Fuse 4-4

I'm not really sure how I expected the new Wards to arrive, but a big armored helicopter plane was not on the list. I'm talking big military style, blades on top these pod things on the end of the wings and PRT stenciled on the side of the body.

It was kind of cool.

"This is so unfair." Assault grumbled from beside me. "I had to drive myself and all of my stuff to the bay in a truck when I transferred. They get a freaking Osprey!"

I guess he meant the helicopter plane.

He looked around the roof top. "Actually, I'm not 100 percent sure that it will fit on the landing pad." He put a hand on my shoulder. "Let's maybe stand over by the stairs."

I watched as the aircraft descended towards the roof and really got a sense of what Assault was talking about. "Y-yeah good idea." We made our way to the stairs trying to be casual about it while maintaining some sort of haste.

Okay, well, the helicopter plane fit just fine on the landing pad and we would have been safe in our previous spot. Still though that plane thing was a lot bigger up close than when I saw it fly in and when that massive thing is hovering overhead? Well common sense says move.

"Come on let's go see who is here." Assault waves me forward.

So I teleported up to the landing pad just short of where the other Wards and Heroes were gathering to greet the new arrivals. I got a disapproving look from Miss Militia, no doubt from using my powers but it was nothing on the look Assault got from Armsmaster for jogging up late. Maybe I have been around Assault too much, but those two needed to relax.

There was a distinct heavy thud from inside the plane.

Then another. And another. More, in a steady rhythm until the source of the sound appeared at the top of the ramp leading to the cargo bay. He had to have been taller than me, six foot maybe a bit more. He wore a basketball jersey and shorts of a team I didn't recognize and boots so sturdy they had to weigh enough on their own be dangerous.

Oh, and he was made of metal. Like all dull grey metal with only the slightest glint of reflected light.

"That must be Weld." Assault rubbed at his chin. "Don't recognize the team on the jersey."

"Maybe the rumor that 53's are from other dimensions is true." I muttered back.

Assault glanced at me. "What rumors?"

"PHO. Where else?"

"Meh I guess." He grumbled.

"Still mad about the fanfic of you and-"

"No!" He looked away from me. "You know I would never cheat on Battery. Especially not with-"

Music blared from the interior of the plane, a driving guitar and fast drums, all leading up to a familiar build up of a popular song just as a caped heroine jumped out onto the ramp.

"Tadaa!" The heroine posed as if she was an Olympic gymnast.

Miss Militia palmed her face.

Assault pumped a fist. "Yes! finally someone else who knows how to have fun around here."

"Mouse! What are you doing here?" Miss Militia. "I thought you were going to lay low for a while."

"Pffftt I can do that anywhere, so why not here?" The woman bounced down the ramp. "Besides now I can hang with my bestie!"

My attention was drawn back up to the top of the ramp where a, woman judging from her costume clinging tightly to her form. She had a large duffel slung over one shoulder and a high-tech looking crossbow resting on the other. She shuffled down to where Weld was shaking hands with Aegis.

Assault bumped my shoulder with one hand. "Come on let's go say hello."

.

I teleported back to the Wards base on my own, deciding to forgo the cramped elevator ride. Which gave me a few moments to briefly fill in Lisa and Battery before the rest of the Wards made it down.

"Welcome to Brockton Bay's Base for the Wards." Aegis entered first and displayed the open layout with a sweep of his arms. "It's pretty customizable, so let us know if you have any ideas."

Vista scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Within reason of course. We must still abide by safety regulations." He said mostly to Vista.

"It had handrails." Vista grumbled.

Aegis ignored her and moved on. "Weld you will be here in the first room on the right." He gestured to browbeat a old room. "Flechette you will be sharing a room with, um, well she hasn't picked a new name yet."

"New name?" Flechette asked looking around.

Lisa steeped forward. "That would be me. Call me Lisa, everyone else does." She didn't offer her hand though, whether that was Lisa being Lisa or something else I didn't know.

"Cool, Call me Lily." Flechette pulled off her visor. "Flechette can be too much of a mouthful."

Weld also introduced himself though he did offer his hand which Lisa shook without hesitation.

There was some social game going on that was way out of my league. I'll just get Lisa to explain it to me later.

Everyone went around and removed their masks for reintroductions.

"This is going to be so cool." Lily dropped her bags next to the door of her and Lisa's room. "I was worried that there wouldn't be any girls on the team. PHO isn't up to date I guess."

"We're new." Lisa snaked an arm under my coat and around my waist. "Me more than her but we go back a bit."

Lily cocked an eyebrow at Lisa "Alright no problem." She looked around the room. "Where is Shadow Stalker?"

And that killed the mood.

Carlos stepped forward. "I was going to wait until everyone was settled but I guess now is good. Why don't we all sit." He looked to Weld and Lily. "There's a few things you should know."

Carlos removed his mask and laid out the events of the Bank and the days that followed.

"Fuck." Lily leaned back into the comfort of the couch she shared with Missy and Dennis.

Carlos frowned at her word choice but nodded.

"Pretty well sums it up." Lisa agreed. She and I were splitting one of the oversized armchairs.

"So, like, is Stalker working for Bakuda or..." Lily waved a hand, inviting us to fill the blanks.

I glanced at Lisa but she gave me a slight shake of her head. Now wasn't the time I guess.

"Could just be good old fashioned crazy." Dennis shrugged. "She was our teammate for a good while but she was never really a team player. Never did anything for anyone but herself."

"Still to attack you all like that..." Weld shook his head. "What about Panacea? She's the big time healer up here right?"

"Officially she pushed her powers too far trying to heal her sister and is suffering a backlash." Carlos hedged.

"So What really happened?" Lily's tone made clear her opinion of the official story.

Carlos shook his head. "We don't know."

"I saw her briefly at the hospital." Dennis's tone was uncharacteristically somber. "She looked... broken."

I frowned but didn't say anything.

No one did.

We all knew what broken felt like.

"Ugh I need a drink." Lisa leaned her head back and stared at the ceiling.

"But you're not old enough..." Chris pointed out.

"Yeah... this side of the law has some down sides doesn't it?" Lisa agreed.

"No kidding. There were some killer parties I wish I could have gone to back home." Lily wrinkles her nose. "But if I ever got busted at one they would have docked my Wards pay."

"What made you come here?" Lisa asked.

I placed a hand on her thigh and squeezed to tell her to play nice. Something I guess Lily had noticed and judging by her face I think I was sending the wrong message.

Lisa leaned to whisper in my ear. "That means more than you think it does." And she took one look at my face and laughed as she leaned back. No doubt enjoying my growing embarrassment.

"What's so funny?" Missy asked.

"Nothing." Lisa, Lily, Dennis, and surprisingly Weld answered at the same time.

"I'm not a kid, you can tell me." Missy huffed.

"But you are a kid." Weld said.

"Oh no." Dennis was wide around the eyes.

"I. Am. Not." Missy gave each word emphasis. "A. Kid."

"Time to go." I rolled on top of Lisa and focused on my room, teleporting is there onto the bed.

"Ah, well maybe you did know what squeezing my leg meant." Lisa chirped.

I rolled my eyes and rolled off her to lay next to her.

"Don't you think you were over reacting?" Lisa asked. "It's not like Missy is the violent type."

Something crashed from out in the common room.

"See?" I retorted.

"Ah well fair enough."

.

I tucked my hand under my hood to touch a finger to my earpiece, "Console? Radio check."

"Yeah were good." Lisa's voice came back to me. "You know this isn't Star Trek right? You don't have to stuff a finger in your ear every time you want to talk to me."

I felt my face heat up. "I know. Vista keeps telling me but it's feels weird just talking to thin air ya know?"

"No. Not really." Came her super helpful response. "Anyway Battery says I'm supposed to guide you all through the course today so are you ready?"

"I guess." I looked to my left and right. Flechette and Weld were doing their own prep work. "Who are we up against."

"I don't know."

"Liar." I retorted.

"Ok well I do know, but I'm not supposed to tell you." Her voice was far too chipper for my nerves. "But it should be fun."

Weld was supposed to be the team leader for this exercise, with the idea that we could possibly field two smaller teams of wards instead of one large team.

Aegis was leading Team One of himself, Vista, Clockblocker, and Kid Win. While Team Two would be Weld leading Flechette, Gallant, and myself. Assuming Gallant was ever able to come back.

"Console?" Weld asked. "Are we online and ready to go?"

"Just waiting on a mic check from Flechette." Lisa replied on an open channel.

"I'm here console." Flechette hefted her crossbow and aimed down sights. "And I'm good to go."

"Cool, so, what's the play Weld?" Lisa asked.

"Info is more valuable than gold in this business, we'll start with that. What do you know?"

I sighed. Weld didn't know not to give her straight lines like that.

"So very much more that you would believe Metal Man." You could practically hear her grin.

If the Metal Man comment bothered Weld it didn't show. "Pertaining to the exercise?"

"Ah let's see they gave me a script to read frommmm." Lisa hummed. "I had it here a second ago. Whatever I remember the gist of it. There is a report of a villain threatening civilians blah blah propaganda BS. Anyway the villain was described as female and was swinging a bladed weapon around. Probably some hostages too cause why not?"

There was a voice in the background.

"This is me taking it serio-" Lisa's line cut off.

Flechette glanced at me and I shook my head in response. Lisa was going to be Lisa.

"Alright, so, deadly weapon and hostages. We play this smart." Weld looked us over. "Wisp I want you mobile. Get us a location of the Villain and any hostages you might see. Flechette try and make your way to the center. I want you to be able to respond if Wisp needs back up."

"What about you?" I asked.

He chuckled. "I'm not the quietest on the move. I will work my way along Flechette's trail to make sure no one follows her but far enough back that I don't give her away. We will both respond if you find something."

"Ok." I swallowed my nerves. "Got it."

I looked at the course that was arranged for us, picked out the highest platform and focused.

"Lookin here!" A woman's voice cried victory. "We have our first guest!"

A hand firmly slapped me on the back and pushed me off the edge of the platform.

I jumped on reflex to where I was looking.

"Can't get away from me that easy dastardly villa- um, I mean Hero!"

She was behind me again. How was she doing that. I teleported again.

And again.

And again.

Every freaking time she was behind me.

This time when I landed I pivoted and lashed out with a fire filled hand.

She wasn't there.

"Too easy. I win." Something tapped me on my head.

"Willow Wisp! You're out! Return to the waiting room!" The intercom called.

What? But how?

I turned to see Mouse Protector with her sheathed sword held out. She had had tapped me with it, thus "killing me" by the rules of the training exercise. Of course had it been the actual sword and more than a tap, she really could have killed me.

I shivered.

Focusing on where I knew Lisa to be I teleported out of the training room.

"Ack! Geeze." Lisa jumped in her seat. "Even when I know it's coming damnit."

Oops.

"Wisp." Battery crosses her arms. "Please do not distract Lisa."

Lisa ignored her mentor. "Hey don't let this one bum you out Wisp. Mouse has way more experience using her powers." She pressed a key on the key board. "Weld, as you heard over the intercom, Wisp is out. Proceed with caution. The target is a teleported and appears to be using deadly force." She released the key and glanced at the displays.

"What happened? How did she know where I would be every time?" I asked.

"She didn't." Lisa didn't look away from the screens. "She was hiding in the most advantageous lookout position waiting for whomever tried to scout it out. Which just so happened to be you. Then she tagged you with her power when you showed up." Lisa glanced at me. "Bad luck as much as inexperience really. The deck was stacked against you."

Battery frowned but didn't disagree.

"What's her power?" I asked.

"Hmm from your encounter it appears she can tag something then teleport to it. Maybe a little enhanced agility in there. Not sure if she is hiding something else. I need more time."

Time I hadn't been able to provide...

"Stop it." Lisa scolded without even glancing at me. "It was bad luck and a huge experience gap."

"She's right." Battery sighed. "Wisp, you have been really lucky so far. Some of us in the Protectorate have been speaking with the Director about requiring a Protectorate member on all Ward patrols."

"Sidekicks." Lisa muttered.

Battery gave her a dirty look. "Thing are changing in the Bay. The Villains are gaining the upper hand and starting to flout the rules. The wards need to be ready."

I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry. "Ready for what."

"For more of the same." Battery's mouth twisted with distaste. "The Wards were never intended to face the kind of threat that the Villains of the Bay pose. There is a degrading regard for the rules and what's left may not be enough to protect you."

"The unwritten rules?" I asked.

"Exactly." Battery nodded. "There has always been a little flexibility in the rules, but now?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if identities become compromised before too long if Bakuda escalates." Lisa said quietly.

Battery said nothing.

"Why hasn't the Protectorate gone after her?" I asked.

"Not for lack of trying, even the Villains are looking for her." Lisa pressed a button. "Target last sighted in the area ahead. Mover Striker is my guess. No idea where the hostages are. Be careful ." She released the button.

"We can't find her." Battery confirmed. "The best we have accomplished was preventing a few bombs from going off."

"Tell her the rest." Lisa said.

Battery glanced at Lisa.

"My power." She explained. "I get the gist of it."

"None of the ABB we captured have survived. Bombs planted inside them." Battery said quietly.

"She had to have been watching." Lisa observed. "She's not the type to let someone else control the bombs."

"What now?" I asked. "What do we do about Bakuda?"

"Truce with the Villains and a kill order." Lisa suggested.

"It might come to that." Battery said quietly. "God help us if the Bay turns into a war zone."

Author's Note: Hello All! Sorry for the wait. Things have gotten a bit crazy as I'm sure everyone has noticed. I wrote the Wisp vs Mouse bit, then rewrote it, then again, and again until I ended up cutting 90% of it. I really just am not good at the action scenes yet.

Thank you all for fav and following and most of all for leaving reviews! I know things are a bit up in the air right now but i hope everyone stays safe, healthy, and happy!

K. Raiden.