Interlude 2

Tattletale rubbed her head, from sheer frustration. She looked at the sheet of her power and contemplation derived responses on the mysterious new parahuman. It was a pitifully short list, compiled from reading every one of his Parahumans Online posts, watching and viewing every image/video he posted, and the information that the PRT held.

Between 14-16 years old physically, unknown mentally.

Not a case-53. Not fully human?

Perfectly fluent in English, accent due to throat resetting.

Highly likely to be related to Adolf Hitler???

Formerly tied to a Neo-nazi or Nazi organization. (Duh)

Has no compunction against killing or breaking unwritten rules.

Likely new trigger, focuses on short-term goals.

Does not see self as hero or villain.

Targets only villains? Targeted C.U.I. to curb aggression?

Body resets to set condition every teleport, including clothing. Other items do not.

Can teleport after dying.

Can teleport to parallel dimensions.

Cannot be killed conventionally.

Interferes with thinkers, (Coil, me) in some way.

Immune to Coil's power, whatever it is.

Said/did something to Coil.

Entered Birdcage to speak to Marquis, to help? Panacea.

Killed Max Anders. Kaiser?

Knew Taylor's situation beforehand.

Began attacking bullies because of Taylor.

While answers had been forthcoming, they were irritatingly unclear and occasionally whimsical. The comment on being related to Hitler was so strange, but had come up often enough when using her power that she had to write it down. Her power had nothing on his method of teleportation though. No limits, no forewarning.

Lisa didn't know what made Taylor so special, which was the most worrying. Here was someone who went around killing the worst parahumans all across the globe, pausing to begin a campaign against bullies for one girl. Taylor herself didn't know either.

Perhaps it was a form of precog? She guessed, the day's usage of her power already gone. Just Lisa, no assistance from her power now. Not only did Schrodinger display ridiculous movement capabilities, he knew things. He knew Panacea was Marquis's daughter, that Max Anders was Kaiser, though the latter could have been being in the Empire 88. He certainly knew that Taylor Hebert was a bug-controlling cape getting bullied in school.

Alec yelled something rude, but she ignored it. He seemed a lot more lively now after learning his father was dead. The other members of the team didn't know, about his parentage yet.

Still, why Taylor? Parahumans were hardly stable individuals, there were no doubt people in deeper trouble that needed help. Why had the "villain killer," as some called him, gone to Taylor Hebert? What about the depressed and bullied bug-controlling girl warranted a visit?

The girl in question was attending school. Probably a lot more enthusiastically with the threat of Schrodinger hanging over her bullies' heads. Lisa knew Taylor didn't know what to make of Schrodinger. She still had an unhealthy dose of heroic idealism despite Armsmaster somehow.

Taylor Hebert had some kind of hidden quality that even she didn't know about. Lisa didn't know either, and she wanted to know. Idly she wondered if Schrodinger would help her escape Coil's thumb if she messaged him on PHO. He was immune to Coil's power, and had actually visited Coil previously for some reason. Then again, he hadn't killed Coil, like he hadn't killed Taylor.

Grue didn't care as long as long as he got paid. Regent didn't care about anything. Bitch, well she definitely wouldn't help Tattletale.

All Lisa could do was pin her hopes on Taylor. The fact that she still felt guilt over her brother's suicide was just a sidenote that was definitely unrelated. Just because you were using someone for an agenda didn't mean you had to be a bitch about it.

Who was Schrodinger? He was an example of a trigger gone horribly right, though being such a destabilizing force was potentially detrimental. In the first few days from his initial rampage, many of the most powerful non-heroes in the world had been culled. For whatever reason, he also centered himself in Brockton Bay.

Currently the PRT was running around like headless chickens trying to contain the fallout of his crusade against bullying, after the shutting down of hundreds of schools worldwide during his teleportations. Class did not continue as normal when a teleporting cape tasered students in the midst of lunch or lessons. It had all been inspired by Taylor, one girl.

He had a number of fans, the true fanatics who were always crowing for more heavy punishments, including the death sentence on parahuman criminals. What was worse is that he actually accepted suggestions from strangers on the internet in regards to people that he should be killing. So far he had stuck to parahumans, but Lisa suspected it would not stay that way.

There were many people who the world would be better off without, power notwithstanding. Hundreds, thousands of corrupt individuals in positions of power. Lisa knew all too well, after all she had stolen from so many, before being caught.

The PRT had pegged him a Mover 11, Brute 2 and tentatively a Thinker 4. While not Triumvirate level, Schrodinger was uncomfortably powerful. Considering his pseudo-immortality the Brute rating actually seemed a little low, even if he was a baseline human. In the event of him attacking important individuals were advised to don body armor and stick together. Little good that would do against someone who could teleport explosives into their face.

Lazily refreshing a news website, Lisa's eyes widened at the headline.

She was interrupted by the shrill sounds of Endbringer sirens sounding through the walls.

It was too soon, two months early for an Endbringer attack. Yet, the PRT website didn't have the normal Endbringer alert with directions to a staging ground like they usually did. Was something interfering with the site, or was it related to what she had just been reading?

They wouldn't sound the Endbringer alarms for something like that though, just send a warning.

"Oh fuck," Alec shouted from the entrance to the hideout. "You have to see this!"

Lisa ran over to the doorway, and stared into the sky.

Golden light, terrible and beautiful rained from above.