17 December 2010, Brockton Bay
Kane's sanctum, Fourth level,
After the incident with Empire goons, everything goes precisely as Kane predicted. For a day, people talked about gang violence and its tragedy, especially when a teenager killed after being tortured. Empire blamed ABB and had few fights around the city in few weeks, but that's it. Life moved on, including Brotherhood of Nod.
With Construction Yard and drones, underground parking becomes an underground village, with tunnels that stretch beneath Merchants' territory. They even connected Price building with them and turned it into Secret Shrine.
Kane was busy the last few weeks since his involvement in the operation. The lost gun was a clear signal for Kane that the Brotherhood requires a change in the command structure, new members and rules. Kane would still be in charge, but Price and Clarke needed all the help they could get to make things work. Therefore, Amanda Waller becomes his director of security and intelligence.
Before that happened, he asked her why she joined Nod and what was her goal. Her life story was quite the same as the story of Amanda Waller from DC comics, at least some part of it. For example, Waller wanted to use prisoners from Birdcage to fight impossible odds and win or die trying. To accomplish that, she wanted to use drugs, indoctrination and tinkers bombs in their heads. All the measures, at the same time. In her mind, it would be acceptable to control them.
At first, directors of PRT considered her idea, and some openly supported it. However, PRT parahumans somehow found out about it and threatened to leave PRT if this operation took place. Also, Dragon, an overseer of Birdcage, said that she won't be a part of it. It all goes against her principles as a hero.
Sadly for Waller and PRT, Amanda does not like when someone refuses her. Instead of closing the program, Waller gathered operatives and prepared to kidnap newly convicted parahumans while they had not reached Birdcage.
Dragon, Armsmaster, Legend, and a few other parahuman strikes down Waller and her team before she could have done anything. After that, a relatively easy prison sentence.
When Waller got free, she pissed, especially when her potential career in any government organization at this point would be impossible. She found her old operatives, but only Carver and Jenkins worked with her again, while others disappeared.
What Waller and her team have done during the years after prison, she has not told him, but if Kane could guess nothing legal. In the end, Waller knew Price while they had worked for PRT and maybe even before that, so he offered her a place amongst them as members of the inner guard. Carver and Jenkins followed.
When Kane asked why they both did, Waller suggested asking them personally, but he should be careful with Carver. The guy did not like to talk about his past. Considering that Carver is his own personal bodyguard, eventually, they would talk about it.
To summarise, Amanda Waller became his head of the Black Hand. She answered for security and protection of Brotherhood within or without. Inner-Guard falls under her command while she would respond directly to Kane or Price.
Price himself was only happy to ditch some of the paperwork and responsibility on Waller, especially now when he has new recruits and military vehicles crew to train.
Kane's speech maybe was too good. Amount of people who wanted to learn how to shoot and fight increased dramatically. They have around two hundred militias and approximately fifty Inner-Guard members. Not including ten Scorpion tanks, five Reckoners and fifteen Bikes.
Scorpion tanks received an upgrade with laser guns, which turned them into perilous pieces of tinker tech to have. Anyone would shit themselves if they knew it was simple military equipment compared to Avatars or Mammoth tanks.
If Price had time to have less to take care of and they promoted Waller. Clarke received more work to do. Construction Yard becomes his permanent residence for there, he controls the extension of Kane's Sanctuary. This is the name members of Brotherhood given to their base. After all, they can not continue to call the underground mall's parking. Instead, Kane's Sanctuary or Sanctuary, for short, have a nice ring to it.
Rearrangement took a few weeks, but finally, the base was at least better organized and protected. The first level, where they keep soldiers and vehicles which were gathered. The second level was where Construction Yard, Commanding Center, Barracks and War Factory found the place, with Clarke and Price in charge.
After the fourth, the third level may be the most essential with Tiberium fields, refinery, and generators. It was the heart of Sanctuary and constantly under guard with anti Tiberium walls and turrets. Only those with specific access could reach it.
The fourth level was a new one. Specifically, under the Tiberium field, it was where Kane built his personal chambers. It took time to build Anti Tiberium walls and ensure that other people might visit him here. He also creates an office for Waller at the same level. Like this, he could constantly monitor what orders Waller gives to Inner-Guard and ensure she won't do something behind his back. At least he could try.
For now, he was sitting behind a round table with Waller, waiting when Price and Clarke could join them. For the first time, leaders of the Brotherhood of Nod would gather to decide what to do with Merchants.
"How is your training with Carver?" asked Waller while typing on her tablet.
"Time-consuming" was all Kane could say. After his grand speech, Price decided that if Kane wanted to take part in spec ops or just get into a war zone, he should have training. When Kane tried to explain that it was a onetime thing because Clarke fucked up, Price also added extra training for 'whining'.
"Carver is also slave-driver. I think he enjoys ordering me to do push-ups."
"He is, but I saw your training. He is holding back." Waller put the tablet aside, and soon after that, Price and Clarke walked in inside the room.
Price sat down on his right side while Waller already took place on the left side. Clarke was in front of him in the new suite, with extra two metal limbs which grew from his back. When Clarke found time to build another suite was a mystery to Kane. Maybe he should add more work to Clarke's schedule.
Kane greeted Price and Clarke after they took their places. "Let's get to work. We have much to discuss."
"I presume it is about the operation Dawn?" Clarke addressed the first thing he wanted to know about. As a head engineer, he left most of the military operations to Price, Kane and Waller. It does not mean he doesn't want to know more about it. It just always goes on the second plan when he has to deal with expanding the base or training people on how to work with Kane's tinker tech.
"Yes, let's discuss it," Waller looked at Kane. "I think we should change our approach."
"What exactly you wanted to change?"
"I understand why Skidmdark must die as a leader, maybe even Mush. It would be hard to capture him alive. I believe Squealer suitable candidate for squid x and her death is a waste." it was not the first time Waller disagreed with the plan. She tried to talk him out of it before the meeting multiple times.
"Yes, we also could spare Mush. We can take him out with Shatterer. It would take War Factory a week to build at least five of them," Clarke added.
Kane looked to his right side at Price. As a Commander, his opinion would be the most important one.
"Killing them would be easier, but Waller has a point, even if I disagree with what she will do with them. Also, I know there is a reason behind the action you wanted to take, Kane. Better to unravel them now."
Kane folded his hands and put them on the table.
"Hom many parahumans have the Empire?"
Waller answered Kane's question without a pause
"They have fifteen members. Fourteen if you exclude Purity, but she might join if they need her."
Then Kane asked another question, "What about PRT and ABB? How many parahumans do they have?"
"ABB has Lung and Oni Lee, but our agents inside ABB reported Lung might find another member. Her name is Bakuda, and she is a tinker who could build bombs."
"We have agents inside ABB?" whispered Clarke, surprisingly.
"PRT so far has the biggest group of parahumans inside the city. At least 17, and they always can call for reinforcements." continued Waller, ignoring Clarke's whispers.
Kane didn't know about ABB's new member. Already Waller showed her skill in information gathering, notably if she infiltrated ABB.
"Finally, last question, how many parahumans do we have?"
"You, only you, ", answered Price.
"Yes, only me, and which is quite alarming. I am not a battle parahuman. The only thing which makes Brotherhood of Nod a threat is my ability to increase our war capabilities. What do you think other groups will do when they found about it?"
"They will take you out ", Clarke responded.
"Which is why we need more parahumans to recruit." Waller glanced at Price to get his support, but Price was still looking at Kane.
"No, therefore we need to make sure that other groups would think twice before attacking us."
"You want to intimidate them." Price leaned forward.
"The power of every group inside of Brockton Bay measured by the number of parahumans they could call to fight for them. Losing even one is a severe blow. Three dead parahumans are something they would avoid at any cost."
"They would be afraid, too scared to do something and change the status quo" Waller was looking at him with new respect. Maybe he finally impressed her. Who knows?
"They could also unite against us." Clarke turned to Price
"Doubtful. Empire and PRT would not work together unless it is an Endbringer situation. I should not even mention ABB."
"Lung could attack us on his own, in a desire to take our future territories, ", disagreed Waller
"In that case, we would go on a full-scale attack on his territories and parahumans. Killing Lung would be challenging, but Bakuda, Oni Lee and standard tugs easy prey. We can take them out," retort Kane.
"It could work for few months. Even a year if we are lucky." approved Price.
Soon enough, Waller and Clarke agreed to follow his original plan. He can work later with Price on last details and which vehicles they should include into the striking force. Yet, they have another thing to discuss.
"What is his name again? The real estate agent you hired for us?" Price turned to Waller.
"Bob Kuchinsky. He already purchased the buildings we needed. We can send teams when they are ready."
"Is it safe to use him?" Clarke held out a hand with a tablet to show five engineers. "I have to send my people to work on those buildings."
"I literally hold his family life in my hand. His wife, two daughters and parents are breathing because he useful for us. It is in his best interest to work and be a good boy. "
That fact should bother Kane. At least his past self would be, but his conscience was dying. Slowly, every day, part of it disappeared, and in its place, something new took place. It wasn't cruelty but knowledge of necessity what he should do.
How far it would take him? How many lives would be annihilated and crumpled before his morals finally screamed enough? Kane knew the answer, and that knowledge horrified him.
"Then, in two days, each engineer with a member of Inner-Guard and twenty militants would travel to New Your, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and last one to Canad," He doesn't require saying where in Canada they need to go.
"You think they would not notice them?" Clarke's concern for his newly trained engineers was heart touching. Man does not wish to lose people, especially after Ellisburg.
"They will, but it would be too late."
"It is a high-risk operation, especially if you wanted to plant Tiberium there." Price shared his opinion. He supported the operation. After all, it was his idea to build more bases, but grow Tiberium there without Kane's supervision was too much of the risk.
"Inner-Guard would make sure everything stays under control, and Nod needs to expand its network." Waller wanted to support the plan. Particularly a Canada section, and their goal was something she favored.
"PRT will look at as, ignoring the scorpion's sting until it's too late. Besides, any engineers you could train would leave us in future to build more bases. Keeping everything in Brockton Bay is not safe."
Knowing that they outnumbered him, Clark agreed.
"Anything else we need to address while everyone is still here?" Kane looked at Price, Waller, and Clarke one after another.
"No, I will get to work. Militants still need some training to finish."
"I also need to finish some projects. There is something I wanted to try with anti-gravity technology."
"I will talk with you later, Price, about some orders I want to clarify." Price acknowledges Waller's request. They will probably talk about it tomorrow.
After Price and Clarke left, they left Kane alone with Waller.
"Is the project Green Anvil still under consideration?"
Kane took time to give an answer. He raised his head and looked at the ceiling.
"No, I approve it. Gather information. As soon as I build it, we could start. ,"
For a second time, Waller looked with respect for him. "We might need test subjects before we test it on final species."
"I believe you have someone in mind. " Kane was absolutely sure Waller already had candidates.
"Uber and Leet would do nicely."Considering what they would do to them. Again, Kane wonders what happened with his conscience.
Hello everyone. New chapter and it is not as big as I thought it would be. Honestly, I wanted to write more but then I decided that the second part is an entirely new chapter and should be posted later on.
I hope this chapter answered some of your questions and gives you a new one to think about. Nod is growing and who else will join round table is a good question. Who do you think should join Kane in his unethical path to save the world? I tried to correct my grammar mistakes, not sure if I succeed.
Blaze1992- I hope this chapter answered some of your questions. Also, thank you for your reviews. They are my favourite so far. To make something clear. Conflict with PRT is unavoidable. Kane knows it, which is why he is going to take all the attention he could get, while other branches of NOD grow behind the scene. Is it a waste to kill parahumans? It is. It is also the only thing that would force other gangs and PRT to not risk full-scale attacks after NOD emerges.
Mohammad 'the truth' S- Yea, working on it. Searching for beta and I also trying to write smaller chapter which I could edit self easier.
Guest-Thanks! I love them too. Who else you wanted to see in my story? It does not mean I will add them, but I might consider it.
Give me some reviews and stay safe. May Tiberium guide you.