Roxy stood with her arms crossed. Her foot tapped on the ground, echoing within the empty warehouse. "When you said date, this wasn't what I was expecting."

Before I could attempt to quell the fire in her eyes, she took that glare away from me and walked over to the rest of the Disasters to gripe.

"Trouble in paradise?"

I turned my tired gaze to Immutable standing beside me. He had been twice as grumpy as the super was after I dragged him to the Meteor rendezvous point. After his time away from the League, he was less than pleased to be put before an entire group of heroes. Belle had passed him a bottle of liquor acquired from somewhere, and his mood had lifted.

While he was reluctant to believe I'd have a good chance of killing him, he was curious enough to follow along. Too far from the outskirts, we had found an abandoned warehouse instead.

[Our vacation hasn't even begun, and I'm already side-questing.]

Immutable scratched at his beard and pulled a face. "If I'm gone, you won't have your family tracker anymore."

[My brother isn't going anywhere. I'm sure you have more worth than living for that.]

He grimaced, visibly disgusted by my insinuation that he had value. "So what's your big plan here then? You're aware that I've been stabbed, shot, decapitated, and burned to death before?" He took a swig of alcohol. "Drowned in the sewers a couple of times, if I remember."

My mind went back to our brief mission under the city, and the filth I'd endured when a monster had pulled me beneath the fetid slop.

[None of that sounds like something that could best demonic regeneration.]

Immutable shrugged. "Clearly. You think you or your band of misfits has a solution?"

In truth, the answer was no. Or rather, I didn't know just yet. Roxy could literally tear him in half and engulf the remains in lava, yet I was certain he would somehow eventually come back from that. It was impressive. No wonder the Gov had tried to use his blood in creating me and the squad of super-soldiers.

[What's the worst thing you've recovered from?]

"Took an acid bath once." He looked up at the high ceiling as if reminiscing. "That one took a while to regenerate through as the acid evaporated really slowly."

[Hmm. What is it that keeps you tied to this plane? Your soul?]

"Eh. Souls don't exist in such a tangible way." Immutable gestured vaguely with the liquor bottle. "They're a convoluted thing, and not entirely why I cannot leave here."

It made me wonder if I had a soul, or whatever equivalent he was alluding to. I hadn't even been told whether I had been born, grown in a vat, or created as a fully formed adult. Given all the things I'd been through in my life, I didn't expect to go anywhere nice once I finally died. My line of thinking must have been clear, as Immutable read my face and grunted.

"A soul isn't a part of you. If anything, it's more like… a historical record of your existence. A set of data compiled of everything you've lived through, thought, and done. Fate and experience."

[So you are destined to reform to this vision that reality holds of you.]

"Sure." He shrugged. "Usually when someone dies, their soul becomes… inert. Written in the fabric of time. Some are transferred to an afterlife. Sometimes reborn in other realities. Depends on the individual and their destiny."

[Your soul is what will have you return to hell upon death, but your regenerative powers are why you cannot die here.]

He gave me a nod. "An apt summary of what we already knew."

I rolled my eyes and turned my attention to Clara, who was walking over from the other group to us. As much as I preferred to solve my problems as quickly as I could pull a trigger, I hadn't dragged the old man here because I thought I'd be able to solve his immortality right here and now.

"We can rule out most of our abilities," the techie began, "both magical and physical. Demonic powers operate differently… a very specific type."

"Before you go thinkin' you might find some sort of Holy power to banish me, there isn't anything nearly so devout in Goldarch that would work." Immutable gave us a tired shrug.

The man had tried everything. Another person trapped and seeking freedom. My reasons for wanting to send him back to hell weren't entirely selfless, but I felt bad for him. The World Government had trampled over many in the process of bringing me to life. I was not responsible, but perhaps correcting a few of their errors might bring me some salvation.

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I glanced over at the rest of the team, who were currently arguing quietly about something. With a sigh, I turned slightly to keep the conversation between the three of us.

[As an aside, do you know much about Aberrations?]

The former hero tilted his head from side to side. "Passing knowledge, maybe. Not something that would help my situation."

[I may have fought one recently. While I believe I killed it, I was left with… a mark.]

Immutable furrowed his brow and lowered the bottle in his hand. "Like a brand?"

I nodded. It was probably bad manners to flash it at every person I met, plus awkward when I had several layers of clothing and tactical gear on. Out of all the people I knew, a demon prince was the most likely to be familiar with otherworldly entities. Although the look on his face told me I might be mistaken in that assumption.

"Depends on several factors. The Aberration. It's strengths and intention when it branded you. You're probably not going to die from it. Otherwise, you'd be showing some adverse effects." He gave me another shrug. "I'm no doctor, though."

It didn't feel like a boon, but I also had noticed no negative effects so far. Something about it irked me, but I couldn't quite see what yet.

"I'm doing what research I can, Gunquake," Clara reassured me. "It was difficult to find information on the exact Aberration we encountered, and none of those records had mentions of a brand."

[Thank you.]

I actually had a much longer, more in-depth response to that, but Roxy and the others were approaching us now. Whatever squabble they were previously in over. She didn't look as irritated as before, so I assumed she had won.

"So what's the plan, then?" she asked. "I get the impression that you aren't actually going to ask me to vaporize him?"

[Not today. I had something perhaps even more out of the ordinary to suggest.]

The super raised an eyebrow as I turned to Immutable, who looked as though he was rather tired of our company already. He took another gulp of alcohol but kept an expectant eye on me as he lifted the bottle.

[How would you like a job?]

Immutable all but spat out his mouthful of liquor. "What? Is this some kind of joke?"

[Hear me out.]

Roxy was also looking at me with some confusion, although not as much anger as the old man. Intrigued by the proceedings, the rest of the Disasters had gravitated closer to hear me out. Hopefully this wasn't me making a fool of myself.

[First off, this isn't really a personal offer. Nor am I asking you to become a hero again. The short pitch is that the League is about to put together a team to guard the outskirts from both mutants and prying from the World Government. I want to have someone on the inside.]

He scowled at me, indignation and confusion causing his face to screw up. "You really think I'd want to play nice with the League after all this time? Run their errands?"

[You'd get to kill people. Operate in a gray area, closer to being mercenaries.]

"Even if that could sway me, the League hates me. Would rather see me locked up."

[I am close to the Director who has just taken majority control over the board. If I pressure him, you will be given amnesty.]

Immutable glared at me, trying to see if this was some kind of trick. There was a light behind his dark eyes. The spark of potential. A life with some validity under terms more suitable to him. Tempted by the bait, he still wasn't biting just yet.

"Even if wanted that… what makes you believe I'd be your man on the inside? Do I look that trustworthy? I'm a demon." He shook his head in disbelief.

[That depends on whether you trust me. Remain my ally, I promise I'll be the one to send you back to hell.]

The former hero was silent now, chewing on his thoughts. Weighing up whether he believed me or not. If what I proposed was better than getting drunk in alleyways day in and day out.

[You might even get a chance to give the World Government a big middle finger along the way.]

"Alright, quiet your mouth." He waved me away. "You aren't getting an answer out of me right now, but I'll think about it. Mostly so you'll get out of my sight. I took my STAR out a long time ago, so I won't have a way to…"

Clara held out a small device. A small communication box, not so dissimilar to the one I had implanted in my left arm. While it saw little use these days, Immutable might appreciate the lower-tech way of getting in contact discreetly.

[You just carry one of those around?]

The techie handed it over to the reluctant man and gave me a brief glance. "Taken from the Meteor's storage once we picked Immutable up."

Intuitive foresight, as usual. I hadn't told the group about my potential trip to Neo-Scenia yet. They weren't likely to take it well. Too much self-inflicted danger. Taking Clara with me would be a huge risk. Probably a deal-breaker.

Immutable gave us a sour expression as he slipped the device into a pocket. "Just because I am the prince of demonic regeneration, don't go thinking I don't have any other skills. If you try to cross me…"

[I'm not in the market to be haunted by an undying homeless man. Expect to shave and make some effort if you join us.]

He paused briefly at my switch in tone. It was short-lived, as the scowl returned to his face. "Enjoy your day," he muttered. Before turning, he raised the bottle toward Belle in silent thanks, and then he sauntered off toward the exit of the building.

Roxy sidled up closer to me, her attempt at stealth lacking as her body was expelling heat. "Really, Dubs? You want to convince Kingston he'd be a good pick for the other team?"

I shrugged and turned to face the Natural Disasters.

[If we have to be the ones who put the team together, then being acquainted with their leader would be beneficial for several reasons.]

Clara agreed. "Immutable does have experience as a hero."

"Plus, being a demon means he is likely to find less issue walking the gray areas," Roy offered.

Ren was rather indifferent, whereas Belle thought that being able to bribe him with alcohol might be helpful. After this impromptu roundtable, Roxy just gave me a shrug. Unconvinced.

"Eye."

I turned my gaze back to Clara.

[Hmm?]

"I did not say anything further, Gunquake." She tilted her head. A blank expression on her face.

[Oh, that reminds me. What were the four of you arguing about over there?]

The super rolled her eyes. "Just about our new home base. Nothing worth repeating."

While our headquarters was possibly weeks away from completion, I couldn't help but feel a little excited about it. There was only one other team in the city that had a base so large, and while it didn't quite put us on equal terms with the S-Ranks, it was a bit of an ego boost. Validation of our competence.

I sank away from my thoughts to realize that everyone was looking at me. Eager to hear about what went on in Kingston's office after they left.

With no will in me to fight it, I sighed and deflated.

[Let me tell you about New-Scenia.]

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