First Impact 2.5
Thursday, February 10
The time and place Tattletale where eventually suggested for you to meet her is an empty rooftop on the fringes of ABB territory at four in the afternoon. There is nothing remarkable about it; you know that from the inspection you and Samantha quickly carry out, which is the entire reason the pair of you showed up an hour early. Once you determine that the area is secure, or at least not booby-trapped, you settle yourself on top of an air conditioning unit to wait for the villain. Samantha, meanwhile, lurks out of sight in her war form, just in case this conversation devolves into a fight.
It is still five minutes until the top of the hour when a blonde teenager in a skintight costume of black and lavender climbs up the fire escape ladder. "You're early. Good."
"You said you had information about Coil," you say, twirling your staff in your hand. It is a nervous habit you've developed since finding Perfect Storm, and strangely, it does make you feel more centered. "I don't know how you knew about our meeting in the first place, and I don't know whether I can trust the information you claim to have."
She smirks. "I knew about the meeting because I was watching the whole time. A little camera in the corner, and a speaker in Coil's ear so I could tell him what I found out from you."
«Did you notice anything like that?» you project to your Device.
«Did not monitor electromagnetic signals at that time. Sincerest apologies, Mistress.»
"How else do you think he knew why Captain is displeased with the Protectorate, or that you were bullied all through high school? It's why you dropped out in the first place… just last week? Now that's interesting," she adds, her grin widening. "Which makes Captain your father or uncle; no, your father. That enough to prove I know what I'm talking about?"
"How do you even know any of that?" you demand.
Spreading her arms wide, she boasts, "I'm psychic, obviously."
«False. No telepathic signals detected.»
"Let's say I believe you. What do you know that's so earth-shattering about Coil?"
"He's really a villain. Oh, the whole 'persecuted antihero' routine was well done on his part, I'll give him that, but it's a lie. He wants to set himself up as the kingpin of the city, and to do that, he needs the established gangs taken out. It's why he hired the Undersiders – my team – and it's why he's ingratiating himself to the Privateers. You guys are doing such a good job cleaning out the Merchants that he thinks you'll be ready for the big leagues soon." Tattletale shrugs, the motion faintly theatrical. "You think you're heroes now, but then it'll be one little favor for your business partner. Then another, and another, and soon you'll all be his minions and you won't even know how you got there." Tilting her head, she adds, "Or you'll die against the gangs. Then you're a potential obstacle that has so politely removed itself from his path."
"That doesn't make any sense," you protest. "If he's really this ambitious criminal mastermind, why would he want a group of heroes anywhere near him?"
"So he'll be the first one you turn to when the other gangs discover you aren't playing the game and decide you need to be dealt with."
Shooting her a suspicious glance, you demand, "What 'game' are you talking about?"
"You ever play cops and robbers when you were a kid?" she asks. "Ninety percent of the cape world, that's exactly what it is. A giant, full-contact game of cops and robbers with fun powers and toys. Everyone gets to run around in costumes and live out this second life."
"Yes, because it's so much fun when people's homes and livelihoods are destroyed, or when they're beaten by Nazis or even Leet and Uber acting out Grand Theft Auto again. You'll have to forgive me if I think you're full of crap."
"Oh, I know you can't see it," she replies airily, her smirk growing once more. "That's because you're in that other ten percent. The crazies, the violent extremists. Oni Lee, Lung, Heartbreaker, Coil… and Calamity Witch. You want to know what I found out watching you and Captain?" she asks before you can say anything in your defense. "You're going to kill somebody eventually. You'll take this way more seriously than you should, and eventually somebody's going to push you just that little bit too far. You're already well on your way. The Merchants are shit, and no one's going to miss them, but you're not going to stop with them. You'll go after the ABB, and the Empire's going to take the opportunity to claim some Asian turf. There's an entire balancing act that keeps this powder keg from going off, and you're going to kick it all down. All those people who'll get hurt then? They're gonna be on your head."
You narrow your eyes but do not spit out the first retort that comes to your mind. Do you want a gang war to rip through Brockton Bay? Of course you don't. It's one of the things you were worried about when you thought your dad was planning to go commando on them and blowing away everyone in sight. At the same time, though, any equilibrium like the one Tattletale is talking about that depends on the good sense of violent psychopaths like Lung and Kaiser? Not one you have much faith in. Tattletale herself named Lung as one of her 'crazies', and she still thinks he'd be amenable to keeping the status quo?
With people like them in charge, you can't help but wonder if a gang war is all but inevitable anyway, no matter what anyone does or doesn't do.
"So what's the whole point of this?" you taunt, waving a hand to encompass the rooftop. "Trying to convince me that I need to treat this all like a stupid game like you do and not worry about all the people who are getting hurt in the meantime?"
She scoffs. "Like you'd care. No, the whole point of this is that when you turn this city into ground zero, I want to be far, far away from here. But I can't do that while Coil is still around."
"Worried that he won't give you a good recommendation when your next boss calls for a character reference?"
"He gave me his 'recruitment pitch' while one of his thugs held a gun to my head," replies Tattletale in a flat voice. "He knew my name and everything about me. He has moles in the PRT. As long as he can have me killed like he's ordering a pizza, I can't get away. But since you're already taking this 'Warrior for Love and Justice' thing to an unhealthy extreme and you claim that you want to rid the city of all its villains…." She cocks her head. "Help get me out from under his thumb, where he can't just tug on my leash or send somebody to put a bullet in my head, and this villain will disappear so fast you'll think I'm a teleporter.
"What do you say? Want to stop a real monster before he establishes himself in this city the way the Empire and the ABB have?"
What's this, a Tattletale who isn't immediately Taylor's best bud? :) I like Lisa for the most part, but she'll be either a good friend or an incredibly irritating opponent. I don't think she has a middle ground.
Silently Watches out.