6.2

I was sitting on the couch looking over some Biology textbooks, my hand gripped a pencil, not really having used it to take notes since I woke up. Today wasn't really a day to have my mind on books.

Today was for visits.

The visits start at noon and go on practically all day till nine o'clock to whoever wants to show up that I've given the OK to. Anyone new, they ask me.

Dad always came, even if it was just for a few hours, he always came. Vicky also showed up when she had a chance between school and patrol, usually later at night. Dad would usually be gone by then, now that I thought about it.

The Wards not so much. I didn't blame them. We kinda saw each other every day, or every other day. Visitation day was just another weekday and with Dad around so much, it may as well just be called 'Dad Day' as far as almost everyone else was concerned.

They felt like they were intruding half the time.

Better that they stayed away. Less awkward. Less painfully awkward if I was honest.

The clock struck 12:00.

Not a minute sooner or later, my door opened. I caught sight of Sills, then I saw Dad.

"Hey Kiddo." He smiled.

"Hey Dad." I said, setting aside my book and walking over to offer a hug.

I opened my eyes, peeking over Dad's shoulder in time to see Sills close the door behind him with an audible clack. He'd be waiting out there in case we wanted an escort to the exercise yard to get some air, or go for a walk.

I pulled away and looked up, seeing my dad smiling.

There were bags under his eyes. He raised his hand and coughed once.

"You okay, Dad?" I asked.

"I'm fine, just a little bug that's been going around. How about you? You doing ok with…" He looked around. "Everything?

I smiled a bit at his concern. Dad was not the biggest fan of the constant monitoring. I don't think anyone would be. But you learned to deal with it eventually. I didn't even notice anymore unless I wanted to feel angsty.

"I'm fine Dad." I waved away his concern, turning to walk towards the couch.

"How've you been doing since last Tuesday?" He pressed.

I shrugged. "Meh, the usual. Kinda boring. I've been catching up on school work actually."

"That's good." He smiled.

"Arcadia's been lenient and stuff." Very lenient considering I don't attend and just send in the assignments with the others.

"That's good right?"

I nodded, more for his sake than mine.

On the one hand, the fact that the PRT was going so far for me is a good thing…

On the other, it's a reminder… a mockery really. One I can't really get rid of no matter how hard I try.

They probably would have been willing to go just as far for Sophia. A head case with a heightened, extreme view of social darwinism. Relatively minor in comparison to a potential time bomb with a body count though.

I pushed those thoughts away and looked at my dad.

"Anyways… come on, talk? Can you tell me what you did at work?" I asked. During his times visiting I've grown more and more interested in Dad's job. Sure, he's a union manager, but what else does he do? What stories of the week does he have to tell?

That and I didn't have many other stories to listen to these days.

"Well, we're getting into some negotiations with the city. Dockworkers getting into some of the… construction efforts." He trailed off a little awkwardly at that. "Ahh, there was also something weird, a fishing ship came in this way. Don't know why a fishing ship would come all the way here, but hey, maybe he'll tell his friends."

I perked up. That was interesting. It was no secret that the Bay's shipping industry was a dead animal because of the Boat Graveyard that made it all but impossible for mid to big sized ships to get through. And even fishing boats that didn't live here seldom ventured in because of the crime.

Strange… but maybe a good kind of strange if it was the start of a trend of some kind.

"That's great news, Dad."

He shrugged smiling a bit. "Anyways kiddo, do you need anything? Like, do you want any movies? Comics?" Danny asked. "Anything I can do to help?"

"I'm ok Dad. I've actually been catching up on my reading. And I'd better focus on school."

"But Tay-"

There was a knock on the door, interrupting whatever Dad was gonna say.

That was odd.

"Miss Hebert." Sills' voice reached me.

"Yeah?"

"You have another visitor."

I blinked. Vicky was here? Wasn't she at school right now?

"Uhh, sure, show her in. You know Vicky's already been cleared."

"It's not Miss Dallon. This visitor is calling herself Aisha La-"

The door opened, and I caught sight of Jones' surprised face a second before I looked a little lower and found Aisha's smiling face.

"Heeeey~." She wiggled her fingers in something akin to a wave.

My mouth opened for a second before promptly closing, and opening again. "Aisha?"

"Sup Tay!" She smiled. "Sorry I didn't come visit earlier but I totally found out like last week the when's, the where's, and the hows." She plopped down on the couch beside me, acting all casual. I could tell by Dad's silence that he was reacting the same way I was.

I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that she was here at all, let alone who exactly told her I was here.

I mean… sure, she already knew my civilian ID but…

"Who told you?" I asked.

She smiled megawatt bright. "I've got people." Aisha added a wink.

My lips pursed. "You don't have people."

She frowned… "Why does no one ever believe I have people." She leaned forward, looking past me and at Dad. "You must be Mr. Hebert right?"

"Uhh… yeah, that's me." Dad seemed surprised.

Understandable really. I was too.

She grinned, holding out a hand which dad shook somewhat numbly. "Nice to finally see ya. So Tay whataya got to eat around here? Three buses and a cab to get here left me starving. And I'm interested if you eat like, Five Star Restaurant tier food or if they give you rations and shit."

"Nothing much, I already had breakfast…"

She almost looked genuinely dismayed by that.

"Seriously? You think we can order pizza from here?" She turned to Jones. "Hey, tall, dark, and stony can we order pizza from here?"

Jones' face twisted up in an expression I'd almost call constipated.

I couldn't help it. I laughed.

Aisha just got a more memorable expression out of that face in three minutes than I'd managed in three weeks.

He gave an 'Ahem' and regained his composure. "Yes." He finally said. "It's not on our dime, and he doesn't make it past the front gate. You'll have to go and pick it up."

"I'll do it." Dad said, standing up. "Sounds like you girls need to catch up." He moved towards the door and exited, giving me and Aisha a thumbs up. The door barely clicked shut before Aisha was sprawling herself over the couch beside me, shooting out rapidfire questions.

"So how ya doin Tay-Tay? You okay? They experimenting on you? They got the Master outa your head yet?"

Ahh yes. The Master, made sense that that's what she thought. I guess it's what the other Wards - or was it Vicky? - would have said to explain it.

Still, before I could answer her, I had to make something abundantly clear.

"My name's not 'Tay-Tay'."

She stuck her tongue out at me. "You're no fun."

'Probably not, no' I thought.

"To answer your other questions I'm fine, all things considered." I lean back on the couch. "Outside of being bored out of my mind half the time I'm… better… I guess." I trailed off with a shrug, a little uncertain about how true that was to be honest.

"I'll bet." She said with something that I could only guess was empathy. Her eyes scanned the room and finally got to my desk. Standing up, she walked over and looked over the stuff on its surface. "Ah jeez, they're loading you with homework?" The dark skinned girl groaned, looking back at me. "This looks like AP stuff. So many questions!"

"Gotta catch up." I say, for her sake as much as my own.

"Sheesh." Aisha walked back, plopping down on the couch, looking at the TV. "They at least let you watch movies On Demand right?"

I shrug. "I guess… never really learned to work that though. I usually just tune in to the learning channels." That last bit was bit of a lie. Patrols, power testing, and working out under supervision did help alleviate the monotony of the short leash I have and left me little time for television.

Still, at my words she turned, looking at me then back at the desk. "What? That aint enough for ya?"

I smirked a bit. "Better than reality TV. I have no interest in watching overly bearded men hunt birds for a living and be stupid for stupid's sake."

She chortled out a laugh. "Better than twelve year olds in 'Best Princess Competitions' or whatever that shit is." Aisha looked back at me. "You know, they're missing ya. Back in Arcadia. And not your usual circle, some of Vicky's friends asked around too. So far the story is you got shot at the Outcry thing a few weeks ago like some other guys, and are in the hospital."

I blinked… genuinely… surprised… and more than a little confused.

"Why?"

"Well, you're a nice girl Taylor. They liked ya."

She said it so casually… so blase, as if it was a given.

I almost thought she was mocking me before I pushed that thought aside.

The thought that classmates actually gave even a stray thought that might have even passed as concern...

Well… to say the least it wasn't something I had much experience with.

"I see… well… I..." I was at a loss. I didn't know what to say. "T-tell them I'm alive, and thanks… I guess... I'm okay..."

Aisha sighed, but smiled my way. "Okay… Well, I'm glad to hear you've been doing cool… If you need someone to help break ya out, just let me know." She smirked. "I've got people." She winked.

I smiled back, then let out a laugh I couldn't really hold back.

"Sure you do." I replied.

"So… how long?"

"Hmmm?"

"How long are you stuffed in here? I mean, the Master is dead right?" She asked. I felt a knotch in my chest.

I shrugged."Don't know." I mumbled, a little irritated.

"Uhhh… wait… little confused. You don't know... what? When you're gettin' out or if the Master is still-"

"The Master won't control me anymore…" I say, again, as much for her as for myself. "Its the release date I don't know. Just... Waiting for things to die down a bit. After that... Who knows. I may get reinstated. I may get transferred to Toronto or Boston for all I know. For now, my situation is in their hands." I looked up at the ceiling. "Only thing I can do is just... Go through it and bear with it." My voice softened up.

"Wow…" She grimaced. "That sucks."

I can't do anything but shrug, and the words that came to me carried a foreign certainty as I thought them…

Without really knowing why.

Nothing lives forever

(X)

The next morning its a knock on my door that wakes me up. "Yeah!" I yelled in reflex more than anything else. "I'll be out in fifteen Martin."

It was another voice that greeted me though. "That's all well and good, but might I come in before that?"

I blinked. "Director Dollerant?"

"No dear, its the other old woman that would be on base to see you at this hour." I could hear the laughter in her voice.

I stood up, looking at my pajamas to make sure they weren't messed up or showing anything before walking towards the door and pushing the button for it to open.

With a hiss, it snapped into the wall, revealing the new Director of the PRT ENE in all her five foot glory.

To say I towered over her was an understatement, hell everyone towered over her, the only exception was Missy, but within a year she'd probably have her beat in the height department too.

Couple that with her age of knocking on seventy, the thick glasses over her eyes, and the bob haircut that reached to her neck and she couldn't look anymore different than Piggot or a typical PRT director if she even tried. She dressed in a suit with pants most days I saw her. She seemed to favor darker colors, Slate grey, Navy blue, Mahogany… Never black though, now that I thought of it.

She thrust her hand forward, a styrofoam cup held up to my face. "Tea?"

I didn't even answer the question, still a little flat footed, and just took the cup in my hand as the diminutive woman marched into the room, planting herself on the couch. She had a good stride for a woman her age.

She patted the spot beside her, inviting me to sit as she drank from her own cup.

I doubted she'd have brought me tea if I was in trouble…

"Uhhh… What's this about?" I still found myself asking as I walked over and sat down.

"This is about you, dear." She said, smiling with an easy confidence despite the chipped tooth I could see. She shifted in her seat, facing me. "I know this can't be easy on you dear. How exactly are you holding up?"

I shrugged. "I'll deal with it if that's what you're asking. But yeah, it's getting old."

She nodded. "Well… to be honest… I wish I would have come to see you with good news but this is mixed at best."

I wanted to sigh. "What is it?" Came the groan.

"Well…" She began taking a deep breath, seemingly exasperated despite her efforts. "As you know we have a Public Relations department. Their job is to make all our lives more difficult, all the while getting a better pension, a better salary, more vacation days, more benefits, and even Dental. The trade off? Politicians get re-elected and we get a nice bonus in funding due to keeping them in office. I'm sure you know this."

She smiled again, as if to emphasize that last point.

I nodded though, a little leery as I began to see where exactly this was going.

"Well, my dear." She paused, sighing with seeming empathy. "They've been chomping at the bit to get to you since you came back. I've kept them off you so far with how close a watch we've kept on you but…"

"With you letting me off the leash a bit…" I didn't need to finish the thought. She nodded.

More freedom from the base meant more… oversight.

This wasn't getting old. It was skipping straight to annoying.

"What exactly are they going to ask me to do?"

"Frankly, my dear, I'm not sure, I'd rather not step into the mess that is our PR department unless I'm desperate or drunk, and at my age I'm neither. I will say though, that Mr. Chambers is very good at his job and even though his requests-"

"Demands." I corrected, remembering how Dennis spoke of the PR Department chief.

She bobbed her head from side to side "Well if you want to get technical about it." She smiled. "Even though his demands can be very chafing, especially to the Wards, there has never been a case that the image of the Hero in question hasn't gotten better with his suggestions. Consider it bitter medicine."

Hero...

Odd choice of words at this juncture.

"And honestly, my dear, you probably need it a little more than most at this branch."

"Yeah." I drawled. "My fuckup was public rather than a backroom deal."

I expected some kind of reaction. What I got instead was -

"True."

A flat answer.

I raised an eyebrow, and the woman raised one right back.

Finally, after a moment, I couldn't keep it in. "Really? That's it?"

"Well what would you like me to tell you?" She shrugged. "You're one hundred percent correct."

I blinked. "No lectures no excuses, no explanations just… what? Dismissal?"

"I don't make excuses or explanations for other people's mistakes. I have enough of my own gray hairs and wrinkles, on top of my children and grandchildren, to deal with that. Nor am I going to give a lecture to you since everyone and their mother has already done so and I'm willing to bet you're sick of hearing about it." She shrugged. "I am agreeing with your assessment of the situation. You're in a bind and this is the process of unwinding you, so to speak. It will be slow but slow and steady wins the race as the story goes."

I opened my mouth and… closed it.

"I… don't really know what to say…" I really didn't. My interactions with Director Dollerant have been… very minimal. I met her once back in my bound hospital bed, and this is the third time I've seen her. Second was her jogging on the treadmill... Well… speed walking.

She patted me on the lap. "Let me help you with that. Say 'Yes Madame Director, I will meet Mr. Chambers in two hours with all smiles and listen to what he has to say and apply it in my day to day so you don't get a headache with an angry, complaining, whining fat man in your office.' This was a lovely chat. We should do it more often." She had a… cordial smile on her face. It felt warm but… it still made me uneasy, not at her but at this situation.

Okay, it really was at her.

And just like that she stood up and marched over to the door. "Your tea's getting cold, dear."

I looked down at the cup still in my hand, the now lukewarm tea gathering my attention before I heard the snap hiss of the door opening and closing.

Huh…

Guess I'd better get ready to meet Mr. Chambers.

(X)

I blinked.

I couldn't even do anything else.

I just blinked.

"Mmh mn! No! That is a terrible idea. They look like spikes. Loo- I don't care if their lightning conductors that help his powers- They. Look. Like. Spikes. Spiky armor of evil is a no g - It's your job to convince him! Tell him that if I have to come down there he'll be walking out on his next patrol with a pink jumpsuit! He's not getting the- Ahh, take a seat, I'll be with you in a sec!"

I stood there… and blinked.

This is the senior PR manager of the PRT?

I… well… I wasn't one to judge by looks or anything, I'm nothing to look at myself after all, but…

A Hawaiian shirt?

Correction… a stained Hawaiian shirt. His fingers covered in the crumbs of a recently finished Pizza, and khaki shorts. This guy looked more like the token DnD player in the Jock fraternity from the eighties than someone in charge of… anything.

How could he manage the image of other heroes if he couldn't even deal with his own?

Almost dazed, I marched forward, numbly taking a seat as I waited for him to finish his phone call/argument.

I wasn't sure how much time passed before he finally hung up, frankly I was still too stupefied to notice if it was a lot of time or a little.

"Ok then so… Ms. Hebert." He didn't look at me as he said my name, looking over the desk instead, searching for something. "Ms. Hebert, Ms. Hebert… Miiiiiiissss Hebe- Ahh!" He suddenly said, smiling as he pulled out a file from a stack at the corner of the desk and held it out to me. "Here you go."

"What's this?" I asked, taking hold of the offered file.

"Some issues we've red flagged that need improvement. Read it."

I raised a single eyebrow.

I opened the file and read.

And read…

And read…

And… read it again…

Twice…

A third time.

My eyes trailed up from the simple, thin, two page list, all but ignoring the artwork also placed there on alternative costume designs.

"You must be joking."

Glenn blinked, seemingly surprised from the tilt of his head. "Problem?"

"Yeah, you could say that." I held up the file. "There is no way I'm doing this."

"What part?" He asked, shifting in his seat to lean forward.

"Any of it." I flatly replied. "You want me to swap out my ash armor for a dress? A dress? Are you out of your mind? Wear a domino mask? I'm a frontliner, Brute. One who's rather squishy with no armor."

"You're also rated as a Breaker with long range ash control. You'll just rely more on those skills rather than your obvious Brute abilities. Mid range combat, you won't need your armor."

My mouth fell open, staring, completely dumbfounded by this… moron. "I've taken bullets to the face at least twice that I can think of off the top of my head. That would have been my trip to the morgue rather than just having a sore cheekbone for half a day. I'm keeping my helmet! I'm keeping my armor! PERIOD!"

Glenn glared, I glared right back.

(X)

There was a knock on her door.

"Director. Ma'am."

"Yes?" Dollerant looked up from the paper she was reading.

"Ma'am, someone from Glenn Chambers' branch is calling for you, Ma'am."

"Step inside please, I didn't quite hear you."

The door opened and the young PRT agent stepped inside. "Ahh, Glenn Chambers Ma'a-"

"Oh no I heard you the first time. I just called you in here so I could avoid shouting. Here's the thing - You like your job yes?"

"Errr… Yes?"

"Good. So if you'd like to keep it, young man, you'll walk out of this office and inform Mr. Chambers and everyone else who asks that I am in a meeting with the other directors and and will not be available for the next… Let's ballpark here- eight hours or until Glenn's office has exploded, whatever occurs first."

"Err… Ma'am… I'm not sure-"

"You like your job, yes?"

"Ahhh…"

She waved him off. "Shoo. Go. Or they'll think I'm not so busy in here."

Confused, the young agent turned and began walking to the door, looking over his shoulder towards the older woman, expecting her to tell him she was only joking, but she didn't turn her eyes up from the paper she'd gone back to reading.

"Remember, agent. Not available for the next eight hours." She called after him before he closed the door behind him.