Chapter 9: Secrets

It was as if nothing happened since Sasuke left for the Palanquin: the streets were still flooded, people were still desperate, and danger lurked around every corner. However, something had changed. He'd killed a member of the Slaughterhouse Nine. He knew that the Case 53's were directly linked to Cauldron.

Did Battery know that the vial she drank had been refined by human experimentation? He wanted to say no, but he barely knew her, just as she barely knew him.

Whatever potential they had to build a true bond was blocked by a wall of lies. Of course, he couldn't extend a hand of honesty – his secrets were ones he couldn't afford to tell. It would be remiss for Battery to share her life story with him when she hadn't even revealed her secret identity. However, he wasn't interested in her past, only her present, and if she knew how to access Cauldron and its mysterious doctor.

By the time the PRT building came into view, the night sky was dark. He'd changed into his regular clothes, and upon accessing his beetle's senses, he'd learned that no one had tried to access his room.

Assault was in the lobby. Since he was Battery's partner, he could help him figure out how to approach Battery properly.

"Evening," Sasuke said, catching up to him.

Assault spun on the sole of his boot, like he was skating on ice. "Sasuke! Love the sunglasses, dude! I'm surprised you can even see through 'em; it's pitch-black out here."

"I wouldn't use them if I couldn't see. Have you seen Battery?"

Assault chuckled. "Can't get enough of Puppy, eh?"

The giant grin on the man's face irritated him.

"I thought you'd know where she was." Something Skidmark said came to mind. "You two seem pretty close."

"We're thicker than thieves. Why do you ask?"

Sasuke shrugged. "You always call her 'Puppy', and Skidmark called her your bitch."

His grin fell apart. "What a piece of shit. Where does he get off on calling Battery that?"

Sasuke frowned. "I guess that's not polite."

"It ain't." Assault sucked in his lips, smacking them. "A bitch is another word for a female dog, so don't ever call a woman that if you want her to give you the time of day."

Now he knew why Battery had been so angry. The vulgarity in the English language never failed to surprise him. If it wasn't for how... animated Skidmark was, he wouldn't have realized he was trying to insult him.

"I see."

He blew out hot air. "You really don't know what it means?"

"English isn't my first language."

Assault smiled. "Coulda fooled me. You know, I had a colleague who liked learning different languages. He knew Japanese, Mandarin... he even joined the military just to gain new experiences."

If he joined to kill people or to serve his country, he'd understand, but 'new experiences' was a rather unusual reason to join the military.

"How did it go for him?"

"He said it didn't work out like he hoped, but it did lead to him joining the Protectorate, and that did him a lot of good."

'Did him' instead of 'is doing.' Past tense. This colleague wasn't around, so there wasn't much using in asking more about him when Assault had raised a more relevant topic.

"You said Battery inspired you to join the Protectorate."

His smile grew. "That she did. It's funny how it happened. When I first met her, she was wearing this costume that reminded me of a puppy, like a three-legged dog that would whine whenever her owner went away. It was adorable."

So 'Puppy' wasn't a random nickname, after all.

"She's okay with you calling her a dog?"

Assault froze. "Now that you mention it, I kind of sound like a prick, don't I?" He laughed. "That's just part of my charm! And well, it's kind of an inside joke between us. Don't worry, she's fine with it."

He'd just have to take his word for it. If he knew how to win hearts and minds, Burnscar would still be alive.

"Hey, did you get something to eat already?"

"Why do you ask?"

"You gotta eat, dude, doesn't matter how tough you are. Tell you what, you come with me and I'll get you some grub. We can hang out, share some stories. You in?"

With his earnest smile and gracious offer, it was hard to refuse.

"Sure."

Assault didn't take him to the PRT's cafeteria, he took him past security and into a lounge that the Protectorate used. While Sasuke grabbed a bottle of water, Assault grabbed a bunch of foods from the lounge's fully-stocked kitchen: ice cream, a whole jug of orange juice, some crispy salad, a plastic case filled with grilled fish. They were all filling foods, and he grabbed various dressings and utensils to eat them with.

In fact, it made the cafeteria look positively barren.

"Dig in, man!" Assault said. "Don't let anyone stop you."

"You're quite generous," Sasuke said.

Assault smiled, chuckling to himself. "It's not like you don't deserve it. You kicked the Merchants' asses into next week, and you put that fucker Skidmark behind bars. Not only that, Puppy thinks you're good, so you're pretty much one of the crew."

Sasuke felt like smiling, so he did. He took a bowl full of fruit to go with his water bottle and sat down on one of the lounge chairs. Assault set down all of his food without slipping, and began to tell Sasuke about how he met Battery and became a hero.

From what Sasuke could gather, Battery had managed to convince him to join the heroes, and he decided to do it if he could go where Battery went. She agreed because they needed heroes, and it led them to Brockton Bay. From there, their partnership blossomed. At least, that was how Assault told it.

Instead of sharing his opinion – namely, that his motivation was short-sighted and insincere – Sasuke sipped from his water bottle. It was cool, refreshing his throat. Assault followed his lead, drinking from his glass of juice.

"I figured, hey, I could have some fun with Puppy and make some bank while doing it. And, well, I know you've seen her, the way you've been keeping her to yourself. She's hot, right? Gorgeous."

He took another sip from his bottle. She was definitely fit, but it was hard to say she was attractive when her visor covered her eyes. Regardless of what he thought, Assault would be annoying no matter what he said.

"If you ask me, I think she's the bee's knees. Being a hero didn't sound so bad as long as I could do it with her."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "How did she put up with you?"

"Honestly? I don't know. She told me she only gave me a shot after she saw my good side, but I kept on needling her because I thought it was funny." When he smiled, it exuded melancholy. "I treated her like shit. I didn't care about her feelings, I just wanted what I wanted, and I was relentless. I figured that if she wanted nothing to do with me, she'd leave, so the fact that she stuck around meant she wanted me, right?"

"Some girls are too forgiving," he said.

"Right you are. I bet you know a bit about that, don't ya?"

Sakura was enough experience for a lifetime, but Sasuke kept quiet about her. Assault chuckled anyway. He dug into his green ice cream, licking it off his spoon.

"Mmm, pistachio. Where was I?"

"Being rejected by Battery."

"Yeah, sure. Anyway, I kept on hounding her until Miss Militia hit me with a clue by four."

"What?" Sasuke said.

Assault's mouth twitched. "It's a metaphor: a 2x4 is a block of wood, and it's good at building houses and whacking people in the face."

And two rhymed with clue, hence the wordplay.

"Were you really that clueless?"

"Pretty much. Miss M told me, point blank, that I was being an asshole. I didn't listen, but sooner or later, I started thinking she might've been on to something. I didn't apologize because it wouldn't mean jack shit if I harassed Battery the next day. Instead, I worked on improving my relationship with her. That's when I started to realize that she wasn't just a hot piece of ass, or a lost little puppy."

Assault's smile shrunk into a stark frown. "There are a lot of hypocrites in our business, Sasuke, but Battery's legit. She always goes the extra mile to do good, she's honest and dedicated, and she doesn't give up on anything. She inspired me to start take this hero thing seriously. I started taking her seriously, too, and we reached an understanding."

"It's hard to believe she accepted you."

"It's like you said, some girls give guys way too many chances. I got lucky."

Sasuke finished the rest of his bottle in a pair of long gulps. Maybe he was lucky, too. Sakura forgave him, and from there, they grew close.

"You got a girlfriend, Sasuke? A wife holding the fort back home?"

He considered not answering, but Assault's story had stirred a chord in him.

"There's someone I have my eye on."

He grinned. "It isn't Battery, right?"

"It could be. You've seen her, right?"

Assault's jaw dropped. "Come on, dude, you can't be serious. I know she's breathtaking, but she's taken."

A smirk pulled Sasuke's mouth wide. "All's fair in both love and war."

The man in red sat still. Then suddenly, he roared with laughter, doubling over.

"And here I thought you were a stick in the mud!" Assault said, wheezing. "You got me good!"

Sasuke chuckled. Assault's attitude was rubbing off on him, but being able to laugh like this with someone he barely knew set his mind at ease, letting him enjoy the moment. It was a true delight.

"Why'd you tell me this story?" Sasuke asked after Assault's laughter died down.

"It's a heartwarming, wholesome tale of redemption! I tell it all the time. Also, I figured you'd understand. Battery says you're a good listener."

Hearing that was a surprise, though he hadn't spared much thought about Battery's opinion of him. They worked well together, and she helped him out. It was all he needed. It was also useful information.

"Do you think she could hide something from you?"

"It's possible," Assault said, after chewing a piece of his fish. "But whatever her secret is, I trust her to tell me when she's ready."

It was a nice sentiment, but Sasuke wasn't sure if that would ever happen, not when the cost of revealing her secret was so steep.

"Why do you ask? Trying to figure her out?"

Sasuke was saved from answering when the woman in question entered the lounge. A weary smile was on her face.

"Make a new friend, Assault?"

Assault snickered. "What's the matter, Puppy, jealous?"

Battery snorted. "Of what, two guys hanging out? I'm surprised Sasuke hasn't gone crazy."

Sasuke shrugged. "He's all right."

"Wow, you must really like him." Battery pulled out a bag of chips from the pantry and a tall glass of grape juice, before taking a seat next to Sasuke. "How's it going?"

"Well enough," he said. He wanted to leave it there, but it didn't seem right. "You?"

She smiled. "I could be better."

Assault pouted. Battery smirked once she caught it. "Something happen on your patrol, Assault?"

"Nope. Why aren't you sitting next to me?"

"Sasuke doesn't bite."

Rather than get involved in their bickering, Sasuke ate the rest of his fruit. The outer flesh was a bit stale, but the inside was ripe.

"It's nice, isn't it?" Battery said, popping a chip in her mouth. Sasuke nodded. "I'd kick back with a beer, but I've got an early morning."

"Same here," Assault said. "At least we can gorge ourselves on junk food and tasty treats. Aren't we blessed?"

"Don't ever forget it."

"Oh, I won't. How was your patrol?"

A full-body shiver rippled across Battery's body. "Bad. Went to the Trainyard. Witnesses said the Siberian was last seen there, but she was long gone by the time I arrived."

Assault whistled. "Damn. So it's started."

Battery frowned. "You'd think, but you got Miss Militia's call, right?"

He nodded, expression turning grave. "Burnscar's dead. We should be celebrating, but no, the Slaughterhouse Nine can't let us have nice things. Let's hope her buddies wait a few days before they throw a tantrum."

The room went quiet, save for Battery eating her chips. Assault gazed at his half-eaten meal, mouth pulled in a contemplative frown. If the Slaughterhouse Nine changed their routine, it would be the people around him who'd be forced to respond, and the powerless who they'd attack if he tried to track them down.

Before that happened, he needed to find Cauldron. Assault had told him a lot about Battery, but he still wasn't certain that Battery would answer his questions. Nonetheless, he couldn't hesitate. Battery was his only good lead, and he'd do his best to convince her to reveal everything she knew.

In an ideal world... he wouldn't have to force her.

There was something about witnessing the Siberian's trail of carnage that left Battery bone-tired. Even back-to-back patrols weren't enough to sap her energy. She was awfully glad that Miss Militia had let her wrap up early and go home, but it wasn't solely out of the kindness of her heart.

Someone had killed Burnscar.

A pit formed in the bottom of her stomach. She had to go to bed knowing that the Slaughterhouse Nine was chomping at the bit to break their routine and make them all pay just because someone was strong enough and brave enough to fight one of them and win.

Those bastards ruined everything they touched.

It made her sick. She needed a distraction and comfort food. At the lounge, she got that and something even better: good company. Bantering with Assault was always fun, but Sasuke surprised her. Not only was he getting along with her partner, he moved the conversation past Burnscar's death before it ruined everyone's mood.

As the conversation rolled on, she got the feeling Sasuke wanted to ask her something in private, but he wasn't willing to do so in front of Assault. Whatever it was, he'd have to ask in the morning; she left the boys behind after grabbing a box full of chocolates for the road, more than ready to hit the hay.

Sleep didn't come to her easily, but when it did, she dreamed well and woke up refreshed. Whatever the Slaughterhouse Nine was planning, whatever she had to contend with, she'd do her best to protect anyone in harm's way.

After a shower and an early-morning workout, Battery hit the ground running. She was always an early bird. During her patrol, she passed a construction crew working hard to set up a foundation for a small house. Bryce was with them, carrying wood and following his supervisor's instructions, hustling about until he noticed her, stopping completely.

His fellow workers didn't stop; her presence wasn't unusual at all. This was all her idea. The plot's previous owner had been killed by Leviathan and his surviving relatives sold the property, leaving Brockton Bay behind. If Bryce built the house without giving up, he'd get to own it with his sister.

The second he got the chance, Bryce went straight to her.

"Hey," Bryce said. "What's up?"

"Working hard, Bryce?" she asked.

Bryce nodded, wiping the sweat off his face. "Not like I can slack off, right?"

"Got it in one. How's your girlfriend doing?"

He shrugged. "She's okay, I guess. She'll be coming around later if you wanna chat."

Battery's arms fell around her stomach. "Make sure your eyes don't wander when she isn't around."

He blanched. Bryce thought he was sly, but she survived Assault. Catching him when he was checking her out was too easy.

"Whatever," he said, pure bravado. "I'm not stupid. I know what I've got, I ain't gonna screw it up."

She smirked. "For Lani's sake, I hope you don't."

Before she left, Battery checked in with Bryce's supervisor to make sure Bryce was actually working. He was, which pleased her. The kid needed something that was his after his whole world had gone sideways, and he was getting practical experience that would help him find future jobs.

The rest of her patrol was thankfully uneventful, but when she arrived at the PRT building to file her report, she got a text message from Sasuke.

Can we talk? – S

She typed her response.

Sure, though it'll have to be quick. Your room?

I'll be there. – S

He made it there pretty quickly, ushering her inside. She took a seat on his bed, while he locked the door.

"Is everything all right?"

"Yes."

Battery set a hand behind her, clutching the bed. There was an awkward tension in the air, mostly because she wasn't sure what he wanted to talk about. He was dressed in his black cloak rather than his cowboy costume and he wasn't wearing his mask, so he probably didn't want to talk about hero stuff.

It made her a bit self-conscious, knowing that she knew his face while keeping hers hidden. Not that she wanted to reveal herself, but she couldn't help herself sometimes.

"I'm still surprised you and Assault actually got along," Battery said.

"I know how to deal with his type. Is there a reason why he chose to call himself 'Assault'?"

She laughed to herself. The stench of Assault's little joke took time to wear off, but she got used to the idea... and 'Assault and Battery' did have a nice ring to it. It was pretty rare that an adult didn't get the hidden meaning, but Assault did say that English wasn't Sasuke's first language.

"You know how an assault is a type of crime? Battery's a crime, too. When you put Assault and Battery together, my moniker suddenly develops a different connotation. That's why he chose that name, just to piss me off."

He frowned. "Why did you give him a chance?"

She bit her lip. Unlike her partner, she wasn't fond of recalling her past to any hero who'd listen. However, Assault had shared his side of their story with Sasuke, so she felt it'd be good to add her piece.

"At first, I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of beating me. Over time, I saw some good in him, so I gave him a chance. I regretted it at first, but he stopped harassing me and started listening to what I had to say. He really did change for the better."

She smiled, wistfully. It turned out better than any of them expected.

"As much as I'd like to reminisce, I'm pretty sure we aren't here to talk about my partner."

Sasuke closed his eyes. Battery let go of his bed, putting her hand in her lap. Was he gathering his courage? He seemed like a direct kind of guy, cooler than a cucumber, but she'd only known him for a couple of days. Maybe there were things that made him nervous.

She suddenly remembered something stupid Assault said. Apparently, Sasuke had been hogging her ever since they started worked together, almost like he was nursing a crush. If she knew that Assault was the jealous type, she would've exploited that long ago. But with Sasuke's penchant for secrecy, maybe Assault wasn't completely off-base.

Battery cast those thoughts away when Sasuke opened his eye – the other one was hidden by long locks of hair. He pulled something out of his cloak, a vial filled with a dark liquid.

It couldn't be.

"You know what this is," Sasuke said, voice cold, hard.

But it was. Her breath hitched as she recalled their talk about the vials. He wasn't lying, but he was very careful with his words.

"Why didn't you destroy the vials?"

"They're valuable."

She went still, heart hammering in her chest. "I don't care. This has nothing to do with me."

"You drank one of these."

Battery's heart skipped a beat. There was no way he found out, no freaking way. It was ridiculous.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, forcing her panic from straining her voice. He was onto her, so she had to make certain she didn't give him enough rope to hang her.

A frown curled his thin lips. "You didn't tell Director Piggot about the vials. You tried to keep me from visiting Faultline. And you insisted that it was a taboo to tell others about your trigger event when it wasn't."

"That last part's true."

"Not for heroes. One of your old colleagues, Dauntless, all but said his trigger event was a good thing. So did the Triumvirate. Trigger events seem to be connected to triumphant breakthroughs. Why did you mislead me?"

Battery scowled. "I was telling the truth! People like Dauntless and the Triumvirate are the exception; almost everyone who triggers has it on a really bad day. I don't have to tell you this!"

"True," he said, matter-of-fact. "Why should I destroy these vials when I can use them instead?"

"If a bunch of new capes suddenly appear, people will start asking questions. And they won't be good ones."

"You need help. If I wasn't here, who beats the Merchants?"

"We'd find a way, with or without new capes. If I were you, I'd destroy those vials and forget they ever existed."

"No."

Sasuke literally made the vial disappear. Battery shut her eyes, hoping this was an elaborate nightmare. Unfortunately, it was all too real, and Sasuke's lone eye bore down on her, eager to reach in and steal her secrets.

"Do you seriously think I drank a vial?"

"Yes. You bought one from Cauldron."

Battery sucked in a breath, holding it in and forcing herself not to scream. She let it out slowly, carefully. "I could have found the vial, you know."

"If you did, you wouldn't keep Cauldron a secret."

She clenched her fists, looking away from his scornful, judging eye.

Fuck! Damn it!

Even as a host of curses battered her mind, she couldn't deny the fact that she'd been caught. But she couldn't let him win. She wouldn't.

"You want to learn about Cauldron? Go ask Faultline, she cares a lot more about this shit than I do."

He stepped forward, looming over her. "I'd rather learn about Cauldron from someone who visited them."

There was little space between them, but if she built up a charge, she could leave the room, find ways to avoid him entirely. Get Piggot on his case, if she had to.

"Ask Faultline," Battery said.

"Are you afraid that they'll come after you? Don't be. I'll protect you."

Sasuke was serious, so serious that she thought – no, she knew – he was out of his mind. The idea that he'd protect her from Cauldron was just so... absurd.

"No."

He scowled, a twist of his lips that sharpened every contour of his face. "No?"

Battery shot to her feet. He towered over her, suffocating, but his interrogation filled her with piss and vinegar that kept her fear at bay.

"Hell no! Why do you think they're a fucking secret? Anyone who tries to expose them disappears!"

"Do you think I'll expose Cauldron?"

She started charging up her power. His scowl faded as she did, but she didn't stop.

"That's between you and them. I'm not getting involved in your little crusade."

"This is bigger than any crusade. The knowledge I can obtain from Cauldron might save more lives than you can count."

Battery's mouth quivered. Really? No, it was just a trap. "Even if I tell you everything I know, do you think Cauldron's going to let you find their secret lair?"

"I'll make them."

"You'll make them." She scoffed. "Go ahead. Find them, just leave me out of it."

"How do I find them?"

"I don't fucking know."

"If you help me, you won't have to worry about Cauldron at all."

She growled underneath her breath. "I don't want you to protect me. I don't need you to. How many times do I have to say no for it to penetrate your thick skull!"

Sasuke glared at her, but she glared back. For a second, she thought his eyes flashed red, but when she looked again, they were as dark as the abyss. It must've been a trick of the light. There was no way she'd yield to him.

"As many times as..." He stopped himself, took a step back. "Never mind. I won't force you to reveal your secrets."

Battery sighed in relief, but kept hold of her charge. "... Thank you."

"Don't thank me. We're done here."

"What about our conversation?"

"It never happened."

"Then –"

"Get out!"

She scurried to the entrance, lingering there. Something compelled her to look over her shoulder. Curiosity, maybe. Regret lingered on Sasuke's face for a long moment. Then it was gone, and so was she.

Battery rounded a corner, then another, and stumbled. That wasn't supposed to happen. She propped herself against the nearest wall, but her head was swimming, heartbeat racing a mile a minute. Panic attacks, again? Shit. This wasn't good.

If he forced her to talk... He didn't. She didn't know why, but she'd find out once she wasn't about to die. She slumped down to the chrome floor and remembered her training, taking in deep, slow breaths. She was safe. Capable. Allowed to maintain her lie.

No one was around to see her moment of weakness. That meant she could stand, and get the hell out of there.

Far away from Sasuke, Battery processed that disaster of a conversation. She suspected Sasuke was more dangerous than he let on, but he'd done what no one else had and discovered her secret. Not only had he done that, he put her in a corner. What would stop him from trying again?

She could admit that she'd help him if it meant saving countless lives, but not if it meant her head. Was that the opportunity he was seeking, a way to Cauldron's headquarters? How did he figure out that she had taken one of their vials?

A message from Miss Militia cut through her thoughts before they could spiral away.

URGENT: MEETING RE: BURNSCAR; PIGGOT'S OFFICE

Battery shoved her turmoil and fear deep inside. Sasuke wouldn't talk. She wouldn't, either. Instead, she would continue doing what she paid Cauldron to help her do: be the best hero she could possibly be.