Cauldron Headquarters
Number Man tapped the switch to pick up the incoming phone call rather than let the automated systems handle it with the thousands it took or sent every minute.
"Hello Doctor, are there any new puzzles today?"
Danger had unofficially recruited him to help with the Endbringer research facility. It was something he was more than happy to help with. It also involved Mathematical problems that even he found an interesting challenge. Many involved figuring out which math applied to the problems.
"Not today I do have a bit of business to discuss dangerous but of business. If you don't want to get involved with it I understand. But I'll save you some time on denials, you handle Cauldron's money so you can contact them."
"I handle a lot of people's money. I don't take side however so if this is some attack-"
"No - no nothing like that. I want to buy one of their power vials to be administered to a person of my choosing no if, and, or buts. They can administer it themselves but I want to be there when it happens."
"I doubt they would go for it. They charge a fortune even for long-term partners."
"Like Accord? Yes, I expect they do but I offer them three times its cost in return. I will administer two doses of Kaga Virus to the subjects of their choosing. I will pay you a dose in return for your service as an intermediary."
"Kaga, what does it do?"
"You already know. So do they."
"Why would you think I want that?"
"Why would you not?"
Number Man worked his mind over the dynamics. It revealed new truths. Danger knew of their relationship with Accord. He also knew, they knew, that he knew. He either knew or suspected something else.
"I am in a position to forward your request. I can assure you they will want three vials for one."
"Will they?" He inquired in a mirthful tone. "I suppose I will be willing to pay fifty percent more. I will require a custom mix so write this down. I'm sure they will want to get ready to blend this up.
"I'll pass it on shortly. When do you want to meet with them?"
"No sooner than the day after the facility is dedicated. Their earliest convenience after that will do."
"What is this formula you want?"
"I require 40% Division, 25% Communication, 25% Bug, topped off with 10% Balance."
"Got it. Anything else?"
"Nothing for now. Thank you."
The line disconnected.
Number Man tapped a few keys and exited the room. He walked with a brisk pace to the main meeting room. Amos joined him along the way.
"Interesting data."
"Very."
"Let's give the others time to assimilate it, shall we? Pause here for a second."
Number Man stopped turning to look at Amos.
"He is fishing, that's obvious. There is never a single plan at work, however. I am beginning to appreciate how much like his mentor our Doctor is. Kurt, can you please allow me to go first before we begin any speculation? I think the data I have would shed light on the sort of thought process we're dealing with."
"Amos, if you think the data you have is valuable I'm more than sure it is."
"Thank you - ahh?"
The door they were standing in front of opened suddenly revealing Contessa. She waved them to their seats. With the Triumvirate tied up with their regular lives, none had been able to reach this hastily-called meeting. Doctor Mother and two new lab assistants were already waiting.
"By now you have read a transcript of Kurt's conversation. I have some data that might shed light on the problem. Between the investigation we have the Dragonslayers doing and Kurt's rapid cryptography, I have managed to acquire a very restricted bit of video. The last government meeting with Danger's mentor Marcus Hightower."
"You think this is relevant?" Doctor Mother asked.
"Yes, I think it will show us the sort of man he seeks to emulate."
She waved for him to continue. Amos didn't shut down the lights but activated a holographic projector on the table. The table became a room filled with humanoid robots. Standing thirty-two rows by just as many columns. A single robot sat outside the ordered cluster in a chair. Its head was open revealing a crystal sphere the size of a pingpong ball. One man was looking within and another stood nearby. Finishing his work the closer man tapped the head and it started closing back shut.
"Marcus, do you have a solution?"
"Look Chris I can't tell you what went wrong unless I know what you tried uploading. The problems we've had before with the Officer Guy models come from their imitative programs. The thing that makes them seem so human. By design that's core to their operation."
"Shit, you're not cleared. I can't tell you it's not even a State issue, this is Federal."
"Then the FSA will have to do without them."
"Come on, Marcus! Michigan has to prove it stands with the FSA. The pro-Canada anti-war demonstrations here in Detroit made us look bad. If we crap out on the delivery of our thousand police robots they're going to ask uncomfortable questions."
"These are not military hardware. They were never made to be. They can handle anything up to small caliber rifles but they're not combat walkers. Whatever they have planned is likely not going to work."
"They don't need soldiers, they have those. They want cops, they need investigators. Something that can ask civilians the right questions."
"I'm not sure I understand you."
The man named Chris rubbed his jaw. "Without giving you the details... And even this would cost me more than my job if it got out. They don't want the robots to fight, they want loyal programmable manpower they can send to pull Anne Frank out of the attic."
"Jesus Christ, Chris are you serious? They want to reprogram these things to be the Gestapo?"
"Look, we knew the Nova's days were coming to a close. Too many have gone Aberrant. Too many disasters have scorched the Earth. Even the lowest-powered, most quiet Nova won't stay that way forever pal. Their times up they have to go. But some still look human they tug on the heartstrings. But the new orders are clear immediate execution and anyone hiding them is now deep in the shit. Men like you and me who made money off them? We have to prove where our loyalty is."
"This is it then."
"End of the gravy train yeah. We rode the horse as long as we could. Now it's time to send it to the glue factory. But before that, you need to get these robots working so we can avoid some unpleasant questions about our further usefulness."
"There are two things you don't understand Chris first is you can't reprogram Officer Guy he was never programmed to begin with."
"Never? You mean he's an AI?"
"Not exactly he's not really artificial in his intelligence. Justin was a child who'd never studied programming he started running without learning to walk his robo-dogs were copies of his dead pet. When he made Guy he pulled the same trick he tossed a bunch of data and copied skills from his grandfather and great-uncle. He blended it in with the mind he was most familiar with and could reference anytime he wanted- his own."
"You mean to tell me we sent a robot into the field with the mind of a six-year-old boy who'd memorized the police training manual?"
"That is why it glitched out. He had a nervous breakdown. He couldn't help the stress. As luck would have it I was able to find a way to give him some unique therapy. Before we put the others into production I made sure we weren't creating any more thinking machines. So that is why all updates have to go through him. The rest are non-evolving they are virtual intelligent emulations of his mind."
"That's why they don't need the higher quality spherical DMC processors. If you could modify his mind with some therapy stuff, why can't you talk him into following orders?"
"That brings us to the second thing. I have no reason to help you eliminate Novas. Firstly it's pointless. Even without another Galatea event the ability to utilize Quantum is too deeply entrenched in the genome to root out. In a few generations, you will start to see the occasional Stalwart heading towards Nova tier power the same as Ceasus Pax. They will have every reason to hide what they are and hate everyone who killed their kind in the idiotic purges the FSA wants."
Chris pinched the bridge of his nose. "Marcus, that is a future humanities problem. I am focused on keeping alive if the cost of remaining out of an FSA undesirables camp is feeding them a few Novas- fuck'em it's every man for himself."
"And secondly Chris, I am a Nova. I always was."
"No, impossible no way was this all planned. After the years we worked together? All the stuff we went through? Too many times random shit that couldn't be predicted happened for this to be part of some bullshit mastermind scheme!"
"I didn't make a plan. I made a swarm of them. I made an ever-evolving cluster of constantly refined plans. I took every avenue in the pursuit of victory. While governments put out fires I seeped like a liquid to fill every space. I might not have won but I've ensured we didn't lose. Even now I have plans I'm leaving here, Chris. I'm leaving this planet, this solar system. I am taking everyone I can. Everyone who wants peace between the branches of humanity and we're settling anew. We will find a place that has no room for the poisonous hate that has contaminated this world."
Chris' face went ashen. The reality of the situation washing over him
"Are you going to kill me?"
"No Chris I am going to do worse I'm leaving you here. Here to face the angry masters you hitched your future to. I can think of no worse punishment than that."
He turned away from the frightened man stopping in the doorway. He didn't look back but called out.
"Are you coming, Jason?"
Chris looked confused until Officer Guy rose. Before Chris could move the robot had rushed forward and kicked him in the shin hard enough to break his bone.
"My name. Is Jason-Daniel Eli Danger. Remember that as your world crumbles. Remember I didn't kill you for ordering me to kill my father."
'Jason' exited the room following Hightower. The other robots in synchrony turned and followed.
The hologram ended. Amos waved at the display.
"Danger's role model and hero. A man who conspired for nearly forty years to save a world from itself. When he couldn't he escaped with what he could because he had branching redundant plans in play."
"So you saying trying to guess his plan or exact motives is a pointless endeavor." Doctor Mother guessed.
"Just so. We can speculate how this would fit into any matrixes of plans. What in generality he stands to gain and we lose, or the inverse" Amos admitted
"We can say with fairly high confidence this formula he has is taken from his world. It was not a Hightower Industries product. From the name and other known data, we can speculate it was developed in Nippon. If it proves worthwhile we can use the agents we have in Earth Abberant to acquire more from there. Circumventing any need for acquiescing to whatever demands he might make for more." Number Man added.
"True we do have advantages he knows nothing about. We will have to guard those secrets carefully. I think we will agree to this if nothing else we stand to gain information at least as valuable as what we risk." She decided.
"I would still have Rebecca listen to the recording she might have some insight. David will insist on being one of the test subjects. He looks different enough out of costume I think we can risk it. We will of course have to have the best anti psionic technology ready. He may not be prepared for that I don't think Armsmaster has advertised his work." Amos chimed in.
"We will prepare every surprise we can. He and his are not the only ones who can stack the deck in their favor." Numberman summed up.
PRT HQ
Weld had organized a day of practice with the younger members of New Wave. It gave everyone a chance to try something new while still staying close to home. Flashbang had escorted them. He was standing by Assault sharing a joke. Things had been going well. Despite being two members down, the Wards had demonstrated good teamwork.
Chris was with the tinkerers working on the Endbringer prison. Nova was still forbidden from using her power. She even wore a bracelet that would alert the PRT if she channeled any Quantum. Dragon had built it slim enough to pass for jewelry when she was out in her civilian identity.
Seeing that she was sulking at being sidelined during a break in the exercises Glory Girl had offered to spar with her without powers. The two were gearing up under the eye of the local hand-to-hand expert.
"LazerDream you and Sheilder are a tough combination to beat when you work so closely."
"Years of practice," Crystal responded.
"Defense and Offence. Neither of us could do much against that monster. He smashed my shields like they were paper."
"Yeah well, no one could. He laughed off most of what Legend tossed at him. Even Eidolon couldn't hold him. Alexandra almost drowned." Vista groused.
"Yeah, no need to be down on yourself Eric" Gallant added. He was in an alternate costume a gambeson with a slim half-plate armor. Despite having lights and circuitry showing on the vambraces it contained no tinker tech. With the department's Tinkers busy it was being tested out as an alternate costume. One that wouldn't require the maintenance his other armor required. The PR people liked that it left his mouth exposed. They were big on leaving some part of the face open as it humanized the look.
"You know the cooler has the Gatorade logo on it but I'm pretty sure this is generic sports drink powder they are mixing up." Clockblocker complained.
Grateful for the change of subject Weild shook his head "No they get it at cost as long as they use these coolers the company uses it as free publicity. I couldn't tell you why the taste is off."
"I can." Shadow Stalker started. She stopped and thought about something. "Hey, as far as you can remember you've never tasted anything."
"That's right," Weld admitted.
"So if someone made some tinker tech that lets you taste things and you found them familiar it would be things you had tasted before you lost your memories"
"Hum. Yeah, I think so. A neat thought experiment. Not sure if it would serve any practical purpose. I might mention the idea to Kid Win once he has some downtime. I'd be curious to experience taste at any rate. What were you saying about the drink mix?"
"Oh, that. They water it down. They put almost an extra quart per gallon the extra space is supposed to be for ice" She revealed.
"Yeah that would make it taste cheap" Sheilder agreed.
"Schools are known for doing the same thing. Trying to make a buck stretch further." Shadow Stalker replied offhand. She was becoming distracted by the spar which was beginning in earnest.
Vista was watching the same. Clockblocker was wrestling with internal thoughts. Gallant was staring at Panacea with a troubled look on his face who in turn was watching the fight with a slightly spacy look. Weld was the only one to notice someone new enter the second-floor observation balcony.
Director Calvert entered, his eyes met Welds then darted to the mat. Weld turned his head to watch, puzzled. The first thing he noticed was the worried look on Victoria's face. She was trying to suppress it but this fight was not going how she expected. Nova was coming in hard, fast, and not entirely friendly. It was an intensity above what a spar should be.
Standing up Weld walked that way. Gallant took note snapping out of his distraction. He leaned in and whispered something to Panacea whose face fell as she reevaluated what she was looking at.
Refusing to break out into a run, Weld made eye contact with the instructor who gave him a rocked hand motion. It wasn't yet at the point he'd step in but it was getting there.
"What's wrong? Why hold back little sis is there to cover your screw-ups. Maybe you're scared? Can you only fight the helpless GG?" Nova stage whispered.
Anger flooded Victoria's eyes. Before she could do anything else Weld let out a piercing whistle.
"Break it up! I don't know exactly what you said but from the tone it was personal. That is not what we're here for. Glory Girl isn't a punching bag. If you need to vent, go find one." Weld ordered.
Nova spun her jaw working. Whatever she had been thinking about saying she pulled it back. She started stripping her gear off and putting it away with more force than was strictly necessary.
Weld followed Victoria as she left the ring and headed to her sister and boyfriend.
"I hope you're ok. I know she didn't hurt you physically but -," Weld started.
"It's fine Weld she was trying to get a rise out of me is all. She's been pissy as hell since the Leviathan fight. She resents being reprimanded, she resents being unable to use her powers, and she resents wearing that monitor."
"That's a lot of resentment for one person to carry. Still doesn't make it ok to hurt your friends." Gallant added, picking up the context from the end.
"I haven't always been the best to others in my life either. Let's call it a bit of karma circling back around and let it go."
"Maybe I should go check on her." Amy thought aloud.
"Give her a while" Dean opined.
"Weld, a moment." The Director called down.
The metal teen nodded.
"I'm with Gallant. Not yet, maybe not today even. Give her some space." Weld said as he headed out of the gym proper and up the stairs. When he reached the balcony Director Calvert was alone.
"Good job, keep your eyes on her. She isn't stable and has far too much power to let go her own way."
"Yes sir. I didn't get a chance to say it before but thank you for having me here. I know Piggott started the transfer but you didn't have to let it continue."
"I don't have to nix other people's ideas just because they are not my own. You are a remarkably stable young man. You are a stabilizing force on the Wards. It also gives you the command experience you need and at this time none of the local Wards can do it."
"Rumor has it she's not a real case fifty-three."
"It doesn't go beyond these walls but she's not. Someone wiped her mind because she wasn't stable. It covered some trauma. Regardless, she has to behave. You need to bring her to a place of compliance. Dragon reports she's almost in the safe zone. We've been talking about extending her downtime to give a buffer. Her attitude is making me strongly consider it."
"May I make a suggestion sir?"
"Getting your opinion isn't something you need to ask permission for. That is the very reason I called you up here."
"Yes, well I wouldn't do that. She would see it as punitive. Weaponizing a side effect of her power against her. Perhaps a slow return of privileges starting with those that seem best for her mental health. Healing with Panacea seemed to have a positive impact from what I've been allowed to read of the psychologist's suggestions."
"Congratulations on reading them. Some Directors only skim those. I will think about it. Now you get back to looking after your team. When you graduate you will be a major asset to the Brockton ENE team. That management experience will help you more than you currently expect." The Director mysteriously stated.
Weld figured if the Director wanted to say more he would have. The Teen exited the room heading back to the Wards.
Calvert let the timeline where he personally stopped the fight drop. This had worked much better. He had a tiger by its tail in Nova but the girl was worth it. Having triumvirate-level power at his command was too fine to casually discard.
Sudan Near
Bir Tawil
Emily Piggott was hot sweaty and miserable. She was doing her best not to take her misery out on the team she had with her. There were forensic experts, trackers, porters, local guides, an entire platoon of containment agents trained for international operations, and capes on loan from Watchdog.
They were all laboring to document every bit of the area. Ashbeast had paused in this place long enough that there were glass pools solidified here and there. A few footprints were found. It had taken them days to find the body even after the careful hunt for the epicenter.
Then there was the wait for special equipment. Their best guess put his body under a nearly eight-hundred-tonne irregular rock. Now they were deploying the cranes to move a very large mass of stone. They had rigged it not just to be lifted but to swing. IT had to travel far enough to settle back to earth without the risk of it falling back into the pit half its mass was resting in.
The Foreman gave a wave. The crews started the carefully coordinated effort. Piggott felt a slight flutter in her gut. Nothing human could watch that massive of an object, particularly not something as viscerally associated with weight as a stone, move through the air and not feel the animal portion of their brain urge them to get safely away from it.
With unexpected softness, the irregular stone touched down. The earth and stone both groaned and vibrated as they reached an equilibrium. Within moments a flag waved signaling it was stable. The forensic team trepidatiously descended.
"Director? We found him. He's down here under the lowest part." they called out.
"Find a safe path and get it turned into packed earth stairs. Watchdog team prep for investigation."
Piggott ordered. She refused to hurry this. Every safety procedure would be followed. Too many unknowns to race ahead. They weren't cutting corners no matter how long this was taking.
The crews packed earth and placed retaining boards to make a crude staircase. The techs swarmed the scene documenting everything regardless of apparent relevance. Only after their flurry of activity, did Piggott descend into the pit.
The body in the middle had not been as mangled as Piggott expected. It was recognizable as human remains, if only just. The pressure of the stone must have been mitigated by the loose dirt below.
"Echo, Dust can you work with this?"
The Dust was examining the body. Her power would be the issue. Dust had the power to manipulate fine particles with a form of telekinesis. She made loose clouds of any light particles that might serve as camouflage. It was worlds less useful than Grue's effect back in the Bay. It was the secondary effect they wanted. Anytime she touched a parahuman corpse her dust would replay the events of their death.
Echo's power to provide the sound that properly accompanied any video she watched. It would give them a transcript. It would be rough Dust's low resolution would make Echo's audio off in some way. It would be garbled, static-filled, or have a weird reverberation.
"I am ready we'll need to get everyone out of this pit it wasn't here when things happened," she explained.
Piggott nodded and gave the order for everyone to clear out. Once everyone was arranged, clearing the main center of events Dust put her hand on the ground and focused.
Fine sand and dust rose into the air and formed images of the land as it was. From the periphery of the effect agents with video cameras and microphones recorded.
Ash Beast walked from the edge of the effect to see a form step around a rocky outcrop. It was male broad-shouldered and wide-hipped. He was muscled like a professional bodybuilder. There was no way he was a normal human as he stood three meters tall. Most concerning, he seemed completely unperturbed by the aura of heat and flame.
He strolled at a casual pace toward the now-stopped Ash Beast. The young man seemed stunned.
"Hello? Buenas noches? Masa' alkhayr?"
"I speak... I haven't spoken to anyone in so long. I do speak English, that is what you prefer? I was born speaking Arabic."
"English is good, my Arabic is only passable."
"Who are you? How can you be here?"
"Call me Aram. You mean the fires? Nothing more than a warm breeze to me, friend."
"I haven't. I have wished for death for not being able to see another person. I have tried to make them kill me only to turn in shame at the deaths I caused. Only a warm breeze you say." He exclaimed, sinking to his knees.
"Your trials have been harsh. You have my sympathy. My partner seeks a way to help those like you. Those overwhelmed by what is within." the giant said reaching down he pulled the broken man back to his feat
"You are from the hidden city, the one that I touched its invisibility shield!"
"I made the city. I commanded the stones to make the buildings. She made the rest of the fancy bits."
"A secret refuge. I will tell no one." Ash Beast gave a bitter laugh edging on despair "Who would I tell? I tried leaving messages once either no one could read them or no one tried."
"I saw a dog once, it knew it couldn't leave its fence. You could tell where the fence was by the rut the dog walked along the edge."
"I won't do that. But please don't leave. Not yet it's been so long."
"I'm not leaving, I wasn't just coming to give you a warning. You deserve a better life. My partner is working on understanding why these things happen to people here. When she is finished there will be no more suffering such as you have endured. She will put an end to all of that unfairness."
"A cure?"
"Hope for the future of the planet. The world will outlive even us. As it should be, just look at it. Look at the sun setting there. How it lights the sky and coats the land in gold. Drink its beauty into your heart, friend." The Giant said gently resting his palm on Ash Beast's shoulder.
The infamous Cape stared to the west. In an eyeblink, the giant's thumb moved and Ash Beast's head fell to his shoulder at an unnatural angle.
The Giant lifted the body in his left hand while extending his right hand to the location of the pit. The Dust settled back down there mimicking the pit forming. Next to it, the mass of the rock pushed up out of the soil in a dusty illusion.
"Your suffering is over. Rest in eternal peace. I know not what, if any, gods you prayed to but let them accept this prayer for your soul. Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis"
The Giant emerged, extending his arms he squatted and lifted. The well over half kiloton stone went into the air then gently was set down on top of the pit.
"Amen." He intoned placing his hand on the rock he hung his head in sorrow. He then turned and walked away.
"Every tape, every scrap of audio, is to be locked down till we get back to the States," Piggott ordered.
"Mam? Echo asked.
"He killed the Ash Beast to keep his secret. What happens when this leaks? The Warlords have enough spies in the remaining governments that they will hear of this. Knowing such a powerful Cape is out there they will start backtracking the path and looking for his hidden stronghold. Before that happens I want us out of here and working on a plan to deal with the fallout."
"Yes mam" came the shouted confirmations from the various crews. They rushed to pack and put as much distance from this place as they could manage.