I'm glad I could get this done much faster than last time. And I'm also glad to hear the people enjoyed the new chapter more.
As you can tell from the name, this chapter is all about the villains of Brockton Bay. The main ones at least.
Can't think of anything else to say, so on with the story. Time to see how the villains react.
Chapter 18: Aftermath – Villains
(Coil)
It was the dead of night in Brockton Bay. Nearly everyone was indoors, sleeping away or watching those 24/7 news channels, watching as the world started crumbling around them. Most of them pointedly ignored the subtle sounds of claws on rooftops, of the beasts and monsters roaming the city. Plenty of the households the Infected crossed over were silent as the grave, their occupants having ran as soon as they could. The entire city was caught between the promise of safety, and the fear of their protectors.
But Coil didn't care or notice any of that. He was busy watching his computer screen.
Tonight was the perfect night. It was a new moon, making it dark enough that it was almost impossible to see anything in the night sky. Clouds blanketed the entire city, blotting out the stars. No one would be looking upwards; no one would see his machinations. In one corner of his screen, a tiny box showed a round case inside a metal room, everything shaded in various shades of green. But most of the screen was dominated by a map of the local area… And a dotted line passing over Brockton Bay.
More specifically, Mount Olympus.
As the dot of the plane grew closer and closer, he ran through his checklist again. He didn't want to be unprepared for in case he needed to start running. What he was about to do was foolish and dangerous. But he must do it. He had to. He pointedly ignored the slumbering shape sitting next to him, tapping his foot as he waited. Closer… closer…
On the smaller screen, something started blinking. The room shook suddenly, the camera skewing. The bay doors opened up, revealing a dull green portal. And then he was looking at sky, and the city below.
He glanced at the big screen. They released it exactly on the dot. At the current pace, the bomb would strike Mount Olympus in a matter of minutes.
But then his screen was filled with… something. Something winged, something leathery. A snouted head glared at the camera, a third arm slashing open the casing around it. The creature started worming its way inside, pulling out wires and components.
He disconnected the camera, detonated the bomb early. Without any signals to work with, without any debris to study, there should be no way Zeus could…
The proximity alert sounded. The ground started shaking and rumbling, getting worse with every second.
Fate was a cruel mistress.
He turned to the sleeping figure next to him, making sure he appeared to be busy working on the computer. He moved the helmeted head to make it look a little more natural. The black helmet with the white serpent head flopped to the desk.
A body double, chosen from the mercenaries he had hired. Someone of similar body shape to him who could pass for his disguised self for a moment. With that done, he ran out of his office towards Dinah's quarters. Grabbed the sleeping girl without pause. And headed for the secret exit he had installed.
Behind him, the building shook as something large smashed through it. The other soldiers started shouting and screaming as the fighting started.
He ran down the passageway, taking the stairs two at a time, until he reached an idling car waiting for them. He threw Dinah into the car, jumped into the driver's seat, and floored it.
Fortunately for them – and mostly him – the garage doors had been modified specifically for if he couldn't wait for them to open in time. The car smashed through them with barely a scratch, the tires screeching as they tried to grip the road. He shot off like a bullet down the road, racing away from his lair.
Once he thought he was far enough, he triggered the remote he had on his person. The car swerved as the ground shook, a cloud of dust erupting out of the garage he vacated. It was a good thing he had a self-destruct switch installed. It was useful for wiping out those attacking your base.
A slight click made him jump, but it was just Dinah readying her seatbelt. She gave him a stern, mocking look. "You know that won't work." She said simply. "You died the moment you gave the order for the bomb. Zeus is coming for you." From any other child, it would've sounded like petulant boasting. From her though… it terrified him.
"He can try." He replied stiffly. "But by the time he realises that we didn't die in the explosion, you and I will be long…" The world erupted in squeals and shrieks, as something heavy landed on the back of the car. The front leaped upwards before bouncing, the car swerving slightly as it came to a halt. Dinah was pushed forward by the change in motion, saved only by her seatbelt.
Coil wasn't so lucky. He opened bleary eyes to a world of hissing and creaking. His body was slow to respond, even at the sound of the roof being ripped open. He did at least manage to look up, just in time to see Zeus standing over them.
The monster didn't say a word. He simply slammed his fist through Coil's chest.
Coil opened his eyes for a moment before closing them again, sighing and wiping at his sweaty forehead. With his demise in that reality, it collapsed back into this one.
The one where he didn't make yet another attempt of Blacklight's life.
This mess was his fault. He thought he could've controlled Blacklight. He brought him in mistaking him for a simple brute he could direct. That he could control him with offers of money. He should've seen the signs the moment Blacklight threatened him to release Dinah. He had held him off with lies, but he should've realised that it was only a temporary measure. But no. He decided to keep him around; working under the theory that it was better to keep him close than let someone else hire someone of his strength. And now, his carefully laid plans – plans years in the making and that cost him tens of thousands of dollars – were completely shattered.
Zeus ruled the city now. Not him. And there was no way he could take the city back. Unless…
His screen lit up, a tinny ringing coming from his speakers. A flashing 'C' appeared in the corner of his screen. Speak of the Devil, and she shall appear. Wiping his face and putting his mask back on, he made sure he had a pose of calmness and control before clicking the symbol. The locks on his door shuttered automatically, and his room was swept for bugs. Only then did the call finally get put through. His screen popped up a video, showing Doctor Mother, Contessa, and the Number Man sitting around a table.
Underneath his mask, he smiled. "Doctor Mother. What a pleasant surprise. I was just thinking of calling you about a problem I have encountered." He said smoothly.
"You are referring to Zeus and his takeover of the city." She replied. She was never a fan of pleasantries. It was always to the point when she could.
"Naturally. I have used my powers and my own resources to attempt to wrest control back from the city, but I'm afraid it won't ever be enough. But I'm certain that with your assistance, we could ensure…"
"No." She interrupted him. "We've already seen what he is capable when we make attempts on his life. Our work was nearly undone in a matter of hours. We will not make the same mistake a second time."
Contessa spoke up. "My power informed me that he is already organising safe houses for his biomass. Locations in places we can't easily access that he could regenerate from in the event that we successfully destroy his current body. Even with the powers we have at our disposal, we have very little means of destroying them all before he retaliates." She gave him a solid look. "He is already one of the most dangerous individuals on Earth Bet. Imagine how much worse he could become if he gains Eidolon's power. Or finds a way to add Alexandria to his collection."
His mouth became dry. "So the reports are true then. He somehow defeated her." He had hoped that the media had simply been… overzealous. "I thought her invulnerability extended to her cells. That she was immune to diseases."
"She is." Doctor Mother took over. "But tests have shown that she is as susceptible to drowning as any other human. Leviathan has tried countless times to drown her whenever he attacks. No doubt Zeus used his fluid nature to clog up her lungs, and cause irreparable brain damage."
"So she's still as invulnerable as before. She just can't make any rational thought to use it."
"Correct. But it shouldn't be hard to dissect her. Remember, Siberian was the only parahuman able to injure her, and Zeus has his power at his disposal."
Coil took a deep breath. This conversation wasn't going the way he wanted. "So, we can't launch a strike against him, and I cannot convince him that I need my Seer. What do you propose we do then?"
"I thought it would've been rather obvious, Coil." Doctor Mother said bluntly. "Release Dinah Alcott to him."
"Release her!? But… she is integral to my plans!" He argued. "Her powers perfectly complement my own. With her, I can increase my plan's likelihood of success by at least 40 percent. I can figure out through trial and error what is likely to work and what isn't. I can refine my plans. Surely her aid is too valuable to give up. And if I do as he says, what's to stop him from taking the city from us?"
"Simple. We plan on forming an alliance with him." Coil looked at her in shock. "Often, our plans are damaged by the fact that those with the powers we want tend to become threats to the world, and thus need to be killed off. Therefore, we lose access to those powers. But with Zeus working alongside us, we can simply send him or his agents in to recover those powers, and possibly grant them to others. In return, we can use his protective nature for his sibling to get him to agree with our goals. I'm sure a promise to divert attention away from her should convince him that we would mutually benefit each other."
Coil gulped. "And… And what of me? Am I to be reduced to his lackey? To a spy, keeping an eye on him?"
"That won't be necessary. By sheer happenstance, another agent managed to join the Pantheon without us ordering her to do so. We already have eyes within their organisation. What we need now is a way to ensure that world stability is maintained. And that means taking control of the villains making power plays outside Mount Olympus."
He understood what she was implying. "You're moving my operations." His mouth tasted like bile. "All the effort we put into gaining a foothold, and we're just throwing it away."
"Careful, Coil." Contessa said sternly. "You only have your powers and your future because of our aid. Don't make us regret it."
"We will compensate your losses for moving your operations." The Number Man stated. "Other cities will be prime pickings for you. The heroes are too understaffed to maintain complete control over their cities, and the gangs are busy fighting each other for supremacy. A quick strike at key targets will allow you to gain a foothold and dig in. From there, subtle manipulation will tear your rivals apart, and the heroes will be too busy to keep a defence up against you. It may take several years, but you have a high chance of taking over a city from the shadows completely."
"It would go much faster if I could leave with Dinah." Coil replied. "Let me keep her, and I could have three cities under our control in the time it would've taken me to get one of them."
"Perhaps. But would she last that long?" Doctor Mother asked him. "We've seen the reports about her. Mr Pitter's reports are very thorough. We know about the drugs you've gotten her addicted to. Prolonged use of them could cause her to burn out, and render her useless to our goals. At her current rate of use, she will be nothing more than a shell by the time she's twenty."
"We don't need her personality. As long as she can continue to use her powers, everything else is unnecessary." Doctor Mother, Contessa and Number Man glanced at each other. Beneath his mask, he was smiling. He was getting to them. He was convincing them. Just a little bit more, and he would have them see things his way. Dinah was too important to hand back over to her family.
A second alarm started beeping. Cursing to himself, he clicked on it. A second screen, linked to a camera, showed his men crowding around the front door. It opened to reveal Zeus stepping in. Alone.
No. Not alone. The Travellers were behind him. Blast them; they must've seen him about Noelle. Once Mercer finds a way to fix her – and there's no doubt he'll find something – His excuse will crumble. He glanced back at Cauldron.
The three of them were glancing at their own screens. Of course they somehow got access to his cameras. Probably the same way they locked his doors and swept his room for bugs. The three of them looked at him, expressions serious.
"Very well then." Doctor Mother said. "If you can convince Zeus to let you leave Mount Olympus with Dinah Alcott, then you can keep her. But remember; we will not be able to help you, nor will we make any moves against him. If he desires your death, then it is up to you to find a way to escape him."
"Understood." He growled, closing the screen. The doors unlocked, and he was left alone with his thoughts. His powers wouldn't be as effective here. Not like they could've been. But they were his greatest weapon. He had to use them, no matter how little they would've mattered.
He created two timelines, both identical to each other. In both, he opened another camera screen to find Zeus in Noelle's cell, standing next to the healed girl. In one, he watched as the Travellers crowded around her, and Zeus headed out into the base. Towards his room. He tried his best to appear calm and in control. Hard to do when a walking bioweapon was approaching.
The door opened with ease, Zeus' strength impressive. He stood in the doorway, a black cloak hanging from his waist. His armour was less organic-looking, and more stylised. It was far more ornate, with sleeker blades covering it. Parts of it – the pieces covering his arms, legs, and midriff – were made to resemble scales. Gold lines were etched across him, picking out a winged symbol on his chest, which was molded to resemble a cross between a carapace, metal plating, and sculpted flesh. His helmet was that of an old, bearded man. A large golden wreath extended from his head, somewhat resembling horns.
Even as he watched, it changed somewhat again. A smooth mask covered the eyes of his helmet, leaving the sculpted beard free. Two large spikes grew from his back. Evidently, Zeus still hadn't settled on a design he liked.
"Ah, Zeus. My former employee." Coil said jovially. He waved a hand at his computer monitor. "I see that you have succeeded in restoring Ms Meinhardt to her original state."
"Then you know why I'm here." Zeus said, his voice echoey and layered with different voices. "Dinah Alcott. Now."
"Ah. Yes." Coil shifted somewhat. "I understand why you want her released, but…"
"Not excuses Coil. You needed her to fix Noelle. I healed her, and removed her powers. You don't need Dinah anymore."
"If you will just hear me out. I can assure you, what I'm about to say benefits us both." Zeus crossed his arms, but he didn't lash out. A good sign. "Thank you. First off, let me be frank with you about something. I still desire to conquer a city and rule over it as its shadowy dictator. A plan I was implementing in Brockton Bay before you unleashed your very public takeover. And so I thought of a way that I could still get a city for myself, and you get to have allies. Or at least, less enemies."
"…Continue." Zeus replied curtly.
Under his mask, Coil smiled. He had him, hook and line. Now he just needed to reel him in. "Imagine, if you will, that another city out there was allied with you. Not publicly, but from the shadows. We could offer you supplies that you wouldn't normally receive; we could cause distractions elsewhere to draw people's attention away. We could even be willing to aid you in the event that the world attempts to destroy you again. But the process would be slow. It would take me years to conquer a city, even with everyone scrambling to regain control. But if I had Dinah to help give me the percentages for my powers, I could speed up control by a significant amount. Enough that I could have you three allies within five years. Four if I pushed it. Surely that is worth keeping Dinah for. Even if she suffers for it. What is one girl to someone like you?"
Zeus uncrossed his arms. "If it was some random girl, probably nothing. But I've seen what happens when people kidnap children because of their powers. Throwing them in a lab and experimenting on them until they give them what they want." Coil tried to say something, but he found it hard to speak with a tentacle constricting his throat. "And besides, Swarm and Athena both have serious issues with you drugging Dinah and using her. If Athena wants something, she gets it. And freeing her is part of my deal with Swarm. I was only hearing you out to see if she was vitally important to your plans. But if you can take over cities without her, then you will shut up and deal with it. I can defend Mount Olympus for a few years. Long enough for you to make some deals."
No. No. This wasn't going right at all. He was losing him. He was going to lose Dinah. He quickly turned to the other reality, to find a way out there.
In the other reality, as soon as he saw Zeus with Noelle, he ran for it. Grabbed a sleeping Dinah and ran up the secret passageway. Hopped in the car, floored it out of the garage, and headed for the city limits. Not explosions, no self-destructs… Just speed, and lots of it.
Remembering what happened last time, he quickly buckled his seatbelt. He travelled past one block… then two… then three… he was going to…
A Hunter landed in his path, and he had to swerve to avoid it. It lashed out with one arm, and its claws latched into the framework. The car jolted as it went from sixty to full stop, dragging the Hunter after it. Birds landed on top, and rended the roof with their claws. One bird grabbed Dinah, carrying her away. Three others grabbed his seat, and pulled it free. He tried to undo his seatbelt, even as it pressed against him, but the pressure was too much. The Hunter sliced the seatbelt with a claw, and he went flying into the air. Then the birds tipped the seat, and he fell screaming to the ground below.
He banished that reality, returning to the one where Zeus had him by the throat. There was no way out of this. Not alive.
"Fine." He croaked, furious and frightened. "She's all yours. Do with her as you will." Zeus released him, and he took as deep a breath as his mask allowed.
"Good." Zeus replied. "Implement your plan. Find a city to take over. You can rule it however you want; as long as you remember what you promised me." He turned to Dinah's room, ripping the door free like it was nothing. Dinah was already waiting on the other side, obviously already knowing the outcome. Zeus turned and walked away, and Dinah followed her like a baby following a mother duck.
Coil just sat there, catching his breath. He clenched his fists in anger. There was no way around it; Zeus had beaten him.
His plans were in ruins.
(Faultline)
Gregor the Snail walked down the street, a bag of perishables in one hand. He had just been to the nearby dairy, left abandoned by its owners when they left Brockton Bay after Zeus took over. It felt wrong to just steal the supplies, but it was unlikely that they would return before the food went bad, if at all. It would be rude to let it go to waste.
He didn't feel uneasy walking the streets to get supplies. Many people had left, leaving the streets empty and quiet. And I'm certainly wasn't the strangest thing out on the streets, he mused, watching as one of Zeus' eagles landed on a nearby roof. It shifted shape and latched onto the roof corner with its claws, turning into some kind of organic camera.
Beside him, his fellow teammate Shamrock kept an eye on the camera bird. "City's really changing around us." She said. She had her red hair tied up in a ponytail, and was rather attractive. Gregor was happy to be walking alongside her and getting to admire her appearance. "Walls are getting made, his Pantheon's getting all the good jobs, and we're all stuck scrabbling for food. Reminds me of home."
"The Monarchy of your world were very much like this?" He asked. Shamrock was a lot like him – a mutant known as a Case 53 – but unlike everyone else he met, she never got her mind wiped. She still remembered home, still remembered what it was like. And she remembered that she was abducted by men and experimented on.
Shamrock shrugged. "There were good kings and bad kings. Same as anywhere. Lots of political moving and wars for land. But this just feels… different." They both passed by a pack of monsters, spitting some fluid over a cracked wall that hardened within seconds. "Maybe it's the fact that his organic stuff stands out against the rest of the city like some wart. When my home got conquered, all our new king did was replace the statues of his predecessor with ones of himself. Everything else stayed mostly the same."
"I do not mind it so much." Gregor replied casually. "It is nice to not stand out so much anymore." By now, they had reached their home. The nightclub, Palanquin. Normally busy and very exclusive, tonight even the bouncers had gone home. The two of them pushed through the double doors, headed towards the back, and went up the stairs to the top floors where they lived. There, they found the rest of their team lounging about.
"Hey Gregor." Newter said, waving a hand lazily. "You got those cheese crackers I like?" Shamrock reached into the bag, pulling out a packet of crackers and throwing them at him. He held out a hand, and they fell right into place. "Cheers."
The two of them moved around the room, handing food to the others. Emily, known as Spitfire, smiled as Gregor handed her a packet of chips. Elle barely looked up as she was handed a sandwich, but at least she took a bite of it without prompting. It meant that today was one of the good days.
That just left their leader, Faultline. Who was standing by the window, staring out at Mount Olympus in the distance. Even from their hill, it was still taller than them.
"Hey boss." Shamrock said. "We got quite a haul out there today. Chips, drinks, bread, milk… take your pick." She pulled out a bar of chocolate. "How about something sweet?" She waved it beside Faultline's head.
"…I'm not hungry right now." She replied.
"There's no use, Sham." Newter called out. "She's busy thinking over there. That, or the view's really interesting over there."
"Someone's got to think about our future in here." Faultline said. "We can't all just relax and lie around. We need to think about what's going to happen with Zeus."
"We leave him alone, obviously. Isn't that one of our strengths? We know when to fight, and when to get the hell of somewhere. And if anyone's worth leaving alone right now, it's Zeus."
"I know that, Newter. I'm not talking about fighting him." She turned around, looking at all of them. "Zeus was really clear about his stance on anyone with powers. Either we work for him as lackeys, or we get the hell out of here. I'm not interested in bogging us down with one guy, but it'll be tough setting ourselves up in another city. We're not the only parahuman group out there willing to work for hire, and they'll do everything they can to make sure we don't encroach on their work." She took a deep breath. "That said, I'm not going to force you guys to do something you don't want. I want to hear your opinions."
Newter sat upright, giving her his full attention. "I say we try to cut a deal with Zeus. Or Athena. Maybe we give them a cut to keep our base here. He helped us out with the Merchants. Gave us the paperwork."
"Only because he was more interested in the vials." Faultline pointed out. "The paperwork was a compromise. I somehow doubt he'll be as accommodating."
"Maybe. But Athena might be. And he dotes on her. She could convince him to cut a deal."
"I wish to stay here." Gregor spoke up. "Out there, Case 53s are discriminated against. Newter and I would be laughed at and mocked. In here, there are enough monsters running around that we do not stand out so much. And as you said, we will have a hard time competing against other mercenaries. Many of them are stronger, more versatile, or more well-connected than us. We would be at a disadvantage."
Shamrock shrugged. "I don't mind if we move. This place creeps me out, what with all the organic work being done. But… I'm not keen on splitting up the crew. I like us all working together. Even you, Newter. Sometimes." Newter chuckled at that.
"Home." Elle simply said. Her way of saying that this was home.
"I kinda agree with Shamrock. I'm not fond of what's happening here, but I hate breaking up the team even more." Emily said.
Faultline clicked her tongue against her teeth, and sighed. "I was hoping you guys would've wanted to leave, but alright. I'll get in contact with Athena and figure out how to get through this without them screwing us over."
"If we do not like their terms, we can always say no." Gregor said. "While I like it here, I am willing to move if it meant a better deal for us."
Faultline nodded, glad they weren't forcing her into a corner. "Thanks for that Gregor."
The next day, she was waiting outside a still-working café, sitting at one of the tables. Waiting for Athena to arrive, as per their call.
And she was late.
She knew there were probably good reasons for her tardiness – a league of villains can't just take over a whole city without a lot of hiccups, she imagined – but even so, it didn't speak well about how the Pantheon were handling their new power. It could end up being that they crash and burn, America stepping in to reclaim this place again. At the very least, it meant that they were wasting her time. And she hated people like that.
And so she sat there waiting, tapping her finger and bouncing her foot impatiently. One minute turned to two; then to five; and then five to ten. After fifteen minutes of waiting, she was just about to leave.
But then an army truck drove up nearby, some kind of deformed creature sitting in the driver's seat. All arms and legs and eyes. From the back stepped out larger monsters, setting up position by the truck. They looked like those Hunters, if they had learnt to stand on two legs. Chitinous plating covered important areas of the body, with spikes growing from the shoulders and knees. It had a wolfish head, with large fangs jutting outwards. In their hands, they carried large spears. She put them at about seven feet tall.
And in the middle of them was Athena.
"Hey." Athena said breathlessly, sagging into the seat and removing her helmet. She had short wild brown hair, and a waifish face. She looked too young to be second in command of the Pantheon. "Sorry I'm so late. Just been dealing with complaints from shopkeepers." She sighed. "It's just one thing after another." One of her guards growled deeply, and they turned to see a frightened waitress frozen, likely approaching them. "Oh thank god. I'd like something sweet and caramely, and really sweet tea. Or whatever it's called. Faultline? What do you want to drink?"
"Coffee. Black." She replied tersely. The waitress nodded, shakily writing it all down, before practically running back into the café. Faultline turned back to Athena. "Gotta say, I'm not all that impressed right now. I thought you maniacal take-over-the-world types would be more organised than this."
"We'd be more organised if this wasn't something that just dropped into our laps." Athena replied, wiping her forehead. "Despite what people think, we weren't angling for this crap. It's just what happens when you want to live somewhere people aren't going to drop bombs on your head and kidnap you in broad daylight." She took a deep breath. "But we're not here about my problems. You wanted to talk; so talk."
Faultline sat up straighter. "As you're probably aware, calling my team 'supervillains' is a gross misinterpretation. We're simply a band of mercenaries, using super powers to help us win. Because of that, we're neutral in all this 'good guy, bad guy' bullcrap. If someone buys our services, we help them out. If someone else pays us to bust our old employers, we do that too." She crossed her arms. "So I'm testy about the fact that we're apparently lumped in with every other parahuman crime gang out there. And I don't like people ordering me to join up with them."
Athena rubbed her forehead. "Sorry, I'm a bit confused. Are you saying that you want to remain independent from the Pantheon?"
"Exactly. And we want to keep working out of Brockton Bay."
"…Can I ask why?"
"Mercenary work is a cutthroat business. There's a lot of money involved, and there are only so many jobs. So when a group finds a niche, they keep hold of it with both hands. People that try to muscle in on them tend to disappear, and they're willing to blow up a lot of shit to scare competitors off. We've got a good set-up here, until you lot fucked it up. If we move, you can bet your fat ass that the others will try to run us out of business as quickly as possible."
"My ass isn't fat." Athena replied quickly. The waitress approached them, carrying a quaking tray. She quickly placed their drinks and the cake, before running back into the store and closing the door. Athena took a long sip of her tea, and ate a few big bites of her cake. "But I'm starting to get your point. So you want an exemption from working for us."
"Exactly. So here's the part where you and I negotiate over what needs to happen to make this happen."
Athena placed a finger to her chin, mulling it over. "How much do you guys make per job?" She asked.
Faultline could see where this is going. "It varies." She replied truthfully. "Sometimes we make twenty grand. Other times it bumps up to fifty. We're not a really big company that makes a hundred thousand per job. But we get by pretty well."
"After seeing your nightclub, I bet you do." She tapped at her wrist computer. "In that case, barring possible expenses, medical bills, food money… I'd say we should get a ten percent cut of your pay. That sounds fair enough. And you'll still have plenty left over."
"So you're seriously going to charge us rent? I thought you guys were rolling in the city's cash."
Athena shrugged. "Most of that's going towards rebuilding the city. It's not cheap you know. Especially the parts where we wrecked the Protectorate. We need to make some more revenue, and every little bit helps. But if you're too cheap-ass to cough up ten percent, you can always try elsewhere."
Now it was Faultline's turn to sigh. She didn't like it, didn't like the idea that they'd increase the 'rent'. But it wasn't actually a bad deal. There was just one thing she wanted to know first. "I'm interested. But what do I get for my payment?"
"First off, we'll leave you alone. You guys can keep doing whatever you do, and we don't attack you. You get to keep your nightclub, and we can supply power to keep it open if need be. We'll also offer some of our crop to you for when or if the dairies run out. And we can also offer some of our tech to…"
"No to the last part. We use your creepy shit, people will think we work for you."
"Fine. No Blacklight tech. But the rest still stands. Do we have a deal?" She held out a hand.
"…You'd better hold up your end of the bargain." She replied finally, clutching Athena's hand and shaking. Then she stood up. "I should head back. Tell the others what's going on; get in touch with our clients. Business stuff."
"You go then. I'm gonna stay here and rest until the next crisis pops up." Athena said, propping her feet on top of the table. One of her honour guards moved forward, supporting her chair with a hand. "God, I don't get much time to just pop my feet up like this." Athena looked at Faultline. "You sure I can't interest you in a job? I could use someone like you to help take some weight off my back."
"No. I've never been interested in running anything bigger than a team." She replied, turning away. Behind her, Athena shrugged and closed her eyes.
Well, she made the call. All they could do now was see if it ended up blowing up in their faces.
(Fenrir's Chosen)
Hookwolf stood on the walkway above his crew, all of them hiding out inside a disused warehouse. Everyone knew they were here, knew that they operated out of this place. But no one was dumb enough to try and pick a fight with them on their home turf.
Now though, that might not be true anymore.
Despite preferring to charge in and wreck anyone in his way, he wasn't stupid. You don't last as long as he has without knowing when you've bitten off more than you can handle. Before, he would've considered taking down Blacklight and his stupid Pantheon, isolating them and tearing them apart until they chased them out of the city. Now though, he knew that wouldn't work. Blacklight chased the heroes out of the city. Not just the local heroes, but everyone else that showed up to help. Sent them all running with their tales between their legs; at least the ones still standing afterwards that is.
His men would want blood. They'd want to prove they're the toughest bastards around. And all they'd do is get all of them killed. He wasn't going down like this. Like some fucking joke people bring up to laugh about when talking about Brockton Bay. He was going to live and be feared. Or at least he was going to die in battle, the kind that gets spoken of in reverence and fear.
He turned to Stormtiger, and gave him a nod. His fellow parahuman launched a blast of wind at the ground, carving a groove into it. Everyone down below started at that, turning towards them and giving their full attention.
Hookwolf slammed his hand against the guard rail. "Brothers." He called out, his voice commanding. "Many of you have had thoughts about Zeus and his rule over our city. Some of you thought we should join him, because he's supposedly some kind of white god." He snarled. "You've seen what we do to traitors like that. He's no god. And just because he's pale doesn't mean he shares our goals. He actually mingles with the coloured filth, like they're equals." He slammed his hand again. "Others of you felt that we should march out, grab everyone we can, and take him down. Brave… but foolish. As our kind – the true believers – have learnt in the past, there are some threats that we cannot best in a frontal assault. Threats like the lily-livered government, trying to act like everyone's the same. But we didn't bow and scrape at their feet. Not truthfully. Our people hid in the shadows, and used them to tear down the bastards around us. The government runs around trying to find us, thinking that we can't hide from them. A hundred years they've been trying to stamp us out. But we've survived everything they try. And we can do so here."
"Publicly, we'll return to our normal lives. We'll slink away, and pretend that Zeus managed to beat us down. We will use their idiocy to strike from the shadows. We'll wear this city down like fleas on a dog until we tear down the Pantheon. And then, we will create a new city. We will purge it of anyone who isn't white." He smiled. "And then…"
Cricket started beside him, hands already gripping her weapons. "They are coming." She interrupted his speech. Normally, he hated someone interrupting him. Especially a woman. But Cricket's powers gave her echolocation. She could see things that they couldn't. If she said that Zeus' forces were coming, then they were coming.
He growled, armouring up. "You've got your orders. Now get out of here. And know that our future can't be stopped." Everyone cheered, even as they took off running. Just as the last member left the warehouse, the windows shattered. Monsters came crashing in, cracking the ground as they landed. There were screams outside, probably the ones that got themselves spotted. The far doors were blasted open, and in came four members of the Pantheon. The Smith, the archers, and a petite woman decorated with red feathers and had fire burning across her body.
Hephaestus hoisted his massive hammer. "Been waiting a long time to take you motherfucking Ku Klux Krazies down." He said, his anger still noticeable through the distortion to his voice. "Time to see how brave you assholes are when your victims start fighting back."
Hookwolf growled, jumping down from above. His armoured form allowed him to land safely. "Knew that Zeus worked with disgusting trash. I look forward to cleansing this city of filth."
"And I look forward to shoving your ass halfway out of your mouth." Hephaestus twisted the handle of his hammer, and the head split apart and crackled with electricity. He swung it faster than he should've been able to, and Hookwolf barely stopped in time. And then he swung the hammer around himself, slamming it into Hookwolf before he could back away. He growled in pain as lightning flowed through his plating. Hephaestus grabbed him by the head, ignoring his snarling bites, and slammed him against the ground. Then, he slammed the pommel of his hammer against his back.
Meanwhile, the others joined into the fight. Fenja and Menja both grew as large as they could inside the warehouse, using their enhanced strength and durability to swat around the Hunters. Stormtiger was facing off against Apollo, the 'god' flying around his wind strikes and retaliating with powerful light blasts. The floor was torn apart with each strike, and he used his natural durability to handle smashing into the ground at top speed. Behind him, Cricket and Artemis were dancing around each other, Cricket trying to use her echolocation to disorient her opponent. But Artemis was still going strong, shooting arrow after arrow at incredible pace. One arrow managed to pierce Cricket in the arm, and made the limb explode. Rune distracted her by throwing a large boulder she pulled out of the ground, but Artemis jumped over it without looking.
"Forget about me?" The fire woman said, shooting flames at her distracted opponent. Rune managed to get another rock in place in time to avoid being charcoal, but the woman simply slammed into the rock at great speed and smashed it apart with a hammer hand. Rune dropped down, throwing every rock at her. She landed, and there was a loud crack. She screamed in pain; she must've broken at least one leg from the fall.
Unbeknownst to her, there was a small puddle of fire behind her. An aftereffect from the flame blast. And the woman stepped out of it like an open door. She grabbed Rune by the neck, and with a twist of her wrist snapped her neck. Tendrils reached out and consumed her, dragging her into the woman even as she was torn apart.
Hookwolf roared loudly, flinging Hephaestus away. Then he charged towards him again. If he could disarm him of that hammer, then he'd at least get a slight advantage.
The hammer shifted shapes, turning into a large cannon on a stick. Hephaestus fired it twice, Hookwolf jumping over both shots. But as he was about to pounce, a wall of steel rose up from the ground, slamming into him and wrapping around him.
"Don't think so fucker." Hephaestus said, pointing his cannon straight at his face. The shot was point blank, shredding his wolf head. He was blasted out of the metal wall, skidding against the ground. Then Hephaestus smashed through the rest, both arms now covered by spiked shields. He landed on top of Hookwolf, and started tearing into him.
Luckily for Hookwolf, he had transferred his self into one of the larger discarded pieces. It was incredibly painful, but he managed to return to normal. Return to being human. He thought things through logically, and tactically. This was not a fight they could win. The Pantheon were just too strong, too numerous, and not against killing.
He hated to admit it, but it would be even more foolish to refuse to face reality.
"Retreat!" He shouted, already smashing through one of the windows. He ignored the pain from the cuts and the imbedded glass, running as fast as he could down the streets. Behind him, Fenja and Menja smashed through the wall, tearing off the Hunters and carrying Cricket and Stormtiger in their hands. Apollo flew out of the hole, and blasted at Menja. She tried to dodge, but her size was now a hindrance in the alleyway. It clipped her arm, and blew it off at the elbow. She screamed and pressed her hand against it, but kept on running. Fenja picked Hookwolf up and kept going, running as fast as they could. As they ran, they both shrunk in size, growing smaller and smaller with every step. Soon, they were able to sidestep into an alleyway, taking several turns before ending up in unfamiliar territory. They all came to a stop, panting for breath and licking their wounds. Fenja immediately rushed to her sister, ripping cloth from her costume to bind her arm. Cricket was doing the same on herself. Hookwolf leaned against the wall, growling in frustration. He was a warrior. He didn't run from fights. He revelled in them. He should've stayed his ground.
And be bested by filth. That was not a fitting end for him.
"We're done for, aren't we?" Menja said quietly, now morose. "We can't hope to match them, and we just keep getting weaker while they grow stronger. The Chosen are finished."
Hookwolf growled again. "I won't take that kind of attitude from anyone in my gang. If I weren't so low on parahumans, I'd make you regret saying those words." He stood up straighter, pushing away from the wall. "The Chosen are not done. We are not finished. We simply need to find new territory. Outside the city. We will cleanse the outside world of the dirty mongrels, and then we'll come back with an army. An army big enough to give Zeus pause. And then we'll show him that the white man is the greatest predators on the planet." He winced at the pain from the glass; but he also embraced it. Pain was a warrior's true companion; it was with him at every step. It was his livelihood and his reason for living. It was what he was good at.
"We'll find a doctor that doesn't lick Zeus' boots. And then we'll grab a truck, and leave this place. Then, we begin anew." He said, turning away and walking.
One day, Zeus. One day, I will rip out your heart and devour it.
(The Travellers)
Jess though she knew so much about the parahumans of Earth Bet. She had always been a fan of superheroes, ever since she was little and just reading comic books. Seeing people pulling off incredible acrobatic tricks and flying and running really fast and all those other incredible things made the fact she was paraplegic seem… less real. Sometimes, she would close her eyes and pretend that she was the one flying around. Or running through steel barriers. She knew it was impossible; she'd been this way her whole life, couldn't even learn to walk as a toddler. But it was always nice to dream.
And then scientists somehow managed to get in contact with an alternate Earth. Or rather, the alternate scientists got in contact with them. The multiverse theory was proven right, communications were started, and everyone started freaking out. All Jess cared about was that this new Earth, Earth Bet, had actual superheroes living there.
Now she wasn't the weird geek obsessing over comics. Now she was part of a new clique, which everyone would go to about superpowers and who's who in Earth Bet. She collected bootleg videos and documentaries about the Protectorate, the Wards, and their fights with supervillains. She had posters that people in Earth Aleph made, along with stickers and stationary and even bedspreads. She was obsessed with their world. And their powers.
But even with that kind of fervour, knowing so much about them didn't really prepare you for how things really are over there. She always imagined a world where good eventually triumphed over evil. Sure, the bad guys won some times. Good people were killed, cities ravaged. But in the end, the good guys win and the bad guys lose.
But instead, she was stuck in a city ruled over by an anti-villain. Or anti-hero. Or maybe even neither. The heroes were just as grey as any other group; sometimes the bad guys weren't so bad, and sometimes the heroes weren't so good. And she wasn't sure if she was stuck on the wrong side. She wanted to be a hero, doing good and righting wrongs. But sometimes being a villain was more effective.
At least she wasn't here alone. At least she had her friends to help.
Humming to herself, she loaded the finished teapot onto a small tray just the right size for her wheelchair. Rolling back over to the table, she plopped the tray up and pushed it into the center of the table.
"Thanks Jess." Marissa said, grabbing her own drink. She and the others were hanging out in her base, watching the large TV set on a 24/7 news channel. And even though it had been a few days, they were still talking about Mount Olympus.
Luke groaned. "For fuck's sakes. Isn't there anything better on TV? I'm sick of hearing these assholes just talking all the time." He grabbed the remote and started flicking through channels; most were either still about Zeus and his takeover, or kiddie shows too young for them. Even the sports channel wasn't doing much else. "Fucking hell." Luke threw the remote down and huffed.
Krouse picked up the fallen remote and flicked back to the news channel. "This is important Luke." He admonished in his arrogant way. "We need to know what the enemy is planning. Get ourselves ready to run if they try anything." He flashed a grin at Jess. "After all, some of us aren't as fast as the others."
She flicked him off. She never really thought of Krouse as a true friend; not like the others. He was only really part of their group because he and Noelle had been dating. And because he became a part of their gaming team. And then the Simurgh pulled them all to Earth Bet, and he was the one with the plans. So they stuck around him, even though he was an asshole.
Like making fun of her crippled nature again.
She deliberately ignored him, focusing her attention on the TV. Right now, some bigwig psychiatrist was talking about Zeus' motivations.
"…must understand, this is all subjective." He was saying. "There's not much data on Zeus to make a truly accurate profile. But there's still quite a lot of data from his interactions with people. During battle, he is quick and ruthless; using bloody techniques to kill people as quickly and as thoroughly as possible. He's started off with an average villain name, but now that he's proven he can wrest a city from us he's started stylising himself as a god."
"So what you're saying is that he's psychotic." The news presenter said.
"Uh, no. He's psychopathic. The two are very similar, but psychotic behaviour is defined as a mental disorder; they suffer delusions, hallucinations, and their minds almost trick them into killing. A psychopath, however, is perfectly lucid. They're aware of what they're doing; they're making a conscious decision to murder. And for many psychopaths, they kill people because they like it. It is therefore my belief that Zeus isn't going to be satisfied with Brockton Bay; an invasion and possible culling of the world is all but a certainty."
"Well it's therefore my belief that you're a fucking idiot." Krouse said to the TV, throwing an orange peel at the screen.
"Hey!" Jess nearly shouted. "Stop throwing things at my TV. Do you have any idea how hard it is to clean something like that, even with my powers?"
"What? I was just expressing my thoughts on the guy. He's just making shit up to try and sound important. I bet you that there'll be tons of people out there ready to ask this guy over and over about his theories on Zeus. And he'll tell them shit like this, over and over again."
"He's not exactly wrong though." Marissa pointed out. "Zeus is kinda crazy. I mean, how can someone kill so many people and not feel anything?"
"Easy. Those assholes started this; I'm not gonna cry about them getting their asses handed to them." Luke said.
"There's a difference between getting their asses handed to them and getting torn to shreds." She argued back. Mars was always against violence. Part of it was that she had always been like that, and part of it was that her power was easily the most lethal of the bunch.
Luke looked like he was ready to argue, but then Krouse's phone started ringing. He looked at it with indifference, but sat up straighter when he saw who it was.
Krouse hardly ever took things seriously.
"Oliver, what is it?" He asked. Ah, of course. Oliver. The final member of the team. Stuck being Noelle's caretaker. "Slow down, slow down. She's what? No, no; I get it. Just… get in touch with Coil, see if… What do you mean he isn't available? What is he doing?... Yeah, great help there. I get that he's 'busy'. Busy with what?" He sighed. "Look. Just… just keep her calm. Get one of the mercs help you feed her. I'll come up with something." He hung up and rubbed his hand against the area around his eyes.
"Noelle?" Mars asked, the lot of them already aware of the answer.
"She's getting worse. She's getting hungrier, angrier, and she's just starting to lose it." He looked up, determined expression on his face. "It's time Zeus helped us out."
Jess blinked in surprise. "What, now?" She asked. "You think he's got a cure ready for her by now? He's been busy getting attacked. He'll need time."
"We don't have time. Either he's got something that can help her, or we need to come up with another plan. We can't just sit on our asses and pretend this isn't happening." He stood up, grabbing his mask and top hat from the stand. "I'm going anyway. If you guys are too chicken to join me, then stay here watching idiots talk about nonsense." And then he was out the door. Luke and Marissa looked at each other, before getting up as well and grabbing their own masks and helmets.
Leaving Jess behind.
But then, she was used to it. In fact, her power meant that she worked better staying behind. She leaned back in her chair, making sure she was comfortable, and then closed her eyes. Visualised a new form. A black knight, easily seven feet tall, carrying a greatsword just as big. Her powers meant that she didn't have to appear within close proximity to her real body; she appeared before the gates of Mount Olympus, just far enough away to not startle the guards.
Almost as an afterthought, she put the word Genesis in red on her chest. Didn't want Zeus mistaking her for a new villain trying to sneak in. Then she stepped out into view. One of the Hunters jumped down and headed towards her, not visibly aggressive. It lowered its head to look at her chest, and snorted.
"What… you… want?" It growled, mangled vocal cords forming words. Not that she was much better. At least it had vocal cords. She completely forgot about them. The suit couldn't include them.
So they were stuck there, staring at each other until Krouse teleported into view, huffing and puffing. The Hunter turned to stare at him.
"I need… to see… Zeus." He panted, bent over. "I'm… calling in… his promise." The Hunter kept staring, but then turned back and jumped onto the top of the gates. The others managed to join them just as they started heading in, Luke swearing under his breath. The four of them headed straight towards Mount Olympus, ignoring the people strolling around at this time of night. Some of them pointed, but most just accepted that villains were walking the streets and went on with their business.
When they reached the front doors, Zeus was waiting for them.
"It's not ready yet." He said gruffly to them. "I'll need some more time to work out the theory and then collect a DNA sample. Go home; I'll call you when I'm good and ready."
"Don't care." Krouse said quickly. "Noelle's getting worse. You need to give us something to keep her calm. I don't think she can last much longer." Zeus paused, caught between looking ready to beat him and actually listening.
"…I may have a temporary measure." He finally said. "A couple of them. It won't be perfect, and there's a chance she won't survive. Still interested?" Krouse paused, obviously having second thoughts. But then he nodded. "Fine then. Let's go to see Coil." A larger Hunter formed from the ground, its back molded to resemble seats. He looked at them, tilted his head towards it.
Jess and Mars understood first. Jess threw down her sword and jumped into the largest seat, felt her new body slot in easily. The Hunter rolled its shoulders as she landed in her seat. Luke and Krouse joined them. Then they were off, Zeus leading them. They ran down the main street, and then they were jumping into the air, over the gate. Something wrapped around her like a seatbelt; she heard Mars squeal in disgust. Then they landed with bone shaking force, and were charging down the street.
It didn't take them long to reach Coil's base. The Hunter came to a halt and released them, dropping down so they could get off. Zeus led them down towards the gate, likely aware that they were being watched. He formed one hand into a hammer, and banged loudly with the other. There was only silence.
He slammed his hammerfist into the door, leaving a sizable dent.
"State your business!" A panicky voice sounded over the intercom. Obviously the mercs knew they were dead if he attacked.
"I'm here to do Coil's work for him." Zeus said. "I need access to Noelle. Now."
"Er… I'm not really…" Zeus punched the door again. It bulged enough to be nearly knocked out of its frame. "Ok." The merc said, his voice quiet.
Zeus ripped the door away (it was too dented to be opened normally) and they followed him inside. The mercs kept their weapons at the ready, despite their uselessness. Their group headed down to the vault door, where more of Coil's men were already getting it open.
Jess belatedly wondered what Zeus would've done if they hadn't opened it. Would he have simply ripped the door away too?
It didn't matter. The vault was open as quickly as possible. No one wanted to make him angry.
And inside, they could see Noelle thrashing.
"Hungry." She was saying. "So hungry. So hungry!" Her extra mouths were opening and closing, biting at thin air. "Want food. Give me food!"
"Here goes nothing." Zeus said to himself, already jumping into the air. Noelle lashed out at him with something, swatting him out of the sky. But Zeus landed on his feet, holding onto her tentacle.
Then the skin started turning black and red.
Noelle screamed in pain, her body trying to fight back. But Zeus ignored it, releasing her and heading for her actual body. Her lower half was changing, becoming more complacent and looking like his work. She was worried. What if he was really killing her?
What if his cure didn't work?
Zeus landed near her upper body, feet sinking into her lower half. Tendrils snaked out from his arms, racing through the air towards her. They wrapped around her head, forming a cap of some kind. And then she went still, her body arcing its back. The rest of her stopped thrashing.
They stayed that way for what felt like ages, neither of them moving. But just as she started worrying that something went wrong, her lower half changed. The infected parts flowed away, forming a block in the corner of the room. The bits they hadn't consumed yet were being added, tearing away at everything. Zeus landed first, still holding onto Noelle with his tendrils. He lowered her gently, his biomass flowing away to reveal legs.
Two, perfectly normal, smooth legs.
Noelle collapsed when she landed, and the tendrils left her. Zeus pressed a hand to his head, and the rest of the biomass flowed towards him. Krouse was already rushing towards Noelle, ignoring Zeus as he went to cradle her. The rest of them joined him.
Please let her be ok. Please let her be healed.
Groaning, Noelle opened her eyes. Saw them staring down at her. She started crying, holding Krouse close to her and curling up her legs.
"Well. It actually worked." Zeus remarked. "Wasn't too sure about that."
Krouse looked at him. "What did you do?" He asked. They all wanted to know how he healed her.
"I used my biomass to remove the affected parts of her body, and replace it with my own material to create new legs. Everything below the waist isn't really hers. And then I probed her mind, searching for the power so I can surgically remove it. She should return to normal, but I'd like to take her to my lab at some point and do some proper work." He turned and walked away. "I'll call you when I finally get somewhere with the real cure."
They let him walk away. This cure he was making might be better, but who cared? Noelle was normal again. The way he said it, he had removed the power that twisted her in the first place. That was good enough for them.
"So now that Noelle's back, what do we do?" Mars asked. "I mean, the cure was the only reason we stuck around. Do we leave and head elsewhere? Try and find someone to take us home?"
Krouse looked up at her. "Leave the city where we're kings? Hardly." He shrugged. "Besides, someone's bound to turn up that can send us back. And Zeus can find them and bring them to us."
Jess knew he wasn't being truthful. He didn't want to go back to a world where he was nobody. He wanted to stay here, where he was feared and revered. Where they made more money per hour than they ever made during tournament plays.
Where he had real power.
Jess wanted to see home again too. But she was in a world that she had wished she could visit time and again. And there wasn't many people able to send them back anyway.
Might as well enjoy themselves. Enjoy being a team again.
And that's the villains aftermath done. Coil's been sent elsewhere, Faultline's still in business, the Chosen are being chased off, and the Travellers got what they wanted.
Next chapter is going to focus on the Athena and the Pantheon. And all the trouble that comes with taking over a city.
Edit: There was one thing I wanted to talk about. Some people complained that Alex going after the Trio for what they did to Taylor was OOC. But when I was rewriting that chapter, I though 'Hang on. Why would Alex care about Dinah if he needs to be convinced to help Taylor?' I should at least be consistant with his personality. So that's why I'm not changing that bit.
