I decided that no progress was also progress. It being the first time I've met Aro, I decided that it was absolutely okay to have failed to make him eat. At least I can just sit beside him and pretend to be a plant or something. 

The documentary was scientific history or Einstein or something along those lines. As much as I enjoyed documentaries on my free time, I was beginning to get distracted by the man beside me. Aro had his body hunched forward, his eyebrows furrowing with concentration. TV was relaxing for me. Aro looked like he was ready to use whatever information he got from the documentary to build a nuclear weapon.

Aro turned around and stared at me.

"Why is your posture like that?" I asked, pointing at his back.

He scratched his chin. "You're distracting me, so I have to do that to focus on the screen."

"What's so distracting about me?" I asked incredulously. "I'm quiet as a mouse! Besides, it's funny how Albert Einstein is the greatest scientist of all time, yet they couldn't take a better picture of him."

I pointed at the photo with Albert Einstein with his tongue out. "I mean, what did this guy even do?"

Aro's jaw dropped at my statement. "What did he do? What did he do? He developed the theory of relativity! Do you know how important that is in modern science?"

There it was.... A reaction. I tested him further, my tone teasing.

"No, I mean, anyone can do that right?" I asked, my tone almost teasing. "I bet you can develop something like that."

"Look... This guy is a genius for a reason." Aro straightened up.

"Yeah? Why is that?"

"He was one of the people who refined quantum physics." Aro sounded slightly defensive over Einstein and it was hilarious to me. "That and the two pillars of modern physics."

"And what is that?"

"Relativity and Quantum theory."

"Sir Isaac Newton is better. The dude found gravity."

I had no idea what I was saying at this point, but Aro was responding and I decided to keep up with it.

"Sir Isaac Newton was the trigger, but there are so many scientists that had different variations. Albert Einstein had his own and believed gravity is distorted space."

"What's the difference between the two?" I asked, smiling to myself. Aro began to ramble, trying to explain to me what the difference was. "Gravity is just gravity, right? How different can the two be?"

"Newton believed objects fall because of the Earth's gravity. Einstein believed objects fall in a curved space time. Two different theories but they serve the same purpose! How can you say they aren't geniuses?"

"I never said they aren't geniuses, I said maybe any smart scientist can do that," I corrected. Aro shook his head. "You don't think so?"

"No! What are you saying?" Aro whipped his head around to tell me all about Einstein's and Newton's achievements when he seemed to sense my amusement. Inhaling sharply, he spoke. "This is what you want. You want me to talk."

Not waiting for my response, he called out for the robot. "Beebo! Popcorn!"

He didn't know what he had done and I didn't have time to process it. The robot came wheeling over to both of us, awakened from his sleep mode. I thought I was safe when its eyes shifted to red.

"Intruder! Intruder!"

In a hurry of jumping up to escape the robot's knife hands, I fell backwards onto Aro's lap, my body curling up in instinct when the robot came closer. It stopped, scanning both Aro and I as my hands clung onto his neck.

"I-I-Intrude...d-d-der... Attack?"

Aro grunted at the weight of my body on top of his. "Beebo, she's safe. Don't attack."

The robot slowly lowered the knife. The elevator doors opened behind us and Aro shifted uncomfortably under me, but he did not ask me to get off. I stared at Beebo, its curved eyes a white and not a red so I guessed it was safe when a man walked out of the elevator.

That man was my boss.

Champion Tremaine froze when he saw us, but instead of asking what I was doing on Aro's lap, his gaze skated over the room warily. "Where's Beebo?"

Seemed like Champion and Beebo had bad history, I thought. Rolling off Aro's lap, I fell onto the ground and dusted myself off before standing up.

"Mr. Tremaine," I greeted him. Champion raised a hand to tell me to just call me Champion. "Yes. I was just doing a session. With this guy."

Champion glanced at my bandaged hand then frowned.

"Did one of the Superhumans do that?" he asked, concerned. "Are you going to resign?"

I shook my head to put Champion's mind at ease.

"Beebo's doing," Aro said, standing up and cracking his knuckles. Champion tensed up at the mention of Beebo but the robot saw him and wheeled away. "I reprogrammed him and put your face on the database."

"Jeez, thank you," Champion said with relief.

"It's selective, however," Aro continued. "Version 1 is where he attacks everyone that isn't me."

"Well, save that for the days you aren't feeling your best, Aro. For now, Maxwell has given us a case." Champion pushed his golden-brown hair out of his eyes. Placing a small pouch on the table, he began pulling things out from it. Aro did not seem fazed by it and I frowned when stacks of books and newspapers came from the small pouch.

More kept coming, Champion complained. "I really need to organize my things. Where is it? Where?"

He took out a foldable chair from the pouch, unfolding it and putting it on the ground. I gasped. He saw my expression.

"I manipulate space," he said to me, chuckling at my expression. "I can fit everything and anything into anything. Not a very useful, to be honest."

I recalled Jay mentioning that Champion was like them. This was why.

"Oh, found it!" A file was retrieved out of the mini-pouch and handed to Aro.

I decided to leave, knowing my presence wouldn't be much help but Champion's shot out to grab my shoulder.

"Stay. We might need you."

That sounded eerie for some reason.

Aro was reading what was written on the paper. "Is it authorized?"

"Barely," was the answer. "They got a tip that a mafia boss is thinking causing a terrorist attack. No idea how, why, or when. That's what we need to find out."

Aro hummed. "Then this isn't a mission for the rest, just Royal. I have to work on his suit. It won't be done in time. I just hit a roadblock."

"They are situated by a garbage dump," Champion said, leaning against the table. "It's hard to get in and Royal going alone is too risky. We need his face, name, and information of his team for it to be authorized by the police to conduct a proper investigation. They won't work on just a tip so they are using us."

This is what they meant by "barely authorized", I thought. The police knew, but they needed them to do a few tasks before the police fully step in.

"You have to be the one to go into the field. People know the faces of the rest of your teammates. Just go in, bring Royal. Try to strike some deal with them and stall some time while Royal investigates," Champion said before turning to Aro who nodded.

"Sure," Aro said, rubbing his chin. "Let me do some research and we can go in a few hours. I'll have to patch up Royal's suit. I am estimating it can hold off for only thirty minutes and not anything beyond that."

"Can you put a recorder into the suit?"

"If they are going to check us for recording devices, it'll ping and they'll put a bullet into our heads," Aro said, shaking his head. "I have my glasses. I'll put a chip into the boot of my shoe. I'll put a blocker along with it so it can stop any scanning devices from reacting to it. When I arrive, I'll excuse myself to go to the bathroom and insert it into my glasses and upload it to Beebo's cloud."

"What if they suspect you?"

"They shouldn't have cameras in the bathroom..."

"What if they do?"

"I'll just remember who they are and what not. Do they need solid evidence? Does the government not trust us enough? All we can do is hope that it works out. Besides, it's a two-man mission. Not like we have someone to keep distracting them while I'm away."

Champion's gaze fell on me and Aro looked up. He raised an eyebrow, eyes darting from Champion to me.

"Really?"

"No, it's perfect! She'll just sit there and look pretty! More believable, don't you think?"

"Did you ask her if she wants to do it? Is it part of her job scope?" Aro asked, frowning at him.

"Okay," I said. I've always wanted to have a purpose. What more a better purpose than to go into a mafia's den and help these people to aim for the greater good?

"Okay?" Champion sounded surprised.

"Okay,"I finalized. "I'll do it."

________________________________________________________________________________

Sitting at the back seat with Royal who had his emerald eyes fixated on his phone, I tugged uncomfortably on the edges of my A-skirt. I was dressed like a secretary, Aro's extra blue-block glasses perched on my nose – it kept slipping and I had to push it back up every two seconds.

Aro was in the front seat, his dark brown hair gelled back so much it seemed hard as a rock. Champion pressed down on the accelerator, and we surged forward, our CEO slash driver for the day apologizing for he had not driven a car for a long time.

I learned that Champion had never accompanied the Superhumans before. This would be his first time. Since it wasn't a hundred percent authorized by the authorities, Champion had no choice and hiring a driver was too risky and could cause complications.

The car had pulled up to a deserted area with a big dumpster in the background, the sharp smell of rotten food and trash entering my nostrils. Scrunching up my nose, I swallowed nervously when I saw Aro sneak a glance at me. His fingers were fiddling with the buttons of his suit before he grabbed a patterned blazer that screamed "rich male who buys his clothes from Paris" and tugged it on.

He looked like the son of a conglomerate who had everything in his life served on a silver platter and buys sports cars as a hobby. I looked like I could be found in the library on break time and was just working for him because I was broke (which, respectfully, I kind of was).

Everyone stepped down from the car and Champion inserted an earpiece. The plan was that he would wait until Aro for the chip from his boot and into his glasses – they'd go from there. The air was chilly and I shivered, trailing behind all of them.

"You look nervous," Royal stated.

"Are you not?"

"Not yet," he replied before turning invisible to the eye.

One step closer to the entrance and I could already hear people yelling. My ears perked up when I realized that it wasn't yelling, it was cheering. I could hear glasses clinking against one another as an indication of people drinking.

A man stood there with a gun on his belt and I had to remind myself that they couldn't open fire yet. I would still be alive... until I wouldn't. Stopping right in front of a hunky doorman who was wearing a wife beater and sporting a shiny bald head, I tried my best not to cower behind the man who was supposedly my boss.

"I need to see Vin." Aro dragged up a sleeve so he could flash Champion's watch at them.

Mr. Vin had an interest in watches: expensive, antique, and vintage. This was added in the briefing that Aro gave us prior to us arriving. I caught sight of a camera by the doorway focusing on us when the guards received a call.

"In," the guard growled. Aro lifted an eyebrow, cockily eyeing the man with not an ounce of fear. He exuded the need to be respected by them. I grasped my hands together when I saw a flash of paper suspiciously slip from the table.

That would be Royal. I hoped he'd be a little bit more careful.

I jumped when Aro snapped his hands in front of me, snapping me back to reality as both of us walked past the party of people who brought their attention to our entrance. Screenings began and machines were brought to scan both of us. I held a breath when the scanner reached Aro's boot, but it showed no interception. 

"Relax. You look like you've seen a ghost," Aro whispered under his breath.

"One wrong move and I will be a ghost," I retaliated, sweat beading on my forehead. I wasn't able to wear my hair in pigtails this time and it felt like I wasn't myself, my hands tugging the bottom of my long hair. I was beginning to second guess my choices – I was not brave nor was I an actor.

I bet I looked like I had eaten something wrong for dinner and wanted to puke.

I did want to puke. The moment I was brought deeper into the warehouse, I could make out the scent of blood, bleach, and alcohol. Aro nudged me and I changed my expression, struggling to keep a straight face. We were directed to the worn-down couches.

I expected luxury items, considering this Mister Vin was a mafia boss. I was wrong. Aro took a seat, making a face at how dirty the couch was to show his disgust before jerking his head to the man in front of him, a fifty-year-old man in pajamas and a huge beer belly. His fingers were decorated with an array of rings and his smile, a gold tooth.

"I came here to propose to you a business deal. I have heard," Aro drawled, elongating his words, "you have been terrorizing our neighborhood people. I want to buy the estate. Cash."

His hand was placed on the couch and when his finger moved, I quickly dropped my head to pretend to speak to him in a hushed voice. Aro tilted his head up, listening to the nonsense I was spewing – which was a recipe for pizza. It was for show, Aro knew what he was supposed to say according to the script. He didn't want to seem like a smart threat, to which he was, but a snotty rich kid who wants to make daddy proud.

"I would like your help to... handle the area. Your," Aro gesticulated with his hands towards the men who had surrounded us, listening to our conversation. "Goons are going to be very helpful. I don't have time to hire manpower. Buying the estate would be buying this place and..."

A pause for dramatic effect. "Buying you. But instead of killing you to get rid of threat, I'd rather put you into good use. You get to stay here. Keep the place but follow my orders."

"Let me humor you for a bit. What do I get from it other than getting to keep this place. Free of deal?" Vin asked, pursing his hyperpigmented lips that were purple from chain smoker.

"As I said," Aro replied, with a nonchalant shrug. "You get to keep the place."

"You think you can come here and threaten me?"

"Oh!" Aro coughed, doubling over. He made a sound with his throat and spat on the ground. I gave him a cloth. "Sorry. The smell of this place. Smells like dogshit and poverty."

The comment made Vin turn bright red but before he could say anything, Aro stood up.

"Mind I use the bathroom? I must wash my hands. The ick, oh... horrible!" Aro pulled on the color of his shirt. "Which way is it? Tetra?"

I raised an eyebrow with no idea what he was talking about.

________________________________________________________________________________

(Vin, the Master Gangster)

Aro had to think of a name right off the bat. Not knowing the new manager's name, he settled for "Tetra" for "Tetrabyte". When she looked confused, he snapped his fingers once more.

"Y-Yes?"

"Entertain this man, please. I need to wash my hands. I feel the bacteria crawling all over me. What a pigspen." Aro stalked away, not having to look back to know that Vin was fuming.

Royal was in the hallway, watching the scene unfold in front of him. His suit was tight against his skin while he crept around, trying to scout out for information. He saw Aro being escorted by a massive man who could take up the whole hallway and he skittered to the side, entering an empty room.

He hated missions like this when the scope was so big, he had no targeted information. Sometimes, it was like a needle on a haystack. Royal hated not knowing where to look or what to do.

When Aro reached the bathroom, he locked the door and scanned the room for cameras. Tapping on each tile quickly to make sure they were not hollow; he checked the toilet and the water tap area. After clearing the place, he hastily unclipped the sole of his boot to remove the chip and shove it into his glasses.

The interface started the moment it connected and he could see a screen boot up. It was connected to Beebo and the red dot began, indicating the recording had started. Another screen entered and he heard Jay's voice.

"Beebo! Show me! Show me!"

Aro blinked. "Na—"

"Heyyyyyo!" Jay greeted, his wide smile on screen. I'm back at the manor with Chester and Andy. Took Beebo from your basement to play. How's the mission going?"

Aro frowned. "I think I told you I don't like anyone touching my robot."

Champion's voice intercepted. "Aro, did you get the chip into your glasses? Is the girl safe?"

Aro didn't have time to respond when the sound of banging came from the bathroom door. He opened it up, the goon holding a scanner.

"I need to scan you one more time, sir," the goon said and Aro paled. Champion gasped into his earpiece. "Protocol."

"Does your boss not trust me? Do you know who I am? Do you know who my father is?" Aro demanded, morphing his expression into a scowl. "How dare you question me?"

"That's is, Aro! Show them who is alpha!" Jay chortled into his ear, not understanding the severity of the situation. He could see Chester and Andy tensing up with nervousness and he shook his head once, the screen with his housemates back in the manor disappearing and leaving just what he was supposed to see.

The goon was going to bully him to get scanned, Aro knew he wouldn't go down without a fight. Royal knew that, too. He snuck out of the room and kicked a door open, the slamming of the wood against the wall distracting the guard. Aro could see Royal through the glasses, and he gave a thumbs up when the guard went running to check

Royal moved stealthily towards Aro, whispering calmly. "I wouldn't keep the glasses on you, Aro. They are suspicious. I heard them talking."

________________________________________________________________________________

When Aro came back from the bathroom, I gulped. I was absolutely terrified. When he was gone, a man had asked if I wanted to "have some fun" and invited me to drink apple juice to which I declined.

Aro strode towards me, grabbing his glasses and flinging it into the air. I reacted, pouncing over and catching it in my hands. I knew it was part of his plan. Aro had told me multiple times that these glasses were his lifeline and he had spent many years working on it.

"I-Is the brand not to your liking, sir?" I asked softly, Aro grunting in response. "I'll replace it."

"You do that, Jean," he said.

Vin looked confused. "I thought her name was Tetra?"

"I have no idea what her name is," Aro snapped. That was the truth. I turned away and quickly switched my glasses with Aro's, hearing Champion and Jay converse in my ear while Aro, Royal, and I were in a life and death situation.

"What do you say? About your deal?" Aro asked, bringing the focus back on his baseless threats.

________________________________________________________________________________