Am. I. Clear?"

"Y-yes boss! I hear you!"

"Good." The Cowl continued to glare at his subordinate, bringing an imposing stance to his threats. "Then I entrust this all to you, but if you so much as mess this up, or heaven forbid, go the way of Teddy Williamson, I swear you will sorely regret it, understand?"

A whimper and a nod left Chang, gesturing to the walkway to try and get past this moment as quickly as possible. Satisfied with his threat, the Cowl took off at his brisk pace, heading straight for the roof to meet his flight back to Maine.

"I also want all the reading material you can find on what these 'heroes' are capable of, I need all the information possible on how to deal with this by the time the wheels touch down in Maine."

"A...anything else, Boss?"

"...Caviar."

"What?"

"I want caviar on the plane."

"I...I'll see what I can do."

"Excellent."