Kayden Anders wasn't sure what to make of her life recently. Her lack of progress in dealing with the ABB and Merchants had been a major source of frustration for the past few months and Max holding the threat of taking Aster from her over her head was one of anxiety. She thought Theo was a coward, but she would rather have him be that than like his father, yet he was the same boy who had beat her into the ground a few weeks prior. He was more confident after getting his powers, which was rare for parahumans. The confidence usually came after weeks or months of having their powers and doing something with them. Even Max hadn't been that confident when he got his powers. He was as broken as everyone else was before he built himself back up to become the man he was today, which wasn't necessarily a good thing.
Theo forcing her to reevaluate her life, really think about the choices she was making instead of doing the same thing over and over again had honestly been a blessing in disguise for her. It kept her from going back to the Empire and allowed her to grow closer to her stepson in a way she wouldn't have before. It forced her to actually change.
The change was slow going, she could admit that herself, but getting rid of years of strongly held beliefs was never easy. Half the reason she never slipped up around Taylor was because the girl could be pretty terrifying when she wanted to be. Especially when she was taller than her. That just wasn't fair. Nearly having her face stomped in for calling Taylor a "Jewess" the first time they met had been an eye opening experience. The only reason the Empire was even tolerated was because the ABB couldn't pick them apart and they had too much influence. But the way Taylor had effortlessly knocked her on her back and nearly killed her along with the force of the air on her face after Theo stopped the attack showed they could easily take any Cape in the city if they wanted. That kind of pressure from a haphazard attack wasn't a joke. That was high level Brute territory.
The fact that Taylor wasn't even Jewish made that just as embarrassing as it was terrifying.
So she kept her mouth shut, even when Grue took shots at her for her ideology. She could have called him any number of names in the Big Book of Racism, but held her tongue because she was supposed to be trying to change. She broadened her horizons a bit and started talking more openly with the Black and Asian people at her job. Started watching what she said so she didn't fuck up and accidentally call someone a slur. She was making an active effort to try and unlearn everything she had over the years. Grue still wasn't okay with her, but she knew there was no way she could do anything short of a miracle to get him to let her try with him. He was a cape and was more privy to all the atrocities she'd committed than normal people were.
Sitting down for a relaxing afternoon after putting her daughter down for a nap, Kayden found herself channel surfing, just looking for something to watch while she enjoyed some coffee. She'd almost stopped on one of those Lifetime movies, but it was too far into the plot to bother staying on.
Eventually she clicked over to the news and went to the kitchen to make herself some lunch. She could hear the T.V as she made her food. It was mostly talk about the tagging that had popped up all over town. Most people had no clue what it was about, but after the stunt with breaking Canary out, some people were speculating that it was the Espada taking over.
They were right, but they wouldn't have confirmation on that for at least another few weeks.
"Breaking news! We've just received word of the identities of the members of the Empire Eighty-Eight."
Kayden dropped the knife she was using and rushed around the corner to look at the T.V. Sure enough the names and faces of every member, including herself, Night, and Fog were displayed on the screen.
"The most shocking news is that Max Anders, CEO of Medhall, is, in fact, Kaiser, the leader of the Empire Eighty-Eight."
"Oh shit, of fuck, oh fuck." Kayden started to panic, grabbing her head and pacing the room. "Okay," she stopped, "It's okay. You can handle this Kayden. Pack up Aster and her things. Theo and the others can hide us somewhere."
She rushed back into her room and grabbed bags to pack up her daughters things then her own. She managed to finish packing and get Aster before the front door of her apartment was blown in, bouncing down the hallway.
"Knock, knock!" Stormtiger shouted. "Come on out, Kayden, we know you're here!"
"Fuck." Kayden looked around to try to find a way out. She was in Aster's room and the fire escape was in her room. She could hide, but if Cricket was here—.
The door slammed open and Cricket was standing in the doorway with Stormtiger behind her.
"There you are. You know, you really did make a terrible mistake betraying us," Stormtiger said. "Just to go work with those kids? Honestly, Kayden, after everything we did for you."
"You didn't do anything for me!" She snapped.
"We were friends for years and this is really how you replay us?" He sighed. "Oh well, no helping the lost. Just hand over Aster and we can do this the easy way."
"I'd die before I hand over my daughter to you monsters!"
"It's funny you should say that."
Stormtiger raised his hand and she had just enough time to turn away from him before the blade of air sliced into her. She fell to her knees in pain. She was in a bad spot. With her daughter here she couldn't use her powers. I she put Aster down for even a moment one of them would snatch her and take off before she could go after them. For the first time in her life she wished she could use her powers with out having to enter her breaker state. Just blasting Cricket in the chest would make this so much easier. But the risk wasn't worth potentially hurting her daughter. The best she could do was endure it and hope someone came to help.
She tried to stand, to maybe try something. Throw a toy or a towel to blind them long enough to run for it, but she suddenly felt extremely nauseous and her legs gave out. Cricket. Her stupid sound powers were perfect for this kind of thing. Her ears were ringing from the subsonic sounds and it took her a moment to realize her daughter was crying.
"It's okay, sweetie," She said, trying to calm her down, "Mommy's right here."
"How cute," Stormtiger said. "Grab her."
Kayden stifled a scream when Cricket grabbed her by her hair and yanked her onto her back. She held Aster close to her chest as she was dragged into the living room.
"You really were one of the best, Kayden. It's a shame you have to go out like this, but you know what we do to race traitors in the Empire." He walked to the middle of the room and swung a noose over the ceiling fan. "Usually I'd try tot take it easy on you. Not make it so painful for you. But," He shrugged, "This is what you deserve for outing us."
"I didn't out you!" She shouted. "Why would I out myself too after I left, you fucking idiot! Did Max even order this?"
"Whether you did it or not, fact of the matter is you're the prime suspect. Initially we were just supposed to persuade you, but after everything that's happened? Well, much as Kaiser cares about you, if you're just going to bite the hand that fed you, it's better we put you down."
Kayden grunted in pain when Cricket yanked her hair again, dragging her over toward the table.
"You won't get away with this." Kayden glared.
"And who would stop us? Who do you have to avenge you, Kayden? Aster's too young and Kaiser will make sure she sees you as nothing but a traitor if he lets her know about you at all? Theo? He might have gained a small bit of backbone recently, but the boy doesn't have what it takes to try something like that. You have no one, Kayden. You're alone."
Kayden didn't say anything, but her glare became harsher. She grit her teeth, doing everything she could to keep from transforming and blowing a hole through both of them.
"String her up."
Kayden gasped as Cricket pulled her again, standing her up to get her on the table.
"Get away from my mother!" Someone shouted from outside. Their heads snapped to the window just as the glass shattered. There was a blast of wind then Cricket was gone. The only sound in the apartment was Aster's crying and it took a moment for their brains to catch up with what had happened. They turned to the other end of the room to see Theo standing in front of Cricket's body, her chest caved in to the point where it might as well have been a hole.
"T-Theodore?" Stormtiger asked. He suddenly fell to his knees, his arm snapping as he tried to keep himself from falling. Whatever pressure he was under slammed down harder, crushing him.
Theo took a moment to readjust himself. Kayden could see the pain in his eyes. He was worried about her and Aster, but he felt conflicted about killing to protect them.
"Th-Theo, thank you," Kayden stuttered.
"Are you packed?" He asked, ignoring the question.
"I have all the basics."
"Let's go." Theo snapped his fingers and one of their portals opened. Kayden rushed through, leaving Theo to grab her things. Once in the safety of Las Noches, she broke down, holding a finally calming Aster close. She didn't cry, didn't want to let Theo see her like that, but she shook under all the emotion finally coming to her.
"Stay with Aster. We'll handle everything." Theo said.
Kayden nodded as he left. With him finally gone, she started crying. Never since she got her powers had she felt so helpless. It was a learning moment for her. Finally being put in the place of so many people she'd victimized in a similar way. The fear of losing her daughter, of being the one on the noose instead of putting it on, of dying. The fear rushed through her, giving way to shame and understanding. Sitting on the cold stone floor of Las Noches, feeling weak and defeated with her only comfort being her daughter, she decided that even if she'd lost her civilian life she would do better. Be better. She didn't see a way to atone for all of her sins. For all the fear and death she'd spread or the lives she'd taken or ruined. But, if nothing else, she could try.