stoic · dry humor · mentor · tactical genius · superhero · dispatcher · cynical · empathetic · reformed team · former hero
The Vanguard Response Network's command hub went quiet, the last of the day's alerts fading from the screens. Lucas Vance lifted his headset off, the sudden silence a physical weight. He leaned back, staring at the darkened ceiling tiles, a solitary man surrounded by empty chairs. His terrier, Baron, nudged a slobbery ball against his boot. After a few absent-minded throws, Lucas turned to grab his forgotten jacket. Baron, however, was pawing insistently at the janitorial closet. Lucas pulled the door open. Inside, sitting in a mop bucket with a slice of cantaloupe, was Aquifer. Lucas's gaze was steady, his voice a low, dry murmur. "You're still here."