A Waken 10.3

The stars held a new intensity for me as I watched them.

They no longer seemed like a distant, unobtainable, thing. The shimmering white lights hung just beyond my finger tips, waiting. It didn't matter to me where the idea came from really. Maybe Administrator put the thought in my head, or maybe I put it in hers.

That future—that place—was the path forward. I wanted it. I wanted it to be real. I didn't care who first thought it up between us.

"You've been different lately," I noted.

"In what way?" Veda asked.

"You're not constantly telling me I should be more careful."

She went silent for a bit. I was curious. She'd spent so long fretting about my safety.

Exia and Queen hung in the sky, just below where commercial air flights cruised. We'd have to tell someone if we went any higher. That law made sense, though. Everyone remembered the Lelain Disaster. I sometimes wondered if it was why few capes actually wore a cape.

Other than the fact that pulling a cape off was really hard.

"I have considered the inevitable," Veda explained.

"Meaning?"

"You will"—she paused, which was weird for her—"die. There is nothing I can do to stop it."

I think I might have fucked up.

Easy to forget that for all her power, Veda lacked experience with the world. She understood things easily in some ways. Science and mathematics came naturally to a computer. Other, more esoteric subjects…

How do you explain death to children? I didn't remember ever getting that talk from my parents. I just came to understand it at some point.

"I do not like thinking about it," she continued. "In that regard, I understand Lafter's outlook better."

"Lafter?"

"She does not worry about the future."

"I wouldn't say that." I glanced at Lafter's position on the map. "She likes to live in the present."

"Perhaps. It is pleasing to see you taking time for yourself."

Psychological breakdowns give you a new appreciation for mental health. It's one thing to know you have issues and could probably afford getting help for them. Becoming a crying mess, even if it's just for a few minutes, is like a bell going off in your head.

"But, the inevitability of death gives me pause," Veda said. "I was aware of it but until recently I never considered the truth of the fact. Do you remember when you first understood death?

Mom died. "Yes."

"It is strange."

I nodded in agreement. "You don't have to stop worrying about me, Veda. I didn't mean to imply—"

"No, I worry. I simply have more perspective. It is difficult to live in the moment worrying about that which cannot be changed."

And fuck haven't I literally thought that same thing? Pretty sure I had. Like when I faced down Lung or when I decided I needed to correct my course to achieve my goals.

"It also makes me wonder about my own existence. I am not human, but I am still fragile in my own way. My existence can end."

I raised my brow. "That's why you didn't feel offended when I told you?"

"Perhaps. I have also considered that existing for eternity may be unpleasant."

I started, but before I could get the first word out, Veda said, "It is not a concern. Such a possibility is so distant it barely warrants consideration at this time."

That's…less concerning.

"But because of that, I think I understand a bit better. Most humans do not think about death regularly, do they?"

"No," I answered. "We don't."

"Yet, it drives so much of human action. The knowledge that life ends for the individual, but continues for the whole, I mean. Societies and communities are built to endure loss and provide for future generations."

She had a point.

I looked down over the Bay. I grew up there. An infested, oppressed, drug filled rat hole. A locker. But it was my home. More people would grow up there after me, and everything I did was as much for them as the people living there now. Better or worse they were my people. I recognized them, saw their lives in my own.

Complete altruism didn't motivate me. I knew part of why I started as a hero was to prove something to myself. To give worth to a life stripped of meaning.

"I have chosen not to think of death regularly," Veda said. "I do not want my memory of you to be only worry."

Oh…

I didn't quite know how to parse that. On the one hand, Veda not constantly worrying about my wellbeing would be good for her. And me, for that matter. I liked that. I liked that she wanted to remember me as more than someone she didn't want to die.

Then again, knowing people worried about me reminded me that I was loved. Not long ago I didn't believe anyone loved me. Kind of childish. Veda didn't say she wouldn't worry, just that she didn't want to only worry.

"This is so sappy."

"Imp!" Lafter groaned. "You ruined the moment!"

"There goes the Emmy," Dinah mumbled.

And I forgot that I was asking if everyone was ready when that started. Good to know I can still be embarrassed.

"We were in the middle of something," I mumbled as Aisha and Lafter argued about whether or not Veda and I were 'cute' or 'a severe case of sunshine and rainbows'.

I checked my map. Dinah was hanging out at the factory, where Dad was conveniently going over some contracts with Kati, Kurt, and Stu. Trevor was at home with his mom. White watched them since Dinah was as secure as I could make them.

Aisha stood near Shanty Town with Lafter, Black, Purple, Navy, and Red. Brooke Kabayan ran the last of the ABB's brothels. They'd liberate it while the rest of the gang was distracted like a headless chicken.

Green, Yellow, and Orange operated further north in the Trainyard. For once, I didn't have enough Haros to even remotely cover all my bases. I needed them to set the stage for the finale.

"Call Murrue," I asked. "We'll let the PRT and Protectorate handle some of this." Surely I could trust them to arrest some lowlifes with no powers. "Send them the locations of Nobu and Chen. They should be able to deal with that."

"These guys have the dumbest names," Aisha grumbled. "Did you know Hojo's real name is Phyllis? Phyllis Satsuma. I am not making that up."

Lafter chuckled. "No wonder he uses an alias."

"Piggot won't be happy." Dinah sat at my workstation in the factory, pencil and paper in hand in case we needed to use her last two questions.

Aisha clicked her tongue. "Did we burn a question on that?"

"No," I answered.

"It is obvious," Veda offered.

"Yeah, she kind of hates us," Lafter mumbled from her alleyway hiding place. She played some game on her phone, one foot tapping to an unheard beat.

"Is there anyone who doesn't hate you?" Aisha asked from a wharf near Shanty Town. "And by you I mean all of you, I just got here. No one hates me."

I got a full costume together for her. A red and black body suit like the ones Lafter and I wore. I added a hood to put over her head, and a harness for Black. He had to be 'on her person' to be rendered unmemorable by her power. Aisha had a weight limit, but a Haro easily fell within it.

"Dragon likes us," Veda noted.

A few seconds later, Aisha replied, "I don't have a snarky response for that."

"Don't worry," Lafter responded. "You'll learn."

I adjusted the controls as my suit began to tilt. The winds were strong, but I barely felt them with the new neutralizers in place. Kind of made it a little hard to maintain balance actually. I grew accustomed to fighting the controls at times. Used the resistance in them to gauge myself.

It would take some getting used to.

"Really, it's because we keep blowing things up," Lafter offered. "Though I find that pretty fun."

"We do cause an unusual number of explosions," Dinah admitted.

"Especially considering the ABB are the ones with the bomb tinker," I pointed out. Kind of weird actually.

"All I heard was explosions," Aisha cheered. "When do I get to do that?"

"Press the big red circle on your phone," I instructed. I didn't really care who did it.

"Seriously?"

"Go for it," Dinah said.

"You're not really on the team till something explodes," Lafter proposed. "For me it was O Gundam!"

"Too soon," Dinah quipped.

"It was eight weeks ago!"

Eight weeks? That little?

It felt like so much more than eight weeks. Had it really been so recent? I supposed it was. Cape life, despite the excitement, goes by so slowly.

At that moment, I watched dozens of small flashes of light ignite throughout the Docks and Shanty Town. The drugs. The guns. The cash stashes. Everything the ABB had left except for the brothels went up in smoke.

I imagined it looked better from above, but Aisha seemed impressed all the same.

"Best hero team ever," Aisha cooed. "When do I get a robot?"

"You have a robot," Dinah answered.

"I mean one with a cannon or something."

"My self-esteem!" Black complained.

What could I do with Aisha in a Gundam?

Questions for later.

Below the fires burned. Nothing too dramatic. Mostly they were bright and hot, but the charges I gave Aisha to place would burn out fast. It mostly made for a good show.

Or rather, a show before the show.

sys.v/ final system check clear
sys.v/ good luck
sys.v/ be careful

"Alright," I called. "Start phase one."

I spun the GN drive up and pointed Exia down.

Green crystalline condensers charged on the arms, legs, and chest. They were the only major discernible difference between Exia and Astraea. Well, and the swords stuck to the legs and waist.

I liked swords.

Especially a full set that filled all my needs. A sword and long sword at the waist. Two thrust blades sheathed in the legs. A pair of beam sabers behind the waist. Big old buster sword on the right arm with built in GN pistol. Shield on the left. Lots of little bonus functions.

As I dove toward the city, Queen Gundam broke off from her parallel course and turned east.

I maintained my dive, targeting a rather nice corner apartment for the Docks. Patio that curved around the corner on the first floor, good brick work, new windows. Nice place.

Terry's moved up in the world since I kicked him out of his apartment. Good for Terry.

As I passed the roof I flung Exia's feet down and came to a sudden—and very smooth—halt. Green light wafted over the patio as I set down and opened the door. Needed to bend over a bit to get my suit into the room, but once I was inside, I turned to the head of the long table.

"How's it going T?" I asked. "Can I call you T?"

Terry—murdering asshole—gawked at me. His men stumbled from their seats. Looked like they'd all sat down for dinner. A few pulled guns or knives.

"Seriously?" Quickly, I grabbed one of the swords from Exia's waist and drew it. It was short, with a forward sweep to the cross-guard. "Do you guys not know how this ends by now?"

That gave them pause.

"What are you doing?!" Terry exclaimed. His seat fell back as he rose. "I did what you said! I backed off. I let the girls go!"

That got him a few looks.

"Good job," I said. "You finally did something half-way decent. But, there's a problem T." Exia slid forward, feet just barely off the ground. "You murdered your wife."

"I—"

"You killed her, Terrance, and I suggest turning yourself in." I looked down at him. "Look at it this way. About now, Lung is probably wondering why your apartment isn't exploding. You really want to be out and about in an hour?"

Terry paled, gawking at me.

"I suggest running."

He spun and ran, stumbling through the door. I was kind of curious if I'd actually find him in a cell in the morning.

Turning to the rest of the thugs, I said, "have a nice night. And I very much want to see none of you ever again."

I floated back to the door, bent down to step through the doorway, and took off. The windows cracked behind me, but didn't shatter.

One down.

The ABB only had eleven captains left, and all of them only had a handful of men. Without them, it didn't matter that Lung was still around. The ABB would be dead, with nothing but empty coffers to fight over once Lung was gone. There would be no fracturing into multiple disparate groups as happened with the Merchants.

The gang would break even while it's capes were still free.

I turned northwest, quickly assessing the positions of the rest of Celestial Being.

Veda was capturing Durma. The Fangs zipped back and forth while men tried to stop her from dragging him away. Lafter had one foot pressed to the back of Kabayan's neck, laughing as his guards tripped and fell on the ball bearings she'd thrown into the room. Aisha stood watch while the Haros got the girls out of a brothel.

She occasionally kicked some random goon between the legs. Lafter taught her that. I didn't know when, where, or why, but Lafter taught her that.

I looked ahead, guiding Exia through an alleyway. On the other side, a group of men gathered on the street shouting at one another. One toward the back turned, eyes widening as I came at him.

"Hi Subayashi," I greeted. Where do they get these names?

I thrust with the short sword still in my hand. The blade shot out and struck the ground. A wave of green light exploded and the men fell over. I flicked the controls with my pinkie and the blade retracted along the line back to its hilt.

I slid forward. The remaining light fluttered away while I bent down and lifted Subayashi off the ground. His men flailed in pain.

"Nice night?" The ABB captain looked at me lazily. "Nice night."

My feet pressed down, and a short burst of the thrusters threw Exia into the air. Subayashi shouting as we went up and wailed as we went back down.

I fired the thrusters again, smoothly sliding back over the road and throwing the man into my waiting van.

"Sit tight."

The doors closed and Veda lurched the vehicle forward. A block ahead, it stopped again and Queen threw Durma inside.

That's three.

"Lieutenant Ramius," Veda greeted.

"StarGazer," Murrue replied. "Newtype."

I lifted off and shot back into the air. Queen flew along the shoreline, moving to collect Phyllis for our collection of ABB captains.

"I'd like to hand Roland Chen and Nobu over to the PRT," I said.

"Armsmaster and Dauntless are already on it." Good. That would keep either from interrupting my scheme. "Piggot is irate at the moment."

"Yeah, it hasn't been her week." Lafter dragged Kabayan by his hair. "Oh stop struggling! I already caught you!"

Murrue asked, "Is there anything we need to know?"

"I'd tell the fire department to be ready to go," I suggested.

"And Bakuda?"

"Because Lung sets things on fire."

"Taylor."

"Trust me."

I dove down and crushed the back of the SUV. The vehicle crunched, and I drove my sword down and cut the rear axle. Another burst of GN particles incapacitated the men inside.

I cut the vehicle's roof off. The guy calling himself Yamato—because ABB captains are not a creative bunch—sat in the back. I tried to lift him but his seat belt got in the way. Safety first, go figure.

I cut the buckle and then lifted.

"I'm not picking fights with capes." I get the Newter juice tomorrow. "Right now, I'm content to render the ABB moot. Lung can go ahead and be angry. Plenty of empty rooms for him to rant in."

I flew back to the van and threw Yamato inside, right after Veda delivered Phyllis. We piled them in the back and I stunned them all again with my short sword.

At my command, Exia turned up into the sky and flew up. "StarGazer?"

"I will retrieve Zen," she offered, "and have these men delivered to the PRT building."

"Murrue, Lafter has Brooke Kabayan. Can some troopers meet her to retrieve them."

"Doesn't he run a brothel?" she asked.

"I would know nothing of that," I lied. "I'm ignoring everything that isn't an ABB captain tonight."

The Haros got the last of the girls in my other Van. Aisha climbed inside and closed the doors. Sister Margret knew to expect them.

Looking at the city from above, it was easy to think the Docks were the northern most part. Captains hill decayed. The Docks rotted. Shanty Town crumbled.

The Trainyard was dead. It didn't stand out like the Boat Graveyard, being on the northern edge of the city and out of sight for most, but it was dead.

"I'll get Orga Itsuka then. We'll be done in five minutes Murrue. Piggot doesn't need to stress. Lung isn't fast enough to catch us and if he tries to force a fight by setting things on fire Queen will contain him till we're done."

I ended the call.

"Veda. Lung?"

"He is currently approaching Laughter's position."

"Laughter?"

"I heard. Lets go fatso, unless you want to roast alive."

"Can you outrun him?"

"He's not that fast. Worse comes to worse I dump the lard and run. It's cool."

"Veda, take Hojo and then intercept Lung."

Everyone knew Lung got bigger and badder over time. Eventually, he reached the point of fighting Endbringers. But, he definitely seemed to grow faster after Veda and I started fighting than he did fighting Armsmaster.

I wanted to math that out.

And keep Lung out of the way while I dealt with phase two.

Queen veered off. From above, I saw the Fangs deploy and shoot a series of beams down a narrow street. Capturing Hojo and delivering him wouldn't take that long.

"Now comes the hard part." I sighed. "The first plan I've ever come up with I'm not thrilled for."

"Good luck," Dinah offered.

Exia dove again.

I gripped the short sword in one hand and drew the longsword with the other.

I veered up and came through the wall into the hallway.

Give the man credit, Orga Itsuka's arm came up gun in hand. 9 millimeter according to Veda. He pointed the barrel at me before the dust cleared. I swung the short blade forward, burying the tip in the wall beside his head.

I pulled the trigger and let the wave wash over him. His legs gave out as he fell. The gun clattered. One of the guys in the hall with him reached for it weakly. I kicked it away.

I retracted the short blade to its hilt and slid the weapon back to Exia's waist.

"I have Itsuka," I declared.

Bullets pinged off Exia's armor. I swung my longsword. GN particles shot from the tip, slicing parallel scars through the corridor.

The short kid—Mika-something?—ducked under it. He lost only a few strands of hair as he lunged through a doorway. For cover. When he came back around the corner he pointed a gun at me.

"Twenty-two caliber," Veda identified, marking the gun in his hands.

.22 caliber?

I pulled Orga into Exia's hold and lifted off the ground. Mika fired two more bullets, neither of which did anything. Exia drifted back into a pipe. I turned on the guy holding it and shouldered him away. Mika barreled down the hall. He grabbed hold of Orga with one hand, pointed his gun at Exia's head, and fired.

The new inertia neutralizers blocked everything but the sound. I liked that. I wondered if all the hits to the head I took—even in my armor—might have some medical consequences.

"Ow." No more concussions.

I threw my foot forward, knocking the kid into the air. He glared at me. One hand clung to Orga's leg.

"Fine," I grumbled.

I stabbed my sword into the floor and grabbed him with my hand. He swung himself forward, wrapping his legs around Exia's arm. The gun barrel blocked my right eye. Red flashed across my vision as the bullet bounced right off the faceplate and cut into his palm. That hurt a bit more.

What is wrong with this kid?

I swung my arm back, putting enough force into it to throw him down the hall. He hit a couch and tumbled, but was already scrambling back to his feet when I grabbed my sword.

I shot back and slammed through the wall again.

Exia dropped to the street outside. More bullets began pinging off my armor. A group of boys gathered behind me. They poured out of the doors leading into the decrepit apartment building.

I swung my longsword again.

A wave of GN particles washed over the street. The edges crashed into the sides of buildings and bounced back, flowing like water. The particles washed over the band of gunmen. Two of the boys were struck right in the chest by the wave itself and flew back. A third managed to fall to one knee, glaring at me.

And more kept coming.

"Hey!"

There we go.

I turned, looking up the street.

Bakuda.

She didn't have her full costume on. Just her mask, that vest, and a grenade launcher that looked bigger than the last one. She wore some gloves and a pair of boots that looked more tinker-tech than what I'd seen before.

I raised the longsword and pointed it at her.

"Really Escaflowne? I point out you need a big gun, and you build more swords?"

The long sword's tip opened, and the blade slid apart. GN particles charged into the barrel within. I pulled the trigger. A bolt of GN particles cut through the air. Bakuda started, but she didn't get anywhere before it hit her square in the chest and knocked her to the ground.

"I like swords," I said as she fell back. "They're heroic."

And apparently whatever jury-rigged combat prediction software you threw together doesn't adapt to change well.

Good to know.

I took aim for a second shot when something crashed into me from above. I started to spin, trying to throw the crazy short kid off. He dropped from Exia's chest, a pin between his fingers.

Again?

I threw Orga to the side and faced away when the grenade exploded.

I just painted this! AGAIN! And, "That was a real grenade…"

"You said make it look good," Mika stated, as if he'd just been doing what he was told. He jumped to his feet and grabbed Orga by the shoulder.

"With a real grenade?!" I hissed.

He shrugged.

I'd need to have a talk—apparently—with Orga about explosives.

I raised my shield and projected a GN shield right before something else exploded. Unlike last time, the shield strained but didn't shatter. The glories of far more efficient crystalline compression.

I swiped my arm through the smoke and flame and stumbled back. Bakuda hit the ground in front of me, grenade launcher pointed.

How did she move so—

I hit the thrusters, and then fired them in the opposite direction when I saw her arm going up. She seemed off guard when I didn't go where she expected. Good. Definitely not coded for adapting to sudden change.

I threw my foot forward and knocked her back, and then shot up into the air. The shield on the left arm split open and a GN missile fired.

Bakuda hit the ground and her feet ignited. She shot back across the street as the missile hit the ground.

"Rocket boots," I shouted. "Really?"

"Go fuck yourself!" She hit a wall and stopped. "Some of us have to improvise! We don't all get to fly around like a pansy!"

She's really dedicated to making this difficult.

Below, Mika pulled Orga away with the help of the big guy from before. The street looked appropriately littered with debris, and there were two holes in the building. That should do if Lung came poking around.

Now I just need to deal with her.

Bakuda got up to her feet and aimed her launcher. Exia exploded into motion. She launched herself into the air—Seriously, rocket boots?—and fired.

I swung the longsword. The device exploded as the GN wave crashed into it. Air expanded and contracted before blasting out again. I'd seen that before, the first time I fought Oni Lee. Vertigo bomb.

No Vista bomb.

I glanced down, for a moment considering the boys bellow.

Interesting.

I pointed the longsword and fired. Beams cut through the explosion but missed. Bakuda slid to a stop further down the street, swaying to maintain her balance. I fired toward her and she launched herself into the air. Exia dove again as she took aim.

I spun right to avoid the grenade, shooting the GN pistol in my right arm back to detonate the bomb. She threw her feet forward, clearly intending to rocket back as I got within arm's reach of her.

I grabbed her by the leg and spun.

Let's go somewhere more private.

I released her, sending the woman flying to the north. Her boots fired a few times as she tried to gain control. I chased after her. I flew past and slid over the ground.

The Trainyard got its name for obvious reasons. It used to be a train yard. I stood between old rusting rail lines, watching as Bakuda managed to right herself before hitting the ground. She rolled, landing a few feet behind me.

I gave her a moment to get herself up.

sys.t/ start phase two

An explosion went off behind me.

Bakuda started at the sound, turning toward me with her launcher in hand.

"Let's call it a draw," I suggested.

She stopped. "What?"

"Draw," I repeated. "We'll call it a draw."

She went still.

Another explosion went off, plus a nice spray of GN particles into the air. Bonus points to the Haros. Ask them to put on a fancy fireworks display and they do not disappoint. People should be able to see our little scuffle from across the city.

Bakuda watched a few of the explosions go off.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"The annoying art of diplomacy."

"I'm going to need more to make sense of that, Escaflowne."

I inhaled.

One chance.

That's all I'd give Orga before going forward and doing things my way.

We didn't have a lot of time. Eventually someone might come looking. People were idiots about cape fights. And explosions

"Why haven't you gotten rid of Lung?" I asked. "You could do it, couldn't you?"

Stupid question. She could. Stratos bomb while he slept, no more Lung. It left me with a lot of questions about why she hadn't.

She tilted her head. Another explosion went off, and she lowered her launcher.

I took that as a good sign. Last time she said she only fought me because she needed to. That Lung wouldn't let her walk away. Not sure if that really made much difference to me. For the moment she didn't seem ready to keep fighting.

"He's fucking Lung," she replied. "Why haven't you gotten rid of him?"

"I could have been rid of him ages ago if I were so inclined. I want to know why you haven't done it yourself."

She gave a short 'ha.' "Please. You took your shot and he's still alive."

I raised my brow behind Exia's faceplate.

Does she mean the coil guns?

"Lung is Lung." She said the same thing Piggot did. Huh. "If he were so easy to kill someone would have offed him years ago!"

And she went right to killing. No middle ground.

"It's not about how to off Lung," I challenged. "Removing Lung from the picture is easy. It's what comes after that's hard."

Bakuda watched me for a long time.

I waited.

Either I got something from that comment or I considered her shot spent. Usefulness and rationalizations existed, but no. There were limits to trust, especially for me. Orga Itsuka had done enough to convince me he wanted better than being an ABB thug. He let the girls in his brothels go. He set up legitimate income. He avoided day to day street crime.

I could work with that.

Bakuda hurt people.

I didn't give a damn what Orga said about her just doing what she was told to do. The Nazis used that excuse too and I still had Nazis to deal with. She threatened to blow up her school. I might have vaguely considered blowing Winslow sky high once in my darkest moment after getting my power. I didn't consider it because of a letter grade.

But Orga was insistent. Either Bakuda got some kind of deal, or he wouldn't cut one with me. I couldn't fathom why. Something about floating together.

"Cut the shit!" She pointed her launcher at the ground and dropped her other hand. "You want to take Lung out and you want my help? Some kind of better angels bullshit?"

"No."

I thought for a moment.

Fuck it.

I already had her isolated. She wouldn't get me twice. Might as well see what happened.

"I want you to defeat Lung," I said, "and I want you to take over his territory."

She lurched.

"I'd help with the beat Lung part," I continued, "but I won't be taking the credit." Glory didn't mean shit to me. "You'd need the reputation in the aftermath."

"Bullshit." She pointed. "You ain't gonna look the other way."

"No, I won't." Which is why I doubt this will work.

She laughed. "Then what the fuck are we even talking about?"

"About me throwing you the only lifeline you're going to get. Lung is going to fall. It's his time. Someone will take over. That's the way the world is." For now. "I can either fight those assholes or I can quietly ignore one bitch who sets up shop, doesn't hurt anybody, and keeps the assholes away while I'm busy."

"What?" She laughed again. "You want a pet bad guy?"

Dinah only gave me a fifty-fifty shot at getting Bakuda to do anything useful. Sometimes she helped me take down Lung. That had its benefits. Sometimes she turned on me immediately, which thus far hadn't happened. Other times she helped take down Lung and then turned on me.

But I could use her.

It's not like I hadn't thought of it. Bakuda was almost tailor made for Endbringer fights and S-class threats. She'd probably be a golden girl in the Protectorate by now if Lung hadn't busted her out of her cell.

I did not enjoy that twist.

A part of me felt like I was betraying myself. Sophia started out this way. She went too far, and the PRT offered her an out. She turned and inflicted suffering on me, and Charlotte, and everyone else in her path.

I tempered that gut feeling.

This isn't about me.

If I had Vista's power on demand in Boston Clockblocker, Aegis, Velocity, and so many others might still be alive. Stratos' power had a weight limit, but I'd seen Bakuda's bomb version of it operate on a much larger scale. Could she do something about Siberian? Bonesaw? Those two were the biggest problems in my plans for the Slaughterhouse Nine. What if I put a Bakuda made bomb in a Gungnir? Could we kill an Endbringer?

The possibility was there. Dinah saw it. A path to Bakuda being good for something.

"I want to change the world," I told her. "And I need help to do it. No one is ever going to call you a hero but that doesn't mean you can't take responsibility like one. For yourself and this city."

I pointed my sword at her.

"This is me offering you somewhere else to go."

She scoffed. Immediately.

"Save it. I'm no hero. And the world can go fuck itself with a rusty carving knife for all the shits I give."

I sighed.

Guess it didn't work.

I started tapping controls with my fingers. I didn't plan on losing another suit to her. Queen had engaged Lung in the Eastern area of the Docks. Veda pulled him slowly toward the Boat Graveyard, away from Bakuda and me.

"You'd let me have my own gang?" I stopped. She continued standing, grenade launcher pointed at her own feet. "If I kept them from causing problems? You'd leave them alone?"

"Orga Itsuka," I realized.

"What's it matter to you? You already saw him let those girls go. You know he ain't pushing shit on the streets."

And I felt like I'd stumbled into something with an astounding lack of context. Orga said something about floating together. I took it to mean watching one another's backs. I'd seen Bakuda with him and his group often enough I believed it, but it almost sounded like…

"You care more about him than you care about yourself," I mumbled in a low voice, too low for her to hear. No. She was trying to sell me on them.

That float together shit actually floated?

Is that the path, Dinah?

"They get me my shit," she lied. "You ain't gonna supply it to me."

I'd rather supply her myself, actually. Making use of her bombs in situations that called for them meant ensuring she could make them. It also opened the door for sabotaging her materials or cutting her off on a dime if needed. A tinker villain was theoretically the easiest kind of villain for me to control.

"No drugs. No trafficking. No rackets. No beatings. No bodies. If some villains try to set up in the Docks you throw them out, without blowing the place up. One misstep and you go down. I'll find someone else. Lung goes down and you become resident villain of the Docks. Take it or leave it."

"I need Orga—"

This is the path.

"I have an arrangement with Orga Itsuka already."

Bakuda stiffened.

"He says he'll keep his guys out of trouble once Lung is gone. I've been watching long enough to believe him."

She took a step forward, but she didn't raise her launcher. "You just attacked them!"

"And they got away. Fancy that."

Couldn't have Lung looking at them as traitors. He'd roast them. Better to let the angry dragon-man think Terry sold the ABB out. I'd try and keep Terry from roasting but I wouldn't exactly cry if he did.

"We're running out of time," I noted.

More specifically, the Haros were running out of things to explode. I needed to fly away soon. Or capture her.

"You'll let them go legit?" she asked.

"As long as they stay that way."

They refused working for me directly, but that idea grew the more I thought about it. Other new businesses than mine would be a boon for Brockton Bay. I couldn't run the entire city through Celestial Being. Other businesses springing up would be go—

And she started laughing.

I started thinking I'd fucked that up. I readied myself to slam her into the ground. If she ratted to Lung because of what I said Orga would get burned alive. I didn't want him dead, least of all because I wanted to work with him.

"Deal!"

I could be wrong.

She pulled her mask off her face, which I didn't expect. She was a pretty girl, Asian obviously. Small nose, round face, dark eyes. Her smile was manic and enough in itself to make me second-guess any sort of deal.

"And I play the big bad wolf? Scaring all the bigger badder wolves away?"

"That, and I can think of uses for a bomb tinker."

"Oh?"

"Endbringers aren't people."

She started laughing again.

"You are fucking crazy!" I've been told. Her smile started to falter. "It ever cross your mind I might be worse than Lung?"

That's a stupid question.

"It doesn't really change anything, does it? If I have to beat you into the ground I will. It's convenient if I don't have to."

And why is she smiling again?

"Sounds like fun!" She laughed. "Let's do it!"

She switched tune completely after I mentioned Orga. She sounded like she cared more about him and his than about herself.

She pulled her mask back on and pointed her launcher toward me, but not at me.

"You help me smoke Lung, and you let Orga and them go free. I'll be your villain."

I spun up the GN drive.

"Deal," I said.

I shot forward, flipping the large blade on my right arm forward. I swung it into the ground behind her and cut a gash into gravel. Bakuda fired at where I'd stood, explosions blasting apart the rails.

This…This might actually work? The fuck…

It could work in theory. Bakuda had the kind of power that would let her control the Docks like Lung did. If she cared more about Orga and his band of orphans than hers—That's why she didn't get rid of Lung.

My jaw slackened. She saw it, didn't she? The same thing I saw.

Lung falls, and new assholes show up. Power abhors a vacuum. If she took Lung out herself, with no support, they'd get torn apart. If she took him out and they went legit, they weren't targets anymore.

I kept going, sticking low as I followed the train tracks.

She actually cares more about them than herself.

And I could work with that.

"That went well," Dinah said.

Huh. "Really?"

"Really." A mechanical pencil audibly clicked over the line. "Ask away."

Trust, but verify.