[The Power Posse!] Issue 1: First Contact

"You know, I think you're right! I feel relieved leaving things in your capable hands! As for the matter of contacting me..." Brawndo Man wiggles their fingers, and a business card appears between them. Like that, they hand it over snappily to Officer Miller.
"...dial up my liaison! Whatever you need, she'll let me know and I'll get to it in a Brawndo-fueled flash!"

They pause. "Oh! You mean us as a whole, the Power Posse! Well, I'm something of a new acquaintance myself, maybe they'll be able to loop you into communications!"

GDA Facility

Annette smiles at Agent White. The relief of working with an organisation like the GDA to stop the Institute filled her with hope.

"Thank you," she tells her.

Annette heads back to the airlock doors, duplicating herself to the exact number needed to fill the available stations inside, to continue studying the Man-tis retrovirus together for however many days and weeks it takes.

Either to help her cure the incomplete Stage 2 anti-superhuman virus in her to cure future Institute viruses or to help the GDA find the Institute.

The Anne-Tibodies turn back to Agent White.

"Don't worry," one of Anne-Tibodies says.

"It's only the dead Annettes we can't reabsorb back," another Anne-Tibody says.

Then the Anne-Tibodies file into the airlock one by one.

Inkredible eyes Brawndo Man and the business card. He hadn't really thought of a good way to have direct contact with anyone really. He did have a personal phone, but that would be traceable to a real identity, and there was no doubt the cops would have that access if they felt nosy. If this sponsored super was going to play into their group. They might as well play it back where it suited.

"Figure if one of the group is informed, that will work well enough. The liaison can be the point of contact. At least for now. We'll leave you to it. Sooner this gets sorted the safer for everyone. Oh, and Brawndo."

He places a hand on the draft punk's armored shoulder.

"Got somethin' work related to discuss. Come on."

He leads them away from the scene and into a nearby alleyway between buildings before turning to address the topic at hand.

"Appreciate the help. So take this in a good way when I ask who the hell are you? And don't give me that sponsored bullshit."

Brawndo Man looked like quite the sight, being led along like a kid while clomping along in a suit of armor. As the inky figure turns to question them, they slump dramatically.

"And here I didn't take you for the type to ask questions after shooting. Especially considering what a good first impression I made! Well, I wouldn't want to leave a promising new partnership in doubt..."

Touching their left index finger to the "ear" of their helmet and turning it like a key, a distinctive gashunk rings out. The tinted visor fades slightly, just enough to reveal a pair of wide, dark brown eyes. The speaker's modulating effect turns off, though the speaking voice is still somewhat muffled.

"Call me...Kenny. Haven't been talked to like a regular person since my last tour of duty. Came back four years ago, minus some fairly essential parts and a Purple Heart to my name. Got a little worried about how I was gonna send my girl to college..."

They fold their arms, leaning against the wall. "Lucky for us, Brawndo was looking for a brand new PR initiative because the old stunts were getting stale, and they wanted someone with expertise, experience, and strength of character." Lifting their arm, they nonchalantly point their thumb at themselves. "When they called me, I didn't need to think too hard about it. We needed the money, and it wasn't some grinding desk job. I just want to fight the good fight, like I'm sure you do. So them giving me a way to do so despite my injuries? Of course I'd say yes."

"Look, my service history in the Army and as Brawndo Man should bear me out. I've been on every screen in the country for the last three- last four years. You know I'm good for it. Come on, let's bring it in." Standing up straight, they take two steps towards Inkredible, opening their arms for a hug.

Another pause. "Uh, this'll probably be better. So, team?" They hold out their metal arm for a handshake.

Showstopper stood by, watching Brawndo Man work while feeling unsure where they should even begin with the footage. She silently tried to think of ideas, but ultimately felt it was best to leave this with Officer Miller when he volunteered to have his team look through it. The police did have people trained for this sort of thing, after all.

Feeling like all they could do now was wait, she took out her phone and sent a message to an old friend of hers, Roman Barnett.

yoo u wouldn’t believe the day I’ve had, r u busy rn? gonna try that coffee shop on jefferson avenue in like an hour, swing by if u have the time

Having sent the invitation, she glances back up at the security monitor and then over at Inkredible as he’s leading Brawndo Man out of the building. Yeah, things’ll be fine here, I think we could all use a break, she thinks to herself before also walking towards the door. Although… I probably oughta clue the rest of the team in…

hey gang, gonna take a lil bit to unwind after everything that went down earlier. when y’all want to link up or if somethin comes up in the meantime, drop a time and location and I’ll be there

GDA Facility

Inside the containment lab, the Anne-Tibodies study the tissue samples of Man-tis.

One of the Anne-Tibodies sits back. She's exhausted. She looks to another Anne-Tibody, who's also exhausted.

"Break?" she asks.

The other Anne-Tibody nods. "Coffee."

"And a donut!" another Anne-Tibody in the lab calls out.

"We're on a diet!"

All the Anne-Tibodies reabsorb until only one Anne-Tibody is left. This one is now Annette. She goes through decontamination and exits the airlocks.

She gets a coffee, eyes the donuts, but walks away to check her messages and sees Showstopper's. She was right, today was crazy. Battling a giant half-human half-mantis creature. Annette was still hurt from the battle. And so, so tired.

She downs the rest of her coffee quickly, zips herself back into her hazmat suit, duplicates, and the Anne-Tibodies head back into the containment lab.

The Insitute weren't going to take a break from their evil plan that Annette had, in part, contributed to.

So the Anne-Tibodies wouldn't stop until they stopped the Institute.

The Anne-Tibodies look at Agent White, then at the empty lab stations inside the containment lab, then back at the GDA Agent again.

They reabsorb into a single Annette. She frowns at Agent White hard.

"And who's going to continue studying the Man-tis samples while I'm eating? Or in the shower? Or sleeping? No matter how many scientists you have, the only edge you have against the Institute is me. You lose that if I'm not working for any reason, Agent White."

She gestures at the containment lab, "In fact, you need more labs. The more of me you have working, the better our odds are of finding something that will help us stop the Institute!"