An Old Bird With a New Name

Vexus sat poised, prim, and proper on the highest floor of her skyscraper overlooking the grand New York City. Things were operating smoothly for her. No one threw up any protests on the construction of her building. No one felt any level of suspicion that she might have even been behind the construction of the building. It was a wonderfully smooth operation. There are not many projects Elena has in the works at the moment, but she has the means and the tools to produce if need be.
Residents of the city, MetaHuman and otherwise, have been eagerly moving into her luxurious living situations. She had made an incentive for MetaHumans and especially aspiring heroes to move in. There’s a dedicated room for new or upcoming heroes to take new jobs ranking in difficulty. If someone completes enough jobs they can essentially live in The Chateau for free. Most of the time Vexus comes and goes through the hotel like a normal guest, no one even knows that she’s the owner of the building. Just another resident. She liked the quiet of it. People not knowing who she is, what she had done or what she is capable of. Vexus was almost enjoying this facade of a ‘normal’ life. The of course she goes down to her private lower levels where the human experimentation is taking place and that small sense of normal goes right down the dumpster shoot.

In recent months, things have been especially quite on both the hero and villain front. It was almost concerning. She preferred, at least in this point of her life, to operate in the shadows of someone else’s grandiose performance. Helps her slip by a little more undetected than Normal. And with nothing going on she’s had to be extremely cautious, and the precautions for such were becoming time and money consuming. Many items of her research have hit a wall or a point in which they needed to pause and wait for something to be stirred up before she continued with them. It was annoying to say the least but necessary to remain under the radar.
Vexus said in a large rolling chair as a waitress brought over to her a single martini on a silver platter. The lady placed it in her hand and she took a long strong sip as she gazed out over the skyline, watching the sun set.
”I’d say money could never buy a view this beautiful, yet here I am...” she said to no one...

A phone on a similar platter was then brought over to her by the same waitress. Vexus appeared perplexed
“Someone wishes to meet with you, my lady...They said...’The Bird is here for The One’?”
Elena’s eyes widened at the sentence. She turned her chair away from the waitress and did not accept the phone.
”They may be sent up... Immediately.”
”Yes, my lady...”

This was an unexpected meeting, but just sort of the thing she needed to make things a little more interesting for her...

"So she's set shop up in New York again." Andrew Pettiglio grinned and looked in the mirror shaking his head. He was wearing a nice fair of dress shoes, grey dress slacks, a black button up with the sleeves rolled, and a grey vest. He had been making it a point to up his game more recently. He was a professional now. Band shirts and jeans don't always relay such a mindset.

He finished buttoning up his vest as he made his way to the window.
"Did she just not expect me to to notice such a marvelous construction from the view of my bedroom window?" he pondered looking out of Halo HQ.
He grabbed a pair of aviators and made his way down the elevator. The training room seemed to be in use based off what he could see on one of the monitors. He wasn't going to disturb em'.

He made his way out the door. Wallet. Cellphone. A cute text to Vira. Keys. Dog tags. He tucked them into his shirt and Made his way into towards his destination.

He walked and got some looks. He was gaining more and more followers since coming back and publicly taking on Deity's first wave. Coincidentally he was going to someone he never thought he would be on the same side as again.
The enemy of my enemy, right? Well at least on surface. Andrew still held a special place for Elena Vexus in his heart he would never speak about. She trained him to his new level. The reason he hadn't cut loose with that fire yet.

As he walked into the lobby he nodded at a few people who took some photos.
He mentally thanked Anna Moran for the publicity, sarcastically. Being a ghost has it's perks. "Excuse me ma'am." Andrew smiled at the woman at the front desk. She recognized him. "You're.."
"I'm just here for something rather important, I need you to please reach out to the person in charge here and let them know the bird is here for the one."
She seemed confused.
"I promise they'll get it, it's an old joke between us hooligans." he almost chuckled while he talked. Were they old friends?

Apparently the message made it's way up the pipeline quick. He was escorted to the elevator immediately. Andrew smiled once more at the secretary before the door closed. "Pleasure meeting you!" He then leaned back against the wall and took a deep breath.

He was taken to the woman he came to see. "A drink sir?" the woman had a platter of alcohol "Scotch, neat please. No need for anything fancy." He thanked her for the drink and made his way over to the lady of the tower.
"I gotta' say. Beats the heck out of some the caves and temples we trained in. What a view." he grinned sipping his drink and sitting next to Vexus.

"I'd say I love what you've done with the tower but remember what we both know about one another. I know there's more under this tower than a parking garage. That isn't why I'm here." he paused and sipped the scotch again.

"Y'know I miss the city that doesn't sleep sometimes. Yet I also miss an actual night's sleep as well. What a contradiction. Like going to someone who you know has zero interest in being a superhero and asking them to side with some. You're far too important for me to waste your time. Not only to the plan I have compiled to a mutual problem we're going to share, but apparently as figure to this city now." he clinked his glass off Elena's.

"Anyways before we dive right in. There's a temple I was transported to that had scribes of not only techomatter that we once visited, but one with a prophecy we had visited once. Deep in the heart of Africa. I know we were there because I saw a hand print from you and I sparring."

He took a deep sigh. "Whatever happened to the simple life? I don't know what kind of science you got goin on right now, but I know you're enjoying a beautiful view. Guess you got one. I'm still searching my friend. I also want to thank you for all you did for me. I got this powerful because of you, continued my training and got more so."

He turned his head. Letting her get her initial statements out. If he knew her a tenth as much as he thought he did. She would say something snarky and also something serious. He sipped his scotch and awaited. closing his eyes and taking in the air. They were insanely high up.

”Don’t thank me for anything... I should have left you to grovel...” she said taking a long sip from her drink. She was almost confused by the small talk. He was essentially a famous superhero now. If any form of media had caught and wind that he decided to meet with her privately there would be major consequences. It was lucky for the both of them that Elena trusts no one, and even her valets are well programmed cyborgs.
”You know this small talk is unimportant. Meeting me in my own home is a risky situation. The masses do not know that I own and operate this building, but I’m sure they can find out. I’ll make sure the surveillance footage is destroyed after you exit.” Elena finished her drink, the waitress already bringing her another one.
She swirled the glass around and stood up, making her way to the window that overlooked the city her heels echoing with each step.
”How were you transported to that temple? I forbade you from ever returning to such a confidential location. If you are speaking of the prophecies inscribed on the walls of those caves I have already thoroughly decoded them.. All that cliche ‘end of days’ type talk that these civilizations always speak on... Has there been movement for any of those prophecies to come true?” If there had been, and the two of them are casually having drinks then they are wasting valuable time.
”If these things have already been moving forward, you should have contacted me long ago.”
She turned and took a couple powerful steps towards the man.
”You will need to release to me all available information on this matter. If your potential hesitation to reach out to me has allowed these instances to go unchecked I, for once, will not be taking responsibility for humanity’s impending genocide...”

The hero grinned and shook his head.
"Left me to grovel? You're a lot smarter than to say something so foolish. You wanna play the bad guy? Fine. I'll cut this down to size."
He finished his scotch in one gulp and set it down.
"We are all out of our depth and I didn't just go looking in a temple I never WANTED to go back to in the first place. LUCKY for you I paid attention and I have figured out how to hold the situation at bay."

Andrew rubbed his temples in frustration. Sometimes it was like talking to a wall. "I'm not afraid of some camera wondering why a super hero would figure out a super hero went to confront a supervillain. I don't exactly duke it out it the streets anymore. Some of us grow from out tattered wings. I'm here to make sure when the world goes to hell in the impending war. The headlines say "Earth defended" instead of being wiped out of existence. I'm sure you could not my problem this situation and go to a better place but you can lie to me or yourself. You like it here. This is your home and Deity is shitting in your back yard."

Andrew recounted everything from being taken hostage with Sean. Explaining the God's desire for the two of them join him. The Mage. The Archon. The old hero returning. The hero becoming a beacon. The Four intertwined stories that go along with the end of days. Deity's structure too. The Sacred Seven. The chosen 4. Then the evil bastard himself. Ironic Andrew telling Vexus something she didn't know for a change.

"I've been taking out some of his cut The Saved. You've probably seen em' around the last couple of days. Also I put everything I know and told you on a flash drive." He tossed it to Elena.

"You need to calm down. I have been planning and recruiting. Putting together an army. I came to you fourth if that means anything. The old Talons were first, followed by Zell. I didn't potentially hesitate anything. I've been calculated and have a plan. II's been like a week. Much sooner? Elena. Please remember I'm not that head strong arrogant punk Phoenix anymore. I've learned from my mistakes. Underestimating people being a big one." He spoke with confidence. Taking another glass of scotch.

He sipped slowly and let out a sigh. "Now. Like I said I didn't come here to waste your time. OR my own. However he hasn't made his next chess move so I'm ahead of him on my account."

He looked out the window and then to Vexus.
"Look I know you have an image and reputation of cold and uncaring and self serving to uphold, but I need you to put a little of that to the side. We need to all work together to stop this guy and his army. You in?"
He asked taking off his sunglasses and wiping them down before returning them to his face.

This boy was frustrating, to say the least. Cut the situation down to size? Lucky for her? Does this child not recall who he was speaking to? The air grew heavy with Vexus’ annoyance. After an explanation of everything that had transpired in recent days he tossed a flash drive with detailed information on the situation towards her. When it reach proximity of Vexus it simply floated by some kind of telekinetic force. It them floated over to her assistant that had been fetching them drinks. She would then take her turn to address the situation.
”I may scrounged a sprinkle of pity from the weakest corners of my mind to drag you from the depths of whatever embarrassing state you were in when you came to me... But do not speak to me in such a manner as if you were addressing your colleagues. We are not friends, Andrew.”
She circled back around an took a seat in her chair, the same waitress taking her drink, and handing her a sparkling water with a lime.
”It is admirable that you have managed to assess and handle the situation effectively in the timeframe given. If you’ve been recutting people in order to fight, what sounds like, a makeshift god... You must be on the end of your list.” the tension in the air began to ease up. She crossed her legs and gave a little chuckle tilting her head back. Elena then put both feet on the ground and leaned forward with her forearms on her knees, clutching the glass by the rim with just her finger tips. Her eyes met his.

”We’ll call this... The second wish that I’ve granted for you. So tradition is you’ll get one more.” she sat back up and fully reclined in the chair she was in.
”Make sure you use it wisely, kiddo...”
The chair rotated away, the elevator dinged and the door opened. Her waitress came into view as to escort him to the exit.
With her chair still facing away, she flicked a square piece of paper over her shoulder at the hero.
”Don’t lose that...”
One side of the business card had a logo of some kind with “VEXUS” underneath it, and on the flip side it read “destroy for assistance.”
It was a normal piece of paper, but it was directly connected to Elena and would alert her when it was destroyed. There were not many of these cards, as a matter of fact she only keeps one in existence at a time. It was a direct line to summon one of the most powerful individuals on the planet to help out with just about anything. Obviously it could not be duplicated, and would be voided if copying it was attempted. This was Vexus agreeing to help Patriot, and a subtle act of respect towards the hero...

"Yea well that pity may have paid off in the long run. Yea It was embarrassing, but one day I'm sure we will be both be semi grateful."

He paused.

"I'm speaking to you as fellow inhabitant of this planet Ms.Vexus. I know we aren't friends."

He didn't want to piss her off. He had seen how she acted when someone twisted her leg to far. They often ended up losing their own. He knew he wasn't the same little boy but he wasn't here to fight her either.

"Thank you, but truth be told when it comes to taking down a super powerful, self centered, God I figured I'd get the most powerful people on my side. My list isn't almost out, you're just near the top. I'd be a moron to not acknowledge what you bring to this table. It's going to take a lot to take this army down. Elena Vexus is a name synonymous with assured destruction in my book." he spoke firmly but kindly.

"A fairy godmother that lives down the street from me. I got lucky." he jested taking another drink off the tray. He knocked it all back quick.

He turned his back, fixed his sun glasses and headed to the elevator. She basically halted him. Without turning he caught the card she sent him.
"Thank you Elena. We just might have a shot. I know we don't see eye to eye on practically anything. You will see something new on that battlefield. I'm not the groveling, heartbroken mess. So I'll be seeing you. Beautiful place again, by the way. I'll be in touch."

With that he was on his way down, as he walked out of the lobby, he passed a few people who recognized him. He smiled and nodded his head.
"Well that's 5 of us so far. Off to find that Lightyear guy." he thought walking backwards Halo HQ.

The boy was a fool to come to her of all people to ask for help. She was a powerful individual, yes, but she was not to be trusted. Elena Vexus always has her own person goals in mind ahead of anything else. Be though as it may, this was the most generous thing she’s ever done for another person. At least in this decade.
He thanks her as he left, unknowing if she’d ever see this hero ever again. Would his pride prevent him from using such a card before it was truly needed? She would not actively seek out what it as that was going to be causing so much harm and potential destruction to this reality, but it sure did spark her interest.
Her waitress returned with a glass of wine on the silver platter.
”M’lady…”
Vexus took the glass off and took a short sip.

”Fascinating.”


//topic end