Well it a long story

Amy scratched the back of her neck. "Besides the... almost murdering part? I've been good."

It was a lie. A soft one. But a lie.

Mandy nodded. "Good, good. So—this new Project Reboot. The CEO of DSN wants to shift away from relying on former villains and instead help heroes who had... complicated situations. Your case is something we want to support. You'd be the first of five new recruits."

Amy's eyes lifted. "...Five?"

"Yes," Mandy smiled. "And you'll be led by Mr. Robertson himself. Even though Z Team will still be officially under him, we figured this new squad will need more hands-on guidance."

Amy leaned forward, interest fully sparked.

"Ummm... who are the heroes?" she asked, genuinely intrigued.

"Astra Velnir, Eclipse, Pebble, Cruixon, and Mindweaver," Mandy said, handing Amy a thin stack of profiles.

Amy skimmed the first page.

ASTRA VELNIR

"Fired because of... behavior issues?" Amy raised an eyebrow.

Mandy nodded. "Yeah. Astra doesn't like to be told what to do. Her powers—Luminokinesis—make her one of the brightest heroes we ever had. Literally."

She continued reading from the sheet:

Luminokinesis (Light Control)

• Turns invisible by bending light around herself

• Casts illusions and decoys

• Creates razor-thin photon blades

Enhanced Physicality

• Solar-powered agility and reflexes

• Skin becomes star-hardened under sunlight

• Can heal rapidly when exposed to light

"Well, she seems like she's gonna be a blast," Amy said.

"Blast," Robertson echoed with the same timing, grinning proudly like he'd waited his whole life for that moment.

Amy rolled her eyes.

She flipped to the next file. "Pebble?"

Mandy chuckled. "Don't let the name fool you. He's probably the strongest on the team."

"Then why was he let go?"

"He causes too much property damage. Insurance companies basically locked StarForce out of half their coverage because of him."

Amy winced. "Oof."

Next file.

MINDWEAVER

Just looking at his photo made a chill slide down her spine.

Mandy leaned in. "Mindweaver can slip into people's minds. Control them. Influence them. Reshape their thoughts."

Amy read the details aloud:

Neuro-Dominion

• Thought insertion

• Memory sculpting

• Emotion override

Psionic Web

• Group manipulation

• Shared visions or pain

• Mental surveillance

Amy shivered harder. "I don't want to know how he got fired."

"Good. You don't." Mandy shook her head. "Something about a presidential candidate being exposed for having a... certain subscription. Mindweaver accidentally stumbled on it while sweeping his brain."

"Accidentally?" Amy raised a brow.

Robertson shot up two fingers. "Accidentally."

Amy wasn't buying it.

She turned the last page.

CRUIXON

A towering alien, silver-skinned with glowing eyes and armor-like plates.

"What's his deal?" Amy asked.

Mandy sighed. "That's the thing — he doesn't have one. No criminal history. No attitude problems."

Robertson crossed his arms. "He's actually polite. Helpful. Smart. The issue is..."

"No one wants him on a team because of how he looks," Mandy finished. "PR teams say he's 'unmarketable.' He scares kids. Sponsors don't know what to do with him."

Amy looked back at the picture — Cruixon staring with solemn, hopeful eyes.

"So... we're stuck with him?" she said.

Mandy nodded. "We're lucky to have him. I really think he'll be valuable."

The weight of the roster settled over Amy.

Five recruits.

All misfits.

All second chances.

Just like her.

"Welcome to Project Reboot," Mandy said softly.