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  Back at their base, ossed his cloak onto a nearby chair, running a hand through his hair as he settled into one of the plush seats. The air in the room was light, filled with the buzz of post-mission energy.

  Sofia bounced into the room, practically vibrating with excitement. "Did you see Stark’s face when we shut down the Ironmonger? He had no idea what hit him!" she excimed, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

  Nero smirked, leaning back with an air of casual satisfa. "He’ll figure it out eventually," he said, his tone light. "But by then, we’ll be two steps ahead."

  Donald leaned against the wall, his e resting by his side. "Think he’ll e looking for us?" he asked, more curious than ed.

  "Let him try," Nero replied with a shrug. "He’s smart, but he’s not ready for what we have in store. Besides, I’d be disappointed if he didn’t at least make the attempt."

  Diego, who had been lounging on the couch, stretched zily before chiming in, "’t say I bme him. You were pretty fshy out there, boss. The guy’s probably kig himself for not figuring out who we are on the spot."

  Nero’s grin widened. "Keep them guessing. Let Stark think he’s got all the pieces, but fail to see the full picture."

  Sofia flopped onto the couch beside Diego, nudging him pyfully. "It’s not every day you get to mess with a billionaire in a flying tin . I call that a win."

  "Just don’t get too fortable," Nero warhough his tone was more teasing than serious. "Stark’s not someoo uimate. He’s got resources and a stubborn streak a mile wide. This was just the opening move."

  Anthony, who had been quiet siheir return, finally spoke up, his voice thoughtful. "So, what’s the step?"

  Maria settled herself into Nero's armrest, a satisfied smile pying on her lips. "Today was just a debut, a little introdu to Stark, and by extension, to the Army and SHIELD."

  Nero nodded in agreement, the glint of amusement in his eyes. "Maria’s right. We made our presenown, but this was just a greeting."

  From the er of the room, Nigel emerged from the shadows. "So, what’s the official name of our little masked band, anyway?" There was a hint of amusement in his voice as he recalled their colorful entrance.

  Nero chuckled, catg the pyful glint in Nigel's eyes. "You seemed to enjoy pying the masked viginte, Nigel."

  The older man spread his arms wide, a mock-serious look on his face. "What I say? I’ve been a fan of Power Rangers for years. Now we’ve sort of embodied their spirit—colors, masks, the whole deal."

  Nero clicked his tongue in annoyance, shaking his head. "Damn it, Nigel. You should have brought that up before we went with the masks. Now we’ll look like we’re ripping them off."

  Nigel ughed, a deep, hearty sound that echoed through the room. "And what’s wrong with that, Capo? There are worse things to be pared to."

  Nero couldn’t help but grin, his amusement growing. "True, we are definitely skipping the spandex." The room filled with light ughter.

  Sofia swung her legs over the arm of the couch, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "As long as we keep kig ass like we did today, I don’t care what we’re called."

  Nero sighed, rubbing his temples before leaning ba his chair. "Alright, fine. I’ll bite. Let’s hear the suggestions."

  Sofia was the first to jump in, her enthusiasm barely tained, despite her earlier ent. "How about something cssic, like 'The Shadow Syndicate'?" She grinned, clearly pleased with herself.

  Nero chuckled, shaking his head. "Sounds like a ic book vilin team, Sofia. We’re n to be the bad guys here."

  She rolled her eyes pyfully. "Okay, but admit it—it has a nice ring to it."

  Diego chimed i, "What about 'The Faceless'? You know, since we’re all about keeping our identities under s."

  Nero smirked. "And what happens when one of us gets reized? Do we just rebrand as 'The Slightly Less Faceless'?"

  Diego chuckled, unbothered. "Fair point."

  Donald, after thinking for a little while, finally spoke up. "What about something that represents what we stand for? Like 'The Wraiths'—we strike from the shadows and vanish before anyone knows what hit them."

  Nero raised an eyebrow, his expression incredulous as he processed Donald’s suggestion. "The Wraiths? Seriously, Donald? Ghosts are scary."

  Donald shrugged, a hint of a smile tugging at the er of his mouth. "Well, if the shoe fits."

  Nero shook his head, turning to Maria, Anthony, and Nigel, who had yet to tribute. "Alright, aer ideas?"

  Maria, lounging fortably on the arm of Nero’s chair, smiled knowingly. "I think we’re overthinking this. Why not keep it simple? Something that reflects who we are—no frills, no theatrics."

  Nero houghtfully. "Straight to the point. I like it. But what?"

  Anthony spoke up with a bit of a wistful tone. "How about something heroic? 'The Vanguard'? We’re always at the front, leading the charge, unseen but always there."

  Nero shook his head, a wry smile on his lips. "That's the name of a corrupt corporation on an alternate Earth, Anthony. Let’s not associate ourselves with that kind of baggage."

  He turned his attention to Maria and Nigel, who had been quietly listening to the suggestions with varying degrees of amusement. "Alright, you two," Nero said, his tone light but expet. "You two better e up with something good, or we’ll be stuck with Sofia’s ic book vilin team name."

  Maria tapped her thoughtfully, a pyful glint in her eye. "I am still going with my earlier suggestion, something simple but strong? Like 'The Shield'? We staween the world and those who would harm it."

  Nero sidered it for a moment, then shook his head. "Nice idea, but SHIELD’s already got that name locked down. Plus, we’re more offehan defensive."

  Nigel leaned ba his chair, eyes half-closed as he mused aloud. "What about 'The Veil'? We operate from the shadows, unseen and unknown, but alresent."

  Sighing, Nero pushed himself out of the plush chair, stretg his arms zily. "Alright, alright. I’ll e up with the name," he said, his tone pyfully resigned. "Being the boss is such a burden."

  The group collectively rolled their eyes, clearly used to Nero’s dramatics. He paced the room for a moment, rubbing his thoughtfully, then snapped his fingers as aruck him. "The Good Omen," he decred, his voice filled with a subtle triumph.

  Maria and Anthony, the more artistic souls of the group, immediately perked up at the suggestion. They exged a gnce, both clearly intrigued. The name was simple, yet it carried a weight that resonated with them. It was more than just a title—it romise, a symbol of what they stood for.

  "The juxtaposition is perfect," Maria said, her voice filled with approval. "It’s like a warning and a blessing all ed into one."

  Anthony nodded, a slow smile spreading across his face. "It’s poetic. We’re the ones wh ge, whether the world is ready for it or not. I didn't know you had su artistic soul, boss."

  Sighing, Nero shook his head with a chuckle. "It’s the name of a show oh. I just borrowed it. We already stole the whole design from Power Rangers, might as well go all the way."

  The room filled with ughter, the tension from earlier battles fading as they all rexed into the fort of their base. Nero leaned ba his chair, arms crossed as he watched his friends. "The Good Omen," he repeated, this time with a hint of irony. "It’s fitting—gives people hope while keeping them on edge. Just how we like it."

  Maria gave him a pyful nudge. "Still, I think it suits us. We’re ly saints, but we’re not the viliher."

  Nero smirked. "Speak for yourself. Some of us are better at hiding our horns."

  Diego said from his side with a grin. "And our capes. Don’t fet the capes."

  Nero rolled his eyes, amused. "Capes, masks, and all. We’ve definitely got style. Let’s just make sure we don’t trip over them when things get serious."

  Donald rapped his e against the floor, the sound sharp in the quiet room. "So, the name’s settled. Design a are done. Now, what about the Hulk’s entrance? We’re staying in the background, right? Letting Neogeake the spotlight?"

  Nero nodded, leaning ba his chair, fiapping idly on the armrest. "Exactly. We’ve already made enough noise for one day. Let them hahe big green guy. We’ll keep an eye on things, but o step in unless it bes us."

  Sofia bounced her leg as she sat on the couch. "Feels like we’re skipping all the fun."

  Nero shot her a knowing look. "Patience, Sofia. We’ll have our moment. Right now, it’s all about positioning. Besides, it’s not like we’re missing out entirely. We’re still part of the game, just not the ones on the front lihis time."

  The gang nodded in agreement, the room settling into a fortable silenero was about to move on when Nigel spoke up, his tohoughtful. "Boss, today when I locked the Arc Reactor, I felt something different in my power. inally, I po limit how the Arc Reactor worked, but instead, I mao limit who could access its energy."

  Nero leaned forward slightly, intrigued. "You altered who could tap into it, rather than just dampening its fun?"

  Nigel nodded, his gaze distant as he repyed the moment in his mind. "Exactly. It wasn’t just about restrig its output—it was about deg who gets to use it. Almost like setting permissions."

  Sofia perked up from her spot on the couch, a grin spreading across her face. "Sounds like g. You basically set user access levels for the core. Made sure only the right people could i with it."

  Nero chuckled, shaking his head. "Leave it to Sofia to turn magito tech-speak."

  She shot him a pyful gre. "Hey, it’s all just systems and logic at the end of the day. Magic or not, there’s always a way to expin it."

  Nero nodded, still amused. "Fair enough. So, Nigel, does this mean you start filtering who mess with our stuff? Maybe block certain people out entirely?"

  Nigel shrugged, but there was a glint of excitement in his usually calm eyes. "It’s possible. If I do it once, I refi. But it’s not something I’d rely on just yet—still needs more testing."

  Nero nodded, his expression one of geerest. "That’s excellent, Nigel. Like I’ve said before, you’re all still disc what you’re truly capable of. Even I don’t know the full extent of these powers. The more you experiment, the more potential you’ll unlock."

  He pulled his mask off and tossed it onto the table, the subtle gleam of its surface catg the light. "Now, let’s talk about making these masks more than just symbols. Nigel, I want you to start w on limiting scrutiny. I don’t care who’s looking—whether it’s with tech, magic, or anything else—they shouldn’t be able to see through these."

  The room fell into a ptive silence as Nero tinued, his voice firm yet casual. "Each of you should test your abilities on your own masks as well. We’re aiming for something stronger, something that hold up against anything thrown at us. If we’re going to py this game, we’re going to do it right."

  Each member of the group settled into their space, masks in hand, as the room buzzed with quiet energy. The mission had gone well, but now it was time to fiuheir gear. Nero watched from his chair, his gaze shifting from oo another as they began to work, a faint smile pying on his lips. It wasn’t often they had moments like this—time to reflect, adjust, and prepare for what came .

  Sofia was the first to break the silence, her firag the edges of her mask thoughtfully. "Alright, girl and boys," she said with a pyful lilt, "I’m thinking of adding a water vapor shield to this bad boy. Keep it cool under pressure, literally."

  Donald chuckled from his spot by the wall. "You mean you’re making it rain on your own face?"

  Sofia shot him a mock gre. "ly, genius. It’s more like a thermal defense—less sweat, more survival. Plus, it’ll mess with heat-seeking tech. Think of it as staying oep ahead."

  Diego twirled his mask between his fingers. "Sounds like overkill for someone who spends most of her time behind a s," he teased.

  Sofia tossed a pillow at him, grinning. "Says the guy who spends half the battle ag cute. At least my upgrades are practical."

  Diego caught the pillow effortlessly, ughing. "Practicality is overrated. I’m thinking more along the lines of a soundwave nullifier—silent but deadly."

  Anthony looked up from his own mask, a thoughtful expression on his face. "How about adding a sor fre feature," he mused. "Blind the enemy, give us an opening."

  Nero listened, his eyes gleaming with quiet amusement. Maria traced a finger along the surface of her mask, her voice thoughtful but tinged with pyfulness. "I got an idea. Enhang the illusion aspect—make it so people ’t quite tell where I am. You know, a little smoke and mirrors."

  Nigel remained quiet for a moment longer before adding his input. "Capo has already given me dire, on top of that I’m thinking of making the mask filter out harmful energies. That way, if someories to mess with us through magic or toxins, they’ll hit a wall. Plus, I’ll strehe mask’s e to the ring. The stronger our defehe more freedom we have to act."

  They started to work on their ideas for a while, until Sofia broke the silence while fiddling with the edges of her mask. "Water vapor shield's ing along nicely," she muttered, mostly to herself, though her voice carried across the room. "Just gotta make sure it doesn't fog up the ihat’d be a real buzzkill in a fight."

  Donald gri her. "Maybe add a windshield wiper fun," he teased, his voice light. "You know, just in case."

  Sofia rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the smirk tugging at her lips. "Very funny, Doc. We’ll see who’s ughing when your mask starts short-circuiting from all the sparks flying around."

  Donald tapped his e thoughtfully. "Reinforced structure, eleagic barrier—no sparks are getting through this baby," he replied fidently.

  "Yeah, yeah," Sofia shot back, a pyful smirk tugging at her lips. "Just don’t cry when you lose signal. My data masking’s gonna make sure of that." She fiddled with her mask, the light from her ring illuminating the part she was tweaking.

  Donald smirked, gng up from his work. "As long as your mask doesn’t go on the fritz mid-battle, I’ll be fine."

  Sofia arched an eyebrow, a grin tugging at her lips. "Please, Doc, my tech’s solid. ’t say the same for your e, though. What happens if you zap yourself with that eleagic barrier?"

  Donald tapped his e against the floor with a soft thud. "It’s called insurance. And unlike you, I don’t need Wi-Fi to stay useful."

  "Ouch," Sofia ughed, w on her mask. "But don’t e running to me when your insuraneeds updating."

  Diego eyed her work with mock . "You sure you’re not just setting yourself up for a headache? As Donny said, if that thing glitches mid-mission, we’re all gonna hear about it."

  Sofia waved him off, not missing a beat. "Please, Diego. I know what I’m doing. Besides, your soundwave thier not fry my s or we’ll have bigger problems."

  Diego chuckled, leaning back. "Fair enough. But if it works, you’ll be thanking me when you need a little pead quiet."

  Anthony, sitting cross-legged on the floor, looked up from his mask. "You two better not mess with each ear. I’ve got enough to worry about without trying to deflect soundwaves and data blocks in the middle of a fight." His voice was light, but the point was clear.

  Sofia shot him a grin. "Don’t worry, babe. I’ve got it under trol."

  Maria tilted her head with a teasing smile. "By the way, 'Boss,'" she emphasized with mock seriousness, "why are you just sitting there? Is it fun to py the boss who doesn't actually do anything?"

  Nero grinned, unfazed by the pyful jab. "You know how it is, Maria. Delegation is key. Besides, I'm here for moral support."

  Anthony, not missing a beat, joined in. "Oh, so that’s what you call sitting around while we do the work? You must be really supportive then, boss."

  Diego pressed without a dey, "Yeah, Nero. Watg us sweat over these upgrades while you rex? That’s some top-tier leadership."

  Nered, pletely at ease. "Hey, someone’s got to supervise. Make sure you don’t actally blow up the base."

  Sofia snorted. "Please, like I’d ever let that happen. If anything, we should be supervising you, Nero. Last time you tried to 'help,' we ended up with a sparking mess of wires."

  Donald chuckled softly. "You’re right, Sofia. On the sed though Nero, you might want to stick to what yood at—like watg us from a safe distance. Keep up the good work!"

  Nero raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. I get it. I’m just a pretty face around here."

  "Pretty face, sure," Maria teased, nudging him with her elbow. "But you’re not fooling anyone. We all know you’re just dodging the hard work."

  Nigel added with a smirk, "To be fair, he’s perfected the art of looking busy while doing absolutely nothing. It’s a talent, really."

  Nero rolled his eyes, but the grin never left his face. "I will let you know, Nigel. It is called being a boss, thank you. You’ve all got your specialties, and I’m just giving you the ce to shine."

  Sofia leaned back, ughing. "Strategic delegation? That’s a fancy way of saying 'I am too zy to do the heavy lifting.'"

  Diego stretched. "Let’s be real, Nero. If you were in charge of these upgrades, we’d all end up with fmethrowers instead of funal masks."

  Anthony nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and while that sounds cool in theory, I’d rather not set myself on fire during a mission."

  Maria turo Nero with a mock serious expression. "So, boss, any brilliant ideas for your own upgrades? Or are you leaving that to us too?"

  Nero leaned back, pretending to think. "Hmm, I was sidering adding a voice modutor. You know, just to sound more intimidating."

  Sofia smirked. "Because your natural charm isn’t enough?"

  Nero grinned. "Exactly. Gotta keep up appearances, after all."

  Seeing their unvinced faces, Nero chuckled, "Seems like you all fet what my ability is." With a flick of his wrist, an e light lit up his hand, then shifted through a spectrum of colors—sun yellow, rain blue, cloud purple, lightning green, storm red, and finally mist indigo.

  "Woah!" Sofia excimed, her eyes widening in awe. Nero gri her rea, teasing, "I enpass all of you, like the sky hugs all your elements. So when you're doh your enhas, I'll merge them together in all your masks."

  Diego raised an eyebrow with a smirk on his face. "Oh, great. So, basically, you’re saying we’re just fancy accessories for yrand vision?"

  "Pretty much," Nero shot back, his grin widening. "But hey, you all look good while doing it."

  apped his foot thoughtfully against the floor. "And here I thought I was more than just a cloud in your sky, Capo. Guess I’m just part of the weather report now."

  Maria shook her head, a teasing smile pying on her lips. "I think he’s just trying to make himself sound more important. We all know he’s just showing off because he doesn’t want to admit he’s not doing the hard work."

  Nero pulled Maria into his p, making her yelp in surprise as he stretched her cheeks pyfully. "Hey, you’re supposed to be my first dy. Don’t go exposing my secrets."

  Maria swatted at his hands, half-ughing as she tried tle free. "If you don’t want to be exposed, stop making it so easy, boss."

  The rest of the group burst out ughing, and Diego leaned in, grinning. "First dy? More like the one keeping you in line. We all know who really runs this show."

  Anthony smirked as he added, "If you keep that up, Nero, you’ll be the one on the receiving end of her scolding."

  Sofia, never oo miss a ce to pile on, chuckled from her spot on the couch. "She’s got enough dirt on you to sink a ship."

  Nero raised his hands in mock surrender, a grin spreading across his face. "Fine, fine. M'dy, whatever you say." Then, with a swift movement, he pulled Maria closer, pnting a quick kiss on her lips. She pyfully pushed him away, shaking her head with a smile.

  "Alright, alright," she teased, "don't think a kiss gets you off the hook for dodging work."

  Nero chuckled, leaning ba his chair. "Nah, the kiss was my st meal before execution."

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