Note: This is probably quite disjointed and or overly dramatic, sorry ahead of time. There are some very alternate universe elements here (characters acting out-of-character etc.) so fair warning.
Some kind souls have surprisingly added this collection to their follow or favorite list. I find this astonishing and want to express my sincere gratitude.
xxxxxxxxxx
Crystal Evans fidgeted uncomfortably in front of an ancient, wheezing public computer at the Brockton Bay public library. She read over the email she had composed for what felt like the hundredth time. She felt confident she had the facts summarized correctly and all the right people named but still she hesitated to hit send. She hesitated mostly due to fear - fear that she would be found out somehow and attacked like Taylor, even though she was sending anonymously. Fear that Taylor would hate her more than she probably already did, even though Crystal deserved it. Still, she also had a hot-point of anger bubbling just below the surface. A justified indignation at being used and then discarded that she did her best to nurse into a flame that would give her courage.
Crystal was angry at Emma and Sophia, angry that they involved her in their juvenile pranks, and even more angry that she allowed herself to participate. Angry at herself that she had become involved in something so hurtful, that she had allowed her desires to overcome her compassion, and that Taylor had paid the price for her weaknesses.
It had seemed to good to be true at first.
When Emma had first approached Crystal she had been surprised and then thrilled. Here was the most popular girl in the school talking to her! Emma had sat down across from her at lunch and started up a conversation out of the blue. She had soon been joined by Emma's close friends including Sophia and Madison. The three of them were without a doubt the most popular, most sought after girls in the entire school and they were talking to plain old Crystal!
Emma invited her to join them for lunch and before she knew it she was somehow part of the in group. It was like a switch was thrown and suddenly Crystal was popular. Girls she didn't even know went out of their way to say hello to her, boys who had never given her a second look were suddenly chatting her up before classes and at lunch time. It felt good… Really good.
Still Crystal wasn't stupid, she saw what was going on with Taylor, how Emma and Sophia treated her, abused her at every opportunity and how Taylor just took the abuse as best she could and tried to move along with her day. It was a mystery at school, nobody save perhaps Sophia knew what had happened between Taylor and Emma, but Emma seemed to have a driving need to belittle the other girl. To keep her downtrodden and hurting, to make sure that Taylor knew her place. Crystal wondered why none of the Winslow staff stepped in or why on the few occasions she saw Taylor complain to faculty she was shut down hard. Crystal tried not to think about the other girl much, too busy enjoying her newfound "friends" to concern herself with the loner girl with the bad clothes and cheap glasses.
In hindsight it shouldn't have been a surprise when one day at lunch Emma sat down across from her and announced that she had an amazing prank idea for "Hebert". The idea was that Crystal should pretend to befriend the girl but in reality she would report back to Emma with any tidbit of knowledge they could then use to hurt Hebert, to hurt Taylor.
When Crystal had objected that Taylor would surely have seen her with Emma and her friends, Emma scoffed that Taylor was so out of it most days she doubted that she even noticed what color her own shirt was, let alone who was sitting with who at lunch these days…
So Crystal found herself agreeing with Emma's plan, rather than risk the enmity of the girl, even with a sinking feeling in her belly that felt an awful lot like shame.
Days later Crystal had approached Taylor at her locker and at least tried to start a conversation with the other girl. Crystal thought that perhaps if it were clear that Taylor wasn't interested in befriending her, that she could play it off to Emma and the whole thing would quietly go away. At first Crystal was confident that this is exactly what would happen. Taylor looked haggard, with messy clothes and dark circles under her eyes like she hadn't been sleeping. She had been justifiably wary of her at first, but slowly, over the course of several days Taylor had loosened up slightly and started answering with more than one word answers. It was painfully obvious to Crystal that the girl was desperate for any sort of positive attention, and so they talked.
Crystal found that Taylor was smart, extremely so. Taylor loved literature and that her mother had been an English professor at Brockton U before her death. Crystal could see that the death of her mother had affected Taylor greatly and that she probably still wasn't really recovered. Taylor had a sharp wit, and an ironic sense of humor. Crystal found that she had come to enjoy making the other girl smile her too-wide smile and that she had a nice laugh when she let anyone hear it. As the days passed the shame in Crystal's belly matured into a painful guilt. Taylor was nice. Beyond nice really. She bore the daily assault from Emma and Sophia with a kind of stoic determination that Crystal found herself admiring.
On a particular day, Crystal met up with Taylor at the latter's locker and noticed that Taylor had an old, antique flute that she was placing on the top shelf of her locker reverently. When Crystal inquired about it, Taylor simply said that it had belonged to her mother and that it made her feel good to look at it so she had brought it to school to help her through the day.
Crystal burned with shame as to why Taylor would do such a thing.
Unfortunately this same day Emma cornered Crystal in first block, wanting to know if she had found anything out they could use against Taylor. Crystal hadn't really wanted to say anything, but she wasn't keen on disappointing Emma and becoming a target herself so she blurted out about the flute she had saw in Taylor's locker. It seemed harmless enough since it was safely locked away so Crystal didn't see how Emma or Sophia could get at it. The look in Emma's eyes when she learned of the flute should have been a warning.
At lunchtime Crystal had found a seat off to the side away from Emma and her friends. She found herself lost in thought about how to extract herself from this mess with Taylor. She could continue the ruse, try to appease Emma but still maintain her friendship with Taylor, but it would be dishonest. Somehow Crystal did think Taylor would appreciate that kind of deception.
The more thought and reflection Crystal put into her problem, the more clear it became that she couldn't continue with things as they were. She really needed to come clean to Taylor and let the chips fall where they may. She didn't expect the girl to want to remain, well not exactly friends, but she doubted Taylor would take very kindly to knowing that Crystal had started talking to her at the behest of Emma. Still the decision to tell Taylor the truth felt good and right and she resolved to tell her at the next opportunity.
That decision made Crystal felt better than she had in a long while. She was just cleaning up her tray when Taylor ran into the cafeteria, looking completely out of sorts, eyes red like she had been crying, looking around wildly until her eyes settled on Emma who was watching her with a self satisfied smirk that made Crystal's insides freeze.
As soon as she found Emma, Taylor immediately started towards the table where Emma and Sophia were seated. Crystal could see that words were being exchanged and that Taylor was upset judging by her abrupt gesturing. With a sinking feeling Crystal headed over to try and overhear.
When she was close enough she could hear that Taylor was asking Emma, begging really, for the return of her mother's flute. The sinking feeling turned to ice at Taylor's words. Somehow Emma had managed to get Taylor's flute out of her locker, and it was Crystal's fault.
Taylor was becoming more upset by the second. Her pleas becoming more desperate, her body language more frantic. Crystal was shocked, she had never seen Taylor respond to any of the trio's bullying so dramatically. There was absolute desperation in her words.
Emma for her part was playing little miss innocent perfectly, being equal parts condescending and insulting. Insisting that there was no way that Emma or Sophia could have possibly known about the flute, that someone would have had to have told her the flute was there. With this Emma had looked directly at Crystal and smirked. Then proceeded to greet Crystal like an old friend, inviting her over to the table even.
Taylor turned and looked at Crystal, her face blank for several seconds while she worked though things, she was a smart girl after all. Crystal could see the moment the pieces fell into place, Taylor's face morphed into pained disbelief for the briefest of moments then the desperation returned and she turned back to Emma, insisting that she return the flute.
Crystal felt like someone had punched her in the gut. She was sure she was probably pale, she could feel her hands trembling. She wanted to protest, to say it wasn't her or that she had never intended that Emma get the flute. In the end she had said nothing, to afraid and hating herself for her cowardice.
The scene went on for several more painful moments until Emma apparently got bored and asked Taylor if she was going to cry herself to sleep for a week over the flute. That particular insult must have had special meaning to Taylor as her face crumbled and she fled while Emma and her friends jeered. Crystal just felt sick.
For several days afterward Crystal had tried to get Taylor alone to explain but the girl was like smoke and seemed to disappear into thin air whenever Crystal looked for her. After a few days of this Crystal was getting frustrated but didn't see any good options to help Taylor. The faculty was either indifferent or incompetent so there would be no help from them. Most of the other students were either part of Emma's group or in fear of them and not willing to step in.
That's when Crystal remembered that a Ward supposedly went to Winslow. She could contact the Wards. The question was which one?
It was a mystery as to which Ward actually attended Winslow of course. The school did a good job trying to obfuscate when students were transferring in or out, randomly pulling groups of students out of class and never starting new students except in large groups.
Crystal went over the Ward roster in her mind, Aegis, Gallant, Clockblocker for the boys and Shadow Stalker and Vista for the girls. She knew Aegis was the current leader but wasn't known for interacting much with the public. Clockblocker was considered something of a jester that never took anything seriously so probably not a good choice. She didn't know anything about Gallant although just his name suggested he may be a good option. Shadow Stalker was just a stone cold bitch from everything she had heard and read about her, a vigilante turned Ward so that was probably not a good option. That left the youngest Ward, Vista.
She had actually met Vista once at a publicity event at the local mall. She had been there talking to teens about avoiding gangs and talking up the PRT and Protectorate. She remembered that even though Vista was young, probably not quite in high school yet but she had been the most impassioned of the speakers that day. The girl just oozed hero and anyone watching could tell it wasn't an act, that she truly believed in being a hero.
So, Vista it was, but still she hesitated…
"You should send it." A female voice intruded on Crystals thoughts and she looked to her right to see a girl watching her. The girl had blond hair and a dusting of freckles. She was pretty in a general kind of way and was watching Crystal with an intensity she found uncomfortable.
Crystal found her voice. "Umm, What?" Her suspicion flared. Had the other girl been somehow watching as she wrote?
The other girl just shrugged. "Let just say I can tell a lot about people just by watching them… Call it a talent." And she grinned at Crystal in a most disturbing, self satisfied manner.
"Riiight, Ok then. Well maybe you should just mind your own business."
The girl narrowed her eyes just slightly, then seemed to reconsider and just shrugged. "Suit yourself, but you'll feel better and maybe just help someone who needs it. Seems like a win, win situation if you ask me."
Crystal felt herself panic at the girl's words. So she had been watching somehow!
"What the hell you stupid bitch! You've been looking at my screen somehow!"
Any friendliness in the girl's face disappeared and she tilted her head in contemplation. Crystal squirmed under her gaze, feeling like she was being sized up and found wanting.
"Hmm, well aren't you a delicious combination of guilt and cowardice… Too scared to actually do something directly, to guilty to do nothing at all… whatever shall I do with you… Oh and for the record I really don't like being called stupid."
Crystal could feel her face reddening in shame… She knew. Somehow this girl she had never meet knew.
After another awkward moment where the other girl continued to watch Crystal with that strange intensity, the girl rose from her seat, pushing in her chair and stretching like a cat, hands above her head.
"Look, I don't have time to deal with your high school bullshit, but I do know that you owe it to someone to send that email. So show a little courage and hit send. If you don't I may be inclined to involve myself in your business, and believe me when I tell you you don't want that."
With that she swept her bag from the table and turned to leave before stopping and looking over her shoulder at Crystal with a parting comment.
"I'll know if you don't."
And she walked out of the library.
Crystal watched the girl until she was out of sight wondering if that really just happened?
Still, the strange girl had been right, she did owe Taylor, owed her more than she could probably ever repay.
With a final review to make sure all the facts were in order and the right students were named, Crystal took a deep breath and hit send…
xxxxxxxxxx
Missy Biron ran up the chipped and crumbling steps of Winslow high school toward the main entrance doors. With a small application of her power she warped the space around the door, essentially making the top and bottom of the door touch, folding the door in half. It dropped to the ground with a thud opening the way for Missy to get into the building.
She ran into the school skidding to a stop in the atrium and stretched her power out around herself in a testing wave. One of the closely guarded aspects of her power was reconnaissance. Missy was able to identify enemy positions by finding the places her power resisted working due to the Manton limit. In those directions there were always human beings, living human beings. This gave her team a bearing on enemies, or in this case, a victim.
There… up and to her left, maybe 150 yards away was an area her power was refusing to affect. It was small, locker small. Damn, she had hoped that the Barnes girl had been lying or exaggerating, that those bitches couldn't possibly have stuffed a classmate in her own locker and then left her there for what would have been the entire weekend. As it was Taylor had been in the locker for hours already.
Missy activated her comms contacting Dean who she knew was on console tonight.
"Vista to console, I have an emergency situation." She said as she started toward the left stairway, warping the distance so it was only a few steps. "Console come in."
"Vista, we read you." Gallant's voice. "You're supposed to be off duty." Missy could hear the confusion in his voice.
Missy ignored his question. "I need emergency services at Winslow high school, a student has been attacked and stuffed into her locker since this afternoon. I'm attempting to locate her now. Who's on patrol?"
After a short pause Gallant responded. "I copy Vista, emergency services on the way, police as well. Assault and Battery are fifteen minutes from Winslow, Stalker and Clockblocker are enroute as well."
Missy climbed the steps, cresting onto the upper floor of the school all the while keeping her power active, homing in on the position she was unable to warp. It took some concentration to maintain so she almost missed Dean's message about Stalker and Clock… Stalker.
"Gallant! You need to recall Stalker! Do not let her near this school or I'm not going to be responsible for my actions! My information is that she's directly responsible for this situation in her civilian ID. I'm trying to locate the victim now!" Missy tried to keep her voice professional but wasn't sure how successful she was. She couldn't stand Sophia on her best day, and today certainly wasn't her best day.
There was a long pause then, "I hear you Vista, rerouting Stalker and Clock now."
"Thank you Gallant, I'll explain thin... " Missy fell to her knees suddenly dizzy...
Missy collapsed onto her side, distantly she felt her head smack the tile floor. She could see something, spinning above her, so enormous they filled her vision completely. Nothing could be that vast… Blackness...
"Vista! Vista come in!" Was that Gallants voice? He sounded distant to her ears.
"All units, all units Ward down at Winslow high school, emergency response! Ward down! WARD DOWN! Scrambling strike squads, all available Protectorate assets please respond!"
Missy attempted to roll herself onto her back, after two attempts she was successful but immediately regretted it as blinding pain shot through her skull eliciting a low moan from her lips.
"Vista! Can you hear me? Please respond! DAMN IT! VISTA RESPOND!" The note of desperation in his voice actually made Missy smile a little while lying on the ground trying to figure out what happened. There had been something… Something… The thoughts slipped through her mental fingers like water and were gone.
Ignoring the pain in her head, Missy tried to piece together what was going on. She was lying on a cold tile floor in a school hallway with lockers lining the walls. She had been running… Running to help someone, had something to do with lockers…
With a start, her memories snapped back into focus. She was here for Taylor Hebert, Taylor who unless Missy was mistaken had just triggered. Groaning she got to her feet.
"Gallant, I'm back." She said, the pain causing her to clench her teeth.
"Vista! Thank God! What's the situation? Are you under attack?" Missy smiled again at the genuine relief in Dean's voice.
"Negative, no attack. I think our victim just triggered though. I'm going to try and locate the locker they put her in."
Missy could hear the disgust in his voice as he responded. "Roger that Vista. Proceed with caution, new triggers can be dangerous."
"Copy that Gallant but I can't leave her in the locker." Missy said.
"Understood. Assault and Battery are minutes out."
Even though her head felt like it was about to split open, Missy extended her power, looking again for the point she was unable to affect. Instantly she became away of a location down the end of the hall around the corner and started off. She didn't warp this time though as her head didn't feel clear enough. Just as she was rounding the corner she heard a sharp snap-hiss then an explosion rocked her off her feet, slamming her into the lockers behind her. She fell in a heap on the ground her ears ringing and suddenly very cold.
As her vision cleared she could see and feel frost on her costume and that in front of her several lockers were destroyed in a roughly three or four yard area. Not only destroyed but from the look of things frozen as well. And there, in the center of the explosion radius was a girl lying on the ground clearly unconscious and clearly not frozen.
With a grunt Missy struggled to her feet, grit her teeth against the pain now in her chest as well as head, and approached the prone girl with caution, ready to try and dodge back to what would hopefully be outside the range of her… what, freeze attack? As she neared the girl Missy could begin to see some of what she had gone through. She was surrounded by garbage and filth. Taylors head, hands, and knees were all bleeding profusely. The smell got progressively worse as she approached and she had to fight her gag reflex. The scene was something out of a nightmare and pity warred with anger in Missy's belly.
She cautiously circled around until she could see Taylor's face, still keeping her distance incase Taylor lashed out at her.
Taylor's face was a ruin of cuts and bruises. As Missy approached a bug skittered out of Taylor's hair down the side of her face. That shattered what little control of her stomach Missy had left and she turned and retched onto the floor, barely holding herself upright by placing a hand on the wall while she gasped for breath.
A low moan sounded from Taylor.
Instantly, Missy forgot her own discomfort and ran to the girl, gently cradling her bleeding head in her lap, Missy did her best to brush away the insects and garbage. Taylor moaned again and started to cry. It tore at Missy's heart.
"Taylor, Taylor can you hear me?" Missy leaned in, trying to almost whisper in a soothing voice. "Taylor you're safe now." Taylor started to thrash around a little and Missy tried to make soothing sounds while stroking the other girls hair. After a moment the girl calmed and then turned herself into Missy moaning pitifully trying to hug her with weak arms.
It was all Missy could do to reactivate her comms. "G-gallant, I need to you to contact New Wave and request Panacea's assistance. The victim is in a b-bad s-state, multiple injuries, and she's bleeding all over the place! There… they put her in there with garbage, and G-god D-dean... " Now that Missy was here and had Taylor her professional persona broke to the point that she didn't even notice her use of Dean's civilian name . "Why would they do such a t-thing? They tried to kill her… it's horrible." And then Missy started to cry, if only a little.
"I read you Vista, hold tight help is on the way." Dean's voice was gentle, Missy could tell he was trying to be reassuring. "I've already alerted New Wave, Panacea should be standing by at the hospital when you arrive… You did good Missy."
She found she couldn't answer, she just cried a bit more and held Taylor who seemed to have drifted out of consciousness again. Taylor who had been attacked and stuffed into a locker full of garbage in the middle of a school day! For what she wondered? What possible egregious crime could she have committed that justified this?
Time passed and with a surprising suddenness the corridor was full of people. Assault was there, face grim and angry. Battery was there as well, her face filled with compassion and empathy. PRT agents milled around and medical technicians came to take Taylor from her. More personnel pulled her toward her own stretcher but she resisted, asked to ride with Taylor. They acquiesced eventually and she held Taylor's hand the whole way.
More time passed and Missy's thoughts became more clouded and confused while her head hurt worse and her whole body began to throb in time with her heartbeat. She just knew she needed to get Taylor to help. They arrived at the hospital and a team came out to meet them, sweeping Taylor away from the ambulance into the hospital in a rush. Missy noticed that another team was coming out of the hospital heading for the ambulance. This confused her, were there more patients? She turned to look and didn't see anyone else.
She turned back around toward the approaching team and noticed Gallant moving ahead of them toward her at a fast walk, his face lighting up when he saw her. She felt herself smile and the familiar warmth rose up in her chest at the sight of him. The feeling seemed stronger this time, making her feel woozy and weak in the knees. She could see Dean's face fall into a look of concern and now he was running, why was he running? Missy could see his mouth moving but didn't hear any words just a sound like rushing water, and then there was nothing but darkness.
xxxxxxxxxx
"Hello Vista."
That voice... Missy knew that voice… That was Amy's voice. That meant hospital, that meant injuries. The PRT never called Amy in unless there was a real emergency. Missy's memory was fuzzy though on just what had happened.
"I know you're awake Vista." What? How? Oh, Missy felt Amy's hand on her forearm, no doubt giving her a checkup. "Can you open your eyes for me?"
That was the thing about Amy, while she could have a sharp tongue if you caught her at the wrong time she was generally nice and good natured so it was hard to deny her anything. It hadn't always been that way. There was a time a few years ago when it seemed Amy was incredibly unhappy and withdrawn. Missy wasn't sure what had happened, it was all very hush-hush, but there were rumors of master/stranger protocols and secret training sessions. Vicky had left for a while. Missy remembered it being in the papers some. Since that time Panacea had really come out of her shell, becoming something of a social butterfly almost on par with her sister.
With a groan, Missy pried open her eyes, her blue meeting Amy's brown.
"Good girl." Said Amy. "Any nausea or blurred vision?"
Missy blinked her eyes several times to clear the sleep away, reaching a hand up to feel the domino style mask on her face, taking a moment to look around at the hospital room before replying in the negative to which Amy nodded.
"Good. You have a concussion, a pretty bad one. I helped with some of the bruising around your brain but you know I don't go into brains unless it's life or death so you had some residual inflammation which I though may give you problems."
Amy's words brought to mind the events of the previous night.
"Taylor!" she exclaimed in a panic, "Amy what happened to Taylor? Did you heal her? Is she going to be OK?" Missy said in a breathless rush.
Amy's face darkened in anger and she leaned back in her chair. Missy noted she was dressed casually today, just jeans and comfortable top, her brown hair in a pony. "Yes, I healed her. She was… Well she was in a really bad way. In fact without parahuman healing she would have been in serious trouble, she had several very nasty infections and a skull fracture." If anything Amy's face got stormier. "I think the fracture was self inflicted from ramming her head into… Is it true that she was forced into a locker filled with biological waste?"
Sighing Missy leaned back into her pillow, breaking eye contact to stare at the ceiling. "Yes, it's true. All of it. It was, it was terrible, God and the smell and she was in there for hours and nobody helpedherandohgodthebugsand…" Before she knew it Missy was crying again only to find herself in a tight hug from Amy.
"Oh honey I'm so sorry I brought it up! I should have known better!"
Missy just nodded into Amy's shoulder not trusting herself to speak. The two stayed like that for several minutes, each clinging to the other for comfort. Eventually Missy pulled herself together, breaking the hug with a sigh.
"I think I need to make a report, Armsmaster needs to know what Stalker has been up to at Winslow, I doubt Taylor is her only victim."
Amy gasped. "Stalker? Shadow Stalker? SHADOW STALKER DID THIS!"
Missy was truly taken aback by the vitriol in Amy's voice. It surprised her for a moment but then Missy couldn't recall ever seeing her after treating a victim who was tortured like Taylor had been. After a moment's contemplation Missy decided that it made sense that Amy would be so offended by a hero taking advantage of her situation like Stalker apparently had. New Wave was all about parahuman accountability. Amy actually got up and started pacing the room in her anger, ranting about what she would do when she saw her again. After a minute or two, a nurse poked her head in the room to see what the commotion was about. A slightly pink in the face Amy apologized and calmed herself down.
Uggg, that's so infuriating!" Amy said, throwing herself down in the chair by the bed. "I knew Stalker was a bitch but I didn't realize she was a psychopath as well."
"Yeah." Missy agreed in a small voice, thinking of all the patrols she had done with Stalker and how just plain unpleasant Sophia was to her and all the other Wards. She could only imagine what she had been like to Taylor. This revelation was going to tear the team up. All of them would feel as guilty as Missy did for not seeing how deranged Sophia was.
"I guess I better find my phone and call Armsmaster then." Missy said with a sigh.
"That won't be necessary." Said a pleasant masculine voice from the doorway as Armsmaster knocked on the now open door. "As you can see I'm already here."
Both girls turned their heads toward the door. Missy only just managed to not roll her eyes at her boss. How a man in power armor managed to move that quietly was a mystery to her.
"What can you tell me about Stalker Sir?" Straight to the point always worked best with the Tinker. Missy knew he appreciated efficient conversation.
Armsmaster stiffened then began talking in what Missy always called his "report" voice taking a step into the room and then closing and locking the door behind him.
"At 8:14 pm yesterday evening you called an emergency into console reporting that you were attempting to rescue the student Taylor Hebert, who you suspected had been imprisoned in her school locker. At 8:17pm Gallant reported a Ward down emergency due to the fact that he lost contact with you and enacted failsafe protocols, namely calling in the PRT strike squads and reserve Protectorate heros to the scene."
With this Armsmaster paused for a moment evidently gathering his thoughts, He reached up and removed his helmet, scratching at his beard absently. Missy was struck, like she always was, at just how handsome Colin was. It was something of a running joke that if he had any social skills at all he would have female suitors lined up trying to capture his heart. The man never seemed to leave the Rig and Dragon was apparently the only girl for him. But damn if he wasn't easy on the eyes and she had to hold down a small blush as he continued.
"Shortly thereafter at 8:24 pm Gallant was able to reestablish contact with you after you apparently blacked out due to Ms. Hebert triggering in the locker." With this he looked over to Amy raising an eyebrow in obvious question.
Amy sighed, "Yes, she triggered. She has a fully developed Corona Pollentia and Gemma…" She seemed to want to say more then thought better of it.
Colin also sighed and slumped a little. Missy thought she could see the corner of his mouth twitch in irritation.
"At that point you closed distance with the newly triggered parahuman with unknown powers and unknown mental state." There was no mistaking the rebuke in his tone and Missy cringed under his scrutiny. "Said newly triggered parahuman then utilized a powerful freeze explosion power to free herself from the locker. This explosion was the cause of the majority of your injuries at the scene. By all accounts if you had been much closer you would likely have been killed."
He stopped to take a breath.. Missy thought he was probably trying to figure out how to scold her without looking like a jerk for scolding the injured thirteen year old girl. Luckily Amy came to her rescue.
"Colin I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities to debrief Missy on her handling of the tactical situation, however we are both very interested to know what happened after Taylor and Missy were taken to the hospital?"
Colin looked at Amy for a moment, probably weighing if he should continue with a critique or let it slide for now. Apparently deciding Amy was correct he continued.
"Of course Panacea." He gestured toward Missy. "Once it was clear that you were out of immediate danger and Ms. Hebert was being suitably cared for, Gallant relayed the information regarding Shadow Stalker's involvement with the incident in her civilian identity. Stalker was immediately ordered back to base and Dragon and I started an investigation into the incident. It didn't take long to find the email that was anonymously sent you, and then follow the same trail you did to the Hebert's home, as well as interviewing Ms. Barnes and Ms. Clements, again much like you did." The rebuke was back in his voice. "You could have come to me Vista. You should have come to me first."
With a tired sigh he lowered himself gently into the chair on the other side of the bed from Amy. This close up Missy could see just how run down the leader of the local Protectorat was, he probably hadn't slept in days. Amy must have come to the same conclusion because she got up and came around to his side of the bed.
"Give me your hand." It was not a request.
"I assure you Panacea I'm perfectly fine. All health parameters are within acceptable limits."
Amy made a face. "I'll be the judge of that Colin."
Missy winced, Amy only used that tone when she was unhappy with someone. Apparently Armsmaster knew this as well because he also winced at the sound of his name. "Really, it fine…"
"Give. Me. Your. Hand." She punctuated each word by poking him in the chest armor.
"I'm, uh, not so s-sure…" He started to stammer… Armsmaster was stammering Missy thought with amazement. It occurred to her that Amy could be terrifying when she wanted to be.
"Colin." A warm female voice reached out from his suit's external speakers. "I think you should listen to Panacea, she's only worried about you after all."
Dragon. Dragon was apparently listening in to the conversation through Armsmasters suit and was agreeing with Amy. Missy could practically see Armsmaster wilt under the combined assault. With an almost petulant "Fine" he removed one armored gauntlet and took Amy's hand.
Amy closed her eyes for a second then opened them wide and looked at Armsmaster incredulously.
"You have got to be kidding me! What have you been taking! There are compounds in your blood I can't even identify! Colin, you could have caused serious damage to yourself."
Missy found it impressive that Armsmaster maintained his professional demeanor.
"Nonsense, the stimulant package is perfectly tailored to me and allows 47.3 hours of top performance before mental degradation sets in. It's been only 37.8 hours since my last sleep cycle, well within parameters."
If Missy could have seen Dragon's face she was sure it would have matched Amy's look of horrified disbelief.
With a sigh Dragon spoke. "Colin, we talked about this. I thought you agreed to put off using that combination until we could test if further?" She sounded hurt.
"We did agree, but the situation changed." He seemed genuinely contrite. "Look, can we talk about this later? I need to return to the Rig and finish my official report. I just thought I owed Vista a visit first."
Missy could hear exasperation in her voice as Dragon responded. "Very well but this isn't over and so help me if you harm yourself I'm coming down from Canada to have words with you!"
Missy actually covered her mouth to keep from giggling. It's not everyday you see your boss, the leader of the local Protectorate branch and one of the best Tinkers in the world get scolded by his girlfriend.
Amy was trying and failing to keep a straight face while still holding his hand.
"OK, well I've purged all the exotic chemicals in your blood but you're probably going to need to urinate soon. I've also repaired some knee damage, improved kidney function and tweaked your metabolism slightly. I'd say you have maybe two hours before you crash so you should head back to base as soon as possible. Dragon, I can count on you to make sure he behaves yes?"
"Of course Panacea. I'll make certain he follows orders."
Armsmaster had a wry grin on his face now, resigned to his fate apparently.
With a nod to the invisible Dragon, Amy released his hand and leaned down to give him a kiss on the cheek, surprising the hero.
"You need to take better care Colin." Amy said gently. "You're an honorary New Wave uncle, we need you around. Don't wait so long to come see me next time. That knee had to be painful."
Armsmaster was clearly somewhat taken aback and Missy was convinced she saw a blush on his cheeks as he mumbled his agreement. Amy went back to her seat, winking at Missy as she sat down. It never got old watching Amy boss around the most powerful heroes in the world.
Clearing his throat Armsmaster gathered himself again and continued his narrative.
"Right, we proceed to interview Ms. Hebert's father, who was unaware of the bullying campaign and got his permission to search his daughter's room." His face morphed into a mask of fury at this point. "We found a journal detailing hundreds of incidents of abuse by Hess, Barnes, Clements among others, as well as blatant neglect on the part of the Winslow staff. With Dragon's help we discovered hundreds of abusive and threatening emails sent from various fake accounts. Dragon was able to isolate a good number of them to IP addresses that matched the suspects homes. Many of those messages were needless to say, disturbing."
Shifting slightly in his seat he continued, face still grim.
"We now have Hess in a holding cell and are building a case against her to take to the director who is not happy with this turn of events."
At this point Armsmaster stopped speaking and looked at the floor. Missy could tell he was struggling to say something but she wasn't sure what. After a few moments of contemplation he continued.
"I wanted to thank you Vista. Without your actions we may never have found out about Hess, or at least not until much later. Ms. Hebert triggered, which is an unspeakable tragedy, but even with that she may not have survived if you hadn't found her..."
With that he trailed off into silence. Missy could tell he felt guilty that one of his Wards carried out this horrifying attack. She wasn't sure how to make him feel better though, it was kind of his responsibility wasn't it. She was saved from the awkward moment by Dragon again.
"There will be plenty of time for blame later Colin. For now I think you have an appointment with your bunk. Panacea, Vista, please give my regards to your respective teams."
With that, Armsmaster just nodded his head, put on his helmet, got up and left the room closing the door behind him.
Missy just sat in the silence for several minutes, trying to comprehend everything they had been told. Amy seemed as lost in thought as she was. It didn't seem possible to Missy that nobody had known what was going on a Winslow. There had to be more to the story.
"Amy, I need to you to put your mom in touch with the Heberts. This whole thing stinks to high heaven and I have a feeling Taylor's going to need a lawyer before this is over."
Amy just smirked. "I already called her. She said she would be here directly after court today. If anything she was even more angry than I am, and she doesn't even know the whole story yet. I'm looking forward to turning her loose on Winslow."
Missy laid back again. "Thanks."
After a few minutes more of quiet contemplation Missy threw the covers off and got out of bed, looking around for her costume.
"Where are you going?" Asked Amy.
"I'm going to talk to Taylor."