Max Anders

"Hookwolf was taken by the PRT."

Kaiser frowned thoughtfully. That wasn't good news. Then again, it wasn't surprising news. Out of all his subordinates, Hookwolf was the most likely to fly off the handle for any given reason. He regretted inheriting the organization at times. Their supremacist ideology was useful in rallying Parahumans and minions alike, but could lead to radical and irrational behavior like this.

"Victor." He leaned forward on the table, steepling his hands together. "Do our moles know when his transport to the Birdcage will be?" It was ever so useful for him that the PRT leaked like a sieve. As long as he had someone discreet, their loyalty to the cause ensured that they stayed devoted even on the inside.

Victor, the skill vampire, looked to the side, distinctly uncomfortable with the question. While he had a good power, it was limited to only elevating him to a better than average normal person. But that didn't make him useless. He had great utility to their organization. Victor took charge of many of their more clandestine operations due to his skills. "Hookwolf wasn't detained by the Protectorate ENE, but the New York Protectorate."

Kaiser gripped the handles of his office chair, hard. He felt a headache coming on. Fenja put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed softly, trying to comfort him. "How the hell did he get all the way up to New York? And why did he feel the need to cause problems in Legend's territory?"

The man sighed. "That's not what happened. Against your orders, Hookwolf attacked Ryuu at his tea shop. He was defeated soundly. Our observers managed to spot Strider teleporting away with Hookwolf while he was unconscious, presumably to New York." Victor ran a hand through his hair in annoyance. "We didn't know till now because it took awhile for our mole in the PRT ENE branch to receive the news."

Ryuu had hired Strider to transport Empire Eighty-Eight Parahumans to the New York Protectorate? That was extremely frustrating. The usual formula for how things went with Brockton Bay was simple. Sometimes, they would lose one or two members to the Protectorate. It wasn't as if he had the ability to simulate their operations in advance. Losses were normal. Unlike the Protectorate, they had the luxury to concentrate all of their Parahuman resources into a rescue operation. In this manner, they had barely lost anyone over the past couple of years.

But Strider? That was such a simple and elegant way of resolving the issue. And it couldn't have been employed by anyone but Maxwell Li. It's not as if the Protectorate or PRT were stupid. If they really wanted to, they could have hired Strider as well. But they couldn't. Their mandates disallowed them from working that closely with Rogues, much less paying for their services. It was part of their efforts to pressgang Parahumans into their organization. But a seeming villain with no oversight? And one who had been spotted to have a meeting with the director?

"I should have seen this coming." His eyes darkened. "This complicates things."

"We should have just gone for him from the start!" Stormtiger declared hotly. "Why are we just waiting around for him to pick us off one by one? There's no redo button this time!"

"Do you fear him more, or me?" A metallic grinding sound echoed in the office. A bevy of blades jutted out of the walls, ripples forming around them on the surface they came out of, all pointing towards Stormtiger. "My decision was not made lightly. This man is not the same idiot that Lung was."

Kaiser snapped his fingers. Victor produced a file from within his coat and put it on the table. "Since none of you paid attention in our last meeting like Hookwolf, I'll say it again. Not only does he have enough power to defeat Lung, but the foresight to connect himself with multiple organizations and individuals. Accord, PRT, and the Elite, are just some of the notable ones."

He stood up with a snap, slamming his palms on the table. "Do not underestimate our enemy! We've been at an impasse with Lung for almost three years! And this man overthrows him in a day! That's not to mention the seeming hands-off attitude the PRT has taken towards their 'gang'. The moment we overcommit, they'll capitalize on our weakness." Kaiser calmed down and smoothed out his suit. "But we needn't fear. Unlike Lung, this man has a weakness."

"His sister?" Cricket asked with curiosity.

"No!" Victor immediately snapped. "We're not breaking the unwritten rules this openly!"

"All of you, quiet." Kaiser commanded, his stern eyes sweeping through the room. They quietened down, whether out of respect for his authority, or the blades still present in the room. "His weakness is simple. Unlike Lung, he's nice."

"Nice?!" Stormtiger squawked in confusion, his voice cracking just a smidge.

"Nice. Kind. Good. All meaning the same thing, at least in this context." He waved his hand and gestured to make his point. "Decriminalizing the ABB, setting their prostitutes free and cooperating with the PRT. This Maxwell… Ryuu is weak. He's forced himself into a corner by playing the hero."

"And heroes are predictable. They always act a certain way. Villains don't have any rules to follow. Every action we take is purely out of self-interest. The unwritten rules only remain unbroken till it becomes convenient for us. They protect us more than the heroes." Victor espoused his philosophy. "Right?"

"Exactly." Kaiser nodded. "Our only real concern is Oni Lee. That man isn't called a demon for no reason. He has no qualms with stabbing someone in the back, during a battle or otherwise. Because of him, we've been unable to field Othala for fear that our only healer will get ambushed. With a weak man like Ryuu holding the leash instead of Lung, he'll be more fearsome than ever."

"Bah. Just give me the right opening and I'll slice him apart." Stormtiger dismissed.

Menja sneered right back. "If you can even find an opening, that's the whole problem with fighting him, isn't it."

"We'll prepare to face off against both of them. As powerful as he is, Ryuu is someone we can plan around. But Oni Lee is much more unpredictable and bloodthirsty. Keep Othala out of sight at all times." He turned to his most trustworthy subordinate. "Victor, investigate everything about them. Get his threat ratings and profile from the PRT if you can."

"Will do."