Cygnet 1.4

{Name for a young swan.}

The Operations Center was a bigger Security Booth adjacent to the Cafeteria. And it did, indeed have a lot of stressed security guards. There were about six talking on radios. About an equal number of green scrubs hovered on the periphery. And three others. These ones were not in scrubs, and not in guard uniforms and plates.

Capes. I slowed a little. The closest one- a graceful, willowy woman -caught sight of us.

"Wick." Activity slowed, for just a moment, "All right everyone, this is good, but Victim and Lazyeye are still loose somewhere. Victim especially, I want her caught in the next twenty minutes' people."

She turned to one of the doctors, "Well, Doctor Foster?"

Doctor Foster emerged from the back of the booth, a man greying around the temples, with a bit of a paunch and a vest and tie. He stepped forward, holding out a hand, "Yuliana?"

I glanced at Yuliana, she was swaying gently, eyes glazed. Her gaze wandered across them, to me, and I tried to give her a reassuring smile. When I glanced back to Doctor Foster, he had put on Latex gloves, and took her hand gently. "Come along dear, did you eat breakfast yet? I guess you missed it in all of the excitement."

I watched them go. Two guards peeled off to follow Doctor Foster and Yuliana at a discreet distance.

I'd met Doctor Foster once before, when I'd just arrived at Alchemilla. He'd helped supervise testing my power. He was a prominent researcher in the field of parahuman psychology and powers. Still, something rubbed me the wrong way about him. I couldn't quite put my finger on-

"Hello."

I snapped back to the present.

The tall woman stepped out towards me. She was pale and fine-boned, carried herself like she was in charge and everyone ought to know it.

But she had a slight limp, and she had only one leg.

She wore a green costume, very practical with pads and a tactical vest, but the pants only covered one leg and the other was a slender, gleaming prosthetic well past the knee. Most of her face was covered with a half mask extending from under her collar up over her nose. He hair was very straight and black, and cropped ruler-straight at jaw length. Elegant and commanding.

"Auspice, right?"

I was instantly shy and felt about an inch tall. "Um, er, y-yes?"

"Thanks for finding Wick for us." She held out her right hand, "Summer Holiday."

"H-hello." I breathed. Oh gosh oh gosh oh gosh. I shook her hand- she had a strong grip. I tried to ignore the ping from my power before I let go.

… something to do with light and force and-

I was talking to an actual superheroine! I couldn't remember if I'd ever seen her action figure anywhere, and it wasn't like I was talking to Alexandria or Eidolon or Hero, but I was talking to an actual hero! I felt giddy!

Oh, Emma would be so jealous!

Emma would be…

Oh…

And just like that, the moment was ruined, spoilt. I deflated. Because Emma wasn't here. I suddenly felt so alone. My head ached were I'd hit it, and I didn't know a single person in the room.

Summer Holiday noticed my head too.

"How did this happen?" she asked, gently touching my jaw, and tilting my head to get a better look at the knot on my forehead.

"Um, there was… there were a couple people?" I ventured, "I was pushed?"

Summer Holiday glanced up at my face and gave me a look.

"Tell me about them."

"They had a lot of bags… um, I think there were prescriptions? I could hear pill bottles rattling."

"What did they look like, the people who had the bottles?"

"Some of them looked… They looked weird." I hesitated, I didn't think it would be polite to say 'Monster capes' outright. But I'd only seen it used online the one time, and didn't know what else to call them.

Summer nodded, "I think I know who you're talking about."

"Grudge, Moonsmile, can you find Prince and ask him to step in for a word? Marionette too, if they hit the dispensary she'd need to be involved." Summer tossed over her shoulder. There was a note in her voice I would definitely call sharp.

There was a man and a woman. The man had a black bodysuit with three yellow Xs across the forehead, a larger one on his chest, and fingerless gloves. The woman slight and small, with a runner's build, running tights, and an armored vest that looked like Tinkertech. The man nodded and they both ambled off.

Summer turned back to me and gave me a meaningful, appraising glance. She knew exactly what had happened, it wasn't the first time- hazing, or whatever it had actually been. Lizard Prince, Inkling, Frog, Prowler, Quilt, Marionette. They were behind the disruption, and I was beginning to suspect that it wasn't something harmless that they'd done. Not harmless at all.

I didn't know what I would need to do to get this kind of response, but Marionette was in actual trouble.

"Are you all right, Auspice?" Summer Holiday asked, "You look a little pale."

"Uh, y-yeah. It's just… Um, I'm talking to an actual hero." I tried to smile, I felt giddy and crestfallen in turns.

Summer's mask moved, I think she smiled. Or, she tried to. Her eyes were too sad to really sell it. "First time?"

Someone was screaming and it was so confusing and- blood was on my fingers. How had that happened- I hadn't meant to-

The smell of antiseptic and floor wax and copper.

"N-no." I whispered.

"Hey." Summer Holiday leaned in, hands on both my shoulders, "It's okay, kid, deep breaths."

I felt cold, I was shivering. I just wanted Mom and Emma, and Dad. And I wanted… I wanted… I was crying in front of a hero.

"Oh, kid." Summer sighed, "It's okay."

Summer Holiday gently led me back towards the security station and sat me down at one of the tables.

"You were scared, huh?"

I hadn't been- not when it happened. There hadn't been time to be afraid. But now, now I was shaking, I hadn't felt this unsafe since the blood, and the hospital. I'd cried myself into a stupor, unable to sleep, unable to stop the input as my power kept murmuring- voices in a crowd in my head, whispering things I didn't want to know.

Now? Now I was scared, and felt so small, and I didn't know anyone. One of the troopers slid a cup to me, and when I touched the cup-

Hot chocolate. He'd put a double packet in.

"T-thank… Thank you." I hiccupped.

The man was tall, freckled and dark haired. His nametag read 'D. Brown' and he gave me and Summer Holiday an awkward nod.

"Now, you're walking around, so I'm guessing that you'll live. Do we need to get that looked at?" She pointed, and I realized she meant my forehead.

I actually didn't know. But, this was a perfect opportunity to use my power for something actually useful. I pinged the cut on my head, rubbing one finger over the swelling.

Bruising, inflammation, superficial damage. Nonfatal.

"No, I'll be all right."

Summer nodded slowly. Right, I guess she'd know what my power was, she'd probably guessed I had used it. "I'm not surprised. Lizard has been a troublemaker since he got here. He was a villain- had a pled deal, insanity, when he got caught. Really sleazy plea deal." Summer explained, "He's been a thorn in my side ever since- and what's worse is he's roped some of the other patients in on it, and he's been getting bolder."

"We get cases like his every few years." She tapped her fingers on the table, "I wouldn't worry about Marionette, I'd be surprised if she gets less than three weeks in solitary. But if Lizard Prince goes bothering you again, you find me or security immediately, all right?"

"Yes ma'am."

She smiled under the mask. Yeah, you could definitely tell, it was the eyes.

I took a deep, steadying breath, "Do you know where Doctor Yamada is?

"Is she your therapist?" Summer asked.

I nodded, "I was supposed to have a session after breakfast."

Summer stood up, "She was down in the infirmary last I heard. I'd like to get that looked at anyway- come on, we'll find her."

...

We headed out, Summer and I, and went up.

"There was a short-circuit, I think, downstairs." Summer said, "That's where we keep our indiscriminate patients."

"Indiscriminate?"

"Mostly uncontrolled powers- powers that don't have off switches." Summer replied. We turned a corner and reached a security checkpoint, the guard saluted. But instead of continuing on to the administrative section, she stepped to a door labeled 'Security Access'. The door that required a keycard, on the other side linoleum gave way to bare concrete. She kept walking briskly, her prosthetic marking brisk clinks every other step, I followed on her heels.

"You're not allowed in here without security escort, understand?"

"Yes ma'am."

The hallway was straight and uninterrupted, illuminated by lightbulbs housed in protective steel cages. Pipes and bundles of wires were strung up close to the ceiling. This was probably some kind of utility access. The air was cool and just slightly moist.

"Auspice?" Summer said in the silence.

"Yes ma'am?"

"I know this… it's probably not the kind of introduction you expected." Summer said, looking back at me, "Um… It's okay to be scared, you know?"

"Okay."

"Right." She nodded, "Just don't be afraid to be afraid. Doc Yamada is one of the best therapists we have, let her help."

We turned, kept moving, at the end of the hall Summer opened another door. We exited back out into a white-tiled hall and florescent lighting. This door was set beside another security checkpoint, this one with two guards in the booth. Summer passed through without a pause and I hesitated a moment before I followed her through the gate. The hall ended in a small foyer with a set of double doors and a line of benches. "Right. This is the infirmary. We still have three patients that can't be returned to their rooms. Had a couple close calls. Last I saw, Yamada was down here, let's see if she still is."

"She's all right, though?"

"Oh, of course. She's fine."

Summer pushed open the swinging doors, inside there was blue carpet and a small nursing desk. There was a woman in green scrubs at the desk- medium build with mousy brown hair gathered in a bun. She looked up as Summer strode across the lobby.

"Is Doctor Jessica Yamada still down here?"

The nurse blinked. "Oh, yes."

"Is she free?"

"She ought to be, in a moment. Room ten."

Summer nodded and turned down the left hand hallway, and I had to hurry to keep up. The doors passed, one on each side, nine of them before Summer stopped on a dime and rapped briskly on the door.

"Coming!" I heard from inside.

Summer nodded, "And that's her. I kind of need to talk to her too, you don't mind, right kid?"

I shook my head. Doctor Yamada was out a moment later.

She looked a little disheveled- a couple hairs had escaped the tight bun she always wore, waving with the motion of her head as she closed the door behind her. I thought I detected a faint sheen of sweat on her forehead, and there was a stressed tightness in the corners of her eyes and her thinned lips. She carried a briefcase.

"Summer," she said, and then with surprise, "Taylor! What…"

"Found her in the middle of the mess," Summer said, "I needed to have a word and thought she'd need a quick talk with you, after."

"What- oh. Oh, of course. She frowned and rubbed the bridge of her nose, "Your appointment. Oh, Taylor, I apologize."

"Sure. I-I mean, it's okay." I stammered, distracted. My power was picking up a lot off her.

First and second fingers on her left hand bandaged lightly, the skin on the back of the same hand lacks all the fine hairs, singed off, her jacket and blouse were borrowed.

She wasn't in distress, and didn't give me a lot of tells to work with, but I suspected she had been in danger.

"Thank you, Taylor." Doctor Yamada smiled.

Summer nodded, "Just a moment, this'll be quick."

I sat on one of the chairs lining the hall as Summer and Yamada walked off a few yards, "What is this about, Summer?"

The hallway was empty, even with their voices lowered I could listen in.

"Lizard Prince… talked to her, but…"

I hesitated.

I didn't… I wasn't comfortable with eavesdropping on my therapist. I really, really wasn't comfortable eavesdropping on my therapist and a hero. But that niggling sense of unease was back, and my forehead throbbed. My filters peeled back and I pinged Summer and Yamada, mentally urging my power to tell me what they were saying.

Experiencing it was a little strange, like an echo, but it moved faster, filling in what I had missed and what was being said now at the same time.

It wasn't perfect, I still lost words, but the intent was what was important- filling in what was missing. Doctor Yamada was clearer, at first. I was more familiar to her and my power had more data to draw on, a model to work with; but even as I listened, Summer was growing clearer.

"Just warning you, Lizard Prince was probably involved in the breakout." Summer said, "Auspice ran into him and his clique. I talked to her, but… I believe they raided the dispensary, I don't know if they did anything more than."

Doctor Yamada gently massaged her forehead.

"My god, is she all right?"

"Yeah, she's a brave kid. I want to take her to Doctor Lafayette after you're done though, since we're here anyway."

Doctor Yamada nodded, "I don't have any objections."

"Thank you." Summer said, "I won't keep you any longer; go ahead, Doctor. I'll be talking to Chief Stevens if you need me."

I stopped leaning on my power- and felt a little guilty and foolish. And also strangely exhilarated, Summer Holiday thought I was brave. A real hero thought I was brave.

Both of them walked back to me where I sat, trying very hard to not look guilty. I think Summer might have guessed, though. Something in her smile…

"All right, she's all yours, Yamada. See you, Auspice. Stay chill, all right?" Summer said, and strode off down the hall, her prosthetic marching a brisk beat to mark her passing.

"Could you let the front desk know that I'll be using room seven?" Doctor Yamada said, watching her go, "Well then, Taylor, shall we?"

We commandeered one of the Infirmary rooms, and two of the chairs. After sitting Doctor Yamada fidgeted and pulled a sheaf of papers from her briefcase. A notepad. She was trying to organize her thoughts, I realized, "Taylor, before we begin, I'd like to apologize. That should have never happened. I… can think of a few worse ways to begin your integration to the patient population, but not many."

Meeting with my therapist in a hospital room hadn't been something I'd wanted to do today, but I could hardly complain. What would have been worse? I tried to imagine that. Maybe the hallways filled with smoke and fire and flooded with sewage from a broken mainline. I smiled, "It could have been worse." I agreed.

"It was pandemonium down here all morning. Did they manage to get you relocated in all that excitement, at least?" she asked.

All morning? "Oh. Yes. Um. Is there a way I could get a computer in my room? I forgot to ask Doctor Jenkins."

"I'll see what I can do. We don't let most patients, but your situation is a little different, so we might be able to make allowances."

I fidgeted, "Is that… does that happen a lot?"

"What happened this morning?" She asked.

"Uh, yeah."

Doctor Yamada sighed, "More often then I'd like…" She muttered, then took a deep breath, "Taylor, are you familiar with Baumann Parahuman Containment Center?"

"Um, I… y-yes."

Some parahumans were dangerous, even more than the rest. Uncontrollable. For some people, getting powers was a turning point in their lives. A new perspective. Then there were ones that had already gone bad, the ones that got worse. The Baumann Parahuman Containment Center was where they sent the worst of the worst, the ones that went too far but were too powerful to put down, the ones that a regular prison couldn't hold. The Birdcage was the most secure prison on earth, designed, built, and managed by the most powerful Tinker on earth. No one had ever escaped.

I had looked it up not long after… after the hospital.

"Alchemilla's faculty model was considered for use as an alternative, before Baumann was proposed," Doctor Yamada explained, "We have a lot of specialized containment facilities left over from that time. And we get some of the more dangerous, and uncontrollable patients as a result."

I nodded slowly, and Doctor Yamada smiled, "I understand that you've made some friends."

I didn't have many friends; besides Emma, I'd always been too shy; I shrugged.

"I've worked with Glassboom and Sadboy for some time, I'm glad you seem to have hit it off. But I was a little surprised you reached out to Burnscar." She said.

I didn't know if I'd call Heather, Nick, or Mimi friends- I hadn't even met Sveta in person. "Mimi." I muttered, and regretted it when Yamada's eyebrows rose, "She… uh… she doesn't like that name. Burnscar."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know." Yamada said, "I haven't worked with her before." She made a note on her pad, "She prefers Mimi?"

"Yeah." I frowned, "How did you know I talked to her?"

"The orderly working with her was very impressed," Doctor Yamada said.

"Was Mimi really going to burn him?" I asked.

Doctor Yamada was quiet for a moment, I could tell she was looking for a delicate way to phrase it, "Very likely." I stared at the floor and felt a little empty inside. She'd been nice, not mean, and she'd been so lonely.

"Taylor, his name is Wayland Lars, and you probably saved his life." Doctor Yamada said, "I want you to understand that." One life saved… four still taken. I think Doctor Yamada could sense my mood, we sat in silence for a while.

"Taylor?" she asked, "I know you haven't been ready to talk about it… But if you ever want to talk about what happened in Brockton General, I am here."

I shrank in on myself. But…

No. No, I couldn't put it off, or, I needed to not put it off now. I thought I'd be able to do it. Maybe. But if I lost my nerve now, I might not get it back.

"I woke up, after… after I killed… after that. I didn't know what happened and I- I was on painkillers, I think. Maybe. I woke up and all I wanted to do was to see Mom. There were wires and stuff stuck to me and I pulled them out, and a nurse came…"

I remembered his face, what he looked like, and remembered his name; Randel Greene, though I hadn't found out until after.

He'd been young, twenty, I think. Black hair and a pleasant face. He was wearing blue scrubs with a funny Macroburst logo print. He was into capes too.

He'd been concerned and tried to get me to go back to me room, then he'd grabbed my shoulder. My power told me that he was trying to stop me. I-I just knew that I wanted to leave, and he was going to stop me. And then- and then I'd know he had his keys in his pocket, and I'd grabbed them and jabbed them at his eyes. And then he tried to cover his eyes, and I jabbed them into his throat.

"…I didn't realize what I'd done until- until- until there was blood everywhere. I'd just walked through the door, everyone was screaming. I…" Doctor Yamada had her arms around my shoulders, hugging me. I was crying, and I shaking.

"Shh, Taylor." She said, "Taylor. That was not your fault."

I took a hiccupping breath, "Hospital security showed up, and I hurt a couple, broke one's arm, until they called for heroes. I think Mom, Mom stopped me. If she- if she didn't…"

"Taylor, shh."

Doctor Yamada stayed with me like that until I got my breathing under control, rubbing my back in gentle circles. She wasn't Mom, and she wasn't Emma, but I felt better, I felt safe.

Doctor Yamada released me and looked me in the eye, "Taylor, I am proud of you."

I hiccupped, blinking through the tears, and Yamada offered me one of those little packs of wrapped tissues. "Taylor, do you understand me? I am very proud of you. That was difficult, and that was painful, but you did it anyway. That was very brave, you have made incredible progress."

I didn't trust my voice so I just nodded and blew my nose.

"You're doing wonderfully Taylor; I want you to understand that. Whatever else you take away from this meeting, I want you to understand that."

I took my glasses off and wiped them. I mustered a limp smile for her.

"… I think that's about all for today Taylor," Doctor Yamada gave my shoulder a quick squeeze. "What do you say we stop by the nursing station and see if someone can take a look at your forehead?"

...

Sessions with Doctor Yamada always left me feeling a little better, a little less like the world was eating away at my fingers and toes. And after the crying I'd done with Summer and Doctor Yamada I… I felt better. Lighter. Empty, but in a good way. I'd let the sad and fear out and felt cleaner for it.

Doctor Yamada walked me back to the residential wing herself. I asked about getting some time in the computer lab and she showed me how to sign on for a timeslot.

"Doc! Doc Yamada!"

That was Heather, with Nick trailing gamely in her wake.

"Hello, Glassboom." Doctor Yamada said.

"What happened this time?" Heather asked, grinning outrageously, "Who got out?"

She was vibrating with energy, bouncing on her feet; and it occurred to me that she wanted a fight. Maybe it was because she was a hero, and was used to that being an outlet for energy. I certainly didn't, all that crying had tired me out.

"A few patients in special containment, I really can't say more than that." Doctor Yamada said firmly, but also like she was sure someone would tell Heather anyway.

"Oh, you're no fun Doc Yam." Heather pouted.

Doctor Yamada gave me a pat on the shoulder, "I need to go, Taylor, keep them out of trouble?"

There was something in that. Something that pinged, Yamada was only half joking. I gave her a quizzical look, and she returned me a wink. Another pat and she turned, leaving me with Heather and Nick.

Hmm.

"So."

I met Heather's level gaze, "What?"

"Come on, you were outside the wing, you've gotta know something." She said, "I know you do."

We walked back toward the computer lab, and I evaded, "Do you know a patient called Lizard Prince?"

Heather narrowed her eyes. "Why? Was he involved?" She… wanted to fight him. She was looking for an excuse. Her ego was tied to her cape identity, and she looked for ways to test her power against others. In a way that included me, in teasing out information from me.

Nick was different, his power was deleterious, he hated to use it. "Lizard Prince?" Nick said, "He's an asshole."

Heather shrugged, "A bunch of the monster capes latched onto him."

Yeah… yeah I think he was involved." I hummed.

Heather grinned, and Nick just looked resigned, "How? How?"

"Stole some stuff."

Heather grinned, it was blinding, "Hell yes!" She vibrated in place, "He piss you off? We gonna fuck him up?"

I shook my head, "I'm just going to look him up."

Heather looked bewildered, "Look him up?" she glanced at Nick, then at the placard for the Computer Lab. "You're going to the library?"

Oh, I was going to look them up. I was going to look everyone up.