Chapter 20: Aftermath – Pantheon
Dan Chris gulped, sweating profusely as he watched Mount Olympus from across the road. "This is a seriously bad idea." He said aloud. "We should've told them to shove this job."
His companion, Gretchen Lowe, spoke up from inside the car's boot. "No way. This is the kind of thing that makes someone's career, and I'm not letting it slip by. Can you imagine the accolades I could get from this interview? An actual, genuine interview with the Pantheon. Finally, the world will get to see and know the real them. And Zeus… Well, every reporter worth their salt has been trying to figure out where he came from." She stood upright, applying more makeup to her face. She had gone with a professional look, wearing a suit and skirt that was just tight enough to accentuate her figure. Her brown hair was done up in a styled bun. "This is a once-in-lifetime opportunity."
"Of course it is. Because your life is over once you pass through those gates. Have you actually seen the kinds of monsters they've got in there?" One of the larger creatures looked up at them, and he crouched behind the car. It stared at them before leaving. "And now they know we're here. We're going to become dinner for those things."
"Dan, will you just relax already? They're perfectly safe. I think." Gretchen shook her head. "Look. People are walking around in there with those things, and they're all fine. The Pantheon arranged this interview; therefore, they know we're coming. This isn't like trying to interview people like E3, or the ABB. They're civilised."
"So was Kaiser, and you wouldn't want to interview him." Dan retorted. Gretchen was about to bite back, but she noticed a bright light arcing from Mount Olympus.
"Something's coming. Grow a spine and get your camera on it. The studio wants everything." She said quickly, grabbing her microphone and fixing up her hair. Dan kept his eye on the bright light as it got closer, revealing a humanoid figure. As it landed, Gretchen noticed how the light faded, revealing sculpted physiques and armour. The head was covered by a sun image, bereft of any eyeholes. The man landed with a thump, and stood before them. There was a subtle sense of power in him.
"Our scouts observed you two watching us for some time now." The man said in a soft voice, his Asian accent evident. "Perhaps you could explain what you were hoping to see."
Gretchen gave him a charming smile, holding out one hand. "Gretchen Lowe, Channel 7 news. We're here for the interview at noon today."
"Ah. You are early."
"We wanted to see Mount Olympus before anyone tried to clean the place up for us. See how people are and all that. This is supposed to show the real Pantheon to the world after all. We needed to just make sure of things."
"Of course. I understand." He gave her a short bow, hands pressed against his sides. "Apollo. I take it that your crew will be arriving shortly?"
Gretchen made a face. "As soon as they pluck the courage. But yes, they'll be here. We just have to get some of our equipment set up, assuming it's compatible with your stuff."
"We will find a way." He replied. Then he started, before looking down the road. Slowly, a van with the Channel 7 logo rounded the corner, approaching Mount Olympus. The guards at the gate moved away, waving it in. "And it seems that your team finally arrived. I will escort you to the throne room; Athena told me that was where the interview will take place."
"Thank you." Apollo bowed again, before heading towards the guards. Gretchen stopped just long enough to give Dan a look. He quailed, but was smart enough to follow her, camera roaming over the area. And she had to admit, it was a lot more normal than she imagined it to be. Sure, there were monsters roaming around the place, pulling trailers and cargo. But instead of the buildings and paths being made of some kind of meat-like moss, it all looked perfectly normal. Well, almost normal, she amended, watching as several lizard creatures scurried out of houses. She nudged Dan towards them, and they watched as they headed towards a pit, where a large octopus creature was sitting behind it. The lizards crowded around the edge, apparently puking out something into the pit. Once they left, the octopus reached in, and started pulling out things. Metal things.
She got it now. That was the recycling system. The lizards probably spat out anything they couldn't eat, leaving the rest for this creature to deal with. Well, she guessed that was one way to deal with rubbish. They noticed that Apollo was getting away from them, and they had to hurry to catch up.
"Welcome to Mount Olympus itself." Apollo said, once they caught up to him. The entrance was wide open, revealing a long hallway into the base itself. "Please, make sure to follow the path. Not all areas of Olympus are open to the public, for various reasons." They walked along a blood-red carpet, the dark lighting making it almost blend with the black floor. "We were going for an imposing visage for anyone who attempts to invade. I trust it does its job well?"
"Oh yes. Very imposing. But it's a bit too dark. I can't see a lot of details. Couldn't we get some light just to show off your architecture?"
"I'm sure we can do something." Apollo replied. The hall rippled with a fleshy scrabbling noise, and Gretchen looked up to see holes opening in the walls, letting light illuminate the walls. Though she wasn't much of an architecture lover, this place was definitely a good amount of ornate and spartan. Enough to look fancy, without going overboard or getting in the way. They reached another set of imposing doors, which opened into a shorter hallway. And beyond that was a circular room; the Throne Room itself. Where the rest of the Pantheon was gathering. Along with the camera crew.
"Tell that 'thing' to be careful." Their lead technician, Jeffrey, bellowed as a crab-like monster scurried past with camera in its clutches. "That camera costs more than anything else here. If it breaks, you can consider our careers over."
"It'll be fine." Athena replied, looking annoyed. She was standing to one side, alongside Zeus himself. Gretchen practically ripped the camera from Dan's hands, pointing it towards the King of Mount Olympus. He wasn't the most physically imposing figure in the room, being slimmer and sleeker than Hephaestus and yet bulkier than Hermes. But there was just an aura about him that said 'I am the toughest thing in the room'. It made her think of the sheer presence that someone like Kaiser or Hookwolf had; something that you got just through sheer exploits.
Jeffrey huffed noisily. "I'd feel a lot better if we could use the spotlights we brought with us. At least those I trust." A figure rose up from the floor beside him, the same dark colouring as the ground. His head was a smooth orb, and from the waist up he wore an old-fashioned butler outfit. But from the waist down, he was all tendrils and spines.
"There is no need to worry." The butler said, startling Jeffrey. "I am perfectly capable of creating spotlights of my own, along with changing the colour at will. I just need some technical know-how to have them situated best."
Jeffrey muttered something under his breath. "Just make sure the throne area is well-lit. No one's hiding under shadows or anything. And don't make it too bright. The last thing viewers want is to get blinded." He walked away, shouting more instructions at his crew. The butler listened in, following after him. As Gretchen watched, several bulbous shapes pulled free of the ceiling, scurrying around. Their behinds lit up brightly, wings wrapping around them to direct the beams. A few changed colours, going from white to red to green to blue before returning to normal. One unlucky fellow was handing out the microphones to the Pantheon. Luckily, most of them seemed pleasant and jovial. Hephaestus was joking around with two technicians, telling them some story. When he received one, his armour seemed to become slick. He dropped the mic in like a stone into water, before making it rise up in other places. His elbow, his neck, his pecs, and even from his knee. But then he stopped goofing off, making it appear on his chest.
Finished with her talk, Athena approached the two of them. "Gretchen Lowe? Glad to finally meet you." She said warmly, shaking her hand. "I'm so glad you came."
Gretchen gave her the award-winning smile. "It's a pleasure to be here Athena. A chance to interview a… prestigious group like yours doesn't come around often. I hope you don't mind us taking footage of the insides."
"Eh, it's nothing. I found your report on Gavel to have been pretty awesome."
Gretchen blushed in embarrassment and pride. "That old thing? I'm actually a little embarrassed by it. Having permanent footage of you being arrested isn't good for your career."
"Bullshit. You only got arrested because you were asking questions the Protectorate didn't want answering. That's actually why I chose you."
"Really? So you and the rest of the Pantheon are aware that I'm not going to avoid a question just because it might be sensitive?"
"I just made Alex aware of that." Gretchen immediately picked up on that slip.
"Alex? Is that Zeus' real name?" She asked excitedly.
"Kind of. It's the name he chose for himself. It'll probably be better to wait for the interview to ask."
"Oh. Right. Of course." She looked at the crew prepping the area. It looked almost ready. The Pantheon was already moving for their thrones, the chairs changing shape and position to accommodate them.
Athena puffed out her cheeks. "Excuse me. I just need to get these idiots presentable." And she walked off. She was grabbing each member and forcing them to sit up straight, telling them off and positioning them, Zeus following her like a shadow.
At long last, everything was set up correctly. The lights were shining down on the throne area, with works of art rising from behind each throne representing their 'god'. Gretchen had a chair for herself, along with two others for their special guests that had arrived during the set-up period. A table stood by, water bottles sitting on it. Store-bought ones, unfortunately. Though she honestly wasn't sure how she'd feel about ones they 'made'. Gretchen sat down in her seat, make-up applying the last few touches.
"Alright people!" Jeffrey shouted. "Going live in three… two… one…"
(Jaunty news music starts playing as the channel 7 logo forms on screen to say 'Channel 7 News presents'. Logo vanishes to show a red screen.)
(Announcer): Once, his greatest claim to fame was managing to successfully rob the Brockton Bay Bank and elude rising star Glory Girl. But it didn't take long for him to rack up a sizable reputation for brute strength, adaptation, and ability to plow through anything in his path. (Screen shows newspaper clippings, all about the exploits of Blacklight.) And after Leviathan struck the city, he only rose further than ever. (Picture of the old mall, being modified into Mount Olympus.) But now that he's taken over an entire city, the world sits with baited breath, wondering what will he do next. And experts are busy scratching their heads, trying to find any clue as to who this rising villain was before. Now, Channel 7 has found the answers. In a live interview with Mount Olympus itself. Tonight we present an exclusive talk, on… (Screen changes to a picture of Zeus, half his body filled in black and with question marks.) Gods of Olympus: The Mortals Behind the Myths.
(Cut to Mount Olympus Throne Room, the camera panning over the members of the Pantheon as bombastic music plays. Then it cuts to show Gretchen Lowe, who smiles at the camera.)
(Gretchen Lowe): Welcome everyone, to an exclusive live interview inside the very heart of Mount Olympus. I am your host, Gretchen Lowe, and with me are special guests Dr Nicholas Flert, an expert on psychological behaviour, and Professor Ryan Jones, a leading expert on Parahumans. And of course, we have our very special guest, the Pantheon. (Cut to Pantheon, some of who give a quick wave of acknowledgement.) We will be hosting a Q&A session, where nothing will be kept secret. And our first questions are for the King himself, Zeus.)
(Zeus): A pleasure.
(GL): Now, obviously the most pressing question right now is what do you have planned for Brockton Bay, and the world? Should American citizens be worried about an invasion of their cities? Will you be declaring yourself Lord of the World? And should people be afraid of you in general?
(Z): Wow. What a way to start. I suppose I should answer them in order then. Let's see; For Brockton Bay, our plans are to fix up the most damaged areas, clean up the rubbish and refuse lying around, fix up the roads, deal with crime, get the schools open again… (Glances at Athena.)
(Athena): Start up import and export, create jobs… Really now, whatever we need to do to get Brockton Bay back on its feet. Protectorate and the PRT were too busy chasing bad guys to actually get anything done.
(Z): Yeah. That stuff. As for the world… *bleep* off. That's what I have to say. You don't piss me off, I'll leave you alone. But you start anything, threaten this place and my work… And then I'll rip you all limb from *bleep*ing limb. As for the rest of the questions… No, no, and probably.
(GL): Probably? You mean that people should be afraid of you?
(Z): I'm a living weapon. If you're not afraid of me, then either you're someone I like, or you're insane.
(GL): I see. (Turns to Nicholas Flert.) Dr Flert, as an expert of psychology, do you have anything to say about what we've heard about already? Knowing that you have express permission to voice anything in here?
(Nicholas Flert): Well, with that kind of freedom, I have noticed something already. Zeus, I have noticed that you have many of the signs of antisocial personality disorder. Do you believe me to be wrong?
(Z): No, you're right. I am, by definition, a sociopath. I have an inability to emphasise, sympathise, or respect others. As you've already realised, I also have a disregulated temper, and I have lashed out at anything that I feel deserves my anger. However, there are a few things about me that disrupt the list you're already going down inside your head.
(NF): How did you…?
(Z): I don't bother manipulating people, and deceiving them is in my very biological nature, much like how you need to walk on two legs. I don't have charm, and I am not arrogant. My thoughts on others exclude them unless I believe them to be a threat or potential ally. My thoughts on morals, social norms, and the effect on others are less a disregard and more primal and animalistic. And while I am bad at starting relationships, I tend to be able to at least hold one of them; the opposite on projected behaviour of someone with antisocial personality disorder. (Z looks directly at NF) I have extensive knowledge on psychology. I don't need a shrink analysing me, because my behaviour doesn't exactly fall under human psychological behaviour.
(GL): Gentlemen, we're getting slightly off track here. Though are you implying that you were a psychiatrist before?
(Z): Part of me was.
(GL pauses.) (GL): Maybe we should move onto another pressing question. Your origin and what caused you to gain your parahuman powers. (Z stares at her.) Athena said we could get answers to any questions we ask. As a sign of transparency.
(Z):… Should've vetoed that. But alright. Doesn't really matter to me. Ask away.
(GL): Wonderful. Now, I overheard Athena calling you Alex. That is your name, right?
(Z): It's the name I prefer the most. Alex Mercer.
(GL): Thank you Alex. Now, where are you from?
(Z): New York, State of New York, USA. But don't bother looking for anyone who knows me. They're a few worlds away.
(GL): A few worlds? So you're from another world, like Earth Aleph.
(Z): Not there, but yes.
(Ryan Jones): Sorry to interrupt, but are you saying that your Earth also has super powers? Including the ability to send a physical object from one world to another?
(Ath): Nope. Nothing. Super powers are just make believe back home. All we've got in technology.
(RJ): I'm sorry Athena, but what you're saying is impossible. Without Tinker work, what Zeus does is impossible with normal technology.
(Ath): If it makes you feel any better, it's supposed to be impossible back home too.
(RJ): So if I say it's impossible, and you say it's impossible, then are you saying he gained his powers when he arrived here? And if so, how did you both get here in the first place?
(Ath): Maybe you should let us talk before bombarding us with stupid questions. (Looks at Zeus.) Try to keep it short and sweet. They don't need to know everything.
(Z): Fine. (Looks back at GL. Mask melts away to reveal pale face. Upper half hidden in shadow from hood.) Scientists here have already found out that Earth Aleph and Bet share similar histories until one single event changed everything. It's the same for us. Our world – let's just call it Earth Delta – had pretty much the exact same history until about fifty years ago. Scientists discovered an unknown organic lifeform that showed similarities to viruses. And then they did was scientists always do with something unknown. They tested it.
(GL): How did they test it?
(Z): On chimpanzees. They were expecting… I don't know what. But it definitely wasn't what actually happened. The Virus – Codenamed Carnival 1 – enhanced the chimps. Made them faster, smarter, tougher, stronger, and more resilient. Everything you'd want to make a human perfect. And so they decided to up their tests. Created a little town in Idaho called Hope, and had hundreds of people brought out under the guise of testing for self-sufficiency in the event of Nuclear War. Carnival 2 was administered under the pretence of safely simulating fallout. But once they administered it… nothing. No outward or inward signs of any changes. Hell, the only actual evidence it was even there was in the stillbirths.
(GL): I'm sorry. Did you say stillbirths?
(Z): Carnival 2 was trying to evolve them while they were still developing. It went pretty much like trying to build a bridge as someone's driving on it. Their DNA was twisted beyond hope, and all the babies born during the testing period died from mutations. I could show you, if you want.
(Ath): Let's not Alex.
(Z): Ok. So eventually the project was written off as a failure, and the scientists were to pack up. The town was to be left alone since it served its purpose. But as they left, they realised their biggest mistake.
(RJ): Leaving an unknown viral lifeform unchecked?
(Z): That, and underestimating it. They didn't realise that the Virus was capable of actual intelligent thought. It could recognise probing, identify when it was no longer being watched. As soon as the scientists left, it activated. Almost everyone in town died within two months. Coming back as Infected. (Z points off to one side, and a zombie creature rises from the floor. It snarls and growls before sinking again.) A zombie apocalypse on crack.
(GL):… You said that almost everyone died. How many people survived?
(Z): One, technically. A young woman named Elizabeth Greene. And the only reason she 'survived' was because of Junk DNA.
(GL): For our audience, could you explain what Junk DNA is?
(Z): The human body is made up of DNA. It makes up every little detail about their bodies. But a very tiny amount of your DNA does nothing. It doesn't mesh together, therefore it doesn't have any effect on your body. Scientists think it's either redundant DNA, or just flaws you'd expect from combining 10 trillion cells with billions of DNA. But whatever it is, some Junk DNA inside Greene reacted to the Virus. Altering it; causing it to evolve. What that basically meant was that instead of a corpse being driven by the Virus, you had a person made completely of it, with the intelligence of a human.
(RJ): You're saying that Greene was 10 trillion viruses bonded together in the shape of a human being?
(Z): And replicating her neural pathways. And she was also pregnant at the time, so the baby became the first successful mutated birth.
(Ath leans over.) (Ath): Alex.
(Z): But that's not important. So anyway, after the military wiped out the town and found Greene, they took her to a lab and started studying her. Finding out how this was possible. And when they realised how dangerous the Virus was – How dangerous Redlight was – they decided to turn it into a weapon.
(NF): Excuse me?! They lost an entire town to a virus they didn't fully understand, and after it mutated they decided to try and use it again?
(Z): They also wanted to improve it. Make it far more dangerous than before, and maybe make it controllable. So they started up a company called Gentek, and started recruiting the best minds they could find. Including a young, brilliant scientist by the name of Alexander Mercer.
(GL): The name you use.
(Ath): My original brother.
(Z): Mercer did better than anyone else on the project. He managed to improve the virus, making it even more lethal by having it induce more drastic changes in the host body. Basically kills you with shock and exertion. At any other morally-deprived company, that would've gotten him to the top.
(GL): You make it sound like it didn't.
(Z): Someone on the project grew a conscience, and tried to tell the media what Gentek and the Government was up to. But the military branch of the project, Blackwatch, silenced him. Afraid of any other security leaks, they decided to off all non-essential personal aware of Blacklight. Which meant everyone except for the CEO.
(GL): I can't imagine you were happy about this.
(Z): No. Mercer wasn't. (Looks at NF.) Mercer ticked all the boxes for antisocial personality disorder. What do you think he did?
(NF): Well this is just a theory, but he most likely would've done everything he could've to survive.
(Z): Good answer. When he found out, he stole a sample of Blacklight and ran off for Penn Station. Blackwatch cornered him there, and he threatened to unleash Blacklight. They tried to call his bluff… and failed.
(GL): You didn't.
(Z): He did. Mercer unleashed Blacklight – unleashed me – upon tens of thousands of innocents. All because he felt the world had *bleep*ed him long enough. A part of Blacklight found his cooling corpse, latched onto him, evolved… and then woke up in a morgue with amnesia and thinking it was him.
(GL): That piece… That's you, isn't it?
(Z): Now you get why I call myself Alex Mercer, and why I consider him and me two different people. I may be bad, but the original was worse. (Glances at Ath.) Only got in contact with his sister when it was convenient for him.
(RJ): So what you're saying is that your power comes from your biology. Like a bio Tinker's creations.
(Z): I guess you could say that.
(GL): I see. Thank you for sharing to the world Alex. Now, I think we've given enough time to get some questions from our viewers. Let's have a look. (Opens up a tablet, scrolling down a list.) Ok, first question. Zeus, what exactly is your position in Mount Olympus and Brockton Bay if you're not the Mayor?
(Z): King, I guess. I'm not interested in political power. I just wanted people to get out of my face.
(GL): Second question. If you wanted to be left alone, why not just steal a crapton of money and relocate somewhere else under a new identity?
(Z): It wasn't just about being left alone. The Protectorate tried to kill us. Tried to kill everyone under my protection. Kidnapped my sister. I was angry, vengeful, and I wanted to kill them all for that. Taking over was the logical next step. A safe haven for us. There's no way they could justify blowing up everyone in Brockton Bay.
(GL): I see. Third question, this time for the Pantheon. What did it feel like joining, both physically and emotionally?
(Hermes throws his arms into the air.) (Hermes): About *bleep*ing time! I was starting to feel like this was the Zeus and Athena show. Becoming a god felt awesome!
(Apollo): Physically, becoming an Evolved was painful. Zeus had told us it would hurt. He said that his gene was effectively killing us and then bringing us back to life. And that was how it felt. Emotionally though, I do not regret it. I have the strength needed to help others. We may have to kill, but we can at least ensure it is only those who deserve it.
(Hephaestus): What he said. And the perks are worth it. No pain, no gain.
(Hestia): Before I evolved, I used to be teased a lot. Kept being called butch, ugly, disgusting, and a lesbian. I see this as a way to change how I look without getting weaker. Sure, pigs hit on you. But that's so much easier to deal with.
(GL): Thank you for sharing. The next question is about whether or not you'll deal with S-Class threats? After all, you did kill off Slaughterhouse 9.
(Z): They came after me and tried to get me to join, threatening Athena to break me. That's why I killed them. I'll treat the rest like I'm treating the world; mess with me, and I will kill you. Leave me alone.
(Artemis): What about the Endbringers? Everyone knows that you were the one who smacked around Leviathan. How much harder could the others be?
(Z): I was lucky that time. He obviously wasn't expecting me, and there's a lot of problems that can be solved by throwing a several story fire-breathing regenerating monster at it. Dealing with him – and the others – will need planning. Behemoth's able to generate temperatures that my creations wouldn't be able to survive for long without regenerative powers. Maybe if I used Crawler's power, I could eventually adapt them to survive a length of time against him. Or I could just find an invincibility power and use that. As for Simurgh… No. Never. Not going to happen.
(RJ): So you're saying you're scared of her. That you'd run from her.
(Z): Yes. For the same reason everyone else runs. It's not her physical abilities I'm worried about. It's what happens afterwards I'm scared of. Everyone who stays near her for too long breaks, and then they help break something bigger. Mannequin was one such person. He heard her song, his family died, and he went from possibly saving the world to becoming a mass murderer. Now imagine what would happen if the Virus was to hear that. Or me. Events could happen that end with me ending the world. The bigger we are, the more the world shakes when we fall.
(GL): I… You're perfectly right Zeus. I suppose we should go to the next question. There's one here about the criminals in the Birdcage, but I guess we already know your answer to that.
(Z): They'll never let me in. All that power potentially at my disposal would be terrifying.
(GL): Of course. So the next question is… a series. From one person. (Z waves a hand.) First off; what is the requirement to join the Pantheon?
(Ath): I'll answer that one. First, you need to be a legal citizen of Brockton Bay. Luckily, that just means having a listed residence and the right paperwork. Then, Alex and I look at all the people in the city, and use their records to decide whether they've got the right temperament. You don't want to hand this kind of power to a psycho.
(Z): That should only happen once.
(Ath): And finally, we have to be unanimous about our choice. Alex has the ability, but I'm better at reading people. We can *bleep*block each other, or we can agree.
(GL): Second question; how do you move to Brockton Bay?
(Ath): Just show up at our border. A lot of people left, so we've got lots of room still. Just know that any criminal activity will be dealt with harshly, depending on how bad it is and how pissed off Alex is.
(GL): Zeus, did you know that there is currently a cult worshipping you and Blacklight? Saying that you are a real god that will evolve mankind to perfection?
(Z sighs.) (Z): Yes, I am aware of them. I think they're being stupid, but I guess it's better than believing in some dark god that will destroy everything or some weird shit like that.
(GL): And what do you think of that?
(Z): I already said I think it's stupid. I'm not actually a god; I just call named myself after one for a theme. And I've read how this'll go. They'll start hanging onto my every word and seeing philosophical nonsense in every syllable, something that'll mean something to them. Then they start misinterpreting what I say, or twist my words to match their beliefs, or even just put words in my mouth to justify their own hatred and bigotry. Then they start holy wars, and I get all the flak for it. It's a shit deal.
(Ath): But as long as they don't do any of that shit, and definitely don't try to force people to evolve, what then?
(Z): I don't know. I guess they could keep worshipping and get some hokey 'blessing'. I just don't want problems because of belief.
(GL): Thank you for your honest opinion. Last question in that series… (GL blanches.) Have you… Have you ever been in a relationship. As in...
(Z): As in romantically. (Z glowers at the camera.) No. Next question.
(GL): Let's see… Ah, here's an important one. How do you control your creations, and make them safe to be around civilians?
(Z): Blacklight has a hive mind. Every Infected and Evolved are connected to it, spreading across the city and beyond if need be. As a Runner – the Queen of the Hive, if you will – I am the sovereign intelligence in control of Blacklight. Their thoughts are my thoughts. The Infected obey my every will. They can't disobey me anymore than you could disobey your own thoughts.
(GL): But with people like Regent out there, what's to stop people from breaking that connection?
(Z): It doesn't work like that. Regent can affect your nerves. He doesn't get into your mind so much as steal your body from under you. We already know his power isn't as effective against me or my Infected. He might make them stumble, but the time it would take for him to take full control would be more than enough for me to walk to his lair, redecorate his walls, eat all his food bit by bit, watch a movie on his TV, all before ripping his head off and heading off. That is assuming I don't just turn that Infected into myself.
(GL): Informative. Now, what made you decide to be a villain? (Ath looks around nervously.)
(Z): Athena. Suggested I should be a villain.
(Turns to Ath.) (GL): Is this true?
(Ath): We needed money. We didn't exactly get to your world with money in the bank. I was stuck living in abandoned buildings for the first week. It was Alex's idea to rob the bank. But we needed more, so he robbed the Mayor's place. And by then, he was known to the PRT.
(GL): You could have gone up to them, done community service, and be placed under probationary service with the Protectorate.
(Ath): Look at his powers. Look at his personality. Alex forms weapons from his body, is a walking bioweapon, prefers to murder his problems in messy ways, acquires knowledge by eating people's brains, and is pretty much a walking freak show. It would've only been a matter of time before either the Protectorate had enough of him, or they pushed him too far and he killed them all. At least as a villain he gets to use his skills. That, and as someone who's only seen powers in comic books, being a villain sounded kinda fun. The cool outfits and powers, the sweet bases, the nice gadgets… It was like a dream.
(NF): And the fact that you were unleashing a monster on the city meant little to you.
(Z): I would've probably killed someone anyway. I thought you would've understood that by now; I started off as a sociopath, and consider just beating someone to a pulp to be an improvement. Shadow Stalker is a lot like me; violent and aggressive. If they forced her to use non-violent force, then they would've restricted me just as much. And unlike Shadow Stalker, they would've been hard-pressed to make me obey without pissing me off instead. (Z shrugs.) Besides, I don't really think of myself as a villain. I just do what I want and take what I need.
(NF): By definition, that makes you a villain. (Looks at RJ.) Does it not?
(RJ): Current legislation does agree with you. Your use of violence and force marks you as a villain to the public in general. Stating otherwise doesn't make it true.
(Z shrugs again.) (Z): Then I'm a villain. Whatever. Cling to names and titles if it makes you feel better. At my way's simpler.
(Ath): Maybe we should move to another question.
(Her): Maybe something that's about us instead of the… (Her suddenly falls silent.)
(GL clears throat.) (GL): Right. We have another set of questions from the same person. It's about your ability to use powers that others had before you. Is the ability to replicate powers part of your skillset?
(Z): You could say that. I don't actually replicate their powers. That's impossible, even for me. I simply use the hypothesis of a physical source.
(GL): And that is…? (Looks at RJ.)
(RJ): Some willing parahumans allowed some examinations to be carried out, along with a recording of any and all side effects they noticed. One side effect that came up multiple times was that a parahuman would describe an almost physical presence in their mind. As if they were a conduit for something else. Of course, autopsies of deceased parahumans found no sign of anything having been lodged in their cerebral. The hypothesis has always been merely theoretical.
(Z): Well, I confirmed it. When I consumed Bakuda and added her mass and memories to my own, I found something alien attached to her memories. It escaped before I could capture it, but after a few theories and ideas I managed to assimilate new powers from two minor parahuman villains. It's not actually physical though. It's… I'd have to call it an interdimensional entity, even though that should be ludicrous.
(RJ): Do you have any idea how it works through the host? Or how it chooses them?
(Z): It's drawn to traumatic memories. By isolating and implanting those memories into one of my Evolved or myself, I can link up to that Shard and draw on its power.
(GL): So, you only have peoples' powers because you ate them.
(Z): Yes. But it only works if they get them within a second of them dying.
(GL): So what about the parahumans based in your territory? Should they be worried that you might decide to nom on their brains and get their powers?
(Z): Not as long as they follow my rules. I'm not going to kill people just because I want their powers for myself. I'm fine with those powers working for me as they are.
(GL): So you won't threaten them or their families?
(Z): No. How many times do I have to say it? (Z waves his hand.) Just give me the next damn question.
(GL): A question about your Endbringers.
(Z): The Titans? Are they wondering how I made them?
(GL): That, and where are they?
(Z): They're dispersed amongst my forces. The stronger Infected are a lot like me; trillions of viral cells making up the shape and form of an organism. The Titans are the same; just bigger and with more mass. Right now, I was banking on the fact that no one would be dumb enough to try anything so soon to protect my territory. So I separated my Titans into the army of Infected going around the place. But make no mistake; I can reassemble them just as easily. They're still here; they're just scattered.
(GL): Of course. Thank you for answering those questions. (Looks down at her screen.) What would you do if – for example – members of your religion deposed the council of a city and captured it in your name? What would happen then?
(Z): I'd kill every member of my 'cult' inside the city. And then assuming the Government doesn't start bombing it, I'd hand it back over. That would be exactly the kind of shit that would piss me off.
(GL): Well, that's comforting. Now, this question is about the Embargo on Brockton Bay…
(Z): That's Athena's area. She's got plans.
(Ath): Plans that I don't want to spill in case the Navy decides to piss all over them to try and *bleep* us over. All I'll say is that it involves the port, but anyone with a brain could've figured that out. (Ath stretches in her seat.) Maybe we should take a break.
(GL): Agreed. We'll be right back after these messages.
(Announcer): Stay tuned. Gods of Olympus will return momentarily.
(Screen shows Channel 7 logo.)
(Screen shows Channel 7 logo.)
(Announcer): We now return to this exclusive peek into the heart of Mount Olympus.
(Cut to Gretchen Lowe, now standing outside an ordinary suburban house. Athena is standing with her.)
(Gretchen Lowe): And welcome back. It's certainly a lovely looking home, isn't it? Hard to believe that this property is still within Mount Olympus itself, and is in fact made up entirely of Blacklight. (Opens the door and enters the house. Inside, it resembles a perfectly normal home, complete with lights, windows, and a TV.) Athena, you were telling me that there are advantages to having a house made from Blacklight instead of regular materials. Could you perhaps explain for the audience?
(Athena): Sure. Well the first advantage is how quick it is to put these things together. With a regular home, you have to get the wood, chop the wood, apply the walls and the wires and the plumbing and… well, even with Infected it would take a lot of time to build a normal house. But with Blacklight, you just give it the plans for a house and enough material, and it just grows. Simple and easy. Another advantage is waste disposal. (Heads over to the kitchen area.) Normally, you'd have to load a bag with rubbish and leave it out for the garbage men to pick up. But here, you don't have to worry about that. (Taps at her wrist. A cupboard opens, and a creature scurries out. Fused to its back is a rectangle.) Once it gets full, the house takes the trash out for you. It used to be that the house would eat the garbage for you, but people felt a bit nervous about that. And it can't digest everything that gets thrown out.
(GL): Understandable. But what about electricity? What do you do if you want to work your TV?
(Athena walks over to the TV, the cord unplugged. She taps at her wrist again, and a different creature rises from the floor. Athena crouches down at pets it.) (Ath): Alex based this little guy on the electric eel. Scientists have found that they can actually power small things, but only for a short while. Since Infected are practically perpetual motion beings, they can produce the electricity longer and at a far greater output than eels. So we use them as generators. Simply grab the cord, (Does so) plug it into the guy – we're going directly to the source here - (plugs the cord into a socket-shaped mouth), and bang. (TV turns on.) Simple.
(GL): So they don't need nourishment?
(Ath): Alex says they don't. They're not interested in food for eating; they normally just want more biomass to expand and grow. Alex could run across the US without stopping for food if he ever felt like it. And when your main meal appears to be people, you can understand why he doesn't eat much.
(GL): Er… Yes. So, are there any other advantages to a Blacklight house?
(Ath): Well, it's easier to redecorate. (Pulls out a red sheet of paper.) No need for paint or bashing down walls. (She places the paper against the wall.) Copy colour. (Walls starts turning red, spreading out from paper. Within a minute, all the walls are red.) Easy.
(GL): Huh. That iseasy. Certainly takes the stress out of redecorating. (Athena's wrist starts beeping.)
(Ath): Uh, maybe you should go onto the next bit without me. Something's just come up.
(GL): Certainly. (Leaves the house.) Our next stop is with what is apparently the unofficial science division of Mount Olympus. We're not entirely sure what they're doing, but they appear to be studying Blacklight itself, with Zeus' permission of course. Athena arranged a meeting with the head of the team, Doctor Bradley Ragland. (They stop by an African-American, dressed in a lab coat and watching the team of scientists set up inside a cordoned off area.) Doctor Ragland? Do you have time for a few questions?
(Bradley Ragland turns around, looking surprised.) (Bradley Ragland): Ah, Miss Lowe. Sorry; lost track of time. I would be happy to answer some questions for you. (Turns back to the team.) Johns! (A man with a slight potbelly, sickly skin, sunken eyes, and short brown hair looks up.) Keep an eye on the team for me. I need to take care of something. (The young man nods, barking orders. BR turns back to GL.) My assistant, Conor Carrion-Johns. Good man, wonderful mind.
(GL): Doctor Ragland, could you tell the audience what led you to want to study Blacklight so much?
(BR): Certainly. I used to work at the PRT, studying organic Tinker creations and potentially adapting them to our use. The Blacklight Virus was my latest work.
(GL): You're saying that the PRT stole samples from Zeus?
(BR): They did. Armsmaster noticed that his physiology was different to most parahumans, and acquired a sample for further study. My team and I immediately realised that we were not dealing with human DNA. And once we pointed that Blacklight's abilities were not Parahuman in nature, former-Director Piggot ordered me to find a way to for our side to use his DNA.
(GL): A task you did with gusto?
(BR): A task I did with trepidation. It didn't take us long to identify his make-up as being viral in nature, and most of our work was spent altering it enough to not kill the host almost instantly. In the end, we had to get a Tinker to build special suits to supress its innate nature.
(GL): So why study it again in Mount Olympus?
(BR): Because despite its hostile nature, I saw potential in his DNA. A cellular organism that can impersonate cells so thoroughly that your own body couldn't pick it out of a line-up, while terrifying, can also be incredibly useful. The first thoughts that come to mind are using it as a blood transfer, to help integrate donor organs, perhaps even repair damage in the cellular structure of your body. If we had enough, we could even create the organs and limbs that need replacing.
(GL): You mentioned blood transfers. Do you mean that people would inject a pint of Blacklight into themselves, and it mimics their blood?
(BR): That's one use. But I was thinking something deeper. Having it work its way into the donated blood, and start working changes in the DNA of the blood. Change A positive into O negative, for example. Really, the possibilities could be endless once we find a safe way.
(GL): Sounds a bit like thousands of Panaceas. Did her powers give you your ideas?
(BR): Well, I won't pretend that Panacea didn't offer some inspiration. But most of the problems I believe Blacklight could solve are problems that medicine has faced since we first started healing people, and our knowledge of cell manipulation hasn't been able to help with. It's not really an exaggeration to suggest that Blacklight knows more about how our bodies work than current medical knowledge.
(GL): Speaking of Panacea, some anonymous members of the PRT feel that her power would be able to 'cure' Zeus, the Pantheon, and Brockton Bay of Blacklight. Do you think that's true?
(BR): Speaking honestly, if she had caught him before he managed to build up his biomass stockpile, maybe. Her ability to heal and cure would very likely alter or destroy Blacklight. Of course, despite her power I doubt she could've turned a puddle of organic matter into a person in time to save Zeus, if it were possible. And this would also have required her to have affected him before he could've killed her. She may possibly be immune to Blacklight, but we're still talking about a 200 kilo man-shaped blob with incredible strength and the ability to shape blades and spikes. Most likely, Panacea would've been killed the moment Zeus felt she was a threat. As for now… Well, she's only human. She can only cure so much of Blacklight at once. There's really nothing stopping the rest from consuming and infecting the cured biomass. And of course, there's an even greater chance of her just being killed. So, I wouldn't suggest trying it.
(GL): Of course. I feel the same way. (Looks at the team.) And just what are your team studying right now?
(BR): We're observing Blacklight's state when it's pretending to be a solid matter. Our hopes are that by seeing how it reacts when commanded to remain inert, we would have a starting point for possibly creating limbs for amputees.
(GL): Couldn't you just get Zeus to tell you?
(BR): We could. But we want to create a new strain, completely safe for human consumption. While Blacklight is safe right now, it is at its heart a bioweapon. And I'd rather not constantly use a resource that has to be commanded to not kill everything around it.
(GL): I see. Is it possible to give us a rough estimate on how soon we might see this new version being used?
(BR blows air.) (BR): Difficult to say. Certainly not within the next few years. I mean, we are trying to fundamentally alter Blacklight's very nature. It's a little bit like trying to change a human being into a bird, or a fish, or a lizard. It's definitely going to take a long while to get anywhere.
(GL): Of course. Thank you for your time Doctor Ragland. (Turns back to the camera as BR walks away.) Well, it seems that despite critics beliefs, not everything about Mount Olympus is doom and gloom. Up next, we will be taking a closer look at the bountiful crops Mount Olympus has to offer, including oversized vegetables, fruits and vegetables that taste like confectionary, and meat that grows from trees.
(Screen fades away, turning into the Channel 7 logo as music starts playing.)
Phew. There we go. Interview over and done with. A big thanks to everyone that asked questions for the Pantheon. I don't know if I got them all, since quite a few were the same question just worded differently, but I'm sure I got most. And the most important ones. I kinda wish that there had been a few for The Pantheon, but I guess if they wanted questions they should've taken over a city.
I know this is called Pantheon even though it's just an interview, but I originally planned on the interview being one part and then the Pantheon POV afterwards. But this took quite a while, and I don't have all the ideas for the Pantheon. In fact, the only concrete idea I had was that members of the Church of Blacklight were travelling to Mount Olympus (obvious, since it's pretty much like their Vatican), and members were acting like groupies and wanting the seed of Blacklight implanted in them. Hermes was definitely taking advantage of the fact that women wanted to sleep with him because he was an Evolved. And that's basically as far as I got.
I'm mentioning this because I feel that we've spent enough time with the Aftermath chapters, so the next three chapters are going to be about the Church itself, from Taylor's perspective, and a special possibly-controversial chapter about Cauldron. Then I'll take a little break for the beginning couple of weeks of the New Year (assuming I churn these next three out fast enough) and then we'll have a bit of a time skip. And then the real fun begins.
So for now, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I'm definitely coming back before Jan 1st though.
