Escaping was as easy as I thought it would be. Yet it was also far more difficult than I could have ever expected. Not for any reason related to power, but rather something far more insidious. To the point where I was curious if the effect was intentional on Heartbreaker's part or accidental.

Running away was easy. As I said, nobody had the power to stop me, let alone follow. However, that required that I want to leave to begin with. Something that, as I stared at the outside world, prepared to take the first step of my new life, I found my feet almost too heavy to move. It was a strange dissonance that my insertion created. My body doesn't exactly "feel". Rather, everything is muted and dull. The result of a lifetime of indulgence and being affected by other emotion based masters. Something that, in hindsight, probably helped contribute to me not completely shutting down before I realized the difference in situation to canon.

However, the near lack of emotional capacity hadn't stopped the clenching feeling in my chest. Despite the body's diminished capacity, I was still myself, with all that entailed. I wouldn't say I'm a fairly moral person. I try to help others, sure, and I've occasionally gone out of my way, but that's just human kindness. It's what the average person would do if given the chance. And right now, with the memories of my younger siblings running through my head combined with my own moral compass, I find myself at a crossroads. Yes, I could walk away right now and leave them behind. But if I do, I'm faced with a very difficult question: What would that make me?

For all that Cherie was an insane serial killer, she had a point. Heartbreaker was a monster, even to his kids. One just had to look at last night to see that. He cared about us, but only for our potential gain to him, not because he's our-because it's what a parent does. And when Jean-Paul left, he only got worse. Again, all one had to do was look at what he did to me last night. Though, considering he probably only got worse when Cherie left, she didn't exactly have room to talk.

And so the question comes: If I left too, how much worse would things go for them? They were just children. Some no older than five. Others were too far gone, Cherie likely among them despite the happy memories I have of her. If I leave now, knowing of just what hardship will befall them, how am I any better? All that shows is that while I claimed I cared, I failed to back it up with actions. I can save them. That is an irrefutable fact. I could walk out with everyone free and Heartbreaker in chains. So if I didn't, if I made the choice not to, what would that make me?

"With great power, there must also come great responsibility." Most everyone on Earth knew the words, the motto Peter Parker lived by. And it was exactly the crux of the matter. I had power, and I certainly felt like I had the responsibility to save them. Or at the very least, to try and save them. Worse still was the sudden realization that this was a choice that would define me as a person. A strange concept when I consider how little, if any, of those choices I made in my previous life. And yet within a day I'm already facing one. Try and Save my family or leave them to rot.

"Fudge." Leaving them was the smart choice, the logical one. I could establish myself in an identity separate from my father. I could gain support and help them later, better than I ever could certainly. I could try and show the world that we could be better, with actual support. Saving them would be a disaster. I wasn't sure what I would do next, but it would have to be something drastic. After all, feeding a single person is a lot different than feeding an entire family. I would also have to put on hold the visit to the S9 I wanted to do to get Bonesaw and shore up my bodily weakness as fast as possible. And yet, as my mind conjured images of the innocent infantile laughter of Amias or the playful smile of Chastity, I found myself resolved.

*sigh* "Okay think. How are you going to do this?" Obviously I'd need to take Heartbreaker down and then somehow convince them all to come with me. Something that might be a bit hard, but I hoped I could manage. As I mentioned, I was pretty sure some were already lost causes. Cherie for instance was already well on her way to her canon self if not already. A painful feeling to admit as I could still remember the karaoke nights she used to organize where-

'Okay maybe not all good, but still decent enough. Though, back to the topic, how to save them?' As mentioned, I'd need a supply of food and water. A good place to sleep and some kind of stable environment to at least try and raise some of the younger ones decently. I'd also need a large enough place that they don't feel confined yet small enough to stay in range of observation. I'll also need to make sure law enforcement isn't going to…

'I'm thinking of taking over a city.' As I rubbed the bridge of my nose in annoyance, I chastised myself. Here I am making some grand internal monologue of "being better" and "setting an example" and I'm thinking of taking over a city!

"At least I know the conflict drive is still a thing." After all, I was not going to take credit for it. Nope! It was all the shard, and you won't convince me otherwise. Still, as I thought about the idea further, I really hated how much sense it made. For one, it would be pretty easy to just decide to take over a city. I was certain I could come to some sort of arrangement with the PRT. If only because I could tell them some of the more helpful secrets of the world. Sure, Scion was gone so I couldn't really offer myself, but Endbringers should still be active so they'll be happy to get rid of those. Plus, I could offer some form of warning for them of what's coming. After all, it doesn't take a genius to know that others would swamp to Earth to see what it's about. Negentropy is a pretty big deal after all. Better still, I would be a game changing for S-class scenarios. Easily able to shut them down with little effort or time. And if the cost for all of that was food, water, and a place for them to live? It should go over well enough.

'Well, if I phrase things right. I was still a master and people were terrified of them. Not as much as bio tinkers, but enough that they dressed up Gallant as a tinker.' Still, I had hope. Especially if I bring them proof of my ability and intent. The first step of which would be to bring down Heartbreaker. An easy process considering all I had to do was shut down his power. Of course, I had no idea what would happen past that, but that really wasn't my problem. No, what mattered now was taking him down and ending the operation to give myself some legitimacy. Of course, I needed a way to make sure I got credit for the act of course. That would be pretty simple though. All I needed to do was use my phone to record then upload to either YouTube or PHO. Either would work and give irrefutable evidence. Especially when the media comes and sees that, yes, Heartbreaker really has been done in.

Still, that left a question: which city to live in. Though I suppose that wasn't much of a question though. It was obvious I'd be going to Brockton Bay. From what I know, the city was in desperate need of help given the previous state of it as an experiment meaning that it wasn't given the resources other places received. Which meant it'd be especially receptive of my offer. Well, that and it's where most of canon took place. Which I can absolutely admit is a big reason why. After all, can you really say you got trapped in Worm without having visited the city? That's like saying you got stuck in DC and didn't visit the city of your favorite hero. It just wasn't something you were going to do because a: it's what you're familiar with and b: you're a fanboy. Something I will admit to in both cases given my somewhat encyclopedic knowledge of Worm.

"Okay then, all that's left to do is to do the deed." Finding him was also pretty easy. He did tell me where he'd be so I had a general location and narrowing down from there was also simple. After all, while I couldn't exactly tell who it was, at least at first glance, I'd noticed that specific people, parahumans, tended to have a constant stream of neurons firing in and out of a specific place, likely the Gemma. All that was left was to misfire all neurons entering and exiting the Gemma to disrupt the connection to his powers. A single thought and he'd be powerless. It was only after his neuron cluster started moving erratically and spurred those around him to do so as well that I realized shutting off his powers probably wasn't enough.

'Stupid Alexandre. Of course it's not going to be enough.' Another thought had him and everyone not my siblings in the compound immobile. It wouldn't do for them to suddenly off themselves and ruin my whole plan after all. I could just see it now. "Master causes hundreds to die." No, this had to go perfectly or else it would be them that had me by the baskets. And that just wasn't acceptable for what I wanted to do. Or rather, I knew it wouldn't be sustainable for the PRT's PR unless they had me under lock and key and separated by that point. Well maybe not that far given my age, but it wouldn't be pretty given the scope of things. Moving on from that, it was time to get the second part ready.

"Hello, everyone, my name is Alexandre 'Misfire' Vasil. I heavily encourage you to track this device. As for why I am making such a video, it's quite simple. I am done with Heartbreaker and his actions. He and those he placed under his control are currently immobilized and de-powered. What happens next is up to you, but I want it clear it was me who did the deed, as a sign of good intentions. I will be taking my family somewhere else where I will be monitoring them and trying to keep them relatively contained. I will be helping with law enforcement in a hero capacity, even meeting up with the PRT director in whatever city I decide to have my family settle down in. I will be happy to attend any and all S-Class events, and will even inform you all of just what has happened to Scion. Thank you and have a good rest of your day."

Video made, and intentions hopefully spelled out, I set out to get things ready. After all, I couldn't post it just yet. If the heroes arrived before we had left, things would get complicated and I really wasn't in the mood for that. Well, at least not complicated here rather than I'd rather be negotiating from a position of power which meant letting the media get to the case and spread the word before I did anything. I'd also probably have to explain things to my siblings judging from the erratic manner several of neuron clusters started moving. Still, it should be that difficult. Imp managed it after all. Though I suppose the way she drove Heartbreaker to suicide might have helped. However, hopefully my status as their brother will be able to move things along.

AN: Thanks for the cool snippet Guest! I really enjoyed it, so thanks for making it.