Back in the penthouse of Art-Man®, a burst of energy matrices formed a projectile weapon on the armored-figure's right arm. Geoff's eyes narrowed, calculating the trajectory and speed of the projectile.

"Three seconds remaining," The security AI spoke again, its voice echoing slightly in the tense silence.

Geoff didn't take his eyes off the woman, his mind racing. He had seen this kind of armor before, the way it shifted, the way it hummed with energy. It was Jonas' work, there was no doubt about it. But why would Jonas send someone after him? And why this woman?

"Two seconds," The AI's voice was a countdown to a battle Geoff didn't want to fight. He took the remaining seconds to dodge a barrage of energy blasts, each one leaving a scorch mark on the once pristine penthouse wall.

"One second," The AI announced, its voice echoing ominously in the tense silence. Geoff felt the forcefield around his paintbrush drop, and its power filled the room like a living thing.

Geoff came up out of a dodging roll and grabbed a standing lamp that was still plugged in. He paused as he noted the blast pattern on the wall leading to the bedroom and the bed where the platinum blonde still slept. He knew he had counted the number of blasts correctly, but there was a subtle, but clear lack of a burn from the last blast that should have been dangerously close to the woman. Almost as if the blast was teleported away. He filed that away for later, for now, he needed to focus on the woman in the armor.

Intriguingly, the woman in the armor was also leaning in, surprised. Her visor flickered, and Geoff could almost hear the cogs turning in her head. She was analyzing the trajectory of her shots, realizing they were off.

Geoff took this opportunity to swing the lamp like a staff, the cord trailing behind it. There was a burst of sparks as the lamp connected with the woman's helmet, sending her staggering back. The lamp shattered, but Geoff barely noticed, his focus entirely on the woman in front of him.

For a moment the eyes behind the visor were visible, as if the electricity from the lamp had short-circuited the armor's systems.

Geoff caught a glimpse of deep, dark eyes, wide with surprise, before the visor flickered back to life. The woman stumbled back, her hand reaching up to her helmet, but she recovered quickly, her stance widening, ready for another attack.

He decided to end the fight, grabbing his brush from the counter. Its power intensified, resonating through the room, and the woman's eyes widened behind her visor.

Geoff swirled the brush in the air, his strokes confident, precise. He painted a bolt of blue lightning, the color shimmering in the air before solidifying into a tangible form. The woman in the armor hesitated, her visor flickering again, clearly trying to analyze the new threat.

As it struck her, it was clear that she had underestimated her opponent. She tried to raise her arm to block, but she was too slow. The bolt of lightning hit her squarely in the chest, and she was thrown back with a cry, slamming into the wall with a dull thud, her chest plate, gone, revealing a skintight shimmering fabric suit underneath.

Geoff didn't hesitate. Knowing that the penthouse had a metal frame beneath the layers of drywall and concrete, he quickly painted a giant, if somewhat cartoonish, U-Shaped magnet around the woman. The magnetic forces pulled it to the wall with her in the middle. She struggled to move, her limbs pinned to the wall by the unseen force.

He approached her cautiously, his brush still at the ready. "Alright, let's try this again, shall we?" Geoff said, his voice calm despite the adrenaline surging through his veins. "Who are you, and why did you attack me?"

The woman struggled against the magnet, her visor once again flickering and failing, revealing her eyes.

Geoff could see the indecision in them, the fear. She was young, perhaps too young to be playing hero or villain. He softened his voice, trying to coax an answer out of her.

"Why don't you start by telling me your name? I promise, I won't hurt you. I just want to understand why you attacked me."

She glared at him, her jaw set in a stubborn line. Energy matrices on each arm formed a pair of bright plasma cutting torches which she used to free herself by slicing through the magnet. The roar of the cutting torches filled the room, and Geoff stepped back, not wanting to get burned.

"Alright, you want to play hardball," Geoff said, with an edge to his voice. "Fine. But remember, you started this."

He swirled his brush in the air, painting a large, transparent shield in front of him, just as she broke free from the wall and lunged at him...

Then, a thin wire completely wrapped around the woman's body. A burst of energy was emitted from the wire, causing her to convulse. She fell to the ground, her eyes rolling back in her head. He nudged her with his foot, but she didn't move. He leaned down, his ear close to her mouth, listening for any signs of life. She was breathing, but she was out cold.

Geoff straightened up; his brow furrowed as he looked at the unconscious woman. He then addressed the source of the wire. "Jonas," he greeted, with a mix of surprise and annoyance.

"GG," Jonas responded with a nod, his voice resonating through the broken balcony doors. Donning his signature gold and purple powered-armor suit, known as The Royal, he hovered just outside and above the balcony, his arms outstretched. The wire he had used to incapacitate the woman retracted into his gauntlet with a soft whir.

"I was handling this," Geoff answered. He looked down at the unconscious woman, then back up at Jonas.

"I noticed," Jonas replied, continuing the concise conversation. He floated down towards the balcony, his feet touching the ground as he stepped inside.

Geoff sighed in aggravation. "Yeah? Then why don't you mind your own business?" Geoff said with a low growl. He was still tense, his brush held loosely at his side, the paint still wet and shimmering.

Jonas raised an eyebrow, his purple and gold armor reflecting the harsh sunlight streaming in from the balcony. "I am." Jonas replied, as he pressed a button on the woman's chest plate. The suit evaporated into whisps of energy, leaving her in a skintight, shimmering fabric suit. She was short, but well-proportioned, her dark hair matted with sweat, matching the sweat on her dark skin, her eyes closed.

Geoff's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Reggie?"

---

As Salmon pulled his small Electric Vehicle up to the Jonas Plaza Suites, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of unease. The building was a marvel of modern architecture, a testament to Jonas' genius and wealth, but it also felt... sterile. Too perfect, too clean. Like a museum exhibit rather than a place people lived.

He stepped out of the EV, his fish-like features drawing a few curious glances from passersby, like the brutish man in the white van across the street. He was used to it by now, though. Being a former superhero had its perks, and being able to breathe underwater was certainly one of them. But it also made him stand out, even in a city as diverse as Los Angeles.

He adjusted his tweed vest, straightening his bow tie, and strode towards the entrance. The doorman, a tall, imposing figure in a crisp uniform, nodded at him as he approached.

"Professor Greene," he acknowledged, holding the door open. "A little late to the party, aren't we?" the doorman quipped, pointing to the caution tape and police cars parked haphazardly outside.

Salmon glanced at the commotion, his brow furrowing. "What happened here?"

The doorman shrugged. "Some sort of incident in the penthouse. They've been at it for hours."

Salmon's heart sank. He knew exactly whose penthouse they were talking about. "Thanks," he muttered, turning away from the opened door to text Geoff.

"Cripes, GG! What did you do this time?" Salmon grumbled, waiting for Geoff's reply.