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Pulling into the vicinity of the manor in a rental Jeep at exactly 12:01 AM, 1 minute after midnight. He was wearing the same black dinner suit as he was in the meeting that had taken place exactly 12 hours ago, though a pistol holster was hastily strapped to his chest, and a beret was perched on his forehead. Wasting no time, he stepped out of the car and began barking orders. [color=lightslategray]"You should all know the drill at this point! Apprehend any mafia affiliates, transport them to the Watervale precincts for processing. Get all the heroes en route to HQ, bring them to the ER pronto. I don't [i]care[/i] if they're hurt or not, just do it!"[/color] he growled at one of the armored men, who saluted and rushed off, barking orders into his helmet in turn as the men did what the Director said. Director Powers turned towards a man standing next to him- he was dressed in a black suit and had shoulder-length dark hair and a scruffy beard. [color=lightslategray]"Warp, I want a perimeter put in place around this block. Nobody but HERO personnel get in and out. That includes that Australian ICOSA agent over there. I can hear him yelling."[/color]

[color=khaki]"Oi! Mate! There's a PHANTOM hero in that there mansion! Crikey, you gotta let me in! This instant! Hugo! This is a violation..."[/color]

Powers rolled his eyes before he looked over at Warp. [color=lightslategray]"Get him off the premises."[/color]

Warp nodded and vanished with a small flash of blue light, teleporting over to the rowdy Australian agent and beginning to escort him away from the manor perimeter. Powers, meanwhile, strode over to the manor, still yelling at the assembled Division X members. He howled out a few orders as he made his way inside. He stepped through the wreck of the dining hall over to where the group of heroes was huddled in the corridor. He gave a tug of his tie, his face still stone-cold serious. [color=lightslategray]"Some medics will be arriving here to escort you back to HERO One. The rest of the group is currently being pulled out the underground area. Everybody is going to be alright. Except Vinnie, I suppose."[/color] Powers sighed, shaking his head. [color=lightslategray]"I would have liked nothing more than to beat him myself, but I guess what is done is done."[/color] He gave a nod as a few medics filed in. [color=lightslategray]"We'll reconvene in a few moments then."[/color] With that, he stepped out, walking back to his Jeep, as the medics pulled the group over to a large set of HERO ambulances before driving off through the darkened streets of Castleburg, towards HERO One.

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[sup]Time: 12:46 AM[/sup]
[sup]Location: HERO One[/sup]

The group was brought back to HERO One's hospital bay, a large expansive hospital area that was one of the finest medical institutions in all of Castleburgs. The group was shuffled into the Charles K. Darden Memorial Ward, one of a few private rooms located separately from the rest of the hospital beds. The ward was fairly spacious, a decently-sized private ward with some nice paintings hanging on the wall and a private water cooler along with a trolley full of medicine that sit behind a bulletin board. A TV set sat in the corner of the room. The entire gang, including Powers, was inside the room, with Powers uncomfortably wedged against the trolley on the side of the room. There were 7 beds in the room, four on one side and three next to Powers, but only three of them were currently occupied- Tom, Grace, and Angie, whose condition would have to be treated over a longer period of time. They had all been stabilized thankfully, though Grace repeatedly insisted that she was [color=DarkOrchid]"perfectly and totally fine."[/color] Everybody else was squished awkwardly around the room, though some of them would end up staying overnight in the ward. 

Powers coughed into his fist to get the group's attention, looking over to make sure they were private. They were, with Blake (he had a few bandages on his face and chest but was mostly alright) standing in front of the door, arms crossed. Powers continued, looking over the room. [color=lightslategray]"I'd just like to say...great job. All of you. Well, there were some...there were some definite complications along the way. Certain actions made were definitely ill-advised. At the end of the day, though, the Gugliano family is essentially toast. Their reign over Watervale is, for all intents and purposes, over. And we were able to decipher some information. But...the elephant in the room."[/color] He looked over the group again. [color=lightslategray]"I'm taking a risk putting trust in all of you, but I'm going to take a leap of faith and hope this is a decision I won't regret."[/color]

He took a deep breath. [color=lightslategray]"So, as we learned from...some very key intel ascertained during the mission, the Gugliano family was being aided and abetted by an organization named Zero. Zero is, well, one of the most powerful and secretive villainous organizations to grace the planet. They operate under total secrecy, and outside of a few dangerous missions here and there, they remain mostly unscathed and still very enigmatic. They generally prefer to work via puppets...and the Guglianos were one of them. As you saw today, Vinnie Gugliano reached the point where he was no longer useful to the organization, and was terminated. Zero is very cutthroat and very, very dangerous."[/color]

Powers removed two photos- one of Katharine and one of Paradox- and put them both against the bulletin board, running a thumbtack violently through each of their heads to pin them to the board. [color=lightslategray]"These two are among seven highly dangerous villains known as the Seven Seals. Paradox..."[/color] He pointed at said picture. [color=lightslategray]"...was a former brilliant inventor that was killed by his own creations and revived by Zero with his own technology, albeit as a killing machine. And the girl...Katharine Graves, a.k.a. Malady, daughter of the most dangerous man in the world..."[/color] Powers removed a photo of a bearded man with locks of dark black hair and a messy beard, pinning him forcefully in between the two villains already there. [color=lightslategray]"...Alistair Bronwyn Graves. He is currently believed to be the single most powerful villain known to mankind, likely the most powerful [i]human[/i] on this planet. Thankfully, he prefers not to expose himself. He knows that using his powers gives us an opportunity to find a weakness, and so he doesn't display them. Only rarely as he ever showed his full strength. He instead prefers to find people to carry out his dirty work. Whether that be experienced criminal leaders like Vinnie Gugliano, or other dangerous supervillains."[/color] His eyes drifted to Patricia momentarily. [color=lightslategray]"He makes allies to help him execute his plans, and once they fail...well, close your eyes if you're squeamish."[/color]

Powers projected an image of Greenhouse, the plant villain from just a week earlier, onto the TV screen. To say "Greenhouse" is an understatement, though. The correct answer would be "what was left of Greenhouse," who look like she had been, without going too much into detail, hit by multiple cars. Grace chirped fearfully as the image was brought on-screen, and even Blake, who did not really consider himself very sensitive to gore, visibly winced. Hugo seemed entirely insensitive to the mangled body, but upon observing this general reaction, turned off the screen. [color=lightslategray]"As you can see...they are ruthless and have no qualms. I can't tell you much about their plans, though...what we have isn't solid evidence, and I don't plan on telling you anything that isn't solidified in fact yet. I think that's been enough storytime for today, anyway."[/color] Powers smiled. [color=lightslategray]"I am proud of all of you, though. You've really showed why H.E.R.O. can make an impact on the community. The police could never hope to defeat the Guglianos. Hell, I couldn't do it. But you all put your hearts into it, and you won. And because of that..."[/color] Powers trailed off, smiling like a proud parent. 

[color=lightslategray]"On a more lighthearted note, I'd like to introduce you to our new member of HERO. Miss Grace Mok. From China, was it?"[/color]

[color=DarkOrchid]"Korea,"[/color] Grace muttered through clenched teeth. 

[color=lightslategray]"Right. Sorry, this whole mafia business has really taken my focus away. Anyway, she's been approved to join us from PHANTOM on a temporary basis. Just to keep an eye on us. Make sure we don't mess up too much. Unless..."[/color]

Grace overcame her earlier annoyance, putting on a weak smile. [color=DarkOrchid]"Actually...I decided I'm staying. Even though I almost died today...I couldn't imagine leaving you after all that. Bonded by trauma, I guess. [sub]Also, your physics department at UCNA is just too damn good...[/sub]"[/color]

[color=lightslategray]"Well, then, I'd like to welcome your new permanent HERO then."[/color] Powers continued to smile widely. [color=lightslategray]"Anyway, I should leave you all to rest. You're welcome to stay here overnight if you'd like; your medical insurance should cover the costs. And on that note, you should all be seeing a [i]very[/i] positive reaction on your paychecks for this. Not to mention a good amount of media coverage. They normally try to shy away from you and focus on the more...superficial members of HERO, but this is a big news that I expect will be all over town by morning come. You all did a phenomenal job out there, and you should be nothing but proud."[/color] Powers turned, walking towards the door. [color=lightslategray]"Goodnight. Sleep well."[/color] 

Leaving them with that succint farewell, Powers walked towards the ward's door, opening it and striding out. As the door swung closed, visible just briefly through the crack, a man with snow white hair and a set of large angel wings could be seen scowling, fists balled up, face contorted into an expression of rage. That man was quickly covered up, though, as the wooden door clicked shut, leaving the group to celebrate a close victory over the brutish mafia.

[b][color=39b54a][ Transmission End. ][/color][/b]
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