A Waken 12.5
I closed my locker quickly, ignoring the weight of eyes staring into my back.
"You okay?" Weld asked.
"Ever notice how that question kind of answers itself?" I asked back. I immediately followed with, "Sorry."
"It's okay." He glanced past me, eyes lingering on Charlotte for a moment. "Are you though?"
I sighed.
"I'll brood and get over it."
I didn't mention I'd already brooded and gotten over it. The cycle of life. Disappointment slaps you in the face, you brood for a bit, then you get on with life. Truthfully, I wasn't even that upset anymore. Not in an active way, at least.
But I didn't know where Teacher did or didn't have eyes, so I faked my most appropriate response.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Weld."
"Yeah," he said. "See you."
I started moving and Charlotte followed.
The lawsuit wasn't mentioned but I figured it was only a matter of time. Blue Cosmos might try to downplay my involvement to focus on the 'real' victims. The story was still running when I left for school, on all the big TV channels.
There were talk show hosts talking about it. And opinion pieces. Congress apparently already wanted an investigation into how the PRT recruited and tried to rehabilitate violent vigilantes and villains.
Felt weird to see it all out in the open like that.
Words out of a newscaster's mouth. Pictures pulled from social media or school yearbooks. I'd wondered what it would be like when everyone knew.
Newtype was a bullied girl.
Such a mundane start for someone who'd set such a larger than life image for themselves.
Watching the news report incidents—exactly as I'd written them in my notebooks—felt wrong. Blue Cosmos probably supplied the details. They hadn't mentioned the lawsuit at all, but why would they? I was the subject now, not the star witness.
It shouldn't be on TV.
Having the whole world know felt like being turned inside out. Exposed or something, I guess. It's not like it didn't matter to me, but did it need to be national news? Did I have to be national news, over this?
This is what I wanted to avoid in the first place.
Being talked about as a hero was surreal.
Being talked about as a girl who suffered was just painful.
Fuck Teacher.
"How are you handling it?" I looked to Charlotte.
"They haven't really mentioned me," she replied. "I'm not famous enough, I guess."
My eyes turned to a pair of girls and a boy. All three stared at me and whispered to each other. Even as I looked right at them—they had to see that—their heads followed me through the hall and they kept whispering.
So did the group of boys to their left. And the group of girls left of them. And the two teachers standing in the hall near the front doors.
I did not miss the irony of how I was now apparently worth being watched by teachers.
Charlotte stopped at the front doors.
Ms. Badgiruel turned to us, saying, "Ms. Hebert. Ms. Berman."
"Ma'am." Charlotte reached into her pocket and pulled out her note.
Ms. Badgiruel took it, looked it over briefly and nodded.
"Have a pleasant day. I'll see you both tomorrow."
"Ma'am," we both said.
We left the school. Mr. Berman sat in the driver's seat of his car, engine idling. Dad's truck wasn't really comfortable for three. I didn't see Charlotte's mom.
"Hi Dad," Charlotte said with a warm smile.
"Girls." His eyes lingered on me.
"Mr. Berman."
"Taylor."
I wouldn't blame him for hating me.
I hadn't seen him since the 'surprise therapy' incident weeks ago. He learned I was a cape along with everyone else. I imagined Charlotte probably told her parents she'd known.
I took a seat in the back while Charlotte took the front seat. Before I'd closed the door, Green rolled out from behind a bush and rushed the car. My hand held the door open as he jumped in and landed in the seat behind me.
Mr. Berman twisted around in his seat.
"Two points, two points!"
"Is he putting on a seat belt?" Charlotte asked.
Green was pulling the seat belt down, not that he fit in it.
"Safety first," I quipped.
"Click it or ticket," Green repeated.
I added, "You get used to it."
Mr. Berman looked unreadable. He'd always been kind of obvious in the path, wore his mood openly. He twisted back around in his seat and started the car forward.
"Good day?" he asked.
"Was okay," Charlotte said.
"Lots of staring," I grumbled.
"Celebrity," Mr. Berman replied. "Free ticket to all the attention no one needs."
"Tell me about it."
We pulled into traffic and started the journey to Blue Cosmos' offices.
Today was the day.
Charlotte filled the time talking about her multi-media class. They had to do a project over the course of the semester and I guess she really liked how she could pick her own formats and topics.
"We still have that old camera, don't we?" she asked.
"Think so," her father answered. "Thinking of making a movie?"
"Not sure. Mr. Kent said we needed to make three different media for the project. Video was one of the options. I can also do power points, posters, photography, or something."
"Pretty sure the camera is in the attic. Can't say it's still working but we can check."
"I'll have to learn some video editing stuff," Charlotte mumbled.
"Do we need a good computer for that?"
"Arcadia has good computers. I don't think it's a problem."
I turned my head to look out the window.
How do they go through a whole conversation without things getting weird?
"What about you, Taylor?" I turned my head back. Mr. Berman was looking at me from the rear view mirror. "You doing anything interesting in school?"
It sounded forced.
"Basketball," I answered. "I learned how to dribble."
"Hmm. You are tall. Could make a good center."
"That's what Miria said."
"Miria?" Charlotte asked. "Oh. You mean Miriallia?"
"I've only ever heard her called Miria," I replied.
"She's on the basketball team. Are you going to join?"
I shook my head. "I don't really have time for that." Don't need anyone accusing me of cheating either.
Kati didn't deserve to manage that nonsense.
Good exercise though. Lots of movement, positioning, situational awareness. Not the worst way to maintain my reflexes.
"How's your dad doing with everything?" Mr. Berman asked.
"He's going to stay at work for a bit," I said. "There's news vans all over the house."
"That bad?" he asked.
"Pink is keeping it safe." Probably with a spatula in hand
"Mission accepted," Green chirped, "mission accepted."
But I wouldn't put it past some idiot with bad impulse control to try something. My factory was a hard target and the Dockworkers had good mundane security. The House would be an easy hit for a firebomb or something.
Best if Dad and I both steered clear for a bit. I'd already asked the Haros to pack up any family heirlooms—photos mostly, Mom's wedding dress—and move them to the factory. I had a new empty basement to store them in.
Charlotte watched me for most of the ride. Worried? She'd been watching me a lot lately. Awkwardly. Awkwardly like Vicky, who clearly wanted to talk about something but thus far had shied away from outright saying so.
Everyone wants a piece of me lately.
Even Blue Cosmos.
Mr. Berman pulled up behind their offices rather than in front. They probably preferred no one know I was involved in their little stage law suit.
I wanted to use a gag order to keep them from spilling anything.
Now they intended to twist it around and use the same tactic on me.
I swallowed that.
Let Teacher think he'd won in this little play. Let Blue Cosmos think they'd gotten one over on me. I'd win in the end, with a big sword shoved right up Teacher's ass.
When Charlotte's dad parked the car, there were three people waiting for us.
Two of them were Copeland's cronies. I kind of enjoyed the look of discomfort on their faces when I stepped out of the car. What does it say about someone that they can't even hide their dislike for someone who's never done anything to them?
The third person at least smiled.
Talia welcomed us. "The papers are ready to go. Sorry about asking you to use the back."
"We get it," Mr. Berman said in an accusing tone. He glanced to the suited men with Talia and scoffed at them.
Not really interested in hiding his disdain anymore.
I found that kind of pleasant.
Sometimes you just have to appreciate the little things.
The two guys got even more uncomfortable when Green jumped out of the car and spun around.
"Is that coming inside?" one of them asked.
"What?" I asked. "You've never seen a personal assistant before."
Green popped his ears to reveal a small notepad and pen.
"Minutes, minutes," he reported.
"He's very enthusiastic," I offered.
The chaperons led us inside and straight to the same stupidly blue meeting room I knew so well. Dad was already there, looking over papers. I took a seat next to him, and he tapped Mr. Berman's shoulder. He pointed at some part of the page and whispered to him.
Mr. Berman got a grim look and nodded then whispered something back.
As they discussed it, other lawyers came in. Copeland joined us and closed the door behind him. Talia sat on our side of the table, which I appreciated. She was the only one who did. She sat on Mr. Berman's right. Charlotte had taken the seat to my left.
Dean wasn't in the room, and that struck me as strange. He'd sat in on every meeting after the first. I always felt like he and Talia were the only ones in the building who cared about Charlotte and I as people, as opposed to a quick ticket.
The five of us on one side and a dozen BC bigots on the other.
Taking a moment to appreciate the little things, I'd be happy to never sit at that table ever again.
Just sign the papers and be done with it.
Green climbed up onto the table, drawing most of the eyes in the room.
"Is that a recording device?" Copeland asked.
"Is that a problem?" I asked.
He kept smiling but I'd learned how to read his smiles well.
That was the what-a-bitch smile.
Such a charming man.
"No," he said. "Of course not. You are a 'hero', after all."
Smooth.
"We should get started," someone suggested.
"Yes," Copeland agreed. "We've more than prepared over the past few months. Unless there is a problem, we can pursue justice—"
I tuned out Copeland's speech. I didn't care for his empty pontificating.
He was maybe a few minutes in when I abruptly rose from my seat.
He stopped, tripping over some word or another. The other lawyers all stared. One looked legitimately terrified. I didn't get that. Even if you hated capes, what about me gave him any reason to be afraid?
"Taylor?" Talia asked.
"I need to use the restroom."
At least they weren't so paranoid as to follow me in.
The bathrooms were stupidly nice. Instead of stalls, each toilet had its own enclosed space. Sink, mirror, door.
I knocked on the one at the far end twice.
Imp opened it.
"These guys have stupid nice bathrooms," she said as I entered.
"And it's all blue."
"I noticed that. Kind of gaudy."
Aisha closed the door and Black jumped off the sink and grabbed a strap to hang from Aisha's shoulder. I flipped the toilet cover down and took a seat. Black would disrupt any surveillance and a quick tap behind my ear switched my glasses to a sonic vision mode.
There was someone waiting outside the restroom, but they weren't in it.
"Voice low," I warned in a muted tone.
"Sure, sure." Aisha reached into her pocket and pulled out a USB. "You know I could have done this at any time, right?"
I took the USB and turned it between my fingers.
Aisha crossed her arms over her chest and asked, "You just want to fuck with them, don't'cha?"
"Let me have my moment," I grumbled.
"Best served with fries," Black chirped.
There was another reason, other than wanting to stick Blue Cosmos a middle finger. I wanted to test something, and for that I needed to be both suspicious and have something I didn't want found.
Let's see how curious Blue Cosmos is.
I slipped the USB into my pocket.
Aisha and I waited in the bathroom awhile longer.
"How long we doing this?" she asked.
"Long enough for the lady creeping outside to start being jittery."
"Anyone ever say you like messing with people?"
I hummed. "Maybe I do." Then I shrugged. "I only mess with people who deserve it."
"Sure you're not a thinker?"
"My power does make me smarter. Want to know how to solve Jacobson's conjecture?"
"I don't know what that is."
"We have to find a way to get you into school."
"I'm good."
"Yeah, I'm basically responsible for you at this point and I'm not. You can't live your whole life using your power to mess with people."
Aisha stared. "Watch me."
Damn complications.
Someone needed to look out for her, even if she didn't think she needed it. Her brother was a wanted fugitive and Aisha occupied a gray area as far as the hero-villain line went. Might need to come up with something creative.
Outside, my minder started looking antsy. She kept edging closer to the door and watching it. We'd probably burned enough time.
"Take one last look around," I said. "We'll be out in an hour."
Aisha waved her hand at me.
…
Guess I didn't have to go that badly?
Apparently Green entertained everyone by juggling pens and pencils.
"Magic hands, magic hands!"
"That's"—Talia paused as I entered—"very impressive."
I retook my seat, followed by the woman who'd been waiting outside the bathroom. Figured Blue Cosmos would spy on me. Then again, I probably was the type to screw with them now that I didn't have any need to play nice anymore.
Copeland—in a move that didn't shock me—picked up his little speech right where I interrupted it. Blah blah blah 'real justice' blah blah blah 'abuse of power' blah blah blah. I'd probably care if I believed a word of it.
After he finished, Dad asked a few questions.
"This section sounds like a gag order," he noted.
"It's not a gag order," someone else replied.
"It says Charlotte and Taylor can't talk to the press, nor can anyone in their families."
"Part of our negotiations with the PRT," Copeland lied. "While Shadow Stalker's identity is now public, she does still have family. Keeping the suit on the more quiet end helps protect them and will simmer the animosity of the suit.
Bullshit.
He wasn't even trying. What they didn't want was Charlotte or me undermining the story. Madison and the other little bullies needed to look like victims, not participants. One word and real victims could destroy it.
Dad, Mr. Berman and Copeland went back and forth on the stipulation. Talia defused it eventually by saying it worked both ways. Keeping the suit quiet meant Charlotte and I could avoid further press attention over the incident.
I think she believed that.
I also think she knew Copeland leaked the story to the press in the first place and resented the fact.
Whatever.
Let them have the battle.
The war was just beginning.
In the end, Dad and Mr. Berman signed the papers. Charlotte and me too. Green handed out the pens. I wrote out my name last. The moment—putting pen to paper and moving my hand—felt lighter.
It wasn't over.
It would never be over.
At the same time, it did feel like closing the book because I'd reached the end. I wanted to turn my back on the bullying and never look back. Finding out Emma and the rest turned on Charlotte pulled me back in. Finding out about Blue Cosmos' lawsuit scheme kept me in.
But that was all done now.
Bad as some parts of Arcadia were…Yeah. It was better. Not perfect. Not ideal. But it wasn't fucking Winslow. It would never be Winslow.
And now it's done.
I didn't expect to find closure in this.
Suck it Blue Cosmos.
When I finished signing I passed the paper to Talia and rose from my seat.
"Bye."
Green hopped along behind me as I moved for the door. No one seemed surprised or disheartened at my abrupt exit.
Copeland rose up, asking, "I certainly hope this doesn't sour things. I understand it must have been rather awkward navigating these proceedings in your circumstances, Ms. Hebert."
"Call me when the PRT calls you," I said bluntly. "I have things to do."
I had the sense someone might try to stop me, but no one did. That struck me as strange for some reason. Out in the hall my feet stopped and I glanced over my shoulder as Dad, Mr. Berman, and Charlotte followed me.
Not even a 'have a nice night'. Not that I expected one.
I moved aside so the others could exit and Dad asked, "Are you hungry? You skipped lunch to be here."
"Sure." Food after sitting with bigots was becoming a Hebert-Berman tradition. My eyes caught movement over my father's shoulder. "I'll be right there."
Stepping around him I moved down the hall. Green rolled behind me, stopping for a moment to greet a young woman who'd started following me.
She got a little red faced and looked away. "Excuse me."
"Haro, haro!"
I kept going, ignoring the woman's confusion.
The door at the end of the hall sat ajar. Dean moved back and forth inside. He didn't notice me as I approached, so I knocked. It seemed polite.
"Yeah?" Dean turned. "Oh. Taylor. Is it one already? Sorry, I'll—"
"We finished already." That's when I noticed the box on his desk, and the barren shelves and counters around the small office.
My hand tightened at my side.
"I wanted to say sorry. For your grandfather."
Dean looked perplexed for a moment and then noticed the woman. She stood back a few feet watching me. Green bounced back and forth to keep her from advancing. She still stood close enough to hear us.
"It's okay," he said. "I know you tried to save him."
"What's going on?" I asked.
"What?" Dean glanced around. "Oh. Yeah…I'm, um…"
He trailed off, but he didn't need to say it.
Dean didn't fit in. He wasn't like the vultures around Copeland. He wasn't a bigot. Apparently his father took more after that lot than him or his grandfather.
They were throwing him out for it. For going beyond the minimum expectations of decency. There went my sense of closure.
"I'm leaving," Dean admitted.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." He glanced around the office. "I'm not going to be able to do what I need to do here."
I could also be wrong. "You're leaving? As in quitting?"
"Yeah."
"Is this because of what happened with your grandfather?"
"No," he said. "Well, yes. But no."
I frowned. Uncaring of my minder, I stepped into the room and closed the door behind me.
"Are you worried Teacher might try again?" I asked.
"He won't," Dean answered. "If the goal was to get me out of the way, he's getting it. No point coming after me again."
That did make sense. He'd been left alone all summer far as I knew. No attacks against him ever came up for Dinah. Maybe killing his grandfather was enough for Teacher's plans.
"What are you going to do?" I asked.
"Not sure, yet. Something with more chance of making a difference. Blue Cosmos is too wrapped up in anger and opportunism to do the good people need."
I saw a parallel in that. I imagined I'd be saying something like that if I ever joined the Wards. Thinking of Chris having to approve every configuration for modular equipment made me want to find Piggot and complain to her.
"Don't worry about it." He offered me a small smile. "I think I needed to do this a long time ago. I just didn't want to believe it was hopeless."
He turned his eyes toward the window. He didn't have much of a view. The street outside looked busy. More than a few news vans hung about. One of the guys back in the conference room seemed to want to wrap things up.
Maybe they planned a press talk now that Charlotte and I signed the papers.
"Do you want any help?" I asked.
"No. I'm alright." He poked a finger at the box on his desk. "Turns out there isn't much to carry anyway. Sorry I missed it. I wanted to be there."
"It's fine." I took a small breath. "It's over now."
I'm not the only one finishing a book, apparently.
I left and met Dad, Charlotte, and Mr. Berman out back. They'd decided to go to a new place on the edge of the Towers. The north edge, facing the Docks.
That made me smile. Business was already coming back to the city. Just needed to maintain the momentum and a lot of problems would start fixing themselves.
The restaurant looked nice. Steak house. Pricey, but we didn't need to really worry about money anymore. Between the deal with Yashima and the end of the law suit saga, we'd have plenty of money. Enough to eat out at nice places and start funding Trevor's E-Carbon production idea.
The hostess at the front recognized me. At least she didn't get all fan-girly. That had already happened a few times.
She took us to a table and we settled in.
"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea?" Mr. Berman asked as we looked at the menus. "Half the place is watching us."
"Fame," Dad said. "It's overrated. Do you know how many women half my age have tried propositioning me since Taylor was outed?"
I turned my head. "How many?"
"More than three. Less than five. Lacy's had to beef up her 'get the hell out' voice."
I frowned. "Sorry."
"Not your fault."
Except it kind of was my fault.
The waiter came over after a few minutes and introduced himself.
"The New York strip with mango sauce sounds good," Charlotte suggested.
"Mango doesn't go on beef," Mr. Berman protested.
"I can get you any kind of sauce you'd like," the waiter offered.
"I'm in the mood for a burger," Dad mused. "Haven't had one of those in awhile now that I think of it."
"The lamb gyro," I said when my turn came up. "Light sauce I think."
"Extra fries, extra fries."
My head glanced down to Green as he rose up just over the edge of the table. The Waiter noticed him, eyes going wide as the robot helped identify me.
"You don't eat," I pointed out.
Green glanced at me. "Why god, why god?"
"Huh," Charlotte said. "Never thought of it that way."
Never thought of—Oh god
I closed my menu and said, "Fine. Extra fries." I was not unpacking that at the moment.
"Thank you, thank you."
What I'd give for mundane things to be boring again.
The wait went on. Longer than I'd ever wait on my own. Charlotte talked to her father about school stuff and I took to checking on projects at the workshop.
Master O was at work on the reactor. The casing was tricky. Getting something non-tinker-tech that worked was going to take a bit but we had the theory. That gave us a better start than we had on the Helpers.
I needed to call Theo too. Trevor was confident in the line now and that meant I needed to prove the product worked. Something at a hospital would be ideal, maybe with Amy Dallon around to put people at ease.
When the food finally arrived…Well, I'm not sure any food is worth the time for me. It was good though. Tender lamb. The sauce wasn't too strong or slathered on too thick. Eating it also told me I was hungrier than I'd thought.
Those extra fries would—
"Where'd my fries go?" I looked over the table but I didn't see them anywhere. "Green?"
"Magic hands, magic hands."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"Where did they go?" Charlotte asked. "I know I saw the waiter bring them."
This is what happens when your quasi-AI robots dedicate hours of their time to out thinking a thinker.
Dad pushed his plate toward me. "You can have mine if you're hungry."
…
"Thanks."
Brilliant, Taylor. Brilliant
The difference between Charlotte and I was even more stark side by side. They talked enthusiastically. They obviously liked being together.
Me and Dad? We sat awkwardly and avoided eye contact.
I remembered Aisha around the time I finished picking off Dad's fries.
Right.
Reaching for my pocket, I pulled out the USB.
There wasn't anything important on it of course. Aisha hooked Veda right into the server and Veda copied everything. The USB was just a prop full of digitized family photos. Bait to see what would happen.
Bait no one took.
Because they were too smart, or because they didn't notice? No one ever tried to search me or accuse me of anything. Did that mean they didn't suspect me, or that they did but didn't want to make a scene—
Aisha took my fries.
Green's fries? Or were they her fries that Green asked for because Aisha was hungry? Her power was such a mind fuck.
"I need to use the bathroom," I said.
"Again?" Mr. Berman asked.
"Pink really likes cooking fancy food."
I got up from my seat and noticed Charlotte doing the same.
She stiffened up when I looked at her and stumbled over her words.
"I need the bathroom too."
I moved to the far corner of the restaurant. The bathrooms were tucked in a side hall, out of sight of the eating area. Charlotte stuck to my heels. Once we got inside, I turned on her.
She stiffened again.
"What is it?" I asked.
Charlotte frowned and asked, "Is it that obvious?"
"I'm on high alert because Vicky clearly wants something from me."
"Dallon?"
"Yeah."
"What would she want?"
"My guess is she isn't happy in New Wave since the team doesn't really do much."
It's a wonder she and Dean didn't get along actually. They had so much in common…Or maybe that's why they fought so much? Vicky had been kind of tame on that front lately.
"So what's up?" I asked.
Charlotte stood awkwardly. Her arms tightened at her sides. Her back straightened. Behind her eyes she was clearly working herself up to something.
"I want to be with you," she said. My jaw slackened and her face turned red. "That came out wrong!"
And there went my tiny heart attack.
"Shit," I cursed. "Don't do that to me. I know Lafter teases but I'm not gay. Not that there's anything wrong with it I'm just not."
"No. No that came out way wrong." Charlotte was blushing madly.
Part of me pondered if it didn't come out wrong and she only said it did because of my reaction.
"What did you mean then?"
Charlotte inhaled and sighed. "I meant that I want to be on your side. I want to work for you."
"You want to work for me?" I asked.
"Yeah." She raised her hands and folded them together in front of her. "I liked it. Doing community service type stuff. When Mrs. Knott would get me out of Winslow early with an excuse that I was working at a charity?"
"At Blue Cosmos?"
"Yeah. But I don't like Blue Cosmos. I like you." She blinked. "And that's not a come on. I swear."
I watched her for a few seconds. Spent most of them dealing with a sudden surge of…Dismay?
"Is something wrong?" Charlotte asked.
"No," I replied. "I just—" I paused, sorting the feeling out.
"Are you"—Charlotte hesitated—"Angry?"
"No," I assured her. "Just, disappointed. In me, not you." I glanced at the mirror on the wall. "I think maybe I was projecting on you a bit. I thought one of us would go back to being normal when this was done."
Charlotte watched me for a moment, then said, "Normal was standing aside and doing nothing while someone suffered. Why would I want to go back to that?"
Touche, Charlotte.
"Kati's been needing help for awhile. Just me isn't that hard for her I think, but now she has to work on Trevor, Lafter, Forecast, StarGazer, my family issues. It's a lot. I've been meaning to find someone to help her with the PR stuff."
Charlotte perked up almost instantly.
"I can do that. I don't expect to be paid or anything—"
"No," I interrupted. "Do the work, earn the pay. That's fair."
We stood awkwardly for a bit. Kind of glad no one else needed to use the restroom while he had that conversation. My life was weird enough. I didn't need additional social awkwardness.
"Guess you're stuck with me?" Charlotte asked with an awkward smile.
Figured I was.
"I actually do need to use the bathroom though," I admitted.
"Oh." Charlotte's face turned red all over again. "Sorry."
She left and I slipped into a stall to handle my business.
Probably silly of me to ever think Charlotte would just part ways and live her own life. We'd become too entangled to just walk away. There's some kind of sick irony in how Emma's betrayal led to me having more friends than I'd ever had in my life before.
Veda, Dinah, Trevor, Chris, Missy, Dean, Dragon, Lafter, Murrue, and Charlotte. Fuck, Armsmaster? We weren't exactly enemies anymore. At the rate things we're going, I could probably add more names to that list.
I was back on my way to the table when I noticed Charlotte standing just out of sight.
"Something wrong?"
She jumped slightly and turned to face me. Something was wrong. She looked pale.
"Is—"
I barely made out the voices over the hum of chatter around me.
"—pretty bone headed, Danny," Mr. Berman said in a low voice.
"Yeah," Dad replied. "I know. I just…It felt like I had to do something. Before she got herself killed."
I turned my head toward the low wall. Neither man had noticed us, or that we could hear the conversation.
"I get it," Mr. Berman offered. "We tried that with Charlotte's brother. Before…you know."
"The overdose?"
"Yeah." I rarely heard Mr. Berman sound sad. Angry or boisterous, understanding, but not sad. "We tried an intervention. Just made him worse."
"Murrue and Dr. Yamada both told me it was a bad idea." And I knew what they were talking about. Fuck. "I didn't listen to them. At least she's smart. Went to a place she knew I wouldn't find her and would be safe. Thanks for that."
"Family ain't a sitcom, but it sure can look like one sometimes."
"It's never been the same since her mother died. Never realized how much Annette made everything work. Now she's…It's not like I'm not proud."
"But you'd rather have your kid than another tombstone. I know."
"You okay?" Charlotte whispered.
"Fine," I whispered back.
I forced my back to stay straight and my head to stay raised. I didn't need anyone snapping a pick on their phone. Not like this.
"What about more recently?" Mr. Berman asked. "Better?"
"Not really," Dad replied. "I think I get along better with Laughter, Forecast, and StarGazer than Taylor."
"Do their parents know?"
"Forecast's do. Laughter doesn't have family anymore and StarGazer is an odd case."
"Well, at least you're there. If any of them need an adult who isn't invested in the whole hero thing."
"Maybe." There was a pause, and Dad said, "Girls are taking awhile."
Charlotte and I both stepped back slightly. Neither of them got up from the table. They started talking about sports instead. Hockey. Charlotte and I waited a bit before slipping back in and pretending we hadn't overheard Dad spilling our laund—
I stopped myself, because it wasn't fair. Dad wasn't a robot. He had his own worries. Just happened that his worries and my worries came from opposite ends.
And I still didn't know how to make it better.
"How are you doing?" Dad asked after we parted ways with Charlotte and her father. Because he was trying. "Okay?"
"Just glad I don't have to pretend to be nice to bigots anymore."
"Yeah. Talia and Dean are nice though."
"They are."
"Different from the others."
"Yeah."
Six lines. New record. A shame silence followed all the way back to the house.
"There is an issue that demands some attention," Veda suddenly said from Green.
"What is it?"
I didn't like the answer.
We avoided the news vans and onlookers by using the alley behind the house. It ran a good length and no one seemed to have noticed it. A few reporters did try to use UAVs but the Haros took care of those. Sometimes physically.
I didn't want Dad to stay, but he refused to leave.
He'd never leave mom's house.
We got out of the truck quietly and crept up to the back door. Pink opened up and let us in. Dad and I went straight for the kitchen.
The red hair struck me. Her entire appearance really. She looked so much like Emma, but a few years older. She sat at our table with a soda, one hand stuffed into her coat pocket. She rose when we walked in.
"Uncle Danny," Anne greeted. She turned her eyes to me. Emma's eyes. "Hey Skinny."
"Hi, Anne." Long time since I heard that nickname.
"You alright?"
Dad stepped forward and looked around the house before heading to the front. He muttered something about, 'damn vultures'.
"I'm sorry," Anne said. "I didn't realize news crews were staking out the house and they kind of swarmed me as I approached."
Wonderful. My bully's sister came to visit. That'll play well.
I needed to keep reminding myself she wasn't Emma. They just looked so alike, and seeing her made it impossible not to think of Emma.
"The, um"—she pointed—"robot let me in."
"Emergency, emergency," Pink said.
"She was becoming surrounded," Veda clarified as Green climbed onto the counter. "Some of the less reputable journalists were very pushy."
"I'm sorry," Anne repeated. "I didn't mean to just barge into the house."
"It's okay." Dad walked back into the kitchen and sat down. "This is because of the news, isn't it?"
Anne didn't need to answer. It's the only reason I could think of for her to be here. I hadn't seen her in over two years before now.
"Is it true?" she asked, turning her head to me. "Did Emma really—"
"Yes," I said bluntly, "she did."
Anne looked hurt. Her face went a little pale and she looked away from me. Did she not know? She'd left for college but…No, that always confused me. Alan knew for sure, but Zoe and Anne? I struggled to imagine Zoe not acting if she really knew what Emma was doing to me.
"Why?" Anne asked.
"Why?" I asked back. "How should I fucking know?"
"I don't know," she said meekly. "Mom and Dad won't tell me. Emma won't tell me. This thing on the news is the first I'm even hearing of any of this."
It felt cruel, but I couldn't do it. Anne didn't hurt me. She was away while I was being hurt. I still didn't want to talk to her.
"I don't know why." I turned to the stairs and started my escape. "Doesn't matter anymore."
"Do you need a ride home, Anne?" Dad asked as I left. "We can go out the back."
"No. No, Dad said I shouldn't have come. Said it would make things worse for Emma if I did but I—"
I closed my door and fell back onto my bed.
That wasn't fair of me, but I just couldn't do it. I had my own family drama. I didn't need to be dragged into the Barnes'.
"You will be okay," Veda said from the computer by my bed.
"Yeah. I'll just avoid the news. Better things to do with my time right now." No more lawsuit, no more need to play nice. "What did we get from Blue Cosmos' servers?"
"A number of things," Veda revealed. "But first, Lieutenant Ramius has been looking for you. I have been asking her to wait while other matters were dealt with."
"I'm so popular today." I reached for my phone and started dialing Murrue's number. "Oh, and can you let Kati know I found her an employee?"
"I can."
I called Murrue and she gave me the news after the niceties.
"Victor's dead."
"…How?"
"Attempted break out," Murrue answered. "He was killed during an exchange. Bullet to the head."
"I didn't—"
"We think it'll hit the news tonight. Might put more attention on you."
Victor was dead.
Not sure anyone I arrested died before? I kept track of a few people. The dirty cops, for example. I didn't want them dead. Just off in a cell where they couldn't cause any problems.
And Victor was dead.
I had an interesting relationship with guilt of late. Not sure it could even be called guilt. I went after Uber and Leet, and Uber died. I went after Cranial, and Cranial died. I went after Victor, and now Victor died.
"Was it the Empire?" No. There was no Empire anymore. "Kaiser?"
"No," Murrue answered. "The security system at the prison went down so we don't have anything but eye witness testimony. The descriptions don't match any capes we know."
"What—"
Murrue interrupted me, saying, "This isn't your fault Taylor. I'm calling you as a warning, not to place blame. Kaiser is still out there. He already has reason to come after you"
Yes, but he's not that dumb.
Dinah would see any attack long before it came.
"Alright," I said. "I'll keep an eye out."
You'd think there was a point my life became simpler.
You'd be wrong.
