My Name Is Human

There was nothing, no venom, no passion to the words that came out of the Director's mouth. Dogfight noticed the occasional bounce of her jowl and the shake of the bob of blonde hair on her head, but there was nothing in her manner that showed that she cared about any of what she said. No one struck out at him, the occasional sting as a member of the PRT medical personnel from the building's hospital extracted slivers of broken glass and street grit from his limbs was all the physical punishment he received.

All he got out of the condemnation was Shadow Stalker was upset at his outburst and chose to vent the hostility on the rioters attacking the truck. So strike one was not getting information on the truck and capes. Strike two was not following Assault's lead on the riot. Strike three was retaliating for the brick throw at Shadow Stalker.

"In all honesty, Assault's report is damning for all three of you. Shadow Stalker will be remanded to the juvenile detention system, Assault suspended pending review, and you - You would be given a bus ticket to Boston and if you ever showed your face here again while I'm director the full force of The Protectorate would make an example of you for the rest of the Parahumans in this city."

That's what he wanted to hear.

"Thank you, Director."

Piggot slammed an open palm on her desk, rattling the mug full of pencils, a pause in the extraction of shards and slivers by the medic that knelt in her office as the sole other witness to her wrath.

"I wasn't finished, Dogfight."

She waved off the medic and they were more than quick in retreat from the office.

"None of that is happening. Instead you and Shadow Stalker are now on separate patrols, double patrols. You showed capability, pulling punches, discovery of new uses of your power, and as we are grossly understaffed and outnumbered it'd be a waste to be rid of you. But - if you endeavor to remain a part of this federally sanctioned team, you must remember at the core of Protectorate is to be a hero. I'm talking about Big H as in Hero, Ray."

Ray pulled his white mask off, strings of congealing blood came off as it stuck to the reinforced plastic. He yanked his gaiter down and exposed the fresh gash in his face that still leaked amber fluid. Piggot's eyes verified the cinder block and bat that connected to his mask mid fight didn't improve his looks any.

"There isn't a city out there no more, it's Water World meets The Road Warrior meets Monopoly, okay? And the fact gangs are fighting each other over food and water means we can't afford to show the people, like my abuelita says, turn the other cheek. This is no time to spare the rod and spoil the child."

He gestured at his face and threw the bloody mask on the floor.

"So - remember that you all came to me. You evaluated me, I did your tests, and your people asked. People you trust, that you lead, and I'm here - watching and studying your rules and regulations."

The Director held up a finger, and Ray stopped. With the same hand she pressed keys on her desk phone and a man's voice answered.

"Director?"

"Ray Alcaraz is with me."

"Ahh, Dogfight, unfortunate name what with the chances of running into Hellhou-"

"Mr. Alcaraz was just on patrol and his temporary costume was completely ruined. He's going to be in need of an expedited costume and rebranding."

"Oh, my team and I are so up for this, Director."

"Skip the full line up of costuming, just have a basic ABC package setup by lunch for him, and Ray will be choosing a new name with the Relations Coordinator."

"Understood, Director. We'll have the Coordinator meet him after lunch then bring him in."

Piggot ended the call with a single button press. She sighed and looked right at Ray, locked on to his eyes.

"We have enough people fighting over scraps and dirt. Are you ready to wield that rod to keep this city in check?"

He diffused for a fraction of a second and before the shards of glass and bits of concrete that were left in his body hit her cold office floor, he stood before her.

"Yes, ma'am."

Emily Piggot raised her eyes and leveled a cool gaze up at the injured teen.

"Then Dogfight died tonight. Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life."

~~x

Despite his yen for a nice long shower the hospital staff warned him not to disturb his dressings tonight. It was closer to two AM when the hospital released him and he typically expected to be up around seven to eat breakfast and study. Instead he sent an email request on his assigned laptop to not be disturbed until lunchtime. He received an automated response noting his updated schedule before he shut the lid and tossed the computer onto his bed, and changed into a basic white tee and a pair of PRT issued boxers. He lumbered to the bathroom to brush his teeth. The mouthwash stung as he spat out the blood from the damage to his inner cheeks and tongue during the fight.

"Fuck - me."

He didn't use his power to react to the other presence in the restroom. Ray looked at his visitor with dispassionate acknowledgement, giving them the rest of his face to ogle.

"I heard what happened to you in the fight but you are a fucking tapestry of scars, Jesus."

She was dark skinned sporting an athletic body with a face and curves that most inclined folk would find attractive. But her voice was Shadow Stalker's and he didn't need to catch shit for her funsies.

"I'm learning scars are what happen when I give a crap about people", he gestured at the dressing across his face. "What're you doing here, shouldn't you be singing Christmas carols with the rest of The Peanuts gang?"

He shuffled past her with his toiletries kit in hand as she silently bristled in the white, gray, and metal bathroom.

"You didn't have to jump in after me", her voice uneven as she spoke from behind him in the hallway.

"Piggot just murdered Dogfight and I can't lavado - take a fucking shower", Ray stomped into the empty barracks and moved his laptop to the shelf next to his bed. "And if you're checking if I blamed you for any of it - No, I didn't. I ate shit, said my piece about this dying town, and let her end my career before it started."

Shadow Stalker's alter ego laughed. While Ray prepped for bed she pulled a knife from seeming nowhere and balanced the blade on the tip of her finger as she blocked the doorway. He'd seen this kind of trick before with his Grandfather's workers, you didn't need to move your hips so much as adjust your arm to keep the blade balanced. He stole glances with his peripheral vision: she looked in her late teens wearing an old band t-shirt, dryer holes dotted the hem that came up short of her navel, along with shorts little better than underwear, and a set of basic white, slip-on canvas shoes. In getup like that she would have had to travel in her shadow form from The Wards dorm to his side of the building.

"Whatever, I know you don't give a shit.", He said as he noted bruising on the back of one of her thighs as she shifted her body. Inwardly he cursed himself for having looked her way again as her eyes narrowed when they locked on his own. Ray wasn't used to this kind of interaction, he usually pursued and failed. This whole exchange should be going bad, swearing, arguing - a fight, even.

"And I get it, you can handle yourself, sorry I pushed you. Anyway, I'm just gonna soldier on, so I can do what I need to get my shot at what I want from all this crap. So mueve tu colita, whatever your name is, so I can go to sleep."

The knife embedded itself in the wall dangerously close to Ray's head. He blew a lungful of air from his scarred lips and raised an arm over his head and casually rested it on the knife handle, unmoved by the attack.

"Unless you're looking for a round two or something…?" he asked in an incredulous tone.

She offered Ray a crooked grin and a shrug.

"Lights off", she ordered the room's systems then stepped into the barracks as the door slid shut behind her.

~~x