A/N - I owned everything in this story, so please credit me before using my characters. Now, enjoy!

PS - Special thanks to my closest friend who is like a brother to me, and my co-writer.

(???)

A younger version of Lexi, roughly around 7, flying on top of a tree while carrying a little boy who is the same age as her with messy, black hair, fair skin and brown eyes while wearing a dark blue scarf, sweater and shorts, under a starry night.

"Here ya go!" Lexi cheered as she puts the boy on a thick branch that wouldn't break very easily.

"T-Thank you." The boy said formally in a Japanese accent.

"No problem, Genji!" Lexi said cheerfully as she sits next to him, and says, "Wow! It's so pretty tonight! Isn't it?"

"Y-yes..." The boy named Genji nodded in agreement, "Mmm... ahem... how do I say... something... Tsuki ga kireidesu ne?" (A/N - "The moon is beautiful, isn't it?" Pls correct me if it's wrong)

"Huh? What does that mean?" Lexi asked in confusion.

"Ahem... Tsuki... moon, right?" Genji asked as he's struggling to speak English.

"Oh! Are you trying to say about the moon?" Lexi realised, which Genji nodded. "Oh yeah! The moon is super pretty!"

Genji simply nods as they continue to stare at the moon and stars. Lexi asks, "Mmm... I want us to be best friends forever!"

"M-Me too!" Genji agreed.

"Definitely!" Lexi said, "So... how do we be friends forever?"

"Huh?" Genji didn't understand as he tilt his head in confusion.

"... Oh! Marriage!" Lexi blurted.

"Huh?!"

"No, no. Not like super icky marriage with kissies and such!" Lexi said childishly, "I meant like a friendship marriage! That way! We can be best friends forever!"

"Ahem...?" Genji doesn't understood what she's saying, which Lexi noticed.

"Oh! Friendly marriage. No kiss, just hugs and play!" Lexi said in a simpler terms.

"Oh! Yay!" Genji understood. "Yes. Friendly marriage. That is very good!"

"Yeah! Pinky promise?" Lexi asked, which Genji nodded and they both pinky promise.

(??? Ends)

Present day, Lexi woke up rapidly and frowns a bit as she puts her hand on her right eye and thinks, ("I need to forget about him... it's been over ten years... since he's gone...")

Lexi sighed as she thinks over her childhood friend, Genji, who has been declared dead as nobody could find him. Not even his corpse, so after a few months of investigating, the case was closed, and Genji was considered legally dead. Though, a small part of her cling to the hope that he's still alive, but unfortunately... she knows that by now, he's dead and never coming back home.

Suddenly, she hears knocking on her door. She gets out of her bed, where it reveals she's wearing a red coloured cotton printed pyjama set that has a white star symbol on it. She walks to the door and opens it, where she's face to face to an Asian man who looks around his 50's, has greying black hair, brown eyes and wrinkles around his fair skin. He wears a black coat, white dress-shirt, black tie and black trousers.

"C-Commander Jeong!" Lexi saluted nervously, ("Oh no! I'm in my pjs! Ahhhh!!! God, I'm not ready for this!")

"Alexandra Glover."

"Y-Yes sir?!" Lexi asked.

"Come downstairs to the living room." The commander told her and just goes downstairs.

Lexi sighs and shakes her head as she looks at a dark skinned woman with curly, short black hair, teal eyes and has a beauty spot under her right eye. She wears a black tux with black gloves and loafers, while carrying documents.

"Apologies Miss Glover, but it is emergency." The woman told her with urgency and sternness in her tone.

"Of course, Miss Beasley." Lexi agreed as she follows Miss Beasley where the two go downstairs.

Lexi starts sweating in nervousness as she feels something is wrong. After all, it's abnormal for the commander of GUARD and his second in command to come to her home. After all, they're responsible for assisting the superheroes though military and social media aspects. There are other aspects as well, but those are the first two that comes into her mind.

So, why on Earth are they here since they're very busy people? As she goes downstairs, she sees her parents sitting in their chairs of their table. She notices her father trying to comfort her mother, who is visibly shaking and tearing up, which definitely worries Lexi to say the least.

"Mum, dad, what's going on?" Lexi asked her adopted parents.

Her dad stays silent. Instead, he glances at the commander, who sighs and says, "We need you to sit down."

"I-Okay..." Lexi obeyed as she sat down next to her mother, "Mum... I-I'm sure it's gonna be okay..."

"I doubt it's not going to be okay..." Her dad said in a pessimistic and hopeless manner.

"Huh? Why?" Lexi asked.

"It's about your brother and his team..." Miss Beasley said.

"Wha-what happened to my boy?!" Her mum blurted out in worry.

Lexi starts to get shaky as well. After all, if the commander and Miss Beasley is here, then something horrible must have happened, which is why her mother is visibly worried.

"... You have my deepest sympathy," The commander apologised to them.

"... What...?" Lexi asked as her eyes widen and jaws drop a bit. ("No... no way! My brother is literally the strongest superhero! He-he wouldn't die so easily!")

"Get straight to the point!" Her dad bursted into frustration.

"Very well then," Miss Beasley, then explains, "Your son is kidnapped and the entire team was mysteriously murdered."

"Wait... WHAT?!" Lexi blurted out in shock and stands up as colour starts to face her face, "T-They were murdered?! And my brother is kidnapped?! How?! And how do you know that he's kidnapped?!"

"Because we found a note." Miss Beasley explained as she takes a bloody note.

"Wha-what's this?" Lexi asked.

"A demand of ransom." Miss Beasley said, "With a impossible demand as well. They demand 200,000,000 dollars."

"Wha-that's insane!" Lexi blurted out in shock.

"Agreed." The commander agreed.

"Y-You gonna investigate, right?" Her father asked him, who nods.

"Naturally." Jeong said, "There would be mass panic and worry if we didn't."

"Unfortunately, we don't know much." Mrs Beasley explained, "We have the blood, the damages and such, but nothing that hint towards the culprit. They purposely left the entire room a bloody mess, but made sure to get rid of evidences that points to them. Grr... it's like they're mocking us."

"Calm yourself, Candace." The commander told her.

"Apologies, commander." Miss Beasley, also known as Candace, apologies as she takes a deep breath, "Since you are his family, have you noticed anything strange in his behaviour or something noteworthy?"

"Mmmm..." Lexi tried to remember along with her parents. "Ah!"

(Flashback)

Just as she is about to pick it up, her phone suddenly calls and she picks it up. It's from Ryan.

"Hey bro, what's up?" Lexi asked him through the call.

"Well... I'm calling because I'm gonna be extra busy tomorrow." Ryan told her.

"Wha-wait, why?!" Lexi blurted out in a shock and upset tone.

"I have a very important meeting with my team." Ryan explained to her.

"Okay, than I come!" Lexi said.

"Mmm... no. That isn't necessary." Ryan told her.

"Huh? Why?" Lexi asked him in shock. "Aren't we a team?"

Ryan pauses for a moment, and Lexi hears a deep sigh from the other side just as Ryan answers, "Sorry sis. But it's a meeting between veteran superheroes. No novice ranks allowed."

"I see... but did it have to be tomorrow?!" Lexi asked him as she struggles to hold back her emotions, "Can't you just change it to next week?!"

"Sorry, but it's too important to be pushed to next week." Ryan explained to her, "I'm sorry, but maybe next time, sis."

"... Okay..." Lexi mumbled in a sadden tone, ("After all the trouble I went through for picking up a present and us getting the ingredients for the fucking cake!")

"Thanks sis," Ryan thanked her, "I knew you understand. Bye Lexi! I gotta go!"

"Okay... bye, Ryan." Lexi responded back as Ryan calls off. "... Damn it... now I have to tell everyone that the birthday got cancelled... UGH!"

(Flashback ends)

"Yesterday, he called me about a very important meeting with his teammates." Lexi told them.

"Strange..." Candace said, "We wasn't notify of a meeting, have you Commander?"

"No, we have not." The commander confirmed.

"What?!" Her mum blurted out in confusion, "Then why did he tell us to cancel his own birthday?"

"I see... this is very odd indeed." Candace admitted, "We need to investigate further."

"Agreed. However, in the meantime, we need a suitable replacement after the Hero Squad are deceased... which their deaths would definitely have dire consequences for us." The commander mentioned, "And in order to create a new elite team, we decide to have you as it's leader."

"Wha-what?! Why?!" Lexi blurted out in shock. 

Lexi is deeply confused by their choice. Why her? Of all people? She's still rather new to all of this, and all of the sudden, she's made leader of a new team. That makes no sense to her.

"It's because of the fact you're the sister of the Defender." Candace told her, "And the fact you were still a member of the Hero Squad. A novice member, yes. But a member regardless. Besides, if your brother is strong, then no doubt that you could fill that spot easily."

"... I see..." Lexi mumbled, ("So... they only putting me in charge because of my brother... just like why they allow me to join Hero Squad... not surprised.")

"Will you accept?" The commander asked, "It could potentially find the culprit and save your brother."

Lexi briefly hesitates for a moment, and just answers, "Sure. After all, I will hunt that culprit  down and make sure they are rightfully punished for what they did."

"Good answer." Commander said with a proud tone, "You're truly are like your brother. Now, we shall be leaving and prepare for the new team assemble."

"Apologies for this situation." Candace apologised to them as they both bow to them respectfully and just as they leave by opening the door.

"Wait!" Lexi called them out, "I... I wanna go to the Hero Squad's HQ!"

"You can't." Candace denied her.

"Why not?"

"Because that's where the crime scene takes place."

"Then that's more of a reason for me to go there!" Lexi called out. "So please! I wanna come with you two!"

"Commander?" Candace asked him, who closes his eyes for a brief moment.

"... Very well, you can come." Commander allows her.

"Thank you, Commander Jeong!" Lexi thanked him happily

Just as Lexi is about to follows the commander and his second in command, her mum grabs her arm with teary eyes. She turns to see her mum's very worried expression, and says, "It's okay mum. I promise to be careful."

"Please do, Lexi."

"It will be okay, Mrs Glover." Candace ensured her, "She wouldn't be alone as we will assemble a team for her so that she doesn't have to face it alone, and we will assign her to a new mentor to replace Ryan Glover."

"Thank you." Her mum thanked them as she lets her go, "Please... come visit us when you have the opportunity."

"Of course, mum." Lexi said with a smile as she goes to follow the commander and Candace.

A/N - Candace is a character that pops into my head recently, and she isn't too developed yet. But I will start developing her very soon, and I hope you all enjoyed this part. If you did, leave a comment and have a good day! Aqua out!