"Explain; what is happening here."

The 'command tent' that the PRT had set up really was just a standard tent. Granted one with Tinker-tech based fabric that could stop most shrapnel, but at the end of the day, it was still just a tent.

Several folding tables had been set up where the PRT had officers working on paperwork, phones, and a few laptops, while one of the other tables was set aside for the Protectorate members to meet, which included the dual images of Dragon and a stern Director Piggot on a screen. Armsmaster, Miss Militia, and Gallant were the only ones standing in front of it. Kid Win and Aegis were helping with the PRT, while Clockblocker was being held near the medical tent to get a new arm formed by Panacea (when she had the time of course).

Gallant fidgeted. "Ma'am, that uh…"

"We don't have the full story yet," spoke Miss Militia, saving the two others in the room. "Given how fast this event as happened, as well as the… issues that have stemmed from it. What we do know is that there have been no demands nor is anyone stepping forward to claim responsibility for his incident. We've been told that there were no suspicious personal spotted outside or entering the school as well. The PRT is following protocol in dealing with the event, and other than a few… issues, that we are resolving, it seems that we now have the area under control."

Director Piggot pinched the bridge of her nose before speaking. "I hope so, I just got off with the Chief Director, this event is getting national coverage due to both Brockton Bay's own infamy and the fact you can see it from across the city. There was even some talk of it being the Nine again, or the return of Artic."

"Artics last known location was South America," spoke Dragon. "And that was over ten years ago, and the Nine were last spotted in Iowa, so it is unlikely to be either of them. Given what little we know, and where it's happening, my bet is a new Trigger."

To this Armsmaster nodded. "APPAS never could predict Trigger Events due to their unpredictable nature, another point for better integration into the networks."

Piggot gave her best glare at the armored hero. "We've been over this before Armsmaster," she said. "Neither the lawmakers nor the citizens themselves like the idea of a Big Brother system, even if it does let us get ahead of criminal cape activity."

Armsmaster, seemingly impervious to the glare, only nodded again and asked, "Dragon, how fast can your suits get here for an analysis of the tree?"

The Canadian hero's avatar glanced away for a moment. "I've got two on the way now, with a third on standby, but that's mostly because the first is just a quick-reaction unit, a modified Cawthorne. Basic systems and sensors but high speed, don't expect much from it other than a morale boost and simple assistance; the second has better gear but will arrive a few hours afterwards because of it."

"Good, with the size of the event, your suits might be the best bet for us to get expanded readings on this tree," said Armsmaster. "The Response Teams have finished a basic survey, as per protocol."

Despite not even looking in his direction, Armsmaster managed to direct his words at Gallant, who didn't flinch.

"To all outwards appearances, we're dealing with ice."

"Ice," deadpaned the Director.

Whether Armsmaster heard the dry tone, or if he understood it was up to debate. Still, he continued speaking, though he did seem to not be looking at the Director.

"Yes, a sample taken has shown that the material is water which has been frozen at room temperatures. There are inconsistencies that can be attributed to a cape power, however. For one it's ultrapure water, at least according to what tests we can do in the field. There are no impurities in the ice and the pH is a near-perfect 7.0, but again, more tests are required to get a full analysis. Which is a problem because the ice is stronger than steel."

"Powers bullshit?" asked Piggot dryly.

"As many have said before," Armsmaster continued without a beat. "The PR Teams needed to use a rotary saw and change the blades twice just to break off a piece from an outcropping needed for testing, I was told that it was only the size of a thumb. Furthermore, there seems to be no reason for it to be glowing; no detectable power is running through it and the Lumens coming off it barely match an old incandescent bulb, and yet its glow is clearly visible from the other side of the city. In addition, its albedo ratings are off, it is functionally ice according to the tests, yet it refracts less of the infrared spectrum than it should."

"Definitely Powers bullshit," Armsmaster muttered at the end, seemingly lost in his HUD.

"This is on top of the effects it has on the human body," added Miss Militia. "Panacea is currently treating the injured and will be able to give more details on that when she has a moment. But we do know that there are signs of a mental affecting component tied to it, plus, it seems it can also affect powers, as seen from Clockblocker, Glory Girl and myself."

At this Miss Militia raised her arm up with her hand open, and the gun that was holstered at her hip dissolved into a black and green blur and floated up to her hand, flickering for a second before it changed into a combat knife; still green-and-black, and blurry around the edges. A second or two later the colors shifted and altered, and it became nothing more than a knife. This display drew the eyes of everyone in the room, including Armsmasters.

After all, it was a far cry from her usual display of power.

"And this is happening because of the tree?" Piggot asked after a few moments.

"It is the only thing I could think of," remarked Miss Militia, her blade flicking back into its back into a gun and falling into place in her holster after a few moments. "I have yet to experience any other effects, I was one of the few that entered the building for a short time before the incident with Clockblocker. Luckily Panacea said that she found nothing wrong with me, and others have had somewhat… similar, experiences, only to bounce back with no ill effects as well."

"That doesn't mean you should ignore it," said Panacea as she entered the tent. "I have no idea what is happening and only a few ideas on why it does."

The PRT officer escorting the healer through the tent nodded to the heroes and then the Director. "Ma'am, we have secured the area and see no more signs of anyone coming out. Panacea has dealt with most of the severely injured at this time, the rest can be helped by the medics and others."

The man shifted for a moment. "And we have confirmed several fatalities."

Piggot cursed. "From the Event?"

"From what we can tell, yes some," the officer replied. "Several however were from the aftermath or as a result; falling from windows, getting trampled by panicking students during the escape, or the effects this thing has on the mind seemingly driving them mad. We had to take down several students with obvious gang ties with foam because they were acting erratically, one of them… permanently, due to complications in restraining him."

Piggot cursed again, with more conviction. "That's the last thing we need right now, the news networks are circling, the city is half panicked, the Chief Director is breathing down my neck, and now we have dead kids."

There was a moment of silence. People dying was a fact of life for most capes with the occasional fight going just too far, powered gang violence, and even the Endbringers, it was no different than any other dangerous public service, just like firefighters and the police, other being the PR issues.

Capes were still a relatively new phenomenon in the age of civilization. If a cop or firefighter gets killed in the line of duty the public mourns; if a cape dies, the public panics and asks questions. Seeing what amounts to a superstar superhuman in charge of protecting them from other superpowered humans getting killed really cast the PRT and the Protectorate in a bad light.

Luckily, just like the other public services, parahuman deaths or related deaths didn't happen all that often; but it was still far more common on a day to day basis than the public realized.

Things just got even worse when it started involving the public themselves getting hit in the crossfire.

The Director sighed. "Panacea, please, provide me with some good news."

It would seem strange from the outside that an young mousy high schooler was standing with several members of the Protectorate just outside a Parahuman Event, but that was just Brockton Bay for you.

"Ok then, none of the PRT members that I've checked had been affected," said Amy. "And from what I've pieced together, getting affected requires skin contact, or at least nothing in the way of physical contact."

At this Amy ran a hand through for brown hair and shook her head. "I can't explain it, it's acting like radiation, messing with the cells' functions and giving the body errors, but it's not majorly harmful on the surface. And unlike radiation, there is no spread, it's all mostly localized to a random area, kinda like an infection. I can straight up fix radiation in most cases, it's just a matter repairing the damaged cells and correcting the DNA, taking biomass from other areas as fuel for the restructuring, it's one of the reasons that my patients need to eat soon after I'm done with them. With this… I can't do anything to it, I can't heal the affected areas."

"Like you can't affect brains?" Armsmaster asked.

"No, I can still see the brain," Amy clarified. "With this, it's like… it's like the affected part isn't there. My power knows how it should go, what should go where, so it fills in the blanks, but it's like seeing an overlay of what it should be, a map instead of the actual street, a gap in my knowledge."

Amy ducked her head and shifted nervously. "Sorry, trying to explain how my power works on top of this just makes it harder, but if I can't affect it, then it's not cellular."

"Hence the radiation example, do you believe that its affecting things on the molecular level?" asks Armsmaster.

"It's the only thing that makes any sense," Amy replied. "But normally I can still fix that, or break down whatever is gotten damaged to replace it, it's just a matter of, well, seeing what is having trouble, like a chipped or stuck gear, then replacing or repairing it, but here…"

"It resists, or you can't see it," Armsmaster filled in. "Just like with Clockblockers arm."

"I would very much like to be filled in with them at this juncture, given that no order was sent for the Wards to be here," Piggot said. Gallant, to his credit, still didn't flinch, instead choosing to keep his gaze at the other side of the tent.

"But the…" the Director sighed. "Ice-tree, takes priority. Panacea, you said that to be affected it requires direct contact?"

"Yes," Amy replied. "Most of those that were the least affected had the least contact, at least from what we've been able to piece together. It's kinda hard getting most of them to remember how long they touched the tree considering the circumstances, let alone talk."

"The few cases we had to hit with containment foam were the ones that were messing with the stuff when we got here," the PRT officer added in. "To say they were acting erratically would be an understatement."

At this Piggot nodded. "So contact can cause madness?" At this Amy and the officer answered with affirmatives. "Sounds like an old horror novel I remember reading somewhere," Piggot remarked under her breath.

"And I'm assuming that we haven't found the source or parahuman responsible for this event?" This time no one spoke up. "Then it is likely they are still inside the building, and the best people for getting inside are Armsmaster and Gallant, correct?"

"None of the PRT troops that interacted with the tree are affected so yes, it stands to reason that their armor could provide the best protection," said Amy. "But that could just mean that it takes time to soak through objects. My powers don't work on clothes after all; I can't see if they have been affected as well."

"My armor has been designed to provide some protection against radiation," Armsmaster said. "But I will admit that I have not done proper field tests, nor have I tested it beyond a degree of the ionizing spectrum. I may not be able to fight Behemoth in hand-to-hand, but I could assist in a minor radiation clean up task. None of my gear has detected anything outside of the ordinary however, so I don't know how effective it will be."

"You should be fine if you're quick," said Amy. "The rate of exposure is at minimum several minutes from what little we've gathered, just do your best to limit any contact to the tree, but that still assume that it is some kind of radiation. As a recognized healer by the PRT, I cannot recommend entering that building until further study on its effects, and I still have no idea on how it can affect your mind."

"The choice however, ultimately, comes down to me," Armsmaster pointed out. "As both one of the few capable of entering with limited consequences, as well as one with the proper training and experience, it becomes the only option. There is still a chance that the cape responsible may be planning something else, if it is a new Trigger, they may decide to lash out, causing more harm, as so we may not have the time for other options."

"I can provide assistance with monitoring his vitals," said Dragon. "As well as use his armor to map the area, get more readings to try and figure out a detector."

At this Amy sighed. "Just know that if you get afflicted that I might not be able to do anything to help you."

"Thank you for your concern," said Armsmaster. "I'll do my best to limit contact and proceed swiftly as I can while keeping my personal safety in mind."

Piggot nodded. "Fine, since you've made good points and a decision, Armsmaster, head inside and locate the source of this event; while you should help any stuck students in the building if you come across them, they are not a priority, stopping this from spreading any further or locating the cape responsible is."

"I can ask for volunteers to search the building after Armsmaster has gone in," the PRT officer said. "And Kid Win is apparently working on a way to get students out from the upper floors."

Miss Militia shook her head. "I told him not to do that," she glanced over at the Director. "Ma'am, if we could get a fire truck here, the ladders could be safely used to free the trapped students, rather than some Tinker creation."

"I'll get in touch with the Chief," said Piggot. "Get him to let the trucks back in. Has anyone heard from Shadow Stalker yet? Do we know if she's still inside?"

"She… hasn't made contact with us yet," said Gallant, shifting his gaze back to the computer screen. "It's possible."

"It's more likely that she is laying low," Armsmaster pointed out. "Her beacon says she's outside the school grounds, but with the amount of attention we are getting she could be finding it hard to get to us."

Piggot huffed. "Find her, she might be able to shed some light here. Now if there is nothing else that needs to be discussed at this time, then you should get to all work." She glared at Gallant for a moment. "And I expect a full report to be done by the time this is all over."