When Andrew got a report of a mysterious masked man fighting cops in Seattle, he nearly dropped his camera on the floor. At first, he thought it to simply be the Man, or even Steve, but the cracked glass on the right eye of the mask suggested different. It was Matt, using tech to act like he had his abilities still, it was him out fighting with no tact or orders. It was his way of letting Andrew know that he wanted in, but Andrew's main goal was to kick him out. Matt was dragged back to the giant building that was home to the Man and his associates with no care about the fact that they ripped a hole in his jeans. He was dumped in front of a giant black leather couch that smelled brand new despite it being there since the building was made. He looked up to find the Man, Andrew, Steve, and a newcomer who sat awkwardly on the couch amongst the high heads of the association. Andrew looked pissed, Steve looked tired, and the Man just looked straight up annoyed as he looked up at them with a little smile through his cracked mask. The newcomer waved at him, but his hand was quickly shot down by Andrew, who pulled it down to the boy's side. Matt waved back, and he could hear a string of curses coming from behind his older cousin's mask. Matt knew he owed them an explanation. 

"Look, I took the mask, and you gave me no other directions, so I tried to help out." Andrew snarled at him, levitating slightly off the couch, camera directly in front of his chest. 

"You don't get to just do anything you want. You were supposed to WAIT, did I not make that CLEAR?" 

"Andrew, the guy has nothing clear right now, he's probably loaded with coke." Steve joked, trying to make the deadly tense room a little less tense. 

"Steve's right, the guy's probably high on something, if not drunk on something. Or both." The Man spoke, a light tone to his voice, almost like Steve's. Taking Matt like a joke, because to the Man, he was a joke. 

"I've been clean for a WEEK." Matt spit out, determined to show them he was trying to get better, trying to be like them again, up at the top. The newcomer laughed, his voice a maniacal giggle, almost like he had no sanity left, despite being young and free from all that had once opposed him. 

"You really think they'll let you in? I highly doubt it in this state. You're.... how do I put this in dumb terms.... just not ready for our level yet." 

"Says a guy who has no true abilities other than to sway a psycho witch to your side and get him to give you a magical watch so you look like you have something. At least I have powers!" Matt was proud of his jab, watching the newcomer's face grow frustrated. Andrew intervened quickly, reminding Matt that he had no powers left because he abused them, destroyed them. That there was a difference between the battle scarred boy on the couch and the broken man on the floor. Andrew, as pissed as he was, still thought one more chance was enough for his disappointment of a cousin. 

"... Fine. You want in? You have to prove you're not what everyone thinks you are. I did that already, we ALL have, we're all powerful because we have something you don't. A better life. We all have moved on and tried to do better things, accomplish stuff, make friends... make a family. Look at you. You're weak, Matt. Nothing's changed about you, you're just the same stupid cousin I knew from eight years ago. You're the static one, Matt, you don't change, you just... move along, like a ghost. You're just a GHOST, Matt. Be REAL." With that, Andrew unfolded his body from his crisscross position on the couch and flew up, up to the ceiling, before diving down and through a portal that led directly to Seattle, wind making it through the crack in Matt's mask and making him close his eye. Steve looked at Matt, a hand over his eyes, sighing lightly. 

"Andrew's right, Matt. You're dead, dude. Like, emotionally dead. But I can help if you want, we just want you to get better." Steve got up off the couch as well, hovering lightly before dropping into another portal to Seattle. Matt could hear his gleeful shouts through the portal, a reminder of how much he missed flying. The newcomer was the next to leave, gracefully standing up and walking out of the room with a 

"He won't make it more than a week." directed towards the Man. Matt could hear his boots clicking and cape swaying as he left the large space. Only the Man was left, starting down at Matt with an unknown look in his eyes. The Man took out a modified cigarette, putting to his lips and inhaling before blowing the smell-less air out his mouth. 

"Mr. Garretty, your chance starts now. Don't disappoint us. If you do, well.... then you can go back to your little druggie dreamland for as long as you'd like. It's your choice. It's ALWAYS been your choice." The Man lifted himself off the couch, bones cracking as he moved, his mask sliding on quickly as he limped out of the room, his watch blaring with the sounds of busy people in other places, an interconnected world that Matt wanted to be a part of so desperately. Matt watched him as he left, getting up and almost following the Man, determined only to see how he worked, how he was so great and powerful. The Man noticed Matt behind him, but gave no indication as he pulled up a song on his watch and danced to it down the hallway, his feet stomping lightly and his hands making wild gestures. Matt saw it as almost a ritual the way he moved his hands and feet like a dance he'd been practicing for years. When the song ended, the Man walked on a little more, only stopping to look slightly over his shoulder and say in a low, raspy voice, 

"Enjoy the peek into the room, Matt? It's time for you to hand me the key and shut the door." With that, he vanished in a black blur, leaving Matt alone in a long hallway he didn't know how to get out of.