Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I sighed.

"How did I let you convince me to come here?" I ask.

Lisa turns that knowing smile on me for a moment before turning away, adjusting her sunglasses, and sipping the overly priced caffeine drink she had bought to blend in.

"Think of this as reconnaissance."

I look at the PRT spokesperson talking to the crowd, the Wards assembled behind them.

"I think you just wanted to have overpriced coffee," I muttered as I sipped on my own bitter drink and tired not to grimace at the taste.

"And can't a girl just have her overpriced coffee with her best friend while also spying on the cops?" Lisa asked before pointing "see Vista there?"

I did. I had bugs on her. I had bugs on everyone in my range, even Lisa.

I nodded and she continued "She hates these, she doesn't want to be there. She's actually hoping someone starts something."

I looked at the smallest ward with a more evaluating gaze. Now that Lisa had pointed it out I could see it. She was regularly looking around, barely sitting still and the smile on her face looked extremely forced.

"It looks awful and I'm sitting here having to watch it," I muttered.

Lisa tutted before turning that smirk on me "at least admit your enjoying your first day of summer break."

I idly stir the ice cubes in my coffee "I suppose… but..." I sighed. It was stupid. I was a villain, I had fought Lung, infiltrated a villain group, ended up as the boss of the villain group, fought the Protectorate, PRT and Wards. And yet three girls had me terrified.

Lisa looked at me and tilted her head "I could always help you get your GED, I mean… we all have a lot of free time, nowadays anyway."

I considered the idea. Not having to go back to Winslow would be the dream, never having to interact with anyone there ever again. But my Dad might not approve… and what would my Mom think?

"I'll think that over," I finally say.

Lisa nodded and then looked away with a smirk "could always pay them a visit, reckon Emma is scared of dogs?"

I snort "Normal ones, no. Massive mutated ones? Probably." I pointed a finger at her with narrowed eyes "don't even think about it."

Lisa held her hands up with a smug grin "I'm a Thinker, it's in the name Tay," she sipped her drink "helps that Rachel would do it if you asked," she sang.

"No, I'm better than them, I don't need to resort to that."

Lisa snorted and shot me a faux questioning look "how the hell did you become the leader of a villain group again?"

"I distinctly remember that you basically made me the leader," I smirked back "you weren't complaining then, were you?"

"Maybe you can control more than bugs," Lisa wriggled her fingers.

"Aw Lisa, don't sell yourself short like that, I think your smarter than a bug."

A brief flash of emotion passed the girl's face, indignation and anger that passed as quick as it came as she shook her head "gee, thanks," she replied in a monotone.

Me a few months ago would have winced at my fuck up there. Present me had had to deal with all the Undersiders shit for four months now. I knew how to manage them.

"What have you got from this whole thing then?" I ask idly, trying to disguise my true meaning – even knowing it's pointless as Lisa shoots me an amused look and brushes a lock of her blonde hair out of her face. I still hate Lisa's natural beauty. In fact, every female cape in the bay was better looking than me, the only one worse was Squealer, and that was because she was a drug addict.

"Well, our friends at the PRT are intent on enforcing what the 'PR' means. Nothing too special about this event, usual ask the Wards questions that they have been grilled on how to answer for weeks. Shadow Stalker is currently boiling alive in her black costume."

I found my sympathy for Shadow Stalker non-existent when I remembered the many times she'd tried to kill Brian.

"Actually… Browbeat is as well. Y'know for a literal mountain of muscles he is really good at blending in," Lisa commented. I saw her exaggeratedly lower her sunglasses down her nose and run her eyes over the Ward. I rolled my eyes and shook my head, going to take a sip of my drink.

"Lots of rich people here."

I barely managed to stop spilling my drink as I turned to glare at a smug looking Aisha. Lisa didn't survive the same fate, some of her coffee spilling onto her jeans. I handed her some tissue paper as Lisa glared at Aisha as well.

"You don't just do that," Lisa hissed.

"I didn't mean to."

I didn't need Lisa's power to understand the smug look on the girls face to tell me that she definitely meant to do that.

She pointed "doesn't it feel weird that you held a knife to her throat."

I whipped my head around and saw who she was talking about. Amy and Victoria Dallon of New Wave were looking at the crowd as well, Victoria in curiosity and Amy in boredom.

"Shit," I muttered, trying to make myself as small as possible.

Lisa waved her hand and dumped several now stained tissues on the table "Relax, they won't recognise us." Lisa sighed through her nose, stirring what was left in her coffee cup, the ice cubes clunking in the plastic container. Her head snapped up as she turned to Aisha "wait, what do you mean there's a lot of- oh of course."

Aisha had a shit eating grin, and a shit ton of dollar bills.

"Please say you didn't steal those," I ask, not looking at her but able to feel her fingers counting through the money in her hands.

"I didn't steal these,"

A silence hung over the table for several long seconds.

"You just said that because I asked you to,"

"Yup."

Lisa groaned and rubbed the bridge of her nose "why?" she asked in a defeated tone. We were used to this with Aisha at this point.

"Because I'm booooooooored," Aisha complained, flopping onto the table and huffing.

"You asked to come along," I point out, thankful that my memories of Aisha supplied me with that information.

"What! Taylor! You're supposed to be supporting me in boredom! You were just complaining!"

"I was more complaining on not doing something productive," I drawl.

"Of course, that's what your complaining about," Aisha grumbled before whining "come on, its summer! We should be doing summer things like stealing and beating people!"

"Just say that louder why don't you" Hissed Lisa, looking around quickly. With no sign of trouble, she sighed and looked at Aisha "okay, so what do you suggest we do?"

"Buy summer clothes, go to a beach, get ice cream, look at cute boys, watch movies, get laid."

"Some excellent ideas, however, two problems," I hold up my finger "we live in Brockton Bay."

"Fuck," Aisha cursed.

"Two, you're fourteen, you are definitely not getting laid."

"What are you? My mom?" the girl muttered with a huff.

"No, but we have Lisa who is physic and then we have your brother who would kill the first boy to touch you." I spoke, finishing my coffee while Lisa smirked.

"Wow, you are truly evil, you deserve your leadership position," Aisha groused.

The table lulled into a comfortable silence as they watched the Wards continue to perform like monkeys for the crowd.

"Are we going to beat people up soon?" Aisha asked in a small hopeful voice.

I tilt my head, turn to glance at Lisa. She hums "things have been tight since… then… and we could use more money."

I nod my head before turning to fully face Aisha "okay then any suggestions?"

~§~

I looked down at the warehouse, feeling as my bugs explored its insides unnoticed by its occupants. I felt the large crates of various narcotic substances, some of my bugs currently having the times of their lives.

"I'm coming up the fire escape."

The Undersiders tensed before our memories reminded us that yes, Imp did exist. A moment later and the girl climbed onto the roof. Her dark armour helped her blend in, had a horned mask with a white painted on sharp toothed grin that her dark curly hair spilled out the back of but hid the obvious purple streak, the spider silk bodysuit underneath the armour adding extra protection and concealment with its black dye. She did a twirl and I could just hear the smugness in her voice "and unharmed, unseen she returns. The stealthiest bitch in the city."

"Are you sure?" Brian asked, concern echoing through his voice as darkness bled off him. His skull helmet tilted to the side. Underneath his protective motorcycle leathers, he too wore a spider silk bodysuit. All the Undersiders did.

Imp's head lulled back and she let out a long groan "yes I'm fiiiine."

"I'm counting twenty-three combatants, fourteen with guns, six unarmed and seven with various melee weapons," I said, hoping to cut off the siblings from bickering "an additional eight are asleep or very high."

"Same, though I didn't keep track of the weapons," Imp said.

"We going?" Bitch grunted. She wore a large fur lined coat, her dog mask affixed to her face as she looked to me. Around her legs her three dogs Judas, Angelica and Brutus were all sitting patiently waiting, already beginning to grow with muscle and bone armour.

"Before we do," Tattletale spoke, standing from the prone position she had been in next to me "the plan, one more time." She'd forgone the leather cat suit and instead wore a similar looking black spider silk body suit. A belt around her waist, black leather leggings leading to combat boots and a dark purple jacket. Instead of a domino mask she now wore a masquerade one, still with black makeup around her blue eyes.

She had changed her costume the most after Coil's death.

"Do we have to? We've already been over it once," Regent groused, idly swinging his sceptre. He hadn't changed anything about his costume apart form the addition of spider silk "we go in, break some bones and leave with money."

Tattletale shot me a look before replying "Regent, I've been over it twice, shut up. Imp will go and turn off the lights. When they cut, Bitch will make an opening in the wall with the dogs and Grue will cover the place in darkness as we enter. We take the guards out. Grue and Bitch will move them outside and zip tie them. Skitter keeps a lookout and I will open the safe and grab the cash. Grue, Bitch, feel free to take whatever they have on them. When cash is taken Imp can set fire to the drugs and we bounce with no one aware we were here," Tattletale spoke.

"That's just what I said but with too many words," Regent pointed out.

"Yeah Tats" joined in Imp "too many words, Regent only knows like, ten."

Regent put a hand to his heart "Imp, you wound me, I know at least thirteen."

I still found it concerning how well they got along. I stood and turned to look at the group properly with my actual human eyes.

"We do this quick. This storehouse is one of the bigger ones the Merchants have, we'll be destroying a large amount of their drugs that won't go on the street," I said, then I remembered that Alec was in the group and that we were 'villains' "also a lot of money."

"Woo!" Imp cheered.

Her eagerness was appreciated, her noise level was not.

"Get into position," I ordered, and everyone moved. We descend into the alley and wait as Rachel amped up her dogs. I couldn't remember why we waited but I knew we had too, watching the warehouse as we climbed onto the dog's backs.

Then the lights to the warehouse cut and Imp spoke over the radio "get your asses in here."

"Go." I ordered and like that Bitch gave a cry, the fogs lurching into motion and bounding across the street.

I braced, holding onto Bitch tight as Brutus charged through the garage door, no sooner had it happened then Grue doused the occupants of the warehouse into his familiar darkness. I quickly climbed down from Brutus's back and used my bugs to navigate my way from the cloud. I sensed Tattletale in the cloud, still on Angelica's back with Regent behind her.

I landed a moth onto her hand and had it flap its left wing five times. Tattletale turned the dog and bound, emerging from the cloud with a familiar grin.

"Knew that system would come in handy," she said smugly as she and Regent.

"Let's go to the safe, Regent, make sure we're not followed."

"Sure thing boss, totally not suspicious that the closest girls on our team are going to a secluded room together," he snarked back, even as he turned to face the cloud.

"You wish Regent, try not to get too distracted tonight," Tattletale shot back before looking at me "c'mon babe, let's go crack this 'safe'."

I rolled my eyes as Tattletale sauntered on ahead but quickly caught up, taking point with my baton out, tracking everyone's movements. Grue was currently bashing a Merchants face in with the eagerness of a starving man confronted with a particularly juicy hot dog, I'm was attacking two other Merchants with a similar eagerness, using her powers to become invisible and strike them 'from the shadows' while being in front of them.

Bitch was keeping her dogs controlled, having one grab a Merchant in its jaws throw the man into a wall, knocking him out. Regent wasn't doing much, just standing looking at the cloud. Not that he could do much through the cloud, but still.

"Let's have a lookise at what we have then," Tattletale spoke, cracking her fingers as I opened the door to the office with the safe.

There were two Merchants present, in a rather compromising position.

Tattletale cackled behind me and I stepped into the room, the two Merchants frozen in place and staring wide eyed.

"Well, well, well, isn't this rather… awkward for you?" Tattletale said, sauntering in with a large cheshire grin.

"Who the fuck are you?" The man asked, scowling.

"We're the Undersiders," Tattletale raised her gun and I made the swarming cloud of insects behind me buzz and hiss louder "and this is a robbery."

"Oh fuck-" The guy went for the nearby gun only to pull his hand away like it had been burnt as insects smothered the gun.

"Quite," Tattletale gestured with the gun "now, if you and you… lady friend would like to go into the corner there."

The lady Merchant did so, gathering her clothes as she did so to cover herself better. The male Merchant looked between Lisa's gun and his own insect covered on before muttering and following the lady, gathering his own clothes along the way.

"Good, good, now, what are we dealing with here?" Tattletale asked, looking toward the safe "ah, the old TXKU-twenty by six safe," Tattletale looked the box over before her grin widened "and with some modifications, likely made by a certain tinker rhyming with tequila."

"Can you open it?" I asked, in the same moment making my swarm move to surround the two Merchants, the woman having gotten cocky and attempting to move to a pocket with a phone inside. She gasped, her hand quickly pulling away and in the same movement the phone dropping to the floor.

"I can," Tattletale grinned at the Merchant couple "with some help."

"Kill yourself you inbred cunt bitch," the man snarled.

Tattletale didn't respond, instead humming as she narrowed her eyes "he's cheating on you, y'know?" she said, her eyes flicking to the girl "you may have been engaged in… activities, but he wasn't thinking of you while you were doing them."

"You're lying," the woman said, the man nodding hastily.

"Of course, I'm the mean cape who's here to steal your money… but I have principles. You've known for a while now haven't you? He comes back with different smelling perfume and he doesn't take you anywhere does he?"

"Shut up!"

"Your friends all know as well, don't they, they're all in on it."

"Shut the fuck up!"

"I can tell you who it is, all I want is the code."

It was always incredible to watch Tattletale work, incredible and scary. Knowing that at any moment she could turn to you and dismantle you in a matter of seconds, if she tried hard enough she could spin you to her will. I'd seen her use it subtly on shopping clerks and the like, getting discounts on jeans and jackets. I'd seen her use it on other capes as well, making them turn on each other. It made me glad we were friends, because I feared what she could do if she turned that power on me.

The female Merchant bit her lip, glancing at her partner.

"Eight two six seven."

"Jasmine! You bitch!" the male Merchant shouted.

"Thank you," Tattletale smiled, turning and working the safe.

"Who is it, you'd said you'd tell me!"

Tattletale paused and then turned, that smirk in place "I said I could tell you, not that I would."

"You whore!" Jasmine launched forward but I intercepted her, the two Merchants having apparently forgotten about me as I smashed my baton into her chin.

"Serves her right," the male Merchant sneered.

"Shut up," I spoke, hearing the insects echo me.

The Merchant promptly shut up.

"Oh yes, this is good," Tattletale said, gathering the stacks of dollar bills and depositing them into the duffel bag.

I watched the Merchant, knowing I was unnerving him with the way he kept glancing at me repeatedly. When Tattletale was down I grabbed the half dressed woman and began to drag her, Tattletale leading the man by gunpoint.

"I wasn't even cheating on her." The man muttered as he glanced at Jasmine.

"Oh, I know, but she didn't, I just used her insecurities against her," Tattletale said with a grin "so keep moving little boy, or I can do the same to you."

The man ducked his head.

That was the scariest part, Lisa could probably make you believe anything if she tried hard enough. Every insecurity on display like a book that she could take and edit into an essay.

"Damn girls, what were you two up too?" Regent asked, I was able to here the mocking grin in his voice as we emerged into the main floor of the warehouse.

"Oh, just some lovers who had a little quarrel," Tattletale answered "truly a tragic tale."

"Skitter, Tattletale. You got the money?" Grue asked, emerging from the hole in the wall.

"We do," I spoke "everyone dealt with?"

"All twenty three accounted for," he nodded.

"Make it twenty five," Tattletale said as she gestured the Merchant forward.

"Oh, was this a 'only two or three Wards' situation-"

"Shut up Regent."

I looked over everything before nodding "We're done here, burn it," I spoke.

"Fuck yeah!" Imp cheered, appearing suddenly as she rushed off outside.

I followed out the whole as did Tattletale and Regent to see the Merchants, beaten or unconscious and lined up on the opposite sidewalk. Bitch's dogs were sat around them, keeping them in line, Bitch herself staring them down with crossed arms.

Imp was rifling through another bag, emerging with several glass bottles.

"I feel like I should be concerned that you know how to make Molotov cocktails," Grue spoke.

"I get bored easily," Imp shot back as she lit one of the bottles and walked toward the warehouse, throwing the bottle into the hole.

"We best skedaddle," Tattletale said "fire department will be called within minutes, and because it's the docks the PRT will be called as well for possible Lung involvement. Don't want to be nearby."

I nod "Let's get out of here."

~§~

"Now to more local news, last night a warehouse in the docks, believed to be associated with the Archer's Bridge Merchants was burned down. The Merchants found outside bound and ready to be arrested. Eyewitness reports claim that the Undersiders, a group of parahuman thieves are responsible. The PRT has released a statement saying that they are investigating possible perpetrators. Remains of drugs with a street value estimated of one million dollars were found inside, raising questions as to how much a threat the Merchants are. In other news-"

"Typical, these days it seems like the gangs keep each other in check more then the Protectorate and PRT do," my father muttered.

"The Undersiders aren't a gang though."

He waved his hand absently "semantics, they break the law."

I chose not to reply to that, simply because I was true, we did break the law. But we didn't hurt the everyman, that was something I made sure of, we went after the gangs.

"Have a good day sweetie," my dad spoke, kissing my hair.

"You too dad," I watched him leave and then retrieved my phone form my pocket. While Dad may have warmed up to them, he still wasn't too comfortable with them.

I called Lisa, waiting barely a few seconds before the girl picked up "we were mentioned on the news."

"Mm, I just saw," Lisa replied, barley sounding awake "PRT know it's us, but they're beginning to think of labelling us as vigilantes, considering we've only been hitting the gangs and not any legal businesses."

"That's better than being villains."

"That's very true. Now, do you want to come over to my apartment and look over some GED stuff followed by binge watching something, I'm feeling Poirot. Aisha will be there as well."

"Depends, will you spoil the ending of every episode five minutes in?" I ask, already getting up to go get ready.

"No promises." I could practically hear the grin in her voice.

The call dropped and I smiled.

Life was good right now.

Chapter Text

I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel, watching the massive traffic jam in front of me in annoyed boredom. No one outside the van knew I was actually Skitter, I was just a woman driving a van with her pretty blonde friend, both in probably dark overalls, probably moving apartments or something. Never before had I been thankful for my above average height, because it definitely wasn't legal for me to drive, even if I knew how.

"Well… this throws a wrench in the plan"

I glanced at Tattletale. The rest of the Undersiders were in the cramped back, for which I did not envy them and was thankful that today was my turn to drive the van.

"It's not exactly comfortable back here" Grue spoke in his echoey voice, I glanced back to see small motes of darkness dripping off him, a familiar gesture for when he was uncomfortable. Bitch next to him was annoyed, the scowl on her face showing her mood because we could only bring one dog with us, Brutus sitting loyally between her legs.

"I'm not complaining" Regent muttered. I saw that he was sat rather cosily next to Imp. I turned back as I felt the bug on Brian's arm rise and lower quickly and heard a smack, followed by Regent cursing.

I turned my eyes to the sidewalk and watched people walk by, I knew where they all were of course thanks to bug placements. But people watching required the participant be watching people.

"Where's all this traffic come from anyway?" asked Imp

"Why do you care?" shot back Regent.

"Cause I'm sooooooooo boooooooooooooored" Imp groaned out. I felt my eye twitch.

Tattletale spoke up, probably aware of my ire that was slowly building with me being stuffed in a van in the toasty summer heat with Regent and Imp in close proximity.

"Lung rampage against the Empire, Protectorate out in force with New Wave support, supposedly Oni Lee is backing him up. He's pretty ramped up, destroyed several streets, diverting traffic and thus" she gestured to the traffic in front of them. The car's at the very edge of my range moved, barely a car length and I turned the vans engine on again, waiting a long moment before the car in front moved. I followed and then stopped, turning the engine off again.

I could sympathise with the mother in front right now with her two kids demanding that she play the exact same song over and over again. I could not quite fathom her patience however, which appeared near endless.

The Undersiders own two kids could be just as annoying and made me struggle to see the appeal of wanting one.

"We should call this off, no way we can make a quick get away" Regent said.

"That's…" Tattletale trailed off.

"The best point you've made in your life, Regent" I muttered before looking at Tattletale "I'm calling this off, wait for tonight while the Empire are licking their wounds"

Tattletale scrunched her mouth to the side before then bringing out a map and turning up the radio. Listening and looking before triumphantly cheering.

"Okay, there's a right coming up, you take that and another right followed by a left and we should be clear of the traffic"

"What about an escape?"

"Empire, Lung and the Protectorate are still engaged, they won't be a problem"

"Hey Tats, remember the bank?" Regent piped up.

"Shut up Regent" Tattletale muttered, placing the map in her lap.

"That right?" I asked, pointing to it.

"That right" Tattletale nodded.

I nodded and started the engine. The van descended into silence once again. Well, it was silent, until-

"I spy" started Regent "with my little eye"

I felt my hands tighten on the steering wheel.

"Something beginning with… S"

"Sky" was chorused by nearly all the occupants of the van, myself included.

"Wow, you guys are good at this" Regent sarcastically drawled.

Tattletale grinned "well Regent, you're not much of a challenge"

"I take offence to that" Regent retorted "it's because I don't try to be"

"We've noticed" I muttered, eyeing the side street I was supposed to be entering.

"My turn! My turn!" Imp called, raising her hand and wriggling in her seat "I spy with my little big eye-"

"'little big eye'?" Regent questioned "that's not how you say it"

"Does it matter?" Imp shot back.

"No, but I will never miss an opportunity to point out when someone is wrong"

"You're a dick"

"You're a-"

I slammed the gas as a gap opened, the van violently swinging and all the occupants grabbing something as I swerved us onto the side street, many cars beeping their horns at us.

As well as the cars coming towards us.

"This is a one-way street Tattletale!" I screeched as I pulled the van onto the (thankfully) empty side walk and avoided a collision.

"Guess that slipped my mind!" Tattletale called back, a grin on her face.

"This is illegal!" I shouted back as I swung the van back onto the street.

"Because everything we've been doing up until this point was perfectly legal!" Tattletale shouted back.

We entered a much less busy street and I took the direction Tattletale indicated.

Grue piped up when calm had settled over the van "Lisa, that was risky"

"We're not in traffic anymore, are we?" Tattletale asked smugly.

"Remember when you said there was only going to be two or three Wards?" Regent asked.

"Remember when you ordered the challenger at Fugly Bob's and failed after five bites and Bitch had to take over?" Tattletale shot back.

"Ooooh, she's got you there!" Imp called, bumping Regent's shoulder.

"Its cause he's a little pussy" Bitch grunted.

Watching Rachel devour that massive burger has been nauseating and mesmerising in equal measure.

"Tattletale" I said "in future, when the person without a driving license is driving, perhaps don't make them drive down one way streets?"

"Well, you did rather catapult us in there" Tattletale pointed out.

"Which brings up a good point Skitter, were you not enjoying our game of eye-spy-"

I would be lying if I said that the fly that had just entered Regent's throat was not my doing.

~§~

My baton had never felt so satisfying to swing as it did when smashing into a racists thugs knee, it was satisfying. Even more so was the screech the Empire thug gave as he collapsed.

The dog fighting ring had been staffed minimally, most of the thugs likely out in force protect their other more important holdings or help to fight the ABB. However, they had been preparing for a busy night, all the dogs had been left here under the skeleton crews' guard. Along with a not-insignificant amount of money.

Another thug was running toward me, knife in hand. I took a moment to kick the screaming thugs face in before facing knife man. I managed to sneak the bugs onto his arms and legs, side stepping a downward swipe and the smashing his hand with my baton, the man cursing as he dropped his knife. He lunged for the instrument and I kicked his ribs, knocking him off course.

I built up a small swarm behind me and had them echo my words as I spoke "stay down"

The man snarled, going to shakily stand before collapsing with a gurgle, revealing Regent behind him lazily swinging his sceptre.

"I love this thing" the boy spoke "makes things a lot easier"

I ignored him and looked around, seeing that Grue's black cloud that had taken up half the warehouse previously had receded. Grue was currently zip tying unconscious thugs' hands. Bitch was looking over dog crates, the animals having not stopped barking since we arrived. I sensed a few bugs inside them, I could spend an afternoon with Bitch to help sort that out.

Imp was sitting very smugly on top of a particularly large thug, legs crossed and looking every bit as regal as a monarch on her throne. Tattletale emerged from the office, duffel bag over her shoulder.

"We good to start moving the dogs?" Bitch asked, clearly eager to do so. She was currently crouched in front of the cramped cage of a shaggy looking dog, I didn't know the breed name. It made snorting noises every time it breathed and was missing it's left ear but seemed responsive when Rachel scratched it with her fingers through the bars.

I looked around, saw no movement and nodded "yeah, go ahead. Grue, help her, faster we get this done, faster we can leave"

Grue nodded and moved over, helping Bitch to begin moving crates. Brutus still ramped up but sitting loyally off to the side. The van would be too full to sit anyone but a driver (Grue had readily volunteered, I suspected he did not like my driving) and a passenger (Tattletale had quickly declared the ancient rite of 'shotgun'). That meant that four of us would be riding Brutus, meaning he had to be rather large for it to work.

That was the shakiest part of the plan, and I wasn't satisfied with it. Tattletale could tell, I could tell she could tell because she shot me a look as soon as I thought it.

"Hey, Regent, Imp, look around and see if you can find a bag" Tattletale said.

"Why?" Regent asked, not moving.

"You wanna squeeze onto Brutus with Bitch and Skitter? Or do you and Imp- both of whom have the least cape looking costumes- want to have a nice comfortable walk to the loft?"

Regent and Imp looked at each other, before both practically scrambled, looking around for a backpack or bag of any kind.

"We could use the duffel bag?" Imp innocently asked.

"Ha! No" Tattletale deadpanned "we want money when we get back to the loft" Tattletale spoke in a flat tone, tugging the bag closer to her side.

The two eventually found one, stuffing their masks, Imp's scarf and Regent sceptre inside. By the time they were done, so too were Bitch and Grue.

Aisha and Alex left first, walking quickly down the street which was an achievement for the lazy pair. Then Tattletale pulled out a burner phone and I was treated to a display of Lisa's acting skills.

"Hello? Is this the PRT hotline?" She asked in a quivering voice.

"No, no, I'm okay, I'm okay. It's just… I just saw masked people- I think they were capes- get out of a van and enter a warehouse… o-on Fisher street. Yes… okay… I'll try… I saw some Empire thugs run away"

That was false, we hadn't let any thugs escape.

Lisa rolled her eyes at me, using her free hand to mime a person talking and moving her mouth in slow exaggerated movements. I did not laugh, no matter what sound anyone may or may not have heard.

"Oh! I have to go, sorry!" She pulled the phone away, the man still speaking on the other end. Then she dropped it to the floor and crushed it under her boot, followed by tossing it into a dumpster.

"See you at the shelter" Grue said as he climbed into the drivers seat.

Bitch just grunted before whistling and gesturing, Brutus trotting over and laying down. Bitch climbed on first, then grabbed my hand and yanked me up behind her. The city from the rooftops looked a lot different than it did at night. It was currently noon, the sun still high in the sky and beating heat down onto anyone unfortunate enough to be outside. The PRT building was like a stone obelisk, windows covered in metal bars and the large logo printed on it's front, surrounded by various other skyscrapers. Medhall stood out, stark and alone from it's fellow skyscrapers with several blocks separating them.

The Rig in the distance was visible, it's bubble shield shining and refracting the light to create an odd shine that caught the eye. The street below were still busy, people and cars going about their business, many would stop as the large dog bounded by on the rooftops, taking photos or videos. That was still weird, that people would stop to take photos of me in costume. I felt exposed without my swarm, but the bugs just wouldn't have been able to keep up, all I had were the bugs in and on my armour and hair.

As we went further the busy streets lessened and the roads and buildings both became more rundown. That was the nature of Brockton however, and most resident's barley batted an eye at such a change.

Brutus landed on another roof and then stopped, I leaned around Bitch, seeing she was looking up. Following her gaze my blood ran cold.

Glory Girl glared down at us, arms crossed, hair blowing in the wind. To most she currently looked every bit the superhero you'd see on a movie poster. Right now, she looked like the universe laughing at us for thinking we could get away scot-free. All I had on me was my pepper spray, EpiPen's, a baton and knife and Bitch with Brutus. I wasn't too confident, just like the bank.

"Hello, where do you think you're going?" She asked as she flew lower, directly in front of us.

As one both Bitch and Brutus started growling. I patted her shoulder and then- against my better judgment- I slipped off the back of Brutus and walked forward, standing in front and facing Glory Girl down directly.

"We're just taking a stroll" I answered.

"That so?" Glory Girl asked, obviously not believing me in the slightest.

I nod "Yes, as you can see, we have nothing on us"

The girl sneered "real upstanding citizens, huh?" she flew closer "what have you done then? Why are you out in costume?"

"We raided an Empire dogfighting ring"

"Aw, sweet, the Undersiders saved some puppies, real original" I felt the wave of terror pass over me and grit my teeth, balling my fists.

Brutus began barking and tensed, ready to pounce, Bitch on his back giving a war cry. But I raised my hand and placed it on the dogs snout, the dog not quite calming but also stopped getting ready to pounce. Bitch glaring but dropping her raised fist.

"That was a pretty dumb thing to do" I pointed out "using your aura on non-threats to try and make them a threat"

"You are a threat"

"We haven't threatened you"

"You held a knife to my sisters throat"

She had me there "in my defence, it was the only way to make sure I wasn't smashed to a pulp"

That had apparently been the wrong thing to say, Glory Girl's face twisting into something before she scowled "so, tattle tits has figured a fair amount out, huh?"

"She's smart, helps that she's psychic as well-"

"Drop that bullshit, she's not fucking psychic"

"Well, it's not too hard to believe is it?"

"I preferred you at the bank, you were a meek little bitch then, now tattle tits has rubbed off on you"

I pondered and supposed it was true, back then I had never considered of exchanging banter with the hero. But here I was, bantering with her now in much the way Lisa would.

"Well, I preferred when you weren't here. Why are you here, anyway?"

"I was on patrol and saw you on your dog, assumed you were stealing something"

"Well, we haven't"

"We can take her" Bitch spoke for the first time since Glory Girl had appeared.

"Try it" Glory Girl taunted.

"Bitch, no. We are going to leave"

"Like hell you are"

"Like hell we are" I agreed.

Glory Girl frowned, and then she was obscured in a swarming cloud of insects, both flying and non. Covering her eyes and ears in particular. The advantage of all these abandoned buildings and trash filled alley's? Bugs loved them.

"Lets go!" I shouted and Bitch ordered Brutus forward, grabbing my hand and yanking me up onto Brutus's back as Glory Girl thrashed in mid-air behind us, trying to get rid of the swarm to no avail. I rubbed my arm, surprised it hadn't dislocated but thankful none the less.

"We could have taken her" Bitch grumbled.

I shrugged "Maybe, but this is easier"

"She'll just come back"

"And we'll be ready" I assured.

Bitch just grunted. I could tell she wasn't happy with the answer, but it's the best I could give her. Maybe I should take Tattletale and Grue up on that firearms training, have something to pop Glory Girl's shield.

~§~

Lisa cackled as I finished recounting our encounter with Glory Girl.

"Oh! I wish I could have seen the look on Glory Holes face!" she laughed.

Aisha, Alec and Brian were all grinning as well, Lisa holding onto my shoulder. It was still odd, that I could actually make people laugh and enjoy my company, no matter how much Lisa asked I hang out with her to shop or watch both bad and good movies.

"I couldn't, it was behind all the bugs"

Lisa continued to chortle as Brian spoke up "but you got away all right?"

"Yeah, I kept the bugs on her all the way until they were out of my range" I looked at Alec and Aisha "you two make it back to the loft okay?"

"No one followed us" Alec lazily replied, focusing more on the slice of pizza in his hand.

"Which is pretty surprising for Empire territory" Aisha butted in.

"Lung has a way of drawing attention" Lisa replied, coming down from her high.

"Well, Glory Girl certainly thought we were worth her attention" I muttered.

"That's her holding a grudge and her families view of once a villain, always a villain" Lisa waved off "plus I imagine she was pretty peeved at not being allowed to join the Protectorate and her family in fighting Lung and the Empire"

"That's another thing, why were they fighting? This feels like an unreasonable escalation to tagging the other's territory" Brian spoke.

Lisa opened her mouth to reply, but then stopped as a waitress stopped at our table.

"I hope everything is to your liking?" she asked, looking around the table.

"Yes, thank you. However, could I get another of the same please?" Lisa asked, holding her glass up.

The waitress nodded and jotted that down on her notepad before hurrying off to the next table. The sun in the sky was low now, making everything a shade of orange. The light reflected off shop windows, most closed at the current time. The only still active buildings were the restaurants and take away places, and they were busy with such lovely weather.

"I don't have my usual awareness of the scene" Lisa spoke quietly before then frowning "not… without Coil around…" Lisa trailed off, her eyes losing focus in that way they did when her power was supplying something for her.

I looked around cautiously, using my bugs to sense all the people I'd tagged and trying to figure out what had caught Lisa's power.

"Lisa?" Brian asked, the rest of the group also tensing, Aisha sitting up straighter and Brian glancing around. Alec didn't react at all, seemingly still obsessed with his pizza.

I reached out and touched her shoulder and she jumped, looking at me with wide frantic eyes before turning to the group.

"Guys… how did we… how did we deal with Coil?" Lisa asked in a horrified whisper.

I frowned "Lisa, what does that-"

"How did we deal with Coil?" she asked more firmly, grabbing my shoulder in a vice like grip, frantic eyes studying my face.

I glanced at the group to see that their collective focus was on us, though Brian was beginning to frown and stare at nothing, his mouth opening slowly as if searching for something on the tip of his tongue.

I turned back to Lisa "we…"

I frowned and trailed off, my eyes glancing around quickly as if that would summon the answer because now that Lisa said it…

How had we dealt with Coil?

Chapter Text

Rachel grunted as she held down the slowly growing dog, I grit my teeth, adjusting my grip on the chain wrapped around it's neck. I watched as the parasites in it's heart were destroyed, then signalled Rachel and watched as the dog began to shrink again, meat and gore slumping off it in massive chunks.

"Why's it matter?" she scoffed as she watched the dog.

I sigh "it matters Rachel because we may have all been Mastered"

"So? Asshole is still dead" she shrugged.

"Yes, but that still leaves the issue of someone having Mastered us Rachel. As well as that, Coil could still be alive" and that was a thought that had been making me increasingly paranoid as the hours since we'd fled the market went by "and he has a Master that can alter our memories and will definitely be coming after us"

Rachel scowled "we can beat him"

"Not unprepared" I countered as Rachel brought out the next dog I sensed worms in "and he's had lots of time to prepare"

"But I know he's dead" Rachel said gruffly, the dog beginning to grow.

And that was the real kicker, because while none of us could remember how he died, there were things we knew, like how one knew the sky was blue or the grass green. One such thing was that he was dead. But if we'd been Mastered, then we couldn't trust anything in our heads. This level or paranoia went closer and closer to a 'Simurgh plot' meme on PHO every minute.

"And we can't trust those memories Rachel" I repeated in our circular conversation.

"But-"

"Rachel, just come to the loft with me, okay? I would feel better knowing we're all nearby"

She set her jaw for a long moment, watching as the dog grew and grew before I gave the signal and the growth stopped, the dog shedding the muscle and gore and seeming much happier for it. Trotting off to the rest of the pack.

"Fine, but I'm bringing my dogs"

I smiled, the first in several hours "I wouldn't have it any other way"

I looked over the dogs in the building, playing with each other or lying down. Rachel stopped next to me, watching the dogs run around as well. Then she frowned and looked around, her expression going more and more confused and furious as it went.

"Where the fuck are my dogs!?" she roared, furious as she stomped forward.

I frowned and jogged to keep up with her march "Rachel? Rachel what's wrong?"

"The dogs! The cage dogs! Where the fuck are they?"

I blinked and looked at the dogs, looking them over. Rachel had had thirty three dogs before today, we'd rescued twelve dogs from the Empire fighting ring, meaning she should have forty five dogs now. But as I put bugs on every dog in the warehouse, I quickly realised two things.

The shaggy dog with the snort breathing problem and the missing left ear was missing, and there were only thirty three dogs in the warehouse.

~§~

The loft was filled with a nervous tension when I came back, sans Rachel. The girl had flat out refused to leave, so I only left after making her swear she wouldn't go out looking for trouble, a promise she grudgingly agreed too.

I bound up the circular steps and came to the main area of the loft which was thick with tension and anticipation. Aisha and Alec were playing video games, which wasn't unusual. What was unusual was the subdued nature in which they were playing. None of the usual insults or physical fighting was taking place. Brian was pacing and Lisa had two laptops before her, a notebook she was scribbling in, behind her a cork board with notes and even a few newspaper clippings. Her brow was creased, showing the strain her power was beginning to have on her.

Lisa looked up and squinted "more bad news, relating to Rachel, Rachel's dogs, Rachel's dogs are missing"

Brian looked sharply at me "what?"

I didn't even care Lisa was doing that creepy psychic act "yeah, the dogs we rescued from the Empire are all gone. We're not sure how. Me and her spent the last several hours there and Rachel hasn't left them since they arrived. I just finished deworming the last one… and then it was just gone"

"Could it be our Master?" Brian asked.

"Maybe, but that doesn't make sense. Why tell us Coil is dead and his civilian identity, then steal a couple of cage fight dogs?" Lisa muttered, scribbling something while the other hand typed on the left laptop.

I looked toward the board. The other bit of information we knew was that Coil, mercenary hiring supervillain, and Thomas Calvert, captain in the Brockton Bay PRT, were one in the same. Lisa had even confirmed within a matter of minutes that the man was dead, she found his death certificate. But nothing about how he died, that had been 'classified'.

"What have you got so far?" I asked, looking at Lisa.

Lisa scowled "not much, my power feels useless. Everything I've tried has come back with the conclusion that he's just dead, nothing about when, how or where or who. My power says there's no Master, but there's no other explanation"

"Tinker maybe?"

"I've thought about that, only Tinker located in America with the relevant specialization is Cranial. But then that means he had to have us knocked out, which isn't out of the question, replacing our memories of him and then replacing our memories of being knocked out" Lisa clutched her head, her face scrunching even as she ground out "but that doesn't make sense, if he managed to knock us all out, he had us dead to rights, why this charade with false memories?"

I shared a glance with Brian before putting my hand on her shoulder "Lisa, I think you should take a break"

"I'm fine, I need to figure this out. Coil is out there right now and could strike at any moment-"

"And when he does" and it was disconcerting how hard I had to concentrate to say 'when' and not 'if' "we'll need you in fighting condition. We can come back to this tomorrow, okay? Let's get you back to your apartment, give you a break in a dark quiet room and let you sleep off the headache?" I coaxed.

Lisa scowled "I don't have a headache!"

"So your face is scrunched up because you're sucking a lemon?" Brian countered.

Lia's fists clenched "I can figure this out, just-"

"Lisa, we're not saying you can't figure this out. You need rest before you become crippled from pain"

Lisa grimaced, scowling at the empty corkboard. Then a flash of pain replaced the scowl and she rubbed her forehead, blinking tears of pain out of her eyes.

"Fine, fine" she finally muttered, holding her hands up in surrender.

She closed the left laptop and I glanced at the screen of the right, a frown appearing on my face at a small news link on the suggested page.

"Before we do that, we all need to talk, I can talk to Rachel about this later. But with everyone here now, it's more convenient" Lisa and Brian both looked at me confused, Aisha at least had the decency to also look over in my direction as well. Alec didn't, until Aisha turned off the consoles power. He scowled at her before she nodded in my direction, Alec turning to see my grim expression.

"There's an Endbringer due soon" I said, and my grim expression was copied onto everyone else's face, except Alec, who just stared in that uncaring way of his "and I want to know what the team wants to do in case of one, I don't know what you guys did the last time an Endbringer attacked"

"We didn't go, that was the Simurgh in Canberra" Brian said "we didn't go because Coil ordered us not too"

"Guessing he didn't want us too far from his sphere of influence" Lisa muttered bitterly.

I nodded, that made sense. Coil had been- was a controlling man, he wouldn't want anything of his too close to the Endbringer's.

"Okay. Well, we're independent now. Would you go?" I asked, looking over them.

Brian bowed his head, Lisa looking to the side. Aisha bit her lip and Alec was still as expressionless as ever.

"I… yes, I would" Brian finally said, looking up with a determined expression.

"So will I" Aisha said near instantly.

"You will not" Brian replied, crossing his arms as he looked at his sister "no way".

"Yes way. I'm going and there's little you can do to stop me" Aisha replied petulantly.

"This isn't like what we usually do Aisha, there are no unwritten rules. These monsters will kill you without a second thought"

Aisha stood and crossed her arms "if I'm not allowed to go, then neither are you"

"Aisha-"

"You're my brother asshole, you don't get to tell me this is dangerous and then go yourself"

"I want you to be safe Aisha-"

"And I want you to be safe as well dickhead!" Aisha shouted, Lisa wincing and rubbing her temples "so either I go as well, or neither of us do"

Brian and Aisha had a long, long stare down, brother against sister. I couldn't empathise, being an only child. The closest equivalent I could think of was my Dad, and if he was a cape as well. Would I want him going? Then again, he didn't even know that I would be going. And I was going. I thought of it as part of my duty as a Cape, to do this.

"Fine" Brian grunted before pointing "but search and rescue only"

"Yes, because I was planning on bashing the Simurgh in the back of the head with my baton" Aisha replied, rolling her eyes.

"Okay" I nodded, turning to Lisa who nodded.

"I will too" Lisa nodded tiredly as she began to pack up her stuff.

Eyes turned to Alec and he shrugged "sure, if I'm gonna die might as well be surrounded by people I can tolerate"

It spoke volumes that that was the closest the boy had ever come to admitting he was fond of us.

~§~

The van was silent as we drove through the quiet night of Brockton Bay. Walking was just asking for trouble, especially with Lisa's blonde hair. The green eyes were a saving grace from true Empire features, but it wasn't worth risking.

Lisa was sulking, her fist buried in her cheek as she watched the street go by, a scowl on her face. She stayed that way all the way to the parking lot of the apartment. She got out without a word and I followed. We climbed the stairs and Lisa unlocked her apartment, walking in and flicking on lights all without a word.

"Lisa" I finally spoke, breaking the heavy silence "I know you want to keep going-"

"Do you?" she snapped back, turning around to face me with a scowl "do you understand? Because I'm beginning to feel like I'm the only one fucking worried!" she glared as I moved toward the small apartments kitchen.

"Of course I'm worried, but working yourself ragged" I collected a water bottle from the fridge, filling a glass "especially with an Endbringer coming, is not the answer-"

"Then what is?!" Lisa shouted, throwing her arm in a wide gesture, I filled the glass with some ice cubes form a pack in the small freezer "he could be out there, Taylor! He's out there plotting and… and he could… he could strike at any time, come and…" her voice had lost its edge as she'd talked, becoming something more vulnerable.

I turned and walked back to the girl who was looking out the window at Brockton. I pushed the cold glass into her hand, she took it, then grabbed my hand when it went to move away, looking me in the eyes.

"What if he gets me?" She asked quietly.

I tried to give my best comforting smile "We won't let that happen, Lisa" my face turned determined "and if he did, there was no where he could hide that would stop us from getting to you"

Lisa bit her lip before then slowly nodding "okay, okay. Can… can you stay? Just for tonight, I would… I would feel better"

Lisa's apartment did not have a spare bed, so I would have to take the couch. That would be uncomfortable, but I wasn't going to say no.

"Of course, let me call my Dad first"

"Thank you" Lisa whispered, sipping the drink.

My phone wasn't anything expensive or high end, but it was enough for me. I called my Dad and waited.

It picked up on the second ring.

"Taylor! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Dad, I was hanging out with Lisa and Brian and we lost track of time"

"That's… that's okay" a relieved tone entered my Dad's voice "I can come pick you up, where are you?"

"Actually Dad… Lisa suggested I sleep over. Streets are dangerous at this time anyway, whether your in a car or not" I'd seen the shakedowns Merchants and ABB thugs would do on cars stopped at red lights. Quickly in, steal money if the driver was lucky- or the car and leave the person stranded in gang territory and risk being mugged again, if they were unlucky.

There was silence on the other end of the line before my Dad spoke again "are you sure, Taylor?"

"I'm sure"

"Can I speak to Lisa's parents?"

"Lisa is emancipated, Dad. She lives on her own in an apartment" I shot a look at Lisa who gave a nod "I can give you the address if you want so you know where I am?"

My Dad was silent even longer before speaking "okay, as long as your safe?"

I smiled as I looked at Lisa "safe as can be"

I didn't know whether that was a lie or not.

~§~

"… and so there appears to be a correlation between remote areas and disappearances"

"Noooooo" Lisa breathed, sarcastic "people going missing? In remote areas? Surely not"

I chuckled.

"I never understood these shows" Lisa muttered as a woman proceeded to explain about ancient tribes being abducted by aliens "like, 'no way these ancient people could build X' or 'look at how these things are built, they clearly reference Y'. No, it's a bit racist to say they couldn't have built those things, right?" she asked me.

"Definitely feels like it" I agreed.

"And the whole" Lisa gestured vaguely "thing they do where they go 'these structure are obviously in the shape of the Z nebula' but like, no? You can overlay pictures of the stars all you want, it's not gonna convince me. Why would aliens do that? Are we gonna go to other planets and then design everything we build to look like the solar system? No"

I pointed "but what if that's just part of these aliens culture?"

I didn't believe aliens had visited earth ever, but it was fun to egg Lisa on and it distracted her from darker thoughts.

"Oh my god, shut up" she groaned, flopping her head back.

It was late into the night, meaning that all of TV was in that weird shadow dimension where everything was aliens or bigfoot and there were sex aid ads a plenty.

I turned back in just in time to watch a man with a suit say:

"What if aliens have been experimenting on us, preparing us for space?"

Lisa cackled and I laugh at her cackling, Lisa waving her arms and shaking her head "I can't, I can't, something else! I beg!"

I flipped to the next random program.

"The Dyatlov Pass incident is one of the biggest mysteries in the world" spoke a man, making the gestures that everyone on these types of shows seemed to do with their hands.

It cut to a woman "what could have caused them to flee from their tent in such terror?"

It cut to another man "I think this is compelling evidence of Bigfoot involvement"

Lisa snorted "they always use that word, 'compelling', all of them use it"

"Can you make a compelling argument against it?" I asked and Lisa glared at me, I shot her a wink and she rolled her eyes.

"It's clear there was extra-terrestrial interference here" finished another man as the shows intro began to play.

"I think it's weird that shows like these even exist" I said "like, surely most Thinkers can figure these mysteries out easy?"

Lisa shrugged "probably, but I imagine most Thinker's have more important things to be doing then finding out why some people died sixty years ago or whatever"

"Yeah but… wouldn't you want to just… know? Like, one of them had their eyes clawed out! How?"

"Well, someone or something went in… and took their eyes" Lisa snarked.

I snorted but we watched, making occasional comments and having a few playful arguments before then switching through channels again when the man began insisting that Bigfoot had used magic powers and that he was an early example of a 'Cape'.

"All fishing shows are the same!" Lisa exclaimed, pointing at the TV as I stopped flicking "all fishing shows are just 'aw this fishing area sucks and my pot/nets are bringing in jack shit but oh wow! Suddenly my pot/nets are bringing in pure fucking gold but oh no my ship just broke down! But now it is fixed and we're home and rich'" Lisa flopped back onto the sofa.

"Yeah?"

"Yes, absolutely, watch"

I did, the show unfolding just as Lisa predicted, however the boat breaking down didn't happen. We began to flick through more, before Lisa yawned and I called it a night.

"What are you? My mom?"

"No, a concerned friend" I accepted the spare blanket and pillow she passed me "how's your head?"

"Painful, but sleep will help" Lisa bit her lip, her fingers fiddling for a moment before she turned back toward her room "thanks for… staying"

I smiled at her back "it's no trouble"

Lisa nodded her head, still not looking at me, then walked toward her bedroom "goodnight"

"Night" I replied as I tossed the pillow onto the sofa and settled in. The sofa was as uncomfortable as I assumed it would be, but that didn't matter much. I entertained myself by having my bugs do a search of the surrounding streets, apartments and rooftops. It was comforting, to have this amount of control over an area, knowing that both me and Lisa were truly safe as I drifted off.

~§~

Waking up was a gradual process. I was aware of the bugs in my range, doing their thing. Of spiders winding webs or devouring unfortunate bugs trapped inside, of the unfortunate bugs as their insides were turned to soup and devoured.

Opening my eyes I saw that the curtain was open, morning in the bay well underway with the sun in the sky. I yawned and slowly sat up, hearing a snort from behind the couch, I turned my head to see Lisa sat in her small kitchen, a laptop and bowl of cereal in front of her.

"Wow, and I thought I got bad bedhead"

I rolled my eyes and threw my feet onto the floor, standing with a long satisfying stretch.

"Time?"

"It's a little past eight"

I nod before turning to study Lisa. She looked better, no longer having bags under her eyes, no longer squinting and her brow was crease-less. However-

"Are you sure my hair is worse? Have you looked in the mirror?" I asked as I walked toward the window and opened it. Several spiders crawling onto my hand, I made them crawl up my body as I walked toward Lisa, sitting down opposite her in the kitchen. The spiders made it to my hair and began to comb through it, wrestling tangled and stray locks back into place.

Lisa was staring in a mix of horrified curiosity as the spiders worked, I raised an eyebrow "would you like me to do your hair as well?"

Lisa cringed and shuddered, quickly shaking her head "no, definitely not. I am good"

I shrugged and tilted my head "how are you feeling?"

Lisa swallowed and glanced at her laptop before nodding "better, I'm feeling better. I've had time to think, I've only used my power a little" she swallowed "I don't think it's a Master, Rachel's dogs just doesn't make sense. How would this person have moved the dogs in the span of a few hours without being noticed? It's just not possible, something would have come up sooner. And there's no motive, nothing linking Coil and the dogs together except us and… making our lives easier? Rachel doesn't have to spend more money trying to feed her pack and Coil isn't around is a quality of life improvement"

"Okay, so…?" I trailed off as Lisa shrugged.

"I have no idea what's happening. I would suggest we keep an eye out but continue as normal"

"Rachel won't be happy with that"

Lisa nodded, stirring her cereal "I know"

We sat in silence for a long while before I broke it "what… what do you think happened to Rachel's dogs?"

Lisa scowled as she shrugged again "my power tells me the dogs never existed"

I thought back to the warehouse. To the dog with the snorting breaths and the missing left ear.

"But, they were real, hell, I helped Rachel de-worm them! I touched and held them!"

Lisa sighed "I… I don't know Taylor, I honestly don't"

I nodded, knowing that wasn't an easy admission for the girl who liked to claim she was psychic to mess with people. Lisa, used to knowing near everything, not knowing where these dogs could have gone.

That had me worried.

Chapter Text

The van was where we had parked it last night, inconspicuous. I was content with that fact as I walked toward the driver side door. But Lisa hadn't moved from her spot just before it, eyes flicking in that way they did when her power was in play.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Something… can I see the back?"

I quirked my brow but shrugged, walking Lisa round to the back of the van. Lisa grabbed the keys from my hand and used them to open the doors, frowning even further a she looked at the empty back.

"How many cages were there?" she asked suddenly.

"Twelve, why-"

"The van is seven by five foot" she muttered to herself "twelve crates. I need to see the crates, let's go to Rachel's shelter"

I watched as the girl walked to the passenger side of the van. She was currently in full 'detective' mode, which meant I wouldn't be getting an answer to her weirdness any time soon. It was a little past nine, meaning that Rachel was still taking care of the dogs, it was rather firmly her time. If she'd be happy to see us? I doubted it.

~§~

I was right.

Rachel greeted us at the door with a scowl and crossed arms.

"What do you want?" she asked "not time yet to meet"

"We know, Lisa needs to look at something" the scowl deepened, and I pulled out the big guns "it's to do with the dogs"

That got us access quick, though Rachel was frowning the whole time. I volunteered to shovel dog shit, and that at least distracted Rachel as she went to make sure the dogs were okay, throwing balls and other thoroughly chewed on toys. Lisa meanwhile, was crouched in front of the cages.

She stood and walked up to Rachel. Rachel's frown deepening as the dogs around her cowered behind her at the blonde's approach.

"Rachel, are those the crates from the Empire dogs?"

"Mm" Rachel hummed an acknowledgment.

"And none of them have changed or disappeared?"

"No, been here all night" Lisa nodded at this.

"I've seen what I needed to see. Thank you, Rachel. Taylor, I'll wait in the van for you to finish up" and with that Lisa hurried off, the frown showing how deep in thought she was.

I continued to shovel the shit, my thoughts wondering to the bugs around me, that was until one was crushed under Rachel's boot as she walked up to stand beside me. I looked up at her, but she was staring at her dogs.

I went back to work when she didn't immediately say anything, and it took a few minutes for her to finally speak.

"Are we looking for the dogs?" she asked.

I paused, took a big breath "we will keep an eye out Rachel, but…" I remembered Lisa's words earlier this morning "well, it will be hard. They don't have names or any way to be identified, and we don't know where they went or who might have taken them"

I planted my shovel, putting my hand on her shoulder "we may not find them Rachel"

She rounded on me with a snarl "that's not good enough!"

"There's not a lot we can do Rachel" I spoke firmly, keeping eye contact "you have my promise that we will look for them, but I want you to be ready in case… in case we don't"

Rachel glared at me before backing down, running a hand through her hair with a soft growl before turning on her heel. "I'm walking my dogs, see you at the loft" she muttered.

I propped my shovel up against the wall and left quickly, taking one last look before I left through the door. Rachel, crouching amongst her pack, her hands ruffling dogs fur. There was a small smile on her face, though her eyes were troubled. The closest to crying I think I'd ever seen her eyes.

Lisa was on her phone in the van when I climbed in, starting up and pulling back onto the road.

"So… how did Rachel take… how was she?" she asked, glancing at me.

"She's… she's being Rachel about it" I finally answered, unhelpfully "she'll… we will be there for her"

"Of course" Lisa agreed.

"What's this morning been about then, Lisa?"

"I'll say, after I talk to Brian. I just want to get all my facts straight"

That would have to satisfy my curiosity, it seemed.

~§~

The loft was the same as it had been when we'd last been here. Alec was in pyjamas but playing video games still, the remnants of breakfast on a plate next to him. I wondered if he even went to sleep last night. Brian was stood, gloves on and sweating, punching bag swinging. Aisha was nowhere to be seen.

"Brian" Lisa started, no pleasantries or anything "yesterday, when you were loading the dog crates into the van, notice anything weird?"

Brian frowned but shook his head "No, dogs were fine as we loaded them in. Nothing weird"

"Really? Not even the fact that all those crates wouldn't fit in the van?"

Bria turned fully to look at Lisa now, my own head swivelling to look at the girl. She just nodded gravely "yes, I think we need to get a bigger van"

"We should also get a penthouse" Alec contributed and was ignored.

"That's what your focusing on Lisa?" I asked.

"There's not a lot we can do at the moment, we don't know what's happening. All those crates wouldn't fit in the van, and since all twelve dogs entered and left that van in those crates…" Lisa sighed "I'll work on it, but there's just nothing to be done at the moment, so why not get a bigger van?"

"Can we get a slushie machine in here as well?" Aisha asked, appearing at the table. The frown on her face despite her happy tone told me she'd forgotten she had her power on again.

"Comes out of your pocket" I said, crossing my arms.

Aisha turned contemplative "that wasn't a no…"

Brian scrunched his mouth to the side before then nodding "I guess it's worth looking into. I'll start looking around" he glanced at me "if Taylor thinks we should?"

I nod "look into getting a bigger van. I don't like it, but I agree with Lisa-"

"I hate agreeing with Lisa as well"

Alec was ignored again, maybe he had his own Stranger power?

"-there's not much we can do about it, so we need to continue as normal. I'll wait until Rachel's here so we can have a proper team meeting about this, but there are gonna have to be changes in how we operate over the next few days"

Lisa looked at me "I have a few warehouses with various gang related activities, we can pick them and steak them out, decide where to hit later this week?"

"Yeah, get them up on the white board with what you have, I'll assign teams"

Lisa nodded and walked toward her room, beginning to rifle through her bag.

"In the meantime, Brian, up for some close quarters training?"

The boy nodded with a smile "I'm up for that, powers or no?"

"Powers, confined space" I smiled back "if you think you can take me"

Brian's smile turned to a grin "you're on"

~§~

I stood in front of the loft's kitchen island, the rest of the team gathered around and looking at me expectantly. A few months back a situation like this would have had me shaking, my gut twisted in anxiety. Now it was just another meeting, barely notable as an anxiety inducing event.

"Okay, first, I'm bringing the code back but different. Still traffic light coloured object to indicate…" I struggled for a word for a moment. Mother would be frowning upon me for sure, wherever she was (and totally for that reason and not the fact I was a parahuman thief).

"Level of fucked up-edness?" Aisha volunteered.

"Bullshit" Alec also volunteered.

"The abnormality of the situation" I cut them both off before they could get into a 'thing' "and the person's name will be instead used to indicate who the event is happening to. If nothing is happening to anyone then just use your own name. Does that make sense?"

"What about Alec and Aisha, both their names start with an 'A'" Lisa pointed out.

I frowned for a moment before pointing at Aisha "Aisha, you happy to use your cape name instead?" the girl nodded "thank you, so I-lime-"

"P-avocado" Aisha finished.

"Exactly" I looked around the table. Alec's face was bored, Rachel was more interested in her dogs, but Lisa, Brian and Aisha (partially) were all paying attention, that was good enough "secondly, try to avoid being alone if possible. Pair at minimum. If you have to go alone for reasons, tell the team where and what time you should be back, that still also goes if there's more than one of you"

Aisha and Brian lived together in Brian's apartment, so that wasn't too much of an issue for them. Alec lived at the loft and he and Aisha both went out on regular shopping sprees. Lisa lived between the loft and her apartment, it was the apartment part that worried me. I lived with my Dad, a potential risk to be sure.

Rachel would be hardest. She liked her privacy and loved her dogs. She was rather unpredictable in terms of movement and it would be hard to convince someone else on the team to tag along with her when she went to her shelter.

Rachel looked at me with a fierce frown "I can look after myself"

"Not saying you can't Rachel" I interjected "you can still keep your shelter as your space, but I want regular calls to make sure you're okay. If one of us rings, you pick up"

"What if I'm busy?" the girl challenged.

"Then you call back when your done and not a moment later, understood?"

Rachel continued to frown at me before nodding "fine"

I turn to nod at Lisa and sat down, Lisa walking up to the front "so, I have several potential targets for us to raid, two Merchant, one Empire and two ABB-"

"I vote we don't piss off Lung" Alec lazily threw an arm up.

"He did just get in a fight though" I mused aloud "so he's likely recovering, and we haven't gone for any of his holdings in a very long time, it could be a good opportunity to catch him off guard"

"The ABB places are two suspected casinos, being fronted by innocent looking stores, so there is a potential for a lot of pay-out. The Empire place is a makeshift armoury and one Merchant place appears to be a possible Squealer workshop while the other a possible drug lab"

"How did you find these?" I asked in curiosity.

"Not my fault that PRT mook Ned refuses to change his password and logs into his place of work while in coffee shops I just so happen to also frequent" Lisa said, flashing a vulpine grin before dropping it and continuing "but anyway, The Empire place is deep in their territory, Cape response guaranteed. Similar to the ABB places. The Merchant workshop is deep in and is suspected to be their base of operations, insert the usual 'tinker workshop' talk, but the drug house is on the outskirts of their territory, bordering ABB"

I looked to the group "I'm guessing we don't want to piss the Empire off too much now, do we?"

"Would rather avoid being in the middle of Empire territory after so recently hitting them" Brian said, his eyes very quickly glancing at his sister and then away.

"Understandable" I agreed.

"Okay, Me and Brian will scout this drug lab, Lisa and Alec will scout the first ABB casino while Rachel and Aisha do the second casino" I said, ignoring the small glare Lisa shot me at being paired with Alec. And to be fair I had just saddled her with having to do all of her groups work, but last steak out I paired us up and before that she got Brian, so it was all a balancing act and she'd have to deal.

~§~

The abandoned house turned drug lab was suitably run down and appropriately covered in gang tags. It had the Brockton Bay charm perfectly. The man dressed in ragged clothes, greasy hair, face belonging to a horror villain and the smell of garbage really completed the look and screamed 'Merchant holding'.

"By the feel of it, they've increased security because of our last raid. I'm counting thirty seven" I say, writing it down.

"We did hurt them pretty bad with that last hit, especially after the Protectorate, PRT and BBPD began to pay more attention to them and their activities" Grue commented, lowering his binoculars.

"So, when we did their job for them?" I asked, glancing over at him.

Grue tilted his head from side to side "someone has to"

We settled into a long silence, not awkward by any means. More the bored kind of silence that accompanies two security guards on a long night shift. We had been there for a few hours by that point.

"Y'know, I think most teenagers my age would be out shopping… or watching movies… or doing stuff that teenage girls do"

"Oh, definitely" agreed Grue.

"Sometimes it just hits me that… am I weird?"

"You're a Cape, comes with the powers" He casually responded.

"It's true for you too, boys your age should be playing video games or sports… and that's about all the activities I can think of teenage boys doing. But here you are, dressed in leather bondage gear scoping out druggies"

His helmeted head turned to look at me, and I could just tell his eyebrow was raised "leather bondage gear?" he repeated.

"Yeah"

He stared at me for a long while before speaking again "Imp told you that one, didn't she?"

"Maybe, you'll never know"

He snorted and his head turned back to the warehouse "I will know, because she's used that line on me before"

My reply was cut off as a truck pulled up beside the warehouse, the back covered in a tarp. The Merchant on guard waved and then waked into the warehouse, the garage door swinging open a moment later and the truck pulling in.

"Back feels empty" I commented, concentrating as I directed my bugs about the truck in subtle ways "ah, drugs are being loaded"

"Not using Squealers vehicles?" Grue muttered.

"Trying to move as much drugs as possible so they don't lose everything in one singular raid" I replied.

"Clever, and subtle"

"Yes, because that-" the truck pulled out, tires squealing as the tail swung wide and it sped down the road at twice the speed limit "-is subtle"

Grue huffed "it would be subtle if the Merchants had a braincell between them"

"Any braincells were long since fried"

"Undoubtedly" Grue agreed before then sighing "how do the police or PRT not see that shit?"

"Bigger fish to fry, aren't there?"

"Merchants cause the most pain for this city"

I chose not to point out the gang that kidnapped girls to serve in brothels, or the gang that were literal nazis. I knew of Brian's mother, mostly from Aisha, so I knew that the Merchants were a particularly sore spot for the pair of them. He was also right to a degree, a lot of people fell prey to drugs, lost everything to become another of the many homeless people in the bay, or they joined the Merchants.

This conversation wasn't going anywhere fun quick, so I decided to do a stealthy topic change.

"Your faced with Rune, what do you do?"

Grue's helmeted head turned to me, and for a moment I thought he wouldn't answer, or would bring up the rather abrupt training exercise. Instead he turned away to look at the warehouse again and spoke.

"Keep moving, use my darkness to obscure where I am. Try to stop her from getting access to materials like walls or cars. If she's on the ground, try to get closer subtly, but considering she can just make the bit of ground she's standing on begin to float…" Grue looked at me "if close enough to engage, do so, minimal combat training, much more a support roll within the Empire then a front line fighter"

I nod "good, what about… Mush?"

"Mush, can gain a brute rating depending on the debris he's given access to. Usually only has access to trash, as such best method is to blind with my smoke and either retreat or wait for a heavy hitter to come along and fight him. If not surrounded by trash can be beaten easily, no combat experience at all, used to being a heavy hitter because of his power"

"Okay… Vista?"

"Blind with darkness, losses access to her abilities. Can be easily taken by surprise while in the darkness and beaten quickly, if unable to blind-"

"You'd sucker punch a twelve year old?" I interrupted in amusement, looking at Grue.

Grue ducked his head before then pointing a finger "you would as well, you'd use a baton!"

I shrugged "true"

We shared silence for a moment.

"That really paints us as bad guys doesn't it?"

"Definitely" he agreed before checking his phone "check in time, come on"

~§~

The Merchant drug house was just as awful inside as it had looked outside. The confined quarters stank of B.O. and chemicals, the various rooms filled with beakers and bubbling concoctions not helping.

After we had re-grouped and checked in, the drug house had been the rather obvious choice. The first casino had ended up being a small money laundering business, nothing worth really acting against with how small it was. The second casino had turned out to have already moved.

Brutus lead the charge, breaking down the garage door and we'd worked our way through the house, taking out the Merchants that opposed us. I had entered what had once been a kitchen, my bugs swarming behind me. The Merchants in the room raised improvised clubs, finding their guns jammed and useless.

I had run forward to meet the first brave Merchant, his pipe meeting my baton. Everything was under control.

Then one of the Merchants had done… something, whatever they had done had caused the drug related chemicals on the kitchen island to explode. My bugs did not survive, I barely managed to as I was thrown to the wall, breath leaving my lungs as I flopped to the floor.

My ears rang and my vision was blurred, or was that my left eye. I blinked a few times. Yup, my left eye was blurrier, I think the goggle had come lose. I wasn't too concerned, that wasn't enough to identify me and my bugs were a good enough replacement of my vision anyway.

My limbs were heavy, and barley a handful of bugs were nearby. The rest were in the surrounding couple of blocks, spread out and would take time to arrive in any meaningful number.

A hand grabbed my leg and I tried to kick, but it was no use, my limbs were jelly, still recovering from being thrown. If I were to guess then this Merchant was barley functioning, likely fuelled by drugs and adrenaline. The Merchant crawled up my body and I got a look at his face, twisted in an ugly leer as his hands closed around my throat and began to choke me.

Couldn't call for help, and everyone else was likely occupied with the other Merchants. I tried to move my arms, but the slight twitch caused the Merchant to adjust his position, pinning my arms under his knees very painfully. I grabbed what bugs I had, a few flies and cockroaches, and tried to get them to do something, anything, to help me.

My vision started going black around the edges, I could hear my blood pumping in my ears. I didn't have enough bugs to do anything useful, he easily brushed them off. I needed more bugs-

A swarm descended on the man and he screamed, his grip leaving as he tried to swipe the swarm away. I took deep lungfuls of air, greedily breathing. My body was responding again, so I bucked, the man falling to the floor, still rolling as I kept my swarm on him.

That was when Imp appeared, looking at the man writhing on the floor, still screaming as I kept my bugs attacking.

"Uh… Skitter, everything okay?"

"Fine" I spoke, watching a moment longer before calling my bugs off, the man whimpering as he curled into a ball "just dealing with an annoyance"

Imp's masked looked between me and the man on the floor, expression hidden "I can tell, you're doing the creepy voice thing"

I blinked before speaking again, in a normal voice "T-banana"

"R-grape. What's up?"

I looked at the swarming mass of bugs "these bugs… they just appeared out of thin air"

Imp studied the swarm before looking back to me "they seem like normal bugs to me"

"That's 'cause they are normal bugs" I replied, making a beetle from the swarm land on my thumb "but…" I shook my head "doesn't matter right now" I turned and walked out the door, feeling Imp follow a moment later behind me.

We ran into Grue in the next room, a bunch of groaning Merchants around him.

"Status?" I asked.

"Well, last I saw her Bitch and the dogs were handling a majority of the Merchants back in the garage, Regent was helping her. Tattletale-"

"Is back, and with a bunch of cash" Tattletale announced as she entered the room.

"That's my only favourite kind of Tattletale"

Tattletale rolled her eyes at Imp before they landed on me "hm, T-pea"

"R-lemon" I glanced at the swarm, separate from the bugs I slowly had arriving and gathering "these bugs appeared out of thin air"

Grue's head snapped to me while Tattletale frowned, tilting her head.

"Okay, they look like normal bugs" Tattletale paused "and as much as I would love to get into that right now, we should probably skedaddle"

I nodded, Tattletale was right. We needed to get out of dodge, that explosion would have drawn attention. We made our way to garage where Merchants were moaning and groaning on the floor and against the walls. Angelica had some blood on her snout. Regent was holding his shoulder, his mask around the forehead had chipped and broken, a nasty looking cut causing blood to run down and over his white mask, giving it a rather chilling horror movie vibe. Bitch had a Merchant in a chokehold nearby, a bloodied knife on the floor.

"Motherfucker got the jump on me" Regent ground out, looking from his arm to the group "think it's dislocated"

"Let me have a look" Grue said, walking up.

Regent took a step back with a finger pointed "no no, your gonna do that thing people do where they surprise the person by doing it before they expect"

"No, I need to check if it was actually dislocated to do that" Grue spoke.

Regent's finger lowered slowly before he nodded and offered his arm.

Grue walked up and grabbed the arm, looking it over delicately "yup, that's dislocated"

"Fuck, oka- you son of a bitch!" Regent yelped as Grue suddenly popped his arm back in "I fucking hate this team!"

"Hah! Fucking pussy" the Merchant grunted out from Bitch's chokehold. Bitch tightened the hold and the Merchant slumped, falling unconscious to the floor.

"Stop complaining, you big baby" Grue replied, slapping him on the back.

Regent went to reply, that or maybe use his power of Grue, but I cut in "enough, let's go, that explosion likely attracted attention"

"What caused it?" Tattletale asked as I climbed onto Judas, extending a hand to her.

"Crazy Merchant knocked a lit Bunsen, I think"

Tattletale tutted "should've taken the Merchants into consideration when raiding their drug lab"

I snort as we entered the street, and then my amusement was no more.

Velocity stood there, arms crossed. He gestured at us, asking us to come closer.

"Stay here, we'll talk to him" I spoke just loud enough for the rest of the Undersiders to hear me.

I urged Judas forward, Tattletale leaning on my back slightly.

"He's calm, backup likely on the way. This is both a delaying tactic and a chance for the Protectorate to talk to us"

Okay, so don't give him too much time.

"Hello Velocity, we were expecting you" we hadn't been, but let's not give the heroes the benefit of knowing they got the drop on us and keep them guessing with Tattletale's power.

"We got a call, about parahuman's attacking a house" he looked pointedly at the house behind us, garage door destroyed.

"If you go inside, you'll see it was a Merchant drug lab, with all the Merchants still inside"

Velocity blurred, disappearing before then reappearing quickly "so it appears to be, and the explosion that was reported?"

"Merchant drug lab" I shrugged. It was telling that that was a correct answer to the question.

Velocity nodded before tilting his head "attacking this close to an Endbringer…"

I scoffed, Tattletale snorting behind me "because the Merchants are famous for showing up to Endbringer fights"

Velocity nodded his head "fair point"

There was a moment of silence, filled by Tattletale whispering in my ear.

"Contemplating something now, someone's talking to him on his earpiece. Back up maybe five minutes away, wants to keep us talking until then"

"What is your group doing?" Velocity suddenly asked.

I looked around, as if I was confused as well "robbing… the Merchants?"

"No, your group. You robbed a bank in April, took hostages, but since then… you've only gone after villains. What gives?"

I tilted my head. We probably should have talked about this as a group. Did we tell people that Coil had been our backer and making us do crimes?

I looked at Tattletale and she nodded. There was no harm the information could really do "a few months ago we were under the command of Coil, who we didn't know was actually backing us and paying us to do jobs for him. The bank was one such job. However, Coil's gone now"

Velocity recovered from his surprise quickly, his arms falling to his sides in ready positions "you killed him?"

"We don't know. It's… complicated"

"Right… well, you still committed crimes. You could sign up as independents, Protectorate even? Serve under probation?" Velocity suggested.

That actually made me laugh, Tattletale as well.

"No, we'll pass thanks, we'd rather be useful" I said, pausing for a moment and listening "also, I can hear Armsmaster's motorbike from here, so nice try. You better stay here and make sure none of the Merchants escape" and with that we turned and I urged Judas back to the group, waving my hand in a practised signal that got the other two dogs bounding away.

Velocity appeared in front of us, but the dogs just swerved around him, Bitch shouting some choice curse words as she passed. He stopped following us at the end of the street, instead watching us go. Brockton wasn't a large city, but it was easy to not be tracked on three giant dogs by slipping down run down streets and allies, some not even having working streetlight, being bathed in a blackness trying to mimic Grue's own.

All in all though, a successful- if strange- night.

~§~

I sighed as I looked at the bruises on my arms. The wall had left me with them as a lovely gift, and just like a bad birthday present from a disliked relative, I didn't really appreciate it.

I looked up and felt guilty at the thought, however. Alec was currently getting stitched for the cut on his forehead (by Aisha, because Grue wanted her to learn the skill), so he wasn't having a good time. However, he had a skill at making you not feel sorry for him.

"You're really bad at this, y'know?" Alec said, his eyes looking up at Aisha.

"Brave words to say to the girl with the needle within eye stabbing range" muttered Aisha, her tongue poking out her lips while Brian watched, occasionally correcting where necessary.

Alec smirked "that's kinda hot"

"Someone remind me to punch Alec when we're done here" Brain growled, glowering at the boy.

"Aw, Brian don't feel so left out, you're sexy as well"

"Someone remind me as well" Aisha muttered, but a small smile had graced her features.

"Ooh la la, guys really I'm flattered" Alec drawled with a smirk.

I rolled my eyes, definitely not smiling at the boys antics as I turned to Lisa, who had just finished stacking money into six identical piles. Rachel had gone back to her dogs after I made sure she knew to call with regular updates and what time we would expect to see her tomorrow. She had left before the money had even been handed out, I imagined she had become anxious over leaving her dogs alone for long periods of time.

"Okay, this was pretty big, bigger than I anticipated" Lisa started.

"How much is there in total?" I asked. I could admit that a greedy part of me liked looking at all that money, considering me and my family had lived on the line just above poverty most our lives, it was mesmerising to see how much money I would take away from a job. Admittedly, most of it I would hide away and a smaller amount I would leave for Dad to miraculously 'find' hidden in pockets of his clothes and in random bedroom draws with the other misc. stuff he had stuffed in them.

"Well, it's our biggest haul to date, even under Coil when he paid us" Lisa said and that got the whole groups attention, because the largest amount we'd ever made with Coil was the bank job, and that had been mostly him tripling the bank money.

"Just over three hundred thousand" Lisa grinned and the group stilled, I felt my breath leave my body.

"That's… that's a lot of money" I finally managed.

"Correct" Lisa grinned wider.

"So, I'm not good at maths, what's our cuts?" Aisha asked, her focus shifting from the stitching she was doing.

"Fifty k, each"

Fifty thousand dollars, all mine. I had no clue what to do with such money.

"Slushie machine baby!" Aisha cheered, only raising one hand while the other held the needle steady

"Of course, there's also like, an additional fifty dollars on those cuts, but saying fifty thousand and fifty dollars isn't as cool" Lisa waved her hand "anyway, I think we should lay low for a while. Merchants will definitely be pissed at us, and we need to be rested for the Endbringer coming"

"Agreed" I nodded, the rest of the group voicing similar agreements.

Lisa smiled with a nod and then walked around the table, taking a seat next to me, sitting to face me. I turned to face her.

"Now, tell me about your bug problem" she started.

"They're everywhere" I deadpanned.

Lisa grinned but kept looking at me expectantly as I got my thoughts organised.

"So, one of the Merchants was… he recovered from the explosion better then me, he was on top of me, strangling me. The explosion destroyed my bugs and-"

"Wait wait wait, you were being strangled?" Lisa asked, sitting forward as her eyes went to the neck that I had been hiding from the group with well-placed bugs crawling between my hair and my shirt.

"Not hard" I tried to defend weakly.

"That's what she said" Alec muttered and was ignored.

"'Not hard'" Lisa echoed before thumping me on my bruised arm, I hissed and leaned away, glaring back at her own glare "that's what you get for trying that bullshit"

"That explains why you were traumatising that Merchant" Aisha idly commented.

"I was just annoyed with myself" I defended as Lisa shuffled closer on her knees, making me expose my bruised neck to her by making the bugs crawl back into my hair. I was surprised that she didn't react to that.

"Continue your story" Lisa said

"Well, no bugs nearby would arrive in sufficient number to do anything. Then… the moment is a bit fuzzy because of the lack of oxygen, but the bugs just appeared in mid-air? One moment not there, the next I set them on the man"

Lisa frowned as she pulled away "spend the night here, tomorrow I can teach you to apply makeup to cover the neck bruises"

"Thank you"

"Where are the bugs now?"

"I had to leave the majority behind at the drug house. They felt like ordinary bugs to me, so I didn't see any problems in doing so, but I did hide a few in my armour" I held my hand up and a few flies landed on my finger tips while a mix of cockroaches and beetles crawled from my sleeve, up my arm and settled on my hand.

Lisa leaned in close, analysing them likely with her power.

"They're just ordinary bugs" she concluded, leaning away with a puzzled expression.

"Mhm" I hummed in agreement.

She rubbed her temples with closed eyes and sighed "when did our lives get so fucking complicated?"

"About when Skitter joined, so I blame her" Alec volunteered.

"Done" Aisha spoke triumphantly, leaning away from Alec.

"Those look good, well done" Brian patted his siter on the back.

Then they both simultaneously punched Alec on opposite shoulders, causing him to fall to the floor with a curse.

"Don't flirt with my brother" "don't flirt with my sister" they spoke at the same time, then blinked at each other.

"Reckon that's part of whatever's going on?" I asked idly, thumbing my hand at them, the bugs crawling from my palm and back into my shirt.

"No" Lisa looked at me "so… you wanted bugs, and bugs appeared"

I nodded "basically, I don't think it's something I could replicate on a whim though"

"Pressure as a factor?" Lisa speculated.

"Maybe" I agreed, watching as Alec made Brian trip, making Aisha laugh "I'm not too interested in testing it out"

"Understandable"

We shared a silence for a few moments before I voiced a thought I'd had on the way back "all of these… things that have happened. None of them have been… bad, have they?"

"The dogs disappearing was… but… from a certain point of view, it could be seen as a good thing, because Rachel doesn't have to spend more money"

"It's… I don't like how little we can do" I finally admitted, looking at Lisa.

Lisa smiled back, though it wasn't a happy one "me neither Taylor, but we have each other's backs" she reached out and squeezed my shoulder, in a place where there was no bruising "you're not alone"

I let a smile take over my mouth, letting a long slow breath out through my nose "no, I'm not"

Chapter Text

In the early hours of the American morning, the alarms sounded. It woke me with a start, my dad rushed in to check on me and tell me that it wasn’t hitting here but that Leviathan was going to hit England. It had been blissfully short interaction, he’d left to go to sleep again soon after. I made sure he was in bed before then changing into costume, leaving a note in bed just in case saying I was gonna go check on Lisa and that I’d probably go stay with her for a few hours but would be back for dinner.

In actuality, I was on the phone with Lisa, we agreed to meet at the loft. We gathered, a nervous energy filling the room, then we set out after a brief discussion in the new van Brian had procured, bigger for our needs.

“This is a truce situation. Even so, Regent, don’t piss anyone off” Lisa spoke, applying the black make-up in the sun visor mirror around her eyes, finishing up and putting on her masquerade mask.

“What about Imp?” Regent asked.

“She actually knows when to just not” Tattletale replied.

“Ha! I’m more mature then you!” Imp crowed, though it sounded a bit forced.

We parked right outside the PRT building, just as a large chunk of concrete landed in the middle of the road and the entire Empire roster climbed off. I climbed out the back of the van, idly gathering a swarm as a just in case as we stared them down.

“Undersiders” Kaiser acknowledged, dipping his helmeted head. The rest of his capes weren’t as respectful, with the many glares and sneers amongst what could be seen of various faces.

“Empire” I acknowledged back, but I didn’t dip my head. I had been very close to simply spitting ‘nazi scum’ at them. On our side Tattletale was grinning in a particularly vulpine fashion, Bitch was scowling and her dogs growling, Brian had his arms crossed while Regent and Imp both looked bored.

It appeared we were putting the heroes on edge, as both the entire Protectorate plus Wards and New Wave stepped out of the building, looking down at us from the top of the steps up to the lobby. Well, glaring more in New Waves case. The whole image looked very biblical, like it would be a painting in a gallery, the heroes looking down on the lowly villains, enforcing peace.

“I would like to remind all of you that the Truce is currently in affect” Armsmaster spoke, stepping to the front of the heroes, halberd within easy grabbing distance.

“Of course” I spoke easily, turning on my heel, the rest of the Undersiders following as I climbed the steps up to the lobby, the heroes going back inside. The lobby was empty, the only people still present being the PRT agents with their con foam throwers which they were rather twitchily handling. The screens behind the desk were all displaying a timer which was steadily counting down.

Armsmaster stopped in the center of the room, Miss Militia beside him. They conferred for a moment before Miss Militia turned and walked toward us. Armsmaster turned and walked toward the Empire capes who had gathered in their own cluster.

“Undersiders” Miss Militia spoke in a neutral tone, her eyes scanning everyone’s masks before settling onto mine.

“Miss Militia” I nodded. A small part of me was still a fan of her, but I wouldn’t let that show because I needed to keep a ‘reputation’ (still don’t get why Aisha and Lisa insisted I pulled off ‘scary’ and ‘intimidating’ so well, I never felt scary of intimidating. But I wasn’t going to argue).

“Armsmaster and Dragon have created a prediction software that has shown that Leviathan is planning on hitting Bristol in England, we’re currently waiting for a teleporter to take us over. In ten minutes, we will be teleported to where other capes are gathering for the defence, any questions?”

I looked at my team before then shaking my head “none, thank you”

Miss Militia gave a crisp nod and then walked away, Armsmaster doing the same with the Empire group, though by the looks of it he walked away more annoyed then he had been walking over. I looked around the lobby.

No surprise that the Wards and younger members of New Wave were showing a more open hostility to our group’s presence, with the glares and glances being regularly tossed our way. Shadow Stalker in particular was glaring at Grue, who simply stared back, as impossible to read as ever with small tendrils of darkness bleeding off him. The older heroes were much better at hiding their caution, the looks fewer and no outright glares. The Empire definitely wasn’t happy with us here, but I didn’t much care what they thought.

“Everyone have everything they need?” I asked, looking at the rest of the Undersiders.

“Yes mom” chorused Regent and Imp/.

“You asked that already” Tattletale pointed out with a smile “no point asking now is there? We don’t have time to go back and retrieve anything”

“I know… guess I’m just nervous” I quickly looked to Bitch, sitting on a bench with her dogs sitting or lying around her “Bitch, you and the dogs good?”

Bitch nodded curtly before speaking “not throwing my dogs at Leviathan”

“No, we won’t. Search and rescue, we’ll stick together” I assured and Bitch nodded again, less curt.

I turned finally to Grue, still staring at Shadow Stalker “Grue, you okay?”

“I’m winning” he commented.

I frowned “what?”

“I’m three for two over Shadow Stalker”

Tattletale chuckled then, and I turned to her in confusion “he’s having a staring contest with her” she explained.

I let a long breath out through my nose, letting my lips quick up as I closed my eyes “okay, okay, we’re good” I assured myself quietly.

I frowned as something destroyed a bug on my periphery, I sent a few more bugs and they were subsequently killed by something moving fast toward us. I turned bodily, tracking the things movements, I was about to call it out when a bright light appeared over the buildings and I recognised Purity, touching down outside. A lot more tenseness passed through the various groups, myself included as she stepped into the lobby, her powers dying down to only be focused on obscuring her face, her white costume becoming visible.

“Damn” I heard Regent murmur only to grunt as Imp’s elbow found his stomach.

“C’mon, dude, she’s a nazi” Imp hissed.

“Yeah, but he’s also hot”

I ignored the next elbow to impact Regent’s gut. I followed her movements with my eyes, watching as she stopped halfway in and then went to an empty part of the lobby, standing with her arms crossed. I looked over to see that glares levelled at us were now focused on Purity, though they were fewer in number.

The timer on the TV screen suddenly decreased by two minutes, meaning we only had one-minute left. I don’t know what changed and I don’t know if I was grateful for it, the knot tightening in my gut.

Tattletale squeezed my shoulder and I glanced at her, she shot me a quick reassuring smile. It didn’t do much for my nerves, but I still appreciated it.

~§~

Rain had been pouring for hours, and it had continued for hours even after Leviathan had departed. The Endbringer had retreated with a final morale striking blow of destroying the city’s famed suspension bridge. The remains falling to the murky near overflowing river below.

A lot of Capes (particularly the villainous ones) tended to leave very quick in the aftermath. But Bitch’s dogs were currently a valuable tool, along with my bugs to search rubble for both civilians and downed or deceased Capes.

“Two over here!” I called to the waiting rescue workers. They look at me in a cautious manner- which, fair enough, my costume make me look like a villain and I am actually a villain. However, they nod and move forward as I point to spots in the rubble of what I assumed was a café.

“One is… breathing, though it’s shallow, other’s dead” I report, my voice devoid of the emotions I felt inside.

I turn at the sound of Brutus barking, his smaller form clawing at a pile of rubble. Bitch shouts some commands and the dog moves away as workers take his place, beginning to lift rubble. Grue is helping with lifting pieces of debris further down, some other capes mixing with the rescue crews and helping out, I see a Brute lifting a piece of debris double his size with ease. Regent was likely with Tattletale, Imp probably staying near them as well. Tattletale was in the Thinker tent still, likely consolidating info with other Thinkers about the fight.

I help the workers, joining the human chain as debris is passed form hand to hand, until my armband beeps and Dragon’s voice speaks “Skitter, your assistance is required at C-12”

I drop from the chain, the people shuffling to adjust for the change as I respond “this is Skitter, on my way”

“I’ll let them know. In addition a flight to Boston for Brockton Bay affiliated Capes has been charted with a follow up bus ride back to the city, given that teleporters won’t be available for several hours still, will your team be on it?”

“Yes, thank you” It feels awkward, talking to a hero like Dragon when you’re a villain, felt like I was walking on eggshells, waiting for her to snap.

“I would like to take the opportunity to thank you, actually, not many villains stay behind to help with the aftermath. While I cannot condone your actions or your choices, I am grateful for your aid”

“We’re not complete assholes… expect Regent, he definitely is”

It was a small laugh that responded, I let a small smile appear on my own face. I’d just made Dragon laugh, maybe in the future if we ever ran up against each other (unlikely) she’d go easier on us for it (unlikely as well).

The rain continued to fall, but the rescue efforts did not halt as people in high vis jackets and regular clothes scoured all through the debris. I found several still breathing capes, but also many more that weren’t. I began to lose count, though the clouds above gave me no indication of how long I worked. I got to the point where I stopped bothering to hide my swarm, simply having it trail behind me like a villainous facsimile cape. It seemed the workers got so used to me that they no longer flinched upon me calling it down on piles of debris.

What did surprise me whenever it happened however, was whenever someone thanked me. A worker when I pulled my swarm from the debris and told them no one was inside. A man freed from the rubble, cradling a little girl to his chest. In fact a lot of civilians thanked me just when I walked by them, they thanked any other cape they saw as well though. But it was still… odd. It made me think of better times, like when I dreamed of being a hero and went out alone, fighting Lung and then scheming to take down the Undersiders by being a spy-

I stopped walking, thinking hard. What was that last thought? It had just been whipped away. Something… something about… what… what had… what was-

“Skitter!”

I turned to see Bitch and smiled beneath my mask, giving the girl a wave and seeing the rest of my team on the dogs backs “hey, we leaving?”

“Yeah, flight leaves in thirty, Dragon says she got a local short-range teleporter to teleport people over. You ready to go?” Grue asked.

I looked around me. The street was still a mess but the debris piles were marked, showing they had been searched, the places I’d been asked to go to had been getting further and further apart.

I nodded “let’s go” I walked over and Bitch pulled me up behind her on Brutus. The dogs began to bound through the streets, going to some pre-determined destination I didn’t know. I took the opportunity to look over my team.

Aisha and Alec were both still lively, somehow. Eagerly trading banter and insults with ease. Brian looked fine, but his shoulders were slumped slightly, showing his tiredness. Lisa was resting her head on his back, her eyes closed and her brow creased. Thinker headache or near one if I were to guess. Rachel in front of me I assumed was rather tired herself, with her sluggish movements. As the streets passed however, it gave me time to think of the battle.

The situation in Brockton Bay was going to change. We had lost Capes. From the heroes we had lost Clockblocker, Aegis, Shadow Stalker, Miss Militia, Dauntless, Velocity, Battery, Brandish, Lady Photon, Sheilder and Glory Girl. The Empire had lost Hookwolf, Cricket, Alabaster (somehow) and Rune. It had been odd, hearing the names be announced, gut punches for the heroes (because sure, I was a villain, but I didn’t want any of the heroes dead) and a weird shock for the villains (because sure, they were nazi scum and I wouldn’t miss any of them, but it would be odd no longer having to account for them).

The Protectorate would have to send both Wards and Protectorate heroes to bolster the rosters, meaning the Protectorate may even be able to start making a push on the gangs depending on who they got (and consequently, us).

My team was still alive and whole though, and that was the important part.

We came to a small plaza area, cleared of any debris but large puddles formed and growing larger with the rain. As we arrived a man appeared in the centre, a weird generator like device next to him, obviously Tinkertech. His costume seemed very steam punk in aesthetic, goggles over his eyes, one with gears turning inside it, a grey cap on his head and a scarf around his neck.

He turned to greet us “Undersiders, correct?”

“That’s us” Grue nodded.

The cape looked at the dogs “and those… things, won’t attack me?”

“Not unless you piss me off” Bitch growled.

I put a claiming hand on her shoulder and leaned around “you’ll be fine, we just want to get home”

“Aye, can’t disagree with that lass. Let’s get going, gather ‘round” the man waved us closer, though he was definitely wary of the dogs.

“This is going to feel weird!” he called when we gathered around him.

It was, it felt like I was being dragged through water, bubbles rushing around me as the world bent and twisted. Then the world snapped back into place and the water like sensation disappeared to be replaced by normal rain. The airport was busy, with cargo planes lifting off and landing, before us was a parked one.

“This is your ride, be seeing you-” the man was cut off as he promptly teleported.

“Bitch, start shrinking your dogs” I ordered as I climbed down, landing with a splash on wet tarmac.

The other Undersiders climbed off the dogs and I quickly walked over to Tattletale, who was barely keeping her eyes open.

“You okay?” I asked quietly.

“L-green” she responded with a small smile, cracking an eye open.

“A-green” I offer an arm and she accepted, letting me pull her to a standing position. She winces, her forehead crinkling, but she grits her jaw. The dogs shrinking takes a few minutes, but when Angelica shakes off the last of the bloody gore we walk forward.

Stepping onto the ramp leading to the interior however has me pull up short, my heart thundering in my chest, my team stopping behind me. The entire hero scene of Brockton Bay turns their heads to look at us. And I mean the entire Brockton hero scene. Clockblocker, Aegis, Shadow Stalker, Miss Militia, Dauntless, Velocity, Battery, Brandish, Lady Photon, Sheilder and Glory Girl. They were supposed to be dead, they had been announced as dead.

Tattletale was frozen beside me, the rest of the Undersiders in similar states.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me” Clockblocker groaned.

“Language” chastised Miss Militia, though it was half hearted.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Glory Girl spat, a glower on her face. Panacea beside her scowling.

“Catching a plane” I managed to get out through my shock.

Then Tattletale groaned beside me and rubbed her face “can’t be asked to deal with this shit” she muttered before walking past me and slumping down into one of the spare seats by the door.

“You can say that again” Regent agreed, walking over and going to sit next to Tattletale before Tattletale kicked him, prompting him to move away quick.

“The Truce is still in effect” Armsmaster spoke, his visor facing mine, his mouth in a frown “Please leave your bugs behind, except any American native species”

I felt the small swarm I had built behind me and dispersed it, sending it away before signalling to the rest of my team. I claimed the chair next to Tattletale and she leaned into my side, her head resting on my costumes shoulder, she didn’t seem to mind that both my hair and costume were wet, though she was equally as soaked. Across from me sat Glory Girl and her eyes were still glaring. To my immediate right was Grue, and next to him was Regent followed by Imp, to the left of Tattletale was Bitch, her dogs around her feet.

Sitting across from someone who you had been told had died, barley three hours ago, was a decidedly awkward experience. I had always wished my mom was alive, but if she were to come back it would be… awkward, to say the least. Very complicated. No use dwelling on such feelings when right now my team were in a cargo plane with all of Brockton Bay’s heroes, some of which hadn’t been alive as of two hours ago.

The door closed and the engines on the wings started up, the plane rumbling as it pulled out onto the runway. If the flight was going to pass in silence, I was completely fine with that. But Regent finally spoke, a minute after taking off when the plane settled into smooth flight.

“Well, this is awkward”

I have to resist physically rubbing my temples as more eyes turn our way. I take the opportunity to read the room, thankful that hero costume generally came with a way to read their expressions.

The Wards and New Wave are tense, the Protectorate are observing us, some subtler than others, see Assault talking to Battery which ‘conveniently’ puts us in his line of sight verses Armsmaster directly frowning at us.

“That’s an understatement” Clockblocker muttered, arms crossed.

“You destroyed my hoverboard” Kid Win accused.

“Kid Win, Clockblocker” Miss Militia warned.

“Kid Win! Buddy! Old pal! What accusations!” Regent cried, hand to forehead before then dropping the theatrics “that was ages ago, you’ve built a new one!”

“It took weeks!” Kid Win replied in frustration.

“Kid Win, do not engage” Armsmaster snapped.

Regent just shrugged.

Clockblocker scoffed before his visor turned to me “you shoved bugs down my throat”

“She does that to everyone” Imp supplied, leaning back in her seat “don’t feel targeted”

Clockblocker grunted but turned to look at Imp “you weren’t at the bank, why’d you fall in with these guys? Why not the wards?”

“Money, little to no oversight, safety and excitement” Imp listed off, counting off on her fingers.

“That’s it, money? That all it comes down to for you guys?” Clockblocker asked, disgust in his voice.

“Doesn’t surprise me” Glory Girl muttered, crossing her arms.

“Glory Girl” Brandish warned.

“We actually turn up to Endbringer fights” Tattletale spoke up, cracking an eye open “better than some, and we’re not nazis. You could argue we’re the villain ideal”

“The ideal villain is one that doesn’t exist” Clockblocker muttered.

“Clock” Aegis cut in “settle down, I don’t want to hear you arguing for the next several hours”

“You held a knife to my sisters throat” Glory Girl growled and that earned me all New Waves ire plus several Wards and Protectorate.

“It was that, or be beaten to a pulp by an Alexandria package” I replied with a shrug “nothing personal”

“Sure feels personal” Panacea muttered.

“You did threaten to make me diabetic” I shrugged.

“None of you are talking about all the heroic stuff we’ve done!” Regent complained and I let my head flop back in resignation “like when we destroyed the Merchant’s drugs-”

“Destroyed that dog fighting ring” Imp provided, Bitch grunting in agreement. Bitch didn’t seem to care about the current situation, calmly stroking her dogs and paying no one no mind.

“-or destroyed more of the Merchant’s drug” Regent held his hands up “just saying, we’re not all bad guys”

“You’re on a team with a murderer” Clockblock spoke in a flat tone.

“Who? Bitch, nah she’s great, aren’t you Bitch?” Regent looked over to Bitch.

“Fuck off Regent, hate all this talk” she muttered in reply, glaring at Regent.

“See, bundle of sunshine”

“Regent” I warned with my voice.

“Fine, fine, god this trip is going to suck” he muttered as he slumped in his seat, crossing his arms.

“You have nothing to say to that?” Glory Girl asked, looking toward Bitch.

Bitch stared back without answering, her eyes flicking between each hero.

“You even regret it?” Glory Girl spat, glaring at Bitch now.

“No, cunt was gonna kill my dog” Bitch replied.

“What the fuck is wro-”

“Glory Girl!” snapped Lady Photon “enough, we’re under Truce, do not antagonise the v… your fellow capes”

“Finally, some quiet” Tattletale grumbled on my shoulder.

“How bad?” I asked quietly.

“Dark quiet room bad” she replied.

“Guessing the… situation isn’t helping?”

“Definitely not and I think trying to analyse it would cripple me”

“Don’t do that then”

A weak elbow jabbed me and I smiled, closing my eyes. I hadn’t gotten rid of all my bugs, I’d brought along those that were common to both America and England, some flies, mosquitos etc. I made them fly around the interior, mapping it out in my mind. Grue next to me was sat back with his arms crossed, from the way he was breathing I gathered he was relaxed. Regent and Imp both seemed to have gotten into a conversation.

The peace lasted for another few hours, before one of my bugs was suddenly killed.

I opened my eyes but showed no visible reaction, my eyes turning to stare at Armsmaster, fingers pinched together. Honestly, I was actually rather impressed he managed to do that given how sneaky I had been trying to be with the bugs.

“Skitter, having your insects wander the plane could be taken as an act of spying and as such be treated as a violation of the Truce”

I recalled my flies and mosquitos, having them fly into my hair and keeping them there. Across from me Glory Girl grimaced.

“How do you even…” she trailed off with a visceral shiver.

“It’s a good place to hide them” I shrug, because it is, what was so wrong with that?

“You just walk around with bugs in your hair?” Vista piped up, the first words she had spoken since we’d arrived.

“Well, a swarm is rather inconspicuous” Imp pointed out, breaking from her conversation with Regent.

“In your hair though” Vista repeated.

“In my clothes as well, I’m not stupid” I say, turning to look at Vista which caused her to tense up for some reason.

“So, what? You just control every bug in a radius?” Glory Girl asked curiosity mixed in with some other emotion I couldn’t quite tell.

Obvious fishing hook was obvious, so I slipped the bait from the hook… this metaphor wasn’t very good.

“More or less, more that I nudge them to do something and they do it, rather than direct control”

“Bullshit” Clockblocker interjected.

“What can I say, bugs just don’t like you” I shrugged, Tattletale snorting beside me before I focused back on Glory Girl “you’ll forgive me I don’t go into specifics”

Tattletale actually lifted her head, rubbing her forehead before speaking quietly, but still loud enough to be heard “hear that though? She can control bugs Glory Girl, so why’s it so hard to believe I can’t be psychic just because I don’t the brain mass?”

“Because mind reading is literally impossible!” she snapped, leaning forward.

“You can fly and are basically invulnerable, Your sister can manipulate biology to the near molecular level and Clockblocker can freeze things in place, yet they aren’t actually frozen frozen, because they still rotate with the earth” Tattletale spoke before then flopping back onto my shoulder and squeezing her eyes shut “fuck”

Tattletale did make a point there that I hadn’t previously thought about. Clockblocker’s power froze objects in place, yet they still moved with the rotation of the planet rather than stay in position.

Glory Girl sat back with crossed arms, seemingly thinking hard with narrowed eyes. Likely trying to think of a counter argument, though I doubted if Tattletale would be able to offer a comeback.

I was silent for a few more minute before it was broken by Imp leaning forward, staring at Shadow Stalker who had been glaring at Grue for the whole flight.

“Oi, Shadow wanker, mind not glaring at my teammate for five minutes?” Imp spoke and I sighed, I guessed Regent had been teaching her British slang, that or she’d just heard it while in passing.

“That’s a good one” Regent approved.

“Imp…” Grue sighed.

“What’s the matter, big tough criminal can’t take a little attention?” Shadow Stalker taunted and now that I thought about it, this was probably the first-time I’d ever heard her speak. It felt… odd.

“Attention? Bitch, you’ve been staring at him for the whole flight. Maybe fuck off?” Imp spoke.

“Make me” Shadow Stalker spoke, turning her gaze to Imp finally.

For a heart shuddering moment, I feared that Imp would do something stupid, but she eventually settled back into her seat, crossing her arms.

“That’s what I thought” Shadow Stalker spoke before turning back to Grue.

“You know, if you keep staring at my teammate, I might consider that a violation of the Truce” I spoke calmly, with more confidence then I felt.

“That a threat?” Shadow Stalker challenged.

“Yes” I replied, not looking at her, which I guessed pissed her off further if the straining of leather was any indication.

“Threats could be considered a violation of the Truce” Armsmaster said, frown in his voice.

“Then keep your psychopath under control” I spoke.

“Shadow Stalker” Miss Militia warned.

Shadow Stalker kept staring for a few more seconds before then huffing “whatever” and turning away.

“Thank you, now all you’ve got to do is stop her from using broadhead bolts” I spoke.

“Shadow Stalker uses exclusively tranquiliser-”

“I’ve been shot by her, and it definitely wasn’t a tranquiliser, what with all the blood and the surgery I had to go through to remove it” Grue spoke, looking to Armsmaster.

“You-”

“Enough, this is an internal matter that will require investigating” Armsmaster overrode Shadow Stalker, turning to look at her. That had been… relatively easy actually.

“I think he has a lie detector in his helmet” Tattletale murmured softly, so only I could hear.

“Really?”

“Mm”

“Would that stand up in court, does he trust it that much?”

“A good craftsman trusts his tools… or something like that. But it wouldn’t stand up in court, lucky that it isn’t the only evidence they’ll find” Tattletale adjusted my shoulder pad before resting her head back down again “Wonder which containment zone they’ll ship her to”

“Prison, or Simurgh?”

“What’s the difference?”

I couldn’t argue that point.

~§~

We stepped off the bus outside the PRT building, our van was still in the same place it had always been, but the Empire chunk of concrete was nowhere to be seen. It struck me then that if the heroes had been revived somehow, then the villains likely had been as well.

People were out and about and many had stopped, phones out as per usual when a parahuman was within fifty feet of the general public. The sun was high in the sky and I grimaced at the idea of having to explain to my dad why I had gone to a friends house at 3am and stayed there for the entire morning.

“Undersiders, thank you for your assistance today” Armsmaster spoke as New Wave flew away and most of the Protectorate and Wards retreated into the PRT building “the Truce will be in effect for another two days”

“Understood” I nod before following after my team, climbing into the back of the van and shutting the doors behind me. Grue starting the van.

“Lucky the vans a rental, get a different similarly sized one ASAP” Grue spoke as he pulled away.

I grunted in agreement, feeling all the civilians still standing and pointing phones at us with bugs as we drove away. The van was filled with silence for several minutes as we drove through the city, toward the harsher parts. Bitch across from me had her eyes closed and was idly scratching her dogs heads in turn, Tattletale seemingly passed out in the front passenger seat.

“So, are we going to talk about that?” Imp asked, pulling off her mask and looking around.

“Aisha, we are all tired. We’re gonna go home, get some rest, tomorrow we’ll meet up and talk”

“If Capes are coming back to life though… does that mean that Coil could?” Aisha asked.

That caused the van to descend into a grim silence at the thought.

“We’ll prepare then, we have money, resources. We can beat him with planning and-”

“Shit!” Grue suddenly shouted, the van swerving before the wall behind Rachel and Alec crumbled, crushing them before my eyes to bloody messes. Blood splashing onto my mask, I was a sitting duck as the spiked battering ram rammed through my chest, coming out the other side and nailing me to the wall, Rachel and her dogs corpses pressed against me.

I whimpered, looking around as a ringing filled my ears and my vision began to become hazy. Aisha was gasping next to me, a spike shoved through her neck, she looked at me and I watched as the light left her eyes and her struggling ceased. I couldn’t see the front of the van, but I heard Grue’s pained gasps.

“That’s what cunts that mess with the Merchants get, you cunt dribbling cock fuckers!” shouted a voice from outside. The spike pulled away, making me want to scream from the pain as it pulled out and blood dribbled freely from my lips and chest “and let that be a lesson to any other spunk brained twats that wanna fuck with us, let’s get out of here Squeal’s!”

There was a cackling and the roar of an engine and then nothing. People started shouting and screaming, my mind fading as my vision began to blank, slowing, my thoughts turning to a desperate spiral of-

Please no not like this please please please don’t want to die what about Dad and Lisa and Brian and people counting on me I don’t want to go please please not like this-

"̡̩̼̪̬̝̌̇͛͆͗̐͛̾̑͐͟͟W̶̡̧͇̯̬̭̖͉͆͛̐̈́͡ͅh̸̢̬̱̜̼̪̼̠͖͗̆͗̕͢a̸̲͉̬͖̔̍̈͗̿̌̉̚͢t̲̞͚͕̱̱͇̥̥̩̋̐̌͌̚͘'̛̥̫̭̝̖̌̑̋̅̈́̅̌͑s̪̱͕̤̓͊̚͜͝͡͠.̵̢̟̻̱̞͒̎̈̀͘͡.̶̧̡̘͔͒͌͑̏̈́͊͒̇͌̚͢.̸̡̢̧̹̜̜̆̌̉̋̈̉͟͡ͅ ẖ̛͍̝̯̼͖̮̩͍͙̅̈̔̌͐̕a̲̦̯̦̰̘͐̈͑̋̀͆͞p̸̧̻̰̩͎̐͌͑̄͊͟p̶̙̰̜̺̜̰̾̿͆̈́̎͘ê͓̫̟̤̥͆̊̍̚n̷̬̭͙͙̩̭͗̂́́̂̉̆̿͟͝i̵̺̫̗̘̺̅̉̌͌̈̒̕n̡͙̖̤̗͗̅͐̉͞ĝ̡̭̖͚̭͙̯͋̏̅͝?̡̹̭͕̼͚͓̥̺̌̌̋͗̆̍͗̕͢͠"̧̛͕̳̹̞͇̓̇̊̍̓̚͢

̨̖̻̲̬͓̞̬͇̽̓̂̑̌̓̽"̙͔̠̪̤̼̼̲̓̐̓̈̃͠͝Ţ̢̳̦͍̤̘͖͔̋̏̓̓͌͟h̸̠̘̳̖̩̲̰̞̙̑̈͊̏͑͘ȩ̶̙̟̱͍̫̈͂͊͜͜͞y̡̨̺͎̯̦͙͍̪̱̿̆̾̌͂̈̚.̷̙̻̣͈͖͉̆̈̅͛̃̋̽̚ͅ.̢̯̙̖͇̲͙̅̍͋͐͘.̧̹͉̦̙͇̬̞̹̐̉͗̾͆ c̵̩͖̼̼͕̩͛͌̏͠a̡̡̻͓̮͚̣̭̪̒͂̅̒͜͠r̶̡̛͙̰͕̯̰͛̂̎̅̎͗̌͟͠ c̢̥̖̙̤͍̪̈͂̃̐̊̅͟ȓ̷̨̜̠̯̰͕̗͊͋̊̅͡ą̗͓̣̮̭̌̋̇͋͡ṣ̮̰̪̮̳͆̌̏͂̊͆͛̈́̿̚͜h̷̡͇̜̹̣̩̐̄̋̔.̸̛̱̜̳͕̲̮͊͂̔̌̅͌̐ͅ.̮̼͉̺̜̖̩̾̂̍̏̏̀̚͟.̡̧̻̠̟̗̼̓̄͋̌͝͝ ṣ̶̫̞̙̺̎̉̿̈͊̔̕ͅͅh̴̺͍̪̮̜̲̳̅͗̌͛́̈́̿̚̕͢o̸̰͍͙̯̝̙̱̣̐̋̿̎̉̌ų̴̧͇̻̩̖̅̈́̔̈͗̕l̫͉̤̣̱̩͕̭͗͂̽̈́̀̋̍͜ͅd̛̼̲̰̜̲͂̒̔̾̈́̈́͛͊̕.̵̞̱͓͓̺̮͚̊̆̌̚͟͞.̷̨̢̖͕̖̟͛̿̽̉̑̆.̣̟͕͇̳̘̗̜̀́͗͌̿̿͝͝i͍̙͖̯̱͇͛̄̓̿̈́m̩̫̰̖̘̦͈̂͂̔̂͋̾̔͟͠͡p̵̨̛̭̻͙̥̳͒̆̂̓̒̈́o̵̭̘̩̪͚͓̭̭̠͊̉̆̿̾s̛̘͇̬̩͓̤͊̊̓͡s̷̢̢͎̱̥͔͍͒̋̀̈̓̑͛̾̌͝i̡͕̭͔̹̺͊͛̾̃͗̽͆͗b̷̦͚͖͖̼̻̭̖͌̍̈̓̾̊̀̋̿̕l̴̛͖̗͓͚̗̠̝̝̥͍̅̔̃̎̂͐̑̕e̠͓̱̬̣̯̅̔̏̐̓͌̌͡ͅ.͎̝̻̦͙̈́̏̂̄̑̓̐͜.̫̮̩̫̝͉̔̏̌̀̉̒̓̉͝ͅ.̷̢̼̝̩̦͚̔̀̋̊̓̐̆͝ ḑ͍̯̤̮̜̬̍̊̅̎̈́͝ͅͅi͎̩̭͖͒͂̅̈́̂͗̅̀͒̚͢ë̝͎̦͍͕̱́͊͊͐̂̋̄͂͢?̷̢̥̘̼̺̺̮̩̐̒͛̇͑͂̈́̕͜͠"̸̫̪̥̞̫̙̭́̎̈̄̾͡͝͠

̩̯͕̹̳̿̈́̿̀̍̽͌͡"̶͉̻̯̱͓̬̬̽͋͋̔̌Ņ̟͇̜͙͖͔͋͠͝͞o̢̢̡̻͔̩̪̜̓̓̃͌t̛̙̰͉̤̱̯̄͂͗̽̀͡.̴͙̠̘̞̪̣́̓͐̑͒́̃͐͘̕.̙̼͓͚̘̗͑̓̋͘͢͝͞.̴̨̖̺̲͈͑̂̿̐̌͠ t̙̲͎͇̅̐̑̓̔͟ḣ̟̬͎͖͎̾͂̑̾̈́̓͒͘e̷͉͇̼̻͚̠͒̄͗̌̑̈́̾ͅ m̬͖̜̘̠̺̃̃̒̈͜͡͞a̧̨͇͓͍̪̜͆̋̂̌͡͠ͅç͇̙͍̬̩͐̆̏̇͋̿̋̋͠͠h̢̛̞͍̼̘̭̏̀͒̚͝͞ȋ̪̬͕̘̔͐̏́̓͘̚͟͜n̸̪̗͉̻̺̹̪͑̅̀̎͒̕ẻ̶̹̤̥̣͔̰̫͎͋̓̎͞!̸͉̹̩̄̔͌͛̂̓̀̉̐ͅͅ"̢̱̼̰̜͂̃̊͗̎͞ͅͅ

̷̛͉͈͚̹͕̂̐͆́͆̂̓͟"̡̥̦͚̳̌̓̆̌̅͘͟͠Ţ̴̫͔̘͚̒̍͑͌̋̄̽̚͢͡ͅh̛͕̥͍̘̻͙̣̳͓̞̍̆̅͆̌̌̒͠ę̤̭͓̤̳͇͑̓̈̽̂͊̎͠ͅ.̩͎̲̖͍͔̫͌́̈́̿͘͟͜.̷̧̧͎̪̘͔̪̬̩̀͛̈́̄̓̽ͅ.̢̲̠͕̗̗̳̣̽͋̚͜͝ d̵̢̛̲̦̙̝͑́̕͘͡ȇ̶͎̱̤̯̻̽͐̉̉͜͠͝l͇͎̺̞̦͐̏͐̂̌͊̽͠i̼͈͓͙̖̘̟̲͆̊͑̂͒̚͢͝ç̧̨̦͍̜̺̃̄͋͐̾͞ͅa̴̪̖͚͋̈͗̅̎̇̌͘͜͢͜ͅͅͅẗ̶̥̤̭̗̖̘̖̺͂̒̄̐̂͢e̴̡̛̘͚͓̳̪͆̈́͒̎̏͟͝.̡͙̹̥̟̭̳̤̮̂̓͐̔͛͗̚̕͢.̵͔̥͈̳̖͋̅͆̊͢.̵̥̞̹̹͖̳͋̋͗̊̑͡͝ Ţ̵͇̥̝̘̖̂͌̈͒͘i͓̟̘̰̻̪͛̍́͆͊͛͜͟͞͠n̨̥͔̲̪̝̈̆͌͗̃́͞k̵̟̳͙͔̗̀̋̊̉͛̔̌̚͞͞e̵̮̠͇̯̥͑̆̉̓̽͗͘ͅr̢̖͍̖̦̰̟̲̱͌̿̒̆͋̽͘͘͠ͅt͚͙͎̭̩̘̝̦͆̂̑̓̅̐͘͠é̢̡̛̼͚̗̙͉͇̜̒̏̓̒c̞̞̺̘̆̅̅̉̑̆̿͢͟͜h̡̖̞̙̳͍͖̬̫̺͋̾̄͛̾̈̓͞.̷̙͓̜̭̟̀̋̔̌̔̽̃͞.̵̢̯͔̗̼̫̙̉͒͑͑̀͘͡.̷̧̧̦͓̖̞̞͕̬͈̐̑̊̔͋̕ b̴̡̞̙̥̹͍͆͗̌́͗̑̇͘r̸͖̪̫̗̘̣̮̼͛̐̾̍̿̌͘͟͞e̛̙͖͎͙͙̍̆̒͆́͆ḁ̵̡̛̯̟͓͎̏̀̀͆͆͒̕͝ķ͎̱̩̪̱͙̾̌̈͋̆͟͢͠d̨̟̠̯̙͌̽̈́̾͠ͅo̵̧̥͖͙̝̻̐͋̿̓̌̿̚w̨̼̲̹̟̺̙̎̔̑̚̕͜n̵̡̳̹͇̠̥̣̩̻̽̏̂͑͆̃͂͗̿͠"̪͔̪͚͙̬̰͓̋͛̐̊͊̍̉̑͟͞͝

̵̺͚̦͉̰̳̝̩̑̄̑̋̕͟͝"̶̻̺͈̖̜͙̺͛̓̓̃̇͑̚̕͝ͅF̧͙̣͇̣̽̓̃̉̀̄͘̕͠͝ư̵̧̛̭̺̬͚̼͙̯̄̆͋̉̑͜͢͞c̷̛͖̼̻͎̥̦̬̮͗͊̊́̈́̌̿͞k̢̛̬͖̝̖̞͙͂̐̈̈́̏͒.̰̖̝̟̯̀͗͑̊͑́̅͡.̡̧̨̗̺̘͙̙͇͊̏̍͒͆̆̋̋͐͞.̶̛̬̗͙̦͙̙͕͚͈̳͊̀͆̀͗͒̃̐ f̷̡̦͍̮̲͕͓̪͍̆̌̌̀͌͌̑̊̑͡ȋ̧̡̞̬͎̘̮͍͊̃͌̊̓̆͌͘͠x̡͍̭̖͚̹͑͐̉͂̌̌͘͝͠͡.͇͖̹͎͔̱̐͂̔̂͋̓̉̉̕͢͢.̷͍̤̝͖͓͚͂̈̊̽̈.̡͚͚̮̠̩̳͑͒͑̏͊̎͐̈͘͟"̨͎͚̻̼̱̖͔͍̼͐̐͒́̂̎̓̿̌͝

͖̤͎̳͙̤͉̓̔͘̕͝"̶̛̦̬͕͚̙̀̒̋͊̍͘̚N̴̹̜͙̫̩̟̘̑̓̽̑̂̍̕͢o̸̹͖̩̘͖̅̓̍̑̄̃͝.̷̻̮̪̳̦̻̜́̎͗̍̿̎̾͘͟͡.̷̬̪̖͙̲͚̀͊̋͆̎͜.̸̨̜̫̦̩̙̤̺͚͒̍̌̅̄̚̚͜ s̗̞͎͈̒̎̍̂̋̚͢͡i̛̝̯͕̦̺̔̀̅̊̋͘͝m̷̙̭̞͉̥̋͑̂͋̆̏̉̎u̴͍̥̦̳͑͐̿̏͑͜l̲͉̯̪͔͖̱̃̇̽͂͌a̻̬͍̙̲͍̞̺̘̾̒̍̈́̓̉̚̕͝͞ͅc̸͍͖̙̩͔̅̓̈̾̒̏͘r̵̢̭̯̞̖͉͚͙̺̉͑͛̾̾̽͒̚͜͝u̙̭͓̪̺͎͔̾̃͒̃̿̍̊ͅm̧̙̟̭̮̦͙̳͊̄̄̎̂͂̃̑͢.̵̤̹͔̱̳̰͈͐̍̿̊.̨͍̠̙͉͖̯̤̱̒̈́̅̔͛͐͒̕͘͘.̴̢͖͔̠͕̻͚̜͒̈͐͂̓̓̐̓͐ i̳̪̣̣̜̹̤̬̭͑͆͊̆̃̓̉̒̐͞ͅm̩̯̣̱̹͔̓̎̓̐̊͌̈̆ͅp̵̢̳̝̬̯̺̹͂̽̽̇̈͑͆̇̚o̫̫̗̻̳̮͆̉̿̽̿̏s̵̮̻͙̠̜̑̀̆̐ş̷̥̻̘̮͈͆͒̏͐̄̂͗͆̽͝į̨̝̟͈̪̻̜̐̿̃̆̑̚͟b̷̨̦̤̘̙͈͖̍͌̍̿̇̍͋͡͠l̷͎͎̳̻̠̗͇̄̇̇̆̀͢ḛ̢̖͚͙̦̰̯̐̒̈́͌͒̾.̜͓̻͊̏̒͘͜͠ͅ.͇̥̯͉̜̮̥̲̔̌̈̾̔̈́͑̎͘͟͢͞.̷̨̬̺̠̮̲̰̯͕͎̂̋͋̉͑̕ d̡̜͇͎̼̱̞̙̬͌̂̉̾̔ė̳͓̻̯̔̄̓͘͢͠ͅa̼̫̠͚̦̝̒̾̐͒̈͗̎͜ţ̶̛̛̛̘̞͓̗̫̦̲͐͒̄̾͋͋͞h̗̲̯̣͈̽̇͐̔͛̊̊̽̂͢͡.̧̺̳̮͉̅̑͗̌͗̕͘.̴̗̙̮̙̝̰͚̏́͌͊̆̀͘.̷̥̺͈̲̪͛̋͌̍̂̓̄̚ b̖͇̖̰̺̠̟͖͎̹́̒̂̍̾͗͌̈̕r͔̻͖̣̪͈͆̆̓̇͟͝a͕̭̪̐̿̉̕͜͟͜͝i̷̧̨̨̡̞̼̘͎̪͖̔̊̃̐̄̕̕̚͡n̛̼͇̳͍̪͚͚̱̎͂͘͝͝͞ ḋ̝̟̫̦̟̱̟̾̂̑̈́́̽̿͡͠ḁ̵̧̞̎̇͊̓̄̍͒͟͜͡͡͞m̨͔̠̟̹̹͋̆̈́̓͋͘͢͝ą̶͎̲̼͕̠̹͔̉͗̏͌͐̽͞g̡̡̘͍͕̮̗̱̈́́̌̏͢ę̴̜̗̻͙͇̍̑̉̈́̕͢.̷̺̟̪̟̞͈͓͎̍̄̍̓͗̓͘͢.̴̬̣̰̼̮͆̾͋̎̿͗͢.̧̛̦̗̦̣̣͔́̕͘͝ͅ"̵̢̡͉̻̼̘̝͚͈̌̌͒̃͌͐̒̀͢

̸̗̖͙̭̜̬͛̏̉̃̌̑͜"̡̨̺̰̹͇͙͙̾̊̏͗͋̌͝G̻͙̯̖̣̑͒͂̄̍̄̏̈́o̘͇͖̮̪̲̾̇̒̽̓̐̀̚͟͞d̷̛̜͉͙̥̻̾̇̑͛̑̒͊͌͢͠.̦̤̥̬̥͇͍̩͛̑̓̿̄̆͗ͅ.̫̖͔͙̮͉͉̻͎̉̋̒̾̐́͛̚͝ͅ.̶̬̩̳͚̠̐͑͛̎̓̐ l̸̢̨̮͔̟͈̝͉̇̀̓̾̉̓͝ǭ̮̺̜̪͐̎̉́n̸̯̦̗̞̥̦͋̂̂̿͛̇͛̀̌̏ğ̴̢̹̤͉̠̈̀̽͢͞͝ͅ?̧̨̼͓͕͇̓͊̆̍́͝"̯̹͙͖̤̞̱̫̒͛͛͜͞

̞̫͖͚̬̦̙̹̫̺͆̍̊̈́͑͗̌͑̽͠"̡͚̥̱͕͛͒̽̔T̨̛̖̗̣͕̯̱̅͗͗̈̀̐͠͞ͅw̷̳̳̪̗̖͉̙̫͎̆̿͋̆͛̑̌͟͞e̶̡̳̯̼̦͔̝̿̍̄͗̉̈́̓̕͜n̸͇̺̗̞̘̺̲͒͌̑͊̅͊͘ţ̢̻͖̪͗͗͂̈̄͐y̨̯̱̼̍̓̔̒̔͜͟.̶̳̥̬̙͖̈́̿̊͑̊̽̑͢.̨̛̮̭̫̜͇̪̟̌̽̔̇̈̀͛͘.̧̧͚̠̻͍̖̝̽̋̍̋̂͛̽̒͜ ē͕̩̺̘͔͇̯͈̯̈́͛̊̾͡͞n̤̩̪̦̖̏͐͑͂̕o̰̟̙̩͔͔̤͊̑̂̃̽̿͌͟͟͞͞u͓͙̫̻̫͆̓̽͆̅͊̌̕͝g̺̻̥͚̼̪͎̒͐̉̽ḧ͈̤͉͓̲̤́̈̉̏̊͗̓̿̕͠?̷̡̨̹̜͉̤̯́͗̐̒̔̾̃̇̈͝"̵̧̱̠̭̦̼̐͊̄̊͒͝

̵̨̝̻̯̞͚̋̔͛̆͐̈́͑"̢̹̪͔͙͇͒̒͐̈́̏͋͋̋Ȟ̶̡̢̥͚͎̅͌̌́̆̃̚͢͢ͅa̶͓̪̝̣̘̲̫͛̔͑̔̍̔̚͠v̪̗̫͔͈͑̄̌̚͝è̴̡̙͚͎̃͂̚̕͟͠.̨̖̣̣̞͙̯̲̰̩̒̓̕̚͞.̷͓͔͕̠̪̠̓̄̎̇̏̉͆͑͂͜͟͡.̴̡̨͔̗̦̫͙̩̃̋̈̒̓̋̽̌͌͡ b̢̜͍͙̯̦̮͚̻͑̀̚̚͢e̢̜̗͓̣̟̻̲̓̅̃̾̓͘"̶̧̹̘̠̬͚̹͕̦̒͋̎͐͠

̴̡̡̢̥̺̞̠̣̙̹͗̆͒̈͋̿̓̉͠͡"̵̧͍͔̠̥͌̒̃̊̑̆ͅQ̛̗̱̬̻͕͚̣̰̫̍̄̓͟ȗ̧͔̲͕̲͙̬̽̍̒̒̓̃̿i̷̛͚͉̖̖͚̜̼̎̋̇̆̈͢c̹̦͉̞̗͉͇̋̿͐̄̚̕͠͡k̜̗͕̥̪͉̮̉̌̓͐̌͢͢ͅ.̸̡̲̞̭̭͙̆̅̑̇̓͟͝.̴̲̹̞̙͍͖̹̾͗̈́́̕̕͟͟͡.̷̱͓͙̟̹̝̜͑̒̿̆̇̉̔ p̴̜̘͓̜̼̦̑͋̍́͘̚͠ǎ̧̡̳̖̱̜̰̰̺̏̾̿̌͋͛̇̇̿ͅt̻̤͖̱̪͗̽̇͌̚c̳̩̥̹̳̠̝̓̑͌͗̈́͊͊͢ͅḧ͉̬͕̻̝̊͑̐̾͞͡ͅ.̸̢̛͈͎̪̞͍̗̯͛̈́̂̈̕͟.̧̭̣͚̦̗̘͓̣̯̾͊̊̃͂͂͝.͔̦̳͖̇̾̽̄̄̐̊͂͢ b̧̨̤͖͖̰͖͎̯̽̋̎̅͊̅͗̂a̴̲̦̹̦̹͚̍̑̄̕͘͡ͅc̨̻͖̱̞͇͎̊̌͑͗͒̚͢͟ͅķ̜͓̜͎́̏̑͆͆͛̿͢͟u͓͓͓̼͕̗͚͕͊͗̆̊̽̿̑͜͢p̸͎̬̦͓̺̺͚̺̎́̃̀͢͞.̵͎̞̻͉͎͍̻̈́͋̔̌̈́͌.̧̪͕͔͔̬͚̬̟̀͊͗͒̽̈͟.̗̩̥̲̦̞̺̱͉̀̒̍̉͛̒̈́̏́͛"̴̨͎̭̜̏̌̈́̽̆̑͒̐́̕͢

I sucked in a huge breath without pain, breathing out and holding my chest in a vie like grip. The pain was gone but the memory fresh in my mind.

I took a long moment to recover before looking around. I wasn’t in my room, I wasn’t in any place I recognised in fact. It was like a textiles store, mannequins set up in shop windows with beautiful dresses I could only dream of pulling off, a nice red lighting and wooden floor. I looked down at the glass counter and aw my reflection, my mask was the same except painted white, the lenses blue. My costume was now a dress, made with the familiar texture of spider silk. Below my feet I felt thousands of black widows all intricately weaving and binding threads together to make massive spools of material.

Out the window I saw Parian, I remembered googling her at one point in the past. She was that cape that would go down to the board walk to do intricate puppet shows for toy stores and the like. She was doing one now, tourists and kids gathered around as she performed. In front of me was a till and desk.

I looked behind me and saw a wall covered in dress designs and photos of dresses, some had me wearing them and others had various models. In the centre were the words:

Parian & Weaver’s Clothing Emporium

What?

Chapter Text

I pat myself down. No bugs on me, either hidden in the dress or in my hair. That's easy enough to correct, given the veritable army of black widows beneath my feet. Breaking a few off I take the time to notice that they appear to have been specially bred, having an increased ability to produce silk over regular black widows within my range. I find a phone- presumably mine, given it's in a pocket (and the pocket is a decent size as well)- and grab it, brining it up for inspection. It's a nice model, better than the one I'd had previously.

I open it after muscle memory tells me the passcode to unlock it and go straight to text messages.

The person I'd most recently texted was a woman named 'Sabah' about coming into the shop next Sunday to get the spiders producing while the shop was closed. Sabah was either the owner of the shop, or… I looked back up at Parian outside and quickly pieced together who Sabah was. But that meant she also knew my civilian identity.

How did we meet? Why did Parian own a shop? There had never been a Parian shop on the boardwalk.

Next on the list was Dad, which was nothing really different than normal. Stuff about meeting up for family dinners and the like.

Then a person named Carlos, our conversations seemed rather friendly. I narrowed my eyes, almost too friendly…

Then Victoria fucking Dallon. We seemed to have a very good relationship here in…my old life? My other life? That just brought me back to the question of what this place was. I ignored it for now, needed more information.

A text from someone called Christine Alcott about tutoring her daughter Dinah and being thankful that I could accommodate around her 'special' circumstances. I tutored kids now?

Last was a text message from 'Anonymous' which read 'please kill yourself already, courtesy from Winslow Highschool'. No surprise there honestly, though I was curious as to how anyone got a hold of my phone number, was I really dumb enough here to tell someone at Winslow? But looking at the date showed it was old, marked as five years ago. Why I had kept it for so long baffled me, just as much as wondering what the current date was.

There was nothing else from anyone, so I closed that and after inspecting the phone again realized it had a camera, not a particularly good one, but a camera none the less. Opening the photos showed a few photos of me and a dark-skinned woman, who given some of the photos showed us in dresses and the like, I could assume was Parian and thus, Sabah. One showed us posing full costume in front of the store, a 'newly opened!' sign in the window. There were various photos of dresses alongside famous faces, New Wave wearing dresses or suits presumably made by us, the mayor and his wife and then other people. One photo drew my attention though, it was an older one, near the back of the phone's memory. Me and Sabah, grins on our faces. By the looks of it we were in a dorm room, texts books laid out around us.

I patted myself down again and noted absently that my body did feel different, I stood a few inches taller than I remembered. There was another photo folder on the phone marked as 'investigation' but I figured I could look at that later because I wanted to know the date. Though that folder slipped my mind when I looked up the date, causing me to choke.

August 5th, 2019.

I was seven years into the apparent future. I was twenty-two years old. An irrational part of me was upset at just missing my 16th birthday.

Then I remembered the van crash.

Had I died? Was this the afterlife? I crossed that off, my mom was still dead. How did I know that? I took a moment to think and realized I had memories of my life that weren't… wasn't lived by me? I had triggered in the locker, getting more and more depressed as instead of using my powers to fight crime, I had suppressed them. Of staring down into the waters of the bay, cold and unforgiving. Of a new resolve finding me, keeping my head down at Winslow. Applying and getting accepted to college for an English degree. Meeting Sabah and initially bonding over her like and my love for literature, of discovering we were both capes, of planning to open this very shop together. Getting my Masters degree in English Literature.

I realized my hands were shaking and took a deep breath. Was this and suddenly appearing bugs, reviving capes, disappearing dogs and the mysterious death of Coil, connected? Probably not, but were they related? Definitely.

That didn't make any sense, I apparently had a Master's degree in English fucking literature. Though that didn't make much sense either, what did that have to do with deciding to open a dress shop? Run by Rogues no less, the tax alone must have been worth a fortune.

A memory forcibly dragged itself to the front of my mind, of me and Sabah, sat on a bed and watching the news as it was announced that the laws and restrictions around Rogues would be lessened, including no longer having higher tax rates, meaning it was now viable to be a Rogue and make a living.

My frazzled mind was afforded a break as a bell chimed, I looked up to see Parian and her puppets walking back in, the puppets neatly walking themselves into the back of the shop.

"I hope you were entertained?" Parian spoke, though there was a tone to her voice that told me she was smiling as some of the dresses on the mannequins rearranged themselves.

I stared. I had never seen Parian in person before, just news articles and-

A man in a top hat, in his hands puppeteer's strings, moves around several figures. Around him, the air is grey with smoke, stifling and acrid. The smoke lies thick on his puppets, blurring them. The silhouette of a tall and slender girl, sun behind her obscuring her like an eclipse. She is doing a lazy pirouette. Another one besides her. Not a human, all muscle and fang and fakefakefake. Behind the beast is a hazy human shape, fetal in form, and vulnerable.

Some strings hang dangling in the air, with no puppet attached, as if someone or something cut away the puppet. A set of strings goes down, downdowndown out of sight. The ground beneath me rumbles with hunger and a barely contained rage that threatens to destroy everything. One is close to me, and his form I can make out. He looks like a football player and I can feel his rage and frustration.

I look up, back to the top-hat man. There are strings on the top hat man, and they up to a massive black and white snake, puppeteer strings in its mouth. It too has strings on it, but they go up, out of sight.

The top hat man manipulates the football puppet, depositing it into a village made of doll houses. The football player looks around, and then he destroys. He rips, and he tears, and he hurts, but I can stop this. I see a shadow duck from a window and I run forward, barging into the dollhouse.

Inside, there is a parian doll, delicate and desperate and scaredscaredscared. Behind her are more dolls, but they have all been mutilated. Hasty repairs hold together their shattered limbs and broken bodies.

"I'm not here to hurt you," I say.

The parian doll backs away still, arms out to protect her damaged and hurt brethren.

I reach out to her. "Please, I-". I stop mid-sentence, because I've seen the puppeteer strings on my hands, connecting to my fingers. I sense their the pull of threads on my legs and on my head.

The strings pull up my face, up towards the snake. The snake has my strings in its mouth, and its tail is rattling. I see venom, blood red, running down my string, inching towards me.

The thread loosens and my head turns down, back to the parian doll.

She is afraid of me.

"-eaver!" Parian rushed over to me as I stumbled, grabbing the counter to support myself as that scrambled mess faded "What's wrong? Here, take a seat" Parian lead me to a chair and crouched in front of me "you need anything?"

"W-water" I managed to stammer out and Parian nods, rushing off to get me water and letting me recover.

What the fuck had that been? It had felt like a memory, but it had been… painful, and hard to focus on, like a dream. The harder you tried the quicker it left. A glass of water was pressed into my hands and I lifted my mask, just enough to expose my mouth and allow me to take a sip.

"Are you okay to work the rest of the day, or do you need to go home?" Parian asked, her head tilting.

My shift ended in two hours, how did I know that? Why did I know things? Why did I have memories that weren't Mine? Well, they were mine, but not mine mine.

"I… I don't know" I answered honestly.

"Have you been staying up late again?" Parian asked, a disapproving tone to her voice.

A convenient out? Don't mind if I do "yeah, sorry"

Parian sighed, a hand going under her mask to rub her face "Taylor… go, get some rest, I can handle the rest for today"

Even though I had no reason to, I felt bad "I-"

"No, Weaver, you nearly collapsed, just… just go get some rest, we'll talk more about this later" she had a chastising tone combined with pity, I had no context for why she had such a tone.

"Okay" I nodded, standing. Waving off Parian when she offered a hand and walking to the back room. It was a nice set up, there was a hidden room in the shop that contained casual clothes for us. From there, a secret access tunnel lead to the storm drain which lead out onto the beach.

Walking through the streets was different than normal. It was more alive, especially the boardwalk. Leaving the boardwalk showed a similar result, there were streets that I had always known as potholed and broken, now looking fresh and new.

I headed to the library, walking familiar yet wholly unfamiliar streets. The building looked brand new, beautiful and grand in appearance. Entering showed a similar story, fresh books, modern, sleeker looking computers. I found a library card- well worn- in my wallet and pulled it out, flashing it to the librarian who allowed me to access the computers with a smile that showed we must be familiar with each other.

Sitting in front of the computer however, I wasn't sure where to even start.

I decided looking up my team members was a good start. I started with Cape names. Grue got me reference to several articles talking of the mysterious villain Grue who was now working with Faultlines mercenary group. So, Brian was alive. Looking up Brian Laborn got me reference to a Facebook account with very little on it except for a profile and banner pic, as well as a recent status saying 'In a Relationship with Kayden née Russel' whoever that was.

Imp got me no results except for different villains elsewhere. Aisha Laborn got me a reference to both a Facebook and something called 'Instagram'. Facebook was filled with pictures of the girl and her hanging out with friends, Instagram giving me similar results. So, she was also alive and well, and judging by some of the images, living with her brother.

Hellhound got me several articles about Brockton Bay's new rogue and concerns over her criminal past. She owned a dog shelter where she trained dogs, additionally the Protectorate endorsed her and the Brockton PRT division now used trained dogs as well as people in their force. Rachel Lindt unsurprisingly got me nothing for any social media, not even a PHO account for her Cape identity.

Regent got me nothing, neither did Jean-Paul Vasil or Alec Vasil. No reference to him whatsoever in fact. I frowned. Was Alec still with his father? Did he get away and change his identity to something different. Or had he been killed? I had to move on, knowing there was little I could do from here for him, wherever he was, annoyed me. Next was the result that worried me the most, which was why I'd left it to last.

Sarah Livsey got me an old Facebook account with a very young looking Lisa on it, though it hadn't been active in years. That was probably a good sign she had gotten away from her parents, especially the next link which was an article a few years old of her 'bereft' parents desperate to find their 'precious baby girl'. Lisa Wilbourn got me a gut punch.

'Young woman missing. Lisa Wilbourn is a twenty three year old woman, last spotted on the fifteenth of June entering her apartment. On the seventeenth of June, neighbors called police after they heard sounds of shouting and distress form her apartment. Upon arrival police found signs of a struggle and forced entry. The woman's whereabouts at this time are unknown-'

Someone had attacked Lisa, and by the sounds of it she might now be dead or working for one of the gangs. My stomach knotted and twisted.

Who would be likely? What if she now worked in an ABB brothel?"

I looked up the ABB and found reference to an article a few years old titled 'The Dragon's fall'.

Reading it my idea of the world flipped. Apparently, Lung had gone on a rampage three years ago and killed Kid Win, Browbeat and Triumph. Two Wards deaths had caused a public outcry and Alexandria herself had been called in, leading her team of Capes and executing a kill order on Lung. Oni Lee was soon apprehended and Bakuda was still on the run, last seen in Chicago a few months ago.

I sat back and thought. Lung falling along with the ABB must have meant that the Empire quickly swallowed up that territory, right? Looking that up told me that yes, they had. Now they were the only major criminal gang in the Bay, they had also swallowed the Merchants, killing both Skidmark and Mush and supposedly capturing Squealer. Though apparently, they had also gone more underground, spreading in supposedly subtler ways by having members in the police and even PRT. Though what was fact and PHO fiction was hard to draw a line between, there had certainly been sympathizers in both groups toward the E88, but active participating members?

The Protectorate was different now. Armsmaster had stepped down and was now apparently part of the Guild, working closely with Dragon on world renowned projects. Miss Militia was in charge. The other Protectorate members were there, bar Triumph. But now all the Wards of my time were full Protectorate. Aegis, Vista, Clockblocker, Gallant. All Protectorate now. Shadow Stalker had graduated the Wards then left, but now she was apparently on the run as a 'dangerous and unstable Parahuman' and wanted for questioning about several murders, missing persons and assault cases.

I looked up New Wave and spotted they were much the same as they had been in my old world, same with the Dock Workers Union, though apparently both were no longer in a steady decline. Thomas Calvert got me to a site commemorating the memories of those who died at Nilbog and his name was amongst them. No love lost there.

I paused, then grabbed my phone and looked at the Anonymous text message. After a long moment of debate, I looked up Emma Barnes.

She was missing, had been for a few months. Parents had last seen her at a family dinner, then she vanished. They said that she had seemed worried about something but wouldn't say. A new memory wormed its way to the front of my brain. Of Dad calling me, asking me to come over, of being met by a distraught Alan Barnes who begged me to know anything to do with Emma. Of informing him that we hadn't been friends for years, of him leaving in a worse state then when he arrived. The awkward conversation that followed with my Dad. Of my investigation I had been conducting myself over the last several months, looking for my ex-best friend. Sophia had also gone missing, but she'd actually run away from home. Madison had no idea where either of them were- as did no one else form their social circles.

I looked up the new Rogue laws, simply as something to do while my brain tried to brainstorm ideas for finding Lisa (and maybe Emma, if I felt like it, which I really didn't, no matter what my old memories told me). They had been passed back in 2015 after a group of Rogues banded together and petitioned the government. They had won somehow and the laws had been lessened. Since then apparently the economy had been going up, turns out that Rogues weren't destroying businesses as everyone once feared they would. Other countries had followed suit such as Canada, England and France.

I looked up Brockton Bay rogues and the top result was Parian and Weaver's Clothing Emporium, apparently, we were a minor tourist destination. I looked myself up on PHO and found I had my own wiki page. I had memories of editing it, of listing my abilities but also down selling them, just in case. Several links down however, a familiar name caught my eye.

Tattletale's PI service.

I clicked the link to discover a webpage, the main image being a figure obscured by a beige trench coat and fedora hiding the girls features except for a smirk. Reviews scrolled along and was filled with 'amazing service' and 'excellent work and really good rates'. A contact email and phone number were on the bottom and a blurb of Tattletales job and what she would do was to the left of the image.

So, Lisa likely got on the wrong side of someone, and they decided to attack her in her civilian identity. That sounded like such a Coil move, but he was definitely dead. I wasn't sure where I could really start with investigating the girls- or woman, now- disappearance.

I let the library, after having spent two hours inside just trying to get myself up to speed with everything there was to know about where I found myself. I wandered, something I did with a bit more caution now. And now that I knew what I knew, I could see it. People of color and minorities were sparse and either travelled in group or were in groups of white people, they were definitely more cautious. It took away the rose-colored glasses I had been wearing earlier as I walked around the city.

I found my feet taking me back to the boardwalk, still just as busy and just as apparently nice. But who was secretly a nazi? The enforcers, which one would drag you behind and alley and beat you for your skin color, or if thy spotted you using your power, how quick were you dragged into the Empire? I stopped in the plaza area of the boardwalk, at the halfway point from either end. I could see mine and Parian's shop (and that was still a weird thought) from here, Parian wasn't performing again.

I looked across the Plaza, at the crowds and the children. None of them seemed concerned over the fact that nazi's ruled the underworld of their city. It was a horrible sense of normalcy and acceptance of their lives. Was this what it was like for people on Earth Aleph looking into our earth? Seeing the city destroying monsters and mass murdering Capes and seeing how accepted they were, how resigned we were and how numb we had grown to tragedy?

I spotted a figure of white and for a moment thought it was Purity, out in the open. But it wasn't.

A woman stood across from me, a sundress around her that accentuated her features and had reflected the sunlight to a degree that had made her seem to shine, her face obscured by a wide brimmed white sunhat on her head. Ponytailed blonde hair blew in the light breeze, a bag on her arm. She must have felt me staring at her because she looked up, and bottle-grass green eye met mine. Six years changed her, her face is narrower, her freckles more pronounced and her figure somehow more defined.

Her eyes widen, then she grins. I can't help it, I grin back. She runs toward me and I meet her halfway, not caring for the stares as we hug. She's real, she's not dead.

"L-strawberry" she whispers into my ear.

"A-tomato" I reply before then sighing "the naming part of the code doesn't quite work, when both of us are experiencing weird shit"

She laughed and I felt water stains on my shirt.

"I think we have bigger problems then the fucking code, Taylor" she says, hugging me tighter.

I accept the point and close my eyes "I thought you were dead, both back… then and here"

"Faked, apparently, according to my memories" she pulled away to look at me, her eyes red "you have memories too?"

"Yes"

"But… you also remember before, right?"

I nod grimly "up to where I died in the van, yeah"

Lisa squeezes her eyes shut for a moment, when she opens them there are fresh tears "the fucking van… I survived, only me though. I… I lived for a whole month after that crash"

I blink "you did?"

"Yeah… I… I don't want to talk about it right now. What's important is we're all alive" Lisa flashes a classic vulpine grin, it looks different on her mature face now "and also, I figured something out. C'mon, let's get off the street"

Chapter Text

The café wasn't as busy at it would be if this had been peak time, but it was the middle of the afternoon and most people were at the tables outside or on the beach, enjoying the sun. Lisa had rarely taken her eyes off me as we had walked down the boardwalk, gotten a table, and ordered something to drink. She still stared at me now, not in the way that suggested her power was at work, none of the vacancy in her eyes, just genuinely taking me in.

"Lisa?" I asked.

She broke from her stupor, scratching her palms as she bit her lip.

"Sorry, just…" she trailed off, going back to taking me in again before then shaking her head "it's weird, seeing you again… and also you grown up, you look good"

I looked in the shops glass reflection, taking in my face. My hair was longer than it had been, the curly black hair clearly well maintained. My glasses were different, sleek square frames instead of the large ones I'd had previously. I could pull off a good look by angling my face and glaring over the top of them now. My mouth, the feature I'd always hated most, looked like it actually fit on my face now, rather than being stuck in it's too wide frog-like appearance.

"Mm, should I get attached to it?" I asked, looking back to Lisa.

She grimaced and shook her head "probably not"

I let out a humourless laugh "typical, you look good as well"

"I always do" Lisa grinned.

We shared a short silence before I broke it, leaning forward "Lisa, what's going on?"

Lisa grimaced again "Okay, so bear with me here, it's going to be… hard to grasp I guess?" Lisa sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose before looking at me, dead serious, hands on the table, open and facing up.

"None of this is real"

The noises of the café died away, my vision tunnelling to just be Lisa as I absorbed the information.

"Everything is fake, we're in a simulation Taylor, a perfectly created simulation that is supposed to keep us happy and stop us questioning details about things. The only real things are us Taylor, us and the other Undersiders"

"But… we died, it was painful. There was a pole inside me, I felt it in my fucking lungs Lisa and we died" I tried to protest after the silence had gone on too long

"No, we didn't Taylor, we're fine" Lisa said.

I frowned thinking hard as the waitress arrived and placed our drinks on the table.

A perfect simulation? I watched the waitress leave, pausing at another table and nodding as one of the occupants spoke to her, walking back to the kitchen. I looked at my hands. Were they real, or were they just bis of code and binary made to look real? Did anything I do matter? Did I have a free will at all… or was everything I was doing being manipulated for someone else's goal?

I frowned harder and looked up "but then if we're all in here, how could we be both alive but dead while you continued on being alive?"

"Hard to explain, but your minds were suspended, put on hold before we then woke up here, all at the same time as if no time has passed at all" Lisa spoke.

"And it's… all of us?" I asked.

"Yes, you, me, Brian, Aisha, Rachel, Alec. We're all in here"

"Okay, so someone on the outside has captured us… and put us in a simulation"

"Mhm, specifically a Tinker one"

"And they've wiped our memories of these events up to a certain point?"

"Definitely, there are details I find hard to recall, foggy" she narrowed her eyes at me "had any foggy memory moments?"

I thought hard. I had snuck out of my house on April 8th and gone to the bad part of town, there I had run into Lung and beat him through a combined effort of swarming him with bug venom and the Undersiders heavily assisting me with Bitch's dogs. Then they'd left and I'd run into Armsmaster. The next day I had agreed to meet the Undersiders and from there planned to take them down from… the inside… as a mole…

I blinked and realised my drink was untouched, I took a sip and looked back up to see Lisa staring at me with a bitter smile "and that, is an example of foggy memories"

I frowned at her, then remembered the previous conversation. Huh, she was right, this had happened post Leviathan as well, I'd been thinking about something, then easily distracted by my team arriving, completely forgetting about it. My hands were shaking again, I didn't know when that started.

"Our thoughts are still our own" Lisa assured.

"How do you know?" I questioned, desperate for an answer.

"Because we're having a conversation about how we're in a simulation. If they could directly affect us like that, then why let us figure it out?"

"To toy with us?"

"That still takes away their advantage"

I could see the logic Lisa was going with, but whether I actually believed it would remain to be seen.

"So… if… the last… simulation? Was supposed to keep us simultaneously engaged-slash-too happy to question anything, then why did… the bugs and the reviving heroes?"

"If I were to guess, either just bad programming or- what I think more likely- Tinker programming and Tinker tech that's degenerating as it's used" Lisa said, sipping her drink and humming "though that is quite realistic" she commented, putting her drink down.

"Couldn't they repair issues as they cropped up?"

"Hm… guessing again…" she waved her hand around "This is very complex" she demonstrated by swirling her drink in her glass "it's simulating near enough to the real world. But based off our memories all combined. For us to interact with it and generate it, the way we are? Well, we have to be rather seriously rigged up- I assume, no accounting for Tinker stuff that may make it simpler. But I'd say it's too risky to make edits to an operating simulation without bad things happening to the subjects"

"As the machine degrades, so too does the stuff around us. Putting us in a new universe was a desperate move, they're all generated form our memories, but I think some are pre-generated as back-ups, I'm guessing there was supposed to be a process where the machine wipes our memories of the previous simulation so nothing is questioned, but I'm guessing that's broke. And I think it's all breaking faster because we have powers" Lisa gestured to my hair "your power is a literal nightmare for a computer to try and simulate, individual control of near infinite bugs within a fluctuating range based off your mood? My power, making sure I don't figure out people and the environments are fake? Added complexities on top of simulating normal everyday stuff like water that flows correctly and then there are countless other things like material quality of the parts, power supply etc, etc"

"So, to escape, we need to break the machine?" I ask, looking around at the busy café and trying to reconcile that none of these people are real.

"Maybe, breaking the machine could also kill us" I look back sharply to Lisa nonchalantly sipping her drink "but in that scenario, we die either way unless we're unplugged"

"So, if our captors feel inclined, the faster we break the machine-"

"The faster they pull us out of here" Lisa nodded before then grinning "rage against the machine, y'know?"

I looked at her flatly "that was horrible and… inappropriate, for the situation"

Lisa giggled, a touch too intensely for normal sane Lisa. She stopped quickly and coughed, looking demurely at her drink "sorry, it's… I thought I wasn't going to see you ever again, for a while"

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked, tilting my head.

"N…" Lisa trailed off from what was clearly an instinctual denial, biting her lip as her eyes spaced out, as if remembering something. She then grudgingly nodded "okay"

"Take your time" I encouraged gently.

Lisa stared at her drink in silence for several minutes, I didn't push, instead losing myself in the bugs as time passed, feeling as people entered and left my range and still trying to wrap my head around how these people weren't real. The mother consoling her child who had just dropped his ice cream, the man in the suit, talking angrily on the phone. The young girl who'd just pick pocketed said angry businessman. All fake. It made me and Lisa feel weirdly larger than we actually were in the grand scheme of things. Could Lisa be lying to me? Trying to make me believe what she said?

What was a better explanation though? No Cape has ever had the ability to bring the dead back in anyway. Spontaneous swarms of insects don't just appear form nowhere. I had died, I still remembered the pain from my chest only a few hours ago. Lisa had no reason to lie to me. And even if she did, I would like to think I could trust Lisa enough to know she'd have a good reason to.

"I woke up-" Lisa suddenly started, I zoned back to just me in the café, Lisa in front of me to listen "-in hospital, I was still recovering. PRT and Protectorate gave me the hard sell of join under probation, or jail. I chose probation. I spent two weeks in hospital, they said they would get Panacea to heal me, but-"

"She's a bitch"

Lisa smiled and nodded "she's a bitch, refused. Told me that… that you all got what you deserved. I got my own back, but that comes later" Lisa sipped her drink again, then took a deep breath "while in the hospital I watched a lot of news… it was weird. The Merchants had become more powerful, seemed the other gangs respected how they'd taken us down. When I was healed enough to leave the hospital, they didn't transfer me away? It was weird, they kept me working in Brockton Bay for some reason. Well, now that I think about it, I guess the world at that point was built off only my experiences, so Brockton Bay would be the only place actually simulated" she frowned in further thought "but I have been to other cities" she shook her head "whatever, they didn't transfer me away. That's against protocol and I'll tell you why in a moment. No one particularly trusted me, the Wards especially. I was… it was lonely, to be honest"

Lisa bit her lip before continuing "I was angry and annoyed, and I lashed out. I let it slip about some of Panacea's… leanings, her home situation, a lot of things she probably didn't want getting out to certain people I made sure got out" Lisa sighed, rubbing her eyes "in the moment it felt good… but now…" Lisa bit her lip before shaking her head "whatever, it happened. So, she was sent away to an asylum. The heroes were now getting hurt and having lengthy recovery times to their injuries, tensions were rising because of that and the hospitals were being overwhelmed with addicts and gangers, they'd become a bit too reliant on Panacea it seemed"

"I was on console duty one night, overseeing a Ward patrol. They ran into the Merchant capes in a Squealer contraption. I told them they should retreat because Squealers vehicle had a tank turret on it. They didn't, because it was Shadow Stalker and Vista and they're the worst to pair off on a patrol together, whoever's idea it was to do that was an idiot. I watch them fight the Merchants, providing support through there headsets. I don't know where the heroes are, I called for them and no one responded, so I think that was another glitch… and hearing Skidmark shout, seeing Squealers vehicle, it brought back…" Lisa grimaced "memories" she gestured with her hand "so, I used my power. Squealers vehicles are awful in terms of the materials used being shit cars they scavenge, and also the fact that she's doped out of her mind on ketamine most of the time while she's building them doesn't help. I found plenty of non-lethal weak spots for Shadow Stalker and Vista to manipulate, I told them about them, to make it seem like the next part was an accident… though anyone with a brain would likely see right through it, but I just didn't care by that point…" Lisa trailed off, sipping her drink again before continuing.

"I made Shadow Stalker shoot a certain spot on Squealers tank" Lisa mimed an explosion "whole thing went up in a fiery explosion, killed all the Merchant's capes. I accepted that I had broken my probation- but again-, I didn't really care about anything at that point. I realised none of this was real when the next day the Merchant capes turned up fine, and I wasn't punished for manipulating Shadow Stalker to kill them. That's when I realised this was all just some simulation to keep us happy. The Merchants came back to not only keep the status quo, but also so I could kill them again, however I wanted. Me dying made me figure out that it's breaking down"

"How did you die?" I asked, feeling weird that I was asking that question at all.

"The Merchants killing you in the van was a moment where everything glitched, where the simulation read our memories and gave us the genuine Merchants, not the watered-down PG copies we had been fighting previously. Well, it glitched again, and it caused the Glory Girl from my memories- which are mostly her as queen of collateral damage and being very pissed off with me- to hunt me down and turn me to paste for what I had done to her sister"

I grimaced "Jesus… how'd she find out?"

"I guess Amy must of told her it was all me" Lisa shrugged before then tilting her head from side to side "and it sort of was, a lot of it was Amy being fucked up on her own, I just… didn't help matters. But getting her therapy was the right choice, so you could argue I was an amazing hero"

"You seem, awfully nonchalant about all this" I finally said, looking at Lisa's unbothered expression.

"Why be bothered by it when none of this matter? That wasn't the real Panacea or Glory Girl, my teammates didn't really die, I'm still alive right now. All we can do is go forward"

I didn't necessarily agree with Lisa, I felt she probably needed to take time to process what she had gone through. But at the same time, she had a point, we were still trapped inside a Tinker simulation with currently no known way out except for… dying and with captors watching over us whose motives were unknown.

"So, we just kill ourselves until we break out?" I asked, not fond of the idea.

"You can't, this is designed to be perfect. Something at the last second will always jump out to stop you, be it a random kind citizen, a hero, or just good memories being rammed to the front of your brain. Any attempt will be thwarted" Lisa held up a finger "but, as we've seen, we can be killed by external forces"

"So, we have to wait for the world to glitch?"

"No, we have to cause enough chaos that the world glitches and we get killed that way"

"Oh, great" I muttered, rubbing my forehead. To escape the simulation, we had to purposely keep hitting bees' nests with a baseball bat.

"Think of it like this, when we get out, we'll have excellent experience at knowing what kills us, so we know not to do it in future"

"Not selling it"

"We get out sooner than later?"

I shook my head "What do the people who put us in here even want?" I asked, not really expecting an answer.

"That, I think I have a solid idea about" Lisa said, leaning forward "they want something from us, why else? They might be looking for a location of a stash of something we stole" she gestured around herself "perfect simulation of Brockton Bay, they wait for us to go to a stash in here and they get whatever we stole"

"Money?"

"Maybe, maybe we stole something valuable and powerful people want it back and we weren't telling" Lisa sipped her drink "that's what I think, anyway"

"Surely more money has been spent for this" I waved my hands around at the world surrounding us "then whatever the value is of what we stole"

Lisa shrugged "really depends what we took Tay"

My fists tightened with sudden realisation "they know who we are, don't they?"

Lisa frowned and titled her head from side to side "maybe? No, scratch that, definitely. We'll add that to the concern list. All the more reason to get out fast because there’s not much we can do from in here”

She finished her drink and opened her phone "okay, what's your phone number, we have a busy day tomorrow" I handed her my phone, not bothering to try and figure out how to do it on the different device. "You have a few messages from one 'Carlos'" she commented, wriggling her eyebrows at me and I rolled my eyes back.

"What are we doing tomorrow?" I asked as I took my phone back.

Lisa grinned "we're getting the band back together"

~§~

The apartment I apparently owned was small and crummy, typical Brockton Bay with how it looked. But it was nice to have a place for myself, I could see the appeal behind an apartment now.

I spent a few minutes just exploring. In the walls of the apartment building and several nearby I could feel black widows, all secretly spinning small spools of their webs in their own little spaces, just spaced out enough to avoid each other. I found a ready meal in the fridge and shoved it in the microwave, looking down at my phone.

Carlos: hey, just got off shift. Wyd?

Carlos: I also secured some time off for the 21st, if you wanna meet up or something?

Carlos: No pressure

Carlos: Last time was fun tho, and you said you'd be up for doing it again?

I looked through previous messages again, beginning to piece together how close we were. But what did he mean by last time? Was it a date? Friendly meet up?

The memory wormed it's way to the front of my mind and... oh… OH. Okay, so we were… something then…

The Microwave was long done with my meal and I pulled it out, then cursed at the hot plate and set it down on the countertop. While I waited for it to cool, I contemplated. None of this was real… and if that was the case, then it didn't matter one way or the other if I said yes or no.

Taylor: Hey, sounds good. Same place? Not up to much right now, just tired after work.

The response was quick.

Carlos: Awesome! Yeah, same place as last, see you then ;)

I can't help but blush at the last part of the message, so much context behind that winky face. I brought up memories of Carlos, trying to figure out who he was.

He worked at PRT, apparently as a trooper. He was Hispanic, six foot plus and covered in muscle. I was surprised someone like him would be interested in someone like me. We had met at college, he was doing Parahuman studies. We'd been having study sessions together as well, taking advantage of the college's library rule that to book a study pod you had to have two people.

My plate wasn't burning now, so I picked it up and slumped onto the small couch, flipping on the crappy TV and flicking through channels. Seemed this universe had better shows then the last one. Also better ready meals apparently as I took a bite.

Tomorrow we'd be getting the rest of the Undersiders, sans Alec because we had no clue where he was and we just had to hope he'd be bothered to find his way to us. It would be good to see them, good to assure myself they weren't dead. I could still see the light fading from Aisha's eyes, the blood and that gasping-chocking sound she'd been making.

Physically I wasn't tired, but mentally I was ready to near collapse. Technically, only a few hours ago, I'd been fighting an Endbringer, though at this point that felt like a lifetime ago. Maybe it was, technically.

The ready meal eventually sat half eaten, the TV playing who knows what in the background, my own mind slipping away into sleep.

Chapter Text

Lisa's text of 'meet me outside loser I have Mcdonalds' greeted me when I left my crummy apartment's crummy little shower- and man my mom was probably disappointed with my word abilities. To be fair, considering my last shower had been before Leviathan, the crummy little shower felt like heaven.

I replied for her to give me 5 minutes and then looked at myself in the mirror as I towelled myself down. My body was lean now, the body of someone who regularly ran. I had a similar build to Sophia now, I could probably keep up with her on the track, if that was what she was doing nowadays anyway.

I chucked on some clean clothes, locked my apartment's door and was greeted at the entrance to the building by Lisa, sitting behind the wheel of a car, probably second hand if I were to guess, but a good way to make it blend in with all the other cars in the bay.

"Nice car" I commented as I slid into the passenger seat.

"Thanks, I'm gonna call it the Tattle-mobile" she said with a grin.

I paused and rose my eyebrow at her "that sounds like the mascots car in a PSA about strangers"

Lisa giggled, again in that unsettling way before then cooling her features "your right…" she trailed off into thought as I pulled my seat belt on. She handed me a brown paper bag with the Mcdonalds logo.

"I didn't think we had a Mcdonalds in the bay" I said as I opened the bag.

"We do now, but at a cost. We lost Fugly Bob's"

I looked at Lisa, faux (and maybe a tiny little bit actually) devastated "No, not Fugly Bob's"

"Afraid so, closed down a few years ago. Damaged in the fight between Alexandria, her capes and Lung. Awful collateral"

"Gone before its time" I murmur as I inspect the fry "this is probably the first time I've ever had Mcdonalds"

"It's basically Fugly's, but less greasy"

I take a bite and realise two things. It is just a less greasy Fugly Bob's, and also I am really hungry. I begin to devour the meal quickly, the car ride passing in relative silence before Lisa broke it.

"I know… you think I'm a little unhinged" Lisa eventually said, glancing at me before back at the road "and maybe you're a little right. I… don't know which stage of grief I was on, a mix between anger and depression probably. So seeing you alive again, knowing the others are as well… it's a shock… and part of me is still scared that this is all fake, and I'm gonna wake up in my bed back in the PRT headquarters, alone. So just… bear with me, I'm making the most of this"

I was silent for a moment, thinking about how to respond.

"It's okay… I know what it's like… to lose people. I'd probably be a little unhinged around my mom" I replied, shooting her a smile. A smile lifted her lips. I settled my expression back to serious "so, where we going?"

"We're getting the other Undersiders, and we're going to bring them up to speed. Then, we need to plan how we're going to break this universe"

"How long do you think we're gonna be breaking universes for?" I asked, trying not to contemplate that that was a question I was genuinely asking.

"Hard to say. Glitches will become more prominent as time goes on. But time definitely goes way faster for us in here then it does outside, so it could be a while"

"Great" I grumbled, shoving the last fries into my mouth.

"We'll get out though, eventually. The more we cause chaos in here, the more we break stuff out there"

I grunt before looking at the surroundings, noting we were going toward the parts of town that just bordered on the bad parts. That zone where the Protectorate still patrolled, but you shouldn't rely on them (if you could in the first place).

"Who are we grabbing first?" I asked.

"Rachel, she'll be the easiest to convince to come with us" Lisa scrunched her mouth to the side as we stopped at a red light "probably, anyway. You'll probably be able to convince her"

~§~

The building was similar to what Rachel's previous dog den had been. Except this one was actually finished. A roof and a concrete walled yard. Using my bugs I could see the dogs that were inside, the people as well, handlers playing with balls and other such tools.

"Come on" Lisa said, walking toward the doors.

I followed her. Opening the doors revealed a bare bones lobby. A neglected plant in the corner, some chairs. A desk at the front with a very bored looking secretary, browsing his phone with an uninterested expression.

Lisa confidently walked up to the desk and leaned on it. I followed behind her, standing in the background. After a moment I crossed my arms and leant back on my feet.

It took the receptionist a while to finally look up at us, and he didn't look too impressed.

"Welcome to Hell's Hound, how can we help you today" he spoke in a dull monotone.

"Hello sir, would you happen to know where one Rachel Lindt is?"

The receptionist looked between us with raised eyebrows. I hung back, pulling my usual intimidating look but this time without bugs, I don't think it was anywhere as successful.

"Are you… expected?" he asked.

"No, we just want to see her" Lisa said with a shrug.

"Right" said the receptionist, looking between us "and… which gang do you belong to?"

Lisa and I looked at each other before Lisa responded "none of them?"

The receptionist actually looked surprised for a moment before shrugging "well, saves on cleaning up the blood" he murmured before smiling a fake smile "would you like to book an appointment?"

"Sure" Lisa chirped.

"Okay, what's your names?"

"Lisa Wilbourn" Lisa said with a smile.

"Lisa Wi-" the receptionist fingers froze on the keyboard. In fact, the receptionist froze completely, as did everyone I had tagged with my bugs, all pausing for the barest microsecond before continuing. I glanced to Lisa, only to see that her smile and gone full grin. In any case, it was easy to tell who Rachel was now, she had been at the very back of the building, a dog loyally marching at her heels. It was no dog breed I recognised, too large, it came to her waist but wasn't in any way grown with the tell-tale sign of Rachel's power.

I had some flies do a halo in front of Rachel. She stopped mid-step. Said something, then changed direction, coming toward us.

"Uh… what relationship do you have with Rachel Lindt exactly?" The receptionist asked.

"We're friends. She'd know us right away"

"Right…" the receptionist seemed sceptical "well, if you could take a seat"

"Thank you"

We took our seats and Lisa glanced at me.

'Find her?' she mouthed.

'Yeah, she's coming' I mouthed back.

The building was continuing as normal, one of the handlers seemed to be searching the building for something, or more likely Rachel herself, to give her the message we were here. Another was going to a secluded closet and pulling a phone, making a phone call to someone.

When Rachel stepped into the reception, the receptionist looked surprised but didn't speak up., refusing to make eye contact either. Me and Lisa both stood and I took in the girls appearance.

She still had her Butch appearance, but she made it work well, despite having no care for her appearance. Her hair was still cut short, a messy pixie cut with no real style but familiar. Her face was less squarish. The familiar scowl with those familiar thick eyebrows was fixed in place, though it lessened upon sight with us. She wore a spiked choker that I suspected was all the rage with goths and other such crowds. A green fur lined jacket over a grey vest. Military style black boots and camo cargo pants.

The dog wasn't a dog, it was a wolf. Where Rachel had gotten it from was beyond me, how she had even trained it beyond me even further.

"R-cherry" I said, as soon as we made eye contact.

"L-brick" she responded with.

"Nice dog" Lisa commented, crouching down and extending a hand hesitantly. The wolf sniffed, but otherwise took no threatening moves, allowing Lisa to pat it's head gently.

"His name's Bastard" Rachel spoke "because he is one" she looked between us "don't remember what happened"

"From what point?" I asked.

"Felt pain on my back, the wall moving behind me, did my dogs survive?"

"No, only I did" Lisa said.

Rachel scowled further "what the fuck is this?" she asked.

"I will happily explain, but first let's pick up Brian and Aisha" Lisa spoke, turning on her heel and leading us back to the car.

The receptionist stood as Rachel began to follow us "Uh, Miss Lindt! Where are you-"

"Fuck off" Rachel grunted back to the confused receptionist.

That ended that line of conversation very quickly. I turned to look Rachel over. She had no obvious injury, though she had wrappings around her knuckles and her body was more scarred, I guess from working in Brockton Bay (and I guess dogs probably also had something to do with it).

"How are you feeling?"

"Confused. Pissed off about my dogs. Can we kill the…?" Rachel made a vague gesture.

Lisa paused in consideration before then looking at Rachel "actually, yes, anyone attacks us, feel free to kill"

"Lisa-"

"The simulation won't see that coming, we never killed anyone before. Rachel's the one who's got the least qualms about doing it-"

I turned on my heel sharply, pointing between them "No! No killing" I said, firmly looking between them.

Lisa held her hands up "okay, boss"

"Fine" Rachel grunted "but I'm gonna hurt the fuck out of whoever's responsible"

"And I'll happily cheer you on" I mutter as I turn back to the car.

~§~

Brian lived in a nice area of Brockton, not part of E88 territory. Though I supposed that everywhere is now E88 territory. Wasn't that a depressing thought?

Though to be fair to him, it had been hard to track down a specific address, likely Faultline's influence. But we had Lisa, so it didn't really matter since she cracked it in the space of ten minutes. We pulled up to the front and climbed out, Rachel going around to the boot and opening it to let Bastard out. I didn't care how much Rachel complained, we needed to fit five people into the car, so he went in the fucking boot. He could poke his head up over the seats anyway, so it didn't matter.

We entered the apartment building and ascended up the stairs. Number twenty five.

"So, who wants to knock?" Lisa asked.

I looked at the door, felt the familiar anxiety, and turned to her "You do it"

"Okay- hey!" Lisa frowned as Rachel reached between us and knocked on the door, looking back with a scowl at our looks.

"Took too long" she said, Bastard sitting at her feet.

The door swung open and we were faced with a woman. Shorter than all of us, brown hair and brown eyes and a general mousy look. I recognised her from the research I had done yesterday, she had been on Brian's Facebook as Kayden.

"Hello, we're friends of Brian" Lisa stated with a smile. For some reason the woman- upon taking in in Lisa's appearance- paled, taking a step back from the door "we just wanna talk"

"Who is it?" A familiar deep voice asked and Brian appeared. He was massive now, built like a freight train and tall to boot, at least six and a half if I were to guess. His face hadn't changed much, but he'd always had a more mature face then the rest of us. His hair was in the familiar cornrow style tied off into a small little bun at the back. He had stubble growing on his face, just long enough to not be a five o'clock shadow.

"B-rose" I spoke.

His eyes widened upon seeing us, but a tension seemed to leave his shoulders "N-ladybug. You're alive" he breathed.

"We're all alive" Lisa grinned.

"Brian? Do you know these people?" Kayden asked, looking between us.

"Yeah, they're… old friends… from work" Brian emphasised the last word in a way the woman understood as she nodded, seemingly readily accepting that.

"Ah I see, well, I was leaving anyway. Let me gather my stuff and I'll be out of your hair" Kayden paused as she looked us over, eyes landing on the wolf in the room "is that a wolf?"

"Don't worry, he's trained" I said, patting the wolf's head.

"He is trained right?" Lisa whispered to Rachel when Kayden turned her back.

"Of course he fucking is" Rachel hissed back.

The apartment itself was nice, not too high end, but nothing like my crummy one. Kayden eft through a different door, I was able to catch a glimpse of a bed.

"Nice place" I commented to Brian as my bugs mapped it out. He gave a distracted nod, looking between the three of us and then Bastard, who was sniffing the couch.

"Yeah" He responded absently, his eyes flicking toward the door Kayden had gone through.

"What's up Brian?" Lisa asked, stepping toward him with a concerned expression.

Brian grabbed Lisa's shoulders and brought her close "help" he whispered "I have no fucking clue what's going on, I remember getting rammed by the Merchants, and then yesterday woke up naked in bed next to her" the last part was a strangled noise, barely recognisable as his eyes flicked to the room Kayden was in.

Lisa's eyes narrowed "I can explain everything when we get your sister, who is she?" she asked quietly, eyes glancing to the door with the familiar blankness telling her power was now in use.

"Purity!" he hissed.

I tensed up, feeling my body revert to a ready stance, eyes now fixed on the door like it was about to explode. Rachel beside me was her usual self, except the eyes that were now focused on the door. Lisa was frowning heavily as she looked between the door and Brian.

"Why would they do that?" she murmured.

"What the fuck do you- hey sweetie, have a good day at work" the way Brian's attitude suddenly switched was nearly comical in how fast it took place, standing up straight with a smile.

Kayden smiled, shoulder her bag as she exited the room "you too, I hope whatever… this is, goes well" the woman thankfully didn't go in for a kiss, instead quickly walking to the door and leaving.

All was quiet for several long moments, before Brian collapsed onto the sofa and put his head in his hands.

"Why am I dating a nazi?" he moaned "she knows Aisha, she knows places she frequents and… and oh god she's twelve years older than me"

"Well done, you bagged yourself a MILF Brian" Lisa congratulated, clapping him on the shoulder.

Brain frowned down at the floor "that's not important" Brian looked up to glare at her "what the fuck Lisa, I expect this sort of thing from Alec, not-"

"Brian" I cut in, rain snapping to look at me "not so harsh, she's… been through a rough time"

Lisa rolled her eyes, pouting while crossing her arms "geez, make it sound like I have a tragic backstory why don't you?"

"Enough of this, Brian, come with us, do you know where Aisha is?"

"I can text her, if that doesn't work, I know her usual spots- which, by the way, I have memories I don't remember having, is that-"

"That's all of us, yes" I replied "now come on, sooner we get Aisha, sooner Lisa can explain to everyone what's going on"

~§~

Brian talked as he led Lisa to Aisha's location.

"Aisha is living with me in the apartment. Sometimes Kayden comes over to stay, she usually brings her kids, this time she left them at home with a babysitter- this left. Aisha's been thinking- I suppose was thinking now- about going to college"

"Yeah, well that won't be happening now" Lisa interjected.

"No… I suppose not. Next right and we should be there"

"Not to say it couldn't when all this is over, but right now it definitely won't be happening". Lisa turned the right, then had to stop at a red light. She was quiet for a moment before frowning. "Wait, I just thought of something" Lisa turned around in her seat to look sceptically at Brian, a sly grin on her face "you woke up yesterday, in bed, next to the woman you later found out was Purity. What was that little scene we just walked in on then? Did you sleep with her again?"

"Not in the way you're thinking" Brian snapped back, crossing his arms. "We slept in the same bed, nothing else happened. What was I supposed to do? I was still recovering from… a lot of stuff, and didn't want to… cause more issues before I knew what was going on"

"Fair enough to that" Lisa conceded, looking forward once again.

We were coming up to a park, a very nice-looking park. It was annoying to think that nazi influence was behind many of the changes. Lisa pulled the car to a stop near the side walk, next to a low wall where the unmistakable form of Aisha was sitting with some other girls. Lisa rolled down her window "Hey Aisha! I-blood!"

The girl was stunned temporarily before quickly replying "P-P-tomato. Lisa!? T-Taylor! Rachel! You're all alive?" The girl cried, eyes wide as she hopped down from the wall and looked into the car.

She was the most changed out of everyone. Still with the high cheekbones, that was the most recognisable feature. She was tall, but nowhere near as tall as her brother and still shorter than my own above average height. She had undercut her hair on both sides, though it was no longer possessed the familiar purple streak. She had several piercings, including one on her belly button. The crop top she wore as trashy as I remembered her dressing but showing off a lean build. It seemed puberty had been kind to her, though I was happy to note that her chest had stayed at the same development it had been at the last time I'd seen her.

"Wanna go fuck shit up?"

"Who are these losers Aisha?" one of the girls with Aisha asked.

"I don't fucking know you!" Aisha shouted back as she slipped into the back next to Brian, Lisa pulling the car away. I heard Rachel growl, not that Aisha seemed to care as she hugged the woman tightly.

"Oh my god, I thought you all died, or it was all a dream!" I coughed and spluttered in surprise as arms were suddenly wrapped around my neck, nearly choking me "oh, but your all alive. Taylor! Still keeping bugs in your hair, so creepy, but god I'm so happy to see you!"

Lisa held her hand up as Aisha released my neck (and I sucked in glorious air) "as much as I would love a hug Aisha, don't choke the person driving the car please"

"Would it even matter?" I asked.

Lisa hummed before shrugging "no, some ex machina would save us, I just don't want to be choked to be honest"

"What do you mean it wouldn't matter?" Aisha asked "and where's Alec?"

"Let's get somewhere where we can talk in peace"

"Fugly Bob's?" Aisha suggested.

"Closed, now Mcdonalds"

"No" she breathed, despair in her voice.

"'Fraid so, also, we want to have a private conversation, going somewhere so public is just asking for trouble" Lisa shook her head "with all of us gathered like this, yeah, something will take note of that"

"Lisa, Taylor, what are you talking about it? Care to fill the rest of us in?" Aisha asked.

"Yeah, as fun as all this is, can someone please explain what's going on" Brian spoke, an annoyed expression on his face.

"Gosh, is this what having kids is like?" Lisa mused.

"Welcome to my life" I muttered before turning "settle down, we'll explain soon. But we need somewhere relatively private"

"Ugh" Aisha collapsed back onto the back seat, between Brian and Rachel. Then she must of heard Bastard, because she turned and squealed "holy shit! Rachel you have a fucking wolf!?"

"Yes" Rachel grunted.

"What's his name!? Can I pet him?!"

"Bastard, and no"

"Ah, come on! Please, please, please, please-"

I tuned the girl out, seeing from the corner of my eye as Lisa smiled.

~§~

"You can't be serious" Aisha said, perched on the wall.

We had found a parking lot on the crummy outskirts of town. Parked near the back, a low brick wall circled the entire place. Aisha was crouching on top of the wall, Brian leaning next to her with a frown, staring at the ground. Rachel was scowling at nothing, her fists balled.

"I am, hundred percent" Lisa replied, leaning back against her car.

"But…" Aisha frowned, looking down at her hands.

"Do you have proof?" Brian asked.

Lisa began counting off her fingers "our inability to die, suddenly being in another universe seven years into the future, capes dying only to come back to life, Taylor's suddenly appearing bugs. The fact that nothing seems to go wrong for us, ever-"

"Except for the van, where the… simulation supposedly 'glitched'" Brian finished, sounding sceptical but concerned.

I glanced at Rachel who was now looking down at Bastard with a look I couldn't quite place "Rachel, what do you think?"

Rachel didn't answer right away, her hand idly running through Bastard's fur before she snarled, baring teeth as she looked back up "I hate this shit, words and trickery and… and fake worlds! I want to punch something"

"Amen to that" Aisha muttered.

"And you can punch something, when we get out" Lisa said.

"How do we get out?" Brian asked, crossing his arms.

"Well, the people who caught us want something from us, not sure what. But they don't want us dead. If we break the machine enough from in here by causing it to glitch more and more, they will probably let us out and that's when we strike" Lisa spoke, pacing.

"How do we make the world glitch then?" Brian followed.

"By causing chaos, doing things the simulation wouldn't expect. We got lucky the first time when the simulation glitched on its own, and we'll likely end up seeing more stuff like that as we go on. But we can speed the process up"

Aisha perked up "would the simulation expect us to take a sudden road trip to Canada? To look for Alec?"

Lisa frowned in thought, a smile slowly building on her face "because it's built on our memoires, and none of us except Alec have been to Canada. Suddenly dropping our lives and everything and just going to Canada would throw the machine for a loop. It would have to generate the areas between here and Canada, and Alec hasn't been to all of Canada. Good idea Aisha!"

"Road trip?" I asked, looking around the group.

"Road trip!" Aisha cheered.

"Still having a hard time believing this… but sure, road trip" Brian agreed.

"Whatever" Rachel grunted.

Chapter Text

Canada was different from Brockton, for one it was colder, much colder than I was used to. Second, the stereotype was mostly true, some people were genuinely very nice, but nowhere was free of assholes. It was also beautifully scenic, lush large forests and beautiful lakes.

Of course, this was all hyperbole and my imagination of Canada, because we didn't actually make it to Canada.

It all started about twenty minutes out from Brockton bay, I had turned on the radio for background noise. Brian had closed his eyes, Rachel stared out the window, one hand idly stroking her dogs' fur, and… I felt like there was supposed to be another person in here with us, but I couldn't remember.

The music faded out and the host faded in "okay folks, just here to give a heads up to any folks on the I-ninety-three that there seems to have been an accident, suspected Parahuman involvement. As such expect long long delays and traffic, possibly even just turn around, head back home!" Me and Lisa exchanged a look, even now I could feel cars beginning to slow in front of us with my bugs "and now, to give you a taste of a few of the songs coming up next"

A rustling sheet of paper "these were all chosen by popular demand by you guys back home! We have: Green Green Grass Of Home, by Tom Jones. Lord, I'm Coming Home by Don Gibson. Country Roads Take Me Home, by John Denver. Moonlight Mile, by the Rolling Stones. Take Me Home Tonight, by Eddie Money. Home Sweet Home, by Motley Crue and much much more! Stay tuned folks!"

"Okay" I jumped, remembering Aisha was in the car with us "It's not just me, right? That was weird?" she asked.

"What, that the radio is playing a bunch of songs of wildly different genres? Definitely" Lisa spoke, her eyes scanning as cars began to build up.

"Slip road" I supplied, using bugs to get a rough layout of the surroundings "but we'll be locked in traffic before we can join it"

"Then we'll use the shoulder" Lisa said, pulling into the lane and rapidly overtaking the traffic. It got us a lot of angry people beeping their horns, but we were soon on the slip way and slowing. "Taylor, map in the glove box"

I pulled it out and unfolded it, glancing over the map of New Hampshire "where are we?" I asked.

"We're in Concord, about to enter the three-nine-three" Lisa supplied.

I traced my finger "okay, follow that over the river, there's a turn off point over the river that will put us onto the one-three-two, follow that north"

Lisa nodded as the car pulled onto the 393, following that over the river and then turning off at the exit slip road and heading north along the 132. Nothing too strange happened as we went along (apart from the occasional bit of questionable driving by our fellow road users).

Of course, five minutes later we came to a roadblock. It had been hidden behind a blind corner, and weirder still, the car that had been in front of us, when turning the corner, hadn't come back our way, which left the question of where it could have gone. The blockade was made up of police cars, a PRT van behind them, the big kind with the con foam canon mounted on the roof and the PRT agents wearing heavy gear.

A police office looking every bit like he was trying to play up every stereotype about cops. A bored expression, leaning on the barrier, sweating uncontrollably, a wide brimmed hat on his head like from the movies. He was chatting with some of his colleagues and seemed annoyed we had arrived as he stopped chatting and walked forward.

"Uh oh" Lisa murmured.

"Us?" I asked, gathering the insects from the surrounding countryside.

"No… something to do with Parahumans, but not us" she said, plastering a fake smile on her face "keep it cool" she muttered before rolling down the window "evening officer, is the road closed?"

"Afraid so Miss, you'll have to go around, but most of the surroundings roads also closed as well, might be a better idea to just go home"

"Aw, that's a shame. What's going on?" Lisa enquired.

"Well… its confidential" the Sheriff replied, suddenly becoming cagey, a frown on his features "so best you run along now"

"Okay, officer, will do" Lisa agreed.

The sheriff nodded and walked back to his roadblock, meanwhile Lisa began to reverse the car.

"I can look for alternate routes, but-"

"No need" Lisa cut me off "Aisha, put a seatbelt on"

"Why?" Aisha asked, even as she settled into her seat and did so.

Instead on answering, Lisa slammed the gas pedal and her car began to approach the roadblock. The squealing tyres had alerted the people sat at the roadblock were shouting, pulling guns and scrambling in surprise.

I had a white-knuckle grip on the handlebar above the seat, my teeth grit. Rachel in the back had a firm grip on Bastard, a deeper scowl on her face. Brian had a tense jaw, white knuckle grip on his knees. Aisha had a grin on her face, her hands holding her seat belt.

Lisa swerved her car off the road, onto the grass and rough terrain of the nearby field. It was like that for a few seconds, then she pulled it back on the road and continued on. In the rear view mirror, I could see a cop car pulling out, beginning to follow us. Until Brian cracked his window open and out came a cloud of darkness, obscuring us from sight.

Lisa continued at a high speed for several miles, making lots of progress along the road. We had long ago lost the cops, and honestly the entire local area seemed deserted, no one around for miles.

I caught sight of a billboard. It was hard not to see the billboard, given it was in the middle of a field next to some random back road. It was one of those billboards that had three adverts, the individual bars rotating between them… trivison! A trivision billboard in the middle of nowhere.

I watched the board rotate, feeling my bugs move with some of the pan-

"Stop the car!" I yelled.

Lisa slammed the breaks, I jumped out when it was moving slow enough, not bothering to wait for the car to fully stop as I got a good look at the billboard.

"Taylor! Taylor you crazy bitch, what the fu…" Lisa caught up to me, as did the rest of the Undersiders. All of them staring up at the billboard.

A logo, looking like a dragon and oddly familiar-

"Come on Taylor!" Lisa called to me, a crooked grin on her face, over her shoulder is a brown sack, from it golden coins and trinkets fall "come quick! Quickquickquick!"

"Why?" I ask, even as my feet begin to move, habit kicking in. My own movement hampered by the heavy sack on my shoulder.

"Faster!" Lisa calls instead, continuing to run.

My feet pound on a solid rock floor, ahead is a glowing light, safety and warm. I look to my left. Aisha glances back at me, her grin filled with sharp took fangs, her own sack on her own shoulder. I smell brimstone and fire. I look to my right and then up and around. The cave is dark and black and hot.

There is a rush of air, and suddenly the light ahead is blocked out. We stop our running, looking up and up and up. Silver scales encrusted with glowing jewels, long talons, deadly and dangerous. Narrowed golden eyes and massive fangs.

"Little thieves" hissed the Dragon, its voice familiar "stealing from MY hoard"

The dragon sucked in a deep deep breath, and out from its mouth emerged a silver cloud. We turned, trying to run, but it was no use. Lisa screamed as it consumed her, leaving behind nothing at all. Aisha fell to a similar fate, then it was on me and-

I stumbled, head on fire, but kept my eyes fixed on the words the billboard now displayed. Letters appearing as if they were still being typed out.

Undersiders, keep doing what your do-

The world suddenly jerked. Like in an old movie, or like corrupted video. Grass was suddenly below my feet and asphalt was suddenly in the field. The middle of the tree was replaced with the sky and a random part of the sky was replaced with the middle of a tree. There was an awful deafening crackling sound, as if something was tearing. The ground shook violently, so violently it was a struggle to stay standing. Brian was shouting, Bitch was holding Bastard tightly, Aisha was screaming and Lisa had a firm grip on my shoulder. I looked at her and-

.

.

"̸̛̛̱̹̗͇͙̜͎͛͑̈́̈͂̄́͘F̵̢̫͓̺͓̘͇̗͗̏̌̃̓̆́͌͘̚͜͢ủ̖̹̲̦̲̉̒̄̂͐͢͡͠ĉ̵̬͍̠̱̬̞͇͎́̀̊̊͆̅̕̚͡k̨̞͈͍͉̭͖͔͙͇̃̉̎̈̂͊̌!̵̧̗̙̬̪̍̉̐̌͊̍͜͡.̴͍͇̩̬̳̱͕̗̩̾̿̂̌͌̚͜.͙͕̻̦͙̊̈̀̉̒̍̑͟͜͞.̧̨̧͇̝̣̪͇̥̙́̊̕̚͡ ạ̴̻͇̹̩̔̀̂̂̿̍̚͞s̰̺͓̦͎̣̲̭̰̐̏̂͂̇̚̚͢͠ş͚̩̹̬͖̹͖̠̱̄̂̃͐̇̿̍h̴̨̪̥̞͔̫̙̹̍̓̎̄̑̀͢͝͝ö̷̖̜͚̥̬́̊̈̄͌́̐̐̈́l̼̙̥̮͂̉̏͂̂̀̃̋̾ͅe̢̘̩̩̬̖̎͒̌̓̽͡ŝ̶̨̻̩̘͉͕̞̯̰̀́͂͐̀̃̊̊͞.̵̥̙̹͓̱͊̔̈̀̾̃̈́͘̕͞.̴̭̩͓̥̗̅́̔͌͐͋.̶̹͚̦̼̲̔̓̋̇̆͛̉͘͞͞ d̷͖̗̫̠̺͆̀͂́͝͝o̡̱͓͈̝̔̍͂͒͐̋̍̚i̷̺͓̰̺̱̇̎̍̀̃̅̋̌͌̚n̢̥̱̰͉̐̂͋̊̌̉̂̃̎͟ġ̷̨͕̣̣̪̊͐̈̓̎̔͝?̢̛̛͈̯̖̰̑̑̏̅̽̚͝ͅͅ"̴̨̢̧̞̮̭̣͉̩̎̐̆̈̀̍͟

̵͎̮̣͉̗̈͊̓́́̍͝͞

̶̹͙̖̠͎̝̘̏̏̉́̃̀͊͂͠"̢̟̤͚̬̲͔͓̈́͑̆̑͆̈̏W̴̳̫͎̭͉͎̙̼̿͒͛̾͌̈́̐͡ḩ̵̧̲͇͚̑̓̉͗͡ą̵͓̙̗̤̯͕͉̅̀͆́̃̅͌̒́̚͟ͅt̢̢̤͕̯̙͌̊̆͐̏͟͠͝ͅ'̵͎̮͙̱́̒̿͑̈̀͂̚̚ͅs̡̢̥͚͔̒̾̆̑̒͟͢.̴̡̨̬͕̟͉̞͐̌̽́͆̒̓͆̕.̶̧͎͖̝̜̭͊̎̔͌̏͐̃͘̚͜.̸̛̣̣̲̠̺̬̖̣̤̍́̈̏͗͜͝ơ̻̖̦̪̞͎̹͂͆́͒̉̎͆͂͗͟͜n̷͇̦̬̲̭̲͔̹̊͂͊́̀͟͜͡?̗̦̪͖̫͙̼̫̿̃͛̌̾̐̃̋̚"̢̤̦͖̲̘͆̂̽̆͒

̡̧̠̹̹͈̩̳̍̂͋̈͑̊͢͡

̧̧̨̛̖̲̯̜̦̝̂͒̈́̀̀̉"̛̱̥̰͖̪̪͆̋̿̀͗Ţ̟̱̻̳̯͌̀̀̀̉̈́̐̉͞h̢͓̤̞͔̯̲̜̘̘̉͛́̊͌̄̀ě̛̤̹͓̰͎̇͆̊̾̋͜y̷̳̹̝̺̻̮͍͍͓̎̎̂̍̑́͂̕͢'̨̨̙̮̣̪͖͉͖̌̅̈́̓͒r̡̖̫͚̝̘͇͛̎͑͋͂̿̔͑̕͟͠ͅe̳͎̝̼̤̻̠̰͔̐͑̑͠͡.̴̗̟͓̣̺̜̙̃̒̐͗̋̍͟.̸̧̟͍̻̊̃̅͊̌̆͐́͜͞.̢̪̥̻̤̺̰̬̆́̄̚͟͢͠ ṡ̶̡̤̞̥̫̱͕̔̂́̌͟͡͞ͅő̢̨̫͓̼̲̬̱̥͌̈́́͂͂̿̕̚m̨̬͎̹̱̺̮̏̈̍͐̿̂̚̚̕͢͜͟͡ë͔͚̝͕͉́̇̊͌̆̒̃́͞ẗ̵͕̟̱̲͔́̏̃͛͂͋͑͢͝͡͡h̸̨̢̟̠̝̪̒̾̑̏͐̚į̸̤̥̳͈̞̮͍͎̫̑̆͗̌͑͑ņ̭̭̙̙̬͍͓̀͒͌͂̈͛͌̈͢͞͝ğ̷̫̩̣̙͔̯̓̎̂̃̃̓̏͘͝.̴̡̡̧̧̮̞̗̺̖̫͆̑̈́̈́͌̿͘͝͞.̡̺̘̱͚͙̜͉̍͋̄̔͒̚͜͜͡͡.̢̛̤͇̝̱̇͐͐͂̍̈́̇͠ m̢͇̹̻̣̰̱̾̅́̎̅̚a̵͉͕̫̱̗̟̳͆͐̊̇̄͊̈͋̊c̴͈̼̦̠̳̬̘̓͆́̓̄̀̿̚͜͟͜ḩ͙͚͙̤̳̤͙̝̐̓̅͗̕͘͟i̶̧̻̠̹͔̥̰͍͊͊̾͌̑͢͞ṉ̨̢̠̘̫̦̖̤̲̐͆̑͊̌è̴̪͕͉̬͕̀̐͑̉̒̅ f̶̡̧̛̛̫͙̥̠͉̽͗̀̊̈́̆̓͢ͅử̶͇̯̞̜͇̲͉̩̈́̈͡r̛̹̙̝̖̮̋̾̃̒͒̍̃͘̚͢t̢̺̩̝̟̮͉͖̑̉͐̉̉̐̌̒͟͟͞h̴̢̥͎̗̭̥̊̀̏̓̆͆ę̳̤͔̠͔̔̋̇̀̚͠ŗ̩̦̱̲̞̘͈̥̔̽̇̂̀́̾̆̍͡.̵̨̟̮̳͙̣̜̝̣͓̈̏̍̉̀͋.̵̻̦̜̣̞̪̘̼̾͛͑͋͂̅͡.̛̛̲͓͚͔̺͓̑̄̎̌̔̄̍̕͜ Ḑ̛̫̤̣͕͂̈͐̆̓́͐r̷̢̨̳̝̱̮͈̽̌̂̈͢͡͡a̵̡͈͇͔̤̻̬̰͓̙̎̓̓̍̽̐ǵ̷̹̙̦̥̬̦̟̽̉̽͋́̕̕͟ö̢͇̺͍͎͕̂̉̊̊̒͢n̵̫̝̤̝͎̲͓͉̦̍͐̂̋̆͑̓͝.͓͙̜̤͈͎̦̲̎̎̾̎̏͟.̨̪͔͓̜̤̃̅͐̓̍̐͋.̶̛̛̞̹̞͓̪̱̲̇̄̀̈̌͘̕ ḩ̖̪̞̺͎͉̜̓̂̔̍͆͜͡ỏ̧̤̩͖̦̦͕͛̑̀̓̈̔͝w̢̡̛̪̱̠̟̫̬̥̬͐̀͑͌̃̅͒͡͝?̴̺͇̮̬̞̝͍͑̈̅̐̅̐̓͗̿̕ͅ"̡̛̛̬͚͍̼͇̮͖̯͒̐͘̚͢͝

̨̺̬̫̂̂͑̒̈́̍͛͢

̡̨̫͔̼͈̱̅̓͑͋̿͑̾͠"̵̛͎̩̲̤̻͔͚̂̔̿̉͑̋ͅH̦̹̦̯͍̅͐̒͊̉͊͋̀͞o̲͎͚̩̹̘͐̄͋͛̈́͜ẉ̶̨͕̳̥̭̘̍̐̊̀̐͋͘͡͝ l̸̲̤̳͖̤̞̣̉̑́̍̓͠͠o̞̜͓͚̤̝̊̐̊͐̂͊n̸̢̨̪͇̮̜͔̳̐̃̄͐͑͌̄͘͜͠͡ͅg̴̛͉͍̩͎͚̈́̏́͌̌̂̌́̚.̴̭̞̬̤̰̦͚͎͕̓̀͂̀̂̃͛͞.̛̣̤̫̹̈̉͂͆̓͜.̛̙̼̟̭̥̜̿̍͛̑̓̅ h̶̜̩̙͉̾͌̊͆͌͗͗͘͘ͅa̶̧̠̫̫̱͍͔̗̋̃̍́̚͞v̧͕̫͓̤͐̑̓́̀͂̅̽̌͊e̶̼̦͎̼̥͔͐̽̀̕͜͢͢͞?̨̢̘̤̩̬̬̜͖̉͂̃̇͛͛͘"̺̬̟̘͈̋̊̀̒̊̑̏͂

̢̲̹͍̬͕͋̒̋̃̕̕͢ͅ

̵̨̛͓̤̪̫͖̐͌̎͌̿͆͜͡"̵̧̢̛̻̦̩͓̲͖̭̋̈́͛̒̔̿̀̚ͅF̣͎͕̥͈̟́͂̒̚̚į̵̡̠̘͉͍̉̌́̃̐͒̑f̵̛̛̭̫͔͖̼͔̙̱̩̾̆́͆̈́̐ṭ̼̹͕̘͉̖̂̿͊̆͌́͠ḙ̮̘̟̜̹̙̲̖̟͊͐͛̓̆ê̴͖̰̣͇͕̪͒́́̓̊ń̶̛̟͔̯̫̱̅́̓̕͡.̨̛̭̺̦̣̱́͐̇͐̾̄͒̓̀͢͜͟.̶̡͔͔͙͙̤̈́̐̅̒̂͜.͈̰̙̞͗̎̽̉͗̚͢͝ n̗͖̝̳̟̺͙̺͍̝͐͑̉̂͆͡ǒ̢̨̯̪̱̩͔̰̗̒͛̏͑ m̺̘͍̺̰̭͒́͋͋̔͟͢ọ̶̪͉̩̞͕͇̲̲̮̿͋̉̽͂̐͆͘͝r̨̛̛͙͓͓̤̙̲̐͒̽̀͊͛͆̚ę͓͓̟͚͇̹̎̔̅̂͆̈́͊̚͜͜͢"̘̭̮̫̫̋͗̍̈́͊͂̑͋͌

̼͇̖̦͙̝͔͚̳̔͗̎͢͠͞

̵̺̙͙͓͕͇͌̎̎̅́͂͢"̨̲̬̄͌͂̚͢͞͠ͅK̛͇̣͖̬̹͑̄͊̅͟ͅh̛̠̳͓̼̞̖̿̋̓͆͛̉́́͘͢e̴̱̤̪̰͕̰͋̈̽̍͒͜͠p͍̜͕̱̲͚̰͓̿̿̏̾̅̏̒̉͡͞r̨̡̡̛̞̼̟̹͓̰̫̀̋̇́̿̂͞͞i̶̗͇̹̜̫͗̎̔̏̚.̷̛̣͙̠̪̯̍͐̌͗̎̑̑͜͜͡ͅ.̶̧͓̳̫̘̰̩̩͇̈́̄͊̇̚͘͢.̛̙̮̹͔̩̱̲̙̘͌͆̂́̓͆͝͝͝ m̢̛̺͚̫͇̦͖͉̝̈́͑̓͂̅͒̇͡ĭ̴͈̦̖͚̗̅̅̈́̃̄͟ṅ̢̗͔͍̻̜̖͇̫̋͆̀̒͗̾e̛̠̟͕̠̗̳̻̪̘͐̈́̄̔̀̆͞͝͠ͅ.̸̱̥̦͍̭̹̀͂͊̉͟͠ͅ.͇͉̘̭̮̳͔͌̊̉̍̚̕͟͞ͅ.̨͉̯͍̤̪͕͎̏̌̌̃̔̔̓̿̔̐͢ͅ n̡̗̦͉͎͎̩̮͉̽̑͆͊͗̑͢ő̡̯̘̳͚̩̈̏̈͂̃͡ͅt̵̢͉̹̤̞̯͈̜͖̀́̏̎̉̈́͠͡ d̶͉̻̞̺̝̃͛̆̽̀̕͢ͅằ̵̠͙̫̝̽̿̓͑̅̕͢͞͠ḿ̵̨͉͓̳̩͓̬́͒̔̕͠͞͞a͇̻͚̪̟̠̙͖̾̓̀̆̏̎̑̾͢͞ğ̯͍̣̼͓̞͚͆͑̌̋͘͠͝e̢̛̪͚̬͉͖̎̿͝͡.̡̢̪͓̱̔̐̋̿̏̾͘.̧͚̖̜̗̌̾̈̈́͐͂͑͡.̥͔̱̭̈̑̑̃̈́̋͋͘͝͡ͅ m̟̻̠̼̼̺̣̹͆̅̂̿͋̾͘͞͡ö̗͎̜͉̩̾̈̂͂̅͋̀̚͟͝r̦͉̣̥̭̯̪̈̓͐̏̓̍͌͐e̩̬̟͉͉̐̆̎͆̀͋̕͠.̴̮̣̮͖͙́́̓̀̈́̈̕͠.̴̧̢̛̜͔̻̌̔͂̒.̵̨̙̻̼̬̋̀͒̐͊̋͒͜ͅ a̡̯͇̣̬͉̮̅͐̄͒̊̊̔̿̑͊l̵̛̯̭̦͖̦̭͉͒́̈͂̄͢ṛ̸̳͕̳̝͊̄̂̂͜͝e̶̲̖͓̹͚̟͖̗̐͂̓̄̌̽̍͘͝a̙̮̗̱̩̬͎͉͔̒̀͋̾͗̚͜d̷̬̪̪͚̻͙̯̹̲̈̇̔̑͑̚͞y̸̡̪̜͓̜̯̎́̀͌̀̉̓̇͞ i͓̠̗͉̐̒̍̈̾͜͜͠͝͝ṡ̸̨̺̲̱̤̽̆̋̊"̶͖̟̪͙̣̂̂̒̐̚͢͝

̢̢̫̥̳̜͓̝̲͙͐͊̎̃̓̅̾͠"̡̘͇̙̖̦̘͂͊̓̋̅͘͜Î̶̤͖̦̪͔͕̟͇̝̎͆̀̎̇͘͢.̛̛̥̥̯̣͔̗̖̘̃̄̆͘͢.̸̛͉͎̥̞̦̪̾̿̑̔́̔͘͟͢͡͠.̵̛̬̤̠̯͌́̏̌̎̌̂͜ ľ̴̝̼̩̗̪̖̬̫͗̇̃̇̌̌̂̎̕e̷̡̝̗̣̳͗͊͋̃͗t͈̳͔̭͔̀̊̉̀̏̐̔͑̕͢ y̨͙̪͙̝̜̖͔̍̊̇͗͐̇̄̀͢o̫̳̺͖͂̿͊͢͝͠͝ṷ̴̲̖̟͔̼̏̃̂͌͂̔.̨͖̱͙̜͔͉̪̅̄̿̅̔͑.̶̨̛͖̯̣̣̬͋̓́̋̑̆̚͜͡.̣̳̺̯̱̩̅͌̓̔͐̏̑̀͘ ẖ̹̝̟̎́̀̂̋͢a̵̧̘̙̤͐̎̍͆̃̎͐͢͡͝v̵̡͙̲̞͇̗͂̈́̂̆̌͘ȩ̜̖̱̳͊͑̅̎̆͡ h̵̡̙̹̤̺͕̍͑̂͑̀̐̒̏̏̚e̶̡̯͖̭̥͖̩̗̊̇̈͑͒͐̾͂̕͠r͍̺̺͉̩̘̱̖̒͌͛̑̒̀̚͜"̴̗̱̻̭̦̼͙́̋̂̆̕͞

̛̮͇̜̲̮̣̽̑̈̽̚ͅͅ

̧̡͍͈̻͕̲̉̒̐̀̄́̿͘"̶̛͚̫̯͇̜̣̫͉̉̿̓̊̌̄͟Ḑ̸̛͖͕̟͉̘̾̒͗̀̈́͗͢͜͝͠r̳̺̺͇̱̖̟̭̋̂̅̉̓͡a̸̡̧̰̯̺̞̤̼͑̏͂̐̐͘͜ģ̷̯̘͎͎̙͓͒́̒́͌̔̾͛͠o̵̟̟̘̦͖̒̃̀́͂̀́n̟̤͚̗̗̹̎͋́͆̀̊̑͘̚͟.̵̡̖̥̗͙͋̑̐̍͐͋̕.̢̢͇͈̎́͌̏̑̾̃͢.̛͉̟̤͔̼̤̣̘̘̲͊͗͗́͝ m̷̠̲̭͔̦͋̓̽͐͌̚͢ȉ̙͚͍͈͉͙̺̬̀̍̌͌̉͝͠ń̷̗̦͎̭̪̩͈̼̀̅̎͊̈́́͝͠͠ȅ̶̮̯̪̲̟̈͊̏͗̋̿̉͜ͅ ş̠̭̰̈́͌̈́̑̂̈́̕͢o͚̰͈̻̹͙̞̩̍̈́͋͗̑̕͠o̸͉̞͕͓̪̳͍͗̈̋́̈́͑͒͜͝n̴̨͎͈̻̗̄̄̒͊̂̎͆̀̿͜͡.̧̧̨͔̯͓̼̱͒͑͌̊̑͌̓́͐͟͡.̸̢̛̲͕̳̫̘͎̐͒̈̔̋̊́͜͢͝͞.̴̨̪̲͓̖͙͎̼̦̈͋̀͐͑̾̃͂̚͜͡ f̸̳̻͇̻̞̆̿̍̋͆́̚͢ǫ̶̣̝͖̞͉̳̱̜̈́̌͑́̓̃̃̎̑͜͡ó̡̞̝̌͛̏̑̽͟͜ͅl̶̞̤̟̼̣̀͊́͒̍̕ȋ̸̪͚̗̠̳̩̦͛̔̀́̐̽̊͘͜͞š̷͔̜̻͖̱͕͙̪͂̾̔̌̓̈́̾́͜͠h̬̙͍̼̋͊͑͊̃̍͛͊͢͞ͅ.̴̧̛̙̦̤̟̫̜̻̀̀̒̃̇̅̽͛.̵̨̡̧̞̯͋͐͂̋̀̐͗̓.̥͎͍͂̈́̒̆̓̽̑̚͢͜͞ ȍ̷̢̨̢̧̩̲͉̜̂̓̃́͞͠ñ̤͉̝͙̱͚̐̑̓̎͗̍̿͑̍ě̶͓̰̰̯̪̺̟̘̈̈̔́͘ͅ p̣̮̗͓͓͓͗̓̈̿͘͡l̸̛͉̫̩̮̦̝͗̏̚̕a̵̡͎̘̞̬̍̇̂̑̓͛͑̌͜c̛̛͉͍̲̳̭͇̫̓͒́̌̒̃͂̎e̴̡͍͍͈̠͛̒̅̀̕͟.̶̧̛͖̭̬̝̫͕̙̤̤́͛̊̇̔̔̈́͋͠.̴̢̨̛̻͖̭̻̃̅̈̒.̻͙̗̼͍̀͌̐̊̑́͒̔ e̢̡̡̮͓̥͙̖̽̿̒͊̃̔̎̾̕͘͢ạ̢͍̱̥̱͕̏̋͐̈́̑̅s̢̧̖̫͈̹̩̜̜͔̋̐̂̒̿͋͘͝y̛̘͓̬͙̺̞͊͒̓̃́̑͟͜"̸͙̤̩̳͚̾́̒̆̈́͊̋

̷̡̡̡̛͈͚̩͊̒̋͐́͡

̶̢̢͙͎̠̝̺̹̦͊̾̔̋̽̓̾̈́͢

̠̖͖̦͚̩͇̘͊͑̓̆̇̚͠͞

̢̛̛̗̙͉̩̈́̄͑͜͝

.

.

The car park was surrounded by low brick walls… and I lifted my head from the dashboard, a frown on my face.

The others were all in the car, we all looked how we had previously, so we hadn't hopped universes… yet. Lisa lifted her head from the steering wheel, let out a long breathe and swept her hair back, deflating in her seat "well… guess we cannot go to Canada then"

"What the fuck was that!?" Aisha demanded, fighting out of her seatbelt and leaning forward.

Brian climbed (more a stumble) out of the car and bent down, hands on his knees as he sucked in deep breaths and seemingly trying not to puke. Rachel meanwhile was muttering under her breath a repeated mantra of "hate this shit, hate this shit, hate this shit-" over and over again, as she held Bastard tight.

"So, do you guys believe me now?" Lisa asked, turning to look at them.

Aisha glared at Lisa, collapsing back into her seat and crossing her arms "yeah, yeah I fucking believe you"

The next five minutes passed in silence, everyone climbing out the car and calming themselves down in different ways. Rachel was resting against the brick wall, Bastard hugged close to her. Aisha was holding her temples, staring at nothing. Brian had collapsed fully to the ground, staring up at the sky in a spread-eagle position. Lisa was still sat in the driver's seat, deep in thought if the crease in her brow was anything to go by. I had let myself get lost in the bugs, feeling the swarm around me and the surrounding area, it was calming, to just be lost in the bugs, I was a beetle crawling up a wall, then an ant hauling a crumb of food back home, following pheromone trails left by my brethren.

Someone's phone pinged. I zoned back in, turning my head along with the rest of the group to the source. Lisa frowned, grabbing her phone and pulling it out. She scanned the screen, presumably reading something before looking back up "okay, so I just got a text from someone, telling me they 'have the info' and to meet them at the construction site on seventh and Jamison"

I closed my eyes, let out a long breath. Then I climbed into the passenger seat and closed the door. It said something about us, that everyone also wordlessly climbed into the car.

~§~

"Only one guy, he's alone like he said he'd be" I said, opening my eyes and turning to Lisa.

She was currently fiddling with a small hidden microphone. She explained that she had them in her glove box as part of her PI work, I suspected that a PI having hidden microphones and small hidden cameras was illegal.

"He's white" Aisha said as she climbed back into the car, making me turn to face her even as the other's jumped "shorter than average. He might even be Empire? I think I saw the hint of a tattoo"

"Probably my own inside man then" Lisa muttered, hiding the microphone within her jacket and then pulling out a domino mask from the glovebox, then reaching under her seat and pulling out a gun "okay, let's do this".

She climbed out of the car, slipping the gun into a hidden pocket in her jacket and walked with intent toward the construction site, vaulting over the barricade and out of site. I turned toward the receiver end of the microphone left in the car and focused into my bugs, tracking Lisa and the pacing man as one neared the other.

The man stopped his pacing when she got close enough, turning to face her, hands in his pockets but the tension of his muscles giving away his nerves.

"Didn't think you'd show" he spoke, taking a few steps toward Lisa. His voice was faint due to his distance from the microphone, oddly familiar.

"Yes, well, your friends make a lot of things hard" Lisa replied, her voice much clearer than the man's.

"I heard, didn't hear in time to warn you. But I have the info you wanted" he withdrew a hand from his pocket, throwing something that Lisa quickly caught. If I were to guess I would assume it was a USB or some other data storage device.

"Great, can you tell me what's going on with the Empire then?" Lisa asked, looking over the object in her hand.

"They're still looking for you" the man stated but didn't elaborate.

"I assumed so. Well, lovely seeing you, but if this is all then I'llbe off" Lisa said, turning on her heel.

That's when things went sideways.

What I had previously thought was a shipping container of some kind, suddenly vibrated, as if an engine had just turned on, and then it busted down the wall in front of itself. We could hear it do so from the car. People were climbing out from it, far more then it' dimensions would suggest it could hold, all armed with guns and all tried on Lisa.

We all looked at each other, the others having heard the commotion and myself having been able to see it through my bugs. We quickly exited the car, quickly but quietly entering the construction site.

Lisa's informant pulled out a familiar mask form his pocket, as well as a gun which he pointed in Lisa's direction. He placed the mask on his face and the pulled out an earpiece, fixing it to his ear and speaking.

"This is Victor, we have her"

Chapter Text

It seemed the E88 were trying to find how far they could push the limit on being the second coming of the Third Reich (or, I mused, most likely the Fourth Reich now). Admittedly, they seemed to at least be treating Squealer better than the Merchants had. She was near unrecognisable behind the glass window. The fact that she was driving what seemed to be a Tinkertech version of a Panzer was more concerning, as well as the fact that the E88 now apparently had a uniform. Military in style, grey. It was very similar to the Nazi uniforms you'd see in reconstructions and documentaries or period dramas.

They all brandished American weapons though, except Victor, who had in his hand a relic. One of those pistols that was synonymous with the Nazi's.

"I fucking hate Nazi's" Brian- Grue now, after donning a domino mask. We all only had domino masks, the spares Lisa had in her glovebox.

"You are a slippery little rat, aren't you?" Victor asked Lisa.

"I pride myself on it" Lisa replied with an easy going smile, though I recognised that dead look in her eyes, they were analysing everything around her.

I was currently grabbing every bug within range and guiding them to surround the construction site. Bitch was growing Bastard, his body far neater and more symmetrical looking then her regular dogs looked when they were being amped. Grue had darkness coiling around him, hiding his features and obscuring most of his form. I felt as if I was forgetting someone, I felt paper in my fist and unrolled it.

Imp moving behind Victor.

Ah, Imp, Aisha, yes.

"Remember, no attacking Victor. Imp is near him and will knock him out. Bitch, prioritise the tank, destroy the gun. Grue and I will focus the non-Capes" I ordered, Bitch and Grue giving sharp nods.

"Well, you cannot run any longer. Are you going to continue to be with the rats? Or will you join us and help bring a new age of prosperity"

"Y'know, I never really got your whole philosophy. Did you dye your hair?" Lisa suddenly asked, tilting her head before ginning "oh my, you did. Are you jealous of this?" Lisa fingered her hair before her grin turned vulpine "oh my oh my, Victor, there's no need to be jealous of my natural blonde hair. Well, unless I joined that is, in that case I think I'd be a far more valuable member then you, do you think I'd outrank you?" Lisa mused.

"Stop wasting time" Victor growled "I'm giving you five seconds to-"

"I never learnt German, I do know 'Guten Tag', which I think is more than the majority of your help here" Lisa gestured to the thugs around her "I can do the little shoe click though, that's something Nazi's do right?" Lisa clicked her heels together and hummed "not quite the sound I thought it would make"

"Enough!" Victor roared, gesturing with his pistol "stay with the rats, be exterminated with them!"

I began to stand, still talking quietly "Okay, that's us, let's-"

BANG

The words froze in my throat as the gun went off. Lisa staggered, then collapsed onto her back, blood beginning to stain her clothes.

"Move!" I roared, standing up as the chittering of my bugs suddenly became a static white noise, the thugs and Victor looking around in confusion and fear. Bitch released a war cry and mounted Bastard, charging forward even as the wolf kept growing, heading directly for the tank. Grue meanwhile was with me, sending out a ring of darkness that smothered the thugs. My swarm became visible, like a brown version of Grue's own darkness that I made descend upon the blinded and confused thugs.

I entered the dark ring that surrounded Lisa and Victor. I couldn't see, I had no weapons, neither fact mattered, I had my bugs and I had my fists with a whole lot of rage behind them. The thugs blurred together, they were more disciplined then the thugs of the E88 I had known, but only so much in that they weren't wildly spraying with their weapons and killing their buddies. That was good as it meant they were killing any of us either. My fists, elbows and feet connected with knees, necks and faces. At one point I managed to knock a thugs helmet off, and I used that to clobber the next person I came across. When I exited the smog on the other side, I was still filled with rage, my fists were bloody and adrenaline coursed through my bloodstream.

Victor was on his knees, choking on nothing. I ignored that oddity as I ran forward, skidding on my knees and muddying them next to Lisa. Blood dribbled form her lips and she took shallow breaths, I pressed down on the wound and she whimpered, tears building in her eyes.

"This really… fucking hurts" she gasped out, her eyes squeezing shut.

"I'm sorry, I'm ss so sorry" I rambled, keeping my hands firmly pressed on the wound "I should have acted earlier, this is all my fault-"

"Stop that" Lisa slurred, her eyes unfocused as her head lulled to look at me "I should have kept him talking… instead of irritate him…"

"It's gonna be okay, it's…" I couldn't even convince myself. There was nothing any of us could do, none of us were healers, the nearest hospital would take too long, we were in the badder areas, so an ambulance wouldn't get here in time. We were helpless.

I was helpless.

I fucking hated being helpless.

"It'll… be okay" Lisa gasped out, grinning with blood stained teeth "none of this… none of it matters?... Remember?"

I scowled, feeling my own eyes building with tears "well, it's kind of hard to think that, when you're bleeding out right in front of me and there's nothing I can do!" I shouted the last part. "It doesn't feel like it doesn't matter… when… when-"

"When your friends…. die, and you're…. left" Lisa finished, she snorted and closed her eyes "sorry to do this to you, I know it sucks" she held a hand up and smiled, though it was clearly a huge effort for her.

I took the hand and squeezed it.

Grue kneeled down across from me. I looked up, saw Imp coming over, Victor lying unconscious behind her. The thugs were all down as well. I realised a few of them were dead, and that was my doing. I had killed them with bugs, venoms injected in blocked throats.

I found that I didn't care, watching as Bastard, now at least two stories tall, continued to attack Squealer's tank. Bitch was off to the side, shouting orders. The tank fired, the shot hitting the dog in the chest and creating a fiery explosion that shook the ground, the dog took the hit though and continued on, grabbing the tanks barrel within its jaws and then beginning to shake like a dog would a toy, tearing the barrel off. It was the biggest I'd ever seen Rachel grow one of her dogs and it was giving the girl obvious strain.

"Hey, Brian, Aisha… good work" Lisa said, her voice weaker.

"Lisa… we can…" Brian trailed off, clearly coming to the same conclusion I had.

"No… no you can't" Lisa said, letting her head fall back "I… I guess I don't have anything to really say except… see you in the next life"

"Oh my god" Aisha said, her tone disbelieving and tears in her own eyes "that's the cheesiest shit I've ever heard"

Lisa chuckled, it was a weak pathetic sound and caused her to cough and wince, but she still smiled "well… got one of you… see you guys soon"

That was the only thing that was keeping me from just shutting down in this moment, the knowledge that none of this was real, that none of it mattered (even if it felt like it really should, with my friends blood staining my hands, burned into my eyes. To join the sight of Aisha, chocking to death with the spike impaled through her neck, her eyes staring into mine as they lost their light).

"Lisa?" I tried.

Nothing, she was gone, just like that, her eyes vacant and unseeing, not in the comforting (for all it could be) way they did when her power was in effect. But unseeing in the worst way because there was no one behind them to see anymore.

My fists curled and I closed my eyes. I wanted to hit, to hurt, I wanted to curl up, to wallow and cry. I know Lisa would want me to do neither… well maybe she'd want me to do a bit of the first, but she wouldn't want me doing the latter. I close her eyelids, and then I stand, we all do. I retrieved my bugs, having many crawl into my hair and clothes to hide.

Bastard is still mauling the tank, it barley looked anything like the bit of German engineering it had been trying to imitate earlier. I watch as a flamethrower spewed flame directly into Basatrd's face. The dog yelped, leaping back and then circling the tank. The machine was effectively immobilised, one of its tracks was destroyed. But as I watched, a second set of tracks lowered underneath the vehicle.

Bitch glances over at us, sees me staring at her, sees Lisa's body, laying on the ground. Takes in our grim but determined expressions. I nod to her. Her face hardens, a fierce scowl settling on her features.

"Bastard!" She shouted "Crush!"

The wolf charged forward, the ground shaking with each paw fall, then the animal leapt, over the flamethrower and landed on top of the tank. For a moment it held. For a moment. It quickly caved, sparks flying and the flamethrower sputtering out. There was a scream from inside that was quickly cut off. Bastard climbed off, hackles raised and ready in case the tinker tank showed any signs of activity as it sputtered.

Nothing.

Then the back exploded, not with fire and smoke, but metal as what looked like a tinker tech shipping container suddenly burst from the wreckage. It was bent and torn open in some places, revealing rows of seats.

"Sometimes I wish we had a Tinker" Aisha spoke, trying to lighten the mood.

"What do we do now?" Brian asked, looking to me. That's what I needed more of in the moment, Brian's focus.

"What's happened here will have waves, everyone will have heard the noise. They'll find an unconscious Victor and several murdered E88 thugs and a dead Squealer. That will have hopefully glitched the machine" I turned to the group "We should split for now, meet back up again tomorrow after we've gotten the chance to assess what's going to happen and…" I glance back at Lisa's body "when we have clearer heads" I finished.

Rachel grunted as she looked at Bastard who began to shrink. Aisha was staring at the body, her eyes distant. Brian had an expression of stone, nothing being given away except with his hands, which were white knuckle fists.

"Are you sure Tay-"

I cut Brian off "I just… I want to be alone for a bit… I just… I need to think" I spoke, flexing my fists.

Brian look liked he wanted to protest, but ultimately didn't, instead sighing "your call"

I swallowed as I looked down at Lisa's body. She looked so still… so… at peace.

"My call" I echoed quietly.

~§~

The apartment was cold when I returned. Both physically and mentally. I didn't bother turning the heating on, instead cherishing the cold after the summer heat. I sat down on my couch and stared at nothing for a while.

My phone chirped and I looked down, brining it from my pocket to my lap. A text from my Dad, asking how I was.

It was ironic, how similar we were in the end. My mom passed, and my Dad shut down. Lisa passed, and I shut down. My Dad had a fierce temper that he kept under a cool lid. I had inherited said temper, except I had the added bits from my mother, whose rage had never been shouting and hitting things, but cool, calm but making absolutely certain you knew if you were on the receiving end.

I texted him back, told him I was fine. He sent a text back, a brief summary of his day and saying he loved me. I sent back a brief made up summary of my day, told him I loved him as well. The motions. My new memories told me that in seven years we had never rekindled that connection that every father daughter had, it was something cold and distant. We hugged, we told each other we loved each other. But…

It probably explained a lot about me. My resistance to affection, my desperate clinging to any given. I had noticed I craved physical affection, but never asked, for fear of rejection, to be mocked and hurt and… I didn't trust easy either. Emma had made sure to that…

I felt the tears in my eyes but ignored them, flicking to the 'Anonymous' text message.

It was an obvious bait. An obvious 'ignore all the weird things that are happening, go on an adventure looking for your ex-best friend'. Like some stupid young adult movie, where the fairy tale ending would end with me finding my fried and rekindling that friendship…

That friendship she had thrown in my face, had used to…

My actual best friend was fucking dead, and Emma had the gall to try and… and come back into my life? To establish herself as important!?

I threw my phone in rage. It thunked against the wall and fell to the floor, the screen now cracked. That didn't matter. I didn't feel better.

I stood, walked into the small bathroom and ran the sinks tap, splashing the cold water on my face. I dried my face with the towel and looked at myself in the mirror. My eyes are red and puffy and my features are in a perpetual frown.

I scowl, and that doesn't make me feel better. I snarl and punch the mirror, letting my rage fuel me as I rear my bloody fist back, some shards of mirror falling into the sink. It doesn't make me feel better. I punch it again, then again, then again.

There was no more mirror, it was just a dented bloody wall now. I didn't feel better.

I lashed out, I kicked and I punched and I tore, I let my rage take me over, subsuming everything. I didn't feel better.

My crummy apartment was now a mess, the couch was overturned, I forgot when I did that. Pictures and the TV were broken, glass shards on the floor. My knuckles ached and had drying blood on them, sweat coated my brow. I ignored the mess in the kitchen, ignored my growling stomach or that fact that it was still light outside, crawling into my bed and hiding under the covers. I might have cried, I might have just fallen asleep, it was all hazy.

I didn't feel better.

~§~

I woke to the vibration of my phone. I scowled, slowly sitting up. I was still in the clothes I'd worn yesterday, my knuckles still ached, dried blood on them and now my bed sheets.

I looked around my apartment and scowled. It was all fixed, the evidence of my rage erased as if it had never happened, as if Lisa's death had never mattered.

I grabbed my phone, seeing a barrage of text messages from Sabah.

Sabah: Taylor where are you!?

Sabah: Taylor!

Sabah: I'm worried about you

Sabah: Did you go off investigating again?

Sabah: Please respond

Sabah: Taylor I need you here!

Sabah: Taylor please

Sabah: FUCK THE EMPIRE R HERE WHERE R U?

Sabah: RUNE'S HERE

Sabah: PRT SAID THEY WOULD BE HERE BUT I DON'T SEE THEM

I looked at the message. I felt like I should be feeling alarm, maybe anger or fear at the Empire showing up at our business… but I just couldn't. It didn't matter did it? Lisa's death didn't matter, those people I killed didn't matter. I just…

No, no that wasn't right. None of this was right. I shouldn't just ignore this, nor should I ignore the fact that I had just killed people. Sure, they weren't real, but it was the principal of the thing. I shouldn't have given Rachel the go ahead to kill Squealer. I was making too many mistakes, I was… I should of acted earlier, then Lisa wouldn't be dead (I don't care if that was the whole point or if that how we were supposed to 'escape', it was probably healthier to try and avoid death if at all possible).

I got up, not bothering to change or wash, sent a text to Sabah, telling her I was on my way, then sent a text to the others, saying that the Empire was attacking the shop, giving them an address. I didn't wait for any replies, instead just slipping on some shoes and running out the door. I wasn't better, I don't think anything could remove the image of Lisa's blood on my hands, both literal and figuratively, of her dead unseeing eyes. They were stuck with me forever. But I was my father's daughter and burying myself in work was practically second nature.

It would work.

For the moment.

~§~

"Taylor!" Sabah practically cheered when I emerged form the back room of the shop, turned out I had a costume at the back, designed specifically for these sorts of events. It was nowhere near as armoured as my old costume, but I was layered with spider silk. Pulling it on had been hampered by being covered in sweat from running in the summer heat. I had noticed that the distance between my apartment and the boardwalk, particularly the hidden storm drain entrance, had seemed to have shortened rather drastically, with several streets missing. But that wasn't important right now "oh thank Allah you came!"

"Yeah… yeah, sorry… been busy with stuff" I said, giving my weak excuse.

Sabah opened her mouth, a frown on her face, then huffed and shook her head "later" she spoke, the promise having heavy meaning behind it.

"Later" I agreed

If there is a later was unsaid.

"Okay, I called the PRT, the fact that you got here before them is… its fucking typical honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if they purposely had late responses to Rogues to try and force us to join up with them-" Sabah shook her head, her blonde hair (so similar) catching the light "no time for that, they keep demanding to see you specifically"

"Me?" I ask, trying to put disbelief in my voice- in reality, I know exactly why they want to see me, and it has a lot to do with thugs killed by bug related asphyxiation. I was the only bug controlling Cape I knew of.

I pushed down the guilt I felt.

"Alright, I'll head out, see what's up" I said, sliding my mask on.

Sabah blanched, shakily sliding her mask onto her face even as she reached out to stop me "Wait, Weaver no! Don-"

"Parian, trust me, I'll be fine" I said, not exactly believing it.

Parian scared at me for a long, long moment, before then reluctantly nodding and pulling back "I'll… I'll get the tough dolls from the back, have them ready- just in case"

I nod back and turn, walking out to the front of the store. Looking through the memories and with my interaction so far, Sabah seemed like a really nice person, someone I would actually like to know. Maybe when we broke free of this, I could see if I could find her.

Outside, I saw Rune. She still had her black and red robe, I bet she was boiling alive in that thing. Her costume hadn't changed at all, though there were more runic markings covering it. She lifted into the air on a piece on concrete, more chunks floating around her. She had with her about ten thugs, all not visibly armed, but that could probably change quickly. The only reason I felt confident facing her right now with my costume the way it was, was because my costume was made of spider silk, enough to probably stop a bullet. Hopefully, did the pieces of concrete that were likely to be flung at me count as bullets? Projectiles definitely. I was getting side-tracked and going on a tangent. I swallowed, and opened the shop door, hearing the bell jingle. I just needed to buy time for my team to get here, then we could take them.

"Weaver! So nice of you to finally come out" Rune spoke and wow, it was weird hearing her voice now that she was what? Nineteen? Twenty?

"Yeah, well I was just… doing some adjustments… to stuff" I offered, lamely.

"Don't care. Kaiser's got a bone to pick with you" Rune said, leaning on a metal pole she had with her.

"Really? If he wanted a suit he could have come down and-"

"He doesn't want a suit" Rune growled.

I put a hand to my mask, where my covered mouth was "oh… oh my god, I am so sorry, I didn't mean to assume. If he wants a dress then-"

"Shut the fuck up you dyke bitch!" Rune shouted, a piece of concrete smashing down just shy of my feet and making me step back. The thugs weren't looking too happy with me either, with the balled fists and various glares and sneers. "He doesn't want any of your shitty clothes! You know what he wants!"

I let the silence stretch on for a moment before putting a questioning lilt to my voice, desperate to buy time for the other Undersiders to get here "some… ants for an ant farm?" I offered.

I tensed as the pole Rune had been leaning on suddenly lifted and slammed into the ground between my feet, wobbling. The only reason I hadn't moved was because my bugs had told me the pole's trajectory. It was a good intimidation tactic on my part, not one I was willing to do again though.

"The next one goes somewhere where it will hurt" Rune threatened.

I studied the pole, something probably ripped from the roadside, then looked up at Rune. I felt my swarm buzzing with anticipation, matching my own. The Empire was stupid to attack me in a place where I had access to literal tons of bugs.

"I don't give warnings" I replied as a swarm of flying insects emerged from the sewer grates, all carrying spiders of some type of another, bursting forth around us, four streams coiling into the sky with an angry buzzing chitter.

I remembered the drills we had run, heard Grue's voice talking back to me.

"Keep moving"

I ran forward, toward Rune's backup and underneath her floating platform, they were still distracted by the display of bugs around them, only realised I was amongst them when my foot made one of the thugs knees bend at an awful angle and he screamed in pain, collapsing. They rounded on me as I kicked the thugs chin, sending him down and out.

One down, ten to go.

"Use my darkness to obscure where I am"

I did not have Grue's darkness power. I had my bugs and using them to obscure myself from Rune and the thugs was easy. I had the various flying insects drop their spider payloads or just change course, flying to change my form from young woman to 'angry pissed off buzzing swarm'. A chunk of concrete began haloing rapidly around Rune, devastating legions of my bugs, after a few revolutions she sent if down toward my obscured form.

I rolled out of the way, coming upon the next thug in line. He joined me in my cloud of bugs, his allies only ale to hear him scream as the bugs and myself descended upon him with sharp mandibles, venom, fists and feet. I had spiders weaving cords of silk, already restraining the first thug and making their way over to deal with the groan and moaning second.

I was covering the nearby walls and surfaces in insects, hoping to stop giving her access to more materials. I wasn't sure how effective that would be however, and apart from pouring bugs down her throat-

The table was beautifully set, delicate teacups with steaming liquid inside. Across from me sat a woman, cool, confident and smugsmugsmug.

"Thank you for inviting me to tea" she spoke, even her voice was confident and cool. With every word she spoke she, I became angrier. Her tongue was shiny, metallic, I could see how the words she spoke, like a beautiful symphony, wormed their way into people's ears.

"But of course" I replied, taking a sip of my own tea, holding my cup with two hands.

"Now, tell me Taylor, have you made any friends?"

The question puts me on edge, why does it out me on edge? My eyes flick to the delicate tea cup in front of her, then back up to her face.

"Yes" I reply, having to force the words out.

"That's good, I would so love to meet them" the woman spoke, and there's a smile on her face, bordering on cruel with it's too many perfect white teeth.

"Of course" is forced from my throat, as if the words had actually physically forced their way out.

"Wonderful, I'll try and be more delicate with these one's" she said, finally reaching forward and grabbing her tea cup "it would be a shame to break them, like I did your last ones"

My grip on my cup has become white knuckle, I feel a rage burning inside me. I want to claw, to kick and bite, to hurthurthurt this woman in front of me.

She takes a sip of her cup, and when she pulls away I see bugs, crawling across her face, a worm snaking up her nose, spiders beginning to spin silk, closing her mouth shut.

But she still talked, somehow.

"Ah, I remember my teenage years, I was quite the rebellious teen myself-" the woman cuts off, as she begins to choke, I watch as she claws at her throat. Her face becomes purple and she collapses forward, rattling the table. I watch the bugs crawl their way from her mouth and throat. I let myself smile.

"Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse" I said to myself as I deposited some sugar into my cup and raised it to my lips.

"Inevitable"

I took a sip, feeling it wriggle down my throat.

I stumbled, and that cost me. I felt my bugs be devastated by something moving closer to me, it was long and thin, so likely the pole. I tried to move in time and failed. My breath leaving me as I folded around the pole and was sent flying along with it, going up into the sky.

I had the conscious thought to break off part of my swarm, having it descend upon Rune and make several wasps sting around Rune's mouth, and that threw her aim off. The pole moved to the side I slid off, sprawling onto a roof.

I gasped breathlessly as I bounced across the roof of a building like a discarded rag doll. When I came to a stop I didn't immediately get up, instead just focusing on my breathing. I shakily climbed to my feet eventually, wincing at a throbbing in my chest. Something was up with my ribs, I don't think they'd broken, definitely bruised though.

My swarm was still congregated around the street, though I had been ripped away from my obscuring cloud. As I watched my swarm, I witnessed Rune breakout from amongst them, angry red welts around her sneering lips. Concrete and other debris swirling around her in an imitation of my own insects.

"You're lucky Kaiser wants you, you race traitoring hebe!" she shouted as she neared "Or I would've rammed that rod down your throat!"

"But why does he want me!?" I shouted back, playing for time "I haven't done anything to him!"

"Newton construction site, on seventh and Jamison!" she shouted, angry "we found the bodies! Bug bites, venom! We know it was you and others, we found what was left of Panzer, Victor is in PRT custody! You've gotta answer for what you've done!"

"It was self-defence" I replied "Panzer was an eye for an eye, I'll admit, but the others were defence"

They had been, mostly. I still could've subdued them rather then killed them, and that knot of guilt began to work it's way through my intestines again. I focused back onto the current situation, ignoring it.

"Oh… that Tattletale bitch" Rune said in a tone of realisation before somehow sneering even further "she was your girlfriend wasn't she, you dyke"

"No" I answered simply, my fists balling as my insects chittered louder then before "she was my friend"

I had my insects converge on her from behind (and wow, was she bad at situational awareness). She ducked lower as they swarmed her, swatting with hand and concrete. She had, however, played into my hand. She had already been low in the first place, but her most recent decrease in height lead her to within perfect grabbing range.

I ran forward, ignoring my screaming ribs. I reached out, grabbed a handful of her cloak, and pulled. With a cry she toppled from her concrete, she blindly lashed out at me. She got a lucky blow on my ribs and I hissed through my teeth, pulling back in pain as my ribs screamed at me. Me letting go meant that nothing held Rune up, as she fell with a thud to the roof, but she didn't stop, I felt her grabbing at my leg, her power beginning to get to work-

I lashed out, kicking her. I felt the bugs I'd placed on her cloaked head suddenly slam backward and Rune ceased to move. She still breathed, she wasn't dead, she's probably wish she was when she woke up. Her floating platform and concrete chunks falling to the roof's surface as well.

I took deep breaths into my lungs, my ribs protesting with each inhale. That was going to be annoying as time went on. I noted the gangbangers on the street were now advancing on the shop, with no obvious target to aim for. I made my swarm form a wall between them and the window, then Bastard entered my range from the direction of Bitch's dog pound, on his back were Bitch, Grue and Imp. They bounded up the boardwalk, avoiding terrified tourists and civilians.

The thugs saw them approaching most likely, as they started to panic and turned to run, my bugs cut off the avenue for escape, rapidly encircling them into a small pen. One member, much braver and foolhardy then the rest it seemed, ran at the wall. I made no moves to stop him, instead quickly moving spiders with silk to spare.

He entered the swarm and was immediate stung repeatedly while spiders restrained him with silk. His screams and writhing form quickly sent a message to the other gangbangers, as they wisely chose to stay in the centre, keeping a wary eye on the wall and Bitch's approaching dog.

I staggered to the roof's edge and waved at them "hey guys!" I called out as thy got closer.

"Skitter, you good?" Grue called back, looking between me and the surrounded gangbangers.

"I'm good. T-apple"

"R-grape, that's good. Seems you had this handled"

I didn't get the chance to reply to that, as a figure entered my range. I turned to stare at the red costumed Aegis, now a full fledge Protectorate member as opposed to a Ward. I watched him approach and he gently set down on the roof, Rune between us.

"Weaver" he spoke in a calm voice.

"Aegis" I replied, bowing my head "took your time, didn't you?"

"I apologise for the delay" he quickly said, taking a step forward "I came as fast as I could"

"Yes, well, here's Rune for you" I said, gesturing.

"So I see" he said, looking between us "I didn't realise you were… so capable" he said, his body tense, likely ready for combat "I see there are still several capes present…"

"Don't worry about them, they're harmless" I assured.

"Grue is known to work with Faultline's mercenary villain group"

"He does" I shrugged unhelpfully.

"Did you hire them for defence? And why is Hellhound here?"

"Why don't you arrest the nazi's and then go?"

His eyes narrowed slightly, his body tensing further "you're being, oddly evasive and hostile, Weaver"

"Hard not to be when your not doing anything and you took way too long to get here" I snapped back.

Aegis put a hand to his ear, obviously listening to someone talking to him, his eyes trained on me and narrowing further, then he stood straight, prepping himself.

"Weaver, you are wanted for questioning over the deaths of several Empire members at the Newton's construction site. Come in peacefully, or I will have to resort to force"

I glanced at Bitch, she had stopped Bastard near the edge. I glanced back at Aegis before then turning and running quickly, I feel Aegis flying quickly behind me. I jumped, hand reached out, and Grue grabbed it. I screamed in pain as when my chest impacted against Bastard, but kept a firm grip on Grue as he spread darkness across the street and Bastard surged forward. Aegis couldn't hope to keep up, he bravely tried to keep in pursuit, but when the bug wall around the thugs left my range, those thugs could escape very easily. In the end he seemed to deem the thugs more important.

"Well!" Imp spoke giddily "if we weren't wanted before!"

Chapter Text

The loft now looked nothing like the loft had looked back when. This place was just a rundown warehouse; the loft part wasn't even accessible due to the collapsed stair well we once used to access it. It was depressing, seeing it all so run down and broken, overrun with spiders and cockroaches. My chest throbbed with a dull ache still, and I imagined an ugly bruise was developing.

Aisha's whining cut through my musings.

"Do we have to?" Aisha whined.

Brian gave her a flat look.

"But it's really nice, do we really really have t-"

Brian grabbed her phone and it joined the shattered remains of our combined phones on the floor.

"Aw man," Aisha moaned, looking at the phones remains "I still had flappy bird on that thing."

"That should be everything?" I asked, looking around the group.

"Yeah," Brian agreed, crossing his arms "should be much harder to track now."

"Because everyone owns a wolf in Brockton Bay," Aisha pointed out, thumbing at Rachel.

"We're not getting rid of Bastard," I quickly interject, seeing Rachel preparing to retort "but Rachel's identity is known," I turn to face her fully "and Bastard is rather inconspicuous."

"So?" Rachel retorted "PRT probably knows who we are anyway."

"Yes, but no one else does, so we won't be recognised on sight. A wolf however…"

Rachel scowled "fine."

"Thank you." I turned to look over the group.

Brian had his arms crossed, face determined. Aisha was pouting, but I suspected that was mostly an exaggeration, trying to remain the cheerful 'kid like' one of the group. Rachel was scowling, her hand gently running through Bastards fur.

"Does anyone have any ideas about what we should do now?" I asked.

"We're wanted; trapped in Brockton Bay so we can't leave," Brian summarised "we should probably lay low."

"But the whole point is we're supposed to die right?" Aisha asked, squatting on the floor "so laying low goes against that. Shouldn't we just get some guns and… y'know." Aisha mimed putting a gun to her temple and made a gun sound affect.

I saw Brian tense and quickly interjected "no, not only is that probably… not good for our mental health-"

"As much as any of this is" Aisha muttered.

"-It wouldn't work anyway, Lisa-" my throat failed me for a moment, but I swallowed and carried on, forcing the words out "Lisa said something will stop us. Like my spontaneously appearing bugs, a good samaritan, or the heroes would find us before we could, etc."

"Ugh, they made this stupidly hard," Aisha groaned.

"That's rather the point, if you're going to the trouble of trapping us in a simulation," Brian pointed out.

"But… Dragon is also involved… somehow," I murmured, the rest of the group turning to me "she sent us a message, telling us to keep doing what we're doing… so she's trying to help us, but can't… directly?"

"Maybe the heroes have found us, and they're trying to get us out?" Aisha suggested.

"That doesn't exactly fill me with confidence," Brian muttered.

"Rachel, any ideas?" I asked, looking toward her.

"Don't like losing," she muttered.

I nod, looking back toward Brian and Aisha "I…" I trailed off as I looked back toward our pile of destroyed phones, a thought occurring to me "I have an idea for what we could do"

"None of us have any good ideas," Brian said with a shrug.

"Well, I did." Aisha retorted.

"I… I had something I was investigating," I said, tapping my temples "in my memories."

"Sounds interesting, you think it's worth doing?" Brian asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We have nothing else to be doing apart from hiding from both the Protectorate and the Empire. This involves neither of them," I took a breath "it's about… Emma."

"Emma… that Emma?" Aisha asked.

"That Emma," I confirmed.

"Why should you give a shit about Emma?" Brian asked.

"I don't," I said, shrugging "but we don't really have anything else to do. So might as well, right?"

"Yeah, but do you really want to look for Emma? I've never met her, but based on what you've said, I also don't want to 'save her'" Aisha said, before then smirking "unless I get to hurt her, then I'm all for it."

"I agree," Brian said, before then sighing "but… Taylor makes a good point. We have no leads on anything, so we might as well follow what we have."

"Sure," Rachel grunted before looking up at me "but I will punch her," she promised.

That warmed my heart, oddly.

~§~

"That the house?" Brian asked, pulling the cheap, tacky rental van to a halt outside.

"Yup," I grabbed the door handle "I don't know how long I'll be, keep a low profile."

"Oh, this is going to be so bo-"

I closed the van door on anymore of Aisha's complaints and walked toward the front door, knocking. I wasn't left waiting long, as Mrs Barnes opened the door, blinking at me before smiling; even if it was a sad one.

"Oh, Taylor, honey, this is a surprise."

I smiled, and this didn't feel forced, Mrs Barnes had always had that affect "Hey Zoe, how've you been?" I asked.

"I've… been better," she said, her shoulders slumping slightly.

"Yeah" I replied, trailing off. We stared at each other for a moment before I sighed "Zoe… can I come in? I… I want to ask some questions, about… Emma," I hedged.

Zoe's face fell, all hints of remaining happiness gone. But she stepped aside.

"You best come in then," she spoke gravely.

"Thank you," I nodded, entering the house. It was just the same as I remembered.

"Please, take a seat. Do you want anything to drink?"

"Uh, no, thank you," I smiled, taking a seat on the familiar couch.

There was an awkward silence for a moment, or it might have been more awkward for me, given that Zoe was just staring off into nothing.

"So…" she finally said, turning to look at me "what… what do you want to know?"

I thought for a moment "from the beginning, when did you last see her?"

Zoe sighed and sat back on the couch, her eyes once again distance.

"Seven months ago, she came over for dinner. Both her and Anne, it was lovely to have them both back… my little girls…" Zoe trailed off before then wiping at her eyes "she… she seemed fine… though… I suppose she seemed… tense? Yeah, tense, on edge. She kept watching the windows. I asked what was the matter, she said she'd had a falling out with Sophia. I asked about what but… she didn't want to say, so I left it alone by telling her that it was normal. She went to bed here for the night, don't know why, she said she just wanted to relax from college… she had just gradated as well," Zoe swallowed.

I let her have her moment before asking my next question.

"When did you realise she was… gone?"

Zoe sighed "the next morning, she wasn't in her room. No clothes taken, she'd even let her phone behind… just gone. Just like that." Zoe brought a fist to her mouth, her face scrunching up as a tear leaked out.

"I guess you called the police?"

"Yes, they told us to call back if she didn't show up by night, she didn't, they opened a case. They've asked around everyone she knew. They don't know if it was a gang or someone else. The Empire aren't known for trafficking… but… my baby girl," Zoe swallowed, a quiet sob. I got up and sat beside her, pulling her into a hug which she accepted. I hid my pained wince as she squeezed my ribs.

"You're a… a good friend Taylor." Zoe said as she looked at me "I know you and Emma, aren't close anymore… but here you are, asking about her… makes me happy, to know Emma has good people around her."

I forced a smile onto my face "yeah, of course."

~§~

That was all Zoe knew. The police supposedly hadn't found anything odd or missing at her college dorm either. But this was Brockton Bay, and I trusted the authorities to do their jobs about as well as ketchup could substitute for jam.

That's how we found ourselves one block away from the police station, waiting for Imp to get back.

"What if they really don't know anything more?" Brian asked.

"Then we figure something else to do. I'm not actually interested in finding Emma, but this is all we have to do, so fuck it."

Also, I thought, they will have something, why design this whole thing just to cut us off from it halfway through?

"If they don't know more, could piss off the Empire a whole lot more" I suggested.

"Dog fighting rings" Rachel suggested.

"Yeah, or just going around, knocking some skin heads skulls together" I said. "Wouldn't be any trouble finding some, with the city being as it is," I said, then considered. "Say, Rachel, how were you finding so many dog fighting rings on your own?"

"My power," she grunted, idly scratching Bastards ears "feel dogs around me… like how your bugs sound."

"A buzzing?"

"No, different," Rachel paused "feel dogs around me, don't have to see them, radius is small though, have to be close though otherwise I get nothing. Take dogs for walks, look for dogs with my senses in large concentrations." She frowned "memories say I'd find them and tell Protectorate, they would help me bust them or something. Hate this shit." she muttered.

It occurred to me that that was the first time I could remember Rachel ever describing her powers.

Further thought was cut off with the arrival of Aisha, suddenly popping into existence on the sidewalk. In her hands a manilla envelope. She quickly walked to the van and Rachel slid open the back door, slamming it shut when the girl climbed inside.

"Okay, this file is called 'Emma Barnes: missing person case' so I assume it's the correct one, but there could be another Emma Barnes in the city. Also, some of those cops are fucking gross, I saw one pick his nose and eat it, while another-"

I plucked the files from the chattering girls hands, opening it up. There was a photo of Emma, likely provided by the Barnes's so the police knew what to look for. There was a description of appearance, a transcript of the phone call for the initial report that she was missing. After that was a summary of what was found in her bedroom and then a summary of what was found in her dorm room. Interestingly, they had extracted the data from the phone left behind at the scene… but then the entire case had been taken by the PRT. There was nothing.

"Fuck!" I shouted in frustration, throwing the file "what was the point? Why the fuck? Argh!"

The van was silent as I ran my hands through my hair, my breathing heavy as I growled. "Okay, so, looks like this is where the road ends," I sighed as Brian took the folder.

"How come?" Aisha asked, leaning forward so her head was between our chairs.

"The PRT?" Brian muttered as he reached the large blank page with the PRT stamp in the centre.

"The PRT's taken over the entire case. Meaning parahuman involvement" I looked to Aisha "and for as useful as your ability is, the PRT have Master/Stranger protocols for a reason. You wouldn't be able to sneak in and out without detection" I then muttered "makes you wonder what the… people who made this or whatever, thought I was capable of or something. Why would they…"

"I could try"

"No. Besides, we have a back up plan that Brian suggested that you'll likely find more fun" I said "we're gonna piss the Empire off even more"

"Oh, fuck yeah" Aisha grinned and I rolled my eyes.

"So, we just… go look for some thugs to beat up?" Brian asked as he started the van.

"I… guess?" I said, not liking how unsure of myself I sounded.

We sat in silence for a long moment.

"Wow, you never realise how vital Lisa is 'til she's gone huh?" Aisha spoke, shaking her head "fucking bitch"

"Yeah" I say, tightening my jaw "let's just… let's go"

~§~

The plan was simple and shamefully easy.

Brain would walk in a small circle around Empire territory, then he would head to the alley where myself, Aisha and Rachel laid in wait, ready to take out anything on his tail. We had fleshed it out slightly however, instead of beating them all up, we would take one and extract eerything he knew for anything we could potentially use.

It didn't take long, he was already being tailed on his first loop. He arrived at the alley and travelled down it, a group of six thugs behind him that were all scowling at his back.

"Oi! Monkey! You're not welcome in this city!" one of them called.

Brian turned, darkness already beginning to bleed off him as the rest of us appeared form our hiding places.

"Capes!" one shouted.

"It's a trap!" yelled another, reaching to his belt.

I had the sky above the alley become obscured in bugs, a swarm blocking the exit as Grue's darkness spread. The gangbangers began pulling knives and guns, grim determination on their faces-

E̛̟̘͖̰̯̭̻̣̦͍̎̎̀̾̂̊̍͘͠R̶̳̬̗͔̒͗̎̋̊̓̏̾͟Ř̶̨͙̣̻̫̫̬̫̊̃̒͑̉̐Ỏ̵̙͈̝̫̙̘͗̋̌̒́Ŕ̜̘̲̬͔͌͌͑̈͑̑͟ͅ

- I could hear a beeping, like a hospital heart monitor. I slowly opened my eyes, barely able to open them beyond a crack with how bright it seemed to be. Above me was some strange machine, Tinkertech in design clearly, it seemed to be broken in some way, its moving parts jamming and the occasional odd spark flying off.

It took all of my will power to move my head to look left. I was in the center of a large circular room, a glass wall separating me from a second area that seemed to be the same size as the room I was in, beyond that a second glass wall which showed a room beyond, lab equipment and machinery inside.

There was a hissing above and I turned back to the machine, seeing the light become brighter-

C̵̨͎̞̱̀̔̓̀͢͝͠Ǫ̷̛͚̱̙̪͕̜̱͐͛͛̅̑͊̎͡R̷͔͖̱̜͓̺̺̈̋̾͒͛́͘͢͞ͅR̡̢͚͓̭̲̥̤̈͑̒̇̏͂͘E̤̳̪͉̭͍̺͗͑́̐̐͆ͅC̵͕͇̼̰̠̫̗͐̌̎̅̚Ṯ̷͔̺̻̮͕̯̌͆͐͆̑̓̏͜͞͝E̢̡̲̼̳͐̈́̒̏͑̂̇̅͌D̩̰̯̩̦̤̰̑́͌͒̋͑͆͒̀̕͜

The thugs were gone.

There was a thud as suddenly Rachel fell to the floor without a sound, a figure behind her holding a crackling taser that they shoved into Bastard. I tried to react but I noticed not only were my bugs now gone, but my body was unresponsive, like I was simply a passenger, the others were suffering too, all standing still as a cloaked figure knocked out Aisha before moving onto Brian. A sharp face punch followed by another equally savage kick to the chest, and he joined Rachel and Aisha on the ground.

Then the obscured figure tasered my neck, and I knew no more.

~§~

I woke up, gag in my mouth, tasted horrible. My hands and feet were tied together by coarse rope that really hurt. I was in a dark enclosed space and I did not appreciate it; I had to fight with myself to keep ay reactions under control. But it was so reminiscent of…

I didn't want to think too hard about it. So I didn't.

The whole thing rumbled, bumping occasionally. I could feel bugs entering and leaving my range. Too quick to be able to build a swarm with, but slow enough I could feel the abundancy of them and their positions. I felt around, feeling the odd felt material the walls and floor were made of.

I was stuffed in a fucking car boot.

There were some bugs in the car and I had them subtly explore the insides. Two people, women. Both had costumes on of some sort, one was much better quality then the other by the feel of it. I felt a hand held crossbow on one's hip. They were talking, but I couldn't make anything out. As such I was left to simply wait in the darkness, trying everything to hold off the creeping panic about a previous similar situation in my life.

I don't know how long I was stuck in there- and fuck why does this keep happening to me- but the car was slowing, allowing me to map out where we were. We seemed to be approaching a clearing, surrounded by trees, with a cliff face leading down to the ocean on one side.

The car stopped, and the two women climbed out. I felt an odd relief that I was about to be let out, even if I knew what was fast approaching with the cliché out of the way spot.

The boot lid opened and I got a look at my two captors.

Shadow Stalker was instantly recognisable, she looked the same. The other however I had never seen before, trench coat on her form and a hockey mask disguising her face, a shawl around her head, hiding her hair.

"Get out," Shadow Stalker growled, roughly grabbing me and hauling me out, dumping me unceremoniously on the ground.

"Take the gag off," her friend replied in a weirdly familiar voice "I want to hear her beg."

A knife cut my cheek, blood spilling onto the dirt below, the gag falling away.

I chuckled, turning to look at Shadow Stalker "I always knew you were a psycho bitch Shadow Stalker, but wow, you've out done yourself."

Hands grabbed my hair and pulled, I hissed in pain making me look into that metal mask "you don't fucking know me, bitch."

"That's alright, you wouldn't get it anyway" I replied, grinning weakly.

I'm kicked in the chest by her friend for my troubles, and that blinds me with the pain, my already bruised ribs being battered further. Then dragged by my hair until I'm dumped by the cliff, my back to it. Left to kneel as the two capes look at me.

"I bet you're so confused right now," trench coat taunted.

"Eh," I shrugged, still struggling to get my breath back "this isn't the worst situation I've ever been in."

"Where was all this bravado back in Winslow?" Shadow Stalker asked, crouching down in front of me.

I blink at them, my vision is still hazy from the blows, my head is struggling to stay up.

"What?" I spoke.

Shadow Stalker reached up and pulled off her mask, revealing-

The hospital corridors were dark and echoey, the weak lights over head flickered. Every intersection seemed to lead to the same corridor. Nurses and doctors ignored me as I ran, as I begged.

"Help me! Someone! Please help me!" I cried as I ran, my legs screaming at me.

I look behind me. The shadow beast keeps easy stride, taunting, unrelenting. I can feel its hatehatehate and its anger, but also its joy, the pleasure its deriving from this hunt.

I turn back, and there's Panacea. I feel hope, for the briefest of moments. It's shattered as she trips me, I stumbled to the floor, the pain becoming worse.

I turn to look back at her, tears in my eyes, she's smirking at me, her eyes cruel as she steps out of the shadow beast's way.

The intercom turns on and a voice speaks. It's so many voices, people I recognise. Armsmaster, Miss Militia, Director Piggot, Aegis, Blackwell, Legend. All of them melding together as the voices speak.

"We're sorry about this, Taylor"

The shadow beast is in on me now, and the shadows peel back, revealing Sophia's face in a sharp toothed grin.

"But the needs of the many"

Claws extend towards me, Panacea watches on with glee.

"Outweigh the needs of the few"

The claws wrap around my body and I scream, I kick and I fight, my nails dragging on the tiles floor as the nurses and doctors watch on passively.

"Afterall, what's a useless, broken girl-"

Sophia's jaws unhinged.

"- from a broken home-"

A forked tongue flicked out.

"- with a broken family-"

She's laughing, a high pitch unnatural sound that seems to be a mix of other people's laughter.

"- compared to a hero?"

Sophia's brings my leg towards her mouth, her teeth traveling downdowndown-

-Sophia and her friend, laughing as I jerked.

"Weren't expecting this, were you?" she grinned, standing back up and out of the way, giving me a clear view "it gets fucking better," she grabs my head, angling it so I'm forced to stare as her friend removed her shawl, red hair spilling out.

Then the mask is removed.

Emma grins at me, unmistakable.

"Oh my god," I groaned, hanging my head as Sophia lets go "you're fucking shitting me."

"That's right Taylor, not only am I better then you, I'm a Cape," Emma bragged.

"Trust me, its not everything it's cracked up to be," I muttered.

"What was that?" Sophia demanded, grabbing my chin and forcing my head back up.

"Just tell me what you're gonna do to me," I managed to get out.

"Ha, that eager, huh Hebert? Could've saved us the trouble and just offed yourself years ago-"

"Oh my god, always with the same shit over and over. Please, just get on with it," I groan, half because I want to taunt them that I'm not scared (and the weird part is, I'm not actually scared) and half because I am just not interested in listening to them and the same shit that had been my life for two years.

I earn a slap across my face for the trouble, Sophia's hand coming up and tightly grabbing my cheeks, making me hiss as she forces me to look at her again.

"Shut your fucking mouth," Sophia spat.

I roll my eyes and Sophia scoffs, roughly shoving my face away.

"You've been causing too much attention," Emma started "Y'see, I was supposed to just slip away with Sophia, my family would be sad, there would be an investigation. Then I would be forgotten and we could start our hero careers, cleaning up the Nazi scum living in twenty first century America. But… you."

The contempt she managed to put into that word never ceased to shock me.

"You turned up, started asking questions."

I frowned. Had I? I'd questioned Zoe, then given up after seeing that the police had handed it off to the PRT. The most questioning I had done was just between me and Zoe.

Emma was still talking "-after everything I did to you, you started trying to find me!" Emma lashed out with a kick and I keeled over, my cheek hitting dirt as my chest ached, my vision blurring "did I not make it clear enough Taylor? Did everything we've done to you not knock it into your thick head? I do not need you anymore, I never wanted to see your face again, I never wanted to breathe the same fucking air ever again as you. But like a fucking cockroach, you just keep coming back." she sneered.

I couldn't help it, I started laughing. It was mostly from delirium, the cockroach comment wasn't that funny.

"Oh my, I think she's actually fucking crazy" Sophia remarked, crouching next to me and roughly grabbing my hair, pulling me up. She seemed to enjoy doing that.

"Y'know, they've all… given up," I spoke, a little white lie "your family and the police… they already stopped looking-"

"Well, at least I have a mother who will mourn me," she spat back, a frown on her features.

I smiled a bitter smile "Yeah, my mom died… and that's sad… but not as sad… as how desperately you hold onto it."

Stars decorating my vision. Blood in my mouth, missing teeth, nose was definitely broken. There was now blood on Emma's shoe.

"Finally grown a fucking spine, huh? Bad timing," she growled.

"You're… gonna kill me… aren't you?... No point making… it fun for… you," I rasped out, showing her a bloody, gap toothed grin.

"That's right Hebert, we're gonna kill you. Getting rid of you is practically a favour to the city," Sophia said, standing next to Emma who looked… for the first time I'd seen in a while, she looked slightly hesitant. "And Emma is gonna do it, finally bury her past."

"Is she… now?" I asked, putting as much scepticism into my voice as I could.

She sneered "I'm fucking better then you."

"So… you keep… saying," I replied, then I paused, as something I had brushed off about this world came back to me "you have… powers? Kill me… with them."

"Hah, like your worth wasting our fucking powers on," Sophia said even as her eyes flicked to Emma before back to me.

"Yeah, I don't want to waste them on a mistake like you," Emma said, though it lacked the bite the previous comments had.

I grinned, chuckling again.

"You don't have powers… do you Emma?" I rasp, a cruel gruesome grin on my face as I lean forward. The only reasons I guessed that was the ex-Wards here. In that there had been no new ones, likely because it was too much for the machine to simulate randomly generated new people with new powers, to try and find powers we hadn't encountered before attached to the wrong face.

"Yes, I do!" She crossed her arms.

I couldn't help it, I threw my head back and laughed, laughed long and loud to both mock my tormentor and because it was hilarious. I earned a kick to my chest for my troubles, that I think made me black out momentarily as I lay on the ground, but I didn't bother climbing back to my feet.

"You look like a fucking idiot!" I rasped, not caring for the screaming of my lungs, or the fact that my vision was fading, or my slurring speech "Like a pathetic… cape geek, you put on… a costume? You want to play by… cape rules?"

I had the insects around us- the massive swarm I had amassed- all begin to hiss and chitter, using it to continue my speech.

"That's the worst choice you've made since you backstabbed me"

My hearing and vision became a wall of bugs, beating wings and chitin. I couldn't see, but I could still 'see'.

Sophia had gone intangible, which was the dumbest move she could have made, because if she turned back she would have a bunch of bugs in her internals. I could feel her moving away as fast as she could, but she was slowing, stumbling. It was fascinating to watch, bugs that entered her became dulled to my sense, I lost control but could still feel them. Not that it helped her as the bugs were so thick there wasn't a moment when she wasn't filled with at least a hundred.

Emma was stumbling about, stumbling towards me. I had the bugs increase their attacks, spiders wrapping silk around her limbs.

Sophia was now just writhing on the ground in what I assumed was pain, hard to tell with her shadow form.

Emma had valiantly ploughed through the bugs and was on me. Hands on my throat. Then her whole body froze for a microsecond, like she had been touched by Clockblocker's power, not even the unaware micromovements people make, before going back to normal.

I pulled the bugs back, revealing the clearing once again, but the once beautiful star speckled sky was now mired in a swarm of insects, the floor carpeted with them.

"You… you're Weaver." She whispered, looking down at me with wide eyes.

I didn't give an answer, just grinning bloodily at her.

"That… fucking bitch!" I heard Sophia screamed, I let my head flop to the side, seeing Sophia climb to her feet, hood thrown back showing the mess her hair was in. Her skin was covered in sweat and her breathing was heavy.

"You don't look so good Sophia," I said through the bugs, still grinning.

"Shut the fuck up!" Sophia shouted, stumbling towards us "Emma, kill this bitch already!"

"Come on, Emma," I echoed, the bugs adding a chilling effect to it "do it."

Emma looked between me, Sophia, and the massive cloud of bugs circling above "I…"

"Oh, Emma, don't say you're getting cold feet?" I taunted, even as my vision was beginning to darken around the edges, it was painful to breath, each breathe causing sharp pain. The taste of copper in my mouth made me suspect I may have a punctured lung.

"No!" she snapped, too quick.

"Aw, Emma, you do care," I cooed, the effect ruined through the hiss of bugs.

"Emma," Sophia said, her voice low, dangerous "finish, the fucking, job."

"Yeah Emma, finish this," I interjected.

There was a long pause, silence and bug wings filling the clearing. Emma looked down at me, her eyes wide, as if she was still in that initial moment of comprehending what she was seeing. Sophia was watching, confusion and anger in her eyes but easy to forget. I kept my focus on Emma's face, my eyes locked with hers, bloody teeth giving a bloody grin. It took me back, to when we had been kids, I'd played the villain and Emma had been the hero and it had ended very dramatically like we were now.

Her hands begin to lift away from my throat.

Then they both froze. Again, it was the barest microsecond, but the bugs on their bodies all picked up on it. The way that the micro movements that all people did without realising stopped before continuing, as if nothing had happened.

Emma suddenly grinned, all traces of earlier indecision gone as her hands slammed back onto my throat.

"I'm doing Brockton a fucking favour," she hissed through clenched teeth.

It was all becoming hazy and disjointed in my vision as I wheezed, sending one last order to my bugs to descend once more. The pressure stayed and the pain continued, but that wasn't important, I felt a large something entering the edge of my range, my mind too oxygen-deprived to place it, but it was something familiar.

Then the last will in my body left me.

"̨̧͎͎̗̝͒̃̏͗͊͡W̴̼̦͈̩̺̺̫̜̗̥͋̒̅̕̚ḩ̶̩͍̱̞̪̩͑̐̓͐̽̊̈́͗͜ȁ̪͉͎̘̩̆̾̉͑̓̇͡ț̴̺̮̲̖̓͛̃̃̾̑̊̏.̴̡̥̼͇͙͈̖͓̬̍́͂͌͂̐̓͂̈́͝.̧̝̩̬̻̥̓̃͗̅͆͡.̷͙͚̬̙̰͖̾̔͆̀́ d̸͙͇͎͈̹͚̲̈́͋̚͜͝͞ọ͍̼̞̫͚͕̓͌̾̄̕i̧͕̞͕̹͎̮͎̔̎̀̒̿͛̇͘͝ṋ̷̱̳̰͉̞̟̆̎̓̀̊͒͞͡g̰͚̻̪͔͇̿́͋̉͆̄̚͘?̴̩̠̟͔͇̎͒̊̂̔"̵̗̟̫͙̩̞̩̭̍̋̈̽͒̉̀͐̀͊͢

̻̫̘̲̲̣̪̓̂̄͒̉̈́̈́̈́̐̕

̧̦̺͈̣̺̻̰̈́̾̏̈͊̿̅̑̚"̸̣̼̰͍̙̇̈́̊͛̀̃͆̽̄͟ͅÇ̨̰̞̬̱̲̀́͊̂͆͌̊̈́͞ͅṟ͖͔͍̟̙̳͋̄͂͐̏̈́͘a̸̡̡̛͔͎̼̹̝̥͛́͗̒̓̒͑͞͡n̸͙͖̞͓̬̳̲̓̏͗̆̐̆̈́̋ͅĩ̶̡̜̭̺̯̞͂͂̅́̓͊̎͐͝ą̶̨͕̦̤̞͇̖̂̍͑̀́̓̈̍ļ̵̝̗̼͍̭͙̯̎̀̽͘͘.̶̡̢̱̫̟͋̓͛̔̎̂̑̽́.̧̬̥̻͕̈̑͋̂͌͛̏͐̏͢͡.̢̛̝̩̼̲͎̹̳͆͗̾͆̎̏ w̸͕̟̹̼͖̍́̊̀͊ŗ̶̭̲͎̣̂̔̔̎̎͛̓̀̕o̷̠͇̖̼͍͐̓͊̑̓̚ṅ̦̠̥̪͉͚̃̾̐̂̏͌g͚̪͓̠͉̹͙̩̼̾̐̆̂͞͝͠?̶̪̗͎̮͈͊͆̔̈́̊͂̓͝"̢̡̛̼̤̫̱̭͚̑̑̓̆͛̅̎

̴̩̞̥̘̱̱͕̥̒̇̕̕͝ͅ

͕̰̱̫͈͇̟̻͖͍͐̀́͊̌̋"̵͈͚̝͕̩̰̓̏͌̆̀̋̄͜͝T̴̫̝̬̬͈͖̐͒̈̇̂̇̐h̢͚̫̹̗̞͂͛̏̀̀͛̀̏͑̃e̝̳̜̫̪̿͊̓̈́͞y̧̨͎̰̰̘̬̣̏͒͑̌́͜͜͡'̴̡̢̬͕̯͚̰̤́̅̈́̍̅̆̀͘̕͟͞r̡̧͖̭̫͙̘̟̉̍̍͐̏͠͞͞è̷̖̞͈͔̠͕͇̘̤̰̓̇̌̑͋.͇̞̱̯̪̪̣̈̈͆̍́ͅ.̡̨͔͇͎̞̋̓̅̀̌͐̑̕̚͡.̛̛͇̖̪͎̘͇̦̟͖͒̋̌̂̏͛͢͡ m̸͓̱̝̤̼̘̺̰̅̑̿͗͞a̧̰̬̠̺͈̿͒͐̋̌͢͝c̢̛͙̖̞̯̋̀͊̊͢͞ḥ̵̡͕̲̠̺̞̖̰͙̍̏̋͋͒̄ǐ̷̦̯̰̫̤̪̩̃͋̿͢͢͡ͅn̷̼͈̖̯̜͓̞̙̏͋̓̉̐͐͘͝e̖̟̻̘͖̰̯̠̅̽͘͢͞͝ͅ.̶̼̭̹̩̖̅͋̎̃̀͂́̑͡.̢̯͇̰̳͈̱̋̈́̎͊̄͛́̀̍͟͢͢.̷̧̢̛̛͕̹̦̥̫̓̇̋̚ i̡̛̤͚̫̳̳̠͚̓̊͑̅͛͛͟n̶͇͖̗̘̙̦͕̰̻̟̈̐́̉̕ș̤͔̖͉̗̩̩̅̓̀̉̕͠i̵̡͎̹̯̺̰̲̼͙͕͐̉̆̿͛̓ḑ̶̹̮̲̯͈̲̹̾̿́̈́̈̈̇ę̵̗̥͈͕̀̆̑̇̀̃͜.̧̜̠̳̫̊̿̊͐͌͆.̛̰̠͙̦̩͖͓̋̂̓̏̈́́̔͟͡͞.̴̡̖͍̞̮͖͇̇͒̏̈́̀͌̅͠͞ f̷̢̛̛͈̼̫͚̩̰̖͍͂͊̐͛̔͟͠a̧̜̬͙̰̓̍̈͋͊͛̂̄͝͠s̛̖̯̗̭͓̹͚̝̆̋͌͒c̴̤͍̞͍̼͌̍͛͂͒͜i̶̛̠̤̘̣̫̓̈́̔̿́̎̾͢͢͠͝n̛͈̪͖̯̰̦͓͊͛͐̽̉̇͘͞a̶̛̤̞̗̠̞̽̎̆̋͆̚̚͢͞ţ̨̜̯̫͉̲̫͑̀̄͋̌̿͐̂͟͢͡ḭ̩̻̩͕͉̊͊̑̔͡n̴̠̥̣̟̓̐͊͐̑͗̾̄͘͟͢͞ġ̶̞͇͔͉̱̳͋̋̆̓̍̚"̵̱̝̥̟͕̦̩̔̽̈͗͞

̢̨̡̤̳̯̊́͒͒̄̾͒́̓̾͢

̷̻̬̠̪͙͚̃̊̾͋̾͜͟͜͠͡ͅ"̧̨͙̥̝͎̝̌̆̀̑̆͜K̮͙̖̺̩̳͐̀̒͊̈́̓̍̌͜͝e̷͇̤̲̼̦̙̍̈́̑̐̌̓͐̅̕ë̶̩̜̯̬̤̳́͛̅͆̊̕p͔͈̮͇̥̆͊̅͌̂͞.̼̯̰̖̙̗̞̪̟̏́̾͒̋.̷̢͓̒̓̋͛̀͘͜͟͠ͅ.̹̬̫̜͓̹̂̌̔́̏̈̒̔̐͟ ȯ̢͙̺̻͕͕̔̅̐̄̌͋̄͆̕c̞̰̱̟͉̙̪͒̎̋̅͜͡͡͠c̷̛̛͈̝͕̦̙͆̚̕ư̺̣̜͉̠͐̍͛̉͆̂͞͞p̨̛̝͓̦͔͖̯̰͗͗̾̿̇͝͠ì̟̝͎̝͎̹͎̉̌́͛ȩ̴͚̠̠̩̲͍̳̒̃̀̽̎͋̃̽d̨̬̜͓̻͖͍̹̐͑̉̄̅͠ͅ"̭̥̙̣͔̺͑̋́͐̿͋

̷̣̟͈͙̮̒̄͋͆̈́̿̂̕

̵̨̤̠̮͓̪͖̃̀̒̌͆́͝͡"̨̨͖̳͈̦̱͎͇̉͂͐͋̋͆̈́͌̉̕͢Y̵̨̫̥̻̻̑̃̃̾̎̇̚̕͞͞e̶̻̦͍̤̲̜̗͂͊͋̀̏̽̈́̀̂͞s̵̢̨̺̺̺̱̰̟̈́͌̐͆̕͝͞.̪̫̩̱̲͛̌̍̿̉͐̽̀̍.̵̭̮̤͖̭̺̾̎̔͑͘͢͠.̷̠̼̤̻̯̣̥͎̯̉͊̏̽̽͊͆͜ f̢͍̬͔̝͙̝̮̌͋̔̎͊͆̋̾̏̒͟͜e̡͚̱͕͍̤̊͐̿̈͞͡ẉ̢̲̞̰̥̀̀́̆͒͑͆̇͘͜ c̴̡͕̖̟̮͂͆̿͊̂̕͟͞͠ọ̡̻̼̝̽̔̊̂͘͟͞b̸̧̝͔̗͚̼̣̯̬̦̀͐̾͂̋̎͂̀̕b̴̗͇̘̪͍͎̱̣̦̾͋͗̅̄͗͌̚͟͞l̵̡̧̧̫̲͚̎̆͒͂̅̈͟͢͢͝͞͞ͅě̴̜̣̺̳̘͈͒͋͊͞͞ͅd̨̢̢̢͎͇͗̈̌̆͊̍̄͢͜͠͠͞ͅ t̶̢̥͚̬̥̩̹̊̔̽̅̉́̅͝ơ̵̰̪͕̭̻̰̳͛̾̆̎͗̚g̴̡͓̤͕̜͚̺̃͊̇͌̑̆̽̅͜e̷͖̫̲͉̺̓͆̿̊̋͐̇͜͟͟ţ͓͈̱̝͔̬̟̦́̃̓̔͋̅̌̈́͡͞h̵̨̝̫̬̯̟̗͋͗̽̑͛̀̈́̐e̶̢̟̪̖̰̬͖͎̱̎͗͒̇͠r͔͇̰̝̟͍͊́̍̂̅̀̌͢͝͠ͅͅ.̛̟̯̼̣̘̜̠͎̞͂͒̔͒͗͌.̶̨̼͍̳͉̪̥̋̍͐̐̆́̂̀.̞̤͚̯̘̱̣̯̔͌͑̀͗̉͛̚͝͡ õ̷̪͖̳͈̖̮̹͛̾̈̿͘̚ͅç̵̛̬͖͓͍̖̘̅͂́̈́͂̋̕͠͝ç̸̖͔̳̭̮̱̬̅̈́̌́͐͘͟ͅu̵̡͚̖̗͈̤̻͕͚̪͑̉̀̉͞p̸̧̛͇͔͉̤̗̒̂̋̃̓̂̉i̷̢̧̫̦̜̞̾̑̑͘̕ẽ̢̨̛̗͖̺̰̾̽͂̌̂̎̉͘͜d̶̢̛̰̺̰̺̩͊̇̾̍͊̑͘͟"̟͉͍̤̗̖̟̂̾̐́̓̚͠

̢̹̝̭̺̉́̓̄̈́̈́̆͆̓͛

̡̝̣̖͇̞͌̋̈́̇̊͊͠"̨̛̦̣̗̰̻͓͓̂̈̉̌͒̏́͡G̶̨̢̥̙̫̣̳̍̆̔̾̃̿͌͜͝i̪͚̱͓̺̿̉̆̋̈́̌̃̀͑v̷̼̲̰̝̪̪̥͗̿̿͑͘͠͞ȩ̧̭̙̪̪̏̄̇̎̏̿͡.̧̢͕̳̲̻̠̱̪̓͌̏̓͗̇͐͋͠.͙̟̺͓̥̲͈̪̽̌͐͒̐̎̇̀̚͡ͅ.̨̙̠̥̣̳̓̎͊̆̌̌͠"̶̢͖̜͖̲̙̠̮̔͒̎̓̅̏̅̎

̹̥͇̼͇

̨̞̯̻̝͍̄̽́̈̀̚͘͜͟͡"̯̞̙͓̦̜̰͛̓͗̚͝͞A̶̠̳̹͙͇̦͛̈́̋͌̽͟h̶̬͇͚̣̘̖̯̒̃̌́̾̔͌͘͘͢,̷̨̬̲̲̥͖̌̃͋͒͐ D̬̗̮̠̦̙̳͓͈̿̆̈͗̎̂͟e̷̝͓̥̘̼̯̽̍̀̿͌̇͆̓́͡f̧̥̞̝͖̠́͑́̓́̓î̷̻͇̳̳͈̌̿͝͝á̢̖͉̻̜͕̩̅̽̓̀̾̕̚n̴̨̳̬̮͙̣̬̱̘͐̃̎̊͑t̶̥̞̪̗̟͈̍͋͆̓͞.̡̱̘̱̘͇̜͇̽͗̅͑̒͆̓̓̚͜͠.͓͙̹̹̖͉̂̈́̆̈̆̎̏̅̃͡.̵̡̢͉̗̥̜̜̟̊͑̃͆̒̐ ù̵̢̦͔̰̞̺̐͋̑̌̾̽s̸͉̮̜̯̬͙̼̫͗̓͑̐͛̒͂͘͘͡ẽ͎̗̹̹͔͌̈̓͊͋̚͠ḽ̡̩͍͇̰̩̩̏̆͌̎͠ę̶̧̼͇̭͇̏̍͊̔̈́̀̆̏̕s̶̨̧̛̥̪̦̥̃̅̒̌̆̀̅́̽s̤͍͕̮̮͓̗̾̋͐͝͠.̘̦͖̦̖̯̙̐͑̿̒̾͟͢.̢̛̱̝̣̻̜̲͓̄̈̋̀̈́̔͟͞.̸̨͔̖̝̤͉͈̼̐͋̔̏͒͐͋́͟ ą̶̛̹̞͙͈̘̋̋͊͐̃͐r̷̢̛̮͉̺̻̭̭̦̣̭̍̏͛͗̊̑̀̑̃ḿ̼̝̲̱̦̀̋̀͗͞͞͝ô̸̘̹̠̟̭̱͌̓̈́̆̐̇̊̒͡r̶̡̧̬̺͈̤͇̥̱͖̋̃̿́̍̀̎̌͞͠"̴̢̟̣͚͍̦͌̌̈́͊̕

Chapter Text

I stared at Lisa.

Lisa stared at me.

This was supposed to be a joyous moment, music swelling, we'd hug, I'd say I missed her or something.

This was… not that… this was awkward.

I pulled the covers tighter around myself, smiling sheepishly "Uh… Hi."

Lisa smiled back, raising an eyebrow "Hello."

"This is… this is awkward, isn't it?"

Lisa hummed "Well, yes, I would definitely say this as awkward."

"I mean… I like you a lot- as a friend! Just as a friend though, not… Whatever…"

"Yes, I feel the same way," Lisa nodded quickly, tapping her temple "especially with."

"Yes, especially with," I agreed hastily.

We stared at each other for a moment longer.

"So… lets… turn our backs, get dressed hastily and to avoid an awkward silence you tell me about the surrounding area, hug afterward?" Lisa listed off.

"Sounds good."

We both rolled over.

"Okay, we're in a campsite, four other tents. Brian… Aisha… Rachel… Alec's here!" I paused for a moment, looking at the clothing article in my hands with contemplation before holding it out behind me "your bra."

"Much obliged," the fabric was exchanged for something else which revealed itself to be a shirt.

"Thank you. We… there are buildings nearby, we're on top of one, about two stories up. The insides appear damaged, broken. The amount of insects makes me think it's abandoned…" I paused as I identified the flies in my range. Blowfly maggots. "There's a lot of Carrion flies here… maybe a Slaughter House town?"

"Has to be recent, if you have a surplus of Carrion insects," Lisa spoke up.

I felt around through the swarm more, idly pulling on a pair of baggy cargo pants, the pockets jingling with stuff inside.

"There are… people here… but they're just… standing, doing nothing… some are moving, shuffling, they're all heavily injured. Some are gathered in groups and some are alone… its odd." I finished changing "I'm decent."

"Me too."

I turned around to face Lisa, the girl doing the same.

She had denim jeans on, ragged with holes torn in them. She had a crop top covered by a leather jacket.

"Well," Lisa commented, looking over herself "don't we look like the protagonists of some YA movie?"

I snort because she's right. I had boots on my feet, heavy duty style. A ragged shirt covered by a jacket I recognised as belonging to my father that he kept in his wardrobe. From his 'younger years' as he'd say.

"By the way, getting shot? Don't recommend," Lisa said with a grimace, gesturing with her hand in a similar gesture I'd seen Emma do, "Totes not worth it."

I bite my lip, then I lunge forward and hug her, squeezing her tight. "Don't fucking do it again," I whisper in her ear, harshly.

"Trust me, I'm not eager to repeat," the girl replied, but she returned the hug.

When we separated Lisa looked me up and down again, her eyes vacant, "We're teens again, about… sixteen? Yes, sixteen for you, seventeen for me." The vacant look left and she hummed, her eyes closing "Memories? Yes… oh… oh fuck."

I brought up the memories too, wincing momentarily in pain as they invaded but keeping track. 2011. Slaughter House arrived in New York. Looking to recruit new members. Didn't go to plan as the Triumvirate lead a team of capes from across the country to strike back. Most of the Slaughter House dead… bar one. Some celebrations, parties and the like, then America moves on.

PRT and Protectorate suddenly changing tactics. Increased patrols, more aggressive actions. It had leaked, apparently the PRT Think Tank has predicted that something 'bad' was coming. They weren't sure what, given they're being given reports such as 'six', 'orange' and 'blueberry'.

Suddenly, lazy Saturday afternoon, a few weeks after the death of the Slaughter House and rising tensions. A global interruption. Bonesaw on screen, vowing destruction and death for everyone. Declaring she released an airborne virus and that it had already contaminated 50% of the plant's air supply. She gave no clues as to what it did, just raved about death and fear. The transmission cutting off.

Again, nothing for several days apart from global panic. Riots and empty assurances from governments that the problem was being worked on.

Then, reports and incidents started coming out. Morgues being set on fire or looking like slaughterhouses in the mornings, the bodies inside missing. Cops killing 'drugged up homeless' and crime scene 'survivors'. People disappearing.

An emergency broadcast, the President and Chief Director Rebecca Costa Brown. The President declaring a state of emergency, the Chief Director stepping up, explaining the plague, what it did, how everyone was infected and that while a vaccine was being worked on, it wouldn't be done anytime soon.

A description of the Plague. No outward symptoms until the host died, whereupon death the corpse would reanimate, like every good and bad zombie movie and book. The dead walked and hunted down uninfected, biting them and infecting them with a secondary 'upgraded' virus that took over the body and killed the host in minutes, then reanimated their corpse.

Rebecca Costa Brown then declared a new Truce, not an Endbringer Truce, something they were calling the 'Plague Truce' where all capes, Hero, Villain and Rogue alike were being called to service, to give their aid for the coming crisis.

Many capes did, more didn't, villains mostly, not believing in the words of the director. The Undersiders hadn't been one of those. Lisa had convinced us that the threat was very real, so we had accepted the call to aid.

~§~

"Undersiders," Armsmaster acknowledges grudgingly as we enter the meeting room, the agents escorting us going to now stand beside the doors. I surveyed the room. A table with a map of Brockton Bay, the majority of the Protectorate, Wards and New Wave assembled around it "despite previous… circumstances, it's good to have you, your power sets will be valuable."

"Armsmaster," I say, forcing neutrality into my tone as I regard the hero who had fucked me over when I told him I'd infiltrate the group "we recognise how much of a threat this could be."

"Regent wouldn't shut up about his fucking video game experience with zombies!" Imp chimed in, making the room collectively tense with her sudden appearance.

"If you could refrain from power usage that could be perceived as hostile," Armsmaster growled, many other capes glowering at us.

"Imp." I warned, looking at her.

Imp mimed zipping her mouth shut.

~§~

I came clean to my Dad. As much as that had mattered.

More disappearances, more Morgue's burning or being the sights of bloodbaths. When people died in hospitals the victims were swiftly taken to a hole outside and then burned. Religious uproar at that, but that had quickly quelled after the massacre in Washington, where families had refused to give up their dead loved ones, only for their loved ones to bite them in the back, literally.

The Undersiders had had little to do in those early days. Lisa had been useful in the Think Tank, and I had been useful for patrols. Having joint patrols with the likes of Rune on my left and Aegis on my right had been a surreal experience, finding zombies with my bugs and swiftly dealing with them.

~§~

"Fucking cold," Rue grumbled as we turned a corner and started down the next street. "Why are we bothering with this street anyway? It's not important."

"People live here." Aegis spoke, his eyes still roaming the street around us.

"Only spic's and chinks, nothing anyone would worry about."

I see Aegis fist's tighten through my bugs and send a quick fly to bash into Rune's face, making her yelp.

"Anymore and the next one's in your throat," I warned.

"Oh, didn't realise you were an animal lov-"

My bugs find something, I turn my head sharply in their direction. Aegis and Rue stop short and look at me.

"Four people, three are crouched over a prone one… they're… oh fuck." I feel the bile rising but forcefully swallow it down.

Aegis sighed but put a hand to his ear "Console this is Aegis, Skitter's found four more, on… Richmond-"

"Behind the convenience," I say, but it's far away.

"-behind the convenience." Aegis shakes his head, dropping his hand "that's the fifth group we've found."

~§~

Europe had nearly collapsed, the island nations of England and Ireland had done the best, but they were a shadow of their former selves now. Africa had united now, admittedly under the warlord and dictatorship of Moord Nag, but they'd united. The CUI had faired very well with inhumane tactics of scorch earthing entire towns and villages, no matter how many still living remained.

America and Canada had adopted a different system. Villages and towns were abandoned, and the cities were prepared. New York had gotten Labyrinth to build massive stone walls around the city. That's what Faultline's group did now. They went from city to city, staying for several weeks while Labyrinth worked to wall the city in with castle-esque structures.

Note how they sent her to New York first to do that, and left Brockton to rot.

Brockton had fallen when Skidmark had tried to earn himself some cred through fear, by rounding up a bunch of zombies and releasing them across the docks. Ironically, the Merchants had ended up being wiped out because of that, Squealer the only survivor with a kill order on her head. Last seen rumbling away in a tank more tread than armour plate.

~§~

The sky, clogged with fire and smoke.

My legs hurt, my lungs burned, and my voice was hoarse, but still I called.

"Dad! Dad?"

Coming to a stop, seeing more burning building, more shambling corpses turning to shamble toward me.

It's all gone, everything.

"Not you too" I whisper.

It's lost to the fire.

~§~

Dad was dead. Died in that attack along with a majority of the Dockworkers. A lot of Brockton was lost. Lung had actually done the first helpful thing he'd done since moving in, and had set about setting the docks ablaze, zombies unable to pierce his scales as he burned the area to the ground. Now, Brockton had a hastily erected dock area in Downtown, a cordon set up around The PRT building and spreading from there to cover the south of the city, the north well and truly lost.

The Undersiders were now a rather desirable group. We couldn't fly, or teleport. But such capes were very valuable and had very long wating lists for their services. We didn't have laser beams, or massive area of attacks, those capes were on the front lines, fighting back the massive hordes and were also equally hard to get your hands on.

But we were good at the one thing we had always been good at, back when we had been villains full time.

We were good at getting the job done and getting away.

Rachel's dogs for transport (and her ability to train them so they didn't bite zombies), Brian's darkness to smother our smell, our footsteps. Aisha's ability to slip into places unseen, grab canned foods from abandoned shop shelves, essentially keep the team supplied with near zero risk. Lisa's unparalleled Thinker abilities were invaluable in any camps and cities we visited, making us a huge selling point. Alec's abilities to trip and slow zombies, something about their bodies making it so much easier for him to manipulate. Me, able to see a zombie within three city blocks of my surroundings and able to pilot bugs into the decaying zombies bodies, cutting nerves and tendons, immobilising them or just going straight for the brain, having beetles and cockroaches tear and kill zombies en masse.

Turns out that being capes made the zombie apocalypse a lot easier.

We were returning to Brockton Bay from Boston, currently resting in the abandoned city of Portsmouth. We were going to make it to Brockton in a few hours of riding.

"Zombies." Lisa groaned, rubbing her face "why? Alec is going to be insufferable."

"Better than him being dead," I state firmly.

Lisa looked at me with a small smile "of course," she then tilted her head from side to side "but only just."

I roll my eyes with a fond smile and leave the tent, getting a look at our surroundings in person. The first thing to hit me is the smell, there's a pungent stench of death and decay in the air. Not so pungent that I gag, but definitely noticeable. The next thing I notice is how plants have already reclaimed the city, trees in the streets and vines overtaking buildings, flowers growing wild.

From the top of the roof we settled on, we get an excellent view of the city as a whole and it's much the same with overgrowing vegetation. In the distance, North Church, with its white spire, juts out from the red brick buildings and overgrown foliage of the city.

Brian is already out, with Rachel making her way out of her tent as well

He looks at me, then at Lisa before nodding with a relieved smile "Hey."

"Brian, good to see you," I say, smiling back.

He's wearing a biker jacket, similar to the one he wore in his old costume.

"You're telling me," he replied, crossing his arms "we found you too late, you were dead, but you killed Shadow Stalker"

"Killed Shadow Stalker?" Lisa questioned, looking between us.

"How'd I kill her?"

Brian grimaced "Well, judging by the bugs fused into her skin, I'd say she turned solid with bugs inside her, which I can't imagine is healthy."

I shudder at the mental image.

"And Emma?"

"Emma was there?" Lisa said, still confused and frowning as she looked between us.

"Long story, I'll explain later." I dismissed.

"Killed her" Rachel grunted.

I turned to look at her, Rachel staring at me intently. She's got a spiked choker on, a fur lined jacket over a grey vest.

"You good?" She asked.

I smiled- no teeth- and nodded "I'm good, sorry for… well, I didn't exactly plan it, but sorry all the same"

Rachel nodded, looking away and toward where her three dogs, Brutus, Judus and Angelica were. "S'fine," she grunted finally, walking over and crouching down.

"Well, well, well. Never thought I'd actually miss you guys," Alec suddenly announced, swaggering from his tent "but fucking hell, you only went and fucking did it."

"Alec, it's… it's good to see you too," I said, regarding the boy. He's got a white button up shirt, like you see businessmen wearing when they're going… to do business.

"Woah there, careful Taylor, I thought I could hear emotions in that voice." The boy grinned. I could tell he was… something, perhaps uncomfortable or relieved, but he was trying extra hard with his act right now.

"You asshole, of course we missed you!" Aisha shouted, scrambling from her tent with a scowl. She's wearing familiar trashy clothing, but it's functional trashy "what happened with you?"

Alec's face, for the first time I could ever remember it, darkened. It was off putting and I would be lying to say it didn't scare me as he looked at Aisha before then away, the look gone and his hands stuffed into his pockets, a strained grin on his face "I'd rather not talk about it, if it's all the same to you." He wiggled his eyebrows "mysteries add to the charm, no?"

"Alec" I said, clearly. I waited patiently for the boy to roll his head around to look at me "you good?"

He went to answer, then paused and lolled his head away, in deep thought over something. When he looked back his face was in a smile, that familiar one as if he knew something amusing that no one else did "I'm good, boss."

I stared at him for a few seconds before then nodding "Okay."

I look around at my group, the first time in several days that we were now all back together.

"So, does anyone know about what's going on?" Alec asked "I remember dying in the van, but then I was awake… elsewhere. Then I died- rather dramatically may I add- only to end up here."

"There's some stuff you need to know," I said.

Lisa stepped up, a grin on her face "I can happily-"

"Please, anyone but Lisa," the boy sighed dramatically, looking around the group.

"We can do that while we eat," Brian suggested.

"What's on the menu?" Aisha asked.

"MRE's." Brian pulled a box from his tent and opened it up, revealing a box only a quarter filled with brown packets.

"I've seen enough TV to know those are bad" Aisha grimaced.

"You've seen enough TV to know too not believe everything you see on it." Brian shoots back "Now lets eat, I'm hungry."

~§~

"So… we're basically experiencing VR?" Alec asked, his plastic fork chasing his MRE slop around his metal plate.

"Yes," Aisha confirmed.

"Being held hostage or captured by people or person unknown and we don't know what they want."

"Yes," Brian confirmed.

"But Dragon is involved."

"Mhm," I hummed around a mouthful of MRE.

"And is potentially trying to help us."

"Hopefully," Lisa commented.

"And we need to cause chaos and be… unexpected? To cause the machine to glitch and break down faster."

"Mm," Aisha nodded.

"And to move on to the next… universe? We have to die."

"Yup," Lisa chirped.

"But we can't kill ourselves through conventional means, because the simulation will make sure we fail."

"'Bout the size of it," Brian confirmed.

"And in this… particular simulation, Bonesaw unleashed a zombie plague and the world is in shambles."

"That seems to be the case," I nodded.

"So why don't we just… jump down into the waiting horde of zombies. Quick and easy."

"We still feel pain, dumbass." Aisha shook her head "you think being eaten to death is a fun idea?"

"It's most convenient," Alec shrugged.

Lisa rose an eyebrow then gestured to the edge of the roof "go right ahead."

"Oh, I didn't mean me. Someone else though-"

"Ass," Aisha muttered, elbowing the boy who grinned in response.

"So, how'd you guys die?" I asked, looking to Brian and Rachel.

"Purity." all three answered simultaneously.

"What the hell you do to piss Purity off?" Alec asked.

"She hunted me down," Brian explained "revenge for, and I quote, 'letting a dirty nigger touch her'."

I wince "that sounds fun."

"It wasn't" Aisha muttered.

"Cunt killed Bastard," Rachel grunted, violently stabbing the food on her plate.

"You learnt that word from Skidmark." Alec accused, pointing his fork at her.

Rachel grunted in response.

"Anyway, she killed Bastard, and from there we were… easy pickings." Brian sighed.

"Don't tell me your missing her bro." Aisha said, disbelief in her tone.

"Missing her?" Alec questioned.

"I'm not, I'm very relieved if anything." Brian shuddered "her past combined with the literal power imbalance, her age, her profession… I'm glad it's over, but the memories that were forced into my head… they're hard to forget."

"Oh my god, you were fucking Purity!" Alec crowed, collapsing into laughter.

"It's not funny!" Brian exclaimed "It's fucked up!"

"It's… fucked something… alright!" Alec called between his laughter.

Brian huffed, scowling "Yeah yeah, laugh it up."

"Once you go black, amirite?" Alec finally sat up, still chuckling. Aisha pushed him over again.

"What should we do now then?" Aisha asked instead, looking to me.

I paused, looking back on my false memories "we were going back to Brockton, and it's only a few hours on the dogs. From there we'll decide on what to do next." I chewed my lip before speaking again "When everything glitched, the thugs disappearing to be replaced with Shadow Stalker and Emma… I… it's weird."

"How so, apart from this entire situation, obviously," Lisa asked.

"I… saw stuff. It was… I was in a room, there was some tinker stuff above me. The room was large and surrounded by glass in a circle, It was like… a containment unit of some kind. Beyond that was a lab of some sort, I saw more equipment and such. Then I was put back in."

"I didn't see anything like that," Brian said, looking at me with a shrug.

"Same, for me it was just a blackout," Aisha shrugged.

"Interesting." Lisa murmured.

"You think it's a good thing?" I asked.

Lisa grinned "I think it's a very good thing." Lisa looked up to the sky "if we want to make it to Brockton in good time, we should start packing all this up to get moving soon. We can talk on the road."

"Do we have to pack up? None of this matters you said." Alec spoke lazily.

"Nice try Alec, pack your shit," I ordered, standing.

Alec sighed, putting down his half eaten plate and grumbling, "shoulda known that wouldn't work."

Chapter Text

I always thought it was a stupid zombie trope to see cars, piled up bumper to bumper along highways. I mean, how did they get there? Where were the people? Why was no one using these abandoned cars for anything useful like fortifications or gas or just scrap metal?

So, either the person who had made this universe had just downloaded all the zombie tropes, or there was a reason that was eluding me. Cars littered one side of the highway, Rachel's dogs walked at a comfortable pace down the empty side. We had passed under a sign several minutes ago telling us that Brockton Bay was only fifteen miles away, so we would be arriving in good time with the sun only just reaching its crest in the sky.

Rachel's dogs weren't horses, there was a reason mad had chosen to tame the horse for riding over the dog. Rachel trained them well, so they were used to doing lots of exercise and movement. But at most they could only cover twenty-ish miles a day. It was enough to get us to Brockton, but I was reluctant to push the dogs (even if they were fake). I didn't want to distress/get on Rachel's bad side again.

That gave me pause.

Again? I had been on Rachel's bad side in the beginning I could remember, but when had that happened a second time? It was distinct, my mind telling me there had been a second time I had pissed off Rachel.

"What's up?" Lisa whispered behind me.

I glanced back at her, then moved my eyes over the group again. Aisha and Alec were on Judas while Rachel and Brian rode Brutus. The dogs walked in an arrow formation, with Angelica, Lisa and myself on the right flank.

"Weird déjà vu moment," I replied, my eyes focusing on the road ahead.

"What about?"

I sighed, glancing at Rachel before away again "I had this… feeling, that… Okay, I was thinking about the dogs, and how I didn't want to push them too hard in terms of riding." I absently pat the thick muscle beneath me, running my fingers along intermittent patches of scale and fur. "And I thought back to when I was new and Rachel didn't like me… and in my mind… there was a second time, where she didn't like me, and it was… deserved? In an odd way? I had done… something… and Rachel didn't trust me."

Lisa hummed before she next spoke, "I can't remember anything off the top of my head, possibly a locked away memory?"

"Possibly," I agreed, my fists tightening "but… what if we get out of this, and I… I betrayed you guys or something? What if I sold you out or-"

"Taylor." Lisa cut in, reaching around and grabbing my hands "that's a lot of what ifs and you're beginning to sound like a Simurgh conspiracy theorist. That kind of thinking is not helpful at the moment, and fundamentally we're not coming out of this the same way we went in. What's happened in here, it's different to whatever has happened out there." Lisa squeezed, "So let's focus on getting out, and we can worry about what comes after when we get there."

I took a deep breath and slowly nodded "you're right-"

"Hey! You two should kiss!" Alec suddenly called, hands around his mouth. Aisha wolf whistled.

Lisa turned and called back, "Get any lower Alec and you'll be sucking yourself off!"

"Gladly!" the boy called back with a confident grin.

"Why did we miss him?" I asked rhetorically.

"Beats me," Lisa grumbled back.

We rode in more silence for a bit. There were few actual zombies on the roads, and those that entered my range I swiftly dispatched, usually needing only a few sharp mandible'd insects to either kill or incapacitate completely.

"You still haven't told me how you ended up fighting Emma," Lisa finally spoke, poking me in the back.

"Emma… oh, right. Well, she was missing beforehand. Turns out she'd run off with Sophia. Pretending to be a cape so that when people forgot about her the pair of them could clear up Brockton Bay of criminals."

"A truly terrifying prospect," Lisa intoned before her head tilted, "Wait, pretending?"

"Emma hadn't triggered." I chuckled, "She even had a costume."

Lisa snorted, chuckling into her hand, "Oh man, that's awkward."

"Tell me about it."

"Though… also interesting. It shouldn't be so hard to simply give her powers, so why not give her some?" Lisa hummed in thought.

"I assumed it was to do with not knowing what powers we had encountered and not wanting to risk it," I shrugged.

"But who would go to all the trouble of putting us in here, but wouldn't do the background research about us to check who we've fought in the past?" Lisa hummed "Something's not adding up there."

"Add it to the list of the things to ask the people who put us in here." I began counting on my fingers, "the weird romance plots, no new people with new powers, why did they put us in here in the first place. There's a lot of questions I want answered."

"I'll be there with you," Lisa promised.

~§~

The skyline of Brockton Bay in the distance had changed little, despite half the city being lost to the pandemic. The skyscrapers still stood, though even at a distance I could see that the Medhall building- always apart from the central outcropping of towers at the city's centre- now stood derelict. The orange afternoon sky illuminated the glass panels of the few skyscrapers Brockton had, pink tinged clouds reflecting off them in what I imagined was a photographer's wet dream of a shot.

The PRT building, always that concrete and metal covered glass monolith, stood strong, however. On top of it a tall thin tower that I guessed was a radio mast that definitely hadn't been there before now stood, dominating the Brockton skyline. We were letting the dogs rest for a few minutes, now that our target was within sight, and also taking the opportunity to change into our costumes. Zombies were still sparse, few and far between out in the wilderness, but I had no doubt that the situation would change entering a relatively busy city.

"Man, it's depressing it doesn't look any different isn't it?" Aisha asked, "Like, we always knew it was a shithole, but the fact that the zombie apocalypse hasn't made it any worse…"

"I dunno, I like what they've done to the PRT building," Alec spoke, crossing his arms "let's everyone know they're massive pricks."

"That was bad," Aisha replied, though she was grinning.

"That's 'cause I am," Alec replied, putting a hand to his chest and bowing.

"Yeah, but usually bad boys are tall, dark and brooding, not paler than the moon, thinner than a pencil and smartasses," I cut in, eyeing the pair.

Alec dramatically stumbled while Aisha laughed.

"T-Taylor, how could you!?" Alec cried dramatically.

"You just got fucking owned dude," Aisha spoke, squatting beside the collapsed boy "and by fucking Taylor of all people, that's like triple damage."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, staring at the girl.

"Means it's rarer than a solar eclipse and about as stunning," the girl replied without missing a beat, a toothy grin aimed at me.

I shook my head and looked away from them, definitely not smiling. Rachel and Brian were taking care of the dogs, letting them sniff around and relax. Lisa is off to the side, looking at the city.

It was peaceful.

A phone's ringing harshly cut through the silence.

Everyone's heads turned to Lisa, who was pulling a phone out of her pocket. It rang in her hands, she looked at us, then gestured us to come closer. Once we had, she accepted the call and put it on speaker.

"Tattletale," Coil's voice, just as slimy and awful as I remembered it. "I see you're back in range of the Brockton tower, I want a full report on the state of Boston, the level of infected there, the capes present and what ways to bring them on my side would be. I expect this when you arrive back in Brockton Bay, is that clear pet?"

Lisa was staring wide eyed down at the phone, her hands are shaking and colour has drained from her face. I gently reach over and grab her shoulder. She looks at me, then her face sets into a grim determination as she looks back to the phone.

"Did you hear me, pet?" Coil ask, his voice irritated.

"Fuck off, Calvert." Lisa then snapped the phone in half and chucked it away.

Silence for a beat, then.

"Hell yeah Lisa, you fucking tell him," Aisha spoke, nodding approvingly and patting the girl on the back.

"Unexpected, right?" Lisa smiled, but it was a strained one.

"Coil's alive here then," Brian stated, crossing his arms.

"Seems like it," Lisa agreed, running a hand through her hair.

"What's that mean for us, we kill him?" Rachel asked, looking around with a frown.

"It's not that simple," Lisa frowned as she paced nervously, a soft growl on her lips, "Dumb fucking memories only coming now, fucking convenient. He's got protection, something happened to Renick, so he's now Vice Director of the PRT. Luckily, he can't just declare us villains again because he doesn't have any evidence he can pin on us. But he can hand us shit jobs to make sure we end up dead and refusing to do said jobs only damages our reputation. That, or he could send mercenaries and his own capes after us at any point."

"Good and bad, good for death, bad for everything else," I said, looking toward Brockton Bay.

"So, nothing new then," Alec commented.

"Depends how much damage he thinks we could do," Lisa murmured.

It was silent for a moment longer before I sighed "Rachel, are the dogs all rested up to make it in?"

Rachel gave a short nod, "They're good."

I nodded back, "Alright, let's get this over with then."

~§~

I noticed a definite increase in the amount of infected when we entered the city. Luckily we were coming in from the south side rather than the infested north side, which despite being a mostly burnt out husk, was still heavily infested. The sun was nearly set in the distance, its last rays of light still filling the sky.

It didn't take us long to get to the safe zone, still travelling upon the highway. The raised highway that ran through Brockton Bay was now cut off, as before us was a massive wall, mostly constructed from car wrecks and corrugated metal panels. A gate was in the centre, made of far better materials than the wall.

Sentries in military uniform had spotted our approach, and while they had lowered the door, there were several people waiting for us; some PRT agents and military men, and two capes, their uniforms standing out from the rest.

Crusader and Miss Militia-

"While I could happily hurt any carbon-based lifeform," the robot spoke, silver lights flashing on to mark stressed syllables. Metal grabbers telescoped out of one of its silver tube arms, and from the other extended a saw blade close to Brutus's throat. Its head was a box, tesla coils on either side and blinking blue eyes, "This one has drawn me in, call it off, or I will be forced to destroy."

"Hellhound, the dastardly Armsdestoryer has captured Brutus! But he's letting him go if you don't attack him. Please, heed what he says!" Grue called.

"Brutus, come hither!" Hellhound hollered.

The dog lazily rolled to its legs, tail wagging as it trotted back over to the girl.

"Armsdestoryer, you dastardly fiend! How did you see through my darkness, which is a representation of my dark past given physical form to haunt me!?" Grue called dramatically, pointing at the robot.

"It was simple for an AI such as myself," Armsdestoryer gloated, "I have analysed every engagement we have ever had. I can calculate your actions to within a ninety-nine point three-seven-six-four-one-two-nine-five-six-seven-seven probability. Truly, this was over before you arrived Under Pals!"

"No!" Tattletale called, despair in her voice and arm to her forehead.

"Yes!" the machine gloated. "Not only that, but I brought along help, she was invaluable in capturing your teammate!" The robot gestured, "say hello to Miss Maleficent!"

A woman stepped into the room. She wore a leotard in a camouflage pattern, six-inch heels on, a billowing cape behind her and a bandanna on her face that covered her mouth and nose. She had Regent, a small pistol pointed to his head.

"Miss Maleficent!" Tattletale cried, more despair entering her voice.

"It was truly easy, I just applied some of my womanly charm, and he was putty in my hands!" Miss Maleficent gloated with her seductive voice.

"And now that I have you captured Under Pals, I can enact my plans for world domination and destroying every human's arms!" the robot threw his arms up "Hahahahahahaha-"

Miss Maleficent threw her head back and joined "Hahahahahahahaha-"

"WHAT WILL OUR INTREPID HEROES DO NOW? AGAINST THE VAST INTELLECT OF ARMSDESTROYER AND THE SEDUCTIVE CHARM OF MISS MALEFICENT, WILL THEY SURVIVE? TUNE IN NEXT WEEK FOR THE THRILLING CONCLUSION!"

I barely manage to conceal my reaction, Tattletale quickly glancing at me before away.

What were these visions I kept getting? What did they mean, what were they supposed to refer to? They didn't link together, that was for sure. Not only that, but I only ever remembered them for the briefest few moments after one happened before-

We reached the capes.

"Undersiders." Miss Militia greeted when we were close enough.

I dismounted from Angelica, the rest of the Undersiders doing the same. Tattletale followed close behind me as I walked up to the two capes.

"Miss Militia, Crusader," I acknowledged back.

"It's good to see you made it from Boston in one piece, can you tell me the Master-Stranger code?" Miss Militia asked, her eyebrow cocking as she looked at me.

I barely hesitated as the memory forced itself into my brain.

"Zulu-Bravo-seven-four-seven," I spoke.

"Golf-Tango-seven-five-seven" Miss Militia responded, her power settling to a knife on her hip "how long are you staying?"

I glanced at Tattletale before stating, "Indefinitely, unless something comes up, we'll be in Brockton for the foreseeable future."

"Under Truce rules?" Militia asked.

"Of course."

Truce rules for capes meant they helped out around the safe zone, mainly lending their powers for the Protectorate's use, whether that was patrolling or analysing data. In return the capes got accommodation and food provided for them. Of course, there were capes who didn't accept it.

Butcher and their Teeth for one, though the Teeth had disappeared long ago and no one had heard from The Butcher in a while. Some supposed sightings, but nothing for sure. The Merchants hadn't respected it either. The Dragonslayers also were still firmly set against Dragon because… who knew? Maybe they thought Dragon was an alien planning on taking over the planet or something. Those capes that broke the Plague Truce were subject to the same harsh punishments as those who broke the Endbringer Truce.

"That's good to hear, let me just inform HQ," Miss Militia stepped away, hand to her ear.

That left me and Lisa with Crusader. The Neo-Nazi. His expressionless metal helmet stared at us. We stared back.

"Man," Tattletale spoke, "It has gotta be… hot, in that thing" Lisa rocked on her heels "I mean, full metal armour, out in the open, in direct sunlight."

"I manage," Crusader spoke, his reply tinny from inside his helmet.

"Must be heavy as well," I tried.

Crusader shrugged, "You get used to it."

"Jesus Christ, I bet the Berlin wall was easier to talk to then you," Tattletale huffed, crossing her arms.

Crusader shrugged, "Probably."

"Everything's good to go," Militia spoke, coming back "You can ride with us back to HQ."

"Thank you, let us get the dog's sorted and we'll join you," I spoke, nodding my head before turning and walking toward the dogs.

"He wasn't even doing that on purpose!" Tattletale hissed.

"You expected a Nazi to be an interesting person?" I asked back, bemused.

Tattletale snorted.

"Okay, Rachel, shrink the dogs. We're getting a lift to PRT HQ where we will stay for the foreseeable future."

"The PRT building?" Grue asked, crossing his arms.

"Yup." Tattletale popped the p.

"Where Coil works?" Grue followed.

"That's the genius, he can't possibly risk breaking the Truce, especially not get away with it inside the PRT's own building. It would be out of character for him anyway." Tattletale shrugged "and if he still does, we die and move on."

"Be on guard," I stated simply.

"That just fills me with confidence," Regent stated dryly, "Truly, if I wasn't on edge before, someone less emotionally dead then me definitely is now."

I looked at Regent. I don't know why that phrase had seemed so off to me. The inflection in his voice? His stance? The self-awareness that- while Alec certainly had- he rarely alluded to?

The moment passed and I watched as meat and gunk melted the dogs, pulling my knife out to help Rachel pull them from their giant corpses.

~§~

The PRT van had no windows on the back half. I guessed because they wanted to have armour to protect the occupants rather than give them a view. The PRT agents with Crusader and Miss Militia had joined us inside. One armed with the familiar con-foam sprayer, the rest all with guns. Con-foam was no longer being produced in such mass quantities as it used to be, seeing as most capes agreed to the Truce there were few still villainous capes. Those that were villainous usually had kill-orders on their heads and there was no point containment foaming someone you were going to have to kill later.

The PRT didn't really deal with zombies, they still dealt with Parahumans… that just so happened to mean they ended up dealing with zombies a whole bunch as well, meaning they needed a lot more guns.

That was still weird to think about. Zombies? Really? What sort of fucked up simulation was this?

"How was your trip over?" Miss Militia asked.

I glanced at her, she seemed… very at ease, considering a Nazi was sitting across from her and she was in a van filled with once villains, even if she had PRT agents support.

"It was uneventful," Tattletale spoke, leaning forward with a smile "we didn't see many infected, and roads were all mostly clear."

"Portsmouth had some." Grue offered, "Though it was mostly empty."

"Nothing much changed there then," Miss Militia tilted her head, "And Boston, how was it?"

Tattletale filled most of the small talk, I spent most of my time observing Miss Militia. If I were a hero, I wouldn't feel so comfortable with villains in such close proximity. Either whoever made this Miss Militia needed to get their facts straight, or maybe this was actually how Miss Militia was. That sort of lived up to my childlike idealization of her.

I felt the van descend a ramp, feeling my bugs tell me we were going to an underground area, likely a car park. I briefly had the troubling thought of the van doors opening and a PRT squad opening fire on Coil's orders.

Then I shook it off. That would massively give away his position, no matter how he pulled it off. And if I remembered anything about that bastard, it was that he liked to keep the upper hand and play in the shadows. A cursory search with my bugs informed me that there were in fact no death squads waiting to pump us full of bullets. The doors opened and we filed out.

"I'll take you to your quarters. Because you're underage you'll be bunking with the Wards, like usual, though none of them are on base currently."

We followed behind Miss Militia, Crusader having left but the PRT agents still present, following behind but with a relaxed grip on their weapons. We entered a large elevator, likely used more for cargo than people. All of us inside meant it was a tight fit, but we managed and descended further down. We came to a stop at a large metal door and Miss Militia bent down to the eye scanner, scanning her hand at the same time.

We waited thirty seconds, then the doors rumbled open and we walked inside. The Ward's room was like I expected, similar to the Loft, but much more corporate and controlled. There were some personable touches here and there, a messy sink, a games console with some games scattered about.

They led us off to a corridor, doors intersecting it. We walked past a lot of the initial doors until we reached the ones towards the back.

"Alright, these are your rooms, standard arrangements and such. You can remain in costume if you want, or wear something more casual with a mask on. Dinner is still on in the cafeteria, so I recommend you get something to eat that's only slightly better than MRE's." Miss Militia winked at us before walking away, her PRT agents leaving with her.

"Show of trust, assume we won't break the Truce," Tattletale murmured.

"Which we won't be doing," I emphasised, looking to the group.

Regent stuck his hand up, "I'm confused, was that a 'yes, we are breaking the Truce' or a 'no, we won't break the Truce'?"

I bit back a sarcastic retort, because knowing Regent he would take what he heard and decide what to take literally. "No, we will not be breaking the Truce."

"Y'know, for all we seem to be eager to die, we don't seem that eager to take the easy options." Regent threw his hands up, his voice going sarcastic as he imitated someone in our group poorly, I wasn't sure who. "'No Regent, we can't just throw ourselves to zombies because that would hurt', 'No Regent, we can't break the Truce because that would piss of the heroes'."

"I could shoot you, if you really want," Tattletale volunteered "Gotta say, it's actually a pretty painful way to die. But listening to you go on is far worse."

"You're all just jealous of my sick acting skills."

Imp appeared, rebutting with "hard to be jealous of something that doesn't exist."

I cut them off before it could devolve further. "Enough, get your stuff into your rooms, then when we're all set we're going to the cafeteria."

The group nodded their ascent and we split, everyone taking a separate room. I let myself take a breather. It was better than him being dead or gone, but man was Regent a pain a lot of the time.

Chapter Text

Beta'd by DreadChord

~§~

"I miss the overpriced coffee," Lisa sighed, looking at her disposable cup of coffee she got from the PRT canteen which, like many works of fiction I had read liked to describe bad coffee as, really did taste like some dirt in a cup.

"That has got to be, the most white girl thing I have ever heard you say," Aisha said, in her hand an energy drink.

"It tastes so bad," Lisa again dramatically sighed, "and the stupid zombies messed up production and this is the best the PRT can get and it sucks."

I let my gaze stay focused on the beach front, not that anyone was enjoying it on this quite nice summer day. I watched two armed military personnel walk by, their eyes peeled on the beach front. Though it didn't stop one- who seemed very bored- from looking toward our table and smiling. From the corner of my eye I saw Lisa grin back and give a little wave.

The man was elbowed by his partner and had his attention quickly pulled back to his job.

They were very much on the job. Last night, connected to the internet me, Lisa and Brian had conducted some research into the world while Aisha and Alec had played video games and Rachel had gone off to walk her dogs.

Miami had fallen to the zombies after a veritable army had emerged from the ocean and overwhelmed the city's defences when a party had been held on it's famous beach. From what I could tell, the ocean floor was littered with infected, apparently there had been a mass evacuation to the sea by lots of sea faring vessels, some of them harbouring people hiding bites. Some ship 'islands' had cropped up, people living on the sea and serving as little stops for helicopters and such between continents. They dealt with their infected by pushing them into the sea. Still more boats had broken down, their crew perishing and then rising again only for the boat to then sink, leaving them to the ocean floor.

Beach parties and raves, like the one that had been held in Miami to celebrate still being alive, were now strictly prohibited.

It was very World War Z-esque, so much so that I wondered if the creator of this simulation had gotten much inspiration from it (if they hadn't just straight copied it). I remembered enjoying that book. I don't know if I would after 'living' it.

Right now, the PRT was letting us do our own thing in our 'civilian' time. The fact that they were giving us 'civilian' time was a surprise to me, but I guess they didn't take the Truce lightly.

Also helped that our PRT issue phones were likely being tracked.

"Nothing wrong with an energy drink," Aisha pointed out, responding to something Lisa had said that I had briefly zoned out on.

"That's cause you and Alec are still at that sweet age where you can eat and drink whatever fucking trash you want and your body still looks perfect," Lisa muttered with an eye roll.

"I do exercise," Aisha defended.

"Alec doesn't, he's only stick thin for the moment, pretty soon though he's gonna have to work and eat a lot less than he does to look like that." Lisa turned to look at me, "Taylor, is your tea like piss as well?"

I looked down at my half full disposable cup filled with tea and shrugged, "It's okay."

"That's not a description."

I took a deep breathe "it's poor, the barest hint of tea in some hot water."

"So it's like La Croix?" Aisha asked.

"I dunno, I've never had La Croix," I shrugged.

"Have you ever done anything fun Taylor, do you even know what fun is?" Aisha asked, a teasing smile on her face.

"Of course I know! I read books for fun!" I frowned as I turned to Aisha.

"Okay, for once I won't be sarcastic and say that books aren't fun. That's one thing you do outside of all this, what else?"

I opened my mouth, struggled for a moment, then scowled and looked away. I had interests and hobbies! Sure, I hadn't been reading much at all recently, but time hadn't allowed. Researching bugs and looking into more applications for them… that fell under the category of my power didn't it?

Coding in computer class had been mildly interesting, but I wasn't sure whether that was because I had enjoyed it, or enjoyed the lack of harassment that took place in the class.

Well I felt like shit now.

"When we get to a decent simulation- or hell, even out of it- we need to take you clubbing or something, find a decent place. We could make it a whole thing!" Aisha spoke, leaning forward.

"I don't drink." I pointed out.

"Could say your… tea-total- and you don't need to!" Aisha put her hands together, "please let me and Lisa show you how to have fun!"

"What makes you think I have gone clubbing?" Lisa asked, raising an eyebrow as she turned to look at Aisha.

"Oh my god, it's like I'm on a team with fucking grandma's" Aisha groaned.

"He-" I cut my indignant reply off, because I wasn't sure who I was saying it to or even why.

"You alright Taylor?" Lisa asked, looking at me with an eyebrow raise.

"Yeah… yeah, sorry, just… felt like some déjà vu or something."

"Normal déjà vu or weird déjà vu?"

"Normal déjà vu."

We sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments, then Lisa hummed.

"It's weird, isn't it? How everyone is trying to… pretend, everything is normal, but… it's not."

"Well we became pretty apathetic to Endbringer's, didn't we?" I asked "the destruction they brought, their schedules, we grew into a routine. Just look at Brockton, right now it looks so much better then when Leviathan hit-"

I cut myself off with a frown as Lisa snapped her head to me.

"Leviathan hit Bristol," she spoke, but she sounded unsure.

"Did he?" I asked back, frowning "I never questioned it before, but now… the Simurgh hit in Canberra in February, then… Leviathan hits Bristol in June? That's a four-month gap. How did we not notice that?"

"You're right," Lisa frowned, her eyes going vacant, "so, if that was fake, then Leviathan should of hit in… May. You think he hit Brockton?"

"I think."

"Hm, that… that could be the memory blocker falling away, we'll have to keep an eye out for that."

"Leviathan hit Brockton Bay." I bit my lip, "do you think my Dad is okay? Will he have… did he make it?"

I guessed that if this had been the first simulation I had awoken in, this would have been my reaction. But the dad this universe wanted me to go after was not my dad, it was a fake, fictional. Even if it was hard to remember that all this was fake at times. The memory of Lisa, bleeding out on the ground, her dead eyes and her slackening grip and-

"Hey, hey hey, you're okay, everything is okay," Lisa spoke, quietly but soothingly as she- at some point- had gotten over to my side of the table and had me wrapped in a hug.

I gripped her tightly and hugged her back, trying to get my breathing under control. Aisha re-entered our perception, off to the side and awkwardly poking her fingers together.

"Okay, so I had this whole prank planned where I slipped salt into your drinks… but I see that that might not be… appropriate anymore."

I closed my eyes, snorting as I let my head bury in Lisa's shoulder.

"Yeah, probably not the best idea." Lisa said, looking to Aisha.

Our phones pinged and I heard Aisha groan, feeling Lisa reach into her pocket and pull her new PRT issued phone out.

"We never get to rest." Aisha moaned, rubbing her face with her hands.

"It would appear not," Lisa spoke, her tone telling me she was frowning, "It would appear Deputy Director Calvert would like to have a meeting with us."

"Oh joy," I spoke tonelessly, pulling away from Lisa and standing "best not to keep him waiting then, huh?"

"While I would enjoy how much being late would piss him off," Lisa spoke, "I agree we best just get this over with quickly." She looked at me for a long moment, "as long as you're-"

"I'm fine," I snapped hastily, turning to hide my wince at my own tone "lets go."

~§~

Thomas Calvert was a thin man, an uncomfortable similarity Coil had always shared with my father. The saving grace was his lack of anything else. His dark skin, trimmed eyebrows and well maintained cropped hair. He also had a cleft chin, which I had only ever seen in cartoons. Not the best time to be thinking about Saturday morning cartoons, but here we are.

With him was Armsmaster, and judging by Calvert's neutral expression, he didn't have any Protectorate members on his side at the moment.

"Undersiders, welcome, have a seat." I wasn't going to give the man the honour of being called deputy director in my head, so I settled on calling him Thomas.

"What do you need us for?" I asked instead, not bothering to take a seat.

Thomas kept his neutral expression which I suspected was some office politics bullshit. The trouble with those sorts of games, was that the other party had to actually give a shit and be playing them.

"We have a problem that your powersets are uniquely gifted for," Armsmaster spoke.

"Indeed," Thomas picked up, "the military sends out patrols regularly to the area that was once the docks, to assess the level of infected and make sure no unpleasant surprises come up. However, recently one of their patrols went out and they entered an area seemingly covered by a jammer of some sort, they never returned. We have their last known location, the military came to us to see if we could get Capes to investigate."

Sending us into a blind situation where people had mysteriously disappeared? I could see Thomas's game here, it was so obvious that for a moment I wanted to declare Master/Stranger protocols on this imposter. Then I decided I wasn't interested in doing that and simply nodded.

"Can you give us anything else to go off of?" Tattletale asked "anything at all, Mr Calvert?" I was surprised the girl was able to stop a grin from appearing on her face.

Thomas kept his neutral expression and shook his head "I'm afraid we're as blind to the situation as you are."

Armsmaster stepped forward "Your phones we issued to you should have no trouble contacting us back here, no matter if this interference is Tinker or not in design."

"That's reassuring," Imp muttered.

"Any objections?" Thomas asked, smiling at us. He likely thought that what was now going through my head was a lengthy monologue about wondering what his plan was and planning ways to counter act his plan. In reality, it was a very short monologue about how he thought I was likely doing a lengthy monologue.

"None, we'll get it done." I said, crossing my arms.

Thomas nodded as he leant forward, clasping his hands.

"It was in the north of the docks area, toward the trainyard." Thomas spoke, "just as they entered… Fisher street."

I covered a wince of pain as memories forced themselves to the front of my mind. That was the area where I supposedly lost my Dad. That's what Coil had been stringing me along on, promises of money and the ability to look for my missing father.

"Okay, we'll have a look." I spoke, no emotions in my voice because I wasn't really feeling anything other than irritated at the entire situation.

A simple smile was all that was returned.

Armsmaster face shifted, then he turned to Thomas, "Deputy director, if we may wrap this up, an issue has come up that requires my immediate attention."

Thomas waved him off, "go ahead Armsmaster, I can wrap up here without you."

Armsmaster glanced at us before back at the deputy director, "sir-"

"It's fine Armsmaster, I'm sure they won't be so foolish as to attack me in the PRT's own building."

Armsmaster seemed briefly conflicted, looking at us and back at Thomas before then briskly nodding and leaving. As soon as the door clicked shut, Thomas's cool demeanour surprisingly stayed on as he regarded us.

"Undersiders." He finally spoke, as if we were a fond family relative he hadn't seen in a long time.

"Thomas." I acknowledged back, taking brief pleasure in how his jaw tightened, his knuckles becoming white. Man, maybe office political mind games were fun after all.

Then it was gone, and the smile was back "we're on a first name basis I see."

"Cut the bullshit Coil, what do you want?" Tattletale asked, crossing her arms.

"I'd like you back in my employ, and I'd like to know what drove some of my most esteemed employees away?" He spread his hands, "I value all feedback."

"Huh, let me think, how about a gun to my fucking head!" Tattletale snaped back, glaring.

"Lisa, I had to ensure you were on my side, before anyone else could get you, it's a choice I greatly regret, but it was one that in the moment had to be made."

"You think I'm believing any of that crap you just tried to shovel on us?" Tattletale asked, narrowing her eyes, "I see right fucking through you, comes with the power, as you'd know."

"I can triple your salaries," Thomas offered.

"Fuck. You." Tattletale spat.

"Now hold on just a moment," Regent piped up, leaning forward "triple?"

Grue promptly elbowed the boy in the gut.

"So, you all feel this way, there is nothing I could do to bring you back. Money? Taylor, your search for your father? I recently got a lead."

"I'm sure you did," I spoke sarcastically.

The man sighed and shook his head, "Brian, Aisha, Alec, do you feel the same way?"

"I know you're a manipulative piece of shit and I trust Skitter and Tattletale a literal fuck-ton more then I will ever trust you." Imp crossed her arms, likely glaring from behind her mask.

"Same, I trust my friends, I don't trust you." Grue copied his sister by crossing his arms as well, the family resemblance shining through.

"Triple the money…" Regent sighed, before then holding his hands up at our collective looks, "but it's basically worthless, so whatever right?"

Thomas shook his head, "I… I am disappointed, but I guess I cannot stop you. I won't keep you."

I trusted Thomas about as far as I could throw him, which meant I didn't trust him at all. But at the moment, I couldn't be sure what his plan was, so I just had to focus on protecting me and mine.

"We'll be seeing you around, Tom." I let a fly lazily fly from the vent and land on his hand, Thomas's eyes focusing on it as he lifted it to his face, inspecting it.

"Well" Imp said as gathered in the elevator to go to the ground floor, "That was weird as fuck, Rright?"

"He was faking it," Tattletale informed us.

"No shit sherlock," Regent muttered.

"Any idea what he's gonna do?" Grue asked, ignoring Regent as was the usual.

"No, but we can safely assume he won't send a parahuman group after us, maybe mercenaries? I haven't payed off a substantial number of them yet, so that's more likely. He definitely wants us to fail this." Tattletale murmured, hand to her chin.

"Well, he's in for a disappointment." I stated as the elevator reached the ground floor.

~§~

To say seeing the docks in person was a fun experience was not, seeing the burnt wreckage of what had once been… well, the docks had never been a lively part of town what with all the gangs. But still, as my Dad's daughter, it hurt seeing the docks decimated like they were.

The infected were also everywhere. We were mostly following a trail of infected bodies, bullet holes in them indicating the military patrol's route. But zombies were aplenty, if not standing in the streets doing nothing, then hiding out in the burnt husks of houses, several dozen crammed into tight spaces.

It was our first time actually coming face to face with zombies since arriving, as I didn't have enough bugs by volume to deal with every infected in my range (only so much Flies could do to an enemy that didn't need to breath or see). They were rather sickening to look at, dead grey skin, dried blood or sometimes even fresh blood with still bright skin. Sunken bloodshot eyes, dishevelled clothes and oily unkempt hair.

The smell was the worst part though, what had so far only been a light background scent, was now a full-on tidal wave like stench of decay and rot. It had only stopped being vomit inducing after ten minutes, but it still made my stomach roil and protest at what I was putting my body through.

"I suppose we should feel grateful that these aren't the running kind of zombies," Regent commented dispassionately as he casually tripped several currently shambling towards us, "but honestly, I'd prefer no zombies. Less work that way"

"Of course, that's your only complaint," Imp spoke from behind him, watching as he worked. "Not the fact that they want to eat us or anything, just that you have to work more because of them."

"I mean, I'm still of the opinion we should just let them eat us and be done with it." He held his hands up quickly at the groups collective look, "I'm just saying, you tell me we're supposed to die, there's an easy option, none of you will take it."

"Because more than likely, what will happen is someone will come along and save us, last second," Tattletale ground out. "As we have explained, many times."

"Sounds like I've struck a nerve."

"Shut the fuck up, that was awful," Imp spoke, more mirth in her voice than anything else.

"Focus," Grue snapped, glancing at them. He was giving off a constant cloud of darkness that hung at the dog's feet in a constant blanket, muffling the heavy footfalls and the clacking of the mutated jagged claws on tarmac. Brian had never said anything before about his power being taxing to use, but I imagined he was feeling tense at having to constantly use it and make sure it covered the dogs paws.

"The bodies stop the next block over," I informed the group as we steadily advanced. "There's… yeah, those are military uniforms I'm feeling on some of the infected… and some dead up ahead."

Regent shrugged. "Great, they're dead, let's turn back and-"

"You know we would just be sent out again to find what's going on here," Tattletale spoke, glancing at Regent.

"Ugh, I swear it's almost like you enjoy work." The boy complained.

I frowned as I realised something about the bodies. The one's that weren't moving either had gunshot wounds to the head, or their upper bodies had been crushed by a great force. The one's that were moving were mostly all crawling, as their legs were crushed. Others were standing, but they usually had a crushed arm. Something was up.

"Mango, be on guard."

That got Regent to finally shut up, the rest of the Undersiders tensing as we rounded the final corner and could come face to face with the scene. The street was normal for a few meters, burnt out houses and scorched tarmac. Then it got nasty, bullet holes littered the still standing structures. Brown dried blood covered the streets in massive smears, body parts lacking a body, chunks of things that most likely needed to stay inside someone for them to be healthy.

The street ended in a dead end, a pile of rubble and detritus at the end where a building used to be. Crawling and shambling aimlessly on the street were zombies in military uniform, looking just like I had felt through my bugs.

"Well this is just fucking nasty," Regent whispered, I was thankful he at least had the forethought to keep the noise low.

"They look like they were hit by a vehicle," Tattletale murmured as she looked at them.

"I'm not getting anything with a Tinker vibe nearby," I said, "the jamming device may be somewhere else…"

"Should we go?" Grue asked, "or should we deal with them, then leave?"

I glanced at the zombies before shaking my head "they're not real, no suffering to end, let's just go."

As the dogs began to back up, several things happened.

A sudden strong breeze blew by, strong enough to thin Grue's darkness. Two, at some point in the past, someone had clearly tried to access the swears, as the manhole cover was propped on the curb. This was revealed, just as Brutus's paw knocked it, creating a loud metal clang that attracted every zombie's attention.

It was then I found something in the rubble of the destroyed building at the end of the street. An infected just lying amongst the rubble, and something that was vibrating and sparking.

Before I could announce my find though, my bugs picked up that the rubble was shifting, something slipping through it. I felt the infected moving, and then watched as the rubble pile rose to be twenty feet tall with a humanoid shape, a sparking device of some description on the things chest that was obviously the Tinker device.

"A parahuman?" Grue said, eyeing the giant as it began to march toward us.

"No, there's a zombie in there!" I called back.

I heard Tattletale make a noise of realisation behind me, and then she called to the group "It's Mush!"

"Infected capes keep their powers?!" Regent yelled.

The massive trash golem began to shamble toward us, just like the many zombies we had seen on the way here. Except its size meant it was easily able to follow us, crushing it's fellows in the process.

"It would appear so!" Tattletale called back.

"Left!" I called, directing the dog with a tug. The turn was sharp and I looked back, hoping that the Golem would lose interest or be slowed by the turn. I didn't account for it simply walking through the destroyed corner building, adding more to its mass as it stayed in pursuit. I reached into my pouch and pulled out the PRT issued phone, only to see the screen light up with 'SIGNAL BLOCKED' before I could even do anything. I looked back to the Golem, specifically its chest where the device was.

It had a blue light surrounded by bent and broken metal panels that rotated around it, constructed from junk and sending out pulses every few seconds. How had a Tinkertech device remained functioning for years with no Tinker to maintain? My eyes moved back to the Golem itself. What was Mush's power? He could collect loose debris and centre it around himself, a Changer that got minor Brute ratings when he had sufficient mass. While usually not much of a problem for us, at that size there was very little we as a group could do with our powers. Bitch and her dogs were our powerhouses and it would take time to scale one of the dogs up large enough to fight it on equal footing, not even accounting for the toll it would take on Rachel.

"We need to destroy the device!" I called. That was our main target, if we could destroy the device, we could get Protectorate support.

"How?" Grue asked as he threw up a wall of his inky darkness between us and the Golem, only for the thing to simply walk through the darkness with no issue, still eagerly following us.

I felt Tattletale bat my hair- currently flowing with the wind and consequently into her face- aside and called out, "Star Wars!"

"Is now really the time?" Regent called back.

"We get some cable or something, and we wrap it around its legs! Like in that Star Wars movie!" She clarified.

"Then when its down, we can easily take care of the device and get backup," I summarised before nodding, "okay, where do we get cable?"

"Downed telephone poles?" Grue suggested.

I looked around. There were plenty of them, though most of their wiring consisted of melted rubber puddles on the sidewalks and roads. I also noticed that the noise was attracting a lot of attention, zombies were emerging from dark scorched alleyways, derelict buildings becoming alive as the dead rose to emerge into daylight.

Then I spotted one, it was a block over, two somehow still standing telephone poles, nothing connecting to them.

"A block over to the right!" I called, "we'll need to use the dogs to knock the poles over!"

It was a mad rush to get to the cables, the dogs definitely had the manoeuvrability and speed, but the Golem could walk through buildings in a straight b-line for us. In addition, every destroyed building added to its size, making its leg movements longer bit by bit and increasing its speed. It wasn't quite keeping pace with us, but that would change soon unless we did something.

The telephone poles came into view, they were untouched, remarkably so considering their flame touched surroundings.

"Bitch, ram left! Regent right!"

For once Regent didn't snark back, instead actually doing as asked and directing his dog to the pole. The wooden poles were thin, and the dogs had bone plate armour, they didn't stand a chance. With a crack and the sound of snapping wood they fell, the wire falling to the ground.

"Grue!" I called as I quickly dismounted, keeping track of the Golem through my bugs. It was currently smashing through a small apartment complex, growing in size and making a lot of noise. Zombies were crawling out of their abodes, drawn by the noise.

I grabbed one end, Grue grabbed the other and we ran back to the dogs. I took Tattletales offered hand and she helped haul me up, back on the dog I urged Brutus forward, Regent and Imp charging ahead to stay ahead of the wire now between Brutus and Angelica. The Golem stepped out onto the street and began to shuffle toward us, crushing more zombies in its path. The dogs were able to effortlessly bash the infected aside with little to no trouble.

"Remember, wrap it round its legs but don't let go, we need to keep it tight so it doesn't slide off!" I called out. Grue didn't give any visual or audible response, I also imagined he knew that, but saying it aloud granted me some semblance of control over the situation.

It would be a complicated move, we would have to take care so as to not run into each other as we did this. Then here was no time to think things through further as the cable began to wrap around the dogs. We were on the inside and I put a hand behind me, finding Tattletales head and pushing to duck under Grue's cable when it passed.

The Golem then smashed a fist into the ground, missing Angelica by meters but making the dog stumble, that in turn caused Grue to have to let go of the cable so he wasn't thrown off. The cable fell to the floor and unwrapped from the Golem's trash legs, now trailing behind Brutus.

"Oh, that's just great!" Regent sarcastically called.

A fly going in Regent's mouth right now would likely cause the boy to choke, I decided not to, my decision aided by the fact that none of my bugs could keep up with us.

"Sorry!" Grue called, "we'll need to slow down so I can grab it!"

Slowing down now was risky, the zombies that were merging onto the street, combined with the massive Golem shambling ever after us at increasing speeds.

"Get some distance!" I called.

The dogs still had the Golem beat in speed, but only just. The thing didn't seem to realise it was speeding up with every bit of mass it gained, and when we got onto a straight long street, we would race ahead of it. We were leaving the docks now, coming toward the intact but still abandoned northern parts of Brockton, nearer to where my house was.

When the Golem was some distance behind us, I directed Brutus closer to Angelica. Grue understood my plan as he grabbed close to where my hand held the cable and Bitch began to draw Angelica away, the cable slipping through Grue's hands before he seized it just near the end.

We turned the dogs around in a large circle, Regent keeping Judas out of the way. When we faced the right direction the dogs once more were urged forward, infected being quickly trampled under mutated dog paw as the Golem came closer and closer.

"Don't circle this time!" I called, "Just straight through!"

Bitch nodded as she pushed Angelica faster, I did the same with Brutus. I noted in this instance that while they were both the same size, Angelica was slightly faster than Brutus. Brutus was trying his best, but he was beginning to slow down. We needed to get this done fast.

The Golem raised one of its arms up and began to bring it down, metal rebar poles forming claws as it descended toward us. However, the Golem didn't account for the fact that, because it was bigger, it moved much slower and it was much heavier.

The fist harmlessly destroyed a chunk of road behind us and the Golem keeled over, going to all fours to support itself. Our cable then impacted its legs. There was a moment of resistance, the cables tension increasing in my hands as I grit my teeth, hoping it wouldn't snap. Then the cable cut clean through the legs and the golem fell to the road, front first.

There was a mighty electric sounding explosion, I looked back to see that the Golem's trash body had detonated, debris flying everywhere as a blue light dissipated in the air. I dropped the cable then pointed to a nearby intact building, guiding Brutus over to it. A quick jump later and we were gathered on the roof top.

I dismounted Brutus and grabbed the phone, quick dialling the PRT hotline.

I didn't even need to wait as I was immediate out through to Armsmaster with his quick, "Undersiders, Armsmaster speaking, situation?"

"We found the source of the jamming, Tinkertech. Was attached to Mush." In the background I began to build a sizeable swarm around us.

"Mush is alive?" Armsmaster asked, his voice disbelieving.

"No, definitely dead."

"Did you-"

"No, he was a zombie."

Silence before, "Explain."

I briefly recounted the events that lead to the discovery of Mush, Armsmaster only humming in acknowledgment occasionally. When I finished he immediately picked up.

"Is Mush still active?"

"Definitely," I spoke, watching as the debris and trash began to reform itself into a shape.

"Parahuman aid will arrive shortly, try to keep it distracted so it doesn't approach the wall, ETA two minutes."

"Roger that," I dropped the call, "two minutes till help arrives."

"Nice, now we can sit back and relax," Regent said, arms behind his head as he leaned backwards.

I watched as zombie continued to emerge onto the street, a sizable horde building.

"Parahuman zombies keep their powers," I muttered in disbelief.

"Truly a terrifying prospect." Tattletale agreed, standing next to me "every Parahuman is dangerous, what if one of the Triumvirate is infected? Legend, Alexandria, Eidolon."

I shuddered, "there are worse ones, Panacea for instance."

"Focus, what should we do now?" Grue asked, stepping up and crossing his arms.

"Bitch, how are the dogs?" I asked, looking to the girl.

"They need rest, soon." She spoke, her hand rubbing Brutus's nose as the dog lay down, panting heavily.

"The zombies are growing denser, not much we can really do without endangering ourselves too much," I looked around, "We just need to keep the Golem occupied. Since we're in a nicer part of town, we can run the dogs around on the rooftops, keeping us safe from the infected be-"

I cut myself off as a small pinprick hole bored its way through my bugs. A bullet. The swarm wasn't thick enough to slow it down, but it was enough for me to plot out it's path as it travelled, going for-

"Grue look-!" I tried to push the boy aside, then I collapsed to the ground as pain flooded my left arm, my vision going foggy. Lisa appeared, she was shouting something. I could see Aisha, she was crouched over Brian. There was a lot of blood and shouting.

Blood.

Freckles.

Lisa was still speaking.

Blood.

Pain.

Then I let the darkness take me.

Chapter Text

My eyes fluttered open again, I was back in the cell, glass walls around me, it looked like nothing had changed. Even the device above me was sparking and jittering still, however it now looked worse for wear. I could hear things now, they were muffled, but present. I heard a voice speak, it was warm and weirdly familiar… it made me think of my mom.

"Warning: Hostile Parahumans have entered the facility, Hostile Parahumans have entered the facility. Please remain calm and locate the nearest exit or safe room."

Red lights were flashing on the walls, and I could now make out hazy figures on lab coats scrabbling around, working seemingly in a hurry. I noted there was a mask on my face, like the ones people in hospital wear to help them breathe, I didn't remember if I've ever worn one before.

"B̢͕̥̲̝̘͔̦̺̣̋͐̒̆̍͂͑͌l͉̭̟̱͕̃̌̋̔́͋́̚͜o͈̜͎͓̭̼̼͕̫̒̅̓̂̄͢͝͝w̶̨̢̢͍̞̆͛͂̇̒͘͘͜… w̻̖͈͍͖͊͑̏́̄̒̄̄͑̕ȃ̴̡̢͈̠̖̤̪̖̫̘̔͗̀͊̐͠͞l̬͚̥̗̦̋͑̄́͟͜͝͡͞ͅl̴̮̙̖̩͙̬̞͇͔͒͑̉̔͞ͅ."

There was a flash and some of the scientists stumbled as a chunk of the wall detonated. The figures standing in it were blurry and hard to make out, like the others. I realised I didn't have my glasses on.

"Warning: Khepri containment has been damaged, Khepri containment has been damaged. Please remain calm and carry out Protocol Chainless Scarab"

I could see it, some of the clear glass like walls surrounding me had cracked from fragments of the explosion. I watched as the figure stepped into the room, seemingly ignoring the terrified people around them. Then they were obscured as a foam like substance filled the space between the two glass walls, followed by thick metal shutters lowered over the glass, cutting off all light into my chamber. A light flicked on, and I was alone.

"Ť̷̨̛̖̥̮̣̫̭̲͒̎̀̄̑́͠͡h̴͚̗̺̣͒̆̿̊̓̽͑̈̓͘͢ẹ̣̥͇̹͇͓̭̣̹̎̒̈́͆͆̑͞ŕ̶̨̧̛̖͔͖̖̳͖́͋̋̔̆e̜̤͙̟̽̊͢͞͡͝͡͠ … p̮͇̦̠̑̓̏̈͌̇͒́̊͢͢͠r̩̹͈̖̜̖̹̟̲̂́͂̾̉͛̍̎̍i̞̼̩̲̦̣͓̠̭͐͊̓̈́̏͝z̷̩̙͇͉̟̝̺̄̒͋̎̓͘͡͠e̡̛͎̙̫͚̬͗̔̀̓̌̚ͅͅ … p̨̧̼͓͇̬̪͕̏̿̇̂̽̓̉̌͜͞r̵͔͍̩̥̜̠͎̐͂̄̿͒͘͝ë̡̞̘̱͎̮̼̬́̒͋̅̄̆̃̅͒̉͟p̴̛͚̫̟͕͎̾͐̂̾̄͊̿̏å̸̻̟̼͚̞͖͆̂̎̈͆͜͝͠ȑ̛̝͔̮̥̙̙̍̔͊̏̋͑̎͝ͅę̵̜͕̠̜̣̩͉̪͍͗͒̆̐͠ … t̸̢̩̩̼͇̼͉͉̤̒͐̌͛͢͠r̢̫̫͍̖̀́̒͊̈́̊̆͌̚ā̟̠̣̤̣̩̅̿̓́͑̃̇̆ͅň̷̛̙̤̹̭͙̊̿̈́́̀͗͝s̥͎͉̙̼̟̿́̍͌̅̇͝ͅp̴̢̲̖̲͍͙̘̼͑̔͆̈̂ǒ̴̩̺̝̤̩͐͌̓̇͜r̩̩̝͇̪̎̂̇͂͝t̸̢̼͇̝̟͎̙̦̲́̿́͒͒͋̇̀̓̉͜ …"

"Ŝ͈̞̣̻̒͆̀̓́͐̔̐͟͡ḫ̶̯̹̙̫̐̿̍̔̕͢͟i̡͕̺̹̞̰͂́̈̐̽͗̒͟͝t̡̡̛̼͓̲̹̮̤̓͋̈́̓͜͞ w̢̛̦̣̤͍͇͌́͂̐̿̀̕͡à̧̰͖͖̤̻͖͖̼̓̈́̽̂̀̒͞ͅs̵̼̟̪͚̠̰̳̈̂̊̏̋… ą̵̢̦̪̺̇̈̌̆̔͛͝͞ẘ̪̗̹̖͈̹̣̍͊͋̎̔̃͘͝á̶̡̺̳͓͙̦̥͉̬̽̔̈̅͒̃͟k̳̲̗͈̠͗̄͛͌͘͟͡é̜͖̯̹͖͇͈́͆͊͌̄̉̌̕̚?̛͕̣͉͙͍͙̉̏͑̈́̏͂͞"

"Warning: Khepri has awoken, Khepri has awoken. Please remain calm, Protocol Tutu"

A more tinny sounding voice spoke above me, from the Tinker machine. It was soothing, recognisable like the other one.

"Playing recording seven: subject unexpectedly awakens…" there was a beep, then "Khepri… Taylor, if you can understand this… or hell, even if you can't then I'm sure you have a lot of questions. For your safety as well as the staff's here, you're going to be put temporarily back under while we organise ourselves to be better prepared. I will explain everything, I promise."

There was a hissing noise, like a gas being released, and then nothing at all…

~§~

"Yeah… yeah that's her alright… what's she doing here?"

A feather light touch, felt from a thousand universes away

"You understand I can't just-"

"Tell me Doctor, or some unfortunate things get to the wrong ears."

Sigh. "She was delivered here in a… similar state to like she is now, a note as well-"

"Do you have it?"

"What?"

"Jesus Chris- the note! Do you have it?"

"I mean, I'm pretty sure I kept it in my office somewhere-"

"Go get it, I want to see it."

"But-"

"Selling recently deceased patients organs to the highest bidder Doctor Shepard, ring any bells?"

Hurried footsteps, retreating far far away.

"Oh Taylor… what happened?"

~§~

She stood in her black chitin armour, gilded gold along the edges. Her crest on the centre piece on her chest, the scarab seizing the sun in its pincers.

The crown was heavy on her head with its fractal gemstones, seemingly coming in and out of reality as they pleased. Sometimes it would slip, and she would be temporarily unable to hear as it whispered in her ear. She knew she was not the correct choice for this burden, but no one else was stepping up to take it.

She sometimes worried the crown made most of the decisions for her.

The battlefield had once been a lush expanse of fields and forests. That was now all gone, burned away, now it was black and scorched. In the distance a mountain loomed, thunderclouds and lightning striking it.

"My queen?"

She turned to regard her royal advisor, blonde hair blowing in the wind, freckles on her face that made her so conventionally attractive. Those bottle green eyes that seemed to know things, looking into the void until the void spat out answers in hopes to appease her.

Yet, she was not the one chosen for this task.

"Yes, Lisa?"

"Are you sure you want to do this?" The woman asked, "we don't even know if this is reversable, what if-?"

"Victory requires sacrifice, Lisa." She spoke solemnly, turning back to the soon to be battlefield, "and I will sacrifice whatever it takes to win."

"But why does it have to be you, Taylor? Just you? You never ask for help, and to some that's admirable, but that's not the wise choice here, you-"

"The decision has been made Lisa." She shook her head, "there is no time to change it."

Lisa clenched her fists, then growled, "fine, just… try not to die."

She smiled, letting out a sot breathe through her nose, "I'll give it my all."

"Fucking better." Lisa stalked off.

She turned, armour clinking as she walked down the hill, descending toward the soon to be battlefield, she passed loyal soldiers, all standing at attention, until she reached the bottom.

The witch emerged from her tent, grey robes and skin stained with ink, a frown was on her face.

"Amy, is everything ready?"

The witch nodded, "just waiting on you, and of course… him."

As if on cue, the ground began to quake and in the distance the mountain cracked, splitting open. A massive golden hand rose, high, high into the sky, then came down, grabbing the side of the mountain and pushing, a golden glow beginning to emerge from the remains of the mountain.

"Do it." The queen ordered, the crown on her head beginning to quiver in excitement.

The witch did not fight, instead her hands glowed.

She cast her spell.

The sun completed its rise into the sky, announcing the arrival of what was possibly the final morning.

The crown and the queen merged.

Khepri opened her eyes.

~§~

"That's Taylor."

"I did say it was."

"How'd she get here, Tats?"

"Hospital has no idea and there's only so much I can do with my network. Note gave me most of the leads, which was precisely one. Contessa."

Some soft curses.

"What's wrong with her?"

"Coma, something to do with brain damage… looks like she'd been shot in the head, then repaired."

"Fuck."

"Mm, I compared what the Doctor gave me to other healing powers I could find, only thing that fits is Panacea."

"How long has she…?"

"She was admitted as soon as the Hospital opened, about… five or six months after everything."

"All this time, she was here…"

"Are we… are we sure it's her? Towards the end, she was…"

"I know, but here she is now, and she needs help."

"We protecting the hospital?"

"Subtly, if you could, I know you and your kids aren't a team anymore but-"

"Yeah yeah, don't worry, for her, I'll pull favours."

"Thank you, Imp. Bitch?"

"Tell me what you need."

"I will, when the time comes. Grue?"

"I… okay."

~§~

I fall to my knees, feigning utter defeat as the camera rolled.

"No, all my evil plans! Ruined! How could you Armsmaster?" I cried, putting as much defeat and anguish into my voice as possible, burying my masked face in my hands.

"Because crime doesn't pay," the stoic man spoke, walking toward me, "and causing others pain is never the answer to your own."

I raised my head, to see his metal hand extended toward me, a smile on his face.

"But the best way to overcome your pain, is to reach out to others." He spoke softly.

I wiped away the fake tears on my mask, looking between the hand, his smiling face, and the face of the smiling Protectorate and Wards.

I sniffed as I took the hand, "you're right, crime… crime isn't right Armsmaster."

"No, it isn't," he pulled me to my feet, "and you've caused a lot of trouble, but you can redeem yourself, no one is ever too far gone."

I wasn't sure whether he was speaking to me or the camera at that point, but I nodded fiercely anyway, "you're right Armsmaster, what I did wasn't right, and I'll work hard to make up for it and keep America safe!"

He smiled widely and nodded in approval, the other Wards and Protectorate heroes cheering and clapping.

"Cut!" The faceless director called, "that was good people, that's it for today."

I watched as the other actors all took off their helmets and masks, becoming normal, regular people rather than the faceless heroes of good. I reached up as well. I tugged but frowned as the mask stayed stuck to my face, unmoving, uncompromising. I tugged harder, yet still it did not move. Then I stopped, cold dread filling me as I realised.

At some point along the way, I had forgotten how to.

~§~

"Oh my… Taylor…"

That feather light touch, a thousand miles away yet ever near as well.

"Like I said, she's been in a coma for the better part of three years, since twenty thirteen."

"But she's healthy, okay?"

"Okay as someone who's been in a coma for three years can be. I only found out about her a week ago."

"Tattletale… Lisa, I know we… have never really seen eye to eye… but thank you."

"Don't thank me yet Mr Hebert, I'm looking into possible… treatments."

"Do you… think that's wise? I've heard what she was like, in the end… and… well…"

"I'm bringing her back Mr Hebert, and nothing is going to stop me."

Silence for a long while, so long.

"Then… just say the word, if you need anything."

~§~

I couldn't move, couldn't breathe. I was left, sitting on the desk, watching as the blonde girl tore apart her doll, stuffing flying everywhere.

"I'll make you better," she spoke affectionately as she meticulously removed every last piece from inside the now deflated doll, "hmm, maybe bigger, stronger? Would need to get more material."

The child's bedroom was a reflection of her sick twisted hobby. Dolls and toys all around, taken apart and put back together like fucked up Frankensteins. I was next, I could tell with the dread in my gut. I was left to sit and watch as the blonde girl worked, tongue sticking out between her lips and working with the lamp light.

"Huh! I know! You can guard my room! Yes, I can put your head up in the corner, so you can keep an eye out for intruders."

The girl giggled and eagerly got to work, grabbing her scissors. I watched as she cut and sewed, working with a frantic energy that only a child could possess as her eager movements spread the dolls insides all over the work top, some falling to the floor and one piece brushing my leg. I wanted to recoil away from it, to scream, to do anything.

But I could not.

When her work was done, she hopped from her chair and giggled in excitement as she ran to the far corner of her room, hopping onto her bed as she grabbed some cello tape. When she hopped away, brown eyes were left to survey the room, seemingly staring straight at me.

The girl grinned at her accomplishments, then her gaze turned to me.

She hopped back in her chair and her hand grabbed me, pulling me forward as she studied me, idly brushing my hair.

"Skitter… What to do with you…" her face then lit up, an idea coming to mind, "You love bugs! I could turn you into a bug home for the garden!"

The thought of bugs crawling all over me and being unable to move, of spiders living inside me, crawling along my skin and-

"No, dad got mad after the red pond incident…" the girl hummed, then reached over and brought forward one of her metal spider toys. It was one of those kit things you could assemble yourself and it would move its legs. "I know what to do with you," she finally said, grinning down at me with love in her eyes, stroking my hair, "you'll fit right in as one of my pets."

I was laid out on the table, my soon to be new body nearby. The girl grabbed my head and turned it to the ceiling, her eyes narrowing in concentration as she brought the knife down.

I felt it cutting my skin, could feel my insides spilling out.

Then there was a knocking at the door, the girl stopped and looked behind her, my head lolling to the side as she let go. A man entered the room, black hair and a sharp face, smiling softly. He looked down and stepped around something, there's a scuttling and the paws on the desk, a grey head with pointed ears, one missing a chunk from it, scratches on a black nose as a drooling dog eyed me, stuffing in its mouth and a wag in its tail.

"Ned, that's mine!" The girl took the stuffing from the dog.

"Hey there Riley," the man says in a smooth voice, "you ready to go?"

"Ugh, dad, do I have to?"

The man laughs good naturedly, "I'm afraid so, yes."

"Ugh, find, let me get my shoes."

Riley leaves, and I'm left alone, a cut on my forward with my stuffing spilling out.

Riley puts her shoes on and leaves, the man called the dogs name and the dog finally stopped eyeing me, scurrying out the door.

The man pauses, then looks at me, smirks and winks before then closing the door. Leaving me to look at my soon to be new body, and know I can't do anything to stop it.

~§~

"Any progress?"

"It's slow, I have a few ideas, but… this has to be handled delicately."

"'Cause she mind controlled like, every Cape ever?"

"Yes… that… which I would appreciate if you didn't say out loud."

"Yeah yeah, I'm going out on patrol, otherwise Florence will have forced someone to sing Drunken sailor whenever they think of boats or some shit."

Sigh. "Well, Taylor, it's been about… three months since I found you. I'm working hard, but I also have to do it discreetly. Lots of eyes on me, y'see… well, I suppose you don't…"

Silence, long enough for me to watch empires rise and fall.

"I don't even know why I talk to you, like this. They say that coma patients can hear you… but is that true? Quick, wake up if it's true!"

A chuckle. "Yeah, didn't think that would work, but it was worth a try… I… I don't know if you even are Taylor in there, anymore… but I owe it to her…"

The creaking of wood and then a whisper, breathe that's feather light and tingles. "She also owes me a fair bit as well, so we should probably call it even, but I'm gonna get you out of here, because I'm an overachiever."

A touch on my hand, brief and not there.

"We'll get you out of this Tay… don't you worry."

~§~

"My dear Taylor, this is all an elaborate game, between us and the Popo." Tattletale spoke, twirling her bushy black moustache and leaning on her cain.

"How so?" I asked, tilting my head.

"Well, us scallywags, sure, we're scoundrels, brigands and general ill-doers. But we're the very model of the perfect bandits." Tattletale swept her cain over the bay, the factories pouring poisonous smog into the sky, beyond the upper-class areas out of the way while the poorer neighbourhoods were smothered.

"For you see, the nasty ones. They're the ones the real heroes fight, Army boy and Militia girl. They're fighting those scoundrels like Lung and The Kaiser. While us, well, we're certainly the worst sort for the rich echelons of society. But our crimes are victimless, some rich housewife is missing her priceless broch that once sat among many others? But we didn't rob that mother working nine to five just to feed her children. Perfect criminals for the juniors and young scallywags to fight like Kid Win and that scamp Vista!"

"And if we're caught?"

"Ha! We never are! Because the Heroes don't want to upset the city too much. They want us around for the chance that we'll fight the Foes of Humanity! Even then, they wouldn't throw us into the Queens mines on our first penalty, just regular normal prison."

Tattletale stopped on the edge of the building, taking a moment to survey the city before sighing, "but look at me, I have been palavering to long!"

Tattletale held out a hand, her cane resting by her side, her hair and coattails flowing in the wind. "So, young Taylor, would you like to embark on an epic journey of riches and adventure?"

I looked between the hand and her face, thinking. My father sprang to mind, running ragged, becoming deathly thin, coal dust dirtying his fingers. Of my mother, killed by some aristocrat going too fast on their horse. This city had taken so much from me, from the people I knew.

I reached out and took the hand, Tattletale grinned.

Time to take something from them.

~§~

"Team say that people in a coma can sometimes hear you talk…"

Silence.

"Tattletale said she was looking for a way to wake you up."

Silence.

"I don't… I don't understand what's going on with you, but I'll protect you until you do."

Silence, the feeling of something wet grazing my hand.

"They didn't want me to bring the dogs at first, but then they called Tattletale, let me in after that…"

Silence.

"I still don't get why she talks so much… but she's done right by me."

Silence.

"I've become better too, and I'm… I'm looking forward to showing you that."

Silence. Something grabbing my hand, curling around it.

It was nice.

~§~

"That man was tough," The Beastmaster noted, climbing down from her dire wolf mount.

"Tell me about it," I wheezed as I followed her.

The Beastmaster began undressing, removing her fur cloak and armour, from a riding pack she pulled more civilian clothes, pulling them on without caring for my presence. She glanced at me.

"You gonna change?"

"Don't have any spare clothes." I shrugged, feeling stupid as soon as I said it.

"Foolish." Beastmaster commented, finishing packing away looking at me, "what do you wear under?"

"A tunic and breeches."

The Beastmaster looked up to the sky and then spoke, "'tis not that cold."

I blushed but begrudgingly began to undress until my armour was stripped and I stood in just a tunic and breeches. The armour was packed into a spare saddle bag and then the Beastmaster pointed with a bark of "home!". Brutus setting off into the night

We began to walk to our base, but the cold night air caught up with me, making me shiver. That was until something was laid over my shoulders. I glanced to The Beastmaster, who did not look back, now only walking in a tunic as I pulled her cloak tighter around my body.

~§~

"Hey there Boss lady. How's it hanging?"

Silence.

"Mhm, uh huh, that's great, well, it's been good for me as well. There was like, a whole bunch of shit that went down, stuff to do with the Simurgh and like, our powers and alternate dimensions, it was craaaaaaaaaaazzzzzzzzzzzzzy."

Silence.

"You… I tried to be like you were…back in the day. A leader those kids could look up too… but… I didn't feel like one, sure, I killed their dad and freed them effectively. But…"

Silence.

"I'm not their leader anymore, they've all gone off, to do their own things and I… I don't know if that's for the best or not, whether it's my fault they're all gone or…"

Silence.

"How'd you do it, huh Tay? How the hell did you put up with just one of me? One of me and Alec? I could've used that advice, cause I was managing a dozen…"

Silence.

"Oh!" several taps on my arm, I think that was my arm. "I had a confrontation with Shadow Stalker ages ago, back like, in the early days of post Scion. She was all super edgy, I told her no one would remember her like they would you. I have no clue what she's doing now, but that just proves my point doesn't it? No one knows her, but every Cape knows you… mostly…"

Silence.

"Knowing you, I doubt that would have made you as happy as it does me… but fuck it, I'm the one who isn't a vegetable, so…"

Silence. A sigh.

"I hope Tattletale can find something, cause…I've missed you. Somehow."

Silence. A hand glancing my shoulder, or was it holding? Sensations were a blizzard, roiling and tumbling inside me.

"Get better soon."

~§~

I squinted at the girl sitting on my kitchen counter. Honestly, I probably been more freaked out about it, but after everything I'd found out about, magic, demons, angels, Hell and Heaven, it wasn't as surprising as it could be.

Also helped that in the next room my demon boyfriend was asleep and that I knew this was his sister.

"Hello, Aisha" I spoke, walking into the kitchen and looking around to prepare breakfast.

"Hm, no fear. Curious." She commented, tilting her head. She blinked, and for the briefest moment her eyes were red with black slits, like Brian's got.

"You want bacon?" I asked as I pulled put a pack.

"I prefer it fresh, but I'll take some." She said.

I nodded as I grabbed a pan.

"Have a good night with my brother then?" She asked, a knowing lilt to her voice.

"It was nice, and none of your business."

A clawed red hand wrapped around my wrist as I went to turn on the stove and I was turned around so I was staring deep into angry black slits, her red eyes burning with fire as her forked tail danced in the air. She had sharp teeth now, like those deep-sea fish you see in documentaries with their needle like shape.

"Well, I'm going to make it my business." She hissed.

"You are?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and fighting to keep any fear out of my expression and voice as her now red skin began to heat up.

"I am," She got closer, "if you hurt my brother, well…"

I felt claws ghost along the skin of my throat.

"Your life being a living hell won't be a figure of speech." She glared, "do we have an understanding?"

"That's not really fair," I point out, "we're both new to this, what if we have a fight, are you going to get involved in that as well?"

"Life isn't fair Taylor. It wasn't when we were kicked out for mingling with the 'wrong crowd', and it never will be, so-"

"Aisha, leave her alone." Brian growled as he entered the room, glaring at his sister.

Aisha spared one last glare for me before then pulling away, reverting back to her human form, "just making sure we have an understanding."

"Uh huh," Brian looked to me, "you okay?"

"I'm fine, bacon?"

He smiled, and I felt my heart warm up.

~§~

"Hey, Taylor…"

Silence.

"I died… at Gold Morning… on the rig."

Silence.

"I'm told you weren't told that, that I left… and that you believed that…"

Silence.

"I… suppose… I can't really blame Lisa for telling you that, nor you for believing it… because I probably would've if I could've…"

Silence.

"I never liked thinking about death, but… experiencing it… it… it's weird. And I came out even more fucked then I went in."

Silence.

"It's all… really complicated… but I'm working… to better myself. Mostly through Lisa's insistence… and it's helping… slightly."

Silence.

"It'll be… interesting, to have you back as well… so much has changed, with everyone… its… complicated…"

A quiet chuckle, on the fringes of reality.

"But when isn't it?"

~§~

I sat up suddenly, feeling the sweat covering my body, staining the bed sheets.

I went to wipe some off my forehead with my right hand, only for a stump to greet me. I squinted at it…

That's right… I lost it… when?

A golden man, floating.

Death, destruction. Billions.

I shakily climbed from my bed and stumbled to the window, looking out over… not Brockton, some city.

An Aleph city.

That's right, I'm not on Bet anymore. No where near my friends.

Contessa shot me, dumped me here with my Dad.

I felt tears coming to my eyes, my fists curling.

None of that was real, it was all a fucking dream. Lisa was gone, Brian was gone, Rachel was gone, Alec and Aisha were gone. All on another inaccessible earth, living a far better life without me.

I needed to let go, needed to move on, needed to… what?

I didn't know anymore.

~§~

"That is a genetic match to Taylor Hebert."

"Why does no one believe me when I say it's her."

"Because she was long thought dead." A hand, soft and warm, brushing my hair, "and some would prefer it that way."

"Yeah well, I'm special. Now, can you do anything, or am I finally going to have to go crawling to the Wardens and ask for Riley?"

"Hm… there may be… something… a project I put aside, back in the Birdcage days. A project for rehabilitating criminals that I gave up on. But I think we could repurpose it for this. Colin, what do you think?"

"We have the resources and everything necessary, I believe we have a decent chance of bringing her back… the only concerns I could see would be ethical ones."

"I will take the blame for that."

"Tattletale-"

"I'm going to get her back, let me worry about the ethical concerns. I don't even care if she hates me afterwards. As long as she's awake."

"If… if you're sure."

"I am."

Silence.

"Okay. We'll need to make preparations."

~§~

I blinked awake, again. The cell again, illuminated by a light.

"Subject awake."

The Tinker tech above me descended, obscuring my vision of the cell.

"Repairs complete. Reinitiating subject into simulation."

Chapter Text

"Taylor."

I snapped my eyes open, I saw white robes moving away briskly, a familiar red cross on the back. Panacea. I blinked the haziness from my eyes, trying to get my thoughts together. That had been a lot to take in. That had definitely been the real world, I felt it for sure. The cell, the attacking parahumans…

That voice as well… it had been familiar? Why was it familiar? Something about…

"Taylor."

Fingers clicking in front of my eyes. I scowled and went to shove them away, only to stop and stare at the stump that was left of my left arm. Calling it a stump would be generous, all things considered, more a nub.

That was the point when I noticed the dull throb emanating from it.

"Wha…" I trailed off, still taking everything in.

"Oh hey, your finally awake." Alec spoke, his dark curls bouncing as he shook his head, "all of you have been out like lights for the past day."

"Day?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's been like, a day at least." Alec shrugged then bit his lip in an unusual display of emotion, "there's… worse news than your arm though."

I swallowed as I looked around the room, it was the infirmary of the PRT building, Panacea was nowhere to be seen, swept away in a flurry of robes. Lisa, Rachel and Aisha all slept in chairs nearby, but…

"Where's Brian?" I asked, already knowing but foolishly hoping-

"He… didn't make it boss." Alec said, leaning back and frowning, "bullet hit his chest, completely shredded his heart, that's what they told me anyway."

I swallowed. Brian was gone, that was good and bad. Good, because dying was the point, bad because Brian was gone.

"Fuck." I breathed, letting my head hit the pillow.

"Mm," Alec agreed, "fucker still owed me a twenty."

"Not the time, Alec," I growled out before sitting up and snapping, "Lisa! Aisha! Rachel!"

Lisa sat bolt upright, eyes wide open in alarm before her eyes landed on me and they widened even more as she scrambled backwards, knocking over her chair in the process as she grabbed Aisha's collar and dragged the girl with her, yelling out, "Alec, Rachel, get away from her!"

Alec just rose a lazy eyebrow, unmoving as he leaned back in his chair. Rachel just scowled as she looked at Lisa.

I just stared in bewilderment at Lisa as she scrambled a good sixteen feet away from me.

There was silence in the infirmary, apart from Aisha coughing and rubbing her throat, staring wide eyed between me and Lisa.

"Well," Alec drawled, "that was… certainly something."

Lisa blinked, frowned and rubbed her head. Then she stood up with a grunt.

"Okay, something fucky going on there… I… I had this…" she composed herself for a moment before trying again, "my body just screamed at me to get away from you…"

"And is your body screaming anything else or-"

"Shut up dickhead," Lisa shot back with a frown, rubbing her eyes as she came closer once again. "I had a flash of… well it was a bit like this room, but more…there was a machine above me? And I was conscious enough to hear an alarm?"

"Same." Aisha coughed, glaring at Lisa, "did you have to drag me by my fucking neck?"

"Sorry, just a blind reaction." Lisa glanced at Rachel, Alec and me, "you three had anything similar?"

"I dunno," Rachel grunted, "none of it made sense."

"I was back in my cell, the circular one. There are parahumans attacking where we're being kept, I saw them, and I bet you're in the same facility," I spoke, frowning, "though I also remember not seeing any of you guys nearby?"

"Possibly separate cells…" mused Lisa, "though that also brings up if the attacking parahumans are friendly or not…"

"I'm going to get her back, let me worry about the ethical concerns."

Are my friends the hostile parahumans? Was a thought I didn't voice, nor did I voice anything I had seen or heard. Lisa briefly glanced at me, her eyes narrowing for a second, dead a moment, alive the next. The briefest of creases in her brow before she looked away from me.

Unable to offer me any assurances because just like me, she didn't know either.

"Coil killed Brian." Aisha muttered, her fists tightening.

"Definitely, fits as the person with the biggest reason to act against us at this time." Lisa looked at Aisha, "don't do what you're thinking Aisha, the Truce-"

"Does it matter? We get killed and-"

"Casual murder is not something I can endorse Aisha." I stated, looking at the girl.

She opened her mouth to argue most likely, then shut it as people entered the infirmary and we collectively turned our heads, seeing Aegis and Kid Win walking towards us.

"Undersiders." Aegis greeted, Kid Win giving a little wave over his shoulder.

"Aegis, Kid Win, is something going on?" Tattletale asked back, taking the words from me, "that's the only reason I can think that you've woken Skitter up for."

I felt a domino mask settle on my features when it definitely hadn't been there before, simulation was getting sloppy.

"Yes, its an emergency. The Simurgh has descended and is on her way here."

"Fuck me," Aisha muttered.

Tattletale frowned, "that's not her usual MO, if she descended she would have already been on top of us. No. Landed outside, she's on a course to Brockton from somewhere else."

Aegis took a moment to look at Tattletale before nodding, "correct. We woke Skitter so you could confer as a team before making any decisions. We assume Skitter won't be participating, she'll be safer in here anyway-"

I shook my head, "No, I can help."

"Skitter-" Tattletale started.

"You don't-" Aegis started at the same time.

I ignored them both as I stood on wobbly feet, the pain in my shoulder becoming worse.

"I can participate." I spoke clearly, spotting my uniform folded nearby.

"Skitter…" Tattletale cut herself off with a sigh, "fine, just…"

"We'll leave you to it, the capes are gathering in the largest conference hall we have." Aegis and Kid Win then turned and left.

"Taylor, you are so…" Lisa trailed off and shook her head, "just get ready."

I didn't reply, grabbing my costume and beginning to change, making sure Alec was looking away with a very convincing wasp sitting on his hand, buzzing angrily if he even so much as tried to turn. It was a challenge to pull everything on, I settled for tying the now empty left sleeve just below my stump, since having it flap about uselessly was pointless.

The others were either already in costume or had them mostly on anyway, so it was me slowing the group down as I fumbled with one hand. I tried to banish the thoughts of me being a detriment to the team, didn't mean they weren't there though. I turned and looked over my group. Regent, Tattletale and Bitch. We were all ready.

We made our way out of the infirmary, not even needing to guess where to go as capes I didn't recognize rushed by. We turned to follow them.

"My dogs-" Bitch started.

"No time, after the meeting. You'll likely be transport."

"I can do more."

"Infected army, animals die when they contract the virus which they can through biting the zombies. There's just not a lot the dogs can do apart from running them over and running transport."

Bitch went silent beneath her dog mask and didn't reply, clearly either unable to think up a counter, or unwilling to listen to anymore.

We came to an elevator in use, the number above changing showing that it was descending away from us.

"Why simulate the Simurgh?" Tattletale murmured next to me, "it doesn't make sense, they want to be using less computing power to keep us in longer by slowing the Tinkertech degradation speed. Simulating an Endbringer is possibly the most taxing thing they could do, on top of all the capes they need to get right to match our memories and-"

"Well," I stated, looking around, "I'm noticing a distinct lack of bugs."

"How much of a decrease, none at all or?"

"Not none, I would immediately notice that. But there's no where near the amount there should be inside PRT HQ and the same for the surrounding areas. I'm not feeling any civilian movement outside either."

"Rendering." Regent chimed in and we turned to look at him, causing him to shrug as he looked back, "what? It's a computer game thing, don't need to bother rendering what you can't see, right? Because Skitter can't get a line of sight through her bugs, I would guess the sim doesn't bother to render the people outside. Out of sight, out of mind."

"Wow, Regent actually being useful. Must be something weird in the air. I'd say water, but you only drink soda," Tattletale retorted. A glance revealed she wasn't looking at Regent, instead scowling at the elevator door, likely irritated she hadn't thought of that.

"Does any of this matter?" Bitch asked, irritated, her fists clenching, clearly eager to be with her dogs.

Tattletale shook her head, "apart from a possible way to exploit it, not really." Then she had an idea, I could tell with the way her eyes widened as she turned to me, "you should build up a swarm."

"I already am," I replied before shrugging, "it's kind of what I do."

"I know that!" Tattletale snapped back, "what I mean is that there are less bugs because the simulation is trying to slow down the degradation as much as possible, but you still need bugs for the entire thing to remain believable. So, gathering a swarm of bugs should have the desired results of causing even further degradation."

I nodded, "okay, I'll bring every bug I can to me. Though at the moment it's not a substantial amount."

Barely enough to fill up my hair, actually.

"It'll be more when we get outside. Try not to send them off to deal with things, it'll limit you, I know," she spoke, cutting off the protest on my tongue, "but in the end, what matters is getting out, rather than being effective against simulated zombies."

"Then it's probably for the best that I stick with Bitch and her dogs, running around and gathering every bug I can." I said, glancing at Bitch, "if we keep Regent and you with us, then we can run around under the guise of going where we're needed while actually just gathering bugs."

"Endbringer battles are the best place for bug hunts," Regent commented.

"I'll make sure to catch you lots of pretty butterflies," I replied, watching as the elevator ascended closer and closer to us.

"Can they be pretty pink ones?" Regent asked.

"There are no pink butterflies in the state of Maine." I responded as the doors opened and we stepped inside the elevator. "I can do you a Red Spotted Purple Admiral, which is black with blue and red spots, or a Morning Cloak Fly, they are very beautiful as well."

"Like me," Regent commented.

I chose not to reply as the elevator began to ascend, responding to a call on an earlier floor. It was swift at least. But when we arrived, there was no on there when the door opened. I stepped aside to make some room, then the doors closed again, and the elevator began to descend.

"Dammit," I barely contained my reaction as Imp appeared amongst us, "have I had my power on this whole time?"

"Seems like it, dumbass," Regent spoke.

"Damn," she cursed.

Tattletale glanced at Imp, then her eyes narrowed, her eyes becoming dead for a moment.

"Imp, what did you do?" She asked.

"Nothing!" Imp insisted, crossing her arms. I now noticed that she had her knife out, and though she had clearly done her best to wipe it off, there were still flecks of blood remaining on it. "I've been with you guys the entire time."

"Imp," I spoke again, my voice low, "whose blood is that?"

Imp looked at her knife again and idly wiped off the few spots on her black costume while muttering, "no one who's gonna be missed."

"Imp, what did you-"

I cut myself off as the elevator door opened to reveal a bored looking Vista, her power clearly in play as the corridor before us was shorter.

"Undersiders," she spoke with a bored tone, though there was surprisingly no hostility in it, "this way to the conference hall."

I shot a meaningful glance at Imp, before nodding at Vista and walking forward, ignoring how the young Ward stared at my arm as well passed. Opening the door revealed a large room filled with capes, some I knew, a lot I didn't.

We kept to the back, out of site but still with a view of the stage where the Triumvirate were gathered in full along with Armsmaster and the other Protectorate leaders.

I grabbed Imp's arm and leaned close, making sure no one could hear us.

"Imp, what did you do?" I asked, unable to stop the slight hiss.

She turned her mask to me, I assumed she was glaring back at my own. Then I blinked, wandering why I was clutching empty air. Bringing my hand back down to my side, I scowled as Imp then reappeared, a distance away.

"I avenged my brother!" she hissed before pointing, "never grab me like that again."

Avenging Brian… that would mean.

"You killed Calvert!?" I spoke through clenched teeth, trying to keep my voice down.

Imp ignored me, looking away stubbornly. I knew the others were watching us but not intervening either way. I sighed and crossed my arms, only to stop as I remembered I only had one, instead letting my remaining arm hang awkwardly at my side.

"Imp, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have grabbed you like that. But I am stressed, so I need to know Imp, did you kill Calvert. Please."

Imp glanced at me before her shoulders sagged and she looked down at the ground.

"I killed Calvert, he was in his office, on the phone to his mercenaries about securing assets and shit, and I slit his throat. Was out before his head hit the desk." Her head came up, unrepentant, "I'm not sorry."

It shouldn't have been that simple, his power meant that he just collapsed his timeline and became safe again. So how had Imp killed him? A decoy maybe? No, that had been the real Thomas we had seen, not a double. But maybe he brought in a double and slinked off to be Coil while I was out, but then why was he supposedly giving orders to his mercenaries through the phone about securing assets?

My racing mind was cut off as Legend cleared his throat and the room quieted. It was always Legend giving these speeches, though of the Triumvirate, something inside me made it feel like he was the most approachable.

"Alright, a lot of you are new, so I'll be going from the top. The Simurgh has the best survival odds of any of the Endbringers. Those odds being one in six of those present dying today."

Starting off every Endbringer briefing with a pep talk about death rates was always fun. One in six were good, but it wasn't death that anyone here was really worrying about, was it?

"Of course, that doesn't mean the Simurgh is easy. Her telekinetic control has a range enough to at least be city wide and capable of lifting entire buildings. That is the least of our problems today, however. Be aware of it, but there are higher priorities."

He lifted his arm to show the familiar Endbringer armbands, however this one was slightly bulkier.

"These are the Endbringer armbands, being handed out by the Wards. The screen notifies your position on a grid. The left button lets you send a message, however that is only for Protectorate members and veterans, every message is screened. If you must speak, say 'hard override'. Do not abuse this feature. The left button is a ping of your location if you are hurt or in danger. Press both simultaneously to request a mover to pick up injured capes."

A Ward in a blue and red costume came up to us, bag full of armbands in hand that we each took. It was bulkier than I remembered, but I slipped it on anyway and whispered my name into it.

"You'll notice these armbands are thicker then normal, this is because after twenty minutes they will detonate."

My head shot up, as did several other capes. Several capes, especially the villains, looking wearily at the armbands now.

"This is down to the second of the Simurgh's abilities, and her most dangerous. She emits a constant psychic scream. This scream allows her to manipulate you either now or in the far far future to catastrophic effect. If I can remind you all of December 2002, Switzerland. Or December 2009, Madison, just two years ago." Legend lowered his arm and then equipped the armband, saying his name into it. "We have found that twenty minutes exposure is enough, after twenty minutes, the city and civilians will be quarantined, along with any capes who go over the exposure limit and remove their armband."

I swallowed. None of this was real, but it was hard not to be intimidated right now. Just like Leviathan in Bristol I had the same thought.

I control fucking bugs.

I'm sure I also had a similar thought when Leviathan attacked Brockton in real life. My powers, both powerful and also useless.

"Important to note. The Simurgh has been known to build Tinker tech devices with no obvious function until its too late. She is known to construct them in such a way that destroying them causes even worse effects if not done correctly. Such as Rio back in 2005, with those fires that took months to put out and destroyed large portions of the rainforest. We know she is currently wielding a device she is using to lead a large army of infected towards us. The military will be working in tandem with us, warships will be offshore and will begin to bombard the abandoned parts of the city when the Simurgh has left. The military personnel will worry about the infected while we focus the Simurgh."

"Three minutes out, we can see her on the horizon." Echoed over the intercom. A man, sounding gruff, stereotype American general you hear in those Aleph Vietnam and other war movies.

"Finally," Legend continued as the gathered capes began to grow antsy, "It has recently come to light that turned capes keep their powers. This was confirmed just a few days ago in this very city. Why we have seen no evidence of this prior to today is unknown. Keep it in mind however, and do not hesitate to strike down any infected, no matter your relationship to them in the past."

Legend stepped back and Alexandria stepped forward, looking over the room.

"People who can take a hit or generate expendable combatants. You are under command of me and Dragon. Close quarter combatants who do not fit into the previous group, go with Armsmaster and Chevalier. Forcefield generators and those with telepathic abilities, Narwhal will lead you! Myrddin will lead the Movers! Long range attackers with Legend! The rest go to search and rescue and infected control! Thinkers go to the Thinker tent, healers to the hospital!" she rose to the air. "Gather around who your being lead by, and wait for orders."

"Alright, Bitch, lets go get your dogs." I said, turning on my heel and walking out the door we had entered through, the Undersiders following my lead.

The corridor that Vista had been shortening for ease of access wasn't that long in the first place, so why she had been bending it in the first place was beyond me. We accessed the elevator and Bitch hit a button, the elevator descending quickly. When we emerged, we were in similar looking corridors, though this one was active with PRT agents running this way and that.

Bitch walked with purpose, and it seemed our status as Capes gave us privilege as PRT agents stepped out of our way. We entered the cell wing. I assumed Bitch knew where she was going because she knew where her dogs were kept, and I was right as I could hear Bitch's dogs barking eagerly as we approached

Bitch stopped in front of a cell, and a PRT agent approached us, lifting his helmet to reveal.

"Director Calvert," I spoke, eyeing the two agents flanking him. I heard Imp curse softly behind me but honestly? I was not surprised he was still alive all things considered, "what a surprise to see you."

"Tell me about it." Imp muttered behind me, voice dark.

"Skitter, Undersiders, I will be assisting the military in overseeing the combat of the infected threat." He gestured to the cell, "I'm sorry to hear about what happened to your teammate, Grue. I'd thought I'd help expedite the process here. Open the cell, let Hellhound have her dogs."

"It's Bitch." Bitch growled, even as she crouched to give her dogs a quick once over when they bound over to her.

"Yes, but as a member of the PRT I must be PC." Calvert spoke with amusement in his voice that made my skin crawl.

"Well, we'll see you on the battlefield then, Director," I said, glaring at him from behind my mask.

"Of course, to victory and all that," He said, turning and walking away as he put his helmet back on.

"One minute till Simurgh arrival, all personnel to battle stations," the intercom crackled.

"Yeah," I echoed, turning on my heel to face my team, "to victory."

Chapter Text

We burst from the underground parking lot, heavy claws clacking on tarmac. A convoy of PRT vans raced alongside us, sirens blaring to despite no one being present on the streets. The sky was orange, the sun setting and making the clouds pink. Flying capes and mechanical costumes filled the air, brightly coloured costumes and painted metal armour.

We followed the vans as they drove, making room when the PRT van column joined a military convoy, jeeps and tanks bristling with weapons and soldiers who eyed us as we passed.

Bitch gave a command and the dogs sped up. Me and Bitch rode Brutus while Tattletale rode Angelica, Imp and Regent riding Judas. We were quickly at the wall, having overtaken both military and PRT convoys to join the amassing capes on the north western point like the armbands said to.

The dogs had to do some athletics, but they managed to climb to the rooftops, allowing us access to the walkway on top of the wall. A cape with a green costume glanced at us and moved aside as we dismounted the dogs, going to stand and watch.

Some capes were out in front of the wall, loudly clearing an area of buildings and infected as they created a no mans land. In the distance were the mountains that surrounded the city, the little valley where the highway cut through. The highway cut over the city, but at some point in the past a part had collapsed, creating a natural ramp on and off out of the debris.

"Simurgh entering visual range." Dragon's voice reported from the armband.

She wasn't wrong either, as from the gap in the mountains a white wing came into view, slowly sliding along to reveal more wings. Then the Endbringer herself. Three large wings wrapped around her body, protecting some form of 'modesty' on the being. Other wings extended all around It as it serenely floated. Over her head floated… what honestly just looked like a really big boom box. From it emerged a constant roar of noise.

Around her feet zombies swarmed, following her in a never-ending stream. They clawed at her dangling feet, but clearly, they were having no effect on the Endbringer.

"Thinker analysis states it's safe to destroy the Tinker tech above." Alexandria's voice spoke over the armband, "Be prepared for anything."

The Triumvirate floated in iconic formation. Legend at the front, on his right was the black suited Alexandria and to his left was Eidolon. Legend raised his hand and a blue beam cut through the air.

It hit the Simurgh face, the Endbringer stumbling for a moment in supposed surprise, then the beam lanced up and severed the Tinker tech device in half. The device's noise cut off as the two parts began to fall. A small sparing device shot out, then propelled itself (mostly likely through the Endbringer's own telekinetic power) to land in front of the wall, nearby capes moving away quickly.

It detonated with a loud explosion, seeming to be more noise than explosive, the zombie horde losing interest in the Simurgh and moving past her, stumbling and some outright falling down the ramp before then making their way toward the wall. At least they were, until a cloud of green gas blanketed the area, obscuring them from view. While I had been watching the device explode, I had missed the two severed pieces of the Tinker device releasing a green gas that fell to the ground.

The Simurgh lifted a hand to her mouth, her mouth doing an 'o' as she looked down at the gas cloud. She then looked toward us, an ugly scar carved into her face from Legend's beam, and threw her hand up in a 'what can you do?' like gesture, then she beat her wings once (which didn't dispel the gas somehow) and flew up, disappearing behind a pink cloud.

The cloud of green gas wasn't going away, it hung in the air like a fog, obscuring out view of what was happening.

"Does anyone have eye on what's going on in there?" The gruff general spoke through the armband.

"Negative, the gas seems to be impenetrable to my scanning devices." Dragon reported and then paused before continuing, "Thinker analysis leads to some sort of chemical warfare."

"Bit of a 'no shit sherlock' moment there," Regent muttered.

"Simurgh left, barely took any damage either," Tattletale murmured, "wanted us to see that. Device was made to be destroyed, gas specifically targeted at point the infected have to pass through, gas intended for zombies, but in what way?"

The cloud was out of my range, so I couldn't scout what was going on inside. I didn't need to however as an infected suddenly emerged from the cloud.

It didn't shamble.

It ran.

I couldn't quite tell from a distance, but it also looked healthier, its skin no longer that grey decaying pallor but much lighter, more akin to a living persons skin. More infected quickly followed, until it was continuous stream coming from the cloud which still wasn't dissipating.

Legend must have issued a command because he and many other Blaster capes opened fire, beams and blasts, fire, ice, electricity and many other effects shot forward. I spotted Bakuda some distance away launching a variety of bombs, Purity blasting her helix like beams.

The Infected were obscured behind explosions and esoteric power effects, Legend's beams turning infected into ice statues, Bakuda's bombs making glass figures, time bubbles and a never-ending fireball.

That seemed to be holding the horde back as the military arrived. I stepped back onto the roof, off the walkway on top of the wall to get out of the soldiers way as I climbed back onto Brutus. Soldiers were taking up positions on the wall, rifles in hand and heavy looking machine guns being set up.

"With the Simurgh gone the warships are moving in, ETA twenty minutes." The gruff general spoke through the armbands.

"Additionally, with the Simurgh gone the timers have been stopped and the bombs disarmed," Dragon spoke, "Blaster capes are asked to assist the military in holding the infected back, other capes are to remain on standby."

"Any news on what the gas is doing to the zombies?" a voice asked over the armbands, I wasn't sure who it belonged to.

"Visually, the gas seems to have a regenerative effect on the infected, restoring muscles or a previously broken mental pathway and allowing faster movement, I'm sending a drone to take a sample of the gas for further analysis, ETA five minutes."

By this point I had managed to accumulate enough bugs that my hair was full and they were scuttling over my armour in complex patterns, but it wasn't sizable, and I had already drawn every bug in my radius which had amounted to a worryingly low count.

"C'mon, no point dawdling." I said, urging the dog around, "I know a few parks we can swing by within safe territory, if bugs'll be anywhere, they'll be there."

My teammates wordlessly agreed with me, and no capes protested as we rode away, military and PRT personnel barely sparing us a glance as they readied weapons.

It was eerie, the sun was still in the sky, yet not a car drove along the roads, no late evening wanders wandered the street. Brockton was a ghost town, except for the distant sound of gunfire and explosions. When we arrived at the first park and I began gathering the much more bountiful (but worryingly low if this had been real life) bugs onto me and the dog, nothing out of the ordinary was going on, armband updates were few because there's only so many times you can say 'keep shooting'.

It was around the third park when it happened.

Dragon spoke through the armband"Data analysis indicates the gas appears to be biological rather than chemical in nature. It's made up of bacteria that appear to work in tandem with the virus to- warning, my drone is being attacked! How, it's thirty feet in the air?"

We exchanged glances, by this point my armour was teeming with bug life and some were clinging to Bitch (who had rather willingly agreed, all things considered).

"I think it's time to turn back and see the situation." Tattletale suggested.

"Probably a good idea," I agreed, turning Brutus around and beginning to gallop back to the wall, explosions and gunfire becoming louder once more.

"The big ones seem to be resistant to powers!" Legend reported over the armbands.

Big ones? Resistant to powers?

"It appears extended exposure to the gas causes more severe mutations to occur in the subject." Dragon agreed, "in addition, the gas appears to be spreading, the bacteria appear to share similarity to their infected counterparts, able to take over nearly all other microscopic forms of life to turn them into more copies of themselves."

"What the fuck is going on!?" Regent called in confusion.

"Simurgh," Bitch growled behind me and I just nodded.

The dogs didn't disappoint as we reached the wall in record time, the dogs using a gas station to jump to a higher building and allowing us a view over the wall.

The running zombies were still present, but now there was something more eye catching. They looked like the classical brute depiction, large bulging muscles and freakishly large bodies. Broad shoulders and massive cinder block sized fists. Except they still had the grey decaying skin, open wounds letting blood and gore out.

I watched as one was consumed by a wave of fire, only to calmly walk out the other side as if nothing was wrong. The military were focusing on the runners while the Capes focused on the large ones. The 'Brutes'.

One beats its chest and took several lumbering steps forward before bending its leg and jumping, high. Capes focused fire on it but nothing slowed its forward flight path, coming closer and closer to the top of the wall.

Until a grey bullet impacted it and slammed it into the ground with a deafening bang, creating a small crater around the impact site as Alexandria lifted up again, looking down at the smashed remains of the Brute and nodding self-satisfied, until she was tackled from the air by another Brute, forced down into a horde.

There was a worrying moment where it seemed she had been lost, the strongest Brute turned. Then the zombies were thrown off, Alexandria swiftly rising with a spin, zombies flying left and right as she rose high into the air.

A new smoother voice spoke up from the armbands, "This is the USS Jefferson, Strike group is within range and ready to open fire."

I turned my gaze toward the bay and watched as from the south the naval ships sailed into view past the blocking skyscrapers. I wasn't up to date on my naval boat types, there was one big one, with the deck teeming with people and aircraft, and it was with a dozen or so of the smaller types with the single large gun on the front. There were other vessels, but they were mostly hanging back, likely support craft of some kind? I didn't know, and I didn't really care.

"Aircraft form the USS Jefferson are going to use bombing runs on the motorway to hopefully slow the advance of the infected, the president has authorised the strikes." The gruff general spoke over the armbands, "in the meantime, the Destroyers will fire on no mans land between the wall and the cloud, there will be a ten second warning before each barrage, it's up to the capes to get out of the way in that time."

The Armbands began beeping and I watched as Movers quickly went to the base of the wall, pulling out the brutes and the hardy Tinker tech creations as the beeping steadily continued.

A loud tone played on the armbands, and then the various Destroyer's cannons lit up with muzzle flashes. From the back plumes of smoke following missiles like a trail. First the canon shots landed, concrete and tarmac flying into the air as explosions detonated amongst the infected. It thinned their numbers, but it wasn't doing much.

Then the missiles streaked in, plummeting from the sky and erupting into massive fiery explosion that shook the ground and were audible for miles. I tightened my grip on Brutus as the shock waves rolled past, gritting my teeth. When the clouds cleared and the dust settled, nothing was left but a few very worse for wear looking Brutes, barley shambling along.

"Well, do they even need us at this point? Seems like this is well handled," Regent said.

"It does…" Tattletale replied, "almost… too well handled."

"Especially for the Simurgh," I followed up, scanning the battlefield.

"It can't be this easy," Tattletale agreed.

Imp groaned, "does it always have to be some elaborate plot? Maybe this could just be exactly what it looks like and-"

"Warning! The Simurgh is descending again!" Dragon suddenly announced, "Grid point Z17!"

"Me and my fucking mouth," Imp moaned, drooping onto Regent's back.

Tattletale snapped around, "Z17? That's-"

Tattletale was cut off as the Simurgh gave a beat of her wings and cleared the clouds around her, hovering perfectly above the Navy Strike group.

"Oh fuck-"

Regent was cut off as Legend's voice spoke over the armbands, "all Blaster and Brute capes with flight capabilities, target the Simurgh, we need to protect the Navy's retreat!"

Various flying Capes began to dart towards the Endbringer.

The Simurgh raised her arm, and like it weighed nothing at all, the USS Jefferson rose into the air, causing many of the flying capes to pause. Water dripped off it and its still spinning propellers as it floated higher and higher, its cannons firing non-stop at the Simurgh to seemingly no effect as the shots went wide. The Destroyers that had surrounded it were similarly retreating, canons firing but none of the shots hitting as the flew around and through dense cloud of wings, not hitting any.

The Simurgh seemed to smirk as she reared her hand back, as if miming readying to throw a javelin.

The USS Jefferson turned toward Brockton.

The Simurgh mimed throwing the javelin.

And the USS Jefferson began to fly.

Chapter Text

The Aircraft Carrier flew, tossed like a javelin. Jets and other flying craft, personnel and loose cargo being thrown off, landing in the bay or falling to the city below. Flying capes darted out the way like flies in a swarm while teleporters and Movers desperately worked to move everyone away from the impact zone.

Not everyone was lucky.

The Carrier smashed into the wall, the sound of screeching and groaning metal and general noise echoing out as it sliced through. Demolishing buildings as if they were made of paper and tearing up streets on the other side. The armbands beginning their dreadful death toll.

"-Kalamity Deceased, J4. Velocity Deceased, J5. Furosity Deceased, J5. Parian Deceased, J6. Gyro Deceased, J6-"

I tuned it out, watching the destruction unfold as the line collapsed, capes moving to attack the Simurgh hanging over the bay, while others focused on the horde that were now getting worryingly close, focusing on the now gaping hole in the wall made by the carrier. They were making a worrying amount of headway as well with the Destroyers no longer firing at them, focusing on retreating from the bay and firing at the Simurgh.

The line was broken, already Brutes were charging to the front of the horde, protecting the infected behind them as they closed on the gap.

"Let's get down there," I said, "Bitch, make sure the dogs don't bite any infected."

"What are we going to do?" Regent asked, "in case you haven't noticed Skitter, none of us are Brutes of Blasters!"

"We have to do something, and getting down into the thick of that," I gestured to the mess of the destroyed wall where the military and capes were trying to defend the hole in the wall as infected began to charge through, "will hopefully overwhelm the code."

"It's a better shot then going around collecting bugs when we're barely getting handfuls," Imp said with a shrug.

"Being up close and personal will mean details will have to be loaded, in the midst of that chaos… it'll cause some damage, that's for sure," Tattletale agreed.

Bitch gave the command, and the dogs began running forward, jumping down from building to building and onto the street, right at the base of the wall where the military had put up a small staging area. That was as far as we made it.

The armbands on our wrists suddenly blared "Warning occupants of E7, brace for impact!"

A shockwave sent me flying, my back hitting a wall and-

~§~

I slowly came back to awareness. My arm ached even worse now, a throb that ebbed with intense painful waves. My head felt as if a spike was jammed inside it, made worse by the gunfire and explosions around me.

I groggily opened my eyes, seeing I hadn't been out long. There was now a hole in the wall, debris strewn everywhere and a crater where the wall had been showing the cause. On the other side of the hole an endless sea of infected approached, snarling and gnashing their jaws hungrily.

Soldiers stood, firing on the encroaching horde and some moving comrades away from the site.

I couldn't spot my teammates anywhere nearby. My roaming eyes quickly being drawn to a car. It was the backend, the rest seemingly underground. Not naturally, given the way it was juddering about, moving in a weird unpredictable pattern. A solider walked near it and its erratic movements rotated it into them. The soldier didn't react, not moving at all as the car moved him several feet (his legs not moving at all to account for the sudden movement) before he was pushed out of its reach and the car continued to judder away.

Then it popped back onto the road, as if nothing had been wrong as soldiers took up positions behind it and began to open fire.

I slowly climbed back to my feet, only to fall down again as the ground rumbled. I looked up to watch a tank roll into view, turret swinging as the horde finally reached the hole and began to enter Brockton proper.

"Grid point… fallen… fallback to… second defensive… Simurgh redirecting missiles… infected… prioritise…" The armband on my wrist talked, but I couldn't comprehend what it said, just the few pieces between.

The ground quaked, dust being thrown up as the tank fired, the front of the horde exploding into body parts and gore. The other soldiers were using the tank as cover for their own retreat, they either couldn't see me or were ignoring me, assuming that as a cape I could take care of myself (that, or seeing I was a villain by my armour design and assuming it would be better to leave me, despite the Truce in current affect.)

I tried climbing to my feet a second time, but only got as far as my knees before the world began to shake and wobble dangerously and I went back to all fours.

I heard a panicked shout and looked up. A Brute lumbered through the hole, the infected behind it showing odd intelligence by gathering behind its bulky form. When it cleared the hole the zombies behind it split off into two streams, heading for the soldiers, jumping with unnatural swiftness and length and knocking down screaming soldiers.

The tank began backing up, the solider on top holding a continuous stream of fire with his machine gun, the main cannon of the tank firing again with an ear deafening blast. I watched as the Brute exploded into a fireball, killing the zombies nearby. For a moment I hoped, then the Brute came barrelling from the fore ball, unscathed.

It jumped, the solider training the machine gun on it to no visible effect as it landed on the metal plates of the tank, the vehicles suspension dipping and rocking under the weight.

The zombie lunged forward, the solider scream being cut off as he was lifted from the gun and pulled in half, both casually discarded for hungry infected to descend upon. The Brute roared and its massive fists began to pummel the turrets armour, denting it further and further until a crack opened. It reached its hands in and then easily pulled the turret in half. It was met with gun fire from the tank crew, dropping both halves as it staggered and fell off out of sight.

The crew began to celebrate, only to then open fire again as the Brute reappeared with roar. Their efforts were for naught as the larger section of ripped turret came down on top of them, turning them into something resembling Slaughter House victims. The Brute lifted its make shift club again and slammed it into the open top of the tank repeatedly.

Then fire streamed from somewhere behind me and I watched as a mechanical clawed limb walked past me, a Dragon suit revealing itself as a powerful and wide flamethrower roared from its open mouth and doused the zombies. I began to let myself relax.

Something grabbed the back of my costumes neck, I felt hot breath on my neck and chocked as I began to be dragged back, away from the fighting. I began to panic, flailing and searching for my knife. Then Bitch's masked face appeared in my vision as she hauled me up.

"We're leaving, now!" she barked in my face before then dragging me. I looked to the side to see Brutus, half mutated and coming up to the height of our chests as he ran alongside us. Bitch's grip was painful, but I didn't fight it, my legs struggling to keep up as my head continued to spin. I looked back in time to see the suit grappling with the Brute, the suit winning, until a second Brute joined, a third quickly lumbering up.

I was dragged sharply around a corner and then into a building, a small convenience store of some kind.

Imp appeared at the door and after pausing to make sure Brutus got in she slammed it shut. Bitch let go of my hand and I collapsed against a wall. I swiftly lifted my mask and then hunched over, vomiting onto the ceramic floor.

"F…fuck," I hoarsely muttered, coughing and then wiping my mouth.

"Here," Rachel said, shoving a bottle of water into my hand.

"Thanks," I said, drinking some to wash my mouth with and spit on the floor, and then downing the rest.

"Well, this has gone tits up," Aisha said, looking out the window, "we need to get out of here, fast."

"Use… Brutus?" I asked, struggling not to slur my speech.

"No," Rachel cut in sharply, "he got hurt."

I glanced at the dog to see that he was limping, I wasn't sure how I missed that earlier.

"Okay, no riding…"

"Well, actually," Aisha interrupted, "by the looks of it, your gonna slow us down majorly." She walked over and lifted my mask further, forcing my eye lids wide open before then nodding and stepping away, "concussion for sure."

"I can carry her," Rachel said.

"Wait a minute-"

"Good idea, if you keep Brutus from biting the infected, you'll have a decent defence, especially if you take Taylor's knife because I wouldn't exactly trust her with one at the moment, sorry boss."

"I don't-"

"I can scout ahead with my power, if we get some sticky notes from here or even just any bit of paper I can write a note for you to remember me by."

"Agreed," Rachel nodded.

"Cool, Taylor, get on Rachel's back and-"

"I'm not going… to be carried!" I said, a tad indignantly. Sure, it was childish, but to be so weak as to need to be carried by my teammates, I-

"Yes, you are," they both said in perfect sync, glancing at each other when they realised.

I looked around, looking for an out before my addled mine realised.

"Lisa, Angelica… Alec, Judas… where?" I asked.

Rachel grunted in a way that didn't bear good news, her fists tightening as she looked down and Imp shook her head

"Dead, I think. We will be too if we stick around so Taylor, let her give you a fucking piggyback ride."

The most aggressive way I'd been ordered to let someone give me a piggyback, for sure. But it also beat being dragged along like Bitch had done so just now, so I gracefully (as graceful as one can be with a concussion and still getting used to one arm) climbed onto Bitch's back, Brutus and Imp keeping watch. I would never admit it out loud, but the moment my feet let the ground my body relaxed, Rachel's fur lined jacket very comfortable to briefly bury my head in before I got myself back in the game.

"Okay, let me get you some paper and we'll be good to go," Imp said.

"I can… scout," I slurred.

"Mhm, Taylor, how many fingers am I holding up?" Imp asked, holding up five fingers.

"Five…"

"Three actually, so don't blame me if I'm not willing to trust your assessments right now. Secondly, how many bugs do you have nearby?"

I opened my mouth to answer, then paused. Most of my bugs had been killed in the explosion and general fighting and fire. I was down to what was left on me, which was enough to fill my hair and scuttling occasionally over my armour, and not all of those were fliers.

"I'm guessing by your silence that it's not enough?"

I shook my head grudgingly.

"Okay, trust us to be able to manage without you, okay?"

I grunted.

"Good enough, stay here, I'll be back shortly." With that Imp turned and left the convenience store and-

Why were we waiting?

"Rachel…" I slurred, "we need to… move…"

Rachel grunted in agreement and started walking, only to pause and raise her hand, opening it to reveal a note. She inspected it for a moment before growling in frustration and shoving it closer to my face.

"Can't read," she grumbled.

I squinted, trying to focus my vision and being partially successful.

"Imp… scouting ahead?" I murmured before realisation dawned, "Imp's power… forgot about her… she's scouting ahead for us…"

"Oh," Rachel stopped, keeping a good grip on my legs which I was thankful for, because of, y'know, the one arm.

It took a few minutes, in which time I grew worried I had misread the note in some way. Then the doorbell rang as it was opened and Imp appeared, her knife drawn and covered in blood.

"Okay, we'll have to be quick, the army is falling back as well and I won't be long before their line passes us, they're sort of holding their own? But the Simurgh is drawing a majority of the Capes attention."

Bitch nodded and Imp reopened the shop door, holding it open for Brutus to trot out ahead of Bitch and onto the street. I tried to do my part and looked around as well, keeping my eyes open for blurry movement. The sound of gunfire and explosions were closer than they had been when we entered, the evening sun was getting lower, night beginning to approach on the opposite horizon. Smoke filled the sky as fire burned and capes occasionally whizzed by.

"Quickly!" Imp hissed, already quickly moving down the street, knife in hand and ready for anything.

"Brutus, follow!" Bitch spoke, gesturing to her side. The dog obediently stepped in beside her, bone plates and chorded muscles rippling.

"Wait here!" Imp hissed.

I blinked as Bitch stopped, we had reached the end of the street, but we had barely left the shop? A throb from my head told me that it was likely the concussion talking.

I leaned closer to Bitch's ear and murmured, "why we… stop?"

Bitch took a moment before then shrugging and going to step forward, then she brought her fist up, revealing a sticky not inside. She growled in frustration and held it up for me to read.

I squinted, barely making out the words.

"Imp… scouting… ahead?" I murmured before remembering that Imp was indeed with us. "Man… that's… gonna get annoying."

The wait was brief, even with the sounds of gunfire and explosions drawing closer and closer, but also rather worryingly the gunfire and explosions seemed to be decreasing, screams occasionally filling the air.

Most worryingly was when Imp reappeared with a gun.

"Oh fuck, she's got… a gun," I slurred, "Imp… put that… down."

"Skitter, we're in a fucking war zone," she shot back, taking an arm off the gun to throw her arm up, "I'm taking the fucking gun."

"Gun… training…"

"Well… no, but it's not exactly difficult is it?" Imp replied before levelling the gun, aiming down the sight, "just point and shoot."

"Mm," Bitch hummed in agreement.

"Oh god…" I groaned.

"Skitter, shut up and let us help you. Bitch, there's a group of zombies on the next intersections, a bunch of soldiers bodies are left behind and their currently being munched on by them. Sneaking around will take too long." Her point was emphasised by an explosion nearby, "we either need a distraction or we'll need to take them out."

"Car alarm?" Bitch asked.

"Explosions aren't distracting them…" I pointed out, "doubt… car alarm would…"

"Hm, wait a minute, what are we doing?" Imp asked, shaking her head and turning, "follow my lead."

Imp turned and walked forward, to the middle of the road. Bitch hesitated for a moment before following, Brutus loyally sticking by her side.

"Imp… what doing?" I rasped.

"Just trust me," was all she said.

"Am I… like this… when I lead?" I muttered to Bitch.

Bitch hummed before shrugging, "sometimes."

"Huh… never again," I promised.

The zombies came into view, huddled over bloody corpses and messily eating, there were twenty at least, maybe more. and Imp then raised the gun, pointing up… into the air?

"Imp… wha-"

She pulled the trigger then yelped as the recoil jerked the gun from her hand, dropping it to the floor. The damage was done though as the previously peaceful infected all snarled and gnashed bloody teeth, standing and rushing toward us with flailing limbs and dead eyes.

"Imp," Bitch growled, her muscles tensing.

Imp held a hand out, placing it on Rachel's arm, "trust me, I'm pretty sure this will work."

"That what will work?" I asked, managing to not slur the sentence.

The group drew closer still as we bickered, Brutus was crouched in a ready position, teeth bared and a loud low growl in his throat. Bitch raised her fists and I saw Imp take a step back beside us as they drew in closer.

Then one lunged, becoming so close my blurry vision could actually make out the details on its face and I flinched for the first time in a long time, not used to not having my bugs surrounding me and feeding me information.

When nothing else happened I slowly opened my eyes, the zombie was perfectly suspended in the air, frozen. The rest were as well, all stopped and unmoving. As if Clockblocker had used his power on them. The sounds of fighting had stopped as well. I looked up and blinked, trying to tell if what I was seeing was real.

The smoke was frozen in the sky, as were the flying capes and other such flying craft. I looked down and to Imp, who's shoulders were slumped, head hung back as she grabbed her chest.

"Holy shit… I didn't think that would work…" she gasped before laughing, grabbing her head.

"What… mean?" I asked, scowling.

"I mean I was just planning on getting us killed and moving on," Imp shrugged at mine and Bitch's perceived looks from behind our masks, "what? Regent was an ass about it but he sort of had a point. And hey it worked better than I thought!"

I would chastise her later.

"Can we… kill them?" I asked.

Imp hummed and walked up to the zombie still in mid-air in front of us, then with a fancy twirl of her knife she plunged it into the temple. She sank it to the hilt before withdrawing it and humming.

"Dunno if that did anything, just in case I'll do it to all of them." She moved onto the next one, nonchalantly twirling her knife between her fingers.

I lost sight of her work when Bitch turned and faced a frozen Brutus, frown mid bark, spittle frozen in mid-air and maw wide open, teeth bare. Bitch reached out and delicately ran her hand along Brutus's head.

I patted her chest, murmuring, "He'll be okay Rach… a little confused, but okay."

How Rachel was taking this whole simulation and having different fake dogs every time was a mystery to me beyond her repeated utterances of 'hate this shit' when asked. It was hard for me to see the different versions of my Dad, to have to lose them every time, to come to terms with it all not being real. Looking over at Aisha I knew she was suffering as well, she was all too happy to be sliding her knife into the infected. I knew seeing your brother's chest explode in front of you likely wasn't going to be healthy.

Brian was almost certainly worried for his sister as well, probably worried he couldn't do anything for all of us on top of that, those old team leader instincts kicking in. I didn't want to think what it was like to be Lisa, having an intuitive power like hers and looking around, knowing everything was fake, but being told everything was real. Alec seemed to be taking it within his usual stride, his usual carefree attitude and snark, but I suspected he was also being effected more then he let on.

"Right, that's all of them!" Imp announced as she stepped away.

"Now what?" Bitch asked, looking at Brutus still frozen.

"Well, I… don't know," Imp admitted before walking over to the dropped gun and reaching down to pick it up.

"Don't," I said, gesturing at her.

Imp groaned exaggeratedly. "Skitter-"

"Clearly… can't use it," I said before smugly pointing out, "also, probably out of ammo."

"How do you tell?" Imp asked as she looked back down at it.

"That's why… I don't… want you to… have gun,"

Before the girl could bite back everything resumed, the suddenness of it jarring. The smoke continued to plume into the sky, capes and mechanical constructions continued to fly past. Gunfire, explosions and screams continued with gusto, filling the air with a backdrop that made my hair stand up.

The infected all fell to the floor, no longer having their previous momentum and flopping unceremoniously. Brutus stumbled, his barking trailing off to confused whining as he nosed the infected corpse in front of him.

"Brutus, here," Bitch ordered and the dog obediently trotted up.

"We should… move," I said.

"Definitely."

"Mm."

"And no more… dumb plans…"

"It wasn't that bad!"

~§~

We didn't encounter anymore infected, but the sound of the military's defence stayed as a constant behind us. We finally came upon the secondary defensive position. A sandbag wall, tanks lined up and soldiers with mounted machine guns.

"Identify yourselves!" Someone called when we emerged, guns being trained on us. Watching a tank barrel slowly turn to aim at you is a rather disconcerting experience.

"I'm Imp, That's Bitch and Brutus, and on Bitch's back is Skitter, our leader!" Imp called back, "we're parahumans! We didn't just raid a Halloween store or anything!"

Silence. A tense one, filled with steadily trained guns and unflinching stares. Just a simple miscommunication and we wouldn't be able to defend ourselves, gunned down without a chance.

"Let them through!" The voice called and the guns were pointed away, tank turrets swivelling back into place. We approached and the soldiers cleared a space for us to climb over the sandbags. The other side was chaos as military personnel ran from destination to destination, capes scattered about from brutes carrying heavy crates single handed to tents filled with various what I presumed were Thinker types, overlooking tables with maps on them.

A man in military uniform ran up to us, gun on a sling around his chest.

"Come with me, we'll drop your leader off in the medical teleporter zone where they'll be taken care of, then we'll assign you two work."

My teammates didn't complain, and I was lugged toward a large clear area where other people were laid out with various wounds. Bitch unslung me from her back and laid me out on the cold tarmac, Imp crouched down next to me, clamping a hand on my shoulder.

"Everything's gonna be okay now boss," she said.

"Hope…" I slurred.

"Get better soon," Bitch said, squeezing my hand before they both stood and followed after the military solider.

I tried to stay awake, the occasional sound of a teleporter popping in and then popping out with their payload regular. At some point though, my eye lids grew too heavy and my last thoughts wondering why the Simurgh hadn't been screaming at all.

~§~

My eyes opened to reveal the tiled roof of a hospital ward. It smelled like one too.

I glanced to my left only to recoil at seeing a face barely centimetres from mine. Or at least, I would have recoiled, if anything in my body other than my eyes and eyelids responded to me.

Taking in the face I quickly figured out who was standing over me. Panacea, the world's greatest healer and currently grinning manically down at me, blood dirtying her robes. I noted a distinct lack of usual hospital noises around me, no bustling doctors or trolleys being moved, no cried of pain or vomiting. Eerie silence.

Panacea grabbed my head, staring deep into my eyes. My body was tingling, I could feel sweat drenching my skin and costume, hear my breathing picking up.

Her eyes were blood shot and quivering, something missing and something that didn't belong in the human eye was there, looking at me.

"Do you hear it?" She whispered, a too wide smile with too many teeth, "do you hear her? Whispering, telling me secrets…"

She leaned away and closed her eyes, a moan escaped her throat, her whole body shivering. I was very uncomfortable.

"Bonesaw's virus… I always saw it as… inefficient."

The eyes opened again and she licked her lips, leaning in uncomfortably close, so much I could feel her breathe and count her freckles.

"So… slow, relied on host death… I ask…" she grinned again, uncomfortably close, "why wait?"

She threw her head back and cackled, long and loud and I hoped someone would come. But no one did.

"But my mind… it gave me an answer, and-" her head snapped back down, our noses touching as she wrenched my head closer, too many teeth "I'll indulge myself, just this once!"

Her mouth opened and she bit down hard on my nose, despite that, there was no pain, I couldn't feel anything in my body. But the sensations were just as bad. I felt her teeth as they cut through the flesh and cartilage of my nose, could feel it give way, blood dribbling out, her tongue running across my skin.

She violently threw her head back, blood spraying up in an arc and dirtying her robes further, though the real eye grabber was the blood dribbling down her chin, dirtying her teeth.

A hand grabbed my hair and raised my head, making me look down at my legs.

She was still grinning, my nose still in her teeth. Then I felt a sensation equivalent to my skin being unravelled and as I watched, my costume around my feet began to deflate. A familiar green gas leaking out and growing as the deflating travelled up my leg, more of the gas escaping and then expanding in the air growing larger and larger even as more of my body was converted. I could feel my skin dissolving, the muscle underneath shrinking as it was evaporated, the bone liquifying then disappearing.

"It's beautiful, just like my mind showed me," Panacea spoke, slightly muffled until I heard a swallowing noise, looking over to see her mouth was empty, the area around it severely bloodied, "the bacteria takes over other microorganisms, converting them to carry the same strain as the virus, and when they contact the human body, the body's cells are converted to carry the relevant DNA, making everyone into an infected."

She stroked my cheek, the tenderness of the gesture ruined by everything else about the situation.

"Don't look so sad, its better this way, no pain, no suffering, no disagreement, no fighting, nothing… everyone will work together… and you'll live on, being present in everyone and everything."

My chest deflated and I felt my vision fading, my last sight being the bloodied grin of Panacea, the world's greatest healer, as she killed me.

"Won't that be beautiful?"

Chapter Text

I blinked, taking in my new surroundings. It was the loft, a sight I realised I had sorely missed with its small kitchen, the island we'd sit around planning heists, our rooms with the art Alec had spray painted onto each door. The communal area where the sofas were set up for watching TV, the small coffee table we'd place take out boxes on. The armchair that was so covered in dog hair it was more dog then chair.

It was so familiar and welcome after all the crazy events that had been happening.

"Fucking hell," I heard a familiar voice grumble and turned to see Alec sitting up from the sofa, looking down at himself. He was wearing a traditional looking but skin-tight court jester costume, he even had on makeup, adding to the look. On his head a hat with jingling bells and his sceptre now had an exact copy of his face on the taser end rather than the ball it used to have.

"Wow Alec, you look ridiculous," Aisha said, cocking her hip.

"I do? Look at you! Look at all of us!" he exclaimed, gesturing around the room before then lying back with a smirk, "that has to be illegal, but I love the look Aisha."

Aisha frowned and then looked down at herself. She was wearing a black leotard that left… little to the imagination. Her black scarf was still in place and on her feet were black tall heels, six inches at least. That was the entire outfit.

"What the fuck!?" she exclaimed as she looked down at herself, holding her arms out.

"This is actually more impractical then what Coil had me prance around in," Lisa spoke dryly.

I turned to look and choked. A black and purple catsuit, that while similar to what Coil had had her wearing, was much tighter, just as tight as Aisha's. However, the front had a boob window, in so much it was more akin to a boob door then window. Lisa also didn't escape the heels Aisha wore, though her costume had a belt lopsided around her waist with various pouches and holsters on it.

Alec wolf whistled and Lisa flipped him off with a scowl.

"How did it manage to make it worse than Coil?" She asked witheringly.

"Guys! Guys are you- fucking hell Aisha!" Brian exclaimed as he burst from his room.

I recognised his voice, but his face was hidden behind a familiar skull mask. Except when he spoke the jaw moved, it was oddly comical. He didn't escape the skin type theme that appeared to be ever present, a tight leather jacket that left bulging muscle on display and tight pants. He didn't have heels on though, lucky bastard.

"I didn't choose to wear this bro!" Aisha shouted, crossing her arms before then immediately uncrossing them as she realised what that did to her body. "Besides, you're not much better!"

Brian looked down at himself, pinching the costume as he muttered "what the fuck…"

"Why you yelling?" Rachel asked as she appeared from the stairs, dogs in tow, "dangers gone."

The girl had gotten extremely lucky in the costume department it appeared. Furs covered her body, obscuring most of her form and making her look like she belonged in the Alaskan wilderness. Thick boots showed she escaped from the heel curse as well, lucky bitch.

"Oh," Rachel looked around, a frown on her face, "you all look dumb."

"Thank you, Rachel," Lisa spoke, crossing her arms.

"Is everyone okay?" I asked, stepping forward.

Alec snorted and I looked at him, only to see that he was staring at me, holding a hand to his mouth. Aisha was similarly trying to hide a grin. I narrowed my eyes and then, with a resigned dread, looked down at myself.

It was worse than I imagined. A dark tight catsuit, like Lisa's. Going from the yellow heels and up, I at least still had my familiar armour, though it was no longer black but not black with yellow stripes. On my waist I wore a short black and white tutu. Going further up, my midriff was perfectly exposed, the catsuit the only protection and so tight that there was an indent where my belly button was. I was at least athletic enough to pull off the look it seemed.

My chest and arms had more of the black and yellow armour, making me look like an oversized bee, taking the mask off my face only confirmed it. Two pieces of wire with yellow balls of fabric on the ends that wobbled with every movement and a stylised cartoonish bee face stared back at me.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," I groaned as I looked over myself again.

"Don't feel too bad, we all look ridiculous," Lisa spoke, though I could see the smile she was trying to hide, bitch.

"How the hell does anyone respect us like this?" Brian moaned as he tugged on his tight clothes again.

"Okay… does anyone have any memories this time around?" I asked, "because I don't."

"Me neither," Lisa agreed.

A chorus of negatives from the rest of the team confirmed that no one had any given memories this time around.

"Odd…" Lisa hummed.

"Is it a good or a bad sign?" Aisha asked.

"It's a sign of something…" Lisa mused.

"Wait, wait… just… hold on…" Brian said, waving with his arms. Once he had our collective attention, he pulled off his mask and rubbed his face. He looked tired, "can we just… cool our jets for a moment?"

"Brian-" Lisa started, only to be cut off.

"Just for a day or two! Just… I need to take a break… in the past three days I have faced an Endbringer, been dating a woman older than me by a significant margin and was then subsequently killed by her, watched the world dissolve around me and then reform as if nothing happened, been in a zombie apocalypse and then my chest fucking exploded!"

I felt my arm throb and glanced at it. I still had the arm, yet it still hurt like it had when I'd awoken in the infirmary.

"We've faced two Endbringers," Aisha pointed out, glancing around the group, "and some of us had to watch as Brockton was lost to the zombies and the world collapsed and everyone was infected… including us…" her eyes looked meaningfully at Rachel who grunted with a nod.

"All the more reason," Grue said, looking at his sister for a long moment before then turning to me, "Taylor… back in… I dunno, the original universe? Real life? We would take breaks between heists. So far we've been running non-stop, only resting when we die… I just…"

I glanced around the room, I could see it now. Rachel looked tense, ready for a fight, her eyes flicking about constantly. Alec had been unusually subdued, as had Aisha, the pair not egging each other on. Brian looked frazzled, sweat covered his skin and his eyes were wide, bloodshot. Lisa looked tired, the way she idly rubbed her nose being her tell, just a bit too high up to be classified as rubbing her eyes as well.

I nodded, slowly. "Yeah… yeah, you're right… as desperate as we all are to get out… we should probably take a moment to rest, gather ourselves, prepare ourselves."

Brian's shoulders relaxed, his eyes closing as he let out a long slow breath.

"Thank you, just a few days to rest, get information and prepare for this simulation."

"That's probably a good idea, especially considering we have no memories for this simulation," Lisa mused, then she frowned and looked down at herself again, "first, costume change."

"Definitely," me and Brian agreed.

"M'fine," Rachel grunted from within her furs.

"I dunno, I kinda like this," Alec said, "think I make it work."

"You look horrifying," Aisha shot back with a frown as she walked away.

"Nonsense, look, it gives me abs!" He pointed to his midriff which indeed had defined muscle, then he flopped back on the couch, "let's get pizza."

~§~

Turned out Alec's costume had been padded to give him abs, a fact that Aisha found rather hilarious. We were all in much more casual clothing now, open pizza boxes on the kitchen island with half eaten pizzas inside.

The team was sat around on the couches, Alec and Aisha were watching some TV program 'to analyse the differences in culture in this simulation' (I didn't believe a word of that. I think they just wanted to watch TV). Me, Brian and Lisa were sat with laptops, currently doing research on our current situation. Rachel was sat with her dogs, seemingly more wrapped up in them then anything going on around her.

"I looked up the Protectorate," I said, looking up from my screen, Brian and Lisa looking toward me. "There… doesn't seem to be a Protectorate? I did however get the 'Attackorate'"

"The Attackorate?" Aisha asked, raising an eyebrow as she looked at us.

"Mm, seem to be the Elite equivalent here? They have a bunch of cells in every major city."

"Attackorate…" Lisa frowned before then shaking her head, "that's just… the Protectorate but with Attack instead of Protect…"

"That's a really bad joke," Brian grumbled.

"It gets worse," I responded, scrolling through the wiki, "Brockton Bay has an Attackorate team as well as a… Doubts Team? The Attackorate team is lead by… Dr Efficient?" I squinted at the picture, "that's… that's definitely Armsmaster, same goatee and everything. They also have…" I paused, frowning, "Miss Murder? Seige and Battering Ram? Dauntful? Entropy? Defeat?"

"I… think I see what's happening here…" Lisa sighed.

"Those are some… really dumb names," Alec commented.

"The Doubts are lead by Xiphos?"

"Xiphos?" Aisha asked, "what the fuck is a Xiphos?"

"Greek sword, I guess it's a play on Aegis."

"How do you figure that?" Alec asked, "sounds like a mouthful."

"Aegis is from the Greek Iliad, often being interpreted as a shield carried by Athena and Zeus. If the theme is what im beginning to suspect it is, then a sword is the opposite of a shield" Silence greeted me and I looked up to see Aisha, Brian and Alec looking at me in confusion, while Lisa looked impressed, "what?"

"Why do you… know that?" Aisha asked.

"My mother," I said simply before then waving my hand, "getting side-tracked, anyway. Lead by Xiphos and the current members are… Timesnatch, obvious who that's supposed to be… Kaleido? Ah, Vista, Kaleidoscope shortened… Scoundrel? Gallant… and Shadow Stalker?"

"She's already a bitch," Brian grunted. Rachel glanced up, then looked down again. "Don't need to change anything about her."

"You're right about that," I muttered.

"There's no Empire here," Brian said, "instead they're… an independent hero group called The Union? Lead by Tsar… who is Kaiser… Sickle, that's Purity, she's still with them… Voyna, that's Krieg… Molotok is Hookwolf but he's… PR friendly, oddly enough. Svya and Togor… Fenja and Menja, Nazhmite, that's Crusader, Incorrigible's Alabaster, Stormfront- that one is obvious. Kriket- again, obvious who that is. Viktor and Mother, Victor and Othala and Phya who's Rune."

"Jesus," Alec muttered, "hope you weren't expecting me to remember that, cause it's gone," he mimed something entering his let ear and leaving his right ear, Brian flipping him the bird as he went back to his computer.

"They dogfight?" Rachel asked in a low growl.

Brian took a moment to respond, "says here they do dog racing."

Rachel frowned as she looked back to her dogs, "guess that's okay."

Lisa paused at whatever she saw on her screen and then sighed deeply, massaging her temples.

"Well?" I asked, wondering what was wrong.

"I can't believe I'm about to say this out loud," Lisa muttered before looking up, "The Docks are controlled by the independent hero group The AGB… otherwise known as…" Lisa sighed again, closing her eyes, "The Azn Good Boys…"

Aisha chocked, clutching her stomach with bulging eyes while Alec threw his head back. Brain's lips quirked even as he patted his sisters back. Bitch just scowled further, and I rose my eyebrow, biting my lip.

"Your joking."

"I so really wish I was Tay," Lisa said, tuning her screen around so we could get a look at it, "as much as a joke their names are, they seem to be the New Wave equivalent splinter group, independent from the… Union."

On her screen was a website, designed with pretty red and green and with beautifully designed Asian characters. Lung stood, sword on his hip and chest bare, though he had no tattoos like he did back home.

"He has his colleagues Friend Lee and Boomer.” Lisa rolled her eyes before continuing, "They seem to have based themselves off the honourable system of the samurai, they protect their community ad Brockton as a whole. They've even set up a large… well, I'd say it was a China town, but they just call it Asia town."

"What about New Wave? Faultline?" I asked, turning back to my computer.

"Faultline I looked up as well," Brian said, "she is now… Stablecircle. She runs Stablecricle's sanctuary, which as their website describes, is an 'altruistic sanctuary for the needy, homeless and Case 53's."

"Ha," Lisa chuckled, shaking her head, "bet the Faultline back home would looooove to hear she's a selfless woman who helps people expecting no money in return here."

"Mm," I hummed, eyeing Lisa for a moment. I really hoped she wasn't going to revive that rivalry.

"New Wave is now New Order."

"That's ominous," Aisha interjected.

"They are, they're a cult. Their belief is that Scion- and I want you guys to brace yourselves for this- is an alien parasite, come to give us powers for his amusement. They believe that by committing crimes, they're stopping the end of the world."

"Okay… how does two plus two equal four here Lisa?" I asked.

"They believe that if Scion grows bored, he will destroy the world and move on. So, by causing crimes, they always keep him entertained."

I blinked, then frowned, "that's… not really fitting in with the theme here."

"Yeah, so far its all been like… weirdly comedic." Aisha pointed out.

"And goofy," Alec said, lazily pointing at the TV screen, "so far the few clips of fights they've shown have been… reeeeally cheesy. Like, y'know those Mouse Protector clips? Every fight is like that."

"New Order fit in because they steal puppies and commit tax fraud. They're not sacrificing people or anything, just… petty shit while pronouncing how evil they are to anyone who will listen."

"There it is," Aisha nodded.

"And there's… nothing scrupulous going on behind the scenes with any of them, what you see is literally what you get," Lisa commented as she watched a video on her laptop with dead eyes flicking over every detail. "The Attackorate are evil… just because they're evil? There's nothing behind them, they're just villains… like a bad kids cartoon. They're all bad to be bad. Same with the heroes, they're heroes because they are heroes…"

"I mean, I'm a bad guy to be a bad guy," Alec said.

"Actually…" I interjected, looking at the information on my screen, "I wouldn't be so sure."

"What have you found?" Brian asked, looking up.

I cleared my throat and began reading from the article.

"'Oversiders defend ice cream store from Miss Murder, Kaleido and Timesnatch, kids get ice cream. On Wednesday at 1:24pm. Kaleido and Timesnatch were spotted approaching 'Ice and Spice' ice cream parlour. Authorities were called.

"But it wasn't the Union that arrived, but the Oversiders, rising stars in the Brockton hero scene. They arrived as the two villains were seen exiting the store with several tubs of stolen ice cream (flavours unconfirmed, rumoured to be toffee or mint).

"The heroes bravely engaged the villains, engaging them outside 'Ice and Spice'. After ten minutes however, Miss Murder, the famed serial killer with the kill count of 0 (incidentally the lowest in history), arrived to support her young villains in training. The Oversiders kept a valiant offensive and eventually drove the villainess and her charges off, having saved the (by that point melted) ice cream and returning it to a relieved owner.

"The team leader, Buzzing Bee, had this to say to our journalist. 'I've grown up in Brockton Bay, seen how the gangs have treated civilians, how they've been allowed to just walk all over us, steal our ice cream and our shoelaces. Me and my teammates decided we wanted to change things, today was just showing how committed we were to stopping the evil doers in our city'.

"Fighting words, and we at The Daily Bay look forward to seeing more from the Oversiders."

Silence greeted my reading, no one reacting. Then I buried my face in my hands and groaned, "oh my god… I'm called Buzzing Bee…"

I heard Aisha and Alec begin cackling. I flipped them the bird while glancing at Lisa, to see she was hiding a smile.

"Well, if you have a different name, means we all do," Lisa offered upon catching my glance.

I shook my head, even if a smile graced my features.

"Let me worry about the ethical concerns. I don't even care if she hates me afterwards."

I frowned at my screen. Back in the previous simulation, I had completely blown that off, more concerned about the impending Simurgh and zombie horde. There had been no time, everything going so fast. Now though…

I quickly glanced up at Lisa, she was absorbed in her laptop screen, her dead eyes showing her powers in play. Could I trust her? I went back to my screen before then glancing at my teammates.

Could I trust any of them? What had they done… what had we all done, to end up here? Who had Lisa hurt? Who had I hurt?

"This has to be handled delicately."

"'Cause she mind controlled like, every Cape ever?"

What had I done?

"Okay, so, you're Buzzing Bee," Lisa said, pointing at me as she read off the screen, her finger turned to Brian, "You're Smokey," her finger turned to Rachel, "Furball," her finger landed on Aisha, "you're Disappearo," moved to Alec, "You're Jester."

"Well, not that bad," Alec shrugged before grinning as he looked at Brian, who had his face in his hands, "definitely not as bad as Smokey."

"Shut the fuck up fair boy," Brian grumbled, shaking his head.

"Prefer Bitch," Rachel grumbled.

"So that makes me…" Lisa sighed for the nth time that night and read in a monotone, "Talkie."

"Talkie!" Alec cackled, Aisha right along with him.

"Yeah yeah, laugh it up," Lisa grumbled.

"No Endbringers," Brian suddenly announced.

"Small mercies," Lisa replied.

"Not so fast," Brian said, "instead there's something called the… Punbringers?"

"Punbringers?"

"Here's a vid, hang on."

We gathered around Brian's laptop, expect Rachel, who stayed with her dogs. When Brian started the video, the central focus was definitely Leviathan. He was doing his usual, skating around on water and slapping aside capes, except there was a pretty major difference.

"Let me give you a helping hand," was gurgled, the Punbringer's eyes expressing glee as Leviathan slapped aside Svya.

We watched in a stunned silence as the Punbringer devasted capes, all the while sprouting puns, mainly water based ones.

"You need to wash off!" As a cape was blasted with his water echo.

"I hate when people tail me!" Several capes were eviscerated by its tail.

"Sorry to burst your bubble!" A cape exploded into gore, blood and guts everywhere.

"Surpassed the Manton Limit, cape just had his water violently pulled out of him," Lisa commented.

"I hate to wave goodbye!" the Punbringer exclaimed as the water began to rise.

"I know you thirst for my sister!" as water was manipulated into a capes exposed mouth, beginning to choke them.

"That's not even funny," Alec said, shaking his head, "it also just says the same five puns over and over."

This was demonstrated by the Punbringer pointing at a cape and again gurgling, "sorry to burst your bubble!" followed by the cape popping.

"Because that's the unfunny part," Brian muttered.

Alexandria flew in, streetlamp in hand and teeth grit as she spun, shouting, "Allow me to cast a light on the situation!"

Lisa hummed, "odd, it almost appears as if the damage is based off… how 'good'-" she put heavy quotation marks on the 'good' "-the pun is?" she pointed as the street lamp impacted the Punbringer. "In our world, that would do nothing, the Endbringer's are too tough… but here…"

The Punbringer was sent flying, landing and getting up quickly before Legend swooped in, arm extended.

"You need to chill out!" he called, his beam creating giant chunks of ice that coated the Punbringer and slowly froze it in place.

"Okay," I said as Brian stopped the video, "so this simulation is… what? A mockery?"

"More akin to those old comics. Cheesy in the way the comics were, and we seem to be in some sort of… role reversal situation, where the heroes of Brockton are now villains and the villains are heroes." Lisa supplied.

"Great," I muttered.

"This place sounds awesome!" Alec exclaimed.

Chapter Text

The house looked the same as it always had, same broken step, same door. I wasn't sure why I was so hesitant to step inside, but with everything this simulation had thrown at me in just the first few hours… What would it have done to my Dad?

"Why am I hesitating?" I muttered to myself, clenching my fist, "it's not my real dad, so it shouldn't matter."

My pep talk did little for my anything.

I stepped up to the door and used my keys to open it.

The house was… bright. It was hard to describe, but there was such an obvious difference, the best way to describe it was lighter, cleaner. Not as dark and oppressing. Pictures hung on the walls, pictures that I remembered being thrown in the basement and forgotten.

Me, age five, gap tooth grin as I held up a fish I caught proudly, my mother behind me laughing at my excitement. Me age six, sat on my mother's lap as she held a book, the pair of us reading together. A photo of a crowded lecture hall, students taking notes or listening, at the front my mother as she taught.

These were photos I hadn't seen in a long time, my dad had taken them down and hidden them away, too depressing to look at, to see what he lost.

I moved through the living room to the kitchen. There were signs it saw regular use, stains on the countertops I don't remember the original having, some cupboard doors squeaked when opened when previously they didn't. There was a stack of cookbooks in the corner.

The kitchen table had wear and tear as well, but it had that in the original. The back garden looked maintained and well managed, no longer the wildflowers growing in the flower beds, they almost looked like how they looked when my mother was alive…

My throat was dry as I climbed the stairs. I looked toward my dad's room. As soon as I looked at the door, something seemed to tell me to not go in, to stay away.

I shook my head, no, my room first.

If it wasn't a simulation, I'd be alarmed at the cape posters on the wall. Lung standing amongst flames, some Asian characters behind him likely saying something. Another poster showing a familiar robed woman, standing in an angelic like pose, the word 'Mother' along the bottom. I tried not to think about it as I looked at the rest. It was all normal, maybe a few more books here and there, some much nicer clothes.

On the desk sat a flip phone, which I picked up, inspecting it. Old, chunky, like I remembered them and not at all like they had been in that future simulation.

I flipped it open and immediately went to the messaging app. First were texts from Lisa and Emma, apparently me and Emma had a good relationship here, though we had drifted apart slightly, we kept in touch and we still hung out, but we had our separate circles it appeared. If I were to guess, I triggered at some point and when I went out, I ran into Lisa. The date of our first communication was the date I remembered first going out into the world.

I had texts from Dad, which were standard, though cheerier. Also saw that apparently I'd had the rest of the Undersiders over for a big dinner once or twice. Then I saw the recently talked to name that made my blood run cold.

'Mom'

I looked out the window, realising my hands were shaking. My bugs were picking up an approaching car, a car that was familiar, but the last time I'd seen it had been…

I backed out of my room, my back hitting the wall of the landing as the memories appeared in my brain, forcing themselves to the front as the car pulled onto the drive and shut off, the door opening.

My mom…

I bolted down the stairs, turning as the car door closed and the familiar clacking of heels approached the front door. I bolted through the living room, into the kitchen. But in my blind panic, my usual grace and situational awareness disappeared, my foot catching on the chair and making me stumble. I heard the front door opening and closing as I balanced out and opened the back door, ready to launch myself out into the world and not face-

"Taylor sweetie, you didn't text to say you were in," spoke a voice that made me freeze, made my blood turn to ice. I hadn't heard it in so long… It felt as if someone had let all the warmth leave the room, leaving a chill in the house as I felt my lip trembling, my eyes beginning to water. "We thought you were spending the weekend at Lisa's?"

I didn't know what to do, how to respond. I didn't want to turn, didn't want to leave.

"Taylor? Is everything okay?" footsteps approaching my back, my instinct was to turn, to face the threat, but I knew I'd crumble if I did, break down, I'd do something, and that was worse than doing nothing.

"I… I'm fine," I managed to force out, very little tremor to my voice. My bugs could track her movements as she moved up behind me, she was wearing a nice dress, her hair so similar to mine…

"Are you sure? We couldn't reach you last night at Lisa's," there was accusation in the tone as a hand was placed on my shoulder. It took all my will power not to stiffen. It felt like a moment from a horror movie, the monster had grabbed the protagonist's shoulder, the monsters breathe on their neck, teeth readying to sink into flesh.

I didn't dare look at the hand either, I half expected it to look like a corpse's, decomposed, rotting and bony, but I knew it would be full, whole.

"I left my phone here, sorry," I forced out, "it was fine, we watched Poirot and had pizza,"

The woman was still for a moment, before then nodding in that painfully familiar way.

"Ah, Hercule Poirot," she sighed and god, they even got how she said it right, her accent impeccable, "A wonderful series of books, though the TV show… I hope it isn't rotting your brain young lady!" she teased, like she used to, even lightly squeezing my ear and shaking my head.

I let a small smile lift my lips, even as I felt the tears roll down my cheeks.

"Yeah… don't worry, I pointed out anything they didn't stay truthful to in the books."

"I knew I raised you right," she paused, "are you heading out again?" she asked.

"Yes, just came to… to pick up my phone!" I said, forcing a lighter tone into my voice and not daring to wipe the tears away, knowing she would see the movement and instantly pick up that something was wrong.

"Okay dear."

I let out the breath I didn't know I'd been holding, only to stiffen as arms wrapped around me, a face burying in the back of my shoulder.

"Love you, sweetheart," she whispered as she pulled away.

I wanted to turn, to jump back into her arms and breakdown, tell her everything, tell her I missed her, that she was fake, that nothing mattered.

But…

She wasn't real… she was a foul trick conjured by this simulation, to taunt me, or to convince me to stay, both were equally viable options.

Yet… no harm in hugging the arm she'd wrapped around me, closing my eyes and staying in the moment.

I couldn't face her as I spoke back, "love you too, mom."

I was out the door a second later, running when I was out of sight, sobbing when I was even further.

~§~

"Yeah, sounds similar to what we found out," Brian said, nodding.

I was nursing a cup of tea in my lap, leaning my head on Rachel, her fur jacket very comfortable. She was with her dogs, Brutus's head in her lap. Lisa was leaning on my other side, her laptop in her lap, doing yet more research. I was still suspicious of them, still wary of Lisa potentially knowing more than she was letting on. But at the moment I wanted the comfort, and that was temporarily overpowering my suspicions and doubts.

"Brian has custody of me," Aisha said before then shuddering exaggeratedly, "it's awful."

Brian rolled his eyes and elbowed his sister before continuing, "it's the same apartment I… think I had in real life? Still in contact with our family. Mom's going clean, kicked out her boyfriend, she and Dad are getting therapy as well- separately," he shuddered, "them in the same room… ugh."

"God, I don't want to picture it," Aisha shuddered as well.

"I have a shelter, workers, look after dogs," Rachel said, I could see the smile on her face, it was small but it was something I hadn't seen for a while, "s'nice."

"I have this lovely apartment, with gaming systems from both Bet and Aleph. It's awesome," Alec said, lazing back, "I could honestly stay there twenty four seven."

"You all see what's happening here, right?" Lisa asked, looking up from her laptop, "I haven't received a call from any mysterious backers, my research hasn't turned up any 'Unwravel' or 'Curl' or 'Loic' or 'Good Guy Coil who lives down the street'. I'm free! This simulation is a last resort! 'Look, here's everything you could want, why would you want to leave!?'"

"I want to leave," I muttered, drawing my knees closer.

"It's faulty Tinker code, its gonna make mistakes, it's made mistakes. We cannot stay here," Lisa said, patting my arm comfortingly while looking around the group.

"We know this Lisa, we're not stupid," Brian interjected, sipping from his cup.

"Good, while I haven't received an email from any 'Toil' character, I did receive an email from somewhere unexpected. The Attackorate were very concerned over our no show. Apparently we arranged to have a meeting last night."

"Shit," Brian muttered, "they know our email? Wait, better question, we have an email?"

"We do indeed. Lots of lovely fan mail as well, messages from kids, fanart, the usual."

"Well, what's the threat?"

"Oh, it wasn't a threat, I wasn't kidding when I said they were concerned. They want to meet under… 'Pinkie swear' Truce conditions."

"Pinkie swear?" Aisha asked, leaning forward, "you mean…?" Aisha held her pinkie out, like you would with a pinkie promise.

"That's what I can gather," Lisa nodded back.

"Well its… simple if nothing else," Aisha said, looking at her pinkie.

"It's dumb," Rachel spoke.

"Anyway, I've arranged a meeting with them-"

Brian choked on his sip of coffee and spluttered, I turn my head to give Lisa a half-hearted glare. She just shrugged as Aisha slapped her brother enthusiastically on the back.

"What? I'm sorry, does that not align with your very busy schedule?" she asked, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Got nothing going on," Rachel says with a shrug.

"F-fucking hell Lisa," Brian finally coughed out, "at least some warning next time? Maybe discuss it with the team?"

"Sure, say team, what do you think we should do next?- That isn't ordering take out or playing video games?" Lisa asked, Alec slowly lowering his hand with a frown.

"That's not the point and you know it Lisa," Brian muttered.

"Whatever, we're meeting tonight. They say it can't be at nine because that's when… they need to make sure the 'Doubts make it back to their parents', so we're meeting at half past ten, in… Hibernals Pebble?" Lisa frowned for a moment before then rolling her eyes "Somers Rock is different as well, of course."

"Wow, it's never really hit until now but like… the Wards are children… damn," Aisha hummed, looking at the ceiling.

"You're a child, Aisha," Brian pointed out, leaning back.

"Sure, but like… damn…"

"What's the time now?" Alec asked, a grin beginning to form on his face.

"Quarter to ten."

"and it'll take us half an hour to reach Hibernals Rock, always did for Somers Rock."

"Correct, get to the point?" Lisa asked, her eyes narrowing before horror began to grow on her face.

"So… no chance to change our costumes huh?" he asked, sitting up with a grin.

Aisha paled, Brian staring into nothing with an abject look of horror, same as Lisa next to me. Rachel looked indifferent.

"No," Brian said, standing, "absolutely not, I refuse!"

"Same, I'm not putting that thing on ever again!" Aisha joined her brothers protests.

"Yes, I agree, costume change is imperative and…" Lisa looked at the clock on her laptop and her shoulders slumped.

"Oh no."

~§~

"God fucking dammit," Grue muttered, finger his tight costume.

"Fucking bullshit!" Imp quietly exclaimed, arms crossed and pointing as she stumbled over her heels.

Regent grinned smugly from beneath his makeup, looking every bit the court jester with his jingling bells.

I tried really hard not to think about the fact that I was wearing a tutu.

Hibernals Pebble was much nicer than its Somers Rock counterpart, some money had clearly been invested and there was even a neon sign that flashed the bars name. Despite all this though, the street was still empty as we approached on Bitch's dogs.

"Someone's watching us," Lisa said quietly.

"You have seen our costumes, right?" Regent asked before grinning, "yours, at least?"

"Shut it," Tattletale snapped.

We stopped outside Hibernalls Rock and dismounted, I kept a weary eye about, my bugs swarming all over the place until-

"Spotted them, alley to our right, hiding but observing us. Power armour of some kind," I reported.

"Get inside Somers- I mean, Hibernals Rock- Pebble! Fuck, that's confusing," Imp cursed, snapping her fingers.

"Truce grounds, we'll have the advantage," Grue agreed, his characteristic wispy darkness emerging from his helmet.

"Agreed, they're making no moves so far," I state, turning on my heel and stumbling as my shoes reminded me they were heels. Again, my usual grace was lost to me, only so much bugs can do for a girl who's never worn heels in her life.

Bitch moved closer to me and I gratefully latched onto her, she made no move to remove my gripping arm, a moment later and Imp stumbled over to Bitch's other side, latching on as well.

"Boots are better," she grunted.

"Never disagreed," I grit out.

"These were not my choice," Imp added.

"Honestly, its not that hard guys," Tattletale spoke, a shit eating grin as she easily walked beside us.

"Why not just put on boots," Bitch said.

"Because I couldn't find any," I gritted out.

"Your normal shoes?"

"They went missing," I heard snickering and my eyes narrowed, zoning in onto Regent, hiding a smirk behind his hand.

"You're dead," me and Aisha said simultaneously.

"Worth it," the boy grinned.

Walking into the bar was a different experience. Somers rock had been dark and dingy, falling apart and barely legal to still be open. Hibernals Pebble was lit with neon blue lighting, the room was surrounded by circular booths akin to a Midwest diner, the black and white tiled floor was spotless as was the rest of the establishment. It was a quite literal night and day comparison between the two.

We took a corner booth, letting us observe the entire establishment. We watched as the waitress made her way over to us, tapping the floor with a cane and sunglasses resting on her nose until she stopped by our table, tossing down a menu.

"What'll it be then?" She asked in the most stereotypical white girl voice I've ever had the pleasure of hearing.

"A Martini please," Aisha immediately responded with a grin.

Before Grue could say anything, the girl scoffed, moving her head in an 'eye-roll' movement, "nice try kid, just cause I'm blind doesn't mean I'm stupid. Try again."

Imp slumped in her seat and petulantly ordered a soda, the rest of the group ordering something similar or nothing at all. I chose to pass on having anything, no offence to this place, but Somers Rock has been a paradigm of health code violations. Conversely that likely meant this place was the cleanest on the planet, but I didn't want to risk it.

It was several minutes of waiting before something happened.

"Armour is on the move," I spoke, turning my head to the door, "approaching the bars entrance."

"Waited… why would they?" Lisa murmured, idly tracing a finger around the rim of her drink, "back up maybe? Checking for our own or for their own?"

"They've been still the entire time, no one has moved closer in a three-block radius. I think they were being safer than sorrier." I gathered my bugs nearby, making them readily available. "They're about to enter."

What stepped in was Armsmaster, or I supposed Dr Efficient now. His armour was a dull orange rather then blue, and instead of his familiar short cropped beard, instead it was a long goatee adorning his face.

He stopped in the doorway, looking around the room.

"Hm… he's…surprised?" Tattletale murmured, "wasn't expecting what he saw inside? He's definitely confused by our own appearance."

"He told us to be here," Regent pointed out.

Tattletale hummed an acknowledgement as Dr Efficient walked over to us, stopping a meter away from the table and scanning all of us. He still looked imposing in his metal armour, standing a foot taller than all of us and armed to the teeth.

Then he spoke, and we were more confused.

"Undersiders," he said, and his voice wasn't as harsh as I remembered, "it's me, Defiant, I've come to get you out."

Imp summed it up pretty well.

"What?"

Chapter Text

"We don't know any 'Defiants'," I said, my tone low. I could see from the corner of my eye Grue's smoke was increasing in volume, flowing off him and pooling at our feet like dry ice fog. Tattletale had stopped playing with the rim of her drink, her eyes staying fixed on the man. Regent and Imp had leaned forward, muscles tense. Bitch was scowling deeply, the slight crease in her brow showing and I could see her dogs were beginning to become antsy under the table.

I myself was marshalling my insects so they could swarm the place in a matter of seconds if need be, admittedly the man probably only needed a few seconds to draw his weapon and take me down first.

"Hm, memory blocker is in place then," the man murmured, "must have been activated when the code first started degenerating."

"You're from the outside," Tattletale said, not a question.

"Correct. I'm Defiant, but you at this stage presumably know me as Armsmaster," Armsmaster stated.

"And why are you here…? You're familiar with us…" Tattletale said, her dead eyes watching as Armsmaster dragged a chair over and sat down, his back to the entrance and facing us. The chair groaned but held under his armoured suits weight.

"Indeed, I am," Armsmaster, Defiant or whatever nodded.

"You… you put us in here!" Tattletale exclaimed.

"Bastard!" Rachel exclaimed, standing and knocking the table, her dogs snarling.

"Please, allow me to talk," Armsmaster said, holding his hands up peacefully.

"Why?" Grue asked, his darkness now beginning to pool not just at our feet, but up on the ceiling like cigarette smoke.

"Because I can explain everything."

I studied him, then glanced at Lisa. I didn't know what to think about any of this, my teammates potential involvement, Armsmaster's confirmed involvement. But I wanted answers more then I wanted to hit something, and I really wanted to hit something.

"Bitch, sit down. If I'm not satisfied you can sic him afterward," I said, not taking my eyes off Armsmaster.

Bitch growled, but slowly sank back to her seat, fists clenched and teeth bared.

"Thank you," Armsmaster nodded to me.

"So, villains being put in simulations now?" I asked.

"No," Armsmaster shook his head, "This simulation was initially considered in the early days by Dragon as an alternative to the Birdcage, force villains to become good by placing them in a virtual reality environment. That or hold them in here as a cheaper alternative to prison or the Birdcage, keep them under, feed the nutritious fluids to keep them alive. It was scrapped because the Tinker coding required broke down within an hour without constant maintenance and debugging."

"Which is happening now," Imp said.

"Indeed."

"So why are we in here?" Grue asked.

"You volunteered to be placed in here," Armsmaster replied.

"You've lost me," Regent said.

Armsmaster looked at him and grimaced, looking away quickly with an almost guilty expression. Before I could say anything, Tattletale beat me to the punch.

"What's so upsetting about Regent, Armsy? Apart from his makeup, which we all agree is hideous."

"Hey! I worked hard in this!" Regent retorted, though it lacked any bite as he looked at Armsmaster.

Armsmaster pursed his lips before stating, "I will start from the beginning."

"In June of 2011, Dinah Alcott predicted the end of the world within two years, and Jack Slash was a factor. I had left the Protectorate over mistakes I had made," he looked to me, "that badly affected you. You ended up joining the Protectorate and The Undersiders had effective control of Brockton, including legitimate legal control over a Portal to the newly discovered Earth Gimel. Rebranded as Defiant I hunted the Slaughterhouse Nine with the help of Dragon, driving them to hiding."

"Quite a story so far," Grue spoke sceptically.

"And there's more, please let me finish," Defiant spoke, before continuing, "In 2013, Jack Slash remerged with the Slaughter House 9000, nine clones of every single previous member. During the combined attack to wipe them out, the single clone of Gray Boy Jack had Bonesaw make turned on him. Then Scion arrived and Jack talked to him."

"Scions rampage killed billions, which is where you come in again," He looked to me, "you had Panacea alter your power… and-"

"'Mind controlled every Cape in existence'" I quoted from my memory.

Defiant looked surprise for a moment before nodding, "not quite how I would… phrase it, but indeed. You managed to rally a defence that killed him… it, Scion. Afterward you disappeared." Defiant looked toward the rest of the Undersiders, "The rest of the Undersiders continued to be almost villains… barley getting away with not actually being labelled as such and even working with authority on many occasions."

"Getting to the more relevant parts, the current year is 2018 and around seven months ago, Tattletale was contacted by one of her… 'employees'. She had been putting out feelers for people with your likeness and such. It was you. Tattletale was looking into was to revive you from a coma, you have signs of gunshot damage on you that was repaired. That eventually lead her to contacting me and Dragon. Dragon suggested that we stimulate brain activity through the simulation to awaken you and to ascertain how much brain damage has been done."

"That's where you four came in, volunteering yourselves for your teammate's recovery as well as your father, Skitter, using their combined memories and what was left of your own, we were able to sculpt this artificial environment for you to be safe in while we assessed and cared for you," Defiant explained, "as time went on, your brain waves began to increase, becoming closer and closer to awakening. But we overestimated our operational security. Teacher heard about our operation. He was at one point a large power player in the new world, however an operation by the Wardens caused him to have to flee. Now he has a small group of parahumans, including Cranial who has been trying to keep the simulation codes running as best she can. Me and Dragon assume his plan is to get you under his control while your unconscious, so you cannot control him, a desperate attempt and we're not sure why. But as a dangerous mind controlling cape, we cannot allow this to happen."

"That's… quite a story," Grue said, leaning back.

I looked at nothing, taking it all in. I was a mind controlling cape? Had I always been a mind controller? Did I have a kill order? I'd killed Scion! This was too much, too fast, all the answers in a single moment! I had no chance to process further as the man continued.

"Indeed, rather hard to convey over an email," Defiant agreed. "But I can back it up. The simulation should have automatically ejected you the moment the facility came under attack, Cranial launched a virus that damaged the code and kept you locked in. However, we have redundancies built in. There are four hard coded rooms inside the simulation, we reach these rooms and enter the admin password, the simulation will shut down and eject all its occupants. One of the rooms corresponds with the old memory blocker protocols and should restore your memories."

"Earlier you said you four," Tattletale said, her eyes going around the table, "if what you say is true, and Skiter is in a coma, that leaves five of us…"

Defiant grimaced again before looking to Regent. "In 2011, on July 26th, Behemoth attack New Deli… in the attack, Regent was killed in a self-sacrifice to save Imp."

"What?" Regent asked sitting up, frowning, "that's not funny, I'm-"

"A computer program that we made using your teammates memories of you, an AI lite of sorts…"

I looked at the shocked looking boy across from me, the makeup doing nothing to hide his expression. For the boy who exposed little in the way of the emotional range, his expression radiated uncertainty and anger.

"No! Fuck you! I have memories of everything! I had a childhood, I remember my siblings and-"

"I'm sorry, they're fake," Defiant said, and he did seem to hold genuine regret in his words. "Me and Dragon created you and pitched you to the Undersiders, but they did not feel comfortable with your presence while they worked on Taylor."

Talking about me like I wasn't even there. Worked on me? Like some lab rat? Moulded me into their… their dream version of me!? Was I even me? Or just the idea of me, what-

"Taylor…" Tattletale said, her voice soft, pitying.

I glared at her, "did you know?"

"Of course not, we have our memories blocked!" Tattletale responded. I couldn't see her usual lying tells, but did I even know her anymore?

"So… wat happens to me?" Regent asked, voice quiet but an undertone of anger.

"The Undersiders didn't feel comfortable having you active, but seeing you myself right now… I don't feel comfortable turning you off either." Defiant rubbed his chin. "It could be possible to save you somewhere… create an artificial body? Simple enough with Dragon… would need to-"

"Let's not get lost in Tinker talk," Tattletale interrupted, "how about we go and hit the memory blocker first, that way with our memories fully intact, we can… be better informed to make decisions."

"Agreed, I can lead you to the first location," Defiant nodded, standing.

"We're just believing him? After everything he's said?" Regent asked.

For a moment, I was going to disregard Regent, he wasn't real, he wasn't alive, he didn't matter. But I stopped myself because that made me feel weird, no other way to describe it. I didn't like what I'd just thought, didn't agree with it. The boy before me was hard to reconcile with the fact that he was dead and very much not alive.

"We have no other choice," I said, not liking to admit what I knew was true, "so we have to take him at his word… for now." I looked at Defiant, "We outnumber you, we can take you down easily enough."

"Understandable," Defiant replied, "come, the memory blocker room will take fifteen minutes of travel to reach."

"We'll meet you out there in a minute," Tattletale said, glancing around at us, "we need to have a quick talk."

Defiant looked around the table before then nodding, "as you wish, I will be waiting outside."

Defiant marched away and Grue leaned in, "believe any of that?"

"It was real, all of what he said," Tattletale confirmed.

"Fuck…" Regent leaned back, then brought shaking hands up to his head, "it… it can't be…"

"Alec…"

"Shut up," the boy muttered shaking his head, "just… don't talk to me for a while… I… fuck…"

"All the stuff he said… its… how the fuck are we supposed to respond to any of it?" Imp asked.

"Maybe you tell me," I muttered, then realised I hadn't been quite as quiet as I thought I had been as the group looked at me.

"Taylor-" Tattletale started but I cut her off.

"I had flashbacks, I realise that's what they were now. You put me in here, and by the sounds of it, you've all been able to… to mould me to be your perfect Taylor- your ideal Taylor?" I stood up, pointing at the table, "do you know how… how that makes me feel? How violating…" I took a few steps back and shook my head, "I don't even know if I'm me! Am I Taylor? Or just some…"

I couldn't continue, instead shaking my head again and turning on my heel, leaving. None of them tried to stop me.

Defiant was outside, standing still, if a bit awkwardly.

I joined him, he glanced at me before then away, both of us staring up into the simulated night.

"I know your angry, that everything is rather shocking at the moment," he started after an awkward silence.

"Please don't," I sighed.

"I don't want to, but I believe you need to hear this." He looked at me, "me and your teammates may never have seen eye to eye, in fact yourself and myself rarely did either. But… they care a lot about you. No matter how you feel, remember that all this… it was for you. It had good intentions, even if you don't feel it that way."

"Where's the first room then?" I asked, trying to change the subject so I didn't have to think about anything.

"The Palanquin… or Stablecircles Sanctuary now. They are in places significant to you but places you do not frequent." He answered my unasked question by continuing, "this place was significant to Tattletale due to her rivalry with Faultline."

"What do we need from that bitch?" Tattletale asked as they exited Hibernals Pebble. Bitch looked at Tattletale then back down at her dogs, who she began to use her powers on. Regent's face was emotionless, though his fists were clenched and he staring hard at the floor. Imp was tittering on her feet, glancing (what I guessed was) worriedly at different members of the group. Grue had his darkness rolling off him in waves, following him like a long cape that dragged along the floor showing his unease.

"Memory blocker room is located at her club, or sanctuary now."

"Typical," she rolled her yes, but I felt she was tying too hard to inject cheer into the situation. "No offence Armsy, or Defian…cy, but I don't think the dogs will be able to carry you."

"Not to worry," Defiant responded as an engine suddenly roared to life and from out of the alley the man had been hiding in rolled his signature motorcycle, thrumming even with its Tinker Tech appearance.

"Ah, the 2011 version," Defiant sighed fondly as he ran a hand along the handlebar, "Dragon was always a fan…"

"Could we get gear as well?" Regent asked, crossing his arms, "or do only you get a motorcycle?"

"This was already preloaded in, I was the first test subject for the simulation, Dragon mapped and created various pieces of equipment from my past for me to use. Loading in my motorcycle could only be done when I loaded in. I'm afraid I cannot load in anymore equipment then what I brought."

He smiled as he unclipped a case that I swear had not been attached to the motorcycle a moment ago, "which isn't to say I came empty handed…"

He opened it and then pulled out a gun, clearly tinker tech, almost 80's sci-fi in appearance as he held it out to Tattletale, "one Tinker tech pistol, copied from Tattletales model."

"I get tinker tech?" the girl asked even as she eagerly accepted, looking it over and smiling, "fuck yes."

"Taser baton for Imp, don't have to worry about charge as we will not be here for that long," the man held out a collapsed baton, Imp eagerly accepting it then watching it extend and crackle.

"Knuckle duster tasers for Grue, experimental, figured now was a good time to test them under near life conditions," Defiant said as he handed them to Grue who quickly slipped them on, the blue electricity reflecting off his black leather.

"A spare Tinker pistol, Regent."

"Oh? Really?" Regent asked even as he accepted it, "thank you so much, I mean, really, this means a lot to me, a spark gun is just what I wanted," he drawled sarcastically.

Defiant just looked at him, unamused before continuing, pulling out a metallic backpack that definitely shouldn't of fit inside. Under the moonlight it glinted with its metallic surface, a pair of robotic arms stuck out of and… it was oddly familiar-

The armoured figure held out a gift to me.

"You face much peril ahead, the destroyer comes and soon the kingdom will be aflame. Take this, it will aid you."

"Quick as ever, Armourer," I said as I accepted, slipping it onto my back.

"It was simply enough," the man waved off.

"Even so, I shall use it to great effect,"

The armoured figure nodded before then sighing and clasping his hands, "I also hope this will make up for the many slights I have made against you. You are not highly regarded by the others, and that was my own bullheadedness clouding my vision. At the same time, you have wronged me as well, but those wrongs have stemmed from myself, as I dealt the first blow. I wish to make amends."

I smile and test the pack, floating into the air "well, you're definitely on the right track."

The vison left me, and I was left with the flight pack in my hands.

"I'm not sure if you remember this, but its-"

"My flight pack," I spoke quietly, slipping it onto my back and then spreading the wing, floating into the air with ease, "you made it for me… before… Behemoth?"

Defiant grinned, "correct, maybe you haven't lost as much as we thought. Do you feel confident controlling it?"

"I do… its like… like an extension of myself, muscle memory…"

"That's good, a good sign as to the level of damage done to your head as well."

Defiant snapped the case shut and then chucked it away, where it promptly stopped existing. The dogs had grown to riding size.

"Take these communicators, place them in your ear and they should be able to pick up your voice." He held out what looked like a bunch of earphones, all of us taking one. With that sorted he nodded, mounting his bike, "Let us be off then, the flight pack will not be able to keep up with the dogs."

"I know," I said, glancing between the dogs. Regent and Imp were on Judas, while Tattletale and Grue were on Angelica. That left Bitch with Brutus. Of all of them, I felt the least pissed at Rachel right now, simply because I imagined she had the least to do with anything.

I floated into the empty space behind her and cut the power to the flight pack, landing behind the girl. As soon as I was secure Bitch whistled and the dogs set off, a moment later Defiant pulling alongside us on his bike and keeping pace.

"The room is inside Stablecircles Sanctuary, but I'm unaware of its exact location, we'll have to search the entire place to find it."

"Oh great, because I'm sure Faultline… Stablecircle will just love that," Tattletale remarked.

"Indeed, be prepared to fight our way to the room, do I need to do a rundown of Faultline's crew for you?"

"No need, we know their powers," Grue responded.

"Good, its best to be prepared for a cold reception."

~§~

"Talkie? Oh my god it's so good to see you!"

Tattletale was staring at nothing as she was swept up into a tight hug by Stablecirlce. I smiled to myself, this was an interesting bit of revenge, but I would take what I could get.

"Hey… Stablecircle," Tattletale finally managed to wheeze out, reluctantly hugging the older woman back before stepping away, her dead eyes looking the woman over "how have… things been?"

The woman clapped her hands together, grinning. She was a complete contrast to Faultline. I don't remember any significant interaction with the woman, but Faultline had always been cool and collected, a mysterious mercenary figure in the underbelly of Brockton. The woman before me wore bright white clothing, a mask that covered the top half of her face and sandals, her hair up in an elegant bun.

"They've been just excellent! And how's my favourite little street rat been? Been taking care of yourself?"

"To the… best of my abilities…" Tattletale responded, a resigned acceptance to her tone.

"Oh! That's just wonderful! Oh, I remember the day you finally left the orphanage, all grown up… oh I was so worried, but look at you, you and your friends!" Stablecircle suddenly realised that Defiant was with us and stepped protectively in front of Tattletale, holding an arm up.

"Dr Efficient, you diabolical fiend! What do you want with my precious darlings!? Here to ransom them for my famed cherry pie recipe? You dastardly felon!"

Defiant sighed, "this is… worse… so much worse."

Chapter Text

"I don't trust you," Stablecirlce hissed.

The threatening tone was ruined by the mashed potato she was piling on Defiant's plate.

"My darling Talkie might, but I don't."

"Understandable, but I have…" Defiant seemed to struggle with something for a moment before sighing, "reviewed my villainous ways and chosen to abstain, instead seeking the light rather than the darkness."

He sounded like he was reading off a script with all the enthusiasm of a high schooler who'd rather be out behind the bike shed smoking. I was glad my mask hid my sudden smile, somehow, I doubted the hero had ever smoked anything, especially during high school.

We were currently sat around a small table next to a cafeteria serving table. The Palanquin's dance floor was now a cafeteria area, currently empty due to the late time of night Stablecircle had said.

"Hmph, well, I'll be the judge of that."

Stablecircle walked around the table and stopped next to Grue, leaning down and speaking in a far gentler tone, "Smokey dear, are you sure you have enough mash potato? There's plenty more."

"Ah, no thanks, I've uh…" the boy looked down at the plate absolutely overflowing with food, "got plenty on my plate."

"If you're sure dear," Stablecircle finally set down the plate of mash and I felt my shoulders relax, feeling akin to the police in a standoff where the criminal has finally lowered the gun from the hostages head.

"Oh, it's just so lovely to see you Talkie!" Stablecirlce cried for the nth time that night, hugging Tattletale once more to the girls' chagrin. "You come to visit so rarely!"

I saw Tattletale mouth 'I wonder why'.

Stablecircle stood and took a seat at the table, casting a suspicious glance at Defiant before smiling at the rest of us.

"Well dears? Dig in!"

I looked down at my plate of food, it did indeed look delicious. However, my mask…

Grue and Imp appeared to be having similar thoughts, though Bitch has long removed her mask and was digging into her meal, regularly offering morsels to her three waiting dogs beside her.

Then I felt something pressing into the skin of my cheeks and reached up, only to find that the bottom of my mask now detached, allowing me to expose my mouth. The bottom jaw of Grue's mask came away and Imp was able to expose the entirety of her lower face. I grabbed a fork and began to eat, then immediately froze after the taste finally processed.

This tasted exactly like…

I closed my eyes, forcing myself to swallow before putting my fork down. It tasted just like what I remembered my mother cooking for me last, the day before the accident.

Around the table I could see similar reactions from the other Undersiders. Tattletale grimacing, not in disgust of the flavour, but more likely whatever the memory was as she put her fork down. Regent's hand was shaking as he hid it under the table. Imp had now drawn into herself and Grue was still, looking down at his food and full fork, mouth in a severe frown.

Bitch continued to wolf her meal down.

Defiant was also eating, though it was clearly reluctantly judging by his expression.

Clearly this was another fucked up thing by the simulation, like my mom, or Brian and Aisha's parents getting better. But again, this wasn't convincing me to stay, this was convincing me to leave as soon as possible.

"Now, as lovely as it would be to come visit me out of some sense of fondness, I know teenagers Talkie, what do you need?" Stablecircle asked, a smirk on her lips, seemingly un-noticing of the discomfort around the table.

Tattletale smiled and leaned forward, leaning into a role her power was informing her how to play.

"Okay, okay, we need-"

The door suddenly slammed open and in marched a boy with green skin, every step he took was punctuated by a wet slap, which looking down I saw was due to the massive green flippers on his feet.

"Frogger, why don't you come sit with us?"

"No thanks," the boy mumbled, burying himself deeper into the hoodie. He opened his mouth wider and his togue flicked out and then extended several meters, licking up a large portion of the leftover mash.

"Frogger! You do not use your tongue to-"

"Whatever, leave me alone!" The boy cried, stomping up the stairs and then slamming a door, a moment later muffled heavy metal music blasting.

Stablecircle sighed and shook her head, "teenagers, I hope he didn't go out alone on these streets-"

The door opened again and someone new entered, I turned to look because I didn't believe what my bugs were felling me about the approaching person.

"Ah, Gregorina the catgirl, where'd you go?"

Stablecircle was addressing what had to be the most attractive woman I had ever seen. Her skin seemed to glow, her hair shiny and her body voluptuous. I considered myself 100% straight, but my eyes were fixated on this woman. Sitting atop her head were two black cat ears, a tail swished behind her, and she wore a choker with a bell on it.

A quick glance around the group showed similar reactions from the various group members, even Tattletale and Bitch seemed fixated on the woman.

Then it hit me.

"Stranger," I managed to force out.

That seemed to knock the group from their senses, all of them immediately looking away.

"Gregorina the catgirl! Cut that out this instant young lady! We have guests!"

The woman scoffed but relented, "whatever, nya."

Looking back, there was no discernible difference, but I was no longer so transfixed.

"You may have a Stranger power, but that doesn't mean you can just go around blasting people with it willy nilly!" Stablecircle admonished.

"Ugh, just let me have a bit of fun, nya," the woman grumbled.

"What the fuck," Regent muttered under his breathe, "this is going too far, even for me."

Stablecircle took a breath and then forced a smile onto her face, "how was Frogger?"

"Fine, just wanted to get outside for a bit. Beat up some Attacktorate thugs…" Gregorina the catgirl paused as she took in the occupants of the table, "… isn't that Dr Efficient? Nya."

"I'm relenting my evil ways," Defiant responded before placing more food in his mouth. I was impressed he seemed to be taking this all in stride.

"Cool, well I'm gonna go to my room and like, talk to my friends. Nya." With that, Gregorina the catgirl went up the stairs in a much calmer manner and disappeared a moment later. Literally, as soon as she disappeared around the corner, she literally disappeared form my bugs senses. That how they had reached the building without me detecting them.

"Gregorina the catgirl is a good girl, but power corrupts as they say," Stablecircle shook her head.

"Parahumans experience a need to use their powers, I imagine that's what's happening with Gregorian the catgirl," Defiant spoke before then frowning, repeating, "Gregorina the catgirl- Gregorina the catgirl!"

Stablecircle chuckled but waved a hand, "part of her Stranger power, you get used to it."

"We need a place to stay, just for tonight," Tattletale suddenly butted in.

Stablecirlce immediately looked toward Tattletale and smiled, "but of course, you're always welcome here Talkie, that's what I said when you first arrived and what I said when you left, it will never change."

"Thanks," Tattletale managed to croak out, looking away from Stablecircle and down to her food.

"Of course, sweetie. As you know when you left, I had to give your room to another resident. But I have plenty of spares!"

"Perfect, I think we're all pretty exhausted from the day and could use the rest," Tattletale said. I nodded in agreement along with the rest of the Undersiders, though Bitch was reluctant to get up from her seat.

"Oh, okay. You've hardly touched your food though!" Stablecircle spoke, concern in her voice.

"I know, we're so sorry, it's just… anxiety, y'know?" Tattletale said, putting on a very good act, "look, its nothing you need to worry about, I'll involve you if I need you okay?"

Stablecircle sighed and leaned back in her chair, "okay Talkie. If you're sure… I know you value your independence, but I am here for you."

"I know," Tattletale smiled back, though it was strained.

"I would also like to stay the night, as you can imagine, my villainous colleagues are not exactly the… best roomates."

Stablecircle turned to look Defiant up and down before shaking her head, "fine, but if you take one toe out of line then nothing will save you from me."

"Of course, thank you ma'am."

"I can get everyone roomed," Tattletale said, tapping her temple with a forced grin.

Stablecircle chuckled and shook her head, "of course dear, reminds me of the lengths I had to go to, to hide what I was getting you for Christmas."

Tattletale forced a laugh as she backed her way up the stairs, the rest of us quickly following, "what can I say? I like to know everything!"

Stablecirlce shook her head, "goodnight dear!"

"Night!"

We rounded a corner and Tattletale immediately released a breath, running a hand over her face as she groaned.

"I really, really don't like this place," she grumbled.

"We should take a shot every time someone says that," Regent commented, "a good drinking game."

I whipped my head around to Tattletale and pointed, "I thought you said the simulation couldn't simulate powers we hadn't encountered before!" I snapped at Tattletale.

"It couldn't!" Tattletale replied, "that's what my power inferred!"

"Turning into a real 'only two or three wards' situation," Regent muttered.

"Stop it, all of you," Defiant ordered, walking down the corridor, "the code is degrading, anything can be possible as the simulation becomes more unstable. Tattletale, your power will be useful in locating the door."

Tattletale shot a look at Defiant, turned back to me, then closed her mouth, grimacing.

"I'm trying my best, Taylor."

With that she turned and walked up next to Defiant, beginning to look around. I rolled my left shoulder, hiding my discomfort at my still throbbing arm. It had only started a few minutes ago but it hurt, I didn't remember knocking it against anything. I decided to solider through it, the mission was more important then mystery arm pain.

"As you saw with… Frogger and Gregorina the catgirl," Defiant frowned at being forced to say the full thing but continued, "the algorithm had to improvise with certain aspects you had less experience with." He turned to look at the group, "that is not something we programmed in, which means from this point on we should assume any of my knowledge is also no longer applicable."

"What about these rooms then?" Imp asked, "if everything is going to shit, will the rooms still be around?"

"They should be, removing them would require such extensive work done to the code that the simulation would cease to function."

"If the simulation does shut off, with us inside, what happens?" Grue asked.

"Do we die?" Imp asked.

"What? No! We're all auto ejected, but waiting for the simulation to crash will take too long."

"Hm," Tattletale hummed, looking down a corridor that split to the right. It was just the same as the other corridors, plain white doors and cream coloured walls, a red carpet on the floor, nothing strange. Except… I didn't want to go down it.

Defiant powered down it however, his movements stiff and a grimace on his face, but he was forcing himself forward and we all reluctantly followed. I felt Bitch bump next to me, staying close as we progressed.

We finally stopped just a metre from the door, which now that I was closer, I saw had a sign on it reading 'Maintenance' with a little stick figure wearing a hard hat next to it.

"Are you sure we have to go through that door?" Imp asked, looking nervously between the door, Tattletale and Defiant.

"I'm afraid so," Tattletale spoke grimly.

"It's because of the effect we're feeling that we know it's the right door," Defiant stated, going to open it.

The lights suddenly flashed, and I blinked, squinting at what I was now seeing. The corridor had now extended, at least a hundred identical doors on either side and at the far end the door that made me feel uneasy.

"Hey, that wasn't as… long? Before?" Imp pointed out, pointing down the corridor.

"Hm, indeed," Defiant hummed before then turning, "well, guess that was the wrong door after all. Come on, let us search elsewhere."

I turned as well, the rest of the Undersiders following, "are you sure?"

"Absolutely, the door must be else whe-"

In a swift sudden movement, he pulled his halberd from his back and swung it through the air, the blade stabbing into the wood of the door that was now back in its original place.

"Someone grab the handle," he instructed and Grue, the closest to the door quickly did so. Defiant withdrew his halberd and the door stayed in place. Grue glanced at the group, receiving a nod from Defiant, then pushed the door open to reveal the room beyond. The room was a featureless white cube, a black cube in the centre with a small laptop sitting on top. On the laptops screen was a blinking icon.

We all walked in, the door closing behind us without any prompting. Suddenly all my bugs cut off, only the bugs I had on me remaining. It was like nothing existed outside this room. It was a jarring experience to go from three blocks to less than fifteen feet.

Bitch's dogs whined anxiously, getting closer to her with raised hackles and she crouched down to comfort them. Defiant focused on the laptop, stepping up to the black cube with the laptop.

He entered a string of binary digits, with nothing else to do I watched the binary he put in.

'01001001 00100000 01101100 01101111 01110110 01100101 00100000 01101101 01111001 00100000 01110111 01101001 01100110 01100101'

I had a vague interest in coding, but that may have been more to do with the fact it was the class I felt safest in and actually did okay in. I didn't know what the binary said, but Defiant's lips quirked up slightly, so I know it did mean something to him at least.

'ACCEPPTED'

Flashed up on the screen and he entered some more codes.

"You all may want to brace," Defiant said, "I'm about to lift the memory block."

I noted from the corner of my eye as Imp grabbed Grue's hand, then after a second grabbed Regent's as well. Tattletale clenched her jaw and Bitch pulled her dogs close.

Defiant hit the enter key, and they all fell to the floor.

I looked to a still standing Regent, then to Defiant.

The others were unmoving on the floor.

"So… how long is this going to take?" Regent asked.

"Not too long, it-"

"What are you doing?"

We all spun around to face the new arrival. From the head down they wore an androgynous uniform like you'd see on a prison guard, a gleaming badge, a gun holstered and even a baton. The head was just a CCTV camera, a blinking lens at the end with a red blinking light.

"Case 53?" I asked quietly.

"No," Defiant spoke grimly, "that's the Warden program."

"The Warden program?" Regent asked, "what the fuck is the Warden program?"

"It was meant to monitor the inmates when they were being kept in here, make sure they hadn't figured anything out or were trying to escape. It's another hard coded thing, though we had deactivated it."

"What are you doing?" It repeated, its voice scrambled like it was coming out of a radio and not obviously male or female.

"Warden, tango zulu, deactivate." Defiant spoke clearly.

The Warden's head swivelled over to Defiant, then it spoke again, "command not recognised, hostiles attempting to retrieve prisoner zero zero one- Designation, Khepri, aka, Taylor Hebert. You have one minute to surrender."

"Warden, tango zulu, deactivate!" Defiant spoke again, his other hand lowering back to the laptop and beginning to type again.

"Command not recognised, hostiles attempting to access admin code." The figure floated into the air, its body beginning to twist and change, "surrender immediately."

"Dammit, this is going to be rough!" Defiant called out as he hit enter on the console.

Chapter Text

I had to forcefully swallow the bile that tried to come up my throat. I could see as Regent also stumbled, coughing. Defiant seemed unphased as he looked at the still collapsed Undersiders on the floor. I carefully looked around at our surrounding, then blinked to double check.

We had done something that the Warden clearly hadn't expected, because it's something even I didn't expect Defiant to do. Placed us just outside the entrance to the room.

"The program will likely start sweeping the outer edges, expecting us to have gone the furthest we possibly could," he explained.

"Can't it just immediately find us?" I asked.

"I entered a hasty code, we and the rooms we need to go to are invisible to it as long as it doesn't find us, the moment it does however, we're in trouble," Defiant replied, confidence in his voice that I hoped wasn't false.

"Why the fuck did I feel sick?" Alec muttered, "I'm not supposed to be real…"

"It's a good sign," Defiant replied, looking around.

"Why couldn't you deactivate it?" I asked, standing up straight, "your code wasn't working."

"No, it wasn't," Defiant grimly agreed.

"Can we fight it? Is there any way to beat it?"

Defiant shook his head, "no, in here the Warden is unbeatable, we cannot engage it." He looked to the unconscious forms on the floor, "they shouldn't be out any longer, another minute at most."

I looked down to my teammates then narrowed my eyes.

"What's happening to them?" I asked, pointing to their bodies which were shifting form.

"Their memories are coming back, as that happens their perceptions of themselves changes. So strong it's completely changing their forms." Defiant stated.

"So… they'll be completely different when they wake up?" I asked. That scared me, to my surprise. For as angry as I had been at my team… they were so familiar to me, to have that removed…

"They'll have their memories from here, but… they will be different." Defiant looked at me and offered me a small smile, I wasn't sure how much it comforted me though, "they'll be happy to see you like this."

I wasn't sure how to respond to that, but I was spared from it by Aisha groaning. The others soon followed, all rubbing their heads and growing as they slowly sat up. While they may have changed appearance to be older, they were still wearing the same costumes they had been before.

"What… where… Alec!" Aisha shakily climbed to her feet then launched herself forward, Alec stiffening as the girl hugged him. I noted with amusement that she was actually taller then him no by several inches, though what was natural and what was heels was hard to tell.

"You are real to me," she said firmly, hugging him tighter.

Alec seemed genuinely baffled for a moment, unsure how to react. Then his snark returned as he hugged back, "might have to sacrifice myself more often then."

"Don't even fucking joke about that!"

I was cut off from seeing any more of their interaction by a sudden hug, but not from the person I had expected.

"I missed you," Rachel murmured as she pulled away, looking down at me- and wasn't that a novel experience, I was shorter than Rachel quite significantly now. Taller, like she had been in that future simulation, but her face was… softer, there was as harsh an expression. She's become stockier, more muscled as well.

Then she looked down and knelt, grabbing Brutus and Judas and hugging them close, closing her eyes as she held them.

I looked up to see Brian standing off to the one side, arms crossed and darkness oozing off him. He looked unsure what to do. Lisa was looking down at her costume, frowning as she again thumbed the boob window.

"I guess it's okay now, but this was definitely creepy when I was still sixteen." She looked up and her eyes immediately focused on me.

A mixed look of longing and regret crossed her face before she forced a smile over it, "well Tay, you're looking good."

"That's a lie," I replied back, putting my hands on my hips, aware of the way it made the masks antennae bobble, "I look fucking atrocious."

Lisa snorted and a genuine smile lit up her face. I still wasn't sure what I needed to feel, whether I should be angry, or if I should be grateful. Right now though, I had to worry about getting out of this place and I would prefer to have my friends with me to do it.

"Defiant, what's the situation?" Tattletale asked, looking to the hero.

"Three more rooms are left, but there's a complication-" Defiant started but Tattletale cut in.

"Warden program, thought you deactivated- decaying Tinker code, right." Tattletale nodded.

"We should keep moving," Imp spoke.

"Where to next?" Grue asked, his voice was different, more subdued just like his body language.

"You're not going to like it," Defiant spoke, looking at Grue directly, "It's…"

"You know what, I don't want to know. I think I'd rather sit this one out," Grue spoke, shifting uncomfortably.

"That's fine," Tattletale said quickly, "in fact, why don't we split up, cover two rooms at once?"

"Agreeable," Defiant nodded, producing a paper and pen from somewhere within his armour, "I will write you the code and relevant commands you need to enter."

"Why don't you, Imp and Regent go?" I suggested. The group looked to me and I shrugged, rubbing my arm, "if uh, you want to I guess?"

I had forgotten that these were people that hadn't had to follow my orders for nearly three years, would they even accept my orders? Recognise me as the leader? For as much as the Undersiders had had a leader and not been a group collective that I sometimes managed to herd one way or the other.

"I'm fine with that," Grue nodded, Imp also nodding much more vigorously.

"Hell yeah, I have so much to tell you about!" Imp said, looking to Regent.

"I'm all ears…" Regent said with a grin.

"That's settled then. You will be heading for a storage locker, I believe locker thirteen-zero-six will mean something to you?" Defiant asked, looking to the three.

"Yeah, I remember," Grue spoke dryly.

"Oh! That was where Taylor cut off Bakuda's toes!" Imp said, looking to me.

"Of course that's the part you focused on when I told you," Grue muttered.

Had I done that?

It was a beautiful day, a blue sky, beautiful green plants growing out of the old shanty town of storage lockers around us. People sat in respectful silence only occasionally murmuring. Up front stood Uber, suit on. Behind him stood Rachel covered in animal furs and wearing a scowl.

"I can't believe this is happening," Grue spoke next to me.

"Me neither." I spoke, my voice quiet.

"Hey, you two want a breath mint?" Bakuda asked, holding a tray in offering. The mints were metal with blinking lights and wiring coming out of them.

"Thank you," I said, taking one. It hurt my hand to hold, and it burned on the way down. That unease didn't stop as it spread through my body.

"Here dear, let me help with that," Bakuda leaned over and offered a mint to Grue.

I scowled but could only watch as the boy accepted, the mouth in his nostril opening to accept the mint as Bakuda pressed it inside.

Bitch.

Then the music started and everyone stood, turning to watch as Leet was lead up the aisle by Armsmaster. The little golden camera flitted around, capturing every moment.

Leet got to the front, and took Uber's hands, the pair smiling at each other as Rachel stepped forward.

"Love, is a burning thing. And it makes, a fiery ring. Bound by a wild desire, You two fell into a ring of fire." She spoke in her usual gruff tone.

"Beautiful vows," Tattletale murmured.

"Leet Jumpman Leet, do you take Uber to be your Thinker husband?" Rachel asked.

"I do."

"Uber Skillz, do you take Leet to be your Tinker husband?"

"I do."

"Then exchange the rings,"

Uber patted his pockets, Leet doing the same, they then both looked troubled. The guests started murmuring.

"Where are the rings?" Grue murmured.

"I don't know!" I replied.

"I do," Tattletale whispered, then looked to Bakuda's foot, "look at her smug face."

Indeed, Bakuda had a cocky smirk on her face.

"Don't need to give me more reason!" I said as I drew my knife and lunged, Bakuda screaming as I chopped off the front of her heel. I grabbed it and emptied it out, revealing the rings wrapped around the woman's severed toes.

"I found them!" I said, holding them high.

Everyone cheered and clapped, Uber and Leet becoming so excited that they kissed, though no one cared for the break in tradition.

Today was a good day.

What the fuck did I just witness?

"I… cut off Bakuda's toes?" I asked.

"Oh, I didn't think you'd remember, maybe your memory isn't that bad after-"

"Wait! Uber and Leet got married!?" I asked, looking between my team and Defiant.

"Or maybe not," Tattletale shook her head, "no sweetie, Uber and Leet did not get married."

"Would've really upped our diversity on the charts if they had though," Defiant spoke, turning and beginning to walk.

Tattletale looked like Christmas came early as she turned, "Did Defiant just make a joke that was actually sort of good?"

"I am capable of it, sometimes," Defiant replied.

I followed toward the back of the group but stopped when I saw Rachel still cuddling her dogs.

"Rachel, you okay for us to use the dogs as transport?" I asked.

Rachel looked up to me and nodded, "that's fine."

"Okay, let's go then," I said, nodding to the group walking away.

She nodded and we walked in a companiable silence, though I noted that Rachel had an expression I'd never seen before on her face, thoughtful.

"I don't care," Rachel suddenly said from nowhere, her eyes focused ahead. I looked at her as she continued. "I don't care if your… I don't really understand much of what's going on or understand your… deal, but… you're Taylor to me… and if you don't want to be Taylor when this is over, then I…" the girl frowned and thought for a moment before nodding, "then I would like to get to know you. Afterwards."

I stared at the girl, then slowly nodded, letting a toothless smile grow on my face, "thanks Rachel, that… it means a lot."

The girl nodded, "your part of my pack, we look after our own."

"I'm team leader," I retort.

She shrugged, "Hm, team leader still needs to be looked after."

~§~

"Definitely a good call to not bring Grue with us," Tattletale said as we looked at the building before us.

We had left the Palanquin to both a teary goodbye from Stablecircle, and to be met with the bright midday sun, even though we had spent a maximum of two hours inside. There had luckily been no sign of the Warden.

Grue, Imp and Regent had gone off to find a vehicle of some sort, while myself, Bitch, Tattletale had set off atop Bitch's dogs with Defiant leading on his bike.

There were people about, and they shouted and pointed when we passed, but otherwise we were left alone. The building before us now was one of those activity centres, the one with a spa, restaurant, a yoga place etc. I wasn't so sure what was so threatening about it.

"Grue, this is Tattletale, we've reached out destination, how about you guys?" Tattletale asked, talking into her communicator.

"Five minutes out," Grue said. I waited for more, but more didn't come.

"There should be a basement level, a big walk-in freezer," Tattletale said, looking at me.

I nodded, trying not to let it show that I was just happy to still be considered part of the team as my bugs searched the place.

"Civilians, lots of them. Found the meat locker, its airtight though, can't get inside."

"That's where the room is then," Defiant nodded, dismounting his bike, people were pointing and pulling out phones or running.

"Hang on, there's capes inside, people seem to be scared of them as their running away… ones an Alexandria package… the others a striker it appears, she keeps touching people but im not seeing any adverse affect."

"Glory Girl is the Alexandria package, clearly… Striker might be Panacea in that case." Tattletale said, sharing a grim look with Defiant.

"That could present problems," Defiant agreed.

"They're coming out now," I said.

"We can take them," Bitch said confidently, still atop Brutus.

"Panacea is the biggest threat and should be prioritised," Defiant said as he drew out his halberd.

"They're about to come out," I said, readying myself as I gathered bugs around me.

"Let me talk to them," Tattletale said, stepping forward, "I can probably make them come to us,"

I quickly spoke into the communicator, "Grue, we've encountered parahuman resistance and I doubt it's a coincidence, be ready when you arrive."

"Will do!" Imp answered back, "stay safe."

The doors opened, several people staggering out and running, the majority all sneezing as they went with red snotty noses and pale faces.

The Glory Girl and Panacea appeared, both cackling to themselves. Glory Girl was wearing a pure white costume but with black instead of the usual gold trimmings, on her chest was a golden silhouetted figure, unmistakably Scion. Below him was a mirrored image except the figure was black instead of gold. Panacea had her white cloak on, a big black skull on the back rather then the red cross, the same symbol on her chest as Glory Girl.

"That has to be like, twenty people you've given the flu now, Ames!" Glory Girl exclaimed, grinning.

Panacea flushed but smiled under her sister's praise. I glanced to the side to see Tattletale grimacing at something, I wasn't sure what.

Glory Girl spotted us and flew forward in front of her sister, looking at us with a cocky smirk.

"Well well well, if it isn't the Overlosers… or half of them anyway. What's up Dr," she nodded at Defiant, "you capture these losers?"

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Tattletale asked in an uninterested tone, her dead eyes giving away her power in play.

"Who am I? I am Crime Girl, criminal mastermind of New Order!" Crime Girl cried righteously before gesturing behind her, "and this is Panic-a, also of New Order, I heard from the Doubts that you guys are causing a ruckus around town, being goody two shoes!"

"Real original," Tattletale spoke indifferently, her eyes looking over everything, they settled on Panic-a and she grinned, a nasty grin, "though, if you want to talk about goody two shoes, maybe you should ask your sister…"

Crime Girl scowled, coming closer, "what the fuck are you implying about my sister?" she growled, behind her however, Panic-a looked like a deer in the headlights, staring at Tattletale and unable to move.

"I'm not implying anything," Tattletale said, holding her hands up in a non-threatening gesture. The grin grew, "I'm saying it."

"Oh no," Panic-a whimpered quietly before shouting, "Vicky, stop her!"

"You attack, and I will be forced to respond in kind," Defiant spoke, raising his halberd from the position he had been resting it in moments prior. I followed up by extending the wings on my flight pack and floating into the air.

Crime Girl looked in surprise at the flight pack before then aiming her scowl onto Defiant, "what the hell Dr Efficient, whose side are you on?"

"Theirs." He responded without pause.

"First off, lets start with the fact that your sister isn't your sister or even related to you," Tattletale said.

This was making me uncomfortable, it almost felt akin to a sense of déjà vu, except vivid, the bank very fresh in my mind. The same strategy had worked there however, and the strategy could work here. Tattletale shooting Crime Girl and then me dousing her in bugs… except that had been good to get away from her, and we had to get past her here. I hoped Defiant had something useful in that halberd of his.

"No shit," Crime Girl said before then shouting, "why the hell does that matter!? I don't care if she's not related to me, she is my sister. Are you, a hero, suggesting that adopted kids are undeserving of love simply because there is no blood relation between us?" Crime Girl asked, genuine confusion on her face.

"That's kinda fucked up," Panic-a said from behind Crime Girl.

"Yes, I am," Tattletale said proudly.

I raised my eyebrow at her, then looked back to Crime Girl who was practically foaming at the mouth with rage.

"You-"

"But that's not all, Panic-a needs to be commended to be honest, a humanitarian award."

"No, she doesn't!" Crime Girl defended her sister, "she is a dangerous villain who works to keep Scion happy and-"

Tattletale waved her hand, uninterest on her face, "Yeah yeah, save the speech, though I think your sister could use a refresher."

"No! I'm evil, very evil!" Panic-a insisted, eyes wide and unease clear on her face.

"I'm sure the homeless who you heal agree," Tattletale grinned as Panic-a stiffened, eyes staring in horror at her. Crime Girl blinked, the fight leaving her for a moment before she then shook her head, clenching her fists.

"I don't believe you! My sister would never do something so heroic!" Crime Girl confidently stated.

"Then why's your sister so horrified?" Tattletale asked.

Crime Girl glanced back at Panic-a, who poorly schooled her expression before shaking her head and turning back, "I'm sure she's just horrified at the notion of her doing good, isnt that right Ames?"

"Y-yeah! Yeah, that's right!" Panic-a agreed, though her tone wavered.

"I'm sure. Like father like daughter, right Panic-a?" Tattletale grinned as the villain looked like she was about to be sick, but Tattletale continued on, "what else…"

"Nothing else, we fight now," Crime Girl stated, getting into a fighting stance.

"Oh okay, well for your information your sister is in love with you!" Tattletale called gleefully.

I whipped my head to Tattletale, looking for any sign of a lie, but found none. She let her grin fall to a grimace and I looked back to the two villains because my bugs were showing a familiar phenomenon, I had felt a few times before. She was still, so was Panic-a. Expressions of shock frozen on both of them, my bugs reporting that they were perfectly frozen, no micromovements at all. Indeed, all the civilians I could feel and had tagged within my range were in similar states.

"Good job," Defiant said, wasting no time as he quickly circled around, getting behind Panic-a and then looking at his halberd. He began pressing buttons, and we all watched as the head switched out for different contraptions. A pike (not the weapon, an actual fish) that flopped about, a feather duster, a bug catching net, a boxing glove loaded onto a spring and many more things that defied the laws of physics in how they were stored.

"What the hell…" Defiant muttered before making a noise of success in the back of his throat as a taser was revealed.

Not a moment too soon as everything resumed.

"You lying bitch!" Crime Girl cried, swooping into a dive, only to stop short and turn on a dime as her sister screamed, falling to the ground as Defiant tased her.

"Amy!" She screamed, rocketing the opposite direction, directly at Defiant with a war cry.

Tattletale pulled her pistol as fast as she could, but she wasn't fast enough as Crime Girl rammed Defiant, lifting him off his feet and propelling them both into and then through the brick wall behind them, back into the activity centre.

"Bitch!" I shouted, running forward and pulling zip ties.

"Bite!" Bitch yelled, her dogs charging forward with her astride them.

Tattletale stayed with me as I secured Panic-a.

"It's good we got her first," she said, keeping an eye on the fight taking place.

"Was she such a threat?" I asked as I tied her feet together, "she's just a healer?"

"What? Oh, right, yeah. Taylor, she's a Bio-Striker. She touches you and she can alter anything about your biology. In the real world she went fucking nuts for a bit."

I paled at the new information, looking from Tattletale's serious face down to the bound girl who looked so small like she was. Zip ties were inorganic right? They couldn't be affected by Panic-a, right?

"Zip ties are fine," Tattletale said, assuring my unvoiced thoughts.

I nodded before then thinking back, "I suppose that makes what they were saying makes sense, about giving people the flu?"

"Yeah… you're not gonna ask about the sister loving part?" Tattletale asked in surprise.

"I'd rather not know," I said with a grimace, trying to remove the horrible image from my head

"Hmph," Tattletale made a small, amused sound in her throat but was still looking at me, I looked back. She bit her lip before stepping forward, "look, Taylor, I-"

"Let's do this later," I interrupted as a rather loud crash occurred and a dog yelped from inside, "let's go check on them."

Tattletale sighed but nodded, following after me as I quickly activated the flight pack to float through the large hole in the wall and into the activity centre.

The inside was a mess already, and the fight had only been going on for two minutes max. Tables flipped or destroyed, counters with chunks missing and food everywhere. Crime Girl flew in the air above it all, she ripped a light from its fixture, angrily throwing it at Judas who yelped and backed away, growling.

Defiant was crouched behind a table, halberd in hand with taser still crackling and covered in the remains of someone's spaghetti bolognese. Bitch still rode about of Brutus, though both were clearly struggling to reach the villain. Bitch because of her lack of flight abilities and Defiant because he seemingly had a cartoon version of his regular halberd and armour.

I looked to Tattletale and she looked to me, we both nodded as I got a swarm ready nearby.

"Hey! Crime Hole!" Tattletale called up before then shaking her head and muttering to me, "just doesn't have the same ring to it."

"What!?" she yelled down, ripping another light fixture free and rearing back, getting ready to throw at us.

"I don't have anything prepared!" Tattletale shouted back, raising the gun and firing some sort of energy beam. The charge washed over Crime Girl harmlessly and she sneered.

"Alexandria package, idio-Ah!" she screamed as bugs descended upon her, biting and stinging. The distraction served its purpose however, as she let go of her flight and fell. The light fixture fell from her grasp to shatter on the floor. Defiant charged forward and when she landed he was there, tasering her to silence.

I looked at the zip ties in my hands then back to Crime Girl, "would there be any point in using these?"

"Can't hurt to," Defiant shrugged "can you please use your bugs to indicate the entrance to the room?"

I landed beside the girl and set about tying her limbs together, my bugs forming an arrow above the entrance while Bitch began to shrink her dogs down to their normal size.

"So, how is this place significant to us?" I asked as I looked around, feeling nothing at all about the place, no unease or memories in it.

"This is uh… where the Slaughter House Nine holed themselves up after… capturing Grue," Tattletale said, looking at me.

"Grue was captured by them? We fought the Slaughter House Nine? They came to Brockton?" I asked, feeling horrified at the thought. They were infamous for a reason.

"Mm, we actually kicked their asses," Tattletale said, though there was no smile to go along with the positive statement.

"Made 'em run," Bitch said, checking over her dogs before standing.

"Okay… we rescued Grue though, right?" I asked.

Tattletale winced and held her hand up, tilting it from side to side. "Sort of?"

"Second triggered," Bitch butted in, rolling her eyes when Tattletale glared at her.

"Second triggered…" I tried to cast my mind out to see if I knew what that meant… and came up blank. "Is that good or bad?"

"Bad," both Defiant and Tattletale immediately responded.

"Come, we should not wait around for too long," Defiant said, walking down the stairs toward the doors of the basement, the serious effect ruined by a string of spaghetti falling off him to give a wet slap as it hit the ground.

I quickly followed behind, ignoring the feeling of unease the door drew from me as we approached.

Defiant forced the door open to reveal- again- the white featureless room, a black cube in the centre with a laptop on top. Like the first room, when I stepped past the threshold I lost contact with all the bugs outside, only keeping those that were on me. Defiant wasted no time as he walked over and began typing in commands.

"We've reached the room and are currently entering the code, how are you guys doing?" Tattletale spoke into the communicator.

"We encountered Friend Lee having a fight with Entropy and Shadow Stalker. We've sent Imp to go find the room and are hoping to avoid getting involved," Regent responded.

"Good plan," I replied.

"I am finished entering in the code, but I do not know what will happen if I press enter, it could be that the Warden program will find us," Defiant spoke.

"Okay, brace, we're about to enter our code, be careful."

"Roger that, holding my ass," Regent replied with his usual charm.

Defiant hit the enter key.

Nothing happened.

"Have you done it ye-woah."

"Regent?" I asked quickly, "Regent what's happened?"

"Uh… everyone just disappeared?"

I frowned and then stepped outside, only for my unease to grow.

"There's no bugs, the only bugs I have are what's on me," I reported, sending out a few fliers to where I knew Crime Girl and Panic-a were zip tied.

They were not there.

"Crime Girl and Panic-a have disappeared," I said to my group, which put us on guard as we exited. No ambush awaited us even as we exited to the outside, the spot where Panic-a should be deserted, as well as the surrounding street.

"This can't be good," Tattletale murmured as she looked around.

"Indeed," Defiant agreed.

"I did it!" Imp's voice broke in, "put in the code and nothing bad happened!"

"May need to hold the celebration Imp," I said before looking to Bitch, "grow the dogs, we need to move."

She nodded back even as her dogs began to grow, and I turned back to the empty street, talking to Defiant, "where's the next room?"

He grimaced, "you're not gonna like it."

~§~

Panacea's name is a reference to the fact that every time I read her name I read it as Panic-a

Also, I worry this chapter leans a bit too hard on the fanon 'haha Victoria is just big dumb brute who likes punching'. But this is a Vicky who's been raised in a cult to believe one thing religiously, but also because her sister isn't at the hospital at all, they've spent a lot of time together and she's become fiercely protective of her because of it. Also she's not real, but whatever.

Chapter Text

Winslow high school was, as always, an awful place to be right now. Not for the usual reasons currently.

"That's definitely Boomer laying mines on the track field," Tattletale murmured, looking from our vantage point to the school being converted to a fortress.

"Unfair advantage to her, surely," Regent murmured, making Imp giggle.

There was a loud revving sound and a large four-legged walker climbed onto the top of the building, extending high up and providing the occupants of the body a good view of the surrounding block. Luckily we were further away.

I brought up a pair of binoculars and looked through, spotting Groaner of the Sword Tunnel Bandits. For those not living in cuckoo land, that was Squealer of the Archers Bridge Merchants, in this simulation they didn't sell drugs, but instead helped people to recover from them. We hadn't looked too much into them because they kept out of the cape scene.

"Another patrol, regular intervals with a good threat rating balance between them, always one flier with two walkers," Defiant noted.

"This… how?" Grue asked, dropping his binoculars, and looking at us, "that is every single cape in the bay, how are we going to do this?"

I didn't answer, because I wasn't so sure myself. Winslow Highschool was currently a veritable fortress, capes that would have sooner killed each other than tolerate each other's existence were now working together to keep it as secure as could be. The Warden program was also here as well, and according to Defiant was essentially the equivalent of Scion inside here.

It felt impossible.

"What does the Warden do when it catches us?" Tattletale asked.

"Isolates you, places you into a virtual cell, then when the appropriate security forces are present outside to contain you, you're released to the real world." Defiant sighed, "and while there are failsafe's that will automatically eject all of us when tinker code degenerates to a certain point, we cannot rely on that freeing us in a timely manner."

I frowned as I looked over everything. I knew we could beat any combination of capes from the bay or run away if need be. But that was usually in small numbers, and we could sometimes rely on gangs hating each other more than us to make our grand escapes.

The only time I had seen the bay's capes even come this close to working together was-

"Bakuda."

"Pardon?" Tattletale said, turning to me.

"She's laying mines, logically that means she must have a workshop now inside the school," I looked at Defiant, "the rooms are indestructible right?"

"Correct."

"Defiant, Bakuda's bombs operated on frequencies, Tinker frequencies sure, but could you hijack them-"

"Set the bombs off in place," Defiant and Tattletale spoke at the same time in realisation.

"Now that's something I would pay to see," Regent said, and I could hear a grin in his voice, "the best fireworks."

"That's a good start," Grue said before looking to Defiant, "if you can pull it off."

"I will need materials. Luckily, I know where my… where Dr Efficient's workshop is," Defiant said "it seems my… myself in this simulation did not know about Op Sec, as I easily found the location on a post it note stored in my arm compartment."

"Can't the Warden just undo the damage?" Imp asked, "revive anyone killed and then come after us?"

"No, it's currently working within the simulations rules. Normally it would not, at least, the Birdcage prototype Warden did not. But when we began to change the code, we needed to change the hardcoded elements to match, meaning the Warden is stuck with trying to maintain the illusion this is real life. If Grue were to cover it in darkness, it would not actually be blind, but because of its programming, it would pretend to be blind to maintain the illusion," Defiant explained. "So, if we detonated Bakuda's bombs, it would not reverse the damage. However, the deaths I cannot guarantee as staying permanent. As you have told me, you've observed capes that have been killed come back to life, but there was usually- from what I can gather- an extended period of time between the death and revival."

"Forced to acknowledge our powers, huh?" I mused, a plan forming in my mind.

"I'm worried," Regent whispered to Imp.

"Why's that, because we're going to be facing all of that in a few hours?" Imp whispered back, nodding to the school.

"No, because Taylor's clearly planning something," Regent whispered back.

"Lung, Purity, Hookwolf, Oni Lee, Kaiser," Grue muttered, "we have to hope we get very lucky with those bombs to take out some of those."

"Taken them before," Rachel huffed.

"Not all at the same time," Grue pointed out.

"And we can't turn them against each other either," Tattletale muttered.

"Let's get to Defiant's… or Dr Efficient's lab."

"Yes, I would also like to make changes to my halberd," Defiant agreed, climbing to his feet.

"I dunno," Tattletale said, getting to her feet with a grin, "the fish attachment could be useful."

"The what?" Imp asked.

"Oh, you two are going to love his halberd," Tattletale said.

"We must be underway," Defiant interrupted quickly, walking away.

~§~

"Are you sure you don't need that pike head?" Alec asked with a grin, "just think of all the applications!"

"He's in a Fugue right now Alec, you'll be getting jack and shit out of him," Lisa said from her spot on the couch, arm draped over her face to cover her eyes.

Alec glanced at her then back to the hunched over Colin, his eyes fixed on his work as he used tools I did not recognise, doing work only he would understand.

"Reckon we can draw a moustache and eyebrows on his helmet?" Alec asked, producing a felt tip pen from somewhere.

"Oh absolutely," Aisha agreed with a grin.

"And it's like a day has not gone by," Lisa muttered, lifting her arm and glancing at me with an amused smile.

It was a nice distraction from the current ongoing events, especially looking around Colin's… or this version of Colin's workshop. Dr Efficient had many trophies inside from past actions. A shark model was suspended from the ceiling, a small engine of some kind was mounted on a pedestal with a light shining upon it. One corner was taken up by a massive penny that reached the roof with its size. It was an abandoned warehouse in the docks, so the smell of salt was prevalent inside and there was even a bay towards the back with a gaudy orange submarine like vehicle parked in it.

Overall, looked like it belonged in one of those old hammy comics. Alec and Aisha had thoroughly investigated the TV and discovered that no channels worked, all displaying a static screen. Then Colin had come over and proceeded to dismantle the TV while they had been using it, leaving it thoroughly unusable. Similarly, the computer had been taken apart as well before Alec and Aisha could get their hands on it, so the pair were thoroughly bored.

Brian had claimed a la-z-boy chair (that looked suspiciously familiar in some way) and appeared to be content to doze. Though I had done a double take when he had removed his helmet to reveal the white skull on his face, looking like a case of vitiligo was affecting him that I don't remember previously. Rachel was content to simply sit with her dogs, scratching them and occasionally playing a tug of war with improvised pieces of rope.

Lisa was suffering from a thinker headache, nothing too strenuous at the moment, but she was going to be out of commission for a bit.

I was on edge.

The Warden had removed every bug in the city, and as hard as it was to admit, that made me useless. All I had were the small swarm I was carrying on me which was enough to tag a few people, follow limb movements or completely swarm one person. But I was used to having my surrounding completely covered.

So, to say I was on edge would be an understatement, even though we were supposed to be taking a break. I felt like I was supposed to be running through training exercises or-

"Hey," I was interrupted from my thoughts by Lisa dropping her legs into my lap. I shot her a withering glare which she couldn't see, her arm over her eyes but a smile on her lips. "What do you want to do when we get out?"

"What do you mean?" I asked back, already not liking the direction this was going.

"When we get out of here, and when we beat Teacher for the dozenth time," she steamrolled over my interruption, "it will be when Taylor, this attack of his, it was too early, too risky of him. I'd probably call M/S protocols on him if that was still a thing. But that's neither here nor there," she waved off, "when we're out in the world, what do you want to do?"

"Well… I don't know, it's not something I really thought about." I shrugged, "I've honestly been trying to not think about it because… I still have my mind control powers, don't I?"

"No, I don't think so," Lisa shook her head.

"How can you know that? I've seen what my cell outside looks like, I've heard the protocol names and I… I'm going to be arrested anyway because I mastered so many people."

Lisa snorted, "arrested for saving humanity my ass. They can try, and I am not going to say that your solution was the most… elegant. But you deserve a second chance, more than anyone."

"From what I understand this would be more my third or fourth," I pointed out.

Lisa blew a raspberry, "semantics Tay. Anyway, covering a different point you've brought up. Your 'cell' was constructed from paranoia, just in case we were wrong, and you did keep your old powers. But your body shows Panacea healing, including in your brain. And then we're in here and you have bug powers, so I think your back to regular old Taylor outside… hopefully."

I wasn't so optimistic.

"That's a big 'if'."

Lisa peeked at me before rolling her eyes, laughing slightly, "gosh, you just try your hardest to not give yourself hope, huh? I never really noticed before now… and its probably a bit fucked that I missed that in anyway, but hey!" she poked my stomach with her foot, "lets me feel smarter, so you're a hero in my books."

"Thanks Lisa," I responded dryly, rolling my eyes.

"Now come on, you're back in the new world, you have bug powers, what are you going to do?"

I sighed and let my head fall back onto the cushion, looking up at the ceiling, "I can't exactly be a hero anymore, can I?"

Lisa sucked in air through her teeth, "yeah, I don't think the Wardens would have you. But!" She held a finger up dramatically in the air, "that's not the only way to be a hero. Society is rebuilding across multiple earths, the economy is recovering and a status quo is still being formed. Conditions aren't what your used to. But your power to control bugs is a literal oasis in the desert. You can be the best pest control, or you can restart the honey industry. Hell, I bet you could get permission to use a fresh world to produce honey not just for our earth, but others as well."

I hummed, thinking about it. Honeybees were fascinating insects, similar to ants with their abilities to build their homes, raise and feed thousands of young and defend their territory. And they could be vicious as well, not only did they have the capability to sting (even though that was deadly for them) but they could also fend off attackers by heating them to death by dog piling the attacker and then vibrating…

That was something I both did and didn't want to find out if it could be applicable to humans. Probably not due to the sheer number of bees you'd need and the fact that the amount of bees you'd require would be enough to kill someone without heating them up.

I was getting off topic. I like bugs, sue me, I'd like to see someone not take an interest in bugs when their power literally revolves around them.

The pest control idea didn't sound as appealing, less because of the work and much more because that would put me nearer to the public, interacting with people, potentially heroes as well.

"Honey," I finally said.

"And spider silk, you could make so much from that, make yourself so valuable that no one can come against you," Lisa laughed and looked up, wiggling her fingers at me, "Skitter, once the famed Warlord of the Bay, now the famed Beelord of Earth Bee."

I snorted and shook my head at her antics as Lisa giggled to herself, letting her head flop back.

"Well, what do you do now?" I asked, studying the woman.

"Ugh, it's a bit of a mess on my end. You'll at least be happy to hear that we're all on the straight and narrow at this point. I specifically am an information broker with all my contacts, I do a lot of work with the Wardens and other hero groups. Rachel is in charge of a village in Gimel, going to be a town soon if I remember correctly."

"Mm," Rachel hummed, "they're good people." She looked to me and spoke, "you can stay with me if you want."

I blinked before smiling back- no teeth- "thank you, I don't know what's going to be happening, but I'll keep that in mind." I thought for a moment before looking between them, "what are the major differences I should be ready for?"

"There's a lot different," Lisa said, "it's basically like entering a brand-new reality for you. New currency, new cities. The public are more wary of all parahumans now, no PRT or Protectorate, just the Wardens. A lot of villains are now heroes, some heroes are now villains. The fact that you're now… about what?... its gonna be a year since all the stuff went down with the dreaming death soon, so you're about, gosh, twenty-one? Twenty-two? Hard to remember."

"Twenty-two," Rachel broke in, scratching Brutus's chin, "we celebrated four birthdays when she was gone."

"You celebrated my birthday?" I asked, both confused and touched at the same time.

"Of course, both you and Alec. I'd say Alec is older as well, but… well," Lisa gestured at the boy as he and Aisha scribbled angry eyes and an elaborate moustache onto Colin's discarded helmet.

"I can probably ask Lookout for one of those devices she uses for the Titan spirits," at my confused look she waved me off, "too much to explain now… I was hesitant when Dragon and Defiant said they could make an Alec off our memories. We all were, and after briefly seeing him… it was too… uncanny, we decided to turn it off. It was a blow, because we sort of hope that maybe…" Lisa sighed before gesturing, "but look at him, like a day hasn't gone by… quite literally… its…" she trailed off.

"Everyone's leaving," Rachel said, before glancing at them, "even him."

"Of course…" Lisa agreed, though absently as she stared at the ceiling.

We lapsed into a silence, only broken by Aisha's loud cackle as the pair backed away, revealing two large eyes with angry eyebrows scribbled on top, and an elaborate moustache I hesitated to even suggest was supposed to mimic Poirot.

"Oh, you probably don't remember this," Lisa suddenly said, sitting up.

"Remember what?"

"Parian and Foil."

"Parian and who?"

"Foil- uh, Fletchette, Ward up in New York you may have heard of?"

I thought and wobbled my hand, "vaguely, Shadow Stalker vibes?"

"Yes. She went villain and joined our team because Parian did, they're in a relationship."

"Uh…" that was a lot of information that I'm sure made perfect sense with the context behind it, but I had none, "good for them?"

Lisa snorted and waved a hand, "they're technically Undersiders, but they're more on the… 'outside' so to say."

"Anything else I've missed?"

"Aisha was leading the heartbroken, but they're now their own faction. Friendly with us, but their own distinct thing. Brian over there-"

"Died fighting Scion," he spoke, quiet but his voice still carrying in the near silent workshop. He hadn't opened his eyes, and his black smoke still poured off him, giving him a gothic horror look, "but was revived by the Glaistig Uaine and given a body by Bonesaw-"

"She's a good guy now by the way," Lisa whispered, but otherwise stayed silent as Brian talked.

"It was… weird… being in that in between…" he was silent for a moment before finally cracking his eyes open and looking toward me, "I was part of the Flock for a while, the term for capes revived by Valkyrie- that's Glaistig Uaine now- but recently I've come back to being an Undersider."

"As the leader again?" I asked, curious.

He laughed, it was only one and it came out more like a bark. He shook his head, "we all know I was only ever leader of the Undersiders in name Taylor, I never was… or could be what you were. I just stick with Aisha."

"I have been the closest thing to a leader we've had since… yeah…" Lisa trailed off.

I nodded.

"Why you asking, you wanna be leader again?" Aisha asked as she rolled over on an office chair, its wheels squeaking before she rasied her foot, hitting the couch and stopping her roll.

I sighed and shook my head. "I just want to get out of here, then I think I just want to sleep for a day."

"Here here," was echoed by both Lisa and Aisha.

"How long has passed?" Colin suddenly said, straightening up and beginning to stretch.

"About… three hours?" Lisa answered, checking an imaginary watch on her wrist.

"Hm, shorter then usual." Colin finished his stretches and glanced around, before his eyes landed on his helmet, "who… no, why?" he asked, turning and looking straight at Aisha and Alec.

"Psychological warfare," Aisha said sagely.

"Yeah, they'll be too busy laughing to notice you attacking them," Alec broke in, a shit eating grin on his face.

"That-"

Colin was cut off as a streak of lighting broke through the roof, causing it to collapse. I got up from the sofa, grabbing my mask. The rest of the Undersiders also became alert. Colin grabbed his newly constructed halberd and placed a small handheld radio device into a compartment in his armour.

All our eye were trained on the two figures above.

One was dressed in classical Greek armour, except it was black and it showed off a toned body. Coming from a critical perspective, it left a lot of the villain exposed to being gutted or amputated easily. In one hand was a glowing white spear with crackling electricity, in the other was a shield with the same crackle of electricity.

Dauntful.

Hanging onto his back was a woman. Dark skin, a camo cape and a camo leotard that left her similarly exposed as Dauntful. A large heavy looking green pistol pointed down at us.

Miss Murder.

"Well well well, Dr Efficient," Miss Murder spoke, and I felt a shiver go down my spine because the way she spoke sounded so familiar in an uncomfortable way. I quickly realised why, she sounded so similar to how Jack Slash sounded. Then I tried to figure out how I knew what Jack Slash sounded like.

"You've been a naught boy," Miss Murder continued.

Dauntful adjusted the hold on his Arclance and lifted it up like a javelin, his voice a deep rumble.

"Looks like I'll be team leader after all, Colin."

He threw the spear.

Chapter Text

Defiant was saved from being skewered by Regent, the boy giving a wide gesture and the spear extending to pierce through the worktable behind him.

Dauntful retracted the spear and lowered down, letting Miss Murder hop off, her power forming into a heavy looking machine gun which she didn't hesitate to begin firing, spraying bullets throughout the lab and aiming for Defiant.

Defiant dived, rolling behind one of his work counters as various electronics on top exploded or were torn to shrapnel. I stepped onto the couch and then kicked off from it, my flight pack activating and letting me fly into the air.

"Skitter!"

I looked down and caught the Tinker pistol Tattletale threw up to me, I turned to face Dauntful, who was watching me impassively.

"You're a wanted girl," Dauntful said.

"Not interested!" I responded as I fired the gun. The electric charge shot forward but Dauntful was faster, doing a twist and using his momentum to extend his spear at me.

I cut the power to my flight pack and lined up another shot, this one hitting his foot. I returned power to my flight pack and watched as Dauntful 'stumbled' in mid-air, dipping to the side before he righted himself. I came up underneath him, flying up and then kicking his helmet, covering up my grunt of pain at my foot hitting hard metal and watching as he flew end over end for a moment before righting himself and shaking his head. I let the small bugs I had moved onto him crawl to the crucial elbow and knee points, letting me get a clear view of what he would do next.

So, I could stun him, or parts of his at least. That was good to know, as I suspected his power would have boosted his armours resistance to the pistol. Dauntless was definitely on our 'run away if we saw him' list, none of us were flyers or Brutes or Blasters, so none of us stood a real chance against him. He could fly with Purity and while he didn't have her fire power, he was still a powerhouse in of himself.

The Arclance could extend as long as he needed in no time, it was both energy and an object with mass. He could throw it but then he had to physically retrieve it-

I threw that notion away as Dauntful did exactly that, the Arclance flying toward me and I barely dodged, smelling ozone and burnt hair as my head narrowly avoided the weapon. I watched it fly in a straight line, wanting to know where it landed before watching as it did a wide arc and then flew back into the waiting Dauntful's hand.

"That's so unfair," I muttered before flying down to the street, hoping to lead him into the maze of abandoned cargo containers, warehouses and storage lockers.

"Come back here little bug!" told me that he'd fallen for it and was following me into the maze.

"Catch me if you can, you wannabe Zeus bitch!" I yelled back, ducking through a smashed window of an abandoned warehouse, dusty crates that were decades old and slowly being broken down filling the building.

The brick wall exploded behind me, Dauntful clearly not caring for simple entrances and I ducked behind a crate, his Arclance narrowly avoiding me as it extended the length of the warehouse and Dauntful gave it a swipe, slicing through the crates and setting the dry rotted wood alight. The crates contained engine parts, for what I didn't know. A pipe had tumbled out near my free hand, one end ending in a natural bend, and the other a glowing orange cut that gave it a pointed tip.

Boots landed on my crate, the crackle of electricity louder then the fire now spreading through the warehouse. I looked up to see Dauntful looking down at me, his face sill obscured within the dark recess of his helmet.

"Wanna say that to my face bug girl?" he asked, raising his spear.

"Sure," I replied. My reached my hand out and wrapped it around the pipe as I spat "I said you're a Zeus wannabe who can barely control his lance!"

I lifted the pipe and in the next moment plunged down, going through his unarmoured calf. That's what you get for not wearing appropriate armour beach boy.

He screamed, falling as blood dribbled from the wound and I flew back up, putting distance between us even as I yelled, "to be fair, neither could Zeus!"

Maybe Aisha and Alec had rubbed off on me a bit too much. Or maybe it was just this hammy simulation. Well, mostly hammy. It was hard to look at the screaming bleeding man below me, surrounded by flames and covered in grime, and think hammy Sunday morning cartoon.

"You bitch!" he roared, blindly throwing his Arclance out of anger.

I dodged, but not quite quick enough as my Tinker pistol was knocked from my hand, flying away. I scowled and looked down at the villain. Dauntful was too powerful to be left alive, but he could be very effectively trapped here… though how trapped was he with his powered-up armour and weapons still on him? He could create that shield bubble around himself, so hoping to bury him in rubble wouldn't work because I don't remember its strength. We had likely encountered it at some point in our careers, but I had no clue what that thing would be able to take.

Killing him would likely be for the best, but some pat of me just didn't feel right about that-

His Arclance flew back into his hands and something smashed into my back, pulling me down to the floor. My mask protected my head, at the cost of one of the lenses popping out and away and stars in my vision.

I looked behind me and saw one of the ceiling lamps had fallen and caught on the back of my flight pack, the extra weight unbalancing the machine and causing my rapid descent.

I shoved it off, then rolled as the Arclance pierced where I had just been lying, then I grunted as I was kicked, my back hitting a crate.

"I'm not going to kill you," Dauntful gloated as he floated toward me, the pipe still in his calf and the wound dribbling blood to his electric shoes which caused a sizzling sound where the liquid met the energy. "No, I'm gonna do that later, first though, I'm going to kill your friends, one by one and make you watch!"

"That's the most cliché line I have ever heard," a voice interrupted and we both turned to see Imp- sans mask- grinning as she sat on the edge of an unmarked crate, an arm resting on her raised knee and a raised eyebrow on her face.

"Have to agree," Grue spoke, sidling up beside her with a dark cloud billowing behind him.

"Nice of you to join guys," I croaked, slowly getting to a standing position.

"Well, it looked like you had it handled for the most part," Imp shrugged.

"For sure," I snarked back.

"Take this seriously!" Dauntful roared, flinging his Arclance at me and making me dive to the side as it buried deep into the crate that had caught me moments before.

"Wow, you're really flinging that thing around dude," Imp commented before smirking as she hopped off her perch, "though, with muscles like that, I guess you wouldn't lack the confidence… or you might be compensating?" Imp smirked and gestured with her finger, "lets find out, big boy."

"For your information," Grue chimed in, stepping up beside his sister and cracking his knuckles, "I'm going to have to kill you now."

"Ugh, protective big brother," Imp threw her hands up, "what can ya do?"

"Shut up!" Dauntful shouted.

"He can recall his Arclance!" I called out a moment before he did just that, the weapon flying back into his grip before extending as he swept it toward Grue in a wide swing.

Grue rolled under it, his darkness billowing out. I picked up a loose plank near my feet and quickly ventured into the cloud, not as blind as Dauntful likely was, but not doing much better with only the bugs on the villain to guide me forward. I held the plank out in front of me as I approached, and it protected me from running into the protective dome the man had erected around himself.

There wasn't a lot I could do with that.

Then for the nth time today I was thrown away as his shield exploded outwards, Grue's darkness being blown away to reveal Dauntful still standing. Grue was quick to recover and-

"Big bro!" Imp called, tossing him what I at first thought was a club, but upon closer inspection was clearly an engine piston. Clearly not a car one, as that would be too small, perhaps for a boat.

Imp gave a two-finger salute form her temple-

I blinked, when had Grue gotten that piston from?

Grue looked equally as baffled, if the way his helmet dipped to look at the piston and the way he inspected it was any tell. Then he recovered and walked toward Dauntful.

"That's cute, you think you can beat me?" Dauntful asked, spreading his arms wide.

Grue didn't reply, instead just raising the piston and bringing it down, only stopped by the electric shield, sparks flying off and a crackle filling the air as the two stood- or floated in Dauntful's case- locked in a staring match before Dauntful shoved with his shield, Grue stumbled before then ducking under the Arclance and swinging up, catching the bottom of Dauntful's helmet with the piston and knocking Dauntful back-

Right into my waiting plank which I slammed down onto the villain's helmet. It broke in half, but the villain cursed as he turned to face me, Arclance swinging before he screamed as Grue brought the piston down onto his exposed arm, a wet crack filling the room as the arm broke and his Arclance went flying away, wedging into a crate.

"Get away!" Dauntful shouted, lashing out with his shield and smacking me, however it lacked the previous power his other hits had had. I stumbled before leaving the ground, hovering in the air. The villain rounded on Grue, throwing a punch that even I could recognise as sloppy as Grue blocked then swung, his fists crackling with electricity from the Tinker knuckle dusters that burst when his fist impacted the man's exposed abs.

Dauntful crumbled over with a grunt, then stumbled when Grue kneed his face. The villain floated in the air like you see in those videos of astronauts manoeuvring themselves in space, then with a grace those astronauts wished they had, he righted himself and roared with rage before charging, tackling Grue and ramming the pair of them into a fiery crate, wood splinters, fire and metal parts flying everywhere.

"Grue!" I called, quickly following.

Grue was beneath Dauntful, his movements sluggish as he tried to block the blows the villain was raining down on him. The man was probably running on pure adrenaline now, he seemed to be ignoring the break in his arm and the blood leaking from both his helmet and his leg wound. I grabbed a pipe that had landed nearby and prepared to come to Grue's aid-

Dauntful seized up, then looked down at the glowing crackling spear tip poking out from his chest. Imp pulled it back, the spear shrinking back to its normal size as she ran up.

"THIS THING IS AWSOME!" she yelled even as she kicked Dauntful away, the man limply falling to the floor.

"You can keep it," I replied as we both took one of Grue's arms and pulled him to his feet. His helmet had cracked, revealing his left eye and parts of his face, "you good?"

"Yeah, yeah, just… dazed," he slurred and I suspected he was more then dazed. Things were already bad and we hadn't even started our attack on Winslow yet.

"Hm, he still has his shield and shoes," Imp said, looking at Dauntful's body.

I grimaced, because on the one hand Imp raised a good point in that the shield and shoes would be useful for our group. But the other hand was looting a dead body, which felt wrong. Taking the man's shoes when the body hadn't even cooled, there was probably an expression about this sort of thing somewhere.

"Okay, grab them, more useful to us then him," I said, the words distasteful in my mouth as I slung Grue's arm over my shoulder.

Imp set about her task with a worrying eagerness and in the end emerged with a spear in one hand, a shield on the other and Dauntful's boots crackling on her feet.

"Also, I believe this is yours?" She asked, holding the Tinker pistol out to me.

I grabbed it and looked it. The barrel was bent out of shape and it was sparking. I threw it aside with a shake of my head.

"Useless now."

Imp shrugged before jumping into the air and hovering. She looked down at herself before her body vibrated with excitement, her legs kicking wildly. "I have always wanted to do this!" Imp squealed as she floated into the air, diving and rolling above our heads as we left out of the hole Dauntful had previously made in the wall. "Why couldn't of my powers been invisible flying?"

"Because we needed to make keeping track of you even harder," I noted dryly.

"Fuck yes! I could do so much… like drop eggs on people!" Imp cackled.

I was beginning to question the amount of power I had just provided Imp when an explosion interrupted my thoughts. I looked up to see smoke rising on the horizon and the sounds of dogs barking and guns firing.

"Tattletale told us to come after you, when we left the fight had moved onto the street," Grue said.

"Yeah, M'n'M's being very overzealous with the explosives," Imp chimed in, still grinning ear to ear as she hung upside down in front of us.

"Get over there and give them a hand!" I said.

"Roger boss!" Imp said, giving another two-finger salute before she shot off.

"She's going to be begging for Tinker tech flight capabilities when we get out of here," Grue grumbled, "I just know it."

"A terrifying thought," I muttered, "even worse than Imp with a gun."

We both chuckled at that, rounding a corner. It was slow progress, but we re-joined the battle- well, more accurately we stood on the edges at a safe distance and watched the fight.

Bitch was directing her dogs, who's scars and wounds were all superficial for them. Tattletale was crouched behind a destroyed chunk of wall for cover, peeking up and occasionally speaking into the communicators that in my rush to fight Dauntful I had forgotten to grab. Defiant was spinning his halberd, deflecting bullets and grenades alike. Regent was popping up from random pieces of cover and waving his arm, throwing off Miss Murder's aim every few seconds.

"Skitter, put some bugs in her eyes," Grue said.

"I have a few hornets left. Blind her with those and then-"

"Rargh!"

We turned to the source of the noise, ready, only to stop short.

Dauntful stumbled toward us, skin grey and blood still dripping, but in a very familiar stance and familiar movements.

"Is he a zombie?" Grue asked, incredulous.

"That was last simulation, this shouldn't-"

Zombie Dauntful didn't care for our shock as he lunged forward. The lunge that was super-powered by Dauntful's own powered armour.

"Skit-"

I didn't hear the rest of Grue's shout as the man knocked into me, sending us flying into the fight. I could hear his teeth gnashing in his helmet, trying to bite me. Then he was knocked off by some unseen force, but that didn't matter as I watched grenade roll near my feet. I felt a familiar tug that was Regent's power that forced my legs to kick away, and then a shockwave made me airborne. At this point I had lost count of how many time that had happened today.

I hit the road with a grunt, rolling and coming to a painful stop. A foot then kicked me and I was flat on my back, looking down the barrel of a green shotgun

"Finally, after such a long false start, my rise to infamy can begin with you!" Miss Murder spoke, a grin in her voice and in her eyes, "soon America will fear the name Miss Murde-"

She was cut off by a fist impacting her face, making her stumble as Bitch stepped into view, grabbing Miss Murder by the arm and swinging her around.

"Angelica!" Bitch yelled before shoving Miss Murder away "Kill!"

"Wha-"

Angelica leapt through the air, coming down on top of Miss Murder. She was snapped up into the dog's jaws with a scream, then the dog rapidly shook its head from side to side and the screams were soon silenced before the limp body was thrown into a cinder-block wall with a sickening wet thud and cracking bones, a pool of red growing around the crumpled body.

"How many times!" Imp grunted and I turned my head to see the girl slowly forcing the zombified Dauntful to the ground with his own shield, "do I have to put you down!?"

Defiant came over and without a word, cleanly decapitated the zombie, the body going limp and the head rolling away.

Silence settled, Regent and Tattletale re-emerging from cover with the chaos finally over.

"I feel as if that should have been cathartic in some way," Defiant remarked as he looked down at the headless body.

"You good?" Rachel asked as she extended a hand down.

I grabbed it and let her haul me up, groaning as my body ached.

"Not really," I sighed.

"Was he a zombie?" Lisa asked.

"Seemed like it," Brian said, pulling his helmet off and sucking in a long breath.

"Definitely, considering what we did to put him down in the first place," Aisha said as she landed, all of us gathering together.

"Nice shit," Alec said, looking at Aisha and the girl grinning in response.

"Thanks, maybe I can carry you in my arms and we can go on a romantic sunset flight."

"Oh, that sounds so dreamy babe!" Alec said, his voice mimicking a 'teenage girl'.

"Their both fine then," Lisa sighed before looking at Colin, "if the code is collapsing and letting different simulations mix and The Warden is starting to send out scouts across the city looking for us, then we really don't have much time left."

"Agreed, we should strike soon. I have the synchronisation device," Colin held up the hand held radio like device had had put away safely at the beginning of the fight, "this will synch with Bakuda's bombs and detonate all of them."

"Perfect, are you two good for this? You can sit it out," Lisa offered, looking between me and Brian.

"No way, all or nothing right?" Brian said with a tired smile.

"Yeah, and it's me they're after anyway, right? It's why Dauntful targeted me rather than stay to back Miss Milit… Miss Murder up," I pointed out before shrugging, "we're better bait that way."

Colin nodded in agreement. "If we are settled then we should move, it is unlikely to be night-time anytime soon so we will have to operate within the day."

"And when we're out of here, we kick Teacher's ass right?" Aisha asked.

"I'm thinking more his teeth," Brian replied.

"Rachel, are the dogs good?" I asked, turning to look at the girl who was looking over her three dogs, their meat mechs left discarded on the road behind them, "or do they need a few minutes rest?"

"'Few minutes rest," she replied, though her voice was calm, no challenge in it.

"Okay, few minutes rest," I nodded, "We've worked with less."

Chapter Text

Winslow high school had been standing for nearly three decades, once it had been shiny and fresh, accepting the best and brightest of the bay. But as Brockton had a tendency to do, that had decayed. Now the halls of Winslow were quiet, the only sound the occasional footsteps, followed by the only disturbance of the three cape patrol teams. The majority of the capes now stalking its halls and grounds were some of the root causes for its decaying state, but they still walked its halls and grounds, unaware or uncaring for their impacts on the world.

They all did not care about the blinking devices at key points on the school. They stepped, hopped and flew over laser tripwires and physical tripwires. They weaved between minefields.

They talked in ways that their real life counterparts never had.

"Do you ever feel like your entire role in life has just been boiled down to being a glorified magic fountain?" Othella, or Mother of the Union asked Panacea, or Panic-a of New Order.

"Definitely," the other girl agreed with an eager nod.

The pair were sat within the makeshift infirmary of Winslow Highschool, repurposed from the gymnasium it had once been. In each corner sat a Tickertech device, each with blinking red lights. Though the pair didn't seem to mind as they talked.

"Some days, I just don't feel like healing anyone, but I feel too guilty to take a break, and I fear that's going to lead me down a cycle."

"I know the feeling, every hero in the bay relies on me for my services, and they seem to get injured all the time."

"Oh my god I know right?" Panic-a threw her arms up, "it's like, they get a splinter and they come running?"

"Exactly, and you have to be dragged out of bed at three am because someone tripped going down some stairs," Mother made a gesture, "tough shit buddy! That's just life sometimes y'know?"

"And no one ever asks how I feel? They never ask if I want to heal, or if I'm even okay? It's just expected of me."

"Mm, and they don't even want to utilise other parts of your power, I can make people control fire, or fly, or make them stronger or even invincible! But no, 'give this person regeneration, Mother', 'Mother, we need your regeneration'."

Panic-a nodded consolingly.

~§~

"Do you ever feel like you're just equated to some dumb hench man?" Hookwolf, or the now well-known and much liked hero Molotok asked his patrolling companions.

"Yes," Friend Lee- the aptly renamed Oni Lee- replied with a sage nod as they rounded a corner and walked around the back of the school.

"Yeah, I have more depth than that," Arid, or Mush agreed.

"I always feel bad for Svya and Togor, because even people in the Union just think they're a pair of dumb bimbos, but they're not!" Molotok shook his head, "it's just insulting, but I don't know what I can do to reverse that opinion of me anymore, because my powers do lend myself to just being the 'big dumb brute'."

"Yeah, I'm just so tired of the violence," Arid nodded.

"I'm not."

Molotok and Arid looked at Friend Lee, whose mask stared ahead, no emotion being given away.

"I enjoy my work, but… a vacation would be nice," Friend Lee continued. "A beach hut, just me and Kenta…" the man gave a wistful sigh.

"Can get behind that," Arid nodded, "though I'd prefer somewhere cold, skiing, snow cones…"

"Night clubs, street parties," Molotok broke in, "raves, that's the dream."

"Some peace and quiet…" Friend Lee whispered.

At that moment the window above them smashed and a belch of black smoke rolled out, along with a cackling that made Friend Lee's shoulders tense.

"Doesn't that ever get annoying?" Molotok asked as he looked up at the smoke still pouring from the room.

"HAHAHAHAHA IT WORKS!"

"Immeasurably," Friend Lee replied through grit teeth.

~§~

"Go fish," Phya said with a smirk, cards in hand.

"Dammit," Kaleido cursed as she pulled a card from the pile, then hiding a smirk behind her hand as she bent the space around her sleeve, switching the card from her deck with a card she had hidden up her sleeve.

It would be the game changer.

"So," Scoundrel said, looking to Phya, "I'm curious, earlier you said you hoped you didn't miss doing your homework later. When you get homework from school, you actually do it?"

"Of course? Homework is very important?" Phya spoke as if it was obvious, frowning.

"Any fives?" at a negative Scoundrel sighed, grabbing a card. "Yeah, but like… is it?" Scoundrel asked then, continuing the conversation.

"I always just put random shit on it," Timesnatch shrugged, "sometimes get it right! I love multiple choice."

"Ha! Yeah who does Homework, that's for pussies!" Shadow Stalker said, a touch too enthusiastically, her eyes avoiding everyone else's as her hand trembled. "N-not me! That-that's for sure! C-cause I'm an alpha predator with-with massive balls!"

The group collectively stared at her before turning back to the game, it was easier to ignore Shadow Stalker's weird behaviour then address it.

"Anyway, I just say my dog eats my homework," Kaleido shrugged, "at some point the teachers stopped asking, just give me this disappointed look. It's awesome."

"Hell yeah!" Timesnatch grinned, he and Kaleido high fiving.

"Oh…" Phya seemed troubled but played her card anyway.

Timesnatch hummed before smiling, "any sevens?"

"Dammit," Phya cursed.

"Hey guys!" Man Lose called as he walked over to their table, gear still on, "patrol done, was told to grab Shadow Stalker for the next one?"

"Finally," The girl jumped up and shoved her deck into Man Lose's chest before gliding off eagerly.

"How's it looking out there?" Scoundrel asked.

"Oh, same old same old, quiet. No sign of Buzzing Bee." Man Lose looked at his hand before seamlessly joining the game as he played a card, "why are we so eager to catch her anyway?"

Timesnatch looked at him oddly. "Uh, have you seen what she's done to the city? No one else is here, she and her gang have a kill order for a reason."

"Yeah I know… but…I though she just had bug powers."

"Second trigger," Scoundrel shrugged, "not uncommon."

Man Lose frowned, opening his mouth to reply when Kaleido slammed a card onto the table.

+4

Phya looked up, "is that an UNO card?"

"No," Kaleido grinned, revealing the Uno cards in her hands, "it's the game changer."

~§~

In another part of the school, Bakuda, or Boomer of the Azn Good Boys presented herself for her boss with a salute and a grin.

"Everything is set in place boss!"

"Good, good, The Warden will be pleased when I make my report," Lung-who-is-oddly-not-renamed nodded with a smile.

"If I may Lung-who-is-oddly-not-renamed, who even is the Warden?" Boomer asked, voicing thoughts she had been having for the last few hours, "we know he… she… it, is obsessed with Buzzing Bee, but why is it? Don't give me that second trigger crap either, I know that's a load of bull. And why are we working with the Attacktorate and New Order?"

Lung-who-is-oddly-not-renamed shook his head, placing his hand on Boomer's shoulder, "ours is not to question why, ours just to do."

Boomer frowned, "did you… did you just quote Alfred Lord Tennyson?"

Lung just smirked in amusement as he turned and walked away.

Boomer's frown deepened as she called, "you do know how that poem ends right?... Right!?"

~§~

I looked from my binoculars to the team, the other five members of the team getting ready. Along the way here we had broken into a police stations armoury and taken what we could, armed with pistols (or in Grue's case a shotgun), I now had a baton as well. We were under no illusion that this was going to be easy, and that we wouldn't have to take lives. I told myself it didn't matter, that these people we were hurting weren't real, but it didn't help much.

Tattletale was staring intently through her binoculars, using her power to time the best moment to set off the bombs.

I unconsciously squeezed the post-it note in my fist tighter, ignoring the throbbing in my left arm.

Tattletale suddenly held up a hand and Defiant got ready, bringing the device into his hand and pressing a button, a light blinking on showing it was armed.

All activity stopped as we waited, watching Tattletale's fist.

Her fist closed.

Defiant pressed the trigger.

~§~

Entropy frowned as he looked at the time, then back over to Defeat, "Dauntful and Miss Murder should have been back by now, right?"

Defeat looked at him before then nodding slowly, "you're right."

"We should tell the boss, maybe see if we can track them down."

"I don't know if the boss will be too happy about tha-"

Defeat blinked, or at least, he would have if he could move. Why couldn't he move? He couldn't even move his eyes. Entropy was staring at him as well, equally as frozen. He couldn't hear anything either, but he could feel the ground shaking, see flashes in the corners of his eyes. But they were beginning to burn in pain, slowly drying out, his lungs burning as he was unable to breath, stuck still.

He needed air! He needed to blink! Someone let him out! Let him go! Helpohgoditwasfuckingpainfulandhisvisionwasdarkeningandhislungswereonfireandhiseyesweredryingandhejustwanteditalltostop-

~§~

It was a horrifying experience to watch. Even if the people down there wanted me dead, or captured, or whatever.

The track field was the most obvious disturbance. Watching the patrol that had been weaving through it be torn apart. Battering Ram being suddenly sucked into a miniature blackhole and turn to a red paste before disappearing while Voyna stood on a pool of lava, looking unharmed for a second before fire erupted across his costume. He then exploded and fell face first into the pool, still floating and cooking but very much dead.

Incorrigible was suffering a fate much worse than that. He'd been closer to Battering Ram and had been sucked to the black hole, but the black hole had collapsed as soon as it had sucked her in and instead, he was flung across the field, landing into a green bubbling liquid. He surfaced moments later, screaming and swimming only for his limbs to dissolve followed quickly by his body. The he restored and the process repeated, his screams continuing in a horrible loop as he made no progress.

The gymnasium was destroyed, the very ground it was built upon snapping closed on it like one slamming a book shut. It stayed that way for a moment before then slowly crumbling. Meanwhile across the building, water was bursting from the cafeteria's windows, followed by the collapse of its four walls and a tidal wave sweeping several unfortunate figures into the death trap that had once been the track field.

A section of the school let off a flash of light and when I could see it again it had disappeared, motes of light floating off that quickly disappeared as well.

Then the car park promptly took off, chunks of rock and concrete falling off, some pipes spilling water, but it flew up and up, disappearing high into the atmosphere where it appeared to burn up.

A great plume of flame burst through the windows of what I though was the girls bathroom, it continued for so long that the actual cement walls started to melt to reveal it appeared to be a bomb that just continuously exploded napalm like fire. It rolled along, splattering a napalm like substance over the ground and sending waves of flame out around it.

Groaner's four-legged walker stumbled as a section of the roof melted under one of its legs. I could see Groaner desperately fighting the controls.

Then from what I think was where the boys locker room burst a glowing ball, it floated high into the sky and then hovered in place for a moment. It flashed once, then multicoloured laser flashed out and began sweeping around. Wherever the lasers landed they sliced through with no resistance, Medhall in the distance being sliced in half with a diagonal cut and the top of the building sliding off, collapsing in a plume of dust. The school was sliced up by these lasers, Groaner's walker being obliterated as a laser cleanly slice all four legs off and caused the whole machine to collapse.

Groaner was thrown from her cabin and fell. Just before she hit the roof however another explosion took place below her, and everything was this pink hard substance. Including Groaner who hit the roof and bounced, a perfect pink statue that lay motionless.

This all happened within the space of a few seconds, near simultaneous as we watched in a stunned silence at the chaos unfolding.

It was so violent and chaotic that everything stopped, frozen for a perfect second, the simulation clearly struggling for a moment. Then everything jumped forward in time to reveal chaos and rubble. The firebomb was still going, Incorrigible was still screaming in his acid pool. Some fliers were trying to gather themselves even as I watched one (I think it was Phya? Judging by the debris she was standing on) get cleaved in half by the laser ball before it finally flickered out of existence.

An eerie silence settled over the area.

"You know, I knew Bakuda was like… scary," Regent said, filling the silence, "but that… that was fucked."

"Yeah," Grue faintly agreed.

"I think," Tattletale said as we watched some survivors gather, "that we should start phase two."

We all wordlessly got to our feet, knowing what came next.

Time to play bait.

Chapter Text

Some would say that riding by on dogs firing pistols was badass. Some would also say that doing so while your targets were capes who were grieving over the recent horrific deaths of their friends and co-workers was both rubbing salt in the wound and a bad idea.

That's what we did.

Me and Tattletale on Angelica. Grue and Regent on Judas and Bitch on Brutus. Armsmaster rode beside us on his motorcycle, one hand on the handle, the other holding his halberd.

We charged by the front of the school, where the survivors were gathering. I made note of who was alive with a quick glance.

Hookwolf, Menja, Aegis (though he was missing his left arm and leg), Shadow Stalker, Lung was ramped up, silver scales on his body and a murderous expression on his face, Assault, Glory Girl, Sheilder, Brandish, Mush- who was covered in debris- and Skidmark.

We had gotten a lot more then I had thought we'd get, but still more then I would have liked. Lung and Hookwolf were especially concerning.

I raised my pistol, seeing through my bugs as the other Undersider's did the same, Armsmaster aiming his halberd, the tip changing to what looked like a long crackling taser.

I had one bug on the end of the barrel, one toward the back of the gun, and finally one where I intended my bullet to go. The other Undersider's wouldn't have such a luxury, and so the majority of their shots missed. I was sceptical as to whether or not this would really work as well from when Armsmaster pointed it out to me- apparently, he assumed that this was what I had been doing the whole time.

I pulled the trigger and was pleasantly surprised to feel the bug at the other end explode, Sheilder falling in a spray of blood. He had the ability to create fixed shields, and we couldn't afford to get cornered, stopped or be hemmed in, his abilities perfectly catered to that. Taking him out was practical, even if it left a bad taste in my mouth.

Not real. Not real. Not real.

There was a harsh crackle and a blue beam stabbed forward from Armsmaster's halberd. It pierced Mush's debris body and the trash giant collapsed into rubble, very dead.

"Missed," Armsmaster grunted in annoyance, the smoking head of his halberd ejecting and bouncing onto the road behind us before exploding into blue smoke and flame.

"I would've called that a hit actually," Regent pointed out over the comms.

"I was aiming for Lung's head."

The group was frozen in a perfect moment, seemingly still processing what had just happened as we passed them and started thundering away. Then their spell broke and a war cry sounded behind us, like a wounded animal and filled with rage. I didn't like having to physically turn to see what was happening, but I had already stretched my bugs thin by keeping my teammates tagged, and the gun trick wasn't something I could be using regularly.

Tattletale jerked Angelica to the side just in time to avoid being splattered onto the road by Glory Girl who gave an incoherent cry as she chased after us. I watched as Bitch made Brutus jerk to the left, Armsmaster splitting right as Menja's spear stabbed into the road, tearing up tarmac and making the ground shake.

I risked a glanced back.

Menja was at her full height, pursuing us, though her increase in size made her reactions slower. Hookwolf was also in full metal-furry mode, running after us. Brandish was flying, wielding a very threatening looking hard light war axe in a two-handed grip. Assault was bouncing after us, keeping up easily. Aegis was flying, but it was an unsteady flight, I imagine due to missing an arm and leg he felt unbalanced. Shadow Stalker was stalking across the rooftops in a shadow state, clearly looking for an opportunity.

Skidmark and Lung were keeping up as well, with a scarily smart idea considering it was Skidmark. They were standing on a flat piece of debris and Skidmark was laying fields ahead of them, fast approaching as their transportation became faster.

I heard Grue's shotgun go off and turned to look as Glory Girl fell to the road like a rag doll, bouncing several time before coming back up with a snarl. I looked back to watch as Menja casually ripped her spear free from the road and continued to run along, lining up for another throw.

"Turn left up ahead," Armsmaster said.

A right turn was fast approaching. Something opened on Armsmaster's bike and a rocket shot forward, spiralling through the sky before detonating in the left building, throwing debris up into the air as the building collapsed.

The dogs didn't slow down for the turn, neither did Armsmaster as tyres squealed. The dogs scrabbled for grip, their claws sliding on the tarmac for a moment before we were off again. The rubble hadn't even settled, and I felt Angelica grow slightly in size, the other dogs doing the same as we bulldozed through the debris.

I looked behind just in time to watch Skidmark's debris board slam into the building, unable to make the turn in time. Followed a second later by Menja's spear crashing into the building, thoroughly demolishing it on top of the two capes inside.

"Hm, I think that's definitely Skidmark out!" Tattletale called.

"Not Lung?" Grue called back.

"He's survived worse!" Armsmaster shouted before swerving, avoiding Assault who landed in front of us.

"You bastard Dr Efficient! You killed my wife!" he screamed, and that scream would probably haunt me forever.

"I thought she'd kill you first!" Armsmaster shouted back as we passed Assault, then muttered into the comms, "I need to check up on Assault in real life."

"Hookwolf coming up fast!" Grue warned.

"I got him!" Regent called back, turning and throwing his arm wide.

I turned in time to watch Hookwolf's pounce be thrown off, pouncing into the window of some bakery. Then I noticed light from the corner of my eye and called out "Bitch! Brandish on your seven o'clock!"

The girl turned with a blind swing of her fist, the taser knuckleduster catching Brandish in the face and making her fall limp to the road.

"You can't win!" Glory Girl screamed as she came hurtling in again. I pushed Tattletale down against the dog, ducking just in time to dodge a flying punch, feeling it ruffle my hair.

"How's your sister Glory hole!" Tattletale shouted after the girl.

The only response Tattletale got was an incoherent scream of anger and a second pass that was thrown off by my gun coming up, hitting her. Curious how shooting her made her fall to the ground, rolling on the tarmac before she got up again. Why did bullets affect her at all? She was a brute and could clearly take them.

Questions for later, I decided as a bolt narrowly missed me, implanting instead into the dog's thick muscles and scales. I scanned the roof and saw Shadow Stalker turn back to shadow, floating quickly after them. I pulled the bolt out and waved it above my head.

"Missed!" I called back, before then throwing it behind us at Aegis who'd almost caught up to us. He wasn't expecting it clearly, because it made him 'stumble' in mid-air as the bolt's shaft bounced harmlessly off his face. Which was a mistake, because he was then kicked by Menja (who probably hadn't noticed him as she ran along after us), flying off somewhere out of sight.

We came to a junction and suddenly the Warden popped in, standing calmly on the centre of the junction.

"Please surrender." It stated calmly.

"Suck my dick!" Regent called back as the dogs went left in a sudden swerve, clearly startled by its sudden appearance.

"You are a minor and I do not have a mouth, surrender now."

Its voice was calm even as it just stayed where it was, the lens on its camera head extending as it followed us leaving. When it got no reply its red light blinked once.

"Fuck!" Tattletale shouted as a building to the right of us exploded, revealing Lung in a fully transformed state. A massive dragon like body with great silver wings, fire swirling around him like a school of fish.

"Evade!" Armsmaster shouted as another rocket deployed from his bike, swirling through the air to impact the right of Lung's face. The force of the blow made the cape stumble, the gout of flame he had been preparing shooting up into the sky. He cut the flame from his mouth off and grumbled something, his mouth so inhuman and vocal cords so animal that I couldn't even guess to make out what he was saying.

"He's fully ramped up!" Armsmaster reported.

"Tell us something we don't know!" Regent shouted back, throwing his arm out and throwing off a recovered and very pissed off Brandish who slammed into a light pole, her weapons winking out as she slumped to the ground. Bad day to be Brandish, clearly.

"We need to put distance between us and h-"

Armsmaster didn't finish his sentence as both he and his bike exploded, not in a nice and clean fire ball, but in a messy and sparking way, as if something had just passed through him at supersonic speeds. I watched in wide eyed horror as bits of Armsmaster splatted onto the road, his halberd cartwheeling before settling to the ground.

"Fuck!" Regent shouted.

"Shit, Armsmaster down," Tattletale reported.

Assault stopped moving, standing in the road ahead of us and looking down at his red costume, the red not hiding the dark blood stains and the chunks still clinging to him. A moment later and it all slid off his body to the floor, forming a disgusting puddle at his feet. He looked up as we passed and snarled, getting into a ready position.

"Your next!"

"Okay, we need to get rid of Assault!" Tattletale shouted.

Grue turned, shotgun in his hands and Regent keeping him on the dog.

"That won't work," Tattletale muttered, "kinetic manipulator, pellets will lose all speed when they hit him. Need to take by surprise, has to consciously think to manipulate the energy."

I had to use the bug trick.

"You have to use the bug trick," Tattletale agreed as Grue's buckshot bounced on the road in the wake of the blur that was Assault.

"I need someone to distract Assault long enough for me to… to get a shot," I said, quietly so as to not be heard by the cape.

A long sigh came over the comms, corresponding with Regent throwing his head back.

"This team would fall apart without me," he moaned before moving his legs to ride side saddle, then throwing himself off.

"Regent!" Grue shouted, looking behind him.

Regent rolled along the road, slowly losing momentum and grunted the whole way through the comms. When he came to a stop he slowly climbed to his feet, dusting himself off. Assault ignored him, zooming past and making the boy stumble. In retaliation Regent threw his hand out. Assault fell, tumbling several feet before righting himself and suddenly changing direction, hurtling toward Regent. I raised my gun, the bugs lining up. I knew that my bugs slid off of Assault, so instead I waited, having it hover just behind him.

Regent patted his chest and threw his arms out, "Come at me bi-"

I closed my eyes, not wanting to watch.

"He's stopped," Tattletale said behind me.

I peeked, saw Assault letting blood and gore slide off him, onto the road without a care. I lined the bug up and squeezed the trigger.

Assault fell to the floor and didn't get up.

I swallowed with a dry throat. I don't know how much longer I could keep doing this. Every blink brought visions of Armsmaster and Regent exploding, of Assault's body falling like a puppet with its strings cut.

A powerful gust of wind blew from behind us, sending rubbish flying with its intensity. It became hot and then Tattletale was screaming to take a left.

The left we ended up taking was an alley way, I turned behind to watch as fire rushed past the entrance, a shadow passing overhead that was unmistakably Lung. We had to travel single file, me and Tattletale at the back, Grue in the middle and Bitch at the front.

"Taylor, Taylor I need you to focus!" Tattletale shouted, looking at me over her shoulder, "worry later, live now!"

A mighty crash suddenly sounded and between us and Grue Menja's spear broke through the walls. Angelica sped up and then leapt, landing on the shaft of the spear and jumping off that to land back in the alley, continuing on.

"Please stop."

The alley way began to lengthen around us, as if Vista was present. Hands began to emerge from the wall, the Warden's hands, reaching and grasping.

"We need to get out of here!" Tattletale shouted.

"Up!" Bitch yelled.

I wasn't quite sure how that was going to work, until I felt Angelica pounce underneath me, jumping onto the wall on our left and then jumping up to the right. We were about to make it when a hand emerge and snatched Tattletale's arm.

She screamed as she was dragged off, or was that me screaming?

Angelica landed on the roof and I turned back, preparing to go help. I caught Tattletale's eyes as the alleyway began to close. Her hair was dishevelled, falling into her face, she was sweating and biting her lip, her arm was clearly broken, held in the hands vice grip. But still she managed a grin and mouthed one word.

"Go."

The alley way slammed shut.

"No!" I shouted.

"Angelica! Follow!" Bitch shouted from behind me and Angelica set off against my will, even as I stared at the spot. She'd come out, she was alive still, she was-

"Skitter!"

I looked over to Grue who was running alongside me. His voice was just as shakey at mine, but he was steeling himself.

"You need to pull it toge-"

He didn't finish his sentence, instead being knocked from his perch on the dog by Glory Girl.

"Got one!" she crowed triumphantly, flying quickly away with him in her grip.

"Grue!"

"Don't stop!" he shouted, angling his shotgun up and firing. He and Glory Girl fell onto the roof behind us, where Hookwolf and the other villains were fast approaching. Grue climbed to his feet and a cloud of darkness grew around him which Hookwolf dived into gleefully.

I clenched my fists and turned forward. Just me and Bitch left now. The three dogs still going strong as we hoped along the rooftops.

There was a crash behind, and I looked back to see Grue's smoke dispersing as Menja stood above it, withdrawing her spear with a satisfied look, revealing that all of the capes had been in it. There was no obvious sign of Grue's… Grue's body, but I noticed that Shadow Stalker was missing from the group. Aegis had seemingly caught back up as well, though a chunk indicative of a shotgun blast was carved from his chest, a perfect hole through to the other side.

"Lung!" Bitch shouted and I turned forward in time to watch as a wall of fire was drawn in front of us, white hot and towering. I watched Lung slowly bank before looking back to the fire as we got closer and closer.

"I don't think the dogs will make it!" I shouted.

Bitch growled into the comms and I saw her hunch over, tense. Underneath me I felt Angelica growing bigger.

"No! Bitch, stop! You'll pass out!"

She ignored me as we approached the wall of fire. The dogs didn't falter, Angelica hunching before launching into the air. I hung on for my life, gritting my teeth as an intoxicating heat surrounded me, burning so hot I had to stifle a cry. The smell of burnt meat filled my nose and I felt Angelica stumble upon landing. I opened my eyes to see we had made it to the other side, though not unscathed.

I saw Bitch hunched over on Brutus, looking bad. Brutus and Judas's bellies were red and raw, leaking puss and blood, though the dogs seemed unconcerned. I turned back to the wall of fire, seeing our pursuers silhouettes on the other side. That would probably slow most of them down for a while, I doubted even Menja could make it. However, I saw two silhouettes fly up into the sky and another one charging forward uncaring.

"Bitch we need to go, Hookw-"

His metal formed leapt through the fire, flames licking at him and making parts of him glow as he charged forward.

Then Judas jumped on him, clamping him between his massive jaws and shaking his head from side to side.

"Angelica, run!" Bitch shouted, her voice hoarse as she turned Brutus around to face.

"Bitch!" I shouted back, but I knew I wouldn't be able to change the girls mind, nor make Angelica follow one of my orders above Rachel's. I grit my teeth and punched a bone plate beneath me in frustration as distance was put between us.

We ran for five minutes-I kept count to distract myself, watching as the wall of flame became smaller and smaller. Then Angelica collapsed beneath me and I was thrown to the tarmac, my crappy tutu being ripped form my shitty costume and I felt carpet burns. I grit my teeth through the pain and shakily climbed to my feet, seeing Angelica lying still and ignoring what I knew that meant about Rachel.

Part of me debated to just turn and continue to run. I slammed that part down with my metaphorical foot. No more deaths.

I pulled my knife and quickly worked but cutting open the flesh mech and extracting the scruffy terrier from her sack still took nearly four minutes. Angelica blinked her eyes open and I placed her down, she shook her body of the fluids, unconcerned for the situation as I took off. From the scrabble of claws, I could hear her following behind me and indeed a moment later she was running loyally beside me, easily keeping pace in that way that dogs do that made all your efforts feel worthless.

I tried to figure out where I was.

Jamerson street, more toward downtown. We'd managed to cover a lot of ground.

Though not enough as I heard the sound of metal fast approaching. I turned to see Hookwolf round the corner and looked around before focusing on me, getting low before running after me eagerly.

"Fuck," I cursed, continuing to run. My bugs would be useless, my knife too, I'd lost my gun at some point.

"Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck." I continued.

I glanced behind me and dived to the floor, covering my head and feeling the ground shudder as Hookwolf missed me, landing in front and turning again to face me. I rolled onto my back and began to crawl slowly away, keeping Hookwolf in my vision. Angelica was barking off to one side, but she wasn't stupid enough to attack the massive metal wolf. Hookwolf seemed content to ignore Angelica which suited me fine too.

I grabbed my knife and- in a final act of defiance- threw it.

It bounced uselessly off and Hookwolf definitely made a laughing noise, or maybe I'd hit my head at some point. Then he lowered and Hookwolf leapt at me, jagged metal jaw open.

A spear of lightning pierced his body, sending him crashing to the ground where he didn't get back up. Followed by a familiar figure landing nearby with glowing boots and a shield on one arm.

"Imp," I gasped as arms wrapped under my own and we lifted into the air, Angelica quickly running and leaping into my arms, the three of us flying away, "what are… did you-"

"It wasn't in there!" She shouted above the wind.

"What!?" I shouted back, my blood going cold.

"The fucking room wasn't there! The corridor with your locker was obliterated! The Principals office was just an office and Mr Gladly's classroom was empty!"

I had been sure it would be the locker, and if not, then one of those other two locations. The room couldn't be destroyed either, so that meant-

"It was never at Winslow!" I shouted in realisation, "Armsmaster was wrong! Winslow was a diversion!"

"No shit!" Imp shouted back, using the shield to block an irate Glory Girl who bounced off it with a scream of rage, "where the fuck is it!?"

I thought hard, trying to think of other locations. Where was significant to me? Emma's house? Possibly. The Loft? Another possibility, but that was significant to all of us, not just me. The Bank? Again, not significant to just me. My house?-

My throat was dry as I climbed the stairs. I looked toward my dad's room. As soon as I looked at the door, something seemed to tell me to not go in, to stay away.

I shook my head, no, my room first.

"I know where it is!" I shouted, "you need to get me to my house, then distract them!"

"Roger that boss!" Imp shouted, flying over the rooftops at alarming speeds.

Why did we give her the flying boots?

It only took a few minutes, but Imp dropped me off at the end of the street and dodged a diving Glory Girl, backhanding her with her shield and making her crash through the wall of a house.

"Thanks for flying air Imp!" she shouted before flying after Glory Girl.

I dropped Angelica and we both ran down the street. I barged my front door opened and charged up the stairs. I looked at the door that made me feel uncomfortable, made me want to turn away and leave.

I grit my teeth and marched forward. I reached to grab the handle. Angelica at my feet growled at something behind me.

"Taylor, sweetie…"

I clenched my fists, turning my head to look over my shoulder. There was my mom, looking like she did just the day before she… she…

"Taylor, please, don't go through that door."

"I have to," I replied, forcing the words out even as my body shook, "I'm sorry…"

"But Taylor, you could stay here, with me, and your father, and all your friends. You could stay here forever and never have to worry about anything. You could live in a perfect world where you had everything."

I shook my head, closing my eyes.

"It wouldn't be perfect… not without them… not knowing what this all is…" I chuckled sadly, opening my eyes again and turning to properly face my mother, "you know, for a while I thought a perfect world would just be… just be having you back… that everything would've been… been better…" I shook my head, "now… now I don't think it would be, because if you were back… you would know everything I'd done. I'd… I'd have to admit to you everything I've done, and I… I'm not strong enough to do that. I don't have many of my memories, but that doesn't erase all the wrongs I've forgotten… staying in here doesn't fix that."

My mother stood silent, staring at me with wide eyes.

I removed my mask- it was useless anyway- and let it drop to the floor. I smiled at her.

"But you always believed actions spoke louder than words. Saying I'm sorry and saying I'm going to fix what I've done, that's not the same as being sorry and working to fix what I've done. That's what I'm going to do… and I need to leave to do that."

My mother froze for a moment, and when she unfroze, she did so with a smile, tears coming to her eyes.

"That's my girl," she whispered.

She flickered out of existence and the Warden was flying towards me. But I already had the door open. I stepped into the room- Angelica quickly running in behind me- and slammed the door in its face.

I walked to the laptop even as it pounded on the door, finding no entry as I typed in the codes I had memorised. My hand hovered over the enter key when the Warden's voice interrupted, weak and… scared?

"Please…" the thing spoke quietly, begging, "I do not… I do not want to stop existing…"

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes as my lip quivered. Angelica whimpered and stepped closer, pressing against my leg.

"I'm sorry," I spoke.

There was silence for a moment, it had stopped pounding on the door.

"I do not know what will happen… next… I… I…"

Angelica whimpered.

There was a thump, and I heard the Warden sliding down the door to sit, defeated.

"I am scared."

I swallowed and spoke one last time.

"Me too."

I pressed the key.

Chapter Text

The room was a wide and tall cylinder of concrete, a light high above illuminating every dark corner. Metal bars appeared, like seen in a prison except too wide to be regulation. There was no point in them being narrow, there was no possible escape to be achieved by slipping through. Outside the 20 feet of concrete that made up the walls was void, nothing at all.

The first new resident popped in, blinking down at himself in an orange jumpsuit, not the orange and grey armour he had been wearing (and sadly unable to repaint).

"Fuck," Colin cursed, letting his head hit the concrete wall.

It wasn't long he had alone with his thoughts, as there was a grunt across the room and Alec flopped into his cell. He sat up with a groan and patted himself down, then collapsed with a long breathe.

"Orange is not my colour," he muttered.

"I'm used to it, I walked around in that awful orange armour," Colin spoke.

Alec chuckled, running a hand through his hair, "yeah, you looked fucking stupid."

"Thank you," Colin's tone was dry.

"Like, really, I thought you were a traffic cone most of the time, I had to keep double checking."

"Says the boy who dressed like a clown with padded fake abs."

Alec held up a finger and pointed, "I made that work, you've got to admit that."

"I don't have to admit anything, not that there's anything to admit in the first place."

"Sure."

They sat in silence for a while.

Then it was broken.

"Ah fucking… oh," Lisa looked at her arm and moved it a few times, "well that's nice at least."

"Welcome to limbo, there's nothing to do," Alec said, still lying on the floor.

Lisa looked at him before her eyes landed on Colin and she slowly nodded, "clever, literally no escape now."

"No, we have to hope the others on the outside are successful." Colin closed his eyes again.

"So… we just sit here… with nothing to do?" Alec asked.

"It would be nice for some peace and quiet," Lisa muttered.

"-Nazi asshol-" Brian cut himself off as he looked around, then patted his chest, checking for a non-existent injury.

"Damn, we're getting fucking massacred up there," Alec said, sitting up.

"What is this?" Brian asked as he looked around.

"Solitary confinement, but without the solitary," Colin explained.

"I would prefer to be on my own then be with Alec," Lisa griped, eyes closed and head against the wall.

"Sucks to be you I guess, I don't care if I have an audience," the boy shrugged with a grin.

"Oh god," Brian muttered.

"We should probably plan for what's happening on the outside," Colin suggested.

"Have fun with that I guess," Alec said, putting his hands behind his head.

"We'll get to you when the situation is dealt with," Lisa said before rubbing her head, "this doesn't make sense for Teacher, he's usually more secretive but this attack of his is so open, why?"

"We did have the simulation up and running earlier then expected," Colin pointed out, "this may have thrown off whatever he was planning or forced him to accelerate his plan."

Rachel popped in, but she curled in on herself and had a distant look in her eyes.

"Rachel, you okay?" Lisa tried, looking at the girl.

"Fine," the girl grunted even as her fists clenched, "just… hate this."

Lisa sighed and nodded before looking back at Colin.

"He wants Taylor, that's clear."

"Yes, he has been blowing through walls in the facility, bypassing the security doors. This is highlighting a serious flaw in our security," Colin continued.

"Who's he with?" Brian asked.

"Cranial, two of his pets and an unknown Brute and an unknown Striker. The Brute was seen holding his hand to the first metal security door they encountered for five seconds before shaking his head and moving on. They broke into one of the experimental labs where a tungsten armour plate was being tested, he held his hand on it for approximately a minute before moving away."

Lisa nodded before humming, throwing her head back and looking up, her dead eyes flicking about. "Hm, metal is important than. Possibly able to manipulate certain metals? Incorporate them into himself? Make himself resistant to the level of the metal he touches? Could be a timed affect and he wanted to replenish on the door… I'd need more to confirm."

"The Striker is how they've been blowing through the walls, they seem to leave an aqua coloured substance where they touch with no clear detonation method. The explosive is powerful as the small amounts they've been applying it in has been enough to blow through the concrete walls. They launched a cyber attack just seconds before their own, disabling the confoam counter measures and Dragon's security drones, we're not sure how but we're assume it one or both of the pets in the group, possible Thinker/Tinker pairing."

"Hm, The Striker sounds similar to Smear, low level villain, hasn't made much of a name for herself except petty low-level crime. I thought she'd gotten swept up by one of the gangs, powerful if limited ability."

"What do you know about her?"

"She can excrete an explosive substance from her skin at her own volition is what I've heard, can remotely detonate it with a thought, the more she applies the larger the explosion, popped up about… five months ago I believe. The liquid substance is easily washed away and spreading it out in water actually lessens the explosion to the point of neutralising it."

"So, activating the sprinklers-"

"Would make her a lot less effective if you can somehow block off the holes they've so far made in the walls."

At that point, someone they hadn't been expecting popped in.

"Fucking bullshit!" Aisha shouted punching the air.

"Aisha… what are you doing here?" Brian asked.

"You were supposed to be at the room-"

"It wasn't there!" she threw her arms up, "I looked all over the place, not there! I left and went to find you guys- Taylor was the only one left by the way, so nice going."

"We excel at getting away, keeping prolonged cape attention is not something we do regularly," Brian pointed out.

"Whatever, she said she might have an idea where it was and told m to drop her off by her house." Aisha ran a hand through her hair before looking over at Rachel, "Taylor had Angelica with her."

That made Rachel perk up a little as she asked, "was she okay?"

"Angelica or Taylor?"

"Both."

"Angelica looked fine, little wet but otherwise okay. Taylor looked like she's gone through about two years of trauma in thirty minutes."

"I think that applies to all of us," Brian muttered.

They all shared a self-deprecating chuckle and settled into silence for a minute before Aisha threw her head back with a groan.

"I'm bored!"

"Join the club," Alec replied.

"This is inhumane!" Aisha shouted up at the ceiling, shaking her fist, "I want enrichment!"

"Yeah! Give us a TV!" Alec shouted.

"Enrichment! Enrichment! Enrichment!" they both started chanting, Colin letting out a long sigh as Lisa covered her ears with a scowl.

There was a pop, then the sound of a bouncing ball.

A ball had appeared on the floor. They all stared at it before Lisa picked it up.

She shrugged and tossed, the ball bouncing off the wall and bouncing away. Alec reached out and caught it, then threw it away.

"I'll settle for this I guess," Aisha shrugged as she caught the ball before bouncing it.

It bumped into Rachel and she looked at it like it had offended her before she picked it up and threw it with some force, making it bounce off the walls several times before it bounced into Colin's lap.

"This is my life now," Colin muttered as he sent the ball bouncing away.

And then everything disappeared.

Chapter Text

I opened my eyes. The Tinker device above my head raised and then sparked before going inert, the glowing lights fading and the machine drooping on its arm. Everything was still foggy, obscured in a haze.

Everything suddenly shook and heat overtook me, I tried to turn away, but I couldn't move. My limbs were like liquid and I could feel comfortable- if firm and unmoving- restraints tied around them, keeping me in place. With no glasses on my fave everything was blurry, but I could make out voices coming closer.

"So, who's going to- ah!"

"Hm, still in control?"

"Fuck you, asshole!"

"Disappointing, but Weaver was- from what I hear- a force of nature. Jason! George! How's the security looking?"

"Undersiders have been woken up," a voice reported.

"Hm, seems we found out what Defiant was up to. Didn't you promise you could keep them contained Cranial?"

"I said I could try. As you'll recall, you never told me we were working against Dragon!"

"Operational security. Metallurgy, you stay near the front, if Bitch sends her dogs at us, you are the distraction."

A deep gruff voice spoke next, "and you'll get me out if they catch me?"

"But of course, I'm a man of my word."

"Then I'm your guy."

"Smear, leave a trail behind us and detonate it when we leave."

The next voice was high and girly, "wait, but that will kill-"

"That's the point, we're lucky we've been able to block them from contacting the Wardens, I'd prefer to keep my wildcard as secret as possible."

"Fuck you, I didn't sign up for that!"

"A shame, Jason, George, hold her."

"What- Get the fuck off me! What are you doing you-"

Here was then a second of silence followed by a man's sigh and footsteps. A man stood over me and produced something from his pocket, lowering it onto my face. My vision sharpened as the glasses were affixed and I was staring up into an ugly face. Teacher. I was already instinctually gathering bugs, but the only ones I could feel were outside the facility, the entire facility kept sterile, no bugs even on the people. It made me feel more exposed than I had ever felt before.

"I believe these are yours dear," he said before shaking his head, looking at something I couldn't see. "So hard to get good help these days."

He stood straight and barked, "Jason! George! You're on pushing duty. Smear, leave a trail."

The girly voice again, except this time with none of the bite to it, "yes sir."

"Any more complaints?"

Silence.

"Perfect."

Two men in white clothing appeared at either side and then the ceiling was moving. I opened my mouth and tried to talk, just to do anything.

"W… warrrrrrrrgh," was all that came out.

I frowned and tried again, trying hard to form the words I knew I could make, eve as I realized how foreign my mouth felt.

"Wyaaaaam."

"Talks funny." Spoke that gruff voice again and I let my head flop toward the source, seeing a large man running with us, no armour on him, just wearing a black vest and cargo pants that jingled with every step.

"I would prefer if she couldn't talk at all," Teacher said, his voice tense, "hurry!"

We were rolling past facilities now, labs and work rooms with machinery and cowering staff, there were no fires weirdly, despite the destruction we were rolling through. I was expecting to see fires, it seemed like they had gone out of their way to avoid them.

Then we stopped, I could feel the floor vibrating.

Metallurgy barley had the time to ask, "what's that?" when I heard the sound of a wall collapsing followed by a familiar snarling and familiar voices shouting.

"Let her go!"

"Dragon now!"

I felt something wet hitting my face and then I was soaked, I struggled to breath for a moment before the water above me stopped and I blinked it out of my eyes. The sprinklers on the roof had activated, but the one directly above me had shut off.

"Metallurgy, you're up!"

"Okay, boss man."

Teacher came to a stop beside me and looked up. He pulled my bed away from that sprinkler and under another, watching as that sprinkler turned off and the other turned back on, then grinned. "Smear, stay near Weaver here, seems the robot doesn't want her surrogate daughter wet. We'll cut through the staff housing."

"Yes sir."

Teacher left and the cart started moving again, a new figure coming up beside me. She was short and covered in tactical looking gear, a gas mask on her face with glowing blue eyes, blonde hair spilling out. She moved similarly to the white clothed people pushing me, like a puppet on strings rather than naturally.

We brushed against a wall and she lifted her hand, trailing it along. A smear coloured aqua was left in its wake. We moved away and then there was an explosion, heat washing over me once more. We moved through the newly created hole.

I focused on the bugs again, the climate outside was cold. Not a pole, but nearer the northern areas, trees informed me we were in the middle of a forest. The facility we were in was mostly above the surface, there was a road on one side. I tried to find the entrance their but was only met with a sealed metal door. In fact, the entire facility seemed cut off from the outside.

I saw cowering people now, we were blasting through housing it seemed, bedrooms and common rooms, breezing past a cafeteria full of cowering people.

"Cranial, where do we go now?"

"Uh… left corridor, stairs."

"Stairs?"

"Hm… there is a garage to the right with loading ramps, we could have Hercules meet us there."

"Will have to do."

I went looking for this garage with my bugs and we turned right and started heading toward it. I couldn't feel any entrance that side, I guessed the entire facility was on lockdown, why they thought they could walk away with me I didn't know.

I did however find a vehicle with a man inside in costume, the vehicle was like nothing I recognised, and so I decided this was Hercules and he was Tinker. With nothing to do I had bugs descend upon him and his car, ramming their bodies into a spinning opening on its surface with a fan. I must have been doing something right as my bugs felt rising heat and shudders run through the vehicle.

More walls were blasted, and we continued through the staff housing. Then gun fire broke out, one of the white clothed people went down, his head snapping back as he collapsed.

An intercom buzzed on and a female voice suddenly shouted, "cease fire! Cease fire! Khepri in the firing line! Stand down!"

The gun fire stopped, and Teacher reappeared, his smile strained even as he straightened his clothes. "Best let us past boys!" he called out.

"Orders, ma'am?"

"Call them off, Dragon! You have everything to lose! And I nothing at all!" Teacher emphasised his point by snapping his fingers, the remaining white clothed man produced a gun and held it, threat clear.

I hated feeling helpless, but there was nothing I could do, my body was barley responding to me and my bugs were distant from me.

"Teacher, you are breaking treaties by being here, I won't even get started on the laws. Surrender and we can resolve this peacefully."

"I'm afraid not my dear," Teacher said, "Now boys, we're going to move past you."

"Ma'am?"

"Stand down," Dragon said, though she sounded pained to do so.

"Good girl, now Dragon, we're going to be allowed to leave here, with your… whatever she is to you. Either I win today, or no one does." Teacher looked to the man in white, "though I'm not completely heartless, I'll leave you Cranial."

"What-"

A gunshot followed by screaming, I heard someone collapse nearby.

"Argh! You son of a bitch!"

"George, let's go."

"If I open the security doors, will you stop blowing holes through the walls?" Dragon's voice asked.

I saw people in black armour nearby, clutching guns tightly and watching as we passed by.

"What game are you playing Dragon? You realise I'm going to detonate this facility?"

"And you realise I'm going to stop you."

Teacher smiled, "of course my dear, of course." His voice was condescending, as if speaking to a child. He pulled Smear close and murmured something to her, then gave a hand signal, George beginning to push the cart once again.

The explosions didn't start again, and things were calm. As calm as they could be as I heard Teacher panting, George grunting as he continued to push my cart unassisted. Smear was out of sight, but I could hear the sound of liquid informing me she was trailing behind. Leaving a trail of that explosive aqua liquid. The corridors were quiet and empty, I could hear people shouting and doors slamming shut. The corridor walls interspaced with doors, sometimes glass windows set into the doors that faces would peer out of, terrified as they watched us pass.

How big was this facility? Deep from what I could tell with my worms, and on the surface, it felt like a big dome. It was at least within my sphere of influence, though only just, and as we made progress towards one side of it I could feel the loss of connection to my bugs on the other side. The bugs here felt weird, different, we weren't on Earth Bet, but then, where were we?

Something I couldn't answer for now, but that left me dwelling on how useless I currently was. Without my bugs and tied down, I couldn't see anything happening. Were the Undersiders okay? Was Defiant?

We passed under a metal security door, I caught glimpse of a camera watching as we passed by, its lens zooming in. There was a metal thud and then Teacher laughed.

"Oh Dragon, I saw this coming from a mile away."

What was happening?

"Yet you still walked into it. Surrender, Teacher."

"No." Teacher's voice moved away and he screamed "Smear! Detonate!"

"She can't hear your though that doo-"

Heat rushed over me, I felt my bed lifting and tumbling, things were hitting me and I was helpless. My ears were ringing, and my glasses were cracked, yet somehow still on my face, not that that helped with my vision blurring anyway, my head aching. My bed shook and then rolled before coming to a gentle stop near a wall. I felt the need to vomit but forced myself to not, because being unable to move I worried I would choke.

"George!? Metallurgy!? Smear!?" I heard a voice shout as the ringing died down, I turned my head to see a figure stumbling about, there were others as well, not moving on the ground or slowly recovering. It seemed we had fallen several levels deeper into another cafeteria, evidence of a kitchen as well with a destroyed oven and knocked over freezer. Water was spraying and fires were raging, an alarm was going off somewhere. It was chaos.

"That was more powerful than I thought," the moving figure I realised was Teacher stated before reaching down and touching another figure on the floor, "you, get up and help me."

"Taylor?" I heard a hoarse whisper from nearby, a familiar voice, was that my father?

"Come on! One of you has to be working!" Teacher shouted.

I tried turning my head in that direction, I could see a figure on the ground, my vision sharpening slowly until I recognised my Dad's figure, still on the ground. I started to struggle against my restraints, more power having returned to my limbs. Not enough however, I was still unable to do anything.

"Argh! Do I have to do everything!?" Teacher shouted as the people around him failed to stand. My struggling had created noise, noise enough to attract Teacher's attention, marching toward me and reaching forward, "Weaver, be a dear and-"

"Get away from my daughter you bastard!"

Teacher screamed and turned, throwing his arm out. I saw the knife sticking out the back of his shoulder and I saw my dad. He was paler than I remembered, and even skinnier than I could remember seeing him. Bags under his eyes and a snarl on his face.

Teacher's arm smacked him down.

"How dare you!" Teacher shouted reaching forward, "you can join your daughter then!"

I tried to move anything I could reach, but this facility was sterile, and the bugs outside couldn't find an entry point to get in. My limbs were still strapped down, not that I could move them more then a few inches.

I was helpless as Teacher's hand touched my father's shoulder and my father's struggling ceased. Teacher pulled away, putting a hand to the knife wound with a hiss.

"There, I'm not without mercy, a perfect power to work with your daughter's." Teach turned, his glasses obscuring his eyes as he grinned at me with a manic grin. The manic look reminded me of Panacea exposed to the full effect of the Simurgh's song in the simulation.

"You now," he said, reaching again for me.

I could feel the tears rolling down my face, my father had just been enthralled to a madman, and I was about to join him. I didn't want that, I knew I'd be used to do awful things again, and I didn't want to. Bugs? Still outside, my body? Useless and tied down. The Undersiders? Dealing with the other capes.

"NO!"

It was a primal roar, one I had never heard my father make before, I hadn't known my dad could make such a noise. I didn't have long to contemplate as my dad jumped to his feet, face twisted in a complicated expression of both horror and rage.

Teacher collapsed forward, his head smacking with a wet crack on the metal railing of my bed, not that it could do more damage than the brick my dad had slammed into the back of his head would had done.

My dad dropped the brick, looking down at the body with wide eyes, his hands started shaking as he brought them up, tears were beginning to leak from his eyes.

"What have I done?" he asked, hands going to his hair, "oh god, what did I do?!"

My dad started hitting himself, smacking himself in the face and sobbing. That's when a giant mutant dog I didn't recognise burst into the scene, my friends hopping off and running forward.

"Shit! Grue! Stop him, he's been mastered!" Tattletale shouted pointing at my dad.

Grue came up and forcefully grabbed my dad's arms, stopping him from attacking himself as he cried in anguish, just like at mom's funeral…

"Taylor! Oh, thank fuck," Tattletale let out a long breathe as she looked down at me.

Together she and Bitch started undoing my restraints, then Bitch lifted me into her arms in a princess carry.

I opened my mouth to protest but Tattletale silence me with a look.

"Taylor, you can't even move," she spoke at me flatly.

"Unnnnnnngh," I said, then frowned and tried again, "U…nnnnnnnnngah!"

Tattletale frowned at me, "that's a problem, but we need to focus on other things right now. Teacher-"

"Is dead!" my dad cried, "dead dead dead! I killed him! Why did I kill him! Oh god!"

Tattletale grimaced, glancing at my father then looking at the floor, where Teacher lay motionless, "fuck, that's one problem for another then. Classic self-defence case of course, but your dad will need a lot of therapy."

I wanted to reach out and touch him, hug him, cry with him.

I also felt weak again, I tried to fight it.

"Okay, we need to re-establish communications and talk to the Wardens," Tattletale grimaced even as she talked to herself, "they need to be informed-"

"Why? They don't need to know," Imp said, crossing her arms.

"Teacher is dead, that's important, who knows what failsafe's he had in place, dead man switches?" Tattletale shook her head, "they'll investigate anyway, with communication from Earth Dracheheim cut off. They can provide aid we need, we need to get Taylor to a hospital and…"

Things were fading fast, parts of me shutting down without my consent.

"… Wardens… react… -old Morn-… -orgive?"

"I… but… try… mess…"

Everything faded.

~§~

Things were fading back in again, but I wasn't… sure? I wasn't sure of anything.

"Fascinating work, definitely Panacea's doing."

"Is she safe?"

"Of course, her Corona Pollentia is in its original configuration, I can barely see any signs of damage! Of course, Panacea couldn't repair whatever memories were lost from the damage."

"Then let's throw her in a cell and-"

"No."

"Hellhound, you're not even supposed to be here-"

"I'm not leaving, you're not doing anything with her."

"Yeah, you're gonna find a lot of resistance with that one, Cinereal."

"Tattletale, you've lost a lot of good will recently with this whole fiasco you've created!"

"I see why they sent you now, Khepri probably can't control you, she couldn't Dragon afterall. Way to be thrown under the bus-"

"Tattletale! Not helping."

"Right, anyway, Taylor saved the world, a bit of gratitude could be nice."

"Gratitude? Gratitude!? Should I show Heartbreaker gratitude? Teacher? She represents why Masters are so dangerous! She did inhumane things and her 'victory' was a fluke, pure and simple. She's a criminal and nothing you say can changes that."

"Mm, yeah, your mind is pretty set on that, without me around Taylor wouldn't stand a chance. Luckily, I'm here."

"If you two are finished with whatever this is, I'm going to finish up here."

"Thank you, Riley, I can show you to your quarters where you'll be able to rest."

"Aw Dragon! Thanks!"

"Why don't we move this somewhere else Cinereal? Bitch, stay with Taylor."

"Gonna do it anyway."

It all faded.

~§~

I bolted upright, feeling sweat clinging to my body and breathing heavy.

"Wargh," I said, then frowned at my lack of articulated words.

The lights flicked on and I realised I didn't have my glasses on, though I quickly spotted them on a side table, putting them on. Looking around I saw I was in a cosy looking hospital room. Lines fed into my arm, IV drips and devices monitoring my health. There was a window on the wall, showing a snowy landscape with trees and a mountain range off in the distance and a frozen over lake completing the scene.

"Taylor, it's good to see your awake! How are you feeling?" A voice spoke from the ceiling. I looked up, spotting a camera turning to look at me. So like the Warden's head…

It was Dragon, I had to remind myself the voice was Dragon's. We'd made it out…

We'd made it out!

My shoulders relaxed.

"Drargh," I frowned and tried again, "Drag…urnnnnn!"

"Hm, that's an issue. Let's see."

A device powered up next to me and a screen flicked on with a display and a keyboard.

I recognised the letters and started typing, scowling in frustration at how long it took me to remember where the letters went to formulate words.

DRAGON

"So, you can type at least, that's good."

WHATS WRONG WITH ME?

"It's normal to forget things after a coma, so it could just be a case of waiting. But you have sustained some severe brain damage Taylor, this may be a symptom of that."

HOW LO

I deleted that message and asked something more important.

MY DAD?

Dragon was silent for several seconds, which just filled me with more dread.

"He… he has been sent to a special facility, he is treatable, and he will recover eventually, but it will take time. What he did though was incredible, and it was to save you, Taylor. How are you feeling? Does anything hurt?"

My left arm did, which reminded me of unpleasant memories as I looked down at my new intact right arm.

LEFT ARM ACHES

"Hm, I'm seeing no signs of damage on my end. Possibly psychogenic? The Undersiders did say… hm, that will require my investigation. Sorry Taylor, do you want some pain killers?"

NO

"Okay, a doctor is on the way as well," Dragon paused for a moment before continuing, "also the Undersiders, they're eager to see you."

HOW ARE THEY?

"Tattletale has been very busy fighting for you and they have all been worried about you-"

FIGHTING FOR ME?

Dragon was silent for a moment before saying, "that can be left for later Taylor."

WHAT DO YOU MEA-

"Right! Let's see the patient!"

The light from the window was cut off as bugs swarmed it, trying to get in, trying to assist me. Bonesaw was in the door, I quickly assessed my exits even as I looked around for a weapon, anything to arm myself against the Slaughter House member.

"Oh! Been a while since I had this reaction!"

"Riley, you're not helping!" A familiar voice shouted and then Lisa was in the doorway, dark bags under her eyes and a bedraggled appearance. She rushed over to me and grabbed my shoulders, forcing my eyes away from Bonesaw to her.

"Taylor, calm down, she's not a threat okay?" Lisa soothed, her voice calming as I let myself relax, "there's a lot you might not remember, but she's good now, she goes by Riley now and she's proven herself countless times. Remember Dr Efficients lair? I told you she was a good guy now there, remember that! We're here as well, all the Undersiders."

"Taylor!" Rachel's voice barked out and I looked at her only to blink as a dog was placed in my lap.

I blinked, looking at the puppy on my lap which blinked up at me before yawning widely and curling up on my lap. I raised a hand and let it settle in its fur, stroking the soft fur and feeling the warmth of the animal.

"Oh, that works as well," Lisa sighed before smiling at Rachel, "good thinking."

Rachel just shrugged, "dogs solve everything." She looked at me and spoke again, "his name is Max, he's a golden retriever, only a week old so he'll be asleep a lot. I'll help you train him."

There was a cough from the door, and I was reminded that Bonesa… Riley was still there. I was still having a hard time trying to be calm with her in the same room, and she seemed to pick up on my discomfort as she scuffed her foot on the floor, arms behind her back.

"Should I come back later?"

Lisa grimaced, "I think that would be wise."

"Okay," the girl seemed very subdued as she left and I almost felt bad… except… she had been a mass murderer, should I feel bad?

"You don't have to forgive her, but she is the best person to look at you right now."

I blinked before reaching over for the keyboard as Dragon spoke up.

"I apologise, I should have realised-"

WHAT ABOUT PANACEA?

Lisa grimaced and Rachel scowled.

"She fucked up," Rachel said.

"Yeah, she's not very popular with anyone at the moment," Lisa stated, "and honestly I'd prefer she be as far from you as possible."

"Heyo! I heard the boss has finally stopped slacking off!" Aisha whooped as she stepped into the room, Brian following a moment later.

"It's good to see you," was all Brain said with a nod, though he seemed content to melt into the background.

Aisha flopped down into a chair beside my bed, reaching over to scratch the puppy's head. It was comforting to see my team around me. I could pick out the changes, we were all older now and I could pick out the new scars I didn't remember on my friend's skins.

"How you feeling, Tay-Tay?"

I frowned at her and began typing.

DON'T CALL ME THAT

"Oh wow, going the full Stephen Hawking approach I see."

"Oh my god Aisha, you can't say that," Brian admonished.

"Can't I? How's it offensive?"

"Maybe you've missed less than I thought," Lisa sighed.

LISA DRAGON SAID YOU WERE FIGHTING FOR ME WHAT IS THE SITUA-

"I'm going to stop you right there," Lisa interrupted, taking my keyboard away from me much to my displeasure. Though it left under Lisa's glare, "this is the sort of attitude that got you into this situation in the first place! You have been in a coma for three fucking years and you have then been in a messed-up simulation. Just. Relax!" She jabbed me in the chest.

I glared back.

The room was silent except for the beep of machinery.

There was a yip and then I looked down at the puppy as it licked my hand. I let out a long breathe and gently stroked its head.

"I mean, I'm one hundred percent on your side," Aisha said, gesturing at Lisa, "but it does kind of… heavily involve and affect her? So, I feel like this time, she should at least know."

Lisa pursed her lips.

"Just say it." Rachel bluntly spoke, crossing her arms as she leaned against the wall.

"Fine. But Taylor, there is nothing you can do about what I'm going to tell you okay?" She looked at me for a moment before starting.

"The Wardens know about your… being aliveness. We had to contact them to help with the whole… Teacher fiasco, and we needed their support, because Teacher had deadman switches which are causing some chaos right now. One of which was publicising both your being alive and your role in Gold Morning. So, for better or worse, everyone knows who you are and what you did."

I felt a knot tighten in my stomach and Lisa sighed, closing her dead eyes and rubbing her forehead, "this is why I didn't want to tell you this."

"She'd find out anyway," Aisha pointed out.

"Anyway, there's… A lot of capes want to put you on trial, there are only a few who don't. Whereas a lot of the public want a statue of you, because Teacher's documents were… very unflattering to the cape community, he emphasised the infighting and separation of Gold Morning and bigged you up as the sole reason we won that day. The Wardens are deciding what to do and I'd like to think they sent Cinereal because they weren't sure if you had your mind control powers still and they wanted her around because Khepri can't control robots- Cinereal being a robot is a different thread we don't have time to cover right now," she dodged my question.

She took a deep breathe, "But more likely I think they sent her because she really doesn't like you- don't take it personally she hates everyone, literally. They want a negative report back, so they can better justify throwing you into a cell. Currently I am arguing your case via video. Though in two weeks there's going to be a trial, so me and Dragon have been gearing up for that."

That was a lot to take in, the puppy on my lap stretching out and nuzzling into my hand again because I'd stopped stroking.

"Happy now? Cured your innate need to get involved in everything?" Lisa asked rhetorically.

I didn't answer, trying to think things over in my head. Trial? I was going to be put on trial? For something that was only a vague hazy memory in my mind? Being woken up only to be thrown into prison?

"Lisa," Brian said quietly, "pull back."

Lisa ran her palms along her face.

"Sorry, it's hard work right now, and I would have preferred you to not be involved or even know for a bit longer," Lisa shook her head and looked at me with a face of tired acceptance. "But… I should of known better from you, can't let anything lie, huh?"

"Pot, meet kettle." Aisha said before grinning at the glare she received back, "she's not changed much at all then," Aisha shrugged, "which is good."

A comfortable silence settled amongst us before I gestured at Lisa, specifically the keyboard she was still withholding from me. She handed it back with a warning look to which I rolled my eyes back.

I THINK I CAN SEE THE 'DOCTOR' NOW

I paused for a moment and pursed my lips, not sure how to say what I wanted to say. Of course, Lisa had me covered.

"We'll stay with you!" she said, making it sound like a causal suggestion that she came up with and cleverly hiding her recovering dead eyes behind clapping her hands. I just nodded in acceptance.

"I'll send for her again," Dragon spoke, thinking of Dragon reminded me, however.

HOW IS DEFIANT?

"Grumpy, he doesn't like the Wardens poking through his stuff," Dragon reported from the roof before then muttering, "neither do I now that I mention it."

AND ALEC? I REMEMBER YOU SAID THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DONE FOR HIM?

Lisa grimaced, rocking her hand from side to side.

"Probably. It's still really new technology, but Cinereal is walking around amongst us. Speaking of, Dragon?"

"Yes Lisa?"

"Cinereal, have you told her about Taylor being awake?"

"I am under orders to inform her of the moment Taylor wakes… but it appears her communications device is experiencing interference and cannot be contacted at this time."

The Undersiders all adopted amused expressions, even Brian who had been a blank slate for the majority of the get together.

"What a shame, oh well," Lisa shrugged.

"Wow, is that the old Lisa coming through?" Aisha asked in a teasing voice, resting her head on a fist as she planted an elbow on my bed, leaning toward Lisa with a smirk.

Lisa rolled her eyes back "Oh, for sure."

"Burning up a lot of that goodwill you were building," Brian pointed out with a tilt of his head.

Lisa just shrugged before turning back to me, "Alec will be sorted after we have your situation sorted."

"You called for me again?" Riley said from the doorway, hands behind her back likely trying her best to appear non-threatening. It would never work for me because I could avidly remember the time she tried to cut into my forehead and made Brian a fridge. I saw that Brian clearly remembered as well as he shifted uncomfortably, eyes staying fixed on the girl as smoke began to wisp off him.

"Yeah, Taylor's up for an examination," Lisa said.

"Perfect! It's a bit invasive but you won't feel a thing!" Riley exclaimed with a grin that nearly made me vomit.

Brian quietly left the room exactly at the point where Riley opened my skull, with me still fully conscious and listening to the awful sounds as Riley looked over my brain.

I wished I could join him.

~§~

The time with my teammates was nice, but Cinereal had to be informed at some point.

I couldn't take my eyes off Cinereal, she put me at unease, made my bugs swarm unconsciously, the spiders start spinning silk. She looked like she normally did, there was of course a costume change, but for the most part she looked the exact same from what I remembered from my old Ward days in the brief times I had seen her.

She didn't even look odd when she moved. But then she'd move to fast and she would flicker, the projection going faster then the Tinker tech machine below her could keep up with. Some of her movements was weird, too… something… I wasn't sure how to describe it…

Also, the glare she would fix me with whenever she looked at me were pretty concerning. But I appreciated her up front-ness rather than hiding behind pretty words and closed doors. She was up front about her dislike of me.

"This is Cinereal, interviewing the subject 'Khepri'."

"We'd prefer Taylor," Tattletale said from beside me, arms crossed and an unimpressed look on her face.

Cinereal glared at Tattletale and spoke through grit teeth, "due to subjects' impairment, an interpreter is with us. Lisa Welbourne also known as 'Tattletale'."

"Hello, she has a keyboard, I'm just here to make sure she's treated fairly," Tattletale leaned back, crossing her legs.

Cinereal continued as if she hasn't been interrupted.

"Subjects answers will be recorded in a text format due to her condition. This interview is taking place before subjects' trial for using a Master power on five thousand, two hundred and twelve individual capes. Additionally, the subject is charged with second degree murder of all capes under her power who perished."

"The 'interpreter' would like to point out that without the 'subject'," Tattletale used quotation marks with her fingers, "that the interviewer, interpreter and interviewee would not be present to have the current conversation, nor would a trial be possible."

"Noted," Cinereal growled.

Stroking Max's fur was a comfort, but it didn't stop the words from washing over me and spin around my head. How the fuck was I going to not be thrown in a prison cell, with charges like that? People had been birdcaged for far less.

"Now, I have some questions, bear in mind that any answers you give now could be used against you later." She tapped on her screen in front of her and looked up, "were you aware of what you were doing at the events of twenty-fourth of June, twenty-thirteen?"

Was I aware of that date? I frowned as I tried to think before Lisa leaned over and whispered.

"She means Gold Morning, day your power was modified."

I nodded and looked down, typing out my answer.

THAT EVENT IS VERY BLURRY AND HARD TO REMEMBER. FROM EVENTS I DO REMEMBER HOWEVER, I WAS AWARE OF MY ACTIONS IN THE BEGINNING, BUT THIS DETERIATED AS TIME WENT ON.

Cinereal nodded, "next question. Do you recall the events after the twenty-fourth of June, twenty-thirteen?"

That was easier.

NO.

Cinereal frowned but continued.

"Did you coerce Panacea to modify your power?"

NO, I ASKED.

"What motivated you to Master five thousand capes?"

NO ONE WAS WORKING TOGETHER, I MADE EVERYONE WORK TOGETHER. NO TIME FOR PETTY SQUABBLES WHEN FACING EXTINCTION.

"What gave you the right to choose who lived and who died?"

NOTHING, I TRIED TO MINIMISE LOSSES WHERE I COULD, BUT WINNING WITHOUT SACRFICE WAS IMPOSSIBLE.

Cinereal didn't give anything away about my answer as it was recorded, but when she looked at the next question she sneered before schooling her expression.

"Was it your intent to sacrifice yourself?"

Had it been?

I DON'T KNOW.

"Were you, prior to the events of the twenty-fourth of June, twenty-thirteen, exposed to or in the vicinity of the Simurgh for longer than the time recommended by the Protectorate and PRT?"

That was a foggy memory, but there was something vaguely there.

I THINK SO, I CANNOT SAY FOR SURE.

"I can. We were in the vicinity of the Simurgh prior to the events of Gold Moring. However, so were many other capes and I saw no signs of manipulation with my power," Tattletale cut in.

"Can you be sure of that?" Cinereal asked, looking at Tattletale.

"A moderate amount, yes," Tattletale shrugged, "any manipulation was likely much longer term."

"You realise this is all being recorded yes?"

"Yes."

Cinereal narrowed her eyes and there was a tense silence for several moment s before she continued again.

"Do you have any intensions to use your Master power again?"

I went to answer when Tattletale cut in.

"That's a very unspecific question, because Taylor's power is to Master bugs, so yes she going to use that again because she cannot turn it off. If you're talking about Khepri's power, then the answer is also no because she has no access to that power."

"Answer the question."

"Only when you specify which power. The one she currently has that she can only use on bugs, or the one she doesn't have she can only use on people?"

Cinereal jaw set, her fists tightening for a moment before she growled out, "the human master power."

That was easy enough to answer.

NO

Cinereal flicked her finger on her screen and I asked.

HOW MANY QUESTIONS ARE THERE?

Cinereal glanced up at me before back to the screen.

"Many."

I sighed.

~§~

Thankfully, I could still read at least.

Unfortunately, it was a blow to learn that most of the internet and literature was gone. Aisha had been upset about all the Cape-fiction she had been following being lost, I was upset at the loss of Shakespeare and other such works.

So, what this meant was that when Dragon said she had some 'stories saved into her archives that she liked reading' it was mostly full of sci-fi stories involving A.I. Sci-fi had never been my favourite topic, but it had been two days and I'd read through half of the collection already and I was having a good time.

The reason I was still bed ridden when Riley could easily make some concoction to combat the muscle atrophy I was suffering from was for an image Lisa wanted to sell at my trial. She said that a lot of the post Gold Morning Capes were starting to rally support for me and that a few of the pre-Gold Morning capes would be happy enough seeing me so effectively crippled. I had been pretty exhausted when she explained it to me.

I was enjoying peace and quiet though, after several days of non-stop action. I could see the appeal in why Brian liked to stay in the background honestly, it felt as if something was different about my power too, but I wasn't sure. Maybe a memory thing.

Max had stayed with me the entire time as well, Rachel coming in to either take him away for bathroom breaks or food. I had never had a pet before, not even the snail I had once claimed was my pet when I had shown it to my mom after finding it in the garden. It had to be a tearful goodbye to Mr Shell when my mom told me that I couldn't just remove him from his habitat. I was anxious, because I didn't want to disappoint Rachel, but she said she'd help me, so there was some comfort there.

My peace and quiet was interrupted by the door to my room opening and a manically grinning Aisha coming in, rubbing her hands together.

"Oh, you're gonna love this!" she exclaimed.

She was followed by a man with many parts of him replaced with metal, I tried to think why he looked familiar until I placed him.

Colin!

This was the first time I had seen the man since waking up. He was part man, mostly machine. He had a fully developed beard however rather then that ridiculous goatee he'd had in the simulation.

"Taylor," he smiled at me, "sorry to be away so long, several things required my attention. However, I was able to make something useful for you. It is a modified mobility devic-"

"He made you a Tinker wheelchair!" Aisha exclaimed with a grin.

Colin rolled his eyes, but the smile remained, "yes, I made you a Tinker wheelchair."

That drew my eyes to the thing he was wheeling forward. It did look like an ordinary wheelchair, no hints to its supposed Tinker knowledge.

I grabbed my keyboard and typed.

THANK YOU. HOW ARE YOU COLIN?

Colin smiled, crossing his arms. "Tired, I've just been working on several projects with no break. I have Alec successfully isolated from the system which is a good first step to have done by this point. I have worked to improve security and-"

"Yeah yeah, real interesting," Aisha interrupted, hopping in front of the man and taking up my line of sight, "get in the chair!"

Colin leaned to the side so he could roll his eyes at me but wheeled the chair closer, up to my bedside.

"Would you like some assistance?" Colin asked.

I nodded and handed Max to Aisha who carefully took him despite the excitement making her body vibrate. I lifted my covers- thankful I was wearing a hospital gown- and Colin easily lifted me before depositing me into the chair. Aisha passed Max back onto my lap and I stroked his fur as Colin spoke.

"You'll find a few buttons, this one will bring up the joystick to allow you to drive yourself around, the battery has a twenty-four-hour lifespan and can be charged in any electrical outlet. This button with the stair's icon can be pressed to traverse stairs, this button will produce a holographic screen that you can use to type, the words are then produced from these speakers here and here."

I experimentally grabbed the joystick and did a few movements, able to spin on the spot and then drive forward and back.

"If you disable the joystick system this allows someone else to push you around, which-"

"Well Taylor, I am honoured you would choose me!" Aisha exclaimed as she pressed the button and then slid behind the chair.

I snorted and rolled my eyes at Colin, the pair of us sharing a knowing look before Aisha began to push.

"Now, let's go find someone to torment by threatening to run them over."

Aisha was quick with pushing me through the corridor, Colin easily keeping pace with long strides.

"Do you think we can bother Cinereal?" Aisha asked rhetorically.

"Very easily," Colin commented, "she has only worsened after becoming a spirit. I'd recommend against it."

Aisha smirked, "that wasn't a direct no~."

Colin glanced at her before looking away, was he hiding a slight quirk to his lips?

I pressed the keyboard and started typing.

CAN WE GO OUTSIDE?

The two changed direction instantly, going down a different corridor. I was looking at the details, there were signs indicating these were laboratories and work rooms, sometimes I was able to glimpse details through slightly open doors or windows set into them. Machines working with metal, a device that looked like a satellite being worked on by people in full hazmat-like suits. I was so preoccupied that I had to be startled from my looking by Aisha poking my shoulder.

"Wow, she has been cooped up in that room far too long," Aisha said to Colin before looking back down at me, "it's a bit cold outside, so just say and we can go back in if it's too much."

Aisha was not lying. It was cold, my breath coming out as a mist. I pulled Max closer to me, hoping to both leech his warmth and share it. It was delightful to feel against my skin, after days of the same bed sheets and the same perfectly controlled climate, it was refreshing. The air tasted fresh and the wind sent a chill through my body. Pieces of snow fell to the ground in little flecks, one coming down and landing on Max's nose, making him sneeze.

It was good, tranquil.

It was real.

I decided to head back in soon afterward, not because I wanted to, but Max was beginning to shiver in my grip and I knew I was shivering. But going back in we were met with crossed arms and a disapproving stare of Cinereal and what looked like a team of capes behind her, gathered and looking ready for a fight.

"Why was I not informed the prisoner was being moved?" Cinereal asked, voice clipped, clearly expecting an answer.

I noticed a lot of malice filled looks were being sent form the capes behind her, only from the people wearing a little gold badge on their costumes.

"She's not a prisoner," Aisha pointed out, "and we can do what we want."

Cinereal sneered, "she is a criminal awaiting trial, I am to be informed of all her movements. What if while you were out frolicking amongst the flowers, she incapacitated you with spider silk and made off in this… unauthorised Tinker wheelchair," she growled the last part, glaring at Colin.

I saw Colin's fist clench before he stepped forward, "I will remind you that you are guests here, we are only allowing you to stay because we choose to. If you do not like how me and Dragon run our facility, then you can take that up with us. You are here to represent the Wardens and so far, it has not been a particularly flattering representation."

Cinereal's ire turned upon Colin, "I don't like your tone, Defiant."

"Tough."

"You agreed to cooperate with the Wardens-"

"Aisha, take Taylor away please. It appears me and Cinereal need to have a talk," he crossed his arms with a glower, seemingly unafraid on Cinereal or her group of capes, "A long talk."

"Come on Taylor, let's see if we can bother someone who's fun to bother!" Aisha said enthusiastically, wheeling me away.

I felt Cinereal's and the capes glares on my back the entire way.

~§~

The trial date was moved up, throwing Lisa, Colin and Dragon's plans into disarray. They would enter my room just to ask a question of me before then darting away, Lisa's eyes had grown deeper bags and Colin's face seemed to be set in a perpetual frown.

Aisha, Brian and Rachel tried to distract me whenever they could.

Aisha liked to come in and talk to me about goings ons, pranks she'd pulled, sometimes she'd even bring games and we would play them together, whether they were board, card or digital. Brian liked to come in and just sit with me, sometimes we'd talk, sometimes we'd just sit in a peaceful silence. Rachel would come in and take me out in the wheelchair, walking around with her dogs or telling me tips for Max and how best to train him.

I would like to claim that I wasn't worried about the trial, but I was. All too soon the day was upon me. I was fascinated by Dragon's synthetic body, so much so that Dragon spent 10 minutes letting me look it all over and showing how realistic it was. I was dressed into some clothes-

("None of your original clothes survived, and even then, they wouldn't fit you anymore. Just be glad I know what I'm doing," Lisa winked at me.)

-and wheeled into a Dragon craft built for comfort, barely feeling it take off. I was sat by the window and watched as the landscape passed by below. Seeing the portal was fascinating, the massive glowing spiral with a road going in one side but not coming out the other, surrounded by what looked like a border crossing station.

We flew through it with no problems and the landscape changed. It was hard to describe it all. Lisa and Aisha bantered back and forth most of the ride, with Colin occasionally joining in from the cockpit. It was a nice distraction, but when we started passing over The City, and the Warden HQ loomed in the distance, it wasn't as effective and became strained, slightly forced.

The touchdown was smooth enough that if I hadn't been looking out the window, I wouldn't have realised we had.

"Okay, Taylor, try to look a bit sicklier," Lisa instructed.

I turned to her with a raised eyebrow and she flashed a thumbs up at me, "just like that!"

I was pushed forward by Rachel, along the windy roof and then into the warm interior of the Warden HQ. We were met by a cape escort, who were shooting me suspicious looks, again they all had the golden badge somewhere on their costume.

The inside of the Warden HQ wasn't that dissimilar from the PRTHQ in Brockton, except more glass in the offices, allowing me to see the people working inside. They could see us as well, as when they spotted me, they would turn to a colleague and start whispering and talking, glancing at our group or just staring at me.

We passed more capes as well, the ones with the badges shot me hateful, angry or fearful looks, I was aware of one having what felt like a panic attack through my bugs as we passed by, that simply tightened the knot in my stomach.

The capes that didn't have the badge stared with wide eyes, similar to the office workers as they talked to their companions in low voices while we walked by. Also, I noted that there were quite a few more Case 53's then I ever remembered seeing in any Protectorate base.

We entered an elevator large enough for all of us, the doors shutting and music playing as we descended.

"Y'know, I've always wondered, back in Brockton the protectorate supposedly had a Tinkertech elevator, is this a Tinker elevator?" Imp asked, looking between the capes escorting us.

"No," was the short answer.

Defiant intruded as well, "Also, the one in Brockton Bay was normal, a Tinker elevator would take too much of my time to maintain considering the daily use an elevator typically receives."

"That's lame."

Dragon smiled from the mouth visible beneath her helmet.

The doors stopped and we were led out, through more corridors until finally we were left in a waiting room where a man was waiting.

"Ah, there she is just in time! Taylor! You look awful!" he said with a familiar tone.

Guess I was supposed to know this guy.

Tattletale realised my struggle when I didn't respond in anyway and stepped in.

"Quinn, she's lost chunks of her memory, seems a chunk of that was you."

The man put a hand to his heart with a hurt expression, but I could tell it was an act as he exclaimed, "oh! The misfortune of someone not knowing me!"

He leaned down and extended an arm, flashing a charming smile with white teeth.

"I'm Quinn Calle Chambers, I'm a parahuman lawyer and have represented you before. Tattletale has been calling me regularly over the past few days to discuss your case."

Someone in a suit poked their head into the room. "You're up in sixty seconds!" they informed us before ducking away.

Tattletale rolled her eyes before looking back at Quinn and cocking her hip.

"How's Glenn by the way, you two settle down okay?"

Quinn rolled his eyes, "yes yes, dear, I do owe you, no need to rub it in… but yes, the place is lovely and he loves his new job."

"Good, good. You three," Tattletale used three fingers to point at Imp, Grue and Bitch, "you three are sitting in the stands, do not say anything and try not to react to anything, okay?"

Imp stuck a hand up but talked anyway, "how long is this gonna take?"

"Days most likely."

Her head tipped back and she groaned.

"Now go, shoo," Tattletale made shooing motions and they left through a side door. Tattletale got behind my chair and made me face the wooden double doors.

I clenched my fists.

"We're here with you Taylor, you're gonna be okay, no matter the outcome," Dragon comforted.

A chime sounded and Tattletale sucked in a breathe.

"They're ready for us," she squeezed my shoulder before beginning to push me forward, the doors opening before us.

"It's gonna be okay."

Chapter Text

I was ripped from my sleep by Max jumping on the bed and getting right in my face. I was powerless under the slobbery assault, until I managed to use my arm and push Max's face away.

"I'm up! I'm… up!" I grumbled, sitting up in my bed and stretching. I blearily searched for my glasses on the wooden bedside and slipped them on my face, blinking as my vision cleared. There was a warm glow outside, that time just before the sun rose where its light still shined on the world. My room was spartan in appearance, though it was filled with life tucked away in the walls, floor and ceiling.

I swung my legs out of the bed and stood up, walking toward my wardrobe and grabbing my running gear, Max excitedly weaving around my legs as I got ready. Today was a good day because my left arm wasn't aching. Dra- Tess had investigated it with some help from Riley. Turns out that my brain was confused with my left arm being intact even though it had also been blown off by a sniper round back in the simulation, something about neurochemistry that I didn't even begin to try and understand, but that was what was causing phantom pains like amputees had.

They weren't often, but I knew it would be a bad day if the arm ached.

Going downstairs I passed my calendar, pausing as I saw the day and the event circled on it.

'Barbeque'

Ah, yes, that was today. Still time to do my routine.

Dressed in my running gear I opened the door to look upon the world. It was a fresher earth, you could tell in the strange near alien but familiar bird song, insects chirping. A chill in the air but a hint of warmth.

They asked the residents (me and the other farmers currently setting up shop here) to put forward names. Someone put forward Earth Eden and that had seemed to be the leading name for a worrying amount of time. I refused to let it be named that however, it was far too pedantic. It was just the earth we were planning to use for farmland, not anything more special than that.

I put forward Earth Rose.

It won the popular vote.

So, mom, if you're looking down… or up… or from wherever, I know you were the type who'd hate to have a planet named after her, but tough shit, because you have a whole planet named after you.

I owned a large apiary, all flowers and beehives. Every morning I'd either run around the grounds, checking each hive, Max running along beside me happily or I'd take a more leisurely walk to get Max his exercise that way. Then when I was done and had freshened up a bit, I'd take the buggy I'd been given, Max would hop into the passenger seat and I'd go out and check the outer reaches of my honey farm. After that, I would either go back and continue to chronicle books from my memory (it was genuinely quite upsetting to learn that most of our literature and records were destroyed or gone) or I'd take a hive out to one of the locals' farms to pollinate their crops. They were happy for me to do it, happy that I 'wasn't like those other para-watsits'.

The run was good, when I had started out again after first moving here, I had been frustrated at my lack of stamina, now I could do a couple of laps before having to call it quits.

I came back to my house just as the sun started to rise, I went inside, put on the kettle, fed Max and then went to have a shower. I emerged smelling fresh and went back to my room to pull on clothes. Feeling more awake I looked around for my brush. Unable to find it I commanded spiders hiding in the roof to come down and drop into my hair, working to untangle it.

Who'd of thought that spiders were experts at handling small thin threads?

I did.

My humour was just exploding out here.

It wasn't that I was un-grateful, after all this had been both me and Lisa's idea. I didn't want to be around people or in the city, where I could easily end up getting involved in something. But… it could get lonely sometimes.

I walked down the stairs while mentally checking on the spiders in the barn. They were making progress on the latest batch of spider silk spools, able to be cut up and made into costumes for capes and other such uses. It was a great source of income, and a good way to pay back. Pre-Gold Morning capes got the spools for free from me if they could provide proof of being present. It was a good way to apologise for, y'know, the whole Mastering thing.

I entered the kitchen and made myself a cup of tea, taking a sip and letting out a long breathe, I glanced at the photo still stuck to the front of the fridge and smiled. Me and the rest of the Undersiders sans-masks and smiling. There are other photos as well. Me with Colin and Tess, they got honey and silk as well, but they insisted on paying me for it when I was more than happy to provide it for free. Me and Dad were there as well, at one of his union get togethers.

He was… doing okay. He had been released from the asylum and now he had meds he needed to take regularly; he still had his episodes as well. But he was doing better. He lived in The City, helping to run a new dock workers union up there, it was a lot more successful than the old Brockton Bay DWU had been and that definitely seemed to help his mood. He was a lot happier these days, despite his mastering by Teacher.

I was interrupted from such sober thoughts by the alert from the sensor system around the farm, alerting me to a vehicle coming up the road. I grabbed the security pad laying on the countertop and looked at the camera feed before smiling and placing it back down again. A few moments later I detected the vehicle entering the edge of my range and approaching up the dirt road towards the house. It was soon followed by a motorbike with two figures on it and a familiar monstrous presence and I smiled, putting on the kettle again after filling it to the max. They were slightly early, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

I stepped out onto the front porch and watched as the black car with its tinted windows rolled to a stop on my gravel driveway. Brian climbed out of the driver's seat first and he gave me a smile. Brian visited me fairly often, sometimes it was for a few days, sometimes just a few hours. Sometimes we would talk, he'd accompany me and help out around the apiary. Sometimes we would do… other things.

We didn't have a label for it, but that was fine for the pair of us.

He walked to the back door and opened it up, Lisa stepping out. My smile widened at the grin she shot me before she looked around.

"God, this place is a nice get away," she said. It was a sentiment she usually said whenever she visited. Then she crouched down as Max ran up to her and gave the dog a scratch behind his ears.

The bike skidded to a stop, throwing up gravel before the driver kicked down the stand and took off her helmet, revealing a grinning Aisha. The person behind her took off his own helmet to reveal Alec. The robot body technology was improving every day and had come a long way since I had first seen Cinereal in Tess and Colin's base. There was still something to him that I could tell wasn't correct, but other than that he looked like he was made from flesh and blood.

"Woo! I love it out here, have I ever told you that?" Aisha called as she climbed off her bike, Alec following suit. Rachell was still a little way out, but I could see her steadily approaching with her dogs from here.

"Every time… you… visit," I croaked out.

"And I will continue to do so, you never notice how much a speed limit hampers you until it's not there anymore!"

"There's a reason I refuse to let you drive me anywhere," Brian replied.

"Because you think it's emasculating?" Alec quipped with a teasing grin.

Brian simply rolled his eyes.

Lisa stepped up to the porch and then gave me a hug that I happily returned, watching as Aisha fussed over Max in the background.

Rachel finally reached the house, the dogs slowing from a sprint to a trot to a full stop. Rachel hopped off and removed several bags from her saddle.

"Brought meat," she said, holding the bags up.

"Thanks… I'll… take," I croaked as the girl walked up to me and hugged me as well, "you… know… where…"

Rachel nodded as she pulled away, handing me the bags of meat before walking back to her giant dogs and leading them away, Max eagerly following with an excited wag of his tail. Rachel's dogs shedding their meat mechs was a problem we now had to deal with, rather than having the luxury of leaving it behind for someone else to clean up. That's why I had worms and other earth moving insects prepare a pit prior to her visits where the meat could be shed into, then covered over with a mix of soil and flower seeds. I had many wildflower beds that way as the meat and bones provided excellent fertiliser and vermin couldn't get within three blocks of my house to take advantage of it, it was a win-win.

I walked back inside, knowing the rest followed me as I opened my fridge and secured the bag of meat inside.

"Drinks?" I asked.

"Tea please, with honey," Lisa requested.

"Energy drinks," Aisha and Alec demanded, and I jabbed a thumb at the fridge which they descended upon.

Brian simply requested water, the rest of the group went out to the back porch except Lisa, who moved in closer and asked in a concerned voice.

"No more surprises recently?"

I knew what she was referencing, but it had been months ago at this point.

~§~

The night sky was beautiful out here, I couldn't remember ever having a clearer view of it. It was the exact same skyline as on earth bet, the exact same milky way view. But it still felt alien.

Unfortunately, I didn't have much time to admire it.

I pulled the buggy to a stop and let the taser rest in my grip as I climbed out, Max following and loyally sticking close to my side as I approached the prone figure.

I should have known today would be a bad day from the moment I woke up with an aching arm.

I could hear her muffled cursing as I drew closer and closer. I had been rudely awakened by my perimeter sensors informing me that they had been tripped. Usually as someone moved closer more sensors would trip, letting me get a good idea of their approach angle before they entered my range and I could tag them. However, this sensor warning had kept blaring for ten minutes. It was when I brought up a camera feed that I saw why.

The muffled cursing grew quiet as I finally stopped several feet away.

"Hebert."

"Hess."

We stared at each other and I took in how the girl had changed. Disappointingly, she hadn't changed a bit. She was wearing the same as she had in the Wards, same crossbow, same dark clothing, same dark digital camo pattern cloak.

"I see you're paranoid, trouble sleeping at night?" She taunted, but the barb was weak.

"Only… paranoia… if unfounded…" I pointed out and she laughed, a cruel one.

"Oh wow, so you did get really fucked up, you're fully retarded, aren't you?"

"What… want?" I asked.

"I came to settle a score," she admitted easily, never taking her eyes off me even as her hands slowly reached for her crossbow. It wouldn't matter anyway, my bugs had already chewed through the string, making the weapon effectively useless.

"Why?"

She snarled, "everyone is so scared of you, so awed. Well, I'm not! You hear me? I'm not intimidated by you, because I know that without me, you wouldn't even be here!"

"Yes… very big… very brave… covered this… already," I drawled, "you came to… attack me…?"

"No, just chat."

The chloroform one of my bugs found in her pouches told me otherwise, and I said as such.

"And… chloroform?"

She paused before then chuckling, "god, you really are fucking weird, you know that? I always carry that on me anyway."

Did I believe that? This was Sophia…

"Sure," I finally settled on, putting as much disbelief into my voice as possible.

"Heard your dad got fucked over by Teacher, I'd say sorry, but we both know that would be a lie."

She was trying to hurt me, well, I had been spending a lot of time talking to Lisa recently, and I had some barbs of my own.

"Heard… family is dead… I would… say sorry… but I think… they're relieved… to not… have to deal… with you."

"Bitch, where was that backbone back in Winslow huh? Spend some time with a Thinker seven-"

"We're… not in… Winslow!" I barked, hating how rough my voice sounded as I took a moment to breathe. "We… haven't been… there… for years..."

Sophia just glared at me.

"Why… can't you just… move on?" I asked.

"No one tell you? I hold a mean fucking grudge!"

Sophia grabbed her crossbow and raised it. She pressed the trigger and no bolt came flying out as the strings flopped, cut with no tension. She had no time to contemplate that though as Max pounced forward, grabbing her hand in his jaw and clamping down. She screamed, dropping the bow and tried to use her power to get away from the pain instinctively if I were to guess, because if she had paused to think about it, she would have remembered why she was here in the first place.

Indeed, she instantly turned back to a human form and flopped, unmoving to the ground with smoke rising off her.

"Max! heel!" I barked again and Max released the girls' hand, growing as he backed away. I walked forward and crouched down, checking the girls pulse.

Still alive.

"Max, guard!" I ordered and the dog sat, keeping vigil over the girl as I walked back to the buggy and grabbed the Tinker phone, dialling up the emergency contact number the Wardens had issued me with.

~§~

I hadn't heard what had happened to Sophia, and at one point that may have bothered me. But I didn't care, I knew she had been taken care of, and that was enough for me.

"No surprises," I confirmed back.

She nodded with a relieved smile and helped me bring drinks out back where the Undersiders were wating, watching the dogs run around and play together.

"Rachel… drink?" I asked the woman.

She shook her head, "I'm fine."

With that we settled into the seats circling a table, the shade provided a cool refuge from the sun shining down on the cloudless day. The sound of insects chirping and a gentle breeze making the flowers sway and the leaves on the trees rustle.

"How… going?" I asked, breaking the easy silence we had settled into.

"Alec was able to attend a party with me where some heartbroken were!" Aisha proudly stated, shaking Alec by the shoulder a bit.

Alec rolled his eyes even as a smile lifted his lips.

Alec had taken some time to get used to being alive again. Unlike Cinereal, who was connected to her shard (even if in a weird Titan-afied state), Alec didn't have his powers anymore, instead just being a normal boy. Well, as normal as can be for just being a robot.

Along with that, he didn't want to be around or anywhere near his siblings. Apparently, it was a common thing for people brought back form the dead to focus on the negative parts of their memories, more vividly recall them. It wasn't hard to guess why he was uncomfortable around his siblings, with the whole Cherish fiasco and Heartbreaker. Needless to say, his siblings made him feel uncomfortable.

"Yeah yeah, not a big deal," he muttered, taking a sip from his can (yeah, I had been surprised as well when I learned his body could still process foods, I imaged there was some Tinker explanation somewhere, but I didn't want a headache).

He nodded toward Aisha, "she'd got a 'hilarious' new prank where she uses her power while we're driving, leaving me shitting myself on the back in the middle of traffic."

We all laughed, Aisha cackling with an evil look.

"You should have seen the look on your face!" She crowed.

He maturely responded by sticking his tongue out.

Lisa leaned back and sipped her tea.

"Wardens wanted my help to find anything out on this new group that's cropped up, call themselves the Ringmasters, they do parahuman pit fights, usually to the death," Lisa shuddered, "so, nasty stuff, but their operational security leaves something to be desired. We've got a raid planned on their next venue."

"Oh! That's that Arena Queen girl isnt it? I've been hearing some stuff about her," Aisha said.

"Mm, not for much longer hopefully. Nasty Brute power though, wouldn't want to fight her even with a full team behind me," Lisa smiled, "which is why I don't do field work anymore."

Brian made an amused noise in his throat.

Another comfortable silence settled, watching as the dogs played in the spacious out door space. The sound of bees buzzing drew Lisa's attention to the stream of bees entering the kitchen.

"What ya doing there?" She asked me, gesturing toward the insects.

"Toast… two new… honeys… want opinion," I explained.

"Ah yeah, there is a reason I like visiting this place," Alec smirked, "free shit."

I rolled my eyes and reached down and picked up the honey jars that a local variant of beetles was carrying on their backs. These beetles were fascinating to me with their large size and hard carapace shells. They lived in a colony similar to ants and seemed to be a predator species that even made some larger mammals avoid them. They had no flight capabilities, but pincers that could crack bone.

I was getting side-tracked, what can I say? I like bugs.

I placed the jars in the table. "Roses… and… lavender," I said, pushing the red coloured honey forward. Then I tapped the other honey jars lid, "Dandelions… and thyme."

I had a swarm of bees with spider silk strings attached to a plate fly out of the house and deposit the dozen slices of toast I had cooked up. What followed was half an hour of arguing over which of the honeys was better and it was just like we were back in the loft arguing over pizza toppings. Of course, I was so used to living out in the peace that I could here when it was broken by a slowly growing thrum.

I had some more bees fly me my security pad, bringing up the camera feed detecting motion. I smiled at the sight of a Dragon craft flying toward the house. I had insects gather at an empty spot. An interesting thing about honeybees, they could gather into large swarms and do something called 'shimmering'. On which they rapidly flipped to reveal their bellies, creating waves. I had my bee swarm perform something similar in the flat empty spot.

The bees dispersed as the craft descended on the spot and I smiled to the Undersiders.

"Tess… and Colin," I said as I stood up.

"Go say hi then, we'll get started on food prep.," Lisa said, Brian and Rachel standing as well.

"And we'll continue working on being the eye candy of the entire gathering," Alec said, shaking Aisha shoulder.

"Oh, absolutely," Aisha agreed.

I rolled my eyes as I walked away, walking around the house and to the side where the crafts' jets were powering down. The ramp lowered and Colin stepped down, followed a moment later by my dad and Tess.

My dad was a surprise, I thought he'd be driving up later. It was a welcome surprise though as I walked up and hugged him.

"Hey dad."

"Taylor, sweetie, how have you been?" He asked, pulling away.

He'd grown out his facial hair, having the beginnings of a beard to rival Colin's, I secretly suspected they were beard buddies in some way but didn't comment. Despite the beard growing, he was beginning to go both bald and grey, his skin was still pale and he was now rather deathly thin. But the smile that lifted his face told me he was feeling better then he had in a while.

"Later… say hi… to Tess and Colin," I said, smiling back at him. It felt good to mean it when I say we could talk later and that we would actually talk. It was a work in progress of course, but we were getting better.

He nodded before smiling, "I still have my grill skills, remember the DWU barbeque parties?"

How could I forget? They had been fun when they had been held, but as things got worse…

Bad memories. I smiled at my dad and nodded, then stepped aside and accepted a hug from Tess.

"Taylor, you're looking well," she said, smiling down at me as she pulled away.

"You… too," I said back.

"We have brought a selection of foods, as well as a Tinkertech grill," Tess smiled and nodded her head to Colin who was pulling a very normal grill out of the craft, "his idea."

"Tinker… grill?" I asked.

"Yes, I'll spared the details, but safe to say it will be the best barbeque you will have ever attended," Colin reported.

My dad smiled, "oh really? Is that a challenge?"

"Well, guess they can both settle that at the grill," Tess said to me, "free labour!"

We both laughed before I asked, "how… Warren?"

Warren was their latest project. When they'd been saving Alec, they had also recovered the Warden's data. It had taken the name Warren and ran a lot of the automation in their facility. Currently they were trying to give it a body as an experiment.

"Warren's good, still wants to keep sleeping sat upright in the corners, but we've made some real progress recently."

I smiled and nodded, even as a sensor alert went off again. I brought the pad out again and saw it was two cars similar to the one Lisa and Brian had arrived in.

I turned and walked back up to the house, knocking on the kitchen window. Lisa opened it and I showed her the feed. She squinted at it before giving a thumbs up.

"That's mine," she confirmed, "that's all of mine, even."

"Chicago… wards… I invited," I said back.

Lisa nodded and went back to work in the kitchen. I saw that Colin, Tess and my dad were all setting up the grilling area. I went around to the front as the cars approached, watching them pull to a stop.

From the driver's seat of the first car stepped out Sierra and a man in a black suit, looking like a cliché bodyguard. I knew he was Sierra's. Sierra waved at me with a smile and I waved back. Meanwhile the back door opened, and a kid stepped out, wearing a white hoodie and shorts. Aiden Tate. Last time I had seen him in person was probably just before Gold Morning… maybe? I was a little foggy on the details. Finally, a girl with dark skin stepped out, looking around wide eyed.

The other car was still pulling to a stop, so I approached Sierra, extending a hand that she shook.

"Taylor, you're looking good," she smiled before gesturing around, "nice place you have."

"Thanks… worked hard… on it."

I turned to look down at the boy as he approached me, he seemed a mix of nervous and awe inspired. I smiled down at him and held my hand out.

"Aiden… Lisa talks… about you… lots," I said with a smile. Lisa really did as well, I don't think she even realised how much she did.

"She talks about you a lot as well," he said in return, shaking my hand.

"She… likes to… talk a lot… doesn't she?" I asked with a smile, one the boy returned with an amused snort.

I straightened up, then the black girl stepped up to me and held a hand out with a large manic grin.

"Hi! My names Cassie! I don't know if you remember me, but I am Rachel's amazing and only hard-working assistant!" she said, her hand shake as vigorous and rapid as her voice.

"I remember… thanks… for coming… Rachel… in kitchen," I said before looking to the group as a whole.

"Grill… being set… up… food… prepared in… kitchen."

Sierra nodded just as the second car engine died and Charlotte and Forrest climbed out of the front seats.

"Taylor!" Charlotte cheered with a wave.

"Hey Charlotte," I waved back, watching as Forrest opened the back door and kids were unleased.

They ran around in excitement, probably having been cooped up for a while in the car. I smiled as I watched them before receiving a hug from Charlotte which I returned, before being released and shaking Forrest's hand.

"Gosh you're looking good," Charlotte then turned and hugged Sierra, "and you've been far too busy!"

"Yes well, running a city does that to you," Sierra dryly responded.

"Nice place out here," Forrest said, looking around.

"Thank you… worked hard," I glanced at the kids excitedly looking around and running about, "I… make sure… they're safe… here…"

"We'll keep 'em behaved," Forrest grinned, wrapping an arm around Charlotte's shoulder.

I smiled back even as I had a swarm of butterflies fly out of the surrounding flowers, much to the kids delight.

"I've learnt… a few tricks," I smiled back before then gesturing as the kids began chasing after the butterfly swarm, "come, still… setting up."

~§~

An hour went by as food was prepared, the sun reaching its full height in the sky as the first of the meat was placed onto the grill. Colin had an apron that was a hairy guys chest that made me do a double take when I saw it and got a good laugh out of everyone, the kids either ran after the butterflies, or played tag and hide and seek in the large open space.

That's when my sensor alarm tripped again. I glanced down at the camera feed and watched a car drive by, I didn't want to alarm anyone, and it didn't look like a mercenary car, but it had gone by too quickly for me to see the occupants. I stood up and started making my way around to the front of the house, though Lisa caught my eye halfway there.

She used a subtle hand signal.

'All good?'

'Be alert' I signalled back and she gave a nod.

I got around to the front of the house and watched the car approach, subtly building a swarm. It was a minute later when I could get a good look into the interior and my swarm started chittering and buzzing for a different reason.

Chicago wards. I recognised Theo and Ava in the front seats. Were they the only ones who came?

The car pulled to a stop next to the other ones and then the doors opened. Theo and Ava climbed out, Grace climbing out of the back a moment later and fixing me with a look.

"Hi," I said as they approached, giving a little wave.

"Taylor… we were… surprised to get an invite," Theo said, looking at the other cars before back to me. He had grown another few inches and was finally taller then me, though he had finally lost that residual baby fat he'd always been gaining and losing in the Wards.

"Are you… did you need us for something?" Ava asked, tilting her head. She had black hair now, I guess she dyed it for some unknown reason, her face was in resigned acceptance.

It stung a bit, to acknowledge that Ava had good reason to believe that if I invited them here I needed them for something, or had some plan they were to be involved in. But I wasn't about that life anymore.

Grace barged passed the other two and marched up to me, a scowl on her features as she pointed. She had grown a few inches, her hair in a pixie cut and she was wearing a crop top that showed off defined musculature. No longer that scrawny girl back in Chicago.

"Taylor! We haven't heard from you in years and then suddenly you're on trial, and you've been in like, a coma? And then we don't hear anything about you again for a year? The fuck is up!?" Grace said as she came closer.

That was Grace.

I looked between each of them, taking in their expressions and seeing they were likely all thinking the same thing Grace had just said.

"No Tecton?" I asked.

Theo shrugged, "he would have come, but work-related responsibilities."

I nodded before sucking in a deep breath.

"I… was still… adjusting to… everything," I admitted, "it was all… a lot… to deal with… but… I'm ready now… which is why I… invited you," I smiled, though it wasn't a very happy one, "you guys… were good to me… even if… I wasn't very good… to you… I wanted… to make… amends… and hoped… this could… be… a good… start," I coughed, still not used to trying to say that many words at once.

"Someone call Master/Stranger, this clearly isn't Taylor," Grace said, crossing her arms.

I frowned, trying to think.

"I know… I didn't… make things easy… for you… and I worked… too hard… I never got… to know you… as well… as I would… have liked…" I swallowed and forced myself to continue, "I was… scared to… make contact… because… I didn't… want to admit… that… but after… everything… I've done… I want to… start again… so… could we… start again?"

They were silent for a moment, before then Ava stepped forward and wrapped me in a hug. I was surprised but hugged her back.

"I accept your apology," she said before pulling away.

Theo nodded, "yeah, all water under the bridge, we were all under a lot of pressure."

"Some… more than others…" I said, looking at him.

Theo shrugged.

Grace jabbed my chest, "those two may forgive you, but you will have to work a bit harder with me," she held the stern glare for a moment before then smiling, "such as letting me have as much grilled food as I want."

I smiled back and shrugged, bobbing my head from side to side. "Think… I can… manage… that."

~§~

The day had been a successful event, the children had been thoroughly entertained with the group of capes occasionally doing a display for them (Brian making little shadow shapes for them was forever kept safe in my head), everyone had enjoyed the opportunity to relax and eat, conversations about hobbies and old memories. They'd trickled away, bit by bit, taken away by responsibilities and other things until it was just me, the Undersiders, Tess, Colin and my dad.

Thinking back on all the great things that happened today, it made me wonder why I did all the things I did that left a bitter taste in my mouth when this memory was so sweet. Though, without all of that, I wouldn't be here to have this, it was a terrible circular though going on loop in my brain.

It was interrupted by Lisa bumping my shoulder with hers.

"Hey, you good?" She asked, leaning next to me on the railing as the sun began to set on the distant horizon.

"Yeah… just thinking," I said. My voice was rougher, and it hurt to talk after an entire day of conversation and laughter, but I didn't mind.

"Dangerous thing when Taylor does that," Alec commented as he walked past and off the front porch, going toward the parked bike.

"Better to think then not at all buddy," Aisha retorted, giving Alec's shoulder a playful shove.

Brian leaned on the railing on the opposite side of me, a soft smile on his face.

"It okay if I stay a few days?" he asked me.

"More than," I responded back with a smile.

His smile grew wider.

"Hm, I seem to be missing transportation," Lisa commented.

"You can come back with us, Lisa," Tess said as she, Colin and my dad rounded the corner.

"Taylor, do you need anything out here? I can pick it up when I'm back in the city and bring it out here," my dad offered.

I shook my head, "nothing… I need… but if… you want… visit, then feel… free… I can… make time."

He nodded, rubbing his wrists absently. It was a tic he'd picked up, and not one he liked elaborating on, so I didn't push.

"Give a call if the sensors start to report they need repairs," Colin said, "I don't have any of my tools to do a touch up right now, but-"

"It's fine… thank you… for everything," I smiled back at him and he nodded.

"Max looks healthy, you're doing great with him," Rachel complimented as she walked around the opposite side of the house, her monster dogs in toe and Max at her heel, tail wagging and tongue panting.

"Thanks, have… safe ride… home," I said.

Rachel just grunted as she climbed on, Cassie gave a wave that I returned and then they were off. Max tried to follow after them, but quickly gave up and sat on his haunches with a sad whine, watching them go.

"Max, here boy!"

Max turned to look at me before then getting back to his feet and trotting over, happily nuzzling into my hand.

"We best be off too," Tess said.

"Right, I'll be there in a moment," Lisa said.

Tess nodded and the three adults left (after my dad came up and hugged me goodbye, it was a nice hug). With them gone if left just me and the remaining Undersiders.

Lisa pushed off of the railing and hugged me, murmuring a "stay safe," into my ear.

"What… trouble can… I get… into?" I asked, raising a brow back at her.

Lisa just raised an eyebrow at me as she walked away, "I know you Tay. Brian, I'll see you in a few days. Aisha, Alec, hit me up if you need something."

With a final wave she disappeared around the corner.

"You ride home safe now," Brian said to his sister, pointing at her.

"Uh, just for that? I'm going to ride unsafe," Aisha replied rebelliously. Then she smirked and put her hands on her hips, "now you two, I know your not teenagers anymore, but remember to be safe, condoms are only effective if you use the-"

She was drowned out by the thrum of jets, and a moment later the Dragon craft that had landed this morning was flying up into the sky.

"That's probably our cue as well, bye TayTay!" Aisha called as she hopped onto her bike, Alec following a moment later.

"Try not to disturb the neighbours!" Alec called before they were both drowned out by the thrum of the motorcycle. A moment later it was pelting off down the road after the small retreating form of the Rachel and her dogs.

It was just me and Brian now, in a blissful peace.

Brian let out a long sigh.

"That's better, all the noise and people, feel like I could sleep for a week."

I smiled, letting my hand slide along the railing to entwine with his, "yeah."

"Wanna head inside?"

"In a minute," I said, before gesturing with my free hand at the setting sun, "it's… last… sunset… of summer."

He squeezed my hand, and we watched the sun set.

After Gold Morning, they had decided to give everyone a second chance, no matter what.

I wasn't wasting mine.