Skyllian Five Story Arc: 6.4
I turned the corner of the building I was walking past taking me into the alley beside it. Despite that Renegade wanted us all to take full weapons every time we left base, I didn't. Just my knife and pistol. The other stuff was just way too much for day to day operations. Especially when we all had omni tools and I was just dealing with a minor nuisance. Besides, it sent the wrong message and even if something was to happen, I wasn't exactly defenseless. I had several blocks worth of bugs at my command and not all of them were crawling or flying around me.
In the alley I now walked was a small group of people waiting for me. Two of them were on the ground though only one was still conscious. That one had taken a knee as he staunched the blood that was running down from his temple.
The other three in the small crowd stood guard. The guy and girl looked like what you would expect gang members to look like. Both were kind of rough looking and not quite out of their teens. Lots of tattoos, artfully torn clothes, piercings, that kind of thing. Obviously ex-ABB. Both were carrying batons and looked very nervous to see me walking to toward them. Once I approached close enough both gave me respectful nods that I returned after a moment. The last one in the party was different and the one obviously in charge.
He stood with his hands behind his back watching me approach. His face masked like Rorrim's. Aside from that, his look wasn't that much different than Renegade's back when we first joined forces. Hard vestment and protections strapped over vital areas. It was a look that was actually catching on among the non-powered of my growing gang. Well, those who were 'in'.
As I drew level with him the masked man snapped into a stiff posture before giving me a crisp military salute. Even after meeting him a few times it still caught me off guard when he did that. I played it off though giving him a nod back while keeping my eyes on the wounded man kneeling on the ground. "Gunny."
"Matriarch." The man stated assuredly before he gestured needlessly. "The prisoners."
I didn't say anything for a moment. Just stared at the kneeling man. I took note of the gas can not far away. It was laying on its side not far from us. Probably dropped when my foot soldiers found them sneaking around.
I shook off my introspection. "Have you ascertained who their target was?"
"Jewish couple. Maybe a block down the road. We think anyways. Pendejo here isn't talking."
Judging by the wounds they had it didn't appear to be from a lack of encouragement. Again my concerns over Miguel's attitude looked justified. However this wasn't the time to bring it up. I made a mental note to mention it to Renegade later tonight. Maybe he could talk to the guy again. It wasn't like I couldn't understand what made him the way he was. I just didn't know how to help him and I didn't want him to take things too far. As for the guy on the ground, he sneered at us as he continued to hold the bloody rag to his head. Even if I couldn't see the swastika tattooed on his arm I knew this was one of Kaiser's people. However, it didn't look like a prelude to anything more than some half drunk racist doing his thing. It'd been a few days since the meet and I honestly expected them to try something by now but so far it's been relatively quiet.
"What the fuck you looking at you blue whore?"
I remained silent as I considered what to do. While the city's gangs had yet to make a push into my territory there had been several of these incidents the last few days. Merchants looking for new places to cook meth, rough looking people driving through looking around way too intently, and these guys. White supremacists who decided to vent their spleen on my people. I wasn't sure if it was normal for this area or if they were being directed to work here. Either way I figured that if I kept making examples of them then it would either taper off or the villains backing them would try something.
I'm not sure what it said about me that I didn't know which I preferred.
"You know what I think?" The kneeling man stated as he rose to his feet. His eyes glaring hatefully at me the entire time. "I don't think you're so tough. Just some stupid freak that thinks she's better than the rest of us."
Other than my hooded helmet following his movements I didn't make any moves as he stood before me. Behind him I noticed my other two enforcers look at each other worriedly before turning back to me. I continued to watch the guy as he seemed to mentally psyche himself up. My continued silence must have finally gotten to him because a moment later, he swung at me.
Inhuman reflexes brought my hand up catching his fist before it completed it's maneuver. The look on his face would have been hilarious had it not very quickly given way to pain as I slowly started squeezing. The Nazi minion snarled, cursed, as the pressure continued until finally it became too much and he screamed. As he fell back to his knees his screams became panicked pleas for me to let him go. However I didn't release him until the alley reverberated with the unique sound of bones snapping as his hand gave way under the pressure.
Once freed he fell to his side. Tears falling from his face as he cradled his arm. My two enforcers looked at him before directing respectful gazes my way. I ignored them only reacting when I heard Gunny ask the question that brought me here in the first place. "What would you like done with them?"
"The usual. Unless," I turned just enough to see the entrance of the alley. "You want to take custody of them?"
My three henchmen jumped at my statement but I remained placidly waiting as I watched the entrance to the alley. A masculine chuckle preceded the cape walking around the corner revealing himself. He was wearing a very streamlined suit of body armor that was obviously tinker tech. A thick opaque visor covered the upper half of his face.
"Assault." I casually greeted the revealed hero.
"Matriarch." I remained quiet as he approached a few steps before stopping. "I was wondering how long it would take for you to notice me. I'd been following you since…"
"You spotted me from that rooftop at the corner of St Cathrine and Thirty Fifth." I finished.
His head tilted slightly as I revealed I knew he was following me the whole time. "And yet you didn't do anything about it."
"I knew when you climbed that fire escape to get to the roof. I knew when you crossed into my territory. I even knew when you got up this morning. Was there a reason for me to be concerned?" Assault chuckled again but didn't reply, so I did. "Did you wish to take custody of the prisoners?"
"Not much I can do to them since the only crime I have witnessed is you breaking his hand. Being a dick isn't illegal at the moment."
I turned slightly to the masked man beside me. "The usual."
The man next to me nodded before he moved to pick up the guy whose hand I broke. I turned to the others not saying a word. Not that I needed to once they noticed me looking at them. Both quickly picked up the unconscious guy. As a pack they started dragging them away from both the hero and me. The hero in our midst didn't so much as twitch as they went about their work. It answered a few questions as well as spawned several more.
I turned my back on them facing Assault who likewise faced me before he spoke. "The usual?"
"Stripped naked and tied to lamp post at the edge of my territory."
"Bit harsh, don't you think?"
I clamped down on my snort. His words would have probably been more effective if he wasn't trying to hold in his laughter. "I see no reason to waste free resources."
"I don't suppose I could get you to explain that to me? The message it sends is pretty clear, but resources?"
"Clothes, shoes, etc are donated to unfortunates in my territory who have needs. Personal things like IDs or pictures are disposed of as useless. Cells, money, jewelry, piercings, etc are taken as 'tax' for stupidity."
"You must make a lot of money then."
"Like you would not believe." I deadpanned.
Assault lost his ability to hold in his laughter. "I have to ask, you actually give their clothes away?"
"I can see how you wouldn't know it, living in your ivory tower the way you do, but there are a lot of homeless and needy persons existing within the docks for lack of better. If we don't know anyone who can use them, they usually end up at a Salvation Army or a similar distributor." I stated as if it was nothing new. "Is this the part where we fight?"
The hero frowned at my jab. When he answered my question a lot of his earlier playfulness was gone. "Is that what you want to do?"
"Not particularly. I actually have a rather full schedule this evening."
"You are confident, aren't you? That sure you would win?" I didn't reply. After a few seconds of silence Assault continued with a more neutral tone. "To answer your question, no. I didn't come here to fight. Not sure how much you know about what heroes do, but I was on patrol when I spotted you. Considering the interest in you at headquarters, I thought I would investigate. Maybe talk to you if you proved to be as civil as your reputation says."
"Civilized conversation is always welcome." I replied to the unasked question. I kept my eyes on Assault but waved upward dismissively.
When Assault looked upward his relaxed posture immediately stiffened. Not surprising. Had I been in his position, I probably would have had the same reaction to what was on the rooftop above us.
Renegade was perched with one armored leg resting on the edge of the building. The rifle in his hands was probably the biggest weapon we ever produced. Uncompacted it was easily five feet long, black as pitch, and every bit as deadly as it was when he used it in his old dimension. It was a weapon that visually stated, in no uncertain terms, it existed solely to ruin someone's day. The huge thermal scope rested against Renegades helmet as it pointed at Assault in a way that left no doubt about where he was aiming.
As the hero slowly raised his hands I smirked. While I didn't carry a full weapons kit, Renegade did. This was never more apparent than when he slowly straightened his posture returning the rifle, which he playfully dubbed 'The Black Widow', to his back. The sounds of it compacting were the only ones in the alley until Renegade stepped off the roof.
Unlike in times past when he did this he didn't slowly float down. His fall wasn't as fast as it should have been but when he hit the pavement it shattered with enough force to jostle Assault. I stumbled slightly as well but I was half expecting it when he didn't immediately use his powers to control his descent. Adding to the scene Renegade slowly rose from his kneeling position in the crater he created like some kind of demon rising from the pits of hell.
It was absolutely the most 'dramatic' I'd ever seen him be, and I almost laughed ruining it. Despite what he might say, seeing him hamming up his image like that, I couldn't help but think Earth Bet was growing on him.
When Assault brought his eyes back to mine I gave a slight shrug hoping my amusement didn't show in my voice. "He's a little protective of me."
"Understatement." I heard him mutter before he regained his nonchalance.
"As I said earlier, I do have prior engagements. What do you wish to know, Assault?"
The hero remained silent for a few moments as if gathering his thoughts. Eventually he shook his head. "You are the strangest villain I have ever met."
"Yes, it has been mentioned once or twice by an associate of mine. Your point?"
"You have to know you can't keep this up. The violence, the deaths. Taunting your peers or outright gunning them down. You don't strike me as the stupid type but you have to know running roughshod over the city like you have has consequences. What makes all this worth it? What is it you want out of all this?"
"To exist in peace in a place that is not a shit hole." By his reaction my answer must have surprised him so I continued. I couldn't help but scoff. "Heroes. Do you even know what this city is like? While you go to your fundraisers enjoying expensive meals and rubbing elbows with the who's who, the masses of this city struggle for crumbs to live another day."
I took a deep breath to calm myself down. "I've been told there was a time when this city was a jewel of the seaboard. A time when there were more jobs than there were people to fill them. Products manufactured here were sent all over the world and everyone knew of Brockton Bay as more than just a 'cape city'. It is a… compelling image.
"Yet, look around you now. Businesses that were once successful lay fallow. Factories that once ran non stop meeting demands that couldn't be met, now sit silent. Monuments to apathy and decay. People, normal people, sit hungry and cold looking around them knowing that this, this is as good as it gets. But as long as all this is happening away from the Boardwalk, away from Downtown where you heroes primp for your next photo shoot, it's alright. After all, those areas still shine in their old glory."
Assault scoffed at me. "You expect me to believe that you are doing all this for the 'good of the people?' Such bullshit. What, you think you can make everything better? Maybe you earn a few favors or even some good will from those in what you think of as 'your territory', but in the end you are just like every other villain here. You take what you want to enrich yourself while living in your own little fiefdom."
"If I am just like every other villain in the city, then why the interest? For years you let Lung's people do whatever they wanted. Raping, murdering, or dealing drugs with impunity when you could have done something to stop him. At least my tactics are not directed at innocents."
"Lung was too strong…"
"Yet I managed to defeat him." Assault didn't reply to my taunt. "Someone needed to take him down. Someone needed to break his organization and put a stop to the madness that is happening in this city. Someone needs to make the hard choices and get things done or this city is never going to recover. There has to be a better balance than this."
"So what, just because things are bad you're going to burn the city down? Rebuild it in an image you think it should be? What the hell gives you that right, Matriarch?
"I shouldn't have to do this. It was supposed to be you." I half whispered harshly. The wings and mandibles of my bugs counterpointing my emotional words. "The people look to heroes to help them. Make things better. Make things right. Instead we have this."
I don't know way this whole thing was hitting me like this but it was. Maybe it was that the first hero I actually met was one who thought so little of me. Or how he didn't get it. Sadly, probably none of them would. More probably it was my own past creeping up on me. All I knew was I was slipping and I needed to put some distance between us before I lost my composure.
I shook my head turning away. I only took a few steps however before I turned around again. "Think what you will of me, hero. Come at me if that is what you think you need to do. Regardless of what you think of me or what I am doing, you know nothing. But you will. Soon."
With that cryptic remark I turned my back on him again. This time I didn't turn back around. Renegade walked in step beside me as we made our way and I tried to calm down. Pointless. I should have known it would be but I still tried. What did I expect out of that? Validation? Understanding? Maybe even a nod that not all of us were that bad? So stupid.
Renegade didn't talk as I stewed over the confrontation and my disillusionment. He didn't do anything but walk beside me until we entered a parking garage where we stored one of our vans. Just before I got in, his armored arms wrapped around me. I allowed my helmet to rest against his shoulder taking what comfort I could from the only person who seemed to understand.
"How long until our meet with Faultline?" I whispered.
"Three hours."
I nodded. "I need to get the Instant Swarm Box first. Just in case."
"Then we should go."
XxXExiledXxX
Renegade waited in the van while I made my way through the massive storm drain that emptied at the shore. I navigated it easily without need of a light by using my bugs to know where everything was until I eventually arrived at a ladder. A quick ascent brought me to the heavily concealed trap door in Skitters store room. From there I entered into the kitchens where it got a bit weird.
At first there was no reaction to my presence but that changed as my employees realized it was me and not one of the others. All eyes followed me as I walked past heading to the stairs that would take me to the floors above. The only one who moved was the guy who blocked the door that led into the restaurant proper until I was almost to where I was heading.
"Matriarch."
I nodded to the older man's greeting. "Mr Lin. Business is going well?"
"Very busy, as always. Are you staying long? Would you care for something to eat?"
I shook my head. "Just need to pick up something. Not sure how long we'll be but I wouldn't say no to something when we get back. I doubt the others would deny themselves a chance to sample some of the excellent food our cooks produce. If we're not back by closing I would appreciate it if you left something in the fridge."
"Of course. Any preferences?"
"Surprise me."
"We will have it ready for you when you return."
I nodded again before taking the stairs to the third floor ignoring the way everyone's eyes followed me. While the second floor was a kind of CIC, we kept most of our stuff on the third. It was sort of a storage and changing room though we didn't keep a lot of things here. Some armor, a few weapons, and costumes for our non fighters. I quickly found what I was looking for before heading down to let the others know we were heading out.
Not sure what I expected when I walked in but seeing Steve and Greg looking at a vid screen wasn't one of them. While it wasn't out of the ordinary to see them doing that, it was the content on the screen that threw me. The displayed image was fuzzy. Mostly black and grey showing a strange shape. Steve and Greg weren't the only ones watching either. Sharee sat not far away looking at it with stunned eyes while Paige rubbed her back.
I blinked. While I tried to figure out what was going on, Steve turned slightly to Greg. "Dude, what are we watching again?"
"Man, I'm not sure." Greg replied as he tilted his head awkwardly. "But I think it's about to attack the Enterprise."
I ignored Steve's comment about not remembering this episode, as I made my way to Sharee. Things started falling into place as I noticed the tear fall from Sharee's eye. By the time I got next to her I managed to drop my hood and remove my helmet before taking a knee beside the catatonic girl.
"How far along?" I asked sympathetically.
"E...eight weeks…"
My hand joined Paige's as I rubbed her back. Paige gave me a slight smile which let me know Sharee must have been like this for a while.
"You told the father yet?"
Sharee shook her head rapidly. "Du...dumped me a couple of weeks ago. Ha...haven't seen him since. Been kinda busy here..."
I sighed as her mouth opened and closed a few times. After a moment of putting herself together she started talking. "I've missed before, you know? Didn't think anything of it. Always used protection. I… I don't..."
"You going to tell him?"
My question seemed to put a bit more life into her. "Yeah. Sure. For all the good it will do. Robert isn't what you would call the 'family' type. Already with someone else."
Paige asked the question that was pretty much on my mind but I wasn't willing to ask. "You going to keep it?"
Sharee took a deep breath before nodding firmly, her hands clasping over her abdomen lovingly. "It's part of me. Neither of us asked for this but here we are. I won't abandon him. Her. Whichever it ends up being."
I smiled. "Whatever you need." Sharee finally brought her eyes to mine. I kept my smile in place as I nodded to my own statement.
"You sure? I mean, I'm still kinda dealing with just knowing but, that's a big offer. I don't know..."
"We take care of our own." I replied easily. "Whatever you need, just let us know and it's yours."
Like a dam bursting, Sharee collapsed into my armored suit crying. I smiled awkwardly as I rubbed her back letting her know everything would be alright before looking to Paige. "Let Sebastian know I'll probably be a while?"
