Chapter 4
Flying is amazing, thrilling, and hard to explain. There are no words that can describe how it feels to fly above the clouds.
However, it could just be because of my limited vocabulary which I will admit is pretty small.
The sky makes it incredibly easy to lose track of time.
That intoxicating feeling of complete freedom from any constraints is unforgettable.
It's very hard to give up such powerful abilities, but I have no plans to do so.
I'm happy with the way things are.
I walked calmly to the glass on the nightstand after landing on the balcony of my apartment.
After putting water in a glass, I drank it all at once and glanced at the clock.
It was nine in the morning, and the meeting should have started.
"Seems like I'm late?"
I said it indifferently, putting the glass back in place.
I walked off with a sneer and went to the exit.
The familiar corridor and the spacious elevator were right on course.
I pressed the call button and waited, watching the red numbers above the elevator entrance approach my floor.
The wait was brief, just a few seconds before the elevator doors slid open.
"Good morning, Starlight."
I smiled as I saw her looking at me with surprise.
"Hi... I mean, hello!"
She responded in an excited voice, even raising her hand in greeting.
She immediately stepped back to make room for me, but it wasn't necessary in the big cabin.
I shook my head mentally and stepped inside, standing to her right.
The doors closed, and we silently began to ascend.
"Nervous?"
I asked, watching her reflection with interest.
"A little."
"There's no need to be. They're all just regular people... if we're talking about behavior. It's a bit complicated to say the same about Noir, but only at first glance. Did you know he can play the piano?"
"Really?"
Starlight was surprised.
Black Noir was so quiet and truly secretive that learning about his skills beyond public knowledge was almost impossible.
"Absolutely. But he only plays according to his mood, so it's rare."
"That's a pity."
She sighed when she realized she wouldn't see that anytime soon.
"And yes, it's better not to be late for the first meeting."
"I'm sorry, sir."
She stumbled over her words.
"Oh, just Homelander."
I waved my hand, smiling at her.
She smiled back.
Meanwhile, the elevator smoothly arrived at the desired floor, and the doors opened.
I stepped out of the cabin and headed straight to the meeting room, with Starlight following silently behind me.
The massive iron doors quietly opened, revealing the assembled "heroes".
Black Noir drew the most attention in the bright hall due to his black suit.
He was so silent that anyone might mistake him for mute. He was the most effective member of the "Seven," as he cut down criminals by the dozens.
He neither smokes nor drinks, and he doesn't enjoy noisy gatherings.
Next was Translucent, who sat in glasses and casual gray fabric clothing.
In his normal state, he appears as an ordinary middle-aged man.
He possesses invisibility and invulnerability while in this state. Well, almost.
Translucent is mostly interested in making money and doesn't want to risk himself for the company.
A-Train joined the team relatively recently, about four years ago. Before him was Mister Marathon, another speedster in red.
He's now retired, and quite deservedly so.
He was indeed a worthy team member, unlike his current replacement.
He did not run over people, at least despite having some flaws.
A-Train has the same abilities as any speedster. He is currently so fast that he uses an entire train for training.
That's how he got his nickname. He earned his place literally with blood and sweat, defeating Mister Marathon in a race.
The competition had some scripted parts, but they both ran at full speed.
However, A-Train's only flaw was its dependence on superhero performance-enhancing drugs.
Nevertheless, he is personally loyal to me.
Next is The Deep, a handsome guy in a green scaly suit who is the most insecure member of the team.
He can communicate with fish and swim quickly and deeply, with normal strength and durability included.
He considers himself a freak due to the gills on his body. The issue is that Homelander mocked him when he saw them.
After that, the information became public knowledge, not without the help of one blonde.
Homelander simply saw The Deep as a threat to his status as the most popular hero since The Deep had plenty of female fans.
Since then, The Deep hasn't shown his bare torso in public.
Homelander never missed an opportunity to remind The Deep of this flaw.
He's loyal to Vought, but without fanaticism.
Finally, Queen Maeve.
A beautiful red-haired woman in genuine armor.
However, it should be noted that this armor was not far from the term "brassiere armor."
This was compensated by the fact that her body itself could withstand much more than the armor could.
She seemed like a bitch on the surface, but she genuinely loved her job, particularly the part where she saved ordinary citizens.
She wanted to save the whole world but was disillusioned by the realization that the world didn't need her.
That was the reason for her addiction to alcoholism.
She has abilities that include standard strength, speed, durability, and the ability to fly.
There's no way to call her flight fast; even a simple car is faster. She remains neutral, is wary of Homelander, and doesn't trust Vought.
"Apologies for being late."
I greeted everyone with a friendly smile and pointed to Starlight.
"I'm pleased to introduce you to our new team member, Starlight."
"Hello,"
She smiled and waved in greeting.
A discordant chorus of voices responded to the newcomer's greeting.
Black Noir waved back while Maeve simply ignored her, suspiciously shifting her gaze from me to her.
"Unfortunately, I didn't prepare a speech."
I walked to my seat in the middle and sat down.
"So let's start without any unnecessary formalities."
"Great, let's get straight to the main topic."
Translucent said while sitting in his glasses while invisible.
It looked amusing, but his vision was perfectly fine. It was more about knowing where his eyes were.
"These bastards leaked a pirate copy of my latest film three weeks before its premiere!"
The Translucent continued, not holding back on his tone as he read something on his tablet.
"And you can't walk down Fifth Avenue without stumbling upon a stall selling unauthorized Homelander toys. A blatant violation of copyright that results in billions in losses for the company, which means money out of our pockets. We each get, what, four percent?
"What the hell?! Four percent for everyone?"
A-Train protested.
With his two percent, A-Train's frustration was quite justified since ideally, everyone on the team should receive an equal share.
However, capitalism dictates its own rules.
So, Homelander gets a full ten percent of the profits related to him personally and two percent from the Seven's collective earnings.
Maeve and Noir are in the same situation.
Translucent and The Deep each get four percent, while Starlight currently has none.
"And better lawyers too."
Maeve remarked, holding a glass of whiskey.
"Are we done whining?"
I asked, causing everyone to fall silent.
"A splendid first meeting. You've all shown yourselves in the best light. Now, let's get to the main point: Who did you save this week?"
Deep hesitantly raised his hand but quickly lowered it again.
I looked at him and nodded, giving him the floor.
"I saved six people."
The Deep said, somewhat encouraged.
"From drowning?"
"Yes."
He deflated a bit.
"That's all you're good for."
Maeve muttered though everyone heard her clearly.
The Deep pressed his lips together when he saw A-Train's hand cover his mouth to hide a smile.
"Not bad, keep up the good work,"
I smiled, ignoring Maeve's comment.
"Thank you,"
The Deep nodded gratefully.
"Next, Black Noir..."
Overall, the meeting proceeded routinely and fairly well, even though Starlight couldn't boast of any significant achievements.
It was understandable for her, but the lingering impression seemed to remain.
It ended with more grumbling from The Translucent about lost money.
Then, it was time to personally check what Starlight was capable of.
I hope she doesn't disappoint me.