Peter and I landed down atop the HQ building and I set him down before we both quickly made our way down into the building. Even in gait alone I could tell Peter was beyond angry, and I couldn't blame him. After everything he'd done Kingpin was trying to become mayor, and from the sounds of it he was looking to maybe do away with heroes. I shuddered.

  Doing the job was hard enough as it was. We didn’t need to be actively fought by more than just the villains. But then again as Mayor could he even do that? He couldn’t just law. Well, I wasn’t totally sure about that, but he probably couldn’t do anything serious. Maybe alter general culture a bit, but how much harm could they do? The people new they needed heroes, right?

  I frowned, pulling off my mask as we entered the first of the HQ rooms through the secured door. What really scared me was the idea that he had major backing. Two senators, and a congressman?

  Depending on his relationship with the police department they’d probably come out in favour of him too. What about other public service organisations? Was he insane enough to have paid firefighters and doctors or would the illusion of support from the initial parties be enough to make them think he was a good candidate.

  I shook my head. We’d probably needed to speak up against him then. But was that right? Would it even work? We could do it, but we didn’t have anything concrete beside a few business scandals and loose ties to some maybe criminals. The worst we had on him was the stuff Otto had said, but even that had gotten thrown out as nothing more than blame shifting.

  So what could we say without just seeming against the apparently promising new mayoral candidate, who was helping with city clean-up and repair. That just wasn't a good look.

  But didn’t we have to do something? As heroes we had a duty to protect the people. Even if we didn’t have proof wouldn’t publicly crying out against this guy be a form of protecting them?

  Maybe. But the question was would people even believe us.

  With a synchronised sigh as Peter and I entered the main room to HQ. In the corner the beat down TV Miles had leant us played news footage of the still smoking Chinatown. Miles sat in front of it, Jess beside the crime map. Jess turned to look at us, nodding to me before looking to Peter.

  “Yu called, he’s on his way” Jess said.

  “Yu?” I frowned. “He out of hospital already?”

  “Yeah. He said something weird is happening to him”

  “Oh jesus” I muttered. “Is it the symbiote?”

  “No, it’s… it’s good. I think. I don’t know”

  I nodded looking to Miles.

  “Kingpin’s thing was just on” Miles said, looking back to me.

  “We saw it. Caught the end of the speech”

  “Where?”

  “An electronics hardware store” I muttered. “Actually, pretty lucky if you think about it. Though, we probably need to pay them back for a TV”

  “Right” Peter said. “Sorry. Lost my cool”

  Miles glanced to him then back to me.

  “I mean this is seriously crazy, right?” he said. “Kingpin campaigning to be mayor.”

  “Guy’s just full of surprises” I muttered, looking to the silent Jess and Peter as they stared at the crime map on the wall, muttering to each other as they pointed things out.

  They were probably thinking things through, trying to come up with a way to properly approach this. I frowned. It was strange to remember Jess was part clone of Peter, but usually evident in times of stress.

  I sighed again and took a seat next to Miles, looking at the TV before glancing to him.

  “How’s high-school, treating you?”

  “What?”

  “Highschool. You started at that prep school in Brooklyn. Visions Academy, right?”

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “Yeah” he nodded. “Uh… it was going well but given the bomb stuff and things they’re thinking of postponing stuff while they fix up the school. My mom wants me to come home, and my Dad’s busy with cop stuff”

  “Your dad’s a police officer?”

  “Yeah. My uncle too. Didn’t I mention that?”

  “No, don’t think you did”

  “Alright” Peter said clapping his hands together. “We’ve got it guys. An offensive for kingpin”

  “An offensive? Kingpin? Is that a good idea?” I said.

  “We need to do something. Respond to him like the threat that he is”

  “But… isn’t that probably what he wants?” Miles said. “He probably knows we’re on to him somewhat, and he did a press conference away. He’d probably be expecting an attack right now, no?“

  “Yeah” I added. ”If he’s coming out publicly, going for this now, then it means he doesn’t care anymore. He thinks he’s won, or at least that he can use this chaos to win”

  “Then he’s at his most vulnerable. If we go for him now, no holds barred, arrest him or at least break down one of the places we’ve got an idea could have damning stuff, then we can get him sent to jail” Jess said.

  “No way” I said. “There was a reason we weren’t breaking into his places before. Sure, it might’ve done good, but we can’t tell if some of them were fronts of actually places of business that he just happens to be associated with. If we attack right now, right after his big speech, we’ll be playing right into his hands”

  “Dammit” Peter muttered. “Look Lucas, I know that if we’re going to take Kingpin down, then we’re going to have to do it properly. We’re not just going to barge into his public offices and grab him without evidence, but we have to do something. And this is it. We’ll target the weakest fronts, build stuff up for a case against him. We’ve been too distracted by other threats, and let him lie for too long. We have do something.”

  “Pete, I know this seems like a good plan, even if measured, but the same issues can still happen regardless. If this goes wrong we play into his hands. And even if we do find something and take it to the police can we even use it? I mean we want this guy put away for a while, right? What if the worst we can find is useless to put him away for more than a few months, or slap him on the wrist with community service“

  “Then we step it up” Jess said. “Focus on what we know. Linking him to the Roxxon labs.”

  “And what if we can’t? He’s probably prepared for all of this. I mean he’s in kahoots with senators, and he had a full public press conference where they showed up. He’s probably even got someone in the news in his pocket. What if he spins a story, uses our actions against us to drum up support”

  “Then what do you want us to do?” Peter said, frustrated. “We can’t do nothing.”

  “Go to the public. Tell him”

  “Just that?” Jess said.

  “I- look I know it sounds stupid, but it’s better we make the public lose confidence in him than do something that might make him look like a victim and further his public support.”

  “Going to the public will just be opening ourselves up to the same problems attacking him will do, without any of the benefits. It’ll do the opposite of what we want, and given how confident he seems, I doubt it’ll get us anything. It’s a nice idea but in practice it just won’t work” Peter said.

  “That doesn’t make you idea a good one.”

  “Well, we can’t keep doing what we’ve been doing. It’s just not working” Jess said, voice cold. “It’s gotten people we know and care about hurt or even killed. You should know how bad that can get Lucas, what it means for us.”

  I looked to her, my expression beyond serious.

  “I do” I replied clenching my fist. “But if this goes wrong, then he wins.”

  “That’s why we strike today” Peter replied, pulling on his mask.

  “What?” Miles muttered.

  “Today. Don’t give him a chance to rest and use that confidence against him” Peter repeated. “I’ve already picked out where”

  “Wait, wait, wait” I said. “Pete slow down. I know your angry, but we have to calm down, think for a moment”

  “I’ve thought this through Lucas”

  “Peter we’re all tired from yesterday, injured even. Right now isn’t a good idea”

  “When else would be?!” he shouted. “That fuck’s been behind too much chaos and suffering! He was involved with Otto, with the clones fiasco, and a ton of other shit. He was behind today! He fucking killed Geroge! Who knows what else he’s done, or what he has planned? His fellowship thing or whatnot is a disaster waiting to happen. We need to strike and we need to strike now!”

  All of us stared at Peter in silence as he stood, his body stiff, and fists trembling.

  “S-sorry. I just… sorry” he muttered, after a moment, deflating.

  “It’s ok” Miles mumbled.

  The four of us remained in silence for a bit, before the creak of a door interrupted us and we all looked over to Yu as he entered, sweating.

  “Man, we’re really high up you know?” he muttered. “And we really need to clear some stuff downstairs. There was this huge chunk of concrete I had to clear to even get up here.”

  “You could’ve called me to come grab you” Jess said, chuckling as some of the tension dissipated.

  “Didn’t think it’d be that hard” he said.

  “You’re all better?” I asked, looking to him.

  “Yep” he said. “Minds clear as day. And I’m strong too. Not like before. Probably nowhere near enough to lift a car but enough break porcelain. Dad was pretty annoyed by that”

  “Well we’ll have to run some tests” Peter said. “Make sure you really are alright.”

  “And if I am, then I guess we’re back in business“

  “Back to business? What if you’re barely stronger than the average meta? I mean, geez, you sure you’ll be ok for this?” Jess said.

  “Of course” Yu said, smiling.

  “I guess I’ll have to get you a suit too” Peter said chuckling.

  “A suit? Wow. I didn’t even think about that. What colour would be- What the hell is that?” he said suddenly, pointing to the TV. We all turned, looking to a replay of Kingpin’s speech.

  “I’ll have to catch you up” Jess said. “But for now, we need a gameplan”

  “Same as before” Peter said. “Well test Yu first. I’ll go out on patrol”

  “No” I said, standing again as I stretched my neck. “Rest Pete. I can do it alone”

  “You sure?” Peter asked.

  “Yeah” I responded. “You need it.”