Picked clean.
Between fire crews, police, and...I don't know. Looters? Scavengers? I'd be shocked if someone hadn't come along to dig through this wreck for anything valuable. Or anything that looked valuable. Anything that might have been evidence.
"You sure we're going to find something useful, here?" I turn away from the pile of charred rubble that used to be a good portion of the warehouse roof to see Victoria, still at work, carefully propping a broken support beam against a still-standing section of wall. She only gives the space that had been beneath it a cursory glance, before looking up at me. "I gotta admit, I'm not really seeing that happening."
Yeah. "I guess it was kind of a long shot." But it couldn't have hurt to check. Just to be sure. I think that's been part of my problem lately; I've been trying to work things out, investigate. But I haven't been following through. That's what today is about, I guess. "Making sure there's nothing left."
She shrugs, and lifts away from the floor, scanning what's left of the ceiling. For what, I'm not sure. "So where do we go from here?"
From here...well, even after a few days, I can still feel those Runes. Only a few of them, scattered, distant. Investigating those is about the only real 'plan' I have at the moment. And while it almost goes against the 'thinking things through' thing...there are limits to what I can do about it. A city is a very big place to go looking for a secret lair. If the Runes don't lead us to him…
"There are a couple spots we can check." Not the place downtown, since I know that's basically a bust. "Closer to the bay." One's almost a straight shot from here, toward the water. The other...somewhere by the Boardwalk, if what I'd picked up while we were there a couple days ago means anything at all. And, if nothing else? "He's come after me before." I nod, turning to pick my way through scorched rubble until I've got line of sight on the rooftop across the street, framed almost perfectly by a hole in the front of the warehouse. "Worse comes to worst, we just wander around and hope he tries something."
I don't need to look to know Victoria isn't happy with that idea. "Your solution for not being able to find him is to bait him out?"
"Essentially." To be honest, I'm not sure what the problem is. There's not much difference between 'going looking for trouble' and 'waiting for trouble to come to you'. "Are you coming?"
I glance back, as she settles in behind me. Grunt, and face forward again when she decides that my head makes a perfect arm-rest. The contact is enough, though-
-so I don't bother complaining. Duck out from under her as I reorient on the Rune. "You go high? Get a bird's eye view?"
"See, I would've thought that'd be your thing. Huh, Crow?"
She can't see my glare. She laughs anyway.
Today hasn't been boring, at least.
xxxxxxxxxx
It's not a time consuming trip. With a solid destination in mind and no real distractions...well, I definitely appreciate having a Mover power. And I'm sure Victoria does, too, seeing as she seems to bore easily. "I stopped for maybe ten seconds."
She twists in place, looping into a low, sweeping arc. For a second, I'm afraid she's going to clip one of the junction boxes that dots the rooftop, but she sort of corkscrews away at the last second. "I didn't want to get too far ahead!" Another twist, and she's facing me again. "And it's never a bad time to practice trick-flying."
Right.
"We're almost there." I shake my head-
-and step up onto the next roof over. Jog across, while I wait for Victoria to catch up. Given how I could actually feel the change in elevation in relation to the Rune, I was definitely right about that. Another few blocks, maybe.
And I guess it couldn't really be any further than that, because after that we'll have hit the beach.
"...if it's underwater, we can probably write off the Tinker still having it."
"What's underwater?" Victoria, dropping down beside me. I shrug, and she follows my gaze out to the bay. "Oh, damn. You think so?"
"I guess it could be." Still going to hope it's not. It may be getting warmer, day by day, but not nearly enough to consider going for a swim. "We should probably make sure. At least if we can't reach it easily, nobody else can either."
"Right?" She grins, and nudges me forward. "Let's get it done, then."
She lifts off. Follows me, as I teleport ahead. Two blocks later, I've got a much better idea of direction. A second to reorient, to move to what looks like the last row of buildings before the bay…
I stop. Frown, as I scan the area below me. Hold out my hand to...reach? Grasp at the feeling of 'where'. Ahead, there's a single, unmoving point. Not unexpected. But now that we're here, I think...I think the other one might be moving?
New priority, then. I turn, wave Victoria down as she catches up, start walking before she even lands. "The other Rune's on the move. We need to go to the Boardwalk."
Any good humor from earlier disappears, and she turns to follow me with an uncharacteristically serious frown. "So let's go then."
She takes off, almost straight up. After a moment to consider, I take a running leap off the side of the building and follow her. Once I get going, I'm more than capable of keeping pace with Victoria; it's maybe three minutes before the Boardwalk comes into view. But by then, the Rune's already moving away.
A sharp tap on Victoria's shoulder as I fall past her draws her attention, and I twist to catch her eye, gesturing sharply to indicate our new direction before carrying on. From there it's...not exactly complicated. Sweeping over the area a couple of times, getting a good idea of direction. Eventually, I stop again, find a good place to perch and...watch.
By the time Victoria's caught up again, I'm pretty sure I've figured out who's got the Rune.
"Him." I point the guy out, as he weaves around a group of teenagers. Not much detail visible, from five stories up, but there's a rough picture there. Big guy, too-pale with his hair buzzed to his scalp. Black sweater, just a little out of place in the steadily warming weather. Nothing inherently suspicious, but-
"The shady-looking turtleneck guy?"
...well, it's not just me, then. Good to know. "As far as I can tell." And standing here, watching him walk and feeling the Rune move in synch? Thinking back to the armed men in the warehouse? "...he's got to be one of the Tinker's henches."
"Awesome." Victoria nods, sharply. Grins, as she smacks a fist into her open palm. "So, how do you want to play this?"
How? I guess there are options. It'd be easy enough to just swoop down now. Bring him back up to the rooftop, take the Rune, question him, turn him over to the PRT…
"We'll follow him." He'd picked up the Rune for a reason. And he wasn't just wandering around, here. He was moving like he had a purpose. "If we're lucky, he'll lead us to where his boss is holed up. We can hit him before he gets another workshop established."
"Hell yeah. Let's get our sneak on."
Let's.
xxxxxxxxxx
It seems like an eternity before our target finally leaves the sidewalks, turning down an alleyway without missing a beat. Calm, confident...because he knows exactly where he's going. Around a corner, just across from the building we've settled on, he stops in front of a red-painted door. Fishes for a set of keys.
This is it.
"Wait here, don't call me, keep an eye out."
Victoria looks uncertain, but doesn't voice it. "Be careful."
That's about as much of a plan as I've got. He's got the keys in the lock. So I drop into a crouch-
-just behind him. Holding my breath, not daring to move. The door opens, he steps forward, and I make a split-second decision, dropping forward to press myself against-
-chalky, textured paneling. A fluorescent light hums to life beside me, door clicking shut somewhere 'above'. Slowly, carefully, I lift my head. Watch my target as he locks up, and passes over me without so much as a glance. He's out of my sight moments later, but I can still hear him. I can still listen...no pause, in his footsteps. No indications he's noticed me, even as he turns a corner.
I teleport to the floor, and push myself up as slowly as I can. Almost silently.
Enhanced vision...five bodies, in the building. Including the guy we tailed here. Two of them are upstairs, seated. Not sure what they're doing, but it involves a lot of reaching and fiddling with things. Another two are somewhere ahead...and I think that's where Rune-guy is going.
Edging down the hallway, past open doors...they look like empty offices, maybe. One still has a bunch of cubicle walls propped in a corner. How does this guy keep finding places like this to squat…?
Around the corner. Rune-guy is almost to the other two, I think. Might be best to catch up. I pick up the pace as much as I can without clomping over the thin carpeting. These boots are nice, but they don't seem to be designed for high-speed sneaking…
Voices. A half-open door. I slow again, but don't stop. I need to see…
"-any trouble." Deep voice, smooth. Rune-guy, I think, since it doesn't look like the other two are talking. I watch as he hands something over to...long coat. Face-mask. This close, it's impossible to mistake him.
"Good. That's good." Ragged, almost breathless. I shiver, as the Tinker shoves what has to be the Rune into his coat. "And you know...you know...how this has to be handled. Right?"
A dangerous edge to the question. The third man is up and moving, and as I finally reach the door, I can see the workbench he's examining. Just as much crap as before, if not more. Where the hell did he get it all?
"I think we can take care of it."
"Your friends said that too. They did…" The Tinker growls, and there's a moment of quiet before he turns to the man by the table. "Do it."
What the hell are they up to now?
Third-man nods, and grabs hold of a boxy looking thing on the table, unfolding...some kind of crank? It turns-
And I hiss, as my vision cuts out. As my hand cramps, and vertigo nearly sends me to the floor. What the fuck…?
"Maybe you feel different, kid." I blink, and stumble back from the door as I see Rune-guy stalking toward me. "But I sure as hell wouldn't follow somebody if I had a power that made sure they knew it."
...oh, fuck me.
I turn. I run. Barely make the corner before the gunshots ring out. Crackling, buzzing, too many and too quick to count. My leg goes out from under me, my left. Left calf. Hot, impact. I got shot. It doesn't hurt nearly as much as it did last week, but it definitely doesn't help me run any faster.
That noise is still there, and getting closer. That's more alarming, honestly. Moaning, grinding, I scramble down the hall, toward the door. Locked door. I try to move...and nothing happens. No teleport. Not even a flicker.
I keep moving. Claw the lock open. I hear steady footsteps, and hissed encouragements to shoot her again.
The door opens, and I hit the ground, palms stinging from the impact. But it's distant. Very unimportant.
"Help!"
The door swings open the moment Victoria hits the asphalt beside me. I hear a curse, twice-over, and suddenly I'm being spun around. Facing a gun. Machine pistol.
It crackles again. I feel something cut into my hip, a spike of pain radiating up my side.
And Victoria screams.
We shoot up, but drop again almost immediately...hitting the rooftop in a tumble. I struggle to my feet, trying (and failing) to support any sort of weight on my left side. Victoria seems to be struggling to even sit up...clutching at her side.
A slowly spreading patch of red on her costume. Panicked breathing. Pained noises. She was shot.
She was shot?
There's a crack, different from before...and the Tinker arcs up over the edge of the roof. He's got a hammer, claw hammer. There's blood on the wooden handle. I fumble for my baton, as he lands, some mechanism in his boots clicking and hissing...they crack again, and he hits me. Hard.
Something in my chest cracks as we hit metal, as it crumples beneath us. There's more pain. That doesn't stop me from whipping the baton out to full length and swinging with as much force as I can manage. Leg. Upper thigh. Not a good spot, but it draws his attention, gives me a chance to force him away.
The second swing catches him in the shoulder. Not much better. I step forward, stumble as my leg refuses to take my weight, and-
-only just avoid the hammer.
I just teleported. I can still hear the noise, distantly, from below, but I can still teleport.
"I should have killed you the first time, you bitch!"
I look up. Hear hiss-click. And I-
-put myself behind him. Drag him back-
-and as far up as I can. His boots crack, useless in the air. He struggles. We twist. I see a splotch of white below. Victoria, injured.
Up. One more time.
"You're going down, asshole."
He only laughs. A second later, I understand why, because holy shit his coat is burning. I push away, as hard as I can...and blue flame pulses out from his back. It probably would have been enough to kill me, if I'd tried to hold on any longer…
I'm falling. So is he. But where I'm just tumbling, he...the fire pulses again, this time from his front. Burning away his loose shirt, so I can catch sight of something metal beneath.
Another pulse, from his back, and he's that much closer to me. Because he's got some sort of fucking jet pack thing. What the fuck?
He closes distance with a roar-
-and catches nothing but air, as I twist to drive my knees into his back, with all the force of my 'fall' behind me. It doesn't do much more than speed his fall even more, and a second later I'm forced to move again to avoid the burst of flame. His coat is nearly falling apart, now, still burning in places...I can see the thing. Exposed. Some kind of harness, nozzles and hoses…
A sustained flair slows him down, forces him upright. We're getting closer to the ground again...he's distracted. So when I appear beside him and catch onto his arm, he doesn't have the time to react. Doesn't have the time to stop me from jamming my baton up into the nearest nozzle and yanking as hard as I can. I try for one of the hoses, too, but heat across my arm makes me flinch away, and the hammer catches the side of my mask before I can push away.
I go down. Don't bother bleeding off my momentum in the air, just orient myself parallel to the rooftop and do my best to roll. More pain. I'm...probably not doing so good.
"C-crow!"
But I can't...I can worry about it later. Victoria's managed to pull herself into a sitting position, against a junction box. Above us, the Tinker is making a jerky, off-balance descent.
No way am I walking, right now, so it's an awkward sort of scramble to Victoria's side. She's still bleeding. Shaking. Pale. She looks scared.
"Sorry." It's all I can really offer...because this is probably going to hurt.
I wrap my arms around her, and take us up, and away. Once, twice, three times without pause. Enough for me to feel the pressure in the back of my head, to be wary about trying a fourth. I still only let us fall for a couple of seconds before going up again.
It jostles Victoria. She tries to help, I can tell from the way we don't fall as quickly the next few times, but the way she hisses, whines...I…
I don't know how much time passes, before we hit the ground. Before we tumble across a manicured lawn. I hit a fence. Victoria hits me. She cries out in pain, but it's all I can do to make sure I'm breathing.
There's a sliding door, at the back of the house. And only a few more seconds pass before it slams open with a flash of orange light.
I can't really say anything. Victoria's in no state to explain. In the end, I don't think either of those things matter.
Brandish only hesitates for a moment before turning back into the house. "Amy!"
Muscles I didn't realize could lock up start to relax, as Victoria's mom darts across the lawn. As Amy appears not long after.
When I feel myself start to slip, I don't bother fighting it.
xxxxxxxxxx
My pounding headache is a wonderful accompaniment for the dull, distant throbbing of my bullet wounds.
As it turns out, a five minute nap after an adrenaline crash doesn't...actually help you feel any better. I wouldn't have expected it to, but I guess I wouldn't have minded being pleasantly surprised. For once.
God.
"What. Happened."
It's a question I've been expecting since I woke up and got moved to this chair. Yet again, I'm...very thankful for my mask. Because it means I don't have to open my eyes. I don't have to look at Brandish as I struggle for an answer.
"We went after the Tinker." Truth. I guess that's what I'm going with here. Would I lie? Would lying help? Probably not. "He had henches. Automatic weapons. Something that blocked my powers." And how the fuck did that work? When had he made something like that? "...it caught me by surprise."
"It caught you by surprise." I don't flinch, at her tone. "And my daughter was shot."
I still don't understand that one. "She was trying to protect me-"
"I'd gathered as much."
Silence. I fight not to curl in on myself.
"Crow...I think it'd be best if you left, now."
...right.
I stand. And turn away. Tear my mask off, throw my hood back, and focus on breathing as the wind washes over me. Somewhere not too far away, I know there's a dusting of ash on a floor...and some insipid part of my brain points out that making a mess in her house probably didn't do me any favors with Brandish.
Too much. Too quick. I need...to take a break now. Rest. Heal. Think it through.
I fucked up, I got taken by surprise, but that's...not something I haven't recovered from before. It's not. I'm doing better. I found the Tinker, and he had every advantage, and I still got away. We...got away.
...barely.
"I'm going home." I feel parched. Wet my lips before trying again. "I'm going home, and I'm going to...make a list. Of all the things I did wrong." I'll work this out. Today was about wrapping up loose ends, but that was obviously too much to expect. Fine. But I can't let it stop me.
I won't.
This is my problem. The Tinker made it my problem when he targeted me. Or...I made it my problem when I stole from him. Either way, it's not just going to go away. 'Problems don't fix themselves'.
...it's so much easier trying to apply that to a bunch of school bullies than an actual, homicidal maniac.
My phone buzzes, startling me out of my thoughts. And I wonder, as I fish it out of my pocket, just how long I've been standing here like an idiot.
'Mom says I'm not working with you alone anymore.'
Victoria. Fully healed and obviously feeling better, if she's texting me. The news itself isn't surprising. That doesn't make it any easier to stomach. Or to reply to. What am I supposed to say?
Another message. I guess I don't need to reply…
'Talk later, okay?'
The phone shakes. Makes it kind of hard to type. So I settle for simple.
'Okay.'
I slip the phone away as soon as that's sent, and pick up my mask from where I'd dropped it. Putting it on again feels more claustrophobic than usual, but that's...not important.
Going home. Writing a list. Learning from mistakes.
I can do this.
[I hope.]