Surge

The best part of “believe” is the “lie”.

+ Sunny Slater

It felt like bullying a puppy. No matter how delicately he tried to approach the situation, Sunny seemed to completely miss the point of what he was trying to communicate. If he didn't know any better he might have thought it was deliberate. Even so, there was no impression that there was a bad bone in Sunny's body, she was just focused on things other than the primary reason for the Hero Program.

"No, Sunny, it's not about the Gucci Purse at the Legally Blonde 3 premiere. The brand sponsorships you take are down to you and your… mother…" He'd almost said agent, but Sunny's agent was her mother, and seemed to control almost every aspect of the young woman's life.

"As you said, the main thing about being a Hero is saving people, and there have been some concerns raised that occasionally that doesn't seem to be your priority. Or, while it is your priority, you seem to place far too much value on looking good while doing it."

He pulls up an image on his computer screen and swivels it on the desk so that Sunny can see. It's a picture of her captured by a newspaper photographer. It had done the rounds sometime earlier that year. The image is in full colour, and it shows Sunny, immaculately turned out as always, at the moment a car collides with her at full speed. Pieces of debris can be seen flying off from the wreckage.

It had resulted in quite a lot of public damage, as well as the need to have the car scraped off the road and several of it's passengers had cost the state rather large bills in healthcare. The Program had reviewed the reports of what had happened and concluded that Sunny could certainly have handled the situation better. For example by preventing the criminals from getting into the car in the first place.

"I'm talking about priorities like this Sunny."

Surge

The best part of “believe” is the “lie”.

+ Megan Daniels

Smiling, Dominic restrained a chuckle, "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll meet a few that qualify for those lists before long."

They reached the elevator, and one arrived within a few seconds of Dominic pressing the button to summon it. "No matter what kind of career you end up in you're going to have a mix of people involved. But not everyone can be at the top of the heap, so I'm glad that L's in the Program, even if I wouldn't invite him round for dinner."

Entering the metal box, Dominic taps the button he wants with only a glance. "You're going to need to change, you don't have to have your mask on when you meet another Hero, but we find that it's good practice to keep information as separate as possible. Of course if you want to reveal your identity to someone you can, but we advise you only do so if you truly trust the individual."

He nodded back in the direction from which they had come. "L won't make the connection, but the next person probably will."

The door opens on the floor the contains what are, for want of a better word, changing rooms. Dominic produced his phone again as it pings. "She says she'll be right here. You can find the changing room OK?"

Surge

The best part of “believe” is the “lie”.

+ Megan Daniels

Megan's attitude was refreshingly simple and open. She might not have envisioned herself joining the Hero Program in the first place, but now she had she certainly seemed to be taking to her new responsibilities with gusto. It made a nice change from some of the more image and fame obsessed individuals who walked through the door with godlike powers.

Hopefully they could avoid some of those fame obsessed individuals on their way through the building looking for others. It wouldn't be a great look for someone that had just joined the Program, it would be better if she met one of the stalwarts. Perhaps Alice was in the building, he was pretty sure she was on patrol today, but that could place her anywhere from here to the other side of the city. The girl could move quick when she wanted to.

"Come on," he gestured to the young woman sat in the armchair in his office. "Let's go looking. There's usually one or two people about."

He led the way, stepping out through the glass door of his office and having a quiet word with Gregory. "I'm taking Menagerie on a quick tour if anyone asks. You know how to find me."

The silver-haired personal assistant nodded with a slight smile. He knew the coded message, But don't find me if I don't want to see them.

He led the way down the corridor and through a large open room filled with men and women. Each was sat with a rack of screens mounted before them. It was a mix and match of CCTV, live news channels and police bands from the look and sound of things. Clearly this building was the hub of the Program in San Francisco, where Heroes were directed from. "These guys analyse the chatter and goings on of the city to try and pinpoint where best to send Heroes, you'll rarely have much direct contact with them, their data is relayed to a liaison, the person in your ear piece. They'll keep you in touch with what's actually going on."

Spotting a familiar figure in the distance, Dominic attempted to steer Megan and the conversation in another direction, though it was too late. The figure that called out to them across the room was male, muscular, and still in costume. A couple of the people at the desks looked up at his shout, before returning to their work. Faces were kept deliberately blank.

Loquacious' name was appropriate, he was a talkative guy, and when he turned on his ability he could hammer a car flat with a shout. Unfortunately he seemed to also be excessively loud just by default, and had expensive tastes. He'd used his mask and badge once or twice to get into night clubs, a practice that was certainly frowned upon by the Program, though not actively discouraged. At least not yet.

Wearing a silvery suit with a stylised loudspeaker emblazoned on the chest, Loquacious grinned as he approached. "Dominic, when are you going to get me in with Sony? You know they'd love to use me to sell their next headphones."

Dominic sighed. "Good to see you too L, but you know it's not my job to represent you in brand deals, you have your own agent for that. And this is Megan." He carefully didn't use her Hero name, Hero identities were their own, if she wanted to attach her face to her Hero name she could, but that was her decision, not his.

The masked Hero very clearly looked her up and down appreciatively. "On a tour of the building with Mr Weaver eh? You win a raffle or something?"

Surge

The best part of “believe” is the “lie”.

+ Sunny Slater

Dominic hadn't quite expected that response. Fame and fortune he'd expected, but just wanting to be a superhero? Not so much. After all, Sunny seemed much more focused on the fame and fortune parts of the job than anything else. For every crime she stopped there were three public appearances, and for every one of them there seemed to be a dozen tweets, Instagram posts and Facebook livestreams. Still, Alice seemed to like her, so there was at least a good heart in there somewhere, it just seemed to be smothered beneath pink and perfume.

"To be a superhero? OK. It makes sense."

He smiled easily, as he always did, finding the good humour settling his mood somewhat. It helped that Sunny seemed oblivious to his concerns. No doubt someone else might have become offended and defensive, but Sunny still seemed her normal self. That in itself could be exasperating though. After all, at what point did the ditsy blonde appearance separate itself from Sunny. He wasn't sure it did.

He leaned back a little, resting one hand on the polished glass desk top.

"But what is being a superhero to you?"

Surge

The best part of “believe” is the “lie”.

+ Megan Daniels

Dominic took a deep sip of his coffee, apparently not noticing its scalding temperature. There was a clear look of appreciation on his face. Evidently he ran on coffee. Placing the steaming mug carefully onto the coffee table, he listened quietly to Megan. He gave the impression that there was nothing else he would rather do.

He grinned, "Wait till you see Paladin get really angry."

Paladin was the face of the Hero Program, a powerful metahuman, and quite the sweetest girl Dominic had ever met. She took her job very seriously though, and her ability meant that when she got really pissed, people got hurt.

He leaned back on the sofa, crossing one leg over the over, his ankle resting lightly on his knee. The movement lifted the hem of his trousers, displaying brightly coloured, geometric socks. Like the rest of his outfit, they're clearly expensive. "I'm glad you see things in the same way as me. There are far too many issues for us to be worrying about whether people 'look the part'. Besides…" He shrugs, "Being a Hero is about more than looking good. There are perks to a good image, but it shouldn't be the reason to go into this line of work."

Reaching forward for his coffee again, he stands, walking a little away from the sofa. "I've seen the renders of your costume, and I think it's good, you're leaning into your ability. Better to do that than pretend its something other than what it is, that always gets found out eventually."

He walks across the office and back again, the movement obviously assisting him with his thought process. "Now when we introduce a new Hero we like to involve them with some cause. It boosts the positive aspects of your image, which is good for the Program, and nets early sponsorships, which is better for you. We have a few options for you to consider, but it's best if we go for a cause close to your heart. Is there anything that springs to mind?"

He looks across at her expectantly.

Surge

The best part of “believe” is the “lie”.

+ Megan Daniels

Dominic's long form often gave the impression that he towered over people, though his slim build and genial nature tended to diffuse that. It did so here. With a smile, he gestured to the sofa and armchair at the side of the room, they were in a small alcove, almost separated from the desk as if it were a totally different space. "Take your pick, and make yourself comfortable."

He took a step forwards, before pausing. "Oh, and call me Dominic. You're not in trouble, so there's no need to be so formal."

He stayed standing for a moment , sticking his head out of the door and calling to his assistant. "Greg, two coffees please. Make mine strong!"

He missed the man rolling his eyes, though he knew that it was happening. Dominic didn't take any other way. "You're going to love this coffee, I'm not sure if he has a power specifically related to it or not, but it really is the best stuff I've ever tasted."

"Anyway…" He interrupted himself "Let's get to you."

He sits down, preferring to in the space with her rather than going behind his desk. Her nervousness will not be helped if he remains the glass topped behemoth that dominates most of the room. Besides, it is festooned with papers right now. "You didn't see yourself as a Hero did you?"