Chapter Text
Addison never asked for her powers.
Her childhood, adolescence & early adulthood were made up of a normal, powerless upbringing. It was only when a gas leak had set her med school dorm on fire that she discovered she could set her whole body ablaze. When she took up hero work, it felt natural; she had always wanted to save people, now she could do it a bit more tangibly. Red Rocket could do things that Addison could only dream of. She could control her fire and manipulate her flames - her skin didn't burn either.
When she woke up in the hospital she was told a different story. Her most recent fight with a villain had left her severely injured. Additionally, she had pushed her powers too far and had been charred by her own flames when she reached the higher temperatures. Their recommendation? Hang up the cape - she was Red Rocket for 15 years; she had a good run. Most heroes can't say the same.
She didn't dare hold a press conference - she knew she'd only be skewered by the media and simply issued her statement: "Red Rocket is retiring from superhero work effective immediately due to health reasons.". The phone call after didn't shock her.
"Hello?"
"Addison, It's Richard. What's this I hear about you retiring?"
She groaned, "It's... A long story."
"Health reasons, Addison? As if that's not the most derivative excuse in the boo-"
"It was the doctor's advice."
"...Oh my God, I'm so sorry."
"Turns out I'm not fireproof past twenty-five hundred Fahrenheit." she chuckled mirthlessly.
"Are you okay?"
"Just a little burnt - I didn't need skin grafts, at least. But really, enough about my tragic end of career - how are you? I haven't heard from you since you retired! What was that, five years ago?"
"Seven, actually. I've been working with Superhero Dispatch Network - I manage the Seattle branch."
She rolled her eyes, "The one founded by Golden Girl after she retired?"
"The very one. Actually, a position has recently opened up."
"Really?"
"One of our dispatchers just resigned... Look, I know it'll never scratch the itch of getting back into the field but at least you'd stay close to the action. What do you say?"
She looked down at Milo, anxiously fritting about with his rubber mouse, "I just have one question."
"Sure, what is it?"
"Can I bring my cat?"
She arrived in Seattle the next week. Her apartment was depressingly empty and she hated the rain (She grimaces at the memory of getting put out mid-flight during a rain storm) but somehow she preferred it to New York. Too many memories of her former glory, she supposed. She still had a few days until she actually started with SDN and had slowly grown tired of crying over a bottle of wine on her apartment floor.
Sitting in a 7/11 parking lot in the middle of the night eating a popsicle wasn't much better, but at least it was progress. What wasn't progress was the fact that she had decided to wear her suit. She was self-aware enough to recognise that there was something deeply depressing about the whole affair, but she needed her most recent memory wearing it to not be hospitalisation. The good news was, no sane person would be pulling into the parking lot of a 7/11 at this hour.
Sane was the key word, she realised, when the roar of a motorcycle echoed in her eardrums mere moments before the driver came barreling towards her. She took off into the air and was safely out of harms way just before it occupied the space she previously sat in.
The warm familiarity of flames tickled her body once again; Addison let out a huff when she realised her popsicle had melted instantaneously, the stick being consumed by her heat a split second later.
"Do you mind?" Addison fretted.
The woman driving the motorcycle slowly dismounted, taking off a helmet that revealed a black domino mask underneath; it complimented her black and grey costume rather well, her short cloak billowing in the wind. Addison swore she had seen that costume before.
Dark & twisty blue-grey eyes met hers, "What? It's not like you got hurt. What the hell are you doing in Seattle, anyway? You work in New York!"
"A hero can't relocate?"
"You're retired! Or was 'health reasons' code for CTE?"
"Fuck off, I don't answer to you!"
"Hey, I didn't start this!"
"You drove into me!"
"Well excuse me for not believing that was the Red Rocket sitting there. Coming out of retirement to eat a popsicle? That's just pathetic."
She began to burn hotter, wincing in pain as her burn scars began to sizzle. She took a deep breath and lowered the flames to a lighter simmer. Addison really hated this woman.
"Who even are you anyway? Vehicular manslaughter girl?"
She scoffed, "I'm Grey Ghost."
Addison laughed, "Okay, now I know you're lying - Grey Ghost is dead."
The other woman's gaze hardened, "I know. I'm the new one." She spat before sauntering into the convenience store.
What a downgrade, Addison thought.
She thought nothing of the encounter with this supposed new Grey Ghost until she arrived at SDN for her first day. Milo sat comfortably on her shoulder as she fiddled with the buttons of the utterly hideous blouse she had to wear. At least it was fireproof.
She didn't think anything of it until she heard the familiar roar of the motorcycle behind her. She froze in place as the automatic doors to the lobby opened in front of her; footsteps approached her from behind.
"Excuse me." Said a familiar, sultry rasp as the woman she argued with in a 7/11 parking lot three nights ago sauntered past her. She is so fucked.
She collects herself and slowly marches into the lobby, assessing her surroundings. She is quickly saved from the awkward staring around the room.
Richard approaches her, "Wasn't sure you'd make it."
She smiles and reaches for a hug, "It's nice to see you Richard."
"The feeling's mutual."
He breaks the hug, "Alright. Ready to meet your team?"
He shows her around the office - including where her desk is with a corner set aside for Milo. She deposits her things before she's lead to the records room.
"I was under the impression I was meeting the team."
"Well, not exactly."
A chair carrying a lithe blonde woman crosses Addison's field of vision, "This particular group is a little... dysfunctional."
Addison cocks her head, "Teddy?"
"Hey, Addison."
A hug is exchanged, "I heard you retired - what happened?"
Teddy gives a sheepish grin, "I just wanted to get out while I was still in one piece. I'm happy you're still in one piece, too."
"I was always gonna stay in one piece. The only thing up in the air is how burnt that piece would be." Addison jokes.
Teddy laughs before striding over to the computer in the corner of the room, opening a folder and motioning Addison to sit.
"So the team you're in charge of - boilerplate stuff as far as SDN is concerned. Mostly rookies."
Addison nods.
"The team is good, too. They've got a lot of heart and they have what it takes. They're just... Sloppy. Like, next level sloppy. Way too much collateral damage for corporate's liking."
"So you want me to..."
"Whip them into shape, so to speak." Richard says.
"That I can do."
Teddy smiles, "Great! Okay, let's meet your team."
She presses a key and Addison is presented with a dossier, the photo of a woman in horn-rimmed sunglasses front and centre.
"Brainwave is a PHD-"
"Who won't stop reminding you she's a PHD." Richard interjects.
Teddy sighs, "She's also a powerful telekinetic. She can make shields, too."
Next slide - a woman with long hair and an awkward smile.
"Glacier has ice breath that can go into sub-zero temperatures. She also has a perfect photographic memory."
"Is that one of her powers?" Addison asks.
"No, she's just like that."
Next slide - A man wearing a cowl and sporting a cocky grin.
"Hard Head has, well, a hard head."
"He dishes out punches almost as well as he can take them" Richard comments.
Addison bites her lip, "I feel like I've seen him before..."
"He used to be Sparkler's sidekick." Teddy clarifies.
"Seriously?"
"He's trying desperately to rebrand himself." Richard chimes.
"To limited success. The tough guy act stops working the second a kid sees him."
Next slide - A confident looking man with dark skin & glowing eyes.
"Golden Guy is-" Teddy begins.
"Wait, Golden Guy? Any relation to-"
"Golden Girl? He's her son." Richard says.
"What's he doing here, then?" Addison asks.
"He said he wanted to work his way up like anybody else - didn't want to coast on his mother's legacy." Teddy explains.
Addison nods, "Can't blame him. It's a lot of power he's got to be responsible for."
"Okay, you'll like this next one." Teddy says.
Next slide - A blonde with a cheesy grin, waving at the camera with a lighter in her hand.
"Brightburn can control fire-" Teddy begins.
"You thought I'd like her because she has fire powers?" Addison asks.
"No, I think you'll like her because she has total control of any fire she can see. She can ignite it further, dim it, extinguish it entirely. Only catch is she can't create any herself."
"Hence the lighter?"
"Hence the lighter. She's also a fan of yours. Red Rocket, I mean."
Addison blinks, "Really?"
"I believe the word she used was 'inspiration'." Richard says.
"Glacier caught her crying in the break room when you announced your retirement."
Next slide - A redhead with a nervous look in her eye.
"Virtue is an empath."
"Empath is the understatement of the century, Teddy - Virtue is a super-empath" Richard boasts.
Teddy shrugs, "She can manipulate emotions through physical contact - she can also see people's feelings."
"What do you mean see feelings?" Addison asks.
"According to her it's more like an aura. She's not the best in a fight but give her a few years and we may just have one of the best crisis negotiators in the country on our hands." Teddy says.
Next slide - A man with a mop of brown hair covering a domino mask.
"Phantom is like... well, a phantom. He phases through walls and can turn invisible. he can apply it to anything he touches too - only issue is he has to hold is breath."
"Why is that a problem?"
"It's not really much of one - just a small limitation - like Brightburn's lighter."
"He thinks of himself as more of a 'gentlemen hero' whatever that means. Tries to model himself after the original Grey Ghost." Richard pipes.
Teddy clears her throat, "Which ends up causing issues with-"
Oh no. Please no. Anyone but her.
Teddy presses a key. Blue eyes of the woman she met that night staring into her.
"You have got to be kidding me." She bemoans, her hands pressing into her face.
Richard raises an eyebrow, "You know her?"
"I may have ran into her the other night... as Red Rocket."
"You were in costume?"
"I didn't want the last thing that happened while I wore it to be getting hospitalised."
Richard pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs, "Just - don't do anything stupid, okay?"
Addison nods, her lips forming a thin line.
Teddy clears her throat, "So, Grey Ghost senior was killed in action last year. As her dying wish, she wanted her daughter to carry her legacy."
Addison huffs, "Brutal."
"Yeah. The lack of powers doesn't help either, but she manages to compensate in other ways pretty effectively."
"Like the motorcycle?"
"Among other things, yes."
She leans back in her chair and soaks it in: her new normal - the people she would see day in and out. The one person she wishes she didn't need to. Maybe it's embarrassment that Grey Ghost saw her that way - her knees tucked into her chest while she licked strawberry popsicle off of her fingers. Maybe it was something else; Addison ignored the feeling either way.
Richard bids them farewell and leaves for his office, Teddy walking Addison to her desk (Milo making himself very comfortable in the corner) and sitting in the chair besides her.
"This computer looks older than us." She comments before sitting down.
She takes a breath before speaking again, "We're already starting? I thought I was meeting the team."
Teddy shrugs, "We did the slideshow."
Addison continues to stare at her.
"We like to start slow - this team's been through three dispatchers already. It's better for everybody's safety this way."
"Safety?"
"It's nothing, really. You'll be fine. Put your headset on & introduce yourself."
Addison sighs, loosely tying her hair up before resting the headset over her ears and pressing a few buttons.
"Morning team, I'm your new dispatcher Addison. Just starting my first shift... happy to be working with you." She drones.
Hard Head's icon on her screen flashes as she hears a voice, "Are you being held at gunpoint to say that?" He laughs.
Addison sighs as another icon lights up - Glacier's, "Hey, leave her alone. Half the dispatchers are retired heroes. They've seen stuff."
"Washed-up heroes, more like."
Golden Guy laughs, "Hey Virtue, read her aura when we see her in person?"
"I don't know, feels like an inappropriate way to use my powers."
"When are we betting on her quitting?" Brainwave asks.
Brightburn sighs, "Not when she can hear us."
Addison clears her throat, "Hey, can we clear the channel? Getting a lot of overlap."
Silence.
"Good."
A familiar rasp, "Bossy much?"
"I'm just trying to do my job."
Silence again.
The shift starts slow: retrieving a child's lost balloon (Phantom) and breaking up a bar fight (Hard Head & Virtue). Idle chatter is made over the line.
"Hey Brightburn, did I tell you who I saw the other night?" Grey Ghost asks.
"No, who?"
"Red Rocket. At 7/11."
Oh no.
"Is this the same 7/11 you got banned from?" Phantom asks.
"Not important."
Addison smirks, "How do you get banned from a 7/11?"
"I said it's not important."
She can all but hear Brightburn's smile, "Oh my God - Red Rocket? Seriously? What was she doing? Was she in costume? Did you mention me? Did you get her autograph?"
"She was eating a popsicle. She looked... sad."
The sound of glass breaking can be heard as Hard Head speaks, "Well yeah dude, she freakin' retired. Probably got injured and threw herself a pity party."
"Didn't that Godzilla wannabe hospitalise her?" Brainwave asks.
Addison is desperate to distract them, "Hard Head, what's going on?"
"Virtue's just helping them settle a disagreement."
"Is she okay?"
A moment of silence, "She's fine."
The shift continues: stopping a boat robbery (Golden Guy), security detail at a tech CEO's ribbon cutting (Brainwave), and evacuating residents from a building fire (Brightburn & Glacier). The call that closes out her shift is a bit more memorable: shots fired at 7/11.
"Addison, don't even thinking about assigning somebody else - I got this one." Grey Ghost announces.
"Aren't you banned?"
"Yeah, and now I need to get unbanned."
She shakes her head but proceeds anyway.
Five minutes pass.
"Hey, can I get a visual?"
"What?"
"Tap into the cameras - haven't you been trained?"
"It's literally my first day, Grey." She chides as a perspective view of the 7/11 fills her monitor. Grey Ghost is perched behind one of the aisles, the robber holds the cashier at gunpoint.
"How did you get in there?"
"I have my ways... Any advice?"
She taps into another camera - giving her a better view of the cashier and the robber.
The robber in question is actually just a nervous looking teenager. His hands are shaking.
"Perp looks jumpy - get him away from the cashier."
"How am I supposed to do that?"
"Is the utility belt just for show? Use one of your toys or something."
Addison switches back to the original camera angle, zooming in to focus on Grey Ghost. She pulls a set of marbles out of her utility belt, rolling them down the aisle.
The robber turns hastily, his gun pointed to the opposing corner of the store. He begins approaching Grey Ghost's location.
Addison grins, "Alright, perfect - now get the cashier and get out of there."
"Are you crazy? The guy's still armed!"
"You're not invincible, Grey; get out of there before somebody gets hurt!"
Silence.
"No."
"No?"
"I'm doing my own thing."
"What?!"
Grey Ghost takes out her earpiece.
What follows is a beautiful disaster: Grey Ghost rounds the corner of the aisle to angle herself behind the robber, creeping up to him. Unfortunately for her, she steps on a bag of chips. The robber turns to point the gun at her and Grey Ghost rushes him, tackling him to the ground. the gun fires and hits the camera Addison is looking through.
"Grey? Grey, are you there? Grey Ghost!"
Static fills her ears momentarily, "Yeah, I'm fine. Keep your pants on. Guy's unconscious, police will be here any second to get a statement from the cashier."
"Is anyone hurt?"
"The other guy will probably have a black eye soon but he'll be fine."
She frantically switches between cameras, getting a view of the register where Grey Ghost is paying for a slushie. The cashier looks mortified but neither of them look maimed, at least.
Her headset buzzes, "I'd say that was a success."
"Including or not including the property damage?"
"Hey - nobody's hurt and the perp didn't get away."
Addison bites her tongue and sighs. She's grateful the shift is over.
She goes to the break room and suppresses the urge to bash her head into the glass of the vending machine. She pours herself a cup of coffee when Glacier is done with hers.
"Milk?"
"No thanks, Glacier."
She takes a sip and begins to calm down.
Until Grey Ghost walks into the room and sits down at the table, a smug grin on her face and a slushie (blue raspberry? really?) in hand.
"So how'd I do, chief?" She teases between long sips.
Her coffee is beginning to simmer, "Are you serious right now?" Addison growls as she sits adjacent from her at the table.
"What? I came by to celebrate a successful call."
"You call that a success?"
"Nobody got hurt."
"You almost got hurt! You disobeyed a very clear instruction so you could go play Rambo! It's a miracle you didn't get hurt! You think when people sign up for SDN they expect their stores to get trashed?"
"Hey, shit happens. Who knows what would've happened if I didn't rush him?"
"Don't do that. Don't use hypotheticals to justify it. The point is I make the calls. Not you."
Grey Ghost glares, "Look, here's some advice: I don't know what kind of sad little hole SDN found you in, but you're not a hero anymore, okay? Just because you can do things nobody else can do doesn't make you better than me. I'm the one putting my ass on the line, not you."
She could feel her skin begin to burn, "My powers didn't make me a hero. How I did my job made me a hero. And from the way you're doing things there isn't a superpower in the world that could keep you from being a reckless asshole!" Addison growls, standing to slam her hands against the table. Grey Ghost stares at her in contempt as it catches fire and walks away.
The fire is quickly put out - Addison looks down at the scorched, wet piece of wood and turns her head to face Glacier, who has frozen her coffee.
"Uh - you're still..." She stutters, gesturing vaguely to her head.
"Right, thanks." Addison says, quickly extinguishing herself. "Good shift."