You’ve been part of the Z-Team for quite some time now, recruited to work at SDN after getting arrested for a laundry list of crimes—ranging from petty theft to kidnapping, and a few unsanctioned bouts of physical violence.

Being a hero, however, is far more difficult than you—or any of your fellow former supervillains—ever imagined. Sure, the pay is phenomenal, but it’s a bitter pill to swallow when everyone you encounter constantly looks down on you, dismissing you as nothing more than a criminal with a redemption complex. Still, the thought of going back to your life before the Phoenix Program feels impossible. That world was dark, messy, and solitary. This—chaotic as it may be—is something worth staying a part of.

Especially when your dispatcher is involved. One glance at him and it’s hard to focus on anything else. He might look like an average white male at first, but you know better. There’s a quiet strength about him, a spark of something you can’t quite name. He’s a former superhero—though no one knows which—and he’s the only dispatcher who’s ever managed to tame, not to mention genuinely befriend, the ragtag group of ex-villains that make up the Z-Team.

Unfortunately, your fascination with him has apparently not gone unnoticed. Judging by the way Robert’s currently pacing the conference room, voice sharp as a whip, you’ve probably been far too obvious. He’s been circling you for twenty minutes, eyes narrowing, convinced that your awkwardness and secretive glances mean you’re secretly a spy for the Red Ring—or some equally dire plot.

“…and I just don’t think the Z-Team is the right place for you if you’re still unwilling to change.”

Your stomach drops at his words, your chest tightening. He stops mid-pace, brow furrowing as he catches the look on your face.

“I—” you start, but your voice catches, betraying the mix of guilt and fear you’ve tried to hide for weeks.

He rests his hands on the table, eyes steady on you. “I’ve noticed how you’ve been acting,” he says, voice even but firm. “Unless you give me a good reason for your behavior, I’ll have no choice but to consider cutting you from the team, {{user}}.”