Typhoon of the East
By: Bubbajack
Beta/Co-author: Icysnowsage
Disclaimer: We don't own the Worm Web Serial obviously. No seriously we don't Wildbow doesn't get paid enough for us to even try to steal credit from them.
Ch.1.3: Squall.
Anne Barnes' long crimson locks flared out behind her like a banner as she tore through the streets on her cherry red whitewall tired panhead '75 Indian Motorcycle, the bike's engine rumbling underneath her seat as she broke several traffic laws and red lights as she drove as fast and as dangerously as she dared towards Winslow High School. She had just finished her morning lecture in Law when she'd gotten a call from her dad that a shooting had happened and he needed her to check up on Emma.
'I'm not gonna freeze, I won't be weak, not like last time, never again,' Anne thought as she skidded her bike into the already full parking lot, kicking down the kickstand to her bike, Anne pulled off her full helmet whipping her long red tresses out of her face as she looked around for her baby sister.
She found her easily enough, she was talking borderline frantically to a police officer while pointing at something or someone. Following her sister's pointing finger, she found her pointing at Taylor Hebert, her sister figure who up until recently she'd been attached to at the hip. 'Emma said Taylor came back weird after her trip to summer camp…. But Emma herself had started acting strange ever since the incident,' Anne grimaced as she thought of that particular memory.
The ABB surounded them and their father like jackals, talked about selling them both into slavery because they had nice tits for two white girls. She tried to protect her sister, but a L-pipe to the back of her head sent her quickly to the ground in pain. Her father followed shortly after, and she tried and failed to rise to her feet, only managing to roll onto her back… It was then that she saw it, a 'Hero' if they could be called that, skulking above in the shadows of the building… 'What are you waiting for?' She thought, 'Save us, help my family,' this hero, Shadow Stalker did help, but only after she watched her sister bite and claw at her attackers like a savage animal.
Only later did this hero reintroduce herself as Sophia Hess and Anne didn't like the effect she was having on her little sister. She kept using topics usually espoused by Social Dwarwinists. How Hess and her sister were predators or some such nonsense. She wanted to put a stop to it, she really did, but she was only home for summer break, and she knew her parents were just happy Emma was just coming out of her room… Yet when she heard Taylor of all people had cut off her and Emma's friendship when she called home to keep abreast of the gossip, she knew, in her gut, that something was wrong. 'I'm getting to the bottom of this as soon as I know Emms is ok,' Anne decided as she marched over to her sister.
"Emma!" She called.
"A-Anne?!" She said in surprise. "What're you doing here?"
In response, Anne hugged her sister so tight that she heard her bones creak, "Dad heard about the shooting but was stuck in court, mom's catering for a wedding, so I rushed over to make sure you were okay," She proceeded to look her sister over for wounds while asking, "What happened?"
"I'm trying to get to the bottom of that myself miss," a PRT trooper replied, chuckling a little as he did.
Holding out her sister's arm and not seeing any wounds, Anne replied, "Sorry, officer, Nurse training at work."
Pulling her arm out of her sister's grip, Emma groused, "I'm fine Anne. I wasn't hurt."
Crossing her arms over her ample bosom, Anne replied, "Well excuse me for worrying squirt, but I was afraid you might've been shot or something. When you get a call about a shooting, you tend to fear the worst."
"Don't call me squirt!" Emma snapped hotly, "I'm not small, I'm not weak."
"Emma, I know this was a very stressful situation, but you better watch your tone, understand?" Anne said, sending her sister a warning glare.
Emma scoffed, folding her arms and looking away as she mumbled, "Pff whatever. I hope they throw the book at Taylor for this, the weakling."
"Excuse me? But are you telling me Taylor Hebert… the girl who's practically your sister, who lost her mother… whose funeral you attended… tried to shoot you? You?" was the bewildered response Anne gave.
"Yes!" Emma snapped, "She attacked us for playing a harmless prank on her. She shot at us with a gun, Sophia was shot in the stomach."
Anne narrowed her aquamarine eyes. Something wasn't adding up here, and she was going to get to the bottom of it, turning to the PRT grunt Anne said with saccharine sweetness, "Officer,
may I speak to my little sister privately for a bit?"
"Sure, miss… try and get a written confession would you?" He said semi-seriously.
Cracking her knuckles, Anne replied, "I'll do my best." Grabbing her sister roughly by her wrist, she took her some distance from everyone else before pushing her against her bike and saying, "Okay, I'm only going to ask you this nicely once Emma, what has that Sopia girl talked you into doing to Taylor?"
Anne watched as her sister froze like a deer in headlights for a moment holding her wrist, before she twirled a lock of hair as she said, "I don't know what you're talking about Anne. Taylor came back from summer camp a total bitch. She said she didn't want to be my friend anymor-"
Anne stepped forwards, invading her sister's space as she said, "Quit lying Emma."
"I'm not lying," Emma snapped.
Eyes narrowing, Anne rebutted, "Yes you are… you've always had a tell when you lie… it's why you've always sucked at cards."
Emma glared hatefully at her sister then. She had always hated her older sister truth be told. Anne was everything she always wanted to be pretty, popular, and with boys hanging off her every word not that she paid it any mind. Multiple times she'd been offered jobs at modeling agencies only to laugh and turn them down. Even when she took the offers she turned down the camera men often asked if she could get her to come in for just one shoot.
'Even now she looks fabulous,' Emma seethed. She was wearing a dark brown leather driving jacket, white shirt, fingerless leather gloves, hip hugging skinny jeans, and rawhide cowboy boots. She was equal parts biker and cowgirl, and it pissed Emma off that she pulled off the look so well without even really trying.
"I can't fucking stand you," Emma hissed, "Everything was going just fine until you showed up and ruined it!"
"Tough cookies," Anne replied, crossing her arms. "You aren't supposed to like me, I'm the older sibling…" Anne paused before saying sternly, "Now what did you do to Taylor? I want the truth and I want it now Emma."
"Fuck you!" Emma snapped.
Anne fired back with, "Sorry, but we don't live in Alabama. Now spill."
"Make me," Emma challenged.
In response, Anne twisted her sister's arm behind her back and began to lift her sister into the air by said arm with barely any strain shown on Anne's face.
"Anne, stop that hurts!" Emma squealed out in pain.
Raising her another inch off the ground Anne said, "Then tell me what I want to know… you know if you're held like this for too long your shoulder will pop out of its socket? It'll hurt like hell to put it back in, but I've been trained to do it."
"Okay, okay I'll talk, just put me down," Emma said as more pressure was put on her shoulder the higher she went.
Dropping her sister on her feet, Anne said, "Answers now Emma… Hey mister, you might wanna record this," Anne called.
"Way ahead of you miss," the PRT mook replied, popping his head out from behind the van Anne had parked next to. "Names Frank by the way, Frank West."
"Pleasure," Anne said, before turning to the person wearing her sister's face and saying, "Well, start talking,"
"I hate you so much," Emma seethed, "You're just trying to make yourself look good in front of Mom and Dad…"
"This has nothing to do with them… Taylor has been through a lot. She's been through enough… so If you've hurt her somehow… I'm giving you a chance to save yourself here, Emms. Tell me now or dig your grave deeper," was the firm tone her sister gave her.
"She's right Miss," Frank replied, "Anything you admit now could lighten your sentence."
"Fine… I guess…" Emma told them everything, the bullying starting with the insults, the tripping, the name calling, the shoving pushing, tripping, stealing and or destroying her homework, Annete's flute… The Locker… ending with today's incident. By the time she was finished Anne's face was red with rage and was looking at Emma like she was something disgusting she had the misfortune of stepping in. Like she didn't know her at all… Like she regretted being related to her.
"You… are so lucky this man is here right now to prevent me from beating you to a pulp," Anne got out through her rage, as her fingernails bit into the palm of her gloves. "Emma… I am so… disgusted… I don't even want to look at you right now! I can't… I can hardly speak at what you did!"
"Taylor Hebert was in the hospital nearly comatose for a week, and on antibiotics for twice as long due to all the possible infections she could've gotten from that locker… that you and your little friends left in for twenty-four hours. For fucks sake we couldn't even tell if she triggered or not she was so out of it," Frank added. He remembered her case vividly. It was one of the worst he'd seen. That poor girl had to be sprayed down with a hose and checked by the biohazard department. They had to call in a hazmat team to disinfect her locker…
The PRT Trooper had to swallow several times to prevent himself from throwing up by the looks of things as he remembered the biohazard they had to clean up just to get to the girl..
"Phone," Anne demanded, holding out her hand.
"What?" Emma asked.
"Give. Me. Your. Phone," Anne announciated. "It's evidence now."
"She's right," Frank replied, "Cough it up kid."
Paling, Emma accused her sister, "You said I wouldn't get in trouble if I talked!"
Anne shook her head, "I said I was giving you a chance to save yourself. You probably won't be charged as an adult for any of this, you'll probably just get Juvie. Unless dad goes to bat for you. Which he probably will."
"Lawyer?" Frank asked.
"Lawyer," Anne confirmed. "Emms, phone, now."
"This is bullshit!" She snapped, as she threw her phone at her sister who caught it, and handed it to Frank who put it in a baggie labeled evidence, as Emma continued to berate her older sister, "What the hell kind of sister are you? First you were so weak you couldn't protect me against those ABB thugs, now you're trying to get me thrown in jail!"
Anne looked at the asphalt, her fringe covering her eyes as she clenched her fists so hard blood dripped on the ground. "You're right Emma, I wasn't strong enough to protect you then…" She snapped eyes up then, glaring at her little sister with tears in her eyes as she said, "But I am not just going to sit by and let you become just like those thugs! Your acting just as much a monster as they were. Picking on people who you think are weaker than you? Mocking, belittling, assaulting because you can? You're acting just like them! Worse, you actually did what they attempted. Breaking someone beyond repair."
Emma jerked back as if slapped, "I-I am not!" Emma replied, "I-I'm a predator, they were prey."
"Oh yeah? Then what were you to them?" Anne asked, stalking towards her sister. "An insect? Grass? If they were prey then what makes you, me, and dad in that situation?"
"I…um…" Emma didn't know.
Anne leaned into her sister's personal space, "Also, I've always been bigger and stronger than you Emma, so if you're a predator… by your logic, that makes me an apex predator, right?"
Emma swallowed uncomfortably. "I…" She looked at the PRT trooper for help but he seemed to find something in the sky very interesting at the moment.
"Anne please… don't do this…" A quiet, almost timid voice pleaded with her.
Anne glanced behind her shoulder to find Taylor standing there, her clothes were stained as if she tried to tye-dye them, and she looked so withdrawn from the girl she knew. Standing behind her was a cape, Asian by the look of him, and he wasn't flying ABB colors in his costume. 'Ninja?' She thought, as she walked forwards and embraced Taylor in a bear hug ignoring the fact the younger girl was telling her not to because she was wet and sticky.
"I am going to fix this Taylor," Anne promised. "I don't care if I have to go through my dad to do it."
"Anne, please don't get in trouble for my sake it's not worth… I'm not …" muttered Taylor.
Taylor didn't get to finish as Anne put a finger to her lips and said sternly. "None of that young lady, that's depression and low self-esteem talking and I won't have it, understood?" When Taylor didn't answer Anne said again, "I said, am I understood, Taylor Anne Hebert?"
"Yes… I still don't want you getting in trouble with your parents with me though," retorted Taylor.
Anne gave her a thumbs up, "You let me handle them, and leave it to your big sister okay?"
'She always did tell me to call her big sister,' Taylor recalled. "Right… I… Thanks, Annie"
Anne nodded, before turning to the PRT officer and saying, "Right, Frank? Can I call you Frank? Do you mind if I get a copy of that confession? I'm gonna need it to convince my dad."
"Miss Anne, if I may use your first name, after what I heard here today, I'm probably going to have to arrest your sister on multiple charges which includes domestic terrorism," stated Frank West matter of factly. He looked slightly annoyed at having to do procedure.
"Wow really… the locker was that big of a biohazard huh?" Anne asked.
"Oh yes," Frank affirmed shaking his head in disgust, "The only reason we hadn't arrested anyone before now is the principal was being… less than helpful. Also all the camera's here are broken."
"T-Terrorism?!" Emma screeched as she paled by two shades, as her knees trembled before giving out on her. "I…I don't want to go to jail! I can't be a model if I have a record."
Anne shook her head, 'She really needs to get her priorities straight,' as she said, "Well maybe you should've thought of that before you shoved Taylor or anyone for that matter in a locker full of… all that stuff," She pulled her sister to her feet, "Now come on, get up so the nice officer can read you your Miranda Rights."
"Nooo!" Emma cried as she was dragged off by officer Frank who was reading her rights off a card all the while.
"Anne… you know you're going to get a lot of flack for that… right?" Taylor told her.
The older Barnes girl just scoffed. "Yeah, maybe. Maybe a bit of fear will scare Emma straight though," She looked at the asian man who's dark eyes were full of fury as he glared after her sister. "Hey mister ninja, just in case you're thinking of using those swords on my sister, as angry as I am at her, could you please not?"
"Jin?" Taylor asked, seeing the anger in his eyes. Taylor grabbed his hand, saying, "She's not worth it… Let Anne handle this, please,"
"Very well," Jin said as he watched this Emma girl get put in the back of a PRT van, he marked the license plate just in case before addressing Anne, "You handled that well, not letting the fact she was your sister cloud your judgment."
"I don't even recognize her as my sister right now, so it's not that hard to do… Jin was it? I've never met a Gin I haven't liked yet, so I'm sure we'll get along fine," Anne joked.
Jin chuckled a bit, "I'm more a fan of tea or sake myself, but to each their own."
Anne smiled, "Well just don't drink the water in russia it burns like all hell."
"Indeed… It seems Sophia Hess has much to answer for…" Jin said pensively.
To which the older Barnes sibling nodded. "Damn right, I never liked her hanging around with Emma, she filled her head with nonsense, and now she believes in some weird Social Dwarwinist dogma you'd expect from a Eugenicist," She shook her head, "It's nuts." Taking Taylor's hands, she said, "I'm not sure how long I'll be in town Tay, but if it's okay with you can I drop by your place? Just to check up on you and make sure you're doing okay?"
Taylor nodded hesitantly, "Sure but why?"
"Tay, we're friends. I know we were never as close as you and Emms, but I always thought of you as a second little sister I never officially had. Since Emms turned her back on you," She spoke that part with unconcealed venom, I'm gonna have your back now," Anne said resolutely.
Taylor gaped like a fish. "Anne you don't have… it's really not… What about college?" She asked, finally managing a coherent sentence.
"If I have to, I'll take online courses," Anne said with a shrug. "Being here to help you and Emms right now is just as if not more important Tay."
"I thought I heard… Anne! It is you!" Danny said happily, bracing himself for a hug as the college girl squeezed him. "Uncle Danny! Just FYI I may need to crash at your place for a while after today."
"Would this have anything to do with your sister being arrested… Taylor are you alright?" Danny asked, putting a hand on his daughter's shoulder.
"I'm fine dad, sorry you had to take off work," Taylor mumbled sadly as she looked wilted and downcast.
"Taylor…" Danny said, quietly, seeing how sad his daughter was for the first time, "I… haven't been doing a very good job at this parenting thing since your mother… I'm sorry Little Owl."
"Dad it's not your… You're doing your best," Taylor replied. "If I hadn't called mom that day then she would still be."
"Taylor," Danny said sharply, "Your mother's death was not your fault, have you been… all this time? Did you think I?" Danny rubbed his eyes as he sighed at the living nightmare his daughter was living, and that he didn't notice. "We are going home, and we are having a long talk, Little Owl," He turned to Jin, "Jin make yourself scarce."
"I will collect my things and be out of your house before you get home, Hebert-san," Jin said bowing, "I shall trouble you no longer," He turned to go, only for Danny to grab his cape.
"Jin, I didn't mean leave the house… I just need to talk to Taylor privately for like an hour or two… Look Jin, I know you were just trying to help. Tinkers are… eccentric. I know that much. Next time… no guns or anything that can get my daughter arrested, please," Danny begged at the end.
"I'll keep it in mind," Jin said as he walked away only for the fiery redhead to trail in his wake. "Do you require assistance with something, Barnes-san?" he asked politely.
"Well, I was just wondering… since you've been banished from the house for a couple hours, if you'd like to get lunch with me? I raced down here and haven't eaten since like eight this morning and I'm starved."
"Is this a date?" Jin asked.
Anne blinked. "Do you want it to be?"
Jin paused for a moment, "While I find what you did admirable, I do not know you well enough to ask you out, we just met. Though it is good to meet another who has Taylor's best interests at heart."
Anne smiled at that. Jin had just passed a test. If he had said yes she would've known he was a sleaze ball, but he didn't. 'Bonus points for caring about Taylor,' She thought. "So just lunch as friends then?"
"I see no harm in getting to know each other more," Jin replied, before whistling and a black stallion approached.
"Wow, that's some old school transportation you've got there," she said, petting the horse's snout.
"Kage is a good horse," Jin replied as he watched the redhead mount her own steel horse.
"Fugly Bobs okay?" She asked.
"What dare I ask, is a Fugly Bobs?" Jin replied, raising an eyebrow.
Revving her bike's engine, Anne said, "You're in for a treat Jin, it's a Brockton Bay institution. Try and keep up okay?" She said as she took off on her indian.
(...)
As he made his way down the road he received a bluetooth call from one of his people. 'Call from Ellie-chan,' A monotone voice told him.
"Connect," He said.
"Waah" the voice of a crying girl came through the moment the call connected. "Papa, Ellie is so sorry she couldn't do her job properly!" she cried. "Ellie tried, she really did, but none of the cameras in the school worked. The most Ellie managed to do was tap into all the cellphones."
Jin spoke soothingly, "It's fine Ellie-chan, I had a backup plan just in case, what can you tell me about one Sophia Hess from her phone records?"
"Accessing… Sophia Hess appears to be a Ward known as Shadow Stalker. She has led a coordinated campaign of bullying and harassment against Taylor Hebert. The majority of the school, even its faculty, seem to be implicit in this," Ellie sounded angry near the end.
"Send everything you can find to Danny Hebert's email address, a backup to Taylor's and a last to my Tinker alias," was the stern command he gave.
"Done, I also found a video of Taylor being released from said locker… would you like me to send it as well to said addresses?" questioned Ellie.
"Just mine…" Jin replied, pausing before asking, " How bad is it?"
"If Ellie could throw up papa, she would… Ellie will settle for ruining their lives," His agent said with fire in her tone.
As he pulled into the parking lot, Jin came to a decision, "Ellie I want you to wait one week before spreading that video all over PHO using multiple accounts, unless I say otherwise."
"Understood, setting timer for D-Day… Timer set, six days twenty three hours fifty nine minutes and fifty seconds remaining," stated Ellie with her tone becoming more robotic and monotone as she got more specific into the time.
"Good job Ellie, keep me informed on any moves the PRT might make alongside Taiyou," Jin told Ellie.
"Roger that, enjoy your date Papa… is she gonna be my new mommy?" Ellie asked innocently.
"I… no Ellie, we're just friends, keep me apprised," Jin said before he ended the call. Getting off Kage, he made his way to the door and held it open as Anne swung her leg off her bike. "A gentleman? That's rare, especially in this city."
"We are a dying breed," Jin affirmed, as the two went into the restaurant.
(...)
Back at the Protectorate Bay Base
"Twice, in one day?" Emily Piggot deadpanned, as she gave Glory Girl a deadpan stare.
Unlike last time however the New Wave heroine didn't even bother to take her gaze off the floor. "I'm sorry Director."
"You're sorry you got your ass handed to you," Emily scoffed, as the blonde stood amongst the Wards. "Well since you're all here, I may as well introduce the new Ward. Come in,"
"Yes Ma'am," A feminine voice replied from outside her office door moments before it opened and a pale redhead entered. She was tall, wearing a brown quipo, bike shorts, and slip on shoes. She was dressed like a martial artist and this was exemplified by the spear she was balancing behind her back.
"Hello everyone," She said nodding politely, "My name is Taiyou Zhenren, please call me Tai-chan,"
Vista got to her first using her power and offered her a hand, "Hi, I'm Vista."
"Nice to meet you… from what I've been told you have the most tenure in the Wards. So am I correct to assume you're the leader?" asked Taiyou while politely nodding to Vista.
Vista scoffed, "You'd think that would be how it works but no, Triumph is currently in charge because he's the oldest."
"You give leadership based on seniority rather than tenure? Forgive me for saying this, Director, but that seems very inefficient especially since the enemy would never expect a little girl to be the most experienced in the wards. No offense Vista," stated Taiyou with a very respectful tone.
"Some taken, but not much… at least someone acknowledged it," Missy muttered under her breath.
"Duly noted," The director replied with a sigh, "Now that Glory Girl has seen fit to make a fool of herself twice now, is there anything anyone can tell me about this person? Or the incident at the school?"
"Ma'am," Miss Militia began, "Jin Sakai admitted to both being a tinker and to being the cause of the incident."
Piggott raised an eyebrow, enquiring, "And you didn't arrest him because?"
"I did not arrest him ma'am as I believe Shadow Stalker has been lying about a lot of things, and the machine… a device he called a karakuri, was used in the defense of another student who was being targeted in a malicious bullying campaign.
Emily Piggott rubbed her temples. 'Its days like this where I fucking hate this job,' She thought with a sigh. "How sure are you Militia?"
"The person in question confirmed it… Additionally one of our agents, Frank West, has audiotaped a confession by another culprit. This in turn names Sophia, another girl, a majority of the student body, and even the faculty were either complicit in this act or turned a blind eye to it."
Hearing the heat in the other woman's tone, Piggott asked, "Why does this bother you so much Hannah?"
"Full disclosure ma'am… and this does not leave this room nor end up on PHO… am I clear?" Miss Militia said as she pulled down her Bandana and glared at all the wards and Victoria who nodded solemnly. "The girl being bullied is my goddaughter."
"You're Catholic?" Emily didn't much care but the term godmother wasn't much used outside Catholic circles.
"Not exactly ma'am but her mother Anne-Rose and I were… close in a fashion. She was a part of Lustrom's gang back in the day. I kept trying to arrest her, she kept getting away. She left the gang before they got too violent, married and settled down. She invited me to her wedding, and made me promise to look after her daughter if anything happened to her… she died in a car accident a little over three years ago now. Unfortunately I haven't been able to do much with work and all…"
"If you had brought this up, we could've worked something out," Emily sighed. It was her kidneys that were broken, not her heart, "Continue."
"Anyway since I couldn't keep an eye on her, I had asked Shadow Stalker to do so in my stead… only for her to be the victim of the Winslow Locker Incident three months ago," Hannah said clenching her fists to control her anger.
"Shadow Stalker was targeting this girl… because you asked her to keep an eye on her, you think?" Emily inquired.
"I… don't know ma'am from the report Frank West submitted, Shadow Stalker seems to have a warped view of Social Darwinism. Apparently she views others as prey while she and others she deems worthy are predators to hunt them," stated Miss Militia while looking over the documentation sent to her.
Emily snorted derisively. "Is that so? Well now she's the one laid up in the hospital so what's that make her now?"
"She's karma's little bitch," Vista muttered under her breath loud enough for everyone to hear and a majority of the Ward's laughed. None of them really liked Shadow Stalker.
"Enough," Piggott said after a moment, "Armsmaster, you've been quiet, is there anything you would like to add?"
"Ma'am, from what little analysis I could do on the remains of the Karakuri as Miss Militia put it, it seemed to match the MO of various unsolved murder cases across the world," was the stern response he gave.
"Are you saying that Jin Sakai is a serial killer Armsmaster?" Emily asked bluntly.
Vista had a hard time believing that, "He seems so nice though… well as long as you don't attack him for no good reason," She spared a sideways glance at Vicky as she said this. "Right Big Vee."
"Cram it, Little Vee," The older heroine groused but not too angrily knowing she did this to herself.
"Director," Miss Militia said, clearing her throat, "Jin Sakai asked me to get in touch with Lead Director Costa-Brown and pass a message to her."
"What message?" Emily asked.
Reaching into her pocket produced the gold coin, "He told me to show her this and let her know she still owed him a Marker… Also, he informed me that if proper punishment was not dealt to Shadow Stalker within a week, he would do it himself."
"Do you think he's actually capable of going through with his threat Miss Militia?" The Heroine could tell by the name change she wanted her professional opinion now.
"Director, with all due respect, he took out Glory Girl, one of the physically strongest capes we have here in the Bay, in a matter of seconds. There is not a doubt in my mind that if he put his mind to it, he would and could break into HQ," replied Miss Militia.
'Fuck this job, and fuck my useless kidney's at a time like this,' Piggott thought, wanting nothing more than a stiff drink right now. As if protesting her thought, her back lanced with sudden pain.
Stroking his chin, Armsmaster inquired, "What does this Sakai deem proper punishment though?"
"My guess? The bare minimum would be the Birdcage," Miss Militia replied honestly. She couldn't blame him either, Sophia Hess was ruthless, bloodthirsty and borderline unstable. As far as she was concerned, the Birdcage was the best place for her.
Rubbing her temples again, Emily asked, "And if we fail to comply?"
Miss Militia paused before saying, "From what I've seen, he will likely maim Shadow Stalker to the point she is no longer a threat, or worse."
"I mean can we really blame him?" Everyone looked at Vista who spoke up. "Shadow Stalker treated everyone, and I mean everyone like shit. She would always go off on patrols alone, no one would take us seriously when we complained about her bitchiness, and if she really did do all this terrible stuff to that girl at Winslow then she's just an all around terrible person right? So why should we bother protecting her? She's been acting like a villain this entire time, I say let her get treated like one."
"Cause we're the heroes and that's what heroes are supposed to do?" Clockblocker replied, actually being the voice of reason for once.
"Dennis, I swear, the one time you actually make sense…" Missy all but growled as she raised her hand before she smacked air, only for him to flinch as she smacked him in the back of the head.
"Regardless of who actually said it… and even I can't believe it was Clockblocker," Piggott said, "He's right, we can't allow ourselves to be intimidated by one cape, not when entire gangs haven't managed to cow us."
"And his message to the Lead Director?" Miss Militia asked.
"I'll let you use my line to deliver it. Perhaps she'll have some insight into this person for us. Wards and Glory Girl, your dismissed… and Glory Girl? I would highly suggest you leave this Jin Sakai alone. Word of his threat is already making the rounds on PHO. I wouldn't test my luck if I were you," stated Emily as she looked on her computer at some of the interesting conversations going on.
The blonde bombshell nodded, "Yes Director… my mother said much the same thing… after my aunt talked her down from attacking him herself that is."
Emily chuckled, "I'm sure." Once the children had left she started a video call to the Lead Director hoping she wasn't too busy in LA.
"This is Costa-Brown speaking," Said the youngish Mexican woman answering the phone. "Director Piggot what do you need?"
"Director Costa-Brown… one of my agents has come across someone who wished to have you given a message," stated Director Piggot as she addressed her boss.
The Lead Director cocked her head to the side, "Who exactly?"
"I'll let my agent fill you in, Miss Militia?" stated Emily passing the buck to Miss Militia as her sides started to hurt.
Taking her cue, Miss Militia came on screen, "Ma'am I was given this," She held up the golden coin, "And was told by one Jin Sakai to tell you that you still owe him a marker."
All color drained from the director's face when she spoke and eyes became as wide as dinner plates. "Miss Militia… did you say Jin Sakai?"
"Yes, Lead Director… Who is he?" The senior Protectorate Cape asked
"He… What I'm about to say is beyond top secret. This is told to no one else beyond Armsmaster. Am I clear?" Seeing the two nod, she took a shuddering breath and continued, "He is someone who protected the PRT in its infancy. Protected it from being smothered in its crib so to speak. To some, he's a myth, to other's he's a boogie man… but in reality he's the Ghost. The Ghost, is person you call to kill the fucking boogie man whether they be human or super human.."
"Lead Director… Are you telling me," Emily couldn't help but interject at this point, "That the PRT hired an assassin to keep itself stabilized in the beginning?"
"Correct Piggott, any opposition we couldn't handle, be it politicians or particularly powerful parahumans that could not be convinced to join us before the conception of the Birdcage, were taken care of by the Ghost. In return for his service, we looked the other way when the Ghost did… other jobs."
'Fuck, fuck, fucccck!' Emily swore in her thoughts. "I really wish you hadn't told me that Ma'am… as well he's in town…" Costa-Brown paled even further, "And within the span of a couple days, both Glory Girl of New Wave, and Shadow Stalker, our probationary Ward, have managed to annoy him."
Costa-Brown collapsed into her chair upon hearing this, "Tell me everything, leave nothing out." They did so, and once they were finished, Cost-Brown's lips were in a thin straight line. "I will be sending Alexandria personally to handle this matter. As far as Shadow Stalker goes, if he wants Shadow Stalker's head, we will serve it up to him on a silver damn platter still warm."
"Ma'am?" Even Piggott was taken slightly aback blinking at that. She didn't like capes, she made no secret of that. She liked the idea of child soldier capes even less, but it was a necessity they couldn't afford not to have. Brockton Bay was just barely being held together by the tenuous 'peace' between the gangs. 'And now she wants to sacrifice a Ward why?' She asked as much.
"Why? Well because if you don't he will lead a one man war against the PRT… and it will be a war he will win," Seeing she had their attention she continued, "While we aren't entirely sure what his powers entail, we know he is a Tinker/Stranger to some degree… a dangerous combination. He has methods of sneaking his machines into an area, blowing up entire cohorts of personnel, and leaving nothing but dead bodies in his wake. He destroyed the entire Portland PRT base using guerilla tactics starting from 00:00 and ending at 0600. This included several Protectorate capes, and Wards."
"Official records state that a massive Tinkertech malfunction caused a mass explosion that destroyed the base and everyone in it," Emily noted.
Rebbeca nodded, her face grim, "That's the official report, yes."
Hannah paled herself now, "Good God, why would he do such a thing?"
"They had recently captured a villain he'd been contracted to kill. He was on a schedule, and gave them twelve hours to surrender the prisoner. They refused, and didn't think to call anyone, for confirmation or backup. Not thinking much of a single cape. He tried to just knock out the children, as he doesn't like hurting them, but they woke up part way though… he had no choice then…" stated Costa Brown with her nerves showing with the thousand yard stare on her face.
"So what are our orders ma'am., Piggott asked.
"Wait for Alexandria," the Lead Director ordered," and pray he's not annoyed any further… do not engage him under any circumstance. I don't care if he's killing Empire Eighty-Eight or ABB in broad daylight. Am I clear?!"
"As crystal Lead Director Costa-Brown!" The two women said at the same time.
"Good, now is there any good news?" stated Costa-Brown.
Clearing her throat, Miss Militia stated tenuously, "He seems to have developed something of a friendship with Vista, and my Goddaughter Taylor."
"Thank God… that likely means he won't act rashly and kill everyone in town starting with Glory Girl if he gets pushed too far…" Rubbing her temples, Rebbecca Costa-Brown sighed, saying, "I need to go now, I need to get in contact with Alexandria and let her know about this situation."
Once the call ended, Miss Militia turned to her boss and friend asking, "What should we do now Emily?"
"If you're religious, might I suggest praying?" Piggott replied as she reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniels no7 and two shot glasses.
"Ma'am your condition…" Hannah tried to remind her.
"Hannah, either I have a drink or I'm going to have an aneurysm from stress." The Director of PRT ENE replied as she poured two shots and pushed one towards the parahuman.
Lifting the shot, Hannah muttred, "Well when you put it like that, to your health Director?"
"Pff," Piggott scoffed, "At this rate I'll be dead within a year," She said as she threw the shot back.
(...)
Word Count: 6,600 Number of Page: 15 Date Completed: 7/8/2022
(...)
AN: Greetings fellow readers on the interwebs and welcome to the most recent chapter of Typhoon of the East. Snowy and I do hope you all enjoyed it and more will be coming when I have both the time and inspiration to write more.
Happy to help write this. It is late. I am tired and now I am going to bed, night guys and gals!
Ditto. Hope you all enjoy and till next time, this has been an Icysnowsage and Bubbajack production! Peace!
