Stella opened the door to a surprising scene. Her mind immediately drifted to how long it had been since that day.
The day everything came crashing down for her.
Six months...
It had been six months since the Danger Squad died.
Six months since her brother died...
She shook her head and focused on what was happening in front of her.
All her coworkers were gathered around one place: Kevin's desk.
Why were they gathering around a simple cameraman?
She walked over to Amy Armstrong, a fellow reporter, and tapped her shoulder. Amy jolted and turned toward her, preparing a slap.
She stared at Stella for a brief moment before processing who it was.
"Oh... Stella. You're back," she said, a hint of boredom in her voice. "Uhh, how was your sick week?"
Amy wasn't particularly fond of her, and she knew it.
While they were both reporters, Stella was favored more by Mr. Print and the public because she was prettier; a tall, elegant blonde who always carried herself with grace even when she was acting as aggressive as possible.
Amy herself didn't have any of that. She was short, her hair was black and always a mess no matter how much she worked on it, and she had a tendency to ramble or overcharge during conversations.
If only she were like Stella. If only...
Stella tapped her again to pull her out of her void.
"Huh?" she asked, still processing what was happening.
"What's going on, Amy? What's up with Kevin? Why are you all swarming him?"
"Oh... uhhh, it's his birthday and we all decided to celebrate. We even pitched in to get a cake."
"Oh. Why wasn't I notified?"
Amy smiled.
"Don't tell me you forgot his birthday," Amy said with exaggerated shock in her voice, loud enough for everyone else to hear and turn their heads.
Stella knew Amy was being deliberate with the way she talked. Now the crowd was staring at her, expecting a response.
"Hey! Stella! Back from your sick week? You feeling alright?" Kevin said, his voice deep and intimidating, yet innocent in an odd way.
She was silent for a moment and let the words form. She wasn't going to let her first day back be ruined by Amy and her antics.
Stella playfully slapped herself in embarrassment and smiled. She could tell that gesture alone already warmed half the office to her presence. Once she spoke, the others followed.
"Oh, silly me!" she said, her tone mimicking that of a child. "I... I think I forgot it's your birthday, Kevin. I was so focused on getting ready to continue my work that it slipped my mind."
Kevin got up and approached her, the crowd moving out of his way. Kevin had a pale and imposing figure with black, spiky hair. He always wore blue T-shirts and shorts to work, and today was no exception.
Even on his birthday, he still looked bland. Intimidating, but bland.
"It's fine, Stella. We all forget shit sometimes. No big deal. Be sure to get me a gift later, though," Kevin said with a soft smile.
"Will do," Stella said, smiling back.
"Oh, you didn't answer my question. How was the sick week?"
"Oh, it was..."
Stella flashed back to her break and why she took it.
Again.
A month before his actual death, her brother had been presumed dead along with her friends Ivy, Zack, and his girlfriend, Paulina.
Due to this, she had devoted herself to finding out why.
Then she found out he wasn't really dead, but rather working as a super in his Danger Squad. Just when she was about to reveal that info to the world, he appeared before her.
Jake came to her house. She nearly cried when she saw him. His body, disfigured beyond any form of repair, looked more monster than human.
Then he explained everything to her.
His powers.
His battle with Mr. E.
His joining the Danger Squad.
All the missions.
Everything.
So much pain.
So much death.
And no one to talk through it with. No one who'd understand. But she was there. She was there to listen to his stories, extend a hand of sympathy, wipe his tears when he cried, hug him when he needed it, and hold him close and never let go.
But he had to leave her shortly, as he had a mission to attend to.
That's when tragedy struck.
Dr. Bolt, a power-mad scientist, attacked the Danger Squad base with an orbital laser, killing most of them, including Milten.
Bolt then went to the blast site to try and eradicate the survivors, but got killed himself. Sadly, even in death, he succeeded in his mission, ending the Danger Squad for good.
That day was when Jake came back to her.
That day was the day he died.
She thought he was dead before, but when she finally got him back, he died for real.
She tried to keep her feelings bottled up for months, but ended up falling ill because of it, taking a week-long break with permission from Print.
And her break just ended today. That was what led her here, back in the office, face-to-face with her friend Kevin.
He snapped his fingers right in her face.
She snapped back to the present.
"You okay there? You zoned out," Kevin said, still smiling. Stella smiled back again and nodded.
"So, uhh, my question?"
"Huh?"
Kevin let out a loud belly laugh.
"You know what? Forget it. We got a birthday to celebrate. These goobers were just about to sing me a song," Kevin said in between laughs.
"No way, man. I ain't singing you no damn song," Speed, head of the Sports department, said with his arms folded in defiance.
"Why you gotta be like that, Speed? Live a lil," Ragatha, head of the Weather department, said while holding his ear, causing Speed to scream in pain.
"C... can you... guys not do th... this at work?" Beni, Ragatha's assistant, said quietly. Sadly, no one noticed her voice in the crowd.
Stella's smile broadened.
She was happy to be back here. She missed this life. She missed these people.
The office was bland at first, with most people sticking to their own business. However, once the Danger Squad appeared and the number of incidents in the city steadily increased, they got more chances to bond over finding stories and working, much to Print's amusement.
She had Milten to thank for that.
No.
Never.
She'd never look at him in a positive light.
Not after all the shit he did.
Not after all she found out about him.
Especially during her sick week.
She shook her head to avoid thinking about it. She tapped Kevin's shoulder right after.
"So, uhh, did anything new happen while I was gone?" she asked, trying to avoid thinking about Milten again.
"Now that you mention it, there is one thing. Something I think you're gonna love."
"Oh, really? What is it?"
"Turn around."
Stella did as she was told and her legs nearly gave out at the sight.
Zack.
He was alive.
And here.
At work...
Wearing a colorful flower shirt, shorts, and sandals.
So casual, like he hadn't been dead for months...
"Turns out he wasn't dead! Just in witness protection after finding out some info on the Dragon Clan. Isn't that right, Zack?" Kevin said gleefully.
"Uhh... yeah. I'm back," Zack said with a quivering smile and extended his hand to shake hers.
She just stared at it.
"Aw jeez, I hope I didn't spook you," he said, the smile still on his face.
A face she slapped with all her might.
The crowd's attention went back to her again.
She didn't care.
"W... why... you?" Stella struggled to say, tears welling up in her eyes.
Zack held the cheek she slapped for a moment and grabbed her hand. He then pulled her to the nearest closet. Kevin tried to chase him down, but Zack locked the closet before he could reach it.
Stella slapped Zack again. She tried to unlock the closet and get out, but Zack stopped her.
"What did you say? Why me?" Zack asked, his voice shaking.
"Ye... yeah! Why you! Why not Jake or Ivy? Why do YOU get to stay alive after Bolt's attack? Why..."
"Bolt? What are you talking about? I..."
She slapped him for the third time.
"Don't play dumb with me!" she screamed, tears falling down her face. "I know you're a super! I know you were a member of the Danger Squad! I know you're..."
Zack quickly covered her lips and peeped through the keyhole of the closet door. Kevin was still standing there despite the others' best efforts to make him focus on the party.
He then turned back to Stella.
"Who told you this?" he asked, removing his hand.
"Jake. He came to my apartment and told me everything."
"When?"
"The day he..."
Zack gently put his hand on her lip to stop her from saying it, but she ended up on her knees and crying heavily. Zack bent down and wiped the tears from her face. She tried to slap his hand away, but his palm felt like hitting a brick wall.
"I'm sorry," Zack said softly, tears welling up in his eyes as he wiped hers. "I'm sorry I failed you. I failed Jake. I failed everyone. I was too weak and couldn't save anything. I... I couldn't even kill Bolt on my own... It's different now."
"Different? How?"
"I'm stronger now. I may have failed before, but I promise now that I'm part of the Super Society I can..."
"Super Society? What? H... how did you join those guys? How did you even survive? Wh... what happened after the orbital strike Bolt pulled?"
"So, so much, and even more after. Oh God... I can't believe you knew. I didn't think Jake would actually tell you."
"Yeah... on the same day he..."
"Hey. Don't say that. I'm just glad you have someone to vent all this out to," he said, tears welling up in his eyes now.
Stella stared at him, wide-eyed for a brief moment.
He had been through so much, having to watch all his friends die while he couldn't do anything. While she merely heard about it, he lived through it with the guilt of being too weak to save them, yet he still comforted her.
No one should have to experience that.
Especially not him.
"Maybe we should both be glad about that..." she said, finally smiling while caressing his cheek.
Zack smiled back and hugged her tightly.
"Thank you. I..."
Suddenly, a certain device in Zack's pocket vibrated.
"What's that?" Stella asked, pointing at the vibrating device.
"My super signal," Zack said, picking it up.
"Wha...?"
"It's a special communicator the Super Society uses to call its members. Seems I'm needed."
"Oh... okay," Stella said, wiping her own tears now.
"Listen, I'll be back. I..."
"Don't worry. I'm fine with you leaving. Just promise me you'll come back. Jake promised me and he..."
"I'll be back. I promise," Zack said and put the communicator in his ear.
"Guardian! Get over here!" Amazo's voice rang loud in his head. "Some giant wolf monster is attacking downtown and we need your help taking it out. Where the hell are you?!"
"I'll be there, man, just give me a..."
"I'm not giving you anything! Get here, you stupid fuck! That's an order!"
Zack hung up right there.
"He doesn't seem friendly," Stella said, still smiling softly.
"Oh, trust me. He isn't," Zack said, reciprocating the smile and opening the door. Kevin instinctively tried to grab Zack, but he got out of the way.
"What the hell, Zack? What was that about?" Kevin shouted, still trying to grab Zack.
"Sorry, gotta go," Zack said, quickly dodging Kevin for the third time and leaving the building.
Kevin was about to chase him down but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.
Stella's hand.
"Stella?"
"Let him go, Kev. He's got shit to do," she said with a smile.
"What the hell did he say to you?" Kevin asked, tilting his head.
Stella stared at him for a moment. Suddenly, something clicked; something that would change her life forever.
Consequences be damned.
"Well..."
Suddenly, a door across the newsroom burst open to reveal a sweaty and stressed-out Mr. Print.
"Ah! Stella's here! Things will be so much easier now," Print said, waving at her. She reluctantly returned the favor with her own nervous wave.
"Sorry to interrupt your yap session, everyone, but we got crazy news to cover and I'm not letting those bird-brained bastards at Phoenix News steal the spotlight! Now listen up!" Print began...
Meanwhile, Zack was starting his first mission as a member of the Super Society...
To be continued...