6.01

In a dilapidated tenement, the base of operations for the ABB gang, a battle ensued. I squared off against a thin Japanese man, wielding a katana and a knife. My wasps swarmed him, causing him to drop his weapons in agony. I struck him with my baton, knocking him to the ground. Securing the katana, I surveyed the battlefield.

The tenement was overcrowded, housing multiple families in cramped conditions. The ABB had turned it into barracks for their soldiers, some of whom were unwilling recruits with bombs in their heads. Despite being outnumbered, our side had the advantage, with no powered individuals among the ABB’s defense.

Fires lit the area, casting a hellish glow on the ongoing fight. I approached a young man, clearly one of the forced recruits. He brandished a baseball bat, defiant despite his fear. I urged him to surrender, but he refused, charging at me. Grue intervened, knocking him out with a punch.

As the remaining ABB members were subdued, Spitfire and Gregor the Snail worked together to burn down the building while ensuring the fire didn’t spread. We disarmed and cuffed the injured and unconscious enemies, moving them away from the burning structure.

Grue asked if I had plans for the next day, mentioning a group meeting for his online class and his sister’s caseworker visit. He needed help assembling furniture and invited me over. I accepted.

Tattletale joined us, and we made our way to a hidden car. We discussed the ABB’s impending downfall, a result of the combined efforts of the police, military, and various villain groups. Tattletale shared her insights on the Travelers, a group of powerful capes who had joined our side. Their leader, Trickster, was a teleporter with a mass-based restriction, and Genesis controlled remote projections.

I removed my mask, revealing a bruise on my neck. Tattletale offered her place for me to stay, and I agreed, planning to call my dad to reassure him.

We reached a military barricade and pulled over. I called my dad, lying about going to school to avoid worrying him. After the call, we descended into the tunnels beneath the barricade, emerging into the darkness.