"Why not both?" I grinned back.

What the hell is happening?

"Good." Stellar smirked. She stood up, extending me a hand. I hesitated for a moment, still surprised at this current situation, before grabbing her hand and allowing her to pull me up.

She yanked me forwards, causing me to crash into her. She held me closely for a moment, before finally letting go.

"So what's with this?" Stellar asked, lightly poking at the dead body with her foot. One which was headless thanks to said hero descending from the sky and flattening their face.

"Well, that was Stromford's newest henchman." I replied. "Probably to replace Nightshade. And now they're just dead."

I looked back up at Stellar. "What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Stellar smiled. "For you, Ski Mask."

Fuck.

Also, it's Checkmate.

Have a problem? Please respond after the beep.

There is no beep.

"When I saw the smoke rising, I had a feeling it was you." Stellar continued. "And of course, as your archnemesis, I was right."

Wait, smoke?

I looked up through the hole in the ceiling, seeing smoke rising into the air. Either that's because of the explosion I did earlier or that's from Sophie and Isolation's fight.

"Okay, so, do I get a head start...?" I nervously chuckled.

"Oh Ski Mask, I don't think you understand." Stellar cooed as she leaned in towards me. "I'm here to help you."

"You-" I paused. "Huh?"

"I'm going to help you take down this Stromford base." Stellar stated once more. "After all, aren't they responsible for Miracle's death?"

So that's her angle.

She wants to avenge Miracle. Then maybe when that happens, she'll go back to normal! Maybe? Possibly? Not sure, but her goal does align with mine!

She seems pretty fine as well, for how our last encounter ended. I do wish I could've broken the news to her a little better, but hey, seems like it worked out!

Other than the fact she seems to now have a murderous tendency...

But y'know, it could be worse!

"Yes." I replied. "Though most responsible is a man named Vincent Vandercourt. So if you ever happen to run into him, punch his face in."

"Oh, I'll do much worse than that." A feral grin spread across her face.

"This is..." Mother Wasp's voice spoke into my ear. "...interesting."

"I don't disagree there." I replied.

"Good, you understand." Stellar added, and that's when remembered that she couldn't hear Mother Wasp.

I put my hand up to my ear, mimicking activating the earpiece. "What's the status on The Maid?"

"She's doing fine." Mother Wasp informed. "They're wreaking havoc all across the building. Isolation is a tough opponent, but she won't beat Maid without Prototype."

"All right. Make sure she knows Stellar is working with us at the moment. We're going to set up the final bombs, then it's time to go." I ordered.

"Yes sir~" Mother Wasp whispered, her voice a little too sultry for the situation.

"Your...team, huh?" Stellar spoke, a slightly strained look on her face.

"Some of them." I replied. "The others are on another mission at the moment."

"...I see." Stellar slowly nodded. "Come on, Ski Mask. Let's get moving."

"Did you forget it's Checkmate now?" I asked.

"For them it is." Stellar replied. "But not for me. After all, it's mine."

Ooookay...?

We exited the room to an empty hallway. I quickly set up one of the bombs before we continued on towards the other half of the floor.

The building shook every about half minute as we made our way through the hallways at a quicker place, probably from the fight between Sophie and Isolation.

And then the building shook harder as the unmistakable sound of an explosion sounded out from the other side of the building.

Shit, they probably set off one of the bombs. Or maybe some weird Stromford experiment. We gotta plant these final explosives quick before they tear down the building themselves.

Wait, then would I need to use the bombs?

Uhhhhhh, well, I already paid for them and a bigger boom is a better boom when the time calls in my opinion. So hell yeah, we're still using them.

"Intruders!" A bunch of soldiers turned the corner, only to stop as they realized who we were. "Stellar-?!"

She blasted forwards, grabbing the closest guy by the neck and crushing it in an instant. He was dropped to the ground, the others either in shock or bringing up their gun to shoot.

Stellar gripped the barrel of the closest guard, crushing it in her hand before kicking the man into the wall. He was flung through the wall with a loud crack, lying motionless on the other side. The next closest guard was immediately backhanded, flying across the hallway and into the other wall. The wall crumbled around him, debris crashing onto his body.

The final guard had his gun raised, finger over the trigger, only for a bullet to go straight through his head. He dropped to the ground, lifeless, as I pocketed my pistol.

"Is it alright to uh, do this?" I asked Stellar. "You aren't worried about getting found out and imprisoned?"

"While I would prefer that not to happen, I'd be fine." Stellar replied. "What matters most right now is helping you, my dear Ski Mask."

Right, to avenge Miracle.

...wait a sec, dear?

We quickly made our way through the rest of the floor with little difficulty and a few more casualties. With all of the explosives properly planted and ready we exited the building, Stellar quickly flying me up onto a nearby rooftop before anyone noticed me.

"We're ready to detonate." I informed Mother Wasp. "Tell Maid to evacuate herself."

"On it." Mother Wasp replied.

A few seconds later Sophie was flying out of the ceiling of the building, quickly locking on to us and landing. She wrapped her arms around one of mine, staring down Stellar.

Stellar glared back.

"Time for boom number two." I grinned, taking out the detonator and removing the lid. With a sinister grin I pushed it and the whole building exploded, sending debris flying and smoke into the air.

I doubt this took out Isolation, considering she's a robot from the same line as Sophie. So for now, I'll operate under the assumption that she's still active and alive. Even if she did die/shut down, there's a good chance she'll be recreated in some amount of time.

So let's just get out of here before anyone else arrives or Isolation breaks out of that rubble!

"Maid, carry me to the next base." I ordered. "Stellar, follow after us like you're chasing us."

"...fine." She grumbled.

Sophie picked me up bridal style, flying through the air and towards our next base. A bee tried buzzing after us, only to be lost in the dust. It'll make it in a few minutes.

Stellar was hot on our trail, but for once I wasn't actually worried about evading her. It was a much more calming experience than the last times I've encountered Stellar.

We landed onto the roof of the building next to the next Stromford secret base. This one is supposed to be a small company building "not affiliated" with Stromford, but surprise surprise, that's a lie to the public.

"Maid, this base's bomb stash should be up here." I informed her as she set me down. "Could you grab those for me?"

"Of course, Master." Sophie nodded.

"You don't need the bombs." Stellar cracked her knuckles. "I can bring the whole building down myself. I've learned a few techniques."

"You have building destruction techniques?" I questioned. "Why?"

"I developed them when taking down those Stromford buildings." Stellar shrugged.

"That's you!" I gasped. "You're the one making Stromford buildings secretly collapse! They're blaming it on my group!"

"I know, isn't it wonderful?" Stellar grinned widely, a strange gaze in her eyes.

Are you trying to add more charges to my supervillain status?

I looked back at the base. It was larger than the last two we hit. With both Stellar and Sophie, they could probably easily take it down. You know what, let's go with-!

"Duck!" I quickly hissed, dropping prone on the roof. Stellar and Sophie quickly followed my lead, the three of us all now lying down on the roof.

Someone who looked exactly like that other crazy armored soldier with the explosive and melting powers was slowly descending from the sky, hovering in the air.

The soldier landed onto the roof of the secret Stromford base, opened the skylight located on said roof, and entered the building.

"New plan." I decided. "Mother Wasp, I need you to scout the building before we get in. I have a bad feeling about what we just witnessed."

"Of course, dearie." Mother Wasp replied. "I'll let you know what I find."

I watched as a bee flew towards the building, slipping in through a ventilation gap.

"Don't worry Ski Mask, I'll protect you." Stellar gave me a shining smile as she placed a hand on my shoulder. "None of them can stand up to me."

"You are not needed." Sophie replied, wrapping her arms around my arm again. "I can protect Master just fine."

"If I remember right, who was the one who saved Ski Mask at the previous base was me." Stellar smugly replied. "And you weren't nowhere to be seen."

Sophie's grip tightened on my arm.

"Holy shit." Mother Wasp gasped.

"What's wrong?" I quickly asked. Was something happening back at Siren's house? Or did she find something?

"This isn't a company building." Mother Wasp stated. "It's...a training facility? With a lot of those armored soldiers..."

"How many?" I asked.

"...at least fifty." Mother Wasp whispered.

"Holy shit." I replied.

"What's wrong?" Stellar asked.

"They're moving!" Mother Wasp exclaimed.

And then, from the front of the "company building", a soldier marched out. Followed by another. And another. And another. And they just kept on pouring out right into the street.

I quickly whirled my phone out, texting Alexis that we had a problem, before looking back from my phone at the sight before me. In front of my very own eyes were at least fifty of these armored soldiers, each one of them expertly outfitted and ready to serve Stromford.

They were in synch, matching into the street and through it. Though surprisingly there weren't any cars, and barely any people. For anyone who was around, they sat to the side and stared.

"Where are they going?!" I hissed, quickly snapping a photo and then sending that as well.

This doesn't look good at all!

"These roads were closed down today, and lead to Champion Park." Sophie stated. "Two hours ago Killian Stromford announced he'll be having a speech there."

"Shit." I cursed. I glanced at the base, and then at the marching guards. What the hell is Stromford doing? I have to go and find out, but at the same time this base is completely unoccupied!

"Maid." I looked at her. "I need you to search the base, find anything you can, and then destroy it while it's empty. Stellar, I need you to help me follow those Stromford soldiers."

"Can I not be the one assisting you directly, Master?" Sophie asked.

"Sorry, but I need you to do the base search." I said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You know what to look for, and how to hack. I know if anyone will find something, it'll be you."

"...I understand." Sophie hesitantly nodded.

Stellar did a small fist pump.

"If you harm a single hair on Master, or fail in protecting and allow a single scratch on him, then I will eliminate you." Sophie declared, pointing at Stellar.

"I'd like to see you try." Stellar huffed. "And I'll keep Ski Mask safe, obviously."

The two stared at each other, sparks flying through their mental clash. Eventually Sophie clicked her tongue, before jumping from this roof to the next one. Stellar stood up, looking towards me and extending a hand with a wide smile.

"I have a wonderful idea." She giggled. "Let's go on a date, Ski Mask."

Hold on, what?