Another Path Chapter 4, a worm fanfic

AP 4

"Powers are bullshit." Taylor scowled fiercely.

Vicky snorted and Amy snickered. She looked at Taylors list. The list contained all the powers they could figure out she had, then a short description of them, an attempt at categorizing them, and a rating of them.

Mover, hurdle mover. Brute, muscle, armor, intensity, dynamic. Breaker, related to changer. Master, mental capacity restricted to non-sentient, tool users allowed (trip to zoo required). Tinker, biological focus, possibly what is driving everything aside from Master. Blaster, stinger projection (requires more work to define capability, increase ability. Thinker, combat, environment, skill. Striker, Kull state, 'nough said, oh biokinesis for fun, maybe. Changer, see above. Trump, one, two and nine, or infinity. Stranger, related to affects from swarms.

Amy noticed a trend "You know, you should count those reflexes and that power together and it gives mover five at least. All of this is a cascade of your Master, Brute and Thinker. Well except for that bullshit fourth dimension stuff. That is pure Shaker."

Vicky nodded "And increasing with every one of those math and physics books. You should tutor Vista. You could turn her into a Shaker ten plus in weeks."

Taylor perked up "I'll talk to John next time he stops by to blow off steam."

Amy smirked "Better known as imagining he is chopping up Alexandria or Eidolon. Golem can hardly keep up with him. The environmental crew is in a panic to recycle bags."

Taylor giggled "Golem. I so want to see Kaisers face."

Vicky nodded "Kayden smiles every time she says it. I think she forgot his name is Theo." They all laughed.

Taylor recovered and looked at her chart on her tablet "I think part of the problem is using the PRT's classifications. They are all oriented at target identification and risk mitigation for combat. They aren't truly descriptive." The other two girls blinked.

Vicky shook her head "Tired now, where are we sleeping?"

"Let's just get a room here. We can call the parents." Amy wheedled.

Taylor smiled "Or just tell Dad. He is still in his office. I can send him home at the same time."

The girls had a room in minutes and had it arranged to their liking shortly after that. Vicky took a double bed. Taylor and Amy a queen size. They were asleep in minutes.

Taylor woke in the night with her camisole pushed up around her neck and Amy latched on a lactating breast. She groaned and settled, fiercely enjoying Amy nursing from her. She drifted back to sleep holding Amy to her breast. Her last thought was, 'no wonder I am so hungry all the time'.

Vicky had stilled when she saw Taylors eyes open. When she heard her breathing slow and even out she returned to stroking her clit with one hand and working two long, talented, fingers into herself and onto her G spot with the other. She told herself again 'I'm not gay, that is just the sexiest thing in the world' she then sighed and admitted 'I might be a little gay for Taylor'.

Amy woke up in the morning with her camisole pushed up and Taylor nursing from her. She flexed her hips against the long firm thigh between her legs. Taylor's eyes met hers and she laved her nipple. Amy blinked and grunted. As she recovered she noticed Taylor wiping the milk from her mouth then licking her breast clean "Did you make me lactate?"

Taylor nodded "I got the idea from you. I woke up with you nursing from me. Breast are so cool!"

"I was not nursing from you." Amy declared "Not that it isn't a good idea and now I will be but-" she trailed off looking at the sparkling eyes of Vicky.

Vicky shrugged "About two weeks now. It is the sexiest thing I have ever seen. You two are going to turn me gay. I'm going to have to jump Lucy and Amanda."

"Or you know, two girls right here." Amy blushed and covered her mouth.

Vicky laughed "Once you two figure out what you are, I might jump in. I'm sure my S class threat adopted sister would love to get all kinky and give me to her wife for her birthday, or anniversary."

Taylor looked at Amy and rolled around on the bed laughing at her fish out of water impression.

The door opened and Lisa, Rachel and Sherrel walked in. Sherrel smiled then frowned "We missed the slumber party girls."

Rachel pouted "Not invited." The others stared at her. She smiled. They gaped, she grinned and pumped her fist. She got mobbed and fought her way free of the pile.

As the girls got ready for exercise Lisa slyly asked, "So was it good?"

Amy grinned "Very. Something did come up though. I have apparently been doing things to Taylor in my sleep. Now I need to check her and see what I have done."

The others froze a moment and Lisa nodded "I got such an image before my power kicked in. Fuck Taylor you are so fucking hot! So Amy, you have had all kinds of ideas for making her invulnerable and 'better'. You're afraid without the restraint of your conscious mind you have done all of them. You think that's why Taylor eats like Tyrone should."

Amy nodded "Hey, first get your own! That and the nursing from her."

"Hey! TMI!" Taylor objected. The women all laughed. She huffed "Fine, you can have your way with me after exercise."

Lisa popped up "Come on, training warehouse, then we can play with Taylor! Yay!"

"Oh god what have I done?" Taylor got pushed out of bed and made to dress.

Lisa watched Taylor while they exercised and nodded. "Definitely augmented, muscle, bone, internal organs, senses. She has Glory Girl at a standstill and neither are holding back."

Amy sighed "Stupid subconscious. Stupid love." Lisa grinned. Sherrel rolled her eyes. Rachel hugged her. Amy growled and chased a smirking Rachel up a rope that ascended to the fourth floor through a series of holes in the floor.

Lisa nodded "Taylor isn't the only one."

Sherrel nodded "Yeah, suddenly Rachel has 'feelings'. A few more years and she will be as fucked up as the rest of us girls."

Lisa frowned "That's the therapy don't you think? Wait."

Sherrel smiled and snickered.

Taylor lay on the bed, Amy had a hand on her chest and was moving the other around and reading off things that were different about Taylor. Lisa was writing a list. "So, you have improved me to the maximum a biological can be without changing my shape. The shape changing is me growing and exercising."

"And some sex god loving you, or us, I'm not sure." Lisa smirked. Taylor was all lean cut muscle, miles of legs, well-turned hips, a tight round butt and a full eight pack of abs even at rest. She had a long body as well so didn't need a rib removed, and that ribcage had two spectacular just turned up B headed to C cup, firm, breast. Her back was thickly muscled in a way Olympic athletes would envy and fashion photographers would turn back straight for. She had already been laid on her stomach and ogled in tiny panties and bra and now was giving the show laying on her back.

Amy nodded "That is what it seems like. There might be some more gains to be made in efficiencies. I'm sure, now that I am consciously seeing this, my greedy, jealous, subconscious will work on those next. Sorry."

"No sweat Babe. Come on, switch, let's see if I love you that much." Taylor smiled. Amy arched a brow and held her down to finish.

Lisa smirked at the list "I think you love her as much but I think you need to work on biology, anatomy, and medicine. I don't think you understand it as well as Amy does. Double the capability she had before though. Good job Taylor. Now this afternoon you can do me Amy. Bring me up to five times now, Taylor can watch, then we will wait and see if we want to take me off the charts like Taylor." Amy blinked. Lisa rolled her eyes "Normal girl, powered brain, need the help."

The other girls nodded.

At the meeting that night, after some discussion with Amy, Taylor announced "We will be doing physical upgrades to any who want it."

The room stilled, then Mark asked, "What's possible?"

"We think, first of all, we should only do those people who have stopped growing, at least in the maximum upgrade. After that we can take you up to the maximum theoretical limit of biological possibility. Over several sessions, at the cost of you eating like, uh, well, Taylor does Dad." Amy supplied.

Taylor rolled her eyes "Hey!"

Amy grinned at her "It looks good on you sweety, rowwrrr."

Kayden snorted "Get a room you two. Fine I'll try it."

Aisha put her hand up like she was in school "And the cool kids?"

Taylor nodded "We can do some upgrades but we have to check them every couple of months and make sure they take and grow with you. Once you stop growing at about twenty-two or so we can max you out."

Aisha nodded "As long as you don't screw up the sexy beast I got going on." Brian tapped her on the shoulder and glared at her when she turned to him "What, anybody tries smashing me and they end up frenching a telephone pole when I stranger danger them." Brian facepalmed. Laserdream arched a brow. Sarah was sitting right there ready to Photon Mom though, so she didn't say anything.

Sarah nodded "I'll take the upgrade, the full upgrade. I can see how this would make the kids safer, so we'll look at what we can do for them."

Taylor smiled as the adults all nodded "You too Dad. We can work some things for you. Arthur as well."

Danny nodded "Let's test on me first. All we don't need is to do some harm to Arthur and have John come in here and light us all on fire. We might get some volunteers from the members as well. A lot of those jobs are dangerous as hell."

Dragon and Armsmaster were working on their Endbringer tracking system. Dragon asked, "So how long do you think it will be before Panacea realizes she can upgrade her girlfriend to near Alexandria class invulnerability?" Armsmaster pounded his forehead lightly on the work bench while Dragon snickered.

Principle Jones nodded then lowered the boom "In school suspension for the rest of the year. I told you people no bullying, and no gang stuff. No, it doesn't matter if you are black and the ones you are picking on are the white kids." He looked at the kid with his had raised "Or Asian." The hand went down.

Arthur looked at John "Tough day?"

John sighed "Rebecca. You would think the Union was recruiting in the Wards."

Arthur shrugged "Aren't they? Unintentionally I'm sure, but a job for a cape, training, full medical, union scale wages. No combat unless they want that track. The President is a lesbian or at least bi. The Treasurer is a heterosexual mom of teenagers, a boy and a girl, both of whom are powered and Heroes. The Secretary is whatever Lisa is, asexual I think. Her power is seriously bullshit when it comes to relationships I bet, poor thing, could you imagine? Knowing exactly how broken your partner is. Hopefully love does conquer all or she is going to be alone a long time. Anyway, what parent would turn that down versus what the Wards offer?"

John sighed "Whose side are you on?"

"Don't pout, you'll get wrinkles. Yours John, but she has a point. If they put up a hiring notice they will be swamped, potentially with wards." Arthur gave him a one-armed hug. "As it is they are getting and vetting volunteers. This Faultline and her crew were in last Thursday, talking to Lisa. You should stop by for some work and talk to Taylor. We need a new set of sheets, Oh two days! We can get Keith a new bed. I saw a bed shaped like that crazy bulldozer of Sherrel's that he loves, I probably shouldn't have let him ride around with her while she was moving those warehouses Vicky and her crew knocked down. But you know, boy, and big, loud, yellow, lots of black smoke. Plus, riding around on Aunty Sherrel's lap. The boy is in lurve."

John laughed a bit helplessly "Are we moving to Brockton Bay?" The commute isn't bad for me, well, not once I get above mach one."

Arthur snorted "And you have a towel and dry uniform. Oh Parian texted. She figured out the laminate so your new costume will be ready Monday. She has an assembly line running off PRT ones in standard sizes. The Troopers have to see one of her techs for a fitting though. She did say something about a package and a Technician or two to travel to the other Directorates but the PRT would need to pay travel cost.

"She wants to see the Wards and what the PR people have decided. That will be a fight, you know artistic types, there are bound to be conflicts, whoever is in charge of that should be high up in the Protectorate, or PRT and fully briefed. We don't want to alienate the best and cheapest armor making team in the world.

"And a comb, maybe a blow-dryer. Maybe a weekend place? Oh, in one of these condo buildings I am doing for Taylor. Second row back from the beach, far enough not to have frying tourist in our face. Plus the shopping will be in the first four stories to get the condos elevated enough for great views. Well offices for rent as well. They are going to be spectacular if I do say so myself. Lots of space, airy, great views, even from the back rows. She let me have the room to do that. The child is brilliant."

John got up "Red or white?"

Arthur laughed "White please. Oh no hard liquor, we have the opera later. Carmen."

Deep in a shelter, one not listed in Coils records, a computer counted down further. It had one job and a self-destruct.

Taylor got the meeting underway the next night "OK, so let's lay out the projects we have working and what we intend to work on. I don't want to let something slip."

Lisa nodded and brought up a projection "This is what I know of, side projects you are doing for fun are not listed. We can add then and prioritize them as well if you need help. They are listed in order of priority.

They all looked at the projection. Personnel upgrades, Power development, Training, Patrol, Dog training and shelter operations. Bay and Dockyard salvage, Railyard refurbishment and refrigerated storage building construction/reconditioning, Uniform construction and fitting, uniform sales to PRT.

Lisa ate some more while everyone read and thought then offered "These are the overarching projects. If you look on your tablets the jobs attached to each are listed, in their thousands."

Danny nodded "It's the same for the DWU. We need to think about, and work through, recruiting."

Carol nodded "Which is going to pitch the protectorate and PRT into a tailspin. No Heroic groups recruit. It's all word of mouth."

Brian shrugged "Which might work in this case, just let it be known we are hiring."

"It probably would, let's try that first. Carol and the legal department will need to vet candidates." Danny agreed.

Rachel spoke up "Brain Cat Queen."

Taylor looked at her for a minute then nodded "Probably two, or three, at least to start. They can then control the cat population. We already have the Smart dogs out bringing in strays. If you can make a Queen, Alpha dog combo work together they can work pest control. I'll get with you tonight Rachel."

Amy nodded "I want to come too. We can probably amp them up to be near indestructible. And limit the breeding so they would spread slowly."

Taylor nodded "Not like the crabs. Although, those things apparently lay eggs continuously. That might not have been our fault, and smarter babies' dodge predators better. There are thousands of them out there, even past the continental shelf, All the way down to the Delaware Bay and up to the Bay of Fundy. Boy wasn't that a headache until they all got synched up and their extra capacity got used for processing. Little buggers crawling over seamounts all the way to the mid-Atlantic ridge. Who knew crabs could cover so much ground?" She looked around at the bemused faces and blushed. "Sorry."

Amy nodded "Exactly. I don't want to be fixing any more headaches for you."

Parian spoke up, "I'll come as well. We will need vest for the queens so people will realize they are working animals and not call us about them. That worked well on the Smart dogs. People get a kick out of them having Union member numbers too."

Rachel nodded "Start with a C instead of a D."

Parian smiled under her domino mask "Of course Bitch." Rachel nodded and went back to eating.

Brian sighed "No rest for the weary."

Alec nodded "You said it brother, eight hours a day, even in shallow water, gets tiresome. And if my damn umbilical doesn't stop curling itself up! I swear the thing is trying to kill me."

L33t frowned "What happened to the infinite air bottles?"

Alec shrugged "Communications, so might as well use air. We have the IAB for reserves. Steam, those under water tractors are great though. Dragging those bags to the fully submerged wrecks is a pain in the ass. The tractors make it easy. Taylor your crabs don't miss much. How do they do that?"

Taylor smiled "They can taste the metal oxides in the water. I just send the buoy crabs to the source of the taste. Then they pop a buoy and drag line out, attach the dragline to the source of the taste and keep on doing their thing."

Alec nodded "They find the old wood ones and everything. You wouldn't think those were worth much but low background iron and steel is worth a lot of money. Once we soak the salt out of the wood the carpenters want to try milling it and selling it. Antique wood, who knew? So we bag them up. That stitcher Steam built closes the bag and we pump them full of air, and then the tugs tow them back to the docks when they float up. Easy peasy lots of money."

Amy frowned "I need to check the divers. I read an article about voids in the brain from prolonged or repeated compression and decompression."

Alec snorted "Not on Renaud's crew. You don't get to violate a dive table. Or outgassing time. He docks the crap out of you and the dive master. Glad I don't drink. Those guys who do get hours added to outgassing. Renaud makes us take breathalyzer test!"

"We found, or a buoy crab did, a tall ship, upright on the bottom in good condition. We are going to repair it and try to float it. It's in the deepest part of the bay, looks like it was scuttled rather than holed."

Danny nodded "End of the clipper era there were some 'insurance' losses here. The skeleton crews didn't want to be far from land when they opened the seacocks. Or it could be an extreme clipper. They didn't last long in service due to design problems."

Lisa looked over from her bed in what everyone was calling the 'Girls dorm' "PHO got the word we are hiring. Somehow someone made a mailbox to reply too. It's full of, well, crap mostly, but twenty or thirty verified cape enquiries. Toybox wants to parlay about being a local."

The other girls froze and Sherrel squealed like a teapot on a blast furnace. Taylor nodded "I'll talk to dad. Ooof! Amy save me!" Sherrel had run and taken a flying leap onto Taylor. The others rolled around laughing. Amy pulled Sherrel off, eventually. Hey, it was hot, and PG to barely R.

Taylor tapped her chin with a finger "The mayor has helped us, is friendly, and competent. Yes, I think we should at least donate, depending on the membership's opinion after the debate we can endorse."

Lisa rolled her eyes "Your father did the same thing with the DWU."

Carol nodded "The Travelers are clear. And have no federal warrants. I would recommend membership for them be case by case not as a group. Faultline is doing our cape vetting and her people turned up some very questionable stuff on several of their members. I think start them as day laborers."

Amy nodded "I am still working with Noelle, as are several doctors and PRT scientist. She has to be in a hazmat suit anyway, she could work on the environmental team."

Lisa blew at her bangs "The rest of them need therapy. Day labor would at least let them pay something for it. A therapist might take them then, rather than the rotating therapist the PRT brings in for pro bono work." Taylor nodded.

Carol moved on "Toybox having agreed to the constitution of the Union and elected officers for their Local are BBCU, Local number one. Tinker division, Gloverton. They have reduced their local dues and will still pay their twenty percent to the national union. L33t, Motion, and Steampunk are going there tomorrow to look at their security."

Sherrel had a glazed look in her eye "Pretty, pretty, cannons. And TOYBOX!"

Taylor sighed "We are going to have to sedate her again. Faultline, you go too, go take a look too, please, for me."

Danny snorted "Motion and this Pyrotechnical guy? They are going to crack the freaking planet."

Taylor looked at Faultline "Take a few brainbugs, a bunch of relaybugs, four or five Camera Coons, some Queens and a couple of Smart dogs as well. Find us a building for a shelter and someone to run it please."

Faultline nodded "I'll talk to Rachel. She can interview whoever we vet."

Taylor looked at Rachel who nodded. "I'll go with. Me, the queens and the smart dogs should be able to get you up and running quick."

Carol moved on to her last item "The PRT has a new deal going with the State and Fed. If prisoner capes fight Endbringers for half of their sentence it is considered complete. If they break an Endbringer truce or try to escape after an Endbringer attack it's an automatic kill order. No birdcage. Lung refused that. Bakuda pissed someone off and wasn't offered, or is a new person legally or some fucking bullshit legal legerdemain even I don't understand and, well, Oni Lee, he refused, we think because Lung did.

"E88 looks to be taking the deal. The gangs normal members are getting maximum sentences. They will do hard time. The judges have a hard on for them, even the former soft touch judges. I would say there are politics involved. We are probably going to get Rune. It looks like she hadn't had a chance to do much more than a little assault and battery at the worst. Even in the final battle."

Danny laughed "Or you know, they had to get the National Guard called out and make us make the national news. The governor is not best pleased."

Carol ceded the floor. Taylor smiled "Thanks everyone, you are all doing a super job! Oh, as a reminder this Saturday Arthur, John and Keith will be here." Sherrel pouted. Taylor sympathized. Sherrel loved Keith. When John came she didn't get as much Keith time between his two dads.

Carol Mark and Danny waited until the others had wandered off then looked at Amy, Vicky and Taylor. Mark was spokesperson "Add the girl's dorm to the rotation. One night in there and one at each of our houses."

Vicky sighed "There we go, no more wild orgies girls."

Carol gave her a glare "You do realize there are cameras in the hallways right. Brian and Alec haven't even been in that room I know Taylor and Amy are going slow and you aren't even bi much less gay. Oh, on the weekends invite Crystal and the other girls for an overnight. Then maybe they can come on dorm rotation days after a while."

Taylor scowled a bit "We will have to knock down a wall to the next dorm, girls spread. Chest of drawers, dresser, bedside tables, those closet locker things. Oh and beds. Couches, armchairs, throw rugs coffee tables. All that in days." Carol nodded, Danny and Mark were trying not to laugh, the girls had borrowed a panel truck and gone to Ikea. Who had stayed in business and built a factory up in Maine. Nearly in Canada. They had come back with the truck full. Half the union had helped unpack and put furniture together. Danny had sent the parents group pictures and even video. It had ended up looking like something out of Marie Claire. It was really nice. Kayden and Arthur had been very pleased.

In discussions in the dorm that night it was decided Taylor should go to talk to the Toybox local. Show face and check out the bug situation.

In the morning Rachel promised Amy she would take care of Taylor, she took her three best dogs, Brutus, Angelica, and Judas. That might have been the only reason Amy let her out of her sight. Vicky telling Taylor she would watch Amy did the same for Taylor.

Taylor got in the van and Uber drove off. L33t looked at Taylor on her phone and handed her a USB cord to charge it. Nobody said a word.

In home room Lucy and Amanda closed ranks with Amy by instinct. The girls in the class knew Taylor was off on a job by the end of homeroom.

As the morning progressed, if anyone thought of saying something untoward Vicky's glare kept them civil. Between classes Lucy and Amanda carried Amy's books and steered her as she texted. By lunch Amy floated in a supportive sea of estrogen.

The guys watched and kept a minimum safe distance. The school of females looked a little violent. Dean, the contact man, relayed information "Taylor had to go on Union business, out of town."

Chris looked over the girls "By herself? What the fuck?"

Dean shook his head "Uber, L33t, Motion, and Bitch with her three best dogs."

Carlos frowned "With Kull that's a pretty heavy team. Wait it's all three Union tinkers. Toybox became a local, they went to Gloverton. I wonder what the problem is. We'll watch and see if they need help. Dean, tell them we are here to help if they need it."

Dennis nodded "We should tell Armsmaster."

Chris shook him off "If they need us or more help than we can give then we will."

Rachel wrapped an arm around Taylor and was just there all the way to Gloverton. The others loosened up after a while and it was actually fun.

In Gloverton itself and at Toybox, Taylor was her normal smiling self. Ideas flew and the local chief of police, state patrol captain and county sheriff contributed. Toybox was after all one of their only sources of tax revenue aside from property taxes.

Motion, Steampunk and L33t went full on Tinker and Uber was busy holding them somewhere within the orbit of Earth Bet if not on the ground. The law enforcement leadership took Taylor and Rachel to look at buildings for the shelter. The mayor and town manager got pulled in and contracted with the Union to take over animal control on the spot. Taylor called a variety of bugs and made brains and relays.

Brutus, Angelica, Judas and the queens rounded up a variety of strays and wildlife for her. A text had the tinkers at the animal shelter and equipping camera coons, several camera possums and four camera black bears. Taylor couldn't believe she mastered the bears. As it was lunch she called Amy who talked her through amping the bears up to the max on her ear bud as she did the work.

When Amy's phone rang the girls froze, then as Amy needed data tablets and phones came out and the school's servers got hammered. Everything about black bears on the internet was in her hands in seconds. Her smile relaxed the whole cafeteria, as the conversation went on and her smile stayed, and she even laughed a little, things eased even more.

By the end of the conversation there were a lot more smiles and normalcy in Arcadia.

In Gloverton everyone was amazed. Taylor worked on animals, healing and checking them all afternoon as Rachel talked to the shelter people, employees and volunteers, and picked six to work there. The Local would vote them in with no problem. Rachel was confident they could train working dogs with her support via text so the shelter could support itself at least.

The tinkers had a transport methodology so Rachel and or animals could move back and forth. Rachel held a clinic for the towns pets after lunch. Her talent had expanded to housecats. Taylor hugged her and kissed her on her cheek when she found out. Rachel smiled gently the rest of the day.

The tinkers and law enforcement went around and designed a fence, towers, and a few surprises that the Union would build from the local scrapyard for very little cost to the town. Heavy caliber turrets with coaxially mounted non-lethal at the request of law enforcement. Motion gave them her ammunition designs and Pyrotechnic had some ideas for more. Ideas that made Motion blanch. Big Rig was going to work on drones to help the DWU and BBCU, Steampunk had those plans he had knocked out on the spot.

All in all a powerful outing for the BBCU. The group loaded a teleporter gate, one that could transport a moving van, in the van and drove home happy. The Local, Law Enforcement, Mayor and people of Gloverton were pleased to have an ally as well.

Taylor and Rachel got on a conference call and chattered away happily on the way home. Well Taylor did. Rachel did toss at least twenty words in in the two hours though. Everyone besides Taylor were exhausted from Rachel talking so much.

In the yard the door of the van was yanked open and Taylor was hauled out with a squawk. Amy captured her lips then an arm and lay her head on the taller girls shoulder as she steered them to supper. After giving Rachel a beaming smile and squeeze of her hand.

After dinner and the whole story being relayed to everyone and the girls going to their room the older folks sat around talking drinking a beer or a little wine. Danny shook his head "That was surprisingly traumatic. I think Lisa and Dinah texted each other every ten minutes until Dinah got here."

Carol nodded "Vicky said Amy was guided from class to class by two of their friends. She was so busy texting she couldn't be bothered."

Uber smiled "You should see those bears. They would scare an Endbringer. Walking around town with vest tied to them. Local number one Member B 1-4, D 1- I lost count and the same with the cats C through way to many. The poor mice rats and birds. Kids were feeding the bears ice-cream by the time we left."

L33t held up a role of designs "Some of this is terrifying. You should see the designs for this fence and the turrets. The Town, County, and State are going to pay for the towers and turrets. The local will be set forever. The State police Captain is going to show his boss. We may be selling those Towers and turrets all over the place. Fully self-contained, self-repairing, non-lethal to S Class threat lethal, containment foam as the they are law enforcement and can buy it. Fully upgradeable to complete autonomy. If the things could move they would be Terminators, it's horrifying. They could put your biometrics in there and it would kill you before you knew it was there, day, night, any weather."

Carol frowned "That seems like a liability issue."

Uber grinned "I put a back door in while they were tinkering. We can see what they are programed for and stop anything untoward. They have Dragon security as they are on our network."

Steampunk smiled "Man we did tinker though. Complete bullshit all day long. We have to get that Teleport installed. We could rule the freaking world! Uh, you know, in a legal way." Everyone laughed.

Of course, PHO was buzzing all night long. TinMother preemptively banned VoidCowboy and a few others for twenty-four hours. Someone who lived near VoidCowboy told the PHO you could hear him screaming outside, above ground. Everyone had a good laugh.

The computer in Coils last ditch bunker finished counting down, checked for a go or stand down and when it received neither sent the packet of information to the four hundred and twelve media outlets and the self-destruct instructions to all the other Coil facilities. Then destroyed itself.

The other Coil facilities being in the hands of the PRT and having been cleared absolutely nothing else happened.

The world woke to pictures of the E88 capes and their public identities on most media outlets. One twenty-four-hour news channel had run with the story and the others had had to run it to stay current, the papers then ran with it.

Carol filed a trillion dollar combined lawsuit for slander and or libel in Purity, Aster and Theo's behalf by seven am that Saturday morning and had a press release covering both of their records, criminal charges pending, and the ongoing litigation by seven ten. She had been waiting for someone to screw up. Purity, Aster, and Theo disappeared from those news articles instantly, the newspapers posting retractions in their online editions. Too late as the PRT and Protectorate went after them all for child endangerment for Theo and Aster and got the US attorneys involved.

Carol cackled in the cafeteria looking at her laptop as settlement offers came in from organization after organization starting at nine. The union members looked at her and chuckled at every ding for new mail followed by wild cackling. Purity, who was down to a miniscule domino mask anyway shook her head. Theo had not even really had a debut yet and just shrugged. Mark increased the patrols by Purity's place to teams of three once an hour and in full kit with cape fight protocols. The Protectorate, PRT, City, County, and State cops waved to the patrols and they all stopped to talk a minute when they met up. BBCU, Protectorate and all.

Legend flew in with Arthur and Keith "Purity I am so sorry."

Purity waved him off "You didn't do it. Any idea who did?"

Legend nodded "Coil had a last-ditch bunker not in his records. It was an automated send. It dumped all kinds of data to the media. The Protectorate thinkers and tinkers are chasing it all down. A lot of it was very sensitive."

Lisa sat "Coil giving the finger to the world. Fits the little snake."

Purity drummed her fingers and looked around. Lisa smiled "Taylor will be here in a minute. Amy is still a little clingy."

Arthur nodded "First missions. I remember those days. Unfortunately, it doesn't get better, you just get better able to deal with it. I'll talk to her. Don't apologize John. It's not like I didn't know who you were. It's just the enormity of it was a bit much at first." He had looked at Legend as he spoke.

Keith squirmed down and ran to Motion "T'Sherrel!"

Arthur smiled "Its lurve." He got a laugh and smiled.

Taylor and Amy came in the cafeteria as Sherrel scooped up Keith and Carol cackled again. Vicky was following them and asked "Mom?"

Carol nearly crowed "I am going to break these idiots like a shotgun!"

Legend smiled "Well a silver lining then."

Carol beamed "Platinum you mean! Oh, good morning Legend, Arthur, Keith."

Keith beamed "T'Sherrel!"

Amy took Aster from Purity who wrinkled her nose at her and got ignored. Taylor smiled. Arthur asked Sherrel "Are you running that mad death machine? All Keith could say was T'Sherrel and bulldozer since he found out we were coming."

Sherrel gave him an arched brow "My bulldozer is a Fiat Allis FD 50 and not a death machine. I'm sure the excavation crew has something that needs the touch of a woman."

Danny walked over "And hundred fifty thousand pounds of hot rodded ironmongery."

Sherrel looked around "Shop Steward!" Everyone laughed and the day was better.

Legend looked at Amy and shook his head "That's crazy."

"Especially when you figure out she has tuned up her sister too." Lisa smiled.

"So they spar among these derelict buildings that have already been salvaged because it doesn't matter when they knock um, let's see, five of them down on themselves." Legend asked.

Amy nodded impishly "And it gives Keith something to push around with the dozer."

Legend focused on the snorting, roaring bulldozer "Oh for god's sake. And Arthur is in there with her letting Keith drive the killdozer!"

Amy and Lisa rolled on the ground laughing. Vicky flew over and Taylor loped up with her no blades Kull fading. Vicky looked at Legends face and smiled. Taylor snuck in with "Your face will stick like that."

Legend threw up his hands. Amy and Lisa howled.

Later Arthur watched Legend clean and jerk four thousand pounds, the I beam the concrete weights were poured onto was at least ten inches thick. It was one of the middle weights in the comically gargantuan set in the warehouse that functioned as the BBCU weight room. "Well Amy does have a way to make it easier."

Purity laughed "Between that and the uniform he should be pretty safe."

Arthur watched and sighed turning sad eyes on Purity "I married such a brute."

Purity laughed again "Wait until Vicky and Taylor get in here and warm up with that one John is lifting."

Arthur looked at her "You're OK? Seriously?"

Purity beamed at him and leaned over and pecked him on the cheek "Thank you and fine. I'm upset because of Theo and Aster. We will have to move, but the way Carol is acting I think we can afford a house in their neighborhood."

"Oh, rent! I will build you a condo next to our weekend place." Arthur said.

Purity blinked "Those are going ahead? I didn't think we had the labor."

Arthur shrugged "Danny says go ahead. He thinks by the time I get the plans done and we get them approved and permitted the DWU and the BBCU will have the labor, the salvage in the bay and the salvage and demolition here will be wrapping up. Big rig built those drones that do the unskilled labor. I see what you mean. John is going to give himself a hernia trying to keep up with the girls."

Purity turned and looked "He does realize they are brutes right?"

"JOHN!" Arthur shouted. John sighed and walked over.

"Give it a week, but they are brutes and are as tuned up as they can get." Purity shrugged.

John nodded "Bullshit brutes." Arthur handed him a towel and his tablet.

John wiped his face and worked on the tablet a while "Aren't we supposed to get time and half for overtime or something Purity?"

Kayden laughed "See the shop steward bub. No unauthorized work actions."

John's eyes gleamed "Wouldn't that piss Alexandria off." He looked up and said "Suits five o'clock." Out of the corner of his mouth.

Dragon and Armsmaster walked up. Dragon nodded "Legend. Getting some real work in? Arthur, Purity."

Legend nodded "Paying work." Armsmaster sighed and nodded at all three. Dragon gave the impression of smiling. "Armsmaster?"

Armsmaster was watching Taylor work out. She was back in no blade Kull and really going at it. Glory Girl was spotting her "We needed to talk to Kull about her underwater swarm, we have an Endbringer tracker on line. We wanted to confirm some data."

"A tracker?" Legend asked

Dragon nodded "Really it synthetizes inputs from the former DEW, SOSUS and like systems, and all the seismographs in the world, most of the remaining satellites. It covers from lunar orbit to the earth's core. We are hearing some things on the hydrophones and wondered if Kull's swarm could tell what they were."

"They will be done in a minute. They have twelve reps of ten thousand pounds each and they are finished." Purity offered.

Armsmaster said "Brute, ten plus."

Legend smiled "Friends."

"Good thing." Dragon deadpanned. Even Armsmaster smiled.

In a few minutes Kull and Glory Girl had finished, high fived and floated, and loped over wiping their faces. Kull cocked her head a bit "What's up?"

Dragon and Armsmaster explained and Kull nodded "Bay of Fundy to the Delaware Bay. All the way to the mid-Atlantic ridge. More fidelity all the time. We under estimated how many eggs crabs lay. I got some brain repeater crabs in the water weeks ago and now, well, they are everywhere. That took a while until they synched up and started using all their spare brain capacity. Five submarines. A couple pods of whales. Seven ships, someone is desperate for money. No Leviathan. We don't hear anything in the earth moving besides lava and plate subduction."

"Thinker ten plus too." Dragon said, "You can hear lava and plate subduction?"

Kull laughed "Water, transmits sound eight hundred times better than air. It took me a while to figure out what the background grinding was. Then I found a tape of it on YouTube."

"Which is weird, why would someone record that?" Glory Girl asked.

Kull nodded and shrugged "Just glad they did. Some University research in Alaska, California and Hawaii. Called the poster, then his professor to verify it. Now I block it out as background noise but I can pay attention to it."

Dragon nodded "I saw that. Some researcher working on anecdotal reports of animals behaving strangely before seismic events."

Kull nodded "That's the one. Strange guy. His professor is even stranger. His thesis was pretty conclusive that they are hearing something."

"It was a good paper. He could get repeatable results by making sounds in those frequencies. Frequencies humans can't hear." Armsmaster said.

Kull smiled "I am my swarm. I smell, taste, and hear, what they do. If I want to. Crabs eat some nasty stuff. Dogs and cats too come to think of it. And there is no smell that would make a dog vomit."

"Kull gross!" Glory Girl exclaimed to laughter.

Armsmaster asked "What about whales?"

Kull sighed "That would be cool, eating krill or raw squid aside, but their brains are too big or to highly developed or something. If I can't master it I can't piggy back on their senses. And birds give me vertigo. I am still trying to get to the zoo to pin down what kinds of brains are shedding me."

Arthur smiled "You can come visit! We can go to the Bronx zoo. Well, I'll check the weather for next weekend! Bring Panacea and Glory Girl! I can show you girls around the Big Apple while Legend has to work."

Legend sighed "I do need to talk to the shop steward Purity, my bosses are slave drivers." Dragon laughed. Armsmaster looked pained.

Kull rubbed her hands together "My evil plan to rule the world is working." She got a big laugh "So Armsmaster, Dragon, I hear tinkers have to tink, want to meet some Union tinkers?"

Dragon spoke quickly for both of them "Why yes, these are ones in the custody of New Wave while their legal issues are sorted?"

Kull blinked then smiled "Oh yes, I like that. All official sounding and everything."

Legend snorted "Kull stop that. We had this discussion in the union meeting. It's not legal sounding, its legal fact. Once we get the Union certified as a Heroic organization and associate of the Protectorate New Wave can even transfer custody to the Union."

"Blow a perfectly good routine, I was hitting all Armsmaster's buttons. You are Legend, Legendary routine blower upper." Kull pouted. The others stared at her then laughed as Legend sighed.

Glory Girl rolled her eyes and towed Kull away "Come on you, time to return you to Panacea's custody. Leave Armsmaster alone." The others followed chuckling as they got offered lunch and Dragon and Armsmaster an introduction to Union tinkers.

Legend watched as the tinkers all took a table together. Kull nodded "Tinking off."

Amy sighed "Kull!" Arthur gave her a sympathetic look.

The week passed rapidly. E88's lawyers spun up into a high hover and lawsuits and pretrial motions flowed like water.

The DWU got into a fast-paced groove and brought on about a new member a day. The BBCU had Purity looking into and working to remember all she could about the E88 capes so they could be approached with an offer if they were worth it. Faultline's Crew were vetting a few minor power capes, useful but minor and a couple of new triggers with major powers were in the vetting process too. They didn't want to go Wards or stay out in the world alone. They had just triggered and had no major legal issues so they were pretty much a shoe in. Both of them were in private schools and had the grades to get in either Immaculata or Arcadia. They would transfer in in the New Year and work with the Union over the summer. With the portals things like where you lived versus where you worked became even less relevant.

Arthur smiled as the teleport portal against the wall lit in its eerie blue. It had been installed by the BBCU so He and John could get back and forth. The other end of it was in a room in the Union hall that had all the security all the Union tinkers and thinkers plus Mark could think of. It was a bit scary using it really. Those muzzles tracking your every move.

The one in the union hall was the 'mother' and had the capability to override all the others. It was fully self-contained, the room it was in was fully self-contained as well. Dragon had reviewed the computer security for it. The Union might have gone a bit overboard on security. He would have to talk to the therapist about the Unions level of institutional paranoia. Before they became Armsmaster.

Armsmaster, poor boy. That was a long term project. Rachel and her normal three dogs appeared, followed by the BBCU and their families. It was a day out at the zoo. Arthur had a luxury coach downstairs. And if they worked in some sightseeing on the way to the zoo and some shopping on the way back, well, what would it hurt? John was meeting them at the zoo. In civilian clothes. It was going to be a media circus. John would be recognized, mask or not. As would Panacea, Glory Girl, and Kull, all of New Wave. Purity might as well not be wearing a mask, or was that eye makeup. Rachel of course didn't bother. The dogs were a bit of a giveaway. "Welcome everyone. Now let's move right along to the bus downstairs. I have the super holding the elevators, or most of them, for us. Don't want to upset the neighbors."

Lisa, in the group of girls at the center of this, looked at her phone "Damn the PHO is quick. Someone here in town talked to the bus driver."

Arthur sighed "People know we live here. Sorry."

Danny waved him off "We knew it was a probability. Thanks for this and for letting the DWU use your portal tomorrow, and for being their guide as well."

Arthur nodded "Glad to support my Union brothers and sisters." A girl from TMZ was standing right by him as they had exited the building. She didn't say anything and Arthur beamed at her then pulled her aside "The zoo dear." She nodded and as the last person got on the bus leapt in a double parked car which sped off.

On the bus Lisa arched a brow, "Media control?"

Arthur shrugged "Amica is nice, if we toss her a bone she will stay nice. She can be worked with. That lets us keep the others at arm's length and they can buy footage from her. All of those TMZ folks are freelance. I'm glad she was the one who found out first and put in the ticket on our little outing. Fortunately that little brunette and her blond friend are in the Los Angeles office. They aren't so nice. No amount of chocolate and sympathy breaks into their little two person world."

Kayden leaned forward "It doesn't hurt that John saved her and her family." Arthur nodded and picked up the microphone to do some tour guiding

John met them at the entrance to the zoo with Amica. He was having a friendly chat with her. They were both all smiles. The group got shown through the VIP entrance and the senior keeper was waiting at each exhibit for them. They and the senior vet watched as Taylor tried and mostly succeeded in mastering all of the animals and Amy examined them while petting them. At least the ones Taylor had mastered. The vet talked to Amy nearly the whole time. She got a few ribbings from Taylor about stealing her girlfriend and they all laughed. The vet had replied to the first one, disappointedly, that Amy was both too young and her husband and children would freak. Although she would take an option for a raincheck in case her husband lost his mind.

Keith got a big boy stroller that Sherrel, Steam and L33T somehow worked over to be powered and armed with nerf weapons and slaved to follow Sherrel or Arthur. It could even climb the few stairs they ran across. Asters umbrella stroller was next.

Amica went through high capacity SD cards for her head mounted camera at a furious pace. Arthur and Carol reviewed them as she pulled them from the recorder.

Taylor looked at the elephant. She allowed herself and her baby to be touched but Taylor couldn't connect to her at all. The vet nodded "So your power has a limit based on capacity. Elephants and the higher primates are very intelligent. The predators appear to be, but its more specialized intelligence. The elephants and the higher primates have 'hands' so to speak. Maybe that lead to the increase in general intelligence that reaches your limit. Hippo's brains are about the same size and you didn't have problems with them or the rhinos. The baboons and gibbons were interesting though. I would have thought they would have been too 'intelligent' as well."

Rachel offered "Pack."

The vet wrinkled her brow "Higher primates and elephants are very social as well though. So you're saying it's not sociability but the mindset that leads to pack behavior. Taylor can master the pack."

Rachel nodded "Alpha."

The vet nodded "Maybe if we went in private and you put on your costume-. OK so not in private." Taylor was the full Kull. Amica was moaning. Lisa was laughing at her. Amy tossed her a pout and got an apologetic look back. Missy the elephant rolled her eyes, you could actually see it in the video later.

Taylor looked at Missy and Charlie then sighed. Missy poked her with her trunk. "Sorry." Taylor reached out and patted the trunk that was now laying on her shoulders. "I can master Charlie, through him I can feel and communicate with his mother. I might be able to do it permanently now and without him in the loop but it's not really mastering her. It's more like a conversation."

Lisa's eyes lit up "And isn't that interesting. Telepathy. A new power. No, something you already do but different. You should try it with Amy."

Taylor frowned "I am not going to master Amy or even try it."

Rachel shrugged "Do me, Alpha." The conversation got a bit involved from there, Missy even shared her thoughts which were along the lines of family or herd and leader.

The vet finally broke during this and asked Taylor "Can I touch you?" Taylor nodded and Amy and the vet dived into a conversation about the Kull change.

John looked at Arthur "It's what I think being inside a tornado would be like."

Arthur laughed "And we have one who will eventually be a teenager. You should spend more time around them. Get used to it."

Kayden nodded from her spot by Arthur "I should too. Somehow I don't remember this being part of my teen years. Angst sure, a lot of fun too. Advancing known science and pushing powers to the absolute limit and breaking them? Not so much."

The zoo visit concluded, with the medical and scientific staff having permission to come to Brockton Bay to examine Taylors animals, Amica now riding the bus and having her friend follow it they took off for Times Square, the Empire State building and all points touristy. Some very upscale shops got a shellacking on the way by.

In the evening the group settled in for a show. Phantom of the Opera. After the show the group said their goodbyes and the crowd that had been following them all day dispersed, very pleased. It had been a nice day out for everyone. A bit like a Royal visit of the younger Royals.

It made the national news, the evening talk shows, even political commentary shows. The evening papers had run it before they even got through with dinner at Peter Lugers Steak House.

The group was amused by the autograph and selfie seekers at first then bewildered when they never stopped coming, then signing and smiling on automatic. Even those who weren't so famous. John and Arthur laughed. Even Amica got a chuckle out of it.

John made sure to shake the hands of the PRT Troopers shadowing them and this got the others taking every opportunity to do the same with the NYPD and PRT troops. Taylor went full Kull for selfies with them to fusillades of flashes and the glare of video camera lights.

PHO was having a meltdown, orgasm, something, all day. Even the tin foil hat crowd was stunned into civility. Letterman called out VoidCowboy over it on Late Night and did a three minute riff on him. His neighbor reported more screaming then silence and wondered if he had triggered.

The BBCU said goodbye, gave one armed member to member hugs or cheek kisses where appropriate, effusive thanks and portalled back to Brockton Bay.

John turned on the news and Arthur opened the PHO site and signed in. Both sat stunned and then laughed helplessly. There was helicopter footage of the group in Times Square. You would think Kesha, Gaga, and Lady Antebellum had come to Earth Bet and their first stop was NYC, maybe Shakira or Tupac returned from the grave as well.

The man on the street commentary was completely out of control. Bangers were respectful, young women were in love, or lust and tourist were "Well you don't see this kind of thing in Littlerock! My sister will be so jealous! I got a selfie with that sweet Kull! That right there is what a hero should be! Walking around just like a high school girl and just as amazed by the City as us, but can kick Lungs ass with her friends! Oops pardon my French. And Lung stopped an Endbringer! Oh and Glory Girl too! OMG! Panacea! Robby of course loved Laserdream. That Grue seems a nice young man as well as does Uber, that voice! Lizzy likes them. L33t, well he is a tinker, but he was nice, only a bit tinkish. Steampunk, that poor boy, whoever did that to him should be strung up by their, well you know, still and all he has made something of himself, a good Union man, and was nice. Made my Jimmy this little tractor from a coke can, right there in front of everyone. It runs and everything! Just reached in the trash, grabbed the can then handed the tractor to Jimmy, smiled and went on. Such a nice boy. Of course I nearly had to dab a loop on my George when Motion and Purity got to talking to him, they were real nice too though, had a bit of fun with George. He won't know what to think until after we get home. Hellhound's dogs are the best behaved dogs I have ever seen, and so smart! Our next dog is coming from a Hellhound shelter let me tell you! Little Aster and Keith are darling as well! Those Toybox folks as well. All good, solid, working people. All on our first day! Well I ask you, what else could we find here? I'm going to have to get some of those I heart NY shirts."

That clip ran over and over and went viral. John wound down from his helpless laughter and groaned "Rebecca is going to be a complete bitch."

Arthur nodded and laughed "The City and BBCU should hire that woman for PR."

Rebecca Costa-Brown and the rest of Cauldron watched with jaws agape. Rebecca looked around "How the fuck does Kull pull this off?"

Emily Piggot watched the coverage and chuckled. The BBCU was untouchable now. They would have to drop the charges against any of the Union members. They would maybe end up paying damages. None of them had killed anyone so that might be a good thing anyway. Even Hellhound. Those deaths were without a doubt the result of an uncontrolled trigger. Noelle, those rumors were just that, rumors. Though a Russian gang in the city was notably absent. Better to pay the damages and get out in front of this before they got steam rolled by the public and press.

The prosecutor, on the conference call with the mayor and the governor unknowingly completely agreed with Emily. He didn't want to be anywhere near this juggernaut with shaky charges. Uber and L33t could pay damages. Hellhound's charges would be dismissed and damages paid to her, Purity, well best not go there, Union with a babe in arms, it would be a slaughter. Steampunk and Motion too.

In the girls dorms everyone got showered and Taylor got surrounded. She sighed and went to work with Rachel. The other girls could tell from Rachel's smile when her Alpha connected with her. Amy was impatiently next.

Taylor worked her way through them all and the room went quiet as all the conversation happened telepathically with her as the switchboard. Thank god she could turn it off and on. Amy of course made her leave it on for her as they drifted to sleep.

In the Cafeteria most of the DWU and the older or male BBCU watched the TV's and checked the PHO amazed. The DWU members seemed first very pleased at the impact the BBCU had and then excited for their day tomorrow. Danny shook his head "Rockstars. It's like Bon Jovi came to the City."

Mark grunted "Metallica. I don't envy whoever was running security, though it is the City, they must be used to it. Those bangers were very respectful."

Tyrone nodded "N.W.A, maybe Tupac but yes. Did you see those wise guys? They were very respectful too, and letting everyone know it."

Uber shrugged "That is a lot of firepower. Five S class threat hitters and then Legend. That tourist Mom was ecstatic."

Carol and Sarah laughed "George is having a hard time, I wonder how hotel couches sleep?" Carol asked.

Sarah nodded "Naughty girls."

Kayden snorted "We just talked to the man. He did seem a little stunned though." Sherrel buffed her nails on her very full top. Everyone chuckled.

Alec asked Brian "So did you get Lizzy's number?" Brian pushed him off his chair.

Kurt called out "Diver down!" That broke the room up laughing.

Crystal woke up in the night and watched, then saw her cousin Vicky looking at her. Vicky grinned. Crystal wrinkled her nose at her and went back to sleep thinking how comforting it was seeing Taylor and Amy wrapped around each other. Hot too, damn media objectification of the female form! What? Grrrr. Sleep!

The DWU got organized and left in the morning. The news media had seen a line of busses in front of Legends building and went live with the story. Danny talked to the reporter and gave them minimal details. The Sunday morning talk show's took up the Unions and now the Cape Union as a topic.

The BBCU went back to bed, well, if they weren't on Yard security or patrol. They watched the news and PHO through the day and smiled as the DWU had an apparently wonderful spring day at the zoo, and then being tourist. The crowds watched and were very respectful, if disappointed none of the BBCU were there. They filled the Hard Rock Café in Times Square for dinner. The cast of Phantom gave them a round of applause. The Union picked up the tab as they had done for the zoo.

George and his family were in the Hard Rock. Tourist Mom was of course thrilled and happy to meet more good solid working folks.

The media got to talk some Members and their families as they waited their turn at the portal. The membership was happy, glad to have been to the City and got the image of good solid working people driven home.