Emotional Support...Xenos? - Part 2

"How hard can it be to find one runaway?" Piggot spat. No one in the room answered her. "She's a child. A child who isn't even smart enough to cause her victim to trigger in private."

"Ma'am that is highly inappropriate and - " Colin started to say. Piggot's spittle nearly made it across the table to him as she glared at him, her lips curling. Colin just grunted and fell silent.

"As I was saying," Piggot continued, the scowl not dropping from her features for a moment, "I want Hess found! It's bad enough that we have Nilbog Jr. on my backdoor. That I'm being forbidden from doing anything about this nightmare is - " Piggot paused, smoothed her suit jacket, took a deep breath, and shook her head. "What I mean to say is, I cannot take action against a non-hostile member of New Wave. I can take action against the instigator of this mess. I want Hess found. I want her brought in. I want her nailed to a cross and I want that cross thrown into the ocean."

"No wonder she ran once MQ triggered…" Ethan muttered. He let out a quiet oof as Jessie elbowed him. Colin sighed. Would it kill him to use the Hebert girl's chosen moniker? 'Colony' really was a far more appropriate name than 'Monster Queen' after all.

They weren't even monsters. Not really. They were remarkably efficient creatures with extremely unusual biological processes. Processes he dearly wanted to examine. In a clean room. Behind several layers of containment. And multiple robotics doing the examinations. Acid blood was nothing to play around with.

"A probationary Ward managing to slip her leash well enough to simply vanish is not a laughing matter," Piggot hissed.

Ethan held up his hands. "Look, Ma'am, none of us are saying that Sophia wasn't messed up. We aren't saying that she shouldn't go back to juvie. But if you go after her all torches and pitchforks just because you can't go after the girl you really want to screw over…It's not going to end well…for anyone."

Piggot's face twisted into a rictus of the very monster she despised for a bare instant before she gained control again. Colin shut his eyes. He was going to have to act. This was so…inane. Why couldn't she see how useful those creatures could be? Certainly there were safety concerns and it would be useful if Colony explained exactly how they transitioned from the larval stage to the adult…but the benefits of obedient massed shock troops that bled acid and were fast and deadly…The force multiplier for Endbringer battles alone was astounding, let alone what they could do for more traditional threats; Nilbog wouldn't stand a chance.

The Gloom creature had already proven nearly immune to most energy blasts, except while it was in its shadowy state. That this state greatly increased its already natural stealth capabilities more than made up for the detriment. It was a shame the Zeno and Spike variants didn't seem to have any unique abilities like that. Perhaps if they could determine what had caused the mutation…Spike was a quadruped and Zeno seemed just as intelligent as Gloom if less prone to sulking…Was there a difference in the gestation? Colony had mentioned something about the Huggers imprinting…

"Armsmaster!"

Colin's attention snapped back and he narrowed his eyes at Piggot. "Ma'am, as I informed you previously; the claim made by Miss Barnes has been dismissed. Please cease this method of attack."

Piggot's fists curled and for a moment he was worried she was going to cut her palms. "How dare you." She nearly hissed as her lips pulled back and her teeth bared.

Colin just sighed. Dammit. "Director Piggot, please, step back, and look at the situation rationally."

"I will not let that menace have free reign of my city!" she roared slamming her fists onto the table hard enough to slosh the coffee cups. "She is a murderer and she will kill everyone here if we don't find some way to stop her monsters!"

Dammit, dammit, dammit. Why couldn't people be rational? "I'm sorry, Ms. Piggot." He stood, clasped his hands behind his back and stared at the wall as he started reciting the manual, "Under Article 12, Subsection D, Paragraph 2, I, Armsmaster, hereby relieve Director Emily Piggot of her command." Shouts rang out, but he ignored them and continued. "As a matter of record, the former Director has shown, through repeated action, a clear discriminatory bias, and intent to aggressively pursue a heroic, affiliated, parahuman, with the potential to drive said parahauman to becoming an A-Class threat. Let the record also reflect that said parahuman is a part of another affiliated heroic group and has unique potential to provide assistance against current - and future - A and S-Class threats. Due to her clearly stated prejudice and single-minded determination to mete out personal vengeance in response to past experience, discounting all current events, the Director is unfit for duty. Her authority is revoked and passes to the Deputy in the interim. Should Deputy Director Renick be unable to complete his newly assumed duties, the mantle will pass to the leader of the local Protectorate branch, Armsmaster, until such time as the PRT Chief Director appoints a new Director."

He sat back down, still staring at the wall as the room continued to explode around him.

Renick better be able to take over for Piggot.

If Colin was forced into the woman's role…He'd never be able to study those creatures and find the best way to utilize them for future operations.

No. No, Renick would be fine. He had to be fine. All he had to do was keep up the search for Sophia Hess and maintain a mild peace for two or three weeks, then a new appointment would be made. And in the meantime, Colin would be free to work with Colony and her creatures. Such an efficient morphology practically demanded a thorough review and development strategy!

Certainly one of them would be docile enough to assist in his tests. With adequate restraints of course. One could never be too careful.

"The sudden resignation of Director Emily Piggot of the PRT ENE came as a shock today. We'll hear in a few moments from one of the local doctors in Brockton Bay who believes that the former Director's health has finally caught up to her. Let's go to Brad for this developing story."

Taylor frowned as the news flipped over to one of their reporters at Brockton Bay Hospital. Spike lifted his head from the ground and hissed. The damn thing probably sensed her confusion. Or something. Did she have pheromones? Was that how she controlled them?

Controlled. Sure. Neil suppressed a groan as the flashes of the prowling nightmare played in his mind. That they had caught the thing before it attacked a group of Empire grunts was a minor miracle. That they had managed to convince it to go home was even more outrageous. He couldn't figure out what was more terrifying, that these creatures could sneak around so effectively, or that they were smart enough to at least sort of listen when people spoke to them.

"Huh," Taylor said, rubbing one hand on the crown of Spike's head. "I wonder why she's retiring. Hey, Neil, do you think it's really because she's sick? I know she didn't look healthy that one time we met, but hasn't she been dealing with that issue for years? That's what Vicky was saying."

"Yeah. I wonder why." He stared directly at the creature curled up on his floor. They had to convince the girl to get an apartment. She couldn't stay here. She could not stay here.

"She must have realized that she was going to be out of a job soon!" Taylor nodded, a wide smile splitting her face. Spike's tail thrashed in a horribly disturbing parody of a wagging dog's tail. "Once Gloom gets her guys in line and we have a few more buddies, then the gangs won't stand a chance! The Director's just leaving before we make her look bad."

Neil dropped his head into his hands. It was only because of his vast experience dealing with Eric and Crystal that he was able to avoid groaning. "Yes, Taylor. I'm sure that's the real reason." He was not strong enough to avoid sarcasm.

At least her creatures didn't seem able to understand that.