Hope Comes to Brockton Bay
Part 55
Two guards stood, guns leveled at Hope and the two girls. Coil's voice boomed over an intercom speaker. "You brought company, Skitter. I thought I could trust you on this."
"You can trust me," snapped Skitter. "Everyone knows Hope, and she's vouched for Amy."
"Hope? Yes, I have heard of Hope. Amy ... is another matter," Coil responded. "They have given their word to not betray my secrets?"
"We have, and I will again, if necessary," Hope said firmly. "I'm just here on Skitter's behalf. Amy's with me. I take responsibility for her."
There was a long pause. "They carry no weapons?"
"Skitter has a knife," responded a guard. "The other two got nothing. Phones are off, batteries are out."
Another pause. The door ahead of them clicked, and then swung gently open. Skitter led the way; Hope and Amy followed, the latter sticking close to Hope. Hope clasped her hand and squeezed reassuringly.
The room was large and basically cavernous, split into two levels. Coil stood surveying them as they entered. Guards stood around the perimeter, guns in hand but not pointed. Most interesting, however, to Hope, were the other people standing across the room. Sundancer, Trickster, Ballistic and a female form that she decided had to be Genesis' latest creation.
Sundancer turned and waved; the others looked toward the newcomers with varying degrees of interest. Hope waved back with a smile.
Interestingly, Skitter did not seem surprised to see the Travelers in Coil's base. What's going on here?
Amy drew closer to Hope, and took her hand.
"You okay, sweetie?" asked Hope, quietly.
Amy nodded, jerkily. "Starting to wish I'd just let you come on your own," she murmured in return. "But if I had, and I knew you were here on your own, I'd want to be here with you ..."
Hope smiled and squeezed her hand reassuringly. "We'll be fine."
"Welcome," said Coil. "I do wish you had called ahead, Skitter, although I believe I know what your business is with me." He paused. "As for Hope and ... Amy, was it?"
"As I said," Hope reiterated, "I'm just here on Skitter's behalf. And Amy's here on my behalf." She half-smiled. "I understand that you may be a little reluctant to conclude the agreement you have with Skitter, so I'm here to make things easier all round."
Coil's expression was unreadable under the full-face mask, but his voice held a frown. He raised his voice slightly. "You're here to intimidate me into compliance?" Across the room, the Travelers obviously heard, and turned to watch the byplay.
Hope shook her head. "You misunderstand me. I'm here to offer peaceful alternatives."
"And ... Amy?"
Amy raised her head defiantly. "I'm here with Hope. Where she goes, I go."
"Indeed," mused Coil. "Well, then. To business. Skitter, I did indeed promise to release Dinah from her service with me once the Slaughterhouse Nine crisis was over."
He left the statement hanging. After a few moments, Skitter prompted him. "I hear a 'but' coming."
"But ..." he said, drawing the word out, "I find myself ... enmeshed in deals. Situations. Problems. And Dinah is proving invaluable in sorting them out." He looked over at Skitter. "Some of which impact on your group, and the Travelers as well."
Hope blinked. The Undersiders and the Travelers are working with Coil? Or for him? It made sense. They were villains, he was a villain. A mastermind, working from the shadows.
"It doesn't matter," said Skitter harshly. "You made a promise. Gave your word."
"We're all adults here," Coil said smoothly. "Deals can be renegotiated. Say ... one year from now, I release Dinah from her service, and in the meantime, you, the Undersiders and Travelers both, get an increased cut in profits."
"No deal," snapped Skitter. Hope could see that she was getting visibly angry, so she stepped forward.
"I have a suggestion," she said quietly. Skitter and Coil looked at her. She looked at them both in turn. "How about you get her out here, and see what she wants?" She raised an eyebrow. "Maybe she actually wants to stay and help. But if she wants to go ..."
Coil frowned. "I don't think she should be disturbed ..."
Hope tilted her head. "Please?" she said softly. "All I want to do is speak to her, ensure she's healthy."
"Hrmmm," muttered Coil. "Very well. But I will want something from you."
"Oh?" asked Hope.
"A favour. A use of your powers. The accomplishment of a certain goal."
Hope paused before speaking. "Nothing illegal, nothing that will hurt anyone."
"Of course not," said Coil promptly. "I have been watching your progress. I know of your principles. I would not ask you to break them. If anything, you will be helping someone."
Hope did not hesitate. "In that case," she said, "I accept."
Amy grabbed her arm; Skitter's head whipped around so fast Hope feared she would give herself whiplash. "What?" they echoed each other.
"One power use," Hope said firmly. "One. I will do my very best to help you achieve you want. Now, please bring Dinah here so that we can speak with her." She found Amy's hand and squeezed it.
"What are you doing?" hissed Amy in her ear.
"What I have to," Hope replied, just as softly. She gave Amy a quick smile. "It'll be all right."
Amy gave her a doubtful look, then subsided.
Dinah was escorted into their presence by a man in a turtleneck sweater, whom Coil quickly dismissed. She took a few hesitant steps forward, and Hope's heart melted.
"Hi, sweetie," she said, stepping forward herself, and dropping to one knee. "My name's Hope." She smiled brilliantly at Dinah. "It's so nice to meet you."
Dinah blinked at Hope, then smiled back uncertainly. "You're the angel girl," she said softly.
This is who Tattletale was talking about, realised Hope. She's the one who knew about me and Jack Slash.
"I'm the angel girl," she confirmed. "And I've come to ask you if you want to go home to mummy and daddy, or stay here with Mr – with Coil."
"You're here to take me home," said Dinah, taking another few stumbling steps forward. Hope frowned slightly. Dinah seemed ... unfocused, somehow.
"Do you want to go home?" asked Hope, holding her hand out to Dinah.
"Will mummy and daddy have candy?" asked Dinah, taking a step forward, and putting her hand in Hope's. She smiled at Hope. "You're nice."
"I don't see why –" began Hope, and then the sensations hit her. When her hand touched Dinah's, she took a full inventory of the child's biometrics, her state of health, everything.
Dinah was drugged to the gills.
"Amy, come meet Dinah," she said over her shoulder. "Dinah, do you want to meet my friend Amy? She's nice too."
Something in her voice warned Coil. "What are you doing?" he asked warily.
"It's simple," said Hope. "Dinah is drugged. She's not in a fit state to answer any questions. Once she's out from under the influence ..."
"No!" snapped Coil. His guards went to bring their guns up, only to find that silken cords had been wrapped around them, tying them to the rails. They started forward, only to trip over more cords.
The Travelers also started to move forward, but Skitter held her hand up. "Leave it," she warned them. "This is between Hope and Coil." They paused, watching carefully.
"This does not have to get ugly," Hope warned Coil. "But Amy will have a look at Dinah." A swarm of insects poured from Skitter's costume and formed in front of Coil's face, hanging there as a silent warning.
"... fine," snapped Coil, biting off the word. He gestured; the guards, scrambling to their feet, resumed their places, looking more tense but not actually hostile.
Amy reached Dinah, and put her hand on the girl's arm. She nodded grimly. "Drugged," she confirmed.
Hope nodded. "I can clear the drugs from her system," she said, "but I can't tell how badly she's addicted, or do anything about it."
Amy smiled. "Whereas I can," she agreed. "She's only moderately addicted, but withdrawal would be unpleasant for her."
"Extremely unpleasant," Dinah confirmed. "But the worst is over after six days."
Hope shook her head. "Let's see if we can't improve on that." She turned to Dinah. "Are you good with us doing this, sweetie?" she asked.
Dinah nodded placidly. "I would appreciate it considerably," she assented. Hope blinked. That was impressive phraseology for a girl that age.
But she couldn't think about it now; she concentrated, sending a pulse of silver-blue light into Dinah's skin. It contacted her immune system, sending it into high gear. Every molecule of the drug still circulating in her system was promptly rejected by her body, flushing to her kidneys. Dinah shuddered.
Amy took over then, adjusting the existing body and brain chemistry, removing the influence of the drug, and reinstating the status quo that the drug had disrupted. Within seconds, they performed the work of months, cleaning all trace of the drug from her body, and reversing the progress of the addiction.
Dinah blinked and looked at them both once more. "Thank you, Hope," she said; her voice was stronger, more sure. She hugged Hope strongly. "That was much less unpleasant than it could have been."
"Don't forget Amy," Hope reminded her.
Dinah disengaged from Hope and smiled at Amy, then hugged her too.
Amy hugged her back, tears standing in her eyes. Her gaze met Hope's and understanding passed between them. Oh yeah, this is what it's all about.
"Can I go home now?" asked Dinah, looking from one to the other.
Hope gathered her in her arms again. "Oh, sweetie," she said, "of course you can."
"Then I want to go home."
The door closed behind Skitter as she escorted Dinah from the base. Coil watched her go. Hope had wanted Amy to go with them, but she had refused to leave Hope's side.
"You realise," glowered Coil, "that you now have an obligation to to discharge."
Hope nodded; she kept her expression steady, but her thoughts were hard-edged. He drugged Dinah to keep her compliant. Also, he tries to edge out on his word. I do not like this man.
"I said I would, and I will," she agreed. "Whatever power use you require of me, provided it's neither illegal nor harmful to others, I will carry out."
Coil nodded, considering. Then he gestured to the Travelers. "If you can assist me in something I have promised them I would do, then I would consider the matter at an end."
Hope frowned. "You're being extremely vague. Details would be helpful."
Coil let out a sigh. "Details, indeed." He led the way to where the Travelers were standing, up to what Hope realised was a large vault door of some sort. Hope let her senses expand, and felt each of the Travelers – except for Genesis, of course – and beyond the heavy steel, there was another life-spark, another conscious mind.
He tapped in a code, and a screen lit, showing a shadowy form, the picture presumably matching whoever was within the vault. Hope peered more closely. Whoever – or whatever – it was in there, it wasn't human. There was far too much bulk for that.
Clicking an intercom button, Coil spoke. "I have someone I'd like you to meet." He gestured Hope closer to the speaker.
She stepped forward and said, "Hi. I'm pleased to meet you."
And the creature inside the vault spoke, in the voice of a teenage girl.
"Hello, Hope. My name is Noelle."
They sat at a small table. Coil's minions had produced a teapot and Coil himself had poured for Hope and Amy. Hope sipped at the tea; it gave her time to think.
"So, her powers are running away with her body?" she said at last.
"Basically, yes," replied Coil. He kept his voice down; the Travelers were conversing with her again, via the intercom. "She ... consumes things. Dead matter becomes part of her. Live things ... she can create clones of them, send them out. Broken clones. With her current body mass, she gets very hungry unless she is fed regularly, in large quantities." He paused.
"She's responsible for several mass killings. The Travelers brought her to me in the hope that I would find a cure, and in the meantime prevent her from perpetrating more massacres." He massaged what had to be the bridge of his nose with finger and thumb, through the cloth of his mask. "Thus far, I have succeeded in just one of those tasks."
Hope put her head to one side. "And what do you think I can do?"
"I am running out of options, and the Travelers are running out of patience," confessed Coil. "But I have heard a rumour that you can bring the dead back to life." He nodded to Hope. "I have consulted experts in parahuman capabilities – in the blind, of course – and there is a slight but measurable chance that if she is killed and then revived, her powers may undergo a reset of sorts, to a more controllable level."
Hope recoiled. "That's barbaric!" she exclaimed. A couple of the Travelers looked around. She hastily lowered her voice. "That's wrong. Killing her, in the hope that reviving her will make her powers more controllable? I can't put in words how wrong that is."
"I won't be asking you to kill her," Coil assured her. "Just to revive her once she is dead." He paused. "You can revive her, yes?"
Hope nodded. "I feel her life-energy. I can revive her." Her face twisted into a grimace. "But I don't like it. It feels ... bad. Wrong."
"Well, would it make you feel better if I told you that Dinah told me that your arrival would mark the day that Noelle was made all better?" asked Coil. He leaned forward. "Killing her and reviving her via your power was the only option I could think of that just might work."
"I have a better idea," said Hope. "I want to go and talk to her. Face to face."
Coil shook his head. "Not an option," he stated flatly. "If she comes into contact with you, you won't be able to pull free. She will absorb you into her. You will become her latest prisoner – or her latest meal." And I won't get my power use, he didn't have to say.
Hope stood. "You want me to fix your problem, I'll fix it my way. Open the vault. I want to talk to her."
Coil shook his head. "You're crazy. It's not going to happen."
Hope nodded firmly. "Oh, yes it is."
Coil closed the vault door behind Hope, shaking his head. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this," he muttered, then raised his voice. "Just stay clear of her," he told her over the intercom. "Do notlet her touch you."
Hope nodded. "I understand. Inner door, please."
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" whispered Amy urgently.
"Not really," murmured Hope, "but I'm not about to allow him to murder her. And you should really have stayed outside."
"Where you go," Amy said stubbornly, "I go."
Before Hope could answer, the inner door slid open.
The chamber beyond was not well-lit, but Hope's inner glow changed that, filling most of it with a pearlescent silvery-blue light. Amy stayed behind Hope; Hope kept her wings half-open, shielding Amy from direct view. I should have insisted that she stayed outside ...
The darkness at the far end of the chamber shifted, and Noelle ventured into the light.
Hope gasped; she was huge. A lower body that was surely composed of everything – and everyone – that she had ever consumed, and an upper body that looked almost normal, almost human.
"Hi, Noelle," she said with a smile. "It's me, Hope. I just thought I'd come in and say hi. Coil wants me to help him find a cure for you, you know."
"Does he?" asked Noelle curiously. "And do you think you'll succeed?"
"I can only try," replied Hope cheerfully.
"Why did you come in here?" asked Noelle unhappily. "Surely he told you what I do."
"Because I wanted to speak to you face to face," Hope told her firmly. "I can get a much better feel for someone, that way."
"But I eat people," groaned Noelle. "I might eat you, even if I don't want to."
"Do you want to?" asked Hope, stepping toward her. She gave Amy a hand gesture – stay by the door. For a wonder, Amy obeyed.
"No," admitted Noelle.
"Then I trust you not to," Hope told her, quietly but firmly.
She approached Noelle, moving smoothly and easily, not making any sudden motions that might startle the grossly transformed teenage girl. Noelle watched her nervously, multiple arms and legs extending from the lower body twitching occasionally. Hope could see eyes and mouths on the lower body, as well as where they should be on Noelle's head.
Noelle's upper body turned away, convulsively. "Don't look at me," she said suddenly. "I'm ugly. I'm a monster."
Hope smiled. "I've met monsters. You're not a monster. You're just someone who's had a really horrible deal from life. Yes, you've done bad things, but if I can help you now, you will never have to do them again."
Noelle shook her head. "I can't – I won't – when I get hungry, I can't control what I do." The anguish in her voice tore at Hope's heart.
"Are you hungry now?" asked Hope quietly.
"No, but –" Soon, Hope understood. She nodded. "I understand," she told Noelle. She moved a little closer. "Can I ask you a question about what you do, without upsetting you?"
Noelle hesitated. "I guess," she ventured at last. "Depends on what it is. If it's too upsetting, I probably won't answer it."
"That's fair," said Hope. She took a deep breath. "When you're pulling something in, do you start absorbing what's in it before or after you've pulled it all the way inside you?"
Noelle blinked. "After," she said, following a moment's thought. "Sometimes it takes a little while."
Hope nodded thoughtfully. "Then, if you don't mind, would you let me try an experiment?"
"What experiment?" asked Noelle warily.
"Extend one of your limbs toward me. Let me touch it with a wingtip. See if it starts pulling me in." She smiled. "If it does, I can shed a feather or two." Her smile turned into a grin. "Don't worry, they're non-toxic. Approved for consumption by the FDA. Just not very nutritious."
Noelle smiled, despite herself, and thought about it for a bit. "... okay," she said finally. She extended an arm that hung from her lower body. Hope unfurled her primary right wing, and extended it to meet Noelle's hand.
Crystalline wingtip met fleshy hand, brushed, held firm contact. Hope broke the contact, re-established it. There was a slight tackiness there, not unlike containment foam, but nothing she could not overcome.
"Take hold of it," she encouraged Noelle. "See if I can pull free." Noelle obligingly took a grip on the wingtip feather, and Hope exerted her strength to pull free. After only a moderate yank, the feather slid from Noelle's grip.
"Well, that's a start," said Hope.
"How are you doing that?" asked Noelle curiously.
"It's a power thing," Hope said. "Not sure how it works. Nothing sticks to me."
"I still would not get too close," Noelle warned her. "If I absorb you all the way into me, I won't need to go through your skin."
Hope nodded seriously. "I understand that." She moved a few steps closer, re-furling the primary wing. "Point your index finger at me."
Noelle obeyed.
Hope was in reaching distance now; she extended her arm forward, pointing at Noelle with her own index finger.
"What are you doing?" Coil's voice crackled over the intercom.
"Testing a hypothesis," Hope replied, her voice quiet and calm, so as not to startle Noelle. "Let's see what happens ... now."
She leaned forward, wings half-unfurled for balance, and placed the tip of her right index finger against the tip of Noelle's finger.
For a long moment, nothing happened. Noelle seemed to be holding her breath. Hope pulled back, feeling the slight tackiness, but broke the contact with no real effort.
"Again," murmured Hope. She placed her fingertip against Noelle's, and this time 'listened' to the flood of sensations sent to her by her biometric senses.
Hope raised her hand palm out and took half a step forward. As if in a daze, Noelle raised her own hand, palm out. Their hands met, palm flat to palm, and then Hope meshed her fingers with Noelle's.
"That's ... wow," marveled Noelle. "I haven't been able to have human contact for so long ..." Her voice trailed off; she did not add the unspoken That is, people I haven't eaten. When she spoke again, it held a touch of worry. "I think I'm starting to feel hungry. You might want to back off." She let go Hope's hand and pulled her arm back.
Hope smiled. "That's fine," she said. "I've learned what I wanted to know." She moved back to where Amy waited in the corner nearest the inner door.
"She's a regenerator," she said in a low voice. "That much I can tell. Plus, there's extensive micro-scarring in and around her brain area. She's probably taken way too many hits there, and she's not thinking too clearly now." She indicated the mass of Noelle's body with a gesture of her hand. "From what I've seen you do, it should be possible to separate out a normal human body from what she is now, and then fix her brain, put it back together the way it was before she took so much trauma." She paused, looking at Amy. "You think you can pull that off?"
Amy frowned. "Seems awful risky to me. What if I get stuck and pulled in?"
Hope smiled. "That's what I'm here for. To pull you out again."
At that moment, Amy looked up to see Noelle's bulk looming toward them.
The intercom spat out an urgent "LOOK OUT!"
Noelle's voice, high-pitched and desperate, called, "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm hungry!"
A massive tentacle, one that Hope had not seen before, encircled Hope's waist and plucked her away from Amy's desperately clutching hands. She didn't even have time to do more than look extremely startled before it slapped her against the side of Noelle's grossly oversized lower body, and the flesh folded over her.
Just before she disappeared, swallowed by Noelle's bulk, she called out, "Coil! Get Amy to safety!"
And then there was just a single glowing hand protruding from Noelle's bulk, reaching, imploring. And then even that was gone.
"NOOOOOO!" screamed Amy. "HOPE!"
To be continued ...
