"Light," Rush said. "Pass me the torture kit."
The two villains and three heroes stood in the warehouse in the middle of the night. The other employees were scared off easily thanks to bug girl's horror show. The warehouse was dark, with outdated electricity, but they still managed to find the ring's leader. Browbeat took the opportunity to tie her to a chair when they found her. Two other prostitutes were tied with their backs against her. One was a college aged girl, the other looked to be of high school age.
Light passed the briefcase to Rush. To their surprise, Rush spoke to them in fluent Japanese. "Tell us where Theo is!" She switched back to english easily. "Or face the non-kinky wrath of my torture tools!"
"Would they do that?" The high school aged prostitute asked in Japanese. "I've never seen them torture people on camera."
"We're not on fucking camera," their leader grumbled back.
"Oiy," Mouse Protector protested, "no torturing."
Rush squinted at Mouse Protector, "stop being a buzzkill. We'll call it enhanced interrogation if it makes you feel better."
"Buzzkill," Light pointed to bug girl. "Or killbuzz, or buzzkiller. You pretty much ruin fun wherever you go, it's perfect for you."
Taylor scrunched her lips beneath her mask. Browbeat said, "no kill words."
"I still say she should go with Pheromone women," Rush said with a blush. "Releasing pheromones wherever she goes."
"Stop sexually harassing her," Mouse Protector growled. "How is it that you're making me the responsible one?"
"Or leg girl," Rush said. "She's got the legs for it." Rush winked in Taylor's direction. She didn't react.
"Bug girl," Mouse Protector said, "I'm giving you permission to put a moth on Light's head every time Rush makes you uncomfortable."
"Oh dear God," Light gripped his sister's shoulder, "stop ruining my life!"
Rush glared at Mouse Protector, "I bet you think you're clever you... Mouse… Furry… Yiff thing."
"I'm not just clever," she replied in snarky tone, "I'm clever forever like steller cheddar ."
Rush's mouth twitched at the rhyme. Before she could mutter profanity, Browbeat said, "can we stay focused? Not all of us are here for the passive-aggressive banter."
"Fine," Mouse Protector and Rush said at the same time.
"But no torture," Mouse Protector said.
Rush opened the briefcase. She faced it so that only the prostitutes could see it. "Three seconds. Or else the torture begins. One."
The three ABB members stared at the briefcase's contents in shock. Their eyes widened in disbelief.
"Two."
"Hey," Bug girl said amassing some bugs, "we're not going to let you-"
"Three."
Rush lifted the briefcase over their heads and dropped thousands of dollar bills over their heads. "You like that you dirty whores!?"
"Yeah," Light said emptying his pockets. More hundred dollar bills were crumbled up and thrown at the gang member's faces, "and there's plenty of more where that came from you criminal scum!"
"Tell us where Theo is!" Rush demanded, "we won't stop the golden shower until you talk!"
"It's true," Light double downed. "We have a lot of money. Ridiculous, boatloads of money. This can go on all day if we need it to."
"I think we should wait it out," the college aged hooker said. The other two gang members nodded in agreement.
Mouse Protector shamelessly knelt down and pocketed the bills falling in her direction. "Really?" Bug Girl commented.
Mouse Protector whimpered, "being a rogue hero does not pay as well as you'd think…"
Rush yelled, "trying to act tough, huh? Don't make me take out Light's college fund!"
"She'll do it," Light repeated, "my future is in your hands."
Browbeat shook his head, "I don't think you two understand the concept of torture."
Bug girl added, "I think they would've talked at the first hundred thousand."
The briefcase emptied out. Light answered, "better safe than sorry."
Rush spoke in Japanese, "now, tell us where Theo is, or I'm taking all of this away."
"Seriously," Light added in Japanese, "We stole this from a friend. So we're kind of broke now that we threw it at your faces."
The middle aged hooker said to their leader, "I'll kill you if you don't tell them."
"Alright alright, he's in the ring west from here. Eight blocks away, third warehouse on the east side. If he's not there right now, he'll be there later tonight. It's where all ransom kids end up."
"Got it," Rush announced. She strided away passed the hero, "take my lead, you crappy heroes."
Mouse Protector glared at her, "hold on, I'm the adult here, I'm leading this mismatched team!" She followed behind her. Browbeat followed after them.
Taylor stayed behind to watch Light speak to the ABB members in Japanese. "I wanted to let you know, I get it." Light told them in their fluent language. "You ended up here either because you're stuck, you were pushed into it, or because you needed an escape from something. I get that, and I think most people do too."
He untied the two prostitutes, but tightened the rope on pimp's arms. "What gives?" The leader said.
Light took the time to tell them they had the chance to leave now. A chance to leave the ABB, and to leave the down ridden area of Brockton Bay. All the money they'd thrown at them was theirs now, they could release their leader only if they wanted to. But more than anything, Light asked for them to leave the gang. "The ABB aren't worth it. Gangs only have your back until you lose you're worth, and that's not what family is. You both, like everyone else, deserves a better spot in life. And now you have the chance at that." Light pointed to the money to emphasize his point.
The two gang members rubbed at their wrists, and began picking up the money. The younger girl murmured, "tank… Yo." She wasn't fluent in English, but she was willing to try for his sake.
Light gave a smile before he left. He didn't really believe they'd leave the ABB, but he was happy to give them the chance. "What did you say to them?" Taylor asked.
"Anime jokes," Light answered. "There's always time for anime jokes."
XXX
"How dare you undermine my auht-o-ra-taye!"
Rush groaned at Mouse Protector, "stop with the word play! You're not funny, the only thing that's funny is ironic humor with borderline grotesque wording."
Mouse Protector stuck her tongue out at Rush. "Amateur. You're the one who makes overused innuendoes when she can't think of anything."
"Screw you you freaky furry, and not in the yiff way!" Rush lifted her middle fingers up at her, "you're a wannabe joke hero with no respect!"
"You call yourself Losers," Mouse Protector hissed. "You know people online don't even think you're real villains?"
Rush gasped, "take that back you furry force creep! You're the one who created those freaky mouse fetishes online!"
"Bohoo," Mouse Protector feigned tears. "Like you're one to talk, you're website literally has a kink section you putrid freak."
"It's a perfectly common fetish!"'
Rush and Mouse Protector eyed each other in rage. They were using everything they knew about each other to make personal jabs at each other's cape lives. They were like sisters. So similar, yet so hateful towards each other.
Light, Bug girl, and Browbeat were on the rooftop staking out the ABB warehouse a short distance away from them. They were crouched at the edge, well hidden in the cool darkness of the apartment. They had a clear view of the building beneath them. There was a light fog low in the ground, but Bug Girl served as a terrific scout for when the hostage would arrive.
"You guys really do stuff like this?" Bug girl asked. "These stakeouts. Why do you guys do it? It takes hours to do, and there's nothing to gain from it."
"Why are you a hero?" Light said casually.
It was a rhetorical question, and Taylor understood it enough not to answer.
"I think the better question is, why are you a villain?" Browbeat said. "I'm not altruistic, but you seem more purpose driven then I am. You only rob places with insurance, you stakeout ABB trafficking rings, and go out of your way to humiliate the E88. It looks to me like you're on the wrong side of the playing field."
Bug Girl added, "I never thought of it that way." She sort of assumed the title 'villain' was self-explanatory, now she was wondering if they used the label ironically. "It's even in your name, you don't act like-"
"Can we stop talking?" Light interrupted. "I get it. I'm a bad villain. Can we drop it?"
Taylor paused, forgetting that she might've treaded on a sensitive topic. Sure, the Losers were each willing to talk about their trigger events, but clearly there was some other baggage that they didn't want to talk about. Note to self, Taylor thought, never ask a villain why they're a villain.
The three of them fell quiet. Mouse Protector and Rush were now arguing loud enough to drown out the silence, but Light didn't want to leave the conversation at that. 'Why are you a villain?' He didn't like thinking about that, but it was times like these that he knew he needed an answer. The two heroes wanted to know something about him, and he wanted them to know something about him.
"Rush… Was on the bad end of the stick," Light said it quietly, enough for only Taylor and Browbeat to hear. "People are after her. The Protectorate won't protect her. I'm staying with her because I have to, nothing will ever change that."
It was a half truth, but it felt like he'd told the whole truth. Bug girl said, "that's… Noble of you."
Light felt his heart skip a beat. Like he'd finally gotten a pat on the back for the choices he made. "Can I ask... Why none of you are in the Wards?"
"Too many regulations," Browbeat answered quickly. "I'd rather have it as a fallback plan than as a primary plan. I'll try solo first, and if it doesn't work, I'll join the Wards. Right now, I'd rather not be tied down by them yet."
"Same," Taylor said.
Light nodded. "Thing is, you're more likely to die as solo capes than as Wards. My team is lucky, we have a tinker that always has an escape plan ready for us. If you want, I can ask for Leet to make something to help you guys out."
"You would do that?" Bug Girl asked. Light nodded.
"WIll it be trackable?" Browbeat asked in a plain tone.
"No, I wouldn't do that to you guys," Light answered. "I'll talk to Leet, figure out what he can create to up your success rates."
"Thanks," Bug Girl said. Browbeat nodded.
"You're a bad hero and you should feel bad!" Rush yelled aloud. "You have no shame and bring insult to heroes everywhere!"
Mouse Protector pulled down an eyelid to give her the stink eye, "says the girl who calls herself loser."
Rush gritted her teeth, "you know what? You're my fucking enemy now. Next time we meet, I'll be dressed up as a cat and rip your real ears off."
"That would be puuuuur-fect," Mouse Protector teased to her distaste. "The puns will be... Caaaat-astropic!"
"You son of a mouse bitch," Rush yelled. Rush jumped between Browbeat and Bug Girl. "How much would it cost for you two to join the dark side?"
"Hey," Mouse Protector growled, "you can't bribe heroes with money!"
"A million dollars for signing up."
Mouse Protector's eyes widened. In small tone she asked, "can I join?"
"No adults." Rush growled.
Mouse Protector retracted, "don't fall for her lies!" Mouse Protector crouched next to Light, and elbowed at his side. "Let me tell you the glories of heroism, so that you can convert to the light side."
Rush yelled, "stop corrupting my brother!"
"Um," Bug Girl grumbled, "I'd rather not go online and call myself a villain all day."
"Ditto," Browbeat said. "You guys paint yourselves as the target to everyone. I'd rather not make myself vulnerable like that."
"Hah," Mouse Protector cried out in victory. "You're recruitment methods don't even work. Rune didn't even stay after the first video."
"She wouldn't do redhead jokes!" Rush groaned, "she disqualified herself!"
After Rune's recruitment video, the Losers couldn't upload anything following the New Wave incident. As far as people knew, it was theorized Rune's racism got her kicked out of the team.
"I still text her on weekends," Light commented.
Rush stared at him, "what?"
"Yeah," Light took out his phone. He read some of the text messages, "'O-m-g. You caramel colored screw up. I heart you.' Three smiley face emojis."
"Wait, let me see that." She stole his phone and scrolled down the text messages.
Rune: This rich snub is saying some racist shit to the Muslim clerk at the gas station.
Light: Here's the plan. Attune the gas pump handle, and spray his clothes with gasoline when he passes by.
10 minutes later.
Rune: His suit is ruined! This fucker is freaking the fuck out!
Light: He probably thinks God hates him. Congrats Rune, you are God.
Rune: (Three smiley faces, plus one emoji heart)
Rush looked up at her brother. "I'm taking this away from you."
"What? Why?"
"You dense motherfucker."
"Found them." Taylor announced. Rush pocketed his phone. The rest of the capes stared off at the dimly lit warehouse. "Movement in the warehouse. A truck is coming in through the back with five people inside. One of them is pulling out a kid. He's tied up on the wrists and ankles. Even if it's not Theo, it's definitely someone there against his will."
Mouse Protector nodded. "Alright, this is the part where we put our powers to strategic use. Bug Girl, I need to stay here as a scout. I'll leave a tag here in case you get into trouble. Put a beetle on my shoulder. If I crush it, it's your signal to make a distraction for us to escape."
Bug Girl nodded. She continued, "Browbeat, you stay back and watch her. Keep Bug Girl safe since she's not a Brute. You're shield does have high limits, but don't jump in until things go south. Thing is, you two are new to the cape game, so I'd rather keep them guessing at what you're both really capable of."
Browbeat nodded. Mouse Protector turned to Rush. "Rush, Light, can you both stay by my side? Let's go for a shock-and-awe tactic, fight down the bad guys as a trio, and rescue Theo in one quick swoop."
"Sounds like a good plan," Rush said with a nod.
"Alright," Light said. "Let's do this. LEEEEROY JENKIIIIIINS!"
Light ran into the warehouse. "Oh fuck," Rush ran after him, "Light, I didn't bring the teleporters!"
"You have got to be kidding me," Browbeat said.
"Oh crap," Taylor said, "we have to go after them."
"No," Mouse Protector ordered. "You two stay here. Stick with the plan." She swooped in after them.