"I don't think you understand what you're saying," Legend spoke as if choosing his words carefully.
Taylor understood full well what she was saying. Sophia Hess was a Ward. She didn't want any part of an organisation that let her get away with what she did.
She took a deep breath. "Is there a third option?"
"You do not get to negotiate!" Armsmaster roared. Heads turned.
Feeling a flare of anger, Taylor retorted, "So he gets to yell, but I don't?"
"We have the authority here!" Armsmaster shouted.
There was a growl, and Bitch barged in, a light application of her power on her dogs.
"Who's that?" Legend asked.
Miss Militia responded. "That would be Hellhound-"
"Bitch."
"-One of Skitter's teammates."
"What are you doing here?" Demanded Armsmaster.
"Talking to Skitter." Replied Bitch. "Why do you care?"
Armsmaster started to reply, but Taylor replied first. "What is it?" She asked.
"They're dead." Replied Bitch.
...What?
No. No, that can't be right. It can't.
"They... No, they can't be... No..." Taylor whimpered slowly.
"I saw the bodies." Replied Bitch. "And they'd be here if they were alive."
Lisa... Brain... Alec... Dead...
Taylor felt herself tearing up.
"Is that all?" Asked Armsmaster. He continued without waiting for an answer. "Skitter, you don't get to negotiate here. It's prison or Wa-"
Taylor acted without thinking.
The Undersiders, her friends, were dead. And he was pushing this topic. He wasn't even giving her time to mourn.
So she attacked.
Insects poured in from the surrounding area, swarming Armsmaster
"Skitter!" Called Legend, over the noise of the swarm. "Stop this!"
Taylor ignored him. Miss Militia moved towards her, intent on making her stop. Bitch quickly pumped more power into her dogs, moving them up several sizes.
This was a mistake.
Taylor shouldn't have done that, shouldn't have attacked. But it was too late. Things were escalating. Even if she stopped now, Rachael wouldn't.
They couldn't keep going, though. The building was filled with heroes, and villains who wouldn't want the Truce broken. They'd be overwhelmed.
Which means they had to run.
"Bitch, we need to get out." Taylor said, the noise making her unheard by all except Bitch.
Rachael nodded, and the two got onto one of the dogs. Legend moved to react, but Bitch barked an order, and the dogs ran.
There were cries of shock as two large beasts bounded through the hospital. A few people tried to stop them, but Taylor distracted them by belting them with bugs.
Within a few minutes, Taylor and Rachael had gotten outside, and began running for their hideout.
People moved to pursue them. Legend was visible in the skies, and several Parahumans ran after them from the ground.
Rachael gritted her teeth. "I have an idea." She said.
Taylor started to ask what it was, but never managed it. Rachael pushed her, and Skitter fell off the dog.
The dogs kept running.
Taylor would have run after Bitch, but the pursuit was getting too close. So she ducked away, into an alleyway and hid.
It had been hours since the pursuit had begun. Taylor had stopped hiding a while ago. The pursuit had stopped, and Rachael had come to find her once she had gotten away, with a change of clothes.
"Thank you." Taylor said. Rachael didn't reply.
"How did you get away?" Asked Taylor. Rachael hesitated, then spoke. "I... I kept running. Once I got out of town, I got off Judas and had my dogs hurt everyone following."
Taylor finished changing out of her costume, and the two girls started heading towards the Undersider's base. Taylor noticed that Bitch's dogs were missing.
"Where are your dogs?" Asked Taylor.
Rachael clenched her fist, but didn't answer. After a few seconds of silence, Taylor noticed that Rachael had tears in her eyes.
Oh.
There was no talking after that.
It was surprising how fast the Protectorate moved when someone breaks the Truce.
Taylor and Rachael were still in hiding. After arriving at the base, Taylor had laid down on the couch and cried. That had been a few hours ago.
Then Rachael had turned on the news.
Taylor didn't know what to think, staring at the screen.
On one hand, it was to be expected. she had broken the Truce, technically. On the other hand, it was underhanded. And life ruining.
It said something about the importance of the Unwritten Rules, if it had only taken a few hours for the Protectorate to work out her identity and reveal it to the media.
Taylor's life was ruined. She wouldn't be able to talk to people. She'd have to go out while in disguise, if she wanted to go out at all.
Her dad was going to hate her.
Rachael quickly noticed that Taylor was on the verge of a breakdown, and immediately started thinking of ways to help her.
After a few seconds, Rachael opened her arms and awkwardly hugged Taylor.
A second later, the girl began sobbing into her shoulder.
It had been just over three weeks since then.
Coil had mostly cut ties with the remaining Undersiders. Taylor and Rachael hadn't been able to leave the base often. Brockton Bay was suffering from Leviathan's attack, which was the only reason the two hadn't been caught yet.
Taylor woke up on the couch, and quickly found herself wondering whenever she should get out of bed.
The Undersiders were dead, her identity was public knowledge, her dad hated her, Rachael hadn't been doing much since her dogs died...
Not for the first time, Taylor considered ending it. Jump from a building, slit her throat, anything. Rachael was able to survive for years without her, and she didn't have anything else to live for.
There was the sound of an opening door. Taylor instantly felt panic.
Rachael was sleeping on a mattress on the floor, so she shouldn't be using the doors. That meant someone had found them.
Taylor sat up, getting off the couch and looking at the door.
"There you are." Said Jack Slash. "I've been looking for you."