I jogged in smooth, loping strides, Amy sitting on one shoulder and the lump containing Bonesaw hefted upon the other. The streets were empty, the call to avoid glass having come in just after I ran off. Speaking of which, I'll probably get a solid reaming from Armsmaster when I get back, though the capture of Bonesaw might mitigate that somewhat.

I wasn't going to tell him about Murder Rat. Amy wasn't going to snitch on me, and I didn't want to admit it to anyone just how badly I beefed it when the chips were down. I couldn't do it, there was still some of Natalie in there. Murder Rat had one and a half brains and I didn't know who's was who; was all of Natalie in there, or just half? Should I have mercy killed her? Could I have? Bringing her in with us would have been a death sentence for her, Armsmaster would have executed her on the spot and I didn't know if I could blame him.

Amy must have sensed my shift in mood, even though my Chameleon Skin hid us both even from each other's eyes.

"I'm sorry I punched you."

I sighed. "You can't actually hurt me at this point, don't worry about it."

"No, it was still wrong," Amy said, clutching onto my uniform collar. "Mouse Protector was your friend."

I slowed to a walk, blinking moisture out of my eyes.

"Out of all the adult heroes I've ever met, only she wasn't completely fucking dour about it," I said. Assault wasn't bad, but he just didn't have it. "It really meant a lot to me that she always took me as seriously as she did herself."

Which was the correct amount, even if it wasn't much. It was her most refreshing and magnetic quality, that she treated you with the level of respect she held for herself. You were always equal to Mouse Protector. I knew a lot of people hated it because they were pretentious chodes who couldn't see past the image of themselves they had built up inside their heads, but as far as I knew Natalie had never compromised on this aspect of herself. She was being herself, herself. Always.

I wished she and mum could meet, they'd probably be best friends in like two minutes.

"I guess," said Amy. "It's too bad I never met her."

I snorted sadly. "You're too self-absorbed, you'd have hated her. She'd have picked and needled until you screamed at her and stormed off."

"Why're you making her sound shit? You said she was cool."

"Yeah, I didn't think you'd get it."

"You dick," Amy shifted on my shoulder to a more comfortable angle where the shoulder plate wasn't digging into her butt. "You're just as self-absorbed as I am. You just thought she was hot, didn't you?"

"Yeah, maybe," I cast my eyes down. "But she was still awesome."

Amy gingerly patted me on the head, then almost lost her balance and grabbed my face in a panic to stop herself from falling off. "Maybe people like you resonate with each other, people with a personality only a mother could love."

"Did you fuck my dad recently?" I shifted my shoulder, making Amy flail in panic again. "Are you my new mummy?"

"Ew, no, gross. I only pretend to be your friend so I can use you as an errand boy. The real payoff is you have to protect me from these freaky cunts," Amy gestured at the lump containing Bonesaw. "And you'll still owe me. Can you fucking believe they want to recruit me? Me!"

"They are insane."

"It was just lucky we had the warehouse, if I didn't have the warning of her trying to break in I wouldn't have been able to text you. She was practically frothing at the sight of it like I was already halfway to being like her."

"Lucky you didn't have one of those fighting Ogres on hand."

"I think she'd have shit herself," Amy shuddered. "My god am I glad she didn't see I had my under-armour on, she'd have came."

Bonesaw's breathing changed again, coming in in excited pants.

"Oh, great," I said. "She can hear us. Also, gross, she's like twelve, Amy."

"Bleh. The PRT has a hazmat furnace, right? Throw her in."

"We will. Hear that Bonesaw? Nobody is coming to save you, you're going to die!"

She mumbled something that sounded like 'yeah, right,' through the mana constricting her jaw. Where did she have that confidence? Slaughterhouse members died all the time, even Jack wasn't the original leader even if he had been in charge for like fifteen years.

I shook my head and snorted, using the chrysalis as a medium for Mana Sound, causing a distracting, all-consuming buzzing noise right next to Bonesaw's ears.

"Well, she can't hear us anymore. Grab on tight, I'm going to run again."

Amy grabbed a handful of my hair, which she thankfully couldn't yank out even if she wanted to, and I set off into my loping jog.

҉҉҉

Taylor appeared in front of me, a feeling of unease flickering in my gut.

"Fuck!"

I skidded to a stop, sending Amy into another brief panic. Taylor stayed floating in front of me at exactly the same distance.

"Fuck!" Amy spat, echoing me. "What happened?"

She looked just like the Taylor I remembered from school, same gawky figure, same resting bitch face. She was a hallucination.

"Scarecrow's nearby."

"Who the fuck is Scarecrow?"

"Taylor, remember? I told you all about this."

"Oh, right, yeah."

Oh god, I hoped this wasn't her revenge.

"Help me!" demanded the hallucination. "Jack Slash is chasing me, you owe me, Greg!"

"I know, I know! Shit, this isn't a good time, I've got Bonesaw."

Taylor didn't respond immediately, then after a few seconds, she repeated her same line in exactly the same way. She couldn't hear me, ok, damn. Fuck and damn.

"Taylor's leading Jack Slash here because I owe her, fuck!" I stamped on the ground. "Fuck. Come on! What is this, my fucking karmic punishment?! Shit!"

I knelt down, letting Amy step off my shoulder and onto the road. I dumped Bonesaw down, resting my hand on her prison. I cancelled my spells, focusing on reworking the prison. I smoothed it out, shaving off unnecessary edges until it was as small and smooth as I dared make it. Axel and wheels grew, lifting it off the ground, and a handle sprouted from the new front side. A little Bonesaw cart for Amy to pull.

"We have to split," I said, standing back up as the hallucination repeated itself.

"Say no more," Amy stepped around to the front of the cart and picked up the handle. "I pull here?"

"You're going to have to run all the way to the PRT building," I lifted my visor off, rubbing my face all over before putting it back on. "I'll meet you there after I'm done with this."

New quest 'Dance with the Devil'!
Jack Slash is coming your way and he'd love to get to know you!
Success 1: Kill Jack Slash
Success 2: Arrest Jack Slash
Success 3: Join Jack Slash
Failure 1: Be killed by Jack Slash
Failure 2: Be captured by Jack Slash
Failure 3: Let Jack Slash escape

"Ok," said Amy, forcing a panicky smile. "Have fun, don't die."

She let go of the cart handle and rushed at me, tackling me in a hug. "Don't die," she said again in a small voice.

I returned the hug, stroking her frizzy hair. "I have a secret weapon," I whispered. "Don't tell anyone, I have mind control magic."

"Is that why we're friends?" Amy choked a sob.

"I only got it after Leviathan, so you don't have to worry about me," I gave her one last squeeze and stepped back. "It's not like he's Crawler. He's just some dipshit with a knife, I got this."

"Just in case you do die, thanks for saving me back there," Amy wiped her eyes with her knuckles.

"I'm not going to die."

"Yeah, but, just in case."

"You're more likely to die than me."

Amy stepped back, fists clenched, nodding compulsively. "Makes me feel way better. Ok, I'll see you later then."

"I'll send Scarecrow after you when she gets here," I said, breathing deep into my leaden lungs. "She's crazy, but she's a through and through Vigilante and her power is incredibly useful. She'll help you."

Amy grimaced, walking back over and grabbing the handle again. "Thanks. Use the rest of your favours and don't die."

"Love ya, Amy," I said, smiling my best smile. "No homo."

Tears started to leak out of Amy, streaking down her face. "You big dumb gay cunt."

She seemed to gather her courage because she stopped dawdling and moved, pulling the cart along behind her. It was obviously much lighter than she thought because she stumbled a little at the start, glancing back at me briefly before starting to run.

I was ok with this, those were some pretty good last words for each of us, like, just in case Jack wasn't just some dipshit with a knife. Not that I wasn't confident, I'd just handled Bonesaw and the equivalent of two other capes on under two seconds, but, just in case.

I got out both my phones. My both had been blown up with calls from Armsmaster and the PRT. I sent him a quick text letting him know Amy was on her way, then assured both my parents I'd be fine before sending Savannah a bunch of heart emojis.

There, affairs were in order. Time to pay my dues.

"I'm almost at you," the hallucination suddenly said, pointing behind itself. "Save me."

I took time to cycle one full breath before running full tilt in the direction it was pointing. The hallucination moved with me, fixed to the same point of reference. Ruin her life, save her life; this would be the end of my debt to Taylor.

I heard her before I could see her, her ragged breath with fear. Suddenly she blossomed into view, staggering toward me on rubbery legs. She looked terrible. She was a mess. Dirty, ragged trench coat cut to ribbons, stained jeans, clumsy hessian mask.

I moved forward and caught her. She attempted to shie away in revulsion but couldn't escape my grip.

"He's," she gasped for air, pointing. "There!"

"Panacea is heading to the PRT building with Bonesaw," I said loudly before she could speak again. "Is she still in your range?"

Taylor nodded.

"Help her get there. I'll meet you there soon."

I let her go and she staggered off after Amy without a backward glance. Well, that was easy. I ran in the direction she pointed. It wasn't long before I found him.

He looked kind of like Johnny Depp before all the drugs caught up to him.

He stopped short as he saw me. He'd clearly been chasing Taylor on foot, but he was much less winded. I scanned him; it was Bonesaw's work. I brought out Other Greg in full and together we blitzed through his Observe biography, looking for anything to give us an advantage.

We're fucked.

Yes, we are, Other Greg. Yes, we are.

I tried to mind read him but got back the usual incomprehensible mess of noise.

"And who might you be?" Jack said acidly. "I'm rather busy at the moment."

I licked my dry lips. "Bet you are, gay boy."

Jack sighed, rubbing delicately at the corner of his eye with the pinky finger of the hand he held an open straight razor in. "How trite. You're one of them."

He suddenly flicked the razor at me and I leant out of the way, hearing the extended blade score a line across the building behind me.

Jack frowned.

He flicked the razor again, which I dodged just as easily, then gave his blade a puzzled look. "I swear this doesn't usually happen."

He flicked again, a series of slashes designed to cut off any dodge I might have made, but his motions were easy to read. Slow. I was dodging before his blade even extended.

We traded troubled looks. Why wasn't he killing me? His power should be letting him both read and influence me…

A gut-punch of pure excitement hit me. My mouth hung open in elation. Whatever it was about my powers that spoofed precogs was stopping him! It took a few minutes for Dez's shotgun predictions to start getting accurate for me again, resetting if I created a new spell or ability. This must be the same.

"What is this? Middle-aged performance troubles?" I crowed, walking forward. "Your dick don't work no more?"

Jack pursed his lips, taking a step back. "Banter works better when you're coy, you're ruining the moment."

He stepped back again, snatching a switchblade from a pocket. He whirled into motion, both knives cutting and slicing in a frenzy, but he was still too slow. He kept falling for my feints and failing to correct when I suddenly changed direction. I could see it, there was a moment of unsurety, he looked almost worried.

By this point, I was close enough that he would never escape. I put on the speed and closed the last gap far too fast for him to react, both of my hands snapping out, two Megaton punches connecting with his wrists. There was a sound like branches snapping and both his forearms bent at right angles, the pure kinetic shock wrenching his arms in their shoulder sockets. He tripped, falling, mouth agape with shock, landing heavily on his ass.

I put a foot on his chest, shoving him roughly to the road, pinning him down.

His expression quickly smoothed out, moving back to cool confidence. His enhancements meant he didn't have to feel pain, and death didn't really scare him.

"Well," said Jack. "I don't think either of us expected that. Though, this is a terribly interesting situation; it's been a hot minute since someone has gotten the better of me like this. I give you my honest congratulations."

I didn't say anything.

"Come now, don't be like that. You should be proud of yourself! Strapping young lad like you, taking down big ol' Jack Slash, you'll be front-page news," he continued. "Not that I've ever heard of you. Who might you be?"

"Dark Smoke Puncher."

"That name has verve, and let me tell you, I like verve. I wasn't expecting anything of particular interest from this dull little city, but not only has Crawler found a spectacular prize I found little boy wonder here," Jack smiled in the way only an insane man could when they were trying to be pleasant, as in, failing spectacularly. "I think I'm going to change my candidate. Little Scarecrow seemed to know you, so maybe you're someone worth knowing. How would you like to join our merry little band of murderers?"

I reached down and picked him up by the neck, mana flowing from my fingers.

Jack eyed his encroaching prison. "Just so you know, you don't get to say no to me. I'm going to break you down so thoroughly you'll beg for death before the e-"

The mana filled his mouth, cutting him off. I shivered, gooseflesh breaking out under my uniform. Were I anyone else but me, he'd have been right. If this had been a drag-out confrontation, he'd have been right. He was by far the most dangerous of the Nine if you were a parahuman, and if you weren't he could kill you just as easily. I took a steadying breath and hefted him onto my shoulder.

The Siberian burst through the wall nearest to me in a cloud of concrete dust, alighting on the pavement and locking eyes with me.