Chapter 45: 45

In a dimly lit conference room, eight monitors flickered to life, each displaying a figure obscured by light. Their voices, calm yet weighted with authority, echoed through the space. "What do you make of this?" a male voice inquired from one of the screens. "We find ourselves in a rather unexpected situation," an older man replied, his voice measured. "Wotan and Atomic Skull were integral to our plan. They were to be part of the distraction while we moved in the shadows. Now, with them gone, we need replacements." "We can't risk exposing ourselves to retrieve them," another voice, deep and composed, interjected. "It's too dangerous." "Not to worry," a third voice said. "I have enlisted the help of Shade. Using him, we can retrieve them." "That doesn't change the fact that the League has gained a new asset. One we tried to get rid of," a woman noted sharply. "Someone strong enough to overpower Wotan—even with Atomic Skull aiding him." "And yet, we will soon have a weapon of our own," the first man countered. "Cadmus is making steady progress." "Good," the first man murmured. "In time, the world will see the light." ** Joseph spent the night in the private room at the Hall of Justice. The first thing he did was sketch a rough concept for his new suit: a golden Corinthian helmet paired with a purple bodysuit, golden gloves, and matching boots. Satisfied, he set the paper aside and entered Dream State, battling the avatar for two grueling hours before deciding to sleep. Morning came with a knock at the door. When Joseph opened his eyes, Red Tornado stood at the threshold, a cup in hand. "Water," the android announced. Joseph sat up groggily, rubbing his eyes before accepting the cup. As he drank, his gaze flicked to the nightstand—his sketch was gone. Classic Batman. "Thank you, sir," Joseph said awkwardly. Red Tornado simply stood there, unmoving. Would it be rude to ask if he had emotions? Did Nova have emotions? Instead of voicing the thought, Joseph focused on other matters. He sighed, already dreading the inevitable conversation with his school guidance counselor about his repeated absences. "Any chance I can leave yet?" he asked. "Batman wants to introduce you to your mentor," Red Tornado replied. Joseph blinked. "Batman isn't mentoring me himself?" "I will be mentoring you," a new voice answered. A man stepped into the room, his entire body covered in metallic silver. His yellow eyes studied Joseph with mild curiosity. Even with him wearing casual clothes, Joseph recognized him instantly—Captain Atom. "Here." Captain Atom handed him a folded set of clothes: a black T-shirt and blue jeans. "Get changed, then meet me outside." With that, he turned and exited, Red Tornado following behind. Once dressed, Joseph stepped out to find Captain Atom had shifted to his human appearance—a tall, white-haired man with blue eyes. He looked more like a military officer than a superhero. "You must be hungry," Captain Atom said. "Let's grab a meal and get to know each other." Joseph wasn't particularly hungry at the moment—he found that he could sustain himself through the Nova Force—but he did enjoy food. With a quick nod to Red Tornado, he followed his mentor down the halls of the Hall of Justice. They exited through a hidden entrance, emerging into a nondescript alleyway before heading toward an empty restaurant. Joseph glanced around. "Did you rent this place out just for our meeting?" Captain Atom smirked. "I've been working a long time, and I barely spend." They sat, ordered their meals, and waited in silence until the server left. "Let's start with introductions," Captain Atom said. "My name is Cameron Scott, and I'll be mentoring you for the next few months." Joseph hesitated for a fraction of a second before deciding to give his real name. "Joseph. Joseph Bell." Captain Atom nodded approvingly. "Batman briefed me on your abilities, and I can sense the energy inside you. I have a feeling I know why I was asked to train you." "You can sense Nova Force?" Joseph asked, surprised. "I'm connected to the Quantum Field," Captain Atom explained. "I can detect all high-energy signatures." Joseph raised an eyebrow. That was... unexpected. The full extent of Captain Atom's abilities was largely unknown to the public. There were theories online, but nothing concrete. "Huh," Joseph mused. "I guess our powers do have some similarities—energy absorption, flight, super strength. Just missing the energy blasts." He chuckled awkwardly. "We'll work on that," Captain Atom assured him. Their food arrived, and the conversation momentarily paused as they dug in. Joseph made quick work of his plate, Kori wasn't the only one with a large appetite. After wiping his mouth with a napkin, Captain Atom stood. "Alright," he said, his gaze sharp with expectation. "Let's see what you can do." Joseph smirked. "You're gonna regret saying that." With that, he followed his new mentor outside.