You do you #

Taylor pulled her cell, well, Jermaine's cell, out of her top. Turned out those girls in the school carried them there because it was the best place for them, not because they liked it that way Taylor bet. Damn thing got hot. They broke if you sat on them though, fell out of hoody pockets, just generally were a pain in the ass really. And they were plastic and glass, so sweat was an issue, which was a bit gross really.

Taylor smirked, not one she had had before, boob sweat. Spider genes, or whatever, had made all areas grow. She chuckled to herself and looked down "You do you girls." Shelob patted her on the back of the head from where she was riding in the hoody hood. She accepted the call "What's up?" Taylor listened for a minute and scowled. "Well I guess, I got my job though. Can they come to me?" She listened again "Yeah, s'cool, Harbor and Ropewalk, down by the old dry-dock. If not there then over on Chandler. What? Sure come on. We can hang out. Amy already texted. Apparently Brandish wants to come look at working conditions. Lisa and Rachel will be by too. The dogs, they like ratting I guess." She hung up and stuffed the phone back in her top.

Hannah looked at Missy's grin as she put her phone in its belt pouch and sighed. Jamie patted her on the back. Missy eyed the older women "Assault is going to get himself envenomed."

Jamie smirked "I hear it hurts like a bitch." Missy gaped at her. Hannah pinched the bridge of her nose.

You do you

Lisa walked up and looked at the buildings Taylor was working on. "We'll need Missy and Amy. Gross, that one might get up and walk off on the back of all the roaches under it."

Taylor shrugged "I got them moving to the crèche."

Lisa nodded "Eggs and poop Taylor. We're going to need some of Amy's stuff."

Rachel nodded watching the dozen small dogs she had working "Lot of rats too." She whistled and the dogs sprinted off.

Shelob swung by on a dragline. Lisa shook her head. Taylor shrugged "She gets bored with the roaches."

Lisa looked at her "And the fur coat of widows she is wearing?"

"S'cool right?"

"You're completely terrifying."

Taylor pouted. The drag line swung back to the middle of the street from the lamp hung on a cable stretched between warehouses. Lisa grabbed it and pulled. Then she wrapped it around a board she picked up from the street and lifted her feet off the ground. She grinned and made a swing out of it. Taylor huffed "Hey!"

"My idea. You can have a go next." Lisa pumped her legs.

A nice Audi purred up and Vicky leapt out of the back and flew over "Sweet!"

Amy walked up with an eyebrow arched "Somebody is going to break something. How did you get that up-" Shelob swung across the road a little further down. Amy face palmed.

Brandish gaped for a moment "So that's the Spider Endbringer then."

"Shelob is great mom, told you. Miss Militia has arachnophobia. She even petted her though." Vicky took up her favorite spiders cause.

Brandish was at a loss for words long enough for a PRT van to arrive and unload Miss Militia, Assault, Battery, and Vista. Brandish looked at Taylor "No mask?"

Taylor shrugged "Not caping right now, working. Nobody but us around." She tugged at the tie died bandana around her neck.

Brandish nodded "Your social contract theory."

Taylor shrugged "Lustrum's probably, or her girls. Mom ran with her till that all went bad. So did Aunt Lacey. Dad and Kurt helped them persuade the others to leave them alone after they left. Makes sense though."

Brandish caught herself nodding. Miss Militia stepped in "420-"

"Taylor, not caping now."

Miss Militia blinked. Brandish chuckled. Taylor shrugged and gave the whole social contract spiel. Miss Militia nodded thoughtfully "And your father? Your friends?"

Taylor stilled "It would be a bad idea for someone to break the contract." Shelob swung down onto her shoulder and flexed up and down, Seemingly thousands of black widows moved off of Shelob and down onto Taylor. Dogs, turning into some type of dinosaur appeared from different buildings and stood, growing and watching.

Battery looked at Assault. He was the image of professionalism. She blinked "Uh, Taylor, what's the chance of me borrowing a spider, or twelve."

"Puppy!"

"Make it two dozen." The women looked at Assault's offended face and snickered.

Lisa swung to a stop "So, you wanted to talk about your wayward ward Protectorate?" She was wearing her bandana.

Between calming Brandish, getting the whole story, Taylor telling what had happened to her, and everything else, the group was on Chandler and the last warehouses for today by the time they were done and Brandish and the Protectorate had gone their way. Brandish had spent some time petting Shelob, as had Miss Militia, and Battery. Shelob spent some time riding Assaults head like she liked to do with Alec. Missy stayed. Taylor put a note in her phones calendar and then looked up "Want to go to the diner and check on dumbass? I got a couple hours before they come for the notebooks."

Lisa couldn't stand it anymore "You know Sophia Hess is Shadow Stalker right?"

"Seems like they got it." Taylor shrugged.

Lisa opened her mouth, closed it, then nodded "They do. Piggot is flipping the fuck out. She doesn't like parahumans, she really doesn't like Shadow Stalker. She was forced on her directorate. Somebody higher than Piggot thinks she could be useful."

Vicky shrugged "So Costa Brown then, that's the only person higher than a Director."

Amy frowned "Why did she finally ask for healing then? That's where Carol was going next."

Lisa looked at her and winced "Sorry, we will have to work on that. 420 is why. Piggot isn't stupid. Lung and two of the Empires enforcers are down. The gangs will posture and test each other. Taylor will stomp them."

"Not if they're cool."

Lisa rolled her eyes "When have they ever been cool Taylor? Don't even try that, you know, otherwise you wouldn't have every widow in town. If they were smart they would move before your hornets get acclimatized, and Amy gets a hold of them. Their intelligence network and operational sections aren't that good though, they haven't figured it out. That's why your three massive strikes after Coil is taken care of will work. That's what Piggot is afraid of. It will be a constant parade of idiots for a while until they learn."

Missy raised a hand "Hold up, we are taking down the gangs?"

Taylor gave Lisa a lidded gaze and the other girls grinned. Lisa blushed "Stop that."

Rachel, uncharacteristically, spoke up "We can take the gangs now."

Taylor led the girls off the bus "Coil, and tons of explosive. Tinkertech guns too."

Lisa nodded "Yeah we need some more Amy magic and the girls to carry it in."

Amy frowned "I'm going to need more than 'tinkertech'."

You do you

Paul Renick, PRT Deputy Director, East North East looked at his boss across the certified copies of the document, Taylor Hebert's very detailed bullying journal, the original of which was now registered in the county registrar's office. "Brandish is gleefully helping the Hebert's lawyers."

"Lawyers?"

Paul nodded "Mr. Hebert has an attorney and he got one for Ms. Hebert, a young one in her case. Very aggressive, like a baby shark in the womb, her brothers and sisters in the law either did not survive gestation, or won't survive meeting her in court, from what I hear."

Emily nodded "Good. I can hang this around the PRT headquarters. Maybe then they won't try to force another ward down my throat."

Paul eyed her "Like the Undersiders."

Emily tapped a stack of paperwork "The Undersider section of the 420 affiliated hero team. As soon as Vista delivers the documents, gets them signed, and returned to us."

"And Shadow Stalker?"

Emily scowled "Was picked up fifteen minutes ago from the roof. In chains. She is going to San Diego for rehab. Then Madison."

Paul winced "Those poor people haven't suffered enough?

"Not to change the subject but do we really want to alienate HQ by hanging all of this around their neck in court?"

Emily grinned "The beauty of it is they already asked if we had a plan. I'm going to sacrifice the PRT agent that investigated, or didn't really, Hellhounds case, Hess's handler as well. It's a win win for us."

Paul frowned "Aside from Having Hess associated with this directorate."

Emily nodded "PR has some work to do. Meanwhile 420 will envenom someone important and distract the populace from us. She has already done the rank and file, some multiple times. Negative reinforcement training on steroids, Piss her off and live in agony for at least an hour.

"Even Lung is still twitchy about anything with more than four legs the people from the supermax said."

Paul nodded "Still setting up for his trial then?"

Emily smiled "PRT HQ took that over."

Paul blinked "So we will never win the lottery ever then." Emily laughed and laughed. No they wouldn't, but they would come out of this smelling like a rose after falling in the hog house lagoon.

You do you

"Some acids eat glass." Amy shrugged "The bodies are aluminum we think. Same acid will eat that." Taylor fist bumped her and finished her tea. She looked around at the others and got up, she waved to the cook and hugged the head waitress on the way out the door.

Amy worked for a few minutes as they waited on the bus. Taylor took the resulting insect and brought one of her wasp in for pickup. Vicky frowned "How long will that take?"

Amy shrugged "Bed bug, fertilized, do a couple a day and they will over run the place in a month."

"I'll keep them hidden as much as I can, let them build a good population. Those don't need blood, just aluminum and water. Well, some stuff out of concrete. Different bug entirely really, now."

Missy looked at her "And where did you get the original bedbug?" Taylor pointed to an allegedley upscale hotel. The girls all shuddered.

You do you

Thomas Calvert sat back and worked through the actions in the successful timeline. His pet was off the reservation. This was going to require some work.

You do you

Max Anders drummed his fingers and contemplated the monitor in front of him. An insect master. Well, all the spider bites made much more sense now. He sighed. He would have to do something about this. Something rather permanent. To bad as this master could have been a great asset to the Empire. He scrolled down and froze. Hebert? Goddamnit! That fucking frog had been holding the DWU together for years, and he was an associate! Well. This would take a little more effort. First a call to New York.'

You do you

"Uncle Tony! Been a while. Oh, uh, okay. Tonight? I uh don't really have, you have a reservation. Okay? Seven, at Al Forno. Taylor, well of course. See you and Aunt Maria then."

Danny hung up and rested his face in his palms with his elbows on the desk. "Seventeen years, shot to hell. I wonder what the old man wants."

Kurt who was leaned on the doorframe snorted "Does it matter? Its obbligo."

Danny lifted his head "I am out of that. Annette was too."

Kurt nodded and then shrugged "You were never in it really, more the French connection for you, with your dad and all. Though they all hang together sort of. Even the Irish."

Danny scowled "You would know."

Kurt grinned and looked at his watch "Better round up Taylor."

Danny nodded "She should be home. Though she is hanging out with Amy Dallon and some other girls."

Kurt nodded "Lacey said. She was pretty happy about it. Different than before high school, and way different than high school Taylor. I think I like laid back Taylor. I miss chatter box Taylor though. Hey you better take her lawyer with. Don't want Maria fixing you up with a fine upstanding catholic girl." Danny blanched and reached for the phone.

You do you

Danny eyed Taylor "And you know what they are going to think."

Taylor grinned "Yep."

Lisa squirmed "And if I dont want to meet the Godfather?"

Taylor shrugged "He's just an old guy with good hard candy in his pocket."

"You were six!" Lisa's fist went to her hips. Danny blinked and then narrowed his eyes. Lisa looked at him "Damnit!"

Danny looked at his watch and ushered them both to the door "We don't want to be late."

You do you

Antonio looked at Taylor "This doesn't surprise you?"

"Nazi's. Whaddaya gonna do?"

Maria waved that off "I want to know more about this colored girl."

Taylor rolled her eyes "Black Aunt Maria. They identify as black people now."

Marias nails clicked on the table "Black, purple, eggplant, truffle, who cares. Where is she and what is being done about her."

Charlotte Dumfries, Taylor's lawyer grinned "In LA, going to that boot camp thing they run. She made us millions, well Taylor did, enduring the bullying."

Maria narrowed her eyes "Barnes, Clemmons?"

Charlotte chuckled "More millions. Meanwhile Emma Barnes is committed to psychiatric care and Madison Clemmons is in supervised probation."

Antonio looked at Taylor "Not let them do them. It might get you killed."

Lisa barked a laugh "Not likely. Panacea looked at the hornets today. Freaking things are terrifying. Two foot wingspan. Stinger three inches long that will go through sheet metal. Of course they just knock you out now. Well, she says."

Maria arched a brow at Taylor "And spiders? How are we to get you a husband?" Taylor sighed.

You do you

Lisa looked at Taylor and chuckled, they were walking up Taylor's front walk after being dropped off by one of the men Uncle Tony had watching Taylor. One of the made men. "Not very laid back. Though better than I would have done, maybe, certainly better than most girls. I couldn't believe she got out her phone and had a list of candidates on it."

Taylor had regained much of her calm in the back of the Cadillac on the way to the house "Good food though. I see why mom didn't want to be in that mess. Seriously, those guys were like old too!"

Lisa side eyed her "Except for Marco."

Taylor blushed. Marco's picture was of him on a beach, In a speedo. He could get away with it. Pure beefcake. "He's her last choice. She doesn't think he is very smart."

"Do you really need smart with a six foot five slab of solid muscle. His six pack had a six pack." Lisa grinned. Taylor sighed.

You do you

Max looked at Victor "So the old man knows them."

Victor chuckled darkly "Yes, he is familiar with his grand niece."

"Fuck."

You do you

Emily read the report again and laughed. "So, horseheads in beds then?"

The G2 smiled "You're taking a visit from the old man fairly well ma'am."

"Well, they got New York pretty much under control. Could be a stabilizing influence. Hebert was married to his niece?" The G2 nodded "But she was not 'in' the family. Was in Lustrums crowd though. That's confirmed?" Another nod "When it was political, before it turned violent. Miss Militia says that's where 420 got her 'social contract' deal. This was a weird town when Lustrum and Marquis were running it. Something to be said for weird though, they did manage to run off the Nine, and the Teeth.

"Dog fighting shut down?" A nod this time "Just cage matches between humans. Not illegal until someone gets hurt.

"Okay. So lets give it a day or two and see what the new normal is. The FBI and Secret Service handle the Mob. I should probably talk to them."

You do you

At the meeting the next afternoon Emily watched the video and then turned to Armsmaster "It's a hornet."

"Correct, a pair of them, the one on the right is a queen. The interesting thing is the scale." He pulled up a still image with a scale across the bottom and side of the picture.

Emily pinched the bridge of her nose "The flying insect Endbringer."

"So what is going to be the water one?" Assault asked. Everyone in the room turned baleful glares on him "What?"

Emily cleared her throat "Back on track, 420's newest acquisition aside, the Empire has stopped the dog fights, they have not stopped the pit fights. Apparently instructions came down from Kaiser to stay far away from 420, and some effort has gone into refining the rough tracking system the rank and file have developed. Thinker type effort, we suspect from Victor.

"This is the result of the Godfather paying a visit and it coming to light that his grand niece lives here in town."

The room was silent for a moment then Velocity snapped his fingers "420, she took out Storm Tiger and Cricket. I wonder what concession Kaiser got for that?"

Emily nodded "As do the FBI. They are working on it, We are cooperating. Omerta means they will never discuss it, and if 420 is famiglia there wasn't necessarily a concession. Aside from which, dog fighting is frowned upon by the mob, for some strange reason. Bear baiting, prostitution, drugs, gambling, money laundering, protection, but they draw the line at dog fighting. Its an odd world.

"We are going to be watchful and see what develops. I don't think Hookwolf will take this lying down. He lost two members of his faction of the Empire."

Dauntless, a former police officer, whistled through his teeth "These guys don't play. I don't think they will mind coming up with a weapon, or method, to deal with Hookwolf."

"To include bringing in one of their made capes. Be watchful. Next item-" Emily moved the meeting on.

You do you

Sophia came to the position of attention, she was dripping with sweat. The DI looked at her "You still got that look. Beat your face." Sophia dropped and started doing pushups again. All they were doing was making her better.

Alexandria watched through narrowed eyes. If this kept on she was going to have to have a counseling session with Shadow Stalker. Of the wall to wall kind.