When the headaches had first started Max Anders had attributed it to stress, running a large multinational company was a stressful job even had he not been the leader of one of the largest parahuman forces outside of the PRT.
As the days went on they headaches had been accompanied with a trembling in his hands that would pass after a time, overseeing the merger took priority for Max Anders, he would have to make time later for a checkup 'and maybe a weekend away, somewhere nice and tropical.'
Kaiser couldn't be seen as weak, he would need a reason to see a doctor.
He had been in a business meeting when the headaches had come on full force.
As the meeting went on the pain only got worse, the trembling in his hands started and quickly spread to the rest of his body and everything went black, one of the board members had been quick to notice, quick to call an ambulance and even quicker to leak the news to the other investors.
When Max woke it would be in the hospital.
It had been less than a month since his first seizure and so far nothing had been able to prevent another, he had been lucky to wake up after the first and only the regeneration Othala gave him had kept the others from killing him.
His Empire was barely holding together, news had gotten out and the ABB were pushing his borders, 'the unwashed hordes at the gates' he muttered to himself. His 'inner circle' acted loyal but he knew they were biding their time, if the tumor does not kill me they will.
Othala's regeneration couldn't fix it, he was almost sure she was doing it on purpose 'The foolish girl is too wrapped up with Victor to make such a move without his approval' he mused, he needed a second opinion.
"Fuck!" Amy Dallion cursed quietly when she spotted another E88 thug up ahead and lent against the tree behind her, she had been on her feet for nearly six hours before the doctor in charge had demanded she go home and rest, she had been about to leave the hospital when a nurse had approached her.
"Kaiser wishes to meet with you" she had said pleasantly, from her tone she could have been discussing the weather "There is a car outside that will take you to him, do not keep him waiting." Amy had been too stunned to say anything as the nurse turned and continued on her rounds.
sure the Empire recruited anyone who wanted to join, providing you were 'The right sort' but a nurse? how on earth did the woman justify that!?
Staying inside the building she sent a quick message to her sister to come and get her, if he really needed to see her he could come to the hospital like everyone else.
thats when she had spotted the first guy watching her, waiting at the end of the corridor and make no effort to hide.
heading deeper into the hospital where he couldn't follow she left the building through one of the small staff doors and checked her phone, Vicky should have been here by now.
The hospital was a collection of small buildings around a larger rectangular building, the wide front leaving plenty of space for the entrance and ambulance drop off point, at the back there was a small greenery with a large tree in the middle. The exit she had used put her on the back where the smokers on staff would come for a break.
"No Service" she frowned at the message, she never normally had signal problems. movement in the corner of her eye drew her attention, a couple of large men had just come round the building and a glance over her shoulder showed three more from the other side, Kaiser must really be desperate to do something this blatant.
Hitting the built in panic button on her phone Amy took a deep breath before walking away from the building and towards the small patch of grass ahead of her, hoping to appear calmer than she felt.
leaning against the tree she checked her phone "No Service" continued to blink at her, would the Empire have brought some kind jamming device? she hoped not, it could mess with something in the hospital.
as she leant against the tree her hand touched the bark, she felt the familiar pop as her power mapped out the tree in her mind.
/outer bark, inner bark, cell structure, roots pull-/
"What do you want? im done for the day and i don't accept appointments" she barked at the nearest man, the hospital was her territory and she was not going to pushed around by some two-bit gangsters.
She assumed the one who spoke up was the leader "Kaiser wants to see you, he'll make it worth your while."
"I don't accept payment for healing, anyway, you already have a healer" the men shared an uncomfortable glance, she wasn't stupid, even she had heard the rumors even if the Empire was trying to keep it quiet, Kaiser was dying and Othala couldn't do anything for him, her regeneration was too limited. "If Othala was injured then you will need to bring her to the hospital, they can add her to the waiting list"
The PRT had heard the rumours when they caught a couple of men sniffing around Scapegoat. in response they had assigned a couple of agents to watch her incase Kaiser tried anything, she hoped they were ok, they should have noticed something by now.
The leader looked even more uncomfortable "Othala is…..not the issue"
"So what is the problem?" was it wrong that she was enjoying this?
Apparently they weren't, the leader sighed before turning to his men "This is going nowhere. Take her."
Paling she brought her arms up "If any of you touch me i'll switch your eyes for your balls!" they hesitated before one of them pulled a taser and aimed it at her.
frowning in frustration she lowered her hands, putting them on the tree.
Careful to avoid any skin contact they approached her, as the leader reached for her the tree moved.
A branch swung round catching him across the face and knocking him back, they stepped back as the a section of tree opened up.
Branches reached out, twisting round themselves to form arms, a flexible torso covered in hard armour like bark as narrow hips led to wide root like feet while a growth on top formed into noseless face with large eyes. the creature, now almost eight feet tall pulled itself away from the remains of the tree, twigs and leaves on its body quivered as it growled.
for a moment no one moved then either fear of Kaiser, loyalty or stupidity won out and one of them fired their taser at the beast, the prongs hit with a dull thud and sparked uselessly against its wooden carapace.
Roaring in anger it charged.
It reached the man with the taser first, its fist hit like a battering ram and sent him skidding across the ground, its other arm twisted together before striking the other like a whip.
The other two men pulled guns and aimed them at the beast, its whip like arm grabbed Amy and pulled her close while the other reformed into a circular shape as it tried to shield her.
Amy covered her ears as the bullets slammed into her wooden guardian.
Small twigs like spines grew out of its arm before being fired like darts, one of them threw himself to the side as his partner fell.
looking at his now empty gun he glanced at his fallen friends, then to the creature that was straightening itself back up debated his chance of getting away and came to the only rational decision.
dropping his gun he held his hands up, the creature extended a vine that it used to bind his wrists while Panacea checked on his team mates.
"AMY!"
Glancing up Amy was relieved to see her sister before the taller girl landed and swept her up into a hug.
"Oh god i was so worried, you weren't answering your cell then we got a call there was a fight going on!" behind them PRT troops came round the corner only to pull up short at the sight of the creature.
"Its ok, im fine." her tree walked over, watching the scene, its heavy footfalls catching Glory Girls attention.
Gasping at the sight she tried to put herself between Amy and it while the PRT men started to surround it.
"No! hes ok, i...made him" she admitted
Vicky's mouth worked soundlessly before she pulled herself together "you..made?...what is it?"
Watching everything with an air of curiosity the creature tilted its head in thought, it nodded to itself before saying happily in a voice that sounded like branches moving in the wind "I am Groot!"