Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Baptism By Fire
Mike walked off and the redhead he saw talk to starlight suddenly appeared in front of him. "You're accelerator, right?" He looked at the really puffy faced woman and said "Pretty much. Who am I talking to?"
She extended her hand and jumped up slightly, as if she was an anime girl trying to charm the protagonist through her boob bounce. Mike extended his hand and shook it out of courtesy "I'm Ashley Barrett,
Senior Vice President of Hero Management and Director of Talent Relations of Vought."
Mike raised a brow, not because he was surprised by her status, but because he understood nothing she had just said *What is this woman blabbering about? Probably someone important with confidence issues. A recruiter, maybe? These people actually use tiers to differentiate workers. God damn are they annoying. Do they HAVE to feel superior to someone to function or am I missing something and my entire imperial order is incorrect?*
Even though Mike internally felt disdain for her entire existence, he still smiled and said "XLR8, resident New York speedster. Pleasant to meet someone of your status."
Ashley covered her face slightly with her clipboard and said "I have wanted to have a chat with you for quite a while, as a Vought representative, of course."
Mike smiled and said "Lead the way, miss Barrett." *I might have to turn my word of trust off and just speak. This much neural heat isn't something I can take... I miss you Curro.*
The asian man followed the woman known as Ashley to her tent, where they would discuss some arrangements.
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"Hughie, right?"
Hughie suddenly turned around and looked at a blond man wearing blue Spandex. He gulped and stared in awe. "Y-yes, sir. Homelander, sir! Hughie... I mean, I am Hughie. It is an honour to meet you!"
Homelander smiled and patted Hughie's shoulder "You must be one special guy for her to put in a word with me personally to let you in." Hughie shrugged and clanked his juice cup with Homelander's and said "It's nothing much, we are just mutual friends."
Homelander smiled a wider and said "Well, hope you enjoy your time and stay for the aftershow." With that Homelander left and soon the baptism began and ended with Hughie barely even realising he was in a towel and standing near the exit, much less that everything important already happened.
Hughie seemed to have zoned out the entire thing, as his mind was constantly slipping, as if it was foggy and was suddenly being cleared.
He shook his head and steeled his nerves. *I have to do this!* No one was left in the baptism tent, except him and Ezekiel, who was beginning to leave.
With the realization, that he had to act fast, Hughie quickly took out his phone and said "Excuse me, mister Ezekiel, can I have a minute?"
Ezekiel looked over at Hughie with a kind smile and said "I'm sorry, but I've got a tight schedule. Maybe next time."
His eyes widened and panic began to set in "*No, no, no! But I can't stop him.* No please, it will just take a single minute."
Ezekiel smiled and turned around with an extremely visible, forced smile and said "Alright, what is it?"
Hughie sighed in relief and took out his phone "*Phew. All I have to do now is just show him the picture and get it over with.* I just wanted to show you..." Hughie clicked on the iPhone and it didn't light up. He quickly clicked the buttons again. "This..." He hit the phone multiple times and stared in horror "Why won't it turn on?!"
*Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! Why isn't it working!* Hughie kept hitting the iPhone in his hands and began panicking. It wasn't turning on and Ezekiel's patience just ran out.
He turned around and began walking away "Well... good talk!" With his barely functioning brain, Hughie came up with an idea "You fucked me!"
Ezekiel suddenly turned around and said "What?" Hughie suddenly began to build confidence and pushed his chest forward. "Yeah. You, me and one other guy. We had a major threesome down in the secret supe club, at east 29th?"
Panic could be seen in Ezekiel's eyes at the mention of that place, but he still denied it "Don't know what you are talking about!" Hughie walked over to him and said "Yeah you do! You spread my cheeks and played my ass like it was a drum set. Your dick ever elongating with your body wrapped around me and the other guy! We have pi-"
Ezekiel's arm suddenly increased in size and clutched onto Hughie throat. "Who the fuck do you think you are! Coming here and threatening me? Do you think you're tough, huh?"
Hughie clutched onto the supe's arm and something... Seemed right... The stretchiness caught him off guard, but once he tried to grab Ezekiel's arms, he realized it wasn't even that strong of a grip.
Hughie's muscles relaxed a bit from their tense state, as a thought came to him *Mike's right. This guy is a piece of human garbage! I am a TRUE super! I've earned my strength, while he is just some guy who took drugs and made a cult around it! Why is filth like him holding me by the throat?!*
The eyes, that were pleading before suddenly became cold. He stared Ezekiel down and didn't bother talking anymore. His muscles suddenly bulged up slightly and Ezekiel, who was originally walking towards him, stopped dead in his tracks and looked at him in shock and then pain.
Small Knight clutched onto Ezekiel's wrist and lifted it off of his throat and squeezed down. "Listen here, you dirty bastard. YOU don't get to threaten me here! I've got you by the fucking balls!" Hughie pulled the arm he was holding and Ezekiel stumbled towards him. "Your reputation and..." Ezekiel arrived in front of him and Hughie grabbed him by the throat "And now your very life are hanging by a thread, so you better start talking and make it worth my while... Or else!"
Ezekiel was completely paralyzed by this point. He had intimidated people, that he slept with before quite easily and he thought this time would be no different, but he was wrong. He was dealing with someone, who he should not have threatened.
Hughie swung his arm and threw Ezekiel onto the floor. The super stared up at the seemingly harmless man with complete fear and said "W-what do you want from me? Money? Is it money you want? A Vought recommendation? I can help you, let's just not threaten anyone's livelihood."
Hughie nodded his head "I want to know where you are shipping compound V. Where it comes from, where it is going and who gets it there. Everything you know, I want to also know, or we both might regret meeting eachother today!"
Ezekiel nodded and quickly went to his bag in the corner to get some documents out.
A.N.
Yo, I ran out of chapters. Crud. I haven't written for weeks. Better get working.
Could you offer me a power stone in these trying times? Maybe even a review?
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Nike13K
Nike13K Where Mike is from, they all have orders on what to do and just do them. You have 1 role and do what that role requires of you. Basically, no one has a boss and they just work at their own pace. There is no demotion or promotion, yiu just work your hardest and get treated the same as everyone. Might I add, those accomodations are quite good as well.
Basically communism done right and shit like middle/upper/better/top management doesn't fly with them.
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