Hours later, the mansion had gone quiet.
The television downstairs had long since fallen silent. Somewhere deeper in the house, the dishwasher hummed softly between cycles while wind brushed unevenly against the tall windows lining Ben's private study. Moonlight stretched across the polished wooden floor in pale silver bands, slipping between towering bookshelves packed tightly with worn hardcovers, old case files, and framed photographs tucked carefully between rows of books.
Ben stood near the large oak shelf along the far wall with one hand resting loosely inside his pocket while the other moved slowly across the spines. His tie hung loosened around his collar now, the top button of his dress shirt undone after dinner. The exhaustion from the day lingered quietly in the way his shoulders carried themselves even if he never openly showed it.
Diana leaned comfortably against the doorway with both arms folded loosely across her chest. One ankle rested over the other while she watched him in silence for a few seconds. The warmer light from the hallway behind her mixed softly with the colder moonlight filling the office, catching against the loose strands of hair that had slipped free from her ponytail earlier in the evening.
"Going to save the world again?" she asked softly.
Ben's fingers stopped against a worn leather copy of The Republic. His thumb brushed slowly along the faded spine before he pulled the book halfway free from the shelf and glanced down at the cover briefly.
"Already did that earlier today," he replied calmly. "Not this time."
The room settled quiet again except for the steady ticking of the clock mounted above the fireplace.
Ben turned the book once in his hand while his attention drifted toward the dark windows overlooking the city outside.
"HeroCorp called," he said after a moment. His voice stayed level, though quieter than before. "They want me at headquarters tonight."
Diana's posture shifted slightly at the tone in his voice. Her arms loosened gradually from across her chest as she straightened from the doorway.
"Trouble?"
Ben gave a small shrug, but the movement carried more weight than casual indifference. His jaw tightened faintly before relaxing again.
"Probably. We'll see what they want this time."
He slid the book carefully back into place, then pressed it inward firmly.
A deep mechanical lock disengaged somewhere behind the wall. The bookshelf trembled lightly before slowly rotating inward. Dust drifted loose from the upper corners while colder air spilled outward from the hidden chamber concealed behind it.
Diana pushed herself gently away from the doorway and walked farther into the study while watching the passage open.
"When will you be back?" she asked quietly.
Ben glanced toward her over his shoulder.
"I'll be back before sunrise."
The hidden chamber beyond contrasted sharply against the warmth of the mansion outside. Dark reinforced walls stretched around organized rows of secured storage compartments and equipment displays. Several monitors glowed faintly along one side of the room, cycling through surveillance feeds, emergency broadcasts, and encrypted communications in muted colors. Nothing inside felt decorative. Everything had a purpose.
At the center stood the suit.
Dark navy material layered tightly beneath muted silver plating rested against the black display frame beneath the dim overhead lights. The surface absorbed most of the light around it while the silver sections reflected faint cold highlights across the chamber floor.
Ben stepped farther inside and loosened his tie completely before pulling it free from his collar in one smooth motion. He placed it beside his jacket over the nearby chair before removing his cufflinks next. His movements stayed unhurried and practiced, shaped by years of repetition.
Diana remained near the entrance quietly watching him.
Ben unbuttoned the sleeves of his dress shirt and rolled them upward slightly before reaching for the first forearm piece resting on the equipment table. He secured it carefully into place along his arm, tightening the fitted restraints with calm precision before reaching for the second piece. The material settled naturally against his movements as he flexed his hand once.
Diana walked into the chamber slowly and stopped behind him. Her eyes moved across him quietly while he continued preparing the armor piece by piece.
"You know," she murmured softly, "you retired after saving the world. Can't HeroCorp leave you be for once?"
A quiet breath escaped him as he lowered his hands briefly toward the table.
"Most people aren't me," he answered. "And HeroCorp won't let me have my freedom."
Diana smiled faintly at that before stepping closer and wrapping both arms gently around his waist from behind. Her cheek rested lightly between his shoulder blades while her fingers folded together against his stomach.
Ben went still for a moment.
The tension sitting across his frame eased gradually beneath her touch. One of his hands covered hers automatically while his head lowered slightly.
She stayed there with him quietly while the monitors continued glowing softly around the room.
Eventually Ben turned slowly within her arms until he faced her properly. One hand settled against her waist while the other brushed lightly along the side of her neck.
"You should get some sleep with me tonight," Diana said quietly. "You barely rested this week."
Ben's eyes lowered toward her for a brief moment before he leaned closer and rested his forehead gently against hers. Diana's fingers slid slowly upward into his hair while they stood together in silence.
"That's a very tempting offer, but I'll rest when these fools stop creating disasters for me to clean up," he muttered quietly.
"That sounds like an excuse."
"Probably."
A softer laugh escaped her this time.
Ben stayed close to her for another second before stepping back toward the equipment table. He reached for the next armor section and secured it carefully into place across his shoulders and chest. Then came the gloves. The remaining pieces followed one after another with smooth familiarity while Diana watched from nearby with her arms folded loosely again.
The fitted material adjusted naturally with each movement of his body while the silver plating settled firmly into place over the darker layers beneath.
Finally, Ben approached the pedestal near the back wall.
The mask rested there alone beneath the dim overhead lighting.
Dark blue. Angular. Unreadable.
He stared at it silently for a moment before lifting it with both hands and securing it carefully over his face. The final clasps locked firmly beneath his jaw.
The man standing there no longer looked like Ben Winchester.
Black Mentis stood in his place now.
Diana tilted her head slightly while watching him.
"I'll finish the investor files tonight," she said. "Everything should be ready before morning."
Black Mentis turned toward her.
"Thank you, Diana."
His voice carried lower through the mask, roughened slightly beneath the modulator.
"Like always, I can count on you."
A faint smile touched her lips before she crossed her arms again.
"Just try not to punch another hole through HeroCorp this time. Their repairs are getting expensive."
A low scoff escaped him.
"No promises. Unless they piss me off."
Diana shook her head softly, still smiling despite herself.
Black Mentis turned toward the massive window overlooking Ember City while rain began sliding slowly down the glass outside. The city lights shimmered faintly beyond the storm while the chamber behind him fell quiet except for the distant hum of monitors and the soft rhythm of rainfall against the windows.