Cold.
That was all he felt. Even with the sensation of heat radiating from the rubble some distance away. He felt cold. His home. Their home. Annette's. Taylor's.
Taylor.
"Mr. Hebert?" a voice intruded. He turned, staring at the fatigue-wearing woman. An American flag made up a scarf that obscured part of her face as well as a sash that wound around her waist. Dark hair framed similar eyes that regarded him with sympathy.
"Ah, Ms. Militia, was it?" he asked. "Anything?"
She shook her head. "Unfortunately not as of yet. Some of the things in the area are ... outside our experience. We're going cautiously to ensure there isn't anything remaining in the way of traps and to account for the oddities there. I can say, at least, we haven't come across any ..." she paused for a moment, "remains. But we're still searching."
He nodded. "Thank you." She looked like she was going to say something else, but nodded instead and withdrew, leaving him standing alone. And cold.
His home. Annette's. Taylor's.
Taylor.
Another approached. A familiar figure of late. Armsmaster.
"Mr. Hebert," he said gruffly, nodding. "My apologies for this ... " Words seemed to fail him.
"Was it this Coil?" Danny asked, his voice sounding off to his own ears. Hollow.
Armsmaster hesitated. "I do not know. I suspect so, but what we've determined so far, the explosions match to another's preferred methods. We're not sure why they would target Taylor."
"Who?" he asked.
Again, the hesitation. "Some of the effects are things we've seen from a member of the ABB, Bakuda. But, again, Taylor has had no interaction of significance with them, so I can't conceive of a reason why she would do this."
Danny nodded again. "Bakuda."
Armsmaster tensed. "Danny. I know what you are undoubtedly thinking, but let me stress. We have no evidence of this being her actions. Merely that devices she mayhave made being used to do ... this."
Danny said nothing and Armsmaster stepped closer. "Listen, I assure you, we've got everyone possible looking for Taylor. We will find out what happened here, to her, and who did this."
"Do you have a daughter?" Danny asked abruptly, staring at the ruin of his home. Annette's home. Taylor's home.
Taylor.
"I do not," Armsmaster said. "I ... The work I do. That's my life."
A nod. "If you don't, then how can you know what I'm thinking?" Heat in his voice, just an edge of it. Anger. It pushed the cold back a little.
"A fair point," replied Armsmaster. "I've seen a lot though, Danny. Experienced a lot. This," he gestured at the house's ruins, "in my years of work, we've had a lot of things happen. Experienced when someone just came in and wrecked our home. I understand that. Trust me, we'll solve this."
Danny said nothing and Armsmaster sighed. "Look, we'll find her, take care of this, but when we do, do you want her to have to face that she's alone because you went off and got yourself killed? Do you want to have me or someone else have to tell her you're dead?"
A frown and Danny's shoulder's slumped. "Just... find her, would you?"
Armsmaster nodded. "We will. I have and will continue to have people searching as much as I can." He started to say something else, then turned as if listening to something. A moment later, he swore.
"I've got to check in on something," he said. "Just let the agents know when you're ready and they'll take you by headquarters til you can get settled somewhere else." Danny nodded absently and continued to stare at the rubble as Armsmaster moved away.
He stood there for a long time, staring at what had been his home. Annette's home. Taylor's home.
Taylor.
He hoped that the PRT and Armsmaster were able to find her. If they didn't ... he didn't know what he would do.
God help whoever did this if she was dead.
Taylor.