Coil held firmly to the philosophy that one couldn't be too paranoid. Every moment of every day was a delicate balancing act, anticipating any number of unseen threats from every possible angle, whether he was speaking with his subordinates or simply rising to meet the day.
In one reality, he was safely ensconced in his underground base, costumed, with no less than twenty armed soldiers between himself and the multiple sets of heavy metal doors. He had spent his night reading, following the news and checking his stocks. His location was known only to those who worked for him, individuals paid well enough that even if they did have reason to attack him, their 'coworkers' would have incentive to stop them.
Second reality: He was waking up in an ordinary, slightly rundown home in the southwest end of the city. He prepared and ate his breakfast, then stepped outside in his bathrobe to pick up the paper and the mail, pausing to wave to the neighbors as they led their two girls out of the house.
He headed back inside, showered, then dressed in a button-up shirt, khakis and a silk tie. He got in his four-year old prius and headed into the city. To all appearances, he was an ordinary man leaving for work. His identity, fabricated, was complete, a real job at a real company, records going back ten years in health, taxes, dentistry, house payments and more.
The soldier that met him was known to the other soldiers as Creep. No captain would have the man in their squad, his predilections made him unemployable in the public sector, and the fact that Coil was the sole person who could and would provide him with the 'payment' he craved makes Creep as loyal as men can get.
Everyone had a hook, a vice or something they needed on a primal, desperate level. Sometimes that need needed to be created, or nurtured, so it could later be hand fed. Those people who were driven by such things, carried that craving for something especially close to the surface, were among Coil's favorite people, coming in a very close second to people who were useful.
Wealth would have to suffice for anyone and everyone else.
Creep remained the one individual that had the opportunity to discover Coil with the mask off, so it was worth buying his loyalty. The man waited in the front seat of the white van, eyes forward, until he heard the three knocks on the back door of the vehicle. He pressed a button, opening the door to allow Coil to enter.
Once inside the back of the van, hidden from Creep's view by a barrier between the seats, Coil removed his clothes, folding them neatly. He donned his costume, his second skin. A zipper was hidden in the image of the long white snake that weaved up around the body of the costume to the head. He drew it together around himself, tucked the metal tab of the zipper into a flap at his ankle. The fabric of the costume allowed him to see and breathe through it, but was an opaque black-gray to outside observers in all but the brightest light.
Creep directed the vehicle down the ramp and into the parking garage. He stayed behind with the van as Coil departed.
Coil entered a doorway in the lowest, most secluded corner of the parking garage, entering a room with an electrical system behind a metal cage. Opening the door to step into the cage, passing around behind the electrical box and passing through the concealed doorway there, he reached the heavy vault door that marked the entrance to his underground base.
Back in the other reality, he stood from his computer and made a phone call.
"Yeah?" A surly and young female voice answers.
"How are you finding your new accommodations? I trust they are suitable?"
"They're not complete shit." She snarls.
Ignoring a twinge of dislike at her attitude, he continues smoothly. "You will be allowed to contact your family once you have succeeded on your first mission. If you fail, things might get unpleasant for them."
"Fuck them, and fuck you. I couldn't care less for my family. If you think they will be a good lever to make me do your bidding, you thought wrong. They are weak. Worthless. You need to give me something better than that. You promised me power, and freedom. No more PRT rules, or getting sent to another city to do shit jobs. So far you aren't impressing me."
Coil nods to himself with this confirmation. He had been fairly sure that her family was a weak hold on her, and he doubted she was bluffing. His other discarded interactions with her all had the same theme. Time to get the last bit of information needed, before the real offer is made.
"Tell me little Shadow, of all the gangs in this city, who would you like to take down first? Who do you want to end? I have the ability to give you exactly the information you need to do it, to play with them to your hearts content. But I'm curious as to who you'd prefer to fight."
"Don't fucking call me that. I'm Shadow Stalker, not your little anything. And as for who I want to kill? Grue. That asshole needs to die."
"Pick again. An actual gang this time and not one individual, if you can be bothered to listen to instructions."
"Hah, you make big promises, spring me free from the Protectorate, and now you can't even get me one little cape? What makes you think that you'd be even able to take out a single Merchant, let along the bigger players like the Empire?"
"Indulge me, assume that I have a power that all but guarantees it."
"Well if you were at all competent and useful, then I suppose I'd like to get rid of the Nazi scum first. But I'm starting to get the idea that you're fucking useless to me. Thanks for freeing me and all, but I think I'm gonna go take my chances on my own. I'm done with this hellhole city, and with you. Have fun loser!"
With a sigh of disgust at the child's rudeness, he collapsed the world where he had stayed up all night, studying the news, following international business trends, tracking the details on his troops' most minor operations – he helped ensure the success of the major ones with his power. The reality swiftly faded, leaving only the world where he had a full night's sleep, ate a hearty breakfast, and drove to the base with Creep. Only the memories and knowledge remained.
Standing before his employees and soldiers, he divided realities once more, leaving only a heartbeat between the erasure of one existence and the creation of another.
He often wondered if he really was creating the realities, or if it was solely in his perception, foretelling futures to the extent that they hinged on his actions. He'd asked his Tattletale, in a long ago discarded timeline, and she hadn't had an answer for him.
He hated these moments. These were the times when he was most vulnerable, when he'd just started a fresh use of his power, his selves so close to one another. It was sadly inevitable, unless he found a way to expand to a third world. Though he knew the chance of danger was minuscule, he still made efforts to distance the two worlds as much as possible.
The first reality: "Captains, as you were. I will review your progress report on the Alcott acquisition later, have it on my desk by noon. I have business to attend to."
The other: "I wish to survey the base. Captains, as you were."
Two groups traveling in separate directions. One of his selves traveled down the metal staircase to the lower level, the other moving in the other direction, across the metal walkway, the two employees hurrying to keep up with his long strides.
He eyed the base as it was developing. The massive quantities of crates and boxes were being unpacked, bunk beds for soldiers on call, a fully equipped medical bay, stocks and facilities for the kitchens, innumerable weapons. It was taking shape, right angles and neatly organized stacks of boxes everywhere.
He owned the company that had built the underground shelters in Brockton Bay and neighboring cities. Hiding the details on his base in construction was a matter of intercepting information at the right time and place, paying with his own money rather than the city's, controlling what was reported and to whom.
His other self reaches his office and pulls out his phone. Time for another attempt with his newest acquisition.
"Yeah?" A surly and young female voice answers.
"I'd like you to make up a list of everything you want your new accommodations to have. I understand it is lacking in luxuries at the moment, but that will quickly be fixed."
"Good. This place is pretty shit."
"Now, I recall that I had promised you freedom from the Protectorate in exchange for listening to my job offer. I have held up my end, you are no longer on a secure transport to go guard a Simurgh tainted area for the rest of your life. I'd like to offer you a chance to do what you originally were meant to do, before the Wards forced you to join them. You were meant to take out the scum of this city, and I have the resources to allow to you do do so unimpeded. We will be starting with the Empire."
"Huh, now that's what I like to hear. Right to the point. Only problem is, what the heck makes you think that I'd be able to take any of them out on my own? I'm not suicidal, or an idiot."
"You underestimate my resources. I will be able to tell you exactly where and when to strike, with little risk to yourself. Unlike the Protectorate, I won't tell you to play it safe, or avoid lethal force. I will simply give you the information and let you decide how to best accomplish the goal."
"Sounds good, if you are telling the truth at all. But what's in it for me?"
"Aside from the pleasure of destroying a few gangs? Money, power, freedom. I'll pay you well for every goal you achieve, and at any time, you can decline a request with no penalty. I will use my resources to keep you free from the Protectorate, free from boring jobs and endless patrolling with no action. No family telling you to go to school, to behave, to hide your talents. I don't think you'll ever get an offer as good as mine."
"Heh, you must be desperate to get a cape on your team to help you deal with your rivals. I've barely heard of you, but I'm pretty sure you don't have much going for you aside from lots of money. Sure, for now I'll do your dirty work, as long as you live up to your hype. But first I want another identity set up, ready and waiting for me in another city. And something that will let me go out in public without anyone from the Wards noticing me if I walk by them in the mall. I won't do a single job for you until I have my exit plan in place and the ability to move around the city freely. Got it? Otherwise no deal."
"Of course. I will have it ready for you shortly. Until then, enjoy your new home and make that list of what you need."
Closing the phone, Coil considers this result. It had taken painstaking research and many tries to get a full profile of the girl, and even now, his hold on her was tenuous. The arrogant brat didn't even seem to realize that he could have her killed at any time if she went rogue. But having an independent cape not tied to a gang will be useful for weakening the E88. They won't be able to fight back effectively against a target as elusive as Shadow Stalker. Not as long as he was sheltering her.
Perhaps he should move ahead with the plan to implant her with a control device. It would certainly solve her attitude problem, if she knew that her power could be disabled at any time he chose. After all, it's not often that you get a cape with such an exploitable weakness. Her little problem with electricity would be his gain, thanks to the inside information stolen from the PRT's own records.
He didn't like interacting with people, especially not important subordinates such as the Undersiders, without the ability to create or banish the reality if the discussion didn't go his way. Here, he was safe. His other self was now speaking with his Captains, giving orders on movements, individuals to watch out for, informed by the night he had spent tracking the deployments and patrol patterns of the Protectorate and Wards.
He would have his other self repeat the same conversation with Shadow Stalker later, with a small variation to tweak the results a bit more favorably. Implying that he already had a cape on his team, or telling her that he himself had power, should prevent the girls ego from becoming quite as large. Her demands were frankly, ridiculous. Hopefully it will also induce a bit of caution or respect in the girl.
No such thing as being too paranoid, after all.
AN: Sorry for the short interlude chapter, and for how long it took to get it out. Since life is consistently a bit busy for me now, you guys should probably not expect the same rate of updates as before. Once or twice a month is probably going to be the going rate until later. Sorry!
Reviews are as always, appreciated, loved and eaten to fuel my spidery fingers. And once again, apologies for the delay. I have big plans for this story, so I don't plan on abandoning it anytime soon. :D