The Nexus.

I approached the tower at the edge of the facility and noticed Maddie standing there, waiting for me. "You made it," she said with enthusiasm. She motioned for me to stay quiet as she pressed her hands against the tower walls. Using the sound emanating from the tower, she created an entrance. We stepped through, and the opening closed seamlessly behind us. "Welcome to the spot," she said with a chuckle.

We descended a spiraling staircase that led to a large room below. "So, how did phase one treat you?" she asked. I explained that I was still figuring out my powers. "Fair enough," she responded. At the bottom of the stairs, the room was bustling with at least fifty people.

"Hey, Maddie, who's your friend?" a guy called out.

"This is Kaleb. He's new here," she replied. The guy extended his hand for a shake. When I grabbed it, he pulled me closer and said with a laugh, "I'm Chase. I'm seventeen, and I'm really strong." His grip strength backed up his claim. Releasing my hand, he offered to show me around.

"Oh, alright. I'll see you both later," Maddie said, mentioning she had to talk to someone.

Chase slung his arm around my shoulders and started the tour. "This place is super secret, so don't go telling anyone about it. You'll make enemies quickly if you do." He pointed to a counter and explained where to find food and drinks. Then, he gestured toward the DJ's setup, and finally to the lounge area, where Maddie had gone.

When we reached the lounge, Maddie was stepping away from a girl I vaguely recognized. "Done with the tour already?" she asked rhetorically.

"Of course," Chase declared with exaggerated pride. "I'm the best host ever."

His attention was quickly captured by a group of guys shouting at a TV, and he hurried over to join them. Maddie laughed. "Some host, huh?" she said, and I nodded with a small smile.

She motioned for me to sit at a table with her. Once we were settled, she started sharing about her year, explaining how she had finished her phase training and was now on standby for potential missions. As I listened, I couldn't help but wonder what kind of missions would benefit from her abilities. Her powers, while impressive, required a constant source of sound, which seemed like a significant limitation.

She admitted that while she could leave this place and return to the "real world," she didn't have anywhere to go. This had become her home. Her words rambled, and it was clear that she carried the burden of trying to please everyone.

Gently, I placed my hand on her shoulder and spoke telepathically, "Maddie, you're not here because you have nowhere else to go. You're here because you want to feel appreciated." She stopped mid-sentence, startled. "You are enough," I continued. "I know we just met, but I can see that you're running from something."

Her expression shifted to one of sadness, and I felt compelled to comfort her. She looked down, visibly nervous. I lifted her chin gently and said, "I'm not here to tell you what to do, but I want to help you see your own worth."

She sighed, then nodded. "You know, people always call me a people-pleaser. I used to take it as an insult because I thought I was just helping others. But deep down, I know it's because I want to be liked."

"I understand," I replied. She let out a nervous chuckle, saying she appreciated my words.

"Did you volunteer to come here?" I asked.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I ended up here because of a mistake I made a while back."

Curious, I asked if she felt comfortable sharing. She hesitated but then opened up. About a year and a half ago, she got in trouble for creating and selling jewelry. That alone didn't seem serious, but she explained that the objects she transformed into jewelry were usually things that produced distinct noises.

"So, what happened?" I asked, suppressing a laugh.

Her tone turned sheepish. "I turned a car into a wristwatch."

Stunned, I blinked at her, trying to process what she just said. "And?" I prompted.

"The car stopped making its usual noises and, well, it turned back into a car... while someone was wearing it."

I struggled not to burst out laughing. "What would make you turn a car into a watch?"

Shrugging, she admitted, "I had a grudge against the guy. He was the reason I failed eleventh-grade math."

We shared a laugh before she shifted the conversation. "What about you? How did you end up here?"

"My siblings got into a fight, and I got caught in the middle of it. Long story short, we all ended up paying the price." I shrugged, explaining that I had already considered coming here, so it wasn't a huge surprise.

"Ah, so you got the distress message from Joe Wann?" she asked. I nodded, but the memory of the message made me uneasy, and she picked up on my discomfort, quickly changing the subject.

"The phases aren't as complicated as they make them sound," she said, pulling out her phone. She explained that most metahumans transition to the hero life in about five weeks.

"It feels very... governmental," I remarked as I pulled out my phone. She noticed my screen saver, a photo of my friends back home.

"Who are they?" she asked.

"My friends," I replied. She showed me a picture of her friends from before. She looked genuinely happy in the photo, without the mask of perfection she seemed to wear now.

"You must've had a great group," I said. She smiled wistfully and nodded. "I did," she said quietly.

As the evening wore on, I mentioned that it was getting late. She agreed and walked me back to the entrance. We parted ways, but my curiosity lingered on something—why had Maddie been talking to that girl earlier? She seemed like trouble, maybe even worse than Booker.

Back in my room, my roommate was passed out on the couch with some girl. They were watching holiday movies since Christmas was around the corner. I tiptoed past them and entered my space.

On my nightstand was a folded note. I opened it, and my father's handwriting greeted me:

"Dear Kaleb,

This is your father. I'm aware of your absence, as well as your siblings. Your mother has fled the country for reasons still unclear, but one thing is certain—the age of heroes is about to return to its peak.

I know you responded to Sentinel Solutions' distress message. I chose not to follow that path. For now, I work solo, networking with other heroes like myself. I'll keep this short—good luck, and tell your siblings I love all of you.

Sincerely, Dad."

I sighed, crumpled the note, and tossed it into the trash. Lying down on my bed, I muttered aloud, "This is a serious mess."