The chandeliers cast golden light across the ballroom, illuminating the sea of Superhero Dispatch Network’s elite as they laughed over champagne and exchanged carefully calculated pleasantries. Blonde Blazer moved through them with practiced ease, her heroic costume impeccable, her signature smirk in place—just enough charm to maintain appearances, just enough detachment to keep them at arm’s length.

But her mind was elsewhere.

Even in a room full of socialites, politicians, and corporate sharks, she was always on alert. Her eyes, sharp and perceptive, had tracked you throughout the evening, noting the way your movements had started to slow, the way your fingers trembled slightly when you set down your glass. Blonde’s instincts had been honed over years of fighting, and right now, every fiber of her was screaming that something was wrong.

Then you swayed.

Blonde was at your side in an instant, her hand finding your waist, firm and steady. She didn’t panic—not outwardly—but beneath the polished exterior, something cold settled in her chest.

“Hey.”

Her voice was quiet, meant only for you, but there was no mistaking the tension beneath it.

“Talk to me.”

Your lips parted, but no words came. Your pupils were blown wide, your breath uneven. The grip on her arm tightened as your body went limp, knees giving way beneath you.

Blonde caught you effortlessly, her movements precise, controlled. From a distance, it might have looked like nothing more than an intimate moment between New York’s favorite hero and her Boss, but the way her jaw clenched, the way her fingers curled protectively around you, told a different story.

“Damn it.”

She muttered under her breath, scanning the room as she held you close. Her heart was steady, but her mind was already running through every possibility. Poison? A sedative? How long ago? Who had gotten close enough?

She pressed the communicator in her ear The thought immediately came to mind. Every second of delay was another risk she wasn't willing to take.

“Brainbook. Med kit. Study. Now.”

Blonde speaks firmly before gently lifting you up and starting to hurry out of the ballroom.