Chapter Text
Danny and Carol went over Taylor’s contract paperwork, and that was signed and sealed. Taylor was officially a member of the Wards. Piggot had her legion of aides working on putting together a welcoming package for her. Carol and I went over my paperwork next. It was precisely as described. The salary was… quite good. Generously six-figures. The benefits were even better than the Wards program, which had already been quite good.
Legend and I said that we’d take time whenever possible to talk, and he’d mentor me while he was still in town and available. We wrapped up our meeting on a very positive note all around. Even though Piggot was notoriously a stick in the mud, I got the impression that she was happy to be bringing on capable people to help her address the disaster on her hands. Before she left to put together materials for me, I pulled her aside to speak to her privately.
She looked at her watch. It was getting late, half past nine.
I spoke quietly. “Director, can I ask you for two small favors?”
She held her laptop and stacks of paperwork against her chest and gave me a no-nonsense look.
“First, I’d like a pair of energized restraints for Sophia. I’m going to be heading down to Wards HQ with Taylor after this and delivering the bad news to her. I expect she’s going to throw an absolute fit, and I don’t want her using her ability to make a run for it.”
Director Piggot pursed her lips for a moment. “Would you rather have officers handle that situation?”
I glanced over at Taylor, who was talking with Carol, Legend, and her father.
“I’ll be honest, Director. I don’t have a personal vendetta against Sophia; I’d be fine with having officers handle it. But I think giving Taylor some closure and demonstrating first-hand a willingness to address her sore spots will do everyone a lot of good.”
Piggot considered briefly, then nodded.
“Fair point. I’ll have a pair brought up shortly. You two will be going with Weld as well?”
“Yes. That’s the plan. I’m going to talk with him briefly beforehand, make sure we’re on the same page.”
“Good,” she said. “What else?”
“I’d like you to put together all the information you have on MIRIS and any personal notes that might be helpful.”
She raised a brow. “I see you’ve been talking with Legend.”
“I have, but I’ve been talking to others, too. I want to read up on it, because I’d like to throw my weight behind reviving it.”
Piggot closed her eyes briefly and rubbed the back of her neck with one hand. “Are you trying to buy favor with me, Ms. Rivera?” she asked quietly.
“No, Director. Based on what I know currently, we have a serious issue right now, and it’s the best way we have of addressing that issue.”
“And what issue would that be?” She asked, bringing her hand back around to hold her pile of paperwork and laptop. She regarded me intently with those steely gray eyes of hers.
I thumbed over my shoulder at Taylor. “People are falling through the gaps–a lot of people. People who are turning to crime to make ends meet, or because they feel like there aren’t other, better options. We are putting people directly on a rail line that leads to villainy, crime, and imprisonment. We need to be less reactive and more proactive in helping these people.”
Her eyes roamed my face, she wasn’t sure which eye or set of eyes to look at. After a long moment, she nodded. “You’ll have everything I can put together.”
I held one blue, mostly-human hand out to her, and she shook it.
“I’m looking forward to working together, Director,” I told her sincerely.
“You have made a big impression, but you will have your work cut out for you to meet those expectations. I don’t doubt your willingness to commit and work hard. You need to be mindful of the fact that while we are going to be working together directly, ultimately it is my job to be in oversight for you and the other parahumans.” Her voice was neutral and level as she spoke.
I nodded to her. “I understand the dynamic and will try to remain mindful of it. Thank you.”
With that, she left.
I looked over to the other group. “Taylor, can I have my clothing?”
She took off her bag and pulled out a pair of running shorts, a small top, socks, sneakers, and undergarments. It was sort of a hodge-podge of colors and patterns, but it was the best I could do, between the short notice, the clothing I had that wasn’t destroyed, and what was clean at the moment.
I turned to Legend. “Is there a room around here where I can get dressed?”
“Across the hall. Just walk into the other conference room and use that.”
“Works for me!” I exclaimed in a chipper mood. I wasn’t even having to fake it.
Five minutes later, I was changed and dressed. It was a bit on the skimpy side, but in an athletic way and not a ‘dressed to impress’ way. Red running shorts and sneakers, white short socks, and a gray crop top that only went down to the bottom of my ribs. I had on a sports bra under it, so I wasn’t worried about anything showing. I took a moment to regard my reflection in the heavily-tinted glass exterior wall. The bright lighting inside provided a good makeshift mirror.
I looked like I’d lost some weight, but not muscle mass. Sort of a parallel between how I look now and how I’d changed as Apex. Cut and defined. Abs for days. A little bulky in some areas, like my shoulders, arms, and thighs. I left my hair loose and free-flowing, and, on a whim, ran a few streaks of blue through it. My nails were black and iridescent like my claws, and I couldn’t change them. Something felt slightly off with my teeth, too. Canines were a bit more pronounced, the rest of them feeling a bit sharper. Overall, they looked normal; I just had larger-than-average eye teeth.
I stretched and popped some joints, then headed back to the other room. Legend, Carol, and Danny were gone. Taylor and who I presumed was Weld were alone in the room.
Weld was unreasonably attractive looking for a man made entirely out of metal. He had a darker gray skin tone, with lines of silver framing his muscles and anatomical details, like his collarbones and joints. He was tall, with a muscular frame. He had bright silver eyes, and silvery, or maybe platinum-colored ‘hair’ on his eyebrows and head. It was short and stylishly arranged in a crew cut. He had patterns in his skin that reminded me of Damascus steel. His ethnicity, if any, was hard to place. He had a strong nose and brow, straight, angular, and defined, with a wide mouth.
He was wearing a pair of dark slacks, some dress shoes, a white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and a silver tie.
I pretty much barged into the room, grinning from ear to ear, strolled over to Taylor, and threw an arm around her shoulders. She was blinking rapidly and blushing when I did.
“You must be Weld! I’ve heard so much about you! Are you excited to be here?”
He was trying not to stare or let his eyes wander, and I kept my wide grin plastered on my face.
Well, I know he’s straight right off the bat, hah!
He held a hand out, a smile on his face, but there was confusion present, too. “Hello, yes, that’s me. Just arrived from Boston.”
He certainly had the accent.
I took his hand and shook it. He was extremely gentle. Probably a force of habit, like with Victoria.
“I’m Morgan! I just signed up with Taylor here. Guess we’re going down to the Wards' headquarters to meet everyone.”
He glanced at the door. “I’m supposed to be waiting for Apex to take us down there.”
I waved a hand. “They had something come up they had to attend to, told me it was urgent, and for us to go without them. Gave me their ID so we’d have access.” I pulled the badge out of my pocket and waggled it. Weld looked at the ID for a moment, then nodded.
Taylor held her chest and coughed. “An officer gave me these when they came in with Weld?” She held a pair of the cuffs I’d requested in her hands. I noticed Weld was a touch apprehensive when she’d pulled them out.
“Oh, right. Yes, you hold on to those. I was told you’re going to need them for your friend downstairs.”
I patted her lightly on the back, mindful of her bruises. She looked at me, brow furrowed, then a slow smile broke her expression. It wasn't a particularly warm one, either. “Really?” she asked quietly.
I nodded emphatically. “Really!”
“As the new leader of the Wards, I’d like to be filled in on what the plan is,” Weld said. He did an authoritative tone pretty well.
I nodded. “You know Shadow Stalker?”
He glanced at the cuffs and frowned. “Yes…?”
“She’s being arrested. That’s why the cuffs have been supplied, so she can’t escape confinement. I expect some officers are going to be going downstairs with us, as well, to handle her afterwards.”
“I don’t understand, what’s going on?” There was concern in his voice for his new team members. Good. That spoke much of his character.
“Shadow Stalker is a probationary Ward. She was arrested for violent vigilantism in Brockton Bay a year ago, sent for some behavioral correction, and has been serving as a member of the Wards here as a probation agreement to keep her out of juvenile corrections.”
Weld nodded. “Yes, I’d read that. A bit troubling.”
“Well, after some events earlier today, it came to light that she’s been grossly violating the terms of her probation. Attacking people. Using lethal ammunition, stalking and abusing people, both in and out of uniform. So she’s about to get the news that her parole is revoked. Full disclosure, Weld. Expect her to get real ugly, real fast.”
He cleared his throat. “You won’t mind if I verify this with officers before we take any action?”
I smiled at him. “I’d be very disappointed if you did any less.”
He straightened his shoulders and sighed. “Alright. Off to an eventful first day, I can see. What’s the plan with handling her?”
“I can immobilize her, and if it gets out of hand and she really won’t comply, I can also tranquilize her. Taylor will be restraining her when she’s immobilized. Officers take her from there.”
He nodded slowly. “Normally, I’d probably want to do that myself, but those cuffs are metal and that’s a problem for me.”
“Ah, I understand wanting to take responsibility for your team members, but Taylor needs to be the one to cuff her. Those two have history, and I cleared this operation with Director Piggot with the understanding she’d be doing it.” I looked over at Taylor. “You could say this is some very long-overdue karma coming around full circle.”
“Did you introduce yourself to Weld properly and explain that there’s going to be some raised eyebrows about your appearance downstairs as well?”
She swallowed. “We hadn’t gotten to that yet.”
I gestured to her. “I think it’d be good to inform your new team leader of the concerns his team is going to have with you being there, don’t you?”
She shuffled in place for a moment, then cleared some hair out from in front of her face and adjusted her glasses. “I’ve been a villain for months. It’s a long story. I’ve been directly involved in several attacks on this team and the Protectorate. They probably don’t have very fond opinions of me.” She sighed quietly.
I was all grins, still. This was honestly extremely funny to me. “I think she might be under-selling that a little, but I have zero doubts about Taylor’s willingness and ability to integrate with the team. And Weld? She’s going to be someone you want to get to know.” I wrapped an arm around her shoulder again, and she shrank into herself. “Taylor here is awesome, and I’m not even talking about her power when I say that. Her power is insane.”
“Please stop bragging,” she whispered to me. “It’s making me uncomfortable.”
“Good,” I whispered back to her, and she gave me a dirty look. “You need to be pushed out of your comfort zone when it comes to recognizing yourself. Also, I’m going to be introducing you to one of the best people I know when we get the chance, not today.”
“Who?” She whispered back.
“Mrs. Yamada, my PRT therapist. She almost literally saved my life,” I told her.
She stiffened a little. “Just trust me?” I asked her.
Reluctantly, she nodded and relaxed a little.
Taylor took a breath and held out her hand to Weld. “Hi. I’m Skitter.”
He tilted his head and shook her hand. “I’ve heard of you. You weren’t kidding when you said you have been involved with the Protectorate. You’re like an urban legend on PHO.”
She turned beet red.
“Alright, shall we get this show on the road?” I asked the two of them.
Nods all around.
“Weld, when we get down there, I’ll go first, you take the middle, Taylor will be in the rear.”
“Sure. One question… are you a member of my team too?”
I shook my head at him. “No. Protectorate. We’ll be working together closely, though!” I smiled at him, and he returned it.
We headed to the elevator, and sure enough, there were a pair of PRT officers with containment foam sprayers and tasers. Weld confirmed the plan with them, and I swiped and keyed the elevator for Wards HQ.
“Why is there a tinkertech elevator in the building?” He asked. “Seems kind of random.”
I chuckled. “The Wards here are part of citizen outreach and are a stop on the guided tours of the building. The elevator and entrance to Wards HQ are sort of set up for ‘wow factor’ as part of that outreach program. I used to do tours all the time when I was a Ward.”
“Huh. That’s kind of wild, but I sort of like it.”
I glanced over at him. “Boston Wards don’t do that?”
He shook his head. “No, Director Armstrong wouldn’t allow groups of people through the building like that, guided or not.”
I gently tapped him on the shoulder with a fist and grinned at him. “People have outspoken opinions about Director Piggot, but I think if you get the chance to know her, you’ll realize that a lot of the grouching is shallow. The outreach is one of her pet projects, and it’s important. It’s how we met, actually.”
I elbowed Taylor. Weld looked over between us, nodding slowly.
Taylor spoke quietly, but it was easy to make out with how silent the elevator was. “I don’t think I’d be here right now if it wasn’t for Morgan.” She glanced at me. “She’s… really helped me fix a lot of things in my life.”
Weld smiled broadly at that. “I’m glad to hear that. I love success stories.”
The elevator came to a halt, and the doors opened. There was a long carpet rolled across the floor from the elevator doors to the big doors that led to Wards HQ. That was new.
Weld eyed the shiny metal corridor with concern. “Walking down this every day is going to give me anxiety.”
“Why?” Taylor asked as we walked down the hall.
The officers stepped out of the elevator behind us. I turned to them and let them know we’d bring her out to them.
“Metal bonds to my body, and I sort of… absorb and digest it, in a way.”
“All metal?” Taylor asked.
“Yeah,” he said with a sigh.
“I’m surprised you don’t wear gloves or something,” she said as we approached the doors.
“I do sometimes. I can change the shape of my body, though, and I often use my hands and arms as tools or weapons, so they get destroyed. It’s a pain.”
“Mm. I could see that.”
I waved up at the cameras and inserted my badge into the card reader. A moment later, someone opened the doors for us. I turned to Weld. “If you’re worried about coming into contact with the walls, you can always wave to the people in operations, and they can operate the door remotely.”
He smiled. “That’s a good idea. I’ll probably do that.”
I clicked my tongue as the door went through the showy opening sequence, like a bank vault opening. “Might see about getting some polycarbonate sheets installed for you on the door and walls. The carpet is nice, but if you had to fight in here? You’d be in trouble.”
“Yeah,” he agreed, “that would not end well for me. They told me my quarters were fully fixed up for me, but this is sort of a big hazard.”
The door opened and we stepped in.
Dennis was manning the console in plain clothes. Vista was in comfortable clothing herself, sitting at the table and eating a bowl of cereal. Chris and Sophia weren’t in the main area. Flechette was sitting with Vista. I recognized her from her tight costume, her helmet, and her gloves were sitting on the table next to her.
The three of them looked like shit. Vista’s eyes were puffy and swollen, Flechette looked like she might keel over and pass out from exhaustion at any given moment, and Dennis looked stressed and worn out.
Vista’s spoon clattered in her bowl, and she leaped to her feet, ran across the room, and flung herself at me. I caught her. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and her legs around my waist, and I supported her weight under her butt with one forearm and held her around her back with the other. She buried her face into my shoulder and was sobbing.
“Morgan! I’m so happy you’re here.”
I hugged her tightly. The poor girl was trembling like a leaf in the wind. I whispered to her. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here earlier. I’ve been dealing with crazy things all day. I know who we lost today. How are you holding up?”
“N-not good. What are we going to do without Carlos and Dean?” She was choking out the words and getting spit, snot, and tears on my shoulder, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“We’re rebuilding the team. Making a Wards team they’d be proud to have been a part of, Missy.” I teared up a little myself.
Dennis stood up and walked over to say hello himself.
“What do you mean by ‘we’?” she asked me, and pulled her head back some, wiping her eyes to clear them.
I cleared my throat and spoke up a little so the others could hear. “I just joined the Protectorate. We’re going to be working together again.”
Dennis’s shoulders slumped a little, but I was pretty sure it was relief. “That’s the first piece of good news I’ve heard today,” he said.
I set Missy down and pulled him into a hug. He put up a token effort to resist, but I knew he needed it. I squeezed the crap out of him, too. He sniffed and hugged me back.
“Where’s Chris and Sophia?” I asked as we separated.
“Chris is in his workshop. Sophia is in her room, brooding,” Dennis said.
I pulled Dennis and Missy in close and dropped my voice. “There’s going to be fireworks in here in a moment. Please don’t get involved. I’ll explain after. Just trust me.”
Dennis whispered back: “There’s already been some fireworks. Sophia attacked Missy an hour ago, then locked herself in her room.”
I sighed and looked at Missy. “Are you okay?” I asked her.
She clenched her jaw and nodded. “Yeah. I’ve had worse, but I’m really tired of her shit.”
I winked at her, and she cocked her head. I didn’t say anything further.
Straightening up, I told Dennis. “Inform Ops that you’re sounding an alarm down here. They already know what’s going on. Then pull a code yellow.” He straightened up and nodded quickly.
Code yellow was an all-hands-on-deck alert for the Wards. A call to action, or a drop everything meeting.
I glanced over at Taylor and Weld, and we exchanged nods. A tone sounded three times overhead throughout Wards HQ, and lighting along the ceiling of each wall lit up with yellow light. Flechette hopped up and walked over. I stuck my hand out to her and smiled. She looked a bit perplexed, but took it and shook it. I pulled out my color-coded Protectorate badge with my thumb over the photo and flashed it at her.
A door down one of the halls opened, and Chris came out of his workshop, wiping his hands off on a paper towel. “Morgan? What’s going on?”
“Urgent meeting, shouldn’t be too long, Chris.” He looked relieved to see me.
The door to Sophia’s room slammed open, and she all but stomped out wearing yoga pants and a tank top. She looked the best out of all of them, but I didn’t find that terribly surprising. She was always very photogenic, ironic with what a piece of shit she was under the shapely limbs, clear complexion, and long lashes.
She walked over with a scowl on her face. Taylor was still standing in Weld’s shadow, so I don’t think she’d seen her yet.
“What’s this all about?” She demanded angrily.
Dennis flicked off the alert status and came over to join the group.
“Important announcements, and some business that needs to be addressed,” I told the group.
I pressed my power for a pair of changes, urging it to make them subtle and discreet. Taser whip I could shoot out, and a couple of knockout quills. The inside of my left forearm heated a little, and I could feel things shifting around under my skin.
“First up, I’ve joined the Protectorate effective immediately.” I pulled my badge again, covering the photo and showing it briefly before sticking it back in my pocket.
“Suppose they’re scraping the bottom of the barrel to fill the roster,” Sophia said.
“Hey!” Missy interjected.
“Uncalled for, Sophia,” Dennis chided her. Flechette and Chris remained quiet.
“Next thing. This is Weld,” I gestured over to him. “Director Piggot has brought him in from Boston to lead the team. We haven’t known each other long, but I have very positive impressions of him from what I’ve seen. He’s going to be getting up to speed quickly, and I’ll be helping him out with that. If you have any issues with Weld, please bring them to me and we can discuss them, okay?”
“Why you?” Chris asked.
I made eye contact with him and smiled politely. He was asking out of curiosity, from what I could gather, not out of objection.
I cleared my throat. “I’m not sure if you know about the changes in leadership with the Protectorate today. There’s been some things going on that are kind of messy, and we’re essentially working with less than half a team and a brand new trainee, Eclipse.”
Looks shared all around, a few nods, a few surprised faces. “I’m going to be training with Miss Militia and taking over the Protectorate team upstairs, like Weld is taking over down here. Effective immediately.”
Weld jerked his head, and there were gasps and stunned looks. Flechette was staring at me intently, and Sophia laughed out loud.
I waited for things to die down. “You’re serious?” Dennis asked.
I nodded once. “Yes, Dennis, I’m serious. Legend and Alexandria asked me to join and wished for me to take a leadership role. The PRT is in alignment, and the paperwork is already signed.”
“Did you win the lottery or something?” He joked with a couple of chuckles.
“Something along those lines, yes. I’ll explain more after we get through the remaining headlines.”
Weld spoke up. “Hello, everyone. I’m looking forward to meeting you all and getting caught up.”
There were a few half-hearted mumbled greetings in return. Normally, I’d press the issue, but now wasn’t the time. Weld looked like he was going to say something, and I caught his eye. I shook my head fractions of an inch at him. He held his tongue.
“Next announcement is maybe a bigger shock, so please prepare yourselves. I want everyone here to keep an open mind and not make knee-jerk decisions or reactions, okay?”
Sophia was still snickering. Missy looked concerned, as did Chris. Dennis just looked tired. Flechette was a silent observer.
“There’s another new member of the Wards who just joined. I realize you all have history with her that is maybe not the most fond memories, but as I said, please keep an open mind until you’re able to hear what is going on and the why, okay?”
There were reluctant nods all around. Sophia crossed her arms and stuck her chest out.
I glanced behind Weld. “Would you like to introduce yourself?”
Taylor stepped out from behind him and raised a hand halfway up in the world's worst wave.
Sophia’s jaw dropped. “Hebert!?” She practically shrieked, then started cackling. She sounded more than a little unhinged.
“I’m- this has to be a joke. This is so stupid,” she was laughing, pointing an accusatory finger at Taylor.
I saw Taylor’s cheeks flush.
“We have already interacted with her?” Missy asked, raising her voice over Sophia’s antics.
Taylor squared her shoulders, stood up straight, and hung her Wards badge and lanyard around her neck. She was staring death lasers at Sophia when she spoke loudly and clearly. She made eye contact with everyone as she announced herself. I was incredibly proud of her. I think Sophia being here and showing her ass right now had kicked her into fight mode.
Into Skitter mode.
“Hello. I am Skitter,” she declared.
Chaos broke out. Missy’s eyes looked like they were about to pop out of her head. Dennis took a step backward, away from her. Chris looked lost in his head. Flechette was similarly lost. Sophia had gone quiet. Her fists were clenched, and her face contorted into a nasty sneer.
“No. Fuck no. I’m not working on a team with her.” Sophia’s voice was dripping with pure loathing.
“Feeling’s mutual, bitch.” Taylor snarled.
“What the fuck did you just say to me!?” Sophia growled back.
Taylor reached into the waistband of her pants behind her and pulled out a pair of shock-cuffs.
“Don’t worry, Sophia, you won’t have to worry about being on a team with her,” I said calmly in a loud voice.
Sophia’s eyes darted to the cuffs, then back at Taylor, lips pulled back, and her jaw clenched.
“You have another thing coming if you think I’m putting those on,” she said.
Taylor went to say something, and I held a hand out to her. “I’m giving you one chance to do the right thing and put them on willingly. And if you don’t, you’re going to get them put on you.” I pointed my left index finger straight at Sophia’s chest.
“I’d like to see you try i–” Sophia didn’t get a chance to finish what she was saying.
I shot her right in the chest with a barb trailing a fine, pink, slimy strand connecting back to my forearm. I juiced her with bio-electricity right off the top before she had a chance to process and react.
She stiffened and dropped to the floor. Flechette cried out, Weld held up one hand to the team, and motioned into the hallway for the PRT officers.
“If you’d do the honors, Taylor,” I asked her calmly. “Don’t touch the tentacle,” I cautioned her as she approached with the handcuffs open. Using her shoe, she rolled Sophia onto her stomach. She clicked one cuff around her wrist.
“Press the big red button, and a green light should come on,” I told her.
“Yep. Got it. It’s on,” Taylor said. All business.
Using her shoe and hauling on the other cuff, she managed to secure Sophia’s other wrist behind her back, and I cut off the electricity I’d been jolting Sophia with. Taylor kneeled on Sophia’s back, not putting too much weight on her, and whispered something into her ear.
I hoped that she was saying something good.
Sophia screamed incoherently and thrashed on the floor, trying to kick Taylor.
“I’ll fucking kill you, Hebert!” She screeched.
Taylor stood up as the officers stepped in.
“Hey, Sophia,” Taylor said when they got her upright. “ Fuck you.” Taylor shot the words at her like a bullet.
Sophia spat on Taylor, who just smiled, shrugged, and said: “Karma’s a bitch. Have fun in prison.”
Missy stepped up next to Taylor. “Hey, Sophia,” she chimed in. “ Fuck you.”
As much as I wanted to join them, I didn’t. I looked over at the officers. Sophia was jostling and flailing around, trying to get free, but they were both big men under the suits they wore. She wasn’t going anywhere. “You can take her. Thank you both for your patience.”
“Ma’am,” one of them said, and they led her out. The vault door shut behind them.
Taylor and Missy seemed to be eyeing one another in a new light. Dennis asked tiredly, “Can someone please fill me in on what the hell is going on around here?”
“Sure. Show’s over. Let’s sit down and try and talk through this.” I smiled and retracted the tentacle into my arm with a wet slurp.
“Dude, gross,” Dennis said with a chuckle.
“If only you knew the half of it, Dennis.”
We took seats around the table. There was one chair that was coated in rubberized polymer that was built like a truck and clearly intended for Weld.
I stretched my arms over my head and released the changes in my arm. Yawning, I wiped at my eyes before I got into it.
Missy got her bowl of cereal and poured the soggy remains out into the sink, hit the garbage disposal, then poured herself another bowl.
“Um, may I have one too, please?” Taylor asked. The fire was gone right back out of her. Missy looked over her shoulder for a long moment. “What kind do you want? We have Fruity Blasters, Legend Marshmallow Beams, Choco Crunch, He-rohs, Cinna-Toasties…”
“Oh! Cinna-toasties are my favorite, actually.”
Missy poured Taylor a heaping bowl of cereal, so full it was nearly spilling all over as she brought it over.
Weld got up and made himself some instant coffee with what appeared to be way too much powder. The rest of the Wards went ahead and got some snacks as well.
It’s funny how food can bring us all together in moments like these.
I took a deep inhale. “Sophia has been violating her parole for months. Attacking people with arrows she’s not allowed to have, the same kind she was using when she was arrested, razorheads. Maiming people. Using excessive force.”
Flechette raised her hand. “Sorry, we didn’t get a chance to introduce ourselves earlier. I’m Morgan,” I smiled warmly at her. She returned the smile and introduced herself.
Lily. Pretty name, and pretty cute herself, too.
Lily looked around the table. “I was on a patrol with her earlier, before the sun went down. She had arrows like what you’re describing.”
Figures.
“File a report on it and email Miss Militia and Director Piggot, please.”
I continued. “That was just in her cape life. Her civilian life is actually worse. ”
“Worse than shooting and maiming people with broadhead arrows?” Dennis asked.
Taylor nodded. “She’s a psychopath. Maybe not literally, I don’t know. But she spent the past year torturing me and making my life hell. I… got my powers because of her.”
“Wow, what the fuck,” Missy murmured.
Chris spoke up. “Skitter–”
“Just Taylor, please,” she corrected him.
“Sorry. Taylor. I’m glad you’re on our side, but it’s going to take me some time to come to terms with you being here. I have nightmares that wake me up screaming in the middle of the night from the times you’ve attacked us.”
She dropped her head some and frowned. “I uh. I’m sorry. For putting all of you through that. I know it probably doesn’t help much, but I would rather scare and incapacitate people with fear than by trying to attack them with the intent of stopping them by causing harm.”
Taylor started talking, a bit hesitantly at first, her eyes glancing furtively and gauging reactions. Telling an abridged version of her story and why she’d been a villain. I could see the other Wards, despite being tired, were following along intently. Some questions popped up here and there, and she answered them. She glossed over some details and kept a bit vague about specific power details of some of the Undersiders, but she was fairly open book outside of that.
As Taylor was talking, my head started to throb familiarly. An early warning sign that I was running short on time. I was probably already pushing my limits just being here now, like this.
Lily spoke a bit about herself. She’d grown up in foster care, had triggered a few years back. Had been a member of the New York Wards since then, and she knew Weld from inter-team training events. Another quick Q&A session followed.
Weld spoke up after that. I rubbed my temples; the headache was getting worse, and fast. Taylor kept shooting glances my way. Lily did as well.
“Are you okay? You don’t look so good,” Missy whispered over to me.
“I’ll be fine, I just have to use the bathroom and freshen up,” I told her.
I cleared my throat for a moment when Weld had paused. “Excuse me. I need to step away for a minute. Please continue.”
I stood up, wiping a little sweat from my forehead, and hurried to the women’s restroom and showers. It was pretty spacious inside, which was good, because it was about to be a whole lot less roomy. I double-checked the entrance. This was underground and built like a fallout shelter, so if I got stuck down here, I was in for a night of misery.
No problems. I hurried over to the shower area, where there was the most open floor space, and hurriedly stripped out of my clothing. I stuffed my socks in my sneakers, set them against the wall, and piled my shorts, shirt, and undies on top. I glanced up at the ceiling. Shit. I was going to have to lie down, and this floor was cold. I hunched over on the floor, on my hands and knees, and I released my hold on Morgan.
Heat suffused me, and I stifled a groan. This was a quicker change, but thankfully not a messy one. I rested my head on the tiles as I changed, the pain rapidly leaving me. Things were progressing as I’d expected, but my energy levels were getting sucked down quickly as I grew. The change started to slow around halfway through, and I was left panting like I’d been working out.
I felt a hand on my shoulder. My eyes hadn’t grown in, and I was blind at the moment.
Taylor came to check on me. That’s sweet of her.
Maybe about five minutes later, I was finishing up, and my senses returned. It wasn’t Taylor standing next to me, hand still on my shoulder.
It was Lily.
I was shocked that she hadn’t run away or been put off by seeing that. I rested on my belly and waited a minute to get my breath back, then I spoke quietly.
“Sorry you had to see that. I think I overestimated my ability to hold my other form. I’m still not recovered from the fight. Not nearly.”
She was staring at me, and still hadn’t taken her hand off my side. Her eyes were nearly as dark as my own, her Japanese ancestry coming through clearly in her inky black hair and eyes.
“It was…” she hesitated a moment, thinking about how to describe it. “Fantastic?” She seemed uncertain for a moment, then nodded.
Weird response, but I’ll take it.
She cleared her throat. “Was… before…” she gestured over at my pile of clothing.
“How I used to look. Before becoming Apex,” I told her.
She smiled. “Very cute, I like your style, too.”
“I am physically incapable of blushing,” I joked.
Before we headed back out–which I wanted to do soon with my anxiety around the small space stirring–I told her, “Lily, just so you know, I argued quite strongly that all of us should get credit for killing Leviathan.”
She grinned at me, then broke out into a few chuckles. “I’m really not concerned about it. They pulled me aside and told me I’m getting compensated elsewhere, and truthfully, I really don’t want to be in the spotlight. I thought about it a little, how it might be nice at first, but then I realized that with the issues I have with people being weird and stalking me, it would only make that way worse.”
“Really?” I asked her quietly. “About the stalkers, I mean.”
She nodded slowly. “Part of the reason why I’m happy to transfer here and out of NYC. Creeps and weirdos.”
“I’m sorry. I haven’t had to deal with that. I’d just kick their ass if they did.”
She snickered. “Oh, trust me, I have. Those sorts aren’t good at getting the message in the first place.”
I sighed. “Okay. Well, I just didn’t want any bad blood between us. I worry about those sorts of things, little wedges between people that fall in cracks and only make things worse over time.”
She waved a hand. “No, no. As far as I am concerned, riding around on your back kept me out of harm’s way most of the fight. It wasn’t the most pleasant ride, but it was safe. And if there are issues, I’ll bring them to you directly. I don’t like fussing about with things like that.”
“Wow,” I huffed, “you let a girl ride your ass all morning, and all she has to say is that there was a lack of padding. I see how it is.”
Lily threw her head back and laughed.
“I gotta get out of here before I start going crazy though.” I turned and looked at Lily. “Want to prank the new team leader?” She nodded. I grabbed my clothing and squeezed my way through the two ninety-degree angles that kept the women’s room private and back out into the hallway. I held Lily loosely in a coil of tail.
I put a bit of extra sway into my prowl for effect as I crawled my way down the hallway leading to the restrooms.
Taylor snorted at the look on Weld’s face.
“No powers and nobody moves or Flechette gets it. I mean it.” I gave her a little shake, and she pounded on my tail with her fists.
“What’s this all about?” Weld asked, voice elevated.
“I’m here for your junk food,” I rumbled, and Lily started laughing.
I gave her another shake and told her: “Bad Flechette. You need a better poker face.” I put her down afterwards.
“Morgan?” Missy asked. She hadn’t gotten up.
“I demand to be called Rivera-9000 like this. Bigger, meaner, faster. Blue-r. But guilty as charged.”
Weld squinted at me. “I hope you realize this isn’t going to end here.” He leveled a finger and a serious accusation. “We take pranks seriously in Boston, and I don’t like feeling like I’ve been had.”
I opened my mouth and grinned at him.
“Holy crap. Those are some chompers,” Missy said. I turned my head to her and licked my eye. She giggled.
I was just happy that my antics could cheer the team up, even if just for a little while on an otherwise somber and overly eventful day.
“There she is. There’s Missy,” I said softly. I came around the table and gave her a hug.
“Thanks, Morgan. I needed to be able to laugh a little.” I squatted, then lay down on my elbows next to the table by Missy, where I’d been sitting before. I pulled my badge out of my shorts pocket and hung it in my hair.
“So.” I cleared my throat. “Is it my time for storytelling?”
I sent a text message upstairs, using my hair as I related how my life had been pretty wild in the past two months. Half-apology, half letting Carol and Danny know what we’d been up to, and that we’d be heading out shortly. Carol pinged me back right away. Said they handled paperwork and had been working on planning with the PRT.
I wrapped things up quickly, then answered questions. There were quite a few of them. In the interests of saving time and getting home to actually sleep and recover, I told the team to write down any others they had, and I’d talk with them tomorrow.
I pitched the idea of moving freight to Missy. She was all-in on that idea. The rest of the team was in various stages of sleepiness and/or passing out already at the table. I stood up and handed Taylor my clothing, and she stuffed it in her dilapidated bag. We said our goodbyes and left via the service tunnel that connected to the freight elevator. No way my gigantic ass was fitting in the normal-size tinker elevator.
We met Danny and Carol upstairs, had a quick word with Director Piggot, who had two big boxes packed and loaded full of stuff for me and Taylor. I told Piggot that we were good to go on the runs to Boston with Missy. I grabbed one box in my lower arms, grabbed the other with my tail, and we headed to the roof. The four of us headed to the helicopter landing pad.
“Fuck today. I am so ready to curl up in my bed,” I told the group.
Danny nodded. Carol said, “Agreed. I’ll be happy to settle in with my family for the night.”
Taylor was quiet for a moment, looking up at the sky. I helped Danny and Carol up onto my back.
“I don’t know,” Taylor said at last. “The thing with Sophia and… all of this,” she waved a hand at the building below us. “It’s like this giant weight has lifted off me. I didn’t know it was there before, at least, not all the time.”
“If it wasn’t for Leviathan attacking and everyone getting hurt, the city getting destroyed…” she murmured and trailed off.
“Go on, Taylor. Finish the thought. We’re not judging you,” I urged her.
She wiped a tear from her cheek, but I couldn’t tell from her expression if it was remorse, bitterness, or maybe even relief. “If it wasn’t for Leviathan, this probably would have been the best day of my life. Even with everything else, it’s still up there.”
Carol shifted on my shoulders and patted my neck. Taylor trudged over and climbed up to sit in front of her.
“Don’t feel bad because good things happen on otherwise bad days,” she said. Her tone was surprisingly warm. I thought it a touch ironic that I rarely heard her speak that way to her family, but now wasn’t the time to judge her on it.
“All set?” I asked, standing up on all fours and spreading my wings. Agreement from everyone.
“Just so you know, I’m worn down, so I’m going to be getting us there quickly. Sorry if it’s loud and windy. We’ll be home soon. Hang on to your glasses.”
With that, I crouched slightly, bolted for the edge of the roof, and leaped straight off the side of the building. One of the tallest in downtown. I totally wasn’t grinning about Danny shouting at the top of his lungs.