Bad Company (Taylor/OC, Worm AU)

[Eatersgrin]

Ch 1: Group Project

Director Piggot has me embedded in Winslow High to keep tabs on Sophia Hess, aka Shadow Stalker, aka the thorn in my side. Since I signed up with The Wards I've met Panacea and got a whole replacement face. Amy knows that I know I based my new face on partially my grandfather's face back when he was in the service and my own. It's not quite right to yearbook photos from last year but it's close enough it doesn't really matter. Abuelo was a handsome guy, and I figured if I was going to be a hero I might as well look like my hero.

What's that? What's a Ward? Alright, rock-dweller, let me get you up to speed: I'm a cape. A Parahuman. A supe. A costumed do-gooder. A g-man. A federale. I work for the government agency called the Parahuman Response Team for the teenage version of The Protectorate superteam which is called The Wards, mostly cuz my Grandma said I could.

Bad shit went down back in December when this gang of Asian bad guys called, you guessed it, Azn Bad Boys made a play for new recruits at my old school. Because I laid out a couple of their homeboys I got a visit after school from Oni Lee, this teleporting assassin guy, and was given a knife to the face and a bomb at my feet just before Christmas break.

Woke up in the ER - in Boston, which is pretty far from Brockton Bay, and the PRT and Youth Guard talked to my Abuela and now I'm a Breaker type Mover. I sound like a Pokemon. Anyway, I'm Ray Alcaraz, I'm sixteen years old and I'm a hero called Dust Devil.

Not the hand vacuum but when I want to move very fast or let something pass through me I go into what's called a breaker state. That state is like a semi-solid dusty debris field in the shape of a man with like two horns sticking out of his head. So now you get the Dust part then the Devil part. I move really fast like this and then if I concentrate in this form I can focus and enlarge myself to create this barrier rock storm that can be like a wall or bubble to contain solid things like people but not liquids or gasses.

It's all very technical, but let's just say I can strip a dragonship of its paint job in like a minute if I was feeling unkind. I'm a pretty chipper guy, until someone decided as a fresh face I could be another set of eyes on the team's troublemaker. Anyway the school is turning a blind eye to Sophia weaponizing some of the 'popular' girls and basically turned herself into what the PRT would classify a Master 1. Siccing teen girls on anyone isolated with low self esteem and a fire in their belly makes potential school shooters or future tech billionaires. Instead they targeted a quiet girl from two of my classes, and word is she just got back from the hospital hence, I'm using that right? Hence I'm here to observe, report and redirect.

Alright, the bell rang and it's group presentation day so now I gotta keep Sophia from mucking things up and also do my best not to get lower than a B on this. Try not to dwell under rocks so much, okay? Brockton Bay is a really nice place if you squint at it just right and have an obscene amount of money.

~~x

Mr. G was still telling folks to group up in sets of three when I walked through the door, he was extolling what choice of a treat they would get on Friday for the group who won the most points. We already don't want to be here cuz we have to publicly speak, and now it's a competition for a mystery prize by which people are going to get butt hurt for losing despite not really trying to do the homework in the first place.

"TaylormimdifIjoinyouthanks" I rattle off as I settle into a desk after dashing inside like a madman.

The frazzled brunette was still standing with a textbook in hand and stared at me from behind hazy layers of scratches on her glasses, "Uhh, okay Ray. We just take turns reading from the lists we have. Greg can go first, if you or Sparky are out of it."

Sparky? Oh the garage band kid sitting in the corner without a group. I shrug.

This is her. This is Sophia's favorite terror target. I've already gotten on Hess about the unnecessary cruelty she showed to others and Shadow Stalker tried to flip it that I was the one projecting. That I was seeing my old self in Taylor and the others, myself before my trigger. That weakness was normalized in me my entire life, and that I wanted to preserve it. Protect them from the potential they could unlock if they'd just let go of their weakness like we did. I called her a sick witch, but with a 'B' and she laughed. So here I was doing my best to be there between her and her target for the past week.

Greg prattled on about some sci fi game where you can sleep with aliens or something. As Taylor handed the list over to Greg, one of Sophia's henchwomen was already whispering back and forth with her friends while staring at Taylor. I wasn't a big fan of dealing with people, joking or violently sure but like as people - no, people tended to suck. People are selfish, biased, quick to assume about others, they're basically ripe for disappointing you in ways you never expected.

"Hey, Gre-", Hamilton or Adams or whatever her presidential name tried to grab for the list in the awkward bowl cut kid's hand.

I snatched the list from Greg and stared at the girl, "Hay is for horses, Garfield. This is a group thing not a class project, mind your business."

I smoothed out the handwritten list and pulled out a copy of my own list. Typed out and printed from the Wards dorm printer. I still lived with mi abuelita but she let me hang with Dennis, Chris, and Missy when I worked on homework after patrol instead of rushing home to wait for her to make dinner. Sometimes she would have me rush back over with leftovers to whoever was on the monitor for patrol comms that evening, it's how I got to know my own Trio.

"Here we can cherry pick between the lists we've made, anything we covered on one that was on the others just scratch it out, eh?" I point out before sliding the stack to Taylor.

"Ahh, sure, let me just go over them all and I can scratch some out alre-", she looked up from the printed out list and squinted behind her scratched glasses. Her nose made this crinkle on her face when she squinted that was a bit endearing. "This has Ward's letterhead on it."

My eyes snapped wide open and Greg's face lit up, "Ooh, lemme see". The blond haired, blue eyed kid picked up the list and stared at the fonts too closely, "Whoa, where'd you get this, Rob?"

Oh he better not have gotten my name wrong on purpose, that or I'm wearing someone else's underwear.

"Easy, bowl cut, my grandmother works for the PRT. She takes supplies home from work so we can afford food for actual dinner. Do you want to ask why I'm wearing hand-me down pants, too, Greg? I got a real knee slapper about my Grandpa being - ya know, dead", I went too far. I raised my voice trying to cover up my mistake and the majority of the classroom is staring. Greg looks mortified and Taylor is staring at her desk top.

I figured I'd sell the whole thing, tap into that thing Ms. Yamada calls 'a healthy outlet' and I leave my backpack behind when I storm out. Once I'm sure I'm out of earshot of all the classrooms along the hall and the teacher didn't follow, I swap into my breaker state and zip out of there.

Home straddles the edges of Empire and ABB territories, I use the network of storm drains to slip down to my block without showing people my exact route home. I crawl out of the drain into the street in my human form and no one is around to bat an eye. The smell, as I closed on the little bungalow, is heaven. The scent of baked goods and sugar glaze hung in the air.

"Abuelita, I'm on break!", I called out.

The salt and pepper haired woman is already wielding a wooden spoon and waggled it menacingly in front of her flour speckled chalkboard green apron, "This is for the bake sale tonight. No touching"

"Oof, not fair. I haven't had lunch yet and school is so far away", I pout and rub my stomach.

She clucks her tongue, "This is the Lord's pan dulce, besides you're a big hero now, go beg your cafeteria ladies if their machacado so good."

I flop on the floral patterned couch and switch on her telenovelas, "C'mon that was a sausage and egg scramble I had during the PRT tour. That was months ago, and you always said to be on my best behavior when I make a first impression. Lunch ladies need impressing too."

After a few minutes of watching the widow Imelda open her bedroom door and catching her stepbrother Ernesto in bed with the maid- the smell of coffee hits me. I look up from my slouched position and find my grandmother holding a mug with a large piece of sweet bread, dry white cake frosted with hard pink icing, balanced on top of the mug.

"Eat up then run back to school, mijito", she shoved the hot mug at him. "Your class period is almost over."

I nodded and alternated big bites of cake and slurps of steaming hot coffee milk.

"Thanks, I'm off to see if we did well on the group project!" I sprinted out the door and was down the yard near the street before her raised voice caught up to my ears. I dove for the storm drain and hit my breaker state before my head connected with the asphalt and concrete.

Back at school I slipped into the HVAC system and rattled through the ducts and dropped down into the men's room. A quick wash up at the sink and I slunk towards class with a hangdog look plastered on my face.

Hall clocks said three minutes til the bell so I kept up the ruse and ambled into class, slipped back into my desk as Greg stuttered through one of my examples of how capes bettered the world.

When I looked up again Taylor was looking at me with an odd sad look on her face that the trio ruined by snickering. The bell rang and I grabbed up my bag as the teacher rambled on about something or another. Before I could duck out into the hall to watch Sophia's next move, Mr. G broke away from Taylor and she approached me while Sophia's minion Wilson ducked out.

Shit.

"Hey, ahh, I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't realize - I just thought it was interesting that you had this print out from The Wards. I - liked Alexandria as a kid so - I don't know why I'm saying all this but everyone has their wanting powers thing growing up."

I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath, "Hey, no sweat I - completely get it. Just been through a lot, it started with, well, my grandpa and just snowballed from there. Anyway, I got lunch I think, and it's not like anyone is going to care if I dip out..."

Taylor stared down at her new looking backpack, her long hair falling into her face as she did so, "I was just going to skip and head home or the library but if you don't mind?" She said through a morass of dark hair.

My mind raced, I had no idea what she was getting at. I didn't flirt. Is she flirting? Not every girl who is nice to you is into you, Ray! No, does she want to eat lunch with me? No, she said she was gonna skip. I already skipped but she doesn't know that. After lunch I was going on patrol so it's not like I don't have time to kill, "I'd love to walk you home or the library, dealer's choice".

WHY THE HELL DID I SAY THAT?!? WHO LOVES WALKING STRANGERS HOME, YOU ABSOLUTE PSYCHOPATH?!

"Uhh..."

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

"..."

It's gotta be all the sugar and caffeine!

"... okay. Only if it's not putting you out."

Smooth.

Anyway if I keep Taylor away from Sophia she's 97 percent less likely to fuck up and cause issues. If I do that enough then maybe I can get enrolled in Arcadia and be closer to home.

I nodded and slung my bag over my shoulder, "Cool, how'd we do on the report anyway?"

Taylor shrugged her bag on, "Oh, we lost a letter grade for you running off, so as always my group didn't get enough points. Greg was upset a bit over that, but between our lists we got a solid B."

"Swank, now where are we headed Captain ahhh Herbert?"

"Hebert".

"Hey, watch the name calling. I'm no Pre-vert".

"He-bert is my last name", I got a nervous chuckle out of her and she seemed to loosen up a bit with my jokes.

"Alright, Captain Hebert, what be ye heading, arrr?"

"Stop being a weirdo, and we're heading towards downtown".

"Arrr my feelings, aye aye Cap'n".

I followed her lead and we snuck out through the broken fire exit, older kids and the 'hip' teachers used to smoke just outside the school. Once we got past the gym and the track field, we were home free. Again, Brockton Bay is a nice place but usually if you are wealthy and willing to spend, otherwise it's boarded up buildings, gang tags, and urban blight.

After several minutes of quiet walking she broke the silence, "I got pepper spray, my Dad bought it for me". Taylor said it out of nowhere.

"I knew it. The moment I laid eyes on you, I said 'Self, this woman, she is going to mug me, one day.' "

Taylor's line of sight snapped onto me, "What? No! I'm just- in case something happens on the way I can defend us."

I nod, "That's why I made you, the Cap'n, Cap'n".

She waved off my attempts to get her to Arr with me. As we walked on we closed in on the fancy looking Central Library. It was one of those public works projects from the depression turned into a modern rich people museum.

Taylor stopped a half block from it and turned to me.

"You got a muggerous look in your eye, Hebert. Guess you just needed an audience.", I shut my eyes and held my arms apart. "Spray away, I can take it. Just leave me my expired bus pass. It's got memories."

"Shhhh, quit it, I'm here. I don't- why is everything a joke with you? You said you were already skipping out on school, so you probably have plans, and this is my stop. So..."

"Ohhh, so this is where the Captain scuttles the ship and leaves her crew behind for the mermaids to pick off and strangle."

Taylor leaned back almost trying to disappear into her dark hair, "Okay, I'm going to go now, Ray. You - take care?"

"Not if you take care first. Oh that sounded weird, I'm hopped up on caffeine and sugar, so just go. I'll see you at school, Taylor."

I pivoted on my feet and hustled off towards an alley I spotted earlier to swap to my breaker state.

~~x

Today was my other class with Taylor, I mean I had two classes with Sophia today and one included Taylor. First period was Art, and despite having half the class load of the average high school student so I could do hero stuff, Art was something deemed important enough not to cut. I mean they could have cut my art class but Sophia picked Art to keep on her schedule so I was stuck taking it. I also couldn't be jammed in all the same classes as Shadow Stalker to throw her off but every couple days she'd try to convince me to ally with her. That the PRT was going too rough on her and then I saw Taylor this morning.

She looked tired and a bit ruffled, and I know Sophia gets dropped off by PRT handlers, so she wouldn't have had time to mess with the girl.

But...

I broke my line of sight from my teammate and I made a beeline for Taylor. Behind me I can hear Sophia and the girls Ooo-ing like a television studio audience and Taylor's eyes flick from me to behind me.

Fuck.

"Taylor", is all I get out before she's blushing and back pedaling.

Shit.

I follow her out and a large body steps in my way. Blue dress, red dyed hair, ivory colored flats, and a brooch that screams 'junk jewelry'.

"Mr. Alcatraz".

That better not be on purpose, "Alcaraz, I gotta go".

"Yes, back to your art class", the school's head secretary shifted her bulk and squared her shoulders like a linebacker.

"My friend -"

"We both know you don't have friends here.
You have one point of contact and that is what was explained to us when you were brought in mid year. We are aware of your violent background prior to what brought you here so it is only by the grace of Youth Guard you aren't sitting in an alternative facility getting your GED, Mr. Alcatraz."

Oh, it so is.

Taylor's running off to parts of the city she needs pepper spray to cross and Sophia could be making pipe bombs with polymer clay shrapnel for all I know.

"I don't think Sophia is going to get up too much with her favorite punching bag running away. And that same punching bag could get hurt or lost out there. It's not like The ABB picks up lost girls and shows them a decent time afterwards."

The secretary narrowed her eyes, "I will be contacting your guardian."

"Oh no, not grandma! Not her sweet grandson running off trying to protect a classmate from human traffickers, skinheads, and drug fiends."

I sprinted past the woman and pushed through the double doors. Taylor was jogging with her hands in her pockets to the nearest bus stop where the bus was idling for her. I trotted after but was too far off for the bus to notice and it sped off.

I sighed and looked around and hit my breaker state and followed in the bus' wake trying to look like the road was extra dusty and rocks were being kicked up by the tires. At each subsequent stop I laid myself flat as possible to the road and peeked over the curb to check for Taylor.

Several dozen stops later it was the end of Taylor's line and she ended up by the ferry. My breaker form was a few pounds heavier with detritus and dirt which I shed by reverting back to my old self long enough to drop the piles of rocks at my feet. I swapped back to my breaker state and slipped through the grass and sandy soil of the bay as I acted like gusts of wind.

OH MY GOD WHERE IS SHE GOING!? THIS IS FOREVER!

Occasionally Taylor would pause and look in my direction, I figured I was too loud as I picked up too many rocks, bits of concrete, trash, insects, and sea shells as I rattled along.

It was a nice cool day, the blue skies were almost perfect and the touristy sort were few and far between but we're increasing as the morning got closer to lunch. It made following Taylor through the less open areas of the boardwalk a lot easier since the wind channeled between buildings fairly strongly.

I was impressed. She seemed to know how to navigate the crowd, blocking the pickpockets, and avoiding the muggers. Definitely a Bay goer for life, her dad probably took her all over the beach and ferry growing up. For me it was my Grandpa, he was a foreman and laborer for decades after getting out of the service. Despite our half English, half Spanish mix of speaking he made sure I was raised to see myself as an American first. The culture was second and always close to our hearts with food, song, and family ties.

We were on the Docks by the time Taylor stopped. Redmond Welding read a sign. The area was full of metal and steel from fences and building exteriors that amplified the rising heat of the day and any chill from the boardwalk was gone entirely.

Taylor let herself into the creaky building and I dropped my breaker state and stood dumbly. I had no clue, no plan further than to make sure Taylor was safe and now I was in the heart of ABB territory.

Hebert was a white people's name right? Wait it could be French, I know the French had colonized parts of Asia. Abuelo had talked about the Vietnam war his older brothers had fought in, it's the only reason I knew that detail.

She wasn't like half Vietnamese and working for the ABB?

He-Bert... He-Bear?

I swapped back to my breaker state as I heard the metal door creak back open. I made like an eddy of wind kicking up trash and dirt as a good sized black guy peeked out and scanned the area. When the door shut again I launched myself up onto the roof of the building hoping to catch an open skylight or one of those spinny ventilation turbines.

I finally found a good spot to hunker down and peek through. My thoughts drifted to the guy from a few minutes earlier. Maybe she had a boyfriend?

Ooo, Taylor took Sophia's dude and that could be where all the shit from the former vigilante comes from? Jealousy, oh ho, nice Taylor.

Oh.

Part of me doesn't like that. You try to make a friend and your first instinct is to not be happy they're dating someone. That's not the sign of a very good friend, Ray.

From a skylight to a loft built into the warehouse I was able to see down onto the big black guy sparring with a scrawny white kid. Taylor seemed to be standing off to the side. The scrawny kid had nothing behind his movement other than the bare minimum of effort. Seems he knocked off early and suddenly Taylor was squaring off with the maybe boyfriend guy.

It was more a lesson, mostly plutonic? Friendly, yeah, friendly fighting lessons. And it was becoming increasingly boring as time passed.

What was I even doing up here? I looked around and the skylight had a massive hinge to rotate the window open a crack. It has a good seal so they might hear the window slide in but - it could be chalked up to being an old ass warehouse.

Surprisingly it didn't squeak as I pushed it open a hair.

"So who's this boss of ours?"

My ears pricked up. Boss? Learning how to fight. Looking roughed up. Sneaking out of school.

Holy shit, Taylor Hebert was part of a gang. I smiled cuz that meant the big dude was just another gang member. Kinda weird gang to have a scrawny white guy on it, but maybe he was the boss's boy toy? Or they were pick pockets on the boardwalk or they were a smash and grab crew?

I snapped back to reality when I heard a new female voice add to Taylor's and the other two, "- we're robbing a bank."

Fuck.

 

[Eatersgrin]

No no no no no no. C'mon. No. Really? Really? Why am I upset? I've known her all of a week, and somehow I'm excited, and also disappointed, yet somehow just as intrigued as before.

Taylor Hebert, Bank Robber.

I mean, what the hell?! You are quiet, thoughtful, a bit standoffish but - shit - who wouldn't be after 30 percent of the school doesn't bother to help you, 70 percent is basically oblivious and a handful are using you for their jollies.

Maybe I can talk her out of it? Maybe that means I gotta tell her the truth?

Dammit, I'm under orders. Not that I was ordered to not tell people the truth. Orders were to avoid the truth from coming out. Avoid. Like dodge but you can't expect to dodge everything. If there was one thing my Grandmother taught me is that language and how you say things matters so be direct.

'Avoid'.

'Be direct'.

Jeez, Piggot can send me to prison but Abuela can execute me con la chancla so fine I won't lie to Taylor. I'm just telling one person, to save that person from a world of shit Sophia probably put her on a path to. No one just goes 'I'ma rob a bank' without some serious string of issues to back that train of thought, right? Anyway, from what I'm seeing here she's pretty good at hiding stuff.

Then again, she brought up Alexandria. Maybe I can talk to Piggot and get the Tower of Power to visit Taylor? Or is that dumb? Would Taylor see it as a betrayal of her confidence or that I'm just interfering or mocking her with a childhood thing?

Shit.

I get stabbed and blown up just to babysit a teenage cape and now I'm agonizing over finding out someone I started to talk to is a criminal.

"Arrr, my feelings", I mutter to myself.

They're still debating and talking down in the loft.

WHO HAS A LOFT IN A CREEPY ASS WAREHOUSE IN THE DOCKS?!

I lie down on the roof next to the cracked open skylight, the occasional bug lands on me and I don't bother to swat it away. Too much noise outside of my breaker state would cause suspicion. I do my best to listen but I don't know what to do or how to approach her.

I mean I'm a teenager not a cop. I don't know shit. I got this power and it doesn't just hand you a world of knowledge on how to be like a hero. I remember Piggot explaining that we're outnumbered two to one on villains to heroes. That probably explains that imbalance. You go through a rough time and end up with powers and why not use it selfishly? It's not like the world is exactly fair.

The girl Lisa, who sounded like the leader, suddenly got loud, "The bank robbery was my idea, and he liked it. According to him, the Protectorate is busy with an event on Thursday, just outside of town. That's part of the reason the timing is so important. If we act then, there's almost no chance we'll have to deal with them. If we hit the Bay Central, downtown-"

Thursday, Bay Central, Bank Robbery. Aaaand today is Tuesday, cuz we were going to have art. I have art with Taylor and Soph-

Oh God.

Okay, Taylor is probably not heading back to school. Sophia is going to know I didn't come back.

Dammit.

"- he's sponsoring us and it stands to reason he doesn't want to fund a team of nobodies. We manage this, we won't be nobodies. That, and he really wants us to do a job at that particular time."

Things got quiet down there and my stomach rumbled stupidly loud.

I swapped to my breaker state as a little dog started barking. The rooftop window showed the room filled with darkness til it was pouring out of the crack in the skylight.

I let myself dissipate a bit to look like a swirl of dust being blown around and I let myself catch the wind, cascading down the corrugated roof to the pavement. In the alley below the blonde, Lisa, pursed her lips as her eyes took in the scene. I let the breeze carry me further out towards a corner of the building.

The coast looked clear but my breaker state was picking up heavier rocks and rather crunchy bugs again. I shifted back to my normal self and took a moment to get my thoughts back on track.

Should I head back to school? Nah, back to headquarters and make a report. Maybe I can-

Taylor, outta nowhere, pushed me up against the wall of the warehouse and her hand pressed over my mouth.

"Everything good, Taylor?" Lisa called out from the alley.

She shot me a death glare from behind her scratched lenses, "Yes, found - looks like it was garbage getting blown around. My bugs don't sense much but a couple of bodies that seem asleep in the next building."

"Hmm, junkies. Alright, I'll tell the rest we're taking five, and feel free to come back in to wrap up the vote."

"Okay, Lisa", she said and then hung her head.

I remained pinned to the warm metal more out of courtesy as the strength in her arms relaxed. Her hand stayed over my mouth, which was a good call. If folks couldn't tell, I'm a talker.

"How?", Taylor asked as she locked eyes with me. "You weren't on the bus, Ray. Any of them."

I reached gently for her hand over my lower face and removed it, "I promised myself I wouldn't lie to you." And I replaced her hand back over my face.

"No!", she hissed. "This is serious, Ray. What are you even- you followed me?! I - I left to get away from you and the trio. They were making fun of you because of me and-"

I shook my head and pulled her hand down, "Look, stop it, none of that matters. I don't care who laughs at me. Life's not fair, and that sucks, but please don't rob the bank. I don't want the first lady to actively want to hangout with me to also be my first prison pen pal."

Taylor's eyes widened.

"Yeah, sorry, I overheard that you're part of a gang now. I was kinda hoping it was like a dine and dash thing not, ya know, multiple felonies all at once thing."

She deflated with a long sigh. We were both quiet for a moment, that's when she noticed I was still holding her hand.

"I'm not mad, Taylor, and I fully understand if you're pissed that I followed you and funked this all up."

She took her hand back and rubbed the back of her neck, her wild curls bounced, "It's not what you think, Ray. I'm not a villain. I'm not."

It dawned on me right there, "You have powers?"

She scrunched up her face like I shoved a plate of bad shrimp in front of her, "Of- of course, I'm a teenager. What am I doing robbing a bank without some kind of edge?"

I resisted grinning the biggest goofiest grin. She's not insane at least, "Okay, fine. If you're not a bad guy and you're a cape. I'm trusting you with this - I'm a Ward. That's why my homework was on Wards letterhead. Printer ran out and I just borrowed some from one of the private office printers without asking. Also why I was on the roof listening in and how I could follow you bus after bus without having to get aboard."

Taylor was so very close to me as she squinted up at my face. The sweat from her sparring session had some of her hair stuck to her forehead. This must be what a book sees when someone finally hits the part with the author's fetish.

She backed away, "Go back to - school or home or wherever you are going to go. But don't tell anyone anything about this, okay? If you really trust me then give me this. We'll - we'll talk tomorrow at school."

"Why not tonight? I got evening patrol. I can meet you anywhere you want."

Whoa whoa, don't come off too eager, Ray. She could set you up for an ambush.

"Okay, I don't know how long I'll be here but meet me at - do you know the coffee shop outside the library from yesterday?"

I nodded.

"There around seven? My dad will probably drop me off if I don't catch the bus."

"Alright, be careful, Taylor."

She turned and started to trudge back but stopped in her tracks, "Why'd you bother chasing after me? Did Armsmaster send you?"

"No, he didn't. Never met him officially, he's pretty busy. I just - I thought, I think you are pretty interesting even before I found out you had powers. And you carry mace so I know you go to dangerous places. Figured the girls did something to you to make you run and I wanted to make sure you were okay."

She nodded to herself and continued on back to the loft.

Seven. Seven in the PM. Seven O'Clock. Coffeeshop. Across from the central library. Taylor Hebert. Cape. Bank robber?

I swapped to my breaker state and zipped off towards the heart of the city. Back to headquarters, I needed a way better costume than the spare suit and domino mask they cheaped out on me with.

~~x

I'm leaning against one of the milky green walls just outside the double doors of the PRT HQ's cafeteria. I spot a middle aged man, dark skin, neat short cropped hair and a well practiced smile beaming just for me.

"Shouldn't you be in school, Dust Devil?" Mr. Green asked with a knowing grin. The cafeteria exit was always the best place to catch the adults in charge before they got to be busy.

"Ahh - half day?", I weakly offer the Image consultant, Bandile Green.

He's the guy you want to win over if you want costume upgrades or changes. He taught me the word 'Toyetic' and my breaker state is plenty toyetic but myself is fairly boring. If Dust Devil was on shelves he'd be a deluxe toy set and I'd be included in but I'd be the accessory figure kids leave in package or dump in their toy bin.

"Wards already get half days, Dust Devil. And there is no such thing as a quarter day."

"Wait- what time- oh it's lunch I ducked out early, Mr. Green", I waved a half sandwich I pulled from my backpack before jamming it back inside.

Initially I didn't care about my costume, I just chose to spend my time in my breaker state as much as possible. The only downside is the build up of stuff I pick up and add to the mass of my form. My test on Dragon's ship had me beating on it after several minutes with the usual dirt, rocks, and then chunks of concrete, cinder blocks, bricks, all things left on the testing site to see what my breaker state could lift.

"So you have your comm device on you?" He held his palm out and I pulled out the little bud from my ear.

"Who's on duty, Dust Devil?"

"Mi -ss Vista."

"Nice save", he held the bud to his ear and tapped the other side, "Vista this is Ban on Dust Devil's comm, I want to know if he has been behaving himself before I help him with a new uniform request."

A brief pause as Mr. Green nodded, "Thank you, so much, dear. I look forward to any notes from your latest costume update."

He nodded, "Marvelous, you wear it well and you do us all proud here in Image. Good day, Vista."

Mr. Green passed the ear bud back to me.

"Ray, I am disappointed in you."

I remained stone faced, no this is a trick. Missy has my back, she has had my Grandmother's meals many times. This is a play by Mr. Green, so I make a big show of looking all 'aww shucks', "I'm sorry, Mr. Green, I promise I won't skip lunch in the future."

"You are heroes but you're growing heroes. We don't want you all flagging on patrol or letting a stomach growl give you away on stakeout. It happens", he chuckled and pulled out a tablet from his valise.

Holy shit.

"Understood, sir."

"Follow me, I have a meeting in ten, so you get - five, go".

"Okay, the basic hero suit and belt and domino mask is functional and all but I need a suit suit, like something signature. Right now I was cool with basic but..."

"It'll be ready when your debut interview is scheduled or if we want to have you out there early for the Big Show. For now basic is good."

"Ehhh, you see there is uhhh, well-"

Mr. Green stopped in front of the elevator bank and scanned his card, "This is your stop. So there is a girl-guy-person you want to impress. You want to show off you got powers but you want to hide your identity and you think your Breaker State isn't cool enough. Right?"

Other people started gathering around that Mr. Green nodded at.

"I can't drink coffee in my breaker state, and she's - yes, impressing is one thing, but she's an informant. She's got information she'll only tell me and so I don't want to tip off anyone she's talking to generic PRT hero number 13, ya know?"

"Bring her here, do it safely, confidential like... Unless you're trying to pull my leg to get a costume faster?"

"It's important, it's a big deal for her but it's nothing Armsmaster or Miss Militia should have to step in. Kinda school related, and it's easier to convince her if a hero hears her out and gets her to come forward to the - actual authorities."

The elevator dinged and the tinker doors unlocked. Everyone but me stepped in, "Listen Dust Devil, let's call it community outreach. I say that's enough to warrant some kind of modification or accessories for the basic suit. You'll get something before you-"

YES!

"Patrol this evening."

"Perfect, be good and keep making us proud!" The doors shut and I decided I'd strut back to the dorms to pretend to do homework while Miss Vista, I'm so calling her that, works the monitor desk.


~~x


It was seven fifteen and I chickened out. I was in my street clothes. My costume was tucked in a black go bag all The Wards get if they have to be out overnight and carry hygiene stuff and changes of clothing.

So here I am, five foot ten, average height Hispanic male. Olive skin with short brown hair carrying an unmarked black bag and looking around suspiciously outside of a coffee shop on a quiet evening. Ya know, nothing fishy except being stupid ol' target for any itchy addict, ABB, Empire, or corrupt cop wanting to shine their shoes with my face.

The bus for the library route pulls up and a couple panhandlers types and, thank Mary, Joseph and all the saints, Taylor steps off.

I wave at her like an idiot and she jaywalks towards me. I let that one go, we're well beyond the casual crimes at this point.

"Cap'n?"

"Don't be weird", she walks past me to the coffee shop. I kinda like that she's a bit dismissive with my jokes.

"Aye aye", I answer and follow along.

She picked a table by the exit across the shop and the waitress approached, "What will you be having?"

I gesture for Taylor to order, "Two of whatever he's ordering and make them to-go".

The waitress raised her eyebrows and turned to me, "Uhh, two large Earl Grey teas, with two sugars each - like she said to-go."

"It'll be quick, hun", the waitress stepped away quickly.

"To go?" I ask.

Taylor just held up a hand, and we sat quietly waiting. Taylor looked everywhere but at me. The shop was cooler than outside so her lenses started fogging the longer we sat. I gave her a napkin from the table dispenser and she seemed unsure and I pointed at her glasses. By the time she finished wiping them down the waitress reappeared with the teas in a cup holder, lids on, the strings of the tea bags sticking out of each and a little brown bag in-between with sugars and stirrers.

I paid with a twenty, "Thanks, keep the change, ma'am." Okay, so I didn't entirely chicken out on trying to impress, but tips are important I'm told.

And Taylor got up and left with me carrying our order, following after her. On the sidewalk she waited for me.

"Oh, where was I? Oh yeah... to-go?"

"I am involved with connected people, people with abilities I'm not hundred percent sure what they can do. It was best if we - can I have my tea?" she asked, her eyes slightly pleading.

I handed it over, "Wanna sit on the library steps?"

Taylor nodded and we crossed right there to the steps. Did this make me an accomplice? Have I gone rogue? Only time would tell.

"Why do you keep smirking to yourself?"

"I'm not going to lie to you... I make me laugh."

With a sigh she started mixing in three bags of sugar into her tea. It's okay. I'm fine using just the one, sugar and caffeine makes me weird anyway.

"So what's a gal like you doing in a place like this?" I asked.

She stopped midsip to narrow her eyes at me, "What?"

"You said we'd talk, so I'm talking. You doing alright? They weren't suspicious or anything? I mean I'd be suspicious of everyone if I was plotting crimes in a creepy warehouse."

"I'm okay. Are - you, okay?"

I smile at her.

Less teeth, Ray, she's not a chimpanzee. There, much better.

"I'm concerned about this - big event you and your coworkers were planning."

She took a long sip from her drink.

"Yes, you see - I don't actually work there. I'm an intern. I'm not being paid and since I know they are up to no good. Someone from a rival company has contacted me to get information on them."

"Ahh, I see. And that someone from the rival company?"

"I can't say exactly who it is out here but it's someone I mentioned before we parted ways. Someone you haven't officially met."

Armsmaster. That's why she brought him up. Interesting.

"Interesting", I say and dump my lone sugar into my tea only my grandma drinks. It tastes not like iced tea but it's not bad either and Taylor keeps sipping away so it must be decent.

Nice.

"So as I know internships are temporary but they want you at the big event acting like you're part of the team, right?"

"What they're planning, I'm trying to make less bad? Less - less of a negative impact. I can't do this it's silly and weird, and no offense, this is serious."

I sighed as she started to stand up, "So you want to go where I work?"

Taylor looked down at me. She looked like she was weighing her options, "No."

"Okay, how about we go sit at that little park thing area there with the sculpture and the benches? And we actually talk, yeah?" I get up and start walking straight for it.

Stride confidently. Impress. Impress. Don't stumble. She's your classmate. She has nice hair and she's good at school. She's not going to turn you into her bank robbing gang with its killer dogs and shadowy, not boyfriend Boogeyman.

I take a seat on the cold stone bench, and Taylor is beside me a second later. She's a fast walker.

"I'm sorry I tried doing a code thing but, you're undercover for Armsmaster but you're about to do a big bank robbery - and I'm assuming Armsmaster knows, yes?"

She shakes her head, "No, he doesn't know about the bank job. You found out when I did."

"That's big. It's dangerous and hostages? Whoa. Just, whoa."

I watched her guzzle the last of her tea and offer her the bulk of mine.

She made a small face, "Just one sugar?"

Yes. One. Sugar. Miss Three-Sugar.

She lifted the little brown bag up that held the stirrers and there was a neat stack of a couple more sugars and a few pink packets beneath.

"I had no idea those were there", I answered.

"You want it back?"

"No, I'm just relieved you're okay. So - wait, when did you meet Armsmaster that he set all this up?"

"Back when Lung got arrested. I fought Lung and took him down, but just barely."

Holy smokes, Lung. She fought, lived, and won. For Lung you gotta pick two.

"You did that? You took him down down? Like-?"

"Insects. I control bugs, spiders, I made a crab dance around once. I have a wide range, fine control and can set them on automatic commands. So Lung is human and can be bitten by bees, wasps, stinging and biting insects, black widows."

"Oof, no bueno. Wow. Yeah, okay I believe that. People go to the hospital for just one venomous spider bite."

"So Armsmaster turned out to be chasing the Undersiders down, but Lung was on them first. That's when I ran into Lung. We fought, my hair got singed, it was bad but pepper spray worked and then the bugs."

"Pepper spray. Wow. You offered to protect me with your - Lung Repellent."

She looked at me and she started laughing quietly, "That's - that's not funny. This is - this is serious. Ray, please."

"It's a little funny, see you're laughing. Laughter is tension leaving the body. You're very tense yet very cool. It's okay to feel stuff and get it out."

We sat quietly as she sipped the tea, the Sun was entirely gone and the library had finally emptied out.

"I'm probably going to skip classes tomorrow."

"Gonna hangout in your warehouse slash Bug Cave? Doing bug stuff?"

"I don't do bug stuff. I command insects and spiders to- okay, I tell bugs to do bug stuff."

"You give yourself a name yet, or are you going to let the world call you Bug or Bug-girl?" I asked doing anything to try to lighten the mood.

"No, I haven't gotten to that point. I wasn't exactly prepared to face Lung or go undercover or join a bank robbery. A name was the last thing on my mind. The first was getting out there and doing hero stuff", she replied and the street lights started flickering on bathing the park in a white-blue glow from the security lamps.

"Well, it's getting late-", I said.

"Wait, you're leaving already?' she asked with a bit of unease.

"Nah, I just was going to suggest we get more overpriced hot water with store bought tea bags. We can sit down at a far away table and you can run the details down for me and see about getting the public a situation where no one gets hurt and get you the information Armsmaster wants", I stood and offered Taylor my hand.

She looked at my hand and then back up to my eyes.

"I don't know why he left you all on your own to do this but if he trusts you, I am going to continue too. I'd be happy to work with you."

Way to oversell it, Ray.

"Okay", she answered, and then put the empty cup in my hand.

Smooth.

 

[Eatersgrin]

"I still can't believe you're a Ward", Taylor's voice echoed from inside the women's restroom. The echo just highlighted how empty it was in here and made her voice just a little spooky.

"You've said that two- no, three more times than is necessary. I just didn't believe you were what you're doing all of the once", I answered, mostly to myself, while leaning against the wall outside the station restroom. I had already dressed in my basic PRT spare uniform and domino mask, my identifying accessories stayed in my black go bag.

"I'm just baffle- baffled? Am I using that right? Baffled you convinced the Big Guy to let you do all this solo", I said, filling the unusually quiet evening as the crickets were mostly silent save for a few a good distance away.

Taylor slipped out of the bathroom silently, dressed in this sleek armor. It was weirdly shiny in places like she wore speckles of road paint in different colors as the lights of the station played across her. The mask's lenses really lent her whole look a very aggressive appearance, like what she looked at was her unlucky target. We headed past a door leading to the interior of the building and we scaled the steps towards a patio area.

"I like your hair", I said quietly about halfway there. The mask and shoulder pads gave it some structure that let her curls spread out giving her the appearance of wearing a large, shallow hood.

"Okay", she replied as she stopped to stare at me a moment through the yellow lenses then lightly touched her hair with her armored fingers. "You should stay - here. I have to meet Armsmaster."

"Okay, I'm here if he gets weird on you or - I don't know, he's Armsmaster, I can distract him so you can get away if it comes to it?"

Taylor nodded and I gave her a thumbs up that she waved off. As soon as her back was turned I started off in a weaker version of my breaker state, I gathered up the smallest bits of concrete, asphalt, trash and dirt clumps. Ammunition in case I needed to make a distraction for The Protectorate hero to chase down or maybe temporarily blind him with?

Mr. Green suggested I carry mylar strips and small squares of various metal foils to drop from utility pockets and create locality- locally focused clouds that can turn my breaker form into a giant faraday cage to block signals or as chaff to scramble tinker made lock-on weapons. Even if I blinded his sensors he could still see and hear, on the packaging of the Armsmaster figure my folks got me as a kid I remember it saying he was a master of gadgets and technology. He probably had amped up hearing aids to stalk us like a bat and tracking darts he could tag us with.

It'd be the end of my hero career unless a corporate team wanted to pick up a cape on the cheap, maybe? Abuela would understand but I couldn't leave her all alone in her house with just Grandpa's retirement.

WHY DID YOU HAVE TO BEAT ON THOSE ABB GUYS, RAY?!

Violence solves nothing, there were cops to call, school security guards but no. You just had to be a chump and retaliate when they punched you and kicked you and threatened your family. Like they even knew where you lived, those stupid assholes. Not like I was Filipino like they assumed I was anyway.

A loud snap caught my attention as I swirled on the stairs. I did my best to keep the bulk of the grit higher up in my breaker form, to keep things quiet.

"- then you've done us a great service. Would you be willing to come to the Protectorate Headquarters and present that information to the team?" Armsmaster spoke for real, not like the tinny sound chip in my old toy.

Taylor was going to get to meet the Protectorate, that's awesome. She wanted to be a hero and now can get recognition from the Big Team. This is huge!

"Why not?"

Big guy sounds pissed. Did she turn it down? Oh they're arguing.

Shit.

"The Tattletale Girl."

Is Lisa a spy? She's a little young to work for the Protectorate. Or is she psychic? That means she'd probably know about me too. I'd have to ask Taylor about that.

"What are they planning?"

"I can't say."

Their arguing continued a lot longer than I liked. Neither one of them had any give in them to satisfy the other. He's Armsmaster, he's a big deal and we're kids. She'd be a Ward if she wasn't opposed to rules and hanging out with people. Does that mean she doesn't consider me a bother? Or just that she's tolerating me?

I don't like this, my brain likes to race with ideas and what ifs now. I remember when I could go a whole day with barely a single damn care and now everything has a pop up window asking if I'm sure I want to do this or that and I run through the possible downsides.

Yet somehow it's easier with Taylor around just to be me.

But then that could be like I got a bug brain from my 'crisis point' and she's putting the Master to me. No, I don't have a bug brain. That's stupid, that's dumb.

PRIORITIES! PAY ATTENTION TO TAYLOR, RAY!

"You're a stupid girl."

Fuck that guy.

He put her here. He set these wheels in motion. I really didn't get a say in how I got to use my powers all the doctors, PRT, Youth Guard, my grandmother and bam! I'm a Ward and this guy is -

"- want me to stand by so you can play your little spy game with a team that has two murderers on it!"

"Who-"

She didn't know about Hellhound? They beat each other up. She's got monster dogs. This group is no joke.

"I'm not in middle school."

"Oh well, I stand corrected on all counts."

Dick.

More fighting, arguing. This is like sitting there in front of a paused video game hearing your friend fight with a parent and all you want to know is where the bathroom is.

"I'm asking you to please not tell anyone we met tonight. No records, on paper or computer. Don't do anything different because of what you learned tonight. I know I can't make you. I don't have anything to offer you, besides the information I'm going to get. But if these guys get wind that I met you, it's going to go really badly for me."

"You made your bed. You have to lie in it."

I feel biased but I'm calling bullshit. I shifted forms and dropped most of the mass I picked up then swapped back. I wanted to interfere, stick up for her. But I don't want to make myself a liar and pop up at her meeting after she told me to wait here.

"Fine, you can go now."

Taylor came down the stairs and walked right through me. Her fists clenched, back straight, and head up high. Not much time has passed and Taylor seemed set on something. I followed along the path acting as her wake until we met the sidewalk.

"You can come out now", she said with a sigh.

I spun my mass up into a brief column, like the tip of a tornado, and appeared with a flourish, "Tah-dah!"

No reaction.

She stood there in her armored costume and that's when I saw it. Just behind her from the edges of the grass, and weeds sticking out from the cracks of the sidewalk a carpet of insects.

And all at once the crickets sounded. The transition from quiet to a wall of noise disoriented me for a moment as I watched Taylor stand in the midst of it. The noise acted like her own scream of rage.

I put a hand against the side of my head and finally the crickets stop synching up, their chirps hitting, I guess, a normal natural tone.

"I'm never going to look at those little guys the same way, whew", I said, trying again to lighten the mood.

"I'm sorry. You heard?" she asked.

"Yeah, sorry he wasn't - less of an ass. You were straight up with him and he spit in your face like it's easy for him to- to-"

"Dump everything wrong on me."

"Yeah. Life's unfair but Big Guy, he - he wants it unfair and in his favor. Or something. I don't know."

Taylor nodded, "In his favor, exactly."

"Are you still going to do it?"

"Yes, I'm in too deep unless he burns me with the Undersiders", finally she turned to face me. "Or you burn me with the PRT."

"I wouldn't, and I won't lie to you", I responded.

"You keep repeating that line and I don't know if it's the - kid in you trying to please me or if you just say it so I keep trusting you?"

"Hey hey, don't go, what is it? Projecting... dammit. No no, transference. Don't go transferring what Armsmaster said onto me. When we met and then later I followed you I didn't know you were a cape let alone dealing with criminals, okay? I'm not against you but I do care. I'm not even 100 percent sure why, but I do."

Taylor trudged over to the station again, pulling her mask off, and the carpet of insects receded back into the grass, "I'm going to change. Don't follow me."

I'm not a pervert, I wouldn't abuse my breaker state to do such a thing. I was raised to be respectful. Well, mostly respectful.

I could feel the earbud in my costume pocket. I had asked for a few hours to deal with my community outreach thing. Mr. Green had even signed off on it, from a PR angle, should some good come of it. He didn't have the details but his signature was worth its weight in leftovers with Vista.

Shit.

I should call in to tell her I'm safe and will do a few circuits of all of our patrol routes before heading in.

I got a tap on the shoulder and I found Taylor back in her coffeeshop clothes.

I take her in and my mouth disconnects from my brain, "I'm sorry I didn't say it earlier but you look nice in your sweater and hoodie. I'm glad you didn't put it up."

She eyed me warily for a moment and then touched her hair lightly.

"I mean it. I'm not trying to make fun or pick on you. It was nice spending time while you drank my tea."

"It wasn't a date", she responded quickly.

Arrr.

"I know. You're an informant, and I am helping so you have a contact with the authorities. So if things go wrong someone is there for you. I get it. This is work, and it's for the greater good", I try to hide whatever it is I'm feeling.

Taylor sighed, "I'm - things didn't go well back there and I'm taking it out on you."

"What're friends for", I responded. "Do you want - like a hug? You seem pretty upset and like the bugs even know it. Should they know it?"

Her eyes narrowed behind her glasses and then they softened and relaxed.

"Well then do you want me to wa-"

"Yes", she answered.

I wasn't exactly sure what she was agreeing to until she got closer to me she dropped her bag with her arms still at her sides.

No funny business, no jokes. This is a real moment, Ray. Be a grown ass man about this.

I wrap my arms around her and pull her in. I say nothing and just hold her. She's stiff at first and as the moment goes on she relaxes. The peace is short lived as in the distance the sound of a heavy engine picks up.

"That's", she starts pulling away. "My bus, Ray. You can go back to your patrol."

I let her go as she turned to pick up her bag. She walks at a quick pace to get to the bus stop and I stand stock still watching.

The Hell am I doing?

She's a real person with real problems and I'm going to let her rob a bank with two killers. There are going to be hostages. People's loved ones trapped in a bank with giant dogs, the bogeyman, and the kinda bugs that nearly killed Lung.

This is heavy, it's part of why Armsmaster was pissed but she's in deep. She volunteered and he approved. Now he's antsy about it and she's doubling down. All the while I'm cracking jokes and being all weird with her.

'Priorities'.

I palm my ear bud and slot it in my head, technically making myself part man, part machine, all hero, "Miss Vista?"

"Stop that. Clockblocker already got me a green handkerchief to tie around my face."

"Ooo, I can see you getting a green sash, too. Totally replace your visor with sunglasses."

"Are you checking in or what, Dust Devil?"

"Yeah, I'm safe. Things went meh with the g- informant."

"Ooo, a girl. You were gonna say girl. Hey, Chri-" she cut out as she got up from the desk, probably.

I give her a minute to brainstorm whatever she was going to tease me with.

"Okay, you there?"

"Negative, this is Dust Devil spelled differently cuz I'm from Earth Aleph. Take me to your leader."

"So are you going to patrol or not?"

"Sure. I'll do several passes along all routes before heading back to base, Miss Vista."

"Blegh, before I let you go Kid Win wanted me to tell you to thank your grandmother for the Lasagna."

"Enchiladas. Just cuz they fall apart when you all eat them wrong doesn't make it lasagna. Alright, I'm heading out. It'll be good to clear my head with a solid run."

"Good luck."

I take a second to gather my thoughts, remembering my routes and-

"You're going to need it, Dust Devil", Armsmaster's voice came from behind me.

I prayed that it was only a haunted action figure coming after me for revenge, but Mary certainly wasn't listening.

"I didn't think you would be in a racing mood, sir. I humbly accept the head start," I said before I changed forms and launched off into my patrol.

I'm so glad I took out my earbud, but I am going to pay for that. I just know it.

~~x

I sat in front of the Director's desk and Piggot has been staring me down for the past two minutes. She asked me if I had a good excuse for being on an unsanctioned task outside my designated patrol.

I won't lie to you, I told her.

Now we're staring at each other, and I won't break, ya hear me, I won't. Word from some of the veteran officers is she was a hardcore field PRT officer. Real nasty Special Class threats stuff, and yet here we are staring at each other. An immovable director and an indefeat- indefatigable teenager.

A knock at her door breaks the stalemate as we both look. Vista appears behind the now open door with a print out and a cool demeanor. Piggot's assistant takes the sheet from Vista and hands it to the director.

"Mhm, okay Vista you can go I'm not done with your teammate, quite yet."

The door shut, taking her assistant and Vista with it.

"So it appears you were stone walling me, Mr Alcaraz, over a sanctioned Community Outreach with a citizen in duress regarding possible ongoing criminal activity, yes?"

She stared at me with the same gaze as minutes before. It was not a staring down but literally her waiting for me to explain myself. Armsmaster actually didn't say shit to anyone about Taylor.

Now I just look like a moron.

I can work with that, "Yeah, I - whew - ahh, I know her from school and having had previous experience with gang trouble with cape connections. I decided I would offer my classmate a meeting with a Ward if she would go to the authorities with what she knew. I ran it by Mr. Green since I needed additional costume pieces to better hide my identity than the domino mask. Winslow is crowded as it is, so she sits really close to me."

And I rambled on, like a moron.

After several minutes of telling the truth, from a certain point of view, she held up a hand.

"So we took you off patrol for three hours to get coffee and walk her home safely? Is that about it?" Piggot asked exasperated.

I nodded and forced a smile.

"Go home, Mr. Alcaraz. Hopefully she honors your bargain and comes forward otherwise you are doing a double patrol tomorrow for no other reason than to make up for the lost hours. There's the door."

Double patrol, great.

"Have a good night, Director", I say as I get up and book it back to the dorms.

Once again I decide to strut in, hopefully Missy and Dennis are still there switching places for the night.

"You guys would not believe the night I have had."

Dennis is sitting behind the monitor desk and his eyes tell me he either sat pants down on an icicle or I'm walking into a shit storm.

"Dust Devil", Armsmaster is in the dorm sitting on Vista's chair and I resist with everything I got to not start cracking up.

"Ahh, I see you beat me. Good race, sir. I'll try harder next time."

"You're coming with me, boy."

He could have at least brought a box of comic books and puppies when he said that.

"Clock, if I don't make it back you can-", I get cut off.

"No jokes, we're going now."

~~x

"I figured for a Tinker, your lab would have those electric coils and those wooden switches", I deliberately start touching things because I'm already in trouble but just on a personal level not a professional level plus-

IT'S ARMSMASTER'S LAB!

"Don't touch anything", he said while snatching a spanner from me.

I just grabbed tools I was familiar with. I'm in a tinker's lab, I may be immature but I'm not stupid.

"My grandfather was a foreman on a bunch of construction sites across Brockton Bay. He used to take me around the Boardwalk and the Docks. He used to say a little bit of his blood and sweat went into every single project. So I get it, a bit of you is in every thing you make."

I grabbed another tool off a nearly clear workbench and the Big Guy started after me, until I put the tool back in it's exact spot on his wall of tools, "The most common reason his blood was at every site was when people wouldn't put their tools back in their right place, sir."

"Did he bother teaching you not to put yourself in other people's business?"

"Nah, he was a community guy. He helped his neighbor not because they were his neighbor but because they asked, sir."

"This isn't someone needing a ladder to put up Christmas lights, Ray. This is serious. People can get hurt."

Armsmaster looked really frustrated as he stood there in his lab. Leading a Protectorate team, answering for his actions, dealing with teenagers, even growing that facial hair on purpose.

"Ray, I'm going to only ask you this once and I will know what you say is or isn't true."

"Good, I already promised two people I wouldn't lie to them, here I don't have to bother."

"That's not how this works, Ray."

I shrug and sit on top of his now empty workbench to his horror, "Ask."

The Big Guy takes a couple deep breaths, "What do you know about the bug girl?"

"You were pretty mean to her back there."

Yes, I am a fan of Armsmaster. Yes, I am giving him a hard time, and yes I'm still a fan.

"I was honest with her. Now how do you know her?"

"There is a big jump between honest and mean. Seriously, you laid into her like she's your step kid and she spilled grape juice on your car upholstery."

"I'm not having this argument again. Be serious."

Why does everyone keep telling me to be serious? Like real life isn't hysterical at how crazy things are. What's the saying? Life is stranger than fiction.

"No no, I'm going to be Ray. You can be serious. I know you didn't sell her out to Piggot, you have your reputation to keep, and I can tell you as a stupid kid that reputation means nothing outside of high school. It's made up crap to hide people suck. It's the same stupid shit you hear from gangs about needing rep and cred or face or whatever. Reputation is just proof life is unfair. Anyone can say anything about you and you're screwed if the wrong people hear about it."

"I don't need lessons from a probationary Ward. You can be off the team for the most minor infraction", Armsmaster leaned against the wall of his lab, arms crossed.

"Think about the future, sir. You are literally one of the people we grew up looking up to before any of us had powers. I had your stuff. I want to be you but I - I'm something else. But that girl has her heart in the right place, I continue to trust her because you do. Too many get - powers and use them selfishly but here she is wanting to help. Let's help her, sir."

"Hmm", was all he responded.

"Am I lying?"

He sighed, "You don't think you are."

I stayed quiet, and kept hoping my luck with spewing bullshit stayed awesome.

"Does she listen to you?"

"Basically, yeah. We got a rapport but she suspected you sent me after her so she was suspicious of you before you even pissed her off."

"Get her to tell you everything she knows before this big thing goes down. Maybe we can save her from herself."

Did I just get a team-up offer from Armsmaster?

"I have double patrols tomorrow for what I did tonight and she's going to not be where I can contact her before the patrols, sir."

Armsmaster nodded and walked away from the wall. He grabbed me by the shoulder and I hopped off the bench, "That actually fits exactly to our needs. You will be joining me on patrol, barring any major threats, and you can work on her. Tell her whatever you need to to bring her in, radio me if you think it's too big for you to promise. Just get her cooperation, the information she has is already crucial for an ongoing investigation."

I nodded as he started walking me out of his lab, "Okay but I promised I wouldn't lie to her."

He stopped right before the door, "Omit certain truths, like you did to me and the Director, and get her onboard. Do that and you will find yourself having that bright future you mentioned."

Wow.

The door shut behind me and the urge to shower grew. I felt really uncomfortable back there. Some really bad mojo, but he was going to give me time to help Taylor.

But still, Crickets and Armsmaster, never seeing them the same again.

 

[Eatersgrin]

Breakfast sucked because I woke up too late for it. The bus ride sucked because I can run faster than it and could have got breakfast at school. My first class sucked because I didn't pay attention at all because I was starving and couldn't finish scarfing down a chocolate bar before class started.

And my second class sucked because I had to pay attention to Sophia being the - the Queen Shit of Fuck Mountain at Winslow High. We had a substitute and they basically put her and her friend Adams in charge of monitoring the class as we did ditto sheets to fill the time.

I started opening my backpack to fish out my soft, half eaten candy bar and was rudely interrupted.

"Hey", the Second President of the United States tried getting my attention. "Are you making sure to wash your balls after Hebert is done with them?"

I looked at her like she farted at Mass, "Hay is for horses, Adams. Why don't you go out back to the portable building with the black mold and see how long you can hold your breath in there before you pass out?"

She gave me a very unpresidential salute and stormed off with the attendance roster. Two guesses who got counted absent today.

Sophia walked up to my desk, after Kennedy tattled on me, and almost sat on my arm as I circled the answers on the sheet. I jerked my hand away and now I'll never know what Riley was going to do with ten bananas and thirteen oranges after Jacob picked three of each for a fruit salad.

"Listen, Ray you should really pick better people to hang out with", she said with a sneer that would make Charles Dickens wake up and scratch notes on his coffin lid. "I don't know if you know but Taylor is persona non grata around here. She's lower than the lowest. A small fry, a loser, and she will probably give you a bad time if you pay her enough."

I need me some Lung repellent.

"I'm sorry I just don't think I can lower my standards to fit in with Emma, Julia, and Ford. It'll be emotionally stabler to stick with the CPR dummy in the nurse's office cuz it's guaranteed not to tell me about the time they experimented with their cousin or when they find out they have an std the day after Junior prom."

The sneer on her face switched to a weird smirk as an odd sound came out of her mouth. The kind of noise I've heard some girls and guys make when they pretend someone is funnier than they are. An insult to me, cuz I know I am damn funny.

To me at least.

But to the classmates of ours who turned back to see her laughing as she sat on top of my desk, legs swinging playfully, it was straight up flirting. This is Sophia Hess, aka Shadow Stalker, the reigning Queen of Unfair at Winslow High.

She has weaponized her womanly charms and her PRT rating should be upgraded to a Master 2, Stranger 1 cuz now people are whispering. Whispers lead to questions that transform into shaky rumors which digivolves into reputation. Before this exact moment I could fly under the radar and just quiet kid myself through school life unnoticed like a good private who's drill instructor only learns who the hell they are on the last day of basic.

Instead my lack of reputation at Winslow is in danger of shaky rumors at this point, and my actual reputation with Piggot can nosedive me out of a spot at Arcadia if she catches wind I might be making moves on my charge and fellow teammate.

I needed to be decisive. Take the initiative away from her. I needed to play dirty.

I reached into my still open backpack then made my move.

"Gross!" I exclaimed as I shoved Sophia's butt off my desk. I stood there gawking at my hands, marred with melted chocolate. "Did you fart on my desk?!"

She looked around in horror as a streak of chocolate was smeared across my paper and desk. The bulk of the candy globbed onto the back of her shorts and shirt where I shoved her.

I stumbled back and out of my seat. I pretended to be nauseous, this got a couple others to start gagging, the substitute looked up from their phone and pulled a roll of paper towels from the desk and handed it to the Founding Father.

I raised my ruined hand, "Restroom!"

I hooked my backpack straps with the clean crook of my arm and ducked out of class.

I must say my Lunch period would be just a tiny bit better.

~~x

Armsmaster let me loose on the city after giving me a briefing on talking points with Bug Girl. All I knew if I was going to try to do anything with Taylor I needed the big guns. I needed professional help. I needed something to quell the hungering teenage beast inside of my friend. I needed my Abuelita.

"What are you doing home already, Mijo?" the patron Saint of stick to your ribs Molé asked as her telenovelas went on.

"Works got me trying to convince my friend that - she's done enough for the city and we want her to be safe. We want her to come to where I work and tell us what she knows so we can stop something bad from happening."

"¿Lugar?" (Bad?)

"Real bad, Abuela".

"Qué tristé. What do you want me to do?"

I chewed my bottom lip, "Uhhh, what goes good with your favorite tea?"

Her light brown eyes filled with mischief "¿Así, es una flor hermosa, eh?" (So, a beautiful flower, right?)

"¡Solo mi amiga buena, abuelita!" (Just my good friend, Grandma!)

"Ehhh, mentiroso." (You liar.)

"Ella no es mi novia, es - amiga nueva." (She's not my girlfriend, she's a new friend.)

"¿Fuerte como tu?" (Strong like you?)

"Si con insectos y plagas, Mamá." (Yes, with bugs and pests, Mom.)

Abuela shut off her tv and stood up, "Plug in my radio, I'm going to make something que rica. Bring her here."

I felt bad about dumping this on my Grandmother but she would have wanted me to help. Just like Grandpa, cuz he never hesitated, "Abuela her dad is uhh Señor Hebert de Los Dockworkers."

"Ah, pobrecita, su Madre falleció." (Poor girl, her Mother passed.)

"Yeah, just-", I hesitated to say any more and put my domino mask back on.

"I know, I know. Go, rapido."

I needed her to know the important things so Taylor wasn't caught off guard or Abuela didn't accidentally make things awkward instead of purely on loving purpose.

I changed as soon as I stepped off the porch and raced towards the heart of ABB territory. I arrived in a couple minutes,much slower than I intended because I went entirely by memory of the route the bus took Taylor that day. My sudden mini-tornado arrival on The Boardwalk was an unwelcome sight to the Empire's loading guys and the ABB muggers that took up space on the tourist spot. While some of the Boardwalk's enforcers looked a mix of pleased and bored at my arrival.

I strutted around catching the interest of the occasional tourist but none approached, thankfully. I was still unremarkable and unknown enough in costume to be just a neat detail they may not remember later.

Perfect.

Between a set of shops I swapped back to my breaker state and flowed around the growing crowd's ankles and shoes as I navigated back to the warehouse area. I launched myself to the rooftops until I found the skylight.

I peered down into the loft and the newly applied tint basically blacked out the view. Plus a newly installed security latch was in place along the edge. If I broke the contact of the device it would sound an alarm most likely or trigger some trap less likely but not unthinkable.

Arrr, they shan't keep me from saving muh Cap'n.

I stood up on the roof and something hit me in the face. I looked around and a bee dove at me again causing me to back up and start to tip back. I took a nasty looking spill backwards to the alley floor and I heard a gasp right as I turned to dust scattering across the pavement.

I reform in front of Taylor, who is dressed in black trainer pants, a long sleeve grey workout tee, and a frown, "That's not funny, Ray".

"I was assaulted by bees, I'm allergic to bees. I could have died if I ate its vomit."

Her eyes widened and then narrowed, "What? You're allergic to honey?"

"Nah, just you attacked me with a bee."

"I was trying to get your attention, quietly, Ray. What're you doing here? I said I wasn't coming to school", she carried a mostly deflated gym bag with her and held it against herself.

"I'm not trying to take you back to school. I'm trying to take you to lunch."

Taylor's eyes lowered and moved back and forth quickly like she was reading something only she could see, "I'm flattered Ray but-"

"Really, I can get us a ride right now to take us to my house. My grandmother is making fresh food. I got the rest of the day off and I told her", time to use what Armsmaster called emotional blackmail.

"-that I made a new friend and that she wasn't feeling great recently and she could do with a home cooked meal."

A light frown crossed her face and she looked to the warehouse then back to me.

"Unless you had plans? It's okay if you did. I just got excited", I'm a bad man.

"Can - do you have a shower I can use? I did a morning run then some training with Brian-"

So the bogeyman has a name.

"-and I'm still all sweaty."

Calm down, Ray.

"You can use my shower and change in my room while I politely wait on the couch and Abuela finishes up lunch, sound good?"

She paused and looked at me, sweat glued some of her hair to her forehead.

"Okay, let's go back near the Boardwalk before you call".

~~x

By the time we were dropped off by the taxi there was a small wooden table on the porch with a couple chairs. On top of the table sat glasses of melting Ice and a glass pitcher of lemonade with a hand towel covering the top.

"Uhh, a quick drink before you go wash up?" I offered.

Taylor nodded rapidly and I served us both. She cleared most of the glass in a single drink and looked a little sheepish as I automatically refilled her glass when she sat it down.

"It's a nice day, we really should enjoy it", I insisted.

I really wanted to laugh as my nerves gnawed at me. I was happy to be spending time with her again but I still had Armsmaster's halberd hanging over my neck with the pressure to get her to give up on this thing.

This time she took a few small sips and I got up to lead her inside, "my room is down the hall. It's the door with a poster of Armsmaster on it."

She gave me a curious look

I tried to recover, "okay, he's douchey but I got that poster - ahhh a few months ago."

Taylor laughed, "It's fine. Uhh, I'll - meet you back outside."

"Count on it. Oh and clean towels are in the cabinet above the toilet, used ones go on the towel rack. Feel free to use the Assault and Battery 2-in-1 shampoo and body wash."

"You really like all that stuff?"

I nodded, "I have no shame appreciating the things and people I like."

Taylor hesitated a moment and it dawned on me what I basically admitted.

"Taylor, ahh... Yeah whenever you're ready. It's clean in there."

"Right", she answered and hurried down the hall.

I made for the kitchen, the very source of the delicious smells that perma- permanate- flooded the house.

"That smells awesome, Abuelita," she used her body to block me from peeking in. I definitely smelled chicken and beans for sure.

"Only the Lord is awesome and great, but yes this food smells incredible", she admitted. This is the woman who taught me humility.

"Now, Raymundo don't rush her. You will sit outside, and you will let her talk. It is her mind you must calm. If her mind is not calm, she will not trust you, if she can't trust, she will not talk. Trust is important."

I smile and nod.

"Good, mijito. Now have you been true with her? Lying gains you nothing with a young woman. Old woman - you tell her she is beautiful when she is not, you tell her she looks young when she is old, this makes her remember her life and it is good. But a young woman, no. Her whole life is ahead of her to experience truth. You must say your mind but choose your words careful, si?"

"I will Mamá, gracias", I grin big for her and she shooed me away.

As I pass through the living room I grab a windbreaker off the coat rack, put it on, zip it part way up, and lastly I slipped off my domino mask. Outside, I head back to my seat and top off my lemonade.

The noon Sun cut through the sky and baked the front yard. The neighbors were all at work or school and strangely not a bird was chirping. A fly landed on the back of my hand and it just rubbed its grubby little mitts together a little too conspiracy like.

I stared at it as it sat there despite me moving my hand about. I decided to try something, "Hey, I hope you had a good shower. Abuela is making something with chicken so I hope you like chicken and sorry if this table business is too date-like. I promise if I ever try to date anyone I won't get my grandma involved, I swear."

The screen door slammed shut and I found Taylor standing there dressed in dark jeans and a big shirt of mine. It was a light blue denim button up with the sleeves pushed up, most of her neck and one of her shoulders were exposed and I saw the thin white strap of a tank top peeking out.

"Your grandmother insisted I wear this, apparently you know who sabotaged it a while back and my shirt and hoodie took the worst of it. She's washing them for me. Sorry."

I shook my head, "It's fine. I'm messy when I do stuff around the house and so she's quick to demand my messed up clothes and for me to change. I'm glad it mostly fits."

"It looks new though", Taylor said as she looked at the shirt.

"It is, it was uhh for when I was supposed to work in the summer. Some of my Grandpa's friends were going to hire me to work on that annex for Arcadia so I could get some money to help my Grandma but then I got powers before Christmas and now I work and go to school so it's - it's cool. It's nice on you, all bright makes the red of your cheeks oh - sorry I. Sorry."

Taylor just kept staring at her glass until her face stopped flushing, "So your Abuela? She - said you wanted to listen to me about my troubles?"

My chin hit my chest and it was my turn to flush as my ears turned red, "Yeah, uhh, just if there was anything you needed to express about what's going down tomorrow. I'm here while we eat, whenever that is!" I raised my voice at the end.

The screen door opened suddenly, "Tu travieso..." (You mischievous...)

Abuela brought out a pot covered with a lid and a couple plates with two sets of forks and spoons balanced on top. She put the pot down and under the wet glass lid was a pile of fried, rolled chicken tacos surrounded by a few small bowls filled with refried beans, sour cream, a chunky salsa, and guacamole.

"I hope you're hungry, it's kinda a finger food thing so", I told Taylor.

Abuela removed the lid and gave us the plates leaving us to fend for ourselves, "Cuidado para las moscas". (Watch out for flies.)

Taylor looked at her, "No problema."

My grandmother smiled and quickly hustled back into the house to eat her own pile of tacos and sides in front of her shows.

"No problema?" I asked.

"It means no problem, right? And there are no flies around?"

It's true, usually I'd be swarmed for my overly sweet lemonade but it was just the one fly on my hand from earlier.

Taylor seemed pleased with herself as grabbed some tacos for her plate, "Who were you talking to when I came out?"

"The - you put a fly on me. I thought you could hear me?" I was truly baffled.

"No, it's too much input if I tried listening or seeing with all the insects. I might try to work on that for later. Right now I need to master the basics other than come, attack, and then the weaving."

"That's kinda cool. Wait weaving?" I was genuinely interested. "Like through the air or- what?"

Taylor's eyes looked up from her plate.

"Weaving silk, spider silk. It has a very high tensile strength and when", she continued and I listened as she explained how she accomplished so much on her own before even getting to her first night out against Lung.

We'd plowed through all the food by the time she finished, "My hair was singed by his attacks. I had - it was crisping off and I was scared it was all going to come out eventually."

I shut my eyes and cringed, "And I've been ...?"

She nodded, "Yes, you keep bringing up my hair and it's still not right so it's -"

"Weird, yeah, I get it. I'm sorry. But I really do like your hair it's all - have you seen the Alien movies? With Sigourney Weaver? You remind me of her with the hair and your - dios mio - your shape and, she's tough and smart and cool and so I - transference. I transferred these ideas of her on you and so I'm all... ya know?"

"Why are you telling me this? I'd be dying inside right now to admit something like that? Aren't you embarrassed, at all?" Now she was baffled.

I just shrugged, "I - not really. It's strange but you're here when so many other people would say no. Or think being asked to lunch by the new kid, at his grandma's house, would be creepy or not fun or whatever. But you're here so I - open up cuz what do I have to lose, really?"

She grew quiet and took the time to sip at her drink.

'True.'

"Taylor, you have to know. I was given the time off specifically to talk you out of the whole thing. Armsmaster came after me when you left, tracked me down back to the Wards, and took me to his lab. He wanted me to offer you pretty much anything within reason to get you to give up The Undersiders. He offered me not just what The Director offered me but also a bright future. I know you're a good person and you're a hero-"

Taylor held up her hand, "The Director of the PRT offered you what?"

I paused and stared at her for a moment, "She offered me a spot at Arcadia if-"

"To watch me?!"

"No, no, no, another Ward is attending Winslow. It's my current assignment to keep them in check. I can't reveal who but I got -"

Taylor's eyes widened, "It's one of the trio isn't it? Isn't it? Who?!"

"I can't say. It's the same reason I refused to tell Armsmaster who you were. Identities are what keep people s-"

"SAFE!? HAVE I BEEN- have I been safe all these months? Do you think my life is worth less than the identity of a supposed hero who can rescue someone one night from muggers and criminals and then the next morning torture and assault a teenage girl? Huh?"

I deflated in my seat, "I'm sorry it's not right and I know it's not fair. I was there to make it - to make it stop by keeping tabs on them. I didn't expect to..."

"To what, Ray? Get caught up in someone else's problems? Well here we are, in the middle of each other's lives and what could you possibly offer me to get out of the big event? A spot on Wards? Money? What?"

"I don't know, Taylor. I just want you to be safe and - and happy."

"And I'm not. I'm - what I want can't happen. It's too late. Right now, I want... I want..."

Taylor stared at the table and the look on her face was a mix of anger and sadness.

"I wanna go", she said quietly.

"Do you want me to-"

"No, I'll take a bus. Uhh, thank your grandmother for the meal for me, it was - it was really good actually. I'll get you - your shirt back to you at school sometime."

"Okay", was all I could say.

Taylor went back into the house and a minute later left with her gym bag. I watched her stalk off into the empty street.

I sat on the porch in silence, heat grew just beneath the skin under my eyes. I felt pretty shitty despite doing almost everything I was told to do. I didn't try to convince her to cooperate and I also didn't tell her everything.

But why the hell is this on me? Why can't adults deal with this? Why can't they just jam Sophia in the alternative school or give her tutors? Why does she get to run free making people miserable? It's unfair.

It's unfair.

I bolted from my seat and ran as hard as I could after Taylor. I caught up to her waiting at the bus stop but she had started walking off to the next one a couple blocks over.

"Taylor, wait. Please!"

"Several bees flew into my way and closed in on me as I walked forward, "I'm not really allergic, remember, it was a joke."

One stung me. Then another as I advanced. It hurt but I didn't care. Several stings later I was beside her, "I don't want to talk to you".

Arrr.

"Fine I'll talk and you can choose to ignore me" I said. "I chose not to try to convince you because you are trying to do a good thing. It's messed up that Armsmaster encouraged it only to turn around and say it's a bad idea only once you were in too deep. If he was on the level he would have followed protocol. Now he's involved me, a Ward, someone he's supposed to mentor and watch out for. Instead he's trying to use me and even threaten me."

She kept walking to the bus stop but slowed down a bit.

"If life is unfair then why don't we let it be unfair in our favor?"

She turned to look at me from behind her scratched up glasses, "What?"

"I'll give you my number, you text me before the time when you're going to hit the bank and I'll make sure to be on patrol or out of class then so I can respond when the call goes out. I'll be what Armsmaster won't, I'll be your get out of jail free card."

"You can't, you'll lose your job. Your- your Abuela needs you", Taylor stopped at the bus bench.

"You need help. You said you can't do this alone. And grandma would understand that I was helping because you asked. You asked the right person for help and they spat in your face, but I heard it too. I'll answer."

C'mon just accept it, Taylor.

She deeply sighed and put her bag on the bench, "Just answer me one thing and I'll consider your offer."

"Shoot."

"Why did you ask to go to Arcadia as your reward for watching the Ward?"

"It's closer to home. I don't like leaving my Grandmother alone for too long. She doesn't deserve to be alone for everything she gave up to raise me. She had already raised my Mom but she left me with them when I was little. So Abuela and Abuelo have been my Mom and Dad since before I could walk."

"So you'd do that but you'd risk losing your job or even going to the birdcage to help me?"

"Yeah. It's what she raised me and he raised me to do. You're my neighbor in this life. We both got powers and we both want to help. So I'll help you make things better around here."

I grinned and winced a little as the skin on my face pulled at a couple welts from the stings.

"You're ridiculous you know that?" She wiped the sweat from her forehead. "You got stung quite a few times."

"Because I am a massive idiot and I like you. That's why I followed. That's why I got stung. But I'm helping because it's right. So…", I pulled out my personal phone and handed it to Taylor. "Text your phone from here and you'll have my number for tomorrow."

The familiar sound of a bus engine just down the block caused Taylor to stop dawdling and she texted her number quickly. A half minute later and I watched her watch me through the window as the bus drove off.

Now she knew everything and all I could do now was wait for her message and pray things didn't get messy.

 

[Eatersgrin]

The text came while I was on the roof of the building across the street from the bank. I was standing there reliving the dressing down from Armsmaster from not being able to get anything out of Bug Girl. He threatened me, the money the PRT was saving for me. That the Protectorate wouldn't want a failure when I turned eighteen, and they'd do everything in their power to make sure not even the corporate teams would want me. Plus I'd be on watch lists if I ever decided to go villain.

That's just my kinda luck.

He didn't like my response, I was still sore about getting stung but he said he'd deal with me later.

So I skipped school and just posted up in the area. I wanted Taylor to have me as soon as she needed me but the text message read: It's happening soon. You probably shouldn't show up.

'Probably.'

I tried to think how they could get inside. Regent and Grue are no good to sneak them in. Taylor and Rachel's powers control things that can't work buttons or door knobs. So it would have to be Lisa, the maybe psychic spy.

The front door is out because how do you bring in bugs and little dogs let alone a ton of bugs and giant dogs without being noticed?

So a garage with like moving vans or a big flatbed maybe? Through the garage seemed to be the best bet.

I took a running jump off the roof and before I hit the ground my body automatically turned into a weak breaker state. My dusty little trail snaked across the street and coasted on top of the asphalt into the garage. A van was still driving around finding a spot so I followed in its wake until it parked, and I slid under a large truck and tried my best not to rattle the rocks inside my mass too much against the undercarriage.

After a bit a second can arrived and stupid me it was them. In costume, the bogeyman looked cool like a proper street level villain despite it being the middle of the day. Lisa was in a purple and black getup. Alec was dressed like a masquerade Don Juan ren faire kid. Rachel had a bulldog mask and her big ol' dogs.

I resisted the urge to turn solid and text Taylor back. A thought hit me: I turned myself, my clothes, my equipment into grit particles and then reform later and everything is in order and works all fine. I don't know my limit to this. If there are just so many times I can do that before things fit back together wrong or don't work right after a while. Why would the PRT do this to people? Just assume the person's powers are stable and like forever working 100 percent.

The horde of bugs crossing in front of me as they entered the building broke my train of thought. I had more immediate anxiety to go through than to freak myself out.

Fuck.

I slipped in amongst the teeming mass of bugs and Taylor's yellow lenses flash to my space in the pile. I follow under the bugs, picking up a fair number along the way and from what I can gather, while living out a childhood nightmare of waking up drowning in roaches, the Undersiders are systematically gathering people up for hostages.

When they hit the lobby themass spread out and the bugs flooded the whole space and of course the people. I find Amy Dallon looking very upset laying on the floor. I swirl by her and briefly I touch her and she looks at my breaker state. Taylor and the others don't notice who Amy is and I take advantage and solidify next to her.

I whisper really damn quiet to her, 'Amy, it's Ray. You helped me a while back. I'm here to help.'

She held a finger to her lips and then gestured for me to do my thing under the table she laid next to. I followed her instructions and swirled over the relatively clean floor, mostly silent but some hostages were hy- hyperventilating and others were sobbing from the black widow threat.

Oh god, Taylor, why?

The Undersiders were doing their thing and then suddenly they were talking about people outside. It sucked being trapped here, the people having black widows on them, a single bite could ruin their life or take it. I needed something anything to do.

I went solid again and risked it. I took out my phone and started texting Taylor.

Weak, I know but whatever.

'I'm here. In the bank.'

I heard her phone trill with the notification moments later.

The commotion outside was getting really chaotic as there was crashing and slams.

"One last thing to do, I'll be right back", it was Lisa's voice.

"What? No, Tattletale! Dammit!" Taylor yelled in frustration.

Several moments later the window shattered, near where I heard Taylor's voice. That's it. That's way beyond Wards protocol to be destroying buildings and if it was the Undersiders doing, they could hurt the hostages or freak out the bugs to bite in defense.

I flowed around Amy and solidified. As I stood up I was hit with a small detonation and I swapped states automatically. The flash was bright but I was still able to perceive the scene normally.

It was a battle scene outside, Wards we're down, monster dogs were pummeling Carlos. I couldn't see Dennis anywhere. Vista was a tiny green body in the distance. Chris was making headway with his tech and suddenly he was mucking up.

Fuck fuck fuck.

Regent took Chris out and Taylor laughed.

"What's so funny psycho?" Amy had gotten behind Taylor with a fire extinguisher and was bringing it around to swat Taylor in the side of the head.

I rushed in between them and solidified just in time to take the hit with my forearm, "Hey, concussions aren't cool, lady."

Taylor spun on her heels behind me, I heard a metal click as I disarmed New Wave's star healer, "I got it Bug Girl. Don't worry."

Behind Panacea hostages were running upstairs and Amy glowered at me, her eyes full of fury, "Whose side are you on?"

"Everyone's! I don't want anyone hurt or dying. You swung this bad boy full force like a pillow in a pillow fight. A fire extinguisher is not a pillow, it has hard angles and is very durable. It will kill", I got after her.

I backed away from between the ladies and I saw Taylor reeling in pain, reaching for her head as if she had been struck. Had I missed something?

"You alright, Bug Girl?"

"What the fuck did you do?" She shouted.

Amy smirked, "You don't need to know that."

The hell is going on here? Amy is a healer she helps people, why is-

Amy grabbed a cell phone from her pocket and started dialing. Taylor lunged forward and swung the police baton she held. Amy panicked and dropped it while I intercepted Taylor, "Hey, what's the deal? Everyone, chill out!"


"She's messing with my head. It hurts!" she writhed and struggled in my arms.

"Amy what did you do to her?"

"I... Don't-"

"Please, Amy. I know you did it to save the hostages but they're gone now. They're safe, you can stop now. You did good."

A look of indecision crossed her face, she looked down at her phone.

"Who were you calling?" Taylor demanded as she kept trying to steady herself and walk away from me.

She seemed lost in the moment but finally answered, "I made a text."

Something smashed into the lobby floor violently. It was Dean's girlfriend and she casually shattered one of the bank's tables with a single blow.

The hell is going on here? This one's not even a Ward.

"Hey, Sis. You okay?"

Oh, I forgot about that.

"Yeah", Amy said, a bit out of it.

Glory Girl turned to Taylor and Me, "And you're the new Ward. You got Bug Bitch or you're what, just copping a feel?"

I wanted to let Taylor go to avoid embarrassing her but on cue she bucked in my grip and I held her tighter, pinning her arms.

"Amy surprised her, and saved the hostages. I'm just trying to keep these two from hurting each other. We don't need anymore violence", I tried sounding a lot more confident than I felt. I mostly felt bad that the people in the bank were terrorized and his team was getting hurt.

"That true?" Glory Girl asked.

"I - I just neutralized the spiders she threatened everyone with. And yeah, he kept me from clocking her upside the head with a fire extinguisher."

"Nice, Ames", Victoria Dallon laughed and Amy relaxed.

"Ahh, I'm going to secure her in one of the offices and the purple one is running around here somewhere", I started dragging Taylor towards where Lisa ran off to.

"No, the Fuschia one is sitting right here holding a gun on you all,"she was pretty literal as she sat on top of a Bank Teller counter. "Hey, Glory Hole."

"Tattletale", Taylor addressed Lisa. "Could you bring it down a notch, my head's killing me and let's not piss off Alexandria Jr."

"Brown hair, freckles, looks like she woke up on the wrong side of the planet. Oh it's Amy Dallon, Panacea, the girl with the magic touch, ol' Touchy Feely, Florence Nightingale, Mother Theresa Jr..."

Lisa's list of nicknames deflated Amy with each new one added to the list, as she edged closer to her sister.

"And you-"Lisa leveled the gun on me. "You're gonna let Bug Queen go. We both know she's armored to take a bullet but you're wearing PRT hand me downs. You may be young but bouncing back from lead brain surgery isn't in Panacea's wheelhouse."

I loosened my hold on Taylor and looked up at Glory Girl. She didn't seem all that worried, in fact she looked pretty smug like she was daring to see Lisa try.

Taylor stomped on my foot, elbowed my chest and pulled out a knife. She held it to my throat and now the Dallon sisters looked concerned. The Bug Queen turned me around and pressed the blade pretty damn tight to my throat.

"Let him go".

"Tell your sister to quit fucking with my powers."

Amy met my eyes and then looked down.

For real? She just saved a bunch of hostages but since I'm a hero and not related to her, screw me right?

"Fix the Bug Queen or she turns your boyfriend's teammate into a lifesize PEZ dispenser."

Victoria's eyes widened as Lisa played with them using her powers. If she was psychic she'd know I was trying to help if she was just some kinda thinker and her brain was doing some kind of voodoo to get information - well, Taylor and I am fucked unless Taylor really doesn't care.

"Now since I am psychic I am reading all your minds. I am parsing through irrelevant information like the unusual relationship between you two and your Mother. The fact Amy here feels so different from the rest of the family. That deep down she really doesn't want to just be-"

Amy stomped forward, "STOP! THE - the spiders, the bugs, I messed with the bugs you put on me."

She pulled one off herself, dropped it to the ground and stomped it.

Lisa stood next to me, "Better?"

I felt Taylor nod, "A little."

"And the rest?"

Amy was starting to sweat and plucked off another and stomped it. Then she rubbed the back of her ankle with her other foot and I felt tension leave the bug queen as she held me.

"We're good."

Lisa did a little curtsy, "You see cooperation and communication is key in any relationship. You see-"

Tattletale went on and on antagonizing the New Wave members. Victoria would threaten and Lisa would counter and Amy looked on all horrified. Every so often I'd struggle and Taylor actually drew my blood at one point.

"Now if you want this kid to go free you both have to step into the vault. You don't do it and he's ex-Ward and exsanguinated."

Exsanguinated. That doesn't sound good except for in an answer to a crossword puzzle.

I turned my head slightly and prayed Glory Girl didn't have amped up hearing, "Shoot me, then run."

"What?"

"Tell her to shoot me", I repeated.

The blade sliced against my neck as I lunged forward.

"SHOOT HIM!" Taylor cried.

And with the gunshot I exploded into a massive cloud of dirt and dust. I made sure to billow out into a thick cloud in front of the heroines.

I could feel Lisa and Taylor wade through the back end of my normal breaker state and hustle out the broken windows. When I was sure they were clear I swapped back to my human form and did my best to hold the cut on the side of my neck as the blood seeped out. I was genuinely panicking as Glory Girl and Amy rushed to me to render aid.

~~x

By the time we got back to the Wards HQ, I was reamed out by Piggot at the door. I fully expect one from Carlos and I wouldn't blame him. It was just the damn total tongue lashings I'd been getting this week from my leadership that were starting to wear me out. I'd been doing this hero thing for a few months now and I feel I've accomplished little for the city or myself.

I wanted to talk to Yamada but that would have issues I would have to dance around. I didn't want to leave yet because Armsmaster would be out there waiting for me.

Armsmaster is a mouthful to say and think of all the time. It's starting to lose all meaning.

I really hope Taylor got away.

It's Friday tomorrow. Maybe she'll be at school?

No, I'm not that lucky.

My luck is getting too invested in someone and it blowing up in my face again. My luck is babysitting a violent teen girl who can walk through walls. My luck is my hero dying before he got to see me become a man.

Immediately I sat down in one of the cubicle desks that was provided for us in the dorm and I just rested my forehead on the desktop listening to whatever dance track Missy had started playing over the monitor desk speakers as Gallant ran the debrief.

"The first thing I want you to cover while I watch myself up, Dean... Ray didn't answer the call but he was there inside the bank. Get the details and fill me in after the meeting, cool?" I could hear Carlos pat Dean on the shoulder or butt, didn't matter to me.

"Alright, I'm pretty sure you heard Carlos. Out with it, Ray."

I'll play coy. Or my version of coy.

"G-13 Classified, Jimmy Dean. You'd have to talk to Armsmaster about specifics of why I was there. But yeah I was there, Sausage Man".

Dennis snorted, then winced, "Sorry, Dean."

"Carlos needs to know for his report, Ray "

"Well, he can ask Armsmaster. I'm not sure what I'm allowed to say on that, man."

"Alright, I'll tell him." Dean sounded bothered.

'Sour Girl' played as a ringtone for certain notifications from my phone. I didn't rush to check it, no matter how badly I wanted to.

"Is that your girlfriend calling you, Ray?" Dennis asked through welts and self inflicted scratches.

I can't say I didn't panic but then I remembered who he was actually referring to and now I was getting upset, "ugh, Sophia is stuck at school for all I know."

"Tsk, she's going to run off with someone as charming as herself like Satan or a Clone of Atilla the Hun."

I kept my forehead firmly planted on the desk. The team bantered as they usually do. Chris getting the third degree about his cannon, Browbeat getting taken out early, and how this wasn't a loss but a win because we have Undersiders info to share.

They were debating Taylor's cape name. I felt pretty bad because Dennis, Sophia,and myself were pretty brutal with the nicknames. But she wasn't here and I didn't want to think about the knife at my neck. Sure I could have just used my power to get away, but it wasn't that. It was how she was so quick about it, no hesitation. Pretty sure being a hostage hurt more than the moments I laid bleeding out on the floor.

Turns out Gallant named her Skitter without protest, it's better than Pestilence or Bug Girl, really.

Carlos came back just in time for the guest warning to go off. My domino mask was still tacky on the backing so I didn't bother replacing it. My forehead was cold as I lifted it up and watched Miss Militia and Armsmaster walk in.

Great.

Amy shuffled in, thanked everyone for saving her today. I finally said something worth a damn, "Actually, Panacea here did the most saving. She rescued every hostage in the bank including me from - Skitter and Tattletale. I know it didn't seem like it with how I reacted to you defending yourself but I appreciate everything you did, Amy."

Amy seemed to retreat under her hood until the Wards started clapping and praising her. Armsmaster cast a look at me in the middle of Amy's moment of glory and I didn't give a shit. I just focused on Amy. I didn't want to deal with anything right now other than forgetting the bad part of this experience. Amy did me a solid fixing me after my trigger and I am grateful to her.

In my dumbass opinion, she deserved the praise.

Panacea started making a circuit of the room fixing everyone up and Miss Militia and Armsmaster argued over Amy filling out the white board columns with details on Tattletale. She was the most dangerous one, she was psychic or claimed to be and she seemed to know enough about the Dallon sisters to shake up Amy.

I walked past Armsmaster and started jotting down details she had brought up only in the bank. I'll leave identity stuff to Taylor, if she's still ready to turn them all in.

Once I finished I wandered back to my spot ready to slap my forehead back on the desktop when I grabbed my phone.

(2 Notifications) the outer screen said. I flipped open the phone and highlighted the first message and pressed Ok.

Sour Girl: 'I'm okay. We need to talk about a lot. Meet you in front of school in the morning?'

I've been told 'we need to talk' is a bad thing to get in a relationship. Me and Taylor don't have one so this must be fine, right? Right?

Pfft, not with my luck.

I backed out of the message and highlighted the second.

Unknown: 'She won't be safe with you getting involved. Don't split her focus. Bug doesn't need your pity. 1st and Only warning, Dusty Boy.'

Well first off, fuck every vowel and consonant in that. Dusty Boy? That has to be Lisa. None of the rest have seen me and she's prone to nicknames. So not only does she know I'm involved but she got access to Taylor's phone or PRT databases. Both are scary thoughts.

I go back up to the first message and respond.

'Only my ego got bruised, otherwise I'm OK. I'll be there when you need me. Glad you're okay. See you in the morning.'

Amy had already healed me back at the bank so I grabbed my go bag and dipped out as Armsmaster reviewed the notes on the white board. I rushed to the elevators, and rode down to the lobby, ducking into the restroom nearby before tourists could see. I changed in a stall into what I left the house that morning. I strolled out and cut through the lobby in a plain white tee, light blue jeans, and a pair of last year's Armsmaster sneakers.

Outside the orange of dusk was being swallowed by the dark of the evening sky and I loved that kinda view. I stood on the sidewalk looking up, the warmth of the day getting cut through by a cool breeze, the colors of the sky just living art. It's one of those experiences you can easily miss.

A van drove past me as I walked along the sidewalk, traffic was pretty light on this Thursday evening. The bank job probably meant police and PRT roadblocks were redirecting traffic around this area too.

So much for taking a bus to nap a little.

"Hey, I warned you not to get involved, Dusty Boy", Lisa's voice was clear as a bell.

"Sup", was all I heard before my body collapsed in a heap, unable to change forms or move properly, straight to the ground. My last sight before passing out was Alec bringing his cane down to my chest and all the volts passing through me.

Yup, now that's my kinda luck.

 

[Eatersgrin]

I coughed and immediately regretted that when my nostrils filled with some gross powder. I reached for my throat and felt a weirdly wired collar around my neck.

"Wake up, Lover boy. Wake up right now and I'll give you one request", Lisa said with a smug grin. She fixed her mask on and with her costume combined it tweaked her appearance enough to make her a whole new person.

A villain, Tattletale.

"Now remember we have an unsafe word system in place, you act up and you get punished. You go breaker state and you get a nasty surprise as you get the good ol' Gorgon gaze treatment. Remember that."

I tried to snort out the weird powder I was breathing in, it was familiar, "I want my one phone call and I want to talk to the frazzled brunette in the cool mask".

"Speaking", Alec said as he leaned forward on his cane and slowly pulled his Regent mask down onto his face.

Tattletale snorted.

I shift in place and find I'm in some kinda plastic drum and coated in what I think is cement mix. I try not to move around much to prevent kicking up any more of it. It's pretty nasty stuff once you get it wet. But that bastard got me good with his joke and I'd laugh but I'm too pissed, "You know who I mean, you two!"

"Look, just calm down... Frittata."

Alec's power hit me like nothing I ever felt before, the way he knocked me down earlier was nothing compared to this dagger to the brain that ran down my spine, chilling my core, and made my skin uncomfortably warm.

"Remember what I told you Dusty, you try anything or I use the unsafe word and you get what Regent gives you. Now, we'll revisit that request but now that you are awake I'm going to go over your predicament then we'll go backwards from there until you need to fill in the blanks."

And so she rambled on recounting everything from my abduction to the bank robbery itself. Tattletale had this habit of inserting pauses randomly throughout that even confused Regent who tried to speak but she'd continue over him. I'm not sure if she was baiting me to talk or those were the blanks I was meant to fill. I just had no fucking clue what she wanted.

"And by nature of the Brockton Bay Central Bank security system's HVAC monitoring sensors I know you entered the bank the same way we did."

Regent and Tattletale looked at me at the same time, "Well answer her, Barrel Boy."

I made a face, "She didn't ask a question. She made a statement."

"Frittata."

My body was a single open nerve with a swarm of ants crawling across it.

"There wasn't a question but - pinche gringa - yes I followed yours and Skitter's van into the garage and then when you let the dog's out and the bugs, I just followed under the goddamn nightmare carpet of bugs."

"Who let the dogs out? Rach- rach- rach- Rach- Rachel", Regent did a little dance as he sang into the top of his cane.

"Now, Lover boy, since you let - Skitter take you hostage despite what we all know you can do with your powers, and you were in the bank before the call went out to The Wards, that can mean only one thing-"

She stared me down with a grin so large that it could probably unhinge at this point and start consuming me.

"What?" Regent asked.

"Fill in the blank, Dusty."

"Look, I've promised two people in my life that I would never lie to them and so far I've been keeping to my word, but I'm not about to start ratting on people when it's not their fault. It's not their fault I followed them from school because I was worried about them. It's not their fault I saw what I saw and heard what I heard. In fact they did their best to talk me out of interfering with their life but I did promise to help them if they needed it."

Tattletale's eyes narrowed behind her mask and Regent looked between us confused, "Frittata?"

"You are leaving details out... Frittata."

He put the cane to my neck and my muscles spasmed kicking up the fine powder. I coughed and spasmed long after the five second cycle of the taser finished.

"Wh-what? What details?"

"I should just turn on the water and let the cement chemically burn your skin as it hardens. Tell me why you went out of your way? Tell me exactly why you are interfering with her life?"

"Ohhh, Bitch or Bug. Dude, you got weird taste", Regent said.

"It was my job - at first. It's why I go to her school, to babysit a bully who happens to be a Ward. Well they are part of some mean girls group and they torture her every fucking day. I made headway slowing it down but eventually I had to be there when she was their main target. And- and- ya know."

I can't believe I'm being tortured to admit I have a damn crush.

"Frittata?"

Tattletale shook her head no, "So it's that bad, huh?"

"Well, we had lunch the other day when I told her I got time off of work, then I sorta told her exactly how I felt", I admitted.

"No, you idiot. The bullying was so bad they put a hero undercover to try to make it go away", she pinched the bridge of her nose and sucked in air through grit teeth.

"Was that a question?" I asked, she didn't seem upset but not annoyed either. Thinkers were a weird bunch, almost as bad as Tinkers.

"Frittata?"

"No and no. Just - I'm getting a headache."

The sound of a heavy metal door slamming shut caught our collective attention.

"-body? Lisa? Brian said you were still here", Taylor's voice came from upstairs.

"Watch him, keep him quiet but don't kill him", the villainess ordered Regent.

She pulled her mask off and made for the stairs. Regent paced around the area as if considering the thinker's words while the ladies' voices murmured up in the loft.

I AM IN THE DAMN CREEPY WAREHOUSE IN A TRAP MADE SPECIFICALLY TO KILL ME!

So the mix gets caught up in my breaker state and then the water sprays and mixes with the cement powder and poof I'm Concrete Man. Or I try to human my way out and they dump water on me and I get chemical burns and if I turn breaker it just hardens faster and I'm screwed when I return to my human form. That's pretty good thinking, and all from seeing me turn into dust when she shot at me.

I felt the collar strapped to my neck. It felt like a spiked dog collar with some electronics attached to it. It's probably the trigger device, if I go breaker it essentially disappears and stops functioning and triggers the water. If I remove it or break the wires, the same thing happens. Defeated by 50 bucks worth of building materials, Plastic drum excepted.

Regent walked up close to me, cane held in front of himself and the head of it with taser electrodes was pointed at my head.

No, lower.

My neck or the stupid coll- OH C'MON, SHE SAID NOT TO KILL ME!

Shit, I need to get him talking, when he's not joking he's bored. Maybe I can distract him, "Hey, what's wrong with Bug Girl?

"Huh? Oh, yeah. You like her, yeah? Despite all the awkwardness and how she doesn't seem to get half of the jokes she hears? She's just not attractive to me. Then again I gone through my share so - maybe she's your cup of tea. I don't care either w- FUCK ME!"

Regent stumbled backwards as a line of spiders descended from the ceiling making a protective drape of spiderbros.

Taylor's voice was the sweetest sound I'd ever heard, "What the fuck is this!?"

Taylor found me! Thanks to every saint my Abuela burns a candle to.

"Is that RAY!? What are you doing to him? HE HELPED US TODAY! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU ALL?!"

Regent collected himself as he kept his distance from the arachknights protecting me, "Ray? How do you know Dusty Boy's name, dork?"

"Did you booby trap a Ward? What is this shit you have him sitting in?" She did her best to try to help me out but I shook my head no.

"It's a quick dry cement mix. It was in the warehouse already. And on his neck is a dog collar Rachel took off one of her rescues, an old bark shock collar. It's broken he can - you can take him out", Lisa was a bit more casual than Tattletale, at least around Taylor.

Alec scowled the moment Lisa mentioned the collar was fake and started off to the stairs.

"I can get out, don't get dirty on my account", I said but Taylor steadied the drum as I shook myself free and climbed out.

"Aww, he cares so much for his little Bedbug", Alec teased as he removed his mask and made his way back up to the loft. Taylor clenched her fists and stared at the dust coated warehouse floor.

"Don't let him get to you. I think he's just upset he didn't get to kill me with cement boots."

"How?" She asked.

"Uhh, they said she rigged the collar to let it dump water-"

"No, how can you be so casual about this? They tortured you, Ray! They - you kidnapped him?"

Lisa nodded.

"All of you?"

"Brian drove, he didn't like it but I explained this would prove my theory. That the PRT got to you, blackmailed you. Even Alec cared enough to want to know."

My torturer was gone but the distinct sound of some shooter game blared from upstairs. I coughed hard and I spit up a mix of dark gray mucus. Is this the black lung I heard about? Taylor did seem a bit hurt that the bogeyman participated.

"Do you like Brian?" My stupid, stupid self stupidly asked.

Lisa grinned.

"You stop that shit, Lisa. Forget- forget I asked. I - I'm fucking out of it, Taylor. I'm sorry, I just... shit".

Shit.

Taylor covered her face with her hands and after an uncomfortably long ass moment she removed them "It's okay. Just - I'm going to take you home, Ray. You're not going to mention this to anyone and we will meet at school. And I want my phone back, Lisa."

Tattletale's alter ego headed upstairs, "It's on the coffee table under a takeout napkin."

Taylor guided me up the stairs and she looked for her phone. I noticed I tracked cement mix all over the floor carried by my once loving care for Armsmaster sneakers.

I stood over the back of the couch as Alec lounged playing his game and I shook my hand through my hair and a cloud of mix fell on the sonuvabitch. He sputtered, coughed, and flailed to get away from the mess.

Taylor guided me out as Lisa talked him down from giving me an aneurysm.

Once outside of the loft we met Brian. He was a half a head taller than me and well built. A lot of villains rely solely on their power to get things done but Brian, aka Grue, looked like an athlete and street fighter. Not an ounce of body fat or vanity muscle, just all business.

Fuck that kidnapping asshole.

"Are you taking him back?"

Taylor swallowed and looked from powder coated me to leather jacket clad Brian.

"No, I'm taking him home. He has a family member he looks after, too", she responded chin raised, back straight, like how she met Armsmaster the other night.

After a beat she grabbed my arm and started leading me away, "Shit, look I'm sorry Taylor."

She didn't stop walking, "I'm not the one you helped kidnap just to be tortured."

I didn't know how to feel about any of this. The fact she's taking me home required me to be put in harm's really deranged way.

As we walked to the nearest bus stop, a thought creeped into my head, "Aren't you scared they know you know a Ward? Why haven't they come after you?"

It took her a while to answer but she did as she started fishing through my jean pockets, "Whatever you told them it seems it didn't question my loyalty to them. It does look like they are strangely okay with you knowing their names and faces. That is what concerns me, Ray."

She took out Abuelo's blue bandana from my back pocket and started wiping off my face, "We need to do something about your shirt or they won't let you on the bus."

I nodded and pulled off my once white tee and I snapped it, shaking most of it off, away from Taylor. I looked back at her. She reached out and touched the burns on my chest from Regent's cane, "I'm sorry I dragged you into this."

I shrugged one shoulder, "Coulda been worse. Could've been dog bites". I choke as I tried to laugh at my joke.

"It's not funny. I'm serious", her face shone with so much worry and concern.

"Rachel and Alec", I said.

"What, what about them?"

"They're the killers Armsmaster was talking about. Rachel's known for it in the files but, just tonight, Alec was going to try to spring the trap that we all thought could have killed me. Plus Brian doesn't seem the type and Lisa - she wouldn't need to. To fucking smart."

Taylor and her frowns.

Her mouth was very expressive to the point she practically wore her heart right there. I reached up and put my hand gently on the side of her face, thumb by the corner of her frown. I just forgot about the pain, the cold night wind that cut to my core, and lost myself in her big eyes, "It could be the hormones from all the torture talking but I really like you."

"I know", she said quietly.

"Do you like me?"

Again the damn bus engine Dennis's me from a couple blocks away.

"Bus is coming, Ray. You can't get on without a shirt."

I didn't say anything and neither of us moved.

She put her hand on mine, "Alright, maybe, and we can talk about that tomorrow."

"Yes!!!" I pumped my shirt carrying fist and then slipped on my tee.

She covered her face again as our ride pulled up.

~~x

The ride was perfect.

She rested her head on my shoulder and I got to spend the time just thinking.

I'm screwed with the Wards. I'm new and took on a fucked up assignment and I have gone in a whole different direction. Instead of a Corrections Officer for the prisoner I became the Secret Service for the target. And in that very short, emotionally charged, Abuelita tainted time I fell for my new friend and protectee.

It's not like I am some player hitting on all the girls, no. Before the bomb and knife attack, I was like Greg but part Mexican. I get powers and Amy lets me alter myself with her healing and suddenly I'm not the plain nerd boy. Now I'm a slightly more attractive cape boy with nerd interests. In fact if we weren't starting to hangout and be friends I wouldn't have found her attractive to begin with. It's why I don't get ogling women or catcalling. You don't know them, they don't know you, where is the connection?

Just built different I guess.

My stop comes up and I reluctantly pull the stop cord. As me and Taylor step off immediately something is wrong. It may be late but not a single dog is barking. Taylor leads me up to my grandma's house but a growl comes from the shadows of a tree in a neighbor's yard, "Dust Boy".

Rachel's voice is unmistakable.

"What is it, Rachel?" Taylor stepped in front of me and the crickets went silent all at once.

"Grue and Tattletale say he's a Ward. If he talks about us to anyone, his family are chew toys."

The lightness in my heart hardens into ice, "If anything happens to my family, Bitch. I got no problem making every pooch I find into Alpo."

Bitch bares her teeth, "you wouldn't touch a single one, I'd have Brutus tear you to pieces."

"You want a piece of me?"

"Ray, don't."

I resist the urge to swap to my breaker state, but I don't back down either, "Hurt what I love. I kill what you do. You kill what I love. I exterminate everything that makes you happy. Understand?" I pulled a John Wayne: speak slow, speak low, and don't say too much.

Bitch stared me down then her eyes moved over to a defensive Taylor, "Pfft, pussy."

The shadows of the tree hid the size of her dog but it sounded super heavy. MONSTER DOG! She slipped back between the houses and disappeared into the back yards.

The tense moment ended when the crickets resumed their songs.

"Taylor, I know you didn't pick your power but the crickets thing is - creepy as hell. Nice work", I nod my discombobulated head.

"Shut up, weirdo let's get you inside before we wake her", Taylor grabbed my shoulder and pushed me up to the porch.

I reach into my pocket for my keys and I fumble a bit. I really am out of it as my hands shake. I'm pretty sure it's fear but it could be adrenaline. Taylor reaches into my pockets again and pulls out my Llaves and opens the screen door and unlocks the front door.

She relocks the front door and maneuvered me through the house from the living room to the hallway into my bedroom. Hebert hesitated a moment as I swayed a little in the middle of my bedroom, "Hey, I don't bite. I'll share my bed with you."

"Ray, shhh, your Abuela."

"Tsk, don't be shy just get into my bed, undress under the covers and you close your eyes and I'll take care of the rest, Ms. Hebert", I insist but I don't want her to freak out so I bow to show her respect.

By the time I pick my head and shoulders up she's in bed, struggling beneath the loose sheet and comforter. I take that as my cue to undress, when I finish, at the foot of my bed is an old military foot locker. I shuffle over wearing only my chonies and pull out a small pillow and ancient blanket. I throw the blanket out on the floor and toss the pillow at the top of the blanket before I shuffle over to settle myself on the floor.

Taylor's curly head is peeking out from the head of my bed with a look of confusion on her face. I smile, bend over, with my face inches from hers. In the dark I can just see discoloration on her cheeks, she's probably tired from all the robbery and I give her a quick peck on her thin lips, "Night, love you."

Her eyes search mine but she probably just sees the sandman's sand in them as she shuts her own.

"Ahh, good night... Ray," She mumbled, and I dropped onto my little floor bed, just lights out.

 

[Eatersgrin]

I woke up to Taylor stepping over me as I laid on the floor. When I began to stir for the day I found I was sore in all the wrong places.

"Hola, chica", I said as I sat up on my rough blanket. I was all smiles as I caught her.

She froze in place. Her back to me as she was definitely in her underwear, her clothes piled in her arms pressed against her chest. She was halfway to my bathroom, "Uhh, I have to get dressed then go back to my house to get ready for school. I've skipped enough."

I kept my grin plastered across my face as hers heated up with a blush as she turned to face me. If this was a dream I was going to enjoy myself as much as possible, "You do that. Feel free to pick something from my closet to be fresher, if you want. I'll get us a ride."

She looked at me, eyes wide, "You don't have to, Ray. The bus is fine. I'll make it."

"You saved my bacon, Hebert. Just get ready and I'll have you home ASAP", I was talking like Abuelo. Be confident, act like you have a plan, then make up a plan.

The faintest of smiles graced her face and she ducked into the bathroom. I cracked open the closet door so she had her pick and I grabbed a plastic bottle of body powder from my dresser drawer. A quick change of underwear later and I gave myself a dry bath of sorts.

She left my bathroom door open and from the shower she continued to talk to me, "My Dad will probably be getting ready for work."

"Happy to meet, Mr. Hebert."

The water beating on her body was the only sound to come out of the shower.

"You okay in there, Taylor? I can get Grandma if you need help?"

"Oh god, no. Just - my Dad. I'll be coming home early in the morning with a boy in tow."

Guy in Tow, thank you very much.

"And?"

"I slept somewhere else and you're bringing me home - unless you uhh, wait outside by the bus stop like a gentleman?"

It was my turn to stay quiet but I didn't, "Sure, sure. You meet my Abuela and have a nice lunch and I can't meet your Pops?"

She scoffed, "Pops would not go over well with Dad. Uhh, it's - I'm sure he's noticed I've been missing school or coming home late or suspecting something is up by now. I bring a guy home-"

Nice save, Hebert.

"-and he's going to give you a grilling or be overly weird about it to give me space."

It dawned on me as the very wet, very naked lady in my shower explained her home life, "He's going to assume you're sexually active and very quite plausibly active with me?"

The thunk of forehead against the shower wall was unmistakable, "Yeah, and speaking of plausible. What happened with- with you last night?"

"What do you mean? We went to bed, I woke up on the floor. I'm assuming you stayed the night cuz it was late."

"Actually, you invited me to share your bed and basically ordered me to get naked and wait for you."

Oh, shit.

"Did I - fall out of bed last night?"

"No, but you got undressed and kissed me goodnight", she said as the shower shut off.

Shit.

"That's it?"

"And told me you loved me."

Wow.

"I - I - I'm dreaming all this right? I'm in some PRT infirmary recovering from getting my throat slit after Amy knocked herself out with a fire extinguisher?"

Taylor took that exact moment to step out of the bathroom wrapped in my old Darth Vader beach towel. The largest of my towels, I never thought I'd rue my childhood nostalgia, "Does this look like a dream to you?"

"Gonna need you to pinch me."

"No. You're going to want to pinch me back after."

"This is how I know I have made a fantastic impression on you. You know me real good, Hebert."

Her lips made the thinnest of frowns, "Could you not call me Hebert?"

So much for endearing myself with nicknames.

"Not good memories with that reference, huh? I gotcha."

She nodded as she wandered to my open closet and I sat on my bed watching her peruse my closet. Peruse is right, right?

"You have any good nicknames or middle names I can use? Ooo, Taylor Hortensia-Golightly Hebert?"

She quietly laughed to herself, "No. My middle name is Anne, though."

"Aww, my sweet Annie."

"Yes, you can call me Annie, but just Annie or Anne."

"Dearest Anne, it has been five long hours on this blasted sandbar and I am writing you this letter on a banana leaf inked in seagull droppings. I think of you constantly and sometimes I see your blessed mane in the hairy exterior of this coconut I have named Wilson. Signed yours in perpetuity, Raymundo".

Her head hung as she stood in my open closet, "There is something wrong with you, Ray."

"Or very right and its this twisted upside down nogoodnik world that has the last okay guy marked as a nutjob. And I used Perpetuity right, right?"

"I guess. We're going to be late if we keep this up", she pulled a hanger free that held a thin green hoodie on it. It was a promotional one for a Space themed first person shooter where I waited in line and won it in a raffle during the midnight release event.

She slipped back into the bathroom and I pulled on some permanently paint stained white jeans and a black graphic tee with the fading silhouette of Mouse Protector. An open long sleeve white button up went over the tee in case I needed a jacket but didn't want to look like a wuss and actually wear a jacket. I then mourned my Armsmaster sneakers as they sat in a dusty pile on the floor and put on a pair of short black work boots.

I called a cab as Taylor walked into view in her jeans and my olive green faux space armor hoodie. She checked her hair on the mirror on my dresser then turned back to me, "You look, hmm..."

"Good? Dorky? Hokey? What?", I asked as they repeated and confirmed my details for the pick up.

"Like you should wear a jacket."

Oh my God.

"I'm good. I got layers", I shoved my phone in my long sleeve's chest pocket.

"Onions have layers -you- have an old shirt and... no, I'm not having this conversation. You can freeze all you want I don't want to mother you or be the nagging-"

"The nagging...?"

"We'll talk later at school. Let's go", she led me out of my room.

"And I just realized I ordered you into bed and instead of slapping me with a bee's pointy butt you got into bed and got nekkid."

She quietly shook her head as we exited the house and I locked up, "No, I was in my underwear."

I grinned as we walked to the sidewalk, "so you were expecting me to join you?"

"We'll talk about it at school."

"Taylor 'Broken Record' Hebert, you know you are very stubborn."

"You're one to talk with your suspiciously date-like work meetings and quiet meals."

"Escandalo." (Scandal.)

~~x

After picking up her backpack and spending a bit talking to her Dad about her whereabouts I waited dutifully out of sight and caught us another cab to school. Let me tell you, them rides aren't cheap. This was chewing through my meals funds and those coffeeshop teas were just the first blood. It really did put Taylor's mind at ease that we were getting around conveniently and just in time, so it was worth it.

We made it to lunch with us both meeting our nemesises, nemesi? Rivals? I don't know, Emma and Sophia during our early classes. Actually attending class meant we answered for missing work but, at least for me, my Wards status gave me some leeway in late assignments and attendance. And like an old timey doctor I used it like morphine in a civil war battlefield hospital.

Santa Bugita made it to lunch a bit chipper than previous school days. We actually bought lunch, her treat, and I was able to breaker state through the locked roof access and we had lunch outside without prying assholes making snide bullshit comments.

"Okay so-" she started.

"Sew buttons."

Taylor sat in silence for a minute before I broke, "Okay I'll be serious. You may continue Miss Anne of Green Gables."

Familiar narrow eyes scanned my big dumb face for the dozenth time in our lives, "Your references confuse and kind of intrigue me."

"Go on you flirt, I bet you say that to all the Wards."

"Actually I mostly tell them I'm sorry as they are choking on my bugs, but anyway, I have a meeting with the Undersiders after school."

Now I was suspiciously quiet and a look of disappointment crossed her countenance, "I made these plans before your, well, your torture."

"I still can't believe they snatched me up for hanging out with you. Lisa said I was pitying you and well - you know exactly how I feel."

She put three of my fries in her mouth to buy her some thinking time before she spoke up, "Everything with you is kind of fast, when I'm not even used to slow, Ray. Yet, you're an open book with Cliff's Notes. So it's kind of weird yet nice to know you - you are what you say you are."

She made me sound required yet classy.

"How you survived to this point with that kind of thinking and mouth on you in Brockton Bay is baffling."

Arrr my feelings, "Not gonna lie. That last bit kinda hurt."

"Sorry", she looked down at the contents of our half eaten foam white trays.

"No, I mean it. I got stabbed and blown to hell for my big mouth and violent impulse to not want the shit kicked out of me. So I defended myself only to get revenged on. Surviving that was purely the work of my trigger point thing and where I needed surgery and Panacea to make it. So that's how, otherwise I'd be dead and its upsetting to think my Abuela would be alone and I wouldn't gotten to meet you."

Taylor sat against the wall and tapped the back of her head against it.

"I mean you could just not go. We can go on unofficial patrol together, I can give you my meal and incidental funds so you don't have to be broke."

She hesitated.

"Taylor, why are you reluctant to turn in The Undersiders? Stopping them alone would have been a huge win for you. You could have stayed independent and, I dunno, joined a corporate team or I'd make a duo with you. We could hunt up spons-"

"I wanted their boss's identity to shut them down entirely. What's the point of cutting off one hand when they just can grow another later?"

"Right. I can see that."

"Also, it was nice to have people who wanted to hang out, except for Rachel. Then you showed around the same time and I didn't feel the same pull to them I did before."

I sighed, "You shouldn't have to be able to do things for others to be seen as someone of worth or to feel special. You beat Lung and a team of them couldn't. I did not have to see any of that to be interested in you."

"And you, telling me I remind you of Ripley from Aliens. That's why you find me interesting."

Ack.

"I was really poorly explaining what I find attractive since I feel you think you aren't attractive. The scene at the end of Alien where she's trapped with the creature. Ripley's never been more vulnerable but she still found a way to beat the thing. It took patience and courage not just to just give up. You put up with the trio - shit you even had powers for part of it and you still were patient. You didn't let them take your will."

"My will is attractive?"

Yup.

"And your hair, and eyes, and you have nice legs, you talk good, and I just like all of you. The whole package, and if guys and gals don't see it, that's their loss."

All for Dusty Boy.

She hung her head for a few beats after I finished explaining the weird team up between my brain and hormones, "Yes, I crawled into your bed thinking you were going to want to be with me..."

Ooo.

"... I felt bad about what happened to you and you were all clumsy and out of it that if you really wanted to - to do things to me it'd be okay because you are... you're... Safe."

Go taser drunk me, but also she shouldn't feel indebted.

She continued, "When I saw you half buried in a mess of some powder with a collar strapped to your neck and Alec menacing you and It reminded me that I wished someone had showed up to save me. I was pissed but you - you didn't freak out, you probably needed an ambulance but you didn't ask for one. You were just so fucking pleased to see me there I wanted to cry and set the entire neighborhood worth of every nasty creature in my control on the place."

Aww, no.

"So you seem to actually enjoy my company after I assumed you were just there to keep the trio from fucking up more. But no, you meant it and it sucks you had to be tortured for me to get that. To get that the Undersiders aren't my friends, they're no better than Emma and Sophia and the rest."

I didn't plan to get kidnapped but at least it slapped some sense into Taylor.

Taylor Anne.

Annie.

She's staring at me like I'm covered in flames and she's not sure what to do to put them out, "Annie, I don't know about you but I could go for a hug right about-"

And I got my request.

Some of our food is ruined because she shoved her knees into one of the trays but she's holding onto my neck and her hair is in my face. The smell of Assault and Battery 2 in 1 Body wash and Shampoo is right there and everything is kinda perfect. I just wish the Undersiders weren't so bad, she needed to feel welcome, to feel wanted, and I want her to be happy. I lock her up in my arms and return the hug.

I've known her for a fairly short time and yet I want the whole world for her. Could this just be teenage hormones and amped up emotions? Sure, but it doesn't make what I'm feeling any less genuine. And I'm starting to really feel that taser burn on my chest, her body is pressed against it pretty good.

Worth it.

"I'm assuming we have to discuss Us before we can go back to talking about you sleeping over again?"

She pulled back from her hug and I still held her up in my arms. Her upper body and head reared back like a cobra about to strike while she leveled her gaze at me, "Again?"

"Well, I know you said we - no, I was moving fast with things. I'm happy to do things slow, real slow, molasses in winter if it means I can keep calling you Annie when it's just us and that there are more moments where it is just us."

Taylor narrowed those big beautiful eyes, her bug commanding brain using every calorie of our lunch to weigh my words and how she should react, "You barely know me, Ray."

I shrug, "I wanna know more. I know you from school, I know you from work. I wanna know you - as much about you as you want to share. Me, I'm easy, whatever you wanna know it's yours."

"And this 'Love you' business last night?"

"Hey, mi Abuelita tucked me in night after night affirming my importance to her and a kiss on the forehead."

She pointed at her lips.

"Well, I'm a mortal man with an attractive woman in bed. I was out of it and recognized the moment as to tuck you in but, yeah, certain liberties were taken."

She chuckled, "Certain liberties were taken... I actually believe that. Okay."

My hopes got up.

"Okay?" I ask cooly, my heart beating a little harder than when I was getting tased.

"We can ... do stuff together, like you calling me Annie."

Yessss.

I started rocking while still holding her in my arms as I started singing, "You are my sunshine. My only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know dear how much -"

"Ahh, Ray, slow."

I nodded and grinned, "So, Annie, what's the plan with your meeting?"

Taylor slipped out of my arms and took her knees out of my food, "They want to meet up at The Market to discuss things. Which is partially probably about you."

"Tell them I'll keep quiet because you turned me. I'm your personal contact in the PRT and so long as you string me along you have access to Intel."

"Lisa will figure out I'm lying."

"Then tell them we're doing a thing and I wouldn't put you in danger and since they can implicate you in a stack of felonies, I prefer not wanting to write sexy prison letters til you're outta the joint."

"Sexy prison letters?"

"They'll make the prison letter reader people sweat."

"From the smell of all the seagull droppings on the banana leaves?"

"Escandalo. So just be honest and or be pissed, react what comes natural. They violated your trust, and you're supposed to be a team. You don't interfere in their personal lives but somehow it's okay for them to put a literal collar on yours."

"So you want me to keep this up?"

"Only if you do. Otherwise we can go to ... Miss Militia? With everything."

Taylor thought about it, "I want to get their boss. The bank job wasn't a cash thing, it wasn't about building our reputation as a gang. They're playing chess with the lives of young capes and it's bigger than the things they ever did before."

"So we're - saving the Undersiders, now?"

"Rachel's killed and we both saw how Alec reacted to the killing you options Lisa set up, fake or not. The fact Lisa even set that up to keep you trapped, and Brian drove. I don't know what is worth saving but they shouldn't be tossed to the wolves because it's convenient for some crime boss asshole."

"It's settled then", I picked at the tray and tried to rescue half an unsquashed french fry.

"Don't eat that", she knocked it out of my hand.

"Look it what you did. You massacred my fry."

Taylor surprised me with a quick peck on the lips, "I'm not kissing you with a dirty mouth."

This is a change, "Who are you and where is that woman who'd stare me down for touching her hand?"

She shrugged.

"Also, dirty mouth? You were swearing like a sailor at the bank", I said as I started picking at the remains of her tray.

Taylor pulled both trays away, stacked them and stuffed them into the brown paper sack our drinks came in, "I had a bad headache from Amy Dallon f- messing with my bugs. It hurt."

"Oh I bet, such a gentle soul turning into GI Jane."

"It. Hurt." she insisted with a serious face.

"I get it. She did try to brain you with a fire extinguisher. But it was unexpected. I never seen you get so mad, but it's cool, mid bank robbery jitters."

Taylor sighed and started fussing with her backpack, "We should get back down there, finish out the day."

It was my turn to frown, "Half day, everyday, I got Wards stuff to do, or I'd probably have more classes with you."

"Oh, that's right."

"So why rush back when we still have a few minutes before the bell starts up?" I said as I slouched against the wall and Taylor leaned against me.

"You want to swing by the Market on patrol later, maybe?" She asked as we stared out at the tips of our shoes and across the rooftop.

"Hell yeah... wait all sneaky like or officially as a Ward or as me?"

"However, not sure how things will go and I'll feel just a touch better if I know I have you coming by at some point."

Aww.

"Aww."

"You can call in some actual heroes if you see me in danger", she smiled up at me and I chuckled.

"You're lucky I'm still brain damaged from the torture to take that seriously. Speaking of - Who just tortures people? You're going to meet them at the market and what? Share a large can of beans? Sing Prison Shanties by a barrel fire? Pass around a brown bag of liquor?"

"Ray, they're teenage criminals not hobos".

"I don't know what evil does in its off time. I know good guys and passably law abiding people do a lot of paperwork. And meetings, sweet Jesus so many meetings. You wouldn't think a thirteen year old girl would be doing a PowerPoint Presentation about her power development for 25 minutes but it's real and I sat through it."

Taylor patted my arm as I took a long exhale, "It's actually a lot of preparing for the next crime or just training for fights. Today sounds like a down time thing. You'll see if you show up."

"It's a date."

"A team meeting."

The bell went off and we slowly got to standing and collected our things. I chucked the brown bag off the roof and pumped my fist like I made a three-pointer.

"It's a group date then."

~~x

My day was going absolutely amazing:

Woke up to the sight of my favorite gal.

Split a burger, fries, and a mini pizza with my new best friend.

Got things started properly with my crush.

Even dodged Piggot, Armsmaster, a meeting, and given bonus time to fill out my personal report for the bank robbery.

Hanging out in the dorms I was kinda doing nothing, but mostly just looking busy until patrol. In reality I was cleaning up the dorm. I didn't live here but some of my team does so I want them to not feel they aren't alone taking care of the place. Changing sheets, replacing towels, putting in maintenance requests all things most kids wouldn't think about.

Also someone was hoarding dill relish packets, I mean in the cafeteria they got sweet relish and those weird mustard-relish packs but this condiment prepper was ready for normal ass hotdogs and tuna salad until the Browns win a Superbowl. I pulled the sheet off and an actual cascade, a literal relishfall that would give Niagara a run for its money, just kept spilling and flopping and piling at my feet.

Pinche huerquitos.

While looking for a box to corral this - what made me giggle in a Parahumans class once? A box to corral this orgy of evidence the audio tone of a visitor hits my ears as I quit my box search and rush to slip on a domino mask just in time.

Finally, this older, dark skinned guy walked in all business with two PRT officers just behind him. His pass read VIP so I put my smile two gears below 'Taylor said Yes' and one gear below 'Santa is a Cape'.

"Hello, I'm Dust Devil, how can I be of service today?" I make it short and sweet like a chocolate Easter bunny.

"My what a greeting. Hello, Dust Devil, I am Thomas Calvert and I need to speak to you privately."

 

[Eatersgrin]

My chat with the PRT Consultant Mr. Calvin was brief, apparently a private citizen from the bank recognized me from when I was dealing with Panacea and Skitter. They are apparently political bigwigs and wanted to meet one of The Wards who made it into the bank during the fight. PR and Image is king so I'm being loaned out for a quick Meet n' Greet then it's right back to patrol.

Meaning catching up to Taylor at The Market with the Undersiders.

After that I don't really know how I exactly got convinced to sit in the back of this strange van other than the instructions to treat VIPs with every courtesy but Mr. Carlton knew his PRT shit so here I am.

So next to me is a guy in a balaclava and sweet armor wearing too much Old Spice. He was carrying an assault rifle and a couple of those foam grenades strapped to his chest. He was side eyeing me like I was snoring in his Wednesday pew.

"Where we going?" I ask.

"Shut your mouth", the guy across from me with the containment foam thrower strapped to him told me.

"Nah, I'm good. I'ma talk cuz you guys aren't wearing PRT officer armor or wearing PRT creds and therefore don't outrank me. So I'm going to talk all I want because you need weapons and - I don't."

"Are you threatening us, boyo?" The van's driver, built like a younger guy, asked with a bit of a drawal. Eyes kept darting up to the rearview mirror adding a third set of peepers on me. There was a fourth in the passenger seat but seemed quiet and simply stared forward unmoving.

Overall pretty weird but spot on for this afternoon.

I smile with as many teeth as I can reveal, "Just pointing out the obvious, duh. I am a minor and I'm in a strange car with strange smelling dudes carrying Anti Parahuman weapons."

"They're for your safety, just - sit still."

I snort and start cackling. Abuelo told me it's better to be seen as a madman than a victim, "For really reals? Who is this private citizen that they hired armed guards to transport me to them? Pablo Escobar Jr.? Tony Montana? Kaiser?"

"You'll get your answers", the Foamy one said a little more politely now.

"Sweet. I hope it's David Bowie, like from The Venture Brothers."

Old Spice exchanged looks with Foamy.

"A show from Aleph. It's a cartoon... Whatever Scarface is paying you, you guys should get out more."

After a few minutes we ended up stopping in a dark area as the light that filtered through from the windshield was gone and the smell of Old Spice and oily tinge of stress sweat was in the air.

"We have to blindfold you", Foamy said.

"No. I'll just close my eyes", I responded.

"This is happening, boyo", the driver said before he opened his door.

"I'm a Ward , not a cryptomaniac. I'll be good."

"Kleptomaniac", the driver corrected.

"Thanks, yeah I'm not that", I shut my eyes in the dark. A gloved hand went on my shoulder and pushed me along out of the van.

The sound of our boots on concrete turned into boots on metal stairs. A knock on a door or maybe a hidden wall led to stepping in a carpeted area.

"You may remove ahh - You can open your eyes now", a calm voice said.

The first thing I saw was a teenage girl in clown makeup wearing a large, floppy blue bow on her head, a white leotard with a print of pink and blue hearts, and a sparkly pink ballerina tutu with matching slippers.

Oh and she leaned on her dazzling decorative sledgehammer like it was a cane. An image of Alec flashed in my head and I frowned at her, which caused her to scoff.

She stood next to a tall red leather kinda office chair slash wheeled throne which sat a thin man dressed in a head to toe black costume with a white snake print that wrapped around his body ending at his forehead.

"Harley. Cobra Commander", I greeted the pair as I turned and looked around my surroundings. Foamy and Old Spice stood behind me to my left and right.

Clown girl cast a glance at Foamy who responded, "Probably more Aleph cartoons?"

I nodded as I lamented being inside another creepy ass warehouse, "Ya know, the ABB should actually let people use the warehouses for storing stuff instead of being random ass meeting places for their competition."

"You've heard of me and my organization?" The Cobra Commander of Earth Bet asked.

"No, I just commented because some other villains I know work out of Lung's territory like they're playing Tom and Jerry with his dumb ass."

"This one's interesting at least," the Clown girl remarked, her sledgehammer suddenly appeared across her shoulders and she rested her arms on it.

I smacked my lips, the dust was a bit thick in the air and I could taste fine black powder and gun oil, "That's a lot of weaponry for a private citizen? Lemme guess Mr. Cathcart is unaware he sent a Ward to an ultra-secret crime lord?"

"Since you don't seem to understand your predicament and you don't know who I am, I shall illuminate you. I am Coil, and I aim to do what you did at the bank but for this entire city."

Get felt up by your crush while she introduced you to what Dennis called 'knife play'? "Come again?"

"Mr. Devil", the painted lady seemed to get interested on hearing me be addressed by her boss. "You did your utmost, to the point of your own peril, to deescalate a bad situation. That is what I wish to do. To do so I require certain parties in this city to - self implode and others to wreak a small amount of havoc. Just enough to draw the attention of the federal government and the Protectorate to highlight that Brockton Bay has a problem that has been allowed to metastasize beyond the means of the police, local PRT, and the Mayor's office to handle."

I struggle to blink some dust out of my eyes, "So you need things to get worse before they get better."

"The Night is always darkest before the dawn, Mr. Devil. I'm Circus, by the by", she added with a wink.

Dios mio.

I didn't - oh no, it was just dust in my eye, I swear. If she licks her lips before she threatens to hurt me I'm leaving through a keyhole or something, screw hero-villain banter etiquette.

"O-kay, but what - why me, I ask you my most obvious question, Quill."

"Coil. Because you are interfering with one set of those parties. I need you to go about your heroic duties, patrolling, responding to crimes, your usual patterns. I'm not even asking you to look the other way when encountering criminals and villains. Merely stay out of their personal lives."

IS COIL TAYLOR'S DAD?!?

HOLY SHIT!

Fuck.

Shitfuck.

HOLY SHITFUCK!

I mean he's fairly tall and he's a gangly bastard. He's really well spoken.

Sonuvabitch.

Dammit.

"Sir, I - I have to say I have nothing but respect for your daughter", Circus cracked a grin at hearing me say this. A lil bit of fuschia lipstick stained her front teeth.

Things that make you go, Brrrrr.

Coil cocked his head to the side and steepled his fingers and sighed, "Mr. Devil, I need you to understand she means the world to me."

He paused for a long moment before continuing, "I trust you will see to it that you will maintain normal, everyday contact at school with her but will stay away from my sweet child otherwise."

I ran my fingers through my hair and like dandruff landed on the shoulder of my uniform, "Uhh, I didn't know you were her Pops. I mean, she said you were a busy man but - I had no idea. Wow, Bitch's Dad."

Coil's head snapped up and he jammed two fingers in my direction and Circus leapt forward, her sledgehammer was in her hands as she drove it down towards my skull.

I think I'm in Boston again or I'm dreaming because Alec is wearing a Kid Win shirt and Lisa is - she looks sorry, sad almost, like she's apologizing as she clutches at Taylor's arm.

The Bogeyman notices me first as he's talking to the rest, pointing at me and then at his head. I'll show him who has better hair.

The ground feels shaky like someone is mind controlling the dirt. That's my thing.

I try to breaker myself but I feel off. It's not right.

And I taste copper.

I stick my fingers in my mouth and I just taste dirt and grit instead. Anne and Lisa rush to me but Lisa shoves a phone in Annie's hand, "Call the PRT, say it's an emergency, give them the location and then leave it with him."

Taylor shook her head, "I can't. We're- we're-"

"Think! They're going to want details. They're gonna want to look into you - why you're with a bleeding Ward. Call and drop it, Taylor. He'll be okay. He gets paid for this. This is his job, they suffer for everyone else before they can even vote about this shit. Procrastinating won't help him, Hebert. Remember - this is why you're not with The Wards."

Taylor is hovering over me and I'm on the ground, I guess. I don't remember laying down but she's got my head on her lap, she's making the call. As she talks everything sounds distant and I hear the ocean loud and right here. She strokes my head as she talks.

That's nice.

But her fingers. Oh, look at her fingers, there's blood. Is she hurt?

Mmm, nice. My head is in her lap and my right eye is feeling itchy and warm. Hard to see outta it.

She looks down at me and she says something. Santa Bugita moves and puts my head on the ground.

I try to get up and help her, something must be wrong for her to need to go. But the phone on my chest must be heavy cuz I can't get my body to cooperate.

I wanna call out but I'm tired of trying to move the phone.

It was such a nice day, though. I remember nice days.

Mmm, maybe tomorrow will be nice too?

~~x

Nnngh, dark out.

"- already suffering from TBI from last December's incident. Uh huh, yes, his crisis point. Mrs. Alcaraz already signed the waivers, and he's a goddamn Ward. We can't lose them young."

"Well the blow to his head is only going to exacerbate the existing damage, Director. It's best if we operate and have Panacea in-house for the recovery, make sure no blood clots form post-procedure."

Wanna yawn but can't.

More voices?

"I won't mess with his head, I won't and I can't... But I will help with some of his recovery."

Not talking to me.

Rude.

~~x

I smell - Missy? Victoria? Definitely woman cologne.

"- gotta get up man. Patrols are not the same."

"Yeah, it's not the same."

Is that pizza? Ham? Eww, means pineapple. Dennis.

"Think he can hear us?"

They're talking but quiet.

Mmm, pizza. Ham? Eww, probably pineapple. Gotta be Dennis.

Nnngh, it's still dark out.

Tired.

~~x

I opened up an eye.

My other eye is pinned shut? Can't open it.

Ugh, my throat is messed up and when I try to move the room wants to spin. Under my hand is a remote and I just tap at the buttons. Nothing really happens.

Other than wiggen my toes I got nothing to do that isn't spinning or painful. I should rest.

Wait... Is wiggen a word?

~~x

I'm torn out of sleep by figures in black shoving my bed around. A knock off slenderman with a white stripe on his black head stands over me, "Hello again, Mr. Alcaraz. I'm sorry that things got off on the wrong foot but without this little melodrama we would not know that your power is quite this impressive."

"Wiggen?" I ask.

IS WIGGEN A WORD?

"Hmm, an unfortunate side effect of Circus' accuracy and speed with their weapons did allow them to damage you. Fortunately, The PRT wanted to stick you in a Parahuman Asylum for your recovery. Visits are seldom but care at those facilities are subpar at best and carnival sideshow at worst."

The clown girl appeared in my line of sight. She wore a fat guy style large gold and purple pants held up by white suspenders. Beneath the pants she had a white doctor's coat with a purple and gold striped leotard beneath that. On her head was a white surgeon's cap, around her neck a surgeon's mask dangled stained by her lipst, and her sledgehammer was decorated with a large red cross insignia.

"Now that we know you can cross the city in several seconds, a feat surpassed mostly by the makers of portals, and those types are under the thumb of powers unfortunately beyond my sway. This provides an avenue of opportunity for the future, Mr. Alcaraz."

Is he still talking? How did Quail get into my hospital room? Did no one see Old Spice, Foamy and the other guy who moves the thing?

"Wiggen?" I ask again.

Foil? Coil?

Coil sighed, "Yes, Mr. Alcaraz, your road to recovery requires rest and possibly a visit from Orchard but better to let nature take its course. I have medical staff on hand that will see to your care as you are put into a medically induced coma for your brain to rewire itself."

What. The. Fuck?

"His heart rate is spiking, I don't think he likes that, sir", said Circus highlighting the obvious.

I don't want to be alone in this place with the clown girl. I don't think she's on my grandma's provider list.

Coil continued, "Do not worry. You will be in the best hands. If I wanted you dead one of my men dressed as an orderly giving you an embolism would have been sufficient. But no, you have a use, Mr. Alcaraz, and once enough time has passed and the staff says you're ready you'll be awakened and I'll have a job for you."

Time passes?

"Daughter- your daughter?" I struggle to remember to ask about

"Hmm, that's a quandary but you can't expect her to wait forever, she's young. These things happen. Just rest, and when you awaken it will be like time has not passed at all. You will be given supplements, electrical stimulation of your muscle groups so you aren't useless and finally we'll rectify one issue you had with The Wards."

Something about relish?

"Call A-"

"Shush now, Mr. Alcaraz", Coil put a bony hand over my mouth, "Yes, that's right you will have a proper costume waiting for you."

With that Coil left my line of sight from the bed they had me strapped down to. Circus watched as a medical tech walked up and worked on some new IV bag thing.

"Alright, once the good doctor is done here, Mr. Devil, I get to take your measurements and make up a suit for you."

"Wiggen!"

Fuck my life.

"Ah, I'll see what I can do, boyo."

Nononono, I can't I can't go back to sleep. T-T- Anne needs me. Ab-Ab-abuela needs me. I can't spend more time gone! I don't wanna go!

I DON'T WANNA BE LEFT BEHIND AGAIN!

I'm- I'm not tired, I'll fight this this...

~~x

Sirens.

I hear sirens, faint in the distance. My mind feels like a dried out sponge, stiff and stale from lack of use.

Or like an overcooked tortilla left out overnight, like if I tried to eat it at breakfast it'd snap apart into shards. With the brown and black flakes that uncover an undercooked inside. It's terrible is what I'm getting at here.

"I'm not going to wait here any longer for the kid to wake up."

"Shit."

"Look right now, in my opinion, sleep is for the dead. It's either you move or you die. Darwin shit."

"Boss said to wait for him to stir, then stick him in the ambulance and head to the outer edges of town."

"Fuck that shit, I'm not going to die because Coil wants to keep both his Gold and Silver medals. He has the girl that's good enough. I'm not going to sit around while that fucking thing is out there."

"Don't be a puss about it."

"That fucker sunk part of Japan! This is a coastal town. It's bad. Let's go, I got the keys anyway."

I felt the stretcher thing I'm strapped to be moved around and then two clicks, "Sorry kid, hope this helps... fuck".

The smell of Old Spice lingered in the room as I heard the door slam.

I waited several moments before I started testing the straps, a blind fold was over my eyes, guess they finally got me to wear one. I could hear thunder and water outside.

Did I say rain? No.

I said water. Like a kiddie pool or big ass bucket being dumped out repeatedly. The structure I'm in shakes, shudders. The things in it like me strapped to this thing shift uncomfortably.

I can finally feel my toes. I get them rubbing against one another, bearing the pins and needles feeling in weird places but overall my muscles don't feel sore or weak.

Just kinda there.

Like my body paused. It's a strange feeling but the building has an attitude right now and I'm blind and hobbled to a table thing. I'll save my brain wondering for later.

I take a few deep breaths and I swap to my breaker state. It's the weakest version I've ever done. I'm an awkward pile of grit and dirt and sand and I shift and move until I tinkle like a stream of sand onto the floor.

I swap again and I'm free on the cold floor of the warehouse.

WHY IS IT ALWAYS WAREHOUSES?!

And as I wonder on those warehouses for criminals' connection my brain does a thing.

Taylor and Grandma, The Wards and Amy. Where is everyone?

The entire building shifts off its foundation. Warehouses are basically four walls and a roof, not exactly the toughest stuff especially with years of sea water wearing on supports both metal and wood.

Water starts wetting the floor of the room they locked me in. I seen The Walking Dead, they tried to Rick my ass when they ran.

Another wave of water pounds the side of the building and it moves again and I have to move with it or be pulled under and chewed up by the ragged bottoms of the walls.

Fuck.

I look down and I find I'm dressed in a fullsize body bodysuit, much like I remember Coil wearing. I'm too freaked out by the fun house situation of moving walls in a flooding building with locked doors to appreciate that someone chan-

Fuck.

Circus probably did it.

The only person I'm comfortable watching me change is-

The building is losing its integrity as it's pounded by another taller wave as the windows high up shatter and water spills in from there too.

Gotta breaker state again.

In an instant I'm pouring through cracks and holes in the walls trying to find an exit. Seven walls and a window later I'm outside and it's dark out. The sea is churning and lightning jumps between clouds, lighting up the bay.

Out in the distance a figure passed across the waters, its silhouette impressive as it seemed to skate across the water as it ran. If I remember right, that's an Endbringer. The shit of nightmares. These things existed before I was born and they are free standing disasters that just up and decide to attack places.

Abuela said - she said, that they are like the fire from the skies that struck Sodom and Gomorrah. Punishment, Old Testament style, fire and brimstone or wind and water.

This one is Leviathan. It was coming. This is the one that would have jumped Noah's Ark and humped it to pieces because it could.

In my breaker state I launched to a rooftop and I looked back to the city, lights and the flare of powers being used or exercised on the rooftops, they added a faint glow that touched the gray clouds.

It looked like Brockton Bay got an early warning. That's good, that buys me time. Coil promised my body would be in shape and maintained as I healed in the coma toast state. Coma…those? Comatose state, yeah. I clenched my fists and stretched my legs. Everything felt normal, just needed to break the rust off.

But I also felt a lot bigger. They might have over exercised me with those electrodes he mentioned. It's not like I was fat before but now I felt like -

Fuck.

Fuck that thinking. I need to get Abuela clear, make sure she's in a shelter. Then I'll find Taylor and - and get her to shelter. Then I'll guard them.

No, I'll fight. I'll get them to go to the shelters then fight.

If we have to fall back then I'll stick to their shelters and beat his ass with whatever debris I can pick up. Sure this is the Davy Crockett/Jim Bowie Alamo plan, but I don't know what I'm doing.

The waves crest and crash against more buildings, warehouses here along the Docks. This gives me a rough idea of where I am. I swap to my dusty boy state again and head to The Undersiders warehouse base. The wind is with me pushing me towards my destination.

When I arrived the skylight was left cracked open and I poured in. The place was empty. That's good because this will get damaged or wiped out as it's too close to the water if what I remember is spot on.

I'm relieved because that just leaves the Hebert house, I'll try for Abuela then there after.

Please be fine. Jesus, it's dark out. What time was it? Is it morning or night?

Even in my breaker state it gives me this wide view as I move where it's not so much that I can see with my eyes but that I can see and hear and view and touch with my whole perception about as much as my mass gains. So while I sweep over the neighborhoods very few people remain and those that are are piling into vehicles or arguing about the best shelter to head to.

At my Abuela's house I swap to my human form and find the porch light on. And that means she's home. When I was little and I'd stay out past dusk, she'd leave the porch light on to tell me they were home and waiting for me. She left it on while I was trapped by Coil.

How long has she been leaving that light on? How long has she worried about me? I want to be mad, I want to hate that cowardly snake more than anything but I take my hate and choke it down.

"Abuela? I'm back", I call out through the screen door.

No answer, no smell of cooking. God, I hope someone dragged her to a shelter. I hear a crash from inside, rummaging sounds, and I try the door and it opens. I let it bang behind me and the noise inside halts.

"Abuelita are you okay?" I call out again.

I hear two loud steps, a scrape against the wooden floor and a body comes flying at me. Tattoos, bald, carrying a weapon in hand. I let it pass through my breaker state and I solidified. I watch the guy scramble at my feet, "Answer my two questions and I'll let you go."

"Fuck you, Spic."

Great it's a racist looter or a - I smell gasolina.

FWOOSH.

I smell smoke and the guy is swiping at me as he picks himself up. I grab him by his cheap white shirt and yank him to my height. He stabs me over and again and instead of blood it's dirt, dust, and sand being drawn from the wounds.

That's new. I mean it's partially why I survived the stabbing and bombing and the probably Circus' hammer attack. My body just automatically swaps states to dodge or absorb attacks. But this guy was the world's slowest stabber.

"You better be done", I tell him as I lift him off his feet.

Okay I wouldn't call myself strong so this is new too. Did Coil pump me full of Mark McGwire shit while I was out? How long was I out?

"What is today's date?"

The guy is wild eyed as he stabs me one more time, "Fourteenth. No, fifteenth? Fifteenth, May.

A month, a fucking month, "May fifteenth, twenty eleven?"

"Yes, YES! THIS PLACE IS ON FIRE LET ME GO!"

"I asked for the whole date as one question. I got another, but oof it's hot in here. Strange hells we make for ourselves, huh?"

"Ask, ask, ask!"

"Where is the woman who lives here?"

The bald dude made a face, "I- I just got orders to burn all the houses down. That's it. It's Endbringer time, the truce is on for the fight, but I'm not even doing Empire shit, this is just a job, man. If some old beaner bitch goes homeless no skin off my nose."

I crack my first smile since waking, "You ever see what a sandblaster does to a human body?"

The punk's eyes widened.

"Put out the fucking fire, I don't care if you have to piss and cry and sweat over it, you're going to put it out or I'll find you. I'm one of those capes that doesn't fucking sleep. If this place isn't standing when I get back I'm going to tear through every lily white sonuvabitch I see until I don't see a single person resembling you for hundreds of miles."

I tossed the asshole into the kitchen, gave the house a once over, and I stormed out as he was filling the house bucket.

She wasn't here. Thank God. She must have gone to the shelters. Otherwise I don't know where she could have gone.l other than the-

I was at the Church, St. Mary's of the Universe. It's not her usual church but she knows it's the one I think of when I think church. It does Mass in English for the kids. I'm not a big Latin fan.

It was a newer building, tried to resemble the cathedrals of Rome but smaller and up to City fire code standards. The doors are shut and sandbags are piled up like a war is coming.

I slip inside and find it with the pews about a quarter full. Mostly older people, lonely people, picking the shelter of their belief over tinker made concrete and steel alloys.

"Abuela", I say again with a catch in my voice. "Abuelita!?"

A Priest gives me a look, he's not the usual Padre or Father but he looks exhausted. The people around me as I walk down the aisle are praying, rosaries out and I try to keep calm. The skinhead from a minute ago was not a good omen.

People taking advantage, but Mr. Rogers said look for the helpers. Right now I'm not making things worse but I'm not trying to make them better either.

"Abue-" and I feel a tug on my arm.

I look and it's her, she's safe, and she's crying. Fuck I'm crying, but it's church it's okay to be moved in church. I picked her up and I hugged my Grandmother. I can feel her talking against my chest, her words are going a mile a minute in thanks and in prayer.

"Okay, you keep praying, I'll be back. I'll try to keep the monster from coming to the church", I tell her as I release her and she nods, still in prayer, and takes her place back in the pews.

I want to hesitate as I walk back down the aisle. I want to take worries away from my Grandmother and not give her all new ones. I take a deep breath and before I reach the tall ornate door it opens and two capes step through.

A short woman wearing something of a shiny purple choir robe with black combat boots and tactical helmet with night vision goggles attached. A comically large grenade launcher was slung on her back.

Beside her was a tall armored person, the body shape definitely human but no real distinct way to tell if man or woman. Their white painted medieval style armor carried a flaming sword across their back.

The choir girl looked me up and down. I realized I was wearing the black Coil-like body suit but the mask was down revealing my face, "You should probably suit up, buddy. Hey, you don't have an armband."

"Literally, just woke up and to a whole Endbringer thing", I replied.

"We all did. We're getting a quick blessing in before we head back out to deploy. You need a ride, man?" She asked.

I nodded, "I was going to look for my - my lady friend, she's a bug cape."

The Knight and Choir Girl exchange a look, "Uhh, seems anyone who could get out is gone and the rest are deploying to either fight, recovery, or provide support. Bug powers are probably a support thing unless she spits acid or flies, then she'd be attacking or doing recovery."

I nodded again, "then I'll wait back here for that ride."

The two walked ahead down the main aisle and I slipped out the door.

 

[Eatersgrin]

It wouldn't take long to zip over to Taylor's house. I needed to check on her and make sure her and her dad were okay.

Oy.

If things were true, if Coil wasn't fucking with me. They'd be gone and I can focus on the monster and protecting the church.

Really simple.

Because- what are bugs going to do on the front line. I mean Taylor can make some massive swarms. Maybe she can cricket blast that stupid monster buy someone some time?

Maybe she can find people trapped in rubble and we can dig them out? I mean capes are people, people get hurt, they do need rescuing from time to time.

She rescued me.

What has she been doing for a month? Did she worry about me? I know she concerns herself about so much. Dammit. I shouldn't have fucking gotten into that windowless van full of mercenaries.

Wasn't brave, it was dumb.

And Circus bashed my brains in. Bad enough to need surgery and Amy again.

AGAIN!

Maybe I'm not cut out for this shit? I know they point to Vista like she's the kid with all A's going. She's just a baby and she's a whooping ass everyday. She's happy to be sweaty, tired, and beat up - day in and day out.

And that kills me because she's not happy at home. She cares about everyone on the team, she even thinks of Sophia and Sophia sucks. But yeah, they point out Vista like she's the Wards poster child, putting pressure on her she doesn't need but wants.

Everyone treating the Endbringer like a damn hurricane, Mr. Hebert leaving a window cracked open and Xs of tape across the window glass. I slip in through the window crack and survey the house.

Lights out, empty.

I found Taylor's room. Her closet door is partially open and the back of it on a hanger is my hoodie, the blood stains I imagined that would be on the front are gone. On another hanger is a top that in the light would probably go with it.

She saved it. She uses it. I hold back any further sobs still trapped in my chest from the church. This night, the morning is not over. I can finish feeling sad and fucked over tomorrow.

I grab my hoodie and pull it on over the creepy ass black bodysuit. The mirror on the inside of her closet door shows me in black and olive green. I don't want to cover my face with the mask and remind me of Coil.

I look around and Taylor has art supplies sitting on a small table. Acrylic gray paint, washable. Enamel black gloss, toxic fumes. Acrylic matte black paint, self sealing.

That'll do.

I finger paint black stripes on my face because fuck it, I don't care at this point. I could die fighting this thing but I'm not going to face it looking like a kicked puppy. I read the info, Leviathan fights are the Normandy Landing mixed with Khe Sanh with King Kong as your opponent.

This is war.

I close up the paint cap and quickly wipe my fingers on the legs of my body suit. I pull up the hoodie and breaker state, heading back to the church.

I'm in the back of the church again when the two heroes are marching back to the door.

"Weren't you - where'd you get, all of that?" The choir girl with the grenade launcher asked.

"Checked on my friend and picked up something for the fight and the rain."

The Knight looked at their partner, " A Velocity style cape."

I nodded, "Something like that. I'm ready when you two are."

The Knight lifts up their partner's arm and calls in the location into some kinda bracelet and a few moments later a flying pod with no roof descended from the sky into the church parking lot.

Cool.

We stepped in and it sent us flying through the sky well above traffic but below the helicopters and other flying vehicles of the other tinkers and capes.

As we descend on a quickly filling lot of capes I decide to try to be myself, "Ya know I'm not a jewelry guy except that year in eighth grade I wore a gold chain with my initials, but where'd you get that bracelet?"

The two look at each other again. Are they psychic?

We all hop off several feet off the ground and the pod launches back into the sky.

"Bracelet was a gift - hey, A.O.G - should this kid be here?" The Choir Girl asked her partner.

"I don't know, who are you with, My Son?"

"I was - it's complicated but I'm new to the Wards of the city here." Why lie to the nice ladies? People? I don't know who A.O.G. is but they seem nice.

Choir Girl points to the other side of the area. Familiar faces. And helmets. And masks.

Protectorate heroes from posters and action figures from my childhood. Definitely not the Wards. The two heroes I'm with are definitely not local or Protectorate.

I take a few steps towards the big guys but realize. If Coil can snatch a Ward in broad daylight right out of a hospital what else could he do to poison the well? What could he have done or said or made happen for me to want to be employed by him once I was released?

Crap.

"You okay, My Son?" A.O.G. asked from behind me.

I hung my head and turned back to them, "I was injured in a fight I shouldn't have been in. I should have asked before I ran into an ambush. I got hurt bad and they sent me to one of the Asylums to heal. I got released to come help but I'm not sure if I'm welcome back to the team or I'm heading back to the Asylum after" Okay, maybe not entirely false. "I think I'm more afraid of being rejected or just not acknowledged at all than facing the thing coming."

Choir Girl sighed, "Fine. I'll let the local Youth Guard know we will watch out for you but if things go wrong during the fight stay by A.O.G., got it?"

I nodded.

She trudged off across the lot to get me cleared and I scanned the area while the knight put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. Things were really damn busy as the capes gathered together.

Four m- five months ago I'd be geeking out wondering why I was standing with the Athenas and Marses of today. I think I can make out Tattletale in the crowd, guess every god group needs a Hel.

Tattletale.

Lisa!

Then that means-

Skitter, I think, is by the doorway to the building, she was being welcomed by a half naked metal man. The black and gray armored woman followed his group inside.

I was torn.

Waiting for Choir Girl to get permission and charging after Taylor.

Skitter, can't let people know she's Taylor.

My Annie.

Oh God, it's been a month since we had lunch and decided to be together.

Fucking Coil. Asshole.

"Hey, you should calm down unless - that's how you charge... Uhh, what should we call you?" A.O.G. asked.

I looked down and noticed the legs of the black costume I wore gathering brown flecks of dirt and dust quickly without any thoughts or commands, "You can call me Ray."

"Shush, if that is your given name, there are villains here. Now unless it's Ray of Light? The Ray? Radium?"

I shook my head and fidgeted with the strings of my hoodie, "Dust Devil... Sorry."

"I am The Assembler, A.O.G. is an acronym for my full title bestowed on me, but some find invoking His name an issue so The Assembler is fine."

"Tinker?"

"I lay hands on materials, shut my eyes and when I'm done praying I usually have what I need to achieve my goals."

Wow, that's pretty fast.

"Interesting, that's - pretty cool."

"Thanks. Yesterday we made this armor and the sword and then Chorale there showed up with a pick up truck of some aircraft grade materials, engine parts, and some fuel. So I prayed over that and we ended up with that pod. It's how we got here."

"Oh my Abuela, Grandmother, would adore meeting you and feeding you."

The Assembler nodded, "It'd be a pleasure once this is all over."

"Cool, she was who I was checking on at the church when we met up."

Chorale showed up and tossed an earpiece at me, "There you go, Kid. Tap on the big end to talk, stick the little end in your ear and you're good for talking to us if we split up. We should get going, they're gathering inside."

I follow the pair and there is definitely a calmness to them as I watch The Assembler duck their helmet to fit through the doorway. I definitely felt like a kid as I followed around Chorale and The Assembler, they walked with a purpose and took up a spot next to-

Sweet Jesus.

Members of the Empire Eighty-Eight nodded at Chorale and The Assembler and they returned the nods.

"Ahh, do you know them?" I ask because - holy shit.

Chorale gestured at the white supremacists, "They're here to fight the Endbringer, that earns my respect but what they do after that - respect is earned but also must be maintained."

Hookwolf wolf-whistled at Chorale and jacked off the air in front of his crotch. The Assembler stiffened in their armor, "He just lost that respect."

He snickered and turned back to whisper to one of Kaiser's two valkyries.

"Space is at a premium, Dust Devil, this is a convenient place to wait until the meeting begins."

I nodded, "Since we're clarifying things, my breaker state lets me turn into like a wind gust that can build up into a mini tornado and all that that comes with a tornado... like a Dust Devil."

More and more capes entered and teleported onto the scene as three large monitors were spaced around the room. A sea of folding chairs were mostly empty and there was a huge mob of Wards from different cities mingling with New Wave's kid members. I saw Amy staring daggers at Tattletale and Skitter.

Yes.

I thought I was just seeing things but there she was dressed in her upcycled dead bug armor. Armsmaster was talking away with other Protectorate members and no one noticed me. It was strange knowing so many people in one room and I was like un phantasmo, just observing the living.

"You okay, Kid?" Chorale asked, she wasn't even looking at me. She simply was tightening straps under her choir robe and checking battery levels of her various electronics.

"Ahh, I just saw my lady friend. I'm noticing she's uhh not very popular with the kids our age. Err, my age, sorry."

"None taken, kid. Go on and talk to her, make her feel a little less unwelcome. It'll do your nerves good", she pointed her chin forward but still didn't look up from her activity.

I took a few steps forward and Tattletale broke off from Skitter, and I took the opportunity to swap to my breaker state and literally slide through the folding chairs, crossing the room in a blink of an eye.

"Annie", I whispered as I materialized next to her.

"It's Skitter now, apparently", she said calmly. "You - you're wearing the hoodie."

"While I was there I borrowed some paint too."

"You checked on me?"

"Yeah, you and Abuelita. She's at St. Mary's church like twenty blocks back."

Skitter turned to me and I held out my hand to her. She didn't even look down and put her hand in mine. I pulled her forward into a hug and her body went rigid in my arms. I almost buried my face in her hair but it seemed to come alive on its own, "You're covered in bugs?"

She took a step back and held up both arms palms out to me and shook her head. "I'm not who you think I am, guy", she said with her voice raised.

"I was - I was-"

"Beat it", she was harsh, her voice almost growling.

Any semblance of the will to grin again died right there. Regent snickered like a mini Hookwolf. I think this is the moment I start hating the kid.

I backed off from Skitter, really just backpedaling into a wall. Maybe she's just protecting her identity in a room full of villains and heroes. Their presence increased as some bigger names entered and the meeting began.

Armbands were passed out by overly friendly Metal Guy, Missy and Dennis, before he could walk away I cinched it to my forearm.

The band's display asked me to state my name. I wonder if I should use my name. Would this alert Coil? Or would this send PRT after me for whatever it is they've been told about me? Am I just being paranoid?

Fuck it.

"Dust Devil."

Clockblocker was easy to read in his helmet. His line of sight snapped to me as I confirmed it on the screen, "Dude."

"We'll catch up after", I whispered.

This kid is one of my favorite people. I lost my only friend after I triggered and then when I joined the Wards... Kid Win, Vista and Clockblocker warmed up to me. They saw my progress as I underwent therapy, working through the symptoms of my injuries. They understood beneath the tics and the quirks and lack of a filter I was an okay guy.

"Man", he responded with the shake of his helmet.

Goddamn, Coil. That better be an 'amazed' Man and not a 'you're fucked' Man.

Chorale frowned as she came up to me. I don't know why most women frown around me so much. Do I give off some kinda disappointing stink or aura or something?

"Seems A.O.G. is going frontline melee. I'm secondary ranged, so apparently gettin' to go with Miss Militia to use special ordinance. Seems the teams thing is making us split up. What're you going to -"

The room, the building itself was coming apart. I'd already played this game back at the ramshackle Warehouses pounded by the churned up surf. When the ceiling started to collapse I swapped out of my breaker state and was on a rooftop being pounded by rain.

What the hell was I going to do against a monster that could do all this damage and still be a good distance from shore? I felt that feeling from school when I cared about my grades but didn't understand what the teacher was doing. That feeling in my chest when I had to show Abuelo and Abuela my grades, progress reports, report cards. That feeling of the end of everything and unsure of what comes next.

That's what I felt trying to stare through the drenching rain looking out at the green eyed asshole with the chongo arms and a stupid tail.

I can move fast but I can't carry anyone. I can safely watch the thing move but I can't communicate while in my breaker state. I can't attack it with rocks and dirt and it would take several minutes to get myself built up enough to even pick up things heavy enough to even think about hurting it. Leviathan might as well have swept away anything I can pick up.

Besides I don't know my upper limit to what I can move or carry in my mass but what if I suck up people or smack them with the shit I'm carrying? I'd need to get the big asshole alone to even think to try.

It has to be she was protecting herself. It just has to. I'm not just going to let her be though. I - I haven't had that month to be upset or mourn or feel loss. Time stolen from me. Life taken from me.

Coil owes me a debt. He owes me time and a life.

I shake my head and force myself to feel the salt water on my face. I need to be in the moment, no one to talk to but myself. I can't be distracted when I fight this thing.

I take several steps back and I charge forward and leap off the roof. I swap to my dust form and I churn through the humid air. I let my form catch air currents and get pushed along barely steering my mass around buildings. My breaker form picking up stray dust and dirt from the air and surfaces of buildings.

Finally I spot a mass of capes semi near the Boardwalk area and I materialize amongst them. Many are still coughing up water or recovering from almost drowning on their knees.

I spotted her again staring out towards the Bay. Her curls heavy and wet, mask dripping, but her lenses were locked firmly on their target.

Someone yelled, a rush of water and air pressure hit me and I was an observer again as the fight started. Leviathan l's movements were fast, vicious, even the arm and tail movements that seemed to do nothing to any cape In Front of him tossed water in different directions taking out fliers and ranged capes.

The Boardwalk was Normandy Beach and there was no cutscene giving anyone protection from the violence in front of them.

His sudden attack left me in my breaker form, really really really faster than it had done when I was attacked by Circus. Maybe I'm more scared of clowns than dying? Or maybe Taylor is here and I know deep down I need to protect her, protect Abuela and the Church.

Screw it.

I start building up speed and mass as I back away from the fight. The chunks of torn up boardwalk seems like good ammo to use against Leviathan so I sweep over there where no other capes are and feed my mass.

Gains, as some of the gym rats at school would talk about when lifting weights.

Now all I could do was watch as my little dust devil form increased in size every few seconds. I needed speed and momentum and inertia and centrifugal force and all that other science shit to work in my favor.

From my steadily increasing height, I saw a large flaming sword bounce off one of the Endbringer's claws.

Shit.

I hoped Taylor hoofed it away. She's got it in her heart to do good, she's probably helping people injured in the fight. Probably using spiders and bumblebees to Disney Princess up some sutures and slings.

Lasers we're flying all crazy at Leviathan. In the dark you could just see the glowing burns of where they struck Leviathan. Next Alexandria tangled with the monster just long enough for Dragon to attack with her badass ship.

As much as they kept hitting it the monster advanced. He might as well have been an actual hurricane that they were fighting. Water, wind, super strong forces just ripping and tearing and breaking living people and buildings a lot older than me or my grandparents.

I was watching this thing like it was venom in the city's skin just starting to eat into the fat and muscle. Educational shows can be brutal.

I NEED TO GET BIGGER!

This is where Dennis would start laughing if he heard me say that.

Again with the nature show stuff but like army ants handfuls of other capes started in on Leviathan.

Chunks of concrete and broken brick started feeding into me and I could see into the second and third stories of buildings. Metal garbage cans sucked into my breaker state and I was starting to make a racket as brick and cinder blocks pieces glanced across the metal surfaces.

A rush of water built up and crested over the battle site. Leviathan had made a tidal wave to kill the capes. That meant the coast was literally clear as the monster scaled a building.

I pushed my mass forward and built up speed as the Endbringer beared down the rooftop. This big lizard is trying to pounce on soaked, shocked capes.

I put the bulk of the force of my speed behind a single piece of concrete with a bit of rebar sticking out of it. I use brief bursts of force to put the rebar as the very top of my mass and I sandblasted this punk ass lizard with the remains of the city's childhood.

Leviathan was midleap as it bowled over, barely missing its target, as shrapnel from the Boardwalk slammed into it.

I materialized on the street almost tripping over garbage floating in the water.

Myrddin took advantage of the surprise attack by slamming that monster with an orb of power and knocked it inside a large building.

"Welcome to Brockton Bay," I huffed out as I steadied myself on the flooded street.

The build up and concentration took a lot out of me. I was out of practice and it wasn't like this was something I did all the time between basic patrols and watching Sophia at school when I was with The Wards.

The remaining forces put up forcefield to trap the big freak and dropped buildings on Leviathan and a cape holding it back. Names started rattling off as hurt or dead. Name after name, broken or gone.

My mind was hoping not to hear the people I care about in the list and I realized that this was a list of people wearing armbands, fighting. Not the PRT officers keeping the people of the city from running into this battle, not the cops checking on people who might be stuck in their homes, all the people caught up in the fighting.

All I did was hit the bastard as hard as I could just to throw him off a few feet. And people are still dying. Why did I get to wake up to this? What was I accomplishing here? I'm a hero and I can help. Or at least I'm a cape who can try.

Gallant was named.

That's bad. Really fucking bad. He was an okay guy. I just wouldn't trust him with sensitive situations. His on again, off again thing with a lady like Victoria and the way he handles Missy. I don't like it.

Tattletale, too.

It didn't say injured or dead so. I don't know how to feel about that. She seemed to be the one who showed care for Taylor. Even the way she was with Taylor at the meeting before this nightmare started. I'm glad she was there for her despite being a head-messing-with-er.

Leviathan was back up because of course it is. The lizard asshole was crawling out of the wreckage. It flung chunks of the city at its defenders.

I tried my breaker state again and I got nothing. I'm about as tough right now as a bruised ham on a picnic table in the middle of Summer.

But I won't give up.

I slog my way through the streets and alleys choked with salt water, garbage, and the bodily fluids left on the sidewalk by Brockton Bay's 2AM crowd.

By the time I caught up more down, more dead and the cries for the dead capes just did not stop. What the hell reason does this thing exist? Yeah, Godzilla is cool but I don't want to meet his half pint, mute ass, serial killer stepbrother.

It hasn't even been a half hour of this and drowning in a collapsed warehouse while in a coma is sounding better if only so I didn't have to wake up rejected by Anne. It's like the Mexican soap operas where the rich guy is dying and his last moments midseries are with his adoring wife but the whole first half of the series she's trying to pick between all the guys she's been seeing while her husband is getting worse and worse.

Beautiful lies, ya know?

With everything so slick and wet, this new area of the city is less of a disaster but soon will be. I couldn't imagine building up mass like before.

I needed to try. Force myself to change into my breaker state to hit this monster again. Instead I saw Dennis in his Empire Eighty-Eight approved costume, the moving clock faces on white bodysuit stood out in the darker costumed capes. I trudged through the water.

"Clockie-B!", I yell, as I have never referred to him this way before. "Clockie-B".

Dennis looks around confused for a moment until my splashing movement and frantic waving cause him to lower his shoulders, "Dust Devil?"

"Longtime, CB, what the hell are you doing out here?"

The Protectorate members that crowded around The Ward parted as Dennis shuffled through the water to me, "We're going to try to get me to touch the Endbringer."

"Worth it?"

"Huh?"

"You think it's worth tagging it? Think you can get close enough?"

"It's what I need to do to work my power, Dust Bunny."

I don't grin, I don't laugh, but I do snort. I'm not that fucked up to not recognize a good one.

"Remember that time we misplaced a containment foam grenade training against Dragon Drones and you-"

"I turned your breaker state into a big dirt ball."

"That'd be safer for you, right?"

Clockblocker looked around the Protectorate members then back to me, "I was willing to do it before but if we can lock you down around it then touch that thing a second time, it'd be safer and we could probably keep it locked down til Scion shows at least. Go, build up your dust bunnies, and I'll tell them we have twelve percent more of a plan."

I run off and I start fiddling with my arm and, something about button presses and the voice will listen to you or something.

One, one, two, one.

One, one, two, two.

One, two, one, two.

"Yes, Dust Devil?! I have just been informed you are part of a revised plan?" It was Dragon's voice.

Awesome.

"Uhh, Dragon, could a flier take me to a roof? I need to jump start my breaker state to build up fast."

"Notified. Good luck, Dust Devil."

It all happened so quickly, a pair of fliers grabbed me under my arms from behind and lifted me up, in seconds I was hovering over the roof, "No, take me higher over the street then let me go!"

Without question we surged up into the sky. There was a brief shift and I was free falling. I don't know if I am suicidal trying to force the change or just wanted one last chance to see the city before I risked it all against an Endbringer but this was exhilarating. I don't even think of it as flying in my breaker state: it's just me moving fast, I don't enjoy it, I'm just an observer.

Before I hit the flooded asphalt, I shift into my dust form and I imagine myself reaching out, scraping the edges of my faint form against the wet grime of the buildings around me. I pry the moist clumps away, freeing dirt, dust, mold, spray paint, and ancient bird crap, all to add to my mass. As the fractions of seconds pass I close in on the monster. I'm a multicolor billowing cloud of up yours freak and I'm sad about my best friend/girlfriend. I just really really wanna ruin this thing's day again.

Kaiser's wall of bladed columns slipped past as Leviathan pushed against it and I just turned the sonuvabitch into the world's shittiest snow globe.

It batted at me uselessly as I swarmed it in pigeon shit and paint chips. It sent up sheets of water to knock me out of the air but it's all just a part of me now, by wetting the dust and dirt it made it into mud and is just part of my mass. I'm growing at a good rate and-

 

[Eatersgrin]

-and I'm ready for Dennis to do his... Oh God.

Crazy explosions went off as I started moving again. Blades passing through my breaker state. Is this what being an Endbringer felt like? Everyone out to cage, kill, or maim you?

I passed through the space it's tail fit through and moved away revealing the punk ass monster was still on pause and they were cinching their cage around it tight.

I saw Clockblocker waving me down and he was standing next to - Anne. I'm a thousand percent certain this may be my last time seeing her so I'm going down there.

I materialize between some weird gawky magician type, Taylor and Dennis, "So did it work?"

"Hell yes it did. I'm glad you spread out like you did because I would have gotten messed up with his water attacks as he struggled inside of you."

"So gross", I said to Clockie-B. I looked at Skitter, "Are you alright?"

"I got my orders", She said and slowly walked away, arm dangling at her side. Cold as hell, but kind of rrrrowl. I don't know what this woman was waking inside me.

"Man, what's with you and Skitter? You've been gone and now you're back and really weird with a villain during the truce."

"I'll... tell you later if things are okay and we make it. So what's the orders?" I ask.

Dennis filled me in while the magician blinked away, "So basically King Kong cage, Bakuda Sea Mines, and heavy hitters front and center."

"When I came to and spotted you I saw like maybe seventy capes."

Dennis shrugged, "Sounds about right uhh, think we can do that thing again to shut it down?"

"I'm down it's you, the nut job willing to get that close and dressed like an Endbringer snack-sized bar of white chocolate, Into wondering if you still got the guts to do it again."

"Hey! Stick by me and we'll go when the big guys and gals say so."

"Deal", I say and look over my shoulder towards where Taylor wandered off. "I'm with you, Clockie-B."

Hand over his heart Dennis cringed, "Dude, no. Not that nickname."

Our armbands went off and notified us where to regroup and we jogged off to the safer location designated. In the distance Vista was bending the battlefield with her powers to help support Kaiser's cage.

Would our efforts hold down this thirty foot tall scaly toddler? Probably not. But if you don't try you won't know.

The heavy hitters and tank types gathered in gang size groups around the cage, ready to put boot to tail. On rooftops and floating platforms, ranged capes were ready to pelt that freak. And then there was us, capes too fragile to be close, yet too stupid to be even farther away.

And just like a toddler after a nap, an explosion of energy as the green machine battered through the steel bars. The rampaging beast climbed a nearby building and went up against more capes roofside.

Names started coming off the bands, Carlos among them. He wasn't a bad guy just, I didn't get his leadership style. He kept handing things off to Gallant here and there. Things as it was Gallant I couldn't really trust.

But we're kids.

Kids screw up. We get dirty. We do the not quite right things. We break bones and hearts and we feel screwed up inside, but we're still just barely learning and this giant monster doesn't care. It doesn't care about the future. It just shows up and screws everything up, pushes us harder than we've ever been pushed.

"Carlos,'' Clock whispered.

I turned to face his faceless helmet, "We got this, for Aegis. We're going to show 'em that he let us do what we do best so we are the best."

"Are you seeing Skitter?" he replied, ignoring my words almost in a daze.

My heart sank, "Focus, man. Get ready for when they need us. Don't get weird on me."

"Kid is up", he pointed at the sky.

Chris was on a platform, his hoverboard turned into a turret for his freaky ass cannon. Piggot confiscated the thing and now he was back in it and pouring the hurt out on Leviathan. The names stopped coming over the bands for a few moments as Chris raised his platform and fired again.

His platform spun, laser beam firing in a wide arc then it winked out.

The Armbands stated the obvious, Kid Win, Down, letters, numbers.

"Fuck", I hissed.

Dennis put a glove on my shoulder and squeezed.

Kaiser, deceased, letters, numbers.

Skitter, deceased, letters, numbers.

The armbands continued to add to the growing list of capes.

I dropped to the rooftop on all fours and vomited bile, my stomach empty since I woke up.

IS THIS THING RUINING WHAT'S LEFT OF MY LIFE ON PURPOSE!?

"Dee Dee, you Okay? Just - let it out. It's nerves. Chris is down, he'll be okay, I'm sure a flier or teleporter got him."

Clock crouched down hands on my shoulders as I puked up nothing again, "Unless it's-"

"Yes, yeah, you're right, man. And she's gone now. She's gone, shit!" my whole body shuddered as cold winds whipped across the roof and cut through my wet hoodie.

"Damn, uhh, it could be her armband got smashed. Her arm was hurt, coulda got damaged and then - it's seawater out there, salt water and tech don't mix, Ray."

I looked up at him like he told me Santa was really real, "Okay. Okay." I repeated and he helped me stand.

It's a - it's a slim chance, a sliver of hope he's feeding me. I'm going to hold onto it because I need it. I need it so bad right now. I focused on breathing. Keeps my ears open for our orders. Focused on being less than useless by staying aware.

Armsmaster, down, letters, numbers.

Okay, he's just down. Not dead. Still an asshole.

"Keep me like here, man. What the hell do the letters and numbers mean?" I begged my teammate.

"Coordinates. Column, Row, square, exact location I guess. Armsmaster... is down?"

"Yeah."

"He's really careful. Everything he does is measured. Like retentive - puckered into diamond if some coal was back there."

"I get it, Clock. You painted the mental picture now, let it dry and let it go.

Our banter was shitty tonight. We felt shitty, we looked shitty, and we were held in reserve if it gets even shittier, "Hey, uhh I'm gonna follow that sonuvabitch and build up my breaker state, man. Just uhh have them get you to it when they're ready for us to lock that sucker down, CB."

I glanced down at my armband and it showed on the little map where Leviathan was. I leapt off the roof again and was hauling ass after its last location.

I resist the urge to land and ask Dragon's program where Skitter was last seen.

I'm just doing what I did last time. Letting my breaker form squeegee the surfaces of buildings and picking up trash floating in the water. Death by ten thousand cigarette butts is not too good for this big, stupid waste of a morning. Sure I got released because Coil is too much of a coward to face an Endbringer but then again I could be dreaming of a brunette sneaking off into my bathroom.

I spot Leviathan or rather its path of destruction and I start fucking with it. Anytime it decides to look somewhere other than facing the sea I steer my mass at it's stupid four-eyed face.

Ohh yes.

Four-Eyes.

I dive at its face every single time it tries to clock a new target or is checking for danger. Am I hurting it? No. Am I weaponizing my annoying nature? Yes.

It made a hard turn through the corner of a street and plowed through a building. I took the opportunity to suck up chunks of the rubble and grew all exponential-like.

Eventually the damn thing dove underground where I couldn't follow. Water surged through the storm drains and it would take too much of my build up to try to travel and catch up.

I saw this Earth Aleph movie, this is the part where Jon Cryer and the leader of the French Spies take down Godzilla on George Washington bridge but before that Godzilla is using the waters between the islands to hide from military subs.

But we don't have any damn submarines to stop Leviathan.

If I swap to my human form to check its location I lose mass but if I don't I lose my ability to get to him.

A tidal wave passed under me as I flew overhead. That's when I see her again, in the arms of Victoria and Amy's cousin, Skitter. She's clutching her arm, hurt but alive.

No more fake deaths or real kidnappings, I swear to all that is holy. I need to kiss this woman... and hopefully she'll let me. Laserdream seems to be following after Leviathan, or at least it's destruction better than I was.

With a new compass pointing to danger, I went back to collecting mass. I'd now spent enough time in my breaker state I was easily carrying loose bricks and whole cinder blocks.

Laserdream brought us to the fight and giant plushies were fighting Leviathan. Most of the other heroes were staying back as the stuffed animals were tag teaming the freak. By the time two stuffed animals went down what was left of Empire Eighty-Eight was tearing into Leviathan.

Browbeat, deceased, letters, numbers.

Parian, down, letters, numbers.

Goddamn it.

I can't let Taylor get hurt or lose her again. Where was Clockblocker? Why weren't they deploying him? Here I am like a moron trying to - wait.

Something isn't or is right - my breaker state felt weird, I'm heavy, solid. It feels, I'm pulling myself into myself, I feel more together. I felt my breaker state condense, my dust form using the pieces of buildings and trash to make a larger, more solid body.

Capes on the ground start to see me, pay attention as I stand astride, is that right? As I stood astride the roofs of two short buildings. I jumped forward and landed near the freak wasn't quite as tall as Leviathan and its tail lashed against my chest. Brick and dirt broke free, turning to mud that spilled from the gash in my chest. The fight was suddenly lit up as Purity blasted the beast. I swung a blocky fist at the freak's face. Its head reeled back from the strike.

I was close enough to grapple the Endbringer. Wrapping my thick inhuman arms around it. When I felt the beast try to burst out of my hold I crushed it with all my strength I could muster.

Dirt, dust, and mass poured into its open wounds. I didn't hear bones break or muscle tear, but ichor started leaking out. I was crushing the animal, worming into every open gap, drowning and encasing it like quicksand. Swallowing up the monster back into the dark; back into the place where my nightmares go when the Sun rises.

The fight was seconds but my breaker state was the longest I've ever maintained it. I felt the freak struggle, water appeared and churned with even the tiniest movement. As I filled the beast my mass reduced and more of Leviathan was exposed. Hookwolf chainsawed the neck of the monster. Shits started flying at the immobilized target's fresh injury.

Like a kid kicking a sandcastle the strength went out of me as the Endbringer broke my hold. My solid breaker state disintegrated and my dust form was down to my stealth form I chased Taylor's bus with weeks ago.

I drifted to the back of the fighting lines and materialized on my hands and knees panting, face almost in the water, exhausted from the fight. Again I bought people moments with my antics.

The fight went on.

More heroes down and the cry to run rose up as I struggled to stand. Another cape, a short woman in tactical gear picked me up, "Move it, Kid!"

Chorale trudged forward, her choir robe gone, her grenade launcher slung across her back and I followed.

"Chorale", I huffed out her name as we struggled forward through near hip deep water that was churning and moving on its own.

"Keep moving, what?"

"Can you call down the pod?" I asked.

She paused, as the ground started giving, "Yeah, kid."

The pod descended from the clouds, as we linked arms. The flying platform looked so bright, untouched by the dirt, grime and blood of the battle. Short metal ladder-like hand holds stuck into the water and Chorale pulled me towards it to hold onto before pulling herself into the vehicle. Once on she helped pull me up inside and the pod rose again.

Below us Velocity and the magician were quickly putting people into safe areas away from Leviathan's Crater lake in the middle of the city.

What an asshole.

"What now? I'm out of ammunition, without Miss Militia to use her power to intuit what the tinker rounds do, they won't risk me using them", Chorale said with a sullen look.

"That thing out there - it really doesn't like me. I was sandbagging it during the fight here and there. I'd like to keep it up, especially since my lady friend insists on chasing it for some reason."

Chorale made a face, "Thinker or Master?"

"Huh?"

"Is she a thinker or a Master?"

"Uhh, Master of bugs, she can use them to feel around and sense stuff."

"Thinker and Master, and where is she?"

I scan the ground then remember she's got a flier, and Laserdream took off with her black armored passenger, "There in the arms of the flier from New Wave."

"In the arms of an angel", Chorale said to herself and the pod followed the multicolored heroine.

Myrddin, down, letters, numbers.

Chorale gave me a look as the guy who knocked this thing across a city block into another building was out.

I tried to breaker state to be ready when we landed but nothing. I pushed myself hard twice and needed time between the big pushes before doing it again. It's like I was giving birth to bigger and stronger versions of my breaker state each time I forced it.

That's a weird comparison, Ray.

My blood was pumping, and I felt hot all over. The cold morning winds cut through my hoodie and instead of chilling me kept me centered in the moment. My rooftop jumps made my breaker state automatic so If I had to I'd jump from the pod to kick-start my attack.

Laserdream landed and it wasn't near the fight. Skitter carried a long weapon, one of Armsmaster's. Guess he still trusted her after all. I knew she's a hero, those Undersiders couldn't worm their crime crap into her head.

Unless - another cold wind cut through to my bones. Focus, Ray.

"We land?" Chorale asked.

"Yeah, they have to be waiting for-"

Enemy Location Unknown. Defensive Perimeter Report.

Shit.

"- don't land but don't leave either. Uhh, watch over us, case we need a ride?"

I dropped over the side of the pod and it took one second.

Two seconds.

Breaker State, thank God. Two seconds too long there, Ray.

I wasted no time scouring the buildings around the scene. It was a city emergency shelter for just such a situation. Capes were cutting into the door, oh no, I hope that freak isn't in there.

I let the door cutting be my timer to build up my mass. It was quicker this time some of the buildings I scraped against actually let loose bricks and cinder blocks into my mass despite it just being minutes. Older buildings, fences, signs on thick wooden posts easily joined my breaker state.

That heavy, solid feeling of my breaker state returned. I guided my form to an abandoned boarded up one story shop and I solidified next to it. I was almost a story tall and I reached over and grabbed at the crumbling outer wall and tore chunks free. It joined to me, my shape bulking up and my height increasing by an inch or two.

With that test I tore into the building extracting the building materials from the cement, two by fours, nails, nuts, bolts and more. Seeing the components and feeling them take their place in my body it reminded me of working alongside Abuelo. Where he used to tell me I was helping make the city better by helping to add to its skyline.

I was almost done upcycling the building when I judged my height about two stories, head and shoulders shorter than the monster, but good enough. I turned to join the capes by the shelter, the door was removed and there he was, the scaly freak was here, Taylor was on point tracking this thing.

I charged forward, as it tore into the heroes that remained outside, it lashed its long tail in my direction and I leapt partially over the water attack. It caught my sock-looking kid drawing style feet which got me to land on all fours but years of street football with Abuelo and the neighbor kids taught me how to use my arms to launch myself into a block.

I dug into the wet ground and slammed my breaker state's shoulder into the piece of shit's torso. If I had a spine or kidneys, Leviathan would have broken and busted them with its wailing on my back with its claws.

Its movements kept splashing and wetting my form, not real damage save for general surface impacts. I try something old school, I send my knee between its legs.

The beast started wrestling with me after that. Rolling around thrashing as and bucking as I would not let go. No escape for you, no breaks, just you and me. If there was anything my grandparents taught me it was that the guy used to winning fights by being the biggest and strongest weren't used to opponents who take the hits and keep getting back up.

Anytime it rolled us where I was on my back I dug my heels into the soft ground and broken asphalt and pushed, and pushed us away from the entrance of the shelter.

It's tail lashed against me, a third arm or leg to get leverage in the fight. Big stupid lizard bringing it's tail to a fist fight. The tail whipping was wearing me down, between the water soaking into my body, the beating and thrashing I was literally coming apart.

One of my fists broke up.

The concrete and rebar pulverized and fell away to reveal the wooden stump of a light pole acting kinda like an arm bone. I saw an open wound on its side and jammed my stump inside, driving home the only real point I had to make.

It thrashed and suddenly it thrashed harder. I was shaking apart and my control over my body was losing grip. My arm broke apart and Leviathan tore free. Like every broken doll I was a head, torso and legs with no playmate.

I laid there for a moment, still holding my breaker state, in case the Endbringer was feeling a little vengeful and wanted to serve me seconds. Instead it was still thrashing around it's tail looked fucked up and even the water attacks it threw with every movement equally fucked up.

"Get up! Move if you can!" The small voice hissed.

Chorale? Where was the pod?

I swapped back to my human form and thankfully my arms remained and I hugged myself, briefly. Yes, that was an actual real fear I felt. It's not funny.

Okay, maybe a little.

Leviathan was attacking piles of mud or shadows or something that was scattered around the battlefield. In the distance the shelter survivors were running away from here.

Good, someone made it out.

I tried to stand and my legs were gelatin. Why couldn't my arms be gelatin and my legs be solid? Make up your mind, body!

By the time I was standing on my shaky legs monster dogs were messing with Leviathan. Again, for a brief moment I was more scared of Rachel's dogs than I was the actual Endbringer. I never imagined my Abuela torn apart by an Endbringer but I did imagine the dogs.

I saw a figure standing nearby, Rachel.

Hellhound.

Bitch.

She watched as she was dragging Skitter from above the water line. Taylor wasn't moving.

I zombie shuffled through the water and Rachel let out an almost inhuman cry. The vicious image of the dogs faded from my mind.

"Give her to me!" I insist.

Rachel's wild eyes looked me over and she pulled Taylor closer to herself.

"Taylor's my friend, Bitch. I can help her. Help your dogs!" I insist again.

She hesitates a single second looking down at Taylor then back at her big dogs. Taylor put a hand on Rachel's, "Go, Rachel save them."

She pulled Taylor towards me and I trudged towards them. I took Taylor from Rachel and she started yelling and whistling commands, all the while Leviathan and the dogs battled behind us.

I have her.

I have her right here and I got nothing in the tank. I keep her lifted, head and shoulders out of the water. Rachel is on top of a dog and Leviathan gives chase as she and some of her animals start to retreat away from the shelter site.

Retreat.

I raise my arm up and start waving at the gray morning sky. I see the Pod break the cloudline and it descended.

Chorale stayed back watching, yessss.

Her descent actually started speeding up rapidly and she was going to crash into us!

I tried to put as much energy in my legs as possible as I hauled on Taylor's soaking wet, immobile body. Taylor craned her neck and looked up at me "Shit, run, Ray!"

She saw the pod and those are her last words?

"Not leaving you again, Taylor", I said while I wrapped my arms around her to shield her with my stupid, dumb ass human body.

There was a crash behind me and the sound of metal crumpling and an explosion that followed almost bowled me into the water drowning us.

I held onto my Annie and looked back, Leviathan was thrashing and on fire. Chorale had kamikazed the pod into the monster as it seemed to remember it wasn't done with our fight. I didn't see the vehicle's pilot anywhere and the pod's wreckage was all around the Endbringer as it used its water attacks to try to put itself out. Instead the water pushed the fuel around making the flames spread.

A golden man appeared silently, like a thief in the night, and Leviathan didn't take notice until Scion blasted the monster with a volley of light. Looks like Round Four? Five? I was out for a while had Scion taking over.

"Are you okay?" I yell-whispered over the titanic fight noises.

"Legs are not responding. Spine damage, maybe?"

"You're alive, not fake dead", I responded.

"Armband went out a while back. And you- you're alive, I thought he wasn't going to let you go until he had the city?" Taylor shook her head.

"Let me go? Coil? You - knew about Coil?"

"He said if I wanted you back I'd work for him. With the Undersiders. He has people in the PRT so trying to warn them about you wouldn't do anything because he could prove otherwise. And-"

"And what?"

She craned her masked face up to my painted one, "He said he'd fix you. Your head, make it so you wouldn't struggle like I've seen you. Did he?"

I did not know what to say. She sold herself to Coil for me. He didn't say anything about giving me back just that I'd - shit, that was it. I'd stay and work for him because Taylor would be working for him.

"I guess so, I'm a bit sharper and my powers are - well you saw my weird building body thing. I never thought to do that before, didn't think I could."

Eidolon showed up and they had Leviathan on the ropes. The fight was more measured now, yet the battle sounds still dominated the air. We sat there in the water, too exhausted and broken to move.

"Ray?"

"Yeah?"

"I missed you."

I rested my chin lightly on top of her head, "I missed you, too."

 

[Eatersgrin]

As we sat there and the fight was going out of Leviathan a jolly looking fellow blinked into existence. The teleporter crouched over Taylor's passed out flier and it looked like he was about to grope Laserdream.

"The hell are you even doing? She's like seventeen, dude" I spoke up.

The teleporter's head swiveled over to me and Taylor, "What? Who are you?"

"We're the reason she's still alive there, Gropey."

He looked confused and embarrassed, "Uhh what's wrong with your friend there?"

Taylor coughed, "Spine injury, I think."

"Bring her here and I'll take them both to the hospital."

"Uhh", I hesitated.

"Take me now, Ray", she lifted her head and I wrapped her in a hug.

"Fine, but if he gropes you I'm going to beat him half to death."

"I'll be fine, c'mon", she said in a surprisingly soft voice.

I got up under her and used the water to float her along until we got to the teleporter and Laserdream, "if they end up on internet videos filmed in your basement I'll find you and turn your home into my body and beat you to a pulp with your toilet and kitchen sink."

The cape made a disturbed face and waited for me to put Taylor next to the flier. I took a step, "See you soon".

Skitter nodded and the teleporter put a hand on each woman's chest and teleported away.

"OH FUCK THAT GUY!" I yelled, "I knew it. I'm going to tell - ah yeah, Crystal's aunt about that asshole. Sue his ass."

The anger and just general feeling of being able to express something other than sadness and resignation of my situation sucked the last of my energy. I pressed the keys on my armband until -

"Yes, Dust Devil?" Dragon's voice came over the comm.

"Can you send someone to get me? I'm not exactly injured, but my friend was just teleported away and I spent all my everything fighting Leviathan. Eidolon and Scion are kicking his ass right now."

"You can't fight or do rescue?"

"Nope, I can barely keep my head above water here. I might need an IV if that steers me to a hos-"

The same teleporter returned and eyed me warily, "Oh, it's you."

"I need an IV and a ride to the hospital."

"Hospital is full."

"I'm patient."

"Then I'll take you to a rescue area."

"Too sick to stand, but well enough to remember details... unless I get hydrated and see my bug girl."

"Get over here", the cape was impatient.

I zombie shuffled to the asshole and he put a hand on my shoulder and I popped into existence in front of the doors to a hospital's main lobby. I'll wash my shoulder later. Dude was a creep and probably a villain.

Things were busy as I shuffled forward through the sliding doors. I was soaked, dressed like the Unabomber and I smelled like the bottom of a dumpster after an afternoon rain.

The nurse at the front desk answered several phone calls as I leaned on her counter barely holding myself up.

"Homeless and Evacuee shelter is 5 blocks west, young man, please move along", she pointed vaguely towards the sliding doors.

I made a face like I barely started to catch a whiff of myself, "Lady, my partner and I just finished playing bad touch with an Endbringer. The adults in charge of me died fighting that thing so it's just me and my lady friend now. She got her back injured and was teleported into the hospital with Laserdream, the New Wave heroine. And I am exhausted, barely standing, and smell like I feel."

I lifted my arm with no small amount of effort and showed her my functioning armband. She lifted an eyebrow in surprise and dialed on her phone, "We got another attitude dump by the TP cape. Uh huh. Yeah. Wheelchair and escort to triage, thanks."

She looked back to me, "they'll be collecting you in a few, Hun."

"Thanks, I'll just... hang here in case I pass out", I hooked my hands and latched onto the edge of the countertop like a sloth in a hurricane.

After a few minutes a tired looking orderly showed up and I plunked my tired ass in the wheelchair. He started wheeling me around the first floor, "Hey, my man, would it be a bother to take me up to where the really bad off folks are?"

I heard a heavy sigh behind me, "We're going to get some fluids in you and park you somewhere quiet until we can get someone to examine you. Unless you have worse symptoms than I can see?"

"I don't mean to brag but I literally wrestled with that thing out there. Kneed it in where its balls should be", I said as cool as I could while also slumping forward and sounding like Droopy Dog.

"You did that?" Guy seemed disbelieving.

"I was working with my lady friend, she was tracking the thing for the middle third of the fight. Only reason we got there was to save people in one of the shelters. Fucker was trying to get at the people underground through the storm drains but she got me- she got me there. She-" those feelings earlier I said I would deal with if I survived started up like I owed them money.

"She got - she got hurt bad, she can't w-walk. I jus- just need to see her, that she's okay, m-man, ya know?" I try to make it that I'm clearing my throat, clearing my nose onto my hoodie, but I hear another sigh.

"Alright, alright, I'm going to put an IV on you, some fluids, and get you up there. Just don't make it out that I was making you upset", the orderly said.

I must have nodded off because I found myself with plastic tubing in my arm and I was on an elevator.

"Hey, hey, is it true you fought that thing?" A voice from behind me asked.

"Huh, oh Four-Eyes, that thing has four eyes, never fucking blinks. I smashed a toilet into its face - never blinked, man. Jesus, I hope Abuela is okay. Oh, the fuck? I need to check on Annie, she got hurt bad. Where, where?" I was way too out of it, tired and emotional like an exposed nerve.

"Shhhh, you're in the hospital. You're taking an elevator up to triage and treatment. You're going to see her, okay? Just chill with the names, got villains and heroes up there."

"Mhm", was all I could respond.

The doors opened to chaos. Nurses and doctors milling around. Occasionally there was a PRT officer armed to the teeth, eyes clocking everybody, but especially covering the beds. The beds each had blue and red tags, one to my right read Shadow Stalker and I felt bad.

She was one of our secondary ranged fighters and so she should have been able to hang back and be safer yet she still got hurt. The next curtain had no tag. The next a blue tag-

"What's her name?" the voice behind me asked.

"A- Skitter."

"Hero or villain?"

I laugh, "oh, villain - not that she wants to be."

"You?"

"Dust Devil, hero", I grin at the dirty floor.

The orderly whistled, "Complicated, huh?" He wheeled me through, when he could, as he checked tags.

A familiar piece of clothing dangled in my view, and I willed myself to raise my head. White robe with red accents.

I reached out and missed tugging on it.

"Hey man, try not to mess with the medical staff", the voice behind me said.

"Back off, wait your turn!" A terse voice came from the legs of what is anPRT officer uniform.

Empowered by raw emotion I looked up at the officer, "Get more flies with honey than- than vinegar. Tryna talk to Amy, man."

"Get him outta here", the officer instructed the orderly.

I went full on toddler and slipped out of the wheelchair the IV ripped out of my arm. I did my best Rocky impression "Amy!"

Landed on my back and was able to see Panacea peek out of the curtains, "Who?"

"It's Dust Devil! You help- her, Skitter yet?"

Amy looked annoyed and sighed, "I was -just- asking her permission."

"Please", I begged her as the orderly was picking me up.

The dark circles under the healer's eyes tell me she's not at her best right now. Maybe she needs someone to give her that push that what she's doing is worth the effort, "You fixed me up really good. I'm alot better. Please, Amy, she helped us track it out there. I fought that fucking thing but - it cost her, she can't walk..."

The Officer started shouting over me, just more noise in the screams and beeps as I resisted going back in the chair, "Boy, I have every authority to arrest you! I don't care what you did out there, in here you're obstructing emergency medical care that can cost lives!Get your ass up and go!"

"Make me", I dared the officer. My eyes looked over to Amy who's own eyes widened and then she disappeared back into the curtains.

Maybe I'm not thinking right, laying on the floor with an angry cop in stomping and kicking distance of me? But I don't care, I'm tired, not broken. My energy is shit but I'm far from broken.

The officer pulled out his cuffs and I balled my fists. It'll be like pitching marshmallows at a side of beef, "No mames". (You're kidding.)

The officer slapped the cuff in my wrist and yanked me up. The orderly caught me under the arms and they sat me back in the chair. The cuff locked around one of the arms of the chair.

"And stay in that thing", the officer ordered.

"You stay in that thing. Look my ass up, I'm Dust Devil. Then you tell me who's giving - who - the - just look. I'm too tired to fight."

The PRT Officer brought his electronic dealie up, "Says you're a Ward - okay, and you're currently in a Parahuman Asylum up the coast. Supposedly healing from previous injuries".

"Clearly I'm not. I'm right... here, okay?" I eyed the officer as he unslung his rifle but kept it aimed at the floor.

"I'm going to need to secure you elsewhere until this is sorted out. Orderly-"

Oh shit.

I may have overplayed my hand and now Coil's bullshit is splashing the pot. Or it's a flush, I don't know. I'm bad at cards.

Amy came out of the curtains, "He is who he says he is, Officer. I've healed him on two previous occasions."

I lolled my head back and looked up at Amy, "Is she-?"

"She's okay, R- Dust Devil. She's awake, she's still not fully healed but I don't do-"

"-Brains, I remember. Thank you, Amy. You're too good to us."

The healer seemed a bit taken aback by my admission. She fixed her hood and nodded at the officer. The officer slung his rifle and followed after the heroine.

I leaned way too far back and looked at the orderly. He was a tall, Asian man whose hair was gelled up in messy spikes with sunglasses nested in them. He wore several silver and gold chains around his neck and he peered down at me "You're wild, man. Think she wants to see you after all that?"

I gave him a weak thumbs up. He wheeled me into the curtains and there she was secured to the bed. He parked me facing her, the handles of the chair catching the curtain wall of her space, "Hey, Dust Devil I'll be back to fix your IV, 'kay?"

I nodded, "Thanks".

Once the curtain closed Taylor craned her head at me, "You have to get me out of here."

"What? They're going to harvest our organs to fix up the Mayor's kids or something?"

"Serious, Ray - they're going to give me to the Protectorate. And not just the local branch."

I watched her roaches dragging keys to one of the large wheels of my chair.

"It's the truce. Fuck that. They can't arrest you after helping!"

I was pissed and pretty sure I bruised myself falling out of my wheelchair, "Where'd your buddies get those?"

We watched the little guys drag the keys up as they climbed the rubber of the wheel, "Shit, you are a Disney Princess."

Even through the mask, I could picture her face all confused and bewildered at my words, as she looked at me, "Your arguing officer. Keep it down."

Woo, she was all business. Lil heat to that order. Surprisingly hot.

"Are you sure you can't do your breaker state?" She asked.

"If your garbage critters here hurled me off the roof like the last three times I did it, sure."

"Great."

"What have you been up to since I been kidnapped and held in a coma like I'm in a damn soap opera?" I asked.

"Organized crime meeting. Gang war. Cape fights. Public menacing. Missed a lot of school", Taylor rattled it off in monotone focused on getting the keys to my hand.

I had to think of my happy place as little prickly legs crawled up my arm. I reached over and took the keys and went through the keys for my cuffs. I unlocked my wrist and leaned forward to start working on her manacles.

"Now do mine", she ordered.

"Ya know if you keep talking to me so sternly you're going to make me like it", I half joked.

I poked key after key at her keyhole but most didn't fit, and so far none turned, "If you're blushing while I'm working I can't see it through your mask but we got a month worth of dates and quiet moments we need to make up for."

She rested the tips of her fingers on my arm nearest her as I kept at her lock. The faint sound of the lock turning over was a tiny victory thrill I didn't feel during the entire Endbringer fight.

She shook her arm loose from the manacle and I handed her the right key. Skitter made quick work of the other, "let's go".

I looked up at her, "I'm exhausted but I don't want to lose you again".

"We'll go slow, Ray", she reached over and squeezed my hand for a moment.

I stood up from the chair and shuffled over and I lowered the guard railing to the bed. She pulled her sheet off and swung her legs over. She was a bit shaky as she stood but after a test step she nodded. She put a hand on my chest to stop me from stepping forward. A few seconds later she patted my chest and she started forward.

We cut through a dying capes space, I'd seen bloodier messes but it was still shocking after I was in my head all wrapped up in getting to Taylor. She patted my chest again and we moved past the curtains to another space.

Empty.

Lucky us.

She patted my chest again and she stepped to advance to the next curtain, a commotion was happening a ways behind me at Taylor's space. If this one was empty and the one before was a blue tag.

Shit, Sophia. Taylor doesn't need that drama right now.

I grabbed her hand and she stopped. She looked at me and I shook my head. I grabbed the sheet off the bed and I gestured for her to climb on it. If we were going to Scooby Doo around, might as well do it right.

She reluctantly hopped on and I pulled my hoodie off, peeled my bodysuit off my torso and tied the arms around my waist. I put my hoodie back on and tucked the hood into the neck trying to pass myself off as I dunno an orderly.

I kicked at the little brake levers at the wheels and covered Taylor from head to toe. I wheeled her out solemnly and the chaos continued.

"You."

I pretended to hear nothing.

"Stop there."

Fucking Armsmaster, wasn't he down?

"No entiendo, Señor", I did my best to keep going.

He pulled me harshly by the neck of my hoodie, seems I was getting the rough puppy treatment.

"No tiene papeles, Oficial".

"Cut the crap, Dust Devil. Where is she?"

Hmm, I'm Endbringer punch drunk, why not... fuck it. He held me by the back collar and I stood there ready to shove Taylor as far as I could.

"I mean, if the great Armsmaster isn't going to try, I'm not going to enable this laziness. But if you don't let go you're going to pull back a stub, sir."

I felt the cloth against my neck tighten then it went slack. I'd claim he ruined my Limited edition hoodie I gave to the woman who tells me what to do, but that goes to the Endbringer.

I turned around and there was the man I looked up to as a kid. His arm missing, I almost felt bad.

Almost.

"What do you want, sir? Not to say you're happy to see me? Or ask why am I not in the Asylum getting better? We just went straight to 'You. Stop.'"

"Where is she?" Big Guy's face was twisted up. Behind him was Legend and Miss Militia and seeing them actually made me regret the stub dig. I mean I didn't know.

Okay, so I guess I do feel bad.

"She didn't do anything wrong to be cuffed up", I protested and he walked past me and yanked the sheet free. I took the moment out to give a little wave to Miss Militia and Legend. Miss Militia actually waved back.

I turned and found Taylor sitting up and the two were staring each other down through their masks.

"Could you stop drilling holes into each other with your eyes and just talk like people? It freaks me out when you two get like this", I was tired, probably shouldn't be on my feet, and should be allowed to whine.

"Why were you two sneaking behind the curtains?" Armsmaster asked.

"You were going to arrest me and I did not want to be arrested, simple as that", Skitter responded as she slid off the bed.

My orderly guy quickly took the bed from me and wheeled it back giving me a telling look and a grin.

"Also I was handcuffed and didn't do nothing wrong. Just wanted to check on the person who led me to Leviathan and helped to defend and save like a shelter full of people", I added.

"Did you see any of the people behind the curtains?" Miss Militia asked as she walked up.

Skitter started shaking her head, and I answered, "Not really there was a dead guy but he was masked and the next one was empty."

"And the next one?" Energy around her weapons crackled.

"We didn't make it that far, Dust Devil heard Armsmaster's racket back there", I was proud to hear her say this without specifying 'that asshole Armsmaster's racket'.

"That's when you two tried to Scooby and Shaggy your way out of here on the gurney?" Legend noted, making me absolutely adore this guy.

So long as he didn't arrest Taylor.

"Basically."

Legend casually walked across the room and put a hand on my shoulder, "We are not here to arrest anyone. The cautionary restraints on noted villains were to protect the identities of injured heroes."

"And for liability reasons the staff couldn't and shouldn't disclose details on treatment or prognosis until after a thorough medical examination or extenuating circumstances such as treatment from Panacea," Miss Militia added.

"We were coming to talk to Skitter, she did well out there and I figured she might respond better to Legend and my teammate ", Armsmaster said.

I looked at Legend and ignored his assertion, "Captain Slot Machine here didn't help any with his asshole stepdad approach. This is a recurring thing since-"

"We are still not 100 percent certain that heroes identities were not compromised. Skitter is an adept liar and has fooled my instincts and equipment before", Armsmaster asserted.

Legend crossed his arms, "Noted. Now Dust devil you say you were working with her but can you say you truly trust her?"

"Well I know for certain who is behind that curtain you think we saw and I'm the one who stopped us from going behind it. I saw the tag when I was wheeled in, and I work with that hero. That's why I chose the stupidest way to sneak her out, because I know the rules and I care about my-" Skitter looked at me, "- teammates. That's why I rushed back to help against the Endbringer even when I should have stayed away and kept healing. My team needed me. The people needed everyone today", I let it all out on the line.

I can't have her locked away for doing good and trying to get away without causing issues.

Taylor didn't let anyone else break in after me, "I didn't see anything and the Ward is right, he kept me from going on. And I - trusted him, so I got on the bed and let him try to get me out. Early on he kept following me since before the fight started and once I was tracking Leviathan he was able to fight it, buying people precious moments to get away and other heroes a chance to attack. After Armsmaster's duel with the monster I picked up his nanoblade. So while Dust Devil wrestled with the Endbringer at the shelter I was able to do more damage to its tail and lower body."

"We were just following your example, sir. So I don't understand your hostility", I poked at his ego a bit, why not.

Legend lowered his gaze to the hospital floor, "Hmm, we have a Protectorate member with a seemingly off the books history with a Ward and a Villain, but we also have a Ward with an admitted history with a Villain. All three behaved bravely - and rashly, yet only two backed each other's word."

"Look, if you're going to let Armsmaster dictate things I have a lot to say on how he operates-" Armsmaster struck Taylor across the mask with his backhand.

I lunged at the man and caught a boot to the gut I didn't think the Big Guy had in him to pull off. I tried not to vomit in front of Miss Militia or cry in front of Legend but the rest of the day was a sorry looking trail mix of raisins and disappointment. Taylor kneeled next to me and didn't seem to know what to do so she sort of petted my head as I was curled up on the ground.

"Armsmaster!" Miss Militia raised her voice.

"Get everyone out of here who lacks clearance to be here", Legend instructed a PRT officer.

As I dry heaved and leaked tears and snot on the floor. I tried to stop focusing on the pain in my gut, but I was sure that one armed bastard did me some damage.

"Armsmaster, it's been a trying day but assaulting minors entrusted to our care, this is beyond the pale."

"Legend, they were-"

An annoyingly familiar voice cropped up, "They were what? Finish what you were saying I think Regent's camera caught the bulk of the beginning there. What do you think, Grue?"

Undersiders, great.

"I think we just saw a Protectorate member snap-kick a Ward after bitch slapping our teammate".

Teammate? That's right she was working with them for me. Ugh, what was it that made me so lucky? Was I about to win the ass beating bingo or something? Coil, Endbringer, Free Space, Armsmaster, and an entire Villain Team.

"You're not supposed to be here, and put that phone down", Miss Militia ordered.

"Nah, I just need a few more seconds of Dusty Boy there curled up and I think I can get this viral", Regent snickered and I definitely hate him.

"Youth-", I tried to speak with the worst pain in my life with every breath I took, "Guard."

Taylor spoke up for me, "He wants a Youth Guard representative."

Tattletale sucked in air through her teeth, "Ain't that a bitch? He wants an adult to protect him from the adults who couldn't protect him to begin with. Look at you - standing around as Skitter comforts your little teenage hero who so valiantly fought an Endbringer. None of you have checked on him or even bothered to ask for medical assistance for poor Dusty Boy, and he is a tough one. He fought an Endbringer, came up here in a wheelchair and then got what? Cracked ribs from - Captain Slot Machine was it?"

Lisa laughed all snobby-like, "If anyone here is breaking the truce it's you - betraying your own which is soooooo juicy."

"Top Cape Goes Ape On Jr Cape, News at Eleven!" Regent doing his best newscaster voice.

Miss Militia bent down and looked to Skitter, "Keep him still as possible I'll get someone to look at him."

"Panacea, if you can", Taylor replied.

I'm in a damn hospital, hurting like no tomorrow, surrounded by heroes, and they're debating?

"Put the recording device away", Legend now ordered.

It hurt to breathe but trying to move myself to another position was just as painful, luckily my sobbing stopped.

"Or what, you're going to let the Arm-master there put the boots to us, medium style? You're running The Protectorate like it's the cape mafia, now?" Lisa said, and she had a strong ass point.

"It's not like that everyone here is exhausted, hurt, or worse and -"

"You're not even letting Skitter or the Ward get proper treatment before racing to what? Recruit her? Pump her for information? You're accusing my teammate of exploiting the truce, the chaos of the Endbringer fight and then we watch one of yours beat down on volunteers because they might offend him with the truth?" Grue just verbally assassinated the Protectorate.

Cucuy. (Bogeyman.)

Panacea knelt by my head, her robes settled into my spot and stomach acid, "Why am I always fixing you up? Do I have your permission to touch you?"

"He's pretty out of it, but please fix him", Taylor begged.

"Jeez, what're you two, married?" She spoke before she laid her hand on me and I passed out.

 

[Eatersgrin]

I woke up full of energy. Whatever Panacea did fixed the pain in my chest it took away the drain on - well- my everything. The fog in my head was clear and I felt my emotions surge in me, unhindered by lack or injury. But most important of all I could breaker state again.

"And the way Endbringer physiologies work? You could detonate a tactical nuke in his four-eyed face, and he'd probably survive. Take him a couple years to recover, but that thing would survive."

They had kept debating while I was passed out.

Typical.

I remained laying on the floor building up my focus.

"Shut up!" Armsmaster raised his head to shout. He stopped, eyes going to Taylor. When he spoke again, his voice was weirdly calm, "You - you all don't know everything."

This coward was going to push this onto my Annie.

The floor beneath me cracked as I swapped to my breaker state. Amy fell backwards onto her backside and scuttled away the best she could. A rough phantom of dust stood up in my place, the linoleum and concrete that made up the hospital floor broke free and shaped inside my dust form.

I launched myself at Armsmaster, he reached for the halberd that wasn't attached to his back and I slammed him against the wall. The wall surrendered chunks of itself, as I pinned the Protectorate hero, making a rough skeleton in my still human sized form. He struck what he could of my body with kicks and then slams of his armored fist but I felt nothing.

"I had three things left in my entire life", the winds swirling inside the frame of a body spoke for me. "And you already ruined yourself in my eyes but you hurt her! You used her and the things she did to save me but then you hurt her!"

"Put Armsmaster down", Miss Militia ordered, her weapons trained on me.

"No, heroes help all the people and they don't hurt good people. Skitter is good people. He's the criminal here."

"We're not going to ask you again, Dust Devil. Put the man down so he can answer to the authorities. You're a Ward, think about your future", Legend said in an even tone.

"Where were you all when Oni Lee blew me up? Where were you when Shadow Stalker made Skitter? What high horse do you sit on that makes you too important to protect your future? We are your future and you let this fuck treat us like disposable tools", I dropped Armsmaster back onto his feet as I faced Legend and Miss Militia. "I was a Ward and you all let me walk into a nightmare because protocol is more important than instinct with the PRT."

"And we actually witnessed some of that", Lisa spoke up, "You get all of that, Regent?"

"Absolutely", Alec replied.

Taylor walked slowly between me and the heroes then turned to me, "I'm going to take you home, is that okay?"

I nodded, what fragments of concrete that formed my head, slowly as she took one of my gritty linoleum construct hands into hers and led me past the Undersiders. Rachel remained by the open doors leading to the exit and she gave us a single nod as she watched us leave. Grue blanketed the doorway in darkness behind us as Skitter pulled me along the hallway filled with capes.

They all looked so beaten and tired, and I wanted nothing more than to thank them for saving the city. Each one gave up life, limb, and energy to buy the people of Brockton Bay time until Scion could arrive.

A few minutes later we were leaving the lobby and my little dusty skeleton disintegrated and I reverted back to myself. As we kept on walking together we started crossing through a small nearby park.

"Ray, where do you want to go?" Taylor sounded tired and I realized she wasn't entirely healed still.

"I'm sorry, Annie. Abuela's house was a mess, and I wanna go where you are going. Abuela will still be at the church. It looked fine each time I passed it. The Father will have cots and blankets. I'll check on her later. But you- your dad is okay?"

She nodded, "Probably went to the shelters after taping up the windows".

A laugh caught in my throat as I remembered the masking tape on her windows, "Yeah your windows were taped up like it was hurricane season."

It was like I knocked the wind out of her as she slumped down on a stone bench in the little park next to the hospital.

"Ray, I promise you with - I won't be mad, I just need to know-"

"It's Sophia. She's Shadow Stalker. She's why I was assigned to Winslow for school."

"So we met because - they don't care about the people, just that capes get them results?"

I nodded my stupid head, "Yeah, exactly what I said back there."

"You, back there, you didn't have to defend me. The armor took the brunt of it", her hand went up to the jaw of her mask and I sat next to her on the bench.

"It wasn't right for him to hit you, abuse you. I was raised not to do things out of anger because our emotions don't pull their punches and so we don't pull our punches. But you - you are my sunshine and today was really really gray, Taylor."

She stared down at the grass around the bench for a while, the yellow lenses of her mask just catching the pink light of the rising Sun.

"I want to take you home and sleep, I want you to sleep over in my bed. If you want," she spoke the words without moving.

"Do you want me to shower first? I smell like garbage and Endbringer."

"So do I," she replied as she stood up.

And I followed her through the flooding and destruction of Brockton Bay for about an hour. Every so often we stopped for her to take a break. I massaged her feet a couple of times despite her protests, so by the time I let us into her childhood home I could add feet to the list of things I smelled like.

We stripped down to our underwear and decided to pile into the shower. She was exhausted and I was the furthest thing from turned on as we gave each other a quick wipe down with a bar of soap and hand towel.

She pulled out a pair of large shorts from her dresser drawer and she grabbed herself a change of undies and a gray tank top. We were too tired to even care to turn away from each other and we just changed right there. She instructed me where the laundry room was and I dropped our mingled clothing inside the plastic basin that hung on the wall and tossed a towel over our costume bits.

I made my way back to bed and I found her sitting on the edge, the covers pulled to the side, "Ray, I'm very tired but if you want you can-"

"I can just stretch out on the floor, Taylor. It's okay, you're tired. I get it." I explained.

"No, no you don't. I want you with me. Whatever you want is fine but I don't want to be alone", I was surprised by her admission.

I walked up to her and kneeled down resting my hands on her thighs and I peered up into her face framed by a mass of wet curls, "Hey there beautiful".

I smiled up at her.

"You don't have to charm me, just - it's okay", she grabbed my hand and placed it on her chest.

I could tell she was still chilled from the long walk soaked by the- fuck it.

I took my hands and put my fingertips on the edges of her jaw and kissed her. I wasn't really sure what I was exactly doing other than pressing my lips to hers softly. After a moment she parted her lips and lightly took my bottom lip between hers.

This is new.

It's nice and I don't want to know where she learned this from. As we kissed we tried to slip into her bed without breaking our lip locking and with a mutual sigh we just clambered on. She pecked my lips once more then slid her body on top of mine. Taylor took my hand and eased it under her tank top.

I'm not a hundred percent sure if she's being sexy aggressive or sexy submissive but I am feeling a lot of things inside. Feelings so far from horny or sexy but at my core I want her to feel happy, cared for, and loved.

"Taylor, Annie?"

I could feel a lot of details about her from what pressed on me where. Again, I am not quite the furthest thing from turned on but I wasn't ready to do what she expected me to do.

"Hmm?" she lightly questioned in my ear as ran her hands down my side and then brushed her fingertips against the inside of my thigh.

"You're tired, and we should sleep, mi corazón preciosa." (my precious heart.)

Oh god, she made a weirdly hot disappointed grunt in my ear as I felt some of her broken nails raking near a sensitive area, "Sunshine, I want a hundred quiet moments with you - just like this. With you against me just warm and amazing, just rest, you deserve everything but right now you need rest."

"Nnngh", was her response before I moved my hand under her top to the small of her back. Here I started rubbing my hands up and down her back. I tried to keep things legit but I was tired and she did say I could do what I wished. Slowly she lulled to sleep and I tried to focus on her breathing instead of her chest against mine or her bottom against my hands.

~~x

I woke to the sound of birds in the distance and the smell of breakfast on the make. I opened my eyes and the sight of my brunette matched the feeling of her wrapped in my arms. Morning mahogany was trapped between our bodies and I just embraced the moment and kissed her face lightly and repeatedly.

She greeted my kisses with her trademark frown as her big brown eyes fluttered open.

"Is that? Are you-" she deigned to ask.

"Yup, and it just happens almost every morning. But it seems especially this morning.

Taylor's eyes looked down, I guess she was trying to parse the whole experience, "So you're not trying to...?"

"Nope, and we didn't - last night. I was a gentleman."

She raised an eyebrow, "Ray, you have an entire hand on my rear under my panties."

"I'm a hero not a monk. You want me to move it?"

She buried her face in my chest and sighed.

"Marry me", I just put it out there.

Her dark curls bounced as she looked up at me with the patented 'Taylor Hebert discovers Offensive Smell' face, "What?"

"I figured since saying, ya know, rhymes with 'Olive Juice' is too fast I'd gamble with a proposal."

"Ya know? No, I don't 'ya know'. No, I'm not accepting any proposals today."

"Ooo, 'today'... I'm wearing you down already."

She sighed into my chest again.

"Question?" I asked.

"What?" she answered with a question.

"Uhh, last night we were smooching really really good and uhh, I was wondering where uhh ya know, where is your poster of Legend with the lips all worn out?"

She rolled her face on my chest and finally she looked up, "Who's making breakfast?"

"Excellent question. We'll circle back, So no poster? Then maybe a slightly facially deformed plush toy?"

"No, really, Ray. Who's in my house?"

I kissed my frantic question dodger and reluctantly slid out from under her, "You stay here. I'll check."

Armed only with my shame on display I gorilla walked out into the hallway.

I heard humming from the kitchen and the sizzle of breakfast meat. Sausage, bacon, potatoes, your basic hearty foods floated on the air. In the distance I could hear a motor coming from Taylor's backyard.

When I turned the corner I witnessed a clown girl dressed in a white chef's hat and red apron over her usual clown based makeup and costume. She was making breakfast and my nightmares a reality.

"You almost killed me", I hissed.

"Orders is orders, boyo", Circus said with a shrug as she plated the meal. The sledgehammer sitting precariously by the stove.

I eyed some protein bars sitting in a box of storm candles and matches, "And my costume sucked by the way. That black bodysuit is one panoramic pigeon crap away from being Coil's getup."

"I had a month, sue me. The suit base was at least, meticulously to your exact - size, mhm. You weren't meant to- is that a...?" They pointed a spatula south of my border.

"It is neither a banana in my pocket nor am I happy to see you, lady", I replied and they turned back to switching off the stove and I took the moment to shove two bars in the back of my waistband.

"Circus" they corrected.

"Circus lady", I decided to be difficult.

"Close enough. Look, Ray, you need to return to Coil next time he requests it. I'm here to remind you and your wood polisher you both continue to belong to Coil. You're in too deep, Mr. Devil", she wiggled her painted eyebrows a few times before strolling out of the house.

I relocked the door and I padded back to Taylor's room with my unhappy, non-fruit long since flagged at the sight of Circus and mention of Coil.

"What's wrong?" Taylor asked as I shuffled back into bed. She tried to lay beside me but I pulled her back on top of myself.

"Breakfast is ready but Circus made it."

She covered her face with her hand, "So she's just been milling around while we slept? Like as a message?"

"And they got a thing about me, so she definitely doesn't like you", I added. "Circus says they were just being Coil's messenger, that we still work for him. That I have to come when he requests it. Then they left."

"Just- left? Not, hop into the back of a tiny car and then it putters away?"

"You're taking this really well."

"I'm too tired and hungry to want to dwell on it, Ray. Think the food is safe? Wait, I'll send some - critters - to go check."

It was my turn to bury my face, and I chose her hair, "Can't we just stay in bed and you have your little buddies Cinderella us some breakfast in bed?"

"Do you want a few thousand centipedes, roaches, bees, and flies near your food?"

"Good one", I reached under the covers and grabbed her by the hips. "I do have an alternative that I can eat*, I said with a sly grin.

"You - what? You had your chance last night", she countered.

Dirty mind!

I arched my back and lifted us both up a bit, "Reach behind me."

The familiar crinkle of mylar wrappers sounded as she pulled them free, "A granola and a protein bar? My dad's brands."

"He left some out with storm supplies."

"Under bed. Water", She caveman spoke as she tore open the protein bar and took a big bite.

My arm dropped and fumbled around down there until I knocked one of the bottles down, "Here you go, Santa Bugita."

I opened the cap for her, like a gentleman, and passed it to her.

"Mm, thanks", she murmured as she drank and ate.

I took the moment to lay back and enjoy the quiet with Taylor as she refreshed herself. If my life was going to be a nightmare then this here is the dream I wake up and don't remember having. Might as well enjoy it.

With half the granola bar still in her mouth she started speaking again, sending crumbs across my chest and neck, "Laundry?"

I reached down and picked up the other bottle of water I felt and passed it to her.

"Mmm", she took a big drink then offered it to me. "Laundry? Do you need something to change into?"

I took a swig from the bottle and passed it back, "Figured I can zip over to Abuela's while wearing your very stylish short shorts I'm wearing and grab some things and change. Then haul ass back here?"

"They're regular shorts".

"On you! I should be getting tips, add some swagger to my walk. My hips are talking and I don't know what they're saying."

"You're weird, Ray. Finish this," she took the last quarter of the granola bar and pushed it in my mouth and I ate it.

"Weird? Weird is all I got - and my sweet style."

A deep sigh was her response, "I'm going to shower with the last of the water pressure and change."

"Can I join you? Save water, save the environment!"

She turned to me with her arm in her dresser drawer and stared me down, "I can only be rejected so many times."

"Arrr, our feelings. I - I know our first time won't be perfect but I want it - I would rather have only you on my mind at that moment. Not so much death and destruc-"

"I know. I - it's hard when your life is all doubt, rejection and distance. I was actually scared when my back was hurt, that I couldn't be with someone - normally. You know, intimate with a guy. So that was probably on my mind last night", Taylor admitted and I felt very touched she has been open instead of grunts and stares of disbelief.

I stood up and walked over to her and wrapped her up in my arms, she is the perfect height, "Hey, it's happening, you don't have to worry or try to make it easy for me. I know nothing about guy-gal stuff. Raised Catholic so I feel guilty just wanting to hold you and or imagining you in your underwear. So, again, it won't be like in the movies but it'll be with you and that's going to be fun and interesting and hot".

"Ahh, we should think about protection then, huh?" She mentioned after fishing out a new change of clothes with her free arm.

"Jeez, you are barely considering that?! I'll - I'm on it, just for you. City is in disaster and I'm going to be trying to find the one pharmacy or gas station with non-destroyed condoms."

"Stop being weird!" Taylor freed herself from my arms.

"Excuse me, are you open? I need condoms and also have some uncomfortable questions about my junk in relation to the condoms."

"Just go!" she laughed to herself with a blush.

"Bye, Annie", I said through the door as she shut it.

I heard the lock engage. Good she's being safe while I'm going to be gone. Or she doesn't want me barging in later singing about prophylaxis - prophylactics? Jimmies.

~~x

Abuela's house was still intact other than our mattresses were in the front yard, sopping wet and scorched. Inside was still ransacked like before and the kitchen bucket was sitting on the counter by the sink. Dude had taped a note to it apologizing.

Coulda been worse.

I emptied out my backpack and a gym bag. I filled the gym bag with clothes, shoes, and spare costume gear. Just because Coil claimed me didn't make me any less of a hero. In my backpack I stashed my savings, emergency radio slash wind up flashlight, hygiene stuff and patrol snacks of protein, candy, and energy bars.

It might be a while until we get access to food and clean water so anything I could scrounge up was going to be important to making it to better days. I took my stuff one bag at a time back to Taylor's house. Finally I showered quickly and changed, got myself presentable and headed back to fill a box with medical supplies, her medication, canned and dry food from the bathroom and pantry.

I pulled a small suitcase with wheels from her closet and gathered her changes of clothing, shoes better for her feet in the church and a set for walking through the shit floating around outside. I zipped over with her suitcase to the church. The place still looked locked down and ready for war with the piles of sandbags around the front steps. A large screen window was open in the back end of the church probably for circulation and I filtered through.

I surveyed the scene and a few folks were awake and seemed frightened by my sudden semi ghostly appearance. I materialized in the middle of the church by the Father.

"Hello, Father".

The man seemed unmoved by me, "Yes?"

"I'm looking for Mrs. Alcaraz", I held up her suitcase like it explained everything but the Father just gestured towards the area where people light candles and pray. I don't know the term, I'm Catholic not an altar boy.

"Abuela?"

She turned back to me and got up to her feet with a weariness I'd never seen her with. She'd always been so strong and with energy and life even after Grandpa died she was there for me. Here she was shuffling to me past the small crowd that I wanted to break in front of her, but now it was my time to be strong. To show her I got this, we got this.

Abuela wandered past me to a pew and sat, "Sentante aqui, Mijo." (Sit here, my boy.)

I sat by her quietly and placed her wheelie bag by her feet. She pulled up the retractable handle and rested her hands on it.

"Abuela, bad guys hurt me and then they took me away. That's why I was gone, not what the PRT said. The PRT either tried to hide it or they didn't know but right now I can't trust them."

She patted my leg and I continued.

"Right now I'm staying with mi amiga del almuerzo at her house." (My friend from that lunch)

"Tu novia?" (Your girlfriend?)

"Si, Abuela", I smiled softly.

"Buena. Me voy a quedar aquí por un tiempo, Mijo. You go - go help the people. The city can be made again but there are only one of each person, Reymundo." (Good. I'm going to stay here a while, my Son.)

"I love you, Abuela", I turned in my seat and hugged my grandmother. She hadn't seen me in weeks, if I was actually okay or not, and she's sending me off to help others.

"I'm proud of you. Los dos somos." (We both are.)

I reluctantly let her go and cleared my throat "One more trip. I'll bring some supplies from the house. ¿Comida y medicina, si?"

She nodded and shut her eyes. Finally resting after a long morning of prayers.

 

[Eatersgrin]

I stood back a bit as Taylor wanted to see the memorial. I'd had my fill of death, coming close to it so many times in so little time, so I wanted nothing to do with it. I didn't need to mourn anymore. I didn't want to.

Aegis
Fenja
Gallant
Kaiser
Manpower
Shielder
Velocity

Those are the names on the memorial I personally remembered, a name to a face or mask or whatever. I knew them or met them or was impacted by them in some way. It was crazy that there are so many voids in the world now than there were a couple weeks ago, named on this memorial or not. PRT, Police Officers and the people in the city at the time who couldn't or wouldn't evacuate died and went uncelebrated because they happen to live or work in Brockton Bay the morning death came.

With a sad vigor Taylor made her way to me to lead me by the hand and brought me closer to the memorial. I didn't resist because I'd learned to trust her instincts even in the face of my own fears.

KOOROW
BULLIT
MILK
STUMPY

The names were simple and between Bullet and Stumpy they were clearly pet names.

Dog names.

The dogs Rachel sacrificed to save Taylor. I saw some die that morning or at least their bodies. Monster dogs unmoving, quiet and alone.

I cried then and there, because they trusted Rachel. I had to remind myself Taylor had explained how Rachel's power worked and it took time for them to trust her and learn to take commands. They protected Rachel and she gave them love, care and security. She was their Mamá and wouldn't ask them anything she wouldn't do herself.

Taylor let my hand go and lowered herself closer to the memorial. I watched her run her fingers along the cold stone and her skin broke out in goosebumps. I pulled my hoodie off and draped it on her shoulders and she didn't look up as she traced each letter of the four names.

A man standing by leaned in closer as he held a child and spoke up, "Sickening-"

Immediately the tone in his voice was negative and directed towards Taylor and in an instant I snapped my head towards him, my eyes still hot from tears and a glare. He shut up and moved away.

Taylor stood back up and tied the hoodies' arms in a big knot to keep it secure on her shoulders. I hesitated a moment as she walked away from the crowd until she turned her face, and looked back over her shoulder at me. I followed after her and lightly put an arm around her shoulders.

Emotions that were raw and fresh nearly two weeks ago were back under control and we had found a rhythm to our being together that suited each of us. Taylor needed space and time to process while I wanted those quiet moments. My needs were easy and could be found in an evening walk or sharing favorite chapters from books we found or just keeping each other warm by the last embers of the dinner fire. So basically we lived more by, I guess, the tides of her needs. She'd remind me of tasks needing to be done there or around the city and I'd be off, simple as that.

She missed her dad and I missed my grandmother, but she wasn't ready to see her dad. Instead we'd visit my Abuela at the church, reporting the progress we made fixing up the house. In all truth the house was probably going to be torn down once the insurances got around to paying out, but in the meantime it was better to be ready for coming back.

It kept us busy and made us feel productive without school or work. Also it gave us some privacy and independence I didn't know I needed and that Anne craved.

We did spend time apart as I raced around town from lunch to dinner to stand in various lines getting anything from meals to disaster assistance then returning in minutes after getting the goods. Taylor would take the early morning for her jogs once I cleared her a decent path. A benefit of my power let me clean up parts of the neighborhood clearing rubble and debris from the storm drains and streets. This let the immediate flood waters recede and garbage was no longer left out to rot.

It did have the negative effect of letting looters and bad elements try to raid or set up shop in the remaining homes and mostly cleared lots. And yet it seemed Mother Nature made sure to make every minute of their short stay a special hell.

We had a helluva walk back to the house as I didn't want to leave Taylor behind but she insisted we stay in the area here at the foot of the west mountains. The cold and damp hung heavy in the air and the slightest breeze would remind the poor planner that the city's fresh water came from the snow capped piece of this mountain.

"How're you two holding up?" Lisa's voice explained why Taylor had us stay. Her critters had already spotted Tattletale and Santa Bugita was maneuvering us somewhere quiet and away from the public.

Taylor carried this conversation for us both, "Doing alright. I'm staying at Ray's house. We're cleaning up the neighborhood and mostly staying fed, warm and dry."

"And how're you doing? Raymond there getting paid for the street cleaning and lot clearing?"

"No, but we're surviving. He has cash saved from his Wards pay and I got some cash incase Coil decided slavery is better than employment."

Lisa sighed and gestured at a mostly flat, pinkish slab of stone surrounded by smaller chalk white and red fragments no bigger than a softball at their largest, "it's not slavery so much as necessary."

Taylor's patented frown and scrunch of her nose made its appearance, "Necessary? Making us complicit in his takeover of Brockton Bay is necessary, how?"

We settled down on the rock formation, with Lisa sitting in lotus position while she continued, "You thrive under pressure, you give a shit about people, plus you're about details. And Ray, turns out to be more than useless once you give his head time to heal. Is he not the least bit better since he came back?"

True but I still don't like her.

"Yes."

"Good, great. It's part of the deal Coil cut with you to keep you onboard. He's still going to be paying you because you are going to keep working with us."

"I thought The Protectorate was going to recruit Taylor?" I finally piped up.

Lisa shook her head, "Nope, that's right out the window down through a garbage chute into a dumpster fire filled with parts of the city and Armsmaster's career."

Taylor sighed not in resignation, but in relief, I think. Her eyes settled on the rocky ground beneath our feet.

"What is this? Why're you even talking to us and not just barking out Coil's orders?" I asked while Anne thought about Lisa's crap.

"It might not seem like it but I care what happens to Taylor here. Even grabbing your dumb ass off the street, violating the unspoken code between the heroes and villains, that wasn't just to fuck with you for spying. I needed to know what you knew - which was little to nothing in the end."

"Hey, I went as myself to check on Taylor. I didn't know about any of your nutso change-o robberies or crap. All that mattered to me then and now is that she is alright. And I know now she can take care of herself but why does she have to if someone out there cares?" I laid back on the slab and stared up at the sky.

"Well your crush turned obsession became a thorn in Coil's side. You fucked with his plans to the point he too messed up grabbing you. I know what he may have told you but your speed isn't useful to him", Lisa's words had Taylor look up from the ground as the thinker continued. "It's useful against him".

"How is it useful? You've made our 'boss' sound all knowing since he revealed himself and now somehow Ray here is a monkey wrench in his plan."

I sat up and put a hand on the small of Taylor's back and I rubbed her back trying to reassure her.

"If you want to know how this can all work out I need you both to agree to working with The Undersiders."

It was my turn to frown. I wanted Lisa trapped under layers of containment foam. Alec in one of those cells with electric shocks. Brian - just far away, I don't know, he's got family and I think Taylor has a crush on him so I don't know that's a mix of feelings.

That left Rachel.

Between her file and what Taylor told me. Rachel is scary if you cross her and it seems she has very simple needs. She defended Taylor and it cost her some of her dogs so - maybe Rachel isn't as bad as Taylor initially thought. Just like Taylor gave me a chance, Rachel gave Taylor a chance. Still... Monster Dogs, but they're just regular dogs deep down made strong and tough and scary to protect them.

"Work with us long enough to get out from under Coil. Then we can go our separate ways, all of us."

Taylor looked to me, our eyes meeting, isn't that what's this all been about? Taylor wanting to stop The Undersiders, and get their boss, serving him up to justice. He was planning to take the city over and he used psychos like Circus who took money and then orders to do despicable crap.

I took her hand in mine and squeezed her hand lightly.

Taylor sighed, "Alright, but Ray doesn't like any of you."

"Understandable."

"I know Brian can be professional."

"True."

"And sometimes your mouth writes checks violence decides to cash."

"Like a check cashing place in the Docks... But I can promise to try to try", the blonde shrugged.

"Then there is Alec. Who is a perpetual ass so I'm not sure he'll lay off Ray."

"Oh, he won't - especially if we tell him to. So that sound palatable, Dusty Boy? Fifty percent less annoying? Also I noticed Rachel gets off scot free there. You figured her out and so she earned some shakey good will."

I shrugged and Lisa laughed softly.

"The thinker changed her sitting position, she got to her knees and sat on her legs, "Since we're talking truths. Taylor I knew you'd be there, a cape would be there that night with Lung. Then I figured out you had a plan when you met up with us."

"That's a small nightmare I didn't know came true", Taylor admitted. "I was going to turn you all in once I had enough information. Then Ray showed up, Armsmaster pressed me, Ray got taken, and Armsmaster went nuts, and things were just-"

"Nuts."

"Yeah."

"I mean, I'm Tattletale. I'm the finder of uncomfortable truths and spitter of facts. So I did my best to play you, Taylor. I knew you were going in wanting to betray us but I also knew you needed to be needed. Dusty Boy here interfering, while good for you in a weird way, was bad for what I had planned. I'm not going to apologize just like you aren't for wanting to turn us in."

I watched Taylor remove her glasses and wipe the lenses with a bit of hoodie sleeve. I leaned up against her for more warmth as the laying on the slab had leeches a good bit of my warmth. When Taylor finished Lisa got up and made her way to the railing, we followed suit and took in the city's destruction from the hill we stood on.

Like a big kid I started pointing out sites that were underwater now or just obliterated. An Ice cream parlor, my Abuela's pharmacy, and the block the first time I got my ass kicked. Taylor picked out a shopping center she frequented and, surprising me, a bookstore she fought with Sophia in.

"Speaking of uncomfortable choices, since you're both onboard then you need to know how choice is very important when it comes to Coil..."

~~x

Lisa followed us home. With her advice we shaved at least thirty minutes of backtracking and an hour total in crossing the city coordinating our abilities. The rest was good old fashioned cardio to race home before dark and Lisa was the only one exhausted when we arrived. Taylor started the dinner fire on the grill we constructed by the porch and I unburied our coolers of drinks and water.

I can't say I enjoyed the thinker's company but Taylor seemed in a better mood. She had a hard time holding in the truth.
Having one less lie, one less barrier between her and another person let her relax that extra inch and she seemed to breathe easier. So I may not like Lisa but I was grateful Annie had some relief.

Tonight I fixed up some refried beans mixed with some dried shredded beef and some fresh onion and spices from Abuela's spice rack.

"What is this you're doing for tonight's dinner?" Taylor asked.

"I call it Villain Chili."

Lisa sniffed, "That's a lot of onions, and cumin. It's more like Hobo Chili."

Taylor nodded in agreement.

Betrayal! "This is the second time I been corrected on the difference between Villains and Hobos. If I make the meal, I pick the name."

"Brockton Bay does have an outdated rail system going up and down the coast and we have a high number of less than legal acting capes".

Dammit Lisa stop trying to save this.

I went inside and pulled out paper napkins, plastic spoons, and disposable paper bowls from the cabinet. They were party supplies from birthdays past, usually for ice cream and cake. Once food was ladeled out we ate quietly as night settled over the city. With Taylor keeping the bug population in check it was nicer to eat outside looking at the stars through the recently bare tree branches.

The wind kicked up but the ember's stoked with the broken branches and remnants of the quick start charcoal briquets kept us warm around the dying fire.

In the distance the sound of loud breathing, heavy footsteps and a woman's voice made me stand.

"Sit, sit. Don't worry, she's not here for you", Lisa insisted as Rachel atop a monster bulldog galloped straight up to my grandmother's house in the night.

Taylor gestured next door, "If Brutus needs room to stretch or lie down the lot there is cleaned up already."

Rachel grunted in acknowledgement and hopped off calling the big dog to follow. I got up and went inside. I gathered another set to serve in and by the time I came back she was standing a distance away in the yard staring at Taylor and Lisa, hands in her pockets.

"Rachel is my ride back", Lisa stated as I sat down and ladle some Villain Chili into the bowl.

"Hungry?" I asked the infamous dog master as I held the bowl out to her.

"Nngh", was her response, before she walked closer and took the food.

What was it with the women of Brockton Bay and grunting?

She squatted down closer to the grill and dug into her meal. Taylor passed her a bottle of water that Rachel jammed in her coat pocket with a strange rustling sound of plastic on weaker plastic coming from her pocket.

"Anyone want anymore? I don't like leaving food out - it attracts bears and Merchants." I asked Taylor and half the Undersiders.

Lisa waved me off, Taylor took a ladle's worth and Rachel held her bowl out which I filled until the pot emptied.

While Rachel sopped up the Villain Chili with a piece of roll she dug out of her coat pocket, Lisa started collecting her trash and spoke, "One last thing, Taylor do you have any of the three phones Brian gave you?"

"They're all dead. We've been using them for clocks and alarms."

Rachel passed her garbage to Lisa and whistled for Brutus and the big animal happily bound over from its resting spot next door. The dog master reached for a large bundle tied to the dog and undid the ropes. Rachel passed the bundle to me. It was a soft fabric case with some major heft to it and it felt expensive just from the weight alone, "What is this?"

"Portable solar power kit. Three panels, wiring, power station, and a battery bank for charging on the go. Power station can charge your mobile equipment or power your laptop or run some basic electric stuff while the sun is out."

Taylor shook her head, "Equipment? Laptop? We don't have any of - ugh, this is from Coil isn't it?"

Lisa nodded, "Doctors get pagers, Criminals get-"

Rachel pulled a second bundle from Brutus' other side. It was a gym bag, not as heavy but it too felt expensive as I took it from her.

"-a satellite internet kit, laptop, phones for Ray, spare glasses for Taylor, some meal packs that don't suck, and a new costume for Dusty Boy."

Boy I hated that name. Like hate hate, bad things happened as soon as I heard those words and to them it's the same thing as calling me dude or guy. To them I'm this generic joke, the stupid Ward who crushed on their teammate. So I'm Dusty Boy, I'm this thing they can fuck with and it's okay because Cops and Robbers bullshit.

"You should go", I tell Lisa. Rachel took that as her cue and started towards Brutus, "Rachel - thank you for coming and helping Taylor back then. I'm sorry about Crow and Bullet, Milk and Stumpy, they fought real good but they shouldn't have had to. Coil ran like a coward from the fight, a fight he left to us. Kids and dogs, even when this is all over I'm going to make him pay."

Her head turned and she scowled at me before mounting Brutus. Lisa followed her fellow Undersider and climbed on after Rachel.

"Keep that talk to yourself, Ray. It's only a surprise attack if they don't know it's coming", Tattletale warned with a grin.

"He knows it's coming so I'm not going to make this thing easy for him. If I'm aggressive all the time then he has to be ready for anything at all times. He's still just a flesh and blood guy anyway."

Lisa laughed from her seat on her high dog, "You know how to pick them, Taylor."

Taylor shook her head, "Bye, guys."

Rachel urged Brutus on and three took off into the night while I held the handles of both bags of equipment. I brought Coil's stuff inside the house and came back out to finish cleaning up.

~~x

Taylor sat on top of the bedding in the lotus position. Boy shorts, and a gray tank top kept her cool despite the growing heat of the morning. She munched on a granola bar and we split a thermos of yesterday's leftover, cold coffee.

"You sure you want to talk to them? They might have lied to Tattletale back at the hospital. They could come after you, Ray."

"I actually think this is my best shot at getting half the Wards on my side. Clearing the air with my old team and getting some goodwill. We'll be eighteen soon enough and If my future is as a rogue I might as well have some future Protectorate heroes have me in their good graces."

She sat there watching me pull on the spare PRT uniform and when I had pulled the zipper up to my neck and flattened the Velcro cover over the fastener making the suit look, well, uniform, Taylor passed me the thermos. Coffee was lightly sweetened and a bit bitter.

It kinda fit the coming mood in town.

"Can I have more sweetness to go with the coffee?" I asked with a smirk.

Taylor's forehead wrinkled, "That's the last of the sugar and pink packs."

I pointed to my lips as I leaned forward. She started looking around a little embarrassed.

"There is no one around to judge or see, Annie but it's okay. Just happy to wake up to you", I said as I passed the thermos back to her.

She reached for it and then grabbed the neck of my uniform as she pulled me to her. I lost my footing and sprawled on the bed. I laughed into the pile of comforters we used as a mattress on the box spring.

"Sorry", she said as I picked myself back up.

I looked up at her from the pile of blankets, "You don't have to be sorry with me. A for effort, we'll get there."

"Speaking of getting there. I found some - things - in some of the kits you picked up", she was decidedly vague on the things in question.

"What things?"

Taylor sighed and leaned back to the top drawer of my nightstand by the bed and pulled out a blue pouch I hadn't seen before.

"That's not mine".

It isn't. I swear.

Taylor started to laugh, "Why are you so weird? I just finished saying I found something inside of those kits you picked up. You look upset, Ray. You're - you're not in trouble with me."

I looked down at the pouch in her hand and she flipped it over. This side was transparent and it had a long press to lock the zipper thing to seal it. Inside the pouch were various vitamin supplements, medication packets, bandages, a plastic strip of candies, and a little silver tray with pills I didn't recognize.

"Uhhh, cool we got snacks and meds?" I didn't know what she was getting at.

She straightened her legs and laid back down on the bed, "You don't - Ray. Ray, You've had the talk right? Your grandfather talked to you about -"

I cocked a questioning eyebrow.

"No? Health class, you had Health before you got powers, right?"

"Nah, they dropped it from my class load so I could patrol when I joined The Wards… What's wrong, Sunshine?"

She was covering her face with her hands, "I can't believe I'm about to ask this but - do you know about sex?"

What?!?

"What?!?"

"It's okay if you don't. Don't - don't worry about it."

I'm now so very, very worried about this. Has she had sex? I thought - like - WHAT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS OUT?!?

"I- no. I mean, I'm aware. I just I - I never, wait - have you had sex? Did you kiss Brian while I was out?" I am so confused.

Taylor sat up, "Yes, I did. We were out in public - that bookstore I pointed out yesterday, where Sophia attacked me. I saw her out there and Brian was with me. She was basically eye fucking him so I kissed him to upset her. It was a spur of the moment thing, I wanted to - I needed her to - I-"

I pushed myself up and forward on the bed and on impulse I kissed my Annie. I can't stand the idea of Sophia interfering to this point like this. And I don't like Brian a single bit either. But I have to encourage her to stick it to her bullies, so my stupid pride can go to hell.

I broke the kiss and smiled, "I'm glad you stuck it to her. Your move was choice, weird for me though, but I get it."

"We didn't do anything about the kiss, and yes I am - attracted to him."

Oh.

"But I'm not with him. I just work with him. Again, it was an impulse at a weird time in life BUT in the pouch I showed you is emergency birth control and condoms. Seems the city doesn't want a baby boom after a hurricane or an Endbringer attack."

Ohhhhhhh.

"I just ruined everything didn't I?"

Taylor frowned for the bajillionth time, "No, you are honest with me and your feelings, and since I don't have to be sorry with you I can extend you the same thing."

I'm pretty sure I'm going to pay for this somehow. I know it. Her mouth frowning sure knows it.

"I care about you, too".

"Hey! What did- oh you said 'care'."

I nodded, "Yup, yup. Anyway, to uhh make up for my bout of insanity what can I do special for you, today? I mean we do have - The Pouch."

She pushed on my head and I slid away from her, "Go. Do your thing. I'll set up the electronic stuff. Maybe - you can find some DVDs out there? The laptop has a drive on it. We could watch something together, relax?"

My eyes lit up, "I have some DVDs in my closet, but it's mostly sci-fi and horror and now we live that stuff so - I'll see what I can do."

With that I pointed finger guns at my Sunshine and strutted outta the bedroom with an extra thing to do. Maybe I can swipe something from the dorms or pick up a DVD from the gift shop.

 

[Eatersgrin]

The place doesn't look that different since I was last here but there was a copper taste to the air. I'm sitting in a conference room across from a guy claiming to be the leader of the Wards. I don't know this metal dude standing there. I could be getting pranked or something but then if it's true, if they promoted some out of towner after the losses to Leviathan, then things are really really bad.

I'm kinda getting the stink eye from him. It might have to do with me wearing the mask Rachel gave me from the bags of Coil's equipment. I mean sure it's creepy, pretty bug-like and less than friendly looking but I'm just a guy not some weirdo.

The costume Coil gave me was in two parts. A horned mask with two mustard colored bubbled lenses and the black mask itself airbrushed and stylized to look like sand and dirt speckled it. The body suit was a black zip up with built in boots also stylized much as the mask. The mustard, brown, and gray patterns looked like eddies of dirt and dust with streaks of speckled sand.

So I'm dudded out in my spare PRT issued uniform and the creepy ass mask. I almost didn't put a mask on at all because anyone that would want to screw me over in this life already knows my identity. So what do I have to lose? Nothing, right? Well I can get more enemies that's for sure, so I'm masking up.

Guy's not really asking questions. He's just standing there and now I'm pretty certain he's the one who patted Taylor - Skitter on the back before the Endbringer fight.

"I saw you at the thing a couple weeks back. They leave you here or they invited you back?" I asked curiously.

"Dust Devil, I am not allowed to speak to you until a direct Authority figure arrives to debrief you. All I can say is that I'm Weld, leader of the local Wards and you must remain in my custody."

Look what I'm working with here. People tell me I have an accent, yeah of course I speak English and Bad Spanish. This guy is from Boston, like for reals.

"I hope they're treating you alright. We - they lost good people from The Protectorate and the team that night. They're hurting so forgive them if they aren't a hundred percent with you. Usually Aegis and Gallant would be doing their best to reach out to everyone, ya know, before putting Yamada on the table. Even before that they'd be making sure Vista is included front and center. She's the Veteran Ward, she'll be the one who sees the most faces pass through the dorm. Never let her down, she's going to be your best bet to getting the rest on board to whatever your style or plan is."

I get a metal frown in response and silence. Take the time to look around the conference room, Dragon's symbol is displayed on the monitor on the wall, she's probably listening in.

"That doesn't seem fair", Weld spoke up.

I look back at him from across the table, "What?"

"Putting Vista out front like that for the others."

"I know, she's a kid but the adults have already been doing it. The focus put on her already has her head in that space. I seen a lot of sh- tuff in my months on the team. Nothing is really fair and yet she will feel undermined or being treated like a kid if she's not acknowledged", the words are coming out of me the past couple weeks like water from a broke dam. I'm used to talking a ton since my trigger but not anything close to coherent for others. I'd be making jokes or references just for me since I'd feel alone in the conversations I'd try to have.

"Still-", I interrupted the poor guy. He's already broken protocol, but I want my team treated right. Some of them are people I count as my friends.

"Her favorite person in the whole world died, man. She doesn't want to be hurt anymore than that. Trying to protect her from life isn't going to help her, she's going to feel like she's a special case on the team. Vista does more than pull her weight on the team, man. Can she be hurt more or worse? Yeah, but she already had the second worst day of her life. And not all of them can put on metal or stone to shield them from what life throws, ya know?"

Weld stared at me silently for a moment, "You are not anything like they described you."

"The team or the PRT?"

"Both. I heard you could be difficult and you had issues with your assignment but you were happy to patrol. You joke around constantly and lose focus during meetings. You had a habit of rambling and doing your own thing in the field."

I nodded my head carefully, I wasn't sure how the horns on the mask would behave, "Yeah, it's why I patrolled so much and was on babysitting duty at school, and not at Arcadia. Things have changed, my head is on straighter and I came here to be upset today, but not with you. You're a kid like the rest of us and you weren't here when I got screwed over. So, I appreciate you listening to me about the team, you broke protocols to do it but that means you care or you care about yourself enough to want the team to function at its best."

"Both."

I shrugged, "Good enough".

"Dust Devil, it is good to have you with us today", Dragon's voice came over the wall monitor's sound system.

"Hello, Dragon. It's great to finally get to speak to you. I'm a big fan of Protectorate tinkers. You and - you rock", still facing the monitor I spoke to Weld. "I always wanted to say that to her."

"Yes, I still have a couple of your letters from your social studies project back at Revere Middle School."

My eyes widened, I know this is a tactic to soften me up but dammit, it's DRAGON!

AND SHE REMEMBERS!

I gotta tell Abuela and Taylor about this.

"That's awesome! Thank you for responding to my questions. I think I got an A on it", I talked to Weld from the side of my mouth, "I don't get many A's."

"That's great to hear, unfortunately due to the circumstances of the state of the city we don't have The Director or any high level local administrators to see you at present so we called in a consultant-"

Ice rushed through my veins. No, no no no, no.

"Mr. Thomas Calvert, he's worked with the PRT for many years before becoming a consultant. I believe you have met with him."

"I'd prefer not to, Dragon. I can - I can - I can keep waiting. You can put a bunch of your drones in the room or put me in the garages with one of your suits guarding. I'll take a cell instead. I'm patient, I swear. Piggot, her assistant, Mr. Green from Image, even."

Weld looked at me strangely as I panicked, "Calm down, you're not under arrest. We're not going to lock you up."

"I'd - I'd rather be locked up than talk to Calvert. This is exactly why I came to be upset. This - this tells me no one cares, no one looked into it. I - Dragon, I'm leaving. I refuse to face that man. I don't know who he is and I don't trust him. I got the number for here. I'll call ahead next time. Jesus Christo, pinche PRT", I just muttered the last bit as I stood up from my chair.

Weld took a step forward and I tripped as I backed up into the chair. My body slipped into its weak breaker state and I hung in the air.

"Dust Devil, please return to your normal-" Dragon's voice cut out as the lights went out, the monitor went dark and smelled vaguely of burned out electronics.

Weld peeked out of one of the plastic blinds covering the conference room windows and the sound of dogs, big dogs could be heard.

I rematerialized, "You should probably get out there."

"Can't. The job is you right now", the metal hero said, still staring out the window.

"Doesn't anything I did against Leviathan count for something? I'm not a villain, at worst I'm a rogue - I'm not sure where I stand but I'm not here to do bad. I just needed the PRT to know their is bad shit coming their way and -"

The door slammed open and Calvert rapidly stepped inside and shut the door behind himself, "Weld, we're under attack. The rest of the Wards have been alerted and The Protectorate are still helping with containing the raids on the supply lines into the city. I know it's against proto-" Weld was practically out the door already.

"I'm on it, Dust Devil should cooperate and keep you safe" he cast a backwards silvery, glance at me and I shrugged. I didn't want to be in the room with Calvert let alone prevent harm to his person.

"I'm sure he'll cooperate, Weld. Now whoever crashed a van through the lobby tourists could be hurt", the consultant said and Weld was out the door.

With his back still to me, blocking the door, Calvert spoke, "So, we meet again, Dust Devil. I assume our mutual - captor has you pressed into his service as well?"

What?!?

"What?"

Calvert turned to face me and the older man reached into his pocket and held out a small plastic stick to me, "He wants data from the PRT servers. Take this distraction, ascend to the dorms, and the computer terminal for the monitor desk should be functional."

I stared dumbly at the skinny old man, he wanted me to go up to the dorms and stick that stick drive into the computer.

For Coil.

"Coil's a coward and a dick and his costume sucks. I don't know what he has on you but he's got nothing on me to make me his bitch. So I'm just going to chill here until this blows over", I picked up the chair I tripped on and sat back down.

"It's imperative you get this data, Mr Alcaraz, for all our sakes "

"No, I'm cool. Last time I trusted you I ended up getting a sledgehammer to the skull and bled all over. Not cool."

Calvert stared at me like I just crop dusted him, "Is Coil not paying you enough for your cooperation?"

"Nobody told me nothing about being paid. Slaves don't get paid and Clown girl made it clear he owned me, somehow. Besides he ran from Leviathan while I hit, fought and wrestled that monster and lived. So if he's too weak to face an Endbringer then he's not a real thre-"

"Enough! The Undersiders are here, they are your distraction to steal the data. As soon as your drive has captured a copy it will alert Skitter and the others to exfiltrate to safety", Calvert held the drive out and his ID card for me to take.

I got out of my chair and snatched it from him, "Just getting data. I'm not going to fight anyone for that skinny freak. He owes me debts and I will collect."

I swapped to my breaker state and filtered through the vent in the ceiling and entered the HVAC system. I remember being told it wasn't tinker made, instead the system was just tinker modified so it fit building regulations but also gave the place the safety of the tinker security.

Luckily, as a self declared Tinker whisperer, I got advice from Chris on how to approach tinker tech to defuse or interfere with it in an emergency. It's almost like magic that only that specific tinker, or Dragon, can muck with. Sneaking around the PRT building here with his advice was easy.

The UV lights didn't hurt my breaker form. The laser grids I could pass right through. But the viral and fine particulate filters you only really see on furnace filters were tinker made so they never needed changing. They used to keep me out until I realized how they self cleaned.

I stripped all the current build up on the filter, added it to my mass, then pushed myself against it and lined every millimeter of filter surface. After about ten seconds an arm the height of the filter armed with fine toothed brush and UV light started dragging across the surface. Since the arm that cleans is part of the frame I drop the extra mass and see the fine hairline crack the arm itself closes up. I filter through the crack and keep moving until I hit the hallway vent closest to the elevators.

I spill out of the vent and reform in front of the elevator. I swipe his Id card on the panel and luckily the elevator opened up.

The doors opened up to the dorm level and I saw no one was scrambling around the hallway. I swapped back to my breaker state and zipped to the dorms, entered through the ceiling vent and bypassed the filter again.

Since I slipped in without triggering the door the lights stayed off. Inside it was like almost nothing had changed. Almost.

A big, weird chair made out of truck tires was set at the head of the table. In Gallant's space was a lot less Glory Girl merch and a lot more Gallant and Brigade/New Wave stuff. I passed by Vista's area and some of her Gallant posters looked like they had been taken down, creased, straightened out and then tacked back up.

That feeling inside had me upset again. I missed my friends and Coil has me breaking in to steal stuff or Taylor could get caught. Was this our lives now - puppeted by the attachment we have for others?

Asshole.

The monitor desk was unmanned, made sense since they'd be back in school by now. Even with a disaster still going, the Youth Guard would go ape if they kept us from our education.

I plugged the drive into the computer and the screen showed a data transfer bar blinking at zero percent. I heard the disk drives spin up and start doing their thing and the bar started reading zero point two percent and started racing through the numbers.

This was going to take a while.

I stood up and paced around the dorm. Dennis had sketched out a poster for me, it was super generic, it could have been almost anyone's silhouette in a PRT cape uniform. But the poster had Dust Devil written at the bottom in sharpie. I found it tacked up in Chris's area.

Why'd life have to be so hard? What was wrong with wanting to do good and help people that made someone a target for the selfish buttholes that abuse their power. Alexandria and Eidolon are super powerful and they don't go around hurting people or taking advantage.

I had to remember to - oh yeah, I dipped over to the community file cabinet. During a day of patrol we each kept eyeing this tall thin filing cabinet on the curb outside an office building. Someone a long time ago had slapped an old Wards vinyl sticker that was from Miss Milita's days on the front of the second drawer. The skies were threatening to rain that day and we felt it was destiny that had us find it. Vista combined with Me and Aegis were able to sneak the thing into the building while the rest distracted the lobby crew.

Inside the top drawer, too high for Vista, was the energy drinks and energy bars. Best not to tempt our veteran into skipping sleep. Second drawer was magazines, mini posters, prototype merch not meant for the public yet. Third drawer was our media drawer. Movies, jump drives of music, CDs, audio books, actual books, and a bunch of promotional earbuds, headphones, and lots of batteries.

I tried to find a movie that wasn't horror or sci-fi. Big Trouble in Little China, yes please.

The monitor made a pinged sound like it was done. Quickly I grabbed a couple of books randomly and I took just enough stuff they'd assume someone else on the team borrowed them. Plus Taylor might appreciate the new reading material, and I strode over to the desk. The transfer bar read one hundred percent done. I pulled the data stick and unzipped my uniform, jammed the goodies inside, and breaker stated my way out.

In the conference room Calvert was typing on his phone when I dropped down through the ceiling vent.

"It's done?" he asked, not looking up.

"Yeah, yeah, I got his stupid files. Now send them away."

The keyboard on his smartphone slid up behind his screen and the consultant reached out for the drive, "Already done, Dust Devil."

I sighed and handed the drive and ID card to him, carefully he plucked them from my fingers and inspected the drive then put it into his pocket with his phone, "Now do you actually want to say something to the PRT or should you be rightly changing your mind?"

With a frown I said, "No. I'm good."

"Excellent. He will be pleased at your cooperation as I am - pleased."

I got the feeling this guy was pretty upset.

"Can I go now?"

"Oh no, you must remain until they release you. I'll find Weld and give the order and you return home and wait for further instruction", Calvert opened the door and slipped out quietly and headed back to the lobby.

~~x

Taylor wasn't home when I arrived. I wasn't sure to change or to go out looking for her or call the number for Coil programmed into the phones. I puttered around the house without my mask on and tidied up. I swapped out the comforters on the box spring and put the old ones to soak in a couple washtubs. I looked over the setup for the equipment and kitchen table looked Iike a small office space. She'd somehow ran the wiring for the solar cells to the roof through carefully cut holes in the ceiling just wide enough for the cables to pass.

The house ladder still sat on the side of the house and there the panels were installed flat to the roof. A small cloth bag of tools is still sitting by the panels. Like my Abuelo taught me I double checked the tightness of the mounting screws and Taylor had found the studs to mount the panels to. The screws were in there good and that's when I noticed a note in the bag.

'Bug Girl didn't have the time today. Took care of this for you. Keep your phones charged, boyo. - C'

The note was written in black pen but the C was done in grease paint or lipstick but it was definitely bright orange. I crumpled the note and let it fall off the roof.

Why a clown? Why not a magician or illusionist? Clowns don't do magic. They honk horns, make balloon animals, let you throw ping pong balls into buckets to win t-shirts and giant Tootsie rolls.

From the roof I saw a supply truck roll by and drop Taylor off several houses down, carrying a backpack. She started half limping, half running towards the house so I leapt off the roof and entered my breaker state and raced to her.

When I materialized she was developing a black eye, had bruises, and bits of containment in her hair.

"Are you okay?" I grabbed her by the shoulders and she winced. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Taylor dropped her bag and hugged me right there in the empty street. The heat of the afternoon Sun beat on us through the humidity of the still mostly flooded city.

"I'm sorry, Ray. I didn't know this was going to happen. He - Coil knew you were going to the PRT today and he called us in to take on the place while you got the data for him", she broke the hug and looked at me with worry on her face.

"Did you do that for him? Is that why you went?"

"No, no, I would have told you what I was up to. Not telling you something like that is just lying in my book", I leaned down and picked up her backpack. "C'mon lean on me and let's get you home. I'll explain what happened and we'll patch you up."

Taylor threw an arm around my neck and we slowly made our way inside. Every hitch in her breathing, and grunt was another dagger I was going to bury in Coil. This was beyond justice, vengeance and karma. This is the young lion killing the old lion. I'm talking old testament, cardinal sin wrath coming his way.

"Here, here the porch", she insisted.

She couldn't even make it inside, fuck.

"Alright, just be - just be okay. I'll get the stuff from the red thing",

"Pain meds I'm the pouch, too", she called out.

I had no time to realize what she asked for and just did it automatically. Red thing, bottled waters, and pouch tucked under arm I kool aid manned through the screen door and kneeled next to her.

Taylor took the pouch from under my arm and I unscrewed the bottle cap from the bottle and waited for her to take her pain meds. I watched her take two ibuprofen then two acetaminophen then downed half the bottle.

"Sunshine, I gotta check your wounds."

She held up a hand and said nothing for a few moments, "I need a bit for the pain meds to - kick in, Ray. Just... Just talk to me. Keep me, keep me occupied, please."

I settled behind her, legs spread and just kinda turned myself from a dusty boy to human recliner, I slipped my arms under hers and let her relax, "Alright, well I went to the the, ya know, the HQ. I met the lobby crew and then they pulled rifles on me and waited for Weld to get pulled out of Arcadia."

"He was in class?" She asked quickly. Seems she was going to participate in this to keep her mind off the pain.

"Yes, Annie, he was in class so it took a while to see him. He arrived and took me to a conference and then tried to-"

"Why didn't you go to Arcadia?"

That was an often considered question for me, "Good question, Santa Bugita. You see someone had to watch Sophia after your locker torture. I, being damaged in the head, figured they were using me to watch her and basically backburner me on the Wards until my brain fixed or I aged out. So why waste spots on the hardcase and charity case since one might go back to juvie and the other might get worse, right?"

"Ugh".

"Big ugh. Anyway, we wait forever for a boss to come visit and hear me out. Except something went down in the lobby."

Taylor lifted her head and rested it against my shoulder, "That would be me and the others ramming a van into the lobby with an EMP device loaded in the back. Coil called us in at the last minute after you left for the raid."

"Think you got whiplash from that, Annie?"

She shook her curls no.

"And so it turns out Dragon - oh yeah, Dragon remembered I wrote her letters back in junior high."

"Nngh, for a Project or just a fan?" Taylor asked through a wince.

"Both. You don't have a concussion do you?"

Her curls shook again, "No. Medic cleared me at Coil's base-". She yawned, "-before they drove me home. I was worried you - you were doing it for me. That he threatened me or implied something to get you to go."

"Nope, I was legit there to yell at people and check on my old team. But Calvert showed up and gave me the data drive and his badge to break into the dorms. He said you were out there and couldn't leave until I got the data. Said he was like me, being held captive. I don't trust that guy at all but I couldn't chance it with you out there."

"Mhm", she mumbled as I felt her relax.

"So I did the thing and I picked up a movie and a couple books for you from the filing cabinet. Hey, did I ever mention we had a filing cab…", and she was asleep.

I imagine the stress and whatever kind of fight Weld, the PRT Officers plus maybe Dragon put up was a helluva thing. Looking over her shoulder at her arms draped in her lap, I see scrapes and bruises. Things that made it past the costume she made.

I slowly realize that The Wards would be in overdrive right now patrolling longer and farther to make up for the disruption of the city, the desperation of people with little to no resources and the assholes out there who think they can profit from things while they can. That's probably why it was only Weld pulled immediately. If the dude is made of metal he might not tire so quickly, the rest would be barely sleeping and barely able to attend school as it is.

It was the perfect time to hit the PRT with a guy on the inside doing the easy part.

The pouch is sitting there to her right. Open, unzipped, just sitting there, and it's full of responsibilities and you have to know things to use them right. Why did nobody explain THESE THINGS AT ANY POINT!?

Seriously, I'm going to have to go online and search for this. Which is worse than asking random strangers because Coil is probably watching or monitoring everything we do on the computer. Taylor is asleep at least, that buys me time, and she's been insistent on things. Oh God, she could wake up early tonight - WITH ENERGY!

I mean, is this what my folks went through? Did - NO, NOT THINKING ABOUT THAT, NO!

Just, I don't know, people don't tell you things and life starts happening and now a whole other person who cares about you is disappointed you aren't up to speed like them. I'm sure Brian has done stuff and AGAIN I DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT THAT!

I'm now a criminal, living alone with his girlfriend, and I'm thinking about doing - stuff. Thinking of doing stuff safely cuz otherwise I'm going to end up with a kid and am I going to do exactly like Mom? Dumping the kid the first time I visit Taylor's dad? Running off to be free with the bad crowd, Abuelo would grumble about when I was little.

She's pictures in an album I haven't seen in years. Just photos in frames that were taken down as I started asking questions. I don't even remember her anymore.

Taylor stirred and started to stand up.

"Okay, be careful, mi amor", I helped her to stand. I steadied her as we went inside, "Couch or bed?"

She grunted as I tried to lead her to the couch, and almost stumbled. I maneuvered her to the bedroom.

"Do you want me to treat your bruises and cuts or are you just a big sleepyhead?"

"Mmm", was her response.

Sleep it is.

I lowered Taylor to the fresh bedding and helped her get her shoes off. And that's all just shoes, her clothing looks fresh and clean enough. It's still day outside and it's warm in the house so I run an extension cord from the power station to our bedroom and run my box fan on low.

I head towards the living room and the screen door is propped open and a writhing mass of bugs are pulling The Pouch inside. The damn thing haunting my ass.

I pull the screen door open politely for Taylor's critters and once they're all clear I retrieve her back pack. Back inside her put her stuff on the couch and lock the screen door so a breeze can filter through.

The laptop is on the table plugged into the power station and I power it on. I open the internet browser and the search page is on the first tab.

Uhhh… 'how do you show you love someone'. Yeah that should be okay. That's not going to be so bad.

 

[Eatersgrin]

I couldn't sleep.

The internet... I'd just seen too much. I'd heard the locker room talk from PE Class in middle school and then it ramped up in the Gym plus after school in the weight room. So it wasn't like I wasn't familiar. We really didn't have the internet at home, I'd use it at school or the city libraries scattered around the city. But sweet Jesus - there is a lot going on. It's - this is beyond the man talk at Abuelo's construction sites.

I know the men working there would probably whistle at Taylor walking past but would actually say what they would do if it was Sophia walking by. I didn't understand the difference back then. But after seeing online that hardly any of the guys looked like me and very few if ever look like Taylor, and those are just the advertisements - animated all over the websites. But at least now I definitely, generally, kinda understand the mechanics of what's expected of me.

I also know that if I pretend I know what I'm doing things could go wrong. And that would just be lying.

This - this requires a lot of trust, so I guess I'll talk to her about things before. Hopefully she doesn't cover her face and dies on me when I do that. Better to ask permission than forgiveness in this situation, I imagine.

But here I am listening to her sleep. She already half woke once and found the bottle of water and The Pouch on the nightstand. She took more meds and just passed out again. I kind of want to wake her to get her to eat something but she's really sleeping hard.

I gave her my pillow cuz she was drooling bad on hers. I didn't want her waking up embarrassed about it, so I didn't want her feeling any worse than what she's been through. I'm surprised she still cares about that stuff around me. She's still human, humans drool and smell and sweat, nothing wrong with being normal now and again.

I glanced at her in the dark and she's so thin, almost frail in the dark. But in her full costume, as Skitter she comes alive bigger than her own life. Behind our masks the tears and sweat and drool are gone, all there is is our presence and power.

It's crazy.

A single black widow spider can maim, cripple, or even kill a full grown man. During construction Abuelo warned they might be found hitching a ride if they got lumber that passed through Albuquerque or Brown Recluses from Texas. Ever since I found out what she could do I immediately thought if Taylor was a bad person she could easily be an untraceable assassin sending a single spider to get a target, like a James Bond villain.

That's how I know she's not bad. She doesn't do the easy thing. Taylor meets her problems head on even if it sends her home stumbling and in pain.

Maybe Lisa is right.

Maybe I am obsessed with Taylor.

My head isn't where it should be, I still have those moments I'm lost in what I am doing but now I can step back and look at what I have done. She's a large piece of my world now in a span of several weeks even though I was gone for half of it. Abuela was my sole concern since Grandpa passed. I just - I just worry about people close to me. I need them whole and happy, and just like that Taylor doubled my world.

Okay, yeah that's obsessive but she for sure likes me back, deals with my crazy, and I like doting on her. Every smile, every little laugh, that's a part of her getting to feel something other than dread or worry and that is victory. Victory against this unfair world. So this right here, right now, this is how we choose to live.

A ringtone goes off in the kitchen, our new crime office. I reluctantly get up and take my time going to answer.

"What?"

"Attitude, Dusty Boy", I can hear the grin in her voice.

"We're half asleep, what?"

"No she's asleep, and you're watching over her", she laughed to herself.

"They used to burn people like you at the stake back when there was no electricity and people died from like - colds and cuts, Tattletale."

"Oh, that's refreshing. Anyway, how is she doing?"

"Sleeping that Pearl Harbor shit off. Taking pain meds and chugging water. Hasn't eaten since breakfast and it wasn't much."

"Okay, I'll tell Coil to send a medic to check in on her in the morning, see if she needs an IV or something stronger than over the counter stuff", Lisa sounded genuinely concerned.

"Why the call if you knew I'd answer and be pissed off?"

"Because Dusty, we all have a big meeting tomorrow. All Capes on Deck, in costume, and ready to roll out."

"Great", I rubbed at my eyes, they burned a little.

"Now go. Check if she needs to get up to eat or pee, then keep her warm til the medic shows. Then I'll call back to give you a heads up when the limo arrives to take you to Junior Prom."

The hell?

"Prom?"

"You dense - forget it. I'll call Taylor to say when your ride is passing by for pick up", Lisa hung up abruptly.

Good riddance.

I realized I was still wearing the PRT uniform. I moved to the bathroom to quietly change out of it. I tore the velcro open and unzipped the suit and the DVD and books fell out. I completely forgot about them. The books were warm from my body and lightly damp from sweat and the DVD intact and unscratched.

Plaid boxers and a shiny white undershirt and sweaty white socks was all I was left with as I shucked off the suit. I cracked the small bathroom window open and left the costume hanging over the shower curtain rail to let it air out. I kicked my boots under the sink and there was a knock at the door.

"Annie?"

"Nngh".

I opened the door and she shoulder checked me as she shuffled past to the toilet. I was about to step out but she grabbed the hem of my shirt.

"Don't. Might pass out", she mumbled.

I nodded and remained there with my side to her as she went. My shirt still gripped in her hand.

Again, this is new. I remember in sitcoms this was funny to the audience but painful to the couples. She finished and washed up, I stood just in the doorway and helped guide her back to bed.

"You hungry? Thirsty? Cold? Want some music?"

"Cold", Taylor admitted as she climbed back into bed.

¡Lisa es una bruja!

I pulled a white knit blanket from the foot of the bed and pulled it over us as I climbed in next to her.

~~x

Taylor's jogging alarm woke me.

"Mmh?" It was my turn to grunt.

"Sorry, going for my jog", she sounded out of it and beyond tired.

"Uh uh, medic coming to check on you later. Witch's orders", I murmured into her hair.

"Huh, Lisa? Okay", she responded and I fell back to sleep.

~~x

Knocking at the door and the phone on the table ringing got me out of bed.

"Sunshine, I think it's the medic." I said as I patted her side.

She stirred, "Should I get up?"

"Only if you need to go to the restroom. I'll get the door."

"'Kay".

I materialized by the front door and greeted the medic. Instead it was a guy in an olive green fishing vest over a thin red flannel button up shirt and tan work pants with a fishing kit, fishing pole and a black backpack.

"She needs a medic, not a gutting", I said to the guy.

"Ha, this was your coworker's idea. Said your folks probably fish, it'd be good cover."

"Little racist but yeah that's right. Got a name?"

He shrugged, "Ahab?"

I snorted as I unlocked the screen door and let Ahab in, "Patient is in our bedroom, Captain."

I led the way and he leaned the rod by the couch. We found her sitting on the edge of the bed still wearing most of her costume looking sleepy with her mess of curls and dark circles under her eyes.

He gave her a once over, asked questions and all that good stuff. She ended up with a prescription of rest, fluids, strong antibiotics in case of infection symptoms, and a week's worth of actual pain killers.

After Ahab left she changed out of her costume and left it to air out on the shower railing too. Modesty went out the window as she was the sickie today, and I wrapped the half naked brunette in part of our bedding and carried her to the couch. I propped her up and got her comfortable with the laptop and made some breakfast on the fire outside, checking on her periodically. Lisa had put protein pancake mixes, honey and sugar packets, plus tea bags in the costume bag, so we just needed water from our supplies.

"The Hell?!" I could hear her from outside.

I rushed back into the house, "What's wrong?"

Taylor turned the laptop to me, "Look."

One of the stories on the news site was the PRT being attacked by the Undersiders and apparently the rogue named as Dust Devil helped in the breach.

"I knocked out Calvert?"

"It says you did."

I thought for a second, "I should have. What an asshole. Covering his ass and selling me out."

"I didn't know, Ray. Pretty sure the rest didn't either. Lisa has been pretty forthright since our talk the other day."

I shrugged. It really didn't matter. I kissed the top of her head, "Whatever it wasn't like I expected them to welcome me back with open arms. They couldn't get anybody important to meet up with me anyway."

"Ahh, I saw your searches."

Damn.

"Glad you decided to look into things. We can talk about it anytime - except during 'business'. It's private, so even if you think it's just joking or flirting between us, don't do it while we're working, okay? I trust you, you really don't know how much I trust you, Ray."

Her stare was intense and my legs turned to Jello for a fraction of a moment. This is the woman, this is the moment.

"Besides, I had the talk already and actually had health class. I've read things, too", Taylor continued from the heart of the comforter burrito I wrapped her lower body in.

And of course there would be books about sex. Of course she would have read them. Brian probably read them.

Blegh.

"Swank, maybe we'll talk tonight? Get that whole thing worked out while you heal up? Anyway hot water is on the way for tea and food will be ready in a few", I announced and rushed outside before she could answer.

The hot cast iron skillet let me make a couple silver dollar pancakes at once. Halfway through cooking them and before I flipped them I took some of the mixed nuts packets I saved from a few of my meals in case Taylor got hungry and I sprinkled crushed up walnuts and pecans I picked out. Since our breakfast was going to be quick and without any meat protein, figured nuts would make them interesting and more filling.

I piled them up in a paper bowl and stuck a teabag in my favorite mug with Hero's logo on it. I dumped in some hot water and brought her tea and our breakfast inside. The screen door slammed behind me as I entered, "like always I ruined the first couple pancakes so I got dibs on them. The rest have-"

Taylor had unwrapped herself from the comforter and it was draped across the couch. She sat in the middle of two of the covered cushions and the laptop was on the little ottoman Abuela used as a coffee table, "Feeling better from the meds, huh?"

She nodded, "Not just that. Now sit." Taylor gestured to the spot next to her on the comforter with a jerk of her head.

I brought the tea to her and she just balanced it on a magazine on the ottoman.

"Pancake?" I ask as I sit down with the bowl in hand. Honey and sugar packets stacked on top of my undercooked, not-so-round cakes.

Gingerly she took the bowl from me and put it on the same magazine as her tea.

Without the bowl we were just sitting on the couch in shirts and underwear. The Pouch was nowhere to be seen so maybe things needed saying now instead of tonight?

"Annie?"

She shushed me as she pushed me back on the couch. Taylor followed me down as she stretched herself over me and kissed me as she pinned me to the comforter. All this time together we hadn't done much of anything but peck each other from time to time or hold each close in the cold.

This was different.

I could taste mouthwash and fragments of a mint candy she ate from the glass bowl in the kitchen. I smelled her sweat and the strange, vinegar sting of the foam clinging to her hair. The wounds on her skin were still warmer than the rest of her that pressed on me as I lost myself in all of her.

"Say it", she said after she broke the kiss. "Won't stop you."

The moment was heady and my mouth was still trying to kiss rather than make sounds happen, "Love you. I love you."

"You won't lie to me."

It wasn't a question.

"I - no. Not even to save myself."

Big brown eyes searched mine intensely and this time I was pretty sure I was the prey.

"Shirt. Off." She spoke the order with a stilted, serious tone.

I raised my left arm and used it to hold us both up from the couch as I grabbed the hem of my undershirt with my right hand and pulled it off in a single move. She pushed me back down with one hand, and held me there as she looked me over before tossing her glasses towards the ottoman.

Taylor grabbed my hands and placed them on her hips. "Shirt. Off", she repeated again.

But I already -

Oh.

Ohhhhhh.

I warned her talking to me like this would do something. I just expected it to be me.

So I did as I was told.

~~x

Lisa's call woke us as we napped on the comforter on the floor. A supply truck would pass by forty minutes later, just enough time to shower, eat cold pancakes, and toss some body powder into our costumes before suiting up again.

Once the masks were on, for once in my life, I changed my demeanor and kept things serious. Ray is fun, loud, and says what he means. Ward Ray was the same but with a duty to the city in mind. Dust Devil was going to be different. He's a rogue, a criminal but not a villain. He does what he's told but on his own terms.

If Coil doesn't like it then he can take a long walk off a short pier wearing an ankle bracelet with cinder block charms.

It was a twenty minute ride, woulda been ten before the self appointed city councilman Mr. Levi Athan decided to rearrange the city overnight with mostly non-union types.

The sewer entrance was mediocre, the secret base itself would have made the Empire Eighty-Eight nostalgic for the old days and at the same time bore them, finally the faceless army of hired mercenaries was cool in the mid to late eighties. For this City Domination project I would give Coil a 'Needs Improvement' and 'Does Not Play Well With Others'.

I think all this to myself. Taylor doesn't call me weird. No one laughs, and the mood stays tense and cold.

Skitter is a few steps ahead of me and we make our way down metal steps descending into a big chamber with several branching corridors. A lot less sewer and a lot more base, plenty secret. The chamber is still being cleared of wooden crates by the faceless troops in body armor and tactical gear.

The rest of the chamber is basically just a general multi story open area for meetings, musters, and exercises or demonstration. Right now there is a long table with seats and at its head is Coil's wheelie office chair slash throne. The memory attached to it makes me sick to my stomach and I fight the urge to react by letting a fresher memory replay in my mind.

We had forgotten about the pouch until after we woke and Taylor dutifully took the medication. I didn't understand why she hesitated at first. It was the right thing to do. No matter what I believe it's not my body, not my place to ask her to risk herself for a chance. I'm no Father figure and I barely felt ready for what had just happened.

Others started filtering in after us. Taylor pointed out The Travelers, mercenary capes, secretive but effective in their tactics. I recognized Trickster from the Endbringer fight. Ballistic and Sundancer, she both described and their powers sounded like they were useful at the battle too.

The Undersiders made their way in. Tattletale, Regent, Bitch, Grue, and an additional member. I didn't recognize them with their grinning horned mask, scarf, and purple accents in their hair. Grue seemed to keep close to this one, girlfriend or sidekick?

Maybe.

Of course Circus showed up dressed with nearly painted on tights and leotard. I received a wink and blown kiss in acknowledgement by the clown and chose to remember the feeling of Taylor's curls between my fingers as we kissed like we'd never done before.

Behind the clown girl was another painted face. A slight woman with short dark hair, white and purple grease paint, a button up white shirt, black bow tie, purple suspenders, black trousers and dress shoes. Out of everyone present they were the most animated with grand sweeping arm gestures and mimed, mute laughter.

"Greetings", I could hear the slimy bastard as the coward slithered into the room, "I trust everyone has arrived?" Coil asked as he took his seat at the head of the table. Circus and the other woman each stood at his sides flanking his seat.

"Please, everyone take a seat we have much to discuss", the mime woman gestured at the table. Folks took their seats and chose their places. I stood next to Skitter. A horned masked girl appeared next to Grue suddenly and confused half the table.

"Now, as I told you when I recruited many of you, Brockton Bay has a problem. There is just simply too much crime. Much of it is unorganized, chaotic, destructive and wasteful. This is where not only am I paying you but I am charging each of you a slice of the city, territories to police and rule."

Regent seemed to wake up from his boredom at the sound of ruling over others.

Coil dropped a manila folder on the table top, "Circus, Master Mime, do pass these out to our members."

The sheets gave a basic map with bullet points for each highlighted area, "Each page gives you some details on the borders of your territories and notable buildings, business interests, and or threats to consolidating your power. I don't expect all of you to rush headlong into any one aspect but I do expect improvements or plans for improvement in one way or another at our next meeting. You'll also find contact information for each of you with dedicated agents that can get you information or resources to make your rule go as smoothly as possible."

Once Circus and Master Mime finished passing out handouts Coil stood from his seat, "Questions or concerns directly for me? Otherwise, call the number for your territory's agent on your sheets once you get settled."

"Why is there a piece on here for me?" I asked.

"I expect you to take care of it as the rest would."

"No, I don't want it. I'm not paid. I don't play."

Coil balled a fist for a second and then relaxed his hand, "Minor details, Dust Devil."

"Major details, Coal. Major. I'll be in Skitter's territory, anyone has a problem with that - tough."

Coil shrugged, "Yes, details - I'll have revised maps drawn up and distributed to you by the time you arrive at your bases. Each territory will have fully furnished and equipped home bases for you and any of your recruits."

A murmur of approval went through the room, "And I do encourage you to recruit minions, underlings, and the like. Your bases will be regularly restocked with the basic food, medical, and hygiene supplies. Simply call your Agent and we can have other things included in your drops or rush delivery due to necessity. Any lingering concerns?"

Skitter looked around the table and raised a hand, "I do."

"I'm aware of your concerns, he will be fairly compensated, Skitter. I assure you. Speaking of assurance, the fact we are able to be here so far ahead of schedule is thanks to Dust Devil getting us access to the last pieces of information to help us take this city and make it great once again."

Circus and Master Mime started applauding. Their claps echoed in the chamber.

 

[Eatersgrin]

Coil won't stop making a big deal about how great his plan is, the free food, bases, etc. It's like he's trying to convince kids how fun taking over a city will be. I made a mistake choosing to stand next to Skitter. He won't stop talking and I need better support for my feet. Not used to standing still for so damn long, all for an asshole so in love with his own voice.

Besides, the Empire Eighty-Eight may be all messed up but the scary ones are still out there just as racist and violent, just without the schemer Kaiser to direct them. Looters showing up in big groups raiding homes and businesses. Drug gangs are still out there, even drug cartels would find a way to have a presence here. Reports from the West Coast said The Elite were attempting a take over in Brockton Bay during the trouble with Lung.

Then if each cape here takes a piece what about the cape who gets the spot on PRT territory? Or the cape who gets the land around the Leviathan made sinkhole? What does everyone gain by taking the city? Won't they just shut things down and wall it off at some point?

"Now if each of you would be so inclined to follow the driver assigned to your territory,. The number on their hardhats should match to the allotments on your maps. They'll escort you to your bases and show you how it all functions", Coil spoke again and Master Mime gestured like a game show hostess at Coil's mercenaries dressed as Emergency Relief personnel. The men and women wore hardhats, safety goggles, jump suits or coveralls, and respirators to obscure their identities.

But I don't ask my questions because I have to watch my girlfriend listen to a damn madman. This is ridiculous. I'm not going to participate and take part of the City for myself. I'm a hero not a tyrant, and I don't care how the news paints me. I know what I'm doing and why, they don't. Just because people point at you and call you bad doesn't make you so. Just because the world tries to tell you who you are doesn't mean you have to prove them right. It's not easy but isn't living a lie just as hard?

Skitter stood and the Travelers filed out first. Grue walked over to us, "Skitter, do you think it's good for him to give up his territory?"

Talking about me in front of me, wow.

"Pinché, Cucuy".

Regent laughed as he threw an arm around the horned-mask girl's shoulders.

"What?" Grue asked, exasperated

"Dusty called you the fucking Bogeyman, Grue."

His darkness puffed up around him and buried his entire mask in darkness.

Skitter nodded, "It's fine. He's staying with me anyway. You all can borrow him once he's finished with my territory."

"Oh, she's pimping you out already, Dusty Boy?" Regent made whipping sounds.

"What, Dusty is with Skitter?" the new girl asked.

Tattletale butted in, "Yes, but only recently. So be careful how hard you poke that topic unless you want to wake up with a head of lice and a bed bug infestation."

"Gross, but kinda cool", the masked girl admitted.

Regent shrugged after Grue removed his arm from the girl's shoulders.

Rachel pushed past Grue and Regent towards the lineup of drivers and the rest of us followed her. The driver to Skitter's territory was a woman in personal protection equipment. The gear seemed a bit extreme until over a half hour later she pulled up a half block from the hidden entrance.

The neighborhood was beyond flooded, and we were definitely in The Docks, old ABB territory. You needed hand holds to get up into and off the truck from the street, but here the water was nearly up to the edge of the door in places. We were close to where I woke up in Coil's custody the night of the Endbringer fight but those warehouses we're washed away now but plenty of the brick and mortar buildings designed with hurricane resistance in mind stood but sometimes buried in feet of water.

We stepped out of the truck into thigh high water and slowly the street went uphill, the ground semi dry near a storm sewer. Here we slipped inside Cranston leading us through a couple turns before we found a security door and keypad. The six digit code was like playing Happy Birthday using the tones on a telephone's keypad.

Cranston led us inside, "Aside from electronic keypads for access is a security monitoring system. All the bases are equipped with cameras, security doors, riot/storm doors and shutters for the public face of the structure. It's three tiered, first floor is kitchen, activities space, living area, bathroom, and of course, still being assembled, bunk space."

Wow, that's assuming she gets a good number of henchmen or minions or foot soldiers. That's a lot of beds.

"Second floor is aimed at your costumed identity, identities. A place to privately confer and equip as needed in your day to day operations. As things are going ahead of schedule, thanks to you Dust Devil, we have yet to fill this space so any requests for special equipment or supplies or decor?"

Skitter looked at me and I shook my head, "I'm good. My powers don't need a place for me to hang my - horns, I'm just here to help her. Skitter probably needs space to do her weaving?"

Taylor's body language changed as she got closer to Cranston and Coil's agent pulled out a small note recorder and recorded Taylor's very specific requests. Abuela would call it nesting, she was making the space hers. This was Skitter's lair, her base, and, as my Abuelo would say about himself, I was just furniture.

All the crap Coil has put me through certainly made me feel like furniture, all used, abused, and left behind when disaster struck. Skitter's suggestion to loan me out to The Undersiders didn't help with the feeling, and it stung. She knew how much I didn't like them and yet to appease Grue offered me up without hesitation or even asking.

"Third floor is for- your personal space: bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen. All stocked with the basics. I'll have a second set of supplies brought up, men's hygiene products, ahh, contact lenses for Skitter and other personal products sent up, of course."

Of course.

"What do you want here?" Skitter asked, not looking at me.

I shrugged, "It's your base. Your choice. I'll probably be out on loan a lot for it to even matter."

Now she turned to look at me but we both remained quiet.

Cranston filled the awkward silence as she continued, "You don't need to decide now but in some of the boxes downstairs are a flat screen tv, DVD player, wireless internet kit, and a couple laptops. An inflatable mattress until we can get a proper bed installed. The electronics can be set up anywhere really."

"Is that all?", Skitter asked without looking at her.

"Ahh, during the reconstruction of the area trucks will refill your propane tanks regularly, gas up generators, and drop off supplies. Here is my card, the number goes directly to me and I can get you most requests the same day unless it's something the disaster has made difficult to acquire. Feel free to call at any hour, and unless there are any other details to address?"

Skitter and I just stared at each other silently.

"Then I will see myself out. Goodbye, Skitter, Dust Devil", the woman ducked out through the storm sewer entrance.

"What was that?" she asked.

"What was what?"

"You - you're going to live here too. You gave up your territory-"

"And as Alec put it, you pimped me out to people you know I can't stand."

"Like it or not we need this to work, Ray. If we're going to do what needs to be done Coil needs to see things work smoothly. That means we work together - as a team."

I tore my mask off, "Those weirdos are not my team! Remember, I was Dusty the Coma Boy while you were running around commiting crimes and - and kissing on the bogeyman."

Taylor removed her mask, "We already talked about this, Ray. But is that what this is about? You're upset Brian didn't like you giving up territory?"

"That and you trying to please him and offering me up without asking me."

Taylor covered her face with her hand, "Ray, you have to participate. This is happening with or without you but- I... no, fine. Don't. You don't have to do anything."

I heard the disappointment in her voice and it killed me. I was upset but to hear her like I failed her, that was a kick in the pants. I closed the distance and slipped my arms around her waist, "I hate Coil, I hate seeing you being used by his snake ass. So knowing he can send you into danger on a whim - and then watch you come limping back home. It's torture. It sucks. I love two people in this whole wide world and I don't want to lose either of you."

"Ray, you know capes don't live very long. Our lives are short and violent and messy. I'm happy you choose to love me but remember I chose this. I'm going to see it through, and I - appreciate you helping me. I just assumed since you agreed to help me that you'd back my plays as I call them."

Curse my helpful ass.

Annie put her hands on my chest and kissed me. The tension melted from my shoulders and my hands found their way across her back, pulling her close to me.

"That's the sweetner I like", I said after she broke the kiss.

"Hmm, how long does it take to inflate a bed?"

I grinned, "Five, maybe six minutes. Depending how -firm- you like it."

She tried to keep a straight face as she pushed her arms against my chest, "okay that was pretty good. Cheesy, but it worked. Go, grab the bed, take it upstairs and inflate that thing. I'll see what kind of drinks and snacks they stocked and bring what I find up there."

I practically tripped over my own feet getting to the box pile.

She rested after a bit of messing around. I remembered the pouch was across town and Cranston said our supplies weren't coming for a few hours. So despite Annie insisting that it's okay to do what I wanted as she napped, I didn't quite trust either of us to stop at the right time.

Better she get the rest.

~~x

Taylor stretched next to me, some of her hair was trapped under my head, "Nngh, pee", She grunted.

"I'm good. You go", I lifted my head and she tugged herself free of me and rolled out of bed. She had borrowed one of my shiny white undershirts, the kind players wore under jerseys to help wick away sweat and reduce that smell you get from working out too much. It was much too big for her but I liked the view as she zombie shuffled away.

Next to my head was a half drunk bottle of generic root beer and her two empty cans of the most generic Lemon-Lime soda, cuz that was its official name. I took a long drink of the root beer, polishing it off and by the time the bottle was back on the floor Taylor was climbing back into bed.

"You hurting, any?" I asked.

She nodded her head.

"Want me to pick up some stuff from the house and your meds?"

"Gonna lock it up?" she asked curling up next to me, big brown eyes half lidded.

"Yup, yup. I'll make a few trips, check on Abuelita first, maybe look in on your dad?"

She hesitated and shut her eyes, "Just looking?"

"He won't see me, Annie."

"Alright."

While her eyes were still shut I pecked her on the lips and like a praying mantis her arms hooked onto my shoulders and she kissed me back. She only released me once she was done and I didn't mind.

"See this is why I don't do stuff while you're out of it."

"Mhm, go."

A few minutes freshening up then I was out the sewers and at St. Mary's in no time.

Several feet in front of the front doors there were signs posted: Biohazard warnings, Quarantine notices, and two men in those big plastic suits straight from a sci-fi zombie movie with equipment hanging from their shoulders by straps.

"What's going on?" I asked and the men stood there silently.

"Hey, I need to get in there."

At that they suddenly came to life and it wasn't just Any equipment but rifles on slings that were shouldered.

"Sir or Madam please refrain from attempting to enter the Quarantine zone. The people inside have been exposed to an infectious disease and are being treated by national guard medical staff and CDC personnel."

"I can't -"

"Sir or Madam you cannot go inside. Please desist or we will call in PRT and or Protectorate assistance in subduing you."

I just stared at the two plague soldiers. My Grandmother got exposed to a disease? At the church? I mean they were taking a lot of people in. She would get in contact with people as she'd been volunteering to cook and stretch the food they received.

"Is there anyone I can contact from the CDC or National Guard to ask about the people I have inside there I've been helping?"

One soldier pointed a thumb at the signs posted behind them, "All the info you need is on the signs but please take a picture with your phone or ask one of us to recite the information so you do not attempt to come closer.

I fished one of the phones Coil issued me out of my pocket, a thin bar shaped phone. I took a couple photos and walked away. I reviewed the pictures and dialed the CDC number.

"Hello, boyo", Circus voice was on the line.

My stomach dropped, "What the hell?"

"Tsk, it's a shame the things that get spread around when sewage and garbage is floating around in stagnant water."

"Why the hell is your number on the posters?"

Circus was quiet a moment, "You really are a bit slow, Ray. The CDC and National Guard didn't set that up. We knew you needed persuading to remain in check and your tantrums at the PRT and at the meeting made it clear you are one colt that needed to be broken."

They took her.

"Yes, we have your Grandmother. She is alive and well. You can consider her well being part of your pay... and yes you will be paid. Perform and you can see her on occasion, underperform you won't see her, refuse and Master Mime will have no trouble making a command performance. Now, let me tell you - you do not want to see one of her shows. Tsk tsk, ain't pretty."

My mouth was dry and I turned my head to look back at the two plague soldiers. Their rifles were pointed at the ground but both hands were on the weapons

Fuck.

"Listen, Ray. It's not going to be that bad. Mrs. Alcaraz is under my personal care because it was my idea. So now she has access to good food, clean water, medicine, supplements, and doctors. She has it better than most in Brockton Bay. Let's just keep it that way until Coil is satisfied with your loyalty to his cause."

"You better not-"

"Ah ah ah, in all truth you have nothing to stand on, boyo. Just be a good little Devil, and we'll transfer her to a shelter near you in time. So, just go to your new home, talk to your bug girl and don't think of this as a test or punishment but as an opportunity. An opportunity to shine. T.T.F.N.''

The line went quiet and I stared at the phone. The screen read 'Call Ended' and my blood went cold.

So he has that Dinah girl as a trophy and my Grandmother as a hostage. The city he's taking for himself. He's got my Annie working for him so she can take him down and now I really am his slave.

Plus I'm surrounded and associated with killers, mercenaries, and villains.

Shit.

Coil had the PRT through Calvert, and The Protectorate and Wards through them. The Cops would just kick the can down to the PRT and Youth Guard. Youth Guard would probably just call in The Guild or-

Or New Wave.

That's right Mrs Dallon, Brandish is an attorney. They're a family, they'd understand. But she is part of the law - maybe Amy, Crystal or Victoria would listen to me? Talk to their moms and dads for me? They - they were all over the Boston Games back in the day, fought heavy hitters.

Yeah.

But I have to talk to Anne first. It's important and I can't leave her out. It's a huge decision and I trust her.

Love her.

I didn't feel right when I rematerialized in the middle of the flooded hellhole compared to my Abuela's neighborhood.

I was wading through thigh high water at some points as I just felt isolated and lost. We had a home, a neighborhood, we were going to watch Big Trouble In Little China and figure out how to make little pizzas out of our supplies. Instead I'm sloshing through garbage soup and trying not to step on glass or get cut by anything rusty.

That's when I remember I still needed to check on her Dad's house and pick up stuff from Abuela's.

HE TOOK HER!

He got us all on his web, makes us feel all comfortable and okay. Then shnik-shnik the fangs go in and he's - coiling you up.

I breaker state and zip back to Coil's base. I passed through the security gate and the motorpool when my dust form slammed into an invisible wall. I find myself back in my human state laying on my back and everything hurts. I try to get up but I just hurt too much to stand.

The click of shoes on concrete draws closer to me. Towering over me is one of the driver's, "What a surprise, Mr. Devil"

The voice was familiar but not, a young guy's voice with a bit of a drawl to it.

"Master Mime has gotcha in one of her classic acts. The old invisible wall trick, and that pain you're feeling, boyo, is the pain she pretends to feel as she lays on the ground."

Ohhhh, fer reals? Circus has been pretending to be one of Coil's men?

Like they could read me, the figure chuckles, "Now you get it, kid. So are you going to behave and go home or are you going to realize something worse than this could happen to your loved one, Mr. Devil?"

"Home", is what I could choke out through the pain.

The driver whistled through their respirator and the pain stopped and I had control of my body again. I laid on the ground for a moment to collect my thoughts. It was stupid to just react and attack. Didn't I have a plan I was going to talk to Taylor about?

Stupid.

I stood and Master Mime sauntered over and bowed with a flourish. As she stood back up she held out her hand offering it for me to shake.

Shit, this is weird.

When I reached out she flicked her hand and a card appeared between her fingers. I took the card and Circus or the driver or whatever walked away.

It was a white card with text printed In dark purple ink with a black border.

'Nothing Personal', it read. It sure as shit felt personal.

She gestured for me to flip it over. The other side read, 'Not many get more than one performance. Keep it that way.'

"Don't you care what you're doing?" I dared to ask.

She touched her chin thoughtfully and looked up for a long moment. She returned her gaze to me, scrunched her nose, and shook her head no

"Great", I responded.

She waved goodbye as I backed away from her and raced over to Taylor's house. Of course her dad wasn't home. He was probably in his Snake suit back at the secret base plotting how to give me cavities and gingivitis so I need his dental plan.

After that everything was automatic. Instead of dropping everything off in Skitter's base I just piled it in front of the security door. I wanted to see her but I didn't want to have to relive everything so soon after it happened.

This is my punishment for everything. Sticking my nose in ABB business, choosing Taylor over just doing my assignment, and letting my powers inflate how important I was in this world. I'm nothing, just some stupid kid who wanted to fix things meant to stay broken.

I finished collecting our things and sat in the dark of the storm sewer by the door.

~~x

"Ray?" her voice sounded tired, out of it. My Annie.

"When did you get back? This - is this everything from the house?" Taylor tapped the dirty cooler we used to bury our water supply in with her barefoot.

I pulled my mask from my face and my eyes stung, "I fucked up and they took her. I couldn't do anything about it, and they shut me down. Showed me I'm just cursed."

Taylor kneeled in front of me, grabbed my face between her hands and stared into my eyes, "They took your - Grandmother? Ray? Did they? Who did they take?"

I nodded my head and she pulled my head against her shoulder, "We're going to get her back. That's what this is about, stopping him from steamrolling this city and its people."

It felt nice to be comforted as much as I didn't deserve it.

"Let's get this stuff. I need my pain meds and when you're ready we can talk about anything, okay?"

I nodded and she stood up and grabbed a box of meal packets before shuffling back inside. I wiped my face off with a dirty gloved hand and filled my arms with our stuff.

 

[Eatersgrin]

No more phone calls, tours, or meetings. No more clowns or performances. The rest of the day was just ours.

I finished bringing things inside and she setup on one of the downstairs bunk beds as I started making some food while she grabbed the internet stuff and a laptop to set up.

An hour later and the hotdogs and chili cheese fries were all gone. She was reading the news and summarizing it outloud for me as I cleaned up.

"Two dead, eighteen injured during a series of neighborhood raids just north of the Docks."

"Hmm, so that's - the old border of the Empire Eighty-Eight and ABB territories."

"Kaiser's dead and Lung and Bakuda are Birdcaged. No, order or protection over there anymore."

"Cross streets put it near your grandmother's house."

Shit.

"Since The Docks are yours does that put it in your territory?"

"No, Tattletale's if the maps stay roughly the same in this direction."

"Meh, she's a thinker not a do-er."

"She just might feel bad and try to protect it for you. Or we could ask?"

Oh no.

"Nah, I'll just swing by and check on it as I'm loaned out."

"Ray", she said with a sigh.

"No, I mean it. If she's a thinker and Regent is a body spasm master then those two need physical back up. I'll help just to- just to show Coil I'm helping."

"Okay."

"Beside I'm doing you first - your territory first."

"Of course, you have a one track mind", she made a light laugh.

Ugggggh.

"I been - uhh, meaning to speak to you about all that from like that morning after Leviathan."

"Okay?"

"You were pretty insistent that I could do whatever to you - in bed. But, is that because you wanted me to - do stuff or you like stuff happening to you in your - sleep? No judgement, just curious."

Taylor was quiet for a while as I used steel wool and heated water from the stove to lightly scour burnt hotdog chilli meat from the cast iron pan I brought from Abuela's.

"Ray, I just kind of assumed guys in relationships wanted sex from their girlfriend. Do I like it, yes, but I figured it was just expected. When I'm feeling low I just think of it as the cost of wanting to being close to you."

Awwwww, well now I feel like some kinda lusty ass monster.

I dried my hands on a kitchen towel and made my way to her and sat on the floor next to her bunk bed, "Ahh, I really enjoy our mutual - uhh, enjoyment of each other. But, if you just want to be held or just kiss or just be close. I'm beyond fine with that, Anne. Naked fun time isn't just why I love you, to me it's just an - like a showing or like a - expression, yeah, expression of our trust and it feels great cuz it's with you, ya know?"

More quiet as the afternoon Sun spilled through the cracks and gaps of the shutters. She dropped her arm down from the bed and I reached up to take her hand in mine. I gave her long fingers a light squeeze.

"I called Lisa. I wanted to hold a meeting here at the base, get them up to date on the developments today. She said they'd be here in a couple hours, but in the meantime... do you want to come up here and read the news with me?"

I wasn't exactly a fan of the Undersiders but after our talk now I wanted to reassure her how I appreciated her.

"Of course, Annie."

~~x

The Sun was a lot less bright coming from the shutters when The Undersiders arrived in Skitter's base. I sat down and watched them, a stranger in their weird dynamic. Regent and Imp, her cape name is Imp, Aisha - Brian's little sister. Alec and Aisha seem to be thick as honey. Sticking together and sharing in jokes or harassing people and finding fun where they can.

Rachel keeps mostly to herself, always a dog or more present at her heels or on chains. Lisa is always on the move, at any time part of her is restless. Her eyes watching, observing the room or the screens of tvs and computers. Her terrible mouth with it's God awful insight into anything and everything, rarely wrong but when she is it's a travelty - travesty.

Brian is certainly there. Being somewhere between Rachel and Lisa, observing the team, keeping the peace, being the chains keeping the Undersiders together.

Taylor, the love of my short life, is the group's voice of reason, the Charlotte in Coil's web. Every so often they gather together and plot and plan on their own, seperate from Coil's meetings.

Today isn't any different. I'm a fly on the wall as Lisa is going off. Brian and Taylor backing each other up as they discuss Dinah and Abuela. Apparently it's my own fault for instigating things from the start so I'm left out of the planning since - well, I kinda really don't.

"Hey, Mr. Boy", Aisha piped up from one of the stools at the countertop in the kitchen.

I frown, "Why are you calling me Mr Boy?"

"Pfft, got told off cuz I can't call you-" she bumped her shoulder against Regent who was pulling apart the Hydrox cookies I put out.

"Dusty Boy", he piled the creme filling onto a single cookie wafer.

"Yeah that, Mr. Boy. Why are you sitting at the cool people table?" she asked as she shoved a small stack of shucked cookie wafers into her mouth and munched loudly.

Alec snorted.

"Well I live here so - technically why are you two at my table?"

Aisha held one finger up as she kept munching away at the dry cookies. She munched and munched and munched until Alec pushed a can of Lemon-Lime soda at her. She opened it very carefully and away from herself then took a huge drink, "I asked first, and it's sorta rude to answer a question with a question."

"Yeah, this isn't Jeopardy. Dusty boy.", Alec added.

"Well, Regent - Alec, whatever tortured me a while back so I'm not big on him even being here."

She narrowed her eyes then looked to Alec, "You hazed him into the Undersiders? I wasn't told there was hazing. Am I being hazed? And if I have already been hazed how'd I do?"

"No, I actually helped Tattletale torture him. I haze as I please. Not yet have you been hazed, but I'm going to give you a pass on it because you got rid of most of these cookies", he replied, rapidfire.

Aisha pumped her fist in the air and then shoved another cookie in her mouth, "Anyway, that's rough about the torture. I'm sure Alec sterilized the nipple clamps."

I decided I had enough but when I tried to stand my legs went out from under me and Alec laughed.

"Alright since you're sticking around another question, Mr. Boy. Is it or is it not true that you are making the creaky mattress with the Bug Girl?"

"Skitter", Alec corrected.

"Taylor isn't it?"

"Skitter is her cape name. Taylor is her dork name."

"I heard that", Taylor said from across the room.

"Don't care!" Alec answered while steadying his tower of cremes.

"Why would you even-" I got cut off.

"What do you see in her?" Aisha asked.

"If there is a mirror over the bed then that answer is 'himself'", the cookie artist snickered.

What do I see in Taylor? I see the smart woman I met in half my classes. I see the lady who kneeled in my french fries when I asked her to be my girlfriend. I see a tough chick willing to shove a spear up an Endbringer's butthole to save a life. And... well, I see a future.

"That's a lot more than I thought you'd say, also-"

"She did what with a spear?" Aisha asked.

"Yeah, that".

I blinked, "What?"

"You see a future", Lisa repeated from across the room. I watched Taylor staring my way.

I said what I was thinking... outloud? Shit, but it's true, "Apparently I'm thinking outloud, today."

"That's a problem if we're going to keep Coil from making things worse. But speaking of the immediate future-", Brian continued going back and forth with Lisa.

Alec took a second cookie wafer and stacked it precariously on top. Aisha appeared from nowhere, "No, the mirror is behind some little keebler elf sized cubbie holes glass things not over the bed."

"Are you sure it's not a hidden mirror in the ceiling? She is probably training her bugs to flip switches in the room maybe they're going to flip one to reveal it?" Regent asked as he carefully and slowly slid the tall sandwich cookie over to Aisha.

I watched as Aisha dragged over a big box from the wall and stood on it as she leaned over the sandwich cookie tower with her mouth open. A moment later Brian appeared and hooked an arm around her waist and lifted her off the box. She flailed and protested, "This is what I get for aspirin to greatness!"

"Aspiring", Alec corrected.

"Yeah!"

"What is wrong with you all?" Brian asked like it's my fault they're here asking me these questions.

"Some of us got tortured by the rest of you, remember?"

He was wearing the bulk of his Grue costume just not the helmet. He levelled his gaze at me and put Aisha down on her feet. "Look, I'm going to admit that grabbing you off the street was a really bad, shaky at best idea when it happened but it happened and we have to work together now. Aisha is at least trying to get to know you and she had zero to do with Tattletale's plan."

"Yeah", she added again.

Ugh.

"Look, since apparently I'm speaking what's on my mind. Yeah, I'm not big on most of you here. It's been shit knowing Tattletale, Regent, and you, Grue. You'll notice I'm not trying to get revenge or pick on any of you but that doesn't mean I'm happy about any of this. I'm here for two reasons I care about Taylor and Coil has my Grandmother."

"-and Taylor sitting in a tree. C-A-R-I-N-G."

Brian shot his sibling a look and she claimed up with a grin.

I got up from the stool and squared myself up to Brian, "No, no - she's right. I'm just putting this out there but if you think Taylor and I-"

Brian held his arms up palms flat in surrender, "Hey, man. I'm not starting anything or getting between anyone. Things happened in the past, and it's museum quality past now, and it's staying there, alright?"

I stared him down for a moment before snatching a fistful of the top of the babel cookie and shoved it in my mouth. I plopped down back on the stool and kept my eyes on him warily.

"Awww, ruined it!" Aisha whined.

Alec pushed the can of soda in my direction.

Rachel stood from her spot on the floor where she was petting Brutus, trudged over and grabbed a handful of cookie creme herself.

Aisha made dying noises as she slumped to the floor while Brian went back to their meeting.

~~x

It's been nearly a week since the meetings. Things haven't been the same and all I want is to focus on right now. So she's right there in bed, a real bed, after we tore a hole in the inflatable. We're not entirely sure who's horn or mandible did it but it sure did happen.

Annie's right there drooling peacefully and I can't get back to sleep. So I watch her and think on my dreams for the past several nights. They're the same kinda dreams but never exactly the same or even the same time period.

Home is her territory and the base here but sometimes the area is still being rebuilt or it's already fixed back up and thriving. Instead of minion bunk beds it's just the one bunk bed. It was strange at first seeing kids wandering around the place eating and playing quietly. Then I realized they weren't just random kids from the looks of them.

The oldest is a girl, long brown hair, big brown eyes, tall for her age but she's more like my Mom. She's all smiles and pointing things out, talking all the time like she'll die if she runs out of words or that we'll forget she's there. Youngest is a boy, short, dark curly hair like his Mother, and hazel eyes. He's a bit heavy for his age but in my family we grow out of it. Quiet, reads but mostly sits and draws the things he sees through the spaces between the shutters.

Sometimes the kids don't understand what we do for a living other times they're upset we're not like the guys on their shows or the news. Sometimes one is gone and the other is just a picture on the wall, other times Anne is cradling one and round with the other. When they're so small and in my arms I feel like It going to break them and I die a little bit on the inside when I have to put them down or let them go.

I'd be freaking out to be a parent out in the real but not in the dream. In the dream I'm doing my damnedest to hide everything from our presence behind the scenes of the city to our happiness. The storm sewer is even normal to the kids, raising them to be wary of strangers and how to lie and keep to the lie.

But always, we're hiding from the snake.

Sometimes the snake is swallowing them up, or it's swallowing up Skitter. Once it took my arm and I felt lucky that's all it took when it found us. There is no fighting it. Best I can do is just putting things off until it rears it's head.

I don't know what Taylor wants from this, from me, but parts of me is taking our reality and pushing it forward, imagining more. It's strange to be young but wanting responsibility and to be in charge of tiny lives when I'm still a kid, but I've never been normal. Just afraid of being a burden, afraid that I'm stealing the lives from my folks over the years. So to imagine happiness and a future like that - that's some pressure when Taylor keeps reminding me with our powers comes mostly fighting and an early death.

But even with that in my head there are parts of those dreams that are sweet and good, especially for when I'm a bit older and less panicked to imagine. But as I sit here and take the snake out of the nightmares, strip the hiding and lies and all the secrets, these are dreams I look forward to.

Tomorrow she wants to start taking an active interest in the people flocking to her territory. Our past several days of work clearing up the trash and debris, draining the water has attracted people into settling nearby. I want things to go well for her especially after the shit I pulled with Coil. So I'm going to follow her lead.

Her eyes opened and found me looking on her, "Hey".

"Hey, beautiful."

"Nngh".

"What's wrong? Bad dream? Want me to go to sleep and dream beat them up for you?"

She shook her head, "So weird. No, well - yes, a bad dream."

"And?"

"It was just a mix of things we been dealing with and it ended with Coil being my dad. So- what's wrong, Ray?"

I guess she was plenty awake to read my expression in the dark, "I had a suspicion that maybe, possibly, Coil was your dad."

"No. No. He's not, completely different body builds and - no. Why would you think that?"

"I kind of assumed so and when I got brought before him I decided to confront him, to test him I said Rachel's name instead of yours. That's when I got Circus'd."

Taylor sighed deeply.

I took the opportunity to slide an arm under the sleepyhead's shoulders and pulled her closet to me, "I'm glad I'm wrong."

"Yeah. Me too."

"Maybe we should go see him this week. Your dad. Once Queen Skitter addresses her subjects and we get the royal ball rolling."

"I'm not Queen Skitter", she pushed on my chest lightly.

"Yes, whatever you say my liege."

"Nngh" she grunted before she relaxed, "maybe. We'll see "

"As you wish", I replied. "Your majesty".

She turned her whole body around and I got a face full of her curls.

 

[Eatersgrin]

"You look good, Taylor", I said as I watched her change into her Queenly Attire. My brain sort of freezed my mental image of her at how we first met in class. She was pale, quiet, quick to flee or shrink herself down to avoid any kinda attention.

Abuelo woulda called her a wallflower. Yeah, I remember the time he went on about wallflowers needing the right opportunity to bloom. Guys on the worksite then started saying stuff about quick blooming or knowing how to make a flower squirt and just leaving me confused. Abuelo was laughing while he got the guys back to work.

She paused while she slipped her legs into the costume, "No Queen or jokes with royal references. They need to know things are serious, that this is a legitimate gesture and not some villain playing King of the Hill with part of the city."

"King of the Hill, like from shooter games? Where you need to control an area to score points for your team?"

She narrowed her eyes at me, "I meant as in controlling a - okay, yes. Like that, but you're antagonizing the heroes and other villains by holding it."

"Sweet, got it in one."

She looked at me again, "I thought you didn't really have any electronics growing up? You brought up video games."

I perked up a bit at the topic, "Back in Middle School, I made friends with Ignacio. Pretty much my only friend. His mom was Mexican and his Dad was Asian, and on his birthday he'd get something cool from his Dad like a console and then at Christmas get games for it."

Taylor nodded, listening to me. Guess she expected more.

"Uhh, so his Mom knew my Abuela from St. Mary's. We kind of got not forced into friendship but they found excuses for us to hang out. I'd play games with him when his brother was busy at school or work fixing cars. Like, uhh, so we kept away from joining gangs."

"Okay. So what happened to Ignacio?" She asked as she pulled her leggings and booties on.

"We ended up getting into the same trade school program as his brother. We had high school classes and then we'd get some training in a trade like construction or automotive maintenance, plumbing, ya know", I sighed cuz I really hated this part.

"So last year, the ABB wanted to up their numbers and needed people who knew stuff, useful stuff, apparently they wanted more than thugs, dealers and pimps. So they started in the trade school. Taiko, Ignacio's brother, had joined and tried to force him to join, too."

Taylor paused half dressed, "That's the fight that led to your getting attacked again and-"

"Yeah, that's - yeah. Lost my regular life and my friend", I started looking her over, updating my mental image of Annie. "Hey, you're starting to really tan from all the stuff we've been up to, Sunshine. Getting some more muscle definition from it too on top of all the early morning jogs."

Taylor gave me such a look, I got goosebumps, "Get dressed. This is business time, you're getting nothing until Skitter and Dust Devil's day is done."

"Arrr, my feelings, Cap'n."

"None of that either. Just get dressed and start rounding up people and meet me in the center of the territory in like forty minutes. The truck with supplies is coming."

I grabbed my suit and mask then backed out of the room shooting her with finger guns as she suited up, "You are my Sunshine".

"Just go!"

I cackled, tossed my costume over the railing and leapt over after it. Apparently my power assumed I'd survive a three story fall onto furniture and cardboard boxes so I swapped to my breaker state halfway down and rematerialized by my suit. I yanked the thing on and slipped on the mask. Which I fudged with too much trying to get the lenses to look right and have the horns stick out of my forehead just right.

On the counter was some of the stuff I requested from Cranston. A dark leather work belt meant for tools, figured the brown would blend with my suit, and a waterproof sport stopwatch with the time set already. I found I was still struggling with my focus and keeping time, so I figured if I hung the watch around my neck I could have something physical dangling that would beep and remind me it was there.

I fixed the belt on my waist, it was already set up with an emergency wind up flashlight, a longer black metal cop style flashlight, a pouch stuffed with a spare battery for the cop light along with protein and granola bars, and the other pouch was half full of marble-sized ball bearings. Taylor insisted I figured out how to weaponize even my dust form if I was away from any materials for my brute form, as she called it.

I grabbed a sticky notepad and scribbled a quick drawing of a cuddle bug and stuck it to the door of the storm sewer entrance before I left. I can't help myself. I know I'll pay for it later.

We were splitting up the territory in half. I'd take everything from the central base to the south and she'd take the truck north and head back to a central street we cleared specifically. She wanted to distribute packages like I'd picked up from the city emergency services to bring everyone together and try to form a community. Besides not everyone had a devastatingly quick boyfriend who could carry stuff across town in minutes.

The heat of the day was far off and high noon was still a ways off too. So it's basically morning, early. We're up early so we're going to wake the people who have been trying to survive everyday by shoving bugs and dirt into their homes to get their butts outside and make them jog a little to get some food and medicine and stuff.

Oh my God we really didn't think this through did we? I mean we could have made flyers right? Gently leave some in English y Espanol and just dip out. Put like a generic time like high noon and poof just sit at the area we describe and wait.

I'm going to get shot at, I know it.

WHY AM I ONLY REALIZING THIS NOW?!?

Oh yeah, Annie decided that I needed to help put muscle rub on the places she couldn't reach while she explained the plan. At least it didn't turn into naked fun time. So - that's a check under the relationship positive column.

Figured I would start in the southern most point. This would be really close to where the warehouse that turned into the world's scariest flooding fun house held me.

Most of these Warehouses collapsed or literally got swept into the bay. I'll talk to Taylor later to ask her if I should clean the stuff sticking out of the water.

I swapped to my breaker form and weaved through the remaining standing buildings. Most had broken windows or holes bashed into them so I could get in and out with ease. Only one had evidence of people in it. A big tent with three empty sleeping bags. No one was around so I materialized and left a sticky note:

'GOT HERE 9:24 TO OFFER
INFO ON SUPPLIES AND
STUFF GOING OUT AT 10AM
CORNER STARLIN & DITKO'

I zipped out of there and repeated this at a couple other campsites in the shells of warehouses.

It was when I got to the houses and apartment buildings I met actual people. A three story house with a half broken tree leaning across the roof there was a woman with a shotgun. She looked tired and was wary of tlmy dust form that tried to pass through her latched shut screen door.

"Whatever you are back off!" she yelled from her hallway, the single barrel aimed at me as she pushed me back with the threat.

I filtered back through her screen door and kept myself in a vague human shape.

"What do you want?"

I held up ghostly hands and rematerialized, "Ma'am, I have been told by my Boss to inform everyone in this area that supplies and equipment are being handed out at 10AM on the corner of Starlin and Ditko."

"When's that? We don't exactly got electricity to run the clocks, nowada-"

I grabbed my stopwatch from my chest, and the shotgun went off. Buckshot passed through me and I rematerialized, "Seems in about twenty-five minutes. I'm going to forget you tried to shoot me just this once. Try anything like that again in front of my Boss and - she's not as forgiving."

The woman nodded.

"Twenty five minutes. Supplies are kind of heavy, you might want to bring someone with."

¡MADRE DIOS!

This plus talking about my trigger earlier, is leaving me with a bad feeling. My power can basically force me to dodge a bullet but my Sunshine can't. I have to be more careful if I let bullets pass through me. I mean who are they going to hit? I need a better suit, not that I plan to get shot regularly... Or ever.

I changed up my process, usually slipping inside their place, knocking and leaving sticky notes like the crappiest ghost haunting them. I got a lot less shotguns pulled on me this way, but folks did see the ghost figure leave the room. Also it saved time not answering questions.

With my stopwatch telling me I had five minutes to spare I could already see a stream of people wandering in groups of twos and threes down the street coming my way. One last set of apartments remained.

"HELLO, WAVECREST APARTMENT PEOPLE!" I decided to go the loud route.

"IN FIVE MINUTES SUPPLIES ARE GOING TO BE HANDED OUT JUST DOWN THE STREET ON STARLIN AND DITKO!"

A beer bottle shattered next to me.

"ATTENDANCE IS NOT MANDATORY BUT IF YOU MISS THIS YOU COULD RUN INTO TROUBLE LATER!"

Another bottle flew down square at me and I caught it.

"KEEP THIS UP AND THE TROUBLE STARTS NOW!"

The apartments had a storage or tool shed near me; it was thoroughly trounced by the Endbringer storm. I started taking it and it's contents into my breaker form and my body started bulking out into my brute form. Sand had washed up during the waves and we're amongst the dying grass and added to my size, the bottles and junk they had pelted me with absorbed into me. Part of the parking lot and it's asphalt and concrete drew in and I was about a story tall but with gaping holes showing the dusty winds inside swirling and drawing material in.

"GO GET SUPPLIES NOW OR I WILL BRING THIS PLACE DOWN WITH YOU IN IT!" my inner wind howled and shrieked the words for me.

It kinda creeped me out to hear it. The people coming down the street had paused in their advance. The people slowly filtered out of a few apartments. Many looked haggard and sick but able to walk without assistance.

I understood they were scared to fall for a trap or get raided by Merchants or other gangs. But Skitter needed the people to see her and benefit from her resources if she was going to get her territory in shape for - Coil.

The trickle of people continued from the apartments and from down the street so I decided to lead this particular procession. I kept using my concrete and rebar hands to direct people as my house-sized self shuffled down the street.

I made my way down the street, sure I couldn't control bugs but I had a line of people a good distance behind me. As I made my way to the street corner I saw water had pooled up again from the rains overnight. Probably another clog in the storm drains I'd have to pull or it was another set of drains that connected to nowhere from Leviathan's damage to the city.

Skitter was sitting casually on a pile of supplies, her long legs covered in black silk barely dangling over the waters. Almost wish I had a camera for a nice pin-up shot of Brockton Bay's newest crime lord greeting her people. Despite the fact I know she has bugs crawling all over her wherever her skin isn't exposed icks me out a bit, I still found her whole presentation of herself - of Skitter, very rrrrowl.

I can't help it.

Maybe she had taken in what I said, about acting as a Queen. I know I was joking but it was true, you rule over people you had better look like you knew what you were doing and made sure people knew it was you making it happen.

Be confident.
Say you have a plan.
Make up a plan.

A massive swarm swirled overhead partially darkening the area below providing relief from the morning Sun. When my ant line of people had bulked out her existing crowd, I wandered over to a heap of broken concrete and building chunks, it was one of my dumping spots for when we cleared the neighborhood. I dropped the bulk of my mass, which got me a few scared or wary looks and I was a phantom again. She needed to be the center of attention and I'd monitor the crowd.

A swarm of her insects washed over the supplies and her from the truck. I'm talking about a small wave of all sorts of flying and crawling nasties. The crowd backed up a ways with tendrils of insects whipping out at the crowd giving the supplies more room.

Once all the bugs had poured out of the truck she was all that was left behind standing on the back of it holding onto a metal rung on side. It looked like she had materialized from one spot to another using the bugs as her transport or if she was made of bugs.

It was pretty cool.

"Some of you have heard of me, maybe even seen me. My name is - Skitter."

Her voice buzzed with the drone of her mass of insects. A creepy surround sound experience I'd only felt at the movie theater.

I kept looping around and above the crowd, I did my best to not disturb her flying bugs and just made myself seem a part of the swarm. That's when Battery showed up.

I decided to zip around her a bit. Show Skitter I was on this problem.

"Dust Devil", the Protectorate heroine didn't budge as she leaned against one of the still standing light poles in the area.

I materialized in front of her, "Hello, Battery."

"Can't say I approve of the new look, kiddo."

I shrugged, "I didn't pick it."

"I am laying claim to this area! From this moment, I rule this territory!"

Skitter's words caught Battery's attention, "S'cuse me. This is Battery. We have a situation here by the Docks, Skitter is declaring herself as - ruler of The Docks."

There was a quiet moment then she spoke again, "No, no show of force, and yes it's some Empire and old ABB turf. The situation is ongoing. I'll keep you updated."

"I am not the ABB, I am not the Merchants, the Empire or the Chosen! I am acting in your interests! I demand no money from you, I do not intend to interfere in your lives unless you interfere in mine! I do not want to take or destroy what you have!"

Battery said to me, "That true?"

I nodded slightly, really not wanting my horns to bounce like a kid's bug antenna headband, "Yes, she's legit on this."

"Uh huh", Battery sounded unimpressed.

"-abilities will mean there will be no buzzing or biting flies harassing you, no cockroaches crawling over you as you sleep. I am offering you protection, security, and reprieve, for as long as you are my subjects! All I require is that you obey my rules, so hear me!"

Battery held a hand out at Skitter and the crowd, "You do understand she's basically taking away part of the city from the city, state and Federal Government. She's courting a huge response if this goes bad. And this is already bad."

"No gangs will operate here. Merchants? Chosen? I know some of you are in this crowd. Consider this my declaration of war. I will not permit you to sell drugs, to hurt my people or steal from them, or to seek shelter in my territory!"

I shrugged, "We've done more for this area in less than a week than any of the government - and you're the only person representing anything close to law here. Yet you are here and probably gonna take off in a bit to report to Armsmaster-"

"Miss Militia".

I threw up my hands at her correction, "Miss Militia and you won't be back until you get orders to do something about us, and that's the thing Battery. It's always a reaction to the bad stuff - no one came to help Skitter when she needed it or me, not when we asked. Now we're a problem when we're trying to do something good because we're not doing it how everyone who failed us wants it to be done."

Skitter's showing was building to this. To make it known who and what she considered an enemy, "To everyone else! If you assist any of these groups, give them food, shelter, or business? If you sell drugs, steal or prey on people in this area, you lose my goodwill. You will receive no more supplies, and you will earn my attention, with eyes on you for every waking hour. That's strike one. If I catch you doing it again? I treat you as one of the enemy."

"Alright, go - do what you need to do. I'm not going to make a scene", Battery dismissed me.

I swapped back to my dust form and sweat through the crowd. Many were armed but just as many looked sick, showing signs of underfeeding and weariness. The crowd was restless with their murmuring.

Her speech went on. The confidence in her and the eeriness of her use of her bugs. They came alive with her thoughts and emotions. It was like an orchestra and her feelings were the conductor's wand, the bugs buzzing and droning and movements. The idea she planted that her bugs could eat a cow in less than two minutes was threat enough to keep the crowd in place especially after they saw how easily she was swallowed up by the huge ass pile of insects earlier.

"Thank you for listening. These supplies are yours to take. One to each family or group, up to two if your family is large enough", she finished but no one made a move.

Then one family after another took boxes and the crowd formed up into a line on its own. Civility, as Taylor put it, would find its place once people had some meals and decent rest in them. They still needed purpose for it to blossom into civilization.

Blossom.

My wallflower was now a Queen. No, she was always a Queen, and now she could watch over and provide for her subjects.

I was circling around the truck, looking for any opportunitists trying to maybe jack the whole thing or steal a couple kits from any reserves on the vehicle when a man started shouting. I zipped over to a man slashing the area around him with a knife, five others were yelling swears and cheering him on.

A crazed look was in his eyes as the shirtless guy played at being a badass. I materialized in front of him and slammed a fist into his solar plexus he doubled over but kept the knife in hand

Big mistake.

He flailed it out in front of himself blindly stabbing and slicing out at me. He had zero fighting experience but he was part of a crowd. I snatched up the flashlight from my belt and brought the butt of it down on the top of his skull as he was still hunched over. He crashed into the stagnant water, his knife disappeared into the muck below.

"This - is Dust Devil. He serves my every whim. I control insects, this territory, and him. Mr. Devil here controls the very buildings you live in. Commands the streets you walk upon. To you he may as well be the very will of this city. Abuse it or its people and he can turn this place from a shelter into a nightmare you can't possibly escape", it's not how I expected to be presented.

It wasn't very heroic but the moment she snapped her fingers I materialized to her side, a step behind her."Do not challenge us. Do not test me. I am the authority in The Docks. Take your wounded and go. Never return".

A couple of the guy's friends who were egging him on hoisted him out of the water. He choked and sputtered as he was breathing it in from where I had left him. One held the guy I brained with a flashlight up and the other four charged Skitter.
She hopped off the truck and threw her arms forward.

The Sun dappled the people as a portion of the flying insects shrouding us all split into four streams of attacking insects. Her personal swarm around her poured out from under her armor and costume and the cries and panic of the four men made the people back away as they flailed and tried to throw themselves into the water.

I saw Battery watch the attack end as quickly as it started and she approached the downed men, "This isn't right".

The heroine's suit glowed with energy as the piles of insects coating the men receded back towards their master. Bites, scratches, and inflamed wet flesh were now baking in the sunlight her swarm parted to make. Each figure writhed and moaned in the water under their natural spotlights for all to see.

Skitter responded finally, "It's not right that private citizens are doing what the government refuses to do. Not everyone is healthy enough or feels their family is safe enough to be able to get supplies from the few places across the city, Battery."

"You can't just demand fealty from these people. Just look at what you did to those men."

"Exactly, you stood by and watched as they attacked me, threatening the rest of the crowd. And that's all you can afford to do - stand by and watch as Brockton Bay devours itself. Find the Merchants, find the Chosen, and The Fallen, stop them from impeding the progress this city needs to come back. Otherwise get out of our way."

Skitter picked up one of the kits and held it out. A young woman passed her toddler into another woman's arms and approached. She reached out and plucked it from the crime Lord's hands. The crowd returned to grabbing from the pile and stepped around Battery and the attackers.

"What's your deal?", Battery called over the crowd.

"Boss here said her piece, Battery. If you want an audience you present yourself to the nearest swarm around the territory and announce yourself next time. Anything less than that or a direct invitation is grounds for a fight. For now we're done wasting our breath", I crossed my arms after I spoke.

It was harsh but once again The Protectorate and PRT have done little to nothing for the people. Gangs roamed free and they stood by while criminals divvied up the city like an extra large pizza.

Battery pursed her lips in a frown then disappeared in a blur. I have that effect on women. The frowning not the running. Also grunting, a lot of grunts of displeasure and otherwise.

Skitter turned to me as the crowd thinned out and the Emergency kits dwindled. She made a show of addressing me, "Dust Devil, can you get the names and locations of the families and people who do not get a kit now? Promise them a kit by the end of the day and a bonus gift for their patience. Understood?"

"Got it, Skitter. Consider it done", I nodded once and pulled out my sticky notepad and stationed myself by the last few kits.

 

[Eatersgrin]

I personally delivered the last of the kits to the groups and families around the territory. I also took snack and drink orders from the same people. Chips, cookies, snack cakes, even pudding cups, plus Cold Beers and sodas, hot coffee and chocolate, some just wanted some ice for their water, all of it as a gift for their patience.

I may be fast but that many specific things to gather from what Cranston made available plus what we had at the base took its toll. It also weighed on me seeing little kids more hungry and thirsty than scared of the - strange masked criminal bringing them snacks.

By the time I made it back to the entrance to Skitter's base the Sun was almost gone. My own stomach grumbled and the skin on my lips was threatening to crack and bleed. I punched in the code to the door and the smell of chicken and bacon hit me. I was practically salivating at the combination of smells.

"That smells so damn good", I had to say out loud cuz it was true dammit.

I pulled my mask from my head and draped it across my shoulder.

Taylor was cooking up a storm, two pans sizzled, and a sauce pan held something orange and green I hadn't seen before. At this point I wasn't going to be picky, I just watched her work her Taylor-Fu on the stove.

"Food still needs time. Go shower and change into something comfy, okay?"

I nodded as she shooed me away. Being pretty tired I tried to remember what she was wearing. Then I realized I saw her wearing one of my home shirts, a black faded Brockton Brigade logo tee with holes in it for drying it in the dryer too much. I didn't remember if she was wearing pants or shorts, the old shirt wasn't that long on her, but it draped on her from her thin shoulders, and I was more than okay with that mental image as I climbed to the third floor.

I aired out my costume after removing it and hosed it down with some generic Febreze stuff. I showered and I was pretty sure, despite the suit, I'd still be coated in dirt from all the trudging through mud and flood waters for hours dust powers or not. Pretty sure the shower had a ring in it from Taylor already but the one I left was much darker.

Guess I was proud of that, keeping her from doing grunt work, especially if she was going to be Queen of the Docks. There was a half empty bottle of water sitting on the bathroom counter and I chugged it. Hopefully she wasn't growing sea monkey eggs in it or something.

Comfortable.

Comfy.

I pulled on some tan shorts and an old brown tee of my grandfather's, the faded Atari logo in white. I remember he mentioned they used to make the Atari consoles down in south Texas and he worked for them back in the early eighties. Back when arcades were cool but starting to die off.

I started down the stairs and I realized I'll never know all those details from his life. He was gone and Coil had Abuela. If my Mother still was alive out there she'd be all that was left to know I existed, not that she cared. There are child soldiers in war torn countries with it worse than me. Starving people, human slaves bought and sold everyday, a lot of people have it worse off. I'll get Abuela back and I'm just tired, and Taylor needs me.

As I made my way to the bottom the chicken put my stomach in charge as I wandered to the kitchen.

"Hey there, good looking, what's cooking?"

She looked up at me, grease dripped from her chin, a smear of some sauce at the corner of her mouth, eyes wide like I caught her mid-crime.

"Hungry", she mumbled with a mouthful of food.

"I couldn't tell", I replied and pointed to a plate of chicken with bits of bacon sprinkled over it. Next to it on the plate was Mac and cheese with broccoli in it, some toasted buttered bread and a squeeze of ranch dressing.

"Chicken bacon ranch, huh?"

She nodded and set her plate on the countertop and took a seat on a stool. I pulled a seat next to her and turned the toast and chicken into a sandwich occasionally dipping my next bite into the ranch.

We ate mostly quietly, finishing at about the same time and I grabbed us each a couple bottles of Dragon's Green Tinker Tea from the fridge.

"Have you heard of this stuff?"

She shook her head, "Nope. It says 'Made in Canada'."

"Bottled in… Sir- Syracuse, New York."

Taylor shrugged and took a drink, then made a sour face. A face that could mean anything with my Annie.

I took a long drink and it had a lot of lemon in it and I really hoped it was green tea.

"You did well out there, Ray", she said as she took a seat on the stairs. Her mouth quirked with a hint - no, a smidge of a smile, "In some cultures minions who served well got rewarded for their hard work."

I laid back on the stairs and the edge of each step poked me uncomfortably in the legs, butt, back and head, "I try."

Taylor shifted on her step and finally twisted her body to better face me as I lightly punished myself with temporary discomfort.

"We're going to get her back. We can - I can talk to Tattletale and see what she's come up with? Or you can transport some bugs to Coil's base. I can use them to track Circus?"

"Don't worry about it. That's my problem to solve. She's my family. You have your territory, your people", I answered her and ground the back of my head into the metal edge.

"I know for a fact you would be the first person to volunteer to do something if Coil had grabbed my dad and you know that".

I banged the back of my head on the edge of the step hard, "Cuz that's who I am, Taylor. Not everyone is dumb enough to charge off to fight Sergeant Snake and his army of murder clowns like it's a really dangerous cartoon sho… I- I'm going to wake up with the terrariums all over me, aren't I?"

Her frown made its appearance. I should make bingo cards for these conversations. I love her but she turns inward, I don't know if she's talking to herself through this or I'm the only one freaking out inside when dealing with people but I give her the time she needs to find words or actions to show me how she's doing.

Annie leaned over me and flicked me between the eyes, "I've had it done to me but I never thought I'd ever do that to anyone."

"I - deserved that?"

Her brow furrowed.

"I deserved that."

"No, you didn't but you are assuming I'm too scared to fight Coil."

"Yes, because as much as I keep charging at him I don't feel an ounce of brave or macho doing it. In my Abuelo's time the old gangsters would find good people, something about them would catch their eye. It'd be like their businesses, their land, their wife, sons or daughters. They'd pull a gun on them and ask them ¿Plata o Plomo? Silver or lead. Basically give me what I want for what I offer or die."

"And that's how Coil makes you feel. He's offering you money for your honor otherwise he'll ruin or take your life."

I nodded.

"I may not be the most - comforting partner but, look I flicked you in the head to show you what he's doing to you, Ray."

What?

"What?" It was my turn to furrow my brow.

"I recognize this all too well. He's bullying you into doing what he wants, Ray. Instead of a gun he uses knowledge. He knows who you are, he knows what matters to you, and he's -"

"Made his own Trio with the clowns to mess with my dumb ass."

She grabbed my hand between hers and pulled me up as she stood, "Exactly, I don't know why clowns but yes. With what Tattletale says and what Coil's done, you are not a part of his plan. The interesting thing is that he controls that - Consultant."

"Calvert".

"And Calvert has access to The Wards and PRT files."

"Yeah, basically", I replied as I followed behind her as we went up the stairs.

"So before we got the files for him, he knew who you were, right?"

"Tattletale could have told him", I asserted while we made our way into the bedroom.

I sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her into my lap. Definitely she wasn't wearing shorts, and I looked her over. My eyes had adjusted to the dark of the room and her black eye from the PRT Lobby fight had reduced to mostly yellow skin discoloration with slight purple blotches.

"No, she swears she dealt with you on her own. She didn't want you screwing over the team."

"The team? Okay. Sure, but do you trust her?"

Taylor chewed at a piece of dry skin at the bottom of her lip and looked away.

That should not be making my mind drift but it does. I'm told I'm a weirdo, I'm aware.

"It's okay, you can say it. I kinda question your sanity, but ya know, it's in short supply for everyone in the Bay right now."

"Okay, yes, I trust her - in a way. So that leaves Calvert on setting you up for capture and revealing who your family is to Coil."

"Yeah, I've dealt with him twice and got screwed over twice. I see what you're getting at. We can try something with Calvert, I just hate what happened at-"

I reached up to her face and Taylor drew her head back a bit, "It kills me to see you like this."

"Is it that bad?", she looked away. "It's healing, it'll go away."

"Please, don't turn away, Annie. I just - I could have done it without the huge distraction. He just threw you all at the PRT and - c'mon, please look at me. Or I'm just going to claim my reward starting with your neck instead."

Quickly she turned and narrowed her eyes, "Reward?"

"Typically when a minion goes above and beyond they get rewarded, remember?" It was my turn to smirk.

"Well what kind of reward can you do to my neck then?" Taylor cocked an eyebrow.

"Ah ah, Boss has gotta offer their minion up to half her kingdom for that sorta reveal. Otherwise it's embarrassing and she can say no."

Taylor's face, those big probing eyes were unreadable even this close. I hope she understood I may be playing but I'm not joking around either.

"Okay, I'll reward you up to half my kingdom, now tell me, and it better not be too weird."

So rude.

"Alright, I - I wanna, ahem, I being myself-"

"What!?" she reacted less offended and more confused.

"I wanna kiss you all over. Yeah, you heard me", I said as I pulled her closer.

She tucked her chin down against her neck as I brought my face close.

"All over? Weren't we just talking abou-" she tried to protest.

I kissed her quickly on the lips, "Nah, later. Reward now."

She squirmed in my arms, her face warm and flush, "If you really mean all over I have one objection especially if you want to kiss me properly ever again."

"Objection? What's wrong?"

"You said ALL over."

Oh.

Ohhhhhhhh.

"N-not that thorough but like, ya know?" I gestured roughly at her head and torso.

"You say that but I tend to take charge so don't get offended if I, I dunno, knee you in the face… in panic."

"Noted".

~~x

When I heard Lisa had opened a shelter in her territory I assumed it would be made of gingerbread with a giant oven with a big cookbook called 'How To Serve Children'. It wasn't but that's just my imagination for you. And of course it was populated with Coil's Mercs. One squirrely looking bastard had his eyes on me and my Abuela the entire time we were talking.

The Sun beat down everything enough that the water had evaporated. The place was busy with people lined up or resting everywhere. Cots and chairs being setup, children trying to play, and adults looking worried or miserable. But that stare on the one soldier…

I hated every second.

My grandmother, who only hurt souls who had it coming in her life, was under Sergeant Snake's sword of - damas- demo- a really sharp sword held up by a thread.

"Mijo, I am in good shape. Los Doctores son muy buenos en el campo", she said, very proud of her energy and activities as she helped cook for the shelter.

I had to fake my reason for my actual concern which confused even me, "Abuela, the quarantine when I went to the church. That was crazy. I didn't know what to think other than it was bad.."

"Tsk, Mijo. The waters were making people sick. We had to go but it's okay. It was temporary and I meet Sierra y su hermano, Bryce. Gringos, but they're good kids, I take care of them, you - take care of the city, si?"

I just hugged her, maybe a little too hard and she rubbed my back.

"Ahora, ¿qué hay de tu novia?" (Now, what about your girlfriend?)

"Ahh, she's okay. She got a black eye when we fought with some - looters but she's okay. I kissed it and made it better", I grinned.

"¡Estás sucio!" (You're dirty!)

She poked me hard in the chest accusingly, I might have just over played my hand, "Compórtate, ella es una buena chica." (Behave, she's a good girl.)

"Por supuesto, Mamà". (Of course, Mom.)

"Ay, como tu abuelo." (Oh my, just like your grandfather.)

"Anyway, we're just down at the docks. We're helping people out that are living over there. We're getting them supplies and keeping them safe."

Abuela stood up, "Alright Mijo, I have to get back and help to cook."

"Siempre estás cocinando, Abuela." (You're always cooking, Grandmother.)

She laughed, "Tsk! ¡Y siempre tienes hambre!" (And you're always hungry!)

Lisa waved at Abuela as she headed back to the mess area with a girl in dreadlocks and a younger teen, and then called me over.

"Don't call me Dusty Boy", I warned her.

She wore a 'Who Me?' expression which changed to her usual 'Fuck your stupid face' grin, "Now now mijo, I talked to Coil for your girlfriend, and got him to put her in my care. Same threats still apply but hey, you got to see her and she's close to you now."

Dammit, this is only slightly better, "And all the soldiers?"

"Not all of us have trained dogs, a Dusty Boy or a stranger for a little sister, okay?"

OH MY GOD, WHY AM I LOANED OUT TO HER?!?

"So the reason you're being pimped my way is we have a Merchant problem. They're holed up at the nearest mall as a recruitment and entertainment center. Some of the shelter people said they're doing messed up stuff across the city: Destroying stores, ruining supply truck routes, wrecking reconstruction and clean up efforts."

"We?"

"The Royal 'We', meaning you, you have a Merchant problem. Drug pushers, looters, human trafficking, littering, rapists, jaywalkers - whatever crime pisses you off the most they're doing it."

I stared at the bruja rubia for a second,"No heads up on capes they got or the mall is a series of booby traps I gotta navigate?" (Blonde witch).

She rolled her damn eyes, "Skidmark, leader of the Merchants, makes force fields with reduced friction making slippery battlefields. Easily neutralized by the fact your breaker state hovers and flies. Squealer, Mad Max style vehicle tinker with a focus on obnoxious designs. Again easily neutralized by your breaker state by smashing her tinker tech. Mush is basically you but with loose earth, mud, sand, as materials to bulk himself up into a changer-brute. All three are addicts and so they're probably more brain damaged than you. That good?"

More brain damaged than you… okay, "You're a joy to deal with."

"Good hunting, Dusty Boy. Have fun smashing stuff."

As I took my leave of the shelter I waved a big loud goodbye to Abuela who barely acknowledged me back a quick wave. She was always dedicated to her tasks, focused, unlike me.

I slipped away from the crowds and ducked into an alley and zipped up to the roof. I undressed and under my clothes my costume. It looked perpetually dirty but that's my thing, Dust Devil.

Not Boy.

I had worn a loose shirt and khaki pants and rolled them up and stuffed them into the belt's bigger pouch. I'd left the snack bars and spare battery at base. I slipped on my mask and prayed it looked decent since I had no mirror up here and zipped off to the nearest mall location.

I tried to remember my Wards training, the Archer's Bridge Merchants. They worked out of a tourist shop modeled after a lighthouse. Drug dealers with powers who just really dealt and did drugs. I was never really curious about drugs and the truth was people associated drugs with poor people when it was the drug user lifestyle that put people's money towards their drug use and neglected everything else.

So long as Tattletale's information is good it means I'm going to be dealing with a lot of angry, high, obnoxious, and scared assholes. Plus maybe more than just the two capes.

AND BY MYSELF!

The Team! Oh the Team! The Undersiders are so precious and amaaaaaazing! Send Dusty Boy, he loves playing hero. So big and strong cuz he patrolled so much. He fought an Endbringer. Yes he did. Oh, yes he did. He's such a good boy. Go get 'em!

I hate her so much. Didn't even pretend to like my Villain Chili.

Came straight to a halt as I passed near two large but not giant dogs and a disheveled, short haired person waiting in the shade of a building near the mall.

"Rachel?" I asked as I materialized behind her.

Her body went rigid, guess I surprised her, as her dogs turned on their heels.

She gave a short yank on the chains in her hand and gave a muted whistle and the dogs stared intently at me but didn't bark.

"Did you get word to hit The Merchants, too?" I asked in a hushed voice.

She nodded and held a finger up to her tight lipped frown.

I was a lot closer to the dogs than I liked but their unusually large size wasn't monstrous yet but worrisome.

To me at least.

But I recognized them, I think they're names were Judas and Brutus. Interesting names since their namesakes were around during those early years when Jesus was little or at least still alive.

"Rachel - Bitch, look I appreciate what Brutus and Judas, Bullet, Crow, Milk and Stumpy did that night. I'm sorry they got hurt or died but you all - you saved Taylor. And I don't want any more of your dogs getting hurt even for me."

I felt a pang of regret bringing them up but it's how I feel, stupid tactically as it was. Rachel scowled in her usual way. She did this almost every time I spoke to her.

"You can do whatever you want but-"

She shrugged and her focus changed from me to her companions. With a simple gesture her large dogs came up to her and she started scratching them deeply along their scruff like they were at a dog park or maybe home instead of minutes before a big fight.

Jesus Christo, I just talked myself into a solo fight with a bunch of drug addicts. A trickle of people were passing through the mall's entrance. Looks like something is going on soon to gather a small crowd.

It's alright. It's cool. They did enough for me and Taylor. Besides I thought I was doing this alone as it is. To calm myself I watched her pet her dogs for another minute and despite what the reports and what Dennis and Chris thought, Rachel wasn't unattractive. She was just more like Taylor or Amy, with certain features more prominent or less hidden by their fashion choices.

Not that I was interested, just, I'm not sure why people put a focus on the physical to begin with. Looks are just there, I'd rather spend my time talking and sharing than staring for the same amount of time. Then again it's not-

Shit shit shit, small crowd my ass. Even more people were walking into the Mall's entrance the longer I waited, and they were not dressed for casual shopping.

Be confident.

"See you later, Rachel. Enjoy your day off with the Fuzzy ones", I said with a little head nod before turning away and strolling towards the entrance.

Act like you have a plan.

As I exited the alleyway I figured I'd play things straight up. Act just as Taylor said Dust Devil was: The Soul of the city, turning where they live from shelter to a nightmare they can't escape.

I was closing in on the front entrance, a couple of larger than average guys and or gals looking like their heads were shaved with broken glass on a bet, stood beefily by the busted double doors. The usual big windows of various stores advertising sales or new clothes on silver or black plastic mannequins were instead boarded up and spray painted with the fugly M logo for the Merchants.

I started clearing my throat as I approached trying to get a gruffer voice going to make Dust Devil distinctive enough to get some villain cred. Instead the two guards leaned away from me in disgust.

The one with tattooed words instead of eyebrows said, "Hey, the only sick fucks allowed in here are the ones paying for ass. Take your corpse to a shelter if you're looking for actual meds."

"Yeah, only shit in here is recreational, Captain PJs", Said the one with their teeth ground and filed into points.

Captain. PJs.

I let my coughing turn into a slow hacking laughter, "Points for the name and warning a fella. Name's Dust Devil. Need to speak to your boss."

In the words of John 'The Duke' Wayne: Talk low, talk slow and don't say too much. I'm so gonna call someone 'Pilgrim' today.

"Strict orders, no one is getting in today without having done at least one of the requirements."

"I broke into the PRT Headquarters, was at the Central Bank robbery, helped Skitter claim the Docks-"

Brows and Teeth looked at each other.

"Fought Leviathan, and Lived. That ain't good enough? This place," I gestured to hubbub inside. "Should be… ghost town."

The two muttered between themselves as their frames blocked the entrance. A slow pile up of people was building behind me.

"Alright, Skidmark ain't going to like you said Shitter-"

"Skitter."

"Claimed the Docks and Boardwalk territory".

"Skidmark needs to hear this. Not you. In or out? Tick tock", I grabbed my stopwatch from my neck and it beeped as I started the timer.

Voices behind me were swearing and protesting, echoing the words 'Tick Tock'. It went on long enough to become a chant of sorts.

Brows shoved a couple colored bracelets at me and Teeth moved aside, "he's doing a thing on stage soon. Find Mush, goblin lookin fucker, he'll get you in touch with Skidmark."

I nodded and stepped forward into the mall. It was like the internet came to life, the things I saw as I strolled through the place. Aside from actual store merchandise being bought and sold at weird prices or in trade for - I'm assuming drugs, weapons and sex stuff. This was a market for stolen medical and food supplies, handmade and looted weapons, at one point I saw women and younger guys done up and posing for a show?

As I got closer I was not entirely sure and they weren't entirely dressed either. I hoped this was the stage for Skidmarks show so I could just stomp him and his other capes before things got out of hand here.

Make up a plan.

Figured I should pull something to get his attention and luckily I started catching looks from the crowd. A Merchant acting like the MC of the show started raising their voice trying to get my attention.

"What kinda homeboy are you?" the oldest looking potbellied biker asked me, his arm around a younger woman in heavy makeup years making it run. He had a pretty big gun sitting on his hip, it stood out from the black leather of his vest and belt.

I did the hacking laughter again, this wiped the smirk from the old guy's face, "Guest of Skidmark. Got a meeting after the show."

"Meeting, huh? Skidmark really is moving up in the world, another Cape meeting, heh. Fuck it, you wanna buy some strange?" The biker asked as he grabbed a second woman, this one cried less and also wore less.

I swapped to my breaker state and materialized on stage between the MC and the younger woman.

I lifted my chin, "Just making myself at home but it sure don't smell like it."

Everyone on stage took a big step back, a couple of the people on display shrieked or gasped. The old guy had released the girl, on closer inspection she looked familiar, "Your name?"

Without the biker holding her up she lowered her shoulders and wrapped her arms around herself at my question. Jeers came up from the crowd below the stage, they didn't like me holding up the show. Time to act like the animals, time to channel me some Sophia, "Cat got your tongue, little lady?"

Again she hesitated as the crowd started grabbing at the stage hungrily. Gross.

"I'm taking this one", I said, cocking my head at her.

"Hey, now you gotta p-" I swapped quickly to my breaker state then materialized into his personal space in front of him and drew his pistol from his hip holster.

Abuelo always said make sure to secure your weapon.

I'd learned to shoot on a small rifle, just for plinking bottles, cans, signs but always out in the monte with Abuelo, and not in the city. I'd never held a real pistol, let alone a revolver of this weight, but I sure as hell had it in hand and that old biker with his sour smelling sweat didn't.

I jammed the barrel under his wrinkled, stubbly chin, "Silver or lead, old man? Don't got any silver so you - you're welcome to the lead."

 

[Eatersgrin]

In my hand was the biggest gun I've ever seen in person, yet here I was shoving it in this dirty biker's face in the middle of the mall I'd gone back to school shopping in as a kid.

Holy.

Shit.

What am I doing? Oni Lee shoved a knife in my face just like this. To shut me up forever.

Holy shit.

I can't freak out. I can't.

Seriously, why did I do this?

The old man's eyes wrinkled more at the corners as he chuckled, "Why would I leave it loaded?"

"Because you're the kinda fella whose finger is all the safety ya need", Just be cool, Ray. Be The Duke. Be Dust Devil.

The Soul of the Dirtiest Lil Bay on the East Coast.

He whistled, "Got balls, boy. It's a real shame then to lose a piece like her but any guest of Skidmark ain't going nowhere without a party favor."

The old man let out a loud whoop and the crowd started going back to their usual rowdiness.

"Little Lady, you're comin' with me", I said over my shoulder as I lowered the pistol.

I stepped away from the MC and let the pistol swing freely by the trigger guard on my finger, and presented it back to him, "Now I can say I handled two nice pieces today."

He roared with laughter and I wanted to crack him across the face with the butt of the pistol as he took it. Everyone else on the stage went back to changing outfits and strutting for the crowd. The crying girl wobbled in place on high heels a bit too big for her feet.

I stepped over to the girl I was starting to better recognize on our corner of the stage and yes, we had at least one class together. I extended my elbow and offered her the crook of my arm, "C'mon, I don't bite. Better me than some random person from the crowd."

Her breathing picked up, hyperventilating, I think, "It's not a request."

She lowered her head and slipped her bruised arm through mine and I led her off the stage. We wandered through the various crowds, sometimes offers and catcalls hurled our way. Near a demolished fountain installation, in a more secluded section of the place, I motioned for her to sit.

"Put these on", I shoved the two red bands at her I was given by the two beefy entrance guards.

"Okay", she replied with a bit of condescension but did as she was told.

Ugh, it had to be Madison.

"Look, Hoover, you- are going to do as I say, when I say and your only question you will ask is if I'm okay with whatever you are requesting, got it?"

Her head snapped up to me, eyes red from crying, "Hoover? Do - do you - you know me?"

"Ennnt- wrong question."

"You're the new guy that- your Taylor's John".

I hate this girl. Too smart for her own good, too petty for self preservation.

"Alright, Tyler. I had one job today", It was better to talk to the biker guy.

I pulled my shirt from my pouch and offered it to her. She hesitated to take the bundle of cloth until I unfurled it. Madison put it on real quick after that, "Is this... used?"

"Since you're not going to go by my rules I'm gonna answer your question and then leave you behind. Yes, it's my shirt from this morning that I was wearing over my costume. Good luck with your reelection, Mrs. President."

She looked up at me like I had a third eye with a winking problem, "Please, please don't."

Ugh.

"Sadly, you are not my priority here. Yes, I want to help you but no, I am not here to do that. So stick with me and I will do my best to protect you. Run or do anything attention getting in this mall without my say and I won't bother looking for you to help you."

"I - I don't know", her eyes welled up more but her tone still carried that stupid tone. Was her weird superiority thing a defense mechanism thing? Was picking on Taylor her way of not being a target herself?

C'MON RAY, YOU GOT A JOB TO DO!

"What do you mean you don't know? Get. With. The. Program. Taft. I am the only person in a thousand foot radius not ready to do more horrible crap to you. Stick by me and I'll try to get you out unharmed, hesitate next time I tell you to do something and I have no problem letting you get your just desserts."

Madison lined herself up using me as a shield, all the while looking past me.

"Heeeeeey, you're that cape that t-took girl I had my eye on" a slurring voice entered my range of hearing.

I turned and a short Gollum looking figure crept along the floor. Mud, dirt and other colors stained his meager clothes.

"Mush", I replied.

"Yeah, who're you?"

"Dust Devil, I've been told we do things the same."

Mush grinned with a mouthful of stained teeth and scarring on his receding gums.

I continued, "Need to speak to Skidmark. Got word you're the fella to see 'bout that."

The gritty little man kept looking past me to the Generalissima cowering behind me, "We can m-make 'rangememt, yeah."

I snapped my fingers and put my arm out for Madison to latch on to. Carefully she stepped out from behind me and caught my arm "Lead the way, Mush. The rest... details."

Make up a plan, huh? The girl who had been torturing Taylor for months on end needed saving and you just save her? I mean she was the only one crying up there, maybe others needed saving? They just hid it better to not look victim-y?

Ugh.

Mush kept on stealing glances at Madison that made her cling tighter to my arm and closer to me. I noticed she had used part of my shirt to clean off the excessive makeup and perfume she wore and now I was going to have to answer for that later, thank you very much.

At one point in our trip we passed the old Christmas Tree the mall would put out for the holidays and it was super on fire. I mean it's gigantic and made of metal and plastic but it was on fire now. Black smoke, curled plastic, and the chemical smell of it all trapped in my nostrils.

Finally, we were up a set of metal stairs and somewhere on the second floor of the Mall. A security cage meant for janitor equipment and cleaning supplies held not so awake women. Just past that was a variety of lockers tagged with the Merchants logo and some were left open and were stuffed with drugs and I'm assuming drug using or making supplies.

Mush pushed open a door but gestured for me to stay back. An exchange went on from the office and Mush before I was waved inside. I pushed past the ring-bearer and he shut the door behind me and Madison. I saw a bank of monitors on a large wide wall all off. Sitting behind a large desk, a case on top of that desk, and I could easily guess who Skidmark was.

I don't know if it was the drug use, lifestyle from before, or something his powers did but suddenly the old smelly biker was positively ready for the public compared to Skidmark and his - well, the man looked like he smelled.

Dark skin, cracked lips, unkempt hair, in another life Skidmark was probably a decent man working as a warehouse foreman or emergency services dispatcher. Something with power or authority but just a bit too much stress that needed the edge taken off from time to time.

Squealer sat on the edge of the desk and looked like everything you'd expect from a daytime talk show Before interview. Again, I know I don't like judging people by how they look but - this was a gimme. Squealer was less a tinker and treated, what Dr. Yamada would call, a cry for help as a fashion statement. Oil, dirt, cuts and bruises probably from handling machinery for hours on end. I could sense the amount of grit, sand and oil soaked dirt that was on her body and I didn't like that knowledge one bit.

"Skidmark, Squealer", I acknowledged the pair as Squealer kicked her legs playfully as they hung from the desk where she sat.

Blegh.

Skidmark's grin grew as he looked me and Madison over, "Dust Devil, right? What's with her in the big shirt."

"She's a treat for later, not a buffet. Temptation is just fine, fighting the tempted... not."

Squealer laughed and Skidmark joined her. The Merchants seemed to laugh at anything.

"Mush said you had to talk to me, man. You been wandering around as my guest, benefitting from my name, time to spill it", Skidmark leaned back in the high backed office chair and steepled his fingers.

The security office reeked of chemicals and something like the smell from me and Annie would be together. I didn't want to be here, I really needed to get away from here but I had to deal with the Merchants.

I had to deal with the Merchants to please Lisa which would help Coil.

"Right now the city looks ripe for the picking. But it's not, no disrespect, but your expansion into The Docks and Boardwalk is over. The place has been taken over and officially claimed."

Skidmark leaned forward from his chair and cocked his head to the side, eyes staring up and to the side almost like he was listening to everything I said on a delay.

"Who claimed it?" Squealer asked.

"Skitter of The Undersiders, she moved in last week and ran off your people."

"By herself?" she asked.

"No. She had just one helper."

"And who the hell would help that little bitch?" Uh oh, Skidmark decided to participate and say the wrong thing.

I dropped four ball bearings on the floor from my pouch.

"Down", I ordered Madison over my shoulder.

She dropped like a stone, covering her head, as I swapped to my breaker state. The office wasn't that small but with three other people in it I had to be careful not to hurt Madison.

Skidmark used his power as Squealer divide behind the desk scrambling behind her boss. Lisa was right, the only thing I noticed from Skidmark's powers was that it was Infinitely easier to lift the ball bearings off the ground into my dust form.

The four small steel balls whipped around inside me like a man-sized tornado. I let dust and dirt collect on the bearings and it allowed me to steer the things a s they spun around.

"You will leave the city or I will end you. This is not a request. Your powers don't work on me. Mush cannot stop me. My power works everywhere. Stay in the city and I will find you."

"Fuck you", he spat as he reached up to grab the case off the desk.

I launched a bearing at his hand and you could just make out the sound of the bones in his wrist cracking as the steel ball smashed his now bloody hand, "Jesus!"

"Jesus Saves. God Forgives. The Devil Claims His Own", I taunted them with the weak shrieks of my dust form's Winds.

I sped up my rotations of three of the ball bearings and let them strike the table and the security glass that made up the windows. It sounded like a TV movie shoot out, the steel impacts plinking, thunking, and cracking whatever got in their way.

"Alright, alright," Skidmark said as he tried to stand.

I forced two bearings off their paths and into the case on the desk, knocked it to the floor, and it skidded effortlessly towards Madison. She grabbed it and held it in front of her head like a shield during my dust storm.

"Those are-" the third bearing I tried to ricochet off one of the metal filing cabinets in the corner but I'm real bad at geometry. It caught Skidmark in the shoulder and sent him spilling over the desk into his own field and the effect ceased.

The man was down and bleeding. Squealer came out from behind the desk and started doting over the man. She pulled tissue from the inside of her shirt and tried to cover the wound.

I guided the remaining bearings over the spot where I would be standing as I materialized and the three fell into my cupped hands, "I will visit your operations everyday until the Docks and Boardwalk are free of your drugs and violence. I will take a piece of whatever I find as a penalty."

"Casssse", Skidmark hissed while the tinker applied pressure to his wound.

"Yes, the case and the girl are the first penalty. Tomorrow, a bucket of these-", I clacked the bearings together. "-in a storm little bigger than half a city block."

"You coulda killed, Skid!" Squealer protested as the wound was still bleeding way more than the tissues could handle.

I snapped my fingers and Madison stood up with the case in hand. At least she remembered what I said, "Your gangs don't hold back when they attack the people of the city. This was a warning, your people will not get. It's your job to deal with them. Stay. Out. Of. Undersiders. Territory."

I pointed at the door and Madison trotted over in the ridiculous heels she was wearing and opened it. Behind it, blocking the door was some kind of muck monster made of mud and sand and trash.

Seriously?

As soon as he slammed a weird metal trash hand into my chest I swapped to my breaker state and started stripping his brute form to make mine. Clumps of sand, dirt, dust, and pieces of the busted office windows filled out my body.

"Huh?" was his reaction as I answered his punch with a front kick to his exposed lower torso.

Mush literally crumbled, weird thin tendrils flail wildly at my brute form, latching on but were unable to take any of the material back. Behind me I could hear the Commander-in-Chief struggling as my body pivoted and I watched Squealer grabbing at the case with both hands as Skidmark was passed out on the floor.

"It's over, Squealer. Tomorrow, don't be here", I kicked at the tinker and sent her sprawling.

Madison was breathing hard but stood there a moment taking in the scene, "Did you just take on three capes by yourself?"

Did I? I guess. I wasn't really registering what was happening since I pulled a gun on a guy.

I shook off the weird ass tendrils and stepped past Mush as he laid there in a daze. Held out the crook of my arm and Madison took it with the case of whatever it is in the other hand. Down the stairs, I shed Mush's materials and we were back into the internet made fer reals.

I'm no villain but she knows my identity or at least can at least seem sure enough to tell the public who I am. Oy, I guess it's time to deal with the Madison problem.

"Now as for you, Quincy Adams, where are your folks? Need to get you back to reality, now don't we?"

"But - I know who you are, aren't you going to kill me the first chance you get?" as the words left her mouth, while we strolled through the mall, the realization hit her.

We were in sight of the entrance and the two guards. My options were to leave her and not bother thinking about her date, or I let her go with all she witnessed and potential knowledge about me, or... "Well, you just talked yourself out of your one and only taste of freedom. Can't have you blabbing and, if you're right about my identity, we would both know how much you love to speak your mind".

"I - I - you can't just, you wouldn't ahh-"

I stopped our walking and put a dirty gloved finger to her lips, "You have two choices to pick from: Jack" I gestured at myself, "and shit." I gestured at the crowd of Merchants and their customers, their eyes already zeroing in on our scene.

"Jack", she removed my finger and answered.

"Who?"

"You, Jack", she started forward, still holding onto me and dragging me forward.

I laughed my weird ass hacking laugh, making a show that Dust Devil was having a good time with his party favor.

Once out the doors and clearing the sidewalk, with my feet on the asphalt I let go of a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Can we, can we stop for a second, Jack?" she asked, as she let go of my arm.

"Sure", I replied and she passed me the case. She leaned one arm against the building wall next to her on the sidewalk and removed her heels. "Oh god, those were awful."

"How'd they even get to you?" I asked while staring at the case. It was a simple hard metal case barely big enough for a small electronic device and maybe a small manual, it wasn't really impressive.

"Me and my family were - we were rounded up for evacuation. There was an issue with the trucks so we were stuck out in a park as part of a camp while we waited. I guess we were there a week, maybe less. Then Merchants got in or were already in and I got grabbed. I- I didn't get much sleep after that so I'm not sure what day it is".

I looked back up at her, "Were you kept in that cage on the way to the security office?"

She stared off for a long moment, it made me nervous enough to look around if she spotted Mush or a crowd coming but then she spoke up, "Yeah… they kept tossing pills at us. One of the other women explained what each one was, she was a pharmacist assistant. I only took the ones that kept me awake. Most- most wanted just to sleep. I'm probably going to have a problem when they wear off, okay?"

She's talking about withdrawal. She's going to get sick or worse.

Fuck.

It's not her fault. What can I do? What would -

OH, OH I CAN GIVE MADISON TO LISA!

She's got a shelter and probably needs a blood sacrifice for her unholy rituals.

Win-win, baby!

No, stop it you asshole, you're only playing a villain. You're a hero, you promised your Abuela you would protect the people. Madison is people.

"Hey, let's get a move on. There is a shelter not too far from here, I know who runs it and who funds it, and I can stash you there."

"Really?"

"Yup, now don't lose the heels. If they have a sensory thinker they could track us by the smell from your heels", yeah use that Wards training. Sound like you have a plan, Ray.

Madison sighed and kept the shoes in hand as we walked, "Do you think the Merchants will stay away like you told them?"

"I'll find out tomorrow."

"When you show up with the bucket?"

I didn't bother answering her. We walked in silence for a while and l occasionally went breaker to check ahead or backtrack to check for any roving bands.

The Sun was going down and as we cut through alleys, we came up on a stretch of street lit up by security lamps around Lisa's shelter to light up spots people could sneak up from.

"I'm going to need my shirt back now."

The girl looked at me mortified, "Shirt? Really?"

"It's not like you're naked, Madison."

"I can't", ugh she was doing that crap again.

"They're not going to judge you for being held by The Merchants. They'll be - hope. You'll give them hope that others survived and got away, too."

"It's cold out?"

I hung my head, "Gimme the shirt."

Shirt and pants back on, mask off, I lead Madison to the shelter. The lines for people needing help were far shorter now and a carefully painted sign said they were out of beds.

Ugh, of course she'd run out on me.

Approaching the main entrance one of Coil's soldiers dressed up as a volunteer, "Beds are full."

"I need to speak to Lisa."

"She's busy, leave a message?"

I shook my head, "Just tell her DB will complete the task tomorrow. That's it. We're good. Moving on now."

"Jack?" Madison asked, clearly not liking the eying she was getting from the volunteer.

"I got a line on something else", I replied and cocked my head to a spot near a light across the street.

We hustled across the street and I pulled a phone from my pants pocket.

"You had that the whole time?"

I gave her a displeased look and the phone rang.

Cranston answered, "Yes?"

"Need a ride for two back to Skitter's base, possibly being followed by two or more Merchants."

"Location?"

"Across the street from TT's shelter."

"Acknowledged, ETA to pick up is four minutes. Supply truck run in progress for your location."

"Thanks, I need someone with training in dealing with drug withdrawal. Also we're going to need more uhh ladies clothes for the morning", I looked at Madison and she was a bit - more, than Taylor but much shorter.

"Size?"

"Women's small?" I looked at Madison and she nodded.

"Shoes?"

I pointed to her feet and she mouthed the word Six.

"Size Six shoes."

"We can have all the clothes this evening if you need a rush, but the medic won't be available until morning."

"Okay, clothes tonight then. Please notify Skitter I am bringing an unwelcome guest. Thanks."

And I hung up, "We got a ride in a few minutes on a truck. It'll take us close to where I'm staying. I'm going to have to blindfold you before we enter the secret base as it's, ya know, secret."

"Really?"

"Well you know who I am and we can assume if they haven't fled the area yet that the Merchants are probably looking specifically for Dust Devil, you and this case. So unless you can fly or run really fast, you're traveling by foot in a disaster area of a city."

We waited silently until a supply truck passed by us slowly, I hopped on and pulled the school bully on after. A few minutes later the truck slowed again and I recognized the area. I encouraged Madison to hop off with me.

We closed in near the storm sewer entrance and I whipped my shirt off and rolled it up into a rough blindfold shape.

"Ewwww", she groaned as I tied it around her head.

I led her blind ass down the winding passages and finally got to the sewer entrance. I dialed in the key code and opened the door. I stepped in first and found that the bare minimum of lighting was turned on, a faint white glow traced around the edges of the walls and just enough light to navigate the main living space was provided. The top two floors were shrouded in the dark, and Skitter's yellow lenses caught just a glint of the light in the dark.

"Step in. I'm going to lead you to a seat. Stay there and don't take off the blindfold or move from that seat. I haven't cleared you yet", I instructed Madison and then left her on a stool at the counter.

I materialized next to the Boss and she took my hand and led me into her bedroom. The door shut behind us and pulled her mask off, "Who is that?"

Taylor's eyes were wide and her stare intense.

Shit.

"Madison Cl- Clementine? Kennett? Kermit?"

"Clements… why?" brown eyes narrowed and her pale face was framed by the dark void of the room.

"Remember we each started out as heroes. We're doing this to save the city, help the people, unfortunately she's one of the people in the city that the Merchants snatched. They doped her up, held her for days, forced her to do things. She's hurt, scared, and alone. And I love you and I am sorry and you know I would not do this to you unless it was the very last op-"

She covered my mouth with her armored hand, "Only because it's you I have decided to be understanding of the situation. But if she steps out of line you - will have to make new arrangements".

 

[Eatersgrin]

"Define 'arrangements'."

A grin spread on my face in the near dark room. The look on her pale features tells me she can see the lighthearted cast to my expression and she wasn't really having it.

Taylor gave me the biggest sigh, "I meant for Madison - I'm not done with you, Alcaraz."

"It's nice to be wanted."

"Be serious with me!" her frustration was ever present. Her dark armored shoulders tensed, the bug shells catching the faintest light from the terrarium glow.

"I am, Annie. I - know she's one of your tormentors. This is not school. You are the authority here. If she doesn't want to listen we just give her to Rachel to clean up dog shit or for Coil to deal with, eh?"

I really wanted to hug Taylor and, well, I did so. I walked up to my Annie and instead of rejecting me she let me pull her close. I didn't want to upset her. I didn't want to remind her of the bad times. I just saved a life that so stupidly would have been snuffed out if I really was the villain I made myself out to be.

"I'm sorry. I'll - make it up to you."

Annie rubbed her face in my chest then pulled it back with a disgusted look on her face, "You smell like burnt plastic and the makeup counter at a department store."

"Lent her my shirt so they'd stop eye... doing her while I did as Lisa asked. I put it back on later, but before that she apparently decided she didn't like her make up or the perfume they put on her and wiped her face and neck off with it when I wasn't looking. When I found her up on a stage surrounded by sex weirdoes, it wasn't pretty."

She sighed and rested her forehead on my chest, "That does sound bad. Fine, fine, okay. So she knows you're you, what else does she know?"

"I work for Skitter and The Undersiders. That I was there to send them a message to The Merchants to leave the Docks and Boardwalk alone or I'd be back tomorrow and do worse."

Taylor looked up at me, "What did Tattletale tell you to do?"

"That I had a Merchant problem and to make it go away. So I walked in like I owned the place, claimed a crying Madison from whatever the hell that stunt was, and then had a meeting with Skidmark and Squealer and - I put a ball bearing through the guy's shoulder after trashing their office and then me and Madison walked out."

"You didn't kill him?" she asked rather matter of factly.

"He was bleeding really bad - oh, I think he passed out. I fought Mush real quick but my power was stronger than his. I took a - a uhh metal case from them. It's probably some kinda expensive drug the way they tried to fight over it but I said it was a penalty for being there that day."

Anne held her mask in her hand, "I really do not want to relinquish my independence in the base."

"Yeah it's been nice winding down as ourselves after a hard day's work."

My love cocked an eyebrow, "Are you going to keep treating Taylor as your girlfriend out of costume?"

"Of course, I am a proud girlfriend-having guy", I said with a grin.

"Alright then. You leave first, get her something to eat, drink, and I'll come down to give her the-" Taylor went still for a moment, "What did you bring with you again?"

A girl's screams came from below, piercing even through the sound dampening of the door, and that's when things went weird…

When it happened I couldn't remember the feel of the blade just under my eyeball. But now I could feel the sharp metal had scraped against the edges of the bone of my eye socket and I tried to blink but everything felt wrong. The knife biting into my head like a monster's tooth, the pressure of the flat of it against my eyeball put black and purple spots in my vision that swam across the demon mask.

The cries of fear as the demon held something in its hand, high for the other kids to see. It had cocked its head to the side as it held me up against the wall and dropped something at my feet. The warmth around the cold blade stung and again I couldn't blink right. Then the demon turned to ash and dust, the roar of Hell swallowing me up with heat and pain was both terrible and brief.

Void.

Stars.

Fish?

Dragons? No.

Something worse.

~~x

We woke up in a tangle on the floor.

Taylor blinked up at me as we laid there, "You too?"

I nodded.

"I'm here now, you're not alone", I reassured her but I was the furthest thing from solid right now.

I touched my eyes tentatively and I remember I wasn't even wearing the same face anymore.

"Madison", Taylor's voice broke me from my moment.

"I'll go check, follow after, as Skitter."

Taylor nodded and I picked myself up and threw myself over the railing and entered... Smoke?

Some kinda wet smoke.

The exposed skin of my face and neck felt prickles across it like the Sun's heat on the hottest days. The smoke or fog grew denser and I stumbled into boxes of supplies that hadn't been opened from the last resupply. Swirls in the thick gray clouds made weird faces and body-like shapes, mouths opening and closing wordlessly.

It creeped the fuck out of me.

My heart was racing and I started nervously laughing, it hitched everytime I breathed in giving it a weird staccato pattern. I don't know what to fucking do.

All I remember is Madison is down here.

Should I call out to her? Is she even alive? Did the fog things eat her up? Was she the face and body I see in the wet smoke? Did we all die and this is - this is our hell?

"Jack!"

The voice came from somewhere in the thick gray soupy air.

I tried to speak and again my laughter returned, rapid and full of panic.

Fuck.

I tried to step backwards away from the Fog and I ran into the boxes again. We're to those in front of me? How'd I get turned around? I don't remember turning.

"Ma- hahaha- Mad- hahaha- Maaaaaad- hahahaha-ha, son?"

I felt a hard grab me from the dark and I thrust my other hand forward into the gray smoke.

"OW! JACK, MY-!"

I hurt the voice and suddenly my eye hurt, it burned from dirt under the fingernail of the strong finger that poked it. I clutched my face and laughed more.

"Dust Devil, I am sending down some flying bugs, follow them out, no matter what you do - just follow them out."

Was Taylor okay? Was she trapped too? Did she poke me in the eye? What is- against the gray a black and yellow little insect body passed in front of my face.

I took a step towards it and laughed.

"Jack!?"

Again it bobbed in front of my face and I stepped towards it, with a nervous giggle.

"Jack, don't leave me!"

I was up the stairs halfway to the second floor when I started feeling myself calm down. I had a headache, I was sweating like a pig, I felt nauseous, and I'm pretty sure I'm dying.

"JACK! JAAAAAACK!", Madison kept calling out from the center of the smoke bank.

"She triggered?" I asked, barely holding myself up leaning on the railing.

"I guess - tell her to calm down. Try to get her to stop. I'm going to call Tattletale, try to figure this out."

The fog slowly climbed up another step, the fringes of it like the silhouettes of fingers reaching out.

"Madison, calm down. I think you just got powers. You need to get - get out of the headspace that made you get powers."

"I felt like shit, I was sweaty and I puked on your shirt and- like I said my head was killing me, probably from taking the pills so much. But I'm - feeling better when you came for me. Please come back down here?"

"I will when you - oh god, stop that smoke stuff. Please, just calm down. Focus on not being scared. You're safe, you're not with the Merchants. I'll come down ... if it will help but know I'm going to be all messed up in the smoke stuff. I really don't feel good", I held my stomach with one arm and stepped down into the smoke again.

The edges of the smoke recoiled from my body as I waded into it further. The stairs slowly revealed itself, the boxes and furniture, then finally the floor. Madison was weirdly positioned at the center of the smoke, doing a sort of push up but her midsection touched the floor, the top of her head and toes of her feet pointed at each other.

"Are you okay?" I asked as I saw that the left half of her face had dark veins visible that slowly faded into silvery-white traces of the veins, like tattoos.

She opened her eyes, "I do yoga when I get upset. I felt like I was dying and usually it helps me calm down, but then that stuff started appearing no matter how much I tried to focus on my positions... you look rough, Jack."

Madison stood up, looked around the area, found a light switch and started rifling through the fridge, like all that craziness didn't just happen. I took a seat on the stool she abandoned and out of nowhere she hit me in the face with a bottle of cold water I didn't know I desperately needed. I ignored the attack and chugged it.

The disheveled girl in my makeup stained shirt ripped open a clear package of club crackers and wolfed a stack down. I've seen a snake eat a frozen mouse so, yeah, it's kinda like that.

"Hey, Madison - what happened a couple minutes ago? You're acting like you're not sick anymore, you just got powers? You were just on the stool I mean-"

She shrugged and that's when I saw one of the two latches on the metal case on the countertop undone. I flicked open the second latch and there was paperwork in a clear portfolio, and four vials. Long test tubes like from chemistry with black stoppers and a label with some letter code on the side.

The case had six spots for test tubes but four were filled, a fifth looked like it had been used to hold one and the sixth looked unused.

"Madison?" my head pounded, and the bottle of water only temporarily helped.

She groaned and tossed the empty plastic wrapper in the sink, "Okay, I felt really bad and I figured that there was a drug in the case that could help me stop feeling bad. I know, it was stupid, but hey - it worked."

She smiled a cute little smile, like she was a little girl who was wearing her mother's smudged make up and dressed up in ladies underclothes she found in sizes too big on her. Her smile dropped as Skitter walked into view.

"You have seen my minion's face. That's enough for me to deal with you in the harshest way possi-"

"Hebert?"

Skitter went silent.

"It's you - isn't it? You're the right height, your hair is a dead giveaway, and you've hissed words at me before. I know that tone."

Oh, now she wants to talk about people taking tones?

"Jesus, you're - you're an Undersider? That means you have been doing cape stuff while we were in sch- you never used your powers on me."

Again reality slowly dawned on my rescuee, "Wait, how come you didn't -?"

Skitter held up a hand and pulled her mask off, "Because I didn't want to hurt any of you, it wouldn't be fair. Despite what you, Sophia and Emma did to me, it wouldn't be right to send an army of every nasty thing hiding in the dark corners after you at school or at your homes."

Madison's body quickly swallowed up with her cloud of smoke.

"No, you will not retreat into your power. This conversation is happening. Focus, Madison, for once in your life. Take this seriously."

The air in front of her cleared, framing her face as she spoke, "What am I?"

I tried to shake the illness I felt. Did Madison's power make me sick? Or I remember she did say she felt better after I entered the smoke, and she did say she'd probably go through withdrawal. Is that what this is? Did she give me her sickness?

My head hurt even more and instead of thinking over this too much I swapped to my breaker state and I felt so much better. I took a vaguely human shape with my breaker form and spoke, "After drinking or snorting what was in that case, you triggered and you're a cape."

Taylor found a large crate sitting against a wall and hopped up onto it as she dangled her mask from her fingers, "You know who we are, and if you pop up with powers and, I'm assuming you took that chemical from the Merchants, they'll know you used their stuff. They'll want both you and the chemicals back."

"So - I'm stuck with you two?" The smoke withdrew into her skin; the veins on half her face were dark for a few seconds before fading back to a white outline. "I'm sorry but I can't stay I gotta - I gotta go."

"Where? Do you even know where your family is? And if you go to the authorities and explain yourself - you will not be able to have a normal life. The PRT will just talk your parents into sticking you in The Wards. Just like him", Taylor tossed her mask at me and the silk material easily caught in my wind current and circulated through my shape.

"So you're a Ward?"

"Was."

"Wow, I used to pick on a Ward and a Villain, heh."

Taylor did not look pleased at that line, "Bad stuff happened and the people who trained Ray and were looking out for him let him get taken by a villain. So now he works with me. Doing some bad to do some good. Just like you saw out there."

"Okay, alright. Enough - even if I went to my parents we're stranded until we get help, adding my screwing up and getting... What? Smoke powers? What's that going to be good for?"

I swapped back to my human form and like flipping a switch I was back to being sick and tired of being sick and tired, "Taylor makes her power work. Listen to her, she's your best chance to find a way to make this work for- Jesus, did you give me your withdrawal symptoms?"

Madison nodded with a pout on her face, "I think so, Jack."

"Jack?" Taylor asked, clearly tired of all this.

"I told her she has two options: either leave with me or stay with the Merchants, Jack and Shit."

Taylor snorted, "It's always nicknames with you. Go upstairs, shower, go to bed. If you're awake I'll bring you some food and - withdrawal... Do we need a medic for help?"

"He already called one for me, plus clothes are coming for me. Dibs on the shower!" Madison seemed way too chipper for how I felt after saving her.

I climbed the stairs, forcing my limbs to move despite my splitting skull.

Taylor continued, "There is a shower down here, and since you're staying, pick a bunk bed. First floor is the living quarters, eating, sleeping, and hanging out. Second floor is Skitter's space for our business."

"And the third floor?" Madison asked with a tone I did not care for.

"Everything that's up there - is mine", was the last I heard as I shut the bedroom door behind me.

~~x

Skitter was standing over me when I woke up. Taylor was stock still standing there as I stirred, and I was drenched in sweat. Lips chapped, mouth dried out, but no headache or nausea or body aches like before.

"Annie?" I spoke.

She didn't move, instead she held out a bottle of water in my direction. I took it and greedily chugged it down.

"Visitors?"

"Medic and the clothes drop off are delayed."

"Okay."

Finally Skitter turned to me, "Yes, Visitors - for you."

I ran a hand through my hair and scratched the back of my head, "Want me to go?"

"How do you feel?"

"Better, a lot better. Just dehydrated and remember nothing after the shower."

"Then yes, it's either Dragon and two Wards or three Wards with one piloting a drone remotely or two Wards and one is Kid Win with a floating device of some kind."

I stood up and approached Skitter, finding that spot where her mask and costume overlapped. I lifted that seam up until her neck was exposed and gave it a light kiss there, "Good morning to you too, and alright I'll get out there, see what they want. Gotta check on the Merchants anyway."

"Also your guest decided to stay with us, I gave her a lesson on her power use last night, and she's practicing her control on the second floor in the meeting room right now. Be careful of any fog near the stairs."

"So it's fog, now, not smoke?" I asked as I picked up my costume off the towel rack in the bathroom and started slipping it on.

"Other than making people babble or laugh uncontrollably, I didn't notice any other features to it than it feeling wet as I and my bugs wandered through it."

Wow she actually risked herself entering it, "You didn't get sick from it? Madison didn't have her symptoms return?"

"No, to all of that. So you're saying she transferred her illness to you and it was temporary?"

"I guess so".

"So she can hide herself, and if anyone enters her power's range she can transfer any of her injuries or sickness to them. Plus her power range makes people make noises and mess with their fight or flight response so she can locate them."

"Those vials are dangerous. She screamed when she took it."

"She said she felt like her headache was actually splitting her head open."

"Damn… what do you think would happen if we took a vial?"

"No, Ray. Just - no, it's not worth it and why?"

I shrugged, "Morning brain fart. Forget I said it".

I slipped on my mask and Taylor walked over to me and fixed the placement of my horns, "Now, don't mention Madison or the powers in case details. Try not to do anything that would bring Coil down on us either."

"You're coming out there too? That's why you're dressed."

"Yes, to oversee the people, check on the rebuilding we started yesterday, call in a supply run for distribution. Our clean up efforts really made this come together quickly."

"Great. Good to hear. Who's watching Madison while we're out? It's a bug, isn't it?"

Skitter nodded, "Also, she saw her face last night, when she showered. She doesn't want anyone seeing her like that."

"It wasn't really bad, it's like very light tattoos except when she's got her powers cranked up."

"No, Ray, it's - she's not going to be wearing sleeveless tops and short shorts anymore."

"All over?"

Yikes.

"At least half her body, yeah. But she's pretty adamant if she's stuck with the powers and that's the price she's going to get good at it."

I could see that, that's better than moping. We left the room and made our way down the stairs and to the secret entrance through the storm sewers.

"Uhhh, we should order like components for a costume or if not that also maybe a hoodie or some kinda," I gestured to my face.

"Veil".

"Yeah, veil or a cloak. Something to help her cover it up no matter what she wears. She shouldn't have to restrict what she dres-" I caught Taylor giving me the stare even through her mask, as we walked the streets of her territory .

"What?"

"You actually care."

"Well we're stuck with her, she's on her own. She's living with us, she's-"

"A bully with powers that are more than a little scary."

"She's also a teenager like us, who got stuck in a bad situation and made bad moves. Speaking of-"

"I have the vials and the paperwork on me", she tapped the armored panel on her back casually.

"I'll talk to Lisa after this, about the vials and get her to feel out Madison or at least confirm what we know."

"Or we could go over the paperwork and figure it out ourselves over pizza? Besides, it's probably just instructions. I mean the Merchants had it and I wouldn't trust them with a twenty four piece puzzle unless they had the box."

"Ray", Taylor said my name not as Skitter but as herself, like I'm being ridiculous.

"Marry me?", I asked her again, not wanting to be come down on in public by the resident crime lord.

She huffed out a small laugh, "No, not today".

"Aww, alright, then this is where I speed off and later come up with some big gesture at an inconvenient time."

"Don't you-"

I zipped off mid protest. One thing I did learn from watching Abuelo over the years was he never stopped treating Abuela to random shows of love or romance. Sure he could be gruff and really focus on work but he never took her for granted that she was fine with everyday being the same. I remember getting dropped off at a neighbor's house with a sleeping bag, a three liter of soda and money to order pizza. The next day finding out she had no idea where I was but they went out for dinner and dancing a state over.

With Madison adding some unwelcome tension, I needed to find a way to make Taylor feel better. I'm not a hundred percent sure on how to do that. We never had a 'date date', we'd done date-like stuff but it was always part of being friends or part of her thing with the Undersiders. I still wanted her to see her dad, dinner with her dad wasn't date-like either but - maybe I can do something afterwards. We could do something to help her decompress after seeing him.
I
When I arrived at the edge of Skitter's territory I found the creepiest thing I've ever seen: a head wearing an oni mask with two huge fleshy kinda bat wings extended from the sides of the head. It flapped to keep itself about six feet from the ground while its esophagus and lungs and heart tightened, inflated, and beat accordingly.

A blonde little girl held the end of the esophagus like the cord of a balloon and smiled up at me while blood and viscera stains were still encrusting on her leather apron covering her dress.

Next to her was a greasy older guy, his photos I was familiar with because he was the most human looking of the group. He reminded me of the used car salesman from True Lies mixed with Robin from the funny Robin Hood movie.

It was a nice day, Sun was out. Sky is blue. Just a little girl with her human head balloon out on a stroll with a maniac.

"That Oni Lee?" I asked, because I hoped it was, that bastard tried to kill me back when I was no one in particular.

The girl's face lit up, "Oh yes, Jack had promised me a whole bunch of new people to work on but it looks like you drove them off."

Jack Slash tutted but didn't speak.

"So we visited a couple of people he had his eye on. I don't know exactly what I'm going to do with Lee here but for now - and I'm being soooo rude. I'm Bonesaw."

Oni Lee's head struggled to keep itself up,l. He let out a gurgle as the biotinker curtsied and that caused her to grip the bottom end of his organs a little tighter while clutching her dress.

"Little Lady, you can call me Dust Devil. You're far nicer than the files paint you to be", I returned to my The Duke voice.

Riley Davis blinked her eyes at the revelation and looked to Jack.

"Guilt by association, I imagine", he explained to her.

The leader of the Slaughterhouse Nine then turned to me, "So, the ones that couldn't or wouldn't leave the shopping mall informed us you scared off the bulk of their kind with the promise of a bucket of balls?"

"Sir, Ball bearings", I reached into my pouch, grabbed one, and calmly held it out to him in the palm of my hand.

"Mhm, mildly interesting, but what exactly transpired to make them fear you despite outnumbering you?"

I shrugged at the guy, the breeze blew open the bottom of his unbuttoned shirt. An array of knife handles were tucked into his pockets and waistband of his trousers.

"That's rude to shrug, Mr. Devil. It's more polite to answer Jack, because Jack is being polite", in a remote way Bonesaw reminded him of Abuela.

I'M SEVERAL BLOCKS AWAY FROM ABUELA AND THE SHELTER TALKING TO PART OF THE NINE!

"Apologies. I don't meet infamous people on the day to day, but to answer your question I figure it's easier to do business where your business is welcome."

From his front shirt pocket Jack pulled a wooden handled razor blade, still folded in on itself. I tried not to eye the weapon, just hoping my power will automatically save me if he flicks the blade at me.

He dangled the handle between his index finger and thumb, as Oni Lee gurgled again, his organs making wet noises as they bounced into each other while he hovered in place.

"What brings you to this part of town, little lady?" I figure the longer I keep their attention the less damage they're doing.

"Looking for new people to have fun with!"

¡Madre Dios!

They're here to kill us.

"Oh no, Dust Devil, the look on your face says you are thinking the worst. No no, our little lady here is quite right. We're here to find new people to have - with us", Jack flicked out the razor blade and carefully trimmed the edge of his buzzsaw shaped beard and then snapped the tool shut.

"I'm here today eyeing up my possible candidates for recruitment. Oni Lee here failed to have imagination despite having a wildly interesting power but - you on the other hand cowed an entire group with decisive use of a single metal ball", the older man grinned.

"This is less a volunteer thing and more a voluntold thing, right?"

"Oh he's a sharp one, Jack".

"I'm not letting that pun go, Bonesaw, on account your Mr. Devil is addressing you as a proper Lady."

They shared a laugh, Lee groaned, and I died a little inside.

 

[Eatersgrin]

As Bonesaw and Jack laughed my phone started ringing. The same lyrics to 'Sour Girl' repeat. Oni Lee's sounds of despair halted as I shoved my hand in my tool belt to retrieve the phone.

"That, Mr. Devil, is probably Skitter", behind my mask, sweat stung my eyes as I looked up at Jack as he addressed me.

"This is- this is my girlfriend's ringtone", I blurted. It wasn't a lie but in the moment maybe I wanted to shade the truth a little, give it some sprinkling of camouflage. Skitter and Anne are one in the same yet for some insane reason I know that Jack doesn't know that but I was still remaining honest with Jack. Why am I being honest?

No clue.

"Aww", Bonesaw apparently found that either adorable or sad, I was more concerned how Jack would know Skitter would be calling me.

My brain started going off on the idea of a pound of nails and a pound of feathers. Hoping that maybe this information while obvious wasn't immediately obvious, and every second I had these two attention was a second Abuela and Annie were still alive...

Unless Skitter is calling because the rest of the Nine are tap dancing across her territory?

Shit.

"You may want to answer it, if you believe it's rude to have us waiting?" Jack spoke and pulled a knife from his waistband and started flicking it out at Oni Lee who barely dodged the swipes with flaps of his skin wings attached to his stupid head.

I slapped the phone to my head and my thumb hit 'answer', "Beautiful?"

"Attack on territory, warehouse near construction area. Come, now!" Her call ended abruptly.

I lowered the phone from my head, "Work site emergency. It sounds really bad. She made it sound urgent to see her, can I go?"

"Oh, a work site emergency? When Skitter should be calling you for help. Interesting."

"Yeah, Jack - wasn't Mannequin going to visit Skitter's territory to do what he does?"

MANNEQUIN? THE FREAK JOB TINKER WITH THE DOLL BODY!

Crap in a hat.

The two were bantering back and forth, grins growing on their faces as I stood there waiting to be dismissed.

The suspense was killing me.

I felt like a wolf, leg caught in a bear trap, and I was waiting for the hunters to decide to put me out of my misery or wander off so I could gnaw my leg off. Neither option was great but I'd prefer the option to run even if it was just into a different danger.

"Jack, I think we should let him go, I mean the trial hasn't even started yet."

"Tsk, doesn't know the rules, right?"

"Nope. It's not fun without the rules. You make up such interesting ones."

"Very true, Bonesaw. Alright, you're a strange little man but you can g-"

And I was gone, I zipped off and my brain tried to remember the big details in the fraction of a second it took to arrive at the work site.

No rules yet.

A trial.

Recruitment.

Involuntary.

Fun?

I watched as the ice white, lanky freak spun on the tip of its foot and long blades helicopterped around as its arms stretched out. Skitter dodged this attack and her swarm was dumping strands of silk into the vortex of tinker blades and psychotic energy.

My armored love dodged attack after attack, her telescoping baton her only weapon at hand. I stayed back a moment longer in my dust form and I could pick up Skitter humming to herself. Verbalizing the pattern of Mannequin's attacks to herself but her swarm was droning louder than usual to cover it up.

The tinker hadn't noticed my presence, his entire focus seemed to be on Skitter.

Taylor called for me to come, as much as I want to save her... she'd want to protect the people first, this - this was her buying them time, me time.

I heard an almost animal-like whine near me. My consciousness scanned the area around me before I realized the winds of my dust form was the source, vocalizing how I felt without my command.

Being a Parahuman was such a damn strange thing.

I swapped back to being a costumed Dust Devil.

"Get that fucker!" a scared but angry worker said, his shirt was off and pressed against one of the wounded. The soaked in red a stark contrast to the white of the graphic tee as they cradled the victim on the asphalt of the street.

I strode forward as the sunlight beat down on me. The Sky blue, winds blowing just right to cut through the material and help wick the sweat from beneath my tight costume. The air didn't circulate so well in the building, and watching Mannequin slash and dash at Taylor was making me furious.

Was he recruiting her? What was the point of attacking her? Her territory? It didn't make sense she was just helping people.

Jack, Bonesaw, now Mannequin.

Fuck.

Usually Shatterbird made a big entrance when they were ready to do their thing but she hadn't and Bonesaw said they hadn't made any rules. So maybe they're just reaching out, picking recruits - Oni Lee was one.

GET YOUR BRAIN ON TASK, ALCARAZ! DOES IT LOOK LIKE TAYLOR'S WINNING HERE?

I kept marching forward directly at Mannequin, getting the people huddled in the corners out of the way won't work so long as he's acting like one of those Japanese anime tops.

The freak slashed at Taylor and its head swiveled at me. It would be unnerving but I saw Oni Lee's head hovering like a hummingbird a couple minutes ago so I'm all stocked up on crazy today.

He kicked a leg out at me, the chains trailing the limb making a sound like Armsmaster's halberd accessory from my action figure. The blade stuck out from where the foot's toes should be and passed through my dust form. I materialized in a squat near his other leg that held his body up. I kick out bracing myself against the bloodied concrete and his body buckled as the heel of my foot connected

Mannequin reeled in his limbs and I dematerialized as they snapped into place. From my dust form I watched Skitter call people to her and use her armored body as a shield between them and the psychotic tinker.

Mannequin was - Sphere. A tinker who was working on saving the world from itself until an Endbringer attack. His name was Albert or Alphonse or something with an A.

Algernon?

I tried my best not to be noticeable but again the circulation sucked in the building so I was the only real source of wind filtering through.

His featureless head did not track me but his limbs did. The blade tips pointed in different directions like his arms weren't sure where to spear out next should I materialize in his range. I mean I just showed this asshole I can appear anywhere I want and he can't stop me. He can't fight me in a meaningful way, and considering Skitter held him at bay meant he'd have to go after the survivors here or duck out.

And this building was already cleaned out. It was mostly grit and dirt tracked in from people's feet that remained for me to work with. I'd have to leave to get material to make a body to fight properly. Instead, I was going to play reverse whack-a-mole and...

Like he could read my mind Mannequin swung both arms in wide arcs, letting his bladed arms pull the chains feeding out from his torso. Both arms making wide arcs in front of him making haphazard scissors to catch Skitter in their closing.

Just like the little arcade Mole I was armed only with my body and sudden surprising speed. I zipped over the crossing blades and dropped my full weight on the top limb as they crossed each other deflecting them downwards. The tips scraped and dug into the floor as Skitter dove forward and to the side. Her long arms pushed the people clear of the doorway and one of the tinker's toe blades slashed through my dust form as my breaker state saved me from certain impalement again.

WHERE DOES HE GET THE ENERGY TO KEEP THIS UP?!

Reeling in his arms, Mannequin walked through me and kicked at Skitter, who blocked the toe blade with her baton. I used the moment to materialize behind the tinker who elbowed me with both limbs and one caught me in the bone between the neck and shoulder. The hard, I guess, ceramic armor did it's job as I felt a sharp pain flare up when I ducked right before he twisted his upper torso to start spinning like a demented top.

Trying to keep my left arm up as I hunched down was incredibly and excruciatingly painful. Instead of trying to kill me, each follow up hit was him just trying to hurt me and I guess my power thinks pain is only temporary. Well, it sucks to be wrong cuz my damn left arm is becoming useless here.

My body jerked as I took a reversed knee to the leg. Mannequin was double or triple jointed, of course, and I collapsed to the floor. On instinct I fell to all fours and that was a damn big mistake as my left arm went weak and I almost ended up on my face under this ken doll crotch having bastard.

As we scrapped, I caught glimpses of Taylor helping get people out as I distracted the creepy ass serial killer. I really could not raise my left arm so I resorted to using my breaker state to appear and shove with my right shoulder or just kicking out with my legs to knock the tinker around and just harass him.

After a couple minutes I successfully pushed him into the middle of the building. By then over half the people stuck were led out by Skitter or had dashed out while I deflected attacks.

Suddenly Mannequin gave slack to his arms and shifted his weight from shoulder to shoulder as his arms started windmilling, blades scraping against the floor turning his whole body into a buzzsaw the flurry of blades and chain started herding the last of the survivors trapped in the building with us towards the corners of the back of the near empty storage building.

This attack left a tiny space to attack him from near the floor where the chain blades could not cut through his legs or the floor itself. It was going to be a risk even if I used my dust form to get past the blades and chains. It'd be like materializing inside of a wood chipper. There is no easy way out of this fight. So I just have to end it.

Somehow.

I swapped to my dust form and let my breaker state pick up the grit and particles Mannequin's attack is creating. I navigated through his blades and the gaps where his chains are feeding through are almost non-existent. I remember I can pass through the PRT tinker air filters by figuring out the weakness in their design. I use bits of my dust form to probe the gaps in his limbs all at once.

As I cram dirt and dust and grit into the small spaces the rotation of his blades and chain feed slows then starts locking up. I struggle to get inside his weird pods but it's no good. But I do notice the weight of his limbs start jerking the tinker around.

I backed out the grit from one of his chain feeds and the slack flew out sending the limb and blade into the rafters getting stuck in the metal rails supporting the roof. He tried to reel it back to himself but it actually yanked him up off his feet.

Strung up like a puppet I jam the concrete grit back into the fine gears, leaving the tinker dangling uselessly a couple feet from the ground.

Seconds pass as the freak occasionally tries to shake me loose. A leg or free arm twitching or bending at an odd angle to no avail. I had him, and he had me.

Stalemate.

 

[Eatersgrin]

"Jack?"

Panic shot through me as my dust form held Mannequin trapped. Was the psycho with the knives coming? Was he going to mow down the survivors while me and Mannequin hung from the rafters?

"Jack?" The voice calling out was closer, familiar.

Gray smoke started filtering into the empty room.

"Skitter sent me to help you, Jack".

It was Madison.

Her smoke started wafting up into the rafters now as the floor below me was swallowed up by the gray fog. I couldn't even see her and Taylor sent her, with her powers still not quite tested to help deal with this featureless nightmare.

"Let him go. It's okay, don't you worry. I'll be okay, Jack", she sounded confident and a little condescending, or maybe my past opinion of her is still coloring her.

In my breaker state I didn't feel the effect of her power as it finally filled the place to the ceiling but I could feel Mannequin trying to twitch more.

I drew some of the sand and grit and dirt from some of his joints. We don't need him one hundred percent battle ready from the get go as I pull myself free from him.

The freak dangles for a moment and like in a slasher horror film he comes back to life and pounces into the center of the fog where Madison's voice comes from. Wet sounds come from the fog and slowly it starts to thin out. The Slaughterhouse Nine member can be vaguely made out as his body is standing at an imposing height.

Then all at once Mannequin collapses, chain slowly unspools onto the floor from his joints as limbs occasionally twitch.

"Are you okay?" The winds of my breaker state vocalize for me. I search through the dense fog and finally brush against Madison in the center. Blood was wet on her forehead and chest, the fabric of her top torn and stained, exposing part of her chest but there was no wound.

"I'm okay, Jack. He got me and -", the liquid-like smoke thinned more and more until the fog disappeared into her body.

"I got him", she stated as she pulled the hoodie she wore to cover her chest.

I swapped back into my Dust Devil costume form and Skitter came into view of the building's entrance.

"He attacked you and you whammied him with your wounds?" Taylor asked Madison.

'Yeah, he went for my heart and head. It's strange knowing you're dying and then you're just - not. Strange, and a little fucked up", Madison's voice sounded hollow and more like she was just speaking her thoughts than talking to us.

As Madison stood in the warehouse staring at Mannequin as the chain lengths ceased coming, I went to Skitter.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded then spoke to me in her caveman way, "Bruised. Sore. You?"

"I'd shrug then I'd scream. Bastard got me good during the fight", I said as I saw her hesitate. A half step she took towards me but she hung back as I cradled my arm.

I turned to Madison, she had pulled the strings on the hoodie tight. Blood stained the sleeves where she kept wiping at her forehead staring at the fallen tinker, "You sure he's dead? You got him?"

I had to ask, to be sure. The Slaughterhouse Nine work like horror movie monsters and made for TV serial killers. They're tough, vindictive, and Wile E Coyote cartoon durable.

She didn't answer. She just kept wiping, squeezing her elbows together to keep her hoodie shut.

Skitter pointed her chin at Madison, "I'm going back out to check on the people, and call for medical. You got this?"

"Maybe send someone with some bags of quick dry cement and a big barrel. So we can make sure this fucker gets a proper burial, Boss?"

Skitter nodded and left me to Madison.

"Hey, Madison. It's me - it's - Jack", I stood in front of where she was staring and put my good hand on her shoulder.

She blinked several times and colored eyes looked up at me, faint traces of silvery veins left an interesting pattern on the side of her face, "Jack?"

"I'm right here, you did good. I'm sorry you had to fight. I'm sorry you had to kill a monster. I'm sorry you got hurt. I know I promised to protect you and I basically whiffed it, didn't I?"

Shook her head no, "I told you what to do. Tay- Skitter wanted me to test what I could do or you... you'd die if I didn't".

Well, Taylor wasn't wrong but it was a calculated risk. Luckily Taylor is better at math than me. But even then I had that stupid string puppet asshole locked down.

"You got hurt, your arm?"

As Madison reached a bloody sleeve out to touch it, I kinda boggled at the weird gentleness. I really really wasn't used to seeing her as anything but the short bully of The Trio. Seeing her bloody and retraumatized standing near the building entrance - we're kids being forced to fight to survive.

The world is cruel and unfair.

Her arm pushed mine and the pain snapped me back to attention, "Clam- calico? My collar bone, it snapped when he hit me. Think he knew what he was doing because my arm won't do what I want without a bunch of pain and it goes weak now when I lift it".

I tried to demonstrate but Madison just interrupted me, "Jack?"

I'm still not used to being called nicknames. I give them nicknames.

"Yeah?"

"This is all really real, right? It's not like a nightmare or drugs making me think I'm fighting a bad guy? Those people out there are really dead?"

"Yeah -", her arms shot out and wrapped around me, and I winced. "- it's all really real. This is life while the world falls apart. This is life with powers, Madison."

I could feel the warmth of her tears and the shudders of her breath through my costume.

~~x

I sat vigil over the blue barrel as the cement cured, entombing Mannequin's remains before I returned to Skitter's base.

When I walked in I found Taylor unmasked, Madison, Tattletale, Grue and Imp present.

"Jack!" Madison exclaimed from the kitchen. She looked clean and less haunted by the morning events. Madison had her hair under a white bandana tied under her chin. The kind some of the residents wore around their necks to soak up the sweat. She wore some of the clothes Cranston sent and had borrowed another of my hoodies

Everyone borrows my clothes. What is the deal? I'm going to walk in one day and find Brutus in one of my sweaters.

"Jack?" Imp asked from behind her mask. "Isn't that Mr. Boy?"

It hit me all at once as the main floor of the base smelled like a stroll through the mall. A childhood of smells with cookies, popcorn, chicken tenders and french fries wafting through the air. Imp was all over the kitchen as Madison apparently reverted to babysitter mode and started doting on the assembled Undersiders fixing bowls and putting out baking sheets of snacks.

"Hey Dusty Boy", Tattletale waved me over. "Medics are on the way for you once they're done with the rest of the people".

Man, I hated Lisa.

"Why are Grue and Grue Jr. here?", I asked Taylor. Her face finally looked a little different, she looked sheepish.

"Burnscar hit their territory and gutted it, so Taylor here took them in. Imp had pretty much emptied the area of enemies and residents alike so loss of life was minimal", Tattletale answered.

I felt dirty being involved in a convo where the loss of people's lives was talked about like that.

"The homeless... skels are still people. Or at least that's how we treat them here", I replied to Lisa.

"Great job there, hero. Want a cookie? Because they're still dead no matter how you feel about their socioeconomic status".

I threw my good hand up and suppressed a yelp, "Nngh, whatever I dragged Madison here and it's Taylor's base she can have whoever she wants. I'm just some asshole everyone she knows picks on. I'm going upstairs".

I ignored whatever Taylor and Madison were saying. I just was hurt and tired from all this. The Undersiders, Coil and his clowns, the goddamn Nine, and I couldn't even stop Mannequin on my own.

I made my way into the dark bedroom and sat down on the floor, my back against the foot of the bed. I tried to pull the costume off but my arm didn't want to cooperate. So I just leaned back and finally let my thoughts drift to my injury.

Broken bones take several weeks if not months to heal. It wasn't my first and now that I think about it my skull is made of bone and got the hell cracked out of it. What if Mannequin knew about that? What if he had dropped an elbow on my head?

I'd be a vegetable or dead or worse, if Bonesaw got me like she did Oni Lee.

HOW DO YOU EVEN DO THAT TO A PERSON?!

I can't even protect myself. What makes me think I can protect a territory let alone Annie or Abuela or even Madison?

How did I even get Madison included in that thinking?!

I'm not a man. I'm not even a hero. I don't think I ever was. I was a dirty secret the people in charge of the heroes buried in a crap assignment and stupid patrols.

I shut my eyes and just focused on my injury. Thinking about it, trying to will it healed. But nope, it still aches when I breathe.

Strong hands woke me up, the light on the bedroom was on and I was hoping it was the same fisherman guy from when Taylor was hurt at my house. Instead this guy was younger and was dressed in tactical gear like Coil's mercs.

"Too good a day for fishing?" I asked.

The young guy's brows were knit together in concentration as he started cutting me out of the costume with shears.

"You've been running around like this since this morning?"

"Ugh, not just running, dodging and fighting, it sucked".

"You don't know when to quit, do you?"

"Thinking about it".

"I'd suggest keeping yourself from using your arm for a couple months but you have work to do. So with that out of the way... I'm going to examine you, best guess if it's a break or multiple breaks or a fracture. Slap a sling on you, and if it's a fracture get you an orthotic device that will give you some better support while you heal up" after that they started poking and prodding at my injury.

"Plus give you drugs".

"For the pain, right?"

They didn't say anything as they used their thumbs to lightly shift the bone at the injury site.

Ouch.

"For the- pain, right?"

They released me, "Yeah, for the pain. It's a fracture. I'll get that harness for you, should fit under your clothes and costume. Try not to use your left arm for - anything. I'll give your Boss some instructions on when to start physical therapy for the arm in the next several weeks. Hopefully by Christmas you can go back to the SouthPaw life, bucko".

The wind went out of my sails, "Circus."

"Yeah?"

"Do you have medical training?"

"You'd be surprised to know I've done surgery on myself. Life as an independent is most profitable but ... can be lonely", he - she - they patted my healthy shoulder and stood up.

"You did good out there, Ray. You dealt with the Merchants, Mannequin is dead, and you recruited a new Cape. Very fortuitous, Mr. Alcaraz, I knew you were something special. Now when we're done here, you will go downstairs and Tattletale will take your report of the events for Coil. After that you will do as Skitter instructs you, personal feelings aside, and your Grandmother will continue to be safe".

Circus in tactical gear pulled an orange pill bottle from a pocket on their vest and bent over and placed it gently in my injured side's hand, "Those are strong. Try not to drink alcohol while on those. Take them only when you can't bear the pain or you think you might have to use your arm. There is going to be a meeting called tonight that you and The Undersiders must attend. Bring the new girl. I'll have costume pieces for her to choose from when your harness is brought. In the meantime, talk to Tattletale, listen to Skitter, and steal some rest."

So I sat there on the floor of the bedroom at Circus' feet. The once and only private and safe spot in all of Brockton Bay for me and Anne, now it was tainted by my mercenary medic disguised Clown stal-

"Get the hell out of here, Circus. Coil might run the show but Skitter and me are the damn talent. So screw off with your Trojan Horse disguise crap. You act like you care but you... You're dead behind the eyes. You don't know what you want or what you need and I'm not a stupid toy to play with when you're bored. So - so fuck off".

The sledgehammer slammed into the space on the floor between my legs.

"Have it your way. But you are going to wish I still cared when this - all of this is over", they said coolly as they dragged the weapon across the floor as they exited the room.