[hr][indent][b][I]The A.R.C.[/i][/b] 
[indent][i]October 28, 2025
10:30 AM[/i][/indent][/indent][hr]

The large pneumatic doors slid open with a solid '[I]HISS[/I]' as a fit man with graying temples exited from the main room and looked over the gathered class before him. Standing there silently, he looked each student up and down before pulling out a tablet and sliding a hand across it.

"If you aren't in this class, now is the time to leave." The deep baritone voice of John Stewart echoed through the hall like a drill sergeant addressing his platoon. 

"For some of you, this may very well be your first time in the Augmented Reality Center." He stated, pausing as he looked towards some of the younger students in front of you. "For others, you may be feeling sick to your stomach remembering just how much time you've spent within this dome over the past four years. But let me tell you know that if you truly feel that way then you'd best grab your diploma and get out now. As a Titan, hell as a hero you'll be needed to suit up more times than you can care to count. You'll march through the jaws of hell and back and face far more than even your worst fears."

He paused, looking at the class, gauging their reactions.

"My job is to prepare you for that. To shape you into heroes who can go out there and stand against hell and emerge as signs of hope, truth and most importantly justice." He took a step forward, walking through the students as they parted to allow him to pace. Stopping in front of Jacob Jackson, John turned to the young man and stared him down.

"You're not in this class Mr. Jackson." Stewart snarled. "Get out." He ordered as Jake reluctantly took his leave. "Today's session will be done in two teams. The simulation will be pitting the 'Suicide Squad' against the 'All-Star Squadron.' Miss Kelly!" John snapped with a raised voice as he spun on the heel of his polished boots. "You will be leading the All-Star Squadron alongside Mr. S'tonn." Walking back towards the front of the room, he stopped suddenly and turned towards Aiden. "Mr. Roth, you will be leading the Suicide Squad along side Mr. Kent." 

Pulling up his tablet, Stewart quickly rolled through the rest of the names. "Allen, Blackwell, Harper, Hughes, Kama, Lamont, Lancaster, Luthor and Norwich. You'll be making up the Suicide Squad under Mr. Roth and Mr. Kent." Turning to those whose names had yet to be called, he looked over the rest of his list. "Balboa, Balore, Bordeaux, Dowie, Grayson, Kyle, Linden, Murray and Rexen. You nine will be joining Miss Kelly and Mr S'tonn as the All-Star Squadron. Please move to the left side entrance while the rest of you head to the right to take up your starting positions." Pausing Stewart turned to give Jason an extra look as the boy seemed intent to side on the sidelines.

"Mr. Kama, I suggest you'd get off your ass and get into the game. There are no sidelines once you're out of these walls." 

[hr][indent][b][I]Mariand'r Grayson[/i][/b][/indent][hr]

"Han eh?" Mari said with a smirk. "I'm really thinking this play needs to shake it up. I'm thinking what it really [i]fuckin'[/i] needs is a Hannah Solo." She responded but any further conversation was cut off by the entrance of John Stewart. Over her past three years at Corrigan, Mari had participated in several A.R.C. sessions, none of them had been particularly enjoyable. One had even ended with a student having both of his legs broken when a super strong meta loss control of his emotions. As the class was split into teams, Mari reluctantly bid goodbye to Andy realizing that all of her friends were on the opposing team. Following behind Mailsi and S'tann, she cursed to herself at her luck so far today. 

Entering into what was known as the 'Waiting Room', Mari stared at the timer above the door as it began to count down. As if on cue, Stewart's voice came in over the intercom as he began to issue the team specific instructions. 

"Hello All-Star Squadron. As some of you are aware, each team has specific goals to accomplish throughout the course of the A.R.C. session. As the 'heroes' of our simulation you should be aware that the 'Suicide Squad' has taken over a remote research location in the Antarctic. In doing so, they've taken several hostages and have rigged the lab to explode. Your goal is to free the hostages and disable the explosives. Bonus marks will be given if you can recover the labs hard drives and re-active the neutralization bombs planted in the neck of each member of the Suicide Squad. Best of luck." 

With his final words, the counter entered into his final ten seconds as it began to beep with each falling number until it reached one final louder beep. The doors opened to the simulation as the group was blasted with a gust of freezing air as snow washed over them they were pushed into the Antarctic. Snow suddenly found its way to Mari's feet as she jumped in surprise at how cold it felt, returning to her normal mode of floating as she looked at the rest of the group and to the building on the horizon. 

"Of course it's all the [i]fuckin'[/i] way over there." She groaned before turning to S'tann and Molly. "So oh appointed ones, do either of you have any ideas for the best way to go about this?" 

[hr][indent][b][I]Aiden Roth[/i][/b][/indent][hr]

Entering the wait room with Kieran, Aiden turned to him with a solemn nod. Of all the students who could have been assigned to him as a partner to lead, Aiden was grateful that it was the next member of the Super-Family. If anyone was able to inspire their team to follow them, it had to be a man with an 'S' on his chest. 

"Hello Suicide Squad. As some of you are aware, each team has specific goals to accomplish throughout the course of the A.R.C. session. As the 'villains' of our simulation you should be aware that you have currently taken over a research facility in the Antarctic. In doing so, you've taken the scientists hostage and set several explosives around the lab. Your goals include keeping the hostages from being rescued and ensuring none of your explosives are deactivated. It should be noted that you may kill the hostages but you will suffer a penalty to your marking and lose leverage over your opponents. For bonus points, erase the data on the research station's computer and load any samples from the labs into a waiting helicopter without having any destroyed by the All-Stars. Good luck."

Turning to address the team, Aiden nodded to Kieran to follow his lead.

"Alright gals and gents, time to think like a villain. Frederick, can you give the base some cover? Maybe use the weather in Antarctica to our advantage? Julian, can we count on you to delete those drives? Kieran can you move the samples in the helicopter?" The timer behind Aiden seemed to begin to rapidly fall as he scrambled to issue orders. 

"Nora, Andrew, Kyle and I will keep the hostages safe. Tanya, Casey, Rick and Jason, you four will tend to the explosives." Aiden managed to spit out as the timer ended, the door opening as the team found themselves inside the cold steel walls of the research base.

"Any objections team?"