12 Chapter 12

Nolan had a pleased smile on his face as the team looked at Mark, who, for his part, was frowning at the ground. Mark would lie if he said he expected it to be so easy, but as much as he wanted to talk about it with his dad, he was still not pleased about being thrown under the bus like that.

Nolan approached Mark and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "You did well," he said, clapping his hands. "Now then, how about we introduce ourselves? Take this as a team bonding time. I'll go first."

Nolan took a step forward, his confident demeanor commanding attention. "I am Omni-Man, and I've been protecting this world for a long time. I've faced numerous challenges on my own, but now, with the formation of this team, together, we'll become something greater than I've ever been on my own."

Everyone looked at Nolan with a mix of respect and anticipation. They were well aware of Omni-Man's reputation and the power he possessed, so having him speak so highly of them was reassuring. Nolan gestured towards Mark, signaling for him to introduce himself.

Mark hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward. "I'm Invincible," he said, a bit reluctantly. "I'm... still getting used to all of this. I never expected to be a part of something like, say, the Guardians of the Globe, but hey, here I am."

Robot spoke next. "I am Robot, and I possess advanced technological capabilities. My skills include strategic analysis, engineering, and combat. I am honored to be a part of this team."

Dupli Kate was the next to introduce herself. "I'm Dupli Kate, and I can duplicate myself into multiple copies. It comes in handy in a variety of situations. Looking forward to working with the Omni-Man."

Nolan nodded in approval and then turned his attention to the remaining members. "Now, let's introduce the rest of the team. Monster girl, why don't you go next?"

Monster Girl, who had been staring indifferently, stepped forward. "I'm Monster Girl. I... transform into a monster. Yeah, that's about it." She scratched her head, a bit self-conscious about her abilities.

Nolan continued the introductions. "Monster Girl might be modest, but her strength is considerable. So don't ever underestimate her." That was when mentioning someone other than Eve, Mark, and himself, but there was no need to make the team feel inferior.

He then turned to Eve, who stood with a certain level of pride. "And last but not least, we have Atom Eve. She has the power to manipulate matter at a molecular level, giving her incredible versatility. Eve has proven herself as a capable hero, and I'm confident she'll be a valuable asset to the team."

Eve nodded in acknowledgment, a sense of validation in being recognized by Omni-Man.

Nolan addressed the team as a whole. "Now that we're all acquainted, let's discuss what happens next." He cracked his neck. "Seeing as there are no villains making any noise, we will expend the rest of the day 'training', just to see how you handle yourselves against trouble."

Mark and Eve jumped away from him and got in position, recognizing the tone in his voice. The rest of the team just looked on, confused as to what they were doing.

Nolan smirked, and in an instant, he disappeared from their view. He grabbed Monster girl and Kate while putting his foot on Robot and making him kiss the ground. "What are you waiting for? an invitation? It goes without saying, but in a real situation, no one is going to give you even a second to get ready; keep that in mind for the future."

Nolan released his hold on the team, dropping them unceremoniously on the ground and allowing them to collect themselves. Monster Girl grumbled as she stood up, rubbing the back of her neck. Robot adjusted his posture, while storing information about Omni-Man and his lesson. Kate rubbed her butt after landing hard on it, glaring at Omni-Man all the way.

Nolan looked at Mark and Eve. "And you two, stop looking so smug. You're not exempt from this either." He zipped behind Mark and flicked his ear, making him yelp in surprise. "You are a team, so act like one and help them when they need it." He got closer to Mark and whispered. "All it takes is a bullet they didn't see coming, a sudden explosion, one particularly strong attack, and they will be gone. It is our job to make sure they make it until they are ready."

Mark nodded, now aware of how different he was compared to them. "Got it," he replied with a serious expression on his face.

Eve, who was floating nearby, also acknowledged Nolan's message. "We'll make sure to work together; it sure seems like a necessity when taking on someone like you."

Nolan cracked his nuckles. "You certainly have the spirit; let's see how long it lasts, shall we?" This action got the rest chuckling nervously, which served to cement to him the fact that his teachings were working magic on them; now they acted like one, well, except Robot.

The team spent the rest of the day engaged in various training exercises under Omni-Man's watchful eye. They fought until they couldn't take another punch, trained until their muscles couldn't exert more strength, and rested for a while before repeating the cycle until it was night.

They found themselves physically and mentally exhausted by the end of the day, but the experience had brought them closer together as a team. Nolan, satisfied with their progress, addressed them casually while they twitched on the ground.

"You've all done well today. This is just the beginning, and there's much more to learn and improve upon. But it's a start, and don't worry, we won't be just doing this all week long; you need to rest as well. Twice a week sounds about right." He tilted his head, and just when the team was starting to feel hope, he continued. "The rest of the time will be used for other types of training and fighting crime. sometimes both."

His announcement was met with a mix of relief and dread from the team. They understood the importance of training and honing their skills, but the intensity of Omni-Man's approach was certainly not just for anyone.

As the team dispersed to tend to their wounds and rest, Mark approached Eve. "Well, that was something," he commented, a wry smile on his face.

Eve chuckled, rubbing her sore shoulder. "Yeah, no kidding. Omni-Man doesn't mess around with training, that's for sure."

"I hope the others can handle it," Mark said, glancing at the rest of the team, who were still recovering.

Eve nodded. "They'll adapt. It's tough, but it's necessary if we want to be a real team. We can't afford to be unprepared out there."

Mark sighed. "I just wish my dad had given us a bit of a heads up. I wasn't expecting to get thrown into the ring like that earlier either."

Eve raised an eyebrow. "You think your dad gives heads up? He seems to enjoy the element of surprise." She frowned for a moment. "Actually, isn't everything he's done so far just that?"

Mark chuckled. "Fair point. I guess we'll just have to get used to it."

Nolan, for his part, wasn't entirely happy. Sure, the kids had potential, but as expected of kids who suddenly got powers and decided to dress up in costumes, they lacked experience or developed bad habits. They either were overly dependent on their own abilities, didn't know how to apply them in creative ways, or just sucked in hand-to-hand combat. He certainly had his job cut off for him.

It was at that moment, while everyone else was busy socializing, that he decided to give Debbie a call, just to check up on her and make sure she was doing alright. He stepped away from the group, finding a quiet corner to make the call. He pulled out his phone and dialed Debbie's number. After a few rings, she answered.

"Hey, Nolan," Debbie's voice came through the device. "How's everything going with the new team?"

Nolan leaned against a wall, glancing at the group. "It's been an interesting day. Training is intense, but they're making progress. How about you? Everything okay at home?"

Debbie sounded bored. "Things are fine here. I've been keeping busy with work and taking care of the house. Just the usual routine." There was a pause, and then she added, "How's Mark handling it? Do you think he is actually ready for this?"

Nolan considered his words carefully before responding. "Mark has potential, and he's adapting quickly. The training might be tough, but it's necessary. He'll get used to it." He paused for a moment, gauging Debbie's reaction.

Debbie sighed on the other end. "I'm not talking about that; I know you'll be by his side if he ever needs help. I'm talking about his own life; after what happened with that girl, I worry about how he is managing himself."

Nolan's expression shifted slightly, and he smiled. "Was that all that had you worried? He's a strong kid, and he'll be fine. It doesn't seem to bother him anymore. It probably was just some stupid high school crush."

Debbie's tone remained unconvinced. "I hope you're right. But you need to be there for him when I'm not around. He's still a teenager dealing with a lot, and he might not always show it."

Nolan just shrugged. "I understand. I'll keep an eye on him; the team will make sure he doesn't act like a pu—like a princess."

Debbie chuckled on the other end, ignoring how weird his husband has been acting. "Sounds good. I'll see you two at home. Make sure not to be late. Well, at least make it home, will you? It gets lonely without you here."

Nolan pocketed his phone and rejoined the group. "You guys look rested enough; want to have another go? one last time to make it official." When they started to groan, he just sat on a bench, looking at their ready stances in amusement. "I'm just messing with you; I wouldn't want to do the job for the villains, would I?" The team didn't take the bait, making him nod. "Now that you are getting it, let's do this!"

The training concluded with one final round, with Omni-Man fighting against the team. Unfortunately, their exhaustion prevented them from offering any meaningful resistance.