The Heresy

Dust Devil waved off Batty Boom as she circled the scene a few times before the giant bat shrieked off into the last rays of orange and purple sky. A PRT officer beckoned Dust Devil and Shadow Stalker away from the The Undersiders and truck wreckage while Miss Militia began coordinating the removal of the villains.

Officer Innocenti lifted the visor to her helmet, "As you two have operated in a private capacity in a Protectorate controlled area with looser reign than most vigilante groups this destruction of city streets and the private property of the villains will not be deducted from your fees. That being said, both The Protectorate and The PRT no longer have need of your services in any capacity."

Both Ray and Sophia were handed manila envelopes filled with a few pages of paperwork, "in these packets are details on your Wards and Protectorate accounts. Hopefully they'll be enough to get you two started in civilian life here in Brockton Bay or help restart your new hero careers - ahh, elsewhere."

Ray was confused but before he could speak up Sophia spoke, "Yeah, I get it. Thanks for the heads up, Officer."

Sophia reached behind Ray's ear and extracted his ear piece and passed it to Noemi, "Devil's still reeling from the truck tumble, I'll catch him up on everything."

Ray just nodded.

"Thank you, Shadow Stalker. Ahh, really, on a personal level I'm really glad you all pulled it off. Since Hornhead showed up, some of the squads have been cheering him on. So you two taking down the local crime lords in a short time is pretty impressive."

Sophia laughed behind her mask, "Hornhead? Nice one, but I'm sure he'll appreciate the sentiment once the adrenaline wears off and the bruises and fractures make themselves known."

"Ooo, right", Noemi lifted her arm up and punched in a few commands into the touchscreen strapped to her forearm. "Speaking of injuries, technically you both aren't supposed to have access to Protectorate or Wards resources but I put you both on the same transpo for the PRT HQ. You can get cape related medical care at the Medical Center, because you technically are victims of Parahuman crime."

Ray's wits came back to him, "I- I appreciate it, Noemi. We could definitely use some patching up. Yeah."

"There we go, cat musta gave you your tongue back, eh? Anyway, Transport Seven will carry Imp and Tattletale. Each will have cells there at the HQ, so try to behave yourself and keep this truck intact", Noemi fixed her visor back down and saluted the capes before heading over to Miss Militia.

Ray turned to Sophia, "Why is everyone acting like I drove us directly into harm's way?"

"Whatever, we're lucky the PRT HQ is the Wards base. Clock face drove your van there, remember?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Well if Grue didn't skewer me back in the truck we'd be hoofing it back to the van."

"I'm faster than any ride they got, Dulcinea."

Shadow Stalker walked up close to Devil and bumped his chest with her own, "Prove it... Cabrón."

"You speaking Spanish is really fucking hot".

Sophia rearranged her cloak to help support her wounded arm, "Silencio... now carry my ass."

Dust Devil scooped up his partner and they diffused.

(°||°)

"Hello, there Dust Devil. I have heard the good news and just had to come meet the latest heroes of Brockton Bay."

The man was slightly darker skinned than Sophia yet, even as he smiled politely, Ray could just make out a familiar gleam of not quite pleasure nor not quite malice.

Ray's armor pads had been removed and the top portion of his body suit had been unzipped and slid down to his waist. He left his mask on but the red lights switched off, and despite the fresh bruises and wounds on his body the pain meds being pumped into his system made his brain and tongue looser than usual.

"S'up? I'm going to be honest, I don't think we've met, man."

The man nodded thoughtfully and walked over to a medical drawer and removed a plastic medical waste baggie.

"Oh, I must apologize. I have just finished having a couple conversations with your packmate", he removed his tie and suit jacket and tucked them carefully into the large baggie.

"You see, Mr. Alcaraz. Miss Hess was less than utterly forthcoming in either conversation so I have now turned to you. You who somehow instilled the utmost confidence and or garnered the lifelong loyalty of a rather troubled young woman."

The man unbuttoned his dress shirt and gently slipped it into the bag and sealed it. He deposited it onto the tabletop above the drawers, then reached into another drawer and extracted a tray covered in a hygiene wrapper. The rather skeletal man wearing just his slacks and a thin white undershirt carried the tray in one hand and moved Ray's paper cup of ice chips and water off his food tray and replaced them with the wrapped tray.

"Hey, uhh, who are you again?" Dust Devil asked warily.

"Do not worry, let's just say I'm an interested party in regards to The Undersiders", the man extracted a blue egg-like device from his pocket and placed it on Ray's bare chest. The egg stuck to him and suddenly Ray's body went stiff as if he was again trapped inside the Horrorshow's basement prison. "I am Thomas Calvert, consultant for The PRT, and I am going to have a second conversation after this extolling the profitability and satisfaction of becoming a consultant with me for the federal government. But right now-"

Calvert removed the opaque wrapper from the metal tray and lifted a long handled scalpel from the tray, "- I'm going to work out some frustrations and ask you some important questions in a very uncomfortable manner, Ray."

A knock came from the door to the examination room, Ray glanced over and saw one of Tattletale's mercenary types walk in, "Sir, the area is secure, do you need me to remain?"

"I'm just about to begin, please see no one disturbs the interrogation."

"Understood, sir", the mercenary stood next to the doorway and held out a white doctor's coat.

Ray switched to his dust form and hovered in place on the bed, trapped by the device that hovered in parallel with Ray. Thomas put the scalpel back in the tray and then carried the tray towards the door, "Stay in your breaker state as long as you wish, Ray. These aren't for you."

Thomas Calvert grabbed the white coat from the mercenary and strolled out of the room while the mercenary pushed a small trash can in the way, preventing the door from shutting. Next door he could hear Calvert speak, "Hello again, Shadow Stalker. I am Dr. Thomas. I'm going to apply these electrodes for the EEG machine - no no, this will merely measure your brain's electrical impulses to a variety of stimuli. Yes, it's relatively harmless."

(°||°)