The Los Diablos Guardians (Patreon)

An except from Mayor Teresa Alvarez personal notes, archived for autobiographical purposes.

Los Diablos, 12 November, 2018.

Present: Teresa Alvarez, Mayor (MA), Justin Koch, (JK)

Topic: Preliminary discussions about the proposition of forming a new team of heroes, the Los Diablos Guardians.

---

JK- Are you sure you want to go through with this?

MA- You know that's not the issue here. I wouldn't have put in the work if I didn't intend to put it up for debate.

JK- Fine, but are you sure you want to risk your reputation as a fiscal conservative to push for this?

MA- Is that what they call me?

JK- That's why you got elected. What's so funny?

MA- I'm just thinking about what my father would have said.

JK- You asked me to find a way to spin your candidacy that didn't involve your family. 

MA- And you did. And I'm grateful. Just didn't realize that successful entrepreneur and community builder translated to fiscally conservative.

JK- What we say and what they hear might not be altogether the same thing.

MA- And that's why you're worried about this proposition. Because they might hear other things than what I am saying.

JK- Namely "how will this affect the budget?"

MA- Money. Always money.

JK- That's the reason this place is not just a pile of rubble.

MA- Don't give me that crap, if the companies hadn't moved in, there would still be people living here.

JK- I know. I'm on your side, remember? I've been here since before the Big One too.

MA- Sorry. This isn't your fault. You've already done wonders.

JK- I assume you have a plan how to get them aboard? I know Lou is eating out of your hand, but this is too expensive to sweep under the carpet.

MA- I do. Money might be a big motivator, but so is paranoia. It's cheap to rely on the Rangers, but that also means relying on the US government and all that entails. And the LDPD might have an enhanced crimes division, but everyone knows how corrupt that is.

JK- Some in the council might ask themselves why pay twice for the same thing?

MA- The answer is simple. The Guardians will appeal to the kind of heroes that wants to help their community but won't lower themselves to join the LDPD. The bigger the powers, the bigger the ego. Everyone knows the LDPD has had recruitment problems for years.

JK- You're not wrong. I can make something with that as long as you've got the right recruits.

MA- I have some suggestions.

JK_ Already? How long have you been working on this?

MA- Honestly? Since long before I got elected. And Eric Deveraux has been helping me assemble suitable candidates. Don't worry, I didn't tell him why yet.

JK- I think he still can put two and two together. We don't want another assassination on our hands.

MA- I agree, what happened to Lehmann was a tragedy. But that can still be used to our advantage. LDPD's failure at catching the Crack meant the murder of the Mayor. Obviously, they can't be trusted. Combine that with the decimated Rangers, the Marshal shot to years ago, their biggest gun retired. 

JK- Okay. Let me see what Deveraux has come up with. 

MA- Of course. Please let me know what you think.

JK- Okay. Just give me a minute.

Possible team leader: Blaze

Identity: Vincent Marino (he/him)

Powers: Generating heat strong enough to melt steel. 

Pros: Former leader of Long Beach Heroes. Charismatic and outgoing. Good media contacts. A heavy hitter, can potentially destroy most villains if casualties is not an issue.

Cons: Problems with accuracy when it comes to powers. Collateral damage expected. Rumors about his sexual orientation (might not be relevant if Symmons has retired before it comes to a vote).

MA- So, time for you to blow holes in my plans.

JK- That's not what I do, I just point out the places you need to be bulletproof.

MA- The good news first, please.

JK- I like the idea of re-purposing the Long Beach Heroes. That means you've got a core of people used to working together. Is there a reason you picked the Blaze faction rather than the Locus faction?

MA- Yes. I don't think I could sell a telepath to the Council.

JK- True. Too bad, Porphyry would have been great.

MA- But won't work with Blaze. You know that.

JK- And with Blaze, you get Zephyr.

MA- They're a potent duo. And I think Blaze has real leadership potential, at least when it comes to representing the team.

JK- Going for the Charge approach then, are you?

MA- For better or worse, during the time of Marsha Charge, the Rangers were relevant. The ratings were high, everybody talked about them.

JK- Both good and bad. You're counting on Symmons retiring soon then?

MA- Yes. He's been alluding to it for years, and his health is slipping.

JK- Good riddance. The man is a dinosaur. Is that why you've been pushing so hard for refurbishing the sports center?

MA- Yes. Having it named after him when he retires is a nice push in the right direction. You know how much he loved the Sharks.

JK- You really has planned this for a while.

MA- Honestly, I just wanted to get rid of him. He's an odious relic of the old days. Most of the company decisions have been made by his niece for years.

JK- True. I assume you already know she'll be amendable to this?

MA- At least to the point that she won't let what people do in the bedroom influence her business decisions.

JK- Good enough. You think Blaze is the right man for the job then?

MA- I do. And his powers are useful when taking down bigger threats. If the Guardians are to be relevant, they need that power.

JK- You know he's got a reputation for collateral damage.

MA- And for getting results. We're used to rebuilding.

Possible second in command: Zephyr

Identity: Mackenzie Blake (they/them)

Powers: Hyperspeed. Enhanced reactions. 

Pros: Familiar with Blaze since the LBH days. The tagline "faster than a speeding bullet" is not technically true, but they do move and run fast enough to literally run circles around most opponents. Very money oriented.

Cons: Reliant on weapons to do damage. Vulnerable to area attacks. Relatively fragile for a boost. 

JK- I assume Zephyr is there for flexibility?

MA- Line you said, Blaze is not a scalpel, Zephyr is. Speed is rare, and you've seen what they've done in the past. Saving people.

JK- Which is good optics.

MA- What the hell?

JK- Sorry. You know I need to think that way. That's why you pay me. 

MA- You're right. Sorry. I'm not as good at code-switching as you are.

JK- As long as you keep it up on the job, I won't complain. And you're right about Blaze and Zephyr. They complete each other. 

Possible member: Rick the Brick

Identity: Richard McCulloch (he/him)

Powers: Enhanced strength and resilience. Skin armor, which takes on a brick-like consistency when activated. 

Pros: Popular vigilante. Rated 2 in the Confidential "most family friendly hero" list 2017. Good command of his powers. Fully armored up he's gone toe to toe with military armors and ordinance.

Cons: Haven't worked in a team before. 

I assume... Rick the Brick is there as muscle since we can't get Porphyry?

MA- Don't worry. We are going to have him change his name in case he accepts our offer. I'm thinking "Brickwall", unless you want to workshop it?

JK- Brickwall is fine. And no matter how much of a goofball he comes across, I do agree he's got potential. Strength and armor might not be the most glamorous, but very useful. 

MA- I feel he might also humanize the team. You know the kids love him.

Possible member: Bumblebee

Identity: Amanda "Mandy" Moore (she/her)

Powers: Flight.

Pros: Experienced vigilante. Has worked extensively with other hero teams. A team player. Great maneuverability. Can carry others.

Cons: Reliant on weapons to do damage. Not very fast.

JK- Bumblebee is a bit of a surprise. 

MA- The team needs a flier, I had my eyes set on Kinetik, but then he went and joined the Rangers.

JK- He hasn't been a member for long, we could make him an offer?

MA- No. I can't have any ex-Rangers in here, not with how we need to sell it.

JK- True... but Bumblebee isn't the most powerful, is she?

MA- She could be with the access to the right equipment. Get her some proper firearms instead of her dinky little stingers.

JK- That is true... by the way, is there a reason you've only gone for boosts?

MA- Yes. Representation. The thing that separates us from the rest of the US is how we have accepted boosted individuals as equals in our society. It is easier to write off Mods as a product by the military or deep company pockets.

JK- The pockets we are trying to raid.

MA- For a good cause.

JK- Is there a particular reason the core team is... how to put it... rather white?

MA- I asked Deveraux the same thing. According to him, and I quote "better chance the Council will approve faces that looks like them." In other words, I'm apparently just enough what they can stomach and I shouldn't push my luck.

JK- Ouch.

MA- That's why I hired him. He knows how to work with these people. I can't say I'm happy by the fact that he's probably right, but once the team is established, it will be easier to add candidates without the same scrutiny.

JK- True. Like your dad used to say, get your foot in the door and worry about the rest later. Have you checked whether these people are interested?

MA- In general terms, yes. They don't know who is sponsoring the project, only that someone with deep pockets is putting a team together for the good of the city.

JK- And the other... possible suggestions here?

MA- Not contacted. And won't be mentioned to the Council until the team has proven it's worth.

JK- I would recommend not bringing them up to anybody else but me. This could ruin any chance you have of getting this off the ground.

MA- I know how this might come across, I'm not stupid. But please, let me know what you think of them.

Optional candidate: Logarithm

Identity: Syed Akmal (he/him)

Powers: A self-proclaimed genius. General boosted physical characteristics, strength, agility, speed and endurance.

Pros: Military training. A tactical expert. A great number of contacts in both the villain, vigilante and hero community.

Cons: Currently sentenced to 20 years in jail for industrial espionage. 

JK- Three years ago I would have agreed, but the man is in jail for stealing from the very people on the Council.

MA- Not ideal, I agree. Deveraux said the same thing.

JK- This was your idea, not his?

MA- I just think that one mistake shouldn't wipe away a decade of good deeds. 

JK- What are you up to?

MA- Nothing. I just feel he would be an asset to the team, none of the others are exactly known for their planning abilities.

JK- Apparently neither is he since he's currently in jail. If you want my opinion, remove him from the optionals, it will leak sooner or later, and then you'd be in real trouble.

MA- Fine. But we do need someone with similar talents sooner or later if we want the team to be successful.

JK- Then let's get someone without a jail sentence. Speaking of which...

Optional candidate: Five Pennies

Identity: Gerard Hines (he/him)

Powers: Weird. Telekinesis and various other matter control powers, usable through the fiver copper pennies floating around his head that he took the name from. Once they attached to a person they would give him a limited control over the victim. In the past he has given burns through the pennies (his calling card, the more burns (up to five), the greater the crime). he has also caused convulsions, controlled bodies and even boiled the blood of those affected.

Pros: Powerful and experienced. 

Cons: Unbalanced. Aggressive. Currently sentenced to 50 years in jail for murder. 

MA- I know what you're going to say.

JK- That you're nuts? Because I can't see any reason why this murderer should even be considered. Why not invite Psychopathor directly and be done with it?

MA- Because we might need him one day.

JK- Why? What's so special about him? He was never more than a back-alley vigilante. Sure, he took down some bigshots, but you saw what he did. Half the city did.

MA- Sometimes beggars can't be choosers.

JK- What aren't you telling me? 

MA- You need to trust me on this, Justin. 

JK- I thought you trusted me.

MA- I do. But some things are best kept secret. And it's probably nothing. You've got a point. I think it's better to keep the optionals off the book for now.

JK- I won't argue that. But please, Teresa, don't do anything stupid. We've worked too hard to get to this point.

MA- I won't. You saw the proposed team. Perfectly on the level. I shouldn't have bothered you with things that might never come to pass.

JK- Is this about Resolution 32 again? I thought that wasn't on the table.

MA- It's not. But it might be in the future. The threat hasn't gone away just because the discussion has been tabled. 

JK- Just because he's dead doesn't mean you have to carry on your father's legacy.

MA- Wasn't that why I was elected? Not that half the old bastards would admit it?

JK- I thought that was because of my work, but you've got a point. I wish you didn't though.

MA- So do I. Now, let's work on pushing this through the council. 

JK- Fine. I think we can do that.