AN: Man, I'm just having too much fun with this story to switch to a different one at the moment. This interlude is shorter because there will be a second one following on before we move into the new arc.

Interlude C-1

Emily stared at the teenager sitting in front of her. That didn't work so she stared some more. He still didn't miraculously vanish into thin air. Instead he started fidgeting in his seat. So she laughed. A great big, hefty laugh, a laugh from before Ellisburg. Aegis grimaced, glancing to the side, looking to Armsmaster for support.

"Director, are you well?" Armsmaster asked.

Emily waved the man off, shaking her head and getting her chortling under control while wiping a finger across her eyes. "I'm sorry, are you expecting me to punish you for this, Aegis?" She couldn't help the little snicker that escaped her at the thought of that. There couldn't be a better win for the PRT than what the boy had done. Hell, the only thing that could make this situation better was if she somehow managed to get Flechette transferred to Brockton and set the two up on a date!

"I unmasked to a relatively unknown entity with dangerous connections, without getting any sort of okay beforehand. I thought that you would frown on it, Ma'am." The look on Aegis' face was priceless and if she could have gotten away with it she would have snapped a picture.

"Aegis, how often have I reiterated the need to get this girl onto the team? That we need this healer to like us and work with us?"

"A lot, Ma'am."

"Especially now that Panacea is 'taking a break to focus on family.'"

"Even still, Ma'am."

"What you choose to do with your civilian identity is your own concern and I don't give a damn, until it becomes my concern when someone uses it to target you."

He grimaced. "Her stepmother is Purity. And I did get a funny look from the woman when she was picking Miss Hebert up."

"Well you're latino and she's a racist bitch, so I'd be more surprised if you didn't. What I'm more interested in, is if Hebert was dismissive at all upon seeing you. Of course if Purity tried to attack you things would be different, but considering you're sitting in front of me and there weren't alarms blaring in my office this morning, I don't think that happened." She grinned upon seeing him fidget again. "Oh calm down, Aegis. Getting Hebert on friendly terms is a major plus for us. Even if we just get her as an associated healer that's a massive win. If she pulls in Purity too, all the better. I've been getting nearly hourly calls from Glenn about if we've been able to get the 'Cancer Curing Puppy Girl' on board yet. I'm half convinced he's going to relocate here just so he can harass us easier."

"I didn't meet with her because of standing orders," Aegis murmured.

Emily waved her hand. "I know, and that makes it even better. You're showing her we're human and that she can trust us. The PRT is not entirely composed of Hess and her ilk or other assorted missteps. Hardlight is not a top tier cape; not yet. But she is incredibly versatile and I want that versatility. It's only a matter of time before she realizes she can get creative and if we're the ones directing that creativity then the city will be better off."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Now, you still haven't answered my question." Emily leaned forward and folded her arms on the desk. "Is Hebert a racist like her stepmother?"

Aegis shook his head. "Not at all. She didn't have any sort of reaction when she met me and when Purity flinched upon seeing me, she immediately started glaring at the older woman until Purity took the hint and started apologizing. It was almost embarrassing actually."

Armsmaster rubbed his chin. "Interesting. Did she appear sincere or was she just doing it to appear so to her daughter?"

"Sincere, that's what made it awkward. I didn't know how to get her to stop…"

Emily nodded. That was better than she had hoped for. Purity was attacking Empire capes now which was decidedly a win, though if she was even trying to correct herself out of costume, perhaps there really was hope for Glenn's endgame after all. Not that she'd ever tell the insufferable man himself that, of course.

"One last thing, Aegis." He nodded to her as she tapped her finger on the desk. Most of her good humor left her voice as she continued, "Did Hebert mention anything about Rune?"

"I'm…not sure how much I should say, Ma'am."

Damn capes and their damn divided loyalties. "Is she a problem?"

He hesitated again before slowly shaking his head. "We didn't really talk about it. I know the two know each out of costume. I know that was the first time that she recognized Rune in costume. I…got the impression that she's distinctly unhappy about the entire situation."

"I'd imagine so. Perhaps we can turn this to our advantage. Rune has a record, but so have others in the past. If we can swing this so that we can get three capes for the price of one delinquent bitch…and take two villains off of the field…" Emily nodded. "Yes, Armsmaster, start drafting a plea deal for Rune. Let's see if we can't use this as another carrot to get either or both on board."

"Yes, Director."

"Now, have we found how someone was in just the right location to take footage of those two interacting? That was far too perfect - and far too perfectly blurry - to be mere coincidence. Someone has tipped their hand and I want to know who."

The armored hero's lips narrowed into a thin line. "Dragon and I are having a difficult time tracking the point of origin. The best indication I can obtain at this time is that the feed was deliberately edited to be of lower quality than it was shot at."

Aegis frowned. "Why would someone do that?"

"They want to control the narrative and have leverage of their own to use on a rainy day," Piggot said. "The Empire wouldn't need something like and the ABB would never want anything that shows Oni Lee in a bad light. This has Coil written all over it."

"Should I tell Taylor that he might know her friend's face?" Aegis asked.

Piggot tapped the desk again thinking for a few moments before sighing and nodding. "Go ahead. Make sure she knows that it's just speculation at this point and what she decides to do with it is her choice."

"Okay."

Emily waved at the two capes and pushed her chair back. "Alright, business is done. Get out of here both of you. I have to finish my dialysis before something blows up today."

The capes stood, nodding to her as they left. She leaned back in her chair taking another moment to bask. She chuckled. "Purity and Rune all because one paranoid, stupid, idealistic teenager made a bad choice and accidentally assaulted a Ward. Who would have thought?"