A/N: This idea has been floating around in my head for a while. I wanted to write something Worm related but at the same time I wanted to challenge myself and write something that would really force me to flex those creative writer muscles. So I give you this, an AU story set in the Wormverse. If you don't like OC's then you should turn away because this story is set in San Francisco with an entirely new cast of characters and a new MC. The Triumvirate, etc are still a thing. This is just set on the other side of the country.
So without further ado...
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Welcome To The Bay
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I couldn't help feeling a sense of dread in my belly as I looked up at the place that would be my new home… hopefully only for a few months if I had anything to say about it. The Protectorate SFB (San Francisco Bay) Headquarters was, I could admit, more impressive than what I was used to. It managed to have an architectural flair similar to what I'd seen in the rest of town combined with that feeling of scale and authority everyone wanted to have. It was also quite a bit bigger than the headquarters I came from. As nice as all that was I couldn't help but wish I'd somehow fought harder to stay there.
With a resigned sigh I grabbed my backpack and stepped out of the car. The PRT guy who'd driven me from the airport got out and rushed to get my duffle from the trunk of the black sedan. He seemed a little nervous around me. I could guess why.
I shook my head at the stupidity of it all. Six months ago some genius in Parahumans Monthly decided to run an article about the "Ten Strongest Wards" in whole of the Protectorate. The article on the magazine got circulated like candy around the Protectorate and PRT and for a few days it was all the rage around the water cooler. Guess who made the list? Ever since then the Wards and the Protectorate had ribbed me about it endlessly while the PRT guys had started being more polite and giving me a wider berth.
Or maybe I was just projecting. Maybe this guy was just nervous around capes, even (mostly) good guys like me.
"Here you go ma'am," he said putting my duffle down next to me, "I'd carry it inside for you but, you know, don't want to give the game away," he said. Young guy. Probably new to get saddled with chauffeuring a new Ward around.
I gave him a genuine smile despite my trepidation at being there. "So do I need to tip you now? Uhh… Jake right?"
He chuckled nervously and seemed inordinately pleased that I had remembered his name. "No need for that Miss De Luca. Just doing my job."
"Allright," I said and gave him a friendly punch on the shoulder, "but no more of that 'ma'am' and 'Miss De Luca' BS ya hear? If we're going to talk you're gonna have to call me Geri."
His smile turned more genuine and relaxed at that. "Heh, sure Geri," he said, "I'll remember that."
I gave him another smile. "Well take care Jake." Picking up my duffle bag I winked at him playfully as I made my way through the glass doors of the Protectorate Headquarters.
The lobby was a large open concept with a thirty foot ceiling, every surface looking modern and polished to a mirror sheen. Even though it was early in the afternoon there was very light traffic in the lobby which wasn't much of a surprise given that the building was on an island accessible only though a myriad of security screens and checkpoints. I approached the middle age woman seated on the large reception desk.
"Good afternoon. How may I help you?" the secretary said politely.
"Geri De Luca. I'm the new transfer from St. Louis," I said with a polite smile.
I saw her look at me for a second before her eyes widened as realization set in. "Oh! You're the new- … Well, welcome to the Protectorate SFB. We'll get you set up and sent up right away. If you could just give me your ID…"
It took thankfully only a couple of minutes. Procedure I noticed was stricter and more thorough here than it had been in St. Louis. She looked at my ID, ran it through a machine, had me fill out some paperwork, the usual stuff. Then she pulled out some Tinkertech machine that scanned me from head to toe right there in front of the reception desk looking for who knows what. When I gave her a questioning eyebrow she answered my unspoken question.
"This is normal screening for all guests and newcomers who are granted access to the higher levels. I don't know the details but it supposedly can screen for a wide variety of Master/Stranger effects," she answered. I just nodded at that, trying to remember if they had any criminals like that running around the city.
It took a total of about fifteen minutes before the secretary handed me my new security card. If it was anything like the one I'd had in St. Louis it was biometrically coded so it would only work for me. "Just take the elevator, slide the card and push the fifth floor. You new friends will be there to greet you," she said looking pleased. I guess she must be happy that they were getting new bodies.
"I thought one of the 'adults' would be here to greet me," I said. Not that I minded but it seemed odd that a Protectorate member wouldn't be there to greet the newest Ward.
Her smile faltered replaced with a grim look. "I'm sorry dear, normally that would be the case but the whole team was deployed not ten minutes ago. The Gore are out there making a mess of things again and Tyrant Rex himself was spotted. I'm sure you'll get to meet them once they finish up and come back, hopefully with that stupid lizard buried in containment foam."
Well that was an ominous start to my career in San Francisco. I knew I had been transferred – against my very loud protests – because the gang situation in the Bay was getting out of control. However things had to be worse than I imagined if some gangs were willing to cause a scene and fight it out with the Protectorate in the middle of the afternoon. I adjusted the strap of my backpack feeling a little bit out of my element.
"Well I guess I'll just head up and meet my new team then," I said.
The secretary – Alberta her nametag said – smiled and nodded towards the elevators. "Go right ahead dear. And welcome to San Francisco."
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