Meanwhile, Back at the Tower… A Brief Respite

It was late afternoon by the time the Vanguard returned to the Pyramid, having finally wrapped up the last of the bureaucratic details with both the APD and SHADE concerning the morning’s jail break. New power dampening equipment had arrived from Portland, a full investigation by both agencies was underway, and Agent Stark had promised to keep the heroes informed of the results.

“Hey, what’s going on down there?” Chuck asked, as the Interceptor slowed to enter the rooftop hanger. “Looks like quite a crowd…”

Several of the others peered over his shoulder at the screen showing one of the exterior cameras. Numerous vehicles were parked in front of the building and scores of people were bustling in and out… a quick zoom showed most of the them to be caterers.

“It is the preparations for the AzTech anniversary party,” Artemis said distractedly from up front, where she was deeply engaged by whatever she was reading on her PADD. “You all received invitations last week, hand delivered by Álvaro.”

“Yes,” added JJ, from the pilot’s seat. “And we all agreed we would attend, as a group and in costume… I’d still prefer to go as a civilian, but with so many secret IDs, it’s the only fair solution. And Álvaro seemed pretty keen on it, too.”

“Ugh, I’m pooped,” Gideon groaned. “Is there any way to get out of this?”

“The party doesn’t start until 18:00,” JJ shrugged. “Plenty of time to get cleaned up and refreshed. But if you’re really not up to it, it’s not like this is work related, exactly. Good press is always welcome, but I’m sure we can swing it without you.”

Once the Interceptor was docked and powered down, everyone headed for their quarters and a hot shower. As the others loaded into the elevator JJ gestured to Artemis and the two of them stepped aside.

“What’s got you so enthralled?” he asked. “You hardly said anything on the ride home.”

She gave him a raised eyebrow and a sardonic look. “John, the ‘ride home’ took slightly more than three minutes. And I believe I actually spoke more than you did in that time.”

“True,” JJ laughed. “And it only took that long because I had to slow down getting her into the hanger. But you know what I mean, Artemis… for the last hour at Police HQ, while Agent Stark was going over the kids’ field reports and correcting their grammar, you were deep into that PADD. What’s so interesting?”

“Not so much interesting as worrying,” she replied, handing him the PADD. “I was scanning the SHADE archives, looking to confirm a suspicion.

“I believe the mystery man who ran rampant through the jail today, the one we never saw, was an international assassin named Shadowson. His true identity and origins are unknown, and even his past activities are hard to track with certainty, thanks to his ability to blind both human and mechanical eyes – he can be very hard to see when he wants to be, and he somehow never shows up on cameras.

“Many of his abilities seem to come from the Blade of Shadows, a legendary blade from Japanese history. I know where this blade was once kept – indeed, I had a chance to claim it as my own, once upon a time – but that was… a number of years ago. Shadowson also seems to have other more-than human abilities, not to mention very substantial fighting skills of his own.

“For more than forty years he has operated almost exclusively in Asia, where it is rumored to be leading part of the criminal organization known as the Phoenix Wind Triad. If it was him today, this is the first time he has operated openly in the United States, and I find that worrying. The Phoenix Wind Triad has long been a rival of the White Tiger Society, the leading Chinese crime organization here in Astoria. With the recent incapacitation of Kirin, the head of the White Tiger Society, leaving at least a temporary power vacuum in the Society, I fear this may be the opening move of a hostile takeover – which would not be good for the city.”

“Yes, I can see why you were so engrossed,” JJ said, scanning the all-too-scant information in the SHADE file. “Did you mention this to Agent Stark?”

“I did, and she agrees it is very likely that today’s mystery killer was Shadowson. But as we have nothing to go on, beyond the obvious E.V.A.L. connection, she advises patience.”

Not having a better option to offer, the two parted, each to their own quarters to get ready for the party.

♦  ♦  ♦  ♦

Shortly after 18:00 the Vanguard stepped out of their private elevator and into the massive open atrium of the AzTech Pyramid. After a long shower and a brief power nap, Gideon had decided he could handle a party after all, especially once he’d learned that Álvaro had engaged the top food carts in the city to cater the event. Two of his favorites, Salad Salad and Crazy Burrito, were in the mix, so Phantom Ace would be there!

The seven story atrium, including its two mezzanine levels, was packed with hundreds of people – not only AzTech employees, the last group of whom had made the move into their new offices today, but other business bigwigs and, of course, the press. Tables were scattered about, and the food cart vendors had set up stations all around the vast open space and on the two u-shaped upper levels that overlooked the main floor.

A small stage and podium had been set up in front of the 40-foot waterfall that cascaded into a pond along the central section of the north wall, but so far no one was up there. The crowd broke into applause as the group entered the main lobby, and for several minutes there was a great deal of handshaking and autograph signing. But eventually the heroes were able to more-or-less mingle.

Totem quickly spotted Meg Halcyon, and she broke away from her fellow journalists, with whom she’d been chatting, to join him. He soon found them a relatively quiet corner to eat their fusion burritos and talk… it had been three days since they’d last seen one another, and he was more than a little surprised at just how much he’d missed her.

Artemis and JJ joined Mayor Syrett and her chief of staff who, after a brief synopsis of the day’s events, determinedly turned the conversation to lighter topics, such as the upcoming annual Sound and Fury music festival. Apparently Snotty Nose Rez Kids, the hot new Native hip-hop superstars, would be wrapping up the festival on its last day, and kicking off their first world tour at the same time.

Chilz, Blue Flame (in his human form and sporting his new mask), and Phantom Ace dragged one another between their favorite food cart vendors, piling up plates of fabulous food and raving about it to anyone in earshot. This inadvertently gave a big boost to several of the more obscure carts, as the press made note of the heroes preferences, and word spread throughout the atrium.

Quanta had started out with JJ and Artemis, but he had soon noticed John Quest and his husband, and had made a beeline for them. The two scientists were soon deep in discussion about the latest theories in nano engineering and the possibilities of Project Odyssey opening up space to the human race. Hadji eventually wandered off with a smile, knowing the two would be at it until it was time to go home…

Eventually someone, somewhere, remembered that this was a corporate event, and the speeches began. First up was Germain Holfsteder, Álvaro de la Vega’s vice-president of Human Resources. Once he had everyone’s attention, more or less, he launched into his speech.

“I’d like to thank Astoria’s new heroes for attending our little celebration, particularly after what they did for the city today. But as AzTech employees, I think we all know there’s another hero in the room, a man who has done a lot of good not just for us personally but for all of Astoria— not to mention the technological gifts his brilliance has brought to the world.

“He threw this party for us, to celebrate both the 25th anniversary of the company as well as the completion of this beautiful new headquarters, but I hope we can also consider it to be a party where we can take a moment to appreciate him, and invite others to do the same. To that end, I and the rest of the AzTech executive board have arranged a little surprise – a small museum dedicated to the man, located just off this lobby.

“He’s the founder and president of AzTech, and he’s my hero: ladies and gentleman, Álvaro de la Vega!” The atrium erupted in almost deafening cheers and applause as de la Vega stepped up to the dais.

“Thank you,” the billionaire said, once the noise began to die down. “Thank you all. I see they’ve called the museum ‘The Álvaro de la Vega Story’. I won’t keep you from your well-earned celebration for long, except to tell you that my story so far is merely a prologue to the one we will write together, here in this tower. My past is past, and in time what will truly be important is the AzTech legacy. Each of you will be just as important a part in that as I. So thank you all, for the work you’ve done, and for the work you will do as we fly into the future together.”

True to his word, Álvaro kept it short, and as he stepped away from the podium a jazz band swung into a song, and the party kicked into high gear. De la Vega remained on the stage, speaking quietly with his company executives and top scientists.

Totem and Meg decided to check out the new museum, and wandered through the small but very well designed area off the main lobby, trying to decide if it had really been a surprise to Álvaro, or if it was his own ego-stroking idea. The low lighting accentuated the spot-lit cases containing photos and memorabilia, and a large television screen on the long wall looped a professionally-produced documentary…

Álvaro de la Vega was born the only child of a lawyer and a high school music teacher, both Astoria natives. A bright and studious boy, de la Vega graduated high school at 16, at the top of his class, and earned a doctorate in Engineering from CalTech by the time he was 20. Pursuing childhood dreams that cast his vision toward the stars, de la Vega worked at NASA for several years, before founding his own tech company, Vega Electronics, here in his home town—where he soon began leap-frogging rivals such as Intel in IC manufacturing.

When bitter rival Harlan Technologies went bankrupt in 1988, de la Vega seized the day – using money inherited from his recently deceased parents, he purchased the bankrupt company’s assets and used them to expand his own company, renaming it AzTech International in 1991, the company we know and love today.

De la Vega’s innovative ideas, previously stifled under government and banking conservatism, now had a chance to flourish. Six months after its founding, AzTech released its first non-IC product: photoreactive dyes that allowed the creation of AzTech Programmable Paint, first adopted for military camouflage but quickly embraced by the world of fashion and consumer products. It was only the first of a dozen breakthroughs, from adaptive polymers to piezoelectric ceramics—most coming directly from the mind and private laboratories of Álvaro de la Vega—that have made him not only the richest man in Astoria but one of the richest men in the world. Still wary of management and investors, de la Vega has remained in firm control of his company, even as it has grown to become the largest employer in not only the city but the state.

As AzTech prospered, so to did Astoria! As the fortunes of AzTech rose, crime rates in its home city fell until Astoria had one of the lowest crime rates in the country. From the Astoria Orchestra and the Pacific Museum of Art to Safe Harbor shelters for the homeless and Open Door community centers, AzTech and Álvaro de la Vega have supported every aspect of life in Astoria and helped it to be named one of the best places to live in the United States! While superhumans were making headlines in places like New Atlantis, de la Vega famously declared at the opening of the 2011 Astoria Bicentennial Expo that “in Astoria, we can be our own heroes!”

But now the Astoria Incident has forced superhuman powers, and the chaos that comes with them, upon the people of his city—and once again Álvaro de la Vega has stepped forward to help, to see that this newfound power is used responsibly! The top floors of this very building—once intended for de la Vega’s’ personal offices—have been graciously donated to a new team of heroes who have dedicated themselves to protecting Astoria and the world. Now the Vanguard join AzTech high atop the Pyramid, keeping a watchful eye on the city they love, and guiding it into the future!

“Well, that was… interesting,” Meg said, as they strolled back out into the main lobby. “I still don’t know if he knew about this beforehand or not.”

“No, I’m not sure either,” Totem agreed. “And I’m not sure how I feel about that last bit, conflating the Vanguard with —”

At that moment all hell broke loose–