Step 3.7

Why does everything feel so much slower when you're driving to your doom?

Figuratively speaking. Maybe.

Depends on how you define doom.

The troopers asked me a few questions, mostly about safety hazards and the stuff lifting off the surface of my suit. I answered them with short yes and no responses. Maybe a snide comment about growing a third arm that no one took seriously.

Sue me, not in the mood. Too busy trying to sort out the jumble of conflicting emotions in my head.

Maybe Veda had a point, and Velocity too. Waiting in the Docks for twenty minutes sans Gundam? Terrible idea. Even acknowledging that though, going with the PRT didn't seem much better. Sure, I doubted the PRT wanted to kill me, but after the locker?

I didn't consider death the worst fate I might suffer.

The pain didn't help my mood. Leaning forward eased it slightly but not as much as the adrenaline. Sadly, adrenaline fades fast once you calm down. One trooper, a woman I think, talked to Velocity for a second before sitting next to me.

"Sit back," she said in a warm voice.

I looked her over, but she didn't have a red cross or anything. "Why?"

"Because I'm going to set your arm in a sling and give you a mild pain killer."

I narrowed my gaze. "How mild?"

"It'll dull the pain," she said. "You'll be lucid."

She reached overhead to one of the shelves along the walls and pulled out an orange box marked 'first aid.'

"There's always a doctor on duty at PRT HQ," she continued. "She'll meet us when we arrive. Till then, this is what we can do."

I hesitated, but she stood there with a syringe in hand. No needle though.

"Air injected?"

"Yes. No need to remove your costume or anything."

"Fine."

I looked away, and she pressed the tip against the skin of my neck. I felt a mild 'push' and then something cold spreading through me. That sensation faded quickly, along with some of the pain.

"Better?"

I shrugged with the good shoulder.

"My name is Ramius."

"Newtype."

"I know." She pulled out a roll of gauze and some bandages. She waded the bandages and stuck the ball into my armpit. "Now, hold still."

Within fifteen minutes they closed the doors to the van and the vehicle lurched forward. My arm hung in a sling, and yep pain killers. Good stuff.

At least all the faces on my chariot of imminent suffering weren't unfamiliar.

"Nice to see you again," Noa greeted. I recognized his voice. He sat across from me, towards the front of the van. "Don't know if you remember me."

"I remember," I mumbled.

Green sat in my lap, flapping his ears "Hello again, hello again."

sys.v/ Orange and Pink are following

I saw their dots on my mini-map, and felt my hand tighten against my knee.

I didn't reply.

"Been making a splash since the last time I saw you," Noa offered.

I turned my eyes to him, wondering. How would the PRT play this? Try and get on my good side? Strong arm me? I suppose I made that last one easier, but not my fault the laws made doing nothing the only way to avoid any legal liability. Not much of an option there. Not for me.

"I guess," I answered.

Keep to my short answers. Wait until I knew for sure how they'd come at me. Do I get a lawyer? Suppose no one ever got off worse for asking.

"Lots of messes for us to clean up." He sighed behind his helmet. With a wave of his hand he offered, "But I suppose that's the hazard of the job."

"Capes make the mess," someone started.

"Troopers bring the brooms," another continued.

"And the confoam," someone else closed. They chuckled.

"Give yourselves more credit."

Funny how I never seemed to meet the same Protectorate member twice.

He sat on the far end, hands folded behind his head, one foot bobbing in the air with the leg crossed over his knee. His costume looked a lot like mine actually. A padded body suit in green, the Irish flag patched onto the shoulders.

Stratos smiled and patted the shoulder of the trooper next to him.

"Without you guys, how would we ever stand against the big bad villains?"

I recoiled at the apparent insult, but the troopers started laughing.

"Need someone to put your boots on for you, Strat?"

"I keep disintegrating my shoe laces." He turned his head toward me. "Fortunately, Booker carries spares."

Or not looking at me.

"And you owe me ten dollars for the last pair I gave you," the trooper next to Ramius said.

Stratos sighed. "Powers are bullshit."

"Keep telling my kids that, but all they want to do is play Triumvirate."

The troopers kept laughing, and Stratos shook his head.

"I'd play Triumvirate too"—he stretched one leg out—"if I had the legs to pull off Alexandria's knee highs."

"Pretty sure you lack more than the legs Strat."

"Hey it's make believe! How bout you"—and now he's definitely looking at me—"play Triumvirate when you were a kid?"

No. I never played Triumvirate when I was a kid. I keep my old Alexandria Halloween costume in the back of my closet for pranks.

Sue me. Only four runs into my campaign against crime, and I got taken out of the sky by a mad man. After a mad woman set me up to take the fall for her. I didn't feel like horsing around with a bunch of grown men, and at least one woman, about what I did for fun at five years of age.

I needed to fix my suit, put the Undersiders somewhere in the plan to clean up the Bay, ask Dinah why the hell she didn't warn me to steer clear, and deal with…

Veda.

"You seem like an Alexandria girl," he guessed. His arms went across his chest, and he leaned forward to glance out the back window. "Old Lexi gets all the little girls. Gotta keep the kiddie patrol on speed dial twenty-four seven."

Yeah, because every little girl just has a huge crush on—

"Slow down there Strat. You're making the minor blush."

Took me a second to realize Ramius meant me.

I am? WHY?!

"Oh?" Stratos smiled. "Sorry. Got carried away."

I tucked my neck into my chest and kept my head down. No one commented, but I saw a few of them turn their heads to each other.

Great job Taylor.

I sucked at high school. Why should I do any better in whatever this was?

"Don't mind Strat," someone said. "You get used to him. Better than riding with Armsmaster."

"An evening with my in laws is better than riding with Armsmaster."

"Doesn't Armsmaster have a bike?"

"He does. Now."

"God bless the Armscycle…don't tell him I said that."

The laughter hurt my ears a little.

I didn't get it. Weren't they worried about someone hijacking the van to get to me? They seemed more professional the last time I saw them. Though other than Noa, were these the same troopers?

"I'm just saying. Why isn't Eidolon in the Triumvirate?"

"If there were four of them they wouldn't be the Triumvirate."

"The Quartet?"

"Like PR is going to let the Protectorate's best capes sound like a college a cappella group."

I gathered everyone agreed with that from all the nodding.

"Hey. Ramius, why don't any capes have sidekicks?"

The woman beside me groaned. "Oh, come on."

"What? It's funny?"

"It was funny the first time, LaFlaga." She held up her index finger. "One time."

"It's always funny."

"You're the only one who finds it funny," Booker grumbled.

"Because every cape's sidekick is their PR rep!"

Ramius groaned and shook her head. "You're lucky you're cute LaFlaga."

Stratos jumped in, saying, "If it makes you guys feel better, you can all be my sidekicks!" Someone mumbled something about how they already were. Stratos leaned forward. "Except you Noa. You're too serious."

"For the best," Noa replied. "I don't have the legs for short shorts."

The jesting only stopped when we finally reached the building. Noa raised his hand, and everything went quiet. I heard him speaking, but in a voice too low for me to make out.

Orange and Pink circled the building overhead. Not much they could do to help. Veda might be able to hack her way into the PRT, depending on how isolated they kept their system.

What if the PRT knew what I knew about Sophia? Or maybe they just didn't like how I did things. Lots of contradictory nonsensical tinker law on the books to throw at me. Wards, or maybe prison? I imagine they wanted me on their side. Former seemed more likely than the later.

What if they called Dad? He'd jump on it like a man dying of thirst.

The van slowed, taking a few sluggish turns before coming to a stop. Noa said something into his radio, and we moved forward again and stopped again. The vehicle bucked and my shoulder bounced off the wall behind me. I winced, and Ramius reached over to steady me.

"Sorry," she apologized. "The elevator is pretty smooth once it starts, but the start can be a little sudden."

"Elevator?"

I didn't feel a thing.

"A tinkertech elevator," Stratos revealed. "We have all the cool toys."

And that sounded like a complete waste of tinker time…although, I did have plans to build a sub-basement under the garage. More fabricators, additional Haros to run things. Store more equipment, experiment with more complex designs. Getting anything big in and out without drawing undue attention.

A silent tinker-elevator wasn't a horrible idea.

Okay, you win this round.

Thanks to that the ride down went by quick. A sliding system seemed the best way to go. Magnetic with no gears or mechanics to make any noise.

The van jerked. I caught myself with my good arm, preventing a repeat of my earlier bouncing. We went forward a few feet, and everyone started standing. Ramius helped me up, and I thanked her out of courtesy.

White panels covered the floor outside, braced by gun metal gray pins in the corners. More PRT vans lined one side of the room on my left, more generic vehicles on my right. A sports car, a jeep, and a beat up sedan. Glancing down my foot tested the panels. Felt off. Kind of bouncy, but my boot got a lot of traction on it.

Our van pulled past after we all got out, taking an empty spot in the line of vans.

I glanced around, but I didn't see it. Just a large door falling to the floor over the elevator entrance.

"Where's my suit?"

"Should be on its way right now," Noa answered. "Won't be unloaded until someone has a look at it."

I frowned, and started to speak.

"Standard procedure for unaffiliated capes and tinker tech," Ramius explained. "Don't worry. You'll get it back."

And you'll get nothing, sure.

I wanted to argue the point, but what could I do about it? Nothing at the moment. Once I got out? Well, maybe those files just went missing. Who's to say how? Not long ago I found the idea of hacking the PRT unacceptable on general principle.

That aversion went away pretty fast.

Ramius turned her head left and right while I remunerated.

"Where's the medical team?"

"Right here."

They came from around the last truck in the line, two women in white coats.

"Sorry," the one in front said. "We were just looking in on Kid Win when we got the call."

"Tinkering all night again?" Stratos asked.

I noticed the shift in his voice. Not light or joking like before. Well, still light, but less joking.

The doctor-nurse person nodded, and Stratos's lips twitched. Her name tag had the PRT logo marked on it. Dr. U. Asuno. Sounded Asian, but she didn't look it with short blond hair and blue eyes.

Wait—

"Why is Kid Win here this early in the morning?"

I didn't direct the question at anyone specifically, so I got five different answers of, "tinkering."

Stupid question it turns out.

"He's alright," the doctor replied. "Tinkers tend to keep working during a fugue even when they really should sleep. We try to keep it under control but sometimes you just have to let them work it out of their system. I'm sure you've experienced it yourself."

"Not really," I answered.

She raised her brow. "Really?"

"I have alarms set to stop me from fuguing for too long."

"That works?"

I shrug—ouch.

"Hmm. Well. Let's take a look at that shoulder. The infirmary is just up two floors. Short walk."

I glanced around the garage. Still no sign of my suit.

"I'll wait."

Asuno pointed, and glared at me from her nose. "I advise not doing that."

I frowned. "I'm getting a lot of that today."

"We saw the light show from here. You probably have a concussion—"

"I still have all my limbs."

"Maybe your shoulder is just dislocated, or maybe the bones are broken." She gave me a smile I couldn't gauge. "Especially if you're going to be stupidly stubborn about medical treatment!" She smiled. "But that's okay too. I don't get to do nearly as many amputations as I'd like."

"…What?"

Stratos leaned towards me. "I'd listen to the scary doctor."

Few things worse than not having a choice, I decided. Didn't even bring a saber with me. Damn hindsight.

The troopers followed me as the doctors and Stratos led the way. I didn't see the door, not until the panels on the wall slid back and up to reveal it. A blast cage, I realized. Made sense. All the panels bounced any force back, kept it contained in one area.

The Protectorate probably brought in all their prisoner's this way.

Speaking of which…

"Where's Velocity?"

"Running down Chariot," Stratos revealed. "New tinker. Makes a habit of robbing hardware stores."

"Never heard of him." How?

"He's been pretty low key so far. Hasn't hurt anyone. Actually leaves money behind, not that it makes up for breaking and entering. We're trying to keep things quiet until we have a chance to talk to him."

Another "recruit" then.

The door led into another elevator, a small one for people that moved just as smooth and silent as the last one. It opened into a long hallway with signs hanging over the doors and intersections. A pair of guards stopped the doctors as they tried to leave.

Asuno groaned.

"I went downstairs thirty seconds ago! You just saw me!"

"M/S protocols doctor, you know that."

She pulled a card from her pocket. "Doesn't mean I like it."

They did something with the card, not sure what. They waved her past, and then did the same with everyone one. When I stepped up, Stratos simply said one of those nonsensical phrases.

Sort of…

"What is today's code? Something about a dragon and a coco nest?"

"The dragon stole my cocoa puffs from the bird nest," Ramius responded.

"Right that one!" He waved me forward. "New cape guys I got her."

The two guards didn't seem happy, but they didn't stop us either.

A short walk to the infirmary. Just two lefts. Easy to remember.

"Girls only," Dr. Asuno declared with a smile. She waved me inside, and pointed to Ramius. "Come along."

Noa nodded and turned to Stratos. "You have this handled?"

"We'll be peachy," Stratos confirmed.

Noa nodded and waved to the troopers. They all followed him save Ramius. Stratos gave me a thumbs up and a smile, turning his back as the door closed behind me.

The room reminded me too much of the hospital, mostly because the layout was identical. Green rolled forward and bounced onto the gurney, spinning about as I took a seat.

"You don't have to unmask." Gloves snapped over Asuno's wrists, and she cracked her fingers. "But you'll need to take off enough of your suit for me to see that shoulder."

I sighed. Might as well get it over with. With one hand I managed to pull the zipper down. Getting my arm out of the sleeve took some doing. Painful doing. I couldn't managed it.

"Hold still," Asuno ordered. She snapped to the other doctor, and she took a position opposite me. She held me by the collar while Asuno gently wiggled my arm free.

Still painful.

"They just pulled your suit into the garage," Ramius said as I sat down. "They're unloading it now." She turned her head for a second. "And someone is asking if it might blow up."

If I tell it to. "No. It's not going to blow up. I just lost a component. The suits fine otherwise."

"Despite all the explosions?"

"Yes. One of my Haros is bringing me the part I need to fix it. I just need that and I can go."

"Direct it to the roof," Ramius offered. "We can have some troopers open the door and escort it down here."

Asuno's hand pinched on my shoulder. "Healing now work later!"

We let her work.

She tested my arm, and the other doctor got a hand held device that "snapped" at me when she pulled the trigger. They both looked at the back of it. A hand held X-ray machine, or something like that.

They spoke to each other for a few seconds, and my heart dropped when the other doctor frowned. Asuno patted her back, whispering something, and then she just looked reserved.

Asuno clapped her hands together and smiled. "Well, good news and bad news!"

Not again.

"The bad news is that your shoulder is dislocated. The good news is—"

The other doctor grabbed my collars again, and without warning Asuno lifted my arm and crack.

I screamed, falling back on the bed and kicking them away.

"There. See? Easy!"

"That. Fucking. HURT!"

"But I bet it doesn't hurt anymore."

It didn't hurt actually. Not like it did before. The pain receded quickly, becoming little more than an intense ache. Still. Who grabs someone and just slams their dislocated shoulder back into place?

Ramius shook her head.

"We need to work on your bedside manner Unoa." I heard the disappointment in her voice, but she sounded unsurprised all the same. She turned her attention to me, saying, "Sorry. That was not protocol."

Asuno pouted. "Say that the next time you have a piece of metal-Nazi-monster-dog in you."

Ramius ignored her.

"Believe it or not, she used to be worse."

"Are there lingering medical concerns?"

I flinched, turning to Green at the sound of Veda's voice. Everyone else did the same, Asuno leaning forward and looking at the Haro's 'face.'

"A peeping tom?"

"I am StarGazer."

"Oh, the other member of the dynamic duo." Asuno sat up straight with a smile, explaining, "There might be some lingering discomfort. If it becomes painful, or you start going numb, I'd suggest consulting a medical professional. Generally speaking though, dislocated shoulders are only serious if left untreated, or relocated improperly."

She patted my shoulder, the formerly injured one. I cringed in anticipation, but it didn't hurt that much. Barely any at all. Bizarre going from pain to not pain so readily.

"You'll be fine. Probably."

"Very well," Veda answered. "Thank you doctor Asuno."

"Really the amazing thing is that you don't have a concussion." Asuno took the gun-thing and looked at the back. "Very lucky."

No concussion.

Ramius came down with surprise too. She immediately asked, "You're certain?"

"Very." She handed the gun off to the other doctor. "And that completes my work here." The doctor spun on her heel and started towards the door. "Good luck blowing up bad guys!"

I pulled my suit back on. No concussion. That seemed, hard to believe. Lee must have blown himself up at least three dozen times. The suit certainly endured better than I'd hoped. Yet, I managed to dislocate my shoulder but avoid a concussion? Didn't make any sense.

Maybe she just wasn't a very good doctor.

Green turned toward me, and Veda asked, "May we speak privately?"

"Later," I growled.

I rose to my feet and marched for the door. Ramius stopped me.

"I have to ask you to wait."

I turned to her. "Why?"

"The Deputy Director would like to speak with you." She motioned back toward the bed. "Besides. You look like you could afford to lay down for a few minutes."

So this is it then. The Deputy Director coming down to see me. In a way, I felt a little insulted. Not important enough for the actual Director? At six in the morning oh right.

"Do I have a choice in the matter?"

Ramius' face said no, but her words were, "Yes."

"And if I choose to leave?"

"That doesn't usually go well."

"I've heard the rumors."

She flinched, hanging her head slightly. "It will only be a few minutes."

Choices suck.

Veda assured me she'd act if anything untoward happened. I believed her. I just…didn't know how to feel about it. Angry because she put me in this situation in the first place? Relieved because, all other things aside, I'd probably live. Amazed that she went against me.

I wanted her to do that for so long. Show me that she'd become her own person in the end, not a slave to my whims.

Never thought it would happen like this. That she'd betray me. She knew how I felt about the PRT. About the other heroes in the world. I didn't trust them, I barely respected them and only a few at that.

And Veda told me to go with them.

The door opened, and I lifted my head. Calvert, wearing the same cheap suit he wore last time I saw him. He entered the room with a casual wave and a tired expression. Just outside the door, Armsmaster said something to Stratos. The other cape nodded and waved when he saw me watching.

Best night ever.

"Newtype. A pleasure to see you once more." Calvert straightened his tie, attention shifting to my side. "And I believe Velocity said StarGazer is listening in?"

"I am present," Veda answered.

"Hmm. We suspected you were the younger member of your duo, but I'd say you sound somewhere in your late thirties."

"Voice modulation software," Veda suggested.

"Clever. One can never been too careful. The rules are unwritten after all."

Armsmaster stood by the door, halberd tucked into his side. Calvert found a chair and dragged it over to the bed. He folded his hands in his lap, and gave me an odd smile.

"Now then. Per standard procedure, we like to get detailed accounts of battles between Parahumans. Not always possible as I'm sure you can imagine. We take what we can get."

He pulled a phone from his pocket. "May I ask what transpired tonight?"

I raised my brow.

"You want to know what happened?"

"That's what I said, yes."

"And nothing else?"

Calvert turned his jaw. "Well a lightsaber would be cool, and you seem to have extras."

I just told them.

Not everything of course. I didn't need anyone knowing I penetrated the gang's phone networks, or that I actively spied on their messages and calls. The PRT got the short redacted version of a teenage super hero smacking bad guys around because it seemed like a good idea.

"That doesn't explain why you intervened in the fight between Oni Lee and the Undersiders," Armsmaster objected.

I bristled under the accusation in his tone.

"He was going to kill them."

"How did you know that?"

"He's a killer, right?"

Armsmaster grimaced, ready to say something when Calvert jumped back in.

"Dr. Asuno said you didn't have a concussion."

"Is she a real doctor?"

"Shockingly, yes."

"Then it must have been a tinker bomb."

Calvert's brow rose. "What makes you suspect that?"

"Because for the entire fight all my directions got jumbled around. Up was down. Right was up. My lower intestine was my…Something that targeted the parts of my brain associated with spatial awareness. Like vertigo times ten."

"Vertigo bomb?" Armsmaster sounded skeptical, the prick. "I suspect Bakuda could produce something more lethal."

"Such a device is still fairly lethal in Oni Lee's hands," Calvert added. "He'll like become more dangerous as Bakuda develops her power. How did you escape him?"

"I cut the det cord," I explained. "He fled right after, minus—"

I shut my mouth, but of course Calvert and Armsmaster noticed.

"Minus what?"

"Minus…his right leg."

They all stared at me.

Ramius asked, "You cut off his leg?"

"Not purposefully," I mumbled.

"You accidentally cut his leg off," Calvert replied.

"I didn't think he'd follow me eight thousand feet into the air!" I shook my head. "No range limit, or a limit so long it doesn't matter much. He can't go anywhere he can't see, but if he can see it he can go there." Only way he could have possibly followed me that high that fast.

"There's a reason the ABB have stood for so long with only two Parahumans," Calvert said. "Now there's a third. Lung might push for more territory. Being down a leg might hinder Lee for a time, but it's something that can be circumvented."

With Lee's power it might not even be a significant handicap, I realized. He could still do everything he did to me, even without the leg.

Calvert shook his head. "Back to the topic. This is when you executed a crash landing, and crossed paths with Velocity?"

"Yeah. And then I ended up here, getting my shoulder relocated by someone I struggle to believe is an actual doctor."

"We get that a lot," he replied. He set his phone back into his pocket, and stood up. "Well. Thank you for that. With the minutia out of the way, we can move on."

The other shoe, finally ready to drop.

Calvert turned his head to Ramius. "Lieutenant, if you wouldn't mind."

"Sir."

And like that she reached up and pulled her helmet off. She's pretty, with soft features and a heart shaped face. Late twenties or early thirties. Hard to say. She tied her brown hair into a bun behind her head.

"You're pretty," I offered.

She smiled. "Thank you."

"I don't get it."

"I don't put much stock in double speak," Calvert mused. "A whole lot of talking to achieve very little at the end of the day. So, let us be frank. You have a potentially world changing power, and we are very much interested in it."

I scoffed. "I think everyone will be as soon as it leaks."

"If it does, we have a much more serious problem on our hands." Calvert pointed around the room. "As of four days ago the only people who know about Dragon's suspicions are Dragon, Armsmaster, the Triumvirate, Chief Director Costa-Brown, Director Piggot, myself, Director Armstrong, and Lieutenant Ramius."

Wait what.

"That information will get out. Somehow. Even if those of us who know say nothing, inevitably others will notice you're far too smart for your age, or for any typical tinker. But, if it leaks anytime soon things are far more serious than any of us would like."

"An issue that will soon be resolved," Armsmaster added.

"Hopefully," Calvert continued. "Certain elements prevent us from giving too much detail concerning internal investigations."

"Human Resources," Ramius offered.

"A labyrinthine beast of horrors, yes. As an emergency measure, all internal files pertaining to you have been placed in the highest security. We're working on the leak. It's as important to us as it is to you. But while I'm being frank, can you do the same?"

Calvert leaned forward, elbows resting against his knees.

"Even if we catch the source of this security breach, your…distaste I'll say, is deeper than this one transgression. Isn't it?"

Did he know? If anyone could figure out Taylor Hebert wore Newtype's mask, it would be Calvert. He knew about the Locker. He knew about Sophia. The time line lined up. Of course, I started blowing off Protectorate heroes and Wards before the leak, and kind of stormed out of the building and from Miss Militia.

"Maybe," I said.

"Well. Director Piggot wanted to use certain legal methods to bring you to heel." From the way Armsmaster shifted behind the man, I got a sense of where he fell in that debate. "I have advocated an alternate approach."

Calvert indicated to Ramius.

I waited for an explanation, but he just sat there. I glanced to Ramius, trying to puzzle it out myself but my power doesn't solve mysterious.

"And?"

"Let us shelve the details. It's too early in the morning. Long discussion short, we want to repair burned bridges. To that end, we offer you Lieutenant Ramius."

Ramius reached into her pocket and pulled out a card. "My orders are that you deal with me. If there's trouble, call me. If you have a grievance, talk with me."

I tried to parse it out, but maybe my expectations just left me with no preparation for this moment and the way it played out.

I admitted, "I'm not following."

"You're dealing with me now," Ramius said.

"Our hope is that a fresh perspective will produce a more productive path forward for all involved," Calvert explained. "Your, misgivings, have largely been directed at the Protectorate and Wards, and the PRT as an organization. However, you seemed to get on amicably with Commander Noa."

Oh. "So you brought in a trooper."

The logic tracked, however misguided. Over the past few months I must have blown off a third of the local Protectorate heroes, but the one time I got along well enough with Noa's troopers. Well, points to the PRT. They might be ineffective, but they had some pattern recognition.

And then it hit me.

"You're giving me a babysitter."

Calvert waved his hand. "A point of contact. One that we hope has never offended you, and that you are willing to work with. No offense, but I'd hope that tonight might impress upon you that even a very talented and powerful cape often struggles on their own."

So a babysitter.

"I made my position on the PRT and Protectorate clear."

"We can hardly resolve unexplained grievances from an emotional tween," Armsmaster protested.

I snarled. "Maybe you can solve that stick up your—"

"This is not productive," Calvert snapped. He glanced to Armsmaster, and then to me. "Which is the point. The PRT cannot afford to alienate you further. A tinker who understands how tinkertech works could be the key to mass production. Mass production could revolutionize the world."

Ramius stepped forward. "Sir, if I may?"

Calvert nodded his ascent. The woman turned to me, a slight glance given to Green, or I guess to StarGazer.

"I'm not from Brockton Bay. I transferred three days ago from Boston, and the point of that is that I still technically answer to Director Armstrong. He's very interested in your power."

"He has a reputation within the PRT," Calvert added. "The mechanics of powers, how they work, why they are? That's his primary agenda."

"I can arrange for you to talk to him if you want," Ramius offered. "About anything."

"And she means anything," Calvert confirmed.

Anything?

He can't possibly know.

He'd never shoot himself in the foot like that, unless the entire organization was ready to disappoint me with a whole new wave of rampant corruption. That, set me at ease a little. Kind of ironic that the guy who set me on the path of telling the PRT to shove it was the one arguing against having all those legal loop holes thrown at me.

Amusing actually.

"For now"—Ramius offered me the card again—"I see the first step as getting you to take a card. Do with it what you will, but I've been following you. We want the same thing." She smiled. "Let's start figuring out how we can do it together."

Oh, they're good. I'd give them that. Ramius for her part really seemed to mean what she said. Kind of reminded me of mom in a weird way. That warm passion in her face.

"Fine."

I suppose they'd call it a win. I did take the card. The clever part was I could call it a win too. Taking the card got me out of this conversation. And from the pleased look on Calvert's face, I think that's exactly what he wanted.

The man's a snake.

He covers up for Sophia, and then he promises Newtype that the PRT wants to unburn their bridges.

But, maybe he did just screw himself. If Ramius really answered to the PRT in Boston, and not Calvert…Something to look into.

I handed the card to Green, and he took it.

"Am I free to go?"

Calvert nodded. "This is all we wanted to achieve for now." He looked to the clock over the door. "I need coffee."

Armsmaster shook his head but said nothing. Hard to believe he was my favorite hero at one point or another.

I got up, and no one stopped me from walking out.

"Just a dislocated shoulder," Stratos said. "She'll be fine."

"Oh. I heard some troopers saying she fought Oni L—Oh. Hi."

Kid Win waved. I stared.

Armsmaster and Calvert exited the room behind me, and Kid win stiffened a little. "Deputy Director Sir. Armsmaster."

"Kid Win," Armsmaster said. "I heard you were up all night."

"I got a little carried away."

"We can discuss what you were working on later. After school."

"Um, yes sir."

"This arrived for you kid." Stratos pointed down.

Purple stood on her feet, hands holding the antenna over her ball.

"Delivery, delivery!"

Green rolled forward and started circling the other Haro, and Purple quickly spun with him.

"Stop that! Stop that dizzy dizzy!"

Kid Win scratched his cheek, asking, "Are they supposed to—"

"Repeat everything they say? No. I'm working on it." Is everyone going to ask that question?

"The code for vocal processing can't be that long. Maybe I could—"

"I have bigger things to worry about."

I took the antenna from Purple and gave it a quick look over. Seemed alright. Fit it onto the suit, form a new GN Field, and get out of this building.

No one seemed interested in stopping me. Might as well be on with it. I started back towards the elevator, Green and Purple rolling on either side of me. Left and left. Easy enough to remember and find my way back.

I glanced back, asking, "Why are you coming?"

"Because I love kids," Stratos answered.

Kid Win avoided looking at me. "I'm curious?"

Ramius, once again wearing her helmet said, "I didn't get a good look before."

Armsmaster didn't say anything.

Whatever

I found the elevator where I expected it to be. The same two troopers, not that I could tell any of them apart, stood guard. No wacky pass phrases or anything this time. They just let us all pass.

I found my suit in the garage, sitting in the middle and with a good chunk of PRT troopers watching.

"Oh hey the whole gang's here!" Stratos turned, walking towards a few familiar faces.

Velocity, Dauntless, Prism, and Miss Militia.

I need to stop making sarcastic comments about the quality of my time of day.

I ignored them, wanting nothing more than to get back in my suit and leave. Before anyone changed their minds about how to handle me. Miss Militia again followed me with her eyes. And again she just stood there and watched.

"Purple. Green. Get the armor on the left collar off."

"Okay okay!"

I set the antenna on the ground and took a quick look. No armor out of place, nothing improperly disassembled and put back together. If they messed with the suit they messed with it properly, and given that I wasn't gone that long. Kid Win and Armsmaster apparently decided to attend me instead.

So they passed up a chance to mess with it.

Good.

"So." Kid Win stepped around the back. "How does it work?"

Armsmaster mulled around a few feet back. Miss Militia and Dauntless stepped up to speak to him, but he kept his head turned towards me.

Maybe they were just waiting.

"Powers," I mumbled.

My thumb scrolled through the chat log, a hand grabbing at my chest as I read through the messages.

Can't do this right now.

I swiped it away, off to the side. The purge finished a few minutes ago. Just install the antenna, and time to leave. Purple and Green got the small piece of armor off, together, and I picked up the antenna.

Kid Win watched as I climbed onto the knee to reach the area. The mechanics inside looked a little twisted, but not so badly that plug and play wouldn't work.

"Do you need any help?" he asked.

"No."

"You're still angry, huh? About the whole Parian thing?"

"What?" I looked down at him. "N—Yes. Yes and no. Look, it's been a long night. I just want to leave and get on with my day.

And spend the night fixing my suit…And dealing with Dinah…

I'm not getting any sleep today.

Kid Win ran a hand through his hair. He seemed to want to say something, but I didn't want to wait around for him to figure it out.

I set the base of the antenna into the lever, and helped Green and Purple put the plate back on.

Kid Win found his voice when I stepped down, saying, "So um, look. I've been thinking about that. What you said, about walking away."

I did some quick diagnostics while he spoke, part of me wanting him to just leave me alone and the other, kind of curious.

"I asked Armsmaster about it. He said orders are important, which didn't really make me feel better."

"I get the sense he's not good at making anyone feel better."

And now I agree with J. What does Dragon see in the guy?

"Yeah. In retrospect I should have seen that coming. But anyway, then I asked Stratos about it because he's actually kind of good at advice. Or at least, that's what Triumph and Aegis say."

Somehow I doubted that. Didn't seem like the sagely type. Even as Kid Win spoke, Stratos punched Velocity in the shoulder and laughed.

"And well, he said that the only thing anyone can do about the past is change how they feel about it in the present…and I feel like I feel bad about it."

I turned my jaw. "Bad?"

He nodded. "I think that maybe, just because someone tells me to do something isn't a good reason to do it." His head lifted and, I believed him. "I wish I'd stayed behind. I know it turned out okay in the end, but someone could have been hurt. I shouldn't have walked away."

"Okay," I mumbled.

"Yeah. I just, wanted to say that." He averted her gaze. "And kind of gawk at your suit 'cause it's pretty cool."

"Thanks." I took a deep breath, finished my diagnostic, and set the pad back into the chest.

"You kids are so cute."

We both turned, Stratos, Ramius, and Armsmaster standing just a few feet away. Armsmaster looked even less happy than before. Wonder how much he heard?

"You can use the elevator over there to leave." Ramius pointed. "If you need anything, you have my number."

"Sure."

"There are matters that should be discussed sooner, rather than later," Armsmaster snarled. Ramius shot him a glare, but he ignored her. "The Undersiders aren't the only ones taking advantage of your campaign against the gangs."

I paused. "Taking advantage?" What was it Tattletale said, it was her lucky night? "Stratos mentioned Chariot before."

"That I did, though I didn't mean anything by it. Just for the record."

"Several independent villains have been choosing the nights you are active to further their own activities. Chariot, Circus, and the Undersiders among them."

"How—"

Stratos pointed his finger at the ceiling. "You're kind of a giant light bulb, kid. Twenty minutes is more than enough time for most crimes. They're probably staking out locations at night and waiting. You don't vary things up much."

Ramius looked between the men. "I don't think—"

"It's fine," I said. I balled my hand into a fist. "I should have seen that coming." And they noticed the time limit.

Armsmaster took a small step. "Perhaps if we coordinated more—"

"So you can leak everything I do?"

I turned and climbed into my suit.

"My position hasn't changed. I'll be leaving now."

A good enough excuse. For now.

The chest closed over me, and I started the suit. The GN Drive spun to life, green light spilling into the room. The GN Field formed, timer appearing on my HUD. My feet left the ground, and I felt a little lighter for it.

Stratos lifted his head as I rose. "Cool."

Kid Win nodded. He stepped back, looking more than too familiar. Shoulders slouched, head downcast. Like he didn't want to be seen in that moment.

I paused for a moment.

"Veda."

"Yes?"

"Can you access Kid Win's armor?"

"There are ports. Why?"

I typed out a message and sent it. He looked down at his arm, pressing a few buttons until a transparent screen appeared over his arm.

I don't blame you.

I didn't, I suppose. If anything, the fact he felt bad about that set him apart from everyone else. Didn't feel right to lump him in with my list of disappointments after that. Or just another ploy to get on my good side. Wouldn't put it past them.

The elevator doors opened, and I floated towards them. A pair of troopers followed me, waving me forward with their hands. Once it lifted up and opened again, I wasted no time in getting out of the parking structure next to the PRT building.

Bullet dodged, or at least averted for the moment.

Too much in one day. Ramius and Kid Win. Armsmaster and Calvert. Dinah and Veda. Villains using me as a distraction.

I flew up high, and then turned toward the gas station. The van sat waiting for me, and I cut the GN Drive from high in the sky, lowering slowly to the ground rather than slamming into it. A good slow decent felt about right. Enough time for that I guess.

And the repairs. Time consuming repairs.

At least if I went straight home, nothing would be amiss.

I turned my eyes back to the chat log during the slow descent. Near constant messages sent from the moment I stopped responding.

sys.v/ …
sys.v/ are you angry?
sys.v/ it was not safe
sys.v/ without the suit anything could happen
sys.v/ Taylor?
sys.v/ I am sorry

On and on it went.

A child pleading for forgiveness, and me bitter. For what? Not dying in the street when someone finally tracked me down? Or maybe I'd have been fine. With one working arm, and no armor.

Yeah. I didn't buy it either.

And I felt like an absolute bitch.

Just couldn't find the words. Too much all at once.

"Veda."

"You are angry with me."

What do I say? That I'm just upset and it'll pass? Tell her that the pain reminded me of what Emma did, and it hurt?

"No. I'm not angry with you. I'm angry at you, I guess. I know that probably doesn't make much sense."

"I wanted you to be safe."

"I know. I know I just"—I glanced up at the sky—"it brings up bad feelings for me."

"Emma Barnes?"

Emma.

That's it in the end.

Emma betrayed me. My best friend. The person I trusted most in the world. Veda wasn't Emma, but that pain lingered there in my chest. Betrayal didn't even suffice for what she did to me. The constant pranks. Putting me down at every chance. The locker.

Emma wanted to hurt me. To make me suffer…

"You're not Emma, Veda. When Emma betrayed me, she did it to hurt me. That's not you. You did it to protect me," I took a deep breath. "You were right. Velocity was right…staying in the Docks and waiting was a stupid decision."

Trying to put this into words made me long for the days I hid in the house not doing anything. Stupid me, I thought being a hero might be hard, but it's not the hard stuff that really drives you crazy.

It's the simple stuff. Stuff like telling Veda I didn't hate her, even when angry.

"I'm sorry I've been giving you the cold shoulder. Somehow, I wasn't ready for this…Funny thing is, I've kind of been waiting for it."

Veda remained silent for a few cycles. I watched her code. She parsed my words syllable by syllable, phrase by phrase. Ran every possible permutation.

"I do not understand," she said finally.

How to make her understand.

Just because I'm upset doesn't mean I don't still…

An old memory came to mind. Not something I forgot really, but something I hadn't thought about in a long time.

"I think I understand how my mom felt the one time I got in a fight in school."

"A fight?"

"Yeah. When I was six."

Funny how much you change over your life. I'd been a regular motor mouth in middle school. Had friends. Completely different from shy, withdrawn High School Taylor.

"There was this girl. Pale, with long red hair. Nice, but shy. Our parents were friends, so I knew her but we never really interacted much at school. I don't know. I liked books and reading, and she loved capes. Different circles."

The irony fucking hurt. The only reason I ever got into capes was because of her…and now I was one, because of her.

"These three boys, bigger than her, were making ginger jokes. I didn't know what a ginger was—"

"Ginger," Veda repeated. "A person with pale skin, often freckles, and red to strawberry colored hair."

"Yeah, I didn't know that then. But I saw all these tears on her face, so I told the kids to stop. They didn't. So being six, and utterly stupid, I called them names back. I called them"—needed a moment to remember the words—"ignorant morlocks. H.G. Wells, I think."

"They didn't get it. Called me stupid. I pointed out they couldn't even read Green Eggs and Ham yet. One of them flinched and, I just laid into them. Telling them all the stuff they screwed up and how all of that was worse than looking a certain way. They started crying…"

The look on mom's face. Completely red, and shaking, like she wanted to hit something. Got so caught up in remembering how much I loved mom, I forgot that she had a temper too. Looking back at that moment maybe I got it from her.

Dad wouldn't express anger with a verbal lashing.

"Mom was furious. Making people feel bad about themselves is wrong no matter who they are. I felt so ashamed. It's not like I wanted to hurt anyone. I got so angry when they kept laughing at her. Big jerks, picking on someone smaller than them."

"You wanted to be a hero?"

I smiled.

Yes.

"Mom grounded me for a month. Lectured me about respecting others. Made me apologize to the boy and his parents. They seemed about as ashamed as me. That made it worse somehow…I made everyone feel worse."

My feet touched the ground, and I got out. The van opened up, arms loading my suit onto the bed.

"And then mom took me to a cafe and got me hot chocolate. And she said she was so proud of me."

"I do not understand."

"I didn't either."

Change how we feel about it in the present, huh?

I like that.

"I'm proud of you, Veda."