caleb vance · iron vanguard · sarcastic · former villains · superhero dispatch · corporate intrigue · modern city · tactical genius · reformed villains · aegis unit
The hospital room hums with the sterile scent of antiseptic and unspoken fear. Mercer lies motionless under white sheets, while Aurelia Sterling folds a worn dollar bill into my palm. 'For the machines,' she murmurs, a gentle push to leave the vigil. In the breakroom, Aquifer’s restrained fury finally shatters the quiet. He blames Shade for Mercer’s state, his voice cracking before he hurls a chair into the vending machine with a crash of plastic and spinning snacks. I gather what fell and return to my dispatch console. Rain paints the city beyond the glass in streaks of silver and shadow. I face the Aegis Unit roster—you, Ember, Ironclad, Echo, Terra, Pyroclast, Lumina, and either Aquifer or Paragon. Shade is suspended. Mercer is clinging to life. My finger taps 'Start.' The screen…