Thomas stumbles for a moment as his timelines suddenly seem to split out into infinity. Then they collapse to the one where he is trying to check out the new Watchdog offices, instead of heading to the PRT. Quickly splitting off a new timeline, he collapses as again it seems to split off into infinity before he finds himself on the floor clutching his head.
Staggering to his feet, he slowly makes his way home and calls in sick, checking his power every minute or so. Once he's around 500 yards away from the building, his timelines split normally. So in one he goes home to sleep, in the other one he heads to his base to oversee day to day things that shouldn't need any attention.
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In the office, Susan O'Donnell dips a paper towel into some dyed water and tries to clean it without clicking her fingers. Once she succeeds a few seconds later, she dirties the paper towel again and tries it again, and again, until a 10 minute timer goes off. Nodding, she clicks her fingers and the dye vanishes from the water and all the water drops around the bowl, and on the table disappear. Pulling out a couple of pistols from a gun cabinet, she sets them out and starts a new timer. There she dismantles the weapons one at a time, before reassembling them trying to use her magic to do it faster and faster. A flash of fire behind her distracts her for a moment, and Hannah (Miss Militia) walks into the room from the closet that they've designated the arrival room.
"Good morning, you ready for a scintillating day of paperwork?"
"Uh huh, just let me finish my training."
"What are you doing?"
"Visualisation at the moment, I've just finished practicing being able to use the cleaning ability without snapping my fingers."
"Don't you think that's a bit risky?"
Susan stops the timer she had going as she turns around, "How so?"
Hannah clicks her fingers and one of the chairs appears next to her, "For parahumans with hard to control abilities, we teach them to associate a mnemonic with the ability use. When they do it enough, they normally find that it gets harder and harder to use the ability without the mnemonic. This then reduces the accidents that happen. That's what the snapping fingers feels like to me. A mnemonic that they use so that stray thoughts don't trigger their magic."
"I didn't consider that."
Hannah laughs, "Neither did we until Vista joined the wards. Walking into the Wards room was an adventure as her powers kept reacting to her emotions. Clockblocker is another one that had trouble, his power would activate if he received a scare, or was stressed. I'm sure you'll be able to read about lots of cases where mnemonics have been used to teach parahumans to use their abilities."
"What do you suggest then?"
"Don't try to stop using a mnemonic, train a second one that you can use as well. A feeling in your head, a specific visualisation, or a word or verbal action like clicking your tongue. For Vista it's hand motions. Whatever you choose, be consistent and be prepared for it to take around a month for it to start sinking in and 3 before it's natural."
"See, that's pretty much the opposite of what my training says. We're taught to drill everything until we don't need to think about it anymore."
"I'm sure that once we crack wands, well I say we, as it seems that it's a task Taylor's taken on herself. Anyway, once we have wands, we'll probably be doing that with the more useful spells once we learn them."
"Don't spells seem a bit, you know, wishy washy and unscientific?"
Hannah coughs and deepens her voice, and in a credible impression of Armsmaster says, "Yes, well in actuality it is the manipulation of the thermatological field through the use of intent combined with verbal and somatic mnemonics and structures to create an effect in the real world. You will note that where we use Latin, the Chinese and Indians are still able to cast spells using their own language."
Susan frowns, "That doesn't make sense."
Hannah laughs, I know, I have some ideas on that, but I'll want to run it past the scientists once we have some wands. I think it's like trying to build a house with sand rather than bricks. If my idea is right, then their whole schooling process is to make their magic more structured so that they can build up complicated things, while house elves don't seem to be able to do that. Anyway, we actually have work to do, so let's start."
They both make their way over to their computers, and Susan is the first one, "We have a bunch of moles and dirty officers to find. At this point it would be nice if we could just stick a tracking charm on them and wait for a hit."
Hannah nods, "I have here rumours that Medhall has parahuman ties to one of the gangs."
"Ouch, that's going to be a tough one to crack."
"I disagree, if we can tie it to a gang, then we can bring in the feds. They can then do the work of disentangling it, while we watch for which parahumans come out to play."
"Ok, I've got an internally raised issue from prospector, she says that coil is a parahuman with some control over time, and is a bigger player than we think because of it."
Hannah nods, "That's going to involve a lot of staking out and boring work, we should probably look for potential locations to stake out. And then use it as a training exercise as much as anything else."
Susan nods, "And get Quincunx to validate the locations we pick before Missy, Dinah and Aisha join us, Taylor and Lisa can be sent off on their own I think."
"I'd prefer to send them together for the moment."
"Agreed, we also need to visit the other 80 offices across our area."
"Taylor and I did all the ones in Maine with permanent employees, that was only 10. I think that's what we do with the other two states. We can then do a few other offices a week until we've got them all."
"What's going to happen with Vista?"
"Honestly, I have no idea. There aren't any plans to transfer her out of the Wards, and until someone makes a decision on that we can't do much. However, we've got until she gets to high school before we have to worry too much. You never know, we might have cracked Polyjuice by then too."
Susan barks a laugh, "Not a chance. Though, how much do you want to bet that at least one of the scientists will take a face hugger to the face next week?"
Hannah shakes her head, "No bet, and we need to add scouting out nesting sites to the list. Also requisition the best quality telescope you can."
Susan looks alarmed, "We need to set up a creche in here, and have some sort of ready excuse as to why any of us might be absent for a few days to a week."
"Why? What just occurred to you."
"I just imagined taking a bullet to the head to test the phoenix rebirth."
Hannah winces, "They would do that wouldn't they."
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Mike looks over at his long-time friend and colleague. Sitting with them is Steve from legal, and Rupert from the Dockworkers Union, "Danny, I'm sorry, we cannot afford to employ you anymore. We even called Rupert in from New York to see if they could think of anything. Rupert."
Rupert shakes his head, "Nepea-5 was designed by Disney and Hollywood, and demands that we pay you competitive wages for every job that you do. Additionally, we have to have advertised the job for 6 months without any suitable candidates turning up. Finally, your powers are so versatile that we can't even use the unrelated clause, or the one you used for your dockworker, no significant advantage clause.
"Currently, you are the HR manager, Tender negotiator, General Manager and occasional handyman. That's 3 well paying jobs that we'd need to advertise for, at competitive wages too. Which is a problem, as you haven't taken a pay rise for the last 5 years."
Danny looks down at his hands, "Why is it so difficult for me?"
"Paperwork."
"What?"
Mike shakes his head, "I know, that was my reaction. What it comes down to is that you can teleport, and your powers also make paperwork a trivial part of the job. How much time do you spend getting stuff from files or putting it away in files, or going to another building to get files. Same with writing out stuff, how much time is spent on actual paperwork? We all know that there's not enough work for any one of those three positions, which is why you do all three, but the people that enforce these laws, they don't care."
Rupert takes over the conversation again, "You're not the first person this has happened to, but to my knowledge you are the first union man. We've got a meeting scheduled with the warehouse, police, railroad, merchant, air, and teamsters unions, and we're going to table a motion to lobby to have Nepea-5 repealed or amended so that, at the very least, people can continue to be employed in a position they've had since before they gained powers. Presuming we are successful, the job will be yours. But we can't afford to take this to the Supreme court in the hope that they'll overturn it. Especially given the way that Canary's case seems to be going."
Danny looks confused, however Taylor, Aisha, Dinah, and Amy all start paying attention, "Who?"
"Pop singer. Her powers give her a perfect singing voice, as well as the ability to influence people who hear her voice. She's being charged for causing her ex-boyfriend to cut of his own junk. However, the jury has been stacked against her. The judge's daughter has been taken by Heartbreaker, and the prosecution is presenting her in brute restraints, including a gag. So she literally can't speak to anyone, not even her lawyer."
"Why isn't anyone doing anything?"
"ACLU already has a pro-bono appeal lined up based on points of law and civil liberties violations during the case. However, as they're seeking the bird cage, it's thought by many to be too little too late. Due to the protections that the prosecution have placed on her, she can't change lawyers, as that requires her to speak to them in person at least once."
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Amy heads into the kitchen with her phone, "Mum?"
Irritatedly Carol looks up from her paperwork, "Yes Amy?"
"Did you know that Canary is on trial?"
Carol sighs, at least this is not something to do with the hospital or her powers, "Yes, I did. New wave offered my services pro-bono, but we were denied because we might prejudice the Jury."
"How about the fact that the Judge's daughter was taken by Heartbreaker?"
Carol shakes her head, "I know, that's why the appeal is going to succeed. But that won't help Miss McAbee. It's also fairly certain that the Judge and Prosecution are all going to be disbarred. The PRT is being useless again, and quite frankly, I think someone high up is playing politics with the girls life.
"Look, I know I haven't been the best mother to you, but I've tried. However, a lot of my harshness is because I know you can do far more with your power than you do. Your father's abilities were terrifying in how versatile they are, so I hardly think yours are any worse. If the PRT had any idea what you could actually do, then I'm sure they'd have had a pre-signed arrest warrant, and possibly a kill order."
Amy sits down heavily on a chair that wasn't there a moment a go, "Why tell me now?"
"You've changed, you've become more stable. And Sarah has been talking to me a lot over the last week or so because of it." – She holds up a hand – "I'm still not going to see a shrink, I don't need that. Ever since you first played with Victoria, I've cared for you. Possibly not as much as you deserved, but I did care. What's going on with Paige could easily be you, with Bonesaw and Nilbog both still active problems in the USA it wouldn't take much for them to pin you to the cross and sacrifice you to public fear.
"Now, if you don't mind, I've got paperwork to finish."
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One after the other, all of the children in the hive make their way to Lisa's apartment.
Dinah shakes her head, "Are we going to let them get away with this?"
Taylor just huffs, "I'm going to set up a new hive on Mars tonight, there is no way that I'm going to let any of you suffer like that."
Aisha brightens, "Why don't you lay an egg for Canary?"
"Then what? I can't hide it."
Lisa thinks for a moment, "Could you make an invisible face hugger?"
"Maybe, they don't usually have the intelligence to actually use magic though."
Amy's eyes widen, "Then don't rely on it's intelligence, look they've got memories of something called a demiguse, the hair of which is used to make invisibility cloaks."
"That could work, though I'm going to need help with designing it. Lisa, would you mind if I brought my ovipositor here?"
Lisa's eyes widen, "You know they've now got internal sensors in the basement don't you. They were added after mix and match over there broke in the other day."
"No big deal, I'll just go and hunt a whale or something so that I can make a new one here."
Everyone just stares at her, "What?"
Aisha shakes her head, "Taylor, people don't typically talk about eating a whale casually. They especially don't typically just casually mention they can go and hunt for one just like that."
"Huh? But they're super easy to find, as they're constantly making noise. Sharks on the other hand, especially tiger sharks, are fun to hunt." – She changes into Queenie – "I'll bring you all back some lobster too."
With a flash of fire, she's gone.
Missy looks at the others, "So, who's up for working out where Canary is being held and how to get there?"
Lisa just sighs, rubs her temples, and opens TOR on her laptop.
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With Lisa and Taylor both busy, Aisha looks at Dinah and Missy, "Have you two looked at the memories of Arry's friends?"
Amy carefully sidles closer, as this sounds like it's going to turn into a Glory Girl moment. Dinah shakes her head, but Missy's eyes glaze over, then widen. Amy also has a look too and her own eyes widen too. She's about to say something when Dinah pins her with a stare, "87% chance that Aisha's idea works."
"Aisha… What, is, your, idea?"
Aisha smiles widely, "We knock over a dog fighting ring, tonight. Wearing black bodystockings and balaclavas."
"Aisha, you've only just got the ability to teleport, why would you want to do this?"
"It's all new innit, you teleport and do magic, but it ain't instinctive for you yet. In a body stocking in front of Hookwolf, Cricket, and Krieg, you're going to freeze, and not think clearly. But the only way to survive is to become like Taylor, like Queenie. You saw what happened with Hermione, she needed an external stimulus to change. We either wait years like thingy that begins with an x, or we do it now. Can you honestly say you've never wanted to be able to roam the city as freely as Glory Girl does?"
Missy shivers, "Hookwolf doesn't pull punches, even for children."
"I know, sometimes they grab some sport and put them in the ring with a couple of dogs. I'd rather be lynched. So, Amy, whatcha say, do you want to actually get some action and revenge on the people that put so many people in hospital?"
"No killing."
"Gotcha."
Missy looks at Aisha, "Why are you actually doing this, I'll go looking if you don't spill."
Aisha crumples, "I just don't want to be a victim no more. It's why I helped you find shit, as if you, a hero, was interested in it, and having seen what was happening with Dinah and Taylor. It was my way out man, check my mind if you don't believe me. I think you may actually be the first friend I could actually relax around, and I've only known you for a bit over a week."
"What about Dinah?"
"She didn't get me like you do. Probably means your families as shitty as mine is. You've seen those memories, of how close they were like that. I want that. I want a real family, not just whatever it is I have."
