Furor Interlude 2
Mouse Protector teleported into Armsmaster's tinker-workshop. The leader of Protectorate ENE was hunched over a microscope, looking up occasionally to check and cross reference a pile of documents. His trademark powered armor had been replaced by a reinforced work suit and a filtered breathing mask. Strewn across the lab were a set of air cleaners that seemed to have been hastily assembled, and there was a decontamination shower that hadn't been there on Wednesday next to the entrance/exit. The rodent-themed heroine coughed in an attempt to get her current boss's attention.
A minute later, she coughed again, louder this time… And again, louder still. Then she said, "there's a naked woman outside your lab and she has an autograph book."
"Call security then," The local protectorate leader replied as he turned to face her. One he had, he tossed a mask similar to what he himself was wearing to her. "Put it on, now." Mouse protector turned around, removed her trademark headgear, and strapped on the mask before returning to face the current leader of the protectorate. "What do you need, Mouse Protector?" the man asked when as she did so.
"There are some things that came up while investigating the incident earlier tonight," The hammy hero explained, "I've already submitted my report to the director, but there's some information I think you need to know. That is," she gestured to the desk, "if I'm not interrupting anything major?"
"Not particularly," Armsmaster replied. "I'm just doing preliminary research for an array of anti-Empress measures. Give me a second to lock this back up." Armsmaster turned back, removed the slide from the microscope, placed it in a tinker-tech looking lock box which sealed itself. "For the foreseeable future," Armsmaster commented, "don't come into my lab without at least a gas mask, just in case."
"Sir, what is that?" Mouse Protector would never admit it, but the heightened security measures in the lab had her concerned.
"Back in October 2009, the Slaughterhouse Nine attacked Milwaukee. During the attack, a tip-off led Alexandria to a warehouse where Jack Slash and Bonesaw were observing two men fighting to the death, with two vials on a table." Armsmaster paused for a moment, the sound his filter mask made indicating that he inhaled deeply. "As soon as Alexandria flew in, Bonesaw released some kind of gas. When the smoke cleared all that remained were two melted men and one of the vials, and it was claimed by the PRT."
Mouse Protector nodded in understanding. "And that slide was-"
"A sample of the vial's contents," Armsmaster interrupted. "They were analyzed and found to be a Tinker-tech virus that selectively targets and destroys a host's immune system."
"And you want to use this super-AIDS against Empress?" Mouse Protector was incredulous.
"God no." The local Protectorate leader seemed somewhat offended at the thought. "Empress does not have a kill order, is just a child, and as far as an approximate third of the city's population is concerned is only a villain because we made a mistake." Armsmaster's tone did not betray his opinion on that subject. "Even if lethal force was required, a Bonesaw plague would be needlessly cruel, and if she somehow survived and adapted there's no telling what could happen. No," the Tinker concluded, "I called in several favors to get this sample and a copy of the notes on it so that I could study it. If I can replicate its effects on a smaller, temporary scale, I'll have a powerful immunosuppressant that could keep Empress from adapting to my new tranquilizer until after she's in custody."
"Well then," Mouse Protector said, "I'll just go through the main points of tonight's event so you can get back to work." The heroine raised a hand and raised her index finger: "I think that Bastion and Empress are in contact." The bird rose to join its sibling, "the nazis are out for Empress's mutant blood." The ring bearer shot up next, "Victor's been captured." And the baby of the family woke up from its nap, "and the skinheads blew up Empress's mother's grave."
Long Live Empress Taylor
"You blew up her mother's grave!" The warehouse practically shook with Kaiser's shout.
It was quite apparent to Nessa, alias Menja, and to the rest of the assembled Empire soldiers-every active cape in the Empire, that Kaiser was pissed. For a brief moment, Nessa felt that it was only that she was Kaiser's cousin by marriage that kept him from killing her on the spot, but the fear waned soon after. Kaiser wasn't like that dragon-slant or the drug-pushing negro. He was better than them. He didn't punish failure so savagely.
Jessica was resting nearby. Othala had healed her lacerations and punctured organs, but Nessa's twin had some very close to death at the hands of that mutant and needed time to recover emotionally, leaving Nessa alone to explain how the mission to intimidate and/or assassinate Empress had failed.
Kaiser seemed exasperated by all that had happened. "Is there anything else I should know of-are you absolutely certain that no one else escaped the cemetery?"
"Well, that Schuster kid shot the mutant girl unprovoked and then ran away." Schuster was the young cousin of a Medhall employee who had sympathies with the movement and was vaguely aware of the loyalties of the CEO. The young Schuster's father was a deadbeat and the elder had enough pity for his cousin to call in a favor but not enough to do anything about it himself.
After a moment of silence, Kaiser turned to Hookwolf. "My friend, just the other day you mentioned needing someone to clean up after your fighting dogs. If the boy turns up..."
Hookwolf nodded in understanding. "A few weeks of cleaning up shit, blood, and carcasses should teach the little idiot a thing or two."
"So," Kaiser changed the subject, "it seems we've underestimated the so-called Empress. We're in good company-the PRT thought her a mindless killer, the media a frightened child. Lung is coming at it from the other side-he thinks she's monster like himself, but he's wrong too." Kaiser laughed. "She's a cockroach. A difficult to kill pest, that sometimes requires professional help." Kaiser laughed. "I'm going to contact Purity talk to her about returning to active duty. Krieg," Kaiser said as he turned to the as of yet unaddressed lieutenant, "can you get into contact with Gesellschaft? I'd like to talk to them about borrowing one of their specialists." Krieg nodded in understanding. "And we should reinforce any operations we have near the Dockyard, in case the girl's father decides to act against us in retaliation for the desecration of his wife's grave. Menja," he addressed the valkyrie, "you are dismissed, as are the rest of you," he finished as he gestured to every cape, save Hookwolf and Krieg.
Nessa nodded and left. The last thing she heard as she exited the room was Kaiser mentioning something about retrieving Victor before he found his way to prison.
Long Live Empress Taylor
Skidmark limped into the booth and picked up the phone. The fucking guards had told him he had a visitor but he didn't know who would visit him in this shithole cape prison. Trainwreck vanished before everything went to hell, Mush was in here with him… well, in solitary, and as far as he knew that bastard tinker had killed Squealer. The only good thing about all of this is that the fuckheads let him keep his mask. He looked up, to the person across the glass, and cursed in surprise.
"Holy shit! Squ-"
The blonde woman across the glass cut him off. "Yeah, it's me Skids." She placed a hand on the glass and Skidmark met her on his end.
"Look, since you're on the outside," Skidmark began, "you've gotta get me some speed. All they've got in here are smokes, piss-bowl wine, and one of the Nazis has some smack but he's not sharing."
The blonde on the other end, once known as Squealer, was silent for a moment. "Look, Skids, I love you, but I've got to tell you something and you're not gonna like hearing it..."
And Squealer was right. Skidmark didn't like hearing it.