"Nobody seems to notice us, Brandon. I was right. No one want to talk to us, we were their enemies."
"No, no Brian. They don't want to embarrass us because we are wearing bathrobes. I am sure they are a bunch of warm and fun people. Let's do the first step."
"Mhhh are you sure? The party is a disaster anyway for us, thanks to you, Hero. I am sure it would be best to do wallpaper for ten minutes and then go away unnoticed..."
"Lighten up, Dead. We are here to have fun..."
And saying that, Hero walked straight toward a group of Vanguardians standing around a table.
Lykopis and Bruteforce were trying their strength, standing to a still, their arms vibrating, sweat running down their temple.
"It's even" declared RoboSquirrel, while the two Vanguardian were shaking their hands.
Lycopys eyed Hero, and smiling mischievously asked: "And you, kid? Do you want to measure with me?"
Hero turned instantly red, and raised his both hands: "I don't... well, it's that... you see, I am... how can I say it... pretty powerful, I don't think I should..."
"You mean I'm no powerful?" said Lykopis, frowning?"
Hero turned even redder. "No, no, absolutely, it's not what I was meaning... It's that..."
"...you are scared by me. By a woman stronger than you..."
"Excuse me, miss, but I believe you are largely overestimating yourself" began to reply Brandon, but was stopped by the arrival of Brian Dead.
"Brandon, this will result in an even greater disaster, I am sure..."
"Oh, shut up, dead guy. Let's show these people what us Strikeforce are able to do..."
"No, Brandon, no..." was saying Dead, but Hero was not listening to him, sitting in no time at the table, in front of Lykopis.
The immortal woman and the superhero put their arms over the table and took each other hand.
The strength of the grip amazed Brandon, who never experienced such a firm take from anyone, man, woman or monster would be.
Lykopis noticed the stupor in Hero's face and smiled. "Loosing confidence so easily, kid?"
Hero grimaced. "I am no kid". The words formed silently on the New Zealander lips.
The uncanny strength of the man began to push over the arm of the woman, whose smile quickly disappeared.
With the experience of whole millennia passed fighting male warriors, Lykopis forced the arm to resist, stopping the advancement of Hero and then starting to gain millimetre after millimetre. Now it was the turn of Hero to stopping in defence. So, he pushed heavily over his elbow.
And under the phenomenal pressure, the table broke with a loud crack, sending shivers everywhere in the flat.
One, the bigger, fled across the room planting himself right between the eyes of a Mona Lisa hanging from the wall.
All the eyes of the Vanguardians were fixed over the framed oil painting. Only dead was looking in the opposite direction.
Hero, followed by Grissom, went to the picture. Brandon took the splinter away, and then looked for some seconds to the painting, finally turning to look at Montag.
"It's a very good replica, Mr Montague" the Strikeforce said.
No reply came from the Vanguardian, just the most hateful look that the young man ever experienced.
"Is... is it a replica, right, Mr. Montague?"
