Syndicate

A couple of hours after the fight with Gearmaster, Jasper found himself back at the Syndicate's base. The base never stayed in one location for long, always on the move, hidden in various places across the globe. Today, it was somewhere remote, nestled in a dense forest, completely concealed from the outside world.

For most people, reaching the base would be a logistical nightmare, but Jasper had the advantage of flight. He could just imagine how much of a pain it was for those without such powers to keep up with the Syndicate's constant relocation.

As he entered the briefing room, he found Vis already there, sitting at a small table with a tablet in hand. She glanced up as he walked in, offering him a small, welcoming smile. Despite her reserved nature, she had always been the one who made an effort to check in on him, to make sure he wasn't feeling isolated. Jasper appreciated that, even though he didn't always show it.

"Hey, Jasper," she greeted, her voice soft but genuine. "How are you doing?"

Jasper shrugged, taking a seat across from her. "Same old, same old," he muttered, though his mind was still replaying the fight with Gearmaster from earlier. The rush, the thrill of using his powers... and the questions that kept swirling in his head afterward.

Vis studied him for a moment, her expression thoughtful. "I heard about what happened today. Saw it all over social media. The 'hooded mystery guy' taking down Gearmaster," she said, her lips curling into a smile. "That was you, wasn't it?"

Jasper sighed, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Yeah, that was me. I didn't really mean to make a big deal out of it. Just... felt like the right thing to do."

Vis chuckled softly. "You're not used to the attention yet, huh? Well, congrats, though. You did a good job."

Before Jasper could respond, the door slid open, and Cipher walked in, her presence immediately commanding attention. She didn't waste any time, cutting straight to the point.

"Jasper," Cipher began, her tone stern. "You've been making waves today. Your little encounter with Gearmaster is all over social media. A mysterious hooded guy taking down one of the city's notorious villains and disappearing from the scene... it's gone viral."

Jasper's stomach dropped. "Wait, what? I didn't think—"

"Of course you didn't," Cipher cut him off, pacing the room with her arms crossed. "The news is plastered with footage of you. It's a mess. You left Gearmaster beaten to a pulp and then flew off like you're some ghost hero. Do you realize what that means?"

Jasper felt the heat of embarrassment rising in his face. Vis, however, looked at him with a smile, her eyes showing a hint of admiration. "Well, congrats," she said with a grin. "Not everyone can say they took down Gearmaster solo. That's pretty cool."

"Yeah, cool," Cipher muttered, clearly unimpressed. She stepped in front of Jasper, her expression stern. "It's not wise to act on your own, Jasper. You're part of the Syndicate now, and that means your actions reflect on all of us. If someone ties you to the Syndicate, you could be used as leverage against us. Do you understand how dangerous that is?"

Jasper's face flushed deeper, this time with frustration rather than embarrassment. "I was just trying to help people. Isn't that the whole point? I mean, what was I supposed to do, just stand there and let Gearmaster rob the damn truck?"

Cipher's eyes narrowed. "You leave things like that to H.O.P.E. and its heroes. They're the ones built for public attention. We operate in the shadows for a reason. We're not here to be recognized."

Jasper clenched his fists, trying to swallow the anger bubbling up inside him. "So, what? I'm supposed to sit back and watch while people get hurt just because we're not supposed to be seen? I thought we were supposed to help people, not hide away."

"Helping people is more complicated than you think, Jasper," Cipher replied coolly. "And this isn't about you. It's about the bigger picture. Trust me, getting yourself caught up in public fights is only going to make things worse for all of us."

Jasper took a deep breath, his emotions simmering beneath the surface. He was trying to do good, trying to figure out his place in all of this, and now he was being scolded for it. He felt lost and confused, but more than anything, he felt frustrated.

"Fine," he muttered, his voice low. "I get it. I'm sorry."

Cipher stared at him for a moment, her eyes sharp and calculating. She wasn't satisfied with his response, but she let it go. "Just be more careful next time," she said. "We can't afford mistakes."

Jasper nodded but quickly shifted the conversation to something that had been bothering him for a while now. "Cipher... can we talk about me? About my powers, who I am, and how you guys knew about me? Does this have something to do with Perseus? Am I going through the same thing he is?"

The room grew still. Vis shifted uncomfortably, and Cipher's expression hardened. She had no interest in answering those questions. Not now.

"You shouldn't be asking those questions, Jasper," Cipher said flatly, her tone offering no room for negotiation. "Eventually, you'll know the truth. But for now, focus on what's in front of you. Everything else will come in time."

Jasper's frustration boiled over. "What the hell, Cipher?" he snapped, his voice rising. "I'm out there risking my neck for this team, and I don't even know why! How am I supposed to trust any of you if you won't even tell me who I am?"

Cipher remained cold, unmoved by his outburst. "You'll know when you need to know."

That was the last straw for Jasper. He stood up abruptly, his chair scraping across the floor. "Whatever," he muttered, storming out of the room without another word.

Vis glanced at Cipher, concern flickering in her eyes. "He's just trying to understand," she said softly. "He deserves answers."

Cipher's gaze remained fixed on the door where Jasper had exited. "When the time is right," she replied, her voice firm. "But not now."

Jasper stormed into the gym room inside the Syndicate's base, his mind still spinning from the frustrating exchange with Cipher. He thought maybe working out would help calm him down, or at least get some of the anger out. His fists were still tingling with leftover energy, his thoughts too loud, and the lack of answers gnawed at him.

Without a second thought, he yanked off his hoodie, leaving him in just a tank top, and walked over to one of the punching bags hanging in the corner. He didn't think; he just started swinging. His fists pounded into the bag, the rhythmic thudding of leather on leather echoing through the room. Each hit was harder than the last, as if he was trying to beat the frustration out of himself, trying to find some clarity in the chaos.

The bag swayed violently with each punch, but it wasn't enough. He punched harder, faster, trying to push out the boiling frustration. His fists heated up, and with one final strike, the chain snapped, sending the bag flying across the room and slamming against the wall.

Breathing heavily, Jasper rubbed his knuckles, the sound of his labored breathing filling the otherwise silent room.

But then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something—or rather, someone.

Nox stood in the corner of the gym, near the squat rack, completely still. He was watching Jasper silently, almost like a shadow, his face unreadable behind his stoic expression. Jasper hadn't even realized he was there.

Jasper's heart skipped a beat, a bit startled. He wasn't used to Nox's quiet, almost ghost-like presence. The guy was always like that—silent, intense, keeping to himself. But after that brief moment of surprise, Jasper figured maybe he could make some conversation.

"Uh... hey," Jasper said, a bit awkwardly, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Didn't see you there."

Nox didn't respond, didn't even acknowledge the greeting. Instead, he walked over to the squat rack, methodically preparing the bar with weights. Jasper's eyebrows shot up as he watched Nox load the bar with 500 pounds.

Wait... what? Nox isn't even superhuman, right?

Jasper was surprised. He knew Nox had a military or ninja background, but seeing him handle the bar so easily, with such calm precision, was something else entirely. Without any fanfare, Nox stepped under the bar, lifting it with perfect form and proceeding to squat the heavy weight as if it were nothing.

Jasper couldn't help but watch in awe. Nox moved with a deliberate, almost meditative focus. Each movement was controlled, slow, and exact. There was no hesitation, no wasted energy. Just pure discipline. It was almost like watching someone in a trance, completely in tune with their body and mind.

After a few sets, Nox racked the bar and remained silent, his breathing steady. Jasper wasn't sure what to say. He had tried to make conversation, but Nox clearly wasn't the type to engage in small talk.

Still, Jasper found himself wanting to follow his example. Nox was calm, centered, and completely in control—everything Jasper wasn't right now. He thought about how Nox was using his workout as a form of therapy, a way to focus his mind, and decided to do the same.

Jasper went over to another punching bag, this time trying to mimic the same control and calmness Nox had shown in his squats. He threw a few punches, slower this time, trying to keep his mind focused, not letting the frustration get the better of him.

He glanced over at Nox, who was now doing pull-ups with the same calm intensity, and something clicked for Jasper. It wasn't just about working out. It was about finding balance. Control. Maybe, if he could learn to focus like Nox, he wouldn't feel so lost all the time. Maybe this was more than just training for strength.

After a while, Jasper found himself calming down, his punches becoming more precise and controlled. The anger didn't disappear, but it started to feel more manageable, like it was something he could control, rather than the other way around.

Nox, still silent, continued his workout with the same intensity. He didn't need to say anything. His actions spoke volumes.

Jasper was still frustrated about the lack of answers, but being in the gym with Nox—working out in silence—helped him feel grounded, if only for a moment. Maybe there was something to be learned here after all.

Jasper and Nox finished their workout in silence. Both had worked through their tension, each in their own way, and now they were ready to leave. Just as Jasper was about to walk out of the gym, the door swung open, and in came Balor, his booming voice filling the room.

"Well, well, well! Look who we've got here!" Balor exclaimed, a cocky grin plastered across his face. "You two becoming best buddies without me now? Come on, I feel left out!"

Nox, ever the silent type, didn't even flinch. He simply walked past Balor, not offering a single word in response. Balor's grin faltered for a split second, but then he turned his attention to Jasper, who was also making his way to the door.

"And you, kid, don't think I'm letting you off that easy," Balor said, following Jasper's movements with a mocking smirk. "After that little stunt you pulled with Gearmaster, I bet you're feeling pretty damn good about yourself, huh? What, you think you're the next big thing?"

Jasper clenched his jaw, but he didn't bite back. He knew that Balor's taunts were mostly just for show, a way to assert dominance or get under people's skin. Instead of engaging, Jasper just shook his head and walked past him, muttering a quick, "Not today, Balor."

Balor chuckled as Jasper left the room, his voice trailing after him. "Yeah, keep walking, hotshot. Just remember—you're not as tough as you think!"

Jasper made his way down the hall toward the showers, trying to shake off Balor's words. The guy loved to poke fun, but Jasper wasn't in the mood for it today. He needed to clear his head, and that workout had helped, but the weight of everything—the unanswered questions, the secrecy—still hung over him.

After a quick shower, Jasper felt more like himself again. He grabbed a fresh set of clothes and headed back into the hallway, only to bump into Vis as he turned the corner. She smiled when she saw him, her demeanor always gentle, a stark contrast to most of the others in the Syndicate.

"Hey, Jasper," she said softly. "I was actually looking for you. Do you have a minute to talk?"

Jasper nodded, intrigued. "Yeah, sure. What's up?"

"Let's go to the cafeteria," she suggested, gesturing down the hall. "We can talk there."

The two of them walked together to the base's cafeteria, which was surprisingly empty. The place was spacious, filled with modern furniture and state-of-the-art equipment, but it always felt strangely hollow. There were only a few people scattered throughout, mostly minding their own business. Jasper had noticed this before—the base was huge, yet the staff and personnel seemed sparse, and those who were around didn't seem to socialize much.

They sat down at a table near the corner, where it was quieter. Jasper felt a bit of tension lift from his shoulders. Something about talking to Vis made things feel less intense. She wasn't intimidating like Cipher or abrasive like Balor. She was more... approachable.

Vis glanced around the nearly empty cafeteria before she began speaking. "I wanted to explain a little more about the Syndicate to you. I know things can feel... confusing, and there's a lot you don't know. But that's just how it works here."

Jasper raised an eyebrow. "You mean the whole secrecy thing? Yeah, I've noticed. It's like pulling teeth just to get answers."

Vis smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yeah, it can be frustrating. The Syndicate operates in a very discreet way. There's a hierarchy, and a lot of things are compartmentalized. We don't always know what's going on with everyone else, and that's by design."

This caught Jasper's attention. "Wait, so there's a hierarchy? I thought Cipher was in charge."

Vis shook her head, surprising him further. "No, she's not. She's important, yes, but she's not the leader. She's more like the leader's personal assistant, and she leads the superhuman team. But there's a council above her, and then there's the actual leader of the Syndicate, though none of us have met him."

Jasper blinked, trying to process that. "So, there's a council? And a leader? But we don't even know who they are?"

"Right," Vis nodded. "There's a lot of secrecy within the Syndicate. Even we don't know everything. Most of the time, we're just following orders without knowing the bigger picture."

Jasper leaned back in his chair, absorbing her words. This was a shock. He had assumed Cipher was the one pulling the strings, but now it seemed like there was an entire web of unseen figures controlling things from the shadows. It made him feel... small. Like a pawn in a game he didn't fully understand.

Vis must have seen the look on his face because she offered him a small smile. "I know it's a lot to take in, but you're not the only one without answers, Jasper. We're all in the same boat, trying to figure out what our place is in this organization."

Her words comforted him more than she probably realized. He had been feeling so alone in all of this, but hearing that even someone like Vis didn't have all the answers made him feel a little less isolated.

"So... are there other superhumans like us in the Syndicate?" Jasper asked, still curious about how deep this all went.

Vis hesitated for a moment before answering. "There might be. But again, we don't really know. The Syndicate is so compartmentalized that it's hard to know who's in what role. Cipher knows more than any of us, but even she doesn't seem to have full control."

Jasper nodded, feeling the weight of her words. It made sense in a way. The Syndicate operated from the shadows, which meant they probably had superhumans and agents spread across the globe, each working in secret, unaware of the full scope of their operations. It was frustrating, but also strangely reassuring. He wasn't the only one left in the dark.

"So... we just keep going, huh?" Jasper said with a slight grin, trying to lighten the mood. "Following orders and hoping for answers one day."

Vis laughed softly, a genuine sound. "Yeah, something like that."

Jasper leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, his brow furrowed in thought. The questions that had been swirling in his mind finally bubbled to the surface. "Are you really comfortable doing all of this? I mean... don't you ever wonder if what we're doing is right? We're just following orders without knowing the full story. What if we're on the wrong side?"

Vis looked at him for a long moment, her expression thoughtful. She didn't immediately respond, as if she was weighing her words carefully. Finally, she sighed and leaned back in her chair, her eyes drifting to the side as memories surfaced.

"I get it, Jasper. I've had those same doubts," she admitted softly. "There have been times when I've questioned everything—the secrecy, the lack of answers. It can feel like we're just cogs in a machine, blindly following orders."

Jasper nodded, glad to hear that he wasn't alone in his uncertainty. "Exactly. I just don't want to end up being a part of something that's... wrong, you know? Something that goes against what I believe in."

Vis offered him a sympathetic smile. "I know. But there's something you should understand. It's not all darkness and secrets. I've seen the Syndicate do real good. I've seen them help people in ways that no one else could. I wouldn't still be here if I didn't believe that."

Jasper looked at her, intrigued. "Like what?"

Vis nodded slowly, her eyes softening as she recalled one of the most impactful moments of her time with the Syndicate.

"There was this incident a few years back," she began. "A global pharmaceutical company—one of the biggest in the world—was secretly testing a dangerous, unregulated drug in a remote village in Southeast Asia. The drug was supposed to boost human immunity, but in reality, it was causing horrible side effects. People were dying, entire families wiped out by sickness and disease. The local government had been paid off to keep quiet, and there was no one to help."

Jasper listened intently, his curiosity piqued.

"H.O.P.E. didn't even know about it," Vis continued. "And even if they had, it would have taken them months to go through the proper channels to do something about it. The Syndicate, though? We acted immediately. We sent a small team—completely off the books, no bureaucratic red tape, no grandstanding. We went in, dismantled the operation, and took down the people responsible. We saved that village. And more importantly, we made sure the company was exposed."

Jasper's eyes widened. "Wait... they took down a global pharmaceutical giant? Just like that?"

Vis nodded. "Yeah. It was all done in the shadows, without the world ever knowing. And that's how the Syndicate works. They step in where others can't or won't. They operate under the radar, and yeah, it's secretive. But sometimes that's necessary."

Jasper sat back, absorbing the story. It was hard to reconcile his doubts with what Vis had just told him. On the one hand, the Syndicate was shrouded in mystery, its motives unclear. But on the other hand, they had clearly done good—real good.

"So you've seen them do this kind of thing before?" Jasper asked, still processing everything.

Vis smiled softly. "Yeah. More than once. The Syndicate isn't perfect, and there are times when I wonder about the bigger picture. But I've seen the results. I've seen what we can do when we step in to help people who've been forgotten by the rest of the world."

Jasper rubbed the back of his neck, his thoughts racing. He didn't know how to feel. A part of him wanted to trust Vis, to believe that the Syndicate was ultimately on the right side of things. But the secrecy, the way they operated without full transparency—it still bothered him.

"And you're okay with that?" Jasper asked, his voice quieter now. "With not knowing the full story?"

Vis met his gaze, her expression gentle but firm. "I'm okay with doing what I can to help people, even if I don't know everything. Sometimes you just have to trust that you're making a difference, even if you don't have all the answers."

Jasper sighed, nodding slowly. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense."

Vis reached out and placed a hand on his arm, offering a reassuring squeeze. "Look, I can't tell you everything. But what I can tell you is that you're not alone in your doubts. We're all trying to figure this out. Just take it one step at a time."

Jasper appreciated the gesture, even if it didn't solve all his problems. He still had a lot of questions, a lot of uncertainty. But for now, he felt a little more grounded, a little more connected to the people around him.

Maybe, just maybe, he could find his place in this strange, secretive world.

Thank you so much for checking out "Syndicate"! I hope you're enjoying the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Your thoughts and opinions mean a lot to me, so feel free to share your feedback. Whether it's a comment, critique, or just a quick note to say hi, I'd love to hear from you! Thanks again for your support and happy reading!