บท 14: Chapter 14
Sorry for the late update guys! I had a huge work increase that ranged from 10 in the morning to 11 pm at night! That's a lot of hours! My legs and arms are killing me!
Anyways! Here's another hostage that you made free!
You know what to do for the next hostage.
____________
Chapter 14
Maeve took a deep breath while she warmed herself up for a grueling day ahead of her.
She stretched her arms above her head, feeling each muscle awaken and prepare for the weekly training exercise with her team. With a determined glint in her eye, she opened them again and mentally prepared herself for the challenge ahead.
Clang! Clang!
The sound of hammers clashing together could be heard coming beside her, the cause of the noise being Ground Hawk. He was hopping up and down on his feet getting himself pumped up for the fight ahead, a wide smile on his face. She could tell he was excited to hit something without holding back.
"Do you have to do that every damn time?!"
An annoyed A-Train asked from behind them, doing his own stretches that mainly focused on his legs.
"Oh, fuck off, A-Train!" Hawk retorted with a smirk, his hammer strikes becoming even louder and more rhythmic in response. "We're fighting John here! The world's strongest hero! How can I not be excited to have a go at him again? It's been ages since our last training session with him!"
In contrast to Ground Hawk's exuberance, A-Train merely grunted, rolling his eyes as he shifted into a lunge stretch. He could already see that the hammer-handed hero would be the first one to get his shit rocked.
"You say that as if you can actually land a hit on him with your slow ass." The insult left his mouth faster than a bullet, and so was the dodge from a hammer that was about to cave in his head.
"Slow, am I?" Hawk's eyes glinted as he rolled his shoulder, a wolfish grin spreading across his face. "We'll just see about that."
"Enough, you two," Maeve interjected, her voice rising above their bickering, clear and decisive. Her gaze was steady as she glared at the two heroes.
But it was impossible to put an end to their childlike rivalry. Ignoring her, A-Train whispered a retort back.
"Just don't cry when you end up on your ass."
Hawk simply chuckled in response to that jibe. He liked the challenge; he thrived on it. With a final clash of his hammers, he settled into ready stance.
"Um, what exactly are we doing here?"
Maeve heard Starlight ask Blindspot, unsure of what was going on.
Blindspot, who had been calmly listening to the squabble from a corner, raised an amused eyebrow at Starlight's question.
"We're preparing for a fight against the strongest hero in the world," he replied, his voice laced with dry sarcasm. He folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against the wall, nonchalant as ever.
Starlight blinked at him, her confusion only deepening.
"But...why would we be fighting John?" she asked hesitantly. As a rookie on the team, she was still trying to understand the dynamics among them. "Won't he destroy us in a matter of seconds?"
Blindspot smiled, pushing himself off the wall.
"It's not about fighting him," he explained patiently.
He gestured towards the rest of the team: Hawk was grinning widely while swinging his hammers around with excitement; A-Train was shaking his head with a smirk as he warmed up his legs; even Maeve, who usually wore a calm expression, had an eager gleam in her eyes.
"It's about training harder and pushing our limits," Blindspot continued. "And John expects us to be the best that we can be."
His lips curled into a light smile as he added, "Besides, it's fun."
"If being tossed around by him is what considered 'fun' then sure. It's a heaping load of fun!" Maeve quipped, a wry grin pulling at the corner of her mouth. Her comment earned a chorus of laughter from the team.
Blindspot shrugged, a grin appearing on his face.
"Everyone has their own definition of fun," he conceded, his tone teasing. "I suppose some of us are masochists."
"Makes for good training," Maeve chimed, her stretches completed.
"Especially when we're fighting John," Hawk added grinningly. "Every time I fight him, I feel myself improve like crazy!"
Black noir, ever silent, simply nodded his head agreeing with him.
Clssshhhh!
Just as Hawk finished his sentence, they heard the slow clap of boots against the floor as the doors leading to the training room opened. The conversation and laughter within the room died down as all eyes landed on the towering figure who had just entered, his chiseled features set in a calm expression.
"Oh good, everyone is here."
"John," Maeve greeted, a wide smile on her face. "I'm surprised you actually made it on time."
"Same here," John gave her an amused look while shaking his head. "Yet here I am, right on time. Anyways, you guys ready?"
Ground Hawk was the first to respond, his enthusiasm undying. "Hell yeah! We're ready to get our asses kicked!"
His words filled the room with massive amounts of energy. Some laughed while others rolled their eyes at his excitement.
A-Train shrugged as he stood up from his stretching. "Speak for yourself, bird brain."
He cracked his knuckles and shot John a confident smirk.
Ignoring A-Train's jab, Hawk continued to eagerly hop on his feet like an overexcited puppy. Even though everyone else was still speaking, he turned to face John directly.
"What's it going to be today, John? One on one? One vs three? Or are you going to go full-on beast mode and face all of us at once?"
John looked over at the excitedly bouncing Ground Hawk, his gaze cool and steady. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, a sight that sent a shiver down everyone in the room.
"How about this? Since Starlight is new on the team…" he said, his voice soft yet commanding, "I'll take you all on together."
With those words, an electrifying thrill filled the room. A collective gasp echoed around them as they processed his proposal. Facing John one-on-one was daunting enough; facing him with the combined strength of the team was a different ball game altogether.
"Looks like it's going to be an interesting day," Maeve commented, excitement shining in her eyes. "Just remember John, we're not going easy on you just because we're your teammates."
John chuckled at her statement, looking at each of them in turn.
"I wouldn't expect anything less from all of you," he responded confidently.
A-Train and Ground Hawk shared a quick glance before smirking at each other.
As they settled into their positions, Blindspot moved to Starlight's side who seemed to be nervously wringing her hands. His voice broke through her cloud of anxiety, "Don't worry about it too much, Starlight. He won't hurt us too badly."
Starlight glanced over at him and nodded her head hesitantly, momentarily forgetting that he was blind. Her attention soon turned towards the imposing figure of John, whose mere presence was enough to intimidate even the most seasoned heroes.
"Remember, it's just training," Blindspot reminded once more before they all spread out, their eyes never leaving John. There was a nervous excitement that hung in the air as they prepared themselves for the trial that was about to begin.
"All right then," John started, his voice resonating in the silence of the room. "For today's training your objective is to work together as a team! And your goal is to take this book away from me before I finish reading to the halfway point."
He took a book out from seemingly nowhere and held it up, the title glinting ominously under the fluorescent lights.
"War and Peace by Tolstoy. Excellent book, by the way," he added with a smile, flicking it open to the first page. "Attempt to take it from me and... well, let's just call it extreme keep away."
Murmurs filled the room, a mix of anticipation and dread mingling in the air.
Blindspot cleared his throat and interjected, "Not that we're complaining, but won't reading distract you?"
John simply smiled knowingly at him.
"Well, that's part of the challenge, isn't it?" He adjusted his fake glasses that he got from somewhere and raised an eyebrow at them. "Okay then…"
"let's get started."
He sat down on a chair that was placed in the center of the room beforehand, crossing one leg over the other and looking dangerously relaxed as he buried his nose into Tolstoy's world. The team exchanged glances around him, unsure of how to make their first move.
"Oi! A-Train! Twenty bucks if you go first!" Ground Hawk goaded the speedster, hoping he would take the bait and go first.
"Fuck no! You think I'm as stupid as you?! You go first since you were so damn excited and shit to do this!" A-Train snapped back, keeping an eye on John while doing so.
Starlight looked to Queen Maeve nervously, seeing as she was second in command.
"I'll go first to test out the water, depending on how it goes the rest of you will join me in taking that book from him. We'll think of a plan later."
The Amazonian gave her a comforting smile before she darted forward, her hand taking out a sword from its sheath. Starlight eyes could barely keep up with her before she was instantly next to John.
John's focus didn't move from the book but just when Maeve came within inches of him, he calmly tilted his body to avoid her sword with a supernatural precision. Maggie stopped in shock as she felt herself go past and land on the floor behind him, her sword hitting nothing.
"How the hell?" Maeve murmured to himself, unable to believe he dodged without looking at her.
"Page 13…" he said quietly, evoking disbelief from those watching from afar.
"My turn!"
Next was Ground Hawk, sprinting with all his strength towards John but just as he was about to reach him, John nonchalantly reached out his hand and grabbed the hammer that was about to hit him. Reggie growled as he tried to desperately break free of his hold but found it to be impossible.
With a light flick of his wrist, John threw him at Maeve. Reggie tumbled forward ungracefully in the air, narrowly avoiding a crash with Maeve but not the cold hard ground.
"Ow!"
"Page 50…" John read on, unfazed, his eyes still glued to the book. The team watched wide-eyed at their comrades who failed to land a blow.
This spurred A-Train into action. He was next to John in a split second, his super-speed creating a gust of wind that ruffled the pages of War and Peace slightly. However, before he could snatch the book away, John had already moved out of his path and extended his leg, causing A-Train to skid along the floor and come to a crashing halt against the far wall.
"Ha!" Ground Hawk laughed, pointing his hammer hand at the speedster, still on the ground.
"Page 74…" John called out without missing a beat while casually moving out of the way of a blade swing at the same time.
Starlight nervously bit her lip as she looked on at her fallen teammates and Maeve who was trying with all her might to land a hit. She felt Blindspot's hand on her shoulder and turned to look at him; despite knowing he couldn't see her reaction.
"Your power is to absorb electricity and blast out beams of light, correct?" Blindspot asked her, and she nodded in response. "I need you to focus your energy on creating a distraction, a flash-bang perhaps. Then I'll move in."
"You sure?" Starlight asked, unsure whether that plan would work.
Blindspot squeezed her shoulder reassuringly before moving out. "You've got this!"
She watched him go before returning her attention to Homelander who was toying with the three heroes like little children.
John was turning to page 107, still sitting on his chair while dodging a hammer strike from Ground Hawk, a desperate swipe at his book from A-Train, and the insults from Maeve.
With a deep breath, Starlight channeled her powers, making the lights flicker in the room as she absorbed their energy and turned it into a brilliant beam of blinding light that filled the room. The sudden flash gave John pause as he squinted behind his glasses, and it was at that moment Blindspot moved.
"Ahh!!! My eyes!" The hammer-handed hero cried out, instinctively bringing his hands up to his face to cover his eyes only to hit himself with his hammers causing him to fall back on the ground. Wham! "…Ow."
"Fuck!" Reggie number two cursed before slamming into a reinforced wall with mass times accelerations equal force.
Maeve's Scottish roots started to slowly surface as her Scottish accent began to take over her cursing.
"SORRY! I didn't think that through!" Annie desperately apologized, hoping they weren't hurt too badly.
John used his heightened senses to navigate through the momentary blindness caused by the flash of light. Even though he couldn't see, he could sense the presence of others, their heartbeats drumming a steady rhythm in his ears.
John heard the slight shift in air pressure as Blindspot approached him from behind, but he didn't expect the quick jab at his side. Swiftly retaliating and maintaining his grip on War and Peace, John twisted away from Blindspot's attack while throwing a swift elbow to his side simultaneously.
Blindspot grunted as he felt the impact but didn't relent. He swung back around with an uppercut that John managed to dodge by leaning back dangerously on the chair while still keeping his book open.
"Page 250," John said as he flipped another page, his sight rapidly clearing as he balanced the chair that was tipping over. His hand was a fast blur as he stopped Blindspot's attack by grabbing his leg that was about to axe-kick him in the face.
"Um…mercy?"
John looked up from his book, eyeing Blindspot with an amused look in his eyes. He releases Blindspot's leg and pushes him lightly, sending him flying backward into A-Train who had just managed to get up and was trying to shake off the effects of the flashbang.
"Oof! What the hell man?! Watch where your-" Reggie number two stopped when he realized who it was that used him as a cushion. "Never mind."
"Arrrhhh, y-yup my bad." Anthony groaned as he rolled off of A-Train.
Just when John righted himself to sit straight once more, Starlight launched another blinding beacon from her palms aimed directly at him. This time it wasn't just a bright light it also packed raw power behind it that would leave most supes knocked out.
John, still with his eyes on the book, flicked his wrist, creating a small but forceful gust of wind that dispersed Starlight's beam just before it reached him. He casually turned another page. "Page 389..."
"Unbelievable," Starlight muttered, her confidence starting to wane as she realized just how outmatched they were. She saw her teammates regrouping, all of them looking battered but not broken.
Maeve, determination etched on her face, took charge. "Alright, listen up! We need to coordinate better. Blindspot, A-Train, you two provide a distraction! Starlight, can you disorient him again?"
Annie hesitantly nodded, completely unsure if that would even work again. "I'll try."
"And Ground Hawk," Maeve continued, "you're our heavy hitter. When the time is right, hit him with everything you've got, I want to see those stupid glasses shattered! You got that?!"
Everyone nodded, steeling themselves for another round.
"Where the hell is…" Maeve's voice cut off as she shook her head and focused on what mattered for now.
As they moved into position, John glanced up briefly, a smirk playing on his lips. "Interesting~ Let's see what you've got."
Hawk charged first, swinging his hammers with skill, the loud clangs echoing through the training room. A-Train zipped around John at blinding speed, creating a whirlwind that kicked up speed and made it harder for John to focus. Blindspot used this distraction to his advantage, maneuvering silently to get close enough to attempt another surprise attack.
Maeve and Starlight hung back, waiting for the right moment. Maeve's eyes were fixed on John, analyzing his every move, while Starlight's hands glowed with concentrated energy, ready to release it at Maeve's call.
John effortlessly dodged and parried Hawk's hammer strikes, his movements precise and fluid. He countered A-Train's speed with well-timed strikes of his laser vision that forced the speedster to retreat momentarily. Despite the chaos, he still managed to keep reading, unfazed by the pandemonium around him.
"Page 343..." He flipped the page, looking away from them momentarily.
Maeve saw an opening. "Now, Starlight!"
Starlight unleashed a powerful burst of light energy aimed directly at John. The beam was more concentrated and intense than her previous attempts, and it surged toward John with incredible speed.
This time, John didn't have a chance to divert the attack completely. He raised a hand to block it, the energy crackling against his palm. The sheer force pushed him back slightly, causing him to almost drop War and Peace.
A-Train and Hawk took advantage of the momentary lapse. A-Train sprinted forward, aiming to grab the book, while Hawk swung his hammers in a wide arc to finally land a blow on him
John, however, recovered quickly. He snatched the book back tightly into his hold with lightning speed and parried Hawk's hammers with one hand while using the other to block A-Train's approach. Despite the intensity of the situation, a calm smile remained on his face.
"Page 400," John said, his tone almost mocking as he continued to hold off his teammates.
Maeve, seeing no other option, charged in with her sword, aiming for a strike that would force John to defend and let go of the book. Her sword met John's forearm with a resounding clash, but she didn't relent, pressing her attack with a flurry of strikes.
John blocked and parried, his movements a blur. The other heroes regrouped and joined the fray, attacking from all sides in a coordinated effort. Blindspot, exploiting his stealth, aimed a precise kick at John's back but found himself used as a human weapon as he was used to hit Maeve like a bat.
"What the hell?!" Maeve shouted out as she ducked out of the way of Blindspot.
"Ha! He used the good old technique of hitting a mother fucker with another mother fucker!" Reggie number one laughed before he was hit by said mother fucker. "Oh, come on!"
"S-Sorry!"
The combined assault was relentless, each hero giving their all to take the book from John. Despite their best efforts, John remained unyielding, his movements powerful and controlled. The room was filled with the sounds of clashing weapons, energy blasts, pained groans, and the occasional laugh from John.
All this while he was still sitting on the same damn fucking chair!
Unfazed by the intensity of the battle, John remained seated, flipping through War and Peace with an almost serene demeanor. The team's frustration grew with each failed attempt, but they pushed on, determined to prove their worth.
"Page 476," John announced, barely glancing up as Maeve's sword clanged against his forearm once more.
He twisted slightly, using A-Train as a shield against another of Ground Hawk's hammer strikes. A-Train groaned as the impact jarred his senses, but he quickly regained his footing and continued his assault.
Starlight, gathering every ounce of her strength, unleashed another blinding flash. The room was bathed in a searing light, causing everyone to squint and shield their eyes. In the chaos, Maeve took advantage of the momentary disorientation to close in on John, her sword aimed for his hand that held the book.
John, however, seemed to anticipate her move. He rolled to the side, gracefully avoiding her strike, and in the same fluid motion, used his free hand to send A-Train's high-speed kick flying back.
A-Train's uncontrollable momentum sent him crashing into Ground Hawk, and both heroes tumbled to the ground in a heap.
"Get the fuck off of me!"
"Stop hitting me with your stupid hammers then!"
"Page 500," John said, casually, as he settled back into his seat, never breaking his reading stride.
Maeve's patience was wearing thin as she glared at the stupid book still in his hand.
"We need to rethink our strategy," she muttered, frustration evident in her voice.
She glanced at Starlight, who was panting from the exertion of her energy blasts, and at Blindspot, who was nursing a bruised side. A-Train and Ground Hawk were also looking worse for wear, their earlier confidence and energy now replaced with the exact opposite of those words.
Maeve took a deep breath, her mind racing. They needed to change their approach, to find a way to outthink John rather than outfight him. She turned to Starlight, an idea forming in her mind. "Starlight, can you create a sustained light field? Something that would make it hard for him to see us clearly without blinding us?"
Starlight nodded, though she looked unsure. "I've never done that before, but I can try. It'll take a lot of energy, and I don't know how long I can maintain it."
"Do your best," Maeve encouraged. She turned to the rest of the team. "When Starlight activates the field, we'll move in together. Blindspot, use your stealth to get as close as you can in case I fail. Ground Hawk and A-Train, create a diversion. I'll go for the book."
The team nodded; determination renewed along with their morale.
As Starlight began to concentrate, the room started to flicker as soft, glowing light began emitting from her hands. An energy field began emitting around the room, focusing mainly on her team members. It wasn't blinding, but it shimmered and flickered, creating an ever-changing environment that made it hard to focus on any single point.
John, sensing the shift, glanced up from his book.
"Not a bad tactic," he mused, his eyes narrowing slightly as he adjusted to the light unable to distinguish between where everyone was.
"Go!" Maeve commanded.
Blindspot moved first, his steps silent as he navigated the shimmering field. Ground Hawk and A-Train launched their attack from opposite sides, their movements erratic and unpredictable to keep John off balance.
Maeve followed closely; her eyes locked on the book in John's hand as she circled around him, her sword gleaming in the shifting light. John attempted to keep track of all their movements, but the shimmering light and noise confused his senses. He blocked A-Train's punches and ducked under Ground Hawk's swinging hammers but failed to notice Maeve until she was almost upon him.
"Page 575," he said, attempting to keep his calm demeanor but failing to keep the edge out of his voice. He leaned back on the first swing, parried the second, and threw Reggie one and Reggie two on the third.
Blindspot, taking advantage of his invisibility amidst the swirling light, managed to get within striking distance. He lunged forward, aiming for John's wrist that held War and Peace.
Caught off guard by Blindspot's sudden attack, John barely managed to deflect the strike. But in so doing, his grip on War and Peace loosened, and Maeve seized her chance. She swung her sword down in an arc, desperately hoping to knock the book out of his hands.
John, sensing the imminent loss of his book, took a deep breath and released a wave of powerful hurricanes of wind that forced everyone back.
The force of the blast caused Maeve's sword to fly from her grasp and Ground Hawk to spin out of control. Starlight's light field flickered and died out as she was thrown back against the wall, her energy completely drained.
With an almost imperceptible sigh, John adjusted his glasses and looked around at his team.
They were battered, bruised, and exhausted, but still more than ready to get up and do it again. Each one of them had given their all, pushed beyond their limits, and still managed to stand, ready to keep fighting if needed.
"Page 845," John said, his voice carrying a note of finality.
He closed the book with a decisive snap and set it gently on the ground.
Maeve, breathing heavily, wiped the sweat from her brow and gave John a hard look.
"You done reading, then?"
John smiled, genuine warmth in his eyes as he looked at each member of his team. "For now. You've all done well today. Better than I expected."
Ground Hawk groaned as he got up, rubbing his shoulder. "That was intense. I thought we had you there for a second."
A-Train, still catching his breath, nodded in agreement. "Yeah, me too, I really thought you were gonna drop that book."
John chuckled softly. "You all made me work for it, that's for sure. And that's exactly what I wanted to see. Your teamwork, your resilience—those are the qualities that make a great team."
Starlight, still feeling the effects of her energy exertion, managed a small smile. "We still couldn't take the book from you, though."
John shook his head, his expression kind. "It's not about the book. It's about pushing your limits, learning from each other, and becoming stronger as a team. Today wasn't a failure; it was a valuable lesson."
Blindspot, still nursing his bruises, nodded thoughtfully. "He's right, we fought hard, and we learned a lot about each other."
"I still don't like you." Said Reggie one.
"Same here, bitch." Responded Reggie two.
Maeve looked at her teammates, pride evident in her eyes. "We did well today. We'll get better, and next time, we'll make sure to take that book from him and break those damn glasses.
"Next time, I might choose a longer book," he said with a wink, eliciting a few tired laughs from the team.
"Yes," Maeve replied glaring at him, her eyes filled with resolve. "And we'll be ready."
The room fell into a comfortable silence, filled only by the heavy breaths of the team as they recovered from their exertion. The remains of their battle scattered around - the broken floor, the cracked walls. The toll on their bodies would heal in time, but the memories of their struggle and the lessons learned would last forever.
"Alright," John finally broke the silence, his voice much softer now. "Let's clean this up and get some rest."
"Is training always like this?" Starlight asked Maeve, her legs wobbly as she slowly got up from the ground.
Maeve gave her a knowing smile, "Only on the good days. But don't worry, you'll get used to it."
Ground Hawk chuckled as he picked up his hammer. "Give it a few weeks, Starlight. Soon you'll be able to do this in your sleep."
Blindspot pulled Ground Hawk to his feet with a firm grip. "And remember, we always have each other's backs, no matter what."
John looked on, nodding to himself as he picked up War and Peace, tracing his fingers over its worn cover.
Reggie one and Reggie two stood side by side, sweeping up broken fragments of wood from the floor with their brooms occasionally clashing against each other. Sparks flew around them but neither seemed to pay any mind.
Maeve reached down to pick up her sword and recoiled when Starlight rushed forward to hand it to her. Their eyes met and Maeve gave Starlight an appreciative nod.
"Thank you," she said, her appreciation clear.
"You're welcome," replied Annie with a small smile before she turned back to help John move a large piece of ruptured wall.
__________
Black Noir watched as the recording he took of today's training session came to an end and silently waited for his superior, Stan Edgar, to respond.
"…I see," Stan Edgar finally responded, his expression unreadable as he leaned back in his chair. "They're stronger than I thought."
Black Noir said nothing, sliding the recording device back into the pocket of his suit.
Edgar turned to look at Black Noir, his piercing gaze was calculating and cold. "I trust you have been keeping an eye on them?"
Black Noir met Edgar's gaze evenly.
Stan Edgar nodded slowly, tapping his fingers rhythmically against the arm of the chair. His eyes were drawn back to the still frame of the recording - displaying John and his team amidst the wreckage of their training room.
Their resilience, their resolve, all on display.
"I am particularly interested in this 'Starlight'," said Edgar finally, turning back to Black Noir. "She shows promise."
Black Noir simply nodded in response. Edgar sighed deeply, turning to gaze out of the window at the city below. There was a contemplative silence before he spoke again.
"She may prove useful," he mused aloud, fingers drumming a steady rhythm against the arm of his chair.
He then turned back towards Black Noir with a dangerous gleam in his eyes.
"Continue monitoring them closely," he ordered curtly. "I want to know what John is up to, every step of the way."
"…We'll put the plan into action soon." He said as he glared at the screen of John and Meave walking out of the room together.
Black Noir nodded once again and promptly left the room, leaving Stand Edgar alone with his thoughts and plans for the future.
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