Side-Step MR

When she finally arrived it seemed like no one had bothered to wait for her.

Various troopers and a few functionaries stood around the edges of the room. The entire PR team stood against the wall, which given the situation didn't seem uncalled for. Noa and other troopers stood along the window, all at attention.

At the conference table the members of the Protectorate sat on one side, minus Prism and Triumph, while PRT department heads sat on the other. Calvert at the head, and at the bottom. A phone sat on the table beside Calvert, two of the lines lit green.

At the head, Emily Piggot sternly set her eyes on Murrue. "Good. We're all here. Armsmaster was just regaling us with a tale of intrigue."

Ramius took a spot just behind Commander Noa while the Tinker turned a small item between his armored fingers.

A dark colored thumb drive no bigger than a pinkie.

"Continue," Piggot ordered.

"It's novel," Armsmaster said. "The device is an upper end USB storage unit, slight modifications but nothing an unpowered human can't do. All parts are commercially available anywhere. The software, however, is distinctive."

"It's mine," a voice revealed. Ramius recognized it as Dragon's. "Or at least, it's based on some code I developed for Watchdog."

"How did Amanda get a hold of it?" Piggot asked.

"There are a few ways," Dragon answered. "Someone from Watchdog could be a Pet themselves. Personally, the Dragonslayers seem more likely. They've sold my tech on the black market before, they may have provided this as well."

"She likely attached this to a USB port while you were otherwise occupied," Armsmaster continued. "It copied your authentication credentials, and then copied files from the secure servers. From there, simply remove the device and download the files."

Miss Militia spoke up, asking, "Have we checked the rest of the building for others?"

"Similar devices were found attached to the Wards and the PRT dispatch consoles," Piggot noted. "Kid Win found the first, and a dispatcher found the second on inspection of his rig."

"Likely to co-opt the machines and transfer the gathered files out of the building," Armsmaster nodded. "Both consoles have connections out of the building."

"We're still looking," Calvert said. "But if the goal was to steal sensitive data there are only a few machines with access."

"It's kind of small," Stratos pointed out.

Armsmaster nodded. "None of these devices have the storage capacity for all the files. She would have needed to remove them, download the files, forty or fifty at a time, and then reinstall the device."

"Weeks of work then," Dauntless said. "Maybe more."

"Hard to say. Given her position most of us would overlook her presence just about anywhere in the building, especially in the Director's presence. She could have installed these in a crowded room if she were careful."

"Counter-measures?" another disembodied voice asked.

"My apologies Chief Director." Dragon sighed. "I'm going through the servers now to ensure nothing was left behind. I'm preparing a proposal for revised security that should prevent this method from being used again."

"It only needed to work once," Chief Director Costa-Brown noted. "This is the biggest blow Teacher has struck since assassinating the Vice President. The Butcher has already killed Plus and Minus."

Ramius felt her heart tense. Her face remained placid, but in her chest the tension grew. An emptiness, cold and bitter. She knew them, worked with them before being sent to Brockton Bay.

A pair of grab bag capes that triggered together. They were a sweet couple. She knew the stats on heroes survival rates. Quoted them to Newtype a few hours ago. It didn't change her first thought.

Too young to die.

"Browser is in critical condition after the Elite paid him a visit," Costa-Brown revealed. "Girl Wonder, murdered on her school bus by a random banger. Damsel of Distress has managed to lose the sight of her handlers."

"And in Brockton Bay we have a new Case Sixty-Six coming out of it," Calvert mumbled. "Mondays."

No one laughed.

The Chief Director's voice strained, asked, "Before moving onto that, were there any signs? Any recent changes in Amanda's behavior?"

"None," Piggot replied bitterly. "None that I saw."

"Everyone liked her," Dauntless added. "She's—was friendly. Hard to know now how much was her, or…him."

"There's no indication of what gift teacher might have given her," Armsmaster said. "Given this device, it might be related, but it could also have been espionage or sabotage."

"The Master/Stranger lock down?" Costa-Brown asked.

"Initiated from the Director's computer," Dragon answered. "I've found the program. If Amanda didn't put in a code every seventy-two hours it would trigger the lock down, and cut power to several doors effectively sealing them."

"We arrested her Friday," Dauntless said. "So the failsafe went off this morning."

"Teacher's Pets are rarely concerned with getting caught," Armsmaster observed. "The primary purpose would seemingly be to ensure the release of information and cripple our ability to respond."

"What is she saying?" the Chief Director asked.

"She insists on her innocence," Calvert said. "But that's typical of these cases."

"My lie detector is inconclusive," Armsmaster admitted. "The extent of Teacher's control is not fully understood. It's possible she is consciously unaware of her actions."

"And the status of the independents in Brockton Bay?"

"Only Laughter, a small time vigilante, remains unaccounted for. Browbeat is willing to go forward with joining the Wards and relocating. Dazzler and Chariot's parents also seemed amicable."

The tension made room for a little relief. With their identities exposed they couldn't safely do anything. New Wave proved that inadvertently over a decade ago. Even if the gangs left them be for now, if any of them ever became even slightly troublesome it could all change.

Never mind the risks of some random passerby taking a shot.

"Sere hasn't given us a response yet," Dauntless said. "Grue might remain with the Undersiders. With his sister's condition, he also might try to bargain himself for her care."

"An excellent transition Dauntless," the Chief Director acknowledged. "I'm given to understanding we have over a hundred survivors."

Stratos leaned forward on one arm. "Not sure if they're lucky, or worse off."

"They're in hospitals now," Miss Militia said. "Doctors can monitor them, but if anything happens there's not a lot they can do. Thus far no one else has died."

"What do you need?" Costa-Brown asked.

Armsmaster frowned. "Long term, we will likely need a dedicated facility with dedicated staff. Specialized equipment. The PRT ENE and Protectorate ENE do not have the funds."

"This isn't an S-Class event, but it falls under Congress' legal definition of a parahuman crisis," Costa-Brown said. "I'll get the funds. Have families been notified?"

"We're working on it," Calvert answered. "It's been slow going getting identification."

"We can't see faces," Miss Militia said. "And they weren't all carrying identification. We're comparing to Winslow's attendance roster, but some students probably skipped."

"Do what you can," the Chief Director ordered. "What does the press know?"

"Enough," Piggot replied. "I'll need to say something soon, before they let their tongues run wild."

Ramius tried to think back to the last time she did something like this. Plus and Minus were fairly easy to work with in the end.

March?

No, that had gone south rather quickly.

Mockshow, she thought. A good natured girl but headstrong. Not the best role models growing up, or after getting her powers. Took a lot of effort to keep the girl out of a cell.

"Keep to the standard disclaimer," Costa-Brown decided. "Parahuman incident, we're investigating. This many survivors might mean interest won't die down readily, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Ramius raised her voice, saying, "You may need to alter from the standard disclaimer, ma'am."

All eyes turned to her

"Who just spoke?" the Chief Director asked.

"Lieutenant Murrue Ramius, ma'am."

A few whispers went up around the room. She expected it. Save for a few people, no one really knew the full details on Newtype. They only knew Ramius handled her going forward, and Ramius' reputation preceded her.

The one who dealt with the problem Parahumans.

"And is there a problem, Lieutenant?"

"I believe that if words are not very carefully chosen, Newtype might choose speak a few of her own."

Piggot's face hardened.

Velocity leaned forward. "Why?"

"Tattletale might have given her accurate but misleading information," Ramius answered.

"Explain," Piggot said sternly.

"Newtype is given to thinking that the PRT is going to make a villain of Aisha Laborn to keep things quiet."

"We're not," Armsmaster retorted.

Ramius looked the tinker in the eye. "All due respect sir, aren't we?"

"Of course not," Miss Militia replied.

"Newtype suggested to me that people will rapidly associate the incident with the girl. I did some checking online. There are already rumors."

Thinking it over, it couldn't be coincidence. The Phantom Pain website crashed within less than twenty minutes of the leak, yet talk of identities spread so quickly. It reached the point no one could contain it within a matter of minutes.

Preplanned, she thought. Had to be.

Perhaps the rumors now spreading about the broken trigger as well. If Teacher could penetrate this deeply into the PRT, then he probably knew about it on some level.

"Internet rumors are not our concern," Piggot grumbled.

"Our concern is public safety," Ramius noted. "Keeping the peace. There won't be any if Newtype responds to a smear campaign against an innocent girl by blowing the whistle. Public panic and witch hunts will be inevitable."

"There is no smear campaign," Dauntless said.

"There will be."

Ramius set her eyes straight, not really looking at anyone as she spoke.

"We say parahuman incident and give a body count, and people assume villain. Grue's identity is now known, as is his sister's. People will jump to the conclusion."

"That isn't our problem," Armsmaster repeated.

Ramius kept her face even, but her blood ran hot.

"My opinion remains. If it is not explicitly made clear that a villain was not involved, Newtype might respond. Despite protestations to the contrary, we all know StarGazer took down the Phantom Pain forum."

"I asked Newtype and StarGazer about this," Dragon revealed. "They denied any part in the action."

"And, not that I don't love you Dragon, but no one believes that." Stratos shrugged. "Not in this room anyway."

"My point," Ramius continued, "is that they could put Case Sixty-Six out in the open if they so desired. Maybe Dragon could contain it, but is that a risk we want to take?"

Piggot glared. "They'd be arrested."

Ramius looked the woman dead in the eye. "I'm sure the PRT arresting the eighth most popular hero in Brockton Bay will be great PR. Not if this gets out. Good intentions. Right decisions. Doesn't matter—"

Against her expectations, the most immediate response to that statement was Stratos asking, "Who'd she knock off the list?"

"Lady Photon," Ramius answered after a moment.

"Huh."

Ramius closed her eyes and breathed in. "My point is, the public hates secrets as a general rule."

"That's why we have NDAs," Calvert said with a shake of his head.

"She didn't sign one," Ramius answered.

The room went silent, and sensing the most likely question to follow, Ramius simply jumped ahead.

"I guarantee that any piece of paper you put in front of her she'll either ignore, or rip in half."

"Clear the room," Chief Director Costa-Brown ordered sternly. "Only those authorized will remain."

The room emptied in an awkward silence. Faces turned to other faces, a few whispered. Miss Militia seemed to stare at Armsmaster, waiting for something. The tinker remained stoically still. She left the room toward the end. Unoa waited a little too long, and got several stern looks.

"Sheesh," she scoffed. "Fine, kick me out when something exciting happens."

When the door closed, only Armsmaster, Piggot, Calvert, and Ramius remained.

"Dragon?" Costa-Brown asked.

"If I may remain Chief Director?"

"You already know," the woman replied. "Now, Lieutenant. I believe we brought you in to handle this situation. Can you, or can't you?"

"Ma'am, I volunteered when asked because the girl could be important and because the PRT cannot risk alienating her. Sitting her down and asking her to cover our asses is poking a bear."

"She's a child," Armsmaster snarled. "A rebellious teenager on a power trip."

Ramius turned to the man. "Forgive me, sir, but you don't know what you're talking about."

To his credit, Armsmaster remained perfectly still.

"Calling her a rebellious teenager is just a slight against her age," Ramius explained. "A rebellious child would air their grievances openly. In contrast, Newtype has restrained herself. She's cooperated with the PRT on multiple occasions, breaking only when our course of action is not to her liking."

"Our course of action is keeping as many people safe as possible," Piggot said. "It's informed by experience, formulated by experts, and a teenager has neither."

Ramius mulled over her words. Piggot was an administrator at heart, and Calvert a politician. Armsmaster an experienced hero and the Chief Director a professional administrator. Dragon was Dragon.

None of them were the ideal persons to manage children, though some faired better than others.

"She broke from a patrol with Kid Win and Valiant when they turned to avoid a confrontation with Blue Cosmos. I've spoken with both boys. She was cordial and friendly right up to the point they were ordered to leave."

Armsmaster opened his mouth, saying. "That was—"

"Let her finish," Costa-Brown interrupted. "I see a point coming. Let's have it."

"Ma'am. She broke a second time during the start of the gang violence nearly a month ago. The Protectorate and PRT prioritized containing the battle between Lung and the Merchant capes. Newtype wanted to protect civilians in the crossfire."

"Third, she stated she would cease all cooperation because the PRT was leaking information to the gangs. In all of these incidents, she made no public statements. She never addressed the press, or posted online about how or why she did anything. She simply expressed her disagreement to us and went on with what she thought was right."

"She doesn't know what's right," Piggot said sternly.

"She knows what she thinks is wrong," Ramius replied sternly. "You can dislike her all you want, but you're blinding yourself chalking it up to a teenager being immature."

"What would you chalk it up to then?" Costa-Brown asked.

"Conviction," Ramius answered immediately.

Piggot and Calvert shared a glance, one that lasted a little too long. Ramius nearly asked when the Chief Director spoke again.

"You're saying she's acting out of idealism rather than opposition?"

"I am, ma'am."

"Idealism is something that rarely meshes well with capes who want to live long lives."

"Something the PRT has learned," Ramius said. "I spoke to her earlier today. I pointed out that few heroes live more than a decade, even the best ones, as you well know ma'am."

"I do."

Ramius waited a moment, letting the silence punctuate the moment before her words. "She behaves as though ready and willing to die."

"Sounds more suicidal than heroic," Armsmaster said.

"Some people would propose suicidal and heroic are synonyms," Dragon replied. "Figuratively speaking."

"I don't think she's suicidal," Ramius admitted. Though, she did worry. "Forgive me, but the PRT and the Protectorate have never given young capes their due. Most of them are far more mature than their age warrants."

"Even Clockblocker?" Calvert asked.

Ramius smiled. "What normal boy his age cracks jokes in front of live television cameras?"

Taking a moment to glance around the room, Ramius sighed.

"I'm not saying they're not young and inexperienced. They are. But any cape that lasts more than a few months can't honestly be equated to a child of equivalent age. Newtype's disagreements are more ideological in nature than a question of maturity."

"The PRT is cynical," Dragon noted.

"We have to be," Ramius replied. "Plan for the worst, hope for the best. Newtype is idealistic. I don't think she fully understands the politics surrounding this issue, but the underlying notion isn't a matter of maturity."

"Case Sixty-Six gets out and all those who want to screen for powers at birth get a huge win," Calvert said. "Never mind that the Pollentia can appear later in life."

"Never mind that generous estimates suggest as much as a third of the population has one," Piggot agreed. "It's chaos incarnate."

"It's unlikely it can be screened for regardless," Armsmaster noted. "The Pollentia can be anywhere in any number of shapes prior to and after triggering. There's no efficient system that could screen the entire population."

"Possibility and politics rarely see eye to eye," Calvert replied. "This route gets taken and it's a step toward war between people with powers and people without powers."

"Perhaps you should reach your point Lieutenant," the Chief Director suggested.

Ramius nodded. They'd gone a bit off topic.

"How we handle this incident publicly could decide whether or not Newtype finally takes her disagreements into the public sphere. Once she does, we likely lose any chance of cooperation with her going forward."

"You aren't wrong," the Chief Director agreed. "But the PRT and Protectorate cannot cooperate with a cape who is publicly critical of us."

Dragon cut in, saying, "And if Newtype can decipher tinker tech into something even unpowered humans understand, then we'll have lost far more than one cape."

"There remains no proof that she can do this," Armsmaster said. "Only supposition."

"Can we afford to ignore it?" Calvert asked. "Even if it is supposition?"

The Chief Director said firmly, "We cannot bow to the will of a child and she is a child, mature or not."

"I think that is overstating the case," Dragon proposed. "We are not bowing."

"To play devil's advocate," Calvert offered, "what could we say that Newtype would accept without acting? Capes gain powers and hurt others by accident all the time. We believe no ill intent was involved. We simply say that. It isn't even a lie."

"Directly connecting this event to 'gaining powers' risks drawing attention to the mechanics of trigger events," Armsmaster said. "It's a step closer to public disclosure of Case Sixty-Six."

"There's a thinker in Brockton Bay who already knows," Ramius noted. "Tattletale figured it out somehow. Frankly, there are probably several capes outside the Protectorate who have."

"A third villain was also present," Armsmaster pointed out. "Rune most likely."

Ramius needed to think a moment. She'd spent a great deal of time in Boston and New York. Knew the villain scene there rather well.

"We know Rune's identity?" Ramius asked.

"She triggered in juvenile hall," Piggot said. "It was noticed."

"A shame it wasn't the villain database that was leaked," Calvert mumbled.

So long as the girl kept her head down, she'd be allowed to go about her life. The rules might only apply to capes, but the PRT couldn't break them lightly. Not without capital offenses, or grave threats to life on the line.

The truce was too importan—

Newtype would know her identity too, Ramius thought. Kaiser won't like that.

Something she'd need to deal with.

"Case Sixty-Six might be close to leaking no matter what we do," Dragon suggested. "Secrets don't keep forever. It is bound to come out sooner or later."

"As later as possible is preferable," Piggot replied.

"But the day might be coming we have to deal with the aftermath," Costa-Brown mumbled. "Teacher can do this. He certainly knows about Case Sixty-Six…Perhaps, bending a little to salvage another situation, is called for."

Piggot folded her hands together, her eyes scanning the room and clearly seeing the change in wind. "Is that an order?"

"It's a suggestion," the Chief Director answered. "We can say there was a parahuman incident like usual. Students were hurt. If connection to Grue's sister is inevitable, we admit it and shift the blame. Let Teacher take the fall for this." Ramius heard a small grin as the woman added, "It's only fair."

"Several of the Empire related students were involved," Calvert said. "We can throw some blame there as well."

"Kaiser is as concerned with PR as we are," Piggot agreed. "He'll protect his Empire first, and he'll likely do it by calling for blood and avenging the victims."

"The white ones," Calvert added.

"We'll leave the Empire out of it for now," Costa-Brown decided. "There are other capes whose safety we should be concerned with. Agitating the gangs is not wise."

"Then we'll stick to blaming Teacher," Piggot said. "Grue's sister was involved in an altercation with persons unknown and used a previously unknown power to defend herself. The resulting event injured multiple students and teachers, but we do not believe Ms. Laborn acted with malice."

"The general public has a poor understanding of trigger events," Dragon noted. "Capes don't like talking about it, and despite numerous publications popular opinion is that powers are genetic."

Armsmaster responded, "We don't want people trying to trigger, especially when the result could be another Case Sixty-Six. The public being wrong is preferable."

"PR will likely turn against Ms. Laborn regardless," Piggot said. "We could say she was innocent and people will still blame her."

The woman's eyes turned to Ramius.

"I think Newtype will keep the secret if we make a firm statement," Ramius said. "Blue Cosmos is one thing, but people listen to the PRT. Our words matter. Her primary concern was the girl. She finds the idea Aisha Laborn being painted a villain distasteful."

"Distasteful?" someone asked.

"I'm being generous."

"She might be one already," Calvert said. "If any of them ever come out of their power's effect."

"The Undersiders are not well known locally," Armsmaster observed. "Given the nature of this power, people might assume she's always been a member using her power to go unnoticed."

"People have no reason to know she can use her power on herself," Dragon said. "Most Parahumans can only affect themselves or others. Very few can do both."

"These details are beyond our ability to predict," Costa-Brown declared. "Newtype will be satisfied if we do our part?"

"She'll be satisfied if we do the right thing," Ramius said, hoping. "She'll be content if we avoid bullying someone who can't speak in her own defense."

"You think, or you know?"

"I think for Newtype it's a matter of morality. We know the truth. We know Aisha Laborn committed no crime, and that trigger events cannot be controlled. Newtype will respond poorly to obfuscating that truth. She may respond vehemently if we twist the truth or allow it to be twisted when we can stop it."

Calvert and Piggot shared another glance, and this time Armsmaster noticed it as well.

"I remember when this job was simpler," Costa-Brown sighed. "Piggot."

"Ma'am."

"I leave this to you, Emily. It's your office ultimately, but I find Ramius' point compelling. Supposition or not, Newtype could change the entire field. Furthermore, it's worth considering that this incident is already unprecedented. There have never been this many survivors. We might be closer to a leak on Sixty-Six than we'd like anyway."

"I'll do what I can, ma'am," Director Piggot replied. "I know my job."

"You do, and understand that when the vultures circle I'll be there. Teacher has bested more people than I can count. He loves to blindside."

"Thank you for your confidence," Piggot said.

"I'm going to call Armstrong now. The situation in Boston is deteriorating."

"Of course, Chief Director." Calvert relaxed slight, eyes turning toward the windows. "Thank you for your time."

"And Ramius."

"Ma'am?"

"The next time you don't put an NDA in front of an independent cape, for any reason, you will be looking for new employment."

Ramius straightened her back. "Ma'am."

A thump rolled through the air, and the line died.

Piggot sat forward, instantly saying, "Armsmaster. Complete your analysis of the device, and then send it on to the Think Tank. We'll see if they come up with anything else."

The hero nodded and rose to his feet.

"I'll be on my way then," Dragon said. "Armsmaster, your lab?"

"I'll be there momentarily."

Another thump. Armsmaster went to the door, giving Ramius a look as he exited. The woman kept herself at attention and her face passive. The hero said nothing before leaving the room and closing the door.

Ramius turned her head.

"What is it?" she asked.

"That obvious?" Calvert asked back.

"Yes."

"Thank you for keeping quiet about it," Piggot said. She glanced to Calvert, as if asking a silent question. The man waved his hand, and Piggot reached under the table. "While we were here, Thomas and I had a lot of time on our hands."

When her hand came back up, she held a file.

"We spent it helping with the search," Calvert revealed. "Looking for anything Amanda might have gotten into other than what we already know. We came across this in the process."

Ramius glanced at the plain looking folder.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Your problem," Piggot answered.

She slid the file across the table.

Ramius picked it up, opening the folder to find a few pages of paper. Emails, and a few official documents dating back eight months. They seemed irrelevant at first. A few names were blacked out, or replaced with call signs in lieu of anything that could give away an identity.

Honey Badger.

Shadow Stalker's code.

She didn't know how anything involving Shadow Stalker involved her. Not until one email from January.

The time line fell into place quickly.

Ramius whispered under her breath, "This is…"

Piggot turned her chair, her body facing the window overlooking the city.

"You said Newtype would object if she saw Aisha Laborn as being bullied, yes?" she asked.

"I did."

"Well. You might be onto something."

Ramius felt her blood boil. She read the email again. Something about an assault. Prank gone wrong. No meaningful details, but the email said a student was in the hospital as a result. Coupled with earlier communication accusing Shadow Stalker of bullying another student?

Bullying by a Ward, and the PRT allowed it?

"Why?" Ramius asked.

"It seemed a minor thing." For Calvert's part, he didn't seem proud. "Shadow Stalker was showing improvement. No more bloodied criminals left to die pinned to a wall. Lots of arrests. She's popular in the city." Irrelevant, Ramius wanted to shout. "We didn't want to undo it without substantial cause."

"You knowingly allowed a Ward to assault her peers," Ramius growled. "Cause a trigger event. Maybe two."

StarGazer?

"We told the Principal of a high school to use her own discretion," Calvert said. "A mistake in hindsight, but Shadow Stalker's handler assured us. Nothing more than some white students making a fuss about a black girl who didn't back down. My talks with Principal Blackwell seemed to confirm that assessment."

He nodded to the file, adding, "I completely forgot about these incidents. It all dried up months ago."

"Right around the time Newtype appeared?"

"Before. After carrying on for a few months it all just vanished. I thought the problem resolved."

Ramius watched Calvert carefully, an odd sensation coming over her. Uncertainty? No one, least of all a Deputy Director, was that inept. Forgetting that Shadow Stalker was having school troubles in the months before a new cape appeared? A cape that ran out of the building after encountering her?

"We consulted the Youth Guard each step," Piggot agreed. "We followed every protocol."

"You followed the rules while ignoring the spirit," Ramius snapped. They should have investigated. The allegations were serious, regardless of any claim to their veracity.

"We'll have time to pay for our sins when we're dead," Piggot replied.

This is why she's angry. The hypocrisy.

Her eyes widened.

Lies. That's what she thinks. The heroes are a lie.

Piggot continued, "For now—"

"I would like to make a formal complaint," Ramius announced.

Piggot frowned. "You have that right."

"For the record," Calvert mused. "Given recent events, the Director and I have neglected to write any names down. We will not look for them either." He nodded to the file. "All other copies of that have been destroyed. This matter is handed to you as part of your ongoing assignment. Perhaps that is for the best."

He sighed and shook his head.

"It would be improper for either of us to act on it pending a formal complaint. You're outside our chain of command. Even if it's just a coincidence, you have full latitude to resolve this matter."

Ramius turned on her heel and promptly marched out of the room. A proper "sir" or "ma'am" might have been appropriate, but she felt little interest in feigning niceties.

She knew disappointment.

The PRT wasn't perfect. No organization was.

You learned to take the bad and the good at once. Sometimes she wanted to scream at the ineptitude she saw. Other times she felt nothing but pride at the compassion.

This was not one of the later times.

Working her way through the building to her office, she slammed the door shut and opened the file.

Murrue got to work.

Any weariness from exhaustion she felt from having her sleep interrupted by a tiring day vanished.

The papers spread across her desk, and she read through each one line by line. Then came requests for covert investigation. Request for access to Ward phone records, subject Shadow Stalker. Request for case handler reports. Request for investigations on Emma Barnes and Madison Clements.

A look through older PRT files showed Emma Barnes served as a character witness during closed hearings immediately following Shadow Stalker's arrest. Her father, Alan Barnes, even stood in on several as acting counsel.

They were friends then, friends picking on the same girl.

Turning to online social profiles, Sophia Hess first appeared on Emma Barnes' profile nearly two years ago.

The same day the brown haired girl stopped appearing in messages and pictures.

That's her.

The build, and the hair.

It was obvious.

But a picture of her on Emma Barnes' profile with Emma Barnes?

Ramius hoped to avoid seeing the face, regardless of the name's presence in the emails and reports. A courtesy of sorts, especially given recent events.

But it was done.

Taylor Hebert.

Fifteen years old, nearly sixteen. Father Danny Hebert, Hiring Supervisor for the Brockton Bay Dock Worker's Union. Mother Annette Hebert, Literature professor—flagged by the PRT as an associate of Lustrum—deceased two years ago.

"Damn it," she hissed.

Taylor must have recognized Shadow Stalker, somehow. Her voice, maybe.

Ramius couldn't fathom that. Walking into the base of people who called themselves heroes to find her tormentor there? She'd thought Newtype's anger purely ideologically driven, but this…it didn't start that way.

Whatever conviction the girl found she found after seeing the heroes as traitors to their own name.

And what now? The most she could do was get Shadow Stalker, maybe her handler as well, punished. That didn't change anything at this stage. The damage was done.

Worse, she knew Newtype's name and face. The heroine wouldn't like that. Might break off entirely out of fear.

Leaning back in her seat, she reached for the phone.

The phone rang, Ramius quietly hoping he wasn't already asleep.

A yawn answered the pick up, followed by, "LaFlaga."

"Mu. Can you—"

"The spirit is willing, but the flesh didn't get any sleep last night."

Her momentary fluster passed quickly.

"I—" Ramius sighed. She forgot. "I'm sorry."

That must have resonated. The man audibly sat up, asking, "What's wrong Murrue?"

"I can't say much…I need—"

She glanced to her computer monitor, the image of a much younger girl still on the screen.

The girl was smiling.

Newtype never smiled.

"I just need someone to listen."

The line went silent for a moment…

And then, "I've been told I'm an excellent listener."