Arc 5

Outcry

5.1

I sat in the front seat of the car as we drove through the streets. It was dark out, late even if I had to guess. I felt the gnawing pain in my stomach. Hungry. My bones ached. I had three empty water bottles at my feet.

My driver remained silent as we drove up to a Drive Thru of some fast food place.

"What do you want?" Was the question directed at me.

"A lot of something. I don't care." I replied. My voice was flat. I could barely recognize it really.

I felt cold.

I looked out at the buildings around us, only just hearing my present company ordering the food.

Had it really been two weeks?

Didn't feel like it. Felt like a lot less time.

The driver filled me in on everything when we came out of that dark place. After I woke up, after I'd gotten in the car, half carried, half dragged on weak knees.

I wanted to go back already. It was peaceful where I was… I didn't remember pain in there.

But I didn't want to abandon my father. He was so devastated after mother died. What would he do if I left too? I couldn't do that to him. Couldn't make him go through that again.

I wanted to see him...

More than that though...

I didn't want them to win.

The heroes. The Wards. They couldn't just get away with this. I wasn't going to let them. Not like Winslow. Not again.

I'm gonna bring the whole bleeding corrupt system down on their heads.

If not? I'll burn it down.

They wouldn't win. I won't be driven into a hole. I won't curl up and die quietly.

I refused.

The driver ordered six different orders. That was a lot. But one look in the mirror had me wincing.

I hadn't eaten in two weeks.

God only knows how I was alive. I was literally starving.

My ash statues maybe.

Even so… I needed… I wanted food.

The driver paid with a smile and we drove off. The two bags filled with burgers were placed in my hand and the second the smell hit me I opened up the bags and literally ripped into the mini-cheeseburgers. Practically inhaling them.

We made our way through downtown. The road was empty. One AM. Two AM? Whatever hour it was it was late enough to have everyone at home. Or at least not on this stretch of road.

As I ate, my... 'rescuer' I suppose, spoke. Told me of everything that had happened since I'd been… Gone? Asleep?

Wherever I was. Or whatever one could call it.

In short the so called heroes were reeling, Armsmaster was out of commission, Assault was dead.

No mention of Sophia...

And Legend's come to the Bay. Two Wards came too.

Legend… a member of the Triumvirate… a 'real Hero'. Was he just as bad as the rest of them? Worse? Were his 'new' Wards as bad as the one's here? Just as two faced?

Somewhere, I shrugged.

Doesn't matter now.

As for the gangs... The Empire has been laying low. Not wanting to draw too much attention with Legend in town. The Merchants and the ABB were the only ones still running things as usual. The ABB because Lung didn't give a damn about who showed up in town. And the Merchants because… well… they're Merchants. I'd be surprised if any of them even heard about half the crap that happened in the last year, let alone the last month.

I finished one of my meals, such as it was. I had the decency to wipe the grease off my lips with a napkin. Food. The gnawing hunger that had been killing me since I first woke up was gone for now. I leaned back in my seat, eyes closing in something akin to contentment.

I decided to join the conversation.

"Why did you look for me?"

The driver paused.

"I want to help." Was the answer.

"Why?"

Another pause... "The Girl. Dinah Alcott. You remember her, right?"

I blinked. Alcott.

"The Precog?"

"Got it in one." I felt the car lurch to a stop. "Coil captured her. Same night as the prison raid. Same night Assault was killed. He's got her now. He used you as a diversion to get to her."

Coil.

"Used me as a diversion?" I muttered. More to myself than my present company.

"You don't remember?" There was no accusation. Just surprise.

I shook my head. "Not really. Just what you've said so far. And… feelings. You mention something and I can almost remember… Like… a foggy dream."

"Hmm. Well… I can get some of the recordings later if you like. In short, Coil made you lose it. Used you to distract the PRT while he went after Dinah so that they'd be tied up fighting you."

I didn't answer. A multitude of emotions and conflicting thoughts surging up within me.

The most prevalent was simple to identify.

Anger.

Hatred.

A part of me was surprised. Even horrified at my callousness.

I wasn't angry because of what he had that… that bitch say to me. I might even be grateful on a good day. Wasn't even all that angry at the fact that he captured Dinah. It was there… but it was a small thing by comparison to the real source of my fury.

He used me.

And I'm done being used.

…

I won't be anyone's tool. No. More.

…

"I'll kill him."

I only realized I spoke aloud when I received an answer. "Glad we're on the same page."

My eyes turned over, glaring. "That your reason for helping? You wanted me to help you with killing him?"

A pause.

"Its part of it… but not all. I really do want to help. But if Coil isn't dealt with soon the worse it'll be for that girl, Dinah. You're someone that wants to take him down and has the raw power to make this plan of mine work and isn't held back by the rules like the PRT. Before this is over this could get kinda ugly."

"And if I say no?"

A deep breath. Not exasperation or disappointment. At least not as far as I could tell.

"If you say no… then… I don't know. I… drop you off I guess? Where would you wanna go? Boston? Suburbs? Montreal? Timbuktu? Say it, and I'll make it happen."

That… was a very good question…

Home?

The PRT was probably watching that place by now if I'd caused as much damage as I'd heard so far. I'd sooner burn down all of the north eastern seaboard before returning to the fucking PRT.

And that about summed up my alternatives.

"Tell me what you've got in mind." I asked as I reached over and plucked the burger right out of the last bag and began gnashing at it.

I ate as I listened. Even reached over and took the burger that wasn't mine. Ate that too and all the fries and the two sodas. I tossed the wrappers in the bags and the bags at my feet. I'd throw it out later.

Long and short of the plan.

Coil wasn't a heavy hitter. He was a thinker with a power-base and resources. He could escape or hire out enough to help him escape if we went after him directly.

Best way to take him down? Hit him where it hurts. Hit his strongest weapons.

His resources. His spies. His assets.

Turn him into a colossus with feet of clay.

Tear him down from the ground up.

"So you want me to kill his spies across the bay?"

"Sort of." Was the answer. "Some you can kill. I'd advise against that though."

"Why?" Death was a more permanent solution…

"You wanna get bird-caged?" Was the flat response. "You've already got people very, very nervous. You're a powerful parahuman that beat the ever loving shit out of a whole PRT and Protectorate division. You go around breaking the unwritten rules now and start offing people left and right, you're officially too dangerous to be left out here with the rest of us. You wanna get the ax and never see the light of day again? Sure, burn everything down. You wanna keep on living rather than existing as part of a bird cage prison block? You'll hold back and keep yourself on a hurt but don't kill policy just like you did before."

"You really don't wanna remind me of before right now…" I bit out.

We drove on and didn't stop till we were near the very edge of the city. The place looked condemned. I'd call it a giant gutter but I might be doing it a kindness.

Merchant territory.

We drove into a parking garage. I didn't get out until it was obvious we'd arrived.

We marched into a run down building, walked up a flight of stairs that creaked and groaned even with my weight.

Soon the door was opened to the second room to the left. Apartment 2-B

There was a single sized mattress. Brand new. So was the frame. A night table, a TV. The closet was empty. The apartment was as clean as it could be considering its surroundings.

"Welcome to your temporary home, Taylor."

I stepped through the doorway, looking around. I found a tub of ash in the corner.

"There are some clothes for you in the drawers. Simple things like shorts, T-shirts and such. I can bring in some more clothes for you tomorrow- The fridge is full and the stove is-"

"My father." I interrupted. "I want to know how he's doing."

"Your father got out of the hospital, nothing major. He's being watched by PRT agents, one of the heroes is with him I think. Not sure which one."

I snarled. God only knew what they were telling him. How they were twisting the truth with him like they'd twisted it with me. How they'd tricked me…

Another thing they'd pay for...

"You wanna head to sleep?"

"No." I answered, marching through the room and towards the tub full of ash. Hiding behind it, tucked into a corner, I can see a helmet and some skin-tight clothes. Everything I need really.

I sit down at the bed. "I want you to tell me who exactly we hit first."

"We can talk tomorrow. You're malnourished, dehydrated. Give yourself-"

"No." I glared. "Who do we hit?"

…

…

"Tomorrow… you'll be going after Coil's most dangerous asset in the Bay. You'll be going after the Undersiders. Specifically their thinker."

"Tattletale?" I remembered her in the files. Thinker seven if I recall.

A nod.

"Right then." I sat down on the chair and relaxed. "Should I know what to attack next, or is this going to be a night-by-night basis?"

"Probably the latter. Especially if you're going after Tattletale. Chances are she could find out and if she escapes or gets the information to Coil afterwards we're kinda screwed." The car keys jangled. "For now, I gotta go before I'm missed. Get some rest. I'll call you tomorrow morning when it's time. Ok?

I shrug. Then I think better of my silence. "Hey."

"Yeah?"

"Think you can get me some workout stuff? I need something to keep me distracted when I'm not making things burn…"

"Like pull up bars?"

"This room could use some."

"I'll do a shopping spree for that sometime this week. You just send me a list of what you want, I'll get it when I get a free moment."

"Whatever I want?"

"Whateeeeeever you want. Oh, by the way-"

When something was tossed at me I reached up and snatched it from the air. Keys.

"So you can lock up when you leave. I won't be coming back in person. Too risky. You'll hear from me by phone. Your new one is right there. On the night table, plugged in behind the alarm clock."

I reached over and moved the alarm. True enough, the phone was right there.

I look around to this dingy apartment. This… hole in the ground.

That strange moment. That… 'How did I even get here' moment… it really was a fucked up feeling.

Don't like it. I don't like what I've woken up to. Where I'm sitting.

Saddest thing was that it was the very best place for me right now.

How pathetic I must be for this to be my best option...

I look down at my feet.

I didn't cry. I refused to cry for traitors...

"Changed my mind...I'm going to bed." I shift on the brand new mattress, swivel around, and place my head on the pillow. My feet on the bed.

"Tomorrow night." I heard. Didn't answer.

The lights were switched off. I opened my mouth to say thank you. Then I stopped. Not sure why and I didn't have the energy or the desire to self analyze right now.

Soon enough I heard the door open then close.

My 'helper' was gone.

Tomorrow then…

I closed my eyes and tried to let the peaceful Dark of sleep claim me.